USA > Iowa > Poweshiek County > History of Poweshiek County, Iowa: a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume 1 > Part 43
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The company and its members are largely interested in Grinnell property, and in many other public enterprises in the city.
GRINNELL WASHING MACHINE COMPANY.
This company was incorporated in February, 1908, under the name of Thompson Brothers Company, and its principal place of business was at that time in Newton, Iowa. The company moved to Grinnell in August, 1908. It manufactures the Speed washer, a hand power machine; the G-E-M washer, made to use with gasoline engines, and the Elmo Electric washer, a power ma- chine run by electric current.
The company since its removal has been actively managed by J. C. Goodrich, J. L. Fellows, George J. Hogan. The present manager is J. L. Fellows.
The business of this company for the last year was estimated at from sev- enty-five thousand to one hundred thousand dollars. It is growing rapidly, and the company is regarded as one of the substantial business enterprises of the city.
In 1910 the name of the company was changed to the Grinnell Washing Ma- chine Company. The present officials are: J. P. Lyman, president ; A. C. Lyon, vice president ; J. L. Fellows, secretary and treasurer ; H. F. Lanphere, assistant treasurer. The present directors are as follows: J. P. Lyman, H. W. Spauld- ing, J. C. Goodrich, J. L. Fellows, A. C. Lyon.
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MORRISON-RICKER MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
The manufacture of gloves in Grinnell first came about by the establishment of a small tannery in 1856, by F. M. Morrison, father of the senior member of the Morrison-Ricker firm. After tanning his skins, Mr. Morrison, with the as- sistance of his family, made gloves, principally of goat skin, at his home. About the year 1876, the business becoming remunerative, others were employed at their homes by Mr. Morrison. All of the output was sold at retail.
About 1875 Mr. Morrison had taken over a small stone building on South Main street, the site of which is now occupied by a residence belonging to J. J. Currough, where he established a small factory. Here he remained some time and then removed to store rooms in order to have more space for the growing business. At first Mr. Morrison was the sole owner of the glove factory, but eventually D. S. Morrison became a member, when the firm name was changed to F. M. Morrison & Son, continuing until the death of the senior member, when the business was conducted under the name of D. S. Morrison.
In 1880 Andrew McIntosh secured an interest in the firm, at which time the business name became Morrison, McIntosh & Company. This continued until 1907. E. C. Wadsworth came into the firm as a member and remained until his death. E. A. Wadsworth was a member from 1889 until 1902.
Benjamin J. Ricker was a member of the firm as early as 1895. In 1907 Mr. McIntosh retired and since that time the name of the firm has been Morrison- Ricker Manufacturing Company. Previous to this Frederick Morrison, son of the senior member, was made a partner.
The present plant was built in 1896, and at two different times has been en- larged. The original building was a two-story brick, with basement, 50x100 feet. An addition to this was built and afterwards a wing, 50x120 feet.
There is probably no larger manufacturing concern of this character in the state of Iowa. It makes mittens, driving gloves, fur gloves, and one of its special- ties is an automobile gauntlet, named the "Rist-Fit." There are in the employ of the company one hundred people in the factory and tannery. Its salesmen num- ber twenty, who cover much of the United States. The concern has its own tan- nery, in which is prepared much of the leather used in the factory, from which goods are also shipped to foreign countries.
ICE AND STORAGE PLANT.
In 1901 a creamery was established in the old wire factory on Main street, near the railroad, by J. W. Fowler, in which butter making on a small scale was the chief industry. Mr. Fowler remained at this stand one year, when he erected a building on the corner of Third and West streets, two stories in height and 30x50 feet. He afterwards added rooms for the manufacture of ice cream and in 1906 made another addition of 50x97 feet for the manufacture of ice. In the winter of 1911 Mr. Fowler built still another room for cold storage purposes. In this plant is manufactured ice, ice cream and the Fowler brand of butter. Twenty-one people are employed. Fifteen tons of ice per day are manufactured, 4,000 pounds of butter, and many gallons of ice cream.
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CONGREGATONAL CHURCH.
Religious exercises were maintained from the very first by the first settlers. Seven were in their first meeting and sometimes the number rose to thirty before they left the grove in which they first met at Perry Mattison's, and at Mr. Oak- ley's, and in "God's first temples." On the prairie they found a place for public worship in Scott's store, or the first hotel, with a barrel topped out with a candle box as a reading desk.
