USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 61
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All these proceedings are recorded in the session book of the said church, and signed by Rev. F. C. Schwartz. The congregation consisted at that time
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of twenty-seven male and twenty-five female members, numbering in all fifty- two souls. On July 15th the congregation had a meeting at which it was resolved to purchase a lot and build thereon a place of worship. They bought one-half of a lot in the eastern part of the town, near the courthouse, of Judge O. Il. P. Roszell, for $125, to be paid in three years. At a meeting it was resolved to have the church incorporated according to the laws of the State of lowa, and a committee of tive was elected to take charge of this business. This was done in April, 1860.
At the meeting of April 15, 1860, there was much disagreement in regard to paying for the lot and building a meeting-house, and four persons were soon after dropped from the roll of the church. April 29, 1860, they had another meeting at which Rev. F. C. Schwartz resigned his position as stated supply. His farewell sermon was preached on the Sth of the following July, and a few days thereafter he removed from the place.
After this the church dwindled for several years. Reverend Mr. Van Vliet, of Dubuque, eame frequently to preach, and some of his theological students occasionally-the people simply paying their expenses. But most of the so-called members of the church, and the few that remained were not able to pay the balance due on the lot which had been purchased and so it was sold. Not for eight years were regular services held there.
On June 7, 1868, Rev. John G. Sehaible commenced preaching for this little flock. There was one elder left, Mr. E. Zinn, and two deaeons, P. Tempus and II. Longeneckhardt. Besides these there were only eight members more- making eleven in all. Mr. Sehaible began his ministrations in the court- house, and after he had moved his family here, the morning services were held in the schoolhouse north of the courthouse and the evening in the Eng- lish Presbyterian Church. About twenty members were added to the church soon after.
April 29, 1869, the session book was for the first time submitted to the inspection of the presbytery of Dubuque. It was examined, approved and signed by the moderator, Rev. J. S. Wilson.
February 25, 1869, a Sabbath-school was commenced with eighteen scholars.
March 9, 1869, the old Presbyterian Church and lot, near the east bank of the river was purchased for $1,000. After improvements were made to the amount of $170, the church was reconsecrated to the service of the Lord by Rev. A. Van Vliet, of Dubuque, and Reverend Mr. Boggs, of this city, and all was paid for on the day of the reconsecration, and enough was left to buy a cabinet organ for the church.
July 6, 1872, Rev. John G. Schaible was called to the pastorate of the church, after having served as stated supply for four years and two months, and on the fifteenth of the same month, he was duly installed as pastor by the Rev. Messrs. W. B. Phelps and J. Conzett.
May 25, 1874, the church building was destroyed in the great fire which swept away the most of the business portion of the town. But the little floek was not discouraged. They received, for insurance, $1,000; raised a snbserip- tion among themselves ; obtained some help from the good people, and, on the 6th of January, 1876, the present comely briek edifice, standing on the site
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of the old one, was dedicated by Rev. A. Elfied, of Freeport, Illinois, and Rev. E. Schnetta, of Waukon, Iowa. The entire cost of the new church was $1,700, and the whole was paid without delay. Reverend Schaible faithfully served this church for fifteen years, when he was succeeded by Rev. Henry C. Sehletevon, September 7, 1884. He remained but a little over a year when Rev. Ernest Schuette was called on May 23, 1886, and filled the charge most acceptably until May 23, 1894, when he accepted a call to Dubuque. Ile was sueeeeded by Rev. E. C. Walters on January 28, 1895, who remained until March 30, 1906. On the 9th of June, 1907, Rev. Geo. E. Reibert was installed as pastor and remained until September 20, 1911. He was succeeded by Rev. John Figge, who acted as pastor from October 13, 1912, until December 7, 1913. Since that date the organization has been without a regular pastor. Services are occasionally conducted by substitute ministers, and although small in numbers, they are a harmonious and influential organization. The young people of the church have for years maintained an active Christian Endeavor Society and still hold regular meetings.
