History of the city of Omaha, Nebraska, Part 50

Author: Savage, James Woodruff, 1826-1890; Bell, John T. (John Thomas), b. 1842, joint author; Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: New York, Chicago, Munsell & Company
Number of Pages: 1020

USA > Nebraska > Douglas County > Omaha > History of the city of Omaha, Nebraska > Part 50

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The Immanuel Baptist Church had its ori- gin in the North Omaha Baptist Mission Sunday School, established in October, 1887, at No. 2409 Saunders Street, in an old store- room. The Sunday School grew rapidly in membership, but the organization of the Trinity M. E. Church, the Knox Presbyte- rian and St. John's Episcopal Church, in the immediate vicinity, reduced this member- ship considerably, and the Baptist people concluded that they had built up a mission school for other denominations as well as their own. The church was organized April 30, 1888, with forty-four members, and a building was erected at Twenty-fourth and Binney Streets the following year,

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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF OMAHA.

being dedicated December 15, 1889. The present membership is 125. Rev. Frank W. Foster, the present pastor, has served the church from the beginning. The church property is valued at $6,500.

The Olivet Baptist Church was organized in October 1889, and in the summer of 1890 a church edifice costing two thousand dol- lars was erected. Rev. Thomas Stephenson, now pastor of a Baptist Church in South Omaha, was pastor till September, 1891, and was followed by Rev. Geo. P. Peck.

December 1, 1884, the First Danish Bap- tist Church, of Omaha, was organized by Rev. II. A. Reichenbach, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, who afterwards preached for the new society, consisting of thirteen people, on Sunday afternoons, in a private house. until February 28, 1888, when he moved to Chicago to take editorial charge of a church paper. A small building was put up for church purposes, costing $523, on a lot at . No. 2511 Decatur Street, leased at an annual rental of sixty dollars. May 2, 1890. a lot at the northeast corner of Twenty-seventlı and Seward Streets, was bought for $3,500, on which it is the purpose of the society to . build a comfortable church in the near future. Rev. N. Madsen was the second pastor of the church, remaining until July 25, 1889, and was succeeded by Rev. J. A. Jensen.

The German Baptist Church, corner of Seward and Twenty-sixth Streets, was organ- ized May 30, 1886. It has now a member- ship of ninety-three. The church building was dedicated in October, 1888, and the building and lot are valued at six thousand dollars. The first pastor was Rev. A. Gen- ins, the second Rev. H. G. Carstons, and the third Rev. HI. Schroeder.

The First Presbyterian Church was organ- ized by Rev. George P. Bergen, in June, 1857, with a very small membership. In 1859 he was succeeded by Rev. George Webster, who left the following year, after which the society had no services. In 1860,

Rev. F. M. Dimmick established the Second Presbyterian Church, and in 1868 the con- gregation took possession of their new build- ing, still standing, but much enlarged and improved, at the northwest corner of Seven- teenth and Dodge Streets. Rev. George D. Stewart succeeded Mr. Dimmick in 1870, and, in 1877, was himself succeeded by Rev. W. J. Harsha, who was remarkably success- ful in his work. Mr. Harsha resigned to accept a call to the Second Collegiate Re- formed Church, New York, in the spring of 1892. The church has now a member- ship of over five hundred, and, in the mean- time, under Mr. Harsha's pastorate, has aided in establishing half a dozen other societies of the same denomination, and furnishing a large portion of the member- ship. Some four years since, in view of the fact that it was the oldest existing Presbyterian society in the city, the number was changed to the first.