A church was organized April 8, 1855, by Rev. Samuel Loomis, a Presby- terian, assisted by J. B. Grinnell, who created a Congregational church with a creed acceptable to both, and substantially to both churches.
Their unusual action was expressed in the following by-law, reported to them by J. B. Grinnell, Abram Whitcomb and Gideon Gardner, and accepted by them unanimously, namely : "No intoxicating wine shall be used at the Lord's supper, nor shall any intoxicating liquor be used by the members as an article of drink or traffic, and no person shall be admitted to the church, or allowed to remain in it, who either practices or is not earnestly and actively opposed to buying or selling human beings, or holding them in slavery for gain."
It is not strange that a strong expression for temperance and for the slave should appear in the records of the first church in the town whose deeds pro- vided that the title to a lot on which intoxicating liquor should be sold as a beverage should revert to the original owner of it, and the life of whose chief founder was a perpetual echo of the Declaration of Independence.
J. B. Grinnell, William N. Ford, Dr. Thomas Holyoke, Gideon Gardner, Levi H. Marsh, Anor Scott, Sumner Bixby, Abram Whitcomb and their wives, and Emory S. Bartlett, Lucy Bixby and Mrs. C. Patterson and the mother of William N. Ford, were charter members.
It was time for a building for church and for school. Some thought it could be built in a few weeks. J. B. Grinnell offered to build it for the next Sunday. "Impossible" said some, yet it was done according to contract, without plane or paint. The oak boards shrank and shriveled, inviting the wind and the rain to enter, and they soon did so. The condition suggested leaving notes at home. As Mr. Grinnell did the preaching at first he commonly took his text from their pioneer condition or from the blind rattlesnake that snapped at him on his way to church. We are not aware that he ever got as far away from daily life as Moses and David. He was more likely to find his text in the last newspaper re- port of the thief of yesterday, or from a fraud in -high places, or what was needed next in the town.
No contract was made with the minister, no promise to pay him a penny, and if any criticism was made on the sermon he would remind them that it was worth all it cost them.
They also had good music, for the Phelps family were there and very soon "Junie" herself would serve as an ordinary choir. Mr. Gardner was a good leader, his son's violin never tempted the minister to say as the Scotch dominie did, "now we'll sing and faddle the tenth Psalm." Mrs. Hamlin's and Mrs. Wyatt's little organ was always reverent and sweet and Mr. Wyatt's double bass
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made notable music. To name all excellent musicians would be to give the his- tory of the choir.
The town was always a ministerial center, for two of the four founders were preachers and by the end of the second year, there were usually several times that number in that little preaching house.
In the second year there were children enough in Grinnell for a schoolhouse. The little church was used for a school taught by Lucy and Louisa Bixby and for every public gathering. The next year Colonel S. F. Cooper taught a more advanced school and L. F. Parker took all the pupils in the town through four weeks and then "a graded school" began, with Mrs. Cooper in charge of the young portion. In 1858 three rooms were needed, and the next year a fourth was added by using another building erected by the college, to be noticed soon.
In 1855 the school and church building became too small (or the pupils too many ) for one diminutive building, and the plans for another was found which served as school and church until a church could be built. It was built in 1856 and all the Congregationalists of the state were invited to occupy it in July for their annual meeting. It was forty by forty feet, two stories high, the lower divdied into two recitation rooms and two cloak rooms, and the upper was an auditorium and undivided.
The building and the town were packed in July, 1856, and the story went out that one family entertained their visitors on the floor in the order as follows: Dr. Magoun and wife, Mrs. Robbins and her husband, Mr. Salter and his wife. Imagination can locate the others, and even if one did not find them asleep in that order, the entertainers made a bedstead of their tables. The guests went home at last, thinking the Grinnell people were remarkably free and easy, and they liked it.
The Congregationalists were the most numerous body of Christians in Grin- nell, but the Baptists erected the first building strictly for church use. Their church was organized by the earnest effort of Deacon C. D. Kelsey, May 15, 1858. Elder Nash, a very genial and popular pastor from Des Moines, was in- vited to gather the Baptists in the town into a church. He preached one sermon, and on the next day organized a church of twenty-nine members, to which three more were promptly added. They made arrangements with the Congregational- ists to occupy the schoolhouse a part of the time, and then moved actively to erect a church building. They employed Mr. Rickerson, a very pleasant and winning pastor. So the Baptists, second to organize, were first to build.
