Chariton's United Brethren Church, beginning to end

The old United Brethren in Christ (later Evangelical United Brethren and finally Christ United Methodist) Church at the intersection of North 8th Street and Roland Avenue in Chariton was taken down last week --- 115 years after it was built --- following years of neglect that had turned it into a wreck and a public hazard.

It was a sad but inevitable ending for a nice old building constructed during 1905 by an optimistic new congregation.

The United Brethren denomination itself --- the oldest specifically U.S. protestestant denomination --- traced its beginning to 1767 and a great evangelical meeting held in Isaac Long's barn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. During that meeting, Martin Boehm, a Mennonite preacher, told his story of becoming a Christian and a minister. The testimony moved William Otterbein, a German Reformed pastor. Otterbein left his seat, embraced Boehm, and said loud enough for everyone to hear, “Wir sind bruder” --- "We are brothers," hence the name. 

Organized formally in 1800, the new denomination was Wesleyan in polity and theological outlook, but served for the most part during its earliest days German-speaking people who failed to find a home among English-speaking Methodists. Soon, however, it became a mainline English-speaking denomination with a highly effective evangelical organization that spread rapidly across the upper Midwest and into Iowa and beyond.

By 1904, when the Chariton congregation was founded, there were three strong rural congregations elsewhere in the county --- Otterbein to the south, Norwood to the northwest and Bethel to the east --- but none in Chariton itself.

The founding minister, whose enthusiasm was largely responsible for the new congregation, was the Rev. Jacob H. Yaggy, who arrived in Chariton during 1904 fresh from the Yale University Divinity School. Although he had served as a supply pastor for various Methodist and United Brethren congregations during his years as a student, the Chariton circuit of the United Brethren Church was his first full-time charge.

He found considerable support for a mission in Chariton from his rural congregations, especially --- according to my family, present for the creation --- at Otterbein. Uncle John Rosa, for example, reportedly mortgaged 40 acres in order to help fund construction of the church building in 1905, and was a member of the congregation's first board of trustees along with H.H. Borton, J.H. Streed, Frank Chambers and H.A. Erickson. Once the Chariton congregation was on a firm footing, Uncle John returned his attention full-time to Otterbein.

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Development of the congregation began during August of 1904 with a series of tent revival meetings a half block south of the southwest corner of the square conducted by the Rev. Byron J. Clark, of Webster City, accompanied by R.R. Mohn, who led the music. Here's a report on those meetings from The Chariton Leader of Aug. 11:

The tent meetings which are in progress near the southeast corner of the square under the auspices of the United Brethren denomination are attracting large crowds and will undoubtedly result in great good. Evangelist Byron J. Clark is a pleasant speaker and preaches powerful sermons. Prof. R.R. Mohn, the singing evangelist, has an excellent voice and is a young man of great ability. A stereopticon is being used to illustrate the hymns, duets, solos, etc.

On the 8th of September, The Leader was able to report that:

In view of the fact that there are many United Brethren in and around Chariton, and on account of the renewed interest resulting from the recent tent meeting, a church of the United Brethren denomination has been organized. Up to the present time 28 persons have been received by letter and on profession of faith into full membership and two as associate members. The charter will be held open until next Sunday, for there are still a number to come who wish to come in as charter members. The services will for some time be held every Sunday morning on the third floor of the Penick block in the rooms used by the A.O.U.W. lodge. The Sunday school will be organized there next Sunday morning at 10 a.m. and preaching services following at 11 o'clock. Prayer meeting will hereafter be on Thursday evening at 7:30 and will at present be held in the assembly room of the courthouse.

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The new congregation, with financial backing from the rural congregations and its new members, purchased property at the intersection of North 7th Street and Roland Avenue during the spring of 1905 and began construction of a church building soon thereafter. That building was dedicated on Sunday, Nov. 21, 1905, and was described as follows in The Leader of Nov. 23:

The new edifice is a beautiful and substantial structure, and one of which the members can feel proud. All will rejoice that they have such a pleasant place of worship. It is a frame building with a large high basement. The main auditorium facing the rostrum on the south is 40 x 50 feet; on the north of this is the lecture room 32 x 18 and tower, 10 x 10; on the south is the pastor's study, 12 x 20. The basement extends under the entire building and is divided into two rooms, one small room for coal and kindling and furnace, and a large room well lighted which will be used for social gatherings of the church.

The memorial windows have for the most part been placed by individuals or societies.The two large windows in the auditorium were donated, one by the Ladies Aid Society and one by the traveling men through Mr. J.A. Streed. The large window in the lecture room is placed by the Y.P.C.U. in honor of the pastor, Rev. J. H. Yaggy.  Of the smaller windows, three were placed by the following individuals: Mrs. M.J. Pim; Chas. Gartin to Phoebe Gartin; J.A. Streed to Albert Streed. A fourth small window was placed by the ministers of the Iowa conference.

The church is papered throughout with ingrain paper of ecru color, plain ceiling with Grecian border. the pews are of circular form and are of the best red oak finish. Among the fixtures is a fine new organ purchased in Louisville, Ky. The pulpit and choir chairs were purchased of N.S. Melville who also donated six of the choir chairs.

The room is magnificently lighted by electricity. A 12-light chandelier is suspended from the center ceiling. This in addition to the wall brackets light the building well. The heating plant is a hot air furnace. the church will seat quite comfortably 500 people. It is well and substantially built at a cost, including the grounds, approximately of $6,000. Lyon & Krysto were the contractors for the building and Robt. Osborne for the foundation.

The United Brethren church was organized in Chariton on Septemer 11, 1904, at the close of a series of meetings. The number of charter members was 38. The present pastor, Rev. J. H. Yaggy, organized the class. Since that time a number have been added to the list, there now being a membership of 59.

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The congregation continued to prosper well into the 20th century and became the Chariton Evangelical United Brethren Church during 1946 with the merger of the United Brethren in Christ and the United Evangelical Association --- another Wesleyan denomination that had originated among German-speaking people. A parsonage had been constructed just south of the church in 1910.

During 1968, the Evangelical United Brethren and the Methodist Episcopal denominations merged to form the United Methodist Church and the Chariton congregation was designated Christ United Methodist to differentiate it from Chariton's First Methodist Church just two blocks to the west.

Christ United Methodist continued for 25 years, but closed its doors just after Christmas 1993 when the two Chariton congregations were consolidated.

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The church building sat empty for two years, then was remodeled by Chariton Realtor Les Neisemier, who during 1995 opened L & D Antiques & Collectibles there with his partner, Darrell Kinner. During their tenure, the building acquired a coat of lavender paint with darker trim that would have surprised its builders but actually looked quite nice --- until it began to peel.

Neisemier, who just died in Omaha this past March at age 88, and Kinner moved elsewhere soon after the turn of the 21st century and I believe that they were responsible for the removal and sale of most of the building's stained glass, a move that diminished the building's marketability.

Other barriers to redevelopment were the sheer size of the building and the fact that the floor in the main auditorium had been built with a fan-shaped downward cant ideal for auditorium seating but a challenge to those who wished to use the area for other purposes.

Various people had various ideas for its redevelopment, but none were carried out --- and that was why the building deteriorated to the point that it was necessary to demolish it 115 years after an optimistic congregation built it.