Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-12-09


cupied year or two later, and which
they continued to use until their pres
ent fine brick building was erected.
Our Presbyterian organization had
been effected in December, 1853, with
twenty-three members, two of these in
Ottumwa, six in the Gray neighbor-
hood, eight miles north; six in the PIT
Isabel, (now Ormanville) neighborhood
and nine nearer town on the south side
of the river. Our services were held
in Leighton's hall for about six
months, then in the Christian church,
or old court house for a few months
until June, 1856, when we occupied
our own new frame building on Fourth
street, erected at a cost of $500, and
which is now in modified form a.
residence, Immediately east of the
Second Baptist church. l was ordain-
ed and installed by the Des Moines
Presbytery at meeting held in the
Congregational church on Second
street, in December, 1855, and was in
charge about ID years.
Il was personally acquainted with
all the early ministers of the place
and also with good many who labor
ed in other parts Of the county.
Brother Fouts, the first Methodist
minister lived in Dahlonega, and had
the Ottumwa church under his wing.
1.-TWO or three years later he was
one of company of emigrants for
California, the whole expedition was
massacred by the Indians on the
plains. | recall his successors, A. C..
Mcdonald, A. Robinson, Frank Evans,
| Worthington, Bradrick, Spalding, Cow
| les and Waring; also Jesse Craig, w.
A. Nye and Elders Hare and Mark.
! "Of our Baptist friends remember
Cole and DR.. Robert, Worcester, Burn
ham, Clapp and Sunderland Rev.
| Aaron Harlan. a farmer, fine look
ing elderly man, was leader in the
| Christian church when l came here,
as he had been from it's organization.
He was succeeded by Mr.. Smith
and some years later by Father Boggs
| had pleasant relations with Rev. Gift
ford of the Episcopal church and with
Mr.. Ryan, his successor.
REV. B. A. Spalding of the Congre-
gational church was the earlies resi-
dent minister in Ottumwa. He had
come to this county in 1S43, stopping
| first at Agency and then transferring
DIT
was diligent earnest Christian man
and worker, and had the confidence
of all who knew him. He was a quiet
modest man, and was not in the habit
or telling people that he was a gradu
ate of Harvard. He labored under
two disadvantages: first somewhat
infirm in health, passing away from
pulmonary disease at the age of 81
years; and second, Congregational
ism seemed to be not popular with
these uncultured pioneers. They hac
not been accustomed to it and did moi
readily fall in with it.
"Mr. Spalding was succeeded by Mr.
Clark, by Rev. Simeon Brown, ant
then by Rev. Herman Bross. With
all these Ottumwa pastors my rela
lions were kindly and pleasant.
Thinking over those early times
recall the fact that considerable
amount of controversy and even strife
characterized that period The times
and circumstances were peculiar Com
petition was sharp. When church
stakes We're driven in some new com
munity the pioneer religionists were
disposed to claim presumption rights
New corners must not come in and try
to get the half or the whole of tha
one cherry. If they do we will show
them up and contend for our rights
The comfy and kindly consideration
for others so happily prevalent in re
cent years had not then arrived.
"At Kirkville, where preached
part of my time. for two years Their,
had been chronic strife between thu
Presbyterians and Methodists Ou
man, Dr. Fraser, well informed, maj
of war from his youth, dealt out sc
we're blows to Arminianism and al
other kinds of sin; and in turn he wa
} paid back in full with interest by tn
Methodist pastor
His First Meeting.
sThe first meeting of the Presbyter,
that l attended was at Abba The
Sabbath previous | spent at Knox
vile, preaching in the school house
: and arranging call for their frs
minister, Brother Jacob.
. From Knoxville three of us, MI
Jacob, Elder Young and myself, had
thirty-five mile horseback ride to tn,
new town of Abba, which none of III
had ever seen. The, road was for tn,
most part over the unbroken prairie
: 40 lhS dllCluOOl WOl6 away we Saw
!, away five miles ahead, some symp
, toms of settlement, a column O
smoke. | spoke to this brethren, 'Tha
must be Abba, and that is steam
: MILL No. said DR.. Young, that's tn
Methodist church, getting up steam t
. counterfeit this meeting of the Presby
, terry
1 "The first Presbyterian sermon tina
. heard in Iowa was by one of our old
l. er ministers in the little frame schoo
e house at the corner of Fourth and Co
S lege streets. AS he and | were abou
l starting to church from our lodging
: a Methodist lady came in to inquir
about our services. Brother Fout
S had failed to arrive from Dahlonegs
t and she and husband would atten,
: with us.
S ''As We walked toward the schoo
S house Brother McCune remarked t
n me, Methodists coming to our meet
n ing! All, they'll get get Jesse! Blu
). l can't help it. My subject is doc
trinal one and they'll have to take it!
kt And it was even so. The sermo