USA > Maryland > Washington County > Leitersburg > History of Leitersburg District, Washington County, Md.: Including Its Original Land Tenure. > Part 11
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£
8. d.
Christian Lantz, Sr., elder,
1
2
6
Anthony Bell, elder,
2
0
0
John Hafner, deacon,
0
15 0
Henry Jacobs, deacon,
0
10 0
In addition to the officers of the church, subscriptions were also made by the following persons:
Christopher Burkhart,
David Ritter,
Jacob Ritter,
Martin Jacobs,
Adam Lyday,
Philip Ripple,
Christian Pfeiffer,
Felix Wagner,
Carl Goll,
Jacob Leiter, Sr.,
George Baker,
George Lantz,
Christopher Burkhart, Jr., Jacob Huber,
George Burkhart,
Michael Summers,
George Augenstein,
John Wesenman,
Ludwig Emerick,
Andrew Bell,
George Baker, Jr.,
Jacob Ritter,
John Bell,
Fruhlig,
David Scholl,
Christian Lantz. Jr.,
Johannes Dornwart,
Frederick Nicodemus,
Jacob May,
Michael Altig,
Herman Stolz,
Henry Jirb,
David Besore.
Jacob Busch.
Henry Miller, John Mentzer.
In a similar subscription list for 1796 the following additional names appear: Alexander Duncan, John Dorbart, Jacob Grove,
What Each One Will Give.
120
HISTORY OF LEITERSBURG DISTRICT.
Davis Sittro, Frederick Mero, William Ebrad, George Leiter, Sr .. Simon Fogler, Frederick Wagner, Michael Wolfinger, and Mat- thias Summers.
Within a few years after the Rev. John Ruthrauff became pastor he proposed a constitution for the church, which was duly adopted and signed by the officers and members on the 23d of September, 1798. This document is entitled "Kirchen Artikel für die Evangelische Lutherische Gemeinde liegend an der Linie von Maryland und Pennsylvania-die Friedens Kirche genannt" -"Constitution for the Evangelical Lutheran Congregation situ- ated at the Maryland and Pennsylvania line, called Peace Church." It defines in detail the duties of pastor, council, and members. The church council at that time was composed of Ja- cob Rider, Anthony Bell, Philip Ripple, David Goll, and John Bell.
The membership at this time was widely scattered. Four other Lutheran churches have since been organized upon the original territory of Jacobs Church, located, respectively, at Waynesboro, Leitersburg, Quincy, and Rouzerville. The formation of the two first named practically reduced the congregation to its present limits. Its numerical strength has varied widely. In 1796 the number of communicants was 33, but in 1798 105 persons at- tached their names to the constitution as members and officers. The formation of the Waynesboro congregation in 1818 undoubt- edly deprived the mother church of many members, but defec- tive records at this period render it impossible to estimate the loss. In 1826, after the organization of the Leitersburg church, there were still 76 communicants at Jacobs. In 1830 the number was 93; in 1835, 67; May 26, 1839, 65; April 30, 1843, 87; May 11, 1845, 88; June 4, 1848, 97; May 19, 1850, 102; May 13, 1855, 85; May 19, 1860, 70; November 21, 1869, 64; April 27, 1879, 65; September 20, 1885, 61; October 31, 1897, 69. The following note is appended to a communion record in 1855: "This congre- gation has lost a considerable number of members by removal." This remark would apply to the church at almost any period in its history. Many families have removed from its bounds at various times and located in neighboring towns or in the West, where they have in more than one locality been active in establishing or sustaining other Lutheran churches.
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CHURCHES.
The regulations governing the baptism of children at the or- ganization of the church are a part of the first constitution; the earliest baptismal entries, which are also the earliest records ex- tant, are herewith given:
Frederick Bell et uxor Rosina; sohn, Johannes; gebohren den 29 Juni; getauft den 6te November, 1791. Taufzeichen, Johannes Bell et Margaretha Bell.
