St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Hanna and St. Thomas in Carbon
History, Bell and Cross
Exhibit by Bob Leathers and Nancy Anderson
1922: Hanna. St. Marks Episcopal Church (Gert Milliken Collection from Gary Milliken)
Hanna Episcopal Church with a Sheep Wagon in Front (Gert Milliken Collection from Gary Milliken) (Undated)
"The old residents have maintained a strong feeling of loyalty to the old town [Carbon], and the acquisition of the old bell, cross, and other relics has a special interest for them. The bell is in a perfect state of preservation, and will no doubt chime in praise with "ye mountains and ye winds" for many long years to come." (Rawlins Republican, August 17, 1922)
DONATED BY
MRS. MARY E. COX
TO ST. THOMAS EPISCOPAL CHURCH
CARBON, WYOMING, TER.
OH, YE MOUNTAINS AND WINDS, PARAISE YE THE LORD
St. Marks Bell and Cross (While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)
Click the File Button below and Listen to the St. Mark's Episcopal Church Bell Ring
(Sound provided by Paul Vargyas and Lynne Kuderko)
(Sound provided by Paul Vargyas and Lynne Kuderko)
St. Mark's Episcopal Church and attached Parish Hall in Hanna were sold to a private entity effective September 1, 2016. The church had not been used for services for many years. The sale included all the contents of the church except for the historic bell. The bell was removed from the tower by the Hanna Basin Museum and now resides at the Hanna Basin Museum on loan from the Episcopal Church of Wyoming. The cross was removed from the church as well, but the new owners requested to keep possession of the cross and the it was returned after being photographed.
FOLLOWING THE HISTORICAL CROSS AND BELL of ST. MARK'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, HANNA
by Nancy Anderson, Hanna Basin Museum
Mystery
Dedicated in August of 1868, St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Cheyenne was acknowledged as the first church edifice erected in Wyoming, then a territory. When the new St. Mark's stone church was completed twenty years later, the earlier frame building was loaded on a flat car and sent to the coal camp of Carbon. According to all sources that adorned the belfry went with the church.
After the mines in Carbon closed, enterprising Carbonites and others recycled entire buildings and material from the camp. Although researchers once thought that St. Thomas Episcopal Church was moved to the homestead of James Fisher, evidence now suggests that the Fisher building was actually Carbon City Hall and that Tony Dodds transported the church to his homestead where it becomes a horse barn (still in use today on the Palm Ranch).
The Cross
James Fisher did, however, have the cross from the St. Thomas church on his Carbon City Hall, now hay barn, and declared it made his mares more fertile. During his lifetime, Fisher refused all offers to buy the cross. The hay barn was sold to the Quealy Ranches after Fisher's death.
Here, stories diverge. According to the history of St. Marks Hanna, (Rawlins Republican 8/17/1922), the cross was purchased from the Quealy family by C. D. Williamson, one of the founders of the new church. The cross was found to be in poor condition and was placed inside the sanctuary for preservation.
Another cross exists inside St. Mark's, Cheyenne, which is also presented as the original cross from Wyoming's first church. The related plaque declares that it was recovered by Hugo Miller and presented to St. Mark's Parish on September 19, 1914. Hugo Miller was a well-known Carbon character. The two crosses differ greatly. Cheyenne's is simple, two plain pieces of wood, while the St. Mark's, Hanna has an aureole. Could there have been two crosses on the first church edifice in what is now Wyoming?
The Hanna St. Mark's bell is not the oldest church bell in Wyoming. That honor goes to the bell first mounted in the original Cheyenne St. Mark's and which will soon be on display there.
The bell displayed at our museum may be the second oldest as it was cast by the Jones Foundry in 1870. The gift of Mrs. Mary E. Cox of New York, the bell was intended for Carbon's Episcopal church, almost twenty years before the church existed. Instead, it was mounted in Laramie's Procatherdral where it probably pealed until the installation of the Meenley chimes in the new St. Matthew's Cathedral in 1916. In 1922 the Jones bell finally arrived at Hanna's new St. Mark's Church. This bell is on display through a loan agreement with the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming, Rev. John Smiley, Bishop.
