USA > North Carolina > Historic sketch of the Reformed Church in North Carolina > Part 16
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pastorate of Rev. Loretz, were to these people almost what the magnificent temple of Solomon was to the Jews. They came long distances, and long before the hour of service collected under the shadow of the oaks and engaged in pleasant conversation. When the preacher ascended the pulpit, an old brother would go to the door and proclaim " All the beobles will now come in; de breaching is reaty."
This tract of land was conveyed to "the two united congregations of Lutherans and Calvinist Presby- terians for the use of a church meeting house, school- house and other buildings, for the promotion of religion and learning." On July 15, 1768, Matthew Floyd for the consideration of ten pounds sterling conveyed this fifty acre tract to Nicholas Warlick, Frederick Wise, Urban Ashebanner, Peter Stotler, Peter Summey and Peter Hafner. They conveyed it January 9, 1774, to "the two united congregations of Lutherans and Calvinists." There have been some additions to the original tract which now contains sixty-seven and one- fourth acres. One of these additions to the extent of 26 perches, was given March, 1859, by Rev. Alfred J. Fox, M. D., then pastor of the Lutheran congregation, "for and in consideration of the love and regard which he hath for religion and for the purpose of securing to the German Reformed and Lutheran congregations a burying ground and grave-yard." A good farm was cleared, a farm house erected near the church and the cultivation carefully looked after by the trustees of the congregations, and the rents have been a source of much revenue to the churches. The first clearing of
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the land was made in 1828. The first farm house was built about 1874. A new tenant house was built in 1904. All the material for the building of this house was furnished by the members of the two congrega- tions at a cost of $134.50. The present tenant, J. F. Carpenter, did the work of construction, and for this work and acting both as sexton for both congregations and for keeping the grave-yard clean for four years, he is to have the use of the dwelling and crops from the church land free for the same length of time.
To allay certain contentions that had arisen as to who might be entitled to share the use of the property, Cephas Quickel and David W. Ramsaur, December 29, 1862, again entered the Daniel's church land. Their grant attested by Zebulon B. Vance, Governor, bears date January 20, 1863. Quickel and Ramsaur 25th July, 1863, conveyed the same "to George Coon, Jacob Kistler, Maxwell Warlick, Jacob Lantz, Daniel Seagle and George S. Ramsaur, Trustees of Daniel's Evangeli- cal Lutheran and Reformed Churches." The original grant to the church, with signatures of the grantors in German, has been carefully preserved.
The second church was built in 1844. At the meet- ing December 25th, the trustees had in hand $582.31. May 27, 1844, articles of agreement were formulated for the erection of a new church. These were signed in behalf of the Lutheran congregation by Henry Kistler, John Wise and Jacob Hoover; in behalf of the German Reformed, by Samuel Lantz, Maxwell Warlick, Absolom Warlick and Peter Finger. The interests of each congregation are carefully set forth, so as to
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avoid any friction, and "There is not to be any formal dedication of said church during the time the said congregations shall both occupy it and worship therein, but it is to bear the name of Daniel's Church." The relations continuing amicable, May 23, 1878, Maxwell Warlick, George Coon, George Ramsaur and Alfred McCaslin signed this agreement: "We the undersigned have agreed to have the church dedicated." On the second Sunday in August following the house of wor- ship was "solemnly consecrated to the service of the Triune God and the Evangelical Lutheran and Re- formed congregations." The services were conducted by Rev. J. R. Peterson, Lutheran pastor, Rev. J. H. Shuford, Reformed pastor, and the dedication sermon was preached by Rev. J. C. Clapp, D.D., from the beautiful and appropriate text: "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell to- gether in unity."
"On May 28, 1884," so runs the record, "the Trus- tees of Daniel's Church have agreed to buy an organ for the use of the two congregations, Lutherans and Reformed, for all religious services held at Daniel's Church."
The Lutherans were the first to decide to erect a new and separate church, which was dedicated July 28, 1889. The Reformed at a congregational meeting held July 6, 1889, in the old frame church, unani- mously decided to build a new church, which was com- pleted and dedicated April 1, 1894, Rev. J. L. Murphy preaching the sermon from the text John 17: 21. Both these buildings are of brick, commodious and
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substantial. They stand within 300 feet of each other on the Morganton and Charlotte road, four miles northwest of Lincolnton, the county-seat of Lincoln County. The spire of the Reformed Church is visible from the Court House Square.
