First Congregational Church and the Deere Family
- By Gretchen Small
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- 26 Oct, 2020
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I am often asked, “What church did the Deere Family belong to?” My answer is the First Congregational Church of Moline. The church was chartered in January 1844, three years prior to John Deere’s move from Grand Detour to Moline. Eighteen charter members are listed in the church records, including Mr. and Mrs. Charles Atkinson. More on why they are important later.
The Methodists and the Congregationalists were the early churches in Moline, which makes sense. Moline was founded by settlers from northeast United States with Puritan backgrounds. Then later as Swedish immigrants arrived a Lutheran church was organized. In 1847, John Deere moved his family to Moline. His growing business necessitated the move as his plow shop needed the more reliable waterpower of the Mississippi River and the supply lines of the river and coming railroads. It was those same northeastern founders of Moline that enticed John to select Moline as his new home. John, who was born in Vermont, probably felt comfortable with his new community.
Soon after, John Deere was added to the Congregational Church roll. Very little is known on how active John and Demarius Deere were in their church. Snippets include John being on the building committee in the late 1860s. His daughters and their spouses were also members. His son-in-law, Stephen H. Velie, participated in fundraising by hosting an oyster supper at his home.
The original fundraising goal was $15,000, but the final cost totaled $33,000. Through more fundraising the final debt came in at $7,200. J.S. Keator and John Deere started a final drive by pledging $1,000 each. Supposedly John was known for giving initially a smaller gift to a collection and would later send by mail a larger sum.
In the late 1800s, a new generation of Deere family became active in the church. Namely Charles Deere, Merton Yale Cady and later Katherine & William Butterworth. MY Cady married Alice Deere, John Deere’s youngest daughter. Cady was known best as “so genial and skillful was he as chef for picnics and suppers,” which aided in church fundraising.
William and Katherine Butterworth’s names pop-up in the church history as actively involved in various endeavors. In 1898, the church began talking about a major remodeling of which the couple was appointed to the building committee.
I imagine that when the church decided to build a church at a new location in 1917, William and Katherine were involved. That location is still used today at 2201 7th Ave, Moline.
“Memorable virtues of Charles H. Deere and Mary Little Deere are emphasized in left and right panels of the window by biblical characters whose lives typify the outstanding traits of the couple. The panel at left, dedicated to the virtues of Mrs. Deere, displays these figures: Ruth, for love; Martha, for service; and Esther, for loyalty to her community and people. In the panel at right, in tribute to the characteristics of Mr. Deere: are the figures of David, for music and arts; Paul, for the pioneering spirit; and Daniel, for courage." The First Congregational Church of Moline: A One Hundred and Twenty-Five Year History 1844/1969
An excellent source for much of this material came from The First Congregational Church of Moline: A One Hundred and Twenty-Five Year History 1844/1969
available at the Rock Island County Historical Society Library. The book is an extensive history of the church.
“When Katherine Deere and William Butterworth were married, Alice (Wheelock) and some other girls put up a ladder outside one of the church windows to watch. They were tending a baby, also named Katherine, in a carriage at the foot of the ladder. In the midst of the quiet wedding ceremony the voice of the baby-sitter came through the open window: “Lie down, Katherine, dear.” This surprise provided the lighter touch which every wedding needs.”
Side Note: One funny story found in the book describes an event during the wedding of Katherine and William Butterworth in 1892. Not sure if this would be the lighter touch I would want at a wedding.
The experiences that Katherine Deere Butterworth and Charles and Pattie Wiman had with the British Royal family in the 1920s, 30s.
Americans’ fascination with the British royal family is not a recent phenomenon. With the death of Queen Elizabeth in 2022, we have been flooded with royal news. One historian places this interest back to 1776.
If you have not watched any of our YouTube videos at our channel Deere Family Homes, we encourage you to check out the April 2022 video. The video features the story of one painting hanging in the Deere-Wiman House. The painting’s artist is Alexander Harmer.
We are lucky to have four paintings in our collection that were created by Harmer. It made sense for us to learn more about Harmer and see if we could determine why we have so many paintings from one artist. I love all four pieces and wanted to know more about the artist and determine if there was a connection to the family. Three of the paintings hang in the Deere-Wiman House and one at Butterworth Center. So, it was not just one family member that took an interest in his work.
Did any of the family know Alexander Harmer? We wish we knew. It is possible since Harmer’s life in Santa Barbara does overlap with the Butterworth and Wiman families. Or maybe the family did not know Harmer but was drawn to his art and purchased pieces through art dealers.
Alexander Francis Harmer was born in 1856, in Newark, New Jersey. One source I read said that he sold his first work at the age of 11 for $2. Then at the age of 16, he lied about his age and joined the United States Army. He was stationed in California, which I think is the time period his artistic interests changed. He turned towards painting and illustrating the Apache Nation. The year would have been 1872, and the US Army would have had a large presence in the West with the enforcement of federal Indian policy (which consisted of allotment of land and assimilation.)
After just one year, Harmer asked for a discharge and left the military. He worked as a photographer’s assistant until he was able to enroll in art school. He studied art under Thomas Eakins and Thomas Anshutz at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. In 1881, he re-enlisted in the Army and headed to his assignment at Fort Apache, Arizona. Harmer probably saw the Army as a cheap way of traveling West to continue his interest in the American West and the Apache Indians. During this enlistment, he was able to serve in an Army division assigned to pursue Geronimo. His studies of Indian life created an invaluable record. Harmer then returned to the academy in Pennsylvania where he turned his sketches of the Apache Nation into illustrations for Harper’s Weekly.
Alexander Harmer died on January 10, 1925, supposedly while admiring the sunset from his backyard. This was just six months before the Santa Barbara earthquake, which left the Harmers' adobes in ruins.
Butterworth Garage, circa 1909, now known as the Butterworth Education Center. Let’s go inside the building beginning with the addition constructed in 2009
Click here to view a new video on our YouTube Channel featuring the Swimming Pool built in 1917 on the Deere-Wiman House grounds. https://youtu.be/NgV6XUEkrLs
A trip to a hot spring was very popular during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The healing waters were a popular destination for families, the wealthy, and the famous.
Ruth Moll's life at Hillcrest, both with Katherine and William Butterworth and as the first Director of Butterworth Center.
John Deere brought a family here named Capus. He built a house for them near his home. They joined the First Methodist Church.