NEGenWeb Project
Kansas Collection Books


Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska

Richardson County
Produced by
Pam Rietsch.


PART 1:



Natural Resources | Early History | Stephen Story | A Severe Winter
Pioneer Hunters | Lynch Law for Horse-Thieves
The Half-Breed Line | The County Seat Troubles
The Killing of Davis and Meek | County Roster | the Epidemic of 1860

PART 2:


Claim Jumping | The Jayhawkers of '62 | The Underground Railway
The Grasshopper Scourge | Defunct Towns | War Record
Milling Interests | Railroads

PART 3:


Falls City:   First Permanent Residents | City Officials
Postal Business | The Press | Fire Record | Societies
County Buildings

PART 4:



Falls City (conts.):   Banks | Manufacturing Interests
The Grain Business | Pork Packing | Falls City Hotels
Hinton's Driving Park | Public Schools | The Public School Building
Churches

PARTS
 5 ~ 9:

Biographical Sketches:
ADAMS ~ FRY | GALLAGHER ~ KREKER | LEE ~ POWELL
RANDALL ~ STRETCH | TARPLEY ~ YUTZY

PART 10:


Humboldt:   Early Events | Railway Interests | The Public School
Churches | The Press | Societies | Hotels | Banks and Bankers
Manufacturing Interests, Etc.

PART 11:
Humboldt:   Biographical Sketches
PART 12:


Rulo:   Charles Rouleau | Elie Bedard
Early Events | The Press | Business Interests | Churches
Societies | Biographical Sketches

PART 13:

Dawson:   Early History | The Cyclone | Societies | Churches
Business Interests | The Old Mill | Biographical Sketches

PART 14:

Salem:   Early History | Hotels | The Public Schools
Churches | Societies | Business Interests | Biographical Sketches

PART 15:





Arago:   Biographical Sketches
Biographical Sketches:
Porter Precinct | Ohio Precinct | Franklin Precinct | Liberty Precinct
Speiser Precinct | Barada Precinct | Preston

List of Illustrations in Richardson County Chapter


Part 4


BANKS.

   The Richardson County Bank was organized in 1880, under the general statutes relating to incorporated companies, with a cash capital of $50,000. It is worthy of remark that this ample capital was all fully paid in before the opening of the doors of the bank on July 13, 1880. The bank occupies a building twenty-five by sixty feet, two stories in height, erected in 1880, at a cost of over $6,000. A surplus of over $4,000 has already been accumulated. The first president of the bank was M. S. Smalley, an officer of the First National Bank of Hiawatha, Kan., and a resident of that city. The last officers of the bank were J. L. Slocum, President; G. V. Holland, Cashier; E. E. Mettz, Assistant Cashier. Its last statement was as follows, March 31, 1882:

RESOURCES LIABILITIES Loans and discounts...$104,652 06 | Capital stock paid in....$50,000 00 Due from other banks... 20,440 97 | Surplus funds............. 2,000 90 Expenses...................641 42 | Profits since January 1,.. 3,179 99 Over drafts............. 1,049 88 | Deposits................. 90,620 22 Cash on hand........... 13,015 88 | ___________ Building and fixtures... 6,000 00 | $145,800 21 __________ | $145,800 21 |

   Falls City National Bank, Falls City, Neb., successor to Richardson County Bank, was chartered August, 1882, with a capital of $50,000.00. Its officers are: J. L. Slocum, President; R. A. Wherry, Vice President; G. W. Holland, Cashier; E. A. Mettz, Assistant Cashier; Directors, J. L. Slocum, G. W. Holland, J. R. Cain, Robert Clegg, R. A. Wherry.

   First National Bank, successors to Ruel Nims & Co., was chartered in June, 1882, with a capital of $50,000. Its officers are: S. B. Miles, President; John W. Holt, Vice President; Ruel Nims, Cashier.

MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.

   Like almost all Nebraska cities below the first grade, Falls City has a paucity of manufacturing interests. Doubtless with the growth of the city and the increased facilities for obtaining raw material at reduced rates, there will be many industries, property classed as manufactories, started in the immediate vicinity.

