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 2
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PATRIOTS OF THE REVOLUTION
Valentine Leonard, his sons, and others of the Pilgrim Con- gregation followed their pastor as patriots. Valentine Leonard fought his last battle of the Revolution at Guilford Court House. He then returned home. Near the close of the war, November 2, 1781, a band of Tories came to his home and attempted to murder him. He sat by his hearthstone after dark with the upper portion of the door of his home open. His enemies crept up to the lower closed section of the door and shot him, leaving him for dead. He died of his wounds on the 13th of the month, at
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the age of 63. At the same hour other Tories shot a neighbor, Woolrich Fritz, dead in his home. These two men were buried side by side in the Pilgrim Cemetery and a large mounment now stands there in their memory.
In 1786 Rev. Mr. Suther went to South Carolina and became pastor of several congregations in the "Fork," formerly served by Rev. Christian Theus.
As early as 1771 Brother Soelle, a Moravian minister, preach- ed upon occasions at Pilgrim Church. Since the Moravians were located nearer to Pilgrim than were any of the resident Reformed pastors, they conducted many of the early funeral services.
Beulah Church
REV. JACOB SCHNEIDER-LUTHERAN ORGANIZATION
In 1787 the Rev. Jacob Schneider became pastor of the churches in Davidson County and others in the state, and preach- ed for about five years. He was a very energetic worker. He organized Beck's Church, Sauer's (Beulah) Church, and Fred- ricktown (Bethany) Church. Nothing is known as to where this man came from or where he went to after serving this pastorate in Davidson County.
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It was also about 1787, when the Rev. C. E. Bernhardt be- came the first Lutheran pastor east of the Yadkin River, that the Lutheran Congregation at Pilgrim became fully organized. Before this time the Lutherans had been served by the Rev. Adolph Nussman who came to North Carolina in 1773 and lived in Rowan County. From this time forward until 1903 the Lutheran Congregation played a definite part in the history of Pilgrim Church.
On December 1, 1792, a second tract of land containing eighty- six acres was granted to "John Lopp, George Hege, George Clod- felter and Valentine Day as trustees for the Dutch Congregation and their successors."
PILGRIM PASTORS PIONEERS IN WESTERN REFORMED CHURCH
Rev. Samuel Weyberg served as pastor of the churches of Davidson County and other counties from 1793-1798. Rev. Mr. Weyberg was the son of Dr. Weyberg, a Reformed pastor in Pa. He was prepared for the ministry by Rev. Fredrick L. Her- man in Germantown, Pa., in 1790-1792. He was the first pastor sent to North Carolina by the Synod of Pennsylvania. He left North Carolina in 1798 and went to Missouri. It is said that he preached the first Protestant sermon west of the Mississippi River. He continued to labor in Missouri, Ohio and Indiana and was a pioneer in founding many of the churches in those states.
The first native North Carolinian to become pastor at Pil- grim Church was Jacob Christman, who was largely educated by the Moravians in Salem. He had grown up in the Reformed Church in Guilford County. He was proposed to the Synod of Pennsylvania for ordination in 1794, but was not ordained until 1798. He had studied under pastors in Pennsylvania during this time. Six congregations, including Pilgrim Church, petitioned Synod that he be sent back to North Carolina. Thus he served churches in the general area in which he had grown up for five years. He left North Carolina near the end of 1803 and began preaching January 29, 1804, at Springboro, Warren County, Ohio, where the first congregation in Ohio was organized a little later. Thus, the first Reformed minister in Ohio came from North Carolina.
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1803 - 1812-SECOND CHURCH BUILDING
After the leaving of Weyberg and Christman, ministers were scarce in North Carolina. But in the going of these two pioneer preachers, Pilgrim Church had a share in the founding of the Reformed Church in Missouri and Ohio. With only fifty years of history behind her, Pilgrim had begun to go "into all the world" as our Lord commanded.
Rev. George Boger, another native North Carolinian, and the Rev. Andrew Loretz were left with the care of all of the churches in North Carolina from 1803-1812. Boger lived in Rowan County and Loretz in Lincoln County, near Daniels Church. As often as possible these men journeyed about the state, preaching, baptising, administering communion and caring for their scattered fellow Reformed.
