First Church, Davidson County : a history of Pilgrim Evangelical and Reformed Church (United Church of Christ), Lexington, North Carolina, 1757 to 1957, Part 1

Author: Snider, Frank W
Publication date: 1957
Publisher: [Lexington, N.C.] : Pilgrim Evangelical and Reformed Church
Number of Pages: 110


USA > North Carolina > Davidson County > Lexington > First Church, Davidson County : a history of Pilgrim Evangelical and Reformed Church (United Church of Christ), Lexington, North Carolina, 1757 to 1957 > Part 1


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THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL


LUX


LIBERTAS


THE COLLECTION OF NORTH CAROLINIANA PRESENTED BY Walter Royal Davis Book Fund


C289.2109 L67p1


UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL


00044645376


FOR USE ONLY IN THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTION


Digitized by the Internet Archive


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Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of Cultural Resources


http://archive org/details/firstchurchdavid00snid


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


4


02.7. 2.10-1


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The Chancel of Pilgrim Church-1957


*


---


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


8


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."


9


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


11


/


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


12


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


13


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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14


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.


15


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


16


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


-


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


17


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,


18


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


19


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


20


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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