2025 Salem Cemetery Tour

The Union Cemetery Tour took place on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Union Cemetery was first founded by St. John’s Lutheran Church (8th and Vliet) as St. Johannes Lutheran Cemetery in 1851. In 1865, the cemetery was merged with those of Grace (WELS) and Trinity (LCMS) of downtown Milwaukee. This cemetery is rich with the early WELS history of Milwaukee.

This tour focused on these early fathers of the Wisconsin Synod and its ministerial education system. Tidbits about others who lived and served in Milwaukee during the early years of the Wisconsin and Missouri Synods and who now enjoy their final rest at Union Cemetery were highlighted along the way.

The tour was conducted by Pastor Jeremiah Gumm. Pastor Gumm has served congregations in Liverpool, NY and Maitland, FL, and currently serves as associate pastor at St. Lucas in Milwaukee. He serves on the Seminary’s Pastor Partners Mentoring Leadership Team and was a founding editor of Grow in Grace’s Shepherd’s Study book review blog. He has a Master of Sacred Theology (STM) from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.