USA > Iowa > Allamakee County > Past and present of Allamakee county, Iowa. A record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. I > Part 36
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ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH AND SCHOOL
St. Patrick's church at Waukon was built by Rev. Denis Brennan, in 1868; Andrew Johnson being president of the United States and John Hennessy, arch- bishop of Dubuque. During Rev. Father Brennan's pastorate the membership was small, but what it lacked in quantity it possessed in quality. Father Bren- nan was succeeded by Father Lowrey ; and next came Father McGowan, who in turn was succeeded by Father Hawe, who is now pastor of the Catholic church at Decoralı. Father Hawe was followed by Father Byrnes, who died shortly after; and in 1885 Rev. Father Walsh was sent here. In1 1906 he was made an irremovable rector by Most Reverend John J. Keane, archbishop of Dubuque.
In 1910 Rev. Father O'Donnell was appointed assistant to Father Walslı, whose failing health caused him to resign in 1911, and the present rector, Rev. M. K. Norton. received the appointment. with Rev. Father Reynolds as assistant. Rev. Father Norton is an eloquent speaker, and is regarded as one of the leading theologians of our country. He is one of the diocesan consultors and a member of the official family of Archbishop James J. Keane of Dubuque.
The beautiful new church which is being built this year under Father Nor- ton's direction is to be of the Spanish renaissance or mission style of architecture. It will be 160 feet long and sixty feet wide, of white pressed brick with stone trimmings, marble altars, rails, and vestibules, mosaic floors, and Munich glass windows.
St. Patrick's congregation is composed of about 200 families, and numbers some 1,200 souls. The members are engaged in most of the callings of this busy life: the sturdy farmer, the strong workman, the brainy mechanic, the real live
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merchant and the thoroughly competent professional man. Like our own glorious America they have grown from small beginnings to their present grand propor- tions. They are God-fearing, patriotic, honest, and generous in their donations to religion and every other good cause. They believe that all they possess came from the hand of God, and in a spirit of gratitude they offer to the Great Giver of all good a liberal share of their earnings. They remember the stories of hard- ships told by their pioneer fathers and mothers; they rejoice that they are citi- zens of the best and greatest country on God's green footstool, and that they enjoy blessings, religious, political, and social, greater than were ever accorded to members of the human family since the dawn of human history.
ST. PATRICK'S SCHOOL
St. Patrick's congregation at Waukon takes a special pride in its parochial school, which is a large, imposing structure, ninety feet long and four stories high. The building was started by Rev. Father Hawe about thirty years ago, who invited the Presentation Nuns of Dubuque to act as instructors. This order is a teaching body of cloistered sisters who came from Ireland to Dubuque in 1879, and opened a convent on West Hill. The first superioress in Waukon was Rev. Mother Presentation, who with two assistants conducted the school for about five years.
The school is now twice its original size, and has an enrollment of 220 pupils with seven sisters in charge. The course of study covers twelve years, and in- cludes the curriculum of the public schools. Music, stenography, and a normal teachers course. form special features of the institution. The kindergarten is in charge of Sister Martina ; primary grades, Sisters Inviolata and Rita ; intermedi- ate, Sister Sacred Heart : grammar school, Rev. Mother Clementina ; and the high school and normal, Sister M. Charles. The music school is ably managed by Sister M. Anicetus, a niece of Rev. P. A. Walsh, a former much loved pastor. The graduates of the school number over 150 young men and women who have gone out into the various walks of life, making good in every case, and each in his own way reflecting credit on himself and his alma mater.
In addition to the foregoing contribution by Mrs. Cain, an old history pub- lished in 1882 supplies the following facts, further supplemented by the county records and newspaper files :
"In 1855 Rev. Father Kinsella bought forty acres of land northwest of town, and built thereon a log church, in which his people worshiped for many years. In 1864 they purchased the property of Lewis H. Clark in Waukon, being a part of block 4 in Shattuck's addition, corner of School and High streets. and con- verted his dwelling into a place of worship. This soon became too small for the growing congregation, and in 1868 the present large brick church was erected on the site of the old building, which was moved a short distance to one side, to the rear of the parsonage. March 9. 1869, the old building was destroyed by a fire, in which the records were lost, and this sketch is necessarily incomplete. Since Father Kinsella its priests have been Farrell. Nagle, Lowrey, Brennan, Mc- Gowan, and Hawe, who still presides over this charge. The church membership is about 100. The church a few years since purchased a part of block 5. opposite their place of worship and parsonage, the site of the old public schoolhouse-
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whereon they have this season ( 1882) erected a fine brick edifice, three stories above the basement, with mansard roof, at a cost of $5,000, for the purpose of a sisters' school."
