USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > Churches between the mountains : a history of the Lutheran congregations in Perry County, Pennsylvania > Part 1
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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02229 4570
Lith by A. Hoon & C" Balto.
CHRIST'S ( LUTHERAN ) CHURCH. NEW BLOOMFIELD, PERRY COUNTY, PA.
Churches bettocen the Alountains.
A HISTORY
OF
THE LUTHERAN CONGREGATIONS
IN
Perry County, Pennsylvania.
BY REV. D. H. FOCHT, A. M., Pastor of Christ's Lutheran Church, New Bloomfield, Perry County, Penna.
De 74.801 3429
BALTIMORE: T. NEWTON KURTZ, 151 WEST PRATT STREET. 1862.
PREFACE.
IN May, 1859, the Historical Society of the Lutheran Church in the United States passed the following resolu- tion :
" Resolved, That the ministers of our Church be request- ed, each to prepare a brief statement from church-records in his charge, of the date of the formation of each church, the successive pastors in charge, the present number of communicants, the language or languages employed in public worship, together with any important events in its history, and sketches of the life of the pastors, and for- ward the same in a letter by mail to our Curator, at Get- tysburg, Pennsylvania."
Previous to the passage of this resolution, the writer of these pages had prepared historical sketches of the churches of his own charge, and afterwards at the request of others he extended his researches to all the Lutheran congregations in Perry County. The result of his labors is now before the reader.
Until a late date no church-records were kept by most of the older congregations, and as the aged who had some knowledge of their early history were passing rapidly away, it was thought that something should be done, and done soon, to rescue from oblivion the history of those congregations; it was thought, also, that such a history would be interesting and instructive to the present and future generations.
1*
vi
PREFACE.
At first it was supposed that the task thus assumed would be an easy and pleasant one; and if nothing more than a general statement of facts had been required, this supposition would have been correct. But vague gene- ralities would have been unsatisfactory in a local history, and not in accordance with the wish of those for whose benefit it was specially designed. The only course left . for the writer was to enter into a detail of particulars. Here, however, the difficulties he encountered were great, often almost insurmountable, owing to the want of data. In such cases, collateral aids were called into requisition.
The author availed himself of every source of informa- tion within his reach. He consulted scores of aged per- sons, overhauled the minutes of the different Synods, sought out old documents in the hands of individuals, in the archives of the different churches and of the court- house of the county, turned over the leaves of the Church periodicals, especially of the Lutheran Observer, and of the different secular papers published in the county, and cor- responded with all those of whom it was supposed infor- mation could be obtained. Sometimes he was successful, but as often disappointed, in eliciting the information he wanted. He flatters himself, however, with the conviction, that not a fact of essential importance escaped his notice.
Great care was taken to verify all the data, to arrange the facts and material in chronological order, and to allow the facts so arranged to tell their own story, and fre- quently in their own language. The history of each church is brought down to June, 1862. As the circum- stances of the different congregations were often so simi- lar, repetition was sometimes unavoidable. Each congre-
vii
PREFACE.
gation has a history of its own, and it was deemed proper to give that history without regard to the many or few points in which it coincided with the history of other con- gregations. The style is adapted, as much as possible, to the nature of the subjects treated. Our indebtedness for aid from different persons and sources is noticed at the proper place.
After the completion of the work, it was the author's design to "forward the same by mail to the Curator, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania." This design was, however, overruled by the wish of the Synod of Central Pennsyl- vania, and the protestation of the members of the churches in Perry County, all of whom expressed a strong desire that it might be given them in a permanent form. This request the writer could not set aside, especially when he remembered that from local histories, in which facts are minutely detailed, a general history of the Church must be constructed, and that in this respect these humble pages might contribute their mite. And though these sketches contain many facts and incidents of recent date and still fresh in the memory of many, the writer was re- minded that time, in its onward march, will invest them with interest increasing in proportion as they fade from the recollection of men and sink away into the past. It was argued, also, that by this means there would be placed in the hands of those who cherish veneration for departed ancestry, love for the Church, or long associa- tion, or present residence, a record of religious history of peculiar interest,-a record which parents would wish to hand down to their children; that there are many, who still worship God where their fathers sung the praises of
viii
PREFACE.
the Most High and their orisons paid, and who often medi- tate with deep solemnity over their silent graves; and that there are not a few, now dwelling in the far West, where they are surrounded by new scenes, but still bound to old ones by ties that can not be broken,-to all these it was supposed no service more acceptable could be ren- dered than by giving them, in a permanent form, a re- membrancer of the old, middle-aged, and new churches with which are associated their earliest and latest recol- lections, and of the old and new graveyards in which re- pose the ashes of their dearest and nearest friends.
