St Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church

ST. PAUL'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

Route 2, Merrill, Wisconsin
When Wisconsin became a state in 1848, this area was covered with one of the best stands of White Pine to be found anywhere. But the lumbermen had already made their way up the Wisconsin River, and soon sawmills could be found up and down the waterways. Pastor Rehwinkle at that time was preaching the pure Gospel on the west side of the river. But by the 1890's German Lutheran families had purchased land in this area, which was only one step away from the Forest Primeval. They, too, desired to have the Gospel preached to them and so several of the families banded together and asked pastor H. Daib as early as 1889 to conduct divine services in their homes. This he gladly did, and by January 17, 1892, St. Paul's Congregation was formally organized with the following seven men signing the constitution:

Carl Schumacher

Friedrich Uttech

Friedrich Hartwig

Albert Uttech

Carl Uttech

August Prott

Otto Gruetzmacher

In 1892 the church site was bought and the first church built. In January of 1895, the church cemetery was acquired and in April of 1900 the parsonage was built. In February of 1903 a new organ was purchased and in 1905 general remodeling of the church property was undertaken. A ceiling was put into the church, and the entire structure was then plastered and finished off with tin decorative sheeting, all at a cost of $446. In August of 1912 a 1,000 pound bell was purchased and hung in the tower at a cost of $100. On April 6, 1913, St. Paul's Congregation joined the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod.

The St. Paul's Ladies Aid was organized on April 13, 1913, under the leadership of Pastor Kirckhoefer with these members: Mrs. Christian Bootz, Mrs. Henry Kufahl, Mrs. Carl Voege, Mrs. Michael Krubsack, Mrs. Carl Uttech, Mrs. Carl Wedepohl, Mrs. Alvin Kirckhoefer, Mrs. August Pfingsten, Mrs. Albert Jaeger, Mrs. Rheinhold Nienow. The purpose of the Ladies Aid was to aid the congregation in its mission program and to perform deeds of love and mercy. The pastor read an article from the "Abend Schule" - "Uber den Zwech und Nutzen einer Frauenwerein" the purpose and function of a Ladies Aid. The first project of the Ladies Aid was the sewing of black cloth covers to cover the altar, the pulpit, and the organ counsel during the week.

The above was taken from a booklet published on the 85th Anniversary of this historic church, in 1977.

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