PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES

NEWTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

One of the earliest churches in the city of Newton is the Presbyterian, formed in 1854. Among the pioneer members were C. J. Housel and wife, G. W. Chambers and wife and a Mr. Martin and wife.

This society was incorporated March 1, 1859, with J. S. Hunter, John C. Wilson and Thomas McCord as trustees. The house of worship was built at a cost of six thousand dollars in 1865; it was of brick, thirty by sixty feet in size. It was dedicated February 23, 1868, the sermon being delivered by Rev. W. R. Marshall, of Marion, Iowa. In 1878 the membership was seventy-five. Its present membership is placed at two hundred.

The pastors who have served this congregation include the following: Revs. Jones, L. B. Crittenden, John Seele, E. S. Vail, George L. Little, James Agnew, John N. Wilson, E. L. Williams, Isaac Whittemore, R. R. Westcott, David Brown, Edwin J. Rice, R. F. Chambers, 1898 to 1906; W. N. Hess, 1906 to 1908; Theodore M. Balcoff, 1908 to 1909; George Furniss, May 22, 1910, and still pastor.

The present church edifice was built in 1889, dedicated December 22nd, free of all debts. The present valuation of the church property, including the manse, is fourteen thousand dollars. The present officers are S. G. Russell, clerk; H. S. Morrison, A. T. Guthrie, T. G. Bryant, C. W. Wind, Benjamin Jones, elders; C. W. Jarvis, J. I. Cunningham, Percy R. McCord, James Davidson, T. G. Bryant and Lyman A. Russell (treasurer.), trustees.

THE COLFAX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

At Colfax the Presbyterian formed their church as the first church society in the place The petition was dated April 6, 1868, and was signed by J. T. and Salina Lamb, R. N. and Lizzie Stewart, W. H. Bonnell, E. O. Parker, G. W. Parker, Jane A. Parker, James and Sarah L. McCracken, Levi McCracken, and Sarah C. Mytinger. Elders J. T. Lamb and R. N. Stewart were chosen September 20th. The church was erected in 1868, at a cost of one thousand two hundred dollars. In 1884, a new church edifice was erected at a cost of five thousand four hundred dollars.

The present membership of this church is one hundred and eighty. The various pastors here have included the following: Revs. Thompson, Wilson, Agnew, Gordon, Hammer, F. A. Shearer, 1879; S. N. Vail, 1886; Charles R. Hunt, 1890; William E. Knight, 1892; D. Wallace McMillen, 1899; Henry Quickenden, 1899; John McLinnn, 1902; Scott W. Smith, 1904; W. C. Brewer, 1905; D. D. Buchanan, 1906; N. R. Miles, 1907, and still serving.

The society was incorporated May 10, 1868, by E. O. Parker, J. M. Kennedy, W. H. Bonnell, R. N. Stewart, J. L. Lamb, with W. D. Ballantyne, as moderator. J. R. Rodgers and R. N. Stewart are the only pioneers left.

During the last four years the church has put in new cement steps to both entrances to the church building; put in a basement; replaced old and added new windows. The members give an average of about eleven dollars sixty each to support the church, some as high as one hundred and twenty-five dollars.

UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES

The United Presbyterian Church at Monroe was an early organization in this county. It dates its history from before 1855, and the organization was perfected in 1861 and now has a membership of sixty-three. It built a frame church building in early Civil War days, which with remodeling and repairs, has served until now. It is probably the oldest church in use in Jasper County, and is in fine condition. Its surrounding grounds are kept in ling fine shape and the main structure is surmounted with a neat belfry and vestibule. It is located southeast from the business portion of the city.

A WONDERFUL COUNTRY CHURCH

The Palo Alto United Presbyterian Church was formed in December 1870 - really after the church building had been completed, for that was dedicated in December and was started in February of that year, by a mere handful of neighbors of this particular religious faith. In 1869, preaching was held at the old courthouse and at the Wild Cat schoolhouse, five miles south of Newton, and in 1870 there was some talk early in the year of erecting a place for worship. Finally, five families, the Hills, Reeses, Matchetts, McCartneys and Kellers, organized themselves into a church. Pioneer Robert M. Hill, after consulting with the preacher, Rev. Johnson, at Newton, commenced to circulate a subscription paper for the purpose of raising the necessary funds. He was successful in getting one thousand dollars pledged in one day in material and cash. Seven hundred dollars of this amount was donated by members of the above-mentioned families, the sums ranging from twenty-five dollars to one hundred dollars each. In all, the house cost about two thousand dollars. It was, after some parleying, decided to build on the opposite side of the road from the little country cemetery that had been established a few years prior. The land was really not worth over fifteen dollars per acre, but the owner, a Catholic, wanted sixty dollars per acre for the tract, which amount was finally given him. This church and cemetery is just south of the present homestead farm of R. M. Hill. Mrs. Badger was the lady who, carrying out the wishes of her deceased husband, paid for the ground and finally made a clear deed to the trustees of the newly organized church society. These first trustees were Messrs. Amos B. Rees, Henry C. Richardson and Joseph Miller.

