USA > Kansas > Leavenworth County > History of Leavenworth County Kansas > Part 13
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Street, together with the grounds and the parsonage were sold to The J. C. Lysle Milling Company. The new owners soon tore down the church building proper but the parsonage still stands. The new church is built of stone and cost approximately $50,000 completed. It is a fine modern structure of striking architectural beauty. The present membership is 400. There are several organizations of the church, consisting of a For- eign Missionary Society, Epworth League, Sunday School and a Ladies Aid Society. Ira M. Benham is the present pastor. The following are the names of the various pastors :
William Butt 1856
C. B. Mitchell
1884-1886
Charles Ketchum 1856
J. A. Swaney 1886-1889
Milton Haun 1857
A. S. Embree 1889-1891
Hugh D. Fisher 1858-1860
Josephus Collins 1891-1893
James Paddock 1860-1863
E. M. Randall 1893-1896
D. P. Mitchell
1863-1866
S. A. Bright 1896-1900
A. B. Leonard
1866-1868
E. Combie Smith
1900-1903
W. K. Marshall 1868-1870
J. G. Henderson
1903-1904
D. P. Mitchell 1870-1871
J. D. Hitchcock 1904-1905
J. J. Thompson 1871-1874
A. E. Young 1905-1908
T. F. Houts 1874-1876
H. E. Wark 1908-1911
William Smith 1876-1877
J. R. Madison
1877-1881
A. L. Wood 1916-1919
A. E. Higgins
1881-1883
Ira M. Benham
1919 to present
William Jones 1883
The Official Board at the present time is as follows:
N. T. Atwell.
A. M. Bain.
Albert Berg. F. E. Borst.
Sam Butt.
Earl Berg.
George Combs.
George Conrad.
F. M. Denny.
Reese Faulkner .:
M. A. Gonser.
W. F. Harding.
Jesse A. Hall.
A. B. Irwin.
H. G. Powers.
J. M. Parsons.
Herbert Kihm.
Clarence McGuire.
Charles R. Moore. Carl Sill.
Dr. J. H. Langworthy. J. C. Walker.
P. H. Phillips 1876
C. M. Williams 1911-1913
M. M. Culpepper 1913-1916
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
The Board of Trustees is:
William Dill, President.
F. J. Tallant, Treasurer. M. B. Hamilton.
H. W. Sexton, Secretary.
George Bleakley.
Dr. S. B. Langworthy.
M. T. Powell.
W. D. Reyburn.
J. W. Wright.
First Christian Church .- The few members who stood for the restora- tion of the New Testament Church in creed, ordinance and life were or- ganized into a church in the summer of 1855. Elder William S. Yohe was the leader and the first minister of the congregation. He had been a captain in the United States Army and received honorable discharge at Fort Leavenworth in 1845. He was one of the early settlers and be- came one of the leading citizens of these early days. A Christian Church at Little Stranger and at Nine Mile were also organized through his ministry.
The first building was a small frame building on the south side of Shawnee between Second and Third streets, erected in 1855. This was destroyed in the big fire of Leavenworth in 1857. In 1859 the present location was secured and the brick church erected at a cost of $7,300. The first trustees were J. C. Stone, William S. Yohe, J. P. Marshall, B. S. Richards and George Fisher.
The signers of the charter secured in 1858 were Elder J. B. McCleery, Julia McCleery, Dr. E. W. Younkin, R. A. Lovitt, B. S. Richards, W. B. Halyard, Sallie L. Halyard, Dr. J. P. Marshall, J. W. Renfrow, Clara Bell, Eleanor T. Kelly, Elizabeth M. Wilson and Mary Renfrow.
The following ministers have served the church since Elder Yohe: A. A. Bartholomew, John F. Rodgers, John O'Kane, Calvin Reasoner, James J. Sloan, J. P. Bauserman, F. M. Rains, Sumner T. Martin, Elder Underwood, Leslie Drake, Benton Bowen, William H. Embry, T. L. Myers, James S. Myers, S. W. Nay, W. J. Dodge, E. L. Cunningham, H. L. Daven- port, B. E. Parker, Ernest Seibenthal, Bert E. Stover.
