THE FIRST 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 eigth 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.


THE MELVIN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

Beginning in September, 1910, with services morning and evening in the school house, the Methodist Episcopal meetings at Melvin were so well attended, it soon became evident that a larger room was needed to accommodate the growing congregation. The German Reform church people kindly threw open their church doors for the Methodist Episcopal services until they could erect a building of their own. On the twentieth day of November, 1910, twenty-one people of Melvin and vicinity united to form a Methodist Episcopal church and on January 6, 1911, a church meeting was called, when it was decided to organize immediately a committee to solicit funds for a church building at Melvin. It soon became evident that it would be safe to proceed with a building. J. A. Smith, A. Tadd, W. V. Wilcox, G. A. Romey and L. P. Gontjes were appointed as a building committee. John Olson, of Rock Rapids, was given the contract for the basement, while W. A. Fairbrother was assigned the contract for the frame structure.

On June 29, 1911, five men with teams, spades and scrapers began the excavation for the basement while three others hauled sand. A large amount of work was donated by friends, thus saving considerable expense. The building committee did its work so thoroughly that on December 17, 1911, the church was ready for dedication with only about nine hundred dollars to raise to free it from debt. The cost of the building was about four thousand five hundred dollars. The following amounts had been raised: General subscription, $2,320; the Ladies Aid Society, $600; the Methodist Episcopal church extension fund, $300; cash on hand arid pledged, $400; total, $3,620. On dedication day the morning service was conducted by Doctor Craig, president of Morningside College. There was a musical program in the afternoon at which Rev. F. F. Travis gave a short address. At this afternoon service a quartette of singers from Sibley, consisting of Mrs. Harvey, Miss Dinsmore, Mr. Meyers and Mr. Reagan, gave some fine music. Rev. Dr. J. L. Gillies, district superintendent, took charge of the evening service, which was given over largely to raising the balance of the money necessary to free the church from debt. Dr. Gillies proved to be a good general and the required amount was pledged. A very interesting feature was reserved for the closing meeting of the day. Rev. John A. Smith and Louisa E. Coats, in the presence of the large congregation, in a solemn and impressive manner, were made husband and wife. Reverend Doctor Gillies officiating.

In the fall of 1912, Rev. J. A. Smith was stationed at Royal, Iowa, and Rev. Z. V. Arthur was appointed to take his place at Melvin. Owing to Mrs. Arthur's illness, both pastor and wife left Melvin in May, 1913, for Ohio. For several months thereafter the church was without a pastor and' then Rev. A. Dyson was appointed to fill out the year. At the' conference held at Webster City, Iowa, October, 1913, Rev. J. A. Smith was appointed to take up the work at Melvin and he is still in active charge. The organization of the church includes a Sunday school, numbering seventy scholars; an efficient Ladies Aid Society of thirty-seven members; senior and junior boys' clubs and a Young People's Christian Endeavor Society. The membership of the church is constantly increasing and the outlook of the future is hopeful. A commodious parsonage is to be erected during this summer of 1914.


ASHTON METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The Methodist Episcopal church at Ashton dates from the winter of 1881-82. The presiding elder and the pastor, W. A. Richards, decided to ask for subscriptions for a building, and sufficient money was raised to warrant the trustees to go forward with the work of building. They secured from the St. Paul £ Sioux City Railroad company a grant of the two lots on which the church and parsonage now stand. During the pastorate of W. A. Richards the church was put under roof. In the fall of 1882 Rev. M. B. Keister became pastor and under his pastorate the church was completed and a parsonage erected. The church was dedicated on Sunday, July 8, 1883. The Rev. F. Miller, of the Upper Iowa conference, preached the dedicatory sermon. The parsonage was completed and occupied on July 4, 1883. The church building cost two thousand dollars. Lyman Hill was the contractor and builder. For almost thirty years the town of Ashton and immediate community were able to maintain a resident minister. The following pastors have been appointed at different times by the conferences to Ashton charge: W. A. Richards, M. B. Keister, F. Ashpole, C. W. Clifton, J. W. Lent, S. C. Olds, H. Allertson, F. L. Buckwalter, J. M. Tibbets, G. A. Platte, E. F. Figtley, C. L. Howarth, Earl Hanna, C. E. Bowen, S. L. Eddey, C. Yotlee, C. E. McKelvey. For many years the Goewey church was ministered to by the Ashton pastor until it became attached to the Melvin charge. Then the church at George was visited on alternate Sundays by the Ashton minister. Owing to many removals of families from Ashton and vicinity the church was unable to support a resident pastor. Accordingly in the conference years of 1912 and 1913 it was supplied by Rev. W. H. Montgomery, of Sioux City. The conference of 1913, held at Webster City, Iowa, attached Ashton to the Melvin charge, the Rev. J. A. Smith being appointed to the work.

