History of Rev. C.P. Thusius
In His Own Words
as dictated to Elizabeth Krohn Thusius

I, Carl Edward Thusius, was born March 30th, 1856 at Kahla, in the province of Saxony, Altenburg, in Thuringa, German. An only child of teacher Eduard Thusius and his wife Theresa nee Veit. I was baptized two weeks after my birth. In the year 1860, my father was transferred to Quirla, a village not far from the city of Roda, where he followed the teaching profession, until his death in March 1886. It was here that I attended school until the day of my confirmation on Palm Sunday, 1870, in the city church in Roda by Superintendent Koehler. From 1870 to 1879, I attended the Gymnasium in Eisenberg. After completing the (arbiturintenexamen) examinations I enlisted for one year in the 5th Thuringa Infantry Regiment No. 95, which was stationed in Jena, the large province of Saxony-Weimar and at the same time I studied Theology at Jena. In the second semester 1880, I continued my studies at the University of Leipzig, studying under Luthardt, Kahuis, and Delitzsch and remained there for three semesters. I would have preferred to follow a profession other than Theology, but in obedience to my parents I remained a Theologian. I applied to the Province Altenburg, for examination as a candidate and was accepted due to a required written sermon on the text “Faith cometh through the Word”, and an oral examination of a difficult Latin work. I refused for conscience’s sake. What occurred within me is impossible to describe verbally. Doubtless, the good Lord had something special in mind for me. When my good father died in March 1886, and was consequently sainted, the thoughts through messages came to me to immigrate to the U.S. of North America.

In 1886, then, I went to the United States with the purpose of finding relatives, a step sister of my father (Tante Weinrich) and not immediately to pursue my Theological studies. My faith and trust in American Theologians was similar to that which I felt towards the Theologians of Germany. I felt them guilty of hypocrisy, they were easy going, irresponsible and selfish (soldner). I was unable to located my relatives since they had moved to Arlington Heights, Illinois. This change of name (town) was unknown to me. I managed to survive for a year in New York until through a peculiar circumstance I became acquainted with a son-in-law of the Immigration Missionary, Kerkenmeier, of New York, Pastor Schmidtt-Konz. This man in 1888, referred me to the Iowa Synod. I lived for a short time in the seminary at Mendota, Illinois. I was then called as Assistant Professor to the College in Waverly, Iowa, a position not to my liking, wherefore after a Colloquium in the Fall of 1889, I accepted a ministerial call near Hartley, in north western Iowa, where I worked between two Missourians (Synod) Pastor Zuerrer, then President of the Iowa district, and Rev. Schinnerer, later President of the Michigan District, for three and half years. I served five congregations under the severest conditions. At that time the relatives who I had been unable to locate upon my arrival in this country, by chance found my name in a Church Annual of the Iowa Synod, and through their minister, Rev. E. Raeder, contacted me and later my relatives visited me.

Before this they told Rev. Zuerrer about me, and through his clear explanations of the Missouri Synod, I became a pastor of this organization and never regretted it.

After another Colloquium I served the following parishes:
1. Two congregations near Sioux Falls, SD in Minnehaha and McCook Counties, from June 1893 to Jan. 1897.
2. One congregation and two preaching stations in Douglas County, near Parkston, SD from jan 1897 until 1907.
3. Three congregations near Groton, SD, Hanson County, from 1907 to July 1913.
4. Two congregations near Mayville, WI, Dodge County from July 1913 to October 1927.

Resigned October 1927, and since then in Watertown, Wisconsin as Pastor Emeritus.

February 1945 - Notation by Elizabeth Krohn Thusius:
“Today we buried our dear father, he died January 29th, at the age of 88 years, 10 months, 29 days, after a short illness of dropsy. On Thursday, February 1st, at 9:30 A.M. a short private funeral service at Haffemeister Funeral Home, Watertown, Wisconsin, was conducted. Pastor F. Eggers of St. John’s Congregation preached. The body was taken to the church at 11 A.M. and remained in state until 2:00 P.M. During this time the pallbearers served as honor guards. Services were conducted at 2 P.M. at St. John’s Church. Pastor F. Eggers preached the German service. Rev. Thusius selected his own funeral text : I Corinthians 15:10, “By the Grace of God I am what I am.” The English sermon was preached by Pastor Reitz of Lebanon, Wisconsin, using the same text. The congregation sang Hymn 443, V. 1 through 6, before the sermon, V.7 and 8 after the English sermon, “Jerusalem Thou City Fair and High” in German. The school children sang two verses, first and last of “Laszt Mich Gehen”. (Let Me Go) in English. The pallbearers were Pastors Wedel, Rubel, Quandt, Kiessling, Stelter and Schultz.

