USA > Michigan > Branch County > A twentieth century history and biographical record of Branch County, Michigan > Part 25
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OTHER METHODIST SOCIETIES.
The circuit of which Girard was a part during the forties comprised appointments at East Girard, West Girard, Bronson, Clizbe's (now Quincy ), Brooks schoolhouse, Branch, Day's, and Union. There was a Methodist society on Shook's prairie in Butler township as early as 1838, the Shook and Wisner families being prominent in this organization.
A Methodist class was formed in Kinderhook in the winter of 1836-37, being a part of the Coldwater circuit at first and later of Gilead.
The church at Snow Prairie was organized in 1857, the class consist- ing of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Warburton, Mr. and Mrs. John Dingman and Mrs. William Lamoreaux. The frame church on section 16 was erected in 1863, the first trustees being: John Reynolds, Lucius Williams, John Bas- sett, Charles Brook, Charles Warburton, Nicholas G. Ellis, Ebenezer McMil- lan, Collins Fenner and Moses M. Olmstead.
The Methodists in Gilead township outnumbered the followers of Bishop Chase even while that divine was endeavoring to build up an organi- zation and school in the locality. This is alleged as one reason why the bishop became discouraged with Gilead and went to Illinois. In May, 1836, a short time before the departure of the Chase family for Illinois, a Meth- odist class was formed at the house of Benjamin Booth, his wife and a Mrs. Jones being the only ones present, but the next meeting being attended by the Williams. Bogardus and Smith families, and E. B. Williams becoming the first class leader. The class belonged to various circuits for thirty years, and in 1869 the Gilead circuit was set off, as elsewhere stated. The church building on section 8 was dedicated in August, 1862, and the first board of trustees were the following: Daniel Marsh, Elisha B. Williams, Samuel Booth, John Feller, Edward M. Williams, Don C. Mather, Horace C. Will- iams.
The active Methodist societies, with regular preaching, now in Branch county are as follows : Coldwater, Quincy, Bronson, Union City and Sher- wood are the five Methodist churches in the one city and the four villages of the county. Some particular account of these has been given. We take occasion here to state that in our endeavor to gather information concerning the religious societies of the county, a letter was sent to the pastor of every active church. Where no response was made, we have not been able to give
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as much information as we otherwise might have done. Besides the five Methodist Episcopal churches just mentioned. the others in the county are the following. taking them by townships and beginning with Butler: South Butler or Butler Center, and Herricksville or North Butler ; these both have church buildings, the present pastor being Rev. B. Silverthorne. Girard has one society with a church building, as already noted, with two classes
besides, one at Hodunk and one in the Cornell district. The pastor in charge is Rev. J. F. Bowerman. There are no societies in the townships of Union and Sherwood, Coldwater, Quincy and Bronson other than those in the city and villages. Matteson, Batavia. Ovid, and California have never had any organized Methodist churches. In Algansee, the Algansee or Fish- ers society has a good brick building. Kinderhook has one society with a building at its center. In Gilead there are two. South Gilead and North Gilead, each with a building. Noble has one society with a building erected near the townhouse in 1903. In all there are thirteen Methodist Episcopal church buildings in the county.
FREE METHODIST CHURCH OF SHERWOOD.
[The following sketch has been furnished for publication in this work. ]
Rev. John Ellison was the instrument in the hands of God to raise up the first Free Methodist class in this place and in the spring of 1866 a church was erected-the first Free Methodist church in the state of Michigan. The following September the annual conference was held in the new church and it was dedicated to God's service by Rev. Joseph Travers. Twenty-six names were on the first enrollment, but time, death and distance have done their work and Bro. Jolin Coward is the only charter member left in the church. Rev. B. T. Roberts, the father of Free Methodism, and Rev. E. T. Hart rendered faithful service as district elders in those pioneer days. The first ministers sent to this work were D. W. Bishop and B. R. Jones, the boy preacher, as he was then called. Following these were : Bro. Gitchel. Charles Cusick, T. C. Frink, Bro. Forbs, Bro. Billings, Bro. Marshall, L. Lezenring. M. D. Baldwin, G. R. Tompkins. Bro. Baxter, George Thompson, N. R. Woods, J. Baker, E. Bradfield. W. S. McDivett. G. W. C. Smith. A. Brad- field. P. S. Shoemaker, C. H. Jerome, D. J. Vanantwerp. I. L. King. R. L. Scamerhorn, C. M. Miller. The names of charter members are: George Moyer and wife, William Davis and wife. Peter Rumsey and wife, Bro. Newton and wife and sister. John Tomlinson and wife. Bro. Maston and wife and daughters, Orpha. Marette and Mirtie. C. Hauganbaugh and wife and daughter Martha, M. J. Drook and S. Drook. John Coward, Aliva V. Moyer, Waid Bond. Ann Waugh. Sister Bartlett.
