USA > New Jersey > The early Germans of New Jersey : their history, churches, and genealogies. > Part 9
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NEW GERMANTOWN AND GERMAN VALLEY
In the fall of 1750, Schlatter was sent to Europe by the German Reformed Synod (which he had himself been instru- mental in forming), for the purpose of seeking help, both in men and in money. In his efforts he was highly successful, receiving the gift of seven hundred bibles and a considerable sum of money. Six young ministers were also sent over, and a general interest in America was awakened in the churches of Holland and Germany. This church, however, received no direct benefit from all this, for none of these men came to the Valley and the money was used elsewhere. For Schlatter said that the people here were "able to provide properly for the support of a minister, and also willing, with great cheerfulness to do it." Schlatter, moreover, reported to the Synods of South and North Holland, that this church, together with that of Rockaway, "implores earnestly that God may at length send forth a faithful laborer into this harvest." This prayer was soon answered ; for in that same year, the people of the two congregatious were made happy by having a minister settled among them. The first German Reformed pastor was
REV. JOHANNES CONRAD WIRTZ.
In the town library of Zurich occurs the following : "Johannes Conrad Wirz left Zurich for the Carolinas ; is said to have met Anna Goetschi on the passage and to have married her in America, since which nothing has been heard of him."
This notice connects him with a family whose records, care- fully kept, go back to the middle ages. JOHN CONRAD was the fifth son of JOHANNES CONRAD, SEN., who was born 1661, May 5, at Zurick, married Magdalena Klingler, and became a minister in 1682. He was catechist at Wiedikon and afterwards pastor at Neukirch in 1685 ; became pastor at Kloten in 1691 and was chosen deacon at the Silberschield, January 15, 1704. In 1728 he was appointed minister of the church at Kerensen, in Switzer- land, where he died April 20, 1730 ; beside our first pastor, he had five sons and six daughters.
On the 29th of May, 1735, the ship Mercury landed at Phil- adelphia. It contained Palatines and Switzers to the number in all of 186. First on the list of those who sign the declara .
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tion of allegiance at the Court House in the presence of Gov- ernor Gordon is CONRAD WUERTZ. In this same ship were Johannes Moelich, Jacob Maurer, Conrad and Jacob Conrad Naffe and Jacob Naeff. The first and last of these families, and perhaps also the second, settled in New Jersey in the vicinity of Pluckamin.
Among the passengers who are marked absent occurs the name of Henry Goetschy. Of those under sixteen we have Rudolph Goetschy and Moritz Goetschy. The Rev. Moritz Goetschy, who is said to have come over in the same vessel, and whose daughter John Conrad Wirtz married, must have died before the vessel arrived, or immediately afterwards, as his name does not occur in the list. (See Rupp's Thirty Thou- sand Names, p. 99).
The next we hear of Mr. Wirtz is that he (or at least a Swiss bearing his name, only spelling it as it is on the list of emi- grants, Wuert), is pastor of the "Egypter" congregation in Lehigh county in the year 1742. He served this congregation until 1744 and baptised fifteen children. It is said that noth- ing is known of this man afterwards, but there is nothing to contradict the supposition that he was the same as John Conrad Wirtz.
"In 1746, Oct. 14th or 15th," says Michael Schlatter, “ a cer- tain J. C. Wirts, of Zurich, came to visit me, who endeavored to excuse himself for having served as a minister for several years in some congregations in this country without any regular call or ordination. He said he had done this partly in compliance with the earnest solicitations of the people-who would be edified by an.unordained teacher [rather] than remain entirely destitute of spiritual nourishment-and partly on account of having been destitute of any other means of support ; and he humbly entreated me to lend him my counsel and assistance, that he might obtain from the Fatherland a regular ecclesias- tical induction into the office of the ministry, and afterward be properly installed as pastor in some churches that might desire his services. I gave him to understand that I was not yet sufficiently well acquainted either with his abilities or manner of life, nor with the disposition toward him of those congrega-
REV. CHALMERS D). CHAPMAN.
-
--
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----
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REV. J. C. VANDERVOORT.
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tions in which he had hitherto performed his irregular labors ; but that I hoped in the ensuing spring to be able to investigate the matter, and report to the respective Synods as the circum- stances of the case would seem to warrant, and then await their orders."
