Sunday, Oct. 4, 1903, was a big day for Chariton Lutherans --- dedication during an afternoon service of the congregation's new building at the intersection Roland Avenue and North 8th Street.
During the preceding week, Wednesday through Sunday, more than 30 pastors of the Iowa Conference of Swedish American Lutherans had gathered in the new building for their fall conference.
As a result, there had been many extra mouths to feed and chicken dinners were standard fare for visiting preachers in those days.
The Peter Johnson family, hosts to some of the visiting pastors, had planned ahead, arranging to have plenty of fat young chickens on hand and awaiting slaughter. Then disaster struck, as reported as follows in The Chariton Herald of Oct. 8 under the headline, "No Chickens for the Preachers."
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Some of the preachers attending the Swedish Lutheran conference last week were at the home of Peter Johnson, in northwest Chariton. Mr. Johnson also had about two dozen fat young chickens in his pen, with the expectation of converting them into the ministry in due time.
On last Saturday night, some thieves stole his chickens, thus bringing grief not only to the heart of Mr. Johnson but to the preachers as well. The chickens may possibly have connived with the thieves to be stolen, cackle-lating that if they were abducted and sold to someone else, their chance of remaining alive would be much better than if they stayed around where the preachers were.
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There was no follow-up report to tell us what the Johnsons served their guests in lieu of.
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