USA > Nebraska > Adams County > Past and present of Adams County, Nebraska, Vol. I > Part 24
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42
September 22, 1881, the contraet to erect the new church upon the site already purchased was let to J. R. Sims for $1,665. The record shows that a business meeting was held in the wing of the new ehureh December 18, 1881, but the church was not dedieated until January 31, 1882. Upon January 23, 1895, the Baptist Church
254
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY
acquired a lot on South Lincoln Avenue and erected thereon. subse- quently, the South Side Chapel. Successful missionary work was carried on in the chapel for a number of years, but of late the work has been discontinued, though the property is still held by the church. The names of Dr. E. T. Cassell and wife should be associated with the work of the chapel.
It was upon December 7, 1900, that the Rev. Mr. Cloyd began securing subscriptions for the erection of the present church, and on March 20, 1901, the contract was let to C. D. Richey to erect a church after the plans and specifications prepared by Turubull & Jones of Elgin, Ill. Some changes and additions were made, so that the total cost of the building was about $12,000. C. P. Sheaff was chairman of the building committee and W. S. French secretary. The church was dedicated in December, 1901, by Dr. H. O. Rowlands, then pastor of the First Baptist Church at Lincoln. The church has a total seating capacity of about five hundred, and is free of encum- brance. The site of the old church was sold in 1900 and the present site acquired in July of that year. The church owns, altogether. five lots. The membership at present is 409. Among the active workers of the Baptist Church in Hastings may be enumerated Jacob Woos- ter. J. R. Sims, William Huxtable. John Owen, Dr. E. T. Cassell and wife, C. P. Sheaff, W. L. Sheaff, Samuel Boger, J. II. Rodgers and Mrs. II. J. Prather.
Doctor Cassell and wife are the composers of many hymns, words and music. Two hymns are widely sung throughout the United States "Loyalty to Christ" and "The King's Business." A sermon by the Rev. Mr. Cloyd preached in the Hastings church was the inspiration for one of these hymms. Doctor Cassell removed to Colo- rado in 1902, and while there Mrs. Cassell came to her death by accident.
The following have been the pastors who have served the Baptist Church in Hastings: I. D. Newell. April 29, 1873, to March, 1875: II. A. Guild, March 25, 1876, to March, 1877: J. E. Rockwood, June 3, 1879, to July, 1880; J. H. Mize, February 24, 1881. to June 30, 1883; II. P. Fitch, December, 1883, to January 10, 1886; J. Y. Aitchison May 15, 1886, to April 1. 1887; C. H. Holden, June. 1887. to May, 1889; H. P. Fitch, August. 1889, to April, 1891: J. E. R. Folsom, September 1, 1891, to June 4, 1898: L. L. Cloyd. March 1. 1900, to May 1, 1903: C. R. Welden, June 20, 1903, to October 18, 1904; Birney S. Hudson, April, 1905, to November 1, 1908: William J. Coulston, February 18, 1909, to October 29, 1911: George W. Taft, January 15, 1912, to December 1, 1913: W. T. Richardson,
25%
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY
December 7, 1913, to October 1. 1914: C. H. Holden, January 17. 1915, to September 1, 1915; B. P. Richardson, the present pastor, began his pastorate October 24, 1915.
The present deacons of the church are: A. V. Brown, chairman; D. M. Tinder, secretary; C. P. Sheaff, treasurer; J. W. Crissman. Henry Groth. G. W. Koon, W. L. Newkirk, Ed Baker, Dr. C. K. Struble, Enno Uden, Dr. E. E. Marr. Church clerk, W. A. Piel- stick.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
The Congregationalists of Adams County enjoy the distinction of perfecting the first church organization in the county and of holding the first religious services in Hastings. The Rev. J. F. Clarkson, who reached this vicinity in 1871 with the British colony, was a Congregationalist, and upon the arrival of the wagons he con- ducted services the first Sunday, standing in a wagon while he spoke, and using a spring seat for his pulpit. When sod houses were built. services were held in them by the Rev. Mr. Clarkson.
