The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-03-26

wife, Frank Smith and wife, which
added four more to the church.
Bro. Swim came to preach, but
not often, as there were five counties
to preach in. The first quarterly
meeting was held at Decatur City in
house built for court house. John
Hayden was the first Presiding Ell
der; John Parker, pastor; John Pat
terson, class leader; John Jordan,
steward.
The first Sunday school in Decatur
county was organized in 1858, in
John Patterson's cabin, by Williams,
a Presbyterian, and John Patterson
chosen superintendent. The people
with children and dogs came from
far and near, from six to eight miles.
Very few Bibles and Testaments being
in the country at that time, but few
could get the lessons, three and four
having to use one book at the same
time. DR.. Thompson and wife were
teachers and furnished a Catechism
! for the use of the superintendent in
questioning the school.
In 1854 the Decatur Mission was
formed and D. l.. Swim was appoint
ed pastor in charge. In 1854 Deca-
tur Mission became Leon Circuit,
which was composed of the counties
of Decatur, Ringgold, Clarke and
Union. Owing to the increase of
population it was thought best to
divide the circuit and there was Or
ganized the Decatur Mission. There
being a good substantial church in
Decatur City, the minister aroused
the people of Leon to build large
church which would be an honor to
the church and the town. Services
were held at Patterson's and other
members homes. Later they were
held in a school house where Mrs.
Lands now lives. Later, in 1856,
preaching and Sunday school were
held in an old court house in the
east part of town, where Stephen
Varga now lives Then in the old
brick court house in the southwest
corner of the square. The Presby-
terrain and Methodist societies plas-
tered this building to obtain its use,
each society occupying the building
falternate Sabbaths. The bell now
used by the public schools was the
one used to call the worshipers to
church at that time.
At the first quarterly conference,
held in Leon for the year 1858,
committee was appointed to- estimate
the cost of church building, and on
Jan. 10, 1859, the committee re-
ported the estimated cost at $1,000,
which report was adopted and the
following trustees were appointed:
Geo. Hawley, John Jordan, John
Patterson, John Tharp, Daniel Shat
fer. Pastor Rev. ]. D. Delay was
elected chairman; Hawley, secretary
and Jordan and Shaffer, building
committee. Feb. 4, 1859, the lot
where the Leon Public Library now
stands was fixed upon and with the
opening of the season work was be-
gun on the building. When Hawley
resigned, the committee was increas-
ed from five to seven, by adding John
r. Wharton, Doctor J. P. Finley and
}Geo. w. Tallman. John Jordan was
elected secretary in place of HaWley.
1t was through great effort that the
building was enclosed, floored and
tone coat of plaster put on in the fall
)of 1859. For seats, slab benches
were made with no backs. The
|threatenings of the civil war and later
the war itself stopped all work upon
the church.
In 1860 the trustees were ordered
to buy or build parsonage. The
committee was Sam Forrey, James
Coover, Jesse Garrett, Evan Watkins,
and A. Martin. Stewards, John Pat
erson, John Tharp, P. c. Crawford,
John Finley, Sam Forrey. The trus-
,oo,,ro1 porccpaoo of Mr. Kin.
near, west Of where our present
schurch is.
In 1861 conference was at Coun-
ell Bluffs, Levi Scott, presiding. Sam
,Farlow was sent to the Leon circuit,
(which was composed of Leon, Eden,
Smiths four miles north of town,
now Pleasanton on the
state line, Davis Mills, now Davis
City, Kestlings, and at Aliens, west
of Leon, seven places in all.
1863. AS the ministers were paid
partly in produce the following list
of prices were fixed by committee:
Corn, per bushiel .......... 20
Wood, per cord l.oo
Pork, per head z.oo
Molasses, per gallon, 40
Potatoes ne, busbel .25
Hay, per ton, 4.3O
Hungarian hay, per ton o.OO
Z The salary was $462.50 per year.
Missionary apportionment, $3.50
year.
Papers taken:
Central Christian Advocate ..... II
Western Christian Advocate 80. III
Advocate and Journal ........ l
Ladies' Repository Is
Missionary Advocate 80
Sunday School Advocate $500. IA
Total -. .11V
In 1864 the pastors salary was in
creased to 100000 a year.
1865. 1t was resolved that div
ision of the circuit be made and that
Garden Grove, High Point, Lucerne,
Richmond, Smyrna, Harper's ana
~ ~ rironif: 7, oOn Frank