USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > History of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania > Part 25
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The old log meeting-house in Halifax was probably the first Methodist edifice in the county, and was built in 1806. The Meth- odist Society is one of the two church organizations of the place to- day. They have a good building.
259
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
DAUPHIN CHURCHES.
A Presbyterian congregation was formed April 6, 1850, when twenty-three members entered into solemn articles of covenant and faith. Prior to this Rev. Dr. DeWitt, of Harrisburg, preached here occasionally in the school-house and at the old "Hill Church." Rev. George R. Moore came June 21, 1848, to officiate; he was or- dained the following October and formed the Society. The church was dedicated May 12, 1850. John W. Patton, of Philadelphia, donated a fine bell, and Miss Monroe and others of Wilmington, Delaware, donated a communion set. The pastors came as fol- lows: George R. Moore, 1848; Rev. Davis, Rev. D. C. Meeker, 1876; Rev. R. F. McClain, 1885; Rev. F. M. Baker, 1889; Rev. Robert F. McClain, 1900; Rev. P. H. Hershey, 1903. Present pastor, Robt. F. Sterling.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was taken from Halifax in 1838. A good frame church was erected in 1837. This was burned January 12, 1888, and a new modern-styled brown-stone edifice was erected the same year, valued at $7,000.
Zion's Lutheran Church first worshiped at "Hill Church," but in September, 1849, decided to build in town, and that year com- menced work on a lot of Mrs. Gross. It was a joint affair be- tween the Lutheran and Reformed Churches. The corner stone was set August 10, 1850, and the dedication took place February 2, 1851. The Evangelical Alliance built in 1872. The pastors of Zion's Lutheran Church since the year 1882, have been: Revs. G. B. Fisher, D. W. Bickler, J. M. Shoop, D. F. Kostenbader, H. D. Kriedler, G. A. K- -, S. N. Dissinger, R. F. Andrew, L. O. Wiest, and M. L. Heister.
In Middle Paxton township, outside of Dauphin, the United Evangelical church built a neat frame house in 1898, known as (Trinity) or "Fishing Creek" church. The same denomination built a church at Uniontown (Pillow postoffice) about 1898, and also one at Williamstown and one in Lower Paxton.
CHURCHES OF HUMMELSTOWN.
The United Brethren began to have preaching at Hummels- town as early as 1840, services being held at private houses of those of this faith. In 1842 a congregation was formed, Conrad Smith being a leading spirit in the movement. In 1843 a neat stone chapel was erected and on the same site another was built in 1857 of brick. Among the early pastors were: Revs. Miller, Kephart, Far- rell, Carpenter, Stehrwalt, Smith, Meily, Loose, Light, Garland,
260
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
J. D. Killian, Z. A. Wiedler, 1886; Rev. Bowman, 1888; J. B. Shelly, 1888-91 ; J. M. Mumma, 1891-93; L. R. Kramer, 1893-96; J. A. Lytler, 1896-99; E. O. Burtner, 1899, and A. A. Long, who was pastor in 1907. The brick edifice built in 1857 still serves. It has been remodeled in its interior, however, and fully meets the present day requirements.
Methodist Episcopal: In 1857 out of the Dauphin circuit was formed Hummelstown station. Among the pastors who have served at this point are: Revs. Gregg, 1857; C. L. Stineman, 1858; Gideon J. Barr, 1859; John C. Gregg, 1860; Jacob Slichter, 1861-63; J. O. Sypherd, 1863; M. Barnhill, 1864-66; F. M. Brady, 1866-69; L. Hubbs, 1869-72 ; E. Potts, 1872; J. M. Gable, 1873-76; Richard Kaines, 1876-79; J. T. Gray, 1879; Jonathan Dungan, 1880-82; George Alcorn, J. M. Wheeler, Thomas Mac- lary, Walter L. Shaw, Willmer Coffman, Edward Cline, E. F. Hawn, E. R. Williams, F. C. Spencer, E. W. Rushton, F. J. An- drus, H. F. Hamer, G. C. Gray. The last-named came in 1906 and was still serving in 1907.
In 1852 a church was organized as the Dauphin and Hum- melstown Mission. The church was erected in 1852-53, a neat frame structure. The congregation is small, but a very devout people. At present they are supplied with preaching by different students from college towns.
