Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988
The definitive history of the community of Anamosa, Iowa, USA
The definitive history of the community of Anamosa, Iowa, USA
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Louis and Patricia Bramer — Grace Amussen.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Benadom — Alice.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Townsend — Betty, Billy, and James.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Woodward — Richard. Stanley and<br />
John.<br />
Horace and Frieda Soper — Donald.<br />
Harm and Lizzie Benken — Mary, Martha and Emma.<br />
Mr.and Mrs. Earl Martens — Marvin.<br />
In 1952 Mrs. Albert Benadom wrote a history of the<br />
Antioch Church for the dedication held June 22 of that<br />
year. Following are compilations from her writings:<br />
In Jackson township, Jones County, on February 25.<br />
1865, a small band of pioneer settlers of the Christian<br />
denomination, held a meeting in the Hay schoolhouse<br />
to lay plans for building the Antioch Church. From the<br />
yellowed pages of the old church book. beautifully<br />
written in old script, the records show that the Rev.<br />
Joseph H. Johnson was chosen chairman, and William<br />
Jeffries. secretary, “for the purpose of selecting a<br />
location for the House of Worship on the same." The<br />
records show that Jacob Kramer gave one acre of land.<br />
Members of the three committee persons chosen to<br />
select the site were Isaac Hay, F.M. Belknap and<br />
Anthony Waggoner. Their report, choosing a site.<br />
reads. "On the raise of the hill on the North side of the<br />
road running from <strong>Anamosa</strong> to Maquoketa. and<br />
between the Hay schoolhouse and southeast corner of<br />
the same tract of land. ' '<br />
The house of worship was to be built of brick with<br />
walls one ft. thick and the dimensions of the structure<br />
32 x 40 ft. and they were to call this church Antioch. It<br />
would be free to all religious denominations, when not<br />
occupied by The Christians.<br />
A committee of four men were appointed to solicit<br />
building funds. F.M. Belknap, Anthony Waggoner,<br />
Isaac Hay, and William Byerly were on the committee.<br />
Serving on the building committee were Anthony<br />
Waggoner, Joseph Apt. Andrew Byerly and Michael<br />
Byerly; with William Jeffries. secretary, and Isaac Hay.<br />
treasurer.<br />
The building committee was given the right to<br />
proceed March ll, 1865. No dates are available of the<br />
time the church was actually completed: however, it is<br />
known that the church walls stood for one year with no<br />
roof.<br />
Following the Civil War, times were hard and money<br />
was scarce. The congregation knew the trials, toil and<br />
bitter disappointments that attended their every<br />
achievement of that day.<br />
Rev. Joseph H. Johnson of the Christian<br />
denomination, was one of the first pastors of the<br />
Antioch Church. The Rev. Nathan Potter was also an<br />
early pastor.<br />
The first wedding after the completion of the church<br />
was for Ellen Waggoner and John Bean.<br />
Roads were bad and travel was slow, but in those<br />
days it was a privilege to attend church services. Men.<br />
women and children would come for miles in wagons,<br />
on horseback, or walk to church. At times, services<br />
were held in the homes and Scriptures were read by<br />
candlelight.<br />
After the Christian organization, the United Brethren<br />
came to worship; perhaps as early as 1885, to 1905.<br />
Incomplete records show the names of Revs. Moffit.<br />
Harper, Cunningham and Clark as ministers who<br />
preached at this place.<br />
Antioch Church<br />
Built and Re-built<br />
submitted by Ruth Hardersen<br />
121<br />
The Presbyterians followed. The pastors were the<br />
Rev. Evans, Burhans. Badger and Prevost.<br />
The ensuing years were active ones. One of the<br />
largest Sunday Schools in the history of the church was<br />
conducted here. Preaching services were held every<br />
Sunday and beautiful musical programs were given.<br />
The Antioch Church burned to the ground Jan. 3.<br />
I950.<br />
The fires of the disaster had no more than cooled,<br />
when plans were underway to replace the historic<br />
church.<br />
History seems to repeat itself. Just as that small<br />
assembly of long ago met in the Hay schoolhouse to<br />
formulate plans for building the first Antioch Church:<br />
85 years later, on the same location, a special meeting<br />
was held Mar. 3, 1950, to lay plans for the construction<br />
of a new church.<br />
Earl Byerly, chairman, appointed various<br />
committees. James Whitmore. Delbert Grafft and<br />
Darvin Hardersen were selected for the wrecking and<br />
disposal of remaining walls. The building committee<br />
consisted of J .F . May. Alvin Byerly and J .E. Porter. On<br />
the finance committee were Mrs. Ray Stivers. Miss<br />
Malinda Nielsen, Guy Byerly, Albert Benadom, Charles<br />
Zimmers, R.A. Russell and John Merrill. Other<br />
meetings were held to complete the plans.<br />
Outside the $2.000 insurance, all the money was<br />
donated. Men and women worked for months giving of<br />
their time. labor and money. Gifts of money came from<br />
Michigan to California.<br />
Although it seemed a Herculean task, by May 29,<br />
1951, the first cement for the foundation was poured.<br />
The glazed tile walls were nearly completed by fall. The<br />
roof was added the following spring and the plastering<br />
was completed and oak flooring was laid during the<br />
summer of 1952. The basement for recreational<br />
purposes was completed and a modern heating plant<br />
and lighting system was installed.(This ends the article<br />
"I-iti<br />
vs.»<br />
Antioch Church. which was destroyed by flre<br />
January 3. I950. (Photo taken by Ina Meeks in I 949)<br />
._,_;v