USA > Iowa > Adair County > History of Adair County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 9
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CONGREGATIONAL
The Congregational Church of Fontanelle is one of the oldest religious societies in the county, having been organized in 1856 with the following members: J. J. Leeper, Mrs. J. J. Leeper, Robert Snodgrass, Mrs. Robert Snodgrass, Cal Ballard, Mrs. Cal Ballard,
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Mrs. Nancy Parr, G. F. Kilburn, D. L. Smith, Evan Evans, Mrs. Mary Evans, James Ewing and Mrs. Margaret Ewing. Rev. J. Mather was the pioneer pastor and under whose instruction the church was formed. The following clergymen have filled the pulpit since: J. S. Davis, A. V. Horn, J. W. Peet, G. M. Orvis, A. W. Archibald, H. S. Fish, G. W. Dungan, P. R. Adams, William Brooks. The present pastor is Reverend Blakely.
The church edifice, the first in the county, was erected in 1871 at a cost of $1,700 and was dedicated on June 4th of that year. The American Congregational Union donated $500 toward the building of that structure and the balance of the amount was raised here and the entire indebtedness paid before the dedication of the church. In 1883 a fine bell was purchased at a cost of $75. The first officers of the church organization were: J. J. Leeper and Robert Snodgrass, deacons; D. L. Smith, clerk; G. F. Kilburn, trustee.
There are now 120 members of the Fontanelle charge and a good Sunday school of 100. The pastor also attends the Pleasant Grove church four miles south of the Town of Fontanelle. There are but fourteen members in the latter congregation.
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN
The United Presbyterian Church of Greenfield had its beginning in the '70s. A number of families of this religious faith settled in Adair County during the years 1875-6-7 and occasionally held serv- ices, being supplied with preachers at intervals by the Des Moines Presbytery during the fall of 1877. A church organization was, however, effected on February 16, 1878, through the labors of Rev. S. W. Lorimer, of the Presbytery of Nebraska, with the following members: W. L. Linn, M. A. Linn, J. H. Giffin, W. D. Giffin, J. M. Ross, M. J. Ross, Sarah Paisley, A. R. Morrison, M. A. Mor- rison, J. R. E. Sterrett, M. E. Sterrett and E. L. Rust. The first officers were: W. L. Linn, ruling elder; S. M. Paisley, J. M. Ross and A. R. Morrison, trustees. This church was supplied with preach- ing by the presbytery until the latter part of 1879. J. F. Martin was then installed as pastor by a commission of the presbytery on Decem- ber 29, 1879, but had really presided over the church since the first of May previously. A church edifice was erected during the summer of 1881 and dedicated with appropriate ceremonies on August 21st of the same year by Reverend McMichael of Monmouth, Ill. The building was a frame structure, 38 by 60 feet in size, with 18-foot
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, FONTANELLE
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ceiling, and cost $3,000. The building was afterwards remodeled and was rededicated on January 11, 1899. This society has now become non-existent, and on February 10, 1914, the church property was sold to the Presbyterians and then moved to the lot four blocks southeast.
PRESBYTERIAN
The Presbyterian Church of Greenfield was organized on May 17, 1874, and incorporated on June 5th following. The organization was brought about through the labors of Rev. H. H. Kellogg, then the pastor of the church at Menlo, or rather Guthrie, as it was then called. The following were the first members: A. S. Carmichael, R. A. Carmichael, A. M. Hutchinson, Ellen Hutchinson, Adeline Morris, John Paulus, Elizabeth Paulus, Jane Reed, Martha Reed, Ellen Reed, Mary Reed, Asa Wilson, Hannah Wilson, Samuel Wilson, Mary Wilson, C. P. Gilbert and wife. The first officers chosen were: A. S. Carmichael, S. E. Morris and C. P. Gilbert, trustees; Asa Wilson, elder. The first pastor was Rev. C. Merwin, who attended from about the 1st of September, 1875, and consid- erable interest was awakened. Rev. C. H. DeLong commenced preaching to this society April 1, 1877, and remained for a year. About this time a colony separated from the parent church and organized a class at Orient. Rev. W. P. Barth was the next to fill the pulpit, serving for two years beginning in the spring of 1879. Then Rev. C. H. DeLong returned from Creston and preached alternately between there and Greenfield during the summer. On the 1st of November, 1881, he again took charge alone and served for several years.
In 1882 the matter of erecting a church edifice was taken up for consideration. In the spring of 1883 this movement became a strong one and $3,000 was raised by subscription. A building was then erected, and dedicated in October, 1884, costing about five thousand dollars.
