The History of Rock Prairie

The History of Rock Prairie

Stories of the Early Days

The first three Elders at Rock Prairie Church were David McLay, John Menzies, and Robert Barlass. David McLay was born in Scotland in 1811 and died on March 25, 1887. He was the great-grandfather of Miriam McLay Huber. Some notes written by Mrs. Gordon McLay tell this adventure story :

Because in Scotland, land remained in families for centuries, settlers in the United States were not always alert to the acts of claim-jumpers who took advantage of newcomers. An incident similar to a claim-jumpers performance occurred to David McLay. His wife one day observed a horseback rider looking their place over. She soon got the information to her husband. David, surmising that the man intended to file on their land, as yet unrecorded, roused to speedy action. He stuffed some food into his pocket and set off for Milwaukee on foot—a distance of about fifty-two miles. He swung into a steady gait and walked doggedly onward (some say a kind of a trot) hour after hour, set on reaching his goal. As dawn was breaking he collapsed on the step in front of the door to the Land Office, where land had to be recorded. This was with his back to the door, even if he should fall asleep, he would waken with the door opening. When the Recorder came to open his office, he had to arouse David in order to open the door and both went inside, where the recording of the McLay property was soon completed. As David was leaving, he met the horseback rider of the previous day coming up the walk to the Land Office.

Painfully on blistered feet, David started for home. Coming into town he had observed an abandoned cabin near a stream and there he bathed his feet in the cool waters, and stretching out, slept the clock around.

In April 1988, Isabel McLay Craig wrote some memories of growing up in the Rock Prairie Church:

"The early United Presbyterian Church was very strict and at first they didn't even have an organ. Dancing and card playing were 'works of the devil'. My father didn't see any harm in playing cards. He played euchre aboard ship when he went to Scotland for Clydesdales. We were allowed to play cards and many an exciting game of triple solitaire was interrupted if the minister came to call. We would gather up the cards in a big hurry and get them out of sight.

Many of the visiting ministers stayed at our home. Roads were bad and they would stay two or more nights. We always had worship service each morning and evening during these visits. The minister read scripture and offered prayers and everyone got on their knees.

We had some interesting and much-loved ministers over the years. My first remembrance is of Rev. Huey. His daughters were born here and remained friends over all of these years. Another minister I remember particularly was F. 0. Ross. We children called him 'Funny Old Ross' because he was so controversial. At that time three members of the Session had daughters named Isabel. One Sunday Rev. Ross preached a sermon saying the name Isabel meant the same as Jezebel—'child of the devil'. Both Elder James Menzies and John Youngclause were terribly angry but father just laughed it off.

I remember that as a child I thought some of the prayers were awfully long and some sermons were hellfire and brimstone. The church played a very important part in our lives and growing up on the prairie was a wonderful experience."

Isabel McLay Craig died on October 29,1990 at the age of ninety-one.

Significant Church Dates

July 10th,	1847 -	Reformed Church of North America organized Rock Prairie
	1859 -	Church building erected.
	1867 -	1873, Sabbath School organized.
	1868 -	Vote to unite with the United Presbyterian Church. Many leave.
	1884 -	Introduction of instrumental music into the Sabbath School.
	1885 -	Organ purchased for the church.
	1888 -	Young Peoples Christian Union organized.
	1889 -	Parsonage constructed.
	1890 -	Women's Missionary Society organized.
	1897 -	Church building enlarged. (Alexander Bell Legacy)
	1899 -	Church struck by lightning.
	1906 -	Hot air furnace installed.
	1914 -	Foundation raised to provide for basement room, etc. Lighting plant.
		(Mrs. David McLay Legacy)
	1916 -	Cradle Roll Department and Reliance Class.
	1917 -	Home Department and Reliance Class.
	1920 -	Bell Purchased and installed in church tower.
		(Mr. Willam Menzies Legacy)
	1922 -	75th Anniversary.
	1923 -	Organization of King's Daughters.
	1926 -	Vacation Bible School.
	1927 -	Pressure water system and bathroom in Parsonage.
	1930 -	Blanche Beattie Mission Circle organized.
	1932 -	85th Anniversary.
	1944 -	Fire in the basement, resulting in renovation.
	1947 -	Centennial Anniversary. Chancel Dedication of Hammond organ.
	1957 -	110th Anniversary.
	1958 -	Merged with United Presbyterian Church USA.
	1962 -	115th Anniversary.
June,	1966 -	Dedication of new Education Unit.
July 9th,	1972 -	125th Anniversary, Dedication of new Sanctuary. New Steeple.
	1973 -	Outdoor service in the A. Barlass woods.
	1977 -	New Manse built.
	1985 -	New Church organ.
April 4th,	1993 -	Moved into the new sanctuary on Palm Sunday.
May 23rd,	1993 -	Dedication of the new Sanctuary.
	1997 -	Sesquicentennial Celebration.
January 19th,	2002 -	Church website activated.