Inside the Episcopal Church (While Family by Bob Leathers)
OLDEST CHURCH BELL IN WYOMING WILL BEGIN THIRD PERIOD OF USEFULNESS AT HANNA
Rawlins Republican August 17, 1922
Worthy of a place among the tales of famous bells with which history abounds is the story of the old bell which is to be mounted over the new St. Marks Episcopal Church of Hanna, and which will enter a third period of service when it rings to announce the visit of the special train of Episcopal Convention delegates at Hanna in September.
The bell became a part of Wyoming history in 1870 when it was donated by Mrs. Mary E. Cox to St. Thomas' church Carbon, not then constructed. The bell is thirty inches in diameter, weighting 300 pounds, and was reputed to be one of the most harmonious bells cast. Graven on its surface is the inscription most appropriate for Wyoming:
"Donated by Mrs. E. Cox to
St. Thomas Episcopal Church.
of Carbon, Wyoming, Territory,
1870.
"OH, YE MOUNTAINS AND
WINDS, PRAISE YE THE LORD!"
The identity of Mrs. Mary Cox is not known, and any information which pioneer residents may be in possession of would be welcomed, according to Rev. Morgan, present pastor at Hanna.
When building plans at Carbon were delayed indefinitely, the bell was sent to Laramie, where it was used in the old Pro-Cathedral and afterwards in the present Cathedral, until the donation of the chimes by Edward Ivinson several years ago.
In 1886 the old St. Marks church of Cheyenne was loaded on two flat cars and moved to Carbon, but it was found, when the building was erected there that it was not stable enough to bear the weight of the bell, which was left at Laramie. When the town of Carbon was moved to Hanna at the time the U.P. track was re-routed the old church was sold to Ed Fisher, who used it for a hay barn for many years. At his death it was sold to one of the Quealy ranches, where it is still used. During Fisher's life time many efforts were made to buy the cross which stood on top of the structure, but Mr. Fisher always refused to part with it, claiming that it brought good fortune to his ranching operations. It was finally bought from the Quealy outfit by C.D. Williamson, president of the Wyoming Timber Company of Hanna, who has donated it to the new church. The wood of the cross has rotted, and it has been decided to place it inside the building as a historical relic, and an exact replica has been made to place on top of the new building. Several pieces of furniture from the old church have also been acquired, including the base of the lectern, or reading desk, and the old alter rail.
A number of the pioneer residents of Carbon will attend the newly erected edifice, including T.H. Butler, the superintendent of the Hanna mines, and Messrs. Robert Cardwell, Colin Hudson, Mr. Jackson and Mrs. M. Reese. The old residents have maintained a strong feeling of loyalty to the old town, and the acquisition of the old bell, cross, and other relics has a special interest for them. The bell is in a perfect state of preservation, and will no doubt chime in praise with "ye mountains and ye winds" for many long years to come. (Rawlins Republican no. 33 August 17, 1922 p. 9)
(While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)
(While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)
(While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)
Hanna, Carbon County, Wyoming - St. Mark's Episcopal Church
In The Service Of Our Country
St. Mark's - Hanna - St. John's - Community
Military Honor Roll
St. Mark's Episcopal Church and attached Parish Hall in Hanna were sold to a private entity effective September 1, 2016. The church had not been used for many years. The sale included all the contents of the church except the historic bell which now resides at the Hanna Basin Museum on loan from the Episcopal Church of Wyoming.
Episcopal Church Bell delivered to the Museum by Arch Mining Company (Hanna Basin Museum)
Episcopal Church Bell delivered to the Museum by Arch Mining Company (Hanna Basin Museum)
Episcopal Church Bell delivered to the Museum by Arch Mining Company (Hanna Basin Museum)
Bell from the Episcopal Church Repaired by the Arch Mining Company (While Family Collection by Bob Leathers)
Victor Anderson and the Episcopal Bell (While Family Collection by Bob Leathers)
The only document rescued from the church prior to the sale was the Military Service Honor Roll that hung on the church wall for many years. It is one of the only documents available to identify Hanna individuals that served in World War II.
