| LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA |  |
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| LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA | |
Pg 36
Transcribed by Beverly Gerdts, August 4, 2016
The Baptist Church came together in 1850. In the early days worshipers met in homes and also in the Christian Church. In 1856 they voted to raise $10.00 to pay for using the Christian Church. They met in April of 1858 to decide to build a 30 ft x 40 ft, one story fourteen ft. high building with thirteen inch thick walls and a good stone foundation. In 1861 the site was purchased and the church built in 1862 with a dedication in 1863. In 1865 each lady was taxed .50 cents and each man member taxed $1.00 for church repairs.
Picture: Columbus City Baptist Church.
Pg 65
Situated on a high crest near the center of Louisa County, the Louisa Center Church has been a landmark for more then three-quarters of a century. The church building itself was dedicated in 1905, but as a body of believers, it goes back another half century.
On November 16,1850 a number of Christians met at Columbus City for the purpose of forming a Baptist Church. It appears that the church had no minister at this time, the various elders serving as spiritual leaders. Records indicate that services were held once a month in the Christian Church and various other buildings. In November 1851 Elder Morey offered to serve as pastor half-time for one hundred dollars a year. In September 1852 he with drew his offer since the money could not be raised. At that time, Rev. William Rheums Woodruff was chosen as pastor, presumably on a free-will offering basis.
Rev. Woodruff served as pastor most of the time during the next twenty years as his health permitted. Evidently he was a man of varied abilities, having taught school in both Mt. Pleasant and Wapello. He also served as County Superintendent in 1858. It was reported by a granddaughter that he helped establish 22 Baptist churches in Southeast Iowa as well as many public schools.
From the earliest years a number of families from the Louisa Center neighborhood attended the church at Columbus City. It was a long, slow trip by horse and carriage and an early start was necessary. The story is told that one of the deacons, John Morgan, would grow impatient waiting for the others to get ready and would start the trip on foot.
At a meeting April 16, 1858, it was resolved that a church be built, “dimensions 30 x 40 with walls to be 13 inches thick.” But it was not until 1863 that the needed $12000 was raised and the church building in Columbus City was dedicated. During 1862 and 1863 before the building was completed, services were held at Louisa Center in the schoolhouse.
On September 31,1871 the church record stated, “The number received into the Columbus City Baptist Church in every way to date is 207.”
An indication of the kind of church discipline practiced in those early days is revealed by the notations about a number of members who were excluded. Some of the reasons given were: gossiping, lying, dishonest dealing and spreading dissension within the church.
In the fall of 1871, twenty-three members who lived in the Louisa Center area petitioned the Columbus City Church that they might leave the mother church and form a congregation at Louisa Center. The petition was granted. Rev. Woodruff was among those twenty-three members and he took an active part in the organization of the new church.
| James Woodruff | Jemina Woodruss | Mary Jane Bell |
| Almina Woodruss | Oliver Boden | Samuel Ludlow |
| Ellen Woodruff | Emily Boden | Ellen Ludlow |
| Ellen Adye | Seth Bouton | Wm. Ludlow |
| John Morgan | Mary Bouton | David Woodruff |
| Rebecca Jane Morgan | Amzi Donaldson | Maryanne Woodruss |
| James Morgan | Almira Donaldson | Sarah Reynolds |
| Rev. W. R. Woodruss | Jerusha Donaldson |
Pg 66
The first meeting of the group was held November 7, 18971 at the Louisa Center school house. Services continued at this site for many years.
In 1899 the move was made to build a house of worship. A committee was appointed to solicit funds. In 1904 John Morgan granted a half-acre of his ground located at the “four corners”. The building committee, consisting of Mortimer Donaldson, Benjamin Woodruff, and Thomas Morgan, were instructed to see two or three builders and have them submit plans for, and cost of, a building “32 feet by 42 feet with 14 foot studding.” The cost was approximately $2000 and James Bennett as the builder. January 1, 1905 the completed church was dedicated.
Church and Sunday School continued to be held throughout the years. Pastors were shared with other Baptist churches in the association. Records are not complete, but by the late 1930s only a few Baptists lived in the vicinity. A community non-denominational Sunday School net in the church building. In 1944 the body of believers re-organized and were incorporated as the Louisa Center Community Church. Sunday School was held regularly and worship services whenever possible.
Although the congregation was small, in 1952 Rev. William Moon was called as pastor and served until 1977. During his ministry, membership and attendance grew; a basement and front entrance were added, and the church was modernized. A large Daily Vacation Bible school was held each summer and two youth groups met each week. By 1978 attendance had again dwindled and services were discontinued.
The church was reopened October 17, 1982 with the assistance of the Home Missionary Program of the Southeast Iowa Southern Baptist Association and constituted again as a Baptist Church in June 1983. At the time, the church was re-roofed, painted and redecorated. Services have been discontinued since February 1987.
| 1871 | Rev. W. R. Woodruff |
| 1874 | Rev. C. Brooks |
| 1876 | Rev. M. Murdock |
| 1878 | Rev. Jeffries |
| 1881 | W. Hutch |
| 1882 | Rev. J. Hessell |
| 1883 | Rev. Elliot |
| 1885 | J. M. Wood |
| 1889 | D. Bancroft |
| 1890 | Rev. Jones |
| 1893 | Rev. Gregory |
| 1897 | Rev. L. George |
| 1898 | Rev. William Oliver |
| 1901 | Rev. J. Longson |
| 1903 | Rev. J. S. Nicholson |
| 1906 | Rev. W. A. Nelson |
| 1911 | Rev. J. C. Shipp |
| 1913 | Rev. A. B. Warnner |
| 1915 | Rev. J. Schutz |
| 1917 | Rev. C. S. Sloan |
| 1918 | Rev. C. E. Riddington |
| 1924 | Rev. J. W. Neyman and |
| Mrs. J. W. Neyman | |
| Rev. LeFever | |
| Rev. Lynn Pace | |
| Rev. Caleb Larson | |
| Rev. W. L. Sanford | |
| Rev. Enoch Sanford | |
| Rev. John Sanford | |
| Rev. Clifford Hannam | |
| 1952-1977 | Rev. William Moon |
| 1982 | Robert Wilson |
| Rev. T. D. Lunsford | |
| 1985 | Rev. Michael Gordon |