CHAPTER X
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
FIRST RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN WORTH COUNTY—THE NORWEGIAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCHES—THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH—THE BAPTIST CHURCH—OTHER CHURCHES.
The first religious service in Worth County was held by Rev. C. L. Clausen, of St. Ansgar, Mitchell County, who preached to the Norwegian settlers. After a number of missionary trips to the County of Worth, he assisted in the organization of the first Lutheran Church in the county. This was called the Shell Rock Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation. This organization was formed at the house of Ole Aslakson some time during the summer of 1859. The papers of organization were signed by the following: Ole Aslakson Lee, Aslak Olson Lee, Gunder Jorgenson Sanda, Tarja Aslakson Lee, Gulbrand Olson Mellem, Iver G. Dahl, John Olson, Michael Paulson, Christian Amundson, Ole Aslakson, Simon Rustad, Torges Haraldson, Ole O. Berg, Ole O. Hove, Erick Olson, John Syverson, Elling Ellingson, John D. Johnson, Abraham Christopherson, Ole A. Plaate, Halvor Halverson, Hans Olson, Christopher Olson, Gus Kittleson, J. S. Lee and Gulbrand G. Dahl. The articles of incorporation .bear the date of November 28, 1859, and were signed by the trustees: Simon Rustad, Ole A. Lee and Elling Ellingson. Services were at first held in private houses and in schoolhouses, but in the spring of 1873 a piece of land for building lot and cemetery was purchased, and a commodious church structure thereon erected. This house of worship is still used by the Shell Rock congregation. The building was remodeled in the '90s and additional land purchased for the cemetery. The pastors of the Shell Rock congregation have been: Revs. C. L. Clausen, 1859-65; T. A. Torgeson, 1865-69; B. Gjeldager, 1870-74; O. Nilson, 1874-92; L. O. Peterson, 1892-98; O. G. U. Siljan, 1896-1906; David Stoeve, 1907-14; and Hans Fosnes, June 6, 1915, to date.
The Trinity Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation was formally organized on February 5, 1894, with a membership of about one hundred. The first trustees were O. Lucken, K. Gonvick and J. N. Nelson. Prior to this date the members were a part of the Shell Rock congregation, but services were sometimes held at the courthouse by the pastor, Rev. O. Nilson. In October, 1886, the members of the Shell Rock church living in Northwood organized as the Norwegian Lutheran Sunday School Society and immediately bought the church then known as the Presbyterian Church, which in the year 1892 was remodeled and repaired for use. Rev. L. O. Pederson served the congregation from its organization in 1894 until five months later, when Rev. N. C. Brun became pastor and stayed about two years. Then followed Revs. O. G: U. Siljan, C. A. Melby, David Stoeve and Hans Fosnes.
The Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Northwood was organized October 10, 1876. The original signers of the constitution were: E. E. Savre, J. B. Thompson, Ole Haraldson, H. J. Hanson, Hans Robertson and Fred Johnson. For a number of years, however, the people had held services under Rev. T. A. Torgeson, the veteran pastor of the Synod congregation in Worth County, who came here about 1865. In 1876 his large parish was divided and Round Prairie, Shell Rock and Elk Grove formed one parish, with Rev. J. Nordby as pastor; and Northwood and London congregations soon after organized and joined this same parish. Following Reverend Nordby came Revs. H. B. Hustvedt, H. J. Strand and O. T. Lee. Rev. O. T. Lee served the congregation from 1889 until 1917, when the two Norwegian churches were combined. This arrangement, whereby the two Lutheran churches in Northwood—the United Church and the Norwegian Synod—were merged into one, was consummated on September 11, 1917, and has been known as the Northwood Lutheran Church since that date. Rev. Hans Fosnes is the pastor of this church, as well as of the Shell Rock congregation, also the Deer Creek and London churches, which have amalgamated. The Synod Church is now used by the society, while the other church building formerly used by the Trinity Church was sold to the German Lutheran Society of Northwood, which was organized about four years ago. The Synod Lutheran Church was first used on Sunday, February 23, 1896, but was not dedicated until July 12th of the same year. Hans Quandahl was the builder.
The Elk Grove congregation was organized in 1876. The first church was constructed 2 1/2 miles west of Kensett in 1888. This church was destroyed by lightning in 1911, but fortunately another church, dedicated August 29, 1908, had been previously constructed in Kensett. Rev. Thor Sigmund is the present pastor of the Kensett church, also of the Elk Creek and Hanlontown churches.
London congregation was organized in 1875 and celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary in 1900. The congregation constructed a church in 1895, which was dedicated on September 25th of the same year. This congregation was served for many years by Rev. O. T. Lee.