Martin Lauman et uxor Regina Elizabeth; tochter, Eva; gebohren 1791 den 20te October; getauft den 6te November, 1791. Tauf- zeichen, Heinrich Jacob, Elizabeth
Andreas Leiter et uxor Barbara; tochter, Susanna Catharina; gebohren 1791 den 3te Juli; getauft den 6te November, 1791. Tauf- zeichen, Jacob Leiter et uxor Juliana.
1797, den 24te Februar ist Heinrich Jacob und seiner frau Anna Maria ein Sohnlein zur Welt gebohren, n. Johan Heinrich. Tauf- ziechen sind die Eltern. Getauft, 1797, den 2te April.
Throughout this old register German surnames are invariably given. Among those that occur most frequently are Johannes, Georg, Andreas, Anton, Heinrich, Friedrich, Mattheus, Leon- hardt, Ludwig, Dorothea, Margaretha, Regina, Maria, Catharina, Elizabeth. German was also the language of public worship throughout the ministry of Rev. John Ruthrauff.
The site of the church and the burial ground adjacent are em- braced in a tract of land called Martin's Good Hope. Martin Ja- cobs secured a warrant for the survey of this tract on the 21st of August, 1787; the survey was made on the 1st of April, 1788, and a patent was issued in his favor, September 21, 1790. The area of the tract was eighteen acres. The church land was deeded by Martin Jacobs to Christian Lantz "for the use of the German Lutheran congregation and their successors," November 18, 1799, at the nominal consideration of five shillings "and in considera- tion of divers other good causes him the said Martin Jacob there- unto moving." It contained three-fourths of an acre and thirty- four perches of land "together with the church thereon and other the appurtenances thereunto belonging."
Here many of the settlers of Leitersburg District and the ad- jacent township in Pennsylvania are buried. But unfortunately no intelligible memorials mark the graves of many of them. The tombstones are limestone specimens, evidently selected with some
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HISTORY OF LEITERSBURG DISTRICT.
regard for smoothness of surface and regularity of form, but destitute of information regarding those whose last resting places they are intended to perpetuate. It is probable that George Ja- cobs, a son of the donor of the land, was one of the first persons interred here, as the date of his death, November 16, 1790, is the earliest inscription of this character that has been discovered.
From the deed for the church land it is evident that the church building had been erected thereon at that time; how much earlier it may have been built is matter of conjecture, but it is extremely improbable that this occurred prior to 1787, when the land was acquired by Martin Jacobs. For this was a substantial and some- what pretentious building, one that the projectors would scarcely have erected upon land that might possibly have become vested in an owner indifferent or unfriendly to their interests. Regarding the cost of this building or the persons responsibly connected with the enterprise no particulars have been preserved. There is, how- ever, in one of the old church records a memorandum of subscrip- tions for the "Kirch Decken" (church roof), for which some made contributions in money and others in labor. The same plan doubtless prevailed in the erection of the building. Trees were felled in the surrounding forest, and from their trunks the logs were hewn that formed its walls. "The raising" was no doubt a grand affair, distinguished by the conviviality usual on such occasions, and participated in by the entire membership and their friends. The last great event was the day of dedication, when pastor and people set apart the house they had built as a place of public worship, and such it continued to be for about fifty years.
This building occupied the site of the present brick structure. In form it was nearly square, cach side being about twenty-five feet in length. The entrance was at the middle of the south side, and was reached by steps of large, flat stones. There were two doors, as in the main entrance to the present building, but they were constructed with battens instead of panels. Prior to 1825 the church was weather-boarded and painted a nondescript color intermediate between white and yellow.
To an observer of the present generation perhaps the most striking feature of the interior would have been the pulpit. This was an octagonal enclosure at the middle of the north side, and directly opposite the entrance. It was supported on a pillar
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CHURCHES.
at a height of six feet from the level of the floor, and was reached by a narrow stairway at the left or east side. Its furniture con- sisted of a shelf in front, supported by a cornice, on which the Bible rested, and an uncushioned seat placed against the wall. After the preacher had ascended the stairway and entered the sacred enclosure that was peculiarly and exclusively his own he had space to stand comfortably or to sit with such comfort as he could. An assisting clergyman was obliged to take his place among the laity, as the pulpit was too small to accommodate two.
