The Pleasant View Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1856 by the Rev. Joel Mason, P. C. with S. W. Milligan as Class Leader. The first sermon was preached at the home of Jerub Richmond where regular services were held until about 1865. At that time, services were moved to the Richmond/Walker schoolhouse. About 1875, the schoolhouse was purchased by the congregation and fitted up as a church building, which purpose it served until 1890.

The church was originally on the "Brooklyn" Circuit but in 1867 was attached to the Winterset Circuit. In 1878, it became the "Pleasant View Class of the Macksburg Circuit, of Corning District of the Des Moines Conference of the M. E. Church".

Photo TBS

On March 24, 1890, the Class resolved to build a new church building. The cornerstone fo the new building was laid on May 22, 1890, Rev. J. S. Morrow conducting the ceremony. Construction costs were $1271. Services were held in this building until October 7, 1928, after which the church was torn down and some of the materials used for the M. E. Church in Macksburg. The papers and relics that had been sealed in the cornerstone were given to the Madison County Historical Society in August of 1929 by Thomas Kauffman, one of the men who helped with the teardown.

Members of the first class (1856) were as follows:

Quoting from an editorial in The Winterset Madisonian of April 27, 1925, "A few days ago we were in the vicinity of the old Pleasant View church in Webster township. This old church, located on a commanding view of the beautiful Middle River valley, is one of the landmarks of Webster township. We have printed many a sale bill in which location was described as so many miles from the Pleasant View church. Its early membership were people whose influence for good was decided. There were the Orrises, the Krells, the Milligans, the Smiths (Orris), the Dorseys, the Walkers and the Wilsons, the most of whom are now creditably represented in the county by the second, third and even the fourth generation. Today, the old church is not in use. No one is interested in church services or Sunday school though another denomination supports a church in the same neighborhood".

__________________