1959 First Presbyterian Church

This page is part of the Reardan History 1959 booklet that was written by the Washington State History class of 1958-1959.

"Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever, to whom belong vision and might.

He changes times and seasons; He removes Kings and sets up Kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; He reveals deep and mysterious things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells within him.

To Thee O God of my father, I give thanks and praise." Daniel 2:20-23

Reardan’s Early Beginnings

Fur traders traveling between Spokane House and the Okanogan trading posts were the first white people in this area, and they plied their trade from 1810 to 1850.

When Washington Territory was created, in 1853 military expeditions entered the country to locate a route for the transcontinental railroad. Settlers accompanied these surveyors, but did not remain for long. During the last quarter of the nineteenth century, a second group of immigrants arrived, coming for the most part from the mid-western states and continental Europe. They cleared the soil and, by means of hand flailing, harvested the first wheat crops. Supplies had to be procured at first from Walla Walla, and later from Colfax, and eventually as close as Cheney, then Deep Creek and Spokane.

It was unsettled population for most of the years prior to the turn of the century, Many single men were adventurers in search of as much country as they could visit; many families found living conditions more difficult than they hoped to find elsewhere. For these and other reasons, permanent settlers among the early pioneers were a very small minority, and these were largely of German stock.

“Fairweather” was the first name of what is now Reardan. That name was from a prominent official of the Norther Pacific Railroad, but the present name honors the engineer in charge of building the railroad to town in 1888-1889.

From the Northwest Tribune, pioneer newspaper published at Cheney, an article of September 1, 1882, gives this introduction to Fairweather:

Messrs. J. W. Still, of Cheney, and W. F. Hooker, a capitalist lately from Georgia have purchased a quarter section of land on the headwaters of the Crab, Deep and Spring Creeks, ten miles west of Deep Creek Falls and sixteen miles from Cottonwood (now Davenport), and have laid out a townsite. The new town is well situated in one of the richest bodies of land in Eastern Washington, and is said to be so situated as to be sure of one or more railroads. Well informed parties estimate that within a radius of ten miles of Fairweather there are more than 500 ranches opened up and occupied.

The picture was not so bright five years later, when a visitor in town was quoted in the June 23, 1887, issue of Northwest Tribune

“Fairweather was once prosperous, but is now defunct. This is the dullest town we have yet struck. Out of the five houses in town, the only one that is ever occupied is the schoolhouse.”

Within two years, the arrival of the railroad was to stimulate building on a site directly west and adjoining Fairweather. Thus Reardan came into being, though it was not formally incorporated until 1903. The depot, a residence, a store building, a drug store, implement houses were erected in 1889, while the next year brought two general stores, a harness shop, a furniture store, and two hotels. For a while Reardan rivaled Spokane in eastern Washington as a possible metropolis of the future.

The late Mrs. J. C. Driscoll, whose husband served on the first town council has written a historical sketch of the earliest Reardan days, which her closing remarks warrant quotation, “Lest we forget”…

“It would not be out of place to say a few words in memory of four men whom I choose to call the”makers of Reardan“: John Raymer, John Wickham, Tom Stevenson and Mr. Moriarity. They were an unusual group and unquestionably Reardan owed in great measure her growth and prosperity to them. They were intelligent, broad-minded, dependable, public-spirited citizens–just the kind a town needs to make it substantial and progressive. Let us not forget them. Later in our town’s history might be mentioned several others of the same type, notably Conrad Scharman.”

Spaulding was the pastor and Whitman the elder. Whitman, his wife and 12 others were killed by a band of non-Christian Cayuses on November 27. 1847. Spaulding built a meeting house at Lapwai, the first church building constructed in Idaho, in 1843.

