Churches
by
Ellen Lyons
The year, 1898, was a year of church organization in the Village of Eland. At that time their were three different faiths, the Lutheran, Congregational and Catholic in the township. In 1898, each group formed an organization of its own.
At that time the Congregational group was an important factor in the religious life of the village. After many meetings in the homes they were able to erect a church building in 1901. That building, the charter members and the ministers who served them are now nostalgic memories. The Eland, Norrie and Birnamwood Congregational Churches were served by the same pastor. In 1956, the Norrie Church closed and was razed and in 1959 the Eland Church followed. Hardly a trace remains.
When the Congregational Church was built in 1901, a copper box containing relics, contributed by the members, was placed in the cornerstone. When the church was demolished in 1959 the old box was removed and remained sealed until 1964. when on July 19, the seal was broken by Mike Sensenbrenner and Robert Liscomb in ceremonies performed at the Birnamwood Congregational Church. The ceremony was attended by over one hundred past members of the Eland Congregation. It was the highlight of church history and a reunion of old friends.
The tarnished, but undamaged, box disclosed historic items. The Rev. Gordon Bennet passed the relics to the owners after fifty-eight years had passed. Ward Franklin, who had been a small boy in 1901, was present to receive the dime he had placed in it from the Rev. Harry Vanderbilt, pastor of the Birnamwood Church.
The well preserved documents included a list of the 150 residents of Eland in 1898. A history of the first year, a statement written by the Rev. J. Lloyd Smith, in which he praised the charter members and the community.
The deed to the church property and membership list of 1901, list of Sunday school pupils and teachers, a copy of Church Life with a cover picture of the Birnamwood Church and parsonage, a historic account of the settlement of Eland, and a bill from the L. W. Boettcher Hardware Store for the box made by Jasper Boyer on July 26, 1901. This bill bore the notation, "I'll see you at the other end."
Preceding the ceremony an interesting program arranged by Mrs. Ada (Sherlock) Bigford, Mrs. Viola James Sensenbrenner and Robert Liscomb was presented. The old familiar hymns were a part of it. The Rev. Gordon Bennett revealed that the pews, pulpit, organ and timbers from the Eland Church had been donated to an Indian Missionary Church at Mole Lake. Mrs. Alvina Brown, charter member, was honored as the oldest member. This reunion in memory of an honored church was held at a fortunate time for before another year had passed some of the guests were no longer living.
The Rev. J. Lloyd Smith was the first pastor of the Eland and Birnamwood Church. He served from 1898 to 1906. Others were Rev. Bachelor, Jacob Spoolman, J. M. Peterson, William Powe, supply pastors C. W. Pinckney, Joseph O'Neil, John Gibson, Lionel Whiston, Fred Paffman, and Gordon Bennett, Antigo Congregational Church. The members disbanded soon after the departure of the Rev. Jacob Groetsema in 1959, the church was closed and within a few years it was razed. Some members joined the Methodist Church in Wittenberg. Mrs. Brown attends the Birnamwood Congregational Church when she is able. She observed her 90th birthday on January 23, 1973.
The charter members were F. A. McLaughlin, William Sherlock, I, John Sherlock, W. C. Pickering, J. R. Franklin, Elwin Franklin, Ralph Warner and their families.
Judy Liscomb Voelz, Eau Claire; Eva LaDuke Jarusch, Antigo; Mrs. George Steed, Neenah; Mr. and Mrs. Zaneas Pittsley, Wausau; Mrs. Loyal Rice, Antigo; Hazel Gaylord Skrupky, Crandon; Mr. and Mrs. Ole Paulson, Norrie; Mrs. Joe Staltz, Wausau; Frances Lipke Young, Chicago; Morgan J. Sherlock, Brady Montanna; Mr. and Mrs. Ward Franklin, Ashland; Joe Moser, Lela Pribbenow Moser, Clintonville; Mr. and Mrs. Vern Nelson (Joyce Franklin), Pine City, Minnesota; Mr. and Mrs. Vern Pickering, Hatley; Mr. and Mrs. Dale VanDorn (Belle Franklin), Elkhorn; Mrs. Wilmette Pickerlng Kinney, Wausau; Mrs. Beulah Pickering Mechelke, Wausau.
Delores Mechelke DeVoe, Wausau; Dr. and Mrs. G. Moede, Beloit; Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Seffer (Laura Franklin) Oconomowoc; Mrs. Fred Gilder, Dolores Larson Smith, Mrs. Gust Hanke, Eland; Mrs. R. M. Reichert, Norrie; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Stelter, Eland; Mrs. Harry Vanderbilt, Ringle; Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Sherlock, Madison; Mrs. E. B. Wickstrom, Wittenberg; Mrs. C. G. Fuchs, Mrs. Marilyn Hanke, Brian and Bruce, Eland.
