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cluded: Emil L. Mueller, Chairman, Walter Jaeggi, Emil Held, Otto Ewert, Edward Lusche, Fred Schwank, William Durkop, Henry Lusche, and Emil Loseke. A committee to draft a new constitution in accordance with the tenets of the United Lutheran Church was composed of: Doctor B. C. Tiesing, Chairman, Otto C. Mueller, and Fred Cattau. Those on the committee to arrange for a meeting place were: Emil L. Mueller, Chairman, Emil Held, Emil Brunken, Edward Lusche, and William Durkop.

The first church membership roll of the Trinity Lutheran Congregation was made up of former members of the Independent Evangelical Protestant Church in Columbus.

BUYS CHURCH SITE

An article from the files of the Columbus Daily Telegram dated March 19, 1928, gives an account of a membership meeting of the Columbus Maennerchor Society held March 18, 1928, at which time the Maennerchor Society voted to accept the bid of twelve thousand five hundred dollars as submitted by Speice, Echols, Boettcher Company, agent for the newly formed Lutheran Congregation.

On Sunday afternoon, March 25, 1928, this congregation held a meeting in the Maennerchor Hall at 2207

Eleventh Street. The name of "Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church" was selected, and a call to the pastorate of the church was extended to the Reverend F. Albin Heinz.

Other important business at this meeting included the acceptance of the new constitution and the election of the first church trustees. The constitution was drafted in accordance with the tenets of the United Lutheran Church in America. The three members chosen for the Board of Trustees were: Walter Jaeggi, Julius Rudat Jr., and William Durkop. These trustees, together with the first church officers elected, served until January I, 1929. The Membership Committee report at this meeting showed an increase in membership from sixty to one hundred and twenty.

The formal articles of incorporation of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Columbus, Nebraska, were filed for record in the Platte County Court House on December 22, 1928, and signed by the secretary, Emil Mueller. The term of incorporation was to begin November 25, 1928, and continue for the period of one hundred years.

PASTORS OF THE CHURCH

The Reverend F. Albin Heinz was called to the pastorate of the church on March 26, 1928. Although a minister of the Lutheran faith, he was at that time serving as the pastor of the Independent Evangelical Protestant Church in Columbus. His pastorate, however, terminated there on April 29, 1928, when he became the first pastor of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Reverend Herman Goede succeeded the Reverend F. Albin Heinz as pastor on June 16, 1930, and served the church in that capacity for sixteen years, when he was called to Lincoln, Nebraska, where he became pastor of the Frieden's Lutheran Church. Shortly after taking over his pastoral duties here, the Reverend Herman Goede introduced the use of the common service book of the United Lutheran congregation.

On July 12, 1946, the Reverend Carl R. Goldenstein of Hanover, Kansas, took over his duties as pastor of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church here.

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH JOINS MIDWEST SYNOD

In the State of Nebraska, the United Lutheran Church in America has two synods. There was some question among the parishioners of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church as to which synod they should join. The majority group favored the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the Midwest of Nebraska, while the minority group wished to join the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Nebraska.

When the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church became a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the Midwest, the group favoring the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Nebraska separated and formed the United Evangelical Lutheran congregation on September 23, 1930.

CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

The early day parishioners of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church included the names of W. L. Boettcher, Emil Brunken, William Durkop, Emil Held, Walter Jaeggi, Henry Lusche, Otto C. Mueller, and Carl Rohde.

Among the 1947 members were Carl Hoge, Walter Jaeggi, Gerhard E. Loseke, Emil Mueller, Doctor Frank G. Rohde, and George Schwank.

UNITED EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

The United Evangelical Lutheran Church is located on Twenty-third Avenue at Sixteenth Street in Columbus, Nebraska. This church is a member of the United Lutheran Church in America, the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Nebraska, and the National Lutheran Council.

EARLY HISTORY

The United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Columbus was organized in the community room of the

Platte County Court House on September 23, 1930, with William I. Guss, D.D., of Omaha, president of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Nebraska, presiding at the meeting.

The purpose of the organization of this church was to establish in Columbus an all-English Lutheran Church affiliated with the United Lutheran Church in America, and a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Nebraska.

The early membership was made up largely of former parishioners of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, also a member of the United Lutheran Church in America, but belonging to the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the Midwest.

