CHAPTER XXVIII ____________ RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COUNTY The history of the churches of the county is inadequate, owing to the difficulty of procuring data concerning them. The author sent notice to pastors that he was preparing this history and requested a reply, giving name of church, date of organization, list of pastors and any other information that might be of value. It is regrettable that some failed to respond. The clerk of the Methodist Church of Red Oak furnished furnished the names of its pastors and time of service only. The accompanying comments are the author's. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF RED OAK. Rev. Samuel Farlow, a Methodist circuit rider, whose home was in Clarinda, Iowa, preached the first sermon in the town of Red Oak. The meeting was held in a log cabin, the home of L. N. Harding, situated near a spring on what is now East Coolbaugh street. The congregation consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Harding, their two children, and Chris. Worthner and wife, neighbors of Mr. Harding. Rev. J. T. Hughes held meetings in the same place. He was the first Methodist clergyman whose appointments were in places within Montgomery County, being assigned to this field by the conference held at Muscatine, Iowa. He was a circuit rider without a horse, and walked all of the way from that city, arriving, in due time, at the home of Mr. W. T. Reed, who lived in a cabin near the present town of Grant. Mr. Hughes is now Page 252 living at Conway, Iowa, at a ripe old age, the ward of his church. He and one other were the only preachers in attendance upon the M. E. Conference held at Atlantic in 1894 who were present at the conference held at Muscatine when he was assigned to this field. The only certain reliance for the support of that young man was in a missionary society in New York which engaged to send him forty dollars a year, to be paid quarterly. On the stength of this credit, he tried to negotiate with Joe Bean for a pair of boots. Mr. Bean said to him, "I presume you tell the truth, but New York is a long ways off, and as you are a stranger, I will keep the boots." Upon arriving at Frankfort, nearly barefooted, he met Mr. Solomon Stout and explained to him his mission and his lack of foot gear. Mr. Stout said, "I am not the most exemplary man in the world, but my mother, away back in Kentucky, was a good Methodist woman. I will trust you for a pair of boots." Mr. John Murray, learning of the incident, took up a collection among the officers at the court house and the boots were not only bought but paid for the same day—in answer to prayer, as Mr. Hughes declared afterwards. The first regular place for holding religious meetings in Red Oak was a small school house, built by subscription and situated near the freight depot. The first Sunday School was organized by J. M. Hewitt, with sixteen pupils, Mr. Hewitt being the superintendent. The writer held religious service there July 10, 1859. Rev. Clerry, a Baptist preacher, was present. He proposed to administer an antidote for the poison of liberalism at his next meeting and announced his subjet, "Hell and Its Duration." The records now extant of the pioneer preachers of the Methodist Church would show that J. S. Rand preached in this vicinity in the year 1861, at which time Red Oak was embraced in the Frankfort Circuit. Rev. R. W. Thornburg and Rev. B. F. Coe were preachers in charge in the years Page 253 1863 and 1864. Mr. Coe's wife was the sister of Ret Clarkson, a long time editor of the Des Moines Register. The church records show that the minister's salary was $500 per annum and the elders' portion from the circuit was $65 per annum. The next pastor was J. F. Hughes, who was in charge in 1864 to 1865. In 1865, W. F. Laidley became minister and the following year, in the month of April, the society was incorporated. The incorporators wre J. M. Hewitt, Leander Sickman, J. E. Gepford, H. H. Burris, M. J. Latimer and W. F. Laidley. Red Oak was made a staton in 1869. The first church, on the site of the