USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Connellsville > Centennial history of the borough of Connellsville, Pennsylvania, 1806-1906 > Part 25
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Rev. John H. Gibson was the next pastor, continuing as such from September 6, 1887, to December 18, 1894. The church was served by supplies from the latter date until the latter part of 1898, when Rev. W. R. Lawrence took charge and remained until the autumn of 1902. A period of discouragement followed. Services were held irregularly. Some members of the Presbytery advised the withdrawal of the financial aid which the church had hitherto received from the Board of Home Missions. The people persevered, however, in the work, manifesting great patience, faith and hopefulness.
November 22, 1903, Rev. J. J. Huston, D. D., entered upon the pastoral care of the church. At his installation Rev. J. A. Douthett preached, and Rev. H. W. Millen and Elder Gill made the customary addresses.
Dr. Huston, still pastor, has been prospered in the work. The congregation has been largely increased in mem- bership, and is united, active and greatly encouraged. The church has become self-sustaining, no longer asking or re- ceiving financial aid from the denominational Board, and contributes its full quota to all the Boards. A Woman's Missionary Society has been formed. The Sabbath school has grown rapidly, and has a large membership. Its offer- ings have greatly increased. The Young People's Union has been organized and is doing a good work.
In 1884 the present house of worship was erected at a
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cost of about $5,000. It stands on ground purchased from Mrs. James Blackstone, North Pittsburgh street, facing Pulaski. James Long, deceased, an elder in the Laurel Hill United Presbyterian church, was a generous contributor to the Connellsville church, and it was largely through his liberality that the church was enabled in 1903 to secure the present substantial and commodious parsonage. It is a brick building, 415 Johnston avenue, and was purchased from David B. Evans for $5,000, of which Mr. Long gave $3,000.
The present officers are: Rev. J. J. Huston, D. D., pastor ; elders, John Mckesson, ordained and installed March 5, 1890; R. A. Hamilton, December 3, 1898; W. E. Shaw and Dr. J. French Kerr, December 4, 1904; trustees, Kell Long, J. A. Mckesson, Albert H. Long, D. P. Patter- son, W. H. Fairlamb and J. A. Wilson.
TRINITY EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
Trinity church is one of the youngest of the religious forces of Connellsville, its beginnings dating back to the summer of 1884, when a little company of earnest people gathered in the home of B. F. Boyts, and discussed the ad- visability of organizing a church of Reformation faith. For a number of years Lutherans had been coming to Con- nellsville seeking homes, but never in such numbers as to warrant the establishment of a church. The more loyal of these newcomers, after the year 1871, interested them- selves in the English Lutheran Sunday school, conducted by a Mr. Wentzler, in the St. John's German church at 9 o'clock every Sunday morning. Many of the English speaking children of the community found a delight in at- tending this Sunday school, and still speak of its services as a pleasant memory. The first pastors of the German church were very favorably disposed toward the English work, and gave it the fullest encouragement. The coming of larger numbers of strict Germans into the community, however, changed conditions and the English speaking
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CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF CONNELLSVILLE
Lutherans found it the part of wisdom to secure a church of their own.
The Somerset County Conference of the Alleghany Synod was appealed to, and Rev. J. F. Shearer, then pastor of Trinity church of Somerset, Pa., after one or two pre- liminary visits, organized them into a regular congregation September 16, 1884. Only nine persons signed the peti- tion to the Court for a charter, so that the charter member- ship includes only that number, but fully thirty other de- voted Lutherans were affiliated with the movement from the beginning.
This organization was effected in Goodchild's store- room on North Pittsburgh street, where services were held for some time. Mr. B. F. Royts was greatly interested in the young church, and acted sometimes as a janitor and man-of-all-work in order to help along the cause. He was elected the first treasurer of the organization, and has held the position with praiseworthy fidelity to the present time.
The Board of Home Missions of the Evangelical Luth- eran church was asked for help and responded very lib- erally. With this help Rev. L. L. Sieber was secured as pastor and served the church from December 1, 1884, to September 1, 1890. During his pastorate the place of hold- ing services was changed to the Newmyer Opera House, then to Newcomer's Hall, and finally to the chapel of the present church building on East Apple street.
The lot for this building was purchased July 28, 1885, for $3,700. The work of building was begun the follow- ing spring; the cornerstone was laid in June, 1886, Rev. W. W. Criley, D. D., conducting the service; the chapel was dedicated March 6, 1887, Rev. F. W. Conrad, D. D., preaching the dedicatory sermon. The whole building was placed under roof, but only the chapel was used for services for a number of years. The congregation was weak, a debt of $7,800 was left upon the building, and the people felt unable to complete it at the time.
