Saline County Churches
"History of Methodism in Northwest Kansas," 1920
The following histories of Methodist churches in Saline County date from 1920, the publication date of the above book.
_____________________________________________________________________
Gypsum.
The Gypsum charge has an outstanding distinction
that no other charge in the Conference can boast. The
class in the circuit was organized by Dr. J. H. Lockwood of precious memory. In the early 70's he took
a homestead in the Gypsum valley, about five miles from
where Gypsum City now stands. In 1873 he organized
a class of thirty members at the Pliny school house.
W. Amos was the class leader, and Wm. Jones and
Richard Spencer and Otto Tresine were stewards. The
latter is still a member of the Gypsum Class.
Lockwood served the charge for a time, when the
preaching places were Pliny school house, Hobbs Creek
and Summit. No service at either place now.
The name appears in the Conference appointments
first in 1877, when H. R. Golden was appointed pastor. Following him were L. A. Tallman '78-80 ; W. R.
Leight, 81-2; I. McDowell, '83-5; J. M. Miller, '86-8;
E. B. L. Elder, '89-92; Wm. Nash, '93-5; G. M. Glick,
'96-7; B. W. Hollen, '98; J. H. Kuhn, '99-01; G. H.
Cheney, '02; C. M. C. Thompson, '03; G. W. Hood,
'04-5 ; J. T. Wilks, '06 ; J. A. Plantz, '07-9 ; G. T. Renner, '10-12; E. Bridwell, '13-16; B. D. Brooks, '17.
During the pastorate of McDowell a parsonage was
built two miles north of Gypsum. This was moved
to town during Elder's pastorate.
The Epworth League was organized in 1889. Mrs.
A. D. Elder, president, C. M. Kingman first vice-president; Ella Amos, second vice-president; Ida Sikking,
third vice-president; Florence Sikking, fourth; Ida
Sikking, secretary; Mabel Lamb, treasurer. There
were thirty-five members. The first trustees were
James Mortimer. Otto Tresine, Richard Spencer, Wm.
Jones, and Mr. Spellman.
In 1896 Roxbury and Hope were detached from
Mentor and annexed to Gypsum ; and remained so till
1915, when Roxbury was made the head of a charge.
During the pastorate of J. T. Wilks a $4000 church
was built. This was made possible by the liberality of
Thomas Lawson who contributed more than half the
necessary amount. In 1915 a good parsonage was
built at Roxbury, which was also a gift from Brother
Lawson, he having made a bequest in his will of $2,100 for this purpose. In 1915-16 the old parsonage
was moved on to the lot back of the church, and a new
parsonage was built. Later the old parsonage was
sold and moved away. The new one consists of a
double parlor, dining room, kitchen and pantry, bathroom, sewing room, four bed rooms, each having a
good closet, hall, sleeping porch and furnace. It cost
$2400.
The Hope Church was built in 1881. It was owned
by Harry Tolle. In 1914 it was deeded to the church,
and in June of that year, a jubilee service was held,
and Rev. N. A. Porter, who was the first pastor to
preach in the church was present, and preached. A
full day's service was enjoyed. On that day, God laid
the call to the work of the ministry on H. C. Marston,
who is now the pastor at Jennings. J. H. Bishop, an
honored member of the Kansas Conference, and Harry
Tolle now in Mississippi, are ministers who were members of the Gypsum Church. Pliny Keys, now the successful, district superintendent of the Cambria
District in Portuguese, East Africa, was also a product of
the Gypsum Church, as was also E. E. Tolle, a singing evangelist, of Roxbury. A number of young
ladies from this church have taken training as nurses,
in Bethany Hospital. Among these are Mrs. R. O.
Keys and Mrs. A. B. Gillum, now living in Gypsum,
and Miss Grace Snoddy, an active nurse in Bethany,
and for a time, the night superintendent. Lucretia
Keys is now pastor of the U. B. Church at Solomon.
Gypsum does not seem ever to have been stirred
with revival fire as some communities have been ; still
there have been revivals.
E. B. L. Elder reported 33 accessions on probation ;
twenty-five of whom came into full membership. July
6, 1904, G. W. Hood reported that 16 had joined since
Conference, and 12 had come into the League. January 31, 1906 Hood reported that on Thanksgiving
Day, the pastor and his family received a donation
of $25 ; and on December 29th there was an other surprise, at which they received $25, and a morris chair.
The trustees at present are C. G. Bennett, J. A.
Pease, D. W. Bishop, C. H. Gaumer, and J. H. Mason.
The stewards are C. H. Gaumer, Martha Keyes, Mrs.
J. Pease and J. H. Mason. Superintendent, A. F.
Ochse; League president, Edna Reynolds; president
of the W. F. M. S., Martha Keyes ; president W. H. M.
