Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-11-04
HISTORICAL.
The Congregational Church In Bloomington.

This church was organized April
10th, l847. at the house of Mr.. Hugh
Garside, in Patch Grove, by Rever
end o. Llttlefeld and Reverend J. D
Stevens. TWAS at first a Presbyterian
church, and adopted the confession Of
faith and covenant recommended by
"The general convention Of the Pres
byterian and Congregational churches
in Wisconsin" It's original members
were fourteen; five males and nine
females. II took decided stand
against slavery and intemperance at
one of its first meetings, passing re
solutions excluding proslavery minis
tiers and requiring temperance
pledge OF all candidates for admis-
sion. Reverend 0. Littlefeld, who
had been preaching in this vicinity a
few months when the church was or
gained, was its first pastor,
preaching half of the time in Bee
town. He remained till February,
1870. In November of that year
Reverend G. w Munroe, a young
man from Boston, Massachusetts, sue
ceeded Mr. Littlefeld. He was
ordained at the red school house in
December by a council called for that
purpose. Ia that month the organi-
cation of the church was changed to
Congregational by unanimous vote,
and its name became The First Con
gregational Church on Blake's
Prairie" A A Franklin and II.
Fitch were chosen deacons. The
church agreed with Mr. Munroe that
it would take measures for building a
parsonage and endeavor to raise his
salary at least SIS. SO small was its
pecuniary ability, though its mem
bers had then increased to about
thirty, and the church did so little
towards a parsonage, Mr. Mnnroc
proceeded to commence one, and held
it as his private property. 1t stood
near Mr.. Garside's, and was sold, at
ter his removal to Mr.. Appleton in the
fall Of 1850. In that year society
was formed to aid the church in sup.
porting its pastor, &c, according to
the State law for such organizations.
After he left the church remained
without pastor about a year Rev
erend S. w Eaton, of Lancaster,
then and at other times kindly cared
for the welfare of the church, and
helped it as he had opportunity.
In October, 1851, Reverend /.
Tracy became its pastor. His salary
was *400 lie preached on the Sab
bath alternately at the Red school
house and Patch Grove for some time
but afterwards changed his places as
the circumstances of different neigh
borhoods seemed to require. He
also preached week day evenings in
school houses in all the country
around, and distributed many books
of the tract and Sabbath school
societies, seeking thus to give all the
region the leaven of gospel truth.
In 1855 several of the leading mem
bers removed to Minnesota, diminish
ing considerably the ability of this
church, but helping not less to estab-
/ fish @ church there.
In the spring Of this year, the work
of building a meeting house, which
had been much talked of before, was
taken up in earnest. 1t had been
difficult to decide where it should be
located. The church members were
widely scattered Bloomington vii
lage was but inst commenced, and its
growth uncertain. No member OF
the church resided there, or as far
east as there. It was finally deter
mined on one and a half miles south
west from the village, it being thought
that it would there best accommodate
those who would wish TO worship in
it for few years until the fuller set.
Element Of the country and the growth
Of the village, or its failure to grow
would show where the church should
have ITS place OF worship permanently
located With aid from the Congre
gational church building fund, and
some contributions from individuals
in Vermont, a house was built which
cost about $l4o0,
Early in 1855 arrangements were
made tor special meetings, and the
help of Reverend John Lewis, OF
Platteyille was obtained general in
terest was awakened and a consider
able number Of persons, mostly young
found peace in believing; a few o.
them united with the church in April
and others in the spring of the next
year.
Mr.. Tracy was dismissed from the
pastorate in April, and in August
Reverend A. NJ. Dixon assumed it:
duties. He renamed nine wears
there were seasons of special religion.
interest in those years, and he receiv
ed to the church more than fifty per
sons, and some united with tht
churches in the village. Among
those he received were FIVE young