Koch, Johannes

Johannes (John) Koch, son of Michael Koch & Elisabeth Rieber, was born 21 April 1843 in Kolb, Russia on April 21, 1843.

In 1863, Johannes married Barbara Koch. She had been born in the neighboring colony of Frank on 12 January 1844.

Koch served as a schoolteacher in Russia.

Pastor Koch founded Ebenezer German Congregational Church in Portland, Oregon, in 1892. Prior to serving the Ebenezer Church, he was pastor of First Congregational Church in Ritzville, Washington (1882-1891), and the Evangelical Lutheran Congregational Church in Endicott, Washington (1883-1893). After serving at Ebenezer, he again led the First Congregational Church in Ritzville (1893-1895) as well as the Zion German Congregational Church in the same town (1893-1894). After Zion, he returned to Ebenezer and also served the church in Stafford, Oregon (1895-1899) before going on to the Salem Church in Ralston, Washington (1899-1904).

Rev. Koch died in on 15 June 1927 in Ritzville, Washington. He is buried in the Ritzville Cemetery along with his wife Barbara.