USA > Michigan > Montcalm County > History of Montcalm County, Michigan its people, industries and institutions...with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families Volume I > Part 30
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A system of school banking through all the grades attempts to teach common business rules and saving. Drawing and music receive much atten- tion through all the grades. A phonograph has been purchased through the efforts of the seventh and eighth grade pupils, and a lantern is soon to be installed. Altogether, the little school community is a busy, busy place, with no room for shiggards. The school is drawing in the fine young people from the country round about, and their appreciation is an inspiration to all connected with the school. The new building is the scene of many lectures and club gatherings of the citizens, making it a community center as well as school. May the good work go on, and our young people become the best of men and women through all these splendid influences.
CHAPTER XXVII.
CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF GREENVILLE.
On the 5th of June, 1852, a meeting was held in the public school house which stood on the northwest corner of Cass and Lafayette streets, in Green- ville, for the purpose of considering the expediency of organizing a Congre- gational church. Rev. S. N. Manning was chosen the first pastor, and the following named people were the charter members: Manning Rutan and wife, Hiram H. Slawson and wife. Ursan Goodman and wife, Harriet B. Peck, Frank S. Peck, Philander A. Peck, Mrs. Adeline Shaw and William Gordon. They continued to hold their meetings in this school house until 1856, when a frame building was put up at the corner of Cass and Clay streets. In 1880 this building was removed to make way for a beautifu! edifice of stone and brick, which cost $25,000, and which was dedicated on June 6, 1880.
The following names is a list of pastors who have served the church up to the present time: Rev. S. N. Manning. 1853-54: Charles Spooner. 1854-65: J. L. Patton, 1866-90: J. N. Taft. 1800-93: A. M. Hyde, 1894-97: F. W. Hodgdon, 1897-99: A. B. Curtis, 1899-07: and James Halliday, 1907-11. Rev. S. C. Parsons was installed in 1911 and is the present pastor. This church has had a large place in community life, is broad in its doc- trines, simple in creed, generous in benevolences, and belongs to the Lansing Association of Congregational Churches. It has a large, prosperous Sunday school, and an enthusiastic Young Peoples' Society. The Missionary Socie- ties and the Ladies' Aid Society in connection with this church does a vast amount of good each year. The present membership of the church numbers three hundred and eighty.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF STANTON.
The First Congregational church of Stanton was organized on March 7, 1874, with the following charter members: Wealthy B. Vinecore, Lucille
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V. Smith, Annah H. Camburn, Mary V. Daniel, Polly Gardner, Frances S. Gilbert, Kate C. W. Fenn, S. Marion Wood, Nora J. Shepard, Alfreda W. Paine, Harland P'. Nevins, Alexander Vinecore, John M. Daniel, Levi Camburn and Harmon Smith. The first pastor to serve this congregation was Rev. George Michael. Others who have served up to the present time are: Levi P. Spellman, Wells H. Utley, Augustine G. Hubbard, William Clark Burns, John W. Savage, Philip E. Benen and Clarence W. Long. William Wedenhoeft is the present pastor. The services were at first held in the Baptist church, but within a year after the organization of the church a new building was under way. It is located at the corner of Camburn avenue and Bradford street. It is a neat frame structure, and the cost of construction is estimated at $8,500. The chapel connected with the church building in the rear was erected in 1884. The parsonage is located at the corner of Lincoln avenue and Bradford street. In connection with this church is a good Sunday school, a Young Peoples' Society of Christian Endeavor, a Ladies' Aid Society, and a Home and Foreign Missionary Society. A Men's Uplift Club was organized in November, 1913, and is prospering rapidly. The present membership of the church is one hundred and sixteen.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF SHERIDAN.
On April 9. 1877, a company of eleven persons met in a little. old. (isused school house lighted with one hand lamp and two lanterns, to consider the advisability of purchasing the same for a place of worship. That even- ing the Congregational Society of Sheridan was formed. They decided to buy and repair the house. They enlarged the house, put in new windows and doors, painted inside and ont, and made a cozy little chapel of it. About five months later, September 22, 1877, the First Congregational church was organized, consisting of eleven members, ten women and one man: and that man was Rev. J. T. Otis, who was ordained at that time. Reverend Otis labored for the church four years and a half. He was succeeded by Rev. O. B. Waters, who stayed one year. They felt they must go where their children could have better school advantages. Before they had taken their departure, Rev. J. W. Thrush, from Bristol. England, came to take up the work. He served the church for two and a half years.