Reverend DeLong remained in the field until 1886. Rev. K. J. Duncan came in April, 1889, and stayed until September, 1890. Rev. J. W. Knott acted as supply until October, 1892. Rev. John Young came in June, 1893, and was pastor until he resigned in September, 1901. Reverend Patterson acted as supply during the summer of 1901 and then Rev. G. M. Tourtelott acted in the same 1 capacity until December, 1904. Reverend Carlstrom was here for
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one year and Reverend Buchanan came in March, 1907. Rev. A. A. Smidt came in July, 1909.
The Presbyterian Church of Adair was organized on April 13, 1875, at a meeting held at a residence of Henry P. Starr by the Rev. J. C. Hanna. Ten members formed the first class, namely: P. M. Crawford and wife, J. R. Porter and wife, J. Mckenzie and wife, Henry P. Starr and wife, James Campbell and D. W. Moss. H. P. Starr and D. W. Moss were elected elders for the first year; James Campbell, John McKenzie and Philander Crawford, deacons; D. W. Moss, P. M. Crawford and James Campbell, trustees. Rev. J. C. Hanna preached here for a period of two years, on alternate Sun- days, and was succeeded by Revs. J. A. Walker, W. R. Smith, W. M. Graham, Bruce, Rankin, Kephart.
The Presbyterian Mite Society attached to this church at Adair was instituted at a meeting at the house of Mrs. R. B. Brown on October 4, 1877.
CATHOLIC
The Catholic Church at Greenfield was started about twenty- seven years ago, meetings being held at irregular intervals at the home of Mrs. Homeyer. In 1908 a church building was constructed and later a parsonage. There are forty-five families in the con- gregation. Father Albin was the first pastor to serve this church, and the second and present pastor is Rev. J. P. Danahy.
The Catholic Church at Adair was organized in the late '70s, with a frame building south of town. In 1895 a handsome church building was constructed in town and in 1905 a parsonage adjoining. The present membership includes about four hundred souls. The pastor is Reverend Mullen.
GERMAN LUTHERAN
The first services of the German Lutherans at Fontanelle were held in 1870 by Revs. Gottlieb Schenerle and Weiss, missionaries from Fort Dodge, Ia. Services in German were held at the court- house at regular intervals, amounting in all to about three or four weeks, from that time until 1873, when a church and congregation was formed with the following members: John Ehrenfried, Fritz Kreis, George H. Bauer, Ed H. Heiman, Arnott Wühman, John Mangels, John Bohling, Henry Welscher, Henry Krooss, Nik Leuthhäuser, Fred Winter, August Fust, Jacob Bahlmann, Wil-
GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH, FONTANELLE
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helm Mehl. The first trustees were as follows: Edward Heiman, John Bohling, Henry Welscher, W. Mehl and George Bauer. The congregation, which was known as the German Evangelical Lutheran Emmanuel Church, erected a beautiful edifice for worship in the fall of 1873 and spring of 1874 at a cost of about $2,000. The building was dedicated on May 26, 1874. The pastors have been: Revs. G. Schenerle, L. C. Neumeyer, J. W. C. Noll, Joseph O. Zwicker, H. Freytag (1885-1902), Ernst Lehman, 1902, A. Zimmerman, 1909. There are at present 335 members of this congregation, of which number 227 are communicants and 71 voting members.
During the Lehman pastorate a new $1,800 schoolhouse was built and a new parsonage, the latter costing $2,800.
At a general meeting of the church on January 1, 1914, it was decided that the old church building was becoming too small for the needs of the congregation and that a new house of worship should be constructed. Accordingly all plans were made for this building. The drawings of R. T. Simmon of Bloomington, Ill., were accepted and the contract let to Heinz & Maloy of Creston for the sum of $10,282. The building was started on August 1st and the corner- stone laid on September 20th. The whole improvement cost some- thing like thirteen thousand dollars, most of which was given by voluntary subscription. The pastor and the young people pur- chased the pulpit, the stained glass windows and the altar; the ladies bought the pews and other furniture; while the magnificent pipe organ was the gift of Mr. J. F. Baudler and the First National Bank. The church has just recently, April, 1915, been dedicated.
The cornerstone of the Lutheran Church, Immanuel's Congrega- tion of Prussia Township, was laid September 7, 1913. This society was started in 1875 by the erection of a small frame church, 30 feet by 42 feet, on the Julius Sieg farm, where the new building is now located.
The Anita Mission of the Evangelical Church of Jackson Town- ship organized in 1874 with the following original members: G. H. Metzgar and wife, Margaret and Rosa Metzgar, August Rechten- bach and wife, Theodore and John Rechtenbach.
