140 Years of Grace (1981) - Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church

This short historIcal publication is prepared
as part of the celebration of the 140th anniversary
of TrinHy Evangelical Lutheran. Church. Springfield.
Illinois.
Previous histories.. longer and more complete.
were issued on the 95th and the 125th anniversaries.
titled "95 Years of G:cace ll and "125 Years of Grace. H
the letter updating the earlier publication.
It is not our intention to repeat or update this
earlier published material at this time. Instead.
the history of the early church and its ministers is
enlarged using material ,,,hich only recently became
available. Also included are lists of TrinHy' s
pastors. vicars. and teachers, a brief review of
building activities. and a recotmting of several unusual
achievements.
Reference material for this publication is held
in Trinity's archives. The Archives and History
Committee, organized in 1976. collected material from
many sources, identified photographs, and translated
records originally written in German. Some of the
records have been microfilmed for preservation and
security.
This historical publication is due to the efforts
of the many dedicated members of the Archives and History
Committee, named on the next page. Especially
recognized are Cynda Strong. who edi.ted the text, and
Bill George. who coordinated publication activities.
Kal Klammer. Chairman
Archives & History Committee

TRINITY EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
22:0 South Second Street, Springfield~ Illinois 62701
Pastors: Rev. John H. Frahm, Ph.D.
Rev. Micheal M. Strong
Rev. Martin H. Rothe (retired, part-time)
Rev. Herman F. Hoffman (retired, part·-time)
Church
office:
Mrs. Marlene Gundersen. Secretary
Mrs. Marilyn Long. P-art-time Secretary
TRINITY LUTHERAN SCHOOL
Governor and MacArthur, Sprin$field, Illinois 62704
Principal: Mr. H. Allen Herbst
Teachers:
C3.rolyn Isham
Judy NHz
Linda Harris
Laura Schardt
Allan Keup
Judith FHege
School
office:
Nursery
Nursery
Kindergarten
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Laura FHege
Debra Davidson
James Klug
.rlya:tt Schultz
Donald Rohde
Mrs. Alberta Whitcomb, Secretary
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
are
,Members~ from time to time since July 1976,
as follows:
Elizabeth Beard
Margaret Beard
Faye Beutler
Richard Binetsch
Minnie Bogan
Paul Bogan
Clara Embody
William.George
Catherine
Norma Gurske
Kalmer K. Klammer
Louis Klekamp*
Fr'ed Kramer, D.D.
Louise Krueger -,.
Myles McCabe
Joseph Taylor
Amanda Wessel*
Young

TRINITY EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN C}llJR(~
140thAnniversary
"Thanks be to God. and forget not His benefits."
Countless blessings have been showered upon Trinity
and its members during its 140 years of existence. and
only a few are described in this short narrative.
Few congregations have had the privilege of having
such unusual blessi.ngs as:
140 years of service to the Lord!
Helping to start a T.•utheran
university
Bringing Concordia Seminary
to Springfield
Founding a hospital
1875
1897
Thanks be to God for these opportunities for
service, not only to Trinity's own members. but also
to the whole community and to the church at large.
With profound respect and admiration for our church
forefathers. for their faith and works, we seek for
words to properly cormnemorate these and other past
events.

"The early history of ow:' church is Zost to
a large extent in the fog and haze of bygone
years. It reaches back into the days
when rm%ny of the common conveniences of
our life had not even been invented, as
ph? telephone and teZegraph~ photographs~
andthe'phonograph •.• "
In the above manner. Rev. He~an Koppelmann opened
his 1936 history of Trinity Church. "95 Years of
Grace." Some of the "fog and J1aze" is now dispelled,
although the programs of the ~~rly church are still
unclear. Membership was smalt, and there was no church
building. Services were held every Sunday, or almost
every. Sunday. and there,was a Sunday School. The
minister preached and baptized. married and buried as
required in his small flock, and was a home missionary
in the surrounding area.
The first resident Lutheran minister in Springfield
was the Rev. Francis Springer, who delivered
his first sermon,here on June 9. 1839. in the .First
Presbyterian Church. The first Bible passage in
Springer's notebook shows his dedication:
"But God forbid that I should glory save
in the cross of our Lord Jesu.s Chl'ist,
by whom the world is cruc'ified unto me,
and I unto the world. " Gal. 6:14
On September 19, 1841, Rev., Springer organized
the first Lutheran church in the city with the
following present:
Jacob Divelbiss
George Myers
Frederick Myers
James Zwisler. Jr.
John Myers
Mrs. Elizabeth Myers
Mrs. Mary Springer (my wife)
and Rev. Francis Springer

