CHAPTER 5

Early and Present Religious Organizations and Societies - Secret and Benevolent Fraternities, Orders and Societies - Schools - The Press - Increase and Progress, Etc.

In every age and every clime, religion has marched along with civilization, and, indeed, without the Christianizing influence, it is doubtful if the progress in civilization would have been so rapid, or could have been maintained. Wherever religion is entirely ignored, society becomes rough, and all civilizing influences appear to depart. All protection to refinement is gone, and people cannot feel secure, and the result is, that the best men and women will not settle in such community. Even the non-believer prefers to take his family into a settlement where religion is practiced, and has its civilizing and refining influence. If you will go with us to some of the mining camps in the mountains, where religion has not penetrated, we can show you that the civilization prevailing there is of a low order, and the once refined gentleman has forgotten his early training and only because of the abandonment of the religious practices of early life. And, again, where religion is entirely abandoned, education is neglected and all refinement is lost. it is because of these prevailing reasons that religion and civilization travel together, and benevolent, self-sacrificing people are found marching "in the wilderness, preaching to all." It is but right that in this history the churches, schools and societies should have a place.

In referring to the early religious organization, we find that the Catholics were the first to plant missionaries. They were here before the settlements by the whites, and labored among the Indians. It was in 1839 that Rev. Fathers DeSmith and Veright established a Catholic Mission here. In September, 1870, Rev. Father B. P. McMenomy, Pastor of the Catholic Church in this city, opened a school for girls, and this school is in charge of the Sisters of Charity.  It is stated that Rev. William Rector, of Fremont County, preached the first orthodox sermon in this city.

In 1850, Rev. William Simpson organized the first Methodist Episcopal Chruch in Pottawattamie County. At this writing, numerous churches are scattered over the county, and this people have become very strong and numerous.

On June 12, 1853, a Congregational organization was perfected, and the foundation of a church building laid, August 9, 1854. It was completed and dedicated July 6, 1856.

In April, 1856, the Episcopalians orgainzed a society, and in August, 1857, Bishop Lee laid the corner-stone o the St. Paul Episcopal Church. It remained in this condition until 1860, when a frame church was erected and consecrated by Bishop Lee.

The first Presbyterian organization was made October 12, 1856, and the society has a fine brick church. The organization is very large at present.

The first Baptist society was organized in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, in January, 1868, with nine members. G. T. Johnson, D. D., afterwards of Philadelphia, Penn., preached the first sermon, and Rev. T. F. Thickstun became the local minister. The new temple of this society as completed and dedicated to the worship of God on June 15, 1878.

The German Lutherans have a large society in the city of Council Bluffs, and are organized in other portions of the county.

The United Brethren have formed a society here, and have a comfortable frame building in which they worship.

Other religious organizations are in successful operation, among which are the Spiritualists. They have their own hall, and meet regularly every Sunday.

Is it impossible to visit any portion of Pottawattamie County, where any settlement of note exists, without finding churches, schools and other benevolent organizations, and wherever these institutions abound you will find refinement and the very best of society. The farmers appear more intelligent and prosperous, and, in fact, the stranger approaching such districts feels perfectly safe.

Societies

The church has not been able to rescue suffering humanity, and therefore secret benevolent societies have been formed in all sections of the world, and Pottawattamie County is not without her fair proportion of these societies. The Odd Fellows, standing upon the principles of religion and charity, were the first to organize in Council Bluffs. This organization dates back to 1853, and the lodge was No. 49. In 1855, the Masonic order established a lodge, and held their first meeting in Odd Fellows Hall. This order has several different organizations at the present time, and all are in a flourishing condition. Every town of any importance in the county has its lodge.

The American Order United Workmen is of more recent date, and it is also growing into public favor. It is based upon an insurance plan, and in many cases has resulted in good to the families of destitute men who have been called to their eternal homes. Like other institutions of this kind, it finds a home in every place in the county where the population is sufficient to establish a lodge.

The lawyers, doctors and other professional men have each their respective organizations.

Several German lodges and societies are in full operation, and our German citizens appear to be making as rapid progress in this line as other citizens. it is also a fact that their associations are generally well conducted and are financial successes.

The farmers also formed themselves into secret organizations for their better protection from extortions.