The Congregationalists built their first church in 1860. Both denominations enlarged their churches, the Congregationalists three times before building a second in 1879; the Baptists twice before erecting their present brick building.
Congregational ministers who served the church early were J. B. Grinnell, Samuel Loomis, S. L. Herrick, J. J. Hill, L. C. Rouse and others. Mr. Grinnell's text would be found in some recent event, the latest newspaper, or taken from a rattlesnake that crossed his track and blindly struck at him till the man "bruised" the reptile's head. Mr. Herrick stuck to his text, and it was a biblical one, and gave his hearers something to ponder over and from which to profit. He came from a twenty-five years' pastorate at Crown Point, New York, and was asked in August. 1856, to act as pastor nine months here. He preached more than
United Presbyterian Congregational in 1860 Norwegian Lutheran
Methodist Baptist
Advent Sheridan Episcopal Friends
GROUP OF GRINNELL CHURCHES
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any other one through several years after his arrival in our hamlet. Mr. Loomis, a quiet, scholarly man, was always welcome when able to meet the people in parlor or pulpit. James Jeremiah Hill, one of the "Iowa Band" had preached in Iowa and Minnesota (where the Hutchinsons were his choir), and had been driven to Grinnell for a milder climate that he could endure. He preached in Grinnell and supplied elsewhere as he was able until his death, a good man and a good preacher. L. C. Rouse, a thoughtful, self-respecting man, was often wel- comed to the pulpit.
The church employed a pastor as the community would employ a teacher for the first time, in 1860, and paid him, when Rev. G. W. Hathaway came from Maine to remain part of a year, finding it hard to adapt himself to pioneer thought and action. He was a truly worthy man. After leaving us he became a pastor and a lawmaker in California.
Only a word each can be given of later pastors. Samuel D. Cochran was the preacher from 1863 to 1869, logical, stirring and strong; William W. Wood- worth, 1870 to 1877, biblical; J. M. Sturtevant, 1877 to 1884, warmly human, boys claimed him as their "friend"; John Safford, 1885 to 1888, loved to speak for the poor; H. Melville Tenney, 1884 to 1891; E. M. Vittum, 1891 to 1907, broadly watchful over all church interests and duties; H. N. Dascomb, 1907 to 1910, a progressive and an admirer of J. R. Campbell, of London. Percival F. Marston's first sermons are now being delivered in 1911, and are rich in thought and an inspiration.
It was felt in 1906 that an assistant pastor" was needed and Miss Stella T. Bartlett rendered most valuable service until 1907.": Then a leader of the choir was desired, also, and Rev. T. A. Dungan filled both positions acceptably until September, 1911, when he resigned to accept a pastorate at Chadron, Nebraska.
All in all, the wives of these men have been truly worthy of their place and work, and have left many friends. The benevolences of the church have been liberal, amounting sometimes to $105,350, as in 1910 when the endownment of the college called for special gifts.
The church has sent a notable number of its sons and daughters into the home and the foreign field. Its membership has risen with fair steadiness until it is now 936 residents, and 128 non-residents, a total of 1,064.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The history of this society commences in 1858, with the appointment of Rev. Abner Orr as pastor of the Peoria circuit, of which Grinnell was considered a part. The Grinnell society was supplied by A. H. Shaffer under the direction of Rev. Orr. Worship was conducted in schoolhouse and store building until 1867, when, under the leadership of Rev. Dennis Murphy a frame church was built upon land obtained on the corner of the present Fifth avenue and Park street. At this time the statistics report a membership of 192.
Various pastors were appointed to supply the charge during the next four- teen years, among whom J. B. Hardy, W. G. Wilson, E. L. Briggs and W. F. Cowles, came to prominence in Iowa Methodism. In 1880 Dr. Dennis Murphy was appointed for a second pastorate during which the church was enlarged and
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completely furnished, and a parsonage built immediately west of the church. Dr. T. B. Hughes of West Virginia was transferred to this charge in 1885. The Rev. E. H. Hughes, now bishop in the Methodist Episcopal church, commenced his ministerial career in 1887 on an adjoining rural charge. Dr. Matt. S. Hughes followed his father as pastor in 1890.
