USA > Kansas > Labette County > History of Labette County, Kansas, and representative citizens > Part 43
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Excelsior .- At an early day a class was formed at the Mount Triumph school-house, in District No. 63. Some few years ago, this class was moved to the Excelsior school-house, in District No. 88. Here services were con- ducted till about the fall of 1891, when, under the pastorate of Rev. S. W. Gamble, a nice frame church 26 by 48 feet was erected on the southwest quarter of section 21, in north Mound Valley township. It was dedicated January 17, 1892, by Rev. B. Kelley. During 1892 the organization of a Y. P. S. C. E. was effected.
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Pleasant Hill .- A class was formed a num- ber of years ago at the Pleasant Hill school- house, in District No. 77, where services were regularly held till 1889, when a new church was built under the pastorate of Rev. W. T. York, on the southwest corner of section 30, in Walton township, at a cost of about $1,200. It was dedicated, free of debt, on Dec. 15, 1889, by Rev. J. E. Brant.
Moorhead .- A new church was built at this place, just in the edge of Neosho county. in 1891. Quite a large portion of the mem- bership lives in Labette county.
Fletcher Chapel .- This class succeeds one of the oldest classes in the county. There were a number of Methodist families among the early settlers in the northeast part of Richland township, among them the Rice families, the Greens, and Rev. David Stanfield. A class was organized, probably as early as April or May, 1868. Arrangements were soon made for erecting a building : a site was selected on the east side of the east road leading from Os- wego to Chetopa, near the northwest corner 'of the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 10, and a foundation laid that spring. L. D. Bovee had the contract for putting up the building, and had it inclosed that season. A store building at old Labette, on section 14, was torn down, and out of the material the church was par- tially constructed: but it was never finished, and the class weakened rather than gained in strength. However, services were kept up and meetings were held in the school-house in Dis- trict No. 3. The class was attached a part of the time to Oswego and a part of the time to Chetopa. It was decided to make another at- tempt to secure a building, and in the summer of 1883 a church was commenced, and by fall it was inclosed, and so far completed that
services were held in it in winter. It is located on section 4. in Richland township. It was completed during the spring, and dedicated June 22. 1884, by Rev. F. M. Sisson.
Chetopa .- This church shares the misfor- tune of many early enterprises, of having no record of its organization. It is said the first Methodist sermon in Chetopa, aside from the preaching before the war by ministers of the M. E. church South, was preached in Septem- ber, 1867, in W. H. Reid's home, by Thomas B. Palmer, who carried the mail from Osage Mission to Chetopa, and who was also a local preacher. No regular preaching was had and no organization was effected till after the ap- pointment of the preacher in 1868. Tradition says the church was organized in June, 1868, with 13 members. Soon after the organization a building committee, consisting of James C. Watson, G. W. Hoover and D. J. Doolen, was appointed, and had charge of the erection of the church building, which was commenced in November, 1868, and finished in 1870, the ded- ication sermon being preached by Rev. Thomas Bowman, D. D., on Sept. 4, 1870. In 1868 the church was under the charge of Rev. John S. Harryman. of Oswego, who had all of La- bette county for his circuit. In the spring of 1869 Rev. Patterson McNutt was appointed to the joint work of Oswego and Chetopa. In 1870 Chetopa was made a station, with Rev. J. WV. Lowry as pastor; he was returned in 1871, and was succeeded in the spring of 1872 by Rev. G. WV. Pye, who also continued two years. The next two years Rev. John Paul- son was pastor. In March, 1876, Rev. Hugh McBirney became pastor, and continued in charge till March, 1879, when Rev. R. M. Scott was appointed to the work, and remained till March, 1881, Rev. J. W. Fox was then in charge of the work for a year.
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Rev. A. P. George came in March, 1882, and remained till August, 1883. In the following month Rev. W. W. Curnutt be- came pastor, and continued as such till March, 1886, when he was succeeded by Rev. C. T. Durboraw, who remained three years, and was succeeded May 1, 1890, by Rev. W. H. Mulvaney, in place of Rev. N. B. Johnson, who had been appointed to the church but failed to come. Mr. Mulvaney served as pastor five years, from 1890 to 1895; he was succeed- ed by John Maclean, who also served five years, being followed in 1900 by Harman J. Hoover, the present pastor. In the fall of 1870 a parson- age was built on a part of the church lots. In 1880 this parsonage was removed and a new parsonage built in the north part of the city. The church was built of stone, and at the time of its dedication was considered the finest in the county, it having cost some $6,700. In October, 1894, the church was torn down and in its place there was erected that winter a fine, frame structure, commodious and con- venient, costing about $6,000, which was dedi- cated March 10, 1895, by Bishop Thomas Bowman. The church has had a number of revivals of marked power. In January, 1875. November and December, 1884, and the win- ter of 1885-86, the revival meetings resulted in large accessions to the church. During Mr. Mulvaney's pastoratc, a revival, awakening a great interest and resulting in nearly 100 ac- cessions to the church, took place at Fletcher Chapel. In the fall of 1900 about 100 conver- sions and accessions resulted from a revival held in the Chetopa church by Mr. Hoover. The members and probationers of the church now number about 375. November 4, 1889, an Epworth League was organized, with J. M. Cavaness as president.