present residence of Mrs. M. E. Crandall, corner Sixth and Hammond streets, was built in 1868, the contract price being $1,082.50. The second church, located across the street south from the first one, was built at a cost of $22,000.00. This served its purpose for about a quarter of a century when it was torn down to make room fo rthe present structure, costing approximately $40,000.00. The following table shows the names of the preachers, time employed and length of service from 1863 to date: J. S. Rand, circuit, 1861; R. W. Thornburg, circuit, 1861; B. W. Coe, 1863-1864; J. T. Hughes, 1864-1865; W. F. Laidley, 1865-1867; A. J. Andrus, 1867-1869; P. St. LClair, 1869-1871; J. M. Holmes, 1871-1873; P. F. Bresee, 1873-1876; C. H. Ryman, 1876-1878; H. H. O'Neal, 1878-1881; L. Woodsworth, 1881-1882; J. W. Webb, 1882-1884; J. C. Stephens, 1884-1887; D. Austin, 1887-1888; W. F. Bartholemew, 1888-190; W. H. Shipman, 1890-1893; A. B. Buckner, 1893-1896; J. S. Wright, 1896-1897; W. H. Cable, 1897-1898; A. M. Shea, 1898-1899; W. G. Hohanshelt, 1899-1902; E. M. Holmes, 1902-1904; E. W. McDade, 1904----.
Page 254 THE FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF VILLISCA was organized in 1866 by Rev. Wm. T. Reed, with a membership of eight persons. The following named pastors have served the church: S. Mulligan, A. J. Andres, W. T. Smith, T. P. Newland, Adam Burris, R. M. LSmith, W. J. Beck, Benj. F. Durfee, W. A. Chambers, W. S. Hooker, Wilbur F. Laidley, H. J. Everly, C. C. Mabee, A. P. Hull, A. T. Jeffrey, Fred Harris, A. W. Armstrong, J. F. Cambell, J. F. Blanchard, W. B. Redburn, W. G. Hohanshelt, W. M. Dudley, C. J. English, Peter Van Dyke Vedder. The church has a membership of 505, and a Sunday School of 350 and an Epworth League of 125 members. Under the present pastor, there has been a brotherhood whose work is among en and boys, seeking to lead them into a religious life and up to good citizenship. The first church was built at a cost of $3,000.00; the present imposing building was erected at a cost of $15,000.00 and was dedicated by Bishop Jos. F. Berry December 17, 1896. THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT ELLIOTT was organized in 1880. List of pastors and time of service is as follows: William Patterson, 1880-1883; E. E. Ilgenfritz, 1883-1886; T. G. Aten, 1886; J. G. Bourne, 1887; A. C. Rawls, 1888-1889; G. W. Maine, 1890-1891; J. W. Neely, 1892; E. H. Curtis, 1893; A. R. Miller, 1894; A. T. Andres, 1895-1896; S. E. Brown, 1897-1898; C. W. Brewer, 1899-1900; G. Winterbourne, 1901; A. T. Coe, 1902-1903; F. T. Stevenson, 1904. The present pastor, F. T. Stevenson, reports that very few of he veterans of the church are left. THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF HOLMES' CHAPEL was dedicated the 18th day of August, 1890. Rev. Fletcher Brown delivered the dedicatory srmon. The names of the Page 255 clergmen who have served the church—though perhaps not given in the order of their service—were Revs. Palmer, Harvey, Vorhees, Mayne, Martin, Menohor, Trueblood, Bates, Caldwell and Duling. CHURCHES AT ARLINGTON. The METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH was dedicated in 1905 and the PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH is held at Arlington Schoolhouse near the Arlington Mill. There is also a CHRISTIAN CHURCH a short distance north of Holmes' Chapel. THE FRANKFORT METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH was first organized and the house built in 1888. This was used until 1903, when a new structure was erected on the site of the old one at a cost of $3,000.00. Rev. W. G. Hohanshelt delivered the dedicatory sermon. The preachers were Revs. Harvey, Bourne, Trueblood, Buckner, Jackson, Caldwell, Johnson, Wright, McDade, and the present pastor, Rev. Mead. THE METHODIST CHURCH OF GRANT reports that a new and commodious church building has recently been erected and dedicated this year—1906. The first sermon within the confines of the present charge was preached some time during the winter of 1855 by Rev. James F. Rand. This sermon was preached at