The Second Presbyterian Church - first called the North Presbyterian Church-was organized on the 27th of February, 1881, in the Saunders Street Mission Chapel, near the northwest corner of Cuming and Saunders Streets, by a commission of the Presbytery of Omaha. It was organized with forty- four members, seventeen of whom united on profession. The mission chapel was used as a place of worship until October, 1882, when the church took possession of the present edifice. The first pastor was Rev. F. S. Blayney, who served the church faithfully for five years, his pastorate closing in De- cember, 1885. During his ministry, the present edifice, costing five thousand dol- lars, was erected and dedicated, clear of debt. Rev. William R. IIenderson took charge of the church in February, 1886, and remained its pastor until May, 1890, resign- ing to give his entire time to the Central West, a strong Presbyterian paper of which he was editor until the latter part of 1891. During his ministry the church grew from a membership of seventy-four to two hundred

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and forty, the present membership, with about 160 more which were received and dismissed to other churches. The present pastor, Rev. S. M. Ware, was given a call June 11, 1890, and took charge July 13th. The church building is located near the cor- ner of Twenty-fourth and Nicholas Streets.

The Southwest Presbyterian Church, cor- ner of Leavenworth and Twentieth, was or- ganized October 4, 1882. A mission Sab- bath School had been established in July, 1881, utilizing a small frame building about sixteen feet square, which occupied the site of the present church, and was owned by Ezra Millard, who had a short time pre- viously platted ten acres of land lying south of Leavenworth and west of Twentieth Street. No rent was charged for the build- ing, which was subsequently moved a block further south and considerably enlarged. Rev. William McCandlish, now deceased, was particularly efficient in the conversion of this mission school into a church organi- zation, as he was in everything tending to advance the cause of religion wherever and whenever he found opportunity in the course of a busy and useful life of seventy-four years. Among those who joined the church at the date of organization were: Mr. and Mrs. James France, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph L. Welshans, Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Hardenbergh, Mr. and Mrs. Howland Dailey, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Ramsyer, Mr. and Mrs. David R. Lor- ing, and E. J. Brenton. Rev. Frank H. Hays was the first pastor, remaining about a year, and, on the 19th day of August, 1883, was succeeded by Rev. Thomas C. Hall, a son of Rev. Dr. John Hall, of New York, the ordination sermon being preached by Dr. Hall. The charge to the people was deliv- ered by Rev. William McCandlish, and the charge to the pastor, by Rev. W. . ]. Ilarsha. The present church building was erected in 1884. In July, 1886, Rev. Hall resigned and removed to Chicago, and Rev. David R. Kerr became pastor of the church April 1st of the following year, resigning in the fall of 1889.

He is now president of the Bellevue, Ne- braska, college. Rev. R. V. Atkisson was then pastor for one year. The present pas- tor is Rev. Dr. Shields, from St. Louis.

The Castellar Street Presbyterian Mission was organized in September, 1883, and a lot on Sixteenth and Castellar purchased for $1,100. In December of that year the church building was completed and occupied. Rev. Thomas Hall preaching on Sunday after- moons until December, 1885. June 16, 1886, the church society was organized with nine- teen members, and soon after Rev. J. M. Wilson became the pastor, which position he still holds.

The Westminster Presbyterian Church, southwest corner of Mason and Twenty- ninth Streets, was organized in 1887, with forty-seven members. Work on the church edifice was commenced that year and com- pleted in 1888. The ground and building are valued at $25.000. Present membership two hundred. The first and only pastor, to .

this date, is Rev. John Gordon, D. D. This is one of the very few churches west of the Missouri River which has been self-sustain- ing from the outset.

October 13, 1887, the Knox Presbyterian Church was organized with thirteen mem- bers. At first meetings were held in a vacant store-room on Lake Street between Nine- teenth and Twentieth, but in a short time a little mission building was purchased, and this gave way, in about a year, to a commo- dious building on the corner of Nineteenth and Ohio, which will seat about four hundred people. The present membership is 150. Rev. Paul Martin served as pastor from May 10, 1888, to February 28, 1889, and was suc- ceeded by the present incumbent, Rev. Asa Leard, who was installed July 14, 1889. The society has property valued at nine thousand dollars, and is practically out of debt.

The Lowe Avenne Presbyterian Church, recently organized, is located at Lowe Av- enne and Nicholas Street. Its present pas- tor is Rev. C. G. Sterling.

