USA > Iowa > Wright County > History of Wright County, Iowa, its peoples, industries and institutions > Part 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49
The Baptist church at Holmes was organized in 1900 by a company of traveling Baptist evangelists, who side-tracked a "gospel car" on a spur put in by the railroad company, and remained in town two months in the summer and autumn of that year. As a result of their labors the church was organized and now has a membership of thirty-five. Services are held in their own building by the pastor at Goldfield, who preaches in the after- noon or evening at Holmes.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES.
Belmond Congregational church, the pioneer of this denomination in Wright county, was organized on March 3, 1867, and incorporated on November 13, 1880. The charter members were as follow: Deacon and Mrs. S. N. Hinman, Deacon and Mrs. C. J. Boughton, Mr. and Mrs. John Christie, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. George Udell, Mrs. Frank Christie, Mrs. Clark and Mrs. Swan. The organization of this church was the result of a work started in the Sunday school, by Deacon Boughton and Deacon S. N. Hinman, and from special meetings held by Reverend Harrison. The following pastors have served at Belmond Con- gregational church : Revs. Father John D. Sands, who remained over
181
WRIGHT COUNTY, IOWA.
thirty years as pastor, beginning on January 30, 1869, and closing his labors on January 6, 1903, at which time he was made pastor emeritus. Follow- ing his pastorate came A. L. Dutton, William Uher Parks, P. W. Jones, B. W. Northup and E. Carnell Wilson. In 1906 the present handsome cement-brick edifice, known as Sands Memorial church, was erected at a cost of twelve thousand dollars.
CONGREGATIONALISTS AT CLARION.
The Congregational church at Clarion was organized by Father J. D. Sands on November 12, 1872, with three charter members, namely: Mrs. O. C. Sheplee, Mrs. Caroline Ellsworth-Thompson and N. F. Weber. The first church building was erected and dedicated in 1883, the dedication tak- ing place in December. The building was a frame structure, thirty-two by forty-four feet, and carried a corner tower seventy feet in height, the cost of the house being about three thousand dollars. A bell weighing seven . hundred and forty pounds was donated by A. W. McMurry, of New York state. The fortieth anniversary of the organization of this church was observed in November, 1912, when an interesting program was carried out. The present membership of this church is two hundred and fifty. made up of both town and country people. The present church building was erected in 1900 and is a large, well-planned frame structure, costing about fourteen thousand dollars. Among the pastors of this Congregational church are recalled J. W. Sands, Willis W. Mead, Edward Payson Childs, William R. Stewart, H. Parker Fisher, A. S. Houston, Ed. Ewell, Samuel J. Beach, Julian Hanford Olmstead, Nathan Howard Gist, and the present pastor, Rev. John T. Walker.
THE CHURCHI AT EAGLE GROVE.
The First Congregational church of Eagle Grove was organized on October 15. 1881, by those interested in the formation of a church, who met in the parlor of Mrs. E. D. Ryder, and with Rev. J. R. Knodell, as mod- erator, and B. W. Hilton, as scribe, the church was organized with the fol- lowing charter members: Adolph Swanson, David Hopkins, Lucy Hop- kins, Andrew Wright, Mrs. Mary Wright, Mrs. Rebekah Brazelton, Mathew Armbruster, E. D. Ryder, Mrs. Florence Ryder and B. W. Hilton. The first clerk elected was B. W. Hilton, and the first deacon was E. D. Ryder. The church thus formed was reorganized by a church council that
182
WRIGHT COUNTY, IOWA.
met in Ryder's Hall on November 23, 1881. The present membership is two hundred and six. A church building was provided and dedicated on October 28, 1883, at a cost of two thousand dollars. The present church edifice was dedicated on February 9, 1896, and cost five thousand nine hun- dred and sixty dollars and fifty cents.
