USA > Iowa > Wapello County > History of Wapello County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 19
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The congregation continued to worship at the corner of Finley and Adella until January, 1908, when it was decided to build in another part of
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the city. In the meantime, however, the church met for worship in a hall, while the new church was under process of erection. The building was com- pleted and paid for, many friends contributing toward its cost in the way of donating the lot and contributions of money. From the beginning the or- ganization has enjoyed the services of some very able evangelists, such as J. A. Shepherd, J. S. Rogers, A. Ellmore, William Ellmore, T. Huston, A. C. Crenshaw, W. H. Gray, W. J. Roberts, Harvey S. Nelson, J. C. Bunn, J. D. Boyer, A. C. Mclaughlin and Clayton Gall. The church is located on the corner of Mary and South Ward streets.
SWEDISH LUTHERAN CHURCH
The first Swedish immigrants to Ottumwa in any large number came in the early '50s. Few, however, remained to become permanent citizens, but joined settlements already established in New Sweden, Jefferson County and Munterville. A congregation was organized in New Sweden as early as 1848, and is today the oldest congregation in the Augustana Synod. In the year mentioned, Rev. M. F. Hakanson gathered together the people in Ottumwa for worship at the home of N. P. Nilson, but it was not until the 16th of February, 1871, that the congregation was formally organized. The first preacher to minister to the Swedish people in Ottumwa was N. Nord- gren, who preached the first Christmas morning matin service held in Ottumwa and served from 1869 until 1871. No regularly ordained pastor presided over the Swedish Lutherans here until 1875. The congregation, however, listened to sermons from Reverends Malmberg, Hakanson and Rehnstrom, who were assisted from time to time by divinity students, among whom may be mentioned P. J. Sanden, M. A. Melin and N. Forsander. The first parish meeting called to select a pastor was held January 14, 1873, when Reverend Hedeen was called. In 1874 a church was built, and on the 17th of September, the first service was held in the new edifice. In 1875 Dr. M. C. Ranseen assumed charge of the congregation which then numbered seventy-one communicants. He labored until 1879, and was succeeded by Dr. M. P. Oden, who assumed charge in February, 1881.
The church was destroyed by fire in 1883, and the present building on the corner of Second and Jefferson streets took its place and Christmas services were held in its auditorium. During Doctor Oden's incumbency. the parson- age was purchased. He left in 1889 and was succeeded in June of the same year by E. J. Malmstrom, during whose administration the congregation grew rapidly. Reverend Malmstrom resigned in 1897 and was followed by G. E. Youngert, and before his departure, or rather in 1899, the church property was enlarged and improved. In 1901 Doctor Youngert was called to assume a professor's chair in the Theological Seminary in Rock Island, Illinois, and thus was compelled to give over this pulpit to Rev. A. Gunberg, who served faithfully and well for nine successive years. He was
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followed by O. A. Henry, who resigned in 1912 to assume the superintend- ency of the Conference Hospital in Des Moines. His successor was Rev. C. J. Segerhammer, of St. Louis. The present pastor is P. O. Bersell.
GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH
For several years the German people of the Lutheran faith were not sufficiently strong in numbers to form themselves into a permanent religious class, and while gaining strength they secured from time to time ministers from neighboring communities to preach to them. Among the clergymen who came here for this purpose were Rev. R. A. Phister, who died July 6, 1912; Reverend Hartman and Rev. E. Buehrer. Reverend Hast also spent nearly two years here doing missionary work and instructing the children. Finally a meeting was called for August 26, 1886. Rev. E. Buehrer was chairman and Rev. W. Hansen, secretary. Besides these there were five other persons and the First German Evangelical Lutheran St. Paul's con- gregation was organized. A call was extended to Rev. W. Hansen, who was the first regular pastor. For a short time services were held in the Swedish Church on Jefferson Street, but not long afterward the congrega- tion had a church building of its own, at the corner of Vine and Second. Reverend Hansen stayed but a short time and was succeeded by Rev. H. Foelsch, then a young man, who took up the work and stayed about nine years, retiring from the pastorate in the fall of 1895. His successor was Rev. G. Langkammerer, who remained three years. He was followed by Rev. M. Jahr, and under his ministry the young people's society was or- ganized. After a short stay Reverend Jahr retired and was succeeded by Rev. E. Pett, who also stayed but a short time. Next came Rev. J. Haefner, whose pastorate continued through nine years of faithful work. He took charge in the fall of 1901 and in 1902 the church was enlarged and a base- ment constructed to be used as a school room. All this time the church was growing in membership and prosperity. Reverend Haefner was succeeded in 1910 by Rev. C. Rembold, who remained but a few months. His successor was Rev. G. C. Hanssler, who had just completed his theological studies.
