| LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA |  |
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| LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA | |
Pg 107
Grandview, Iowa
Transcribed by Jackie Terry, August 14, 2016
The church was built in 1856, the organization having been effected some time before by Bishop Sibert. This was the oldest church of it denomination west of the Mississippi River.
One of the early pastors, serving this church as his first pastorate at 18 years of age, later became Bishop Dubs.
The last service was held in the building somethime in late fall, 1926. Rev. L.U.J. Smay, the last pastor served the church in 1926.
The building was wrecked in the fall of 1927, and what material and furnishings could be, ere used in the Community Church.
The church which no longer exists was located west of Madison St. on Washington Street.
The following bit of history was taken from newspaper stories published October 24, 1957.
A special historical service was held Sunday, October 27, 1957 at the Grandview Community Church celebrating the centennial of the dedication of the first church building of the Evangelical church west of the Mississippi which occurred November 27, 1857.
The service began at 2 p.m. with an old fashioned song service and an introduction of special guests including Rep. Fred Schwengel and Sen. Tom Martin. A feature speaker was Dr. W.B. Tarr, superintendent of Western Home at Cedar Falls, IA. A historical sketch was presented by G.M Ludwig, a teacher, minister and farm editor from Tiffin. A vocal selection from Miss Beverly Gipple, sixth generation of George Gipple, a first class leader in the church.
Following the service a tour was made to the site of the Evangelical church on West Washington Street. From there to the Grandview cemetery where the original Gipples, who led in the organization of the church in 1852, are buried. The tour continued to the old Charles Wabnitz farm south of Grandview. This farm now owned by Guy Hardman of Grandview. Here, a prominent figure in the Evangelical church, Rudolph Dubs courted and married the daughter of Charles Wabnitz, Elizabeth.
“On the barn today can still be seen the initials of three of the Dubs boys, no doubt carved there while the boys were visiting grandpa’s home. The boys names are Newton, Edwin and Jessie. Newton was a pioneer missionary to China, Jesse had the middle name of James. Just why Rudolph Dubs, then bishop of the church and living in Cleveland, should a son Jessie James is odd indeed.”
“While Grandview was not the place where first efforts were made to establish an Evangelical church, apparently the organization here was the only one which lasted any length of time. The Grandview church reportedly became the anchor post for establishment of the Evangelical church west of the Mississippi and it was here that the first Iowa conference was held in 1861.”
The history of the Evangelical church centers around the Gipples, Wagners, Snyders, Beiks, Hahns, Wabnitzes, Fenstermeisters and the Aurachers.
Picture: Evangelical church and parsonage Grandview, IA.