USA > Iowa > Crawford County > History of Crawford County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 33
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52
With Mrs. E. W. Pierce as secretary the Home department has made much headway and resulted in many in the homes taking renewed interest in studying
CHARLES K. MEYERS
285
HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
the bible. During his time as county secretary Mr. Chas. K. Meyers made a specialty with large wall pledges and small cards to have the pupils sign the temperance pledge and aided by the various superintendents, one thousand mem- bers of the Sunday Schools enrolled their names.
Mr. F. L. Hoffman while secretary was most earnest in holding conventions and making closer organizations, a work in which he proved an expert. Town- ship conventions are held at intervals and a county convention annually.
The report made to the state organization in May, 1911, showed twenty-two schools in the county, having an enrollment of 2,028, with average attendance 1,313. The schools and their superintendents were as follows: City of Deni- son, Presbyterian, E. W. Fellows; Methodist, W. C. Van Ness; Baptist, Mrs. Etta Plimpton ; German Methodist, John Schnoor ; Arion, Congregational, N. F. Stilson; Vail, Methodist, Albert Chamberlain; Presbyterian, Manetta Jorgensen ; Boyer, Methodist, Jas. D. Fleming; Kiron, Baptist, Chas. Swanson; Free Mis- sion, E. E. Clauson; Manilla, Presbyterian, I. B. Alfred; Methodist, J. C. Dy- son ; Charter Oak, Methodist, Miss Frances M. Drake; Presbyterian, Mrs. G. S. Waterhouse ; Willow Township, Mrs. Jap. Hunter; West Side, Methodist, S. W. Mellott; Denison township, Union school, Coon Grove, Richard Baer; Deloit, Methodist, S. D. Newton; Dow City, Methodist, H. W. Logsdon; Baptist, Wm. Walters; Boyer Mission, Seth Anderson; Astor Union school, Mrs. Wm. Theobald.
The following constitutes the present officers of the county organization : President, Rev. C. E. LaReau, Denison ; Vice-president, John Vennink, Manilla ; Secretary, Chas. K. Meyers, Denison; Treasurer, Sears McHenry, Denison.
Department secretaries : Home, Mrs. E. W. Pierce, Denison; House Visita- tion, Mrs. Aggie Nichols, Arion; Primary, Miss Susie Craft, Denison; Mission- ary, Mrs. J. B. Glassburner, Arion. Organized Classes, Prof. W. C. Van Ness, Denison ; Temperance, Mrs. W. T. Huckstep, Deloit; Bible Reading, Mrs. A. H. Harper, Dow City. Teachers' Training, H. W. Logsdon, Dow City. Executive Committee, Frank Woolston, Boyer; Seth Calderwood, West Side; F. L. Hoff- man, Denison ; F. L. VanSlyke, Manilla ; N. F. Stilson, Arion ; C. H. Stark, Char- ter Oak.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. By Rev. Father M. J. Farrelly.
The writer of this chapter proposes to avoid everything of a controverted nature. The history of a church in a given time may stand for the career of the men and women who represented the church, who organized it, who main- tained it, who gloried in its progress and wept in its disappointments. The writer has reason to hope that these few pages will be read with interest and profit by many of his coreligionists in the faith and many of his separated brethren. Both have worked together to establish churches, believing in the material and spiritual uplifting of the communities in which they lived.
The history of the Catholic church in Crawford county is a replica of her history in practically every county in this great state of Iowa. Her history
286
HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
may be told in the classical words of Julius Cæsar, "Veni, Vidi, Vice." She came with the zeal of St. Patrick disembarking on the shores of Ireland. She came with the courage of St. Boniface, dying for the faith in a dense forest of Germany. The church is everywhere mindful that the Master sent her to preach the gospel to every creature, to bring forth fruit that would remain.
THE MISSIONARY PERIOD.
For fifteen years the Catholic church in Crawford county was in a purely missionary stage of development. Rev. Father Kelly and McMinomie from Council Bluffs, Father Moore and Garrihan from Dunlap, Fathers Pope and others from Carroll and further east came here occasionally, bringing the con- solations of religion to the Catholic settlers of the county who were then few in number and poor in purse.
Denison, the mother church, did not have a house of worship until the fall of 1872. Divine services were held at the homes of the Catholic families in the old courthouse, and in any place that might be found available for the pur- pose. The home of Mr. A. D. Moloney could easily at that time shelter the Catholic population of the county. With this family, the missionary priest, weary and footsore, tired and hard pressed, in perils from bad roads and swollen creeks, always found a welcome, a host who took care of him and sent him on his way rejoicing.
