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THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
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THE COLLECTION OF NORTH CAROLINIANA PRESENTED BY Walter Royal Davis Book Fund
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First Church
Davidson County
A History of
-
Pilgrim Evangelical and Reformed Church
(United Church of Christ)
OP
21
5
First Church - Davidson County A History Of
Pilgrim Evangelical and Reformed Church (United Church of Christ)
LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA 1757 TO 1957
FRANK W. SNIDER, Editor
Published by Pilgrim Evangelical and Reformed Church 1957
Printed by Fred O. Sink Printing House
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Editor of this book gratefully acknowledges all of the assistance of the Members, the Consistory and the Two Hundredth Anniversary Committee in the compiling of this book. Among those who supplied materials for this book were: Mrs. Ida Hed- rick Conrad, Mrs. W. L. Clodfelter, Mrs. Carl Leonard, Mrs. Win- nie Leonard, Mr. Roy Hill, Sr., Mr. Wade Conrad and Mr. Henry Reeves. Photographs were supplied by many of the above named and also by Mr. Edmund Sink and Mr. Joe Hege, Jr. Mr. Hege took all of the current pictures found in the book. Typing and proof-reading was done by Mrs. Fred Kepley, Mrs. Joe Tysinger, Mrs. Ardinus Watkins, Mr. Carey Beck, Miss Betty Dunn, Mr. Edward Howell, Mrs. Claude Cranford and Mrs. Frank Snider.
Acknowledgement is made of the use of much material from the writings of Dr. J. C. Leonard. Without this information, the writing of this book could not have been undertaken. The Record books of Dr. J. D. Andrew were also of great value.
To all who assisted in this work, the editor is deeply grateful.
FRANK W. SNIDER
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02.7. 2.10-1
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The Chancel of Pilgrim Church-1957
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WALTER ROYAL DAVIS BOOK FUND 19
PRESENTED
NOC
DEDICATION
This history of Pilgrim Church's first Two Hundred years is dedicated to the Glory of God the Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit; and to the many Faithful Ministers and the thousands of Loyal Members who were moved by His Spirit in the making of this history and to those who will continue with His Help to make History at Pilgrim Church in the same Christian Tradition as motivat- ed these first two hundred years.
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First Church - Davidson County
A History of Pilgrim Evangelical and Reformed Church (United Church of Christ)
THE FIRST SETTLERS IN DAVIDSON COUNTY
War and persecution left the German Protestants of the Palatanate in Germany in a destitute situation. Soon after 1700 they began to turn their hopes toward the "New World," Amer- ica. Thousands left their homes, lands and relatives, and jour- neyed hundreds of miles overland to Amsterdam, Holland, to seek passage to America. Many gave their life savings for pas- sage to America. After a voyage of three to six months, they arrived in the port of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. Here thou- sands of Germans found refuge and freedom. They found land and opportunity and built for themselves new homes where they might rear their families.
By 1740 the best land in Eastern Pennsylvania, in Bucks County, in Lancaster County, and in York County, had been taken, and the steady stream of Germans coming for a "new life" turned their faces West and South.
In the early 1740's on through the 1770's, thousands of these Germans made their way on the ardious trip into the wilderness of central North Carolina. The usual route taken was through Lancaster, Pa., to York, Pa., where they forded the Susquehana River, on down to Fredrick, Maryland; over to Winchester, Va., down the Shenandoah Valley; crossing the Fluvanna River at Looney's Ford; on down to the Staunton River, and down the river through the Blue Ridge to Roanoke, Va .; southward to a crossing on the Dan River below the mouth of the Mayo River; and on the Salem, and into the heart of Piedmont, N. C. This trip took from 10 days to two weeks, with the constant danger of Indians, floods and wild animals.
It was from Germany and Pennsylvania that the first settlers of Forsyth, Davidson, and Rowan Counties came. They came in families, and singularly; they came young and old; they came, to live and to die; here in a new land in new homes.
