USA > Iowa > Crawford County > History of Crawford County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 32
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Members of session: N. S. Neely, J. P. Barber, I. B. Alfred, Wm. Flint, Dr. E. McLaren, and Henry John.
Superintendent of Sabbath school I. B. Alfred; President Y. P. S. C. E., Dr. E. McLaren; Ladies Aid Society, Mrs. Frank Brown; Foreign Mission society, Mrs. W. B. Leggett; Guild society, Mrs. I. B. Alfred; Westminster Circle, Miss Lillian Saunders.
The church is in excellent condition with a large and increasing membership and is a great power for good.
GUILD SOCIETY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. Manilla, Iowa. By Mrs. Henry N. Jahn.
The first meeting of the Guild Society of the Presbyterian church was held at the home of Miss Mattie Buffington on October 6, 1905, at which time the organization was perfected with the following charter members: Miss Mattie Buffington ; Mesdames J. F. Carnahan, L. A. Carnahan, William Goddard, Dr. Liggett, Cicero Morgan, W. S. Moore, Rae Sutton, Fred Schram, Misses Anna and Millie Jahn, and Miss Blanche Packard. The present membership numbers nineteen, one member, Mrs. B. H. Doty, having been called to her final reward.
The efforts of the society have been directed largely toward the proper fur- nishing of the church in which they have met with marked success, having pur- chased an auxiliary pipe organ and an individual communion set, besides many other incidentals for the use of the church. The present officers are: Mrs. W. S. Moore, president; Mrs. I. B. Alfred, vice-president; Mrs. Henry Jahn, sec- retary ; Mrs. Cicero Morgan, treasurer; and Mrs. Dr. Liggett, chaplain.
VAIL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. By Rev. H. Hostettler.
The Presbyterian church was brought into the eastern part of Crawford county by Dr. James DeWolf and his family who, in the fall of 1870, became
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the first bona fide settlers of the town of Vail. Dr. DeWolf was born a Ver- mont Congregationalist, but in early life he and his father's family came in contact with Presbyterianism near LeRaysville, Pa. The doctor had his training in two Presbyterian Academies at Hartford, Pa., and Grand River Institute in Ohio. Some years after his marriage at Terrytown, Pa., he removed to near Mt. Carroll, Ill., and later to Clarence, Iowa, where he had helped to establish a Presbyterian church. The doctor had acquired a pioneer's love for laying the foundations of communities and in coming to Vail he had clearly defined ideas of what a well ordered town should have. The first schoolhouse was com- pleted in Vail during the fall of 1871, a small frame building now standing on lot 4, block 5, owned by Miss Anna S. DeWolf and used as a drug store by Mr. G. E. Dingeman.
In the new schoolhouse the little community started the new year of 1872, by organizing a Sabbath School on its first Sabbath, January 7th. Dr. James DeWolf was elected the first superintendent and continued in that position until January, 1890, when at his own request he was allowed to retire from this active responsibility. That first Sunday School was made up of all who could be induced to attend. There were Episcopalians, Lutherans, Methodists, Catho- lics and Presbyterians. There were Irish, English, Norwegians, Swedes and some of American birth. There were twenty present the first Sabbath and their names deserve a place in this record: M. H. Smith, W. R. Miller, James DeWolf, Giles Brink, Robert Crisp, John Dewyer, Swan Nelson, William Ahlstrand, Richard Woods, Francis Woods, Joseph Gracy, John H. DeWolf, Mrs. M. H. Miller, Mrs. M. H. Smith, Mrs. Anna H. DeWolf, Miss Anna Tem- pest, Miss Mary E. DeWolf and Anna S. DeWolf. Of the attendants at the first session Francis Woods is the only one now residing in Vail. His brothers, Richard Woods and James, later moved to Baker City, Oregon. Joseph Gracy was a young man in their employ. M. H. Smith was the first postmaster of Vail and with his family later moved to Tacoma, Wash., where he has since died. Miss Anna Tempest, later the wife of Dr. E. L. Colborn, now lives at Beloit, Wis. Giles Brink now lives at Plymouth, Neb. Swan Nelson later died at Odebolt, Iowa. W. R. Miller now lives in Ohio. Mrs. M. H. Miller later moved to Caldwell, Idaho. John Dewyer was a young Irishman who worked for M. H. Miller and often complained it made his head ache to read the new testament.
