The Iola Register from Iola, Kansas • Page 42

PAGE G-C CENTENNIAL EDITION, THB IQT.A REGISTER, MAY 30.1955. Ghristians Met In 1859; Scattered by Civil War c.xnci month --intl riav nf ttip ortiiiniziition of the loJa Chiistijiii Church have been It is soiiif work was being clone in tliis area hy Freornoiil Solomon Brown, pioneer preachers in llie ISS'J's. In 1859 Hamilton I'liillips of Kmporia came to (he tola community 1 and helped to forJ7i Die first of svhat is now the First Christian duirch of lola. Tliis early c))urcl) evidently met in the homes of the members as there 'no record of their in any- rinirch Hxtension of the Chris- particular There were ahont lian Churches was the speak- ten members of this first (-roup of de.lication day. The present iHtildini; includes a brick sanctuary Chmst.ans, One of the charte, educational annex, members was Mrs S.

a lota) grandmother of Anna of Sia'iOOO Mrs, Cora buildiuEf' Donald. Another was Mrs. JJ. Wisner, tirandmolher of Mrs. piaimin othy Keyser and her brother, J.

Wisner. The Civil War disrupted the progress of this early church many of its members were, scattered. The church was reorganized in 188) began holding regular meeting.s in the Allen County courthouse, located at tlial time on the southeast corner of the In 1884 the churcli reported 50 members and in 1888 there were 94. This early, band of Christians was interested mtt only in the establishment of the church, but also in the general good and buihl- ing up of the commtmity. 'Phey are credited with having purchased the first school bell in lola.

It was shipped from Cleveland, Ohio, to Kansas City by water and from Kansas CIty to" Johr also purchased the first band lola Hand. The first church building was erected at Sycamore and Broadway where the 'I'wadell now stands, it was a modest, one-story frame building ei'ected in 1883-84. It served the congiegalion fof 20 years. When the need for larger quarters demanded that it be sold, it. was moved from the lot and a new brick veneered building was com, ple'ted and dedicated at the location, March 6, 1904, at cost of $8700.

W. S. Lowe, secretary of the Kansas Christian Missionary Society was the dedication It had a sanctuary that seated about 400. The church was growing rapidly, hpwever, and it was soon apparent' that larger quarters wore needed. Membership was now 350, A $5000 annex was added on the east to make possible an adequate social hall.

A rc-dedicalion service was held on June 18, 1922, with Dr. 1.. N. Lee Releford became pastor of the church in 1928 and continued until 1942 when he'retired to enter the mortuary business. His was by far the longest pastorale in the history of the church.

During his ministry more work was done on the building. In 1933, at the time of the great depression, a debt of sb S1200 had accrued. For the limes it 'seemed; almost inipdssibJc to pay. But under Iheleadersbip of Mr, Releford, the "100 Day" platt was inaugurated. Frank Taylor was general chairman of the drive.

While it was felt that $500 would be doing very well in those, dark times, the church exceeded the $1200 goal and celebrjitcd their victory in a great meeting of 300 members on Feb. 2, 1934. This second building was destroyed by fire Dec. 26, 1943. The building and contents were valued at $50,000, They were insured for $28,500.

For the first two Sundays fol- Ibwing the fire, services were-held in the Masonic Temple. Then ar- were made to use the Jefferson School Auditorium until the difficulties brought about by the. war-time red tape and controls could be surriiounled and a new building erected. During the period, the old location was sold and a new site purchased at the corner of Buckeye and East streets, 1946 Thomas came to be, minister of the congregation. -H-'was under his leadership that the.

-present building was About-half the-money needed tor the building was raised prior to dedication Nov. -14, 1948. On day of-the congregation pledgccl $18,600 with which to retire temporary bank loans, and an additional 835,000 was borrowed from a national of the Christian Church. Dr. John H.

Booth of the Board committee during the years oft aivd construction were .1. C. Liltrcll, chairman, A. W. E.

Venice Taylor, Bud Campbell, Mrs. Clara Williams, Mrs.TTIe E. Hartrick, Leonard Mitchell and John A. Griffith, The last note was burned in a celebration at the church Sept, 20, 19.54, when Thomas Palmer, then of Helena, Okl.a., was the speaker. During the past few "years the program and attendance have steadily Membership has grown from 403 in 19.50 to 500 at pi-esent.

