USA > Kansas > Labette County > History of Labette County, Kansas, from the first settlement to the close of 1892 > Part 35
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Emmons .- On Jan. 8, 1873, Rev. Mr. Lackey, of Illinois, organized a Presbyterian church at the Emmons school-house, in District No. 84. James Sweet, Joseph Kearns and Jacob Crane were elected and ordained elders, and Alexander Duncan and Otto Wilson deacons. On March 5, 1873, Rev. Sidney Allen was installed as pastor, Rev. S. A. Stoddard
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preaching the installment sermon. After an existence of some two years the organization was abandoned.
Parsons .- While a Methodist preacher who came of his own accord preceded them, the Presbyterians claim to have sent the first preacher to hold services in Parsons. Rev. H. H. Cambern, under the direction of the Board of Home Missions, came to Parsons in February, 1871, and commenced preaching in a saloon. Mr. Cambern held services fre- quently during the spring and summer.
The First Presbyterian Church of Parsons was organized Sept. 24, 1871, by H. H. Cambern as moderator. J. V. Thornton, J. E. Wilkins and J. J. Blause were elected elders. The membership at organization was sixteen. In December, 1871, they commenced to take subscription for a church building, but ground was not broken till August, 1872. The church was completed and dedicated Aug. 2, 1874, by Rev. C. H. McCreery. In the meantime Rev. S. F. Farmer was installed as pastor. An addition was made to the church in 1882, another one in 1883, and a third in 1891. In May, 1872, Rev. J. H. Metier was employed to suc- ceed Mr. Cambern as pastor. Since then the following have supplied the pulpit, some as supply and others as pastor: Joel Kelsey, S. F. Farmer, H. G. Miller, F. R. Morton, W. S. H. Keyes, J. K. Fowler, ----- Shields, W. S. Davis, Edward F. Walker, and J. M. Wright. At present the church has a membership of about 400.
In 1882 a Young People's Society was organized for the purpose of holding devotional meetings. At different times it had for its president Miss Montgomery, E. H. McCreery, F. H. Shaub, W. H. Martin, Lena Venable, W. J. McKnight, George B. Comings. On September 8, 1892, a reorganization of the Young People's Society was had, and formed into the Y. P. S. C. E. with George B. Comings as president.
UNITED BRETHREN.
Parsons .- In February, 1868, a class of about ten members was formed at the house of James Beaver, some few miles from the present site of Parsons, by J. Buckmaster as pastor, James Beaver as class-leader, Rea- son Tippie steward, and P. M. Grant elder. Those comprising this class were Reason Tippie, Rachel Tippie, N. M. Portrum, C. Portrum, J. Bea- ver, J. L. Beaver, A. Pringle, G. Sheckell, G. Botsford, and C. Billings. This class was maintained in that part of the county with more or less cohesiveness for several years, and formed the basis of the class at Parsons, which was organized in February, 1875, with a membership of about fifteen, including Abraham Cary and wife, James Beaver and wife. N. M. Portrum and wife, Seth Fisher and wife, Lizzie Kellogg, and hav- ing J. W. Gossett for pastor. Jan. 3, 1877, the church provided a lot and
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moved thereon the tabernacle which they had purchased from the M. E. church. They have used it as a house of worship ever since. The church flourished quite well until the great division of the church throughout the country, in 1885, which has ever since continued to cripple her work.
Dennis .-- In the winter of 1870-71, Rev. Mr. Goodwin, of the United Brethren church, held protracted meetings in the log school-house in District No. 38, which resulted in several conversions and accessions to that denomination. Among these probably the most active in his after- work was J. H. Beatty. A church was then organized, which has main- tained its work ever since. In the spring of 1883 they built a church at Dennis, and in the fall of 1884 the conference of the State held its session there. Among its pastors have been Revs. Messrs. Evans, Stallard, Ham- mers, Winrick, Gossett, Himer, Chambers, French, Rice, Hammell, Shope.
Altamont .- A class was formed in a school house near the southeast corner of Labette township, in 1872, which was moved to Altamont in 1874. It has been maintained but a part of the time.
Trenton .- A class was organized at the school-house in District No. 67, in Howard township, March 31, 1885, with A. Bessy as leader. Services continue to be held there.
Mortimer .- Almost from the first settlement of the county, religious services have been held in the Carpenter school-house, in District No. 30 - sometimes by one denomination and sometimes by another. Of late years preaching has occasionally been conducted by ministers of the United Brethren church. In the spring of 1891, Rev. Mr. Hammel, of this denomination, held a protracted meeting which resulted in the or- ganization of quite a strong class. It was soon felt that a church build- ing was needed, and the Mortimer family were active in securing its erection at the Mortimer station. Its first board of trustees consisted of Emanuel Mortimer, James T. Mortimer, J. K. Duncan, T. E. Killian, and G. A. Waid. The church cost about $1,000, and was dedicated June 5, 1892, by Bishop Castle.
