The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-02-08
History Of oraanization.


History of Organization.
Following is a history Of the First
Presbyterian Church of Oskaloosa,
Iowa, prepared by W. r. Cowan, an
old time member, and read at the
dedication services:
AT the request of the Session and
committee of arrangements for this
occasion, have compiled brief His
torical Sketch of this Church-as
gathered from the records and per
sonal recollections.
In the winter of 1845, the Home
Mission Board of the Presbyterian
Church sent out to the then Terri
tory of Iowa, Rev. Solomon Cowles,
who in the month of February, came
into the village of Oskaloosa, where
he found seven persons who desired
to have Presbyterian Church or
ganized, and on the 2lst day of Feb
ruary, 1845, this church was organ
lied with the following named per
sons as charter members: James
Conner. Rachel Conner, Jane Thomp-
son, William Bowel, S. B. Shelleday
Elizabeth Shelleday, and Sarah A,
Shelleday, at which time James Con
nor was elected and ordained first
ruling elder. The church was taken
under the care of the Presbytery OF
Iowa, which since has been divided
into twelve presbyteries, so that the
church is now under the care of Des
Moines Presbytery. This organiza-
ton is little more than q year older
than the State of Iowa, Iowa having
been admitted into the Union by act
of Congesrs, December 2S, 1916.
S. The First Communion.
THE Sacrament of the Lords Sup
per was administered to the church
for the first time on the 4th day of
April, 1845, when five additional
members were received. The church
services were held in the Cumber-
land Presbyterian Church, small
frame church, located on South First
Street, on the lot south of where the
Elks' Building is now located.
Rev. Solomon Cowles served the
church as stated supply from it's or
ganization until the year 1850. Dur
ing said time the church had grown
to a membership of about twenty
five. The first Sunday school was
| organized on January 10, 184S, which
has been continued all these years.
This church was incorporated as
| the First Presbyterian Church of Os-
kaloosa, Iowa, Old School, in 1858. In
| 1869 the Old School and New School
Presbyterian Churches We're united,
and in the year 1906, the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church united with the
| Presbyterian Church and these
united bodies are now known as the
Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A.
This organization was re-incorporat-
ed in 1901, as the First Presbyterian
Church OF Oskaloosa, Iowa.
! The First Meeting House.
On April 8, 1854, at congregation
al meeting, action was taken to pro-
coed to erect house of worship,
building committee of five was APP
| pointed with instructions to erect a
house of worship not less than sixty
feet in length and forty feet in
breadth, with the proviso that the
church may hereafter change the
above dimensions. A lot on the
corner of Second avenue and Third
street had been purchased April %,
1S4S, on which to erect church build
| ing.
On the Goth day of May, 1854, a
contract to build brick church forty
by sixty feet was let to James M.
Byers, Gather OF our Mr. John D.
Byers), for the sum. of $3.50. the
same to be completed on the LIST day
of November, 1854. However, ow-
ing to some changes and delay in
procuring material, the building was
not completed until the 9th day OF