USA > Illinois > Henry County > Andover > Centennial jubilee anniversary, Commemorating One Hundred Years of Parish Evangelization, 1850-1950 > Part 1
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CENTENNIAL ALBUM
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1950
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Centennial Jubilee Anniversary
COMMEMORATING One Hundred Years of Parish Evangelization
June 16, 17, 18, 1950
Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it. Luke 11:28
The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andover, Illinois
DEDICATION
This Centennial Album is gratefully dedicated to the charter members and early pioneers of the Lutheran faith in this community, who, by their prayers, labors and sacrifices, established this church to the glory of God and to the extension of His Kingdom.
Pastor and Mrs. Everett L. Bexell Luther and Joel
FOREWORD
It is with thanksgiving and rejoicing that the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church of Andover, Illinois, celebrates her centennial anniversary. In accordance with the resolution of the Board of Administration and adopted by the Congregation, the dates of June 16-18 were chosen as the special dates for observing this great occasion. This memorial booklet will not attempt to give an exhaustive history of the congregation, but rather present a few snap shots of the past and present. May they also challenge and inspire us to seek still greater glories for Christ and His Church.
Everett L. Bexell, Pastor.
PARSONAGE AND GARAGE
CHURCH COUNCIL
(Philip Brodd was absent when this picture was taken)
At the annual business meeting of the Congregation held January 12, 1945, it was decided that each member should be urged to pay an extra $10.00 or more per year, as he or she may see fit, for three years, to the Andover Lutheran Church, same to be set aside and used only for a church basement. These contributions together with several substantial gifts from church or- ganizations increased the Building Fund considerably.
Ervin Nelson was elected chairman of the Finance Committee for our building project at the annual business meeting on December 2, 1947, and since that time the current members of the Board of Deacons have served on this committee. Through some very generous personal gifts donated voluntarily and a few solicited contributions, over $30,000.00 has been con- tributed to this cause in the past three years. Mr. Frank A. Anderson, our Financial Secretary, has served efficiently and well to keep a strict account of all money received.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
(N. O. Hultgren was absent when this picture was taken)
In connection with the annual business meeting held January 14, 1946, a Building Committee of fifteen members was elected namely: Rev. Everett L. Bexell, chairman; Ervin Nelson, secretary ; Glenn Seaholm; Mrs. Gilbert V. S. Johnson ; Mrs. Sherman Anderson; Duane Brodd; Edmund O. Rausch ; Gladys Johnson Carlson ; Ivan Peterson ; La Vern H. Peterson; Doris Joseph- son; Mrs. Willis Bengston; Chester Hultgren; Mrs. Wesley Churling and N. O. Hultgren, Sr. This committee served almost two years and made worthwhile suggestions and proposed a number of ways in which to improve our church facilities.
The current Board of Trustees was made the Building Committee at the annual business meeting held December 2, 1947. They were authorized to appoint a committee, to assist them if it was deemed necessary. These men have served concientiously and well to serve the best interests of the congregation. For some time there was considerable difference of opinion which method of improvement was to be carried out-whether to make a basement, cut the church off and extend the balcony for social quarters, or to build a new annex. We are personally convinced that this latter procedure was the most practical and acceptable in the long run, and we are happy the congregation in a special meeting voted unanimously to build an annex.
Beside the present members of the Board of Trustees, the following men have served on the Building Committee: Wilbert Anderson, Glenn Sea- holm, Franklin Stephenson and Harold Olson.
The Jenny Lind Chapel
The oldest and one of the best known houses of worship in the Augus- tana Synod is the little Jenny Lind Chapel in the village of Andover, Illinois. Funds for the construction were gathered by Lars Paul Esbjorn, the first pastor of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran congregation here. In the spring of the year 1851 Pastor Esbjorn made a round trip of about 3,600 miles throughout the Lutheran churches of the German and American Synods along the eastern seaboard. On this financial campaign trip which lasted eleven weeks. the sum of $2,200.00 was received. Of this amount, the well- known Swedish Nightingale, Jenny Lind, contributed the generous gift of $1,500.00 Part of this money was used to build churches at Moline and New Sweden, Iowa, but the greater part, a sum equal to the gift of the great Swedish singer was used to build this church. This building forty-five feet long and thirty feet wide, was built with home made brick and hardwood lumber cut from the timber adjoining the village of Galesburg.
