As mentioned yesterday, here is a story about the first church building in Eau Claire. This is from the book "Sawdust City" by Lois Barland. The First Church Building in Eau Claire In October, 1856, but eight months after the platting of the village of Eau Claire, the Reverend William Wynkoop McNair located in the town as a Presbyterian missionary. He had come from the state of his birth, Pennsylvania, to Fort Winnebago, now Portage, organized a congregation and built a church. He first visited Eau Claire in September 1856, and deciding it was a proper field for his activities, applied for release from the Portage church, which he received October 6, 1856. He was thirty-one years of age, having been born September 21, 1825. In the same month of October, the Rev. Alberoni Kidder came from the east to the little village and like Mr. McNair, decided he was called to labor in this field. He was forty-two years of age, the date of his birth being February 14, 1814. They agreed to labor together, preaching alternate Sundays, one in the Village of Eau Claire and the other in the Village of Eau Claire City. A little temporary school house and the bar room of the Eau Claire House were used for the East side services until Reed's Hall was built and the bar room of the Niagara House on the West side, until the erection of Allen's Hall. Both showed their faith in the town by erecting houses on Farwell Street. Mr. Kidder, December 19, 1856, organized a Congregational Society, with the following charter members; Gilbert E. Porter, Elias S. Ketcham, Thomas Barland, Alberoni Kidder, Mrs. Henry Huntington, Mrs. Elen Ketcham and Mrs. Harriet Ketcham. Early in 1857, the need of a House of Worship was recognized. This was not because the bar rooms did not furnish sufficient seating space -- the fact the town possessed a church would give it standing in the older communities, and additional dignity. Accordingly, a subscription list was circulated, and liberally signed. The sawmill owners contributed lumber and materials, although some of the longer timbers were purchased in Chippewa Falls, the people of that place claimed. The proposed building was to be used by both Mr. McNair and Mr. Kidder, on alternate Sundays, the other preaching on the West side. In July 1857, the residents of the place, at the request of Mr. McNair, met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Orrin H. Ingram. The following were present and entered into a covenant for the organization of a church society: Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Cook, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Wells, Mrs. McVicar, Mrs. Silver (Mary A.?), Mrs. Hendershot, Mrs. Bissell, Mr. Donald Kennedy, Mrs. Orrin H. Ingram. All were at the time members of Presbyterian churches at other places. It is regretted the full names of all cannot be given. The United States Census of 1860 shows several "Mrs. McVicars", and does not identify the others. Previous to May 1857, the site of the proposed ediface had been agreed upon viz: the northeasterly corner of South Barstow and Emery Streets, or Lot 6 of Block 12, of the Village of Eau Claire. From the advertisements in the Times, it appears it was also agreed the church should be known as Presbyterian. On November 16, 1857, after the building was nearing completion, a meeting of the Congregation was called for perfecting the organization. Donald Kennedy, Jacob S. Cook and Orrin H. Ingram were elected trustees. The papers were, however, not drawn or signed until December 5, 1857. The proprietors of the Village of Eau Claire Plat, Nelson C. Chapman, Joseph G. Thorp, Richard F. Wilson and William H. Gleason on January 26, 1858, deeded the lot on which the church had been erected, Lot 6 of Block 12, for a consideration of $1.00 to the three trustees, Messrs. Kennedy, Cook and Ingram. Three witnesses attached their names to the deed, Francis B. Medlar, James A. Gray and Peter Bellinger. The later acted as notary. And the registrar of deeds, Charles H. Howard, made no charge for recording the instrument. By November, 1858, the membership of the Board of Trustees had changed, and was composed of Donald Kennedy, Nelson C. Chapman, and Selim Hobart Peabody, to them as trustees, was deeded Lot 7, and the adjoining lot on t he north side under the date of November 30, 1858 by Messrs. Gleason and Wilson, who owned a half interest. The deed to the other half interest was given by the Eau Claire Lumber Company January 23, 1893. +++++++++++ Next time, we'll be reading about Selim Hobart Peabody and more about the early church in Eau Claire. -- Nance mailto:nsampson@spacestar.net