USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II > Part 18
USA > Minnesota > Steele County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II > Part 18
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The First Universalist Society of Owatonna. The original organization of the First Universalist Society of Owatonna was effected on April 20, 1867, by a few persons who believed in that faith and who were ably counciled and assisted by the Rev. J. H. Tuttle, who was then in charge of the Church of the Re- deemer, of Minneapolis, and who remained the guiding spirit of that church for many years thereafter, and who was a great spiritual help to the then struggling society here in Owatonna. The first trustees and officers were chosen at a meeting held on May 19, 1867, and resulted in the election of S. B. Washburn, H. J. Lewis and L. L. Bennett as trustees; A. C. Gutterson treasurer, and Charles C. Cornell clerk, and during the carly part of that year held their meetings in the old one-story wood schoolhouse in the first ward, very near the present location of the present first ward school building; soon after, however, re- moving to the old schoolhouse located in the second ward, where they remained for several years, but finally locating in the room known as Dressers' hall, now used in connection with the gen- eral merchandise business of Nelson Hartvig Company.
At this time the constitution and by-laws of the society were adopted and such religious services as the society was able to
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give were continued until in the following year Rev. S. Wake- field was chosen and installed as the first regular pastor. Mr. Wakefield remained with the society until 1870. The society was then for several years without any regular pastor. In January of 1875 a re-organization of the society was made. The old constitution and by-laws, with some few minor changes, were again adopted, and in the following year Edwin W. Pierce was called as pastor. Later the Rev. H. B. Butler was a very acceptable pastor of the society for quite a number of years. In 1888 the Rev. J. L. Andrew was the pastor. Later, and until 1891 the Rev. W. S. Pechin had charge of the society. Follow- ing the Rev. Pechin, Rev. J. F. Hammond was the society's pastor, and in that year was erected the church parlors in the form of a large addition to the church building, which had been built several years previous, making a very useful and conveni- ent room for church gatherings, Sunday school, and various other purposes. About this time Rev. George Crum was in charge of the society and remained its efficient pastor until 1901. Following the Rev. George Crum. Rev. John W. Carter was duly installed as pastor of the society, and for five years he proved to be a most efficient leader. During the time of his pastorate the old church, with most of its furnishings, was de- stroyed by fire, but under his inspiration and the very liberal donations of the members of the society, a new church building was erected on the same lots upon which the old church stood, and is now one of the fine church buildings of which Owatonna has reason to be proud. The church grounds comprise a plat 132 feet square, located on the corner of Elm and Main streets, and is estimated to be worth, with building, fully $20,000. Fol- lowing the Rev. John W. Carter, Rev. Harry L. Canfield was duly installed as pastor, and so remained until the latter part of 1908, when the Rev. George F. Hughes took charge of the society and is still its acceptable pastor.
The history and the life of the First Universalist Society, like all the other Christian churches established in those early days, was one of continual struggle for life and establishment, and it required the pioneer spirit of those days to persevere to accomplishment the founding of the different religious organiza- tions. Many of the charter members of the Universalist Society have passed on to the realization of the home beyond. In fact, so far as it is known to the writer, there are but two living, viz, Dr. and Mrs. L. L. Bennett. But there is now existing a good membership of younger people, upon whose shoulders the burden rests, and under whose care we have every prospect and faith of the permanency of the society and church, and especially so for the reason that all strife and bickerings between the different
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Christian organizations of this beautiful city have passed away, and all fraternize to the fullest extent consistent with their especial church rules. In fact, the Universalist Church is under many obligations to all the other religious societies of Owatonna, and as a whole membership, wish a God speed for the success of all the other Christian societies .- By L. L. Bennett, M. D.
St. Joseph's Catholic Church was organized in 1891 by the Rev. P. F. Kiernan, who still remains as pastor. The church and parsonage are on Elm and Fremont streets, and the con- gregation is in a prosperous condition. Father Kiernan has been in Owatonna longer than any other pastor now living here, and has taken an active part in the civic and literary as well as spiritual and moral advancement of the city.
St. Hyacinth Polish Catholic Church was organized in 1903, and at once erected a suitable house of worship. The present pastor is the Rev. J. Smicch, and the church is in a prosperous condition.
