USA > North Carolina > Historic sketch of the Reformed Church in North Carolina > Part 10
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Work was commenced on the church May 31, 1901. Mr. E. T. Hedrick, an Elder of the congregation, was the contractor. The church, though not yet finished, was opened for service August 18, 1901, Rev. J. C. Leonard preaching morning and evening. The new house of worship was solemnly dedicated to God's service October 20, 1901. The sermon was preached by Rev. J. M. L. Lyerly, of Crescent, a college class- mate of the pastor.
During the months of June, July and August, 1901, Mr. Wm. H. Causey, a student in the Theological Sem- inary at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, worked in the Sunday School under a commission from the Sunday School Board of the Reformed Church. Mr. Causey's labors were most efficient and successful.
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Rev. J. C. Leonard continued to serve the churches in High Point and Lexington alone until May 1, 1902, when, with the approval of the Board of Missions, he associated with himself in the pastorate Rev. D. E. Bowers. Mr. Bowers gave his entire time to the work in High Point. The work progressed well in both towns, and in January, 1903, the Board of Missions consti- tuted the churches in Lexington and High Point sepa- rate missions; Rev. D. E. Bowers was commissioned for High Point and he has continued in the mission to the present time.
9. Bethel Reformed Church, High Point.
A corner lot 50 by 150 feet on Front and Second Streets was purchased from Mr. A. A. Barker in the fall of 1903, at a cost of $100.00, the money being pro- vided by the Sunday School Board of the Reformed Church in the United States. During the fall of the same year a chapel was erected and furnished at a cost of $500.00.
December 13, 1903, at 2:30 p. m. the chapel was opened for divine services. A Sunday School was organized, fifty scholars being present, and the Rev. D. E. Bowers, pastor of the First Reformed Church, preached. He served the Sunday School as Superin- tendent until January 1, 1904, when Mr. J. H. Ever- hart was elected Superintendent.
On Sunday, September 25, 1904, the chapel was dedicated to the service of the Triune God. Rev. J. C. Leonard, of Lexington, preached the dedicatory ser- mon, and the service of dedication was conducted by
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Rev. D. E. Bowers under whose care the work had been placed by the Classis of North Carolina May, 1904.
Rev. D. E. Bowers provided the mission with such services as the time he could spare from the First Reformed Church would admit. The work progressed rapidly, and on October 24, 1905, Mr. Bowers organ- ized a congregation with 28 members. Messrs. J. H. Everhart, G. Y. Stone and Lewis Livengood were elected Elders, and Messrs. Percy O. Wall, Madison M. Martin and Jesse L. Barger were elected Deacons to serve for one year.
The following are the persons who entered the or- ganization as charter members: John H. Everhart, Mrs. Nannie L. Curtis, Mrs. Rosa Paul, Mrs. Annie Fer- gurson, Wilson Ensley, Madison Martin, Miss Grace Curtis, Jesse L. Barger, Samuel F. Wall, Mrs. Bettie Jackson, James P. Curtis, Gideon Y. Stone, Mrs. Mamie Stone, Roy Vaughn Curtis, John Upton, Miss Myra Potts, John Martin, Miss Mattie Martin, Miss Carrie Moore, Lewis Livengood, Mrs. Mary Alice Livengood, Miss Sallie Potts, Percy A. Wall and Mrs. Emma Wall.
10. First Reformed Church, Greensboro.
Greensboro is the county seat of Guilford County. It is a growing city. There have been Reformed people in Guilford from the time of the coming of the first German settlers. From time to time some of our members located in Greensboro, and many of them have been lost to our Church. Definite steps looking to the organization of a church were taken by the Classis of North Carolina at its annual meeting in May,
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1902, at Daniel's Church, when Revs. J. C. Leonard and J. D. Andrew were appointed with instructions to minister to the people and to canvass the whole matter with a view of organizing a congregation. These brethren preached occasionally in Greensboro. March 1, 1903, they organized the First Reformed Church with 19 members. J. H. Low and D. E. Clapp were elected Elders, and J. F. Troxler and J. T. Plott, Deacons. The Board of Missions enrolled the new interest in April and commissioned Rev. Shuford Peeler as missionary, to begin work July 1st. Services were held in the Christian Church three months. A lot was purchased at the corner of West Lee and Spring Streets at a cost of $1,500.00. A brick dwell- ing house on the lot was converted into a neat chapel, and the first service was held there the first Sunday in October, 1903. On the same day a Sunday School was organized with 30 scholars.