The young people of the German Presbyterian Church organized a society on Monday evening, March 20, 1905, called the Ingend Verein. The object of the society was for Bible study and sociability and the meetings ocenrred on the first Thursday of each month. The following officers were elected : President, Mrs. E. C. Wolters; vice president, Miss Minnie Waekerbarth ; secretary, Henry Kortemeyer; treasurer, Miss Katherine Schwartz. Meetings are held once a month.
This society and the church onee a year give a publie supper which is the anticipation and the glorification of all those who believe in "gastronomie gratification."
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN EMMANUEL CHURCH
The Evangelical Lutheran congregation was organized in 1861. Prior to that time they and the Reformed had Union services. Reverend Schmuez was the pastor, since he favored the reformed members more than the Lutherans, the latter withdrew and organized a congregation for themselves.
The professor and students from the Wartburg Seminary at St. Sebald, Iowa, cared for the congregation. Services were held in the schoolhouse where now the courthouse stands. But St. Sebald being too far, the congregation deemed it better to be served by the pastor from Spring Creek. Ten years it was served from there, but the services could not be regularly held on account of the weather.
In 1871 the schoolhouse was torn down to make room for a new one. As a result the congregation was without a place of worship and after much delib- eration bonght the lot on the corner of Fifth Street and Sixth Avenue, north- east, for the sum of $200. Thereon they built a small church. On September 10. 1871, it was dedicated by Professor Fritschel and Reverends Grossmann and Leupp. This structure served until in 1907, when it was removed to the Buchanan County Fair Grounds, where it still stands.
The first pastor was Reverend Brueckner, of Spring Creek. In 1872 the congregation decided to have its own pastor. J. L. Christ, student in St. Sebald
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was called and on Easter entered the pastorate. In 1875, a parsonage was built. From here also the congregation in Earlville was organized and for a number of years composed the parish. In 1878 Reverend Christ received a call from Wisconsin, where he stayed two years, then he returned to Independence. During this interim, the congregation was taken care of from Waterloo and Earlville.
Reverend Christ served the congregation until the fall of 1905, when he re- tired from active ministry. Rev. A. R. Boer became his successor. Under his leadership the present church at a cost of $3.000 was built. On September 29, 1907, the cornerstone was laid. The dedication took place December 22d of the same year. Prof. G. J. Zeilinger and Rev. J. Lorch, assisting. Likewise in the parsonage certain improvements were made in the year before. On the 2d of March, 1910, the pastorate of Reverend Boer terminated. He followed a call to St. Paul, Minnesota. Rev. J. O. Krueger, of Pepin, Wisconsin, became his successor. The remaining debt of the church was paid off, and a two manual pedal organ for $400 was installed.
The congregation was never very large, but rather small, as there were only a few Germans in Independence and surrounding vicinity. When Reverend Boer became the pastor, the Synod found it necessary to aid the congregation. This was done until 1914. The last four years the congregation steadily grew and is now self supporting. It has forty-six voting members (male). 150 com- municants, a Ladies' Aid Society. Lutheran Leagne and Young People's Society. English and German Sunday School. Services are conducted in German and English. Prospects seem favorable for a steady growth.
CHURCH OF THE EVANGELICAL SOCIETY
This society was one of the early religious societies established by the Ger- mans. The services were conducted in the German language. A. Ilageman was the moving spirit in the organization of the society in 1856. Ile furnished the means in a large extent to erect the first church building, which was built of stone on Lot 2, in Block 10, Independence, in 1858. Mr. Hageman contributed about nine hundred dollars. Wm. and John Schmidt did the mason work and James Jamison, a lawyer, and D. T. Randall. a merchant, furnished sufficient funds to buy the shingles.
The building was used for church purposes for some thirty years and they sold and converted it into a dwelling for which purpose it was used until recently when it was torn down and a store building erected which is now oc- cupied by John Klotzbach.
Mr. Hageman was a very active member of the church. At times he preached and was for a considerable time superintendent of the Sunday School and teacher of one of the classes.
Rev. R. Dubs, later a bishop of the church, was the first regular minister of whom we have been able to learn. He had the pastorate about two years, beginning about 1860. The society then belonged to a circnit extending over a large pastorate of Northern Iowa.
