County of church: St., Charles County
Location of church: Schutzen St., ½ block N. of MO-D, New Melle
Built: 1878
Methodist Church: 1878-1960
Baptist Church: 1960-1971
Private Residence: 1971 to present
"In the years 1904-1906 an important change was made in the church structure. We have not been able to find some of the resolutions in regards to these changes. We have, however, an old envelope bearing a two-cent stamp and postmarked November 3, 7 p.m. 1904. This envelope was sent from the Cincinnati Bell Foundry Company to the Rev. L.W. Diederich, Pastor of the German Methodist Episcopal Church, New Melle, Missouri. The envelope contains a 5-year warranty on a 42 inch "Blymer Bell." This bell has a beautiful tone and is equipped for regular ringing and for tolling. ...We do not have any record of the developments between the purchase of the bell and the building of the tower. ... The bell must have been installed in the old tower. Mr. Kettelkamp has translated 9 resolutions which were approved on April 2, 1906.
These are the resolutions:
1. Resolved: That we the members of the Quarterly Conference agree unanimously to rescind our actions of March 18,
1906 favoring the repair of the church tower.
2. Resolved: That instead we have a new tower built.
3. Resolved: That the tower be built on the northeast corner of the church.
4. Resolved: That a committee of three member be elected to supervise the building of the tower.
5. Resolved: That Richard Winker, G.W. Karenbrock, Sr., and K.J. Borgman constitute that committee -- They were
elected.
6. Resolved: That this committee have full authority as regards ways and means of building the tower with the best
interests of the congregation in mind.
7. Resolved: That the interior of the church be papered and painted.
8. Resolved: That a committee of the Epworth League be named to oversee the work of papering and painting.
9. Resolved: That the President of the Epworth League shall name a committee of three to undertake the responsibility
these interior decorations.
"We shall not try to reconcile these two dates -- 1904-1906. We simply shall say this -- we have been informed that William Brauckesieker nad his sons, George and Henry, built the tower in 1904. We do not know how it was financed." ~ Peniel Methodist Church, 1869-1960, page 18
"In 1878, they purchased a tract of land from Conrad and Anna Weinrich for the sum of $100.00 to build a new church. The brick Methodist Church was built with the bricks that cost $1,700.00 and that were made in New Melle by Sam Stalhuth. In 1904, William Brauckesieker and his sons built the bell tower and a 42-inch Blymes Bell was ordered from The Cincinnati Bell Foundry." ~ Augusta Defiance New Melle - 2014 Resident's & Visitors Guide