updated 08/19/2015

Church Index

Strawberry Point Methodism dates back to 1854 when the first services were held here in the log house that stood on the [illegible] opposite the present cemetery. The building was so cold one winter that one preacher froze his ears during the service. The first Methodist minister [illegible] was the Rev. Daniel M. Stearns conducted these services. He came here in 1854 when this was a broad prairie with scarcely a sign of habitation in sight and with his brother William, platted and laid out the lots for Strawberry Point and named it Franklin, after their home town of Franklinsville, N.Y. The town was earlier known as Enfield. The country was growing rapidly, for on October 3, 1854, the first Clayton County fair was held, three weeks before the first Iowa fair. Later on, services were held in a new school house located at a place later known as L.C. Gardner's wagon shop. In 1856 the Upper Iowa Conference was organized and held its first session in Maquoketa. In 1857 Strawberry Point Mission was organized. It included Forestville, County Corners, Garden Prairie, Ward's Corner, Brush Creek (now Arlington), Volga City and York (now Edgewood) at various times, in addition to Strawberry Point. Rev. William Lease was appointed as first preacher in charge. He held almost every position in the conference in the fifty years that he was a member. The death of Rev. Lease occurred in 1913 at DeWitt, where he had twice held preaching appointments. During the next four years the local church was served by three minsters, Rev. Lewis Olmstead (1859-60), Rev. J.W. Waterbury (1860-62) and Rev. Thomas Moore (1862-63), about whom little is known. Rev. Smith Knickerbocker was the next minister and served three years. During the ministry of Rev. Knickerbocker it was deemed necessary to build a suitable place in which to worship. Accordingly, plans were made to erect a church in the town of Strawberry Point. The Upper Iowa Conference appropriated the sum of $10 to the Methodists here for that purpose. Cedar Falls, Jan 10 - Rev. S. Knickerbocker died at 5 o'clock this morning after a lingering illness of eleven weeks. The end came quietly and peacefully, being conscious to the last. Rev. Knickerbocker had lived in Cedar Falls since 1885. His last charge was with the Fields' chapel, but he has done occasionally some local preaching. His wife and five children survive. Most of them will be here for the funeral which will be Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock. ~Waterloo Daily Courier, Jan 10, 1903 Longer obituary * Gravestone in Fairview cemetery, Black Hawk co. In regard to location, the conference committee on architecture in 1865 recommended the church be built in a suitable place, where the spirit of the surroundings is congenial to the worship of God. "Not on the dusty street, where it must be surrounded with the perpetual scramble for mammon, nor yet in the suburbs of the village or town, but as nearly as possible in the center of the population it is intended to accommodate. ... In no case attempt to accommodate two neighborhoods, by building between them. Heaven is more attractive and inviting than earth. the church should always be made the most attractive and inviting place in its neighborhood." When the church was completed and dedicated in 1866, it was valued at $2,500, the dimensions were 30X46, and seating capacity was 200. The sum of $430 was raised to complete the cost at the dedication. The church was according to the "style of the times." These early churches had a gallery over the end with a stairs leading from the vestibule. The men and boys sat on one side, the women and girls sat on the other. The Articles of Incorporation of the local church were drawn up on May 19, 1865 and the following persons were the original trustees: M.D. Clark, president; Joel Bullock, treasurer; Daniel M. Stearns, secretary; S.A Thompson and D.H. Goodrich. John E. Baird was the Justice of the Peace before whom the Articles were acknowledged. During the church year 1866-67, the pastor was Rev. John L. Kelley, who was converted at the age of 14 at a camp meeting and began an earnest Christian life which lasted sixty-two years. One of the most prominent of the early local Methodist ministers was James Finley Hestwood, who served from 1867 to 1869 and later from 1874 to 1877. He was one of the original members of the Upper Iowa Conference. Rev. Hestwood died in 1908 and is the only former pastor of the church to be buried in Strawberry Point. Rev. J.F. Hestwood died at his home in Strawberry Point Tuesday morning, Jan. 28, 1908 at an advanced age. He was one of the first Methodist ministers in this part of the state. He is survived by his wife and three children, a son and daughter in Washington state, and Mrs. Minnie Fulenvoider, of Tipton, Ia. He