The aisle extended from the entrance to the pulpit. The men occupied the east or right side, the women the west or left side. The benches were securely fastened to the floor; they consisted of a horizontal seat and a back-rest six inches wide, supported at each end and in the middle. A gallery, supported by columns, extended across the south and west sides over the door and the pews occupied by the women. Here the seats were arranged in three tiers, with a balustrade in front of the lower tier. At the south side of the church a stairway ascended from the door to the corner of the gallery. In front of the pulpit there was an open space, in which were placed a substantial panelled table used on communion occasions and a plain bench at which candi- dates for confirmation knelt. Here, too, conspicuously in front of the pulpit, the vorsanger or precentor sat, with a little bench before him on which he placed his books. Back of the precentor and on his right were seated the church council, some of whom could always observe anything that occurred without turning around. This was the post of honor as well as duty. Immediately after installation the elders and deacons took their places here, and here they sat as long as their official incumbency continued. One important duty of the vorsteher was to pass the Klingenseckel (tinkling pocket), a velvet bag with pendant tassel and bell, sup- ported by an iron hoop at the end of a long pole. The bell was doubtless intended to arouse somnolent members to a sense of their financial duties. Originally the furniture of the church comprised neither lamp nor stove, and there was no artificial provision for either light or heat. About the year 1825 a large ten-plate stove was placed in the center of the church, and as there was no chimney, the pipe passed out through the roof.
Such was the building in which the fathers of this church wor-
124
HISTORY OF LEITERSBURG DISTRICT.
shiped. It survived, in all probability, all who were prominently identified with its erection. But the time at length arrived when its usefulness was terminated. In 1841 it was removed; the logs were hauled to Leitersburg and used in the construction of two houses, now owned, respectively, by Jacob Stouffer and Mrs. Sarah Tritle. That of Mrs. Tritle was formerly the United Brethren parsonage.
The following account of the building of the present church was contributed by Rev. John P. Cline of Smithsburg, Md., to the Lutheran Observer of December 31, 1841: "On the 10th of September last the corner-stone of a new church was laid within Rev. F. W. Conrad's charge, in Washington County, Md .; and on Sunday, the 5th inst., it was already consecrated to the service of the Triune God. This was truly expeditious work. At the laying of the corner-stone the Rev. Messrs. Bom- berger and Hoffmeyer of the German Reformed Church and Sahm, E. Keller, Conrad, and the writer of the Lutheran church were present. At the dedication Brothers Startzman, Conrad, and the subscriber officiated. The new church occupies the site of the old one. The old one was named 'Friedens Kirche' (com- monly known as Jacobs church), and the new one was named 'Jacobs church.' It can not be said of this house as was said of the second Temple; for the second is superior to the first. It is built of brick: is neat and comfortable. It is exclusively Lu- theran." Supplementary to this it may be stated that the con- tractor for its erection was Joseph Leiter, of Leitersburg, who accepted the old church in partial payment for his work.
In 1854 the church building was enlarged to its present di- mensions by an addition about sixteen feet in length at the west- ern end. Other repairs were also made at this time, and the re- modeled edifice was first occupied for divine service on the 10th of December, 1854. This was a communion occasion, in which the pastor, Rev. John Heck, was assisted by Rev. H. F. Early - Extensive repairs were again made in 1881, after which the church was formally reopened on the 1st of January, 1882. The clergy present were Reverends P. Bergstresser, L. J. Bell; X. J. Richardson, and V. Miller, who delivered a sermon appropriate to the occasion. Ten years later the interior was again re- modeled, the principal improvement being the present pews.
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CHURCHES.
The opening service occurred on the 1st of May, 1892, when the pastor, Rev. H. S. Cook, and Rev. E. H. Delk were the officiating clergymen.
