USA > Kansas > A history of Methodism in northwest Kansas > Part 21
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"Brother Stocking soon left Gove, and went back to the shops at Ellis. So Gove was annexed to Grain- field, and I had the only big circuit, of my pastorate. I had taken up a school house north of Grainfield and one northwest of Grinnell. These, with Indian Creek and Gove made a charge of six appointments, and I preached eight times in making the circuit every three weeks.
October 11, 1893, F. A. Colwell reported that a two weeks meeting had been held in a sod schoolhouse. Room was crowded. Twenty had joined the church. The crop was a total failure. January 2, '95, he re- ported that 164 had joined since he took charge.
W. F. Scott reported in November, 1897, that by removals the class had faded out, but by a house to house canvass a debt of $106, had been raised, and thus the reputation of the church had been saved.
In the Central of December 24, 1902, W. M. Dews reported that a successful meeting had been held with the assistance of Mrs. P. J. Eperson. A number were converted and sanctified, and quite a number joined the church.
Statistics of 1917: 2 churches, $3000; parsonage, $2300; members, 65; Prep., 9; Cur. Exp., $60; pastor,
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$910; D. S., $58; bishop, $14; C. C's., $35; 2 S. S. O's. & T's., 21; Enrl, 186; Av., 130; Exp., $70; F. Ms., $15; H. Ms., $15; Gd., total, $190; Ep. L. Sr., 45.
Gove.
The Gove Circuit was organized in 1887, and ap- pears in the statistical reports, first in 1888. Two Sunday Schools were reported having ten officers and teachers, and forty-five scholars. Sixty-two full mem- bers and seven probationers were reported, and they paid the pastor $226 and $14 for Missions.
W. W. Stocking was the pastor who was returned for another year, but for some reason he soon gave up his charge, and returned to the R. R. shops at Ellis. Gove was then annexed to Grainfield Circuit, and was continued in that circuit for a number of years. It was not the head of a charge again, until 1905. At that time two churches and two Sunday Schools were reported. The churches were valued at $1600. There were also two parsonages valued at $1000. There were 171 full members and 22 probationers. J. J. Mickey was the pastor and they paid him $610.
In the Fall of 1904, the pastor, W. W. Dews as- sisted by J. C. Helmic, held a successful meeting, in which 60 professed conversion. An Epworth League of 31 members was organized ; twelve subscribers were obtained for the Epworth Herald and three for the Advocate.
Twenty-eight united with the church. In Septem- ber 1906, R. Bisbee was pastor. He held a ten days' meeting, in which 50 persons were converted.
That year only one church was reported which was valued at $1,500 and the parsonage was estimated to be worth $1,000. There were 113 full members and 25 probationers. The Sunday School reported 19 of- ficers and teachers, and 107 scholars. There were 50 members of the Senior League, and 25 of the Junior.
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The following men have been the pastors of Gove: 1908-09, A. D. kice; '10-12, J. B. Siter; '13-14, D. O. Sunckel; '15-16, E. S. Pangburn; '17 N. W. Weaver.
Every church organization is dependent upon the faithfulness and fidelity of individual men and women, and the history of no church can be fully written with- out giving the names of at least some of these people. It would be a pleasure to give the names of those who were the mainstay of every church, but unfortunate- ly, the writer has not such names at his command.
Statistics for 1917 give the following: 2 Churches, $3000; parsonage, $1000; members, 91; current ex- penses, $110; F. Mis., $10; H. Ms., $9; Gd. total, $290; 2 S. S .; 23 officers and teachers; 460 scholars; aver- age, 251; Exp., $62; Ep. L. Sr. 46.
Hays.
Leonard Bell was the first Methodist to hold a serv- ice in Hayes. He was a local preacher, and the meet- ing was held in a vacant building on South Main Street, south of the depot. The date of the service is not known, but it was between 1873 and '76.
