USA > Iowa > Muscatine County > History of Muscatine County, Iowa, from the earliest settlements to the present time, Volume I > Part 41
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Rev. H. W. Munster, the present pastor, is the eighteenth since 1875. Since 1898 the following pastors have been appointed to the Musserville circuit: C. H. Montgomery, 1898; W. L. Clipp, 1900; E. C. Brooks, 1903; P. M. Conant, 1906; W. B. Ireland, 1908; L. A. Smith, 1909.
In 1908, at the close of the ministerial activities of the Rev. P. M. Conant on the circuit, Musserville and the Island point were placed in a circuit by themselves. This division has proved a good one. The Musserville parsonage was moved from up town to the neighborhood of the church and later the prop- erty at 909 Oregon street was purchased for a parsonage. The present pastor is the first to have full possession of the permanent parsonage.
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN ZION'S CHURCH.
The Evangelical Lutheran Zion's church was organized in 1885, its mem- bers having previously worshiped with the German Protestant Lutherans in their church on Sycamore between Third and Fourth streets. At this time
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(1885) the church felt it had the necessary strength and financial ability to build a church edifice and support a pastor, so the separation was completed, a church erected at a cost of $14,000 on the corner of Sycamore and Sixth streets, and Rev. Henry Reinemund was installed as the first pastor. Mr. Reinemund had for some years previously served as pastor of the mother church, referred to above. In 1896 Rev. George Meier succeeded Rev. Reinemund, the latter's time being consumed in the superintendency of the Lutheran Old Ladies' Home. Rev. John Haefner, the present pastor, took charge of the church's spiritual affairs in the fall of 1910. The church is in splendid condition. The member- ship is composed of 200 families, or 700 souls.
GERMAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The beginning of the German Methodist Episcopal church of Muscatine is left somewhat in darkness for the reason that some of the first records were lost. But it was about the year 1845 when the first German Methodist preacher came here in the person of Rev. L. S. Jacoby, D. D., and after visiting with the German people and preaching for them several times he made arrangements, he being a district superintendent, to have a preacher come to hold services for them. About the first part of the year 1847 Rev. Schutze was placed in charge of the Muscatine mission. He was an intelligent and eloquent young man and soon gained the confidence of the German people. He was successful in bring- ing a small company together and organizing the German Methodist church. The next year he was sent to Burlington, being succeeded in Muscatine by Rev. John Mann. He in turn was followed by Rev. John Plank, who was a popular pastor among his people. His successor was Rev. Korfhage. By this time sev- ·eral appointments were added to Muscatine, which became a circuit and in- cluded Wilton Junction, Wapello, Iowa City and Illinois City. This greatly enlarged the field of labor, making it a very difficult task for the minister to supply them, as the only way to reach them in that primitive time was by horse and saddle. Up to this time the meetings were held in private houses. Five years after the organization of the church at Muscatine, Rev. Henry Fiegen- baum was sent as pastor. He was a very energetic man and in 1852 succeeded in raising enough money to build a church. At the time of the dedication his report was: "Cost of church, $1,049.95 ; money collected, $983.10; debt, $64.85." Among the leading members at that time were Conrad Mark and Henry Giesler. Later on Muscatine was again made a station, also the other appointments, Iowa City, Wapello and Wilton Junction, in connection with Pine Mills. Rev. Con- rad Bernventer was the first pastor after Muscatine was made a station. The membership was increasing to such an extent that it became necessary to pre- pare for the erection of a new and larger church. Rev. Henry Schulte, the suc- cessor of Rev. Bernventer, had the honor to build the new church and to buy a parsonage, which together cost $7,000. About the year 1892 the present par- sonage was built, while Rev. G. E. Heidel was serving as pastor of the church. He was succeeded by Rev. Henry Ross, and during his administration the new addition to the church was built and other improvements made at a cost of nearly $4,000. In the fall of 1908 the church was again renovated. The old
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windows were replaced by the present ones of cathedral style, the walls were newly decorated and frescoed and the woodwork revarnished, giving it on the whole, a very fine appearance. Other pastors who have served the church are: Revs. Frederick Martin, Carl Shuler, Jacob Haas, John A. Salzer, Peter Helwig, John M. Winckler, Frederick Prusberger, Henry Schulte, a second time, Jacob Haas, a second time, Carl Schneider, William Winter, Henry Lahrmann, Christ Peisch, Phil Kuhl, Henry Nanmann, Philip Nanmann, Louis Keck, Louis Har- mel, Carl Thalenhorst, G. E. Heidel, A. H. F. Hertzler, Henry Ross, C. E. Baumgarten, and W. C. Schultz, who is the present pastor. The church now has a membership of 204, a Sunday school numbering 130, Epworth League 60, a brotherhood of 48, a Ladies' Aid Society of 60 and a Ladies' Missionary Society of 28 members. Six or seven young men from this church have gone out into the ministry.