Hackberry .- In the fall of 1881 Rev. J. M. Magie, assisted by Rev. T. D. Bickham, held a protracted meeting at the Hiatt school-house, in District No. 26, and at its close organized a United Brethren class. A part of the time since then the preachers who have supplied this class, among other appointments, have preached at Pleasant View, Bowman and Trenton school-houses; also at Altamont and Parsons. Pastors : 1883, J. A. Evert; 1884, W. H. Sapp; 1885, S. W. Redman; 1886, Mrs. J. M. Magie and J. A. Evert; 1887, D. B. Finch ; 1888-89, F. M. Gillett ; 1890, Rev. Mr. Huffman; 1892, D. W. Juday. The following persons have served as presiding elders: B. A. Spring, J. R. Chambers, G. H. Hinton, C. H. Jones, J. K. Spencer. The following have been secre-
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taries of the quarterly conference, each one or more terms : J. M. Magie, E. S. Bessy, Anna Riddick, A. H. Mickey. At the last quarterly con- ference in 1891, John Riddick, Christian Helwig, David Romine, Louis Zink and A. H. Mickey were elected trustees, and directed to take steps to secure the erection of a church building, which has since been erected on the northwest quarter of section 1 in Hackberry township, at a cost of about $800.
METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH.
Sometime in the seventies a class of this denomination was formed at Parsons, and during its existence had N. K. Shimp and - Mckesson among its ministers. After doing some work, the class became entirely disorganized. In 1880 Rev. J. H. Luse held a protracted meeting in the southwestern portion of the county, and formed a class or two. A church has been erected at Morton station, in the edge of Montgomery county. A class has also been organized at Mt. Triumph school-house, in District No. 63, in Mound Valley township. Rev. A. Slater and Rev. Abner Green, with others, have preached in several places in the county.
THE METHODIST CHURCH.
A class of this branch of the great Methodist family was organized at the Emmons school-house, in District No. 84, as early as 1873, and was maintained for several years, but finally abandoned. The only two min- isters they had, so far as I have learned, were Revs. Messrs. VanCleve and Wayland.
EVANGELICAL CHURCH.
In the winter of 1870-71 Rev. Mr. Mathill held meetings, principally in the dwelling-houses of J. H. Dienst and William Dick, in Osage town- ship, and organized a church. They continued to have preaching in the school-houses in Districts 30 and 79 until 1887, when they erected a frame church in Dennis, and all the classes united there. William Dick was one of the active workers in this denomination. It has had for pas- tors Revs. Messrs. Keiser, Flickinger, Bowers, Fannel, and Stinemitz.
FREE METHODISTS.
A few classes of this branch of the church have existed in the county for quite a number of years. They have been somewhat few in number. and have never attempted the erection of any church building, so far as I have learned. They have held meetings at various points in school- houses. At one time Rev. Thomas D. Bickham, before he started the Salvation Church of Christ, was a preacher in this denomination, and some time prior to 1880 O. P. Lineback had ministerial oversight for the county.
AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI.
Parsons .- Rev. A. H. Daniels, of the A. M. E. church. came to La- bette county in the spring of 1876, and organized classes at Oswego and Parsons. In June of that year he commenced to raise funds with which
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to build a church at Parsons. Lot 17 in block 17 was secured as a site in July, 1876, and soon thereafter a building was commenced. Messrs. French, Cavanaugh and Miller were the first trustees. This and the Os- wego church were jointly served by the same pastors for several years.
Oswego .- The class at this place was organized in the spring of 1876, about the same time as the one at Parsons. The organization was effected by Rev. A. H. Daniels, who acted as pastor that year. During the year a neat frame church was erected on lot 3, in block 16. A few years thereafter a dwelling-house was purchased and moved onto lots 1 and ? just north of the church, to be used for a parsonage. The pastors of the church have been : A. H. Daniels, W. F. Hedgman, L. W. McCor- mick, J. W. Walton, J. E. Weir, John Brewer, J. L. Hatton, W. F. Hedgman, A. M. Ward, Thomas Mudd, Pompey Johnson, John Boyd, J. E. Bricus, S. H. Baker, A. J. King. Their church building has been rented by the board of education for several years, in which to hold one department of the colored school.