also has three stepchildren, Mrs. E.G. Cooley and Evra and Frank Stanley. Although in frail health, less than one week ago he visited friends and went to the post office as was his daily custom when able to do so, and his sudden passing away has caused deep sorrow throughout the country where he has assisted at so many funerals and marriages. The body was taken to the undertaker's parlors owing to the severe illness of Mrs. Hestwood. The funeral will be held next Monday from the M.E. Church. ~Arlington News, Jan 30, 1908 Rev. Jacob Hurrel and Rev. Matthew Henry Smith each served one year in the local church. Very little is known about the work of the next two ministers, Rev. Isaac N. Van Arsdell (1871-72) and Rev. Edwin E. Webber (1872-73). When Rev. William Young served the Strawberry Point Mission in 1873-74, there were two churches (buildings) and three Sunday Schools, the latter having a membership of 275, with 25 officers and teachers. One day in 1873 a large crowd gathered on Mission street to see the first train ever to come through Strawberry Point. In 1875 Rev. Hestwood returned here and served until 1877. Travel difficulties of the 1870's are made more vivid by the local newspaper account in 1877 which mentioned that Rev. Hestwood drove from here to Rossville in Allamakee County (40 miles) in eight hours. Rev. John G. Van Ness was the next minister, being here from 1877 to 1879. During his ministry here, the church at County Corners was dedicated on March 12, 1879. Rev. Eugene Ketchum, 1879-1880, had been a teacher as well as a preacher. He became almost blind at the age of 17 from cataracts, but several years later regained his sight by an operation in Chicago. Waverly, Iowa, Nov. 18 - After a brief illness the Rev. Eugene Ketchum, a veteran minister of the Methodist Episcopal denomination, expired at his home in this city on Saturday, of typhoid fever. Rev. Ketchum entered the ministry in 1874, and became a member of the Upper Iowa Conference the same year. He was still a member at the time of his death. About eight years ago he was forced to retire from the active ministry on account of ill health. During his career Rev. Ketchum filled many appointments in north eastern Iowa. Two years ago Rev. Ketchum removed to this city from Epworth with his family where he gained the respect of all whose acquaintance he made. he was 66 years old and leaves a wife and six children. Burial was at Riceville Monday afternoon. ~Waterloo Semi-weekly Reporter, Nov. 20, 1906 Rev. W.D. Mabry followed next and spent one year as minister in Strawberry Point, 1880-81. A reception or "sociable" in November 1880 had to be postponed because of diphtheria. In 1880 the County Corners church was removed from the circuit, leaving only the Strawberry Point and Brush Creek (Arlington) charges in the circuit. From 1881 to 1884 the Rev. Sidney T. McKim served as pastor. In 1883 the Methodist Church at Brush Creek was destroyed by a cyclone and a collection was taken in the Strawberry Point church to help the sufferers. Cyclone or no cyclone, however, the clock in the church was still going after the storm even though the church was completely destroyed. Rev. McKim was instrumental in having a new church built at Brush Creek alter in 1883. In November of the same year, as a result of the cyclone at Brush Creek, the Mutual Church Insurance Association of the Methodist Episcopal Church was originated by Rev. McKim. The plan was presented to the Upper Iowa Conference where it was accepted. The Strawberry Point Press of April 17, 1884 carried the item that "Strawberry Point has now six roomy churches and all dwell in harmony and peace." In June of 1884, as a token of friendship, a quilt was presented to Mrs. McKim by several ladies. This quilt was rather unusual, inasmuch as it contained the names of over 100 people in the community. When Rev. McKim left in 1884 the church was debt-free and $4,000 had been raised in three years. There were 158 members and 17 probationers. News was received Monday of the death of Rev. S.T. McKim at La Porte City at noon on Sunday. Mr. McKim was stricken about a year ago with throat trouble and he went south with the hope of benefiting his health, but there seemed to be no help for him and he gradually failed until of late he has been a great care. He leaves a wife and two sons, all of whom were at his bedside at the end. The funeral was held yesterday with burial at Traer. ~this death notice appeared in several Iowa papers, July 13-15th, 1905 In October of 1884 Rev. Francis J. Norton came from Hopkinton to be Strawberry Point's new Methodist minister. The Strawberry Point Press comented that this was a thriving business community and that it was not uncommon to see 100 to 150 teams at a time on the streets of the town. In the same year telephone lines