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Journal and published it for about three years, when he sold it to Taylor & Haislet, who changed the name to The Chronicle, which was conducted as an independent paper until the office was burned in 1871. The material, however, was saved and sold to the publishers of The Mirror. The Allamakee Democrat was started in the summer of 1870 by R. V. Shurley. He conducted it about one year and sold out to the Sherburns, who in a few months sold the office to T. C. Medary, who gave the paper the old name, North Iowa Journal, which he published until December, 1879, when he removed to Mason City Iowa. He was succeeded by the Dunlevy Brothers, who issued the first number of the Lansing Journal in January, 1880. The Dunlevy Brothers, John J. and Thomas, are excellent practical printers, and both of them able editors. The Lansing Journal has been, since its establishment in 1880, devoted to the interests of Lansing and the Democratic party. Its editors are reliable, industrious and intelligent. As a focal paper the Journal is without a superior in Northeastern Iowa, and is by many considered without an equal in that portion of the State.

CHURCHES.

The first religious services held in Lansing were conducted by Rev. Mann, in a log cabin on what is now Front street, then the house of John Haney, Sr., in the winter of 1848-49. There are now nine religious societies, each having a church building all completed, except the Congregational church, which will be when finished, the finest one in the city.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized by the Rev. R. A. Bishop, in 1852. A Sunday School was then organized in connection with the church, and George H. Battles was chosen Superintendent. Bev. Bishop preached his first sermon in 1851, in the house of Elijah Hale, one of Lansing's early settlers. Mr. Bishop was then traveling a circuit, including the valley of Turkey River, and all of Iowa northeast of it. When the M. E. society was organized, it was composed of nineteen members and probationers, among whom were William Hemingway, George H. Battles and S. M. Baldwin, three old-fashioned pioneer methodists, and three as good men as ever made their homes in Iowa. The first building used by this society was erected in 1857, under the leadership of Rev. H. W. Houghton, the first stationed preacher of the M. E. Church in Lansing. It was a frame building, and situated on Platt street. In 1866 the society exchanged this for a new and much larger frame building, situated on Main street, which was built by the society during that year, and dedicated in November. The church is out of debt and prosperous. The following gentlemen have occupied the position of pastor since the church was organized, in the order named as to time: H. W. Houghton, V. X. Miller, A. H. Ames, C. W. Brewer, F. C.

Mathews, H. W. Houghton, B. D. Alden, F. C. Wolfe, J. Riddlington, C. F. McLean, M. H. Smith, J. N. Kerr, J. T. Wilcox, T. E. Fleming, George Elliott, George W. Pratt, H. W. Houghton, Thomas Oliver, D. M. Parker. Rev. Houghton was pastor in '57 and '58; Wolfe, Reddlington, McLean, and Elliott held the position each for two consecutive years. Rev. Parker was appointed in the fall of 1880, and is now near the close of his second year. The others were pastors for one year each.

The Congregational Church was organized May 15th, 1853, by Rev. Timothy Lyman, with the following members: Lorenzo Bushnell, Mrs. Melinda R. Bushnell, Mrs. Louisa Reed, Lyman C. Reed, Mrs. Fanny Haney, and Mrs. Sarah Cowles. The Congregational society was incorporated May 18th, '54, the incorporators being Timothy Lyman, Jos. I. Gilbert, John Haney, G. W. Gray, John W. Remine, G. W. Hays, F. D. Cowles, T. E. Williams, and S. H. Haines. The first church building erected by the society was occupied in 1854. On March 6th, 1877, this was consumed by fire. During the same year, a new and beautifully designed edifice was begun, which remains unfinished. The basement intended for Sabbath School purposes and lecture rooms was completed in 1877 and used by the society for several years as its place of worship. The church organization is still maintained, but the society is at present without a pastor. Revs. T. Lyman, Geo. Bent, D. N. Bordwell, James B. Gilbert, S. H. Canfield, Orlando Clark, A. Graves, P. Litts and C. H. Rogers, have, in the order named, occupied the position of pastor.

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St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal Parish was organized August 26th, 1855, by Rev. G. W. Watson, of Clinton, Iowa. The wardens were: George W. Barker and J. I. Taylor; vestry, F. D. Cowles, John J. Shaw and T. E. Williams. In May, 1856, Rev. James Trimble was called to the parish for about one year. ing this year services were conducted in a school house. A church was built between '59 and '61, on Diagonal street. This was opened for worship on Advent Sunday, 1861, and consecrated by Bishop Lee, in 1862. July 23d, 1862, Rev. W. W. Estabrook D. D. delivered his first sermon, and was soon after appointed rector. Sunday, January 7th, 1866, the church was destroyed by fire. January 27th, 1867, a new church built on the corner of Center and Third streets was first occupied and consecrated by Rt. Rev. H. W. Lee, May 3d, 1868. Soon after this, W. W. Estabrook left the parish and was succeeded July 5th, 1868, by T. J. Brookes, who accepted a call to rectorship in 1869, resigning his charge in the same year. Rev. Allen accepted a call to the rectorship October 9th, 1869, and remained about one year. Rev. Charles Canfield officiated for a few months in 1872, since which time the church has been occupied only occasionally, once or twice by Bishop Lee. Rev. James Bentley preached occasionally from 1858 to 1861. Rev. T. Hooker and Dr. Eddy were both connected with the church in the

