USA > Illinois > Perry County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 64
USA > Illinois > Randolph County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 64
USA > Illinois > Monroe County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 64
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The records show the names of 312 persons enrolled as members since the organization of the congregation. The number now in full communion is 134.
The present house of worship was built in 1873. It is of brick, 40x65 ft and costs 85,000, and was first occupied on the 1st of March, 1874.
The present officers of the congregation are Rev J. M. Faris, pastor ; J. G. Miller, Win. Woodside, Samuel Wood- side, J. D Elder, R S. Edgar and R. K. Wiseley, ruling elders; and Samuel Elliott, R. B. Elliott, W. J. Crawford, M. H. McKelvey and James Preston, deacons.
D. H. Coulter formerly an elder is now in the ministry.
While the influence of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in this community is not as extensive as formerly, being now shared by other churches, yet we may truly say that the reputation which the community enjoys for intelligence and morality, is in large measure due to the Reformed Pres- byterian Church.
Her influence for liberty has been felt, and while her tes- timony against slavery, lifted up at the close of the last century, (since the year 1800 no slaveholder was retained in her communion) has been vindicated, she still pleads for the recognition of the rights of Christ as "Head over all things to the church.
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
BY REV. FR. ERDMANN.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church is the church named after the great Reformer, Dr. Martin Luther. She receives the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments as the infallible revealed Word of God, and adheres to " Book of Concord," from the year 1580, as her Confession. The " Book of Concord" consists, 1. Of the three (Ecumenical Creeds; 2 The Augsburg Confession from 1530; 3. The Apology of the Augsburg Confession ; 4. The Schmalcaldian Articles ; 5. Luther's Smaller and Larger Catechisms; 6. The Formula of Concord.
The Lutheran Church was transplanted to this country mainly by German and Scandinavian immigrants, and dates hack as far as when New York was yet a Dutch colony,
32
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
The present * state of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States is about as follows: 57 Synods ; 3,300 Ministers ; 5 900 Congregations ; 741,000 Communicants. She has under her care: 20 Theological Seminaries; 23 Academies ; 16 Colleges ; 14 Female Seminaries ; 20 Orphan Houses ; 5 IIospitals ; 1 Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. She issues 78 church papers-26 in the English, 28 in the German, 6 in the Swedish, 14 in the Norwegian and 4 in the Danish language.
The Lutheran Church in Randolph county, Illinois, has at present ten German congregations.
The oldest of these is the Evangelical Lutheran Trinity congregation in Horse Prairie, in the northwestern part of the county. It dates back as far as 1812, and was organized by German immigrants from the principality of Schaumburg Lippe and from the former kingdom of Hanover. The first Germans who came to Horse Prairie, in the year 1838, were the two brothers Charles and Ernest Schrieber, Henry Möhrs and Henry Beier. For the next two years other new settlers came in, and though they were small in number, yet they organized themselves, in the year 1842, as the Evan- gelical Lutheran Trinity congregation. The first divine services were held in private houses. In 1844, Henry Moehrs donated to the congregation one acre of land, to be used partly for the site of a church and partly for a grave- yard. In the same year the first church was built, a very primitive log house, 25×18 feet. The whole cost of this church was hardly more than $50; but nevertheless they were rejoiced to have a church of their own. The first pastor who preached occasionally to this congregation was Rev. Jordan ; the next one Rev. Gotha. In the fall of 1845 the Rev. Martin Stephan accepted a call from the congregation ; he died on the 26th day of February, 1846. Stephan was the first pastor who resided in the midst of the congregation -the log church was at the same time his dwelling house. After Stephan, the Rev. A. Baltzer, from Waterloo, Ill., preached, for about one year and a half, occasionally to the congregation, and in like manner his successor, the Rev. W. Binner. The Revs. Baltzer and Binner were not Lutheran pastors ; they both belonged to the so-called United Evan. gelical Church, and they both tried to draw over the congre- gation to their denomination; but though they did not succeed, yet they were the cause of a division in the congre- gation. Ju 1848 nine members withdrew from the Lutheran congregation and organized an Evangelical one. This Evangelical congregation was in existence until 1859, when their members reunited with the Lutheran church and turned over their property to this congregation. In 1848 the Rev. C. Strasen took charge of the Lutheran congrega- tion, and remained with them for about two years. In the meantime the congregation had increased in number, and the log church became too small, and they began, in 1849, to build the second church, a frame building, 40x28 feet. In 1850 the Rev Brey accepted a call from the congrega- tion. He was a man of great learning, but more adapted for a professor's chair thau for the pulpit. He resigned after
* Where the words "present," "to the present." "at the present time," are used in this article, it always means to October, 1882.