connecting Strawberry Point and various neighboring towns were constructed. A disastrous fire occurred in Strawberry Point shortly after Rev. R.E. DuBois was appointed here in 1887 and this fire touched off the contraversy as to whether the town should incorporate and thus be able to have fire protection. On December 21, 1887 the matter of incorporation carried, and on March 5, 1888, T. Dunning was elected as the first mayor of Strawberry Point. In the summer of 1888 it is recorded that Rev. DuBois and family attended the camp meeting of Delhi for two weeks. It was customary for each district to hold an annual camp meeting which members of the local churches frequently attended. Rev. William W. Carlton, 1889-1892, suffered the loss of four members of his family within two months after his coming to Strawberry Point. The church was enlarged in 1890 and equipped with modern appliances. The Press of August 27, 1890 stated "The M.E. Church begins to look gay with its coat of many colors." Dunkerton, Ia. - Mrs. C.I. Buehner of Dunkerton is informed of the sudden death at his home in Pasadena, Cal., of Rev. William W. Carlton, her uncle, a former minister and district superintendent in Upper Iowa conference of the M.E. church. He served as pastor at Fairbank, Strawberry Point, McGregor, Independence, Mason City and Manchester, and was superintendent of the Cedar Rapids district. His retirment from the conference in 1923 was due to ill health, but he later served as supply pastor in Colorado and California for two years. His funeral was at Hartzell Memorial church in Pasadena, Cal. Surviving are the widow, Susan Fisk Carlton, son, Henry Fisk Carlton, Harmon, N.Y., two daughters, Mrs. T.C. Likins, Trinidad, Colo., and Mrs. Carl J. Allen, Temple City, Cal., and anephew, Fred Carlton, Flint, Mich. ~Waterloo Daily Courier, April 28, 1932 Very little is known about the ministry of Rev. John H. Hayward, 1892-93. Rev. Harry Freemont Wyatt came to Strawberry Point in October, 1893, and served two years as minister. Rev. Wyatt, like many another minister of his day, saw the evils of the saloon and preached temperance from the pulpit. There were at that time three saloonkeepers in Strawberry Point, who enriched the town coffers by $100. DeWitt Clinton Perry was the next minister, serving here from 1895 to 1897. He seems to have had evangelistic fervor. A series of revival meetings began on November 3 and lasted until Dec. 8. Rev. Perry is the most recent of former pastors to relinquish his earthly existence, his death having occurred April 8, 1945 at Maquoketa. Dumont - Rev. Dewitt C. Perry, about 75, pastor of the Methodist church for several years, died Sunday at the Maquoketa, Ia. hospital after several years illness. He was voted to full membership in the Upper Iowa conference of the Methodist church in 18?6 and retired in 19?6. He filled pulpits in northeast Iowa towns, including Dubuque, Lansing, Greeley, Strawberry Point, Lime Spring, Elma, Stanwood, McGregor, Alton, Monmouth, Alh??? and Walker. surviving are one son, one daughter and two sisters, all in California. Funeral services to be held Thursday in Maquoketa with burial in Dumont. ~Waterloo Daily Courier, April 11, 1945 (type, especially the dates, was difficult to read in this obituary) Little is written concerning the work of Rev. Robert C. Lusk, 1897-99, and of Rev. William A. Gibbens, 1899-1901, in the local charge. The Methodist minister from 1901 to 1905 was Rev. Orin C. DePuy. In 1903 $275 was spent for "dressing up" the church and parsonage property. The church at Arlington which was begun in the fall of 1902 was completed in May, 1903, at a cost of $3,733, and was turned over to the trustees debt-free. Rev. Charles W. Rodgers, 1905-07, left to attend school and the pulpit was supplied by Rev. E.S. Guilbert from 1907 to 1909. During the ministry of Rev. Will A. Piper, 1909 to 1911, about the most important occurrence was the revival which was held in April, 1911. Before Rev. Piper left, elaborate steps were taken to start the remodeling of the church. Plans called for the raising of the building, a basement with dining room and kitchen, new heating plant, new foundation to be built and the cupola to be raised and remodeled. The expected expenditure was to be $3,000. Rev. William S. Sylvester, here from 1911 to 1912, took over the task of completing the remodeling of the church. While the Methodist Church was unable to be used for services, meetings were held in the Congregational Church. The formal dedication of the newly remodeled church took place on June 9, 1912. Bishop Homer C. Stuntz, D.D., was in attendance. This was the first known appearance of a bishop in the Strawberry Point Methodist Church. Rev. Lewis Addison Bradford served the church from 1912 to 1914 as pastor. The Sunday School maintained its good