Teton County, MT Message Board

A history of north Montana missions of the Methodist Episcopal church, written by the Rev. George Logan, records, however, that Rev. W.W. VanOrsdel, who arrived in Fort Benton in 1872 and the next year came over to hold a service in a cabin with the Indians near where Choteau now stands. It is not recorded where this cabin stood but some think it was probably at or near the following account of this service.

He preached through an interpreter to a band of Indians. About the middle of the service an outside Indian came in, made a few signs, and in a minute the cabin was quietly and quickly emptied, leaving the preacher and interpreter alone. Another ban of hostiles had stampeded their ponies. The worshiping Indians borrowed the speakers’ ponies, quickly over took the hostiles, recovered their ponies and returning, demanded the religious services be continued, and another glorius time recorded.

The beginning of the present M.E. church building in Choteau dates back to 1894 when Rev. Logan, author of the book, was sent to Choteau. His book gives the following account of his activities here:
"In 1894 Bishop Joyce sent us to Choteau, the county seat of Teton county, a county larger than the state of Massachusetts. E.S. dutcher was working among the Indians on the reservation. In the county there were five Methodists; four lots had been bought at sheriff’s sale, but no title secured; money had been raised in different ways to assist the first preacher of any denomination who meant business, but where the money was and how much I knew not. Logs had been cut to build a parsonage. I went to find these logs, but hunting for the proverbial needle in the haystack. The facts are, the church had not a cent’s worth of property nor a cent of money it could call its own, and no organization. Yet handfuls of precious seed had been scattered from 1873 to 1894 by God-fearing, self-sacrificing men.

We remained five years, built a church and parsonage at Choteau, secured property at Dupuyer, and on the Burton bench 40 acres of land, held in escrow, which on failing to get the necessary cooperation to start a church enterprise, the land reverted to the company. We left a membership of 48 and $4,500 worth of property and only $100 debt.

"During our stay here we buried our little daughter, Jesse Lee. Her life had been pure, she was a Christian, and we felt all was well. We would not call her back had we the power.

"I here received a young man, Lauren R. Kufus, into the church, who, I felt, had more than ordinary ability. I persuaded him to accept a local preacher'’ license, which he did. I was not mistaken. He spent nine years in active and lasting church work in Montana and Washington and in 1908 passed suddenly from labor a reward, loved and honored by all who knew him.

"A Catholic lady died here one time. There was no other church in town then. I offered the bereaved husband the use of our church for funeral services. Father Prando came from the Holy Family mission, accepted the offer, preached the funeral sermon in the forenoon and in the evening preached a beautiful gospel sermon in my stead, using our Bible. I could not but offer him my church Monday morning for sacramental service and sermon especially for his own people. He did not abuse his privilege at either service. If there is a parallel in this incident on record, I would like to know it."

The following record of pastors who have served in Choteau has been compiled by the Rev. Edwin Dover, present pastor of the church:
Jom Little, 1890-1891.
Wm. Hall, 1891-1892.
R.H. Reed, 1892-1893.
R.A. Armstrong, 1893-1894.
George Logan, 1894-1899.
C.E. Cunningham, 1899-1901.
F.L. Buzzell, 1901-1904.
G.A. Wells, 1904-1906.
George Logan, 1906-1908.
H.A. Prescott, 1908-1909.
G.H. Heizer, 1909-1912.
Percy Reid McMahan, 1912-1915.
Vernon E. Hall, 1915-1919.
Harry T. Stong, 1919-1923.
Robert Culbertson, 1923-1927.
E.R. Kaemmer, 1927-1932.
Edwin Dover, appointed Sept. 1, 1932.
[Transcribed from the Choteau Acantha, 12-7-1933]