St. Peter's first church building, school and a cemetery was situated on a 40 acre site bought in 1846 for $50 in what was then called Sarah's Grove and later also known as Schweer's Grove. The congregation called their first pastor, Rev. Francis A. Hoffmann (In 1856 he became the Lieutenant governor of Illinois) of Duncklees Grove in 1847. The 45 members who adopted and signed the constitution of the congregation in 1847 were: Conrad Salge, Ludwig Vette, Christian Vette, Christian Waldemar, J.H. Becker, Heinrich Schierding, J. Honeberg, J. Engelking, Ernst Kinkelhake, H. Steege, C. Redeker, H. Redeker, Heinrich Schrage, Johann Fasse, Ch. Withaeger, Friedrich Hartmann, F. Helberg, F. Gieseke, F. Redker, F.C. Hausing, H. Kreft, F. Koelling, Ch. Rohlwing, Ch, Teigeler, Heinrich Pfingsten, Ch. Winkelhake, Hattendorf, Conrad Kruse, Ch. Geseke, H. Homeier, Fried. Bartels, Conrad Wille, F. Lichthart, H. Thies, H. Reckeweg, F. Nerge, J. Boeger, Wilkening, Ch. Koelling, J.C. Biesterferd, Wente, August Claus, Fried. Trost, W. Teyler and F. Rascher.

Because of increases in the size of the congregation a new, larger 24'x30' church building with a 50' high steeple was built in 1848. Sometime between 1851 and 1854 the name of the area was changed to Schaumburg to reflect the origins of many of its German inhabitants. An enlarged church building of brick, 85'x40' with a 127' high steeple was dedicated in 1863. The steeple was set on fire by lightening in 1904 and burned completely to the ground. The organ was also destroyed, but the building was partially saved.

If you have come to my website via Ancestry: Several years ago the genealogy giant Ancestry absorbed the genealogy websites of Rootsweb along with personal databases posted at Rootsweb's WorldConnect Project that included a large database of my own family information. I started using Rootsweb in 2000 and they gave us the capability to add, remove, and update our information at anytime and I used these options frequently to post correct and current data. Presently (2006) I am told by Ancestry that we cannot maintain our own databases, we cannot even remove them. If you find information at Ancestry with my name attached please search my website for current information, the databases posted at Ancestry contain inaccurate information. - Karen Rowe.