Second M. E. church. This organization
was formed in 1881, and is composed of col- ored members. Some ten or twelve years ago they built a church, and have maintained regu- lar services most of the time; recently, they have erected a tower on the church building and put in a bell. Robert Rector, WV. B. Avery, Andrew Riley, Marion Bell, Thomas Allen, A. J. Lee, E. Q. Plummer, C. P. Thompson, A. R. Clarady, J. J. Cable, I. W. H. Terrill and M. L. Jackson have served as pastors. On Easter Sunday, 1892, a Y. P. S. C. E. was organized by Anna Householder and Ella Hig- by. The members of the other two colored churches in town unite in maintaining this so- ciety.
Timber Hill Circuit .- Methodism was or- ganized in the west part of the county nearly as soon as there were any settlers there. Jo- seph McCormick, the first settler in Mound Valley township, was a Methodist, and his home became the place around which Meth- odism clustered. As early as 1867 a local preacher by the name of Spaugh preached at McCormick's house. Mr. Claspell writes me that "this was the first preaching I heard on Big Hill." In 1868 all of Labette county was embraced in the Oswego circuit, in charge of Rev. J. S. Harryman, with Rev. David Stanfield as an assistant, the former having been ad- mitted into the conference on trial that spring. and the latter being a local preacher. Mr. Stanfield moved out into the western part of the county, and preached there. In March, 1869, the Westralia circuit was organized, em- bracing parts of Labette and Montgomery counties, and put in charge of Rev. J. S. Harry- man and Rev. Sheldon Parker. In 1870 the Timber Hill circuit was formed, and put in charge of Rev. Sheldon Parker. It embraced all of the western part of Labette county and the eastern part of Montgomery. In 1871
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Rev. R. P. Bukey was put in charge of this work and stayed two years. Rev. E. M. Bus- sert, a local preacher, about this time com- menced to render efficient aid, which has been kept up much of the time since. During these early years (but I have found no one who is able to fix even the year ) classes were formed at a number of school-houses in Osage and Mound Valley townships, several of which be- came permanent Methodist centers. Of these I may mention Mount Zion, in District No. 36; Mount Triumph, in District No. 63; St. John, in District No. 76; Harmony Grove, in District No. 30; Pleasant Hill, in District No. 77; and Maple Grove, in District No. 102. In April, 1873. Rev. J. P. Hight was placed on the Timber Hill circuit, and sent back the following year. In March, 1875, Rev. W. B. Poinsett was appointed, but on account of sick- ness failed to go, and the charge was united for that year with Labette, under Rev. J. W. McIntosh. The next two years Rev. W. B. Poinsett was in charge, at the end of which time the Timber Hill circuit ceased to exist, the most of the appointments being merged in
The South Parsons Circuit .- This circuit was formed in March, 1878, and put in charge of Rev. W. B. Poinsett and Rev. A. S. Freed. In March, 1879. this work was reduced in size and put in charge of Rev. S. F. Harriman, who formed some new classes, among them one at Mound Valley, and at the end of this year the charge ceased to exist under that name. From this time on the classes in the extreme western part of the county have generally heen in charge of a minister at Cherryvale. In' the spring of 1886 a parsonage was built in the Mount Zion district. and it became the head of the Cherryvale circuit. In 1892 this par- sonage was sold, the proceeds to be applied to-
ward the erection of a new church in the near future.
