Methodist minister for 50 years.
In 1818, Ira went to Lebanon, and resided with an uncle. He was converted in 1829, and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the next year made his first attempt to preach; in 1831 he was appointed one of the pastors of Barton Circuit, Vermont. In 1833, he was ordained Deacon by Bishop Hedding, and appointed to Cabot, Vermont. While there he married Statira P. Hurd in February 1834. In 1835, he was ordained Elder by Bishop Emery, and was placed in charge of the Danville and Peacham circuit, where he labored five years at an average salary of $75.00 per year. He also spend over 3 years in Newport, Canada and in the 1840s filled positions in Vermont. As his health failed in 1851, he had charge of the church in East Salisbury, Massachusetts. He came west in 1854 settling in Mauston, Wisconsin and filled vancancies in many churches for a number of years prior to his death in 1881.
Source: Obtained from the minutes of the Annual Methodist Episcopal Church, West Wisconsin Conference, 1881.
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The U.S. Civil War was another dramatic event in our history which required the services of holy men. A chaplain friend of Ira's, C. E. Weirioh of the 23rd Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers, wrote to him saying "We have disposed of our sick, sending some to the general hospital. We expect to embark in steamboats for the South tomorrow when we strike our tents and turn our faces toward Dixie. We shall never all return, but which ones the Judge of all will detail for death is of course to us unknown. Father of our mercies pity and bless and save the solider! Thus far we have lost eleven by death. Captain Frost, of Co. K, died last night. We have organized a Regimental Church numbering about eighty members. Home letters have a good influence. God bless you at home!Source: Wisconsin Historical Society, Civil War/Regimental Histories, dated 1862.
Reverend Nathaniel Chase was a Baptist minister and served in the Revolutionary War.
Mercy Haskell was unmarried.