The fence surrounding the church grounds has been repaired and rebuilt at various times. In 1897 Malinda B. Jacobs pre- sented to the congregation the handsomeand substantial iron gates formerly used at one of the entrances to Green Hill cemetery near Waynesboro. The post-and-rail fence in front of the church was forthwith removed and replaced with the present one, adding greatly to the appearance and convenience of the church grounds.
The following is a list of pastors of Jacobs Church since 1791: 1791-95, Guenther Wingardt. 1857-62, J. F. Campbell.
1795-1835, John Ruthrauff. 1863, Edwin Dorsey.
1835-37, Jeremiah Harpel. 1864-71, Alfred Buhrman.
1837-39, Jacob Martin. 1871-75, C. L. Keedy.
1840, Peter Sahm, D. D.
1876-87, P. Bergstresser, D. D.
1841-44, F. W. Conrad, D. D.
1888, H. S. Cook.
1845-56, John Heck.
Wingardt resided at Taneytown, Md., and was pastor of the following churches: Taneytown, Jacobs, Winter's, Thomas Creek, Upper Bermudian, Zion, and Flohr's. The charge to which Ruthrauff was assigned in 1795 was composed of Green- castle, Jacobs, Beard's, Mayfield (?), and Mercersburg, but its limits varied at different times during his long pastorate. He resided at Greencastle, and Jacobs was part of the Greencastle charge until 1841, when the Waynesboro charge was formed; the original constituent churches were Waynesboro, Jacobs, Quincy, and Funkstown. For some years past the Waynesboro and Jacobs Churches have constituted a charge.
Of the several auxiliary organizations connected with Jacobs Church the oldest is the Sunday school. A German school was organized about the year 1830, but it was not a success. An English Sunday school was also conducted for a time at the school house on the church grounds with John Beaver as super- intendent. When Harpel became pastor an effort was again made to organize, and from that time the school has been con- ducted every year to the present time. The first election of which there is any record occurred on the 6th of May, 1837, resulting in the choice of John Jacobs and Frederick Bell as superintendents,
..
i.
OFfam Rütfrauf
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CHURCHES.
ST. PAUL'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, LEITERSBURG.
The oldest original document relating to the history of this church bears the following title: "Unser Grundsatze beim Eck- steinlegen der Evangelisch Lutherischen Kirche in Leitersburg." As German would probably be unintelligible to readers of this book, an English translation is herewith given:
Declaration of our Principles at the laying of the Corner-stone of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Leitersburg:
In the name of the Triune God, Amen.
Since the members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in and about Leitersburg, in Washington County and State of Maryland, have no house of their own for the special purpose of divine worship and one is necessary for the maintenance of religion, for conveni- ence in hearing the sacred Word, for the administration of the holy sacraments, and for our own salvation as well as that of our chil- dren and children's children; and since the congregation in the past year has greatly increased and has now decided to build one, it is proposed to proclaim to the world with what intention, for what purpose, and on what principles of Christianity this house is built.
Therefore, we hereby declare for the information of the present and future generations that here this day, the 6th of August in the year of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 1826 and of the independ- ence of the United States of North America the fiftieth, under the administration of President John Quincy Adams and John C. Cal- houn, Vice-President, and of Joseph Kent, Governor of Maryland, we lay the corner-stone of a German Evangelical Lutheran church; and that if God prospers the work under our hands and the building is finished, it shall be dedicated to the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and so remain forever, and shall be called
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH.