six months. His successor from March, 1851, to March 1853, was the Rev. A. Brandt. In 1851 the new church was completed, and was dedicated on the 3d day of August in the same year. On this occasion the Rev. Birkmann, from Monroe county, preached in German, and the Rev. M. Eirich, from Chester, in English. The cost of the new church was ahout $1,000. After the new church was occu- pied, the old log church was used as a parsonage. In May, 1853 the present pastor, the Rev. F. Erdmann, received and accepted a call from the congregation, and took charge thereof on the 25th day of September, 1853. At that time the congregation numbered about 16 voting members, which number was, on the 26th of December of the same year, increased to 32. The number of communicants at this time were about 85, and the number of scholars in the school was 32. At the present time the congregation counts more than 100 voting members and about 350 communicants, and in the school * are more than 100 scholars. In 1856 a new parsonage was built, at a cost of about $700, and the old one, the former log church, was converted into a school house. In 1859- when the Evangelical congregation had reunited with the Lutheran, their church was moved to the premises of the Lutheran congregation, and used for a school house until the year 1869. Iu 1860 the old log church was taken down. In 1859 the first pipe organ was purchased by the congregation-it was a small instrument with but three stops-at a cost of $315. About two years later, this organ was exchanged for a larger one, with eight stops. Up to the year 1866, the pastor of the congregation had at the same time to teach the school, but at that time the number of scholars had become so large that it became necessary to employ a teacher. The first teacher was B. Cunz ; he took charge of the school in March, 1866, and was discharged in September of the same year. The present teacher, C. Ste- dingk, has had charge of the school since October, 1866. By natural growth and by immigration, the congregation had become so large that their second church proved to be too small ; so it resolved to build a larger one. On the 13th day of May, 1868, the corner-stone of the new church was laid. Preaching was had on different occasions by the Rev. J. C. Noll, from near Ruma, and Rev. Fr. Herold, from Ma ?- coutah, and on the 3d day of December, 1868, the new church was dedicated. The preaching on this occasion was by the Revs. Eisenbach, Tegtmeyer and Noll. The new church is a brick building, 75x .3 feet, with a steeple of about 120 feet high, and two good sized metal bells in the belfry. The cost of the new church was about $14,200. After the new church was occupied, the old one was used for a school house, and received an addition of a room for cate- chetical instruction. In 1875 a new frame parsonage was built, at a cost of about $2,200. It is resolved to build, next spring, a dwelling house for the teacher, which will cost at least $1,500. The congregation owns at present seven acres of laud, with all the buildings thereon, whose value is at least $18,000.
The Evangelical St. John's congregation in Red Bud. In the year 1854, the Rev. Francis Erdmann commenced
* The word " school " in this article always means "Parochial school."
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
preaching every alternate Sunday in Red Bud. At that time neither a school house nor other building suitable for preaching was to be found in the limits of the town. The first divine services were held in a log school house, about one mile west of the town on the Waterloo road. Here, in 1855, the Evangelical Lutheran St. John's congregation was organized with about ten members. Among them were William Guebert, William Hilgemaier, William Kloepper, Christian Busse, H. Koch, Esq , all from the northern part of Germany. About the same time the congregation was organized, a new public school house was built in Red Bud Divine services were held therein. In 1856 Mr. Samuel Crozier donated one acre of land to the congregation for the site of a church, and the congregation bought two more acres of him, partly to be used as a graveyard, and com- menced in the same year the building of a church, which was completed and dedicated in the spring of 1857. On the occasion the Revs. Boetticher and Eppens preached German aud the Rev. D. Swaney in English. The new church was a brick building, and cost about $1 500. In February, 1859, the Rev. Francis Erdmann resigned this charge, and the congregation extended a call to the present pastor, the Rev. Fr. Schaller, who was installed on the fourth day of December, 1859. By that time the congre- gation numbered 26 voting members. At present it counts 87 voting members, and abont 340 communicants. In 1864 a new parsonage was built for about $1,800. The first church had become too small, and the corner stone of a new one was laid on the 23d day of June, 1867, the Revs. M. Stephan and C. S. Kleppisch officiating. In the spring of 1868 it was completed, and was dedicated on the 19th day of April of the same year. The Revs. Professors A. Craemer and G. Schaller. both from St Louis, Mo., preached dedication sermons. It is a brick building, erected at a cost of about $12,000. The old church was converted into a school house. The pastor of the congregation tangbt the church school until the year 1864, when the first teacher, A. Burgdorf, was em- ployed. The present teacher, William Holtmann, has had charge of the school since fall, 1875. The school numbers 90 scholars. In 1876 a new dwelling-house for the teacher was built for about $900, aud in 1880 the old church taken down, and on its foundation a two-story brick school-house erected for about $1500. The property of the congrega- tion at the present time is of a value of about §16,000.
