belonged to the Montezuma District, and the Rev. John Parker took his seat as a local preacher.
The meeting for the fourth quarter was held at the house of George Holland, some two miles west of Iowa Center. At this meeting J. J. Cole was licensed, and license renewed to N. Applegate, John Parker, E. Alderman and John Anderson. The course of the trustees was approved, and they were directed to go ahead and build the house. (This is supposed to refer to a house near Elisha Alderman's, either for preaching or a parsonage, most likely the latter.) Brother McCartney was made steward, in place of W. W. Utterback, released.
In 1856 the first Quarterly Conference was held at Bro. Baker's, Rev. J. E. Hestwood being preacher in charge. The name of J. Haden as presiding elder, is signed to the minutes, they showing, however, that he was not present. The second meeting was ordered to be at Bro. Dye's, but was held at Bro. McCartney's, in the same neighborhood. The name of Joanna McCartney appears now as a class leader. The third meeting is shown to have been held at "Nevada County, Iowa," June 4th. At this meeting there were some complaints against Bro. Parker, but he was acquitted. Bro. Richard Jenness was released as steward, and Melburn Pettibone appointed. It appears that there was a church in course of erection at Iowa Center, and a debt of $58.90 against it. The fourth meeting was at the camp ground near Iowa Center. Wm. Tichenor, Robert McCartney, N. Applegate, George Holland, S. W. Day, John J. Cole and Joseph Tichenor were appointed a committee to secure a lot to build a parsonage. George Merryhew's license as local preacher was renewed.
The first quarterly meeting, for 1857 was held at McCartney's school horse, which stood in the timber near McCartney's house. on the road to Utterbacks from where F. A. McLain now lives. The second was held at Nevada, at which John Parker was expelled, E. G. Day was appointed steward in the place of V. Tomlinson, resigned, J. M. Rankin was presiding elder; and J. F. Hestwood was preacher in charge. At the fourth meeting Samuel Gossard appears as local preacher, B. J. Dunning as an exhorter, Johnathan Mathews and Cyrus Davis as class leaders. It was also resolved that Missionary aid is no longer needed on this Mission.
At the meeting of Conference in the fall of 1857 it seems that Nevada was made a circuit of the upper Iowa Conference, and Jos. Cadwallader was made preacher in charge. Nothing of general interest during the year.
In 1858 I. N. Holmes was made presiding elder of the district, and R. Swearengen was sent as preacher in charge. There were classes then at Nevada, McCartney's, Applegates, Mullins, Bloomington, Smiths, and Cambridge.
The Methodist Society at Nevada was organized at the house of J. W. Cessna who then lived where the Warring House now stands. The seven names then entered on the roll were those of E. G.