St John’s Lutheran Church in South Kilkerran on York Peninsula
South Kilkerran St Johns Luthern Church
When this area of Yorke Peninsula was surveyed for settlement by farmers in the 1870’s many German families from the Barossa Valley moved here to commence farming.
The existence of two Lutheran churches, St John’s and St Paul’s, in so small a community is of interest. The German migrants belonged to three religious orders: the Moravian Brethren who arrived in 1876 from Bethel, the Evangelical Lutheran Synod and the Immanuel Synod.
In 1878 the first two groups built the St John Church which they both used in separate services. In 1882 people of the third order moved into the district and they too used St John’s. It was also used as a school until a school was built.
The Church of St Paul was erected and dedicated on 2nd March, 1902. The children of August and Pauline attended the Lutheran school. Selma, Freda, Gertrude attended in 1905 while Alma, Louise and Edward were attending in 1911.
In November 1966, the various factions of the Lutheran church united to become the Lutheran Church of Australia.
Buried in St John’s Lutheran Church are the parents of Ernestine Louise Pauline Arnold nee Dutschke who married 3.5 Johann August Arnold on 14 August 1890 at South Kilkerran by Pastor J H Hoopmann.
Johann Carl August Dutschke
Born: 26 Jan 1820
Died: 24 May 1905
Christine Caroline Wilhelmine Dutschke nee Liesfeld
Born: 2 Dec 1835
Died: 17 April 1909
Pauline was their only daughter. In 1875 she moved with her parents to Yorke Peninsula. She was confirmed at South Kilkerran by Pastor J H Hoopmann on 27 November 1881.
Christine Caroline Wilhelmine Dutschke 1835-1909
3.5.8 August Memory Stone 8th son of Ehrenfried
3.5.5 Ehrenfried Memory Stone South Kilkerran 5 son of Ehrenfried
3.5.5 Edward Ehrenfried Arnold
Born: 4 March 1898
Died: 17 April 1939
Ehrenfried was the fifth child of August and Pauline Arnold. He married Maria Pauline Steinborner in 1922 and they lived t Pine Point on a farm. His untimely death left Mary with eight children and a newly purchased property in Coonalpyn which she managed on a share basis until 1963.
3.5.3 Ernestine Selma Arnold
Born: 4 April 1894
Died: 5 May 1933
Selma was the third child of August and Pauline. She spent her life on her parent’s property. She suffered from epileptic fits and had a restricted life and died aged 39 years.
3.5.9 Johann Carl August Arnold
Born: 11 July 1905
Died: 25 May 1972
Augie was the ninth child of August and Pauline Arnold. He worked on the family farm and married Mavis Jean Qualmann in 1935. They lived in the Arnold family homestead at South Kilkerran until 1967. He shared farmed on the Kohlhagen property for many years. Augie purchased a number of properties and was a successful farmer and able to diversify.
3.5.11.3 Fay Muriel Kinsley Nee Arnold.
Born: 10.11.1936
Fay Muriel Kinsley nee Arnold was the third child of Harold and Toni Arnold 3.5.11. She was born in the Eudunda Hospital and died in the same building, converted to an aged care facility. She was baptised in the St John’s Lutheran Church where her funeral service was conducted.
3.5.10 Oswald William Arnold
Born: 23 February 1907
Died:28 December 1993
Ossie was the tenth child of August and Pauline Arnold. Along with his brother Harold and Linda Linke they were the last German confirmation classes to be held at St Johns. He married Linda in 1834 and they farmed in Sandilands. Later they moved to Maitland then Kangaroo Island to farm.
Plaque: Oswald & Linda Arnold