Also present, invited for the organizational
meeting, was Rev. Daniel Scherer of Hillsboro. known
as "the father of Lutheranism in Illinois."
By examining the lives and works of the ministers~
we obt.ain some understanding of Lutheran acti.vities
in the early days of Springfield.
Francis Springer \>7a5 born in 1810 in Pennsylvania.
the son of an iron miner. He was orphaned at an early
age$ fell under the care of a Lutheran minister. studied
at the seminary at Gettysburg, and was ordained in
183'7 in Maryland. Moving to Springfield in 1839 with
his TN'ife and child, he taught in his mm and other
private schools and preached the gospel in various
places in Springfield and vicinity. Abraham Lincoln
was his neighbor for several years unt:i.l Springer was
called to Hillsboro in 181..7to become president of
Hillsboro College. It appears that all services in
the early church were in the English language.
Rev. Ephriam Miller succeeded Rev. Springer in
Springfield. Ephriam, born in 1819 in Pennsylvania.,
moved west with his family to Illinois and by 1843
was principal of the Hi.llsboro Lutheran Academy. Pursuir~g
a course of self study, he was granted a license
to preach in 1845 by Rev. Springer, at that time
president of the E:vange.li.stll Lutheran Synod of the
Far West.
Rev. Miller. on becoming pastor of the Springfield
congregation in 1847. noted the large number of
Germans:
"the great majority of uihich, in the absence
of German religious sepvices~ have forgotten
their reverence. I am endeavoruzg to supply
this deficieney., -in part:; by preaching to
them 'in the Ge1'lnan language. tt
He preachl:!d three Sundays a month in Springfield and
mice a month in the country, usually, -;;le believe, lion
the Buckhart" about 10 mHe...;southeast of Springfield
where Springer had established a preaching station.

Rev. Conrad Kuhl tol1owedRev. Miller in Springfield~
serving from I~irch 1851 to March 1852. Born in
1821 in Germany, his family emigrated to Beardstown,
Illinois, when Conrad was 13 years of age. Of a studi·-
ous nature, Conrad~ encouraged by Rev. Springer on
one of his visits, was sent to Springfield to attend
Springer t s school and then to the seminary in Gettys--
burg. He became a "home missionary" for the Illinois
Synod. During his year at Springf:i.eld.the congregation
purchased its first building to be used as a
church on May 6, 1851. Rev. Springer had formerly
conducted a private school in this building, located
on 3rd Street, south of Washington Street. This 30
x 45 foot brick building was originally erected by the
Presbyterians in 1830~ their first church, and the
first brick church building iil Ininois. Outgrowing
the building, the Presbyterians had sold it, and it
had been converted into a two-story school, with "two'
large rooms, well finished and well lighted. capable
of accommodating from 80 to 100 students each, furnished
with stoves, desks~ seats, with. a separate el!trance
to each room. 1t
A year later, Springer's Hillsboro College moved
to Springfield, changed its name to Illinois State
University,. and opened classes in AprU 1852 in the
Lutheran church building on 3rd Street. Enrollments
were 79 in the initial short term" 144 for the 1852-
1853 school year, and 160 the next year. Classes opened
in the fall of 1.854in the uni.V€tsity t s own building.
The university was proposed to be an institution of
higher lei'irliing with a department of theology to prepare
students from the West for the Lutheran ministry in
their own area. .
Rev. Simeon W. Harkey, professor of theology at
the university~ also served as pastor of the Springfield
congregation from 1852-1855. Born in North Carolina
in 1811, Harkey entered the seminary at Gettysburg in
1832 7 a year later than Springer, and the two must
have become well acquainted since the number of students":was
sc;'small, there being only 10 in Harkey's
.: '. _ ...•'

class. Harkey became pastor of a Lutheran church at
Frederick, Maryland, serving there for 13 years, and
was also a director of the Gettysbrrrg seminary. In
the meantime, his parents and other family members had
moved to Hillsboro, vnlich may have helped influence
Harkey to leave the East and join the school in the
"far West."
The close ties between Springer and his successors
are evident, and it may be that his influence
with the early congregation in Springfield was so
great that he could almost personally select those
who followed him.

