Rev. Francis Springer

springerThe Rev. Francis Springer (1810-92) is considered the father of Lutheranism in Springfield. A service he held in his home in 1841 led to the founding of the first Lutheran congregation in the city. That church later evolved into both Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church (the English congregation) and Trinity Lutheran Evangelical Lutheran Church (the German church).

Springer volunteered as a chaplain during the Civil War, spending much of his time at Fort Smith, Ark. (His diary, edited by Bill Furry, was published in 2001 as The Preacher’s Tale: The Civil War Diary of the Rev. Francis Springer, Chaplain U.S. Army.)

While at Fort Smith, Springer threw himself into helping families made destitute by the war. His efforts, Furry says, resulted in hundreds of orphans from Arkansas and Missouri being routed through Springfield’s Home for the Friendless for permanent placements. (Although some sources suggest Springer was instrumental in creating the home, Furry notes that he was in Arkansas when the home was founded in 1863; his role in its founding “is speculative at best,” Furry said.)

A May 1863 Illlinois State Journal article, quoted in Trinity Lutheran’s biography of Springer, described the arrival of a group of Arkansas refugees:

Objects of Charity—The families of Arkansas refugees who have been driven from their homes by the fiendish rebellion arrived in this city last night on the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis R.R. in a most destitute condition. They were met at the depot by some charitable citizens and furnished with temporary shelter and some food given them. We are informed they presented a most pitiable sight, emaciated and ragged. They are fit objects of charity for such of our citizens as exercise that Christian virtue. Money or articles of food or clothing left at the store of John Williams & Company will reach these poor unfortunates.

Springer also was a teacher, ultimately serving as both Springfield school superintendent and Sangamon County school commissioner.

In addition, he headed a Lutheran-backed college in Hillsboro and Springfield from 1847 to 1855. In Hillsboro, the school’s full name was the Literary and Theological Institute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Far West, although it often was known as simply Hillsboro College. After the institution was moved to Springfield in 1852, the name was changed to Illinois State University. It had an eight-acre campus in northeast Springfield.

The college moved from Springfield to Carthage, Ill. in 1870 (Carthage College now is in Kenosha, Wis.). The Springfield campus later became Concordia Lutheran Seminary and then the Illinois Department of Corrections Training Academy.

Springer and his family – wife Mary and eight children – lived at Eighth and Jackson streets, across Jackson Street from the family of Abraham and Mary Lincoln, for several years in the 1840s.

schs logo (2)

Original content copyright Sangamon County Historical Society. You are free to republish this content as long as credit is given to the Society. Learn how to support the Society. 

This entry was posted in Churches, Education, Lincoln, Abraham, Prominent figures, Social services and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

9 Responses to Rev. Francis Springer

  1. Carolyn K. Shearer says:

    Do you have any information on the parents of Rev. Francis Springer? His bio lists his birth place as Roxbury, Franklin County, PA, which is near my home. I have checked the early tax lists , deeds, orphan court records and wills, but can find no Springers in the Roxbury area. Thanks, Carolyn (a lookup volunteer for the Franklin County, PA, Historical Society)
    “EARLY SETTLERS OF SANGAMON COUNTY – 1876, By John Carroll Power
    SPRINGER, Rev. FRANCIS, D. D., was born, March 19, 1810, at Roxburry, Franklin county, Pa.

    • Bill Springer says:

      Rev. Springer is my 2nd great grandfather. I have boxes of info on him and all his descendants. His father was John Springer, born in Germany, a miner in the nearby Roxbury iron mines, fought in the Battle of New Orleans, died shortly later in 1815 in Roxbury. His mother was Elizabeth Fahnestock, born in Germany, died in 1814 in PA.
      Much more info if needed.

      • editor says:

        Bill: Thanks very much for the information. I’ll make sure Ms. Shearer sees it. (I deleted the contact information from your comment for privacy reasons, but I’m passing it on to her separately.)

  2. Rae Stoner says:

    Bill- he is my 3rd great grandfather. I would love to connect with you and learn some of the history you have.

  3. Kathy Havener (Ayer) says:

    I also am a direct descendant of the Rev. Francis Springer. Have quite a few very old photo’s and would love to share.

    • editor says:

      Ms. Havener: The best way to make your photos widely available is to give them (or reproductions) to the Sangamon Valley Collection at Lincoln Library. The actual space is closed at the moment for renovation, but you can still reach Curt Mann, the SVC librarian, at the library: 217-753-4900.

      Thanks for reading, and thanks very much for the offer.

  4. Carolyn Smith says:

    Rev. Francis Springer is my husband’s 2nd great grandfather. My husband’s line is through Rev. Springer’s son Frank Springer and Evaline Nesbitt Springer and their daughter Mary Belle Springer. We would love more information on the Springer family. This side of the family has lived in the Dallas Texas area since the 1940’s.

    • editor says:

      Ms. Smith: Thanks for reading. The person who probably know the most about Springer family history here is Bill Furry, executive director of the Illinois State Historical Society. You may know of him already, but I’ll pass your contact info on to him anyway.

Leave a Reply to editor Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *