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From: German Bob <>
Subject: Re: [OHCUYAHO] German Bob -- RUETENIK & Euclid Reformed
Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2005 09:43:18 -0700 (PDT)
In-Reply-To: <014e01c5c91c$ed826460$6501a8c0@owner5qmruj7lq>


Part I of answer to Bette McIntosh from Dr. Heidi Ward. .To answer your question as to the possible location of sources on your German ancestors in the Euclid, Ohio area, you must first understand the confusion over the term Evangelisch since due to several mergers the records you seek may be in more than one place. The following is from Dr. Robert E. Ward's yet unfinished book HISTORY OF THE CLEVELAND GERMANS. All rights to its publication remnained reserved under copyright law.


The appearance of the word "Evangelical" (evangelisch) in the names of several German denominations has contributed to misreporting by local historians and compilers of Cleveland city directories. Part of the confusion may relate to the fact that two German-American denominations, one originating in Germany, the other in America, went by the same name: Die Evangelische Kirche (The Evangelical Church), sometimes known as Die Evangelische Protestantische Kirche (The Evangelical Protestant Church). The American extension of the German denomination eventually participated in a consolidation with The German Reformed and the Congregationalists to form the United Church of Christ. Prior to that merger, the German Reformed and German Evangelical Churches in America shared common beliefs.



The German Lutheran and Evangelical Association were American denominations whose belief were considerably different from those of the Evangelicals, Reformed and Congregational denominations mentioned above. The German-American denomination known first as Die Evangelische Kirche changed its name from to Die Evangelische Gemeinschaft (The Evangelical Association), but later returned to its original name before consolidating with other denominations to form the United Methodist Church. Note also that the German Lutheran churches also used the term Evangelical (evangelisch) in their names.


Bette McIntosh <> wrote:
Dear Bob & Heidi Ward,

I am not searching for information regarding the surname RUETENIK however
the church that was associated with this family at it's location in both
Euclid & Glenville is of a great deal of interest to me. I have a hunch
that the 1275 Addison location may have made the church a likely possibility
for church attendance for my ancestors and extended families. Can you tell
me what Protestant denomination or religious persuasion the "Erste Deutsche
Evangelisch-Reformierte Gemeinde" would have been e.g would it have been
similar to a German Evangelical Lutheran Church or something different say
with associations more closely resembling a Baptist church?
Can you direct my search for where I should look for possible archived
church records (baptisms etc.) for this congregation?

I may have missed out on information regarding "German Bob's" well-being and
whereabouts. I sincerely hope that all is well with him and that his
absence from the list means nothing more than he is taking a
vacation/holiday.

Thank you,
Bette

> My dad's records show the following:
>
> Dritte Deutsche Evangelisch-Reformierte Gemeinde. Organized on 6 May 1868
> with 10 members through the efforts of Dr. Hermann Julius Ruetenik
> (Rütenik) while he was pastor at the Erste Deutsche
> Evangelisch-Reformierte Gemeinde (see 1848). In 1871, its pastor, Rev.
> Schuelte, established a branch of this church in Euclid. It had 145
> members and 150 pupils in its school in 1879, and 500 members by 1902. Its
> first edifice was at 194 Aaron (E.36th), between Payne and Superior. It
> was later located at 1275 Addison Rd. In 1889, 25 families separated to
> form the Neunte Deutsche Evangelisch-Reformierte Gemeinde with which this
> congregation established a mission in Glenville in 1895. Its first
> minister was Nathaniel Rütenik (brother of Dr. Hermann Julius Rütenik) who
> served from 1868 to 1871. Nathaniel is said to also have been a minister
> at the Erste Deutsche Evangelisch-Reformierte Gemeinde.



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