USA > California > Napa County > History of Napa and Lake Counties, California : comprising their geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber, together with a full and particular record of the Mexican Grants, also separate histories of all the townships and biographical sketches > Part 85
USA > California > Lake County > History of Napa and Lake Counties, California : comprising their geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber, together with a full and particular record of the Mexican Grants, also separate histories of all the townships and biographical sketches > Part 85
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EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- The following sketch of the work of this church in Lake County has been kindly furnished us by Rev. W. S. Neals, who has had charge of the field since its organization, and as Lakeport is his head- quarters, we append it here : The Episcopal Church is represented in Lake County by a missionary organization, under the title of "Trinity Mission," which is conducted by Rev. W. S. Neals, who lives at Lakeport. Mr. Neals holds services and ministers to adherents of the Episcopal Church at three points in the county in addition to regular services at Lakeport. The Mission was established in this county in 1876, and Mr. Neals was sent to the work in June of that year. He is the first and only clergyman of that church who has been employed in this field. His work is not confined to Lake County, as he is required to make occasional trips to Ukiah, in Men- docino County, where there are a few families adhering to the Protestant Episcopal Church. The last report to the Bishop and Missionary Society, under whose authority the Mission is, shows that about sixty families, with one hundred and eighty-five individuals, are reached by this ministry. The communicants number thirty. There is no church edifice in this field, the services being held regularly at Lakeport in the Odd-Fellows' Hall, and at other stations in school-houses. This Mission is under the jurisdiction of Bishop Wingfield, who was appointed Missionary Bishop of Northern Cali- fornia by the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1874, when that body divided the original diocese of Bishop Kip, and set off the northern part of it as a separate missionary jurisdiction.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH .- The following sketch of the Presbyterian Church in Lake County, has been furnished us through the kindness of Rev. James L. . Woods :
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The First Presbyterian Church of Clear Lake was organized at Kel- seyville, June 2, 1872, by Rev. Thomas Fraser, Synodical Missionary, with the following members: T. F. Towle, Mrs. Josephine Towle, H. I. Bailey, Mrs. Mary F. Bailey, D. E. Mills, Mrs. Nancy Mills, C. F. Towle, Mrs. Catherine Towle, Daniel D. Davis, Mrs. Lucy P. Ormiston, Mrs. Eleanor Bassett, Mrs. Josephine Boggs. Mr. H. I. Bailey and Mr. T. F. Towle were elected as ruling elders, and duly installed. In January, 1873, Rev. James L. Woods, then a licentiate, ordained in March, 1873, upon petition of this church, was called as a stated supply for one year. His ministrations continued for four years. In May, 1873, the work of erecting a church building began. The walls were built and the house enclosed the same year, but it was not occupied for worship until May of the succeeding year. Unforeseen difficulties and the pressure of a heavy debt prevented the final completion until the fall of 1875. By strenuous efforts, the generous aid of friends at home, and in Napa and San Francisco, and a grant of eight hundred dollars from the Presbyterian Board of Church Erection, the debt happily was removed on the 31st day of December, 1876. A flourishing Union Sunday-school, under the superintendency of Mr. R. D. Merritt, has been attached to the congregation from the beginning. Mr. C. F. Towle was superintendent for one year. In December, 1876, Mr. Woods resigned his charge of the church, after a ministration of four years. The suc- cession by the Rev. Joseph Lanman for a brief period is mentioned in the history of the Second Presbyterian Church. The church remained vacant for nearly two years, when it was reunited with the Second Church in the call for a year of Rev. James A. Mitchell. Through losses by death and removal the gain in membership has been slow, but its beneficial influence in the community has been felt in all the grades. The principal history centers in the erection of the church. It was pronounced bold by friends, hazardous by the indifferent, and a failure in advance by the crit- ical. The church is a neat brick, thirty-two by fifty feet, semi-gothic in style, with hard finish, and will seat about two hundred. The total cost of about $2,800 was $3,600 by the time interest and principal were paid. The church is certainly a monument to the liberality, the energy and faith of a small band. The final effort was for the payment of a debt of $2,200 for a church costing $2,800, amid difficulties within and obstacles without. Among those most prompt and liberal should be mentioned D. E. Mills, W. G. Young and H. I. Bailey, though others will be gratefully remembered. It is a neat and tasteful village church, worthy the gratitude of the membership, and the pride of the community as a successful and beautiful business enterprise. The church is regularly incorporated, with D. E. Mills, H. I. Bailey and Thomas Armiston as trustees, under the name, "The Trustees of the First Presbyterian Church of Clear Lake."