Rev. Mr. Loretz died in 1812, leaving the care of all of the Reformed Churches in North Carolina and South Carolina to Rev. George Boger.
In 1807 the Reformed and Lutheran congregations felt the need for a larger and finer church building. The old log church had been used for around 50 years. It had served an excellent purpose but now gave way to a more modern building, which was erected a few feet away from the first building outside of the graveyard enclosure. The logs of the old building were sold to a gentleman who built a residence from them.
The second church was a frame building styled like the first. It was two stories high with a gallery at each end and the south- side. The pulpit was on the north side. In the northwest corner was a platform with banisters, where the elders and sometimes the deacons sat. This house of worship was used until 1882.
With the leaving of Rev. Jacob Christman, there was no resident pastor in Davidson County until 1827. So it was that these faithful church people availed themselves of the services of almost any minister who would come and preach for them. Rev. Boger and Rev. Loretz came as often as possible. They prob- ably did not visit the churches more than once every three months. After the death of Rev. Loretz, the Synod of Pennsyl- vania sent missionaries to the south from time to time. Among these were Wm. Weinel, H. B. Dieffenbach, Jacob Scholl, John S. Ebaugh, George Leidy, John Rudy and others. The diary of
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.
James Ross Reily does not mention any of the churches in David- son County, even though Dr. J. C. Leonard and other historians state that he preached here.
RECORDS FROM THE MORAVIAN DIARY
During the period from 1808 to 1818, Moravian ministers preached in Pilgrim Church from time to time. The following is taken from "The Records of the Moravians in North Carolina," "The Salem Diary, 1808."
"Sept. 25. Sunday. The Brn. Seidel and Reichel, Jr., preached today by invitation in a German Lutheran and Reformed Church near Lexington, eighteen miles from here. The former spoke in German and the latter in English to an attentive audience of more than three hundred persons. This church was built a few years ago and was dedicated by the well-known Lutheran preach- er, Hinkle, who served various Lutheran congregations in North Carolina for some years. Pastor Markel, a son-in-law of Pastor Hinkle, who now serves the congregation with Word and Sacra- ment along with a number of other congregations, last week an- nounced the preaching of these two Brethern for today.
The Lutheran and Reformed members living here have a regular church organization. In the church they have four Aeltesten and four Vorsteher, half from the Lutherans and half from the Reformed. They keep good order and the singing is sweet and pleasant. They showed themselves very friendly and grateful to the two Brethern. After the service the officials had a conference, and unanimously asked the Brethern to come back from time to time and preach in both languages in their church. In the English preaching the Germans were careful to give the front seats to the English.
This is a fertile and fairly level district, and the German residents, some of whom settled here before Wachovia was be- gun, are for the most part in comfortable circumstances. God willing, we will try to send two Brethern from Salem each quar- ter-year to proclaim the Gospel here."
The Moravian Records record that preaching services were conducted by the Moravians in "Leonard's Church" on Feb. 12, . August 6, and Oct. 15, in the year 1809. Only one preaching serv- ice, Sept. 23, is recorded for the year 1810, none for the year
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1811 and only one, Sept. 27, in 1812. The entry in the Freidberg Diary for Sept. 27, 1812, reads as follows, "Br. Rude preached to an attentive audience in the Pilgrim's Church, twelve miles from Freidberg."
The Moravians record conducting funeral services at the Pilgrims Church in 1816, 1817, and 1818. In 1823 Rev. Christian Freidrich Denke, a Moravian who was pastor at Freidberg, re- cords conducting four funerals in Pilgrim Church. The entry for May 19 is as follows: " I preached in German, and delivered a funeral address in English in the Pilgrim's Church. I also bap- tised a child in the home of a vorstecher of that church. This church is fourteen miles from Freidberg Church."