Immediately after the return of Pastor Esbjorn from his financial can- vas in the East, the members began to make brick. But that fall the heavy rains destroyed much of their accomplishment. Many of the sawmills and the dams which held the mill ponds were swept away with the flood. Every- thing they had to buy was very expensive and had to be hauled or carried from their nearest trading center thirty miles away. Then winter came and put a stop to the work. Services had to be conducted in the kitchen of Pas-
tor Esbjorn's home or in the local school house.
The next year the building project was taken up again. That year the people suffered greatly from crop failure and unemployment, and worst of all from a terrible epidemic of cholera which took the lives of many church members. Several persons were buried in an unmarked trench grave about twenty rods northwest of this building. Much of the lumber which had been bought for the church had to be used for coffins. Many of the stricken im- migrants were poor and there was no other way to give them a decent burial. It is interesting to note that those who were able to pay for the lumber and nails gave eighty-four cents for the materials used in their last resting place. Again the church building had to wait.
During the following winter the basement was used for services, though it was still unfinished and did not even have a complete roof. At one end there was an opening ten foot square where the tower was to have been built, but was never finished.
Not until the fall of 1854 was the church so near completion that it could be formally dedicated. This significant event took place on the First Sunday in Advent, December 3, 1854, with sermons both in Swedish and in English. The English sermon was preached by a neighboring Presbyterian pastor, with the consent of the Conference Convention assembled there.
The church was built in the most plain and prosaic form. There was no hint of churchly architecture. The building was rectangular in form, and the windows are likewise. The basement served as dwelling for many of the immigrants who could find no other place to live when they first arrived. Some of them died there.
It was considered a masterpiece when it was new, and could accom- modate at the most three hundred persons. At one time a rectangular hole was cut in the chapel floor so that the overflow crowds could sit in the base- ment and hear the sermon and take part in the worship. It was also cus- tomary that two deacons be appointed to keep good order during the lengthy services. Though a new and beautiful church was erected in 1867, the old church still stands and is used as a chapel and museum. It is one of the significant landmarks of the Augustana Synod. To those who know some- thing of the history of this church it typifies the spirit of the pioneers who had courage and faith to build for the future even in the midst of poverty, illness, privation and sorrow.
At the synodical convention of 1947, in Kansas City, Missouri, a peti- tion from the Rock Island District for the restoration of the Jenny Lind Chapel and adjoining cemetery was referred to the Centennial Committee of the Augustana Lutheran Church, with power to act. The result was that over $3,500.00 was spent for the building of a new roof, refinishing the floors, in- stalling new screens, building and installing replicas of the original pews. altar and altar rail, resetting over fifty tombstones and markers in the old cemetery, and a number of other minor items. The effect of this work and the expenditure of this material has done wonders for this hallowed shrine.
On Sunday, June 13, 1948, after a most impressive morning worship
at the church, where Bishop Arvid Runestam and the Archbishop Erling Eidem had spoken, the church dignitaries of our Synod, and from Sweden, proceeded to the chapel steps. There Dr. Oscar A. Benson, president of the Illinois Conference, presented a profound and heart-stirring address. Dr. P. O. Bersell, president of the Augustana Church, then introduced several distin- guished guests and on behalf of the Church accepted the Jenny Lind Chapel and the adjoining cemetery as a synodical shrine and dedicated it to that pur- pose. A bronze plaque was unveiled on this occasion and it will serve as a permanent reminder of this service.
Eight days later Prince Bertil, a group of twenty distinguished guests from Sweden and a large representation met at the chapel to unveil another bronze plaque as a gift of the Illinois State Historical Society and in con- junction with the Swedish-American Pioneer Centennial Association which was then having a series of large gatherings in several of the Swedish cen- ters of population in our country.
Since the restoration of the Chapel, three weddings, seven baptisms, and a number of special services have been conducted there. Can it be that this simple little house of worship will become as famous as "The Little Brown Church," within the Augustana Lutheran Church ?
INTERIOR OF JENNY LIND CHAPEL
VV
CHURCH INTERIOR
Brief History
As an introduction it may be well to say a few words about the loca- tion of the little village of Andover, Illinois. "The Township of Andover" is in the southwestern part of Henry County, and the village is composed of a section of land laid out in ten-acre plots with streets that measure a full ninety-nine feet from fence to fence. The land in this community is as fer- tile as one can find in any place in the state of Illinois even though some of the farms have been cropped for almost a hundred years.