That it shall be and remain an Evangelical Lutheran church, wherein the pure and unalloyed Gospel shall be preached and the holy sacraments administered according to the teachings of Christ and the Augsburg Confession, the contents of which we have in our catechism, which we now, in conclusion, place in the corner- stone, that in time to come it may be seen what was the confession of our faith. Should men arise after us who forget their Saviour, despise God's word and sacraments, and will not endure sound doc- trine, we take Heaven and Earth as witnesses that we are not to blame but are pure from the blood of all men. We take Heaven and Earth as witnesses of our attachment to Evangelical Christianity and that its extension is our most ardent desire; that it is our wish that the doctrine of Christ's atonement may be proclaimed to desti- tute souls here in this place; that we expect our children and chil-
8
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HISTORY OF LEITERSBURG DISTRICT.
dren's children never to forsake their church, but to be true to it; that it is our wish that here old and young may be edified, animated, encouraged, and prepared for eternity. With such desires and with such prospects we may confidently hope and with Jacob say: This stone which we here set up as a memorial shall be God's house, a place where He manifests His presence.
Done at Leitersburg on the 6th day of August in the year of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 1826 and in the fiftieth year of the independence of the United States of North America, and signed by the ministers present and the members of the building com- mittee:
Ministers' Names.
Names of Building Committee.
John Ruthrauff,
Christopher Burkhart,
Frederick Ruthrauff, Henry Kroh,
Frederick Bell,
Frederick Ziegler,
Jacob Medtart.
Lewis Ziegler,
Joshua Grimes.
Jacob Tanner, Contractor.
This document further states that the first sermon was preached by Rev. John Ruthrauff from Jude 21, 22; the second sermon, by Rev. Frederick Ruthrauff, from Eph. ii. 19-22; the third sermon, in English, by Rev. Jacob Medtart, from Isa. xxviii. 16; and the fourth sermon, by Rev. Henry Kroh, from I. Cor. x. 31-33.
It thus appears that there was no church edifice at Leitersburg for more than a decade after the village was founded. The near- est places of worship were Beard's and Jacobs churches, each several miles distant and in opposite directions. The organiza- tion of a congregation doubtless preceded the erection of a church building. This is evident from a clause in the document just quoted, "since the congregation in the past year has greatly increased." At this time Rev. Benjamin Kurtz was the Lu- theran pastor at Hagerstown, and his charge also embraced Beard's, with which many of the Lutheran families of Leiters- burg District were connected; but during his absence in Europe (1825-27) Revs. John Ruthrauff and Jacob Medtart supplied his congregations, and it was doubtless under their administration that St. Paul's Church at Leitersburg was organized. The earliest list of members now extant, that of 1831, is as follows:
Daniel Beard, Mary Beckman, Andrew Bell,
Elizabeth Bell,
Jacob E. Bell,
John Bell, Jr.,
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CHURCHES.
Mary Bell, Catharine Bigham, David Brant, Caroline Burkhart, Henrietta Burkhart, Mary A. Burkhart, Phoebe Burkhart, Elizabeth Byer, John Byer, Susan Cole, Barbara Cook,
Elizabeth Miller, Elizabeth Mort,
John Nofford,
Joseph G. Protzman,
Sarah Protzman,
Catharine Repp,
John Repp, Michael Repp,
Peter Repp,
Mary Ritter,
Jacob Ritter,
Mary Cook, Elizabeth Fletcher, Louisa Frey,
David Rook,
Joseph Ross,
Henry Ruthrauff,
Susanna Hartle,
Jacob Ruthrauff,
Susan Ruthrauff,
Mary Hays, Catharine Hoover, John D. Kieffer,
John Sheetz,
Samuel Lahm,
Frederick Schilling,
Christian Lantz,
Julia A. Schilling, John Shook,
Elizabeth Lantz, Samuel Lantz,
Catharine Snider,
Ann Maria Leiter, Barbara Leiter,
Elizabeth Spitzer,
Barbara A. Leiter,
Maria Stoff, Catharine Tritle,
Elizabeth Leiter,
Lewis Tritle,
Isabella Leiter,
David Wolfinger,
Christian Lepley,
Catharine Lowman,
Mary A. Lowman,
Jacob Mangle,
Catharine Martin, John Martin,
Michael Wolfinger, Sarah Wolfinger, Henry Yesler, Catharine Ziegler, Frederick Ziegler, George W. Ziegler,
Catharine Metz,
Lewis Ziegler,
James P. Mayhew, Mary Mayhew,
Magdalene Ziegler.