the Donoho home on the east side of the Nodaway river at th etime of the marriage of Samuel McNeely and Martha Donoho. The society was organized during the winter of 1855-6. The original members wree Mr. and Mrs. William Stipe, David Stipe, Allan Donoho and family, Samuel McNeely and family, Willian Reed and fmaily, Reed Donoho and wife. This society was connected with the Frankfort charge and Rev. Farlow and Rev. Hobart at different times acted as pastor. Page 256 Subsequently the Red Oak charge was established, and this charge was added to it. At this time, all of Montgmery county and a large part of Cass county were in the same charge. Eventually Red Oak was made a separate charge and Grant and Villisca were spoken of as the center of a new charge. The society at Grant about this time was able to build a parsonage. The first quarterly confenrence of the Milford (Grant) circuit was held at Grant, Oct. 16, 1869. Rev. W. T. Smith was the pastor in charge and Rev. Holliday was the presiding elder. In 1874 a frame church was erected at a cost of $2,700. It was dedicated March 14, 1875, by Rev. A. J. Andrews. This church has served the society as a place of worship till the present time. In 1880 the membership was approximately 80. Following will be found the names of the pastors of the charge with the year in which their service began, as nearly as possible to ascertain: Rand, 1855; Mulhollen, 1856; Farlow, 1857; Hobart, 1858; Andres, 1859; Williams, 1861; Thornberg, 1863; Reed, 1864; Donoho, 1864; Laidley, 1866; Smith, 1869; Newlon, 1870; Archer, 1872; Reed, 1873; Sheets, 1873; Booth, 1875; Osborn, 1878; Plum, 1879; Randolph, 1880, Barley, 1882; Branston, 1883; Adair, 1884; Stevens, 1886; Harvery, 1887; Palmer, 1889; Voohees, 1890; Martin, 1891; Main, 1893; Maxon, 1895; Deitrich, 1896; Bourne, 1898; Menoher, 1889; Bates, 1901; Caldwell, 1902; Trueblood, 1903; Duling, 1904. THE PILOT GROVE CENTER M. E. CHURCH. Before the erection of this church, meetings were held in the Pilot Grove Center Schoolhouse, at which place Revs. Franklin, Yockey, Armstrong, Evans and Gibson preached. About twenty years ago, a church building was erected and Revs.
Page 257 Aten, Neeley, Rawls, Ilginfritz, Maine, Miller, Bourne, Curtis, Andrews, Brown and Brenner have been the pastors. The church building was greatly improved fourteen years ago. The membership is about eighty. THE STRATTON M. E. CHURCH, SHERMAN TOWNSHIP was dedicated Aug. 17th, 1900, T. M. Stewart preaching the dedicatory sermon. Value of church, $2,200. Subsequent pastors have been: A. C. Rawls, C. W. Main, J. W. Neeley, E. H. Curtis, A. R. Miller, B. M. Buckner, F. Holiday, H. C. Johnson, C. Hooker, F. M. Jackson, M. H. Rambo, J. W. Caldwell, N. Johnson, W. Wright, E. C. McDade, F. M. Mead. THE BINNS CHAPEL (METHODIST) was built about twenty-five years ago at Binns' Grove, Page County. It was used for meetings a few years and then removed to Grant Township about sixteen years ago. Three or four years ago it was torn down and the material was used in the construction of a Methodist parsonage at Stanton. THE M. E. CHURCH OF STANTON was built in 1900. It has not a large membership, being over-shadowed by the other churches of the town. Rev. Calvert is the present pastor. THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF RED OAK In 1869, preliminary steps towards establishing a Congregational Church in Red Oak were taken by Dr. John Todd of Tabor and Rev. O. W. Cooley. Previous to this, the Congregationalists had worshipped with the Presbyterians. In August, 1870, a meeting was held in the Baptist Church of Red Oak to consider the matter of organization. Rev. G. C. Hicks was chairman and T. F. Willis secretary. A confession of faith, covenant and constitution were presented and adopted. Page 258 at this meeting. Lyman Banks was instructed to procure a site for a church building. In 1870 the organization was complete and officers were elected in 1871 as follows. Deacons, Lyman Banks and E. M. Carey; Trustees, V. D. Stoddard, Alfred Hebard and Isaac Hull. Pastors of the church have been as