USA > South Dakota > Minnehaha County > History of Minnehaha county, South Dakota. Containing an account of its settlements, growth, development and resources Synopsis of public records, biographical sketches > Part 34
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During the summer of 1882 the lots on which this church was
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situated were sold and the building removed to the corner of Spring avenue and Tenth street, where the parish had purchased four lots for the church building and rectory.
In 1886 an addition was made to the church building for Sunday school and guild purposes. During the spring of 1889 the church building was taken down, and some of the materials used in the con- struction of the buildings in connection with the Episcopal cathedral then being built on the southeast corner of Main avenue and Thir- teenth street. During this time and until Calvary house was ready for occupancy, the services of the Episcopal church were held at dif- ferent places, most of the time in the G. A. R. block on Main avenue. The first service held in Calvary house was on August 18, 1889.
The resident rectors of the Episcopal church since the ministra- tion of the Rev. W. H. Ross have been the Reverends Fowler, Hunt- ington, Berry, McBride, Harris, Gardiner, Wallace, Trimble and Fisher, respectively, in the order named. The Rev. W. W. Fowler came to Sioux Falls immediately upon the departure of Rev. Ross, and held his first service on July 15, 1874, and preached his farewell sermon November 7, 1875. The Rev. Huntington (who was a brother of Bishop Huntington) succeeded Mr. Fowler and remained nearly two years. Then a lay reader by the name of William Page Case held services in the church for one year; he came to Sioux Falls in 1878, and was ordained deacon in the summer of 1879. From the fall of that year until the spring of 1880 only occasional services were held in the church, when the Rev. Thomas B. Berry arrived with his family and took charge of the work. During the summer of 1881 Mrs. Berry died, and soon after Mr. Berry removed from Sioux Falls. The next rector was the Rev. James M. McBride, who came from Hudson, S. D. He held occasional services in the church dur- ing the winter of 1881-2, and on the 10th day of April, 1882, a call to become the rector of the parish was accepted by him. He remained in charge until some time in the early summer of 1884, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Dr. William J. Harris, who remained one vear, leaving Sioux Falls on the 17th day of June, 1885. On Sunday, July 21, 1885, the Rev. Frederick Gardiner held services for the first time in the Episcopal church, and remained in charge four years, after which the services were conducted by Bishop Hare and such Episcopal ministers as the Bishop called to his aid, until the arrival of the Rev. George Wallace on the 18th day of January, 1890. He preached his first sermon January 26, and remained as pastor of the parish until June, 1892.
A short time after his departure the Rev. Dr. James Trimble be- came pastor, and remained until September 1st, 1895. From this time for several weeks the parish was without a pastor, and the pul- pit was supplied by ministers from adjacent parishes. In the early part of December, 1895, Bishop Hare presented to the vestry of the parish the name of the Rev. Thomas L. Fisher of Clinton, Massachu- setts, for pastor. The vestry promptly confirmed his nomination, and Mr. Fisher immediately came to Sioux Falls to take charge of the parish until the next Easter, when he was to decide whether he would remain or not. He preached his first sermon in the cathedral
ST. AUGUSTA CATHEDRAL.
RECTORY.
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on Sunday, December 22, 1895, and the Easter following became the pastor of the church. He remained in charge until in May, 1899, when he resigned. He was devoted to his work, and his administra- tions were not confined to his parishioners. He was greatly beloved by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance, and the people of Sioux Falls deeply regretted his removal to other fields of labor.
In the latter part of December, 1887, Bishop Hare received a letter from John Jacob Astor of New York City, announcing the death of his wife a few days previous. In this letter he wrote the Bishop as follows: "As Mrs. Astor gave so much of her time and best energies to the country in which you are established as Bishop, I should like to do something to cause her to be remembered there at least for a time. Mrs. Astor showed me photographs of, I think, two chapels and parsonages or rectories, which she had built, and it occurred to me that a church of a better or more permanent char- acter than the above would be most useful in some good part of your diocese. I would propose something suitable, but not so expensive as to be a burden for its support in a new country, and would ask you if $15,000 would secure the land for a suitable edifice and rectory, and pay for the building and rectory fully equipped as to chancel, pews or seats, warming apparatus, communion plate, etc., etc., and organ. Will you please give me your views as to this, and how the property could be vested so as to protect it."
