USA > Pennsylvania > A history of the Church of the Brethren in the middle district of Pennsylvania > Part 10
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This Jacob Snyder in 1786 located near the big spring on what is now the Snowberger farm. Here he built himself a small shack, the ground for floor, and with his wife and baby, lived until he could build a larger house. In the shack, after he moved, he taught "reading and writing and 'rithmetic,'" using the German New Testa- ment for his reader. These few months of school gave him the distinction of being the first school teacher in the valley. It is said that in those days he took his grain to Hagerstown, (Md.) to have it ground into flour. In 1811 he built the present brick house, size 33 x 33 feet.
* To Albert S., son of William S. Ritchey, the reader is indebted for much of the information not given by his father in this sketch.
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He brought his workmen from Hagerstown and made the brick on his farm.
Jacob Studebaker, married to Mary, daughter of Jacob Snyder of Virginia, built in 1803 the large stone house on the farm now owned by Elias Baker. In the bake-
The Snyder Residence on the Snowberger farm, built in 1811, near the big spring. Here services were held in the upper story for a number of years.
oven house, still standing on this place, the first lovefeast in the valley was held.
In these early days the home served the purpose of meeting house, and each one at all adapted took regular turn in entertaining the very precious preaching occa- sion .* It was in the spirit and need of these times that in 1811 Jacob Snyder erected the large residence still standing on what is known as the Snowberger farm and located the house so that the water from the big spring
* John S. Hershberger writes Sept. 1, 1924, " I have a distinct recollection of a number of benches made from slabs kept above in the dry house and when our turn came to have the meeting, these were taken down and placed in my father's house to provide for preaching day. My mother told me that when these meet- ings came around the custom was to give dinner to all who came to meeting. I remember distinctly the building of the meeting house in 1861. I write these things because I was an eye-witness to them."
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in the Middle District of Pennsylvania
close by ran through the cellar. The first floor was ar- ranged for living rooms and the second was finished in one large room, 33 x 33 feet, and was used for meeting house. It was in this room that the good old fashioned spiritual meetings were held about which some of the grandfathers tell and many found Jesus as their Saviour and later emigrating to western states became the found- ers of churches. Among those who were thus used of the Lord are the names of Studebaker, Ullery, Snyder, Hendricks, and Snowberger .*
Some time near 1820, Snake Spring Valley congrega- tion was organized. The line between it and Yellow Creek started at the old stone house on Bayers farm and continued to Evitts Mountain at the Sell farm. Other boundaries were needless, for the unoccupied field, south of Everett to the Maryland line, eastward into Fulton and westward into Somerset Counties, looked to Snake Spring for spiritual guidance.
Isaac Ritchey, Senior, son of Francis Ritchey, who be- longed to the Reformed Church, was the first minister and later the first bishop of this congregation. He died in 1845 and left the work in the hands of Jacob Snyder, who died May 25, 1848. Before these bishops passed away, Jacob Steele was called to the ministry and did the first English preaching in the church in these parts, but English was so unpopular among these sturdy German members that rather than advance him to the oversight they did without a resident elder until Andrew Snow- berger was ordained in 1872.
The Snyder up-stairs room served the purpose of meet- ing house long and well but in time sentiment grew strong enough to pass a decision in 1860 to build a frame house for the congregation on the lowlands of the Daniel Hershberger farm. Martin Hoover was contractor as he afterwards was for several houses built in this congregation.
Two years later the congregation erected what is known as the Yellow Creek house on land owned by Jacob Steele on the Hopewell-Loysburg road, about nine miles north of Everett.
* John Snowberger, son of Andrew, once the bishop in this congregation, bap- tized the editor of this book.
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A History of the Church of the Brethren
Again in 1865 the church set herself to erect a house of worship, this time in the "Cove " across the mountain from Snake Spring Valley in what is now the Koontz congregation.
From a compilation made by William S. Ritchey the foregoing is gleaned. Much of it was handed down to him through tradition and the other part comes within his own experiences.
