USA > Iowa > Black Hawk County > History of Black Hawk County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 40
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BIG CREEK TOWNSHIP
The church history of Big Creek Township is incorporated in the history of the churches of La Porte City at the end of this chapter.
BLACK HAWK TOWNSHIP
The first church services held in the township were conducted by Reverend Hamlin, a Free Will Baptist minister. He held revival services in the cabins of the pioneers, the congregation sitting on chairs, on the floor and the bed, the elders sitting on the edge and the children cuddled on the back. Perhaps it is not amiss to say they utilized the good offices of the comforts and pillows to shorten the lengthy sermons of the preacher. Reverend Hamlin organized the first class for religious worship in that section of the country. Later Reverend Gilmore, of the same denomination, held services in the township. He not only preached the sermon, but sang the hymns. Evidently he was gifted with a good singing voice. It is said that the text of his first sermon was taken from the familiar twenty-third psalm, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."
About this time or later, Reverend Rowan, an United Brethren preacher, came to the community and organized a class of that denomination. The advent of this society caused a decrease in the spirit of the Free Will Baptists and for quite a time no services were held by that denomination. It is proved that this was the case by the accounts of Mr. and Mrs. Ferris, two of the early settlers. They were Free Will Baptists, but when they came here they joined the United Brethren Society. This denomination now has a church at Hudson.
The Methodists built a parsonage in 1864 on lots 9 and 10, of block 12, which land was deeded to them by Van Buren Pingrey. After using it for a time they
REV. A. G. EBERHART Pioneer pastor of Waterloo.
REV. WILLIAM L. HUNTER Civil war pastor.
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allowed it to be sold on a lien for building material. The house was afterwards moved to the estate of J. H. Hunter and the lot sold for taxes.
It was in the spring of 1855 that John Worthington came here from the State of New York, and being interested in Sunday school work he helped form a class which met in a log house in the southwest corner of township 88. He also formed a prayer meeting in the Ludington house, where Jonas Hartman was living at that time. In the spring of 1856, when the schoolhouse was fin- ished. A. B. Rowe and Gershom Martindale organized a Sunday school. This was the first union Sunday school in the township. After this time different denominations held services in the schoolhouse, extending through. a term of several years. Joseph Boice assisted in the organization of a Methodist class in 1856. The Dunkards, lead by John H. Fillmore, also Martin Bickley, held meetings every two weeks. Elder Jenkins and Reverend Hamlin, the latter a Free Will Baptist, held meetings. Reverend Eberhart, of the Waterloo Baptist Church, often preached. G. W. Warner, a Methodist, held meetings in the year 1858, but afterward the society held their services in Hudson. Amasa Cottrell and wife led the singing at most of these meetings.
Reverend Rohen, of the United Brethren Church, organized a class which met in the schoolhouse until 1877, when a church was built on ground obtained from D. B. Washburn. The Progressive Brethren also built a church in 1877 in section 22, formerly owned by G. W. Strayer. In 1884 both churches were removed to the Village of Hudson.
CEDAR FALLS TOWNSHIP
The church history of Cedar Falls Township corresponds with that of the City of Cedar Falls, at the end of this chapter.
EAGLE TOWNSHIP
The Catholics built the first church in Eagle Township in the year 1868. In the following year it was destroyed by a cyclone. In 1870 it was rebuilt and enlarged and since there has been a parochial school added with an enrollment of 125 pupils.
The Zion Baptist Church of Lincoln Township was organized in Eagle Township on January 3, 1869, by Rev. J. W. Thompson. There were ten mem- bers at this time. William P. Thompson was the first clerk. In the winter of 1869-70 a long meeting was conducted and many new members were added. L. H. Thompson was licensed to preach at this time. In March, 1872, the place of meeting was changed to the schoolhouse in sub-district No. 4, in Lincoln Township.
The Protestant Church at Eagle Center was constructed in the summer of 1883. William P. Thompson, who had been preaching at Eagle Center school- house for about four years, every two weeks, and C. S. Billings drew up articles of incorporation of the Eagle Center Church and Cemetery Association. The articles provided that anybody of Christian spirit might worship there. There was raised $860 and then a committee was appointed to finish the arrangements for building. Abe Bronson's land was bought for $100 per acre for cemetery
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and $25 per acre for the church lot. In the winter of 1882-3 the foundation of the church building was laid, the contract having been let to Messrs. Weller and Sweitzer for $1,200. On July 15, 1883, the dedication occurred, the Rev. William P. Thompson officiating. A free will offering was taken to purchase a new organ. A few weeks later William P. Thompson and brother, J. W., held a series of meetings and many were converted.
