time for some more humor ... jack I've been doing family history for nearly 30 years, Diligently tracing my illustrious forebears. From Pigeon Lake to Peterborough, Penrith to Penzance My merry band of ancestors as led me quite a dance. There's cooks from Kent and guards from Gwent and chimney sweeps from Chester. There's even one daft fisherman lived all his life in Leicester. There's no-one rich or famous, no not even well-to-do, Though a second cousin twice removed once played in goal for Crewe. I've haunted record offices from Gillingham to Jarrow. The little gray cells of my mind would humble Hercule Poirot. I've deciphered bad handwriting that would shame a three year old, And brought the black sheep of the family back to the fold. My bride of just three minutes I left standing in the church, As I nipped into the graveyard for a spot of quick research. Eventually I found an uncle, sixty years deceased, That was far more satisfying than a silly wedding feast. After three weeks of wedded bliss, my wife became despondent She named the public records office as the co-respondent. I didn't even notice when she packed her bags and went I was looking for a great-grandad's will, who'd died in Stoke on Trent. But now my 30 year obsession's lying in the bin Last Tuesday week, I heard some news that made me pack it in. Twas then my darling mother, who is not long for this earth, Casually informed me they'd adopted me at birth! Author unknown

I think this is an interesting article -- and, who knows, she may be one of your ancestors.. Nancee ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Chariton Leader, Chariton, Iowa Thursday, December 10, 1908 'Refuses To Accept Pension' Woman Toils in Preference to Taking Government Cash. ~~~~~~~~~~~ Kansas City, Mo. -- In a restaurant kitchen, where the shouts of the waiters as they give their orders mingle with the rattle of the dishes, stands a woman every day washing dishes. The work is hard and the woman, MRS. MARY CARPENTER of 902 Central Avenue, has reached that time of life when work is not so easy as it was ten years ago. But she seems contented with the work, with the $2.50 she receives every week as her wages and with her secret. For this woman, the widow of a Civil War Veteran, has a secret that, so far, no one has been able to fathom. It was four years ago that MRS. CARPENTER's husband died. A pension of $12 a month was awarded her, but when the pen was offered her to sign the papers and receive the money she demurred. "I'll not sign," she said stolidly. "Why?" "Ill not sign." That was the only answer. No reason was given, the money seemed to produce no interest in MRS. CARPENTER, she refused to sign the papers and she refused to give any reason. On the $2.50 a week she earns MRS. CARPENTER lives, clothes and feeds herself. She might have three dollars a week without working, but evidently she doesn't care for it. When Judge Van B. Prather, probate judge of Wyandotte County, appointed the Banking Trust Company of Kansas City, Kan., the guardian of $500 pension money now in the trust company's vaults and of future payments, recently, there was no remonstrance from MRS. CARPENTER. She is content to allow the money to be held in trust for her -- and to keep the secret which seems a whim to others. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert April 20, 2005 iggy29@rnetinc.net

Decatur County wasn't included in this one but you might want to look at it for other counties. - Stacey FYI - From the Coordinators' List I am pleased to announce that the entire 1840 Iowa Territory Census has now been transcribed and proofread and is now on-line at The USGenWeb Census Project ® This census of 7860 names may be accessed by individual county http://www.us-census.org/states/iowa/ OR There is also a combined alphabetical index for the entire 1840 census if you scroll to the bottom of the above mentioned page and click on the letter of the alphabet you are interested in or finding what you need from the files located at the following: http://ftp.us-census.org/pub/usgenweb/census/ia/1840/

Thanks to all the wonderful people on this site who emailed information to me. It's great to be on this site, everyone is so helpful and friendly. Hope I can help some of you out in the future. Sincerely, Barbara Trammell Texas (Kelley & Ownby families)

The methodist church is still there, i drive by it every summer. I s'pect the best way to contact them would be to send a letter to Ruth Scott in Decatur. Don't worry 'bout the street address, she'll get it. She's the stringer for Decatur in the Leon Journal Reporter....mac killeen texas ----- Original Message ----- From: Danny & Barbara Trammell To: IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 10:59 PM Subject: [IADECATU] Decatur" Ownby" family/ Afton" Kelley" family Hi, can anyone tell me how to contact the Episcopal Methodist Church in Afton, Iowa. I've been told it's still there. Also, a Methodist Church in Decatur that would have been around in the late 1800's???? Looking for more info on The James & Sarah (Sallie) Ownby family in Decatur. They are buried in the Decatur Cemetery, I have the plot info etc.... James & Sallie are my Great Grandparents. Thanks, Barbara Texas ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx

