Charles Drake, Abigail Drake, and Elizabeth Winslow.  The last named subsequently became the wife of Rev. J.M.S.  Maxson.  The first Leader was Brother Robertson.  Both the congregation and class grew rapidly in this neighborhood, and the appointment soon took a leading position on the charge.  During the ensuing winter a revival occurred, and gave an accession of twenty-five.  From the first, this Society has been blessed with a devoted and spiritual membership, and its prayer meetings have been a living power in the land.  As a result, revivals have been frequent, and the number saved a host.  Passing from private houses, the meetings were held in a school house, but in course of time the school house became too small, and a larger one was built, with a special view to a provision for religious meetings.

In later years I have held Quarterly meetings in this building, when it was thronged with people.  On such occasions, after filling the building to its utmost capacity, the good brethren would fill the court around it with wagons, carriages and buggies, loaded with people.  It was at one of these gatherings that the little girl said, “Why, Ma, only see how full the school house is on the outside.”  During the past year a fine Church has been erected.

Rock River was the home of the lamented Rev. James M.S.  Maxson, before he entered the Itinerant work.  It was here that he was led to Christ, licensed to preach, and sent out into the vineyard, and certainly the church has had no occasion to deplore her share of the responsibility.  Brother Maxson entered the Conference in 1850, and filled with great credit, Omro, Fall River, Grove street Milwaukee, Oconomowoc, Rosendale and Ripon charges.  At the last named place, he closed his labors June 19, 1858.  He was a man of great force of character, a good preacher, and was thoroughly devoted to his work.  He was greatly beloved in his fields of labor, and his death was deeply regretted.

Having organized the class at Rock River, and arranged the plan of appointments to take it into the circuit, I passed on to visit an appointment at the Wilkinson Settlement, which had recently been attached to my charge from the Fond du Lac Circuit.  It was situated on the south side of the marsh, nine miles from Fond du Lac and twelve from Waupun.  The school house, in which the meetings were held, was located within the limits of the present village of Oakfield.

The class at this place had been formed during the early part of 1844, by Rev H.S.  Bronson, when he was pastor of Lake Winnebago Mission, and consisted of Russell Wilkinson, Leader, and Alma, his wife, Robert Wilkinson, and Almira, his wife, Eliza Botsford and Sarah Bull.