Warren County Iowa Genealogical Society

Beech Otterbein United Brethren Church

Otterbein United Brethren Church, north of Beech, Iowa (torn down in 1938)

A brief history of Otterbein United Brethren Church, north of the town of Beech, Iowa was written by written by Arlen and Helen BATES, Floyd and Carmen CHASE, Helen POSTER and Murl SPURGIN (copied from the The History of Warren County, Iowa, compiled by the Warren County Genealogical Society, Curtis Media Corp., Dallas, Texas, 1987)

Otterbein United Brethren Church was established in T. J. SINNARD’S home with regular preaching about 1850. Later, a log schoolhouse was erected and used for religious purposes.The Society of United Brethren was organized by Rev. CORBIN, but disbanded for several reasons.It was reorganized in 1878 by Rev. J. H. YOUNG. Members in 1908 were: Mr. and Mrs. Stephen A. GOSE, Mr. and Mrs. D. C. PEARSON, Mr. and Mrs. Aaron REEVES, Samuel HAGAN and Alice PEARSON. In 1884, the society erected a church on the corner of S. A. GOSE’S farm north of what is now Beech. The society was supplied with regular preaching every two weeks. The building was torn down in 1938 and the lumber used to build the BARNETT farm residence west of Indianola.Lamar BARNETT sold the bell to Bishop Brenton BADLEY, and it now hangs in one of the largest Christian Methodist churches in Delhi, India.