Hi, can anyone tell me how to contact the Episcopal Methodist Church in Afton, Iowa. I've been told it's still there. Also, a Methodist Church in Decatur that would have been around in the late 1800's???? Looking for more info on The James & Sarah (Sallie) Ownby family in Decatur. They are buried in the Decatur Cemetery, I have the plot info etc.... James & Sallie are my Great Grandparents. Thanks, Barbara Texas

Does anyone have a new email for SUE SANDALL. or an address for her? thanks, marie, iowa

Stacey, I've been meaning to tell you how great the webpage looks with the changes you have made. Much easier to read and find stuff. Thanks for all the work you do......it is appreciated but we don't tell you as often as we should! Thanks, Jan Lund genhelp@att.net ----- Original Message ----- From: <Momdit@aol.com> To: <IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 10:28 AM Subject: [IADECATU] WEBSITE ADDITIONS > The 1885 Iowa State Census transcription of Center Twp. is now complete. > See pages 1-22 at: _www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu/census.html_ > (http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu/census.html) > > Stacey Dietiker > County Coordinator Decatur County, Iowa IowaGenweb Website > www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu > > > ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== > Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, > Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - > http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu > > ============================== > Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for > ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx > >

The 1885 Iowa State Census transcription of Center Twp. is now complete. See pages 1-22 at: _www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu/census.html_ (http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu/census.html) Stacey Dietiker County Coordinator Decatur County, Iowa IowaGenweb Website www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu

Hi John: Thanks for the website of the Primitive Baptist Church. I had forgotten about it but they are adding new information as they find it. Everybody should check it out because they have a lot of "membership" lists in certain areas. I was in touch with Robert Webb and he sent me an obituary. I made a donation to his church as a "Thank You" not to mention the postage and copying costs he had. He is very helpful and I found some of my McMURTRYs in Knox County, Illinois attended the church as well as some BRUNERs. Appreciate your reminder. Good luck in your research! Jan Lund genhelp@worldnet.att.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "J. R. Sanders" <jrsanders56@yahoo.com> To: <IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 7:58 AM Subject: [IADECATU] Re: IADECATU-D Digest V05 #68 > Nancee, > > Thanks for the excerpt on Decatur County churches from History of Decatur > County Iowa. My g-g-grandfather, John B. Sanders, was pastor of the > Palestine Church; his son-in-law, William Albert Coddington, was a deacon. > > For those who may not know, there's a great web page devoted to the > history of the Primitive Baptist churches at > http://www.carthage.lib.il.us/community/churches/primbap/Index.html. The > site's maintained by a church elder, Robert Webb, who is very accessible > and heplful with research questions. > > John R. Sanders > California > > IADECATU-D-request@rootsweb.com wrote: > > IADECATU-D Digest Volume 05 : Issue 68 > > Today's Topics: > #1 BILLY SUNDAY's METHODS. ["Thelma Dorsey" #2 'BILLY SUNDAY' -- Check > this artic ["Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert" > Administrivia: > To unsubscribe from IADECATU-D, send a message to > > IADECATU-D-request@rootsweb.com > > that contains in the body of the message the command > > unsubscribe > > and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but if your software > requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. > > ______________________________Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 06:47:49 -0500 > From: "Thelma Dorsey" <Theldors@mchsi.com> > To: IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: BILLY SUNDAY's METHODS. > > Nancee, > > A lot of "list" readers may be asking "BillyWho?" > I can remember my parents talking about the famed evangelist Billy Sunday. > I > found it amusing to learn from this that he had clay feet much like > evangelists of today. > Thank you. I will share this. > > Jane Dorsey > > ______________________________Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 14:24:23 -0500 > From: "Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert" <iggy29@rnetinc.net> > To: IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: 'BILLY SUNDAY' -- Check this article. > >>From the Decatur County, Iowa website: > (2nd to last paragraph mentions Billy Sunday) > > Copied from: History of Decatur County Iowa 1839-1970 by Himena V. Hoffman > p > 109 - 112 > Just to mention a few of the rural churches, there was Palestine, in whose > churchyard the Akes and Jacob Warner family are buried. There is no longer > a > building there. The Shy church near the cemetery where the graves of the > Rumleys, the Jonathan Hamiltons, and the Slys may be found. Fairview, > where > once a Methodist congregation worshipped, Elk Chapel named for an animal > that perhaps was never in the county or at least seldom seen even by the > pioneers, now Salem and Bethel in 1970, two of the countie oldest > churches, > the church at Woodland and many more. > Of these churches it would seem that more were Baptist than any other > denomination, and some were used sometimes for one group and then for > another. > Among these in Presbyterian Church in Leon were first of all Calvin > Johnson, > who had so much for the church in the days before the War, Francis Varga, > George T. Young. A. J. Allen, and George Woodbury. Dr. William Todd and > his > wife also joined the church, V. R. McGinnis and Sam Darrah were members of > importance at the end of the period. > In the Christian Church John Gardner gave the land on which their first > church was built and where the present building is located. Dr. > McClelland, > J. B. Lunbeck, L. W. Hebener as well as John W. Gardner, William A. > Gardner, > S. E. Gardner were among the elders and deacons. frank Garber's lines on > the > Gardners could apply well to their connection with the Christian Church, > Gardners almost a full score, Mighty men and lovely women." > In the Methodist Church, William and Elizabeth Loving, retired from their > farm near Pleasanton, gave $5000 to the building fund of the Methodist > Church