Even before the university ceased use of the
church for its classes, the congregation had been
making plans for a new church. Possibly the membership
had outgrown the old building, thus causing a
space problem. There was also the problem of serv~
ing both the English members and the German immigrants,
an ever growing group. The solution of these problems
was to peacefully divide the congregation into two
groups, an English congregation 3ud'a German congregation.
This division occurred in December 1854.
The German group (later Trinity) retained the church
building, buying the English group's (later Grace) onehalf
i.nterest. The English gr!>up planned to erect a
church at a new location. Both congregations continued
to be members of the Illinois Synod. Rev. Springer
becam~ the first pastor of the English church, and
Rev. Harkey continued to serve the German church for
a short time until Rev. F. W. Eggerking arrived.
F. W. Eggerking, born in Germany, was a school
teacher and overseer of the poor at Dusseldorf before
coming to America about 1854. He taught school and
preached to the German people in Keokuk, Iowa, for a
year. While at Nauvoo, Illinois, he was received into
the Illinois Synod as a licentiate,. and in September
1855, he received a ministerial license for one year.
He was to go to Springfield and study theology at the
university, all as reported to Synod by Rev. S. W.
Harkey (who was both professor of theology and pastor
at Springfield). By January 1856 Eggerking was in
Springfield performing pastoral duties, and Rev.
Harkey's name·appeared less of ten' in the records.
Rev. Eggerking served until November I, 1859, when he
resigned.
The first constitution of the Ge1lman church stated
in Article 30, "that divine service be held every time
exclusi.vely in the German language." This rigid requirement
was modified soon, but German remained the principle
language in church and sc.hool until the 1920s.
Church services in German continued for years, becoming
fewer and fewer in number, until dying out altogether
in the 1950s.

Surely, one of the great blessings has been
Trinity's huge church membership, estimated at 10,000
souls, for the 140 years. Starting with eight in 1841,
the membership grew to a peak of over 2,600 souls in
the 1960s. Always a downtown church, Trinity maintained
its large membership despite the formation of
many outlying, neighborhood congregations.
With so many members, it is not practical to
name all those whose works, over the years. contributed
to Trinity's growth and mission. Jacob Divelbiss, John
M. Burkhardt. David Miller and John Weber were officers
in the very early church. Later we find Jacob Neu,
John Bergmann, H. Paul, Fred Sell. Henry VonHorn. John
Birnbaum, Conrad Raab, Wilhelm Siebert, Fred Fetzer.
and John Bressmer among the names of the many officers
of the German church. And still later, surnames often
appearing in the records include Ostermeier. Ladage,
Krueger. Olsen. Rodenburg, Droste. Volle. Klekamp,
Sturm. and many others. With 50 elected officers each
year, plus those active in school. Sunday school,
organizations. appointed volunteers, the number of
active workers each year is so large that no attempt
has been made to list them h~rein.
We praise and thank God for the many dedicated
men and women of Trinity.

For the first ten years. the congregation was
small and services were held in rented quarters,
usually a room, hall or a church owned by some other
denotnination. The first Lutheran owned building on
3rcl Street. purchased in 1851 for $800.00. is described
previously. This old building served until 1860, when
it was replaced on the same lot with a larger building,
with three steeples 011 the front, at a cost of about
$2,000.00.
In this second church building, the seats, or
some of them, were numbered, and some were reserved
for the women, some for the m~. Seat rental per year
was $2.00 with a few more desirable seats at $3.00.
Men's seats, the first row in the balcony, were $3.00.
Children's seats were free. The number of rented
seats was probably over 100, based on seat rent collections
of over $300.00 in 1863. In 1864, the preacher
received $39.00 per month, the te~cher $25.00, and the
organist $6.25.
The second church served the congregation for
thirty years, although its small size proved to be a
disadvantage. One of the complaints by those who sought
to move Concordia Seminary away from Springfield was
that Trinity's seati.ng capacity wa:s so small that all
students could not attend divine services on a Sunday.
This situation was corrected in the third church,
dedicated September 2.2, 1889. TIle "State Register"
described the new church: "•••the seating capacity
is 1200, although 1500 can be seated in case of a jam."
A careful examination of the original plans indicates
a more modest figure of about 576 for the nave and 24l.
in the "U" shaped balcony.
The 1889 building continues as the location of
Trinity today. It remains in remarkably good condition~
although it has been modernized and repaired over the
years. Changes or additions include: electricity
added, basement excavated with offices and toilets added,
heating system replaced, roofing. steeple and cross
replaced, balcony changed, pews, altar and pulpit

eplaced~ carpeting added, and storm windows and air
conditioning added. Despite pressures from time to
time to move Trini.ty out of the congested State Capitol
area, Trinity remains a downtown church.

