Albina Seventh-day Adventist Church (German)
In early 1889, Friedrich Jörg (also known as Frederick Jorg, Joerg, or George), a native of Norka, Russia, established the Albina German Seventh-day Adventist Church. This church was the first established by a Volga German in Albina. Several of the early Volga German pioneers in Portland adopted the Seventh-day Adventist faith, having first settled in Kansas and Nebraska, where they had initially established themselves in the United States.
Frederick, formerly a member of the Reformed faith, became a member, missionary, and elder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1883, when the German movement within the church was in its infancy. In April 1886, he was leading a congregation in Culbertson, Nebraska. Frederick visited the Portland area in 1887 and began to organize congregations in Albina and West Union, where some Volga German pioneers had already settled. Jörg participated in the Nebraska Conference in September 1888 and was listed as a minister in Sutton, Nebraska, that year.
The entire Jörg family decided to move to Portland between September 1888 and early 1889.
In May of 1889, Frederick wrote a short article that was published in the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald:
Frederick, formerly a member of the Reformed faith, became a member, missionary, and elder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1883, when the German movement within the church was in its infancy. In April 1886, he was leading a congregation in Culbertson, Nebraska. Frederick visited the Portland area in 1887 and began to organize congregations in Albina and West Union, where some Volga German pioneers had already settled. Jörg participated in the Nebraska Conference in September 1888 and was listed as a minister in Sutton, Nebraska, that year.
The entire Jörg family decided to move to Portland between September 1888 and early 1889.
In May of 1889, Frederick wrote a short article that was published in the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald:
I thought perhaps it would interest the brethren to hear something from this State. I have been here for some time, and tried to labor for the Lord. A short time ago I organized a German church in West Union. This little company consists now of ten persons. When I was here on a visit two years ago, some began to keep the Sabbath. As I could not stay then, I organized a Sabbath-school, and they kept it up till Bro. Sheiper came. I have also organized a Sabbath-school in Albina, with a membership of thirty-one, consisting mostly of brethren immigrating from Kansas and Nebraska. May the Lord bless the German work here.
- F. Joerg
The 1891 Albina City Directory shows that Friedrich, his family, and his father, Johann Jörg, lived in Albina at 852 Vancouver Avenue (now 4004 N Vancouver Avenue). The church location was listed at the southeast corner of the intersection of Vancouver Avenue and Cedar (now Failing Street). In 1894, the church was located at 374 Russell (now near 329 NE Russell). By 1895, the church relocated again to 585 Union Avenue (later 2801 NE Union Ave.) and continued there until 1901. The PastPortland.com website indicates that Henry C. Dittrich was the architect of the church on Union Avenue (see notes below). In 1902, the church location changed to the southwest corner of E. Everett and E. 11th, and Frederick Jorg remained as the pastor. In 1903, the City Directory lists Frederick Jorg as the leader of the Seventh-day Adventist Church at 722 Mississippi. After 1903, he was no longer listed as the pastor of any German Seventh-day Adventist Church in Portland.
Ludwig Spady, another Volga German pioneer in Portland, served as an officer in this church. His wife, Anna Elisabeth, was the daughter of Friedrich Jörg.
It is likely that the George and Anna Betz family also attended this church. The Henry and Elizabeth Schreiber and the George and Elizabeth Schreiber families were also Seventh-day Adventists. They may have been members of Pastor Jörg's congregations in West Union and later in Albina.
Frederick retired from his ministry work about 1910 due to advanced age, according to his obituary published in The Oregonian.
Friedrich Jörg died on September 29, 1912. Elder H.W. Cottrell, President of the Western Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Churches, spoke at his very well-attended funeral at the Adventist church at 202 NE Skidmore and Mallory. He was laid to rest at the Rose City Cemetery in Portland.
Ludwig Spady, another Volga German pioneer in Portland, served as an officer in this church. His wife, Anna Elisabeth, was the daughter of Friedrich Jörg.
It is likely that the George and Anna Betz family also attended this church. The Henry and Elizabeth Schreiber and the George and Elizabeth Schreiber families were also Seventh-day Adventists. They may have been members of Pastor Jörg's congregations in West Union and later in Albina.
Frederick retired from his ministry work about 1910 due to advanced age, according to his obituary published in The Oregonian.
Friedrich Jörg died on September 29, 1912. Elder H.W. Cottrell, President of the Western Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Churches, spoke at his very well-attended funeral at the Adventist church at 202 NE Skidmore and Mallory. He was laid to rest at the Rose City Cemetery in Portland.
Notes - Henry C. Dittrich
The PastPortland.com website indicates that the German-born architect Henry C. Dittrich designed the church building at 585 Union Avenue (later 2801 NE Union Avenue). Please contact us if you have a photograph of this church.
