- - 1910 West Point, NE Picture Below - -
Sunday Afternoon - Oct. 30th (1994)
Dear Mr. Fortt,
Enclosed is the 8x10 picture that I promised to send you, of the Workers that were at the 1910 Convention that was held on my father's farm.
In my years of knowing about this "way," I had met and knew several of the Workers that are shown in this picture . . .
So, I'll list some of them. . .
(1.) Grace Hoops (first row) and she is shown looking to the left . . .
(2.) Jean Weir, Anna Hestikind, and George Walker . . . Jean Weir and her brother Willie were Workers in Kansas . . . Anna Hestikind was in Iowa . . . George Walker was the Eastern United States Overseer (when I knew him) . . .
(3.) John Doak was the head Worker over Nebraska . . . He was in my parents home a lot . . . As he had a printing press here and he made up and sent out from here Worker's lists and Convention dates etc., and he printed envelopes by the thousands (over please) as the envelopes had the "Return" addresses printed on them which was this address:
935 North Park
Fremont, Nebraska.
This address was the address of Bloue Family, and their daughter Emma would forward the letter to wherever the Worker would be located . . . Another daughter Hilda, was a Worker in Michigan and Wisconsin . . . And Sam Charlton was the head Worker in Michigan at that time . . .
Tom Patterson was the head Worker in the state of Iowa . . . Glenn Smith is the man who wrote many of the hymns that the 2x2's use . . .
I should also mention that some Worker's are buried in a small cemetery that is located on the present Nebraska Convention farm . . . This farm was originally owned by the Waldran’s; then their daughter Myrhl and her husband Carl Gratz took over the place, and a son and wife are there now. .
Carl Gratz is deceased now, but Myrhl still lives - at least the last I heard. . .
This very afternoon as I write this - a couple of men Worker's are holding a Gospel meeting at West Point, so I was informed the Worker's are Dale De Road and Russ Hall . . .The De Road's are Holland Dutch people from Northwestern Iowa - North of Sioux City. . .
Since getting and reading your book "A Search For The Truth", I've ordered another book "Re-inventing The Truth", by Kevin N. Daniel . . . Would you know this Mr. Daniel s . . .
In closing may you enjoy the picture, and I'll try to get sent to you, more information.
Thank you, very much for what you've sent to me. . .
Sincerely,
Vernon L. (Vernon Landholm)
"L.F" NOTES BELOW:
- Vernon Lanholm's letter has been entered here exactly corresponding to the format of his hand written letter. The three periods do not indicate the usual missing material in a quote - they were written that way in his letter. All spelling is as it appeared in the letter, and spellings of the names in the picture are also given as they were typed on the name card that accompanied the picture.
- The letter was received on November 10, 1994.
(Click Here to See Picture in VOT'S Gallery)
(Click Here to See NAMES Of Those in Picture)
(Click in Center of Picture and NAMES Again to Open Screen Size)
Name List accompanying the picture:
(First row) Hazel Taylor, Hazel Hannah, Jesse Patterson, Dessie Dick, Grace Hoops, Mamie Werner, Martha Sprague
(Second row) William Irvine, Clara Johnson, Grace Burell, Anna Taylor, Leroy Shaw, Jean Weir, Charlotte Brayton, Anna Hestikind, Jeanie Allison, Jean Craig, Maggie Stewart, George Walker.
(Third row - staggered) Frank Wilkie, Ed Pool, William Armstrong, Hugh Nelson Collin Smith, Willie Weir, Hugh Matthews, Titus Larson, Tom Patterson, John Doak, Will Jackson, Hugh Doak, Willie Koehler, John Adams, Earnest Gordon, Will Wilkie, Rensler Wilkie, Frank Jones, Glen Smith-the hymn writer.
Research - filling in some of the blanks from other records.
Grace Hoops - Not mentioned at all in any material, books or notes yet on file.
Jean Weir - Not mentioned at all in any material, books or notes yet on file.
Anna Hestikind - Not mentioned at all in any material, books or notes yet on file.
