The Watts House Collections - Church Books

After a year of compiling information on the materials held at the Watts House by the Scappoose Historical Society it is time to post the results. To start with I am posting the list of church books that were organized by dates they cover and as a group for the Ladies Aid Society of the Congregational Church of Scappoose, Oregon. First I will give a short overview and then the list.

There were many hours dedicated to organizing the forty church books of all various types and sizes. The forty books have been read and copies of lists and information about the Watts family and friends are recorded in about 150 pages of notes. These are available in the basement in a notebook. There are two additional red notebooks that hold the loose papers from the church collection. In the front of one notebook is the membership certificate for Rose Ewing Watts. She held many positions in the church and ladies organizations. Serving as clerk for many years Rose recorded the history of the people from this community.

Rose was key to organizing first the Hesperian Society Scappoose, Oregon in 1890-1893, prior to her marriage for some of this time. This group was more focused on literary readings and writings, giving talks, and group discussions. J. G. Watts, her husband, was also involved in this group, as well as other family members. Next they were involved in the Y.P.S.C.E. or the Christian Endeavor or Educational Society which is recorded in the Y.P.S.C.E. record book 1892-1895. From this they transitioned to organizing the Congregational Church of Scappoose in 1891, serving the broader community. There is a Students Note Book, 1891-1910, that contains many details about these groups.

One of the most interesting books and one of the smallest is the Scappoose Congregational Church Ladies Aid Picture Album 1891-1929. This book has many interesting pictures of the groups and other church people. It is very fortunate that many of the pictures have captions noting who the people are. 

There are two Pilgrim Church Register books, one from 1891, 1911 to 1924 and the other from 1927 to 1936. There are many notes from these two books. They contain lists of officers and members, as well as the minutes from various meetings. These took the longest to process.

Several small books include information about Sunday school attendance, activities and meetings.  Head’s Practical Sunday School Record, Scappoose, Oregon 1922; The Official Record of the Sunday School Secretary, Scappoose, Oregon 1930; The Official Record of the Sunday School Secretary, Scappoose, Oregon 1935; Sunday School Secretary’s Record Books, 19 small booklets containing lists of teachers 1927-1969 with a few gaps in years; The Official Membership and Church Record 1952 to 1979; Lists of Students quarterly, 21 small booklets from 1960 to 1968.

There are two large 500 page Ledger Books, one from 1954 to 1977 and the other from 1977 to 1984. These also took a long time to process, not because of the amount of pages as some pages were blank, but more because they are large and challenging to read. Changes in the clerk means changes in hand writing and some were much better writers than others.  

There are five books specific to the women’s groups: Ladies Aid Ledger Book 1924 to 1927; Women’s Fellowship Books for 1947 to 1951, 1951 to 1956, 1956 to 1963 and 1963 to 1974. I believe we have other books from the Ladies Aid in the collection as well. There was one book, the Garden Club Book from 1956 to 1972, that is not from the church and will be placed with the other Garden Club books.

This is an amazing collection and we hope to have some of the books scanned to preserve this information. The overall time period is from 1889 to 1984, when the church appears to have ceased to function. The history of the church is spelled out in many of the books. There were three buildings built over time, on land donated by Elizabeth M. Watts. As they built new churches the old ones were sold and moved to different locations. They also built a couple of Parsonages. At least two of the churches are still in use by other congregations. For a time the church shared a pastor with the Plymouth Congregational church in St. Helens. 

First Congregational Church of Scappoose, Oregon List of Books

Church location 52339 Columbia River Highway, Scappoose, Oregon, telephone 503-543-3108

A different church denomination meets there now.

Hesperian Society Scappoose, Oregon 1890-1893

Students Note Book 1891-1910

Y.P.S.C.E. Record Book #2 1892-1895

Scappoose Congregational Church Ladies Aid, Picture Album 1891-1929

The Pilgrim Church Register and Record, 1891, 1911-1924

Head’s Practical Sunday School Record Scappoose, Oregon 1922

Ladies Aid Society Ledger Book 1924-1927

The Pilgrim Church Register and Record 1927-1936

The Official Record for the Sunday School Secretary Scappoose, Oregon 1930

The Official Record for the Sunday School Secretary Scappoose, Oregon 1935

Sunday School Secretary’s Record Books – Lists of Teachers by week, Weather (19 books)

1927-1928, 1934-1938, 1941-1959, 1961-1966, 1968-1969

The Official Membership and Church Record 1952-1979

Large 500 page ledger book – 1 1954-1977

Lists of students quarterly (21 books) 1960-1968

Large 500 page ledger book – 2 1977-1984

Treasure Path to Soul Winning, Scripture Memory Book, by Evangelist J. O. Grooms, B. D.

Ladies Aid Society Ledger Book 1947-1951

Women’s Fellowship Ledger Book 1951-1956

Women’s Fellowship Ledger Book 1956-1963

Women’s Fellowship Ledger Book 1963-1974