METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF SIBLEY
The first settlers began coming into this county in the spring of 1871.
Slight improvements were made during the summer and most of the settlers
returned to their former homes in the fall to avoid the long winter
under poorly prepared conditions.
The first preaching service was held in the house of Elbridge Morrison,
one and one-half miles west of Sibley, by Rev. S. Aldrich, who was
making this county his home at that time. Rev. Ira Brashears, a
one-armed veteran of the Civil War, was assigned to the missionary field
of O'Brien, Sioux. Lyon and Osceola counties. Rev. John Webb, who was in
charge of the work in Spirit Lake, was directed to divide his time with
Sibley. Accordingly on the eighth day of April, 1872, Reverend Webb and
Reverend Aldrich met the people at the house of A. M. Culver, one and
one-half miles south of Sibley. After preaching by Rev. Webb, a class of
nineteen members was organized, consisting of the following persons:
Robert Stamm (leader), Anna Stamm, John L. Robinson, Sarah Robinson,
Ella J. Robinson, A. H. Miller, Almira Miller, L. C. Chamberlain, M. J.
Campbell, Etta B. Campbell, Annice Webb, William Anderson, Mrs. C. M.
Anderson, D. L. Riley, Mrs. E. A. Riley, Leuclia Bean, Elbridge
Morrison, Huldah Morrison and Rev. S. Aldrich, local elder.
The first quarterly conference was held in Sibley, October 18, 1872. At
the first session of the Northwest Iowa conference, held at Ft. Dodge,
Iowa, September 18, 1872, Rev. John Webb was assigned to the Sibley
mission, which was made to consist of Osceola county alone. The first
board of trustees was appointed in the following October. In May, 1873,
D. L. Riley, John L. Robinson and the pastor. Rev. John Webb, were
authorized to procure subscriptions for the erection of a house of
worship. By the close of the conference year a substantial frame
building was erected, thirty-two by fifty feet in size, with no
indebtedness except a loan of three hundred dollars, obtained from the
church extension society. At a general conference, held at Yankton,
Dakota, the Rev. Ira Brashears was assigned to the Sibley charge. Those
were lean years, both for the ministers and the people, but the church
continued to grow and develop. Rev. Brashears remained two years and
proved to be a tireless worker. He was followed by Rev. W. W. Mallory,
who also was a hard worker, strong on revivals and could give the
genuine old-fashioned Methodist shout with a vim. He also was a great
lover of horses, and if there was anything he loved as well as a
protracted meeting, it was a horse trade. The last heard of him he was
successfully practicing medicine in the Niobrara country in Nebraska. He
remained here several years and did good work.
The following minister was Rev. J. W. Rigby, who remained but one year.
Old residents of Sibley will remember Rev. Rigby as a big, red-faced,
burly Englishman, who, when walking on the street with his wife, forged
several feet ahead, white the poor little woman trotted along, receiving
no more attention than as if she had not been in existence. As
illustrative of his character, it may be stated that when he and his
wife entered a room, he would stop inside the door and take a careful
survey, and when he discovered the most comfortable seat, would proceed
to occupy it regardless of how many ladies might have to stand. Then
came the following pastors in the order named: John W. Lothian, S. P.
Marsh, F. A. Burdick, W. F. Brown, J. J. Gardner, C. B. Winter, W. W.
Brown, C. Artman, G. H. Kennedy, E. H. Smith, F. E. Day, Joel A. Smith,
W. A. Black, G. W. Barnes, W. C. Wasser, A. A. Randall, Herbert Clegg,
F. W. Keagy and the present pastor, F. F. Travis.
In the year of 1896 the original church was sold to the German
Presbyterian society and a new church was erected on the same site. The
church now owns fine property, consisting of two lots, a large modern
church and a comfortable parsonage, the value of which is about eighteen
thousand dollars. Numerically, it is the strongest Protestant church in
the county. The officers of the church and its auxiliaries are as
follows: F. F. Travis, pastor; trustees—Levi Shell, C. E. Hanchett, O.
B. Harding, O. A. Metz, W. F. Truckenmiller, C. L. Strickler and H. L.
Wheeler: stewards—Levi Shell, C. E. Hanchett, Will Thomas, C. C.
Truckenmiller, W. T. Steiner, J. S. Campbell, W. W. Overholser, L. H.
Morse, Mrs. O. J. Clark, Mrs. James Nisbet and Mrs. J. S. Campbell;
treasurer—Will Thomas; class leaders— Robert Smith, J. S. Campbell, H.
G. Doolittle, O. J. Clark and Mrs. J. C. Broughton. Mrs. J. M. Tregilgus
and Mrs. J. C. Broughton, president and secretary, respectively, of
Ladies' Aid Society. C. E. Hanchett is superintendent of the Sunday
school and Glen Glazier is secretary.
The church is in excellent financial condition, three thousand two
hundred seventy-one dollars and forty-seven cents having been paid
during the last conference year for the support of the church and its
benevolences.
From the 1914 Past
and Present of O'Brien and Osceola Counties
