Civilizing early McCook -- the churches

St. Pat's chancel and altar, 1893

The very early settlers to McCook, in 1882, started immediately to make their settlement into a community which would welcome women and families. This meant the formation of churches, the sure sign of social refinement on the frontier.

The pioneer church in McCook was the Congregational Church. In 1882, a group of 16 settlers organized the first Congregational Church.

They were a group of New England Congregationalists who were living on claims near the original settlement of Fairview. Their first Pastor, Rev. Amos Dresser also had the Church at Indianola and he presided over the McCook Church as Chairman and Missionary Superintendent.

The first St. Pat's school.

Articles of faith and a constitution were adopted and it became known as the First Congregational Church of McCook.

Officers in the new church were, Decons: G.W. Nettleton and Royal Buck. Clerk: C.L. Nettleton. Treasurer: Harmon Eaton. Trustees: G.B Nettleman, H.M. Johnston, and John Eaton. A month later John Eaton resigned the office of trustee and Charles F. Babcock was elected to fill the vacancy.

Rev. Dresser occupied the pulpit for two months, when Rev. George Dungan became the first regular pastor, serving both the Indianola and the McCook churches. He served from 1882 until 1886. Under his pastorate the first church building was erected (West Second and E Street).

It is interesting to see the type of expenses that the new Congregational Church incurred. This period covers the period from Aug. 4, 1885 to Feb. 1886: Pastor's salary $344.25; Janitor service $5.00; Hymn books $10.10; Repairing organ $2.00; Fuel and lights $21.72; Benevolence $62.75. Total budget expense $446.92.

The original Congregational Church was destroyed by wind in June 1892, but members soon pledged sufficient funds to start building a new church. This new church building was erected in 1894 by contractor, H.P. Waite (later hardware store owner and unofficial city historian), who was to become one of McCook's most prominent citizens. This building served the congregation for 34 years, when it was replaced, in 1928 by a more modern structure.

The first services in the McCook Episcopal Church were held in McCook in June 1883 by the Rev. Stuart Crockett, in the old Band Hall.

The Rev. Crockett held services there on an occasional basis for about six months. The Episcopal Church remained a Missionary Church for some years. The priest-in-charge usually had about 12 other churches to serve during this time.

The Episcopalians met in other churches, or in various halls in McCook until 1895, when they purchased lots and erected a chapel on their own church property (at a cost of $750). In 1896, the congregation purchased two more lots and a house for a rectory.

The German Congregational (West Side Congregational) Church was organized and dedicated on March 6, 1887. Rev. William Suess was the first pastor. Rev. Suess' son, Louis became owner of McCook's leading department store, DeGroff's, and was the father of Eleanor Harris (Mrs.. John T. Harris). Their first church building was dedicated on Jan. 1, 1888. This first frame building was replaced just before World War I by a larger, more modern building (today a residence) on West Third Street.

The Methodist Episcopal Church (Methodist Church) was founded in 1884, by 14 original members. By the early 20th Century it had grown to a membership of over 500. The original frame church building was replaced, in 1905 by a grey stone building. That early church also had a house, which served as the rectory, and an active Chapel in South McCook.

The Minister, E.C. Barrow, preached the first sermon for the Christian Church in McCook in 1893.

The Rev. Barrow was an evangelist, supported in part by the American Missionary Society. In 1897, regular services in the Christian faith were instituted, a permanent organization was formed, and a lot for a proposed church building was purchased. At the same time, a temporary tabernacle was erected. In 1899 the first permanent Christian Church building was dedicated.

In the 1893 edition of the Columbian Souvenir, published by the McCook Times-Democrat, it was reported, "The Lutherans have a neat brick building on Manchester Street, but at this time had no resident pastor and are renting their church building to the Baptists, who hope to build soon, as they have a large ambitious membership."

The first Baptist Church of McCook had been organized by the Rev. D.L. McBride in 1890. In 1893 they purchased the church building that they had been renting from the Lutherans. It was remodeled and dedicated as a Baptist Missionary Church, "in spirit and activities".

Before 1882, McCook and area Catholics were served, irregularly, by a circuit rider, Rev. A.J. Fanning, a visitor from Illinois. Father Fanning had an almost impossible territory to cover, from Ft. Kearney on the east all the way to the Colorado border, which he did by any means available -- horseback, lumber wagon, train or hand-car, or on foot, making Father Fanning's visits necessarily infrequent. When the railroad pushed its line through the Republican Valley Father Fanning's work became a good deal easier.

In 1882, Father Fanning organized St. Patrick's Church, with 12 families in the McCook area. He said his first Mass in a railroad section house, which was also being used as a residence Until 1886, visiting Priests held services in Menard' Opera House, the section house, or in private homes. In that year McCook's first resident Catholic Priest, Thomas Cullen arrived. One of his first acts was to form a building committee -- Tom Colfer, John Collins, and John Farley.

Soon, in 1886, plans were made for the building of a frame church and a rectory -- total cost $3,500 (plus a 1,000 pound bell from McNeely & Company, of Troy, N.Y.. At the time it was said to be the largest bell in the State of Nebraska and is preserved today on the front lawn of the present St. Pat's Church.)

About this same time they also purchased of five acres of land for a cemetery plot. In 1903, this first Catholic Church caught fire during a Mass. The officiating Priest, Father Loughran, attempted to finish Mass, but was forced finally to flee with the congregation, saving only the altar furnishings. The building was a complete loss.

Immediately, a new building committee was formed -- John Bennett, James McAdams, C.J. O'Brien, P.F. McKenna, and George Elbert. This time a fine brick church was built, on the site of the present St. Pat's School.

This structure served the congregation well, for many years, first as a church, then as a gymnasium for the first St. Pat's School after the present St. Pat's Church was built, which continued until the new and present St. Pat's School and Gym were built.

Source: Marion McClelland's Early History of McCook, McCook Gazette Centennial Edition 1882-1982