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Jacob Berrier, Phillip Sowers, Jacob Hege, Henry Shoaf, Valentine Leonard, Christopher Sprecher, John George Sprecher, Adam Hedrick, Peter Meyers, Sr., Adam Conrad, Jacob Byerly, George Clodfelter and Peter Spengler were among these early settlers to travel to new homes in Davidson County, North Carolina.
These men were among the first to settle on Abbotts Creek, Leonard's Creek, Rich Fork, and the west side of the Yadkin River. They cleared land, built crude homes, and began to make a way of life for themselves and their families. These settlers were Germans, speaking German, reading German and coming from German Churches; that is, Lutheran, Reformed, or Moravian. It is safe to conclude that a majority of the first settlers along Abbott's Creek were Reformed, for the first Church they erected was a Reformed Church. With them they had brought their Bibles, Hymnals and Catachesims, but there were no ministers nor teach- ers available. There were no Church buildings.
THE FOUNDING OF PILGRIM CHURCH
Thus it was, as the story is told, that in about 1753 or 1754 Jacob Berrier and some companions were riding through the country side along Abbotts Creek. About three miles from Abbotts Creek they came to a grove of oak, hickory and maple trees, which was near a spring. It is said that Jacob Berrier exclaimed: "Gott hat diese stelle zur verehrung seines Namens geschaffen; heir mussen wir ein Versammlungshaus haben." (God has fashioned this place for a house of worship; here we must have a meeting-house.) Not long after this a crude shelter, known as a brush arbor was fashioned here for use, and was the first place of worship for these early settlers in Davidson County.
The older men were the first leaders of worship, if it might have been called that. Ministers were scarce and far between, but these faithful German people had been accustomed to worship, and they were not to be denied.
THE REV. CHRISTIAN THEUS-FIRST PASTOR
Just how long it was after they constructed their first place of worship, the brush arbor, until the first minister of the Gospel preached there is unknown. The nearest minister of the Reformed
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faith on record was the Rev. Christian Theus, who resided in South Carolina, near the present city of Columbia. Rev. Christian Theus had come to South Carolina from Switzerland in 1739, as a candidate for the ministry, having completed his theological training in Switzerland. He was examined, ordained and licensed by the "English Presbyterian Ministerium" soon after his arrival in America. He found St. John's Church on the Congaree River, below the present site of Columbia, S. C. He lived near this church for more than fifty years, until his death some time after 1789.
During the first years of his ministry he pastored Swiss and German Reformed people all over the two Carolinas. Thus it was that he traveled hundreds of miles from his home into North Carolina and is considered to have been the first pastor of Pil- grim Church and many other Reformed Churches in North Caro- lina. Mr. Abraham Geiger erected a tombstone, which now stands in the cemetery at Sandy Run Lutheran Church, in Calhoun County, South Carolina, to the memory of the Rev. Mr. Theus. It bears the following inscription:
"This stone points out where the remains of Rev. Christian Theus lie. This faithful devine labored through a long life as a faithful servant of his Master's vineyard, and the reward which he received from many of his labors was ingratitude."
VALENTINE LEONARD-PHILLIP SAUER
The land on which the brush arbor was erected for the first worship at Pilgrim was a fifty acre tract between the lands of Valentine Leonard and Phillip Sowers, near the creek which became known as "Leonard's Creek." The land of Valentine Leonard was first deeded to him in 1761, stating that the land - lay on both sides of the "South Fork of Abbott's Creek." Valen- tine Leonard had come to North Carolina from the Palatinate in Germany in about 1746. He was born in Katzenbach, Germany, on October 13, 1718. He, his wife Elizabeth and their five sons and their wives, and three daughters and their husbands, were all members of the Reformed Church. Since the Church was near his home and he and his family were active members of the church, Pilgrim Church in its early years was known as Leon- ard's Church. It is also referred to in the "Records of the Mora- vians In North Carolina" as the "Abbott's Creek Church."