Membership List
St. Mark's Hanna Episcopal Church
November 13, 1952
1. Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Aho
2. Miss Margaret Bamber
3. Mr. E. J. Bear, Walcott
4. Miss Patricia Bigelow
5. Mr. & Mrs. Mose Boam
6. Mr. & Mrs. Alex Briggs
7. Mr. & Mrs. William Briggs
8. Mrs. R. C. Buckingham
9. Mrs. Daisy Bynum
10. Mr. & Mrs. Larry Cheesbrough
11. Mr. & Mrs. John Clark
12. Mr. & Mrs. Larry Clark
13. Mr. Michael Clarkson
14. Mr. & Mrs. James Clegg
15. Mr. & Mrs. George Crank
16. Mrs. Mildred Crank
17. Mr. & Mrs. Jack Crawshaw
18. Mr. & Mrs. George Cruickshank
19. Mr. & Mrs. Robert Cummings
20. Mr. & Mrs. Robert Cummings, Jr.
21. Mrs. Hannah Dickenson - Dick Lee
22. Mr. & Mrs. Tom Dodds
23. Mr. & Mrs. George Dorrington
24. Mr. & Mrs. George Ebsen, Sr.
25. Mr. & Mrs. George Ebsen, Jr.
26. Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Eskeli
27. Mr. Charles Ferrari
28. Mr. & Mrs. David Freeman
29. Mr. & Mrs. Colin Hodgson - Miss Alice
30. Mr. & Mrs. Henry Jones
31. Mr. & Mrs. Waco Kandolin
32. Mr. & Mrs. Harry Kerr
33. Mr. & Mrs. K. E. Kimmel
34. Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Klemola
35. Mrs. Dorothy While Leathers
36. Mr. & Mrs. Jack Lee
37. Mr. & Mrs. Mark Lee
38. Mr. & Mrs. James Lucas
39. Mrs. Sue Mangan
40. Mr. & Mrs. Edward Mattila
41. Mr. Gilbert Mellor - Mrs. Anna Choquette
42. Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Mellor
43. Mr. & Mrs. Robert S. Milliken
44. Mr. & Mrs. W. S. Milliken, Sr.
45. Mr. W. S. Milliken, Jr.
46. Mr. & Mrs. Wilbur Palleson
47. Mr. & Mrs. John Rimmer
48. Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Ruskanen
49. Mr. & Mrs. Munson Sawyer
50. Mr. & Mrs. Frank Scarpelli, Jr.
51. Mrs. Gus Siltimaki
52. Mr. & Mrs. Norman Smith
53. Miss E. J. Taylor (Methodist)
54. Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Withrow (North Ranch)
55. Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Waldrup - Joe
56. Mr. & Mrs. Abraham Warburton
57. Mr. & Mrs. John While
58. Mr. & Mrs. Robert While
59. Rev. & Mrs. Harvard Wilbur
60. Miss Marlene Williams
61. Mr. & Mrs. C. D. Williamson
62. Mr. & Mrs. Tom Withrow
63. Mrs. Helen Woodbury
64. Mr. & Mrs. Robert H. Milliken
65. Mrs. Frank Amoss, Laramie
2. Miss Margaret Bamber
3. Mr. E. J. Bear, Walcott
4. Miss Patricia Bigelow
5. Mr. & Mrs. Mose Boam
6. Mr. & Mrs. Alex Briggs
7. Mr. & Mrs. William Briggs
8. Mrs. R. C. Buckingham
9. Mrs. Daisy Bynum
10. Mr. & Mrs. Larry Cheesbrough
11. Mr. & Mrs. John Clark
12. Mr. & Mrs. Larry Clark
13. Mr. Michael Clarkson
14. Mr. & Mrs. James Clegg
15. Mr. & Mrs. George Crank
16. Mrs. Mildred Crank
17. Mr. & Mrs. Jack Crawshaw
18. Mr. & Mrs. George Cruickshank
19. Mr. & Mrs. Robert Cummings
20. Mr. & Mrs. Robert Cummings, Jr.
21. Mrs. Hannah Dickenson - Dick Lee
22. Mr. & Mrs. Tom Dodds
23. Mr. & Mrs. George Dorrington
24. Mr. & Mrs. George Ebsen, Sr.
25. Mr. & Mrs. George Ebsen, Jr.
26. Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Eskeli
27. Mr. Charles Ferrari
28. Mr. & Mrs. David Freeman
29. Mr. & Mrs. Colin Hodgson - Miss Alice
30. Mr. & Mrs. Henry Jones
31. Mr. & Mrs. Waco Kandolin
32. Mr. & Mrs. Harry Kerr
33. Mr. & Mrs. K. E. Kimmel
34. Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Klemola
35. Mrs. Dorothy While Leathers
36. Mr. & Mrs. Jack Lee
37. Mr. & Mrs. Mark Lee
38. Mr. & Mrs. James Lucas
39. Mrs. Sue Mangan
40. Mr. & Mrs. Edward Mattila
41. Mr. Gilbert Mellor - Mrs. Anna Choquette
42. Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Mellor
43. Mr. & Mrs. Robert S. Milliken
44. Mr. & Mrs. W. S. Milliken, Sr.
45. Mr. W. S. Milliken, Jr.
46. Mr. & Mrs. Wilbur Palleson
47. Mr. & Mrs. John Rimmer
48. Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Ruskanen
49. Mr. & Mrs. Munson Sawyer
50. Mr. & Mrs. Frank Scarpelli, Jr.
51. Mrs. Gus Siltimaki
52. Mr. & Mrs. Norman Smith
53. Miss E. J. Taylor (Methodist)
54. Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Withrow (North Ranch)
55. Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Waldrup - Joe
56. Mr. & Mrs. Abraham Warburton
57. Mr. & Mrs. John While
58. Mr. & Mrs. Robert While
59. Rev. & Mrs. Harvard Wilbur
60. Miss Marlene Williams
61. Mr. & Mrs. C. D. Williamson
62. Mr. & Mrs. Tom Withrow
63. Mrs. Helen Woodbury
64. Mr. & Mrs. Robert H. Milliken
65. Mrs. Frank Amoss, Laramie
Honor Roll - Page 1. ( St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Hanna Basin Museum)
Honor Roll - Page 2. ( St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Hanna Basin Museum)
lColumn 1: Herbert E. Morgan, Daniel E. Walgren, Charles Everet Wist, John Owens, Jack Ligeros, John Pershing Pecolar, Sidney L. Morgan Jr., Jack Sihes Crawshaw, Albert O. Dickinson, Thomas Hudson, Jesse B. Owens, Lloyd Lockhart, Jack Lee Jr., James Poulas, Joe Charles Mellor, Edward Sula Rantala, Francis J. Butler, Sidney Joe Stultz, Jacob Wm Swan, Arvey N. Matson
Column 2: Richard Lucas, Frank Clark, Wilmer F. Walker, Gino Williams, Fred Wahabayash, Henry W. Lemoine, Alexander Tennant, Amos March, Sulo O. Jussila, Joseph E Lemoine, Tony Wm Taccalone, John Wm Tate, Jr., John D. Bedford, Joe G. Scarpelli, Raymond E. Peterson, Clyde Killion, Clarence I. Lemoine, Weikko W. Jussila, Wm Grant Bullock, Tony Scarpelli
Column 3: George Ojala, Wilks Tihkanen, Frank Fugino, John A. Besingano, Jack Hearne, Joe Besignano, Melville Cruickshank, Tom Hemsley, Richard Norris, Bernard R. Lucas, Wilho Kivi, Sam Scarpelli, William Wright, Robert Houston, John Henry Crawford Jr., John Hudson, Reino Hakala, Amelia Leino, Phillip Clark, Reginal Hearne
