The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-07-25

The members of the Park Avenue
NJ e. church are making elaborate
plans for the celebration Of the seven
ty-ffth anniversary of the founding
of the church and the celebration is to
be held during the month of Octo-
Der. Seventy-fve years ago in Novem-
Der the first quarterly conference OF
the congregation was held in South
port and the congregation had been
organized month earlier. The Keno
sha church is one of the Oldest or
CARNATIONS Of Methodism in Wiscon-
sin and its history has been filed with
interesting incidents in the develop
ment of the great denomination in the
state. The plans for the celebration of
the anniversary ar Elm the hands Of a
committee composed of Z. l.. Grant
DR.. Van Westreinen, A. B. Ames, Mrs
Charles Beachel, Mrs. Arnold and Mrs
Peck.
1t is planned to have several ser
vices in recognition of the anniver-
sary. The first service will be held on
Tuesday evening of the anniversary
week and this will be in the nature of
a celebration given by the children OF
the Sunday school. 1t is expected that
more than 500 children will take part
in this celebration. On Friday even.
ing of the same week a banquet will
be held at which there will be a re.
union of the members Of the church
1t is planned to have all ministers who
have served as pastor of the church
present at this reunion and many who
served the church in earlier days will
be expected to make addresses.
The anniversary celebration will
take place on the following Sunday
and Bishop W. A. Quayle, one of the
most distinguished men in the Method
Sst church has been invited to deliver
the anniversary sermon.
The Kenosha church has had a no
table history and it stands out among
the churches Of Wisconsin as one of
the most active and influential church
organizations in the state.
Seventy years ago the first
Methodist class was formed in Pike
River, the name first given to the
community which later became South
port, and still later Kenosha. This
was the beginning of Park Avenue
M. e. church"
This paragraph is taken from "The
History of Methodism in Wisconsin.
Late in May, or early in June
1885, Jonathan Pierce came, with his
family, in the first wagon that ever
rolled through the Indian village
nearby, and settled on the present site
Of Kenosha then called Pike River
He was devoted Christian and
Methodist. He was the only white
man in that vicinity, but others soor
came. So far as appears, no congenia
spirit came to the place until the sec
ond day Of August following, when
Austin Kellogg, with his wife and Eve
children, landed from a schooner, anc
were scattered along the Pike River
beach. It was Sabbath afternoon. A,
his religion was the kind that bear,
transportation, he began at once t.
look around for religious meeting
He soon found Mr.. Pierce, and they
arranged for prayer meeting the
next Sabbath. On that day, August 8
1885, they held the first prayer meet
ing in the place. They must have beer
agreeably surprised to find twenty
eight persons in attendance-nearl,
every white settler-and more SO t.
see that twenty-one took some part il
the services. They also then and there
= Bormed Sabbathschool.
Though religious meetings Of som,
sort were held every Sabbath no elias,
was formed till 1887. During the in
term they rarely had preaching. Rev
Mark Robinson, so far as appears (tht
first preacher on the Milwaukee Cir
cult in 1850 preached the first ser
mon there.
Some time in the year 1887 tht
Pike River class was formed, consist
ing Of ten persons, viz; Rev. R. NJ
Demming, Austin Kellogg, Armeni:
kellogg, Jonathan Pierce, Charles Dur
kee Mrs. Charles Dnrkee, Mrs. Harvey
Durkee, John w. Dana, Martha 4
Dana, and Susan Dana, Austin Kel
logg was the leader lie belonged t
large family whose name is intim
ately and honorably connected Will
The early history in Wisconsin. Charlie.
DTkee was afterwards United
Ststes senator for six years.
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