Besides the Sherwood church, there are also four other Free Methodist societies in the county, one in the city of Coldwater on Perkins street, an- other in the southwestern part of Quincy township. a third in Algansee, and the fourth in Bethel. The Coldwater society has this year, 1906, built a new house of worship. Rev. John R. Poet ministers at present to all four of these churches. All have church buildings.
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BAPTIST CHURCHES.
Coldwater.
The history of the Baptist church of Coldwater has been carefully com- piled from the church records by Mr. A. R. Burroughs in response to a re- quest from the editor of this work. The beginnings of the church involve so many pioneer names and circumstances of early days that it is deemed best to quote some of the first records.
" At a meeting of several brethren of the Baptist denomination held at the house of Hiram Alden in said village on the evening of December 31, 1834," is the initial statement of one minute, " it was resolved to circulate an article among the Baptists of the vicinity for the purpose of organizing a Baptist society. The signatures to this article tell us the pioneer Baptists who resided in the vicinity of Coldwater village in that early year, 1835, and who became the nucleus of the first church. They are: Chauncey Strong, Nathan Strong, William D. Strong. George W. Arnold, Hiram Alden, Par- ley Stockwell, Ann Logan, Matilda Alden, Prudence Arnold, Eunice Strong, Sally Strong, Sarah Strong, Betsey Strong, Sarah Sheldon, Nathan H. Strong.
The first conference of these persons for the purpose of forming a church was held in the village schoolhouse January 17, 1835, and on Febru- ary IIth a council assembled at the house of Mr. Alden, consisting of eld- ers and official members from other churches, who examined credentials of prospective members of the local society and' concluded with the following resolutions : " That we recognize the above-named brethren and sisters as a regular Baptist church, and that Bro. Powell preach on the occasion and that the moderator present the hand of fellowship."
The church has continued from its organization until the present time. At first it had no settled pastor, but was supplied a part of the time by Rev. E. Loomis of the Baptist Home Missionary Society. Rev. Reuben Graham was the first settled pastor, from Oct., 1835, to Sept., 1837. From this time until July, 1842, Rev. John Southworth, Rev. Mallory and Rev. W. B. Brown served as pastors.
The following is a list of the pastors who have since served the church. with period of their several pastorates :
Rev. James Davis, Dec., 1842-July, 1844.
Rev. J. A. Keyes, Nov., 1844-Aug., 1845.
Rev. Oliver Comstock, Oct., 1845-June, 1848.
Rev. Anson P. Tucker, Nov., 1848-May, 1850.
Rev. F. O. Marsh, Oct., 1850-Oct., 1853. Rev. E. J. Covey, Dec., 1853-June, 1856.
Rev. A. A. Ellis, Jan., 1857-April, 1858.
Rev. Edwin Eaton, June, 1858-April, 1866. Rev. E. Curtis, Sept., 1866-Sept. 1868.
Rev. N. Pierce, Oct., 1868-Dec., 1870.
Rev. W. T. Lowry, August, 1871-July 1881.
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Rev. J. H. Donelly, Feb., 1882-May, 1884.
Rev. J. H. Groff, Sept., 1884-Nov., 1885.
Rev. J. P. Phillips. Feb., 1886-Feb., 1890.
