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A part of the IAGenWeb and USGenWeb Projects Libertyville area churches Fairview Baptist -- Mt. Zion Methodist Libertyville Presbyterian -- Winsell Chapel |
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A part of the IAGenWeb and USGenWeb Projects Libertyville area churches Fairview Baptist -- Mt. Zion Methodist Libertyville Presbyterian -- Winsell Chapel |
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"Jefferson County Records"
by Orville & Mary Prill, 1971
Volume 9, Page 44
FAIRVIEW BAPTIST CHURCH, NE Corner of SW¼ Sec. 21 (Des Moines Township)
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"The Fairfield Ledger"
November 17, 1897
[Note: This is part of a column of varied news from Libertyville.]
.... There will be a Sunday school convention at the Fairview Baptist chapel in Des Moines township Sunday, November 28th, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and continuing all day; the program will be published next week....
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"The Fairfield Ledger"
Thursday, June 22, 1950
Fairview Baptist Church, located about mid-center of Des Moines Township, torn down in 1913 or shortly after....
"The Fairfield Ledger"
November 17, 1897
[Note: This is part of a column of varied news from Libertyville.]
.... The Mt. Zion M.E. church will be re-opened Sabbath, December 5th; the building has been re-modeled and improved, and is now substantially a new edifice; the society is entitled to much credit for the success attending this laudable enterprise....
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"The Fairfield Ledger"
December 8, 1897
[Note: This is part of a column of varied news from Libertyville.]
LIBERTYVILLE.
Editors Ledger:--Mt. Zion M.E. church was re-dedicated Sabbath morning; Rev. C. Springer preached the sermon and managed the finances, and a sufficient amount of money was raised to remove all indebtedness; the church has been thoroughly remodeled and improved, making it substantially a new building and modern in style of architecture; the people are entitled to much credit for the success of the enterprise; Mr. Atlee of Ft. Madison generously sent the society a draft for $15 to aid in payment of the indebtedness....
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"Jefferson County Records"
by Orville & Mary Prill, 1971
Volume 9, Page 44
MT. ZION METHODIST CHURCH, Alongside south line of SW¼, Sec. 27
"The Fairfield Ledger"
Saturday, November 4, 1967
Page 8, Column 5
Church To Hold 100th Birthday Celebration
LIBERTYVILLE -- The Mt. Zion Methodist Church located 5½ miles s.w. of Libertyville will celebrate its 100th anniversary with special ceremonies on Sunday, Nov. 12.
The day will also be observed at the church's regular Harvest Home Sunday with special "Thank Offerings" for the general church budget.
Members of the committee have planned a full day's program. Regular services begin with Sunday School at 10 a.m., worship services at 11 a.m. A co-op dinner will be served at noon.
The Rev. J. Roland Crandall, Ottumwa, district superintendent for the Methodist Church, will be guest speaker during the Rededication services in the afternoon.
There will also be time for visiting and reminiscing throughout the day. All members and friends of the church are urged to attend. Those from a distance, or those who can't attend are asked to send a letter so the committee may keep in touch with the members.
Mrs. Robert McDonough, Libertyville; and Mrs. Fred Fulton, Selma, are serving as members of the committee for the special observance.
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"The Fairfield Ledger"
Wednesday, November 8, 1967
Page 3, Columns 1 and 2
Mount Zion Methodist Church 100 Years Old
LIBERTYVILLE -- The Mount Zion Methodist Church, located south of Libertyville, is one hundred years old this year.
Members of the congregation will celebrate the church's birthday next Sunday, Nov. 12, with special services.
History
At a quarterly meeting of the Methodist Episcopal Church held at Mt. Moriah, Iowa, on Jan. 26, 1867, it was decided to erect a Methodist Church near Miller's School in Des Moines Township, Jefferson County.
The following persons were appointed to build the church: John D. WALKER, A. W. JACKSON, Valentine STRAYER, Clarkson ASHMEAD, John COPELAND and Willis COPELAND.
The church was to be known as the Mount Zion Chapel of Des Moines Township. It is still known by that name. The southwest corner of the Samuel Ashmead farm was chosen as the site on which to build the chapel.
