1. The St. John's German Lutheran Church (E. D.) founded 1847
2. The Zion German Evangelical, Lutheran Church founded 1855
3. St. Matthew's English Lutheran Church founded 1858
4. The First German Lutheran Church of Green-Point founded 1869
5. The German Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Mark's (Bowronville) founded 1868
The St. John's German Lutheran Church (E. D.), located on Graham avenue, corner of Wyckoff street, was incorporated July 25, 1847, under the name of the German Evangelical Church, the number of communicants being then ninety. Its first pastor was the Rev. Benjamin Louis Schwartz; Elders, Gen. Beck, Charles Maerts, James Weisshaan; and deacons, David Klink, C. Herrschaft, George Goetz. In November, 1848, Mr. Schwartz, having received a call to Boston, was succeeded by the Rev. Christian Frederick Hermann Bezel, who died in August, 1849, and in December of the same year was followed by the Rev. Robert Koehler. Mr. Koehler, in July, 1850, dissolved his connection with the congregation, and in August, the Rev. John H. Mengart was elected pastor. At this time the number of communicants was one hundred and sixty, with an average attendance of three hundred and twenty, and a sabbath school, with an average attendance of between ninety and one hundred pupils. Rev. Christian J. Weisel is the present pastor.
The Zion German Evangelical, Lutheran Church (Henry street, near Clark). In the fall of 1855, the present pastor of this church, the Rev. Frederick William Tobias Steimle, who had been previously stationed in the Eastern District, was induced to come to this portion of the city with the hope of establishing a new Lutheran church organization. The enterprise had its hindrances and difficulties, but a good friend, Jacob Goedel, Esq., hired a room in the Franklin Buildings, corner of Nassau and Fulton streets, in which divine services were held on the first sabbath of Advent, 1855, only about twelve persons being present. The number of attendants gradually increased, until in March, 1856, the congregation sought more ample quarters in the Juvenile High School on Washington street, where they worshiped during the following spring, Summer and fall, and were also organized as a regular church with proper officers. So greatly were they prospered of God that they were enabled to purchase the building in Henry street, known then as Concert Hall (and belonging originally to the Second Reformed Dutch Church), which they reconverted into a church and dedicated to its appropriate uses on the 30th of November, 1856. The growth of this church, under the ministrations of the active and faithful pastor, has been rapid and healthy ; from 1855 to July, 1868, four thousand three hundred and ninety-three persons have here partaken of the Lord's supper, and three hundred and eightyfour have been confirmed; while the sabbath school has been maintained with diligence and zeal, and a day school (Zion Academy), is also connected with the church, where under a competent teacher, children are thoroughly educated (both in German and English), in all things necessary for their welfare in time or eternity. This church is doing a most excellent work among the German population, and has fully commended itself to the confidence of the American religious denominations which surround it.
