USA > Kansas > A history of Methodism in northwest Kansas > Part 23
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In 1895, the pastor, W. C. Jordan, held a successful meeting at which there were 67 conversions and ac- cessions to the church. In 1906 another revival result- ing in fifteen conversions, while in 1910 the pastor, E. E. Gunckel, reported another such meeting of far reaching results.
The report for 1917 follows: 2 churches, $3,000; parsonage, $2,000; full members, 131; preparatory members, 13; salaries pastor, $1,150; district superin- tendent, $80; bishops, $20. Total benevolences, $624; Sunday schools, 2; enrollment, 294; Epworth League, 40; Junior League, 40.
Quinter.
The Quinter class was organized by Rev. W. E. Scott, February 17, 1898. There were 21 charter members. Scott was the pastor of the Grainfield
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charge that year, so Quinter was reported with that charge.
The next year it was put on the Colyer circuit with James Vanderlip, pastor. A Sunday school was organ- ized the next year. This editor is not informed whether it was a Union or Methodist school.
The next year, 1901, Quinter was made the head of a circuit, with James Vanderlip the pastor for two years.
In 1902, a church was built and dedicated March 1, 1903. A league was also organized that year. B. D. Brooks was assigned to Quinter and remained two years. J. A. Plantz came to the charge in 1905 and served it one year.
The statistical reports show that the membership increased 32 during Brook's pastorate.
Quinter was supplied by J. H. Solenberger in 1906 and the next year it was put back again on the Grain- field charge of which Solenberger was pastor. He was returned the next year, but served only a part of the year and J. M. Barnes supplied the remainder.
The next year, 1909, C. J. Barnes supplied the charge. During this year a subscription was started for a church. The next year W. J. Ward was pastor and a church was built at a cost of about $3,000.
In 1912, Quinter was again made a station and J. R. Creamer was appointed pastor. Good interest was taken in all classes of work. A revival was held and a number united with the church. The Sunday school increased both in interest and attendance. A new piano was purchased and some repairing was done on the church.
Oscar Gessell was appointed to Quinter in 1913 and remained until September, when owing to crop failure and the consequent inability of the charge to support the pastor the Quarterly Conference voted to discon- tinue preaching service.
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The pastor went into the Salina district. The people of Quinter very much regretted the necessity of his leaving; the best wishes of all the people followed him.
The Sunday school and league continued with con- siderable interest. The membership at this time was 62. The next year Quinter was placed in the Wa Keeney charge and was served by C. M. Reed.
The next year the name was dropped from the minutes, though it was probably continued with Wa Keeney as it is found there in 1916 and '17. However, it is no longer known as a charge and therefore no statistics can be given, except the portion of the pas- tor's salary apportioned to it in '16 was $356; that in '17 was $450; both were paid in full. This is all this historian can give of the work.
Pleasant Dale Appointment.
This class took the name of the township in which it is located. It is in the northeast corner of Rush county.
The first preaching services held in the neighbor- hood was at the home of Francis Pearson in the sum- mer of 1878. The preacher's name was Homer New- berry. It is not known what church he was affiliated with. The next summer a Union Sunday school was organized and a Methodist preacher named Green preached a number of times. The meetings were held in an old stone barn belonging to N. A. Andrese.
The barn had previously been fumigated and used as a school house. This was the meeting place till a sod school house was built on section 25. Here the first Methodist class was organized. It was known as Mt. Zion. A pile of dirt overgrown with grass now marks the spot.
In 1881 another sod house was built on section 11 and the Sunday school was held here for two seasons.
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The roof was supported by a heavy ridge pole, on which rafters were laid. They were covered with brush and this overlaid with sod. It was not plastered and had a dirt floor. The windows were small, only one small sash to each window. The door was made of six inch flooring boards. There were no seats. Each family brought their own seats or used the wagon seats. The roof leaked when it rained and continued to leak for some time after the rain was over. The grass grew nicely on the inside and the mice held high carnival through the week and gazed in wonder upon the congregation on Sunday.
Rev. Bernstorf, pastor at La Cross, was the next man to preach regularly at Pleasant Dale. The Sun- day school was now changed from a Union to a Meth- odist school. H. P. Colegrave, pastor of the Galatia charge, was the next to preach at the school house. B. F. Rogers, of the Walker charge, was the next. He was followed by C. A. Davis, who was with us one year. The school house was changed from one charge to another so frequently that the conference minutes do not indicate the pastors at Pleasant Dale. It is remembered that A. L. Norfleet was the pastor in '97 and it was then that the church was built, but it was not dedicated till the spring of '98. The Church Ex- tension Society donated $250 to the church.