Services were conducted in the residences of members until the completion of the first school building, which served until 1875, when the congregation moved their church home to Millet Hall. located on the corner of First Street and Hastings Avenue. They remained here for about three years, and in the fall of 1878 once more trans- ferred their church home to the Presbyterian Church, which in the meantime had been erected and dedicated. Through these years the congregation grew slowly, but had increased from thirteen to a few more than twenty. In 1888 the membership had grown to 110.
March 29, 1879, is a red letter day in the history of the Congrega- tionalists in Hastings, for on this date the first church building was dedicated. This was a frame structure and was located at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Third Street. The cost of the building was $2,100. In the steeple of this church a bell was hung, and its tones were those of the first church bell to be rung in the town. In 1887 a site was secured on the northeast corner of Sixth Street and Lincoln Avenue, and on September 27th of that year the church building was moved to what is still the site of the Congregational house of worship. The first frame edifice was 56 feet long by 34 feet wide and had a wing addition 22 feet long by 18 feet wide. This church building was used until the dedication of the present brick edifice.
The building now occupied was dedicated with elaborate services. extending from May 10 to May 15, 1910, and was erected at a eost
256
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY
of $20,000. The building committee was: A. II. Brooke, Hans Hansen and E. L. Vance. The total seating capacity of the present church is 500. The membership is 200. The following pastors have served the congregation : Rev. John F. Clarkson, 1872 to 1873; Rev. W. Haviland, 1873 to 1874; Rev. M. F. Platt, 1874 to 1876; Rev. Jacob Winslow, 1876 to 1877; Rev. A. W. Curtis, 1878 to 1879; Rev. J. D. Stewart, 1879 to 1883; Rev. Henry Wilson, 1883 to 1885; Rev. George R. Milton, 1885 to 1886; Rev. William Walters, 1886 to 1892; Rev. S. F. Powell, 1892 to 1894: Rev. S. S. Healy, 1894 to 1895; Rev. L. P. Rose, 1895 to 1898; Rev. J. W. Nelson, 1898 to 1901; Rev. Theo C. Hunt, 1901 to 1904; Rev. HI. B. Har- rison, 1905 to 1910; Rev. Grant B. Wilder, 1910 to 1911; Rev. William A. Tyler, 1911 to 1913; Rev. Fred J. Clark, 1914 to 1916. The present pastor, Joseph Toms, assumed the pastorate October 8, 1916.
FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH
The First Christian Church of Hastings was organized under the auspices of the Nebraska Christian Missionary Society by R. C. Barrows, a pioneer evangelist, in 1885. Until 1887 the denomination had no pastor. During these two years, a few months of each year the church was served by the Rev. Mr. Elliot, a student at the Chris- tian college at Fairfield, Nebraska-Fairfield College. The Rev. Mr. Tucker followed Mr. Elliot, preaching for a few months. The first regular pastor was Rev. W. T. Maupin, the father of the well-known Nebraska newspaper man. Will Maupin. Mr. Maupin's pastorate continued through the winter of 1888-9. At this time services were held in the Presbyterian Church. H. J. Kirchstein was pastor for two periods, the first extending from 1891 to 1893, and the second from 1901 to 1902. Short pastorates were held by HI. J. MeSparren and N. A. Stull. H. G. Wilkinson was the pastor in 1898. and Rev. II. S. Gilliam served from 1903 to 1906. The Rev. Mr. Gilliam did much to organize the Sunday school upon modern lines, giving it a place among the leading schools of the state, which place it still maintains. During the pastorate of Rev. Robert A. Schell, 1906 to 1912, the church increased very largely in membership. Following a very successful evangelistic meeting by Dr. Charles Reign Scoville of Chicago, the old frame building became entirely inadequate and a building projeet was launched which resulted in the erection of the present splendid briek edifice upon the site of the old frame church. The cornerstone of the present building was laid in 1910, and in June,
F
First Church of Christ
GILL
EFTER LE Q
First Congregational Church
St. Cecilia's Catholic Church
First Presbyterian Church
First Baptist Church
A GROUP OF HASTINGS CHURCHES
257
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY
1911 it was dedicated by Chancellor William Oeschger of Cotner University. The cost of the church was $30,000. The church now has a membership of 596 and a Bible school enrollment of 475.