St. Matthew's English Lutheran Church. At a meeting of the Evangelical Lutheran ministerium of New York, held in the fall of 1858, it was resolved to establish an English Lutheran mission in the city of Brooklyn. In the spring of 1859, the services of Rev. Win. Hall, a graduate of Hartwick Seminary, were secured for this field, and on May 24th, after consulting with the Lutherans residing in Brooklyn, he organized the St. Matthew's English Lutheran church, with eighteen members, most of whom had been previously connected with St. James's English Lutheran Church, of New York. In June, 1859, the congregation rented the hall No. 189 Washington street for one year, where they worshiped regularly. The Sunday school was organized about the same time. and held its sessions in the same building. In June, 1860, the school room of the Elm Place Congregational Church was rented, and occupied for worship till October, 1860, when the church on Atlantic street, above Powers, till then used as a Baptist church, was bought and occupied as a place of worship. In January, 1862, Rev. Mr. Hull who had been acting as missionary, resigned this position and accepted a call tendered him by the Lutheran church at Ancram, N.Y. From this field he was, in 1866, called to Athens, N. Y., taking charge at the same time, of an important mission in Hudson, N. Y., where he has been eminently successful. Rev. N. S. Strobel and Rev. V. L. Conrad, of New York, supplied the pulpit for several months after Mr.Hull's removal. In January, 1863, the congregation tendered a unanimous call to Rev. F. C. H. Lampe, of Pottsville, Pa., which be felt constrained to decline. In April, 1863, Rev. Ed. J. Koons, of Whitemarsb, Pa., was called to the church, which connection he maintained until August, 1865, when he was called to a professorship in the Allentown Collegiate Institute, Pa., now Muhlenberg College. In September, 1865, Rev. 1. K. Funk, the present pastor, was called. About this time the work of canceling the church debt was begun by the Rev. F. C. H. Lampe, who had always been a warm friend of the church, securing by his own exertions over $2,000. This work was continued by the pastor, who was materially aided by the Hon. H. H. Van Dyke, assistant treasurer, U. S., New York, and now the church is nearly free from debt. During the ministry of Rev. Mr. Funk, the membership has greatly increased; the Sunday school is in a flourishing condition, numbering over one hundred and fifty scholars, and under the present superintendent, Mr. J. N. Hallenbeck, is steadily increasing in efficiency and power.
It is but justice to mention that this church owes a great deal of its present prosperity to Messrs. A. F. and George P. Ockershausen, of New York, who, during the darkest hours of its existence, sustained it by their counsels and their means.
The Rev. Isaac K. Funk was born September 10, 1839, near Springfield, Ohio. His parents were born in Pennsylvania, but emigrated early to Ohio. His ancestors came from Germany nearly a century ago. He graduated in 1860 from Wittenberg College, Springfield, Ohio, and studied theology in the seminary connected with this institution. Ho was ordained by the Miami Lutheran Synod on the 18th of May, 1862. Mr. Funk studied elocution under Professor Kidd of Indiana for a year, and served as Chaplain on a hospital boat chartered by the state of Ohio to convey her wounded home. His first pastoral charge was at Carey, Ohio, and in September, 1865, he accepted a call to St. Matthew's Church.
The First German Lutheran Church of Green-Point was organized about 1867, and first worshiped in Union Hall; until, in 1869, having about one hundred members, it erected a neat frame edifice, on Leonard street, near GreenPoint avenue, which was dedicated November 28th, 1869. It is thirty-two by seventy-five feet in size, with a front elevation of thirty feet; mats four hundred, and cost $12,000, including a small organ. Pastor, K. H. 0. Kaselitz; trustees, Henry Lettman, Christian H. Koch and James L. Jansen.
The German Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Mark's (Bowronville) Was organized January 2d, 1868, by Messrs. W. Droge, Fr. Noll, Ch. Rohrig, L. Muller, W. Pope, J. Wolf, M. Delft, W. G. Regewisch, A. Detering, G. Vigelius, W. Van Behrenn, H. F. Nolte, Ch. Huebner, B. Gisch, J. Ross, W. A. Schmitthenner, Ch. Mohr, M. Renner, Fr. Mocholdt, Fr. Herr, C. Schmeissing, and Rev. Mr. Flath, of East New York, temporarily supplied the pulpit. The corner-stone of a church edifice was laid, August 30, 1868, and the building dedicated June 20, 1869, on Evergreen avenue, at the head of Jefferson street, E. D., and at the same time, the Rev. G. A. Schmidt was installed as pastor.
The building is a frame structure above an ample basement of brick and stone, and its dimensions are forty-four feet front by seventy-four feet deep, and has an elevation of forty feet with a small belfry. The exterior is painted white with grained walnut trimmings, and presents a picturesque and neat appearance. The cost of the church complete was $15,000, of which sum more than two-thirds has been paid by voluntary subscriptions. Present church membership (male) thirty-six; Sunday school one hundred and ten pupils and fifteen teachers; and fifty-two scholars on day school.