The Oskaloosa herald., 1908-12-31
rs YEARS IN THE
STATE OF IOWA
METHoDlsTs CELEBRATE THElF
DIAMOND JUBILEE.
THEY ENTERED AT DUBUQUE
Iowa Was Then Wilderness and the
Rule of the Indian Was Practi-
cally Complete - Many
vicissitudes.

jubilee of the founding of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Society in Dubuque
and in the state of Iowa was cele-
brated here this week. At the time
Methodism was introduced in what is
now Iowa, this section was a part Of
Michigan. Seyenty-five years ago
Iowa was far from even statehood.
The country was a wilderness, and
the sway of the Indian was practically
complete. The important feature of
the exercises of the celebration was
the presence and sermon of Bishop
Mcintyre, of st. Paul.
The church has had many vicissi-
tudes, chiefly in it's younger days in
Iowa, but the record goes to show the
spirit of the men and women that
gave the cause its start in Iowa never
wavered, nor has it since been want
ing. 49,. .HaJ' a. il
The treaty. with Black Hawk, by
which the Indian title became extinct
and the country opened to settlement
was effective on the 1st of June, 1888.
Following this large number of se'-
tiers Immediately entered into posses.
sion and took up claims, some of
whom had been on islands for days
awaiting this permission. 1t is said
above $50 persons came over from
Galena alone and settled here, and a
village of 300 or 400 people grew up
during the season. In the autumn of
that year the Illinois conference Of the
Methodist Episcopal church, through
the influence of Peter Cartwright, at
it's session in Union Grove, H., de-
cided to send missionary to the west
of the Mississippi river, there being at
that time no church organization or
regular pastofate west of the river
and north of the Illinois river. Ac.
cordingly Rev. = Barton Randle and
Rev. j. T. Mitchell were appointed TO
the Galena mines and the Dubuque
missions and Immediately came on to
the ground. H. ,...
Preached First Sermon.
Rev. Mr. Mitchell, the previous year,
had worked in Galena, so it was ar.
ranged between the two that he
should make. that place his home,
while Rev. Mr.. Randle came on to
Dubuque. They both, however, came
to Dubuque on November 6, and on
the evening of that day, in the dining
room of the Bell tavern, kept by Jes-
sic M. harrison, he preached sup
posedly the first Christian sermon
within it's territory, Rev. Mr.. Mitch.
ell preaching the following evening in
the same place. d..
There is a tradition mat Rev.
Father Kent came over from Galena
few weeks previous to this time and
preached in a private house on Lo-
Gust street John Johnson, who kept
diary in those days, and Rev. Bar.
ton Randle, himself, both say, how
ever, the Nov 6 sermon was the first
Rev. Mr.. Randle rode the circuit, with
tered the gospel among the people of
the sparcely settled gion. He was a
young man of 35 years, unmarried and
most devoted to the Christian cause.
The influx of settlers became rapid
and practically all the old states were
represented. The cause flourished, al.
though meetings were held chiefly in
private houses. The Dubuque congre
cation grew and in the spring of 1884
Rev. Mr.. Randle concluded the or
STR IN
a house of worship. He set about it to
raise the necessary funds and 1925
was subscribed The original, sub
scription' list is with the state his
torical society at Des Moines, copy
of which is hereby given:
Subscription for a chapel for a
Methodist Episcopal church in the
town of Dubuque.
plan of house: To be built of
hewn logs, 20 by 70 feet in the clear,
one story ten feet high; lower and
upper floors, shingle roof, painted
with lime and sand; one batten door,
four twenty-light and twelve one-light
windows; cost estimated completed
in good plain style $255. The above
house is built for the use of the Meth
odist Episcopal church, bur when not
occupied by said church shall be open
for divine service by other Christian
denominations, and may be used for
common school, at the discretion O.
the trustees
"Trustees-Woodbury Massey, John
Johnson, William Hillary Marquis At
Gibson and Orrin Smith. These trus.
tees are authorized to receive sub
scriptions and control the interests of
said house for the uses above mentions
ed"
Build Log Meeting House.
During the summer of 1884 Mrs.
Massey and Mrs. Dean collected to-
gether some twelve or fifteen chill.
dren and held the first Sunday school.
The regular organization Of thel
church took place in the spring of 1884
before the completion of the log meet.
ing house. with twelve members, John
johnson, Martin Massey, Susan Dean.
Patrick Smith. Susan Johnson, Ro-
bert Bell, William Hillary, Mary Ann
Jordan and Charlotte Morgan. The
first board OF trustees consisted Of
Woodberry Massey, John Johnson