LUTHERANS SPLIT
In 1821 the Lutheran congregation at Pilgrim split. One group organized itself and became a part of the Tennessee Luth- eran Synod, following their former pastor, Hinkel. The other group remain loyal to the North Carolina Lutheran Synod. Both congregations of Lutheran worshiped at Pilgrim along with the Reformed from this date until 1903. The Reformed maintained one-half interest with each of the Lutheran groups having one- fourth interest in the property and use of the property. A Union Sunday School continued with all three groups united as a Sunday School.
REV. WILLIAM HAUCK AND THE ORGANIZATION OF CLASSIS
In 1828 the Rev. William Hauck became the regular pastor of the Reformed Churches in Davidson County. So far as we know, with the possible exception of Rev. Jacob Schneider, Rev. Mr. Hauck was the first resident Reformed pastor in Davidson County. He was pastor of only the churches of Davidson County, which had not been the case before, either. He was the pastor of Beck's, Beulah, Bethany, Emanuel, and Pilgrim Churches.
Pilgrim Church was one of the 17 congregations represented in the organization of Classis in 1831. The Rev. William Hauck and Elder Col. Phillip Hedrick represented the churches of Da- vidson County. Rev. Mr. Hauck was elected the first president of Classis, which met in Brick Church in that year. Leonard's
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Church (Pilgrim) was one of the first three churches to make contributions to the Classis. Leonard's Church contribution was $1.75.
The second meeting of the Classis of North Carolina was held at Pilgrim Church on June 9, 1832. Elder Jacob Leonard, repre- sented the churches of Davidson County, and was from Pilgrim Church. Four sermons were preached and the Lord's Supper was observed on the Sunday of this meeting. Rev. J. G. Fritchey was elected president at this meeting. Classis met four additional times in Pilgrim Church. These were in the years 1836, 1859, 1883, and 1930. Various ministers of Pilgrim Church served as president of the Classis while they were pastors at Pilgrim.
The Rev. William Hauck remained pastor of the churches in Davidson County until 1832. In 1832 the Rev. W. C. Bennet, who had been pastor of six churches in South Carolina, became pas- tor of the churches of Davidson County. He continued as pastor until 1837, when he was dismissed by Classis to Zion's Classis in Pennsylvania.
BUILDING REPAIRED
In 1834 the church building, which had been contructed in 1807, became in need of repairs. Phillip Berrier, representing the Reformed, and Andrew Darr, representing the Lutherans, were elected commissioners to raise the necessary money and to superintend the repairs. The following is a copy of the Petition, dated December 25, 1834.
PETITION - DEC. 25, 1834
Whereas at a certain meeting of the members of Pilgrim Church held on the 25th day of December 1834 it became necessary that proper persons should be appointed to superintend the repairs of said house and Envirous and to raise by subscription a certain sum or sums of money that shall be sufficiently adequate to defray the present expense of repairing said dome etc. And also to make use of the lands adjoining and belonging to said Pil- grim Church-either by renting or leasing that the monies accurring from said rents or lease and all profits thereof may be held more effectually to be put to the use of any expense that may hereafter be necessary for repairs of said dome and envirous. And whereas Phillip Berrier and Andrew Darr being nominated and duly elected commissioners to superintend business for said Pilgrim Church, viz, Phillip Berrier on the part of the German Re- formed and Andrew Darr on the part of the Lutherings deem it necessary forth- with to open subscriptions to raise money to defray the present expense accuring for the repairing said dome.
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The undersigned promise to pay Phillip Berrier or Andrew Darr, com- missioners to collect money and superintend the repairing Pilgrims Church such sums of money as shall annex to our names it being for value as above written, Witness thereof we set our hands and amount subscribed to be paid when called for.
Subscribers names
Subscribers names
G. Tussey
$ .50
Peter Hedrick .50
Joseph Waggoner
1.00
Geo. Lenard
.25
Peter Lenert
1.00
Adam Fritts
.50
Jacob Zink
1.00
Joseph Fritts
.25
Adam Hedrick
.50
John Hagy
.25
Katherine Waggoner
.50
Jacob Zink
.75
Jacob Hedrick
1.00
Chu Fowler
.25
Adam Link
.50
Solomon Yokely
.121/2
Matthias Hagy
.25
John McCary
121/2
Jacob Lopp
.50
Valentine Leonard
.50
John Link
$
.50
Daul Leonard .50
Geo. Fritts, Jr.