The Church of God (Bethel) was formed in 1874. The first two years' services were held in the Engine Hall. In 1876, on South Railroad street, was erected a brick church. The first pastor was S. P. Stoneseifer. Owing to changes this society finally abandoned the field and a few years ago sold their church property.
The Dunkards have a society here and a neat frame chapel, near the town.
Zion's Evangelical Lutheran congregation was organized in 1765, and the first church edifice, a log structure, was completed May 16, 1766. The church receipts for building the meeting- house and all other purposes from 1765 to 1768 were £140 18s. 6d., and the expenditures £127 2s. 4d. The original building stood some twenty or thirty feet from the present edifice, and was de- stroyed by fire in December, 1817. David Eckstein was the paro- chial schoolmaster from 1792 to 1805, and kept school in the old log church. The present stone church was erected in 1815 and 1816 and remodeled in 1855, making it now one of the most at- tractive church edifices in the county. All that can be learned from the few fragments left of its early history is that Maj. Frederick Hummel was the chief member of the building committee, and that
261
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
Rev. Michael Enterline served the church as pastor until 1780, and during his administration baptized seventy-one children, con- firmed eighteen catechumens, and administered the communion to one hundred and forty-eight persons. Among the early pastors were: 1771-81, Michael Enterline; 1781-95, William Kurtz; April 15, 1804, to April 5, 1807, John Frederick Ernst; April 5, 1807, to June 23, ISII, John Paul Ferdinand Kramer; June 23, 18II, to June, 1819, John Henry Vanhof; June, 1819, to October 6, 1822, Charles Rudolph Denime; October 6, 1822, to December 5, 1830, Peter Scheurer; December 5, 1830, to October 27, 1854, Henry G. Stecher; October 27, 1854, to November 1, 1856, George Haines ; November 1, 1856, to February 1, 1857, John F. Probst; 1857-61, A. S. Link; 1861-67, Eli Huber; 1867-73, P. Rizer; July I, 1873, to 1877, P. S. Mack; 1877-85, J. H. Leeser; 1885-90, I. B. Crist; 1890-1900, H. S. Snyder; 1900-5, L. C. Manger. D. Burt Smith was still pastor in 1907.
In 1891 the society completed one of the finest church build- ings in Dauphin county. It is a large brown-stone edifice costing many thousand of dollars.
Reformed Church: When Frederick Hummel laid out the town in 1762, he set apart a lot to the Reformed congregation for church purposes. The first building was a log house, built jointly by the Lutheran and Reformed congregations. It was burned De- cember, 1817. They built a church of their own in 1855, which is still in use. Rev. Philip Gloninger, of Harrisburg, served the con- gregation from 1808 to 1824. Under his pastoral care the elders were Peter Heffelfinger, Sr., and Henry Seig: Deacons, Jacob Duey, Sr., and Samuel Brightbill. His successor was Rev. Joseph La Ross, who married here Miss Elizabeth Earnest, and after several years' faithful ministry removed to Bloomsburg, Columbia county. He was followed by Rev. Samuel Seibert, who continued some years, and resigned in favor of Rev. Daniel Bossler, who preached for some seventeen years every four weeks in German. He was suc- ceeded in 1853 by Rev. D. G. Heisler, who continued until 1856. The religious services up to 1853 were conducted in the German language only, but after that, under Rev. Mr. Heisler, were alter- nately in English and German. Up to 1855 the congregation worshiped in the Lutheran Church, first in the log edifice burned in 1817, and afterwards in the stone building erected in 1815-16. In 1855, the Lutherans having decided to remodel their church edifice, the Reformed congregation was compelled to vacate, and removed temporarily to what was then known as the Middle school-house. On the 8th of January, 1855, it resolved to erect a church edifice,
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HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
the corner-stone of which was laid in the following May by Rev. Mr. Leinbach, Rev. Messrs. Gans, Kremer, and Huster participat- ing in the ceremonies. The dedication occurred December 23, 24, 25, 1855. This church cost $5,221. Rev. D. G. Heisler con- tinued until 1857. The next pastor, Rev. M. A. Smith, came in December, 1857, and continued until 1866. At this time the charge consisted of congregations known as Shoop's, Wenrich's, Union De- posit, and Hummelstown, with preaching here every two weeks.