These sketches were prepared amid the constant inter- ruptions and many hindrances incident to the duties a pastor owes a large charge. They are not what we could wish them to be, yet they are all we could make them in three years' hard labor,-labor snatched from hours we should have had for rest. Only he who has made the ex- periment can fully appreciate works of this kind, and fully comprehend the difficulties connected with their pre- paration. We send this volume out into the world, as- sured that those who can form any conception of the labor required in its preparation, growing out of the want of documents, of lost and faded records, of deciphering bad German manuscripts, of the sameness of material to be presented, and of the vagueness of traditions to be con- sulted, will with readiness appreciate any merit it may possess, and with mildness censure the defects from which it does not claim to be free.
D. H. F.
NEW BLOOMFIELD, PA.,
Sept. 24th, 1862.
RECOMMENDATION
FROM THE SYNOD OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.
THE document placed in the hands of committee, No. 17, is a history of all the Lutheran congregations in Perry County, Pa., by the Rev. D. H. Focht of New Bloomfield. Said history traces the rise and progress of the congre- gations from their earliest inception to the present time. The document bears evidence of great care and patient investigation in its preparation. It con- tains much of importance to the Lutheran Church, and will contribute,-if published, as we trust it will be,-to Lutheran literature. We congratulate Rev. Focht for his success in collecting so many valuable statistics in this document, and hope that he will have it published as soon as possible. As an expression of the opinion of your committee, we would beg leave to offer the following :
Resolved, That this Synod recommend the publication of said history.
Resolved, That in the opinion of this Synod, this history contains matter that should be particularly interesting to the members of the Lutheran Church in Perry County, and that a copy should be purchased by every family.
Resolved, That this Synod use its influence in introducing this work among Lutherans generally within its bounds.
Respectfully submitted,
P. WILLARD, W. H. DIVEN, G. M. SETTLEMOYER, SAMUEL COMP.
BELLEVILLE, PA., May 4th, 1861.
On motion, this report was accepted and adopted. See Minutes of Synod pp. 26, 27.
CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION,
PAGE 13
CHAPTER I.
THE LOYSVILLE CHARGE, . 21
SECTION I. Lebanon Church at Loysville, 21
II. Mount Zion Church in Spring Township, 65
III. Ludolph's (Germany) Church, in Spring Township, 82
CHAPTER II.
THE BLOOMFIELD CHARGE, . 91
SECTION I. Christ's Church, at New Bloomfield, . 91
II. St. Andrew's (Shuman's) Church, in Saville Town- ship, 134
III. St John's (Bealor's) Church, near Markelville, in Juniata Township, . 146
IV. The Congregation and Church at Newport, 157
V. The Congregation at Mansville, in Centre Town- ship, 169
Remarks respecting the Bloomfield Charge,
180
CHAPTER III.
THE BLAIN CHARGE, 183
SECTION I. Zion Congregation, at Blain, in Jackson Township, 184 II. St. Paul's Lutheran Church, in Madison Township, 199
III. Emanuel Church, near Ickesburg, in Saville Town- ship, . 203
IV. Lutheran Congregation in Henry's Valley, Jackson
Township,
·
211
V. Preaching Stations connected with the Blain Charge, 213
CHAPTER IV.
THE PETERSBURG CHARGE, 215
SECTION I. Christ's (Lutheran) Church at Petersburg, .
216
xii
CONTENTS.
SECTION II. Mount Zion Church, in Fishing Creek Valley, Rye Township, . 230
III. Mount Pisgah Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Car- roll Township, . 246 IV. St. David's (Billow's) Church, in Wheatfield Town- ship, . . 257
V. Church near New Buffalo, on the Susquehanna, in Watts Township, 261
VI. Preaching Station in connection with the Petersburg Charge, 268
CHAPTER V.
THE LIVERPOOL CHARGE, . 270 . SECTION I. The Congregation at Liverpool, 270
II. Christ's Church in Wild Cat Valley, Liverpool Town- ship, 282
III. St. Michael's Church in Pfoutz's Valley, Green wood Township, . 286
IV. St. James's Church in Turkey Valley, Green wood Township, Juniata County, .
311
V. Zion Lutheran Church at McKee's Half-Falls, in Snyder County, .
313
CHAPTER VI.
