The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1910-07-28

The following interesting chapter Q
local history was prepared by Mis-
Margaret Burnside and delivered b.
her as her graduating thesis at Mon
mouth College in 1918. 1t is the orii.
known history of the church in exist
ence and required much time ant
trouble in its preparation. 1t is pub
lished by permission and will M
doubt be preserved by many who arr
interested in the local institution:
The United Presbyterian church @
Oskaloosa, Iowa, is one of those pion
eer churches which has furnished
temporary worshiping place for many
people going from East to West. Al
no time during its history has this
church had more than three hundred
members, while about one hundred
and fifty has been the average. sta
| toned in the middle west, II has serv
ed as a gathering place for those IRON
the East and as distributing point
for the far West.
The founder OF the First Associated
Reformed church of Oskaloosa, Iowa
came to Mahaska county in 1S4S. the
first Monday in May of that year he
staked his claim about four miles east
OF Oskaloosa, after the Indians had
vacated the land. At the house OF this
Mr.. Poultney Laughridge, ministers
of any denomination were welcome TO
preach as they went through the coun'
try The First Associated Reformed
minister to preach was the Rev.. Mr.,
J. M. Dick, then the Rev. Mr.. William
Lorimer, the Rev. Mr.. John Gardiner,
Samuel Sturgeon, David Lindsey, the
Rev. Mr.. Scott, the Rev. Mr.. Brown
and many others preached few
times for them. +'".
In 1847 the Rev. Mr.. R. N. Fee, AS,
ISOLATED Reformed minister, preached
once every month in the Laughridge
home. In a year or so the Barrett
and Jones families bought land in the
neighborhood that formed the nucleus
for the congregation. On the 18th OF
June, 1S49, the Rev. Mr.. James c.
Porter organized the congregation IN
log school house on the southwest
corner of the Laughridge farm. The
charter members were, Mr.. and Mrs.
Poultney Laughridge, Mr.. and Mrs.
Joseph Jones, Mr. and Mrs. John Bar.
rett, Hannah Beard and Mr.. and Mrs.
James Welsh. The services were held
in the school house, only in very cold
weather, when they were held in the
Laughridge home and in warm wealth
err in a grove on the Jones farm. At
the first communion, William, Joseph
and Amanda Jones, James G and
Thomas Barrett, Wilson and Isabel
Coryell and Emily Laughridge, Joined
the congregation.
From the time of the organization
the Rev. Mr.. Rim. Fee took the pas
torate for half the time and Brighton
for the other half of the time. But
finally he gave up the Brighton pas
torate, moved to Mahaska county and
took full charge of the congregation
here. He was installed in 1851. In
the fall of 81 went to Ohio and
Indiana to solicit funds to help build
church. All of the members of the
congregation lived about four miles
east of town, but some OF the people
wanted the church built in the town
aud they finally prevailed, SO when
Mr.. Fee came back they bought the
lot on the corner of High avenue and
Third street. 1t was at quite cost
to the congregation that the decision
was made for the church to be built
In town, for some would not yield
and the Jones, lWelshes' and one OF
the Barrett's moved to Knoxville. The
old family OF Barretts sold out and
moved to Oregon in 1852.
After a lot in town was bought and
before the church was built the con
gregation met part of the time in a
wagon shop on the west side of South
/ street, the second lot south of the
square, and then in school house on
the south side of East High avenue
between Third and Fifth streets. Dur
ing this pastorate the church was
built in 1858, being the second church
building in Oskaloosa. In 1854 Mr.
Fee resigned his charge and went &c
Illinois. During this time members
were being added to the congregation
The elders then were: James McCul
loch, d. r. Kernahan, VIM. Cochran
John Cowan, ST., Thos. Nichol, M. D
Jones and Joseph Jones.
There were number OF candidate:
before the people but 1t resulted only
in division of members, until In thu
spring of 1856 two of the younger
members wrote to the Rev. Mr.. r. A
McAyeal, young man just leaving
Allegheny Seminary, and invited hin
TO come and preach. He came AMI
preached the first two Sabbaths II
May and call was at once made on
for him and he accepted it.
About this time the union Of the AS
soeiate and Associated Reformed
churches was affected. The member
of the congregation were quite a
variance as to their ideas in this mat
ter, but under the wise discretion o
their pastor they came into the Unite'
Presbyterian church In 1858 by unanl
nous vote.
Shortly after this the Rev. Mr.. Nc
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