Fourth among pioneer churches in Linn County came the Christian Church, more commonly known among old-timers as the Campbellites. The denomination received its chief impetus with the arrival in Linn County of John A. and Alfred Powell (not related to Joab Powell) who settled on the Santiam eastward from Albany in 1851. John A. Powell, in 1852, was appointed first Christian Church missionary for Oregon, organizing the Central Christian Church, about four miles east of Albany on the Santiam Highway. The beginning was probably his own home, seven miles east of Albany (328). It is said that: “He built a sawmill on his claim in 1854 and was the principal contributor of materials in the building of a spacious church house under the spreading oaks about half a mile south of his cabin. He was the Pastor of the church and preached the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month until a few weeks before his death in 1890. His brother, Alfred, filled the pulpit on the 1st and 3rd Sundays.” The church was a plain box structure with no steeple. It was deserted in 1878 and a new church erected on the highway one mile further west. The congregation dispersed to join, it is said, newer and more aggressive Free Methodist churches nearby.

It is not certain where the second Christian Church was established. The records of the Scio Church of Christ go back to the year 1866, but the organization of the congregation goes back much farther. The Christian Church of Harrisburg was formed in 1863 (329). The church edifice, built in 1870, was remodeled in 1925. At the time of remodeling a pencil-scribbled plank was uncovered, which read: “March 17, 1870. This church was built by Alfred Simons and John Martin. Members of the church, Mr. Churchill, Mr. Humphrey, Mr. Roach, Mr. Merton, George Churchill. They began to build Jan., 1870 and finished date stated. Dedicated first Sunday in April, 1870.”

Other Christian Churches were founded as follows: Holly, 1871; Albany, 1877; Crabtree, 1909; Sweet Home, 1917; Tangent, date not known; Kingston, 1900; Lebanon, 1908; and others (330). 

Links:

John, Alfred & Noah Powell, Gospel Preachers

Mt. Pleasant Community Church -- formerly Christian

Churches of Christ & Christian Churches  - North of Highway 20   and  South of Highway 20

Harrisburg Christian Church

Church histories were  abstracted from:  " History of Linn County", Compiled by Workers of the Writer’s Program, Works Progress Administration, ca. 1945.  See bibliography for above-cited references.  All photos from the collection of Lisa L. Jones, unless otherwise noted.  Lisa L. Jones contributed and is solely responsible for the content of these pages.  Copyright 2001.