USA > Minnesota > Freeborn County > History of Freeborn County, Minnesota > Part 48
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accommodate its ever increasing number of members, and it was subsequently torn down and the resent edifice erected in its place. This building is located in Bath township, a short distance more than a mile from the Clarks Grove station, and its dimensions are 38 by 65 feet, 22 feet high, with a gallery of 16 by 38 feet, and an addition has been made of 14 by 28 feet, and the tower is 75 feet in height. Each Sunday morning during the year a large and devout congregation assembles in this house of worship at 11 o'clock, the morning services lasting until 12:30 o'clock, after which the Sunday school holds its session. During the summer services are held in the evenings. Before this building was com- pleted the members of its congregation met for nine consecutive Sundays in the woods north of Geneva village and Sunday school was also held there, with an average attendance of 132 scholars. A Ladies' Mission Circle was organized in 1875, which has done excellent work, having raised hundreds of dollars for the cause. This circle meets quarterly. Some years after the organizing of the circle, a Ladies' Aid Society was formed, which meets each month, and has a large membership of earnest and conscientious workers. There is another organization of the ladies of this church, known as the Farther Lights, which is made up of the younger members and which meets monthly and raises money for mission purposes. The young girls of the church have formed a Mission Band, which is carrying on good work. According to reports and records, there have been received into this church since its organization 650 members by baptism, together with many who have brought letters from other churches. Many years ago a party of members left their home in this county and went to Kingsbury county, South Dakota, where they settled down and founded a church, known as the Baptist Church of Oldham, and some time after the departure of the first company, another band of earnest men and women went to Martin county, this state. Here they organized a church of their faith. Since the year of 1871 there have been but four pastors in this church in Bath township aside from its present pastor, Rev. Henningson, and the attendance has steadily increased each year. The church has for many years raised an average annual sum of $4,000 to meet the needs of various branches of the work. The present membership numbers 346, and 250 pupils are enrolled in the Sunday school, with a yearly average attendance of 165. The following article is taken from a paper printed in 1895: "This church may well be called the Mother of Churches, for out of its membership have come churches at Albert Lea, Alden, Blooming Prairie, West Brook, one in South Dakota and two in North Dakota. The late Prof. N. P. Jensen was a member of this church, and many other brethren have gone from its number into the ministry. The
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Sunday school is large and prosperous under the efficient leader- ship of L. P. Lawson, who has been superintendent for thirty years. Many young people gather at the services, and there are prospects of growth through the coming years. It is interesting on Sundays to see the many teams, coming from all directions, and the churchyard looks like some hostelries in country towns on a circus day." The present officers are: Pastor, Rev. C. H. Hen- ningson ; secretary, Soren Jacobson, and treasurer, J. P. Larson. Soren Jacobson, the secretary, is the author of this article.
The Danish Baptist Church, of Alden, was organized November 22, 1885, with the following charter members: Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Sorenson, Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. N. C. Lar- son, Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Nelsen, Mrs. Lena Johnson and C. A. Nelson. The first pastor was Rev. A. Carlson, of Clarks Grove. Other pastors have been: J. C. Johnsen, M. C. Jensen, C. G. Christiansen, N. L. Christiansen, A. S. Andersen and J. D. Vinding, the present pastor.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL.
The First Methodist Episcopal Church, of Freeborn, had its beginning in 1859, when a class was started. The formal organiza- tion was perfected in 1862 at P. F. Austin's hotel by Joshua Barnard. Meetings were held in the schoolhouse until 1878, when, through the efforts of Rev. S. B. Smith, a church building was erected, the edifice being dedicated the same year. In 1898 additions were built to it on the north and south sides. A par- sonage was built soon after the church was organized and was occupied by the pastors until 1883, when Alden was put in the circuit. As Alden was a railroad town, the pastor then moved to Alden, and the parsonage has since been located in that place. Following are the pastors who have served the church: Joshua Barnard, Revs. Perkins, Fuller, Stokes, Matteson, Brown, Riddick, Terwillegar, Blaine, Smith, Followsbee, Chester, Copp, Buttle- man, Jenkins, Brown, Arnold, Parr, Thompson, McCausland, Wil- kinson, Russell, Haley, Hotchkiss and W. I. Moore. Among those who have taken an active part in the progress of the church may be mentioned : Simeon Jones, S. J. Fuller, C. H. Derby, L. T. Scott, George P. Lattin, W. A. Brooks, G. R. Borland, L. C. Taylor, J. B. Purdie, T. W. Purdie, O. S. Gilmore, R. E. Goward and N. R. Brooks.
