Correspondingly,
the name of the church was renamed the Middle River Methodist
Church and remained so until the Middle River Post Office was
closed at which time it reverted back to Webster Methodist Church.
The carpenter who
built the Church was Max Hockenberry. Some of the men who
assisted: Shaw Binns, John Sawyers, Abraham Dennis Drake and Harry
Falkner DeVault (grandfathers of Cecil & Loretta Drake.),
Ellis Crawford, and Joseph Crawford. Joseph Crawford was a Quaker
from Pennsylvania and never joined the Methodist Church, but Mrs.
Crawford was a member. Jake Crow, also a carpenter, helped.
The lumber for
building the new church was hauled by wagon and teams from
Winterset. Originally the church had a belfry and a bell. I wish
it were still there. Why it was removed many of you know.
The carpenter who
built the Church was Max Hockenberry. As told to me by people now
living, but recalled from parent or grandparents or other
acquaintances, these are some of the men who assisted: Shaw Binns,
John Sawyers, Abraham Dennis Drake and Harry Falkner DeVault
(grandfathers of Cecil & Loretta Drake.), Ellis Crawford, and
Joseph Crawford. Joseph Crawford was a Quaker from Pennsylvania
and never joined the Methodist Church, but Mrs. Crawford was a
member. Jake Crow, also a carpenter, helped. There were no doubts
many others.
Dedication
services were conducted by Rev. H. D. Preston. The first Sunday
School Superintendent was Charles Gaymon. Average attendance was
100. A Ladies Aid was organized before 1912. Some early officers
were Mrs. Fox, Mrs. Bingaman and Mrs. Donna Ramsey.
The
Sydney Morris’s recall three ministers who served the charge
prior to 1914. There were Reverends Smith, Clearwater, and
Williams. These early ministers often participated in public
gatherings as a means of communication other than from pulpit to
pew. Nina Drake and Carrie Hart were married by Rev. Clearwater on
December 1, 1909. Rev. Smith drove from Winterset and Mrs. Morris
recalls that Nona Crow stayed with this family while in high
school. The record shows Rev.
Perkins pastor of Webster for one year 1914.
Rev.
Pruitt became the next pastor in 1915. During Rev. Pruitt’s
pastorate, a camp meeting was held. The huge tent was located
southwest and next to the Church. People gathered from many miles
distant to attend the meeting and many converts professed their
faith. The meeting was conducted by an Evangelist. Rev.
Pruitt followed the camp meeting later with a baptismal service at
Middle River. Pearl Morris, Angie (Estel) Beaman, Amy Estel, and
Bernice Ramsey were among those baptized. At this time, the
baptism was held at the river so that those desiring immersion
could have the rite in which they believed.
Rev.
Griggsby followed in 1916. Rev.
Barnes, 1917, lived at West Star, and at this time Webster and
West Star were his charge. Sydney
Morris followed in 1919-1920. Some members were Ora & Nina
Hart, Fred & Nona Eyerly, Merton & Pearl Cline, Vera
Nelson, Charles & Carrie DeVault, the Frank Fox family, John
& Elizabeth Estel, Goldie & Ellis Estel, Shaw Binns, wife
Emily and son Ray, and Ellis Crawford. Mr. Frank Busch, who though
a staunch Campbellite, came here for church and was a class
teacher in the Sunday School. Some of the choir members were Mabel
Nelson (organist), Orville Nelson, John Drake, Ira Crow, Mata
Gaymon, Jimmie Gertie Binns, Verdi Howard Craven and Gertie Howard
Fox. Orie and Nina Hart, and Bert and Emma Holland.
Rev.
Weed followed in 1922 and served as pastor of this Church for 9
years. Rev.
Rower became pastor 1931-1933. Rev.
E. J. Zunsteg was pastor in ’36. Ora and Zola Lowden joined this
Church during Rev. Zunsteg's pastorate, and Zola was
superintendent during part of this period. In 1939-1941, Rev. Reep,
a young college student, quiet and reserved was pastor. On
September 1, 1940 the Ladies Aid was reorganized into the Women’s
Society of Christian Service.
This organization was instrumental in advocating for adding a
basement to the church building.
About
fourteen years later, during the pastorate of Don Cutler, Hazelle
Crawford was contacted by Mrs. Cooper, wife of Dr. Cooper, Creston
District Superintendent, for service as a district officer. For
the next nine years, Hazelle served at the district level. Her
first four years were served as promotion secretary and president
for two years. At this time, Webster Church was transferred from
the Creston District to the Des Moines District. Soon after this
transfer, Hazelle was asked to be treasurer of the Des Moines
District W.S.C.S. After two years, she became the president where
she served for three years before retiring.
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This Church is of the Webster Community.
An altar was built, carpet was laid, and in 1954 the lovely painting
(seen at right), which has added so much to the mood and Sacredness
of our services, was presented by Madge Stever on an Easter Sunday,
during Don Cutler’s pastorate. On that Sunrise Service, Easter
morning, the sun shone through the eastern window of our
church to light the altar.
Following
Rev. Reep was Rev. Hartin 1942-43, a product of West Virginia coal
mines. Rev. Hartin was followed
by Rev. Crouse, who came to the charge in July of 1946. In 1947
Doris Egger, Bill Eckles, Joan Crawford and Laura Mae Crawford were
admitted to membership.
Rev. Ben Hamilton became pastor in
1948. His son Leo, a teenager, was considering the ministry and
conducted the Webster nine o’clock service the last few months of
Rev. Hamilton’s pastorate. In 1948 John Hart, Annette Stever,
Loretta Stever and Alice Roberts became church member as did Lois
Hart in 1949.
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![](church_images/webster_church_painting_c.jpg)
Madge
Stever & Pastor Don Cutler at New Altar
and
Paining of Christ
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The
church survived another twenty years, it's final service being
January 9, 1972. Pastors assigned to the church during that period
included Revs. Knight, Earl Streyfeller, Don Enright, Kelly, Lint,
Milton Haedt, and Ward Young. New members included Gary
Beaman, Mr. & Mrs. Delbert Dolson & daughter Doris,
Richard Hart, Shirley Hart, John and Wilma Holtmyer and sons
Darwin and Lee, Ludwig and Della Horn, Billy Martin, Karen Martin,
Janice Steve, Steve Stever and Betty and Shirley Sillbaugh, Wayne
and Mary Griffith.
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Source: History
of the Webster Methodist Church by Edna Eckles, 1972 |
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