Progress on the Emmaus Homes Heritage Project will be introduced to the public this month.Emmaus was founded July 2, 1893. Prior to that the Marthasville campus was used as the German Evangelical Church seminary from 1850-1883. This year it celebrates its quasquicentennial — 125 years of service to persons with developmental disabilities.Local historian Cathie Schoppenhorst has spent the last year gathering, cataloguing and preserving Emmaus Homes’ historic data as part of the Emmaus Heritage Project. She will present her findings at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 30, at the Warren County Historical Society, 102 W. Walton, Warrenton.Schoppenhorst also will make recommendations as to what to do with all of the treasures she has unearthed.The Emmaus Homes Heritage Project was made possible by the Reitz Family Endowment Fund.Shortly before Schoppenhorst came on board, JoAnn Tiedemann and her aunt “Toosie” Stoerker Margolies volunteered together to try to bring some order to the vast amount of information packed away for many years.“There was no way I could do this with just three weeks a year,” Tiedemann said, whose three-generation connection to Emmaus Homes brought her to the project.A retired librarian from the state of Wisconsin, Tiedemann said her interest in the project “came about genetically.” Her great-grandfather, the Rev. Justus Frankenfeld, was an early superintendent for Emmaus beginning in 1907. Her grandparents, the Rev. Theophil and Frieda Stoerker, worked as a team at the St. Charles campus from 1929-1964.“I translated their words and I just thought it was so cool,” said Tiedemann. “I understand the role this place played and it was absolutely worth my time.”Both Schoppenhorst and Tiedemann describe the “village level of care” that was provided by the early German immigrants to the epileptic patients who were first housed on the Marthasville Emmaus campus. The spirit of helping others was a prime consideration of the German founders.“These campuses hold unique documentation of the language, economy, intellectual, spiritual and social life of 19th century German immigrants and their descendants,” said Tiedemann.Schoppenhorst said detailed medical records were kept on all the epileptic patients. The neurological department at Washington University is finding the journals to be helpful in its study of epileptic care. The records are one of the only remaining resources for treatment of patients historically.One of the most interesting finds, according to Schoppenhorst, is the “The Emmaus Chronik,” which details all the basic founding information written by hand in a notebook pristinely preserved.“We also found the first set of publicity to help bring in donations,” said Schoppenhorst. “At the time it cost $200 for basic care for each person per year, and already in 1905 41.5 percent of residents were considered charity cases.”Another jewel is the stone building that housed the printing press for the “Friedensbote,” a local newsletter meaning “messenger of peace.” The building is the oldest building remaining on the property.Also found were German religious reference books dating from 1740 to 1770. The collection includes photos of clients and staff playing croquet, ninepins or doing work such as laundry or farm chores. Records of rationing during World War II were also found.Emmaus Homes was greatly supported by the community, according to Schoppenhorst. Surrounding farmers often brought wagon loads of food. Journals detailed each donation — 1 bushel of apples or 2 pounds of potatoes. Also documented was an anniversary celebration where 26 wagons brought visitors to the celebration from the railroad.Schoppenhorst expects the project to be completed by the end of the year. Some of the artifacts will be housed in the State archives. Others could be housed by historical societies or at the Emmaus headquarters.

JoAnn Tiedemann, left, and Cathie Schoppenhorst work together to finish translating German documents found chronicling the early stages of the Emmaus Home organization. Tiedemann,who has generational ties to Emmaus, has volunteered her translating skills. Schoppenhorst has sorted and catalogued all the artifacts as part of the Emmaus Homes Heritage Project. 

Record photo/Cindy Gladden