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The Second Presbyterian Church is an outgrowth of home missionary work in connection with the Presbyterian Church at Kelseyville. Imme- diately upon his commission to the field, Rev. J. L. Woods began services on the second of January, 1873, at Lakeport, in the Southern Methodist Church. There were no Presbyterians in the town or vicinity, except those who had made their temporary home with other denominations, and it was not known whether any desired the services of their own church. The monthly Sabbath duties of the minister were to sweep the church, make the fire, ring the bell (a large hotel dinner bell), and to preach to congrega- tions gathered within barn walls, seated upon benches without backs. Lakeport was not then wholly given to church attendance. Upon one Sunday the report of a gun-not an infrequent occurrence-was followed by the rattling of the shot against the wall of the church. There had pre- viously been services but twice a month in the Methodist Church. In town, as nearly as can be gathered, there was one Free Methodist, the M. E. Church had three members, the Presbyterians none, the M. E. Church, South, certainly had three and surely disputed with the Northern Methodist Church possession of another. At the Presbyterian services congregations were, nevertheless, fair in size and always decorous in manner, and appar- ently earnest in attention. Though for the first year and a half not a dollar of salary was received from the field, either by subscription, collection or donation, regular services were maintained.
Upon August 8, 1874, at Lakeport, the following named persons, resid- ing in the vicinity of Lakeport and Upper Lake, were organized by Rev. J. L. Woods, assisted by Rev. Sylvester Woodbridge, D. D., into the Second Presbyterian Church of Clear Lake: Robert G. Reynolds, Mrs. Maria C. Reynolds, Alexander Young, Mrs. Mary Young, Samuel Clendenin, Mrs. Persis Clendenin, Godwin Scudamore, Mrs. Mary C. Scudamore, Miss Alice Scudamore, Mrs. Sarah J. Hurt, John Waller, Mrs. Kate Waller, and Mrs. Catharine E. Green. R. G. Reynolds, M. D., and Mr. Alexander Young were elected ruling elders ; subsequently Mr. Samuel Clendenin was added to the number. The Lord's Supper was celebrated on Sabbath, Rev. Dr. Woodbridge preaching the sermon, with Rev. Dr. Martin, of St. Joseph, Missouri, assisting in the Sacrament.
In connection with the first Presbyterian Church of Clear Lake, at Kel- seyville, Mr. Woods continued as stated supply until January, 1877. At Upper Lake, in the fall of 1874, a building erected for a store and public hall was purchased at judgment sale, for a church. An adjacent lot was afterwards added by purchase. The church was without a minister front January to October, 1877, when Rev. J. L. Woods, having been recalled, entered anew upon his labors. In December of the same year an eligible lot for a church site, on the corner of Third and Tunis streets, Lakeport, was
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purchased, and not long after Colonel J. B. Armstrong, of Santa Rosa, gave lots suitable for a parsonage. Services held for a time in the Methodist and Baptist churches, were now transferred to the Good Templars' hall. In April, 1878, a Sabbath-school was organized, which, with one interruption, has continued prosperous ever since. The late Isaac Mewhinney was super- intendent at the time of his death.
In October, 1878, Mr. Woods was compelled, by ill health, to resign the charge of the church. He was immediately succeeded by Rev. Joseph Lan- man, who supplied the congregations for a few weeks only. The church was vacant thereafter until September, 1879. Rev. James Anthony Mitchell was called as stated supply for one year. In October, among other members received, was Mr. Robert Simpson, who was elected and duly in- stalled as ruling elder. During the year a Sabbath-school was organized at Upper Lake. The congregations of Lakeport and Upper Lake are united in one organization under the name "The Second Presbyterian Church of Clear Lake." The church is regularly incorporated, with the following Board of Trustees : R. G. Reynolds, Alexander Young, Gawn Murdock, Samuel Clendenin, and G. Scudamore. Has a bench of elders composed of R. G. Reynolds, Alexander Young, Robert Simpson, and Samuel Clendenin. It has building lots in Lakeport, both lots and building at Upper Lake, and numbering among its members those whose personal influence is wielded and felt in business, education and religion. Its outlook for a prosperous work in the future is full of encouragement.