George Walker -
"Irvine Weir and George Walker sailed to the U.S.A. late in 1903. John Hardie," ("The Secret Sect" - Page 13)
"Two of Irvine's prominent preachers, George Walker and Joe Kerr, had begun training for the Methodist ministry but gave up their studies" ("The Secret Sect" - Page 17)
"George Walker "remembered that when he was being made a Methodist preacher, a book on theology was put into his hands to study. He said he would have been in hell with other Methodist preachers if his eyes had not been opened to God's true way" ("The Secret Sect" - Page 21)
Quite a study can be made of this founding Worker - he is mentioned in most of the published works, and some of his early preachings are recorded in the 1910-17 Notes. Let's see what info I am missing regarding his person - Entered "the Work" in 1899 - appeared on the Ontario Canada Workers List for 1974-5, and was "working" or noted as living on Prince Edward Island, Canada. I have no info entered as to the date of birth, or death - place of birth etc.
"I met William Irvine (through whom Willie Gill, George Walker, Jack Carroll, William Carroll, James Jardine and a number of the present leaders professed)." ("The Life and Ministry of Edward Cooney" by Patricia Roberts - Page 10)
George Walker "professed" through William Irvine according to Cooney.
Whatever the year of Dr. Jaenen's lectures - George Walker was mentioned by him in his lecture, as still alive - Sentence 5: "George Walker (who is still alive, of course ---- he preached at our conventions last year) went into the work in 1899 ... the same year as John Kelly, John Long, T.M. Turner and Alex Given. " ("Re-inventing The Truth" by Kevin Daniel, page 87)
I shall continue this at another date - since the study on George Walker could fill a book, all by itself.
John Doak - Entered "the Work" in the year 1903, followed by his brother, or so I take Hugh Doak to be, in 1904. These dates come from the old Workers List contained in the back pages of "The Church Without A Name" by David Stone.
Noted in "The Secret Sect" (Parker), John Doak was a member of the group who decided to cover up the past -
"It was unanimously agreed by all present that the past should be buried and that in the future all would use their influence to discourage anything that would disturb the peace in God's family, adhering to the teaching and example of Jesus.(3) (3) Copy of statement circulated after the meeting.
It was signed by W.G. Gill, J. Hardie, J. Jardine, S. Scott, T. Twamley, J. Forbes, A. Pierce, W. Reid, Geo. Walker, Alex Dougal, John Doak, Wm. Weir, John T. Carroll, (Jack), Hugh Matthews, Wm. Jamieson, John S. Jackson (Jack)." (emphasis mine L.F.)
I recall nowhere reading that John Doak had a printing press in Nebraska - this is extremely valuable information, and if further information can be obtained - a copy of any printing, such as an envelope as is mentioned to be printed by the thousands, the archives will much be enhanced by such material. I do not have information on John Doak, such as his birth place; date of birth, death etc. Perhaps Vernon Landholm might be able to fill in such blanks in the Doak record.
How very interesting - first we have William Irvine and his boys, who preached about, and so far as we know, practiced abandonment of all earthly possessions, then in just 13 years from the founding, we have one of the original lot (John Doak) who took part in lies to cover up the history, and owned a printing press - one can hardly blame Edward Cooney, who forsook a prosperous clothing business, for seeing the thirteen year old group slip away that far from the "foundation," as well as from honesty.
It is not surprising that the group then excommunicated William Irvine in 1914 - only four years after, and eventually, the squealing Cooney also.
Those who cannot even be honest to themselves could hardly be honest with anyone.
Tom Patterson - Tom Patterson entered "the Work" in 1905 according to the old Workers List in David Stone's book, but I have no other personal info on him. So far we have no notes from this old Worker's preachings on file. The info that Vernon Landholm makes valued addition to the little filed so far on Tom Patterson. Amy Patterson is pictured on page 49 of "The Secret Sect" - perhaps she is Tom's sister?
Glenn Smith (Glen Smith) - Again, Vernon has added much to our files here - I have only a small portion of the hymns, and Authors info entered on file, so that I am unable as yet to check to see if Glen Smith is credited in those. If Vernon could supply us with info on the hymns of his authorship, it would greatly enhance our files. There is no mention of Glen Smith in any of the books or notes yet on file - perhaps Vernon Landholm can supply us with greatly valuable material on this Worker.
Note in 2008:
Mr. Landholm did not continue correspondence with me.