The school was opened in 1883, and in a later year this fine school building was added to, doubling its size. The deed of the present church site in 1864 was first to Mrs. Mary McDevitt, who soon after re-conveyed it to the Rt. Rev. Clement Smyth, of Dubuque. James and Mary McDevitt came to Waukon in 1855, and built a frame dwelling with a basement for Mr. McDevitt's shoe shop, on the corner of Main and Pitt streets, where it was a landmark for many years. The corner is now occupied by Dr. Cain's handsome brick block. James Mc- Devitt died December 11, 1870, and Mrs. McDevitt later married John Quigley. She was again widowed, and was finally provided with a home in St. Francis hospital in LaCrosse, where she passed her last days. Father Brennan did not remain long after the erection of the old church, and in 1869 went to Europe because of failing health. Father McGowan was here during 1874.
St. Patrick's church became incorporated under the Iowa statutes November 28, 1911. Archbishop James J. Keane, ex-officio president : Pastor, Rev. P. A. Walsh, ex-officio, vice president ; who, with Rt. Rev. Roger Ryan, vicar general, and lay members, Hugh O'Donnell and Thomas McGeough, constituted the board of directors.
BAPTIST CHURCHI
The First Baptist church of Waukon celebrated its semi-centennial in the year 1904, by the erection of a fine new edifice, which was completed and formally dedicated to the service of the Lord on Sunday, September 17, 1905. Its organ- ization dates from June 17, 1854, on which day Azel Pratt and wife Mary, John G. Pratt, Lathrop Abbot and wife Emily, Miles Nichols and wife Hannah, Phoebe Hersey, and C. J. White, assembled at the dwelling of the first named, in the New England settlement called Makee, on what is now known as Makee Ridge, two miles north of Waukon, and organized under the name of the Alla- makee Baptist church. Of these nine constituent members none is now living, but their memory is fittingly honored by the beautiful window in the south front of the new building. The first named of them, Deacon Azel Pratt and wife, the strong pillars of the church in the first quarter century of its existence, entered into rest but a few days apart, in 1881.
The Baptist Mission pioneer, Rev. James Schofield, extended the right hand of fellowship to the members of the little church, and by the end of the year six more were added to their number by letter and experience. In July, 1855, the rite of baptism was first administered to seven persons, by Elder Schofield, and the church grew rapidly, seventeen being received by baptism and seven by letter in 1855. and ten by baptism and seven by letter in 1856. John G. Pratt was the first church clerk, and in January, 1855, Azel Pratt and Isaac D. Lambert were chosen as the first deacons. Public worship was held in the Makee schoolhouse; but the growth of the village of Waukon and the removal thither of many of the members made it necessary to have service here also, and in March, 1855, Samuel Hill, Jr., was engaged, at a small remuneration, to preach one-half of the time; in the morning at Makee and in the evening at Waukon, the schoolhouse here
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being built in that year. Elder Schofield continued to labor with the church a part of the time until July 1. 1856. Meanwhile the young preacher Samuel Hill had been, on May 18th, ordained for the ministry, and became the church's first pastor. In 1857 he returned to his former home in Massachusetts.
The second pastor of the church, according to the records, was Rev. L. M. Newell, who was on May 23, 1857. called by the church at a salary of $500, one- half of which was paid by the Home Mission board, and he remained on the field until June, 1859. In this time the church had assembled in Waukon ; and in 1860 we find services were held in the Methodist church every fourth Sunday. Here follows a period of scant records; Rev. C. D. Farnsworth preaching a part of the time and Rev. James Schofield was pastor in 1861.
In 1866 Rev. D. S. Starr was called and it was during his pastorate on July 4. 1868, that the old church society was reorganized and incorporated as the First Baptist church of Waukon, with the following officers: Azel Pratt, A. T. Maltby and A. HI. Hersey, trustees; John G. Pratt, clerk ; and C. O. Maltby, treasurer. They immediately proceeded to build a house of worship, a frame building, on the north side of Pleasant street, in which the first services were held January 17. 1869. In the spring of 1871 this frame building was sold to A. H. and A. Hersey, and remodeled as a place of residence, for which purpose it is still used. by several tenants, and is known as the "bee-hive." The church then purchased the brick building erected by the Congregational society on the present site in 1883, in which they worshipped for thirty-three years, until is was razed, in July of 1904. to be replaced by the present modern structure, at a total cost of about $18,000, including a $2.000 pipe organ built by the Hook-Hastings Co. of Boston.