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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF OMAHA.

The First German Presbyterian Church, located at the corner of Eighteenth and Cum- ing, was organized December 20, 1880, with twelve members,and two years later a church was built, the sum of 83,300 being paid for a lot and small building used for a parson- age, and $1,700 for the church edifice. 'The society also owns a lot in South Omaha. on which a church is to be built at some future date. The society now has eighty members. Rev. F. II. W. Bruechert was the first pastor and remained until 1883, when he was suc- ceeded by Rev. John G. Schaible, who is now in charge.

The First United Presbyterian Church dates its organization back to January, 1868, as the result of the missionary labors of Rev. Thomas McCague, known throughout the country for his zeal, earnestness, ability and Christian character, who began his church work in Omaha in July, 1867, in a school building then standing on the southeast cor- ner of Capitol Avenue and Fifteenth. In September, 1872, Rev. . James Duncan beeame the pastor, and so continued for one year, during which period the congregation pur- cliased the Baptist Tabernacle, on Eight- eenthi Street near California. Mr. McCague took charge of the church again in 1873, and served till 1878, with the exception of the year 1876, during which Rev. Joseph Mc- Carthy was pastor, and was succeeded by Rev. D. R. Miller, who was pastor for two years, to be succeeded by Rev. E. B. Gra- ham who served for eight years and resigned to devote his entire attention to the publica- tion of a denominational paper, the Midland, of this city. December 8, 1890, the soci- ety dedicated a handsome and convenient church building on Emmet and Twenty- first Streets, costing fourteen thousand dol- lars, with a seating capacity of seven hundred. Rev. John M. French is the pres- ent pastor;

The Park Avenue United Presbyterian Church was organized October 30, 1886, the first pastoral settlement being effected the

1st of April, 1887, Rev. John A. Henderson taking charge of the young congregation, and is still the pastor. At the date of or- ganization there were twenty-six members. The church is located at the corner of Park Avenue and Jackson Streets, on a lot do- nated by Mr. Joseph Bell, deceased. The cost of the building was about three thous- and dollars, and of the parsonage adjoining $2,600. The property is now valued at sixteen thousand dollars. A Sabbath School was organized in 1885, with W. M. Lorimer as superintendent, he retaining the office until April 1, 1890, when he was succeeded by Mr. H. W. Spaulding.

The Central United Presbyterian Church was organized May 23, 1887, with thirty- six members. The chapel building on Seventeenth, between Dodge and Capitol Avenue, which the Swedish society had bought of G. M. Ilitchcock, and which had been built by the First Methodist Church people, was purchased for eleven thousand dollars, and services have been held there regularly since. In 1889 the block in which the property is situated was condemned by the general government for a postoffice site, and the church received nineteen thousand dollars for its interest. Rev. John William- son, of Bellefontaine, Olio, is the only pas- tor the church has had. The present mem- bership is about two hundred. A flourishing mission Sunday School has been built up at the corner of Cass and Twenty-sixth Streets. A handsome stone church of modified Gothic architecture, 69x85 feet in size, is now in process of construction, on the north- west corner of Dodge and Twenty-fourth Streets. The cost will be over thirty thous- and dollars.

The First Christian Church was organized in 1868, with Rev. J. W. Allen, now of Chi- cago, as pastor. The first church building still stands, on Harney, between Fourteenthi and Fifteenth, and is used as a blacksmith shop. In 1878 the church was re-organized by Elder B. B. Tyler, of New York City,

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and for a time worshiped in the Methodist Chapel, on Seventeenth Street, near Dodge. The society now owns a good building at the corner of Capitol Avenue and Twentieth Street, which is worth, with the lot, twenty- five thousand dollars. A branch society has been established at Walnut Hill. The fol- lowing named have served as pastors of the First Church: Rev. J. W. Ingram, Rev. D. R. Lucas, Rev. R. II. Ingram, Rev. J. H. Fay, D. D., Rev. C. B. Newman, Rev. A. Martin and Rev. T. E. Cramblet.