Then came Con and Michael Houlihan, Thomas Griffen and Thomas Mc- Carthy, L. J. Carter and Martin Conroy, John O'Connor, John Kelly and I. Hassett. These with the support of a few settlers from Jackson, Soldier and Iowa townships perfected an organization and built Crawford's first Catholic church and dedicated it October 9, 1872.
From 1872-78 the Catholic population grew with leaps and bounds. Rev. R. McGrath, whose residence was at Vail, made regular trips to Denison. He was succeeded by Rev. M. C. Lenihan, now bishop of Great Falls, Montana, who saw the necessity of putting an addition to the first church edifice for the accommodation of a growing congregation.
In the spring of 1886, Rev. B. C. Lenihan was installed as the first Catholic pastor having a permanent home in Denison. In the summer of 1877 he was transferred to Boone, and later to Fort Dodge, being made Vicar General and a Domestic Prelate on the organization of the new diocese of Sioux City.
On the first day of October, 1887, the writer was given charge of this field. 'All credit to the good men who preceded me, I found good material out of which to build up a strong and vigorous church. In 1889, the parochial school was erected. It has been in operation for twenty years and has blessed the congregation with well trained and well instructed Catholic children. At the present writing the Sisters of St. Francis from Clinton, Iowa, have charge of the school work. There are seventy-five pupils in the regular classes. The music pupils number forty.
The present church edifice was erected in 1896, at a cost of $20,000. It is of brick construction with stone trimmings, 63 by 115 over all; it is well fur-
ST. ROSE OF LIMA CHURCH, DENISON
PARSONAGE OF ST. ROSE OF LIMA CHURCH, DENISON
287
HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
nished, has oak and walnut pews, stone composition stations of the cross-side, altars with suitable stationary. There is no debt on the church or school, the only incumbrance being on the newly acquired parish residence. This parish has a membership of six hundred souls. There are here several good societies, a Young Ladies Sodality, a Holy Name Society, a Ladies Catholic Order of Foresters, and the K. C.'s; all combine to keep alive the true spirit of religion.
To God and a generous people be all the glory !
VAIL AND WEST SIDE.
Among the early Catholic settlers at Vail may be mentioned here M. Mc- Andrews, Thomas Ryan, J. Barrett, B. Langam, M. J. Keane, D. McCollough and others. This point at once became prominent as a Catholic settlement. Rev. Father Scanlan from DeWill, Iowa, visited here at an early day and by word and example encouraged Catholic people in Clinton county to invest in the cheap lands to be had in the vicinity of Vail. The Catholic mission has developed such strength that in 1878 Bishop Hennessey, considering it of suffi- cient importance to have a permanent pastor, sent hither Rev. R. McGrath. During his pastorate seven acres of land, on a commanding knoll east of town were acquired for a church site and a frame structure was soon erected thereon, but was blown down by an old-fashioned Twister in the summer of 1880. The traditions of this first edifice would bear repeating, but space forbids. No, we must pass on regretfully. Rev. R. McGrath, the typical Irish gentleman, full of life and manly vigor, standing full six feet, weighing 225 pounds, the friend of every man, the Catholic, the Protestant, the Free Thinker, generous to a fault-the memory of Father McGrath, Vail's first pastor, will never fade.
THE PERMANENT PERIOD.
Father Lenihan, the present bishop of Great Falls, Montana, succeeded Father McGrath. With commendable zeal the young priest began to bring order out of chaos. He succeeded. The debris was cleared away, the grounds were graded nicely, the old church lumber was carted to a suitable spot and a set of plans were ordered for the new brick structure that now stands in good repair at the present moment. Father Lenihan was a great worker, always ready to do anything about the church, to solemnize the marriage, to dust the altar. One day, like all ambitious men, he did too much. Almighty smoke rose over the great berg. Men lost their way to Barrett's store and Ryan's cafe, so great was the darkness. Women prayed and called about for help, so great was their fear and fright. Oh, what consternation! Oh, what terror! In burning off some withered grass the future bishop did some things he willed not. Thus perished the lumber of the cyclone wrecked first church edifice of Vail.
In the summer of 1887, Marshalltown and Vail exchanged pastors. There was no boot; Father Murphy, a man of great modesty and sincerity of char- acter, was pleased with the prospects Vail presented for a life of undisturbed piety. Here for twenty-three years, this good man ran his Godly race. He
288
HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
ne'er hath changed, nor wished to change his place, yet in his quiet way he has done things. A completed parish residence, a parochial school with five sisters and one hundred and fifteen pupils, a church in good repair, a congre- gation of eight hundred souls, these are results which speak for efficiency in the good and gentle Father Murphy.
