Atchison County Churches
Histories from "History of Atchison County, Kansas," Sheffield Ingalls, 1916
ST. MARK's ENGLISH LUTHERAN.
In 1868, the Rev.
M. G. Boyer, then pastor at Marklesburg, Pa., was persuaded to become a missionary to
Atchison. Rev. Boyer and his young wife arrived here June 30, that year.
Price's Hall, South Fourth street, between Main and Commercial, was rented
and fitted up as a meeting place. Services were begun and a Sunday school
organized. On September 20, 1868, the congregation was organized with
twenty-five members. The first church council consisted of C. Weber and
H. Gehrett, elders: J. H. Talbott, J. Beamer. H. Snyder and F. Erendt,
deacons.
Among the members at this time was the Rev. A. W.
Wagnalls, afterward one of the founders of the publishing house of Funk &
Wagnalls, New York City. While here he was in the real estate business.
At his suggestion the congregation purchased a fifteen acre tract adjoining
the city of Atchison on the northwest, which section was platted and offered
for sale with the hope of making enough profit to erect a church building.
"In this the Lutherans were disappointed," says the historian, "for they sold
only enough lots to pay for the land."
After that venture the congregation used the Congregational church
building. About that time many English Lutherans left the city. Rev.
Boyer resigned at the end of the year 1869, and for ten years the church was
without a pastor. The Rev. Wagnalls supplied the pulpit now and then until
his removal in 1876, but finally the congregation disbanded.
In 1880 the Rev. W. I. Cutler, a returned missionary to India, with the
assistance of Rev. David Earhart and his daughter, Mrs. H. E. Monroe,
gathered the English Lutherans together again. Mrs. Monroe was then
conducting a private school known as the "Atchison Institute," and she offered
her school room as a place of worship. On the eighth of August the
congregation was re-organized and the following officers elected : Elders, J. H.
Berlin, W. H. Kuhns and N. D. Kistler; deacons, J. L. Heisey, E. D. Kistler,
and John Fusselman ; trustees, J. H. Talbott, W. H. Smith and S. J. Clark.
Rev. Cutter served as pastor two years. During part of this time aid was
received from the Home Mission Board. In 1882 this aid was withdrawn
and Rev. Cutter resigned.
Not until 1884 did the second organization flourish. In November of
that year the Rev. George S. Diven was commissioned to come to Atchison
and revive the mission. New interest was taken and the rejuvenated congregation held its first service in the home of Henry Snell at 921 South Seventh street. The Odd Fellows' hall was then secured as a place of worship
and a -Sunday school was organized. Under the leadership of Pastor Diven
this school is said to have quickly become the largest in the city. That year
the pastor reported sixty members.
Atchison's boom season occurred during Rev. Diven's pastorate, and
everything was rushed along at a tremendous pace. The movement for a
Lutheran college for Atchison started at this time. The location of Midland
College here was largely due to the efforts of Rev. Diven and his
congregation, supported by the public spirited citizens of the city. In February, 1885,
the church was incorporated as St. Mark's English Lutheran Church. Rev.
Diven resigned in 1887 and was succeeded by the Rev. W. F. Rentz, in April,
1888. Rev. Rentz set to work at once to secure a lot and erect a church
building. The chapel (now the
Sunday school room) was erected in 1888, the cornerstone being laid August
19, and the church dedicated December 16. The building and equipment cost
$4,010. Pastor Rentz served nine years, resigning in May, 1897.
The Rev. L. S. Iveyser, now professor of dogmatics in Hamnia Divinity
School, Wittenberg College, became pastor November 7, 1897, and served
most acceptably until April 7, 1903. During his pastorate the church became
self-supporting, after receiving aid for fifteen years from the Home Mission
Board. The Rev; R. W. Hufford, D. D., served as pastor from January 9,
1904, to November 27, 1904. After a vacancy of nine months the Rev. A. E.
Renn became pastor August 18, 1905.
The outstanding achievement of Rev. Renn's pastorate was the erection
of the present church building. The movement began October 21, 1907.
Plans were adopted March 17, 1908, and the building committee ordered to
proceed. The cornerstone was laid during the summer following. The
building was erected under the supervision of A. B. Zimmerman, contractor,
and cost, including organ and furnishings. about $14,000, a marvel of church
financing. The opening service was held May 23, 1909.
The Rev. Howard C. Garvic was installed pastor the first Sunday in
March, 1912. No pastor of St. Mark's surpassed him in zeal and energy for
the upbuilding of the Lord's kingdom. Day and night he labored in
personal appeal and in teaching classes of adults and children. In a little more
than two years 175 names were added to the church roll, constituting the
largest growth of any pastorate. The death of the pastor in the prime of
manhood in March. 1915, produced a profound impression upon St. Mark's
and the city of Atchison. The Rev. Robert L. Patterson, D. D., became
pastor October 17, 1915.
FIRST GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
This church was organized in 1866 by Rev. C. F. Liebe, home
missionary of the Evangelical Lutheran synod of Missouri, Kansas, Ohio, and other
states. The first regular minister was Rev. Mr. Menge, who was installed in
1867. Rev. G. Landgraf succeeded Mr. Menge in December and was
installed the first day of that month. The church building at the corner of
Tenth and Commercial streets was dedicated at the same time. In 1869 a
parsonage, adjoining the church, was erected, and the following year C.
Janzow, of Weston, Mo., succeeded Mr. Landgraf, who in turn was followed
by Rev. C. Hartman, who died in the fall of 1872, and after which the call
was extended to Rev. W. Zschoche, of Miami county, Kansas. Under the
pastorate of Rev. Mr. Zschoche the congregation increased to a membership
of 130, and a day school was conducted in connection with the church by
Mr. Zschoche until 1881.
Rev. C. Vedder succeeded Rev. Zschoche, who in turn was succeeded by
Rev. Theodore Bundenthal, whose untimely death in the latter part of 1915
deprived the church and its congregation of one of the best ministers it ever
had. Mr. Bundenthal was succeeded by Rev. Frederic Niedner, who is in
charge of the church in 1916. The present church building at the corner of
Eighth and Laramie streets was built in 1889. There are 500 communicants and the church is affiliated with the Missouri synod.
In addition to the churches already enumerated, there are several negro
churches, of which the Ebenezer Baptist Church, organized in 1867, and the
African Methodist Episcopal Church, organized in the summer of 1868, are
the most prominent. There are also several other denominations represented
in Atchison, including the Latter Day Saints, and the Holy Rollers.
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This website created Jan. 24, 2012 by Sheryl McClure.
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