USA > Iowa > Wright County > History of Wright County, Iowa, its peoples, industries and institutions > Part 15
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James A. Rogers was born at Frankfort, Indiana, October 5. 1852. and removed with his parents to Iowa. He received his education at the Cedar Rapids high school and Cornell College and is a graduate of the
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law department of the University of Michigan. He was admitted to the bar of Iowa at Marion, Iowa, June 6, 1876, and located at Clarion, .August 1, 1880. Mr. Rogers took a leading position at once among the lawyers of the county, which he has maintained for thirty-five years. He has been associated during his practice with W. T. R. Humphrey and is at present a member of the firm of Ladd & Rogers. He is not only an able lawyer, but has been an influential citizen of his town and county. He served as mayor of the incorporated town of Clarion for several terms and is now serving as mayor of the city. Mr. Rogers also served with distinction for several years as assistant United States district attorney for the northern district of Iowa.
Lyman Moats, clerk of the district court of Wright county, who also has held several minor offices in this county, was born at Highland, Clayton county, Iowa, on August 22, 1857. He received his elementary education in the high school at West Union, Iowa, after which he attended Western College, near Cedar Rapids, and the law school at Iowa City. He was ad- mitted to the bar in the latter city on June 20, 1883, and on September 18, of that same year, located at Eagle Grove, engaging in general practice and office work. .
James C. Moats, well-known attorney of Eagle Grove, was born in Jackson county, this state, and was educated at Western College and at Iowa City. He was admitted to the bar in Iowa City in 1880 and in 1881 located at Eagle Grove, this county, where he since has been engaged in the general practice of his profession. He was engaged in the celebrated Delaney case and in several local cases of an equally important character. He has held no public offices.
CHAPTER XV.
CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
Iowa state official reports, published in 1905, disclose the fact that in the commonwealth at that time there were 3,821 congregations organized for worship, 3,610 in churches, 60 in halls and 151 in other places. At the same time there was almost $21,000,000 invested in churches, and 1,966 parson- ages were valued at $4,000,000.
Wright county had at that date 29 congregations and 28 church build- ings, the churches being valued at $122,300 and 18 parsonages at $32,800, a total of $155,100.
The last church census taken by the state of lowa was in 1905 and it showed the following for Wright county : Baptist churches ( regular ) 3 con- gregations, value of property, $9,800; Catholic. 4 congregations, value of property, $34,000; Christian, 4 congregations, value of property, $14,500; Congregational. 5 congregations, value of property, $28,200; Lutheran, 4 congregations, value of property, $6,900; Methodist Episcopal, 7 congrega- tions, value of property, $52,700: United Presbyterian, 2 congregations. value of property, $0,000; a total in the county of 29 church societies, own- ing property to the value of $155,100.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHIES.
The first Methodist Episcopal church in Wright county was that organ- ized at Goldfield in June, 1856, by Rev. David Day, with the following char- ter members: Emery Barnes and wife, Roswell Parker and wife and Ezekiel Cheaver and wife. They met in a log school house near where the church building now stands. School housees and other rooms served as meeting places for the congregation until 1889, in which year a neat church was erected at a cost of two thousand dollars, the same being dedicated on Janu- ary 26, 1890. Ten years later the building was remodeled and enlarged to its present dimensions and an addition made thereto at a cost of one thou- sand five hundred dollars, the re-dedication taking place on November 19. 1899. Plans were being made in 1914 to erect a fifteen thousand dollar church edifice, but were temporarily abandoned.
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The following have served as pastors of the Methodist church at Goldfield: David Day. William Hestwood, Seymour Snyder, B. B. Lane, James Williams. 1. Mershon, J. W. Lothian. A. S. R. Groom, F. Franklin, C. W. Clifton, 11. Il. York, L. B. Keeling, A. S. A. Groom ( second time ), J. E. Robbins, J. G. Henderson, Hugh Hay, F. H. Sanderson, Z. C. Brad- shaw, A. Star Black, W. A. Richards, J. R. Fans, Joseph Jeffrey, R. A. Harwood, J. C. Harvey, E. A. Bristow, I. B. Kilborne, C. F. Johnson, J. J. Gardner, E. A. Hoelsaher, C. Artman, A. R. Cuthbert, C. B. Mitchell, N. Pye, A. Hopkinson, A. J. Tritt, present pastor.
