Warren County Iowa Genealogical Society

Orilla Pleasant Ridge Methodist Church

Orilla or Pleasant Ridge Methodist Church, Linn Township, midway along east township line (the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter and the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 3). The church was organized and built in 1873, church burned in 1925.

History of Orilla Methodist Church is copied from the History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908 p.333

The Orilla Methodist Episcopal church was formerly called Pleasant Ridge, and was organized in 1873 with John THOMPSON and wife, Hiram BAKER and wife, M. A. BENTLY and wife, Philip HULL and family, Mr. CLARK and wife, J. W. McCLAIN and wife as original members. During the pastorate of J. A. SMITH the first building was erected, and dedicated by Bishop E. G. ANDREWS. The building cost $1,500.00. There is a Ladies’ Aid Society and a Sunday school connected with the church. Current expenses last year, $60.00; benevolences, $75.00; ministerial support, $200.00. The church is being repaired at the present time, and will shortly be reopened. Present pastor, J. D. O’DELL. A large number of pastors have served this society, among whom have been some of the ablest in the Des Moines conference.

Another history of the Orilla Pleasant Ridge Methodist Church comes from “Data on Warren County Churches” at the State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, IA, film # War-56 (LDS film # 1034022)

Pleasant Ridge Methodist Church (in Linn Township, Warren County, Iowa) was organized in 1873, with John THOMPSON and wife, Phillip HULL and family, Mr. CLARK and wife, and J. W. McCLAIN and wife as original members. It’s excellent frame church which is well furnished inside and out, was built the same year as organized (1873). It was dedicated in December 1873, by Bishop E. G. ANDREWS and Rev. J. A. SMITH, the pastor who was the organizer of the church. Other pastors were D. LAMONT, J. J. D. SCHOLES, Mr. KENNEDY, and D. THOMPSON. Its present membership is about one hundred. It is situated in as fine a section of the country as there is in Iowa, and is in a flourishing condition. There is a fine Sunday school connected with an attendance of about seventy five. John E. BAKER is the Superintendent. It is kept up winter and summer, and great interest is shown in it. Later this church, Cumming Friends and Cumming Methodist churches combined forming the Cumming Community Church. The Cumming Methodist building was used for the Community Church.

Pleasant Ridge Methodist Episcopal Church was situated on the corner down the road from the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery (which is located in the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter and the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 3).