Meanwhile, it appears Mr. Wirtz continued in his congrega- tions. On the 28th of June, 1747, Mr. Schlatter came to Saucon, where he speaks of a congregation served, at that time, by this Mr. Wirtz. Mr. Schlatter preached there on the 29th and asked the congregation if they desired Mr. Wirtz to be authorized to serve them as their regular pastor. As there was not perfect unanimity, Mr. Schlatter went on nine miles farther to Spring- field, or Schuggenhaus, a congregation under the irregular care of Mr. Wirtz, where he preached on the 30th, and put the same questions with the same result as before at Saucon. There is nothing in all this, we are told, reflecting in the slightest degree upon Mr. Wirtz's moral character.
The next record relating to our first Reformed pastor is found in the minutes of the Synod of New York, which body included the Presbytery of New Brunswick. It is dated New- ark, Sept. 27th, 1750. "The High Dutch congregation of Rock- away, in the township of Lebanon, applied to the Synod that they might be taken under the care of Synod, and that a cer- tain person now preaching among them may be taken under examination, and, if approved, ordained as a minister. The Synod, in order to clear the way to transact anything with said people, do appoint Mr. Pemberton to make inquiry, of the Dutch ministers of New York, whether said people do belong to their jurisdiction ; and he is to acquaint a committee of Synod how that matter is. And the Synod appoints Messrs. Pierson, Burr, Arthur, Smith and Spencer ; their committee to sit at such time and place as they shall appoint, and transact, in said affair, according as things shall then appear to them." Sept. 21, 1751 .- The committee report that, difficulties rising in their way, from time to time, they could do nothing in the matter ; and, as application is again made, they recommend that it be referred to the Presbytery of New Brunswick, to do as they think best, when the matter is laid before them.
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Sept. 28, 1752 .- According to the appointment of Synod, the Presbytery of New Brunswick examined the affair of the Dutch congregation at Rockaway, and ordained Mr. Worts (Wirtz) to be their minister." The above is from Records of the Presby- terian Church pp. 241, 243-4 and 246. Rev. Richard Webster in his History of the Presbyterian Church says, page 610, Conrad Worts " was taken up as a probationer, September 3d, 1751, Rockaway asked for him, May 9th, 1752, and he was ordained their pastor on the 5th of June. * * He was * dismissed Oct. 21st, 1761."
The following is an entry made by Mr. Wirtz in the church book of the church of York, Pennsylvania, which gives a de- tailed account of his removal from New Jersey :
"On the 21st day of August, in the year of our dear Redeemer, Jesus Christ, 1791, I, Johannes Conrad Wirz, minis- ter of the word of God and installed pastor of the congregations of Rockaway and German Valley in Jersey, received an invita- tion from this congregation by the hands of Mr. Balthaser Spangler, to visit and preach to them, in the hope that a gracious God would incline our hearts to an affectionate union, and thus again supply this forsaken flock with a faithful pastor and teacher. With the divine blessing and favor, I concluded to accept this invitation, and determined to undertake the jour- ney accompanied by the aforementioned Mr. Spangler. Ac- cordingly, we set out on the 27th day of August and arrived here safe and in good health on the first day of September. On the following Sabbath I preached my first sermon, and, by re- quest, delivered three or four additional discourses subsequently, which were so blessed by the Father of Light that the respected congregation, with unfeigned affection unanimously desired me to become their pastor, inasmuch as the Rev. Mr. Lischy had forsaken them, and as the members, individually, had confi- dence in me. A formal and regular call, dated September 12, 1761, and signed by the elders and members was tendered to me, which I was unable to decline, yet accepted only on con- dition that I should be able to obtain the consent of my con- gregations in New Jersey and of the reverend Presbytery of New Brunswick, by which I had been ordained to the work of
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the ministry. Subsequently, on obtaining the consent of my congregation and receiving a dismissal from the reverend Presbytery of New Brunswick, dated October 24th, 1761, I removed to this place in the name of the Lord Jesus, and arrived on the 5th of May, 1762, and on the following Sabbath, being the 9th of May, preached my introductory sermon from Rev. X, 10, having resolved to serve this congregation accord- ing to the grace of God in the preaching of the word and the administration of the sacraments, whereunto may a merciful God, for Jesus' sake, grant and communicate the grace, strength and aid of his Holy Spirit.
JOHANNES CONRAD WIRZ, V. D. M. May 12th, 1762.
There are no records of his ministry in any of the German churches he served in New Jersey. His descendants, however, are found in the State and in this vicinity to the present day. Indeed the present Governor of the State, the HON. GEORGE THEODORE WERTS, is a great-great-grandson of the Rev. John Conrad.