year 1862. The church organization is still maintained according to the laws and regulations of the church, but the building, the most favorably located house of worship in the city, begins to show indications of decay. The first couple married in Lansing according to the forms of this church, were Homer H. Hemenway and Amanda S. Gray. They were married, so the church record says, February 4th, 1857, and the witnesses were John Berry, G. W. Gray and Martha Haney. Among the early attendants and members of the church were, F. O. Cowles and family, Sarah Cowles, widow, and family, John I. Taylor and family, S. H. Kinee and family, Samuel B. Johnston and family, and H. H. Hemenway and family. George W. Camp, Esq., was secretary of the meeting of citizens called to organize the society. F.D. Cowles and J. I. Taylor were appointed delegates in May, 1856, to represent the parish in the convention of the Iowa Dio

cese.

In the spring and summer of 1865 frequent visits were made to Lansing by the Rev. James Frothingham, then settled in Caledonia, Minn. These visits resulted in the organization of a Presbyterian church. Mr. Frothingham, assisted by Elder Eben S. Albert, of Mt. Hope church, effected the organization Sunday, June 18, 1865. The services were conducted in the Episcopal church edifice on Diagonal street, subsequently destroyed by fire. The following persons presented certificates of membership and letters of dismission: Eben T. Albert, Mrs. Jane Albert, Sarah and Elizabeth Albert, and Mrs. Margaret Ratcliffe, from Mt. Hope Church, Allamakee Co., Io.; James and Jane Logan, Mrs. Annie Stafford, Miss Helen Gilchrist, Miss Rachael Elmendorf, and Mrs. G. W. Hayes, from other churches. Mr. A. W. Purdy, Mrs. Delia Delevan Purdy, and Mrs. Margaretta Macbay were admitted on confession of faith. These persons were formally declared organized as a church, and Mr. M. E. Albert was chosen Ruling Elder.

A meeting of the regular attendants on the services of the church was held in the parlor of the American House, on Monday evening May 7th, 1866, for the purpose of organizing a church society. A committee of three was appointed to draft a constitution and by-laws for the society, in order to a proper incorporation. The committee consisted of Rev. James Frothingham, M. M. Webster, and Cyrus Watts. At a subsequent meeting held at the same place, the committee reported a constitution and by-laws, which were adopted. Articles of incorporation were duly adopted and recorded soon after this, and a church society duly organized according to the laws of Iowa and the Presbyterian church, to be known as the First Presbyterian Church, of Lansing. The first trustees were: Amos W. Purdy, Eben T. Albert, and William C. Macbay. February 7th, 1867, these gentlemen were reelected, Mr. Purdy for three years, Mr. Albert for two, and Mr. Macbay for

one. January 6th, 1868, the term of service of W. C. McBay having expired, A. H. Woodruff was chosen trustee. Mr. E. T. Albert was reelected in January, 1869. At the annual meeting of the society, held January 3d, 1870, the method of electing trustees was changed, the changed by-law providing that three trustees should be annually chosen to serve for one year each. At this meeting E. T. Albert and A. H. Woodruff resigned. The term of A. W. Purdy expired. An election of trustees according to the new method resulted in the choice of Cyrus Watts, George D. Purdy and Glyken A. Rockwell.

In January, 1871, Cyrus Watts, S. O. Smith and George Albert were chosen trustees. W. H. Burford, G. A. Rockwell and Cyrus Watts were trustees in 1872. January 13th, 1873, Dr. N. S. Craig, Lewis Burton and J. W. Thomas were chosen. At a special meeting held January 23d, 1873, Messrs. Burton and Thomas declined to serve for reasons considered satisfactory by all, and C. T. Hart and Joseph Smith were chosen in their places. Dr. N. S. Craig, Storr Rockwell and Geo. W. Albert were trustees in 1874. Storr Rockwell, J. W. Thomas and M. McCormick in 1875 and 1876. January 3d, 1877, the time for holding the annual meetings of the society was changed from January to the first Monday of September in each year. M. McCormick, J. W. Thomas and Dr. N. S. Craig were chosen trustees to serve until the meeting in September, 1877. At that meeting the same gentlemen were elected. They were again reelected in September, 1878.

At a special meeting of the society held after evening service, August 3d, 1879, Rev. C. E. Schaible, having preached, was called to preside. The pastor, Rev. James Frothingham, requested the members of the church and congregation to unite with him in a request to the Presbytery to dissolve the pastoral relation. As, in consequence of ill-health, this seemed a necessity to the pastor, his desire was granted, and the congregation concurred in his request.

At the annual congregational meeting held September 1st, 1879, Dr. F. S. Craig, G. A. Rockwell and S. A. Rockwell were selected to prepare a paper expressing the sorrow of the church and congregation at the loss sustained in the severance of the pastoral relation between the church and Rev. James Frothingham. At a farewell reception given at the residence of J. W. Thomas on the evening of Sept. 3d, 1879, these gentlemen presented the following paper, which was fully approved by all pres

ent.

"WHEREAS, in the providence of God the relation existing for the past fourteen years between the Presbyterian church of Lansing, Iowa, and its beloved Pastor, Rev. James Frothingham, has now been severed; and,

WHEREAS, we deeply feel the loss which we sustain in his removal; therefore,

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