S., Mrs. J. S. Goodwin.
Mentor.
This vicinity was originally known as Pleasant
Ridge and retained that name till the railroad was
built, when the superintendent of the road refused to
adopt that name for the station. The church officials
then chose the name Mentor after the name of Garfield's farm, he then being
prominently before the public. It is said that H. R. Golden, of blessed memory,
was the first to hold religious services in this neighborhood;
though E. C. Chilson was the first by conference
appointment. James Phillips followed him. The next
pastor was J. N. Bartels, who was transferred from
the Central Illinois Conference and stationed at Salina.
He says of his charge : "Salina was a station with one
additional appointment at the Joel Maltby school house,
seven miles south of Salina, where there was a small
society." The next year this work was called the Salina
circuit, and Bartles continued to be the pastor.
J. H. Lockwood had taken a homestead between
Mentor and Gypsum, and was invited to hold a revival
at Mentor. This he did with such success that before
the meeting closed, a desire for a church building had
grown so strong that the revivalist and brother Maltby were able not only to inaugurate it but to carry it
forward to completion. W. A. Maxwell, Joel Maltby,
August Bondi and James Bacon were trustees.
The parsonage was built during the pastorate of
M. Woolpert '78-9. Since that time little had been
done for the improvement of church property until
recent years. At present the charge consists of three
societies Mentor, Assaria and Bridgeport. These are
stations on the McPherson branch of the Union Pacific
railroad running south from Salina. Mentor is five
miles from Salina, Assaria four miles farther south
and Bridgeport four miles still farther south. All lie
in the fertile valley of the Smoky Hill, than which
there is not a more fertile or better cultivated section
in the state. So that from material considerations, it
would be difficult to find a country charge more favorably situated. Notwithstanding this, neither society
had any real prosperity for years. At all of the points
on the charge they were content to move on quietly,
satisfied if they maintained a church service and a
Sunday school of fair respectability.
In the spring of 1915, C. J. Semans was appointed
to the Mentor charge. By his genial personality he
succeeded in winning the confidence and respect of the
people, then by wise and tactful management tied them
to him for the purpose of building up the Master's
Kingdom. His success at Mentor was achieved largely
by working on the community plan. When he saw
that the people were not especially interested in the
Methodist church he determined to show them that the
Methodist preacher was interested in them whether
they were Methodists or not. The church services
began to be more generally attended. It was soon ob-
served that if all the people in the community were
going to attend church they must have a larger building. With the idea of a church came the thought and
desire of a better and more modern one. When a desire has been kindled in the minds of people for a thing
they evidently need and have the ability to procure, it
is easy to incite them to action. So almost to his own
surprise, this popular young pastor found himself in
the lead of an enterprise which fair minded people
could not but approve. The board of trustees were C.
D. Miller, W. 0. Tinkler, John Muir, L. 0. Baber and
W. F. Green. Being men of generous impulses, it was
a comparatively easy task to induce them to erect a
building the cost of which was $6,500. It was dedicated May 13, 1917, by Dr. C. C. Hall, superintendent
of East St. Louis district, Illinois Conference, assisted
by M. M. Stolz, G. R. Hall, superintendent of the Salina
district and by Prof. F. L. Farley, professor in Greek,
Kansas Wesleyan University. The building fund had
been provided so that no collection was needed.
A service was held at 3 P. M. at which Rev. A. L.
Semans, pastor of the University church, preached and
the service closed with prayer by Professor Farley. A
rally service at 8 P. M. was presided over by Dr. C. G.
Hall and Rev. G. R. Hall delivered an address. Elton
R. Shaw, dean of School of Oratory in Kansas Wesleyan University offered prayer.
Up to this time there had not been a Methodist
church at Assaria, though they had long felt the need
of one. The church building project which had been
undertaken at Mentor was progressing so favorably,
that the Assaria people caught inspiration and entered
upon a like undertaking and pushed it with such zeal
that it was ready for dedication June 6. This property is valued at $5,500. The dedication took place on
the date named, Dr. J. F. Harmon, president of the
Kansas Wesleyan University, preaching the sermon
and taking pledges for money needed to meet the
obligations. Eight hundred were needed, but pledges
were obtained for a thousand in a short time. At
Bridgeport there was formerly a Presbyterian society
which built a church that was used alternately by them
and the Methodists for a number of years. Their
church dwindled and finally disintegrated and they sold
the church building to the Methodists, who still occupy
it. They are contemplating raising it and putting in
a basement story and otherwise changing and improving it. When this shall be done, all of the churches on
this charge will be well equipped and with such pastoral oversight as they have had the past three years,
will give a good account of themselves. Semans has
not only shown himself a master in church building but
faithful and efficient in building up the church. June
25, he wrote, "I have received 27 into the church at
Mentor and 30 at Assaria since Conference."