During ninety-six years bfj the. church's history the church has sent out many who have worked as ministers and full-time religious workers. Among those who have "Eo7Te--fiom the church are: William KobM BillSi Wimain Earl Eastwood, who was at one lime editor of World Call, national missionary journal of the Cliristian Church; Gokla Bader, Cammie Gray, missionary to China, Harry Hubbard, Pliney Elliott, Luther Barnard, Harriet Nellie Boyce, Iva Hubbard, Eunice Turner, Paul Aten, Frank Aten, Craigie McDowell, Dorlene Roberts, Margaret Ruby Hudson, Myrtle Johnson and Mrs. Ha Hildebrandt. Edgar Kessinger is now studying for the ministry at Phillips The chiirch is the oldest Chri.stian Church in southeast Kansas and the third oldest in the state.

First Church By Baptists I the shadow of the Civil with Allen County I one of the worst in history, a group o( TOLA. KANSAS THE FIRST BAPf 1ST CHURCH-Constructed in 1871 at the corner of Noi-th Sycamore and Monroe this sanccuary was the congregation until about .1900 when it was torn down. The church now used by the Free Methodists Avas built photograph is one of the treasured possessions of the congregation. par dn. pei )f "let one sunnner night in 180' form the First Baptist Ch' which also W.7S first 'II in lola.

Si I i(cs were held in the home of .1 was in ilw block on North Walnut. Two I'aiitist ministers, a. Rev. Mr, t- iind a Rev. Mr.

Sands, si.iif Jii o'fganizing the congrega- no "regular pastor was se-. I'rom time to time, the He. II K. Stimson, state mission- (aiiie here to conduct Iv.rnlually the small congregation iieiame discouraged and the chunj I during the Civjl reco'fds were'losT (m Nov. 10, 1809, the Neosho St.

John's Grows Fast The Catholic Church, oldest in the Christian world, was one of the latest to be established in lola. This is a little surprising because the first Holy Mass'celebrated in4 Humboldt was in the year 1857, and Humboldt had a Catholic Church building by 1867. It was not until 1892, however, that the first mass was held in lola. As a matter of fact, there was precisely one Catholic family in or near lola at that James McCann family. But Father Wickmaru from Humboldt arranged to come to the McCann home, first' on a farm outside lola, then at 101 E.

Spruce. Ho offered Mass there regularly until 1900. But if the congregation was small in the beginning and late getting started, it grew rapidly. In 1900 it became necessary to rent the Woodmen's Hall on south side of the square for In 1903 the present St. Jphn's Church was built on the site of the old Methodist Church.

This was done during the- pastorate of Father Maclnner- ney. Father McGuire became the first resident pastor of St. John's in 1906 and since that time priests have regularly been in charge of the parish. Father John Cody enlarged the church in the late 1930's and Father Hertel built the St. John's Parochial School in 1950.

At the present time, the parish has about 550 members, a grade and junior high school- with a' total enrollment of 150 students. The school is staffed b.y,the Sisters ul St. Joseph, the same order, which operated St. John's Hospital here for almost half a century. Father O'Dpnoghue in charge of'the parish at the presenU, time.

He points out that Charlie McCanri, son of the JameS'McGann in whose house the first Mass was held, still is a member of the I 'hurch and has therefore lived through and been a part of the entire history of the parish. Valley Register carried an invitation to all Baptists to meet on the following in the First Presbyterian Church. At this meeting a neWrBaptist Church was organized and services were scheduled for Saturday night and Sun; day afternoon. These services were hold in the Presbyterian sanctuary tin Rev. A.

Hitchcock ot Humhoi'l and the Rev. L. D. Walker of PI, Scott guiding the congregation of 13 souls. In July of 1871, the Rev.

M. D. Gage of Junction City was called and accepted the pastorale -Under his leadership the grega'tion grew and in 1872 the construction of a church was stari- ed at the corner of and Buckeye. Costing about $7,000. the sanctuary was dedicated on Sept.

1, 1872. The Rev, F. M. Ellis, Kansas City, delivered the dedicatory sermon. A few m6nths later the church was reorganized with a mefpbership of 20.

