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Genealogy Trails
308 South Galena Freeport |
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Genealogy Trails
308 South Galena Freeport |
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In 1851, initial steps were taken by the Lutheran Women's Home and Foreign Missionary Society in America to organize an English Lutheran Church in Freeport. First services were held in old Temperance Hall. In 1881, First Lutheran was organized by the Reverend T. F. Reiser. The following year, a lot at the southeast corner of Jackson and South Galena Streets was purchased as a church site for $900. During the pastorate of the Reverend H. A. ou the church cornerstone was laid and the edifice was dedicated. The organization became self-supporting in 1893 and assumed its present name.
Today's structure (1954) is similar to the first church building. Its twenty stained glass windows are said to be the most beautiful of their kind in the city.
The church plant of today consists of the main church auditorium, the large educational building, and the structure housing the church offices and the pre-school classrooms.
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Mrs. Weir, who is 93, has been making baptismal napkins for First Lutheran Church members for almost 12 years. The napkins are all made alike, out of white linen handkerchiefs. Mrs. Weir embroiders a white cross on each one with embroidery floss. One time Mrs. Weir bought three dozen handkerchiefs at a time. Those little 10 cent squares that used to come in handy for stocking stuffers at Christmas now cost 39 or 40 cents. The finished napkins are given to the Rev. Nels Bengston of First Lutheran Church. At baptisms he takes the napkin out of the envelope and dabs the extra water off the infant, then gives the napkin to the family to keep. Mrs. Weir encloses a handwritten note with every handkerchief. Mrs. Weir has been a member of First Lutheran Church for 72 years.
She and her husband have been married for 69 years and were honored on their wedding anniversary last June with a reception at the church. Mr. and Mrs. Weir have attended every meeting of the True Vow Keepers Club, an organization for persons married 50 years or more. The Weir's son, LeRoy, lives in Freeport also. He'll be 69 in March.
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