Hanna, Wyoming's, Early Churches
Exhibit by Nancy Anderson with Contributions from Bob Leathers
1925
Hanna Churches
Hanna Churches (Union Pacific Coal Company Employ's Magazine, June 1925)
2017
An Introduction to Hanna’s Early Churches
by Nancy Anderson
Hanna’s early congregations had their roots in old Carbon, first coal camp on the original line of the Union Pacific Railway. The Methodists and Finnish Evangelical Lutherans built houses of worship there; the first church edifice in Wyoming, Cheyenne’s first Episcopal Church, dismantled when the cathedral was built, arrived in Carbon in pieces, coming via flat car, to be recycled into Carbon’s St. Thomas. The Catholics and the Mormons met in the schoolhouse and elsewhere. On occasion Carbon hosted revivals and services by various other denominations and independent preachers.
The Methodist Episcopal Church
In 1890 Rev. Benjamin Young arrived once a month to conduct Methodist services in Hanna’s railroad depot; he came from Carbon by the local train via Medicine Bow, as Hanna was not on the main line. The congregation soon realized the need for a church building and appealed to the Union Pacific Coal Company for land to lease in the company town. This was quickly granted and fund raisers and personal donations made possible the dedication of the first church in the fall of 1891, when the attending congregation filled the little church to capacity.
In 1914 a Sunday school room was added with the coal company furnishing materials and the men of the church, the labor. In the same year, a building from the Sampo Coal Company was moved to the site and became the parsonage.
The congregation continued to grow and by 1924 plans for a new building arrived from the Board of Home Missions, and work began immediately. Services were held in Linden’s Hall (now the museum) as the new church was being built on the same site as the old. In 1925, the first ME Church building was purchased and moved east on Front Street by Hanna’s black community and became St. John’s Baptist Church. Sunday December 14, 1924 the Colored Baptist Church in Hanna was dedicated.
St. John’s Baptist Church
St. John’s Baptist Church, with a small congregation, had difficulty in finding a minister; pastors from the Hanna Methodist Church helped on occasion but the church began to decline. An Episcopal priest, Fr. Harry K. Kellam, arrived in Hanna and held regular services in what Harv Wilbur described as “an evangelical way.” The result was that in the congregation adopted the full Episcopal service and the church became the Church of St. John the Baptist.
St. Marks Episcopal Church
It took some years for the congregation of St. Marks to have permanent home; they met in the Finnish Church, the First Aid Hall, school buildings, and homes. Young Samuel E. West, who was a missionary to the coal camp in 1912, held services in the
Finnish Lutheran Church and observed that many of the Finns’ children participated in the Sunday school along with those of British descent; the fledgling pastor slept in a tent pitched on the side of the church. Harv Wilbur noted that through the years, “There were a number of faithful souls involved in the establishment and life of St. Marks.” Among these was miner Tom Towne, friend of Sam West, a muscular and exemplary Christian (see Mary Town in “magazine”).
The first service in the newly constructed building occurred in 1922. For the first four years, lay members conducted services and classes in Christian education.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Hanna’s Mormon congregation first held “Cottage Meetings” in individual homes and under the leadership of local members. These were augmented by missionary visitations, occurring three or four times a year and occupying several days. The missionaries, older members of the priesthood, performed baptisms, confirmations, and other sacraments. Ralph Penman, at age eight, was baptized in the Platte River. Others were immersed in Hansen’s dam, which was near old Percy on the original line of the Union Pacific. Eventually the Mormons purchased the old barber shop on Front Street and held services there for many years.
The Finnish Lutheran Church
With the closure of the Carbon mines in 1902, the dedicated Finnish miners not only brought their congregation to Hanna, but also their church building. At Carbon and later in Hanna, the church was served by itinerate ministers of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, whose visits were necessarily few and seldom given the extents of their pastorates. Eventually, lay ministers, notably John Grooman, conducted Sunday services. Interest declined and the distinctive building with its tower was sold and became the Dew Drop Inn.
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church
The earliest Catholic services were held in Hanna’s first school (built 1890) and conducted by Father Joseph Conrath SJ.
In the fall of 1913, George Washington Lane, his wife and ten children plus one passenger were on an odyssey cross-country en route to the golden land of California. They traveled in two balky autos and paused often and long to earn funds to continue their journey. Grace Coffin Henry, a granddaughter, recorded her mother’s memory.
In 1890 Rev. Benjamin Young arrived once a month to conduct Methodist services in Hanna’s railroad depot; he came from Carbon by the local train via Medicine Bow, as Hanna was not on the main line. The congregation soon realized the need for a church building and appealed to the Union Pacific Coal Company for land to lease in the company town. This was quickly granted and fund raisers and personal donations made possible the dedication of the first church in the fall of 1891, when the attending congregation filled the little church to capacity.
