Title: Somers United Church of Christ Records
Inclusive Dates: 1842-1985

Creator:

• Somers United Church of Christ (Kenosha County, Wis.)

Call Number: Parkside Mss 67; PH 3676

Quantity: 2.6 c.f. (7 archives boxes and 1 package) and 17 photographs

Repository:

Housed at the Archives & Area Research Center, Library/Learning Center, University of Wisconsin-Parkside; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

UW-Parkside Library / Parkside Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

Abstract:

Records of a United Church of Christ (Congregational Church) congregation (1921- ) in the Town of Somers, Kenosha County, Wisconsin, which had its origins in two older congregations of the community: the Somers (Pike Grove) Presbyterian Church, which was founded by the Reverend Stephen Peet in 1839, and the Somers Methodist Episcopal Church founded in 1863. Included are sacramental records, minutes of congregation and committee meetings, lists of members and church officers, publications, annual reports, financial records, and church club records. The sacramental records document only the Presbyterian congregation for the period 1851-1921 and the Congregational Church for the period 1921-1947. The club records, which are particularly extensive, include minutes and account books documenting the Pike Grove Bible Society (1842-1966) and various women's groups.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-pks0067

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The origins of the Somers United Church of Christ date to a congregation founded in Pike Grove, Wisconsin on December 3, 1839 by Rev. Stephen Peet, an agent of the American Home Missionary Society. Originally known as the Pike Grove Presbyterian Church, the congregation met in a carpenter's shop until 1845 when a building was constructed along the Green Bay Road. Rev. O. F. Curtis served as the church's first pastor from 1839 until 1840. In 1846 the church moved to a new location one mile and a half to the north.

In 1863 a Methodist Episcopal congregation was also established in the vicinity. In 1886 the Presbyterian Church relocated in the Town of Somers, and three years later the Methodist Church also followed the population trend and moved to Somers, then a thriving railroad community.

In 1918 the two congregations merged to become the Somers Federated Church. Three years later the congregation voted to join the Congregational Church and was thereafter known as the First Congregational Church of Somers. Services, however, continued to be held in the old Presbyterian Church until a new building could be constructed in 1949.

In 1963 a change in name to the Somers United Church of Christ reflected the recent national merger of the Congregational and the Evangelical and Reformed Churches. In 1960 a new church was built. Three years later the congregation purchased two acres of land and the old Burr Oak School for use as a recreational facility. In 1966 this became the Christian Youth Center, which served the needs of the church and the community as a whole.

The Somers United Church of Christ records consist of official records of the congregation, as well as records of a number of church organizations. The official records pertain not only to the church's history as a member of the Congregational Church and the United Church of Christ, but also to its two older component congregations: the Somers Presbyterian Church and the Somers Methodist Episcopal Church. Of these, the Presbyterian congregation is much more fully documented.

The earliest record book for the Pike Grove Presbyterian Church in the collection mentions an earlier volume of minutes, which has apparently been lost. As a result, information about the earliest history of the congregation is scarce. Researchers may wish to consult the American Home Mission Society records also held by the State Historical Society which includes some Stephen Peet correspondence. Similarly for the church's later history, the records of the Wisconsin Conference of the United Church of Christ held by the Historical Society contain some useful correspondence.

The OFFICIAL RECORDS include constitutions, minutes, sacramental records, lists of members, financial records, annual reports, publications, and committee records. The general record books contain sacramental records for the Presbyterian Church for the period 1851-1921 and for the Somers Congregation Church for the period 1921-1947. Even for this period, however, the volumes do not include records for all sacraments. The official records do include relatively complete minutes for congregational meetings of the Presbyterian congregation and the Congregational/UCC church. In addition, there are also minutes for various official church committees including the deacons, trustees, and the Christian Education Committee.

Financial records are more recent in coverage (1950-1980) and consist of financial statements, record books, and miscellaneous records. Printed materials (1947-1984) include annual reports, newsletters, clippings and miscellaneous printed materials. These materials help to connect the official records and the church club activities with the Somers community.

