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Universalist Society - Rochester
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photo from “The Garden County of Minnesota, and Rochester, with its Wealth, Beauty and Business”, 1884
In the spring of 1860 Rev. J. M. Westfall, then of Lafayette, Indiana, came to Rochester and preached the first Universalist sermon ever delivered in Olmsted county. An informal organization of Universalism was effected at Rochester soon after Mr. Westfall's removal here, the society numbering about forty members. Meetings were held in Compton's Hall (now Porter House) every alternate sabbath, the pastor preaching at Mantorville, Cascade, Spring Valley, and other places, on the intervening sabbaths. Services in the city were well attended, but the war coming on and a large number of the young men of the society enlisting in the service, the interest in the movement began to decline, and in the fall of 1863 Mr. Westfall removed from the place and meetings were entirely suspended. In January, 1866, another effort was made to establish Universalism at Rochester. At the suggestion of Rev. H. Bisbee and Rev. S. Barnes, Universalist ministers at St. Paul and St. Anthony (now Minneapolis) respectively, a two days' meeting was appointed to be held on the 23d and 24th days of that month. Rev. S. Wakefield, pastor at Elkador, Iowa, with much difficulty, battling with snow-drifts and cutting wintry winds, made his way by team to Rochester, and he and Rev. S. W. Eaton, resident at Rochester, were the only clergymen present at the meeting. The meetings were held in the Congregational church, the use of which had been kindly granted to the Universalist people for the occasion. The congregations were not large, but an interest in the cause was awakened which culminated in the organization of a Universalist society early in the March following. The society organized with about thirty members, which number was increased soon after to over fifty. Mr. Wakefield was the unanimous choice of the society as pastor, and he removed to Rochester the same spring and entered upon the discharge of his pastoral duties. The society rented the upper room of the old court-house building on Broadway, where services were held every sabbath, morning and evening. A sabbath school was soon organized, with rising of thirty scholars. The school was well provided with a small though well selected library, together with a good collection of singing, service and class books. In this connection it is proper to state that the school has been kept up from its organization to the present time. In point of attendance, interest and efficiency, the school has been subject to the ever-recurring changes of human affairs and experiences, but at no time within the history of the school has it possessed the elements of interest, efficiency and prosperity in so large measure as at the date of this sketch. With an enrollment of considerably over one hundred scholars, with an efficient and a devoted corps of teachers, a library of between four and five hundred volumes, with an excellent collection of music, class and service books, and having an average attendance of from eighty to ninety scholars, the school is flourishing and has before it a bright and promising future. Mr. C. Van Campen is the present superintendent.
Early in the summer of 1866 the society purchased a beautiful and an eligible site on the northeast corner of Franklin and Zumbro streets upon which to erect a church edifice. Sufficient funds were secured and a neat, substantial building, 24x44 feet, with vestibule in front, was put up and finished the same season, at a cost of about $2,200. In December the new church was dedicated to the worship of the one ever living and true God, Rev. D. P. Livermore, then ot Chicago, preaching the dedicatory sermon.
In the spring of 1868 Mr. Wakefield tendered his resignation as pastor. His resignation was accepted, and he removed to Owatonna, where he organized a society with which he remained a year or two.
Soon after Mr. Wakefield's resignation Rev. H. L. Hayward, of Tecumseh, Michigan, came to Rochester in response to an invitation extended to him, and took pastorial charge of the society. Mr. Hayward remained with the society one year, failing health compelling him to retire, for a time at least, from the active duties of the ministry, and to seek that retirement and rest at his Michigan home so essential to the recovery of his impaired health and exhausted nervous condition. During Mr. Hayward's ministerial year much was accomplished in securing the strength, prosperity and permanency of the society. Besides the increase in numbers and interest of the congregation, a heavy church debt, amounting to $1,700, was paid off and some valuable repairs were made on the church edifice.
Near the close of the year in question the subject of church organization was freely discussed, and after mature consideration a church was organized, consisting of thirty-two members. Considerable additions were made to the number soon after. In accordance with the provisions of the constitution of the church, communion service is held on the second sabbaths in January, April, July and October; church meetings to be held on each Saturday next preceding the sabbaths named. The church now numbers between fifty and sixty members.
Mr. Hayward resigned his pastorate in April, 1869, and the society was without regular preaching until June following, when Rev. Eliza Tupper, of Neenah, Wisconsin, came to Rochester and became pastor of the society. Miss Tupper remained with the society until October, when she returned to Neenah, and was soon thereafter united in marriage with Mr. W. A. Wilkes, Esq., of that place.
The same fall the society engaged the services of Rev. J. W. Keyes, as pastor. He remained, however, only about one year, resigning his pastorate and removing from the city in September 1870.
The society was again without a pastor until December following, when Mrs. Wilkes, accompanied by her husband, removed to Rochester, and again became pastor of the society. In April, 1871, Mrs. Wilkes was ordained to the work of the Christian ministry, the ordination sermon being preached by Rev. Dr. Tuttle, of Minneapolis. Mrs. Wilkes was very successful in her ministerial labor while here, and considerable additions were made to the society and church organizations.
In the spring of 1873 Mrs. Wilkes resigned her pastorate, and the society was without stated preaching until the summer of 1874.
Miss Florence E. Kollock, then a student at the Theological School, Canton, New York, came to Rochester early in the summer of 1874, and preached for the society about three months. Miss Kollock has since graduated and is regularly engaged in the work of the Universalist ministry. From the time of Miss Kollock's leaving to January 1, 1875, there was another vacancy in religious services. The pulpit, however, was occasionally occupied by different ministers from abroad, among whom were Rev. A. Vedder and Rev. J. C. Crawford.
In the meantime negotiations between the trustees and Rev. G. H. Deere, of Danbury, Connecticut, looking to his engagement as pastor of the society, commenced. The correspondence resulted in the calling of Mr. Deere, who came to Rochester and commenced his ministerial labors with the society on the first Sunday in January, 1875. During the first year of his ministry here there was a large accession of members and considerable wealth to the society. Mr. Deere had been with the society about three months when it was decided to build a new and capacious church edifice. Accordingly, the little old church was moved to the rear of the lot, and during the season a basement was excavated and a nice substantial stone wall put in, preparatory to the erection of the structure of brick, the next summer. The new church is about 40X70 feet in size, and was completed, ready for occupancy in December, 1876. Facing the desk and choir, the floor is on an inclined plane. The windows are of stained glass, on each of which there is inscribed a beautiful and appropriate motto. The church is furnished with an elegant pipe-organ. The cost of the church including the organ was fully $16,000. The church was dedicated to the worship of God in June, 1877, Rev. Dr. Ryder, then ot Chicago, preaching the dedicatory sermon.
About the first of October, 1880, Mr. Deere asked and was granted a vacation. He went to Minneapolis, where he supplied for Dr. Tuttle, six months, the latter being absent on a trip to California. In the spring of 1881 Mr. Deere formally tendered his resignation as pastor, which was accepted, and in June following he with Mrs. Deere left for southern California.
The church was closed, excepting for sessions of the Sunday and occasional preaching, until the latter part of the following November, when Rev. J. M. Payson, of Sherman, New York, in response to a call from the trustees, came hither and took pastoral charge of the society. He is the present pastor. Under Mr. Payson's ministerial labors a renewed interest and zeal have been manifest, some new members have been added to the church and society, while the attendance at sabbath-school has nearly doubled, and a new impulse given to its devotion and thoroughness in study and efficiency in work.
Source:
The History of Winona and Olmsted Counties, 1883
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