Altenburg in Perry County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Doctor Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther
First President of The Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod
— 1847-1850; 1864 - 1878 —
Photographed By Thomas Smith, January 8, 2023
1. Doctor Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther Marker
Langenchursdorf, Saxony, Germany
Died: May 7, 1887
St. Louis, Missouri
After having arrived with the Saxons immigrants in Perry County in 1839, Walther served as pastor of the newly founded congregations of Dresden and Johannisberg. He assumed leadership in the Saxon Settlements following the dismissal of Bishop Martin Stephan. Walther was co-founder of the first Lutheran Seminary west of the Mississippi (Log College 1839). Walther took the affirmative and winning stand in the famous "Altenburg Debate" in April 1841 when things were near spiritual disaster in Perry County. He served as president of Concordia Seminary from 1847-1887. He also started Der Lutheraner in 1844. The Walther League, organized in Buffalo, New York, May 23, 1893, was named in his honor. It served as Synod's youth organization until 1968. Walther has been called the "Luther" of America and its greatest Christian theologian of the nineteenth century.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • Communications • Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1839.
Location. 37° 37.836′ N, 89° 35.139′ W. Marker is in Altenburg, Missouri, in Perry County. Marker is at the intersection of Church
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Doctor Martin Luther (here, next to this marker); Pastor Gotthold Heinrich Loeber (a few steps from this marker); Altenburg (within shouting distance of this marker); First College Building / Erste Lehranstalt (within shouting distance of this marker); Trinity Lutheran Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Ev. Luth. St. Paul's Church U.A.C. (approx. 3.7 miles away); The Grand Tower (approx. 3.8 miles away); This Steam Locomotive (approx. 4.1 miles away in Illinois). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Altenburg.
Photographed By Thomas Smith, January 8 23
2. Doctor Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on January 11, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 10, 2023, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. This page has been viewed 65 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 10, 2023, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