Perhaps as early as the first half of the last century members located in the vicinity of Clearville. Among these early families Daniel Snyder, in whose home meetings were held before they were taken to the school houses, is prominent. Other families noted,-Thomas Dibert, John B. Smith, Isaac Ritchey, John Dibert. Among the ministers who served this group in these early days are the names of Henry Hershberger, Jacob Steele, Graybill Myers, Andrew Snowberger, Jr., Wil- liam S. Ritchey and Jacob Koontz. For a number of years meetings were held in the Calhoun, Weimer, Kerr and Clearville schoolhouses. In 1872, the Snake Spring congregation to which this group belonged, erected the first Cherry Lane house. The deed, made by Daniel Snyder and John B. Smith, dated April 13, 1872, was given to the Snake Spring Valley congregation. The house erected was 38 x 48 feet. The building committee was Thomas Dibert, Daniel Hershberger and Daniel Snyder .*
According to the " Record of the Faithful " ; the Snake Spring congregation was organized in 1840 with 100 members; their first house was erected in 1861. In 1881-'82 they had a membership of 218. Jacob Koontz was bishop, William S. Ritchey, John S. Baker and John B. Fluck in the second degree.
On May 31, 1879, " it was agreed that a book called a Church book or record should be kept and John B. Fluck was chosen as secretary. It was further agreed that the proceedings of council meetings be made on a separate sheet of paper and that at the close of each meeting the minutes should be read and only such transactions re-
* To Daniel W. Dibert the reader is indebted for this early history of the Cherry Lane house.
t Published by Howard Miller in 1882.
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1
in the Middle District of Pennsylvania
corded as the body in council shall decide." Thus be- gins the earliest record of this congregation. This is given in full here because so many congregations do not even yet know the value of reading the minutes at the close of the session instead of at the beginning of the next session.
At this same meeting the question of starting a Sun- day-school was "discussed and decided in favor of a school by a vote of 27 to 13." To accommodate the mem -. bers living down towards the Maryland line, some time in the early part of 1879 or the year before, it was decided to build what is now known as Artemas Church. At the time the locality was known as the Southampton "branch" or congregation. The earliest record shows that on October 25, 1879, " Daniel Snyder, John Stayer, Thomas Dibert and John Bennett, soliciting committee, and Israel Bennett, building committee, and Samuel Kagarise, carpenter," reported settlement to the congre- gation at Snake Spring Valley house. The total expendi- ture was $731.79, with an added bill for "stoves and pipe, five lamps, two candlesticks, flue pipe, broom, etc., of $27.99." It was opened for use in October, 1879.
At a meeting preceding the foregoing settlement, (August 2, '79) "it was revealed that some able mem- bers failed to contribute any towards the building of said (Southampton) meeting house." A committee of three was appointed to wait on such members and make report to later meeting. . .. That "members should not leave the house without legal excuse before the close of meet- ing " was made a matter of record and the basis for dis- cipline of some kind.
At the meeting (April 24, 1880), the query, "Should a brother act on a committee to build a union church?" was answered, "Not without consulting the church." " It was allowed to hold social singings in all the churches if conducted in the order of the Brethren."
Musical instruments about this time gave the congre- gation deep concern. In 1883 it was decided that a mem- ber should not have an organ in the house and the few who have them were given until June 6, 1885, to remove them. At this date, however, a committee, William Howe, Daniel Keller and Solomon Sieber, appointed by
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Snake Spring Valley congregation. Through kindness of Mrs. C. Knisely,
Diagram of appointments made by John B. Fluck for the use of ministers in the
Koons
Ritchey
Baker
Bennett
Knisely
Snyder
Fluck
Snake Spring Valley
Koontz Church
RidgeChurch
Friends Cove
Buck Valley
SnakeSpring Valley
Ridge church .
Friends Cove
BuckValley.
