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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46
Brethren
middle Disteigt
A History of the
Church of the Brethren in the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Prepared and Published Under the Supervision of the District Conference through its Home Mission Board
George S. Myers.
James A. Sell
-
William S. Ritchey
DEDICATION
"TO the memory of the faithful mothers who, with their husbands, on account of their religion, were driven from their homes and country and braved the hardships of pioneer life in a wilderness country where some of them died as martyrs at the hands of savage Indians,
And to the wives of ministers who unquailingly and uncomplainingly bore their part in making it possible for their husbands to minister to the wants of a scattered people, and thus handed the church in its primitive sim- plicity to the generations following, is this volume dedi- cated .- JAMES A. SELL.
From the library of
Adelle Frank.com
3
A History of the Church of the Brethren
THE OWNERSHIP OF THIS HISTORY, USUALLY COVERED BY COPYRIGHT, IS VESTED IN THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN OF THE MIDDLE DIS- TRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, THROUGH ITS DISTRICT MISSION BOARD
4
CONTENTS
PAGE
INTRODUCTION
7
PREFACE
11
PART I. THE HISTORY OF THE CONGREGATIONS. 15
Chapter I. Early Glimpses and Trials 17
Chapter II. The Kishacoquillas (Lewistown) Group 27
Chapter III. The Clover Creek Group. 71
Chapter IV. The Early Yellow Creek Group 125
Chapter V. The Duncansville Group 202
Chapter VI. The Warriors Mark Group 243
Chapter VII. Beginnings That Have Ceased. 265
PART II. DISTRICT ENDEAVOR. 275
Chapter
I.
The District and Its Conferences
277
Chapter II. Education in the Middle District. 294
Chapter III. District Missionary Work 325
Chapter IV. Sunday-schools 331
Chapter V. Ministerial Meetings 352
Chapter VI. Sisters' Aid Societies 356
Chapter VII. The Old Folks' Home. 359
Chapter VIII. Child Rescue Work 366
Chapter IX. Some Observations 369
PART III. BIOGRAPHIES 379
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A History of the Church of the Brethren
THE LOVE OF THE SAVIOUR
" He brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love." -- CANTICLES 2 : 4.
Jesus loved me when a sinner, Gave his life to ransom me, Paid my debt on Calvary's mountain, Where he died to set me free. When the night of sin had settled And my way was dark and drear, Then I felt his loving presence As he drew to me so near.
With his loving smiles he won me, And I listened to his call, And he offered me full pardon, If I gave to him my all. And my heart gave speedy answer, Longing for that blissful rest, Offered to all those so freely, Who will lean upon his breast.
Now I'm his by right of purchase, I am his because of love, In his arms of peace he holds me Till we reach the home above. He will strengthen me for duty, In his service here below, Take my life and make it useful, Help me in his service grow. -JAMES A. SELL, in Twilight Poems.
6
INTRODUCTION
T HE writing of history is a difficult and generally unsatisfactory task. So much that one ought to know to complete the record is gone. Death has closed in and shut out our sources. Only hints, glimmer- ings, fragments remain. Therefore the historian must collect them as best he can, and weave them into some order explanatory of their significance and worthy of their purpose. Merely to set down the known facts in the case would produce not history but fragmentary chronicles.
The history of the churches of the Middle District of Pennsylvania is no exception to this general statement. Indeed, here the reporter has an unusually difficult task. Even complete records are wanting. The early brethren were not concerned in any large way with records. They came into a new region, a wilderness, and here carved homes and worshiped God. Their energies were wholly given to these specific needs-the need to live, the need to worship.
The available data justified the statement that our brethren came into Central Pennsylvania soon after the close of the Revolutionary War and the agreement be- tween the several states as to the governmental control over the territory taken over, after the war, from France and from the Indians. Our people would not come until stable government had been set up, and assured protec- tion, both to life and property, was guaranteed. Then they came seeking the fertile valleys where they could erect homes and engage in the most ancient industry, agriculture, to which they were all devoted.
