St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
Merton Township
Waukesha County Wisconsin

Location

This active cemetery is located on the west side of Stone Bank Road in the Village of Stone Bank, just north of the intersection with Highway K, Section 19, Merton Township.

History

The church was originally part of the Scandinavian parish, Pine Lake, but the congregation split in 1850. One group, taking the records and register of the church with them, founded St. John's. The other became Holy Innocents Episcopal Church. The church was first known as the Pine Lake Norwegian Lutheran Church. It became St. Johannes Norsk in 1882, and finally St. John's Lutheran Church in 1925.

The earliest burials of the congregation were actually at Holy Innocents Cemetery, Nashotah. The cemetery is administered by the St. John's Lutheran Church Cemetery Association. The cemetery was established in 1847.

Records

There are cemetery records 1847-date. Church records are available 1843-date; many of these records are in Norwegian. There is also a chart of the cemetery. Cemetery records are available to the public for research. The association will answer mail requests at no charge; however, a donation to the church would be accepted for more complicated inquiries. Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for your reply.

Contact the St. John's Cemetery Association at
St. John's Lutheran Church of Stone Bank
W344 N6990 Stone Bank Road
Oconomowoc, WI 53066-1404
262-966-2034

At the Waukesha County Museum there are transcriptions from the tombstones, 1854-1938. Also, Scandinavian Church Records, Pine Lake and St. Olaf's Ashippun, 1841-1859, as written by Rev. Gustaf Unonius and Rev. M.F. Sorenson. This is a transcription of the earliest record book, kept at St. John's Lutheran Church. It includes deaths and burials 1843-1858.

BENTE:
Harvey E Bente/d.  May/June 1985