Meeker County, Minnesota - Chapter 12: Church History - Presbyterian Church, 1877

Chapter 12: Church History - Presbyterian Church

The first Presbyterian Church and society or¬ ganized in the county was at Forest City by Rev. J. C. Whitney, who came to Forest City in the spring of 1858 and organized a Presbyterian so¬ ciety Sept. 25th, 1859 and styled "The trustees of the Westminister Presbyterian society of Forest City."

The next organization was at Greenleaf in Sep¬ tember or October 1866 - Rev. J. C. Harding was located there as a missionary, November 1866, and preached his first sermon Nov. 25th, 1866.

The first Trustees were Henry Hill. Wm. H. Greenleaf, Jame^ Gilpatrick, Dana E. King and John Curry - name and style "The first Presbyter¬ ian Church of Greenleaf." Trustees elected Nov. 4th, 1868.

In July 1866, Dana E. King presented the so¬ ciety with lot 12, A. C. Smith with lot 11, and Judson A. Brink with lots 9 and 10 on being paid $25.00.

This gave the society four lots on which a house was erected costing between $1,500 and $2.000 - of this $300 was furnished by the "church erection board."

In 1868 Rev'nds D. B. Jackson, W. C. Harding and J. H. Hunter were appointed by the St. Paul Presbytery, in session at St. Cloud in April of that year, to organize a church at Kingston.

This town was located in 1869 by the St. Paul & Pacific Rail Road Company - on the line of its road and near the geographical center of the county.

Of the above, at this writing (1S76) A. N. Grenier, died in St. Paul - Mrs. Grenier is now re¬ siding in Paris, France - Miss Amelia married to Mr. Mathron, and resides in Marseilles, France.

Isabella is the wife of Dr. Geo. W. Weisel and resides at Grand Rapids Michigan, Henry Hill is residing in the Black Hills (so called) while Mrs. Hill resides at Granite Falls, Yellow Medicine County Minnesota - Henry Wilson died in Miss¬ ouri, and Rev. D. B. Jackson resides in Black Riv¬ er Falls Wis.

July 25th, 1870 the St. Paul and Pacific Rail Road Company deeded the lots on which the edifice now stands, and the present building was erected during the years 1870-71 - whole cost over $4.000, - of this sum one thousand was donoted by a lady in the East; five hundred by the

The bell for the church was obtained during, 1872 - the money being raised by an excursion to St. Paul. The party came near destruction, as the train was partially thrown from the track, and one coach badly demoralized:

An instrument of music was on the rear coach and most of the party were in that coach and thus providentially saved from what would other¬ wise have been a sad disaster.

Protestant Episcopal Church

At the time of the morning service on Sunday the 5th, and 12th, days, of March 1871 notice was publicly given for a meeting of the male mem- bers of the Protestant Episcopal Church and con¬ gregation to be held in the Masonic Hall in Litch¬ field Saturday evening the 18th day of March a. d. 1871.

The lots on w r hich the Rectory now stands were the gift ot Herman Trott Esq. Land Commission¬ er, and other parties connected with the-St. Paul & Pacific Rail Road Company.

Mrs Ellen Auchmuty of New York gave $4000. toward the erection of the church edifice and Mrs. E. D. Litchfield of London England gave $2,000.

Methodist Episcopal Church

Mr. Robson continued to preach in Forest City during the winter of 1856-7 and through the sum¬ mer of 1857. In May 1857, Wm. Walker, organ¬ ized a Sunday school, Wait H. Dart Superinten¬ dent.

September 4th, of this year a legal organization was had, and a board of Trustees appointed con¬ sisting of Messrs John W. Griswold, John Rob¬ son, Wait H. Dart, E. H. Whitney and Rufus M. Eastman.

To be known and styled as a ' Board of Trustees to hold in trust certain church property located in the Town of Forest City, county of Meeker and State of Minnesota."

Mr. Chubbuck was at Forest City at the time of the Indian outbreak and while his connection with conference forbade his uniting with our 'irregular" volunteer guards - he nevertheless shouldered the musket and did as good service as any man in Meeker County, until the meeting of conference when duty required him to leave. In the hours of danger Mr. Chubbuck was one of the coolest calmest men we had - showing no fear in the discharge of duty - brave but not rash, a man

August 4 th, 1862 a new Board of Trustees was appointed consisting of Messrs John W. Griswold Wait H. Dart, E. H. Whitney, Henry keech and Allen Green.

1870, Mr. Woodworth continued in charge, Rev. Charles Griswold Presiding Elder. We find the following entry in the church record: "voted to rerelease J. W. Griswold from, and appoint Judge Smith to the Board of Trustees of the Forest City church property - a board of Trustees was ap¬ pointed to hold church property in Litchfield - Rev. Charles Griswold, lost the report.

The church edifice at Litchfield cost $3,000 of which $500, was donated by the Remington's of Ilion, New York, and the lots donated by Smith D. King. The house was erected in 1873 under the supervision of Rev. Mr. Copp.

Roman Catholic Church

The first sermon was preached in the spring of 1S58 at the house of John Flynn by Rev. Father Whitcomb of St. Cloud - the second by the same person at the house of John Dougherty in the Town of Harvey.

A church edifice was erected in 1866, at Forest City, costing $3.000 - individuals of all denomi¬ nations generously contributed to its erection - size 40 by 60 feet.

Trustees in charge of the erection of the church: Patrick Casey, John Dougherty, Sen. Daniel Dougherty and M. J. Flynn. The society orginally embraced about fifty families. Rev. Father John Byrnes officiated in this church from 1867 to 1870 - Rev. Father Arthur Hurley, from 1870 to 1873 - Rev. Father Cahill from 1873 to 1875 and Rev. Father McDermott since.