Rev. Samuel Smith, an aged Local Preacher, and father of Rev. Charles Smith, a worthy member of the Wisconsin Conference, had settled, with his family, in Waupun during the preceding year, and had held religious services in private dwellings, whenever convenient.
Soon after the class was formed, Father Smith, as he was called, and his family identified themselves with the infant society and became efficient laborers in the Lord's vinyard. At the same time the class was strengthened by the addition of Dr. Brooks Bowman and his good lady. Others were added during the year, including S.J. Mattoon, Mr. and Mrs. S.A.L. Davis, Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Sexmith and Mrs. F.F. Davis. The class now numbered twenty-two members.
A building had been erected by the contributions of the people in the village and country adjacent, for the purpose of a chapel and a school house. Regular services had been held in the new edifice for several months, both morning and evening. But during the absence of the Pastor at Conference, two ministers of sister denominations came to the village and established appointments, occupying the house on alternate Sabbaths, thereby displacing the former occupants altogether.
On taking charge of the work, I called on the new comers and expressed a desire to occupy the house for the regular appointment once in two weeks, but found they were not disposed to meet my wishes. I suggested that such had been the previous custom and that our appointments were so arranged, we could not work to any other than a two weeks' plan. But finding them still indisposed to accommodate me, I merely stated to them that the house, having been built mostly by my people, and in part by myself, I could claim as a right what I had begged as a favor, but, since I saw they were indisposed to give me the only hour that would accommodate the balance of my work, I should seek a place elsewhere. At this juncture Dr. Brooks Bowman, the physician of the village, generously offered his residence as a temporary chapel, and it was gratefully accepted. The wisdom of the movement was soon shown by the result. The people came to the private house, and, when they could find no room within, they uncomplainingly stood without. The Lord poured out his spirit upon the people abundantly.
The eldest daughter of our generous host, as the first trophy of grace, was converted. Other conversions followed, and in a short time the number increased to twenty. Among them were William McElroy and wife and several others, who became leading and influential members of the church in Waupun.
The opposition soon came to naught, and the house was left to our peaceable occupancy. The Local Preachers rendered valuable services in the protracted meeting, and also alternated in filling the appointment during my absence in caring for other portions of the charge. Father Smith was not able to visit other neighborhoods, but my father was abundant in labors, extending his visits to every part of the charge and preaching usually twice, and sometimes three times on the Sabbath.
Having spent my first Sabbath at Waupun I next visited Ceresco, where a settlement had been made by the Wisconsin Phalanx, a Fourierite Association. There was no direct route, as all previous travel had taken a circuit to the west, thereby striking the trail from Watertown. But I deemed it best to open a track at the outset across the country to the point of destination. Obtaining a horse and saddle, and substituting a pocket compass for the saddlebags, as that evidence of civilization had not yet reached the village, I started out on my trip. Unfortunately the day was cloudy, and in the absence of the sun recourse at an early stage of the journey was had to the faithful compass, but unhappily not soon enough to avoid perplexity. After having traveled some distance, as I believed in the right direction, I fell into a questioning, whether I should go to the right or left of a marsh lying directly before me. The compass was brought to aid in deciding the question. It was poised on the knob of the saddle, when, to my surprise, it seemed to point several degrees too far to the left. I boxed the truant thing again and again, but could not bring the needle to point in any other direction. So I concluded, if the mountain would not come to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the mountain. Out upon the trackless wilds, absolutely without any other guide, it would not do to ignore the compass. But now a new question arose. If the needle tells the truth, I must have been going in the wrong direction for, perhaps, some considerable distance. In such case, it is impossible to conjecture how far I may be out of the direct line of travel or how far I may be astray. The needle may point to the north pole, but I cannot be sure that, if I follow its guidance now, I will find Ceresco in the line of travel. But there was no time to be lost. So, deciding that I must follow the compass, I reined my horse into line and started on, I had not gone far, however, before I found myself confronted by another large marsh. This must be avoided, and hence I made a circuit to the west and passed it, but in doing so, much precious time was lost, and speedily the night drew on. I was now without sun, stars or even compass. The stillness of the prairie was painful. And the scattered trees of the openings in the deepening shades of the evening looked more like muffled ghosts with huge umbrellas, than the beautiful groves they had appeared when seen by the light of day. Pushing on through the darkness, I soon found I was nearer my destination than I supposed. Leaving the groves on the right and passing over the prairie to the left, I had not gone far when a light was visible in the distance. On approaching, I found that I had reached Ceresco, where I was most hospitably entertained by Rev. Uriel Farmin, a Local Preacher and a member of the Association.
The Wisconsin Phalanx came from the southeastern portion of the Territory and settled at this point in May, 1844.
Soon after their settlement, Rev. Wm. H. Sampson, Presiding Elder of Green Bay District, visited the place and held the first religious service of which I can obtain information. Not long after the minister in charge of the Winnebago Lake Mission at Oshkosh visited Ceresco, and formed a class of seven members. The names, as far as ascertained, were Rev. Uriel Farmin and wife, Mrs. Morris Farmin, Mrs. Beckwith and George Limbert. The first named was appointed Leader.
The Association had erected two long buildings, one for a tenement house and the other for a dining hall. The first was built with a wide hall running from one end to the other. On either side of this hall suits of rooms had been provided for the accommodation of the several families, giving to each family at least a parlor and one or more sleeping apartments, according to its needs. Here families were as exclusive in their relations as good neighborhood could well require. The dining hall was a long, narrow building, giving in its width, barely room enough for the table, a row of persons on each side, and the free movement of the waiters behind them. The tables would accommodate one hundred and fifty at a fitting. In the rear of the dining hall, there was a large kitchen in which the cooking was done for the entire Association. The service of the kitchen, as well as every other department, was performed by persons who either volunteered or were assigned to their positions by lot, and were paid by the hour from the common fund. Divided into squads, each section had a foreman or directress, elected at reasonable intervals. It was expected that all the members would take their meals at the common table, yet exceptions were allowed in certain cases. It was affirmed that with this division of labor and a common table, the cost of board for a single individual per week did not exceed fifty cents.