in Leon, over half of its cost. L. P. Sigler and W. W. Wood gave > the > first organ in 1877. W. W. Craig, always called in the church Brother > Craig, > saw to it that the ministers salary was paid, going to J. W. Rowell, C. W. > Hoffman, L. P. Sigler, and others who would always donate more than their > share to add to what came from his own pocket. > At Garden Grove Lucretia Arnold, widow of Sylvanus Arnold, gave the ground > on which the church was built and donated a bell for the belfry. Nathaniel > Shaw and his daughter, Charlotte, were devout members. > The Presbyterians at Garden Grove, like those a Leon were indebted to the > Calvin Johnsons, but after the Civil War leading members included the J. > O. > Parrish and the Professor Harkness family. The arrival of the Bryson Bruce > family also add to that church. No family did more for the church than the > Northups. > In the Episcopal Church could be found, the Manneys, the Mallettes, the > Howes, and the Judds. Allan Judd, whose mother, Mrs. Hawkins Judd, was one > of the first, if not the first, Episcopalian in the county, became an > Episcopalian rector. > In Van Wert, the O. E. Stearns family were leading members of the > Methodist > Church. > J. R. Smith was a leading lay member of a rural Methodist Church in > Fayette > township which moved to Lamoni after that town was established. > Among the Brethren, the Garbers, the Sears, and the Kobs continued to keep > the affairs of the church prospering. > As to the Catholics, it was Patrick and William Grogan, Patrick and Dennis > Mullen, and Maurice Daughton who with their wives gave the land on which > the > church was built in Woodland, and it was on these families and on them and > the Griffins, the Barretts, and Conwells, as well as on a few other devout > members that the priests depended when they came from some mission or > church > to the two small churches in Woodland and at Grand River. > An examination of the church records show that though the churches > depended > so much on their members, many prominent business and professional people > did not belong to any church. In Leon, John W. Harvey, Aaron Long, and S. > W. > Hurst did not belong to any church. Joseph Warner, one-time Cumberland > minister, did not join the Presbyterian Church organized in 1886 nor did > J. > R. Bashaw, his brother-in-law. In garden Grove neither A. B. or Dan > Stearns > were church members, and though John Clark built the church in Davis City, > he did not belong to a church. However, Mrs Harvey, Mrs. Hurst, Mrs > Warner,, > and Mrs Bashaw were active church members. > The period between the Civil War and the Spanish American War was a time > of > revival meetings, sometimes called protracted meetings. Particularly after > 1880 these took the place of the camp those already in church. Even the > smallest rural churches held revival services and in the towns union > services were sometimes held. These services were sometimes held by a > local > minister, but often a revivalist came, held the meetings, took up a > collection, and then went elsewhere. > Sometimes these meetings meant quite an increase in church membership. The > Reverend A. Hull reported he added seventy-five converts to the church in > 1876, but his successor noted, "the record shows only fifty" > The union revival meetings held in 1886 by Reverend Dean added forty-five > members to the Presbyterian church and at least that many to the Methodist > and Christian churches. > Just at the close of the century, Billy Sunday, not yet a widely known > revivalist held union revival services in the newly built Biggs building. > The meetings were organized in the way that would later attract large > crowds > in the big cities. The choir, the soloist, "the personal workers", and > most > of all the dramatic preaching of Billy Sunday attracted large attendance > and > resulted in many converts, including leaders in the community. > In the Presbyterian Church in Leon the ministers also served other > churches. > A. A. Mather in 1869 held services at Grand River and Decatur. The > scholarly > Mr. Gurley seems to have severed his connections with the Leon church > because it included services at Crown. The Reverend Gurley was in Leon > five > years and Silas Johnson four years. > copied by Carm > > > --------------------------------- > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site! > > > ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== > Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, > Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - > http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx >

Nancee, Thanks for the excerpt on Decatur County churches from History of Decatur County Iowa. My g-g-grandfather, John B. Sanders, was pastor of the Palestine Church; his son-in-law, William Albert Coddington, was a deacon. For those who may not know, there's a great web page devoted to the history of the Primitive Baptist churches at http://www.carthage.lib.il.us/community/churches/primbap/Index.html. The site's maintained by a church elder, Robert Webb, who is very accessible and heplful with research questions. John R. Sanders California IADECATU-D-request@rootsweb.com wrote: IADECATU-D Digest Volume 05 : Issue 68 Today's Topics: #1 BILLY SUNDAY's METHODS. ["Thelma Dorsey" #2 'BILLY SUNDAY' -- Check this artic ["Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert" Administrivia: To unsubscribe from IADECATU-D, send a message to IADECATU-D-request@rootsweb.com that contains in the body of the message the command unsubscribe and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but if your software requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. ______________________________Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 06:47:49 -0500 From: "Thelma Dorsey" <Theldors@mchsi.com> To: IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com Subject: BILLY SUNDAY's METHODS. Nancee, A lot of "list" readers may be asking "BillyWho?" I can remember my parents talking about the famed evangelist Billy Sunday. I found it amusing to learn from this that he had clay feet much like evangelists of today. Thank you. I will share this. Jane Dorsey ______________________________Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 14:24:23 -0500 From: "Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert" <iggy29@rnetinc.net> To: IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com Subject: 'BILLY SUNDAY' -- Check this article. From the Decatur County, Iowa website: (2nd to last paragraph mentions Billy Sunday) Copied from: History of Decatur County Iowa 1839-1970 by Himena V. Hoffman p 109 - 112 Just to mention a few of the rural churches, there was Palestine, in whose churchyard the Akes and Jacob Warner family are buried. There is no longer a building there. The Shy church near the cemetery where the graves of the Rumleys, the Jonathan Hamiltons, and the Slys may be found. Fairview, where once a Methodist congregation worshipped, Elk Chapel named for an animal that perhaps was never in the county or at least seldom seen even by the pioneers, now Salem and Bethel in 1970, two of the countie oldest churches, the church at Woodland and many more. Of these churches it would seem that more were Baptist than any other denomination, and some were used sometimes for one group and then for another. Among these in Presbyterian Church in Leon were first of all Calvin Johnson, who had so much for the church in the days before the War, Francis Varga, George T. Young. A. J. Allen, and George Woodbury. Dr. William Todd and his wife also joined the church, V. R. McGinnis and Sam Darrah were members of importance at the end of the period. In the Christian Church John Gardner gave the land on which their first church was built and where the present building is located. Dr. McClelland, J. B. Lunbeck, L. W. Hebener as well as John W. Gardner, William A. Gardner, S. E. Gardner were among the elders and deacons. frank Garber's lines on the Gardners could apply well to their connection with the Christian Church, Gardners almost a full score, Mighty men and lovely women." In the Methodist Church, William and Elizabeth Loving, retired from their farm near Pleasanton, gave $5000 to the building fund of the Methodist Church in Leon, over half of its cost. L. P. Sigler and W. W. Wood gave the first organ in 1877. W. W. Craig, always called in the church Brother Craig, saw to it that the ministers salary was paid, going to J. W. Rowell, C. W. Hoffman, L. P. Sigler, and others who would always donate more than their share to add to what came from his own pocket. At Garden Grove Lucretia Arnold, widow of Sylvanus Arnold, gave the ground on which the church was built and donated a bell for the belfry. Nathaniel Shaw and his daughter, Charlotte, were devout members. The Presbyterians at Garden Grove, like those a Leon were indebted to the Calvin Johnsons, but after the Civil War leading members included the J. O. Parrish and the Professor Harkness family. The arrival of the Bryson Bruce family also add to that church. No family did more for the church than the Northups. In the Episcopal Church could be found, the Manneys, the Mallettes, the Howes, and the Judds. Allan Judd, whose mother, Mrs. Hawkins Judd, was one of the first, if not the first, Episcopalian in the county, became an Episcopalian rector. In Van Wert, the O. E. Stearns family were leading members of the Methodist Church. J. R. Smith was a leading lay member of a rural Methodist Church in Fayette township which moved to Lamoni after that town was established. Among the Brethren, the Garbers, the Sears, and the Kobs continued to keep the affairs of the church prospering. As to the Catholics, it was Patrick and William Grogan, Patrick and Dennis Mullen, and Maurice Daughton who with their wives gave the land on which the church was built in Woodland, and it was on these families and on them and the Griffins, the Barretts, and Conwells, as well as on a few other devout members that the priests depended when they came from some mission or church to the two small churches in Woodland and at Grand River. An examination of the church records show that though the churches depended so much on their members, many prominent business and professional people did not belong to any church. In Leon, John W. Harvey, Aaron Long, and S. W. Hurst did not belong to any church. Joseph Warner, one-time Cumberland minister, did not join the Presbyterian Church organized in 1886 nor did J. R. Bashaw, his brother-in-law. In garden Grove neither A. B. or Dan Stearns were church members, and though John Clark built the church in Davis City, he did not belong to a church. However, Mrs Harvey, Mrs. Hurst, Mrs Warner,, and Mrs Bashaw were active church members. The period between the Civil War and the Spanish American War was a time of revival meetings, sometimes called protracted meetings. Particularly after 1880 these took the place of the camp those already in church. Even the smallest rural churches held revival services and in the towns union services were sometimes held. These services were sometimes held by a local minister, but often a revivalist came, held the meetings, took up a collection, and then went elsewhere. Sometimes these meetings meant quite an increase in church membership. The Reverend A. Hull reported he added seventy-five converts to the church in 1876, but his successor noted, "the record shows only fifty" The union revival meetings held in 1886 by Reverend Dean added forty-five members to the Presbyterian church and at least that many to the Methodist and Christian churches. Just at the close of the century, Billy Sunday, not yet a widely known revivalist held union revival services in the newly built Biggs building. The meetings were organized in the way that would later attract large crowds in the big cities. The choir, the soloist, "the personal workers", and most of all the dramatic preaching of Billy Sunday attracted large attendance and resulted in many converts, including leaders in the community. In the Presbyterian Church in Leon the ministers also served other churches. A. A. Mather in 1869 held services at Grand River and Decatur. The scholarly Mr. Gurley seems to have severed his connections with the Leon church because it included services at Crown. The Reverend Gurley was in Leon five years and Silas Johnson four years. copied by Carm --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site!