First Presbyterian Church. The first services of this de- nomination were held at Owatonna in the winter of 1855-56, by Rev. Harvey Chapin, who located here in February, 1856, dividing his labors, however, between this and several other villages, and organizing churches at Dodge City, East Prairie- ville and Ashland. On September 13, 1857, lie organized the Presbyterian Church, with the following as the first members: Mrs. Judge Donaldson, Mrs. Jane Chapin, Mrs. Jane McCaslin, Mrs. Elizabeth Ashton and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Adair. They were joined by William Davidson and wife and a few others within a year afterward. For several years Mr. Chapin preached in the old log schoolhouse, until 1863, when, principally through his own influences and indefatigable labors, a church was com- menced, he and William Davidson hauling the logs for timbers, and in 1864 it was completed. In this small but neat church Mr. Chapin continued to preach until the spring of 1865, when he removed to Tipton, Mo. In that place his ministerial labors were brought to a sudden and mournful close. His house caught fire, and, in an effort, as was supposed, to save important papers, he perished in the flames. Mr. Chapin was succeeded in Owa- tonna by Rev. H. W. Nelson. In the fall of 1865, Rev. I. Faries, who had come to Minnesota in search of health, became a tem- porary supply, but in May, 1867, his failing health deprived the church of ministrations which had been eminently useful. On July 22, 1867, Rev. R. J. Cunningham accepted an invitation from the church and continued his labors here for one year, when he accepted a call to Rushford. Since that time the fol- lowing have served as pastors of this church in the order named : Reverends W. S. Wilson, J. J. Ward, James McCauley, O.
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Thatcher, William Pelan, James McGowan, Robert A. Ander- son, H. Cullen, W. K. Weaver, George P. McGill and J. S. McCormack.
Services were first held in the old log schoolhouse. and then for one season in Morford's hall. After this a frame school- house, which stood where the first ward school building is now located, was used until 1864, when the church edifice was com- pleted. It was a frame building, just west of the Arnold house. This building served as a house of worship until 1877, when the present church was built at a cost of $3,000. The old build- ing was sold to J. G. A. Dennerline, and was used for some time by the German Reform denomination. The church was organ- ized legally, with corporate powers, in 1859, the certificate of organization being filed May 28, 1859. The trustees elected at that time were D. S. Harsha, W. F. Drum, Robert Adair, W. F. Pettit and William Davidson.
During the first few years after this church was organized a Union Sunday school was maintained by all the denomina- tions, alternating in furnishing the superintendent and officers. At an early day, however, the Presbyterian Sunday school was organized, which is still in thriving condition.
The present officers of the session are: Edward Donaldson (chairman), Sewell Hodgman (clerk), Alexander Ferrier, C. J. Hansel and Robert Thom. The trustees are: Dr. J. H. Adair (president), A. G. Scholl (secretary), George R. Kenyon (treas- urer), Walter Amos and Frank Leggo. Edward Donaldson is superintendent of the Sunday school; Miss Esther Adair, as- sistant superintendent; Louis Hammel, Jr., secretary ; Lyman Olson, treasurer; and Mrs. J. H. Adair, superintendent of the primary department. The church has the usual societies and organizations.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Owatonna was organ- ized in October, 1856, with five charter members, viz : William B. Norman, Sarah Jane Norman, Amelia Oliver, James Soper and Emily Soper. So far as I have been able to learn, none of these are now living. James and Emily Soper are not the James and Emily Soper that were living here at the time of the build- ing of the present church, and who bought for their use during their lifetime one of the pews in the church at the time it was built. This later family came into the church in 1865. The Methodist was the first church organized in this city, and was followed by the Baptist, in June, 1857; the Presbyterian, in September, 1857; the Congregational, in October, 1857, and the Episcopal, in 1860. The church held its first meeting in the old log schoolhouse, situated on the grounds of the present first ward schoolhouse, where they alternated with the other denomi-
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nations in holding services. From there they moved to the Baptist Church. later to Morford's hall, and from there to the Dreser hall, where they remained till the fall of 1857, when they moved into their own first church, subsequently known as "the little brown church," which was built on the ground now occupied by the parlor of the present church. As one of the then members writes me. "After eleven years of homeless wan- dering, as we moved into 'the little brown church' we felt in- deed that we had reached the promised land." That church cost $2,000, and was built and completed, ready for occupancy, in sixty days, and continued to be the home of the church for just the time they had been wandering in the wilderness-eleven years-when the present church edifice was built, in 1878, at a cost of about $8,000. The building committee of the present edifice was George E. Peck, John Q. Ellis, A. C. Hickman, S. W. Farmer, D. O. Searle and S. N. Lund. The builder was W. H. Burdick, who commenced work on August 24, 1878, and com- pleted it November 30 of the same year, and it was dedicated on the following day by Chaplain (afterwards Bishop) McCabe. The builder and the building committee, with the exception of A. C. Hickman, who is now one of the professors in the law department of the State University, have been called to the hereafter. The first sermon preached in the new church by the pastor, Rev. M. S. Kauffman, was from the text, "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former, saith the Lord of Hosts, and in this place will 1 give peace." In 1883 the church was seriously damaged by a cyclone, the building being moved on its foundation about six inches and the plastering inside largely torn off, so that it had to be entirely re-plastered and put back on its foundation. In 1902, the church was re- modeled by diminishing the size of the audience room and add- ing two Sunday school class rooms, and enlarging and improving the gallery.
