Near Searles in Brown County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Cottonwood Twp. Evangelical Church and Cemetery

Photographed By K. Linzmeier, May 5, 2014

1. Cottonwood Twp. Evangelical Church and Cemetery Marker

Inscription.

Cottonwood Twp. Evangelical Church and Cemetery. . , In 1857, Rev. August Huelster held the first Evangelical church service at the home of Charles Lauer in Cottonwood Township. In 1865, two acres of land were purchased in Cottonwood Township by John Mohr, Philip Pfisterer and Carl Schreyer, trustees of the Evangelical Association. One acre was set aside as a cemetery and on the other a log church was built and dedicated Dec. 19, 1869. A log parsonage was added in 1870. The log church was replaced by a frame church during the ministry of Rev. Martin Gagstetter 1891-1894. By 1920, the congregation had dissolved, the land the church stood on was sold and the building moved into Searles. It was used for both commercial and residential purposes until it was torn down in 1968. , The cemetery continued to be maintained by the association. The last burial was in 1955. In July of 1986, the cemetery was declared abandoned and the deed was turned over to the Brown County Commissioners. The cemetery has been restored and this marker erected with funds from the Evangelical Cemetery Association, the County of Brown, a grant from the Aid Association for Lutherans and the Brown County Historical Society. , Dedicated July 9, 1989. , (reverse) The Following Are Known to Be Buried in This Cemetery. Christian F. Apitz . Salma Beyer . Barbara Bott . Four children of Peter Bott . Valentine Bott . Grandfather Eckert . Heinrich A. Emde . Lydia Emde . Two children of Carl Eagelbart . Ernest Engelbart . Fred Engelbart . Wm. Engelbart, Sr. and seven children: August, Gustaf, Herman, Katie, Fritz, Rebecca, and Robert . Christ Gaetke . Sophie Gaetke . Infant children of John Gaetke . Grandfather Grose . Hemrich Hamann . Louise Hamann and five children: August, Heinrich, Lanne, Martha, and Valden . Johann Hamann . Meta Heers . Margarett E. Aeim . Elias Jacobson . Mrs. Elias Jacobson . Johan Jahoke . Mary Jahoke . August Jeske . Sophie Jeske . Ferdinand Jeske . Katherine Jeske . Lily Jeske . William Jeske . Johann Ulrich Lipp . Anna M. Lipp . Four children of John Mohr: Henry G., Ida, H.L., Louise H., Wilhelm H. . Mrs. John Muhs, Sr. . Gottlieb Mannweiler . Hermann Moritz . John C. Ohme . Wilhamina Ohme . Dorothey Pfisterer . Philip Pfiesterer, Sr. . Philip Pfiesterer, Jr. . Dr. William Pfiesterer . Frederick Retzlaff . Ernestine Retzlaff . Frank C. Retzlaff . Mary A. Retzlaff . Henry E. Retzlaff . Herman A. Retzlaff . Otto F. Retzlaff . Rudolph Retzlaff . Charles Riefenstein . Rev. C. Louis Seder . Fred Schrapp, Sr. . Anna Schrapp . Louise Richter . Amelia Schreyer . Three children of Carl Schreyer: Bertha, Martha, and infant son . Gottlieb Schreyer . Maria Schreyer . Alfred Siebert . Christina Siebert . Henry Siebert, Sr. . Katharine Siebert . Susan Siebert . Conrad Stutz and seven children: Benjamin, Elizabeth, Louise, Sarah, William, and two infants . Johan C. Schumacher . Margaret Zick . Fred Zick, Jr. . Frederich Zick, Sr. . Caroline Zick . Lily Zick . William Zick and two children

     In 1857, Rev. August Huelster held the first Evangelical church service at the home of Charles Lauer in Cottonwood Township. In 1865, two acres of land were purchased in Cottonwood Township by John Mohr, Philip Pfisterer & Carl Schreyer, trustees of the Evangelical Association. One acre was set aside as a cemetery & on the other a log church was built & dedicated Dec. 19, 1869. A log parsonage was added in 1870. The log church was replaced by a frame church during the ministry of Rev. Martin Gagstetter 1891-1894. By 1920, the congregation had dissolved, the land the church stood on was sold and the building moved into Searles. It was used for both commercial and residential purposes until it was torn down in 1968.

