Family History Research Assistance for
Primitive Baptist Churches in Fayette County, Iowa
CHURCHES:
TURKEY RIVER (WEST UNION)
Turkey River Church was organized sometime prior to the second Sunday in June 1859, since it was the host church when the Turkey River Association was formed at that time. In the latest available minutes of that association, 1889, this church was still meeting about four or five miles south of West Union.
In 1874, the statistics given in the Turkey River association minutes, show that Turkey River Church had 6 members; in 1875, 5 members; in 1876, 7 members; in 1881, 13 members; in 1887 and in 1889, 14 members.
Elder Harrison Butler was the pastor of the church from before 1874 (the earliest date known), until his death, in 1891.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Blunt, Butler, Colman, Gill, Gist, McKay, Moshier (very incomplete list due to loss of records).
OTTER CREEK
Otter Creek Church had already been organized by 1863, in the vicinity of where Oelwein now stands; the church may have been organized ten years or so before this. Sometime in its early history, the church united with the Turkey River Regular Baptist Association of Iowa. Peace and fellowship prevailed in Otter Creek Church, and the churches in that area generally were gaining, until about 1873, when the association minutes show that trouble arose, over a question involving fellowship with one of the corresponding associations. Several of the seven churches in the Turkey River Association withdrew their representation. This trouble evidently resulted in a division in Otter Creek Church.
Elder James B. Burch moved to the Oelwein area, in 1851, and was probably the first pastor. Sometime after the end of the Civil War, he moved to Nora Springs, Iowa, and served Little Cedar Church. Elder Harrison Butler, of Turkey River Church, south of West Union, Iowa, was then chosen to serve as pastor of Otter Creek Church. About this time the trouble referred to above took place; and the members of Otter Creek Church who followed Elder Butler, most of whom lived in the Waterloo/Dunkerton area, began holding services near where they lived. This part of the church was composed mainly of the Stephen Garrett family; they were joined a few years later by the family of Thomas Blake, a native of England who moved to the area of Dunkerton and joined Otter Creek Church by letter in 1879, and was ordained to the ministry a few years later. Meanwhile, Elder James B. Burch moved back to Oelwein, and served the part of the church still meeting there, many of whom were his own children and their families.
The Turkey River Association minutes of 1874 and 1875 show Otter Creek Church with 26 members. In 1880, the church reported only 9 members; in 1887, 8 members; in 1889, 13 members (these statistics are for the Waterloo/Dunkerton branch only). In 1881, the association was held at the home of Brother Thomas Blake, twelve miles northeast of Waterloo. In 1884, it was held at the home of Paul Sohner, five miles northeast of Waterloo. In 1889, the association met at the house of William Ernest, near Oelwein. In 1890, the association met again at the home of Elder Thomas Blake two miles west of Dunkerton. Elder Blake served as pastor of this part of Otter Creek Church until his death. He was followed by Elder Fred Elmore, of Grinnell, and supplies as they could be obtained, until finally the meetings in the Waterloo area were discontinued, due to death and removals. The few remaining members then attended Otter Creek Church at Oelwein.
Elder Burch evidently served the church at Oelwein until his death. After this, in about 1901 or 1902, Elder J. C. Jones, of Savannah, Missouri, was called as pastor of Otter Creek Church at Oelwein; he served for at least three years. He was followed by Elder Burton L. Nay, who then served as pastor until the church finally ceased to meet, in about 1925.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Blake, Burch, Garrett, March, Obenchain, Schneider, Shaw, Sohner (very incomplete list due to loss of records).
ORAN
Oran Church, at Independence, was organized in 1863.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Hubbard, O'Neil, Roberts, Ross (very incomplete list due to loss of records).
Go Back to the Primitive Baptist Library Page
Go Back to the Family History Assistance Page
Copyright c. 2001-2024. All rights reserved. The Primitive Baptist Library.
