Old St. John's Heritage
History of Old St. John
One of southwestern Virginia’s oldest Lutheran congregations, serving the Wytheville area for over two centuries.
In the late eighteenth century, German Lutheran families settled in what would become Wythe County, Virginia. These settlers brought with them the traditions of their Lutheran heritage.
Among them was Reverend Georg Daniel Flohr, who in 1799 organized the scattered Lutheran families into what would become Old St. John Lutheran Church—one of the oldest Lutheran congregations in southwestern Virginia.
"Beginning in the 1780s entire German families, neighborhoods, and communities left their prior American homes and settled within a relatively unsettled area of southwest Virginia."
— Spenser D. Slough, Germans on the Western Waters (2015)
Historic Landmark
The Flohr House
On the church grounds stands the preserved Flohr House, home of founding pastor Rev. Georg Daniel Flohr of Old St. John. This log structure, built c. 1807, is a rare example of frontier-era clergy housing in Virginia.
The Flohr House is open to visitors interested in colonial-era Virginia history.
Through the Years
Old St. John's Timeline
Key moments in the history of Old St. John Lutheran Church
1799
Congregation Organized
Rev. Georg Daniel Flohr organizes German Lutheran families into Old St. John Lutheran Church, one of the first Lutheran congregations in southwestern Virginia.
1826
Death of Rev. Flohr
Rev. Flohr dies after 27 years of service to the congregation. He is buried in the church cemetery.
1850s
Expansion
The congregation grows, leading to expansion of the church building and cemetery grounds.
July 18, 1863
Raid on Wytheville
Union forces under Col. John T. Toland — 872 men of the 34th Ohio Volunteer Mounted Infantry and detached railroad-raid units — attack Wytheville to disrupt the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. Toland is killed in the action. Between seven and fourteen Federal soldiers who died in the fighting are buried in St. John's cemetery; the exact number varies among contemporary reports.
1899
Centennial
Old St. John marks 100 years as a congregation.
1970s
Historic Preservation
Efforts begin to preserve the historic church and Flohr House. Cemetery records are documented for genealogical research.
1999
Bicentennial
The congregation marks 200 years with special events and renewed commitment to historic preservation.
2020s
Digital Archive
Cemetery records compiled by historian Sally Kegley are digitized and made available online for genealogists and researchers.
1799
Year Founded
225+
Years of History
1,200+
Burials Recorded
Explore Old St. John's Heritage
Search the cemetery database to research family connections, or plan a visit to see the historic church and grounds.