The North Deer Creek congregation was originally a part of the Shell Rock congregation. In 1894 the Shell Rock members located in Deer Creek Township, Worth County, and in London Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, withdrew and organized the present congregation. The following year the building of a church was started and on May 3, 1896, the same was dedicated. The church building has since been remodeled. Revs. N. C. Brun, O. G. U. Siljan, David Stoeve and Hans Fosnes have served this church society.
The Norwegian Lutheran settlers in the northern part of Worth and Winnebago counties had first to worship at St. Ansgar, in Mitchell County. For about five years they were compelled to journey to this distant point to attend service. The first meeting in Worth County attended by these people was held on July 20, 1858, at the house of Lars L. Loberg in Silver Lake Township by Rev. A. C. Preus, from Dane County, Wisconsin, then president of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, commonly called the Norwegian Synod. Rev. C. L. Clausen of St. Ansgar—in the summer of 1860—wrote four articles setting forth the fundamental principles for a church organization, and thus organized the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran congregation of Silver Lake. About forty families joined. The first year's services were few, most of them conducted by Rev. Clausen, and occasionally Revs. Preus and Koren.
In 1864, Shell Rock, Silver Lake and Lime Creek united in one charge and gave authority to the Synod Church to secure a pastor for them. This body called Rev. T. A. Torgeson, from Concordia College, St. Louis, Mo., and he was installed September 20, 1865. Shortly afterward differences arose in the church and a small part separated from the parent society, taking with them the pastor. Reverend Clausen aided the Silver Lake church again at this point. Rev. B. Gjeldaker was next called, and afterward Revs. L. Tosdal, N. E. Boe, A. L. Huus and O. C. Brenna. The Silver Lake church was built in 1874.
The Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church at Fertile is in charge of Rev. R. O. Hjelmeland.
The First Baptist Church of Northwood was organized April 1, 1877, by Rev. Alva Bush, of Cedar Valley Seminary; Reverend Miner, of Charles City; Reverend Hoyt, of Albert Lea, Minn.; and others who formed the Council of Recognition which was held in the Methodist Episcopal Church May 26, 1877. The first members of the society were: H. V. Dwelle, Helen E. Dwelle, Lemuel Dwelle, Sarah P. Hunter, John Seater, Mary Seater, H. M. Dickinson, Porter Dickinson, H. J. McMasters, Ethelinda McMasters, James Marcy, Mary B. Marcy, Sarah Wardall, Mrs. P. A. Greenleaf, Mary Egleston, Fannie Lewis and Clara Wardall. At the time of organization, B. H. Beckett, Lemuel Dwelle, William Hunter, H. M. Dickinson and H. J. McMasters were elected trustees; H. M. Dickinson and James Marcy, deacons; H. V. Dwelle, clerk; and H. J. McMasters, treasurer.
For some years previous to this time preaching services had been held by Reverend Palmer and others. Services were held in the Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal churches and in the old courthouse. In 1881-82 the first church edifice was constructed, during the pastorate of Rev. J. W. Daniels. The parsonage was erected about four years later. In 1915-16 the new Baptist Church, one of the most attractive and modern of the Worth County churches, was constructed on the original site. This building was dedicated in April, 1916. The pastors of the First Church have been: Revs. N. F. Hoyt, 1877-81; J. W. Daniels, 1881-82; N. H. Daily, 1885-87; G. H. Starring, 1887-89; Evangelist A. C. Blackman, 1889; J. G. Johnson, 1889-94; A. K. Lewis, 1894-97; J. F. Wood, 1897-98; H. H. Beach, 1899-1901; Robert Gray, 1901-03; E. M. Jeffers, 1903-05; Charles McHarness, 1905-10; I. H. Darnell, 1910-12; J. F. Eaker, 1912-14; 0. E. Westerlund, 1915-17. Reverend Westerlund preached his farewell sermon Sunday, November 4, 1917, and at this writing a new pastor has not been secured.