The first Presbyterian church for white people was organized at Boise by the synodical missionary, Rev. W. H. Stratton, on February 24, 1851. This included the whole Pacific Northwest. The first Presbytery to be established in the Inland Empire was the Presbytery of Idaho, which was formed April 1, 1879, by the Synod of Columbia. This Presbytery included Idaho and parts of eastern Washington. When the Synod of Washington was organized in 1890, northern Idaho was included within the bounds of the Presbytery of Walla Walla.

In what is now the Presbytery of Spokane, the oldest churches are (with date of organization): Spokane River (formerly Deep Creek Church), June 12, 1880; Wellpinit, July 23, 1882; Spokane Falls, first, June 10, 1883; Rockford, March 27, 1884; Davenport, October, 1884; Rathdrum, 1885. Reardan stands 25th on the list being organized July 13, 1902.

Local Presbyterian Beginnings

A letter from our only living charter member, Ella (Mrs. W. H.) McCoy, can best serve to trace the circumstances in which Presbyterian work was first encouraged locally. It is given, in part, being written in Mrs. McCoy’s 84th year:

Steilacoom, Washington June 14, 1952

My dear friend, Mrs. Barnard,

… I will try to answer your questions. I am glad your are using the lot near the church for a manse. I am glad you came to me for information. I probably know more about the starting of the church than anyone else now living.

To begin, two men from Davenport came to Reardan to speak at a political meeting. Mr. McCoy being a good Presbyterian an also a good Republican asked them to stay at our house. They asked why we had no Presbyterian Church there. Mr. McCoy told them there were not enough Presbyterians there and we could not support a preacher. Well, a few days after that, a Mr. John Rogers, the preacher there (at Davenport) and an elder, Mr. McMillan, came over to see about it. Mr. Rogers had a preacher brother who wanted to come west. They proposed to canvass the town and see what could be done. Mr. McCoy told them to go ahead, so they got enough promised and found a few more Presbyterians and a few more who would join in with us so we hired Mr. Rogers for a year…

Sincerely, (Signed) Ella McCoy

[William, Ella and three young children are buried in Greenwood Memorial Terrace in Spokane. She died in January 1959, and William in 1916. He was the first postmaster in Reardan (after it moved from Capp’s Station) and for a time ran a second drug store from that location.]

At first, the Presbyterians used the Baptist Church building on alternate Sundays. The Evangelical people were meeting in an empty storeroom. But the Baptists work soon collapsed and the Evangelicals used the Baptist building jointly with us. A few months later, when the Baptists determined to try again, the Evangelical congregation built their own church. (Some financial assistance and materials were given by Presbyterian friends).

After the Evangelical church was completed in 1903, our congregation worshiped jointly with them, each group being responsible for providing ministerial leadership on alternate Sundays. Our annual meetings of 1904, 1905, and 1906 were held in the Evangelical building. Spokane Presbytery met there for its 29th Stated Meeting in October, 1904.

Presbyterians Come West

A few high-lights of the opening of the Northwest are given in Dr. Crawford Drury’s Presbyterian Panorama, a book published this year in commemorating one-hundred-fifty years of work of our National Mission Board: > In 1835, Rev. Samuel Parker, a New School Presbyterian, and Dr. Marcus Whitman made an exploring tour to the Rockies. They separated at a point called the Rendezvous. Parker continued his explorations, going down to Fort Vancouver, while Whitman returned for reinforcements.

In 1836, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions sent Rev. and Mrs. Henry H. Spaulding, Dr. and Mrs. Marcus Whitman and W. H. Gray to Oregon, which then included the present state of Idaho. All five were Presbyterians. Mrs. Spaulding and Mrs. Whitman were the first white American women to cross the Rockies. The Spauldings settled near the Nez Perce Indians at Lapwai, near what is now Lewiston, Idaho, in December 1836.

The first Presbyterian church of Oregon was organized in August 1838, at Whitman’s station at Waiilatpu, near the present Walla Walla, Washington. This was the first Protestant church established west of the Rockies.