Chetopa .- The class at this place dates from 1881, and has not main- tained services all the time since then. It has a church building. Its pastors have been those who were at the same time serving the Oswego church, and who are named in connection with that work.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH SOUTH
Was the first Protestant denomination to hold religious services in this county. Dr. Lisle says : "The first preaching in Chetopa was by an old missionary of the Methodist Church South, on or about the first of De- cember, 1857, and once every four weeks until spring." The name of this preacher was J. P. Barnaby. He was succeeded in October, 1858, by Rev. J. E. Bryan, who preached every three weeks during the next two years, when he was sent to Council Grove. In the fall of 1860 Mr. Foresman succeeded Mr. Bryan and remained a year, when Mr. Robbins was sent to the charge. The latter was in sympathy with the Rebellion, and was about to be hung by some Kansas soldiers who caught him in Cherokee county. He was let go on condition that he would leave the country, which he did, going directly to Texas. This closed the work of the church till after the war. Of these services Dr. Lisle says: "The preaching was in some settler's house until the school-house was built, in the spring of 1858, when it was in that regularly. It being about the center of the settlement, gave all parties a chance to attend, which they did pretty generally." When the county commenced to settle after the war, there were quite a number came who had been members of this church in their former homes, but scarcely enough in any one settlement to form and maintain a class. In fact, I do not know of the formation
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of a class at any place in the county, although there may have been some formed. However, preachers of that denomination, either local or those in charge of work in adjacent territory, occasionally preached at a few places in the county. Among the places where they sometimes held ser- vices was the log church, between Oswego and Montana.
THIE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Several local preachers of this denomination settled in the county and commenced preaching and holding services in their respective localities as early as the fall of 1867, and perhaps even earlier in the year. Os- wego was the only point at which a class was formed prior to the meet- ing of conference on March 30, 1868. At that conference the Oswego circuit was formed, embracing all of Labette county, and included in the
Emporia district, of which Rev. C. R. Rice was presiding elder.
The
work remained a part of the Emporia district the following year also, under the charge of Mr. Rice. In March, 1870, the Oswego district was organized, including within its limits all of the county, with Rev. C. E. Lewis, P. E. The work remained in the Oswego district with the same presiding elder until April 1, 1873, when it was placed in the Humboldt district, in charge of Rev. A. K. Johnson, P. E. This arrangement con- tinued two years. In March, 1875, Parsons was placed in the Fort Scott district, where it has ever since remained. At the same time, the Inde- pendence district was formed, and all the county except Parsons has ever since been in that district. The presiding elders of the Fort Scott district have been : 1875-77, D. P. Mitchell; 1877-81, B. Kelley ; 1881-85, E. C. Boaz; 1885-91, A. G. Robb; 1891-92, J. E. Brant. The presiding elders of the Independence district have been : 1875-79, S. E. Pendleton ; 1879, D. P. Mitchell; 1880-82, A. T. Burris: 1882-86, Ananias Cullison ; 1886-90, J. A. Hyden ; 1890-92, S. S. Murphy.
German .- While there may have been occasional preaching prior to that time, the Methodist Episcopal German work was regularly started in this county in the spring of 1892, by Rev. John Koehler, who com- menced preaching at the Timber Hill appointment. In July, 1892, work was commenced on a new church three and a half miles south of Dennis. It was finished, and on August 28th was dedicated by their presiding elder, Rev. C. Harriman. At their conference the last of August the work in the county was organized into the Parsons circuit, and put in charge of John Koehler again. A class was to be formed at Parsons at once.
Oswego .- The First Methodist Episcopal Church of Oswego was organ- ized March 1, 1868, in the little frame building that then stood at the northeast corner of block 33. John Mark, a local preacher living in the
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY.