The next pastor, Rev. Samuel Kuhn, came in the spring of 1867, and continued until 1877, when he resigned. No pastor for some time, preaching being supplied by the students of Franklin College. During this year the church was made a separate charge, and in May, 1877, Rev. A. R. Bartholomew was installed pastor, who remained until the fall of 1878, when he accepted a call to Jonestown, after which came the following pastors: Revs. A. R. Thompson, A. S. Stauffer, J. F. Moyer, R. W. Miller, J. Grant Walter, G. Gerhard, Louis C. Hornish, Rev. John P. Dieffender- fer.
EARLIEST MENNONITE CHURCH IN COUNTY.
About one mile east of Highspire is an old Mennonite church. The ground upon which it stands adjoins the old Crouch-Jordan farm, known as "Walnut Bottom," and it was taken from the Freshford farm, which was patented December 4, 1804, to John Mumma, Sr., and contained two hundred and twelve acres. Janu- ary 15, 18II, he sold one hundred and twenty-one acres to his son John, Jr. May 9, 1816, John Jr. and wife sold thirty-seven square perches to John Nissly, Sr., Martin Nissly, Christian Mum- ma and Henry Gaymon, members of the old Mennonite Society, for "as long as they and their heirs and successors possess and con- fess to the old Mennonite Creed, or Society," and conditioned that "there shall be a house built on said lot, with money of the several members of the Society, whose names are hereto annexed, with the amount of money by each subscriber, viz .: John Nissly, $30, owned the Rutherford farm; Christian Roop, $20, brother of the U. B. preacher; Martin Nissly, $40, father of Judge Felix; Jacob Nissly, $40; John Mumma, $20, grandfather of Isaac; Christian Mumma, $30, Isaac's father; Martin Nissly, $35, big Mart's father; John Wilhelm, $15; Rudolph Martin, $20, owned farm below H. S. Wilson; John Nissly, $20; Henry Strickler, $20, of Derry town- ship; Ulrich Strickler, $20, of Derry township; Henry Horst, $20, below Middletown, Londonderry; Jacob Oberholtzer, $5; Jacob
263
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
Roop, $20, (Rev. Jacob) ; John Nissly, $10; Jacob Heicher, $5, grandfather of M. U. H .; Isaac Long, $15, owned I. Mumma farm; John Landis, $8; Henry Herr, $10. To be occupied as a church and school house. Dated December 10, 1815."
In size, the church was about twenty by thirty feet, with a low story and coned roof and erected of logs, but afterward weather- boarded and painted red. It stood for fifty-seven years, when it was torn down, and in 1873 a new one-story brick building was erected. In it occasional services are held.
The first minister out of the congregation was John Mumma, Sr., the ancestor of that family in Dauphin county. Afterward Andrew Miller became one of the ministers for this congregation; he resided and farmed north of Middletown on land now owned by the estate of the late Colonel James Young. In 1856 Nathaniel Shope, a native of Paxtang, was by lot selected as one of the minis- ters, and in 1863 was ordained bishop in the church. He resided and died on his farm, known now as the Henry Gaymon farm, lo- cated about one mile northeast of "White House." Mr. Gaymon was Mr. Shope's father-in-law. The last minister to be drawn from this congregation was Henry, a son of Bishop Shope.
HARRISBURG CHURCHES.
To the Reformed and Evangelical Lutheran Churches belongs the honor of organizing and erecting the first church building in
The frame building on opposite side is the first church erected in the borough of Harrisburg, used jointly by Zion Lutheran Church and Salem Reformed Church.
Harrisburg. This was effected in 1787, and the log church stood on lot No. 187,-the corner of Chestnut and Third streets, and was donated by John Harris, founder of the city. The first records
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HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
of the Reformed Church bear date October 18, 1788. Many of them are produced in the appendix to this work, as translated from the German. The spelling in the English records is copied from the original records.
From this pioneer but truly devout beginning has grown up the high type of religious sentiment which one finds prevailing in Harrisburg, which city now supports about eighty church organiza- tions.