The first board of trustees were S. Stansbury, George Wallace, S. F. Pearson, C. C. Christmas, John Linn, James Linn and George Hopkins.
Pleasant Dale continued to be a part of the La Cross charge for a number of years. The writer has not been informed when it was attached to another charge.
Ransom.
It is not known when the church at Ransom was organized and nothing has been learned as to the early
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1
membership or officials. The name first appears in the Conference Minutes as the head of a charge in 1890 and was supplied during that and the following years by G. W. McBride. In 1891 the pastor reported three Sunday schools with an enrollment of 100, and $153 salary.
In 1892 E. E. Gunckel was appointed to supply Ran- som. For his first year's services he received $279 and a parsonage was built valued at $210 and he re- ported 55 members with 75 probationers. He served the charge five years at the close of which he reported 258 members and 17 probationers and received $576 salary. During his pastorate here, Gunckel reported more than 800 conversions and twelve societies organ- ized in the territory over which he traveled. Of these conversions 14 went into the ministry.
Gunckel relates one experience which is illustrative of the difficulties which the pioneer preacher often con- fronted. In the afternoon of a cold winter day he had driven 13 miles from the afternoon appointment to the preaching place at night. When he reached the place there was no one there and the nearest member where he might be entertained over night, was a mile on the other side of the river. There was ice ten or twelve feet from the shore on each side of the stream, but the middle of the stream was still open. Nevertheless the preacher determined to ford the stream and started in. As the horse neared the running water the ice broke and he fell. Fortunately he was gentle and lay quiet till he was loosened from the buggy and told to get up. In his struggle to rise he struck the preacher in the breast with his head and knocked him backward into the water. Finally horse, man and buggy got out, but they were on the same side from which they had gone in. There was nothing for them to do but to retrace their steps nine miles to find a stopping place. This was done, but when the house was reached the people
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were not at home and the preacher's clothes were frozen on him. However he managed to get into the house, build a fire and thaw out without serious re- sults. Gunckel generally baptized others by sprinkling but acknowledged that he himself had been immersed.
C. M. Thompson was the next pastor. During his pastorate the parsonage was greatly improved by the addition of several rooms. The church was also built during Thompson's pastorate at a cost of $1,500 be- sides much labor which was donated.
Of the pastors who have served the charge Thomp- son, Funk, See, Terry and Laybourne had fruitful re- vivals.
Russell.
The first Methodist class formed at Russell was organized December 19, 1872, with fourteen charter members. John Connor, a local preacher of Ellsworth, was the first pastor on the circuit which included not only Russell but also Wilson and Great Bend. The first Quarterly Conference was held on March 2, 1873, at which the pastor presided. Edwin Yoxall was the superintendent of the first Sunday school which was organized March 15, 1873. The first parsonage was built in 1878, while W. H. Zimmerman was the pastor and the following year the church was begun. The building was completed with a debt of $600 which was finally wiped out during the hard years from 1881 to 1886. After the church was built the United Brethren and the Presbyterians shared its use. This building served the church until 1908 when it was torn down to make way for the fine modern structure which now serves the Russell congregation.
Following Zimmerman the pastors who served Rus- sell were as follows: Kahler Ream (three months) ; Cannon, Dana and Saville. W. A. Saville served the charge three years and was a successful pastor. The
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presiding elder commented on the success of Saville at Russell in his reports each year, stating that Russell was the banner charge in the district in the activity of the Woman's Foreign Misionary Society, as it was also in the benevolent collections.
L. O. Housel succeeded Saville and gave the fol- lowing report of his work. Russell had had a year of prosperity, (1889-1890) under the careful man- agement of L. O. Housel." A successful revival was conducted and the benevolences and pastoral support were reported in full. Housel remained three years at Russell and was succeeded by the following who served in the order named: W. R. Allen, J. P. Allen, G. H. Moulton, (six months), F. H. Perry, W. P. Rutledge, (part year), E. S. Hutchens, A. L. Semans, H. C. Seidel, (nine months). During this pastorate the parsonage was improved at a cost of over $600; L. A. Mckeever, R. E. Dunham, and C. W. Stevens.
During Stevens first year arrangements were made for the building of a new church. He first secured the use of the Court House for the church services, while the church was under construction. The work was begun on September 23, and the church was dedicated the following July, 1909, T. C. Iliff preaching the sermon and U. S. Brown, the district superintendent, conducting the dedicatory service. $3,815 was needed and over $5000 was subscribed.