.50
Wm. McCary
1.00
Jacob Lopp
.50
Peter Leonard
.50
David Lenard
.25
Rubin Fritts
.50
Geo. Yuntt
2.25
Christian Burkhart
.121/2
David Lopp
1.00
(Taken from notes of Rev. C. C. Wagner)
In 1838, David Crooks was received as a licentiate from Zion's Classis to the North Carolina Classis, and was ordained in October of that year as pastor of the churches of Davidson County. Elder Jacob Leonard, Jr. was a member of the ordination committee. Rev. Mr. Crooks was pastor at Pilgrim until 1846, when he went to Lincoln County as the pastor of the Lincoln Charge. He died there, still a young man, in 1859.
THE FIRST MEMBERSHIP LIST
The first complete membership list of Pilgrims Church is dated September 3, 1843, and was probably entered into the first church book by Rev. Crooks. The following is the list, as record- ed in the first church book. It contains a total of 46 members.
PILGRIMS CHURCH - SEPTEMBER the 3rd, 1843 LIST OF MEMBERS
Pastor - D. Crooks
Elders-Jacob Leonard, Phillip Barrier. Deacons-Joseph Clodfelter, Henry Barrier, D. Leonard, John Hedrick.
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Members
Jacob Leonard
5
Mary Loop
1
Philip Barrier
2
Mary Brinkel (dead)
1
David Leonard, son of Jacob
2
Charlet Sower (Emanuels) 1
Christian Everhart
4
Mary Frits (dead)
1
Henry Barrier
3
Malinda Waggoner (dead)
1
David Leonard, son of Peter
2
Susan Yokley
1
Charles Long 1
Mary Wolf
1
Alexander Fritts (removed) 2
John Hedrick
2
Benjamin Younts (dead)
4
Wiley Fritts (no member) 2
Nancy Mcray (dead)
1
Betty Leonard (dead)
1
Mahala Wilson (dead)
1
George Hedrick (dead)
2
Widow Hedrick (dead)
3
Susan Everhart
1
Susan Loop
1
Notes in parentheses are later notations on original records.
1846 - 1856
Rev. F. W. Plassman became pastor of Pilgrim Church in 1846, and remained until his death in 1848. Rev. Thornton Butler was ordained March 11, 1848, and at the death of Rev. Plassman he became pastor of Pilgrim Church and other churches in Da- vidson County. He only remained for three years, and was suc- ceeded by the Rev. Wm. Sorber. The second membership list in the first church book was made in 1849 by the Rev. Mr. Butler and lists 44 members. One colored member is listed, Patty Ann Leonard. No officers are given on this list.
Rev. Mr. Sorber remained in Davidson County for 3 years. He had come to North Carolina from Pennsylvania, and returned to Pennsylvania as a pastor. He was a close friend of Jacob Berrier, Esquire, and there are in existance two letters that he wrote back to Mr. Berrier after he had gone to Pennsylvania.
Rev. Thornton Butler again became pas- tor of Pilgrim Church in 1856 for a brief time. During this time he conducted a school in the town of Lexington, and is described by The Dispatch as a splendid teacher.
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REV. P. ALLISON LONG
The Rev. P. Allison Long, a native of Davidson County, was ordained December 14, 1858 by the Classis of North Carolina, and became pastor of the churches of Da- vidson County. He is spoken of highly in a letter to Jacob Berrier by Rev. Mr. Sorber. A Sunday School record book dated 1859, lists the following officers and teachers.
PILGRIM SUNDAY SCHOOL - 1859 NAMES OF OFFICERS
Jacob Berrier
Superintendent
David Leonard
Assistant Superintendent
Valentine Leonard
Secretary
Samuel S. Conrad
Librarian
MANAGERS
MALE TEACHERS FEMALE TEACHERS
Soloman Clodfelter
Adam Hedrick
Susannah Leonard
Joseph Clodfelter
Jesse Leonard
Amanda Hedrick
John P. Hedrick
Henry J. Berrier
Eliza Berrier
Adam Sink
Andrew Darr
Mary A. Hedrick
William Sink
Adam R. Bowers
Henry Berrier, Jr.