The Evangelical Lutheran St. John's congregation near Ruma. At the time when the Rev. C. Strasen, was pastor of the Trinity congregation in IIorse Prairie, he preached at the same time to the people, who had settled between Horse Creek and Camp Creek, and in the year 1848 the St. John's congregation was organized with eleven members, all from the former kingdom of Hanover, Ger- many. Among the first members were H. Wegner, C. Liefer, H. Knoke, D. Kueker, etc. In the same year, one acre of land was bought by the congregation, partly for the site of church, and partly for graveyard, and a log church was erected. In 1858 the congregation bought five acres of land for $50 of Mr. Clark, situated more centrally, about one mile and a half southwest of their first church. The
first building erected on this new premises was a log parson- age in 1860. In 1866 the building of a new church was commenced and finished, and dedicated in March, 1867. The Revs. Knoll, Staiger and Erdmann preached on the occasion. The new church is a brick building, and its costs were about 83,500. In 1868 a log school house was built, and in 1880 a new frame parsonage for about $1,100. The congregation numbers at present 45 voting members, and about 150 communicants. The school numbers 40 scholars and is taught by the pastor. The first pastor of the con- gregation was the Rev. C. Strasen, who resigned in 1849. Ilis successors, until the year 1858, were the Revs. G. Weit- brecht and H. A. Eppens. From 1859 to the beginning of 1860 the Rev. Frounn had charge of the congregation, and was the first pastor residing within the bounds of the cor .- gregation. During the summer of 1860 the Rev. I. C. Knoll took charge of the congregation and remained with them until the second day of November, 1878, when he died. Then the congregation extended a call to the present pastor, Rev. E. Schrader, who was installed in February, 1879. The con- gregation possesses a property worth more than 85,000.
The Evangelical Lutheran congregation in Evansville is of a more recent date ; it was organized by the Rev. J. C. Noll, owns a brick church 54x34 feet. Its property is worth about 83 000. In 1881 the Rev. J. G. Gruber touk charge of the congregation, and resigned in 1882. At present the Rev. C. Schrader preaches for the congregation, and Mr. Mohr, a theological student is assistant, and teaches at the same time school. With this congregation a preach- ing place in Preston is connected.
The Evangelical St John's congregation in Chester was organized on the 22d day of April, 1849, by the Rev. S. Buttermann, with 14 members, all from the northern part of Germany. Among the first members were F. A. All- meyer, F. W. Allmeyer, H. Bode, Il. Goehr, F. Brinkmann, etc. In the same year the first church, a frame building, was erected for about 8800. In 1854 a brick parsonage was built. In 1857 the church was enlarged by an addition of twenty feet, and a basement for school. In 1865 a new brick school house was erected. By continual growth the congregation became too large for its house of worship, and the corner-stone of the new church edifice was laid on the 13th day of October, 1878. In the fall, 1880, the new church was completed, and was dedicated on the 14th day of November in the same year. It is a brick structure, and one of the finest church edifices in the southern part of Illin- ois, and an ornament to the city of Chester. The congre- gation numbers at present 90 voting members and about 360 communicants, and possesses property worth about $15,000. The first pastor of the congregation was the Rev. S. Butter- mann. His successor was the Rev. M. Eirich, who had charge of the congregation from the year 1549 to the year 1866, when he resigned. Rev. Eirich's successor from 1866 to 1875 was Rev. M. Stephan. After Stephan bad resigned the congregation extended a call to the present pastor, the Rev. J. A. F. W. Mueller, who was installed December 5, 1875. Prior to 1856, the pastor taught the church school, but in that year a teacher was employed. Nine teachers
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
have had charge of this school for a louger or shorter time since its organization. The present teachers are H. Loh- meyer, (since 1877) for the second class, and G. Allmeyer. (since 1878) for the first. The number of scholars in both classes are about 120.