The present ( 1915) membership is two hundred and thirty, and the esti- mated value of all church property is six thousand eight hundred dollars. . 1 parsonage, built in 1896, and enlarged in 1907, is valued at two thousand three hundred dollars.
Since the organization of this church hundreds of men and women have confessed their Master at its altars. Scores of these have passed to their reward, while scores of others have removed from the community. In a single year more than twenty members moved to Ceylon, Minnesota, and there formed a Methodist Episcopal church. But in spite of all these losses, the Goldfield church has grown in numbers, and now has the largest con- gregation in its history. Several revivals have blessed the church, the last being in the spring of 1915, when a union service was held, continuing for weeks.
BELMOND METHODISTS.
The First Methodist Episcopal church at Belmond was organized in 1860 by a small class made up of Simeon Overacker and wife, James Jenne- son and wife and Elizabeth Connell. The 1915 membership is two hun- dred. The first building was dedicated on July 19, 1874, C. B. Winter then being the pastor, the church standing where the present building stands. Its cost was three thousand four hundred and forty-four dollars. Rev. J. W. Clinton, financial agent for Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, Iowa, had charge of the finances that day. That building was remodeled and repaired at a cost of three thousand dollars, under the pastorate of Rev. O. S. Bryan. The old parsonage, together was forty-two feet of the west end of the lot was sold in the spring of 1915, and a new parsonage was erected on Filbert street, just north of the church, at a cost of four thousand dollars, the pastor at that time being the Rev. R. N. Burress. Just prior to the beginning of his pastorate, a basement was excavated under a part of the church build- ing, and in 1913 Reverend Burress had the excavation finished and a new
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foundation laid under the remainder of the building. The same season the auditorium was frescoed and the following winter electric lights were installed, these improvements being made at a total cost of $1,200. The church stands on the southwest corner of Washington and Filbert streets.
The following ministers have faithfully served as pastors of this church : John Connel, William Hestwood, J. S. A. Groom, J. W. Rigsby, C. B. Win- ter, A. A. Shesler, Rufus Fancher, A. Ball, J. W. Spangler, A. A. Wilcox, Jesse Cole, P. H. Eighmy, William Preston, H. B. Long, G. H. Kennedy, J. F. Black, William H. Montgomery, L. C. Woodford, O. S. Bryan, A. McClintock, William Whitfield, G. F. Whitfield, H. G. Pittenger. C. E. Chapler, C. H. Van Metre, John Kettle, W. B. Empey and R. N. Burress. For a period of ten years, between the pastorate of William Hestwood and J. S. A. Groom, there is no record.
THE METHODISTS OF DOWS,
The Methodist church at Dows was organized in 1871 by C. W. Bur- rows and wife. The best historical account which can be given of this church is a brief sketch furnished by one of the early members, E. C. Bur- rows, which reads as follows: The Methodist Episcopal church of Dows had its beginning in 1871, in what was then known as Otisville, the name having been changed to Dows when the railroad came through this part of the country in 1881. Reverend Hamilton was the pastor and Reverend Hartsough the presiding elder. At that time Dows was in the Des Moines conference and when, in 1872, the Northwest lowa conference was organized, Dows became a part of the Alden charge in the Algona district. In 1885 Dows became a separate charge. A few years later Rowan was cut off, and in 1896 all outside points were discontinued and Dows stood alone.
