"An Interesting Early History of Decatur County"

by Mrs. O.N. Kellogg
 
Chapter Sixteen

REV. SHIELDS-PERMANENT PRESBYTERIAN ORGANIZATION-
CHRISTIAN CHURCH-NEW FAMILIES
 
The Rev. Mr. Shields, who came to Leon upon urgent invitation and preached at Dr. Thompson's, was a good man and was well liked. He preached there two years and organized a church of eleven members (New School Presbyterian.) He married an elegant and attractive lady but the union proved disastrous in every respect. She was not what she seemed and his happiness was wrecked. In addition to this, he was silenced from preaching in consequence of having married a divorced woman.

Rev. Mr. Smith of Centerville supplied the place with occasional services, when a Cumberland Presbyterian came and preached with considerable success. Afterward Rev. Mr. Kendrick, N.S. Labored here a year. Many changes are incident to the settlement of a new country. Confusion follows chaos, from which order is finally evolved and permanent organization results.

This consummation was achieved as regards this church in 1866 by Rev. W. C. Holiday, James Rice and R. Roby, elders, organizing a committee appointed by the Presbytery. They met in the Methodist Church. The membership was fifteen. W. P. Blair was chosen elder and Francis Varga and W. H. Smith, deacons, regularly installed. Rev. D. S. Hughes was their first minister, this field of labor being connected with Osceola. In November, 1866, Rev. R. J. Burt took charge of the Leon and Osceola congregations until April 25, 1868.

In 1869 Rev. A. A. Mather was appointed by the Presbytery to supply the Leon, Decatur City, and Grand River congregation. He labored with them until the Fall of 1872. During this time they erected a fine brick church at Leon which cost over five thousand dollars which sum, with the exception of five hundred dollars received from the church erection fund, was raised by private donations. The membership, aided by their minister, with the kind assistance of the citizens of Leon and the surrounding country, succeeded in finished their church in a tasteful and substantial manner. The members of the church will ever hold in grateful remembrance the assistance they received from Elder Calvin Johnson and his pious wife.

In the Fall of 172 Rev. Frederick Rea took the pastoral charge of the Leon and Garden Grove churches. He labored with them a year and a half. In the Autumn of 1874 Rev. C. M. Des Islets assumed the care of the Leon and Grand River churches.

In the Spring of 1854 Rev. Mr. Porter moved to Leon and preached the first Sabbath after his arrival. He, with the Messrs. Witter, Gardner and Thatcher, were the first to organize a church of the Christian denomination in Leon. This church has been quite prosperous and at present owns the largest church edifice in the county. It is of brick, well situated and handsomely furnished.

In the Winter of 1854 Caleb Woodbury of Adrian, Michigan, came to see the county and decide upon the feasibility of furnishing my husband capital with which to operate extensively in real estate. His decision was favorable and not only himself but his brothers, Dwight and J. W. of New York City, and J. H. Woodbury of Cold Water, Michigan, became interested in an enterprise which gave promise of successful results. The latter moved here in the Fall of 1854, his son George and his bride making it their bridal tour. The same Fall Lester Northrup, from the vicinity of Utica, New York, came who, after the usual preliminary acquaintance, married Miss Mary Woodbury.

William Curry arrived with his family December 24, 1853, having performed the journey from White Pigeon, Michigan with ox teams. What an undertaking in the cold and dreariness of Winter. He has a beautiful farm in Franklin Township and his boys, who were so glad to get to Grandfather Davis' and get warm and spend Christmas, are now men of families, settled near him, but the mother has gone to that abiding home so far away, and yet God only knows how near.

Hawkins Judd came to this county from Illinois in the Spring of 1854. He was a great help to the early settlers in consequence of having money to lend and, as he conducted business on the principles of the strictest integrity, all parties were benefited. He has passed from our midst and his family inherits not only “much substance” but also the memory of an upright, consistent character. Those two families and Amas J. Davis, Allen Pryor, John Lillard, Samuel Metier and others whose names do not now occur to me, went out at an early day upon the raw open prairie and made themselves comfortable homes in a very short time and now have excellent farms, stocked with choice cattle, and are blessed with an abundance.

Thomas Lillard came in '56; Thomas J. Eals in '57; John Lillard in '65; and Henry G. Stiles in '66. Mr. Stiles brought his finishing lumber for his house from Ottumwa. These bought improvements to which they have made large additions. Lyman B. Chase came in May, 1855, and bought a good improvement with acres under improvement with sixty acres of good timber adjoining his prairie. He paid twelve dollars an acre in gold for this farm. Prices were then inflated but they fell flat enough soon after this.
 
 
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