On October 5, 1884, William P. Thompson preached his last sermon. Later a Baptist minister preached, but it was not long after that the United Brethren organized a society and held services for several years, with the aid of the minister from Hudson. The worship there has been discontinued.
The Mount Carmel Catholic Church at Eagle Center had its beginnings along in the '50s. The first priest who came to Eagle Center was Reverend Schields, in the year 1858. He was from Waverly, as was the succeeding priest, Reverend Flaven. The latter visited the families, saying mass every month. The next pastor was Reverend Murphy. The first church was built in 1869. Owing to great depression the church structure was never completed and the parish had hard times to make expenses. Reverend Murphy was killed in a railroad acci- dent in the summer of 1869. In September of that year Rev. Father Scallon came to Eagle Center and stayed until the spring of 1877. On June 8, 1874, the church building was destroyed by a storm. Then the congregation worked to- gether and built a new church. Ten acres of land was donated by William McGarvey and Michael Mitchell. The church was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day of 1874. Rev. John Gosker preached the sermon. Before this time Reverend Sweeney, who was at Sunnyside, visited the parish at stated intervals. It is said that he was an old Indian missionary. In the spring of 1877 Father English became the first resident pastor and during his pastorate the parochial home was built. Father Kelley succeeded him and remained until 1880. Then came Father T. F. O'Brien, who stayed until 1892. Then, until November, 1893, Father Thomas McCarty had charge and then Father Dougherty until October, 1898. The next was Rev. Father James Taken. A parochial school was estab- lished and a building constructed in 1907. The school is conducted by Sisters of Mercy from Notre Dame Convent, Independence, Iowa.
FOX TOWNSHIP
The first sermon in Fox Township was preached by Rev. Stephen Holland in a log schoolhouse in the spring of 1857. Other accounts say that the first sermon was preached by Rev. C. N. Moberly, a Methodist minister, in 1853. The first church built was the German Evangelical Lutheran on the southwest corner of section 35 in 1863.
LESTER TOWNSHIP
In the early days in this township Reverend Colwell, a Presbyterian minister, preached in the schoolhouses. Later, Reverend Chiteser, an United Brethren preacher, came to the locality and held services. Rev. Israel Shaeffer, another United Brethren minister, held services in the neighborhood and Elder Hayden, who lived east of Fairbank, started a Baptist class.
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
LINCOLN TOWNSHIP
The first religious services held in Lincoln Township were in prayer meetings as early as 1858, in the private homes by Mr. Wrought. The first sermon preached was by Elder Enos Jenkins, a Free Baptist minister from Waterloo, about the same year. Pioneer Methodists very soon after conducted religious services and still later a class was established at the schoolhouse on section 24, known as the Rock Creek Class. It is presumed that they held services in other schoolhouses in the township and in private homes, until the building of their church in 1890 on section 20.
On March 10, 1872, the Zion Baptist Church of Black Hawk County, which had been organized by Rev. John W. Thompson in Eagle Township in the spring of 1870, changed their location, and came 11/2 miles west into Lincoln Township or to the schoolhouse then on section 12 and known as subdistrict No. 4, but now No. I.
Rev. L. H. Thompson, a licensed preacher in Eagle Township, was the pastor for quite a time; J. W. Thompson held a revival meeting and secured many converts. Black Hawk Creek served as a convenient place for baptism for these early worshipers. William P. Thompson acted as pastor for some time and in 1884, with some other members of the church, organized the First Baptist Church in Hudson. After this occurrence no more services were held in the school- house, for most of the members of the school church, so-called, became members of the Hudson society.
The first Catholic Church was constructed under Rev. C. F. O'Brien, who also was in charge of the church in Eagle Township, in 1880, by J. H. Dunn in addition. In October, 1905, the church and parsonage were destroyed by fire and in 1906 a new church and parsonage were built. A Mr. Glaze, of Traer, was the architect for the structure, which cost in the neighborhood of ten thou- sand dollars. Rev. Father Sheuhe was the first priest located here and Father P. J. Flynn the second. Father D. J. Linehan came next. The church com- prises about forty families or 200 people. The first person buried in the Catholic Cemetery was Nellie Cavanaugh, daughter of John Cavanaugh, in 1881. The second person was William Cavanaugh.
The Methodist Church of Lincoln Township was built in the year 1890 on section 20 and dedicated in November of the same year. At that time the church had about forty members. Rev. George Shear was the pastor when the church was built and he ministered to the society until 1906. In that year the church building was moved to Voorhies, repaired, and in November of the same year was rededicated for service.
