Miss Ella O'Conner was born in Mt. Zion, Iowa, on June 16, 1870, to Mr. and Mrs. James O'Conner, Irish immigrants. Mr. O'Conner came to America in 1865 and his wife and three children joined him here in 1869. They called Ella "Yankee" and came to Webster county when she was two months old. Coal mining in the Coalville area was big business about that time and as many as 1,100 men were employed in that area. Corpus Christi in Fort Dodge, was the only Catholic church close by and Sunday morning found the road to the church crowded with coal miners and their families walking to Mass. In 1885 Michael Darby was instrumental in bringing the Fort Dodge priest to Coalville to celebrate Mass, first in the homes and later in a new school. The first portable altar was designed by Ella O'Conner. It was loaded on a wheel barrel and with a small truck containing altar linens, and supplies; was wheeled by Ella and her sister, Brigid to the school building and back to their home on days when Mass was offered in their town. In 1885 the bishop confirmed a big class in Coalville and asked if there were lay catechist in the group who could assist with the religious training of the children since they were quite a distance from Corpus Christi. "Papa" O'Conner offered his home and his "Yankee" daughter Ellla, to help in teaching the word of God to these little ones. All the years that Ella was not only the catechist, but the sacristan and janitor of the church. With the exception of one year, when Ella taught school in North Dakota, she taught catechism to the children of Coalville for 67 years. In 1952 the Sister of Sacred Heart school in Fort Dodge started teaching religion classes in Assumption Catholic Church there.

In 1903 the Coalville parish became a mission of Our Lady of Good Council in Moorland. The Rev. Bernard Hunt served the parish from 1920 until the time of his death in 1952 at which time the Coalville parish became a mission of Corpus Christi and Rev. George Benjamin, Mercy Hospital Chaplain was pastor of the Coalville parish. The following Priest served: Father Quirk, Father Carey, Father Hunt, Father Schmmell, Father Slyer, Father Sullivan and Father Ziegman was among the last to serve. The church was closed, in 1973 by a decree of the Most Reverend Frank H. Greteman, Bishop of the Sioux City diocese. The church property was purchased by Raymond Jenson, who dismantled the church in order to use the materials to build a home on the site.

Thirteen members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, representing the families of the Willams, Allens and the Teasdales, with the help of Apostle J. R. Lampert met May 5, 1878. To organize a branch of the church in Coalville. Since they were few in number, they held their meetings in the town school house for a number of years. In the summer of 1891, Elder Hyrum C. Smith held a series of meetings in a tent at Coalville during which a large number of people were baptized. At a meeting held August 31, 1900, the group decided to build a chapel for their use and accordingly, a soliciting committee composed of Samuel Jordison, Samuel Dixon, and Thomas Hay were appointed, Richard Jordison, John Jordison, and Thomas Hay were appointed as the building committee, William Jordison as Secretary and Richard Jordison as Treasurer.

The congregation increased so rapidly that it was decided in the spring of 1953 to build a new chapel. Members of the building committee for this church were Virgil Jordison, Robert Jordison, W.C. Jordison, Raymond Jordison, James Sweatt, Brooks and Francis Jones. Plans were approved in the spring of 1956 and a ground breaking ceremony was held on September 16 of that year,. The chapel was completed February 10. 1957. The consecration of the congregations new house of worship took place Sunday February 17, 1957.

Thomas Williams was chosen as the first pastor in 1878, and had the following successors in office: James Allen, Samuel Jordison, William Jordison, Richard Jordison, John Jordison, Frank F. Higgins, Harold Mann, Blair Richardson, Charles Cackler, Lyle Winans, Elvin Anderson, and Elbert Jordison. All pastors held the office of Elder.

Many years of fellowship and good times have been shared at the church. The picture above shows a Block Party that was held August 5, 1979. Many families attended and fun was shared by all. On April 6, 2001 the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints adopted a new name: "Community of Christ". Just as it always has, now and for years to come The Community of Christ will have a strong base membership in Coalville, Iowa.