The Catholic church at West Side is attended from Vail. It was erected in 1887, at a cost of $2,700. Messrs. J. T. Pendegrast, J. F. White, J. Allan and F. W. Lawler deserve mention as a committee who worked and made the best of the slender means at their disposal to organize Catholic society in this section. This congregation has a population of about one hundred souls. Services are held ordinarily once a month.
MANILLA AND BUCK GROVE.
The extension of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway to Sioux City in 1886, and the establishment of Manilla as a division station where pas- sengers and freight exchange cars for all points in the Dakotas and the great Northwest, was a history-making period for this handsome city of the plains.
The Catholic church was organized here with Messrs. J. Collins, T. Collins, M. McMahon, D. McMahon, P. Carey, D. Y. Dougherty, D. D. McMahon, M. D. McMahon, Michael Meehan, L. McNertney, T. Stevens, E. Knot, John Scanlon, J. Laughran, M. McSorley, L. Finnegan, A. McAffrey, at the helm. Up to 1886 Catholic services were held occasionally at Aspinwall, but in No- vember, 1887, the church edifice at Manilla was completed and services have been held there regularly since that time. As I look over the field for land- marks I find Manilla has had five pastors to her credit; the magnetic H. Byrne, the genial E. O. Ferris, the energetic T. Wran, the enthuisastic M. M. Tierney, and last but not least the honestly diplomatic P. Lynch.
The Sacred Heart Catholic church at Manilla was erected in 1887, at a cost of about $3,000.00. It was dedicated for divine services the same year, and with some improvements continues to serve its purpose. About thirty-five fami- lies furnished the nucleus of the congregation, which was administered to by Rev. H. Byrne, who resided at Manning. In the year 1890 Father Byrne was succeeded by Rev. Edward O'Farrell, who erected a parochial residence at Manilla and moved thither the same year. Manilla being more central from which the Buck Grove mission might be attended to, Rev. Father O'Farrell zealously watched over the destinies of the parish until 1893, when he was succeeded by Rev. Francis Wrenn, who two years later, 1895, was succeeded by Rev. Michael M. Tierney. Rev. Father Tierney held office until 1904, being then succeeded by Rev. Thomas Coffey, who in 1909, was succeeded by the present incumbent, Rev. P. T. Lynch. The parish has grown considerably and is now in a prosperous condition with about fifty families and a membership of 252. The church property is entirely free of debt. The history of St. Joseph's church, Buck Grove, is similar to that of Manilla. It was erected in 1888 by Rev. H. Byrne, and presided over by the various pastors of Manilla ever since. The building cost $750. It is free of debt and is progressing favorably. It has twenty-two families and a membership of 105.
289
HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
The history of Charter Oak parish dates back to the early eighties, when four or five pioneer Catholics purchased a forty-acre site some four or five miles northeast of the present town of Charter Oak, intending to erect a new church on that lot, but the late Monsignor B. Lenihan, of Fort Dodge, then pastor of Denison, persuaded them to purchase a building place in the then new town of Charter Oak, for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul branch was then being built from Manilla to Sioux City. They at once bought three lots and erected a frame church at a cost of about $2,000.
The late Monsignor Lenihan first celebrated mass in a little country school- house about two miles southeast of the town. Afterwards Rev. M. J. Farrelly was installed as pastor at Denison with Charter Oak as a mission, and for nearly twelve years this good priest faithfully administered to the spiritual wants of the people of Charter Oak some fourteen miles distant. In October, 1896, Rev. Maurice Costello, present pastor of Livermore, was made first resi- dent pastor of Charter Oak. Under trying circumstances he worked energeti- cally for two years. He was succeeded by Rev. L. J. Cooper, now of Alvord, Iowa, who purchased and equipped a beautiful residence with all modern re- quirements, exchanged the three lots on which the church stood for two others on the south side of the same block and thence removed the church. After seven years he was succeeded by Rev. H. Eckart. In August, 1908, the old church of Charter Oak was completely destroyed by lightning.