The other officers of the school were W. H. Smith, assistant superintendent ; John H. DeWolf, secretary and librarian. During the first year as many as eighty-four names appeared on the roll of attendants though some were present but a single Sabbath. The summary of this first year's Sabbath School work shows an average daily attendance of 25.62; average number of bible verses recited, 31.8; contributions per sabbath, 60 cents. The largest attendance was 34 during the month of August and the smallest was during February when the average was but thirteen.
The second year's work of this school began with an anniversary celebration held January 5, 1873. The same persons acted as superintendent and assistant, but the other officers were George W. DeWolf, secretary; Fred K. Forrest, Jr., librarian, and Miss Mary E. DeWolf, treasurer. This Sabbath School has con-
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tinued without interruption to the present time. It met in the schoolhouse till it was transferred to the Presbyterian church in 1878. The Episcopalians organ- ized their own school in 1874 or 1875, and the Methodist Episcopal church school was organized out of it January 1, 1882. The remaining portion of this school was thereafter known as the Presbyterian school. The attendance dur- ing 1885 averaged about fifty-seven. After the organization of the Denison Presbyterian church its minister preached occasionally for the Vail people. There were occasional services conducted also by Rev. George R. Carroll, who was superintendent of missions for northwestern Iowa and Dakota. These services were well attended and indicated a desire for a Presbyterian church.
June 14, 1873, a petition was signed by fourteen persons expressing the belief that the church of Christ in its organized capacity is the great instrument through which God is pleased to work in elevating, blessing and saving the world and asking for the organization of a Presbyterian church, to which they pledged their cordial support. The next day, June 15th, Rev. Henry Carroll of Chi- cago, Ill., preached a sermon at 10:30 a. m., after which Rev. George R. Carroll organized these fourteen persons into the Presbyterian church of Vail, under the care of the Presbytery of Fort Dodge. These charter members were James DeWolf, Anna H. DeWolf, Mary E. Strong, George W. DeWolf, John H. DeWolf, Mrs. Elizabeth Maxwell, Mrs. Anna Maxwell, James Bremner, Mar- garet K. Bremner, Sarah A. Powers, John F. Powers, A. D. Young, Mrs. A. D. Young and Thomas Maxwell. By the vote of these members, Dr. James De- Wolf and A. D. Young were chosen ruling elders, both having previously served in the same capacity in the church at Clarence, Iowa. Mr. Young was chosen as session clerk.
Of these charter members Dr. James DeWolf and his wife, Anna H. De- Wolf, have died and both are buried in the Vail cemetery. Their daughter, Anna S. DeWolf, is still a member of the Vail church and resides at Denison. Their daughter, Mrs. Mary E. Strong, with her family are members of the church at Broken Bow, Neb. Their son, John H. DeWolf, is a member of the Hyde Park Presbyterian church, Chicago, Ill., and George W. DeWolf is a member of the Presbyterian church at Gibbon, Neb. Thomas Maxwell, his wife, Eliza- beth Maxwell, and his mother, Anna Maxwell, all have died. This family is represented in the present Vail church by their daughter, Sadie, wife of James H. Bremner. This family has also contributed to the present membership of the Denison Presbyterian church three daughters, Mrs. Maria North, Mrs. Anna Albert and Mrs. Maggie Tucker. James Bremner and his wife, Margaret Brem- ner, have passed to the reward of their labors and are represented in the pres- ent membership of the church by their son, James H. Bremner. Their daugh- ter, Mrs. Mary McCorkindale, is a member of the Presbyterian church at Ode- bolt, Iowa. John F. Powers died some years since at Hay Springs, Neb., and his wife, Sarah A. Powers, was living recently in very feeble health with her daugh- ter, Miss Fannie Moulton, in New York City, N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Young later withdrew from the church and joined the Plymouth Brethren. Neither are now living.
Rev. W. H. McCusky of Denison, now of Hopkinton, Iowa, preached for the church during 1873 and 1874, and added four to the membership of > the
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church. The session records previous to February, 1876, were lost, but a few notes appear in the session book that give the substance of what was done. In 1875 the church appears for the first time in the General Assembly minutes with eighteen members and supplied by Rev. Thomas A. Shaver, now of Chadbourn, N. C., but who at that time lived at Glidden, Iowa. The church at this time was making plans to secure a church building as a newspaper item states that on September 10, 1875, a festival held by the ladies netted $76.50 for a new church building. Mr. Shaver supplied the church also during a part of the year 1876 and during his ministry seven members were added to the church. During the summer of 1876, Rev. William J. Moffatt of Denison, began a year's supply of the pulpit. In spite of the hardships of the grasshopper scourge the church persisted in its plans for a church edifice. In order to hold property under the state laws it was necessary to incorporate the church society. This was done March 24, 1877, when John F. Powers, Richard Woods and James DeWolf signed articles of incorporation and acted as the first trustees of the society. Mr. Powers was chosen secretary of the trustees June 9, 1877.
