In May, 1900. Rev. S. R. Ferguson, missionary of the Presbyterian church in Iowa, with the assistance of Rev. J. W. Innes, pastor of the Presbyterian church of Monticello, organized two Sabbath-schools in Castle Grove township; one at the Moore school, and the other at the Deer Creek Schoolhouse.
On September 2nd of the same year, Captain A. R. O'Brien of Lemars, Iowa, under the direction of the Presbyterian Board of Sabbath-school Work, began a series of evangelical meetings in a tent pitched near the home of James A. Howie. Captain O'Brien was assisted in the meetings by the singers, Miss Rosetta Day of Maynard and Mr. C B. Harvey of Independence, Iowa. The meetings continued for some weeks with good results.
On Monday night, October 1, 1900, the people voted to ask the Cedar Rapids Presbytery for the organization of a Presbyterian church in Castle Grove. On Monday evening, October 8, 1900. the church was organized by a committee of Presbytery with the following charter members: Mrs. James A. Howie, Frank Howie, Mrs. Frank Howie, John W. Gilligan, Fannie Gilligan, Mrs. Dorothy Cunningham, Romaine Shear, Mrs. Ada Shear, Alfred Laude, Margaret Noble, Kate E. Hall, Mrs. Eliza Moore, Mrs. J. A. Hubbard, Charles Howie, Mrs. Charles Howie, Donald Barclay, Elmer E. Orcutt, Mrs. Kathryn Orcutt, Elmer J. Noble, Mrs. Elmer Noble, Henry Evans, Pearl Orcutt, Florence Hubbard, Lulu Howie, Blanche Noble, Elsie C. Noble, Grace D. Noble, Lena Quabet, Rosa Moore and Lotta Laude.
Plans were immediately projected for the erection of a chapel. Mr. Robert Howie presented to the Presbyterian board of the church, the present church site, and the building was begun in the fall of 1900. On March 3, 1901, the chapel was dedicated by Rev. C. H. Purmort of the Cedar Rapids Presbytery.
The first elders of the new church were: E. E. Orcutt, J. W. Gillilan and E. J. Noble; and the first trustees: A. W. Cramer, J. A. Howie, Mrs. Margaret Noble. The present elders: William F. Hintz. Frank M. Benedict and Elmer J. Noble; and the present trustees: John Lubben, Frank M. Benedict and James A. Howie. A flourishing Sunday-school is maintained with William F. Hintz as superintendent and Miss Hazel Hubbard, secretary. Rev. J. W. Parkhill of Lenox College, Hopkinton, Iowa, is serving the church very acceptably at present as a stated supply.