Hayes appears in the Conference minutes in 1878, when B. R. Turner was appointed pastor. He is said to have organized a class but left no records. In '79 Ellis and Hays together constituted a charge, but in 1879, H. G. Miller was appointed to Hays. It is prob- able there were out appointments, but like those who preceded him, he left no records. In 1880, Ellis and Hays together constituted a charge, and J. Webb was appointed pastor. He left the charge in June, and there is no record of services during the remainder of the year.
In 1881, A. C. Pattee was appointed to Hays, and Smoky Hill Valley. He remained on the charge till 1884, when Ellis and Hays were again put together, and J. Pittinger was made the pastor. There is a rec-
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ord that on September 7, 1884, A. N. See, baptized two persons, and on November 14 of that year A. W. J. Best received two on probation.
At the conference of 1885, Hays was omitted from the list of appointments, and in 1886, it was left to be supplied. J. W. Blundon was appointed as the supply, and remained two years.
In march 1888, A. W. J. Best was appointed to the charge, but in July, he left. He was followed by J. Wilkinson, who remained till October, when he also left. From this time till March 30, 1889, Hays was without a pastor when T. J. H. Taggart took charge. Brother Taggart says of his experience here: "When I went to Hays, I found a church with a mortgage on it. and a subscription list of one page. All other rec- ords were missing. During the years I was there, nothing was done to provide for financial obligations. Removals and drought worked havoc, until it was with effort that existence was maintained. The first signs of returning spiritual consciousness came during a three weeks' meeting, held just before the close of the last year of the pastorate.
"Good meetings were held at Lookout, and a new class was organized at Good Hope, and school house southwest of Hays."
Since Taggart's pastorate, Hays has been served by the following men: '92, G. Nulton; '93-5, J. F. Clark; '95-7, L. A. Dugger; '97-1901, W. C. Jordon; '01-03, J. W. Blundon; Oct. '05 to April '06, J. N. See; '06-08, M. J. Mumford; '08-11, A. N. Smith; '11-17, A. S. Hale.
In May, 1886. Mr. Hill P. Wilson donated lots on the N. E. Corner of Oak and Floyd Jones Streets. The lot is 100 ft. front, and 125 ft. deep. Upon this site, a frame church was erected during the pastorate of J. W. Blundon, and dedicated March 20, 1887.
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The trustees were: L. H. Boyd, Chas. M. Chase, Thos. E. Fulgum, S. B. Kidder, H. S. Hancuff, Jas. Reeder, F. R. Buzzard, W. T. Moorman. The same names are on the charter of the society. The building was erected by Mr. Gager and painted by M. J. Bell. Trees were planted on the lots and cared for by the pastor, J. F. Clark, in 1893-4.
The Kansas winds were too strong for the house, and it was strengthened with poles on the outside.
In 1898, under the pastorate of W. C. Jordon, the poles were removed, and the house was remodeled, ceiled with corrugated steel, repainted, and rededicat- ed February 26, 1899. The trustees at this time were : F. W. Kraus, H. H. Pierce, Frank Bice, Jerry Feller, W. S. Harrison.
In 1908, Mrs. Gottlieb Riedell made a contribution of $25 for a new church, with a promise that more would be given when the church should be built, and it should be a memorial to her husband.
In 1909, the new building was begun. The old church was divided, and the two parts used for the north and south extension of the new building, which is a frame with brick veneer. The corner stone was laid by Bishop McDowell in a fearful dust storm, on the 29th of March, 1910; A. N. Smith, the pastor, as- sisting in the service. The church was dedicated, July 31, 1910, by Dr. T. C. Cliff.
On March 22, 1911, the Annual Conference met in the church presided over by Bishop D. H. Moore. While the church was building, the services were held in the G. A. R. hall.
A parsonage was built in 1905, on a lot adjoining the church lot, purchased from Harry Freese, and wife, for $125.
When the first church was built, the church Ex- tension Society made a donation of $250.
