The History of the Willow United Methodist Church

About the Book

An early history of the foundation and growth of the Willow United Methodist church. Beginning just after the conclusion of the Black Hawk Indian War and continuing to the present day, this book follows the settlement of Willow in 1833 and the building of the church that served its people. With thumbnail histories of the founding families and those who came after, it seeks to preserve the story of a frontier church.

About the Author

The creation of this book has been a labor of love not of one individual, but of many. A History Committee, formed nearly twenty years ago from among the ladies of the Willow Methodist church, gathered information from church archives, cemetery records, newspaper clippings, journals, and personal memories recalling the early establishment and later development of the church and the Willow community. This information, once gathered, was faithfully preserved by Lila (Haeft) Heath, church archivist and historian. Years passed, until the 150th anniversary celebration of the church finally gave cause to the organization and publication of this work. Most of the women whose efforts and memories form this volume have since passed away, and it is in their memory that Lila Heath and Alan Heath, both themselves members of the church since childhood, have organized and had published this History of the Willow United Methodist Church.