Tag Archives: Jasper County

Churches

Ashton Chapel (Near Mingo, Iowa)

In 1862, a young girl named Jane Ashton died of tuberculosis and was buried on her father’s homestead in rural Jasper County, just north of present-day Mingo. Others asked to bury their loved ones at the peaceful site, leading Jane’s father James to officially establish a public cemetery at the spot in 1871. Twenty-six years later, two of James’ grandsons circulated a petition to raise funds for construction of a church on the site. After collection pledges ranging from a quarter to a hundred dollars, a building committee was appointed and construction began on the $1,500 building the following year. A dedication service was held in April 1898 for the new Ashton Chapel.

The church is still active today with services at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays.

City Halls, Public Libraries

City Hall and Public Library (Lynnville, Iowa)

In 1954, a new community building was constructed in the Jasper County town of Lynnville to house the city hall, post office, and fire station. The post office left the building in favor of a standalone facility in 1966, creating the opportunity for the Lynnville Public Library to move into the space. In 1995, the city council appointed a committee of citizens to undertake fundraising efforts for a new fire station and remodel the old station for a new library. The new fire station facility was completed in February 1996, while the new library space debuted in April.

Community Centers

Community Center (Ira, Iowa)

This modest community center anchors a well-maintained park in the unincorporated Jasper County town of Ira. The town dates to 1883, after a plat was drawn to coincide with the Chicago and Great Western Railroad’s placement of a depot and water tank. Owner William F. Rippey proposed the new town be named after him, but a community of the same name already existed. After a second choice (Millard) was also rejected, Ira was agreed upon, and in 1884, a post office opened under that name. The reason for Ira’s name is now a mystery: some suggest it was named of a railroad superintendent while others attribute the name to a local resident.

Town Signs

Town Sign (Valeria, Iowa)

This modest metal sign welcomes visitors to the Jasper County community of Valeria, highlighting the railroad romance that led to its establishment. In the early 1860s, the William H. Johnson family left the South to escape the atmosphere and attitudes of the Civil War, and settled at the present-day site of Valeria. William’s son Nicholas and his sister Edna Valeria would play key roles in the birth of the village.

Edna fell in love with a young civil engineer named McBride, who worked for the Chicago and Great Western Railroad. She and her beau convinced her father to allow the tracks to cross the Johnson land. An agreement was reached based on the condition that the community’s depot would be known as Valeria. The couple ultimately married, though McBride left the railroad to become a dentist.

Brother Nicholas entered into a real estate venture, and his signature appears on the papers that officially platted the town in 1883 and on abstracts of present property owners in Valeria. Its population peaked at 96 in 1970; the community is now home to 57 residents.

Churches

Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Valeria, Iowa)

Sacred Heart (Valeria, Iowa)

The first Catholic Church to be built in the Jasper County town of Valeria was constructed in 1892. Four years later, on May 24, 1896, a deadly tornado swept through the community, killing 10 and destroying numerous buildings, including the church. The church was rebuilt the same year and remained independent until 1911, when Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Valeria became a mission church of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Colfax. Following this arrangement, the priest resided in Colfax and was the pastor of both churches.

In 1996, there was no available priest to send to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Newton to be the associate priest, or parochial vicar. The priest in Colfax became both the pastor of Colfax and parochial vicar of Newton, leaving Valeria without a priest. Instead of fully closing, or suppressing, the church, Bishop Franklin of Davenport designated Sacred Heart an oratory, or a sacred building under control of the Bishop. Rules concerning oratories very by diocese; for the Diocese of Davenport, oratories may be used for funerals and one annual mass per year.

Since Sacred Heart became an oratory, three funerals were held along with an annual mass followed by a picnic each June. Attendance initially was very good but steadily declined, and by 2009, the future of Sacred Heart was in question. On April 1, 2010, Bishop Amos suppressed Sacred Heart of Valeria as an oratory and returned it and all its contents to secular use. Though preliminary discussions were held to tear the church down, the City of Valeria asked to use the rectory next door and keep the church as a historic landmark. The church was sold for $1, with the city signing a covenant agreement to restrict building use; for example, it cannot be used for any worship service, wedding, or as an establishment that sells alcohol.