History of Davenport and Scott County Iowa, Volume I, Part 22

Author: Downer, Harry E
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1042

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At this time the Rev. George S. Rea became their minister and occupied the pulpit about two years and a half. In the fall of this year (1846) the Sabbath school of the church was first organized, C. C. Williams, superintendent, which has heen continued with growing interest to the present time. During the sum- mer of 1849 the church being again without a minister, the Rev. Erastus Ripley, of the Congregational body and senior professor in Iowa college, preached for the church with much acceptance. In the summer of 1852 the present edifice was erected, having the first bell and steeple in the city.

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On the 27th of September, 1849, for the first time, a formal call was made out by the church to the Rev. J. D. Mason to become their pastor. The call was duly presented before the presbytery of Iowa and accepted. The pastoral duties commenced the first Sabbath in November, 1849. The church at that time con- sisted of about thirty members, and the town of about 1,200 inhabitants. Dur- ing the ministry of Mr. Mason no special seasons of grace have been enjoyed, but a steady increase of the church, both by profession and by letter. In 1857 the list of membership reached 200, but owing to the financial distress of the west which has caused many to leave, its members are now reduced to 150.

With what satisfaction and joy must the early members of this church look back upon their wanderings since their advent into this new and strange land. How well do they remember the days of their pilgrimage without the dispensa- tion of the Word of Life, without a place to worship, and almost without a shep- herd. Yet in all their journeys, they lost not sight of Him who "feeds His sheep and carries the tender lambs in His bosom." Though their spiritual food was not dealt out to them with an unsparing hand, yet they forgot not all His bene- fits and mercies to them and in their wanderings "they gathered here a little and .there a little," precious crumbs that fed them by the way, and many are the hal- lowed recollections of trials and afflictions in thus planting the infant church in their new homes.

Immediately after the Rev. Mr. Mason entered upon his duties as pastor, the church consented to his spending one Sabbath in each month in the Berlin church at the head of the rapids (now LeClaire), which church had been organized some years previous. At the expiration of eighteen months this church and vicinity became a separate missionary charge under the ministerial charge of Rev. W. C. Mason. About two years after this the Rev. Hugh Hutchinson be- came the pastor, and under his ministry of about two years the Princeton church was organized. Mr. Hutchinson has since died. Being released from the Le- Claire charge, the pastor of the Davenport church turned his attention in a mis- sionary point of view to the establishment of a church in the Blue Grass settle- ment, and organized a Presbyterian church there in the house of John Robinson, now deceased. After nearly three years this church also became a separate charge, together with the church established at Walcott, under the ministerial care of Rev. John M. Jones. Again released from this part of his charge, Mr. Mason commenced stated meetings in the settlement known as the "Churchill Settlement." Mr. Churchill had donated a lot of five acres of ground for a Presbyterian church site. On the 16th of February, 1858, at the close of worship in the house of William Yocum, it was resolved to undertake the erection of a church edifice on the site donated. The following 6th of July the house was enclosed, temporarily seated, and a church organized consisting of twenty-eight members, under the name of the "Presbyterian Church of Summit." At this meeting the Rev. John Ekin, D. D., now pastor of the church at LeClaire, preached the sermon and the Rev. J. D. Mason, Rev. John M. Jones and Elder James Jack organized the church. On the 15th of February, 1859, just a year from the time they determined to build, a neat frame building, thirty-two feet by forty feet, was completed, paid for and dedicated to Almighty God. In this enterprise all were interested in the settlement, but Charles Kinkaid, Esq., ruling

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elder in the church at Davenport, rendered efficient and valuable service. The church now consists of forty-one members and is about to become a separate pastoral charge. This constitutes the sixth Presbyterian church in Scott county. In October of the present year (1859), the pastoral relation of the Rev. Mr. Mason was dissolved and the church is now without a pastor .*

THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, OR DISCIPLES.

On the 25th of July, 1839, seventeen persons who had formerly held mem- bership with the Christian church at other points, mostly at Cincinnati, met at the house of D. C. Eldridge and under the auspices of Elder James Rumbold organized the Christian or Disciples' church of Davenport. Of those persons twelve yet remain, three have removed to other points and two have died. As early as April of that year the few Disciples in the town commenced meeting at the houses of the brethren under the leadership of Owen Owens, of Cincinnati. Elder Rumbold arrived in Davenport on the 22d of July, 1839, and on the 25th organized the church.