His ministry in the congregation of York continued for only a year and a half, when he was called home to his rest and reward on Wednesday, September 21st, 1763. He was buried on the Friday following. His wife survived him. His children will be found in the genealogy of the Wirts family. During the short period of his ministry in York, he baptised eighty- three children, and buried fourteen persons. How many were added to the church is not known, but it appears that the con- gregation flourished. A new church was erected during his ministry. At the laying of the corner stone he preached from the text Ezra III, 10, 11. He seems to have been enabled to attend to his duties till near the end. His last baptism was performed August 14th, 1763, about one month before he died. At the time of his death the floor was not laid in the church ; so they buried him in the church, under the altar.
" Tradition," says Rev. Mr. Harbaugh, "has preserved his name in good savor, as an earnest and pious minister. The church records, at York, bear various incidental marks of his zeal for the church, and his personal piety and devotion."
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"After the laying of the corner stone," says the records, " the pastor expressed the following wish : In the church now to be erected may Piety preside, Holiness reign, Truth ever prevail, Love and Harmony dwell."
After Mr. Wirtz left the Valley, the congregation was without a pastor for a number of years. It is probable, however, that the people enjoyed the occasional ministrations of
REV. CASPAR MICHAEL STAPEL,
who was settled over the German church at Amwell. This Mr. Stapel was an energetic and efficient minister, and his labors at Amwell were greatly blessed. In a short time, eighty-four persons were added to the church, and his consistory declared that he has " thus destroyed the thought, that in a short time, New Jersey must acknowledge the English Presbyterian church as their church." But Amwell is now a Presbyterian church, and there is not a German Reformed church left in the whole region in which Stapel may have labored. He probably preached also at Alexandria, Knowlton and Stillwater.
Mr. Stapel was born in 1721 and died March 17th, 1766. He was buried in the cemetery at Ringoes. October 29th, 1762, the consistory of the church at Amwell wrote to the Synods of North and South Holland in regard to Mr. Stapel. They praise him and gratefully rejoice in his success. There are, they say, two schoolmasters laboring under his direction ; they stand fully under the coetus ; his ill-natured wife refuses to come to this country ; they desire them to call upon her in the Hamburg papers, to come to her husband, and, if she does not obey, to free him, have him legally divorced, that he may marry again ; “ as it is necessary for a minister, in this coun- try, to be married." They say seven years, the legal time, has transpired since she abandoned him. Stapel signs himself President of the Coetus of Pennsylvania, in a letter to the Fathers in Holland, May 17th, 1763. He was also president of a special meeting of the same body, October 24th, 1763.
His will dated Feb. 12th, probated March 5th (?), 1766, [Trenton, Lib. 12, fol. 414], speaks of his wife, "left behind in Germany," and his two sons, John Casper and John Andries,
REV. JAMES SCOTT, D. D.
REV. WILLIAM RENWICK GLEN,
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for whose benefit he leaves 72 ducats, in the care of his brother- in-law, John Peter Franks, of the city of Rostock, belonging to the Duke of Mecklenberg Schwerin. He also makes bequests to Catherine, the wife of John Housilt of Amwell, to the youngest son of Peter Hufman, late of Amwell, and to Peter Mire, "who formerly lived with me." In the probate of his will he is described as a doctor of divinity and physic.
REV. FREDERICK DALLIKER
was the second regular pastor of the churches of German Val- ley, Fox Hill, Rockaway, Alexandria and Amwell. He proba- bly also preached at Knowlton and Stillwater. He was born the 2d of February, 1738, and died the 15th of January, 1799, at 60 years of age. The name is said to have been originally de la cour, denoting Huguenot descent. The records of several of the churches under his ministry begin with his pastorate, viz., German Valley in 1769 (May 14th), Rockaway (Lebanon) in 1768 (Nov. 6th), Stillwater with the articles of Union in 1769 (Oct. 12th). The Lebanon book is dated 1762, August 5th, and it may be that the first records are torn out. The inscription on the first page reads Kirchen-Buch fur die Racheweyler Evangelisch-Reformirte-Gemeine, 1762, den 3ten August.
At this date Wirtz had left this charge and either Stapel or Dalliker took his place. It seems more probable that Stapel, whose death occurred at Amwell in 1766, and who was there- fore living in this part of New Jersey up to that date, was the pastor of these churches until then. This latter date would therefore be the more probable one for the beginning of Rev. Dalliker's ministry. He began to preach about 1757, according to the statement on his tombstone, where it is said that "he served the Reformed Church in this country forty- two years."