record of attendance, having on November 17, 1912, over 100 in attendance. Rev. C.J. Rose was the pastor when revival meetings were held in 1916 in the tabernacle erected east of the Methodist Church. Following the conclusion of the revival campaign, there were many accessions to the various churches in Strawberry Point. It is recorded that there were 85 re-consecrations and 172 conversions among the listeners. the Methodists received 78 persons into the church on February 20. Rev. Rose served the local church from 1914 to the spring of 1917, at which time Professor H.W. Gilmer from Upper Iowa University came to supply the church. When Rev. Elton D. Wells came from Dubuque in 1917 to Strawberry Point, the local paper commented that the Methodist Episcopal Church was fortunate in getting one of the most outstanding, wide awake, alert pastors of the conference. Both the church and Sunday School membership counted important gains during the ministry of Rev. Wells. Some work was done on the parsonage in the amount of $1,500. Rev. William H. Smith preached here for only one year, 1919 to 1920. He has preached at Volga before coming to Strawberry Point and in 1920 returned to Volga to preach. For the period from 1920 to 1923, Rev. Louis C. Kirby was the preacher. The Epworth league received new emphasis and was fully organized in his term. In 1922 the pastor reported that the roll of the church showed 143 active members and 15 non-resident members. The treasurer reported at the fourth quarterly meeting in 1922 that the church had canceled all its notes and met every obligation during the year, and that missionary collections doubled from the preceding year. the Sunday School reported many new accessions and for the first time were able to report a surplus in the treasury. Rev. Frank Frizzelle came here from the Canadian Methodist Church as a supply minister in November of 1923. the Sunday School attendance was growing and two new classes were organized in 1923. In April of 1924 the parsonage was cleared of the debt of $1,000, of which $350 came from district funds. Rev. Frizzelle left in October, 1924, and served two years in a similarly commendable manner. Rev. Turner directed a historical pageant at the 1925 Fair in which 200 characters portrayed the history of Strawberry Point. Rev. Turner is now at Cresco, Iowa. Rev. Fred J. Offman was pastor here for one year, 1926-27. The church membership at that time was 201, the Sunday School enrollment was 163, with an average attendance of 94. Rev. Hoffman was appointed to a charge at Ripon, Wisconsin in 1927. The pastor who has had the longest tenure at the local church was Rev. Thomas Johns Elwick, who served from 1927 to 1934. He was called "Dad" by his friends and was noted for his qualities of stability and character. In 1928 the Sunday School had an orchestra. In September of 1929, the choir reorganized and the local paper stated that "If the choir is the war department of the church, the choir would fight discord and the devil." In October 1930, the Men's Brotherhood Class was organized at the parsonage. Rev. Elwick started the unified Sunday service which began at 10:00 and lasted until 11:30. This service included 50 minutes for the worship service, sermon to children and regular sermon, and 40 minutes for the Sunday School lesson. Rev. Elwick was called upon to report on the unified service in a ministerial meeting at Dubuque in September 1933, after it had been in operation for about five months. Rev. Elwick, after serving Strawberry Point faithfully for seven years, retired from the active ministry in 1934. He served as treasurer of the Upper Iowa Conference from 1915 to 1919 and as president of the conference board of stewards from 1931 to 1934. Rev. Elwick met death in an automobile accident in December 1944 while enroute from his home in Decorah to supply the Methodist Church at Fayette. It was said of Rev. Elwick that he did "not try to force his religion upon you, but he makes you want it." Decorah - The Rev. Thomas J. Elwick, 77, died Monday at 2:30 a.m. at a West Union hospital from injuries suffered in an automobile accident Sunday morning 2 miles south of West Union. The pastor never regained consciousness. The accident occurred while Mr. Elwick was going to Fayette to preach at the Methodist church. He left Decorah alone at 8:30 a.m. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Methodist church, with burial in Phelps cemetery. Mr. Elwick served in the Upper Iowa conference for 40 years. He retired in 1934. Since that time he supplied in various pulpits in the conference. His last charge was the Strawberry Point Methodist church. Mr. Elwick was born on a farm north of Decorah, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Elwick. He attended Decorah academy and Upper Iowa university at Fayette, obtaining his doctor's degree at the latter school. He was married to Celia Balder of Decorah October 4, 1895. They have one living child, Mrs. Sylvan Christen, Hawkeye. ~Mason City Globe Gazette, December 12, 1944 Rev. James P. Gable, 1934-37, continued to use the unified service started by Rev. Elwick. The final report of the church year given in 1935 showed gains in all departments, the the treasurer gave the best financial report for several years. Rev. Gable at the present time is pastor of the Marion Methodist Church. During the ministry of Rev. Hobart McKinley Grant, 1937-38, improvements were made on the church and parsonage. The church received a new roof and a new coat of paint on the outside. Within the church, Celotex blocks were put on the ceiling and a new alcove large enough to seat the choir was built on the south end of the sanctuary. The parsonage received lesser improvements. During the Lenten season, special efforts were made to encourage church and Sunday School attendance. On March 17, there were nearly 200 worshipers at Family Day services. On that same day there were 20 members in the "Front Row Club". One week later the Sunday School boasted an attendance of over 100. Rev. Grant was appointed to Osage in 1938 and is now a district superintendent located at Mt. Vernon, Iowa. Rev. Frank V. Getty, 1938-39, continued the unified service with church from 10:00 to 11:30 and Sunday School classes from 11:00 to 11:35. Rev. Getty left the active ministry and is now in the Red Cross organization. Rev. Glenn S. Hartong, 1939-42, had served several churches in Iowa and several in Oregon before coming to Strawberry Point in 1939. During his ministry here, the church continued to grow. During 1941 a Workers Conference for teachers and officers of the Sunday School met on Sunday evenings at the church for a discussion and study of the Bible. A mother-daughter banquet and a father-son banquet were held at the Methodist church, the former in 1940 and the latter in 1941. In the month of September 1942, the present pastor, Rev. R. Park Anderson, and family drove into Strawberry Point in a snow storm. Since that time the pastor and people have been carrying on together in the church in war time conditions. Seventy-five men and women from the membership and church constituency have answered their country's call in World War II up to the present time. The Crusade for Christ is now commanding the attention of the people. The first phase (emergency fund) has been completed victoriously. It is the confidence of the people that each successive attempt of the crusade will be completed in the same spirit. The tree planted in 1854 has developed, spread its branches, deepened its roots and yielded fruit abundantly. May it weather many years to come. ~Oelwein Daily Register, May 16 & 18, 1945 The photo of the 2nd building to serve the congregation and picture of Rev. R. Park Anderson are from the May 16 issue.

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Mrs. Leora Norris, who died recently stipulated in her will that the sum of $2300 be used for the purchase of an electric organ for the Strawberry Point Methodist church. Both Mrs. Norris and her husband, the late Rufus Norris, were members of the church. ~Oelwein Daily Register, Sept. 22, 1948 ~*~ The Rev. R. Park Anderson came in 1942 and was pastor until 1947, when the Rev. William Butler came for a year. Rev. Wayne Carlson came to the congregation directly from the seminary in 1949, and is the current pastor. Present membership is 525. The Sunday school has an enrollement of 252; the Woman's Society of Christian Service a membership of 131. There are two active youth fellowships, one for the Junior High age group and one for Senior High students. There is a fellowship for the Young Adults. Within the last year a building drive brought pledges of more than $120,000. A lot, 161 by 164 in size, has been purchased and it is planned to start a new brick building with stone trim in the spring of 1955. ~Cedar Rapids Gazette, October 23, 1954 ~*~ Young people from the Strawberry Point Methodist church are shown in their cottage on the Clear Lake Methodist Youth Institute grounds. They are John Runyan, Francis Kramer, Elmer Richards, June Feller, Jerry Turner, Ruth and Dean Knight, and their pastor, Rev. Carlson. They are among the 400 young people attending the 38th annual conference. ~Oelwein Daily Register, July 14, 1950 ~*~ The congregation celebrated its centennial on October 24, 1954, and on the same day dedicated the site for the new church edifice. Construction was begun on the building this spring and it is scheduled for completion early next spring. The present pastor, the Rev. Wayne L. Carlson, has been here since 1949, coming directly from the seminary at the University of Dubuque where he received his