Mound Valley .- The Methodist class at Mound Valley was organized in the summer of 1879, by Rev. S. F. Harriman, who was then in charge of the South Parsons circuit. About 10 members composed the class at the time of its organization. In March, 1880, the Mound Valley circuit was organized and put in charge of Rev. E. A. Graham, who continued on the work for three years. He in that time built three churches, doing a large part of the work with his own hands. The parsonage was built, and occupied in the fall of 1879 by Mr. Harriman. In the spring of 1880 a small church was completed on the southeast corner of block 15, and dedicated, free from debt, by Rev. A. T. Burris, at a cost of about $1,200. In March, 1883, Mr. Graham was succeeded by Rev. Isaac Hill, who was followed the next spring by C. E. Creager: he remained two years. The first year of his pastorate the old church property was sold, and other lots se- cured in block 10, lying just south of the rail- road track, and on these a fine new church was erected, and on Oct. 12, 1884. was dedi- cated by Rev. J. B. Ford. During the follow- ing winter union meetings were held, under the direction of W. H. Hurlbut, an evangelist, and resulted in a great revival. W. T. Free- land was appointed to the work in March, 1886, and stayed two years, during which time the old parsonage was sold, and a new one built by the side of the new church, and ac- cepted July 6, 1887. In March, 1888, Rev. W. W. Curnutt was sent to the work, and died just at the close of his first year's services there. The next year Rev. J. B. Gibson came; and the next. Rev. W. T. York. The latter did the church a good service in raising the
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money to pay off the indebtedness, which had been a great burden to it. In March, 1891, Rev. R. M. Cullison was put in charge of the work, and returned to it in March, 1892. Mr. Cullison continued to serve until March, 1894, when he was succeeded by J. R. McNabb, who served two years; the next two years F. H. Flickinger was pastor; in March, 1898, Mr. Flickinger was succeeded by E. W. Spencer, who served until September, 1899, when the present pastor, Angus M. Maclean, was sent to the work. An Epworth League was organ- ized about November 1, 1891, with Rev. R. M. Cullison, president; Minnie Wallis, first vice-president ; William Cruzan, second vice- president ; Nellie O'Brien, third vice-president ; Eva Sanders, secretary ; and Edgar Simpson, treasurer.
Bell Mound .- A Methodist Episcopal class has been maintained at the school-house in District No. 99 for several years, and has usually been supplied with preaching by the ministers in charge of the Liberty work.
Hopewell .- In December, 1871, Rev. J. P. Hight, a local preacher, held a protracted meet- ing in the dwelling-house of James Beggs, which resulted in several conversions, and at its close, on January 5, 1872, a class was formed, which thereafter took the name of Hopewell. Meetings were held in private houses till the completion of the Henderson school-house, in District No. 83, in the fall of that year, where the meetings were there- after held till the completion of their church. This class formd a part of the Timber Hill and South Parsons circuits, and was ministered to by the preachers in charge of those works, till the formation of the Mound Valley circuit, in the spring of 1880, when it was put into that circuit. Since then it has formed a part of either that or the Altamont circuit, most of
the time, however, with Mound Valley. In 1882, under charge of Rev. E. A. Graham, a neat church was built on the southeast corner of section 18, township 32, range 19. There were several other classes in the neighborhood, which now form a part of this church.
Altamont .- The town of Elston having been started in the summer of 1869, a Meth- odist class was formed there in the fall of that year, and admitted into the Oswego work in charge of Rev. P. McNutt, pastor. . H. N. Brooks, a local preacher, and E. M. Bussart, an exhorter, were members of this class. At the conference in March, 1870, the Elston circuit was formed and put in charge of Rev. R. P. Bukey, who formed classes at a number of places in the central part of the county. At the end of one year this circuit was broken up and the work combined with other circuits. Classes were maintained most of the time in several school-houses in Labette and Mount Pleasant townships. This work preceded the organization of the class at Altamont when that town started. Prior to 1885 Altamont formed a part of the Mound Valley circuit. The class at this place was organized with IO members, on June 19, 1881, in the Presbyterian church, by Rev. E. A. Graham, who on that occasion preached the first Methodist sermon in the place. In the fall of 1882 and spring of 1883, Mr. Graham built, largely with his own hands, the church, which, on July 15, 1883, was dedicated, by Rev. H. McBirney, free of debt, with the exception of a small loan ob- tained from the Church Extension Society. Rev. Isaac Hill, in 1883, and Rev. C. E. Crea- ger, in 1884, being in charge of the Mound Val- ley circuit. also preached here. At the confer- ence in March, 1885, the Altamont cir- - cuit was formed and placed in charge of Rev. H. R. Volmer: he was reappointed the
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next year, but his health failed, and he re- signed in December, 1886. In 1885 a parson- age was built, at a cost of about $400. In January and February, 1886, a revival meeting resulted in the church receiving about 75 ac- cessions to its membership. Rev. A. C. Ben- nett was appointed in 1887, Rev. W. H. Mc- Veigh in 1888, and Rev. John P. Slaughter in 1889. The latter, desiring to go to school, resigned the work. In March, 1890, Rev. J. D. Skaggs was appointed to the circuit, and reappointed the following year. Rev. W. T. York began his pastorate in March, 1892; during his term, which ended March, 1894, an addition was made to the church at a cost of $400. Rev. D. B. Brummitt succeeded him, and remained until the spring of 1895, when he was followed by H. A. Church, whose pas- torate closed in March, 1900, at which time the present pastor, Rev. M. N. Ramsburg, was sent to the work. Connected with this work are appointments at several school-houses in the adjoining townships. An Epworth League was organized April 26, 1892, and has been quite a feature of the church work; at first un- der the leadership of the pastor, it has, more recently, enlisted able workers among the mem- bership.