The Anita Mission of the same church in Prussia Township was organized in 1876, with the following members: George Farewell and wife, John Erbes and wife, C. Schwambeck and wife, Ernest Funk and wife. The first pastor was J. P. Pflame.
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CHRISTIAN
The Christian Church of Jefferson Township was organized in August, 1865, by William Deal and J. B. McGinnis. The first meet- ings were held at the Watawah schoolhouse, which was shortly after- wards purchased for church purposes by John Loucks and J. B. McGinnis. The building stood on the southeast corner of the north- west quarter of the northeast quarter of section 27, on land belonging to John Loucks. It was 20 by 30 feet in size. The original members of this class were: J. B. McGinnis and wife, John Loucks and wife, Francis and Hill Darnill, William Deal and wife. J. B. McGinnis was the first elder. William Deal and William Hopkins did the first preaching in this township.
The Pleasant Christian Church of Jackson Township was organ- ized March 23, 1880, with the following members: J. B. Sullivan and wife, W. J. Simpson and wife, A. E. Jackson and wife, L. Ban- ister and wife, O. O. Farnham, A. Beaver and wife, Martha J. Law- rence, A. Lawrence, Edith Lawrence, E. H. Sullivan and Laura B. Stoner. The church was organized under the labors of Rev. William Gadd. Rev. O. E. Brown was installed as the first minister, being succeeded by Rev. Henry Davis. Meetings were first held at the Pleasant Valley schoolhouse.
ORIENT CHURCHES
The Congregational Church of Orient was organized October 11, 1881. As they had no church building at that time, services were held at Sprague's Hall. In the early '80s a church building was moved into Orient from the country and is now used by the society. Rev. R. R. Adams was the first minister to preach after the organ- ization had been effected and Rev. James Orvis preached the first sermon in the new building. This was on July 6, 1884. The follow- ing were the first members of the church: J. N. and Mary A. Colby, Mr. and Mrs. Batie, Mr. and Mrs. S. N. Garlock, Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Slocum, Herman D. Stowell, Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Collins. The church was incorporated January 27, 1882. The Congregational Society in Orient at the present time has a good membership, about 200, and hold regular services.
The Methodist Church at Orient first effected an organization about the year 1870 or 1871. Services were held first at Sprague's Hall every two weeks. The following are the names of the first
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members of this church: Maria Hastings, John Garmon, Mary Garmon, Hilda Spencer, D. E. Mitchell, Almira Witham, Caroline Mitchell. Rev. John Walton was the pioneer minister of this organ- ization. In 1900 a new church building was constructed by the soci- ety. There are 200 members in 1915 and the church is in good financial condition.
The church building of St. Mark's Catholic Church of Orient was built in 1901. At this time there were about twenty-five mem- bers. This society had been in existence for about twenty years pre- vious to this time and had held bi-weekly meetings at the home of M. Hennessy, one of the strongest supporters of the church. Father McKeever was the first pastor to hold services in the town. There are 100 members at the present time and the church is supplied by Father Danahay of Greenfield.
BAPTIST CHURCH
The Baptist Church of Greenfield was organized during the year 1874. Among its first members were found William Rodgers and wife, A. L. Harrison and wife, Ranson Patrick and wife, G. E. Hamlin and wife and possibly others. Reverend Birch was its first pastor and under him and his immediate successors, services were held in the courthouse, in the schoolhouse, and in 1882 with the Meth- odists.
In 1883 they built the house of worship they now own and which, together with the lot on which it stands, cost $4,000.
Among its first pastors were the following: Revs. Birch, Barnes, Williams, Wm. Carpenter, Berry, Burr and Anthony Jacobs.
The largest growth in membership to date seems to have been during the pastorate of A. Jacobs when the previous membership of about sixty was more than doubled.
About the year 1882 services were discontinued, the house remain- ing closed until September 14, 1890; a little band met for the purpose of organizing a temporary Sunday school, G. E. Hamlin in the chair.
The following officers were elected: Miss Alice Taylor, Mrs. W. G. Bell, Miss Mabel Jones, Miss May Sampson, Minnie Hether- ington, Abe Swisher and Emma Vincent. The Publication Society furnished the first quarter's supplies. The attendance, September 28th, was twenty-eight, thus the number increased until a permanent Sunday school was organized by R. A. Smith, district missionary, on February 28, 1892. This time the officers were: J. F. Walter,
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Clara Bell, Mrs. W. G. Bell, J. C. Crawford, Maud Carson, Stella Rice and Minnie Hetherington.
