Church: The Union Church of Cannonville
Poster: Marianne
Email: Tigrbug@AOL.com

Surnames: FEUTZ, MALLROY, LONGENECKER, SCOTT, GRETHER, DECHANT, WALLACE, KOELER, WHITE, FERGUSEN, CURLESS, NULTON, ADAMS, NELSON

Source: The Marshfield News Herald, March 26, 1964 pg 16.

Neillsville - Cannonville Corners, 9 miles southeast of here, has had a church for 54 years without a resident pastor.

The Cannonville Ladies Aid, which has been active for 55 years and still meets every month, erected the Union Church and maintains it. Husbands helped with the construction.

The church was erected in 1910. During the early years of it's existence, Wilson Mallory, Granton, a lay preacher, conducted services. The Rev. George W. Longenecker, drove out from Neillsville with his horse and buggy to conduct church services there Sunday evenings. Mrs. Longenecker always accompanied him.

The Rev. Walter Trench Scott conducted some services there on Sunday evenings following World War II, as did also the Rev. David Grether and the Rev. Norman Dechant from Neillsville.

The church is owned by the Cannonville Ladies Aid and is kept in repair by that organization. At present a mission group is holding Sunday services there.

"Fifty four years ago," says Mrs. Chris Feutz, "we had 30 members in the Ladies Aid and when we decided to build a church, we put on suppers, box socials and home talent plays. Everyone in the Cannonville area helped to build the church; everyone donated time, material and some money. We had no career carpenters, but in those days every man could handle a saw, hammer, and knew something about construction work. Charles Wallace and his sons, bricklayers and masons, donated their services and built the foundation.

"We proceeded to build the church piece by piece and it cost very little cash. When we started services, there were rough boards on the floor, no pulpit, no seats, no shades. As we were able to raise some money, we added equipment. A home talent play raised enough funds for an old-style foot-pedal organ, a pulpit, and shades for the windows. A Neillsville man offered to make benches for our church for $100 which was a wonderful offer. He figured he was helping the church."

The Union Church of Cannonville has served as a community gathering place for parties, socials and religious services. It has never had a full-time pastor, but the church has always been available to any religious group. In recent years, a Lutheran Church group and a Ukranian church group have used the facilities for services.

The Ladies Aid is nondenominational. It is a union organization. "Before the advent of the automobile," said Mrs. Feutz, "most of the residents of the Cannonville area attended our church services and all the women belonged to the Ladies Aid. We are down to 11 active members now, but we keep active and will keep the building in repair.

Addenda: Handwritten list of additional pastors who preached at Cannonville Church: Rev. Hays William Koeler, Rev. Paul White, Rev. R. C. White, Rev. Fergusen, Rev. Roy Curless, Rev. Vergil Nulton, and missionarys Adams & Nelson.

Picture below shows Cannonville Union Church with the garage & service station operated by Spiegels next door. The intersection of Highway 73 and K was known as Cannonville Corners.