The First Sermon

The year was 1867.  Construction on the new church sanctuary in Altenburg was now complete.  It was no longer necessary to haul heavy stones from a creek bed near Wittenberg.  The furnishings, including the new altar, were finished.  The pews had been installed.  The time had come to dedicate this beautiful new building.  It was … More The First Sermon

Silent Partner

I started looking for a story to write today by looking for an event that took place not only on October 30th, but on October 30, 1867.  I did that because I wanted to find an event that took place the day before Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg was going to dedicate their new church.  … More Silent Partner

Hardware Rudy’s

You may have done business with a company called Hardware Hank.  It’s a company based in Minnesota and is a co-op of hardware store owners similar to Ace Hardware, True Value, or Do It Best. In days gone by, you might have done business with a hardware store that very well could have been called … More Hardware Rudy’s

A Capital Wedding

Two brothers, both shoemakers, were part of the Gesellschaft that came to America in 1838-1839.  They were the Richter brothers from Kolkau, Germany.  They came to America aboard the Copernicus. Here we see these two brothers shown on the passenger list of that ship.  You can find Kolkau on the map below.  It is one of the … More A Capital Wedding

Bruno’s Buggies

If Bruno and Hulda Schade [pronounced Shaw-dee] were still alive today, Bruno might be bringing his wife a cake that says, “Happy 135th Birthday” on it.  However, after reading today’s post, you might think that Bruno may also be saying to Hulda, “How about we get the old buggy out of the garage and go … More Bruno’s Buggies