The terms of Mr. Astor's proposal left Bishop Hare free to erect the proposed Memorial Church in any part of South Dakota. A few weeks after, Bishop Hare visited Mr. Astor and had a conference with him, and he consented to increase his gift to $21,000, for a Cathedral Church, to be erected at Sioux Falls, to be built of stone, and named Saint Augusta, after his wife, Charlotte Augusta; the title to be vested in the Board of Trusts of South Dakota, a body in- corporated and known as "The Chapter of Calvary Cathedral, Sioux Falls, Dakota." This gift was deposited in a bank in New York City, to the credit of the Treasurer of Calvary Cathedral, and Bishop Hare as Bishop and President. Eventually Mr. Astor added two gifts of $2,500 each to his original donation, to carry out certain plans which the Bishop presented to him.
The church was built under the supervision of Bishop Hare. The corner stone was laid with appropriate ceremonies on the 5th day of December, 1888, and the church was completed during the fall of 1889, and consecrated on the 18th day of December of that year. September 13, 1890, Bishop Hare transferred the title to the two lots on which the church was built to the Chapter of Calvary Cathedral. On the 28th day of February, 1891, in conformity with the provisions of the deed of September 13, 1890, the Bishop declared the Church of Saint Augusta to be his Cathedral Church.
FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- One of the first church organizations in the county was the First M. E. church in Sioux Falls. For the following statement of facts the writer is in a great measure indebted to an article written by the Rev. Lewis Hartsough and published in the Sioux Falls Press in 1892, giving its history down to that time. In 1871 the Rev. Bennett Mitchell, presiding 22
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elder of the Sioux City district, engaged the services of the Rev. Thomas Cuthbert, an English preacher who had settled east of the Sioux river, and a Methodist society was formed, and Mr. C. V. Booth was appointed the first class leader. In 1872-3 the Rev. G. M. Curl succeeded him. The conference year at this time began in the fall. In 1873-4, the Rev. J. W. Rigby was the preacher in charge, and he reported to the annual conference twenty-nine members, and a col- lection of $300 for salaries of presiding elder and pastor. The Rev. G. D. Hook was next pastor, and he reported a membership of eighty-four and a collection of $537 for salaries. The Rev. B. B. Scott succeeded him, and was the pastor in 1875-6. The Rev. Wil- liam Fielder was pastor from 1876 to 1879, and during his pastorate the church building standing on the corner of Main avenue and Eleventh street was erected. The Rev. S. P. Marsh was pastor 1879-80. In 1880 the Rev. Lewis Hartsough became pastor, and re- mained in charge two years. In 1881 the parsonage was built-the first in the city; and the only church bell in the city for several years was in the Methodist church. The Rev. A. P. Lyon was pastor in 1882-3; Rev. A. Jamieson, 1884-5; Rev. J. H. Mooers, 1885-6; Rev. F. M. Robertson, 1886-9. In the fall of 1889 the Rev. L. L. Hanscom became the pastor, and remained in charge for nearly four years. During his pastorate a fine church and parsonage was erected
FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
on the corner of Minnesota avenue and Eleventh street, and the church was dedicated on Sunday, the 17th day of January. The services took place in the forenoon, and were participated in by the
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Reverends W. H. Jordan, L. Hartsough, J. P. Jenkins, W. H. Wil- son, L. L. Hanscom, E. P. Wise and Jesse Cole, who was then Pre- siding Elder of the Sheldon district in Iowa, and preached the sermon on this occasion. A fraternal meeting was held in the after- noon in which the Reverends A. K. Fuller, J. N. Hutchinson, and J. A. Cruzan, pastors of the Baptist, Presbyterian and Congrega- tional churches in the city, took part. The lots, church and parson- age cost upwards of sixteen thousand dollars. The seating capacity of the church proper is three hundred, but when the lecture room is thrown open in connection with it, it seats five hundred. The Rev. J. O. Dobson succeeded the Rev. Mr. Hanscom in October, 1893, and remained in charge two years, when he was appointed Presiding Elder of the Sioux Falls district, and the Rev. W. H. Jordan became, and still remains, the pastor of the church. The church was fortu- nate in securing as pastors during the last five years the Reverends Dobson and Jordan, who have contributed not a little to the flattering reputation the clergy of Sioux Falls has justly earned, as earnest, fearless, and able ministers of the gospel. The church is in a pros- perous condition, and is one of the strongest in the city. It has a large Sunday school, and several other organizations connected with it; the Epworth League, Junior League, Ladies' Aid Society, Ladies' Bible Club, Women's Foreign Missionary Society, Mercy Help Workers, and Veterans' Class.
