St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (Stoddard, Neb.) [RG3243.AM]

NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID

RG3243.AM:  St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (Stoddard, Neb.)

Records:  1907-1972

Stoddard, Thayer County, Neb.:  Lutheran church

Size:  1 reel of microfilm and 2 boxes

BACKGROUND NOTE

By 1907, many Lutheran families had bought land and settled in the vicinity of Stoddard, Thayer County, Nebraska. These families needed a church, and the Reverend John Schwerin of Peace Church in Deshler, was asked to hold services. The first service was held in the schoolhouse on April 7, 1907. On June 21, 1907, a meeting was held in the schoolhouse of District No. 67 to formally organize the church. St. Paul’s was organized and a constitution similar to that of Peace Church was adopted. The first officers of the church were Ernest Pohlman and John Kraft, Deacons; Matthew Renschler, J. Wm. Meyer, and Charles Kutscher, Trustees; Ernest Meyer, Secretary-Treasurer. These six men were also the charter members.

In January of 1908, Henry Vienop gave a two-acre tract of land for a church site, and a new church was built at a cost of about $2,300. The new church was dedicated September 13, 1908. Two more acres of land joining the church grounds were purchased in January of 1913 for the purpose of building a parsonage. The Reverend A.E. Vischivitz was called to be the first resident pastor. Other pastors of St. Paul’s were Reverend Erich Meyer, who served from November of 1917 to November of 1922; the Reverend Theodore Lassen, who served from January of 1923 to May of 1933; and the Reverend C.H. Hinkhouse from September of 1933 to August of 1935. In September of 1935, the Reverend John Vollstedt began his tenure with the congregation, serving faithfully until his death in January of 1956.

Because it was no longer large enough to support a resident pastor of its own, the congregation was forced to look elsewhere for ministerial service. For the next 10 years a non-resident pastor served the church, under an arrangement with the American Lutheran Church at Belleville. The parsonage was rented as a supplement to the church income. In May of 1965, the members voted to offer the parsonage, all small buildings, and the adjoining acreage for sale to the occupants then in residence. In January of 1967, a vote to close the church passed, and final services were held on June 25, 1967. Sale of the church property was concluded by October of 1968.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection consists of records of the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Stoddard, Nebraska. The records are arranged in three series: 1) Record books, 1907-1967; 2) Cemetery records; and 3) Miscellaneous records. Volume one of the record book series was previously loaned for copying, and is available on microfilm. All other records are available only as photocopies. Note: The microfilmed volume is the only item available through interlibrary loan.

DESCRIPTION

Series 1 – Record Books, 1907-1967

Reel 1

Volume

1. 1. Church Record, 1907-1956 [personal, birth, communion registers]

Oversize volume

1. 1. Church Record, 1907-1956 [personal, birth, communion registers]

1. 1. Membership/Congregation records, 1907-c. 1913

Box 1

Volume

3. 3. Minutes, 1941-1967

Series 2 – Cemetery Records

Folder

1. 1. Cemetery map and list

1. 1. Cemetery resolutions

1. 1. Cemetery Association Secretary’s notes, 1969; 1972

Series 3 – Miscellaneous Records

Box 2

Folder

1. 1. Constitutions and Bylaws [Church; Ladies Society; Lutheran League]

1. 1. Pastor Vollstedt materials

1. 1. Anniversaries

1. 1. Transfers

1. 1. Sale of Church property, 1968

ADDED ENTRIES:

Stoddard (Neb.) — Churches

Germans in Nebraska

Lutheran Church in Nebraska

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (Stoddard, Neb.)

Thayer County (Neb.) — Churches

Revised 10-14-2009   TMM