LYON COUNTY GENEALOGY
The Churches In A NutshellIt is great pity that we must crowd the great histories of our churches into the little nutshells of this chapter. Suggestions of what might be written of many of these churches may be found in the things that have been written concerning some of them in preceding chapters.
The list, alphabetically arranged with dates of organizations, names of pastors, etc., is substantially complete, only a few being omitted, and those of no significance. The number of the list if four hundred and seventy-one.
No doubt those familiar with the churches of the state will be surprised at the number of unfamiliar names here recorded. More than one-third of these churches are not now in existence. Some never had anything more than a name to live. Some died in good health and without cause or reason expecting unwillingness to bear the responsibilities of life. Many that dropped out by the way justified themselves in their living, and in their dying too. Some died to live in other churches, sometimes in churches of other names. The loss by death is not nearly as great as appearances would seem to indicate. This list of churches, names of pastors, and date of dedications represent decades and even centuries of consecrated toil and sacrifice with great forces intellectual, moral and spiritual, working for the making of the commonwealth, the leavening of the nation, and the saving of the world.
Alvord: November 22, 1891. Yoked with Larchwood and Doon. J.E. Janson, 1907–. Dedication January 8, 1893
Doon: December 10, 1889. L.R. Fitch, Charles Wyatt, H.W. Mercer, H.W. Jones, W.L. Brandt, S.A. Wheelwright, W.W. Hartsough, D.E. Skinner, W.J. Watt, C.F. Shaw, J.H. Barnett and F.H. Richardson. Dedicated, February, 1900.
Larchwood: September 29, 1886. W.H. Watson, W.N. Dunham, H.W. Mercer, A.M. Leichliter, William Jones, D.E. Evans, G.H. Croker, G.A. Wickwire, G.W. Schroeder, A.J. Benton, T. Thompson. Buildings erected in 1890, enlarged in 1900; burned in 1909; rebuilt, 1909
Little Rock: May 28, 1893. P.B. West, D. Donaldson, F.W. Gardner, W.A. Brintnall, C.A. Downs, Edward Wilson, C.J. Gall, J.F. Steele. Dedication, November 26, 1893.
Rock Rapids: June 13, 1878. J.E. McNamara, Amos Jones, C.H. Morse, A.P. Lyon, F.B. Hicks, G.G. Perkins, W.B. Pinkerton, A.G. Williams, F.G. Beardsley, F.A. Zickefoose, H.H. Burch and C.H. Gilmore. Dedication, July 13, 1884.
Source: The Pilgrims of Iowa by Truman O. Douglass - Chapter XV1