USA > Iowa > Adair County > History of Adair County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 8
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ADAIR COUNTY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
On December 17, 1903, the Adair County Medical Association was organized at Greenfield, composed of most of the doctors in the county. This organization is affiliated with the state association by rule of the latter which considers the county association the unit of their own organization. There are ten members of the Adair County organization, namely: Drs. J. E. Howe, J. A. Harper, James Mac- rae, F. B. Culverson, P. McDermid, Ira Gibson, Eugene Tinsman, A. S. Bowers, R. R. Chapman and Preston Powell. The latter is
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a resident of Adair and is the only doctor in the northern part of the county who is a member, owing to the inaccessibility of the northern towns to the remainder of the county. A regular meeting is held on the second Thursday in December of every year and a call meeting is generally held in June.
REGISTER OF DOCTORS
The following list is of the physicians who have registered at the clerk's office in Adair County since the beginning: E. H. Adams, 1897; E. L. Asbell, 1899; M. I. Adams, 1914; J. H. Baker, 1895; G. A. Broady, 1899; Martin Bower, 1901; Elmer Babcock, 1901; A. S. Bowers, 1903; George Brooks, dentist, 1906; F. P. Culverson, 1887; H. L. Coleman, 1891; R. R. Chapman, 1894; W. W. Clay- baugh, 1896; F. J. Correll, 1911; G. W. Deemer, 1894; S. O. Davis, 1895; F. T. Dewitt, 1902; D. T. E. Kirkpatrick, 1903; E. J. Everett, 1899; P. W. Flickinger, 1906; J. E. Howe, 1886; E. B. Hicks, 1888; J. R. Hughes, 1893; J. A. Harper, Jr., 1896; W. L. Hummer, 1905; Edwin J. Higgins, 1910; H. H. Hunt, 1913; J. W. Johnston, 1899; M. E. Johnson, 1899; Charles D. Knapp, 1887; J. F. Kempker, 1893; W. K. Keith, 1894; J. W. Kelly, 1898; H. G. Lynch, 1887; T. D. Lougher, 1887; C. P. Liegerot, 1901; T. W. Mielhem, 1886; H. P. Monnette, 1886; P. McDermid, 1887; S. Mosher, Sr., 1894; C. O. Maloney, 1895; R. P. Miller, 1896; Pierre McDermid, 1898; C. A. Miller, 1902; J. H. Maynard, 1906; J. G. Macrae, 1912; S. D. Packwood, 1896; Preston Powell, 1899; A. A. Potterf, 1901; Leslie W. Scott, 1888; M. M. Schener, 1888; F. E. Sampson, 1891; F. A. Saum, 1891; A. J. Scofield, 1893; A. B. Shideler, 1904; Hartford Sweet, 1905; S. A. Sammons, 1905; J. R. Shike, 1911; I. F. Trum- bull, 1887; J. Thompson, 1889; G. E. Thweatt, 1894; W. E. Turner, 1896; Eugene Tinsman, 1903; Samuel G. Wishard, 1887; H. A. Weirick, 1889; A. H. Warren, 1891; G. W. Weddell, 1906; H. H. Woodward, 1908; E. W. Wilson, 1910; C. N. White, 1915; D. S. Ziegler, 1899; A. Zook, 1906.
CHAPTER VIII HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES
METHODIST EPISCOPAL
For the early history of the church the best authority is an article written in the '80s by Rev. J. A. Wilson. This story is as follows:
In 1858, when the population of the county was but 624, in the midst of a winter which was unparalleled for its cold and snow, Rev. J. M. Rust came from Lewis, Cass County, and preached the first sermon ever delivered in Greenfield. The place where the services were held was the house of S. K. Mallory and the congregation but a handful of worshipers. Reverend Rust was a graduate of the University of Virginia and died at Vermillion, Dakota Territory, in the winter of 1869 from exposure in attending a quarterly meeting.