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This data for this history was collected in 1912. The original records of 1878 give the names of but three persons: Amanda J. Bell, David Scoville and wife. Nineteen more names had been added, in 1882. At the time of this writing, 1912, not one of those re- mains in the church. From 1882, to '92 one hundred seventy-three names were added. Of these, six re- main. In the next decade 98 names were added; of these 22 are still members. It would be interesting to know the facts in reference to the next decade, but the historian failed to gather them.
In October, 1911, the Hays Sunday Schools enter- ed into a contest with the schools of the District, in at- tendance, and collection, and won first place on both points. George R. Telford was the superintendent.
In 1904 a young people's class for both men and women was organized to provide a class for the Nor- mal students. From 1902 to 1909, 70 per cent. of the total enrollment of the Normal, were enrolled in this class. It grew to such proportions that the lesson study period was removed to a separate room. In September 1909, the class was divided and organized into a Young Men's and Young Women's Adult Bible Classes. The young ladies' class is named "The Glean- ers." Its first president was Lulu Rice, the first teach- er was Anna Keller. Two hundred twenty-six young women have been enrolled in it in the two and a half years since its organization. The present teacher, 1912, is Mrs. Josiah Main, who took the class in June, 1911. The first president of the young men's class was Joe Irwin, and the first teacher was S. H. Beach. C. J. Smith was elected teacher in September, 1910. Seventy young men have been enrolled in the class.
January 1, 1906, M. J. Munford reported to the Central that union revival services were held for 19 nights by the Methodists, Lutherans, and Presbyter- ians. Preparatory for the work, the Epworth League
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had studied personal evangelism and the pastor had given lists of unsaved people to members, and insisted that each one hold himself responsible for the names on his list.
A spirit of unity and brotherly love prevailed. Stu- dents of the Normal came in large numbers. One hundred and sixty made a start in the Christian life. Twenty-seven joined the Methodist Church.
Reported 1917: Church, $15,000; parsonage, $2,- 500; members, 263; current Exp., $250; support pas- tor, $1700; D. S., $112; bishop, $28; C. C's., $60; S. S. T's. & Of's., 29; Enrl., 460; Av., 250; Exp., $160; W. F. M. S., $82; Ep. L. Sr., 60.
Hollyrood.
Hollyrood first appears in the list of appointments in the Conference Minutes of 1889. In the report of the charge made the next year, we find there was then a membership of 82 full members, and 33 probation- ers. There was a church building valued at $1,000, a Sunday School with 9 officers and teachers, and 70 scholars. The pastor in that year received a salary of $250, and the sum of $25 was given to missions. This was certainly a fair beginning for that time and place.
In 1891 another church valued at $1200, and three additional Sunday Schools were reported, swelling the enrollment of scholars for the charge to 140. In 1894 a third church valued at $1650 had been erected, bringing the estimated value of the three churches to $3,899.
Notwithstanding the promising beginning of this charge it drops from the list of appointments in 1894 and is not again found there until 1909.
The following pastors have served the charge: '89- 91, C. M. C. Thompson; '92, W. H. Haupt; '93, J. W. Blundon; 1910, G. H. Cheney; '11-12, W. W. Strite;
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'13, C. J. Body ; '14, W. H. Zook; '15, J. A. Plantz ; '16, L. A. Branson ; '17, William Laybourne.
Hollyrood does not seem to have greatly prospered. In 1917 there were but 37 members and two Sunday Schools with 17 officers and teachers and 175 scholars. There are two churches valued at $3,000. The pastor's salary was reported at $600.
Kanapolis.
This is probably the youngest town of any impor- tance in Central Kansas. It claims to be the geo- graphical center of the state, and was given some- thing of a boost in the start, on that score.
Its chief industry is mining salt. Good wells were sunk and in a comparatively short time, Kanapolis came to be quite a shipping point for that commodity. This contributed quite considerably to the growth of the town, and to the prosperity of the church which was soon organized. The town was founded in 1886. The next year it appeared in the Conference Minutes as the head of a charge. The statistics of 1888 show that there were 69 full members and 48 probationers ; and there were two churches worth $3500, and a par- sonage worth $300. There were $2000 paid that year for church property. Two Sunday Schools were re- ported having 14 officers and teachers and 104 schol- ars.
