USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > Catasauqua > A history of Catasauqua in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania > Part 7
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Of that little band of Presbyterian pioneers. I can find only three survivors besides myself : Mrs. Bender (nee Peter). and Mrs. Owen Swartz. her sister, and Mrs. Rehrig (nee Lackey), all the others having passed on to the beyond towards which we also are hastening.
As near as my memory serves me, those present on this interesting occasion were the following : ' Father' and 'Mother' Thomas with their five children (Jane, Gwenny, Samuel, John and David ), Mrs. James Lackey and daughter Mag-
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THE HISTORY
gie, John Samuels and daughter Rachel, Mrs. John Leibert, John Peter and fam- ily, Aaron Bast. Charles Breisch, Lawrence Landis, Mrs. Jonathan Landis and Andrew Archer. There were doubtless others, but these stand out clearest against the past.
The little building has been demolished and the venerable black oak tree has been removed, in whose forked branehs I, as a boy, hung the bell which called the faithful to prayers. This bell passed into the hands of the Crane Iron Works, by whom it was used once a month on pay-days to call the men together. It still hangs on a branch of the tree. close to the office, where the curious may each find it. The tree and bell were natural means to a spiritual end and though they have passed out of use, the spirit abides for this church whose semi-centennial we cele- brate to-day, and its great development into other churches, such as the Bridge Street Church, the Church at Hokendanqua, the Bethel-Welsh Congregational Church (known as 'Mother' Thomas's Church), the Churches at Lockridge, Ferndale and Richard's Mine in New Jersey. and the Presbyterian Church at Thomas in far-off Alabama.
All these Churches are living branches of the tree which was planted in faith and hope fifty years ago on that inclement winter Sunday by a band of earnest Presbyterian men and women. The women are worthy of special mention for they too carried their share of the burden cheerfully and nobly. Well do I re- member my sister Gwenny, Rachel Samuel, Maggie Lackey and Susanna Peter, brave and helpful young girls, who carried water in pails all the way from the canal to scrub and clean the church, and as the building was used for a day-school during the week, every Saturday morning it required their earnest attention.
In a recent interview with Mrs. Owen Swartz and Mrs. Rehrig, whose personal recollections of the early times in the history of this Church are very clear. I was reminded that Church services were held in my father's house until the completion of the building on March 22, 1840.
This little white-washed church was used for worship until the present build- ing was ready to be occupied in 1856. Two years after the laying of the corner stone, the church was dedicated, free of debts. My thoughts dwell with especial
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pleasure upon those far-off days, and the building of those early Walls of Zion in our adopted home.
As I review those early years, I see the earnest figures of my father and mother, who were strangers in a strange land, zealous from the beginning to see a house of worship planted here. When the Church was organized it numbered only three, father, mother and sister JJane; and father was then ordained as first Elder.
About two years later, David Williams, Sr., located with his family at Catasauqua and he became a member of this Church ; and soon afterwards he was inducted into the eldership. He was a most excellent man, and though in poor health he was strenuous in all good works. It was he who took up the collection and acted as treasurer of the Church. He died August 14, 1845, and his remains were laid to rest in the church yard after services in the little church where he had served so well.
As the population increased the church in the woods became too small. A special meeting of the congregation was therefore held to diseuss ways and means for securing a new building. A committee was appointed consisting of the pastor. Rev. Cornelius Earle, David Thomas, Morgan Emanuel, William MeClelland and Joshua Hunt.
By arrangement with David Thomas (who had donated some adjoining land to enlarge the church property on Church Street ), an exchange was made of that land which secured to the congregation the site of 180 by 180 feet at the corner of Second and Pine Streets, upon which stands to-day the present Church, the parsonage and the Chapel. Plans having been made and adopted, sufficient funds were raised to warrant the new enterprise.
The corner stone of the old church was brought here and deposited just previous to the ceremony of laying the new corner stone. It was fashioned by Charles Breisch and bears the date of 1839, which can be seen on examination. It is a gray sandstone from near Kreidersville. In the new stone a copper box was laid which, according to custom, contained a Bible, some coins, local papers, and whatever the copper box of the old corner stone had contained. An address was delivered by Rev. Richard Walker of Allentown, and Rev. Leslie Irwin of Bath assisted in the services.
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THE HISTORY
On Sunday, the 11th day of May. 1856. the church was solemnly dedicated to the worship of God. Rev. George Duffield, D. D., preached the dedieatory sermon, Rev. C. Earle and Rey. R. Walker taking part in the services. Rev. Jacob Beeker preached German in the afternoon.