During the summer of 1859 Reverend Hulbert, who was travel- ing the Quiney circuit in Adams County, came over and preached several sermons in Greenfield. On one of these occasions he organized the first class, composed of the following ten persons: S. K. Mal- lory, leader; Samantha Mallory, Hugh W. Wilson, Sarah A. Wilson, Seth Wilson, Emily A. Wilson, Martha Wilson, E. V. Myers, Sam- uel C. Vance and J. S. Rich. This little band of worshipers main- tained regular services at the house of S. K. Mallory, or at the house of Hugh Wilson, which stood just west of where the United Presby- terian Church later stood. Rev. Samuel Osborn, a local preacher, labored quite regularly for the little society.
The work as organized by Mr. Todd was named Adair Mission and was composed of the following preaching appointments: Green- field, Fontanelle, Roots, Wahtawah, Salem, Manchester, Nevinville and Middle River. The charge thus formed was placed in the Coun- cil Bluffs distriet, Rev. I. I. Stewart, presiding elder. The first quarterly meeting was held in Greenfield on December 17, 1859, Rev. I. I. Stewart presiding; Rev. J. W. Todd, pastor; official mem- bers. Samuel Osborn, William Shoemaker, S. K. Mallory and John
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Easton. At this meeting a committee, composed of the pastor, Wil- liam Shoemaker and John Easton, was appointed to secure lots for a church and parsonage in Greenfield. There is no record that they ever made a report, but from incidental facts it is inferred that they secured the lots now owned by the church in Greenfield, as it appears that at the third quarterly meeting, an agreement had been made with one Bennett Sparks to erect a parsonage, which agreement was after- ward cancelled and the enterprise abandoned.
In 1860 Rev. Arthur Badley was chosen as the presiding elder and Reverend Levan was appointed in charge of the circuit. As Levan received only $13.46 as his salary for the first quarter, he left the charge, and was compelled to refund $6 of the small salary. Samuel Osborn was then employed by the presiding elder to supply the charge temporarily, which he held until March, 1861, when N. H. Phillips was employed to serve out the year. At a meeting of the board of trustees held in Greenfield May 4, 1861, Samuel C. Vance was chosen trustee to fill the vacancy caused by the removal of Reverend Todd and held that official position for some years. Brother Phillips was successful in pushing forward the completion of the parsonage. This historic building was 18 by 24 feet in size and 11/2 stories high. The carpenter work was done by W. T. Baggs of Greenfield, and he received 10,000 of lumber for his pay.
Mr. Phillips, who was a local preacher, reported two Sunday schools this year, with thirteen officers and teachers and thirty-four scholars, which is the first mention of this nursery of the church in this denomination.
In 1861 and 1862 the Adair Mission was a part of the Lewis district, with Rev. Arthur Badley as presiding elder. Rev. S. W. Milligan was the minister in charge. The appointments were Green- field, Fontanelle, Salem, Wahtawah and Manchester. The first quar- terly conference was held at Greenfield September 27, 1861, when the following members were present: J. S. Rich, Samuel Osborn, S. K. Mallory, John Easton, Phillip Osborn and Hugh Wilson. The receipts for the year, including a missionary appropriation of $75, was only $135.45 for presiding elder and pastor.
The annual conference for the year 1862 sent Rev. James Lisle as pastor of the Adair Mission. The first quarterly meeting was held at the house of Samuel Osborn on September 26th. Reverend Lisle organized the first class at Fontanelle during his pastorate in 1862, which class consisted of the following members: Ozias Gibbs,
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METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, GREENFIELD
CHRISTIAN CHURCH, GREENFIELD
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Sally Gibbs, Emily Wilson, Seth Wilson, Martha Root, Maria Snell, Norman Norton, Alvina Norton, Lemuel Lewis and Amanda Lewis.
In the fall of 1863 Rev. W. W. Mallory was sent to the Adair Mission. The first quarterly meeting was held at Greenfield on December 26th in the schoolhouse, the first time that it is recorded that meetings were held any place else but in private homes, or groves.
At the third quarterly meeting the names of S. Wilson and J. Q. Violet appear as members thereof, and J. W. MePherson was granted a license to preach. At the fourth quarterly meeting held at the Salem schoolhouse Alexander Easton was also granted a preaching license.