This church has been served by the following pastors: Reverends Ham- ilton, Williams. Hobbs, Jameson, Hoswell, Beams, Todd, Warren, Drake, J. F. Black, Jeffery, Flannigan, A. S. Black, Baker, O. A. Luce, D. A. MeBur- ney, W. W. McGuire, L. F. Troutman, E. R. Mahood, C. F. Johnson, C. E. Matteson, F. W. Ginn and D. M. Simpson, the present incumbent. The church originally sprang from the two members above mentioned, Mr. and Mrs. Burrows, and others immediately following were William Willix and wife, Stephen Sergeant and wife, William Tutin and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Northrup, Mrs. A. E. Gibson and Mrs. E. A. Parkinson. In six years it had increased to thirty-nine members and three probationers. About this time the first church building was erected and proved a comfortable house of worship until it was outgrown. Plans for a larger church were discussed
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and inaugurated during the closing months of Rev. O. A. Luce's administra- tion, and the following year ( 1806) the present commodious brick edifice was erected under the pastorate of Rev. D. A. McBurney, at a cost of about eight thousand dollars, the same being dedicated on September 6, 1896, by Rev. I. B. Ives, of Auburn, New York. For more than a quarter of a cen- tury the Methodist church of Dows has stood as a monument of righteous- ness in the community, and the high moral standard of the town and country around it is due to a great extent to the untiring efforts and Christian quali- ties of the membership of this congregation. There is a church membership of two hundred, a fine Sunday school of two hundred members and a good healthy Epworth League of about sixty-five members. There is a good eight- room parsonage, built in 1906, under the pastorate of Rev. E. R. Mahood. at a cost of about three thousand five hundred dollars. The church is equipped with a basement under the entire building and is fitted up with dining room, kitchen, furnace room and social room.
EAGLE GROVE METHODISTS.
The Methodist Episcopal church at Eagle Grove, which, before railroad days, was connected with that at Goldfickl, was organized in Eagle Grove township in 1879, by Rev. J. G. Henderson, with the following charter members: J. M. Miller and wife, James Renne and wife, Nelson Slaikue and wife, R. Hopkins and wife, George Gray and wife, B. F. Smith and wife and J. Middleton. The present membership is four hundred and twen- ty-five. The first church, erected in 1882, was destroyed by a cyclone in the spring of 1885, and a new one was erected that season. This has been enlarged at various times, forming the present edifice. The present value of all church property belonging to the Methodists in Eagle Grove is placed at fifteen thousand dollars.
The following is a list of pastors who have served the congregation at that place: Hugh Hay, R. C. Glass, F. H. Sanderson, Reverend Harmon. Reverend McCory, Reverend C. B. Martin, W. A. Black, P. C. Hanna. George H. Kennedy, E. M. Glasgow. A. S. Flannigan, J. W. Southwell, F. W. Ginn, George W. Southwell, II. A. Hastings, C. M. Phoenix, E. C. Chapler, W. W. Bolinger, A. M. Wilkinson and S. M. Vancleve.
THE METHODIST CHURCH AT CLARION.
The next church of this denomination in Wright county was that organ- ized at Clarion, in 1880. Its articles of incorporation bear date of January,
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1880, but the class had been formed some time previous to that. A building, thirty-two by fifty-five feet in size, was erected in the spring of 1881 at a cost of one thousand four hundred dollars, and was dedicated in November following, by the Rev. J. 11. Rhea, D. D., of Mt. Vernon, lowa. The bell was donated by Mr. McMurry, of New York City. The present mem- bership is two hundred and thirty, and the present estimated value of the church and parsonage property is eighteen thousand dollars. The present church was erected in 1902, at a cost of $10,000, the old building being turned around and worked into the new structure.
The following have served as pastors of the Methodist church at Clar- ion: J. E. Rowen, J. P. Cloeman, J. D. Hoover, H. J. Grace. 1879-81 : J. M. McCoy, 1881-82; 11. J. Grace, 1882-83; C. C. Turner, 1883-85: W. 11. Flint, 1885-87; W. W. McGuire, 1887-88; J. II. Snow, 1888-00; G. E. Stump, 1890-91; W. W. Tyrell, 1891-04: I. B. Kilbourne, 1892-04; C. . 1. Devitt, 1804-06; C. B. Winter, 1806-07: M. O. Lambly, 1807-09: Robert Burnip, 1899-1900; C. F. Johnson, 1900-01; Frank Mathis, 1901-05: J. B. Luscombe, 1905-07: W. IL. Spence, 1907-09; C. 11. Van Meter, 1900.