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST.
On September 12, 1897, three Christian Scientists of Muscatine organized a Christian Science society and with a small following met in the home of one of the members for Sunday services. In less than a year the society had out- grown the accommodations afforded by private homes and it became necessary to secure a hall. July 24, 1898, ten months after its inception, the society ob- tained a charter and organized as First Church of Christ Scientist of Musca- tine, Iowa, and for another year held services in the hall on Iowa avenue. In May, 1899, the present site for a church was bought and also the building, which was dedicated Sunday, July 1, 1906. This church stands at the corner of Sixth and Walnut streets. Charles Howell, first reader of the church, delivered the dedicatory address.
GRACE ENGLISH LUTHERAN CHURCH.
'A' short time previous to the year 1900 Grace English Lutheran church was organized in this city, with thirty-four charter members, whose names are here given : William Lang, wife and son Lee; Charley Coos and wife; William Aderman; Miss Anna Aderman; Louis Angersbach and wife; Ernest Reine- mund and wife; Samuel Hoover and wife; John Meisenbach and daughter Louisa; Andrew Reimenschneider and wife; Carrie Freyermuth; Carrie Gun- zenhauser; Mrs. C. Shalland; William Ludke, wife and two daughters; John Windman ; Henry Windman; Jacob Wyman; Mrs. Brunner; Charles Freund ; Carl Quandt and wife; John Weltz; Barbara Weltz; and Mary Winter.
It was not long after its organization until the members became anxious to secure a place of worship. A site was finally purchased at the southwest corner of Sixth street and Iowa avenue, and on Sunday, November 12, 1900, the cor- nerstone of a graceful little brick edifice was laid, with fitting ceremonies by Dr. H. L. Yarger, of Atchison, Kansas, assisted by the pastor, Rev. J. L. Murphy. Appropriate music was furnished by Paudiet's orchestra. Since that time the church membership has grown in strength and the society is in a pros- perous condition. The church was dedicated Sunday, May 19, 1901. The
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services were held in the morning at 10:30, at which time Rev. S. B. Barnitz preached the dedicatory sermon. The cost of the property was about $6,000. J. L. Murphy served the church from the time of its organization until 1904. His successors have been H. F. Martin, 1904-09; H. Winnemark, 1909- IO; A. E. Isham, 1910 -.
ST. MALACHY'S CHURCH AT ARDON.
In 1902 the beautiful church edifice was erected at the new town of Ardon in Fruitland township, on the line of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Rail- road. The church is named St. Malachy's and was erected to take the place of its predecessor, about one mile west of the present location. The money contributed for its erection came from residents of the community, irrespective of religious belief and is a beautiful testimonial to the liberality of the people of that section. The building committee consisted of James O'Toole, Patrick O'Toole, John O'Brien, Thomas Cashman and James Furlong. The structure cost about $5,000 and is free from debt. It is a frame building and has a lofty steeple, and being located upon high ground, can be seen for many miles. The interior of the church is furnished in a neat and artistic manner and very pleas- ing to the eye. There are five memorial windows, donated by Mrs. John Byrne, Mrs. Maggie Fanning, Father Nolan, Mrs. Finland and Mrs. James Gorey. This church was dedicated November 9, 1902, by Father Nolan, assisted by Revs. Gillespie, of Mechanicsville, and Ryan, of Davenport. This parish is in a very prosperous condition at the present time.
GERMAN CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
On the 17th of December, 1904, the German Congregational church cele- brated its fiftieth anniversary, upon which occasion interesting exercises were held. This church was organized in Muscatine in 1854, having for its first deacons Conrad Schaefer and Henry Blumer. Christian Veitz was the first pastor. The following year a house of worship was erected at the corner of Walnut and Fourth streets, and of the first members only two are now living : Elizabeth Schaefer and Veronica Hein. Mr. Veitz presided over this charge for ten years and was succeeded by John Schaerer, who came from Switzerland. Rev. Sallenbach succeeded him and after a few years' ministration here Rev. Reuth took charge, followed by Rev. Henry Hetzler. In 1882, Rev. Jacob Fath was called and remained as pastor seventeen years. In 1891 the need of a new church edifice became apparent and in the fall of that year a structure costing $15,000 was erected at the corner of Cedar and Fifth streets. In 1899 Rev. Fath resigned his pastorate to accept the position of financial secretary of Wilton College. His successor was Rev. Henn, who soon gave up his charge on account of sickness and Rev. Scherff came into the fold as its ministering head. Then came Rev. Osthoff, of Minden, Iowa. In 1903 he was assisted for several months by Revs. Fath and Finger. The present pastor, C. A. Dett- mers, of Chicago, has been in charge of this congregation since November, 1904. In the spring of 1905 a parsonage was built and at this time the church is free from debt and in a very prosperous condition.
