Peace Lutheran Church - Bessie, OK
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 35° 23.545 W 098° 58.545
14S E 502202 N 3916562
This monument stands in front of Peace Lutheran Church and tells the history of the church and its founders.
Waymark Code: WM11EC7
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 10/07/2019
Views: 3
Peace Lutheran Church was established in 1893, and worship in their current building constructed in 1942. The church stands just northeast of the town of Bessie, with its cemetery across the road.
In front of the church a granite monument records the history of this church. It reads:
FRONT: PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH / Established 1893 / This monument is dedicated to the original founders of Peace Lutheran Church and to the pastors and members who have through the years faithfully devoted their labor and love to the life and nourishment of the congregation. Original land of the church area was donated by the following: Site of the church property - Henry and Annie Arndt / Cemetery Site - John and Julia Bolinger / Site of school building and agricultural plot - George and Ann Marie Koch / Philipp and Katharine Frick / (Engravings of church from 1906-1942 and current church Dedicated 1942.) "The just shall live by faith - Martin Luther 1517."
BACK: The original Peace Lutheran Church was established by Germans from Russia in the late 1700s. Catherine the Great, ruler of Russia, invited Germans to come to Russia with the promise of free farm land along with a manifest they could keep their own language, have their own churches, schools and be exemption from military service. They prospered and enjoyed their freedom for 200 years. In the 1880's things changed. The Russian government started to take away these privileges. First was their education system. Next would be their church and exemption from the military. About this time, the United States was making land available in America. This started a large migration of Germans from Russia. Those who settled this area came through Ellis Island and then by rail to Lehigh, Kansas. This area soon became crowded and word was received that there was land available in western Oklahoma Territory. This was Cheyenne-Arapaho land west of the Washita River. The group going to Oklahoma consisted of twelve families. Travel was by rail to El Reno, Oklahoma. It was there they obtained their homestead certificate. They loaded supplies in their covered wagons to make the trip to their new home. There was now no turning back. "They will behold a land that stretches a far." Isaiah 33:17B