Rev. E. Otheman Smith, July, 1890-Feb., 1894.
Rev. Benjamin Otto, August, 1894-Feb., 1897.
Rev. Chas. F. Vreeland, March. 1897-March, 1900.
Rev. Ira D. Hall. July, 1900-May, 1902.
Rev. M. A. Graybiel. July, 1902-Continues.
From the time of organization up to the present time the church has been served by twenty-three pastors, on an average of three years to each pastorate.
December 20th, 1843, the church voted to build a house of worship. and soon thereafter a frame building was erected on the lot where the Old Bank Building now stands (Chicago and Monroe streets). Here the church worshipped until the winter of 1852-53, when the lot was sold and the build- ing moved to the northwest corner of Monroe and Pearl streets.
The present church edifice on the northwest corner of Pearl and Divi- sion streets was erected during the pastorate of Rev. Edwin Eaton, 1863. and was dedicated free from debt in August. 1865. and was enlarged dur- ing the pastorate of Rev. Otheman Smith. The original cost of the church was $25,000. and the extension between three and four thousand. A pipe organ costing $2.500. built in the church during the pastorate of Rev. W. T. Lowry in 1876, and a fine bell have been added to the church building since its erection. During the first year of the pastorate of Rev. M. A. Gray- biel the church made purchase of a fine house and property, northeast corner of Division and Washington streets, costing, with improvements. $3.750. to be used as a church parsonage. During the years 1905-6 the church by gift of individual members placed eight memorial windows in the audience room at a cost of $1.000.
The present officers of the church are: Everett F. Collins. clerk : W. H. Simons, treasurer : H. C. Simons, C. T. Yapp. H. B. George, E. A. Dunton, Dr. George Ferguson, N. A. Angell, deacons: W. H. Simons, Eli Ball. Dr. F. G. Legg, Clarence T. Yapp. Thomas A. Hilton, Zelotes G. Osborn, trustees.
From the best information to be obtained, the Sabbath-school was or- ganized during the pastorate of Rev. J. A. Keyes in 1845. The present superintendent is Henry B. George.
Quincy.
The persons composing the meeting for organization of a Baptist soci- ety, held in the schoolhouse in Hog Creek district of Quincy township June 27, 1846, represented in the main the core of the Baptist adherents in that township at that day. They were: Alfred Wilmarth, George Boon, Marcus Muckey. I. W. Pratt. Simon Gager. Francis Ransom, Ansel Nichols, Samuel Etheridge. Sillman Hedge. Mrs. T. H. Wilmarth, Mary Boon, Almira Brown, Lucetta H. Pratt. Rebecca Gager. Chloe Ransom, Susan Nichols,
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Cynthia M. Etheridge, Aseneth Nichols, Sally Muckey, Mrs. Asa Bowen. A council in August of the same year recognized them as a church, and at- tached it to the Hillsdale association. In September, 1855, forty members were dismissed to form the Second Algansee Baptist church.
The first meetings were held in the Hog Creek church, soon the school- house in Quincy village became the place of worship, this alternating with the Mudge schoolhouse until the erection of a house of worship, which was completed in the spring of 1854.
Algansee.
As mentioned in the sketch of the Quincy church, in 1855 a division of its membership occurred and about forty persons living mainly in Algansee township formed what was known as " the Second Algansee Baptist church." The First Baptist church of Algansee was formed in 1854, their meetings, during their existence of twelve years, being held in the Wakeman school- house. The Second church was recognized by a council on March 13. 1856. and the charter members were as follows: Francis D. Ransom, Phares Chit- tenden, Jason L. Ransom, John H. Ransom, John Ransom, Zebina G. Trim, Joel Campbell, David Hillman, John C. Perring, Benjamin Bishop, Amos Hough, Peter Leighton, Nathan Leighton, Spencer Cory, John Cory, Henry W. Waterbury, James A. Ransom, William W. Potter, David Robb, and Sisters C. Ranson, L. Chittenden, C. Ransom, H. Ransom, U. Trim, M. Campbell, H. Hillman, L. Perring, L. Bishop, L. Bishop. O. Hough, S. Jordan, L. Fisher, O. Cory. S. A. Barber, J. A. Ransom. Margaret Hillman, M. Hoxie, L. Robb. The church building, on the south line of section 2, was erected in 1868.
