History of the Old Antioch Church - by Mrs. Albert Bendom, June 22, 1952
History of the New Antioch Church - Written and presented by Mrs. Albert Benadom at the Centennial and Re-Dedication Service of Antioch Church, Anamosa, Iowa, August 2, 1964
The Antioch Christian Church was founded by Elder Joseph Harrison
Johnson, Michael Byerly and others in about 1860.
Elder Johnson
preached his first sermon and was ordained at the same time in Moscow,
Iowa. He came to Jones county about 1860 and the oldest gravestone in
the adjacent cemetery is from that year. There is a memorial to him in
the cemetery. Michael Byerly was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, July
10, 1818, and came to Jones county in 1846. He was a trustee of the
church and held various township offices.
Nathan Potter was also
associated with the church in its early days. Potter was converted to
the Christian faith, taking up ministerial work shortly after his
conversion, and in 1863, in Clayton county, Iowa, he was regularly
ordained to preach the gospel in the Christian Church. When he assumed
charge of the congregation in Jackson township, Antioch church was in an
unfinished condition and he was instrumental seeing to the building's
completion.
In 1882, Michael Byerly's son, Milton, married Elder
Johnson's daughter, Marie, and they were very active in the "United
Brethren church at Antioch." Charles Stivers says, "I found this in an
obit that may lead me to believe that the Antioch Church may have been
Methodist at one time. 'In December 1894, Rev. Lee received Mrs. and
Mrs. Glenn into fellowship of the Methodist church at Pleasant Valley'."
But the History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, by R. M.
Corbitt (S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910) mentions, "The
Christian Church society have a small, brick church edifice in the
northwestern part of the (Jackson) township."
According to his
obituary the Rev. Albert McMurrin preached his first sermon at Antioch
in 1925. He graduated from the Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, and went
on to pastor Church of the Nazarene and United Methodist congregations.
He is buried at the Antioch cemetery.
Antioch Christian Chapel, Church met according to previous notice at
two o'clock p.m. Meeting was opened by song, reading scriptures and
prayer by Elder W. C. Smith of Albion. Prayer and social meeting
followed. The presence of the Lord was truly among us. This meeting and
on the morow we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the organization
of this church. Organized and known first at the residence of Brother
Anthony Waggoner as the Bear Creek Valley Christian Church. All present
spoke of their faith in the Savior. Present Elder W. C. Smith, Elder
Nathan Potter, Deacons Anthony Waggoner, Michael Byerly, Eliza Waggoner,
Clementine Potter, M. C. Porter, Almira Porter, Charles and Rhoda Brown
and Maggie and Cora Beam.
Sunday and Sunday evening preaching by
Brother Smith. Anniversary service at 11 o'clock at which time Charles
and Rhoda Brown, J. L. Streeter and S. S. Streeter united with the
church and Charles and Rhoda Brown were baptized by Elder Smith.
Elizabeth & Lillian Byerly submitted the histories and program information, Kevin Shoop supplied the photo, and Jim Christianson the excerpt from the minutes.
