USA > Minnesota > Mower County > The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated > Part 28
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lish language into the services of this church, which resulted in holding six English conducted services and two of Scandinavian for the month. Rev. Roseland went from Austin to Chicago and a call having been issued to Rev. J. A. E. Naess, the present pas- tor, he came in December, 1907. Mr. Naess is a young man of about thirty-nine years of age, alert and ready to fulfill the needs of his parish. Born on a farm in Iowa county, Wisconsin, he learned early the labors of life. He received his grammar school education in the town of Boscobel, Wis., from which place he graduated and entered the St. Olaf college at Northfield, Minn. Upon the completion of prescribed courses at that institution in 1895, he affiliated himself with the United Church seminary of Minneapolis. On June 12, 1898, he was ordained a minister and shortly afterward went back to Boscobel and served the parish there for four years. Resigning that position, he next went to Albert Lea, Minn., from whence he removed to Austin. In the course of construction now is an addition to the church which when completed will nearly double the seating capacity of the church, and aside from that is to be the installation of a pipe organ which will cost $2,000. Throughout the history of this denomination the growth has been of a steady nature and prog- ress marks the path of years gone by. At this time the member- ship shows the enrollment of 750 souls. The church has no par- sonage, the present minister having purchased his own home. The societies of the church are as follows: Ladies Aid, president, Mrs. C. I. Johnson ; vice-president, Mrs. W. R. Earle; secretary, Mrs. Carl Johnson ; treasurer, Mrs. W. E. Brown. Young People's League, president, Harry Rassmussen; vice-president, Erwin John- son ; secretary, Allen Peterson ; treasurer, Minnie Johnson. Men's Society Social and Literary, president, George E. Anderson; vice- president, Peter Hanson; secretary, Carl Johnson. The Sunday school has an attendance of 190 and the superintendent is W. M. Peterson.
Seven Day Adventist. The organization of this sect was began in Austin, September 22, 1889, with Elder A. Kinsman as presiding officer and eleven members. Mrs. Hattie E. Varco was elected clerk and their first meetings were held at the home of A. N. Kinsman. During the year 1890, on September 14, a sub- scription was taken with which to erect a place of worship. The church became an organization in October of that year and A. N. Kinsman, M. E. Varco and H. Hanson were elected trustees. It then became a part of the Northern Union Conference. During the summer of 1891 a church was built and on December 20 of that year it was dedicated by Elder A. J. Breed, president of the conference. Unlike other churches, this one instead of sup- porting a resident pastor bends every effort and contributes to
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the maintenance of such in the foreign fields. Among the elders pre- siding since the organization in Austin are as follows: A. N. Kins- man, 1889 until 1896; Elder II. Hanson, January 10, 1896, until January 18, 1899; Elder Rien, March, 1899, until March, 1900; Elder A. N. Kinsman, 1900 until 1901; J. Jacobson was elected January, 1901, and continued as leader until Jannary 13, 1907. Succeeding him was Mr. A. N. Kinsman, who still continues to serve. The present officers are: Mrs. A. Hobson, clerk; Charles Rosenthal, deacon and treasurer; Mrs. Hattie Varco, secretary of mission work. The church has fifty souls.