The records indicate that they came first to the fertile valleys of old Mother Bedford County, in or near the present town of New Enterprise. These pioneers to the central part of Pennsylvania doubtless came about 1750 or 1760 over the Southern trail, later followed by the army of General Forbes and still later by President
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A History of the Church of the Brethren
Washington on his way to suppress the Whiskey Insur- rection. Then, when the Black Log Trail was established, our people came to the "Grosse Thal," in Mifflin County, a region famous to this day for its fine farms. The next group found their way into the fertile valley of Clover Creek, locally known as Morrison's Cove, at that time a part of Huntingdon County, a region of great fertility and natural beauty. Doubtless due to favorable reports from these groups, by the end of the century others were settled and worshiping at Frankstown, and at Warriors Mark. Another group, all too little known, went north and located in the Blooming Grove region near Wil- liamsport. From these parent stems have grown the churches of the Middle District.
Two things caused our brethren to avoid settling in the northern half of the District-that part reaching far north to the New York State boundary. This region had not the fertility that agricultural settlers cared for, and this region was settled by immigrants from New Eng- land,-a goodly people wholly unfamiliar with the ideals and beliefs of the Brethren. Central Pennsylvania,- Mifflin, Huntingdon, Blair and Bedford counties were originally settled by the adventurous and aggressive Scotch-Irish. These people were glad to welcome into their communities sterling people skilled in agriculture.
The struggle of these pioneer Brethren will never be fully recorded. They generally met in some house or barn on Sunday for holy worship and traveled long dis- tances on horseback over mountain trails to sit with others in God's communion. The wives of the preachers were not by any means least in influence and in good works. Often these women went many miles to visit the sick and to help the distressed. Usually, too, they prepared the Sunday meal for the entire congregation and made possible the social hours after dinner,-perhaps the only really bright social hour of contact those scat- tered and lonely people enjoyed in the cycle of years.
In the James Creek Church, I know, the wife of my grandfather, George Brumbaugh, the preacher, always prepared the Sunday meal for the congregation and her husband from the pulpit (a long table) announced that all were welcome to stay to dinner, stating as a reason,
8
in the Middle District of Pennsylvania
"the women must have a little glory too," as if cooking for an entire congregation was a glorious thing. To those pious pioneers it was. Let us hold them in sacred, reverent regard.
This history was undertaken by a great soul, dear elder James A. Sell, eloquent for God and gifted in poetic power. Alas! his zeal was greater than his strength and the task was turned over to another generous and sym- pathetic soul who as a labor of love, has completed what was so generously and loyally conceived and carried well to its conclusion. The churches owe to these fine souls a deep debt of gratitude.
M. G. BRUMBAUGH.
December 8, 1924.
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A History of the Church of the Brethren
SONG OF THE NEW YEAR
The last low dirge o'er the buried year Floats off in the starless night; The cock-crow heralds the day dawn keen, With gem-crusted hills of white; The worn-out chorus the fresh air thrills, Forgot is their late lament ; A dash of life tints their melody, A rhythmic of glad hopes blent.
The windy moors, in a placid mood, Consent to the sun's caress ; The sheeted brook and the clear blue bay Are marked with time's impress ; The new year's born! and along the scale Young hearts ring a jubilee In tune with winds and their snow-freight pure, And kisses of cloud and sea.
Forget now troubles that had no name. And cease from your fret and haste; The runes of nature have one refrain, -- No hurry, no rest, no waste; Strike chord with harps of sweet-tempered string That sound through the sky's blue wall; Lay close your ear to the world's great heart, And sing as its needs may call.
-ADALINE HOFF BEERY, in Poems of a Decade. See Chapter entitled "Some Observations" for mention of this author.
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PREFACE
T O James A. Sell, more than to any other is credit due in making this history of the congregations of the Church of the Brethren in Middle District of Pennsylvania possible. As early as the District Meeting held at Roaring Spring in 1911 he evidently agitated the question for at this meeting "the matter of securing some history of the several churches of the Middle Dis- trict and of the District itself was discussed and a reso- lution passed placing ourselves on record as being in sympathy with such a movement and Brethren James A. Sell, George S. Myers and William S. Ritchey were given the matter in charge." At each District Meeting there- after he made a report of progress, even when sometimes he said, " not much progress on account of a lack of in- terest on the part of the several churches in failing to supply matter and means." But lack of interest did not discourage him. In going among the churches in the loving service he so well rendered and which always made him most welcome, he kept gathering material from sources available, clipped newspaper reports of per- sons and activities and thereby brought together a mass of material for the book.
George S. Myers, the second member of the Historical Committee did a valuable work for the editor. He took the time and endured the labor necessary to go through all the church publications and index elections and simi- lar data which related to the history of Middle District. This proved very helpful in rounding out the History in its closing days.
