Buck Grove Baptist Church

Records and information related to this church and its members have been unable to be located. Information gathered from newspapers or other sources has been compiled here. As more is found it will be added.

Charter Members

Carl Krull 1848-1939

Baptisms

Etje Vuist (July 1878)
Mene Pruisner (1883)
John Schaetzberg (1894)
Lena deWeerdt (1905)
John Williams (1906)
sister of John Williams (1906)
Ben DeWeerdt (1906)

Back of the photo:
Lean to at South end: Kitchen and dining area with tables, cupboard and coal and wood black iron stove.
Inside at South end of sanctuary was platform with podium, southeast corner a pump organ.
A coal and wood heating stove in the center of West side off the isle.
Seats on both sides of center isle.
Vestibule entrance at North end.
John and Mildred Brandt sitting at East door.
Taken by Viola Brandt Smith Hoffman with a camera she earned by selling garden seeds.
Taken in '25, 26' or there about.

Buck Grove Baptist Parsonage

Buck Grove Baptist Sunday School 1915

For Rent: The German Baptist parsonage at Buck Grove together with about an acre of hay land and large garden spot. Inquire of Heye Frey for terms, etc.

--The Aplington News (Aplington, Iowa), 25 March 1909, pg 4

Baptist Society Want Title To Church Property

The North American Baptist General missionary Society have started an action in the district court of Grundy county to acquire title to the old church property located about a quarter of a mile east of Buck Grove. the Society claims that there have been no services held in this church for more than 20 years and that the building is going into decay. They ask title also to the ground on which the church property stands. The action is brought against Harm Meyer and others who were former members of the congregation which worshipped at this church.

The ground on which the church is located was donated to the German Baptist congregation which was organized there. Those who gave a deed for the church ground were Mr. and Mrs. John Voogd and Mr. and Mrs. Anton Slight. The deed was given in 1902, the year that the church was built.

Services in this church were conducted in the German language. There was no resident pastor. A minister from a neighboring church conducted services there on Sunday. The congregation finally became too small to justify a continuation of regular services and the church was closed.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 5 July 1945, pg 1

Five Cases Set For Trial At This Term

Society Asks Title to Church Property

Another case that is of very much interest in the north part of the county is set for trial. It involves title to an old church building used many years ago by the German Baptists at Buck Grove. The North American Baptist German Missionary Society are asking title to this property. They claim that no services have been held in this church for 20 years and that the building is decaying. They also ask title to the acre or more of ground on which the building is located. The suit is brought against Harm Meyer and others who were members of the congregation when services were held at that church.

The ground on which the church was built was donated by Mr. and Mrs. John Voogd and Mr. and Mrs. Anton Slight 43 years ago, which was the year the church was built. Services in the church were conducted in the German language. There was no resident pastor. The pulpit was supplied by a minister of a neighboring church.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 27 September 1945, pg 1

To Settle Case Involving Title To Church Property

The case involving the title to an old church building at Buck Grove is understood to be on the way of settlement out of court. The North American Baptist German Missionary Society claim the church preperty belongs to them and they are asking to be given legal tital to the building and to an acre of ground adjoinoing. The case was set for trial at this term.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 11 October 1945, pg 1

Buck Grove Baptist Church Case To Be Heard May 16

The case of the North American Baptist Missionary society against Harm Meyer has been set to be heard before the court on May 16th.

The Missionary society are asking clear title to the property which consists of a tract of ground and a building formerly used as a church at Buck Grove. The ground was given to the Buck Grove German Baptist church by Mr. and Mrs. John Voogd in 1894 for the purpose of having a church building erected upon it. There have not been services held there for more than 20 years. The former name of the Northwestern Baptist Missionary society was the General Missionary Society, who took the property over and it is still in the name of that organization. Only seven members of the former Baptist organization are now living and Harm Meyer is one of them and he has been names as defendant to the suit.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 25 April 1946, pg 1

Church Case In Court Two Days

It took two days to hear the Buck Grove church case in the district court at Grundy Center. The case was heard before Judge William T. Evans. At the conclusion of the case the judge deferred his decision until after giving fuller consideration to the testimony.

