Discover the Past: "Beer, Germans, and Methodism"

When German immigrant Ludwig Jacoby rode his horse into St. Louis in 1841, he couldn’t have possibly known the chaos that would ensue. The Methodist minister’s pursuit of building a church was met with challenges so extreme that it’s amazing he had the will to push forward: race riots, violence, and hatred came from varying directions. 

Set in the context of St. Louis struggling with the influx of humanity of immigration, this minister and his congregation navigate a timeline of turmoil. St. Louis Germans encountered a clash of cultures each step of the way, facing unrest during the Temperance Movement, the instability of World War I, and the confusion of Prohibition. 

Beer, Germans & Methodism is a look at how German Americans traversed the rocky path of religion, politics, and yes, beer.

About the presenter:

Elizabeth Kurrus is a historian and author in St. Louis, Missouri. She earned her Bachelor's in history from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and her Master's in public history from James Madison University in Virginia. For the past fifteen years, she has served as Director of Archives for a 184-year-old church. Additionally, Elizabeth conducts independent research for clients seeking information on everything from family histories to historic railroads. Elizabeth has published two books, "Oysters to Angus: Three Generations of the St. Louis Faust Family" and "Ethnic St. Louis," and is researching her next publication on St. Louis' participation in provisioning westward migrants of the Oregon and California Trails.