The pastors of the church since 1869 have been as follows: Rev. L. L. Frisk. 1870-71 ; Geo. M. Adams, 1872-73; John M. Wedgwood, 1873-78. Father Wedg- wood was greatly beloved of his flock, but health failing, he took an interval of rest. Later he served the Rossville church two or three years, but increasing ill health caused him to retire to a farm in Fayette county, where he occasionally preached as he was able. In 1887 he returned and built him a home in Waukon, where he continued to reside until his death, in 1891, in his seventy-second year. F. N. Eldridge, 1878-81; M. H. Perry, 1881-82; Robert Smith, 1882-84; F. W. C. Wiggin, 1884-85; Geo. H. Starring. 1886-87; D. N. Mason, 1887-93: E. E. Tyson, 1894-96; Robert Bruce, 1896-98; W. C. Stewart, 1899-1902.
Chas. Henry Stull. 1902-05. Under his tireless activity and encouragement the new building enterprise was undertaken and successfully carried out. Hav- ing seen the completion of this great work, shortly after the dedication of the new edifice, Mr. Stull tendered his resignation, which was reluctantly accepted. and he has since occupied important fields at Denison and Iowa Falls, this state; St. Paul, Minnesota ; Iluron, South Dakota ; and now in Ohio.
I toward Percy Langridge was then called to this church, in December, 1905. and took up the work with an energy, devotion and tactfulness that brought immediate results; and with so great a sympathy and helpfulness for all in misfortune that he soon endeared himself to the entire community, within the church and without. The circumstances of his tragic death by drowning in the lake of the power company on the Oneota river, May 22, 1909, are too fresh in the hearts of his still sorrowing friends to call for repetition here. A young man
Presbyterian church German Reformed church Catholic church
Baptist church Methodist Episcopal church Old Allamakee college Public school
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES OF WAUKON
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of but thirty-five, in athletic vitality, devoted to this family of wife and three young sons, and to the cause which he had espoused ; and with so bright a future in prospect, the deplorable event scemed impossible. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. A. W. Canl of Vinton (under whose pastorate he was ordained five years previously ), assisted by the local pastors of sister denominations, and the remains were taken to Manchester, Delaware county, his former home, for burial.
W. H. Belfry next became pastor, from October 1, 1909, until June 1, 1912. In September following he was succeeded by the present pastor. W. J. Bell.
The church clerks have been : John G. Pratt to 1869; L. W. Hersey 1869-81 ; John W. Pratt, 1881-94; Mrs. Charlotte Hancock, 1894-1901; E. B. Gibbs, 1901-03; Miss Frances Lathrop, 1903-05: P. A. Anderson, 1905-12; Dr. J. H. Johnson, 1912-13.
Any historical sketch of this church would be obviously incomplete without special reference to Brother John W. Pratt, who was for so many years not only its never-absent clerk and deacon, but also, for over a quarter of a century, the faithful chorister, and who departed this life in 1897. It would also be unjust to omit mention of the faithful organist for many years, Miss Estelle Pratt, still a faithful assistant ; and her successor, Miss Lizzie Spaulding. The same might well be said of Mrs. Flora Crawford, Mrs. Ella Howard and Mrs. Evy Howe, the leading members of the choir.
On November 3, 1902, in her eighty-first year, Mrs. Nancy B. Whiting entered into the reward of a long and patiently suffering Christian life ; and a few weeks later. January 6, 1903, her brother, Lewis W. Hersey also died, in his seventy- eighth year. His wife, B. A. Hersey, lovingly known by the entire congregation as "Aunt Ann," survived him but a few years. She had made the erection of the new church a possibility by her original contribution of $5,000, when the project was undertaken, which she had later increased, and bequeathed $3,000 as an endowment, the interest to be used only for current expenses of the church. Sister Whiting deeded her comfortable home to the church for a parsonage : and Brother Hersey had been a financial stand-by of the church for many years. All three were very helpful to the church while living, and their works do fol- low them.
In December, 1903, it was decided that a new church edifice be erected, at a cost of not to exceed $9,000. In January, 1904, the plans of architect Dohman of Milwaukee were adopted, and a building committee appointed, consisting of E. W. Goodykoontz, P. A. Anderson, E. H. Fourt, Dewight Sherman and Mrs. B. A. Hersey with C. O. Howard and M. S. Howard advisory members thereof. In June following three additional members were appointed, Pastor Stull, E. B. Gibbs and J. H. Johnson. C. O. Howard did not live to see the work completed, having passed away on the 7th of September. With various alterations made in the plans it was found that the original limit would not be sufficient, and the contract as let to Wm. F. Fuelling of Clayton county called for an outlay of about $13,000, and the old material; which amount was eventually considerably exceeded.