These orders have grown so rapidly, and so many new orders are springing up, that it is almost impossible to keep pace with them. But a few years ago this county was without any of these organizations, and for a long time they had so few members that it made the expense heavy upon each, but now the orders number by the score, and the members by the hundreds. The increase can scarcely be told at the present time. Go where you will, Odd Fellows, Mason, Working Men associations of every description are to be found. These societies appear to have a good influence over the people where they prevail, in more ways than is generally supposed, and yet they have their opponents in men who know little or nothing about their teachings.

Schools

We look back upon our early educational advantages with astonishment when looking at the schools of to-day, and even wonder how our people of the primitive times obtained so much information. The small log cabin has given place to the line, large brick or frame building - the old books have been surrendered for new ones, and everything has been simplified and perfected. Now it is a comfort to visit the schoolroom and behold the children well seated and enjoying fine, airy rooms. The contrast is so great that is seems as if children should make more progress than they do.

In this city, much of the grand result in our common schools can be attributed to the efforts made by Hon. D. C. Bloomer, who devoted his time and energies to building them up. In Crescent Township, we learn, David Dunkle, Esq., was one of the leading spirits in the advocacy of free schools and good school buildings. Many others ought to be mentioned in this county who were strong advocates of our free school system, and improved educational advantages. They can look back to their labors with joy, for their efforts have been crowned with wonderful success, even exceeding their greatest expectations. But few counties in Iowa can boast of betters schools and school buildings than are to be found in Pottawattamie. Go where you will, and the large school building rises above all others. Generally, care is taken in the selection of teachers, and our schools are the boast of our people. A few days since, we met a gentleman from the country, and his first remarks were in relation to the schools in his section, and he remarked "how different are our schools to what they were when I was young." He thought that children ought to take delight in going to the places of learning for, said he, "they are palaces compared with where we were educated."

In the early days of this county, say twenty-five years ago, but few children were here, but look at the thousands of scholars that fill our large buildings of to-day, and yet we have not school room enough. Council Bluffs alone has more school children now than the whole county had twenty or twenty-five years ago. It is to be hoped that our educational advantages will keep pace with the increase of our population. If our people will guard well the education of the children, the liberties of the American citizens will ever be safe. Our free institutions can only be secure in accordance with our intelligence, and this, is a measure, must depend upon our educational advantages.

A statement in relation to the increase of school buildings and number of schools in Council Bluffs alone will, in a measure, show the increase in the county, for all portions of the country have increased proportionately as they have increased in population. It is stated that twelve buildings , and mostly large ones, are filled with scholars, and a contract has been made for the building of another schoolhouse, to cost $8,000 to $10,000. Then we find that the Catholics maintain one or two schools. Besides these, sevearl private institutions are doing excellent work in the way of educating our young people and fitting them for life's battle. What is true of this city is true of our whole county, and the educational interests of all classes are being well protected.

The Press

The first paper published in the county of Pottawattamie was the Frontier Guardian. It was first published in the summer of 1848, with Orson Hyde as editor, and Mr. Pyckett as publisher. A. C. Ford was assistant editor for some time. It was an organ of the Whig party, and was discontinued in the spring of 1853.

The Council Bluffs Bugle, a Democratic paper, was started in the spring of 1850 by A. W. Babbitt, who remained as editor and publisher between two and three years. It was then sold to Joseph E. Johnson, who conducted it about two years, when the proprietorship changed to Johnson & Carpenter. From 1856 to 1864, it was published by Babbitt & Carpenter. The senior member of this firm was Hon. L. W. Babbitt, but no relation to A. W. Babbitt, the first editor. From 1864 to 1866, the publishers were Babbitt & Son. In January, 1866, W. T. Giles bought the Bugle of L. W. Babbitt, and became the editor and publisher till October, 1867. Mr. Giles also published a daily Bugle for several months.
It was W. T. Giles who started a German Democratic paper in 1867, and he employed Wenbone & Worden to edit and publish it. This paper was called the Council Bluffs Presse. In 1867, after the October election, which went Democratic, Mr. Giles then sold the Bugle back to Hon. L. W. Babbitt and his German type to Messrs. Wenbone & Worden, who ran the Presse for some months, and failing to pay Giles, he then sold the establishment to Herman Wagner, who also failed to pay for it, and the original owneer was compelled to take the material back, at a considerable loss to himself.