After twenty-eight years of steady and continuous growth in the membership and congregation, since the building of the old frame church, in 1895 under the pastorate of Rev. J. W. Hackley a beautiful stone building was erected upon the lot the frame building had occupied. The new church afforded adequate accom- modation for the congregation at that time. Since then Jesse E. Corley, Walter P. Stoddard and John M. McClelland have been stationed as pastors and the membership of the church has steadily increased under these leaders until it now reports a membership of 680. The present pastor is Rev. Elias Handy.
BAPTIST CHURCH.
C. D. Kelsey, of New York, the first deacon of this church, spoke as fol- lows at an old settlers' meeting, of the origin of the Baptist church in Grinnell : "A committee of the Congregationalists visited every house in February, 1858, to ask every one to join the church. Deacon Whitcomb called on me. I told him I would cooperate in general but could not join the church. Father Langworthy and I then took the hint to look up the Baptists, for if we stayed in Grinnell we must have a Baptist church. We formed quite a number of Bap- tists, organized a prayer meeting at the house of James Perkins and secured ministerial assistance for a revival meeting. A Baptist church was needed at once. Elder Nash of Des Moines was invited. He replied : 'Providence permit- ting, I will be there Friday, May 14, 1858.' He came, preached in the school- house, and the next day organized a church of twenty-seven* members. Three more were received on Sunday." Thus the Baptist church was organized with practically thirty members.
One of the Congregationalists said to a Baptist: "If you people will hire the young man who came with Elder Nash and pay him, I will give $25 a year and attend church there except on communion Sundays, till the Congrega- tionalists get a pastor and pay him." Mr. Hathaway was employed, however, before Mr. Rickerson, the talented young man who was referred to, was engaged in his work. He was very attractive and an able speaker.
The church pulled on its working clothes at once and erected the first purely church building in Grinnell, in 1858-9, in the south part of town and removed later to their present location. Rev. Thomas Brande visited Grinnell in 1858, became the first pastor for a few months, preaching in the schoolhouse one-fourth of the time, the Congregationalists occupying it the other three-fourths. His last evening in Grinnell was a busy one for Sunday. After the sermon in the schoolhouse Mr. Brande married Moses Abbot and Maria Langworthy. Mr. Grinnell then read the penalties of the fugitive slave law and called a fugitive
*The early records are lost. The first pastor recorded the number as twelve. sey, who long served the church as clerk. Twenty-seven is the statement of C. D. Kel One is a mistake, but which?
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slave and his wife, en route from Topeka to Canada, to come forward. Mr. Grinnell then asked for help for them on their way. That audience braved very severe penalties and made their contribution the next morning. Mr. Brande rode with them to Iowa City and there served as the man's master, while the woman, heavily veiled, kept at a safe distance. The ruse was at the woman's suggestion. For once, at least, Mr. Brande felt that was quite "a gentleman"-"a southern gentleman," with his faithful man servant.
Revs. Rickerson,* Hartshorn, Leland, Heilner, English, Adams, Farr and Robinson have served the church as pastors, while the present incumbent, Rev. L. D. Weyand, is an active young man, highly esteemed. The church now num- bers 292 members.
The first church building was enlarged several times and then sold for an armory. The present brick edifice was built in 1890, at a cost of $12,000. Mr. Brande's second pastorate is given out of place because it was unique as a fatherly service of eleven years which gave him and his a hold on the esteem of the people that is rare. Would that such people might live forever !
UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.
The Universalist church of Grinnell was organized during the winter of 1867- 8, with twenty-two members. L. G. C. Pierce was elected clerk. Rev. C. P. Nash was chosen pastor, he living in Newton, where he had charge of a Uni- versalist church. He came to Grinnell to preach once a month, remaining in charge two years. The church had occasional preaching for two or three years after that time but had no regular pastor.
EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The Episcopal church was in existence prior to the year 1871, but how long, is not a matter of record. Bishop Lee was in charge of the diocese and it is pre- sumed Rev. Kemp was the first pastor. The society was quite large and in a flourishing condition at one time, but now there remain but about ten members. Rev. Kellogg was a pastor here, early in the church's history, and Revs. W. P. Law and Gaynor were his successors. Rev. Wright was the last rector and re- tired from the Grinnell pulpit in 1890, since which time there has been no regu- lar or resident pastor.
