Charles Mix Co., SD - Methodist Episcopal Church Records, 1888

	This information is from "Palmer's Directory of the Methodist Episcopal 
	Church for Dakota Conference - 1888" by Rev. John G. Palmer. Page 75 - 77

	Information transcribed by Joy Fisher, sdgenweb@yahoo.com


		CHARLES MIX COUNTY

	The first Methodist minister to preach in this county was Rev. W. 
B. Smith of Bijou Hills, who preached at Castalia in 1882. In the fall 
of 1883 Rev. J. Q. Swim, who was a member of the Northwest Iowa 
Conference, was sent as a missionary to the Dakota Mission Conference, 
and was appointed to Charles Mix county. The name of the circuit at 
that time was Castalia. When he took charge of the work there was but 
one organization of the M. E. church in the county. The preaching 
places were Castalia, Colvin and Miller. The first organization was at 
John Colvin's. Class leader, James Brown; Stewards, James Brown, 
Charles Richards, Mrs. Alex Wilson. Church members: James Brown and 
wife, Chas. Richards, I. J. Bates and wife, Mrs. Alex. Wilson, J. Q. 
Boldman and wife, Mrs. Chas. Shepherd, Mrs. Angie Batchelder, Mrs. N. 
Duke, Mrs. Mary Wilson, Mrs. Mary Stafford, Mrs. John Hart, Mrs. 
Melcher, Mrs. Mary Fowle. During the year organizations were not 
eddected at Miller or Castalia. At the latter place services were held 
in the hotel belonging to Mr. Sheldon Smith. Although Mr. S. was an old 
frontiersman with a rough exterior, his house was open to ministers of 
all denominations, and he cordially welcomed them. The first Sunday-
school was organized in May, 1883, at the Tooktay school house, by Rev. 
Peter Kenney. In the fall of 1884 Rev. J. Q. Swim was returned to the 
work. The circuit this year was designated as the "Charles Mix County 
Work." This took in the entire county, making it nearly 100 miles 
around, with 10 appointments. More than once the pastor has bid his 
wife and little ones "good-bye" on Saturday morning, driven 40 miles, 
preached Saturday night, then Sabbath morning at 10 a. m., took a cold 
lunch in the buggy to eat on the way, drive 12 miles, preach at 3 p. 
m., take a hasty supper, driven 9 miles, preached at night, driven home 
12 miles, taken his team on Monday and gone to the river, 8 miles for a 
load of wood. This illustrates the grand realities of an itinerant's 
life in the golden northwest. It will be more pleasant for the future 
pastor to read about. During this time organizations were effected at 
Castalia, Darlington, Jasper, Peas' Island, School House No. 6. 
Stewards for the year: W. L. Watson, James Brown, Chas. Richards, Geo. 
Harvey, Mrs. Alex. Wilson, Wm. Moore, Wm. Stull, Alex. Foreman, Thos. 
Hoar, Judge Wheeler, Wm. Shunk,; Local Preachers: Peter Kenney, David 
Powell; Class leaders: James Brown, Wm. Shunk, David Powell, John Hoar; 
Members: D. Powell and wife, John Hoar and wife, Bro. Nail and wife, 
Thos. Hoar, Judge Wheeler, Alex. Foreman and wife, Wm. Story and wife, 
Wm. Storey (Sr.), Wm. Moore, Wm. Stull and wife, Mrs. John Hammond, A. 
Alloway and wife, Wm. Pettie and wife, W. L. Watson and wife, Mrs. 
Capt. White, Frank Tuckerman and wife, John DeMotte and wife, David 
Kinkade and wife, Mrs. Ashley, C. Richards.

	In the fall of 1885 Rev. J. Q. Swim was returned for the third 
year. The circuit this year was larger, taking in a part of Brule 
county, and called Castalia and Bijou Hills circuit. Up to this time 
there had been preaching in Charles Mix county at the following places: 
Castalia, Colvin, Darlington, Beemer, Jasper, Peas' Island, Thompson 
school house, White school house, Bloomington, Edgerton, Bates school 
house, Bennett's school house, Shepherd school house, Kinkade school 
house, McKay's school house. Organizations effected at Castalia, 
Colvin's, Darlington, Jasper, Thompson's, Peas' Island and school house 
No. 6. At the end of this year Methodism had grown to be a power for 
good in the county. In the fall of 1886 Rev. W. H. Underwood was sent 
to this circuit, and did much by way of strengthening the work. The 
work is now divided into two good circuits - Castalia and Edgerton. 
Charles Mix county has been favored by the preaching of the gospel. 
Scarcely was it organized, and while it was yet sparsely settled, we 
find the hero - the minister of the gospel - following the trail of the 
frontiersman, ready to perform the marriage ceremony, administer the 
Sacraments, preach to the living and console the bereaved. Here as 
elsewhere throughout the west, hotels, sod houses, school houses, 
private dwellings, barns, groves, halls, stores, tents, have been used 
as preaching places. Large have been the results here. The people are 
prosperous and religious. A Sunday school is held in nearly every 
school house. The people can well declare:"Surely this is the work of 
God, and not of man."