In 1857, Col. Babbitt started the Daily Bugle, and continued the daily for about six months. The office passed through two fires, the first being November 14, 1853, and the last November 14, 1854. These were the worst fires ever experienced in Council Bluffs, the first being estimated at a loss of $180,000 and the last $130,000. In the first fire, the Bugle was nearly all destroyed, while in the last, two presses and a large amount of other material were destroyed.

In 1854, Jeremiah Folsom, commenced the publication of the Council Bluffs Chronotype, with W. W. Maynard as editor. It was published as a Whig paper till 1857. It was changed into a Democratic organ this year, but only continued for a short time, and was edited by A. P. Bentley, and called the Democratic Clarion.

In 1859, J. E. Johnson started a paper called the Council Bluffs Press. It was a Democratic organ, but did not last long. Previous to this time, Mr. Johnson published a paper at Crescent City, called the Crescent City Oracle. It was Democratic, but was principally devoted to the interest of the new town where it was published.

The Council Bluffs Nonpareil was started in the spring of 1857, as a Republican shyeet by W. W. Maynard and A. D. Long. In 1862, W. S. Burke bought Mr. Maynard's interest in the establishment, and soon after started the Daily Nonpareil. Mr. Burke was at one time the entire owner of this paper, we believe, and sold to Chapman & Maynard, and Mr. Maynard sold his interest to Mr. Walker, and for a time the firm stood Chapman & Walker. Several other changes have taken place in later years in the management and ownership of the Nonpareil, but at this time it is published by the Nonpareil Printing Company, and is in a very prosperous condition. John W. Chapman, who is United States Marshal for the State of Iowa, is one of the largest stock owners in the company. He is energetic, and takes price in making the Nonpareil a very excellent newspaper, while it is strongly Republican.

The Council Bluffs Democrat made its appearance as a daily and weekly paper on May 3, 1868, with Alf S. Kierolf & Co., as publishers. In about three weeks the name was changed, and it was called the Council Bluffs Democrat and Sentinel on the Border. In about a month the extension was dropped, and the paper again became the Council Bluffs Democrat. In September of this year, the office was purchased by Hon. B. F. Montgomery, but on the 1st of October, 1868, Alf S. Kierolf, again assumed charge of the paper. On the 31st of october, the last issue of the paper was sent out, and this issue appeared as "Red Hot," and contained some very bitter and denunciatory articles. On December 12th, the press and material were sold under a chattel mortgage, and M. M. Pomeroy, of the LaCrosse Democrat, became the purchaser.

In 1878, Col. John H. Keatly, bought the Bugle, and edited and published it weekly for about two years. Col Keatly is a fine writer, and has been at the head of some of the other papers of the city as the principal editor.

The Globe, a Democratic paper, was established in November, 1873, by S. W. Morehead, and in February, the following year, Jacob Williams became the purchaser and editor. In June, 1875, J. C. Morgan bought a half interest in the paper and became an active partner. In May, 1879, Mr Morgan purchased the half interest of the Globe owned by Mr. Williams, and the paper is now published daily and weekly by J. C. Morgan. The daily is an evening publication.

The Freie Pressse is a German paper, claiming to be independent in politics. It was established in August, 1875, by R. P. Riegel, who continued it's publication until December, 1878, when Messrs. Matthai, Faul & Betz, became owners. Mr. Betz retired from the paper July 1, 1880, and Messrs. Matthai & Faul retired August 1, 1880, when F. G. Pfeiffer became publisher and editor. It is now Democratic.

The Macedonia Tribune was established in the town of Macedonia by W. A. Spencer, in 1880, and is published weekly, and is Republican in politics. 

The Fairdealer is the name of a paper published weekly, at Carson, this county, by J. G. Jullian.

The Northwestern Odd Fellow, a monthly paper of sixteen pages, devoted to the interests of Odd Fellowship, was commenced by W. R. Vaughn, with Hon. D. C. Bloomer as editor, in January, 1871, and continued for two years in Council Bluffs.

The press has been a powerful lever in pushing forward the great reforms of the world, and it has also done much to settle up and civilize the great West. Without the aid of the press, the American people, in a measure, would be in darkness and ignorance, and yet, many who should stand by it are frequently its bitterest enemies, simply because the press is so powerful, and because, when left free, it exposes false ideas, sophistry and hypocrisy.

In January, 1871, the Avoca Delta, a weekly paper, was first published in the town of Avoca, by C. V. Gardner and T. Ledwich. It was Republican in politics. Before the end of the year, this paper passed into the hands of J. C. Adams.

End of Chapter 5

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