FREE METHODIST CHURCH .- The Free Methodist church of Sioux Falls, was organized November 11, 1878, by S. P. La Due, with nine charter members, as follows: F. H. Warren, E. E. Warren, Geo. Hyde, H. Van De Mark, E. Brown, I. P. Ulrich, A. W. Hayes, Mary L. Hayes and Mrs. S. A. Kimball. Services were held for about six months in the school house on First avenue and Twelfth street. In May, 1879, a small frame church building was erected on First avenue, between Eleventh and Twelfth streets. In January, 1884, a more commodious church building was erected on the corner Fourth avenue and Fourteenth street, at a cost of $1,600.00. This is the building now occupied by the society, and will seat 200 people.
The present membership numbers twenty, and services are held regularly, Rev. H. L. Torrey, the present pastor, officiating. There is also a Sunday school, which meets regularly.
JORDAN METHODIST CHURCH .- This young and growing society had a very humble beginning. On the 9th day of November, 1890, Rev. J. P. Jenkins, city missionary, held service in an old building, known as Durgen's store, on Fifth street, on the East side. From that time on regular Sunday services were held in that place a little over a year. December 27, 1890, a society of sixteen members was organized, and an eight weeks revival meeting followed, resulting in thirty conversions and reclamations, and nearly that number of ac- cessions to the society by letter and on probation. In the early spring following, steps were taking toward building a house of wor- ship. In March two lots were purchased on the corner of Emerson street and Melrose avenue, a plan for a church selected and subscrip- tion papers circulated with encouraging results. Soon after the ground was broken and work commenced. Much of the labor was
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donated, and for this reason and on account of delays with the Church Extension society, from which valuable assistance was received, the work progressed very slowly. The church was completed and dedi- cated December 6, 1891, the Rev. Lewis Curts, D. D., of Chicago con- ducting the services. The entire local indebtedness upon the prop- erty was provided for, largely by subscription. The Rev. J. P. Jenkins was the first pastor, and the church prospered under his charge. During 1894 the Rev. Nathan Fawell became its pastor and greatly endeared himself to his parishioners by his faithful and effi- cient work. In October, 1896, he was transferred to Hot Springs, South Dakota, where he died the 11th day of February, 1897. The next pastors were the Rev. G. F. Notson and the Rev. H. W. Brown, and the present pastor is the Rev. W. B. Stewart. The church building is a very handsome and appropriate structure, and has a fine location. There is a good congregation and a flourishing Sun- day school connected with the church.
SCANDINAVIAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- This church was organized in 1897, by four Scandinavian families residing in the city of Sioux Falls, and some families residing in Lincoln county. The services are held in the basement of the Unitarian church build- ing every other Sunday, and the present membership is twelve. The Rev. Andrew W. Rosness has supplied the pulpit, in connection with his charge in Minnesota, since the fall of 1897, and there is the usual Ladies' Society in aid of the church work.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH .--- Although there were occasional services held by Congregational ministers who visited Sioux Falls during the years 1870 and 1871, there was no attempt made to organ- ize a society until 1872. The following are the names of some of the ministers who officiated during the years preceding the organization. Rev. Jos. Ward, D. D., of Yankton; Rev. J. E. Roy, D. D., of Chicago, field superintendent of the American Home Missionary Society; Rev. A. L. Riggs, D. D., and Rev. Dr. Williamson, missionaries to the Sioux Indians.
In April, 1872, the American Home Missionary Society sent Rev. J. A. Palmer of Gridley, Ill., to Sioux Falls, and as the result of his labors on the 7th day of July of that year the First Congregational Church was organized with the following charter members: Messrs. E. O. Cadwell, Artemas Gale, O. O. Holman, H. W. Lewis, Ira Mason, M. C. Prescott, Wm. Robertson, Mrs. H. C. Phillips and Mrs. N. Prescott. At a subsequent meeting the following officers were elected: Deacon, Wm. Robertson; clerk, H. W. Lewis; trus- tees, Messrs. J. L. Phillips, Artemas Gale and O. Q. Holman; treas- urer, Dr. J. L. Phillips.
On Sunday July 28, 1872, a sermon was preached by Rev. J. E. Roy, D. D., a Congregational minister from Chicago, in Dr. J. L. Phillips' house. In October of the same year, the church was received into the fellowship of the Congregational churches, and was repre- sented in the General Association of Dakota, which met that year at Vermillion.
