CHURCHES OF PALO ALTO COUNTY
From Atlas of Palo Alto County
Compiled 1969 by Title Atlas Company; Minneapolis, Minnesota

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
MALLARD, IOWA

     The first settler moved into Ellington Township May 14, 1868. The following year several families moved into Rush Lake Township. The track of the Des Moines and Fort Dodge Railroad was laid as far as Mallard in Sept. 1882. The depot was built and almost immediately a store and blacksmith shop were built. Church services were held in the depot waiting room for the pioneers as it was the largest room available. Sometime between 1891 and 1893, Pastor J.G. Schliepsiek, of Pomeroy, started coming to Mallard and Emmetsburg, holding services in the homes and country schools. Pastor Schliepsiek was a specialist in organizing churches and in Aug., 1893, the group called their first pastor.
     Rev. Paul Schaller and his bride arrived in Mallard, making their home in the Julius Zech residence. Although we have no records of this time, he also served Ayrshire. Lots 1 and 2 were purchased Nov. 1, 1894 by trustees J.B. Hahn, J.J. Hahan and Theo. Wessar. The church was built shortly after.
     Pastor William Mallon and his large family arrived in the spring of 1896. During his pastorate, Rev. Mallon baptized 56, confirmed 5, buried 9, and married 3 couples. He also served Ayrshire. In the fall of 1898, he accepted a call to Cresco.
     In Sept. 1898, a young bachelor, Pastor Valentine Walther, arrived. He was not a bachelor long as on Nov. 1, 1898, he was married to Miss Dora Eppler at Pomeroy by Pastor Schliepsiek. They lived in Emmetsburg and he also served Lutherans in Ayrshire and Graettinger as well. He left in 1901. Pastor Emmanuel Paul Gesterling of Ayrshire served during 1902-03.
     In the Spring of 1903, the Lutherans in Mallard were happy as Rev. G. Groenow accepted a call. He was not married and his sister, Flora, kept house for him. In 1904, Ayrshire became vacant so he served them for the rest of his term at Mallard. His sister married, and two years later, he took a leave of absence to go to Germany and get his bride. During his pastorate, the confirmands from Ayrshire came to Mallard and stayed all week. They missed one year of public school to attend catechism school. In 1907, the congregation built a new parsonage directly behind the church.
     Pastor Groenow died in the late 40's, after living out many years of retirement in Orange, Calif. Rev. J.H. Schnitker was pastor from 1910-12.
     Mar. 11, 1911, lots 7,8 and 9 were purchased for $400 from Frieda Wessar, a long-time member of the church. The parsonage was moved and a school room was built on the back of the church and an entrance and steeple built on the front. In teh spring of 1912, when Rev. Schnitker left to accept another call, there were 89 communicant members.
     Rev. H.F. Buettner, a bachelor, came to Mallard for his first charge after graduating from Springfield Seminary. After arriving in the summer of 1912, he went back to Readlyn and married Mathilda Deakman. He also served Ayrshire, preaching here at 10 A.M. and at Ayrshire at 7:30 P.M., reversing the next Sunday, with morning services in German and the evening in English. During World War I, German services were discontinued. In 1915 or 1916, the Ladies Aid was organized. Pastor Buettner accepted a call to Hampton in April, 1917.
     Rev. Adolf Cagann became pastor June 1, 1917, bringing his wife and 4 daughters to the parsonage. A new garage was built at a cost of $451.63. The total collection for 1920 was $1513.30. At a July voters meeting, it was decided to drop evening services and give the pastor permission to organize a young peoples group. At an October voters meeting, J.G. Obrecht requested the congregation to make definite plans for the church in Havelock. He said he would deed the building to the church if it was used for church services. It was decided in the annual meeting of 1923 to drop services at Havelock. In Feb., 1926, plans were drawn for a church basement at an estimated cost of $2200. The Ladies Aid had $1320 but the voters did not think this enough to start a building. Later in the year, $330 of this money was used to pay Rev. Cagann's 1924 back salary. New Year's day, 1925, it was voted to raise the pastor's salary to $1500, also to give him permission to conduct services in Emmetsburg Sunday afternoons. On July 4, 1926, Rev. Cagann preached his last sermon. On Oct. 21, he died in the service at Mallard.