   The Brewery.--Gehling & Smith commenced the production of malt liquors, in a building on lower Stone street, in the fall of 1872. After doing a fairly successful business for three years, they dissolved, and the business passed into the hands of Mr. Gehling, who leased it, in 1878, to Brackham Brothers. In October, 1880, Mr. Gehling again took possession, and operated the brewery until May, 1881, when it was leased to Huber & Gehling, who still continue the manufacture. This brewery has a capacity of 2,000 barrels of beer annually, but has never as yet been pushed to its full power. It is furnished with an eight-horse-power engine and boiler, and furnishes employment to four men. The barley used by the firm is produced in the county, but the other materials are procured from other points. The building is of stone and brick, about one hundred feet long and substantially built.

   Cigar Factory No. 165, District of Nebraska, was started, in April, 1879, by Alexander Cohn. Shortly after engaging in business, Mr. Cohn formed a partnership with J. J. Berger, which lasted three months. Since the dissolution of this partnership, Mr. Cohn has been the sole owner of the factory. The annual production of cigars of various grades is nearly one hundred thousand.

   Cigar Factory No. 16, Second Division, District of Nebraska, is of recent date, having been started in March, 1881, by Nutzman & Doerffel. Under this firm name the business was conducted until February 1, 1892, when Mr. Doerffel retired. In 1881, the factory turned out about sixty thousand cigars, and in a full year will produce nearly one hundred thousand.

   Carriage Factories.--In June, 1871, Mr. L. C. Gore, who had for two and one-half years previous kept a blacksmith shop, commenced manufacturing carriages and wagons. His operations were, of necessity, conducted on a small scale. In 1871, Mr. E. J. Holbrook started a wagon-making and blacksmith shop, which he still operates in the building at the southeast corner of the public square. In 1881, he turned out about twenty-five vehicles of different descriptions. In July, 1875, Mr. J. B. Spragins, a contractor, commenced the manufacture of carriages. At first, his business was very light, but it has grown steadily, until, in 1881, he turned out about $2,500 worth of new work, besides a large amount of repaired wagons of various grades. He has now two good sized shops.

   The Climax Windmill Factory.--The manufacture of the self regulating windmill known as the Climax was begun, in 1878, by Ingham & Bigelow, on a lot about three blocks northeast of the public square, and has been continued up to the present time, with a constantly increasing volume of business. Two buildings are in use. One is two stories in height and twenty by thirty feet on the ground floor, and the other one story, and twenty by twenty-five feet. Two sizes of windmills are manufactured, and about one hundred and fifty sold yearly. The firm also make water tanks and other like appliances.

   The Graves Saw-Mill.--About one mile below Falls City is a large steam saw-mill, owned and operated by Mr. W. R. Graves. This mill is a stationary one, of thirty-five horse power, and, with its fittings, cost over $1,500. Its capacity is rated at 50,000 feet of lumber per week, but at the present time it is hardly kept to the highest point of efficiency. The lumber which feeds this mill is taken from the banks of the Great Nemaha at points near by, and consists of oak, elm, cottonwood and black walnut.

   Broom Making.--In 1871, the broom factory of S. Grable was established in Falls City. This was a direct offshoot, or rather continuation of a business begun more than ten years prior in Ohio. Commencing on a small scale, this industry has largely increased its production, and now turns out about two thousand dozen brooms annually. This product is largely consumed in the county, but a portion is sold out of the State.

THE GRAIN BUSINESS.

   Falls City has three elevators, which find ample business in handling the grain which seeks shipment at this point.

   The Heacock Elevator.--In the fall of 1876, P. S. Heacock commenced buying grain at Falls City. At that time, he used no elevator, but had a warehouse twenty by forty feet, with a capacity of 3,500 bushels. This structure was erected at a cost of $1,000. In the fall of 1881, the elevator now in use was built. It is two stories in height, has a capacity of 15,000 bushels of grain and cost $6,000. This is one of the best elevators on the Atchison & Nebraska Division of the Burlington & Missouri, and does a large share of the business of the place. It is operated by steam power.

