USA > Kansas > Republic County > A history of Republic County, Kansas, embracing a full and complete account of all the leading events in its history, from its first settlement down to June 1, '01 > Part 16
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of religious services. The names of the persons thus unit- ing in the years of 1870 and '71 were in part as follows: R. P. Cheney and wife, J. F. Wells and wife, James S. Price and wife, R. P. West and wife, G. A. Hovey and wife, S. K. Waterson and wife, W. F. Compton and wife, H. B. Buck and wife, Ezra Mackey and wife, J. P. Ball and wife, Charles Counter and wife, Win. Bond and wife, J. Beers and wife, John Watson and wife, Mrs. Annie S. Humphrey, Samuel Thompson and wife, Mrs. J. G. Rich, Mrs. W. S. Latham, James Anderson and J. Fulcomer and wife.
The first services held in the city of Belleville, accord- ing to the best recollection of persons now living here, were held in the log court house the day after the roof was put on. The dimensions of this building were about 16x18 feet, one story high. The sermon on that occasion was preached by Rev. J. W. Reynolds, of the U. B church, and the first Methodist Episcopal sermon was preached by R. P. West a week or two later, which was followed shortly after by Dr. Griffith, Christian, and Rev. Odell of the Cumberland Presbyterian persuasion.
The records show that in the year A. D. 1871 Belle- ville was embraced in the Lake Sibley and Concordia cir- cuit and Manhattan district. It also shows that the preaching points embraced in this circuit were Lake Sib- ley, Concordia, Norway, Belleville, Fairview, Rose Creek, White Rock, and all the region lying beyond, which, to my mind, leaves the western boundary very indefinite.
The first quarterly conference ever held in Belleville was on May 27th, 1871, with Presiding Elder G. S. Dear- born officiating and Rev. Freem preacher in charge. Jas. S. Price was appointed secretary : others named as being present at said first quarterly conference were R. P. West, R. P. Cheney, W. F. Compton and G. A. Hovey. There was also appointed at that conference a committee on church building consisting of J. F. Wells, R. P. West, S. K. Waterson and J. S. Price. And the Presiding
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Elder was requested to send a young man to the work who would make his headquarters at Belleville. This implies a resignation on the part of the pastor, and it is claimed that this young preacher, though a college grad- uate, gave as a reason the cause of his resignation "that there was too much intelligence in 'this neck o' the wood." Admitting that to be the fact, is it any wonder that Belle- ville has gained the very unenviable reputation of sending away a great per cent of her preachers long before the ex- piration of their term? It is also very evident that in the early history of the church the ladies were considered an important factor in the onward march of Methodism, as has been demonstrated by the first committee ever ap- pointed, on missions, which was by a Quarterly Confer- ence, held on January 18th, 1872, consisting of Mesdames Latham and Price, for Belleville, Mrs. Hovey, for Rose Creek. Mesdames Fisher and Persinger, for White Rock, Mrs. McCathron, for Norway, Mrs. Bean for Concordia, and on tracts, Mesdames Price, West, Cheney, Raymond, Smith, Silvers, and Scribner. The said quarterly confer- ence also appointed a committee to secure a charter for the legal organization of the church at Belleville, said com- mittee consisting of the following named persons, viz., I. T. Hull, Jas. Wood, Waterson, West, Compton, and Price. It was also ordered that the circuit be divided so as to cre- ate a new one, to be known as the Belleville circuit. A committee consisting of the pastor, Rev. Nicholson, Hull and Sprague were appointed to establish the boundary line between the Concordia and Belleville circuits. Under the pastorate of Rev. James Walters in the summer of 1872, a parsonage was built at Belleville, the total cost of which was about $400. Early in January, 1873, application was made to the state for a charter of incorporation of the Methodist Episcopal church at Belleville, in which docu- ment the following names occur: Charles H. Smith, Ed. E. Chapman, W. S. Chapman, J. F. Wells, S. K. Waterson, James Price, G. A. Hovey, R. S. A. Tarbell and Albert
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Myers, and on the second day of May, 1873, a charter was issued, signed by W. N. Smallwood, secretary of the state.
