Phillip Marquardt, the namesake of the congregation, played a leading role in  
raising funds for the church building.  The first parishioners willingly contributed not 
only money, but time, the use of horses, and materials for the structure.  Henry 
Hoffman donated the acre of land on which the church was built.  When finished, the 
$3,000 red brick building with stained glass windows measured 32 x 59 feet and had a 
stately tower and bell. 
 
         The church building was started in the fall of 1882.  The cornerstone reads 
September 1882.  When completed, the dedication took place in February 1883.  Then 
on Sunday, September 16, 1883, it was organized, and on September 17 received into 
membership with the Synod of Northern Indiana of the General Synod and assigned to 
the Massilon parish.  Other churches in that parish included Massilon (southeast of 
Fort Wayne), Antioch (Hoagland), Concord (Adams County), Flat Rock (about four 
miles southeast of Monroeville), and St. Mark's (Monroeville).  Then in 1899, the 
Massilon parish was divided, and the Marquardt , Flat Rock, and St. Mark's 
congregations were united in the Monroeville parish.  Flat Rock disbanded in 1925 
leaving a two- church parish until June 1, 1964, when the joint parish was dissolved. 
Marquardt and St. Mark's each became a parish on its own. 

         Pastors who served this congregation:  W.D. Trover (1883), Alexander J Douglas 
(1883-1887), Owen W Bowen (1887-1892), David F Kain (1892-1898), Anthony Z 
Fryberger (1899-1900), Alexander J Douglas (1900-1902), David A Kuhn (1902-1905), 
Johnathan A West (1906-1909), Ralph Wheadon and Irwin C Birk, students from 
Hamma (1909-1911), Elmer E Campbell (1911-1914), Joseph H Weber (1915), Henry E 
Ziemer (1916-1921), Harvey J Fennig (1921-1924), Jacob S Barthelmas (1925-1927), 
Paul Wesley Hanshew (1927-1938), Lewis C Westenbarger (1938-1947), George H 
Volkmar (1947-1954), Clifford L Schreck (1955-1957), Marteen D Kilver (1958-1961), 
Byron J Sommers (1962-1964), John F Mussehl (1965-1968), Homer R Ogle, one of 
the most faithful, who drove each Sunday morning from North Manchester 
(1968-1973), William Powlen (1974-1977), John Sjauken (1977-1983), Robert A 
Halvorsen (1983), Supply Pastors (1984), Norman Appleby (1985-1987), Roger 
Schmidt (1987-1988), Elon Jacob (1989) died of an heart attack, Jerry Clary from Fort 
Wayne (1989-present).