The Filson Historical Society Digital Projects

West Louisville Evangelical Church register, 1916-1946, 1964-1968, 1992

Title

West Louisville Evangelical Church register, 1916-1946, 1964-1968, 1992

Subject

Churches -- Kentucky -- Louisville.
Marriage records -- Kentucky -- Louisville.
Baptismal records -- Kentucky -- Louisville.

Description

Members of a Sunday school operated by the German St. Peter's Evangelical Church formed the West Louisville Evangelical Church in 1915. The congregation built a church in the Shawnee neighborhood at 245 South 41st Street in 1916.  A new sanctuary was constructed circa 1926-1927. In 1957, the church changed its name to the West Louisville United Church of Christ. In 1986, the West Louisville United Church of Christ closed due to declining membership, in part because of white flight from West Louisville, and problems maintaining the property. The remaining congregation became members of the historically Black Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ.

This collection features a register with entries for marriages, baptisms, confirmations, communions, and deaths from 1916-1946. Loose inserts in the ledger include a 1935 license to solemnize marriages for Rev. C. T. Rausch, a 1968 request for a baptism record, undated genealogy notes, and a 1992 Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ bulletin.

The register is part of the Plymouth Congregational Church (Louisville, Ky.) records, a historically Black protestant church in the Russell neighborhood of Louisville. The register is the only item from the collection that has been digitized; please see click here to browse the finding aid for more information on the other records.

Creator

West Louisville Evangelical Church (Louisville, Ky.)

Source

Mss. BA P738, Volume 11, Plymouth Congregational Church (Louisville, Ky.) records, The Filson Historical Society, Louisville, Kentucky

Date

1916-1946, 1964-1968, 1992

Format

Church Records

Language

en

Type

Text

Identifier

MssBAP738

Coverage

1910s
1920s
1930s
1940s
1960s
1990s
20th century

Collection Items

  • https://filsonhistoricalimages.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/mssba_p738_vol11_marriages.pdf

    24-page record of marriages of members of West Louisville Evangelical Church, Louisville, Kentucky. The register lists the names of the couple, witnesses, marriage date and location, and officiating clergyman. These pages are part of a larger register for the church: https://filsonhistorical.omeka.net/items/show/6650
  • https://filsonhistoricalimages.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/mssba_p738_vol11_deaths.pdf

    25-page record of deaths of members of West Louisville Evangelical Church, Louisville, Kentucky. The register lists the deceased person's name, death date, birthdate, date of internment and location, and officiating clergyman.
  • https://filsonhistoricalimages.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/mssba_p738_vol11_confirm.pdf

    34-page record of confirmation classes at West Louisville Evangelical Church in the Shawnee neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. The register lists varied information for each confirmand, which can include their confirmation date, name, birthdate, memory verse, address, father's name, mother's name, baptism date, and class song.
  • https://filsonhistoricalimages.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/mssba_p738_vol11_communion.pdf

    20-page record of communion service attendance for West Louisville Evangelical Church in the Shawnee neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. The register lists church members' names in alphabetical order by surname. Check marks indicate whether the person/couple attended communion services in 1964, 1965, and 1966. Irregular communion visitors are listed in order of attendance from the bottom of page 290 through 292.
  • https://filsonhistoricalimages.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/mssba_p738_vol11_baptisms.pdf

    35-page record of baptisms conducted at West Louisville Evangelical Church in the Shawnee neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. The register lists the child's name, parents, birthdate, baptism date, and sponsors.
  • MssBA_P738_vol11.pdf

    Members of a Sunday school operated by the German St. Peter's Evangelical Church formed the West Louisville Evangelical Church in 1915. The congregation built a church in the Shawnee neighborhood at 245 South 41st Street in 1916. A new sanctuary was constructed circa 1926-1927. In 1957, the church changed its name to the West Louisville United Church of Christ. In 1986, the West Louisville United Church of Christ closed due to declining membership, in part because of white flight from West Louisville, and problems maintaining the property. The remaining congregation became members of the historically Black Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ.

    This register contains entries for marriages, baptisms, confirmations, attendance at communion services, and deaths from 1916-1945. Members' attendance at communion services is also recorded for 1964-1966. Loose inserts in the ledger include a 1935 license to solemnize marriages for Rev. C. T. Rausch, a 1968 request for a baptism record, undated genealogy notes, and a 1992 Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ bulletin.