The church building has been improved many times. The lots cor- nering on Sixth Street and Seneca were secured in recent years. A neat parsonage has been erected. Th church building has also been improved at an expenditure of $4,000 in the past two years.
The trustees of the church elected in 1920 were A. P. Flack, O. J. Snyder, Carl Holman, W. A. Strean and G. F. W. Knuth. The Bible School superintendent is W. A. Strean.
PUBLIC LIBRARY, LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTHI COUNTY
The present pastor, Elder Bert E. Stover, after a year in welfare work with the American Expeditionary Forces in France, began his min- istry here in October, 1919.
The Evangelical German Lutheran Church was organized in 1861 with the following members: G. Elbert, Peter Schott, George Lueders, Henry Schott, Henry Steinker, F. Scheer, - Becker and John Ulrich. The Rev. Michael Meier was chosen pastor and he remained their leader till 1882. The Rev. C. Hoffner became the pastor in that year. The congregation first worshipped on Delaware Street and occupied the build- ing on the present site in 1881. It is a brick building costing $3,500 and is situated on the northwest corner of Seventh and Miami streets. A parsonage is attached to the church.
The Michigan Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in February, 1888, and at the same time incorporated under the laws of Kansas. William Fairchild donated the lots on which the church build- ing is located at the northwest corner of Michigan Avenue and Shoemaker Avenue. Mr. Fairchild was a prominent member of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Leavenworth. William Dill, also a member of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, secured the charter. So this church may be considered a child of the First Methodist Episcopal Church.
Jewish Church .- From their first arrival in the city here the Jews have always maintained a house of worship. In early days services were held in a building which stood near the northwest corner of Fifth and Seneca streets. In 1866 a synagogue was erected on the southeast corner of Sixth and Osage streets. Col. R. N. Hershfield, a resident of Kansas City, Missouri, is the only living charter member of this church today. In 1916 this synagogue was torn down and a new temple erected. This structure represents a cost of $35,000.00. Recently a new $2,500.00 pipe organ was installed.
The rabbis who have officiated in the old as well as the new temple since 1893 and the term of their rectorship is as follows: Rabbi Rosen- pitz, 1893-1894; Rabbi Samuel Marks, 1894-1897; Rabbi Kornfelt, 1897- 1898; Rabbi Zelonika, 1898-1899; Rabbi S. Frey, 1899-1901; Rabbi Joseph Kahn, 1901-1904; Rabbi David Liknaitz, 1904-1914; Rabbi H. Elkins, 1915- 1916; Rabbi J. J. Meyerovitz, 1918-1919; and Rabbi Emil Ellinger, who has charge at the present time.
The First Presbyterian Church was organized January 1, 1856. It was the first white Presbyterian Church organized in Kansas. With the (11)
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
exception of the Southern Methodist Church it was the first religious organization in the city of Leavenworth. Rev. C. D. Martin presided at the organization, and the following were among the first members: George I. Park, Sarah Park, John I. Moore, Jane Moore, R. R. Kirkpatrick, Eliza- beth A. Kirkpatrick, Margaret Doyne, John D. Ross, Auley McAuley, Mary Douglas and John R. Rapp.
Rev. A. W. Pitzer, of Danville Seminary, was the first pastor, being called in May, 1857. He remained the pastor until 1861, when he resigned to take up the cause of the South. From this time on till January 1, 1863, the church was without a pastor. On this date William S. Sterrett became the pastor and remained till July, 1863. On August 6, 1863, George S. Woodward, of Parkville, Missouri, was elected pastor and re- mained till December 18, 1867, resigning on account of ill health. Under his charge the church became prosperous and added a large membership.
The first church building was erected on Miami Street between Sixth and Seventh and was dedicated in July, 1857, by Rev. J. G. Fackler, of Liberty, Missouri. The first Sabbath School was organized August 23, 1857, with six teachers and eighteen scholars.
The church was united with the Westminster Church February 4, 1867, and the congregations were joined on March 5, 1867. In February, 1868, the church resumed its former status in Odd Fellows Hall and Rev. William L. Green was chosen pastor May 24, 1868. He held the pastorate till October, 1869. William R. Brown became the pastor January 23, 1870, and remained till January 27, 1873.