THE CHURCH AT WOOLSTOCK.
The Methodist Episcopal church at Woolstock was organized in 1800 by the following charter members: William Reid and wife, William Tat- ham and wife, William Throssel and wife, Simon Day and wife, Manuel Wallen and wife, David Ley and wife, S. W. Terrell, S. E. Parrish and wife, Wilson Reid and a few others. The membership in 1915 was sixty- eight.
The church was built at a cost of three thousand two hundred dollars, a frame structure, with a deep basement put in during the spring of 1915. the present value of which is estimated at five thousand dollars. The list of pastors for Woolstock church is as follows: Reverends Faus, Irvin, Green, A. MeClintock, E. L. Stevens, Alfred James, Henry Albertson, G. M. Pen- dell, E. J. Bristow, Arthur C. Culver, N. L. Hotchkiss, F. W. Witford, F. L. Schar, M. J. MeCabe, Charles Sanders, T. W. Owens, W. N. Bump and W. Il. Welch.
The French Lutheran church, located four miles east of Woolstock. was built in 1806 by people who had come to this county from Alsace-Lor- raine. It is an independent church. There is a cemetery on the same lot as the church, where the French people bury their dead. They did have a
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preacher at one time, but since 1913 the Rev. W. H. Welch, pastor of the Woolstock Methodist Episcopal church, has been preaching for this society.
There is another Methodist preaching point for the central part of Vernon township, known as Center church, the membership of which is now twenty-seven. The society owns no church, but hokls meetings in the school house. The congregation is now cared for by the church at Popejoy, over the county line, and has been served from that place since 1896, but before that was connected with Dows, and possibly once connected with the work at Williams, in Hamilton county. The pastors from Popejoy have been : Lewis Baker, 1806-7: A. T. Carpenter, 1897-9: G. L. Tennant, 1809-1900; Perry Thomas, 1900-01; R. B. Tibbetts, 1901-03; W. G. Bennett, 1903-04; R. Ilild, 1904-06; P. L. Smith, 1906-07; E. Dale Calkins, 1007-10; W. H. Welch, 1910-12; L. A. Dale, 1912-15.
LINCOLN TOWNSHIP METHODISTS.
Lincoln township has a Methodist church known as Lincoln church, sit- nated four miles east and two miles south from Clarion, which is the out- growth of a work of this denomination years before. A society was formed about 1878 by Rev. John E. Rowen, among the members of which were .1. K. Ketchum, O. T. Nichols and wife, Mrs. Maurice Fisher, Simon Heath, . A. B. Collins and wife, John Walton and wife and Harrison Thompson. The first meetings were held in a school house which stood across the road from where the A. G. Tillman home is now situated, near Lincoln No. 2, in section 10, the place of meeting later being changed to a school house which stood on the southwest corner of section to, which was later moved to Lincoln No. 1. Subsequently, it was moved to No. 6, and there the present church was formed. The date when the present congregation was organized was about 1867, and its charter members were as follow: A. K. Ketchum, Peter Smith, George Ulrich, James Smith and A. B. Collins and wife. The pastors following Reverend Rowen were Hathaway, Stout, Snow, Flint, I .. B. Kilburn and Devitt. The present church property is located near the William T. Richards home, and is valued at one thousand dollars. The first pastor was from Rowan, the second from Clarion, the third from Clarion, the fourth from Rowan, the fifth from Rowan, the sixth from Rowan, and the seventh and eighth from Clarion.
METHODISTS AT ROWAN.
