IAGenWeb Project - Clayton co.
updated 09/28/2018

Fairview Church of United Brethren in Christ
Mallory twp.



History 1854-1955

Fairview Church of United Brethren in Christ was located on Section 20 on highway X3C about 3 miles North of Colesburg, Mallory Twp. Clayton County, Iowa. It was organized in 1854 by Luther McVey, J.A. Slick and wife and others. The first services of this denomination were held in Colesburg. Luther McVey was the first pastor and served six months. Later J.A. Slick became Linontiate, a position which he held for many years. The house of worship was built in 1859. It was 26X36 feet in size and cost about $500. J.A. Slick, James Ridenour, C. Wilte, H. Hatfield and W. Long were trustees. In 1882 there were 140 members [From page 910 Clayton Co. History 1882]

At the time when early settlers were migrating westward, some Brethren families settled near Garber, Iowa. There they organized the Wayman Valey Church. Later they joined the Progressive Brethren movement, and remained a part of it until the death of their minister, Strother "Todd" Hansel. Then services were discontinued and the community had no Brethren Church.

In June 1920, Roy E. Stern of Fredericksburg, Iowa was asked to preach the funeral at Garber of Nancy Hansel, Todd Hansel's sister-in-law who died at her daughter's home in New Hampton. Roy Stern was called later to preach other funerals. On one of these occasions Todd Hansel's son, Otto, asked for baptism. He had come to Fredericksburg with four others to attend a service. There they made their wants known and where baptized. Those who came with him were his wife, Grace, his brother-in-law Jeff Harbaugh, Jeff's son Leon and daughter Mrs. Jessie Elledge. When Roy Stern was again asked to hold services in 1938 he took with him about thirty of his parishioners and the services were held in the Mound Schoolhouse (located on the corner of the Mallory farm). A desire for further services led to contact with The District Mission Board. As a result, district field Sec. J.H. Mathis and Roy Stern investigated the advisability of opening mission work there. The situation looked good, and the Board acted favorably.

They asked Roy Stern to hold a week of meeting and Myrtle Barley to assist by leading singing and conducting a vacation Bible School. Within the week attendance had increased from twenty-seven to sixty at the evening meetings. Three were added to the church by baptism and one by former baptism. Bible School enrollment was seventeen.

Interest in the work continued and the mission board arranged for Roy Stern to preach twice each month in the fall of 1939, and once a month during the winter, and spring months. Then on October 6, 1942 the Garber church was organized by the Mission Board and Roy Stern. There were twenty-three charter members: Mr. and Mrs. Otto Hansel, Mr. and Mrs. Bert Elledge, Mr. and Mrs. Leon Harbaugh, Jeff Harbaugh, Mrs. Richard, Howard Harbaugh, Mrs. Northrup, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Gull, Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Harbaugh, Mr. and Mrs. Warren Hansel, Ishmael Hansel, June Eledge Hansel, Lovotta Elledge Wiscus, Lowell Elledge, Bert Elledge Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Elledge. They elected Roy E. Stern, elder; Grace Hansel, clerk; Ishmael Hansel, treasurer; and Jeff Harbaugh, Otto Hansel and Otto Gull as trustees.

In 1943 the trustees arranged to purchase from the United Brethren the church property, including fixtures, and parsonage at the cost of $800. The Mission Board made a loan of $600, which was to be paid as the church treasurer received it. This property was located on the Colesburg road, three miles north of Colesburg and six miles southeast of Elkport on section 20. The parsonage was located on a plot of ground about 1/4 miles from the church on a gravel road near the now Vernon Moser farm.

First members received were Mrs. John Gull, and Mrs. Sam Smith on a former baptism, Margaret Stern Hansel by letter, and Howard Hansel, and Mrs. Lowell Elledge by baptism. Members were scattered over a distance of twenty five miles, and found it difficult to be regular attendants, especially with bad roads. Sunday School was held each Sunday through the summer with a class each for children, youth, and adults. In bad weather services were held only when Elder Stern could get there. No evening services were held. In this way the church carried on until 1943 when Rev. Hartsugh came to be their Pastor. He remained until September 1945.

Once again Roy Stern began holding services every other Sunday if weather permitted until arrangements could be made to provide summer pastors. Donald Stern came in 1949 to be followed by others: Beryl McCann 1948-1949, Leonard Carlisle in 1950, and Edward Lyons in 1951. During the winter months when no pastoral was provided, Roy Stern looked after the church. To him must be given much credit for serving the Fairview Church from the time of its organization to his resignation in 1951.

In March 1955 at a special council meeting of fifteen people, and by writing of other, the Fairview Church fellowship was dissolved.

The District Board acting in the name of the District, sold the Fairview parsonage for $200 to Donald Morley. The Donald Morely family made it their home. Later years it was in need of repairs, and was burned down. Members of the Wiscus family now live on this property.

The church was sold to Kenneth Kuhlman for $675, and moved to Colesburg, and is now located somewhat behind the Farmers Savings Bank in Colesburg, and used for machinery storage.

~ source of original text is unknown, sent by an anonymous contributor
~transcribed from the submitted scanned images by Sharyl Ferrall

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Miscellaneous

1932

Fairview: The Annual business meeting of the Fairview church was held Jan. 10, 1932, with the following officers elected for the coming year:
Superintendent - Mr. Watson Gull
Ass't Sec. - Mrs. Lizzie Walters
Sec. - Miss Jessie Brown
Librarian - Miss Marguerite Hansel
Pianist - Miss Ruth Walters
Teachers - Mr. J. W. Hansel, Miss Dola Gull, Miss Geneva Brown and Mrs. Lizzie Walters
~Clayton County Register, Thur., 14 Jan. 1932 ~contributed by Reid R. Johnson

 

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