Only a few remain who were then from twenty to thirty years of age : Mrs. Thomas Bear, Charles Graffin. Daniel Milson, James Nevins, William Kildare, Charles W. Schneller. Mrs. Quigg, and those who were from ten to twenty years still among us are : Mrs. John Thomas, James Thomas, Mrs. James Thomas, Mrs. Emma C. Williams, Rebecca Siegley, Mrs. Kate Steward, William IE. Glace, Joseph Matehette, Mrs. Herbert James, Samuel Davis, David Davis, Owen F. Leibert, Joseph McFetridge, John McFetridge, Mrs. John Knauss, Mrs. James Torrance, Martha Wilson, Thomas Jones. Mrs. William T. Snyder, Mrs. Edwin Miekley, Mrs. James W. Fuller, and Archibald Courtney."
The present Church edifice is built of briek, semi-Gothic in style. The main building is forty by sixty- three feet, exclusive of tower and pulpit recess. It has a transept on the south side twenty by thirty feet which forms part of the audience room, and also an organ transept on the north side, ten by twenty feet. The organ was the gift of David Thomas. The Church steeple is one hundred fifty feet high and has a fine-toned bell in it. The congregation was regularly incor- porated in 1853.
As commemorative of the re- union of the Old School and the FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH New School Assemblies of the Presbyterian Church, a memorial chapel was built on Pine Street, at the rear of
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the edifice, in 1871. The corner stone was laid May 13th, and the dedication took place on December 10th. This building is also of brick, semi-Gothic in style. thirty-five by eighty-two feet. It contains rooms for all Church purposes; and it is used regularly for mid-week services and by the Sabbath School.
Forty feet northwest of the church, fronting on Second Street, there is an attractive and well planned parsonage, built of brick, in style corresponding with the church.
Rev. Cornelins Earle served the congregation as pastor in a most satisfactory and efficient manner from October 14, 1852 to 1898, when he resigned, after a continuous service of forty-six years. During the year 1899, the regular services were conducted by other licensed Presbyterian clergymen.
Rev. Charles H. Miller was elected as the successor of Rey. Earle, and he has served the congregation in a most efficient manner since February, 1900. The membership of the Church on May 1, 1914, was two hundred thirty-five : of the Sunday School. three hun- dred.
A Sunday School has been conducted in connection with the Church from the begin- ning, and the superintendents have been prominently identified with the Church as Elders :
David Thomas, 1839 to 1847; Elder from 1839 to 1882.
Joshua Hunt, 1847 to 1882; Elder from 1847 to 1886.
REV. C. H. MILLER
John Williams, 1882 to 1892; Elder from 1874 to 1892.
Joseph Matchette. 1892 to -; Elder from 1892 to -.
IMMANUEL EVANGELICAL CHURCHL.
George Eliot tells us how, with a single drop of ink for a mirror. the Egyptian sorcerer undertakes to reveal to any chance comer far reaching visions
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of the past. With similar drop of ink, the historian will endeavor to reveal some visions of the past-the beginnings of an institution which has been wielding much good in the Iron Borough and which to-day stands as one of its beloved monuments-the Immanuel Evangelical Church.
The story of its beginning, like the beginning of every Church, is interesting. Way back in the early forties, a few brave and devoted families, realizing the need of a Church in this community, formed themselves into a class and conducted religions services in the homes of Henry Enock, Abram Yundt, Silas Yundt. William Neighly and others, some of Catasauqua's early residents. The Rev- erends C. Hesser, J. C. Farnsworth, C. Hummel, J. Kramer, D. Wieand. E. Bast, Abraham Schultz, J. Hoffman and others nobly served as the first preachers. Under the preaching of these now sainted gentlemen, the class grew in religious fervor and zeal, as well as in numbers.
