Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-08-04
Laying the Corner Stone.
[From Howard County Times.]

S..O
[From Howard County Times.l
The basement stone work of the Con-
gregational Church is now nearly done
and last Tuesday night, in the presence
of a large and deeply interested audience
of Cresco's citizens, the corner stone of
the edifce was laid with appropriate GER
emonies.
The band opened the exercises in an
elegantly rendered piece of sacred mu-
sic; after which Rev. Holmes. with few
we'll timed and appropriate remarks, in
troduced Elder Fall as the Pioneer sol
der of the cross, whose voice had been
heard in the wilderness calling on the
people to repent, who delivered feeling
and earnest prayer dedlcating the new
church to the service of the Most High
God.
Instead of dcdicatory address Miss
Hattie Howe was selected to give his
tory of the church, she was introduced
and read an intensely interesting paper,
we'll wo1thy the subject and the occasion
which we give in full below.
Rev. Holmes then pronounced the
benediction and the people dispersed to
their homes, feeling that new epoch in
the history of Cresco had been opened.
HISTORY OF THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL
CHURCH OF CRFSCo, IOWA.
There is special interest pertaining
to the founding and establishment of any
institution or organization. Ancient his
tory is in one sense more Interesting
than modern history. We take delight
in recounting the adventures of
the early sertlers of our beloved land,
and we dwell with pride upon the brave
deeds of their heroes.
1t is for this reason that [ hope to in
terest you in the history of our church.
as review once more the struggles, the
sacrifices, the triumpns of the pioneers
in this organization. We will, therefore,
pause in our contemplation of the pros.
pective new church in which we are
about to realize the ambitions, the hopes,
the lodgings of many years, and turn our
attention to time when the scream of
the locomotive was yet unheard in the
land, time with Cresco was not, and
when the villages of Vernon Springs and
New Oregon were the center Of civiIlza.
ton in this region. At this time a report
had been circulated that the land in nor
them Iowa was about to be brought
into the market, it was thought that there
would be a great rush of settlers to oc
cupy the land. This prompted several
ministers to enter the new field that they
might anticipate the needs of the new
corners by preaching the gospel and es-
tsblishing churches. 1t was this move
ment which led Rev. j. W. Windsor, a
Home Missionary, under commission by
the Am. Home Miss. Society, to visit
Vernon Springs in company with Rev.
Julius A Reed, then agent for the State
Home Missionary Society of Iowa, and
one of the earliest Congregational work.
ers in the State. 1t was in July, 1856,
that Mr.. Windsor preached his first SER
mon in Vernon Springs. Being urged
by the settlers to sema!r with them he
did SO, and after several preliminary
meetings, organized Congregational
Church of 16 members, at Vern. Springs
Sept. Z, 1856. The names of the charter
members are as follows: Rev. John W.
Windsor, Mss, Mary A. Windsor, Mr..
Phinneas Arms, Mrs. Maria Arms, Mr..
Ephriam Thornburgb, MrE. Francis
Thornburgh, Mr.. VIM. Kellow Mrs Ma
ria Kellow, Mr.. Nehemiah Simmonds,
Mrs. Rhomanaa Simmonds, Mr.. Thos. p.
Davies, Mrs Maria j. Davies, Mr.. John
W, Noble, Mrs Rachel Hunter, Mrs Mar
garet A. Robinson, Miss b. Hunter
None of these names appear Cd the
church roll to-day. ReyJ. W. Windsor
was unanimously chosen Pastor, and he
also served as clark during the whole of
his passionate. 1t was voted to call the
new organization the Congl Church Of
Oregon Grove. For a time services al
terIated between Vernon Springs and
New Oregon. with Sabbath School at
each place. Accommodations being bet
ter at New Oregon, all church services
were finally held at that place.
As the settlement grew they felt NOR e
and more the need Of church building.
Mr.. Schofeld, proprietor of the town of
New Oregon, donated lot for church
and another one for pastors house. At
Q special meeting held May 5th, 1860, this
resolution was passed: Resolved, That
We will erect frame building covered
with pine, to be used as church edifce.
A committee was appointed to SOLICIT sub
scriptions for this purpose, of which
Bros. Aaron Kimball and j. j. Klemmer
were members; this effort to secure funds
failed, as the settlers we're very poor, hav-
ing spent their money in journeying to
this place, and in purchasing their land.
Nothing daunted by this failure,
application was then made to
persons owning timber lots in the grove.
Some gave three, four, five or six trees
for the building, and old Deacon Armes
said, 'Take all you want from my lot"
The people then proceeded to convert
this standing timber into suitable build
ing material. A bee was made for cut.
ting down the trees. The ladies also went
to the grove and provided pic mic din
ner for the workers. Then followed a
bee 10 prepare the logs for the mill; then
another to hanl the lumber to the church
site; and yet another with pick aud spade,
to the hillside to quarry the stone, fol-
lowed by another to haul the stone to tho
ground, AID excavate for the foundation,
and With the help of one mason to lay ii
up. and yet one more bee to raise the
frame, with the help of one or two car
penters. Thus far it was Utterly the
work of their hands. BY great self de.
NAL the necessary lumber for finishing
purposes was purchased. This was &C
complished only by voluntary assess
ments out of deep poverty. Thirty dol
lars were contributed by Hon. Henry p.
HaAen, of Conn.,, who was q special
friend or Mr.. Wlndsors. Also $l3 from
the church at Norwich, Conn, and $50
from two ladies in Portland, Me. The
Church Building Society gave $3.50, TO
pay last bills. Thus the work progress.
sed, and the church was dedicated Nov.