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 & 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 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, 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