HEINRICH, Carl, Rev. 1863-1940

HEINRICH

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 1/23/2015 at 20:17:59

Rev. C. Heinrichs Dies Wednesday; Sick But 3 Days

Rev. Carl Heinrichs, who served as pastor of the Shiloh Township Lutheran church for 31 years, died at his home in Wellsburg at 3:20 in the afternoon on Christmas Day. He had been sick but three days with bronchitis. Had he lived until the 10th of February, he would have been 78 years old.

Rev. Heinrichs was actively engaged as a Lutheran pastor for a period of 43 years. The many years of service were devoted to two congregations. His first charge as a minister was at Walsh, Ill. He was there eleven and a half years, where he accepted a call to become pastor of the Lutheran church in Shiloh township.

With one exception, Rev. Heinrichs served one Grundy county church for a longer period of time than any other. When he resigned his post as an active minister in this church it was because of advanced age and the belief that rest was needed after so many years of continuous service. Rev. Heinrich's resignation was accepted with deep regret by the members of his congregation. No pastor had ever more completely won the love and respect of his congregation to a greater degree than Rev. Heinrich. When he retired as pastor he took the love, the good will and the deep respect of his congregation with him.

Rev. Heinrichs was succeeded as pastor of the church here by his son-in-law, Rev. Huneke. When Rev. Huneke left here in 1938, Rev. and Mrs. Heinrichs went with him to Steelville, Ill., and remained there until last fall when they returned to Wellsburg to make it their future home. When they were away they felt they were among strangers. When they were here in Wellsburg and vicinity they knew they were among friends.

Was Native of Prussia
Carl Heinrichs was born in East Prussia, February 10, 1863. He graduated from the Briklum seminary at Helsten, Germany, in March, 1893. He was married during the same month that he graduated, March 18, 1893, to Theodora Thortzen. Shortly after their marriage they came to America. They spent their first six months in Chicago where Rev. Heinrichs took post-graduate work at a theological school. It was at this time that he accepted a call to become pastor of the Lutheran church at Walsh, Ill., where he remained for eleven years and a half and where the five children were born. From Walsh the family came to Wellsburg and this was made their permanent home.

Rev. and Mrs. Heinrichs had five children. One son and the only daughter are dead. The living children are John and Carl from Wellsburg and Gus from Clear Lake. There are eight grandchildren.

Funeral Services Largely Attended
Funeral services were held at the home in Wellsburg and later at the Lutheran church. The auditorium and basement of the new building were filled with bereaved friends during the service. With the help of a loudspeaker, those in the basement were able to hear the service.

The services were conducted by the local pastor, Rev. Heinz, assisted by other ministers. Rev. Heinz spoke briefly in the English language at the home. Rev. C. Pieper from Lena, Ill., and Rev. F. Freytag from Holland delivered short addresses at the home. Speakers at the church service were Rev. Muegge, an old friend and former classmate, from Lena, Ill., and also a former pastor of the Lutheran church at Holland. Dr. R. R. Belter, president of Wartburg synod, delivered a sermon in the English language.

There were a large number of ministers from other churches in the nearby community present at the service. They served as honorary pallbearers. Active pallbearers were John and Will Harms, I.J. Harms, George Henry Geerdes and Christ and Ed Fink. Burial was in the cemetery adjoining the church.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 2 January 1941, pg 9