In October, 1908, the present pastor, Father L. Schenkelberg, arrived to find no church or even sacred vessels to offer the Holy Sacrifice. The people were ready to build. After considering various locations, they finally secured a suitable lot at the south side of the town for a consideration of $770, after- wards selling the old lots for $3,500. Mr. Martin Heer, of Dubuque, was chosen architect and a building eighty-eight feet by forty-four feet of Roman- esque style was started. The building was to be of Twin City brick, the foun- dation of reenforced concrete, ten feet in the clear. The foundation walls above ground to be faced with stone. The water table and trimmings of the entire building was to be of Bedford stone. In April, 1909, the contract was given to Henry Tuppendorf of Rock Island, Illinois, who began work in May, 1909. On June 27, Rt. Rev. P. J. Garrigan, assisted by Rev. A. J. Wagner, of Mapleton, Rev. A. Schaefer, of Danbury, and Rev. L. Schenkelberg, the pas- tor, laid the cornerstone. Father Schaefer on that occasion delivered a very eloquent sermon on the "Real Presence," and his lordship spoke of the blessing of God as found in the Catholic church. The church was completed about the middle of October, 1909, and after the interior had been neatly decorated by Mr. John Reese, of Charter Oak, and the necessary furniture installed by the Dubuque Altar Company, the church was opened for divine services, and on Sunday, October 31, the congregation after fifteen months' patient waiting, once more worshipped in a church of their own.
In May, 1909, the parochial residence was commenced. It is a spacious two-story building, 34x28 feet. The plan was drawn by John Happe, of Deni- son, and contract given to Probasco & Happe, of Charter Oak. The residence Vol. I-19
290
HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
is finished with all modern improvements. The people of Charter Oak may well feel proud of their new church and parochial residence.
Ute and Kenwood are attended from Charter Oak. The total membership is about four hundred. The organizers of church at Charter Oak were John Simon, John Ullerich, A. Jobjen and A. Topf.
The above article was copied from "True Voice," November 11, 1910.
LATTER DAY SAINTS.
ORIGIN-DISORGANIZATION-REORGANIZATION.
Early and Prominent Settlers of Crawford County, lowa, By Elder Charles J. Hunt.
"Orthodoxy is my doxy; heterodoxy is your doxy," was the general verdict of religionists in this as well as other countries when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was organized by Joseph Smith and others at Palmyra, New York, April 6, 1830. The religious world had a great problem to solve: If the Church of Christ is on earth to-day, how did it come to us? It must have been in one of three ways-by succession from Apostolic times, by evolution, or by restoration. The Latter Day Saints hold to the last of these-restoration, claiming that an angel of the Lord came in fulfillment of Bible prophecy, ordained Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery by laying on of. hands, and directed them and others, after baptism, to organize the church. The church in solemn assembly, affirmed the principles of the gospel taught by Christ and His apostles as recorded in the Bible; and in addition thereto, declared a belief in the Book of Mormon in which it is claimed, is given an historical, doctrinal and prophetical account of a pre-historic civilization on the American continent from the dispersion at the Tower of Babel to the fifth century of the Christian era, a period of more than twenty-five hundred years, and in present day revelation from God as in Apos- tolic times. It embodied in its laws, temperance, morality, social purity, obedi- ence to civil law, and spiritual development.
In church organization they followed closely the New Testament plan, hav- ing apostles, prophets, seventies, patriarchs or evangelists, pastors or high priests, bishops, elders, priests, teachers and deacons. The church soon gathered into its fold people from the various walks in life-the rich and the poor, the learned and the unlearned, until they numbered many thousands.
A large number of the members soon emigrated from the state of New York to Ohio where they built up a great commonwealth. At Kirtland, Ohio, was erected a large and beautiful temple for divine worship. From this place mis- sionaries went as far west as Missouri. Later many laymen with their familles followed and established for themselves homes in the northern and western part of that state. Unlike some of their neighbors of different religious faith, they were opposed to the slave traffic, and consequently being forced to abandon their homes, they emigrated to Illinois where thousands found peace, protection and prosperity for a time. Nauvoo, the "City Beautiful," was, in 1843, the pride of the state. It was at Carthage, near Nauvoo, that their prophet and leader, Joseph Smith, was killed in 1844. The church then numbered nearly
291
HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
two hundred thousand. The religious convictions of this people continued strong in opposition to the slave holding system of the southern states and was one of the direct causes of the martyrdom of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum. Of their untimely death ex-governor Ford in his history of Illinois (pages 7 and 8), says: "It was cold-blooded murder, and the persons who committeed the crime ought to have been made to answer for it."
The death of the martyrs caused disruption in the church. Brigham Young, one of the twelve apostles, contrary to the laws of the organization, claimed the right to leadership. Many public meetings were held in which he was denounced as a usurper and tyrant not worthy of membership, because of having violated the laws of God and the church. But he succeeded in inducing a fraction of the membership to follow him to Utah where he introduced the doctrine of polyg- amy and established a church of his. own.