The first white man to arrive here was a certain Dr. Baker, who came here on May 6, 1835. In June of the same year the highly respected Pastor Ithamar Pillsbury, in company with Archibald Slaughter and Noah T. Pike, came to Henry County. The first Swedish immigrant to this area was a sailor by the name of Sven Nelson. Mariette Woolsey is reported to be the · first white child born in Andover. She was later married to a Mr. Edmund Buck, a man who was held in high repute among the Swedes. The first Swedish couple to be married in Andover was the sea captain, P. W. Wider- strom and Johanna Sofia Lundquist, in the year 1847.
Mr. N. J. Johnsson and Nels Nelson were the first Swedish home own- ers and paid only $1.25 per acre when they bought each a ten acre lot in An-
dover. But there were many difficulties and hardships, which must of neces- sity be omitted in such a brief resume as this is to be.
In the fall of 1849, Pastor L. P. Esbjorn came to this country in company with one hundred and forty immigrants from Gefle, on board the Swedish brig, "Cobden." Due to an attack of the cholera in Chicago, he was detained for three weeks before coming to Andover on St. Michael's Day. When he did arrive he was surprised and disappointed to learn that the majority of his followers had left Andover and continued on to Victoria at the invitation of a Methodist pastor, Jonas Hedstrom. But Esjborn was not easily disheart- ened and began preaching to his people at the Francis school house as soon as he arrived, Sunday, October 24, even though he did have to sit down on ac- count of his physical weakness, and we are assured that his labors were not in vain.
LARS PAUL ESBJORN (1850-1856)
On March 18, 1850, the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church of An- dover, Illinois, was born at the old E. A. Mix place at the southwestern edge of the village, after a long and stormy meeting which lasted from 10:00 o'clock in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon. Only ten members were included in the group that first Sunday, but four days later twenty-eight others expressed their desire and spiritual concern to join the fellowship of the congregation, so that since, the entire group has been considered our charter membership.
Dr. Eric Norelius mentions in his memoirs how he visited Esbjorn in November, 1850, with the following words: "I saw this congregation which had then grown in numbers somewhat, as it was assembled for divine wor- ship in Pastor Esbjorn's kitchen, which was the largest room in the house, where we sat on loose boards around the kitchen stove. Then and there I heard Esbjorn preach for the first time. It was over the Judgment Sunday
SAMPLE CLASS IN ANNEX CLASS ROOM
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SUNDAY SCHOOL STAFF
Gospel text and his sermon made a deep impression upon my mind."
The group that probably helped him in his trials and encouraged him in his troubles was his family. His first wife, Amelia Maria Lovisa nee Gyl- lenboga, was a lady of nobility and had some means of her own. She built the first parsonage south of Andover with the money from her dowry. At one time when the pastor was hard pressed for funds and he was almost ready to compromise his doctrinal position and accept a parish in some other denomination, it was his wife who challenged him with the thought: "Were you not sincere when you made your ordination vows in Sweden-how then can you betray them now?" He lost both his first and his second wife, nee Helena Cathrina Magnuson, within a year. His third wife was Gustava Al- bertina Magnuson, a sister of the second, who had helped a great deal with the duties at the parsonage and was well acquainted and accomplished to take over the great responsibilities of the busy household.
Pastor Esbjorn moved to Princeton in the middle of August, 1856, and stayed there for two years ; then he taught at Springfield for two years, until the beginning of Augustana, where he served until in 1863, when he went back to Sweden and became "kyrkoherde," in Oster-Vala, where he died July 2, 1870, and is buried there.
JONAS SWENSON (1858-1873)
After considerable trouble with an assistant pastor by the name of B. G. P. Berglund, and having had several promised but no acceptances of calls, it was a great pleasure to know that Pastor Jonas Swenson, then in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania, had accepted the call to come to Andover. He had considered the invitation for a long time with prayer and inner striving, but had finally accepted it as God's will that he should move to Illinois. However, when he read his resignation it hurt him so to leave his folks in Pennsylvania without a spiritual shepherd that he almost weakened in his resolution.
The congregation numbered four hundred at the arrival of Pastor Swenson and people were immigrating to these parts continually. But with the remarkable order in instruction and powerful sermons preached by Swen- son, the confused and troublesome congregation was quietened and became a model of Christian understanding and exemplary living. Probably an out- standing characteristic of his ministry here was his Christian anxiety for his parish evangelism program, especially as it became primarily his personal
PRIMARY DEPARTMENT
responsibility.
