Johann Kilian Bio
Johann Kilian (1811-1884) & Maria Groeschel (1823-1881) Portrait Family Tree
Author: Terry
The Wendish Lutheran Church of Texas
The early Wendish Lutherans in Texas have left an interesting history of Lutheranism in North America. One can discern the classic factors which may effect the outward unity of a church, though in a microcosm, even among these faithful Lutherans. Religious identity, national identity, pastoral leadership, language, personality,...
History of Holy Cross, Warda, Texas – Daughter of Serbin, 1873-1905
The beginnings of Holy Cross lie in the dissensions within the Serbin congregation. After Ernst Leuber, teacher at St. Paul’s, Serbin, and his party left to organize St. Peter’s Church, it did not take long for Karl Teinert, one of the other dissenters, to air his grievances against Pastor Kilian. He used his influence to persuade a number of farmers near the Rabbs Creek section that their interests would be best served if they should separate from the two Serbin congregations and organize their own parish.
Daughters of Serbin, 1870-1905 – History of the Lutheran Churches at Fedor and Warda, Texas
During the late sixties of the past century a number of Wends and Germans settled about twenty miles north of Serbin along the Yegua creeks, particularly near the West Yegua. At first these settlers, especially the Wends, traveled the long distance to Serbin for their spiritual needs. As the number increased, it became evident that a separate congregation with its own pastor and school would be more practical. Gradually the sentiment became strong enough to make an attempt to obtain a minister who might teach and preach to the settlements scattered in the vicinity.
St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s Lutheran Churches, Serbin, Texas, 1855-1905
(Part Five, continued from the July, 1943, issue) A new matter arose in 1874, not so much between the congregations as between Kilian and his fellow pastors: doctrinal differences were coming to the fore. Again the isolation during the Civil War period and before was beginning to manifest...
St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s Lutheran Churches, Serbin, Texas, 1855-1905
(Part Four, continued from the April, 1943, issue) Now came the struggle for possession of the church and its property. An effort had been made to take the school. In fact, the minority actually wanted to keep the entire property, and for a time it seemed that there...
St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s Lutheran Churches, Serbin, Texas, 1855-1905
(Part Three, continued from the January, 1943, issue) During this time the neighboring St. Peter’s Church of the Texas Synod was also having difficulties in obtaining a pastor. A brief story of St. Peter’s during these years is here inserted to lead up to these events. Soon after...
St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s Lutheran Churches, Serbin, Texas, 1855-1905
(Part Two, Continued from the July, 1942, issue) Before their synodical membership was established however, they built a frame church on the outskirts of Serbin before the end of 1858. It was evident that many still had the Methodist spirit, and some Methodists attended services in the new...
St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s Lutheran Churches, Serbin, Texas, 1855-1905
When more than five hundred immigrants stepped ashore at Galveston, Texas, on December 16, 1854, it was perhaps for many a person merely another boatload of settlers arriving in the New World in search of a home and security. In reality the story of these immigrants was unique,...
The Early History of the Wendic Lutheran Colony in the State of Texas
It was shortly before the middle of the third century that the Goths, a Germanic tribe, which had occupied a large part of what was later Eastern Germany, on the Baltic Sea, between the Oder and the Elbe, began a great movement toward the southeast, down the Danube...