St. John U. B. church and the cemetery are referenced on the Muscatine County plat map of 1899 as being located in Section Two, Seventy-Six Township, North Range Three West of the 5th Principal Meridian, along Rippey Road. That road name was later changed to X-43, then, more recently, to be called Independence Avenue.

This church has been named The High Prairie Church of the United Brethren in Christ, St. John U.B. Church and as St. Johns Chapel. It only existed, at this address, from 1889 to 1915. The history from the pages of the secretary's minute book tells about the people who built the church and made up its' congregation.

Pg. 1-3

Article of Incorporation of the High Prairie Church of the United Brethren in Christ
State of Iowa, Muscatine County.
Filed for Record this 10th day of August A.D. 1889 at 2 o’clock P.M.
Recorded in Book “B” of Incorporations on pages 323 & 324.
J.B. Hudson, Recorder

We, the undersigned trustees of the High Prairie Church of the United Brethren in Christ of Muscatine County Iowa do hereby adopt the following articles of Incorporation under Chapter 2? Page 188 of the Code of Iowa
Adopted 1873 – to wit –

Article 1st
This Corporation shall be known by the name of the High Prairie Church of the United Brethren in Christ of Muscatine County Iowa.

Article 2nd
The object of this corporation shall be the promotion of the Christian Religion in connection with and according to the doctrine & discipline of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ of the United States of America.

Article 3rd
The business of this Corporation shall be transacted by three Trustees – who shall be appointed to office according to the discipline of the Church of United Brethren in Christ.

Article 4th
The Officers of the Board of Trustees shall consist of a President, Secretary and Treasurer who shall be elected according to the discipline of said Church.

Article 5th
The Trustees shall have power to receive hold and convey any property Real Estate or Personal for the use of the church of the United Brethren in Christ in Muscatine Iowa according to the Discipline of said Church.

Article 6th
The private property of the members of this Corporation shall not be liable for the corporate debts of the same.

Article 7th
The place of business of this Corporation shall be in Seventy Six Township, Muscatine County, Iowa.

Article 8th
These Articles of Incorporation may be altered or amended by a vote of two thirds of all the Trustees.

Article 9th
The present Board of Trustees shall consist of the following named persons to wit– J.S. Riggs, J.W. Kerr & J.J. Legler.

In Confirmation of the above witness our hands.

Pg. 4
St. Johns Chapel was Dedicated to the Worship of God on Dec. 15th 1889.

Click on CONTRIBUTORS TO THE BUILDING FUND to view listing.

Pg. 30 - Bills Paid for St. Johns Chapel

Sept 23, 1890	Paid H. Geisse for Paint & Oil	$12.80
Oct 9, 1890	Paid J.D. Meiller for Painting	$16.00
Oct 9, 1890	Paid Geo. W. Dillaway for Lamp	$5.00
	Paid E. Brookheart for digging Vault	$2.25

Pg. 31 - Expense Acct of St. John Cemetery

	Credit	Debit
Cost of 1 acre ground	50.00
Cost of Fencing ground	45.90
Cost of Paint Painting & Sundry art	20.25
total	116.15
Record of Lots sold		$100.00

Pg. 32:
First Funeral Preached in St. Johns Church was Mrs. White by Rev. C.N. Brooke Jan. 1890.
2nd Funeral Mrs. W.A. Chapman Nov. 25, 1890 Preached by Rev. C.M. Brooke
3rd Funeral Mr. Rudolph Altekruse Feb. 15, 1891 Preached by Rev.__ Fath assisted by C.M. Brooke

Pg. 33:
St. John’s Cemetery was established Feb. 11, 1891. Including one acre of ground bought of W. R. Riggs for $50.00

Click on INFORMATION ABOUT THE CEMETERY to view listing.

September 22nd 1894 - St. John U.B. Church was struck by lighting and burned to the ground. The Insurance thereon was $1500.00 in the Home of New York & was paid in full at the expiration of sixty days.

Dec. 30, 1894 - St. John U.B. Church was rebuilt and dedicated to the worship of god. Rev. J.K. Statton conducted the dedication services.

Click on the RE-BUILDING OF THE CHURCH to learn more about it.

*****

Due to the changing demographics of the community, in 1915, it was decided to move the church
to Cranston, Cedar Township, Muscatine County.

Pg. 74
Aug 23, 1915 - The meeting of the Board of trustees was called to order by the president.
          The Treasurers report was given and accepted.
          A motion was made and carried that John Gertenbach act a committee to loop up records of deed for the cemetery.
          Ira Lee was appointed as a committee to solicite money for furnace bill.
          A motion was made and carried that John Gertenbach be appointed as a committee to solicit bal of the pastors moving expenses.
          John Gertenbach was appointed as a committee to see members and instruct delegate to conference as to the wishes of same in regard to return of pastor.
          It was moved and carried that each member donate ˝ cord of wood and some at church by Oct. 1st.
          A motion was carried to give John Gertenbach $1.00 to cut up the rubbish about church to be used for fuel.
          The motion for adjournment was carried.           Sec Lee S. Riggs

Pg . 75
Sept 4, 1915 - The meeting of the Board of trustees was called to order by the president.
          The minutes of the last meeting were read and accepted.
          It was moved and carried that we pay the bal of the pastors moving expenses of $3.50 out of the church treasurery.
          A motion was made and carried that the officers of the board hold their respective places for the coming year.
          There was a motion made and carried that the Board of Trustees sell to W.M. Riggs all of the land in the cemetery except as part five rods wide and ten rods long one which then are grass at the present time for which they are to receive thirty three dollars $33.00 which money is to be used to fence the remaining part to be used as a cemetery.
          A motion was made and carried the present board namely Ira Lee, W.M. Riggs, V.W. Legler, John Gertenbach and John Lee act as a committee to see to the fencing cemetery. It was moved and carried that the secretary of ___
Continued Pg. 76
          A new book and draw on the treasurery for same.
          It was moved and carried that we adjourned.           Sec Lee S. Riggs

The St. John Church of United Brethern Church property was sold on Septmeber 7, 1915 and the unused portion of the one-acre cemetery was sold back to the surrounding landowner. This transaction was recorded in Muscatine County Record of Lands, Book 59, page 442 and filed for record on October 25, 1915.

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Page created by Lynn McCleary August 24, 2010