Klickitat Valley
Church
The Klickitat Valley
Church had members from Hartland Wash. to Dalles Ore. about a 50 square mile
area.
The first Brethren in the
valley were the Rothrock family, who came in 1879 from the Salem, Oregon area
and homesteaded at Hartland, WA on the High Prairie. About the same time Jacob
C. Shermer & Family settled east of the Rothrock's near Goldendale, Wash. In
August of 1880 Elder David Brower visited the Brethren in the
valley.
The following is taken from Elder David
Brower's diary.
Tuesday August 3, 1880 Boarded the boat (Portland) at 5 o'clock
AM., arrived at Klickitat landing at 4 P.M., met Dwight Rothrock who brought me
out to Michael Rothrock's, sister Mary Rothrock was anointed, she having poor
health, Lodged at M Rothrock.
Wednesday August 4, 1880 Perry Rothrock took me to Bro. J. C.
Shermer, he was not at home, met Bro. David Ives & Wife, then to Charley
Hartley, supped there, thence to M. Rothrock, lodged there.
In the fall of 1800 Marion Andrew & family moved to the Dallas,
Oregon from Calf. and Allen Ives & family moved from Kansas to near
his daughter and son-in-law's (Shermer) place at Goldendale, on the Washington
side of the river. In November Elder Brower returned to Klickitat
Valley.
Again we look at the Brower
Diary: Saturday November 20, 1880 Council meeting at Bro. J.
C. Shermer, organized church called Klickitat Valley Church., Meeting that night
a M. R. (Rothrock) Text Matthew 7 Ch. 21. Many out. Lodged at Bro. M
Andrews.
The following report was by Allen Ives to
the Brethren a Work, which published it on January 18,
1881: By request of
Brother David Brower, of Salem, Oregon, I write this for publication. On the 7th
November last myself and family arrived safely in the Klickitat Valley. One week
later Brother David Brower came to us for the purpose of holding a series of
meetings with the scattered members in this part of god's moral vineyard. We had
nine public meetings. A council meeting was held, Brother Brower thinking it
good to have us organized. Fifteen members were present, all of whom, after
unanimously consulting, agreed that we form a church organization, to be under
the care of Brother Brower, assisted by the writer. We accordingly organized, to
be know as the Klickitat Church.... Those were the first meeting ever held in
the country by the Brethren... Allen Ives
This is a list of the 14 known charter members out of the 15.
1. Michael Rothrock 2. Mary Elizabeth Rothrock (wife) 3. Marion
Andrews 4. Elizabeth Andrews (wife) 5. Nancy Andrews (Mother of
Marion) 6. Jacob C Shermer 7. Catherine (Ives) Shermer (wife) 8. David
Ives 9. Bessie Ives
(wife) 10. Elder Allen Ives 11. Mary K Ives
(wife) 12. Emma E Shearer 13. Thomas Andrews 14. Morris
Rothrock 15.
Bro. Marion Andrews and family moved to Oysterville, Wash. on the
coast in 1881.
The Allen Ives & Jacob Shermer family had move to Portland, Oregon by
1883 and then on to Centralia, Wash. in 1889.
This left only the Rothrock and Shearer families in the Valley and the
congregation just fell by the way side. No church house was build for this
organization and not much else is known about this congregation.
Nov. 2000 Dennis Roth
|