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Paster J.E. (I.E) Wuebben 1894-1900

St. Paul's History

PASTOR J.E. (I.E.) WUEBBEN 1894-1900 Pastor Wuebben’s history has been traced back to the following: Pastor J.E. Wuebben (or I.E. - In German printing the letters I and J are identical. Pastor Wuebben’s first name may have been Johannes or Janke Eiben) was a native of Burhofe--Wittmund, East Friesland, Kingdom of Hannover, Germany. He was born in the year 1821 and received his ministerial training at the Hermannsburger Mission School.

Forty-five years of Pastor Wuebben life history is lost but in January of 1866, Pastor J.E. Wuebben (I.E.) started the first church and school in the Copper Country of the Lake Michigan Peninsula under the name of “Deutsche Evangelisehe Lutherische Peter and Pauls Germeinde in Hanock” (German Evangelical Lutheran Peter and Paul’s Congregation at Hancock). Pastor Wuebben served this congregation until 1884 when he moved westward. He also served the congregations of Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Seymour, Wisconsin and Concordia Lutheran Church in Armstrong, Minnesota. His next move was to the Stewart area.

This early history of Pastor Wuebben was provided by: Mr. Arthur Wuebben. Mr. Wuebben is a great-great nephew of Pastor Wuebben.

Early in the year of 1894, Pastor J.E. (I.E.) Wuebben, pastor of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church of Round Grove Township, contacted the Postmaster of Stewart. He requested Postmaster Bordell place a notice in the post office stating that Pastor Wuebben would conduct a church service the following Sunday at 2:00 P.M. in the town hall. Pastor Wuebben realized that the German Lutherans, most of Pomeranian decent, needed a church of their own. The neighboring churches were simply too far away for most people to attend regularly. Two families attended that first service in Stewart, the Edward Bethke family and the D.W. Mueller family. This church service held in a town hall with only two families attending marked the beginning of the GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF STEWART.

Pastor Wuebben regularly conducted services in Stewart with attendance growing rapidly to fifteen families. Most services were held in the D.W. Mueller home but occasionally the town hall was used.

Desiring to have a resting place for their loved ones the church obtained its first property. On April 20, 1894, D.A. Stewart deeded St. Paul’s German Evangelical Lutheran Church Lot 19 for $110.00. This transaction was witnessed by D.W. Mueller, Herman Brown and John Rux. The first property the church owned and still remains the church cemetery.

In August of the same year, with Pastor Wuebben’s help, the church constitution was drawn up and adopted electing August Lehman as the first secretary and George Trojan and the first treasurer. The treasurer’s report from November 1, 1894 thru February 1, 1895, recorded the church income of $167.50 with expenses totaling $156.20 leaving a balance of $11.37.

In February of 1895, Pastor Wuebben accepted the call to St. Paul’s German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Stewart. The salary was about $450.00 per year,plus the customary supplies for transportation including feed for his horses and other animals. The church members also provided the Wuebben family with gratuities like wheat for flour or other items needed to support a family.

With his salary, Pastor Wuebben was able to build a new home for his family. On March 1, 1896, he purchased Lots 8 and 9 - Block 19 for $50.00 from D.A. Stewart. This home is still located on the original lot although it has been remodeled several times.

Under the Grace of God and the guidance of Pastor Wuebben, this small group of Christians outgrew the home of the Mueller’s and a larger place was needed for worship. On January 7, 1898, Lots 4 and 5 - Block 19 was deeded to the German Evangelical Lutheran Church, building their first church north of Pastor Wuebben’s home. This church was used as the church until 1902 when a larger church was built. The original church was sold to Otto Hackert and in 1910 purchased by Gustav Wick, remaining in that family until recently.

Pastor Wuebben served the German Evangelical Lutheran Church for five years. He was also instrumental in organizing congregations in Buffalo Lake, Hector, and Brownton. At the age of 78, Pastor Wuebben retired from active ministry but continued to serve our church until 1900.

Pastor J.E. Wuebben (Johannes or Janke Eiben) was called to his eternal home December 13, 1909. His wife, Suenna Catharina (nee Carstensen) was from North Schleswig, Lowenstedt, Germany. She passed away on April 13, 1920. Both are resting in the cemetery of Concordia Lutheran Church in Armstrong, Minnesota.