Union Chapel history is somewhat complicated. First we must consider the Tramel family whose ancestors arrived here 125 years ago and whose annual reunion we are also observing today. But there were many other families who also resided in the area and who had an important part in the establishment of Union Chapel and the activities following its construction 100 years ago. We must also consider the situation in the area the towns and the social, community, educational and religious activities.
At the present time we have two organizations who are directly associated with Union Chapel. The Union Chapel Religious and Cemetery Association has the responsibility for the maintenance and operation of the Chapel and cemetery. The Union Chapel Memorial Association provides for memorial day observances.
However, over the years Sunday School and Church Services were held here as well as many funerals. A young people's organization was active several years, but we have no records of a ladies aid or any social or literary activities at Union Chapel. Also missing are the records of those church services and the ministers who preached at and served at Union Chapel. Likewise missing are records of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Sons of Veterans of the Civil War who were active prior to 1919 in the observance of memorial day at Union Chapel.
First we must consider the background. History is more than a lot of dates and a chronicle of facts. It deals with people --- their aspirations, their successes and failures, their joys and sorrows, their romances and quarrels, their spiritual lives and their motivations. If we are to really appreciate our ancestors who erected this chapel 100 years ago, we must supplement the meager recorded historical facts with some assumptions and imagination.
Historical facts tell us that the William A.B. Tramel family and sons-in-law Salem Jeffries and Allen Campbell and their families arrived at this place on October 10th, 1852 after a 25 day journey from Leesburg, Indiana. William A.B. Tramel had purchased a small claim from Smith Cox which consisted of two log cabins, connected with a "dog run", a well and a field of good standing corn. After "proving up", Mr. Tramel received a deed for the land from the United States government. Salem Jeffries and Allen Campbell also purchased farms in the area. There were few neighbors. However, the bare facts do not tell us why these families came west. We have to use our imagination to understand and appreciate their motivations for leaving a settled community to come to a place where their were few neighbors, few trading centers, and where the nearest railroad was at Rock Island, Illinois.
From recorded history, we know that Newton was only a small village, Greencastle was not platted until 1855, three years after the Tramel arrival, Clyde was not settled until 1857, the Colfax post office was established in 1865, and Independence Center established in 1870 and became Baxter in 1872 at the "Old Baxter" site. Ira, Mingo and the present town of Baxter were non-existent until the railroad was built in 1883, which was 31 years after the Tramels had arrived. Mere facts do not portray their loneliness, their hardships, their sorrows, nor the difficulties they had in securing necessities or marketing their products. However, the population did increase greatly in l855 and in 1856 when there was a wave of immigration into the area.
In the spring of 1853 a traveling minister preached in a log cabin about three miles from the Tramel home. They all went to hear him. In the summer following another itinerate minister held a service around three and one-half miles away in a little log cabin which was also used as a school house. Some of the Tramel children walked there as they were so anxious to go some place. Walking in those days was a common way to get where one wished to go. For example, Hannah Tramel told of walking to Greencastle to the post office and back home during the Civil War. They lived where Jim Rumbaugh now lives. Lists of the dead and wounded Civil War soldiers were posted in the post office.
We can only imagine their deep longing for human contact and for spiritual comfort. These longings were first met with the building of log school houses which were really multi-purpose centers serving as schools, social centers and churches. The records list three such schools --- the Greenside School, which was located one and one-half miles west and a little north of Union Chapel; the Valley School which stood one mile west of the old Tramel homestead; and the Elm Grove School, located one mile east and one mile north of Union Chapel.
Before relating the bare facts about the beginnings of Union Chapel, let us again use our imaginations. Why did they wish a church of their own? There must have been a deep-seated longing for greater spiritual comfort than could be met in the log school houses. Also they were quite small and a large meeting house was needed for the community.
For an insight into this longing, lets give our attention to at least one factor --- the frequency with which the grim reaper knocked at the doors of pioneer homes. For example, Salem Jeffries was the father of 12 children, but only 6 of them lived to have families of their own. He left behind in Indiana the graves of his first wife and their infant daughter, and also the first two babies of his second wife, Eliza Ann Tramel. After their arrival in Iowa, Salem and Eliza had 7 children. One died at birth, one at the age of 2, one at the age of 6, and one at the age of 20.
John W. Weston and Caroline Tramel Weston also had more than their share of sorrow. They were the parents of 8 children. Two died at the age of one. Ellsworth died of tuberculosis when he was 22. Only five weeks later, 25 year old Ida Weston Byal, wife of Milton Byal, also died of tuberculosis in western Nebraska where they had gone to live in the hope that the climate would be a little better for her. Ida left a one year old daughter, Rosie, who was then brought back to Iowa by her grandmother Caroline Weston. Two years later Rosie died at the age of 3.