Reverend Mallory organized the Webster class which was for- merly known as that of Manchester, with the following members: E. Edmonds, O. Raymond, Henry Raymond, Seth Pryor and Jane Davis. During the year the following were added, making thirteen members: Sarah Pryor, Lydia Davis, Sarah Witt, Ellen McEferty, Patience Hadley, Elizabeth Etten, Mrs. Bunce and Mrs. Dennis Drake.
During the following year Adair Mission was made a part of the Winterset district and the place of pastor left to be supplied. Rev. P. F. Brazee, the presiding elder, appointed Samuel Osborn to this duty, which he performed, although with but meagre results, but the state of the public mind during those war days accounted for that. Nothing of interest transpired during the year.
The annual conference of 1865 sent Rev. E. R. Rafter as pastor of the Adair Mission, but he remained but a very short time. Rev. J. E. Darby, a local preacher, was then employed. In his visits to Fon- tanelle he found no organization nor any members of a former class in that town, so he organized a new class with the following first mem- bers: Josiah Bennett, A. H. Mory, Margaret Mory, Sarah J. Brown, A. W. Dorn and Laura Dorn.
In March, 1866, Mr. Darby organized a class at Elliott's, com- posed of members from the Webster and Wahtawah classes. Forty- five members were reported at the end of the year in the whole charge. During the year the parsonage at Greenfield was rented to various parties, the pastor not occupying it. In the fall of 1866 Rev. E. A. Winning, a flying evangelist, with headquarters in the field, was appointed to this mission. His labors, assisted by his wife, lasted for three years. He organized the Jackson class on January 5, 1867. On February 10th of the same year he formed the McClure class, with B. W. McClure as leader. When his term of work had expired he left the church with a membership of 163 and 32 probationers,
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where he had found only 32 in all. About 1871 he left this part of the country for California seeking for health.
The conference for 1869 sent Rev. W. H. Records to the Green- field charge, as this work was now called. It comprised appoint- ments that year at Greenfield, Fontanelle, Pleasant Ridge, Nevin McClure's and Hazel Green. Mr. Records remained a year and at the close reported a membership of seventy-eight and thirty proba- tioners. The one church property in the possession of the denomina- tion at this time was the parsonage at Greenfield, valued at $450.
Rev. A. A. Powers was the next to take charge of this work in the fall of 1870 and the first quarterly meeting was held at Fon- tanelle on November 19th of that year. The following board of trustees was appointed for Fontanelle: W. R. Buell, H. H. Dart, James Rany, Norman Norton, J. A. Daugherty, J. C. Gibbs and J. J. Hetherington. These men contracted and had built during the summer of 1871 the parsonage of Fontanelle. Powers resided at the latter place and the parsonage at Greenfield was rented. In May, 1871, Powers resigned as pastor and J. E. Jones served out the remainder of the year. During this year the circuit was divided and Greenfield and Fontanelle were made separate charges. At the conference held in the fall of 1871 Greenfield Circuit was supplied by Rev. J. L. Walton and Fontanelle by Rev. F. A. Goodrich. Rev. Mathew Mitchell was the pastor sent to Greenfield in the fall of 1872 and his circuit comprised appointments at Greenfield, Sum- mit. Orient and Nevin. The first quarterly meeting was held in Greenfield December 28, 1872. Rev. M. Sheets was appointed to the Fontanelle Mission in the fall of 1872. In 1873 he was succeeded by Rev. Leon Shaw. In 1874 Rev. William L. Reid assumed the pastorate of the Greenfield Circuit. Rev. J. A. Jefferson was sent to Fontanelle at the same time. In the fall of 1875 Rev. L. Laverty assumed the duties at Greenfield, but leaving during the year, J. W. McPherson was appointed to the vacancy. Rev. Cyrus Smith was sent to the Fontanelle Mission the same year. The year 1876-77 found the Rev. G. F. Couffer on the Greenfield Circuit. During his pastorate a house of worship was erected at Greenfield. The lum- ber for the house was hauled from Stuart and the contract for the construction let to S. Parker of Greenfield. The total cost at the time was about two thousand dollars and a debt of $400 hung over it.
