CALVARY CHURCH HOOKER COUNTY

by Sara French Ginkens

Entry T34 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Calvary Church 1917 Located about 7 miles south
of Mullen, Nebraska

Calvary Church April 1924 Later moved to Albert French's

The Calvary Church was located about
seven miles south of Mullen, Nebraska, south
of Ralph Revere place and north of the
Richard Boots. The Calvary Church was built
about 1914, there is no record of the exact
year. A church group in the east sent money
to finance the building of the little white
Episcopal church in the valley. A white cross
topped the anteroom. There was never any
school classes held in this building but church
services were held every Sunday. Sara French
Ginkens of Mullen, recalls as a young girl,
teaching Sunday School classes to the small
children.

The church was moved in 1924 to Albert
French's land called the Wickham Valley.
The school house was divided in two parts
and with another building, a new house was
built. Their old home had been a 18' x 26'
frame shack.

Sara's mother, Mrs. Albert French, drew a
floor plan of their completed new house,
itemized all the expenses for materials and
labor to build it. She then took it to Mullen
to have the plans and writeup notarized by
J.E. Lowe, W.H. Welton, and F.A. Meidell.
Total cost of the new home was $835.75. She
entered a Farm Magazine contest, concerning
the best improvement for a home for the least
outlay of money. Mrs. French (Caroline) won
$100 as a prize.

This little rural Episcopal Church did its
part in creating happiness in the Sandhills
and still stands in the French house walls,
east of Roger French's home.