The First Methodist Episcopal church at Rowan was organized many years ago. The records are lost and no one can establish the early history
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of the society there. It is known, however, that more than twenty years ago a church building was erected by this church at Rowan. A new one was completed and dedicated on November 22, 1914. This edifice is valued at twelve thousand dollars, it being one of the best, most attractive and expensive churches within the county. The parsonage is valued at one thou- sand eight hundred dollars. The present membership is one hundred and fifty, among this number being many well-to-do farmers in the surround- ing townships. The present pastor is Rev. Carl Hammer.
VARIOUS LUTHERAN CHURCHES.
The Eagle Grove Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church was organ- ized in 1884 by Rev. T. O. Wigdahl, now of Rutheven, Iowa. The pres- ent membership is about six hundred souls. The charter members were: Erick Gunderson and family, Even Olson and family, Gustave Johnson and family, Daniel Nelson and family, Andrew Nelson and family, Severt Hov- land and family, John Iloveland and family and Ole Gunderson. The present edifice is the original church, repaired and greatly enlarged. The pastors who have served there are: T. O. Wigdahl, H. C. Holm, O. C. Far- seth, O. R. Sletton, T. O. Thorson and H. A. Oakdale, the present incub- bent.
The church of this denomination at Holmes, in Lake township, is attended by the pastor of the Eagle Grove church, the parent church, which was organized in 1887 by H. C. Holm, with the following charter mem- bers: II. H. Warren, C. Tjoland, T. Tostenson, Andrew Anderson, J. G. Johnson. The congregation now numbers one hundred and fifteen, and the value of the church property is three thousand dollars. The church was built in 1804. The pastors have been H. C. Holm, Ole Sletter, L. O. Thor- son and H. A. Oakdale.
EAGLE GROVE LUTHIERANS.
Samuels Lutheran Church, at Eagle Grove, was organized in 1888. The congregation bought the old German Methodist church building on the east side and added to it and worshipped there twenty-five years, but in 1913 moved over to the west side, locating at the corner of Lincoln and State streets, where they erected a good frame structure, with a full basement, valued at five thousand dollars. A parsonage was provided in 1911, at a (12)
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cost of three thousand five hundred dollars. The present membership is one hundred and fifty souls, or thirty families. The pastors have been as fol- low: Reverend Eastbold, who served fifteen years; O. A. Anderson, four years; T. J. Spondae, present pastor, four years. Ile also has charge of a small congregation over the line in Humboldt county. The work is also extended to Holmes, Lake township, where the Lutherans rent of the Bap- tists. The two branches of the Lutheran church at Hohnes were united until about 1900, since which time two separate churches have been kept up.
St. John's church, in Norway township, was organized in 1887 by Hans T. Asbe, A. Hovland, N. Olson, A. T. Asbe, Adolph Espe. Abel Nel- son, H. P. Johnson. There are now two hundred and fifty-six souls in this congregation and the value of their church property is three thousand dol- lars. The pastors have been H. C. Holm, J. J. Akre, J. Hitland and II. C. Holm.
St. Olaf's church in Belmond township was organized in 1888 by N. N. Johnson, N. Sangstad, H. Jacobson, A. Furnseth, O. Furnseth, C. Furnseth and Ole Thompson. The present membership of this congregation is four hundred and ninety-three souls. The value of the church property is four thousand dollars. The pastors have been H. C. Holm, J. J. Akre. J. Ilit- land and H. C. Holm.
BELMOND LUTHIERANS.
St. John's German Lutheran church at Belmond was organized in 1903 and has been under the pastoral charge of E. Schalinski, 1903-06; F. I. Duerr, October, 1906, to August, 1907, and William Meier since July, 1900. The voting membership is nineteen and the confirmed members number sixty-six. The estimated value of the church property is six thousand dol- lars. In 1910 the parsonage and church building were greatly improved, and in 1914 the church was rebuilt at a cost of about one thousand five hun- dred dollars. Following is a list of the charter members of the church : Conrad Groh, Louis Schwarz, Henry Friesleben. Gust Vestweber, Joseph Pletsch, Henry Dippel, Conrad Happel, Philip Geiz, William Gealow. Henry Wagner, John M. Allison, Christ Friesleben, William Vestweber, Conrad Vestweber, Joseph Ileginger, George Rucka, Angust Rabe, Jacob M. Walz.