A church edifice was found necessary and vet the class was unable to under- take its erection alone. An appeal was made to the public generally for help. A subscription book, headed "Catasauqua, May 18, 1848, AN APPEAL TO THE FRIENDS OF RELIGION," and, among other things, setting forth, on its first page, that the Evangelical Association of Catasauqua is in great need of a house of worship and that the Society is small and unable to undertake the building alone, was circulated. From the subscriptions appearing in this book, there seems to have been a generous response to the appeal. The book contains the sub- scriptions of Joseph Yundt, Valentine Knoll, Matchis Knoll, Enoch Yundt. Wil- liam Neighly, Charles G. Schneller, David Thomas, Mrs. David Thomas, Owen Rice, James Lacky, Nathan Fegly, Mariah McIntire, Jonathan Snyder, Henry Yundt, Charles Brish, Joseph Huber, W. Weaver, Charles Dyely, Samuel Romig. Lewis Bogge, Martin Simon, Jesse Brown, John Peter, David A. Protzman, Samuel Walters, Isaac Larash, Charles Seem, Daniel Seem, Jacob L. Miller, Julius A. Miller, Samuel Colver, William Gross, Jacob Gross, Andrew Kromer, Samuel Miller, Samuel Glace. Morgan Emanuel, William Phillips, William Heller. William Newhard, Reuben L. Seip, George W. Andre, John Williams, Henry Getz. Conrad Seig, Nathan Frederick, Fisher Hazard, Owen Swartz, Jonas Biery, Mrs. Matilda Andreas, William Swartz, Joshua Hunt, Jr., John Thomas, James
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M. Snyder, JJoseph Laubach. Reuben Leisering, Owen Frederick, J. W. Fuller. Frederick Eberhard, Charles Sigley, Jacob Deily and many others.
In the same year, namely 1848, the first church (or meeting house as it was then ealled) was built on the triangular lot or piece of ground situate on Hower- town Road below Mulberry Street. The building was a small, plain brick struc ture, with the Church cemetery adjoining. In those days it required much courage to be an Evangelical. But the few members were intensely in earnest. They consecrated and devoted themselves to the work, and like the early Apostolic Church, "they found favor with God and the people," and from year to year members were added to the flock. Reverends H. Bucks and N. MeLehn served the new Church as senior and junior pastors, respectively. They were lovable Christian gentlemen of ability and taet and under their pastorate the new born congregation began to develop into a mighty power.
The late Charles G. Sehneller, deceased, was the Secretary of the first Official Board and was actively identified with Immanuel Evangelical Church up to the time of his death, July 13. 1909. In 1854, Charles G. Schneller was elected class leader and was given his Class Book by Rev. Christian Meyers, the preacher then in charge. His Class Book shows the following to have been members of his class : Charles G. Schneller, Mary Schneller, William Velich, Sarah Velich, Refina Buchman, Juhan Buchman, Aaron Bast, Catharine Bast. Elizabeth Weber, Jacob Rothman, Wilhelmina Mohry, Amos Bachman, George W. Andrew, David Tombler, Fyetta Tombler, Charles Doneeker, Aaron Fretz, Sarah Fretz, Jacob Frey, Caroline Tombler, Edward Gilbert, Anthony Kindt. Calvin Bleam. Jacob Fretz, Elizabeth Fretz, Elizabeth Velich, Hannah Velich, Caroline Boyer. Ellen Buchman, Joseph Fry, Levina Simon, Mary Ann Mohrey, Polly Hahn, William Neighly, Sarah Neighly, Julian Haines. Stephen Hahn, David Shafer, Matilda Shafer, George Hoxworth, Aaron Fatzinger. Amaline Fatzinger. William Bach- man, Henry Sellers, Catharine Sellers, John Tombler. Jacob Keller, Sarah Keller. Joseph Hixon, Mary Hixon. Michael Rothrock. Elizabeth Rothrock. John Weibel. Mary Weibel, Sebilla Kester, Owen Wentz. E. Swartz, Catharine Laub, Amanda Rothrock and Samuel Missimer.
In twenty years the congregation had grown very large and the old
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church building was found entirely too small to accommodate properly the erowds of people who attended the services. In consequence the old church prop- erty was abandoned in 1868, and in that year the present commodious brick edi- fice was erected at Second and Wahit Streets, at a cost of twelve thousand dollars ($12,000), under the pastorate of Rev. J. C. Lehr, which, too, has been remodeled and beantified several times since then. The members of the building committee were Owen Swartz, President ; Charles G. Sehneller, Secretary ; William Michael, Aaron Ghiek and David Tombler. Here, likewise, the work prospered under the signal blessing of God.
The famous Rev. Moses Dissinger was pastor here. The present senior bishop of the Evangelical Association, Bishop Thomas Bowman, Pre- siding Elders B. F. Bohner and T. L. Wentz also served as pastors of Immanuel Evangelical Church. IMMANUEL EVANGELICAL The regular Church attendance had reached upwards of eight hundred (800) and the work was growing beautifully when alas! factional disagreements arose within the Church and the unfortunate disruption took place in 1891, and many of the members withdrew their membership and joined the St. John's United Evangelical Church at Walunt and Limestone Streets, whereby Immanuel suffered and has not yet been able to regain its former power.