As there was a strong pro-slavery element in southern Illinois near Nauvoo, and a growing prejudice and jealousy on the part of the citizens of that state against the Saints on account of their political and religious views, the church became disorganized and its members scattered over different states and terri- tories. As a class the Saints were peaceable and law abiding; and although persecuted and driven from place to place they continued steadfast in their faith in God. Thus unwavering in their religious experience, they waited hope- fully for the time when Joseph Smith, son of Joseph Smith the martyr, should, by divine appointment and ordination, take his father's place as legal successor in the presidency of the church. This hope was realized in 1860, the church having been reorganized in Wisconsin eight years prior to this time; and Joseph Smith the son, became the prophet and leader of the church.
H. H. Bancroft, the great American historian, in his book, page 164, has this to say of the Latter Day Saints, many of whom moved to Iowa: "But when the testimony on both sides is carefully weighed, it must be admitted that the Mormons (Latter Day Saints) in Missouri and Illinois were, as a class, a more moral, honest, temperate, hard-working, self-denying, and thrifty people than the gentiles by whom they were surrounded."
Some of these Saints, in 1848 and in the early fifties, came to the western part of the state. They traversed the rich valleys and the fertile slopes, finally reaching Pottawattamie, Harrison, and Shelby counties. A number of them soon after resumed their travels, and crossing the trackless prairies and fording the running streams in their "prairie schooners" drawn by oxen, located in what is now known as Crawford County. They made their homes in the sheltering forests that skirted the streams and were soon breaking the virgin soil, building saw-mills and grist-mills and putting up log houses for dwellings, public schools, and religious services.
Elder Frank Rudd, a Latter Day Saint minister with his family located in North Grove in 1850 and built the first house in that part of the county. One year later (1851) Jesse Mason and his family of like religious faith settled in the central part of the county in the large grove which since that time has been known as Mason's Grove. Noah V. Johnson and his brother George J. and Calvin Horr arrived during the summer, and before the winter snows had fallen, Levi Skinner and family came and established homes in Mason's Grove. In
292
HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
April of the next year Benjamin Dobson and family and his son, Elder Thomas Dobson and family, located in the fertile valley of the Boyer river near Mason's Grove, where the town of Deloit was afterward located.
In 1853 Elder John R. Rudd and Benjamin F. Galland with their families established homes near where Dow City now stands, and Elder William H. Jor- dan and family arrived the next year. There was now a settlement of Saints at the future towns of Deloit and Dow City. When the fertility of the soil and the opportunity for establishing homes and again enjoying church privileges became known to their friends, their numbers increased rapidly. These resolute, persevering Christian people who had been persecuted and scattered because of their religious convictions were the pioneer settlers of Crawford County, taking a prominent part in county organization and holding county offices for years.
The church in its scattered condition was beginning to rise above the gloom and depression occasioned by the death of the prophet and the disorganization of the church; conferences were held, and in 1852 a reorganization was effected ; missionaries were again sent out to preach and to build up the church. The first of these missionaries to come to Crawford County was Elder John A. Mc- Intosh of Shelby County, Iowa, accompanied by Elder Alexander McCord who came to Mason's Grove in August, 1858, and held services in a log school house near Deloit.
Their efforts were supplemented by those of Elders Thomas Dobson, Eli Clothier and others whose labors resulted in the organization, July 5, 1862, of a branch of the church since known as the Deloit branch, with eleven members, viz .: Elder Thomas Dobson, president or pastor, Joseph Wheeler, priest, George J. Johnson, teacher. The other charter members were Sarah Dobson, Eliza Ma- son, Eliza Johnson, Joseph D. Lane, Nancy Lane, Sarah Lane, John Whitney, and Joseph Skinner.
Regular Sunday services were held at the Deloit school house, the Jordan school house, and the Mason school house alternately. The branch grew and prospered and in 1873 the membership numbered more than one hundred. It was then that a brick chapel was built in Deloit which is still used for church purposes and within whose walls hundreds have come to a realization of the necessity and privilege of living a Christian life and whence many have gone forth to disseminate the doctrine as believed by them. This local organization has had, besides Elder Thomas Dobson, the following resident pastors: Benja- min F. Wicks, Eli T. Dobson, Worden W. Whiting, Ira A. Goff, Sen., James T. Turner, William McKim and Carl W. Winey.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.