USA > Iowa > Des Moines County > The history of Des Moines county, Iowa, containing a history of the country, its cities, towns, &c., a biographical directory of citizens, war record of its volunteers > Part 69
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 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93
554
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY.
The First German Methodist Episcopal Church .- The mission was begun in September, 1845, by Rev. Sebastian Barth, and the society was regularly organized Jannary 8, 1848, by Rev. William Hemminghams. Early mem- bers were Andrew Delle, Christina Delle, Rosina Fichtner, Barbara Klau- berg, Kathina Kriechbaum, Margaretta Funk, Franz Reif, Christina Reif, Anna Meyer, Henry Fengel, Peter Fengel, Margaretta Fengel, Friedrich Fleischmann, Margaretta Fleischmann, Maria Schäfer, showing a regular membership of fifteen, besides twenty-three members on probation. They first worshiped in the basement of Old Zion Methodist Episcopal Church. The first house of worship was erected on the corner of Sixth and High streets, during the fall of 1848, and dedicated by Rev. L. S. Jacoby, D. D. The present house of worship, on the corner of Seventh and Washington streets, was built in 1868, and dedicated May 9, 1869, by Rev. William Nast, D. D., of Cincinnati, Ohio, the Father of German Methodism. The
cost of the new church and lot was about $20,000. The following Pastors have served this society : 1845-47, Sebastian Barth. William Hemming- hams, after he had been Pastor four months, died. Friedrich Kerkmann served seven months, and Thomas Schulz only one month-he died, also. Charles Hollmann officiated one year, and Henry Nuelsen one year and four months, when he was sent as a missionary to Germany. John L. Walther served two years. He was afterward Chaplain of an Illinois Vol- unteer Infantry Regiment, and fell in the battle of Shiloh, during the late rebellion, dying the death of a Christian patriot and hero. Then came Charles Hollman, H. F. Hoeneke, Charles Klukholm, Friedrich Kopp, A. C. Locher, John M. Wenkler, Jacob Haas, Louis Harmel, Charles Heidel, Philip Hehner, Henry Naumann, Rudolph Havighorst, E. R. Irmscher and Charles Holtkamp, who came in September, 1877, and is the present Pastor.
The first officers were : Stewards-George Blickhahn, Jacob Fichtner, Tobias Hartmann, Henry Fengel, Friedrich Fleischmann. Trustees-J. C. Sleeth, Jedidiah Bennett, George Blickhahn, J. F. Fichtner, J. Adam Funk.
The present officers are : Stewards-Fred. Steinmeyer, John Burg, John Hertgler, Philip Benner, Henry Ewinger, Henry Droegemeyer, Robert Leist, John Schneider, Fred. Buhrmeister. Trustees-Fred Steinmeyer, John Hertzler, John Burg, George Otto, Henry Ewinger, John Greiner, Fred Von Behren, Henry Faiser, Henry J. Schroeder. The present number of members is 180; of probationists, 15. The Sunday-school is under the supervision of Rebert, Superintendent : Philip Benner, Vice Superintendent; Arthur F. Hertzler, Secretary ; Edmund E. Hertzler, Librarian ; Samuel Huebner, Assist- ant, Librarian. The number of scholars is, at present, 280, who are instructed by twenty teachers.
Division Street M. E. Church was organized in October, 1853. The member- ship of the society numbered something over a hundred. Rev. W. F. Coles was the first Pastor. The first official Board of which we have any record, consisted of the following persons : Oliver Cock. D. S. Eberol, Levi Hager, H. C. Hawkins, W. C. Hunt, William E. Brown, William Johnson, Thomas Robertson, Adam Fortney. The first Board of Trustees consisted of Oliver Cock, W. E. Brown, HI. C. Hawkins, Martin Heiser. The congregation worshiped for several months in the South Hill Schoolhouse, where a flourishing Sabbath school was established, with Martin Heiser, Superintendent. Early in the spring of 1854, ground was broken on the corner of Fifth and Division streets, and the foundation was laid for the substantial and commodious church edifice which the congregation now occupies. When the church was built, material of all kinds
.
