I am privileged to have been given a copy of the book “Marching to Zion”, “A history of the Apostolic Christian Church of America 1847 – 1982” by Perry A. Klopfenstein. This is a great reference book on the history of the AC Church. A number of Hohulins are noted in this book. I thought you might find the following couple of entries interesting. Mark Hohulin
Page 319 – 321
Morris, Minnesota
The hamlets of Morris and Hancock sit in Stevens County located in Minnesota’s west central region. Over the years the question has often arisen why Apostolic Christian farmers settled in this seeming remote section of the United States.
The answer is that young farmers wished to establish themselves in farming, and cheaper land could be procured in this area. Consequently, a good many farmers settled on the land south of Morris and west of Hancock, which still compromises the center of the church community. Despite Minnesota’s “Paul Bunyan” image as the “land of 10,000 lakes” the state has a lot of productive farm land.
In the summer of 1902, the land agent at Rock Rapids, Iowa, asked Chris Moser and his son-in-law, Rudolph Tschudi, to go with Stevens County, Minnesota, to look at land. Moser (who died in the fall) subsequently bought a farm two miles north of Morris. Later, Christ Luthi, Sr., of West Bend, Iowa, was persuaded to look at land in this area, too. The land agent showed him some farms north of Morris, but he was not interested. The next day the agent took him to a farm seven miles south of Morris. Impressed by the beautiful crop of wheat, Luthi purchased this farm.
Early in the spring of 1903, Chris Moser and Rudolph Tschudi of Lester, Iowa and Christ Luthi, Sr., of West Bend, Iowa, moved with their families to Stevens County. A few months later Jacob Moser (twin brother of Chris Moser) and his two son-in-laws, William Feuchtenberger and William Reber of Lester, Iowa, bought land in this area. Also, John Zaugg of West Bend, Iowa, rented a farm purchased by August Mogler, a minister at Lester, Iowa. A nucleus of seven families formed the beginning of the Morris, Minnesota congregation.
Jacob Moser was the group’s first minister. It was not long until the preaching of the Word began to bear fruit. Rosina Luthi Moser recalls in 1904 when souls began turning to the Lord. She thought, “No, that is not for me.” Soon, however, one of her friends spoke to her about salvation. She then relented and sought the Lord. A total of five souls were baptized: John and Emma Zaugg, Will Reber, and Rose Luthi and her mother.
On December 11, 1904, two Elders came to prove and baptize them. The went to the farm of John and Emma Zaugg – one-half mile east of the present church – and broke the ice in the stock tank and performed the baptism. Following this, they went into the Zaugg’s living room where the laying-on-of hands ceremony was performed. The church now had eleven members.
The establishment of the church in Morris resulted in a growing interest in the area by brethren in Illinois, Iowa, and other states. In the fall of 1905, Edward Eglin moved to the area. In 1906 Christ Luthi, Jr., and John Luthi came from West Bend, Iowa. Jacob Nohl and Timotheus “Tim” Hohulin bought farms here, and their families added to the church’s growth.
Late in 1906, work began on a new church. Christ Luthi, Sr., donated two and one-half acres for this purpose. The building was completed in 1907. It measured 24 feet by 40 feet. The lumber for the building wad purchased from Rumsey Reeves, owner of a local lumber yard. Reeves, in a marvelous gesture, paid for the church’s pulpit which was made by a cabinet maker. The carpenters who built the church boarded at the Christ Luthi, Sr., home all that winter. The fist trustees of the church were Edward Eglin, William Feuchtenberger, and Tim Hohulin.
An interesting incident – with an unfortunate ending – occurred in 1907 when Gottlieb Hohulin, a minister from Congerville, Illinois, was visiting his son Tim. He paid a visit one morning to the home of Christian and Anna Marie Luthi. Since it was raining that morning, church services were scheduled that afternoon instead of in the evening. Luthi’s son, William, fifteen, was dispatched via horseback to inform all the members that church services would be held in the afternoon. He started out on his horse, but not far from home the horse slipped and fell, and William Luthi sustained a broken leg. Gottlieb Hohulin was very sorry for this unexpected turn of events and felt much pity for the young William Luthi. Church services were held that evening as originally planned.
The first minister, Jacob Moser, died on October 17, 1907. His funeral and burial were the first to be held in the new church and cemetery. This was a very sad occasion for the new congregation. He was succeeded in the ministry by Edward Eglin.
Already in 1911 the growing membership – due to the arrival of eight or nine new families (including the Henry Nohl family) necessitated larger worship accommodations. The church was moved and an auditorium (32 feet by 40 feet) was built on the north side. The foundation and cement blocks were made and tamped by Henry Nohl, Sr. The assembly room seated 170.
Families who moved to the area from 1910 to 1915 included those of Ben, Joe, and Emil Banwart; Jonathan Sommer; Eli Heiniger; Charles Schambach; Fred Messerly; August Greiner; and Henry Schaefer. Other families moving here a few years later were those of Charles, John, and George Metzger; Carl Greiner; Fred and Chris Koehl; John, Henry, Fred and Henry Messner; and the William Zeltwangers who arrived as newlyweds in March, 1918.
In 1917-1918 approximately fifteen persons were baptized. Later, in 1918 a flu epidemic clamed the lives of several persons associated with the church.
Page 271 – 272
Fort Scott, Kansas
Making a living off the eastern Kansas soil was both difficult and uncertain. Some families had a very difficult time making ends meet and were hard pressed financially. Jacob Pfister, Jt., was fourteen when his family moved to Fort Scott. He would often go hunting and later take his game to town so he could buy ammunition to kill more game. He told of how his mother used to cry because they were so poor and had very little to eat.
Despite these harsh economic conditions, a few more families continued to find residence in the Fort Scott area. Jacob Berchtold and family came from Warsaw, Missouri, in 1904. In 1917, Peter and Adam Mauer moved here from Iowa. Between 1920 and 1923, five families came to Fort Scott from Minnesota: the Joe Banwarts, Emal Banwarts, William Rebers, Tim Hohulins and John Zauggs.