Under the careful management and heroic efforts to more thoroughly establish Methodism in Belleville, the Rev. J. T. Shackelford and his staff, which consisted in part of such persons as James VanAkin, J. E. Mccullough, W. Bond, W. G. McBride, Samuel Thompson, J. N. Sny- der, and James Swan, whose names had not occurred in the preceeding allusions of this sketch, the erection of a church edifice was contemplated. This was in the sum- mer of 1873, after a very noted revival held in the frame court house on the north side of the square in the latter part of December, 1872, and the early days of 1873, con- ducted by Rev. J. T. Shackelford, assisted by Rev. Jones, pastor of the Presbyterian church. It will be remembered that up to and for some timeafter this date no church organ- ization represented in Belleville had a building of its own in which to worship. Thus, under the pastoral manage- ment of Rev. J. T. Shackelford, the erection of the first church edifice of Belleville was commenced, near the closeof the year, 1873, being completed some time during the sum- mer of 1874, and was dedicated on the 17th day of October, 1875, the sermon being preached by the Rev. C. Holman. There were present Rev. James Lawrence, P. E., Rev. Gray, pastor, Rev. George Winterbourn, pastor at Cuba, also Revs. Jones and Odell of the Presbyterian churches. The cost of this church was about $2,000. The Presbyter- ian congregation, not having any house of worship of their own, used the M. E. church every alternate Sabbath dur- ing the first year after its completion. And the Rev. Joy Bishop, Universalist, who resided at Delphos, Kansas, and traveled the entire distance on horse back, also preached in the M. E. church once in four weeks. In its struggle for existence during and shortly after the memorable year of 1874, known as the grasshopper year, Methodism, in order to hold the fort and more fully establish her bor- ders, found it necessary to take up some new appoint.
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ments. Hence there were added to the Belleville circuit Union Valley and Washington and later still, Beauchamp and Scandia. The first M. E. Sabbath school organized in Belleville was in the new church in the spring of 1875, with J. Fulcomer as superintendent, all previous ones be- ing. undenominational or union in sentiment. The first ladies' organization was known as the Mite Society and was organized prior to 1876.
The first Sabbath school organized into a missionary society on Belleville circuit was in 1878, and as time rolled on and the wealth of the church increased and other names were annually added to its membership, it was found necessary to commence the pruning process by lopping off some of its outside appointments. Fairview being the first, which was added to the Seapo circuit in 1877, and Washington, was set out the same year. Union Valley was dropped in 1880 and Scandia which was appor- tioned $25 per year on the pastor's salary, was set out in 1881, and in the spring of 1884, the Beauchamp appoint- ment was discontinued by request of its membership, thus leaving Belleville circuit with but two outside appoint- ments. Spring Hill was attached in 1886 to Rose Creek circuit, and Belleville was declared a station, which was more in name than practice, as the Grace Hill appointment was not dropped for several years thereafter.
The charter of the Epworth League organized at Belleville bears as date of issue June 8th, 1890.
In the years of 1890-91 it became evident that the old church building was inadequate for the accommodation of its congregation, the natural result was the agitation of the project of building a new and more commodious one, which in the summer of 1893, under the labors of the irrepressible pastor, Rev. D. A. Allen, was commen- ced with the understanding that its cost would reach 85000. The erection of this church was crowded to its completion with all possible speed, which was accomplish-
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ed by the middle of January, 1893. On investigation it was ascertained that about $3,500 was not yet provided for, thus it became necessary to ask for pledges covering the amount before any further steps could be taken in the line of dedication. And Bishop Warren with his very earnest appeals to the people during the morning and early evening services succeeded in getting pledges to the amount asked for and immediately proceeded with the dedication services, being assisted by Rev. E. P. Michener, P. E., and Rev. D. A. Allen, pastor, thus ended the dedica- tion services of January 15, 1893. And all hearts were aglow with bright anticipations of the future of Belleville, realizing that a great work was accomplished for God and the church. But lo, the scene was soon changed when in midsummer the clouds withheld their rain and south winds began to blow and the corn tassels were withered and the ears hung down by the sides of the stalks. Men's hearts began to fail; the condition of pledges were not com- plied with; interest was accruing every day on the debt. The board of trustees heroically stood shoulder to shoulder, each one becoming personally responsible for the whole amount. Thus having been tried as by fire we have now entered upon a new era. The early and the later rains have descended in copious showers; the husbandman reaping such a harvest as has hitherto been unequaled; prosperity has returned; the dark clouds. which for three long years hung as a harbinger of despair over our little city have disappeared, and the glorious sun of righteous- ness has arisen with healing for the nations. So is it any wonder that with the uplifted eye of faith, men and wo men are heard every week in the prayer circle crying for a hundred souls in Belleville for God and the church. Who can estimate the value of, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul.