From the Decatur County, Iowa website: (2nd to last paragraph mentions Billy Sunday) Copied from: History of Decatur County Iowa 1839-1970 by Himena V. Hoffman p 109 - 112 Just to mention a few of the rural churches, there was Palestine, in whose churchyard the Akes and Jacob Warner family are buried. There is no longer a building there. The Shy church near the cemetery where the graves of the Rumleys, the Jonathan Hamiltons, and the Slys may be found. Fairview, where once a Methodist congregation worshipped, Elk Chapel named for an animal that perhaps was never in the county or at least seldom seen even by the pioneers, now Salem and Bethel in 1970, two of the countie oldest churches, the church at Woodland and many more. Of these churches it would seem that more were Baptist than any other denomination, and some were used sometimes for one group and then for another. Among these in Presbyterian Church in Leon were first of all Calvin Johnson, who had so much for the church in the days before the War, Francis Varga, George T. Young. A. J. Allen, and George Woodbury. Dr. William Todd and his wife also joined the church, V. R. McGinnis and Sam Darrah were members of importance at the end of the period. In the Christian Church John Gardner gave the land on which their first church was built and where the present building is located. Dr. McClelland, J. B. Lunbeck, L. W. Hebener as well as John W. Gardner, William A. Gardner, S. E. Gardner were among the elders and deacons. frank Garber's lines on the Gardners could apply well to their connection with the Christian Church, Gardners almost a full score, Mighty men and lovely women." In the Methodist Church, William and Elizabeth Loving, retired from their farm near Pleasanton, gave $5000 to the building fund of the Methodist Church in Leon, over half of its cost. L. P. Sigler and W. W. Wood gave the first organ in 1877. W. W. Craig, always called in the church Brother Craig, saw to it that the ministers salary was paid, going to J. W. Rowell, C. W. Hoffman, L. P. Sigler, and others who would always donate more than their share to add to what came from his own pocket. At Garden Grove Lucretia Arnold, widow of Sylvanus Arnold, gave the ground on which the church was built and donated a bell for the belfry. Nathaniel Shaw and his daughter, Charlotte, were devout members. The Presbyterians at Garden Grove, like those a Leon were indebted to the Calvin Johnsons, but after the Civil War leading members included the J. O. Parrish and the Professor Harkness family. The arrival of the Bryson Bruce family also add to that church. No family did more for the church than the Northups. In the Episcopal Church could be found, the Manneys, the Mallettes, the Howes, and the Judds. Allan Judd, whose mother, Mrs. Hawkins Judd, was one of the first, if not the first, Episcopalian in the county, became an Episcopalian rector. In Van Wert, the O. E. Stearns family were leading members of the Methodist Church. J. R. Smith was a leading lay member of a rural Methodist Church in Fayette township which moved to Lamoni after that town was established. Among the Brethren, the Garbers, the Sears, and the Kobs continued to keep the affairs of the church prospering. As to the Catholics, it was Patrick and William Grogan, Patrick and Dennis Mullen, and Maurice Daughton who with their wives gave the land on which the church was built in Woodland, and it was on these families and on them and the Griffins, the Barretts, and Conwells, as well as on a few other devout members that the priests depended when they came from some mission or church to the two small churches in Woodland and at Grand River. An examination of the church records show that though the churches depended so much on their members, many prominent business and professional people did not belong to any church. In Leon, John W. Harvey, Aaron Long, and S. W. Hurst did not belong to any church. Joseph Warner, one-time Cumberland minister, did not join the Presbyterian Church organized in 1886 nor did J. R. Bashaw, his brother-in-law. In garden Grove neither A. B. or Dan Stearns were church members, and though John Clark built the church in Davis City, he did not belong to a church. However, Mrs Harvey, Mrs. Hurst, Mrs Warner,, and Mrs Bashaw were active church members. The period between the Civil War and the Spanish American War was a time of revival meetings, sometimes called protracted meetings. Particularly after 1880 these took the place of the camp those already in church. Even the smallest rural churches held revival services and in the towns union services were sometimes held. These services were sometimes held by a local minister, but often a revivalist came, held the meetings, took up a collection, and then went elsewhere. Sometimes these meetings meant quite an increase in church membership. The Reverend A. Hull reported he added seventy-five converts to the church in 1876, but his successor noted, "the record shows only fifty" The union revival meetings held in 1886 by Reverend Dean added forty-five members to the Presbyterian church and at least that many to the Methodist and Christian churches. Just at the close of the century, Billy Sunday, not yet a widely known revivalist held union revival services in the newly built Biggs building. The meetings were organized in the way that would later attract large crowds in the big cities. The choir, the soloist, "the personal workers", and most of all the dramatic preaching of Billy Sunday attracted large attendance and resulted in many converts, including leaders in the community. In the Presbyterian Church in Leon the ministers also served other churches. A. A. Mather in 1869 held services at Grand River and Decatur. The scholarly Mr. Gurley seems to have severed his connections with the Leon church because it included services at Crown. The Reverend Gurley was in Leon five years and Silas Johnson four years. copied by Carm