In July, 1904, the old structure was razed, and work begun on the foundation. The cornerstone was laid October 9 by the deacons of the church; and the new building was opened for services June 23, 1905, though incomplete, upon the occa-
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sion of the meeting here of the annual session of the Turkey River Baptist Asso- ciation. Meanwhile, since the preceding June the regular meetings of the church had been held in the City Hall. The formal dedication of the new edifice took place September 17. 1905, the dedicatory services being conducted by Rev. H. O. Rowlands, D. D., of Davenport. On this occasion the trustees reported the total cost and expenses to date to be $16,101.19. The trustees at that time consisted of : E. W. Goodykoontz, E. H. Fourt. P. A. Anderson, E. B. Gibbs, and M. S. Howard. Deacons: E. B. Gibbs, Dewight Sherman and E. M. Hancock. Dea- conesses : Mrs. Margaret David, Mrs. S. D. Torrey and Miss Lida Sherman.
June 20, 1908, a terrific hail storm badly damaged the art windows on the north side of the church. The interior decoration of the church had never been completed, and early in 1910 this work was taken up, and the interior remodeled, a capacious gallery constructed, and the choir loft greatly improved. These repairs and improvements caused an additional expense of some $2,000, and made a very beautiful auditorium. The church was reopened April 17, 1910.
The present membership of the church is about ninety, with the following officials : Trustees, E. H. Fourt, P. A. Anderson, A. E. Entwisle, Mrs. Flora Craw- ford, E. B. Gibbs. Deacons: E. B. Gibbs, Dewight Sherman, E. M. Hancock. Deaconesses : Mrs. Millie Markley, Mrs. Maude Kelley, Mrs. Ida Entwiste ; and Mrs. Margaret David, honorary deaconess for life. Clerk, J. H. Johnson. Gen- eral auditor, E. B. Gibbs. Chairman of finance committee, E. M. Hancock. Choir : Mrs. Flora Crawford, Mrs. Ella Howard, Mrs. Evy Howe, Mrs. Mabel Colsch, Mrs. Beth Allanson, Messrs. Anderson, Fourt, Goodykoontz and T. T. Ericson. Organist, Miss Lizzie Spaulding.
Sunday School : Superintendent, Mrs. Ida Entwisle, assistant, Miss Lida Sher- man ; secretary, Wm. N. Brown ; librarian, Miss Estelle Pratt.
In 1875 the old church was supplied with a bell, through the labors of the young ladies society called "The Merry Workers," and it was hung in February. Two months later it was decided to be unsatisfactory in tone and power, and with renewed effort it was soon after replaced with a much finer and heavier one, the bell that is still in use.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHI
The following sketch of the Waukon Presbyterian church is based on an outline contributed by Pastor Van Nice at our request, which we have enlarged upon from other sources, preserving the sequence of events and dates furnished by him. The first records of this church are incomplete, but it was organized as a Cumberland Presbyterian church by Rev. J. C. Armstrong, who was sent out by the Board of Missions of that church in 1856. "On an Indian path, at some springs in the prairie, had grown up a little village called Waukon. Thither Armstrong directed his steps." A number of persons belonging to the Cumber- land Presbyterian church had immigrated to this place in the preceding three years, from Indiana chiefly, and services had been held from time to time by Ministers S. T. Stewart. Wm. Lynn and James McFarland. But soon after Rev. Armstrong came, on August 21, 1856, an organization was effected with twenty-four members, as follows: James Maxwell, Jacob B. Plank, Elizabeth Plank, R. C. Armstrong, Mary Armstrong, Josiah Brown, Elizabeth Brown,
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Enoch Jones, Susan Jones, Wm. G. Mullen, Jane Mullen. Jacob Shew, Susan Shew, John Brawford, F. M. Brawford, Enoch Miller, E. Miller, Simon Gregg, Catherine Gregg. Lorenzo Bushnell, M. B. Bushnell, Elias Aurand, Elam Jones and Isabel Jane Lyons.