Union City.
The pastor of the Baptist church at Union City, Rev. H. Z. Davis, has furnished the following facts concerning the history of his church. The first Baptist church of Union City was organized May 14, 1870, was recog- nized by a council on October 13, 1870, and was received into the St. Joseph Valley Association, May 13, 1871. The church met for business meetings and worship in a hall, and later at Mr. Barrett's home, until the present frame house of worship was erected and dedicated on February 24, 1886, the church being located on the south side of the village.
The charter members of this church were: Lucius Blosson, Alma Blosson. Ira Lake, Clark C. Lake, Zeruch Lake, Charlotte Prentiss, Mary Johnson. The successive pastors who have served the congregation have been : William Pack. Samuel A. Cole, S. G. Brundage, J. H. Ainsworth, William Haas, B. Ashton, T. E. Hauser, E. D. Way, H. Z. Davis.
Bronson.
The Baptist church of Bronson was organized in 1857 at a meeting held in the house in which Mr. C. M. Van Every now (May. 1906) lives. This house was built in 1839 by Alonzo Waterman, afterwards of Coldwater.
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The original members were: Wildman Bennett, Ann Bennett, David M. Johnson, Jane Johnson, N. O. Brown, Mrs. M. J. Brown. S. H. Collins, Mrs. F. Collins, Bro. O. Oliver, Sister E. Allen, Bro. J. Boughman. Sister A. Boughman, Sister Beesmer, Sister J. A. Carr, Sister S. Earle, Dr. W. Byrns, Sister Atwater.
Meetings were conducted from 1857 to 1864 under Licentiate A. J. Hunt, Elder J. Southworth and Elder Pease. The building of the house of worship was commenced in the spring of 1861. but on account of limited means was not opened for worship until January 22. 1864. The building is still standing as first put up forty years ago. Rev. J. Kelley followed Rev. Pease, remaining until Feb. 18, 1865, and in March. 1865. Elder Phillip Rowden became pastor. A pipe organ was purchased in 1878. Rev. James H. Gagnier, the present pastor, began his work with the church June 1, 1904.
In the northwestern part of Bronson township is an organized Baptist society known as the Shawtown Baptist church. It holds its meetings in the schoolhouse of district No. 7.
There are thus eight regular Baptist organizations in the county. About 1875 there was a Baptist society in Ovid township. It was disbanded about 1895, though the church building. a brick structure, is still standing and is known as " the Lockwood church."
Girard.
The First Baptist church of Girard was organized at the house of Will- iam Van Blarcum in Girard. June 8, 1859. the charter members, who had previously been connected with churches at Coldwater and Tekonsha, be- ing as follows: William Van Blarcum, E. M. Waldo, George B. Johnson, Amasa R. Day, E. T. Todd. Mary Smith, Harriet C. Day. Sarah Burr, Mary Van Blarcum, Matilda B. Waldo, Alvina Todd, Eunice L. Burr, Mary Olney.
The first regular house of worship was the old district schoolhouse. which had been purchased and donated to the society by William Van Blarcum and remodeled for church purposes. The building of the present church was begun in 1876, but it was not finished until several years later. Rev. E. R. Clark closed his pastorate of two years March 31. 1880. October 1, 1880, Rev. S. A. Cole began serving the church and continued until Aug. 1, 1884.
Kinderhook.
The only other regular Baptist society in the county with a building of its own is that of Kinderhook. It was organized Oct. 25. 1856. From that time to the present it has continued to be an active church organization, nev- er long without a pastor preaching regularly. Rev. Charles A. Cutler its latest minister, resigned in 1905.
FREE-WILL OR FREE BAPTIST CHURCHES.