To further illustrate, the records show that 12 of the 38 grandchildren of William A.B. and Cynthia Tramel did not survive to have families of their own. Grandfather Tramel, who lived to be 95, out lived one-third of his own grandchildren. However, on the brighter side, it should be noted that Win. A.B. Tramel and his wife Cynthia had twelve children. Two were buried in Indiana and the other ten all lived to have families of their own.
The shortage of doctors, slow transportation, and lack of modern medical techniques and facilities, resulted in very high mortality rates. Mortality rates as high as 50 per-cent, like those in the Jeffries and Weston families, were not at all uncommon in pioneer days. It is not difficult for us to imagine the desire for spiritual comfort by the grieving parents.
Material for this pamphlet [partially transcribe here] was collected and written by Donald Allen Price, 1921 East 13th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 503l6.
The introduction is a revision of a paper written by William Kenneth Price.
The History of Union Chapel is partly from a typed and framed history hanging in the Chapel. The writers name is unknown to me. Other material is from many sources including secretary's records.
William A.B. Tramel and family and his sons-in-law Salem Jeffries and Allen Campbell and their families arrived from Indiana on October 10, 1852 and settled on farms in Clear Creek Township and Independence Township, Jasper County, Iowa.
In 1856, Francis, the year old son of Allen and Nancy Tramel Campbell, passed away, thus creating the need for a cemetery. Grandfather Tramel set aside a portion of land as a graveyard at this time and the little grandson was the first to be laid to rest there. In the following years other Tramel family members, as well as those of the neighborhood, were also laid to rest in the Tramel graveyard. On June 2nd, 1859, William A.B. Tramel gave a deed for the land to become a public cemetery under the ownership and control of the Trustees of Clear Creek Township.
The log school houses were the educational, religious and social centers of the area. Prior to the building of the school houses, itinerate preachers held services in area log cabin homes. Greenside school, a log cabin type structure, was apparently built after 1853 and Clear Creek Union Sabbath School was organized there in 1856 with Salem Jeffries as Superintendent. In the fall of 1868 the Valley school house was built and Sabbath school was transferred to it. Sarah Jane Tramel was the Superintendent until in 1877 when it closed. These log school houses were quite small, so there was an apparent need for a large religious center in the area.
A meeting of the Clear Creek community residents was called on February 23, 1877 at the home of J.J. Tramel to consider building a house of religious worship at or near the Tramel Cemetery. Salem Jeffries presided and George M. Wilson was the Secretary. After some consultation, on motion of B.F. Baker, a committee was appointed to draft articles of incorporation for an association that should erect and control a House of Worship at the Tramel cemetery. The committee consisted of J.W. Weston, Geo. M. Wilson and Win. F. Rippey. The committee formulated and presented the articles at the same meeting.
At a meeting on February 28, 1877 at the J.J. Tramel home the Articles of Incorporation of the Lynn Grove Religious Association were approved. A subscription committee was appointed and they reported at the next meeting on March 18, 1877. Officers for the year were elected as follows: President, G.M. Wilson; Secretary, Chas. H. Coughlan; Treasurer, B.F. Baker; Directors, W.A. Tramel and J.W. Weston. A committee to draft bylaws was appointed consisting of J.H. Smith, Chairman, and W.F. Boyd and S.C. Weston. The bylaws were adopted at a meeting on April 7, 1877. Additional meetings were held on June 16th, June 22nd, November 10th, November 17th, November 29th, December 1st, December 13th, and on December 23rd, 1877 the Church building was dedicated with proper ceremonies.
William A.B. Tramel and son James donated the site along the road just east of the cemetery. The building cost approximately $1,600.00 and was completed debt free.
Since the building was constructed as a non-denominational Church, a decision was made on March 9, 1878 to change the name to Union Chapel Religious Association.
The bible, which is still in the chapel, was purchased in December of 1877. An organ was purchased in May of 1880. At the meeting of December 13, 1877, a motion was passed that a committee be appointed to ascertain the cost of a bell suitable for the church. The committee was not named in the records, but we quote from the secretary's entry as follows: "Committee responded by saying he had made no effort as yet owing to the hard times: he did not think it advisable to do so." consequently, union Chapel has never had a bell in its cupola.
In 1883 an acre was purchased to enlarge the cemetery. That must have been done by the Trustees of Clear Creek Township as no mention of it was in the secretary's records of the Union Chapel Religious Association.
On April 25, 1903 the Union Chapel Religious Association voted to accept a deed to Union Chapel Cemetery tendered by the Trustees of Clear Creek Township.
William Byal, J.J. Tramel and J.H. Smith were appointed as a committee to draft bylaws for the management of the cemetery. The bylaws were reported May 2, 1903 and were ratified on November 7, 1903. Article two of the bylaws provided that the Union Chapel Cemetery Association be instituted as an auxiliary to and a part of the Union Chapel Religious Association and its officers shall be the same. On March 14, 1914 the bylaws were amended by adding Article 12.