Column 4: Gaddis Korr, George Wales Jr., Carl Erickson, John Annala, Arthur Ehala, Uno Lehti, Wayne Eskeli, William Freeman Jr., Wm Milliken Jr., Dean Ryder, Rober Siltamahi, John Boam, Thomas Walsh, William While, John L. Houston, Tauno Jussila, Ralph Swearns, Gilmore Dupont, Richard Houston, John T. Jones
Column 2: Richard Lucas, Frank Clark, Wilmer F. Walker, Gino Williams, Fred Wahabayash, Henry W. Lemoine, Alexander Tennant, Amos March, Sulo O. Jussila, Joseph E Lemoine, Tony Wm Taccalone, John Wm Tate, Jr., John D. Bedford, Joe G. Scarpelli, Raymond E. Peterson, Clyde Killion, Clarence I. Lemoine, Weikko W. Jussila, Wm Grant Bullock, Tony Scarpelli
Column 3: George Ojala, Wilks Tihkanen, Frank Fugino, John A. Besingano, Jack Hearne, Joe Besignano, Melville Cruickshank, Tom Hemsley, Richard Norris, Bernard R. Lucas, Wilho Kivi, Sam Scarpelli, William Wright, Robert Houston, John Henry Crawford Jr., John Hudson, Reino Hakala, Amelia Leino, Phillip Clark, Reginal Hearne
Column 4: Gaddis Korr, George Wales Jr., Carl Erickson, John Annala, Arthur Ehala, Uno Lehti, Wayne Eskeli, William Freeman Jr., Wm Milliken Jr., Dean Ryder, Rober Siltamahi, John Boam, Thomas Walsh, William While, John L. Houston, Tauno Jussila, Ralph Swearns, Gilmore Dupont, Richard Houston, John T. Jones
St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Hanna, Carbon County, Wyoming
Gallery
Column 1: Robert Norris, Oliver Eugene Salo, Frank Reynolds, Robert Beaver, Kenneth Wilson, Percy Wilson, Harold Grapson, Father H. Kellam, Charles S. Morgan, Thomas R. Jackson, Sammie Harrison, Swante Aho, Don Ainsworth, Paul Anceau, Bryant Bailey, Carmen Besignago, Charles Collins, John H. Crawshaw, George Cruickshank, Preston Dupont
Column 2: Arthur Ekola, Carl Erickson, Elwood Gashell, Reese Gashell, Richard Gerhardt, Alfred Hopgood Jr., Alfred Hopgood Sr., Stanley Harrison, Donald Hearne, Robert Henningsen, Wayne Hudson, John Jones, John Kelly, Patrick Kelly, Harry Kerr, Bernard Killion, Russel Kirkpatrick, Oivo Kivisto, Tenko Kivisto, Arvey Lehti
Column 3: Meimi Lein, Roy Lemoine, Reino Lindi, Clarence Lucas, Evor Mathson, Herbert Mathson, Robert Milliken, Joseph Norris, Donald Park, Floyd Penman, Jack Pickup, Tony Paulos, William Rae, Frank Reynolds, Lester Reynolds, Woodrow Rivi, Cecil Robinson, William Russell, John Saeri
Column 4: Russell Swayer, Eigene Salo, Ralph Scarpelli, James Smith, Charles M. Stebner, Virgil Thomas, Nick Varvandahis, Henry Wahabayashe, George Walker, Lynwood Watson, Velva Woods, Steve Zahis, William Zahis, Robert Reese, Fred Johnson, Lloyd Reel, William Gillispie
Column 2: Arthur Ekola, Carl Erickson, Elwood Gashell, Reese Gashell, Richard Gerhardt, Alfred Hopgood Jr., Alfred Hopgood Sr., Stanley Harrison, Donald Hearne, Robert Henningsen, Wayne Hudson, John Jones, John Kelly, Patrick Kelly, Harry Kerr, Bernard Killion, Russel Kirkpatrick, Oivo Kivisto, Tenko Kivisto, Arvey Lehti
Column 3: Meimi Lein, Roy Lemoine, Reino Lindi, Clarence Lucas, Evor Mathson, Herbert Mathson, Robert Milliken, Joseph Norris, Donald Park, Floyd Penman, Jack Pickup, Tony Paulos, William Rae, Frank Reynolds, Lester Reynolds, Woodrow Rivi, Cecil Robinson, William Russell, John Saeri
Column 4: Russell Swayer, Eigene Salo, Ralph Scarpelli, James Smith, Charles M. Stebner, Virgil Thomas, Nick Varvandahis, Henry Wahabayashe, George Walker, Lynwood Watson, Velva Woods, Steve Zahis, William Zahis, Robert Reese, Fred Johnson, Lloyd Reel, William Gillispie
(While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)
(While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)
St. Mark's Parish Hall
(While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)
(While Family Collection by Bob Leathers)
Kitchen area (While Family Collection by Bob Leathers)
Sources
- Nancy Anderson, Director, Hanna Basin Museum
- Bob Leathers, Hanna Basin Museum website