[johnwetherill]

Kathy
Tremendous stuff - yet again- thanks.
This is starting to throw a whole new light of family "stories" and I find it fascinating and Len's trip to Dresden and your colleagues interpretation would fit really well - but 4 months is a long time in the circumstances as you say.

As far as Ted is concerned then he was a "pillar of society" when I knew him but I think there is a dark side despite his early church connections - he was a recognised preacher in the Methodist church in Rochester, Kent in March 1905 - I have the Bible presented to him in recognition. If my date of sailing to US in 1907 is correct - the next verifyable date that I have is his admission to the General Dental Council where he was registered in April 1922 without any qualifications - but was able to register with them as he had been admitted to the Incorpoated Dental Society not less than one year prior to the Dentists Act 1921. The gap narrows!! In recent years I have recognised Ted at "E.T." (Edward Tickell) but Ted the Tooth Puller sounds MUCH better!!

VERY happy to correspond by direct e mail - I can send you a photo or two if you would like them - you can get to me on johnw@fsmail.net.

All the best - and repeated thanks. John W

[topazmortmain]

Hi John -
Let me know if you are able to open the attachment. The article is from the New York Times, 1907, re the MCA 'Holy Jumpers'. The Times seems to have been a lot more sensational newspaper in those days.The article blames the Jumpers for scaring away visitors from Waukesha's resorts but it's misleading because custom had already declined starting around 1890. One of my other grandfathers had a resort there which he closed down long before this article was written. (resorts had been built up around Waukesha's various cold water springs and their reputed health benefits.)
I also doubt Waukeshans were really planning on stoning anybody. :-)
K

[bhaverhals]

I would like factual and theological information on the Metropolitan Church Association, Waukesha, Wisconsin. I am more interested in their belief system.

[topazmortmain]

this article is very informative.
Wisconsin Magazine Of History Archives

[Susan13202]

The Waukesha Freeman Page 7, column 3
7/11/1907

ANOTHER CONVICTION.
F. M. Messenger, One of Leaders of Holy Jumpers Found Guilty by Jury.
On Saturday morning last, the case of the City of Waukesha vs. J. W. Hubbart, A. N. Scott, William Pettingill,
Leonard Wetherill, R. L. Erickson and F. M. Messenger, all members of the Metropolitan Church Association,
or "Holy Jumpers," as they are more familiarly known, was called in the Municipal Court.
The charge brought against the defendants was disorderly conduct while holding a religious street meeting on June 26th. City Attorney Lockney appeared for the prosecution and Mr. Jos. E. Wildish of Milwaukee for the defense.
The defense asked and was granted a separate trial for the two defendants, Messenger and Erickson.
A jury trial was then demanded by the defense and an affidavit of prejudice, made against Sheriff Dwinnell,
which disqualified him to summon the jury. This duty then devolved upon Coroner Charles Hill.
After four hours of testimony, a motion was made by Atty. Wildish that the case be dismissed on the ground that there was no evidence against either that defendants had committed .a misdemeanor. This motion was granted by Judge Armin as to defendant Erickson,; an order for whose discharge was entered. Defendant Messenger was held and after
a lengthy deliberation the jury found him guilty. At the first count, but four of the jury stood for conviction.
The jurors were J. C. Land, Wm. Pluckhahn, H. O. Aldrich, R. L. Benjamin, O. O. Larson, C. W. Brown,
J.P. Phillips, D.J. Goerke, B. F. Nehs and A. P. Latt. An argument for a new trial will be had on July 15th,
The date for the trial of the remainder of the defendants is set for July 29th.
The sentiment in regard, to the Holy Jumpers seems to be undergoing a slight change among the wealthier
class of men. Messrs. Wm. Lindsay and E. J. Lindsay, of Milwaukee, the two largest contributors to the Milwaukee
Y. M. C. A. project, and two of Milwaukee's wealthiest and most substantial citizens, came to J.E. Wildish, attorney for Rev.. F. M. Messenger, and offered to go as his bondsmen. They were accepted. Later on George H. Wilbur, of this city
made the same offer, but too late to be accepted. It is understood that none of these three has, any particular sympathy with the religious belief of the Jumpers, and offered their names as bondsmen merely to show that they wished to see fair play.