On March 9, 1918 a motion was passed that the Sons of Veterans of the Civil War be invited to meet with the Union Chapel Religious and Cemetery Association to arrange for the decoration of the graves of deceased soldiers. The Union Chapel Memorial Association resulted from that invitation.
At the meeting of March 8, 1930 the proposal for reincorporation was discussed and W.I. Price was appointed to investigate the procedure. At a called meeting on March 25, 1930 new Articles of Incorporation of the Union Chapel Religious and Cemetery Association were adopted. A committee consisting of F.W. Tramel, C.C. Planalp and George Whitehead was appointed to draft new bylaws. The new bylaws were adopted at a meeting of April 24, 1930.
In 1947, a grandson of William A.B. Tramel, Frank W. Tramel, gave a deed for a large section of additional land at the south side of the original cemetery, thus making the Union Chapel property a complete rectangle in shape.
The Chapel's ceiling was paneled as a gift by Mrs. Esther Cummings after her father's death in 1957. Her father, Carl Weston, had been custodian of Union Chapel for many years. In 1967 paneling of the interior walls of the Chapel was done as a memorial to Orb Southern with a bequest from his wife, Lucile. Orb had been the association's secretary for many years. The carpets were given as a memorial to Forest Inglis by his family.
The Ira Methodist Church was organized in 1889 and the Ira Christian Church was organized in 1899. There are no records of Sunday School being held at Union Chapel after April 21, 1889, but it is reasonable to think that Sunday School did continue for around ten more years when Church services were also discontinued. So far we have been unable to find any records of those Church services, but apparently they were discontinued around 1899.
From what source the ministers came, their denominations, nor if they resided in the area, were itinerate, full time or shared, is not now known. However, in the records of the Sunday School Secretaries we found mentioned Rev. J.C. Hanna in 1893 and Rev. C.L. Pickett in 1895 and 1897. Also in 1896 Rev. H.E. Van Home and Rev. Handsaker were mentioned as well as Rev. 0.W. Lawrence in 1896 and '97. Other names mentioned were: Elder Wickizer, Rev. Merril, Rev. Boles, Rev. Jones, Bro. Harlan, Rev. Harlan, Elder Dyer, Rev. Carr, Elder Zenor, and Rev. Zenor. Some other known ministers were: Cob. Vawter, who had been a missionary in the Philippines; Rev. Uircksgar, from Chicago; Mrs. Sand Wright, from Cedar Falls; Professor A.M. Nevego, from Lincoln, Nebraska; Rev. Roach; Rev. D.B. Tilus; Allen Hickey; Ida Gooding; and Father Wilson. There were times when Union Chapel was not served by a minister. During some of those times, different men of the congregation took turns as lay ministers conducting a religious service.
Along about 1915 or '16, two lady ministers conducted revival services for two weeks at Union Chapel. During a part of the 1920's, a yearly Sunday School Session was held at Union Chapel the last Sunday in June. Sometimes the school was held on the lawn.
Union Chapel still stands in good condition after 100 years of service to the community. An occasional funeral service is still held there and since 1961 the annual Tramel Family Reunion has been held there. Only three weddings are known to have been held in the Chapel, although there could have been some others. These were for the children of John and Lena Weston, John William, Constance and Patricia.
Memorial Day Services were held at Union Chapel for many years, but due to a lack of sufficient interest, there were no observances during the years of 1971 thru 1976, then on Sunday before Memorial Day in 1977 an appropriate service observing Memorial Day was held at Union Chapel with a good attendance. It is now hoped that with revived interest the traditional services will still continue in the future.
The original stockholders of the Lynn Grove Religious Association, later the Union Chapel Religious and Cemetery Association, well represented residents in the area. They were: B.F. Baker, W.F. Boyd, Wm. Byal, Sr., A.D. Campbell, C.H. Coughlan, Joseph Dodd, T.J. Hantcher, N.W. Henderson, Salem Jeffries, E.C. Jones, Grover Jones, Adam Maggard, James W. Plumb, J.H. Smith, James Stock, James Thompson, J.J. Tramel, Joseph M. Tramel, W.A.B. Tramel, W.A. Tramel, C.S. Weston, J.W. Weston, Austen Whitehead, and G.M. Wilson. They purchased 54 shares of stock at $25.00 each.
The present Articles of Incorporation provide that: "There shall never be any money value placed upon any share of membership." "Any person of good moral character may become a member of this association by being voted in at any regular or special meeting by a majority vote of members present."
There have been numerous other members over the years. The present members of the Union Chapel Religious and Memorial Association are: Clifford Baker, Denver Byal, Hugh Byal, Roscoe Byal, Wayne Byal, Mrs. Esther Cummings, Lloyd C. De Reus, James Lowry, Joe Lowry, Wilbur J. Lowry, Robert Mathews, Darrell Neal, Gale Rippey, Paul Rumbaugh, Howard Tramel, Morris Trusler, John 0. Weston, and John W. Weston.
The present officers of the Union Chapel Religious and Cemetery Association are: President, Clifford Baker; Secretary, John 0. Weston; Treasurer, Roscoe Byal; Trustees, Joe Lowry and Darrell Neal; Custodian, James Lowry.
Since there are no known records available for the Grand Army of the Republic members part in the observance of Memorial Day, nor known records of the Sons of Veterans of the Civil War members activities for Memorial Day Services, we must rely on peoples memories that they have been told that both organizations were active in their time over the years prior to 1919 when the Union Chapel Memorial Association was formed and whose members have continued the tradition.
The first officers of the Union Chapel Memorial Association were: elected on May 4, 1919 and were: President, George Whitehead; Vice-president, W.0. Tramel; Secretary, W.I. Price; Treasurer, F.J. Rippey.
One of their accomplishments was the purchase and erection of the Unknown Soldiers Monument in Union Chapel Cemetery. Besides Memorial Day observances, they sponsored for many years a Memorial Sermon at one of the Ira Churches on the Sunday preceding memorial day.
The present officers of the Union Chapel Memorial Association are: President, James Lowry; Vice-president, Clifford Baker; Secretary and Treasurer, Leta Lowry. There are numerous members.
We must assume Sunday School began at Union Chapel soon after the Sabbath School at the Valley School ended, but early records have either been lost or destroyed. However, records from January 1, 1883 thru February 1898 are now available. The officers for 1883 were: Superintendent, Austin Whitehead, Poweshiek Township; Assistant Superintendent, W.A. Tramel, Clear Creek Township; Secretary, F.B. Lowry; Treasurer, W. Price; Organist, Nellie Crawford; Chorister, J.H. Smith. Teachers for 1883 were: Hannah Tramel, Sarah Jane Tramel, W. Alexander Tramel, Mrs. S. Coughlan, Austin Whitehead, J.H. Smith and Susie Wilson.
Names of 141 officers, teachers and scholars are listed for 1883. In the records beginning in 1894 and thru 1898 were listed 147 more names not on the 1883 register, making a total of 288 different persons who attended the Union Chapel Sabbath School at one time or another during that era. The complete list is available for those who might be interested, but the following family names are included: Alexander, Ames, Bailey, Baker, Bell, Boyd, Boydston, Baldwin, Blackwell, Blackwood, Brower, Buffington, Butterworth, Byal, Campbell, Coughlan, Cramer, Crawford, Davis, Day, Dennis, Dotson, Ellsworth, Esch, Gist, Godfrey, Hammerly, Hancher, Harkness, Henning, Holtz, Hutson, Jeffries, Jones, Kease, Keehfis, Kerchiner, Krohnse, Lacey, Leonard, Lewis, Lint, Lowry, Jickling, Johnson, Maggard, Martendale, Meyers, McQuistin, Miller, Monette, Nicodemus, Parker, Patterson, Pitcock, Planalp, Porter, Price, Richards, Rippey, Robb, Sadler, Smith, Streeter, Sudlow, Tramel, Van Gilder, Watt, Webb, Weston, Whitehead, Wiliner, Wilson, Winkler, Winy, Wright, Zimmerman.
A young Peoples Society Christian Endeavor was active at Union Chapel from October 30, 1892 thru at least April 24, 1898. The first officers were: President, F.B. Lowry; Vice-president, Edna Rippey; Recording Secretary, Vesta Jeffries; Corresponding Secretary, Alta Wilson; Treasurer, Allie Whitehead; Lookout Committee, Allie Whitehead, George Whitehead, Kezzie Jeffries. They met on Sunday evenings at first, then in the afternoons. They had some social events, some entertainments, some lectures and helped with the Sabbath School and Church activities and finances.
We have no records of a Ladies Aid Society at Union Chapel.
Union Chapel Y.P.S.C.E. Roll of 1893 Members.
F.B. Lowry, Allie Whitehead, George Whitehead, Effie Day, Lincoln Lowry, Alta Wilson, Kezie Jeffries, Xanthe Jeffries, Rosa Lowry, Kittie Wilson, Vesta Jeffries, Peter Lowry, Nellie Lowry, Nellie Crawford, Stella Tramel, Solon Campbell, Fred Wilson, William Tramel, Nellie Sadler, Bertha Tramel, Grace B.Jeffries, Charley Leonard, Edith Sadler, Carl Zimmerman.
For more information on the Cemetery Association, Sunday School, Young People's Organization, refer to the document History of Union Chapel and History of Tramel Family. Jasper County, Iowa compiled by Donald Allen Price. This document is available at the Newton Public Library [977.759] in the Iowa History Section.
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