The boom for the town did not last. Being at the center of the state, did not have the attractive power which the founders of the town had hoped; so that in ten years the Kanapolis charge had fallen off in im- portance. In 1898 it reported only 66 full members and 35 probationers. An additional church had been built, but the three churches were valued at only $4000. They still had but two Sunday Schools, with 18 offi- cers and teachers and 120 scholars.
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In 1906, there was no marked improvement in the prosperity of the charge. There were then 121 full members and there were but two congregations on the charge, and they reported but two Sunday Schools, having an enrollment of only 100 scholars. There were two churches valued at $2000.
It is encouraging to note that in recent year's Methodism has prospered better, in that vicinity. Kanapolis has come to be a station. It now reports one church worth $2000 and parsonage valued at $1,- 500. There is one S. S. with an enrollment of 259, and a League of 24 Sr. members, and a church member- ship of 121. The pastors were: '86, J. W. Edgar; '88- 91, J. W. Blundon ; '92-3, E. A. Dugger; '94-5, J. Ho- gan; '96, H. P. Colegrove; '97-99, A. E. Smith ; 1900- 03, G. F. Graham; '04-05, T. J. Nixon; '06-10, J. J. Mickey ; '11, R. N. Jones; '12-13, C. M. Brown; '14-17, L. F. Laybourne.
Those who had previously served this territory as the Venango and Ellsworth Circuits were: T. J. Ream, W. R. Leigh, E. G. Tozier, O. N. Maxon, R. P. Howe. James Phillips, and W. S. Morrison.
This section of the country was formerly included in the Venango Circuit which was organized by T. J. Ream in 1878. That was previous to the founding of Kanapolis. The circuit was a three point charge, Venango, Ash Creek and Buckeye. The pastor's labors were greatly blessed and a gracious revival attended the organizing of the circuit. The present pastor L. F. Laybourne, who has served Kanapolis since 1914, says, "A number of our members who have passed to their reward since we came to Kanapolis, or are now tottering on the brink of the grave, were converted at that time." He also notes that the Central Advocate of February 27, of the present year, 1918, contains as obituary notice of the man who conducted that re-
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vival; from the fruits of which both Kanapolis, and Carniero sprang.
A long delayed report from the pastor brings knowledge of some facts of interest to those who re- member the early history of this charge. Instead of rewriting the whole story, I append them here.
Some of the first members were W. F. Kline and wife, Wm. Livingston, Charles Livingston and wife, Mrs. Ackermen, Mrs. J. F. Crawford, Dr. Griffith and wife, W. H. Reed and wife, J. W. Huder and wife.
The trustees at Kanapolis at present are: W. F. Kline, G. F. W. Miller, F. C. Griffith and S. S. Shaver. The stewards are: C. F. Ackerman, V. K. Hartmen, Mrs. A. M. Snead and Hattie Kline. Mrs. Belle Razell is class leader, Eva Reaves is League president, Mrs. A. M. Snead is S. S. Supt. She is also president of the Ladies' Aid. Bertha Reed is president of the W. F. M. S. and George Reeves, of the Standard Bearers. W. F. Kline is leader of the Gospel Team.
This charge now consists of two appointments Kanapolis and Buckeye.
The officials at Buckeye are: W. L. Reed, C. L .; C. E. Reed, Albert Bircher and H. E. Kline, stewards. They have a Union Sunday School superintendent by a Methodist, C. E. Reed. Most of the officers are Meth- odists.
The pastor receives $920, of which Kanapolis pays $632, and Buckeye, $288. The charge pays for Home and Foreign Missions, $111; of which Kanapolis pays $75 and Buckeye $36.
