Dedication of M. E. Church at Lisbon, Iowa 9 April 1899

M. E. CHURCH DEDICATED

The first Methodist sermon preached in Linn county was by Rev. Nelson Rathbun, a local preacher, on the 22nd of Dec. 1839, at Linn Grove, in the cabin of John G. Cole.

The first sermon preached at Yankee Grove (where Lisbon now stands) was by the same brother in the Spring of 1840 and in the cabin of John Donahoo, which stood near where Uhler's home stands in Lisbon. So Methodism was early on the ground and has a pre-emption claim. At that time Iowa was a territory and a Mission District of the Rock River Conference. In August 1840 this Conference at Mt. Morris, Ill. divided Iowa into two Districts: Dubuque District with Bartholomew Weed as Presiding Elder and Burlington District with Henry Summers as Presiding Elder, and Rev. John Hodges was appointed missionary to Marion Mission. His circuit embraced all of Linn county and all of Jones county, south of the Wapsie river, and the western part of Cedar county, with eleven appointments.

Rev. Hodges lived in a cabin owned by James Martin, on Martin's Creek. He was succeeded in August 1841 by Rev. Solomon W. Ingham, a local preacher who lived at Marion. He organized the class at Yankee Grove (Lisbon) in the cabin of John Donahoo, whom he appointed leader. The next year Mr. Donahoo built a house west of Daniel Grauel's barn and meetings were held there until 1843. A school house was then built in Mr. Grauel's pasture lot, south of the Mt. Vernon road where meetings were held until 1851. The preachers during this time were Jesse L. Bennett, 1842; John Hayden, 1843-4, two years. Rev. Henry Reed was made Presiding Elder in 1843 and continued four years.

He lived in Dubuque. In 1845 the Iowa Conference was organized and the Marion Mission was divided. The east half was called Linn Grove Mission. Rev. Allen Johnson was appointed pastor. The first quarterly meeting at Yankee Grove was held that year and the first Sunday school report given, and as far as can be ascertained, this was the first Sunday school organized in this place.

Rev. John Walker was sent to the charge in 1846. Here is a copy of Brother Walker's receipts at his fourth quarterly conference. Yankee Grove $25.59, Craigs $1.50, Pioneer $4.38, Walnut Grove (Olin) $2.80, Rundalls (Fairview) $8.60, South Linn $5.36, Downings, .37, Holmans .78, Simpsons $3.76, Total $53.15. He, of course received some missionary money, but there is no record of how much.

Rev S. H. Greenup was appointed pastor in 1847. His receipts for the year were $146.20 and the Presiding Elder $13.33. In 1848 Rev. L. C. Woodford was appointed pastor. The record shows that $5.90 was collected for missions that year. In 1849 the name was changed to Mt. Vernon circuit.

Rev. Geo. Bowman was made Presiding Elder in 1847 and continued three years, after which Rev. H. W. Reed was reappointed and Elder Bowman became pastor of Mt. Vernon circuit.

In 1851 the Sugar Grove Class and the Yankee Grove Class were united and worshipped in the new church at Mt. Vernon. This church was built by Elder and was located where the public school building now stands. So that Methodism as an organization ceased from Yankee Grove for about four years. Elder Bowman resigned in the middle of his second year in order to build the Mt. Vernon Academy. His place was filled for the remainder of the year by Rev. Geo. Clifford. He was followed by Rev. Joel B. Taylor for one year and he by Rev. J. C Ayers for two years.

While Rev. B. C. Barnes was pastor of the Lisbon M. E. church from 1886 to 1889 he with much labor and painstaking prepared a historical record of early Methodism in this section of the country. From this carefully prepared record we have gleaned the above facts.

Lisbon circuit was set apart from Mt. Vernon in 1857. Its membership was very small, for it had not increased any during the four years it was left without preaching. Rev. Andrew Coleman was the first pastor and remained three years with good success. He was succeeded by Rev. H. Taylor in 1860. Rev. Wesley Blake succeeded him in 1861 remaining two years. These were years of great excitement during the civil war and little was accomplished. Rev. Wm. N. Brown was appointed to this charge in 1863 and remained three years. He had excellent success on the circuit. He was greatly assisted by Rev. James B. Gray, a superanuate of the North-West Indiana Conference and Archabald K. Miller, a local preacher.