REFORMED CHURCHES.
Quite early in the eighteenth century large numbers of emi- grants from the Palatinate made a settlement in Pennsylvania. By no means did these God-fearing people leave their religion beyond the big seas, but came as true worshipers, and brought with them their Bible, hymn-book and church catechism, and when a sufficient number had arrived in any one locality, congregations were organ- ized in different sections of the Province. Ministers were then in- vited to come and dwell with them, or visit them, as the case de- manded. By these good men of God the early settlers were per- mitted to have their children baptized according to their own pecu- liar faith and mode.
In 1746 application was made to the mother church for a pas- tor, and Rev. Michael Schlatter, of St. Gall, Switzerland, was sent to the Province, arriving in Philadelphia on September 6, 1747, and at once entered upon his labors. On the 23rd of the same month he came to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He continued his gracious labors as preacher and organizer in that and adjoining counties, extending his visits as far as Frederick City, Maryland. Wherever he went he preached the Word of Life, baptized, and held communion services, uniting the various societies, and more closely connecting them with the mother church of the Fatherland.
At this time no church building had been erected at Harris- burg, but all denominations worshiped together, when a minister came, in the one-story log school-house then standing at the foot of Capital Hill, on the north corner of Third and Walnut streets. When the town was laid out the pioneer settlers took measures for the erec- tion of a church building, and John Harris, the town's founder, granted lot No. 187 on the town plot, situated at the corner of Chestnut and Third streets, for that purpose. The subjoined is a copy of the English and also the German subscription list for the erection of the "first church in Harrisburg." :
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
We, the subscribers, do each of us promise to pay, or cause to be paid, unto John Norton, Christian Gunckel, George Redig, and Henry Brunner, or their order, on demand, the sums annexed to each of our names respectively, to be held and appropriated by the said John Norton, Christian Gunckel, George Redig, and Henry Brun- ner in purchasing materials for and in building a church and school- house in some convenient part of the town of Harrisburg for the use of the subscribers. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands, with the sums annexed, this 12th day of March, A. D. 1787.
ENGLISH LIST.
£. s. d.
£. s. d.
Christian Gunckel
2 0
Dec. 21, 1787, Mr. Henry O
J. Montgomery
O 15 0 paid in part his sub-
Moses Gilmor 0 IO 0 scription; three dollars
John Hamilton I IO
remains.
John Brooks
O IO O
Jacob Zimmerman 0 3 9
John A. Hanna
0 15 O
Thomas Hartley, upon re- flection, in addition O
7 6
Michael Capp 0 I5 0
John Joseph Henry
2 12 6 Peter Hoofnagle
O 15 0
John Titsworth 0
UI
O
Jonathan McClure, Esq. . O Henrich Eilman O
5
0
Henry Fulton
0 IO O
Benjamin Bomberger 0
0
2
6
Alexander Power
0 I7 6 George Rabsom
O 15
O
George Dieffebach 0 I 5 O
Stephen Stevenson 0 IO 0 Andrew Forrest O
7
6
George Fackler
0 I5 0
Jacob Henning
O
7
6
F. O'Ferral (run off)
O IO O James Duncan
O
7
6
Samuel Grimes
0 7
6
Richard R. King (his X mark )
O
7
6 Jacob
O
5
6
Adam Boyd
0
7
6 George Hartman
0
5
O
John Hoge
O
7
6 Hanes Flickinger 0
15
5 O
John Ebert
I IO O
Charles Bauermeister 0
5
O
Michael Bohl
0
3
9
John Boyd C
7
6
Christian Schwink
O
6
O Richard Dixon O
7
6
Henrich Bohl
O
5
O McClelland & Reynolds O
7
6
James McNamee O
7
6 Adam Natcher
o
7
6
Alexander Graydon
0 15 0 Martin Bundlagel O
7
6
Alexander Barr
0
5 O
William Crabb
0
7
6
James Sawyers
O
7
6 J. Hubley
0
15
O
Robert Barr
O
5 O John McChesney
0
7
6
George Frier
O
5
O Joseph Smith
0
7
6
Jeremiah Rees
O IO
O Johannes Herse
I
2
6
Due in cash
O
2
6 Charles Stewart
O IO 0
Thomas Hartley
O 7
6 Peter Hershey
O
7
6
8
4
Samuel Berryhill
0
7 6
7
6
Robert Stevenson
O
7 6 Michael Ansbach
William Gleht
7
6
Andrew Armstrong ( hart gelt) 0 I
8
Samuel Boyd
O
15 0
F. Lang
Stephen Chambers 0 15
7
John Kean 0 I5 O
265
266
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
£. s. d.