Statistics for 1917: Church, $12,000; parsonage, $2,500; members 225, Prep. 46; pastoral support, pastor, $1640; district seperintendent, $112; bishop, $28; benevolences, $2,066; Sunday School enroll- ment, 275; Epworth League, 40; Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, $28; Home Missionary Society, $125.
Russell Springs.
Russell Springs appears in the list of appoint- ments in 1887 as the head of a charge. A local
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preacher living on a claim near Wallace was appoint- ed to supply the charge, but from some cause he fail- ed to do so. T. J. H. Taggart who was the pastor at Oakley was sent down to organize the work. He says: "During the early spring Longansport was started as a county seat aspirant. I preached there a few times and tried to organize a society without suc- cess. When the place lost the county seat it began to decline and was soon given up as a preaching place. I continued to preach at the Springs throughout the year as a night appointment." The next year H. S. Plummer was appointed to the charge and at the close of the year reported four Sunday Schools hav- ing 37 officers and teachers and 190 scholars, with 66 full members and 15 probationers, and they paid the pastor $450 and the presiding elder $30.
The next year Wm. Nash was the pastor. He re- ported but three Sunday Schools, 21 officers and teachers and 115 scholars, while the pastor was paid but $315. J. F. Clark was appointed pastor in 1891 and served two years. There seemed to be a steady decline in the charge for the next report gave the pastoral support at but $225 while the church mem- bership also declined. Russell Springs was dropped from the list of appointments in 1892 and does not again appear until 1907 when Reuben Bisbee was ap- pointed pastor. During the intervening years Rus- sell Springs must have been attached to another charge and the class maintained, for when it again appears in the minutes there is a church valued at $2000. Bisbee was continued on the work till 1909 when J. F. Clark was again appointed pastor and re- mained one year. Again Russell Springs disappears from the lists and does not reappear until 1917. The charge evidently contains many loyal souls who have grieved because of the reverses. When it appears in the appointment in 1917 it contributed $588 for minis-
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terial support and there were 64 full members and 22 probationers. The charge has three preaching places, Russell Springs, McAlister and the Hopper school house, and at the last two points there is a Union Sun- day School.
The church is now valued at $4000 and the pastor's salary is fixed at $900.
Sharon Springs.
W. M. Sedore was appointed pastor at Sharon Springs in 1887. The name had not been in the list of appointments though it is probable the class had been previously organized and the community must have been ripe for the organization for at the end of the first year's pastorate a church worth $500 was re- ported, and also a class of 25 full members and three probationers, and two Sunday Schools with 125 schol- ars. R. B. Beatty was the next pastor and he served three years. At the close of his pastorate he reported 61 full members and a church worth $1800. After Beatty's pastorate the charge was served by the fol- lowing men: 1890-91, W. R. Leigh: '92-3, J. F. John- son ; '94, C. A. Davis; '95, A. W. Richardson ; '96-7, W. W. Hurlbut; '98, W. E. Green; '99, Wm. Nash; 1900- 01, F. P. Raby; '02, R. A. LeMaster; '03-04, J. D. Baker; '05, F. C. Griffith; '06-09, H. F. Odell; '10, W. W. Hendrickson; '11-12 C. A. Davis; '1314, E. L. Hut- chins ; '15-16, C. M. Brown; '17, Noah Douthit.
In November 1893 the pastor J. F. Johnson reported that the third Quarterly meeting continued four weeks and resulted in 35 conversions and 25 accessions to the church. Again in 1895 the pastor C. A. Davis con- ducted a revival meeting resulting in 36 conversions, and 16 accessions to the church, and a Junior League of 23 members was organized.
The charge has experienced no remarkable pros- perity but it has held its own in the face of numerous
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reverses. The greatest advance in church property was in 1906 when the church was rebuilt bringing its value to $3600. This was accomplished during the pastorate of F. C. Griffith. The next year the parson- age was improved at a cost of $500.
The report for 1917 gives the following: Church, $2100; parsonage, $1200; full membership, 102; pas- tor's salary, $900; Dist. Supt., $60; bishop, $15; Sun- day School enrollment, 144.
Sylvan Grove.
