Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-05-05
THE LITTLE BROWN CHURCH
Waverly independents

The PARK quartet is made up of the
following musically inclined boys:
Frank Sturdevant, Carl Hirieman. Lynn
Ingham and Ralph Zwanziger. In their
visits TO the different places where they
have given concerts they have ire
ouently been asked TO sins The Little
Brown Church" This prompted Frank
Sturdevant TO write TO DR.. w. 5. Puts.
the author of the song. both words and
music. and under date Of April 70,
Frank received the follWing answer:
Frank Sturdevant,
Dear Sir and Brother: Your letter
al hand. II was pleasant mes
sage 70 me 1t makes me glad
Of heart to hear of the good work
the dear old song is doing thru instru-
mental aid You ask for circumstances
connected with its birth.
One bright afternoon, Of day IN
June. 1857. first set foot in Bradford
Iowa. coming by stage from McGregor'
NV home was then in Wisconsin. i ne
same afternoon, in company with Andy
Felt and one or two others. whose
names l DO not now recall. we walked
10 Greenwood. We went by path, a
shorter course than the regular nieh-
way. June is the month, when nature
dons her richest attire, and every 1901
of the way was a primal paradise OF
beauty The landscape was unbroken,
clothed with grasses and with flowers
The natural oaks dotted it; not in sym
merrical lines as tho planted by man,
but promi=cuously natures handl"orh.
Al our right flowed the Little Cedar
river. At our left, the broad prairle
biilowy in form, stretching away lot
miles II was one of natures spots
where persons of like temperament as
myself stand with folded arms look
admire and listen for the heart tnrops
of nature. The spot where the Little
Brown Church" now stands was
setting of rare beauty. Daily l saw II
during my stay at Bradford. Nhen
went away carried in mind a picture
of ii. There was no church there then,
but the spot was there waiting Tor ~.
was much pleased with Bradford
then a very busy place, and that por-
ton Of the Cedar river valley. and the
charm of it has never departed from
me. When mack tn my home. wrote
the song. The Little Brown Church III
the Vale" ! put the manuscript away.
In the spring of 1862 I returned 10
Iowa, settled at Fredericksburg, mas
much as my wife's people were there.
The winter of 1863 and Ga, | taught
singing school al Bradford. board
ed with John Bird. We held our
school in the brick building known as
the Bradford Academy. 1r. the year OF
1859 or so the good people OF Brad1oro
urged on by Rev J. X. Nutting, ably
assisted by Mr. Eastman. determined
to build church. Mr.. Watson, the
owner Of large tract of timber, lying
between the two Cedar rivers, said ne
would give them the trees, If the people
would get it out. ! will not undertake
to tell of the trials, the disappolnt-
ments and the success that followed;
suffice it to say. by the early winter
| of 1864 the building was ready for the
dedica ton.
| While I was holding the singing
school. near to its close IN the spring,
T, the class went one evening to the
| church. It was not then seated, but
rude seats were improvised. Ny manu-
script of the song I had brought with
me from Wisconsin. It had never been
sung by any one but myself l sang IT
there. Soon after took the manuscript
/ to Chicago. It was published by II.
NJ Higgins. 1t won speedy recogni-
ton locally, and with the years won
it's way into the hearts OF the people
of the world Soon after It's publication
the church AT Bradford became known
as the Little Brown Church In the
| vale, and justly so, and II Will ever De
known by that name Ny hope Is that
it will stand thousand years, and its