Until the United Evangelical Lutheran Church congregation acquired its own property at the corner of Twenty-third Avenue and Sixteenth Street, the church services were held in the hall located on the second floor of the Curry Building on Thirteenth Street. From October 22, 1933, to April 14, 1935, the church services were held in the parsonage.

On April 14, 1935, the United Evangelical Lutheran Church on Twenty-third Avenue and Sixteenth Street was dedicated for church services.

In addition to the regular church services, the pastor has conducted a Bible school each summer.

HISTORIC BELL TOWER

The United Evangelical Lutheran Church is an English type white frame structure with an interesting outside bell tower modeled after Old World architecture and reminiscent of the bell towers in Italy.

FIRST PARISHIONERS

Some of the early parishioners and donors included: Mr. and Mrs. Fred Asche, Mr. and Mrs. L. N. Bailey, Mr. and Mrs. John Engel, Mr. and Mrs. A. N. Gerhold, Mrs. Bertha Hefti, Mr. and Mrs. John Hoessel, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Hupp, Mrs. Rosa Kluck, Mr. and Mrs. K. F. Mueller, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Settgast, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Trofholz, Mr. and Mrs. Gus Trofholz Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Gus Trofholz Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wiseman, and Mr. and Mrs. Albert Zimmer.

PASTORS OF CHURCH

The pastors who have served the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Columbus are: Reverend Wallace Livers from March 20, 1932, to November 10, 1936; Reverend Edgar Dorner from November 22, 1936, to September 13, 1941; Reverend S. K. deFreese from March 28, 1942, to December 31, 1942; Reverend William Hover from February 7, 1943, to January 31, 1944; and Reverend John H. M. Shiery from June I, 1944, to 1948.

CHURCH SELF-SUPPORTING

Prior to January I, 1948, the United Evangelical Lutheran Church at a meeting of the congregation passed a resolution to become self-supporting. After the organization of the church congregation on September 23, 1930, supplemental funds to finance the work of the church had been received from the Board of Synodical Missions and the United Lutheran Church Board of American Missions. On June 10, 1946, the United Evangelical Lutheran Church congregation liquidated its debt and burned its mortgage.

Moreover, the January I, 1948, church report showed an overpayment of the two-year quota for Lutheran World Action Relief and its Apportioned Benevolence.

Special church services to commemorate the self-supporting status of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church were observed by the pastor, Reverend John H. M. Shiery, in January, 1948

1948 CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

Besides many of the above-named, the 1949 church membership also included the following: Mrs. Louis Boss, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bott, Mr. and Mrs. Ernst Christensen, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Detmer, Mr. and Mrs. James Detmer, Mrs. Charles Gates, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Gengenbach, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hammond, Mr. and Mrs. Hilbert Hefti, Mr. and Mrs. Ernst Heuer, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Heuer.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hurner, Mr. and Mrs. Harm Kruse, Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Kruse, Doctor and Mrs. J. S. Leamer, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Liebschwager, Mr. and Mrs. Gus Meyer, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Nore, Mrs. F. M. Norton, Mr. and Mrs. B. O. Perkins, Mrs. Alice Pittman, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Speck, Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Stone, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Swanson, Mrs. Adele Zobel, and Mr. Henry Zobel.

ST. JOHN'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church is located in Bismark Township near Shell Creek, approximately five miles north and five miles east of Columbus in District 2.

CHURCH MEMBER OF MID-WEST SYNOD

The St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church is a member of the United Lutheran Church in America, and a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the Mid-West.

This church was originally a German church; but a gradual change in the language has taken place and all services are now held in English.

CHURCH FOUNDED 1881

The St. John's Evangelical Lutheran congregation was founded in 1881 under the leadership of its first pastor, the Reverend Christoph Moessner.

During 1881, the church and parsonage were built. In 1893, church bells were placed in the belfry. In 1898, the church building was extended fifteen feet, and a pipe organ installed. In 1909, the parsonage was enlarged and remodeled. In 1931, the church was redecorated and, thirteen years later, the church was rebuilt.

EIGHT PASTORS SERVED CHURCH

In the first sixty-eight years of its existence (1881-1949) eight pastors served the church. The Reverend Mueller served as pastor for eighteen years during two different periods. The following clerics also were chosen by the congregation: Reverend Christoph Moessner, 1881-1891; Reverend E. F. F. Mueller, 1891-1900; Reverend L. Grauenhorst, 1900-1909; Reverend E. F. F. Mueller, 1909-1918; Reverend H. Welchert, 1918-1927; Reverend G. Bessler, 1927-1929; Reverend A. Theodore Mikkelsen, 1929-1933; Reverend J. N. Marxen, 1934-1943; and Reverend William H. Goede, 1943-.