Christ Church, Protestant Episcopal. The first services of this church can be said to have had their beginning in the year 1862, at which time Bishop Whipple made Austin a stopping place in which to hold services. For three years or until 1865 occasional services were held by this good bishop, during which time the children of E. W. Ford and James L. Clark were baptized by him. Other occasional preachers during that period were Rev. Messrs. Woodard, Burleson and Johnson. However, in October, 1865, the Rev. E. Steele Peake, a pioneer missionary, was stationed at Aus- tin and gathered around him a flock of worshippers to whom he preached the gospel in a portion of the Baptist church. During the year 1886 Christ's church parish was organized as a branch of the diocese of Minnesota, Rev. Peake as rector electing the vestry, J. M. Vandergrift and James Clark as warders, with I. M. Lewis, Andrew Grinnel, Samuel Dodge. D. L. Merrell, D. P. Bos- worth and S. F. Austin as members. Rev. Peake remained until June 24, 1866, at which time he went to California. Succeeding him, however, on January 30, 1867, was Rev. L. W. Gibson, who was appointed to the Austin parish by Bishop Whipple. Some time in March of that same year land was purchased for church property and during the following May a church 22x26 was erected at a cost of $800. In November, 1867, the southern con- vocation met at Austin and the cornerstone was laid by Bishop Whipple. The first services were held in the new church on Thanksgiving day, 1868. In 1869 Rev. Gibson resigned and his successor the following year was Rev. Thomas E. Diekey, who retained the position until February, 1872. During the month of April, that year, Rev. Jerome I. Townsend became the resident pastor and during his rectorship the church was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. IIenry Benjamin Whipple, D. D. Resigning his posi- tion on November 30, 1875, Rev. Townsend was succeeded by Rob- ert Reed Goudy, who continued the pastorate for one year, resign- ing June, 1877. The next rector was Rev. John Anketell, coming to Austin April, 1878, and resigning his post February, 1880. The church was then without a rector, holding occasional services un- til the coming of Rev. C. II. Beaubien, Jr., in February, 1882. who
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remained with the parish until 1883. After that time and up until the year 1886 the church was again without a pastor, and held occasional services until the coming of the Rev. Peabody in September of that year. Other rectors who followed in succes- sion were: Rev. Edwin Johnson, July, 1888, until October, 1889; Rev. Wellington Me Vetter, January, 1890, until January, 1892; Rev. Charles Pullen, June, 1892, until August, 1896; Rev. J. S. W. Somerville, November, 1896, until November, 1904; Rev. J. S. Budlong. April. 1905, until September, 1909. During the rector- ship of the last named the church building was remodeled and rectory enlarged. In .November, 1909, Rev. C. W. Holmes was appointed to the Austin parish. He was born at Seneca, Kans., 1867, of English parentage. Later, at the age of twelve, he re- moved to Racine, Wis., where he attended the College Grammar school. At the age of twenty he graduated from that institu- tion and went out into commercial work. In the year 1906 he entered the Seabury Theological school at Faribault and was or- dained deacon in 1907 and priest, December, 1908. Mr. Holmes is a man much liked by his congregation, one who is firm in his purpose of advancing the cause to which he is now engaged, and a man greatly interested in the welfare of the community. Un- der his rectorship the church has greatly increased in membership, having now 200 communicants. The present officers are: Sen- jor warden, C. F. Lewis; junior warden, F. L. Williams; E. S. Selby, secretary; J. W. Hare, treasurer. The societies of the church are: Woman's Guild, Mrs. J. W. Hare, president; Mrs. Cassius Terry, vice-president; Mrs. T. L. Williams, secretary ; Mrs. W. L. Van Camp, treasurer. Woman's Auxiliary, Mrs. Ar- nold Johnson, president ; Mrs. C. W. Holmes, vice-president ; Mrs. F. L. Williams, secretary and treasurer. St. Agnes Guild, presi- dent, Edna Clegget ; vice-president, Lulu Meyers; secretary and treasurer, Dorine Abrahams. Junior Auxiliary, Mrs. C. W. Holmes, directorist ; president, Edna Eastman ; secretary, Dorris Gregson; treasurer, Dorothy Eastman. Rev. Holmes is superin- tendent of the Sunday school and has for officers: Secretary, Inez Eastman ; treasurer, Luln Meyers.
Evangelical Lutheran St. John's Church, U. A. C. In Septem- ber, 1907. Rev. C. A. Affeldt, after loeating four German Lutheran families northwest of Austin and, being urged to look after spir- itnal welfare of German Lutheran students attending the South- ern Minnesota Normal college and such of his Waltham charge as lived in Austin permanently and temporarily, began to conduct services in the Adventist's church building, corner College and Kenwood avenue. These services being appreciated by many, new families arriving and an organization being thought expedient, a meeting was held at the home of Julius Maas, 711 Park avenue,
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and a previously drawn-up constitution was adopted. This was September 18, 1908, at 10 p. m. Present were Julins Maas, Jacob Hartje, Adolf Ott, Gustav Klingfuss, II. Klingfuss, Franz Jung- blut, Adolf Gruenwald, August Kranz, L. Kalinsky, Willie Mar- tin, J. W. Gruenwaldt. At present services are conducted every two weeks at the Adventist's church. The present membership is twelve voting members, fifty-one souls and thirty-one eommu- nieants. Preliminary measures have been taken towards estab- lishing its own pastorate with the aid of the missionary board of the Minnesota and Dakota district of the Missouri Synod. The officers are : C. A. Affeldt, Waltham, Minn., pastor; Franz Jung- blut, Rose Creek, Minn., and Ide Londen, Austin, Minn., elders.
