The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-08-05
REV. o. J. ARTH UR,

cation meeting was announced to os
held in the school house. April 23
1871. John Ljungberg was elected
chairman and Gustaf Kylander Sec
rotary. AS deacons were elected -or
one year John Torngren, Carl Swan
son, John Peterson; for two years
John Solomon, Adolph Johnson; for
Carl Adam johnson. Trustees: John
Kron, John Quick. Sven Peterson for
one year; Peter Anderson, Gustaf
Kylander, Sven Johan OLSON for two
years; Carl Dahlberg, Carl Johan
Eklund, John HUT for three years.
Those that became charter members
of the church were the following:
Mr.. and Mrs. Carl A. johnson with
three children, Mr.. and Mrs. Adolf
Johnson with two children, Mr.. and
Mrs. Anders Kron, Mr.. and Mrs.
Mr. and Mrs: Carl J: Dahlberg with
son with SON Carl Otto, Carl J. F.
Eklund, Mr.. and Mrs. Gustaf Kyland-
er, Mr.. and Mrs. Pehr Anderson with
son Svante. Mr.. and Mrs. John Peter
son with three children, Mr.. and Mrs.
Anders F. Kallgren with one child,
Mr.. and Mrs. John Torngren with one
child, Mr.. and Mrs. Carl Swanson and
one child, Mr.. and Mrs. John Solomon
total number. forty two. This same
brothers Carl L. Farm and John
Farm, also Gustaf Swanson who i'm
mediately joined the church.. In the
following year came Mr.. and Mrs.
Poi, parents Of the Farm brothers,
Mr.. and Mrs. P. Anderson and Miss
Lovisa Swenson, who the same year
became the wife of Carl L. Farm.
Mr.. John L5ungberg continued to
preach for us every third Sunday. In
1872 he started the Sunday School.
Services were now held in the school
house. After a while, the School
Board wanted pay for the use of it.
The church was unwilling to do this
as one of its members, John Torn
gren, had donated the lot ard play
ground for the school. On the Board
were two Germans and ore Swede.
and the majority voted the Swedes
out. Services were now held i'm the
homes and were always well attend
ed and worship was Of the very best,
no one ever tired even when the
meeting lasted half day. All were
in one accord. After the service all
were invited to stay for dinner. This
they also did. The topics for con-
versation were religion. Sunday af.
ternoon was thus kind of round
table meeting with hymns, prayers
and study of the Bible. When ready
to 60 home everybody were thankful
to God and the host and hostess. We
went home in our oxcarts, the same
way as we had come. At that time
we were all poor, but all happy-we
all felt the need of one another.
After some time the question arose
Can't we build a church? This was
big question, but everybody want
ed a church building, and so. Ne soon
and the result was $4,000. That
was big money at that time. First
We had to equip ourselves in order to
do the work on the farm. Here we
were up against it. A team of horses
cost from three hundred to four
hundred dollars, a yoke of oxen from
one hundred to two hundred dollars.
binder from three hundred to three
hundred and fifty dollars, a mower
from one hundred twenty-five to one
hundred fifty dollars, lumberwagon
from seventy five to eighty dollars.
etc. We did not have enough money
for equipment, but we had to have
the church, too. Where there is q
will there Is way. Mr.. Carl Swan.
son gave the land anu now we all
went to work to build. This was in
the Spring of 1873. The church
building was to be 24x28 feet. The
lumber was bought twelve miles from
here. Everyone helped in whatever
way he could. In the latter part of
the summer the church was under
roof and we began to hold the SER
vices there. This year our colony
was augmented with two families.
Lans and Lind. In 1874 Rev. J. G.