CHAPTER XVI.
EDUCATIONAL.
SCHOOLS IN MUSCATINE COUNTY OF A HIGH ORDER-FIRST ONE TAUGHT IN "WAPSI" IN 1839-INTERESTING SKETCH OF EARLY SCHOOLS BY THE LATE PROFESSOR WITTER-PROFESSOR CHEVALIER COMPILES DATA TO COMPLETE HISTORY-NO. I SCHOOL IN OLDEN DAYS AS REMEMBERED BY ALICE WALTON BEATTY.
During the summer of 1833, Major George Davenport, who was trading with the Indians at Rock Island, sent a man named Farnham and two assistants to erect a log trading post at "Sandstone Bluffs" or "Grindstone Bluffs," the pres- ent site of Muscatine.
In May, 1836, Colonel Vanatta and Captain Benjamin Clark, who had bought the claim of Davenport, employed Major William Gordon, then a resident of Rock Island, to survey a town on their claim. They called the town Newberg, but this was soon changed to Bloomington. This name was retained until about 1848, when the town received its present name.
The year 1839 is noted in the history of Muscatine county and the town of Bloomington as the beginning of their educational system. In section 2, Wapsi- nonoc township, in 1839, Valentine Bozarth opened a school in an unoccupied log dwelling.
J. A. Parvin, in May, 1839, leased a small cabin and opened the first school in the county. In 1839-40, he moved to a building near the court house square and in the spring moved into the "town house" on Iowa avenue. During the eleven years which succeeded the establishment of the first school, there were several private schools, of greater or less importance, a record of which has not been preserved. The earliest concerted action of the people in regard to schools dates from 1848.
G. B. Denison says: "Under the provisions of the school laws of Iowa up to 1858, the formation of school districts was left entirely with the school fund commissioner, and for some unexplained reason, Muscatine was early divided into two school districts. District No. I occupied all that part of the original town east of Sycamore street, and No. 2 all west of said street. Nothing could induce them to unite the two districts until the passage of the revised school law, March 12, 1858, when they were consolidated 'nolens volens.' In 1848 District No. 2 commenced the agitation of building a schoolhouse. Up to that time there were no schoolhouses in either district. After much canvassing by about a dozen friends, a public meeting of the electors of District No. 2 was called at the old Methodist church, standing on the ground now occupied by
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OLD NO. 2 SCHOOL, OPENED IN 1851
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
the Muscatine Journal printing office and a vote was taken which was in favor of building a schoolhouse. The house was not completed and ready for occu- pation until May, 1851."
This house was erected on the same lots on which the First Ward building now stands. In 1850 District No. I voted to build a larger house than the one in No. 2. . The house in No. I was 40x45 feet. No. I was built on the same site as that of the present Third Ward school.
District No. I in 1850 elected John A. Parvin president, Ansel Humphreys secretary, and Absalom Fisher treasurer. The house was completed and school commenced March 7, 1853, with D. Franklin Wells principal, at $500; Miss Margaret M. Lyon, first assistant, $250; Miss Malinda Davidson, second as- sistant, $200; Miss Emeline Fisher, third assistant, $200.
May 12, 1851, No. 2 opened, with G. B. Denison, principal, $500; Miss Lydia A. Denison, first assistant, $250; Miss Mary A. Stiles, second assistant, $225. N. L. Stout was president ; Henry O'Connor, secretary ; and Pliny Fay, treas- urer. The school year in both districts consisted of three terms of fourteen weeks each. The districts had contracted to pay a certain sum to their teach- ers. About one-third of this would be received from the annual state appor- tionment, but there was no provision for the other two-thirds. At that time there was no law permitting a tax or a rate bill for this purpose. However, rate bills were established and no child was admitted to the school whose parents refused to pay the assessment. The rates were as follows: Primary department, $1.50; intermediate, $1.75; higher department, $2 per term.