The second pastor was Rev. U. A. Hankey, who served
THE THREE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCHES OF CONNELLSVILLE
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from May 1, 1891, to December 1, 1894. Under his min- istry the congregation grew in numbers, and confidence was established in its success. All bills were promptly paid and seven hundred dollars were paid on the debt.
Just when the church seemed to be gathering her strength for a forward movement, sickness compelled the pastor to resign. The third and present pastor is Rev. Ellis B. Burgess, who entered the field May 30, 1895. Dur- ing the summer of that year the church was completed. It was dedicated by Rev. A. S. Hartman, D. D., Rev. John Weidley, D. D., Rev. U. A. Hankey, Rev. J. W. Poffinber- ger and the pastor, amid great rejoicing, December 8, 1895. The church, with the lot, has cost over $20,000, and is now free of debt.
The church became self-supporting May 27, 1900, and today has a confirmed membership of 535. The church has had a Pentecostal growth during the past two years, more than 200 persons having been added to its membership in that time. The Sunday School has a total enrollment of more than three hundred. In addition to these, there is a Home Department of 180 members and a Cradle Roll of 69 members.
The Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society, organized in 1893, has 84 members, and is doing excellent service. The Ladies' Aid Society was organized soon after the beginning of the church, and has raised thousands of dollars for its local support. In the dark days of her his- tory the preservation of the church was credited under God to the devotion of these women.
There is a Senior and Junior Y. P. S. C. E. in connec- tion with the church. Trinity Circle of King's Daughters is another active organization that has done much under the excellent leadership of Miss Mary Brickman to build up the spiritual and benevolent work of the congregation.
THE SLOVAK LUTHERAN CHURCH.
St. Peter's Slovak, Lutheran church was organized in
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the year 1895, by the Rev. C. L. Orbach, of Braddock, Pa. Services were held for about ten years in a two-story brick dwelling, formerly known as the Enos house, No. 210 East Main street, the first floor being remodeled and made into a suitable hall.
The present pastor, Rev. Martin Tomaska, took charge of the congregation and of the mission field in 1897. The congregation is composed of working people, chiefly miners and coke workers. They are scattered through the coke region from Tarr to Fairchance, and westward as far as Jacob's Creek.
In 1905-6 the congregation erected a neat and conven- ient house of worship on Porter avenue, a short distance from South Pittsburgh street, costing $10,000. There are about 750 communicant members. Through the summer from twenty-five to thirty-five children attend the parochial school connected with this church.
The present pastor serves three other charges, one at Irwin, one at Spangler, Cambria county, one at Grassflat, Clearfield county, and holds services at Uniontown, Mt. Pleasant, Greensburg and other points.
THE SOUTH SIDE BAPTIST CHURCH.
This church was constituted in the early part of 1897. For some time the services were held in the Odd Fellows' Hall, Main street. A lot was purchased in 1898 from the heirs of John T. Hogg, deceased, the deed for which is dated June 7, 1898. The lot is on the southwest corner of South Pittsburgh street and Morton avenue. The present well-built and well-arranged brick church was erected in 1901. The dedicatory services were held February 2, 1902. Rev. J. T. Morgan, of Cleveland, O., preached in the fore- noon, a fraternal service was held in the afternoon, and Rev. Mr. Lucher preached in the evening. The present pastor is Rev. Lin M. Jaco.
TRINITY REFORMED CHURCH.
The organization of this church was effected in Odd
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Fellows' Hall, East Main street, on the 22nd day of Janu- ary, 1899, with 22 members. It was under the supervision of Rev. Dewalt S. Fouse, D. D., Superintendent of the Gen- eral Synod's Board of Home Missions of the Reformed Church in the United States.
Rev. Andrew J. Heller, D. D., by the authority and under the direction of the Board of Missions, had prepared the way for the founding of the congregation, and he was subsequently, on the 5th day of March, 1899, installed pas- tor of the congregation, by a committee of Westmoreland Classis, consisting of Revs. E. D. Meixell and H. S. Garner. The first consistory was composed of William M. Ankeny, elder, and Solomon Lepley and J. S. Miller, deacons. The congregation received its charter from the Court of Com- mon Pleas of Fayette county, August 12, 1899. The con- gregation worshipped in Odd Fellows' Hall until December 1, 1899. Its house of worship, erected on the northeast corner of Pittsburgh and Green streets, was dedicated Janu- ary 1st, 1900. Rev. Thos. S. Land, of Manor, Pa., preached the sermon. Revs. E. D. Meixell, of Scottdale; D. A. Sou- ders, of Irwin; J. H. Mickley, of Johnstown, and H. S. Garner, of Greensburg, were present and took part in the service. Dr. Heller is still pastor. The present consistory consists of the following: Elders, Wm. M. Ankeny, Rus- sell K. Smith and B. F. Rudolph; deacons, O. Stanley Gettys, Chas. A. Purbaugh and Chas. A. Burton.