555
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY.
was very high, and the good enterprise was only carried forward to completion through the tact and perseverance of the Pastor and the liberality of the con- gregation. In September, 1854, the basement was so far completed that it became the place of worship for about one year, when the audience-room was dedicated by Bishop Simpson, who preached on the occasion a discourse of great eloquence and power.
The following ministers have served the society as Pastors: Revs. W. F. Coles, P. P. Ingals, S. Reynolds, I. A. Bradwick, W. Dennet, A. W. Stryker, E. Miller, E. H. Mering, T. E. Corkhill, H. W. Thomas and J. C. Brown, who has been appointed to the charge for the second time, and is now in the second year of his present pastorate. The Sabbath school has for a number of years been one of the largest in the city. It is now doing well under the efficient manage- ment of J. C. Bonnell.
The present membership of the church is 230. According to the minutes of the Iowa Conference for 1878, Division Street Church raised and disbursed the following sums of money for the cause of benevolence and to carry on the church enterprise at home and abroad :
Pastor's salary $1,600 00
Parent Missionary Society 220 00
Woman's Foreign Missionary Society. 114 42
To Board of Church Extension, Tract Society, etc. 55 00
For Sunday-school work.
118 00
For improvement of church property. 510 00
For the poor.
100 00
Sexton, Organist, fuel, etc., etc.
425 00
Total .$3,147 42
St. John's German Methodist Church .- This Mission was organized in September, 1871, with the following constituent members : John Schmidt and wife, Otto Lawrenz, Hanna Kamphoefer, Louisa Held, Louisa Derwein, Caro- lina Derwein, Conrad Miller, Eliza Miller, Conrad Peiff, Elizabeth Peiff, Cath- erine Derwein, John Freitag and wife, Johanna Freitag, Pone and wife, John Wagner, Lizzie Wagner, Kate Hemig. The first Pastor was Christian Piesch, and the present one is George Enzeroth. The present number of members is sixty-five and the property of the church is valued at $3,000.
South Street M. E. Church .- At the twenty-eighth session of the Iowa Annual Conference, held at Mount Pleasant October 4-9, 1871, the Com- mittee on Missions recommended the establishment of the South Burlington Mission, and that $150 be appropriated to its support, which recommendation was concurred in by the Presiding Bishop, E. R. Ames. The same Conference appointed Rev. W. G. Wilson to this field, who organized the society with six members-Edgar Bloomer, Sr., Eliza Bloomer, Edgar Bloomer, Jr., Clemen- tine Bloomer, George Mantor and Mrs. M. M. Mantor. In the same year, the present church edifice was built, a neat frame structure, situated corner South and Thirteenth streets. Prior to the occupancy of this building, the society held services in the West Madison Schoolhouse, on Summer street. The first Stewards were appointed at the first Quarterly Conference of the South Burlington Charge, held at Spring Grove December 11, 1871. They were George Mantor and E. Bloomer, Sr .; and at the second Quarterly Conference, held at South Burlington (South street) Chapel March 23, 1872, Philip Chris- singer, B. T. Deal, E. Bloomer, Jr., E. Bloomer, Sr., and G. Mantor, were elected Trustees, having been previously nominated by the Pastor, Rev. Mr. Wilson. At the same meeting, R. Findlay was elected Recording Secretary.
556
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY.
