We left off last week with a story about the first church built in Eau Claire and we read that Selim H. Peabody was on the Board of Trustees for the Village of Eau Claire. Here is more information on Mr. Peabody, along with added info on the church as per old newspaper articles. This is from the book "Sawdust City" by Lois Barland and is used by permission of the Barland family. Selim Hobart Peabody is one of the Eau Claire citizens who arose to distinction in later years. In the east he had been a professor in a school, but, his health failing, he came to Eau Claire to take a clerkship in the United States Land Office. He was still a young man, but quickly took a position of leadership in the community, and entered into its life. He read the Declaration of Independence at the great celebration of 1858; he organized the lead of a Shakespearean Society; he edited the "Free Press" in the absence of Mr. Porter, he was incorporator and secretary of the company organized in 1858 to build a bride across the Chippewa and was secretary of the first County Fair, held on the Court House Square (now Wilson Park) October 5 & 6, 1859; he helped build a casket and acted as chaplain at the funeral of a woman, before there was a clergyman in the town, and he led in the getting up of social affairs, to pass the long winter evenings. Mr. Peabody removed to Fond du Lac shortly before the War of the Rebellion, to again engage in teaching. When President Lincoln called for troops, he repeatedly offered himself, but was as often rejected by the surgeons for physical disability -- a weakness of the feet. He continued an upward career in school work, and became an outstanding educator in the country. He served as a department chief at the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893. In 1897 President McKinley urged him to accept the position of Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, but he declined. He became President of the University of Illinois, served for many years, and voluntarily resigned, to continue a line of investigation and study in which he was especially interested. In the Eau Claire Public Library is a biography of this distinguished citizen. A son, Arthur Peabody, was for many years state architect and proud of the fact he was born in Eau Claire. In the second issue of the Eau Claire "Times" dated May 23, 1857, appeared the notice of advertisements for bids for the church and stone. We may suppose ground was broken and work upon the foundation commenced in June. No report as to the awarding of the contract is found in the few copies of the papers that are available. The first issue of the Eau Claire City "Telegraph" announced; "Divine service will be performed in this city, at the usual place of worship on Sunday, May 31, by Rev. W. W. McNair." Surely a very discreet notice -- no good reason for telling the world services would be held in the Niagara House bar room. Two other notices appeared in the Eau Claire "Times," of May 23. Under the date of May 22, 1857, Mr. McNair announced as follows: "As a means of increasing my usefulness I have procured from the Presbyterian Board of Publications a large collection of very valuable and interesting publications embracing about 400 different volumes." The books were highly recommended as being suitable reading, particularly for the young. They were offered for sale at cost. Mr. McNair also announced he was permitted to give away a certain percentage of bound books and all tracts, of which he had about two hundred different kinds. From the advertisement of the Composite Building Committee, in the "Times" of May 23, it is shown the new church building was already called the 'Presbyterian Church' and this suggests, Mr. McNair being a member of this committee, that he and Mr. Kidder had already, by mutual agreement, arranged that Mr. McNair should retain the East Side field, and Mr. Kidder should take up his labors on the West Side. As to how they arrived at this decision we are left in the dark. Eau Claire "Times", May 22, 1857, A Card -- The subscriber would embrace this opportunity (the first of the kind that he has had) to express his sincere thanks to his friends in Eau Claire and vicinity for their cheerful presence at his residence, on the evening of the 13th of March, and for their very liberal gifts, amounting to about $115.00 which they left behind them. I hope I may be led by this, and by the other various acts of kindness and encouragement which I have received, to labor more earnestly and devotedly for the moral and spiritual welfare of this new and rapidly increasing population, and for the establishment of those institutions of the Gospel which tend so powerfully to promote the welfare of any community. Signed, W. W. McNair. +++++++ Tomorrow we will read another interpretation of what Eau Claire was like in the very early days. This one was written by the above signed, W. W. McNair. -- Nance mailto:nsampson@spacestar.net