£. s. d.
David Montgomery O 7 6 George Benedick O II 3
John Wilkes Kittera
I5 0 William Kelso O
5 0
Jasper Yeates, Esq. . . 0 15 0 McLuebb Pfarrer
6 0 2 Frederick Schweitzer ein Tag Holz geschleft ... 0 15
Haben wir Emfangen von der Kord (court) vor die Kirch in Harrisburg 4 10 O hab ich emfangen vor den
John Spayd O 7
6 ueberrest von Stein und
Frederick Kleckner O
9
O Kalck vor die Kirch zu
Johans Koeller
O
5
0 bauen 0 5 0
GERMAN LIST.
£. s. d.
£. s. d.
Henrich Brunner
I IO O Frantz Leru
I 2 6
Jacob Zollinger
1 IO
0 Michael Wolf
O
2
6
George Fritley
I IO O Cornelius Cox
O
7
6
Vallentein Horter
I IO O
Thomas Forster
O
5 O
Karl O
7
6
George Schuetz
O
7
6
Henrich Henninger (off) 0 15 O Michel Kab
0
15
0
John Phul 0 15 O
Conrad Bombaugh 0
15 0
Johannes Dentzel I 15 O Peter Bollinger (run off)
O
0
0
Georg Schoederin I IO 0 Jacob Welschans O
5
7
Frederick Clackner 0
9 O Henrich Boeder
O
5 O
Jacob Silsel (run off) 0 15 O
Jacob Weber
0 15 0
John Hocker
0 15 O
Michael Filbi
0 15
Jacob Weber darauf be- zahlt 0 12
6
Johannes Huessner
0 I5 O
Michael Kab emfangen .. 0 12
6
George Leru
0 I5
O
o
George Hoyer
2 O
C
A sufficient sum having been secured, a log church was built, with a front of thirty-five feet on Third street, and a depth of thirty- five feet on Cherry alley. The lot had a front of about fifty-two feet on Chestnut street, and was two hundred and ten feet on Cherry alley. As the church was to be used by all denominations, the subscription list very properly recited that the edifice was "for the use of the subscribers," and for many years clergymen of different denominations officiated in it. A majority of the persons who af- fixed their names to the list, however, were those who professed the doctrines of Martin Luther and Ulric Zwingle; the building was owned, occupied and usually worshiped in by the German Re- formed and Evangelical congregations. In fact, this church union continued until 1814, when the Lutherans built their church between Market and Chestnut streets, on Fourth street. They sold their in- terest in the old church of logs and the lot on which it stood, in 1816, for one thousand dollars. In 1791 the same two denomina- tions erected a school house on the same lot.
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HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
After the death of John Harris his heirs released for five shil- lings all their interest in the church lot to the trustees of the Re- formed and Lutheran churches. The first pastor of the Reformed Church was Rev. A. Hauntz, and of the Lutheran, Rev. F. D. Schaeffer. The first records of this church bear date October 18, 1788. In March, 1812, Rev. Philip Gloninger, George Hoyer, Frederick Kelker, Nicholas Ott and Frederick Boas purchased of Joseph Allen lot 186, adjoining the old church property, for $1,400, for the exclusive use of the German Reformed Church. April I, 1816, the German Reformed congregation purchased for $1,000 the interest held by the Lutherans in the old church lot and build- ings. July 3, 1818, the German Reformed Salem Church of Harris- burg was incorporated by the following persons: Trustees-Chris- tian Schaeffer, John Zinn; Elders, George Wetherholt, John Kelk- er; Deacons-John Horter, John S. Wiestling, George Kunkle, Ja- cob Hise; Members-M. Rahm, A. Dorsheimer, George Hoyer, Henry George, Jacob Miesch, Jacob Cunkle, Jacob Hoyer, Jacob Bucher, George Snyder, Frederick Beisel, Joseph Doll, John Hen- ning, Henry Frey, Henry Weltshover, Jacob Balsley, Frederick Kelker, David S. Forney, Jacob Steinman, Jacob Greenawalt, Peter Bachman, Jacob Kunkle, Samuel C. Wiestling, Jr., Samuel Swartz, Conrad Knepley, Michael Derstein, Nicholas Ott, John Horn, Dav- id Beissel, Peter Snider, Daniel Snider, John A. Stehley.
