Champaign-Miami-Clark County OhArchives News.....Zion Lutheran Plans 130 year Celebration November 16, 1973
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Karen Johnson-Heber gapeachprtnerz@bellsouth.net November 3, 2010, 8:45 am

The Piqua Daily Call Page 9 November 16, 1973
St. Paris-Zion Lutheran Church will celebrate its 130 years of service in St. 
Paris during worship services Sunday morning, with Sunday school at 9:30 am 
and the divine Worship Service at 10:45 am.
 At noon a potluck meal will be served in the social room of the church.
 Guest preacher for the Anniversary Service will be Dr. Herbert W. Yeler, 
Pastor Emeritus of St. John Ev. Lutheran Church, Stoney Ridge. Dr. Veler has 
served as president of the Ohio Synod, Lutheran Church in America and prior to 
his retirement, served as Pastor of Good Shepherd Ev. Lutheran Church in 
Washington Court House.
 The St. Paris Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church came from a division in the 
mother church of Lutheranism in this area, Salem Lutheran Church, organized in 
1819 and in all probability the oldest church in Johnson Township.  It was a 
union church, Lutheran and Reformed after the Pennsylvania patter.  Each 
congregation had its own pastor but worshipped in the same building on 
alternate Sundays.
 The Lutheran pastors of Salem Church were Rev. Henry Heincke, 1921-1923; Rev 
Especk 1828-1834 and Rev George Klapp 1836-1943. Salem Church was located on 
the site of the present Spring Grove Cemetery, two and one-half miles 
northeast of St. Paris.
In year 1843 there came a split in the congregation and the secession group 
formed Zion Church. The cuase of the split lay in the troublesome times of 
religious controversy then present everywhere.  Those leaving Salem’s Church 
believed in Sunday Schools, then in their infancy.  They also believed in 
Cottage prayer meetings and a more pietistic form of religion.  The language 
question was also prominent.  Many believed that only German should be used 
and there could be no such thing as English Lutheranism.
The first communion of the new Zion Church was held on December 3, 1843.  The 
deed for the first property was made Dec. 20, 1843 and the first enrollment of 
members was Jan. 20, 1844.  The first pastor Rev. George Klapp was elected on 
March 24, 1844 and the first church building was erected in the summer of 1844.
The name given the church was Zion Evangelical Lutheran Curch of St. Paris and 
it was connected with the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Ohio
The first officers elected were Abraham Reineker, Daniel Death, David 
Huffman.  Trustees were Martin Walborn, Isaac Gut(German for Good);elders were 
Jacob Walborn and Samuel Apfel or Abel(German for Apple)
There were 24 charter members as follows, Mrs. Lydia Klapp, Marle Anna Klapp, 
Jeremiah Klapp, Mrs. Elizabeth Klapp Judy, George S Klapp, Abraham Reineker, 
Mrs. Mary M. Reinecker, Daniel A Death, Mrs. Elizabeth Death, David Huffman, 
Mrs. Hannah H. Thatcher, Martin Walborn, Mrs. Barbara Walborn, Isaac Gut, Mrs. 
Elizabeth Gus, Jacob Walborn, Mrs. Marie Walborn, Samuel Apel, Daniel Abel, 
William Maholten, Mrs. Elizabeth Maholten and Mrs. Catherine Maholten.
Zion Church’s fifth constitution was approved in 1966, 122 years after its 
first constitution
Zion church has had two locations.  The first building was a frame erected in 
1844 and stood in the Old Lutheran cemetery on the east side of the road just 
north of St. Paris.  The second building was brick, built in 1856, mainly 
through the efforts of Rev. Adam Helwig.  It stood on the site of the present 
building erected in 1882 at the corner of Main and Church streets. With the 
exception of a remodeled tower roof and a basement placed under the building 
during the pastorate of David I. Scharf, the old building stands as it has 
always been, a familiar landmark in the Village.


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