10th Anniversary Edition: The bustling town of Pocahontas

Judging by the amount of copy devoted to Pocahontas and its businesses in The Daily Republican's 10th Anniversary Edition, the Cape Girardeau County town was a busy place in 1915.

Most of the information in the general story about the town was devoted to its two Lutheran churches: St. John and Zion.

The two color photos with this blog were taken by Fred Lynch in 2012, during the Christmas Country Tour.

Town of Pocahontas, Mo.

About the year 1857, when the last of the Indians removed from this section, Sam Green opened a general store at the crossing of two roads nine miles north of Jackson, and tradition has it that he, when called upon to give the later established post office its name, and finding it impossible to write the name of an Indian princess who he admired, gave the post office the name of another Indian princess, the Pocahontas of historic fame.

When the store at Pocahontas was first established, it was the only building within the confines of the present town. Aaron Abernathy, Joseph Abernathy and Henry Little were neighboring farmers. In 1869 the Applecreek Presbyterian Church was established, and one year later the Lutheran St. John Church (Iowa synod) was built. In 1889 another Lutheran Church (Missouri synod) was erected, and both congregations are flourishing, their houses of worship being exactly alike in architecture and size. At an early date a flour mill was erected by John Hatcher and others, and this mill is still running under the management of the Bowman Milling Company. Beginning about 1858 the Germans and Austrians began to fill up the community around Pocahontas, and the town had a boom. Several moderate fortunes were made by merchants and tradespeople, and the steady flow of trade has continued until this day. The land not being of the best around Pocahontas, the farmers necessarily have to employ the methods of intensive farming, and are gradually drifting into the dairy business.

Younger men now have the business of the town well in hand, a rural route supplies the farmers with daily mail, a commercio-farm club with a large membership has been formed, and the town boasts a town hall. A good public school and two parochial schools under the supervision of competent teachers are all well attended by the sturdy boys and girls of the hardy farmer folks that live around Pocahontas, and those of the citizens of the town.

A prosperous Masonic lodge -- Wilson Lodge No. 191 -- was organized in Pocahontas in 1878, which has a fine lodge room over the Thompson mercantile establishment. The present officers are: Lewis Daugherty, W.M.; Grover Galaher, S.W.; Guy Hines, J.W.; John Bonney, treasurer; J.M. Thompson, secretary; James H. Sawyer, tiler.

An M.W.A. lodge also was organized a few years ago, and it, too, owns its own lodge room.

Four stores, several shops, planing mill and lumber yard, etc. do a thriving business, and beautiful and well-kept residences make up this interesting little town.

St. John's Lutheran Church, Pocahontas

St. John's Church was founded in 1867 by Rev. Fickensher, who was at that time stationed in Altenburg, Perry County. Its first regular pastor was Rev. Koeberle, who began his labors in 1867. The charter members were: Martin Pikel, Andreas Litzelfelner, Gottlieb Starzinger and others who had formerly been members of the New Wells congregation. Rev. Westenberger followed Rev. Koeberle in the pastorate of the church 1870-1873. During that time the first church, school and parsonage were built. The first infant to be baptized in that church was John G. Putz. In 1871 the congregation became a member of the Iowa Synod. The year preceding a lot was bought for $365, on which the buildings were erected. After Rev. Westenberger followed the following pastors: P. Hacker, 1874-1876; P. Freitag, 1877-1878; Ludwig Mueller, 1878-1882; William Reinhardt, 1882-1889; J. Hansen, 1889-1892; Henry Kumpf, 1892-1897; Rev. Monich, 1897-1899; P. Priest, 1900-1902; C. Taubert, 1902-1906; V. Geissendoerfer, 1906-1909; Rev. Hansche, 1909-1910; L.D. Billnitzer, 1911 until now.

During the year 1893 the present fine brick church was built, but in the year 1910, in May, lightning struck the edifice and all but the walls burned. During the fall of the same year the church was rebuilt and a clock was installed in the spire. The second school-house, now standing, was erected in 1895. In 1903, a new parsonage was built, and is the same now -- one of the best residences in town.

The small congregation has in the last 44 years experienced all kinds of misfortune and has had seemingly unsurmountable obstacles before it, but the Germans and Austrians, of which it is composed, have patiently gone ahead and kept up their organization until the present day. None of the charter members are now living, but the same generation is walking in the footsteps of their fathers and adhering to their church as they did.

Zion Lutheran Church

This congregation was organized in 1890, but had no regular pastor until 1894, the pastor of the New Wells church serving until that time, when Rev. F. Geske was called. He was followed by Rev. Theo. Sieving, and he by Rev. E. Bultman, and Rev. George Fleiss.

A small frame structure was erected in 1890, which served as the church and school until in April, 1914, when the large brick edifice was completed, which serves as a house of worship, while the old church building is used as a parochial school.

George Fleiss, the present pastor, is a native of Carmel, Okla., and came here in April. He is a very young man, but has a reputation as a preacher, and is an energetic worker. The church has had a good growth during the short time he has been pastor, and his success as a minister is assured.

A quick search through the Missourian's computer database yielded the date of the fire that destroyed St. John Lutheran Church in Pocahontas: May 5, 1910.

Here's the story printed that day in The Daily Republican.

FINE CHURCH IS LIGHTNING TORN

Lutheran Church at Pocahontas Destroyed by Electric Bolt.

JACKSON, Tuesday. -- During an electrical storm at Pocahontas about 4 o'clock this morning, St. John's Lutheran Church, a fine brick structure, was struck by lightning and entirely destroyed, entailing a heavy loss on the congregation, as the building was erected in 1893 at a cost of $6,500 and only $1,500 insurance was being carried on it.

The catastrophe happening at so early an hour made it impossible to do anything towards saving the elegant structure, but by hard work the members of the congregation and friends succeeded in carrying out the organ, seats, and the altar.

The Lutheran congregation of Pocahontas is a very strong one, and the same energy and good management which has predominated their church, and to own and maintain a fine eight-room parsonage, another building for the care of their poor, and two cemeteries, will soon enable them to rebuild their place of worship.

The destroyed church building was one of the best in the county, being built in generous proportions and in good architectural style. The tower was 75 feet in height and the rest of the edifice in proportion.

Until the rebuilding of the church is done, the congregation will meet in their school house.

The Pocahontas congregation was organized in 1870, fifteen members withdrawing from he Jackson church to affiliate with the new one. The present membership has 50 voting communicants, and the minister, Rev. Haenche, and his congregation of energetic people are already discussing plans for a new building.

The first minister of the church, in 1870, was the Rev. Westenberger, and he has been succeeded in rotation by Reverends Hacker, Freytag, Mueller, Reinhardt, Kumps, Monich, Priest, Gerssenboerser, Taubert, and Richter, the present pastor being the Rev. Haenche.