The Geneva Methodist Episcopal Church. The first religious services in the village of Geneva were held at the store of Loyhed & Matison in 1857 by a Methodist clergyman. Soon afterward a class was organized. At an early day the Baptists also held meetings at the home of Deacon Brant, with Elder Towne in
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charge, but most of the attendants afterward joined the Metho- dists. The earliest records of the Methodist Church have not been preserved, but a class book of 1861 shows the following members : H. Fredenburg (leader), A. Fredenburg, Charles McIntire, Ann ยท McIntire, - Brooks, J. A. Woodworth, E. Eustrom, Edward Lugg, J. M. Hovey, H. W. Ruliffson, Mary Ruliffson, Robert Lathim, Mary A. Lathim, J. Lathim, John Eikley, Oliver Jones, Sophia Jones. In 1865 and 1866, the following names were added to the list: M. Ainsworth (leader), A. Ainsworth, H. Patridge, L. Partridge, H. E. Lester, M. A. Holmes, A. B. Lester, C. Lester, S. Moon, M. Osborn,
Osborn, A. Osborn, Sarah Par- tridge, J. L. Cabot, Mary H. Cabot, Hattie Cabot, Franklin Warner, Juliette Warner, Dana P. Sawyer, Ira M. Sawyer, Dianna Sawyer, Elizabeth Skinner. Among the early pastors may be men- tioned: Rev. Perkins, J. N. Liscomb, William Barkulo, Charles Barkuloo, J. M. Akers, R. B. Satterlee, W. S. Chase and Thomas Billings. Services were held for some years in the schoolhouse. In 1890 the present church building was erected, the trustees at that time being: Ira M. Sawyer, chairman; Ralph Randall, treasurer ; F. G. Sloan, secretary; Charles Gahagan. The pastor at that time was D. W. Giberson, and Robert Forbes was the pre- siding elder. Since then the pastors have been: 1891, G. W. Plummer ; 1892-1894, H. F. Ackerman; 1895-1899, Alfred Cressy ; 1900-1901, W. J. Moore; September, 1902-1903, Frank Seeds; 1903-1904, S. W. Kemerer; 1905-1906, G. W. Koser; 1907-1909, J. J. Lutz; 1910, I. B. Holman; 1911, G. L. Day. The names of I. M. Sawyer and wife, Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Ruliffson, Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Warner, Dana P. Sawyer, Mrs. M. A. Holmes and Mrs. M. Osborn should be mentioned as active workers in the church in years gone past. Among those deeply interested in the church at the present time may be mentioned: Mr. and Mrs. I. M. Fergu- son, E. Randall, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gay, and the Mesdames Alice Huggins, Isabella Huggins, Eugene Jones, Frank Jones, M. A. Holmes, Pickering, George Holmes and R. Gahagan. The informa- tion for this sketch has been furnished by F. G. Sloan.
The Shell Rock Methodist Episcopal Church. The first Metho- dist services held in Shell Rock took place during the summer of 1857, when the Rev. Sylvester N. Phelps preached at the home of Walter Stott. In 1858, Rev. Isaac McReynolds was influenced by Rev. T. M. Kirkpatrick, the presiding elder, to arrange for a circuit to be called the Shell Rock Circuit. This circuit included Geneva, Grass Lake, Albert Lea, Shell Rock, State Line and North- wood. Services were also held at Itasca. In the spring of 1858 the first quarterly conference was held at State Line. In 1873 the Methodist church at Shell Rock was erected, the trustees at that time being John Skinner, D. R. Young, J. D. Barren and
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Williard Marvin. After Isaac W. McReynolds, L. M. Thomas had charge of the church. He was followed by Aaron Matteson and John Garner. In 1864 Shell Rock was transferred to the Owa- tonna district. Following him the pastors were: 1864-1865, D. B. Gleason ; 1866-1869, George Elliott ; 1869, R. J. Hays. In 1870 the charge was left to be supplied, and George Elliott again took charge. Rev. Gould preached in 1872-1873. George Stokes was pastor in 1873-1874. In 1875 came John Lamberson, who remained for two years. The minister in 1884 was W. A. Miles. In 1885 George Elliott again supplied. In 1886, E. W. Haley was preacher in charge, and the following year came J. M. Hammond, who stayed until 1890. In 1890 Rev. William H. McGann came as a supply. The latter half of the year the Rev. A. Cressy, of Albert Lea, was the supply. In 1891 Noah Lathrop was appointed to Glenville and Gordonsville. After he left there were various changes until the arrival of the present pastor, Rev. E. C. Reineke. The facts for this sketch have been furnished by Mrs. H. C. Cottrell.
GERMAN METHODIST.