All the societies are well organized as the report for
the several congregations shows for efficient work. At
Mentor the trustees have been named. The stewards
are same as trustees. No class leader. Having said
so many complimentary things of this pastor, the
writer may be indulged in this criticism : the failure to
appoint and effectively employ a class leader is a mistake which no young Methodist pastor, who aspires to
be the most efficient worker possible, should excuse in
himself. Sunday school superintendent, Mrs. W. F.
Fulton ; league president, H. Stephenson ; Ladies' Aid,
president, Mrs. A. V. Kline; number enrolled in Sunday school, 75 ; number in league, 20.
At Assaria the trustees are A. F. Weeks, J. C. Short,
C. A. Wadsworth, B. Sickler, C. C. Moore, John Fulton
and Nannie Reed. Sunday school superintendent, J.
C. Short; class leader, Mrs. D. C. Wadsworth; league
president, Charlotte Sickler ; aid president, Mrs. George
Chelis; stewards, Kate I. Wadsworth, C. C. Moore,
Nannie Reed, John Fulton, C. A. Wadsworth, J. C.
Short. Number in Sunday school, 70 ; in league, 25.
At Bridgeport, trustees: H. T. Perrill, Arthur
Lingren, C. E. Mooney, A. T. Wilson, H. C. Douglas;
class leader, H. T. Perril ; president Ladies' Aid, Mrs.
C. A. Peterson; president Women's Foreign Mission
Society, Miss Elsie Perrill ; enrolled in Sunday school,
90.
The charge has been served by
the following: Name of charge, Mentor circuit (first
called Salina circuit.) Date of organization, 1866.
Pastors who have served charge: E. C. Chilson,
1866-8; J. Phillips, '68-70; J. N. Bartells, '70-72; J.
Conner, '71 ; L. D. Winder, '72-3 ; H. R. Golden, '72-3 ;
J. H. Lockwood, '73-6 ; Rev. Jackson, '73-4 ; E. F. Hill,
'76-8; M. Woolpert, '78-9; C. K. Jones, '79-80 (resigned
June 27, 1880) ; Thomas G. Condell, '80-1 ; J. Trewartha, '81 ; S. A. Greene, '82-4 ; O. N. Maxon, '84-6 ;
J. C. Dana, '86-7; H. M. Mayo, '87; D. McGurk, Jr.,
'88-9; S. B. Lucas, '89-90; George P. Miller, '90-2; J.
O. Osman, '92-3 (resigned); Wiley T. Selby, '93-5;
George B. Warren, '95-6; J. B. Lewis, '96-8; R. B.
Beaty, '98 ; J. M. Allen, '99-01 ; M. L. Kerr, '01-02 ; John
F. Ekey ,'02 ; C. W. Stevens, '04-Sept., '04 ; J. W. Bates,
Nov. 7, '04-5 ; J. A. Arnett, '05-Dec, 1906 ; M. D. Ross,
Dec, '06-'07 ; F. P. Raby, '07-08 ; William Mikels, Nov.,
'08-9; O. M. Mitchell, March, '09-Oct. 1, 1909; J. E.
M. Chambers, '09-12 ; F. L. Provan, '12 ; W. H. Sweet,
'13; James Kerr, '14; Cecil J. Semans, '15-18.
Salina Grand Avenue
The Grand Avenue M. E. church was organized in
the spring of 1917 and was made a pastoral charge and
W. C. Green was appointed pastor. The trustees
chosen were T. W. Roach, president of board, Erve Seymour, secretary, F. C. York, C. E. White, W. L.
Nesmith, J. L. Sherwood. Erve Seymour was class
leader. The stewards, Mrs. Emma Shipe and Mrs.
Nellie Shipe, Mrs. C. B. Hull; J. L. Sherwood, Sunday
school superintendent; Mrs. C. B. Hull, president of
the Ladies' Aid.
Prayer meetings were held three years ago in a cottage on North 10th street and a Sunday school was
begun about the same time. Two years ago Rev. M. L.
Kerr took charge of the work. He held his first service
in June, 1915. In the fall of 1916, the old Baptist
church was purchased and moved to its present site,
306 W. Grand avenue. The people were encouraged
and the Sunday school grew. Teachers came from the
Wesleyan for some of the classes. Misses Vesta Jones,
Lora Smith, Mildred Glendhill and Edna Kirk were
faithful helpers. Mrs. J. L. Sherwood was appointed
Cradle roll superintendent and has done excellent work.
W. C. Greene was appointed pastor in 1917. The
Sunday school increased both in interest and attendance. Special efforts were made for the boys. As a
result, the attendance of boys from 8 to 15 increased
from 5 to 40. A similar effort for the girls brought
like results. On December 23, the attendance was 113,
of whom 102 were children under 15. The attendance
at the church service has increased but is still small.