This church has a fine location, and has encouraging prospects. Valuable aid has been given in the work of the church by the Young Peoples' Society, the Women's Mis- sionary Society and the Sabbath. School.
THE UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH.
The denomination to which this congregation belongs adopted, at its Conference in 1800, the name, United Breth- ren in Christ. The congregation in Connellsville was or- ganized in the month of January, 1901, in a vacant store room on South Pittsburgh street, between Baldwin and
Forest
THE TRINITY REFORMED CHURCH THE SOUTH SIDE BAPTIST CHURCH
3. THE UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH
4. THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
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Crawford avenues. The charter members, nine in number, were L. H. Fitzmeier, H. W. Bridegum, J. Smith Detwiler, James Sivits, P. C. Stillwagon, Elizabeth Fitzmeier, Emma Bridegum, Lorena Detwiler and Rosa Sivits. The first official Board was as follows: Trustees, L. H. Fitzmeier, H. W. Bridegum, J. S. Detwiler and James Sivits. The presiding elder of the West District of Allegheny Confer- ence, Rev. L. W. Stahl, appointed J. K. Huey to serve as pastor until the next annual conference, September, 1901.
In the summer of 1901 the trustees purchased ground on the southwest corner of Crawford avenue and Race street, with a view of building a church thereon.
During Rev. Huey's pastorate of less than eight months the congregation had encouraging growth, a membership of 51 being reported to the annual Conference. Rev. J. H. Pershing, D. D., was appointed at that Conference, and served one year, during which time 12 new members were added to the church. The property on the corner of Craw- ford avenue and Race street was sold to the Steam Laun- dry Co. in the spring of 1902, and two lots were purchased on the north side of Crawford avenue, facing Race street. The erection of the present church and parsonage was be- gun early in the summer of 1902, and the work was com- pleted in January, 1903. The church contains an audito- rium, 34 by 46 feet, and a Sabbath School room underneath, 34 by 25. The parsonage is connected with the church, has six rooms and a reception hall. The whole structure is of brick, occupies a conspicuous position and cost about $10,000.
Rev. W. V. Barnhart, the present pastor, was appointed by Conference September, 1902, and took charge at once. On its completion the church was dedicated the first Sab- bath of February, 1903. The dedicatory service was con- ducted by Rev. W. R. Funk, D. D., of Dayton, Ohio, Pub- lishing Agent of the denomination, assisted by the pastor and by Rev. S. W. Keister, of Mount Pleasant, Pa., at that time the presiding elder of the district.
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During 1905 a successful effort was made to remove the debt of the church, and a thanksgiving service was held Sabbath, September 17, 1905, to celebrate the happy achieve- ment. The two former pastors were present, Rev. Huey preaching in the morning and Dr. Pershing in the evening. The presiding elder, S. W. Keister, and one of the local ministers, were also present, and assisted in the services. At the close of the evening service the pastor called the trus- tees to the platform and while they stood in a half circle about him he burned the mortgage with red fire, after which the large audience joined heartily in the Long Metre dox- ology. The membership is above 250 at the present time. The present Board of Trustees consists of the following per- sons: H. W. Bridegum, president; L. H. Fitzmeier, sec- retary; A. S. Ridenour, treasurer; J. L. Sisley, John F. Kooser, J. S. Detwiler and James Kiddie.
MOUNT CARMEL ITALIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
This congregation was established in the early part of 1903, through the energetic and self-sacrificing efforts of Rev. Carmine Fienelli, the first pastor. A convenient and neat frame church was built and dedicated within a few months. It is located on Baldwin avenue, near Carnegie avenue. On Wednesday evening, Dec. 23, 1903, Father Fienelii lost his life in the wreck of the Duquesne Limited train on the B. and O. railroad at Laurel Run, below Daw- son. He was returning from Pittsburgh, where he had been buying gifts, decorations and sweetmeats for a chil- dren's entertainment on Christmas. He was buried in the Catholic cemetery in Connellsville. The present pastor is Rev. Joseph diSabato, who serves a large and growing con- gregation.