The Pickerel Lake German Methodist Episcopal Church had its beginning at a very early day, meetings being held at the home of William Schneider as early as 1865. Meetings were also held in the schoolhouse of District 57. Among the early preachers at these meetings may be mentioned the Revs. Bucholts, Uhl and others. The first trustees of the church are said to have been : Claus Flindt, George Drommerhausen, William Schneider, William Weiser and Henry Eberhardt. In the spring of 1873 the society purchased twenty-two acres of land in section 23, Pickerel Lake township, and erected a church under the pastorate of Rev. Aug. Biebighauser. A cemetery was also laid out, the first to be buried being Fred Beherents, also known as Fritz Brantz, in the spring of 1874. The present trustees are George Drommerhausen, Claus Flindt, Edward H. Eberhardt, Charles Lenz and Dr. J. P. von Berg. Following is a list of the clergymen who have served the two congregations: William Hildebrand, 1869-70; J. Hansen, 1870-72; Aug. Biebighauser, 1872-74; A. H. Koerner, 1874-76; J. C. Jahn, 1876-79 ; C. Stellner, 1879-81; A. H. Koerner, 1881-83; Dan. Pfaff, 1883-85; John Hauck, 1885-89; Jacob Durbahn, 1889-94; Aug. Krienke, 1894-95; F. J. Preine, 1895-99 ; Fred Brinkman, 1889-1901; Hy. Clement, 1901-06; C. A. Borchard, 1906-10; William E. Baumgarten, 1910 to the present time.
FREE METHODIST.
Glenville Free Methodist Church. This church was organized in the winter of 1882-83 by a band of workers comprised of
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Vivian A. Dral e, as leader, Mrs. V. A. Drake, H. J. Van Auken and wife, Henrietta E. Muzzy, Abbie Dunham, William Baldwin and J. L. Keene. The church building was erected in the summer of 1883, with H. J. Van Auken as first pastor. The charge has since been served by the following pastors : N. J. Sumner, Cyrus Cook, Frank Palmer, J. P. Maitland, J. L. Keene, Joseph Adams, John Moran, Albert Dubois, S. O. McElwain, Alice Van Auken, C. W. Damon, C. W. Sutton, A. G. Morgan, J. L. Kent, Blanche E. Smith and Homer Tanner, the latter being the present pastor. The first board of trustees consisted of C. T. Knapp, Philip Herman, James Casper, A. Alford and Charles Grimm. The present trus- tees are : M. N. Alm, Mrs. W. J. Landis and A. G. Morgan.
Union Church. This church, located in the village of Geneva, is now used by Lutheran and Danish Baptist congregations. It was erected by the Free Methodists. The Ladies' Aid Society was organized in 1869, and with the assistance of this society the church was organized, an edifice being erected in 1888, on lot 5, block 79, the land being presented by W. H. Twiford, M. D.
UNITED BRETHREN.
Glenville United Brethren Church. The congregation at Glen- ville was organized and a church erected in 1879. The pastor at that time was Rev. U. A. Cook. The charter members were Joseph Page, Mrs. Jane Landis, Mrs. L. Woolery Shields, Mr. and Mrs. H. N. Klink, Mrs. Lucie McKibbins, Mrs. George Brown and others. The present board consists of J. R. Page, Mrs. William Page and O. D. Koontz. The Rev. O. D. Koontz is the present pastor.
The London United Brethren Church was erected in the vil- lage in the fall of 1908, with Rev. H. Alborn as the first clergy- man. He was followed by J. H. Date. Then came O. D. Koontz, the present clergyman, who makes his home in Glenville. The present church board consists of S. Hyatt (president), Mrs. J. H. -
Goslee (secretary) and John Cook (treasurer). The cemetery controlled by this church is located two miles north of the village.
The Myrtle United Brethren Church was started as a congre- gation some twenty-two years ago in the Eckert schoolhouse some two and a half miles south of the village. In 1902 the church was built in the village, the trustees at that time being G. W. Geesey, W. W. Galt and S. Hoyt. The present board consists of Mrs. E. C. Robinson and Carl Johnson. Among the pastors have been C. H. Alborn, J. A. Bly, G. H. Varce and O. D. Koontz. The latter was pastor when the church was erected, and last year, after an interval in which other pastors filled the pulpit, he was again called to the position. His residence is in Glenville.
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PRESBYTERIAN.
The First Presbyterian Church of Alden belongs to the Winona Presbytery of the Synod of Minnesota. Early meetings were held in the school building. The church was organized February 15, 1891, and the church was erected and dedicated the same year. In 1894 a parsonage was erected. The first pastor, Rev. H. J. Colwell, was succeeded by J. S. Boyd, W. H. Sinclair, M. C. Martin, Evert Smits and the Rev. Dr. Donald. Morrison, the present pastor.
