Jefferson County Online A part of the IAGenWeb and USGenWeb Projects Sabbath-School Association

The association known as the Jefferson County Sabbath-School Association was organized at Fairfield, Iowa, December 11, 1867. The prime movers in the organization were W. Maynard, Pastor Presbyterian Church; J. H. Wells, Superintendent Congregational Sunday School; J. A. Spielman, Assistant Superintendent Lutheran Sunday School; Thomas Merrill, Pastor Congregational Church; Chauncey Darby, Pastor Baptist Church; A. Axline, Pastor Lutheran Church; C. H. Whiting, Superintendent Presbyterian Sunday School; W. C. Shippen, Pastor Methodist Episcopal Sunday School; A. Watrous, Superintendent Baptist Sunday School; Mary Henn, Assistant Superintendent St. Peter Episcopal Church; W. F. Cowdery, Assistant Superintendent St. Peter Episcopal Church -- all of Fairfield.

The sole object of the Association is to advance the noble and glorious work of the Sunday school.

At the called meeting for organization there were represented 24 schools of the county, there having been 119 delegates appointed and in attendance to represent the schools. The following persons were chosen as officers of the permanent organization: President, Rev. C. Darby; Vice President, Daniel Brown.

The first annual meeting of the Association was held April 14, 1868, in the Presbyterian Church in Fairfield. The following persons were elected officers for the ensuing year: President, Thomas D. Evans; Vice Presidents, N. S. Averill, B. Giltner, J. A. Spielman; Treasurer, John A. Wells; Secretary, Daniel Brown.

The second annual meeting was held April 13, 1869, in the Congregational Church in Fairfield. President Evans in the chair. The following report from the Secretary shows the work to be progressing:

Reports were received from 8 townships, showing the number of schools therein to be 42, the total enrollment of which is 2,647, and the amount of money collected to sustain them, $615.43. No report was received from Polk, Penn, Buchanan and Cedar Townships.

The following were elected the officers: President, Thomas D. Evans; Vice Presidents, N. S. Averill, B. Giltner, J. A. Spielman; Treasurer, George Stever; Secretary, Daniel Brown.

The third annual convention was held May 17, 1870, in the Lutheran Church, Fairfield. Seven townships reported at this convention, showing that 24 schools had elected delegates to the same, the total membership thereof being 2,140. President, Thomas D. Evans; Vice Presidents, O. O. Sheldon, Daniel Rider and A. Watrous; Treasurer, G. A. Unkrich; Secretary, C. S. Byrkit.

The fourth annual convention met at Batavia, Iowa, June 6 and 7, 1871, in the Presbyterian Church. This convention will be long remembered by those who were in attendance, it being the best in point of interest, freedom of discussion and attendance, of any of the meetings of the Association. Thirty schools were reported by 10 townships, with a membership of 2,300, and were represented by 168 delegates. President, T. D. Evans; Vice Presidents, Rev. A. Axline, T. A. Robb and O. O. Sheldon; Treasurer, G. A. Unkrich; Secretary, C. S. Byrkit.

The fifth annual meeting of the Association was held at the Congregational church, Fairfield, June 4 and 5, 1872. At this meeting, 11 townships were represented, reporting 39 schools in the county, with a membership of 2,879. President, Thomas D. Evans; Vice Presidents, J. A. Ireland, N. S. Averill and Benjamin Andrews; Secretary, B. Giltner; Treasurer, Hon. William Hopkirk. During the year, the Secretary (B. Giltner) removed from the State, and, on the 12th of April, 1873, at a meeting of the Executive Committee, T. Y. Lynch was appointed Secretary.

The sixth annual convention met in the Methodist Episcopal Church at Fairfield, June 3 and 4, 1873. Owing to the removal of Mr. Giltner, and the necessary appointment of a new Secretary, to whom the work was new, the interest in the convention was not as great as at former sessions, for want of proper advertisement. Only 36 schools were reported at this convention, there being reports but from 7 townships, the total membership of the schools being 1,972. As shown by reort of the Treasurer, there was $176.04 in his hands, the amount having been raised by a railroad excursion to Burlington. President, Thomas D. Evans; Vice Presidents, William Hopkirk, William Claridge and A. B. Scott; Secretary, T. Y. Lynch; Treasurer, J. A. Spielman.

