CHAPTER XIV.

Fond du Lac District Continued.—­Appleton.—­Early History.—­Rev. C.G.  Lathrop—­Lawrence University.—­Incipient Stages.—­Charter.—­Trustees.  Agent.—­First Board of Instruction.—­Buildings.—­Faculty.—­Rev. Dr. Cooke.—­Rev. Dr. Cobleigh.—­Rev. Dr. Mason.—­Rev. Dr. Knox.—­Rev. Dr. Steele.

Leaving Oneida, I next visited Appleton, where I was kindly received by Rev. C.G.  Lathrop, the Pastor, and his good wife.  Though three years had scarcely passed since the echoes of the woodman’s axe first rang through the forests of this locality, yet I found Appleton to be a village of considerable pretensions.  The location of Lawrence University at this point, and the great promise of business, given by its almost unparalleled water-power, had already drawn together an enterprising community.  Good buildings had been erected, and the village was putting on an air of thrift.

The first sermon preached in Appleton, and probably in Outagamie County, was delivered by Rev. Wm. H. Sampson, Oct. 8, 1848, in a shanty occupied by Brother John F. Johnson and family.  The first class was formed by Rev. A. B. Randall, the Pastor of Oshkosh circuit, whose charge included Appleton, in February, 1849.  The first members were Robert R. Bateman, Leader, Robert S. Bateman, Mary Bateman, Amelia Bateman, Electa Norton, Theresa Randall, L. L. Randall, J.F.  Johnson and D.W.  Briggs.  Brother Randall organized the first Sunday School in March, 1849, with Robert R. Bateman as Superintendent.

The meetings were held in private houses until the Chapel of the Institute was ready for use.  They were held in the Chapel thereafter until the first Church was erected.  In June, 1854, the corner-stone of the Church was laid by Edwin Atkinson, Dr. Edward Cooke officiating.  The lecture-room was occupied during the following winter, and the Church was dedicated by Dr. N.E.  Cobleigh in June, 1855.

The Quarterly Meeting, the first held in Appleton, was convened in the Institute Chapel, Sept 27, 1851.  The members of the Quarterly Conference present were C.G.  Lathrop, R.O.  Kellogg, Jabez Brooks, D.L.  Atwell, George E. Havens, Charles Levings, John Day, H.L.  Blood, A.C.  Darling, L.L.  Randall, D.C.  Weston, William Rork, and J.F.  Johnson.  The meeting was well attended, and the services indicated a healthy spiritual condition.

Rev. Curtis G. Lathrop entered the Rock River Conference in 1842, and his first appointment was Aztalan.  Before coming to Appleton he had been stationed at Lancaster, Oneida Indian Mission, Green Lake and Fall River.  After leaving Appleton his fields of labor have been Green Bay, Oneida, Indian Mission, Presiding Elder of Watertown District, Menasha, Neenah, Waupaca, Dartford, Fox Lake, Vinland and Randolph.  He took a superannuated relation in 1868, but during 1870 and 1871 he was able to serve as Chaplain of the Western Seaman’s Friend Society, at Washington Island.  Having removed to Nebraska, he was made effective in 1874 and transferred to the Nebraska Conference.