Among the members of the church council from 1835 to 1845 were Frederick Ziegler, Lewis Ziegler, John Byer, Jacob E. Bell, Samuel Lantz, Abner Hays, Henry H. Snider, Lewis Tritle, Samuel Creager, John Bowers, John Kissell, Jacob Wolfinger, Frederick Bell, George Bell, Jonas Bell, Samuel Etnyer, James P. Mayhugh, Jacob Kissell, and Thomas Atkinson.
The succession of pastors since the organization of the church
Catharine Leiter,
Elizabeth Wolfinger,
Jacob Wolfinger,
Samuel Leiter, Susan Leiter,
Henry Snider,
Mary A. Sheetz,
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HISTORY OF LEITERSBURG DISTRICT.
has been as follows: Revs. John Ruthrauff, Jacob Medtart, and Benjamin Kurtz, D. D., 1825-28; Samuel K. Hoshour, 1828-30; John Reck, 1831-33; John P. Cline, 1833-46; John J .· Riemen- snyder, 1846-51; Daniel H. Bittle, D. D., 1851-52; J. F. Probst, 1853-56; John Heck, 1857-61; W. F. Eyster, D. D., 1861-65; M. C. Horine, D. D., 1865-69; Samuel McHenry, 1870-72; X. J. Richardson, 1872-81; Victor Miller, 1881 -. Prior to 1828 the congregation was part of the Hagerstown charge, which em- braced a wide extent of territory. From 1828 to 1880 it was part of the Smithsburg charge; the Leitersburg charge was formed in 1880 and embraces two congregations, Leitersburg and Beard's.
The site of the church and the burial ground adjacent, com- prising lots Nos. 44 and 45 of the town plot of Leitersburg, were conveyed to Frederick Ziegler, John Byer, Jacob Bell, Lewis Tritle, John Bowers, and Henry H. Snider, who composed the church council, by John Lahm, February 28, 1835, at the con- sideration of $100.00.
A charter for the incorporation of the church was adopted on the 12th of April, 1864. The first trustees were Jacob E. Bell, Jonas Bell, John G. Garver, George Bell, Jacob Hoover, and James P. Mayhugh.
It has been stated that the corner-stone of the church was laid on the 6th of August, 1826; the kind of building it was proposed to erect was thus described in the following advertisement, which appeared in the Hagerstown Torch-Light some months before: "Proposals will be received until April 22d at the house of Chris- topher Burkhart in Leitersburg for building a church forty-five by sixty feet, two stories high, with gallery on three sides, to be built with brick or stone and rough-cast and finished in a plain, substantial manner." The building was evidently completed ac- cording to these specifications. It possessed no architectural pretensions, but was certainly one of the most substantial and commodious places of worship in Washington County. There was originally neither bell nor belfry, but about the year 1850 a bell was procured and mounted on a platform in the rear of the church; here it remained until 1853, when a belfry was built. In 1884-85 the building was completely remodeled at a cost of $4 .- 100. A new front and tower were built, the side galleries were
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CHURCHES.
removed, the corresponding upper and lower windows were con- verted into one, the interior was refurnished, etc. The rededi- cation occurred on the 1st of February, 1885, when an appro- priate sermon was delivered by Rev. F. W. Conrad, D. D.
The parsonage is a two-story brick structure, situated on the main street of the village. It was erected in 1881 at a cost of $3,100, and is jointly owned by the two congregations composing the charge. The site was presented by Rev. Victor Miller.
The Sunday school connected with this church was for many years a union school. It was organized soon after the erection of the church and has been continued without interruption to the present time.
The Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society was or- ganized on the 15th of June, 1887, with ten constituent mem- bers and the following officers: President, Mrs. Josephine Mil- ler; vice-president, Athalinda Bell; corresponding secretary, Mary E. Miller; recording secretary, Ida M. Bell; treasurer, Kate E. Martin.
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