Along with the natural desire to have a building of our own, the Evangelical emphasis upon “speaking in tongues” precipitated withdrawal from common worship, and construction was started on the Presbyterian Church in 1906.

By and large, through the years, a mutual respect and willingness to cooperate has characterized the Evangelical and Presbyterian congregations. Joint Thanksgiving an other services have been held, and joint Vacation Bible Schools. In the present year, the two groups sponsored an appearance of the choir of Seattle Pacific College and will have a common Thanksgiving service. On September 30, the Evangelical, Lutheran and Presbyterian ministers joined in a program celebrating publication of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, the place of meeting being the Evangelical building.

Presbyterians Organize

Dr. D. O. Ghormley, of Moscow, Idaho, and Rev. C. A. Phipps, Sunday School missionary, were constituted by Presbytery as a special committee to visit Reardan and organize a church, if the way was clear. This was done within a few weeks and finding auspicious results from exploratory efforts of Rev. J. H. Rodgers, of Davenport, and Mr. McCoy, a church of fifteen members was established.

The elders included W. H. McCoy, already an ordained elder active in both Presbyterian and United Presbyterian churches; Dr. B. L. Stevenson and F. P. Walker, the latter two being ordained August 3, 1902.

Trustees elected to serve until the first annual congregation meeting in March, 1903, were John Hoover, D. L. Reaugh, and F. P. Walker. Mrs. W. H. McCoy served as treasurer. Articles of Incorporation were adopted at the congregational meeting and form incorporation was completed March 18, 1903.

Hardly had the church been organized before five or six women of the congregation banded together to aid and assist the First Presbyterian Church in its good work in our community. The Ladies Aid was organized in October, 1903, with Margaret Stevenson, president. None of the first members are here today.

Indeed as matter of historic record, the work and progress of the this church has always been done under many and varied difficulties. Of the fifteen charter members, only four were still upon the membership roll eight years after the church’s organization. Ne had died, the remainder moved from the vicinity. Besides this shifting characteristic of the population, the town has known a decreasing population.

Another limiting factor concerns pastor leadership. At first, for three or four years, the town of Larene was linked with Reardan for pastoral service under air receiving arrangements with the Board of National Missions. (In 1903, the Larene church had 31 members and 43 pupils enrolled in the Sunday School.) In 1906, Rev. Oscar Wilson share his time with Cortland, Creston, and Reardan churches; and from 1932 to 1935, Rev. Clifford Saunders divided his weekends with Wilbur, Cortland and Reardan.

Students attending Whitworth College have led the work for a total of nearly nine years, and there have been intervals when the church was without pastoral leadership.

A last obstacle which has been burdensome to the progress of the church concerns financial support.

The first fifty years have not been easy. All honor to those whose Christian allegiance have been answering and whose Christian witness have been constant despite the hardships which have been faced. From their faithfulness and self-giving, our church has grown and prospered and borne fruit to the glory of God.

Property and Buildings

On March 27, 1903, the church purchased lots 1 and 2, Block 27, from Mr. and Mrs. B. J. Ellis, and sold them a year later.

On February 5, 1904, the church purchased its present property from Mr. and Mrs. George E. Farwell.

The cornerstone of the new church to be built was laid in the fall of 1906. The first Communion Service to be held in the new building was celebrated March 24, 1907, and it was preceded by a mid-week preaching service in preparation for receiving the Lord’s Supper. The Dedicatory Service for the new structure was held at 11:00 a.m., April 7. 1907, with over 300 people in attendance.

The Sunday School

With completion of the building in 1907, the Sunday School was established, supplanting the union school which had its last superintendent, the Sunday School’s first Superintendent, Mr. William H. McCoy–local druggist and postmaster.

A Christian Endeavor group was organized October 1, 1907. From annual reports, it appears the group was active in 1908, 1912, 1915, 1924, 1925, 1928, and 1932-1934. In 1928, 1932, 1934, and 1935, there were Junior Christian Endeavor groups.