At this time the property was about to be sold to satisfy judg- ments for nearly five hundred dollars. The misfortunes of the past made all very much discouraged and many hopeless. Through the advice of Rev. N. B. Rairdon, the secretary of the state convention, plans were set on foot to clear the indebtedness. A sale of forty feet off the north end of the church lot was effected to R. Wallace for $200. Pledges for the rest were soon obtained.
A meeting was called and a resolution adopted as follows: "For the purpose of assuming a new name and commence work without any of the old obstacles in the way that surround the Baptist Church Association of Greenfield, therefore be it Resolved: That this church disband looking toward an immediate reorganization." The church was disbanded and reorganized under the name of the Immanuel Baptist Church of Greenfield. Rev. Harry Ferguson of Cumber- land gave efficient help during the last week in February, 1892. The church adopted the New Hampshire Articles of Faith as a standard of belief. On March 20, 1892, the church was incorporated. (See records at courthouse.)
On August 19, 1892, a council was called which consisted of dele- gates from Creston, Liberty and Forest Avenue, Des Moines, churches for the purpose of recognizing the new organization as a regular Baptist Church.
The council organized with Rev. H. J. Powell of Creston, mod- erator, and E. R. Daniels of Stuart as clerk. Others assisting in the recognition services were C. F. Petzoldt. Rev. J. W. Knott, pastor of the Greenfield Presbyterian Church, gave the charge to the church; hand of fellowship by E. R. Daniels, and benediction by the supply pastor, J. Y. Aitcheson.
Among the pastors who have served the church to date are: J. Y. Aitcheson, W. C. Shepherd, E. B. Tucker, L. A. Lovelace, George Kline, Amos Weaver, E. Bodenham, T. F. Clark, J. A. Armstrong, H. M. Peterson, Amil A. Oestreich, Orr Campbell, R. T. Butler, Charles H. Sloan. W. L. Anderson is just entering on his pastorate, May 1, 1915. Several of the above named pastors served only a few months as supply pastors.
During the year 1895 was a very trying time, but through the faithfulness of a few the Sunday school, prayer meetings and B. Y. P. U. were kept up.
BAPTIST CHURCH. GREENFIELD
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Those who have served as superintendent of the Sunday school are Mrs. M. L. Hitchcock, Maude Hitchcock, J. F. Walter, Dr. G. E. Thweat, P. P. Clement, B. F. Garmer, Dr. E. Babcock, Myrtle Rivenburgh, Omer Vandivier, Dan Shaw, James Harrison, Alice Taylor, W. G. Bell and A. J. McFarland.
The year 1903 is prominent in that there was the largest ingath- ering of new members; 1906, repairs on the building to the amount of $600 were made, and the pastor, H. M. Peterson, ordained to the ministry.
In the year 1914 two sides of the church lot, which is one of the best located in the city, were paved and imposed quite a financial burden upon the little flock of faithful workers.
The membership list was recently revised and numbers today about forty resident members and twenty-five non-resident members.
That which deserves the most honor and which is worthy of the most praise since its organization in the year 1892, is the fact that the church has kept up the work in its auxiliary societies and its mid- week and Sunday services with the exception of preaching services, even when pastorless for several years at a time. The most discour- aging feature has been the loss by removal of leaders and financial supporters.
OTHER CHURCHES
Church buildings other than those mentioned before have been erected as follows: Grand River Congregational, moved to Orient : Henron Methodist; Hill of Zion in Union Township; Christian, Wilson Chapel Methodist; Gem Point Summerset Congregational; Brush Church Richland Congregational; Otis Chapel Methodist; Avondale Methodist Washington; a Catholic Church in Jackson; two churches in Eureka; Methodist at Highland in Prussia; and a Quaker Church at Canby in Walnut Township.
A Christian Church was built at Fontanelle and a Seventh Day Adventist Church, both of which had a strong membership for some years, but most of the members either moved away or died and the churches have been little used in recent years. The Mormons have had an organization at Fontanelle, with occasional meetings for more than fifty years, but have never erected buildings.
CHAPTER IX GREENFIELD TOWN AND TOWNSHIP
ORGANIZATION
The territory which comprises Greenfield Township is in sections 7, 8, 17, 18, 19 and 20 of township 75, range 31. This subdivision was organized in 1859 and originally constituted the territory now known as Greenfield, Lee and Orient townships. Orient Township was the first to withdraw from this territory, which occurred June 7, 1869. It was then organized as Dayton Township, but was after- wards changed, by request of the citizens, to its present name. Lee followed in the fall of 1880, leaving Greenfield as it now is.
SETTLEMENT
The first to make a settlement within Greenfield Township were two men named Hodgson and Hillin. They came in 1854 and located upon the southwest quarter of section 7. Here they constructed pole cabins of the most primitive architecture. However, they made no improvements and soon left the county, their lands falling into the possession of Milton Munger.
