The German Methodist Episcopal Church
The Rock River Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church began a
mission among the German people of Rock Island in September of the year
1855, sending Reverend Ullrich von Gunter as first missionary, and after
two years work among the Germans he had succeeded in gathering a
membership large enough to build the German Methodist Church on Twentieth
Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenue, where also the first parsonage
was built. This church was dedicated by Reverend Haas in 1857. By this
time the St.. Louis German Conference had been organized and this mission
was turned over to said German Conference.
After having labored for fifteen years more among the German people the
membership had increased to such an extent that the church on Twentieth
Street became too small to accommodate the people. That church and
parsonage were then sold and a lot with a small house on the corner of
Fourteenth Street and Sixth Avenue was bought. The small house with only
two rooms had two more rooms added to it and became the parsonage. About
five years ago another story was put on this building and it was otherwise
remodeled into the present parsonage. On the corner of the lot the present
church was built, and dedicated in the year 1874.
The membership has never been very large, but much good has been
accomplished through this church among the German people of this city. W.
C. Schultze is the present pastor.
Churches of Rock Island County
Source: Historic Rock Island County, pub. Kramer & Company, Rock Island, Illinois, 1908