During the first two years of its existence, there were only five additions to the membership of the church. November 15th, 1873,
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the Sunday school was organized, with E. A. Sherman as superin- tendent. During the same month Mrs. J. L. Phillips, Mrs. C. J. Skinner and Mrs. E. A. Sherman were appointed a music com- mittee, and the first choir was organized.
Mr. Palmer remained in Sioux Falls three years, closing his pastorate April 1st, 1875. October 30, 1875, Rev. A. D. Adams was installed as pastor and remained until September, 1877, when he tendered his resignation, which the church declined to accept. In August, 1878, the resignation was renewed and accepted and in the December following Rev. J. N. McLoney of Sioux City was called to the pastorate. Mr. McLoney remained five years, and the church prospered under his ministry, 26 members being added during the first year. He died March 18th, 1884, after a lingering illness "leav- ing the church to mourn the loss of a true and tried friend, one who by his quiet and loving ways and Christian character and conversation, endeared all hearts to himself." During his illness Rev. A. P. Lyons of Rock Rapids, a Methodist minister, supplied the pulpit.
INTERIOR CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
In 1873, Messrs. Phillips and Gale offered to give lots for a site and an effort was made to raise funds for a church building, but was unsuccessful. Service had been held first in Dr. Phillips' home, then in various rooms in the barracks, occasionally at the house of C. G. Coats, next for a time in Allen's hall, on the corner of Phillips avenue and 8th street, then in Libby's hall, corner of Main avenue
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HISTORY OF MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
and 7th street, and finally in Phillips' hall on Phillips avenue be- tween Eighth and Ninth streets, where they were being held in 1879, when a successful effort was made to erect a church building. The present site was secured, one lot being the gift of Dr. J. L. Phillips, one the gift of Artemas Gale, the third one being purchased for $225. February 28, 1879, a building committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. E. A. Sherman, J. B. Young, L. Kingsbury, R. J. Wells and T. G. Brown. During the following summer, the building was erected at a cost of $2,300, and was dedicated in Sep- tember, 1879, by Rev. James W. Strong, D. D., president of Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota. The church was incorporated under the laws of the Territory of Dakota March 6, 1879.
In 1883, the building was enlarged by an addition at the west end, which increased the seating capacity nearly one-half. Later the present vestibule was added.
After Mr. McLoney's death, in accordance with a wish expressed by him, Rev. P. E. Holp of Plankington, was called and entered upon the pastorate June 22, 1884.
Mr. Holp remained four years and four months, resigning October 1st, 1888, and for two years afterwards the church was without a pastor. Calls were extended to several different ministers, but for various reasons negotiations proved unsuccessful, until in March 1890, correspondence was opened with Rev. J. A. Cruzan of San Francisco, which resulted in his acceptance and on May 25th, 1890, he preached his inaugural sermon.
During the two years intervening Mr. Holp's and Mr. Cruzan's pastorates the pipe organ now in use was purchased at a cost of $2,250. Messrs. R. J. Wells and H. L. Hollister were instrumental in securing it and it was set up and ready for use in January, 1889, and was the first pipe organ in Sioux Falls.
The general association of the Congregational churches held its annual meeting with this church in 1877, 1880, 1887 and 1890.
Mr. Cruzan remained pastor of the church until August 1, 1892, when he left for St. Louis, where he remained a short time, and then accepted a call as pastor of a large church at Santa Cruz, California. While he was here the church was prosperous.
On the 6th day of November, 1892, the Rev. D. B. Scott, who had just arrived from Massachusetts, preached his first sermon as pastor of the Congregational church, having accepted a call September 1. He is the pastor of the church at the present time, and under his efficient ministerial administration the church is prospering and is one of the strongest in the city. His installation as pastor took place December 22, 1896.
The Ladies' Aid society was organized in 1873, and in 1888, hav- ing money on hand to loan, was duly incorporated. It has a mem- bership of thirty, and is in a flourishing condition financially.
The Woman's Missionary society, after two unsuccessful at- tempts, was finally organized in 1880, and is doing effective work, with a membership of seventy.
The King's Daughters was organized September 25, 1886, with twenty-seven members at the present time.
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HISTORY OF -MINNEHAHA COUNTY.
The Lamplighters organized in 1885, and the Young People's society organized in 1888, have merged into one society and has a membership of seventy-six; the junior branch numbering thirty-six and the senior branch forty members, and is called the Young Peo- ple's society.