The following pastors have had charge of this church since its forma- tion : J. D. Sands, M. Ranier, S. R. Wells, I. N. Tomes, C. R. Bruce, W. Radford, Francis E. Drake, L. B. Hix, N. L. Burton, W. W. Mead, A. F. Lyman, Franklin Elliott, G. I. Shull, Newell F. Douglas, T. O. Douglas, Jr .. Fred E. York, George E. Plant, L. M. Pierce.
THE CHURCH AT ROWAN.
The Congregational church at Rowan was organized in 1890 by Father J. D. Sands, and the present membership is seventy-seven. Soon after organization a frame church was erected in Rowan and is now valued at four thousand five hundred dollars. A good parsonage was provided in 1893 which is still in use by the pastor. The pastors at Rowan have been Rev- erend Hoover, S. A. Martin, Charles Chambers, V. A. Carlton and the pres- ent incumbent, Rev. S. J. Huffman.
Harvey Congregational church, in Grant township, was formed by Rev. W. F. Harvey in 1896, and a church building was erected in 1897. the present membership at that point being fifty-one. This congregation is associated with the Rowan Congregational church in support of a pastor, and the church buildings are valued at one thousand five hundred dollars. Reverend Harvey died in November, 1880, aged seventy-one years, and was buried at Horse Grove.
The Congregational church at Galt was organized on December 3, 1883. by Rev. W. F. Harvey. In 1891 a church was built there and was dedicated on December 13 of that year. What is known as the Harvey me- morial window was dedicated in the evening of the same day of the church dedication. Reverend Blanchard, of Webster City, dedicated this church, assisted by Rev. T. O. Douglass, Rev. J. B. Chase and Reverend Turk. The present membership of this church is about forty. The following is a list of the pastors since the organization of the church: W. F. Harvey, T. W. Hoover, S. A. Morlin, William T. Suley, Vinton Lee, Thomas I. James, J. D. Mason. P. B. Fisk, John W. Martin, James Davies, W. H. Gifford. Felix Ross, C. W. Davis and G. B. Deakin. Reverend Harvey died on December 1, 1889.
183
WRIGHT COUNTY, IOWA.
There is still another Congregational church in the county-that in Wall Lake township, which is under the pastoral care of the church at Galt. It is located along the south line of the township and county. The charter members of this church were: Rev. W. F. Ilarvey, Adam Waddell and wife, L. D. Woodley and wife, William Green and wife, George Palmer and wife, Mary Scheffler, Spencer Boynton and wife, James Parsons and wife, Mrs. Keziah Patterson, Mrs. A. B. Lynk, Mrs. Margaret Bleckett and Solomon Smith and wife.
EPISCOPAL CHURCHI.
The only Episcopal church in Wright county is the one at Eagle Grove, known as St. John's, which was organized in 1908, and now has a member- ship of about sixty communicants. The congregation has a neat chapel and rectory, situated on West Broadway, valued at five thousand dollars, all the church property being valued at about six thousand dollars. The rec- tors have been Harry L. A. Fick, Thomas Horton and William Pence James. The church is now served from Mason City.
UNITED BRETHREN CHURCHES.
The United Brethren have not been particularly active in this county. The late Hon. John E. Rowen was also a minister of the gospel, at one time having been a Methodist Episcopal preacher. Mr. Rowen organized a United Brethren church at Clarion and built a church there in 1891, preach- ing his farewell sermon in April, 1892. This church was one of the hob- bies of Senator Rowen's life. He was a most excellent Christian gentleman and was the means of awakening better thoughts and inspiring purer lives in many a man, woman and child within the radins of his ministrations. This church only existed about seven years. The building was converted into a residence, which is still standing in Clarion. Both among Methodists and United Brethren, Rev. John E. Rowen will long be remembered for his self-sacrificing work and the kindly deeds he performed in this county.
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.