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Phillip Sauer, whose land lay on the west side of the church lands, came to North Carolina in 1753 and took up a tract of land. He was married soon after he came to Davidson County. The first baptismal entry on the First Church book of Pilgrim is that of his first-born child, Anna Catherine, who was born April 27, 1757. Fourteen children of Phillip Sauer are listed in this book. Phillip Sauer later gave the land for Beulah Church, and was a charter member of that Church, which in its early years was known as Sauer's Church.
THE SECOND PASTOR
The Rev. James Martin is listed as having pastored at Pil- grim Church from 1759-1764. He was a Swiss Reformed minister who preached to the Reformed people throughout the Piedmont North Carolina. Little else is known of this minister.
THE FIRST CHURCH BOOK
The first church book of Pilgrim Reformed Church is in the State Department of History and Archives in Raleigh, N. C. It lists 36 heads of families. The writing is in German, and is in various handwritings. There are 179 baptisms listed from 1757 to 1798. Of these baptsms, 145 are recorded prior to 1787, and 33 prior to 1772. The names of the god-parents (Taufzeugen) are given in most cases.
The following lists here are taken from the Notebook of Rev. C. C. Wagoner, and do not appear in the order nor wording that is found in the original Church book. However, most of the information is here. Additional notes have been added by the editor from the notebook of Rev. Mr. Wagoner, and from information supplied by Mr. Henry Reeves of Lexington.
The lists here are in alphabetical order, listing the head of the family and his children and the dates of their births. The single exception to this is the family of Michael Sink. The entry for this family is taken from a photostatic copy of the page of the first church book that contains this information. The word- ing of this page should give the reader some idea of just how all of the pages are worded.
10
De 10
Suite Carfassina Saumon of Sub foren, donne 1957 pey ton Suril,
Haller Min. Byla
1763
Salladin yourfone tomu
Slap. un Lin Kage Haus Kran Maria Gilliam,
The First Church Book Family of Phillip Sauer
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/
PILGRIM REFORMED CHURCH, DAVIDSON COUNTY
DAVID BERRIER (BEYRER) was married to Lowisa Likenhuer, April 10, 1776 by Rev. John Arnda. ยท
Anne Maria Barbara April 25, 1777
Anna Catherine
February 20, 1781
Phillip
July 20, 1782
Children of JOHN MARTYN BERRIER, son of Jacob Berrier and Christina. (John Martin Berrier and Mary Catherine Spengler were married May 2, 1765)
John Jacob
June 8, 1767
Christine Barbara
October 18, 1770
Maria Barbara
April 12, 1772
David
March 28, 1773
(Godparents David Berrier and Barbara Hundsinger.)
Peter
November 10,
1775
Phillip
December
24, 1776
Catherine
November
12, 1778
Elizabeth
March
13, 1780
Martin
August 15, 1784
John
October 3, 1789
John George Clodfelter (Klatfelder), son of Felix and Sarah Clodfelter, (Felix was born in 1727, in Canton of Zurich, Switzerland, and Sarah was born in 1731, in Wurttemberg, Germany). (John George Clodfelter married Eliza- beth Leonard, daughter of Valentine Leonard).
