Warren County Iowa Genealogical Society

Hartford Community United Presbyterian Church

Hartford Community United Presbyterian Church “Hartford Presbyterian,” 315 N. Vine Street, Hartford, IA 50118, phone (515) 989-3426, http://hartfordupc.org/welcome.html

       

The History of the Hartford United Presbyterian Church is copied from their website at http://hartfordupc.org/welcome.html

In 1862 a band of faithful followers of Christ, led by the Rev. HUGHES of Des Moines with total of 15 charter members, met at Hartford, Iowa. They organized what was known as the First Presbyterian Church of Hartford. As the congregation grew by examination and certificate a petition for membership into Presbytery was signed in 1884 and presented to Session. The first regular minister after the organization was the Rev. CANDLISH, serving for two years.
Beginning 1867 the Rev. David CRAIG shepherded the church for a long and faithful ministry of thirty-three years. Under his leadership a new frame church was built by pulling logs across South River and sawing them into lumber. Native black walnut was used to construct the pews. Rev. H. O. BETHEL was serving a congregation of about 80 members when a new brick structure was completed replacing the old wooden church. The new building that still serves the community was dedicated on December 31, 1916, free of debt.
In the spring of 1935 the Community Church and the Presbyterian Church joined in worshiping together. The Presbyterians had 127 members and the Community Church had 135. Over the next 24 years the two churches united with the aid of Rev. A. Taylor DUNLAP, Rev. W.R. TUTTLE, Rev. H. O. BETHEL and Rev. Gilbert COOK.
The churches united under the Presbyterian government and a new name which exists to this day: Community United Presbyterian Church.

Hartford United Presbyterian church records 1862-1970 are on microfilm at the State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, IA, film #War-56 (LDS film # 1034022)

History of Hartford, Iowa 1849-1999, 150 years; “The Town with a Heart" is available at the Iowa Genealogical Society, Des Moines, Iowa.