BenneHs
Snyders
Snake Spring Valley
Ridge Church
Friends Cave
Buck Valley
Bennetts
Snyders
Snake Spring Valley
MoontsChuch
Ridge Church
Mountain
Friends Core.
Buckvalley
Bennetts
Snyders
Snake SpringVal.
Koontz Church.
Ridge Church Mountain
Friends Core
Buck Valley
Bennells
Snake Spring Valley
Midge Church
Friends core
Buch Valley
Strakt SpringValley
Ridge Church
Mountain Friends Gove Buck Valley
Bennetts
Snyders
1888
JAN.
FEB.
5
12
MAR.
2511
18
APR
8
22
22
22:
15
MAY
/3
3
2.
20
JUN.
3
3
24.
3
10
JULY
29
15 8 15 291 22
2915.1
AUG.
5
12
26
14
26.6
SEP.
16
2
30
23 9
30
9
23
OCT.
21
28
21
NOV.
1%
11.
4
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DEC.
1.06)
2)
7
2 23
30
16.
23 50
14
... .
Mountain
Bennetts
Koontz Church
Mountain
Snyders
Snyders
Kautz Church
Mountain
Bennetts.
Krantz Church.
snyders
12
N
of Everett.
20.
28
21
Koontz Church
Mountain
in the Middle District of Pennsylvania
the District Meeting in April, 1885, in response to a peti- tion signed by seventy-six names, met with the church and it was "decided that a proper use of the instrument could not be made a test of fellowship." The commit- tee's report was accepted thus: " Positive, 21; Negative, 5 ; Optional, 11."
April 21, 1887, the query, "whether members of our church should unite with the Women's Christian Tem- perance Union," was sent to District Meeting for answer.
About 1880 or earlier, Jacob Koontz, William S. Ritchey, John B. Fluck, and Henry Clapper began to make preaching tours southeast from Everett, about ten miles, because here were located John Snyder and wife Hannah, Nathon Welch and wite Mary A., Anthony Spade and wife Rosa, Abram Garlick and wife Luennia, and other scattered members. The congregation met (Feb. 10, 1883) in the Snake Spring house " to determine the propriety of building the Rays Hill house," later known as Brush Creek or Snyder house, the intent thereby to serve these members so distant from the home church. A locating committee was appointed and two weeks later reported " a suitable location near the Union lot on Enos Wink's land. "Wink sold the land for $13.00, which amount was immediately covered by two subscriptions." Daniel Hershberger, John Baker and John S. Snyder were appointed " to go on and build ac- cording to their best judgment and secure title to the land." John B. Fluck was contractor and builder. This committee had a subscription of $405.00 when they began the building. The house is a frame, 24 x 32 feet, without basement.
For some reason, perhaps the location was not so favorable, after about thirty years use the Snake Spring house did not suit the members and on February 1, 1890, it was decided to build a new church. Fifty-one favored an entire new house while sixteen voted to repair the old one. When it came to location for the new church, "forty voted for location on John S. Baker's land below Samuel Ritchey's, at the old log house and twenty-three favored the old location." At the March meeting it was decided the house should be the same size as the old one, 40 x 60 feet, but sixteen feet high and the basement eight
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A History of the Church of the Brethren
feet high. Building committee: Solomon Hershberger, William Forney and Philip Wyles. The house was com- pleted at a cost of $1,763.99. Brice Sell was the first to preach in the new house.
January 13, 1891, the congregation decided to observe single mode of feet washing.
Then, in 1894, over in Buck's Valley in Fulton County, the seventh church was erected to meet the needs of the
THE SNAKE SPRING HOUSE.
members in that section. John Crawford, Robert Car- son, John Bennett, Peter Mellott, John U. Snyder and John B. Fluck were made a committee "to build, pay for the church and appoint its own treasurer." Robert Carson was made treasurer. The house was erected the following summer. It is a frame structure without basement.
Because of the rapid growth, and needs of the members living in the city of Everett, arrangements were made (Dec. 16, 1893) for them to complete a separate con- gregation.
