The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) was formally organized April 6, 1860 under the leadership of the son of the founder, Joseph Smith, III. There were many LDS members in southwest Iowa in the 1850s and 1860s, who were joined by others returning from Utah.
Between two and three thousand of these joined the "RLDS" Church in the early 1860s to 1875, the time period these branch records cover. The church is now known as Community of Christ.
Branch record courtesy of Community of Christ Archives. For further history and information, contact Community of Christ, World Headquarters, 1001 West Walnut, Independence, MO 64050-3562. Or see web page: www.cofchrist.org
For membership records research contact:
bbernauer@cofchrist.org
Bigler's Grove - Morning Star Branch
Biggler's Grove (Boyer Twp.) branch was organized 23 February 1863 by Silas Condit, with Benjamin
Purcell, President and John McIntyre, Teacher. Oliver McHenry was Clerk. There were 26 members at the
organization. They met in the McHenry Schoolhouse and later built a church. The name of the branch was
changed to "Morning Star" in 1865. It was disorganized about 1874, the members transferred to Magnolia
Branch.
| Name (Last, Given) | Tag | Born | Baptized | Died | |
| ARMSTRONG, Alsina A. | X | Abt 1848, PA | 21 Aug 1865 | . | |
| BENTZ, Alzina | X | 1832 or 1833, Canada | 16 Aug 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA |
15 Dec 1911 | |
| BROWN, Rachel | . | 1844, Putman Co., IN | 13 Sep 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA |
. | |
| BURTON, John N. | X | 6 Feb 1819, OH | 30 Jun 1863, IA | . | |
| BURTON, Sarah Ann | X | 5 May 1825, OH | 31 May 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| CHADEAYNE, John | . | 27 Jul 1844, New York City, NY | 6 Jun 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | 1872 | |
| CHADEAYNE, Leah Ann | . | 2 Oct 1823, TN | 16 Aug 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | 17 Oct 1897, IA | |
| COON, Mary Ann | . | 1845, Lee Co., IA | 13 Sep 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| COON, William | . | Abt 1843, IA | 15 Nov 1863 | . | |
| CRAFT, David | . | Abt 1854, IN | 12 Jun 1864 | . | |
| ELLIS, Samuel | . | Abt 1820, OH | 31 Mar 1865 | . | |
| FEADDLEE ?, David F.? | . | Abt 1848, IA 1 | May 1865 | . | |
| FRY, Amanda | . | Unknown, ? | Bef 1874, IA | 9 Mar 1894 | |
| FRY, Dorothy | . | 27 Feb 1800, Conrad Co., KY | 18 Aug 1861, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| FRY, George Washington | . | 6 Sep 1843, IN | 31 Jul 1864 | . | |
| FRY, Vestha or Vishta C. | . | 10 May 1846, Lee Co., IA | 3 Sep 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| GIBBS, Satah E. | . | Abt 1838, PA | 31 Mar 1865, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| HARRIS, Joseph | . | Abt 1799, MD | 9 Jul 1865, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| LAWRENCE, William | . | Abt 1845, TN | 31 May 1864, Harrison Co., IA | 1925 | |
| McHENRY, Lucy Ann | . | 26 Mar 1814, Rutland, NY | 28 July or Aug 1861, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| McHENRY, Oliver | . | 2 Feb 1843, Caldwell Co. MO | 3 Sep 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | 22 May 1917, NE | |
| McINTYRE, Almira | . | 12 May 1824, Green Co., IN | Aug 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| McINTYRE, John R. | . | 4 Jul 1823, Flint Hill, VA | 16 Aug 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | Mar 1887 | |
| McINTYRE, Jospeh M. | . | Abt 1851, IA | 1 May 1865, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| McINTYRE, Thomas I. | . | Abt 1856, IA | 1 May 1865, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| McKING, Lucy A. | . | Abt 1817, VT | Aug 1861, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PALMER, Artena Roenna Stephens | . | 25 Feb 1830, Gibson Co., TN | 16 Aug 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PALMER, Elisha | X | 9 Sep 1799, Canada | 1842 | 1882 | |