In connection with the church is a parochial school which has an at- tendance of about twenty-five children, who are instructed by the pastor, Reverend Hanssler.
ST. MARK'S ENGLISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
St. Mark's Lutheran Church is the youngest religious body in Ottumwa. It was organized June 8, 1909. The preliminary canvass was made by Rev. E. H. Gilner, now of Irving, Illinois, assisted by English Lutheran pastors from neighboring cities. The first one to occupy the pulpit here as a regular pastor was Rev. A. M. Sapperfield, who labored zealously and with no small
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degree of success for fifteen months. Services were held in the auditorium of the Young Men's Christian Association Building. The work was sup- ported, as it is now, largely by the board of home missions and by the general synod of Iowa, together with whatever help the local church can give. A vacancy in the pastorate of eight months and losses by removals from the city worked hardships. However, a call was extended to the Rev. Carl A. Sundberg, the present pastor, who accepted and began his ministrations May 5, 1911. Since June of that year services have been held in the Grand Army Post headquarters, the first room on the left of the entrance in the court- house.
CHURCH OF THE LATTER DAY SAINTS
The first branch of the Church of the Latter Day Saints was organized at Keb in May, 1892, with a membership of fourteen. D. F. Williams was at the time ordained to the office of priest and elected to the presidency of that board. The church increased in membership until it had reached sixty- eight souls. When the mines failed at Keb the members became scattered until no one was left to carry on the work. This condition obtained until 1904, when, through the return of some of the members to Ottumwa, the church was revived and Ottumwa became its home in 1905. That same year a building was put up on Fairview Avenue and D. F. Williams was elected head of the organization. Services are held every week at the chapel on Fairview Avenue.
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
A sect whose belief is that the Saviour will make his advent in the clouds, appearing to the peoples of the earth, effected an organization in Ottumwa April 15, 1905. The membership was composed of Elders L. F. Starr, C. A. Washburn and fifteen others. It was through the faithful and efficient services of Mrs. Margaret Young, a Bible worker of the denomination, that the organization of this church was made possible. Bible readers on the prophecies and doctrines of the Word were given by her to many interested people of Ottumwa during the three or four years she labored here. The church has no pastor, although the Iowa Conference of Seventh Day Ad- ventists has a membership of 2,500 and twenty or thirty ministers. Various halls of the city have been used by this church in which to hold services. At present a room in the Utt Building is being utilized by the society.
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST ( SCIENTIST)
On November 25, 1898, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, was or- ganized in Ottumwa. Articles of incorporation were prepared and a charter
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was applied for and granted. The work provided for, a home was begun in June, 1899, when an opportunity was afforded to buy St. Mary's Epis- copal church building, situated at the corner of Fourth and Market streets. Prior to this date services were held at the homes of members but the first public place of meeting was in a small room on the second floor of the Grand Opera House. Later the Christian Scientists moved into a room in the Hofmann Building, and then the grand jury room at the courthouse was secured, where regular services were held four years, or until the latter part of 1899, when the congregation was installed in its present church building.
There is also a Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene in Ottumwa, its location being at Hancock Street and Wabash Avenue.
DOUGLAS SCHOOL, OTTUMWA
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OTTUMWA HIGH SCHOOL
CHAPTER XVII
EDUCATIONAL
Nowhere in the United States were public educational foundations laid with more breadth and care than in Iowa. From the days of the first mes- sage of Governor Lucas, the first of the territorial governors, careful pro- vision was made for the instruction of Iowa youth and their training for good citizenship. The foundations long preceded the superstructure. In an article upon the topic, "Institutional Beginnings," in the Annals of Iowa, July, 1898, Prof. Jesse Macy of the chair of history in Grinnell College, treats of this feature of Iowa educational history.
