Dell's Dam Chapel

Levis Township, Clark Co., Wisconsin

Contributed by Wayne Opelt and transcribed by Janet Schwarze.

"Oxford" Dell's Dam Presbyterian Chapel, Clark Co., WI (ca. 1904)

Excerpts from the "SABBATH-SCHOOL MISSI0NS IN WISCONSIN" by Rev. Joseph Brown (pg. 71-73).

Dell's Dam, WI Mission

Maple Works, WI Mission

Shortville, WI Mission

Spokeville, WI Mission

May 28th, 1891-- We cannot but speak of the things we have seen and heard." This day we entered a new and needy field in the southern part of Clark County, called Dell's Dam. This district is as far as settlers have yet gone. I reached the district early in the afternoon, went straight to the little schoolhouse, had an interview with the teacher, and arranged to have a meeting in the evening, and gave notice of the same to the children to take home to their fathers and mothers. Having gained information as to the locations of the different settlers, I set out to visit them. Particular and kindly visitation is a first and essential element of successful Sabbath-School mission work. A visit from a Christian worker here is like "angels' visits," few and far between. This afternoon I managed to visit eight of these families, all of whom received me "joyfully." In each family I spoke kindly and hopefully, gave some reading material, and urged all to come to the meeting. This they promised to do, and they were true to their promise, for at eight o'clock the schoolhouse, lighted up with four "lamps " brought by the people, was filled. We had a short service, to which the people gave heed. I spoke on the Savior's words in Matthew 6 and 33, and sought to show the need of religion as an element in every life, from childhood onward. A Sabbath-School was organized under the care of two of the best adapted to the work to be found among the people. One of them was a member of a church at Neillsville. All seemed pleased at the result, and so was I. I promised to help them all I could, and urged them to help themselves. Everywhere I go planting Sabbath-Schools the anxious question is always put: "How long will it be before you come again to visit us and have meetings ? " What is needed is more frequent service, whereby instruction and inspiration are given through the agency of the Word preached. The Word of God is the seed which requires to be sown in order to produce a crop of Christians.

April 1st, 1893--Prayer is a duty often pressed home on the heart of the Sabbath-School missionary as he begins his great work, with few workers. God's answers to such prayer come in various ways, and when they do come, it is but right that they should be made known. A wonderful answer to such prayers has come to the Sabbath-School and district of Dell's Dam. The work begun there some three years ago, was not as prosperous as we longed for, owing to the want of suitable workers. But that is now changed. Last fall a Christian family of the right kind and full of the spirit of Christian work came to settle in the district. The Sabbath- School was opened on the first Sabbath in January, and has been carried on with vigor and success not-withstanding the deep snow. The average attendance was thirty. I visited the district this week and saw the goodness of the Lord. I held a service, the schoolhouse being filled. The service seemed to be a delight to all, old and young. This new style of living has given birth to new tastes and new wants. This I found in my visitations among the families. One lady teacher gave me an order for seven Testaments, these to be given to her class. One man, the father of a family, wanted a Bible of large type, with references in it. Another family wanted a book of 11 select readings " suited to the new condition of things; and, most important of all, a strong request was made for more frequent preaching of the gospel. I promised to help all I could. I will try and give them services at least once a month, until more help can be given. They gave $3.27 as a thank-offering. Knowing their circumstances as I do, it looks as if this gift was worthy of a place in the roll of the ' widow's mite."

November 21st, 1893--The laying of the foundation stone of the ,Oxford " Dell's Dam Sabbath-School Mission Chapel, is worthy of being recorded. This was an event that awakened the deepest interest among the families of the district; all turned out, dressed in their best. The people formed in procession and walked to the church in the following order: Sabbath-School scholars first, led by the superintendent, accompanied by Mr. Oakley, an elder of the Presbyterian church, of Neillsville, and myself, and then came the fathers and mothers. Truly it was a sight to behold, and one well fitted to awaken hopeful thoughts of a far-reaching nature. It might well be classed as one of those scenes calculated to awaken interest even among the,, Angelic host." Suitable services occupied the day, two hours being set aside for dinner and social intercourse; the latter being an important element for good at all such meetings, giving reality to the idea of a Christian brotherhood. This people have done well, having out of their small means, subscribed $300-00 for the church. Grand help came to them from the children and young people of the Oxford Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, they having given $100.00, and an organ.  They also promised to send one hundred books for the library. For all this the people feel glad and thankful.