In 1871 the church building was completed on Delaware Street be- tween Sixth and Seventh on the north side and was dedicated on October 22. The cost including the ground was $20,000. In 1879 a large and beautiful chapel was built holding about 500 people. Col. J. L. Abernathy was the Sunday School superintendent during this time. The Rev. Wil- liam Alford, of the Methodist Church, supplied the pulpit for a short time after the resignation of Rev. Brown. June 29, 1873, Dr. W. N. Page was elected pastor. This building on Delaware Street was used for church purposes till January 1, 1909, and soon afterwards sold to the Goodjohn Sash and Door Company, who at the present time are using it in their business.
The present church building at the southwest corner of Fourth and Walnut streets was dedicated January 1, 1909. It is one of the finest church buildings in the city. The cost, including the manse and grounds,
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
is about $80,000. The pipe organ cost $7,000 and was donated by E. P. Willson and family.
Doctor Page continued to be the pastor till 1905, a continuous service of thirty-two years. The pastors since then are as follows: R. A. Elwood, 1905-1908; A. H. Morrison (supply), 1908-1910; R. B. A. McBride, 1910- 1915; A. B. Miller, 1915-1921, and William R. Dodd, February, 1921.
The following are some of the elders who have served since the found- ing of the church: A. McAuley, George Park, W. C. Yoakum, C. Carlysle, B. Greenup, Wilson James, George M. Burrell, H. D. McCarthy, Edward Russell, E. P. Wilson, J. L. Abernathy, William Merill, D. C. Hawthorne, A. Kirk, R. C. Clement, J. C. Lysle, Ed Burns, C. R. Carpenter, Lewis Mayo, Alexander Sharp, W. R. McLaughery, F. Pickett's, E. R. Marquis, Eugene Burt and C. P. Hollingsworth.
The following are the official boards: Elders: M. B. McCreary, W. F. Cobb, E. S. Catlin, H. Peters, George Baker, W. C. Yoakum, R. B. Yoakum, B. G. Culver, Dr. D. R. Sterritt, Albert Kirk and D. D. Dickey. Trustees : Homer Cory, Chairman; Dr. Charles Brown, H. C. Feller, George Geiger, W. G. Leavel, Laun Clark, Louis Vanderschmidt, Eugene Lysle, Rev. Parsons, I. B. Parmalee and Clarence Chase.
The First Congregational Church was established in the city of Leav- enworth in 1857. Prior to this and in the year 1855 Rev. J. N. Byrd had settled in Kansas Territory and in the vicinity of Leavenworth. Rev. Byrd was an ardent Free State man and early came into disrepute with the pro-slavery factions, who did not hesitate to threaten his life because of his opposition to them.
In November, 1857, Rev. R. D. Parker, one of the Kansas Yale Band of Volunteers, was commissioned by the Home Missionary Society to hold services in the city of Leavenworth. On March 6, 1853, articles of faith and a church covenant were adopted by the following twenty-seven per- sons, who constituted the original charter members of the church: James Taylor, Maria Taylor, C. B. Brace, Harriet N. Brace, Caroline Williams, Samuel Norton, Elizabeth Norton, M. S. Adams, Lizzie C. Adams, G. Mor- timer Lee, J. A. Bullen, Anna M. Bullen, Anna C. Hastings, S. L. North, Maria J. North, A. K. Todd, M. P. Purdy, L. A. McRaw, Lydia E. Wil- liams, G. W. Hogeboon, John C. Douglas, R. D. Parker, Thomas Todd, Susan M. Todd, John E. Gould, Adelia Gould and Mrs. Mary Scott. A council of churches consisting of delegates and ministers from Lawrence, Topeka, Quindaro and Grasshopper Falls.
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
In the autumn of 1860 two lots were purchased on the northwest corner of Fifth and Delaware streets and the first house of worship of this congregation was erected. It was a brick edifice 42x60 feet and cost $5,000. Its location was that now occupied by the Wulfekuhler Bank Building. In 1863 a pipe organ was purchased for the church and in- stalled and is to this day in use by the church. The old building was sold in the year 1887 and a location at the northeast corner of Fifth and Walnut streets was selected, where the congregation caused to be erected the present church building at a cost of $30,000.
