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Ebenezer Moravian Church

and

Watertown Moravian Church

Ebenezer Moravian Church

[south of city]

1853-2003

1987, Prior to Renovation

1853

Ebenezer Moravian Church, located four miles south of Watertown, marked its 150th anniversary in 2003.

Ebenezer Moravian Church was one of the first churches established in the Watertown area. In the spring of 1853, the Rev. John G. Kaltenbrunn, a former teacher and Moravian missionary from Silesia, Germany, left New York City for Jefferson County to minister to a small group of German immigrant families who had requested a pastor from the Moravian Church.

Only a month and a half after his arrival, on June 17, 1853, 13 families signed the charter that established Ebenezer as the first Moravian church in southern Wisconsin and one of the first Moravian churches in the state.

Lake Mills and DeForest

With contributions from the Home Mission Society of New York, the members built a one-room log cabin in the fall that served as parsonage, house of worship and schoolhouse. That same year Kaltenbrunn started a German day school, which continued to hold classes until 1925. From Ebenezer he traveled the surrounding area establishing preaching places that eventually became organized congregations in Watertown, Lake Mills and DeForest, and earned him the reputation as the "Father of the Moravian Church in Wisconsin." [File on Lake Mills Moravian]

Originally incorporated as "The Moravian Church in the Town of Watertown," the name was changed to Ebenezer after the congregation dedicated its first church-building on Oct. 5, 1856. The name derives from the Watchword for that day, I Samuel 7:12, "Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Jeshanah, and called its name Ebenezer, for he said, 'Hitherto the Lord has helped us."' This verse was also chosen as the theme for the 150th anniversary. WDT, 06 11 2003

The Moravian Church is a Protestant denomination with more than 500 years history, preceding even the Reformation. From its inception, the Moravian Church has emphasized God's love for all people, fellowship and understanding. The Moravian Church of America is comprised of nearly 160 congregations and 50,000 members of all walks of life, in 17 U.S. States and two Canadian provinces.

Link to Ebenezer Moravian Cemetery file

Watertown Moravian Church

[within city]

1854-2004

1901-1902

Click on images to enlarge

First church building, 605 Cole St, erected in 1855. It also provided room for the parish school and the teacher resided in the rooms at the rear.

Church building erected in 1864. Dedicated August 14. This second building was replaced by the present church in 1904 and has since been enlarged upon and improver.

1859

01 06 Dwelling of Rev. Mr. Kaltenbrunn, pastor of the Moravian Church, was destroyed by fire WD

1902 Rev. Albert Haupert departure

08 08 One of the most noteworthy events in the annals of the Y.P.S.C.E. of the Moravian Church took place last evening in the chapel of that church when a sumptuous feast in the form of a farewell banquet had been prepared in honor of the beloved pastor, Rev. Albert Haupert who will shortly leave for another field of service. The tables were arranged so as to form the letter "E" signifying “Endeavor.” Covers were laid for 60, all of whom with but a few exceptions were members of the society. On each place lay a handsome souvenir in the shape of a booklet, having a “C.E.” monogram inscribed on the cover and the name of the person assigned to that place inscribed below. Shortly after eight o'clock the young people, who had up to this time been indulging in games on the parsonage lawn, repaired to the chapel and took the places assigned them by the committee. A hymn was sung, which was followed by a moment of solemn silence, in which with bowed heads blessing was being inaudibly invoked by the assembled guests. The well prepared and wholesome food, of which here was in a great abundance, was then passed unsparingly. After the wants of the inner man were satisfied, Miss Bertha Marquardt as toastmistress, called upon Rev. Karl Mueller, as one who for some years had been a co-worker with Rev. Haupert, to make a speech appropriate to the occasion on behalf of the society. In responding, Rev. Haupert thanked the society for the token of appreciation shown him on this as well as on other occasions, and assured them that the gratitude and love shown him and his family would ever remain sacred in his memory. WG

1904

11 17

The new Moravian church will be dedicated on Sunday, November 20. Bishop J. Mortimer Levering, president of the provincial elders conference of Bethlehem, Pa., will officiate, preaching the dedicatory service in German at 10 a. m. and English at 7:30 p. m. The afternoon service at 2 o'clock will be a jubilee service, the congregation having been 50 years old September 11. Offering for the new church will be taken up at every service. The public is cordially invited.

12 04 Rev. D. C. Meinert, of Nazareth, Pa., formerly pastor in Watertown, appointed assistant principal of Linden Hall seminary at Lititz. WG

1907

10 01 New bell placed in the belfry of Moravian Church WG

1908

09 04 Charles Fischer attends provincial synod of Moravian church.

