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Clayton Gospel Hall, IA

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added Oliver Smith history

==Clayton area history==

Clayton, Iowa is in the same county as Garnavillo, where [[Garnavillo Gospel Hall, IA|Garnavillo Gospel Hall]] has served for many years, as the second assembly planted by [[Oliver Garfield Smith]]. It is located in Clayton County, Iowa in northeastern Iowa directly on the Mississippi River, and is only accessible via a very steep road. The population was 43 in the 2010 Census, down from 55 in the 2000 Census, though many others have summer homes there due to its proximity on the Mississippi River. The town was founded in 1849. In 1880, it had its peak population of 383, though shrinking to 170 by 1920, and has continued to shrink.

 

==Oliver Smith's transition from farming==

 

One day as he prepared to fill a silo on his farm, he thought it rather strange that none of his neighbors were present to help. Usually a number of them would gather and lend him a hand at this. Inquiring around, he soon discovered the reason for their absence. Someone, in response to Oliver's "funny religion", had climbed the silo and printed the word "Quarantined" on its side. Other neighbors, fearing that a contagious disease had plagued the farm yard, stayed away. "You don't have to worry about that," Oliver told them. "What we have over here isn't very catchy."

 

Generally Oliver had several hired men working either full or part time for him. He had great joy in seeing thirteen of these men saved, among them John Dahlgaard, Glen Hollipeter and William Dunbar. In time, he left some of these men in charge of the farm while he held gospel meetings in various places.

 

As he became more occupied with gospel work, he found it increasingly difficult to concentrate on the business of farming. Hours he had spent working on the pedigree records of his cattle were now spent with his Bible. In a farming accident in 1916, his right hand was severely injured in a corn sheller leaving him temporarily disabled. Sam Keller, who had noted spiritual gift in Oliver, said to him one day as he visited, "The next time it might be your neck. God can find anybody to plant corn, but He cannot find many to preach Christ."

==Oliver Smith's evangelism==

Clayton Gospel Hall was Refreshed and encouraged by the firstfruits a weekend of [[conferences in Chicago and meeting Caleb J. Baker, Oliver Garfield Smith|Oliver Smith]]'s evangelistic ministry, which produced journeyed homeward with an increasing desire to do something for God. Weighing heavily upon his mind was an assemblyinvitation from Mrs. He writesJohn Dehn to come over to Clayton, "During the Winter of the year 1918 we began Iowa and try a few meetings there. Mrs. Dehn had been saved in a schoolhouse meetings at Manchester. While visiting the Hermans in ClaytonWaterloo, Iowa, and God began to work from the very start of the meetings, and saved five souls before the end of the week. It was a great encouragement Oliver decided to us to see God's willingness reroute his trip and power to save through visit the Name of His dear Sonsmall Mississippi River town.

One He soon located an old schoolhouse in 1916 and made arrangements for gospel meetings. The series proved to be short lived, however, when after two meetings news reached Oliver that his daughters had contracted scarlet fever. He packed his things and left.But Oliver did not forget the little river community, and a year later in December 1917 he returned. John Dahlgaard helped him the first week, and it proved to be a time of these five was real blessing. Five souls professed, including a drinking railroad man ([[Edward Osthoff]]) who today is living to the praise worker and honor of Goda telephone operator named Susie Ricker. Another man was It also included a "poor fisherman who also has proved that he was made rich through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ as . It was a great encouragement to us to see God's willingness and power to save through the Name of His dear Son." The railroad worker was Ed Ostoff, a section boss on a crew that maintained the tracks. He had been a foul mouthed drinking man in his unsaved days. One day after his conversion something went wrong and without thinking, an oath came from his lips. Immediately he has continued fell to his knees in full view of the things of others, and asked God to forgive him. "Uncle Ed", as he was later called, went on to become a faithful testimony and witness for God in the present dayarea. From time Oliver recounted later that Ed went from a drinking railroad man to one who was "living to time I the praise and honor of God."  The meetings continued into the frigid month of January, 1918. Oliver made repeated trips over the steep, icy hills, often taking his entire family with him. As the interest grew, so did anxiety within the community. Rumors surfaced that a group from town was planning to go there until a number had professedtar and feather Oliver."We kids were just hysterical after the meeting," said his daughter LaVelle.. about twenty in "It didn't bother Dad at all as I remember it. As He wasn't a result of these bit concerned." The threat proved to be idle, and the meetings held there an Assembly was formed later carried on."

==Clayton Gospel Hall==

The assembly in Clayton may have started in 1918 at "God continued to bless the conclusion effort. Seven months later a happy group of young believers gathered together around the initial Gospel meetings that saw five saved, and fifteen laterLord's table to break bread.  It was at least in operation by 1927At its height, as per the assembly address book from that year, and continues to be listed there were several in 1936, and 1943, fellowship at Clayton but is absent by 1965the numbers eventually declined. In 1951 the lamp went out.  The assembly presumably existed thru 1952 when Edward Ostoff diedfew remaining believers then gathered with the Christians at Garnavillo.  "

===Edward Osthoff===

The correspondent in all three editions was [[Edward Osthoff]], Box 27.  In 1930, Edward was working as a section foreman for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad.  His son, Edwin, was employed the same year as a foreman in the steam railroad industry.  He and his wife Louisa Franz had two children, Edwin and Lorraine, before Louisa's premature death in 1909.  In 1910, Edward remarried [[Frances Elizabeth Broessel Osthoff|Frances Broessel]], having one more daughter [[Vivian Helen Osthoff]], who came to Christ later in 1970 in Garnavillo.   See bios of Edward, Frances and Vivian for more detail.

 

===Garnavillo connection===

Susie Ricker, one of the sisters in the meeting at Clayton, developed a deep concern for Mrs. Fred Kramer, a woman she worked for in Garnavillo. She mentioned this concern to Oliver, who without hesitation, went to visit the Kramers. They showed a keen interest in the gospel, so Oliver arranged for meetings which began in June of 1919. "I didn't know a soul except the Kramers," he said.

 

Making use of an old church building, Oliver preached to growing numbers every night. Traveling the narrow dirt roads over hilly terrain to get to the meetings proved to be quite a chore. His Model T was often bogged down in mud or grounded by a flat tire. He would hike to neighboring farms in search of help. These experiences were turned into wonderful opportunities, as he spoke with farmers about their souls. See more at [[Garnavillo Gospel Hall, IA]].

===Letters of Interest===

==Post-Clayton Gospel Hall==

 

In 1956, there was a “School of Missions” series teacher named Frances Osthoff that was honored at St. Luke’s Methodist in Dubuque. Not certain this is the same one.

* Oliver Smith's testimony concerning Clayton was originally written in 1929 entitled "Pioneering in Iowa", in a scrapbook entitled "With The Lord", compiled by Pauline Van Mill.

 

* "A Man Called Oliver" by Leonard DeBuhr

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