Historical Data:
As northwest Seward County expanded and became settled further and further northward, a need was felt for a new church in that part of the county. On April 8, 1885, a group of men met to organize the new congregation, the "Evangelical Lutheran St. Paul's Congregation" at Orton, Seward County, Nebraska. Those founding members of the congregation were: Friedrich Neujahr; F. Wilhelm Neujahr; John G. Matzner; C. Neujahr; William Neujahr; Johan Steinke; Albert Neujahr, and Herman W. Neujahr. The Rev. Karl Theodor Gruber was called to be the pastor on June 29, 1885 and he was installed as the first pastor of the new church in August of that year.

A warranty deed dated October 28, 1887, shows that most of the land belonging to the congregation, was donated by John George Matzner and wife, Katharina Matzner (six acres), and by William Neujahr and wife, Elizabeth Neujahr, one acre along the north side of the property. George C. Richert and wife, Anna, sold one-fifth of an acre to be used for a driveway along the south side of the cemetery in April of 1935.

A parsonage and church building were built on this land in 1885 with the church being dedicated on August 16, 1885 and the cemetery established by 1886. Rev. Gruber also established a parochial school by the fall of 1887 that he taught for four days a week. In December of 1889, Rev. Gruber passed away and because of the winter weather and road condition, he was buried at St. Paul's rather than at Immanuel Lutheran at Middle Creek. He was survived by his wife, Marie, and eight children and eight grandchildren. His wife was later buried at Immanual Lutheran-Middle Creek (east of Seward).

The congregation celebrated it's 100th anniversary on June 23, 1985. Six years later the decision was made to discontinue worship services at that location with the final service being held on Thanksgiving Day, 1991. In 1995, the church building was sold and dismantled with the lumber being used to build a home in Lincoln, Nebraska. All that is left of the original congregation is the cemetery now.