First Pastor Born and Trained in America
Rev. Gunsten G. Krostu
Pastor Gunsten Gunstenson Krostu was the first pastor of the church who was trained fully in America. He was the son of Gunsten Tellefson Krostu and Sigreid Naeseth, born in Scandinavia, WI on March 3, 1860.
He attended high school in Waupaca and college in Iowa (Luther College) and Madison (the University of Wisconsin), graduating in 1881. He then attended Luther Seminary in Madison from 1882 to 1884, followed by Capital University from 1884-1885, getting his Church Theology degree. He was ordained in 1885, after getting his call here at West Koshkonong.
Pastor Krostu served as pastor here for 42 years. He served all three churches (East, St. Paul’s Liberty, and West), so services were held every third Sunday. While he was serving as the pastor at West Koshkonong, the church was affiliated with the United Norwegian Lutheran Church in America in 1890 and the Norwegian Lutheran Church in 1917. Also, Martin Luther Children’s Home opened in 1889 and Skaalen Home in 1900, while he was serving here.
The register for 1886 shows there were 19 services here that year and 25 of the 75 baptisms that he performed were at West. There were 11 weddings in all three parishes (all held at the parsonage) and 21 funerals at West. Records show that he reached his 300th funeral in 1902 some 17 years later.
He married Clara Agnes Hartmann in 1887. Pastor Krostu’s first son, Loy, died in 1890 at less than a year old. He was buried in West Koshkonong Cemetery. Two other children, Franklin (May 1900-December 1900) and Alice (1906-1906) died before reaching the age of one year and they are also buried at West Koshkonong. We know that Pastor Krostu and his wife, Clara had at least 2 more children that were confirmed at West. Clara’s obituary lists six daughters and one son.
- Lydia S. Krostu (Mrs. Joseph Brenhaus)
- Loy Gerhard Krostu
-married to Idella Amanda (B. 1886-D. 1920)
-married to Semanda Kingland (B. 1895-D. 1981)
- Seda A. Krostu (Mrs. George Ruste)
- Franciska W. Krostu (Mrs. Arvie Odland)
- Pauline Luella Krostu (Mrs. Sanford Week)
- Gladys E. Krostu (Mrs. Ishmael T. Pohle)
- Viola C Krostu (Mrs. Theodore Kretling)
When Pastor Otteson left in 1891, the Krostu family was finally able to move to the parsonage on the 90 acre farm which the churches owned. He managed the farm very successfully along with his duties at the church.
Pastor Krostu retired in 1927.He died in 1929 (one and a half years after retiring) and his wife died in 1952. Both are buried at West Koshkonong. Pastor Krostu was well loved. When he died, over 2000 people came to his funeral.
On July 21, 1929, over 2,500 people came to see the unveiling of the monument which the grateful people of East, West and Liberty had erected to thank God for, and to remind coming generations, of the work which God did here through one willing man. It is the largest gravestone in the cemetery on the north east side of the church.