1900 South Dakota, Douglas County, Berlin Twp., E.D. 137, S.D. 2, sheet 12A, stamped page 38, film T623-1549 (taken 26 June 1900)
dwelling 164, family 164
Thusius, Carl P., head, white, male, Mar 1838, age 42, married 10 yrs., born Germany, parents born Germany, minister
----------, Emma M., wife, white, female, Sept 1870, age 29, married 10 yrs., mother of 6 children, 5 living, born Germany, parents born Germany
----------, Teresia C.M., daughter, white, female, Feb 1893, age 7, single, born Indiana, parents born Germany
----------, Gotthold H.F., son, white, male, Dec 1895, age 4, single, born South Dakota, parents born Germany,
----------, Helena B.A., daughter, white, female, Apr 1896, age 4, single, born South Dakota, parents born Germany
----------, Oscar C.F., son, white, male, Apr 1897, age 3, single, born South Dakota, parents born Germany
----------, Hertha M.M., daughter, white, female, Mar 1900, age 2/12, single, born South Dakota, parents born Germany

1910 South Dakota, Brown County, Hanson Twp., E.D. 63, S.D. 1, sheet 15 A, stamped page 236, film T624-2477 (taken 23 May 1910)
dwelling 73, family 73
Thusius, P. Charles, head, male, white, age 54, married 20 years, born Germany, parents born Germany, immigrated 1880, naturalized, pastor
----------, Emma, wife, female, white, age 40, married 20 years, mother of 8, 7 living, born Germany, parents born Germany
----------, Theresa, daughter, female, white, age 17, single, born Indiana, parents born Germany
----------, Gotthold, son, male, white, age 15, single, born South Dakota, parents born Germany
----------, Helene, daughter, female, white, age 14, single, born South Dakota, parents born Germany
----------, Oscar, son, male, white, age 13, single, born South Dakota, parents born Germany
----------, Hertha, daughter, female, white, age 10, single, born South Dakota, parents born Germany
----------, Johannes, son, male, white, age 5, single, born South Dakota, parents born Germany
----------, Eberhard, son, male, white, age 4, single, born South Dakota, parents born Germany

1920 Wisconsin, Dodge County, Town Theresa, E.D. 57, sheet 6A
dwelling 110, family 111
Thusius, P. Carl, head, male, white, age 63, married, imm 1889, al, born Germany, parents born Germany, minister in church
----------, Emma, wife, female, white, age 48, married, alien, born Germany, parents born Germany
----------, Herta, daughter, female, white, age 19, single, born Wisconsin, parents born Germany

1930 Wisconsin, Jefferson County, Watertown City, ward 9, E.D. 28-39, S.D. 9, sheet 5B, film T626-2576 (taken 9 April 1930)
706 Western Ave., dwelling 129, family 146
Thusius, C.P., head, owns house $6500, male, white, age 74, married age 32, born Germany, parents born Germany, immigrated 1886, papers filed
----------, Emma, wife, female, white, age 58, married age 19, born Germany, parents born Germany, immigrated 1887, papers filed
----------, Hertha, daughter, female, white, age 29, single, born South Dakota, parents born Germany, laborer shoe factory

1940 Wisconsin, Jefferson County, Watertown City, ward 9, E.D. 28-40, sheet 2B
706 Western, household 44, owns $3000
Thusius, Rev. P.T., head, male, white, age 84, married, 4 yrs college, born Germany, lived in same house in 1935
----------, Emma, wife, female, white, age 68, married, 4 yrs college, born Germany, lived in same house in 1935
----------, Hertha, daughter, female, white, age 40, single, 8th grade, born South Dakota, lived in same house in 1935, kitchen, public school

Clipping sent by Marcilene Timm, granddaughter of Carl Thusius, undated
Rev. Carl Thusius Funeral Thursday
Retired Minister Stricken at Home Here on Monday
Funeral services for the Rev. Carl P. Thusius, whose death at his home, 706 Western avenue, was announced yesterday afternoon, will be held on Thursday. The service will be at 2 o’clock in St. John’s Lutheran church of which he was a member. The Rev. F. H. Eggers, pastor of the church, and the Rev. William Reitz, Lebanon, will officiate. Burial will be in the Lutheran cemetery.

the body will lie in state at the church from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Thursday, when the casket will be closed just prior to the service. On Wednesday, from 3 to 9 p.m., friends may call at the Hafemeister funeral home to pay their respects and also on Thursday up to 10 a.m.

Rev. Thusius was born in Saxony, Germany on March 30, 1856, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Thusius. his father was for many years active as a professor in Germany.

Educated Abroad
He studied at three German universities, Eisenach [Eisenberg], Jena and Leipsic [Leipzig]. In 1886 he came to this country and in 1888 accepted a call as professor at Waverly college, Waverly, Ia. In 1889 he went to Hertley [sic], Ia. where he became pastor of a church. He remained there three-and-a-half years. After that he went to South Dakota where he served several pastorates. Later he transferred to Wisconsin. His last pastorate in this state was at Hocheim, near Mayville. he retired in 1927 and moved to Watertown.

He was married to Miss Emma Hoffmann of South Bend, Ind., on Nov. 26, 1890. They observed their golden wedding in 1940.

Family Survives
His wife survives, as do seven of the eight children born to them. of these, one son, Paul, died in infancy. The surviving children are Mrs. Theresa Lenling, Hartland; Henry G. Thusius, this city; Mrs. Helen Azstrow, Nashotah; the Rev. Oscar Thusius, Delavan; Miss Hertha Thusius, at home; John (Jack) Thusius, Delavan, and Eberhard Thusius, St. Charles, Ill. There are ten grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

REv. Thusius had been quite active until recently, despite his advanced years. His death yesterday was due to general infirmities.

Since moving here REv. Thusius had become a well known figure about the city and had many friends. He was an energetic man, much more active than is general for one his years. he had an alert mind and was a life long student and reader. He had a keen sense of humor and his life reflected the Christian upbringing and education which were.... [cut off]