During the next 30 years the church was served by 12 pastors includmg a medical doctor, who came in I90o. A short time the building condemned and the liy a lar.tjjr brick I on the satne site, which was cated June 8. 1903. When that service held. tiH're remairieil a the dd'ii at ir.v h) t'iic Ottawa.

the V. Nlere'iilh, irij 'ealc'l 'o ttu- JU i'l and 'hat (niMiiMg he iT 'i met the entire tn imi' iri'v or eiipi-d by Ilie i'r-e iChur-'li, Dec 1. )2i. .1. i try in lola, longest in the.

his tory of the Ife iieved th'at the church, dedit-atetT in 1903i was inadequate and under his leadership" congregation purchased the building on the ntu-th side of the. square which had been erected as a The structure cost $3,000. its re- mod'elirig another and the I organ )v J.otal $57,000. Dr. Erdman Smith, president of Ottawa University, gave the dedicatory for the impi -esslve" which was held on Sept.

6, 1925. Miss Hobart was at the organ. Other speakers were' Kirk, representing the board, 'the Rev. Thompson. Dr.

SowCTby served as pastor- ufitiJ June, 1937, when he retired due to ill health, continuing as pastor emeritus until his death in 1941. In the years which followed, the debt contracted in acauiring Uaptist Temple, as it was knownT was gradually reduced but the mortgage was not completely paid off until the spring of 1949 whetr the last $2,000 was rai.sed. Since the retirement of Dr. Sowerby the congregation has been served several young pastors who have continued the fine worfe started by himr- These include the Rev. J.

Goldsmith who entered the armed services as a chaplain and is now serving in Korea. The present pastor is the Rev. Lor en Nelson. er MOJl-E THAN A CENTURY OF EXPERIENCE AND FAITHFUL SERVICE LYMAN SLEEPER When Lyman Sleeper and'his family came to lola in 1885 attracted by the supposedly beneficial mineral well in what is now Acers Sleeper family had already demonstrated their experience and capabilities in the furniture business and "undertaking" pi-ofession for sixty years prior to that time. Lyman's Sleeper, had Jbeen a manufacturer of furniture and caskets in Lockport, New York, a thriving community near Niagara I'alls.

In 1865, Lyman moved to Marshall, Michigjin, where for twenty years he operated a thriving furniture and "imdertaking" business The early settlers of Allen County quickly accepted the Sleeper family and soon Sleeper service liecame known thi -Titighbut the lis'an in time of Sleeper service became for its many "firsts" most notable of these firsts may be remembered by many of the old timers, the first motor-driven "hearse'' in Allen County, a custom-built 1914 Studebaker. The Studebaker chassis anS driveshaft had to be lengthened locally, and the body was built to Sleejier specifications by G. McCarty Son, "Carriage Works and Black.smilhing." When more modern equipment be came available, the custom body was relegated to service as a duck-blind (as many (if Allen County's (liuk-hunters will Throtighout the years, the ily has continually Jcept pace with and purchased new as. the funeral coach" and exclusive emergency ambulanceTlliistrat far cry from the equipment used in 1914. Other notable-firsts were the first complete air first in in this, chapel in 193T, and the first electronic In 1931.

The "lleproduco" electronic orgap was. replaced five years ago by, Hammond Spinet organ. The hi.Mtory of is actually the history of the Sleeper family and their a.s.sociate,'*—for tho obvious reason that a service can be no better than the peuple who make it possible, HairySieeper joined his falhtT in -l9Q2v place and iked at.his father's sitk- until 1012, when Roy took over the complete operation. That was, the year when Jim (tiie man stfinding to tho 19M SUidcbakcr) the firm, followed by Mrs. Alta Kinser in 192G.

Sleeper, Rciy's son, ix'came active in the profession in 1936, and the la.st partner to join tlie firm was Ekt Porter who now has been with tln' Skn-prr Mortuary since 1941. Sleeper sorvict' lia IXH'OUIO a tradition, a tradition based on the high ethical precepts established by. James Sleeper in years will to merit the trust' and acceptance of families in time of need. COTTAGE GROVE SCHOOL IN Hobart, who was destined to be sheriff of "'Slleh County, mayor of Igla and an inany years, was one of the boys and girls posed for this photQgtaph in.front of the Cottage Grove School in 1888 widow, who can identify oaly a 'few jnembers of the group..