About

The First Presbyterian Church, which was founded in 1858, is located in the country near Ely, Iowa. Our church was created to fill the need of the early Czech settlers in the area. Originally, the church was called "The First Bohemian Moravian Brethren Church". The Rev. Francis Kun was the first ordained pastor and accepted the call October 1, 1860, at a salary of $60 a year. The church originally sat about one mile south of where it is presently located. The cornerstone was laid October 1, 1867, and dedicated on July 5, 1868. Two other churches were built in the area to serve the Czech families. One was located at the site of the Rogers Grove Cemetry and the other west of Swisher. All three churches were served by a common pastor. The three congregations are now merged and served by the mother church one mile west of Ely.