The Waukesha Freeman, 22 Aug. 1907, p. 5, column 5
"Jumper" Trial Postponed.
The trial of the quartette of "Holy Jumpers," J. W. Hubbart, A. N. Scott, Leonard Wetherill and William Pettingill, charged with disorderly conduct, which was to have taken place August 23 before Judge Agnew at
Oconomow33, has teen adjourned until September 25.

Racine Daily Journal, 26 Sept. 1907, page 4, column 3
"HOLY JUMPERS" RELEASED.
Jury Fails to Sustain Charge of Disorderly Conduct.
OCONOMOWOC, Wis., Sept, 2fi.—At 1 o'clock this morning the jury in the case of A. N. Scott, ,]. W. Hubbart, William
Pettingill and Leonard Wetherill, the "Holy Jumpers" charged with disorderly conduct at a street meeting at Waukesha June 20, returned a verdict of not guilty in the municipal court. The little band of "Jumpers," who had been keeping vigil in the court room from the time the jury retired at 10:30 received the verdict quietly and made, no demonstration. Even the customary "hallelujah" and "Praise the Lord" was conspicuous by its absence. They returned to Waukesha this morning.

The La Crosse Tribune, 27 Sept. 1907, page 4, column 3
HOLY JUMPERS ARE
FOUND NOT GUILTY
WAUKESHA QUARTETTE ARE
ACQUITTED OP BAD CONDUCT
DEFENDANTS ARE VINDICATED
Receive Verdict With Smiles of Happiness—Attorney Says Waukesha Residents Violated Law
OCONOMOWOC, Wis., Sept. 27.—
In the municipal court yesterday the jury returned a verdict of not guilty in the case o£ J. W. Hubbart, A. N.
Scott, Leonard Wetherill and William Pettingill, the "Holy Jumpers" charged with disorderly conduct in connection with a street meeting at Waukesha, June 26.
The case was sent here for trial on a change of venue from the municipal court at Waukesha, where the defendants filed an affidavit of prejudice against Judge Armin. The defendants received the verdict which meant vindication for what they consider their religions rights, without demonstration.
Joseph K. Wildish, counsel for defendants, did not allow the trial to proceed until he had completely exhausted
a large variety of motions for the discharge of his clients, all of which were overruled by Judge Agnew.
Hot Shot at Methodists.
A number of Waukesha residents took the witness stand and told the details of the street meeting o£ the "Jumpers" which almost caused a riot and resulted in the arrest of the defendants. It was shown that South street and Grand avenue were blocked by a crowd of 500 people at the point where the meeting was held. Charles McCarthy testified that one of the women members of the sect, during her exhortation, had said, "All the Waukesha Methodists
are going to hell." It was his opinion that there was no disorder on the part of the spectators until after this remark.
Verdict Pleases Jumpers
Joseph E. Wildish for the defendants made the defense that the jumping and screaming was part of their religions belief and that the spectators and not his clients were guilty of disorderly conduct. The members of the sect are pleased over the verdict and with the courteous treatment which they say they have been accorded there.


The Waukesha Freeman, 10 Oct. 1907, page 6, column 5
HOLY JUMPERS ACQUITTED
Jury Found Them Not Guilty at Oconomowoc
The trial of Leonard Wetherill, A.W. Scott, J.W. Hubbart, William Pettingill, members of the Metropolitan Church association, commonly denominated the Holy Jumpers, was brought before Judge Agnew in this city Wednesday, the defendants having secured a change from the eastern municipal district at Waukesha on an Affidavit of prejudice filed against Judge Armin. Motion having been made for a jury trial, the following jury was secured: Eugene R. Rhodes, B. G. Edgerton, W H Meadows, Ed. McKee, John Hanson, C.G. Loye, R. P. McAteer, Fred Weber, E.C. Theobald,
T. L. McCullagh, J.M. Letvitt, G. A. Walter.
The defendants, who were arrested n the city of Waukesha the evening of June 26 on a charge of disorderly conduct, were represented by attorney Jospeh E. Wildish, of Milwaukee and Henry Lockney, attorney for the city of Waukesha, presented the side of the city.
Besides the four defendants, several others of the members of the religious organization were present to testify for the defense, and a number of citizens of Waukesha testified for the city. These were George Lean, George Richards, Frederick C Elliott, M.A. Jacobson, Edwin M. Fenlon, S. Dunwoody, Charles McCarthy, J.J. Hughes, D.W. Boyd, Webb Chase, B. Enders, Rex Warden, and Edward Laughlin.
The case being not nearly concluded in the afternoon, an evening session was held, and the jury brought in a verdict of not guilty at about one o’clock in the morning. -- Oconomowoc Enterprise.