The First Methodist Episcopal Society of Northwood was organized November 26, 1870. Before this time, in 1860, the people of the young town of North wood asked for someone to conduct their services. Reverend Matteson, then preaching at Shell Rock, now Glenville, a point about eleven miles northwest, made a regular appointment to preach at Northwood once every four weeks, which he did for nearly two years. In 1861 Walter Stott, a local preacher, began to conduct services in Northwood at intervals. Reverend Garner then preached here every four weeks for two years. Revs. Gleason and Elliott then followed with the same itinerary. At its regular session in the fall of 1868 the Des Moines Conference instructed Reverend Groom, of the Forest City Circuit, to hold meetings in Northwood. In the early part of the winter of 1869, in company with Walter Stott, he held revival meetings here and secured enough members to form a class. This was the real beginning of the Northwood church. D. Wright, Walter Stott and William Perkins were elected the first stewards of the church society. The first meeting place was the schoolhouse, thereafter the courthouse, and finally the Presbyterian Church. On November 21, 1874, a committee was named to purchase a church site. O. V. Eckert and Walter Stott formed the committee and purchased the present ground, upon which a church building was erected and dedicated August 14, 1876. Bishop Bowman preached the dedicatory sermon. The pastors who have served the Northwood Methodist Episcopal Church have been: Reverends Webster, 1870-71; J. W. Gould, 1871-72; F. B. Gault, 1872-73; W. W. Robinson, 1873-74; J. O. Hazleton, 1874-75; T. E. Fleming, 1875-77; W. F. Barclay, 1877-78; T. M. Nichols, 1878-79; F. J. Norton, 1879-80; M. A. Goodell, 1880-82; B. A. Wright, 1882-83; W. A. Pottle, 1883-86; A. Torbet, 1886-87; W. Pearce, 1887-88; De Witt Clinton, 1888-91; Elias Skinner, 1891; J. K. Shifter, 1891-93; J. B. Smith, 1893-94; A. D. Stevens, 1894-95; J. M. Wilkinson, 1895-97; A. A. Luce, 1897-99; Frank Cole, 1899-1902; J. B. Jones, 1902-03; A. B. Curran, 1903-06; W. Minor Lemen, 1906-07; C. K. Hudson, 1907-12; C. W. Rogers, 1912-13; John Dawson, 1913-15; Thomas Carson, 1915--
The first religious services in Brookfield Township were held in the spring of 1857 at Glenmary by Walter Stott and in the cabin home of Edward Wright. The first to hold services of the Lutheran faith was Rev. T. A. Torgeson, who has been mentioned before. In the early part of 1882 the latter congregation constructed a church building on the southeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 27, where it still stands.
The first religious services in Danville Township were the funeral ceremonies of John Trebilcock, by Reverend Mason, a Congregationalist minister. The first regular preaching was at the schoolhouse known as Willow Creek School-house. Rev. C. W. Wiley, a Methodist Episcopal pastor, conducted this service in 1874. An organization was also effected at the same time. In 1874 Rev. George Coffee, an evangelist, came to the township and organized a society of eight persons: Robert Trebilcock and wife, Mrs. John Trebilcock, George Trebilcock and wife, Jesse Cooper and wife, and Amanda Trebilcock.
The first religious services of Fertile Township were held at the schoolhouse in district No. 8 during the summer of 1867. Rev. James Williams, then stationed at Clear Lake, Cerro Gordo County, preached the sermon. Regular fortnightly meetings were held and a Sunday school class formed. In the fall of 1871 the Norwegians first began the formation of a Lutheran Church in this township. The first services were held at the house of A. Halvorson on section 32 and were conducted by Rev. T. A. Torgeson.
The United Evangelical Association at Manly was first incorporated November 18, 1882, by J. J. Long, Lewis Snell, George Tribal, John Randall and James Hungerford. On August 20, 1895, incorporation papers were again filed by N. B. Niebel, H. K. Lyford, J. J. Long, G. L, Bosworth, J. F. Cerney, W. B. Hungerford, William Kinefelter, George K. Huber, D. D. Knowles, R. C. Meldrim, J. H. Lyford, Richard McKercher, S. E. Huber, Annette Huber, Marion Nielsen, Bertha Meldrim, Carrie Blackmore, Jennie Niebel, Elizabeth K. Long, Emma S. Cerney and Clara A. Lyford, all prominent members of the church. The name of the church was given in the articles as the Bethel United Evangelical Church. This society constructed a new brick church building in the year 1913.
The St. Emanuels German Evangelical Lutheran Church at Grafton was first incorporated April 8, 1884, by E. Bielenberg, Friedrich Kruger and Aug. Zarling. Again, named as the Evangelical Lutheran Immanuels Church, it was incorporated December 3, 1904, by Rev. J. Lauddeck, Gottlieb Dallnegge, W. Braun, Wilhelm Diedrich, Albert Baumann, Jul. Brusewiz, Aug. Theel and Fred Hein.
The First Church of Christ at Fertile was incorporated September 15, 1894, by William Paschen, O. S. Mitchell and S. Humphrey. This is one of the strongest churches in the county.
The Sacred Heart Catholic Church, the German Lutheran and Baptist churches of Manly are other notable churches in Worth County.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is the only one of this denomination in the county, although another existed in an early day near Bristol.
The Presbyterian Society at Northwood, now defunct, was at one time the leading church organization. This church was organized December 4, 1869, under Rev. G. H. Chatterton, a missionary, with the following membership: J. U. Perry and wife, Alexander Moir and wife, Mrs. Angeline Hall, Mrs. Dar Weed, S. P. Boyd and wife, and Mrs. Martha Atwood. In October, 1872, the church building was dedicated, but when the church was abandoned in later years this building was sold to the Lutherans. Duncan McKercher, L. S. Butler, R. C. Pike, H. T. Toye were other prominent members of this early church society.
Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, Vol. I, 1918, pages 386-390.
Transcription by Gordon Felland, 12/26/2008