M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH .- This sketch was written by Rev. J. C. C. Harris: This was the first church organized within the bounds of the county, hence it is emphatically the pioneer church in this county. It was first organ- ized in 1857, in a school-house in Big Valley. Rev. Mr. Norman organized a class at that time and place. We are not able to give all the names of those present at this organization. As this is not really necessary, we will not attempt to give the names of those who constituted the class. Soon after this organization there were several other classes organized within the bounds of the county. As our records were destroyed by fire at the time the Court-house was burned, we are unable to give the names of the minis- ters in the order in which they came, who labored here under the authority of this church, from the time of its organization to A. D. 1865. During that time, however, Rev. Mr. Norman, Rev. Mr. Hawkins, Rev. Mr. Jones, Rev. Mr. Clampett, and others were sent to this field of labor. There have been many changes in the work since that time. Owing to the unsettled state of the country, old members have moved away, new members have come in ; old classes have been transferred, new classes formed, and many other changes too tedious to mention. But suffice it to say, this church has
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occupied the ground from the time of its organization to the present, and it certainly has done a good work here, and the Lord has blessed his labor- ers. This church has at present two very important charges in this county -" Potter Valley Circuit " and " Lakeport Station." Rev. J. S. Clarke has been pastor in charge of the Potter Valley Circuit for two or three years past, and he is accomplishing much good in that section of the county. Rev. J. C. C. Harris is at present pastor of Lakeport Station. The pastors of this church in and around Lakeport-including Big Valley, Kelseyville, Scotts Valley, Upper Lake, etc .- from A. D. 1865 to 1881, are as follows : Rev. P. O. Clayton, in 1865 ; Rev. W. A. Spurlock, in 1866 ; Rev. J. L. Por- ter, in 1867; Rev. Y. D. Clanton, in 1868-9; Rev. H. N. Compton, in 1870-1; Rev. L. J. Hedgpeth, in 1872: Rev. John Woodin, 1873; Rev. W. E. Murry was pastor of the church during the latter part of the year 1874 ; Rev. R. F. Allen, in 1875-6-7. During the year 1876 or 1877 Lakeport was made a station. Rev. J. C. Pendergast was pastor in 1878-9; Rev. B. F. Burris, in 1880 ; Rev. J. C. C. Harris, in 1881. This church was regularly organized in this section of the country four years before Lake County was organized; and after the organization of the county other denominations came in and established churches in our midst, and we have been working energetically and harmoniously for the good of man and the advancement of the Master's kingdom; and we hope and pray that the efforts put forth here by God's servants may be as bread cast upon the waters, which shall be gathered up after many days!
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF LAKEPORT .- This sketch was furnished us by Rev. R. C. White : This church was organized in the spring of the year 1861, with ten members. The Rev. S. Reily became its first pastor and continued to serve the church twelve months, when circumstances com- pelled him to remove from the town. He was succeeded by the Rev. J. N. Burroughs, who also continued to serve the church as its pastor for twelve months. In 1863 the Rev. D. G. Loveall became its pastor. He also served the church for the period of twelve months, and was succeeded by the Rev. J. D. Banner, who continued to serve the church as its pastor for two years. In 1866 the Rev. B. Ogle became its pastor. February 16, 1867, the church suffered the calamity of losing its records; they were destroyed in the fire that burned the Court-house of Lakeport. Rev. B. Ogle continued to serve the church with great acceptance until January, 1876. In May, 1876, Rev. E. Waller became its pastor, and served the church with accept- ance until May, 1878. He was succeeded by Rev. D. L. Taylor, who also served the church for the period of twelve months. In January, 1879, Rev. G. H. Lillard became its pastor, and continued his service for the period of twelve months. In June, 1880, Rev. R. C. White became pastor
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Big Valley Township.
of the church, and continued to be until September, 1881. The church was organized with ten members; its present number is between seventy and and eighty.
