Christian Keyser Preus (October 13, 1852 – May 28, 1921) was an American Lutheran minister who served as the second president of
Luther College in
Decorah, Iowa
Decorah is a city in and the county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,587 at the time of the 2020 census. Decorah is located at the intersection of State Highway 9 and U.S. Route 52, and is the largest commun ...
.
Career
Preus was born in the
Spring Prairie, Wisconsin
Spring Prairie is a town in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,123 at the 2020 census. The unincorporated communities of Spring Prairie and Voree are located in the town. The unincorporated communities of Honey C ...
, parsonage to Norwegian immigrants
Herman Amberg Preus
Herman Amberg Preus (June 16, 1825 – July 2, 1894) was an American Lutheran clergyman and church leader. Ordained in 1848, he became a key figure in organizing the Norwegian Synod.
Background
Herman Amberg Preus was born in Kristiansand, Norwa ...
and Caroline (Linka) Keyser Preus.
[''Preus, Christian Keyser'' (Christian Cyclopedia. The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod) ] He enrolled in Luther College in 1865, but had to withdraw due to contracting
typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several ...
. He resumed his studies in 1868 and graduated in 1873. He then attended
Concordia Seminary
Concordia Seminary is a Lutheran seminary in Clayton, Missouri. The institution's primary mission is to train pastors, deaconesses, missionaries, chaplains, and church leaders for the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS). Founded in 1839, t ...
in
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...
, graduating in 1876.
Preus was ordained that same year and served with his father at the historic Spring Prairie Lutheran Church. Between 1893 and 1895, he also served Our Saviour's congregation in
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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.
In the summer 1897, health problems resulted in his relocating to Decorah. In 1898, he became an instructor of religion and Norwegian in the preparatory department of Luther College.
In 1902, Preus became president of Luther College and served until his death in 1921. While president he continued to teach religion, Norwegian, and Latin. During his administration, in 1915, the college gained accreditation by the
North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), also known as the North Central Association, was a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states engaged in educational accreditation. It ...
.
Preus was a charter member and the first Iowa District president of the Choral Union of the
Norwegian Synod
The Synod of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, commonly called the Norwegian Synod, was founded in 1853. It included churches in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
History
In February 1853, several Lutheran ministers in ...
, which was organized in 1903. In addition, he was vice-president of the Norwegian Synod from 1911 until that synod's merger into the
Norwegian Lutheran Church of America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC) was a Lutheran denomination that existed from 1917, when it was founded as the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America (NLCA), until 1960, when it joined two other church bodies to form the second American Luthe ...
in 1917, and then vice-president of the Iowa District of the new synod until his death. He was also president of the
Winneshiek County Old Settlers' Association in 1913 and the first president of the Educational Association of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America.
Preus died on May 21, 1921. His personal papers and records are maintained in the Luther College Archives. His son,
Ove Jacob Hjort Preus, served as president of two colleges,
Augustana College Augustana College may refer to:
*Augustana College (Illinois)
*Augustana University Sioux Falls, South Dakota
*Augustana University College, Alberta
See also
*Augustana Divinity School (Neuendettelsau)
The Augustana-Hochschule Neuendettelsau is ...
in South Dakota and Luther College, serving as Luther's fourth president from 1932 to 1948.
Selected works
*'' Hvilken Retning og Mod Hvilket Maal Bor Luther College Udvikles for Bedst at Tjene Synoden?'' (Decorah, IA: Lutheran Publishing House, 1904) Norwegian
See also
*
Robert Preus
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
(1924–1995)
*
Ove J. H. Preus (1880–1951)
*
J. A. O. Preus
Jacob Aall Ottesen Preus (; August 28, 1883May 24, 1961) was an American politician. He served as the 8th state auditor of Minnesota from January 5, 1915, to January 5, 1921, and as the 20th Governor of Minnesota from January 5, 1921, to January ...
(1883–1961)
*
J. A. O. Preus II
Jacob Aall Ottesen Preus II (January 8, 1920, Saint Paul, Minnesota – August 13, 1994) was a Lutheran pastor, professor, author, seminary president and church denominational president. He served as the eighth president of the Lutheran Churc ...
(1920–1994)
*
J. A. O. Preus III
Jacob Aall Ottesen Preus III (March 20, 1953 – August 4, 2022) was an American academic administrator who was the president of Concordia University, Irvine from 1998 to 2009. Previously, he was a professor at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mis ...
(born 1953)
*
David W. Preus (1922–2021)
References
Other sources
*Luther College Faculty, ''Luther College Through Sixty Years, 1861-1921'' (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1922)
*Nelson, David Theodore, ''Luther College, 1861-1961'' (Decorah, IA: Luther College Press, 1961)
Other readings
*Tingelstad, Oscar Adolf and
Olaf M. Norlie Olaf Morgan Norlie (January 11, 1876 – June 22, 1962), also referred to as O. M. Norlie, was a Lutheran minister, educator and scholar. He was additionally a Lutheran church historian, librarian, editor and statistician. He was also a prolific ...
''Christian Keyser Preus, 1852-1921'' (Augsburg Publishing Co. Minneapolis: 1922) Norwegian
External links
Preus Library at Luther College
*[http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/fullRecord.asp?id=27005&qstring=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisconsinhistory.org%2Fwhi%2Fresults.asp%3Fsubject_narrow%3DClergy Christian Keyser Preus Family at Spring Prairie Parsonage]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Preus, Christian Keyser
American people of Norwegian descent
People from Spring Prairie, Wisconsin
1852 births
1921 deaths
19th-century American Lutheran clergy
20th-century American Lutheran clergy