GOLDEN JUBILEE 1931

On Sunday, October 4, 1931, the congregation of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church celebrated the fiftieth aniversary (sic) of its founding. The Ladies Aid of the church, the Church Council, and members of the Church Board all cooperated in planning the celebration. The church was filled to capacity for the anniversary services which were conducted by Reverend A. Theodore Mikkelsen, pastor of the church, and visiting pastors who also delivered sermons.

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION 1938

The formal articles of incorporation of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church were filed for record in the Platte County Court House on October 28, 1938. Although the congregation was organized on October 9, 1881, the church was not formally incorporated until September 4, 1938. These articles were signed by August Hake, Ewald J. Klug, Herman Klug, Fred Schindler, and Louis Lutjelusche.

NEW CHURCH DEDICATED 1945

On Sunday, February II, 1945, the church was dedicated free from debt. At the dedicatory services, the sermon was delivered by the Reverend Herman Goede, pastor of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Columbus, and a brother of Reverend William H. Goede, the pastor.

CHURCH OFFICERS

The first officers of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1881 were: H. Schuette, President; Henry Rickert, Secretary; and Henry Lusche, Treasurer. Fifty Years later, in 1931, the officers included: William Rickert, President; Fred Stuthman, Secretary; William Lusche, Treasurer; William Engel and Louis Dicke, Elders. The church then had sixty-five voting Members.

The work of the official body of the church is vested in a church council. The members for 1947 included: Frank Kasper, Werner Klug, Walter Luckey, Ernst Lutjelusche, and Kenneth Schmid.

CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS

The church report of January I, 1948, showed a continuous growth in the church organizations through the seventeen-year period. Previous to 1943, St. John's Church had a choir for special occasions, but after Reverend William H. Goede assumed the pastorate in 1943, he organized and directed the church choir. The 1949 membership of the choir was comprised of: Reverend William H. Goede, choir director; Maureen Goede, organist; and Esther Benning, Dolores Koch, Mrs. Goede, Marion Ahrens, Ethel Hunteman, Lois Benning, Delores Benning, August Hake Jr., Paul Schreiber Jr., Kenneth Klug, Robert Engel, and Roger KIug, choir.

The latest organization of the church was its Brotherhood. The early officers of this group were: Siebert Engel, President; John Siefken, Secretary; and Edward Loseke, Treasurer.

The women's organization was the Ladies Aid. The 1947 officers were Mrs. Frank Kasper, President; Mrs. John Siefken, Secretary; and Mrs. Gus Lusche, Treasurer.

The young people in the church were members of the Luther League. The 1947 officers of this society were as follows: Lawrence Lusche, President; Dolores Koch, Secretary; and Kenneth Klug, Treasurer.

PARSONAGE BUILT 1947

A new seven-room parsonage was built at St. John's Church in 1947. Work was started on June 16, 1947, and four months later, on October 16, 1947, it was ready for occupancy. The structure is a seven-room brick veneer, all modern American home.

ST. PAUL'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church is located in Sherman Township, Platte County, six and one-half miles southwest of the town of Leigh, Nebraska, in District 23.

CHURCH AFFILIATION

In the articles of incorporation filed in 1888, a mention is made of St. Paul's Church being a branch of the Evangelical Lutheran Church General Synod in America. The listing for 1947 described the church as belonging to the United Lutheran Church in America, and as being a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the Midwest of Nebraska.

CHURCH ORGANIZED 1881

The early history of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church dates back to the spring of 1881 when the first congregation was formed.

The charter members of this congregation were: Henry Robert, Herman Luedtke, Jacob Held, Henry Tabke, John Bade, Herman Lueschen, Diedrich Wurdeman, John Hoessel, Herman Pieper, Frederick Mac-

kenstadt, Henry Hunteman Sr., Emil Heier, and Albert Schroeder.

Other early parishioners included: August Wahl, Gerhart Loseke, Henry W. Sander, Henry Brock, Sr., Henry Dasenbrock, J. H. Wurdeman. The first church officers were Henry Robert, Herman Luedtke, and Jacob Held.

