USA > Iowa > Cedar County > A topical history of Cedar County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 17
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October 14, 1848, Wm. Simpson, P. C. In December of same year a com- mittee of five was appointed to consider the propriety of building a meeting house in Tipton. Brothers Fraseur, Lee, Aldrich, Carl and Betts composed the committee. They evidently thought it the proper thing to do, for the frame was put up in 1849, and enclosed the next year. Wm. Lee went to Muscatine for the lumber and sawed nearly all of it himself. It was a plain frame building and cost about one thousand dollars. It was seated at first with slabs, furnished
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
by Henry D. Brown. These were in use for about two years. The building was never formally dedicated. In 1854 an addition was built and a cupola put up to hold the first church bell ever brought to Tipton. The citizens gave part of the money to buy it and Mr. John Culbertson secured the balance in New York and Boston. It was bought in Troy, N. Y., and was received in the summer of 1856. The belfry not being in readiness, it was hung in the minis- ter's barn. The sexton rang it for a few weeks by taking hold of the tongue with his hands and striking it against the side of the bell. He struck it too hard one day and broke the bell. It had to be sent back and exchanged for the present one at the expense of the freight.
October 26, 1850, Alcinus Young was P. E. and L. C. Woodford P. C. The Stewards of those days could get released, relieved or excused whenever they tried to as the records show. The Stewards of more modern times would give a pretty penny to be able to do the same.
November 15, 1851, David Worthington became P. E. in place of Alcinus Young, and Ancel Wright P. C. in place of L. C. Woodford. The first Metho- dist Sabbath School was organized by Rev. Wright in the spring of 1852. The first Superintendent was J. C. Betts. It is said he served continually for fifteen years. As a matter of contrast the first report of this school is here given: Number of officers, I; teachers, 4; scholars, 40; volumes in library, 70.
The first revival of which the records speak was during the pastorate of Rev. Wright, when over a hundred were converted.
1852 Alcinus Young was the presiding elder. He died March 30, 1876. E. H. Twining. P. C. In 1853, Reuben McCaskey received license as a local preacher. Rev. A. Coleman succeeded Alcinus Young as P. E .; Rev. J. T. Cole- man, P. C. Wm. Lee was licensed as a local preacher March 11, 1854. In 1855, Rufus Ricker, P. C. Local preachers, J. W. Kynett, J. B. Huff, and N. Young. July 17, 1857, J. W. Kynett was recommended to the Annual Conference for Local Deacon's Orders. There was a revival while Rev. Ricker was pastor.
At the dedicatory exercises of the present church, it is fitting to say that to Dr. R. D. Parson's pastorate much credit is due for the success of the great enterprise undertaken by the congregation. The cordial union of all interests and the helpful and united spirit of all under his ministry alone made possible the erection of this magnificent edifice. In a sense it will stand as a monument to his long and successful work in the ministry. Dr. Parsons was born in Hadley, Mass., in 1838 and came to Iowa when a boy with his parents, who set- tled in Tipton. While a student at Cornell he heard his country's call and en- listed in the famous College Co. D, 44 I. V. I., which was made up of students from Cornell, Iowa Wesleyan, and the State University. After an honorable service as a soldier he resumed his college studies and graduated from Cornell with the class of 1867. His life since that time is a long record of faithful and devoted work in the ministry of the M. E. Church. His first charge was at Lyons, Iowa, and after that, in order, Waverly, Clinton, Cedar Falls, Mt. Ver- non, Vinton, Iowa City, Osage, Fayette, Mason City, Manchester, Vinton, Waverly, Maquoketa, and Tipton. In these thirty-seven years of labor in the Upper Iowa Conference Dr. Parsons has made himself known and loved by thousands of Methodists, and these, together with his fellow ministers and
EVANGELICAL CHURCH, BENNETT
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, BENNETT
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
other friends, will share with him the satisfaction and pride he must feel in the great work just accomplished.157
October 23, 1904, the new Methodist church was dedicated by Bishop John W. Hamilton. The sum of eight thousand dollars was raised to complete the payments of twenty-three thousand dollars, the cost of the building and fur- nishings. The pipe organ was installed at this time. Three separate programs filled the day and evening.
Territory of Iowa, Cedar County-ss :
We, the subscribers, and our associates, having united ourselves together as a religious society under the name and style of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Cedar Circuit, Iowa Conference, and located said society in Cedar County afore- said, have chosen officers of said society in accordance with our rules the follow- ing named persons, to wit:
HENRY HARDMAN,
JOHN BOYDSTON,
WILLIAM LEE,
HENRY D. BROWN,
SOLOMON ALDRICH,
Trustees.