In 1866 Rev. S. Y. Harmer was made pastor of the Lisbon charge. Up to this time Methodism was very weak in Lisbon but it could not long remain so under Rev. Hormer. The Methodists were at the time holding their services in the Lutheran church. They worshipped there for several years. It was in that church that Rev. Hormer had his wonderful revival in the Spring of 1867. That year the membership increased from twenty-eight to eighty. In September of that year the brick church was begun and on July 5th 1868 was dedicated by Rev. C. G. Truesdell. The building was 34 ft. by 56 ft. Dr. J. M. Armstrong, Daniel Grauel, Andrew Hahn, Archibald K. Miller and Christian H. Kurtz were appointed building committee. The cost of the building was $5,350. The church was dedicated without debt. $1,200 was raised at dedication. A shrinkage in the subscriptions made it necessary to raise $700 more in 1873. On April 4th by the aid of Rev. J. W. Clinton all was secured.

Rev. H. C. Brown came on the circuit in 1869, Rev. W. E. McCormac in 1871 and Rev. R. Ricker in 1872. During this year the spire of the church was blown off, the bell injured and a crack made down the side between the tower and main building, which in time grew wider and had much to do with securing the new church.

Rev. W. G. Moore was made pastor in 1873 and Rev. F. C. McLean in 1874. In 1876 Rev. J. B. Jones came to Lisbon, his first charge. He remained two years and had a gracious revival at Lisbon the first year and at Mt. Zion the second. The present parsonage was built during the summer of his second year. At that time it was one of the best parsonages in the Upper Iowa Conference.

He was succeeded by Rev. C. A. Hahn in 1878. Rev. W. F. Dove came in 1879 and remained three years. In 1882 Rev. Wm. Cobb came and stayed two years.

Rev. W. M. Lemen in 1884 staying two years. In 1886 Rev. B. C. Barnes was sent to Lisbon and remained three years and did good work. He was followed by Rev. O. R. Newell in 1889. Although he had very poor health he did good work and was greatly loved by all. He remained three years. Rev. H. Bailey followed him in 1892 staying two years. Rev. E. R. Leaman came in 1894 and remained two years. In 1896 the present pastor was appointed to the Lisbon charge and by his earnest efforts and faithful work has been the means of building up the church to its present high standard.

Near the close of the Conference year ending October 6th 1897, the Trustees held a meeting for the purpose of considering the advisability of building a new church. In this meeting they decided to take steps toward building the following year. A committee was then appointed to secure an architect and plan for the building. Mr. Joslyn of Cedar Rapids was selected and his plans pleased everyone. The last Saturday evening before the Annual Conference October 2nd, 1897 a meeting was held in which all the trustees were present and some others. It was decided in this meeting to begin at once to raise funds for building and also that no pledge should be valid until $7,000 were secured. Nearly $4,000 were obtained that evening. Mr. Stuckslager proved an able solicitor and in a short time the $7,000 was secured. On May 1st, 1898 we held our last service in the old church. It was torn down the following week. The new church was finished and dedicated the 9th of April 1899. The cost, everything included was $14,000 and $8,000 had been secured before dedication, so there was $6,000 to be made up at that time. It seemed like a great undertaling and many fears were entertained. The day dawned beautifully and the house was packed to its utmost Over eight hundred people were seated in the building.

Dr. L. E. Carts, of Cincinnati managed the whole affair and did it so ably and pleasantly as to gain the good will of all and effectually reach their purse strings. All but $800 was secured in the morning and in the evening the remainder was soon obtained and about $250 more. and the church was dedicated free of debt. Dr. Curts preached a very able and appropriate sermon in the morning from the text: "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith".

Source:  "Lisbon Herald," April 24, 1899, page 1