Jno George
July 1, 1780
Anna Catherine
April 10, 1783
David
July 22, 1785
Elizabeth
February
19, 1788
Joseph
May 19, 1790
Daniel
September 26, 1792
Phillip
March
11, 1795
(Godparents of Anna Catherine were Joseph Wagner and Anna Catherine)
ADAM CONRAD (Courath)
Catherine Margaret
November 9, 1761
Henry
December 27, 1762
Anna Margaret
August 6, 1764
Mary Magdalene
November 26, 1765
Anna Christena
August 6, 1768
Barbara
September 2, 1769
David
April 6, 1771
Adam
August 4, 1774
Valentine
November 26, 1776
Mary
February 29, 1778
Jno George
March 11, 1780
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HENRY CONRAD
Elizabeth
July 7, 1787
David
December 18, 1788
JACOB CRATTS (Kratz) (Son of Adam Cratts)
Catherine Barbara
January 29, 1779
Maria Eve
February 14, 1780
Valentine
February 8, 1781
David
September 29, 1782
Eliz
December 17, 1783
Anna Marie
February 1, 1785
Jno Jacob
October 4, 1786
Susanna
January 8, 1788
JOHN HENRY DARR (Dorr) (Son of Melchor and Marie Darr)
Maria Eva
August 10, 1775
Eliz
November 19, 1777
Jno Henry
May 25, 1780
Maria Barbara
November 15, 1782
Daniel
March 24, 1785
Jno
June 27, 1787
(Baptised August 5)
MICHAEL DAY (Dag) (Son of Valentine Day)
Eva
May 1, 1770
Michael
September 28, 1774
Daniel
September 28, 1777
PETER EVERHART (Eberhardt) (Wife, Dorothy)
Anna Maria
February 6, 1781
John Jacob
November 27, 1783
Phillip
December 10, 1786
Magdalena
March 20, 1789
CHRISTINE GRIMES (Kreim)
Susanna
December 8, 1785
Maria Barbara
May 11, 1787
Eva Margaret
December 31, 1788
HENRY HAPPES
Anna Catherine
Eliz
March 13, 1786 June 20, 1788
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ADAM HEDRICK-born in 1741 in Pennsylvania, and married Barbara Hege in 1769.
Anna Nearia
July 25, 1770
Jno George
May 16, 1772
Jacob
October 16, 1774
Jno Phillip
August 16, 1776
Jno Adam
August 26, 1778
Barbara
October 29, 1780
Anna Margaret
December 29, 1782
John
February 13, 1785
Jno Peter
February 20, 1787
GEO HEGE (Heche)
Anna Maria
April 13, 1766
Barbara
November 9, 1767
Anna Catherine
November 9, 1767
Jno
December 20, 1769
Anna Eliz
March 15, 1772
Susanna
October 28, 1774
October 28, 1775
Jno George Eva
November 28, 1776
Jno Jacob
March 6, 1781
Magdalene
March 15, 1783
David
June 15, 1785
Youngest son
August 26, 1787
HENRY HEGE (Married Barbara Leonard)
Barbara
February 15, 1767
Valentine
February 15, 1769
PETER HETRICK
John
February
23,
1811
Philip
September 26,
1813
Adam
May
29, 1816
Andrew
March
13, 1820
Madeline
August
5, 1822
Solomon
June
5, 1829
JACOB LEONARD (Son of Valentine)
Anna Christena
November 20, 1784
Eliz
October 21, 1786
Jno
Jacob, Jr.
Valentine
Daniel
Susan
Sally
Mary
Barbara
February 20, 1789
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MICHAEL LEONARD (Brother of Valentine)
Jno Jacob
June 20, 1778
Philip
October 1, 1776
Michael
October 1, 1776
Anna Barbara
May 6, 1782
Valentine
January 24, 1784
Anna Catherine
October 14, 1786
PHILLIP LEONARD (Son of Valentine who married Anna Marie Shoaf)
Susanna
July 21, 1783
Jno Henry
January 13, 1785
Second Daughter
March 4, 1787
VALENTINE LEONARD (Son of first Valentine)
Jno Phillip
January 9, 1774
Elizabeth
August 2, 1775
Anna Barbara
April 28, 1777
Sarah
_June 8, 1779
Jno George
June 10, 1781
Valentine
January 22, 1784
Jno. Peter
February 12, 1786
Daniel
May 6, 1789
David
March 10, 1792
Philippina
April 23, 1795
Maria Sarah
April 2, 1798
(Baptised June 22)
PETER LOPP (Married daughter of Wm. Frank and Barbara)
Barbara
January 16, 1788
DAVID MYER
Jno. George
November 30, 1785
Christian
February 19, 1786
John Henry
October 23, 1788
MICHAEL MYER
Anna Catherine
December 8, 1777
Christina
November 14, 1779
Sybilla Magdalena
July 22, 1782
Anna Christena
October 6, 1784
Marisa
March 11, 1786
John Jacob
July 20, 1789
Michael Myer was married to Maria Eva Kreim by Rev. John Arndt, December 26, 1775.