Charles Long
This Sunday School, of course, was a Union School, made up of Lutherans and Reformeds.
The third membership list of Pilgrim Reformed Church was made in 1861 while the Rev. P. Allison Long was pastor. The following is the list:
PILGRIM CHURCH, DAVIDSON COUNTY Members of German Reform Church at Pilgrim 1861 Rev. P. Allison Long, Pastor
ELDERS
Jacob Berrier Valentine Leonard
David H. Leonard Henry Berrier, Sr.
DEACONS Solomon Clodfelter
Wm. Knoy
Joseph Clodfelter
David C. Clodfelter
Sheppherd Green
Jesse Leonard
Michael Crotts
Henry J. Berrier
Henry Berrier, Jr.
David A. Tussey
S. B. Lore
David Leonard
Wm. A. Berrier
Charles Long
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FEMALE
FEMALE
Eliz Leonard
Caroline R. Leonard
Eliza Tussey
Elve C. Clodfelter
Eliz. Leonard
Persuna J. Headrick
Charity Clodfelter
Henrietta C. Brower
Rachel Headrick
Mary Ann Knoy Polly Sullivan
Chrissy Berrier Eliza Conrad Susannah Leonard
Sarah Crotts
Melinda Crotts
Emma Clodfelter
Amanda Crotts
Susannah Leonard, Sr.
(From the Notebook of Rev. C. C. Wagner)
THE OLD PILGRIM SCHOOLHOUSE
Many of the older churches in North Carolina had schools, either in the church building or in a separate building on the church grounds. Just how far back the Pilgrim School went is unknown. It is known that a log school building stood for more than thirty years on the Pilgrim Church property on a spot below the present church building and above the cemetery. This build- ing was erected during the Civil War. Mr. Adam Hedrick, upon his return from the war, was for many years schoolmaster in this building. His daughter, Mrs. Ida Hedrick Conrad, Mr. Jasper Miller, and the late Mr. Andrew Essick have told about attend- ing this school. It was a one room building with a large window on one side with a long writing table under the window. The building was torn down and sold to a man who built a house with the materials some years after the Pilgrim Academy was begun.
REV. THOMAS LONG
The Rev. P. Allison Long left Pilgrim in 1862 and the Rev. Thomas Long became the pastor. Thomas Long was a brother of P. Allison Long. He was a charter member of Hebron Church, an Elder when the first building was built at Hebron, and after- wards became the pastor of Hebron along with the other churches of Davidson County. He had been born in Davidson County, November 18, 1818, near Bethany Reformed Church. He was ed- ucated in the community schools but had no formal education be- yond that. He diligently studied the Bible and labored faithfully in his church. During the Civil War there was a scarcity of Re-
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G. Dickey Gurley Assistant Pastor 1885 - 1886
Rev. Thomas Long, 1862 - 1887
formed ministers in North Carolina. So it was that he left the farm, and was licensed on the 3rd of May, 1863, by the Classis of North Carolina. The Reformed Churches of Davidson County were divided into two charges, the Upper Davidson Charge and the Lower Davidson Charge. Thomas Long became the pastor of the Upper Davidson Charge. Here he served for 25 years, which is the longest pastorate recorded for Pilgrim Church. He retired from the ministry in 1887 and lived in Salem, North Carolina until his death in 1898.
Rev. Thomas Long served Beulah, Hebron, Bethany, and Pilgrim, and later organized the Mt. Tabor congregation. A mem- bership list of Pilgrim Church in the Old Church Book, dated 1878, with Thomas Long, Pastor, lists 67 members; 35 males and 32 females. Rev. Long was succeeded in the Upper David- son Charge by a man that he had been the only pastor to, the Rev. J. C. Leonard. During the year before Rev. Long's retire- ment, he was assisted in the work of the Upper Davidson Charge by the Rev. G. Dickey Gurley.