Soon after this a subscription paper was circulated and by September 29th, of the same year, enough funds had been subscribed to warrant the trustees in advertising for bids for the erection of a building. The contract for doing the carpenter work was let to Adam Baker for $150, as the church had the opportunity for buying material at cost price. In October, 1877, the church trustees purchased lot 10 in block 10 from John H. DeWolf. December 28, 1877, in order to secure a grant of $400 for the church erection fund of the church, the trustees gave a mortgage on the church lot and building. This mortgage does not stand as a claim against the property as long as it is used for church purposes. Soon after this the building was sufficiently completed to be used for service. Rev. William A. Ward of Denison, but now of River Falls, Wis., began early in 1878 a two years' service as stated supply. There remained the task of collecting all the money that had been subscribed and to secure funds for furnishings. The grasshopper scourge was particularly severe during the year and money was hard to get. But the church building was finally finished, appropriately furnished with pews, pulpit chairs, carpet, organ and chandeliers and on Sabbath, the eleventh day of May, 1879, dedi- cated to the worship of the living God. Rev. George R. Carroll and Rev. A. K. Baird conducted the services. The cost of the lot, building, and pews was $1751.08. The ladies of the church raised $157.50 for furnishings, and paid $125 for a bell. At the time of dedication there was owing on the building $43.18 for which the church had subscriptions for the amount of $60.
As this was the first church edifice in the town, contributions were made by persons of all creeds and no creed, by those living in the town and vicinity as well as by many living in Denison. In the heading of the subscription there was an agreement that when the building was not in use for Presbyterian ser- vices it could be used by other churches. This subscription list bears eloquent testimony to the diligence with which it was circulated and the generosity of many who were willing to give even out of their poverty.
The two years of Rev. William A. Ward's service were fruitful not only in securing the completion of the church building but also in the addition of twenty-
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. DENISON
BAPTIST CHURCH. DENISON
LUTHERAN CHURCH, SCHOOL AND PARSONAGE, DENISON
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five members to the roll of the church. His ministry is still mentioned with pleasure. by many who recall his labors.
After the departure of Mr. Ward the church was vacant for some months till the coming to Denison of Rev. Thomas C. Potter, now of Doylestown, Pa. He had completed his seminary studies in the spring of 1880, and came soon after to Denison, and arranged to supply that church and the church at Vail for a year from July, 1880. The Vail church was so well pleased with his services that in March, 1881, it voted to call him as pastor, and allow him to give half his time to the Denison church. Plans were also made to have him reside in Vail if a suitable house could be secured. Before the close of the year however his health broke down from overwork and he was compelled to give up the ministry for several years and engage in business. He made his home for some time in Vail where his brief ministry had been blessed with the addition of twelve members to the church. He was succeeded by Rev. Robert T. Pressly, of Hersman, Ill., who supplied the church from July, 1881, to January, 1882. He was the first resident minister. The church rented for him the house owned by Mrs. Elizabeth Scott. This house still stands on the lot immediately west of the church, across the street. The rent of the house was to be nine dollars per month on condition that the house was to be sided and painted. Mr. Pressly was not in robust health and has since died.
Rev. Simeon C. Head, who later died in the state of Washington, has the distinction of being the first minister to serve the church as installed pastor. He was also the first to occupy the manse which was erected during his pas- torate. Thirty members were added to the church during his ministry which began February 26, 1882, and continued for two years. In September, 1881, the church had purchased lots two and three in block eighteen for manse pur- poses. These lots were fenced the following spring and trees set about them and also about the church lot. The congregation at a meeting held June 1, 1882, decided to build a parsonage and those in attendance subscribed $760, payable in three annual installments. In order to secure funds with which to pay the contractors, the trustees borrowed $800 from Mr. Seneca B. Strong, of Canaan, Conn. The contract was let September 16, 1882, to Bouldron and Maxwell for $1,355, and the house was ready for use shortly after January 1, 1883. The following summer a barn was built upon the lot. It required several years to complete the payments on the manse which was finally accomplished without assistance from the church erection fund.