It was thought wise to set off the territory south of Monroe township, Bedford County, to itself. This was done July 17, 1897. The new congregation adopted the .name Artemas.
July 16, 1898 the "brethren and sisters were admon-
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in the Middle District of Pennsylvania
ished to stay away from county fairs and places of amusement, lest they fall into the judgment of the church."
The members in the "Cove " felt the need of a house
Mrs.+ Mr. H.S.Grimes M.+ Mrs.G. A.Snyder
Mr. Mrs. James Snyder
SOME MEMBERS OF THE SNAKE SPRING VALLEY CONGREGATION.
better adapted to their growing work and in 1904 the present building was put up. The committee to erect it consisted of Solomon Hershberger, Jacob Guyer and Calvin Detwiler. It is a substantial, well arranged frame building 40 x 60 feet, basement, costing $1,800.00, suit-
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A History of the Church of the Brethren
able to hold lovefeasts. On October 1, 1903, David T. Detwiler conducted the dedicatory service.
Likewise the Cherry Lane members outgrew their house, for in 1913 a new one was erected on land given by Daniel Snyder, at a more advantageous location than where the former house stood. The building committee were Aaron Stayer, Elmer Pittman and Andrew Garlick. A good frame house, 40 x 60 feet and kitchen 12 x 20 feet at the back, was dedicated February 23, 1913. Mahlon J. Weaver (using 2 Tim. 2:20 for his text), led in the dedicatory exercises. This gave this group of members a "lovefeast house " and laid the foundation for future growth. In 1924 they were organized into a separate congregation.
To meet the requirements for the Sunday-school the Snake Spring house was remodeled at an expense of $1,200.00. The changes included two Sunday-school rooms at the entrance. On October 26, 1913, the congre- gation assembled for a rededication. Mahlon J. Weaver led in this dedication, using for his text I Kings 8: 1 and Eph. 2 :20-22.
Perhaps there is not another congregation in the brotherhood that has such a record of building meeting houses as Snake Spring Valley. This is due simply to her response to the needs of the several groups in her very large territory.
Bishops presiding :
Isaac Ritchey, Sr. to 1845
Jacob Koons ... Oct. 22, 1881-'03
Jacob Snyder 1845-'48
Without resident bishop. 1848-'72
Andrew Snowberger, Sr. 1872-'74
March 19, 1923
Henry Hershberger, 1875- March 4, 1877
David A. Stayer .. .... . 1923-'24
The following ministers were elected in the Snake Spring Church :
Isaac Ritchey
Jacob Koontz 1869
Jacob Snyder, Jr.
David Clapper 1871
Jacob Steele
William Ritchey 1873
Andrew Snowberger
John Bennett 1876
Isaac Ritchey, Jr.
John Baker 1878
Sylvanus Bennett 1851
John B. Fluck. 1879
Abraham Ritchey 1851
Christian Knisely 1883
Henry Clapper 1858
David Snyder 1887
Henry Hershberger 1863
Solomon Hershberger 1895
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William S. Ritchey. .... 1903-'20 Daniel M. VanHorn, 1920-
in the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Daniel M. VanHorn. 1895 Wilson Hoover 1907
Herman Guyer 1908 Roy Hockenberry
Joseph Snyder
1904
Elmer Butts 1912
Daniel Diebert
1904 Henry Koontz
Jan. 4, 1913
Alva Shuss
1907 Adam Snyder
Jan. 4, 1913
Edward Hershberger
.1907 Dorsey I. Pepple 1917
Deacons : before 1863, Jacob Snyder, Jr., Henry Snyder, Sr., Daniel S. Snyder, Daniel S. Hershberger, John U. Snyder, Daniel B. Snyder, Daniel Shuss, Philip Wyles, James C. Snyder, Solomon Hershberger, George A. Snyder, Joseph F. Snyder, Jacob Hersh- berger, John S. Snyder, David Hershberger; Jan. 1, 1863, Daniel K. Snyder; April 24, 1887, Jacob Guyer, Daniel Guyer; June 8, 1895, Herman Guyer, Samuel Beeler, Andrew Snowberger; October 12, 1913, Roy Dibert, Albert Claar, Andrew Garlick.