The little brick chapel served a good purpose, but better accommodations were needed. Definite steps looking to a new church were accordingly taken in June, 1904, and in September of the same year the foundation of the new chapel was laid. By the plans adopted this chapel was to be the Sunday School room of the completed church. The first service was held in this new chapel in April, 1905. It was built at a cost of $2,800.00.
But the congregation pushed valiantly forward to build the auditorium of the church. Their labors were crowned with success, for before the end of the year 1906 they were occupying the handsome new
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church. The cost of the entire property was a little over $11,000. The church is modern is every par- ticular and will meet the needs of the congregation for years to come. The auditorium seats 400 and the chapel 200. The two are connected by rolling par- titions, giving a seating capacity of 600. One of the handsome windows is a memorial to the late Rev. Dr. Geo. W. Welker; it is the gift of members of his family. This church was dedicated to the service of the Triune God November 18, 1906. The services of the day were in charge of the pastor, Rev. Shuford Peeler. Rev. J. C. Leonard, D.D., preached the ser- mon at 11 o'clock a. m. The Holy Communion was then celebrated. In the afternoon at 3 o'clock the dedication sermon was preached by Rev. J. C. Clapp, D.D. At night Rev. Geo. A. Snyder, D.D., preached the sermon and Rev. J. D. Andrew delivered an address.
11. Pilgrim Reformed Church (Leonard's), Davidson County.
The German immigration into this section of North Carolina was at high tide from 1745 to 1755. These people came to North Carolina and took up great tracts of land in the most desirable sections of the State. The Germans were members either of the Reformed or Lutheran or Moravian Church. Being accustomed to regular services at home, they naturally were zealous to enjoy the same privileges in this coun- try. But there was one great difficulty in the way of this, viz., the lack of ministers. The best that could be done was to appoint the older men and others of
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PILGRIM CHURCH, DAVIDSON CO., N. C.
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marked piety to conduct services of prayer and read printed sermons. Sometimes the school masters were appointed to conduct the meetings; but school teach- ers were almost as scarce as ministers. The Abbott's Creek section attracted quite a number of settlers within the period above designated. Among these were Jacob Hege and his sons George and Henry; Peter Spengler, Valentine Leonard and his brother Peter; Henry Shoaf, Jacob Berrier, Philip Sauer (Sowers), Christopher and George Sprecher, Adam Hedrick, Peter Meyer (Meyers), Adam Conrad, Jacob Byerly and George Clodfelter. Most of these men were from the Palatinate in Germany and were members of the Reformed Church, as were their children after them.
In the year 1753 or 1754 Jacob Berrier and two or three companions were one day riding through the country between the Yadkin River and Abbott's Creek. There were then Indians in this section of North Caro- lina. Mr. Berrier and his companions had visited several settlers on the lands between and on the waters of these two streams. These people were neighbors, though they lived in some cases many miles apart. About three-quarters of a mile west of Abbott's Creek these gentlemen came to a beautiful spot in a grove of oak, hickory and sugar-maple trees, where was also a spring of sparkling water bubbling up. Here they paused and Jacob Berrier said to his companions: "Gott hat diese Stelle zur verehrung sines Namens geschaffen; hier mussen wir ein Versammlungshaus haben." (God fashioned this place for a house of worship; here we must have a meeting-house.) This
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spot was near the home of Valentine Leonard, who came to North Carolina from Germany in 1746 and took up several tracts of the Lord Granville and Henry McCulloh lands on both sides of what was then called "Mill Creek," but afterwards and to this day called "Leonard's Creek" after his name. Valentine Leon- ard was born at Katzenbach in the Palatinate, Ger- many, October 13, 1718. His parents were Martin and Anna Barbara Leonard, who were married November 11, 1704, by Rev. Carl Gervinus, pastor of the Reformed Church at Katzenbach from 1691 to 1710. Valentine Leonard was baptized October 23, 1718, in the Re- formed Church at Katzenbach by the Rev. Gotthard Steitz, the pastor. He was confirmed a full member of the same church at Easter, 1733, by Rev. Henry Julius Wagner, pastor of the Katzenbach Reformed Church from 1719 to 1763. To Valentine Leonard and his wife Elizabeth were born eight children: Barbara, Valentine, Michael, Peter, Catharine, Elizabeth, Philip and Jacob. Barbara married Henry Hege, a son of Jacob Hege (both named above), and a brother of George Hege. Elizabeth married George Clodfelter. Valentine Leonard and his wife Elizabeth, his five sons and their wives, and his three daughters and sons-in- law were all members of the Reformed Church near his home, the church built on the spot pointed out by Jacob Berrier and afterwards known for many years as "Leonard's Church," from the fact that the church was near Valentine Leonard's house and also from the fact that he and his family constituted a large part of the membership in the early days of its history.