The society reported ninety-one members, including seven probationers, to the Annual Conference of 1874. To the Conference of 1878, the membership was reported at eighty-seven. A new parsonage is now about completed, valued at about $1,500. Rev. W. G. Wilson served the Church as Pastor from Septem- ber, 1871, till October 9, 1872; Rev. J. H. Power, D. D., from October 9, 1872, till removed by death, January 26, 1873; Rev. Mr. Leonard filled the vacancy till September 21, 1873; Rev. J. G. Barton was appointed Pastor September 21, 1873, and served till September 12, 1876; Rev. N. Wells was appointed September 10, 1877, and served one year ; Rev. G. W. Byrkit, the present efficient Pastor, was appointed in September, 1878. A flourishing Sunday school is connected with the Church, with about one hundred and fifty members, and the society is growing in numbers and influence. Mr. Byrkit was a Burlington boy, formerly, and a compositor in the Hawk-Eye office twenty-one years ago. The present Trustees of his Church are Dr. Moss, I. S. Shoutz, C. T. Patterson, George Mantor and J. F. Jordan. Samuel Crownover is present Superintendent of the Sabbath school.
Congregational Church .- This Church was first formed in the year 1838, by Rev. James A. Clark, a missionary of the American Home Mission Society, who was then stationed at Fort Madison. On November 25 of that year, Christian friends, to the number of twelve, met in a house on Court street, then occupied as a schoolroom by Park Stewart, and associated themselves as a church, which was known and recognized as " The Constitutional New School Presbyterian Church of Burlington." James G. Edwards and wife, Mrs. Ellen T. Edwards, William H. Starr, Mrs. Frances C. Starr, Dr. Knapp, William Jaynes, -- Bronson and wife, Arthur Bridgman, Joseph Bridgman, Mrs. Helen M. Lamson, Mrs. Lockwood and Mrs. Ruth Sheldon, composed the infant organization, from which has grown the present large and prosperous Congregational Church. Of this little band of pioneer Christians, very few are living, and only one, Mrs. Edwards (now Mrs. J. M. Broadwell), resides in this city. She was formerly .a member of the famous Old South Church, Boston, having come to the West in 1829. Arthur Bridgman resides in Keokuk. and Joseph Bridgman in Muscatine. The house in which the Church was organized was destroyed by fire January 6, 1867.
For several years after its establishment, the Church was ministered to occasionally by Rev. Mr. Clark, before mentioned, Rev. Asa Turner, Jr., of Denmark, Iowa, Rev. Reuben Gaylord, of Danville, Iowa, and Rev. W. C. Rankin, of Yellow Springs, then laboring in the Territory under the patron- age of the American Home Mission Society. The same society aided this infant Church for ten years, expending upon this field nearly $1,500 in that period. For several months, in 1842, Rev. John M. Boal, a graduate of Lane Theological Seminary, officiated for the society, during which a revival was experienced. In October. 1843, the Church invited Rev. Horace Hutchinson, a graduate of Amherst College and of Andover Theological Seminary, to become their minister, which invitation was accepted, and he continued their Pastor until removed by death, March 7, 1846.
A re-organization of the Church was effected December 28, 1843, and the Congregational name and form of government adopted. The meeting for this pur- pose was held in their room on Main street, Rev. A. Leonard presiding, and A. S. Shackford acting as Secretary. There were also present at this meeting R. Armstrong, W. H. Starr, Charles Hendric, Mrs. D. Leonard, J. G. Edwards, Mrs. A. Leonard, Mrs. M. J. Kelley, Mrs. McCash, Mrs. E. T. Edwards, Mrs. L. Buel and D. Leonard. The motion to re-organize as a Congregational
557
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY.
