In 1838, John H. Ph. Bleeke, then living at Cincinnati, made a trip to Adams County and for his future home bought the northwest quarter of section 21, being the third man to enter a deed for land in what is now Union Township.  In 1840, he returned with his wife and their two sons and three daughters, arriving on November 27.  The wagon-cover stretched across crotchet-poles was their only shelter while they built a rough log-house, which still had no roof or floor when they moved in on December 24.   In 1852, they built the house that still stands on the old home place.

During the first years in their new home, the Bleekes would walk five miles through the swampy woods to attend church services in the Clamor Fuelling home in Root Township and then in the log church built there in the early 1840s.

It was in 1849 that the Rev. J. Andreas Fritze, Pastor of St. John’s Bingen and of St. Peter’s Root Township, began holding regular preaching services in the Bleeke home.  In November of the same year, two other families arrived from Germany to settle in Union Township:  John H. Krueckeberg with his wife and three daughters; and Henry Wm. Weyland and his wife, son, and daughter.  Both families at once joined the Bleekes at divine services in their home, thus forming the nucleus of the present Immanuel Lutheran congregation.

Other Lutheran pioneers were J.H.W. Carl Grote, who came in 1852; C.D. Ferdinand Reinking in 1853; J. Andreas Thieme in 1855; and Carl H.W. Krueckeberg, C. William Schamerloh, K.H. Ludwig Koldewey, J.F. Hoeriger, and H.J. Ruecklos, Sr., all before the end of 1858.

These ten men, with John Bleeke and his sons Christian F. and Karl F. Wm., were charter members who on December 14, 1858, adopted and signed the constitution and thus formally organized Immanuel Lutheran Church.

The first church, built of logs, was begun in 1851 by the half dozen pioneers here at the time, but the structure was completed and dedicated in 1855.  The first parsonage was constructed in 1865 and was replaced in 1917 with a brick-veneer building.  The present house of worship was built in 1891 at a cost of about $5000.  In 1912, the church was placed on a higher foundation, furnace and pipe organ installed, the tower lowered 30 feet, and other minor changes made.  In 1929, side balconies were built, the church redecorated, and the altar statues of Christ and the adoring angels added.