The structure was commenced February 14, 1870. The timbers were drawn from Adamson's Grove and much of it was hewed out from the forest kings by hand. A carpenter named Conley, of Newton, was engaged to build the church, the work being largely performed by the men of the church. The ladies furnished dinners for the workmen, both at the timber and at the building site. All but the price of two barrels of lime for the foundation had been contributed. When Fourth of July came round they held a rousing celebration and it was visited by many from outside, including many from Newton. The ladies made a handsome profit on articles sold on the Fourth and the first to occupy the new church was the Robert M. Hill family, of father, mother and three children. They stayed the night after the celebration in order to watch and care for dishes and provisions that had been left over from the feast. They were joined in the early morning by Mrs. Badger, who walked from her farm house and took breakfast in the church with the Hills and they then counted over the proceeds of the celebration with thankful hearts. This church was not erected without much sacrifice. State Teasurer Rankin had been selected to orate on that Fourth (1870), but not coming, he sent a twenty-dollar bill for the use of the church. One hundred dollars more was sent by the Church Extension Society and another hundred from Mrs. Hill's old home church in Linn County, Iowa.

The date of real church organization was October 27, 1870. It was not fully perfected, however, until in December of that year, when fifteen members were taken into the church. At that time, the elder was Robert McCartney; trustees, Amos B. Rees and Henry C: Richardson.

By the excellent financial management of Robert M, Hill (still living), the church was dedicated by Rev. William Johnson, free of any debts. The first person to be baptized here was David J. Matchett, at the second meeting held in the new building. Weekly prayer meetings were established "to continue Wednesday evenings, perpetually," A Sabbath school was early formed and has been kept up ever since.

Rev. William Johnson was to be the pastor, but had a call to preach in Indiana, and wrote the church officers ("on the wing") that he had to leave them and could not accept the work here, but wanted to frequently "hear from the church that dwelt solitary in the woods."

Among the preachers who served as supplies, for a longer or shorter period, may be recalled Revs. Joseph Boyd, Richard Turnbull, Hugh F. Wallace, R. C. Wyatt, A. J. Graham, A. McCartney, J. Taylor, J. F, Tate, C. T. McCanaghan, F. K. ,Martin, S. M. Black, H. McHatton, R. Gray, S. McArthur. The last served until the call of the regular pastor, Rev. E. S. McMichael, who had charge both here and at Newton till 1873, when Newton of was set off into a church by itself. Rev. McMichael served in all from 1872 to 1879, and was followed by Rev. J. A. Ferguson, who served till 1882, and then came Rev. J. A, McCalmount to 1889. The next was Rev. W. A. Campbell, 1890-92; in the first twenty-five years of the church's history there had been twelve supply and thirteen stated pastors "settled." Since then there have been Revs. John Ferguson, E. F. Gillis, each seven years' pastorate, and now the church is "supplied."

The present total membership is about sixty. At one date, this church had sent out and in active work sixteen members who were teachers, college students, preachers and lawyers, showing the wonderful influence for good citizenship, education and Christianity that had sprung from this little country church. Miss Kate A. Hill, daughter of Robert M. Hill and wife, has been a missionary to India for fifteen years. A better family and church record can scarcely be found in the state than this one. Miss Hill is one of five sisters, all of whom were teachers. She is building up a thirty thousand dollar school for girls in India, to be named for her. Another, reared in this church, is Avery Fales, doing home missionary work in New Mexico.

Robert M. Hill, one of the founders of this church, worked at day wages for a few shillings per day, to pay for the few evergreens and willow trees which now grace the front yard of this beautiful country church. These now tall, stately trees will doubtless stand in their waving green long years after the death of the devout man who, in the prime of his manhood, planted them, a living, growing monument to his rare devotion to the cause he had so sacrificed for.

NEWTON UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The United Presbyterian church at Newton has a history running along the same lines as the one in Palo Alto, just mentioned. It sprang from this parent church in 1873, and they worshiped in the Presbyterian Church until they purchased the old Universalist church building. After a number of years they tore this down and erected in 1897 their present neat church on the corner of, Olive and McDonald Streets, the old site of the original Universalist building. The same pastors have served both this and the Palo Alto church for all of these eventful years. Just now they have no pastor. The present membership is something over one hundred and seventy.

