Thanks to Geocities for hosting this page

Zion Lutheran Church

P.O. Box B

Priddy, Texas 76870

Pastor Don Kingman

Worship:
Sunday School, 9:30 a.m.
Morning Worship, 10:30 a.m.

Music Current selection, Old Rugged Cross
or you can turn off the music or select a different one.

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Historical Marker
In the 1870s many settlers of German ancestry began arriving in this area. In 1889, under the leadership of The Rev. R. Seils, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized. Early worship services were held in the Bismark Schoolhouse (about two miles south). Beginning with twenty-three charter members, the congregation grew steadily. By 1892, a small sanctuary was constructed and a cemetery was established on the church property. Another group of families began meeting together for worship services in the Priddy community, and in December 1903 organized St. John's Lutheran Church. Services were held in the Becker Mountain Schoolhouse (about two miles east). Soon both German Lutheran congregations were being served by the same minister. In 1929 the Zion congregation moved to Priddy and built a new sanctuary. In 1941, by mutual consent, the Zion and St. John's congregations joined together to become one church under the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church name. A part of Mills County history for generations, this church continues to serve the community with many forms of outreach.

Copyright ©1998 Texas Historical Commission. The Texas Historical Commission has given permission to use this information from their pages for any non-commercial purpose. Any use of this information about the "Historical Marker" should credit the Texas Historical Commission.

Zion Lutheran Church 100th Anniversary
Church Directory Committee

The church has sold out of the
of copies of this "Centennial Directory",

However there were some seconds,
Booklets that not all the pages
were inserted or duplicated pages.

Above Photo courtesy of Deral Elkins from his Photograph Collection

Members of the Zion Lutheran Church 100th Anniversary Church Directory Committee compiled the directory "Celebrating 100 Years of Caring Hand In Hand with Christ, 1889-1989, Church Directory" in 1989. This is an excellent record of the founding fathers and their descendants for Priddy, TX.
This book covers the time from when the community was first settled in the Late 1870's and was first known as Bristol, Becker and the history of the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church that was organized under the spiritual guidance of Rev. R. Seils on October 26, 1889. The congregation met in the Bismark School house that was built by the very earliest of the Settlers in this area.

The book gives the history of the church, the signing members of the constitution, a transcribed copy of the Constitution and a photocopy of the original constitution that was written in Longhand in German.
There is a section of Photographs of each of the pastors that served the church during the 100 years between 1889 and 1989.

There is a section of photographs for the founding families of Priddy, and the Zion Lutheran Church. This includes photos of:

Index of photos in Directory

(Click on highlighted Names to see photo)
Please use your Browser's Back Button to return here

"Founding Families" Photos

A. D. Meissner Family
The Carl Wasserman Family
Peter and Marie Kunkel
John and Alwina Schlee
Gus and Sophia Bufe
John and Elizabeth Schuster
Adolf and Caroline Niemann
Carl Drueckhammer Family
Herman Timm
John Eisen
August Schulz
Chas Pfluger
Will Schoen
Mrs. Louise Lippe Family
Franz and Louise Schuman
William Grelle Family
Pius Rapp Family
Andres Lorenz Family
Herman and Jenny Hohertz
George and Karoline Niemann
Wilhelm Gromatzky Family
Rudolph Schuster Family
Johann Lubke Family
Michael Schuster Family
Julius Sommerfeld Family
Dietrich Kirsche Family
John Seider with relatives
Charley and Lena Meyer
William Tiemann Family
Wm. and Louise Stahnke
William Diesing Family
Rudolf and Hedwig Pax
F.W. Limmer and Family
J. W. Hiller Family
Adolf and Emilie Kunkel
Adam Wagner Family

Membership photos

There are photo's for the current membership in 1989

Pastors with photographs in the directory

Richard L. Seils 1889 Note this photo looks much better in the book, the book is printed on a heavy shiny paper and does not show the marks noticed in the scan
Here is another and clearer view of same photo from the 1996 Church Directory

John Schumacher 1891-1894
Franz Walther 1907-1916
Rudolph Becker 1916-1925
I. M. Mansur 1926-1934
A. T. Kluge 1935-1940
A.H. Muehbrad 1941-1952
John Striepe 1953-1966
Gehard Senff Interim
Don Viasak 1976- 1982
Richard Winkelmann 1967-1970
Andrew Mild 1970-1976
John Rossing 1982-1986
Philip Geleske 1986
George Qualley 1978-1979
-Melinda Plumey (Intern) - 1988-1989

Pastors without photographs in the directory

E.H. Wischmeyer 1886-1887
Theo. Bartheys 1888
H.C. Jaus 1890
W. Bunge 1896
Fr. Naumann 1898-1903 (Obituary)
H. F. Daude 1903-1905
Wm. Westerhoff 1905
A. Merz 1906-1907
Richard Hahn (Intern) 1980
Michael Hearn (intern) 1989

There are sections of photos of the landmarks, the church and the Sunday School, Circles etc over the years

And sections for Baptisms, confirmations, marriages, deaths for both the Zion Lutheran Church, 1889 to 1989 and ST. John's Lutheran Church, 1903 to 1941 when the two churches consolidated.
Please note that it does not give month and day, but name, year and church-

I have entered this in a database and can do look ups for Baptisms only- example; I can pull up the children from a particular set of parents in both churches. But please remember that it will only have the Church and Year only
.

There is a section in the book with photos for the current members in 1989.

Zion Lutheran Church 100th Anniversary Church Directory is SOLD OUT but you can contact them in reference to the booklets that have the missing or duplicate pages

Zion Lutheran Church
P.O. Box B
Priddy, TX 76870

If you need more information, feel free to call the Zion Lutheran Church at 915- 966-3345 or 966-3566, If no answer. Please call

Caroline Schwartz (915) 966-3334 in the evenings. Caroline is the chairperson for the Mills County Historical Commission and a member of the church in charge of the "Directory" or "cookbook" sales.

Back to top

Lutheran Genealogy Links

I have just recently found a link for those searching their German and Lutheran heritage. Please check out "Lutheran Roots" Genealogy Exchange, sponsored by Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL).
The "Lutheran Roots" Genealogy Exchange consists of two sections: the Family Registry which allows you to post your surnames and locations for others to see and maybe help locate information and the second section is a Genealogy Message Board where you can ask genealogy questions or share with your research experiences or tips.

visitors have visited our page
since the first counter was added on March 17, 1999. Thanks..

Please take time to visit:

Index of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Priddy, TX

Index of St. John Lutheran Cemetery, Priddy, TX

Other Churches in Mills County, Texas

Be sure to use your Back button to return to this page

*
To turn off,
click on square

Or Choose another tune

Amazing Grace
Old Rugged Cross
Rock of Ages
midi's came from various sources
and I am not sure who the credit belongs to at this time

Back to Top

Marble and Cloth Background's courtsey of

Back to Mills County GenWeb, thanks for stopping by (if you came from another page, please use your "Browser's Back Button")

This page hosted by

Get your own Free Home Page
and maintained by the Webmaster of the

some graphics (Ivy or Roseline) courtsey of