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Audubon County |
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CHAPTER XV.CHURCHES AND RELIGION. (CONT'D)From History of Audubon Co., Iowa (1915)
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EXIRA.Preaching and Sunday schools were usually held in the old school house, and prayer meetings often in private houses. About 1870 the deacon visited his old home in Massachusetts and, while there, collected from his old neighbors and friends more than one thousand dollars for a church building at Exira. The building, thirty-two by forty feet, was erected in 1870-71, John W. Dodge and H. U. Hansen being the principal carpenters and builders. The church was reorganized on May 10, 1871. The church edifice was dedicated on July 16, 1871, Revs. J. W. Pickett, C. D. Wright and John F. Taft being the officiating clergymen. This was the first church edifice in the county and is still occupied by the church. The first resident pastor was Oren Cummings. At the death of Deacon Bush he left one thousand dollars as a permanent fund, the interest of which, only, was to be devoted perpetually to support the ministry, and this fund is now intact. The present membership is about seventy-four. The deacons have been Lyman Bush, Boynton G. Dodge, Enoch Croy, David Sewell, William C. Sturgeon, John D. Bush, Henry Seibert, Louis E. Borne, William Wissler and Frank Heath. The church has been faithfully served by the following pastors: Oren Cummings, E. S. Hill, C. D. Wright, John S. Taft, A. J. R. Smith, R. W. Burgess, J. M. Cummings, J. A. Hallock, A. W. Thompson, D. M. Hartsough, Q. C. Todd, A. M. Beman, Joseph F. Roberts, M. D. Reed, H. L. Wissler, E. H. Votard, W. W. Hartsough, J. L. Fisher, F. H. Richardson, W. L. Holly, James H. Mintier, Noah A. Hollingshead, and Rev. Jessie Gettys, who is the present pastor. Today this is the only Congregational church in the county. OAKFIELD CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.This church was supplied by Rev. Edwin S. Hill, from Grove City, and Rev. C. D. Wright, from Exira. This church is now extinct. |