THE MILLERSTOWN CHARGE, . 315
SECTION I. St. Samuel's Church at Millerstown, 315
II. Centre Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Buffalo Township, 320
III. Tuscarora Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Raccoon Valley, Tuscarora Township, ·
338
IV. Preaching Stations connected with the Millerstown Charge, . ·
340
CHAPTER VII.
A SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF THE REV. JOHN WILLIAM HEIM, 342
CHAPTER VIII.
GENIUS OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH IN PERRY COUNTY,
362
CONCLUSION,
369
INTRODUCTION.
THE lands west of the Kittochtinny Hills, otherwise called the Endless or Blue Mountains, were not purchased of the Indians of the Six Nations till July, 1754. As early, however, as 1740 or 1741, "one Frederick Star, a German, with two or three of his countrymen, made some small settlements on Big Juniata, situate about twenty-five miles from the mouth thereof, and about ten miles north from the Blue Hills, a place much esteemed by the Indians for some of their best hunting-ground."* These small settlements were located on a flat, on the west bank of the Juni- ata, and a short distance northwest of Newport; and these Ger- mans were the first white settlers, of whom we have any account, northwest of the Blue or North Mountains and west of the Sus- quehanna. At the urgent request of the Indians, the Provincial Government removed these Germans in 1742, and forbade others, " at their highest peril," from settling on those lands. But not- withstanding the earnest protestation of the Indians and the strict prohibition of the Government, the example of Star was soon fol- lowed by many others, of Scotch-Irish and German origin, and settlements were commenced on Juniata River and in Sherman's Valley. In 1750, when Cumberland County was organized, the Government took decisive measures for the removal of all who had settled on lands not bought of the Indians. They were all driven to the east of the North Mountains, their cabins were burnt, and the settlements destroyed. Not long after, many of them re- turned to their former places of improvement in the wilderness.
* Col. Records, Vol. V, pp. 441-445.
2
14
INTRODUCTION.
The Provincial Government was strong enough to drive these squatters out of Sherman's Valley, but by far too weak to keep them out. The Indians became enraged, and threatened sum- mary vengeance. Hence, to satisfy all parties and obviate all difficulties, the purchase of a large tract of land from the Indians was strongly recommended by Governor Hamilton. In accord- ance with this recommendation, all the lands west of the Blue or North Mountains and east of the Alleghany Mountains were bought of the Indians, at Albany, in July, 1754, for the conside- ration of four hundred pounds.
On the 3d of February, 1755, the Land Office was opened for the unrestricted sale of land in Sherman's Valley and on Juniata River. During 1755, the applications and grants for land were many, and the influx of settlers from the eastern counties was great. These pioneer settlers were Scotch-Irish, Germans, and a few English. The new settlements prospered. In the mean- time, most of the Indians west of the Alleghany Mountains, and along the lakes, were brought under the influence of the French, and both did their utmost to prevent the westward extension of settlements by the English.
In July, 1755, General Braddock was defeated by the French and Indians at Fort Duquesne (now Pittsburg), and in a few months after that tragic battle, the Indians fell upon the defence- less frontier settlers, cruelly and mercilessly killing, scalping, and abducting them, burning their houses and cabins, and destroying and wasting everything. Consternation and dismay filled every heart along the frontier in Pennsylvania. Those who escaped the stroke of the tomahawk and the keen edge of the scalping-knife, fled to Cumberland Valley, and other places of safety east of the North Mountain. All the settlements in Sherman's Valley, and on the Juniata, were deserted, and were for some time to the white man, " the region and shadow of death."
Though peace had been partially made with the Indians in 1758, they still appeared in marauding parties along the frontier, committing depredations and murder. Hence, from the fall of 1755 to the latter part of 1761, but little land was entered at the
15
INTRODUCTION.
Land Office. To the surprise of the pioneers, the Indians then retired, and the number of settlers increased rapidly, and much land was located in 1762, and the earlier part of 1763. The In- dians having, however, in the meantime, secretly confederated to cut off all the frontier settlements at one fell stroke, invaded them in 1763, during harvest, and committed the most savage cruel- ties and wanton destruction. Such of the people as did not escape were murdered, scalped, or abducted as prisoners. Sher- man's Valley was again deserted. No land was located in 1764, and the terror of the frontier settlers subsided but little till Colo- nel Boquet conquered the Indians in November, 1764, and com- pelled them to sue for peace.