   The Holt Warehouse.--In the fall of 1870, Messrs. Holt & Burbank built a warehouse costing about $700, and nicknamed "the shanty warehouse" by its owners. This building, after doing service until 1881, was torn down and removed to Preston, the next town east of Falls City.

   The Manst Elevator.--In the fall of 1870 and the winter of 1871, Keim & Manst erected the southernmost of the two elevators now standing near the Atchison & Nebraska depot. This elevator was opened for business in 1871 and run by the partners until Mr. Keim's failure. When it became necessary to sell the interest of the retiring partner, Mr. Slocum became the purchaser, and the firm style was changed to Manst & Slocum; but the junior partner is interested in other affairs, and the management is largely in the hands of the senior. This elevator is two and one-half stories in height, measures fifty by thirty feet on the ground floor, and cost over $8,000. Power is furnished by horses, no steam fittings having yet been procured.

PORK PACKING.

   A pork-packing house was established on January 1, 1876, by Keim & Manst. The building was two stories high, and forty by sixty feet on the ground floor. It had an addition, containing an engine-room and boiler-house, and cost its builders nearly $6,000. Business was begun in it immediately upon its completion, and continued through that and the following season, and then, not being found sufficiently profitable, discontinued. The building lay idle until the fall of 1881, when it was leased by L. Algewahr, who managed it through the season very profitably. Now that the success of such an enterprise has been demonstrated, we may look for a number of houses of this sort in the course of a few years.

FALLS CITY HOTELS.

   The first hotel erected in Falls City was built from parts of an old house which had stood near the bank of the Missouri at Yancton. This was the property of Jesse Crook, and was put up in the winter of 1857-58. It stood on the corner of Stone street, facing that and the public square. Three rooms down stairs and two above furnished accommodations for the traveling public. In 1859, before the house was fairly completed, John Minnick purchased it, and soon added to it a house which he moved from Doniphan, Kan. Minnick's opening of the hotel was practically the first, although it had been conducted for a few months in the preceding summer by Henry Warneke. This building, enlarged and utterly unrecognizable, still stands, and is used for various purposes. During the long feuds and savage encounters of the county seat contest, it was the theater of many broils, and in 1860, its floors were wet with the blood of Weeks and Davis.

   The Union House.--The first hotel of this name was built in 1861, on the spot occupied by the present structure. Like most of the taverns of its day, it was an insignificant affair, one and one-half stories in height, and twenty-four by twenty-four feet on the ground floor. It has also an ell devoted to the kitchen work. The new Union House was built by the same person, Jacob G. Good, in 1870, on the site of the old hotel. Strictly speaking, the new house was erected around the old one, and the last work done was the removal of the old part. The house stands on the northwest corner of the public square, is four stories in height, and forty by sixty feet on the ground floor. It was erected at a cost of $12,000. Up to March, 1882, the hotel had been under the charge of its owner, but at that time leased to Joseph O'Pelt for a term of three years.

HINTON'S DRIVING PARK.

   John Hinton, proprietor, is situated upon the banks of the Nemaha River, about one and a half miles from Falls City. The original park consists of twelve acres of native forest, principally walnut. This Mr. Hinton has seeded to grass. In 1882, he added eighteen acres, on which he has built a half-mile track, with all necessary buildings.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

   As early as 1858, there was a little school on the main street of the village, taught by a Miss Barnum.

