Immanuel Lutheran Church Register

Immanuel Lutheran Church in Cass Lake, Minnesota was formally organized in 1902¹Immanuel Lutheran Congregation. History. Self-published: Cass Lake MN, 1932. Karrie Blees owned a digital copy 30 March 2023. as part of Die [Deutsche] Evang.-Lutherische Synode von Minnesota und anderen Staaten  – the [German] Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Minnesota and Other States. This synod would eventually become part of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Cass Lake MN²Karrie Blees. Photo of Immanuel Lutheran Church, exterior. Cass Lake MN. March 31, 2022.

Kirchenbuch

All the original record books of Immanuel Lutheran Church are held by the congregation in a fire vault safe. While visiting the church, I was allowed to view the original Kirchenbuch [Church Book].

Immanuel Lutheran Church Record Book

Each of the 233 pages has one of these headings:

• Personen – oder Seelen-Register [Register of Persons or of Souls]
• Tauf-Register [Baptism Register]
• Confirmanden-Register [Register of Confirmands]
• Trau-Register [Marriage Register]
• Communicanten [Communicants]
• Todten-Register [Death Register]
• Chronik [Timeline]

Personen- oder Seelen-Register

This section lists church members alphabetically by surname and grouped by family. These lists are a census of the church for the years 1916, 1918 and 1920. New children were inserted into the record with differing pan and ink. In a few cases, there is a note about when a family left the church.

Tauf-Register

The first baptism listed is for church founder Julius Neils’ son Markus Viktor Benjamin on September 7, 1900. Sadly, this son of Julius and Maria Neils died three months later.

Curiously, the baptism of Ida Ragenhild Johnson predates the baptism of Markus Neils, but is listed second in the Register. [Her baptism sponsors were Julius and Maria Neils.]

Confirmanden-Register

In 1904, the church celebrated its first class of confirmands: Georg Neils, his cousin Hermann Neils, and Martha Steindorf. In 1925, my ancestor Otto Norenberg would confirm his batism at Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Trau-Register

The first marriage was solemnized May 23, 1905 between Johann Kanz (1881-1945) and Emma Petrick (1887-1974), both of Cass Lake. Beneath the groom’s name is a German notation that it was the first marriage in the new church.

Communicanten

Communion was served a few times each year. The Register abbreviates the dates with notations relating to the church calendar year. For family historians, this portion of the Register is intriguing because it time-stamps our ancestors at a very particular moment.

Beginning in 1904, the names on the list is a veritable Who’s Who of the J. Neils Lumber Company along with the men that worked for him.

Todten-Register

The first recorded death is that of 36-year-old Frau [Julia] Südel, wife of Ernest Suedel (1864-1929). She and her infant are buried in Cass Lake’s Pine Grove Cemetery.

Chronik

At the back of the Register is a detailed list of sermons preached. This compilation begins in 1923 and includes details of the sermon theme, scripture reference, hymns sung, attendance total, and a note about the weather.

Next week, we’ll look at specific information found in the Communicants Register. How will that data add to our knowledge of the Arndts, Nörenbergs, Schönborns, Eichbergs, and Moritzs?

SOURCES

• 1
  Immanuel Lutheran Congregation. History. Self-published: Cass Lake MN, 1932. Karrie Blees owned a digital copy 30 March 2023.
• 2
  Karrie Blees. Photo of Immanuel Lutheran Church, exterior. Cass Lake MN. March 31, 2022.