| The first service was held by Rev. Arthur Piper, on the twelfth Sunday after Trinity, August 19, 1877, in the depot building, at the earnest solicitation of Mrs. Frey, wife of the depot-master. No public worship of any kind had ever been conducted previously at Western Union Junction. Sixty persons attended the service, and thirty children the Sunday school. During the winter of 1878, services were held regularly at the depot, except on the first Sunday in the month, by Rev. Arthur Piper, the Rev. Gold assisting for a few Sundays. Early in the winter, the foundation of a church building was begun, but the work was stopped on account of the inclemency of the weather. Work was resumed again in May, and the building finished, except plastering and furnishing, by May 26, 1878, on which fifth Sunday after Easter the first service was held in it, with an attendance of about eighty. A formal opening service in the new building was held by Rev. A. Piper, on Whit Sunday, June 9, 1878, about 150 persons being present. On Easter Tuesday, April 23, 1878, a number of persons desiring to form and organize a Mission in union with the Church in the Diocese of Wisconsin, met at the house of Mr. Frey, and Mr. Piper was called to the Chair. A building committee was appointed. The Rev. A. Piper was found to be the choice of the people to take charge of the Mission, if the Bishop would consent. Mr. Frey was elected Warden and Clerk, and Mrs. Frey Treasurer. In accordance with the Constitution and the canons of the Church of the Diocese of Wisconsin, the following was drawn up and signed as below by twenty-six persons, and subsequently forwarded to the Rt. Rev. E. R. Welles, D. D., Bishop of Wisconsin: "We, the undersigned, residents of West Union Junction, County of Racine, Wis., being desirous of obtaining the services of the Protestant Episcopal Church, do hereby request you to provide for us as you think fit, for which benefit we do agree to put ourselves under your charge, promising conformity to the constitutions, canons, doctrine, discipline and worship of said Church, to the Constitutions and canons of Wisconsin, and to the rules regulating missionary stations in this Diocese, and in accordance with these rules, we are now desirous to organize a Mission under the name of St. Paul's Mission. Respectfully, your obedient servants -- Philip R. Frey, William E. Lewis, S. D. McCoy, Jessie McCoy, Mrs. S. R. Frey, E. B. McCoy, Alonzo De Remer, Hattie A. Harding, Mrs. S. McCoy, Leander Frazer, Jackson Lewis, Mrs. H.M. Frazer, John Parker, E. Gillett, R. R. Granger, William N. Johnson, Frank McCoy, Lewis Kent, Edward W. Nelson, Mrs. L. Kent, Margaret Cook, Sophia E. Kent, Mrs. J. C. Harding, R. R. Evans, John C. Harding, J. R. Evans." On Whit Sunday, June 9, 1878, the Sunday school was more fully organized than it had been before. During the months of June, July, August, September, October, November and December, 1878, services were held regularly by Rev. A. Piper, assisted by two students from the College, in the Sunday school work, one also playing the organ for service. The following Easter was a joyful one; the services were heartily participated in, and quite a sum of money was given by kind friends, to be used in plastering the church. |