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Embracing Montana: The Methodist Ministry of Reverend Charles D. Crouch, D.D. 1863-1947

by Jerry Evan Crouch

75 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #06-1400; ISBN 1-4120-9644-8; US$10.95, C$12.59, EUR8.99, £6.30

From England to Utah to Montana, from a Mormon to a Methodist Minister, and from a bookbinder/printer to a builder of hospitals, Charles Crouch helped establish Montana.

In 1903, nearing age 40, Charles Crouch became a Methodist Minister. It had been a long journey since his conversion from Mormonism eight years earlier. With an eight-grade education, he had studied to gain enrollment in the Montana Wesleyan University at Helena, Montana. Graduating from that University in 1901, he then completed the additional qualifications to become an Elder and full minister in the Methodist Church.

From here he would go on to pastorships of six congregations. His Great Falls Montana pastoral service from 1904 to 1908 was typical. A prior minister had built a church that was only half full and in debt. Reverend Crouch filled the church with members and paid off the debt.

As superintendent of the Yellowstone District from 1908 to 1912, the Reverend established congregations in many cities and built church buildings. This was the period of greatest growth for his area of Montana. He was awarded a Doctor of Divinity degree for his great accomplishments.

Reverend Crouch was recognized as an exceptional fund raiser. This ability was utilized by his many congregations on various fund drives. His greatest success in fund raising and building, however, was with new Deaconess Hospitals- first in Great Falls, then in Bozeman and lastly in Billings, Montana. Crouch's final assignment as a full time Methodist Minister was in 1922. He was sent to Billings to raise money, build a Deaconess hospital, staff the hospital and be the business manager until his retirement in 1931.

Jerry Evan Crouch was born in 1934 in a house near the adobe home of his great-grandfather John Evans, a Union soldier in the Civil War. He graduated from the University of Utah and practiced public accounting in Utah for 38 years. During his working years he also served as president of the Weber County Board of Education, chairman of the Utah State Board of Family Services, chairman of the Weber-Morgan Board of Health and in many other civic and business positions.

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