November 18th and 19th, 1893, were days which will be memorable to the people in the district of Dell from the organ which had been so kindly presented to them. On Saturday the people were entertained at a sumptuous dinner provided by the good housewives of the district. t .. The chapel, which is neat and well finished and which is capable of accommodating above one hundred persons, cost $404.00. It was intimated that the Sabbath-School of Wenonah, New Jersey, would present the chapel with sixty chairs. Hearty votes of thanks were accorded to these kind friends, and to all others who had in any way given aid. This chapel is the seventh that has been erected in the needy fields of this state under the auspices of the Presbyterian Board of Publication and Sabbath-School Work within five years. These form the entering wedge which will lift the people to a higher and happier life, and supply important object lessons in illustrating how Sabbath-School work is being made successful and permanent.

November 19th, 1894--Last week I went to Neillsville to join Rev. Mr. Hill in a week's mission work at Dell's Dam. At the close of the week's services, ten persons signed a petition, desiring to be formed into a Presbyterian congregation. This result cheered us greatly. While sojourning at the parsonage a Scotch paper, entitled The Hamilton Advertiser of September 15, 1894, was placed in my hands, containing the following graphic letter, written by Mr. Hill. This letter gives a good idea of the cooperative work of the missionaries and ministers of this state:

"On Tuesday morning, according to arrangement, Mr. Joseph Brown, Sabbath-School missionary for the Synod of Wisconsin, arrived at the manse about half-past seven o'clock. He had come on the train from his own home that morning, some thirty miles distant. We had breakfast, and started at eight o'clock to a district called Weston, eight miles from Neillsville, our objects being to visit the farmers for six miles around; to hold a service in one of the schoolhouses, of which there are two; and, if possible, to organize a Sabbath-School. We made some calls on the way, and reached a Mrs. Black's about twelve o'clock. She is a Scotch woman, a member of our church in town. Her husband died some time ago, and her son now manages the farm. Here we were well entertained, had a rest, and started on the road again after one o'clock, our intention being to visit right on to the end of the section, fourteen miles from Neillsville, where the roads stop on the edge of the forest land.

"We got to the end of the road. On the top of the hill here stands a nice little white schoolhouse just on the edge of the forest, the tall trees forming a shady and picturesque background. Mr. Brown opened his bag at the schoolhouse, and it would have done you good to have seen how delighted these children were to receive magazines suited to their ages full of beautiful pictures and good wholesome reading. There were forty children in this school, and there is neither church nor Sabbath-School in the district. I may tell you that there are no ragged children here, nor poor children in the sense we understand it at home. Some of the farmers have not much money, but they have good homes, always plenty to eat, and can manage to clothe themselves and their children in a respectable way. The girls had on light calico dresses, and the boys-well, in summer, with the thermometer above one hundred, a pair of trousers, with a printed shirt, a straw hat, minus boots and stockings, completed their attire. These children, bright and intelligent looking, acted as missionaries for us. They carried the word to their homes that we were going to have a service in the schoolhouse in the evening. We had supper at Mr. Bullard's, whose wife is of Scotch descent--M'Kelvie being her maiden name. The farm of Mr. Bullard is the best for twelve miles round about. He settled here sixteen years ago, cleared the land of the wood, and has now something like eighty acres under cultivation. His house is beautifully situated on the top of a hill. It is a large house, and has plenty of accommodations for visitors. Here we had supper and it is enough for me to say that we were entertained like princes. If kings, in the imagination of the children, live on bread and honey, we were entertained like kings, for we had bread and honey fresh from the 'skep,' of which I counted twenty-three in the front garden. Speaking of the bees and how the Strathaven weavers carry the skeps,' out to the heather, Mrs. Bullard wanted to be enlightened. She actually wanted to know what heather was like; she had only heard about it, but had never seen it. She expressed a desire to have a piece. Now here is a task for some of your young men, to climb Kype rigg and pull a nice piece, and enclose it in a double-sized envelope. It will be valued by more than this lady, as there are many of Scotch descent who have never seen the heather, although they have often heard about it and the heath clad hills.

'But to my story of the day's work. After a good rest, we started for the schoolhouse, and held a service there at eight o'clock. There were sixty- five present, half of that number being young men and women. It is more than a year since a religious service was held in the schoolhouse; and what makes it worse is, that few of the farmers come into church at Neillsville on Sunday. It is a long road, and as they all do their own work about the farms, it is almost impossible to get to town. The vexing part of the whole subject is that the religious training of the young is sadly neglected. We hope, however, to remedy it, and if we did nothing else than reach and influence these young people in their different districts, we would do a work impossible to overestimate in importance. We have already preached in six different country districts, and were asked last week to preach in a seventh, and all this, independent of our church work in town, gives you some idea of the great need. Our Presbytery, I hope, will take the matter up and send a missionary or a student to help me. This has been talked about, but the funds of the Home Mission Board have suffered through the depression in trade felt all over the land.