As early as in 1863, there was considerable discussion regarding the possible expansion of the church facilities since the chapel was too small. Several special meetings were called to decide upon the type of building ma- terial, width of the new building and whether or not there should be a cross at the spire, but the Swedish frontiersmen were generous also with their funds for the subscriptions totaled $38,927.00 without many of the appoint- ments and furnishing which were provided later. It may be interesting for future reference to know that the church is one hundred and twenty-five feet long and sixty feet wide; thirty-five feet high at the middle aisle and the tower with spire is one hundred and thirty-six feet high.
When the synod met here on June 15, 1870, it was to become an histor- ic session in that the Norwegian brethren decided to withdraw from the con- vention ; the Swedes joined the General Council instead and Pastor Swenson was elected president, a position he held until his death three and a half years later.
Pastor Swenson was a guiding spirit in the development of the An- dover Children's home and as usual gave himself generously to further this a worthy cause. He passed away December 20, 1873, and was mourned by a grateful Church.
ERLAND CARLSON (1875-1887)
When Pastor Swenson died there was a baptized membership of 1,855 and a communicant membership of 951, but it was difficult to fill the vacancy. Pastor Olaf Olson was called twice from Lindsborg, Kansas, but he did not consider it to be in accord with God's will to accept the call to Andover. A Pastor D. A. Arnstrom, of Stockholm, Sweden, was called, but he declined on the pretext of poor health, sickness and sorrow in the family, needs in his own parish and no desire to come to America with its striving and inconveni- ences for one in his position. Finally, after a second call Pastor Carlson agreed to come on May 1, 1875. Under the vacancy a practical pipe organ for $3,000.00 was installed in preparation for the conference meeting schedul- ed for that fall.
JUNIOR DEPARTMENT
In Pastor Carlson's first pastoral report he included the facts that (1) The new parsonage, thirty-six feet square and with a twenty-two foot kit- chen built on was completed at a cost of $3,609.36. £ (2) That the Sunday School had been classified, and (3) That Swedish school had been held in several of the districts the past year. During the year of 1880, a young people's society was organized and their first project was the establishment of a reading and loaning library.
The church bell was installed in 1881, weighing 2,371 pounds, and costing $700.00. By the year 1882, the treasurer reported that the congrega- tion was out of debt. Certainly the work and sacrifice to build and pay for a new church and a new parsonage of these proportions in twelve to thirteen years was no small undertaking. Several other projects were sponsored by various organizations, such as the colored windows, the altar painting and redecoration of the wooden ceiling.
Even with very large confirmation classes and new people coming in- to the community, the congregation was still losing in membership. The reason was simply the fact that new congregations were being organized and hundreds of people were moving westward to Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and even to the west coast.
On July 27, 1887, Pastor Carlson moved to Rock Island, to become the comptroller of the Augustana College and Theological Seminary.
VICTOR SETTERDAHL (1888-1905)
After two unsuccessful attempts to fill the vacancy, Pastor Victor Set- terdahl, then pastor in Joliet, was called and he came here on Sept. 29, 1888. The next Saturday morning, October 1st, at 10:00 A.M. the congregation gathered to say farewell to their former pastor and bid the new shepherd welcome.
In the congregational minutes for 1888 we find that a motion was made to dig a new well at the church, which when it was completed, cost $88.79. At the annual business meeting of 1891 it was decided to install new art glass windows and that the young people's society and the sewing society should be asked to help if the cost would be more than $500.00. This was
"I am the good shepherd and know my sheep, and am known of mine."
"As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep."
Jonas Swanson 1858 ** 1873
Mother Church of Augustana S3 Dedicated 1854
Eriand Carlson -1875 -- 1887
v.Setterdahl 1888 -- 1906
Carl P.Z.blom 1900 == 1911
CENTENNIAL
FRIDAY, JUNE 16th
8:00 P.M. HISTORICAL PAGEANT, "There Shall Be One Flock"
Scene 1. "Laying out the Village"
Scene 2. "Coming of the Swedes"
Scene 3. "Organization of the Congregation"
Scene 4. "Hardships Endured by the Pioneers"
Scene 5. "Building of the Jenny Lind Chapel"
Scene 6. "In Memory of the Civil War"
Scene 7. "The New Church"
Scene 8.