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PETER MYER (Maeyer)
Jno. George
December 9, 1775
Jno. Jacob
March 2, 1786
Jno. Peter
March 15, 1788
David
October 24, 1789
PETER MYER
Jno George August 13, 1788
PHILLIP SAUER
Anna Catherine-born April 27, 1757, Godparents John Michael Young and his wife Anna Eva.
Elizabeth
October 13, 1758
John
March 20,
1760
Susanna
November 27, 1761*
John Phillip
July 25, 1763
David
February 4, 1765
John Peter
April 25, 1767
Valentine
December 10, 1768
Anna Christena
December 13, 1770
John Michael
August 30, 1772
(Godparents were John Michael Jung and wife) -
Maria Julianna
November 30, 1774
Jacob
November 14, 1776
John George
September 10, 1779
Anna Maria
May 20, 1781
*Susanna married John George Berrier, son of Charles and Jonna Spaugh Berrier.
DAVID SOWERS David was born Sept. 29, 1794 and his wife Sarah, Feb. 4, 1794)
Frana
March 27, 1820
Katherine
September 9, 1823
S
Sarah
May 15, 1826
Delia
May 1, 1828
Matthias
April 18, 1830
Valentine Esusly
May 9, 1834
JOHN SINK (Son of Jacob)
Catherine Margaret
January 24, 1774
Maria Barbara
January 8, 1776
Jno.
February 8, 1778
Jacob
July 28, 1780
Jno. Michael
March 11, 1783
Christian
October 20, 1785
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MICHAEL DAVID SINK (ZINK)
May 29th, 1783, my son John George was born, his god- parents were his grandparents, George Myer and his wife Catha- rine Myers.
April 28th, 1785, my son, John Jacob was born, his god- father was his grandfather John Jacob Sink. August 29th, 1788, Michael was born, his godparents were Michael Myer and his wife Eva. Susanna was born November 17th, 1789, her godparents were Phillip Knoy and his wife.
(The above is a translation of the German entry in the original Church Book. All of the other family listing are similar to this.)
PHILIP SINK (Feb. 2, 1755-May 24, 1829)
(Son of Jacob, married Elizabeth Sprecher, sister of John Geo., Jr.) Jno. Peter May 6, 1785, (Died Feb. 6, 1865)
Jno. Jacob April 6, 1788, (Died March 29, 1866)
HENRY SCHAFF, SR. (Shoaf)
Anna Maria
September 27, 1762
(Married Phillip Leonard)
Henry
November 25, 1764
Anna Eliz
November 24, 1767
Christian
July 28, 1770
Magdalena
March 29, 1773
Jacob
October 23, 1776
Susanna
April 4, 1778
George
November 25, 1781
Anna Christina
November 2, 1783
Catherine Barbara
February 16, 1786
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JNO HENRY SCHAFF (Shoaf)
Jno. Jacob
August 29, 1783
George Henry
August 29, 1785
John
June 11, 1788
JNO PETER SPENGLER (Son of Jno Peter Spengler)
Maria Catherine
June 19, 1777
Jno Jacob
October 27, 1778
Eva Eliz
December 28, 1783
Peter
January 28, 1787
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GEORGE SPECKER
George
February 21, 1788
JOHN JACOB WAGONER
David February 25, 1775
(Godparents-John Jacob Kiehn and wife Anna Catherine)
John March 31, 1776
(Godparents-Peter Kiehn, Jr., and Sybilla)
Elizabeth June 22, 1777
(Godparents-John Sink and Sybilla)
Magdalene December 17, 1778
(Christian Leybegut and Magdalene)
Susanna November 23, 1780
(Martyn Speydel and wife)
Jacob October 30, 1782
(Godparents-Jacob Leonard and Elizabeth)
John George October 30, 1784
(Godparents-John George Neufong and Susanna)
Anna Maria December 20, 1786
(Godparents-My brother Daniel Wagoner and his wife, Elizabeth)
Drusilla
January 27, 1793
LUDOLPH YOUNTS
Peter
November 10, 1777
Anna Maria
November 5, 1779
Frederick
May 3, 1784
Magdalene
December 22, 1786
WM. YOUNTS (Janss) (Son of Wm., Sr.)