   The school district was organized in 1859, with David Dorrington, Anderson Miller and Thomas McIntire as Trustees. F. M. Dorrington was the first teacher under the new regime, and taught the first public school during the academic year of 1859-60. The following year, the first district schoolhouse was erected a short distance southeast of the public square. The new building, although a vast improvement upon the various makeshifts that had been in use previously, was far from an elaborate structure. It was solidly built, and capable of containing far more scholars than there was an immediate prospect of the town's furnishing, but it was innocent of paint, both inside and out, and its seats were not calculated to afford Sybaritic pleasures. As the only public place of any sort where meetings could be conveniently held, it was constantly appropriated for various uses, varying from the dignity of the court-room to some uproarious mirth of some minstrel performance. Through all these changes, the building was still used for its original purpose, until about the beginning of 1875, when it was sold, and the proceeds invested in material with which to build a new and larger structure. What followed is accurately described by Prof. Rich: "Some wretch, having neither the fear of the Lord before his eyes nor the welfare of the youth at heart, stole all the lumber." Meantime the purchaser of the old building had removed it to Stone street and put it in service as a business house. After nearly a year, during which the district owned no school building, the old schoolhouse was moved back to its original place, and repurchased by the board. From 1865 to 1871, the district school again occupied the building, and shortly after the latter date, it was purchased by Mr. W. S. Stretch, and converted into a dwelling. In its new location the remodeled shell, with all of its historic memories, still echoes to childish laughter and grief and pleasant teachings.

   In the spring of 1870, prior to the final sale of the first schoolhouse, it was decided to erect a new, larger and more fitting building. This work was done in the year of 1870-71, at a cost of $2,500, Jonathan Spragins being the contractor. The new building contained two departments, one on each floor, and was opened in the winter of 1871, immediately after its completion. The principal of the school in this year was Mr. D. O. Howe. Miss McGlashen became principal of the school, with Miss F. Kingman as Assistant, in the fall of 1872. At the same time the school, already too large for its new quarters, overflowed into the basement of the Episcopal Church, where a third grade was organized under the charge of Mrs. Olive Kline. Miss McGlashen held her position for two years, and was succeeded in the fall of 1872 by Mr. John Rickards, who found it necessary to branch out still further, and created a fourth department, which was taught in the Baptist Church.

   In the spring of 1876, Mr. Rickards resigned and was succeeded by Mr. J. W. Johnson, who had for some time acted as his assistant, and who completed the duties of the school year. Mr. G. W. Holland was elected Principal of the school in the fall of 1876, with Miss F. Kingman, Miss Della Lemon and Mrs. Olive Kline as Assistants. At the commencement of school duties, the building erected in 1871 was used for all purposes was used for all purposes, but before January 1, 1877, the high school and the grammar departments were transferred to the then partly completed building, now in use for all grades. During this year the small-pox broke out in a very virulent type in the town, and instituted a reign of terror that precluded for many weeks the holding of any form of public meetings. Although fighting against terrible odds, Mr. Holland accomplished a fair amount of work and left an enviable record.

   In the summer of 1877, Prof. W. Rich was elected to fill the position of Principal. At the time of his engagement the school labored under many serious disadvantages, having no properly finished recitation rooms, and having been greatly disorganized by the necessary irregularity of the preceding winter. It had, also, been under varied systems, incident to the frequent change of instructors, who, although able, did not remain long enough to mould the mixed material to a specific form. Since the time of his first election, Prof. Rich has been returned to his work each year up to the present time, and has been enabled to raise the standard of acquirement necessary to a position in the higher classes to an enviable point. The first class to graduate under the standard now in force, consisted of Miss Wynona Wardell, Charles Grable, Ellis Lewis and Sherman Cameron. The school now has seven departments under the charge of the following corps of teachers: High School, Prof. W. Rich, Principal; Russell Keim, Assistant; Second Grammar School, Mrs. A. L. Sanderson; First Grammar School, Miss Anna Schuckman; Second Intermediate, Mrs. Olive Kline; First Intermediate, Miss Mattie Williams; Second Primary, Miss Annie Smith; First Primary, Miss Hattie Stone. The school now occupies one of the finest buildings of its class in the State, and is a credit alike to the county and to those who were instrumental in securing its erection.

THE PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING.

   The railway towns of the State may all be put in two classes; those which sprang into existence upon the building of a road, and had a period of intense growth, followed, as the road was extended beyond them, by comparative dullness, and those which, existing before the railway from natural causes of fitting location, upon its coming, received the complement for steady growth. To the latter class Falls City belongs. Already a live town of nearly twenty years, it was ripe for the career of prosperity which followed the completion of the Atchison & Nebraska Railway. In every business the necessity of greater room was felt. Many of the costly buildings that grace the city to-day date from this period of the town's history.