The Walnut IIill Christian Church was recently organized, and has not a large mem- bership, and, thus far, no pastor. Services are held in a building at the corner of Nicholas and Dale Streets.

The First Free Evangelical Church (Ger- man) was established Angust 22, 1886, with eighteen members. 'The building, Twelfth and Dorcas Streets, was completed in De- cember, 1886, and the following year a par- sonage with ten rooms was erected adjoin- ing. The property is valued at $8,000. Rev. F. II. W. Bruechert is the pastor, and the present membership is fifty.

Zion's Church of the Evangelical Associa- tion was organized in November, 1888, with twelve members. The church building, cor- ner of Twenty-fifth and Caldwell Streets, was erected at that time and cost $3,500. Rev. W. F. Schwerin was the first pastor, and the present incumbent, Rev. W. H. Alt- house, the second. The services are con- ducted in the German language.

The Swedish Evangelical Mission Church, corner Twenty-third and Davenport Streets, is the ontgrowth of a work begun in 1880, by the present pastor, Rev. J. A. Hultman, who came to Omaha in that year as a mem- ber of a concert company then giving enter- tainments through the United States. Be- coming interested in the work of starting a Swedish mission here, he gave up his occu- pation as a singer and organized the mission with twenty-four members. For the first month he worked gratutiously; the next

month he received a salary of fifteen dollars, and later, for some time, only twenty dol- lars a month. When first organized, the services were held in the old Tenth Street mission. Two years later the briek church, " on the east side of Seventeeth Street, be- tween Dodge Street and Capitol Avenue, was purchased. Five years later the present church was built, the lot costing $11,000 and the church building $15,000. There is now a debt of $8,000 upon the congregation, the balance of the expense of lot and build-

SWEDISH MISSION.

ing having been paid off-mostly by contri- butions of laboring men and women who attend the church. The present member- ship is six hundred. The church is fitted up with an inclined floor and opera chairs, with seating capacity of fifteen hundred, which is usually fully occupied. In connec- tion with the church there is a roomy par- sonage. Rev. Mr. Hultman is the only pastor the church ever had.

The First Unitarian Church was organ- ized by Rev. II. F. Bond, and incorporated August 22, 1869. A lot at the southeast corner of Cass and Seventeenth was then purchased and a brick chapel erected at the south end of it, with a view of having the

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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF OMAHA.

main building joined to it on the north. For various reasons, this improvement was postponed from year to year, but recently the original design has been carried out. Rev. W. E. Copeland succeeded Mr. Bond and was the pastor for many years. In 1888 Mr. Copeland took up his residence on the Pacific coast, and the present incumbent, Rev. Newton M. Mann, took charge of the church in September, 1889.

The People's Church was organized and the attendance of a large number of people secured of a class seldom seen in the churches. The expenses were borne by con- tributions, chiefly from business men of the city, who recognize the peculiar fitness of Mr. Savidge for this work. A large choir, led by Mr. Frank S. Smith, had charge of the music, adding much to the attractive- ness of the service. In June 1890, the ser-

STEINHAUS EN.R ro OM

FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH, KOUNTZE PLACE.

The First Universalist Church is of recent origin, and for a time held services in Good- rich Hall, on Saunders Street. Rev. Q. II. Shinn was pastor till October 1891, when he resigned to take up the missionary work in the field extending from the Missouri River westward. His successor is Rev. W. Frank- lin Smith, of Galesburg, Illinois. A brick church building was recently completed, at the corner of Lathrop and Nineteenth Street:, which cost about fifteen thousand dollars.

