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HISTORY
OF
TRURO
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
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![](church_images/truro_UCC_5.jpg)
Truro
United Church of Christ - 2009
As
with many churches in Madison County, the Truro United Church of
Christ has its roots with the early settlers. It started as the
"Christian Church", then merged to become the
"Christian Congregational" church and merged once more to
become the "Truro United Church of Christ". In 1950, it
also started sharing the pastor with the Truro Methodist church. It all started in the
winter of 1856 when a small group of Christian-minded men and women
gathered at the home of Ephraim DeLong two miles south of the
present town of Truro.
Under the leadership of Rev. A.D. Kellison, the Christian
Church was organized with charter members Ephraim & Hannah
DeLong, Jesse & Betsy DeLong, Reuben & Mary Creger, Jane (DeLong)
McNeely, V., John & Mahala Creger and their daughter Risby. For
about 15 years the services were held in members homes, finally
moving to school houses as they were built in the early 1870s.
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In
1875/76, the congregation built it's own building shown on the
right. In the early 1880s, the town of Ego was laid out, a railroad
laid through town, the town was renamed to "Truro" and the
Christian Church building was moved a short distance west of it's
previous location.
In
1893
the church was remodeled and the belfry with a glistening aluminum
spire was added which may not have been the best idea since just 5 years later, in June 1898, the church was
struck by lightning and everything was lost except the organ and 8
pews. Six days after the fire, the pastor, Rev.
Calvin Lamb, passed away at a Waterloo hospital where he had
gone for treatment of unrelated medical problems. One
thousand dollars was received as an insurance settlement and was
immediately applied towards a new building.
The
new building (as seen at the top of the page) was dedicated March
12, 1899 with a program of song, prayer and scripture reading
led by Rev. J. H. Creger. He
was assisted by Reverends Farley and Storrs and Rev. Follensbee gave
the sermon. A history of
the church was given by Isaac Holmes, a deacon at the time.
Frank Roby conducted the singing.
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![](church_images/truro_ucc_orig_reva.jpg)
Ohio
Township Christian Church Built
In 1875/76 |
At
the turn of the century, the young people attended many church
functions beside service:
Sunday School, Christian Endeavor, choir practice, Epworth
League, annual Sunday School programs and picnics and
Children’s Days.
On the right is a photograph of the Children’s Day Drill
Team for June 1906. Click here for a larger image and the names of
the participants.
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In
1915-1916 the church parsonage was built.
It was a modern 8-room home located 2 blocks north and 2
blocks west of the church. Rev. S. L. Bougher and his family were
the first occupants. In 1920, there were 249 members. January 1921
was the passing away of Rhoda Fields Delong, the last remaining
charter member.
Her funeral sermon was preached by Rev. Raybourn. 1930
brought about a meeting with the St. Charles Church of Christ and an
offer to Rev. Randall to serve as the pastor to both churches.
And in 1931, the church became a member of the Congregational
Christian merger.
Several
elderly people of the church remember baptisms from the 1920’s and
1930’s. Some
people were baptized in ponds,
some at other church’s “tanks”, and other records state that
some occurred in South River.
Late
1939 brought “fame” to the church as the Des
Moines Register reported on Rev. and Mrs. Clayton Shepard’s
"God’s Acre" plan for raising funds. Farmers
were contacted earlier in the year to “set aside” one acre of
corn for the church. The scheme was successful, netting over $500,
enabling the church to pay off the mortgage and other bills. Fund
raising in the 1940s under pastor Verne Wiley took the form of
auction of donated items which has since prevailed.
The
final merger leading to it becoming the Truro United Church of
Christ took place in 1948. A year later the 50th anniversary of the
building took place, attended by 20 members who were present when
the building went into service 50 years before including, Will &
Etta Archer, George Cooley, Ora & Daisy Creger, Linn & Addie
Creger, Reuben Creger, Frank Burt, Ed & Ida Garst, Betty Hogue,
Bert & Ann Patterson, Beryl Patterson, Frank & Susie Gracey,
Nellie Fulton, and Ella & Florence Roby.
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Listed
below are the ministers in order of service with year(s) if known.
Minister |
Year
(s) |
Minister |
Year
(s) |
Minister |
Year
(s) |
A. D. Kellison |
1856 |
A
C Burnham |
1902 |
Clarence
Moore |
1951-1954 |
William Deal |
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D
W Thompson |
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Walter
Schilling |
1954-1956 |
J
G Bishop |
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A
W Ricker |
1908 |
Tom
M King |
1956 |
J
H Creger |
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Roy
C Helfenstein |
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Dale
Lockart |
1956-1961 |
R
A Creger |
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D
Powell |
1912 |
Robert
Webber |
1961-1962 |
Joseph
Anschultz |
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E
E Bennett |
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Millard
Marshall |
1962-1963 |
C
C Rowley |
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Fred
W Hagan |
1914-1916 |
James
Nicholson |
1963-1967 |
A Bradfield |
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S
L Bougher |
1916-1917 |
Richard
Hempenius |
1967-1976 |
A H Chase |
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J
W Garrett |
1917-1918 |
David
Wagner |
1976-1979 |
S O Calvin |
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Archimedes
P Hurst |
1918-1919 |
Gayle
Strickler |
1979 |
Rev. Boaz |
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C
C Callahan |
Fall
1919 |
George
W Campbell |
1979-1982 |
W C Smith |
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Russell
L Raybourn |
1920-1924 |
Janne
Clinton |
1982-1985 |
W B Golden |
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Frederick
Cooper |
1924-1928 |
Ann
Louise Weisenfluh |
1986-1988 |
J L Towner |
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O
B Whittaker |
1928 |
Tapiwa
Mucherera |
1989-1990 |
Edward Fitzgerald |
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Rue
Burnell |
1928-1930 |
Selva
Lehman |
1990-1992 |
Calvin
Lamb |
1898 |
I
G Randell |
1930-1934 |
Richard
Harbart |
1992-2001 |
Paul W Jellison |
1898-1899 |
Oscar
V Rector |
1935-1938 |
Roselyn
Harbart |
2001-2004 |
John Reed |
1899 |
Clayton
P Shephard |
1938-1942 |
Carol
Iammatteo-Code |
2004-2008 |
O E Brown |
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William
Van Vliedt |
1942-1943 |
Shonda
Deranleau |
2008-present |
Alonzo Thomas |
1900 |
Frederick
Cooper |
1945-1946 |
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William Bagley |
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Verne
R Willey |
1946-1951 |
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_______________________
Source: Truro Congregational Christian United Church of
Christ 1856-2006 Sesquicentennial Celebration: 150 years of
God’s Blessings by Donna Crow, Church Historian |
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Maintained by
the County Coordinator
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This
page was created on December 10, 2010.
This page was last updated Saturday, 04-Feb-2023 15:35:22 CST
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