One of the earliest societies of this denomination was formed at Girard, May 10, 1849. The thirteen original members were: L. Y. Limbocker,
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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY
Diadama Limbocker, John Loring, N. M. Millard, Cynthia Millard. Charles Lane, Henry Aurend, Matilda Aurend, Alexander Ladow, John Smart. An- na Cutler, Mary E. Cutler. The congregation erected a building in Girard village, on Marshal street, just north of the regular Baptist church, in 1856.
West Kinderhook.
Rev. E. W. Hughes. pastor of the Free-Will Baptist church at West Kinderhook, states that the society was formed March 10. 1850, by J. H. Miner and Elder Hadley. The first members have all passed away. The church was incorporated in 1882, and also in that year the brick church which is now the house of worship was constructed. The present membership is about forty-five.
Bethel.
The Free-Will Baptist church of Bethel was organized August 28. 1853. For many years the meetings were held in the Butcher schoolhouse in section 1, but in 1903 a house of worship was erected in the same locality by the congregation. Among the earliest members of this church were: Orrin B. and Martha S. Cummings, James and Abigail Thurston, Arwin, Peleg C. and Mercy Bates, Alanson and Ann Harris, Hiram Olmstead, Mrs. Mary Carmer.
Batavia.
A more complete record of the Batavia church has been furnished the editor by Mrs. E. C. Mintline, clerk of the church. The church originated in a series of meetings held in the old brick schoolhouse near Batavia station by Rev. Lura Mains. A council which met in the schoolhouse Feb. 28, 1880, organized a church with six charter members, namely, Myron Draper, Augusta Draper, Dewitt Draper, William Westerman, W. R. Card, Emily Card. W. R. Card is the only charter member remaining. Other names added to the membership the next day were: Anna G. Shay, David J. Per- rin, Betsey Perrin, Alonzo Olmstead, Christina Olmstead. A plot of ground from the John Sheneman farm was purchased in 1880 and in the autumn of the following year the neat little church building was completed. Sabbath- school was conducted from the first and in 1884 the Woman's Missionary Auxiliary was formed. The church property is now valued at $1,500, and the members are about thirty in number.
Some of the prominent members past and present who have been iden- tified with this church are: George Barnard, Elizabeth Gray, E. D. Hark- ness, for twenty-three years officially connected with the church; C. H. Aus- tin, treasurer for the past twenty-three years; Mrs. E. M. Jordan, Mrs. John Sheneman, Asa Russell, and others.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHIES.
The First Presbyterian church of Coldwater originated in pioneer times, and the names of well known first settlers are included in its meeting for or-
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HISTORY OF BRANCH COUNTY
ganization. This meeting was held in the village schoolhouse Sept. 30. 1837. Rev. P. W. Warriner preached the sermon, and the charter members consti- tuting the first church were: Luther and Clarissa Stiles, James and Abigail Smith, Edmond and Catherine Sloan, E. G. Fuller, Ambrose and Eliza Grow, Mrs. Alexander Reynolds, Mary Ann Reynolds, Sophronia Reynolds, Mrs. Amaty Cruson. Mary Smith. James Smith, Jr., Lydia Smith. Prominent among the members who were soon added were Silas A. Holbrook, Will- iam H. Cross, and Alexander Reynolds.
During the first few years the meetings were held in the schoolhouses on Hudson street or on Clay street. and also in the temporary court-house room in the " Coon Pen" building, elsewhere described. A church organi- zation according to legal form was effected at a meeting in the " Coon Pen." Aug. 9. 1843, and about the same time the building of a church was under- taken. The edifice, which was of frame, was dedicated in the fall of 1844. under the pastorate of S. C. Hickok. This served as the church home until the sixties. Both the Methodist and Baptist congregations had erected fine churches, and the Presbyterians built one still larger. The first plans were laid in 1864. but it was not until Oct. 12. 1869. that the present brick build- ing was dedicated.
Revs. Warriner, Charles W. Girney and Louis Mills were the principal pastors during the early years of the church. Rev. S. C. Hickok served from 1844 to 1847. Following him were Elihu P. Marvin, O. W. Mather. R. S. Goodman, from 1853 to 1860: Horace C. Hovey. G. L. Foster. W. C. Por- ter. J. Gordon Jones, from April. 1872, to October, 1878: H. P. Collin. Dec .. 1878. to March 31, 1905. Rev. Willis L. Gelston, the present pastor. began his work in Sept., 1905.