CHURCH CLUB RECORDS constitute perhaps the richest part of the collection. Notable clubs include the Pike Grove Bible Society, which was affiliated with the American Bible Society and which dated to 1842, and various women's service groups.

MISCELLANY includes correspondence with pastors and material concerning the ordination of a church member. A few miscellaneous photographs documenting the various building occupied by the congregation and church activities are available in the Visual Materials Archive in Madison.

Acquisition Information

Presented by the Somers United Church of Christ, via Rev. Wayne C. Drueck, Kenosha, Wisconsin, 1985. Accession Number: M85-561

Processing Information

Processed by Anita Taylor (FGH intern), 1987.

Parkside Mss 67	Series: Official Congegrational Records
Box   1 Folder   1	Constitutions, 1921, 1957, 1983
	General record books
	Pike Grove Presbyterian Church
Box   1 Folder   2	1851-1893, Sacramental records, minutes, and lists of members
Box   1 Folder   3	1893-1918, Minutes
Box   1 Folder   4	1894-1921, Sacramental records
Box   1 Folder   5	Methodist Episcopal Church, Somers and Sylvania Charge, Membership record, 1897-1920
Box   1 Folder   6	Somers Federated Church, Minutes of joint committee of Presbyterian and Methodist churches, July 21, 1918
	First Congregational Church of Somers/Somers United Church of Christ
Box   2 Folder   1	1921-1947, Minutes and baptisms
	1954-1970
Box   2 Folder   2	Minutes
Box   2 Folder   3	Loose material in minute book
Box   2 Folder   4	1970-1977, Minutes
Box   2 Folder   5	1978-1984, Minutes
Box   2 Folder   6	Dismissal records, 1953-1957
	Committee records
Box   2 Folder   7	Register of church officers and committee members, 1964-1977
Box   3 Folder   1	Diaconate minutes, 1963-1979
Box   3 Folder   2	Board of Christian Education, Minutes, 1968-1977
Box   3 Folder   3	Trustees minutes, 1978-1979
Box   3 Folder   4	Church school staff and student lists, 1972-197
	Financial records
	Building fund reports
Package   1	1950-1954
Box   3 Folder   5	1958-1963
Box   3 Folder   6	Treasurer's record book, 1954-1956
Box   4 Folder   1	Financial statements, 1956-1980
	Miscellaneous records
Box   4 Folder   2	Wisconsin Conference vouchers, 1919-1920
Box   4 Folder   3	Methodist Episcopalian centenary contributions, 1921-1923
Box   4 Folder   4	Budgets, 1950-1966
	Publications
Box   4 Folder   5-6	Annual reports, 1959-1985
Box   4 Folder   7	Dedication material, 1947-1960
Box   4 Folder   8	Directories, 1967-1984
Box   4 Folder   9	Newsletters, 1956-1084
Box   4 Folder   10	Newspaper articles re church history
Box   4 Folder   11	Programs, 1957, 1959
Box   4 Folder   12	Yearbook, 1967
	Series: Club Records	⇧
Box   5 Folder   1	Bible Society, Minutes and accounts, 1842-1966
Box   5 Folder   2	Cardinal Class (Pairs and Spares), Minutes and accounts, 1947-1982
	Christian Service Club
Box   5 Folder   3-4	Minutes, 1951-1980
Box   5 Folder   5	Yearbooks, 1955-1979
Box   5 Folder   6	Financial account book, 1943-1961
	Ladies Aid
Box   6 Folder   1-3	Minutes, 1880-1952
Box   6 Folder   4-5	Financial account books, 1873-1913
Box   6 Folder   6	Pilgrim Daughters, History and accounts, 1940-1963
Box   7 Folder   1	Women's Fellowship, Minutes, 1949-1964
Box   7 Folder   2	Young Marrieds (Spouse and Mouse), Minutes, 1978-1984
Box   7 Folder   3	Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, Minutes, 1887-1890
	Series: Miscellany	⇧
Box   7 Folder   4	Correspondence with pastors, 1935-1967
Box   7 Folder   5	Earl Holloway ordination, 1946
PH 3676	Photographs