     The cemetery continued to be maintained by the association. The last burial was in 1955. In July of 1986, the cemetery was declared abandoned and the deed was turned over to the Brown County Commissioners. The cemetery has been restored and this marker erected with funds from the Evangelical Cemetery Association, the County of Brown, a grant from the Aid Association for Lutherans and the Brown County Historical Society.
         Dedicated July 9, 1989
(reverse) The Following Are Known to Be Buried in This Cemetery Christian F. Apitz • Salma

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Beyer • Barbara Bott • Four children of Peter Bott • Valentine Bott • Grandfather Eckert • Heinrich A. Emde • Lydia Emde • Two children of Carl Eagelbart • Ernest Engelbart • Fred Engelbart • Wm. Engelbart, Sr. & seven children: August, Gustaf, Herman, Katie, Fritz, Rebecca, & Robert • Christ Gaetke • Sophie Gaetke • Infant children of John Gaetke • Grandfather Grose • Hemrich Hamann • Louise Hamann & five children: August, Heinrich, Lanne, Martha, & Valden • Johann Hamann • Meta Heers • Margarett E. Aeim • Elias Jacobson • Mrs. Elias Jacobson • Johan Jahoke • Mary Jahoke • August Jeske • Sophie Jeske • Ferdinand Jeske • Katherine Jeske • Lily Jeske • William Jeske • Johann Ulrich Lipp • Anna M. Lipp • Four children of John Mohr: Henry G., Ida, H.L., Louise H., Wilhelm H. • Mrs. John Muhs, Sr. • Gottlieb Mannweiler • Hermann Moritz • John C. Ohme • Wilhamina Ohme • Dorothey Pfisterer • Philip Pfiesterer, Sr. • Philip Pfiesterer, Jr. • Dr. William Pfiesterer • Frederick Retzlaff • Ernestine Retzlaff • Frank C. Retzlaff • Mary A. Retzlaff • Henry E. Retzlaff • Herman A. Retzlaff • Otto F. Retzlaff • Rudolph Retzlaff • Charles Riefenstein • Rev. C. Louis Seder • Fred Schrapp, Sr. • Anna Schrapp • Louise Richter • Amelia Schreyer • Three children of Carl Schreyer: Bertha,

Photographed By K. Linzmeier, May 5, 2014

2. Cottonwood Twp. Evangelical Church and Cemetery Marker

Martha, & infant son • Gottlieb Schreyer • Maria Schreyer • Alfred Siebert • Christina Siebert • Henry Siebert, Sr. • Katharine Siebert • Susan Siebert • Conrad Stutz & seven children: Benjamin, Elizabeth, Louise, Sarah, William, & two infants • Johan C. Schumacher • Margaret Zick • Fred Zick, Jr. • Frederich Zick, Sr. • Caroline Zick • Lily Zick • William Zick & two children

Erected 1989 by the Evangelical Cemetery Association, the County of Brown, a grant from the Aid Association for Lutherans and the Brown County Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Churches & Religion. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1986.

Location. 44° 14.367′ N, 94° 26.227′ W. Marker is near Searles, Minnesota, in Brown County. Marker can be reached from 190th Street, 0.2 miles west of Minnesota Highway 15, on the right when traveling west. Marker is in Cottonwood Township Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 13242 190th Street, New Ulm MN 56073, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Searles (approx. 0.8 miles away); Father Valentine Sommereisen (approx. 2.2 miles away); Adams Park (approx. 3.4 miles away);

Reverse of Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By K. Linzmeier, May 5, 2014

3. Reverse of Marker

Junior Pioneers of New Ulm and Vicinity (approx. 3.6 miles away); The Wallachei (approx. 3.8 miles away); The Evacuation of New Ulm (approx. 3.9 miles away); Charles Eugene Flandrau (approx. 4 miles away); Clear Lake School (approx. 4.1 miles away).

Cottonwood Township Cemetery and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By K. Linzmeier, May 5, 2014

4. Cottonwood Township Cemetery and Marker

Service Road to Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed By K. Linzmeier, May 5, 2014

5. Service Road to Cemetery

190th Street, an unpaved road, is to the right.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on November 1, 2014, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 926 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 1, 2014, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.