Schools in Springfield were at first private
schools, sometimes called academies or seminaries.
Rev, Springer~ having resi.gned as president of the
university ~ se1."Ved as principal of the first public
school which opened in 1856.
After some years in rented quarters, the Lutherans
purchased :in October 1865. a house and lot on Jefferson
Street. Extensive remodelling was required to convert
the house into a school. Cost of the house and lot was
$4,500.00 and about $212.00 for remodelIing. Tuition
was raised to 50(:a month per.child. When the parents
did not pay seat rent in church, the tuition was 75¢
a month. Average tuition receipts were about $40.00
a month, indicating an enrollment of about 80 in this
early school, with one room and one teacher.
In 1880, as the enrollment neared 100. the oneroom
school was replaced on the s~.me lot with a ttvOroom,
two-story school building with a new confirmation
room in the rear. The new building cost about $2,100.00.
and its address became 123 East Jefferson Street.
The trustees had purchased two lots at the corner
of 14th & Edwards for $500.00 for a school in 1868,
since some of the east side Trinity members had complained
that the school on Jefferson w~s too far away for
their children to walk. However, ,due to lack of support,
no school was built at that location, and the lots
were sold in 1874 for $250.00.
Later, in 1895, a branch school was opened at
12th and Matheny in an old rented frame building for
children in the Seminary area. Soon classes were moved
to a room in a Seminary building. Lower grades were
taught in the branch school with the pupils going to
the main school for the higher grades. The main tworoom
school on Jefferson Street became overcrowded
and was replaced in 1906 by a four-room school building·
in the back of the church at Second and Monroe, with
the new building costing $12,599.60. The building was
modern, with central heating, toilets, and "electric
lights with green shades." The school and parsonage

The branch school ope.ratIon moved out of Seminary
property and into a new building erected by Trinity
at a cost of $16.566.78 and dedicated November 26.
1916. Initially. th(~ school occupied several rooms on
the first floor. with the upper space unpartitioned and
used for. church services. A miss:.i.oncongregati.on~
Immanuel,. was establishe.d in the area and became independent
in 1929. The school is currently used as
Lutheran High School.
Lack of space became evident in the main school
at 2nd and Monroe in the early 1930s, and increasing
automobile traffic created greaterhazards.·fQr the
school children. Expansion to the east was c9nsidered~
but the price of the adjoining lot, $2~.40q.OQ.was too
high. Instead, 4~ lots at First and Adam$w:~d~rurchased
for about $7.400.00 and were used,.f,pra ,time
as a school playground. It was h'lter soJd. because of
.fears that a large sewer under the property might
create structural problems for a school or church
building.
The 'main school at 2nd and Monroe expanded from
an initial two rooms in use to three, then four, to
filling the building to capacity. A kindergarten was
started in the church .basement next door. Once again
the school buildiri.Z.w~s·inadequate. With the WW-2
baby boom evident, property W8.S purchased for a school
at Governor and MacAr.thur, and th~ new, present school
bunding was dedicated in Augus.t 1954. Additional
property w~s purchased for playgrounds and future use
with the entire project costing about $500,000. The
old school was used for Sunday School until 1969 when
it was removed and the space used for church parking.
The Lutheran school system in Springfield.
started by Trinity r s one-room school i,11 1.860, has expanded
to now include Trinity's large school, schools
at three other congregations"and Lutheran high schooL
Truly one of our greatest bles,e;ingsis our.Ch.ristian
schools, providing a Christ centered educati.on··to our
young people.