J. E. Holly was called to the postorate in December, 1913, but on account of ill health was forced to resign the following spring. The present pastor, Clarence E. Lemmon, has been in charge since September, 1914.
The present elders of the church are M. M. Haynes, A. B. Craw- ford, R. T. Eller and Lee H. Haggard. The trustees are M. M. Haynes, J. W. Turpit and F. N. Addleman. The deaconesses are Edith Hart, Rhoda Scott and Margaret Caton. Ira Scott is chair- man of the following board of deacons: L. W. Belknap, E. J. Spieth, Elmer Corbin, E. H. Lange, Sam Stewart, J. W. Turpit, F. N. Goudy, C. E. Chadwick, L. P. Mills, Charles Dyer, Frank Long, G. L. Straight, R. C. Carter, F. O. Steward, Charles Smiley and C. L. Egbert.
GRACE UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH
The Grace United Evangelical Church is located on the south- west corner of Denver Avenue and Sixth Street. It is a neat frame building, that in its architectural plan does not follow the strictly modern type, but has the pleasing outlines of the spiral church of an earlier style.
This church was organized in 1894. It had at that time a mem- bership of about twenty. It enjoyed a satisfactory growth and by 1906 the membership had increased to 120. The first house of wor- ship was a small frame edifice moved in from the country, and valued at not to exceed $200. This building was located at the southeast corner of Kansas Avenue and Seventh Street. The congregation continued to worship in this church until 1904, when the present church was erected at a cost of $9,500. It was dedicated in the same year.
A loss of membership to the number of about forty was sustained by this church in 1911, when there was a withdrawal following a revival in which the doctrine of holiness was emphasized. It was from the members who withdrew that the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene was organized.
While this reverse imposed unlooked for hardships upon the con- gregation, it has survived and services have been held continuously in the church. The first pastor, Rev. T. W. Serf, in whose pastorate the church was organized, remained with his congregation through Vol. 1-17
258
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY
the trying times attending the drought, removing to Aurora shortly before the ereetion of the building. He is still located in Aurora. The present membership is seventy-five.
The following pastors have served this congregation: Rev. E. S. Smith, 1903-04; Rev. A. Lemkau, 1904-06; Rev. T. M. Evans, 1907-08; W. C. Brewer, 1908-10; Rev. Q. A. Deck, 1910-11; Rev. Arthur P. Layton, 1911-14; Rev. S. B. Dillow, the present pastor, since 1914.
UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH
The United Brethren Church in Hastings was organized during March, 1892, with a class of thirty-five members, by the Rev. William Thompson, who had come to Hastings in Deeember, 1891. At that time there were only a few United Brethren families, among whom were Mr. and Mrs. C. Austin, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Winey, Mrs. Anna Garver, Mrs. J. HI. Coffman and some others. The organization of the church followed a revival meeting conducted by the Rev. Mr. Thompson. The first building used by the denomination was a small building which they rented at the corner of Second Street and Minne- sota Avenue. The church rented was the property of the "Come- Outers," a denomination who carried on serviees for about two years, but finally disbanded. The church was originally moved upon the location at the corner of Second Street and Minnesota Avenue. Before the close of 1892 the United Brethren bought this church property for $200. In 1894 this property was sold by the church, and Germania Hall, at the corner of St. Joseph Avenue and Third Street, was purchased for $1,000. October 15. 1908, the property on St. Joseph Avenue was sold for $3,000 to the Knights of Columbus, and the United Brethren purchased the site for the present building upon the southeast corner of St. Joseph Avenue and Sixth Street for $1,550. The contract for the erection of the present church, a hand- some briek structure with a seating capacity of 300, was let to C. E. Coblentz of Hastings, November 19, 1908, upon his bid of $7.875. This bid did not inelude the heating plant, windows or furnishings. The plans were drawn by M. N. Bair of Hastings, and the briek work was done by Lou Ellis. The church was dedicated July 25, 1909. by Bishop W. M. Weekly. The building committee was: The pas- tor, Rev. L. O. Sanderson, W. F. Dunbar and J. S. Winey. The trustees were W. F. Dunbar, N. W. Coleman, J. V. Hess, J. S. Winey, C. E. Smith, V. A. Palm, Ira Hickman. The following ministers have served the church: W. H. Thompson, 1892 to 1896;
259
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY
A. Boyd, 1896 to 1898; A. Gile, 1898 to 1899; W. O. Harper, 1899 to 1902; S. Ilobson, 1902 to 1903; S. M. Zike, 1903 to 1906; E. F. Wriggle, 1906 to 1907; L. W. Nine, 1907 to 1908; L. O. Sanderson, 1908 to 1910: S. E. Rasey, 1910 to 1911; J. F. Mower, 1911 to 1912; J. E. Edwards, 1912 to 1914; I. A. Chivington, November, 1914, to February 1, 1915; C. M. Fuller, February 1, 1915, to September, 1915; J. J. Ramsey served about six weeks, and the present pastor. O. S. Long, assumed the pastorate in March, 1916.
The official name of the church in Hastings is "West Nebraska Memorial United Brethren Church."
In 1892, at about the time that he organized the church in Hast- ings, the Rev. Mr. Thompson conducted a series of revival meetings in a schoolhouse three miles south of Hastings, and as a result of these meetings the Bethel class was formed, with a membership of fifty. In the pastorate of the Rev. S. M. Zike a frame church was erected at Bethel at a cost of $2,044. Bethel Church now has a membership of abont thirty, and "West Nebraska Memorial," at Hastings, eighty- five. Before the erection of their church, the class at Bethel worshiped in the Wallace schoolhouse, in District No. 60.
The present officers of the church at Hastings are: Trustees, I .. W. Smith, C. E. Smith, C. M. Fuller, Ira Hickman, Earl Ilickman, Mary Thompson and Ada Garver.
The trustees at Bethel are: Julius Wallace, Pearl Daugherty and Ed Foster.
CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
The Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene was organized in Hast- ings March 14, 1911. The first members, for the most part, withdrew in that year from the United Evangelical Church following a revival meeting held in that church which laid particular emphasis on sancti- fication, which is a cardinal doctrine of the Pentecostal Church.
The first meetings were held in the home of Thomas Varah. The first organization was a missionary one, but on the 23d of May of the same year, encouraged by the growth in numbers, a church organ- ization was formed. Meetings were held thereafter in the hall occu- pied by the Salvation Army until the conflict in the times of services of the two organizations determined the new congregation to erect their own church home. During 1912 the present church building was erected at the southeast corner of Lexington Avenue and Fifth Street, at a cost of $4,100. A parsonage was also erected adjacent to the church upon the east.
260
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY
The church was organized by the Rev. Q. A. Deck, who before the formation of this church was the pastor of the United Evangelical Church in Hastings. The pastors who have served this church have been the following: Rev. Q. A. Deck, 1911-13; Edward Silverbrand, completed 1913; J. E. Wigfield, came in 1914 and is still the pastor. The first trustees were Thomas Varah, H. N. Martin, Frank Frink, John Lans, Jack Reynolds and O. N. Kennedy.
When the church was organized the membership was twenty- seven. The present membership is sixty, and the seating capacity of the building is 300.
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS
The Seventh Day Adventists of Nebraska have had their state headquarters at Hastings since 1907. For many years previous to that date the headquarters had been maintained at Lincoln, the change to Hastings being made in order to locate headquarters more cen- trally, and the excellent railroad facilities was a factor in making the selection. Elder Robinson was one of the prime movers in making this change.
