The Congregational Church has but one representative in Story County, namely, that at Ames.
The First Congregational Church of Ames was founded November 5, 1865, with H. F. Kingsbury, Mary Kingsbury, Cynthia O. Duff, John Whitelaw, Lyman Pierce, Phebe Pierce, Robert B. Shearer and Elizabeth Shearer as members. This handful has, in a quarter of a century, increased to 124, the present membership. The movement to erect a church in 1867 received some notable encouragement. Two lots offered to Mrs. Duff for her intelligent service to the railroad company, then finishing their road, were transferred to the church at the request of Mrs. Duff, and Hon. Oakes Ames, of Massachusetts, donated a sweet-toned bell. The building cost about $1,800, and is located on Kellogg and College Streets. About $1,500 worth of improvements have been added to it from time to time. The Sabbath-school, organized in 1865, had 125 members; the aid society, organized in 1870, the missionary society organized in 1877, and the Christian Endeavor, formed in 1889, are all in flourishing condition. The successive pastors are: Revs. John White, beginning in November, 1865; S. Gilbert, in March, 1868; A. A. Baker, October, 1869; G. G. Perrins, March, 1875; W. P. Bennett, June, 1880; C. C. Moulton, March, 1885, and J. D. Wells, in April, 1888.
The Methodist Protestant Church organized the Iowa Conference in 1845. It had but one circuit in Story, namely Colo, with Collins as a part of Peoria City Circuit.
Colo Church was organized about 1870 by Rev. H. C. Rosenberger, the pastor of Peoria City Circuit. Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Gilchrist, Mr. and Mrs. L. Baily and others were among the original members. This building was completed in 1873, and was soon dedicated under the pastorate of Rev. B. Belt. It cost about $1,500 and was built during the pastorate of Rev. J. A. Smay. Among other pastors have been Revs. Kirkpatrick, A. W. Gilchrist, Bradford, T. S. Striker and F. D. Keamer. Rev. Smay, the present pastor, has had a long service. The membership has been as high as 250, but it does not exceed twenty now.
The Collins Church was begun in February, 1889, by Rev. W. F. Price, the pastor at Peoria City. It then had twenty two members and has held its meetings in the Methodist Episcopal Church. They have a parsonage and hold union Sabbath-school with the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. S. A. Price is class-leader.
The Universalist Church had a society in Nevada supported by about twenty-five to thirty families, among whom were O. B. Dutton and wife, E. W. Lockwood and wife, T. E. Alderman and wife, D. H. McCord and wife, A. Dayton and wife, C. H. Balliet and wife, U. Alexander and wife, D. Childs and wife, J. C. Lovell, I. Walker, Otis Briggs and others. It lasted a short time, early in the seventies.
The Society of Friends had a society near Zearing some years since, but none now.
The Roman Catholic Church, by its members, discovered Iowa, and was, with the Methodists, the first denomination in the Territory. There are but two churches in Story County, namely, Nevada and Colo, with a small German society in Franklin Township. These are under the bishop of Dubuque, one of two Iowa bishops.
St. James Catholic Church at Nevada was organized about 1874 by Father Delaney, of Boone. They used the home of Mr. James Doyle until their present church was erected. Father Mackey was the first stationed pastor, and was succeeded by Father Smith, under whom Colo Church was created. Father Murphy came next, and during a successful pastorate removed and refitted the buildings on their