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A third grant of land was made to Pilgrim Church in 1869. It was made by the State of North Carolina on November 24, to Henry Darr, William Sink and Jesse Leonard, Trustees of Pilgrim Church. The plot surveyed by P. E. Zink, County Sur- veyor, calls for twenty-seven acres of land. There seems to have been some doubt about the second patent in 1792 cover- ing this land, and to make certain that this was church land, the trustees secured a patent signed by Governor W. W. Holden.
THE THIRD CHURCH BUILDING
A new church building was erected in 1882, a bit up the hill above the cemetery and above the second building. This building, which is the present building being used by the Pilgrim Reform- ed congregation, was made of frame as was the building before it.
This building was built jointly by the two Lutheran con- gregations and the Reformed Congregation. It was dedicated in December, 1882 by the three pastors, The Rev. Thomas Long, Rev. C. H. Bernheim, and Rev. W. A. Julian. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Jacob C. Clapp, D.D., president of Catawba College. The material of which the church was contructed was taken almost entirely from the church lands.
Mt. Tabor Church
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MT. TABOR CHURCH
Mt. Tabor Church was established by Rev. Thomas Long in the year 1883. Several members of Pilgrim Church lived in this community, loyal and faithful in attendance, though living from three to six miles from their church. Out of consideration for these members the minister conducted occasional services for them in their homes, especially in the home of Mrs. Sallie Crotts, the oldest member among these people. Then the men and boys of the community got together and built a brush arbor, with a shelter of lumber at one end of the tent-like structure. The house of worship was built across the highway and was ready for oc- cupancy in 1883. The charter members were from Pilgrim con- gregation. Mt. Tabor was connected with the Upper Davidson Charge until 1894 when it was connected with the Lower Davidson Charge.
The Rev. J. C. Leonard, who had grown up in the Pilgrim Congregation, and who was a descendant of the pioneer Valen- tine Leonard, became pastor of the congregation in 1889. The Rev. J. H. Shuford had supplied Pilgrim for about a year fol- lowing the retirement of Rev. Thomas Long.
In 1896 new pulpit furniture was installed and paneled wainscoating was put on the walls. The entire building was painted anew inside and out. The foreman on this job was J. Edmund Conrad, a young man who was a member of the congregation.
PARSONAGE BUILT
The Rev. Thomas Long had been a farmer before becoming a minister, and continued to live on the farm as he pastored the Upper Davidson Charge. In 1888 a parsonage was built for the Charge on U. S. Highway 29 a short distance from Pilgrim Church. The Rev. J. C. Leonard moved into this new home. Sheriff A. T. Delap and his family lived with Rev. Mr. Leonard, who was a bachelor at the time. Boys attending the Pilgrim Aca- demy boarded in the pastor's home also. It was used as the parsonage for the charge until the new parsonage was built at Beulah Church in about 1936, during the pastorate of Rev. J. L. Levens. The Pilgrim congregation bought the interests of the other two churches at that time. In 1945, the old parsonage was sold along with the Pilgrim Academy Building. The old par-
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Pilgrim Parsonage 1888 - 1936 On Porch, A. T. Delap and J. C. Leonard
sonage is owned and occupied by the Howard Mize family, mem- bers of Pilgrim congregation.
THE UPPER DAVIDSON CHARGE
From "The Acts and Proceedings of the Synod of the Po- tomac" for the year 1895, we gain the following information. There were five congregations in the Upper Davidson Charge: Pilgrim, Beulah, Bethany, Hebron and Calvary Churches.
The following figures were listed:
5 congregations 455 members, 152 unconfirmed members
343 communed once during the year
5 Sunday Schools 341 teachers and members of the Sunday School $117 given for Benevolent Purposes $529 given for congregation purposes
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The Rev. Mr. Leonard was also supplying the Thomasville Mission which had 18 members that year.
THE REV. JACOB CALVIN LEONARD, D. D.
The Rev. Mr. J. C. Leonard was pastor of Pilgrim Church from 1889 to 1897. The following is taken from the Introduction of the HISTORY OF THE SOUTHERN SYNOD OF THE EVAN- GELICAL AND REFORMED CHURCH, of which Dr. Leonard was editor. This introduction was written by Dr. J. D. Andrew.
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