Donald Morrison, D. D., pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Alden, was born at Kintore, Ontario, Canada. He was educated at the district school, Kintore; at the Provincial Normal school, Toronto, Ontario, under the private tuition of James Morrison, M. A., and Rev. William Daunt, M. A .; the High school, Cobourg ; at McGill University, and at Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, N. J. He was licensed and ordained by the Presbytery of New Brunswick at Princeton, and has been at work constantly in the ministry of the Presbyterian Church since. The following are the churches served: The Presbyterian Church, of Iron Mountain, Mich., seven years ; acting pastor, Presbyterian Church, Calumet, Mich., Presbyterian Church, Tekonsha, Mich., three different periods ; Presbyterian Church, Toledo, Iowa. He came to Alden April, 1910. He has been twice a delegate to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America.
Oakland Presbyterian Church. This society was organized through the efforts of Elder Lowry, and was first called the Sumner Presbyterian Church. The first regular officers were Edward Lugg, John Guy and J. J. Oleson. The church was erected in 1880 in the northern part of section 2, at a cost of $1,500, size 24 by 40 feet; $500 was donated to this church by Miss Lenox, of New York, and with this the building was com- pleted. It is seated to accommodate 200 persons. The first minis- ter was the Rev. J. D. Todd, who held services in January, 1881. Among the early members of this church were James, Isaac, John, Robert and Samuel Guy, James and John Roulston, Th. and S. G. Lowry, William Catherwood, Even Morgan, James Harris, H. A. Rowley, George Boulton and others. The first services by this denomination in Moscow township were held during the fall of 1857, at the house of the reverend gentlemen who officiated, S. G. Lowry. The society effected an organization soon after, under the name of the Sumner and Moscow Presbyterian Church. Mr. Lowry continued to preach at his house and in school build- ings for about two years, when the Rev. Mr. Morse, a follower of the Congregational faith, took the religious; training of the
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community in charge, and continued preaching once every two weeks for about one year. In 1858, Theo. Lowry organized a Sunday school at the schoolhouse in section 31, and acted in the capacity of superintendent.
CONGREGATIONAL.
The First Congregational Church of Freeborn Village organ- ized about 1880 and purchased the church edifice which had been erected by the Baptists in 1879. The building was moved about eighty rods east of the old location and did good service until a short time ago, when a splendid new edifice was erected. An early preacher in this church was the Rev. Mr. Luce. Rev. Wilbur Fisk was ordained here, and served the congregation until about a year ago, now living in Janesville, Kan. His pas- torate extended over a period of some thirty years, and was blessed with many good results. The church was originally given assistance by the Home Mission body, but for the past ten or twelve years it has been self-supporting. Services are now held on alternate Sundays, Sunday school being held every Sunday under the direction of F. M. Snyder, who has been superintendent for many years. Miss R. F. Challis has for a long period been a most helpful factor in the church. Among the influential families of the congregation may be mentioned those of Seth Challis, Stephen Fuller, D. A. Scoville, F. M. Snyder, I. H. Seath, W. E. Seath, G. A. Seath and P. R. McClure. J. L. Jones is the present pastor of the church, supplying the pulpit from New Richland. The trustees are F. M. Snyder, G. A. Seath and H. G. Hunter. The deacons are F. M. Snyder, A. D. Scoville and John X. Luther.
Moscow Congregational Church. The first minister of the gospel following this faith who held services in Moscow was Rev. Stephen Cook, of Austin. He preached in the schoolhouse of Dis- trict 31 in 1859, and April 8, 1860, a society was organized at the same schoolhouse with eleven members. The second preacher was a brother of the first, Rev. Nelson Cook. Rev. A. Morse, of Austin, was one of the pastors. A Union Sunday School was organized at the house of William Pace in March, 1857. Money was very liberally subscribed and a good supply of books pro- cured. The organization started its good work under the most favorable auspices, with S. N. Frisbie as superintendent, and continued its efficiency for many years.
ROMAN CATHOLIC.
Hartland Catholic Church. At present the small church build- ing, the first erected in the village of Hartland, is owned by the Catholic Church. No regular services are held in it, as a fine
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church building at Bath accommodates the meetings of the parish in this vicinity. Occasional services are held here by the Rev. Father Gossman, of New Richland.
St. Mary's Catholic Church. In May, 1859, Father Pendergast officiated at the first mass held in Geneva township, at the home of Thomas Cashman. Services were frequently held in this resi- dence until 1866, when a church was erected in section 13. Among the early priests associated with this church were Fathers Fleming and McDermott. The new Geneva-Newry Catholic church was dedicated November 13, 1894.