SUNDAY-SCHOOL
Tradition has it that a Sunday-school was started by Henry Hershberger in the first Snake Spring Valley Church, built in 1860. This school may have been earlier than the seventies, but after two summers, because of opposition it was forced to close. The elder, Andrew Snowberger, gave it no encouragement. A little later an- other school was opened by George Hershberger in the Valley Mill No. 3 school house. In the course of a few months it was trans- ferred to the church, but opposition drove it back to the school house and finally it was abandoned.
Under date of August 26, 1878 William Forney makes the follow- ing interesting report * of the Snake Spring Sunday-school: "We, the brethren, a few in number, met at the Ritchey schoolhouse on the 2nd day of June, 1878, and organized by electing Christopher Knisely superintendent and George Hershberger assistant superin- tendent. Since Brother Knisely failed to attend, Brother Hersh- berger has taken the superintendency upon himself, and we think the school is in prosperous condition. Our average attendance is about forty-five. Our school is opened by singing and prayer, after which a chapter is read by the school, and then read by the superintendent or some one else, and an opportunity given to each and every one to ask and answer questions upon the same, than close by singing. We use the Brethren's hymn books. We are also taking the "Young Disciple" to distribute among the scholars, and are very much pleased with it."
In 1887 Daniel M. Van Horn, then a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, started a Sunday-school in Valley Mill No. 3 school house. After it was conducted for two years it was ad- mitted into the Snake Spring house and fostered by the congrega- tion. Simon Mixel, its first superintendent, was elected by the con- gregation. In 1898 the school represented at the convention and re- ported enrollment, 110; average attendance, 77; raised $8.50 for supplies for the school; continued seven months of the year. In 1904 it had an average attendance of 62; eight teachers; raised
* See Primitive Christian and Pilgrim, 1878, p. 622.
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A History of the Church of the Brethren
$26.07, of which amount $6.50 was given to missions or charitable purposes, and twenty-one of the scholars were received into the church by baptism. The school became "evergreen " in 1912.
Superintendents : 1870, Henry Hershberger; 1878, George Hersh- berger ; 1887, Daniel M. Van Horn; 1889, Simon Mixel, Solomon Hershberger; 1897-'00, Joseph F. Snyder; 1901, not known; 1902-'03, Isaac Snyder ; 1904, E. Tyson Price; 1905, not known ; 1906, Howard Hershberger; 1907, E. Tyson Price; 1908, Theodore Steele; 1909-'11, Dorsey I. Pepple; 1911-'12, Adam A. Snyder ; 1912-'16, Albert S. Ritchey; 1916-'22, Alva Shuss; 1922-'25, Clayton Z. Diehl.
SISTERS' AID SOCIETY
This society began first in the Willing Workers Sunday-school class of the Snake Spring Valley Sunday-school, consisting of young married women and girls. On April 25, 1921, the congregation recognized the society and it was organized by electing Mrs. Sara Cowen, president; Miss Minnie Snyder, secretary and Mrs. Adam Snyder, treasurer. The presidents have been :
Mrs. Sara Cowan, till January 1, 1922; Mrs. John Snyder, till January 1, 1925.
The total of the Society's efforts, in general terms, are the fol- lowing :
Equipment for the church, such as baptismal suit etc., $10.00; Home Mission, $20.00; Green County, Virginia, Home, $20.00.
DUNNINGS CREEK *
Present Membership, 99.
The foot-hill country of St. Clair and Napier Town- ships, Bedford County, on the eastern slope of the Alle- gheny Mountain is the territory, twelve miles east and west and twenty-five miles north and south, which this congregation assigned to itself even though its north and south lines do not touch boundaries of other congrega- tions of the Brethren. Because Early Yellow Creek (now New Enterprise) extended to the Allegheny Mountain on the west, this was a part of that congregation.
