In the year 1848, a group of German Lutherans living in Charleston, SC formed The German Colonization Society.  These German citizens had recently come to America and desired to make a settlement in Piedmont, SC.  They chose this area because it reminded them of their homeland in Northern Germany.  In 1849, the first land was purchased here and in 1850, the town of Walhalla was founded.  St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church was formally organized on November 20, 1853 with 38 members signing the constitution.  At a meeting on January 21, 1859, the congregation voted to begin construction of their church.  John Kaufmann designed the building and directed the construction with the assistance of August Brennecke and members of the congregation.  Mr. Kaufmann had never before constructed a steeple and this matter was a particular challenge to him.  The four posts supporting the steeple were hewn out of selected trees by broad axes and raised on the front stone foundation.  These timbers are approximately sixty feet long and square, 15 by 16 inches at the base, and 14 by 15 inches at the top.  the steeple continues another thirty feet, terminating with a weather vane.  Trees from the four acre square on which the church stands were felled and this provided most of the timbers for the building.  The Church is put together with wooden pegs and the lumber hand-planed.

 The first bell used in the Church was a ship's bell and was placed in the steeple in 1868.  The tower clock which strikes, tolls, and rings was installed in 1889.  The pulpit is of the style used by the High Church of Germany and was built of "twisted wood."  It is built into the foundation of the Church.  The pews were made of panel backs.  The original windows were plain glass, and in 1866 the window behind the pulpit was boarded up and the panes from it used to repair the other windows.  This window remained boarded up until 1940 when Mrs. Sophia Rimrodt Ritter gave the Good Shepherd Window.  The memorial stained glass windows were placed in 1910.  The first meeting in the Church was held on June 24, 1860.  The Church was dedicated Sunday, March 17, 1861.

 In 1931 the Sunday School Building was constructed, consisting of an auditorium with stage, classrooms, and basement with a kitchen.  This building was renovated by removing auditorium seats, knocking out partitions and adding a second story, creating a nursery-kindergarten complex and classrooms and was dedicated on May 8, 1977.

 In 1953 the new parsonage on the Church lot was completed and dedicated.  Ground breaking services for the Parish House were held on September 21, 1969.  It provides Church offices, sacristy, lounge, kitchen, fellowship hall, classrooms, restrooms and storage area.

 In 1980 Samuel Cabot Biggerstaff donated land on Lake Keowee to St. John's in memory of his wife, Bertha Brucke Biggerstaff.  This land, dedicated on October 30, 1988, has been named the Biggerstaff Christian Retreat Center.  It is presently equipped for camping, picnicking, boating, and other sports activities.  Future facilities will include a dining, cooking, and meeting facility and three cabins.

 St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church stands as a silent monument to our forefathers for their faith, workmanship and personal sacrifice.

By Reverend George B. Shealy, Pastor Emeritus
 

 Pastors and Their Tenures of St. John's Lutheran Church

The Rev.  C. F. Bansemer  1858-60
The Rev. August Angerer  1860-64
Dr. L. Mueller   1864-67
The Rev. Carl Weber   1867-69
The Rev. J. H. C. Schievenback 1871-75
The Rev J. F. Probst   1875-77
The Rev. J.G. Bohn   1778-80
The Rev Philtz   1880-84
The Rev. J. G. Probst   1884-85
The Rev. J.C. Brodfuhrer  1885-90
The Rev. S.C. Zetner   1890-92
The Rev. G. J. Martz   1893-94
The Rev J.G. Schaid   1895-1903
The Rev. H.C. Gossmar  1903-07
The Rev. T. B. Epting  1908-10
The Rev. J.B. Umberger  1911-15
The Rev. W. B. Aull   1916-24
The Rev. A.W. Ballentine  1924-27
The Rev. Ben M. Clark  1928-1954
The Rev. Ralph W. Hoffmeyer 1954 - 1957
The Rev. Keith J. Beam 1957 - 1960
The Rev. John H. Koch 1961 - 1967
The Rev. George B. Shealy 1968 -1980
The Rev. Robert H. Thompson 1981 - 1988
The Rev. John L. Petry III 1988 - 1996
The Rev. Frank A. Kantz 1997 - 2000
The Rev. David W. Coffman 2001 - present

(Up until 1907, there were two sermons per month delivered in German)
(Secton 10, Page 1, Keowee Courier, Monday August 7, 1950)
 

ST. JOHN’S HISTORY:
The First 40 years Timeline

 23 May 1852 Rev. Muller, Pastor of St. Matthews Lutheran church in Charleston visits Germans who moved to Walhalla to hold services in a church building owned by Col Gresham in West Union.

 23 May 1852 the first marriage was performed here by Rev. L. Muller for Johann Heinrich Kleinbeck and Gesina Luzie Hussman.

 23 May 1852 the first baptism was performed by Rev. L. Muller for Nicholas Georg Bullwinkle who was born Sep 1, 1851.

 23 May 1852 the first confirmation was held for Heinrich Schroder son of Heinrich Schroder and Anna Dorothea Fredericka Holwege.

 20 Nov 1853 St. John’s German Evangelical Lutheran Church is organized.

 21 Jan 1859 the congregation voted to build a church building.

 24 Jun 1860 the first meeting was held in the new church building.

 17 Mar 1861 the new church building was consecrated.

 1868-1877 Newberry College and in Walhalla

 1868 Dr. Josiah Smeltzer, President of Newberry College organizes an     English speaking Lutheran congregation called Holy Trinity which
utilized St. John’s Church building in the afternoon.

 1868-1870 Seminary resided in Walhalla

  1869 Synod Convention was held at St. John’s

19 Dec 1871 a parsonage was built.

 1876 Rev. Smeltzer helped organize a Lutheran congregation in Townville (Anderson County) known as the new Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

 22 Mar 1885 the first Missionary Society was organized during the pastorate
 of Rev. J.F. Propst.

 1886 Synod Convention held at St. John’s