Part 6 The ten years closing with 1866 were years of steady growth and prosperity.  The church was then under the care of C. J. Truesdale.  The congregation was still larger in 1867, when the Rev A. B. Kindig succeeded to the pastorate.  It was decided that the Fifth Street church was too small and a division of the membership was made at a meeting of the official board February 25th of that year.  March 1st, the trustees reported the purchase of a lot at the corner of Fourteenth and Brady streets and a resolution was passed to proceed at once to build a church edifice thereon.  A tabernacle for the temporary use of the society was ordered.  March 8th it was reported ready for use and March 25th the building committee were authorized to procure plans and let the contract for a two-story building, forty-four by seventy-six feet.  About eighty members of the parent society went to form the new one and Rev. J. C. Irwin, then of Moline, was asked to come and take charge of the church.  The new church was dedicated in 1867 and Rev. Thomas Eddy preached the sermon.  The first pastor was Emery Miller.  the report for 1868 was:  Fifth Street church, full membership, 243; Fourteenth Street church, full membership, eighty-one:  total, 324.  The report for 1888 showed:  Fifth Street church, 297; Fourteenth Street church, 220; total, 517.  The net gain in twenty years was 193.  The Fourteenth Street church maintained a mission in East Davenport for many years at Spring Street church.  Cook chapel, Gilruth chapel, and Fourteenth Street church were all offshoots of the parent church.  While the society occupied the little old church the conference was held in it.  Bishop Waugh presided at that conference.  At the conference of 1863 it was decided that the railroad trains on Fifth street interfered too much with the church services, and permission was granted to sell the property, and the lot upon which the next church then stood was purchased at a cost of $6,000.  It was expected that $12,000 and the proceeds of the old church probably would pay for the new site and build the church.  In February, 1872, plans for the building were submitted, and on March 8th the committee let the contract for the building at Ninth street.  The building was completed and furnished and was dedicated February 9, 1873.  Bishop Andrews preached the didicatory sermon.  The full membership was 168, and Rev. Emery Miller was pastor.  In 1879 Dr. Rhea was pastor.  The Women's Foreign Missionary society was organized in 1874, and the Home Missionary society in 1883. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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