Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-12-09
IN THE EARLY !. DAYS
Paper on the Early Churches and
Preachers in Ottumwa.
PLACES OF WORSHIP WE'RE FEW
Rev. j. ri. McElroy Reads Interesting
Paper Before Meeting of ottumwa
Ministerial Assoeiation--Dealt with
Conditions When City Was Young.

Ministerial ssoeiation--Dealt with
Conditions When City Was Young.
An Interesting paper was read be-
fore the meeting of the Ottumwa Min
isterial association, which was held
Monday in the Y. M. c. A. parlors, by
Rev. j. NJ. McElroy on the subject
THE Early Churches and Preachers
of Ottumwa." The paper dealt with
conditions in the city in the early days
and will be of much interest, espe-
cially to the older residents. DR.. Nc
Elroy spoke as follows:
In 1855 Ottumwa contained pop
ulation of about 500 Many of these
We're worthy people who had come
with a view to securing homes for
themselves and families, while on the
other hand there was a considerable
number who We're Adventures to see
see what was going on or what might
turn up to interest or benefit them
1t is not to be denied that the little
frontier river town was on back
ground religiously and otherwise, COM
pared with other towns near by. Fair
field and Oskaloosa had churches and
schools before Ottumwa had either.
Agency, Dahlonega and Kirkville had
each Methodist society and house of
worship in advance of the county seat.
81 first saw Ottumwa July a. 1856,
having arrived by stage coach in the
night.
TN the early morning was out
looking around. Going up Court street
/ came to somewhat pretentious
brick building in process of construc-
ton, the walls up and roofing going
on. | said to myself. That must be
the Methodist church, | was mistak-
en-. 1t was the court house, the first
brick court house, located where the
present court house now stands. From
that corner, looking further up Court
street, you might see a little brick
building with a cross on it, situated
where the Catholic parsonage now
stands, the headquarters of Rev. John
Kreckel the Catholic priest, who had
been here and at work some two years.
Looking southwark across the open
square you could see the Congrega-
tional church, a little white frame
building. where the Clark drug store
now is, where the faithful pioneer mis-
sionary, Spalding, was on duty.
"On the lot where the First Baptist
church now stands you would notice
! the county jail, one room log house
with one small window and paddock
on the only door.
Looking over or past the Hawley
residence you might see the old court
house where the Edgerly wholesale
building now stands, very plain two
story house, court being held in the
one lower room, while the county off
cials occupied the two or three rooms
above. Further in the same direction
you might find on the north side of
Front Tor Main) street what was
called Leighton's hall, a wooden build
ing, the lower story of which was
a cabinet shop The upper story,
reached by a rear, outside, rickety
stairway, was used for school and
church purposes. Forty or fifty per.
sons might crowd into the room and
find seats on the backless, cotton.
wood benches. The hall was heated
by small wood stove in winter and
the sun in summer.
Seven Churches in City.
There were seven organized
churches in the little town. OF the
six Protestant societies the Congrega
tionalists and Methodists were in the
lead, each having some twenty OF
thirty on the roll and about half Of
these living on the South Side of the
unbridged river, unable to attend any
night service, and in times of ice occa
sionally unable to cross the river night
or day for days or weeks together
The Baptists, Presbyterians and Cum
berland Presbyterians each had an in
FAINT organization. with no church
building, and their members who re
sided in town were very few, the Pres
byterians having four members il
Gown, the Cumberlands two or three
eld the Baptists about six. transferred
their headquarters from Center schoo
house, three miles north, to Ottumwa
where they had bought the old cour
house for church purposes. Their or
ganization was one of the earliest, ant
their membership was probably as
large or larger than any of the othel
churches, but their numbers in tow
were very few perhaps ten or twelve
''The EpiscoI4l church was organ
lied some teyo years later, in 1867 Their,
was small society of Universalist:
in Ottumwa about 1857, but they hat
no house of worship and never main
tanned any regular puDllc services.
1.-The Cumberland Presbyterian
held services at the court house abou
enc year and then passed out of exist
ence. The Baptists held their services
led by Rev. Mr.. Cole in Leighton
hall, but gave up their organization
in the spring of '56, reorganization
taking place later under Rev. j. I
Robert.
"On the lot just west of the brio