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Valentine Leonard, the pioneer, was a patriot in those stirring times preceding and during the American Revolution, as were also many of his neighbors. The pastor of the Reformed congregation at Pilgrim Church during these years was Rev. Samuel Suther, who served from 1768 to 1786. His pastorate covered the years of that stormy period, and being himself an intense patriot he naturally influenced his parishioners in that direction. Valentine Leonard and his sons fought through that struggle; the last battle in which they fought was that of Guilford Court House, March 15, 1781, after which they returned home. Near the close of the war, on the second day of November, 1781, a band of Tories came to Valentine Leonard's house and attempted to murder him, and in fact left him for dead. He died from his wounds November 13th, a martyr to his country. He was buried in the grave- yard close by the church of which he was a faithful member and which before and since bore his name.
Kollon Din Profunch
FACSIMILE OF VALENTINE LEONARD'S SIGNATURE IN GERMAN SCRIPT.
The site of the church was selected in that interest- ing way by Jacob Berrier at that early date. Jacob Berrier was the father of John Martin and David Ber- rier, some of whose descendants are still citizens of the same community. There was no house of worship built until several years later. A brush arbor was put up on the spot, under which services were conducted occasionally by some of the older men. In these meet-
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ings many prayers were made to God earnestly asking for a minister. The spot selected was on an unoccu- pied tract of land lying between the lands of Philip Sauer (Sowers) on the north and Valentine Leonard on the south. Philip Sauer came to North Carolina in 1753 and took up a tract of land north of the present location of the church. Soon afterwards he married. The first baptismal entry in the record of the Reformed congregation at this place is that of his first-born child, Anna Catharine Sauer, the date of whose birth was April 27, 1757, and whose baptism was evidently not long afterwards. This child was the daughter of Philip Sauer and wife. The name of the officiating clergyman is not given. It is probable that Rev. Christian Theus, who lived in the forks of the Broad and Saluda Rivers in South Carolina, baptized this child. He preached regularly in the upper part of South Carolina from 1739 to 1775 and also visited the German settlements in North Carolina and held ser- vices for the scattered Reformed people. He was the first Reformed preacher in this section of the country. Or it may be that the child was not baptized until 1759, when the Rev. Mr. Martin, a Swiss Reformed minister, preached regularly to the Reformed people on the waters of Abbott's Creek and the Yadkin River, as well as elsewhere in this section of the State. This baptismal record is an interesting book. There are thirty-six names of heads of families in the early rec- ords, though some of them had no children. The writing is in German and shows different hands. There are 179 baptisms from 1757 to 1798. Of these 179
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baptisms, 145 are recorded prior to the year 1787, and 33 are recorded prior to 1772. The names of the god-parents (Taufzeugen in German), the persons who presented themselves with the parents at the altar in the baptism at the request of the parents, are given in nearly all the records.
The first records of Pilgrim Reformed Church are incomplete. The oldest book in the possession of the congregation is this record of infant baptisms dating from 1757. The names of the paternal heads of families as given in the list are as follows: Adam Hedrick, William Younts (Janss), Henry Happes, George Hege (Heeke), Jacob Leonard, Philip Leonard, Valentine Leonard, John Henry Darr, Michael Zink, Philip Sowers (Sauer), John Zink, Philip Zink, Michael Dag (Day), John Peter Spengler, Jacob Crotts (Kratz), Michael Leonard, John George Berrier, Peter Kiehn, Jr., Henry Hege, John Jacob Wagner, John George Clodfelter, Peter Meyer (Myers), Adam Conrad, John Henry Shoaf (Schaff), Henry Shoaf, Sr., Ludolph Younts, John Martin Berrier, David Berrier, Michael Myers, David Myers, Peter Myers, George Sprecher, Peter Everhart, Henry Conrad, Christian Grimes (Kreim), Peter Lopp (Lapp).
The first church, which was built within the period 1757-1764, was a substantial log structure. It was built after a common pattern of that day with a gallery at each end and on one side. The tall wine-glass pulpit occupied the other side. The logs of which it was constructed were very large. The church stood on an elevated spot at the northeast corner of the grave-
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yard. The trustees of the congregation still have in custody the peculiar S-shaped key to the inner bol of that venerable structure, and also one of the staples that held the bolt in place. They also have one of the quaint collection devices, a ring made of wrought iron with an arrangement on one side for an inserted handle; to the ring was sewed a bag, and at the bottom of the bag was a small bell, presumably to attract the attention of the contributors. They also have the pewter baptismal bowl; its companions, a pitcher and goblet, were stolen some years ago.
