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From History of Reedsburg and the Upper Baraboo Valley, by Merton Edwin Krug, Publ. February 1929 by the author. Printed by Democrat Printing Company, Madison, Wis., Page 317-318
Religious Institutions
While the greater part of the village are now Lutheran in faith, there was in early times a popular inclination toward Methodism. A Methodist congregation was organized in the eastern part of the town in October 1851, and although it no longer exists, it has not been very many years disembodied. H. G. Jones was especially prominent in its early existence, and his house was the place of organization. C. P. Sanford was the officiating preacher. Among the early members were Jacob Van Loon, Evan Van Loon, H. G. Jones, Mary Jones, G. J. Jones, Mary E. Jones and John Sanborn. In the summer of 1861 Father Teal, a Protestant Methodist made efforts to build a church and his efforts were crowned with success. An edifice was speedily erected and dedicated that year. This was known as the Ebenezer Church.
We would also mention in connection wtih Methodism in Excelsior the Excelsior Chapel.
German Baptist Church
The earliest German settlers of the community seem to have been Baptists, for about 1862 they organized a German Baptist Church. This congregation was organized at the house of Mr. Stackmann, and some of the early members were Charles, Henry and William Manthey, August Marquart, Fred Luepke, Jacob Schmeltzer, M. Rindfleisch, Christ Graetzka, Jacob Felske, Adam Oegel and others. This church was originally formed in conjunction with the congregation of the German Baptist Church of North Freedom, but now Ableman and North Freedom each have churches of this domination.
ST. John's Lutheran Church, Ableman
The St. John's Angelical Lutheran Church of Ableman and Excelsior dates from 1872. At that time Rev. Christoph Kessler, pastor of the Zion Lutheran Church of Westfield, began to hold services in Ableman, at various private homes, which he continued until the end of his pastorate in 1878. The congregation, made up of early German immigrant families who had settled in and around Ableman and on Narrows Prairie during the 1860's was organized at an unknown date. The earliest record dates from 1877. Some of the early members were:
Louis Bartenbach, Wilhelm Bartenbach, Freidrich Schulte, Christoff Meyer, Johann Brunnhoefer, Jacob Pfaff, Adam Schoester, Wilhelm Runge, Heinrich Rehr, Ehrenreich Bender, Heinrich Meyer, Friedrich Milke, Valentine Schneider, Christoph Weslemann, Christoph Behn, Albert Schenke, Heinrich Busch, Karl Schenke, and Christoph Frambs.
In 1878 Rev. Kessler moved away, but by 1879 he had relocated in Sauk County, in the township of Greenfield, and from his residence there came to serve the Ableman congregation, and was its pastor until 1889. During his absence the pulpit was filled by Rev. Brueckner. In 1882 the present church was erected at a cost of $2,000. The church is still in use.
Since 1889 the church has been presided over by the Rev. Fred Pope. Rev. Fred Pope was formerly of the St. John's Lutheran Church of Baraboo, and served the Ableman church from that city until 1903, when the congregation built a fine parsonage on an adjoining lot, and invited him to become its resident pastor. Accordingly he moved his family to Ableman where they still reside, Rev. Pope in the forty-first year of his local pastorate. This a remarkable record; no minister in the county has occupied one pulpit for a greater period.
At the present time the members of the church are considering the erection of a new church edifice, and the Ladies' Aid Society, which was organized in 1807, has the fine sum of $7,000 on hand to be used for that purpose. Officer and elders of the church are: Gottlieb ROHDE, Herman Driefke, William Gall, Sr., Herman Vertien, William Bartenbach, August Lange, and John Ninneman.
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