A frame building, 30 by 40 feet, was constructed at a cost of $1,075. The original building has been remodeled three times.
When the church was first organized it was located in what was then known as the Keokuk District. It was later changed to the Mount Pleasant District; and still later to the Ottumwa District.
Minister
The church shares a minister with the Libertyville and Bethesda Congregations. The present minister is the Rev. Warren Hendershott who occupies the parsonage at Libertyville.
He came to his present charge in June, 1967, from the Bangor Friends Church at Union, Iowa. He and Mrs. Hendershott are the parents of five children.
Members of the committee in charge of next Sunday's observance said they hope former members, friends and pastors will help the congregation celebrate the occasion. They said many interesting items are being loaned for display of church historical interest.
The program Sunday will begin with Sunday School at 10 a.m.; worship service at 11 a.m. followed by a basket dinner at noon.
The afternoon services will begin at 1:45 p.m. with a Rededication Service in charge of Rev. Crandall, followed by a short program. Rev. Crandall will also speak during the morning service.
The day's activities will close with an Anniversary tea to be held in the community room.
"The Fairfield Ledger"
Wednesday, September 20, 1893
Page 3, Column 2
The new Presbyterian church at Libertyville was dedicated Sunday, Rev. J. F. Magill of this city delivering the dedicatory sermon. Persons who were present say the structure is one of the handsomest and most convenient among the smaller churches of the county. It is seated with folding chairs and is well and tastily furnished.
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"The Fairfield Tribune"
Thursday, December 21, 1922
Libertyville Presbyterian Church History Dates To 1850
Handsome New Structure Which Was Dedicated Last Sunday Represents Realization Of Hopes Which Have Long Been Deferred.
Libertyville's new $10,000 Presbyterian church was dedicated, free from all indebtedness, last Sunday, and the event was made an occasion for the reading of the history of the church, which follows, by Frank Fell:
The complete history of the Libertyville Presbyterian church, taking into account all the different persons that had any prominent part in its buildings and government, would make a report entirely too long to be given at this time, so I shall mention only what appears to me to be the most important events in its history and growth.
The Presbyterian church of Libertyville, Iowa, was organized with eleven members August 9, 1850. The following is the official minutes of the organization:
Libertyville, Iowa, August 9, 1850. According to previous notice a number of persons wishing to be constituted into a Presbyterian church met in the Methodist Epescopal (sic) meeting house and presented satisfactory evidence by certificate or otherwise of membership in the Presbyterian church and voluntarily desired to associate together as a particular church with their off-spring in divine worship and Godly living agreeable to the holy scriptures and promising submission to the form of government prescribed in the confession of faith adopted by the Presbyterian church (commonly called the old school).
The following persons were therefore associated together as a particular church for the purpose above stated, towit: Alexander WILSON, Mrs. Alexander WILSON, Mrs. Eliza WILSON, James McELDERRY, Barbara McELDERRY, his wife; James H. TURNER, Margaret TURNER, his wife; Mrs. Ann SHIPLER, Miss ROBINSON, James J. ALLISON, Catherine ALLISON, his wife; and declared to be a particular church according to the confession of faith, chapter 2, section 4. Resolved, that the church be styled the Libertyville Presbyterian church and that it be reported to the Presbytery with a request that it be taken under the care of said Presbytery of Iowa. S. G. Bell, moderator.
The first congregational meeting was held August 31, 1850. At this meeting the first ruling elders were elected, James McELDERRY and James H. TURNER. The first meeting of the session was held June 5, 1852. At this meeting eight members were received into the church. The session records first appeared in Presbytery at its meeting April 14, 1852, at Winchester, Iowa (now the Birmingham church), at which meeting the Rev. Samuel C. McCUNE was moderator.
For a short time before the organization of the church, preaching services ha dbeen (sic) conducted by the Rev. S. G. BELL in the old brick Methodist Episcopal church that was then located just south of town, very near the present location of Purl Armstrong's barn.
Early in 1851, a frame building 24x36, that had originally been built for a lyceum by a stock company, a prominent member of which was S. H. Watkins, Sr., was donated to the church as a house of worship and moved on the present church lot. This church was seated with slabs on pins with no backs. Sermons then must have been unusually interesting or the people more anxious to hear than now. But in a year or two through the generosity of Thomas BYRES, who gave the timber in the woods, and the labor of the people in the woods and at the sawmill, the church was quite comfortably seated.