SOLOMON ALDRICH,
WILLIAM LEE,
HENRY D. BROWN,
ETHAN C. CRIPPEN,
RICHARD RANSFORD,
MAHAN, Circuit Stewards.
HENRY D. BROWN, Recording Steward.
Dated this. third day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred forty-six.
Signatures of the officers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Cedar Circuit, Iowa Conference.
Here appear the signatures of the following: HENRY D. BROWN,
JOHN BOYDSTON,
SOLOMON ALDRICH, WILLIAM LEE,
HENRY HARDMAN, Trustees.
The recording steward certifies as follows :
Territory of Iowa, Cedar County-ss :
I, Henry D. Brown, Recording Steward of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of Cedar Circuit, Iowa Conference, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a cor- rect and true abstract of the organization of the said religious society, together with the names and titles of the officers thereof, and attached to which is the true and veritable signatures of each of said officers.
Given under my hand and seal, this third day of July, A. D. 1846.
HENRY D. BROWN, (SEAL) Recording Steward.
On the reverse side of the original agreement, now in the hands of Mr. M. H. Miller, the county recorder makes the entry :
Recorder's Office-ss :
Cedar County, I. T.,
I certify that the within instrument of writing was deposited in this office for record the 19th day of August, A. D. 1846, at 12 o'clock m., and was recorded in Book D, page 298, at Tipton August 24th, 1846.
(Signed) WM. K. WHITTLESEY, (SEAL) Recorder Cedar County.
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
Three miles west of Tipton there once stood. a little red school house where the church people of the early day met together, Congregational, Methodist, and United Brethren, all in earnest and in harmony to establish a strong Sunday School. They came for miles around since this was the only place where such meetings were then held. Of these three groups the United Brethren had the greater number and first erected a church. This was called Zion and was built in 1856. During the winter of the year in which this was built a most remark- able revival occurred in this neighborhood under the leadership of the pastor of the United Brethren church, Rev. Geo. Miller, assisted by two other men, Rufus Ricker and Wm. Lee, of the M. E. church. Under the influence of the three men and the large growth of all the denominations the Methodist people now built a church to accommodate the increased gathering and named it Bethel, erected in 1857. It has since been called West Bethel, due to another south of the county seat called by the same name. At this time the Congregationalists united with the Brethren and the little red school house so often the meeting place of all these people was abandoned as a church for the more pretentious house.
For many years these churches exerted a strong influence over the entire neighborhood, and there is one man who remains very faithful to his first trust and each. Sunday returns to the old home place to keep alive the associations of former years and to see that the later generation does not forget. The red school house is no more, but W. B. Reeder does not forget and tells now of the early joys of the union services when entire families came together in the early morning and remained through the entire service. He has held his membership in Bethel church since its erection, helped to build both the churches in that community and is satisfied to be counted there today.158
In the fall of 1857 the entire district lying west of the central part of the county on the Cedar River was organized into a circuit and known as Cedar Circuit in Iowa City District, and the Rev. Samuel Pancoast as Presiding Elder. B. C. Barnes was the first pastor and this was his first work, being assigned here by Bishop Ames of the Marion conference.
. His charge consisted of Number Six, Coon Creek, Gower's Ferry, Linn Grove, and before the year was out an appointment in the west end of Red Oak at the brick school house. William Lee of Tipton, a local preacher, had worked in this territory without pay and now gave it into the hands of the regular pastor.
The next year, 1858, Bethel was added to this circuit and the pastor resided here. In 1862 Bethel was connected with Tipton and Rev. S. N. Fellows was in charge. He held meetings in the churches of other denominations in Red Oak. The Red Oak church was built in 1867 when Elias Skinner was pastor. In 1868 and '69 W. A. Allen was pastor at Clarence and organized a class at Stan- wood, preaching in the depot, stores, and starting a Sunday school. In 1869 Bethel and Red Oak were set off as a circuit with J. W. Kynett as pastor. Stan- wood was at this time in connection with the Clarence charge and the pastor C. A. Hawn.
In 1870 what was called Tipton circuit included Bethel, Red Oak, and Stan- wood, with a membership of one hundred and twenty. In 1873 this circuit was called Stanwood ..