In 1885, a neat frame edifice was built on the corner of First avenue and Main street, which was sold in 1910. The proceeds and an added $500 was in- vested by the vestry in another church site on Fifth avenue, between Broad and Park, all of which gives the status of the church at this time.
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS.
The Seventh Day Adventists erected a tent and began a series of meetings in Grinnell, August 17, 1882. They were conducted by Elders Fifield, Nicola
*Mr. Rickerson did not receive a large salary then-no one did-but he made Eu- nice Langworthy, a daughter of a founder of the church, his wife, a greater reward than any other obtained.
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and Farnsworth. About forty persons decided to organize a church and erect a house of worship. Their meetings and Sunday school were held in the tent until December Ist, and then at the residences of those interested until January 6, 1883, when their church on South Broad street was enclosed. The church was organized May 27, 1883.
Their name indicates their belief that Christ will return to the earth and that he is now "near, even at the door," but they do not set any definite day for his appearing, as William Miller did in 1843. By "near" in this connection, they do not mean within one hundred or five hundred years.
They also observe the "seventh day Sabbath," never employ a salaried pas- tor and are evangelical in their general doctrines. They maintain missionary so- cieties and contribute to the support of home and foreign missionaries. Their home work is carried on in general by the local members chosen for specific service, with occasional visits from delegates from a general conference, when the ordinances are observed in quarterly meetings. They are truly conscientious, but, unfortunately, conscience as to the "seventh" day brings them into unpleas- ant collision sometimes with others equally conscientious as to the "first" day, and while none are more law abiding than they, in general, their opponents sometimes think them a little ostentatious in working on Sunday, but that is natural if they work at all.
REORGANIZED CHURCH OF LATTER DAY SAINTS.
This branch of what is popularly known as the Mormon church, was or- ganized in Grinnell, December 1, 1900. Before that time, during several years' religious service was conducted in private families, or in the G. A. R. rooms, and afterwards in the Adventist church. The young people's society devoted itself to special study, as outlined in the "Book of Mormon."
The doctrines of this church differ widely from those of the Utah Mormons. It is radically opposed to polygamy and affirms that the Book of Mormon for- bids it and that Brigham Young introduced it. Their center is Lamoni, Iowa. and their neighbors, when acquainted with them, associate with them freely and do business with them as agreeably as with any others. No one has ever thought them guilty of anything like the Mountain Meadow massacre or of defending their religion with falsehood. Most of them have removed from the city and town.
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH.
For about two years, beginning in the fall of 1908, several Christian Scien- tists met every Sunday morning at the home of Mrs. William Beaton, 1216 Main street. Although there was no organization, services were conducted as in Christian Science churches.
After November, 1910, the meetings were held at the home of J. F. Wilson, 920 Park street. While there, they formally organized themselves, February 15. 1911, into a Christian Science society, and had their card put into the Christian Science Journal. J. F. Wilson was elected clerk and Mrs. Annie H. Clark, treasurer. The usual church service was given every Sunday morning, and a
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testimonial meeting every Wednesday evening. The readers chosen at the time of organizing were: First reader, Mrs. Mary Gray ; second reader, Mrs. Sulser.
In June, 1911, the society rented a room in the Stewart Library, and continue services there, with a usual attendance of about twelve.
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
In May, 1902, the Home Mission Board of the United Presbyterian church granted $500 to be used in beginning work in Grinnell, and Rev. W. W. Wood- burn was appointed minister in charge. The work was begun July 15, 1902. The old armory was rented for one year as a place of worship. September 13, 1902, a congregation was organized, consisting of ten charter members.
In October, 1902, by the aid of the Board of Church Extension, a lot was purchased at the corner of Fifth avenue and State street. In the spring of 1903 a temporary chapel was erected on this lot and this building provided a home for the congregation for more than four years. In July, 1906, the new building was begun and was completed in December, 1907, the dedicatory services taking place on Sunday, January 3, 1908.
In the spring of 1910 a call was given to Rev. W. W. Woodburn who had been stated supply of the congregation since its beginning, to become pastor. The installation service took place June 7, 1910. The congregation under the blessing of God has steadily increased in numbers and efficiency.
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