The Lutheran congregation numbers about 225 members and the Reformed about 80. This propor- tion of membership has held throughout the history of these congregations.
This congregation suffered financially from the great Civil War, for the record shows that at "a meet- ing held the last Saturday of December, 1864, George Coon handed in to the Trustees four hundred dollars in Confederate States 4 per cent. certificates as be- longing to the church." In the February following, "George Coon paid into the Treasury one hundred dollars, proceeds of sale of rent wheat made in the year 1864." Added in parenthesis: "The above all Confederate money-lost."
The people of this community belong to the great and honorable middle class, and possess more than ordinary refinement and culture. They are an indus- trious, law-abiding, God-fearing people, honoring and dignifying labor by their honesty, simplicity and in- tegrity. Their wants were few; they bought little and sold much; they made no debts or contracts they did not expect to pay or execute, and as a consequence they have been a gallant, brave, independent and public spirited community. Farming has always been the principal occupation, which, in the expressive lan- guage of an old adage, "makes all, pays all, supports
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DANIEL'S CHURCH.
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all." Here as elsewhere their language at first pre- vented them from taking an active part in public affairs. Towards the close of the eighteenth century, the names of German citizens begin to appear more frequently in a public capacity. In the year 1797 John Ramsaur, an Elder of this church, represented Lincoln County in the House of Commons, and twice afterwards. In 1802 Peter Hoyle, another Elder who lived in sight of this church, was elected to the House, and thirteen times afterwards, and once to the Senate, fifteen times in all, a long and honorable service.
When Daniel's Reformed congregation was organ- ized is not known. If not before, it was likely organ- ized by Rev. Martin, a Swiss who came to the western part of North Carolina in 1759 and preached at Dan- iel's. Rev. Dupert (originally De Part) also preached here in 1764. Between 1764 and 1786 Revs. Samuel Suther, Pythan and others visited and ministered to this people in holy things. But Daniel's Church owes its existence to-day to Rev. Andrew Loretz more than to any other man. In fact the same can be said of all the churches now under the care of North Carolina Classis. With a zeal that shunned no labor or priva- tion, he gave himself to the work of visiting and pre- serving the churches in this State and in South Caro- lina. He was an only son born in 1761 in the city of Chur (Coire), on the Rhine, in the Canton of Grau- bunden (Grisons) in Switzerland. Little is known of his early history. He received a liberal education at Kaufbeuren, in the Kingdom of Bavaria, where he was still in May, 1779. He completed a thorough theo-
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logical course at the age of twenty-two. About this time he was solicited by Rev. John Jacob Kessler, Deputy to the Classis of Amsterdam, to come over to America and preach the Gospel. Accordingly in 1784 he set sail for America, and his passport is dated from Chur (where still reside those bearing his name), bear- ing the signature of the Burgermeister of that city. On the seventeenth of August, 1784, after a voyage of three months, accompanied by his father, also by Rev. Bernhard F. Willy and Paul Peter Pernisius, he landed in Baltimore, eager to extend the field of his holy calling in this new wilderness.
Rev. Kessler writes to Rev. Mr. Weyberg recom- mending especially Revs. Loretz and Willy to the Reverend Coetus, "hoping that good charges may be furnished them; and if possible, we hope they will not be located far apart, so that, being in a strange land, they may have fellowship with one another. Furthermore, we wish for their safe arrival among you, by God's blessing, and for their extensive use- fulness in the kingdom of Jesus Christ in Pennsyl- vania."
After remaining a little more than one year in Penn- sylvania and Maryland, the greater part of which time was spent in ministering to churches in and near Meyerstown, Pennsylvania, he removed to North Carolina in 1786.
He came not alone, for in Baltimore he had met and married a Mrs. Schaeffer of that place (formerly Miss Lehman, of Hagerstown, Maryland) who bravely con- sented to share his long wilderness journey, and who
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became a most devoted helpmeet through all his ardu- ous labors.
Why he wended his course hither is not known; perhaps the fame of this earthly paradise, that drew thither so many from Pennsylvania, may have seemed to open up an opportunity of doing good.