For several years the Congregationalists held services in Lincoln Township. At one time the prospects seemed most promising and the society made plans to erect a church and to purchase land for a site. Their ambitions came to naught, however, and the minister gave his whole time and efforts to the society at Reinbeck.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP
The United Brethren Society constructed a church in 1865 on land given by H. C. Shafer. This building was destroyed by fire in 1868, but was shortly
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rebuilt. The new structure was erected in 1901 and was dedicated on November 3d.
The Christian Church was built on the Jacob Helfer farm in 1876. Regular service in this church has been abandoned for a long number of years.
MOUNT VERNON TOWNSHIP
A Presbyterian class was organized in this township in 1856 by Reverend Colwell. The Methodist Church was organized in November of the same year by Reverend Odell. The Methodist Church Building was the first erected. This was in 1867, when Reverend Clinton was the pastor. He was the regular pastor of Janesville and this church was then known as the East Janesville Church. Then for a time it was in the Waterloo circuit and lastly was retransferred to the Janesville circuit.
St. Paul's German Evangelical Church was built in 1884, with parsonage and school adjoining.
Sunday schools have been organized at different districts by missionaries. only to be abolished after a short time.
The beginning of the German Evangelical St. Paul's Congregation in Mount Vernon Township dates back to the year 1882. Then, Reverend Bredow of the Lutheran Iowa Synod, organized some German families of the township into a church society. A few years afterward Reverend Hoffmeister was called. In 1887 the congregation took membership in the synod. Since Reverend Hoff- meister the following men have occupied the pulpit of this church : J. Herrmann. J. Hoeppner, M. Hoeppner, W. Kreis, E. Beier, L. Kreuger. The congregation is at present in good circumstances, owning their church, schoolhouse, parsonage, cemetery and a few acres of land. No debt is attached to the church.
ORANGE TOWNSHIP
The most important religious sect ever inhabiting the township were the Dunkards. The first Dunkard to come to Orange Township and Black Hawk County was Elias Buechley, in 1854. He came to Waterloo, stopping at the Sherman House, but made no permanent settlement here at that time. It was not until later, when several other Dunkard families had moved in, that he came here to make his home. The earliest actual settler of this faith here was Martin Buechley, a cousin of the former, who came to Waterloo in 1855. In the spring of 1858 Matthias Miller and several others from Somerset County. Pennsylvania, came with their families and in the same year John Speicher moved to Waterloo.
The Brethren were first organized in the county in the summer of 1856 at the home of Martin Buechley. For a time meetings were held in private homes and in Capwell's Hall on the corner of Fifth and Commercial streets. The preachers in the early days were John Speicher, Joseph Ogge and Jesse Meyers. After this, for the next several years, new members of the faith came into the county very rapidly. Among the families who came in were the Buechleys, Lichtys, Millers. Fikes, Berkleys, Klingamans, Schrocks, Wellers, Saylors and Mausts, most of them finding their way to Orange Township. In 1861 Elias Buechley moved to this township. From 1862 until 1868 the four schoolhouses
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in the township served as meeting places, but in the latter year a church building was erected near the center of the civil division, 40 by 80 feet, and costing $7,000. The ruling elder at that time was Jacob Hauger.
The church continued to progress. In the year 1873 another church was built in Black Hawk Township, northwest of Hudson, there being at that time about three hundred Dunkards in the whole county. The first church constructed in the City of Waterloo was in 1880 and was situated at the corner of West Seventh and South streets. It was a frame building without basement, very small, and was used for services until November, 1902, when the new church was dedicated. During the erection of the new church the old building stood on the back of the lot, being removed in 1903.
In 1881 a split occurred in the society of Dunkards. The trouble arose over the style of dress and the form of church government. The result was the resignation of about eighty members, who in turn organized a society known as the Progressive Brethren, with churches in Waterloo, Enon and Hudson. As land became more expensive in the county parties of Dunkards would band together and move farther West. This was often the case.
The pastors who have served in the Waterloo Church are: John Fillmore, John Speicher, Joseph Ogge, Jesse Meyers, Elias K. Buechley, John Cross, Jacob Hauger, Henry Gouchenor, S. M. Miller, Jacob Murray, Abraham Hostetter, J. L. Beal, S. H. Miller, Tobias Musser, john Wise, Benjamin Bueghly, Charles Asquith, Martin Bueghly, John M. Snyder, L. R. Peifer, W. A. Adams, C. P. L. Roberts, William Ikenberry, W. H. Lichty, E. B. Hoff, Herschell Maust, A. P. Blough, W. L. Ikenberry, N. J. Miller, J. B. Speicher, J. H. Fike, Jonas Lichty, W. O. Tannreuther, E. C. Witter, J. N. Shick, J. S. Zimmerman, I. C. Johnson, Levi Shafer.
