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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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METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, EXIRA.At the twelfth annual session of the Iowa Methodist Episcopal Conference, in September, 1855, Exira was included in the Cass mission, Council Bluffs district, and Rev. Rand was again appointed pastor and seventy-five dollars appropriated from the missionary funds of the conference toward his support. At the conference in September, 1856, Audubon and Shelby counties were united, under the name of Audubon and Shelby mission, and Rev. J. M. Baker appointed pastor, with seventy dollars from the conference missionary funds toward his salary. In 1857 Audubon mission stood alone, with Rev. J. M. Baker again as pastor, who, at the end of the year, reported sixty members and thirteen probationers. Also one Sunday school, with five officers and teachers and twenty scholars. This was the first Sunday school in the county. At the conference in September, 1858, Audubon and Lewis were united, under the name of Lewis and Audubon mission, and fifty dollars appropriated from the mission funds to apply on the salary of Rev. J. M. Rust, who was appointed pastor, with residence at Exira. At the end of the year Rev. Rust reported sixty members and ten probationers, one church building, four Sunday schools, twenty-four officers and teachers and one hundred and fifty scholars. At this time the development of the country had become so rapid, the trail of the Indian having given place to the steel rails of the railroad now pointing to the Missouri river; the hunting grounds having become fields of waving grain; the tepee and Indian village being supplanted by comfortable homes and thriving towns; the population becoming more dense, and the territory of the conference being so great, consisting of all of Iowa, all settled portions of Nebraska and part of Missouri; that at the sixteenth session of the Iowa annual conference at Muscatine, held in September, 1859, it was deemed the wise thing to divide the conference, and the Western Iowa conference was organized. Audubon county was included in the Audubon and Lewis mission, Council Bluffs district, and Rev. D. B. Clary was appointed pastor, with residence at Exira. At the end of the year Rev. Clary reported eighty-seven members and fourteen probationers, five Sunday schools, with two hundred and two members. In September, 1860, at the first session of the Western Iowa conference. Rev. C. F. Spooner was appointed to the Lewis and Audubon mission, and at the end of the year reported ninety-eight members, forty probationers and four Sunday schools, with one hundred and sixty members. At the annual conference in September, 1861, a new district was formed, called the Lewis district. Lewis was detached from Audubon and made a station. Audubon was called Audubon mission, Lewis district, and Rev. C. F. Spooner was appointed as pastor, with sixty-two dollars and fifty cents appropriated from the mission funds to apply to his support. At the end of the year, Reverend Spooner reported seventy-six members and seven probationers, two Sunday schools, with seventy-nine members. In September, 1862, Rev. S. W. Milligan was appointed pastor to Audubon mission, with sixty-five dollars appropriated from the Mission funds. He reported sixty-seven members and nine probationers, three Sunday schools, with ninety-eight members. In September, 1863, Audubon and Lewis were again joined as Audubon and Lewis circuit, and Rev. S. W. Milligan was appointed pastor. The circuit was then composed of the following classes: Lewis, Grove City, Middle Grove, Audubon (city), Exira, Oakfield and Buck Creek, including one hundred and three members, thirteen probationers and four Sunday schools, with one hundred and eighty-two members. In September, 1864, the name Western Iowa annual conference was changed to Des Moines annual conference, and a new district formed, called Wintust district, of which the Lewis and Audubon circuit was a part, with Rev. N. L. Phillips as pastor. At the end of the year, Rev. Phillips reported one hundred and five members, twenty-one probationers and four Sunday schools, with one hundred and forty-four members. In September, 1865, Rev. John G. Gates was appointed pastor and reported one hundred and thirty-one members, fifty probationers and seven Sunday schools with two hundred and thirty members. In September, 1866, M. Sheets was appointed pastor and reported two hundred and eight members, fifty-one probationers and eight Sunday schools with three hundred and fifteen members. During the years 1867-8-9 the circuit was known as the Grove City circuit and was composed of the following classes: Grove City, Audubon City, Exira and Oakfield, with the following pastors: Rev. William Abraham, in 1867; Rev. W. H. Records, in 1868, and Rev. Jacob Levan, in 1869. In 1870 the name of the circuit was changed to Exira, Atlantic district, and included all of Audubon county and some points in Cass. Prior to this time, services had been held in private homes or the school house. From 1870 to 1873 they were kindly permitted to use the new Congregational church at Exira. The pastors were Rev. J. G. Gates, 1870-71, and Rev. George W. Saint, 1872. Reverend Saint died just after the fourth quarterly meeting and just before the annual conference. Then came Rev. George W. Cauffer in 1873. During this year a church edifice twenty-four by thirty-two was erected on the site where Squire James P. Lair now resides. This was the second church building in the county, the other being the Congregational church in Exira. Rev. B. L. Jackson (supplied) in 1874, and Rev. W. T. Reid served in 1875. In 1875 Exira circuit was divided and a new circuit, called Hamlin, formed, embracing the north nine townships of Audubon county. Rev. John W. Hardin came in 1876; Rev. W. R. Douglas, in 1877; Rev. O. E. Moore, in 1878; Rev. C. H. McIntosh supplied in 1879; Rev. D. C. Adams supplied in 1880; Rev. J. W. Bott was pastor in 1881 and 1882. In 1881, the church not being large enough to accommodate the growing congregation, plans were laid and steps taken, money solicited, and a new building, of larger proportions, was erected and dedicated by the presiding elder, Rev. W. T. Smith, on January 22, 1882. The next pastor was Rev. W. W. Dauner in 1883, after whom followed Rev. F. T. Stevenson, 1884-5; L. C. Burling, 1886-7; R. T. Leary, 1888; A. B. Shipman, 1889; J. S. Morrow, 1890; D. H. K. Dix, 1891-92; Rev. W. J. Richards, 1893; Rev. C. H. Miller, 1894; Rev. L. H. Humphey, 1895 and 1896; Rev. O. T. Nichols, 1897 and 1898; Rev. R. C. F. Chambers, 1899; Rev. J. M. Whitehead, 1900; Rev. J. E. Nichol, 1901 and 1902; Rev. E. C. Holliday, 1903; Rev. T. G. Aten, 1904; Rev. A. Dove, 1905; Rev. J. A. Howard, 1906; Rev. E. W. Bates, 1907; Rev. W. E. Harvey, 1908; Rev. John Harned, 1909-1910-1911; Rev. George A. Lawton, 1912; Rev. Henry P. Grinyer, 1913-14, who is the present pastor. The present membership is about forty. The church maintains a flourishing Sunday school and a splendid Epworth League. Since 1896, the Hamlin class has been affiliated with this charge, and at present Buck Creek class is also a part of the work. OAKFIELD CLASS OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.Audubon and Lewis circuit, in 1864, was composed of the following classes: Lewis, Grove City, Middle Grove, Audubon City (in section 25, Exira township), Exira, Oakfield and Buck Creek, and at other times the preaching points changed. |
