Summary Information
Somers United Church of Christ Records 1842-1985
- Somers United Church of Christ (Kenosha County, Wis.)
Parkside Mss 67; PH 3676
2.6 c.f. (7 archives boxes and 1 package) and 17 photographs
UW-Parkside Library / Parkside Area Research Ctr. (Map)Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
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. English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-pks0067 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
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.
Scope and Content Note
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.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by the Somers United Church of Christ, via Rev. Wayne C. Drueck, Kenosha, Wisconsin, 1985. Accession Number: M85-561
Processed by Anita Taylor (FGH intern), 1987.
Contents List
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
|
|
|