     During Rev. Cagann's illness and until a new pastor arrived, Rev. I.G. Kitzman of West Bend was the vacancy pastor. Rev. Louis Wittenburg accepted the call which was extended to him at a meeting Nov. 7, 1926. He was offered a salary of $1200 plus 1/2 of coal, telephone, lights and chicken feed paid. In April, 1927, it was voted to join the Missouri Synod, and a new constitution and by-laws were adopted. July 26, a straw vote was taken to see how much money could be raised for a church basement. The members pledged $815 and it was voted 19 to 6 to build a basement and raise the school room and make the church longer. Claus Johnson Sr.; Otto Schleusener Sr.; and G.J. Grafe were appointed to the building committee. In Sept. the Ladies Aid treasurer turned over $1000 to the committee for their share of the basement; however, due to a bank failure, this money was lost. At the annual meeting of 1927, it was voted to raise the pastor's salary to $110 a month and he pay his own chicken feed. At the annual meeting of 1928, it was reported the cost of the basement would be $3900, with $1200 pledged. The trustees were authorized to borrow $2600 from the AAL. On Feb. 20, 1931, Pastor Wittenburg accepted another call.
     Rev. Kitzman once again served as vacancy pastor until Rev. Carl F. Hinrichs arrived in Sept. At a July meeting it was decided to start Sunday  School and to have the 40th anniversary collection to to the building fund. In 1931, the present parsonage was built to accommodate Rev. and Mrs. Hinrichs and children. During the longest term of any pastor at Mallard, Rev. Hinrichs baptized 178, confirmed 147, buried 53, and married 51 couples. Two of his sons, Marvin and Paul, followed him into the ministry.
     During the voters meeting July, 1936, it was requested to be transferred from the Spencer circuit to the Algona circuit. In 1943, the debt on the basement was still $408. Rev. was to contact all members to see if enough money could be raised to paint and shingle the church. The basement was finally paid off with the Ladies Aid paying a good share of it. In 1949, a new constitution was adopted and a new furnace installed in the church. At the annual meeting of 1950, a President and Vice President were elected for the first time. Pastor Hinrichs died Mar. 22, 1951, with services held in Mallard and the theatre being wired for sound for the overflow crowd.
     Pastor Wm. Schuelke of West Bend was appointed vacancy pastor at a salary of $250 per month. He served until his death on June 1. After his death, Pastor Marvin Hinrichs of Emmetsburg served. On May 1, 1951, Pastor Norris C Crook, founding pastor and teacher of Faith, Council Bluffs, accepted the call and was installed July 1. In 1952, a new boiler was installed at the parsonage. At the 1953 annual meeting, it was decided to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the church the second Sunday in August, with a special building fund offering. The basement of the parsonage was remodeled to accommodate part of the Sunday School classes. At this time, there were 216 communicants and a total of 357 baptized members. In 1955, it was voted to buy the highway property instead of the west school property. The annual meeting of 1956 showed a balance of $16,845 in the building fund. Rev. Crook asked for his release.
    Rev. E.E. Greene of West Bend served in the vacancy at a salary of $300 per month. May 15, 1956, a call was sent to the present pastor. June 1, the call was accepted and on July 1, Rev. James T. Wolfram was installed with his father assisting. A reception for Pastor and Mrs. Wolfram and their 3 children was held at the high school gym following the ceremony.
     At the July voters meeting plans to build a new church were discussed and a financial committee appointed to get pledges. John Froh, Walter Meyer, and Ottoe Tjebben received pledges of $92,000 and at a special voters meeting, Aug. 14, it was voted to build a new church. Julius Skow and Son, of Emmetsburg, were hired as contractors and they built a $185,000 church with much of the labor being donated by members. Ground breaking was held Mar. 31, 1957, with Rev. Wolfram speaking. Dedication services were held Mar. 23, 1958. Sept. 8, 1958, it was voted to have services at 9:30 A.M., and allow Rev. to serve Ayrshire as their vacancy pastor, a position he still holds.
     In 1964, the communicant membership reached an all time high of 297. In 1966, we joined Lakeside Lutheran Home,  donating $10,00 to help build the home.