The First Baptist Church. The First Baptist church of Aus- tin has a worthy history. It was organized in "Old Headquar- ters," January 31, 1858. Rev. Edward F. Gurney, a graduate of Granville college and of Rochester Theological seminary, was the first pastor. There were nine eonstituent members. The church was formally recognized by a couneil June 20, 1858. He labored without fixed salary for the first two years and then received $400 a year. He preached in surrounding centers also. In the summer of 1861 a subseription of several hundred dollars was gathered for a meeting house of their own and the present site of the church property was purchased. Elder Gurney resigned in November, 1861, on account of failing health. Rev. Hervey I. Parker, the second pastor, was with the church from February, 1862, until November, 1872, when he went to California. The church building project was revived by him and in January, 1863, a building eom- mittee took hold of the work. The building, 28x40, was occupied for the first time in January, 1874, and was formally dedicated June 14, 1864. The Congregationalists occupied this house for a while on alternate Sundays. The church prospered under Elder Parker and there were 155 additions. Rev. C. T. Emerson was a faithful pastor for one year from October, 1873. Rev. C. D. Belden commenced an eight years' pastorate in November, 1874, resigning in 1882 to take charge of the county public school work. There were 119 additions under him and the church was very active in work in the surrounding country. Rev. W. E. Stanley became pastor in October, 1882, remaining until January, 1891. At the twenty-fifth anniversary of the church held in 1883 it was re- ported that the church had received a total membership of 340, of whom 135 at that time remained. Rev. C. T. Hallowell became pastor in May, 1891, remaining two years. During his pastorate the matter of a new church edifiee was agitated and the work was planned. The foundation of the present beautiful house of wor- ship, 67x75 and costing over $17,000, was laid in the fall of 1893. Rev. F. C. Whitney commenced his pastorate September 1, 1893.
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remaining until October, 1900, when he went to Rochester. The new church was dedicated February 26, 1895, and four months later the fine chapel built by the Oakland branch of the church was dedieated. There was a total of 282 additions during Rev. Whitney's pastorate. Rev. Frank L. Anderson became pastor in December, 1900, and gave the ehureh four years of splendid serv- iee, resigning in February, 1905. Rev. R. E. Sayles was pastor from May, 1905, to October, 1907. A large accession of members came under him from the W. A. Sunday tabernacle meetings. Rev. H. B. Hazen beeame pastor in November, 1907, resigning March 1, 1909. The semi-centennial of the church was held January 31, 1908. A total membership for the fifty years was reported as 1,033, with a present membership of 420. Average pastorate over five and a half years. Rev. J. H. Carstens was pastor from May 1, 1909, until November 15, 1910. The present pastor, Rev. W. L. Riley, of Detroit, Mieh., took up his work as pastor April 1, 1911. The First Baptist Church of Austin has a worthy record and has been one of the strong factors for righteousness in this whole community.
St. Augustine's Church. In the year 1858 Rev. Father Pender- gast, of Winona, eame to Austin to conduct services in this viein- ity. They were held at the residence of Aloysius Brown, in what is now the German hotel. After two years of occasional services by Father Pendergast, he was followed by Father George Keller, of Faribault. This reverend gentleman held serviees once every two months up until the fall of 1866. As a result of his laborious work in this vicinity, to Father Keller is due the honor of estab- lishing and putting on a firm basis the first congregation of St. Augustine's parish. Soon after the leave of this gentleman he was sueeeeded in 1866 by Father MeDermot, the first resident priest, who remained and worked with his parish until 1869. Dur- ing this time money for the ereetion of a church was solicited and three gentlemen of Austin, Messrs. Lewis, Yates and Fake (non-Catholies), generously donated a lot, comprising a whole eity block. Then eame Father C. Genis, a Freneh elergyman, who la- bored incessantly and with profit for the spiritual necessities of his little parish. He remained until the year 1874 and was suc- eeeded by Rev. Father Pavlin, who remained but one year. Father Arthur Hurley was next appointed priest of the Austin parish. He carried on his good work until the year 1882 and then went to Rosemound, near St. Paul. Father Genis returned during that year and immediately set to work building the present parsonage, but was unable to finish it. Following closely after the leave of the last named priest was the late Daniel O'Sullivan, to whom we are indebted for the present structure. He was a much beloved priest and to him may be attributed many of the good works
