FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH The earliest record books of this church have been lost, which make it difficult to the historian to give a complete and accurate account of its organization.  However, in 1899 the twenty-first anniversary of the church was held, at which the pastor of that day, Arthur M. Judy, and others, supplied most of the missing links in papers read upon that interesting occasion.  The paper of Major Morton L. Marks appears to be the most pertinent to the subject.  He relates: "On June 28, 1868, Rev. Laird Collier preached afternoon and evening in the Burtis opera house to congregations which 'would have filled to overflowing any church in the city.'  After the evening meeting the first recorded step toward the organization of the Unitarian church in Davenport was taken by adoption of a motion offered by Dr. Barrows, that a Liberal church be organized.  Sixty-three signatures of ladies and gentlemen who favored such an organization having been obtained, a committee consisting of H. Darlington, John Gallagan, A. Kimball, W. A. Remington and Dr. D. C. Roundy was appointed to canvass the matter further and report at an adjourned meeting in the opera house Tuesday, June 30th, two days later.  The meeting having come together at the appointed time, the church was organized by the adoption of articles of association.  At the same meeting the following trustees were elected:  A. H. Bennett, Howard Darlington, John Gallagan, Dr. D. C. Roundy and A. Kimball.  Twenty-eight signatures were secured at this meeting and it was decided to secure the services of a pastor.  During the summer the pulpit was supplied as follows:  July 19th, by Rev. Robert Collier, of Chicago; July 26th, by Rev. W. S. Haywood, of Boston; August 23d, by Rev. F. E. Kitridge, of Concord, New Hampshire; August 26th, by Rev. McDaniel, of Brighton, Massachusetts; September 27, 1868, and on the following Sunday, Rev. N. Seaver, of Boston, preached morning and afternoon at the Burtis opera house, and early in October the society extended to him a call to fill the pulpit, which he accepted and entered upon his pastoral duties Novenber 14, 1868.  February 16, 1871, articles of incorporation were filed by the following persons:  D. C. Roundy, M. K. Parks, E. A. Day, John C. Bills, H. C. F. Jensen, George E. Hubbell and George H. French, for the purpose of acquiring and disposing of property and to create debts not to exceed $2,000, and in 1875, druing Rev. Hunting's pastorate, the constitution upon which the church is now acting was adopted.  For some time services were held in the Burtis opera house, then in the city hall.  In 1870 the society built a church of its own, which was dedicated February 19, 1871.  The present building, on the corner of Tenth and Perry streets, was erected in 1897 and in 1905 was remodeled. Debbie Clough G-erischer G-erischer Family Web Site http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/ Assistant CC, Iowa Gen Web, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ List Manager for: IASCOTT-L * G-erischer-L * D-encker-L Fitzpatirck-L * V-lerebome-L * Huntington-L * Otis-L * Algar-L EIGS-L * Pickens-L * McNab-L * Patris-L - Rankin-L