The next to make a settlement was S. K. Mallery, who had made some improvements and broken some land when the Town of Green- field was laid out. Among the other old settlers of this part of the county might be mentioned J. Myers, Matthew Clark and A. P. Littleton.
A. P. Littleton opened the first store in the town, in the first building which was erected in Greenfield. This was a small struc- ture, built of planks, and had been used as a stage station. In June, 1859, he put in a small stock of general merchandise in a front room. In the fall of the same year he removed to a small building which had been erected on a lot on the east side of the square. This build- ing was some time afterwards removed to near the hotel and here
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Mr. Littleton ran his store until 1868, when he built a new building on the same lot and in this continued until 1878. In December of that year he sold his stock of goods to A. P. Stephens & Company, who ran it until March, 1883, when it passed into the hands of Fuller, Warren & Company.
The fourth place of business was opened by Hutchinson Brothers in 1873, in a small building erected by C. P. Gilbert. They had a general stock of goods in which dry goods predominated.
The second place of business in the town was that of C. P. Gilbert, who opened a drug and grocery store in the spring of 1869. This he continued until the autumn of 1873, when he sold out to Hutchin- son Brothers.
The first blacksmith was H. W. Blakeley, who erected a building directly opposite and west of where the Citizens' Bank later stood, in the year 1859. Franklin Letts was another early blacksmith. The pioneer wagon maker was Caleb Lyon, who had his shop in the same building with Blakeley, the blacksmith. In 1870 Charles Bishop established the first harness shop in the town.
HISTORY OF GREENFIELD
Written by Miss Pearl Oldham, a member of the Greenfield High School.
The Town of Greenfield is situated about a mile and one-half south of the center of Adair County, Ia. It is the county seat of the county and has a population of 1,445.
A stage coach station built of logs and with a canvas roof at first stood where the West Side Livery Barn lots now stand. It was run by Matthew Clark. The old barn stood where Haven & Heifner's livery barn now is. The present town was laid out in 1856 by Milton C. Munger. The first building built was the Kirkwood Hotel, into which Mr. Clark then moved his hotel. It stood where Whitnah's store now stands. Among the first dwelling houses were those of Mr. Myers, standing where Coffey & Irwin have their implement store; A. P. Littleton's, the present home of Vern Littleton, and a log cabin east of where Mr. Sullivan now lives.
The first store was opened by A. P. Littleton in June, 1859. It was in the same old log building in which Mr. Clark had had the stage coach station. He ran a general merchandise store, having groceries, dry goods, hardware, boots and shoes, and even keeping millinery.
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He also had the postoffice in the same building. C. P. Gilbert had the second store. It was a drug and grocery store, opened in 1869. Charles Bishop ran the third store opened. It was a harness shop opened in 1870. The fourth store was a general merchandise store opened in 1873 by the Hutchinson Brothers. After this the stores began to be opened quite extensively.
It was about this time that the county seat war was going on. Fontanelle had been the county seat, but Greenfield wanted the honor and for several years had been working toward that end. Finally, March 22, 1875, the records were moved from Fontanelle to Green- field. This was on Monday, and on the following Monday Judge Mitchell came to hold court and was invited to come to Greenfield, as the county seat had been changed. He informed the people that the county seat was still at Fontanelle and went over there and directed the sheriff to go and bring back the records. Several men went with the officer and they came over and tried to get them but could not do it. He could do no more the next day, and so on Tuesday evening a messenger was sent to Des Moines, who returned the following evening with Gen. N. B. Baker, the state adjutant-general. He finally persuaded the Greenfield people to let the records be taken back to Fontanelle. But on the 24th day of June, 1875, the county seat was again moved to Greenfield by a decision of the Supreme Court, and here it has remained ever since. Greenfield then donated a courthouse to the county and it stood where Mr. Warren's store now is. The following year, 1876, the town was incorporated.
On June 2, 1875, the first newspaper here. It was the Greenfield Transcript, edited by Mr. Flynn.
In 1879 the railroad came through the town. It only went to Fontanelle but was afterward extended to Cumberland.
The first school taught was in an old log house standing east of where Mr. Burget's property now is. It was started in 1859. the first teacher being A. P. Littleton. In the summer of 1861 the first schoolhouse was built. It was situated on the west side of the present South Ward school grounds. But finally there were so many pupils that they had to rent rooms from other buildings and hold school in them. The money was raised and in the summer of 1877 the South Ward school building was built at a cost of $5,230. Again in 1883 more school room was needed and the North Ward School was built.
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