It was in 1888 that the name Sylvan Grove first appears among the list of appointments, supplied by H. F. Odell. Nothing is known as to what other points were connected with it to constitute a circuit, except that they were located in Lincoln, Ellsworth, Russell and Osborne counties. The next year, 1889, Sylvan Grove and Lucas were served by L. A. Dugger who re- mained on the charge during '90 and '91. J. W. Blun- don was the pastor in '92; A. C. Frick supplied in '93 and George Nulton was appointed in '94. Following him were A. T. Mitchell, '95-97; W. O. Woolever, '98. Woolever was reappointed in '99 but remained only a short time and H. F. Tole, a student at Kansas Wes- leyan supplied the remainder of the year; 1900, A. N. See; 1901, L. A. Mckeever. In September Mckeever was relieved to attend school and E. P. Raby was ap- pointed and served the charge until the Conference of 1904. 1904, J. O. Barton; '05, George Graham sup- plied until September when M. R. Starbuck was ap- pointed and he remained with the charge until 1910. C. A. Sullivan, '10-11 ; James Kerr, '12-13; J. A. Temp- lin, '14-15; W. E. Scott, '16; V. V. Whitsit, '17.
The church was built in 1892 during the pastorate of J. W. Blundon on lots donated by H. S. Busick. In 1900 Lucas became a separate charge and Sylvan and Excelsior constituted the circuit. Revivals from time
-
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to time have been conducted on the circuit. In 1891 a special meeting resulted in 17 conversions and 13 ac- cessions to the church.
The church at Excelsior was built in 1901 and the dedicatory sermon preached by M. E. Phillips the president of Kansas Wesleyan University. The cost of the church was $2300.
At present the charge has three points : Sylvan, Or- bitello, and Old Vesper.
Statistics for 1917: Church, $2500; parsonage, $1200; members, 66; with 4 preparatory; pastor's salary, $1100; Dist. Supt., $68; bishop, $17; benevo- lences, $481; Sunday Schools, 2; enrollment, 184; Ep. League, 20; Junior League, 25; W. F. M. S., $8; W. H. M. S., $49.
Tescott.
Tescott and Beverly appear in the Conference ap- pointments first in 1887, with I. McDowell as pastor. Tescott got its name differently from any other town in the land. T. E. Scott was a worthy farmer in Lincoln county whose home was just outside the town corpora- tion. The citizens desired to honor Mr. Scott by nam- ing the town after him, but there was already a Scott City and Scottsville in the state, so it seemed there was no way to use the name Scott, again for a town, till some one suggested the use of the whole name, T. E. Scott.
Just when the Methodist class was formed is not known, nor have the names of the charter members been preserved, nor the name of the organizer.
The following men have served the Tescott ap- pointment: '87, I. McDowell; '88, B. F. Rhodes; '89- 90, D. McGurk; '91, M. T. Brown; '92-94, J. M. Miller; '95-96, J. H. Kuhn; '97-98, M. J. Mumford. Up to this time Beverly and Tescott churches were one charge. from '96 on Tescott has been separated from Beverly.
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'98-1900, H. J. Lorenz; '01, S L. Semans; '02-04, J. F. Clark and H. C. Sawyer; '05, W. A. Pratt; '06, G. W. Hood; '07-08, G. L. Rarick; 10, L. Steer; '11, C. A. Sullivan; '12-13, C. M. Brown; '14-15, James Kerr; '16-17, C. E. Wood.
In 1889 and 1890 the Pastor D. McGurk held a re- vival at a school house at which 50 were converted and the same winter another meeting was held in Tes- cott where 62 professed conversion. At the beginning of this year the membership had consisted of seven women and children only. Another large meeting was held in 1893 under the pastorate of J. M. Miller at which 57 professed conversion while previously that year 25 had united with the church so the year was especially fruitful in accessions. During Miller's pas- torate of three years 140 people joined the church. In 1908 another great revival swept the community at which 75 were converted and 40 united with the church. In that same year the new church was dedi- cated, costing $5,200.
Statistics for 1917: Church, $7000; parsonage, $1800; members, 150; probationers, 6; pastor's salary, $950; Dist. Supt., $64; bishop, $16; benevolence, $296; Sunday School enrollment, 254; Ep. League, 25.
Utica.
Utica charge appears in the list of appointments first in 1910; but previously it had been a part of the Ransom charge. E. E. Gunckel was the pastor at Ran- som in 1891 at which time Utica was a point on the circuit. It was situated 13 miles west of Ransom. At that time there were but two members and no organi- zation. The Utica charge now consists of three ap- pointments, Utica, St. Elizabeth and Arnold. The two former places have church buildings, the former valued at $2500, while the latter is placed at $1500. The class at Arnold was engaged in building a church
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which is now doubtless completed, and will have a val- uation of about $7000.
Statistics for 1917: Churches, $4000; parsonage, $1500; membership, 156; probationers, 6; salary of pastor, $870; Dist. Supt., $60; bishop, $15; benevo- lences, $999; 3 Sunday Schools; enrollment, 215; Ep. League, 15.