The same week that Mr. Thrush resigned. a young man from Union Seminary, New York, came to preach, expecting to stay for a few weeks' vacation, but before the time was up, he discovered the field was needy and
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large-enough for a whole-hearted Christian- minister. He felt his inability to do justice to such a field, which, he claimed, extended sixteen miles or more each way. Under his live, earnest effort, the Sunday school soon out- grew the little chapel. The next thing was to "seek after a sign," which was this: If the Lord increased the spiritual strength and number during the winter, he would take steps toward building a church. The sign was given. The church itself quickened and numbers increased as never before. "Let ns arise and build." "Times were so hard it could not be done." It seemed an impossible undertaking. But the way the leader went to work, encour- aged the rest to hope. He did not say, "I will not give sleep to mine eyes or sinmber to mine eyelids until the thing is accomplished," neither did he advocate the eight-hour system, but he quietly went at it and managed to get in eight hours in the forenoon and eight in the afternoon almost every day after he began the work. Neither did he, like Solomon, choose out three score and ten thousand men to bear burdens. He put on overalls and rubber boots, took an axe and saw and started for the woods. After some hard work and discouragements the first hard battle was fought; twenty thousand feet of logs were on the banks of. the lake ready for use. The Rubicon was passed and there was no backing down. Some said it could not be done, few thought it would ever be completed; only a very few faith- ful souls who knew something of the pastor's determination had faith in the enterprise; and they only because they faith in him.
He did not ask the people for money at the beginning; he knew it would be useless; they would have laughed at him-if not openly, in secret. He went on without asking help, except labor. put up and enclosed the building, put the roof on and put up the tower. The ladies came to the rescue in the meantime, sold ice cream, suppers, had socials and helped pay bills. Friends from abroad were appealed to for windows. The spirit manifested by the pastor, as day by day he labored with saw and hammer on the roof shingling during the hottest days, filled the members with zeal and courage.
Many were the prophecies of failure all along, but in spite of indiffer- ence, opposition and discouragements on every hand, the work went along. better always than was expected. More money was raised by one-half than it was thought it would take at the first. The roof is Gothic. The audience room is arched overhead and finished with brackets and panels in oak. oiled and varnished; it is wainscotted with oak, and the seats are,of. oak. The main room seats about two hundred people. The lecture room opening into the main room by folding doors, is provided with chairs and will seat about
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two hundred more. The church complete cost about $3,000, and was dedi- cated in March, 1888, free of debt. During the summer of 1888 a nice par- sonage was erected, and in November the Rev. A. H. Claflin took his vaca- tion. On his return, on November 25, he brought his bride with him. Mr. and Mrs. Claflin remained with the church until 1891. In 1892 the church became self supporting. Since that time the church has been served by the following pastors: Rev. C. L. Preston, J. F. Butler, O. M. Snyder, I .. . 1. Kirkland, Fred Pinch, J. F. Lansborough. G. H. Alexander. F. H. Bridge- water is. the present pastor of the church, and he has been here one year. The present membership is seventy-nine. Names of charter members : Rev. J. T. Otis, Emma Bean, Eliza Barnes, Sarah Holland, Mrs. J. T. Otis, Mrs. F. J. Barkham, Sarah Burton. Caroline Collins, Francis Monroe, H. H. Stoddard and Mary Summers. In connection with the church is conducted a Sunday school, which has three adult organized classes, one being a men's class. Nearly all classes in school are organized. Enrollment about one hundred and fifty. Average attendance during vacation season, over ninety, also have a cradle roll. This church is located in Evergreen township, sec- tion 31.
UNION CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF CRYSTAL.
The Union Congregational church of Crystal was organized on May 13. 1877, with the following charter members: Edward W. Slack, Chauncey Case, B. S. Frisbie, William W. Naragan. Mary E. Case. John W. Coore, Dwight Demshu, N. T. Demshu. Henry Graf, J. C. Young, Maggie Fuller. Marian Champlin, Elizabeth Packard. Mrs. John Moore, Mrs. Alfred Fuller. Mrs. Rose Wright, R. S. Smith and Mary S. Fox.
At the initial meeting this religious society was incorporated and the following trustees chosen for the year following: Chauncey Case, B. S. Frisbie, A. L. Smith, W. W. Naragan, John P. Young.
Rev. N. I .. Otis served the congregation as a first pastor and held this as his charge until it was thoroughly organized and on working basis. Since Reverend Otis officiated the following ministers have served this church : Rev. Robbins, D. A. Holman. S. S. Siebert. J. F. Tedford. George E. Brown, Lvon.
This church is located on section 17. township of Crystal.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LAKEVIEW.
