Our Yesterdays

Eulogy of an Era: Decades ago, way back when not many people remember, the square was lined with boardwalks and horses stood in the mud, waiting patiently at hitching posts. A man and a woman came into the store to use a new and modern service, to make a call on the telephone. They awesomely rotated the crank and soon there sounded crackling in the earpiece and over the wire came the Voice of Central.

There was a World War, which later was known as the first. Over the ever extending miles of silver wire and into the little switchboard hummed messages of loved ones far and away. The fingers of Central lifted to speed messages of home coming and joy and heartbreak.

The country grew and the towns. Automobiles replaced horses at the curb, and hard surfaces, the mud. Most everyone came to have a phone to call the grocer, or neighbor, or the doctor, etc. Over the years, Central became a part of the community. A sort of general information office, lost and found department, and town news bureau. Central usually knew where to find a man or when the weddings and funerals were held or the birth of the community’s latest newcomer. Central would take your calls if you had to be gone away for a bit; would even yell out the door to catch someone.

Sometimes ice and wind broke the fragile threads of communication and men worked long and hard in the cold or rain or snow to once again tie the community together. The Atomic Age arrived and swifter, more modern transportation and communication, too. The rural communities enjoyed the same luxuries and modern necessities as did the city folk.

One day the shiny trucks came and men climbed poles and dug into cables, installed gleaming modern instruments with impersonal, calculating faces. An automatic switch board was built to replace the flying fingers and banging plugs with an electric impulse. It? s almost ready. Soon the switch board will stand idle and useless. Silent, resting from years of buzzes and rings and clicks, empty of neighborhood chats, of tragic messages, of recipes exchanged, or calling Aunt Mary. Central folds up the headset for the last time. The little ‘one-horse’ switchboard buzzes a last farewell. Progress marches on. The outworn, outdated ways and things are left by the wayside, fade into the past the horse and buggy, the covered bridge, the old well, the Model-T, the crystal radio set and Central.

Clarion, May 28, 1968

Rock Creek Church Near Ollie Has 124 Year History, By Mrs. Otto W. Pfeifer: A sufficient number of pioneer ‘Separate’ Baptists came to what is now the southern part of Keokuk County. Eleven years after the first permanent settlement in Iowa, Beautiful Land, the region inhabited by Indians. A deeply religious group, they established a church in 1844, known today as ‘Rock Creek Church’, located four miles southwest of Ollie, and one-half mile north of Highway 78. This small church on a knoll, built two years before Iowa became a state, stands today, peacefully serene, among stately pines, surrounded on all sides by a beautifully kept cemetery. A tended building was erected 11 years before the Spirit Lake Massacre, facing south with windows on three sides, the double doors of the small white church are never locked, and close only with an old fashioned latch. There is no key.

Rich in pioneer lore, and community history, visitors from Canada to Texas, Oregon to Florida, Maine to California, have registered since May of 1965 in the ‘guest book’, open at all times for the public. Earlier records, even the Bible, the old pulpit, itself, it is shameful to record, had been destroyed and desecrated by modern day, senseless, vandalism. Others, moved by respect and sentiment have kept the interior clean and as nearly as possible restored to its original austerity and beauty. Narrow straight pews, the floor, the interior doors, and woodwork, the raised platform are all painted grey. Wallpaper, provincial in design, modest in pastel blue and grey, enhances the 19th century charm. A piano and a space heater complete the furnishings, except for blinds at the tall narrow plain windows. No regular worship services are held today.

The Rock Creek Cemetery is large, containing several acres, surrounded by fertile fields and native woodland, with the creek from which its name was derived just below the north edge. Many of the monuments date back to 1850, ‘57, ‘59, ‘60, some names and dates obliterated by time. Number of deaths yearly increased rapidly during and immediately following the Civil War years. Some of the earliest names distinguished include Brown, Clark, Sonner, and Dulin. A shocking number of the ages recorded were extremely young infants, next young children, many young adults in their 20s, and the majority of adults in their 40s and 50s. A number of burials are made there yearly, several very recent graves lovingly tended.

The original constitution and organization of Rock Creek, Church of Separate Baptists, now reposes in the State Historical Building, Iowa City, kept for posterity at a continuous temperature, in an underground vault. A number of interested people now own photo static copies of the original, one of which was made available to this writer by Almond Miller of Ollie, whose parents are buried at that cemetery. Constitution states that it was written and church organized January 1844, and opened for reception of members. The name was changed in September 1845 to Rock Creek Church.

Quaint language, capitalization at random, and very fine penmanship characterize the minutes of the script, preserved by someone who cared, for the present generation. Amusing now, but deadly serious then, were many notations of misconduct, immoral behavior, recorded with much misspelling. Following are examples: ‘treasurer to settle with committee, to see how much money he had received and to what purpose he had lade it out’, others, often sometimes women were called to ‘acknowledge their faults’. Some were restored, others were not so fortunate, were excluded because of difficulty between certain sisters who were cited to other certain members who ‘labored’ with them. One man was excluded because of horse trading on Sunday. Clerk’s notation: ‘And he is with us no more’, A woman was excluded for dancing. Some names were simply erased, some for false swearing, others for drinking too much whiskey.

After a meeting in 1849, ‘protracted for 14 days and 13 nights, 12 joined by experience, seven by letter, four by recommendation, and four restored’. One sister was excluded for ‘impudent’ conduct. One acknowledged he had done ‘wrong’ and he would never do so no more.

Clerk’s notation nearly always stated church ‘met in peace and open meeting for reception of new members’. More often than not, there were a number of joiners. One ‘quary’ arose concerning preachers, ‘Shall we invite everybody that calls himself a preacher, or call for his authority’. 1854 treasurer notations list contributions from 10 to 25 cents each for a total expended for printed matter for the year, $3.15. ‘Every male member should pay five cents each quarter, for the purpose of fraying expenses that year.’

In matters of decorum, ‘None shall be at liberty to be whispering or laughing in time of public speech.’ If those ancestors could visit our public gatherings of cheer, boos, etc, could they endure it for a day’

First two deaths recorded in this constitution are those of Elizabeth Jane Talley, Jan. 5, 1859, and Nancy Franklin, February, 1850. The name of Marshall E. Bragg appears as church clerk for many years.

For the past few years Memorial services at Rock Creek Church, open to the public, are held annually, on the Sunday afternoon near Memorial Day.