The following is a list of the ministers of the First Congregational Church from its establishment in the city until the present day and the periods of time which they served in that capacity: Rev. R. D. Parker, 1857-1859; Rev. J. D. Leggett, 1859-1870; Rev. William Kincaid, 1870- 1876; Rev. Henry L. Hubbell, 1876-1877; Rev. J. C. Bodwell, 1877-1879; Rev. W. H. Thomas, 1880-1885; Rev. Josiah H. Jenkins, 1885-1887; Rev. Thomas N. Boss, 1888-1896; Rev. Charles H. Fenn, 1896-1900; Rev. Ralph Newman, 1900-1901; Rev. Charles Connolly, 1901-1905; Rev. W. E. Hard- ing, 1905-1914, and Rev. W. F. Butcher, the present rector of the church, has served since 1914 to this date.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church .- The first effort to establish a parish of the Episcopal Church in the city of Leavenworth occurred in November, 1856, when Rev. Hiram Store commenced his missionary work in the city. Later and on December 10, 1856, Rev. Store organized the St. Paul's Church of this city. It was the first organized Episcopal parish in the territory of Kansas. He remained as pastor of the church. from 1856 unutil 1859. This, the first church of this congregation, was consecrated on November 1, 1858, by Bishop Kemper. The consecration of this church was also the first consecration of any Episcopal Church in the Territory of Kansas.
The location chosen for this church was or at least proved to be un- fortunate and impeded in a way the growth of the parish. In October, 1859, the Rev. Store resigned the rectorship to accept a chaplaincy at Fort Leavenworth.
On March 6, 1863, the Church of St. Paul was reorganized by the adoption of a constitution and the election of wardens and a vestry. The Rev. John H. Egal, D. D., was called to the rectorship. Steps were at once taken to erect a new church building. Three lots were purchased! on the corner of Seventh and Seneca streets and plans for the erection of a building that would seat about 500 people were approved.
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
The building of this church was commenced in June, 1863, and on Sunday, July 10, 1864, the first services were held there. At that time the number of communicants reported was fifty-three. At this date there are 252 active members.
The following is a list of the rectors: Rev. Hiram Store, 1856-1859; Rev. John H. Egal, 1863-1868; Rev. John M. Kendrick, 1868-1874; Rev. Charles S. Daniel, 1876-1877; Rev. Thomas W. Barry, 1878-1883; Rev. Charles T. Stout, 1884-1885; Rev. T. C. Tapper, 1886-1891; Rev. S. B. Pond, 1891-1893; Rev. N. S. Thomas, 1894-1897; Rev. F. N. Atkins, 1898- 1907; Rev. James C. Cameron, 1908-1910, and Rev. R. K. Pooley, from 1911 until this date.
Cathedral of Immaculate Conception and Catholicy in Leavenworth. -Catholicy in Leavenworth County was practically born with the visit of Rev. Joseph Anton Lutz to Cantonment Leavenworth, September 18, 1828. Father Lutz had been sent by Bishop Rosati, first bishop of St. Louis at that time, to open a mission among the Kansas Indians. His visit to the northwestward thirty-seven miles from the Kaw's mouth was merely an incident of his labors among the Kanzas. A few years later Father Roux was sent by Bishop Rosati to the mouth of the Kansas River as a mis- sionary to the Kansas Indians. During his stay there he made numerous visits to the Kickapoo Indians, then living to the northwest of the present government reservation and near and about the little village of Kickapoo. In a letter under date of January 20, 1834, Father Roux wrote Bishop Rosati relative to the Kickapoos as follows:
"The Kickapoo prophet has two very docile sons, who, like their father, show themselves very favorably inclined toward religion. Con- cerning that nation I could tell you very many fine things which I have heard with my own ears and seen with my own eyes. They pray every day, morning and night and before meals; they sanctify Sunday as we do and spend it entirely in prayer. They do not swear or wage war, nor lie, nor have more than one wife; they believe in Heaven, Purgatory and Hell, honor the Blessed Virgin and the Saints, etc. I should never finish were I to tell. you all the edifying things I saw among them."
