USA > Maryland > Frederick County > Graceham > The history of Graceham, Frederick County, Maryland > Part 17
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As Daniel Dulany, in 1747, gave to our Church ten acres of his land in this northern part of Frederick County, for a church and school-house, so did Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, in 1768, give us ten acres of his estate of Carroll's Manor, in the southern part of the county, for the same pur- pose, and himself contributed 40 shillings towards the building of such a church-house. He was a Roman Catholic in religion, but ruled by the same kindly spirit of toleration that rendered Maryland under the Lords or Barons of Baltimore, a safe place of refuge for all Christians of what- ever name or creed, he was willing that all should enjoy their respective forms of religion without hindrance or molestation. It is an interesting circumstance that Daniel Dulany and Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, repre- sentatives of opposite political sentiments as they were, should both become benefactors of our Church in the same manner and in the same county of Maryland, and we certainly owe to the memory of these distinguished men a debt of gratitude.
The regular work of our Church on Carroll's Manor, according to the account written in the first Church Register at Graceham, originated in a conversation between Mr. Joseph Johnson, a planter, Esquire Carroll's attor- ney or manager on his Manor, and Bro. George Gump (or Gumpf), a member of the "Congregation in Manocacy," who lived about three miles from Mr. Johnson's place on the Manor, south of Frederick Town. Mr. Johnson, a native of England, had been brought up in the Anglican or Established Church, was awakened by the preaching of a dissenting minis- ter in London, but had not connected himself with any church. He read
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and prayed with his family and negroes and some of his neighbors, every Sunday, in his own house. In his conversation with Bro. Gumpf as to his religious experience, the latter informed him that he had not found peace and rest for his soul until he heard the pure gospel teaching of the Breth- ren. He also told Mr. Johnson that there was a congregation of the Breth- ren's Church here in Manocacy, where he could obtain more information, and that Bethlehem, in the Forks of the Delaware, in Pennsylvania, was their chief congregation. This conversation took place in 1760, and from that time Mr. Johnson sought further acquaintance with the Brethren, and was so well satisfied that he offered them the use of his house for the preaching of the gospel.
The Rev. J. M. Zahm, at that time the pastor of the "Congregation in Manocacy," (named Graceham in 1785) visited on the Manor, but was not sufficiently conversant with the English language to preach for the people there. Other brethren, however-Bishop Spangenberg, Nicholas Henry Eberhardt, Frederick Post, George Soelle, Samuel Herr, Thomas Yarrel, John Leighton, Matthew Gottschalk, Leonard Schnall, Richard Utley and Francis Boehler had either before this held services somewhere on the Manor, or did so at this time, as those who attended the services in Mr. Johnson's house were acquainted with some of them. Mr. Johnson's re- quest for stated preaching in his house was taken into consideration by the Ministers' conference at Lititz, in December, 1761, and by the Synod at Lancaster, in May, 1762, and the result was the appointment of the Rev. Francis Boehler, who could preach in the English language, to take charge of the "Congregation in Manocacy," and to visit and preach on Carroll's Manor once in four weeks.
On Sunday, July 4, 1762, Bro. Boehler preached for the first time in Mr. Johnson's house to an attentive auditory of 200 persons. The visiting and preaching were continued once in four or six weeks, by Bro. Boehler, Samuel Herr, Daniel Sydrich and Otto Krogstrup, and some of those of their hearers who were most interested occasionally attended the services of the "Congregation in Manocacy." After this had continued for nearly four years, the friends on the Manor, desiring to have services every Sun- day, applied to the Conference at Bethlehem for a pastor of their own, and at the Synod held at Bethlehem in May, 1766, their request was granted, and the Rev. Joseph Powell was sent to them. A part of the family in whose house Bro. and Sister Powell were domiciled (Zimmer- man's) was not favorably disposed to them, and their situation was so uncomfortable (sixteen persons besides themselves occupying the small house,) that Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Markland, who had attended one of the services, being impressed with the unfitness and inconvenience of a residence in that house, although as yet strangers to the Brethren, took them to their own house, where they lived for some time and preached the gospel.
October 9, 1767, Bishop Nathaniel Seidel arrived on a visit to Bro. Powell at Mr. Markland's house at the foot of the mountain, and the first lovefeast was held. Mary Trippet (or Tippet) received permission to move to Lititz, "as the first fruits."*
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It would appear that Bro. Powell did not remain at Mr. Markland's resi- dence, but occupied another house until, presumably through Mr. Johnson's intervention or suggestion, Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, donated ten acres of his land for a meeting-house. In a blank book, preserved in the Graceham archives, an account is given of "The beginning of the Breth- ren's Acquaintance with the People on Esq'r Carroll's Manor, in Freder- ick County," with the following preface:
"The substance herein contained, or rather such of it as may be found most suitable by a superior judge in Church matters are intended to be transferred into as, Yda§ for the beginning of a Church Book at the long'd and hop'd for time when it shall please the Lord to settle a Con- gregation of the Unitas here on Esq'r Carroll's Manner (sic) under Pro- tection of our Heavenly Father, with the Nurture and beduing of the Holy Ghost, as a Light in a dark place, that Thousands by Her light may see and joy in Her, and with Her find Shelter, Covert and Refuge in Jesus' Wounds."