This first house of worship was built on land claimed by McCulloh, though a tract of fifty acres lying between the lands of Philip Sauer and Valentine Leonard was laid off as church property. After North Carolina was properly organized as a State and had confiscated the McCulloh lands, three Elders of the congregation, Philip Sowers (Sauer), Peter Karn (Kiehn) and Martin Shiddles, legally entered the lands in the name of the congregation. The official grant was made October 8, 1783, to the above-named persons, "Elders in trust for the Dutch Congregation." The first recorded name of the church is the "Dutch Congregation" as given in this official paper; but the real name seems to have been "Pilgrim Church," or "The Church of the Pilgrims." It was called in the official records the "Dutch Congregation" because it was the church located in the community known as the "Dutch settle- ment on Abbott's Creek." It was the only church, when it was organized, in that part of Rowan County east of the Yadkin River. There was another Re-
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formed Church across the Yadkin River four miles from the present site of Mocksville, on "Dutchman Creek;" the name was "Heidelberg Reformed Church," but it was popularly called the "Dutch Meeting- house," and the site is so called to this day. Beck's Church was organized in 1787 as a union church. The Rev. Mr. Schneider was then the pastor at Pilgrim, the "Dutch Congregation." The Reformed and Lutheran people could neither write nor speak Eng- lish, but all county and State papers had to be made in English, and hence were made by men who knew nothing of the Reformed and Lutheran names. As a consequence peculiar titles were sometimes given. The deed at Beck's Church, dated November 5, 1787, calls the Lutherans "The Profession of the Church of England" because the Lutherans had a liturgical form of worship somewhat like that of the Church of Eng- land. In that same deed the Reformed congregation is called "The Profession of the Church of the Dutch Settlement on Abbott's Creek" because the people of the Beck's Reformed congregation were members of the same denomination that had already been called in the records of 1783 "The Dutch Congregation." Everybody understood that the Lutheran and Re- formed Churches were meant and it is so understood to this day.
December 17, 1792, a wedge-shaped piece of land containing eighty-six acres, covered neither by the Sowers, the Leonard nor the church tracts, was entered for the church. The grant was made to George Clod- felter, John Lopp, George Hege and Valentine Day,
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"Trustees for the Dutch Congregation." The congre- gation then held 136 acres of land. In the year 1787 the Lutherans came in as co-tenants, and from that time on had the use of the church and the lands. There is no record as to the terms on which they were admitted. For thirty-four years the two denomina- tions worshiped in the same church. In 1821 the Lutherans split, and the two congregations of that denomination were allowed by the Reformed to use the property along with themselves until the spring of the year 1903, when the Reformed congregation, to gain absolute title to the entire property, paid to the two parties of Lutherans the handsome sum of $3,100.00 and received from them a quit-claim.
The pastorate of the Rev. Mr. Martin covered the years from 1759 to 1764. He was a faithful minister and rode many miles on horseback in order to meet his appointments and visit his people. It is possible that the log church was built during his pastorate, though it may have been built between 1757 and 1759. The earliest marked grave is in 1761, though the present topography of the grave-yard indicates that there were graves still earlier. It is altogether probable that persons were buried here even before the first church was built.
In 1764 the Rev. Mr. Dupert succeeded the Rev. Mr. Martin, and his pastorate continued until 1768. Mr. Dupert was said to be a most earnest, hard-working man. His visits to the Dutch Congregation were made regularly four times a year unless hindered by sickness or high waters.
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The next minister after Mr. Dupert was Rev. Samuel Suther. He is the "Dutch Minister" whom Governor Tryon says in his diary he heard preach. He began to preach for the "Dutch Congregation on Abbott's Creek" in 1768, and his pastorate continued until 1786. Most of the baptisms recorded in the Pilgrim Reformed Church register were administered by him. In fact but few baptisms in the original thirty-six families are recorded after 1786, the year that marks the close of his pastorate. From that time forward for several years the baptismal records are only fragmentary. Five years after the beginning of his pastorate, in the year 1773, the first Lutheran minister came to North Carolina in the person of the Rev. Adolph Nussman, who became pastor of churches in Cabarrus and Rowan Counties west of the Yadkin River. In 1787 Rev. C. E. Bernhardt, another Lutheran minister, came to North Carolina and labored. Dr. G. D. Bernheim says, "doubtless in that part of Rowan County east of the Yadkin River." He was the first Lutheran pastor east of the Yadkin River.
