Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-03-02

day Of December A. D. 1861, under a dispen
sation granted by tho Right Worshipfu
Grand Master Of the State Of Minnesota. Th'
principal ofhcerssof said lodge were as fol
lows B. F. Jones, W. NJ, II. W.. Ford,
W., a. s. Lott, J. W.. and Oliver So,ncrs, See
! rotary, with q membership of ten. On tn
2sth day Of October, 1868, a chapter wa
granted said lodge aud the following person
were duly installed as its principal officers
B, F. Jones, W. NJ, J. c. Askerly, S. W.
Oliver Soners, ]. W., and L. r. Hathaway
Secretary, with membership Of about fifty
The present membership is one hundred. "
On tho l4th dry Of March, 1867, Chaptc,
Of Royal Arch Masons was duly instituted
under dispensation granted by the Mos
Excellent Grand High Priest Of Minnesota
with c. II. Paddock rs High Priest; solomo,
Snow, King; A. B. Waugh, Scribe, and IL. NJ
Allen, Secretary, with q membership of nine
On the l4th day Of December, 1867, o charter
was granted to said Chapter and the SANE
officers having been reelected with the ex
oeption Of Secretary, J. G. Smith elected t.
that ofice) they were duly eustalled. Present
membership, 10.
Odd Fellows-A charter having been grant
ed to tho requisite number Of Odd Fellows in
Austin. the Grand Master Of the State &C
companied by other Grand officers did, on
~ nAl s$,,$n a
lodge Of Odd Fellows in Austin, to be known
and called by tho name Of Austin Lodge No
20, and proceeded to install the following
persons as its principal officers: H. A. May
hew, N. G., Oliver Somers, V. g., and Basil
Smout, Secretary, with . membership Of
about twelve. Present membership, 50.
Is. The Changers.
No response.
Ii. The Congregational Oh urch.
Rev. A. Morse responded briefly, saying the
church was organized in July, 1859, nearly
nineteen years ago, during which time it has
had at stated times eleven ministers. In Sep
tember, 1865, the church resolved to build q
house for public worship, and in October,
1868, three years later, it was completed and
dedicated.
[Among the many Who have labored efici-
emily for the organization, growth and pros
perity of this church, the Rev. Mr.. Morse is
entitled to great credit.-ED. TRANscR1pr.]
Is. The Universalist Church.
Hon. N. X. Noble said: This society was
organized in April, 1868. Rev. S. Wakefield
was employed to preach once in two weeks
for a year, and the same arrangement was
continued until the spring Of 1873, when the
County Commissioners refused to lot them use
the Court Room as place Of worship any
longer. In the year 1874, meetings were held
at different places wherever we could get ac-
commodations. The Baptist people gave US
the use Of their house occasionally, the Luth-
Grams the same, and in 1874, we hired the
Presbyterian Chapel for three months. On
the 2sth Of October 1874, the Society's new
church was dedicated. Mr.. Wakefeld's last
engagement terminated in the spring of Isl 5,
Since then until the arrival of the Rev. ]. W.
Eidredge, the present Pastor, services were
held only occasionally. The society is pros
porous. The church has a membership OF
over % persons. and q fourishing Sabbath
School which has been in existence ever since
the society was Grst formed.
Is. The Catholic Church.
Mr.. ". I. Brown responded. He said Faith
er Pendegrast, Of Winona, was the first Catho-
lie Priest who visited Austin. His visits
were repeated occasionally from June 1858,
to October 1860, when Father Keller, of Fari-
bault, continued the visitations. In 1862 the
determined to build q church.
Yates l. Lewis gave us twelve lots on which
to erect the church, aud the use of their brick
yard. In 1898 Thomas Gibson took the job
Of laying the stone and brick, the church
furnishing the material and attendants. In
1865 the walls were completed by Mr.. Bots.
ford. In August, 1865, Father Gillin, Of
Notre Dame, Indiana, celebrated tho first
mass inside the church walls, the blue sky
for a roof and the rich Minnesota
soil being the floor, Afterward Captain
George. of Lansing. supplied the roof. floor
and windows. In 1869 Father J. McDer.
mott was our pastor, and the first Priest who
resided in Austin. In 1870 the house was
plastered. The bell, weighing 1850 pounds,
and costing 1925, was noun ted in q Temporal
~ tower in ~. The following year fhc Lam
orcaux house was purchased for $4,000, and
tho St. Catharine's school established therein;
and under the direction If Father GEMS, in
1774, an addition to tho church was built,
with spire in front and sacristy and recess for
altar in rear. The church has eighty pews,
capable Of seating three hundred and twenty
persons, and cost $4,000.
II. The Methed dist Episcopal Church.
Rev. H. J. crist gave tho following historic
facts: The first preaching in Austin and vi
cinity was by Rev. A. Beach, an L. p, now
living near Otranto. He was also associated
with another L. p, Rev. Mapes, who were the
FIRST missionaries employed as q supply by
the Presiding Elder. Rev. Sylvester N.
Phelps, young man, was the first regular
Of the conference. sent cut in 1857.
A Rev. Mr.. Holbrook, Of Iowa conference is
said to have preached the first sermon in this
vicinity at tho house of Samuel Clayto in
tic winter of 1854 or S. Rev. J. L. Dyer
organized the first class in Austin. This oc-
CURED in the winter of 1857 and 1855. Those
who succeeded him as Pastors were, A. S.
Conwell, D. Tice, S. T. Sterrett, ". H. Soule,
W. Carver, A. ]. Nelson, J. R. Creighton, J..
N. Rogers, A. 3. Bishop and L. Hall. Some
of these served q term of two years, others but
one. All are yet living, unless Mr.. Conwell
DO an exception. Among the first members
Of the city in Austin and immediate vicinity
are Samuel Clayton and wife, R. Dobbin and
wife, N. G. Perry and wife, Silas butcher and
wife, Robert Holt and wife, Mrs. Amanda
Adams, Mrs. Wilbour, Jas. Dickinson, Sem,
and wife. Welcome Chandler and wife, ". A.
Crane and wife, Jas. E. Sergeant and wife.
The first meetings were held in tho Levrich
House which stood south Of the old American
House. Aiterward the building known as
Headquarters, now occupied by Mr.. Dunklc-
man, was used. Still later building on the
corner Of Mill and Chatham streets, which
had been furnished with seats made of slabs
by the first Baptist society, was used by them
.1x.vu> %o1v ~,:kh H. NoAhnI:,A. r A.