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accomplished in this vicinity. His death occurred in June, 1896, and was a great loss to the parish. In the year 1895, or the last year of Father O'Sullivan's pastorate, Rev. Father E. H. Devlin, the present pastor, came as a resident priest of Austin. He is of Irish descent and was born on a farm in Kenosha county, Wiscon- sin, where he worked until the age of thirty years. He then went to St. Thomas College, where he completed the prescribed courses of that college. Upon graduating from St. Thomas he went to Rome and remained there more than three years. Upon his re- turn he held pastorate in New Richland five months and was then transferred to Austin. Father Devlin may be characterized as a man of great executive ability, educated in many branches, and a man firm in his purpose of elevating the cause of humanity. Dur- ing his pastorate the St. Augustine church, started by Father O'Sullivan, was dedicated on Thanksgiving day, November 26, 1896. This is a handsome red pressed brick building with trim- mings of red sandstone to match the substantial looking founda- tion. It has a frontage of seventy-seven feet and a depth of 169 feet. Two towers stand out slightly from the main body of the church, the larger being 170 feet in height and the smaller, while not near as tall, is of no less pleasing architecture. Both are sur- mounted by a gilded cross ; thus they become the striking features of the facade of magnificent beauty. The arched doorways and the six granite columns which support them give the approach of the church a somewhat classic finish. On the cornerstone, which is a highly polished block of granite, is inscribed, "Deo et Saneto Augustino dictum. J. B. Cotter, Antistite. D. O'Sullivan, Rec- tore. A. D. MDCCCXCIII" ("To God and St. Augustine. J. B. Cotter, Bishop. D. O'Sullivan, Rector"). But impressive as is the outside of the church, it is the interior that gives the pleasure to one who has any love for what is beautiful. The combined effects of statuary and rich colors to be found therein is "as if Nature had fashioned this edifice and placed it here as a fitting place in which to worship her God." From the 250 families of which the congregation was composed upon the arrival of Father Devlin this number has been increased to 350 families, thus show- ing a steady growth of this parish.
Not alone to the work of the parish has this pastor's attention been turned, but through his efforts a magnificent school has been erected at a cost of $35,000. There the rich and poor alike may share the advantages of an education. This school is known as the Columbus school. It was started in the spring of 1908 and dedi- cated in the year 1909. The sisters, or teachers, are furnished by the Franciscan order, and none better are to be found anywhere. Children of all ages may be found here, as the school is graded from the primary to the second year high school. There are at
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present eight teachers and about 275 scholars enrolled, the school being a non-tuition one and supported by the parish. Father Devlin has also attained distinction in his profession, having been first appointed vicar general by Bishop Heffron and later ap- pointed by the Pope as Domestic Prelate of the People of the Household.
Perhaps one of the oldest yet still existing societies of the church is the Catholic Order of Foresters, founded in the early seventies, and which still continues to flourish under the leader- ship of J. M. Lindsay, who is present chief ranger. Next in line are the Knights of Columbus, T. M. Callihan, grand knight; also the Catholic Total Abstinence Union, originally the "Father Mathew Total Abstinence Society," with present offieers: Presi- dent, Lou O'Malley ; vice-president, Fred Dugan ; secretary, Frank Christie.
Then there are the women's societies, which take an important part in the welfare of the church. There is the Con-Fraternity of the Rosary ; Mrs. J. D. Sheedy, president.
Then there is the Woman's Order of Foresters ; Mrs. J. E. Mal- loy the presiding officer. Last but not least is the order of the unmarried women, the Sodality of the Sacred Heart; Elizabeth Kelly, president; Addie Kennan, secretary; Ella Sheedy, treas- urer. Among those prominently identified with the early history of the Roman Catholic church at Austin may be mentioned the following gentlemen : A. Brown, Thomas Gibson, William Ruther- ford, William Furlong, Jr., Cornelius Kenavan and W. I. Brown.
McCabe Methodist Episcopal Church. The Methodist move- ment in the vicinity of Anstin had its beginning in 1854, when Samuel Clayton and wife came to Mower county and settled in what is now Lansing township, on the big bend of the Red Cedar river, just above the present city of Austin. To their cabin early in 1855 came a Rev. W. E. Holbrook from more than 100 miles down the Red Cedar valley and preached the first Methodist ser- mon in Mower county. The first class was organized at this cabin, with R. Dobbin as leader, and Elsie Dobbin, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Clayton and Mr. and Mrs. N. G. Perry as members. The first quarterly meeting was held at this same cabin in June, 1855, and the Rev. Mr. Coleman, presiding elder, was present. The Rev. Mr. Holbrook deserves more than passing mention. . He was a man of rough exterior and appearance but with a heart of gold. He had a crooked nose and distorted mouth, and on making his first appearance in a locality was wont, half facetiously, half seriously, to remark that if such a crooked stick as he could be of any serv- ice he would be a very willing servant.