There are 19 full members, eleven officers and teachers
and a Sunday school enrollment of 225. There are 81
on the Cradle roll.
Salina Oakdale Church
At the session of the W. Kansas Conference held at
Ellsworth, 1917, Rev. Edward L. Hutchins was appointed to take charge of a mission to be organized in
East Salina, known as East Chapel. There was no
organized church or Sunday school and no church
building ; but there was a community of two thousand
people and through the efforts of Drs. A. G. Bennett,
J. F. Harmon and the district superintendent, G. R.
Hall, a lot had been secured in a good location.
There being no organization, the pastor occupied
himself the first three or four weeks calling on the
people and getting acquainted. The first service was
held in a rented cottage on May 14th. There were
eight persons including the pastor's family. The attendance increased from Sunday to Sunday. In three
months it had reached thirty-five or forty. The furniture for the use of the school including organ, song
books, chairs, table and blackboard, were loaned by the
other M. E. churches of the city. The pastor acted as
superintendent and Bible class teacher; his wife was
organist and teacher and their daughter, Bessie, taught
the primary class. Others who came and assisted in
the work and took charge of classes as the attendance
increased were Mrs. E. B. Lewis, Mrs. L. E. Ginder,
Vernon Spear, John Hutchins, A. P. Stafford, Mrs.
Frank Blaylock and Mrs. Armstrong. Services had
been held but a short time when this cottage was sold.
Fortunately another vacant cottage was near by and
the services were transferred to it, which was used for
a few Sundays, when it too was sold and notice was
served that the house must be vacated the next morning. There being no other vacant house near and none
could be secured, so the furniture was stored in a store
building near by. It was a serious question what could
then be done, but the people had become interested and
were not willing that the services should be discontinued, so an invitation was extended to the pastor to
bring the services to their homes. The invitation was
gladly accepted and from that time until the church
was completed services were held in the homes of
Edgar Miller, H. E. Woods, L. E. Ginder, Mrs. John
Province and Mrs. Grace Walker.
The church was formally organized in September,
at the home of C. E. Ginder. The following persons
were charter members : E. L. Hutchins, pastor, Mrs.
Hutchins, Berniee Hutchins, Raymond Hutchins, John
W. Hutchins, Hattie Hutchins, Lucille Hutchins, L. E.
Ginder and wife, H. E. Woods and wife, Mrs. B. F.
Cobum, Emmet Coburn, Delia Coburn, Edgar Miller,
Fern Bennet, Cecil Miller, Irene Miller, Mrs. John
Province, Mrs. Grace Walker, Loene Simmons, Lurella
Knowls, Vernon Spear.
On motion, the name East Chapel, which had been
given the charge was changed to Oakdale M. E. Church.
Plans for building were immediately set on foot and
late in September the new building was begun. This
was put on the parsonage lots and built bungalow style,
the thought being that when the society is able to build
a church this building will be remodeled and serve as
the parsonage. It was ready for occupancy at Thanksgiving. The
occasion was celebrated by a Rally Day program. The
growth of the organization has been remarkable under
the circumstances. At the close of the Conference
year, 150 had been enrolled in the Sunday school with
an average attendance of 75 and a church membership
of 31. The trustees are T. W. Roach, J. C. Wakefield,
Edgar Miller, A. P. Stafford and H. E. Woods. The
Sunday school was organized the second Sunday in
May, 1918. There were twelve present. We were
cheered by the injunction: "Despise not the day of
small things."
Salina First Methodist Church. photo, 1908
This is one of the oldest Methodist organizations in
the bounds of the Northwest Kansas Conference, but
probably is not the oldest since it is known that a Methodist service was held in the vicinity of Clyde as early
as 1862, while the oldest member of the Salina class,
Mrs. Elizabeth Conrad, came to the state in 1866. She
says they attended services in a small room over a
blacksmith shop, between Iron avenue and Ash street.
The blacksmith was so industrious that many times
his noisy anvil interfered with their Sunday devotions.
Mrs. Bryce Muir and Royal Calkins were also members
of that early organization.
E. C. Chilson was the first pastor. He was in
charge in 1866 and was succeeded by James Phillips in
the spring of '67. He w T as followed by J. N. Bartells,
he by J. Boynton and he by M. N. Powers. Bartells is
now living in Boon, Colorado and Powers in Kansas
City, Mo. When they learned through the Central
that a history of the Conference was to be written,
each thought enough of us to write to the editor and
express his interest and good will in the undertaking.