For about eight months, com i encing early in the fall of 1889, religious services were held by the Rev. Charles W. Savidge, in Boyd's Opera House. A society known as

vices were discontinued. Commencing Oc- tober 30, 1881, the opera house was used for church purposes for several weeks by the Lutheran Church, Rev. Dr. Stelling, pastor, pending the building of their bandsome church edifice, the Kountze Memorial. In June, 1890, Mr. Savidge became pastor of the Newman Methodist Church. October 12, 1891, he purchased the church building on Eighteenth Street, between California and Webster, formerly occupie.l by the United Presbyterians, having no money to devote to that purpose-not a member, nor a person pledged to attend. It was filled with hearers almost at once, and

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in twenty-one weeks $2,100, the amount required for purchase and repair, was paid up. The People's Church, as the name im- plies, is for the people not usually church goers, and is not denominational. A flour- ishing sewing school is conducted by Mrs. Savidge; poor children attend, and are given the garments they make. A rescue home for boys, under the management of James A. Kellar, who is himself one of the boys, rescued in New York City, has been established, and homeless and tramping boys are cared for, fed and supplied with places to work, mostly on farms in the country. Two persons are also employed in visiting from house to house to relieve, so far as can be done, the sick and poor.

The Salvation Army has been established in this city for five years. The number of persons now connected with it as workers is sixty-five, with headquarters at the old First Methodist Church, on Davenport Street, be- tween Seventeenth and Eighteenth Streets, and a branch on North Twenty-fourth Street. The army has accomplished a good work among those who were beyond the reach of the established churches. Three services are held daily, and the average daily attendance is three hundred. The army is supported by donations and by contributions from persons many of whom are in good circumstances and give considerable amounts. If the col- lections exceed the expenses the officers of the army in charge of the work are allowed out of the collections an amount, not to exceed seven dollars each, per week, for their entire support. If the expenses equal or exceed the amount collected weekly, the officers re- ceive nothing. A number of persons con- nected with the army work without pay.

The Seventh Day Adventists have but one church society in Omaha, organized in February, 1890, with Elder H. A. Hennig as pastor. It has a membership of thirty, and services are held in a church on Eighteenthi near Cuming Street, the society having no church building of its own.

N. I. Benson, Esq., now a member of the Douglas County bar, formerly a rabbi of the Jewish Church, furnishes the following in- formation with respect to the religious or- ganizations of the people of his faith: The history of the llobrews, as a religious body in this city, must be traced back to 1868, when services were held in the old Masonic llall on Fourteenth Street, where for four years services were held on Jewish holidays, speakers being chosen from those in attend- ance. In 1872 another step was taken by the few leading Hebrews then here, to make the organization more permanent. It was the purchase of five acres on Pleasant Hill, to be consecrated as the Hebrew cemetery. Mean- while the only religious services held were during the holidays at the Max Meyer build- ing on Farnam and Eleventh Streets. Mr. L. Abraham, now dead, was the efficient reader of the congregation during these years. In 1874, the congregation, now fully organized, though not yet incorporated, pur- chased a piece of property on Cass, between Sixteenth and Seventeenth, for twelve hun- dred dollars. This property was sold sev- eral years later, and the present site of the temple on Ilarney Street was bought for 84,400. In 1875, Rev. David Stern was called to take charge of the pulpit, the con- . gregation having about twenty members. and remained about eight months. In 1883 Rev. Mr. Saft was called to take charge of this pulpit and teach the Sabbath school. His charge of the pulpit ended at the expi- ration of his first term of office. During the years which intervened between 1875 and 1883, the congregation not having the expense of paying a spiritual guide, a sink- ing fund of several thousand dollars was accumulated for the purpose of erecting a synagogue, and the synagogue on Harney Street was the result. It was erected at an expense of between four thousand and five thousand dollars, and was dedicated in the fall of 1886 by the Rev. E. H. Harfeld. At the expiration of his term, Rev. N. I. Ben-

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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF OMAHA.