   In the winter of 1874-75, Mr. Edward Towle, then representing the county in the Legislature, procured the passage of a special act by which the district was authorized to issue bonds to the amount of $20,000, bearing ten per cent, and redeemable in twenty years. On June 30, 1875, shortly after the passage of this act, a petition signed by Judge A. J. Weaver, C. H. Rickards, W. S. Stretch, A. S. Fulton, C. S. Keim, John Hinton, R. A. Wherry, J. H. Burbank and H. Leland, was presented to the Board of Education. In accordance with this petition the board called a special meeting to be held July 19, 1865, for the purpose of examining the details of the project, and obtaining a vote thereon. After mature deliberation the ballot of the electors was taken, and the measure carried by an almost unanimous vote, only two persons voting in the negative. The Board of Education at once advertised for plans and specifications for the new structure, and on August 3, of the same year, accepted those furnished by L. S. Steges & Co., of St. Joseph, Mo., agreeing to pay two percent of the contract price of the structure to the architects. September 11, 1875, the contract for erecting this building was awarded to J. H. Burbank on his bid of $19,000 in bonds, and work was at once begun. The foundations and part of the walls were built in the same year, and the following season the building was enclosed, and a part of the wood work finished. In the summer of 1877, four rooms in the west side, the office on the second floor and the stair and hall fixtures were completed, and all given a single coating of paint. Here the contractor after many disputes with the board, withdrew entirely from the work, and the finishing was done by the board, no formal surrender being made on one side, or acceptance on the other. The structure is one of the finest in the city, and stands two squares east of the main street, and about the same distance from the public square. It is of brick, with stone trimmings and basement, and is surmounted by a tower that serves to lighten the heavy effect common to all buildings of its size.

CHURCHES.

   The Methodist Episcopal Churchof Falls City is the lineal descendant of the society organized at Archer in 1855 by Rev. David Hart, who was then traveling the circuit which embraced Richardson and part of what is now Pawnee County. During the twenty-seven years of its existence, it has grown from the feebleness which characterizes all new churches, and particularly those in a new country, to a position of enviable strength and importance. The pastors of the church in this time have been as follows: Rev. Mr. Stuart, 1856-57; Rev. Mr. King, 1858; Rev. Mr. Reack, 1859; Rev. Mr. King, 1860; Rev. Mr. Taylor, 1861; Rev. Mr. Munhall, 1862; Rev. Mr. King, 1863; Rev. Mr. Taylor, 1864; Rev. S. W. Johnson, 1865; Rev. W. A. Presson, 1866-67; Rev. M. Pritchard, 1868-69; Rev. M. May, 1870-71; Rev. W. A. Presson, 1872; Rev. D. F. Rodabaugh, 1873-75; Rev. L. F. Britt, 1876-78; Rev. S. H. Henderson, 1879-80; Rev. John Gallagher, 1881-82.

   The church now has one hundred and forty-eight full members and twenty-six probationers, making a total of one hundred and seventy-two. This is a considerable increase since the last statistical table of the State Conference, and marks the steady growth which has accompanied Mr. Gallagher's efforts. The society owns a church building valued at $5,000, and a parsonage costing $1,500. In 1881, the collections of church society for support of its minister, the Sabbath school, missions and other purposes, aggregated $1,371. The church stewards are T. J. Collins, J. M. Pence, Isaac Rhine, S. E. Slocum, Martha Weaver, Sarah Gilbert, Sarah Rhine, Annie M. Reavis and Sallie Grable.

   A Sabbath school was started at nearly the same time as the church society, and has shared its fortunes through a quarter century. It now has one hundred and fifty-five enrolled upon its register, and is under the efficient superintendance of Mr. H. B. Grable.

   The First Presbyterian Churchof Falls City was organized in 1866, under the authority of the Highland Presbytery. The committee appointed to this duty consisted of Rev. J. R. Ramsey, Rev. John Lilly, and Elder J. McCullough. At the time of the organization E. C. Cooley was ordained as Elder, and six members received. Mr. Ramsey was at that time acting as a missionary of the church in the county, and supplied the new organization until his removal to Indian Territory. Upon his departure to his new field of missionary work, he took with him the records of this church, and they were subsequently lost. An effort was made in 1881 to replace this important record, and the present pastor, Rev. W. W. Howell, succeeded, after much labor, in accompanying the work.