Church was unanimously carried, and other members of the old organization, not present at the meeting, were to be recognized as members of the new, on assenting to the Constitution, Confession of Faith and Covenant. At this time the membership included forty-one souls. January 4, 1844, James G. Edwards and Albert S. Shackford were chosen the first Deacons of the new Church, which, as re-organized, was incorporated by an act of the Sixth Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Iowa, approved February 12, 1844. This act authorized the Church and society to hold property to an amount not exceeding $15,000. Abner Leonard, William B. Ewing, Seth T. Ransom, James G. Edwards and Albert S. Shackford are mentioned in the Act of Incorporation. The act was amended June 19, 1844, giving the society more explicit au- thority as to rules and by-laws, and making valid previous transfers to or from the society, and a farther amendment passed by the Legislature, approved March 30, 1866, authorizes the organization to hold property to the value of $100,000, and to dispose of pews and other property for the support of the Church. The Constitution adopted, December 28, 1843, was then, or soon thereafter, signed by Abner Leonard, Elizabeth Leonard, David Leonard, Mary S. Leonard, Jane Wilkins, Benjamin Lewis, William H. Starr (2d), John B. Fry. Ruth Sheldon, Eliza Kurtz, James G. Edwards, William H. Starr, Rob- ert Armstrong, Albert S. Shackford, Sarah McCash, Louisa Buel, Margaret J. Kelley, Ellen T. Edwards, Sarah S. Prince, Mary M. McGuire, Ann E. Chase, Catherine Nealy, Frances C. Starr, Susan E. Bruner, Maria Pitt, Mary Allen, Rebecca Field, Matilda B. Ransom, William and Jane Moore. On the. same day the Church signified their wish to become connected with the Den- mark Association, to the next meeting of which A. S. Shackford was chosen delegate. And thus was completed the organization of the Congregational Church of Burlington, destined to increase in numbers and power, and to wield a wide influence in the city and among sister-churches.
The building of the society's first house of worship was commenced in June, 1843, 40x50 feet in size, built of brick, completed at a cost of $6,000, and dedicated December 29, 1846, the Pastor, Rev. William Salter, preaching the dedicatory sermon from the second chapter of Isaiah, third verse.
The former Pastor, Rev. Mr. Hutchinson, having recently died, at a church meeting held at the old meeting-place on Columbia street, near Water, where the Mccutcheon House now stands, March 15, 1846, an invitation was extended to Rev. William Salter, then of the church in Makoqueta, Iowa. to become their Pastor. The invitation was accepted, and Mr. Salter, who had preached his first sermon in Burlington, March 1, 1846, was regularly installed by an Ecclesiastical Council held December 30, of the same year. At this Council Rev. Reuben Gaylord, of Danville, Iowa, was Moderator; Rev. T. M. Post, of Illinois College, Jacksonville, preached the sermon; Rev. Asa Turner, of Denmark, Iowa, offered the prayer of installation ; Rev. Benjamin A. Spaulding, of Ottumwa, gave the charge to the Pastor, and Rev. James A. Clark, of Fort Madison, the address to the people. Mr. Salter has ever since remained Pastor of the Church, sharing their joys and sorrows and triumphs, through the long period of over thirty-two years ; the membership under his devoted and efficient labors, increasing from fifty-three in 1846, to two hundred and ninety-three in 1879. It is not often that any church is blessed with the min- istrations of a single Pastor for so long a period.
The Hawk-Eye of January 7, 1847, speaks with pride of the "new Con- gregational Church on Fourth street." It was 60x40 feet, well proportioned and surmounted by a graceful spire. The internal decorations were tasteful,
558
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY.
and the "bell had a pleasing tone." The church cost about $6,000, $279.18 of which was raised by the Ladies' Sewing Society. The installation of Rev. W. Salter as Pastor was alluded to as having taken place December 29, 1846. The services attending this interesting and now historic event lasted during the day and evening. Rev. R. Gaylord led the introductory exercises, and Prof. Post, of Jacksonville, Ill., preached the sermon from Ephesians, iv, 15. The installing prayer was offered by Rev. A. Turner. The charges were delivered by Revs. B. A. Spaulding and J. A. Clark.
This house was enlarged by an addition twenty feet to the west end, in 1854, and was taken down in 1866 to make room for the building of the new house on the same site, on Fourth street, between Jefferson and Washington streets.