"After the service, we got on the road about half-past nine o'clock, with good eight miles before us to reach Neillsville. Imagine one of the balmiest evenings at home, with a full moon and not a cloud in the sky, and you will have some idea of the night. Our longest summer evenings here are shorter by two hours than those at home. It is dark here just now at half past eight o'clock, while you will have it light on a clear night till after ten. This, of course, gives us a longer and cooler summer evening. The drive home was delightful. We overtook not a single person, nor did a single person or machine pass us the whole way. The farmhouses on the road were all in darkness. "Early to bed, early to rise," is necessity here if the farmers would do their work and escape the midday heat. One part of the forest appeared, at a distance, to be on fire. As we came nearer we discovered that a farmer had been clearing about two acres of the forest. We counted thirteen heaps of branches and brushwood, and all these heaps were burning, and this is how they clear the land and prepare it for cultivation.

"We struck off on to what, we were told, was a shorter road home. I had never traveled it. Mr. Brown had taken it once. It was a pretty road. It was deeply shaded by forest on either side, and not knowing it very well, we had to be cautious, lest our horse and gig would flounder in some hole. It was a great relief to get into the open country, with the moon to light us on our way. We passed four great mounds all in a row; after the shape of Loudon Hill one of them as high. They were wooded to their summits, and looked weird and fantastic in the moonlight. We were enjoying it immensely when we were brought to ourselves--not by brigands, if you please, but by the fact that it suddenly dawned upon us that we had lost our way. We had gone over a good piece of ground, it was after ten o'clock, and we found no road turning southward to take us home to Neillsville. Mr. Brown began to laugh, and , breaking out into broad Scotch, said: "I dinna mind the road very weel, and I'm no very share as to whaur we are."  Lost or not lost, it was positively reassuring to hear one's mother tongue here on this lonely road more than four thousand five hundred miles from home.  At last, after driving on a mile or so, we struck a road going east, and when we got tot he top of the hill, we came in full view of the electric light of Neillsville, and knew that we were all right.  We got home after eleven o'clock, having had a good day's work, and feeling very much in need of a good night's sleep.  This diary of a day gives you some idea of the great field we have here and the great work yet to be done."

Remembering the Presbyterian Church

By Helen Ehlers Hogue; provided by "The Jailhouse Museum".

When Amos Braman came to the Dells Dam community there was no church, so he said he couldn't live in a place where there was no church.  Through prayers and the planning by Reverend Joseph  Brown, the lumber was sawed from nearby woods, and a nice frame building was constructed.  It was a Presbyterian Church called the Sabbath School of Dells Dam.  It was opened on the first Sabbath in January 1893.  The average attendance was forty.  Soon a strong request was made for more frequent preaching of the gospel.  Reverends Braman and Joseph Brown did this for some time.  The church was equipped with fifty strong oak chairs, a wood burning heater, a pulpit stand, an organ, long benches to sit on; sets of dishes and removable tables were bought so as to have social gatherings as dinners, pie socials, with ice cream, and basket socials to help raise funds to keep the church going.

Reverends Brown and Braman were the ones who really kept the church going.  On a Sunday when Rev. Brown couldn't get there, Amos Braman would deliver the sermon, he really did an outstanding job, because he really knew the Bible.

Along with Braman's church work, he operated a farm with his wife, Nancy, and son, Pearl.  Reverend Brown also looked after the people in want by gathering boxes of clothing and delivering them to the needy.  His only pay was $3.27 for each sermon he delivered.

The Dells Dam School was too small to accommodate all the people that came to the Christmas program, so it was held in the church.  Rev. Braman always saw to it that there was at least  a ten foot pine tree erected for the teacher and pupils to come and trim with waxed candles (fastened with clips), strings of popcorn, animal cookies, and tinsel.  When the program was going on at Christmas Eve, he always stood near the tree for fear a candle might start a fire, which occasionally would happen.  He smothered it immediately.  The Christmas program was a doings of importance, looked forward to by parents.  We also had red Hymnals (song books).  Rev. Braman and Carl Gosse led the singing while Tillie Johnson and Mrs. McAdams played the organ.

Reverend Braman taught the Sunday School Class for the older folks while Grandma Horton taught the younger ones.

The Presbyterian Church was built right across the road from the Ehlers' farm house, on the Amos Braman property, so all the Ehlers children went to church every Sunday that was possible.  The teaching here made a great bearing on their lives.

In later years, the church was closed, then torn down and the Finder Family used the lumber to build a house on the John Leopold farm, which still stands.

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