February 2, 1855, the Rev. James CALDWELL became pastor of the church, being the first installed pastor. This pastorate continued for twelve years, or to April, 1867. The congregation having secured a settled pastor, resolved to build a new house of worship and in the spring of 1856 a brick building, 35x55 costing $3,000.00, was begun, and completed before the end of the year. All the dimension lumber for this building was cut from the timber of James Cowan and sawed at the local saw mill; the dressed lumber was hauled by wagon from Mt. Pleasant, the railroad having gone no farther west at that time.
During the years from 1855 to 1893, the church reocrds (sic) reveal many interesting facts concerning many people, whose names have been forgotten by all except the old residents, but to give even a synopsis of the history of these years would take up too much time.
Now we enter upon what may be called a second era of the church's history, when in the early spring of 1893 T. C. McNARY, just graduated from McCormic Theological seminary, was invited to supply the pulpit. Mr. McNARY coming from Chicago, occupied the pulpit for two or three Sabbaths, before coming on the field permanently; and on one of these Sabbaths at the morning service, made a move for a new church building, with the result that those present subscribed over $1,100.00. This was followed by a further canvass of the congregation, and with the result the following September 17, the building that burned last May was dedicated free of any debt, and at a cost of $2,636.00.
At a congregational meeting held Dec. 29, 1913, a committee was appointed to ascertain the probable cost of remodeling the church to meet present needs of community and church service, and to ascertain the probable amount of funds that could be obtained for the purpose, committee to report to congregation before any definite steps were taken in the matter.
At a congregational meeting, held Jan. 31, 1914, the committee reported that pledges to the amount of $1,284 had been given, with prospects of more if needed, and that the estimated cost of remodeling the church would probably not exceed the amount pledged.
This remodeling which consisted in excavating a cellar under the entire building to be used for community uses of various kinds, and the changing of the seating arrangements, together with a new entrance and new stained glass windows, was formally dedicated Sunday, Nov. 1, 1914. On May 8, 1922, this church was completely destroyed by fire; the next day Sunday, May 9, the congregation held Sunday school in Leedy hall. The next Sunday, May 16, the services were held in the old seventh day Adventist church. The following minutes appear on the church records, which is the last record made in connection with the various buildings that have occupied this location:
Libertyville, Iowa, July 17, 1922. A church meeting was called July 16 for the purpose of voting to rebuild the church, and placing the work in the hands of Mr. Will Hill. After some discussion the members voted to start the work of rebuilding and placed the work in the hands of Mr. Hill. The meeting was closed by the pastor with the usual benediction.
The work of rebuilding the church was commenced July 31, 1922, and completed December 11, 1922.
The value of the present building and ground is estimated at $10,000.00, and today (Sunday, December 17), is dedicated free from debt.
[Note: A nearly verbatim copy of this article was published in "The Fairfield Ledger-Journal" on the following day, Friday, December 22, 1922.]
"Jefferson County Records"
by Orville & Mary Prill, 1971
Volume 9, Page 45
WINSELL CHAPEL, Sec. 33, Des Moines Township, 1875 Map.
Jefferson County Deed Book 7, Page 28.
Recorded Nov. 20 1867. Articles of Incorporation of Winsell Chapel of the Methodist Church of Des Moines Township, Jefferson County, Iowa --
Know all men that we, Johnathan H. PARSONS, Sampson PEARSON and Jonathan W. NELSON have this day associated ourselves for the purpose of establishing, building and maintaining a church society in the township of Des Moines, County of Jefferson and State of Iowa, to accomplish which end and purpose we do hereby incorporate ourselves under the laws of the State of Iowa, so far as they are applicable to such organizations, and the Discipline of the Methodist Church of the United States of America.
Article 1. The name of the corporation shall be Winsel (sic) Chapel of the Methodist Church....
I do hereby certify that the foregoing is a correct and full copy of Articles of Incorporation acknowledged by the above named Jno. W. NELSON, Sampson PEARSON, and Jno. H. PARSONS this 9th day of Oct. 1867.