A few words relative to Elder James Rumbold may not be amiss in this con- nection, as he stands intimately associated with the church here. Brought up in the Kirk of Scotland and uniting with the Scotch Baptists at Aberdeen in 1824, he removed to this country in 1836 and settled in Troy, N. Y., where with his wife and two others he organized a church on the Bible alone and commenced preach- ing to them. This was the nucleus of what is now a large and flourishing church. Elder Rumbold was subsequently instrumental in organizing other churches. In July, 1839, he removed to this city. In March, 1841, he assisted in the organiza- tion of a church in Long Grove, in this county, baptising seven on one day, three weeks thereafter. In March, 1842, he removed to Galena, where he organized a church and baptized five-preaching awhile for them and then returning to this city. During the time Elder Rumbold preached here he baptised about forty persons. On the 10th of July, 1840, he baptised Miss Elizabeth Carroll, who was the first person immersed in Scott county. The fact that a mechanic, a foreigner by birth, without education further than what he obtained by his own exertions should have been able to accomplish so much is evidence of the simplicity of Bible teachings and the facility with which they may be communicated to others.

In this connection we would pause to mention one of the noblest of God's handiwork, a pure, humble-minded Christian, who long since has been gathered to his fathers. Early in the history of the church here we find the name of James Glaspell associated with it as an elder, which capacity he continued to fill with great acceptance up to the year 1847, when he fell asleep in Jesus. As a sincere, pious believer, we have rarely indeed met with his equal. As a citizen, he stood high in the community and when he died his church did not alone mingle their tears with the bereaved family.

After the organization of the church in Davenport the brethren continued to meet on Lord's days at their own residences until November 3, 1839, when they rented Mr. Tapley's carpenter shop on Second between Main and Brady streets at $4 per month. In 1844 a lot was purchased on Brady between Fourth and

* In the autumn of this year (1859) a call was made to the Rev. S. McC. Anderson, of Pennsylvania, which was accepted and he was installed in April of this year (1860).

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Fifth streets and a brick meeting house, considered large for that day, erected at an expense of $700 to $800. In 1855-6 the present house of worship, the "Chris- tian Chapel," was erected on the site of the old one, the church in the meantime meeting at the courthouse. This chapel was erected at an expense of about $8,500, is forty feet by seventy-five feet with basement, built in modern style with the lastest appliances for heat, light and ventilation.

In 1842 the Christian church was incorporated by act of legislature under the style of the Church of Christ, meeting in Davenport. John Owens, Richard S. Craig and Charles Lesslie were appointed trustees under this act.

For five years Elder Rumbold was the only preacher the church in this city had. In 1844 Dr. H. P. Gatchell, of Cincinnati, was employed by the church as their pastor. He remained in that capacity one year, when he removed to Rock Island, but preached occasionally for the church until 1847. In 1848 Elder Charles Levan, of Philadelphia, was employed as pastor, which position he occu- pied for nearly two years. For two or three years after his removal from the city, although the church was without a pastor, yet the members continued to meet regularly on Lord's day for breaking bread, exhortation and prayer. Elder Jas. E. Gaston succeeded Mr. Levan and in turn was followed by Elder Alex- ander Johnson, neither of whom remained long in the position. Nov. 19, 1854 Elder J. Hartzell was employed by the church as a preacher, which capacity he filled until February 7, 1858, when he was succeeded by Elder Eli Regal, of Ohio, who, on account of ill health, resigned his position on the 10th of October of the same year. Until August, 1859, the church was again without a preacher, the brethren meeting regularly on Lord's day for attending to the Lord's supper and exhortation and on Thursday evening for prayer. On the last named date Elder Samuel Lowe was chosen and entered upon his duties as pastor. In December last Elder A. Chatterton, who claims seniority as a Christian preacher in Iowa, having removed the Evangelist to Davenport, became a resident of this city.