Wiliam S. Ritchey always had a large interest in the Snake Spring Valley and the church which developed there and was familiar with its history back into the days when it included much territory beyond the valley. His records were helpful in preparing that part of the history.
Thus these three brethren, the original Historical
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A History of the Church of the Brethren
Committee, labored each in his own way towards one common end.
In 1921 the District Meeting decided "that when the history was ready for publication, the Mission Board could finance its matter and the sale of the book would repay the board." George S. Myers, so eager to see the book completed, had passed to his reward and at this same meeting the committee was enlarged to include Jacob Kinsel, Oscar R. Myers, Mahlon J. Weaver, Tobias T. Myers and Galen B. Royer.
At the 1923 District Meeting a report was brought in " that slight progress was made during the year, with much to be done." At the suggestion of James A. Sell, an editor was appointed " to edit the history and arrange for publication." *
The task proved far greater than was anticipated by the editor. But it has been a most pleasant and inter- esting one. For the most part every one took a hearty interest in helping to make it as near complete as the following pages set forth.
The reader may have a degree of assurance of correct- ness of the history when he is told that the story of each church was submitted to the congregation for public reading and correction; then each biographical sketch was submitted either to the person himself, if living, or to some near relative, for the same purpose.
Throughout the book acknowledgment has been given for help when it seemed proper. Many, however, have helped more or less who do not get special mention. To all such the editor, on behalf of the reader, expresses full appreciation for such unacknowledged service. The plan of the graphs showing the growth of the churches from five centres, is the suggestion of Alpheus W. Dupler, dean of Juniata College and credit is hereby given. " The Record of the Faithful," a pamphlet published by Howard Miller in 1881-82 has been quoted in a number of instances. In his introduction he says: " In every in- stance herein published, the names, figures and dates, are those of the resident ministry's own furnishing, and
* On motion of Oscar R. Myers and seconded by George E. Yoder it was decided to have Galen B. Rover edit the history and arrange for publication .- Minutes of 1923 District Meeting, p. 5.
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in the Middle District of Pennsylvania
nothing has been guessed at." This pamphlet with a fair degree of accuracy is the earliest record that is found in the Brotherhood.
Somewhere there is a song, one line of which is:
"Only remembered by what I have done."
In harmony with that thought the editor has studi- ously avoided eulogies of any kind. At the best they are but one individual's estimate. Deeds live. They speak in more unmistakable language. These the editor has sought to record.
It goes without saying that the editor has human limi- tations ; hence the book is not without mistakes. These have crept in in spite of vigilance against them.
May the records of the past as herein given be an in- spiration to those who read its pages, to press on to greater achievements in the future.
THE EDITOR.
Turn to page 16, Map of Pennsylvania, and following the instructions below, draw a line for the new eastern boundary as made in 1922 : Beginning " about the middle of Fulton County, thence northward to Huntingdon County, so as not to interfere with territory now occu- pied by either the Middle or the Southern District in said county, thence along the eastern boundary of Huntingdon and Mifflin Counties to the northeastern limits, thence northward through Centre and Clinton Counties, adjust- ing the line so as not to interfere with territory already occupied by either district to the Clinton and Lycoming County line, thence to the southeastern limit of Potter County and along the eastern line of Potter County north to the New York state line."
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A History of the Church of the Brethren
"History is the essence of innumerable biographies." -CARLYLE.
"Truth is the keystone of the arch of history, based on the two supporting pillars of accuracy and veracity. Truth is composite : veracity is its ideal, accuracy its real element."-WILLIAM KAY WALLACE, in The Trend of History.
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PART ONE The History of the Congregations
Middle District originally consisted of all the territory between the two outside heavy lines. May 11, 1892. the heavy diagonal line was established as the dividing line between Middle District on the west and Southern District. Sce page 13 for description of later boundary.
1
BRADFORD
TIOGA
POTTER
SULLIVAN
WYOMING
LYCOMING
LUZERNE
MONTOUR
COLUMBIA
-
16
UNION
CENTRE
MBER-
SNYDER
LAND
MIFFLIN
DL
016 015
... .
JUNIATA
PERRY
HUNTING DON
CUMBERLAND
-.
-
YORK.
FULTON ..
FRANKLIN
ADAMS
1
1
.