The denomination purchased nine 100-foot lots in 1907 in the northeast quarter of Hastings and at once began to erect buildings. In the fall of 1907-08 the Nebraska Sanitarium, the church building, conference office and Bible supply house were ready for occupancy. Subsequently intermediate school dormitories were erected, and in 1915 an annex to the sanitarium was built. The sanitarium is con- nected with a similar institution conducted by the denomination at College View, near Lincoln. The building is of brick and was erected at a cost of $30,000. Much surgery is done at the sanitarium, which also emphasizes hydriatie treatment. The sanitarium is properly one of the church activities.
A colony of Seventh Day Adventists followed the headquarters to Hastings, and at the present time there are about forty families who live in the vicinity of the denomination's property. A school is maintained independent of the Hastings public schools. Classes are conducted in the church, and the enrollment in the school this year is 50.
ST. MARK'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
St. Mark's Episcopal Church was established in Hastings on May 3, 1880, and the first service was conducted on April 18th of that year
261
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY
in a public hall. Among the principal members concerned in the movement of establishing this church were Charles Cameron, L. H. Tower, I. M. Norton, Oswald Oliver, J. C. Ideson, F. J. Benedict, A. B. Ideson, II. M. Oliver. A church edifice, 28 by 60, was erected in 1881, upon the southeast corner of Burlington Avenue and Fifth Street, at a cost of $3,000. The church was dedicated March 26, 1881, by Bishop Clarkson of Omaha. The parish house was added during the rectorship of Rev. Edward D. Irvine, and the rectory was bought in 1909.
The bishop of the diocese changed his residence from Kearney to Hastings in 1913. and since that time Hastings is the "See City," the bishop being in residence, and is the center of the Hastings Dean- ery, that portion of the Diocese of Western Nebraska lying south of the Platte River, and over which the rector is the dean. The Rt. Rev. George Allen Beecher lives in the Episcopal residence located at 920 North St. Joseph Avenue. The rectory is located at 820 West Fifth Street. The first rector was the Rev. John W. Greenwood, who divided his time between Hastings and Grand Island. The suc- ceeding rectors were: Rev. Henry C. Shaw, 1883: J. W. Gillman, 1886 to 1890; Willianı Lucas, 1891 to 1895; Edward D. Irvine, 1895 to 1897; John Power, 1898 to 1904; Lee H. Young, 1904 to 1916. In 1882 the membership was about seventy-two. The communicant list at the present time contains 114 names. Rev. J. S. Budlong became the rector in the summer of 1916.
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST
Interest in Christian Science became active in Hastings in 1893. The first services were held in various residences and later in the rooms of the public library. A Christian Science Society was formed in 1898 and a room rented and furnished in which services were held. This society grew and in 1900 a church was formed. The church was incorporated in May of that year, the signers of the articles being Frank C. Woolley, Florence I. Woolley, Mrs. Nellie I. Zinn, Bertie M. Parmenter, Mrs. Emma Parmenter, J. R. Mclaughlin, Mrs. Marie Miller, Mrs. Amelia Scanlan, Mrs. Mary Adalin Bruce, Mrs. Susan M. Oliphant, Francis A. Smith, William Maurice Bruce, Eva Clara Heartwell, Russell S. Bruce, Mrs. Fred Renner, Mrs. Rosa MeLaughlin and Mrs. Angie HI. Raney. After the formation of the church a children's Sunday school, was formed and regular Sunday services and Wednesday evening testimonial services were held.
262
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY
A few years ago, anticipating their future growth, the church purchased two building lots on the northwest corner of Lincoln Ave- nue and Fifth Street, which they now hold for the time when they shall decide to erect a church building. For several years services have been held in the Carnegie library, where they maintain a free reading room and loan library which are open to the public every afternoon. The present officers are R. A. Blake president, M. II. Baker, clerk. Arthur Muchow treasurer, Mrs. Nellie I. Zinn and Mrs. Georgiana Brownell directors. The five named constitute the board of trustees.