James Maxwell, J. B. Plank, Jacob Shew and Simon Gregg were the first elders ; and Enoch Jones, Wm. S. Mullen and Elias Aurand, the first deacons. Worship was conducted in the public schoolhouse until the fall of 1858, when the first church edifice of Waukon was completed and dedicated. It was a very commodious building for that time, the main room being 34 by 44 feet, with a vestibule extending across the front 34 by 10 feet. From time to time as occasion demanded the building was improved, a furnace heating plant put in in 1878, and in 1885 it was raised, remodeled, and veneered with brick, and a dining room and kitchen installed, converting it into a much more handsome and convenient building. But the fond recollections of the old residents of the village linger around the familiar old building as it appeared in the early sixties, when it was occupied for school as well as church purposes, and for public lectures. Here was held the funeral of the lamented John J. Stillman, in February, 1862, whose remains were brought home from Fort Donelson, the first Alamakee battle- sacrifice in the rebellion.
To continue the history of the old building it should be added here that in 1902 it was removed to give place to the new one. But it was not destroyed. They built of oak in the fifties, and built to endure. The house was sawed in two for convenience of transportation, and traveled out into the country about one mile southwest, where it was transformed into an incubator factory. After a few years it came back to town, and may be seen today as a feed stable north of the Grand Hotel. It is still good for another journey ; and it still serves the purpose assigned to it in whatever capacity, however humble, without detracting from the good accomplished in its better days.
The new and beautiful modern house of worship which replaces the old build- ing was completed and dedicated in 1903. It was the pioneer of the numerous modern church houses the town is now in the happy possession of, and cost near $20,000. A fine organ of the Burlington (Ia.) Pipe Organ Co. make was installed upon the completion of the building, July, 1903, at a cost of $1,800.
Upon the organization of the church in 1856, Rev. J. C. Armstrong became its first pastor, resigning in the fall of 1859 to become a missionary in Turkey. He afterwards returned to America, and died in 1889. Following him Rev. J. Loughran served until 1862. Then Rev. J. R. Brown, afterwards editor of the Cumberland Presbyterian, and of the St. Louis Observer. was pastor until 1864, when Rev. B. Hall was called to the pastorate and served the congregation for eleven years. After his resignation in 1875, Mr. Hall continued to serve the cause in the capacity of missionary, though retaining his home at Waukon, where he passed away March 18, 1887. Since Rev. Hall the pastors have been: Rev. J. Wood Miller, 1875-8; O. E. Hart, 1878-81 ; H. D. Onyett, 1881-2; A. Allison, 1882-3; A. G. Bergen, 1883-4; J. D. Gold, 1884-9; and the present pastor. R. L. Van Nice since 1889.
Nearly a thousand members are known to have been received into this church, but death and removals have done their work so that the number is only about 170 at the present time, 1913.
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The present elders are James Thompson, W. B. Cowan, A. G. Fiet, and FF. HI. Nagel. The trustees are L. A. Howe, A. G. Fiet, and I. E. Beeman.
In 1906 the Cumberland Presbyterian and the Presbyterian Church U. S. A. were united, and the church at Waukon became a church in the new organization known as the Presbyterian church.
THE GERMAN REFORMED ZION'S CONGREGATION
This congregation was organized on the 13th of February, 1885. by Rev. B. R. Huecker, who was at the time pastor of the Reformed church four miles southeast from town, and was served by him till June, 1886. A substantial brick house of worship was erected in Waukon during the year 1885. Rev. Huecker was followed by Rev. J. Christ, who had just graduated from the seminary. He entered upon his work here on August 8. 1886, and closed his pastorate Sep- tember 30, 1890. Rev. P. Ebinger was then called to be pastor of this charge. and served from August 24. 1891 till July 9. 1895. During these years the pastor lived in the country, and Zion's congregation was connected with that in the country and was served from there. The church in town was growing and at the close of Rev. Ebinger's pastorate decided it was best to have the pastor live in its midst. During the summer of 1895 a parsonage was built in town. close by the church. Rev. G. D. Elliker entered upon his work on July 9, 1895, and served for nearly fifteen years. During his pastorate some of the members of the country church wished to unite with the church in town. Others followed and consequently the Ebenezer congregation in the country ceased to exist, the members all joining Zion's church in town.
Soon the old church building was too small to hold the congregations. In 1903 the congregation decided to erect a new church and in the same year prepa- rations were made. In 1904 the new church was built, and was dedicated on January 15. 1905. From the report of the building committee we learn that the cost of the present building is $16,659.36. The congregation is free from debt and enjoying a steady growth. The German language is used in all the morning services and in most of the classes in Sunday school ; there are, however, a few English classes and since New Year's 1910. English evening services have been introduced. The congregation still adheres to the custom of catechetical instruc- tions for the children. Thus the children are taught the catechism and the Bible from two to four years before they are received into full membership, of the church.
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