Rev. C. L. Nye took up the work in the fall of 1877. During his first year a Sunday school was organized. In this year the Nevin- ville circuit was organized. Nevin was first organized as a class in
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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, GREENFIELD
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
the winter of 1864 by Rev. P. F. Brazee, with the following mem- bers: George W. Grant, Julia Grant, E. Sawyer, Kate Sawyer, M. Covey, Ruth Covey, N. E. Jewett, Oliver Jewett, Cordelia Jewett and S. E. Gandy. In 1881 a fine church edifice was erected at this place.
In the autumn of 1878 Rev. T. A. Lampman took charge of the Greenfield Church. He had found the church in debt, but during his term of service he reduced this debt besides making added improve- ments. In the fall of 1878 Rev. C. L. Nye was appointed to the charge at Fontanelle. A Methodist Sabbath school was organized this year in the latter place for the first time. In the fall of 1878 Rev. J. R. Welborn was selected to take charge of the new work at Pleasant Hill. His appointments were Pleasant Hill, Eureka Center, Oaks schoolhouse, Prussia Center and Willow Green. He served one year and was succeeded by Rev. Austin Crooks. Rev. Jesse Evans was sent in the fall of 1880 to succeed Reverend Lampman at Greenfield and Rev. J. A. Wilson to Fontanelle. H. H. Badley was appointed to the charge at Orient. L. W. Gary was appointed to fill the rural appointments of the Fontanelle charge. One of the first things done in Fontanelle was the healing of the breach between this church and the Congregationalist, and accepting the invitation of that body to worship in their house. Early in the spring of 1881 a location was selected upon which to erect a church edifice of their own and upon June 24th the cornerstone was laid with great cere- monies by the Masons. But little else was done until the following year, when the outside was erected and enclosed. The interior was not finished until the winter of 1883-4. This church was dedicated on January 2, 1884, the dedicatory sermon being preached by Rev. H. H. Oneal, the presiding elder. Rev. A. W. Armstrong came to the Fontanelle charge in 1883.
On February 26, 1882, a class was organized at Brook's school- house in the east part of Richland Township by Rev. J. A. Wilson, with the following members: Arthur Mays, Homer Brooks, Mary Brooks, Delilah Mays, Mays, five in all, which class became very prosperous.
The Rev. J. D. DeTar followed in the charge at Greenfield.
The church at Adair was organized by Rev. T. A. Lampman with thirteen members in 1875. Rev. Lampman was the first pastor and remained in charge for three years. He was succeeded by Revs. George Detwiler, E. Kendall, Edwin Holmes, Simms, A. H. Murphy. The first services were held in the public school building
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
up until 1879, when, in the fall of the year, they began the erection of a church building. This cost $2,000. It was dedicated on Febru- ary 6, 1880. The three lots where it stood were purchased and given by the Ladies' Mite Society.
The Methodist Episcopal Church in Jefferson Township was erected in the summer of 1882, located upon the southwest corner of section 14. The building cost about one thousand six hundred dol- lars and was dedicated on September 10, 1882. The first religious services in this denomination were held at the house of William Hol- lingsworth in 1857, at which time a church society was formed with the following members: John and Ruth Easton, Mrs. George B. Wilson and Mrs. John Loucks.
At the first the Greenfield people met for worship in private houses, then the old schoolhouse and after that the courthouse where Warren's store now stands. As described before the church was constructed in the town in 1877 and Rev. C. L. Nye preached the first sermon therein. The old parsonage afterwards stood in the role of a barn on the back of the church lot; it was constructed by Rev. E. A. Winning in 1868. The lumber for this building was cut near Arbor Hill. The frame was hewn and pinned and the wal- nut siding was made in Greenfield. The second parsonage was built through the efforts of Rev. Homer Gaines. The present structure was built in 1898. Rev. J. W. Meredith at that time being pastor, most of the material of the original church building was worked up in the new church. The dedication of this building took place on August 21, 1898.