ST. EMORY HUNGARIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
In January, 1903, steps were taken for the establish- ment of a church for the Hungarian or Magyar Catholics of this vicinity, by Peter Rutsek, of Connellsville, and Emory Brutoczki, of Adelaide, Pa. Bishop Phelan, of the diocese
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of Pittsburgh, gave permission for the calling of a priest August 18, 1903. Accordingly, Rev. Adalbert Lorick, of Budapest, Hungary, was called September 20, 1903. Rev. Lorick accepted the call, arrived in Connellsville March 31, 1904, and was received into the Pittsburgh diocese April 1, 1904. The congregation was organized by Rev. Lorick May 8, 1904, and the building of the church was begun August 1, 1904. The cornerstone was laid October 9, 1904. The church was dedicated July 16, 1905. It is a one-story brick structure on Arch street, north of Porter avenue. It has a spire surmounted by a cut glass Mosaic cross. The "blessing of the bells" took place on Sabbath, June 3, 1906. Eight societies from as many places paraded the streets, and an impressive service was held in the church, after which the procession formed again and went to the new Hungarian cemetery, where the prayers of the congregation were offered for the dead. There are two bells, one of which bears the name of St. Emory, the other St. George. The cemetery ground adjoins Chestnut Hill cemetery, and was purchased April 8, 1906. The congregation is com- posed of about 130 Hungarian families living at different points in Fayette and Westmoreland counties, with about 800 members.
THE CHURCH OF GOD ( WINEBRENNARIAN ).
This, the youngest church at the present time in the borough, was established March, 1905. Meetings were held for several months in the homes of the members. A one-story frame house of worship was built on the north- west corner of Murphy avenue and Park street. There is a membership of about fifty. The Sabbath school has an average attendance of 60, and there are 18 members in the Christian Endeavor Society. The congregation is hopeful and active. The first pastor was Rev. Sylvester Fulmer, serving from March to October, 1905. The second pastor was Rev. Jonathan S. Boyd, from October, 1905, to Octo- ber, 1906. The present pastor is Rev. David A. Stevens, who took charge in October, 1906.
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SOUTH CONNELLSVILLE CHURCHES.
Several church organizations have existed in former days in what was formerly called White Rock or Gibson, but now called South Connellsville, a comparatively exten- sive suburb of the borough of Connellsville. About 1878 a United Brethren organization was formed and services were held in the school house, the only public building at the time in the community. This work was directed successively by Revs. Lane, Stahl and Workman, but was discontinued in or about the year 1883.
Five or six years later a revival occurred in connection with services held by local workers, and resulted in the for- mation of a religious society known as "Christ's Gospel Union," and the erection of a frame house of worship on Pittsburgh street, nearly opposite the Gibson school house. This work was also discontinued after a few years. The building was leased by a White Rock Methodist Protestant mission in 1891, in charge of Rev. A. R. Seaman, who was followed by Rev. John E. Allgood, at the close of whose ad- ministration in 1895 or 1896 the work ceased.
In May, 1897, the Welsh United Congregational church was organized with thirty members. Rev. R. A. Morgan became the pastor, with the following deacons: Benjamin T. Williams, secretary; Thos. Jones, treasurer; Griffith Thomas, Wm. Rees, Wm. Evans and Joshua J. Evans. In November, 1901, Rev. R. A. Morgan left, and a call was given Rev. Richard Powell. Mr. Powell accepted the call, and took charge March 9, 1902, the church built by the "Gospel Union" having been secured for the services of the congregation. Under the faithful labors of this pastor, cor- dially assisted by the officers and members, the membership increased until it reached 80. The church has a Sabbath School, a Ladies' Aid Society, a Christian Endeavor Society and a Band of Willing Workers. The work goes on with earnestness, though the long shut-down of the tin mill, in which most of the male members of the congregation have been employed, has occasioned great loss. The services are in both Welsh and English.
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The Evangelical Church is another organization at work in the same field, dating from 1898 when Rev. E. E. Crouse, the first pastor, was sent by the annual Conference. Joseph Soisson, of Connellsville, presented the church with a lot on Wine street, east of Pittsburgh for a house of wor- ship. The cornerstone was laid in March, 1900, and the building was completed and opened for service in July of the same year. The annual Conference met in the church the following September, at which time the church was made a station, and Rev. W. E. Bassett was appointed pastor. He served the congregation until September, 1902, when Rev. W. H. McLaughlin was appointed to the work, serv- ing until September, 1905, when Rev. W. E. Bassett was returned and is now pastor. The church has been pros- pered, and the membership has reached 200. A Woman's Missionary Society helps in the education of a student in the Bible Woman's Training School, Tokio, Japan, and in other work of the Missionary Board. The Young People's Alliance numbers 65 members. The officers of the church are: W. E. Bassett pastor; S. S. Kern, W. S. Ringer, John Trombly, trustees; Ira Miller, John Hartman, George Hartman, stewards.
