Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-10-03
Upper Iowa Methodists Are in
Fiftieth Annual Session
at Maquoketa
FIRST CONFERENCE HELD THERE
Tho Conference Was Organized at Ma
quoketa in 1856, and Three Confer
ence Meetings Beside That Will
Have Been Held There When Pres
ent Session Closes
pecla1 % Tlmes-Republican.

Special 20 Times Republican.
Maquoketa, Oct 3.-The fiftieth an
nual session Of the Upper Iowa confer
ence of the Methodist Episco-
pal church, Bishop Earl Cranston pre-
siding, began here today. Maquoketa
was chosen as the meeting place be-
cause the conference was organized
here in 1856. This city has always been
stronghold of Methodism and the
church here, while not the largest Is
one Of the strongest in the state. Meth
odism in Maquoketa extends back to a
very early period in the history of the
town. Mr.. J. Il. Goodenow, the father
of Maquoketa, built the first house here
in 1888. The following spring a sister
of Mr.. Goodenow's, also Mr.. Thomas
Wright and wife and Mrs. Amasa Minis
arrived in this new country. Shortly
after their arrival Miss Goodenew and
Mr.. Minis were married by Methodist
minister who was covering circuit
of 1889 the first class was organized.
AT that time the population of the place
was eleven people, six of whom We're
Methodists. The class consisted of six
charter members. Maquoketa was in
cluded in a circuit with some other
points and a Rev. Simpson came twice
month and held services in the town
blacksmith shop. This blacksmith
shop was also used as "a school house.
In 1910 Rev. b. HI. Cartwright came.
He served two years and was followed
by Revs. Pope, Walker, Larkin, Brier,
Greenup, Howard and Maxwell up UNI
til 1S4S at which time De Witt, Cas-
cade and Maquoketa formed the cir
cult. These faithful devines Travelled
over land, sometimes on foot and then
forced to ford streams at the risk of
their lives in order to reach their APP
pointments.
In 1S49 Rev. William Hurlburt took
charge and Immediately set about de-
vising ways and means for building a
church. AS a result of his labors, the
First Methodist Episcopal church, a
frame structure, was erected. In 1850
the church was furnished at a cost OF
1910. Two lots were donated to the
society by Mr.. Goodenow and one of
them was sold. The proceeds were
used to build the foundation for the
first church. The subscription list is
still in existence and bears donations
from 20 cents up. Many of the SUBJ
scriptions We're paid in work, for mons
in,
First Conference Here.
In this church the first session of
the Upper Iowa Conference was held
Aug. %, 1856, and the building being
small Sunday services were held in
Hookers' Grove. Rev. A. w. Brindell
was the preacher in charge at that
time, and now after fifty years have
passed this society has grown to a
of over 800 members and
a church membership of over $4,000
within it's bounds one-fourth
of the state of Iowa. This conference
was presided over by Bishop j.. S.
James.
In 1875 the old church was sold and
the proceeds, s1,100,, with additional
subscriptions, were used in building
the present handsome brick structure
at a cost Of $4,000. Rev. George, r.
Manning was pastor and the church
was dedicated Dec. IL, 1875, by Bishop
E. G. Andrews, assisted by Rev. Elias
Skinner, presiding elder Of the dis
trict. Rev j. G. Van Ness. now pre-
siding elder of the Cedar Rapids dis
trict, was appointed pastor in 1888.
He found the church in debt to the
amount of $1,000 which with his UNI
firing efforts he succeeded in entirely
wiping out during his first six months
as pastor At this time day of jub-
lice was celebrated and all the notes
against the society were consumed by
fire in the presence Of a large con-
gregation.
The present pastor, Rev. L. L. Lock-
ard, was born near Hills Grove, Pa.
Jan. 10, 1851. He attended Cornell
College at Mt. Vernon and Joined the
Upper Iowa conference in 1880.
This is the fourth session of the Up
per Iowa conference held in this city.
They have been in the years 1856.
1876, 1893 and 1906. The present mem
bership of the church is about $50.
It is expected that there will be
quite a shake-up in number of the
larger appointments at this confer
ence and possibly some changes in
the presiding elders An attempt will
doubtless be made to remedy defect,
noticeable in the fact that four pre-
siding elders retire at the same time
each year. This is regarded as mimic
al to the best interests of the church.
The presiding elders are:
Rev. J. w. Bissell, D. D., Cedar
Falls district.
Rev. j. g. Van Ness, L. d. Cedar
Rapids district.
Rev. J. B. Albrook, D. D., Davenport
Rev j. G. Magee, D. D., DEBORAH
district.
Rev w. F. Pitner D. D, Marshall
town district.
IOWA GERMAN METHODISTS.
Northwest Conference Brought to Close
at Girard-The Appointments.
Special to Times RepuDncan.