When, on April 1, 1841, George M. Holsinger, a deacon and George Stull, lay-member, moved from Morrison's Cove to Dunnings Creek, they found John Garber, a min- ister too timid to preach, and some half dozen members already located. Whence these came is not known.
* To Blough's History of Western Pennsylvania Churches,-Dunning's Creek, and to Thomas B. Mickle, the reader is indebted for most of the information in this sketch.
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in the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Others moved in shortly and a nucleus for a preaching place was formed.
The little group went to work, too. About 1843, George M. Holsinger and Moses Rogers were called to the min- istry and perhaps Robert Callahan, Senior, was made deacon. Then a friend, Christian Mock whose wife was a member, gave three-quarters of an acre on the Layton road about two miles from Pleasantville as a building
THE MOCK CHURCH, ERECTED IN 1843 OR '44.
site for a church and in 1844 the little group had com- pleted the log house which is still standing and known as Mock Church. At the dedication Leonard Furry spoke. The members were much encouraged. While their ministers were young and inexperienced in the min- istry, much of the preaching was done by Martin Miller, Christian Long and others. But because these spoke in the German and were not readily understood, the congre- gation invited ministers from the Conemaugh congrega- tion near Johnstown to come over and speak to the people in the English. It is related with justifiable pride that such brethren as Levi Roberts, nearly seventy years old and Peter Lutz, much younger, did not shrink from walking the twenty miles over that Allegheny Mountain
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to hold three services over a week-end. Also that every four weeks John Mineely, though crippled, would endure the horseback ride to render a like service.
Because of isolation the little group, through the years, had been holding its own council meetings and lovefeasts in barns. The year 1870 marked a great turn in the life of the church. For in that year they built a "lovefeast house," meaning one with a kitchen and necessary con- veniences for holding the agape. It is known as the Hol-
THE HOLSINGER HOUSE.
singer house, located on the Fyock road leading across the Allegheny to Rummel. The house is 40 x 50 feet, cost the congregation about $500.00, and was dedicated in November, 1870. Henry Clapper preached the dedi- catory sermon.
Following up the enthusiasm which the new house gave, the congregation now numbering fifty decided to organize and did so on January 15, 1871. First it or- dained John S. Holsinger and then chose him as elder. He was thereby the first resident elder in the territory. It also elected Thomas Holsinger, treasurer. Gideon Rogers was a minister in the second degree and John B. Miller in the first.
Though on the eastern slope of the Allegheny Moun- tain, the new congregation was so much nearer the large
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body of members in and around Johnstown that by the consent of both districts it was transferred, about 1874, to the Western district of Pennsylvania.
According to the "Record of the Faithful," * this con- gregation was a part of Western District of Pennsyl- vania. It was organized in 1871 with 50 members. It had two church houses. John S. Holsinger was bishop; George Rogers was in the second and John B. Miller in the first degree of the ministry.
The internal growth of the congregation during the following years is an interesting study. The members, somewhat scattered, wanted places of worship "near
MINISTERS WHO HAVE SERVED IN DUNNINGS CREEK. Left to right: Levi Rogers, Abraham Fyock, George H. Miller, and Thomas B. Mickle.
home." Thus it came about that a house, 30 x 40 feet, was erected at Point. On September 20, 1893, the house was dedicated, John B. Fluck and Michael Claar con- ducting the service. These brethren had been conduct- ing a revival meeting in the house, beginning August 14.1
Then, in 1905, a house, 36 x 50 feet, costing $3,600.00, was erected in New Paris. This was dedicated on De- cember 30, 1905. Brother William J. Swigart preached
* Published by Howard Miller in 1882.
t Gospel Messenger, 1893, p. 636. Report of John B. Miller.
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in the morning, using for his text Hebrew 10: 25. In the evening Charles B. Smith preached.
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