As soon as the pioneers arrived in Ringgold County, their thoughts turned toward establishing schools and churches. Worship services were held whenever the circuit riders came through. In some communities Sunday Schools and churches were organized even though finanical resources were quite limited.

Reverend W. C. WILLIAMS of Lorimor preached a sermon in the timber of Jefferson Township in 1853. In October of 1854, Reverend Mr. BELL, also known as "Iron Jacket Baptist," rode up from Fairview (Denver), Missouri to conduct services out of Henry MILLER's home. The following year, Mr. and Mrs. Luke SHAY returned home to find a Catholic priest waiting for them at the cabin. He later said the first mass in Ringgold County in the SHAY cabin.

Barton DUNNING, who kept the first store in Mount Ayr, started a Sunday school in 1856 and presented the organization with a Sunday School library which he had purchased one of his business trips to St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. SCHROBER, a Methodist preacher, became the superintendent of this Sunday School and preached the first sermon in the fledgling county seat of Mount Ayr.

Few groups, however, could not afford to erect even humble church buildings. Instead, members of the congregation met in school houses or their homes.

The Irish Catholics of Maloy held services in Luke SHAY's parlor until they built a chapel 1/4 of a mile north of town in 1875. Luke SHAY donated half of the construction cost.

The citizens of Liberty Township decided to erect a church on a tract of land donated by James A. DRAKE's heirs in 1874. With little financial resources and building materials scarce, the people garthered large boulders for the foundation and donated timber for the foundation sills. The Widow CALFEE donated an oak tree that was made into a 40-foot sill. Those who could not donate either materials or money, volunteered to haul logs to the sawmill, lime from a kiln in Decatur County, or shingles and lumber from Leon. Others helped put up the building. When the church was finally completed, it was done so debt free. Elder TODD dedicated the church, named High Point Methodist Church. S. L. THOMPSON noted in the April 21, 1914 edition of The Mount Ayr Record-News, "Those of us who were boys when the church was being built are now men with silver hair. . . High Point Church has now become one of the old landmarks of the early settlement of Ringgold County....standing as a monument to the memory of the loyal, hardy settlers of the surrounding country."

The Palestine United Brethren Church was erected three miles south of Delphos. With more and more people purchasing automobiles, the membership dwindled until the church closed its doors in 1918 when the remaining congregation transferred their membership to the Redding church.

Many of the country churches relied upon the services of circuit riders, clergymen who followed prairie trails from one congregation to another. The circuit riders lived on their horses furnished by the members of their circuit, going from home to home, community to community. Some riders reportedly wore out eight horses a year. Nearly penniless, they were "happy in God" as they attended to members of their flock scattered over the rolling hills of the prairie.

Camp meetings and tent revivals thrived in the southern part of Ringgold County from the 1870's until around 1910. The excitement and fervor of these revivals were a welcomed break from the daily routine of life on the farm and drew in large crowds. The strongest evangelist sermons drew the largest crowds. An annual camp meeting was held from 1872 to 1875 on the Isaac MARSHALL farm in Middle Fork Township. Later, these meeting were held on the Luther DENNIS farm, also in Middle Fork Township. Mrs. Anna DAVIS, an evangelist of the Evangelical Church, conducted tent meeting in August on a 40-tract of land John BUSH purchased specifically for religious purposes, then grazing the rest of the year. Old-timers declared that they could hear the amassed singing hymns from two miles away.

Before most of the outlaying villages and towns existed, five churches had been erected in Mount Ayr. The first, the Methodist Church was constructed in 1869 and followed by the United Presbyterian Church in 1870. The Baptist Church was erected in 1873; the Presbyterian Church in 1875, and the Christian Church in 1882.

A log church was erected in Bethel Cemetery, located south of the town of Goshen. This early church was replaced by a frame church which was constructed in 1881. Two loads of lumber for the construction of the new church arrived by rail. Later, the church was moved to Diagonal in 1890.