The revulsion of business in 1857 slightly affected the numerical strength of this church, but during the last year it has been regaining, and now numbers as large a membership as it has ever possessed, embracing 160 members. The mem- bers meet on every Lord's day for preaching and the administration of the Lord's supper ; in the evening for preaching, and at 3 o'clock in the afternoon for exhor- tation and prayer ; also on Thursday evening of each week. Attached to this church is a Sunday school embracing about fifty scholars.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

Congregationalism in Scott county was introduced as early as 1836. The first sermon was preached at the house of Levi Chamberlin, Esq., in Pleasant Valley, in the summer of this year by Rev. Asa Turner, now of Denmark, who was traveling through this country on a missionary tour. Mr. Chamberlin, who was a man of piety and zeal, was one of the first settlers of that valley, and, feel- ing the spiritual wants of the people, he earnestly desired that a man be sent among them of ardent piety and one with a family that he might be a permanent resident, and one who could reconcile himself to the hardships of a new country.

The members of this denomination worshipped in common with the Presby- terians and Methodists until the 30th of July, 1839, when twelve persons con-

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gregated in a small building on Main street opposite the Catholic church (used afterward as a schoolhouse and then by the Episcopalians as a place of worship under the ministrations of Rev. Z. Goldsmith), entered into covenant bonds and organized a church, the Rev. Albert Hale, now pastor of a Presbyterian church in Springfield, Ills., and then agent of the Home Missionary society, presiding. Two deacons were elected, Messrs. John C. Holbrook and Strong Burnell.

During the month of June, 1840, Rev. Samuel Storrs Howe, now of Iowa City, then traveling through the west, spent several Sabbaths in the supply of this Congregational church, by invitation of Deacon Strong Burnell. And among other incidents of his sojourn at Davenport thus early in its history may be mentioned his call with Mr. Burnell on Antoine LeClaire, Esq., the chief pro- prietor of the town, and his solicitation of a lot for a church edifice which Mr. LeClaire cheerfully promised and ultimately donated to the Congregational so- ciety, the avails of which went toward their church enterprise.

During his stay, also, Mr. Howe preached a funeral sermon on the occa- sion of the drowning of a young man of the name of Gates, in a pleasure sail- ing excursion on the Mississippi river on the Sabbath. In regard to which death the preacher remarked that absent friends would doubtless have preferred that it should have occurred on any other day in the week, for they could not say with the old proverb, "The better the day, the better the deed."

The preaching was held in the unfinished upper story of what was after- wards known as "Ziek's grocery," a building on Front street, consumed by fire in 1858.

The Rev. I. P. Stuart of Stephenson, Ill., who was commissioned by the Amer- ican Home Missionary society to preach at "Stephenson and vicinity" in August, 1839, supplied the pulpit at Davenport from July, 1840, to sometime in the early part of winter. A call was extended in 1841, to the Rev. Reuben Gaylord, now of Omaha, Neb., to become the pastor, but was declined. Rev. Oliver Emerson ministered to the church part of that year. Rev. Mr. Hitchcock was sent as a missionary to this place in the fall of 1841 and ministered here three years. During his ministry thirty-two members were received. The church was aided by the Home Missionary society until 1852.

The meetings for preaching and prayer were first held in a building on Ripley street used by the Presbyterians and since destroyed by fire. In 1840 the church met for a while in the second story of a building on the corner of Front and Brady streets, since destroyed by fire, and once known as "Ziek's grocery." A new place of worship was fitted up, however, on the corner of Ripley and Front streets, a building some twenty feet by thirty feet, and had been used by D. C. Eldridge and others as storehouse, postoffice, etc., and was known as "Brimstone Corner," afterward consumed by fire. The Rev. Mr. Hitchcock first began his ministry here and preached his first sermon in Daven- port.