The United Presbyterian church of Goldfield, Iowa, was born out of a desire for communion on the part of a number of families of that persuasion who moved to Goldfield from Traer, lowa, in the year 1881. This desire
18.4
WRIGHT COUNTY, IOWA.
being communicated to the synod, ministers were sent to "spy out the land." Whether or not they were unanimous in their reports, or whether the most glowing report measured up to the Joshua and Caleb standards, is not known, but it is certain, however, these early labors resulted in the organ- ization of the United Presbyterian church of Goldfield on March 4, 1884, Rev. D. Livingstone and Rev. H. Mitchell effecting the organization, with the following charter members: W. W. Wilson, Agnes Wilson, E. J. Weeks, Eliza Weeks, John Nicoll, Alice Nicoll, J. R. Stevenson, Jane Stev- enson, William Mccutcheon, Martha Mccutcheon, Robert Pollock, Janet Pollock and Sarah Dewel. Of these members, only Mr. and Mrs. Steven- son, Mr. and Mrs. McCutcheon and Mr. and Mrs. Pollock are members at the present time.
It may be said of this congregation, destined to become a plant of renown, that Reverend Livingstone planted it and Doctor Duncan watered it under the favoring hand of God. Doctor Duncan served the congrega- tion as stated supply for about three years. During the early period of this organization, this infant of the church was without a home. The people met for worship in the school house until the latter part of the year 1886, when, through the untiring efforts of Doctor Duncan, the first church building was completed and dedicated to the worship of God, the building being erected at a cost of two thousand dollars.
Rev. G. I. Findley was the first regular pastor of the Goldfield United Presbyterian church, serving from 1884 to 1905, his active ministry cover- ing a period of almost eighteen years. He was succeeded by Rev. W. Z. Allen, who continued his labors from 1905 to 1007, and was followed by Rev. W. R. Irvine, who remained from 1908 to 1913. Following him came Rev. W. G. Comin, who commenced his pastorate in the autumn of 1913, and is still faithfully serving the congregation. . The membership has increased from an original enrollment of fifteen persons, in 1884, to two hundred and forty at the present date.
It is expected that any healthy infant will outgrow its clothes. If it was the expectation of those who nursed this infant of the church during the earlier years of its life, that one day it would outgrow its home, those expectations were realized, for it came to pass in the year 1908 that the people viewed the walls of Zion, and behold! they were lacking in height and length and breadth. Result: A large, commodious and convenient place of worship. this enlargement being brought about at a cost of five thousand dollars. The parsonage was built in the year 1896, during the pastorate of Rev. G. I. Findley, at a cost of about one thousand two hun-
-
185
WRIGHT COUNTY, IOWA.
dred dollars. If the ground were to be purchased today and the same class of buildings erected the cost would not fall below twenty thousand dollars.
UNITED PRESBYTERIANS AT CLARION.
The United Presbyterian church at Clarion was organized on April 6, 1893, under the name of the First United Presbyterian church, with the following charter members: G. N. Hall, Mrs. Hanna Ilall, Hattie Hall, Thomas Lyons, Mrs. Ann J. Lyons, Jennie Lyons, Elmer Lyons, William J. Soults and wife, Emma A. Soults, Agnes Soults, Jeunie Sturgeon, Thomas Sturgeon, Mrs. E. T. Sturgeon, Anna P. Sturgeon, Mary E. Stur- geon, Marion R. Sturgeon, Minnie M. Sturgeon. For some time after the formation of the church, services were not held regularly. The present membership is one hundred and sixty-two. A building was completed dur- ing the summer of 1896, the present value of which is seven thousand five hundred dollars. The church also owns a handsome parsonage. The Sab- bath school now has a membership of two hundred.
The following ministers have served as pastors of the First United Pres- byterian church at Clarion: J. H. Nibleck, from June, 1895, to 1896; 1. R. Paul, from July, 1896, to October, 1900; J. S. Pollock. July, 1901, to December, 1906; W. A. Condon, April, 1907, to January, 1910; Lee E. Rife, February, 1911, to March. 1914; Samuel Brown, July, 1914, to the present date, and the following have served as elders: Messrs. W. J. Soults, James Sturgeon, G. N. Hall, J. J. Hazlett, William Bell, R. W. Brecken- ridge, J. H. Ramsay, A. E. Weber, S. R. Lyons, Fred F. Soults, Joseph Bell.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.