Music in the Church

Mrs. Thomas Landreth began serving as church organist while yet in grammar school and played steadily for many years. Mrs. Lewis McKay is the present choir director.

Ministerial Leadership

1. Joseph Hall Rogers, church founder, one of three brothers who played a prominent part in establishing churches in eastern Washington and northern Idaho. Ordained June 13, 1899, he came from Montpelier, Idaho, being received into Spokane Presbytery from Walla Walla Presbytery on April 17, 1901.

   In April, 1903 he was dismissed to the Presbytery of Kendall, in Utah.

2. Oscar Snider Wilson was born in Indiana, educated at Hanover College and McCormick Theological Seminary. Ordained April 15, 1891. He served eight years as a home missionary in Utah before coming to eastern Washington. He came to Reardan from Bonners Ferry, Idaho, upon leaving, continued Christian service in the lumber communities of northern Idaho and northeastern Washington. He died in 1915, with typhoid fever. During the first year of his pastorate here, his time was shared with the churches at Cortland and Creston. Under his leadership the church was erected.

3. Samuel McLean Forsyth, who came from Louisville, Kentucky, upon graduation from seminary, married. Ordained October 25, 1903, he left here and went to Alexandria, Nebraska.

   Between pastorates, the pulpit was occasionally supplied by a Dr. Peter.

4. Edwin Forrest Ott, ordained October 25, 1903, was received into the Presbytery from the Northern Illinois Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Upon leaving Reardan, he served a parish including the churches at Julietta, Orofino, and Tamish, Idaho.

5. Eugene Alonza Walker, ordained March 29, 1882, had meticulous habits. He served as State Clerk of the Presbytery from 1889 to 1925. He is especially remembered locally as a man of musical discernment and talent to interest the entire community in musical production. He directed the cantata, “Queen Esther” in which community-wide participation was enthusiastically given.

6. William Lincoln Beaumont, Ph.D., born at St. Clair Pennsylvania, graduated from Maritta [Marietta?] College (Ohio), 1896; post-graduate work was done at Mount Union College (Ohio). He studied theology under the care of Evangelical Association. He was licensed in 1884, and ordained in 1889 by the Evangelical Conference of Oregon.

   He came to Reardan with his wife and daughter from Kettle Falls, and upon leaving Reardan went to Okanogan, Washington.

7. Elton Fremont Spicer was ordained in the Methodist denomination on October, 1905. In 1906, he had spent two weeks in Reardan while Pastor-at-Large of Spokane Presbytery. He built the church at Marcus, prior field to Reardan; and while here, the basement was put under the church. A tin-smith by trade, Mr. Spicer made the furnace to install in the new basement, and it served to heat the entire building until 1947. Being in poor health, this was his last pastorate, and he served from here to Colville.

   Minnie May Spicer organized and led two choirs at this church. In 1906, she was certified by the Presbytery as a “Singing Evangelist”, and she assisted her husband in his years of ministering “at large.”

8. William Thorndike, ordained April 30, 1916, came here from McIntosh, South Dakota. First child [was] born here.

9. Albert Ernest Evans, born 1867, graduate of Macalester College, 1897, McCormick Seminary, 1901. Home missionary lumberjack preacher in Minnesota 1901-1905; came to Reardan from pastorate at Hunters, Washington. Ill health forced leaving here after one year and he has not been able to preach since. Now age 85, Mr. Evans lives at Yakima with daughter Genevieve Evans, who teaches at Whitworth College.

10. John Clayton was enrolled by the Presbytery of Spokane on September 25, 1917, from the Methodist Episcopal Church. He began work here in December, 1921, and was installed as this church’s first regular pastor nine months later. He came from Opportunity where he built the church. His family residence here included his wife and one daughter. Though an arthritic invalid, Mrs. Clayton is still remembered for her genial personality and her enthusiastic interest and support of the work of the church.

