Click
here to download A Brief History of Saint
Mark's in PDF format - includes clergy listing, sources, and picture
of Old Saint Mark's 1.3MB
A Brief History of Saint Mark's Church,
Beaver Dam
Among the first
Episcopal missionaries to the area was Rev. Melancthon Hoyt, an
ambitious man who was happiest when he was pioneering, and with a
particular genius that enabled him to establish new missions and build
them into parishes. He moved from missionary work in Connecticut to
Indiana, Michigan, then to Wisconsin and later to the Dakotas. In 1846
he located at Watertown, Wisconsin, where he became rector of Saint
Paul’s Church and used this location as the center of his missionary
work in Wisconsin. The 1847 Journal of the Primary Convention of the
Wisconsin Diocese gives a report of Rev. Hoyt’s 1846 “itinerant”
ministries in communities from Milwaukee to Portage, Waupun, Fond du Lac
and points between. The account mentions that he “officiated” four
times that year to four families living at Beaver Dam. There are also
reports that Rev. George R. Bartlett, a deacon serving Delavan,
Johnstown and Elkhorn, may have done missionary work at Beaver Dam in
1847 and 1848. Before being charted as Beaver Dam the town was
sometimes referred to as “Mackie” after Thomas Mackie, an early settler
in the area.
Records are more
complete of the work of Father Leverett Denison Brainard, who was
assigned by the Board of Domestic Missions shortly after his ordination
to build up the congregation at Beaver Dam. Two communicants attended
the first service conducted by Father Brainard. One passed away a few
days later, and the other soon moved from the community. However, the
Rev. Brainard worked ardently to develop the congregation. New souls
were attracted, and the mission was named and officially organized as
Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church on March 25, 1855 (a full year before
Beaver Dam or Madison were chartered as cities).
Father Brainard enlisted
the help of Rev. Luther Gregory to assist with fundraising and building
of a church facility. Rev. Gregory traveled East to solicit support,
but returned with only $100, a very discouraged man. The Rev. Brainard
made a similar trip East, then toured the South, and was far more
successful, returning with $1,500 from donors. Upon his return a lot
was purchased, church furnishings were collected, a melodeon (reed
organ) was donated, and the initial work on the first structure was
commenced. The corner stone was laid May 15, 1858 and after two years
of church growth the property was debt-free.
In 1861 two lots
were purchased to be used for a church parsonage. That same year Rev.
Richard Foster Sweet, a deacon, was called to begin his ministry at
Saint Mark’s. On August 3rd, 1863 the building was
consecrated by Bishop Jackson Kemper. There are indications in church
records that Rev. Brainard remained active in work at Saint Mark’s for
ten years, working along with Rev. Sweet, until Deacon Sweet was
ordained priest and assigned elsewhere, and until Rev. William E. Wright
was called in 1866.
Click here
to continue with Saint Mark's history |
Old Saint Mark's Church,
built and enlarged in the 1800's, still standing in downtown Beaver Dam,
in use as a child care
facility.
Click here to visit our sesquicentennial web pages with additional
information and parish and community events
Click here to
view the stained glass windows at Saint Mark's Church |