4
Methodist Episcopal Church
Presbyterian Church
Evangelical Church, School and Parsonage
Catholic Church GROUP OF CLARENCE CHURCHES
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
In October, 1877, the retiring pastor of this circuit wrote the history of the different appointments so far as the record of those in charge and the local arrangements could be condensed into a record of a few lines. This is the only record of this period beyond the memory of man. The next pastor at Stanwood kept no record and the record was continued by the pastor following, a student from Cornell, who did his college work and the pastoral work also. This man needs to be mentioned in particular, for he worked for two years in this way until compelled by ill health to limit his work to his studies. When he gave up the pastorate of the three appointments the congregations met together at the Red Oak church and to assist him in his purposes gave him $130 in gold, this purse being presented by Capt. W. T. Rigby for the assembled people.
In 1886 a class was formed at Stotler's school house, and when the United Brethren church was built at Buchanan's Corners the meeting was moved there.
Last February: the Methodist church of Mechanicsville rededicated the church after its reconstruction. Its history was given at that time in the con- densed form which follows. The present pastor, Rev. James Ballz, had charge of these services, and was assisted by a number from abroad.
The building committee at this time was composed of F. W. Leech, D. C. Gilliland, Dr. Fairchild, and J. D. Blessing. The class leaders of the church are Wm. Albaugh and Samuel Gilliland, pioneers of this county, the latter being in his ninety-seventh year.
From the early records of Methodism in Cedar County, we learn that just fifty years ago the name of Mechanicsville appears in one of the appointments on what was then known as Pioneer Circuit. How long before this date a class had been organized at Mechanicsville the records do not tell. The circuit at this time was composed of Pioneer, Mechanicsville, Greenfield, Rome, Simmons' School House and Clarence. About the year 1864 Valley Chapel and White Oak became appointments on this charge. During the pastorate of J. M. Rankin in the year 1866, the church building at Pioneer was moved to Mechanicsville and fitted for service. This historic building is still in existence and serves as the dwelling of Dr. Scott Russell.
The present building was erected during the year 1884, S. S. Bradford, pas- tor, Dr. J. T. Crippen conducting the dedicatory services. The building commit- tee consisted of Wm. Helmer, Joseph Lee and Norman Bennett. Joseph Lee died April 1, 1884, and I. B. Johnson was elected to fill the vacancy. He and Norman Bennett are living to see the rededication of this house of worship. The remodeling of the church was begun last year under the pastorate of Rev. Ewert, now of Garrison. The remodeling has been so complete that a new church is almost the result. The improvements consist of a commodious kitchen and dining hall in the basement and a newly arranged heating plant. The interior of the auditorium has been completely changed, the ceiling lowered and both ceiling and walls beautifully frescoed, harmonizing in color with the new art windows. New carpet covers aisles and rostrum. The furniture consists of new pulpit, settee and pews. The pews are a monument to the devotion and energy of Mr. Samuel Gilliland, who first conceived the notion of seating the new church with pews of modern style, and by personal solicitation secured money enough to nearly cover, the cost of pews and pulpit.
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
Too much cannot be said in honor of the building committee who devoted so much of their time and personal effort to the interests of this work. Likewise the same recognition is due the Ladies' Aid Society which has been an important factor in carrying to completion this enterprise. The church as it now stands is a model of beauty and harmony and of which the citizens of Mechanicsville and vicinity may justly be proud.159
Rev. Cyrus Morey, a minister of the Methodist church, commenced preaching in Durant the summer of 1869, occupying at first the old Butterfield building. During the winter of 1870 he held a revival which was the means of establishing a permanent society and in the spring of '71 action was taken for the erection of a church and accordingly money enough was soon solicited to insure the comple- tion of the same. The corner stone was laid after the Masonic order May, 1871 ; the church was dedicated early after harvest, 1871. The articles of incorporation were approved and adopted by the Board of Trustees on the 2nd day of May, 1874, and were filed in the Clerk's office at Tipton May 7th, 1874.
The ministers that have occupied this field since Rev. Morey are: Revs. Rankin, Gortner, Cler, Jennis and E. L. Briggs. The society has no regular pastor at present.160
The first Methodist preacher to speak in Clarence was the Rev. T. C. Wood- ford, a superannuate of the Iowa Annual Conference, who then resided in Tipton and was invited to speak in the place by the Lutherans. This was in 1862. This point was first made a regular appointment by Rev. J. W. Kynett, who was then supplying the Pioneer charge. He was afterward prominent in the local military affairs and at one time presiding elder of the district. He was a familiar figure on the streets of Tipton until the last two years. He conducted the services in Clarence for some time but did not perfect an organization. Clarence was a part of the charge of the pastor who had to care for Stanwood and Red Oak at one time, according to the records. The appointment was made an independent work in 1868 and the pastors who served in its beginning included some names now long out of service.