At one time there were four churches in Benton: the United Brethren, Seventh-Day Adventist, United Methodist, and Christian Churches. There were two churches in Knowlton.

In 1890, there was a new Methodist Church erected in Benton and the Bohemian colony near Diagonal replaced their church situated on the DOLECHECK farm with a new church building. The Goshen church was moved to Diagonal in 1890. By 1895, there were 25 churches in Ringgold County with some of the smaller rural churches already closed with their membership transferred to other larger congregations.

The congregation at Kellerton held services in a schoolhouse. A Christian Church in Tingley was erected in 1882, the first in a group of towns platted out along sites by the railroad. In 1882, a Baptist Church was erected in Delphos; a Catholic Church in Kellerton; a United Brethren Church in Beaconsfield; and an Evangelistic Church at Wirt (later Ellston.) By 1895, two or three churches had been established in each of Ringgold County's villages.

Reverend William BROWN, pastor of the United Presbyterian Church of Mount Ayr, established a mission church at Eugene. The evangalistic spirit swept through the county with four young women stepping forward to dedicate their lives to missionary services abroad: Josephine STAHL went to Darjeeling, India; Helen GALLOWAY went to Chung King, China; Lydia WILKINSON went to Foo Chow, China; and Fannie PERKINS went to Rangoon, Burma.

In 1971, Bishop Maurice DIGMAN established a team ministry of three priests to serve the combined parishes of St. Patrick's of Grand River. These parishes include St. Brendan's Church, Leons, Iowa, both of Decatur County; St. Joseph's Church, Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa; St. Bernard's Church, Osceola, Clarke County, Iowa; Immaculate Conception Church, Maloy, Ringgold County, Iowa; Corydon Catholic Community, Corydon, Wayne County, Iowa; St. Mary's Church, Woodburn, Iowa; and in 1978, Sacred Heart Church, Chariton, Lucas County, Iowa, joining the Leon Region of Catholic Community.

SOURCE:
Ringgold County History
Complied and written by the Iowa Writers' Program of the Work Projects Administration in the State of Iowa, Sponsored by Ringgold County Superintendent of Schools, Mount Ayr, Iowa. 1942.

Written & Submitted by Sharon R. Becker, 2008

RINGGOLD COUNTY CHURCHES
Past and Present

Ringgold County Churches, 1898

Adventist Church, Benton, 1894

Advent or Evangelical Church, Ringgold City
    torn down in 1939 and materials used to build Assembly of God Church, Redding

Assembly of God Church (Family Worship Center, 2015), Kellerton
    Pastor Calvin GREGG (1983-1994); Pastor Charles HUSTED (2009);
     Pastor Barton SHIELDS (2010)

Assembly of God Church, Mount Ayr
    Pastor Butch BLACK (2003), Pastor Doug ROHRER

Assembly of God Church, Redding

Bank of Christ Outreach and Hope Center, Kellerton

The Baptists, Early History in Southern & Southwestern Iowa

Early Primitive Baptist Church History in Iowa

Baptist Convention Notes, 1881 - 1882

Baptist Church (Historial), Caledonia, Iowa

Baptist Church, Delphos, Iowa
    originally Goshen Baptist Church, moved to Delphos and renamed in 1884

Baptist Church, Diagonal, Iowa, 1895

Baptist Church, historical, Maloy, Ringgold County, Iowa
    torn down in 1921; materials used for Delphos Baptist Church where Maloy's bell is displayed

Baptist Church, Ringgold City, Ringgold County, Iowa
    Assembly of God Church, Redding in 1930's

Baptist Church, Knowlton, Iowa
    Contribution by Delbert Spencer

Baptist Church, Maloy

Baptist Church, Mount Ayr

Baptist Church, Tingley, Iowa, built 1884

Bethel Church at Bethel Cemetery, Grant Township

Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church (Historical), Delphos

Bohemian Church, rural Diagonal

Campbellite Baptist Church, Maloy

Catholic Church, Kellerton

Catholic Church, Knowlton

Centenary Methodist Church
    was located northeast of the Centenary (Knowlton) Cemetery
    Church building was moved into Knowlton. It was struck by lightning and burned.