In 1836 a Catholic Mission was opened among the Kickapoo Indians at Kickapoo by Rev. Charles Van Quickenborne. Through Father Van Quickenborne's solicitations at Washington the sum of $500 a year had been allowed for the maintenance of the mission. Funds for the erection of the various buildings had been solicited by the reverend father in
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
different eastern cities. With these funds a building was erected and a chapel, which was dedicated to St. Francis Xavier. This was the first Catholic place of worship in the Missouri Valley. It was not until 1920 that the last of the old mission building was completely torn down. The land where it formerly stood now belongs to O. M. Spencer.
In 1837 Father Van Quickenborne was summoned from the mission and the next priest to become Father Superior was Rev. Christian Hoecken, S. J. On June 21, 1851, Father Hoecken died while aboard a river steam- boat near Council Bluffs, Iowa, from cholera, which he had contracted from a passenger to whom he had ministered. Rev. Anthony Eysbogels then became Father Superior of the Kickapoo Mission.
Up to 1850 the Indian missions of the Missouri Valley were subject to the See of St. Louis, when the Holy See erected the Vicariate Apostolic of the Indian Territory East of the Rocky Mountains and appointed the Rt. Rev. J. B. Miege Vicar Apostolic. The Vicariate Apostolic over which Bishop Miege ruler as spiritual adviser extended from the Kansas River at its mouth to the British possessions on the north and from the Mis- souri River west to the Rocky Mountains. Bishop Miege made Potto- watomie Mission, which later developed into St. Mary's College, his place of residence.
In 1853 Bishop Miege visited Rome. Upon his return he found that Kansas had been opened to white settlers and that several promising towns had sprung up in the territory, the most promising of which he believed to be Leavenworth. On May 15, 1855, he visited here and cele- brated mass and on the same day fixed this city as his permanent residence.
Shortly after this Bishop Miege purchased some ground near the present site of the Cathedral and a temporary frame building 24x40 feet was erected to be used for church purposes. Two years later Bishop Miege had a larger building 40x100 feet erected, dedicating it to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In 1864 Bishop Miege projected the erection of a cathedral. The corner stone for the cathedral as it stands today was laid in September, 1864. December 8, 1868, the cathedral was ready for dedication.
The dedication ceremonial was attended by many distinguished pre- lates. Among them was the Most Rev. R. P. Kendrick, Archbishop of St. Louis; the Rt. Rev. John Hennessey, Bishop of Duquesne; the Rt. Rev. James O'Gorman, Vicar Apostolic of Nebraska, and the Rt. Rev. J. J. Hogan, of St. Joseph. The sermon in the morning was delivered by Rt.
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HISTORY OF LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
Rev. John Hennessey, while that in the evening was delivered by Rev. P. J. Ryan, later Archbishop of Philadelphia.
There is a conflict of opinion among historians as to when, where and by whom the first mass was celebrated within the city of Leavenworth. Andreas in his "History of Kansas" states that it was celebrated by Bishop Miege in the house of a Mrs. Quinn in 1854. The late H. Miles Moore in his "Early History of Leavenworth City and County" holds that the first Catholic mass was celebrated in the early summer of 1855 by the Rev. Father Fish, of Weston, Missouri, at the home of Andy Quinn on the south side of Shawnee Street between Second and Third streets, where a bureau was pressed into service as an altar.
The first pastor of the Cathedral parish was Father Heiman. He officiated until 1864, being assisted by Rev. James DeFouri and the Jesuit Fathers. After that time the following ministers have held the pastorate of the parish: Rev. Paul Ponsiglioni, S. J .; Rev. Father Coghlan, S. J .; Rev. Father Corbett, S. J .; Rev. Father Schultz, S. J .; Rev. Father Panken, S. J .; Rev. Ambrose Butler, S. J .; Rev. William Fitzgerald; Rev. James DeFouri, V. G .; Rev. James O'Reilly ; Rev. John B. McCune; Rev. John Cunningham; Rev. Father Ward, and Rev. B. S. Kelly, who is at present rector and dean of the Cathedral Parish.