The initial meeting of this church was held in 1880, with the following persons as members: A. B. Danforth, Mary A. Danforth, Estelles H. Danforth, Ella E. Danforth, William H. Winter, Mary E. Winter, John T. Jamieson, S. S. Parmer, Jehiel Chapin, Laura M. Chapin, Mary P. Rey- nolds, Lizzie N. Reynolds, Agnes M. Jamieson.
The next meeting was held in the Advent church at Lakeview, and the following elected trustees: H. B. Danforth, William H. Winter, John T. Jamieson, John Wood and Robert Edgar.
The first meetings of the church were held in the Grand Army of the Republic hall, with Rev. Charles Searer as the pastor. Now they have a very fine building. located at the corner of Lincoln and Fifth streets. It is constructed of veneered brick, at a cost of $5.000. They have a Christian Endeavor League, and also prayer meetings throughout the week. The fol- lowing is a list of pastors who have served the church from time to time : Burt. Riggs. William Klore. Campbell, Myers, Secord, Sherwood, Hum- phrey and Houston.
They now have a membership of eighty-eight.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF NEVINS LAKE.
The Congregational church of Nevins Lake, which is located in section 4 of Sidney township, was organized on March 11, 1906, with twenty char- ter members. On the 14th of October, 1903, articles of incorporation of a church society at Nevins Lake were filed, and the purpose of this association was given as desirous of co-operating with the First Congregational church of Stanton in maintaining a Sunday school and in supporting the preaching of the gospel at Nevins Lake chapel, a building which was to be used for any evangelical society as approved by the trustces of said society. The members present at this meeting were: G. E. Drake, Sylvia Kilpatrick, Emily Waters, Emily Kilpatrick, Susie A. Curtis, John C. Peterson, Minnie Mesler. D. T .. Waters, Edna Curtis, Edna Kilpatrick, Agnes Disbro, Elsie E. Kilpatrick, E. W. Mesler, F. C. Lowry. John A. Nelson, Oscar E. Nelson. Frank Toleson and Andrew Fults.
The Nevins Lake church building was erected in 1903, at a cost of $000. This congregation has been served by the following pastors: C. W. Long and William Wiedenhoft. The latter served this as a charge from
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Stanton. The society at present supports a Sunday school and Ladies' Aid Society. The present membership numbers sixteen.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF BUTTERNUT.
The First Congregational church of Butternut was organized on May 14, 1892, with thirty-three charter members, which are as follow: E. W. Johnson, Mrs. Emma Johnson, Mrs. Fanny Johnson. C. E. Chandler, Mrs. C. E. Chandler, Mrs. Nancy Cross. Mrs. Anna Bunnell, Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Henty, John Ferry, Myron Slayton, H. H. Aldrich, Polly Aldrich, Jasper Aldrich. Isaac George, Mary E. Evans. Sarah Bellenger, Orren Myers. Mrs. Orrin Myers, Olive Mack, Eben Chandler, D. B. Patterson, Mrs. D. B. Patterson, Arviria Hively, Mary Martin, Alice Kipp, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sherman, Mr. and Mrs. E. O. Smith. Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Wamsley, Mrs. Carlie Patrick. The first deacons of this church were E. W. Johnson, John Feary and D. B. Patterson; and the first trustees were Myron Slayton, Willis H. Wamsley and H. H. Aldrich. F. C. Henty served as the first clerk, and C. E. Chandler was the first treasurer. Rev. Isaac D. Lillie was the first pastor to serve the church, and the others that followed are: B. C. Robbins. I. A. Shanton, D. A. Halman, S. S. Seibert. J. F. Tedfore, George B. Brown. Walter Lyon and N. L. Otis.
At first the religious services were held in a hall in Butternut, but in 1899 a new building, constructed of brick, at a cost of $2,500. was built on a site that was donated by Charles Cross and wife. This lot consisted of one-half acre. and in the year 1915 the congregation bought another half acre adjoining it for a parsonage, and they are fortunate to have paid for it already. An interesting Sunday school and Ladies' Aid Society are con- ducted under the auspices of the church. Rev. Burton D. Snook is the pres- ent pastor.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF BLOOMER.