-
BEDFORD #
CLINTON
NORTHU
CHAPTER I Early Glimpses and Trials IN GENERAL
At seven different centres the Church of the Brethren was planted in what is now Middle District of Pennsyl- vania. These are marked on the map from 1 to 7. Each one began well. Five have grown through the years. Two have ceased as organizations. The story of these seven beginnings is told in the following six chapters.
It is no easy task to chronicle the growth of a spiritual plant. It is made the more difficult when records of its earlier existence were not made. Not anything is more outstanding in the history of the congregations in this district than that prior to 1860, no record of deliberations was made and that the earliest account of anything yet found is an itemized statement of the cost of a lovefeast in Aughwick congregation in 1847. The following tabu- lates the beginning of minutes :
Location
First clerk
Date
Lewistown (Country) Spring Run House
Solomon Z. Sharp
Aughwick
Not signed
Clover Creek
Thomas B. Maddocks
August 9, 1862 October 13, 1864 May 25, 1867
Warriors Mark
and Jacob L. Wine- land Solomon S. Gray
October 23, 1869
Duncansville
James A. Sell
July 26, 1871
Early Yellow Creek
Daniel Snowberger
May 29, 1875
Snake Spring
John B. Fluck
May 31, 1879
In other words, then, for the first sixty years of the nineteenth century one must depend upon incidental references which slipped into print in the days when the church paper was just beginning to be somewhat a household necessity. Some things, however, may safely be taken for granted.
FIRST. These early settlers endured hardships and
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A History of the Church of the Brethren
trials unknown to the generation of to-day. Even the " breaking in" of the new lands of the sparsely settled western sections of our country, though difficult and try- ing in many ways, does not measure up to what these fore- fathers of the church in Middle Pennsylvania encount- ered. Here the Indian defended his happy hunting grounds with tomahawk and gun. Here the heavy timber lands made farming a laborious task and fatigu- ing years passed before he possessed cleared fields. Here the long range of mountains separated groups in such a way that co-operation was almost unknown.
SECOND. These forefathers feared God with a fortitude that is none too common to-day. No matter how over- drawn may be the account, witness the massacre in Mor- rison's Cove recorded elsewhere. Somewhere and some- time before these people took up lands in this district a deep conviction of non-resistance had laid hold on their minds and hearts. To-day these splendid lines are sung all over this district :
"Faith of our Fathers, living still In spite of dungeon, fire and sword."
Some, as they sing think of non-resistance or some cus- tom or practice little realizing that the root of all these expressions strikes deep in Jesus Christ, the Saviour who is conquering the world by love.
THIRD. Due to the mountains, of course, yet their separation and isolation caused them to hold longer to traditions of earlier times than they would have done otherwise, and in some instances at least progress was retarded. As an example, the reader need but note in- stances of opposition to preaching in the English, though it brought the church into favor in every case.
FOURTH. Their freedom from creed, and sense of privi- lege and duty made them leaders in many things which the Brotherhood to-day holds as a priceless legacy from their hands.
IN MORRISON'S COVE
The early settlers of this beautiful and fertile valley for the most part were a deeply religious folk who migrated
18
in the Middle District of Pennsylvania
from sections of Pennsylvania and Maryland lying east and southward. "In their new home," James A. Sell has written concerning these people who located in the vicinity of Clover Creek, "their Bibles were as common and necessary as the axe and the plow. They were a re- ligious people, and religious services were inseparably connected with their daily routine. They called men to the ministry from the plow, illiterate though they often were, but they were devout and zealous, simple in their faith, and self-sacrificing in their labors. They exposed themselves to the elements and dangers from wild beasts and to the fury of savage Indians. Marshalls of God they were, and under the disadvantages of pioneer life they wrought and left an organized work to their chil- dren that passed from one generation to another until it has come to the present.
" About 1755 a colony of Brethren entered the Cove through Loy's Gap and gradually worked their way northward and became residents of the territory now em- braced in the Clover Creek and Albright congregations.
"A colony of Scotch-Irish settled here as early as 1749, but they were considered squatters and were ex- pelled as the land belonged to the Indians. The Penns made a new purchase in 1754 and when the Brethren came they secured a title to lands they purchased, and by 1790 all the desirable lands passed into private owner- ship. The Brethren secured the greater part of the land. Some of them purchased large tracts, as much as 1,500 acres. They were the pioneer settlers and did the first preaching.
