File:Rev Henry C Jaus - History .jpg

source:Steve Kleist collection.

Snow's history of Adams County, Indiana 1907

During the incumbency of the pulpit by the Rev. Henry C. Jaus of St. John's German Lutheran church, in Preble township, Adams county, this flourishing organization has greatly increased in membership and in strength. The church was organized in the early days of Adams county, the date being 1845, and is one of the oldest in north-eastern Indiana. Mr. Jaus was born at Hamburg, Carver County, MN, January 21, 1865.

He is a son of pioneer German parents, Martin and Catherine (Beck) Jaus, who came from their native country at an exceedingly early date and settled in what was then a frontier state. Before they settled in Minnesota they lived a short time in Canada, but believing the advantages possessed by "the states" greater than those presented by the Dominion, migrated across the border.

The elder Jaus was a farmer and cultivated his estate in Carver county until his death at the ripe age of sixty-six years. His wife died at the age of sixty-three, some time after her husband's death.

They were the parents of nine children:

• Simon Jaus
• Martin Jaus Sr.
• Anna Jaus
• John Jaus
• Martha Jaus
• Mary Jaus
• Henry C. Jaus
• George Jaus
• Gottlieb Jaus

Henry Jaus lived on his father's farm during his boyhood and experienced the life of a boy in the pioneer period. He secured his elementary education in the common schools of Carver County, MN and attended a parochial school at Emanuel Lutheran Church, Hamburg, MN.

Finishing his course in the parochial school, he decided to enter the ministry of the German Lutheran church <ref>On April 26, 1847, twelve pastors representing 14 German Lutheran congregations met in Chicago, Illinois, and founded a new church body, the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other States. Walther became the fledgling denomination's first president.</ref>, of which denomination his parents were staunch members. Accordingly he went to Springfield, IL, and entered the Concordia Theological Seminary, Springfield, IL at that city. He pursued his studies in theology at this institution for five years and then was graduated "cum laucle" in the spring of 1892.

He was a careful and earnest student at the seminar and he took high rank among his fellow students. At the conclusion of his course he was well prepared to assume the duties of a pastor of a congregation. His first charge after his graduation was at Tipton, IN. He went to that city and served as pastor of the church there for six years.

He then received a call from Allen County, IN. There were many members of the Lutheran denomination in Allen county and numbers in Washington Township, IN, but there was no church. Mr. Jaus was called for the purpose of organizing a congregation and launching a church.

He was successful in this new field of labor, and organized the Bethlehem church and continued to serve it as pastor for the following six years. During his pastorate the church throve and members were added to it from time to time until it became an important religious body of the community.

At the end of this period he was called to the pulpit of St. John's Church in Preble township. In accepting the call extended by the Preble township church, Mr. Jaus found himself, in 1905, at the head of an aggressive and progressive church body. The building that was erected in 1873 was a substantial edifice and adapted to the needs of the congregation.

In addition to the church building a handsome parsonage awaited him and a fine parochial school building that had been recently built at a cost of seven thousand dollars. The combined value of the real estate held by the church, including a teachers' home and twenty acres of land, was in the neighborhood of fifty thousand dollars.

The church to which he had come was one that was hallowed by tradition. Since its organization by Henry Wyneken, more than a half century ago, it had been served by men whose names became famous throughout the county.

Its former pastors had built the church up to its present standard, and no mean task confronted the new pastor to maintain these high standards of leadership and to further foster the growth of the church.

The pastors since the organization of the church were: The Rev. Husmann, the Rev. Fritze, the Rev. W. Kolb, the Rev. Philip Wambsganss, the Rev. Traub, the Rev. H. F. C. Evers, the Rev. R. A. Bichoff and the Rev. C. F. W. Huge. Of the list but two are living at the present time.

Under the charge of Mr. Jaus, however, the church has developed and has grown in membership. The present number of communicants is four hundred and fifty-eight and the parochial school has a large number of pupils.

Mr. Jaus was married at Springfield, Illinois, October 13, 1892, to Miss Anna Paul, of Springfield, Illinois. She was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, May 24, 1867, and is the daughter of Henry and Sophia Paul. Her parents died in Springfield.

Mr. and Mrs. Jaus are the parents of two children : Latto Jaus and Clara Jaus. They are among the most highly respected people of the county and are a force for good in their community.

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