There is but one congregation of the regular Presbyterian denomina- tion in Wright county, that being the church at Dows, organized on Septem- ber 14, 1884. with the following charter members: William Selleck and wife, H. H. Parkhurst and wife and R. Hopkins and wife. From the or- ganization down to 1893 there was no installed pastor, services being con- ducted by neighboring pastors and students from the seminary. The mem- bership now is ninety-six.
In 1800 a frame building was dedicated, its cost being one thousand two hundred dollars. In 1899 an addition for a Sunday school room and basement was made, costing one thousand dollars. In 1914 new seats and other inside improvements were made, costing five hundred dollars, and the manse was erected in 1915 at a cost of one thousand two hundred dollars.
186
WRIGHT COUNTY, IOWA.
The following pastors have served this church to date: I. C. Tour- tellot, 1893-97; J. E. Cummings, 1897-1903; D. Mel.oud, 1904-6; A. H. Noyes, 1907-8; James Clark, 1909-10; C. C. Brown, 1911-12; J. M. Ma- haffy, 1913, still serving. \ Ladies' Aid Society, formed in 1885, now has forty-five members, and a Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, formed in 1803, now has thirty-six members. This church entertained the presbytery in 1804 and again in 1914.
THE CHURCH OF GOD.
There are two congregations of the Church of God in Wright county, one at Eagle Grove and the other in Lincoln township. The Eagle Grove church was organized in 1895, with the following charter members: Mrs. Cornman, Mrs. J. P. Allard, J. P. Allard, O. J. Allard, Mrs. O. J. Allard, George Vore, Mrs. L. Ketheut, Nettie Bourn, John Kinnan, and the follow- ing ministers have served as pastors: O. J. Allard, John Garton, Almus Adams and G. E. Marsh. The church now has a membership of twenty. In 1895 a building was purchased for seven hundred and fifty dollars. The estimated value of the present church property is two thousand dollars.
The Lincoln township Church of God-Bethel-located in section 36, in the southeast corner of the northeast quarter, was organized in the nine- ties. Meetings were held in the school house for a number of years, and in 1800 a frame building was erected, the church property being valued at two thousand dollars, including parsonage, etc. The following pastors have served this church: Conrad Fatland, Joseph Kipford, David Kipford, Rev- erend Fatland and wife, Reverend Coleman, Reverend Huddle, Reverend Mitchell, Reverend Huddle and Reverend Hilterbridel.
SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK.
Perhaps the earliest regular Sabbath school in Wright county was the one organized by J. D. Sells in 1859, in Troy township, in a small log cabin. New Testaments were used instead of the modern plan of using "lesson leaves." Pioneer Sells was a Methodist and it is not unlikely that this school was more Methodist than union in its character. In 1876 there were numer- ous Sunday schools in the county, and Father J. D. Sands thought it high time to organize a County Sunday School Association. He carried out his notion and was elected president of the association, Rev. A. Plumley, of the
187
WRIGHT COUNTY, IOWA.
Baptist denomination, being made secretary, and N. F. Weber, of the Clar- ion Congregational church, treasurer.
One of the recent letter-heads of this association carries the following : Wright County Sabbath School Association. President, O. H. Benson, Goldfield; G. T. Eldridge, Clarion, first vice-president ; I. A. Stroup, Holmes, second vice-president ; E. C. Burrows, Dows, treasurer; Jennie G. Keith, Clarion, secretary; Mary E. Sturgeon, Clarion, assistant secretary. Execut- tive Committee: R. M. Graham, Dows; O. H. Benson, Goldfield; Mrs. M. S. Page, Belmond; O. W. Whaley, Clarion; James Innes, Eagle Grove; A. MacEachron, Goldfield, honorary member ; secretary primary department. Edith Whiting, Belmond; secretary home department, Mrs. Christie Pink- ham, Goldfield; secretary normal department. Jennie Winter, Clarion.