CLEAR LAKE COLLEGE .- Professor John A. Kelly, President of this insti- tion, has kindly supplied us with the following history of its rise and pro- gress : The history of this institution is largely an outgrowth of the modern tendencies which are operating in the formation of American society. For the conditions and circumstances which demand or occasion the establish- ment of any new enterprise in a given community often determine the character and complexion of its subsequent history. This must be especially true of every institution founded in a time when many of the great univer- sities and colleges are gradually surrendering to the popular clamor for abridged courses of study and easy conditions of graduation.
Hence the records of every institution of learning that requires the development of an accurate and comprehensive scholarship, tempered and sustained by a sound Christian morality as an essential condition of promo- tion and advancement, shows evident marks of the struggle and vicissitude through which it has passed during the earlier periods of its organic life. Since the operation of this general tendency stamps the history of the last few years with the impress of a bias peculiar to itself, and renders it an epoch in the intellectual development and social progress of American society, it is reasonable to expect that the common mind will be controlled by superficial views of life and by a feverish desire to grasp and pursue those lines of thought which seem to give promise of an immediate and practical utility.
Thus the persistent and determined efforts that have been made during recent years to suppress the prolonged study of the ancient classics and the higher mathematics, in our colleges and universities, and the positive dis- position to reduce their curricula, or courses of study and training, to a mere routine development of the empirical and applied sciences, have brought forth their natural results in the production of a large class of pseudo- specialists, whose inability to appreciate the necessity for a broad and general culture renders the present an age of the most unhealthy and pernicious individualism, tending rapidly to the development of those invidious caste or class distinctions, which destroy every feeling of a common interest and leave the character of society to be moulded and fashioned by the whims and caprices of illiterate and designing men.
From this condition of things there arose the necessity which called for the establishment of an institution of learning, whose mission should be, the correction of the erroneous tendencies of the age, the restoration of the pristine culture of literature and deductive thought to its appropriate sphere, and the abolition of those social demands in college life which practically
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debar students of limited means from the successful pursuit and acquire- ment of a liberal education.
With this mission before her, and resting her hopes of success upon the firm belief that, in a country whose institutions are exposed to all the vicissi- tudes of a popular government, the safety and good order of society require and demand that the advantages of a full collegiate course of instruction should be placed within easy reach of the most indigent child of the nation, Clear Lake College opened her recitation rooms for the accommodation of students in the town of Lakeport, county of Lake, State of California, on the first Thursday in September, A. D. 1876, at which time seven youths of varying age presented themselves for matriculation, and were admitted to seats in the Academic Department.
But from the very beginning of its history, the institution had to con- tend with general and local prejudices, to correct the mistakes of its friends and baffle the counsels of its foes; to meet the hostility and opposition that grow out of social customs adverse to successful and efficient study ; to es- tablish public confidence and create a more general and wide-spread appre- ciation of advanced scholastic training and culture, before it could either render its influence perceptible, or enjoy anything like a generous support from the surrounding community. Hence, its history, like that of other in- stitutions of the same grade, is marked by these characteristic periods of light and shade which often attend the introduction of new and strange ideas into communities unaccustomed to the rigorous discipline of a healthy college life. Besides these more immediate causes of embarrassment, the widely prevalent heresy that extravagant buildings, elaborately furnished, constitute the efficient energy that achieves success in the acquisition of learning, contributed in no small degree to the general difficulties that op- posed the progress of the college, and rendered its success a matter of un- certainty and doubt.
Though the institution was thus confronted in the very beginning of its work with this array of opposing influences, yet it advanced steadily and progressively toward the fulfillment of its mission and the redemption of its pledges. Thus it gradually won its way to a somewhat more extended public favor and confidence, so that during the first year of its history fifty-four students were matriculated and assigned to their appropriate de- partments of instruction. This increase of attendance was largely due to the adoption of a generous and liberal policy in the financial and general management of the affairs of the college, which was based upon a settled determination to bestow the advantages of a liberal and thoroughly practical education upon every youth of the land who might aspire to the more re- fined enjoyment of a fully developed manhood. Thus it became necessary to depart from the general custom and usage of those institutions of learning
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Big Valley Township.
on the Pacific Slope which claim the rank of colleges, in order to render the provisions of this generous determination available to that class of stu- dents for whose especial benefit they were made. Hence, the scholastic year was divided into three equal terms of thirteen and one-third weeks each, and the rates usually charged for tuition and board were reduced nearly one-half, so that the cost for instruction in all the studies enumer- ated in the several departments of the college ranges from $24 to $48 per year; while the entire cost of tuition, board, room-rent, laundry service, and text books, varies in the aggregate from $180 to $230 per year.
