Trinity Episcopal Church Parish Records, Muscatine Co IA  

PARISH BAPTISM REGISTERS OF
TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
211 Walnut Street
Muscatine, Iowa 52761

Submitted by Eleanor B. McCleary on October 31, 2001


FOREWORD

At the time the town of Bloomington (now known as Muscatine) was platted in 1839, the Parish of
Trinity Church was being organized. In 1841 the first church building was a constructed. It was a simple
frame structure which stood on the rear end of the same lot where the stone church now stands, on the
corner of East Second Street and Walnut. This was the first church in Muscatine County and the first
Episcopal Church consecrated in Iowa.

The original Parish Register books are kept in the church office at 211 Walnut Street, Muscatine. They
are very fragile, and in many places the handwriting has faded. Interpreting the different styles of
spidery handwriting was quite a challenge. Several entries were scratched out, indicating that person
had stopped coming to this church. Anytime a person moved out of the area or died, their name was
“removed” from the parishioner roster. In most cases I was able to decipher the name underneath.

The Parish Register of 1853 to 1863 is the first known volume of church records. It contains records of
Holy Baptism, Confirmation, Communicants, Families & Single Persons connected to the church,
Marriages, Deaths and some other notations of special church events.

Volume Two of Trinity Church covers the period of January 1864 to 15 April 1899. This record book
has pre-printed headings and page numbers. There is a set sequence of chapters recording parishioners’
events in church life. The chapters include; Families Connected to the Church, Holy Baptism,
Comfirmation, Communicants, Marriages and Burials.

The following are transcribed HOLY BAPTISM records from Volume One and Two Registers
prepared by Eleanor B. McCleary, Trinity Church Historian. Written permission to share this
information on this web site has been given by Richard E. Simpson, Rector of Trinity Parish, September
4, 2001.

For additional information on the Parish of Trinity Church records, you may email Eleanor McCleary at
[email protected]


Book 1 Trinity Baptism Records (1853-1863)

Book 2 Trinity Baptism Records (January 1864 to 15 April 1899)

Original Muscatine IA Genealogy Home Page Table of Contents



2001 These records are the exclusive property of the Trinity Episcopal Church, Muscatine IA and were transcribed by Eleanor B. McCleary, Church Historian, by permission of Richard E. Simpson, Rector of Trinity Parish, and may not be reproduced in any form without expressed permission.