CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

In Kewanee there are thirteen regularly organized churches The oldest of these is the Congregational, whose organization .was effected August 7, 1855, in a school house, now a grocery store.

During the Winter previous, meetings were held in the Kewanee House and at a few private residences. The organizing council was presided over by Flavel Bascom, D.D. Forty-four persons united, many of whom had been members of the same religious body at Wethersfield.

Their names were: Clarissa Bassett, Jane BotterilL Hosea Bulkley, Robert Coolc, Martha R. Cook, Martha A. Cook. Mary A. Cook, Isabella Fell, Thomas D. Fitch, Harriet W. Fitch, J. Francis Goodrich. Sarah H. Goodrich, Elizabeth A. Hawks, Sullivan Howard. Elizabeth B. Howard, Horace M. Howard,Mary E. Howard, Harriet L. Howard, James S. Howard, Martha How­ ard. Martha A. Hooker, Nelson Lay, Mariette Lay, Frances Lay, Hiram T. Lay, Mary Jane Lay, Lemuel B. Leonard, Sarah Patrick, Olive Lin­ coln, Harvey W. Lincoln, Nancy E. Lincoln, Henry G. Little, Fidelia M. Little, Louisa S. Little, Mary M. Little, Francis Loomis, Fanny M. Loomis, Joseph R. Loomis, Ruth C. Pinney, Harriet N. Tenney, Joseph A. Talcott, Mary L. Talcott, Charlotte M. Talcott, Lucina Sykes. Of these persons, Sullivan Howard, Elizabeth Howard, Hiram T. Lay, Olive Lincoln, Nuncy E Lincoln (now Mrs. Dr. Day), Ruth C. Pinney, Joseph A., Mary L. and Charlotte M. Talcott (now Mrs. T. P. Pierce), and Lucina Sykes are still members here.

The rest have removed or gone to their reward.

The church edifice was completed and dedicated March 11. 1858, having been built the year previous. It was very much enlarged and beautified in the year 1871.

The Rev. Charles H. Pierce was preaching to the congregation at the time of organization, and remained until January, 1858. He was succeeded, as the next pastor, by Mr. Charles C. Salter, who was ordained and installed April 20, 1859, and was regularly dismissed March 11, 1861. Rev. James M. Van Wagner was called to the pastorate of the church in February, 1864, installed June 6. He remained until April 6, 1868. Rev. James Tompkins was called June 1, 1872, installed September 10, and is still filling the pulpit as pastor. Dur­ing the intervals between any of these pastorates the pulpit was filled by supplies. The congregation is now in a good condition. The membership is 239. The Sunday-school (Mr. 6. H.Loomis, Superintendent,) has an attendance of 341.

History of Henry County

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