REFORMED CHURCH

At Galesburg, this county, there was formed a church of the Reformed denomination, early in July 1891. The Reformed Church in America began mission work at this point and in October 1891, the society was organized. At first the congregation worshiped in the Methodist Episcopal Church, later in the Christian Church, and then for a time on the second floor of the parsonage. In the fall of 1897 the building of a church was contemplated, and on the 11th of April 1898, the corner stone was laid and on July 13th, the same year, this neat mission church was most joyfully dedicated. People from different parts of the country and pastors from the various denominations participated.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

This denomination is not now represented largely in Jasper County. A small body of this faith of religionists was organized at Monroe in 1871, by Elder Canright. The first members were Rebecca and Sarah A. Stemm, John Johnson and wife, Joseph Bennington and wife and George Marshall and wife. This denomination has not grown to any considerable extent in Jasper County with the passing of the years.

UNITED BRETHREN CHURCHES

UNITED BRETHREN IN HICKORY GROVE

This church was formed in 1872, organized by Rev. G. P. Fisher in Hickory Grove township, where there is also another of the same denomination. The one now written of is known as Hickory Grove, and the other, a history of which follows this, is known as the Union Chapel. Hickory Grove Church now has a membership of about sixty. The only remaining charter member of this society is Mrs. Priscilla Burroughs.

The building at Hickory is frame, thirty-six by forty feet, and in the beginning cost one thousand five hundred dollars, but in later times has been remodeled and added to, at an expense of one thousand five hundred dollars more.

UNION CHAPEL UNITED BRETHREN

This society was organized in section 5, Hickory Township, sometime early in the eighties. Its edifice cost, originally, one thousand three hundred dollars. It has a present membership of about fifty. One of the members has kindly furnished the following facts concerning this society:

In the eighties, sometime after the schoolhouse was built on section 5, Hickory Grove Township, the United Brethren organized a class and the preacher from the Hickory Grove Church of the same denomination, preached at the schoolhouse in the afternoon, once in two weeks. The members at that date were as follows: Daniel Benedict and wife, Hiram Benedict and wife, Dewitt Benedict and wife, Thomas Doane and wife, Nathaniel Welch and wife. The pastors who have served here are the same as served at the Hickory Grove church, and included these, but the list is incomplete: Revs. Durfee, George Rose, George Vandeventer, W. T. Dawson, Frank Butley, A. B. C. Dewatter, R. L. Purdy, H. E. Slattery, D. C. and A. M. Tolbett, E. A. Elliott, L. L. Nichols, under whom the church was erected; Revs. L. L. Nichols, 1889; W. A. King; 1899, W. A. King; 1900, A. T. Wright; 1901- 02, W. Stevenson; 1903, E. C. Wolcott; 1904, E. C. McCurdy; 1905-06, N. F. Hicks; 1907-8, C. Violett; 1909, C. E. McCurdy; 1910, R. P. Roberts; 1911, C. C. Hobson.

The present building was erected in 1869-70, as above referred to, and section 5, township 81, range 17. It is twenty-six by forty feet, is built with arched ceiling and is beautifully frescoed and has modern seats.

YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

A society of this order was established at Newton in February 1874, with seven members. The officers were: S. J. Moyer, president; J. C. Aydelotte, vice-president; David Van Giesen, treasurer; James Mitchell, Charles Jackson, Charles A. Clark, trustees.

A mission Sabbath school was organized by this association in North Newton in March 1876.

The association also established a lecture course in 1877, which was highly successful. AJ reading room was maintained, open afternoons and evenings, as well as Sundays. For a number of years this society was very active, but with the formation of other kindred societies within the numerous churches, the Young Men's Christian Association was allowed to run down.

UNIVERSALIST CHURCH

This denomination has never been very strong in the west, especially in Iowa and in Jasper County.

At Newton, right after the close of the Civil War, in 1865, such a society was formed with but a small membership. The following year its numbers had increased to that extent that it was thought best to build for themselves a house of worship. They bought a lot with an unfinished church building upon it, for which they paid one thousand dollars. This building was finished to the taste of the new society at a cost of two thousand dollars more; making the whole property cost three thousand dollars. It was situated at the corner of Olive and McDonald Streets and still stands.

Up to 1876 the ministers who preached for this society included Revs. Edmonds, J. B. Gilman, Woodbury, Nash and Sage. About 1874 Rev. Rogan, a former pastor of the Congregational church, having modified his radical opinions, resigned his charge and entered into other work for a time, but in 1876 or 1877 he began to hold meetings in the Universalist Church, which were attended by several members of the Congregational faith. This led up to a unity of organization among his hearers, who joined in the plan of employing him as settled pastor.

The trustees in 1878 were recorded as O. G. Drew, Henry Krisner, Albert Harrah, S. N. Lindley and John Long. After years of struggle this society went down and many of its members found a church home in the Newton Congregational church. The Universalist building was sold to the United Presbyterian society whose church now stands where stood the old church.