township, effected the organization, with 13 members, including himself, as follows : John Mark, wife and daughter, Elisha Hammer and wife, John Logan and wife, William Logan and wife, Job Beal and wife, Eliza Elliott, and Mary A. Cowell. Mr. Mark had been preaching in town for some weeks previous, alternating with Mr. Canfield, Congrega- tionalist, Messrs. Richardson and Flouronoy, Baptists, and perhaps others. But one service was held in town at a time, all meeting in the room above referred to. At the ensuing conference, which convened on March 30, 1868, a young man living in what was then known as the Labette City settlement, near the mouth of Labette creek, named John S. Harryman, was admitted into the conference on trial. All of Labette county was formed into the Oswego circuit, and Mr. Harryman was sent to it as its first pastor. At the first quarterly conference, which was held June 6, 1868, in Read Brothers' hardware store, which was then just inclosed, but into which they had not yet moved, Elder Rice ap- pointed David Stanfield, a local preacher, as assistant to Mr. Harryman, and during the balance of the year the two occupied the field as best they could. Since the first year the pastors have been as follows, com- mencing after conference in March or April of the year named : 1869, Patterson McNutt; 1870, H. W. Conley ; 1871, J. E. Bryan ; 1872-73, J. B. Orwig; 1874, B. C. Swarts; 1875-76, P. T. Rhodes; 1877, M. L. Gates; 1878-79, D. T. Summerville; 1880-81, T. S. Hunt; 1882-84, H. McBirney; 1885, J. A. Hyden; 1886-87, J. B. Ford; 1888-90, R. P. Hammons; 1891-92, Ananias Cullison. There have been no records preserved of the first year's work, and I have not been able to learn who were the officers for that year. J. F. Molesworth was elected recording steward for the ensuing year at the fourth quarterly conference, Feb. 6, 1869. When conference met, the north part of the county in which he lived was put into another work; so that he never served. At the first quarterly conference for 1869 A. S. Cory was elected recording steward, but only served for that session, and at the second quarterly conference the office was declared vacant, and J. Q. Cowell was elected and served out the balance of that year. At the fourth quarterly conference for that year, held on Dec. 29, 1869, Nelson Case was elected recording steward, and by reëlections continued to serve till conference in March, 1879. The following year I. W. Patrick served in that position. At the close of that year David Zimmerman was elected, but declined to serve; and at the first quarterly conference for the following year, held May 3, 1880, Nelson Case was again elected recording steward, which position he has held, by annual reëlections, since .- At the close of the first year the quarterly conference asked the presiding elder to secure a division of the work. This was done, and during 1869-70 Oswego and Chetopa,
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with the intervening territory, constituted a circuit. This arrangement lasted but a year, for at the conference in March, 1870, both Chetopa and Oswego were substantially made stations; each had, a part of the time after that, one or two appointments in the county attached to them, in which the ministers at these points would preach Sunday afternoons. -At the close of the first year the presiding elder reported that a sub- scription of $1,500 had been secured with which to build a church at Oswego. However, little or nothing came of this subscription. Before the close of Mr. McNutt's pastorate he had secured rock to be placed on the ground for a foundation, he and Mr. Mark doing a large part of the work themselves. When Mr. Conley came, all felt that the first thing to do was to secure the erection of a church. During Mr. McNutt's pas- torate services were held in Dr. Crouse's building on lot 5 in block 39, which was now found inadequate to the demands, and Wells's Hall, near the northeast corner of block 32, was rented. Work was commenced on the church building early in the summer, and by the middle of summer it was inclosed. Services were then held in it in its unfinished condition. In the fall the spire was built, the house plastered and seated, and on Dec. 18, 1870, it was dedicated by Dr. W. R. Davis. The parsonage was built during Mr. Orwig's pastorate.
Epworth League : On July 24, 1889, an Epworth League was organized in connection with this church, with Blanche Case president and Cloe McLane secretary. The League has been maintained with a good degree of prosperity up to the present.
The Second M. E. Church is composed of colored members. It was organized in April, 1879, and has had the following pastors: Robert Rector, W. B. Avery, Daniel Ross, Thomas Allen, M. Bell, J. A. Lee, E. Q. Plummer, C. P. Thompson, James J. Cable. Soon after organiz- ing, the members bought a two-story store building and moved it to lot 12 in block 15, the lower room of which they used for a church, and the upper part for a parsonage. The building becoming somewhat racked, they caused it to be cut down to a one-story building, which they still occupy for church purposes.
Neosho Township .- More or less preaching in various parts of the county was undoubtedly done by the Methodist local preachers who settled in the county, of which no account has been preserved. Rev. Joseph Rogers was a local preacher who settled in Neosho township in the spring of 1867. Very soon after his settlement there, it is said, he commenced preaching in private houses in several places. This was the first preaching they had in that township. After the school-houses were built, more regular services were held in them. Classes were formed at the Hopkins school-house, in District No. 62; at the New Hope school-
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY.
house, in District No. 15; at the Lone Elm school-house, in District No. 21; and perhaps at other points. But in few, if any, of these points were permanent classes formed or services held regularly, for many years. It may be said that Center Chapel is an outcome of some of this work.
Center Chapel .- About the year 1878 Rev. C. A. King preached at the Franklin school-house, in District No. 55, and organized a class. Soon after this it was put with the Labette and Montana work, where it has been since. In 1887, under the charge of Rev. J. S. Budd, the chapel was built, on the northwest corner of section 19, in Neosho township, and dedicated by Rev. Allen Buckner. The building was erected on mortgaged land, and the mortgagor failing to pay, the mortgage was foreclosed, and the land, together with the church, was sold in the sum- mer of 1892. It cost the church nearly $500 to redeem their property.