   Shortly after the departure of Mr. Ramsey, the society became demoralized from various causes, and did not, until 1871, have an active existence. April 6, 1871, the boundaries of the Presbytery were altered, and Falls City was enrolled in the Missouri River Presbytery, E. C. Cooley being admitted as a member of that body. In May of that year a re-organization was effected, and Rev. A. P. Wood assumed the pastorate of the church, which he retained until 1873. At the time of the re-organization, but three of the constituent members were still communicants. These were E. C. Cooley, Mrs. Luentia Miller and Mrs. Sarah A. Cook, only one of whom, Mrs. Miller, still remains. In 1873, a church edifice was erected at a cost of $2,500.

   Rev. J. B. Linksea took the pastoral charge in January, 1874, and remained something over two years, resigning March 16, 1876, for the purpose of making a trip abroad. Mr. Linksea was followed by Rev. E. M. Lewis, who was called to the pastorate by a vote of the church taken shortly after Mr. Linksea's resignation, and accepted June 1, 1876. Mr. Lewis remained in Falls City over a year, and was followed by Rev. F. S. Boyd who was dismissed at his own request, after about a year's service. He was succeeded by Rev. David Sweet, who held the office until January 6, 1881, when he removed to Van Wert, Ohio. After the resignation of Mr. Sweet, the church was without a regular pastor until the fall of 1881, when Rev. W. W. Howell, the present incumbent, was installed. The church, under Mr. Howell, has become more prosperous than for several years previous, and now has a membership of forty-four. A Sabbath school was organized in 1864, under the charge of Rev. J. R. Ramsey, its members coming chiefly from the Union Sabbath school, started in 1859, under the superintendence of Mrs. J. Hutchison. The school held its services in the court house and later in the basement of the Episcopal Church until the completion of the church building. Dr. A. B. Newkirk is the present Superintendent, and has about one hundred scholars enrolled.

   St. Thomas Episcopal Church.--This church building was commenced in 1867, under the pastorate of Rev. Thomas H. Betts, and is capable of seating nearly three hundred and fifty. Funds to build it were raised by subscription in the town, and among friends of the church in other cities, the Bishop of the diocese, Robert H. Clarkson, of Omaha, being a large contributor. The society owns the land occupied by the church building, and also that lying adjacent, to the amount of four lots. The church edifice is two-storied, the upper part of wood being the church proper, while the stone basement serves as a pastoral residence. In the church proper are two memorial windows presented to the church by a lady living on Staten Island, N. Y. From the same source the society received a fine set of silverware appropriate for communion services.

   Since Rev. T. Betts the following rectors have had charge of the church: John Lyon, F. B. Nash, James Stoddardt, Robert Jones, Joseph A. Russell, M. P. Carey. The last named is now rector in charge of the parish, and reports a church membership of thirty-six, and an average congregation of over fifty.

   The first Catholic services in Falls City were held by traveling priests from Rulo, the nearest place where there was a regular pastor of the church. In 1870, the members of the Roman Church assisted by many citizens, who, while belonging to other denominations, were catholic, in the best and broadest sense of the word, erected a church building.

   The following year Rev. Father Lechleitner became resident pastor, of the new parish, and increased the church from its five original members, to a substantial body. On his retirement after a year of service, Rev. Father J. Hays took the pastorate, and held it for nearly two years. During his term of office and largely through his exertions, the parochial residence was erected. His successor was Rev. Mr. Bobal, who in his year of residence continued the work of his predecessor with good success, making many improvements in both the buildings belonging to the society. In 1877, Rev. Father C. J. Quinn was installed, and during a charge of two years continued the good work of his predecessor. In April, Rev. Father John Lee, the present pastor, commenced his work in the city. Under his zealous and watchful care the church has been steadily gaining ground, until to-day it stands free of debt, self-supporting, and numbering nearly three hundred and seventy members. The society has long since outgrown the church building, and measures have been taken for the erection of a new house. The present church is valued at $2,300; has a seating capacity of 250, and the same number of members.