(Signed)
Robert Black, J.P.
(Note: On Page 69, same book, filed Dec 12 1867, the same articles of incorporation signed by the three men named above.)
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"The Fairfield Ledger"
September 10, 1868
Page 3, Column 3
LIBERTIVILLE ITEMS.--Messrs Editors: A Grant Club was organized in Libertiville (sic), August August 29, 1868 (sic). A constitution and by-laws were adopted. 32 names were immediately enrolled, and we can soon have 100. The officers of the Club are: W. R. McCartney, President; John H. Houd, Vice President; Daniel Garber, Secretary; Isaiah W. Pancoast, Treasurer; Washington Smith, Sergeant-at-Arms. We are going to put the Illinois Tanner into the big currying shop without discount. The Club jewels are: Liberty, Peace, Justice, Right, Truth, and the Golden Rule.
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"The Fairfield Ledger"
September 17, 1868
Page 3, Column 2
WINSELL CHAPELL (sic), DES MOINES Township--Monday evening, Sept. 14 h, (sic) according to appointment, the citizens of this vicinity gathered to organize a Grant and Colfax Club, and hear an address from Capt. Wm. T. BURGESS. Great interest seemed to be felt by all. The audience was large, orderly and made a splendid appearance, which corresponded with the newly finished church which they occupied. This church is a credit to the community. It does not only show the public spirit, enterprise and christian devotion of the people, but plainly shows our prosperity under the present taxation and administration of the Government. A Grant & Colfax Club was organized, 20 or 80 members at once offered their names, after which Mr. BURGESS was called on and for 2 hours ably and earnestly discussed the issues before the people, encouraged by applause. We consider it a perfect on success hispart (sic). The issues of the hour were logically, eloquently considered, and we felt that such a speech, made by some of our congressmen or governors, would bring forth much good to the Republican cause. His manner is easy his voice good for indoor speaking, and altogether he is one of the most effective speakers I have heard in the State. H.
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"The Fairfield Ledger"
September 24, 1868
Page 3, Column 3
A gentleman traveling through the county gives an account of the Winsell Chapel meeting in Des Moines township, where Capt. BURGESS and Maj. WALKER made speeches. He reports the farmers in good spirits, after gathering an abundant harvest. The corn crop looks better all over the county than it has for years. Improvement is the order, fine houses and barns are going up everywhere. Farmers are prospering, notwithstanding the burdens of taxation imposed by a Republican Administration, which Cops talk so much about. He reports Des Moines township deficient in school houses, and asks, what is the matter?
At Batavia he found more than ordinary enterprise; improvement is rapid and permanent. In the town he reports five dry goods stores, one family grocery, hardware store, lumber yards, a new Baptist Church, and other improvements. Reports R. B. Moore, "right side up with care," and into business with a fine stock of dry goods and groceries. The Cops are "down in the mouth" over the news from Maine.
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"The Fairfield Ledger"
October 8, 1868
Page 3, Column 5
LIBERTYVILLE, Sept. 30th, '68.
Messrs. Editors :
Sir.--I notice an editorial in the Ledger of Sept. 24th, stting that "a gentleman traveling through the county gives an account of the Winsell Chapel meeting in Des Moines township, where Capt. BURGESS and Maj. WALKER made speeches," and among other things reports a deficiency of school houses in Des Moines township, and asks "what is the matter?" I can tell him. The early settlers of Des Moines township, like all the first settlers of the West, settled in the groves, and strips of timber and brush that skirt the prairies, and here they built their school houses, where they would be most convenient for the people of that day, without regard to public highways. There are seven school houses in Des Moines township, only one of which is near any important thoroughfare. The others are, some of them, near neighborhood roads, and some of them near no road at all, hence a "gentleman" did not see them. Some of these are neat, sebstantial (sic) buildings, and commodious school houses, others are the old log houses built by the first settlers, and are a good deal delapidated(.) They will, however, soon be replaced by new buildings. Arrangements have already been made to build three new school houses in Des Moines township next year. These new houses will be located near the public highways, where strangers passing through the country can see them.-- Des Moines township has been sometimes called the Egypt of Jefferson county. Perhaps this is one of the reasons her school houses are hid away in the brush. N.