Following are the names of all the Presiding Elders and Pastors since the organization of the church, in their regular order:
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PRESIDING ELDERS.
G. S. Dearborn,
C. L. Shackelford,
James Lawrence,
E. P. Michener,
W. J. Mitchell,
F. D. Baker,
J. H. Lockwood.
PASTORS.
Rev. Freem . the fore part of 1871
G. E. Nicholson ... latter part of 1871. to March, 1872
J. J. Walters. March, 1872, to April, 1873
J F. Shackelford April, 1873, to April, 1874
T. B. Gray
April, 1874, to March, 1876
C. B. Crysler.
March, 1876, to March 1877
Geo. Winterborn
March, 1877, to March, 1879
!V. B. Holland
March, 1879, to March, 1882
R. A. Hoffman ..
March, 1882, to March, 1885
J. F. Shackelford
March, 1885, to March, 1887
G. W. Wood
March, 1887 to March, 1888
W. T. Robinson
March, 1888, to August, 1888
C. T. Shackelford
August, 1888, to March, 1891
W. H. Pierce
March, 1891 to September, 1891
D. A. Allen
. October, 1891. to October, 1893
D. McGurk
October, 1893, to March, 1894
(). L. Housel April, 1894, to April, 1895
W. L. Cannon April, 1895, to April, 1897
E. L. Hutchins. April. 1897, to April, 1901
PROVIDENCE CHAPEL.
Situated on the southeast corner of section 25, Scan- dia township; was built in September, 1892, under some- what peculiar circumstances, inasmuch as there was at that time, but one professional member of the Methodist church in the neighborhood, that being Mr. Henry Ful- comer, and it was through his suggestion the project of building a church was taken into consideration. Upon his interviewing the neighbors, it was found that although a large majority of them were members of no church, all of them were God-fearing men and women who readily acquiesced in his suggestion to erect a church, conse- quently a meeting was held at Red Top school house and all that were interested were invited to attend. Rev. Al-
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len, at that time the Methodist minister at Belleville, was consulted and readily offered his assistance, and was there to preside at the meeting, giving a preliminary discourse from the text found in John, 1-46: "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" He evidently thought that be- cause there were no members in the vicinity, he was jus. tified in making the comparison. After the sermon the business part was taken up and Mr. Fulcomer chose the present location, which was not objected to by any one. The site being on the southeast corner of Mr. Brady Bow- ling's farm, that gentleman arose and offered to donate one acre of ground as his share towards the church.
The site being thus secured, subscriptions were next in order, and before the meeting closed enough money and labor had been subscribed to insure it safe to go ahead and build. Thereupon a building committee composed of George Bowling, Mose Bushby and Henry Fulcomer was chosen and instructed to proceed to collect the money and have the building erected, which was done without delay, at a cost of $1,020; $600 of which was collected in cash, the balance in labor and material. As soon as it was fin- ished Rev. Allen notified Presiding Elder Michener of the Concordia district that it was ready for dedication, where- upon the Elder came up and conducted the dedicatory ser- vices, assisted by Rev. Allen, who also made arrange- ments with the Elder to have it attached to the Scandia circuit. Rev. Ryan having charge of that circuit at that time, was the first to hold regular services in the chapel, but was removed from Scandia the following spring and Rev. Jenkins assigned to the charge. He proved to be a good sermonizer and was held in high esteem by the Chap- el people, and through his instrumentality several con- verts were added to the one mentioned at the beginning. However, Rev. Jenkins only remained at Scandia one year and was followed by J. I. Osman, who did some hard work both at the Chapel and at Scandia, and was successful in adding some fifteen or twenty converts, besides six or
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eight who joined by letter, giving them a membership of twenty-five or thirty, who, strange as it may seem, every one of them have remained steadfast in the faith up to the present time. Rev. Osman remained on the circuit two years, and was succeeded by Rev. J. E. Elwell, a bright young man, an elegant speaker, and, although a good ser- monizer and an earnest worker while in the pulpit, his so- cial life was not up to what some of his members deemed the standard, consequently he was removed from Scandia at the end of his first year. Several members were added to the organization through his efforts at the Chapel.