POYNER TOWNSHIP
This township derived its name from one of the pioneer ministers coming there to preach. Rev. Nathan Poyner, of the Baptist denomination, settled in the township in 1853, held services in different places, sometimes under the branches of a tree.
The following history of the Roman Catholic Church of the Immaculate Con- ception was prepared by Rev. John Nemmers, the present pastor of Gilbertville Church, where he has been for thirty-nine years :
"In the year of 1854 a party of land seekers from Dubuque and other eastern points made a stop at a point nine miles southeast of Waterloo, on the east bank of the Cedar River. They came here to prospect for homes and to judge of the quality of the country. They stopped at the home of Nicholas Marks, the first house in Gilbertville. The hut was built of sticks, branches, mud, hay and leaves and was hardly habitable. There they lived together in one little room and styled themselves 'The Company.' Peter Felten was the cook and houeskeeper. They were: Nicholas Marks, Peter and John Felten, John Chambeaux, Nicholas Rob- ert, Peter Blasius, Sebastian and F. Hemmer, Nicholas Felten, Frank Mingo, who were soon joined by Hubter Frost, John Mangrich, Mathias Kirsch, Jacob Ambrosy, John Schneider and Mr. Paul. These first settlers were some German, some Frenchmen, hence the place was called Frenchtown and later Gilbertville. They soon, by dint of hard work and perseverance, acquired some real estate and
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timber land, which they converted into lots. A townsite was selected by Cham- beaux, laid out property, with a public square in the center of the proposed town. A map was drawn of the townsite and coupled with some very flattering literature was mailed to the largest cities in the country : New York, Chicago, New Orleans, St. Paul and other places, soliciting investors. Single lots were advertised as sell- ing for only $50 in gold. Many answers came to these advertisements and the company was soon ready for business. A brickyard was started, lime kilns operated, a tannery constructed, a shingle factory, sawmill and flour mill, a brew- ery and two distilleries, and a small printing office were soon running. The com- pany had two teams which were on the road between here and Dubuque all of the time, trading and selling. Then the Illinois Central Railroad was constructed from Dubuque to Waterloo and missed Gilbertville. This extinguished the hopes of a large city.
"On April 1, 1856, the first marriage occurred in the Village of Gilbertville. the parties being N. Marks and Margaret Felton. A traveling priest performed the ceremony.
"In 1855 Bishop Loras of Dubuque visited the settlement and promised to aid them in procuring some satisfaction for their spiritual wants. Mass was said by the bishop in a small stone house belonging to the company. Reverend Baumgarten came in 1856. He stayed for about eight months, occupying one room during this time. Reverend Orth, of New Vienna, occasionally visited the place in 1856-57. In 1856 a small church was built of the local sawmill slabs. This church was lined inside with calico. In 1858 a stone church was built, 16 feet wide and 24 feet long, which served as a place of worship for several years. Twelve families made up the congregation at that time. In 1874 a frame church was erected, 36 by 60 feet. This church was built under the direction of Reverend Scallon. Reverend Shields visited the mission occasionally in 1859. In 1863 Reverend Gasger of Independence attended the mission from that place until 1872, when Reverend Scallon of Waterloo attended the mission until 1875. when the present pastor, Rev. John Nemmers, was appointed as the first resident priest of Gilbertville. The parish then numbered fifty-five families.
"The congregation continued to grow and become more successful until 1906, when the congregation numbered 210 families. In this year a division of the parish was made and about thirty families formed a new parish at Raymond under Rev. H. Rottler. When Reverend Nemmers took charge of the parish in 1875 he at once organized the parish, established a parochial school, which he taught himself the first year in the old stone church. He also formed a choir, enlarged the frame church, and bought new furniture.
"In 1889 a new brick church, 50 by 128 feet, of Gothic architecture, was constructed and furnished in an up-to-date manner. The cost of the church was about $22,000, the oak pews about $1, 100, the Stations of the Cross about $1,100, the pipe organ $1,200, the main altar $2.600, and other furniture about $1,200.