In 1853 a law was enacted making the rate bill legal, also increasing the directors from three to six (optional with electors) who served three years in- stead of one. No. 2 adopted the law in the spring of 1853 and elected the fol- lowing directors: Rev. A. B. Robbins, president; Joseph Bridgman, secretary ; James S. Hatch, treasurer; Jacob Butler, Joseph P. Freeman and Franklin Thurston, directors. On account of some disagreement as to the management of this school, in the spring of 1854 this board resigned and an entire new board was elected as follows: S. G. Stein, Henry Reece, J. P. Freeman, S. B. Hill, Alexander Dunsmore and Alfred Purcell. Alva Tuttle was elected principal of No. 2, but at the end of the second term Mr. Denison was recalled as prin- cipal. Nathan Hoag succeeded Mr. Denison and after a year's service, Samuel McNutt was chosen principal and Moses Ingalls succeeded Mr. McNutt. Mr. Wells had continued as principal at No. I till the close of the school year in 1856, when he was elected principal of the normal department of the State University of Iowa. Thomas Beaham became principal and he was succeeded by Dr. D. H. Goodno. In 1858 the revised school law went into effect and one board served both districts. In 1860 the board dispensed with all male teachers except Dr. Goodno, who served as principal or superintendent of the two schools.
Previous to 1858 the office of county superintendent did not exist as such in this state. In April, 1858, at the first election for this office, William F. Brannan was chosen. He held the office till 1860, when Rev. Charles Wood- house was elected and served till January 1, 1862, at which time Dr. D. H. Goodno was elected to this position. Dr. Goodno was therefore principal of
1
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
the two schools of this city from the spring of 1860 to October 1, 1862, and county superintendent from January 1, 1862, to the Ist of October of the same year, when he resigned both positions to accept the position of major in the Grey Beard Regiment under Colonel Kincaid.
NO MALE TEACHERS.
From October 1, 1862, to January, 1863, the schools had no male teacher or principal. At this time the board elected Mr. Denison to take the place of Dr. Goodno, but at the close of the school year Mr. Denison asked the board to appoint a male principal for each school to relieve him of the joint principal- ship. The board received this suggestion favorably and elected Mr. Denison principal of No. I and T. Brown principal of No. 2. At this time Joseph Bridg- man was president; F. Thurston, secretary; and J. Carskaddan, treasurer.
At the close of the fall term of 1863 Mr. Brown resigned the principalship of No. 2 and soon after the writer was elected to fill the vacancy at a salary of $600. On the resignation of Dr. Goodno as county superintendent, the board of supervisors appointed Mr. Denison to fill the unexpired term and in October, 1863, he was elected for the ensuing term and retired January 1, 1866. At the close of the spring term of 1864 Mr. Denison retired from the principalship of No. I.
The election of directors in the spring of 1864 was attended by considerable spirit, due to excitement over the Civil war. The entire personnel of the board was changed. H. W. Moore, president; John H. Wallace, secretary ; Marx Block, treasurer; and John Chambers, Shep. Smalley and A. G. Garrettson, directors.
The schools of the city in the spring of 1864 were the old No. I and No. 2, a one-room brick known as the Fletcher school, located on Lucas Grove road about eighty rods northwest of the residence of General Fletcher, now the home of John Kemble, and a one-room frame owned by S. O. Butler, located near John M. Appel's corner, and the African school in the African Methodist Episcopal church building on East Seventh street. There appeared to be about 700 children on the roll. This may have been the census. It was difficult to get anything very accurate concerning the enrollment or. census. The writer was informed by one who had for several years taken the census, that he went to a few leading business men from different parts of the city and inquired about the probable number of persons between five and twenty-one years of age in the neighborhood. It took part of a day to do this and this was the school census.
TO ESTABLISH HIGH SCHOOL.
In June, 1864, the writer was asked to meet with the new board. It was the intention to reorganize the schools of the city and establish a much needed high school department. This work was entrusted to the writer and during the summer the following plan was adopted :
The schools of the city of Muscatine shall be organized with the following general grades, namely: Primary schools, grammar schools and high school.
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
The primary schools shall be divided into two grades, namely: First and second, the first grade being the lowest.
Each of these grades shall be organized into at least three classes, known as A, B and C, C being the lowest. The two grades shall contain at least six classes, and, if necessity requires, additional classes may be formed; but in no case must they change the grade. Each primary school shall be under the immediate control of a principal, who shall have as many assistants as the school may require.
