Chaplain, Field & Staff, 58th Ohio Infantry

Friedrich Wilhelm Richmann was born November 9, 1820, at Hille, Minden-Lübbecker Landkreis, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He was the son of J. F. W. Richmann (1782-1843), a master carpenter, and Maria von Behren (1781-1855). Friedrich arrived at New York City on June 27, 1839, and settled at Lancaster, Ohio. In May 1842 he enrolled in Capitol University at Columbus, Ohio, graduating in August 1843. Richmann was ordained to preach the following year on June 13, 1844, and accepted a call to serve several German parishes near Lancaster. He married Miss Christine Krietemeyer in September 1844 and had eleven children, six sons and five daughters. Pastor Richmann was present at the organization of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod at Chicago in April 1847. At that time he had the largest parish in the new synod, numbering 900 souls. From April 1856 to June 1858 he served the newly organized congregation of Immanuel in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In the early fall of 1858 he was installed in Schaumburg, Illinois. The records of this congregation tell us that "in March 1862, Pastor Richmann received a call as chaplain to the 58th Regiment of the Ohio Volunteers of the U.S. Army." He was 41 years old. A leave of absence was granted by the congregation at Schaumburg, Illinois, with the understanding that they would be free to call another pastor in his place if conditions should necessitate it and he could not be released from his duties as a chaplain to come back. Pastor Richmann has the distinction of being the first Chaplain of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod to serve in the armed forces of the United States. He was commissioned May 5, 1862, but had to resign his commission a few months later due to illness October 27, 1862. He returned to Schaumburg to recuperate and resumed ministering to his congregation. He accepted a call to St. John, Elgin, Illinois, where he served from 1869 to 1879. From 1879 to 1883 he served the Lutheran congregations in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. On September 9, 1883, he became the chaplain of the Lutheran Hospital and of the Wartburg Old Folks’ Home at Brooklyn, New York. Rev. Richmann died at Brooklyn on November 7, 1885.

Biography by Steve

Rev. Frederick W. Richmann was the first pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan and also the first pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Conklin, Chester Township, Ottawa County, Michigan. He served both congregations at the same time.
From the 150th Anniversary Book of Trinity Lutheran Church: "Rev. Reichmann conducted worship services in the Lachmann or Reister District Schools in 1857-1860."