A HISTORY OF THE NORTH TOPEKA WESLEYAN CHURCH

Topeka, Kansas

In the later 1920's Rev. J.A. Drake and Rev. Sherman Happer lived in the Topeka area. They did a lot of preaching together. They had a burden for the northern part of Topeka. At that time there were no holiness churches in the area.

This church began with a revival. There was a building sitting on the southwest corner of Van Buren and Fairchild Streets owned by Mr. and Mrs. Parr. (Note: The building was like a mission and is now torn down.) Reverend J. (Jacob) A. Drake whose wife's name was Olive and Reverend Sherman Happer were preaching there. A revival broke out. Eugene and Opal Robinson along with Leon and Edna Barnes were saved during those meetings.

The new Christians started meeting in homes.

The first location was 1302 N.W. Tyler. In a short time the home was not large enough to accommodate the attendance.

From there they moved to 813 N.W. Paramore St.

From there the congregation moved to 616 N.W. Paramore St.

From there to 1122 N.W. Central Ave. They called this building the "tin shed".

The present location is 1201 N.W. Central Ave.

Several men did the preaching from Sunday to Sunday. These men included Earnest Patterson and his wife Flocy, Eugene Robinson and his wife Opal, Leon Barnes and his wife Edna and J.A. Drake and his wife Olive. Samuel Barr was a young man that also did some preaching at this time in the church.

The North West Central Avenue location was a great site because Highway 75 ran right by the church property. There was an old two story home located where the church building presently is sitting. The house was gone. The people enlarged and remodeled the basement of the old house as a church. About twenty people started meeting in the basement. The land was purchased in the Charles Curtis subdivision. (Note: Charles Curtis was Vice President of the United States of America from 1929-1933, under Herbert Hoover of the Republican party.)

A white framed building about 18ft. by 35ft. sat along the alley to the west of the property. This building was used for worship after the 1951 flood for a short period of time.

The revival began in 1933. After a period of years of moving from location to location the basement church was built in January 1, 1936. Reverend J.A. Drake was the first pastor. He was ordained August 15, 1880.

Reverend J.A. Drake was a business man in the community. He was in 

construction work. He remodeled houses, painted buildings, and demolished buildings for the used lumber. He would also fill in teaching at the Eskridge Wesleyan Bible College. He was known for his honesty, steadiness, helpfulness to churches and had a great memory. He helped people with money problems. He was a pioneer in church work. People reported of him that Reverend Drake was a happy Christian.

Reverend Drake would walk three miles one way from 533 W. Oakley just to preach in the new church. His daughter, now Imagene Dachenhausen, walked with him.

In the Fall of 1951 Rev. Floyd Elder dug most of the mud out of the basement church by himself. Later the people were able to move back and hold services.

A double garage was added to the property. It sat on the Northwest corner of the property against the alley. It was built in the winter of 1958-1959. Rev. and Mrs. Cooper were pastoring at the time.

In 1960 the congregation voted to add the top to the church. The beautiful structure was completed in 1961. Pastor Walt Rowell was here at that time. Brother Rowell constructed the present cross that hangs in the front sanctuary.

There was a two story house located just north of the present church building. It was torn down and some of the lumber was used in the construction of the present parsonage. The parsonage was built in 1968. Rev. Frank and Ruby Gilger were the general contractors, and Rev. Eugene Robinson would come to help.

There were the Sunrise Singers. Several of the Moore and Price family members sang in the group.

In 1986 the congregation was given a chance to purchase four lots just north of the present church property. They paid about $20,000. Two old houses were on the lots. The lots were purchased for future expansion. Rev. Marvin and Wanda Jenkins were pastoring at this time.

Reverend Marvin Jenkins and the congregation constructed a new addition in 1987. This addition is now the baptistery and storage area. The addition gave the congregation more room to worship.

The little house just north of the parsonage was torn down in 1989. The basement was filled in, giving room for more parking space. Also new carpet was added to the basement of the church. Rev. Don and Jean Peterson were pastoring.

In the summer of 1995 the congregation relocated the double garage from just west of the parsonage, to just north of the present parsonage. The siding and roof were replaced. Also both the parsonage and garage were painted. Rev. Dean E. and Laureen Schmitt were pastoring.

The day after Thanksgiving 1995 several men of the church and community tore down the garage on the rental property just north of the present parsonage.

On Christmas Sunday 1995 the congregation dedicated 70 newly purchased hymnals during the morning worship service. These were a memorial for Rev. Evelyn Meister.

Pastors who have served the church:

Rev. J.A. and Olive Drake - 1936

Rev. R.J. and Mrs. Elling

Rev. Lewis S. and Elizabeth Currie - 1949

Rev.'s Mildred Nantz and Ada Schultz

Rev.'s Mildred Nantz and Velma Knox

Rev. Raymond and Mrs. Balty

Rev. Floyd and Grace Elder - 1949

Rev. and Mrs. Cooper

Rev. Clara and Mrs. Dunbar

Rev. Walt and Mrs. Rowell

Rev. Frank and Ruby Gilger -1962 to 1972

Rev. and Mrs. Engle - 1972 -

Rev. Lowell and Mrs. Gilger -

Rev. Marvin and Wanda Jenkins - 1979 to 1986

Rev. Don and Jean Peterson - 1986 to 1990

Rev. Dean and Laureen Schmitt - 1990 to present

Early Members:

(There were 20 people who claimed membership at first.)

Lloyd and Velva Kennedy

Rev. J.A. and Olive Drake

Eugene and Opal Robinson

Lynn and Edna Barnes

Earnest and Flocy Patterson

     ?                      Masters

Addition...

On August 24th, 1997 we had a Mortgage Burning service. The church paid off the four lots that was purchased just north of the parsonage. The original note was $20,000. Later the property was refinanced with WIF for $16,000. The note was paid off twice as fast as was required. Rev. Marvin Jenkins and Rev. Don Peterson (Former pastors during the tenure of the note) came back and shared about their experiences. Rev. Paul James (D.S.) preached the message. There was a cookout following.