1909

10 01 Mission Fest largely attended; large delegations WG

1911

07 27 Moravian Church Interior Decorated

The Moravian Church during the past few weeks has been undergoing some changes in its interior which will greatly add to its beauty and attractiveness. The organ has been removed from its former position and placed directly in the rear of the pulpit, together with a platform for the choir, which change will make it better for the speaker and the congregation. The beautiful art window removed from the rear of the pulpit has been fitted in the former organ recess while another window of prism glass reflects its beauty. The interior walls have been repainted and decorated, the artists being J. B. Murphy and his assistants, the decorations being in keeping with the interior finish. Arrangements are under way to open the auditorium on next Sunday if possible and special speakers and musical talent has been secured for the occasion. WG

1912

01 11 Nowack, William, Carl and little Ruth

The special missionary services at the Moravian Church last Sunday evening at which the Rev. William H. Nowack gave a report on the Ebenezer mission at Pi Yang Hsien, Honan Province, China, was attended by over two hundred interested members of the local churches. Little Ruth Nowack, aged 7 years, eldest daughter of Rev. Nowack, dressed in Chinese costume, sang “Jesus Loves Me,” in the Chinese tongue. Although the audience showed no signs of being weary after listening for a full hour, Rev. Nowack thought he had done the subject justice. Carl F. Nowack has been acting as home secretary for the mission, publishing the missionaries’ circular letters and forwarding gifts from friends. WG

1956

02 23 The Rev. Thorlief Harberg, pastor of the Moravian Church in Northfield, Minn., has been named pastor of the Watertown Moravian Church and will take over his duties here in September. The Rev. Mr. Harberg will succeed the present pastor, the Rev. Dr. Victor L. Thomas, here since 1944. Dr. Thomas will move to Madison in September to assume his new duties as president of the Western District of the Moravian Church in America, to which he was elected last year. He succeeds Bishop I. R. Mewaldt of Madison in the office of the district presidency. The new minister of the Moravian Church is no stranger to Watertown. He is known among the Moravian community here and has been a visitor at various times in Watertown and has appeared as a guest preacher at the local church.

1981

04 22 Members and friends of the Watertown Moravian Church will celebrate the dedication of its new pipe organ and the rededication of its remodeled sanctuary on Sunday. There will be two celebration events. The old organ was purchased by the congregation in 1937 from a Milwaukee firm that rebuilt old theater organs. Because of badly needed repairs, the congregation voted to purchase the new instrument from the Schantz Organ Company of Orrville, Ohio, a firm that has been a leader in pipe organ construction for over 100 years. The instrument consists of two manuals and pedal divisions. The great and pedal organs are exposed in the center of the chancel wall and form a visual frame around the cross. There are 19 ranks plus a one-half rank extension for a total of 1,125 pipes.

1982

12 22 Rev. Jack Hicks’ Christmas gift to Rev. Eric Schulze

1999

10 28 The final service for Barry and Valerie Lehman, pastors of Watertown Moravian Church, is set for Sunday. The Lehmans moved to Watertown in 1984. Barry Lehman began his ministry on July 1. Valerie Lehman entered Nashotah House seminary in 1986 and graduated in June 1989. Following her ordination, she was called as co-pastor of the local congregation. Barry Lehman earned a doctor of ministry degree from Lutheran Theological Seminary in Chicago in 1993 and has been a part-time alcohol and drug abuse counselor with Family Resources Associates of Watertown and Lake Mills since 1995. They have recently accepted the call to become co-pastors of the Chaska, Minn., Moravian Church. They will begin their ministry there on Nov. 1. WDT

2001

05 26 Dr. Frederick Lemke scholarship program, WACF WDT

2003

12 20 A small brick home at 609 Cole St. was the original home of the Watertown Moravian Church, now located at 510 Cole St., about a block to the west of the original building.

The Moravian congregation in Watertown has its roots in the pioneers who came here from Germany in the mid-19th century.

Names like Strehlow, Klatte, Flath, Witte, Hans, Klausch, Botzel, Klar, Gerbsch and Eberle immigrated to the United States from Brandenburg, Prussia and settled near Watertown in the spring of 1851. They had been part of the state church in Germany but they learned about the Moravian Church from Brother Joachus Niedershoe and his wife who were church workers.

By May of 1953 Father John Gottlob Kaltenbrunn arrived in Watertown and the congregation was formed. The congregation was officially organized on June 17, 1853, and the congregation took on the name Ebenezer, just south of the city limits.

By September of 1854 a second congregation was formed, this one in the city. It was done with the blessings of the Ebenezer congregation. Original founders of this congregation were August Volkmann, George Marquardt, August Schiffler, Gustave Eberle, Henry Homan, Henry Bruns, Frederick Gerbsch, Louisa Volkmann, Marie Marquardt, Catharine Schiffler, Marie Eberle, Marie Homan, Henrietta Gerbsch and Louisa Gerbsch. In addition there were eight children for a total of 22 souls.

The first board of trustees were Henry Homan, George Marquart and Frederick Gerbsch. Brother Kaltenbrunn was voted to become pastor.

On Sept. 16, 1854, just months after Watertown was incorporated as a city, the trustees completed purchase of a building lot which was later known as 609 Cole St. It was 50 feet wide and 108 feet deep. The cost was $80 of which $40 was given by the Ebenezer congregation, $15 from members of the new congregation and $25 as a loan from the Ebenezer congregation. That was big money back in those days.