A little history was given out at the re-dedication of the newly-built church edifice on May 31, 1914, when it was stated that this Lutheran church was founded in 1903 by Germans living near Belmond, who imme- diately purchased the old church and parsonage of the Evangelical Associa-
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tion, at the corner of Market and Main streets. Up to 1910 there was but little activity in the congregation, and people hardly knew there was a Ger- man Lutheran church in Belmond. But since that date activities have been noted on every hand. A debt of three hundred dollars was paid and a beau- tiful altar and pulpit were added. New members were received and a little later new seats were provided for the handsome auditorium. When all was finished the newly-appointed church and fixtures were dedicated on Whit- sunday, the pastor being assisted by Rev. Prof. II. K. G. Doormann, of St. Paul. It was a day long to be remembered and referred to in the history of this faithful band of worshippers.
UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCHI.
What is styled the United Lutheran church at Dows was formed sev- eral years ago, but no church building was available until 1914, in which year the congregation purchased the old Christian church, remodeled the same and now has a handsome place of worship on the main street, a frame structure surmounted by a spire. Rev. O. L. Thorson, of Franklin county, who is pastor of a country church a few miles to the east of Dows, also ministers to the congregation at Dows.
BAPTIST CHURCHES.
The Baptists have never had a strong organization in Wright county. The earliest of these churches was started at Woolstock about 1873-4, and a building was erected by the few who were of that faith, but after a nun- ber of years of ineffectual struggle the society went down, though the build- ing is still standing there as a monument to the faith of this devoted people.
Goldfield was the next point in Wright county where the Baptists organized a church. This organization was perfected on August 23, 1882, and now enjoys a membership of one hundred and twenty-two. The char- ter members were J. R. Tyler. C. S. Tyler, Rossie Tyler. Menton Tyler, J. B. Gore, Addlie C. Woocester, Everett Tuttle, Ella W. Tuttle, F. E. Tut- tle. F. B. Plumley and W. C. Tuttle. A frame church building was erected in 1893, and the church property is now valued at four thousand four hun- dred dollars. The pastors who have served this congregation are: Alvin Plumley, W. K. Lane, John Pearson. J. G. Eaton, George Sneath, Benja- min MeKeen, J. M. Whistler, N. H. Daily and J. S. Nicholson, the present pastor. A communion set was donated to the congregation a number of
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years ago. Goldfield, Eagle Grove and Holmes are the only places in Wright county now supporting Baptist churches, where regular services are kept up and a pastor maintained.
The First Baptist church of Eagle Grove was organized on February 5. 1890, with twelve charter members. The membership is now two hun- dred and five. A neat frame church was erected in 1891, at the corner of East Broadway and Wright streets, and it is still serving well its purpose. The first parsonage was purchased in 1908 by Mr. and Mrs. D. J. Price. In 1915 this was sold and with the proceeds the present modern and beautiful parsonage was erected, adjoining the church edifice.
The following pastors have served there: A. C. Zellhoefer, June 1, 1800, to July 14, 1892; O. P. Somers, August 1, 1892, to October, 1892; George W. Stone, December, 1892, to September 30, 1894; R. H. Shaftoe, October, 1894. to November 20, 1898; H. C. Nash, January 12, 1809, to October 10, 1001; F. O. Bump, November 17, 1901, to January 3, 1904; J. W. Neyman, March 1, 1904, to September 7, 1905; Arthur J. Lander, November 1, 1905, to 1909; A. Fauquet, October, 1900, to September, IQII; Rev. D. P. Odell, 1911 to 1913, and Reverend Hart, 1913 to pres- ent date.
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