11. H. A. Brown was ordained June 11, 1894, came with Mrs. Brown to Reardan from Polson, Montana, upon leaving went to Monroe Park Church, Spokane.

12. Charles Elrey was ordained in the Methodist Episcopal Church, September 2, 1902. He came to Reardan from Fairfield; left to go to Portland, Oregon. During his ministry the first manse was purchased. He and his wife were alone; the children having grown and left the home.

    (Robert Perry, a Whitworth College student, supplied the pulpit during part of 1930 and 1931, and the Rev. Anderson Crain and family, serving Spokane’s Emmanuel Church, commuted during part of 1932 to supply leadership here.)

13. Clifford Clayton Saunders, born 1903; graduate of Hastings College, 1926, San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1929, ordained May 29, 1929; came to Reardan from first Pastorate, at Northern Light Presbyterian Church, Juneau, Alaska. Upon leaving here, went to Omak; has served at Fairfield since 1940.

    While at Reardan, served the Wilbur and Cortland Churches, visiting those fields one Sunday and being here upon alternate weeks. During his pastorate the vestibule was added at the front entrance to the church, the chancel cross was made and a new organ installed. The Saunders’ first child was born here.

    Raymond W. Moody, born 1915, Served with the U. S. Marines, 1933-1937, married Anita Nesmith in 1938. Officer and Department Head, California State prison at Folsom, 1938-1944; graduate of Whitworth College, 1947; of Princeton Theological Seminary, 1950; ordained June 6, 1950.

    He served Reardan as a student pastor from September 17, 1944, till June 8 1947. Second child, Robert, was born here. Upon leaving, sered student pastorate at West Trenton, New Jersey. Now pastor, Cabitol Presbyterian Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

    Ralph Shanks, a Whitworth College student, supplied the pulpit from September 1935 til June 1937. He is now minister of the First Presbyterian Church, St. Helena, California.

14. Charles B. Marrs was born in Arkansas, graduated from the College of the Ozarks and Princeton Theological Seminary, ordained June 16, 1936. Came to this field from Endiat, Washington; left here to go to Kansas. Their first child was born here. Mr. Marrs is now minister of the Van Brunt Presbyterian Church, Kansas City, Missouri.

    Earl W. Klein, who had been ordained in the Evangelical denomination, served as a student pastor while attending Whitworth College, from October, 1939, till May, 1943. He left Reardan to attend Princeton Seminary. It was arranged for him to return to Reardan following his ordination in the Presbyterian Church, but he died in a swimming accident in August, 1947. While here, with his wife Ruth, and their three children. he encouraged musical production–cantatas and musicals and was outstanding in speaking ability.

    Roy R. Myers, Jr., two years after an outstanding conversion experience in 1939, Mr. Myers determined to enter the ministry. Served Graduate of the Whitworth College, 1951; has been attending Columbia Seminary sicne September, 1951. Mr. Myers served Reardan from February 18, 1948, till May 1950, while attending Whitworth College. Second child, Danny, was born here.

15. Richard A. Logan, born Toronto, Canada, March 2, 1919; early years spent in Los Angeles, 1947; of Princeton Seminary, 1950; ordained June 18, 1950. First child born here. Left to enter the United States Air Force and is currently stationed at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.

16. Albert Phillip Walborn, born February 19, 1915, at Detroit, Michigan. Attended fifth through twelfth grades in Spokane; graduated from Whitworth College 1937; from San Francisco Theological Seminary 1945. Employed at Lakeland Village and Eastern State Hospital, Medical Lake, Washington 1937-1941. Married Lorraine Rasco, 1940. Ordained May 20, 1945. Served as Minister of Silverado Larger Parish (St. Helena, Pope Valley and Oakville, California) 1945-1947; Associate Minister and Director of Christian Education, Central United Protestant Church, Richland, Washington, 1947-1949. Minister First Presbyterian Church, Waitsburg 1949-1952; came to Reardan from Waitsburg.