In the minutes of Coetus (Synod) of 1770, it is mentioned that Mr. Dallicker had left the congregation of Amwell on account of strife among them. He continued to minister to the other churches until the fall of 1782. He then removed to Goshenhoppen, Pa., where he remained until 1784. His family will be found in page 320 of the genealogies in Part II of this
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work. He is buried at Faulkner Swamp where a suitable memorial stone marks his grave. The text at his funeral was Heb. XIII, 17.
We have in our possession
THE CHURCH RECORDS
kept by Mr. Dalliker. They are very meagre, however, being not much more than a list of baptisms and confirmations. The following is a translation of the first record made :
" Names of elders and deacons of German Valley congrega- tion, 1769.
Wm. Welsch, Caspar Eick, Conrad Rorick, Diedrich Strubel. Officers elected in the year 1777. instead of those above :
Morris Scharpenstein, Jacob Heil, Peter Heil, Jacob Schuler."
After this we have a " list of those instructed in regard to the Holy Communion and confirmed." To understand this lan- guage, we must recollect that in those days, no person was admitted to the communion, without previously going to the minister to be taught by him privately, with respect to the doctrines and duties of religion. And all the church members were catechised before every communion. This list, as it ap- pears on the church record, is divided into four parts : First -Single men. Second-Married men. Third-Single women. Fourth-Married women.
For the year 1769, there are fourteen young men, three married men, twenty-five single women, and three married women-forty-six in all. After this, in the course of the twelve years of Mr. Dalliker's pastorate, there were eighty-five added to the communion of the church. Among these names, are a number not now found among us, but others are very familiar.
The list of baptisms by Mr. Dalliker commences with the year 1768. Among them all, there is only one adult baptism recorded ; all the rest are infants. And for the thirteen years there are two hundred and twelve baptisms recorded-an aver- age of more than sixteen a year. In the year 1774, there were twenty-nine infants baptized, and the number was nearly as great for several years. During the Revolutionary war, there were not so many.
During Mr. Dalliker's pastorate, it was determined to build
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A NEW STONE CHURCH.
It is probable that the old log church had been the property of both the Lutheran and the Reformed congregations. At all events, the stone church was built by the two in partnership. Before building, articles of agreement were drawn up, and signed by the representatives of the two churches. The orig- inal paper was in German, and is not known to be in existence at the present day. But we have an old translation of this ancient document. This translation is as follows :
"Whereas, we the members of the Evangelic Reformed congregation, and we the members of the Evangelic Lutheran congregation, who by reason of the preachers which we have with Germantown, and by reason of the money expended for the church and parsonage-house are members of Zion's Lutheran Church, living in the Dutch Valley, Roxbury township, Morris county, are willing to build a meeting-house jointly :
Be it hereby known to all men that the following conditions were agreed to by the subscribers, representing both congrega- tions, viz :
I. Both parties have agreed to build the meeting-house at their united expenses, so that none of the parties may throw up anything to the other.
II. As the church is built jointly, so it shall be kept up by our posterity jointly : the friendship of both congregations giv- ing us hope that in case of the necessary repairs of the meet- ing-house, the weaker party will be supported by the stronger.
III. Both parties, with respect to Public Worship, shall have an equal right ; in case both preachers should meet to- gether, then, alternately, the one must wait till twelve o'clock, upon the servics of the other.
IV. For the good of both congregations, none shall be ad- mitted to preach, but such as are under a regular church gov- ernment.
V. Whereas, we do not only concern ourselves for ourselves, but for our posterity also, it is our will and opinion that none of the parties shall or can sell their right, in any way or manner.
Acted this 4th day of February, 1774, which is testified :
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Frederick Dellicker, V. D. M., Henry Muhlenberg, Jr., Deputy Rector of Zion's Corporation.
Wilhelm Welsch, Philip Weise,
Diedric Strubel,
Christoph Karn,
Conrad Rohric,
Leonard Neighbour,
Caspar Eick, Roulof Roulofson,
his
Anthony Waldorf,
John × Schwachhamer, mark Andrew Flacky.
Adam Lorentz,
The above is a true copy of the original German agreement, translated by me the subscriber, this 3d day of May, 1817. CASPAR WACK, V. D. M."