NEW HAVEN CHURCHES.
TRINITY PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
In the first part of this chapter, we have given some ac- count of this congregation when its services were held in Connellsville. In the year 1832 the present house of wor- ship was built on the corner of Main and Fifth streets, New Haven, and opened for public worship. The date of the formal organization of the church is not positively known, but the erection of the meeting house put the work upon a more substantial basis than it had hitherto had, and its dedi- cation was doubtless an occasion of great interest and satis- faction to the congregation.
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The ground was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Rog- ers, who, in addition, contributed liberally to the building. A beautiful memorial window has been placed in the church in memory of Mrs. Rogers' kindly gifts and deeds. Later James McIlvaine presented a church bell and a large brick dwelling house for a rectory. The rectory is located on Fourth street, south of Main. Still later, a chapel or Sab- bath School building was added to the church by Dr. and Mrs. Ellis Phillips as a memorial of a deceased child. Through a legacy from the late James McIlvaine, "the parish enjoys the benefit of two endowments."
In recent years the congregation has sustained heavy losses in the removal of many of the old and honored fami- lies whose names had long been associated with the work of the church, among them the Hogg, Phillips, Wharton, McCormick, Gutelius and Gibson families. Since the build- ing of the New Haven church, the following ministers have had charge: Revs. Silas Freeman, J. J. Kerr, J. J. Mc- Elhinney, Wm. Arnott, Kensey Johns Stewart, whose con- nection with educational work has been spoken of in our chapter on the schools; Edward Walker, Wm. J. Hilton, N. M. Jones, Samuel Cowell, J. G. Furey, H. T. Wilcoxon, Geo. Hall, C. N. Quick, Faber Billesby, Richard S. Smith, G. C. Rafter, J. H. McCandless, S. S. Chevers, G. W. Eas- ter, Timothy O'Connell, W. G. Stonex, J. L. Taylor, J. T. Hargreaves and T. S. Cartwright, D. D.
After ten years of laborious work, Dr. Cartwright was released October 1, 1906, and returned to England, the land of his birth and early ministry. The church has not as yet secured a rector in his stead. The vestrymen at present are: George A. Torrence, William Sansom, John B. Frost, Joseph S. Bryner, Earl Vanatta, George N. Woods and Wade E. Hews. Of these persons, George A. Torrence and William Sansom are wardens, Earl Vanatta secretary and John B. Frost treasurer. A Sabbath School and sev- eral auxiliary societies have been in existence for many years.
THE THREE PROTESTANT CHURCHES OF NEW HAVEN
1. TRINITY EPISCOPAL 2. MOUNT ZION BAPTIST 3. A. M. E. ZION
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Members of the African race came into this region with the first settlers. For the most part they came as servants or slaves, with the people from Virginia, Mary- land and even from Eastern Pennsylvania, slavery being still in existence in Pennsylvania. In the Act for the grad- ual abolition of slavery in Pennsylvania, passed by the As- sembly in 1780, the provisions were such that as late as 1840 sixty-four slaves were still living in the State. Among the first settlers who held slaves were Col. William Crawford and his brother Valentine, Providence Mounts and Isaac Meason. The registers show that Zachariah Connell had two slaves, and that a Presbyterian minister, Rev. James Finley, of Rehoboth and Round Hill, had eight, to whose religious welfare he gave much attention, and for whose future support he made provision in his will. The colored people attended service, as a rule, with the whites, and in some cases were members of the same religious organiza- tions. In the Redstone circuit of the Methodist Episcopal church, in 1790, there were 334 whites and six colored. In 1800 there were eight colored members in that circuit; in 1810, there were 16. In later years the colored people be- gan holding meetings of their own. They held them often in the Quaker Graveyard school house, and often in the old White school house in New Haven. At a meeting of the Connellsville School Board, April 11, 1859, a request was made by the colored people for permission "to hold meet- ings for Christian worship" in the Pinnacle school house. The request was granted, on condition that "the meetings be held on the Lord's day in the day time." There are no colored churches in Connellsville. There are two, however, at the present time in New Haven.
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