Fairview .- Two or three of the school- house appointments that had formed a part of the Altamont circuit united in 1898 in an effort to erect a church in the western part of Fair- view township, a few miles southeast of Alta- mont. The church was completed in the spring of 1899, and was dedicated in July of that year by Rev. I. B. Pulliam. Its cost was about $1,000. The organization and incorporation of the church was on September 27, 1898.
Matthewson .- A new church building was erected at this point and dedicated November 4. 1894. It has been one of the appointments
of the McCune circuit, and is served by pastors having charge of that work.
Angola .- A church at this point was in- corporated in December, 1892, and work was commenced on the foundation for a new build- ing. The church was completed in the spring of 1893 at a cost of about $1,500, and dedicat- ed June 1I, 1893. It then formed a part of the Coffeyville circuit under the charge of Rev. William Betty. In 1894 the Angola circuit was formed with W. S. Bundy in charge. Subse- quently different combinations of appointments were made. At present Angola forms a part of the Edna work.
Elm Grove Circuit .- In 1872 the south- west part of the county had settled to such an extent, and there was such a call for preaching and the organization of Methodist classes, that the presiding elder appointed Thomas Sum- merfield, a local preacher living in Elm Grove township, to supply these points with preach- ing. During this time a number of classes were formed. In March, 1873, the southwest part of the county was organized into a work called the Elm Grove circuit, and Rev. Thomas Moffat was appointed preacher in charge; the next year he was also sent as a supply on the same work. During his ministry there was an extensive revival. In 1875 Rev. George W. Rigby was sent to the work, and stayed two years. In March, 1877, Rev. J. M. Boon took charge of the work, and was returned again the next year, but got into trouble during the year and was suspended. He held pro- tracted meetings at several points, which result- ed in many conversions. In September, 1878, Rev. Z. B. Hitchcock had charge of the circuit, and was returned in the spring of 1879. At the next conference, in 1880, the name was changed to that of
The Edna Circuit, and Rev. C. W. Swartz
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was put in charge. In March, 1881, Rev. Azor McDole was sent here, and continued to August, 1883, when he started to Evanston to school, and was succeeded by Rev. Salern Hedges, who stayed till March, 1885. at which time Rev. A. S. Freed was appointed, and stayed two years. The two years following, Rev. E. A. Grabeal was in charge. In March, 1889, Rev. Henry Carlyon was appointed, and the next spring Rev. L. N. B. Anderson. He remained but part of the year, and was suc- ceeded by Rev. H. V. Spears, who was, in March, 1891, again sent to the work, and was followed by Rev. J. H. Hubbard, in March, 1892. Mr. Hubbard remained three years, and during his last year had a great revival, resulting in about 100 additions to the church. G. F. Bundy was put in charge of the work in March, 1895, and had a pastorate of three years. An excellent Epworth League under the presidency of Miss Gertrude Hileman, and also a fine Junior League, were maintained. The present pastor, G. E. Tifft, was sent to Edna in March, 1898. In the fall of 1882 a building was begun, and inclosed so that serv- ices were held in it that winter. It was not completed until 1883, and was dedicated about November Ist by Rev. A. Cullison. During the last year of Mr. Bundy's pastorate a new church building was commenced, which was completed the following year, under Mr. Tifft's pastorate, at a cost of $2,500, and was dedi- cated on Sept. 25, 1898, by Dr. W. H. Mil- burn, chaplain of the U. S. Senate. In 1900 the church sold the old parsonage and erected a fine new one in its place. Mollie Pearren and Anna Hoole have been Epworth League presidents, and Mrs. Long and Mrs. Tiffts, superintendents of the Juniors.