[Susan13202]

The Waukesha Freeman, 6 April 1911, page 6, column 3
FOUNTAIN HOUSE MISSIONARIES
Other Members of Association Have Gone to Africa to Help Convert the Heathen

Two young missionaries, joining hands as husband and wife, and preparing to start out immediately after the ceremony for an evangelizing tour in a distant state--that was an event of interest at the Fountain House Saturday afternoon.
All the members of the Metropolitan church association, otherwise known as "Holy Jumpers,' were gathered in the auditorium, where the peacocks look down from the gorgeously decorated ceiling, for the wedding was a general fete day for the colony. The bride was one of the costumed missionaries, Miss Harriet Havelson, who has been with the association ever since she was a little girl. The bridegroom was Leonard E. Wetherill, who came from England six years ago. Rev. E. L. Harvey performed the ceremony, and there were a. number of attendants—Misses Edith Wetherill, Marie Craig and Gertrude Adnerson; Messrs. Arthur Palmer, Peter Jensen, and Edward Kerlin.
For once the bride laid aside her uniform and wore a becoming tan colored gown. A number of the bride’s relatives came from Chicago to be present at the ceremony.
Mr. and Mrs. Wetherill have gone to Arkansas, where they will devote themselves to preaching the gospel and making converts for the cause.
The wedding was the event of special interest in connection with a missionary convention which was held at the hotel Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. On Monday, Mr. and Mrs. H.N. Norman, who have been married less than a year, left for Africa to join Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Forham, who went out last Octover and send home excellent accounts of the progress of the work in that far away land. They are at Cape Coast Castle, on the gold coast, which has the reputation of being so unhealthy a country that a station agent in Chicago refused to sell Mr. Harvey a ticket having that destination. However, Mr. and Mrs. Forham have kept in good health and write that the conditions there have greatly improved during the past months. They write also that their work goes forward prosperously.

[Susan13202]

One of several times the Holy Jumpers are reported to have been stoned:

Racine Journal, 16 June 1905, page 10
The sect known, as tlie Holy Jumpers appear to be having a hard time of ii. One night this week boys and, others stoned them, threw decayed fruit and jeered so that the meeting broke up. Last night they abandoned the hall at the corner of Seventeenth and Villa streets. Leaders state that they have 'come to stay, that they are a religious
body and will demand protection of the officers if it becomes, necessary.

[topazmortmain]

Hi - this is extremely helpful. How did you get the articles from the Waukesha Freeman? I can no longer get that date range from Ancestry.com. Thanks!

[Susan13202]

I subscribe to Newspaperarchive.com. I put in the names and up came those articles. I believe they are old enough now to be in public domain (wikipedia encyclopedia suggests that all works before 1923 have expired copyrights). Sometimes the articles are there, but the print is so bad the reader can't read it, so I check by a search for the name and then a search for the date (like for a week after a person dies for an obit).
So, are there names you wanted me to check for you? I was glad to see that John got the marriage announcement as it gives him the date they were married. If I can help you, let me know. You can e-mail me directly if you click on my name. I don't put my e-mail right on these sites because if you do you get spammed, but there is that click on my name feature and mine is there. You have to give me a couple days as tomorrow is my most hated day of the year. I'm one of the last minute crew who is at the Post Office tomorrow night at midnight. Then I need a day or two to recover. But just send me any names and/or dates you want me to check. I'll e-mail you back what I find.
Susan

[FranklinM]

Originally Posted by bhaverhals

I would like factual and theological information on the Metropolitan Church Association, Waukesha, Wisconsin. I am more interested in their belief system.

I lived in the Fountain Spring House in Waukesha from 1933 to 1950, went through the Metropolitan Church in house Junior High and High Schools and graduated from the Metropolitan Theological Seminary. I "went out into the world" in 1950 where I began to become more and more skeptical of what I had been taught and seen at the MCA. You can email me for more info if you would like. My address is in the Forum file.