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"The Fairfield Ledger"
February 25, 1869
Page 3, Column 4
Improvements in Des Moines Township.
Libertyville, Feb. 12, 1869.
Messrs. Editors Ledger:
As we have now fairly entered upon a new year, it may not be unprofitable for us to look around and see what we have done during the past year to improve our county, to make ourselves and familes (sic) more comfortable, and to increase our facilities for the successful pursuit of the various occupations which we have chosen as the business of our lives. First, then, there was finished and dedicated during the last year -- by a branch of the Methodist denomination -- a very substantial brick church, near the south line of the township, which they have named Winsell Chapel. This house is thirty by forty feet on the ground, and twelve feet high, and will seat three hundred persons. It is very handsomely furnished inside, with all that plainness and neatness, and freedom from everything gaudy or showy, for which this denomination of Christians have ever been noted. ...
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"The Fairfield Tribune"
September 7, 1892
Page 6, Column 2
SOUTH DES MOINES TOWNSHIP, Sept. 5.
The old brick M. E. church known as the Winsell chapel is in ruins. The church organization of that order had disappeared by deaths, removals, etc., from the vicinity and the walls of the building was no longer considered safe. Although it has been built by the community contributing for that purpose, it has been torn down and the material appropriated by the circuit or church in general for building up the walls of Zion in other places. There is nothing like incorporation and dedications.
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"The Fairfield Ledger-Journal"
Thursday, February 2, 1922
Page 2, Column 7
CANDLE'S GLOW IN CHURCH THEN
And In the Good Old Days It Was Wicked to Grind Coffee On Sunday
Harking back to the good old days when the elder snuffed the candle during the Sunday evening service and it was wicked to grind coffee on Sunday, Keith Allison of the ninth grade of the Libertyville schools, has written as follows:
The Presbyterian church was built of brick and it was on the same foundation as it is now. Mr. CALDWELL was the first preacher and that was about sixty-five years ago. And when they prayed all the people would stand, but now they do not all stand in prayer.
There was one door in the church then, and when you went in the door there were places to hang up your coats and caps in the hall and then there were two aisles for the people to go down to their seats. They never called Sunday school the name they do now, they always called it Sabbath school. The people were very strict they would not grind coffee, wash dishes and sew on Sunday. They would always pile the dishes back and wash them the next day.
The pulpit was about ten inches from the floor and there was one long bench in the back part for the singers to sit on, and they had a couch for the preachers to sit on. Then the church was not lighted with gasoline lights. They had tin candle stick holders and candles made of tallow. When the tallow would burn down and leave a long wick and did not give a bright light there was a certain person that would go around and trim the wicks with scissors. They did not heat the church with a furnace like they do now. They had two large stoves, one on each side of the room. And there were seats sitting all around the stove. They did not have a janitor to fix the fire when it needed coal or wood as when anybody thought the stove needed wood or coal they would get up and fix it. The people didn't go to church in cars and buggies like they do now, they had chairs sitting in the lumber wagon or in the sled. They wore calico dresses, cream colored bonnets and a shawl doubled over their backs and shoulders.
In the summer the preaches (sic) would preach barefooted and then when the people would go to church the women would go on one side of the room and the men on the other side, and when they brought their children they had the children to decide before they went inside who they were going to sit with, their mother or their father, and then they sat with the chosen one. They would have to sit there till church was over and the people went home, they first would change their clothes and save them for the next Sunday.
Alice Miller adds: In the first school house at the farther end of the building the teacher would sit with a hickory stick in hand to remind the pupils of the rule, "keep busy." Those who persisted in not obeying the rule were often called down, by a tap on the head and ordered to work.
The present value of the school property is $12,188.75.
Iva Young tells us in the early days it was their custom to wash their sunbonnets every week, whether they were dirty or not, but their dresses they would wear as long as they could without washing them because they would fade if they were washed.
Nelda Lucas adds that side walks of the olden days were not really side walks but merely planks laid here and there where they were most needed.
Edna Hoffman says in the earliest days of Libertyville, the drug business was carried on by the doctors, but later Ichabod Warner kept patent medicine in his store, then A. B. Cleasby took up this business and still carries it today.