Early Settlers Brought Their Religion With Them

In Hanover Township
(1873-1900)

Religion played a prominent role in the lives of our early settlers. Lutheran church services in Hanover Township were begun in 1873 or 1874 by the Rev. Gottlieb Haar, a pastor and missionary for the Lutheran Church who was stationed in the town of Denison from 1872 to 1882 and in Grant Township from 1882 to 1884, In the beginning, the Rev, Haar held the services in the homes of the few Lutheran families who were then living in Hanover Township, and later he preached in the country schoolhouses. The services were delivered in High German, the language of the early churches of the community. An Evangelical Lutheran Congregation was organized in Hanover Township and St. John's Lutheran Church in the town of Charter Oak trace their beginnings.

St. Paul's Luteran Church in Hanover Township--the subject of this brief discussion--was organized in 1877 under the direction of its first pastor, the Rev. Gottlieb Haar. The first elders of the church were William Blunk and August Schultz,

A cemetery was platted on the church grounds in 1877. The first burial in the cemetery was made on February 17, 1878, the deceased laid to rest being Mrs. Friedrich (Wilhelmine) Neubaum. A Christian Day School for young children was started in 1878. While the common school subjects were taught in the English language, religion was taught for many years in the German language.

In 1879, St. Paul's Lutheran Congregation became affiliated with the Iowa District of the Missouri Synod. In that same year of 1879, a frame church was built, its dimension being 25x50feet, of which an area of fourteen feet in the back of the structure was reserved for a parsnage. the tower of the church rose to a height of fifty-five feet. This building has the distinction of being the first house of worship ever to be connstructed in the community. A schoolhouse was built in 1880; when it was demolished by a tornado which occured on June 12, 1885, plans were made to provide a new schoolhouse. St. Paul's second parsonage was a frame house, which was built in 1882. The present church building was erected in 1889-1890 by the contrqctor, August Schultz, for the amount of $3750.00. The cornerstone was laid on May 12, 1889, and the dedication rites were held on February 2, 1890. A teacherage was built in 1892.

The Iowa District Convention was held at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in 1896 and again in 1898.

From Schleswig Leader February 21, 1974

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