Nancee, A lot of "list" readers may be asking "BillyWho?" I can remember my parents talking about the famed evangelist Billy Sunday. I found it amusing to learn from this that he had clay feet much like evangelists of today. Thank you. I will share this. Jane Dorsey

The Chariton Leader, Chariton, Iowa Thursday, November 19, 1908 Evangelist Billy Sunday has his sermons copyrighted, thus no newspaper dare print them or any other person repeat them to the public, without his consent unless they desire to pay the penalty for so doing. The Ottumwa Courier printed a synopsis of his sermon on "Home," prefacing the clippings with "Copyrighted by William Ashley Sunday." This may be the proper thing for a preacher to do but to a sinner it looks much like making merchandise of the Gospel. The Leader fails to find where the Savior of Men took out a copyright on the Sermon on the Mount, which to our thinking is of greater spiritual value than anything Billy has uttered during all his years as an evangelist, but maybe Christ was not a business man in the strict sense of the word, or else he would have taken out a patent on his plan for the salvation of souls (like Billy Sunday does on his panacea for sin-sick humanity.)Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of purity up and down the shores of Galilee and pleaded for the people to accept a full and free salvation without any copyright on it. He just didn't seem to care who used his words or how many people were converted by his teachings even though it might be second handed -- but Billy Sunday adheres to a more strict business principle and would send people to perdition rather than have them behold the light -- without the copyright. And then again, according to Billy Sunday, what a mistake the evangelical writers (?) made in not taking out a copyright on the several books of the Bible, and thus restricting the Gospel reading until the publishers paid the "mulct tax," according to the theory of the apostle of fat collections. The Leader is not informed as to whether Billy has his prayers "protected" by copyright or not but should his word incense happen to penetrate, like vapor to the seat of eternal justice, it would not be safe to have them answered until a transcript was received from the American patent office. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert April 11, 2005 iggy29@rnetinc.net *Just another view on 'copyright'... smile..

PLEASE REPLY TO SUE! HER EMAIL ADDRESS IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE EMAIL. Hello: I was wondering if you know of anyone who can do a marriage lookup for me? Thanks for your reply. Sue Simonich - goldsage@aol.com

PLEASE REPLY TO DARLENE! HER EMAIL ADDRESS IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE EMAIL! Hello I would like to know where my g Grandmother has disappeared to. I have searched all that I can , and what I have available to me and she appears only after marrying. She was Bertha (McKee)Boles, born in Missouri 16 Feb 1866. Married Wesley Boles 13 Sep 1885 Decatur county. Wesley was born 28 Jun 1865 Long Creek, Decatur county, died 5 Nov 1954. Bertha died 18 Dec 1938 Decatur County, Iowa ( Wheelis Cemetery) Floyd Boles b 29 Dec 1886 Richland, Decatur county, Iowa Died 21 Apr 1967 Des Moines, Polk county, Iowa (Van Wert, New Virginia) Married Grace Brammer 2 Feb 1910 Bison, Perkins county,South Dakota Grace died 4 Mar 1952 Weldon, Clarke county, Iowa Married Charlotte Reed 1 Mar 1953 Decatur county ________________________________________________________ Ethel May Boles b 2 Feb 1889 Richland, Decatur, Iowa Died 29 Dec 1920 Greeley County, Kansas (9 days after childbirth, blood poisening, Baby Reba Kirkpatrick) Albert returned to Decatur with children , after "Maes"death Married Albert R. Kirkpatrick 10 May 1904 Grand River, Decatur county, Iowa Albert Died 24 Jul 1959 Richland, Decatur county, Iowa ________________________________________________________ Sarah Ellen Boles b 6 Nov 1892 Richland, Decatur county, Iowa Died 10 Dec 1960 San Gabriel, Los Angeles county, California Married Charles Wick 1910 Oklahoma (resided mainly in Kansas, Seward County) Charles Died 1942 Baldwin City, Kansas My Father Dennis F. Wick was the 4th born of their 12 children ___________________________________________________________ Iva Blanche Boles b 14 Oct 1895 Richland, Decatur county, Iowa Died 9 May 1924 Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa Married Leo W. Fullerton 23 Nov 1913 Decatur county, Iowa Leo Died 1985 California ___________________________________________________________ Winona Alverta Boles b 20 Jul 1900 Richland, Decatur county, Iowa Died 20 Oct 1948 Osceola, Clarke county, Iowa Married Roy B. Bryant 14 May 1919 Grand River, Decatur county, Iowa Roy Died Aug 1973 Visalia, Tulare County, California ____________________________________________________________ Irene Boles b Jun 1905 Richland, Decatur county, Iowa Died 17 Jun 1962 Henry County, Illinois Married Arby F. ""Red" Woods 14 Sep 1920 Leon, Decatur county, Iowa (they divorced ?) Red Died Jan 1976 Galva, Henry County, Illinois Irene Married Bennie Morgan after 1933 Van Wert, Iowa Red Married Mary I. Adams 1941 Van Wert, Iowa ________________________________________________________________ If anyone has any information on Bertha (McKee) Boles it would be greatly appreciated. Her Father was J. Matison McKee b Indiana and her Mother was Petora Mattady ????? b Ohio. I can not find any of these relatives, I know that there was Indian descent in my Grandmother Sarah(Boles) Wick so Bertha was possibly half Indian and her mother Petora????? was full blood Indian. And of course McKee, was Irish. Thanks to anyone that can help, Darlene Wick _Lenadog1@MSN.com_ (mailto:Lenadog1@MSN.com)