The 20th of June, 1840, the Rev. Mr. Emerson took charge of the con- gregation and preached for a short time when he removed to DeWitt. The next place of worship of this church was in the log cabin erected by the Harrison club on Third street, and when cold weather came on, they met again on Main street in the schoolhouse which was removed in 1843 to give room for better build-

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ings. They next worshipped at a schoolroom on the east side of Harrison street above Fourth where Mr. Wheeler now resides. This building was one of the frames brought out from Cincinnati and occupied for some time by the Daven- port institute. This was the last rented house of worship. Two lots having been procured on Fifth street, between Main and Brady, the old part of the present edifice was erected in the summer of 1844 by Strong Burnell, Esq., being twenty-eight feet by thirty feet. The building was dedicated the 27th of October, 1844. Mr. Hitchcock preached the dedicatory sermon which was his last sermon here, having had a call to settle in Moline, which he accepted and where he still preaches. In the evening of that day the Rev. Ephraim Adams who had been preaching to the congregation for some time occupied the pulpit and continued to do so till May, 1855, ten years and six months. He was called to the pastorship in December, 1846 and installed early in 1847. Mr. Adams was the first pastor. Long and faithfully did he labor, amid days of moral darkness in the church and in the whole northwest. He was one of that little band of pioneer ministers, eleven in number, graduates of Andover Theological seminary who in the fall of 1843, moved by a spirit of enterprise and the cause of home missions lying near their hearts turned their thoughts to the far west. Iowa was their first point of destination, and as Denmark, in Lee county was headquarters for Congregationalism in that day they all met there and most of them were ordained on the 5th of March, 1843. Mr. Adams preached at Mt. Pleasant in this state for a short time before entering upon his labors here, where for so many years he devoted himself to building up the Congregational church in this city.

He began his labors in the little schoolroom on Harrison street with a con- gregation of twelve and after he entered the new house of worship for more than a year he had but about thirty-five hearers. But in toil and self-denial he labored on amid many discouragements. At the end of five years there were about eighteen members, but he looked forward full of hope and faith, believing that the little church was of God's own planting, and that in due time it would spring up, and bear much fruit. The whole number of members on the 31st of July, 1859, was 224; total from its organization, 423. In May, 1856, the pastoral relation between Mr. Adams and the church was dissolved and soon after the Rev. George F. Magoun was settled. The whole number admitted during his pastorship, to the present time is 190, three-fourths of the present membership. During the ministry of Mr. Hitchcock and Mr. Adams there was special interest from time to time, the greatest revival occurring in the winter of 1855 and 1856. There was a steady increase of the church both by letter and profession.

Mr. Adams is now settled over a church at Decorah in this state. During his ministry in this place he made many friends. His uniform kindness to all and persuasive manner as a minister, his daily walk among his fellowmen and his untarnished Christian character justly entitled him to, as he had, the love and respect of all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance.

Seven of the lay members of this church have become ministers of the gos- pel, including two of its early deacons, viz .: Rev. John C. Holbrook, of Dubuque ; Rev. Asa Prescott, of Cordova; Rev. Wm. Windsor and Rev. John H. Windsor,

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of Mitchell county ; Rev. Joseph Bloomer (deceased), of McGregor ; Rev. Wales Coe, of Crawfordsville, and Rev. Darius E. Jones, of Columbus City. Fourteen members of the General Congregational association of Iowa have been con- nected with this church.

Rev. G. F. Magoun left the church in November, 1860. In August, 1861, a new organization was made under the name of the "Edwards Congregational church," of which Rev. William Windsor became the stated supply, with Home Missionary aid. The old church has only a nominal existence in connection with the property and edifice of the congregation, now much involved in debt.

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The organization of the Protestant Episcopal church in Iowa and the his- tory of the "Trinity church parish" we copy entire from "Davenport, Past and Present," as we believe it to be correct in all its parts :

"The organization of the Protestant Episcopal church in the diocese of Iowa was effected at Muscatine in August, 1853; but the election of a bishop did not take place until the first of June, 1854. The convention sat in Davenport, in the basement room of the First Presbyterian church, Trinity not being ready for use. The Rt. Rev. Dr. Kemper, missionary bishop of the northwest pre- sided. The balloting resulted in the election of the Rev. Henry W. Lee, D. D., then rector of St. Luke's church, Rochester, N. Y. The bishop-elect was con- secrated at Rochester, in October of the same year, and soon entered upon his new duties. Having made his first visitation to the diocese he selected Davenport as his place of residence, it being in his judgment the most eligible and con- venient point with reference to his duties. The diocese of Iowa includes the entire state and from thirteen parishes and eight clergymen in 1854 it has in- creased to thirty parishes and twenty-five clergymen in January, 1858. Bishop Lee at the present time has also the Episcopal charge of the territory of Nebraska, this being, however, but a temporary arrangement.

