Family History Research Assistance for Poweshiek County, Iowa
CHURCH:LIBERTY
Liberty Church was organized in about 1870, with ten members. Elder John Lovett, a native of Wayne County, Kentucky, came to Iowa in about 1866 or 1867, and found a few scattered Baptists, and gathered them into a church capacity. With Elder Lovett as pastor, the church thrived from the beginning, until it had a substantial membership. During the ministry of Elder Lovett, Elders Fred Elmore and M. E. Young were also raised up as gospel ministers in the church.
Minutes of the Mt. Pleasant Association show that Liberty Church united with that body in 1870.
The church met for many years in the vicinity of Kellogg, Iowa, in Jasper County. The first church building was destroyed by the tornado of June 1882. Although several people were killed in the Rock Creek area, Liberty church members, who were meeting that evening, were instructed by the minister to lie on the ground outside the church as the tornado approached, and they escaped injury. The church building, however, was destroyed; and the members met the following day at the site to plan a new one. This building was used by the church until 1925; it is now being used by the Victor Grange. The congregation then purchased a building on Spencer Street, one block off of Highway 6 in west Grinnell. In 1970, the church moved the place of their meetings to the Veterans Memorial Building, on Broad Street in Grinnell.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Adkins, Cox, Elmore, Garrett, Herrin, Holmes, Jordan, Keeton, Koger, Lamb, Lewis, Lovelace, Parmley, Patrick, Phipps, Reed, Reeves, Rice, Richmond, Shields, Smith, Sullens, Turner, Van Sant, Whitcomb, Young (incomplete list due to lack of records).
ROCK CREEK
A church called Rock Creek was organized in 1872, and united with the Mt. Pleasant Association.
MT. PLEASANT
Mt. Pleasant Church was organized on Saturday, July 2, 1927, at a school house in Jasper County, Iowa, with nineteen charter members, who were dismissed for that purpose from Pleasant Grove Church in Barnes City, Iowa. It was called Rock Creek Church for several years before the name was changed to Mt. Pleasant.
The presbytery was composed of Elders G. E. Edwards and John Q. Jones, and Deacon H. S. Garrett. The council chose Elder Jones as moderator and Brother Garrett as clerk. After a song service, and prayer by Elder Jones, Elder G. E. Edwards delivered a sermon suitable to the occasion, after which the nineteen members presented their letters, covenant, articles of faith and rules of decorum. These being accepted by the council, prayer was offered by Elder G. E. Edwards, and the hand of fellowship was extended to the members of the newly organized church.
The church then chose, by unanimous vote, Elder John Q. Jones as pastor and moderator, and Stacy Jordan as clerk. By uanimous vote, the church took the name of Rock Creek. An invitation was extended for membership, when Brother McCaslin presented a letter and was received.
Later pastors have included S. L. Pettus, Vernon Hopkins, and presently Raymond Webb.
In recent years, the church has made major improvements to their meeting house, which is located within sight of Interstate 80, just west of Grinnell, Iowa.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Altman, Braley, Garrett, Hefley, Jordan, Koger, Mattix, McCaslen, Nay, Neighbors, Phipps, Ray, Rector, Spencer, Stark, Strasser, Wilson, Young (very incomplete list due to lack of records).
Go Back to the Primitive Baptist Library Page
Go Back to the Family History Assistance Page
Copyright c. 2001. All rights reserved. The Primitive Baptist Library.
