Rev. James WILKINS was assigned to the Beaconsfield - Grand River Methodist Church in 1930. In those days, the Methodist Conference changed pastorates during the first part of September.

The WILKINS family left the Beaconsfield - Grand River circuit when Rev. WILKINS was assigned a pastorate at Salem, Iowa. They later moved to Washington and Oregon, back to Indiana, then returned to Iowa when Rev. WILKINS pastored the Lorimor and Van Wert churches. Then he retired.

Rev. James WILKINS was born in 1887, and died in 1974. His wife Beulah was born in 1904 and died in 1983. They were interred at Tingley Cemetery.

Irvin G. WILKINS, born in 1911, graduated from college and later served in churches all over Iowa, and in the State of Washington for a time. Irvin died in 1984 and was interred at Tingley Cemetery.

Vera WILKINS graduated from Grand River High School and was a country school teacher in the Salem, Iowa area. She retired to Tucson, Arizona to live near her son Arthur Dean MILLS. She played the piano and organ for church services for many years.

Charlie WILKINS became a truck driver and later was a dragline operator. He died in 1986.

In 1952, son Merlin James WILKINS was the pastor at Shannon City and Arispe. He taught at Mount Ayr Community school for 23 years. Until 1993, Merlin was the pastor for the Tingley and Kellerton Christian Churches. He retired after serving from the pulpit for 41 years.

SOURCE: Beaconsfield Centennial book, p. 40-1.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2010