Rev. Loretz located his home four miles due north- west of Lincolnton, Lincoln County, on a large tract of land which he bought for fourteen pounds North Carolina Currency, from Jacob Shuford on the third day of July, 1792.
Upon this land, in sight of Daniel's Church, in 1793 he built a handsome house two stories in height, 28 by 36 feet, with solid brick walls 18 inches thick. The bricks on the surface are laid alternately, one red lengthwise, and another blue, endwise. On the east- ern gable, near the top are the initials and figures A. L. 1793, formed of blue bricks,the mean length of the characters being about two feet.
In addition to the initials and figures on the east- ern end are two large hearts with a cross between. Near the top of the western end is a representation of the setting sun-a white plastered circle about 15 inches in diameter, with brick radiating around the circumference. When new this house must have been a beautiful structure. It does not betray its age even now after the lapse of more than one hun- dred years, and has every appearance of lasting for at least a century more.
The eligible site, the substantial walls, the interior structure and arrangement of this now historic struc-
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ture, indicate that Rev. Loretz was a man who pos- sessed considerable taste and judgment for those pioneer days.
Rev. Loretz became a typical Southerner of the patrician class, owned slaves and fine horses.
His neighbor and associate in the ministry of Daniel's Lutheran Church at that time was Rev. Johann Gott- fried Arndt. They were fast friends and were often seen walking together arm in arm and even arranged that whoever died first should be buried by the sur- vivor. Rev. Arndt was the first to die, and was buried beneath the old "Dutch Meeting House" in Lincolnton.
Rev. Loretz, until his life's end, labored faithfully in the Holy Cause, seeming to have no object in view but to do his Master's bidding. Besides ministering to his own people, he made frequent visits to Rowan and Guilford Counties and to Lexington District, South Carolina, in three, four or six months as the exigencies of such a life determined, for the purpose of catechizing, preaching, baptizing the children, to administer the Lord's Supper and to perform all the offices that are included in a pastor's work. He was greatly beloved in all the churches and his visits were looked forward to with anticipations of great enjoy- ment. He was of the most genial disposition and abounded in pleasantries, so that he soon made him- self at home wherever he went, and could enter into the wants and interests of the people to whose service he had devoted his life. For these almost Herculean labors he was providentially endowed with great powers of physical endurance.
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He was an educated man of commanding genius, endowed with fine abilities and used the German lan- guage with great fluency and power, while he was also an excellent French scholar and able to use the Latin freely. He was famous wherever he preached as an orator. On the death of Washington he delivered an address at Lincolnton suitable to the occasion which was brilliant, pathetic, chaste and appropriate, and was highly commended by the press of the day as one of the greatest efforts ever made in that region. This address was published in pamphlet form.
Members of his churches spoke in glowing terms of his fascinating eloquence, comparing him to a living fountain whence a torrent of words streamed forth almost spontaneously. He had gathered for that age and a new country quite a fine library of valuable theological works, which, however, after his death was sold in an unappreciative community for a trifle and scattered to be lost.
Tradition regards him as having been a man of prayer. Those who knew him in the Loretz family circle and at the sick-bed, in the house of mourning, yet speak of his tenderness and of the unction of his prayers as most thrilling and comforting. It was his custom to have worship with the families with whom he visited on his out-lying trips, and those who remem- bered him testified that his equal in prayer they had not heard since that day. On one of his trips to Guilford County he was asked to visit a dying man, named Crill, and had prayer with him. One, Graves, was present and heard it, who was not a good man, but
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afterwards speaking of the prayer remarked: "Dieser betet man meint Gott musset von Himmel kommen."
Owing to the fact that his pastoral labors extended over a region of country some two hundred and fifty miles in extent, and that, too, in an age when roads were often next to impassible, and traveling exceedingly difficult and even dangerous, all his long journeys, from Haw River in North Carolina to the Saluda in South Carolina, were made on horseback. He was an excellent horseman, and it is well known that he always kept two black saddle horses for use on his long and wearisome rides. He has often been known to ride seventy-five miles to meet an appointment. He was deeply versed in Scripture. On one occasion there being no Bible in the church in which he was to preach he was at no loss for his text and references.
