Adventists in Wisconsin
Adventism is a general term referring to the belief in the second coming of Christ, the so-called Millennial Kingdom.
German Adventist Church, 1874
Watertown, Wisconsin. This church is located in Jefferson County, which is a section of the state with a high concentration of Adventists. The congregation remained heavily German until 1896 when they requested an English pastor. View the property record: AHI 59776
Origins of Adventists in Wisconsin
Wisconsin has had three different Adventist groups throughout its history, the most dominant of which has been the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
Elder H.S. Case brought the Seventh-Day Adventist doctrine to Wisconsin in 1851 and the first groups organized at Beloit and Hebron.
Converted Baptist J.H. Waggoner and Waterman Phelps began ministries in southern Wisconsin. Waggoner succeeded in converting J.M. Stephenson and D.P. Hall who subsequently evoked the fury of the Church's leadership by expounding divergent views of the prophecy in the 1850s. Fearing havoc, the leadership sent churchmen from Michigan to strengthen the church in Wisconsin, diminishing the long-term effect of the strife.
Congregations Emerge Throughout the State
Camp meetings and tent evangelism were the main means of spreading the doctrine, the first of which was held at Johnson Creek. Believer homes provided temporary accommodations for Adventists who were often on the road for several days to attend camp meetings.
Norwegians in Jefferson County were the first practicing immigrant Adventist group in the state, organized in 1861 by Phelps. John G. Matteson of Wisconsin, known in the religious community as "The Apostle Paul of the Adventists," was successful in building churches among rural Scandinavians.
The growing number of Scandinavian Adventists created the need for a foreign language press which became a serious part of the long-term efforts of the Church.
Around 1900, the Church organized a mission among the Oneidas in Outagamie County that included a mission school.
Itinerants extended their journeys throughout the state and Adventist communities grew up around lumber and mining operations.
Adventist doctrine was slow to enter urban settings and the church focused its efforts on the more responsive rural districts.
The Seventh-Day Adventists grew most rapidly between 1890 and 1906, and at its peak, were most heavily represented in Wood, Milwaukee, and Vernon counties. The smaller Advent Christian Church was strongest in Jefferson and Door counties.
[Source: Wisconsin's Cultural Resources Study Units, Wisconsin Historical Society]
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