Next came Rev. Nichols a stranger who had just been transferred to this conference, but proved to be a failure as a minister of the gospel and gave up the appointment before the first year expired. W. W. Wells, now of Belleville, was our next minister, and gave fair satisfac- tion, and won the respect and admiration of the Chapel people for his kind disposition, largeness of heart. ready to do good at every opportunity. He. too, at his own re- quest, remained on the charge but one year, and was fol- lowed by Rev. James Kerr, a man of considerable exper- ience, having passed the middle mile stone of life, but still retains a strong, loud voice while speaking from the pulpit. He always seems to have words at his command. This makes his third year on this charge. The organi- zation at the Chapel now consists of forty or more mem- bers in good standing who have one of the best attended Sunday Schools in the county, the old people as well as the young attending regularly the year around. They al- so have preaching every Sunday alternately morning and evening. Providence Chapel is now known far and wide and its people have the reputation of being courteous, well behaved. and under all circumstances maintaining perfect order, even when crowded to its utmost capacity. Miss Howard, county superintendent, has held several commencement exercises at the Chapel and made the statement at the last one, May 7, 1901, that of all the ex-
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ercises she has held in the county, better order has bene maintained at the Chapel than at any other place in the county.
So it seems after all, that some good did really come out of Nazareth, and if Rev. Allen should ever visit the Chapel neighborhood, he will find a nice little band of humble followers of the lowly Nazarene.
KACKLEY M. E. CHURCH.
A church was built by subscription at Kackley in 1892, at a cost of about $700, and was dedicated by the Pente- cost. This church has recently passed into the hands and under the control of the Methodists, and forms a part of the Courtland charge. Preaching once in two weeks.
AGENDA M. E. CHURCH.
The Agenda M. E. church was chartered August 29th, 1891, with A. R. Dillehay, W. J. Clark, M. Kenney, Geo. W. Smith and Stephen Bradley as charter members. The first pastor of this church was Rev. D. A. Allen, before the present building was erected and while the meetings were being held in the school house. The church was built the latter part of 1892 and the spring of 1893, at a. cost of about $1,800. Was dedicated in July, 1893, by Rev. E. P. Michener. Sunday school every Sunday and preach. ing once in two weeks.
SPRING HILL M. E. CHURCH.
In the spring of 1892 the Spring Hill Society of the M. E. church, which had regularly held services in the Spring Hill School House (District No. 43) since 1873, decided to build a church. Accordingly, a regular or- ganization was effected, a charter procured and a society incorporated. A subscription paper was circulated, the community generously responded and in a short time a sufficient amount was subscribed to erect a commodious church. A site was selected on the southwest corner of
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A. M. Bond's farm, on the SW + of section eleven, Freo- dom township. In December the building was completed and dedicated, with Rev. M. J. Baily as pastor and Rev. E. P. Michener as presiding elder. The cost of the church was about $1,300. Services have been held week- ly since the erection of the church, and the prosent pas- tor is Rev. M. O. Mover.
MUNDEN BETHEL M. E. CHURCH.
The Bethel M. E. church at Munden, was commenced in the fall of 1884, and finished early in the winter of that year. The house is 28x45 feet with a 20-foot ceiling, and cost $2.000. It stood on the southwest corner of the SE } of section three, town two south, range two west, land owned by Joseph Northrup, a pioneer settler of that town- ship, and to whose untiring and well-directed efforts the building of this church was made possible, he having con- tributed in time, labor and money, far more than any per- son connected with it. At the time it was built, it was probably the best house of worship in Republic county. The building was dedicated December 28th, 1884, by Rev. B. D. Fisher, assisted by Rev. C. L. Shackelford and Rev. J. H. Lockwood. The house was moved to Munden in the summer of 1888, and a parsonage built soon after. Rev. M. J. Bailey was the first resident pastor. The following have been pastors of this church: A. N. See, S. Brooks, George Winterborn, J. W. H. Williams, Don A. Allen, Jos- eph. M. Ryan, B. F. Rhoades, M. J. Bailey, G. W. Burch, W. Vandervoort and M. O. Moyer, the latter being the present pastor. The present membership is forty-four.
COURTLAND M. E. CHURCH.
The Methodist Episcopal church, of Courtland, Kan- sas, was organized in the year 1888, on the 25th day of November, by James Flowers, who at that time lived at White Rock. The class began with a small membership and, like all churches, has had its time of adversity and also of prosperity. In the year 1893 the present house of
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worship was erected. It is a neat and commodious build- ing. conveniently located on the west side of Main street. The entire cost, including the furnishing, was about $2,200. The first class leader was Nathan Pilcher, better known as Father Pilcher, who, after a faithful service of two years, went to his reward. The church has been served in snecession by the following pastors: James Flowers, George T. Rarick, W. S. Sedore, S. A. Greene, M. J. Bailey, James Flowers, Rev. Wright. J. Ramsey, B. F. Hutchins. J. H. Brown and W. A. Pierce, the last named being the present pastor. The present member- ship of the class at Courtland is forty-five. It has had at different times the following outlying classes attached to it : White Rock, Lincoln and Kackley. The last two named belong to the Courtland charge at the present time.