"The parochial school was taught by Peter Hess, John Peter Nemmers, Eugene Marion and Henry Nemmers, until 1892, when the school sisters of Notre Dame. of Milwaukee, were obtained and took charge of the school. They continue to do so at the present time. In 1891 a residence for the sisters was erected at a cost of over six thousand dollars. School was taught in the old frame church
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until 1895, when it burned down, and in the same year a new, two-story brick school building was erected at a cost of $10,000, accommodating 250 children.
"In 1876, after Father Nemmers had been boarding for six months with a farmer one-half mile away from the church, a small parsonage was built, which he occupied until 1901, when a large, modern residence was built, costing $9,000, and is now the parsonage.
"In 1901 Rev. William Nuebel was appointed assistant to Father Nemmers. In 1903, while the former was absent, Rev. Henry Meyer was assistant. In 1905 Reverend Nuebel returned, but in 1906 he was appointed pastor of St. Donatus. In 1906 Rev. Joseph Quirin became assistant and in 1907 he was made pastor of Parkersburg. In 1907 Rev. Joseph Zeyden became assistant priest at Gilbertville.
"Rev. John Nemmers, the priest, who has been there since 1875, was the first priest born in the State of Iowa, was born in Jackson County on October 16, 1847, pursued his studies in Milwaukee for eight years, and finished the same in Dubuque. He was ordained a priest on December 19, 1875."
SPRING CREEK TOWNSHIP
The first sermon in the township was preached by Rev. C. N. Moberly, in 1853. It is not known just where the religious services were held, but it is presumed that they were in the home of some of the early settlers.
The Emanuel Chapel, of the Iowa Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Connection of America, is located in the southeast part of the township. It was constructed in the autumn of 1895 and was dedicated on December 22. Rev. G. C. Houck, who lived in the vicinity, had been conducting services in the stone schoolhouse just across the road from the present chapel and parsonage. He was assisted by Rev. E. R. Dodd. A camp meeting was inaugurated, which was. held in the timber belonging to John McChane, just southeast of the chapel. This revival lasted eight weeks and over one hundred and twenty were converted. Following this a Wesleyan Methodist Class was organized and the same fall the church was built, located on the northwest corner of the McChane farm. It cost about fifteen hundred dollars. In the year 1899, under the pastorate of Rev. F. J. Wilson, the parsonage was built, the material being taken from the old. Greenwood Chapel, east of Brandon, Iowa.
THE CHURCHES OF WATERLOO
The first church denomination to hold religious services in Waterloo was the Methodist. Asbury Collins preached in the Charles Mullan cabin even before a floor was laid over the bare ground. Two other pastors, or circuit riders, as they were then called, namely, J. Johnson and Richard Swearingen, came and gathered a small crowd of people together in the home of William Virden and organized a class. There were five members. These were George W. Hanna, Mary Hanna, William and Rebecca Virden and America Mullan. Preaching continued for some time by Swearingen, Elias Pattee, S. W. Ingham and a Mr. Vail. Sev- eral years later there were more members added. At this time the following belonged : Guy R. and Hattie Benight, Alvira J. Benight, Julia A. and Margaret
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L. Benight. George W. Hanna, Mary Hanna, America Mullan, Miriam Butter- field, Lucinda Brooks, Sarah Riggs, Sarah Butterfield, Samuel L. and Polly May, Elizabeth May, Thomas Vaughn, Prunetta Vaughn, Joseph Morris, James Henderson, Carr Brown, Samuel White, David Cantonwine, Hulda Cantonwine, John W. Bliss and John Filkins.
From then the church grew steadily. Meetings were held in Benight's Hall. A lot was purchased shortly and the foundation laid for a church building. Stephen Bush, Edmund Miller, G. W. Hanna, H. C. Drew, Benjamin Stewart and Isaac Parmenter were the trustees at this time. The Civil war coming on, financial depression compelled the postponement of the completion until 1865-66.
On March 22, 1861, a board of trustees was organized and articles of incor- poration filed and adopted by the following: J. W. Hankinson, G. R. Benight. D. B. Gilbert, Joseph Gorrell, J. N. Ayres, A. R. Hale and David Edwards, for the purpose of constructing a church on the east side of the river. This was com- pleted in September, 1865, the cost being $4,600. The people forming this society were the members of the First Methodist Episcopal Church who resided on the east side. The latter church was on the west side. A Sunday school was organ- ized and occasional meetings held in a building on Sycamore Street. In February, 1865, efforts were made to build a church and accordingly a frame building was put up on the corner of Fifth and Lafayette street, costing $4,600. The church was dedicated September 24, 1865, by Rev. A. J. Kynette. There were then seventy members.
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