The membership of the church is 267, and the average attend- ance upon public worship about 200.
GERMAN CONGREGATIONAL EMANUEL CHURCH .- This church was organized on the 9th day of June, 1888. During the year follow- ing a church building and parsonage were erected on the east side of Walts avenue, between 10th and 11th streets, the former at a cost of
GERMAN CONGREGATIONAL EMANUEL CHURCH.
$1,800, and the latter at a cost of $1,200, which has been all paid by the members of the congregation. Services are held every Sunday, with an average attendance of fifty, and the present pastor is the Rev. John Lich. The membership is thirty-six. There is also a flourishing Sunday school, with an average attendance of forty-five.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH .- On Sunday, June 20, 1875, Baptist services were held morning and evening in Allen's hall in Sioux Falls. After the morning service a few remained to consider the question of forming a Baptist church. On the 4th day of July, 1875, an organization was perfected with ten members. At this meeting the Rev. A. W. Hilton was chosen moderator, M. T. Hogaboom cor- responding secretary and B. F. Roderick clerk.
The Rev. A. W. Hilton was the first pastor of the church and remained as such until August 1, 1878, when he resigned and moved
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to Turner county, and died at Parker, S. D., on the 19th day of Sep- tember, 1882. He was an energetic, faithful minister.
M. T. Hogaboom was elected deacon on the 28th day of January, 1877. M. W. Boulet was chosen deacon on the 6th day of October, 1877, and Mrs. Boulet and Mrs. F. P. Dobson were chosen deacon- esses at the same time.
On the 29th day of September, 1878, the Rev. Homer E. Norton became pastor of the church, and so remained until he resigned October 1, 1881.
During the summer of 1882, the society built a church on the corner of Eighth street and Dakota avenue, at a cost of about $8,000, and it was dedicated on the 1st day of November, 1882, without a dollar of indebtedness remaining. This was the seventh church building erected in Sioux Falls.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
During the year 1882, A. M. Bowen was chosen deacon to fill vacancy caused by the death of Deacon Boulet.
The Rev. E. B. Meredith became pastor of the church in Decem- ber. 1882, and so remained until his resignation July 8, 1886. The Rev. E. N. Harris became its pastor on the 1st day of August, 1886, and resigned on the 8th day of August, 1888. He was succeeded by
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the Rev. A. K. Fuller, who commenced his labors on the 1st day of September, 1889, and resigned on the 1st day of October, 1892. He was very popular with the people of Sioux Falls, and the church prospered under his ministration. The next pastor was the Rev. IV. H. Stifler, who was settled as pastor on the 7th day of December, 1892, and remained as such until his decease August 8, 1895. The Rev. Dr. Stifler was a very able man, an excellent pastor, and exceed- ingly popular throughout the city. After his decease the Rev. Dr. Dixon supplied the pulpit for a few months with great ability, and he was well liked by his congregation. In August, 1896, the Rev. Dr. A. B. McCurdy accepted a call from the church to become its pastor, and on August 30, he preached his first sermon. He was succeeded by the Rev. Bruce Kinney in July, 1897, who remained in charge until June, 1898, when, owing to the declining health of his wife, he removed to New Mexico. The church was then without a pastor until September following, when the present pastor, the Rev. E. H. Lovett accepted a call from the church. However, he did not begin his pastorate until December 15, 1898, and preached his first sermon as pastor of the church December 18, following, There is no church in the city that has been more fortunate in the ability and character of its pastors, and under their ministrations it has become one of the strongest churches in the city. The membership of the church is about two hundred and thirty-five. It supports five Sunday schools, and has connected with it several societies in aid of the main work of the church.
SWEDISH BAPTIST CHURCH .- This church was organized May 15, 1883, by Revs. Frank Peterson and C. J. Johnson, with eight con- stituent members. In 1884 a church building was erected on Main avenue, between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets, at a cost of about $2,700, including all the church property, with a seating capacity of two hundred, and was dedicated December 21, of that year. Rev. C. J. Johnson became the first pastor of the church, and remained until January, 1885. The Revs. A. B. Nordberg, J. P. Berlin, A. W. Peterson and L. J. Olsen have been pastors of this church. The Rev. Jacob Olsen has greatly assisted the church when without a regular pastor. Since the organization of the church there has been one hundred and forty-nine members, of which seventy-one were received by baptism. The present membership is fifty-seven. There is also the usual Ladies' Aid society, and quite a large Sunday school connected with the church.
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