The church was built in 1868, the parsonage in 1877. The present pastor is Rev. Smith. The pastors before it became an independent work were, in addition to the one mentioned, Revs. Scoles, Paine, Manning, McClain, and Hawn. The church dedication occurred in 1869 under the direction of Dr. Hatfield, Revs. Allen and Miller.161
The first religious service held in the neighborhood of Louden was by the Methodist denomination, one and a half miles southeast, by Rev. Gilruth. The present church in Lowden was built in 1861, Rev. A. J. Kynett, presiding elder. The records of its fifty years of history are very meagre and illustrates the sad fact of neglect, on the part of those responsible, to make any systematic record of what took place. This is the only church in town where there is preaching in the English language and all church going people who do not understand German go there and many of the German children attend the Sunday school.162
The Methodist Episcopal Church of West Branch, Iowa, was organized pre- vious to the year 1870. During the first years of the organization the religious services were conducted by the pastor from Oasis, Iowa. Before the church building was erected at West Branch, which was in 1870, members of the society
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
attended for a while at Oasis and also at Brick Chapel. Later, West Branch became the head of the circuit and the pastor visited and held services at Oasis, Springdale and Brick Chapel. This was the arrangement for the work during the pastorate of S. C. Freer in 1876. S. B. Maltbie became the pastor in the autumn of 1877, when North Liberty was added to the circuit, and Oasis became the head of another circuit. Rev. Maltbie served two years and was followed in 1880 by H. S. Bargelt, who served one and one-half years, L. D. Younkin filling out the second year. I. C. Lusk served two years from October, 1882, and was succeeded by R. Wolf, who served from 1884 to 1887. The longest pastorate in the history of this church was that of Wm. S. Craft covering a period of five years, from 1887 to 1892. The next three pastorates were of one year each, J. G. Eberhart beginning October, 1892, John H. Hayward, October, 1893, and Jno. M. Wilkerson, October, 1894. A. D. Stevens was pastor here from 1895 to '97, R. W. Coates from 1897 to October, 1901, H. H. Barton from 1901 to 1903, W. B. Davis from 1903 to 1906, F. H. Linn from 1906 to 1908, E. A. Lang from 1908, pastorate not closed.
The society at Springdale was incorporated Jan. 20, 1875, and since that time has been a part of the West Branch Circuit. The Trustees who composed the board in 1875 and signed the Articles of Incorporation were Jno. Worrall, F. A. Bates, E. B. Randall, Jno. Leonard, James Phelps, Elwood Macy and Joseph Shaw.
The original church buildings, the one at West Branch, erected in 1870, and the one at Springdale, erected in 1875, are still in use.
The membership on this circuit has varied during the past twenty years be- tween 200 and 245. The Sunday schools have been well supported and have had a large part in contributing to the spiritual life of these communities.162ยช
The beginning of the history of St. John's congregation, Tipton, Iowa, dates back several years prior to the Civil War. In the spring of 1858, Rev. W. K. Zieber came to Iowa on an exploring tour, and visited those of the Reformed faith who happened to live in the vicinity of Tipton. As he was only to look over the field he could simply encourage the people, and then passed on.
It seems from his report, action was taken by the Mission Boards, and Rev. C. C. Russel was commissioned to come and look after these people, but on ac- count of some interference, he did not come. Rev. Joshua Riale was at that time missionary at Boulder, Iowa, and, as there was no sign of anyone coming soon to look after the interests of the church in the vicinity of Tipton, he visited the members and seems to have held a service, January 29, 1859, promising to come back every four weeks. His two fields were now some forty miles apart, and to be as near as possible to both, he moved to Lisbon.
In September of that year, 1859, the three ministers then in Iowa, Bauman, Riale, and Buser, with their Elders, met in Tipton and organized the Classis of Iowa. The same day St. John's congregation was organized with the following members: Isaac Neiman and Eliza Neiman, his wife, Samuel W. Neiman and Susan Neiman, his wife, Mrs. Lidia Millhouse and Harriet Neiman, sisters of Isaac and Samuel W. Neiman, and Eliza Bingeman, a neice of Mrs. Isaac Nei- man. Thus it will be seen that these first seven members were very closely re-
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
lated. They have all passed to the other world except Eliza Bingeman, who is now Mrs. Jacob Smith and lives at Greyson, Neb.