In 1786 the Rev. Mr. Suther went to South Carolina and took charge of the congregations in the "Forks," formerly served by the Rev. Mr. Theus. The Rev. Mr. Schneider was the next pastor at Pilgrim, and he served from 1787 to 1792. He was a very energetic man. He organized the congregations at Beck's, Fredericktown (Bethany) and Sowers (Arnold). Rev. Samuel Weyburg was pastor from 1793 to 1798. He succeeded the Rev. Jacob Christman, who served until 1803. In the latter year the Rev. Mr. Christman went
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to Ohio, and the congregation was then served until 1812 by Rev. Andrew Loretz and Rev. George Boger jointly. After the death of Rev. Andrew Loretz in 1812, Rev. George Boger continued to preach occa- sionally for the congregation at seasons of the year when the ministers sent down by the Synod could not hold the services. This arrangement was kept up through the long period of fifteen years. Had it not been for the faithful missionary pastors sent out an- nually by Synod the congregation would have suffered much more than it did. Within these fifteen years the congregation had the services of such consecrated men as Revs. James R. Reily, William Weinel, Henry Dieffenbach, Jacob Scholl, John S. Ebaugh, George Leidy, John Rudy and others. In 1828 Rev. William Hauck became the regular pastor of the church at Pilgrim and the other Reformed Churches in Davidson County. He remained until 1832.
The following is a list of the ministers who have served the congregation:
Rev. Christian Theus-occasional visits before 1759.
Rev. Mr. Martin . 1759-1764.
Rev. Mr. Dupert 1764-1768.
Rev. Samuel Suther
1768-1786.
Rev. Mr. Schneider 1787-1792.
Rev. Samuel Weyburg 1793-1798.
Rev. Jacob Christman 1798-1803.
Revs. G. Boger and A. Loretz .1803-1812.
Revs. G. Boger, J. R. Reily, Wm. Wei-
nel, H. Dieffenbach, J. Scholl, J. S.
Ebaugh, G. Leidy and J. Rudy. .1812-1827.
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Rev. Wm. Hauck 1828-1832.
Rev. W. C. Bennet 1832-1838.
Rev. David Crooks
1838-1846.
Rev. F. Plassman 1846-1848.
Rev. T. Butler 1848-1851.
Rev. Wm. Sorber 1853-1856.
Rev. T. Butler 1856-1857.
Rev. P. A. Long. 1858-1862.
Rev. Thomas Long
1862-1887.
Rev. G. D. Gurley (assistant)
1885-1886.
Rev. J. H. Shuford
1887-1888.
Rev. J. C. Leonard
1889-1897.
Rev. H. A. M. Holshouser 1897-1903.
Rev. W. H. Causey 1903-1907.
In 1807 the Reformed and Lutheran congregations, having used the same house of worship jointly for twenty years, felt themselves able to build a larger and handsomer church. The old log church had been in use first by the Reformed alone thirty years, and then the Reformed and Lutherans jointly twenty years, in all fifty years. It had served an excellent purpose, but it was now to give place to a more stately temple to be erected a few feet away just outside of the graveyard enclosure. The logs of the sacred old edifice which had stood so long were sold to a gentle- man who converted them into a residence. The second church, like the first, but a frame building, was two stories high with a gallery at each end and the south side; the pulpit was at the north side. In the north- west corner was a platform with banisters, where the Elders and sometimes the Deacons sat. This house of
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worship was occupied jointly by the Reformed and Lutherans until 1821, when there was an ugly split in the Lutheran congregation. One party of the Luth- erans adhered to the North Carolina Synod; the other party organized themselves into a new congregation and connected themselves with the Tennessee Synod. Each party of the Lutherans claimed to be the true Lutheran congregation., co-tenant with the Reformed. Much bitterness of words and feelings characterized their conduct in those stormy days. The new congre- gation was contemptuously called by the other "Henkelites," followers of the Rev. Mr. Henkel. First one Lutheran congregation then the other locked the doors against the other party. Certainly but one party could with any show of fairness claim any interest in the property. But the Reformed con- gregation allowed both parties to occupy the property with themselves. This arrangement was continued as already stated until the year 1903. In 1882, 61 years after the Lutheran split, the erection of a still larger and more handsome church was undertaken. This new church, the third one on the grounds, was finished and ready for occupancy in the winter of 1882. The material for its construction was taken almost entirely from the church lands. This church was built by the Reformed and the two parties of Luther- ans and was used by the three congregations until 1903.
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