FIRST CHURCH SERVICES 1881

The group met in the District 23 school house in 1881 with Reverend Christopher Moessner, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church of Bismark Township, conducting services twice a month. In 1882, the first church was built and, in 1884, the first parsonage was finished. The present church was built in 1898 and remodeled in 1928. A modern parsonage, built in 1916, was renovated and improved in 1947.

FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY

St. Paul's Church celebrated its Golden Jubilee on May 31, 1931. Visitors from Lutheran churches in nine towns were present for the occasion. During the morning and afternoon, sermons were delivered by visiting pastors, and a pageant showing the growth of the Lutheran church in the United States was presented by forty Luther League members. Reverend H. Schumann of Grand Island, pastor of St. Paul's in 1890, delivered a German sermon; and Reverend Ernest Walter of Lincoln delivered the English sermon. Reverend M. Schroeder, former pastor, gave the afternoon sermon.

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

In 1888, seven years after the organization of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sherman Township, formal articles of incorporation were filed on November 14. These articles were signed by Henry Hunteman, President, Jacob Held, Secretary, and Henry Robert, Treasurer.

On October 4, 1945, the complete constitution of the church was filed for record and signed by J. A. Bahnsen, Pastor. On the same day, October 4, 1945, the articles of the constitution of the St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery Association were filed. The cemetery is located across the road and south of the church in the northeast one-quarter of Section I,, Sherman Township. The ground had originally been set aside on June 12, 1882.

PASTORS 1881-1949

Eleven pastors served the church during the period from 1881 to 1949. They were: Reverend Christopher Moessner, 1881-1884; Reverend Johannes Frank, 18841885; Reverend Schumann, 1885-1890; Reverend Johann Gutleben, 1890-1894; Reverend Ludwig Frank, 1894-1905; Reverend Friedrich Gensichen, 1905-1910; Reverend E. Klotschke, 19101913; Reverend Martin Koolen, 1913-1922; Reverend M. Schroeder, 19221927; Reverend Otto Bergfelder, 1927-1932; and Reverend J. A. Bahnsen, 1932 to 1949.

CHURCH STATISTICS -- 1947

The church membership roll for 1947 listed two hundred sixty-nine baptized members.

The council members of the church were: Reverend J. A. Bahnsen, Chairman; Otto K. Muhle lay President; Walter Feye, Secretary; Werner Sander, Treasurer; John Dicke, Henry Grotelueschen, and Walter Wendt.

The Ladies Aid had seventeen members under the following officers: Mrs. Werner Sander, President; Mrs. F. W. Brock, Secretary; and Mrs. Edward Mackenstadt, Treasurer.

The Missionary Society had seven members. Mrs. John Ehlers, Sr. is the President; Mrs. Otto C. Weber, Secretary; and Mrs. Emil Hunteman, Treasurer. This society performs mission work at home and abroad.

The Luther League had twenty-one members in 1949. Earl Went was the President; Donald Hoessel, the Vice-President; Maxine Lueschen, the Secretary; and Walter Wahl, the Treasurer. The Social Chairman was Helen WahI, and the Devotional Chairman was Lowell Feye.

Reverend J. A. Bahnsen was the superintendent of the Sunday School. Shirley Went was the Secretary-Treasurer. The teachers were Reverend Bahnsen, Vernon Kurpgeweit, Helen Wahl and Maxine Lueschen.

The Cemetery Board was composed of three members: Julius Lueschen, Emil Brauner, and Milton Lueschen.

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH

The Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church is located in Grand Prairie Township, four miles north and three miles east of Platte Center, Nebraska.

This church is affiliated with the United Lutheran Church in America, but since it does not subscribe to either of that church's synods in Nebraska, (namely, the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the Midwest of Nebraska, or the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Nebraska), it retains an independent status.

EARLY HISTORY

The first settlers in Grand Prairie Township felt the need for establishing a common place of worship; and accordingly in 1882, a few Swiss families and one German family, the Otto Kallweits, banded together for that purpose.

As no record was kept of the early religious activities of these settlers, it is believed that the group was first organized as a mission society, and was ministered to in the Spoerry School House by ministers available to the community on a sporadic basis.

In 1885, Reverend Schumann, the pastor at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sherman Township, accepted the call to supply the mission group twice a month.

On June 1, 1890, Reverend John Gutleben, who succeeded Reverend Schumann as pastor of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sherman Township, accepted the call as supply pastor to the mission group. He remained until August 31, 1893.

On March 28, 1891, a constitution was adopted according to the tenets of the United Lutheran Church.