In 1904, the present modernly equipped parsonage was built at a cost of three thousand ($3,000) dollars. The building committee were : Rev. J. Willet Boyer, pastor, Charles G. Schneller, Christian Garbian, M. Thomas Heilman, Richard O. Heilman, Robert Demmrich and William F. Engler.
The Church has always been opposed to Church fairs, festivals and lotteries,
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and recommends the employment of other means for raising funds for its support.
On January 1, 1890, the Ladies Aid Society of Immanuel Evangelical Church was organized and it has since its organization been a great blessing to the Church.
On December 20, 1891. the members of the Church organized the Young People's Alliance and it has enjoyed a very busy and useful career.
On the evening of September 23, 1904, there assembled in the prayermeeting room of the church a number of its good women, who had become interested in missionary work, and organized themselves into the Women's Missionary Society for the purpose of systematically studying and handling the mission work, and much practical good has it been able to accomplish.
A Junior Young People's Alliance is also one of the active departments of the Church work.
And last, but not least, the Sunday School. which has always been the live feed wire of the Church, is doing its great work continually ever since the organization of the Church.
The following is the roll of the preachers who served Immanuel Evangelical Church : Reverends H. Bueks. N. MeLehn. J. Eckert. M. Sindlinger, C. Hummel, N. Goebel. Jacob Gross. Christian Meyers, Elias Miller. George Knerr. T. Seabold. W. Bachman. W. L. Reber. Moses Dissinger, G. T. Haines, A. Boetzel. Thomas Bowman, Isaac Hess. C. K. Fehr. R. J. G. SWENGEL Litzenberger. John Schell, John Koehl. J. O. Lehr, C. B. Flichr, George Knerr, Jacob Adams, Seneca Breyfogel. R. M. Lichten- walner, B. F. Bohner, Il. J. Glick. Thomas L. Wentz. J. K. Seyfried. W. A. Leo- pold, C. V. B. Aurand, Joseph Specht, C. K. Fehr. J. C. Bliem. A. S. Kresge. C. C. Moyer, J. Willet Boyer, A. H. Doerstler, Henry Wentz, and J. G. Swengel. the present pastor.
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The present Board of Trustees and Stewards are William F. Engler, Presi- dent ; M. Thomas Heilman, Secretary ; Harrison E. Missmer, Treasurer; Charles George and Oliver Graver.
The Church has had on its roll the names of many of the most prominent business men of Catasauqua, and many of them have already crossed over into the Great Beyond. To think of the many who have worshipped in Immanuel Evan- gelieal Church in the past and are no more, to recollect their names and refleet upon their noble characters, and to recall their many Christian kindnesses, all cause one to cry out in tearful anguish,-
"Oh! where are the flowers of yesterday ? The winds have blown them all away."
BRIDGE STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
It is often found a difficult task to discern the very first points in important events that are of recent occurrence, but the difficulty is greatly increased when we attempt to learn the beginning of events that date back more than half a century. On careful investigation it has been ascertained from trustworthy rec- ords, that the early history of what is now known as the Bridge Street Presby- terian Church is intimately associated with that of the venerable Presbyterian Church in the nearby Allen Township.
The present location in earlier times constituted a part of Northampton County, to which place were attracted a large and excellent class of immigrants from Wales, and from the North of Ireland, by the then bright prospects of oh- taining useful and remunerative employment at the furnaces of the Crane Iron Company.
The people who came from the last named country desired to be recognized and distinguished in the land of their adoption, as had been their ancestors for several generations, under the designation of Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. By this particular name they, and the immense numbers who previously and subse- quently came from the Province of Ulster, in the north of Ireland, with their numerous descendants, are to be known ; while at the same time they constitute a valuable and component part of our great American nationality.