CUBA M. E. CHURCH.
In the spring of 1890, the annual conference of the M. E. church decided to take up Cuba as a work, and a class was accordingly organized there under the ministry of D. A. Allen, who continued as its pastor until October, 1891, when he was transferred to Belleville. Rev. E. G. Alderman was appointed to fill out the unexpired term. Since that time G. L. Rarick, E. Price, W. E. Jenkins, L. B. Tremain, and N. S. Ragle have successively served as its pastors, Rev. N. S. Ragle being the pastor present. While D. A. Allen was pastor, a lot was purchased and a house erected for use as a parsonage, which, however, was not entirely cleared of debt until 1898. Rev. L. B. Tre- main served the longest pastorate-four years. During his service the old Free Will Baptist church was bought and repaired and made free of debt. It was made ready for use January 1, 1899, at which time also our first Sun- day school was organized, which is still prospering, with a membership of about seventy-five. Among the first members of this class were Mr. and Mrs. John Harris and Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Ingham, who are still mem-
Methodist Church, Scandia, Kansas.
0
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bers of the same. The present membership is about thirty.
PLEASANT VIEW M. E. CHURCH.
In the summer of 1892 it came into the hearts of the Methodist people of the Beauchamp and Star classes to unite and by their joint efforts erect a suitable house of worship, these two classes belonging to the Munden charge which forms a part of the Northwest Kansas Con- ference. The church building was dedicated to the Lord February 26, 1893, by Rev. E. P. Michener. Presiding Elder. The Rev. M. J. Bailey was the pastor at the time the church was built and dedicated. The cost of the building was $2400. The following are the trustees : D. A. Zech, President : R.M. Vaughn, Secretary : John Moss- hart, Treasurer : Wm. E. Whitney, Welden Worrel, C. C. Ball, G. S. Wells, E. C. Carson, C. L. Porter.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT SCANDIA.
Owing to the fact that the records of the Methodist church at this place were lost a few years ago, it is im- possible to give a complete history. The church was or- ganized in 1883. The trustees were, C. G. Bulkley, S. Albro, W. O. Boots and two others. Dr. J. H. Lockwood, who was Presiding Elder at that time writes as follows :
"It would be impossible for me to write a correct sketch of the Scandia church. It has been too long, and I have no record to refer to. I think Bro. Albro could come as near giving you the facts as any man I know of. I was the Presiding Elder when the appointment was really established. I have a very distinct recollection of Bro. Albro, who then as now was upon the streets with his dray, stopping me on the streets as I was driving through from Beloit to Belleville and saying, as he held my horses by the bits, 'When are you going to send us a preacher?' I sent Bro. Hollen. G. H. Woodward fol- lowed him. While Bro. Woodward was pastor, the church was bought from old Father Marks, of Reynolds, Neb. I
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met him on the road between Scandia and Belleville. We did not know each other, but we introduced ourselves and I bought the church before we parted, and Brother Wood- ward completed the contract. The church was enlarged while Bro. J. O. Osman was pastor. I dedicated the church. I cannot give you all the pastors during these years. Before the church was bought we held our ser vices in the Presbyterian church when it was on the hill."
The church was rebuilt and enlarged to its present handsome proportions in 1894. This was the year that Rev. Henry Williams conducted his celebrated revival here. The meetings were held at first in the old church, but speedily outgrew the room and were transferred to the city hall. Since the church was enlarged the pastors have been: 1894-5, Rev. J. O. Osman; 1896, Rev. C. S. El- well; 1897, Rev. W. W. Wells; 1898, Rev. A. A. Nichols: 1899, Rev. James Kerr, who is now in the pulpit.
NARKA M. E. CHURCH.
The Narka M. E. church was organized in the District school house in 1881, with twelve members. Organized by D. A. Allen. Church was built in 1893 and dedicated in February, 1894, by Rev. E. P. Michener, assisted by Rev. Sedore, the pastor. The cost of the church building was $2,250. The present membership is about eighty. The present pastor is G. P. Miller. Sunday school organ- ized about the same time and has been kept up continuous- ly ever since, and is well attended.
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