Mr. and Mrs. M. E. Sensenbrunner, Wittenberg; Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Wolfinger, Sebring, Fla.; Mr. and Mrs. William Rettig, Wittenberg; Anna Rettig Cottrel. Eland; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Liscomb, Wittenberg; Mrs. A. J. Bigford, Eland; Elwin Franklin, Waupun; James Sensenbrenner, Columbus, Ohio; Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Brown, Shawano; Malcolm Voelz, Eau Claire and Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Meode, Oconto.
Zion Lutheran Church
Many of the early settlers in the Eland area were of German descent and desired to preserve the traditions and religion of their homeland. In 1898, they met together and organized the Zion Lutheran Parish. For a time they met in the Charles Trebus home. then in the first Schoolhouse. The Trebus, Charles Warning, Gotleib Kunst, Carl Panko, William Letteau and Emil Schellm families composed the membership. The Rev. Otto List was the first pastor to conduct services in the school building. He came each Sunday with a horse and buggy from Wittenberg over a highway covered with snow in the winter, mud in the Spring and dust in the Summer.
Working together they built a church in 1901 on land donated by Charles Warning. The building complete with tall steeple was well constructed, mostly by volunteer labor. It still stands sturdy, on the original site. Only minor repairs have been made during the years. The steeple has been removed due to decaying lumber. A small part has been added on and the steps repaired. The interior has been redecorated and new pews installed, but the building stands as it was built seventy-years-ago.
Zion Lutheran affiliated with St. Paul's Lutheran, Birnamwood, after the departure of the Rev. List. Then Rev. E. G. Englebert served both parishes. It was he, who organized the Ladies Aid Society in 1914. He also promoted young people's meetings and the Sunday School. Other pastors who served both churches were Reverend August Kirchoefer, F. W. Droegmueller, and supply pastors Raymond Catteau, Richard Glock and Walter Baese.
After the departure of the Rev. Baese in 1968, Zion Lutheran again affiliated with St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Wittenberg. At the present time Rev. John Boerger, Shawano, is supply pastor.
Arnold Bennett, chairman, Pat Gunderson, Earl Panko and Clarence Graves, compose the church officers. Mrs. James Ringstad is president of the Ladies Aid Society, Mrs. Edward Bamke, secretary and Mrs. Gladys Johnson, treasurer.
The Ladies Aid Society is active in church work and the Sunday School is progressing. They have passed their golden milestone and are on the way to the seventy-fifth.
St. William's Catholic Church
The history of St. William's Catholic Church goes back to 1912, when the All Saints Congregation was organized as a mission of the Antigo Catholic Church. Before that families of Catholic faith attended Mass at the Norrie Church. This church is now in ruins.
They either walked the distance, about five miles or drove with horse and buggy or wagon. The Norrie Church Mass was conducted in the English language and the Polish language, a two hour session. The first Mass in Eland was conducted by Rev. Fr. Kopfel in the Kutchin Building later the Franklin Store.
In 1912, Michael Hulehan donated the land and the men of the parish cooperated in building St. William's Catholic Church. The building is large enough to seat a large attendance. The early carpenters and builders had future growth in mind when they constructed the new church. During the years the inside has been well kept and presents an attractive appearance. When Mr. Hulehan donated the land there was a wide space in front of the entrance, but intersecting streets have narrowed the space, and now the front steps are only slightly off the street. The back is shaded by trees.
E. Schwalbach, John Caroll, Frank Meverden, John Wolfinger, Mike Pieper, Ed Kohasky and Angus McNiel, charter members, gave of their time and energy in building the new church. Werner Wolfinger and Pat Caroll, sons of John Caroll and John Wolfinger are still members The charter members are all gone, but the building they erected still serves the Eland members.
After The Rev. Fr. A. J. Koepfel transferred to another parish, St. Williams joined the parish of St. Philomene's in Birnamwood. This relationship continued until 1961, when they joined the Holy Family Parish of Wittenberg. During their Birnamwood association with St. Philomene's Catholic Church, they were served by the same priests: Rev. Fr. Jerome Watrey, Ralph Hermson, Rev. Thomas Golden and now Rev. Claude Zabinski is the pastor of both churches.
The original plain glass windows in the church were replaced in 1928 with stained, glass panes which add to the appearance of the building, outside and in. The new windows were installed at a cost of $585. In 1935, an addition was erected at the rear at a cost of $1,800.
The women of the church do much toward improvements. Mrs. James Bugni is president. and Mrs. David Norrbom serves as secretary-treasurer. Their meetings are informal and their projects interesting.
Werner Wolfinger, retired Postmaster and businessman, uses much of his spare time for church maintenance. He hopes to keep the church of his parents in existence as long as possible. Survival is in the good hands of the descendants of those early members and builders who will carry the torch and pass it on to. their children 'and grand: children.
There is no parish cemetery. Many of their deceased rest in the cemetery of St. Philomene's Catholic Church in Birnamwood.
.