Today’s birthday girl, Elizabeth Engert, led me on an interesting research trail today despite the fact that she only lived 44 years. Her story leads to several interesting questions. One has to do with her birth date. Another has to do with the time of service of some pastors. Another has to do with marriage … More Engert #21
It has been a wonderful Christmas season at the Lutheran Heritage Center. We have hosted well more than a thousand guests this past few months; we worked hard to create an excellent exhibit; and we celebrate this New Year as a seasoned team–looking hopefully forward with faith and purpose. The last tree I would like … More Epiphany 2020
Local residents sometimes refer to Friedrich Florian Petzoldt as “The Face” That is because when Friedrich Florian was buried in the cemetery of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Altenburg, his tombstone bears the image of his face. That Friedrich Florian Petzoldt was born in Germany in 1812 and died here in Perry County in 1884. Here … More Grandson of “The Face”
My career was spent as a Lutheran educator. I spent my days in several states, picked up a wife and family along the way, and served as both a classroom teacher and a principal. The main character in today’s story followed pretty much that same pattern. He also is today’s birthday boy. Paul Theodor Valentin … More Teacher Noennig
Today’s story is packed full of names that had origins in Scheeβel, an area in Hanover in northern Germany. Many immigrants from Scheeβel arrived in Perry County, Missouri and Jackson County, Illinois in the mid-to-late 1800’s. The couple we will focus on today, for example, was made up of a Brunkhorst and a Mahnke. Other … More Several Scheeβel Surnames
I have previously written stories that have told the tale of Lutherans marrying Catholics in Perry County. Today’s story will be another similar story, but it goes one step farther. I think every story in the past has been about a German Lutheran marrying a German Catholic. Today, you will hear the story of a … More The Bugler’s Daughter
You might think that I would write the first post for 2020 about some sort of new beginning. To a certain extent, that is the case, because we will be looking at a man who was born on the first day of 1890, making him today’s birthday boy. However, when you look at his life, … More An Electrifying End
We have some incredible bells within the landscape of the Lutheran Heritage Center: the beautiful historic bell at Trinity Church, and the First Church bell, cast in Spain near the same time as our country’s Liberty Bell. I also love the carillon tones from our beloved Immanuel Church in Altenburg. We have already told their … More I Heard the Bells…
