CEDAR COUNTY, NEBRASKA - OLIVER GROVE CHURCH, MAGNET, NE

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         Article written by Judy Carlson, July 2009.

         

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OLIVER GROVE CHURCH
 
A chance for free land and the hope of a better future brought many 
pioneers to northeast Nebraska. Joshua C. Oliver, his wife Sarah and 
their children were one of those pioneer families.  Joshua wanted to 
take advantage of the free land that was available. He chose the 
northeast quarter of section 3 in Precinct Eighteen and filed a Timber 
Claim in 1892. This required him to plant a number of trees, thus 
creating the name of Oliver's Grove.

It was late spring of 1892, while planting the trees for Oliver's Grove, 
that Sarah became ill. Medical treatment could not help her and in June 
1892 she succumbed to death at the age of 45. Across the road to the 
north was a small cemetery. Joshua laid his beloved wife to rest here.

During the year of 1891, church services were being held at the Betts 
schoolhouse, with the pastor of the Methodist church of St. James servicing 
the growing congregation. There had been some talk about building a church 
for the people in the area of Oliver's Grove. Joshua knew that his wife was 
dedicated to her faith, so he donated two acres of land in his Timber Claim, 
to the Trustees of the M.E. Church.

The Church became known as the Oliver Grove Church. It cost $900 and was 
dedicated free of debt without any outside help August 14, 1892. H.C. Myers, 
pastor at Wayne preached the dedicatory sermon.

In 1892, J.R. Gearhart was appointed to St. James and Magnet, dividing time 
between the two. He served these two appointments until May 20, 1893 when he 
was given full time to Magnet. Oliver Grove was a part of this charge and 
Wausa was also added to the work making a three point circuit.

Gearhart was on this circuit five years and held camp "revival" meetings for 
10 days each summer at the Oliver Grove Church. Many souls were saved in these 
meetings. Regular Sunday church service was held until 1905 in the Oliver 
Grove Church. After this time, numbers dwindled and only occasional Wednesday 
night meetings were held. In 1914, the Trustees of the church deeded the two 
acres to Albin Anderson, who was the owner of the quarter of land at that time. 
The church had been moved into Hartington, with exact date not known.

The pastors who served at Oliver Grove were: J.R. Gearhart, A.C. Butler, 
W.H. Carter, C.W. Davidson, O.P. Mueller and J.H. Smith.