Christian Church, Benton

Christian Church, Delphos, Ringgold County, Iowa
    later Seventh Day Adventist Church

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Diagonal
    merged into United Church of Diagonal, January 1, 1981

Christian Church, Ellston

Christian Church, Maloy

Christian Church, Mount Ayr 

Christian Church, Ringgold City

Church of Christ Church, Benton

Church of Christ Church, Delphos

Church of Christ Church, Kellerton
    see Kellerton 1st Christian Church

Church of Christ Church, Redding

Church of Christ, Tingley

Church of the Brethren, Maloy

Community Bible Church, Redding
     Redding Community Bible Church, circa 1962/3

Community of Christ Church
     (former Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints), Mount Ayr
    Co-pastors Tony and Sandy CRANDEL; Pastor Randy DRAKE (2015)

Cornwall Chapel, Ellston Iowa

Diagonal Bible School, 1978 or 1979

Enterprise Methodist Church, Benton, 1870's

Eureka Methodist Episcopal Church, Rice Township, 1891

Evangelical Church, Delphos
    held services at 1st Baptist Church of Delphos

Evangelical Church, Ellston

Advent or Evangelical Church, Ringgold City
    torn down in 1939 and materials used to build Assembly of God Church, Redding

Faith Presbyterian Parish, Tingley
    Rev. Peter Brantner, 1991

Fairview Methodist Episcopal Church, Polen, Ringgold County, Iowa

Faith United Parish, Platte Center
    Pastor Bruce GIESE

Family Worship Center (former Assembly of God Church), Kellerton
    Pastor Barton SHIELDS, 2015

First Baptist Church, Mount Ayr

First Christian Church, Ellston

First Christian Church of Kellerton, Iowa
    presently Bank of Christ Outreach and Hope Center

First Christian Church
    Mount Ayr 
    Pastor John BRILLO
    Pastor Karen L. MOORE (2003-2009)
     Pastor Chris CONKLIN (2009-2015)
     Pastor Darin Dolecheck (2016-2021)

First Christian Church, Tingley
    Pastor Al RUSK

First Lutheran Church (LCMS)
    Mount Ayr
   Reverend Gregory J. SCHULTZ (1991)
   Reverend Don CRAIG (2003)
    Reverend Gary JAECKLE (2009)
    Reverend Don CRAIG (2010);
    Vacancy Pastor Rev. Jonathan WATT (2012)
    Trinity Lutheran Church, 2014

Free Methodist Church, Mount Ayr
    Pastor Charles WEIMAN (2003)

Free-Will Baptist Church, Maloy

Fry Chapel, Methodist Episcopal Church, south of Mount Ayr

Goshen Baptist Church, rural Delphos
    moved to Delphos in 1884 and renamed Delphos Baptist Church

Goshen Methodist Church, moved from Goshen to Diagonal in 1890

Grant Center Church, Methodist Episcopal, Grant Township

Grove Chapel

Hickory Grove Advent Chrisitan Church, Rural Ringgold County 
    Reverend Thomas HELMS (2003)
    Pastor Dean EWING; Sherry WILEY, supply pastor (2009)
    Final services June 21, 2015

Highland Church, Methodist Episcopal, Maloy

High Point Methodist Espicopal Church, Liberty Township
    Reminiscene of the Early Days in Liberty Township
      by Stewart L. Thompson, 1914

Immaculate Conception Church, Maloy 
    Father Thomas DOOLEY (2009)
      Father M. J. CULHANE
      Reverend Father Henry V. MALONE
      Sister Bernadine E. PIEPER
      Father John ZEITLER
      Sisters Nan ROSS and Joanna RETTENMEIER, 2009
      Steve SWANK Refurbishes Rectory, 2011

Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witnesses, Mount Ayr

Latter Day Saints Church, Tingley
    The Latter Day Saints held Sunday evening church services in the early 1940's in the building
    later [1983] known as the "card shack." Upon the construction of a new church in Mount Ayr,
    church services were discontinued in Tingley.