Shortly afterward the Rev. Sylvester Phelps organized what was known as the Cedar Mission within the present limits of
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Austin city. The first quarterly conference was held at the home of Silas Dutcher in the village of Austin, October 18, 1856. In the fall of 1857 came Moses Mapes, who had just been licensed to preach. These early services were held in the old Headquarters building, and also in the Lake building on Mill street, on the land now occupied by the H. C. Waldecker buildings. In December, 1857, under his pastorate the first movement was made toward securing church property in Austin, and a committee was ap- pointed at that time to confer with the town authorities with reference to purchasing lots for a church and parsonage, but it was not until May, 1861, that the lots were fully secured.
In the spring of 1858 eame a most interesting character in Rev. J. C. Dyer, who was known as "Father" Dyer. IIe had been a miner in Wisconsin, and was a man of splendid physique and very strong. He became a circuit rider through this and Freeborn counties. He wore a dilapidated plug hat and rode a raw bone horse. He did not possess much of this world's goods, and L. N. Griffith. who was second postmaster of Austin, recalls giving Father Dyer stamps for his letters, as the reverend gentle- man never had anything to buy with. He conducted revival serv- ices at Cedar City and won all the inhabitants to the church except three or four. He also held a camp meeting, the first ever held in the county, on the land now used for Oakwood cemetery. A life story of this rough but noble soldier of the eross would be one of intense interest. In the state capitol at Cheyenne, Wyo., is the statue of this early eircuit rider of Mower county, the statue being in memory of the work that this rough old crusader did among the mountaineers and miners of Wyoming. Father Dyer was on the cireuit but a year.
In 1859 Moses Mapes again returned, and in the fall of 1860 came Rev. F. A. Conwell, with whom was associated Rev. George E. Strobridge. The latter remained but part of the year. In the fall of 1861 Rev. D. Tice became preacher in charge, with J. Lambertson as assistant. In 1862 the circuit, which had embraced fourteen appointments, was divided, and Austin became a part of the Austin circuit. In the fall of 1863 S. T. Sterret became pastor. Ile was followed in 1864 by William C. Shaw. In 1865 Austin was attached to the Lansing cirenit, with W. II. Soule and S. N. Phelps as pastors. At this time the Cedar City eirenit was organ- ized. In the fall of 1866 Austin was made a station, with Wayne Carver as pastor.
The first Methodist meetings in Austin were held at the home of Mrs. Chauncey Leverich. Other early Methodist services were held in the old Headquarters building and in a building on the corner of Mill and Chatham streets, both these buildings being shared as meeting places with the Congregationalists and the Bap-
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tists. In 1861, under the Rev. Tice, the first church was built. There were only twelve members of that early church, and most of these were women. They purchased the land where the Luth- eran church now stands, and there erected their building. The preacher himself dug the rock from the river bed with a crow bar. A bell was put in the steeple, and its peal was the first that broke upon the air of Mower county in call to worship. The church cost $1,400 in money, and much more in sacrifice. Soon after the completion of this building a revival was held, and many names added to the church rolls. A cabinet organ was purchased later, this being the first ever brought into Mower county. The church was in debt $300, but the people went ahead and built a parsonage, and it was not until 1876, ten years later, that the $300 debt could be paid.
In 1868 eame that unfortunate affair that nearly wrecked the church and retarded its progress many years. The pastor, A. J. Nelson, and some of the members conceived the plan of buying three lots on the southeast corner of Main and Water streets. and erecting a two-story building. The upper floor was to be used for an auditorium or church, and the lower floor was to be rented for stores, thus providing an income for the church. To carry out the plan the church already erected was mortgaged, and paid in on the lots which were to cost $3,000. No money could be raised for the building, and the previous indebtedness, with the failure of the scheme, cost the Methodists their church and parsonage. The St. Olaf Scandinavian church, which was organized in 1867, pur- chased the mortgaged church for $1,500, and the building was oe- cupied by the Lutherans until they were ready to build, at which time it was moved to the west part of the city. Rev. Nelson resigned in the fall of 1868 and was followed in the fall of 1869 by J. M. Rogers, who only remained one year, and was succeeded by Rev. J. R. Creighton. The last named gentleman resigned in October, 1870.
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