After selling the stone church the society built a frame structure in the Fourth Ward, which was oeeupied by them until the society disbanded some
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ten years ago, when the building was sold. It has been impossible for us to locate any records of this church or any person who is able to give any further details regarding it.
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST
Christian Seienee was first introduced into Independenee about nineteen or twenty years ago. Interest was first awakened through healing, and a few people began to read and study the Lesson Sermons in their homes. Soon others beeame interested and a society was formed. The public library was selected as a place to hold meetings and services continued here for about a year when the attendance had increased to such an extent that it was necessary to obtain larger quarters. A hall was rented and at this time, November, 1896, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, of Independence, was organized with eighteen eharter members. A building fund was started and some years later, in July, 1904, a lot centrally located was purchased on which there was a two-story frame building. This the members proceeded to remodel and now occupy the same as a church and reading room. It is free from incumbranee and there yet remains a growing building fund for further needs.
The congregation have contributed mid-week Testimonial Meetings and a Sunday School and every year a lecture is given by some prominent Scientist, to which the public is invited, free of charge.
The church is in a prosperous condition, and although it has never had a phenomenal growth has steadily inereased in membership.
The Scientists have furnished the public library copies of Science and Health, and the Christian Science Journal for many years.
CHURCHI NOTES
The Presbyterians held their regular morning services, while the bridge was out, at their brick edifice on the east side and instead of evening services, meetings were held at 3 P. M. in the brick schoolhouse on the west side. . This is the old brick building in the Third Ward, south of what is known as the commons. It has been occupied as a home for many years.
The Spiritualists had quite a strong organization in this town in the early days. A conrse of lectures was given at the courthouse in May, 1862. Numer- ous other lectures had preceded these and many mediums, some of national fame, visited this town and adherents of this faith numbered some of the in- fluential people of the town.
The Universalist faith also had some followers, among them many of our prominent citizens. They used to hold services in the courthouse and at one time conducted a Sunday school.
In the early days donation parties were all the rage and the ministers were almost entirely dependent upon the generosity of the people in this way for their support. Salaries were too meager to be of mueh substantial assistance to the support of the ministers. Scarcely a week, during certain seasons in the year, but the general public were not only invited but urged to participate in this twofold pleasure and duty. Many times these affairs
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proved to be of real remunerative benefit, often the minister receiving his entire winter's supply in this way and the generosity and appreciation of the people generally manifested itself with some personal gift, as well.
In the early days perfeet harmony existed between the various denomina- tions as is manifested by the way they cooperated and assisted each other while their different edifices were being built. The Baptists conducted serv- iees in the winter of 1864 in the Episcopal Church and at one time it was the custom for the members of the Methodist congregation to hold weekly so- ciables at the homes of the members of the Baptist Congregation and the Baptists held sociables at the leading Methodists' homes.
In the Presbyterian congregation the semi-monthly sociable was a per- manent institution in the early '70s and was held in rotation at the homes of the members, the place of meeting annonneed from the pulpit. People loved to get together for social as well as religions purposes.
The Sabbath Schools of the county were areustomed to having a Grand Union Pienie once a year. In 1861, a pienie was held in Dickinson's Grove just north of Independence. A fine entertainment, all kinds of amusements. for old and young, and sumptuous dinner made these affairs pleasurable events.
In September. 1864, they met at Quasqueton to celebrate. On these oc- rasions the teams and wagons bearing the joyful ocenpants were gaily deco- rated with Hags, Howers and banners bearing the class names and mottoes and on their way to the pienie grounds made a picturesque sight. The Independence delegation took a fife and drum corps with them, and usually there was one or two bands in attendance. A short distance ont from Quasqueton the different delegations were met by an escort on horseback and accompanied in a grand and impressive manner to the scene of the fes- tivities. Here a sumptuous dinner followed by an elaborate programme were the features of the day. During the years of the war, these affairs were very demonstrative and patriotie, and resolutions of some patriotic character were usually adopted.