October 13, 1852, the Church organized a Missionary Society and adopted a constitution for the same. D. Leonard was the first President and M. S. Foote, first Secretary of this society, which has been active and liberal in aiding the extension of the Gospel. During the months of October and November, 1854, the services of the Church were held in Marion Hall, during the building of the addition to their old house of worship. February 28, 1864, Rev. Almon Underwood, of Newark, N. J., was invited to assist this Church in a protracted meeting. He came and preached thirty-nine sermons, beginning March 6, of that year, from which much good followed. June 30, 1864, the Pastor was granted leave of absence for six weeks to go the Army of the Cumberland in the service of the Christian Commission, where he rendered invaluable service to the sick and wounded of the Union army. April 16, 1866, Mr. Salter preached his twentieth anniversary sermon as Pastor of the Church.
The society having voted to build a new and more commodious house of worship, to be erected on the site of the old, and necessary expenses having been provided for the purpose, the last services were held in the old house Sep- tember 9, 1866, and the last prayer-meeting in the same, September 13, on which occasion the Pastor lectured from Haggai, ii, 1-4. This house having to be removed, the society occupied the basement of the Cumberland Presby- terian Church, beginning September 16, 1866, and till September 12, 1867, going thence to Marion Hall, which they occupied till December 19, 1869.
At a church-meeting held July 1, 1867, arrangements were made to lay the corner-stone of their present beautiful church-building, which memorable event occurred July 4 of that year, under the supervision of the architect, Mr. Charles A. Dunham. In the afternoon of the day appointed, invitations having been extended to all the Pastors in the city and others to be present, the con- gregation and friends met at Marion Hall, and marched in procession to the designated site, headed by Robert Donahue, Marshal of the Day. Appropriate hymns were sung ; Psalms lxxxiv and xcii were read by Rev. G. D. Stewart; an address was delivered by the Pastor, Rev. William Salter ; the corner-stone was laid by the Deacons and Trustees respresenting the Church, the congrega- tion singing the 548th hymn :
" Here in thy name. eternal God, We lay this corner-stone for Thee ; O make the house Thy fixed abode, And keep it, Lord, from error free," etc.
The dedicatory prayer was offered by Rev. Asa Turner. Hymn 605 was sung, and Rev. J. B. Fuller pronounced the benediction. Under direction of the committee appointed for the purpose (the Pastor, Clerk and Dr. Charles Beardsley), a metallic box was placed in the corner-stone, containing the articles
0
-
561
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY.
named as follows : The Bible, the church hymn-book, manual, list of officers and members of the church, copy of Burial Hill Declaration of Faith of June, 1865 ; a copy of the Declaration of American Independence, of the United States Constitution, of Washington's Farewell Address, of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, of the Constitution of Iowa, a copy of the Burlington City Charter and Ordinances, copies of Burlington newspapers, copy of the Religious News Letter, of the Congregationalist and Recorder, and a copy of the Independent, a photograph of the old church-building, and of the plan of front elevation of the new, and specimens of national currency. The building thus begun, progressed as rapidly as means and circumstances would permit, till December 26, 1869, when the vestry, with other rooms in the first story, was dedicated with appropriate services, Rev. William Salter preaching the dedicatory sermon, Rev. W. F. Baird and Prof. J. T. Robert taking part in the exercises. In the afternoon of the same day, the vestry was dedicated by the Sunday school, at which addresses were delivered by Dr. Charles Beardsley, Robert Donahue and by A. E. Millspaugh. The work necessary to complete the house was pushed forward, and the magnificent edifice, complete and beautiful, was finally dedi- cated December 25, 1870, with the following programme: Invocation by the Pastor ; reading of Scriptures by Rev. D. E. Jones; sermon by Rev. J. P. Gulliver, D. D., President of Knox College, Galesburg, Ill .; prayer of dedica- tion by Rev. Asa Turner, Hymns 548, 549 and 550 were sung at intervals, and at last, after having worshiped in private dwellings, schoolrooms, halls, and in a house of their own inadequate to accommodate their numbers, and after years of trial and various vicissitudes, the First Congregational Church of Burling- ton were permanently at home in a church edifice in which both the congrega- tion and the entire city feel a commendable pride.