WaKeeney.
This appointment was organized in 1879 but it was some years before WaKeeney became the head of a circuit. The first year it was left to be supplied but the next year, 1880 it was connected with Colyer with J. A. Hoyt as pastor. At the close of that year Wa- Keeney and Ellis are reported together and there are three Sunday Schools on the charge with an enroll- ment of 155, and the pastor received $425 though his salary had been fixed at $675.
J. A. Stoyt was pastor during the year '81-82; 1883, S. C. Tenney; '84, A. M. Morse; 85, T. W. Mil- ler; '86, J. A. Stayt; '87-88, W. H. Mahaffee; '89, Mc- Coy; '90-91, O. N. Maxson; '92, G. W. Rich; '93, G. W. Winterburn; '94-95, J. F. Johnson; '96, R. B. Beatty ; '97-03, E. E. Gunckel; '04, F. N. Cox; '05-09, W. E. Scott; 10-11, J. A. Green; '12-14, C. N. Reed; '15-16, W. H. Woodward; '17, J. K. Sutton.
A church building was first reported in 1888 with a valuation of $4500, while a parsonage was reported for the first time in 1900 valued at $500.
The longest pastorate was that of E. E. Gunckel. When he returned from Conference for his sixth year he was met at the station by a large company of young people and escorted to the parsonage where a large company had gathered to greet him. The Baptist pas- tor of the town was present and took part in the re- joicing. On leaving the company left a substantial purse and a quantity of provisions to cheer the pastor and his family.
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Today WaKeeney is a circuit of three points; the others being Qunter and Ogallah.
Statistics for 1917: 3 Churches, $9700; parsonage, $2000; members, 320; pastor's salary, $1280; Dist. Supt., $88; bishop, $22; benevolences, $618; Sunday Schools, 3; enrollment, 295; Ep. League, 155.
Waldo.
This church was organized in 1885 and the name appears first in the Conference minutes at the head of a circuit in 1888. S. P. Lantz organized the society, and he was elected superintendent of the Sunday School, which place he continued to hold, with the ex- ception of one year until 1904. A few of the charter members of the church were still living when this sketch was written in June 1916. At present Waldo has one out appointment, Paradise.
The pastors who have served through the years are: 1888-89, I. Booth; in 1890 Luray was included, J. F. Johnson was the pastor and served two years. 1892, C. M. C. Thompson ; '93, W. H. Houpt; '94-6, T. A. Windson; '97, H. J. Lorenz; '98-9, O. Gessell ; 1900, T. J. Nixon; '01, A. L. Semans; '02, J. T. Shackelford; '93-4, J. W. Blundon ; '05, W. H. Holland; '06-7, W. M. Garner; '08, F. N. Stelson; '09-10, J. W. Legott; '11, H. W. Wolfe; '12-13, J. W. Vanderlip; '14, C. W. Ivie; '15-16, R. K. Sutton; '17, W. W. Strike.
The church building was begun in 1905 and fin- ished in 1907 while W. M. Garner was the pastor. The dedicatory services were conducted by Presiding Elder Stauber. The Ladies' Aid Society was organized in 1888; the Epworth League in 1891; the Woman's Home Missionary Society in 1912.
Successful revivals were held in 1897 resulting in forty-seven conversions; and again in 1909 another revival brought in over thirty converts.
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Statistics for 1917: Two churchs, $4000; parson- age, $2000; membership, 143; pastor's salary, $1200; Dist. Supt., $80; bishop, $17; benevolences, $1033; 2 Sunday Schools, enrollment, 267; Ep. League, 47.
Paradise.
The first mention of the Paradise class is found in 1878 in connection with the Plainville circuit. The next year Russell and Paradise appear in the list of appointments with O. N. Maxson, pastor. The name does not again appear until 1883 when A. J. McCrack- en was appointed to supply Paradise. In 1880 S. J. Kahler was the pastor at Russell and it is remember- ed that Kahler followed Maxson as pastor of Paradise, so it is probable that though the name does not appear in the minutes, Paradise continued to be a part of the Russell charge. In 1886 the name again appears, sup- plied by J. G. Balsom. Again the name disappears from the list of appointments and is not found again until 1894, when it is supplied by H. W. Wolfe who served two years. At the Conference of 1896 W. E. Cox was appointed to Paradise, and of his experience there he has given this account: "I was then a married man of but a week's experience having secured my license at Salina, and taking the happy vows immedi- ately after returning from Conference. My predeces- sor had received $75 from the charge but I was more fortunate receiving $118 and $80 from the Mission board.
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