When the churches were first built, it seems to have been the custom to advertise a sale of the seats-and a plat of the floor plans was left in publie places for the purpose of indneing people to subscribe. A publie meeting was annonneed at which the seats were sold as at an anction.
The weekly prayer meetings were held at the different members' homes, and these were looked forward to with pleasurable anticipation, not only for the spiritual uplift derived, but for the social intercourse, which those early pioneers so greatly enjoyed.
A local church paper published by the First Presbyterian Church Society of Independence had the following to say about the Independence papers in its last issue.
"What an array of journalism Independence will soon have, there will be the American Trotter to remind ns we are living in a fast age. The Journal showing how we love to get the latest news in the spiciest manner, and The Conservative ever assurring us that democracy still thrives, and the Bulletin, a standing evidence that death does not end all. Then comes the Farmers' Alliance, that stands for first and last, and alas, least onr 'Church Work' to ever remind us that in all we are doing we can try to do good."
CHAPTER XXIV
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
EARLY COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTIONS-GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF TRADE-THE PRESENT DAY.
One of the early industries of the county was a cheese factory at Pine Creek, which was started in 1868, but failed of success through lack of knowledge of the business, and in 1871 Mr. James Hamilton and the energetic farmers of his neighborhood determined to revive the enterprise and accordingly procured the services of J. S. and A. J. Eddy, experienced cheese makers, formerly from the dairy region of New York, and later from Albion, Wisconsin. They com- meneed operations about the middle of May and in six weeks were receiving 2,100 pounds of milk per day from 125 eows, and making about two hundred and twenty-five pounds of cheese from it. At this time, they had 110 cheeses in their storeroom. The number of patrons was twenty-one. The Messrs. Eddy received the milk and manufactured the cheese for three cents per pound, keep- ing an account with each patron. The patrons met once in thirty or sixty days and declared dividends and the cheese was sold by a committee.
Mr. A. J. Barnhart was another successful manufacturer of cheese on his farm a few miles south of Independence. The making of cheese is a very par- ticular and risky business, and one year Mr. Barnhart and other cheese manu- facturers in the county suffered almost total loss in their cheeses from some taint in the milk probably due to a noxious weed eaten by the cows, and this put a damper on the industry.
In 1878 Mr. Barnhart and C. W. Williams conducted a creamery in a build- ing on the corner of Chatham and Mott streets. They had the best and most modern machinery installed, a churn of 150 gallons capacity, run by a one- horse tread power, and produced the best quality butter. This was one of the best creameries in the county. Mr. Barnhart also conducted several branch creameries.
The creamery business in Buchanan County has always been one of the most. important and numerous industries and a history of just this one business would fill a volume.
In the '60s and '70s the manufacture of wagons and carriages was one of the important branches of industry, and plenty of competition was ineentive to the production of very superior articles. Six firms were located in Inde- pendence, namely : O. E. Ilunt, Klotzbach & Bros., Jas. Whait & Co., Rausier & Flanigan, Hageman & Wilson, Dale & Ilinman. The aggregate number of
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wagons, carriages and sleighs manufactured by these firms in the year 1869 was 344 and their value about $38,000.
The first, last and only tannery in Buchanan County was established by Messrs. Campbell & Loomis in the autumn of 1858. They commenced in a building twenty by fifty feet, with only eight vats. So encouraging had been their success, both in the quality of their leather and the demand for it, that at the end of the first year they determined to enlarge their establishment. A good, substantial stone building. thirty-five feet square, and two and a half stories high, was erected, and also an addition to the old building of a structure twelve by thirty-five feet.
