St. John's Lutheran Church Cemetery
Lipscomb, Lipscomb County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Early homesteaders in Lipscomb County were russians of German descent. These included Jacob M. And Amalia Koch, who were members of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, established by the German Russian settlers in 1914. By 1916, the Koch family allowed church members to use this land as a burial ground; they deeded the land to the church in 1950. The first burial was that of baby Hildegard Schilling in January 1916. The cemetery today is a link to early Lipscomb County settlers and to their German Russian Heritage, as chronicled on the gravestones. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2005
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Among the earliest homesteaders of Lipscomb County were German-Russians—Germans whose families had farmed the Russian empire before coming to America—including Jacob and Amalia Koch. They belonged to St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, founded by these settlers in 1914, and by 1916 the Koch family let the congregation use their land for burials, formally deeding it in 1950. The first grave, baby Hildegard Schilling in January 1916, began a cemetery that still links the county to its German-Russian heritage.
Why it matters
This burial ground preserves the story of German-Russian immigrants who carried a distinct Old World faith and culture onto the Texas plains.
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Related people
- · Jacob M. Koch
- · Amalia Koch
- · Hildegard Schilling
Related events
- · German-Russian immigration
Themes & tags
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