The First Regular Baptist church of Linn Grove was organized on the 18th day of December, 1889, by Rev. Robert Carroll, missionary of the State Convention and Home Mission Society in the Northwestern District of Iowa.  The following persons composed the membership of the church at its organization:  J. R. Findley, Mrs. J. R. Findley, Dr. and Mrs. Wm. B. Hall, Mrs. Sarah Evans, John E. Bloodgood, Mrs. Jessie Bloodgood, Mrs. Ida Buland.  James Findley was elected the first deacon, John E. Bloodgood, clerk, and Wm. B. Hall, treasurer.

In 1890 the first board of trustees was elected as follows:  Thos. Evans, K. Buland, H. W. Mayne, W. B. Hall, and J. R. Findley.  In the same year their first church building was erected, costing one thousand four hundred and forty-three dollars "from foundation up."  This constitutes the present building.  The society held services in the Union church building until their own was erected.  The Union church is so called because it was erected by popular subscription, and is open for the use of all denominations.  Besides the church the Baptists own a parsonage, which together with a lot, was purchased in 1900, and rebuilt in 1903, twelve hundred dollars being expended for this work.

The following ministers have been pastors of this church:  Revs. John Firth, a supply, F. L. Ketman, a student, A. Amburn; a supply, Thos. E. S. Sapham, W. A. Nelson, C. W. C. Erickson, O. W. Catlin, G. M. Bentley, R. E. House, J. W. Oliver, W. T. Reese and J. V. Wright.

The officers of the church at the present time are:  C. I. Pease, clerk; Lewis Lewis, treasurer; Chas. Hanson and Lewis Lewis, deacons; S. G. Buland, Lewis Lewis, D. W. Evans and James Morris, trustees.  The enrollment numbers sixty-two.

The Sunday school has a membership of over one hundred; Lewis Lewis is superintendent and Miss Geo Mayne, secretary.

There is a junior B. Y. P. U. with Mary Morris, president; Earl Campbell, secretary; Thos. Harris, treasurer.

The ladies of the church have their Aid Society; Mrs. Maggie Roberts is president; Miss Mary Morris, secretary; and Miss Guennie Lloyd, treasurer.

_______________

Extracted from:  Wegerslev, C. H. and Thomas Walpole.  "Linn Grove."  Past and Present of Buena Vista County, Iowa.  Chicago:  S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1909, p. 189-90.