The society of the Congregational church of Bloomer was organized on June 3, 1872, at the house of T. B. Colton. Four years later a fine church building was erected and the growth of this church was very marked from this time. Rev. Samuel Sessions was the first pastor, and he served from 1872 to 1874. The charter members were as follow: B. G. Cooley. Sarah Cooley, F. B. Colton. H. Colton. H. M. Robinson, Jane Robinson, Maria Robinson, John Murray, Margaret Murray. H. G. Cooley. Mary E. Cooley. Abagail Barton, Rev. and Mrs. Samuel Sessions. The pastors who have
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served this church are as follow: J. M. Smith, 1874-75; James G. Free- born, 1875-76: George Candee. 1877-79: John Husted, 1879-81 ; R. A. Tay- lor, 1882-83; Darrell Lce, 1883; W. H. Skentlebury, 1885-88; John A. Kaley, 1880-90; David Kirkpatrick. 1800-92; I. A. Shanton, 1893-94: Clark C. Otis, 1894-95: E. W. Miller. 1890-97; Samnel S. Seibert. 1898-1900; N. J. Myers, 1901-04; George W. Dell. 1905-09; William Mitchell, 1910-12; W. L .. Frost, 1913-14: J. I .. Kennedy. 1914-15; and W. I. Frost is the present pastor. The church was rebuilt in 1902, at a cost of $4,000. The present membership is sixty.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF SIDNEY.
While Sidney had religious meetings from a very early date, there was. no special denomination organized; but the first meetings held. were con- ducted by Revs. Piper and Ezekiel Rossman, members of the United Breth- ren church, at the house of Henry Gilmore. A society was formed when the school house was built. and services held in it about a year. Then they were held in the log school house at the center. The society consisted of the fol- lowing members: Joshua Noah and wife, Mrs. Van Ness, Roswell Gill- more and wife, John Ryan, Henry Gillmore and wife. Noble Gillmore and George Gillmore. There was no meeting honse built, as the society was. eventually broken up.
The Congregational church at Sidney was organized on June 10, 1890, with fourteen charter members. William Noah was chosen the first deacon. Mrs. Kittle was the first clerk, and she held this office for seventeen years. Rev. A. W. Claflin was the first minister, and he came from Sheridan to. Sidney to conduct the meetings, which were held in a school house before the erection of the church. Reverend Claflin was instrumental in the building of this church, and the people of Sidney have ever been grateful to him for this act. It was built in 1887; the corner stone was laid in June and it was dedi- cated in January. 1889. Mr. Claflin left this church in charge of Rev. James F. Butler in the fall of 1801 and went to live in New York state. Rev. C. L. Preston took charge of the church when Rev. Butler went away, and then came Owen M. Snyder. Lemuel A. Kirkland, Fred Pinch, John Lansborough, G. H. Alexander and S. A. Bridgewater, who is the present pastor. On the 16th of June, 1887, the ladies of this church organized a Ladies' Aid Society, and this organization has been kept up to the present day. The church now has a membership of over forty.
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MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EDMORE.
This church was organized under Rev. S. R. Roseburough, August 12, 1879. Previous to this time he had been conducting meetings in the school house. At the first meeting, hekl for the purpose of organizing a society, he enrolled the following names: S. R. Roseborough, Nathan Coleman, S. W. Whittlesey and wife, J. S. Sanford. Mrs. S. Hunt and Mrs. Coney. S. R. Roseborough, Nathan Coleman, and S. W. Whittlesey were the first trustees, and J. S. Sanford was the clerk. Rev. Roseborough only stayed about one year when he was succeeded by Rev. Henry Marsh, under whose efforts the society erected a neat and substantial place of worship which cost about $2,000.
The following is a list of the pastors who have served this church since the organization : George W. Riggs. Ira W. Bell. Carlson, A. D. Whaley, William Wert. J. C. Gibson, F. F. Gray. B. H. Petton and H. Scarlett.
There has been quite a change made in the building which consisted in the addition of a kitchen, two dining rooms, a reading room and furnace room in the basement of the church. The value of the church property at present is placed at $3.500. The membership at present numbers thirty- two, with a very active Sunday school of about sixty members. It is inter- esting to note that Rev. Henry March served this congregation for fifteen vears.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF GREENVILLE.
The meeting for the organization of the First Baptist church of Green- ville was held on November 19, 1853, at the school house located on the corner of Lafayette and Cass streets. Rev: J. Rasco was chosen moderator of the assembly, IT. P. Downs, clerk, and the names of twenty-six members were placed upon the church records. In September. 1854. the organization became a part of the Grand River Baptist Association. The church at this time embraced but six male members. Great difficulty was experienced at this early period in obtaining a suitable place of worship, and for a consider- able time it was not possible to maintain regular appointments. Finally an old store belonging to M. Rutan was secured which was fitted up and used until 1865, when the services were held in the Congregational church for about a year.