follows: G. C. Hicks, 1870. Following Rev. Hicks, Dr. R. B. Bement was employed for a few months, and irregular services were kept up during 1873. Rev. George Dodson, 1873; C. T. Melvin, 1874-1875; Rev. J. Allender, 1876-1884; E. A. Leeper, 1884-1889; E. C. Moulton, 1890-1897; George LeGrand Smith, 1897-1902; The same year the church called Rev. Chas. P. Boardman of Marshalltown, who is the present pastor. The membership of the church is 252, with a comfortable church building and a large parsonage. During the pastorate of Rev. Dodson, a church building was erected, and during the period intervening between Dr. Leeper's resignation and the calling of Rev. Moulton, the church was practically rebuilt, at a cost of $4,000.00. THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH ONE MILE EAST OF WALES was built in 1876 at a cost of $2,000 and has a membership of one hundred. J. L. Thomas, now a citizen of Red Oak, donated one and one-half acres of land for the erection of the church and parsonage. Samuel Jones served the church as as pastor four years. He was followed by Revs. T. D. Thomas, Samson, Evans, Robert Thomas and Davis. THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF RED OAK. was organized June 13, 1869. First house of worship built in 1871. Present house in 1894. The organization of the church are the Sabbath School, Christian Endeavor Societies—Senior and Junior—Woman's Missionary Society and Page 259 the Ladies' Social Circle. Session: A. L. Smith, Hugh Gunn, L. C. Thompson, M. D., David Artz, John Stockslager, J. C. Mickle. Membership 252. Dr. Silas Cook, Pastor. THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PILOT GROVE. was organized in the winter of 1876 and officers selected. The committee in charge of the bulding of a church edifice consisted of Ex-Sheriff T. Martin, John Askey and J. H. McKibben. The present membership is estimated at fifty or sixty. The peachers who have been employed as supplies were Revs. T. H. Hunter, McAfee, Linn, Smith, Watt, McNinch and others. THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AT VILLISCA was organized in 1871 with thirteen members. After about twenty-eight years, the old church was discarded and a new brick building was erected. It is a prosperous church and has had some very able preachers, including Rev. Brown, T. H. Hunter and the present preacher, Rev. Driver. THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF RED OAK was organized Oct. 31, 1871. Pastors who served the church: N. E. Wade, S. W. Lorimer, W. R. Cox, J. A. Wiley, J. D. Graham, S. E. DuBois, and William Murchie, present pastor. THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PLEASANT LAWN was organized Dec. 15, 1885. Pastors, in order of their service were: W. R. Cox, J. A. Wiley, J. D. Graham, S. E. DuBois, D. M. Montgomery, N. A. Whitehall. THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF INDIAN CREEK. was organized June 1, 1882. Pastors: W. R. Cox, Robert Hood, G. F. Brochett, C. C. Potter, J. P. Griffin. Page 260 THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF CENTER RIDGE. was organized June 1, 1887. Pastors: T. T. Miller, Robert Hood, G. F. Brochett, C. C. Potter and J. P. Griffin. THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF RED OAK was organized Aug. 31, 1856. Pastors as follows: James Renfrow, White Lambert James Morris, Nov. 1866-; R. R. Hanley, Dec. 1868-Aug. 1869; W. P. Patterson, Aug. 1869-Feb. 1872; J. R. Shanafelt, March 1874-April 1875; E. Alward, Dec. 1874-April 1876; W. P. Patterson, 1876-Oct. 1877; A. V. Bloodgood, Dec. 1877-Oct. 1888; F. P. Haggard, Feb. 1889-Nov. 1891; F. P. Leech, Jan. 1892-June 1897; John Shaw, Dec. 1897-Feb. 1903; W. M. Marting, June 1903. Mr. Martin is the present pastor. The value of the church is about $8,000 and of the parsonage $4,000. THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF VILLISCA was constituted May 30, 1869 by Rev. C. C. Baird, Missionary of the Southwestern Iowa Association in the year 1870. Their house of worship was the first good church building of brick erected in