Madison County Churches

The West Star United Methodist Church and Parsonage, located 5 miles west of Winterset in Douglas Township, Madison County, Iowa, closed its doors in December 1968. The history of the West Star Church dates back to 1862 when a dozen or so pioneer families in that area gathered at the I.S. Ford home. The Fords lived 3/4 mile north and 1/2 mile west (back in the field) of the site of the present West Star Church. They held their church meetings there for several years. In 1865 they met for a few years at the newly built Stringtown stone schoolhouse.

On September 28, 1875, the congregation built a church on the George and Martha Eyerly farm which cost $40.00 for the ground. There were hitching racks on three sides of the church grounds. Kerosene lights were used until about 1914 when carbide lights were installed.

On Easter Sunday 1899 a new pulpit was placed in the church by the young people. Mrs. Ivan S. Ford – or Elisabeth, commonly known to all as Aunt Betly – suggested the name of “West Star” and the name was adopted by the congregation. A Star was painted on the glass of the west transom.

The present church building was constructed in 1906 and dedicated on November 25, 1906. It was heated with a wood and coal furnace. The parsonage was built and occupied in 1913. The church, with its furnishings, including material from the old building (used in the new one) was estimated to be $3,000.00.

The church closed December 1968. The church building was sold and used a home in 1973. The parsonage was sold a few years before that and moved into Winterset.

Former ministers have been:

James W. Adair, 1865	W. Capps Smith, 1894	Arthur R. Weed, 1927-34
John Hestwood, 1867	P.C. Stire, 1895	E.E. Garrett, 1935
W. Abraham, 1869	A.H. Rusk, 1897-98	Reed Kessler, 1937-38
R.W. Thornburg, 1870	J.D. DeTar, 1899	Paul Crouse, 1940
No record, 1871	W.W. Williams, 1901	John K. Fisher, 1941
S.W. Milligan, 1872	W.C. Smith, 1903-04	Donald Cutler, 1942
No record, 1873	Hugh Jackson, 1905	I.R. Mills, 1943-44
A. Thornbrue, 1874-75	C.E. Trueblood, 1906-07	Howard Washburn, 1948
F.M. Slusser, 1876	J.E. Clearwater, 1908	Layton Anderson, 1950
I.M. O’Flyng, 1877	F.H. Perkins, 1912	John M. Latta, 1952
F.D. Funk, 1877	J.J. Pruitt, 1913	Byron D. Haines, 1954
I.M. O’Flyng, 1878	R.A. Grigsby, 1914	William Noel, 1957
J.S. Morrow, 1879-80	Fermor G. Barnes, 1917	William Morehouse, 1959
D. Thompson, 1881	E.J. Zumsteg, 1918	Lewis Lint, 1960
A.B. Shipman, 1882, 1884	W. R. Radcliff,1919	Shantukumar Parmar, 1963
Francis L. Plumb, 1885	W.C. Hilmer, 1921	Milton Haedt, 1965
C.C. Mabee, 1887	C.E. McKelvey, 1922	Allan Helland, 1966
H.C. Preston, 1888	G. O. Wagoner, 1923	Everett K. Burham, 1967
A.C. Heckathorn, 1891-92	L. M. Kirby, 1924	(last pastor)
G.F. Bently, 1983	M.L. Jordan, 1926

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Source:	1984 History of Madison County, Iowa, 1846–1984, Article contributed by
	Blanch Easter, Compiled by the Madison County Genealogical Society;
	Taylor Publishing Co., Dallas, Texas