The book "Architects of Oregon" by Richard Ellison Ritz states that Henry Christopher Dittrich was born in Schoenstaett, Germany, on November 23, 1852. He immigrated to the USA in about 1881 and arrived in Portland by 1890. He resided in NE Portland for many years. In 1900, the U.S. Census indicates that Dittrich lived at 383 Stanton (now 403 NE Stanton), in the heart of the Volga German community at that time.
Dittrich's language skills were likely instrumental in obtaining work with local German congregations that needed a new church. In addition to the Albina Seventh-Day German Adventist Church, Dittrich designed the First German Evangelical Church, built in 1905 at SW 10th and Clay St. That church was destroyed by fire in January 2023. He may have also designed the Zion German Congregational Church, located on NE 9th and Fremont, which features a similar design. Dittrich was the architect of the Ashley House on NW Westover (built in 1913), which is listed on the National Register of Historic Homes. Dittrich died on July 27, 1927. He and his wife, Wilhelmina, were buried at the Rose City Cemetery in Portland.
The book "Architects of Oregon" by Richard Ellison Ritz states that Henry Christopher Dittrich was born in Schoenstaett, Germany, on November 23, 1852. He immigrated to the USA in about 1881 and arrived in Portland by 1890. He resided in NE Portland for many years. In 1900, the U.S. Census indicates that Dittrich lived at 383 Stanton (now 403 NE Stanton), in the heart of the Volga German community at that time.
Dittrich's language skills were likely instrumental in obtaining work with local German congregations that needed a new church. In addition to the Albina Seventh-Day German Adventist Church, Dittrich designed the First German Evangelical Church, built in 1905 at SW 10th and Clay St. That church was destroyed by fire in January 2023. He may have also designed the Zion German Congregational Church, located on NE 9th and Fremont, which features a similar design. Dittrich was the architect of the Ashley House on NW Westover (built in 1913), which is listed on the National Register of Historic Homes. Dittrich died on July 27, 1927. He and his wife, Wilhelmina, were buried at the Rose City Cemetery in Portland.
Sources
"Pacific Coast Camp Meetings." The Signs of the Times, 15.23 (1889): 360. Seventh-day Adventist Church Online Archives. Web. 7 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/ST/ST18890617-V15-23.pdf>.
"North Pacific Conference Proceedings." The Advent and Sabbath Review Herald 67.26 (1890): 413. Seventh-day Adventist Church Online Archives. Web. 3 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/RH/RH18900701-V67-26.pdf>.
Johnson, Doug. "German and Scandinavian Influences." North Pacific Union Conference Gleaner 86.13 (1991): 6. Seventh-day Adventist Online Archives. Web. 3 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/NPG/NPG19910715-V86-13.pdf>.
Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook 1889. Battle Creek: Review & Herald, 1889. 6. Seventh-day Adventist Online Archives. Web. 3 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB1889.pdf>.
"Obituaries - Eld. Fred George". North Pacific Union Gleaner, October 31. 1912, page 6. Web access on 20 Sept. 2025. <https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/NPG/NPG19121031-V07-26.pdf>
"Rev. Frederick Jeorge's [sic] Funeral Held." The Morning Oregonian [Portland], October 2, 1912, page 11.
1891 Albina City Directory - Ancestry.com
1892-1911 Portland City Directories - Ancestry.com
Jan Copple, Hastings, Nebraska Museum.
Walla Walla University Research Central
Center for Adventist Research
Pacific Union College Libraries Seventh-day Adventist Research Resources
PastPortland.com (search 585 Union Avenue N)
Ritz, Richard Ellison. "Architects of Oregon". Lair Hill Publishing, Portland, OR. 2002. Page 104.
"North Pacific Conference Proceedings." The Advent and Sabbath Review Herald 67.26 (1890): 413. Seventh-day Adventist Church Online Archives. Web. 3 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/RH/RH18900701-V67-26.pdf>.
Johnson, Doug. "German and Scandinavian Influences." North Pacific Union Conference Gleaner 86.13 (1991): 6. Seventh-day Adventist Online Archives. Web. 3 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/NPG/NPG19910715-V86-13.pdf>.
Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook 1889. Battle Creek: Review & Herald, 1889. 6. Seventh-day Adventist Online Archives. Web. 3 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB1889.pdf>.
"Obituaries - Eld. Fred George". North Pacific Union Gleaner, October 31. 1912, page 6. Web access on 20 Sept. 2025. <https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/NPG/NPG19121031-V07-26.pdf>
"Rev. Frederick Jeorge's [sic] Funeral Held." The Morning Oregonian [Portland], October 2, 1912, page 11.
1891 Albina City Directory - Ancestry.com
1892-1911 Portland City Directories - Ancestry.com
Jan Copple, Hastings, Nebraska Museum.
Walla Walla University Research Central
Center for Adventist Research
Pacific Union College Libraries Seventh-day Adventist Research Resources
PastPortland.com (search 585 Union Avenue N)
Ritz, Richard Ellison. "Architects of Oregon". Lair Hill Publishing, Portland, OR. 2002. Page 104.
Last updated October 6, 2025