A great bless::!.ng not only for the Lutherans but
for the whole connnunity "la8 the establishment of Concordia
Seminary in Springfi",~ld. Far si.ghted members
of Trinity, probably led by .John Bressmer and Jacob
Neu, l'lere largely responsible fa:r: the move.
The first step was unw:Lttingly taken 22 years
earlier when Rev. Springer brought the Illinois State
Uni.ve.rsityto Spl-ingfield and constructed a large building
containing school rooms and living rooms for students
for the univf~rsit:y. The university fell on hard
times. closed its doors. and the property was purchased
by the Pennsylvania Synod in 1869. Probably .>lith
prior agreement of Missouri SillOd officials, Trinity
members formed a corporation,'purchased the property
in 1874 for $6.500.00, and a year later sold it to
the Synod for $6,000.00. In the fall of 1875. the
practical seminary moved from St. Louis and opened
classes in SpringHeld .
Trinity members who were
",
on'the early Board of
Control included Rev. Lochner, Jacob Neu~ Hy. VonHorn.
:F. Sel1~ J. Bressmer~ H. Bolte, H. Paul, and Geo.
Bettinghaus. Later. on the Board, we find Fred
VonHorn. J. A. Hof£m~m. F. Volle. G. C. Bretscher,
H. Ostermeier, Geo. Streckfuss. J.'-C. Rodenburg s O.
H. Droste, G. W. Schulze, H. H. 01;sen. and Pastors
Brand and Schulz, all these prior to the 19408.
After 101 years in Springfield, the seminary
moved to Ft. Wayne in 1976. Trinity suffered an
liamediate drop in church membership, in enrollment and
attendance in' church services. school, Sunday School,
Bible classes, and almost all organizations and
activities. Many wives taught in Trinity's school
during the years their husbands studied at the
sendnary. And as for romance, it was not unusual
for a seminary student to marry a local girl.
We thank God for the blessings of the 101 years
that the seminary was in our midst.

Another blessing for the whole community was the
establishment of Springfield 'Hospital and Training
School by members of Trinity. In 1897, possibly triggered
by the desire to provi.de hospital care for the
growing number of students at Concordi.a Seminary. the
hospital vlaS founded by Rev. Lueeke, pastor of Trinity
Church, w:tth Dr. Langdon as med:i.caldirector. Dr.
Langdon W s large residence at l'~j.fth and North Grand
was purchased for $10,000 and furnished as a 12-bed
hospitaL
The hospital was incorport-tted under the sponsorship
of the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference
of America, with Rev. M. Luecke, president; Dr.
Langdon, vice president; J. S. Simon. secretary; and
Henry Zap!, treasurer, the first officers. Simon and
Zapf "lere members of Trinity. Simon was a professor
at the seminary, Zapf was a druggist. Miss Helena
'Hanser" from the St. Louis Lutheran Hospital ~ was the
matron in charge of nursing and the nurses train:ing
school. Her father, a Lutheran minister, had founded
the St. Lou.is Lutheran Hospital. her brother was a
famous doctor in that hospital, and her nephew was a
doctor in St. Louis. Irdtially, Miss Hanser h,~d two
assistants, and there were three trainees in the
nursing school.
A patient was to pay $3.00 a week for the usual
treatment, and $7.00 to $10.00 for a private room.
Purchases for the hospital included: 25 bedsteads
@ $6.00 each; 25 feather pillows and 25 moss pillows
from Dirksons; operating table. two bids. $263.00 and
$225.90; gummy stuff (rubber goods?); range @ $65.00;
x--ray equipment. $200.00; etc.
A north wing was added to the hospital in 1899
to increase the capacity to 45 beds. and a south wing
was built in 1904 to bring the capacity to 100 rooms.
In 1914, the Rev. Carl Gross became superintendent.
The hospital became non-denominational in 1930. and

in 1941 a drive was started to construct a new hospital
under a new name.. Memori.al Hospital" at a new 4.-square
block site. The new hospital opened in 1943. and the
old Springfield Hospital closed its doors.
By the Grace of God" thli'~hospital grew from a
small beginning of 12 beds to over 500 beds in a
mammoth complex of buildings that provides medical
care for the people of central Illinois, and contains
specialized units for burn. cancer and kidney treatment.

Brief biographies of a few of the earliest
ministers are included previously,· These ministers
were all members of the Illinois Synod~ affiliated
with the General Synod. Trinity's first minister
from the Mlssouri Synod was ~ev.Bart1ing in 1863,
and all following ministers were from the Missouri
Synod.
One of Trinity's greatest blessings over these
years has been the many able and faithful pastors
who have preached the true word and forgiveness of
sins and redemption through grace and faith in Christ
our risen Savior.
Because almost all of the ministers were outstanding
in one way or another, we mention here
only those with long terms of service at Trinity,
namely: Revs. Schulz, 29 years; Niemoeller, 23 years;
·and Sommerfeld, 21 years.
PASTORS
Years
Name
1841-1847 SPRINGER, Francis
1847-1851 MILLER. Ephriam
1851-1852 KUHL, Conrad
1852-1856 HARKEY, Simeon
1856-1859 EGGERKING, F. W.
1860-1862 BUSCHMANN, Theodore
1863-1870 BARTLING, William
1870-1874 BURKHARDT, August H.