The next minister was Rev. Harvey Hostettler who was ordained in this church October 14, 1884. He began his ministry June 21, 1884, and closed Jan. 5, 1890, on which last date the session records state "It is with deep regret that our church parts with him, whom not the church only, but the community, far and near have learned to love .. " He was the first minister to be ordained in the church and also officiated in the first church wedding, when, December 23, 1884, he joined in marriage Mr. George W. DeWolf and Miss Eva Gilman, both members of the church. He came to the church when it was well equipped with a house of worship and manse. During his ministry a cistern was built, sidewalks laid, and horse sheds erected. This last improvement was the means of increasing very largely the attendance of families from the surrounding
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country. The town had passed the period of its rapid growth and efforts were made to build up the congregation from the country. A Sabbath School was organized and a preaching point started in the Nelson schoolhouse in Jackson township in the summer of 1884. These services were later moved to the Cen- ter schoolhouse in the same township. These services continued for about twenty-five years. Many German families have come into this township, and these now have services from the minister of the German Presbyterian church in the adjoining county. He also organized a Sunday School and Young People's meeting in the church at Arcadia which he supplied with afternoon preaching. In the summer of 1889, he organized a Sunday School in the Brockelsby school- house in Hays township, where he preached Sunday afternoon after coming from Arcadia. He organized a Young People's society which later became a society of Christian Endeavor, and is still in existence. His ministry had added ninety-one members to the church when he closed his labors to accept the call of the Second church of Sioux City. During his temporary residence in Denison he has supplied the Vail church since June, 1909.
During the summer of 1890, the church was supplied by John R. Tewell, a student who endeared himself to the people during his short stay. He later died at Flint, Mich. He was succeeded by Rev. George H. Fracker, now for nearly twenty years a professor in Buena Vista College at Storm Lake, Iowa. Rev. David W. Cassett, now of Corning, Iowa, was the pastor from Nov. 17, 1891, to June, 1895, and his ministry was fruitful in the addition of fifty-two members to the church. The failure of the Citizens bank in 1893 made the hard times of that period, very trying, and it required heroic effort on the part of pastor and people to maintain the church services. After his departure the church for two years was supplied by two students from Omaha Theological seminary, Rev. Leland C. McEwen, now of Kearney, Neb., and Rev. Frederick H. Grace, now of Wichita, Kas. Their labors placed eighteen members on the church roll.
Rev. Austin M. Tanner began a year's ministry October, 1898, a ministry blessed in the reception of thirty-three members, the largest number that have come into the church during any year of its history. Mr. Tanner died at Ridott, Ill., December, 1910. He was followed for a year by Rev. William A. Pinker- ton, now of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, licentiates James D. Sweeney, who later died at Manilla, Iowa, and William J. Cresswell, now of Ireton, Iowa. During the service of the latter from 1903 to 1906, the church building was remodeled, by the addition of a lecture room, changing the entrance from the east to the west end of the building and the placing of a furnace in the basement. His ministry added eighteen members to the church. He was succeeded by Richard Pughe, now of North Bend, Wis., who closed his labors January, 1909, after a three years' service which added thirty-two members to the church.
The following men have served the church as ruling elders: Dr. James De- Wolf, A. D. Young, Thomas C. Potter, A. L. Strong, Fred J. Edgar, Wilson Bowman, George R. Shove, George W. DeWolf, William Fleming, James F. Fleming, Benjamin L. King, James M. C. North, A. Milligan, George W. Sher- wood, Robert Hannah, Ben Wahlin and W. E. Mason, the last four named con- stituting the present session.
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The following have served as church trustees: Dr. James DeWolf, Richard Woods, John F. Powers, John Short, A. L. Strong, John H. DeWolf, George W. DeWolf, M. H. Miller, John Thomson, John Spitzbarth, D. Tempest, Robert Hannah, Adam Short, Francis Woods, Robert Bell, Fred North, Frank Crouch, John Byland, William E. Liddle, Frank Etzel, William F. Shove, Ben White, E. O. Theim, Ben Wahlin, James K. Bremner, John Nelson, William Marshall, W. E. Mason, Willis Mason, A. H. Seaburn, J. L. Streby and William Bouldron.
The Sunday School has had the following superintendents: Dr. James De- Wolf, John H. DeWolf, William E. Liddle, George W. DeWolf, G. W. Sher- wood and Miss Manetta Jorgenson.