A Sunday school is maintained and meets every Sunday afternoon at two and the preaching service follows at three. The Ladies' Aid Society is well organized and does excellent work in helping to maintain the church.


THE FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF HARRIS.

This church was dedicated July 19, 1899, by Dr. Seely S. Lewis, now Bishop Lewis. The building and lots cost three thousand dollars, the whole amount being donated. Rev. D. M. Simpson was the first pastor, and the official board consisted of the following: Messrs. Hamilton, Mothorp, Winterfield, Forbes and others of whom there is no record at the present time.

Rev. Thomas Burley had charge for one year and was followed by Rev. Echart, who served the charge very acceptably for two years. The next year Rev. Whiting was sent and served as pastor two years. Then came Rev. Peterson, who served with success for two years and was followed by Rev. Charles Richards, who also remained two years. Rev. Richards left Harris to attend school at Garret and was succeeded by Rev. Tower, who came at conference time and staved about six months. He then returned to the East

and the vacancy was filled by Rev. Moody. At the expiration of Rev. Moody's term, Rev. W. N. Bump, the present pastor, was sent to Harris. During the last year a much needed shed for horses has been completed, and a basement is now being planned.

The church has made a steady growth during these years. The membership numbers about ninety. The Sunday school has an enrollment of about two hundred with an average attendance of about one hundred. The church is progressive and is ministering to a large community.

The present official board consists of the following persons: Board of stewards, R. J. Robertson, Dr. C. C. Cady, J. E. Melick, A. T. Winterfield, Charles Gibson and Wilson Forbes. The recording steward and secretary is A. C. Wettasted. The board of trustees is composed of L. J. Hagerty, C. A. Barnes, R. J. Robertson, C. C. Cady, A. T. Winterfield, R. Halverson, Arthur Haminton, J. E. Melick, Charles Gibson, J. E. Renn and Robert Jordan. The president of the Ladies' Aid Society is Mrs. George Baur. The Sunday school superintendent is Charles Gibson, assisted by Will McCauley. The secretary and treasurer is Adolph Wettestad.

The church is growing in importance, and receives the loyal support of many of the leading citizens of the town. The church building is centrally located and adds much to the attractive appearance of the town.


THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF OCHEYEDAN

This church was organized in 1872 or 1873 by Rev. John Webb, the first Methodist minister of Sibley. The first records have not been kept, so the first officers and ministers can not be enumerated. A fire occurred in the church at one time and the early records are supposed to have been destroyed. It can be recorded, however, that since its organization it has progressed steadily and has always been a leading factor for good in the eastern part of the county. Tradition has it that the first inception of church matters was at a sewing circle in the eastern part of the county, where various matters, wise and otherwise, are discussed. Among other things talked of at this sewing circle was the desirability of religious services and, from that beginning, there resulted the organization and the subsequent erection of the Walnut Grove church, which later was moved to Ocheyedan. It has since been enlarged until the present commodious church building is the result. The society also has a comfortable parsonage.

The present pastor is the Rev. J. G. Watterman. The trustees are F. J. Boyd, W. E. Ely, W. M. Rotli, Ruse Davis and Frank Cole. The stewards are Charles Morton, recording, W. F. Hunt, Mrs. E. A. Underbill, John VanCleve and A. G. Fletcher. The church has an efficient Ladies' Aid Society and a prosperous Sunday school of about one hundred and sixty members.

From the 1914 Past and Present of O'Brien and Osceola Counties

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