Johannes Springorum

Johannes & Johannes

Johannes Springorum (*1625 – †1694), pastor in Kirchende, should not be confused with Johannes Springorum (†1682), who served as priest and chaplain in Bochum. For a long time I assumed they were the same person, until two independent sources made clear that their dates of death differ. The latter Johannes played an important role as an intermediary between the Abbeys of Werden and Helmstedt and the Marienborn Monastery in Lütgendortmund.

Early Career and Ordination

Johann’s early work as a scribe and schoolmaster is documented in records from Wetter, where he was appointed as a teacher and vicar in 1654. He was ordained as a vicar in the Lutheran Church on October 14, 1658, in Unna, under the supervision of General Superintendent Pastor Davidis.

Appointment as Pastor in Kirchende

In 1660, Johann was called to serve as pastor of the Dorfkirche in Kirchende. His appointment was confirmed by the sovereign on March 19, 1661, following a dispute between the Lutheran and Reformed congregations over the use of the church. The Dorfkirche, with its Romanesque tower dating back to around the year 1000, was a central institution in the community. Johann’s tenure as pastor spanned from 1663 until his death in 1694.

Family and Descendants

Johann married Clara Reinermann, and the couple had several children, many of whom went on to play significant roles in the church and local administration. Their children included:

• Caspar Reinhard, who became a farmer in Wickede.
• Johann Georg, who succeeded his father as pastor in Kirchende.
• Johann Heinrich, born in 1665, whose descendants continued the Springorum lineage in Unna and other regions.
• Bernhard Jakob, who became a teacher and court clerk in Langendreer.

Johann’s long tenure in Kirchende is well-documented in church records, which note his pastoral duties, including preaching, administering sacraments, and overseeing the spiritual life of the congregation.

Disputes and Ecclesiastical Challenges

During Johann’s pastorship, the Lutheran congregation in Kirchende faced ongoing disputes with the Reformed Church over the use of the parish church. These conflicts were part of broader religious tensions in the County of Mark, where Lutheran and Reformed congregations often clashed over church properties and patronage rights. Despite these challenges, Johann’s leadership helped stabilize the congregation during his three-decade tenure.

Death and Legacy

Johann Springorum died on February 11, 1694. His legacy is marked by his long service as pastor in Kirchende and his family’s continued influence in the ecclesiastical and civic life of the region. His descendants expanded the Springorum name into new areas, including agriculture, trade, and local governance.

Dorfkirche, Kirchende

About 300 people can be seated in the village church built between 1756 and 1759. The Romanesque tower points to a much older predecessor and was built around the year 1000. It houses, among other things, the Urbanus Bell from 1426. The organ case, dating from 1663, is preserved in its original form. Historical gravestones surround the church, the oldest dating back to 1549.

Notes

This archival entry from the Landesarchiv NRW Abteilung Westfalen, under the reference D 002 / Kleve-Märkische Regierung, Landessachen, Nr. 181, covers legal and religious disputes involving church property and pastoral rights, spanning the years (1491) 1619–1668.

Included in the file are:

• A dispute from 1491 (preserved in transcript), involving Pastor Johannes Hamel and others in Boele, who were in conflict with a priest named Johannes Gerste over the income from the Vicarage of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
• A witness interrogation from 1668, ordered by Pastor Johannes Springorum of the town of Ende, carried out by Christoph Philipp von Loe, the regional official (Drost) in Wetter, concerning ownership of the vicarage.

Source: https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_5c2745fb-9af3-4d5b-8478-7448d67ae48f