Bath Catholic Church. The Catholic society first organized in Bath at the residence of Michael Sheehan, as early as 1865, and soon afterward a small frame building was erected for worship, in section 8, which was used for the purpose until a new and very fine edifice was erected. The society is in good financial condition, and has a good membership.
ADVENTISTS.
Riceland Seventh Day Adventist Church. The first preaching to the adherents of this faith took place in 1865, at the house of Nels Hanson, with the Rev. John Mateson as minister ; and after this, services and Sabbath school have been held regularly in private residences and schoolhouses. In 1878 the church was erected, size 20 by 30, at a cost of $500. At the time of organiza- tion the society had about thirty-five members. There is a burial ground in connection with the church, which was laid out in 1872. The first burial here was the remains of Andrew Peterson. Hans Jensen and C. U. Christenson, the leading members of pioneer times, are dead. P. Peterson, another pioneer member, lives in Oregon.
EARLY SERVICES.
Early Services. The first religious services held in the county were in Moscow township, and were conducted by Elder Sylvester N. Phelps, of Austin. He preached to a congregation in the home of Rufus K. Crum, in section 28, August 3, 1856, and these gather- ings were continued until March of the following year. Later in the year he preached in Samuel Degood's house, in section 13, and a class of fifteen members was organized, with Isaac Vander- wurker as leader. A Sunday school was established at the same time, which continued until 1880.
During the winter of 1856-57 services were held in private houses in Moscow township and they were conducted by Daniel Ingraham, an itinerant exhorter. The following year Elder Mapes held services in various places, and these resulted in an
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organization. A church was erected in 1865 and Elder Tice pre- sided over the congregation. This was a Methodist society which continued for several years and then the organization disbanded.
The Methodists have held services in Shell Rock township almost since the first settlement. About the first gathering was held at the residence of William Beighley in the winter of 1857-58 by Rev. Mr. Mapes, an itinerant Methodist preacher, with a con- gregation consisting almost entirely of Beighleys. A class was organized about the same time with William Beighley as leader. Services were continued at various places until the schoolhouse of District 50 was erected in the northeastern corner of section 32, where services were held for several years.
CHAPTER XXXII.
DAIRY INTERESTS.
What the Dairy Industry Has Meant to Freeborn County-Million Dollars a Year Received by the Farmers for Milk and Cream- Farmers of Clarkes Grove the Pioneers in the Movement- Story of the Creameries Throughout the County-Edited by Thomas Elwood Noble.
The first settlers in Freeborn county, who came after the great influx of population in 1857, engaged in wheat raising almost exclusively, and the virgin soil yielded twenty to. thirty bushels to the acre, year after year, of No. 1 hard. For several years this staple was hauled forty, fifty and 100 miles across the country to the Mississippi river, or to the nearest stations. . With the coming of the railroad in 1869, Freeborn county was placed in closer communication with the great wheat markets, and there was a corresponding increase in wheat production. Soldiers had then been four years home from the war, much new land was being broken and the county was becoming famous as a wheat center. Albert Lea was one of the important wheat shipping points of the Northwest. But the wheat decline, starting in 1878 and coincident with the big drop in wheat prices, caused the farmers to turn their attention to diversified farming and dairy- ing. Progress in the direction of dairying, however, was slow. It is true that the early settlers brought with them a few cows for dairy and beef purposes, but it was not until after the wheat failure that stock raising was considered as a leading feature of farm endeavor. Following the failure, Shorthorns and native cattle were bred, and a portion of the former large wheat fields were turned into pastures. However, large herds were the excep- tion rather than a rule, and dairying was conducted on only a small scale. At that time agricultural experiment in this country was in its infancy, and the modern method of acclimation was unknown. Corn brought from more southern states and planted here was an uncertain crop, owing to the late springs and early falls. It was believed that only tame grasses, like clover and timothy, could be raised here. Without corn and good grass, Freeborn county beef could not compete with the better class of stock sold in the market, or could extensive dairying flourish under these circumstances. The average farmer owned four or five, cows. A few herds were gathered here and shipped annually
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from this county to the western plains and ranges. Horses were raised to some small extent and sold for a time at profit in the northwestern markets, chiefly in the larger cities. Cattle raising, however, under such disadvantages brought little, if any, profit, and then, too, the market value of the horse soon fell. It was while the Freeborn county farmers were realizing less and less each year and while they were in doubt as to what branch of agriculture to adopt next, that their attention was attracted to the new process of making butter from cream separated from the milk by machinery.
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