About Us :

St. Paul's has a rich, German history. The forebears of our Church came to America and St. Clair County in the 1840's from Germany. The immigrants settled in an area called Turkey Hill, about 4 miles north of present-day Freeburg. A log Church was built on Turkey Hill, the forerunner of our current Church. By 1858, a number of people moved into the young town of Urbana (now Freeburg), and organized a congregation under the leadership of Rev. J.B. Hoppe, an immigrant Pastor. He came to America in the late 1840's, where he preached and prepared men for the ordained ministry. He died in November 1861 and is buried in Belleville, IL. It was soon discovered that another town by the name of Urbana existed in Illinois. So the town was renamed Freeburg in 1859 in honor of the German city of Freiburg in Baden, from which some of the people had immigrated. In the same year, a parcel of land was purchased and a simple rectangular church building was erected. It was a schoolroom during the week and a Church on Sunday. The Church was called the "Free Protestant Church of Freeburg". Rev. Theodore Horn was called to serve the Church in 1863, where he ministered for more than 36 years. He passed away February 7, 1900, and is buried in St. Paul's cemetery. In 1874, the congregation voted to build a bell tower and steeple. The present Church was built attached to the tower in 1890 and dedicated on January 18, 1891. In the 1920's, the old steeple and tower were replaced by the present tower after a serious crack developed in the steeple and tower. ( Our Church in early 1900's )