Valeda .- Methodist classes had been or- ganized and maintained for several years in
the "seventies" in a number of the school- houses in the southwestern part of the county, among them the Blackford school-house, Dis- trict No. 6; in the Trenton school-house, Dis- trict No. 67; and in the Snow Hill school- house, District No. 35; and perhaps in one or two more. A class was formed in the Dresser school-house, District No. 51, in 1878, and kept up there until the town of Valeda was started and the Congregational church moved there, in the fall of 1886. The class was then removed to Valeda, and the services held in the Congregational church. All the classes that had been held in that vicinity were now united in this one appointment. This class belongs to the Edna work, and a list of the pastors will be found given under that church.
Cecil .- In the summer of 1882 Rev. A. P. George, then in charge of the Methodist church at Chetopa, commenced preaching at the Lig- gett school-house, in District No. 87, and soon formed a Methodist class. Arrangements were made with J. L. Jones to secure ground on the northwest corner of section 5, township 35, Hackberry township, for a church and cemetery. On October 1I, 1882, the ground was formally accepted. On November 18, 1882, the corner-stone was laid, the address being made by Nelson Case. The work on the building, which was of stone, was pushed as rapidly as those interested could get the ma- terial upon the ground, so that by April 24, 1883, it was inclosed, and on that day Mr. George preached the first sermon within its walls. At the conference in March, 1883, the Cecil work was formed, and placed in charge of Rev. H. R. Volmer, who was reappointed to the charge in 1884. On May 13, 1883, just after the services had closed and the people had reached home, a cyclone came up from the southwest and blew the church to atoms. The
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roof was carried about half a mile, the organ and table were crushed to splinters; the Bible lay upon a box which had been used for a pul- pit, and after the storm was found just as it had been left, entirely unharmed. Steps were at once taken to rebuild; this time, however, a frame instead of a stone building. On Aug- ust 19, 1883, the first sermon was preached in this new structure, by the pastor. It was dedi- cated (about September 1, 1883) by Rev. A. Cullison. On July 2, 1884. another storm passed over that section ; the church was struck by lightning, and also torn to atoms by the wind. Some money was realized from insur- ance, and the brethren for a third time started to erect a church edifice. It was commenced in October, 1884, and finished during the win- ter, and on Feb. 22, 1885, was dedicated by the presiding elder. Rev. A. Cullison. At the conference the following month Rev. J. B. Seiss was appointed to succeed Mr. Volmer on this work. Since then this point has formed a part of the Edna circuit, and has been supplied with preaching from the ministers in charge, a list of whom will be found in connection with that work.
Bartlett .- The class at this place, while one of the newest in the county, may still, not in- appropriately, be said to be one of the oldest. In the report of Rev. P. McNutt, pastor at Os- wego, to the quarterly conference held at Os- wego, May 15, 1869, I find the following : "On May 9th I organized another [class] at Hackberry." "I have been on Hackberry but once; found a very intelligent, wide-awake people there. I organized a class of 10, with Bro. William Payne as leader, and have great hopes of soon seeing a flourishing society there." 1 learn that this class was organized at the house of Mr. Horace Horton, on the southeast quarter of section 27, in Hackberry
township. Among the 10 members who were taken into the class at its organization were WVm. H. Payne and wife Louisa, Samuel Mc- Millen and wife Margaret, Thomas F. Weaver, George W. Jenkins. Mr. McNutt preached frequently during the year, and Thomas Sum- merfield, a local preacher, also preached for them more or less during the next year or two. Preaching, prayer meetings and class meetings were held in a number of houses in the neigh- borhood-at the home of H. D. Knight, on section 33, as much, perhaps, as at any place. This class became a part of the Elm Grove circuit when it was organized. The class met for a time at the Lockard school-house, in Dis- trict No. 28, and then at the Bishop school- house, in District No. 7. Preaching and class services were maintained at both of these places,. sometimes at one and sometimes at the other, with a good degree of regularity, until the spring or summer of 1888, when regular serv- ices were abandoned at these points and the- class was removed to Bartlett, where services. were held in the school-house, and Edith Dor- land was appointed class-leader. September I, 1892, work began on a new church building,. which was completed during the summer of 1893, and was dedicated October 29, 1893. The cost of this edifice was about $1,600. At this time Bartlett was a part of the Edna cir- cuit. In March, 1894, the Bartlett circuit was. formed, and E. H. Spencer placed in charge. After serving one year, he was followed by M. D. Stout, who staid three years. M. L. K. Morgan came to the work in March, 1898, but resigned in the middle of the year, and was. succeeded by B. F. Ross, who filled out that year and came back the next. , In March, 1900, William Milliken was appointed to the work. Parsons .- First Methodist Episcopal church of Parsons: Methodism in Parsons does not
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