1873-1875
1875-1887
1876-1887
1888-1892
1892-1903
1 903---1 921
1919-1.921
1921-1950
1926-1929
1931-·1932
1932-1937
1937-1938
1939-1944
1945-1948
194·9-1970
1953':1976
1958-Ml973
1971-1974
1973-Pres.
1975-1977
1976-Pres.
I978-Pres.
197a-Pres.
BENSEN, Theodore
LOCtINER. Frederick
CRAEl'lER, August F.
.'LINK,George
I.UECKE, Marti.n R.
BRAND.Fred~rick
KREY. Peter
·SCHULZ, Paul
KLEIN. George~
LIEDER, Walter
KOPPEU1AN, Herman
GRAUMANN, Walter S.
KUEHNE.'R'.r, Arthur
BEHNKEN, Lloyd
'SOM1{EF~ELD, Martin H.
. NIEMOE1.LER,Lewis C.
nErN, Klaudius H.*
>KIESC}lliIECK.
R01'RE,Nartin
SOHNS,Wilbert
Roy
H.*
J. '.
l:o'RAIIH. .John R.
STRONG. Micheal M.
ijOFFMAN. Herman F.;\:
Not included above are vacancy pastors, temporary
or part-time assistants, students or professors who
helped or assisted for short periods.

1963-1964
1964-1965
1965-1966
1966-1967
1967-1968
1968-1969
1969-1970
.1970-1971
1971-1972
1974-1975
GIES, Clark
SCHROEDER,. David
HETLINGER, .John
KIESCHNIECK, Roy
VOELKER,. William
SCHNACKENBERG, James ~
DEVANTIER. Paul
PREECE, Robert·
BRUTLAG. Keith
Trinity has been blessed by its day school which
was organized as part of the church in 1860. The
original school, we believe. was held in a rented
room or a residence, with the pastor expected to
teach in addition to performing his pastoral duties.
and with a few short term teachers. Apparently
this arrangement was not entirely satisfactory. A
church owned school building was established in 1866,
and professional teachers were called from the Missouri
Synod.
Enrollment increased over the years, remaining
above 300 for the period 1956-1967 with a peak of
about 380 in 1960. Enrollment in the last session
was about 220, including 20 in nursery school.

Again. because of the large number of gHted and
loved teachers. we select for special mention only
those with long terms of service at Trinity:
Robert Runge 4S years
Robert J. Schoknecht 38 years
Frederick Diesing 33 years
Edward Bonnin 26 years
Emily Wink.er
25 years
A. Maurer 16 years
Alfred Kirchhoff 14 years
Arthur Stoeckel 14 years
Benjamin Gotsch 12 years
H. Allen Herbst 12 years
\.JilliamF. Wittmer
11 years
Donald J. Rohde 11 years
1860-
1861-1862
1863-1864
1864-1865
1865-1866
1866-1867
1867-1870
1870-1873
1873-1877
WERNER. Mr.
HUSCHMANN. Rev. (part-time)
BARTLING. Rev. (part-time)
LANKENOW, Mr.
HERRE, Mr.
BARTLING, Rev. (part-time)
SIEFERT. Carl
GABISH, Samuel
SCHUENOFF, Frederich
(assisted by Miss SCHUETTE at times)

1882-1887
1887-1899
1892-1895
1895 (4 mos.)
1898-1904
1899-1937
1899-1901
1901-1908
1904-1906
1906-1909
1909-1942
1912-1913
1912-1957
1913-1929
1921-1926
1925-1930
1927-1931
1930-1955
1938-1964
1942-1945
19/+5-1947
1947-1948
1948-1959
GOTSCH, Benjamin (Assisted by Miss
Johanna GOTSCH at times)
GERBING,
Gustav
WILK, Alwin (Assisted by Miss SCHUETTE,
H. PADROE, SCHALLER at times)
LUECKER, H.
BUECKMANN.
BESCH,
August
Miss
SCHOKNECHT. Robert J. (Principal)
FLACHSBART
HERZER,
SCHLUND
GLAMMEMEYER
~ass
DIESING, Frederick (Principal 1938·-
1942)
GOES
SWE INN
RUNGE, Robert C. (Principal 1942-
1947)
M..J\URER, A.
FISCHER, H. G.
OSTERMEIER~
Erna
.BUNDENTHAI.. H. E.
WUIKER, Emily (Also Mi.ss ENGELAGE,
Miss WESSLER, and Miss WENTE at times)
BONNIN, Edward (Principal 1947-48)
BURGER,
Carl
SEGELHORST,
RUTIIENBECK, H.
Gustav
WIT1liER. Wm. F. (Principal)