   The First Baptist Church of Falls City was organized December 9, 1873, with the following constituent members: Emily Moss, E. Vaughn, Amy Vaughn, S. Martindale, Jane Webster, William Corn, Susan M. Corn, Jonathan Corn, A. J. Jones, Minerva Jones, Elizabeth Jones, James McWilliams, C. McWilliams. Rev. E. D. Thomas was the first pastor of this church, and held the office until succeeded by Rev. A. J. Jones on May 21, 1874. Mr. Jones held the pastorate until November of the following year, when Mr. Thomas again assumed the position, which he held until September, 1876. His successor was Rev. G. T. Webster, who was followed by Rev. B. F. Lawler. Mr. Lawler supplied the church for two years from July, 1878, and was succeeded by Rev. W. W. Beardslee November 1, 1880, who since that time has done very efficient work for the society.

   Soon after the organization of the society, it was decided to purchase the unfinished building of the Christian Church, and a loan of $500 was solicited and obtained from the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York, to enable the Falls City body to complete the purchase. This apparently simple transaction was the cause of an intensely bitter feud in the community, and was so inimical to the growth of the Baptist organization, that it was not until 1880 that it began to evince any real growth. Shortly after the commencement of Mr. Beardslee's pastorate, the church, which had never been fully completed, was moved to its presentation, just northeast of the public square, and so carefully repaired that it is now one of the neatest structures of its class in the city. Good work, such as that of Mr. Beardslee, has also shown its results in additions to the membership of the church, which now has enrolled about fifty members.

   The Sabbath school of this church was organized in December, 1881, by Rev. W. W. Beardslee, who acted as its first Superintendent. The present Superintendent is Dr. P. W. Hughes, under whose management the attendance has been increased to forty-eight. Prior to the coming of Mr. Beardslee, there had been no regular services, and the school may fairly be dated from the time here given when it was first made a living organization.

   The Christian Church of Falls City had no real organization prior to 1876, although there were many persons of that faith in that place, and occasional meetings were held. In that year Mr. W. E. Neal moved to this city from Marysville, Kan., and at once set himself to the task of collecting the scattered elements, and forming therefrom a church union with a regular organization. One of Mr. Neal's first steps was to rent the Odd Fellows hall, and in it hold a preliminary meeting for the purpose of looking over the field and determining what course to pursue. The first meeting brought out only three persons, Mr. Neal, James Burnham and S. Zimmerman, who after a talk over the proposed plans of work, separated to push the project into more prominence before a second meeting. At the second meeting held a week after, a good number of church members had been gathered from the city and its surrounding country, and an organization was effected. The new church of twenty-three constituent members at once issued a call to Rev. R. C. Barrow to become its pastor. On accepting the charge Mr. Barrow commenced holding regular meetings, which resulted in adding about forty members to the society in a short time. In the same year a lot was purchased and a church edifice commenced. On the completion of the church at a cost of $2,500, in June 1877, it was formerly dedicated by Rev. J. B. Briney, of Marysville, Kan. Rev. R. C. Barrow continued to supply the church for about a year, and was succeeded by Rev. T. W. Pinkerton, the present pastor. The first officers of the church were: W. E. Neal and F. W. Secrest, Elders; James Burnham and David House, Deacons. Its present officers are: J. P. Tarpley, W. E. Neal and A. R. Scott, Elders; H. M. Stove, W. Schmuter and C. F. Kreker, Deacons. The church now has over one hundred and forty members, and a constantly increasing number of attendants.

   The Sabbath school of the church was organized in January, 1878, by Mrs. W. E. Neal, who was mainly instrumental in putting the church on a firm financial basis, and who was the first Superintendent of the school. At the time of organization nearly forty scholars were enrolled. The present attendance is seventy-five. Under Mr. Neal, who still has charge, the school has been kept free of debt, and now has a small surplus on hand.




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