"Parochial Schools"
Scene 9. "Orders to Church Janitors"
Scene 10. "Fire at the Home"
Scene 11. "Farewell Blessing"
Scene 12. "The Pastoral Album"
Scene 13. "The Last Twenty Years"
SATURDAY, JUNE 17th
11:00 A.M. SWEDISH HOGMASSOGUDSTJANST. Dr. Martin J. Laure, guest speaker
2:30 P.M. MEMORIAL SERVICE
Pastor Rubert A. Hull, guest speaker
Lutheran Church Andover , Illinois Built 1867
L.P.Babjörn 1850 -- 1856
Rubert A.BuZI 1930 -- 1943
1023 -- 1827
Linus 1997 -- 1929
"And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice ; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."
PROGRAM
SUNDAY, JUNE 18th
9:30 A.M. SUNDAY SCHOOL AND BIBLE CLASS SERVICE Pastor Arthur W. Almquist, guest speaker
10:30 A.M. THE HOUR OF DIVINE WORSHIP
Senior Choir: "Now Let Every Tongue Adore Thee"
Centennial Sermon : "The Christian Church-Ready, Willing and Able" By Dr. C. O. Bengtson, President Illinois Conference. Offertory :
12:15 P.M. CENTENNIAL DINNER SERVED IN THE ANNEX
2:30 P.M. CONFIRMATION REUNION, By Pastorates
Pastor Represented by
Esbjorn Rev. W. X. Magnuson
Swenson Lester Swenson
Herman Rev. L. A. Herman Setterdahl Fred Setterdahl
Edblom, Rev. Arthur W. Almquist
Pastor Represented by
Laure Dr. M. J. Laure
Hemdahl Mrs. G. E. Hemdahl Carlsson F. A. Johnsson
Hull Rev. R. A. Hull
Bexell Rev. E. L. Bexell
INTERMEDIATE DEPARTMENT
done and the effect has been well worth the effort.
In 1893 the congregation had the joyous privilege to be visited by Bishop Von Scheele. "His visit here as well as among the other of the con- gregations of this synod which he visited was a great encouragement and a pleasure for all concerned."
Modern conveniences were also on the march during these times, for it was in 1899 that the decision was made to install a telephone at the parson- age in contract with the Andover Mutual Telephone Company.
Pastor Setterdahl gave evidence of being a consecrated "man of God" with a great deal of common sense in regard to the business of the church. In his pastoral report given in 1902, he indicates that he had not only had regular services Sunday morning and evening, but also weekly Bible studies both at the church and at some of the school houses in the community at various times throughout the year. He was very much concerned about the faithful participation of the communicants at the Lord's Supper and quoted both Martin Luther's catechism and Hilarius to substantiate his statements.
Beside his pastoral duties he had many responsibilities in the commun- ity and in the conference, serving on the children's home board for twenty- six years and as chairman of the committee for seventeen years. Further he served as secretary of the Augustana Hospital Board, Treasurer of the Illi- nois conference and finally member and treasurer of the Synodical mission board. After seventeen and a half years here, he and his faithful wife moved to Chesterton, Indiana, March, 1905.
CARL P. EDBLOM (1906-1911)
The first this pastor knew of his call to Andover was when he read a notice of it in AUGUSTANA, although he knew that he had been recommend- ed by a neighboring pastor and he had been here to visit and had been invited to speak. To begin with the candidate was somewhat uncertain in his mind as to what he should do with the call. But he had often thought and maybe even spoken about the opportunity to bring his large family into a rural parish. Thus it was that on the third of January, 1906, Pastor Edblom came to Andover in the middle of a snowstorm.
During the vacancy, Pastor N. Gibson, who was then superintendent
SENIOR DEPARTMENT
at the children's home had also conducted the services and administered the pastoral acts with some help from Augustana College. He now welcomed the new pastor most heartily and introduced him to his many tasks as leader of this congregation.
At the congregational meeting held in 1907 an important change was made in the practice of church finance. Hitherto the pastor had been the treasurer for the Board, but from this time on it is made an elected office from within the Board of Trustees. During this year also the young people's society was very busy. They installed a lighting system at the parsonage, built side walks, installed a kitchen sink and donated a new piano to the church.
A serious tragedy occurred at the children's home on December 27, 1908, when all but one fourteen year old boy had gone to church for the an- nual Christmas program. A fire broke out in the main building and destroy- ed it completely. This was just the opportunity that some had wanted to move the institution away from this community. But Pastor Edblom got busy and led a subscription for rebuilding and this was supported most gen- erously. If the congregation had not felt this close kinship and responsibil-
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