Model of St. Johannnes (St. John’s) Lutheran Church in the Heartland Museum in Clarion, Iowa

When Wright County was first settled, one of the first groups to organize were churches. Norway  township had many families of Norwegian descent.  Some came directly from Norway and some had  moved  here  from  other  counties or neighboring  states. In 1886, these  families  formed  St. Johannnes (St. John’s) Lutheran Church. The address given was Drew, Iowa. In 1890, Lars Johnson donated an acre of land and the first church building was built at a cost of $1,889.95. 

Going to church in those early years required commitment, especially in the winter when you traveled by sleigh or bobsled.  A sleigh could be pulled by a single horse; a bobsled needed a team. The bobsled could hold more people and was warmer. The driver would stand at the front of the box or sit on a spring seat, but going was slow and it was cold. In 1913, St. John’s built a horse shed large enough for twenty horses.  The horses were driven  into the barn and tied to a manger to wait while the family attended church. If the horse was sweaty, it was covered with a blanket so it wouldn’t get sick.  If it was exceptionally cold or snowy,  services  would be  cancelled. Other times  of the year, parishioners walked or rode in buggies.

Educating  children was important  to  these early settlers   as  was maintaining their  heritage.  Sunday  school and  Bible school  were  started in  1892.    Sunday  school  was held  every Sunday  from  early spring until fall.  Many children walked  or  came  by  horse and buggy. Bible school was a two month adventure.  Many ethnic churches used that extra time to teach Norwegian history,  language, and culture. School was  in  English,  but  these  early settlers wanted to be sure the children did not lose their heritage.

Because travel was so difficult, it made sense that Ladies Aid be an all day affair. Women quilted and sewed together. The proceeds from these projects were designated for mission work. The women took great pride in their hand work and tiny exact stitches. There was no day care so children were part of the activity.  The men might also come and spent the time in devotions and business of the church. Bible study was eventually part of the day as well.

During these early years, services were in Norwegian.  During WWI, the use of any foreign language was discouraged and services changed to English.  Kerosene lamps provided light.  St. John’s had over 200 members at its height.  As time went on and farms became larger and distances traveled became less of an issue, membership at St. John’s declined.  It was no longer able to fulfill its mission and closed its doors in 1993. These early churches played a crucial role in helping these early settlers assimilate to their new land while continuing to have ties to the homeland they left.