Excerpt from The Heritage of Blue Earth County by Julie Schrader, Topic 157, available in the Research & Genealogy Center.

“The first meeting of the Presbytery in Judson was held at the home of William C. Williams in March of 1863. In the Spring of 1865, a log church was built of the corner of the Rev. John W. Roberts’ farm. For the first 13 years, Jerusalem had no regular pastor, the pulpit being supplied by many different preachers.

“After the Indian and Civil Wars, other vicissitudes hampered the church. A dispute about a matter of discipline divided the churches and the presbytery. One faction formed several Presbyterian churches but before long all these churches were dissolved except for one two miles south of Jerusalem which lasted for about 12 years. This building was later purchased by the Salem congregation and after it was moved served that congregation until it merged with Jerusalem in 1954.

“Early in 1871, the Jerusalem and Salem churches extended a call to the Rev. William Machno Jones of Cambria, Wisconsin. He accepted the call and began his pastorate in late March. At that time the membership of both churches was about 70. Now that the new churches had been built, the old log church at Jersusalem was remodeled into a home for Rev. Jones and his wife. This minister’s wife loved to sing and brought an organ with her from Wisconsin. For many years it was the only organ in the neighborhood and it was even borrowed by the people of Cambria for their Independence Day celebrations. Mrs. Jones soon started a series of meetings for children at the old log church and taught them to sing and these children spoke lovingly of Mrs. Jones and her little organ as long as they lived.”