The following year, in 1855, the congregation began construction of its church and school building. The building was 18 by 36 feet. In it was the worship area and the school room for a "Universal Christian School." Subjects to be taught at the school included religion, reading, arithmetic, writing in German and English, orthography, geography, history, English speech, singing and "other advantageous knowledge." Tuition was set at a maximum of 25 cents per month.

The teacher was to be paid $100 a year and was to get living quarters and wood for fuel.

The building was ready for plastering by July 4, 1855. Lumber for the building was obtained from timber donated by the Ebenezer congregation from their cemetery. Bolz and Quintmeyer made a donation of 1,000 bricks. Individual congregation members donated labor and cash. One person was hired by the month to dig the cellar and otherwise assist with the building project. When it was all done, the new building cost $500. School went into session on Sept. 10, 1855.

With the opening of the school, the congregation learned it was carrying a debt of $105. To give you an idea of the size, at that same time, the pastor's compensation was $9.50 per quarter. But, by Christmas of 1856 the congregation was free of debt.

In 1863, the school was turned over to the "English and German Christian Academy of the City of Watertown" and by 1870 the school was closed.

The year the school was turned over to this society the congregation saw the need for a new church building. In November of that year the church council voted to move ahead with plans and on May 5, 1864, the cornerstone was put in place on the present building at Sixth and Cole streets.

After that time, the original building was sold and used as a private home until it was demolished in 2003. WDT

Abstracted from Watertown Daily Times, 09 14 2004

The Watertown Moravian Church congregation celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2004.

The Watertown Moravian Church was a product of pioneers who came to this country from Germany in the mid-19th century. These pioneers had experience with the Moravian Church in Germany prior to their travels to the wilderness of the Midwest and applied to the governing board of the Moravian Church in America, located in Bethlehem, Pa., to supply them with a minister for their spiritual needs.

In response to the request, the board in Pennsylvania sent the Rev. John Gottlob Kaltenbrunn who arrived in Watertown in early May 1853. Since most of the families lived in the country south of Watertown, the center of worship for the newly organized congregation was located there. The first Moravian congregation in this area was organized on June 17, 1853, and was named Ebenezer.

Soon thereafter a number of other families in the city of Watertown joined the group and the need for a separate and local organization became apparent. At a meeting held on Sept. 7, 1854, it was agreed to meet again on Sept. 11 for the purpose of organizing a new congregation. The newly formed, congregation was incorporated as of that date under the name "The Moravian Church in the City of Watertown." There were 22 people who were part of the first church with names such as Marquart, Volkmann, Schiffler, Eberle, Homan and Gerbsch.

The first property was a parcel of land which was 50 by 109 feet. The purchase price was $80. The building that was erected in 1855 was on the south side of Cole Street between North Sixth and North Eighth streets. It was decided to operate the school as a Christian Day School, then spoken of as a "Universal Christian School."

By 1863 the school was turned over to a Christian Society which was incorporated the following year as "The English and German Christian Academy of the city of Watertown." The school was officially closed in 1870.

In November of 1863 at the meeting of the congregation a decision was made to proceed with plans for a new edifice. Sufficient funds were received so that the work could be started the following spring and the cornerstone could be laid on May 5, 1864. Progress on the church building was so rapid that both roof and tower were added five weeks after groundbreaking and the interior completed early in August, 1864.

The entire cost of the new church was $2,512.62. There were 52 communicants and 60 children. Sunday School attendance ran between 80 and 90.

In 1903 plans for a new church began to take shape. It was the 50th anniversary of the congregation and the new building became known as the Jubilee Church. The bid from J. A. Denning of Janesville for $11,856 for the entire building ($10,738 for the church without the chapel) was accepted. The first church was tom down at a cost of $350 which included clean-up of the old lumber and bricks for reuse in the new building. The bell in the church tower was added in 1907. In 1928 a Milwaukee architect was hired to draw up plans for a thorough remodeling of the church sanctuary, entrances, chapel and second floor Sunday school rooms, and a new heating plant.

In 1934 the use of the German language was discontinued at the regular services of the church.

In 1936 a new pipe organ was purchased and installed by Wagnerian Organ Company of Milwaukee for $2,000. The Mamre Moravian Church bought the old organ for $50 and is still in use by that congregation.

In preparation for the 100th anniversary an extensive remodeling of the downstairs, the choir loft and Sunday School rooms of the church was done. At that time there 420 communicant members and 126 children. Under the leadership of Pastor Thor Harberg in the early 1960s the congregation voted to build a new Christian Education wing. It was dedicated on January 31, 1965, with the inclusion of the cornerstone from the first church built in 1864.

There have also been building improvements in celebration of the 150th anniversary.

2009

08 25 Watertown Moravian Church recently made a donation to the city’s Truancy Abatement Program, which is a cooperative effort between the Watertown Unified School District and Watertown Police Department to curb truancy in the middle and grade schools WDT

Cross-References:

Establishment of Marquardt Manor by Watertown Moravian Church