The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1932-10-13
CHURCH HERE WAS
FOUNDED BEFORE
SCHOOL, RAILROAD
Presbyterian History Closely
Related to COmmunity's
Early Progress
CELEBRATE ANNIVERSARY
College President Was Speaker
at Three Programs
Last Sunday

Redwood Falls Presbyterians OBJ
served the sixty-ffth anniversary OF
the founding of the church here at
programs Thursday and Friday eve
nings and at services Sunday.
DR.. John C. Acheson, president OF
Manchester college in st. Paul, dis
cussed the modern world and its need
of the church and the present busl-
ness crisis and it's challenge to the
church at the Sunday services which
&were attended by many members OF
the church and friends.
Rev. F. Halsey Ambrose of st.
Paul spoke Thursday evening and DR..
w. w. Kirby of Mankato, Friday
evening.
The following historical review OF
the church was prepared by Miss
Luella Turrell and read by Mrs. L.
E. Finn, Sunday afternoon:
The custom of celebrating in an
appropriate manner some particular
anniversary of an institution is not
uncommon. And such celebrations
are of value, inasmuch as they arouse
an added interest in the institution In
whose honor they are given, and OF
ten bring together many who per-
haps for years have been far remov-
ed from the old associations, and
thus tend to strengthen the bond OF
friendship which should exist be-
tween those who have at different
times been connected with the same
institution.
City of 35 Families
Before we take up the early history
of the Presbyterian church, let us
imagine ourselves to be-, not in the
Redwood Falls of 1882 but in the
Redwood Falls of 1867-in March.
We are in town of some thirty
five families. There is but one hotel;
there are but two stores. On what
will later be the court house square
i, there is seen nothing but a liberty
pole. At the falls is saw-mill.
There is no school house, the first
1.oeing built in 1869, and housing forty
Scholars. If we care to take the train
I've 90 80 miles to LIE Sueur. 1t we
wish, we may take the stage to New
tJlm. There is but one physician, DR..
Hitchcock; and but one lawyer, Col
onel McPhail, the founder of the
town. There is only one church or
ganization, the First Presbyterian
church: there is no church building.
And now for some church history,
&he first paragraph being taken YER
batim from the first record book.
Redwood Falls, Redwood County,
Minnesota. March, 1867.
The following persons have been
received as members, and have united
in covenant, thus constituting the
First Presbyterian church of Red
wood Falls, Minnesota, 20 be con-
nected with the Presbytery of Dako-
ia, and were pronounced duly or
ganized and constituted church by
Rev. A. G. Ruliffson, district secre-
tary of the Committee of Missions.
Record Members
Then follows in the record book a
list of nine charter members, the
record of baptisms and the holding
of the communion service.
The next entry is in September,
1867, and signed by c. Hall, pastor.
This is followed by several later en-
tries relative to the admission Of
members, etc., also signed by Mr..
Hall.
During his pastorate no record is
made as to where the church meet
ings were held; but during the next
pastorate, that of Rev. S. D. West
fall. they were sometimes held IN
Behnke's Hall on Second street, but
were usually held in the school ouse,
until the erection of the first church
building in 1871.
The first record entered by Mr..
Westfall was on August 8, 1869.
Some of these membership entries
may be of interest:
February 6, 1870, Mrs. Mary Win
gett.
May IA, 1870, Mr.. and Mrs. j. w.
Paxton. The township of Paxton was
later named for Mr.. Paxton.
September 3, 1870, Martha ). Dun
can, later known as Mrs. John Whit
tet.
Commodore and Mrs. Sickle.
Mr.. and Mrs. Samuel Sickle.
December II, 1870, Mrs. Sue Wor-
den.
June II, 1871, Mrs. D. L. Bigham.
September 2, 1872, Mr.. and Mrs.
W. B. Herriott.
On March 81, 1871, the first serv-
ce was held in the uncompleted church
building located on Bridge street, on
: The corner now occupied ~ the resi-
ience Of Gottlieb Kuenzli. In the
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