Churches

Transcribed by Stan

Source: LOYAL CENTENNIAL BOOK (Loyal, Clark County, Wis.) 1870 - 1970.

Erastus Mack opened his house to probably the first meeting of the Methodist faith. This was not the organized church. There were evangelistic and revival meetings held in tents, home and schools. These were of different faiths. Later Erastus Mack turned to the Adventist faith and that denomination grew also.

The Rev. Samuel McClain had been holding revival meetings. The doors were opened to persons who were taken in as probationers. This was the third day of Dec. 1871. These probationers were the members of the first congregation.

The Rev. McClain became the first pastor. The early church was really served by a circuit rider who took in the field from Dorchester area to Longwood, Greenwood, and south of Christie, Loyal, and Riplinger. Service were not always on Sunday.

When John Garvin came to this circuit in 1875, the first church was built at the site of the present church. Three lots were purchased from John and Lutina Graves for $100. It specified that it was for a place of divine worship and a parsonage house. Tom Philpott was the notary when the papers were signed.

Those signing were L. M. Leroy, chairman; A. W. Allen, Secretary; Tom Philpott; G. W. Allen; Joseph Mack; A. R. Miles; H. B. Cook; F. W. Draper; C. H. Brown; O. D. Poulton; Lee Clouse; J. W. Simmons; and Fred Steuerwald.

Much of the work and lumber was donated for the first church building. It was a frame building thirty by sixty feet and served until the present building was built in 1895 and 1896.

It is said that John Graves sawed the lumber as his contribution for the first church and A. A. Graves sawed the wood used in the construction of the second church.

The first building was then moved to the other end of the village, where it became an Opera House. This later burned down.

A newspaper clipping summarizing the accomplishments of 1895 gave this account, "On the site of the old homely structure has been erected a modern brick veneered edifice 46 feet square. It stands upon one of the highest points in the village and its 76 foot tower overlooks a wide expanse of country."

Going on with the article it says, "The latter (auditorium) is not competed on the inside but service are temporarily held in the basement. When completed it will cost about $3500 and is a finer church than can be found in Neillsville or Marshfield, or any other town of four times the population of Loyal." It was a hint of construction in the surrounding towns.

The Rev. H. W. McKibben was the pastor in 1887. He designed the church. Before entering the ministry, he had been a professional architect. He is credited with organizing the Junior Epworth and the Epworth League. The windows bearing their emblem are still used in the church.

In 1884 the parsonage was built. The structure was completely rebuilt in 1914. An east wing has also been added to the house. Improvements have been made from time to time to keep the building modernized.

Both the Methodist Episcopal (Loyal United Methodist Church) and

the Adventist Church, were built before the turn of the century. 

The Adventist Church has not been in operation for nearly fifty years.

[Postcard 1912] [Postcard 1919]

The Methodist Ladies' Aid was one of the early organizations. The Home Missionary Society was organized in 1925. The women's organizations merged in 1940 to become the Women's Society of Christian Service. The circle plan of the Ladies' Aid is still used.

The Women's Society of Christian Service is a very active group, raising funds for the church, missionary work, camps and other worthy causes.

Other active organizations of the church at the present time are the Methodist Men's Club; the Methodist Youth Fellowship, during the school year; and a Bible Study Class.

Rev. Conrad Mickelson is pastor at the present time.

Through the years the Methodist Episcopal Church became the Loyal Methodist Church. The recent reorganization in 1967 has brought the name of the Loyal United Methodist Church.

United Methodist Church

The Loyal community is observing its centennial in the year of 1970, and not doubt Catholics also settled in the area at that time. The first Catholics on record came to the Loyal area in 1872 -- Mr. and Mrs. James Rogers. In 1876 Mr. Clemens Esselman settled on a farm Southwest of Loyal, and in 1881 several families settled in the Pelsdorf area and built a log church under the title of st. Joseph. It was located on the grounds of the Schlinsog Dairy. It was administered by priests coming from Hewitt, Marshfield and Neillsville.

The mustard plant began to spread out its branches with the growth of the community, for in the year 1893 under the leadership of Mr. Balthasar Christman, a brick veneer church was built to seat 250. Mr. Balthasar Christman donated the ground and lumber, which was used in the construction. The church was now placed under the title of of St. Balthasar.

In less than forty years the church could no longer accommodate the growing congregation, and under the leadership of Father Anthony Aurit, pastor, with the cooperation of the faithful, the present church was built, and it stands today. It is a beautiful edifice -- Romanesque in style and has a seating capacity of 500. It was dedicated under the title of St. Anthony of Padua -- a capuchin priest who lived in the thirteenth century.

The Catholic Church, a leader in educational fields, saw the need of a parochial school, and under the leadership of Father Joseph Stenz, pastor, and with the cooperation of the faithful, a school was built and stands today. It was completed in the year 1910. The mustard plant continued to grow and in 1952 the second floor was converted into classrooms, which was the residence of the teaching sisters of the Franciscan community and a new residence was built. With the growth of the parish it became necessary to build in 1962 a new unit of four classrooms. The residence of the pastor needed many repairs and a new ranch type rectory was built in 1959.

The seed was small a hundred years ago, but the branches continue to spread out far and wide. It may be of interest to note the records of St. Anthony's Parish, 2464 baptisms, infant and adults; 510 marriages; and 574 deaths. The number of souls, infants and adults, in the year 1970, totals 1220.

St. Joseph's Church and congregation.

St. Anthony's Catholic Church.

The present pastor is Father Norbert E. King, who was appointed by Bishop John P. Tracy in August of 1950. We are grateful to God and the pioneers for their foresight in developing our friendly and cooperative community, the City of Loyal, and may the next hundred years see a continued growth and loyalty to Loyal.

News Article

Postcards--Unkown date; 1950; Catholic Church Interior (1916)

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