The next annual conference convened at the home of Wm. Thompson, in Louisa county, August 14, 1845, Bishop John Russell, presiding. At this session the Iowa conference was formally organized.
Other early conferences were held as follows:
At Columbus City, August 31, 1846, Bishop J. J. Glossbrenner, presiding.
At the home of Wm. Thompson, Louisa county, August 24, 1847, Bishop Wm. Hanby, presiding.
At the home of John Shively, Henry county, September 1, 1848, Bishop Wm. Hanby, presiding.
At the Hershey school house near Lisbon, August 23, 1849, Bishop David Edwards, presiding.
During these years the preachers in charge of the territory including Lisbon were:
- 1843-44 John Peters.
- 1844-45 Christian Troup.
- 1845-47 J. W. Sterling.
- 1847-48 Luther McVay.
- 1848-49 Luther McVay, with John DeMoss, assistant.
Writing of the Iowa conference of 1845, Bishop Russell said: "Myself and wife left the state of Maryland in a carriage for Iowa. A tedious journey indeed. All went well until we got between the two rivers—Mississippi and Iowa. In the high prairie grass our trail ran out, and of course we were lost. How to get on the right course was the trouble.
"I went before, parting the grass, which was much higher than myself. After I had gone a certain distance, I put my hat on my cane to guide my wife to the spot. Thus I continued for some time till we got right again."