St. John first church, school in Mount Prospect

St. John Lutheran Church played a big role in Mount Prospect's history, predating its incorporation by 69 years.

In 1848, the Rev. Francis A. Hoffman, an immigrant from Schaumburg, Germany, came to Elk Grove Township to preach in the native tongue of Lutheran Germans who had settled there.

Hoffman believed the conservative religious traditions vital to the German culture would be easier to adhere to if a parish based on a common language was established.

Some founding members of the congregation and their descendants would go on to become prominent figures in the development of Mount Prospect, including Friedrich Busse, Christian Heinrich, Christian Linnemann and Conrad Moehling. The church itself wasn't annexed into the village until 1970.

As with other churches, a community effort was needed to both build and fund the congregation's new home. Money was collected, construction was completed, and eventually a church was dedicated on Dec. 26, 1848.

Immediately following the dedication, Hoffman installed the Rev. Clements Klein. However, his stay was brief. In 1850, the congregation welcomed a third pastor - the Rev. John G. Kuntz, who established a cemetery and was involved in St. John's decision to affiliate with the Missouri Synod in 1852.

The year after the affiliation was a year of changes. Another new pastor was installed, the Rev. Karl Sallmann, and a new church building was constructed. Although the church community experienced hardships in the form of a parsonage fire and subsequent destruction of congregational records in 1859, St. John, under the guidance of the Rev. William Bartling, enjoyed relative peace during the Civil War years.

This peace continued following Bartling's departure and the Rev. Henry Schmidt's installation. Under his leadership, St. John gained a new school building in 1864 and an expanded congregation as well. Because of the latter achievement, Schmidt was nicknamed "the missionary."

Following Schmidt in the pulpit were men who brought leadership, guidance, and significant changes to the church as the surrounding community grew. The Rev. William Dorn was influential in obtaining St. John's first bell and steeple in 1874. The Rev. Herman Ramelow preached to build church support of an Addison orphanage, Kinderheim, in 1879. He also helped to form the congregational band in 1881.

Affectionately called "The Builder" by parishioners, the Rev. J. Henry Haake was responsible for the rebuilding of the church in 1892 (the earlier building was moved and became one of the area's first English-speaking public schools), the schoolhouse in 1901 (it served as home to the Mount Prospect Historical Society for 25 years beginning in 1967), and the parsonage's north wing in 1904.

Also under his leadership, St. John became incorporated and celebrated its 50th anniversary.

In 1907, in perhaps a sign of the changing times, the church's wood walls and ceilings were fortified with metal under the Rev. Julius Drexler. The Rev. Louis Millies witnessed - and was blamed by some for - the departure of 13 parishioners who eventually founded St. Paul Lutheran Church and school.

Since its founding in 1848, St. John has been plagued with a "revolving door" syndrome concerning pastors. A notable exception was the Rev. Ferdinand Gehrs, who served 43 years.

After 169 years, St. John remains an important place of worship, in addition to its history as the township's first church and school and as the final resting place of many early residents.