"As an instance of discrepancy between statutes and history the early school laws may be given. If you ask an early settler in Iowa when this state introduced public schools, he will tell you that the public school system did not become thoroughly established till about 1854 or 1855. But were there not schools earlier than that? Yes, but they were private schools ; or they were partly private and partly public. In each neighborhood, as soon as there were enough children of school age a meeting of the citizens was called, a place and plan for a schoolhouse determined upon, a day set for building, and at the appointed time they all came out and built. Then they hired a teacher and kept up the school as best they could. From the earliest territorial statutes one would infer that schools were then estab- lished in Iowa free to all white persons between the ages of four and twenty- one. Counties were organized into districts on petition of a majority in the proposed district. School districts were elaborately officered with seven officials for each district, and there were minute provisions for the manage- ment of schools. According to the statutes of Iowa, the territory and afterward the state was abundantly and thoroughly supplied with the privileges of free public schools for all white children. The statutes are abundant and, as they are closely examined, one is convinced that they are not merely formal acts which had made their way into the records and been forgotten. They are real, living laws, prepared with great care, and re- vised and made more elaborate at each session of the Legislature. Yet, if you turn from those records and study the actual school system of the territory and the state, you will find that the free school was a plant of slow growth; that for years there were no free schools; and the great body of our citizens are under the impression that our public school system dates back only to about 1854.
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WERE PLANNING AHEAD
"Prof. T. S. Parvin, who was the first man appointed to the superin- tendency of public instruction in Iowa, states that those early law-makers knew quite well, at the time they framed their laws, that there were no public schools, and could not be in the greater part of the state but they expected to have the schools some time, and they believed that the passing of good school laws would have the effect of encouraging immigration. These statutes expressed a longing of the people for a time when there would be seven persons living near enough together on these prairies fitted to hold school offices and manage a public school in their various neighbor- hoods. In the meantime such statutes could be made immediately available for purposes of advertisement in the East, and thus assist in bringing about the state of society desired."
The earliest schools in Iowa were supported by the contributions and tuition of the pioneer settlers. The first school taught within the present limits of Iowa was presided over by Berryman Jennings, who opened a school in October, 1830, at what is now known as Nashville, Lee County. At this time Iowa was a portion of Michigan Territory. Mr. Jennings' school lasted through November and December and was held in a building which he describes: "This schoolroom was like all other buildings in the new country, a log cabin built of round logs or poles notched close and mudded for comfort; logs cut out for doors and windows, also fireplaces. The jamb back of the fireplace was of packed dry dirt, the chimney topped out with sticks and mud."
It was strange that the second school opened in the state was within a few miles of the Jennings School. It was taught by I. K. Robinson and dated from December 1, 1830, but two months after the pioneer pedagogue rang his bell at Nashville.
Realizing the importance of educating their children, the men and women, who came to this new county from long settled localities in the east- ern and middle western states, as soon as they had constructed habitations and assumed community interests, built schoolhouses, but in many townships schools were in operation before houses were built for the pupils. A few children would be taught in a room of one of the log cabin homes, the parents in turn boarding the teacher and paying a certain stipend in addition. Then came the log school, many of which were built by the settlers, at no expense other than that of their own cheerfully given labor. Herein the children gathered during the winter months and were instructed from a motley collection of text books, in "readin', writin' and 'rithmetic." They stood on a puncheon floor to recite their lessons and used a board laid on pegs for a writing desk. Of the latter there was none. Seats were of hewn logs.
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In Dahlonega, Agency, Eddyville and Ottumwa, schools were taught in the early '40s. In 1847, a mill was built in Eddyville and the first work turned out was lumber for a schoolhouse. But who taught the first school in the county is not clear to the memory of those who made matters of this description a study. Judge Hendershott hesitated between Erskine Rush and a Mr. Tansey in giving the palm for the distinction. He rather leaned toward Mr. Tansey, who had a school at Dahlonega.
The first courthouse was built and occupied in 1846 and children were taught the rudiments of an education within its walls, but according to the Courier, of issue, September 22, 1848, there was not at that time a school building in the county seat. There were, however, two private schools, and the one in the courthouse was of the number.
In the year 1850 Ottumwa had two frame houses devoted to school pur- poses, and in 1853 Miss Lavina Chandler opened a private school in one of these buildings, which stood in the eastern part of town. Two years later the Misses Hornby opened a school in the second story of a business block and shortly after W. A. Sutliff taught a select number of pupils at the ex- pense of their parents. On October 8, 1855, the Ottumwa Seminary was opened, under the management of Dr. A. G. Lucas and O. R. Johnson.
