1845-1869

1845

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church was dedicated.

Rev. George Bartels remained pastor for over four more years until ill health forced his resignation. He is buried in Greenwood Cemetery.

1849

Rev. Friederich Zur Muehlen succeeded Rev. Bartels as pastor and served as both minister and teacher in the church's school for 10 years.

1860

Rev. E.L. Hermann Kuehn assumed charge of the pastorate. While he was pastor, the brick parsonage next to the church on Harvey Street was erected.

Rev. Kuehn succeeded in persuading several members to sever their connection with the lodge. During his tenure, Rev. Kuehn lost his youngest daughter through death.

It was in 1860 that Trinity became affiliated with the German Evangelical Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States.

Duties at both the church and the school became too difficult for one man, so a regular teacher, Herman Schumann, assumed charge of the school.

Mr. Schumann was fatally stricken with typhoid fever and was buried in the Trinity Lutheran plot in Greenwood Cemetery. Carl Dieterle was his successor.

Although the names on the tombstone are nearly illegible, two of Rev. Charles Frank's children are buried in the Greenwood plot. The children either died at birth or in infancy and their stone reads "Frank - Theodor-1881 (and) Clara-1889."

1963

Rev. Kuehn tendered his resignation and, in the fall of 1863, Rev. Johann P. Eirich accepted the Call here. During his pastorate, the present church was built at a cost of $17,000 and it was dedicated in 1866.

Rosinia Stolzenbach, Marie C. Bonnet, and Frank Myers donated three bells for the church tower. Those bells were always rung at 6 p.m. each Saturday, twice for all services and midweek services; tolled for funerals, the Lord's Prayer, Baptisms, Confirmations, and weddings. This tradition continues to this day. The bells are actual cast bronze bells, cast by the Meneely Bell Foundry of West Troy, New York. Their approximate weights are 1,600, 800, and 500 pounds. In 1978, the bells were valued at a replacement cost of approximately $39,000 for the bare bells and $52,000 for the additional bell-ringing equipment.

1869

Rev. Eirich accepted a Call to Albany, New York, and he was succeeded by Rev. Heinrich Craemer.

The new pastor assisted in erecting the brick building which served as a parish house and a school. It was built at a cost of $2,000.

Rev. Craemer was stricken ill and Rev. Ernst Jehn was assigned to assist him. Rev. Craemer went to California, but died a short time later.