Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1901-02-14
Number 81.

direction Of the Presbytery OF South
er (now centraD Dakota. The petit
toners were S. NJ. CASTOR, Mrs. S. M.
CASTOR, Horace Fishback, Mrs. Cor
nelia Fishback, Miss Leona Van Dusen
Charles Gagel, Mrs. Emeline Gagel,
Mrs. Edith Hopp, Mrs. Mary K. Harte,
Robert Mcbride. III. B. CASTOR, VIM.
Mcknight and Mrs. Wm. Mcknight.
or the thirteen persons signing the
petition for organization only five per-
fected their membership. These five
original members were Mrs. Mary K.
Harte, Mrs. Edith Hopp, Robert Nc
Bride, Charles Gagel and Mrs. EN-
cline Gagel. This leaves Mrs. Mary
E. Harte and Charles Gagel the only
original members and organizers At
present living in or near Brookings.
The first communion service was
held in the M. e. church, Feb. 5, 1882,
and was conducted by Rev. r. B. Far
rar and Rev. G.. B. Pomeroy. The
society was organized August 20, 1882.
The first church elders were elected,
ordained and installed December IL,
1882, at meeting held in the Baptist
church. Only two of the elders elect
ed were installed: d. j. Darrow and
John p. Jenkins. The third, S. M.
CASTOR, had not perfected his church
membership and consequently was not
ordained and installed.
The first trustees OF the church were
Robert Mcbride, John Sloan, A. B. Al
lison and J. Il. Tidball, who were elected
at the same meeting, Dec. IL, 1882. AT
this meeting there was chosen build
ing committee, consisting Of w. g.
Lockhart, s. M. CASTOR, D. Darrow,
G.. j. Collar and r. s. Lyon. The
building committee seemed to have
struck snag shortly after this period
and the organization ran aground, for
from Dec. IL, 1882, to Aug. !, 1884, the
church records are complete blank.
Tradition informs US that this period
was one of darkness, discouragement
and trial incident to young and weak
organizations. The congregation was
without building or regular pastor
had only irregular preaching and with
seemingly nothing to hold 1t together.
Aug. j, 1884, however, seems to have
been rallying day, as congrega-
tional meeting was called and held at
the M. e. church. A committee was
appointed to investigate the building
committee, the congregation, and the
whole business OF Presbyterian or
ganization Ia Brookings. Another
meeting was fixed for Aug. Sth and
the matter of building discussed. A
committee consisting of w. G.. Lock-
hart, d. j. Darrow, ]. OBJ. Scobey,
James Hauxhurst, Mrs. Cornelia Fish
back and Mrs. Edith Hopp we're ap-
pointed with the power to accept
plans and let the contract for Q build
ing not to exceed in cost $4,000.
AS a result OF this action the old
building recently vacated wss built
and occupied for the tirst time on Sum
day. Jan. IL, 1885. The church was
dedicated Oct. 10, 1885. 1t was on
Jan. l, 1885, that the society had its
first regular supply and Rev. Alex. s.
Foster became the pastor of this
church. From that time to the pres
ent Its growth has been slow, bat con-
slant and continued and now num-
bers 2o8 members In good standing.
The society has been particularly
fortunate, inasmuch as It's number OF
pastors have been few. Mr.. Foster
was followed by A. M. Work, elected
June l3, 1887. Mr., Work resigned In
October, 1894, and c. c. Hoffmeister
became pastor about year later. e.
/. Davis succeeded Mr.. Hoffmeister,
and he in turn was succeeded by w.
NJ. Jennings, the present pastor OF the
church.
PRESENT CHURCH OFFICERS.
Elders-A. G.. Young, f. j. Carlisle,
j. FL. Shepard, ID. j. Darrow, 8. A.
Evans, W. A. Caldwell.
Trustees-L. FL. Skiff, Horace Fish
back, Geo. p. Sexauer, Peter Caldwell.
j. w. Middleton. p. j. Hegeman.