1949-1950
1950-19.54
1954-1956
1954-1956
1954-1955
1955-1969
1955-1958
1955-1956
1955-1956
1957-1964
19.56-1958
1956-1957
1956-1958
1957-1958
1958-1959
1958-1959
and
1959-1961.
1958-1959
1958-1959
1958-1959
1959-1961
1959-1960
and
1961-1962
1959-1966
1.959-1961
1960-1961
1961-1962
1961-1962
PLITT, Mrs.
DITTLOF'F, Mrs. Wayne
BAUER, Donald W.
ALBERS, Margaret (Mrs. Ralph BLEEKE)
JOHNSON, Mrs. Daniel
STOECKEL, Arthur B.
HARMAN, Ronald V.
DUEBBERKE, Joan (Mrs. Edwin)
BAUER, DenisE!;(Mrs. Donald)
SCHEDLER, Victor E.
WEISHEIT, Carolyn (Mrs. Eldon)
GOTTSCHALK, Doris
GOING, Adrienne (Mrs. Thomas)
AVERY, Audrie (Mrs. Arthur)
CAMERON, Luella (Mrs. Paul)
SCHEIDT. Ruth (Mrs. James IRWIN)
KNAUER, Carolyn (~{rs. Dean MAJiON)
LENSCH, Joyce }larie.(Mrs. Rodney)
KRESTIK. Mrs. Arlene
KRAGE, Richard
PAUL, Marilyn (Mrs. LeRoy)
PLACER, Phyllis (Mrs. David SCHROEDER)'
KAPFER, Lois (Mrs. Richard)
HOPPES, Elizabeth (Mrs. James)
ANDERSON, Vera (Mrs. Robert)
ZERSEN~ Kathryn (Mrs. David)

1959-1962
1962-1976
1961-1968
1961-1963
1962-1963
1962-1963
1962-1965
1963 (3 m()s.)
1963-1964
1963-1964
1963-1964
1963-1966
1964-·1968
1964-1965
1964-1965
1964-1965
1964-1966
1965-1969
1965-1966
1965--1968
1966-1968
1966-1967
1966-1967
and
1968-1969
1966-1967
1966-1967
1967-1968
1967-1968
1967-1968
WESSLER. Martin F. (Principal)
KIRCHHOFF~ Alfred B. (Principal)
'LOMBARD, Milo
KASPAR, Barbara Ann (Mrs. Don)
NEUMAN, Fred
FUNK, Betty Marie (Mrs. R. E.)
GIES, Judy (Mrs. Clark)
.HEIMSOTH~ Carol (Mrs. Elton)
DAVISON, Elizabeth (Mrs. Tony)
KLINKENBERG, Kay (Mrs. Tom)
GrESSLER. Janet (Mrs. Phillip)
MEYER, Anne (Mrs. Donald)
MOLLENHOFF, Warren
HEIKKILA, Janice (Mrs. Gunard)
JOHNSON~ Karen (Mrs. Raymond)
GRASSINGER, Mary (Mrs. Timothy)
VON STROH, Betty (Mrs. Dean)
JEDELE. Charles E.
RALPH, Molly (Mrs. GE!0rge)
DIENER. Susan (11rs.Larry SAEGER)
HOLZ, Shirlene
TANSILL, Yvonne (Mrs. Charles)
ERDMAN, Marilyn (Mrs. Jerry)
BAUMGARN, Carol (Mrs. Jack)
BAUER, Kathryn (Mrs. Donald)
GLAESKE~ Kay (Mrs. Larry)
ALBERT, Paul
WEESE, Nancee