Montana .- As early as 1868 a class seems to have been formed at Montana, with James Livesay as class-leader. Preaching was had oc- casionally by ministers in charge of neighboring work. In 1871 the Montana circuit was formed, and placed in charge of Rev. T. B. Pal- mer. From that time on to the present it has been united with Labette and has been served by the same ministers, a list of whom is given under that head. The church was incorporated Jan. 23, 1892, and soon there- after purchased from the Christian church their house of worship, which the Methodists now own and occupy.
Labette .- The Methodist class at Labette was organized in the spring or. summer of 1871, by Rev. T. B. Palmer, who was in charge of the Montana circuit. Services were held in the school-house. The next year it formed a part of the Parsons circuit, in charge of Rev. J. W. Fox. In 1873 this, with Montana, was supplied by Rev. H. W. Conley, and the same arrangement continued during 1874. In March, 1875, Rev. J. W. McIntosh was appointed to the Montana and Labette circuit. In 1876 Rev. P. A. Pearson was appointed, but failed to take charge of the work, and it was supplied a part of the year by Rev. Jesse Williams, who was again appointed to the work in March, 1877. In March, 1878, the South Parsons circuit was organized, and included Labette. Rev. W. B. Poin- sett and Rev. A. S. Freed had charge of the work, the former living north of Mound Valley and the latter at Montana. In March, 1879, La- bette and Montana were cut off from the South Parsons circuit and put in charge of W. B. Poinsett, who got the people at Labette to purchase a house and put on the church lots, which had been donated, for a par- sonage, and moved into it, and stayed there for three years. The school- house having been blown down, Mr. Poinsett preached for a time in the depot, and afterwards in the Baptist church. The same year the church was built, and on Oct. 5, 1879, was dedicated by Rev. D. P. Mitchell.
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During the winter a protracted meeting was held, resulting in quite a large number of conversions. In March, 1881, Rev. D. F. Holtz was sent to Labette, and the following year Rev. William Shambaugh. He was followed in 1883 by Rev. C. W. Swarts. The next year Rev. H. J. Walker was appointed, but failed to come ; Rev. J. S. Budd was then ap- pointed, and remained for three years from March, 1885. In March, 1888, Rev. Salem Hedges was put in charge of the work, and served as pastor till March, 1892, when he was succeeded by Rev. J. D. Skaggs.
Spring Valley .- About 1869 or 1870 an acre of ground was purchased on the northwest corner of section 32, in Liberty township, which was set out to trees and a cemetery laid out thereon. About 1871 a frame store building was purchased and removed to it from Elston. This was remodeled into a church. This has formed one of the regular appoint- ments of the Labette circuit almost from its organization, although at that time it belonged to the Elston circuit and the next year to the Timber Hill circuit, both of which were in charge of Rev. R. P. Bukey.
Stover .- In the fall of 1869 a class was formed on Deer creek, in the west part of Fairview township, with I. W. Patrick leader, and was ad- mitted into the Oswego work. Rev. P. McNutt, pastor, went out there occasionally and preached for them. Services were held in a private house or a vacant claim house. When the school-house was built in Dis- trict No. 29, the class moved to that point, where it has since been main- tained. The class was organized at the Stover school-house about the last of December, 1869, or first of January, 1870, by Rev. R. P. Bukey. E. B. Wheeler was the first to hand in his letter, and George Pfaff was the second. For a number of years it was attached to Oswego, but in 1880 it was made a part of the Labette work.
Dennis .- This circuit was formed at the conference held in March, 1885, and J. W. D. Anderson was appointed to the work. However, he never took charge of the work, and M. U. Ramsburg was appointed in his place. During the year a parsonage was secured in the town of Den- nis. In March, 1886, P. H. Fisk was placed in charge of the circuit. During the next two years the work was divided, a part being united with the Galesburg circuit, under the charge of Rev. R. M. Cullison. In March, 1889, the Dennis circuit was re-formed, and placed in charge of Rev. W. T. York. The work embraced the classes at St. Johns, Mt. Zion, Excel- sior, Pleasant Hill, Dennis, Moorhead ; also, Shiloh, in Neosho county. The following year Rev. H. M. Hughes became pastor, but after six months' service was succeeded by Rev. Thomas Deaton. Rev. S. W. Gamble became pastor in March, 1891, and is still in charge.
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