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4 | St. John's Lutheran Church | 150th Anniversary Pastor Theo Jaekel T his pioneer missionary was succeeded by a world missionary named August W. Wiese. He received his theological training in the Hermannsburg Seminary for foreign missionaries in Africa and had worked ten years in Zululand when he received a good recommendation from Superintendent Hohls. He arrived in Milwaukee on May 23, 1868 and was received as a member of Synod in Racine during the month of June. On August 24, 1868 he received a call to the Winchester parish which then consisted of seven congregations and one preaching station including "East" Bloomfield. He faithfully continued the work undertaken by his predecessor until on Ascension Day he was exposed to the "black" pox while making a sick call and succumbed to this dread disease May 30, 1870 only to be followed in death by his two young daughters, Emilie, on June 18, 1870, and Marie on June 25, 1870, all of whom lie buried in the Zittau cemetery. His wife too came down with the same disease and her life laid in the balance for several months, but the Lord gave her strength to bear her cross courageously and also regain her health and strength. She and her four-year-old son continued to dwell in the parsonage for almost a year with the husband's full salary and later returned to the land of her birth, but Synod continued to support them while residing in Germany. When another area Pastor, John N. Beyer, also succumbed, all churches in the vicinity were temporarily closed in an effort to check the disease.Surely "The Lord perserveth the strangers: he relieveth the fatherless and widow." Psalm 146:9. f 1868 - 1870 Pastor August Wiese P ASTOR THEO JAEKEL did the initial work in the area and is considered the founder and organizer of the congregation. East Wisconsin in the early 1850's became a new frontier for the immigrants who came from Germany in search of land for their sons. A log church was erected. A constitution was drawn up and adopted on January 30, 1868. The first missionary to come to Winchester and then cross the Wolf River was Theo. Jaekel, a native of Hirshberg, Silesia, Germany. He was the son of a German teacher and well instructed in the Holy Scripture. He received his training for the holy ministry in the University of Breslau, Silesia and completed his seminary work at Muensterberg and then entered the ministry in Prussia, Germany. In 1864 he met Pastor John Bading while the latter was in Germany trying to arouse interest in the work of the Lutheran Church in the United States. Pastor Bading succeeded in gaining him for the work in Wisconsin. Coming to Wisconsin, he was assigned a parish in Town Winchester, Winnebago County and arrived there November 11, 1864. He had an Indian pony and made his rounds in the various congregations on horseback. He was received in Synod June 23, 1865 and reported to that body the following year that he was serving three congregations and four preaching stations and in 1867 six congregations and three preaching stations. He did the pioneer work in the area and can be considered the organizer and founder of St. John's Congregation. He preached in homes, baptized children, and perhaps gave us the impetus to erect a log church which served as the first house of worship for the early settlers. Under his direction, assisted by a Committee consisting of Friedrich Groening, Gottfried Draeger and August Bartel, a constitution was drawn up and adopted January 30, 1868. Shortly thereafter he accepted a call as successor to John Muehlhaeuser, a founder of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and was installed in Grace Lutheran Church, Milwaukee March 1, 1868. Pastor Jaekel served as Secretary of Synod for many years, exerted an influence in its battle against unionism, was invited back to this area time and again to serve as guest speaker for special occasions, and died suddenly and unexpectedly during catechetical instructions January 30, 1906 at an age of 76 years. He was survived by his widow, the former Alwine Genthe, whom he married in 1860. They were not blessed with the gift of children. f 1864 - 1868 Pastor eo Jaekel