The statistical report for 1917 gives the following : Church, $2000; parsonage, $1500; expenses, $175; members, 121; preparatory, 9; support pastor, $950; D. S., $64; bishop, $16; C. C's., $40; F. Ms., $45; H. Ms., $35; Gd. total, $354 ; S. S. O's. & T's., 17; Enrl., 259; Aver., 99; Exp., $170; Ep. L. Sr., 24; W. F. M. S., $68.
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La Cross.
When the Kansas Conference was first divided the sixteenth parallel of latitude was designated the divi- sion line between the Conferences. This placed Mar- quette, LaCross, McCracken and other points west in the Southwest Kansas Conference. The Northwest Kansas Conference realizing that their territory was the most unpromising in the state, succeeded in having a committee on Conference boundaries appointed from both the Southwest and Northwest Conferences. These committees were to confer in the interim of the Gen- eral Conference and if possible agree on a more equit- able line of division and one more satisfactory to the Northwest. This committee recommended that the division line be six miles farther south than that first fixed. This was done making the seventeenth parallel the dividing line instead of the sixteenth. The Gener- al Conference of 1888 made the desired change so at the Conference of 1889 La Cross was in the North- west Kansas Conference for the first time and the first report showed 73 members, a church valued at $1800, and a parsonage worth $900.
The first year McCracken was connected with La Cross. G. W. Wheat was the first pastor. The class at La Cross had been organized in 1886 by Rev. F. F. Bernstorf, who was living at Winfield. He says of his work: "We built a two room parsonage 16x24 and dedi- cated the church January 7, 1887. We also organized at McCracken, had a board of trustees qualified and a church site donated December 31, 1886. At the ses- sion of the Conference of 1887 I was succeeded by C. H. Gramby and at the next Conference he was suc- ceeded by J. E. Hopkins."
The following men have served La Cross: '90-92, G. W. Winterburn; '93, G. Nulton; '94, J. N. Clark; '95, W. Applebee; '96, F. L. Templin; '97, A. L. Nor-
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fleet; '98, J. F. Johnson; '99-1900, F. L. Templin ; '01-02, C. M. Thompson; '03-04, W. E. Cox; '05, J. E. Wilson ; '06-10, L. E. Layborne; '11-12, E. Turren- tine; '13, F. L. Proven; '14-16, A. M. Perrill; '17, J. B. Gilmore.
In 1898 La Cross reported an additional church valued at $1400. The full amount was paid that year. There were three Sunday Schools having an enrollment of 130. There were 75 members and 11 probationers. In 1905 the church at La Cross was improved bring- ing its value to $2100. In 1910 additional improve- ments were made bringing the value of the churches to $4000.
The labors of E. Layborne seem to have been fruit- ful of results. He served the charge from 1906 to 1910. When he took charge the membership was 69 full members and 6 probationers; there were two Sun- day Schools with an enrollment of 72; the two churches were valued at $3500 and the pastors salary was $650. Laybourne's last report shows 102 full members, 10 probationers, two churches valued at $4000; three Sunday Schools with 176 scholars, pastor's salary $820. The contributions for missions also showed a corresponding increase, being $29 in 1906 and $168 in 1910.
In 1914 the second church was disconnected, leav- ing La Cross a station. This of course caused a de- crease in the statistics for the charge, though there seems to have been an effort to keep the figures where they had formerly been.
The report for 1917 gives the following: Church, $1600 ; parsonage, $1100; full members, 80 ; current ex- penses, $95; pastor's support, $950; district superin- tendent, $68; bishop, $17; conference claiments, $34; Foreign Missions, $28; Home Missions, $28. Sunday School enrollment 103, officers and teachers 14.
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IN NORTHWEST KANSAS
Lincoln.
December 18, 1870 F. A. Matthews read one of Bishop Morris's sermons to a congregation of 28 peo- ple in his own house. This was the first Methodist service held in the vicinity where Lincoln was after- wards built. Matthews continued to read sermons on the Sabbath, most of the time until April following. On January 16, 1871 J. N. Bartels of Salina preached the first Methodist sermon in the county in the Scher- merhorn store on the Elkhorn. About forty people were present. On January 22, Matthews and his wife attended a Quarterly meeting at Salina. As there was no organized class any nearer Lincoln, they united with the church at Salina.