After the cessation of the Indian wars, the best lands in Sher- man's Valley and along the Juniata were soon all located and settled, though, as is usual on frontiers, the population was for some time unstable, fluctuating, and erratic.
So far as we have been able to find, the first references to churches within the precincts of Perry County, are the following two. The first, in a warrant granted Thomas Ross, and others, it is said : "Surveyed, April 17th, 1767. Order dated Septem- ber 9th, 1766. Thomas Ross, and others, in trust for the con- gregation in Tyrone." The old church was, however, not erccted on this parcel of ground in Tyrone Township till 1793, and is now known as the " Centre Presbyterian Church." The second, in a warrant granted Nicholas Robison in 1766, it is stated that this land " lies northwest of the church." The tract of land on which this church stood, lies in Miller Township, about four miles east of Bloomfield, and is at present owned by Mr. Abra- ham Fleurie. With regard to this church, we are indebted to Colonel John Hartzell, of Newport, for the following information.
" DEAR SIR :
"I had a conversation with Mr. George C. Lees, of Ohio, in regard to the old church at Dick's Gap. He said that he resided in that neighborhood fifty-two years ago, and that the church was at that time already nearly rotted down, only a few of the
16
INTRODUCTION.
logs were remaining, and a white oak tree, about fifteen inches across the butt, stood in the inside of the northwest corner of the building. Mr. Lees said that he understood, from what Mr. Enoch Lewis told him (Mr. Lewis was then an old man), that the church had gone into decay more than one hundred years ago. Mr. Lees thinks it was a Roman Catholic church, built by the French."
The above statement we give as we got it. We do not think it was a Roman Catholic church; the French never held sway on the east of the Alleghany Mountains. But by whom or for whom it was built, it is now impossible to say. It was there already in 1766. The foundation-marks of the building may still be seen, about twenty by eighteen feet in size. The grave- yard is quite large, and literally in the woods, being overgrown by underbrush and some large trees. We noticed some trees standing apparently in the centre of graves, which we suppose cannot be less than one hundred years old. We were told that an old Indian path led through Dick's Gap, and close by this place, and that at an early day, white traders among the Indians were the first buried here, and that probably some are Indian graves. This statement seems to be corroborated by the fact, that some apparently old graves are covered by large heaps of large stones, a thing not practised after the land was settled by the whites. This is an interesting spot, and the church and graveyard are a mystery. Besides these two instances, we have not found a single reference to churches in Perry County till 1790. Nor need we be surprised at this. The Indian wars had just closed, and order was about being restored, when we have at least two churches alluded to; but then soon after this, the revolutionary agitations commenced, and though the population had considerably increased, many were mustered for the defence of the western frontiers, and some were enrolled in the Con- tinental army. Many, also, doubtless, cared little or nothing about churches, and the few who felt the want of a preached Gospel were scattered, and generally poor.
17
INTRODUCTION.
A large proportion of the early settlers of the territory now embraced in Perry County were of German origin. The follow- ing are a few of those who located tracts of land, by order from the Land Office : In 1755, John Fautz, in Fautz's Valley, Green- wood Township; Baltzer Schellhorn, Michael Brocard, Christian Ewig, John Garner; in 1763, Frederick Weiser, Peter Grove, Matthias Karr; in 1765, Stophel Muntz; in 1767, John Big- ger, John Conrad, James Verderer, Christopher Mann, John Cirecus ; in 1768, Everhart Liedig, Leonard Fautz; in 1772, Frederick Kühl, Henry Altsbach, George Albrecht (Albright), Martin Waln, John Licht (Light), Jacob Bock (Buck); in 1773, George Bader, Christopher Heyne, Jacob Lückenbihl, Abraham Letcha, Augustus Milligsack, John Miller, Morris Berbeck, Adam Reichart; in 1774, Ludwig Granau, Frederick Hummell, Valentine Hoffman, Nicholas Littig, Michael Wild, Jacob Wild, Samuel Starr, Joseph Jobson, John Ord; in 1775, Matthias Blocker, John Kepler, Samuel Lenhart (Leonard); in 1778, Philip Christian ; in 1784, Matthias Hart, David Rapp, Adam Stock, Christian Weirman, John Weirman; in 1785, John Bauer (Bower), Michael Kapp (Capp), John Capp, Adam Eck- ert, George Grotz, Peter Hoofnagel, Frederick Harter, John Long, Christian Leonard (Lenhard), Jacob Nieman, Peter Schreyer, Zach. Spangel, Jacob Wagner, Michael Winter; in 1786, Henry Bauker, George Albright, John Trostel, John Fred. Langenberg, James Radman, Samuel Utly, John Flach ; in 1787, Daniel Diehl, Samuel Diehl, Jacob Lupfer, James Mot- zer, Christopher Schneider; in 1788, William Delzell; in 1789, John Kepner, Henry Zimmerman. All these, and many others whose names cannot now be ascertained, entered lands at the Land Office. The vast majority of Germans, however, bought lands, and generally the best too, at second-hand from the pioneer Scotch-Irish, most of whom moved further westward. At first, the Germans settled chiefly in clusters or neighborhoods, being no doubt drawn together by a strong national predilection, and the use of a common language. Thus they formed neighbor- hoods in Fautz's Valley, on Fishing Creek, at Loysville, at Blain,
2*
18
INTRODUCTION.