The first floor of the main building contained a steam engine and boiler, for the purpose of running a fulling mill and other machinery necessary to per- fect and expedite the various processes in the manufacture of leather. During the first year the company had manufactured and sold about fifteen hundred pieces of leather, worth from four to five thousand dollars, thus keeping that amount in circulation at home, which otherwise would have been withdrawn from circulation for the purchase of leather in other markets. Such enter- prises entitled the projectors to be regarded as public benefactors. With the increased facilities from six to seven thousand pieces per annum were cured. The quality of the "Wapsie leather," as the firm denominated theirs, was conceded to be equal to the better qualities of American bark-tanned leather; and it was claimed that it was even stronger than most of the bark-tanned, and more durable. The tannery was situated in the southeastern part of the town and, very conveniently for water supply, near Malone's Creek, a small but unfailing stream of water, which has at this point sufficient power to turn a small water wheel, by which power all the water needed was pumped from the creek.
The leather turned out by this firm had been tested by both shoemakers and saddlers, and pronounced of an excellent quality ; and the success of this manu- factory was a source of pride to the citizens of Independence, who viewed with great interest every venture designed to develop the resources of the county and add to the business and population of the place.
If this promising inauguration of an important branch of manufacturing has, through any cause been allowed to decline, it is still desirable for the credit of the community at large that some record should be preserved of this excep- tional instance of wisdom in the investment of capital, which, if allowed, would make of Independence that which her natural advantages warrant her in aspir- ing to become-something more than a railroad station, and a place of deposit for the county records.
The principal building of the establishment above described is still stand- ing, and was afterwards appropriated to the occupation of soap making. In late years it has been used as a dwelling house and now is but a deserted land- mark, a relie of former greatness.
The Independence Mill Company is an organization composed entirely of citizens of Independence. It was organized in 1867, and was at that time capitalized at $75,000, later at $125,000, which they had invested mainly in the mill and the water privilege of the Wapsipinicon River and included the water power at Quasqueton. The first mill, a sawmill, was for two years the only building on the west side of the river.
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It was built on the site of the old "New Haven Mill" (the name first given to the west side of Independence). The first mill was operated and largely owned by S. S. Clark (in 1866 he owned one-half of the entire stoek and became a large owner in the new mill). The old mill only had three run of stone and was put to its utmost capacity to do the business alone-before the new mill was completed. The old mill ceased operations in August, 1870. Some people claim that the mill was originally intended as a woolen mill, but at that time this was not a sheep country, and was primarily a wheat country, so the statement is rather doubtful.
In June of that year the contract to build the mill was let to Samuel Sher- wood and work commenced immediately. The huge foundation, constructed of granite boulders found scattered over the prairies here, dressed to lay in range work eight feet thick, and the basement of Farley limestone was not completed until the fall of 1868. Work had to be suspended for the winter, but was resumed early in the spring of 1869 and the building was enclosed before the next winter. It is made of heavy timber frame and encased with a brick wall eight inches thick. Its dimensions were sixty-two by twelve feet on the foundation and six stories high- 107 feet from the base of the foundation wall to the top of the roof. The mill was designed for twelve runs of stone and has a storage capacity of 250,000 bushels of grain. It was completed and ready for business by August 1, 1870. This mill when built was the largest in Iowa. At first it was fitted with seven turbine wheels, five French buhr stones, two La Croix middlings purifiers and was capable of turning out about seventy- five barrels of a fine quality of fancy patent flour daily. The mill was orig- inally intended for a woolen mill, but as this did not prove to be a good point for that industry, it was made into a tlouring mill. The abundant wheat erops of this locality for several years kept this mill in constant operation and made it a paying investment to the stockholders, but the gradual decline and finally total abandonment of this crop on account of continued destruction by chinch bugs lessened the activities of the mill for the manufacture of flour.
In 1897 the mill was entirely remodeled and the latest improved machinery installed whereby all kinds of mill prodnets were made, and the mill company advertised to buy all the rye, buckwheat, and wheat that the farmers would sell. The company enjoyed a liberal patronage for some years and manufac- tured a fine quality of flour for which they found a ready market-but did not prosper as might be expected.
The company was put into the hands of a receiver in the summer of 1908 and the mill and power sold to a syndicate which afterwards incorporated into the present Wapsipinicon Mill & Power Company, and immediately began the erection of a new conerete dam, and modern water turbines installed which operate an electric dynamo from which much power is now furnished the city in addition to which the power is used to grind feed to some extent.
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