In 1914 a Sunday school room was added with the coal company furnishing materials and the men of the church, the labor. In the same year, a building from the Sampo Coal Company was moved to the site and became the parsonage.
The congregation continued to grow and by 1924 plans for a new building arrived from the Board of Home Missions, and work began immediately. Services were held in Linden’s Hall (now the museum) as the new church was being built on the same site as the old. In 1925, the first ME Church building was purchased and moved east on Front Street by Hanna’s black community and became St. John’s Baptist Church. Sunday December 14, 1924 the Colored Baptist Church in Hanna was dedicated.
St. John’s Baptist Church
St. John’s Baptist Church, with a small congregation, had difficulty in finding a minister; pastors from the Hanna Methodist Church helped on occasion but the church began to decline. An Episcopal priest, Fr. Harry K. Kellam, arrived in Hanna and held regular services in what Harv Wilbur described as “an evangelical way.” The result was that in the congregation adopted the full Episcopal service and the church became the Church of St. John the Baptist.
St. Marks Episcopal Church
It took some years for the congregation of St. Marks to have permanent home; they met in the Finnish Church, the First Aid Hall, school buildings, and homes. Young Samuel E. West, who was a missionary to the coal camp in 1912, held services in the
Finnish Lutheran Church and observed that many of the Finns’ children participated in the Sunday school along with those of British descent; the fledgling pastor slept in a tent pitched on the side of the church. Harv Wilbur noted that through the years, “There were a number of faithful souls involved in the establishment and life of St. Marks.” Among these was miner Tom Towne, friend of Sam West, a muscular and exemplary Christian (see Mary Town in “magazine”).
The first service in the newly constructed building occurred in 1922. For the first four years, lay members conducted services and classes in Christian education.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Hanna’s Mormon congregation first held “Cottage Meetings” in individual homes and under the leadership of local members. These were augmented by missionary visitations, occurring three or four times a year and occupying several days. The missionaries, older members of the priesthood, performed baptisms, confirmations, and other sacraments. Ralph Penman, at age eight, was baptized in the Platte River. Others were immersed in Hansen’s dam, which was near old Percy on the original line of the Union Pacific. Eventually the Mormons purchased the old barber shop on Front Street and held services there for many years.
The Finnish Lutheran Church
With the closure of the Carbon mines in 1902, the dedicated Finnish miners not only brought their congregation to Hanna, but also their church building. At Carbon and later in Hanna, the church was served by itinerate ministers of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, whose visits were necessarily few and seldom given the extents of their pastorates. Eventually, lay ministers, notably John Grooman, conducted Sunday services. Interest declined and the distinctive building with its tower was sold and became the Dew Drop Inn.
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church
The earliest Catholic services were held in Hanna’s first school (built 1890) and conducted by Father Joseph Conrath SJ.
In the fall of 1913, George Washington Lane, his wife and ten children plus one passenger were on an odyssey cross-country en route to the golden land of California. They traveled in two balky autos and paused often and long to earn funds to continue their journey. Grace Coffin Henry, a granddaughter, recorded her mother’s memory.
Their search for just the right job took them to Hanna….
There, they were fortunate to be offered a contract to build
a large Catholic church, complete with steeple, arched
windows, and a meeting hall.
The building site had already been selected by the church
vestry. Some lumber lay around on the ground in piles,
patiently awaiting the touch of a carpenter’s hand to transform
the lowly boards into a holy edifice. The priest was most
anxious to engage Papa and his sons…. Harrison, Caleb, and
John…. Caleb [said] he felt he was going to be a little closer to
Glory when he would be working on the steeple of the church.
Sources:
- Finch, Mrs. J. F. et.al. The History of the Hanna Methodist Church. Hanna WY: Hanna Epworth League, 1936.
- Henry, Grace Coffin. For Every Man There is a Destiny. Rowley, MA: Rowley Printing, 1986.
- McAuliffe, Eugene et. al. History of the Union Pacific Coal Mines. Omaha NE: Colonial Press, 1940.
- Meyer, Rev. Msgr, John. Looks Back. Long Prairie MN: Neumann Press, 1984.
- Penman, Ralph. Phone interview with Nancy Anderson, July 19, 2016.
- West, Samuel E. Cross on the Range Missionary in Wyoming. The Church Historical Society, 1947.
- Wilbur, Harv. Hanna Field Story of a Fledging Episcopal Priest and his Six Wyoming Missions. Denver, CO: Harv Wilbur, 1995.
- Union Pacific Coal Company Employe's Magazine, April 1925.