CATHOLIC CHURCHES
There are four Catholic churches in Adams County. One, St. C'ecelia's Catholic Church, is located at Hastings: St. Patrick's stands on the southwest quarter of section 5 in Highland Township, and the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is located on the southwest quarter of section 4 in Roseland Township, and the Sacred Heart Catholic Church is in Kenesaw. St. Cecelia's and Assumption are much older parishes than St. Patrick's, and the Sacred Heart Church is the youngest of the four.
In March, 1878, Rt. Rev. John O'Connor, bishop of Omaha, made Hastings the residence of a priest and Rev. G. Glauber was appointed rector of Hastings and the surrounding country. There were, however, a number of Catholics resident in Hastings and in the German settlement near Assumption, at that time called Roseland. Until 1878, the nearest priest resided at Crete. Before churches were organized, Rev. Lechleitner and Rev. B. Kuppenbender of Liberty Creek, Nuckolls County, visited the settlers several times and cele- brated mass and administered the sacraments. The first records of the missions in this part of the state form a part of the parish records of Crete.
In the years between 1872 and the completion of the first Cath- olic church in Hastings, in the spring of 1879, services were held in the residence of Thomas E. Farrell. Among the first Catholic fam- ilies to settle in and around Hastings were those of Thomas Farrell, John Malone, Peter Horrigan, George Brannon, Thomas Monahan, P. Z. Gauvreau, Michael M. McKenna, B. J. Kernan, Thomas Ker- nan, Thomas Kennedy, Dolphus Mitchell, Ezra Langevin, E. Paris, and a number of French Catholics who settled here in 1873.
The building of the first Catholic church in Hastings was begun in October 1878, and completed in the spring of the following year.
CHURCH OF THE ASSUMPTION, ROSELAND
263
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY
It stood on Second Street, at about the location of the present gas plant. It was a frame structure, the main part 32 feet by 50 feet, and with an extension in the rear 12 feet by 18 feet. This church was moved to the location of the present church, on the corner of Kansas Avenue and Seventh Street, early in the postorate of Reverend Eng- lish. It was enlarged at that time to a seating capacity of 500, and served as a house of worship until its removal to Colorado Avenue to make room for the present structure. It is now used as a parochial school building. The present house for the priest was acquired, with the six lots which now form the church property, at the time the church was moved.
The present church is among the beautiful churches of Nebraska. It was erected at a cost of $70,000, including the price of the organ. It occupies a space 148 feet by 72 feet. The nave is 95 by 38 feet and the transept in front of the sanctuary is 74 by 30 feet. The apex of the ceiling is 42 feet. The sanctuary is 30 feet by 30 feet in front of the main altar and 11 by 12 feet in front of the side altars. The apex of the roof is 65 feet from the grade, the corner tower 95 feet and the smaller tower 75 feet.
The church has a framework of steel and the exterior facing is brown Persian tapestry brick, the first to be used in Adams County. All windows and lower traceries are of American art stone. The roof is red tile. The design is Gothic throughout. The feature that distinguishes it from most buildings of its type is the absence of obstructing columns between the nave and the side aisles. From the vaulted ceiling at the places where columns ordinarily are used, hang pendants which form a part of the indirect lighting system.
The church was dedicated December 22, 1912. The dedication mass was said by the Rt. Rev. J. Henry Tihen. bishop of Lincoln; the sermon was by His Grace, J. J. Keane, archbishop of Dubuque. The singers were: Sopranos, May Brennen, Alice Goodwin, Stella Kernan, Philomena Stevens; altos, Kathryn Farrell, Alice Fisher, Aimee Kealy, Gertrude Kealy, Agnes Uerling; tenors, Frank Cant- well, Howard Helms. Frank Hoffman, Joseph Kealy, Leo Hissen- baugh: basses, Frank Kealy, Charles Kroutwick, A. Siren and Director Father Patrick, O. S. B. Organist, Dorsey D. Baird.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.