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES.
The Church of Christ ( Christian denomination ) at Clarion was organ- ized in 1886, by Rev. Dawson Brokaw, with the following charter mem- bers: J. G. Mecham and Messrs. Piatt, King and other faithful members, such as the Tillmans, the Summers and others. The contract for the erec- tion of the first church building was let in October, 1887, and the building was dedicated on September 22, 1889, by Reverend Remear. The present membership is about two hundred. The ministers who have served as pas- tors are: Reverends Reamer, Walters, Halet, Pierce, Morrison, Bennett, Dennison, Babcock, Mattox. Littleton and the present pastor, the Rev. A. O. Wright. There is also a thriving church of this denomination at Goldfield.
REFORMED CHURCH OF AMERICA.
The Reformed Immanuel Church of America, at Belmond, in Pleasant township, was organized on September 17, 1884, by a committee of classes by lowa R. C. A. The first minister was Rev. R. Johnson, serving from October, 1884, to October, 1894; Rev. Johannes De Beer, 1894-96; Rev. A. J. Reeverts, April, 1807, to October, 1907; J. G. Theitken, March, 1908, to August, 1900; Rev. E. Il. Thormann, March. 19to, to present date- 1915.
Lambert Pals donated five acres of land on which the church and par- sonage were erected. The first church was built in 1888: rebuilt in 1895; its rebuilding created one of the finest churches in Wright county; its cost was about $12.000. In 1902 a suitable parsonage was erected, costing $1,800.
ISS
WRIGHT COUNTY, IOW.1.
In 1915 improvements were added, costing $700, and a barn built on the premises in 1911, costing $600; sheds and other buildings amounting to $1.200. The present value of these various improvements is about $18,000.
The congregation now has a membership of about fifty-five families and seventy-six communicants.
-Among the charter members were Lambert Pals, one of the founders and member of the consistory, still serving as such; the Bohnings, Harm brothers, the Frohlings, Gruis, Franke, Hinderka Pals, Schmidts, Men- nenga, Dorenkamp, Froehlings. Bruns, Stieler, Booikes and others.
H. Mennenga donated a thousand-dollar pipe organ to the church. The 1915 members of the consistory are: Rev. E. Il. Thormann, president ; Elders. H. B. Dorenkamp, Hinderk P. Pals, Berend Bruns, and the deacons are Lambert Pals, Harm Groenlander and Hieko Bruns.
CATHOLIC CHURCHES.
The few churches of this denomination in Wright county are unusually strong and active in their work. Belmond was the first point in the county where this denomination commenced its work, St. Francis parish having been established there in 1870, and a building was erected the following year. The first priest to holdl services in Belmond was Rev. Father O'Dowd, who went there from Ackley at intervals during a period of eight years, when the parish secured its first resident priest, Rev. Father Brennan, of Webster City, who remained until 1883 and was followed by Rev. Father Hanley, who remained about six months and was followed by Rev. Father Toohill, who remained until 1888, on December 24 of which year Rev. Father Egan was introduced as pastor. During a period of thirty years the membership of the church had increased from a very few to nearly four hundred.
Father Egan, whose zeal for the church was dauntless, and whose efforts to "found his congregation on a rock of permanency" were success- ful to a point of extreme satisfaction, found that the church building was not ample to accommodate his growing congregation and immediately began the erection of the present imposing edifice, which was completed in the spring of 1900 at a cost of nearly ten thousand dollars, and was dedicated in May of the same year. As is the general of an army, so was Father Egan to the local charge, and after seeing his hopes fulfilled he was obliged to give up the work of this charge owing to ill health, and while in the South in search of health he contracted that dreadful disease, smallpox, from which
189
WRIGHT COUNTY, IOWA.
he died in the spring of 1901, after a lifetime spent in the service of the Master.
