SOME HISTORY OF HIGH PRAIRIE METHODIST CHURCH
compiled by Eleanor B. McCleary

In 1854 the First Methodist Episcopal Church had a circuit rider minister who served the congregation who lived in Lake, Seventy-Six and Cedar Townships in Muscatine County. Services were held in homes and little schoolhouses.

The Article of Incorporation of the Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church at High Prairie Chapel, Muscatine County Iowa Annual Conference was recorded in Muscatine County Record of Lands - Book Y, pages 101 & 102. It was titled as: Trustees of Methodist Episcopal Church at High Prairie.

    Mr. John Fletcher, Wm. Miller, Wesley Helmes, Thomas Bowlsby, G. Bumgardner Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church at High Prairie Chapel Muscatine County Iowa, have associated ourselves together for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a Church Society, in the erecting a House of worship and holding real estate to accomplish the ends of our association, & by virtue of the forty third & forty fourth Chapters of the Code of Iowa, do adopt the following “Articles of Association”.
    …. In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals July 6, 1861….
    State of Iowa, Muscatine County ss:
    Be it remembered that on April 5, 1862 before the undersigned W. H. Hazlett, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County personally appeared G. Bumgardner, Thomas Boalby, W.K. Helm, Wm. Miller & John Fletcher, to me personally known to be the identical persons, whose names are affixed to the foregoing instrument & acknowledged the same to the their voluntary act and deed Witness my hand & seal the day & year above written….
    Filed for record November 24th 1863 at 11 2/3 o’clock A.M.
The Certificate of Association was made June 25th 1864 and may be found in the Muscatine County Record of Lands - Book Z, pages 602, 603 & 604, titled Articles of Incorporation M.E. Church. Among the Articles it was stated that:
    The following named persons shall constitute the board of Trustees of said Association, for the first year of its existence & until their successors are elected. William Miller, G. Bumgardner, Thomas Bowlby, John Fletcher, Lindley Hoopes, John Rice, John H. Miller, Peter Houtz, Elizur Hulbert. …
    …State of Iowa, Muscatine}ss. Be it remembered that on this 25th day of June before the undersigned a Notary Public in & for said County, personally appeared Geo. Bumgardner, John Fletcher, Wm. H. Miller, Lindley Hoopes, Elizur Hulbert, H. J. Chinn to me personally known to be the identical person whose names are subscribed to the foregoing Articles of Association and acknowledged the same to be their voluntary act and deed & that they executed the same for the use & purposes therein mentioned. Witness my hand & seal Notarial the day and year above written.
    D.C. Richman Notary Public
    Filed for Record Dec. 21. 1864 at 10 o’clock A.M.
    B. Darlington Recorder, by E.C. Darlington Depty.

In 1863 the land in Section 35, Lake Township was owned by Thomas M. Isett. He sold 78 acres of it to Mrs. Mary Hoops, the wife of Lindley Hoops, on February 13, 1863. The transaction was recorded in Muscatine County Record of Lands - Book Y, page 410, titled Isett to Hoops Deed. The land was described as:
    Being the north half of the south east quarter of Section Thirty five (35) Town. Seventy seven range three west (except two acres in the north west corner of the same donated by Isett to the Methodist Society for church) containing seventy eight acres more or less.

The transaction from Thomas M. Isett to the church was recorded in the Muscatine County Record of Lands - Book Z, pages 601 & 602, titled: Isett to M.E. Church Deed

    Thomas M. Isett & his wife Lucy A. Isett, of Muscatine County, State of Iowa, in consideration of the sum of Five dollars, in hand paid by the First Methodist Episcopal Church on High Prairie, Muscatine County, State of Iowa, containing two (2) acres more or less….
    In witness where of the said grantors have hereunto set their hands and seals this Thirteenth day of June A.D. 1864. Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of A. J. Leffingwell Notary Public.
    Filed for Record Dec. 21, 1864, at 9 o’clock A.M.
    B. Darlington Recorder by E.C. Darlington Depty.

Another acre of land was acquired by the church from Mary and Lindley Hoopes. It was recorded in Muscatine County Record of Lands - Book Z, pages 600 & 601 titled: Hoopes to M.E. Church. Deed.
    Know all men by these presents that we Mary Hoopes and Lindley Hoopes, her husband of Muscatine County, State of Iowa, in consideration of the sum of Twenty five dollars, in hand paid by the First Methodist Episcopal Church on High Prairie, Muscatine County, State of Iowa…
    In witness whereof we the said grantees have hereunto set our hands and seals this Seventeenth day.
    D.C. Richman Notary Public.
    Filed for Record Dec. 21, 1864, at 9 O’Clock A.M.
    B. Darlington Recorder. By E.C. Darlington Depty.
In 2008 the chapel is known as High Prairie Methodist Church. It is under the umbrella of Fellowship United Methodist Church, which is made up of three "centers"; Sweetland, Musserville and High Prairie, all sharing a pastor.

Back to High Prairie Church Cemetery Records