A small frame church now occupied by the A. M. E.
church was built in '67 and '68. C. Eberhardt landed
in Salina in 1867. He says when he came the frame of
the church was up and they were putting on the
weatherboarding and shingles. (It may be said here,
that since that time Eberhardt has been a part of
whatever has been done by Methodism in Salina.) The
church stood in an unfinished condition till spring at
which time Dr. A. B. Leonard, who was then the pastor
at Leavenworth, since the great missionary secretary
and father of the bishop was in Salina and being moved
by the need of the struggling society, went back to
Leavenworth and collected funds sufficient to purchase
seats for the new church. Eberhardt was then in the
employ of General Bull, a wealthy lumber dealer in
Leavenworth. In selecting lumber for the church, the
employee did not hesitate to select from different piles
the pieces best suited to his purpose. The old General,
being -in the yard one day, saw what was being done
and objected to it strenuously. When Eberhardt told
him what the lumber was for, he readily gave his approval. Being a man of such generous impulses, it
was not strange that early settlers in a small western
town determined to honor him by naming their village
for him. Their purpose was afterward defeated by
fastidious people, who through a fraudulent petition
succeeded in having the name changed.
The new church in Salina was completed and paid
for as was also a parsonage, but in 1871, J. Boynton,
an enthusiast from Michigan was appointed to Salina.
He succeeded in persuading the trustees to sell their
church and parsonage and build a ten thousand dollar
church. This proved to be a most inopportune move.
A brick church was begun and the walls built to the
square. They stood in this condition for months and
finally the south wall blew down. It came down with
a crash which is said to have been heard two miles
away.
Methodism, in Salina, was in a most deplorable condition. They had had a neat
little church and parsonage which would have served them well till they were
able to build larger and better and had no debt. Now
church and parsonage both were gone and the money
spent and nothing to show for it but a pile of brick and
a burdensome debt.
The Church Extension Society had made them a
loan of $1,000 which they insisted must be paid. The
trustees, like many other trustees, thought that because
the Board of Church Extension is a church organization it ought not exact payment from a local board that
was hard pressed, but the charter of the Extension
Board obligates it to sacredly preserve its loan fund,
and if it failed to do it in a single instance, it would
forfeit its charter and thus disqualify itself for the task
it had in hand. Of course the Church Extension
Society was compelled to insist on the payment of its
loan. Brother Powers who was pastor then says of
the conditions : "The old frame church had been sold
and possession had to be given, so the work of building
had to be resumed. It was completed and seated with
temporary seats in the middle of my second year. I
preached in it once and returned to my Conference in
southern Illinois. At that time there was a population
of about 1,500 in Salina. The church cost $10,000 and
the only debt I left on it was the Church Extension
loan of $1,000." Eberhardt says as soon as the
roof was on, the church was used for services and he
personally carried lumber and arranged the temporary
seats.
In due time comfortable seats were provided and
the debts paid. The building was a rectangle which
seated about 350 people. It served the congregation
till the pastorate of D. D. Campbell, 1884-87. At that
time the north side was taken out of the rectangular
structure and an addition, projecting thirty-five or
forty feet, built in. A gallery seating fifty or seventyfive people was built in the addition, over a lecture room
of like size. There was thus provided an audience
room seating six hundred persons or more. Thus far
the congregation was well provided for, but for many
years the Sunday School felt the need of more room.
For some time the trustees debated among themselves
what they should do. The old church did not afford
sufficient room, but was too good to be torn down. Effort was made to secure another location, but failing
in this, it was finally decided to demolish the old buildings, which held blessed memories for many people.
It, therefore, gave place to the noble structure which
has since risen on the site.
The true history of this society can not be written
without the names of two men, who for years after
the church was founded, constituted its financial head.
These were H. H. Sudendorf and C. Eberhardt. They
were German Methodists and like most of them, thoroughly loyal to the church. In the early settlement
of the town, there was a number of German families,
the old people of which, were not sufficiently familiar
with the English, to understand and appreciate an
English sermon. For the benefit of these elderly peo-
ple, a German Methodist Church was built on the corner of Eight and South Streets. These two men,
Sudendorf and Eberhardt, did what was perhaps
never known done elsewhere. They took membership
in both the English and German churches, and held
official positions in both, and for a time were the financial head of both. Sudendorf, the older of the two,
went to his reward a number of years ago. Eberhardt
has passed his seventy seventh year, but is still interested in the church.
Revivals have been reported from time to time by
different pastors together with items of interest to the
church and community. In March, 1914, C. E. Line reported that Dr. Curts of the Book Concern, preached
on a Sunday morning, and took a subscription to pay
the debt on the church, to the amount of $3200. In
July of the next year, he reported that six persons had
joined the church in July, thirteen were baptized and
fifty-nine had been received into full membership. In
March 1897 a revival was held with the assistance of
evangelist W. H. Lee, resulting in forty conversions,
and fifty-nine accessions to the church. In September
of the same year the correspondent to the "Central"
reported that H. A. Cleveland was preaching to a full
house to the delight of all; and that a reception was
held on a Tuesday night, at which addresses were made
by representatives of the Sunday School and of the
Ministerial Association, welcoming the new pastor.