Shortly after the departure of Father Egan, Rev. Cornelius Sampson succeeded as temporary pastor, and during his short stay did much in build- ing up the interests of the parish. In January, 1902, Rev. M. F. MacIner- Hey was appointed permanent rector. His ten years of zealous labor added wonders to the spiritual and temporal welfare of the parish. A native of Clare, Ireland, he came to this country when a young priest, and served faithfully and well in many parishes of the Dubuque archdiocese. He was a man much revered by his parishioners and his sudden death, on December 5, 1912, was the cause of deep regret in the community. Succeeding the Rev. M. F. Machnerney is the present pastor, Rev. M. F. Eardley. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on January 21, 1874. he began his theological studies in Assumption College, Sandwich, Ontario, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 21, 1901. Previous to his present appointment he held charges at Marshalltown, Volga City, Van Horn and Sabula, Iowa. The church has a magnificent property at Belmond, valued at twenty thousand dollars, including church and parsonage. The present membership is over four hundred souls.
CLARION CATHOLIC CHURCH.
The religious experiences of the first Catholic settlers of Clarion were so closely connected with those of their neighbors of the same faith at Belmond that the history of the Catholic church at Clarion is virtually told in the history of the church at Belmond in the same period.
Coming west in May, 1866, Messrs. John Burns, Michael Goslin and Daniel Leonard, natives of Ireland, and married, were the first Catholics who located with the view of exploring the plains of the Clarion district. Having arrived at a time when the country had not yet emerged from the original undeveloped state, they were forced to contend with difficulties simi- lar to those which confronted Belmond Catholics in the days of their early experience. Commercial drawbacks, occasional reverses of fortune and a meager attendance of the faithful were only a few of the difficulties which confronted them. For four years following 1866 they were obliged to jour- ney over the prairie wilderness and wade through unbridged streams and ponds to assist at the holy sacrifice of the mass, and receive the sacrament of the church in Fort Dodge, Webster county. In September, 1870, Rev. P. O. Dowd, then resident pastor of Ackley, Hardin county, visited Bel-
190
WRIGHT COUNTY, IOWA.
mond and celebrated mass for the first time in Wright county in the modest residence of James Welsh, at Franklin Grove. Thither the early pioneers hastened for spiritual aid at stated intervals to enjoy the privilege of a priest's ministrations. Those living south of the town of Clarion continued to resort to Fort Dodge and later to Webster City.
In 1878, when the county became more thickly settled and Catholicity more widely diffused, a resident pastor was stationed at Webster City, in the person of Rev. Eugene O'Keefe, a native of Ireland. To afford greater facilities to the scattered Catholics of the southern part of Wright county, Father O'Keefe occasionally visited their residences to offer up the holy sacrifice of the mass, to administer the sacraments and to instruct the chil- dren. As time and human industry wrought advantageously in this part of Iowa, many of the Catholic families were gradually added to the isolated few who first sought to leave the impress of their personality on the virgin soil of Clarion. Their spiritual wants now became more urgent and of frequent demand. Rev. Eugene O'Keefe first organized a district com- munity and rendered religious service to the Catholics of Clarion in the cen- ter of their newly acquired homes, celebrating mass from time to time in the residences then immediately south of Clarion in a district now within the town's incorporated limits. When, in 1882, Rev. J. J. Hanley became resident pastor in Belmond, the Clarion congregation was transferred from the jurisdiction of Webster City. He celebrated mass first in Clarion in the okl court house.
GRADUAL. GROWTH OF THE CHURCH.
Rev. James Brennan succeeded Father O'Keefe as pastor at Webster City and visiting pastor of Clarion, immediately following Father Hanley. In 1883, under the supervision of Father Hanley, the good people, in their zeal, energy and perseverance, assisted by the liberal sympathy and aid of the non-Catholics of Clarion, succeeded in accomplishing the, to them, cher- ished work of the erection of a substantial and commodious church build- ing, which was dedicated to God's service in January, 1883.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.