P-Q Obituaries

Lyon County, Kansas

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church

When in August, 1899, seven families of the then St. Paul's Lutheran church, in Olpe, asked release from that congregation that they might form a congregation of their own in the midst of their farm homes and more convenient in other ways, the release was granted.
Immediately they began planning for a church building six miles west of Olpe, which was dedicated on New Year's Day, 1900, --the first day of the new century-- on a 5 acre tract given by David Rathke for the new site of the church, pastor's residence and cemetery. This small building 20 x 30 feet, soon was filled to overflowing by the growing congregration, and a larger church was built in 1911. This church was destroyed by lightning in 1941.

The Zion Lutheran purchased an unused church from the Zion Methodists southwest of Emporia, placing it over a full size, well built basement, and many conveniences were added. This building is now being torn down- the congregration having merged some time ago with the Messiah Lutheran Church in Emporia.

The Zion Evangelical Lutheran church was affiliated with the Missouri Synod and adhered to the historic, unaltered Augsburg Confession of 1530. This church was organized by Rev. M. G. Polack. The first elders were John Rathke and Edmund Rathke; secretary, Gustav Huth; treasurer, John Schroeder. The names of the seven familes were Mr. and Mrs. Dietrich Fox, Mr. and Mrs. Gustav Huth, Mr. and Mrs. Julius Kettner, Mr. and Mrs. David Rathke, Mr. and Mrs. John Rathke, Mr. and Mrs. David Schmidt, Mr. and Mrs. John Schroeder. The first baptism in the original church was that of Louise Fox on March 11, 1900. The first confirmations were Adelgunda Rathke and Maria Schmidt, June 16, 1900. Reinhold Foerster and Wilhelmina Schmidt were the first couple married, June 7, 1900, and the first funeral was that of Margaret Eller Ludwig, Apr 5, 1900.
(Submitted by Mary Ann Richardson ~ From "Olpe Heritage")