In December 1901, B. T. Stauber reported that 100
had joined the church since Conference and a parsonage worth $3000 had been built. A Sunday School had
been organized at the University and preaching had
been begun there, in the afternoon. The last of Jannary 1906 C. C. Woods reported that he and E. L. Hyde
of Phil, began a meeting January 21 ; and there were
twenty at the altar the first night. It would be satisfying to know the outcome of a meeting so auspici-
ously begun, but the Central did not have the information. In October 1907 Dr. Woods reported the church
too small for the congregation and teachers and pupils
of the Sunday School were calling for more room. Miss
McCrory, the deaconess was proving very efficient.
Fifteen hundred calls had been made and many deeds
of mercy and help performed. Seventy persons had
been received into the church by letter, ninety-five
from probation and one hundred thirty on probation.
In February 1908, L. E. Rockwell reported a revival
in which he was assisted by Joel A. Smith which resulted in a general quickening. Twenty-six joined on
probation and fourteen by certificate. The present pastor is Rev. A. G. Bennett who was transferred into the
Conference six years ago from York, Nebraska. The
church has prospered from the first. Under his leadership and
inspiration, the trustees were led to undertake the erection of a magnificent church on the site
of the old church, built in the early 70's. That undertaking has been carried forward to completion, and
the church now has a building of which both it and
the city may well be proud. The building in its extreme dimensions is 108x114 feet. A summary of the
rooms is as follows: "A beautiful sanctuary, seating
1000; a large assembly room for Sunday School and
entertainments seating 1000, kitchen and serving
room, six closets; five toilets; and thirty-four other
rooms for Sunday School classes, parlors, office and
reception rooms." Of the type of building a descriptive circular says : "The type of the church interior is
the very latest in American Ecclesiastical Architecture, said by experts to be the type which will prevail
in the future in American church building."
The structure cost about $60,000. The old church
was in the middle of the block. When they had decided to built a new church, the trustees wanted to
purchase the southwest corner of the block, but
thought the price greater than they could afford to
pay. Now that the church is built, and a more costly
one than they at first thought they could attempt, they
find they are able to purchase the corner, which they
have done, and will beautify it as a rest park. This
is an admirable thing to do. It gives the church the
fourth of a block on two popular streets, and taken
as a whole, is the most desirable site they could have
found in the city. The park will be a lovely place for
summer evening services and festivals. The most
liberal contributors to this splendid improvement
were C .Eberhardt family, C. E. Robinson, the Sunday School, T. W. Roach and wife each $2000, Z. C.
Millikin, H. H. F. Sudendorf, W. A. Austin each $1000,
C. F. McAdams $700. My informant adds, these gave
most in amount, but not most in sacrifice. Many who
gave smaller amounts did it by actual self denial.
The architect was Wm. T. Schmidt of Oklahoma
City. The trustees are C. Eberhardt, John S. Gates,
T. W. Roach, C. F. McAdams, Dr. J. W. Neptune, W.
H. Myers, C. E. Robinson, Z. C. Millikin and W. A.
Austin. The building committee were Dr. J. W. Neptune, Prof. T. W. Roach, C. F. McAdams, F. D. Blun-
don, J. H. Bell, Frank Eberhardt, J. E. Meader, J. E.
Wyatt. The church was dedicated July 1, 1917 with
all money provided for.
University Church, Salina.
University Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in April 1809 by U. S.
Brown, district superintendent of the Ellsworth District. A Sunday School
had been organized previously, under the direction and
control of the quarterly Conference of the first church
of Salina.
The organization was effected at the request of
eighty members of First Church that a separate society be formed. The following persons were chosen
trustees : M. M. Stolz, R. P. Smith, A. H. King, L. M.
Morris, W. P. Seeley, A. B. Huffman, W. L. Nesmith,
L. E. Eaton and W. H. Sweet.
The officers were M. M. Stolz, chairman; A. H.
King, secretary, W. F. Hoyt and Miss Caroline Matson, class leaders, W. C. Henslee Sunday School su-
perintendent. The stewards were W. F. Hoyt, H. A.
Swift, W. C. Henslee, A. H. King, Dr. D. E. Foristall,
J. H. Buyer, L. M. Morris, M. M. Alford, Mrs. M. R.
Day, Mrs. U. S. Brown, U. S. Ladd, W. P. Seeley and
Frank Brendle.