The seventh annual meeting was held in the Lutheran Church in Fairfield, June 2 and 3, 1874. The weather being very unfavorable, the attendance the first day was less than was hoped for, but the second day's meeting was largely attended and great interest was taken in the work. The reports showed there were 49 schools in the county, 39 of which reported and elected delegates to this meeting, the total membership of which was 3,080. The report of the Treasurer shows the financial condition of the Association to be good, there being in his hands $189.95. President, Rev. William M. Sparr; Vice Presidents, Eld. Allen Hickey, N. S. Averill and William Hopkirk; Secretary, T. Y. Lynch; Treasurer, J. A. Spielman.

The eighth annual convention met at Glasgow, June 1 and 2, 1875, in the Congregational Church. The weather throughout the whole convention was very unfavorable for delegates from abroad attending, still the meeting was interesting and very profitable. One of the enjoyable features was a basket dinner on Wednesday, prepared by the friends in and about Glasgow. Reports were received from 9 townships, reporting 40 schools in the county, 34 of which reported and elected delegates to this convention. Total membership, 2,761. There was in the Treasurer's hands, $115.45. The expenses of the Association were largely in excess of previous years because of payments to the State Association and a Fourth of July Sunday-school picnic. President, Rev. H. E. Wing; Vice Presidents, William Hopkirk, David Webster and Rev. J. Barnett; Treasurer, J. A. Spielman; Secretary, T. Y. Lynch.

The ninth annual meeting of the convention was held in the Presbyterian Church in Pleasant Plain, June 6 and 7, 1879. This was perhaps the largest and most interesting convention the Association ever held, there being in attendance over 300 members. The reports from schools are not as large as expected or hoped for, because of a necessary change in the method and form of reporting which the Superintendents did not seem to understand. Still there were reported 27 schools from 9 townships, with a membership of 2,142. The amount in Treasurer's hands, $100.11. President, Rev. J. Barnett; Vice Presidents, David Webster, T. D. McClelland and William Hopkirk; Treasurer, J. A. Spielman; Secretary, T. Y. Lynch.

The tenth annual meeting of the Association was held at Salina, June 6, 1877. Owing to a very heavy rainstorm during the night of June 4, whereby many of the bridges over the larger streams in the county were destroyed, rendering it almost impossible to reach Salina, there was no session on June 5, and but few present from a distance on the 6th, still those who were present had an interesting and instructive convention. Officers elected: President, Rev. C. Reed; Vice Presidents, B. C. Andrews, William Hopkirk and H. C. Rock; Treasurer, J. A. Spielman, Secretary, T. Y. Lynch.

The eleventh annual convention was held at Libertyville, June 4 and 5, 1878, the M. E. Church. From the very outset, this was a most interesting convention, the workers working with great earnestness and zeal, each subject being opened and discussed in a manner that showed much thought and careful preparation. A committee, viz.: J. French, J. A. Spielman and T. Y. Lynch were appointed to organize conventions in each township, if possible, in order to arouse and enlist the workers in a hearty co-operation in the work throughout the county. Number of schools reported in the county, 61; number of schools reporting at the convention, 39; membership of those reporting, 5,864. Officers, President, Rev. W. M. Sparr; Vice Presidents, B. C. Andrews, W. B. Frame and A. Loomis; Treasurer, J. A. Spielman; Secretary, T. Y. Lynch.

At present writing, the committee have organized the following conventions: Polk Township, September 24.; Liberty and Des Moines, October 12; Penn, at Pleasant Plains (sic), October 19; Round Prairie and Cedar, November 2 and 3; Locust Grove, November 9; Walnut, November 17; Buchanan and Lockridge, November 24; Fairfield, December 1, and Black Hawk, December 8.