Family History Research Assistance for Mahaska County, Iowa
CHURCHES:BIG GROVE
Big Grove Church was organized in 1848, or earlier. The name of the church was changed to Cedar Church by 1860. It first united with the Des Moines River Association in 1848, and then with the Western Association when that body was formed in 1852. The messengers to the Des Moines River Association in 1849 were Elder William M. Morrow, James Martin, and Alexander Vanwinkle; they reported ten members received by baptism during the year, and a total membership of 21.
Elder William Morrow (the first Baptist preacher to settle in Iowa) and Brother Benjamin Gholson (who was a personal friend of General Stonewall Jackson) and his wife, Jane Gholson, were among the charter members; they and their families later moved to Oregon.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Gholson, Martin, Morrow, Vanwinkle (very incomplete list due to loss of records).
EBENEZER
Ebenezer Church was organized, under the name of "Oskaloosa Church," on August 13, 1848. [The name of the church was changed to Ebenezer in July 1858.] The charter members were: Eli Reeves, Emily Reeves, Thomas Fanshier, Mahala Fanshier, George W. Ewing, Jemima Ewing, Alfred Hood, Mary Hood, John White, William White, Jane White, Daniel Cross, Elizabeth Cross, Elizabeth White, and Rebecca Curry.
Elder William M. Morrow was the first pastor; later moderators included Elders David Wortman, John Harper, James B. Bowen, Aaron Wood, Bonham Kester, D. S. Tannehill, Israel Wood, James A. Bullack, Isaac Sidwell, John A. Whiteley, R. S. Banks, William J. Reeves, A. S. Shoemaker, and James M. True.
In September 1856 the church changed the place of holding her meetings to the Pleasant Grove schoolhouse in Scott township of Mahaska County. In January 1869 the church held a special meeting to consider building a meeting house. They chose the south line of W. J. Jackson's land immediately north of Leighton. The house was to be 30' by 36', with 12' walls. In August 1869, the church voted to authorize the trustees to receive the meeting house.
The early records from 1848 through 1891 have been located, and a membership list has been compiled for this period of time. The church was apparently still active until about 1915.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Aydelott, Bailey, Baker, Bell, Bixler, Bowen, Brammer, Burns, Canine, Cline, Cross, Curry, Darland, Davis, Ewing, Fanshier, Ferguson, Fleck, Friend, Funk, Gilcrest, Gilmon, Godsby, Hatfield, Haynes, Hays, Hood, Howard, Huber, Jackson, Jaillite, Kelsey, Kemper, Long, Lonsberry, McCabe, McCormick, Miller, Monismith, Newhouse, Parsons, Reeves, Ridpath, Romiure, Smith, Straughn, Swiggett, Tate, Vice, White, Wilson, Wood (incomplete due to loss of part of the records).
PLEASANT GROVE
Pleasant Grove Church was organized as an arm of Ebenezer Church near Oskaloosa, on the second Saturday in June 1863. The early records of Pleasant Grove Church were lost by fire in 1879, so the only proof of the date of organization is the records of Ebenezer Church. A bound zerox copy of the records from 1879 until 1988 may be seen in The Primitive Baptist Library of Carthage, Illinois. The church was a member of the Western Association of Iowa for nearly a century.
The church was originally organized in the vicinity of Agricola, Iowa, which was the early name of Barnes City, Iowa.
The church met in homes and schools until August 1922, when their bid was accepted to purchase the old school building in Barnes City, for $160.00. Sister H. A. Hiltabrand, of Tonica, Illinois, contributed $50.00 toward the purchase of the building.
Pastors of the church from 1879 until 1988 included: William J. Reeves, Burton L. Nay, Wesley Jones, W. A. Holmes, and C. D. Talbert.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Adkins, Bell, Burnett, Cappuscino, Condred, Darland, Duger, Dunlap, Elmore, Ferguson, Freeman, Garrett, Grife, Hart, Hartwig, Holmes, Ingraham, Johns, Jones, Jordan, Judd, Kirby, Kirkpatrick, Koger, McCaslin, McCormick, Nay, Reeves, Rice, Richardson, Smith, Stinson, Stringfellow, Summers, Taylor, Toals, Trexler, Warman, Young (incomplete due to loss of part of the records).
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