As there were but two men in the congregation the contest for office was per- haps not very spirited. Anyway, it was settled by electing Isaac Neiman to the office of Elder, and Samuel W. Neiman to that of Deacon. The Holy Communion was at this time celebrated and regular services held thereafter every four weeks, in the Lutheran church, in the afternoon.
The second Communion was held in September, 1860, at which time George L. Neiman, Sarah A. Neiman and Nancy Jane Emerick were received by con- firmation, and Ephraim Neiman and J. Dairy, by letter. The congregation now numbered twelve members, five men and seven women.
At the third Communion season, September, 1861, Mr. Riale preached his farewell sermon as supply, and in October of the same year Tipton was placed with Wilton under the care of Rev. J. C. Klar. Mr. Klar lived at Wheatland and preached as supply in Tipton every two weeks. During the year 1862 he also preached in the Hebron school house and organized that congregation, preaching alternately in German and English.
During his ministry the following persons were received from the New Berlin charge, Pennsylvania : Josiah Sweinhart, Mrs. Mary A. Sweinhart, Jacob Swein- hart, Emma L. Sweinhart, now Mrs. Delaplane, Jerome Sweinhart, Mahlon Neiman, Ester Neiman, Elizabeth Emerick and Ephraim Weil.
In October, 1862, Rev. Frederick Wall moved into the charge and supplied Tipton and Hebron, while Rev. J. H. Buser supplied Wilton. Before the year closed however, Mr. Wall stopped preaching in Tipton, but continued at Hebron six months longer. No record is made of the cause of the stopping of the ser- vices at Tipton, but it is reported by some that troubles had arisen on account of the "war feeling," and the Lutheran church was closed to our people. Early in 1863 Mr. Wall received a call and returned to Pennsylvania.
The congregation now should have numbered twenty-one members, had there been no losses, but Isaac Neiman, Lidia Millhouse, Harriet Neiman and J. Dairy had passed away. Ephraim Neiman and Ephraim Weil had made a trip to the "far west" and had died on the way, so that the membership numbered only fif- teen : nine Neimans, five Sweinharts, and Elizabeth Emerick.
The first regular pastor was Rev. Joshua Riale, who was called in 1864, and came to Tipton, November of the same year, living in the house on the southwest corner of Sixth and Meridian streets, now known as the "Ingman House." Dur- ing the first winter of his residence he organized a class in the catechism which he confirmed May 28, 1865. They were J. Nevin Neiman, Peter Franklin Swein- hart, J. Howard Neiman, L. Arthur Neiman, and J. Anna Chew. The congre- gation at this time numbered twenty: twelve Neimans, six Sweinharts, Elizabeth Emerick or Mrs. Daniel Shultz, and Miss Chew. The officers were, elder, S. W. Neiman, deacons, Mahlon L. Neiman and Jacob Sweinhart.
Since the spring of 1863 services were held in the old brick Presbyterian church, which stood on the site of the present Presbyterian parsonage, but dur- ing the summer of 1865 the matter of building a church was agitated. A lot was bought from John A. Lichtenwalter the same summer for $130.00, upon the north- ern end of which the church now stands, the remainder having been sold to Josiah
TIPTON RESIDENCE OF REV. JOSHUA RIALE The "Historic"' house where the first prayer meet- ing of the congregation was held January 26, 1866
Mrs. Susan Neiman
Eliza Bingeman Isaac Neiman Mrs. Eliza Neiman
Samuel W. Neiman
Mrs. Lidia Millhouse Harriet Neiman
THE SEVEN ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF THE TIPTON CONGREGATION
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HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
Sweinhart in two different sections. Subscriptions were received for the church building, after which Mr. Riale started East for help, where he seems to have collected considerable funds. A building committee consisting of Josiah Swein- hart, Lewis Kessler and Rev. Riale was elected Nov. 13, 1865, and at the same time these parties were elected the trustees of the congregation.
Up to this time no prayer meetings seem to have been held, but January 26, 1866, some of the members gathered at the home of Mr. Riale and engaged in the first prayer meeting. It was then decided to continue the meeting every two weeks at the homes of the members.
The church building, 30x40 feet, with a four foot extension in front for a tower, was erected in the summer of 1866, and September of that year Iowa Classis convened in the new building. The dedicatory services were held Sunday morning, Sept. 23, Rev. J. P. Bucher preaching the sermon.
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