Villisca. The congregation outgrew the frame building and it was sold and moved, now being used as an opera house. THE BAPTIST CHURCH AT SCIOLA has filled an important place in the religious, social and eductional life of the people of the Valley of the Nodaway. It has now fallen into partial disuse through removal or death of those who have been its strength and support. THE FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST OF RED OAK was organized May, 1871. The pastors were Elders Anderson, Hover, Stanly, Black, Lockhart, Cotton, Hardman, Wei- Page 261 mer, Morrison, Van Kirk, Bowers, Ingram, Price, Walters, Cies and Nichol, the last named being the present pastor. THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF VILLISCA was organized March 1894. The names of the pastors are as follows: H. N. Allen, M. G. E. Bennett, J. K. Hester, W. P. Shamhart and the present pastor, S. M. Perkins, who has been with the church nearly five years—the longest pastorate held by the congregation. The church holds a conspicius place in the religious life of Villisca and embraces in it membership people of influence in soc[i]ety. THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF ELLIOTT was the first church ever built in that town. It originally belonged to the United Presbyterians and was bought by the Christian Church in 1883 at a valuation of $1,000. The present membership is about thirty. E. J. Stanley was pastor five years, and was followed by Ebert Dale, Gregg, Van Kirk and perhaps others, with Rev. Ross as the present pastor. THE SWEDISH LUTHERAN CHURCH OF RED OAK was organized in 1872 by Rev. A. Skeppstedt, with fifteen charter members. He died in Sweden in 1880. The other pastors of the church, in the order of their pastorate, were: J. E. Rehnstrom, who died in Lockport, Ill., in 1890; J. C. D. Osterholm, who died in Red Oak in 1887; A. J. Rydin, A. B. Lilja, C. A. Ramstedt, who died in Illinois in 1895; E. J. Nording and F. V. Hanson, B. D., the present pastor. A permanent place of worship was erected in 1874 at a cost of $1,400.00. Its first location was on the northeast corner of First Avenue and West Second Street and was removed to Reed Street in 1886. This was replaced in 1904 by an elegant structure costing $11,000.00. The church has a membership of 435. Page 262 THE SWEDISH EVANGELICAL MISSION CHURCH OF STANTON was organized in 1878. They have a good building and parsonage valued at $4,000. The first pastor was E. Noren, who served the church until 1902, when he removed to California. Their present pastor is C. Roslin. THE SWEDISH EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF RED OAK was organized in 1884. The church was erected in 1902, and, together with the parsonage, is valued at $13,000. The first pastor was Rev. G. N. Tegnell. Present pastor, Rev. C. V. Anderson. Membership, 125. THE LUND SWEDISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CONGREGATON was organized at the home of John Sillingson one mile south of Stanton, and the first church was erected the same year but was not finished and dedicated until 1875, Rev. Halland being their first pastor. In 1884 the present church was built and is one of the finest churches in the state. The audience room is beautifully frescoed and painted. It has a pipe organ that cost over $2,000. The church is 100x80 feet, with walls 22 feet high and with a steeple 168 feet high. A. J. Oslin succeeded Rev. Halland in 1883 and remained in charge until 1895, when he was followed by J. E. Rydback. Rev. Rydback remained until 1903 when C. A. Randolph took charge of the flock and is now their pastor. There are about 800 communicants and 300 children. ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH dedicated their second building in 1902. This was erected at a cost of $7,000. Their present pastor is Father W. J. Quinn. THE CALVANISTIC METHODISTS built a church at Wales in 1877 and five or six years ago a new church was built. The membership is made up of Welsh people. Preachers: John Jones, Miles and Jones. 
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