History of the Lutheran Church in Virginia and East Tennessee

Clearfield Company has reproduced this church history with permission of The Northern Virginia Daily, the copyright holder. The largest single source for the book’s contents was the Minutes of the Synods and of the Conference of the Lutheran Church in Virginia and East Tennessee. The editors also consulted histories of individual Lutheran congregations, as well as Lutheran synods in neighboring states, the published works of John Wayland and other historians, and interviews/documents provided by individual pastors.

History of the Lutheran Church in Virginia and East Tennessee is divided into five parts. The first one, occupying just under half of the book, traces the history of the region’s Lutherans through its pioneering members, pastors, and institutions. Genealogists will find lists of congregants throughout this section. Part II contains sketches of the individual congregations of the Synod, listing the names of the pastors, along with details concerning the location and construction of the churches themselves. Parts III-IV cover the Synod’s educational activities and its auxiliary institutions, such as the Women’s Missionary Society and the Lutheran Brotherhood. The final part contains various tables that identify members and officers of the Synod, giving their names, date received/removed into/from the Synod, with descriptive remarks when available. The comprehensive name and subject index identifies upwards of 4,500 persons associated with the Lutheran Synod from 1829 to the time of original publication in 1930.