The first parsonage was built the same year that "the little brown church" was built, and was occupied by Rev. E. R. La- throp, who was the past spring elected mayor of the city of Hastings. There seems to be some uncertainty as to where the first parsonage was built, whether on what is now known as the John Donaldson property, adjoining the residence of the writer, or immediately across School street, but at any rate the John Donaldson property became the parsonage at a later date, and in 1877 was traded for the present parsonage lot, adjoining the church, where the present parsonage was built in 1892. In 1908 a large, beautiful pipe organ was added to the attrac- tions of the church. The church is now one of the largest and
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most commodious and best adapted for church services of any in the city.
So much for the temporalities of the church. What of the men and women who have reared and maintained these temples of worship? In the nearly fifty-four years of the church's his- tory, it has had twenty-five pastors, including the present occu- pant, ten of whom have entered into the promised land. Rev. J. C. Ogle, who was stricken with death while preaching in the church, held the longest pastorate, nearly five years. The names of the pastors and the order of their appointments are as fol- lows: Solomon Wetzel, 1856; Aaron Matson, 1857 ; J. M. Rogers, 1859; Robert Hoover, 1860: F. A. Conwell, 1861 ; Ira H. Richard- son, 1862; Thomas McClary, 1864; E. R. Lathrop, 1866; S. T. Sterrett, 1867; C. Hoovis, 1869; R. Washburn, 1869; J. W. Mar- tin, 1871; A. B. Bishop, 1873; H. G. Bilbic, 1875; M. S. Kauff- man, 1877 ; John Whistler, 1880; J. H. Dewart, 1882; G. H. Hare, 1885 ; J. C. Ogle, 1886; R. N. Avison, 1891; Samuel Ellery, 1895; W. N. Jamieson, 1898; E. H. Goodell, 1902; W. R. Keesey, 1903; M. G. Schuman, 1907; D. M. Johnson, 1910. Of those living, Ira H. Richardson is now out of the ministry and living at Ortonville, Minn .; E. R. Lathrop, now mayor of the city of Hastings ; J. W. Martin, chaplain of the Bethel boat in St. Paul; A. B. Bishop. practicing medicine in California; H. G. Bilbie, residing at Owatonna, Minn .; M. S. Kauffman, who was the pastor during the building of the present church, is now at Fall River, Mass .; John Whistler's home is in Denver, Colo., just where he is preaching I am unable to state; R. N. Avison is now pastor of the Hamline Church; J. H. Ellery is located at Newport, Minn .: W. N. Jamieson, First M. E. Church of Man- kato; E. H. Goodell, Red Wing, Minn .; W. R. Keesey, North- field, Minn .; and M. G. Shuman, Redwood Falls, Minn.
But few of the laity are still living who were here when the first church was built. Among them, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Doolittle, Miss Jane Doolittle, Mrs. Eliza Warner, Mrs. Mary Baldwin, Mrs. Mary Burdick, Mrs. Mary Laird (Mrs. Laird died since writing this article), so far as I know, only remain. In 1865 the church had a membership of ninety-nine. At one time it got up to 270. It now has 193 members. The high tide of prosperity in the church, both financially and religiously, seemed to have been reached at the time of the building of the present church, when more than $14,000 was subscribed during the two years, and 143 taken into the church on probation.
The Sabbath school was organized in 1865, with A. C. Hick- man as the first superintendent, and a membership of 101. Since then the membership has varied somewhat, but upon the whole has gradually increased. The superintendents of the Sunday
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school have been, in the order named: A. C. Hickman, J. S. Woodard, W. A. Sperry, A. W. Rankin, C. B. Wilkinson, A. J. McCornack, Frank LaBare, E. J. Gleason and James Manuel, the present incumbent .- By W. A. Sperry.
