St. John's Lutheran Church north of Newell in Coon Twp. was organized in 1889 by German immigrants anxious to have a place to worship in their native language.  For the first year the congregation met in a nearby schoolhouse, but by 1890 a church had been erected, and a parsonage was built in 1907.  Except during World War I, when German language services were forbidden, the congregation worshipped in that language until 1934, when English services were the only ones offered.

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