The Evangelical Lutheran St. Peter's congregation, north of Randolph (Bremen P. O.) is the oldest in the southern part of the county. It was organized before 1845 by Germans, mainly from the former Kingdom of Hanover, Germany. Among its first members were Messrs Knop, Heitmann, Schierenbeck and Goehrs, etc. Some of them lived in Chester, where there was no Lutheran church at that time. Shortly after the organization, the congregation built their first church, a small log building. The property then owned by the congregation was worth about $150. In 1857 a log house was erected to be used partly for a parson- age and partly for a school room. In 1862 a log building school was raised In 1875 the parsonage was renovated and enlarged at a cost of about $300. In 1863 the present brick church edifice was built for about $2,500. The pro- perty owned by the congregation at the present time is worth at least $4,000. Though this congregation is one of the oldest, yet it is at the present time one of the smallest in the county, numbering 19 voting members and 68 communi- cants. It was, after its organization, for a number of years without a pastor, yet they assembled every Sunday for divine service. Mr. Dunsing, a German school teacher, read a ser mon, taught school for about four months, including the winter season. In the years 1856 and 1857 the Rev. C. Tegtmeyer preached for the congregation. His successor to the year 1862 was the Rev. J. Dunsing. From August, 1862, to November, 1873, the Rev I. H. Doermann had charge thereof. From November, 1873, to October, 1878, the Rev. F. W. Pennekamp, and since January, 1879, the present pastor, the Rev. G. I. Mueller. From 1863 to 1875 H. Lohmeyer was teacher of the school, since that time the pastor is also the teacher.
The Evangelical Lutheran St. John's Congregation, northeast of Randolph (Bremen P. O.). Some of the immi- grants from the Northern part of Germany, who had settled in this part of the county, bought as early as the year 1848, ten acres of land, partly for the site of a church, partly for a graveyard and other purposes, and erected in the same year a small frame church thereon. The church property at that time was worth about $600.
Though the Revs. Buttermann and Eirich from Chester had, from time to time, preached to this people, the congregation was not properly organized before the year 1853, when Rev. Charles Tegtmeyer, who is the present minister, became pastor. About 16 members took part at the organization. At present the congregation counts 70 voting members and 235 communicants, and the school, which is taught by the pastor, numbers about 90 scholars. In 1857, a parsonage was built, and, in 1878, a schoolhouse, and at the same time one acre and a half more land was bought. During the summer, 1882, a new briek church edifice was erected. The property owned, at the present time, by the congregation has a value of about fifteen thousand dollars. With this
congregation a preaching place is connected, in the so-called Sternberg settlement, which owns a little church worth about $500, and numbers about 38 communicants.
The Evangelical Lutheran St. Paul Congregation at Wine Hill. Though the Rev. C. Tegtmeyer had, since 1853, preached to the people in the vicinity of what is now called Wine Hill, the proper organization of St. Panl's con- gregation was not effected until the 28th of November, in the year 1860, by the Rev. M. Eirich, from Chester. 18 members participated in the organization, all from the for- mer Kingdom of Hanover, Germany. The first Deacons, elected on the day of organization, were Henry Ebers and Henry Brueggemann. After ten acres of land were bought by the congregation the first church was built thereon, in the year 1860. It is a frame building, which cost about $1,400. This church is yet in use. A new brick church edifice to cost not less than $10,000 is in prospect for 1883. In 1861 a small parsonage, and in 1864 a small schoolhouse, were erected. In 1874, a new frame parsonage was built at a cost of $1,600. In 1877 a new frame schoolhouse, cost about $800. In 1880 the old parsonage was rebuilt and enlarged, and is now worth about $800. It is occupied by the teacher of the congregation. The congregation numbers 60 voting members and 275 communicants, and owns about $5,000 worth of property. . The first pastor who served this congregation, after its organization, was the Rev. M. E:rich, who preached only occasionally. His successor, from July 1861 to November 1863, was the Rev. H. Evers. From December, 1863, to May, 1873, the Rev. J. H Doermann was in charge, but did not reside within the congregation, but at Randolph, where he was at the same time pastor of the St. Peter's congregation. After the Rev. Doermann had resigned, the present pastor, the Rev. C. F. Liebe, accepted the charge, in November, 1873. Six teachers have been connected with the school since its organization. The pres- ent teacher, Mr. Aug. Wilde has had charge of the school since, February 1879. It numbers at present time about 70 scholars.