The German Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1875, with the following members, including their families: Au- gust Mollenhauer, C. F. Mattwoig, August Mierke, August Soehler, Carl Sette, William Mundt, Mr. Keller, William Mogler, John Ellison, Gustave Buche and W. Wocker. At that time this circuit included Deerfield, Blooming Grove, Owatonna, Somerset, Meriden and Aurora.
In the fall of 1875, Deerfield and Blooming Grove were taken from the circuit, leaving the other appointments, which have been supplied with the following pastors: Rev. H. Schnitker was the first preacher in charge, but Rev. Jacob Keller served the newly arranged circuit; F. W. Buchholz came in 1878; E. A. Borchardt, in 1879; H. E. Young, in 1880; F. Hogrefe, in 1882; H. F. Lange, 1884; C. A. Borchart, 1886; George Hoerger, 1888; J. C. Pfeifer, 1890; E. P. Christ, 1895; C. L. Lehnert, 1898; J. G. Lehnert, 1898; F. J. Weigano, 1900; H. F. Krienke, 1901; H. J. Hoffert, 1904; J. F. Steiner, 1906; H. Clement, 1907. In 1910 the Owatonna and the Rochester charges were united, and F. C. Schultz placed in charge.
When the church was first organized in Owatonna, services were held in a schoolhouse. At that time a Sunday school was organized which is still maintained. In 1877 a neat building was erected at the corner of North Elm and Pearl streets, which has served as a place of worship ever since. This charge con- sists at present of two appointments, Owatonna and Aurora.
The Danish-Norwegian Lutheran Church, in Owatonna, was started about 1868, with meetings in private houses and in the building now occupied by the Seventh Day Adventists. The Rev. N. Olsen was at that time the pastor in charge. The church was regularly organized October 22, 1885, and the church edifice was erected and dedicated in 1897. The pastors have been the Revs. S. Strand, G. B. Christiansen, N. S. Nielsen, J. P. Naarup, N. P. Lang. M. T. Jensen and A. N. Lund, the present capable pastor. The first trustees of the church were William Mork, Laust Andersen and Simon Williamsen. The first clerk was L. C. Larsen. N. P. Jeffersen and Nils Jacobson were also prominent in the early days. The president of the church is Iver Anderson; the clerk, Laurence Christiansen ; the treasurer, Anton Jacobsen; the trustees, Christ Stephensen, Peter Ander- sen and Eric Jensen.
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. About 1870 the services of this denomination were held in private houses, and
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an organization was effected. Rev. Emmil came here occasion- ally from Meriden and preached. The first regular pastor was Rev. F. Hauser, who came here in 1876, and remained about one year. Rev. A. 11. Wetzel succeeded him, and during his pastorate in 1878 a neat church edifice was erected. F. Johl served a short time, after which Rev. G. P. A. Schaaf, from Aurora, filled the pulpit until 1880. Rev. Carl Mende was the next pastor, and remained until 1883, when Rev. Schaaf again occupied the pulpit for a short time. At this time came a split in the church, the congregation withidrawing from the Synod of Missouri and joining that of lowa and Minnesota. Those who remained faithful to the old synod formed another church. Rev. F. Klein preached his first sermon here on March 1, 1884, remaining until the fall of 1909. when he was succeeded by Rev. Conrad Winters. A beautiful new church building was erected in 1899.
First St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. In the early eighties, when the Missourian and Anti-Missourian controversy was rife, a part of the congregation of the St. John's Lutheran Church decided to withdraw from the Missouri Synod and join that of lowa and Minnesota. As this body was in the majority, the whole church withdrew and made the synodical change, while the ones who remained faithful to the Missouri Synod continued their organization, and, being without a house of worship, met in the members' houses. They were served for a while by G. P. A. Schaaf and John Schulenberg, from other congregations, until 1896, when the latter became the resident pastor. In 1897 a fine church edifice and parsonage were built. Later a school addition was erected. In 1903 the present pastor, Rev. E. H. A. Paul, took charge. He also has charge of the congregations in Deerfield and Richland townships. Albert Bartsch is the secretary of the church and A. G. Kranz the treasurer. The trustees are Albert Bartsch, Herbert Paul and Carl Lisher. The deacons are A. G. Kranz, Louis Bartsch and G. Dulitz. The trustees of the school are F. H. Joesting and Robert Bartsch.