Easton Catholic Church .- The pioneer Catholic family of Leaven- worth County was that of Pensoneau, who dwelt on Stranger Creek. The name of Lawrence Pensoneau appears in the letters of the first mission- aries to this region. He was an agent for the American Fur Company, which was largely controlled by the Catholic Chouteau family, one mem- ber of which founded St. Louis and another of which was largely instru- mental in the founding of Kansas City. The records as far back as the early thirties of the last century found in the "Kickapoo Register," which is now kept at St. Mary's, Kansas, among the first marriages and bap- tisms the name of Pensoneau.
After Bishop Miege was constituted Vicar Apostolic of all Indian missionary work east of the Rocky Mountains, he sent the Rev. Ambrose T. Butler to the settlers on Stranger Creek in the vicinity of Easton in the year 1854. Among the other priests that were later sent there were the Rev. Bernard Hayden, and Rev. Sylvester Meehan. The latter is now at Everest, Kansas. Father Hayden has been dead for a number of years.
In 1889 the Rev. Francis Taton was appointed to Easton and outlying missions then comprising Springdale and St. Joseph's at Mount Olivet.
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Father Taton completed a beautiful stone church at Springdale in 1893. He built the present St. Joseph's Church at Mount Olivet also. The pres- ent pastor at the Mount Olivet Church is Rev. A. Grootaers, who having built the present parish house adjoining the church moved there from Easton to become the first resident pastor of the St. Joseph's of the Valley Church. He was succeeded at Easton by Rev. Father Fisher, now at Tonganoxie, Kansas. The next pastor at Easton to follow Father Fisher was Father Lercke, who was forced to leave on account of ill health and died later in California. His successor was Rev. J. A. Laczniak, who is now pastor at the St. Casimer's Catholic Church of Leavenworth. Father Lacznizk's predecessor at St. Casimer's was sent to Easton, where he built the present beautiful brick church of Roman style. He also furnished the church with a beautiful altar and stations and a large bell.
The Rev. Stephen F. Healy, who is at the present time pastor of the St. Lawrence Church at Easton, is a zealous young priest who is well pleased with the generous co-operation of his parishoners in religious work. He is contemplating the erection of a new rectory in the near future.
The Kickapoo Catholic Church, known as the Sacred Heart Church of Kickapoo, has an interesting history. The settlers of Kickapoo and vicinity were among the very first in the county of Leavenworth as well as the territory of Kansas. Among them were a number of devout Catholics. Bishop Miege, after establishing his residence in the city of Leavenworth, furnished the parish and vicinity with the services of a priest who at first was required to say mass in private residences in the neighborhood, the Catholic mission houses at the place having been aban- doned. For a number of years the Catholic families of the vicinity were forced to do without a church, owing to the bigotry of the Kickapoo Town Company, who blocked every effort on the part of the Catholics to get ground on which to build a church. At length a tract of land was donated to the Catholics to be used for church purposes by Theodore Meyers, an early day resident of the city and community and a church was built.
The priests of St. Joseph's Church were among the first to go to Kickapoo. Among the pastors of the church were Rev. M. Huhn, Rev. J. Hurley, Rev. James O'Reilly, Rev. T. H. Kinsella, Rev. J. A. Shorter, Rev. A. Jennings, Rev. T. J. McCaul and Rev. J. M. Dougherty It was during Father Kinsella's pastorate that the old frame church originally built was remodeled. A vestibule was added to it during Father Shorter's term as pastor.
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When Father Dougherty was in charge he found it necessary to build a larger and better church. It was during his term as pastor that the beautiful brick church was erected that stands there today. After Father Dougherty considered that all his time should be taken up with the church at the fort, the Rt. Rev. Bishop Ward placed the care of the Kickapoo Church under that of the cathedral clergy. Rev. B. S. Kelly being rector there, the Rev. Thomas McNamara, assistant at the cathedral, usually held divine services at the Kickapoo Church. He built there a modern two-story brick rectory and was appointed resident pastor. Upon Rev. Father McNamara's being transferred to Blaine, Kansas, the Rev. R. B. Groener was appointed resident pastor at Kickapoo. Father Groener at the present time has complete charge of the Kickapoo parish.
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