Rev. James M. Newton was the first pastor. He
was transferred from the Kansas Conference and entered upon the work in June 1909. During the winter
of that year the family was sorely afflicted with
typhoid fever. A little son died, which was a great
trial to the bereaved parents. A good eight room parsonage was built during Newton's pastorate, at a cost
of about $2800.
The next spring at the pastor's request, he was sent
to Delphos, and W. H. Sweet was appointed to University Church. A. L. Semans succeeded Sweet.
Solomon.
Solomon City is a place of considerable importance
near the center of the state, and not far from the junction of the Solomon and Smoky Hill Rivers. It is
therefore surrounded by a broad valley of very fertile
land. Being thus favorably located settlers early saw
the advantage of the location and it was one of the
earliest settled localities in Central Kansas. Salina
alone preceded it in having the name on the map, in
this part of the state. Salina was named in the Conference appointments in 1868 and Solomon in 1870.
The first Methodist services held in Solomon was
in 1870. It was called the Solomon and Smoky Hill
charge. James Phillips was appointed the pastor at
the session of the Kansas Conference held at Topeka.
The next year the session was held at Paola and S. J.
Kahler was apointed to Solomon City. W. K. Marshall was the presiding elder in 1870 and '71. In 73
G. S. Dearborn was assigned to the district. The pastors who since that early day, have served Solomon,
were '72 D. D. Baird; '73-75, J. R. Madison; '76-8,
W. Whitney; '79-80, J. W. Denning; '81, W. W. Wells;
'82, W. A. Saville; '83-4, A. T. Riley; '85, M. M. Stolz;
'86-7, C. W. Caseley; '88, B. W. Hollen; '89, E. H. Bail-
iff; '90, C. V. Penn; '91-2, W. A. Matson; '93-4, J. H.
Kuhn ; '95, R. A. Hoffman ; '96-7, W. Nash ; '98-9, J. F.
Clark; 1900-1, E. W. Allen; '02, J. H. Kuhn; '03-4, J.
F. Johnson ; '05-7, J. W. Bates; '08, R. S. Rutledge; '09,
A. Bryans; '10, Attree Smith; '11-12, J. L. King; '13,
W. A. Allen; '14-16, 0. B. Allen; '17, L. B. Tremain.
The class at Solomon organized by Brother Phillips consisted of the following persons, I. H. Thomp-
son, Sarah Thompson, Isaac Smith and wife and Alice
Smith, Uriah, Ann and Theodore Foster, Joseph, Ellenor and Nettie Burkhardt, Mr. Huling and wife, Ashel
Carson, E. Collins and wife, and Win. Collins, Elisha
Dresner, Newton F. Follett, Wm. Campbell, W. G.
Lewis, 0. N. Maxson, Wm. Akerman, Samuel and
Rachel McCord, Marguaret Baird.
Wm. Akerman is still a member of the class, and
living in Solomon. S. J. Kahler held a successful
meeting at each appointment on the circuit. Seventy-nine joined the church at
the several points. Twenty-nine of these came into the Solomon class. D. D. Baird
was pastor in 1872. The records state that he labored
hard on the charge, but received only $75 as his salary
for the year.
J. R. Madison was pastor '73 to '75. 1874 was
grasshopper year. Like every other place in this part
of the state, Solomon charge had a hard struggle during that year. But there were good revivals at all
points on the charge, during the following year.
Twenty-six united with the church at Solomon. In
1875 the society purchased the Thompson hall and fitted it up for a church. Wm. Whitney had a successful
pastorate. A number of persons came into the church
during his term of service. A parsonage was built
in 1879 under the inspiration and leadership of the
pastor, J. W. Denning. This served as a home for
the preachers until the pastorate of J. W. Bates, when
it was sold and the present building a six room house
was erected near the church.
Sunny Side Church, which is still a part of the
Solomon charge, was organized in 1882. In '88 they
obtained a charter and began preparations for building a church which was dedicated in June '84. This
building which was 28x45 has since been repaired and
is a beautiful country church, heated with a furnace.
The Solomon Church was dedicated Nov. 16, 1885
by Dr. W. H. H. Adams, of Bloomington, Ill. It cost
$6500. The Thompson hall referred to was sold for
$1000.
Many in the Conference know the struggle of this
church to pay off the large debt. J. W. Bates did the
job. He got the Extension Society to throw off all the
interest, then succeeded in raising the balance and
had a great time burning the mortgage.
Under O. B. Allen the church was raised and a new
basement was dug, and a furnace put in. This cost
about $1000.
The parsonage has been improved by placing a cel-
lar under it and putting in a furnace. This cost $300.
This last was done by the present pastor.
I find that the W. F. M. S. was organized in Oct.
1883 at the request of the pastor. Mrs. See (wife of
our brother See) came and perfected the organization.