Church of the Sacred Heart. It is claimed that the first Catholics in Steele county were Thomas and John Bergan, Michael Barney, Joseph Kiesel, James McLaughlin and James Lonergan. Rev. Father Keller was the first priest to hold serv- ices in the county with any degree of regularity. At that time he lived at Faribault, and had charge of the mission south of that point to the state line. At first services were held in pri- vate houses, then in Dresser's & Butsch's halls until a church edifice was erected. In 1867 a church committee was organized to take steps for the erection of a building. It was composed
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of M. J. Toher, president and treasurer ; James Lonergan, Joseph Kaplan and Charles Schoen, of Owatonna, and William Leary, of Merton. The building was ready for occupancy on Christ- mas day, 1868. Three or four years later a parsonage was erected upon the same lot, which cost $1,200. December 17, 1901, the old church was burned to the ground. It was at once rebuilt and was dedicated May 21, 1903. The present pastor is the Rev. John Pivo.
School of the Sisters of St. Francis of Sales. In connection with the history of the Catholic Church should be mentioned the educational institution which is located just north of their church edifice. This school was established at Owatonna in 1876, and the same year a three-story brick building, with a stone basement, was erected at a cost of $8,500, upon a lot which was donated to the order by the Church of the Sacred Heart. The general management of the school is vested in the Order of Sisters, the general headquarters of which are at Joliet, Ill .; but they have also state headquarters at Rochester. The building is divided into school rooms, furnished with first- class school apparatus. The course of study here embraces all the ordinary branches, with the addition of music, drawing, painting, needlework and languages. To these, if desired, re- ligious instruction is added. No teachers are placed here except those educated by the order and in their institutions, and they are especially fitted for and educated in the branches which they teach.
CHAPTER XXV.
STEELE COUNTY VILLAGES.
Bixby-Clinton Falls-Medford-Settlements and Hamlets- Anderson-Deerfield-Steele Center-Riverpoint-Merton- Berlin-Lemond-Meriden-Havana-Pratt-Sago - Hope Station-Former Villages-Elmwood-Dodge City-Ad- amsville-Somerset Village-Somerset Postoffice-Elmira Village-Aurora Postoffice-Oak Glen-Aurora Station -- Postoffices-Railroads.
Aside from Owatonna, Blooming Prairie, Bixby and Ellendale, Steele county has several important trading points, among which Medford and Clinton Falls, settled in the early days, and the more recently settled Bixby take an important place.
BIXBY.
After the burning of Aurora Station, J. S. Bixby, commonly known as "Jake" Bixby, succeeded in having the railroad au- thorities select his land as a more advantageous location for a station. The station was accordingly opened in a box car, on a siding built on Mr. Bixby's farm. Gradually the place assumed importance, and it is now an extensive trading point for the farmers within a radius of many miles. Several fires have vis- ited the place, but these have not dampened the ardor of the people. The village now consists of the general stores of Sam Ray and Anton J. Haberman, a railroad station, a postoffice, the blacksmith shop of Frank Styndl, the Oak Glen creamery, the Laird-Norton yards, of which George J. Johnson is manager, the B. B. Sheffield elevator, now owned by Mclaughlin & O'Hal- loran, a boarding house kept by Mr. and Mrs. Martin Nelsen, a public hall; and, a short distance away, the Danish Lutheran Church, of which the Rev. M. O. Block is the pastor.
The Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church, of Blooming Prairie township, is located a short distance from the village of Bixby. It was organized in 1883, the first trustees being Hans Jensen, Nils Thimsen and Peter Petersen. The first pastor was the Rev. S. Strand, who was also the first president of the con- gregation. Soren Petersen was the first secretary and N. P. Nelsen, the first treasurer. For some years meetings were held
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in the schoolhouse near Soren Petersen's place. The church was commenced in 1887, and finished and dedicated August 1 of the same year. The Rev. M. O. Block is the present pastor, the secretary is R. P. Nelsen; the treasurer, P. Petersen; and the trustees, Nels Larsen, S. Muller and George Johnson. Carl Rasmussen is deacon and James A. Rasmussen the Sunday school superintendent. The Sunday school is held regularly after each service. A young people's society will be organized this fall. A Ladies' Aid Society was organized in July, 1906, with the following officers: President, Mrs. Martin Nelsen; secretary, Mrs. Nels Nelsen; treasurer, Mrs. N. P. Nelsen. This society affords opportunity for social intercourse and has proven a strong factor in improving the church and keeping the building in repair, as well as in contributing generously toward the cur- rent expenses of the church. The present officers are: Presi- dent, Mrs. Nels Nelsen ; secretary, Mrs. Dick Nelsen ; treasurer, Mrs. Christiana Johnson .- By Mrs. Martin Nelsen.
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