GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH OF VIOLA TOWNSHIP.
Viola township received quite an influx of German Lutheran farmers about
twenty-five or thirty years ago. Wherever these people settle one of the
first things considered is church privileges. Many of the older of these
settlers do not understand the English language very well, hence they
feel the need of a church wherein the preaching will be in their mother
tongue.
As early as 1890 the question of a Lutheran church for Viola township
and vicinity was discussed, and 1892 a church society was founded.
Services were held in a school house at first and in 1895 a building was
erected on section 22, on the northwest corner of the farm of Fred Attig.
A parsonage was built in 1900, to which an addition was made in 1912.
The first members were John Redinius, Fred Rubow, Gerd Behrends and
Herman Timmermann. The first minister was Rev. Beathke, who preached in
a school house occasionally as the settlers were coming in. Rev. W.
Dieter came in the fall of 1892 and resigned in 1894. He is now located
at Hosmer, South Dakota, officiating in a country charge. Rev. Ludwig G.
Weinerich accepted a call and was installed in December, 1894, and
resigned in November, 1895. He is now a pastor in Germany. Rev. C.
Wandertich then held the charge a short time. Rev. F. Chworowsly served
as pastor from 1897 to 1902. He is now at Jackson, Minnesota. Rev. John
Bauermann served from 1902 to 1905 and is now at Ramona, South Dakota.
Rev. L. Wiedner came in 1906, died at Harris, Iowa, in the summer of
1907 and is buried in the Sibley cemetery. Mrs. Wiedner died in 1913 and
is also buried in the Sibley cemetery. Rev. John Linden served from
August, 1907, to March, 1911, and is now at Daykin, Nebraska. Two of his
children are buried at Little Rock. Rev. O. C. Biermann came May 1,
1911, and is still in charge of the churches of this denomination in
Viola township, Harris and Sibley.
The first baptismals were Bertha Bechmann, dead; Martha Bechmann, the
wife of William Kleve; Fred Carl Pieper, now at Rushmore, Minnesota, and
Anna Redenius, now Mrs. John Luttermann. The first couple married were
William Boesse and Minnie Rubow. Mr. Boesse is now located at Trosky,
Minnesota. His wife died in 1910 and is buried at Sibley. The first
funeral was that of Henry Julius Nachtigal, who was born November 9,
1846, and died March 20, 1893. This church is located in a rich
community, and should prosper and grow as time passes.
From the 1914 Past
and Present of O'Brien and Osceola Counties