" We do not have the names of all of the original set- tlers, neither do we have space to give what we do know. But it will be interesting to many now and to the com- ing generation to trace their ancestry back to this time. Hence we give a few :
" Albrights, Allenbaughs, Blakes, Burkets, Bowers, Brumbaughs, Benners, Bulgers, Cammerons, Cowens, Deeters, Dillingers, Emricks, Eversoles, Faulkners, Flen- ners, Gensingers, Grabills, Hoovers, Holsingers, Kneess, Lowers, Looses, Longeneckers, Martins, Metzkers, Meyerses, Moores, Nisewangers, Puderbaughs, Rhodes, Strayers, Shonefelts, Stoners, Skyleses, Stouffers, Stoud-
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A History of the Church of the Brethren
enours, Smiths, Shifflers, Stonerocks, Tetwilers, Wine- lands, Ullerys, Bridenthalls.
" During the Indian Wars of 1762 and onward there were quite a number of murders committed and captives taken. The particulars will never be known. The great- est massacre was in 1777. One history says there were thirty killed. Our tradition says twenty. The number of prisoners taken we cannot conjecture. A Brother Houser and family are mentioned among the number."
John Martin, a pioneer preacher, whose name heads the list of ministers of the Clover Creek congregation, suffered greatly from these Indian depredations. For want of the original, copy is taken from Jones' History of Juniata Valley, relating the incident as follows :
"During the Great Cove massacre, among others car- ried into captivity was the family of John Martin. This incursion was indeed a most formidable one, led by the kings Shingas and Beaver in person. How many were killed there is no living witness to tell; neither can we conjecture the number of prisoners taken. The follow- ing petition was sent by John Martin to council :
August 13, 1762. " The Humble Petition of Your Most Obedient Serv- ant Sheweth, Sir, may it please Your Excellancy, Hear- ing me in Your Clemancy a few Words. I, One of the Bereaved of my Wife and five Children, by Savage War at the Captivity of the Great Cove, after Many & Long Journeys, I Lately went to an Indian Town, viz., Tusk- aroways, 150 miles Beyond Fort Pitts, & Entrested in Co. Bucquits & Co. Croghan's favor, So as to bear their Letters to King Beaver & Cap. Shingas, Desiring them to Give up One of my Daughters to me, Whiles I have Yet two Sons & One Other Daughter, if Alive, Among them-and after Seeing my Daughter with Shingas he Refused to Give her up, and after some Expostulating with him, but all in vain, he promised to Deliver her up with the Other Captives to yr Excellency.
" Sir, yr Excellency's Most Humble Servt Humbly & Passionately Beseeches Yr Beningn Compassion to in- terpose Yr Excellencies Beneficent influence in favor of Yr Excellencies Most Obedient & Dutiful Servt.
JOHN MARTIN.
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in the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Brother Sell writes further :
" The Brethren came into the Great Cove, now Mor- rison's Cove, and by taking possession of the valley in the vicinity of Roaring Springs, the western portion of the Clover Creek congregation, were among its first settlers.
" They set to work to clear away the forests, till the soil, build mills, and labored to promote the peace and prosperity of the country. It has been conceded to them, even by people who took no interest in their religion, that as good farmers, good tax-payers, quiet and inoffen- sive people-they were of the best of citizens.
" But their exclusiveness, opposition to education, their lack of interest in political matters, and above all, their non-resistant principle brought them into disrepute with their neighbors.
" This made their situation unpleasant and at times exposed them to more danger from their common enemy. Had they been permitted to treat with the Indian alone and manifest their love of peace and fair and honorable treatment, there is every reason to believe that not only they but their fighting neighbors would have escaped the assaults of the savage's tomahawk and scalping knife.
" The settlers all suffered from the incursions of the Indians from the time of their coming into the valley up to the time and during the Revolutionary War.
" By this time by purchase and force the Indians were driven west of the Allegheny mountains. But out of hatred to their white brothers from real or imaginary wrongs, and also for spoils and scalps on which they were paid a bounty by the British government they made frequent raids into the valleys east of the mountain. When invasions were made the news was heralded as rapidly as the circumstances of the times permitted and the warning was to flee for safety. Some left their homes, others did not. All perhaps did not hear the alarm. Some could not go, and others preferred not to go. The result was that a number of them were mur- dered. In 1777 between twenty and thirty were killed.
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