Family History Research Assistance for Louisa County, Iowa
CHURCH:HARMONY
Harmony Primitive Baptist Church was organized September 10, 1904, at the Shell Bark School House, with ten charter members, viz., J. L. Thurston, Mary J. Thurston, William H. Zion, Malinda Zion, H. M. Jordan, Girtie Jordan, W. I. Huston, Margaret F. Huston, W. L. Huston, and Clara Beauchamp. The organization presbytery was composed of Elders S. H. Humphrey, B. L. Nay, and Deacons I. J. Yohe, E. D. Varnes, and Brother B. F. Yount. Meetings had been held for a time previous to the organization of the church, under the authority of an "arm" of West Liberty Church, near Sperry, Iowa.
On the second Sunday in September 1904, C. E. Prior and wife were received by letter from Mount Pisgah Church, Morrow Co., Ohio. Elder B. L. Nay was elected as pastor. Brother William H. Zion, one of the charter members, was already an ordained deacon, having previously been a member at West Liberty Church at Sperry.
Brother J. L. Thurston was chosen clerk in September 1904; he was ordained deacon in December 1904. The church petitioned the Des Moines River Association in 1905, and was received.
In June 1910 the church voted to build a meeting house, by a vote of 8 to 7. A committee was appointed to secure a location and proceed to build in July 1912. In December 1912 it was reported that sufficient funds to pay off all indebtedness on the church building had been received.
Brother M. L. Huston was ordained deacon in June 1918. Brother Frank E. Prior was chosen clerk in May 1918. Elder W. A. Holmes was chosen pastor in about 1927.
The first record book covers the period from September 1904 through December 1920. The second book has not been located. The last book begins in June 1949, and the last recorded meeting was April 2, 1961. Sister Ethel Huston Gipple was the clerk for the entire period of the second book.
The church ceased to meet in about 1961. The building was sold, and is still standing, but it has since been used for farm storage. The walnut pews were presented as a gift to Smyrna Primitive Baptist Church in Bentley, Illinois, where they are still being used.
Because a period of nearly thirty years is missing from the records, it is certain that there were other members who joined the church, but whose names we do not have.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Abbott, Beauchamp, Cook, Courter, Flaegal, Gipple, Hamilton, Heitmier, Hildebrand, Hoffman, Hooton, Huston, Jordan, Lavery, Luke, Nay, Prior, Schultz, Thurston, Yohe, Zion.
ADDITIONAL REFERENCE SOURCES IN THE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST LIBRARY:
Minutes of the Des Moines River Association; Minutes of Harmony Church.
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