Jno. Peter
October 30, 1776
Eva Elizabeth
March 7, 1782
Jno. Wm.
March 24, 1784
Phillip April 9, 1786
Ludolph
January 13, 1788
Magdalene
January 10, 1790
Sarah
January 22, 1792
Lorenz
November 30,
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The following is a list of names of those who were listed as Taufzaugen or God parents on the first Church Book. The names here are taken from a notebook of Rev. C. C. Wagoner and are in alphabetical order. On the Church Book they appear along with the name of the child for whom they were god parents.
TAUFZAUGEN (GOD PARENTS) AT PILGRIM REFORMED CHURCH, 1757-1800
Philip Bahs and wife
Jacob Berrier and Christena
Daniel Burkhard
Martin Berrier and Margaret
Christian Kneybed and wife Jacob Clinard
John Burchard Cox and Susanna
Jno. Geo. Clodfelter and Elizabeth
Yost Clapp and Maria Julianna
Anna Maria Crotts
Adam Conrad and Christena
Magdalene Conrad
Henry Conrad and Eliz.
Valentine Leonard and Elizabeth
Melichoir Dorr Valentine Day and Eva
Jacob Leonard and Eliz. Peter Leonard
Henry Dorr and Anna Catherine
Elizabeth Leonard
John Paul Dorner and Sophia
Christian Leybeguth, Magdalene
Old Jacob Lopp and wife
Jno Lukenbill and Ana Christena
Jacob Fistler and Christena Paul Fisher and Anna Magdalene
David Myer and Cath-Margaret Geor. Myer and Cath.
Martin Frank and wife
Michael Myer and Eva
Wm. Frank and Barbara
Peter Myer and Anna Margaret Catherine Myer
Jno. George Neufong and Susanna Magdalene Serum
Adam Greim
Andrew Schwartz, Anna Magdalene
Jacob Greim and wife
Martin Speydel and wife
Bastia Greim and wife
David Schmid and Susanna
Maria Greim
Charles Greim George Hege and Eliz.
Jno Henry Hege and wife Barbara Leonard
Jno Adam Hedrick and Barbara
Jacob Hamm and Barbara
Jno Jacob Hege, Anna Magdalene Barbara Hege Conrad Heckler
Jno. Peter Spengler and Eva Eliz.
Jno. Geo. Sink and Susanna
Valentine Herman
Jno. Henry Schaff and Anna
Barbara Hundsinger Anna Maria Hege
Jno. Jacob Sink and Dorothy Michael Werrile
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Peter Kern and Eliz. (Karn) Peter Kiehn, Jr., and Sybilla Phillip Knoy and wife
Jno Koch and Maria Julianna Jno Peter Kiehn, Anna Catherine Catherine Knoy and Brenard Knoy Jno. Knoy and Anna Catherine Jno. Jacob Kiehn, Anna Catherine Michael Leonard and Catherine
Phillip Leonard and Anna Maria Peter Leonard, Anna Maria Long Jacob Long and Eva Thomas Long and Catherine
Jacob Crotts and Eva
David Ettlemace, Anna Catherine
Peter Everhart and Dorothy
Anna Margarer Gerner Ottilla Gross Geo. Gross and Anna Eliz.