The Evangelical Lutheran St. Peter's Congregation at Wine Hill, was formerly connected with the St. John's Congregation of Randolph, and the Rev. C. Tegtmeyer was, from 1853 to 1861, pastor of both congregations. In 1861 the St. Peter's congregation separated from St. John's, and extended a call to the Rev. J. F. Hornberger, which was accepted, and he was pastor of the congregation until 1876, when he resigned. The present pastor, the Rev. F. Weiss- gerber, has had charge of the congregation since 1878. This congregation numbers about 30 voting members and about 85 communicants ; it possesses a small frame church which was built in 1860, a parsonage and a schoolhouse, besides several acres of real estate. Its property at present is worth about $1,500. The school connected with the congregation is taught by the pastor.
The Evangelical Lutheran St. Marous' Congregation, in Steelesville was organized on the 15th day of February, 1874, though the Rev. C. Tegtmeyer, from Randolph, preached for them before they were properly organized. Eight members, all from the northern part of Germany par-
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
tieipated in the organization, among whom were A. Bege- mann and F. Maasberg. At the present time the congre- gation numbers 18 voting members and 65 communieants. It owns a frame church, which was built in 1875, for about $1,550, and was dedicated on the 26th day of December, in the same year; also a parsonage and a schoolhouse, the whole property worth at least two thousand dollars. After the Rev. C. Tegtmeyer had resigned, the Rev.C. F. Liebe had charge of the congregation from the 24th of May, 1874, to 1879. After the Rev. Licbe had resigned, the Rev. G. Erd- mann filled the vacaney for several months. The present pastor, the Rev. E. G. Franck, was installed the 22nd day of May, 1879. He is the first pastor residing with the congregation. The school numbers about 20 scholars, and is taught by the pastor.
So the Lutheran Church has, up to the present time, in Randolph county ten congregations, ten church buildings, nine school houses, about two thousand communicants, and nearly seven hundred scholars between the ages of seven and fourteen years under her training. Her church property has a value of over eighty-five thousand dollars.
MONROE COUNTY
is at the present time represented by three Evangelical Lu- theran Congregations-all German.
The Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of the Holy Cross, southeast of Waterloo and northwest of Burksville (Wartburg P. O.), was organized in 1841 by the Rev. G. A. Schieferdecker, with nine members, among them Jacob Horu, J. C. Just, Sam. Koch, from the southern part of Germany ; and II. Jobauning, from the northern part. Di- vine service had, for the first year, to be held in private houses. In 1844, Mr. J. Horn donated to the congregation four acres of land, situated about two miles south of Water- loo ; and in the same year a small frame church, at a cost of about $300, was erected thercon. This church was dedi- cated on the 10th day of November, 1844. The Rev. Prof. D. Walther, from St. Louis, Mo, preached the dedication sermon. On the 4th of Dec. 1846, the church was consumed by fire. Too poor to rebuild, the congregation again held its services in private houses. In the meantime it was resolved to build in a more central and more convenient locality. In 1848, Mr. J. C. Just granted the congregation, for this purpose, oue aere and a-half of land, about two miles south of the former site, and in the same year they ereeted their second church, which was dedicated on the 27th day of August, 1848. The Revs. C. Strasen and R. Lange preached on the occasion. This second church became too small, and in 1863, a stone building, 48x32 feet, was erected and dedi. cated. The Rev. E A. Brauer preached the dedication ser- mon. This church erected, in 1874, a steeple 75 feet high. Besides the church, the congregation owns a parsonage, a school house, and a dwelling house for the teacher, -all brick buildings. The whole property of the congregation, at the present time, is worth at least $5,000. It numbers at present 43 voting members and 152 communicants. The pastors who have served this congregation are : Rev. G. A. Schie. ferdecker, from 1841 to 1849; Rev. C. H G. Sehliepsick,
from 1849 to 1850; Rev. J. G. Birkmann from the 26th of September, 1850, to his death, on the 28th December, 1865 ; Rev. C. S Kleppisch, from the 24th of November, 1867, to August, 1871. The present pastor, Rev. J. Nachtigall, was installed on September 17th, 1871. Up to the year 1858 the pastors taught the school, but at that time a teacher was employed. The first teacher was Mr. L. Deffuer. The other teachers have been -- Mr. F. R Bix, Mr. II. Johanning and Mr. H. Keller. Since October 1881, Mr. H. Johanning has again been teacher of the school. It counts 55 scholars.
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