The ladies of the church have always had an active organization for the support of the church, and each year have made contributions for the support of the pastor as well as making needed improvements and repairs on the church property. During the past year the ladies have provided for cement walks about the church, the interior has been freshly painted and stained glass windows give the church a very neat and attractive appearance. The ladies have also main- tained a society for the study and support of home and foreign missions, now and for many years under the presidency of Mrs. John Thomson.
Since about 1882 there have been organizations among the children, such as Buds of Promise Mission Band, children's prayer meeting and Junior En- deavor, which last organization is still doing excellent work in training the young people for the work of the church. The music of the church has for many years had the efficient leadership of Miss Margaret Short.
One is led to ask as to the results accomplished by these years of church work, which has always demanded much toil and sacrifice. It is difficult to place a value upon effort that has to do with the shaping of lives or the formation of character. There are today in the church and community at Vail those whose only religious privileges have come from this church. Some of these are the most substantial and helpful members of the church and workers in the Sunday School. Many have gone to other communities and are active in the church of their residence. No one can know the results of the work of a church in restraining those who might otherwise be much worse than they are. But it is interesting to note that the church has during the past thirty-five years reported additions to its membership of three hundred and sixty-seven persons, of which two hundred and thirty-eight were received on confession of their faith in Christ. There have been from fifty to one hundred constantly in its Sunday Schools. The church has raised for its own support over $24,198, and has given to the various agencies of the church at large, as follows; For Home Missions, $1,280; foreign missions, $810; education, $174; Sunday School work, $294; church erection, $220; ministerial relief, $135; freedmen, $153; aid for colleges, $318; and for general assembly purposes, $324.78, making a total of monies raised for these outside benevolences, $3,708.78, or a grand total of benevolence and local support, $27,896.78.
The church has succeeded well in adapting itself to a community made up of many nationalities and creeds. It has received into its communion those who have been reared in Baptist, Catholic, Christian, Congregationalist, Meth- odist and Lutheran churches. The present membership includes nearly all
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in the community who would naturally prefer the Swedish, Danish or Ger- man Lutheran churches. The constant removals of members to other places has always made the growth of the church slow. No matter how vigor- ously and successfully the work was pushed the tide of outward migration has drawn the members elsewhere as fast as they could be gathered in. Protestant families have been leaving and Catholics are taking the places. The immigra- tion of Irish Catholic families was stimulated very much by the efforts of Capt. William Familton who was agent for the sale of railroad lands from the early seventies. He was an active and industrious salesman and brought into the county many of his former neighbors and friends from Clinton county. These settlers from Clinton county have for some years now been giving way before the steady advance of the German population who are crowding in from Car- roll county on the east and from Jackson and Hays townships on the north and south. The religious character of the community in the future will depend very largely upon these Germans who are likely to be the permanent occupants of these lands. There will for years to come be a field for the Protestant church in Vail and vicinity and the Presbyterian church, the first in the field, has proven itself well adapted to the work.
THE CRAWFORD COUNTY SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION.
Recognizing that in union of energies there is strength, many of the Sunday schools of the county have maintained for years an organization. While zealous for their own denomination, yet all members have arisen in spirit to the higher plane, that all groups, working with the bible as the basis of faith, are looking to a common end. The organization has been under the state, nation and inter- national associations, the latter of which gave to the Sunday School world the uniform system of lesson studies. The Crawford county association has now been in existence some twenty years and has reckoned in its ranks of leading workers, Hon. L. M. Shaw, E. S. Plimpton, Morris McHenry, Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Pierce, John Richardson, W. C. VanNess, Chas. K. Meyers, U. G. John- son, F. L. Hoffman, and Rev. J. Jas. DePree. The local work of the association is to introduce the best methods of presenting bible truths to the children, thus leading them to understand the vital principles of the religion of Jesus Christ. With this in view the work has been classified under the following departments : Home, devoted to canvassing the homes to enlist those unable, on account of distance from a school, old age, or sickness, to attend Sabbath schools, to study the lessons each week. House Visitation, whose work is to seek out members for the various schools. Primary, which would encourage the best and most en- joyable way for the children to receive bible instruction. Missionary, which en- courages added interest in the great missionary movements of the world. Or- ganized Classes, which would arouse the adult classes to stronger and newer fields of work. Temperance, which in this county has done great work in giv- ing the children an opportunity to sign the total abstinence pledge. Bible Read- ing, which would put in use a uniform system of bible reading, and Teachers Training, which urges teachers specially trained for the various schools.
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