Gotthilf Mathias Kramer (1882-1958) Papers

Gotthilf Mathias Kramer was born 4 September 1882 at Frohna, Perry County, Missouri, the son of Johannes Kramer and Magdalene nee Bergt. He attended Concordia College, Fort Wayne, Indiana, from 1898 to 1904. He graduated from Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis, Missouri, in 1907 after serving a vicarage at Grace Lutheran Church, Saint Louis, involving missions with African-Americans.

He was ordained and installed on 18 August 1907 as pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, New Orleans, Louisiana, a congregation of the African-American Mission of the Lutheran Synodical Conference. He was later pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church, New Orleans, from 1912 to 1940 and also missionary-at-large for the Southern field and superintendent for Louisiana and Mississippi of the mission.

He was married on 2 July 1907 to Antonett Smrcka (12 June 1877-3 January 1959) in Saint Louis, and they had seven children: Herold (b. 23 March 1908), Gerhardt (b. 26 October 1909), Elsie G. (b. 3 July 1911), Herbert R. (b. 15 April 1913), Gertrude M. (b. 29 April 1916), Elmer E. W. (b. 22 September 1914), Mildred Doris (b. 1 October 1921). He died 7 January 1958 at New Orleans and is buried in Garden of Memories, Metairie.