Lee Chapel, 4 miles east of Ringgold City
    dedicated as a United Evangelical Church on December 18, 1898

Lesanville Methodist Episcopal Church, Poe Township

The Lighthouse Christian Center, west of Mount Ayr north side of Highway 2
    Pastor Doug GREENE, Youth Pastor Darin DOLECHECK

Lotts Grove Baptist Church, Worth County, Missouri
    across the state line from Ringgold City; organized in 1884

Lutheran Church, Mount Ayr
    Trinity Lutheran Church, 2014

A History of the Mennonites and Amish in Iowa

Methodist Episcopal Church, Benton

Methodist Episcopal, Chariton District Appointments, 1912

Methodist Episcopal Church, Caledonia, Iowa

Methodist Episcopal Church (Historical), Ringgold City, Ringgold County, Iowa

Methodist Episcopal Church, Diagonal, 1911
    present-day United Church of Diagonal

Methodist Episcopal Church, Goshen, Iowa, moved to Diagonal

Methodist Episcopal Church, Knowlton, Iowa

Methodist Church, Ringgold City

Middle Fork Methodist Episcopal Church
    previously Rose Hill Methodist Episcopal Church in 1870's
    a.k.a. Middle Fork United Methodist Church
    Pastor Susan A. THOMAS (2003), Pastor Skip RUSHING
    Sunday School Classes and Organizations, Middle Fork Methodist Church
    Bible School, June of 1941    Service Flag Dedication, 1943
    Bible School Picnic, 1951

Mount Ayr Restoration Branch Church
    Rob ROLFE, presiding Elder; Alan SMITH, assisting Elder (2003)
    Sherman PHIPPS, presiding Elder;
    Alan SMITH, assistant Elder, Presiding Elder (2015)

Mortimer Church, services held in Mortimer Schoolhouse

Mt. Zion Methodist Episcopal Church, Sect. 16, Jefferson Tp
    first Church built in Ringgold County; 1858-1871

Mt. Zion, Riley Township

Nazarene Church, Diagonal

Nazarene Church, Ellston, Iowa

Nazarene Church, Knowlton, Iowa

New Life Family Assembly of God Church

Oakland Baptist Church
    located approximately 7 1/2 miles southeast of Mount Ayr
    merged with First Baptist Church, Mount Ayr
    Oakland Cemetery

Palestine Church, Redding

Pentecostal Church, Redding
    See Assembly of God Church

Platte Valley United Presbyterian Church, Grant Township
    active in 1893 with pastorate of Reverend J. W. JOHNSON

Pleasant Hill Church, Middle Fork Township, Ringgold County
    Pastor Skip RUSHING
    Pleasant Hill Church Group
                          Contribution by Phillana Smelser

Pleasant Ridge United Bretheran Church, Sect. 12, Jefferson Twp.
    First church building in Ringgold County.
    The church was established 1857; used until 1874.
    The church was located at the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery

Poe Center Methodist Episcopal Congregation, no church building

Presbyterian Church in Iowa, 1876

Presbyterian Church, Diagonal
    Merged into United Church, Diagonal

Presbyterian Church, Ellston

Presbyterian Church, Mount Ayr, Iowa

Redding Sunday School Class, circa 1913

Regular Baptist Church, Mount Ayr
    Pastor Matthew NOVOTNY (2003), Pastor Charles HAWKINS (2009);
    Pastor Seth DENNEY (2012)

Restoration Branch, Mount Ayr
    Sherman PHIPPS, presiding Elder; Alan SMITH, assistant Elder; Joel Loving, Presiding Elder (2017)

St. John's Catholic Church, Diagonal

Saint Mary's Catholic Church, rural Maloy, 1875-1895

Salem Evangelical Church, 1894 - 1975

Shiloh Methodist Church, rural Ringgold County, 1870's, discontinued circa 1880's

