HISTORY

The congregation of this church traces its actual; beginning back to the year of 1899, when the Rev. Dalmus of Stratford, Wis., came to this village to perform pastoral duties. In the spring of 1900 Rev. Schmalz of Greenwood served in the capacity of minister, and it was he who contacted the Sheboygan Classes requesting that definite arrangements be made so that Humbird might be served regularly from the Stratford parish. Consequently Rev. H. W. Schroer, pastor of Ebenezer church at Stratford, began his pioneer missionary work here in September, 1900, preaching every fourth Sunday. In December of the same year a meeting was called for the purpose of organizing a congregation, at which time the Constitution was adopted and the congregation formally established with fourteen communicant members. On December 30, 1900, the first regular meeting of this newly formed congregation was held in the home of Mr. Gottlieb Marty. The following officers were elected: Elders, John Schumacher and John Bryner, Sr. Deacons, John Michael and Gottlieb Marty. On the evening of this same day the consistory had its first regular meeting and elected Gottlieb Marty as Secretary and John Michael as treasurer.

In June, 1901, the congregation was officially accepted as a member of the Sheboygan Classis, thereby becoming a part of the Reformed Church of America. During this year it was also voted to pay the pastor a salary of $50 per year. The congregation especially sought to serve the Swiss and German people of the community, services being conducted in the German language. Slowly the church began to grow, gaining members chiefly from Swiss families moving here from Green County, Wis., which site was the original settling place of the Swiss who immigrated from Switzerland.

In the summer of 1907 the congregation bought the church which they had been renting for their worship services from the Seventh Day Adventists. At the same time they also purchased the location site of the present church, at the foot of the “Humbird bluff”. These two projects were financed by the members and friends at Humbird and from a goodly number of Swiss friends in Green county.

With its membership slowly increasing and pastoral duties becoming a bit heavier, it was decided to raise his salary to $60 per year. In the spring of the same year a petition was sent to Sheboygan Classis, asking them to divide the parish consisting of Stratford, Neillsville and Humbird, which would then enable Neillsville and Humbird to have services more often. At this time however, this petition was not granted by Classis.

Rev. H. W. Schroer resigned as pastor and closed his work here in October, 1908. Later that year the pastor’s salary was raised to the sum of $75. Rev Jacob Stucki, Winnebago Indian Missionary at Black River Falls then supplied this church until Rev. H. G. Schmid accepted the call from this parish in July of 1909. Humbird was thus served every third Sunday with afternoon services.

In November, 1910, the second petition was sent to Classis, again requesting that Neillsville and Humbird be permitted to separate from the Mother Church, at Stratford. Arrangements were made following the granting of this petition, for services to be conducted every other Sunday in the afternoon, the congregation promising $200 towards

the minister’s salary. Rev. Schmid then moved to Neillsville in March, 1911. With this arrangement Humbird and Neillsville were served to a much better advantage.

As time went on and the congregation grew, the first acquired church building became too small to accommodate its members. After much consideration it was finally decided in the spring of 1913 to erect a new church edifice on the property which had been purchased with this purpose in view, back in 1907. September 4, 1913, was the eventful day on which the cornerstone was laid, and willing hands and hearts continued their faithful service until the cement block structure was completed. St. John’s church was dedicated to the glory of God on the 15^th day of March, 1914. Much of the work was done by members. The building committee consisted of the consistory and Mr. Kretschmer, the carpenter. The project was completed at a cost of approximately $4,500, of which all was paid at the time of the dedication but $1,000.

The Ladies Aid, then know as the Frauen Verein, which was organized during Rev. Schroer’s term, paid for the following: pulpit chair, pulpit (which was built by Mr. Kretschmer), window shades, carpeting, pulpit Bible, furnace and the 1,200 lb. Bell, all of which was purchased for the total sum of #583. According to old records of minutes kept by the society, most of this was raised by having monthly food sales.

In the year of 1915 Rev. Schmid resigned as pastor to take up work in Potter, Wis. His father, the Rev. J. G. Schmid, served from then until Rev David Grether was called and accepted the call. Upon graduation from the Mission House Seminary he moved to Neillsville to take up his pastoral duties in the combined charges of Humbird and Neillsville. During this year the congregation raised their portion of the minister’s salary to $225. It was during Rev. Grether’s pastorate that the duplex envelope system was introduced with much success. It was also during this time that the $1,000 debt was liquidated in two payments. A Young Peoples Society was also organized while Rev. Grether served here. It was Rev. Grether who realized the necessity of incorporating the English language in the preaching services for the express benefit of the the young people, and an English service was held on Sunday evenings. The congregation purchased 50 English hymnals; a girls choir was also organized and rendered special selections at each service, under the direction of Mrs. R. A. Creviston. Rev. Grether resigned as pastor in October, 1925, and took up his work at Magley, Indiana.

