Atchison County Churches
Histories from "History of Atchison County, Kansas," Sheffield Ingalls, 1916
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF ATCHISON
The First Baptist Church of Atchison was organized in 1858, in Allen's
Hall, on the northwest corner of Second and Commercial streets. At the
time of the organization there were but nine members, of whom three are
still living and members of the church, though non-resident: Mrs. L. A.
Alderson, Mrs. Aaron Stephenson and Mrs. Mary A. Challiss. Dr. W. L.
Challiss was soon added to the membership. The lots on the corner of Ninth
street and Kansas avenue were donated by Luther C. Challiss, and a house
of worship was erected upon it, and this location has been the home of the
church ever since.
Rev. L. A. Alderson was the first pastor of the church, and he served
faithfully three years without salary.
The church stands for a strong and helpful and constructive religious
work, and a faithful adherence to the teachings of the Bible, and a loyalty
to the Lordship of Christ. The present pastor is Rev. A. J. Haggett, who
has served his congregation long and well.
SALEM CHURCH.
The Evangelical Association located a mission in Atchison in 1882, with
Rev. C. Brandt as the first missionary. A number of German families were
gathered and signified their willingness to effect a church organization.
Accordingly, a hall was rented at 614 Commercial street and services held. In
1884 the organization numbered forty-seven members, and the Kansas
conference of the Evangelical Association at its annual session in 1884 decided
to build a church at this time. Rev. Daniel R. Zellner was appointed
pastor, and Rev. John Wuerth, presiding elder of the Holton district. During
the pastorate of Rev. D. R. Zellner in 1884 the church was built at 522
Atchison street, and dedicated by Rev. John Wuerth, presiding elder, as the Salem
church of the Evangelical Association, and service has continued
uninterruptedly ever since. Following are the ministers who served consecutively
as pastors: Rev. C. Brandt, D. R. Zellner, C. Brant, second pastorate; C. F.
Erffmeyer, Samuel Mueller, Jacob Schmidle, John Wuerth, C. F. Iwig, Peter
Scheumann, D. R. Zellner, third pastorate; Charles Linge, E. E. Erffmeyer,
D. R. Zellner, fourth pastorate, L. M. Nanninga, J. M. Fricker, Samuel
Breithaupt, present pastor (1916).
The following served as presiding elders during the past thirty-four
years: John Wuerth, Henry Mattill, J. F. Schreiber, Albert Brunner, C. F.
Erffmeyer, Wm. F. Wothensen and C. F. Iwig.
Originally, the language used was German, but in the past half
century the German language was rapidly superseded by the English language.
This society maintains a well organized Sunday school, with weekly
sessions every Sunday at 10 o'clock a. m. G. W. Bradley is superintendent;
a Young People's Alliance, E. B. Breithaupt, president, and a Woman's
Missionary Society, Mrs. Samuel Breithaupt, president. This organization
maintains free pews and extends an invitation to strangers when in the city
to worship with them.
GERMAN EVANGELICAL ZION CHURCH.
In the summer of 1893 a number of men, among them Rev. Nestel, of
St. Joseph, Mo., who had received a special invitation, met at the home of
August Manglesdorf, Sr., and organized a German Evangelical congregation.
It was decided to have services in Odd Fellows hall. Rev. Nestel came over
from St. Joe from time to time and conducted the services. In January, 1894,
Rev. C. Stork, of Concordia, Mo., took charge of the congregation as their
first own pastor. In 1894 two lots of land, at the northwest corner of Ninth
and Santa Fe streets, were bought, upon which the church was built. In
1895 the congregation became a member of the German Evangelical Synod
of North. America. In the same year the parsonage was erected, and in 1908
a school building was added to the church. Besides Rev. Stork, the following
ministers served the congregation: H. Limper, 1897 to 1901 ; C. Bechtold,
1901 to 1905: P. Stoerker, from 1905 to 1909, and Emil Vogt, the present
pastor. Besides the annual donations for their own church, the members
have spent $2,000 for home and foreign missions. The church has a
Sunday school, a teachers' training course, a choir, a Young People's Society,
and a Ladies' Aid Society.
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST.
Mrs. Henrietta E. Graybill, of Milwaukee, might properly be called the
founder of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Atchison. She was the
original first reader when she came to Atchison from Kansas City in 1894.
In March, 1895, she began a class in instruction at the Byram Hotel. This
was the beginning of the local church. On September 7, 1895, the followers
met in temporary quarters in the Ingalls' building, at Seventh and
Commercial streets, seven being present. The church was organized April 9,
1895, with seven charter members. The first testimonial meeting was held
January 3, 1896, and January 15, 1896, the first Sunday school was
organized, with seven children in attendance. Before the end of 1896 the church
was moved to more commodious quarters, at the southeast corner of Fourth
and Commercial streets. These charters were soon outgrown, and in March,
1897, the German Methodist church at Ninth and Santa Fe streets was
purchased and the first services held there were on July 4, 1897. This church
was dedicated in April, 1900, by Mrs. G. W. Pennell, who had become first
reader, and from the start had been a constant and enthusiastic worker.
Ten years later, March 28, 1910, lots at the northwest corner of Fourth and
Santa Fe streets were purchased, as a site for the permanent church. Land
was secured and the foundation started September 11, 1911 and
the church dedicated October 19, 1913. Among the permanent members of
the church are Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Pennell, Mr. and Mrs. James W. Orr,
L. H. Munson, Miss N. S. Donald and Miss Emma Maage, the first reader,
and D. W. Rowe.
The present church edifice was erected largely through the liberality of
Mr. Pennell, at a cost of $50,000, and is pronounced an architectural gem.
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