Maria Barbara Shyerman Geo. Sprecker and wife Anna Maria John Sink and Sybylla Christopher Sprecker and wife
Peter Smoth and Anna Mary John Sower Jno. Geo. Sprecker and Anna Cath. Phillip Sink and Eliz.
-
Daniel Wagner and Eliz. Joseph Wagner and Anna Cath. Jacob Wahguer and wife Stephen Weybel and Cath. Ludolph Younts and Anna Cath.
Wm. Younts and wives Susanna and Magdalene Jno Michael Zafenfeld and Marida Christopher Ziege:
Following the Rev James Martin, the Rev. Richard Dupert, who lived near Paysour's Mill in Gaston County, was the pastor of the Pilgrim congregation. Rev. Mr. Dupert was also a Swiss Reformed minister.
THE CEMETERY
It is probable that the cemetery at Pilgrim Church was be- gun even before the first permanent building was erected. Ac- cording to the writings of Dr. J. C. Leonard, the oldest grave in the Pilgrim Cemetery was dated 1761. This marker is not in existence now. From the notebook of Rev. C. C. Wagoner we have the following notation: "In the N. W. corner of the Pilgrim graveyard was a soapstone slab which had the following, "John George Barrier, geboren den 13 October, 1708 und ist in dene herrn-ent schkafer den 13 November 1760. Hun heir ligt eine Haudvoll Aschen mit Christi Blut gewashen." This stone was in existance in 1870. This stone is not in existance now, either.
From the size of the cemetery, and the oldness of some of the existing stones, it is safe to say that this cemetery is as old as any in Davidson County.
THE FIRST LANDS AND BUILDING
The first church building was constructed of logs during the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Martin. It was built with a gallery at each end and on one side. The tall wineglass pulpit occupied the other side. This church stood on an elevated spot at the north- east corner of the graveyard. This church was built on lands claim- ed by Henry McCulloh, though a tract of fifty acres lying between the lands of Phillip Sauer and Valentine Leonard was laid off as church property. After North Carolina became a State, three elders of the congregation, Phillip Sauer, Peter Karn (Kiehn) and Martin Shiddles, legally entered the lands in the name of the congrega- tion. The official grant was made on October 8, 1783, to the above-named persons, "Elders in trust for the Dutch Congre- gation." The first recorded name of the church is the "Dutch
1
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Congregation" as given in this official paper. The first, and real name of the congregation, seems to have been, "The Church of the Pilgrims," or Pilgrims Church.
REV. SAMUEL SUTHER
The Rev. Samuel Suther followed the Rev. Mr. Dupert as pastor at Pilgrims Church. He is the "Dutch Minister" whom Governor Tryon states that he heard preach; probably in the "Coldwater Church" in Rowan County. Governor Tryon later appointed him as Chaplain for the Militia.
Rev. Mr. Suther lived in Rowan County and began to preach for the "Dutch congregation on Abbott's Creek" in about 1768, and continued until 1786. He had come to America from Switzer- land where he was born on May 18, 1722. He left his home- land to come to America with his parents and a dozen or so brothers and sisters in 1739. On the last day of the voyage, which had been of four months duration through 13 severe storms, the worst storm of all was encountered. Samuel was taken ashore more dead than alive and cared for by an Englishman. He was the only member of his family to survive the voyage and the wreck. German teachers were much in demand, and he found employment as a teacher for some years in Virginia, Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Maryland. In 1749 he taught German school connected with the Reformed Church in Philadelphia. He was probably ordained in Philadelphia and then later made his way to North Carolina and to Rowan County where he re- sided. He was an ardent and fearless patriot, and for his strong feelings, was obnoxious to the Tories about the churches in which he preached.
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