| PALMER, Emily | . | 3 Jul 1852, Walworth Co., WI | 3 Sep 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PALMER, Hiram or Hyram | . | 7 Jul 1831, Canada | 16 Aug 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | 3 Sep 1868 | |
| PALMER, Isaac | . | Abt 1806, Canada | 12 Jun 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PALMER, James | . | . | Unknown, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PALMER, John | . | . | 22 Aug 1870, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PALMER, Marie | . | 11 Nov 1849, Walworth Co., WI | 13 Sep 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PALMER, Mary A. | X | 9 Sep 1828, Green Co., IN | 16 Aug 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PALMER, Mary E. | . | 14 Jan 1855, Mills Co., IA | 3 Sep 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PALMER, Nancy | X | 24 Jan 1811, Canada | 21 Aug 1870, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PALMER, Sarah | X | 1817, Walworth Co., WI | 16 Aug 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PEASELEE, Mary A. | . | 4 Apr 1834, OH | 31 Mar 1865, Little Sioux, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PEASELEE, Rufus L. | . | 5 May 1815, NH | 31 Mar 1865, Little Sioux, Harrison Co., IA | 30 Mar 1904 | |
| POLLARD, Elisha | . | Abt 1839, TN | 12 Jun 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| POLLARD, Nancy Ann | . | 8 Feb 1842 or 1843, Canada | 13 Sep 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PURCELL, Benjamin | X | 18 Feb 1814, Harrison Co., IN | 8 Oct 1863, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PURCELL, Ella A. | X | 8 Feb 1819, Clark Co., IN | 16 Aug 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PURCELL, Emeline | . | Abt 1843, IN | 31 May 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PURCELL, Marion | . | Abt 1840, IN | 31 May 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PURCELL, Matilda | . | 10 Sep 1852, Putman Co., IN | 13 Sep 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PURCELL, Nancy Ann | . | 7 Sep 1850, Putman Co., IN | 3 Sep 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| PURCELL, Permelia | . | Abt 1855, IN | 31 May 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| REYNOLDS, Brigham | . | Abt 1851, TN | 30 Apr 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| REYNOLDS, James B. | . | Abt 1854, IA | 31 May 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| REYNOLDS, John | X | Abt 1818, Alabama | 31 May 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| REYNOLDS, Martha Sr. | X | Abt 1821, TN | 31 May 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| REYNOLDS, Martha A. | . | 8 Sep 1856 | 22 Aug 1870, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| REYNOLDS, Sarah A. | . | Abt 1850, TN | 30 Apr 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| SAVAGE, Elizabeth I. | . | Abt 1840, TN | 30 Apr 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| SMITH, Charles | X | Abt 1821, Alabama | 31 May 1864, Harrison Co., IA | 1869, Harrison Co., IA | |
| SMITH, Margaret | . | TN | 21 Aug 1870, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| SMITH, Sarah | X | 1815, TN | 21 Aug 1870, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| SMITH, Sarah | . | Abt 1821, IN | 31 May 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| SMITH, William | . | X | Abt 1785, TN | 31 May 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . |
| STEVENS, Caswell P. | . | 24 Jan 1849, TN | 30 Apr 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| STEVENS, Jane | . | Abt 1815, TN | 31 Jul 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| WATSON, Benjamin G. | X | 1815, CN | Mar 1864, Harrison Co., IA | . | |
| WATSON, Lucena | . | Abt 1814, Rhode Island | Apr 1864, Harrison Co., IA | ||
| WOOD, Josephine | . | 5 Apr 1851, DeKalb Co., IL | 3 Sep 1863, Bigler's Grove, Harrison Co., IA | . |
Contributed by Barbara Bernauer <bbernauer@cofchrist.org>
Early RLDS Branches
