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From: "Thomas Dirksen" <>
Subject: [OSTFRIESEN-L] St. John's Lutheran Church, Pekin, Illinois
Date: Thu, 04 Feb 1999 11:17:29 -0500


A bit on this church from a few records reviewed at home last evening. I spot quote here:

St. John's Lutheran Church: St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized on November 28, 1852. Rev. H. Mattfeldt of Hamburg, Germany began his ministry, and the first page of the history of Pekin's St. John's Lutheran Church was turned. The first entry were the names of the 49 charter members. English worship was instituted in 1916. The present sanctuary was built in 1926 at 711 Court Street.
(Note: Court is the main business street.)
The first building was on a lot secured in 1853 at the southwest corner of 4th and Ann Eliza streets and a building to house the church and school was erected. In 1880, the church officially affiliated with the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod. A Confirmation class of March 16, 19134 included Rev. H. C. Witte as leader and students Leo Andrae, Paul LOHMAN, Sam Zimmerman, and Bertha Brauer Harmon plus unnamed others.

Note, the class predates me by almost 20 years; I think ??? I knew Paul Lohman as being the State Senator and maybe a lawyer and also Sam Zimmerman as maybe owning a garage/gasoline station. This is tentative information. I also remember when in grade school that they had a small Lutheran grade school which terminated activities about WW II time, probably still located on the old 4th street/Ann Eliza lot. Some of these memories come back hard.

The 1993-94 Pekin phone directory lists in the yellow pages Rev. Thomas Daly as Pastor, church at 711 Court, phone 309-347-2136. This is about all I can offer on this church. Best, Tom

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