LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA

Pg 147
THE VIRGINIA GROVE CHURCH
Morning Sun Township, Louisa county, Iowa

Transcribed by Beverly Gerdts, August 20, 2016

        The Virginia Grove was located, according to the 1874 Louisa County Atlas, near the exact center of section 22 in Morning Sun Township. The property was on the old Iowa City Road that ran diagonally Northwest toward Cairo. It was at the edge of a dense forest that furnished the name for the area, the church, school and post office.

        The Louisa County Historical Tour booklet of 1971 includes a great story by Marie Cornic that is a priceless record taken from her fabulous memory and writing talent. Her story follows:

        “Few records are available from the early Virginia Grove Church and a dozen questions could be asked for which we find no answers. Were those pioneers careless about such things?

        Undoubtedly it was built by local help as such building were in those days. How interesting it would be to read the names of those who helped. It was a well built church; strong, true and straight, with a stone foundation three feet high. There were three windows on each side, a high ceiling where the heat lingered and two doors on the south end. It was furnished with two stoves; reflector lights; hard straight seats, guaranteed to keep you awake; an organ; book case; pulpit, hymn books and large Bible.

        When the doors were finally closed, everything was left intact. Seven of us children played church there after school in the Fall and Spring. Madly, we would leave the schoolhouse, running most of the way to the church. One boy was always preacher because he wouldn’t play if he couldn’t be. The organist played by ear so we were limited to two hymns. The rest of us sat in the Amen corner and made up the audience. It was serious play because we had great respect for Virginia Grove Church.

        My mother's family lived the first house east, so, when they lived there some of us generally built the fires, filled the lamps and swept out. Occasionally there was a real cleaning day, when many came in and there was a real housecleaning. Naturally we heard about those people and the community. Many of those names can still be recalled: Chapman, Hunt, Brown, Jarvis, Smith, McCaw, Gilmore, Hamilton, Selzer, Casten, Walker, Mellinger, Blair and many others. It was an active church, crowded with young people, so it was very upsetting to the neighborhood when it closed.

        It was a Methodist Church and was on the Morning Sun Circuit until 1890. That year Virginia Grove was dropped and a class organized at Marsh. Who was the first pastor? Did some traveling evangelist have the idea for a church for the Virginia Grove Community? What was its membership? How many years did it function as a church?

        There is no doubt that many walked to church but there had been a hitch rack for there were still remnants left when we played there. Those plain country people loved their church and the church in town never took its place. Surely, in its too short life it must have made a lasting impression on those people.

        Eventually it was torn down and the material used to build and rebuild farm buildings. Today the grove of oaks that surrounded it and reached as far north as you could see are gone. You might be able to find a rock from the foundation if you search. Nothing marks the spot.