In March 1871, J. N. Bartels was appointed to the Salina Circuit which included Salina, McPherson, Lin- coln and Ellsworth counties. The pastor preached his first sermon as preacher in charge, on Sunday, April 2, at the house of Herman Kingsley. In the afternoon of the same day he preached at the Abram town site where he organized the first Methodist class of thirteen members. T. A. Matthews was appointed leader and J. C. Parker was chosen steward. On the same day a Sunday school was organized with T. A. Matthews as superintendent. April 16, J. Medcraft, who had just moved into the neighborhood, preached in the store at Abram. March 7, John Connor, who had been appointed junior preacher on the charge preached at the new store and at Schermerhorn's. May 14, Bartells preached the funeral of Walter Buzick in the Schermerhorn barn.
The first sacramental service was held in the store at Abram's, July 23, 1871, J. Boynton, of Salina, officiating. Medcraft and Matthews held services on alternate Sabbath's until October. The minutes for the Quarterly Conference for this first year of the Lin-
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coln charge are in the hands of the keeper of the records. This is highly commendable and is quite in contrast with the condition of records in most charges. The Quarterly Conferences were held as follows : First, at Monroe school house, June 22, 1872; second, at Val- ley school house, September 18, 1872; third, at the house of T. A. Matthews, December 4, 1872 and the fourth at Monroe school house, March 8, 1873. The report on pastors' salary at each of the Quarterly Con- ferences was as follows: $5.00 reported at the first, nothing at the second, $87.90 at the third and $121.65 at the fourth. Total, $214.55. The general rules had been read each quarter except at two appointments.
In 1890 there was a large revival resulting in 48 additions to the church. In January, 1912, twenty-six members united with the church and the Sunday school had grown to such extent that an additional building had been constructed for the primary department. The enrollment of the Sunday school in 1912 was 450 with an average attendance of 361.
The first church in Lincoln was built in 1885, W. T. Robinson being pastor. In a few years a larger was erected on the same site. For the building of this a loan was obtained from the Building and Loan Associa- tion. In 1900 during the pastorate of A. J. Schermer- horn, the church was again rebuilt. While C. W. Stevens was pastor the room was built for the primary department which was mentioned above. In 1913, Stevens was appointed to the Ellsworth District and G. R. Hall was sent to Lincoln as pastor. The Sunday School continued to grow. During Hall's third year a modern brick church was planned and on the 13th of December. 1915, the corner stone was laid. At the Con- ference of 1916, Hall was appointed to the Salina Dis- trict and J. R. Thomas was appointed to Lincoln. The church was completed and was dedicated September 10, 1916. The cost was $26,000. $9,000 was needed
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on dedication day to clear the building of debt. J. F. Harmon, President of Kansas Wesleyan University, was in charge of the service and in a short time $11,000 was pledged and the building was dedicated to the services of Almighty God.
Statistics for the year 1917: Church, $26,500; parsonage, $3,000; current expenses, $300; pastor's salary, $1,800; district superintendent, $120; bishop, $30 ; conference claimants, $75; membership, 345; pro- bationers, 24; Sunday school, 487; officers and teach- ers, 41.
Lucas.
The early history of this charge has been recorded in the history of the old Delhi circuit. It will be re- membered that this circuit included within its bound- aries points which afterwards came to be the heads of several charges. In 1888, Delhi, Brighton, Prospect, Luray and Lucas constituted a circuit. In 1889 Luray became the head of a charge and in 1900 Lucas was made the head of another. At that time there were two Sunday schools with 22 officers and teachers and 115 scholars, a church valued at $1,600, and a member- ship of 79 full members and 20 probationers, while the pastor was paid $300 and a house.
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