at New Germantown, and some other localities. Between them and the Scotch-Irish, feuds were not uncommon in those early days. Afterwards, the Germans, possessing themselves of some of the best lands, spread gradually over the whole of Sherman's Valley, and along the Juniata, and mingled freely with their Scotch-Irish neighbors, so that at this time their descendants constitute by far the larger part of the population of Perry County, and have, with few exceptions, relinquished the use of the German language for that of the English. The Scotch-Irish yielded up his land, and the German his language.
The majority of these early German settlers were members of the Lutheran Church, the first Protestant church, now numbering in the world from forty to forty-five millions of members. In common with their fellow-pioneers, they suffered all the hard- ships and misfortunes incident to border life. Like others, many of them were driven from their homes, fell bleeding and dead under the murderous tomahawk, were scalped or abducted as prisoners, and subjected to all the horrors of savage cruelty ; some heroically defended with their lives, the frontiers against the incursions of the merciless Indian, and others, in the revolu- tionary struggle for freedom, sacrificed their lives on the altar of their country, and with their blood consecrated the soil to liberty.
In their youth, these Germans had been instructed in the doc- trines of the Christian religion, as set forth in the Catechism of their church. Their earliest, most hallowed, and enduring recol- lections were associated with the house and worship of God. They could not forget Jerusalem, her prayers and hymns of praise. Trained as they had been in their youth and former homes, they could not but long for a house of worship, and the ordinances of religion, and to them cling wherever they were, and respect them as long as they lived; for the German is characteristically reli- gious. And now, living in a new and wild border settlement, destitute of the means of grace, they deeply felt their loss. Their prayer was, " Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name ;" and the answer was: "The people which are left of the sword, have found grace in the wilderness."
19
INTRODUCTION.
Tradition informs us that these pioncer Lutherans were occa- sionally visited by ministers of their own church as early as 1764, and from authentic records, we learn that in 1774, they secured the stated ministry of a pastor residing in their midst. In the results of these early and feeble efforts on the part of the mem- bers, and of the labors of the pioneer ministers, we have in Perry County the rise and progress of the Lutheran congregations, whose history is traced in the following pages.
HISTOR Y.
CHAPTER I.
LOYSVILLE CHARGE.
SOME of the very earliest settlers of the territory now included within the limits of Perry County were Lutherans. Their num- ber was considerable before the Revolutionary war, and greatly increased, by constant accessions, for a number of years after its close. That they were occasionally visited by ministers of their own church before 1774 we learn from tradition, but are unable to give names and dates. Afterwards they enjoyed the frequent visits of the Rev. John G. Butler, who was pastor of the Lutheran congregation at Carlisle from 1780 to 1788, and performed what may be called home missionary labor on the frontier. As Sher- man's Valley then formed part of Cumberland County, and the number of members in the Valley was so great, they could not have escaped the notice of that zealous and indefatigable pioneer minister of the Gospel. From those small beginnings, the Church in Perry County grew up to her present number of members and congregations.
SECTION I.
LEBANON CHURCH AT LOYSVILLE .*
At an early date a number of Lutheran families settled in Ty- rone Township, in a district of country in the centre of which
* For much and important information relative to this church, we are in- debted to Jacob Crist, Esq., of Loysville.
22
CHURCHES BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS.
Loysville was afterwards located. Here the Zimmermans, Loys, Hammers, Hollenbachs, Bernheisels, Fleishers, Bowers, and many others made their homes. They were joined by others from time to time. As above stated, these members of the church enjoyed the visits of Rev. Butler, and perhaps some other ministers, be- fore they had a stated pastor. Rev. Butler left Cumberland County in 1788, and shortly after that, the
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