Rev. Pendleton First Preacher
Dublin Core
Title
Rev. Pendleton First Preacher
Subject
The Institute
Description
Rev. Pendleton
First Preacher
in Churchill Co,
In 1876 He Preached in Four
Counties; Rode Horseback
7000 Miles in 2 Years
Inquiry comes from Oakland con. cerning Rev. J. W. Pendleton, the firs man to preach in Churchill county The call for information comes from Chaplain H. J. Winsor of the Retiree Methodist Ministers' association ai Oakland, the letter being addressed to Rev. Stephen C. Thomas, pastor of the Fallon Methodist church, who state that Rev. Pendleton resides there and 1 they would like certain details concerning his early ministry in Nevada.
Rev. Pendleton came to Nevada when but 20 years of age and in 187f held service in Mason valley. In 1876 he came to Churchill county and preached at the Union schoolhouse, which was located not far from what was later known as the Vaughn hall and still more recently the Beckstead store, the schoolhouse being located south of the old cemetery and southeast of the present adobe building, known as the Post Bros. ranch house.
Mrs. Mary Wightman, who came to Churchill county in 1880, states that the Union school of that time was a two-story structure and had been con-
I ducted as a boarding school. However, the building had been remodeled to a one-story structure, the second floor being taken out and made in form of an "L". The late Judge W. H. A. Pike formerly taught the Union
school.
The schoolhouse was later acquired by the Seventh Day Adventist church, which was really the first church to be organized in Churchill county. The "L" was later torn away from the building and the main part of the church was moved to Fallon, though the Baptist church was the first church edifice to be built in the town, and other church buildings followed. That old Union schoolhouse that filled the needs of the Adventists for many years, was later sold to the Lutheran church and now stands in the block south of the Oats Park school.
But returning to the subject of this story, Rev. Pendleton preached ip four Nevada counties, the letter from Oakland states, being Esmeralda, Lyon, Washoe and Churchill. Of Mr. I
Pendleton the letter says: "His was the first religious service in Churchill County, his the first prayer, and later, his the first and only Prohibition vote in the county. For two years he traveled this wide circuit. Leaving home
on Saturday morning, rode 60
miles and held a service that evening. 'On Sunday morning he traveled 12 miles, conducted Sunday school and preached and then rode back to Mason valley for the evening service. All this travel was on horseback and in the two years he rode over 7,000 miles. The people were hungry for the Word. They came, some of them, 20 miles to a meeting. They said to him, `this is the old-time religion; we were brought up on this kind of faith,' and they received the messages with joy."
According to the dates and figures given, Mr. Pendleton is now 81 years of age. It is possible that Mr. Pendleton was the preacher referred to in a series of reminiscences published in The Eagle during 1915. One of the pioneers told of a preacher coming along to the Grimes ranch. Hill and Grimes kept a toll bridge across the slough and when the preacher offered to pay the toll, Hill dropped his head for a moment, then, looking up, waved his hand and said, "Preachers and Pi-utes go free. Ride on."
There are many interesting stories of experiences in those early days that become history if chronicled in the press, but how soon the years fly past until there is no one left to tell the story of those who helped to lay the foundation of the "Battle Born" state of Nevada.
First Preacher
in Churchill Co,
In 1876 He Preached in Four
Counties; Rode Horseback
7000 Miles in 2 Years
Inquiry comes from Oakland con. cerning Rev. J. W. Pendleton, the firs man to preach in Churchill county The call for information comes from Chaplain H. J. Winsor of the Retiree Methodist Ministers' association ai Oakland, the letter being addressed to Rev. Stephen C. Thomas, pastor of the Fallon Methodist church, who state that Rev. Pendleton resides there and 1 they would like certain details concerning his early ministry in Nevada.
Rev. Pendleton came to Nevada when but 20 years of age and in 187f held service in Mason valley. In 1876 he came to Churchill county and preached at the Union schoolhouse, which was located not far from what was later known as the Vaughn hall and still more recently the Beckstead store, the schoolhouse being located south of the old cemetery and southeast of the present adobe building, known as the Post Bros. ranch house.
Mrs. Mary Wightman, who came to Churchill county in 1880, states that the Union school of that time was a two-story structure and had been con-
I ducted as a boarding school. However, the building had been remodeled to a one-story structure, the second floor being taken out and made in form of an "L". The late Judge W. H. A. Pike formerly taught the Union
school.