The case was begun by the North American Baptist Society who wanted title to the property. Three ministers of the denomination were among the witnesses who appeared to testify. The case was resisted by Harm Meyer and other local residents or former members of the Baptist congregation when services were held there.

VanEman & Mulder, attorneys from Parkersburg, are representing the Baptist Society and J. E. Behnke, Parkersburg attorney, appeared for the local claimants.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 23 May 1946, pg 1

Court Gives Buck Grove Church to N.A.B. Asso.

Judge Evans filed his decision last Thursday in the case of the North American Baptist society vs. Harm Meyer, representing the German Baptist congregation of Buck Grove.

The North American Baptist General Missionary society claimed ownership of the church property and wanted to dispose of it. The Baptist Congregation, through some of the former members, objected to the proposed sale and the case was brought into court to determine who was the legal owner of the property.

The case was heard before Judge Evans in the Grundy District court on the 17th of May.

The court decided that the North American Baptist Society are the legal owners of the property with authority to dispose of it under some restrictions specified by the court.

The court ruled that The Baptist Association must pay the court costs and the plaintiff's attorney fees, that the ground set aside for use of a cemetery be left as a cemetery and that the Baptist General Missionary Society must give the cemetery perpetual care. they may also enlarge the cemetery site if they choose to do so. Under the court decree the plaintiff may sell and convey title to the remainder of the Buck Grove church property.

The church property consists of a few acres of ground, the church building and a house that was used as a parsonage.

The court interviewing the case states that the building has not been used as a church for 25 years, that it is largely ruined and that the house that was used for a parsonage is in a dilapidated condition and that the occupant pays no rent.

In 1894 Mr. and Mrs. John Voogd deeded a few acres of ground to the German Baptist Society to be used for a church, a parsonage and cemetery. In 1902 Mr. and Mrs. Anton Slight also conveyed a small tract of land for the use of the church. Services were continued there until 1921. Since that time there has been no minister assigned to the church nor have there been services held there. The German American Baptist Society held that because the property was no longer used for church purposes that the German Baptist Congregation at Buck Grove had become extinct. There are about 60 graves in the cemetery at Buck Grove. These have had little care during the past 25 years, according to Judge Evans's findings.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 18 July 1946, pg 1

Public Sale of Buck Grove Church Property

Tues., Oct. 22

Church Building, about 35x50
Coal Shed
Dwelling
Also the acreage, except the Cemetery

R. H. Mulder, Agent

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 17 October 1946, pg 13

John Aukes Buys Church Property

John Aukes of German township bought the Buck Grove German Baptist property last week at public auction. The price paid was $2,680. The property consists of about 3 acres of ground, a house and the old church. The church has not been used for about a quarter of a century. Mrs. Minnie Brandt has been living in the house.

Title to this property was determined after a district court judge decided against the claim of former members of the German Baptist church at Buck Grove. The case was pending in court for a period of about a year.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 21 November 1946, pg 3

Aukes Repair Shop Burns At Buck Grove

The automobile and the electrical repair shop at Buck Grove burned down completely with all of its contents Thursday night. the building and contents were the property of Harm Aukes. The loss is estimated between $5000 and $6000. There was $2500 insurance. $1500 was the insurance on the building and $1000 on the contents. The insurance was in the Grundy County Mutual and the loss for the full amount of the insurance was paid the next day.

It is not known what started the fire. It may have started from an oil burner which was used to heat the building. The family live near the shop. When they discovered the fire it had advanced so far that is was not possible to save anything. the building burned down in about 30 minutes. It made a very hot fire while it lasted. The house nearby was not damaged. The wind blew the fire away from the houses and the outside of the building was wet from snow and sleet.

The building that was destroyed was for many years the property of the Baptist Society and it was built for a church. Services were held in the building several years, but they were discontinued quite a long time ago. Mr. Aukes bought the property a year ago last October and opened a repair shop there. His shop was well equipped and he was doing a good business. He will probably rebuild as soon as possible.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 11 December 1947, pg 1

List of Ministers

Only a few ministers were regular, but many others filled the pulpit at various times.

Name	Years Served
Rev. Peter DeNeui
Rev. deWeert
Rev. A. Willms
Rev. Laansma	not regular
Rev. Paul	not regular
Rev. Pfeiffer	not regular