He showed a great fondness for dress, as his polished silver knee buckles, silk stockings and spotless linen bore witness. An anecdote is told of him, that in one of his congregations an economic old German once complained that the parson's salary was much too large, as it admitted of a display of dress which he deemed unnecessary in a minister, when the clergyman quietly remarked that the money came not from his congregation but from South Carolina, showing that his tedious rides to that distant section were deemed well worthy of liberal compensation. Rev. Loretz was noted for strict accuracy and method in keeping his church registers of baptisms, confirma- tions, etc.
His extensive labors and his frequent exposures cut
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off his grand life too soon for the churches, for he died at his home at the early age of fifty-one years. It was on a quiet Sunday evening, March 31, 1812, after having spent the morning in preaching to his congrega- tion at St. Paul's, riding fifteen miles home to die that evening, as he had predicted he would. He left a wife and seven young children. Among his children were three sons whom he fondly hoped to rear and edu- cate for the higher walks of life. One of these sons represented old Lincoln County in the House of Commons for three successive terms. Rev. Loretz's wife survived him twenty years. There being no other minister of the Reformed Church west of the Catawba River at that time, his funeral sermon was preached by Rev. Paul Henkel, a Lutheran minister. His grave is not far from the entrance of the grave- yard, and is marked by a plain stone, with the record of his death and age, followed by those sublime words of Paul in 2d Timothy 4: 7, 8, and closing with the following poetic verses:
"Here rests the Lord's apostle in the dust,
Till time's last wheel shall turn, and stop, and break, Then shall he rise and live among the just,
And with his flock, the joys of heaven partake."
In the month of January, 1905, Mrs. Caroline R. Cochran (nee Motz), of Commonwealth Avenue, Bos- ton, Mass., a granddaughter of Rev. Loretz, presented the congregation with a beautiful bronze tablet, 22 by 24 inches in size. It is secured to the wall with bronze screws, directly behind and above the pulpit. The following is the inscription:
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In Memory of the Reverend Andrew Loretz, Born in Chur, Switzerland, 1761. Died in Lincoln Co., North Carolina, March 31, 1812. Founder and Pastor of this Church from 1786 until 1812.
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.
At the bottom of the tablet is a beautiful design of intertwined leaves of the palm and olive.
Rev. Samuel Weyberg came to Lincoln County in 1793 or 1794, where he married and remained several years, acting as assistant to Rev. Loretz, laboring in the churches of Burke, Lincoln, Rowan and Cabarrus Counties, during which time he had several students under his care, one of whom was George Boger, who later finished under Loretz.
After the death of Rev. Loretz there was no regular Reformed pastor for a period of sixteen years. Dur- ing this time the churches were occasionally visited by ministers sent out by the church North. Of these we have mention of Revs. James Ross Reily, Jacob Scholl, John S. Ebaugh, John Rudy and W. C. Bennet.
The next pastor was Rev. John G. Fritchey, who came in the spring of 1828 and continued pastor of this and all the Reformed churches west of the Catawba River for the next twelve years, to 1840.
Rev. G. A. Leopold from 1840 to 1841.
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Rev. John Hobart Crawford, a native of Maryland, a classmate of Rev. Fritchey, who induced him to come South. His wife was Miss Maria E. Spotswood, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, whom he married in 1829. Rev. Crawford was pastor of Daniel's from 1841 to 1842.
Rev. Solomon S. Middlekauff was the next pastor. He was born in 1818 near Hagerstown, Maryland, and was a graduate of Marshall College, Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, class of 1839. Spent three years in the Theological Seminary at the same place. Was or- dained and installed as pastor in August, 1842, in the "Old White Church" at Lincolnton. The Elders at this date were Samuel Lantz, Daniel Loretz, Maxwell Warlick and John Motz. Rev. Middlekauff continued pastor until his death of consumption at Mineral Springs, Catawba County, North Carolina, May 21, 1845, in the twenty-seventh year of his age. His re- mains repose in the "Old White Church" cemetery in Lincolnton. He married Miss Mary A. E., daughter of Jacob Ramsaur, who, after her husband's death, was married by Rev. David Crooks to Rev. Thornton Butler on the third of September, 1850. She now lies buried by the side of her first husband. Rev. Middle- kauff was a man of mild and peaceful spirit and en- joyed in an eminent degree the confidence of his people.
Rev. David Crooks from February, 1846, to January, 24, 1859.
Rev. Jeremiah Ingold from 1859 to 1874.
Rev. Julius Shuford from 1874 to 1876.
