This photo shows the second St. John Lutheran Church with the cemetery nearby. It’s location was across the street from the fourth and current church which is located at 1800 S. Rodenburg Road in Schaumburg.
The first church was erected in 1851 by German settlers. The original congregation was comprised of members who found it difficult to travel the distance to St. Peter Lutheran Church. The charter members of the church were: Christoph Steffen, Heinrich Hasemann, Friedrich Hinze, Heinrich Mensching, Christopher Ackmann, Conrad Dralle and Conrad Geistfeld.
In 1859, St. John’s joined the Missouri Synod and not long after it was decided that a new church was needed because of the growing congregation. This second church was dedicated on December 16, 1863. The earliest burials recorded in the cemetery are from the 1860s.
The date of the photo is unknown although the next church was constructed on the same site in 1911 after this one burned down August 23, 1910. It should also be noted that the area near this church was commonly known as Rodenburg, named for the area in Germany where many of the original church members were from.
Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org
History of Schaumburg Township 
Nothing said about the school.One room school
next to church on north side
Thank you for the information! I hope to discuss the school itself at a later date. Look for it!
Hi! I was wondering if this is the old church that was up on Irving Park and Rodenberg? We’ve been taking photos of this cemetery, a catherine in particular (don’t know why, feel drawn to her) and was wondering about the old church they tore down! We would love some old photos or whatever! We are going to take photos around again tomorow and maybe hit up Cedarcrest! I had heard the original town name was Sarahs Grove, is that true?
Thanks!!!
Erin
Hello Erin,
Yes, this is the cemetery for St. John Lutheran Church that is on the SW corner of the intersection of Irving Park and Rodenburg Road. Before the current church was built, the old white church was on the same SE corner of that intersection as the cemetery. If you would like to see more photos of the church, you may do so by visiting our Local History Digital Archive. There are photos there of the first and second church as well as older photos of their confirmation classes. Here’s how to get to the Digital Archive:
http://knowvation.stdl.org/knowvation/app/consolidatedSearch/
>Browse Photos
>Places
>Churches
>St. John Lutheran Church
Since 1850, our township has been known as Schaumburg. Prior to that time, Sarah’s Grove was another name that was also used for this locale. It referred to the grove of trees that was to the west of the intersection of Schaumburg and Roselle Roads. This is the area today that is occupied by The Woods, Timbercrest and, obviously, Sarah’s Grove subdivisions.
Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
We have been doing research now and finding the ild sites. Its like a scavanger hunt around town! We are coming into the library today ti look some more and find out about the Kern Shmidt house! I want to see it but we could not find it. Do you hsve any info on the residence in the cemeteries?
Hi Erin,
I’m a little confused as to what the “ild sites” are. And which residences in the cemeteries are you referring to? I’ll help you as best I can if you can explain a bit more.
Also,when you come in, you might want to look for “Schaumburg, A Walking Tour of Historic and Architectural Landmarks.” It is a small white book on the bottom right shelf of the Local History Collection. Its call number is LOCAL HISTORY 977.311 SCHAUMBURG SCHAUMBURG. Page 38 is devoted to the Kern Schmidt house.
I hope this helps!
Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Yeah that should have been old sites lol. Darn typos! And we will for sure look for that book! There is one grave, at St Johns. I cannot make out her last name but the first is Catherine. I’m going to try to get some more info off the grave soon!
If you would be able to get her death date, I might be able to tell you who it is. The library has the death records of the church and we could probably narrow it down quite easily.
Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
It looks like she was born in 1851 and died in either 1852 or 57.
Thank you so much!
Yes, Catherine is 1851 to 1897 for sure, I was able to clean up the photos we took. I still cannot make out her last name, there is damage to the area and it is very worn thin. But those are for sure the dates!!
After looking at the records, there were only 6 church members who died that year. The best I can tell you is that it is probably Katharina (Dufer) Herrs or Herre. She was born December 11, 1854 and died November 11, 1897. I hope this helps.
Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Looking for grave sites of Anna Botterman or Anna Becker or Johann Bruns who would have come from Germany and settled in the Schaumburg area and probably buried there.
I would try Roselle and Schaumberg Lutheran churches. Don Fraas
________________________________
My brother and I became interested in the area and the original residence this summer. We live very close to both the cemeteries and have taken many photos and such. When we had a question we were refrered to the archives and there was a listing of people and such. I believe there is a link on this blog. If nothing else it is VERY interesting! We are in our twenties, have lived here all our lives and didn’t know 1/4 of this stuff! Very cool indeed!
Should have given dates for the Beckers, Bottermans and Bruns
families…probably around the 1850’s to 1890’s.
Jane
We are searching for records you may have of ancestors who arrived in America in 1856 Wilhelm and Dorothea Gruene or Gruene or Greene.
William changed name to Greene while living in the Schaumburg area
.
While residents of Schaumburg, their 7 year old daughter(,Emma) passed away, we cannot find any history of her birth, death or burial. At some point they were members at St Peter, but St Peter don’t have records of this.
We know she was born before a brother Louis (records show his birth Oct 20, 1860) They had two infants that were deceased before Emma was born.
Thank you for any information you may find
Shirley Christenson
Menomonie, WI 54751
Phone 715)235-3964
Hello Shirley,
I have looked through the St. Peter baptismal and burial records from about 1850-1880 and didn’t see anything either. The reason I looked through the year 1880 is because on the 1875 Van Vechten map which is on our Local History Digital Archive, http://knowvation.stdl.org/knowvation/app/consolidatedSearch/, there is a Wm. Greene on 160 acres in Section 8.
I’m afraid that is the best I can do. I will, however, direct this question to another genealogist I know and see if he can help you out. I’ll let you know what I hear…
Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Shirley,
I heard back from my Schaumburg Township genealogy contact and, he was unable to find any info in his records of St. Peters or elsewise for Wilhelm and Dorothea Gruene or Greene. I’m sorry we couldn’t help you clear this up.
Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Hello,
I am attempting to trace back my father’s paternal line, which is Hasemann. I am not sure if I am heading into the right direction or not. But it is worth a shot. I attempted to go to your link and I cannot get it to load.
Hello Frances,
I have updated the links that you were hoping to use. Thank you for letting me know!
If you need any help with your family research, I can try to help you with that too. You can email me directly, if you’d like.
Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org