Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-15
REV. AND Mrs. LARoY .. HAND,
OF oRlNNELL, CELEBRATE
GOLDEN WEDDING.
REV. Mr.. HAND IN IOWA
PAsToRATEs SINCE 1870
obssrvane. Of Anniversary Take. Place
At Home Of Couples Daughter, Mrs.
Paul q. Nerris-Mr. Hand an EARLY
Congregation Publisher Sketch Of
Career.
'pecial to Times-Republican.


Special to Times-Republican.
Grinnell. Jan. Surrounded by
their children and their children's chill
dren. Rev. and Mrs. LaRoy S. Hand.
well-known residents of this city. and
prominent in Congregational church
circles in Iowa, today celebrated the
fiftieth anniversary of their marriage
at the home of their daughter, Mrs.
Paul G. Norris.
This important event in the lives Of
Rev. Mr.. and Mrs. Hand will be of
more than usual interest thruout Iowa
owing to the wide acquaintance of the
old pastor and his wife. Mr.. and Mrs,
Hand have been in Congregational
church work in Iowa for almost forty
three years. and naturally during that
time have resided at many different
points. Mrs. Hand has been most
unusual helpmeet to her husband in his
pastoral work, and has been leader
in the work of the church in her hus-
bands different pastorates.
Met at College.
The romance that eliminated in the
wedding of Jan. Is. 1863. began when
LaRoy Hand and Annie West were
students in Wheaton College, Wheaton.
ILL.,, of which Mr.. Hands father was
a trustee. Six months following their
graduation the young people were
married.
EARLY UNCONVENTIONAL Publisher.
For three years after his graduation
Mr.. Hand was engaged in the denomi-
national publishing business. editing
and publishing The Christian Era. which
at that time was the leading organ
Ct Con9re9ationalism In Illinois, and
which proved to be the forerunner OF
The Advance. now published in Chi
cago, and one of the leading Congrega-
tional papers of the west.
After leaving the publishing business
Mr.. Hand entered the Chicago Theo-
logical Seminary, where he was a stu
dent until 1868, and was classmate
of Rev. DR.. T. o. Douglass, of this
city, for many years superintendent of
Society of Iowa.
+ Comes to Iowa in 1870.
T Upon entering the active ministry
Rev. Mr.. Hand chose Iowa as his field
of labor. and came to this state In the
spring Of 1870, becoming pastor of the
churches at Odds and Charlottesville
for two years. His next station was at
Polk City, where he remained for six
years. Ottumwa was his next field.
where. for Seven years. he was pastor
Of the Second Congregational church.
now the Plymouth church. For sew
eral years he was pastor of an Omaha
church.
Loses But Two Sundays From illness.
In his ministerial work OF almost a
half century Mr.. Hand looks back on
a most remarkable record for good
health, for in these many years he has
been out of his pulpit only twice owing
to illness. Among the numerous other
Iowa churches he has served as pastor
are ogden, Eddyville, Sioux Rapids.
Postville, Runnells, and Clay. He came
to this city in 1908. and for two years
was pastor Of the svancleve church. In
Marshall county Altho now retired
from active service, he very often acts
as a supply for local and central Iowa
pastors.
Five Children. in Family.
LaRoy Sunderland Hand is a native
Of Otsego county, New York, where
he was born May 80. 1889. He was
only years old when his parents
moved to WISCONSIN. Mrs. Hand was
born in England in 1886. and with her
parents emigrated to America and set
tied in Illinois when she was 16 years
old.
OF the seven children born to the
couple five are living. They are Will
lam O.. Birney A..1and Boyd H.. who
live in Ottumwa. swhere they are in
business; Gala Marie, an alumna of
Grinnell College. '99. and now principal
Of the Jefferson school. Portland. Ore:
and Mrs. Edna Lydia Norris. wife of
Judge Paul G. Norris, of this city. Two
daughters. the second and third chill
dren born to the couple. died in in
fancy.
All Of the children, with their fami-
lies. were present at the reunion today
with the exceptionspf Miss Hand. Mrs
Elizabeth Norris. sof Marshalltown.
mother OF Judge Norris. was also here,
coming to assist Mr. daughter-in-law
in entertaining the family gathering.