The pastors who have served at Greenfield are as follows: Revs. Hulbert, 1859; Levan, 1860; S. W. Milligan, 1861; James Lisle, 1862; Arthur Badley, 1863; S. Osborne, 1864; J. E. Darby, 1865; E. A. Winning, 1866-9; A. A. Powers, 1870; W. H. Record, 1871; G. A. Goodrich, 1872-3; William T. Reed, 1874-5; L. Laverty, 1876; R. M. Couffer, 1877; C. L. Nye, 1878; T. A. Lampman, 1879; J. A. Wilson, 1880-2; J. D. De Tar, 1883-4; A. E. Griffith, 1885; B. T. Fassett, 1886-8; J. M. Conrad, 1888; C. W. Stewart, 1889; A. W. Armstrong, 1890-1; J. F. Campbell, 1891-3; William M. Todd, 1893-5; W. J. Meredith, 1896-8; J. W. Matheny, 1899; Fred Harris, 1900-2; Conrey, 1902-4; W. H. Cable, 1905-8; H. P. Dudley, 1908-10; Enoch Hill, 1910-12; J. S. Young, 1913-14; J. E. Lom- bard, 1915 -.
The Grove Center church was started in 1878, when D. C. Frank- lin, then pastor at Menlo, came to the old schoolhouse where Grove
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Center school now stands and held the first revival meeting ever held in all the country. After Doctor Franklin organized the class Revs. Hohenshelt, Voorhees and J. J. Varley were pastors. In 1887 Rev. Varley, assisted by O. W. Lippincott, had the second great meeting. At the close of the meeting a board of trustees consisting of H. F. Hodges, J. M. Humphrey, W. C. McCrea, H. Horn, J. D. McIntyre, W. Plymesser, F. Shirk and Neal Vreeland was formed and in 1888 they secured the money and built a church on the lot where the present structure now stands.' This building was struck by lightning in the summer of 1912 and was burned to the ground.
After Grove Center became a regular preaching place it was first placed with one charge and then another until at different times it belonged to Menlo, Casey, Prussia, Stuart Circuit and Greenfield, and at these different times was served by the pastors of those charges. Part of the time the charge was with Menlo, Rev. W. W. Bollinger, now of Winfield, Kan., was pastor. He, too, has always been an indefatigable worker and a great revivalist and as usual held a meet- ing at Grove that resulted in eighty conversions and many additions to the church. After Brother Bollinger's removal the church suffered greatly by removals and was about to be given up as a preaching point when Rev. Alonzo Pruitt took charge. The effects of the great meeting at Hoadley and the building of the new church there rein- spired the people and thirty new members were added to the church.
The work remained with the Stuart Circuit until 1904 when Brother Hohenshelt took charge and placed Grove Center with Greenfield, Rev. A. F. Conrey then being pastor. The elder speaks in highest term of Brother Conrey's work. After Conrey came Rev. W. H. Cable, three years; Rev. H. P. Dudley, two years; Enoch Hill, two years, and then the present pastor.
After the loss of the building by lightning there was some dis- cussion about rebuilding and as to location, but a building committee was finally selected consisting of Loren Sulgrove, H. F. Shirk, Edwin Horn, W. Plymesser, James Masten and A. J. Bruce, and with the assistance of David Wilson the money for the new building was subscribed in one week. These men have labored with untiring energy and as a result one of the most convenient and beautiful country churches in the district now occupies the former site. There was an unusually good meeting during the winter of 1913, but the following spring a number of families moved away, and this loss was felt. Some of these have returned and others have become more Vol. 1- 6
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
active and the church at present is in good condition. It was dedi- cated June 14, 1914.