In the same book the following "Observations" are recorded: "Bro. Powell had no express order or leave from the congregation to build, yet for the following reasons he ventured to do so, viz.,
Ist. His landlord, Mr. Simermon (probably Zimmerman) being insti- gated by some of the English who dreaded the sound of the gospel, used his utmost endeavors to throw him out of his house, but on his finding that Bro. Powell was sensible of the Advantage he had in and by Posses- sion he then said the Domoney would cheat him.
2ly. This place lay of, and too remote from the people who desired to hear the gospel.
3ly. Bro. and Sister Powells being sensible as the Brethren had not called them back they nevertheless were concern'd that they might have a comfortable Residence.
4ly. The people's desier and eagerness to Buyld, without expence to the Congregation. Also, through and by means of the above moving Motives as by appointment, the 12 men met at the place on Esq'r Carroll's Manor on the morning of 27 of September to Fell the Timber for the Church Hous where also Bro. Powell came with a Written Instrument from Esq'r Carroll pr Mr. Jos. Johnson Dated sepr. 26 wherein the Esq'r with his own hand promises and allows 10 acres of his Land on which to Buyld a
*Later she became Eldress of the Single Sisters, sometimes came to the Congregation in Manocacy with those of her charge who had parents or relatives here, and always "spoke" all the unmarried sisters of the Ma- nocacy congregation. She also bought a house at Graceham in 1823, which had been built in 1796 by John Demuth, who came from Lancaster, Pa., a one-story log house. It is still standing, but has been enlarged and mo- dernized. The Bill of Sale, stating that the house was "sold to Molly Tip- pet by Benjamin D. Gill, of Lancaster, and William Eberman, of Warwick Township, Executors of Christopher Dehmuth (sic), late of the city of Lancaster, for $200," is in the Graceham archives, but the records here do not show that she ever herself occupied it.
§The meaning of this term or abbreviation is an enigma to the writer.
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Chappel thewich to have and hould for the space of 21 Years for the con- sideration of a Rose pr year. The Esq'r also himself gave 40 s/ towards the Buylding."
On Tuesday, September 27, 1768, twelve men felled and squared 56 logs for the church-house on Carroll's Manor, the Daily Word for the day be- ing "God will come." On Saturday, December 3, Bro. and Sr. Powell moved into the new Church-house with the Text, "He will betroth us unto Him forever." On the next day Bro. Powell held his first discourse in their new residence and meeting-house, on the Text for the day, "He is not ashamed to call them brethren."
In the years 1768, '69 and '70, Bishop Hehl "visited Bro. Powell's and their people, much to their satisfaction and blessing, in particular to Bro. Powell's by the Holy Communion which he twice kept with them. In De- cember, 1771, the Brethren Gregor, Loretz and Edwin (Ettwein) visited Bro. Powell's, being on their return from North Carolina, much to the people's and their own satisfaction. In July, 1772, Bro. Hehl the fourth time visited Bro. Powell's and their people on the Manor when Greenbury Peddigeart (sic) had leave to move to Lititz, and his sister Sarah and Mary Markland to come on a visit. On September 14, 1772, Bro. and Sr. Powell's. having ministered the gospel to the people on Carroll's Manor 6 years and 2 months, retiered to Dr. Bethlehem, for resons not only as becom. n Old to the People, but also themselves, and in particular she, through age, being very infirm and ailding."
In the same book (mentioned above) there is a copy of the report of Robert Davis, who, on May 10, 1771, surveyed the ten acres donated by Charles Carroll, Esq'r, "out of the addition to Carrollton Manor, for the use of the Moravian Congregation and Brotherhood," with a plot of the land, and also of one-half acre of Matthias Pooly's land adjoining it, for a burial-ground, with a copy of Mr. Pooly's Bond. There is also a Re- cord of 41 Infant Baptisms; I by Francis Boehler, 2 by Bro. Sydrich, 28 by Bro. Powell, 4 by Bro. Jos. Neisser and 6 by Bro. Schweishaupt. There are no marriages or deaths recorded.
After Bro. Powell's had returned to Bethlehem, the work on Carroll's Manor was continued by Bro. Jos. Neisser and Bro. Heppner, especially by the latter, who was directed to divide his time as the Assistant Pastor of the "Congregation in Manocacy," between that congregation and the Man- or, and did so faithfully until he was recalled to Bethlehem in March, 1775. Bro. Schweishaupt visited on the Manor several times from 1775 to 1784, but there is no record of regular stated services after Bro. Heppner left, nor was a successor to Bro. Powell appointed as resident minister, probably because many of those who attended our services intending mov- ing, as some of them did, to Wachovia, N. C.
In Scharf's History of Western Maryland we read : "On August 8, 1812, the corner-stone of a union church for the Lutheran and Reformed con- gregations was laid on land presented by Mr. Waltz, near the old meeting- house." This was undoubtedly the meeting-house built in 1768 "for the use of the Moravian Congregation and Brotherhood," in which Bro. Powell
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resided and preached, 1768-1772. Into whose hands it passed, or what use was made of it after we ceased to occupy it, the records at Gracehant, so far as we have been able to examine them, do not show, except that in 1779 a family by. the name of Heil was living in it, and that after Mr. John- son's death, in 1781, Conrad Schau had charge of it. The land which had been held on a lease for 21 years, "for the consideration of a Rose per year," probably reverted to the owner, Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, as there is no mention of a Deed. Nor is there any mention of the payment of the nominal quit-rent of "a Rose per year." Perhaps Mr. Johnson, who is mentioned as "Steward" of the meeting-house, attended to it. The lease expired in September, 1789.
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