The schoolhouse was later acquired by the Seventh Day Adventist church, which was really the first church to be organized in Churchill county. The "L" was later torn away from the building and the main part of the church was moved to Fallon, though the Baptist church was the first church edifice to be built in the town, and other church buildings followed. That old Union schoolhouse that filled the needs of the Adventists for many years, was later sold to the Lutheran church and now stands in the block south of the Oats Park school.
But returning to the subject of this story, Rev. Pendleton preached ip four Nevada counties, the letter from Oakland states, being Esmeralda, Lyon, Washoe and Churchill. Of Mr. I
Pendleton the letter says: "His was the first religious service in Churchill County, his the first prayer, and later, his the first and only Prohibition vote in the county. For two years he traveled this wide circuit. Leaving home
on Saturday morning, rode 60
miles and held a service that evening. 'On Sunday morning he traveled 12 miles, conducted Sunday school and preached and then rode back to Mason valley for the evening service. All this travel was on horseback and in the two years he rode over 7,000 miles. The people were hungry for the Word. They came, some of them, 20 miles to a meeting. They said to him, `this is the old-time religion; we were brought up on this kind of faith,' and they received the messages with joy."
According to the dates and figures given, Mr. Pendleton is now 81 years of age. It is possible that Mr. Pendleton was the preacher referred to in a series of reminiscences published in The Eagle during 1915. One of the pioneers told of a preacher coming along to the Grimes ranch. Hill and Grimes kept a toll bridge across the slough and when the preacher offered to pay the toll, Hill dropped his head for a moment, then, looking up, waved his hand and said, "Preachers and Pi-utes go free. Ride on."
There are many interesting stories of experiences in those early days that become history if chronicled in the press, but how soon the years fly past until there is no one left to tell the story of those who helped to lay the foundation of the "Battle Born" state of Nevada.
Creator
The Fallon Eagle
Source
Churchill County Recorders
Publisher
Churchill County Eagle
Date
6.2.1934
Contributor
Churchill County Museum
Format
Newspaper, Jpeg, text, pdf
Language
English
Type
Newspaper, Jpeg, text, pdf
Identifier
The Fallon Eagle 6.2.1934 "Rev. Pendleton First Preacher"
Coverage
Fallon Nevada
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Rev. Pendleton
First Preacher
in Churchill Co,
In 1876 He Preached in Four
Counties; Rode Horseback
7000 Miles in 2 Years
Inquiry comes from Oakland con. cerning Rev. J. W. Pendleton, the firs man to preach in Churchill county The call for information comes from Chaplain H. J. Winsor of the Retiree Methodist Ministers' association ai Oakland, the letter being addressed to Rev. Stephen C. Thomas, pastor of the Fallon Methodist church, who state that Rev. Pendleton resides there and 1 they would like certain details concerning his early ministry in Nevada.
Rev. Pendleton came to Nevada when but 20 years of age and in 187f held service in Mason valley. In 1876 he came to Churchill county and preached at the Union schoolhouse, which was located not far from what was later known as the Vaughn hall and still more recently the Beckstead store, the schoolhouse being located south of the old cemetery and southeast of the present adobe building, known as the Post Bros. ranch house.
Mrs. Mary Wightman, who came to Churchill county in 1880, states that the Union school of that time was a two-story structure and had been con-
I ducted as a boarding school. However, the building had been remodeled to a one-story structure, the second floor being taken out and made in form of an "L". The late Judge W. H. A. Pike formerly taught the Union
school.
The schoolhouse was later acquired by the Seventh Day Adventist church, which was really the first church to be organized in Churchill county. The "L" was later torn away from the building and the main part of the church was moved to Fallon, though the Baptist church was the first church edifice to be built in the town, and other church buildings followed. That old Union schoolhouse that filled the needs of the Adventists for many years, was later sold to the Lutheran church and now stands in the block south of the Oats Park school.
But returning to the subject of this story, Rev. Pendleton preached ip four Nevada counties, the letter from Oakland states, being Esmeralda, Lyon, Washoe and Churchill. Of Mr. I
Pendleton the letter says: "His was the first religious service in Churchill County, his the first prayer, and later, his the first and only Prohibition vote in the county. For two years he traveled this wide circuit. Leaving home
on Saturday morning, rode 60
miles and held a service that evening. 'On Sunday morning he traveled 12 miles, conducted Sunday school and preached and then rode back to Mason valley for the evening service. All this travel was on horseback and in the two years he rode over 7,000 miles. The people were hungry for the Word. They came, some of them, 20 miles to a meeting. They said to him, `this is the old-time religion; we were brought up on this kind of faith,' and they received the messages with joy."