I've recently run across a photo of 5 young men. One is RAYMOND LOCKWOOD, the brother of my great grandfather. This photo may be of the 1904 Osceola High School Graduates, however, it's not marked so it could be of something else. If any of these names sound familiar and anyone wants a copy of the photo, let me know. It's a little scratched, but identifiable. --Sherry FRANK MCDONALD HARRY LASH HARLEY BODEN CLARENCE GRAVES Sherry Balow balowmsg@earthlink.net

Hi Everyone! Website Additions today: 1885 State Census Pages 9 through 13 for Center Township on the Census Page. A photo of a class of Davis City kids 1935-36 Courtesy of Steve and Bud Puckett. Another family page added to the Photos Page - Puckett Family Photos also Courtesy of Steve and Bud Puckett. A link to Brian Delk's personal website with scans of a 1925-26 Weldon High School Yearbook. And Courtesy of Christy Jay, Biographies of Robert Fear, W. J. Sullivan and C.C. Wood. Check out the "What's New Page" to see just what's been added in the last month! Enjoy! Stacey McDowell Dietiker County Coordinator Decatur County, Iowa IAGenweb Website _www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu_ (http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu)

From: vlhresearcher@comcast.net Date: 04/07/05 01:10:36 To: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert; IALUCAS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [IALUCAS] DOUBLE WEDDING - GOOKIN & POUSH Thank you Nancee (again) for posting our families. For these Gookin-Poush marriages, here are the entries from the original marriage register for additional documentation and information. Lucas County, Iowa LDS FHC microfilm 1009243 Item 3, "Marriage Record Volume 8 (1907-10)" p142 Marriage 4 Nov 1908 Chester C. Poush age22 born Marion County, IA, resident Benton Twp, a farmer father Joseph H. Poush, mother Victory C. Bonebrake, first marriage; and, Harrietta M. Gooken age29 first marriage, born Benton Twp, father Clark Gookin, mother Mary Myers on 4 Nov 1908, by Guy R. Stone MG at Clark Gookin s home. Volume 8 p142 Marriage 4 Nov 1908 Elmer E. Poush age24 born Warren County, IA, resident Benton Twp, a farmer, father Joseph H. Poush, mother Victory C. Bonebrake, first marriage; and, Adda M. Gooken age22 first marriage, born Benton Twp, father Clark Gookin, mother Mary Myers on 4 Nov 1908, by Guy R. Stone MG at Clark Gookin's home. Vicky

The Chariton Leader, Chariton, Iowa Thursday, November 5, 1908 There was a double wedding out at the CLARK GOOKIN home, in Benton Township, yesterday evening, when the two daughters, ADDIE M. and HARRIET, were united in marriage respectively to ELMER E. POUSH and CHESTER C. POUSH. The Misses GOOKIN are the daughters of MR. and MRS. CLARK GOOKIN and are estimable young ladies, refined and matter-of-fact, well worthy the choices they have made, and were among the corps of efficient teachers in the Lucas County schools. The grooms are the sons of JOSEPH POUSH, are exemplary young men and have been schooled in business affairs and are thoroughly equipped for the arduous tasks in battling with affairs. They are all natives of this county and start out on the matrimonial sea with bright prospects and all wish them prosperity and happiness throughout their entire career. They will wisely settle down to farm life in Benton Township. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert April 6, 2005 iggy29@rnetinc.net