Bachelor of Divinity degree. The son of an Ogden, Iowa, businessman, Rev. Carlson also has two brothers in the Methodist ministry, both in the Philadelphia conference. He received his education in the Ogden schools and his Bachelor of Arts degree from John Fletcher college at Oskaloosa. His wife is the former Virginia Mathson of Boone and they have two daughters, Jill and Virgeanne. ~Oelwein Daily Register, August 19, 1955 ~*~ The new First Methodist church in Strawberry Point will be formally dedicated next Sunday, May 27, with special services in the morning and afternoon. Bishop F. Gerald Ensley, resident Bishop of the Des Moines area of the Methodist church will bring the message at the morning service at 10:30 a.m. At noon a planned potluck dinner will be served in the church parlors with all visitors invited to be guests of the congregation. Plans for the new church got under way in 1954, the centennial year of the congregation in Strawberry Point. The congregation having outgrown the old church which was built in 1866, a fund raising canvass was conducted in March of 1954. An architect was engaged and a site, just a half block from the former building was purchased in July of 1954. The brick apartment building on the site was removed and the site was formally dedicated on October 24, 1954, on which day the congregation observed its centenial. Plans and specifications were drawn up and approved and ground was broken for the church on March 27, 1955. Construction went along at a rapid rate and on July 17 the cornerstone laying ceremony took place. The building was encosed before the coldest winter weather arrived and workmen completed the interior work to such an extent that the congregation first entered the building on Easter Sunday, April 1. The church is of brick construction with stone trim, seating 250 in the nave and a total of 430 with the overflow. The social hall on the main floor will seat 235 at tables with a kitchen 23 X 18 feet at one end and a stage 28 X 16 feet at the other end. Also on the main floor are the church office and the pastor's study. The basement, which can scarcely be called a basement since it is only three feet below ground level on the south, has a large Sunday school assembly room and several class rooms as well as rest rooms and storage space. A second floor section contains a baby fold and nursery and overflow space as well as provisions for further expansion when necessary. The baby fold is one of the most modern features of the church, and is equipped with beds and play things. It adjoins a sound proof balcony for mothers to listen to services from. Cost of the building and contents was $165,000 and the site was an additional $10,000. Dedication day will find it free of debt, much credit for which fact must be given to the energetic pastor, Rev. Wayne L. Carlson. Rev. Carlson has been the pastor since his graduation from the seminary in 1949 and in the seven intervening years the congregation has shown a steady growth. In addition to his many tasks in connection with construction of the building, he planned the two stained glass windows in the chancel and the artist designed them from his specifications. Thorson, Thorson and Madson of Waterloo were the architects for the building and Hoffman Brothers of Independence were the general contractors. Freeman Electric of Independence had the electrical contract while a local man, W.S. Kingsland, did the plumbing and heating. ~Oelwein Daily Register, May 25, 1956 ~photo is from Google maps ~*~ Open house will be held Sunday, May 29, 2 to 4 p.m. for the 10th anniversary of the First Methodist church, Strawberry Point. The Rev. Paul Huscher is pastor of the church. Forming of the Methodist church began in 1854, with the services in a log house. It was in 1865 that plans were made to erect the First Methodist church in Strawberry Point. the Rev. Smith Knickerbocker served as pastor, and the church was dedicated in 1866 with a parsonage built in 1876. A site for the present church was dedicated in October 1954, with ground breaking ceremonies conducted in March 1955. During July of the same year a cornerstone was laid. first service in the church was held Easter Sunday, April 1, 1956 and May 27, 1956, the new church was dedicated, with the Rev. Wayne Carlson serving as pastor. In 1960 a new parsonage was completed. A 13 rank Moller organ was installed in February, 1963, as a memorial to Wilder family, with a gift of $25,000 from the Mary Wilder Estate. The Rev. Robert Smith served as the pastor. The pastors study was decorated early in 1964 and new book shelves, drapery and furniture was purchased with memorials. ~Oelwein Daily Register, Friday, May 27, 1966 ~*~*~ The church is now called United Methodist Church, Strawberry Point

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