The Wild Rose Standalone Church

The Standalone Church began in Rose, Wayne County, New York. They lived in District Number 11 in Rose. They built a school because they didn't want to attend the Griswold or Covell schools. Robert Jeffers (1769-1844) donated the land. The school was referred to as the "Spunk" school or the "Jeffers" school. The church was held in the school. In New York, the group was often referred to as the "Neversweats". Rose Neighborhood Sketches by Alfred S Roe says the term came about because they had long meetings that went long into the night, sometimes nearly until morning. They could go to these long meetings (services) and get up to work and never tire. There was no church organization .

Many of this group left New York for Wild Rose and the Church in Wild Rose went by the Standalones. One meaning of this reflected the lack of outside organization but also their creed that they stood alone before God at judgment. By the time the pictures were taken most of the older members had died off. Common surnames of members were Jeffers, Jenks, Bailey, Pease, Woodward, Dale, Page, Darling and Woodward.

The church building was located partly where the first row to the south of the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery is today. The building itself was bought by Ike Smith, who owned the farm next to the cemetery, and moved the the farm to be used as a farm building. Ike Smith's wife Effie was a daughter of William Jeffers, Jr. and grand-daughter of William Jeffers, who owned the land she inherited as well as donated the land for the Cemetery. The cemetery was originally called Standalone but later the cemetery association changed it because they thought "Standalone" was too cold.

Standalone Church Members - Picture 3

Back Row: 1. Henry Clark, 2. Herman Wade, 3. Emil Hansel, 4. John Bailey, 5. Herman Hansel.

2^nd Row Seated: 1. William Henry Jenks, 2. J. Watson Page. 3. Eunice Hill, 4. Alice Dale, 5. Henry Woodward, 6. Ella Woodward, 7. Susan Dale.

Front Row Seated: 1. Elizabeth Jeffers, 2. Alice Jeffers Jenks, 3. Etta Darling, 4. Jennie Jenks, 5. Alanson Pease Etheridge, 6. Fannie Etheridge, 7. Jessie Dale, 8. Sarah Moore Woodward, 9. John Butler Woodward.

Standalone Church Members - Picture 2

Back row: 1. Thomas Dale, 2. Freemont Jeffers, 3. Theodore Woodward, 4. Jerry Pierce, 5. Charles Bailey, 6. Fred Jenks.

2^nd Row Seated: 1. Nancy Hart, 2. Tom Hart, 3. Amanda Larson, 4. Daniel Woodward, 5. Jim Jeffers, 6. Wendell Woodward, 7. John Nelson Pease, 8. Mrs. Pease, 9. Myrtie Swett Darling.

Front Row Seated: 1. Clarence Jenks, 2. Stella Page, 3. Susan Jeffers, 4. Annie Dale, 5. Lizzie Hatcliffe, 6. Lucy Hatcliffe, 7. John Jenks, 8. Edna Jenks, 9. Mary Jenks, 10. Lewis Jenks.

Seated on Ground: 1. Clara Woodward, 2. Flora Woodward.

Standalone Church Members - Picture 1

Back Row: 1. Philo Darling, 2. George Jenks, 3. Billy J. Hursh, 4. John H. Jeffers, 5. Oren Jenks, 6. Isaac Woodward, 7. Lorenzo Dow Jeffers, 8. Josiah Etheridge.

2^nd Row Seated: 1. John R. Jeffers, 2. David D. Davis, 3. Mrs. David D. Davis, 4. Phoebe Jeffers, 5. Mary Etheridge Jenks.

Front Row Seated: 1. Martha Darling, 2. Clara Swett Hart, 3. Polly Jeffers Jenks, 4. Permelia Pease Etheridge, 5. Mrs. John Davies, 6. Tammie Jenks Woodward, 7. Sarah Davies, 8. Mary Davies.

Josiah Etheridge attend St Michael’s Church in Bishops Cleeve before he came to Wisconsin. Not only did Josiah come to Wisconsin but also his brothers John, Cornelius and Benjamin. Benjamin settled in Janesville. John came to Wild Rose. Cornelius lived in Wild Rose some of the time but he was also in Pennsylvania, Washington State and Idaho where he died. The Etheridge family lived in the small hamlet of Woodmancote in Gloucestershire, England. Josiah came in 1848.

Wild Rose Football Team 1928

Wild Rose Football Team from 1928

Front row: George Roberts, Alden Attoe, Dodie Davies, Fred McCormick, Clark McCormick, Stanley Popek & Howard Merryfield.

Back row: Principal Butts, John Hoaglin, Dick Hanson, Bob Duley, Ray Nelson, Alfred Jenks and Donald Evans.

Wild Rose Presbyterian Sunday School Class

Wild Rose Presbyterian Church Sunday School about 1910. Teacher: Mrs. Robert Davies (Maggie Bob) Back row: Olive Jones McQuaid,Orval Davies, Della Davies Moss, Ada Lowe Bemis, Edith Williams Jones. Middle row: Marvin Jones, Meredith Owens, Margaret Hannah Clayton, Priscilla Owens Counsell. Front row: Sidnie Davies Mundy, Mrs. R. A. Davies, David Clayton