Zirks among early families in Schauer Valley

Contributed by FRIEDA JACOBSON

St. Luke’s Auxiliary

The early days of St Luke’s and the settlers living in what was known as Schauer Valley were filled with struggles and challenges. One of the families that settled here was the Zirks. A number of them still live and own land in this region. 

Born in Germany, Helena Augusta Leist Zirk was the only woman to sign the membership list at St. Luke’s in 1903. Otherwise, only men signed the list. 

Today we will tell you about the strong lady who was married to Fred Zirk. Helena Augusta Liest was born in Germany. She came to America with her father, four sisters and two brothers when she was 13. Her soon-to-be husband had come across a few years earlier, had bought land next to his brother on the ridge, near St Luke’s, and had moved into the existing log cabin. 

Fred Zirk was a successful farmer, while Helena’s family struggled to survive. Helena’s mother had passed away, and caring for four daughters was too much to bear, so her father arranged her marriage to Fred. She agreed on the condition that her baby sister, Ann, would live with them. 

They were married Jan. 21, 1892. When they went to his home on their wedding night, she was shocked to see that his pigs were living in the house! She wanted to walk away right then, but she knew how difficult life was for her family, so she chose to stay.

She was 17 years younger than Fred. They had nine children; two died in infancy. 

Fred proved to be a difficult person to live with, but she focused on her children, her home and her garden. They stayed together until his death. She passed away in January 1959. He loved his animals, especially his horses and pigs. In 1918, he was taking a load of hogs to the stockyard in Elroy to sell them. On his way, a car backfired and scared his horses, which resulted in the pigs getting loose and running all over Elroy. It caused quite a bit of excitement. The event was even written up in the local paper. 

Helena was a bit of a rebel at times. Fred and his father, John August Zirk, were charter members at St. Luke’s. She shocked Fred when she stepped forward in 1903 and added her name to the membership list as the only woman to sign it. 

Bold moves by women married to Zirk men seems to be a thing in the history of St. Luke’s, as her grandson’s wife, Evelyn, joined in when she became a Zirk wife. At the time she married Ray, it was a custom for the men to sit on one side of the church, with the women and children on the opposite side. As a new bride, Evelyn insisted on sitting with her husband, thus starting a new era. This was in 1944. 

Her granddaughter, Myrna (Zirk) Fauska, currently writes the “South Side News” column for the County Line. She too, can be a bit of a feisty lady. She also loves to lead folks in singing at the hymn sings at St. Luke’s. 

Let’s go back to the records to see what was happening at St Luke’s.

It was 1912 when the congregation agreed to start having mission festivals. That continued for most of the rest of the years with an active congregation. The women were the stars with their specialty dishes that are still talked about today. Food was prepared, flowers were arranged, former pastors were invited, and the men put together the sawhorse tables for the event!

It was also in 1912 that the congregation voted to install the beautiful, embossed tin ceiling that is still a highlight today.

In 1914, they decided to resurvey the cemetery and directed each family to bring bricks to mark the corners of their plot. Additionally, a vote was approved to insure the church for storm damage in the amount of $800. In October, they agreed that all members should come on a day when the weather is good and paint the exterior of the church.

Remember to join the Preservation Committee on Oct. 1 to celebrate being listed on both the State and National Registry of Historic Places.

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