In the building of the house, the people of the two congre- gations turned out in a body to cart stone. It had been a previous agreement, that whoever on the day appointed, should bring the first load, should receive the honor of having his horses decorated with fiags and ribbons which had been pre- pared for the purpose. There was much excitement on the subject, each one determined, if possible, to secure the prize. Judge David Welsh, who lived near the ground, where David the Fourth now resides, determined to try a little strategy. Accordingly on the evening before, he secretly loaded his wagon with stone, and then concealed it through the night. In the morning, he was up betimes, had his horses harnessed, and started for the ground before sunrise. But he was none too early ; for as he drove up to the spot, he heard the heavy wagons thundering down the mountains on both sides. And although he won the prize of the decorations, he was but little in advance of many others. And before he could get his stone unloaded, all German Valley was on the ground.
The building erected was a very creditable one for that time. It was of good size, and very substantially built, the walls after standing nearly a century, appearing as strong as ever. And from the present appearance, there was some attempt at elegance in the finish of the structure.
That the interior of this venerable building has been so despoiled is a matter for regret. It ought to have been pre- served intact, as a sacred relic of a by-gone age. The pulpit
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floor still remains, high up in the air, about the size of a barrel-head, with a great sounding-board suspended above it. At first no provision was made for heating the church-our fathers being made of better stuff than their children, and not so accustomed to study comfort. After a time a little " ten- plate" stove was introduced, but as this was found to be of little use, a pit was made in the centre of the building, in which, without any chimney, a mass of charcoal was burned. The old people say that this did not warm the house, but it did make many of the people sick, and it was a common thing for people to be carried out of church. The remains of this old charcoal pit may still be seen in the building.
It would be an interesting thing if we could have a photo- graph of the congregation to which Mr. Dalliker preached in the new church. There were no dainty little loves of bonnets to catch the admiring eye ; neither was there a bewitching jockey hat and feather to drive the young men to distraction. The dresses were not cut according to the pattern of Harper's Bazar, or Godey's Lady's Book, but all was plainest liomespun, made up in the plainest style. The men generally wore no coats, and a goodly number were barefooted. The whole as- pect of the congregation was such as would surprise us in these days. There can be no doubt but that you are a better looking people than your fathers.
In the year 1782, Mr. Dalliker left the Valley, and removed to Goshenhoppen, Pennsylvania. He died January 15th, 1799, at the age of sixty years, ten months and seventeen days. He was buried in the German Reformed graveyard of Faulkner Swamp. His descendants are still living in the Valley, and at other points adjacent.
Mr. Dalliker's successor as pastor of the Valley Church was
REV. CASPAR WACK,
with regard to whose life we have a somewhat detailed account. He was the son of John George Wack, a native of Wittenberg, in Germany, who came to this country and settled in Philadelphia in the autumn of 1748. Soon after- ward he was married to Elizabeth Schuyler. He was a shoe-
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maker by trade ; a highly respectable man and an elder in the church on Race street, Philadelphia. He had four children : Caspar, John Jacob, Barbara and Elizabeth. Caspar was born August 15th, 1752. When a boy he gave evidence of consid- erable mental ability. His pastor, Dr. Weyberg, became inter- ested in him as a promising lad, took him into his family and educated him. In his seventeenth year he was sent to the vacant church at Lancaster to act as catechist. A few months afterward he preached publicly to the congregations of Tohic- ken, Indianfield and Great Swamp. These congregations were so much pleased with the young preacher that they sent a call to the Coetus for his regular services as their pastor. This was in 1771. According to the minutes of the Coetus, " Mr. Wack was examined in the truths of God's word, and as to the way of salvation ; and, having rendered full satisfaction to the Reverend Coetus, it was agreed and resolved that he should continue to catechise and preach in these congregations as heretofore ; his ordination, however, shall be deferred for the present, till the Reverend Fathers, Synods of Holland, have been consulted in regard to the matter, and what they shall advise shall hereafter be done in regard to Mr. Wack." The precise date of Mr. Wack's ordination is unknown. It probably took place as soon as permission was received from the Synods of Holland. He was the first young man born in America who entered the ministry of the German Reformed Church, and he was the first man ever ordained by that church in this coun- try. Shortly after his ordination he received an invitation to visit Europe, with the promise of having his expenses paid and a handsome present beside. But, out of respect for the wishes of his parents, he declined the temping offer and went on with his ministerial labor. His charge was an extensive one, em- bracing a large part of Montgomery, Bucks and Northampton counties.
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