son, of Owensboro, Kentucky, was chosen rabbi and he took charge in the fall of 1885, and remained four years, leaving the church with a membership of about 120. He was succeeded by Rev. William Rosenau, a graduate of the Hebrew Union College of Cincinnati. In addition to the Congrega- tion of Israel there is another Jewish body in this city named Chebra Bikur Cholim, organized about four years ago and origi- nally intended as a society for relieving the sick and burying the dead. But the scope of its usefulness did not end there, as ever since its organization religious services have been held every year during the holidays at the Unitarian Church. Recently, this society rented the Garneau Church and furnished it. It is intended to have regular Sabbath ser- vice and a Sabbath school for poor Jewish youth was opened for the admission of pupils February 23, 1890. The Bnai Is- rael, or Sons of Israel Church was started ten years ago, the first place of worship being at a house rented for that purpose on Thirteenth Street, between Dodge and Capitol Avenue. Mr. Cohen was the first rabbi and he remained until the latter part of 1882. Rabbi Leeveen succeeded him, but remained only a few months. In 1883 Rabbi Bramsan took charge of the congre- gation, and still ministers to its spiritual wants. In September, 1890, the members of the congregation purchased a building on South Thirteenth Street, near Wil- liams, as a place for holding services. The Russian Bnai Israel Congregation was organized eight years ago. The society has passed through various vicissitudes, but has become quite strong within the last two years. In 1889 a temple was built on Capitol Avenue, between Thir- teenth and Fourteenth, at a cost of six thousand dollars. Max Berlin is reader for the congregation at present and L. Catlin is president. The Bnai Jacob Congregation was organized in 1889, and M. Goldstein secured as rabbi, but dissensions arose in the

church concerning the doctrines advocated by the rabbi, and the result was the dissolu- tion of the congregation. A large number of the members then joined the Russian Bnai Israel. Rev. Mr. Rosenau was called to occupy the pulpit of Dr. Szold, of Balti- more, September 1, 1892, and was succeeded by Rev. L. Franklin, the youngest graduate from the Hebrew Union College, of tlie class of '92.

There are four church organizations and two missions supported by the colored peo- ple of Omaha. St. John's A. M. E. Church was organized abont 1870 and a substantial brick building erected at the corner of Web- ster and Eighteenth Streets, on which $18,000 has been expended. It has a mem- bership of 250. The following named have served as pastors: Rev. John M. Hubbard. Rev. W. B. Ousley, Rev. George W. Gaines, Rev. James W. Braston, Rev. Ben Watson, Rev. W. L. Ilarard, Rev. Foushee, Rev. Ricketts, Rev. Burrell Mitchell, Rev. P. A. IIubbard, Rev. Wm. A. Moore and Rev. II. B. Parks, late of Topeka, Kan. A Baptist Society was organized in 1889. The present pastor, Rev. T. H. Ewing has had charge for the past four years. The society has recently completed a substantial building at the corner of Grant and Twenty-third Streets, known as Zion Church. The Christian Church, in the southern part of the city was established in 1889, under the auspices of the mission board of that denomination, under the pastorate of Rev. Hancock. St. Paul's A. M. E. Church, Nineteenth and Center Street, was organized in 1889. A lot and small dwelling house were recently pur- chased by the society, in which building ser- vices are held. Rev. J. H. Wilson, Rev. M. Green and Rev. W. D. Venable have been pastors. St. Phillips Mission, on Twenty- first Street, between Nicholas and Paul, was established in 1881 by Dean Millspaugh, of Trinity Cathedral, but since 1885 Rev. John Williams, of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, has had charge of the work. Rev.

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History of the city of Omaha, Nebraska, Part 50

Author: Savage, James Woodruff, 1826-1890; Bell, John T. (John Thomas), b. 1842, joint author; Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899 Publication date: 1894 Publisher: New York, Chicago, Munsell & Company Number of Pages: 1020

Author: Savage, James Woodruff, 1826-1890; Bell, John T. (John Thomas), b. 1842, joint author; Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: New York, Chicago, Munsell & Company
Number of Pages: 1020