Rev. Caleb Hauser was called to this charge following the resignation of Rev. Grether, and served us the ensuing year.

It had long been the wish of the members of this congregation to have a pastor of their own, and at this time it was decided to extend a call to Rev. E.F. Menger of Fremont, Wis., while the Rev. Hauser remained at the Neillsville charge. It was now necessary to provide a dwelling place for the new minister, and the Ladies Aid had the sum of $1,000 to offer as a start for the purchase of the small but beautifully located house at the slope of the hill below the church. As the prescribed apportionment had yearly been paid in full to the Forward Movement, this sum having by now totaled to $1,500, the congregation received a check from this source for $1,200. In September of the same year, 1926, Rev. and Mrs. Menger came to Humbird to make their home and serve this congregation as its first resident pastor. In November a double garage and woodshed were built. It was

during Rev. Menger’s term of service that the church paper, either in the English or German language entered every home in the congregation.

The following year extensive repairs were made to the parsonage, and the church received an entire redecorating job.

(Note: Up to this point we are greatly indebted to Rev. E. F. Menger, now of Norwood, Minn., for much of the information received from a historical sketch of the church prepared by him and appearing in “The Humbird Enterprise” in February, 1929.)

During Rev. Menger’s pastorate the Sunday School grew appreciably both numerically and spiritually, and an active Young Peoples Society did much to add to the happiness of the young folks of the community. The pastor resigned in December, 1929, and in January moved to Holson, Kansas, to take up his new duties as minister there.

The following six months the charge was without a regular pastro, and in July Rev. Victor D. Weidler came here to assume the duties of his foirst charge after graduating from the Mission House Seminary. He also served the Reformed Church at Black River Falls once a month. In 1937 the Peace Evangelical Church of Fall Creek was also served by Rev. Weidler, and in 1939 these three congregations constituted and became the Humbird charge.

During Rev. Weidler’s service here a number of repairs were made on the church and parsonage, the church lawn was greatly improved and shrubs planted. Attractive tables and chairs were purchased for the lower classes in Sunday School, and a flourishing Y. P. S. presented the congregation with beautiful individual communion ware. The services were now conducted entirely in the English language. Rev Weidler tendered his resignation in June, 1940, and moved with is family to take up his new work at Ridgeway, Pa.

The church was again without a pastor and was very fortunate in being able to secure the Rev. William Fritzmeier, retired, of Fall Creek, who very ably served us until another minister was available. Student Alvin Stacy preached several times as guest speaker during these months also.

In 1940, Rev. Harrold M. Burt accepted the call from this congregation, and served until 1942. During this time a water system including a bathroom was installed in the parsonage. The rebuilt two-manual organ with power blower was also purchased during Rev. Burt’s stay here.

Rthe following three years this congregation was served by Rev. N. J. Dechant as supply pastor, from the Neillsville charge, who faithfully and most ably supplied us until Humbird was again fortunate in getting a minister of their own.

Rev. George Hohmann was called to the Humbird-Fall Creek charge in February, 1946. Upon his graduation from Eden Seminary he took up his duties here. Re. Hohmann did a good deal of fine reconstructing in the various church organizations, which had been greatly handicapped by struggling along without a resident minister for several years previous. Each Lenten season during his term of service here, union services were held with the Methodist church in our village. A number of repairs to the church property were made while Rev. Hohmann served us; the furnace and organ were repaired, parsonage porch screened, driveway graveled from the parsonage up to the church, and a

New roof put on the parsonage. The church basement, parsonage, woodshed and garage all received a new coat of paint. A numner of fine memorials were presented to the church, which are listed elsewhere in this pamphlet.

Rev. Hohmann resigned the charge here to go to West Concord, Minn., in April 1949. The following summer we were served by student Ralph Kluge, of Black Creek, who was a member of the next year’s graduating class at Eden Seminary of Webster Groves, Missouri.

Upon Mr. Kluge’s return to the seminary in the fall, the Rev. Ben Stucki was appointed by the Synod as our official pastor, bur his multiple duties as Superintendent of the Winnebago Indian School and many other demands on his time rendered it impossible to preach here, except on occasion. Thus arrangements were made to secure the services of Dr. Robert I. Bingham, director of the Division of Humanities of Eau Claire State Teachers College. The Humbird-Fall Creek charge is most fortunate in being able to hear the fine sermons of Dr. Bingham until such time as we can see our way to again have a pastor of our own.

This past winter we suffered the misfortune of losing our parsonage to fire. Thus we are at a great disadvantage until we have a home to offer a resident minister. The sum of $2,000 insurance is the nucleus for a parsonage fund, and it is hoped that the members and friends of St. John’s Church can think of no finer way to honor the occasion of its golden anniversary than to give generously for this most urgent cause. Every dollar donated will indeed be to the honor and glory of God.

Rev. Benjamin Stucki Supply, 1950

Supt. of Indian Mission School, Neillsville, Wis.