OF CATASAUQUA
They, therefore, naturally and properly desired to enjoy in their new Catasauqua home religious advantages of the same character and order with which they had been so happily familiar in their native Presbyterian Ulster. With such principles and feelings they welcomed the glad prospect of having Christian fellowship with their new and their near neighbors, the descendants of their countrymen, the thrifty and friendly farmers of the rich and prosperous "Scotch Irish Settlement, " the nearest point of which was but four or five miles distant from the Company's furnaces. This strong feeling of affiliation was tenderly fostered by the then beloved pastor of the Mother Church, the Rev. Leslie Irwin. He, too, was a native of the north of Ireland. He came to America in 1834. and in the following year visited the "Settlement." as it was usually called. For a time he was the Stated Supply, and afterwards the settled pastor of the "Allen Township Church." Records show that previous to 1845 Mr. Erwin had visited and preached to the New Seoteh-Irish Settlement on the Lehigh. These visits and religions services were kept up with regularity for several years, notwithstanding that a distance of eight or nine miles separated the residence of the faithful pastor from his new missionary field. In time there arose a desire to have a regular and separate church organization in their midst. In furtherance of this landable object, a petition, numerously signed, was presented to the Presbytery of Newton, April 26. 1850. in compliance with which a committee was appointed to visit the place, and take such action as the circumstances might seem to require. That committee met at the time and place appointed, and subsequently reported to Presbytery that on May 7. 1850, the First Old School Presbyterian Church of Catasauqua had been duly organized ; on which occasion thirty-two members were enrolled. James MeClelland was elected and ordained to the office of Ruling Elder. The Church continued under the above title until the reunion in 1870, when the Old School and the New School united under the name of The Presby- terian Church in the U. S. A., at which time the pastor, Rev. Wm. Fulton, gave to the congregation the name Bridge Street Presbyterian Church. The young Church increased rapidly in numbers and in spiritual strength. In all those years there was no public hall or other building where the people could assemble for their accustomed worship. The cimeumstanees of their situation necessitated
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their meetings to be held in private houses in the winter season. In the summer time they resorted to the nearby woods, and there extemporized a temple in which they praised and prayed and preached and heard the word of God with gladness.
On Sabbaths, when no services were held in Catasauqua, or in the adjoining woods, many people walked out to the country Church. . the other part of Mr. Irwin's pas- toral charge, about six miles dis- tant, to worship with the Christian brethren in the Settlement. These discomforts of distance and travel, together with the increasing num- bers and resources and Christian zeal, suggested the necessity of . : making an earnest and united ef- fort to provide suitable accommo- dations at home. In carrying out this good purpose, a plain Union Church building (there is no reason to believe that this was a Presby- terian Church) was erected and located on what for that reason was ₹. then and is now known as Church Street. That. however, did not seem to give the desired satisfaction BRIDGE STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH and accommodation for any length of time. In the lapse of a few years the in- erease of population and of the Church, and other causes made it necessary that there should be a separate and independent Church edifiee. Under these eir- cumstanees, the congregation contributed liberally for the ereetion of their own and first Church building, which in 1852 was ereeted upon the site which is still occupied for the purpose, on Bridge Street. In the same year, or very soon 1
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afterwards, Mr. Irwin succeeded in having erected, on the adjoining lot. the present suitable and substantial parsonage, into which when completed, he moved his family. After a residence of about six years in the Catasauqua parsonage, Mr. Irwin removed to his farm near Bath, but continued to supply both Churches until the spring of 1865, when, at his own request, the pastoral relation of fifteen years' duration was dissolved. The Catasauqua Church. in the last year of his ministry, reported to Presbytery one hundred five members on its roll. Mr. Irwin was held in highest esteem by all who knew him. He died November 26, 1873, in the sixty-eighth year of his age.
Mr. Irwin was succeeded almost immediately after his resignation by the Rev. James Tewers, who accepted the call of the Church and was installed in September, 1865. The ministerial services of Mr. Tewers continued for but three years. His successful pastorate was seen in the gratifying increase of Church members, and in the orderly and godly lives of those who had the priv- liege of hearing the gospel of the grace of God preached by a man who felt in his own heart the power of saving truth. The necessity for a larger and a more sub- stantial edifice now became apparent. The new church on the old site was com- pleted during the pastorate of Mr. Tewers. The burden of rebuilding lay heavily upon Mr. Tewers' heart and affected his health to such an extent that he gradually sank to his death, August 24, 1868.
In December, these people called their third pastor, Rev. Wm. Fulton, who was dnly installed over a united and enthusiastic congregation. The seven years of this pastorate were eventful times in the history of the Church. Large and interested audiences attended on all the Church services, for Mr. Fulton was a strong preacher and a successful pastor. A heavy debt of over seven thousand dollars had remained on the Church property from the time of its erection. The burden seemed to become heavier as the years rolled by, and at times it threatened the most disastrous results. Notwithstanding many discouragements, Mr. Fulton accomplished a good work in building up the character and stability of the Bridge Street Church, as well as in securing a reduction of well nigh five thousand dol- lars on the debt. In June, 1893, Mr. Fulton made a lecturing tour west and while crossing the prairie in a coach between Bur Oaks and Albim, Kansas, he received
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