| LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA |  |
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| LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA | |
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Transcribed by Beverly Gerdts, August 5, 2016
The Church of Christ or Christian Church started in 1840 by meeting in the home of Barstow Williams two miles east of Columbus City, with Elder Ross preaching. The first church building was erected in 1852 at a cost of $500.00. In 1868, a building 40 ft x60ft, with seating capacity of 400 was built at a cost of $3,000. Some say it cost $3500 and this building sat east of the present Charles Rahmiller home.
This church was built by John Thorley. The pulpit was supplied every fortnight by Elder Wilson of Brighton. One incident involving this church group occurred when they were meeting in a log cabin, (before their church was built), The minister was gesticulating and speaking loudly when an Indian came by. Thinking that the minister was intoxicated the Indian demanded some fire water. The church group tried to explain and argue with the Indian about it, but he wouldn’t listen, so he had to be ejected by force.
In 1868 J. Whitfield Garner for the sum of $100.00 conveyed to James Hall, Zabina Williams and John B Freed as trustees in trust for use of Christian Church and their successors in office the real estate lots No. 5 and 6 in block15 in the town of Columbus City, Iowa.
Samuel Risley Drake was pastor there in about 1882. President Garfield had been assassinated. Rev. Drake named one of their children after him but he was called Gary. Rev. Drake was born in Moscow, Iowa, Muscatine County, and made several trips across the State of Illinois in covered wagon. He spent five years in Indiana at the time of the Civil War, then moved back to the farm in Iowa. But while in Indiana he would visit his Grandfather Judge Risley. He was the first district Judge in Terra Haute, Indiana. On his last trip there his father was kicked by a horse on the trail and they buried him along side of the road. Rev. Drake was active in promoting literary societies, debating program exhibitions and other forms of wholesome entertainment as well as Sunday School and other church activities. They were planned and carried on particularly for the young people and in these various activities Rev. Drake took an active and prominent part. He entered the ministry of the church two years before his marriage and for many years was an active pastor in various fields. Work took him to all parts of Southeast Iowa, Northern Missouri, Southeastern Kansas and Wisconsin. He mentioned he would not exchange his work for a place in the White House. His interest in young people and Sabbath school work never lagged. He enjoyed attending the World Sunday School Convention in Los Angles, California, in the late 1920’s with his sister and two brothers.
Finally in later years his health failed for active work and he retired-but he was available as a supply pastor or for special meeting times. It was on occasion like this he would carry an old lantern for a light in on hand and hold my hand in the other (I was about 5 or 6 years old) and we would walk to the Columbus City Church from our home by the railroad tracks in the area back of the fair grounds. If we got there too early I would stay with a Mary Moore until time for the meeting to start.
Then we would walk back home after the meeting. He would sing much of the way back- old songs like “There is Power in the Blood”, “Trust and Obey” and others. He was a great student of the Bible and especially interested in Sunday school work. He wrote many articles for the Christian Standard, a church magazine and taught Bible classes at the Reformed Church- now the Independent Bible on the highway. He mentioned several times that “a Minister has a joy and satisfaction ….
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…in his work- to which the world is a stranger.”
Written in loving memory of my Father by his daughter: Ella (Drake) – Mrs. Marion Barnes (now 87 years), Sigouney, Iowa
Picture: Columbus City Church of Christ or Christian Church.