St. Joseph's Catholic Church of Mount Ayr, Iowa  
    Father Thomas DOOLEY (2009); Father Glen WILWERDING (2010); Father David POLICH (2013)

Seventh Day Adventist Church, Benton

Seventh Day Adventist Church
    former Delphos Christian Church

Seventh-Day Adventist Church
    Mount Ayr

Siloam Church United Brethren, Washington Township

Star Center Church, Methodist Episcopal, Washington Township

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Mount Ayr
    former First Lutheran Church, Rev. Jonathan WATT, Pastor John RUTZ

Star Center United Brethren Church

Union Vacation Bible School, Tingley

Union Sunday School, Maloy
    Organized March 8, 1900

United Baptist Presbyterian Church, Highway 169, Mount Ayr
    Pastor Peter BRANTNER to 2004;   Pastor Michael MADDY
   UBP builds churches in Nepal

United Brethren Church, Beaconsfield

United Brethren Church, Benton
    See Siloam Church

United Brethren Church congregation, Liberty Center, no church

United Brethren Church, Knowlton

United Brethren Church, Maloy, 1890's

United Church, Sect. 8, Jefferson Twp.

United Church
    of Diagonal 
    100th Birthday 2011
    Pastor John BERAN (2003)
    Pastor Ed SHIELDS, 2012

United Methodist Church
    Beaconsfield, Iowa, 1950
    Pastor W. T. MILLER (1953)
    Pastor Rick HAWKINS (2009 - 2012)
    Rev. Robin THOMAS, 2012
    Rev. Samuel ANSONG
    Rev. Judy Nolte Davis

United Methodist Church, Ellston
    Rev. Geo. C. WISE (1953)
    Pastor Dan FERNANDEZ (2010)
    Rev. Robin THOMAS (2012); Rev. Bruce GIESE

United Methodist Church, Kellerton 
    Pastor W. T. MILLER (1953); Pastor Rick HAWKINS (2009 - 2012); Rev. Samuel ANSONG
    Rev. Judy Nolte Davis

United Methodist Church, Mount Ayr Larger Parish
    Pastor Susan A. THOMAS (2003), Pastor Skip RUSHING

United Methodist Church, Redding
    Pastor Susan A. THOMAS (2003), Pastor Skip RUSHING
    1922 Brochure, Pastor C. C. CALLAHAN
    Vacation Bible School, 1952

United Methodist Church, Tingley
    Rev. Geo. C. WISE (1953); Reverend Dan FERNANDEZ (2010); Rev. Robin THOMAS (2012);
    Rev. Bruce Giese

United Presbyterian Church, Eugene

United Presbyterian Church, Mount Ayr 

United Presbyterian Church, Redding, Iowa, built 1889

United Presbyterian Church, Tingley

Tent Chapel Church of Christ, approximately 3 miles south of Blockton

Vacation Bible School
     Ellston Vacation Bible School, 1987
     Tingley Vacation Bible School, 1987

Wesleyan Methodist Church, Diagonal

Willow Grove School, No. 4, Jefferson Tp
    served as a church in the 1930's

Wishard Chapel, Methodist Episcopal
    Rev. Geo. C. WISE (1953)
    Reverend Dan FERNANDEZ (to 2011)
    Wishard Chapel Community Church
    Pastor Thomas RUTAN, 2012
    Pastor Bill ARMSTRONG, 2012
   Wishard Chapel builds churches in Nepal

 

Ministers, Pastors, & Spiritual Leaders of Ringgold County ~ An on-going project

"Steeple" photograph by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2009

Many Ringgold County families and residents are included in Decatur County IAGenWeb-site'sA History of the Catholic Church: Decatur County, Iowa" by Rev. Edward J. HARKIN, pastor, 1956, and transcribed in January & February, 2002 by Nancee (McMURTREY) SIEFERT. This work includes genealogical information, obituaries, and family information.