Haviland History

     The pioneering spirit was an important characteristic  of the American Quakers (also called Friends).  They were farmers who  were quick to move across America with other pioneers.  Accordingly, B.  H. Albertson, Lindley Pitts, Jabez Hall and James Gulley left Indiana  for Kansas in early 1884 and arrived at Rose Hill, Kansas in June.   Leaving their families in that Quaker settlement, the men traveled in  their prairie schooners past the "thriving little town of Wichita"  toward unclaimed land farther west.  On reaching Dowell (now Wellsford),  they learned of available sections beyond and each staked claims  northeast of the present site of Haviland.  Their families were moved to  the farms and letters were written to Indiana urging more Quakers to  join the settlement.  By 1885, more than twenty-five families had  arrived.
        Those early settlers felt that a place of worship was of prime  importance.  The first Sunday School was held in the James Gulley home,  an unfinished house 12' square.  They next worshipped in the half dugout  house of Gurney Mills and later in the B. H. Albertson home, a 13' x  26' board-covered sod house.  Here, in 1885, the congregation was  organized as Liberty Monthly Meeting of Friends.  in 1886, the name was  changed to Haviland Monthly Meeting in honor of a Michigan Quaker lady, Laura S. Haviland.
        The increasing attendance in homes made it necessary to have a  larger meeting house.  The planning committee decided the expense was  too great for hauling lumber 40 miles from Larned, the nearest railroad,  so they chose to build a sod structure.  Jabez Hall donated a two-acre  plot in the southwest corner of a section one mile north of Haviland.   Blocks of buffalo grass sod were cut and laid to form a building 30' x  24' with a door in the south end and two windows on each side.  Since  meetings were held before the floor or seats were in, boards were placed  over bunches of shingles and spring wagon seats were used.  With all  labor donated, the cost of the building was $68.00.  The Sod Church,  built in 1885, also served as a school room until 1887.
        In 1886, the growing congregation numbered 289 in Sunday  School.  While some changes had occurred gradually, many services were  of the silent, informal type.  At an appointed time, people went  reverently to their seats for worship.  No pastor presided.  Until 1908  Haviland Monthly Meeting appointed those of their own fellowship to  serve at different times as resident ministers.  At the head of the  meeting sat ministers and elders.  Perhaps a minister would feel "moved"  by the Holy Spirit to preach or pray, but never to sing.  Sometimes the  hour passed in silence.  Meetings were dismissed by "timers" who  so indicated by standing and shaking hands.
        Services continued in the Sod Church until August 1893, when the  congregation of 375 had definitely outgrown its earthen walls.   Trustees of the newly built Friends Haviland Academy offered use of the  second floor of Academy Hall for "First Day and Fourth Day" meetings.   The Quakers paid $25.00 yearly rental for this privilege.  In 1905 work  was begun on a new church on the corner of Kingman and Oak.  The white  frame church with its attractive architectural design, steeple and bell  tower, was completed in 1906.  Home L. Cox was the first salaried pastor  beginning in 1908.
        By 1960, the need for more spacious facilities was evident and a  building fund campaign began.  In December, 1963, the completion of a  new church with full basement provided a large sanctuary, education wing  and fellowship hall.  It was constructed of concrete block faced with  Roman tile and located south of the old building and is still active  today.  The old frame building was removed and the space made into a parking lot.