Quincy
The First Presbyterian church of Quincy was organized Feb. 27. 1857. the following persons associating themselves into an organization: Will- iam N. Carter. Julia Carter. Marcia Potter. Mrs. J. W. Chapin. William Hughes, Jeremiah B. Whelan. Elijalı Leland. Mrs. William Hughes, Mrs. J. B. Whelan and Mrs. Withington were soon added to the original member- ship. The society was small during its first years and had difficulty in main- taining its organization. The church building was not constructed until 1860. Since that time it has carried the usual church activities with but few interruptions.
California.
California township has been a center of Presbyterian activity from an early day. At a meeting for organization of a Presbyterian church, held in the schoolhouse at Hall's Corners. April 11, 1840, the following well known pioneers associated themselves to form a church: Joseph W. Lawrence. Sr .. Sybil Lawrence, Thomas Pratt. Alma Pratt. Joseph W. Lawrence. Jr .. Susan N. Lawrence, Ezra S. E. Brainard, Walter H. Lathrop, Emeline Lathrop, Mrs. Lucy Robbins. Their building, which is located at California post-
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office, was completed and dedicated in 1871, at a cost of about twenty-five hundred dollars.
The United Presbyterians and the Reformed Presbyterians also gained a foothold in California township. A society of the former denomination was organized June 16, 1865, some of its original members being William C. Thompson, Alexander Thompson, Thomas Hall, John S. Patterson, Will- iam Stewart, Oscar Jameson, Alexander Vance.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES.
Union City.
The First Congregational church of Union City, Branch county, Mich- igan, was organized March 7th. 1837. The meeting was conducted by Rev. Calvin Clark of Homer. The following sixteen persons having letters of dismission and recommendation from other churches, and two on confession of their faith, entered into covenant : Chester Hammond, Fanny Hammond, Ellen F. Hammond, Alpheus Saunders, Lucina Saunders, Lewis Hawley, Charlotte Hawley, David Kilbourn, Clarinda Kilbourn, Justus B. Buell, Eme- line Buell, Thomas B. Buell, Charles A. Lincoln, Chares H. Coates, Esther Maxfield, Sarah Jane Hurd, Mary Ann Saunders, Charlotte Bernard.
March 16th, 1839, the church became connected with the Marshall Presbytery on the " Plan of Union of 1801." At the formation of the Marshall Conference of Congregational Churches in Union City, January 13th, 1841, the church united with that body. In November, 1837. Rev. Charles W. Gurney, a Presbyterian minister, was employed to labor in the ministry of the Gospel with this church, which he continued to do until June, 1839. In the following October Rev. Elijah Buck, also a Presbyterian min- ister, was employed, and continued his labors until September, 1840. The ministry of Rev. L. Smith Hobart commenced on the Sabbath, the first day of November, 1840. The services were held in the district schoolhouse. which was the usual place of public worship. After the completion of a pastorate of eight years, he was dismissed by the advice of a council, Novem- ber 2nd, 1848.
The first house of worship occupied by the church was erected on High street. This was dedicated December 24th, 1840. It was furnished with a suitable bell in May, 1843, enlarged in 1850, and sold in 1869.
Rev. Henry C. Morse commenced his ministry with the church Nov. 5th, 1848. His work closed in March, 1853. Rev. Adam S. Kedzie followed in the ministry without interval. His work ended in the month of September, 1854. Rev. Joseph S. Edwards was engaged in November, 1854, and con- tinued his work about six months. In December, 1855, Rev. Reuben Hatch commenced his labors with the church and remained until April, 1859. Dur- ing this period the enterprise of building the present brick church edifice was undertaken. Rev. Sereno W. Streeter commenced his ministry here in No- vember, 1859. He was installed as pastor by an ecclesiastical council
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in February. 1863. In November, 1869. he was dismissed by a council. closing his ministry of ten years.
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