There is no record of the officers. The present officers are Mrs. Lettie Kibler, president; Mrs. Gertrude
Higgins, vice-president; Mrs. E. O. Neelye, secretary;
Mrs. L. C. Porter, treasurer; Mrs. H. A. Bannon,
"Mite Box" president; Trustees: Marion Wright,
chairman; Frank Henderson, secretary; L. C. Porter,
Eph. Rasher, Henry Rasher, Fred Hall, Geo. Spaulding. Stewards: L. C. Porter, Frank Henderson, Mrs.
H. A. Bannon, Mrs. Ed. Dunnett, Mrs. Geo. Spaulding, Mrs. G. W. Lee, Mrs. Lettie Kibler, Mrs. L. C.
Peterson, Ethan King, P. R. Toepfer. Epworth
League: Mrs. Elizabeth Berry, president; Mary Lockhart, first vice-president; Rena Rasher, second
vice-president; Pearl Walker, third vice-president; Elsie
Gatchet, fourth vice-president; Francis Kanehl, secretary; Roy Bickmore, treasurer. Sunday School:
Ephraim Rasher, superintendent; Frank Henderson,
secretary-treasurer; Mary Lockhart, superintendent
Primary Department. Mrs. Jessie Neil, superintendent Cradle Roll; Mrs. L. C. Porter, superintendent,
Home Department. Sunny Side trustees: Lee Cormack, W. R. Stone, Ola Collins, G. N. Knisle, Henry
Flagle; Sunny Side stewards: F. B. Thompson, Mrs.
Marrietta Collins, Lee Cormack, W. R. Stone, Henry
Klover.
Sunny Side Appointment.
This class was organized by J. W. Preshaw, at the
Sunny Side school house. The charter members were
J. C. Seaton and wife, W. E. Collins and wife, Lucy
Cormack. A retired Baptist preacher held service at
irregular intervals until the class became a part of the
Solomon charge.
A. T. Riley was the pastor in 1883. He had talked
church to the Sunny Side people till they were fully
enthused with the idea of building. A meeting was
called February 12, 1883 to take steps preparatory to
the erection of a church.
The following persons were chosen: Trustees, J.
H. Carkhuff, H. A. Carter, W. E. Collins, Silas Chambers, A. J. Kerby, B. C. McCollough and J. C. Seaton.
J. H. Carkhuff was chosen president, J. C. Seaton, secretary and A. J. Kirby, treasurer.
Sunny Side is not a separate charge but an oppointment on the Solomon charge.
A subscription amounting to $270, was taken, and
the trustees were instructed to purchase a site for the
church. At a meeting of the board held at the home
of the president August 14, '83, it was decided to build
the church on a three acre lot on the N. E. corner of
Section 9, T. 14, R 1, E. of the Sixth Principal Meridian. A. J. Kirby was instructed to purchase stone
for the foundation ; these must be hauled 12 miles. At
another meeting held at the school house Oct. 27, '83
papers were signed and obligations entered into to secure money from the Church Extension Society. That
society donated to the trustees $250 and made a loan
of $250 for the church. The pastor, A. T. Riley was
instructed to purchase the lumber for the building.
April 16, '84 the treasurer reported $1127.87. The
plastering was let to J. F. Bolster. April 17th was
fixed as Arbor Day for planting trees on the church
lot. On the day of dedication $711 were raised.
By action of the trustees, an insurance policy of
$1300 was placed on the church, and a resolution was
passed requesting the Sunny Side class be transferred
from the Kansas to the N. W. Kansas Conference in
connection with Solomon.
In harmony with this resolution the officials at
Sunny Side at once secured the services of the pastor
at Solomon and thus were virtually transferred into
the N. W. Kansas Conference.
In February 1898 the church was repaired, iron
ceiling having been procured from the World's Fair
building at Chicago. Repairs cost $142.65.
The board of trustees was reelected, except Mr.
Meek who declined to serve longer. His wife was
chosen in his place. J. W. Bates was pastor 1908-09.
During his pastorate the church was repainted; the
work being donated by Henry Clover. Twenty-four
dollars were paid for paint beside donations made by
other persons.
In March 1916 O. B. Allen, pastor, the church was
thoroughly repaired ; new seats, acetylene lights and
furnace heat were installed. Credit for these improvements is due the pastor and building committee; R.
Stone, H. Clover, F. Thompson and W. J. Hopewood.
The improvements cost $665 in cash and $135 in labor
donated.
The membership of the class is 41 and the enrollment in the
Sunday School is 90 with a regular attendance of from 40 to 60.
Return to Saline Co. KHHP
|
This website created June 15, 2011 by Sheryl McClure.
� 2011 Kansas History and Heritage Project
|