According to the dates and figures given, Mr. Pendleton is now 81 years of age. It is possible that Mr. Pendleton was the preacher referred to in a series of reminiscences published in The Eagle during 1915. One of the pioneers told of a preacher coming along to the Grimes ranch. Hill and Grimes kept a toll bridge across the slough and when the preacher offered to pay the toll, Hill dropped his head for a moment, then, looking up, waved his hand and said, "Preachers and Pi-utes go free. Ride on."
There are many interesting stories of experiences in those early days that become history if chronicled in the press, but how soon the years fly past until there is no one left to tell the story of those who helped to lay the foundation of the "Battle Born" state of Nevada.
First Preacher
in Churchill Co,
In 1876 He Preached in Four
Counties; Rode Horseback
7000 Miles in 2 Years
Inquiry comes from Oakland con. cerning Rev. J. W. Pendleton, the firs man to preach in Churchill county The call for information comes from Chaplain H. J. Winsor of the Retiree Methodist Ministers' association ai Oakland, the letter being addressed to Rev. Stephen C. Thomas, pastor of the Fallon Methodist church, who state that Rev. Pendleton resides there and 1 they would like certain details concerning his early ministry in Nevada.
Rev. Pendleton came to Nevada when but 20 years of age and in 187f held service in Mason valley. In 1876 he came to Churchill county and preached at the Union schoolhouse, which was located not far from what was later known as the Vaughn hall and still more recently the Beckstead store, the schoolhouse being located south of the old cemetery and southeast of the present adobe building, known as the Post Bros. ranch house.
Mrs. Mary Wightman, who came to Churchill county in 1880, states that the Union school of that time was a two-story structure and had been con-
I ducted as a boarding school. However, the building had been remodeled to a one-story structure, the second floor being taken out and made in form of an "L". The late Judge W. H. A. Pike formerly taught the Union
school.
The schoolhouse was later acquired by the Seventh Day Adventist church, which was really the first church to be organized in Churchill county. The "L" was later torn away from the building and the main part of the church was moved to Fallon, though the Baptist church was the first church edifice to be built in the town, and other church buildings followed. That old Union schoolhouse that filled the needs of the Adventists for many years, was later sold to the Lutheran church and now stands in the block south of the Oats Park school.
But returning to the subject of this story, Rev. Pendleton preached ip four Nevada counties, the letter from Oakland states, being Esmeralda, Lyon, Washoe and Churchill. Of Mr. I
Pendleton the letter says: "His was the first religious service in Churchill County, his the first prayer, and later, his the first and only Prohibition vote in the county. For two years he traveled this wide circuit. Leaving home
on Saturday morning, rode 60
miles and held a service that evening. 'On Sunday morning he traveled 12 miles, conducted Sunday school and preached and then rode back to Mason valley for the evening service. All this travel was on horseback and in the two years he rode over 7,000 miles. The people were hungry for the Word. They came, some of them, 20 miles to a meeting. They said to him, `this is the old-time religion; we were brought up on this kind of faith,' and they received the messages with joy."
According to the dates and figures given, Mr. Pendleton is now 81 years of age. It is possible that Mr. Pendleton was the preacher referred to in a series of reminiscences published in The Eagle during 1915. One of the pioneers told of a preacher coming along to the Grimes ranch. Hill and Grimes kept a toll bridge across the slough and when the preacher offered to pay the toll, Hill dropped his head for a moment, then, looking up, waved his hand and said, "Preachers and Pi-utes go free. Ride on."
There are many interesting stories of experiences in those early days that become history if chronicled in the press, but how soon the years fly past until there is no one left to tell the story of those who helped to lay the foundation of the "Battle Born" state of Nevada.
Original Format
Newspaper
Files
Citation
The Fallon Eagle, “Rev. Pendleton First Preacher,” Churchill County Museum Digital Archive: Fallon, Nevada, accessed April 27, 2024, https://ccmuseum.omeka.net/items/show/530.
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