Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-12-09
SUCH 10 UkANEMouS VOTE OF
MEMsERs OF CHURCH. TAKEN
MONDAY NIGHT.
NEW PARSONAGE WHERE
PRESENT CHURCH STANDS
Little Chapel Now Occupied by %.
nomination Was Built During Civil
War and Has Long Since outsrewn
the Needs Of the Congregation
Subscription Committee Named.

Another new church for the city will
become reality probably during the
coming building season, when a mod
ern structure for Elm Norwegian
Lutheran church will replace the little
old chapel that has been used for re-
ligous gatherings since civil war
times.
At a meeting Of the church, held
Monday night it was unanimously de-
cided to build not only new church.
but new parsonage. The church
owns two lots on Church street, just
west of Third. On the west lot the
present church stands. and the corner
lot is vacant. The new church will oc-
cupy the corner site, and the parsonage
will be built where the present church
stands.
In the vote taken on the building
proposition there was not a dissenting
voice
Subscription Committee Named.
A subscription committee, headed by
Rev. o. Ingvoldstad. pastor OF the
church, was named, with Samuel Hal
version, Knute Nockling. Ole Seiu, and
Selmer Thompson as the other mem
bers. y building committee will be
named later, and not until a report Is
made by the subscription committee
will it be determined just how much
money will be spent in the enterprise.
The church hopes to put up structure
that will meet the needs of the congre-
cation for years to come.
Congregation is Growing.
The congregation Of the church is
growing the membership now being
beyond the 800 mark. An increase Of
thirty-eight has been shown since Rev.
Mr.. Ingvoldstad took charge Of the
church Aug. /. The different societies
are flourishng. including the Sunday
school, Luther League. and Ladies aid
Society.
The little church occupied for 50
many years has long since outgrown
the needs Of the congregation. The So
cial adjuncts Of the church lack a
church basement. This L. especially
true when the aid society holds sup
pers or bazaars. The membership Of
the church has realized how the work
is being handicapped by a lack Of
more commodious church home, and
all are willing to pull together that a
new church and parsonage may be
realized.
Old Church Landmark.
The old church is something Of a
landmark in Marshalitown. From
members Of the church it's history
dates back to civil war times, when
it was built by the Germans. Later it
was sold to the negroes, who in turn
sold to the Norwegians in 1889.
Ten or dozen years ago the Nor
wegian bought the lot to the east, on
the corner OF Third and Church. The
old house that bad stood on the lot was
we'll known in local history, and for
years had been the terror Of the small
boys" OF the Third ward because Of
the superstition that 1t was "hanted"
For many year the little house that
stood on the corner where the new
church will be built was the property
OF Aunt Delilah Brown. maiden
woman who for years lived alone in the
shack. The house went to rack and
ruin with age, became infested with
rats. and was the eyesore Of the
neighborhood.
Ten or eleven years ago, one Sunday
night, nedghbors Of Miss Brown found
her dead in the house, the end having
come as a result Of a paralytic stroke.
The people who visited the house after
the woman died frightened the rats,
which had possession OF the premises.
Miss Brown, reputed to have been
possessed OF much wealth, was found,
it is said, TO have conceaied money III
cracks and crevdces about the house, in
sugar bowls, baking powder cans, and
pillow cases. In some places rats were
found to have made their nests out of
greenbacks that had been stuffed here
and there.
After Miss Browns death tho old
house "mysteriously' burned one night.
The real estate was later sold at auc-
ton, and the Norwegians bid 1t in with
a view some day Of building a new
church.