GERMAN SETTLERS ARRIVE

In June of 1891, a group of Germans came from Illinois, and formed a German settlement west of the Spoerry School House in Grand Prairie Township. Soon the little mission congregation began to talk of inviting these neighbors to join with them in their religious services. A plan was finally proposed in December of that year.

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH

It was Christmas Eve, December 24, 1891, during the service held around the Christmas tree, when Mrs. Fred Luchsinger, the wife of one of the Swiss settlers, proposed that this group build a church of its own. The proposal met with a ready response from the group which included the Zumbrum family, the Maurers, the Luchsingers, the Schaffroths, the Von Bergens, the Hoselys, and the Kallweits.

Immediately the settlers began to devise ways and means of carrying out the project. A cordial invitation was extended the Germans to join with them in worship, and in the building of the new church.

Otto Kallweit, the only German settler of the original group organized in 1882, donated three acres of land, located four miles north and three miles east of Platte Center, Nebraska, and one hundred dollars in cash to the building fund. The other members of the group made large cash donations to the building fund, thus enabling the Zion Congregation to formulate plans for the construction of the church building and its furnishings. After the church site was determined, the meeting place was changed from the Spoerry School House, where the group had met continuously for ten years, to the District 28 school house, two miles west of the present church.

On October 8, 1892, the ground was broken for the new structure, which was completed in the spring of 1893. The contract for the new building was let to Gustav Viergutz of Columbus and Anton Krafka of Creston. These two built the church, and Krafka skillfully designed and constructed the altar, pulpit, and pews in a replica of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Platte Center, which he had attended as a boy.

FIRST CHURCH SERVICE

Before the church was completed, Mrs. Fred Luchsinger, who was instrumental in the building of the new edifice, died; and her funeral service was held in the unfinished building on February 7, 1893. A short time later, the church was dedicated for worship by Pastor John Gutleben, assisted by Pastor E. F. F. Mueller of St. John's Lutheran Church in Bismark Township.

FIRST RESIDENT PASTOR

On September 1, 1893, Reverend John Gutleben and Reverend Frank of St. John's Lutheran Church of Ridgely, Scribner, Nebraska, installed Reverend Karl Gerathewohl as the first resident pastor of the Zion Lutheran Church. Charter members of the congregation at that time included the following: Fred Luchsinger, Jacob Maurer, Ulrich Von Bergen, Christ Zumbrum, Peter Zumbrum, Matthaus Zumbrum, John Zumbrum, Fred Croisant, Otto Kallweit, Phillip Gehring, Frederich Kumpf, John Renner, Heinrich Gehring, Frederich Michelsen, Wilhelm Petsch, Frederich Schure, Franz Wendt, Samuel Gertsch, Frederich Mouden, John Von Bergen and Marcus Hosely.

IMPROVEMENTS 1893-1948

During the fifty-five year period, 1893-1948, several changes were made in the church and its furnishings. After the fall of 1893 when the first church parsonage was completed, no improvements were made until 1899 when kerosene lights were installed in the church. A baptismal bowl and communion set were added in 1900. From 1900 to 1927, only minor improvements were made. In August, 1927, the church was raised three feet above the foundation to allow for the excavation of a basement. Stone steps were built leading to the front and side entrances of the church, and a new furnace was installed. In 1931, the kerosene lamps were replaced by electric lights, and the pulpit was lowered. In 1934, the parsonage was redecorated.

PASTORS OF THE CHURCH

No church record of the supply pastors of the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Grand Prairie Township was kept from 1882 to 1885; but, on occasion, the church was supplied by pastors from nearby churches. Reverend Schumann supplied the church from 1885 until June 1, 1890. Reverend John Gutleben supplied the congregation from June I, 1890, until August 31, 1893.

On September I, 1893, Reverend Karl Gerathewohl was installed as the first full time pastor of the congregation, and remained until August 31, 1898. Reverend R. P. Schimmelpfennig served from September 1, 1898, to September I, 1901; Reverend Julius Theodore Koehler from November 1, 1901, to December 3!, 1902; Reverend George Duensing from January 15, 1903, to February 25, 1906; Reverend F. J. Kraushaar supplied the congregation from February 25, 1906, to March 1, 1907, and served as pastor from March I, 1907, to October 1, 1907.

Reverend Louis Luschei served from January I, 1908, to July I, 1910; Reverend Ernest Walter from January I, 191 I, to March I, 1912; Reverend Friedrich Spriegel

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