A called meeting, the first of which there is any record obtainable, was held by "the directors of Ottumwa City School District" in the office of S. B. Thrall, May 15. 1858; J. M. McElroy was president ; W. L. Orr, vice president, and S. B. Thrall, secretary. What the real purpose of the meeting could have been does not appear, as nothing was accomplished of any moment. At an adjourned meeting held on the 18th of the month, a committee was selected, who later secured from the trustees of the Methodist Church permission to use the church building for school purposes, free of rent.
Matters now began to look serious to the school board, as the number of children was increasing and in proportion thereto school facilities were lagging. When the board met in September, 1858, the secretary made the declaration that "if a school was to be kept any length of time during the following year, it would be necessary to levy a tax to pay the larger part of the expenses." Then arose the question as to the length of the school year to be maintained. One advocated ten months, another nine months, and still another six months. The members desiring nine months' school during the year prevailed.
No provision had been made for the construction of a suitable school building until the March meeting of the board in 1861. Then Charles F. Blake moved a tax to be levied, of five mills on the dollar, on the taxable property of the district, to build a schoolhouse. At this time Ottumwa had a population of 1,632 and was growing. Time went on and finally in the year 1863 excavation of ground on "College Square" for the proposed building was commenced. It was finished in 1865, at a cost of about $29,000.
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This was the old Adams Building, which was rebuilt in 1883, at an expense of $28,000. It was then that the present system of Ottumwa schools may be said to have properly begun. Previous to that the schools were scattered over the city, with as many systems as there were teachers. There had been no superintendent or recognized head of schools, but upon the occu- pation of the Adams Building, Dr. C. C. Warden was elected president of the board of education, with L. M. Hastings, superintendent of schools. Prof. Wilson Palmer superseded him in 1873, and he, in turn, was followed, in 1876, by Prof. A. W. Stuart, who remained in the position many years, ranking as one of the prominent educators of the state.
Ottumwa has spent treasures upon its educational institutions. The old Douglas, on West Second, was built in 1874, for $6,000, and enlarged in 1877, at a further cost of $4,000. In 1909 a new structure was erected at a cost of $32,000.
The Lincoln School was built in 1879, and cost $30,000. An addition was built in 1901. The Irving School was erected in 1886, at a cost of $20,000. It also was given an addition in 1901, and the improvements on these two schoolhouses amounted to $25,000.
The Garfield school building, on Ash and Plum streets, was constructed in 1882, at a cost of $22,000; The Hedrick, located at Summit and Valley streets, in 1888, cost $20,000; the Agassiz, at Williams and Weller, in South Ottumwa, in 1882, cost $20,000; and the Franklin, situated at Walnut Avenue and Schworm Street, in 1893, cost $20,000. In 1912, the Frank- lin school building was given an addition at an outlay of $9.345.
In 1904, the Orchard School, on Orchard Street, was built, at a cost of $5,653, and the Fairview School, in Fairview Addition, was erected at a cost of $5,100.
Some time prior to the year 1907 the board of education took in the Star School District, and built in the year named, at a cost of $25,000, the Jefferson School. The building is outside of the corporate limits of Ot- tumwa. In 1912 the Stuart schoolhouse in South Ottumwa, on Ward and Wilson streets, was erected at a cost of $45,000. The High School, a magnificent building standing on West Fourth and Ottumwa streets, was erected in 1899 and cost the taxpayers $50,000.
Prof. A. W. Stuart, in whose honor one of the modern new school buildings was named, died in October, 1912, after having served as super- intendent of the Ottumwa public schools thirty-six years. The present incumbent, H. E. Blackmar, succeeded him December 11, 1912. Under the superintendent's jurisdiction is a corps of teachers, numbering 144.
The present members of the board of education are: M. B. Hutchison, president ; J. A. Wagner, secretary; W. H. McElroy, treasurer; H. E. Blackmar, superintendent ; G. B. Simmons, J. M. Majors, J. B. McCarroll, C. D. Evans, G. B. Heindel, H. B. Somers.