The grammar schools shall be composed of at least four classes, known as A, B, C and D, D being the lowest. Additional classes may be formed, if re- quired, but they shall in no case change the grade. Each grammar school shall be under the immediate control of a principal, who shall have general super- vision of the primary school in the same building. There shall be as many as- sistants in the grammar schools as are needed for the prosperity of the schools.
The high school shall embrace three classes, A, B and C, C being the lowest. It shall include a course of study ordinarily requiring three years to complete. The high school shall be in charge of a principal and as many assistants as the work demands.
The first corps of teachers employed under the new system was as fol- lows: Superintendent of city schools and principal of high school, F. M. Wit- ter ; assistant in high school, Miss Alice H. Reed; No. I, E. Cleveland, principal ; Miss Z. B. Raymond and Miss E. Williams, assistants in grammar grades; and Miss Marietta Bentley and Nanny Martein in primary department; No. 2, Wil- liam Hoopes, principal; Miss M. C. Mitchel and Miss Minnie Morrison, assist- ants in grammar grades; and Miss S. M. Mitchel and Miss Anna Johnson, in primary grades; Miss Bessie Van Buren in Slough Town, and Miss M. H. Washburn in the African school.
'A'n examination for admission to the high school was held early in Septem- ber, 1864. About one hundred applicants were present, nearly ninety per cent were accepted and these were placed in C and B classes. The board leased the Greenwood Academy building on the southeast corner of Iowa avenue and Fifth street for high school quarters. Here the school remained one year, when the accommodations were inadequate and the second year the school was opened in the third story of the Scott House, corner of the avenue and Third street. July 2, 1868, the old No. I was struck by lightning and burned. For two years this school was badly crippled for lack of suitable apartments. The old house had but recently been insured for $8,000.
A contract was let to H. H. Hine and Hiram Rowland to build on the same site a nine-room brick house for $17,000. The lots were graded down and the building finished and the No. I school together with the high school took pos- session in the fall of 1870. This was a most delightful and important change for these schools.
In the fall of 1873 the high school opened in the third story of B. E. Lilly's store, where it remained till October 30th. During the summer of 1873 a three-story brick was erected on the corner of Iowa avenue and Sixth street. Here the district had bought a half block. The building was known as the high school, although one floor only was used for this department. The first
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HISTORY OF MUSCATINE COUNTY
floor of four rooms was gradually occupied by lower grades and finally three rooms were furnished in the basement and two rooms in the third story, which latter was intended for a school hall but was left unfinished. Here the high school remained until the building burned, February 19, 1896.
This house was erected by S. G. Hill at a cost of about $18,000. The high school was domiciled in the old Congregational church and the basement of the new church till January 1, 1897, when it was duly installed in the new elegant structure on the same ground of the old building. The new building was erected by Magoon & Kincaid and when finished ready to occupy cost the city about $30,000. Old No. 2 was rapidly getting out of date and room was greatly needed on East Hill, in South Muscatine and Butlerville.
At two elections held March and July, 1878, the people voted $20,000 to build a modern, commodious house for District No. 2, and suitable houses in South Muscatine, Butlerville and on East Hill. No. 2 cost about $16,000 and a four-room brick in South Muscatine about $5,000, and very neat one-room frame buildings from same plans and specifications in Butlerville and East Hill, about $1,000 each.
RENAMED BUILDINGS.
When the No. 2 building was ready to occupy, the board of education, after considerable deliberation, decided to rechristen the main school buildings and name those that were yet without names. No. 2 was very appropriately named the First Ward, No. I was changed to Third Ward, South Muscatine to Fourth Ward and the high school building for many years stood for the Second Ward. West Hill, a substantial four-room brick, built from the same plans as the four rooms in the Fourth Ward and at the same cost, East Hill, Butlerville and Musserville, the latter a one-room frame not far from the Musserville Meth- odist Episcopal church used now as a place of worship by the Society of Friends.
It became necessary to enlarge the school facilities in the central part of the city, East Hill, Fourth Ward and Musserville. Bonds were voted by the electors of this independent district about 1888 and the Fourth Ward was en- larged into an eight-room house and a neat four-room brick was erected in Musserville. Later the East Hill one-room frame was changed to four rooms and the Cedar street eight-room brick was erected. When this latter was com- pleted all the grades in the high school below the ninth were transferred to the new building. In 1896 the Fourth Ward building was raised several feet to make room in the basement for a modern heating plant. The system of heating this building requires a fan. The First and Third Ward buildings are heated by steam, Cedar street, West Hill and Musserville by ordinary hot air furnaces, the high school by steam, both direct and indirect radiation with the gravity system of ventilation.
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