Zion Lutheran Church
107 4th Ave. SW
Towner, McHenry County, North Dakota 58788
107 4th Ave. SW
Towner, McHenry County, North Dakota 58788
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Myra Agnes Kenney
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Zion Lutheran Church
By Mrs. R.T. Wanberg
Rev. T.S. Reishus was the first regular Lutheran pastor to be called to this territory, coming here in 1885 and preaching his first sermon on July 4, 1886. His territory extended from Burlington to Towner, Round Lake and later Rugby Junction. Rev. Reishus was pastor for Towner from 1886 to 1889. The membership of Zion Lutheran Church In 1889 consisted of fifty souls.
On May 15, 1887, the Towner congregation was organized with six charter members: Arne Anderson, Gustave Jacobson, Andrew Eldness, Hans Strand, Ole Erickson and his son, Henry Erickson. The Ladies Aid Society was organized in 1889 in the Hans Strand
home which at that time consisted of only one room. Mrs. Arne Anderson, Mrs. J.J. Egge, Mrs. Henry Anderson, Mrs. N.L. Thorson, Mrs. Hans Strand, Mrs. Gustave Jacobson and Mrs. Andrew Eidness were the charter members. Mrs. Henry Erickson was the first president, Mrs. Strand, secretary and Mrs. Egge the first treasurer.
The earliest record of a baptism seems to be at the home of Elling A. Lunde on November 15, 1887. As early as March 12, 1888, Rev. Reishus was reading with children for confirmation at the home of T. Thompson, a cousin of Hagen Thompson. The first funeral was that of Mrs. Gustave Johnson. She was the first woman to be laid to rest In the Union Cemetery and the third burial there.
The first confirmation took place at the service held at the home of Gustave Jacobson on June 23, 1889, but there Is no record of names of those baptized and confirmed. The first Christmas Tree festival on record is in December 1890 at the Ole Thorson home near the Wintering River.
Prior to 1890, services were conducted in the schoolhouse located west of town, about halfway between the Rosencrans Flats and the river. The first church building for Zion Lutheran was built in 1908, the cornerstone was laid November 22, 1908, and the church was dedicated July 4, 1909. On June 25, 1908, the first Young Peoples Society was organized. Andrew Gilbertson gave the church bell. He rang it for the first time and one month later its first tolling was for him. Rev. Richard T. Wanberg came to serve the congregation on August 24, 1919, and continued that work for 45 years, retiring in 1964.
Throughout the pioneer Lutheran history looms the interesting figures of Johannes Kopperdahl, trudging on foot many a weary mile to band together pioneer families and arrange for services to be held in the scattered homestead shacks. Special tribute is indeed due this lonely, trudging figure, struggling with pathetic poverty and yet always inspite of great odds, zealous and sincere in the work of the Master.
Info from – McHenry County Its History and Its People (page 441)
By Mrs. R.T. Wanberg
Rev. T.S. Reishus was the first regular Lutheran pastor to be called to this territory, coming here in 1885 and preaching his first sermon on July 4, 1886. His territory extended from Burlington to Towner, Round Lake and later Rugby Junction. Rev. Reishus was pastor for Towner from 1886 to 1889. The membership of Zion Lutheran Church In 1889 consisted of fifty souls.
On May 15, 1887, the Towner congregation was organized with six charter members: Arne Anderson, Gustave Jacobson, Andrew Eldness, Hans Strand, Ole Erickson and his son, Henry Erickson. The Ladies Aid Society was organized in 1889 in the Hans Strand
home which at that time consisted of only one room. Mrs. Arne Anderson, Mrs. J.J. Egge, Mrs. Henry Anderson, Mrs. N.L. Thorson, Mrs. Hans Strand, Mrs. Gustave Jacobson and Mrs. Andrew Eidness were the charter members. Mrs. Henry Erickson was the first president, Mrs. Strand, secretary and Mrs. Egge the first treasurer.
The earliest record of a baptism seems to be at the home of Elling A. Lunde on November 15, 1887. As early as March 12, 1888, Rev. Reishus was reading with children for confirmation at the home of T. Thompson, a cousin of Hagen Thompson. The first funeral was that of Mrs. Gustave Johnson. She was the first woman to be laid to rest In the Union Cemetery and the third burial there.
The first confirmation took place at the service held at the home of Gustave Jacobson on June 23, 1889, but there Is no record of names of those baptized and confirmed. The first Christmas Tree festival on record is in December 1890 at the Ole Thorson home near the Wintering River.
Prior to 1890, services were conducted in the schoolhouse located west of town, about halfway between the Rosencrans Flats and the river. The first church building for Zion Lutheran was built in 1908, the cornerstone was laid November 22, 1908, and the church was dedicated July 4, 1909. On June 25, 1908, the first Young Peoples Society was organized. Andrew Gilbertson gave the church bell. He rang it for the first time and one month later its first tolling was for him. Rev. Richard T. Wanberg came to serve the congregation on August 24, 1919, and continued that work for 45 years, retiring in 1964.
Throughout the pioneer Lutheran history looms the interesting figures of Johannes Kopperdahl, trudging on foot many a weary mile to band together pioneer families and arrange for services to be held in the scattered homestead shacks. Special tribute is indeed due this lonely, trudging figure, struggling with pathetic poverty and yet always inspite of great odds, zealous and sincere in the work of the Master.
Info from – McHenry County Its History and Its People (page 441)