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THE A. W. STUART SCHOOL, OTTUMWA
WAPELLO CLUB, OTTUMWA
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HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY
THE RURAL SCHOOLS
Throughout the county in the various townships are maintained district schools which give the children educational facilities of an order that is improving from year to year. Adams has six ; Cass, three ; Columbia, seven ; Green, six; Keokuk, seven; Pleasant, nine; Polk, eight; Richland, eight ; Agency, three; Center, nine; Competine, nine; Dahlonega, three; Highland, eight; Washington, nine. Agency City has one schoolhouse; Blakesburg, one; Chillicothe, one; Eddyville, one; Eldon, two; Kirkville, one; and Ottumwa, thirteen. Most of the country schoolhouses are of frame con- struction, but there are exceptions to this. For instance, there is the Cross Roads schoolhouse in Agency Township, which is a substantial, modern, square brick building, with porch at the front entrance. The building was erected in 1906, at a cost of $2,000. The Competine Building cost $3,000. Center School building in Center Township, cost $2,000. There are em- ployed in the county twenty-six male teachers and two hundred and eighty- one female teachers. The average compensation per month of female teachers is $43.55 ; males, $46.94.
ALBION WESLEY STUART
Albion Wesley Stuart, son of Ezekiel Eastman and Emeline (New- comb) Stuart, was born June 11, 1839, at Etna, Maine. His boyhood was spent at Orono, Maine, but his preparation for college was completed at Hampden Academy. At Bowdoin he was a member of the Peucinian So- ciety, and the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. Upon graduation he gave himself to educational work. He was principal of the academy at North Anson, Maine, for two years, of Parsonfield Academy for one year, and of the high school at East Abington, Massachusetts, in 1866 and 1867. The latter year he removed to Iowa and was superintendent of the public schools of Marion for two years. He was superintendent of schools at East Des Moines from 1869 to 1872, and at Fort Dodge from 1872 to 1876. In the latter year he was chosen to a similar position at Ottumwa, which he held with acceptance until his death. This occurred October 16, 1912, the result of a stroke of apoplexy.
Mr. Stuart received the degree of Master of Arts from his alma mater in 1866, conducted many teachers' institutes in his adopted state, and held several high positions in its educational associations. His marked success in his chosen work and the great influence he possessed in the community in which he labored for nearly forty years, was due to his own personality. A quiet, dignified, but unassuming gentleman, devoted and faithful in every department of his educational work, animated by the highest ideals of Christianity, his death evoked an expression of esteem and affection of which the greatest could have been proud.
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Mr. Stuart married, August 25, 1868, Frances Augusta, daughter of Rufus and Phebe (Noyes) Brett, of Farmington, Maine, who survives him with two of their four children, Edward E. Stuart, of Chicago, Illinois, and Emma Brett, wife of George C. Edgerly, of Omaha, Nebraska.
The Ottumwa Courier, under date of October 18, 1912, had the fol- lowing to say :
"The huge assembly room of the Ottumwa High School, usually a place of life, joy and happiness, was today transformed into a place of death, sadness and mourning. The song of gladness and praise gave way to dirges and the usual words of instruction for the guidance of youth, gave way to testimonials by pastors and friends of a man's life that was well spent. Fully 5,000 persons passed through the assembly room and bid a last fare- well to their chief teacher, Prof. Albion W. Stuart. The remains of Professor Stuart lay in state immediately in front of the rostrum in the assembly room and were viewed from 9.30 until 12.30, by the thousands of his friends in Ottumwa during the interval. The children of all ages from the various schools of the city came in a body to pay their last respects to their beloved superintendent. The entire block on West Fourth Street, from Cass to Ottumwa streets, was black with crowds that poured in a steady stream in and out of the high school while the remains lay in state."
CROSS ROAD SCHOOL, NEAR AGENCY
CHAPTER XVIII
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION
By Dr. M. Bannister
Wapello County has been blessed from the time of its earliest settle- ment by the self-sacrificing labors of energetic and efficient physicians. In the early years of its history there were but few physicians, and they of neces- sity traveled over very poor roads and often over trackless prairie. The diseases which they treated were different in character largely from those which are treated today owing to the difference in modes and conditions of life. Malaria and typhoid fever, now so rare, were then very common. The writer well remembers hearing Mrs. Mary L. Leighton, one of the early settlers of Competine Township, relate a story of the sickness of her little girl. This little daughter of three summers was taken ill with a fever. The doctor who attended to the settlers' medical needs happened to come by on his horse the second day of the fever. He stayed some time at the house, examined the little girl and told the mother she would be sick for several weeks. He gave some medicine and directions as to treat- ment and said that he had a long circuit to make and would be back in three weeks. Ere the circuit of the doctor was completed and he returned to the cabin the little girl had passed away. This was in 1846.
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