On February 10, the church dedicated its own house of worship at the corner of Washington and Franklin streets. In 1887 the church was rebuilt
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and rededicated. The pastors of the church have been Rev. J. Roscoe, 1853- 55; A. P. Howell, 1855-57. Mr. S. D. Ross, a member of the church, sup- plied, and was ordained as pastor on November 28, 1857. He remained until the advent of Rev. Prescott in 1862, and in 1864 Rev. A. Platt was summoned to the charge. In February, 1865, Rev. Dr. Drummond supplied the pulpit. until Rev. D. E. Hills became pastor, who remained until 1868. Rev. C. E. B. Armstrong was called in 1870, and the same year a parsonage was secured. The resignation of Reverend Armstrong occurred in 1874, when Rev. E. Curtis succeeded. His pastoral labor extended over a period of six years, and Rev. Jay Huntington began his labors in May, 1880. The pastors which followed are John E. Gault. Marcus E. Hayne, 1884; I. D. Bass, 1889: E. Talbut Carter, 1800: D. E. Hills, 1891, Charles E. Barker, 1897: William H. Garfield, 1900: J. II. Stuart, 1904: F. A. Lankin, 1907; L. D. Pettit, 1911. W. Bernard Jarman was called in 1915.
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF STANTON.
The society of the First Baptist church of Stanton was organized under the supervision of Rev. H. E. W. Palmer, October 25, 1866. H. E. W. Palmer, Cornelia H. Palmer, Nancy Davis, G. F. Case and Mary E. Case constituted the first organization. Mr. Palmer was elected pastor, G. F. Case, clerk, and David Morse. G. F. Case. and J. P. Beers, trustees. The following pastors have served the congregation since its organization : H. E. W. Palmer, John Van Vleck, E. Curtis. A. W. Hendricks, C. N. Burnham, C. C. Miller, J. W. Henry, F. Chesney. F. IT. Young, Eugene Reverance. H. McGrath, George W. Bates, F. M. Parsons and F. E. Britten who is the present pastor.
The church, which was constructed of wood, at a cost of $3,000, was the first place of worship in the village. It was constructed in 1868 and dedicated on January 3. 1860. Elder Van Vleck was pastor at this time, and he together with A. F. Mather and S. B. Fish conducted the dedicatory services. The lot upon which it stands was donated by George F. Case. The church membership now numbers eighty-three and the Sunday school in connection with this church has a membership of seventy-seven. The young people have organized a Baptist Young People's Union and have a membership of twenty-four. The Bethel Mission Sunday school conducted under the auspices of this church has a membership of fifty-seven.
FIRST FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH.
The First Free Will Baptist church society was organized by Revs. William H. Smith and D. H. Lord, at a meeting held in the school house at
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Howard City, on the evening of May 3, 1874, and its original members were named as follows: David H. Lord. Samuel J. Pulsifer, Arthur Scott, Engene I .. Brown, Annetta M. Lord, Arvilla A. Pulsifer, Electa Scott, Louisa Lord, Helen P. Pulsifer, Emma Strong and Ellen Hickok. S. G. Ilickok joined soon after. Rev. David H. Lord remained in charge six years. He preached the first sermon in Howard City in the waiting room of the depot in 1870. The society continued to meet at the school house during the summer, but soon afterwards David H. Lord built a house twenty- four by thirty feet which cost over $500, where they held their meetings for a time and now constitutes a vestry of the church.
In the spring of 1875 the society commenced the body of a brick build- ing thirty-six by fifty-five feet. It is a substantial and commodious building and cost about $2,000. It was dedicated on May 30, 1880, by Ransom Dunn, D. D., of Hillsdale, and at that time a collection was taken amounting to $500 which cleared the society from debt. In the month of May, 1870, the first Sabbath school was organized in Reynolds in the dining room of the small hotel kept by William Edmondson. On the first day of meeting there was an attendance of seventeen scholars. Rev. David H. Lord was superin- tendent and assisted principally by Mrs. William F. Thompson, who named it the "Star of Hope" Sabbath school. After meeting at the hotel a few times the place of meeting was changed to a little carpenter shop owned by Samuel J. Pulsifer, which was so cold in the winter time that they again resorted to the hotel. This shop was also at times used as a meeting honse. In the summer of the next year Amos R. Mather became the teacher of the first Bible class organized in Reynolds. This Sabbath school was the germ of the Union Sabbath school, which was well attended until two churches were erected, when it was divided.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF HOWARD CITY.
The First Baptist church society was organized on February 16. 1873. by Rev. N. Stillwell, whose efforts had brought the friends together. He preached to this circle every alternate Sabbath. The society built a church. but apparently they were not entirely successful as their meetings were soon discontinued. It was not long, however, before it was reorganized by J. J. Martin, and the following officers were elected: C. V. Howe, deacon; C. Walling, clerk ; A. A. Edburge, treasurer ; trustees, E. Simmons, V. Skid, E. Edburge. E. Halleck. The following August Rev. J. R. Monroe was called to the pastorate. During this year sixteen members were added to the
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