If you are a regular reader of this blog, or if you have studied the early history of Lutheranism in America, you no doubt have heard about two pastors that were part of the Gesellschaft that arrived in this country in 1839. Those two pastors were Rev. E.G.W. Keyl and Rev. C.F.W. Walther. In those … More The Keyl-Walther Couple
Instead of doing research on individuals attached to the East Perry County area, today I have decided to talk in general about German Lutheran immigrants who came to America and settled here over the years and tell the story of them becoming Americans. When the first group of local Germans arrived in 1839 and America … More Becoming Americans
The title for today’s post is also the theme for our upcoming Immigration History Conference which will take place this fall in Altenburg. The dates for the conference are October 25-27, 2018. Instead of doing my normal sketch of some historical person or place from Perry County, I am going to tease you a little … More Tales of Tears Turned to Triumph
Around Perry County, the Fritsche name is often associated with the village of Farrar, and Farrar has an old nickname. It has been referred to as Jammerthal, which means “valley of sorrow”. Today, I will tell the story of another Fritsche (or is it Fritzsche) who helped found a city whose name means “valley of … More Fritzsche in the Valley of Praise
I am going to backtrack to a post I wrote at the end of March titled, One of the Ridge Gerlers. In that post, I said I would have to tell the story of the Gerler family immigrating to America in another post. Today, I will tell that story. The family of Christian Frederich Gerler … More The Genesis of the Gerler Genealogy
If you are a member of a church like the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod that uses a traditional church year, then you probably know that today was Transfiguration Sunday. The story for the day was the one where Jesus, along with Peter, James, and John, went to the top of a mountain where Moses and Elijah … More Stephan’s Hill
For passengers aboard the Copernicus and the Johann Georg, November 3rd in 1838 must have been a day of apprehension and excitement. For many of these folks, the preparation for the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States had been going on for quite some time. It was finally the day for them … More The Voyage Begins
As director, I try to consistently express my thankfulness for all of the people and efforts required to keep this incredible site moving forward. However, sometimes I’m so busy being “present” in the moment that I forget to reflect on the gifts that are showered upon us on a typical day at the Lutheran Heritage … More With a Grateful Heart
On June 12 in 1881, Rev. J.F. Koestering had the privilege of uniting Gottlieb Samuel Meyr and Anna Sarah Haecker in marriage at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg. Sarah’s father was one of the original immigrants, coming to America aboard the Olbers. Gottlieb’s family immigrated to America from Austria in 1853. Both Gottlieb and Sarah … More An Austrian Carpenter Marries a Local Girl
Today, June 10th, is Christiane Friedericke (Reiz) Buenger’s birthday. I usually refer to her as Mama Buenger, and she is a main character in my book, “Mama Buenger: Mother of a Synod”. She was born in 1788 so she would have been 228 years old today. She was married to Jakob Friedrich Buenger in Germany … More Happy Birthday, Mama Buenger
lutheranmuseum.com 