In the construction of this beautiful house of worship, some materials of the old were used, the stone sills of which are placed at the gateway on the south side. The front walls and tower are of stone from Long Creek quarries; the side and rear walls are of white limestone; the frescoing is rich and beautiful, harmonious in design and coloring. The arched ceiling 97 feet in length and 42 feet high, presents a most attractive appearance; the stained- glass windows (that in front the gift of Gen. John M. Corse, as a memo- rial of his mother, an old member) are beautiful in figures and colors. The main audience room is lighted by the aid of two large reflectors, diffusing a clear light over the entire room, and the whole building is warmed by one large stationary and two portable furnaces. The organ, furniture, carpets and upholstery, chiefly furnished and paid for by the ladies of the Church, are costly and elegant throughout. There are 141 pews in the audience-room on the main floor and 24 in the gallery, capable of seating comfortably 825 per- sons, and 200 more may be accommodated as occasion may require. From the desk to several of the pews pipes have been laid to accommodate deaf persons, and the entire structure is most creditable in solidity, convenience and archi- tectural beauty and taste. The house completed, cost $80,000, including the organ and furniture, and for generations to come thousands after thousands will come and worship in this beautiful temple.
The first baptism in this congregation, of which we can find a record, took place April 28, 1844, when Mary Jane and Eben, children of George and M. J. Kelley, and Henry, son of Mrs. Ann E. Chase, received the rite, since when not less than two hundred and sixty have, at different times, been baptized. The pres- ent officers of the Church are: Clerk, I. N. Stevens ; Treasurer, T. R. Rankin ; Visiting Committee, Mrs. W. S. Berry, Mrs. J. L. Brown and Mrs. Troxel.
P
562
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY.
The regular expenses of the congregation are defrayed from pew rents, amounting to about $5,000 per annum, and of the extraordinary expenses it may be stated as a fact most creditable, that the Ladies' Benevolent. Society of the Church, within eight years, as per report of 1875, had contribu- ted for the furniture and building of the new church, $8,376.78. There is also a Woman's Missionary Society connected with the Church, to help in sup- porting missionaries to women in foreign lands. The Church library contains, according to report of 1878, 220 volumes. It was founded in 1844, by & donation of fifty books from avails of a fund left by Samuel Phillips, in 1802, in the hands of the Trustees of Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass. This library is open to all members of the congregation.
At the organization of the Church, the members co-operated in a Union Sabbath school, which was opened June 2, 1839, and was held in Old Zion M. E. Church, and of which James G. Edwards was Superintendent for two years. as he was subsequently of the Church Sunday school, organized in 1841, and of which the gentlemen named below have in different years, acted as Superintendents: Albert S. Shackford (1843), Charles Hendrie, David T. Sheldon, David Leonard, T. D. Crocker, H. B. Spelman, James Morton, John Darling, R. Donahue, Charles Beardsley, James R. Nairn, George A. Miller. The school has a library of well-selected books, a large membership, and is accomplishing a glorious work in training the youth of the fold in the ways of piety and virtue. The present officers are: Superintendent, George A. Miller; Assistant Superintendent, I. N. Stevens: Secretary and Treasurer, Gray Foote; Organist, Mrs. Bessie Kendal; Librarian, Mrs. John G. Foote.
Presbyterian Church .- The early history of the Presbyterian Church in Burlington is almost identical with that of the Congregational, both having
grown out of the same early religious organization of 1838. The records of the Presbyterian Church, however, attribute to Rev. L. G. Bell, who came from Tennessee, the honor of first planting the Presbyterian Church in Bur- lington, in the year named. This organization was reported to the General Assembly three years later, with thirty-two members, the Rev. John Fulton, stated supply. This organization having adopted the Congregational name and form in 1843, it was dropped from the Assembly's roll in 1844, and such of the members of the infant organization as were not satisfied with the change took measures to effect a new organization.
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.