1967-1968
1967--1969
1967-1968
1968-1977
1968-1970
1968-1970
1968-1971
1968-1969
1968·-1969
and
1971-1972
1969.:..1974
1969-1971
1969-1970
1970-Pres.
1970-1972
1970-1913
1970-1972
1970·-1971
1971-1972
1972-1976
19'72--1975
1972-Pres.
1972-Pres.
1973-1975
19'73-Pres.
1974-1975
1975-1980
NICHOLS. Karen (Mrs. Ron)
IOERGER, Joyce
MC CONNELL, Karen (Mrs. Richard)
EGGERSTEDT, Kim L.
GIBSON,I.isette (Mrs. Robert)
EGGER. Valerie (}lIrs.Peter REETZ)
ROMBERG, Gayle 01rs. Kim EGGERSTEDT)
GERHARTER, Susan
STILl" Juaniia (Mrs .~laYll1Em)
JOHNSON, Richard O.
HERBST. H. Allen (Principal)
BADEN,. \Ulma
BOUCK. Mrs. Dorothy
ROHDE, Dona.ld J.
DROEGEMUELLER. Rhoda
STIGGE. Barbara~rrs. SCHAUER)
DAHLKE, Kay V.
HANSSEN. Carol (Mros. John)
SMITH. Judy R. (Mrs. Warren)
AUFDEMBERGE,. Max,ine (Mrs. WOELZLEIN)
DE LAND, Nancy (Mrs. Dan BRISTOL)
SCH.ARDT. Laura
HARRIS. Linda (Mrs. I,arry)
FOLWACZNY,. Hrs. ~lonica
FLIEGE. Judy (Mrs. Stuart)
PRIGGE, Clay tOll
KANE, Richard J.

Years
1975-1976
1975-1978
1976-1978 " ..
1976-Pres.
1976-1979
1977-1980
1978-1980
1978-1980
1979-1980
1979-1980
1980-Pres.
1980-Pres.
1980-Pres.
1980-Pres.
1980-Pres.
1980-Pres.
SCHOENFUHS, Susan. (Peggy)
LAMS, Julie
BARZ. Daniel S.
BRIETZKE, Laura (Mrs. Tim FLIEGE)
BUSACKER, WIn.
REDDEL. '.Mark
.BREWER, Mrs. Roberta
TORMOEHLEN, Karen (Mrs. Steven ZIELKE)
REDDEL, Karyn (Mrs. Mark)
DOZIER, Mrs. Donna (part-time)
KLUG. James
SCHULTZ, Wyatt A.
DAVIDSON. Debra J.
KEUP. Allan
NITZ, Judy (Mrs. Ralph)
ISHAM, Carolyn (Mrs. Wm.)

A blessing SCJ obvious: and cO!J1lllcmplace that it is
often forgotten is that we live i,n a land of freedom
where ,,:re can vlOI'ship God without fea:r: of threats or
reprisals from a hostile ruler. We live in "one
nation~ under God~ indivisible with liberty and
justice for all. 1t Our city has never been overrun
or ravaged in 'war. a situ.ation which caused many of
our ancestors to leave tbe:lr homelands for Amer5.ca.
By God's grace. Trinity has survived and been
blessed for 140 yea,rs. From a small and weak beginning.
it has become a large ana strong organization.
We loOk forward to the day 10 years from now when
Trinity '>",.rill celebrate its 150th anniversary havIng
continued by God's grace to serve j,ts memhers and t.he
community as it has in the past.

President:
Harold A. Olsen
Assistant
David
Secretary:
Oehmke
Vice President:
John Hennecke
Treasurer:
Dennis
Eggemeyer
Secretary:
Melvin
Kuntemeier
Assistant Treasurer:
Alan Salm
John Rodenburg
James Selinger
Victor Viola
Stuart -Fliege
Bruce Neunaber
Robert Wilson
Arthur
Steven
Brockschmidt
Oldani
Timothy Fliege.
Max Morgan
John Ebers
Lee Buckles
Randall McFall
Robert Bojarzin Sr.
William Brockschm:l.dt
David Barker
Paul
Earl
Hartman
Suggs
William E. Firth Jr.
Fred Fliege
Rick Koopman
Ken Philippi

Ed Pollex
Ed Warneck
John Brandt
David Buckles
George Dertdg
Charles Rovey
David Vorderstrasse
Wayne Braasch
Donald Elchlepp
Robert Bojarzin Sr.
Gilbert Nell
Bert Robertson
Fred Roegge
Paul ~~chmidt
AI Wernecke
William Wheeler