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Rev. J. C. Clapp, D.D., and Rev. John A. Foil, from 1876 to 1878.
Rev. Julius Shuford from 1878 to 1880.
Rev. A. S. Vaughn from 1880 to 1883.
Rev. A. P. Horn from October, 1883, to July, 1884.
Rev. G. Dickie Gurley from July, 1884, to July, 1885.
Rev. J. L. Murphy from July, 1885, to November, 1890.
Student C. A. Starr from November, 1890, to Sep- tember 20, 1891.
Rev. J. M. L. Lyerly from 1892 to 1893.
Rev. J. C. Clapp, D.D., from June 24, 1894, to June 13, 1897.
Rev. Theodore C. Hesson from June 13, 1897, to June 25, 1902.
Rev. C. B. Heller from October 19, 1902, to October 1, 1906.
Classis met twice at Daniel's:
1866-Rev. J. W. Cecil, President.
1902-Rev. W. H. McNairy, President.
The family names now appearing on the church roll at Daniel's are as follows:
Warlick, Ramsaur, Leonard, Coon (Kuhn), Hoover, Abernethy, Smith, Rhodes, Miller, Adderholt, Lantz, Cline, Willis, Reep, Motz, Seagle and Carpenter.
3. Grace Reformed Church, Catawba County.
Few congregations in the Reformed Church in North Carolina are richer in history than Grace Reformed Church, and few have less records from which a cor- rect history can be written. Services were held in
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this community prior to the establishment of the congregation, and the tradition is that these services were held in a large double barn during the summer, and in private houses during the winter months. In the year 1796 a meeting was held in the neighborhood to consider the propriety of building a house for public worship, and on January 11, 1797, a deed for a tract of land containing a fraction over three acres was executed by Samuel E. Jarrett to John Yoder and John Huffman for the purpose of building a house of worship thereon, the consideration being eight dollars.
The community united in erecting a log structure thirty feet long, twenty-five feet wide and two stories high. The building of a church in those days was an undertaking of great interest to the community, and it is said that the building was two years in being completed. This was built as a union church by the Reformed and Lutheran denominations, and is held as such to-day. Dr. Welker in his sketch of the Re- formed Churches in the Colonial Records says of Grace that "it was for many years the most prosper- ous and intelligent Reformed congregation in the State."
In the ancient "God's Acre" hard by lie the remains of many of the prominent men of the South Fork valley. Here we find the head-stone marking the grave of John Yoder, son of Conrad Yoder, who was the first white child born on the waters of Jacob's Fork River, in 1764. He volunteered in the American army at the age of sixteen years, which was either in 1780 or 1781. He was a surveyor and served as
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deputy county surveyor for many years, was a militia captain for a long time and an Elder in the Reformed Church until his death. Here too rests the body of his brother David, who was the third white child born on the same waters, in 1767. He was the oldest man buried in this cemetery, nearly 93 years old. Here also lies the body of Daniel Conrad, who used to rep- resent Lincoln County in the State Legislature, and was also an Elder in the Reformed Church.
Daniel Conrad was a man of tenderest sympathy for the wayward. It is told to-day how he would plead for an erring brother, and how, through his intercessions, some who came to be the most faithful were saved. Here also rests the body of Daniel B. Whitener, who was a soldier in the war of 1812 under Gen. Jackson. Here also rests the body of George P. Shuford, who for many years was a magistrate, and also served many years as chairman of the county court. Also E. P. Coulter, who was the first register of deeds for Catawba County, and also was a magistrate and an Elder in the Reformed Church.
In the absence of any records the early history of this congregation cannot be written. It was doubtless organized by the Rev. Andrew Loretz, who lived near Daniel's Church, five miles southeast of Grace, and was the pastor of all the Reformed Churches in this part of the State. After the death of Loretz, which occurred in 1812, it is probable that the Rev. James Ross Reily, who came South in 1813, preached for these people for a short time. Many of the Reformed congregations in North Carolina at this period of the
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history of the church were without the regular minis- trations of the Word, and this was doubtless true of Grace. Col. G. M. Yoder in a sketch of the congrega- tion says: "Between the years of 1820 and 1825 the Rev. Mr. Bell, a Presbyterian minister, was called," from which we infer that the Rev. Mr. Bell was the pastor during these years.
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