The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1911-05-18

their church until our edifice was
completed.
When Mr.. Whitney came the
stewards were John Mann, Elisha
Walden, Edwaa5 Hammond, VIM.
Conley, Joseph Stephens and George
Jacobs.
The class leaders were George
Twiss, j. C. Waldron, John Melon
aid, Elisha Walden, Joseph Alverson,
The trustees were Edward Ham
mond, Elisha Walden and Joseph
Stephens.
N. Shafer and William Conley
were the local preachers. In the
circuit were five classes as follows:
the class in Pierce Valley having
twenty-nine members; the Clifton
class with twenty-five members;
the Mann Valley class with seven
teen members; Scott School house
class. nine members; River Falls
class, eleven members.
Shortly after Rev. Mr.. Whitney's
arrival N. E. Darling and family of
five arrived all becoming members.
In 1868 a Sunday School was or
ganized with Mrs. Phillsbury, nee
Darlsng, as superintendent, Mrs. H.
E. Stephens, assistant superinten-
dent, and Miss Abbie Darling,
secretary.
In the fall of 1863 Rev. VIM.
Egbert, a local preacher and farmer
of Hammond, was appointed preach
er in charge. In the fall of 1864
this was called the New Richmond
district.
In the fall Of 1866 Rev. A. B.
Smith was appointed to this circuit
with Rev. T. M. Fullerton as presid-
ing elder. The church was now
completed and dedicated about Sept.
1. T. E. Tubbs was instrumental
in securing the bell.
In 1866 Rev. Joel Brown was
appointed to this circuit. Mr..
Brown who had been a carpenter,
offered to build a parsonage if
members fruld provide material.
Mrs. Fl. e. s5tephens solicited and
lumber and sundries for the cree
ton of one part, sixteen by twenty
four were soon available.
1t was not until 1867 that this
territory became a part of the West
Wisconsin conference and the name
of the district was changed to that
of the Prescott district. In 1868
Rev. James Ravens was appointed
to the Hammond circuit. He and
residents of Kinnickinnic erected a
fine building near C. D. Smiths
place, The same year N. S. Austin
was appointed to the River Falls
circuit with J. E. Irish as presiding
elder.
In 1870 Rev. E. S. Ravens was
appointed preacher in charge and in
this year the main part of the par
sonage was erected by Joseph Short
at a cost of $650.00.
In 1872 the name Of the district
was changed toSt Croix and Rev.
Charles Irish, brother of the for
mer presiding elder, was appointed
as preacher in charge.
The year of 1873 was one of re-
trenchment. The society had be-
come quite heavily involved. At
this junction Martin E. Cady, then
principal of the River Falls institute
came forward and proposed that if
the church would pay it's debts
in full he would preach
during the conference year for
nothing. His offer was accepted
and the bishop appointing him,
preached during the year to the
great satisfaction of the large con-
gregations attending. And the
debts were all paid.
Mr.. Cady is now one of the lead
ing divines of Chicago and Rev. S.
W. Homer, who was in charge of
this church the three years follow
ing is to day a leading minister in
the Detroit, Mich, conference.
In 1877 and 1873 the church was in
charge Of Rev. w. Atwater who lat
er became presiding elder of the dis
trict and was succeeded in the local
field by A. S. Collins, who rem aimed
three years.
A FINANCIAL DEPRESSION
The years of 1882 and 1883 were
passed with much foreboding' by
many Of the church. In those two
summers eight members with their
c,,,o.11~, - rho bod ooYfri b11fad most