But while this liberal policy secured to the college an apparently well sustained patronage during the first year of its history, yet simple justice compels the statement that much of the tuition was gratuitously bestowed upon indigent students and hence brought no immediate returns, in conse- quence of which the institution barely paid its current expenses during the first year of its history.
Nevertheless, though the college was thus compelled to sustain a fierce and merciless contest against heavy odds in order to maintain the appear- ance of life and prosperity, a beginning had been made, buildings had been erected, permanent impressions for good had been effected, enduring resolutions to complete the classical course had been formed by a few of the students, and successful work generally had been accomplished in the forma- tion and instruction of classes destined in due time to enter the Collegiate Department.
Thus the closing exercises of the first year seemed to render the prospect somewhat brighter and more encouraging for the future, while the occasional expression of a general approval tended to kindle anew expiring hopes and seemed to give evidence of a more healthy condition of the public mind respecting the nature and extent of college discipline. But these expressions of apparent satisfaction with the college proved to be the delusive masks of idle curiosity, rather than the manifestations of a general and consistent desire to foster and encourage the establishment of an institution of learn- ing, founded on the higher interests of humanity, and conducted in the manner best calculated to redeem its pledges of fidelity to princple, and worthily sustain its claims to public favor and confidence, for the institu- tion could not escape the influence of that law of attraction and repulsion, which is developed by the appearance of novelty. Hence, during the ensu- ing vacation, many professed friends of higher education surrendered them- selves to the prevailing prejudices of the times and withdrew their support from the college. So it was left for a time to the fostering care and tender mercies of that general indifference which is born of unconscious ignorance and willful bigotry.
But while the institution was thus compelled to resume its labors at the
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beginning of its second scholastic year under circumstances far from encour- aging, and well calculated to dishearten and crush the hopes of its best friends, yet it began anew the struggle for life with that strong and coura- geous spirit which was engendered by an unwavering determination to reap the fruits of an honorable victory, and sustain the dignity of its sublime mission.
Neither did these premonitions of an approaching conflict prove other than ominous forebodings of renewed hostilities; for with the opening of the new year there arose a combination of adverse tendencies, among which a determined effort to bring the study of the ancient classics into disrepute occupied a very prominent and conspicuous place. So persistent and unre- lenting was the action of this special tendency, that even the students who were prosecuting the study of Greek and Latin were often assailed by those shafts of scoffing derision and contempt which are commonly forged at the suggestion of ignorance, while they are tempered, poisoned and directed by the dictates of a venomous, malignant and unreasonable jealousy. Nor was this phase of hostility restricted to mere efforts to discourage the students themselves, for the philosophers and ministers of modern utili- tarianism even went so far in their zeal to destroy the influence of the college and prevent its success, that they attempted to effect a dissolution of the more advanced classes by flattering the parents of the older students with the persuasion that their children were sufficiently well educated to meet the responsibilities of society life, and that they ought to be engaged in the work of a more laudable vocation than the pursuit of useless learn- ing. " Tanto molis erat Romanam condere gentem."
But while this unholy crusade was being waged with such malignant ferocity against the college and its management, the work of the recitation room was steadily progressing in the development of a higher literary and scientific culture, and the discipline of the institution was gradually effect- ing a reformation in the social habits of the students, so that the history of the second year was efficiently and successfully consummated in the tri- umphant graduation of a respectable class from the Academic into the Colle- giate Department. Thus the college continued in the prosecution of its work during the third, fourth and fifth years of its history, until the entire classical course had been successfully mastered by one of its students and a worthy candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Arts been developed, when it became necessary to effect a more complete organization of its working forces, which was accomplished by the due incorporation of Clear Lake Collegiate Association, under the laws of the State of California, whence the institution assumed the exercise of corporate powers, January 12, 1881, and proceeded to legalize its existence and acts by the adoption of by-laws and election of the following named officers and members of the Board of
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