The church at Clara Chapel had its beginning in 1877. In that year, at the request of John Gillis, preaching was conducted and a Sunday school organized at the old Bethel schoolhouse. During 1878 Rev. C. L. Nye held a revival meeting and secured a number of converts. From time to time preaching was conducted by the different circuit riders and in 1885 Rev. A. E. Griffith organized the first Methodist class, the following persons being the charter mem- bers: John Hoop and wife, J. M. Humphrey and wife, J. P. Clair and wife, J. S. Sweeney and wife, C. H. Nieley and wife, and Jacob Wolf. Preaching was held at this point for years, the pastor at Greenfield supplying the work. Later the point was turned over to the Atlantic District and made a part of the Stuart Circuit, and the Hoadley schoolhouse two miles north was used for the services. Here, as at the other point, many precious meetings were held and frequently large numbers taken into the church, perhaps the greatest ingathering being during the ministry of Rev. T. W. Tippett in 1890. The first Sunday school superintendent in Hoadley was J. M. Humphrey, who after one year's service moved to Grove Center.
As the class grew the agitation for a new church building was pushed. One effort was made to build Clara Chapel, and the cyclone came and the work was abandoned, but on February 2, 1902, Rev. Fletcher Brown dedicated the present structure while Rev. Alonzo Pruitt was pastor and the building was named after Clara (Nelson) Frizell, a sainted soul who had at about that time passed to her reward.
Clara Chapel remained as part of the Stuart Circuit until 1904, when through some mistake the charge was left without a pastor. The next year Rev. W. H. Cable took charge; since then the church has prospered, thirty-nine of the sixty-three members having joined during the present pastorate. The church has recently been painted, papered, new light plant, walks and everything is in a flourishing con- dition, the League averaging fifty in attendance and the Sunday school seventy-five. It is a delightful place in which to preach, and in a few minutes the speaker readily realizes he has the sympathy of the audience. Of the forty-three who joined church last winter every one held out, and practically all were young men and women.
The church at Penn Avenue, Richland Township, was dedicated in August, 1896. The cost was $1,600. This society was started in 1881 by the organization of a Sabbath school, through the efforts of a school teacher, Miss Peters, at the Gem Point schoolhouse. Homer
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, FONTANELLE
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
Brooks was the first superintendent. Gary, Williams, Wilson, Gaines, Maybee, Bishop, Palmer, Hamilton, Pain, and Taylor were the names of some of the early members. It was called the Penn- sylvania Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church.
The Fontanelle class was first organized in 1862 by Rev. James Lisle, it being a part of the Greenfield Circuit. In 1871 it became a separate mission. In 1866 the society was reorganized with twenty members, and in 1867 Jackson and Richland congregations were formed. Then by the withdrawal of two members, Fontanelle was left without a Methodist organization. In 1868 Rev. E. A. Winning re-formed the class with two members and twenty probationers. In 1870 Rev. W. H. Records took up the work and in 1871 Fontanelle was detached from the Greenfield Circuit and the first parsonage built. The Rev. F. A. Goodrich was the first regularly appointed pastor to this charge. He was followed in 1872 by Rev. M. Sheets, then Revs. L. A. Shaw, J. A. Jefferson, C. Smith, C. L. Nye. In 1880 an addition to the parsonage was constructed and an organ purchased. The Methodist Sunday School was organized for the first time then and in the winter the members withdrew from the Congregational Church and went over to the German Church for worship. In 1879 they transferred their services to the old courthouse. In 1880-1 Rev. J. A. Wilson held the pastorate. In 1881, in the spring, $1,200 in subscriptions was given for the erection of a new church building. The cornerstone was laid on June 24, 1881, by the Masonic Order. At this time the Richland society became dissatisfied with the occu- pation of the Union Church by the Methodists and withdrew, forming a Congregational Church at Pleasant Grove. After Wilson as pastor, there came A. W. Armstrong in 1884; E. E. Ilgenfritz, 1886; Asahel Thornbrue, 1889; A. G. Forman, 1890; Socrates Weaver, 1892; John C. Hall, 1895; M. R. Harned, 1898; S. W. Maine, 1901; A. II. Rusk, 1903; W. H. Doyle, 1905; E. Voorhees, 1907; A. Bree- ling, 1909; J. W. Harwood, 1912; and the present pastor, J. Owen Smith, in 1913. At present there are 200 members in the Fontanelle class, and in the Highland class, also supplied by Rev. Smith, there are 100 members.
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