TRINITY CHURCH.

The first and regular services of the Protestant Episcopal church were com- menced in Davenport on Thursday, the 14th day of October, 1841, by the Rev. Z. H. Goldsmith, who was appointed as a missionary by the domestic committee of the board of missions of the Protestant Episcopal church, his time being divided at intervals between Davenport and Rockingham. which latter place at the time promised to be of the most importance. A parish was regularly organized at Davenport, on Thursday, the 4th of November, 1841, by the name and title of "Trinity Church and Parish;" and a vestry was elected, resulting in the fol- lowing choice: Ira Cook, J. W. Parker, W. W. Dodge, Ebenezer Cook, H. S. Finley.

The regular meetings of the parish for public worship were held during a sucession of years, and until November, 1853 in the small frame building still stand- ing on the west side of Main street between Fourth and Fifth streets occupying the middle lot of that half block, when it was abandoned as no longer tenant-

THE WEBB HOME Now the Christian Science Church

OLD METHODIST CHURCH Fifth and Brady streets

FOURTEENTH STREET M. E. CHURCHI On site of St. John's M. E. church

OLD TRINITY CHURCH Which stood at the corner of Fifth and Rock Island streets

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able. Divine services were held during the same winter of 1853, and until April of 1854, in the store room at the northeast corner of Rock Island and Second streets, and from April until the completion and occupancy of the new edifice of Trinity church in August of 1854 in the house of the rector Rev. A. Louder- back, known as the Emerson house, on Second between Rock Island and Perry streets.

The incumbency of the Rev. Z. H. Goldsmith continued until the spring of 1849 when in the following year he was displaced from the ministry and con- tinued to reside here till his death which occurred in the summer of 1853. The resignation of Rev. Z. H. Goldsmith which occurred on April 1, 1849, was fol- lowed by the call and settlement of the Rev. Alfred Louderback as rector and missionary on the 5th of May following, making a vacancy of one year in the parish. When he assumed the charge of this parish and station at a salary of $200 per annum with a like sum from the domestic committee, he found the parish in debt some $700 or twice the amount of what the church lot and build- ing were then considered worth with about nine communicants in all, and an immense and increasing prejudice against the church and with but little pros- pect of its permanent and successful establishment. Patient, continued and per- severing efforts, however, amid no ordinary discouragements have met with success. For, frequently after careful preparation for the duties of the pulpit there would not be over ten or fifteen persons present to join in the services and listen to the sermon; while at the same time the parish was without a surplice, a communion set, a melodeon, a Sunday school library or any of those external appliances and aids so necessary to give effect and interest to the public services because the poverty of the congregation would not admit of their procuring them. At the expiration of the second year these necessary aids were obtained, and also a complete set of plans from Mr. Frank Wills, of New York city, who generously furnished them at a trifling cost. A subscription was at the same time started with a view to building the present edifice of Trinity church, and on the 5th of May, 1852, just three years from the time the acting rector as- sumed charge, the corner stone was laid by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Kemper, D. D., then in episcopal charge of Iowa, as yet unorganized into a diocese. The walls rose to their proper height during that year and remained bare the following winter until the spring of 1853 when the roof was put on and the building plas- tered and floored and the windows roughly closed up, in which condition it stood until the spring of 1854 when it was determined to finish it off. Contracts were made accordingly and its occupation entered upon by the congregation on Sunday, the 20th day of August of the same year, 1854. The original cost of the two lots, in 1851 and now owned by the parish, was $500. The organ, one of Erben's build, of New York city, and the generous gift of Gen. George B. Sargent, $700; in addition to which the parish holds about eight or nine acres of ground being a part of the Pine Hill cemetery as a burial ground for their dead; being in all a property worth at the lowest estimate over $20,000, and in a perfectly safe condition. In conducting the parish to this gratifying state of outward temporal prosperity much credit and praise are due to the untiring interest, generosity and zeal of Mr. Ebenezer Cook who has been the constant

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History of Davenport and Scott County Iowa, Volume I, Part 22

Author: Downer, Harry E Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Number of Pages: 1042

Author: Downer, Harry E
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1042