| LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA |  |
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| LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA | |
Pg 127
Cairo, Iowa
Transcribed by Beverly Gerdts, August 20, 2016
The Cairo Evangelical Church was built in 1916, the dedication service was held on July 9, 1916. The Rev. George A. Stauffacher was the first pastor. The parsonage was bought for $800.00, it was situated next to the church. At first the Cairo and Spring Run Churches were on the same charge and served by the same pastor. In later years the Cairo and Cranston churches were on the same charge.
Some of the pastors that served the church were Rev. George Stauffacher, Rev. L. H. Wood, Rev. George J. Roth, Rev. G. H. Bamford, Rev. Charles Lang, Rev. H. W. Hendricks, Rev. Leslie B. Deedrick, Rev. J. Lynn King, Rev. W. T. Boston, Rev. Joseph Ricks and probably others.
The Ladies Cairo Evangelical Circle held monthly meeting in the homes of members and held a chicken supper and bazaar each fall.
The District Superintendent met quarterly with the officers of the church and conducted communion services.
A children’s day program was held each year as well as a Christmas program and a Sunday School picnic each summer in some neighboring park.
One member’s fond memories include that of Mrs. Minnie Johansmeier who had no children of her own, but made little stuffed toys or dolls for each child and hung them on her Christmas tree. Each week the children received story papers or colored cards at Sunday School. Miss Betty Tieman was also a favorite teacher and is remembered for the hand written booklets of memory verses that she gave her pupils. Mrs. L. B. Deedrick was a bedfast invalid for many years, but was such a cheerful person and real inspiration to the young people to be helpful and show that a person can still be cheerful in spite of afflictions. When her sister was married at the Cairo Church she was carried into the ceremony on a cot.
The following is taken from an account of the 25th anniversary celebration of the church in July, 1941 as taken from the files of the Columbus Junction Gazette: “ The anniversary program will begin on Thursday, July 24, at 8:00 PM with Rev. G. H. Bamford of Mason City, bringing the message. Rev. L. H. Wood of Belle Plaine, now retired will assist in the service. Rev. Bamford was the pastor of the church from 1923-1927 and Rev. Wood from 1918-1920.
On Friday Rev. I. L. Baumgartner of Cedar Falls, District Superintendent will bring the message, assisted by Rev. F. R. Blakely a former District Superintendent, now serving a congregation at Dumont. Rev. and Mrs. Bamford will present a duet, accompanied at the piano by their daughter Elinor. Other special music will be furnished by Mrs. Robert Briggs of Winfield.
The official anniversary service will be held on Sunday Morning and will be conduced by Bishop C. H. Stauffacher, D. D. of Kansas City, Missouri. The territory under his supervision is the Southwestern Untied States. Special music on Sunday morning will be by Miss Betty Tieman and Mrs. George Johnson and the offertory will be a violin duet by Missies Betty and Verlee Smith.
The special music for the afternoon program will be given by the young people of the Spring Run congregation including a vocal duet by Misses Helen and Marguerite North and a solo by Wanda Lou Hall. The final service of celebration will be conducted by Rev. George A. Stauffacher, who is the brother of Bishop Stauffacher and was the first pastor of the Cairo Evangelical Church. The music will be furnished by the Junior and Senior Choirs of this church.”
Picture: Cairo Evangelical Brethren
Picture: Sunday School, Cairo E U B Church, circa 1941
Back row L-R: Margaret Boysen (teacher), Loraine Wiley, Adena Jennings,--, Evelyn Tindal,--Werner, Fern Simmons, Verna Thomas. Front row: Doyce Jennings, Vernon Wiley, Feryl Fletcher, Raymond Smith.
Pg 128
Picture: Ladies Aid of Cairo E U B Church, circa 1941
Back row L-R: Mrs. Bergan, Betty Tieman, Hazel Fletcher, -- Simmons, Marie Boysen, Ethel Merkshire, Ethyl Briggs.
Middle row: Margaret Boysen, Mary Miller, Minnie Johansmier, Minnie Mewhirter, Suella Boysen, Mildred Smith, Mae Tindal.
Front kneeling: Ruth Fletcher, Rev. Leslie Dietrick, Marilyn Berkshire.
Picture: Ladies Aid of Cairo E U B Church, circa 1941
Back row L-R: Rev. Leslie Dietrick, Margaret Boysen, -- Simmons, Hazel Fletcher, Betty Tieman, Ethel Berkshire, Marie Boysen, Mrs. Bergan.
Middle row: Mildred Smith, Mae Tindal, Minnie Mewhirter, Mary Miller, Suella Boysen (child).
Front seated: Minnie Johansmier, Ethyl Briggs, Marilyn Berkshire, (little boy), Ruth Fletcher.
Picture: Adult Sunday School Class 1943
Front row: Paul Wiley, Gale Smith, T. A. Berkshire, Roy Aringdale, William Johanmeier.
2nd row: Mrs. Ted Boysen, Mrs. Gale Smith, Mrs. T. A. Berkshire, Mrs. Frank Baird, J. D. Marshall, Frank Baird, Boyd Boysen, Weaver Briggs.
Back row: Mrs. Paul Wiley, Mrs. Arthur Mewhirter, Mrs. J. S. Marshall, Mrs. Otto Miller, Otto Miller, Rev. L. B Deedrick.
Picture: left to right: Donna Sellers (daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jay Sellers), Anna Boysen (daughter of Ted and Marie Boysen, now Mrs. Irving Diehl), Verlee Smith (Daughter of Gale and Mildred Smith, wife of Keith Wells, Keota, IA), Mabel Wykert (daughter of Tom and Bessie Wykert, wife of Frank Edwards, Joplin, Mo), Betty Tieman, SS teacher, Florida, Melba Wykert (twin of Mabel, wife of Burdette Allen, Burlington), Marie Boysen (daughter of Boyd and Margaret Boysen, wife of J. O. Mecklenburg, Ft. Dodge), and Helen Aringdale, (daughter of Roy and Nellie Aringdale, Columbus Junction, IA). August 1942
Pg 129
Picture: Betty Tieman’s Sunday School Class - Cairo E. U. B. Church
Front row: Donald Renberg, Adolph Boysen, Glen Thomas, Rev. L. B. Deedrick.
Back row: Betty Smith, Helen Aringdale, Mabel Wykert, Melba Wykert, Betty Tieman (teacher), Margaret Boysen, Verlee Smith, Marie Boysen and Anna Boysen. June 1939
Picture: Mrs. Boyd Boysen’s Sunday School class - Cairo E. U. B. Church
Margaret ( Mrs. Boyd) Boysen, teacher, front row: first two girls unidentified, Verna Thomas and Nelda Fletcher. Back row: Raymond Smith, Vernon Wiley, Doyce Jennings, Unknown Boy, and Elmer Boysen.