January 15, 1821, at a meeting held in the old church, at which Frederick Kelker presided and John S. Wiestling acted as secretary, it was resolved to erect a new church, fronting on Chestnut street, and the following persons were selected to act as a committee on subscriptions : John Bucher, John Kelker, John Zinn, John S. Wiest- ling, Rev. John Winebrenner, John Horter, Frederick Kelker, Con- rad Knepley. Three weeks later they reported six thousand dollars in cash and subscriptions, and the vestry were instructed to contract for a building. March 8, 1821, a contract was let to Samuel Pool and Henry V. Wilson for the erection of a brick church sixty by seven- ty-five feet, with a tower one hundred and ten feet to the top of the wood work. The building was to be completed by July 1, 1822, and $8,000 was the price. In order to bring about this end the old log school house and the brick building had to be torn down. The corn- er-stone of the new structure was laid with imposing ceremonies on June 11, 1821. A bell procured in London, weighing 677 pounds and costing $346.56, was hung in the tower, June 21, 1822. It bore this inscription : "T. Mears, of London, Fecit, 1822;" "May all whom I may summon to the grave the blessing of a well-spent life receive." The church was dedicated August 4, 1822, to Jehovah.
268
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
The total cost of this church, exclusive of the bell, was $8,537.54. Improvements were made in 1827 and again in 1841. In 1855 its interior was beautifully frescoed, and in January, 1856, a splendid organ added, which was the gift of five members of the congrega- tion. The confirmation table, which stood before the pulpit in the first church since 1787, has been carefully preserved, and was used in a later chapel. The whole building was remodeled in 1876, and Salem chapel was added in 1880.
.
German Reformed Church.
The Second Reformed Church was organized January 31, 1864, at the dwelling house of William H. Seibert. The following united: William H. Seibert, Philip Hoke, Eli Hollinger, Henry Fuehrer, Isaac Moyer, Solomon Wirtz, Daniel Eckert, Jacob Der- stein and Christian Ehrman. April 24, the same year, twenty-seven others united with this congregation.
April 20, 1861, Rudolph F. Kelker and Miss Elizabeth Reily donated to the trustees of the First Reformed Church of Harrisburg a certain lot of ground fronting on Reily street one hundred and twelve feet and on East Fifth and Sixth streets one hundred feet, in trust, for the use of any persons who might thereafter unite in form- ing a Second Reformed Church, to be in connection with the Eastern Synod of the Reformed Church of the United States, whenever such
269
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
church might be formed. No action was taken until 1863, when a Sunday school was formed, of which William H. Seibert was the superintendent. This school began with an enrollment of nine schol- ars.
Rev. George Kurzman, pastor of the Reformed Church at Middletown, preached the first sermon April 26, 1863, and in No- vember of the same year Rev. Frederick Fox entered upon his duties as a missionary, preaching both in English and German. From this beginning came the final organization above mentioned. October 8, 1865, a neat chapel was dedicated, free of all debt, and Rev. Fox preached his farewell sermon and departed for the mission fields of the Pacific coast. He was succeeded by Rev. William A. Gring, in August, 1866, who continued until August, 1868. During the sum- mer of 1874 the chapel was enlarged. March 13, 1876, the con- gregation bought a large frame church which had been erected by the Second Day Adventists on Broad and Two-and-one-half streets for which they paid $6,000, at the same time mortgaging their property on Reily street, and later sold the property on Reily street to W. H. Seibert for $6,900. In 1905 the congregation erected a magnificent brick edifice on the site of their old church on Broad street. Its cost was $46,000. The pipe organ cost $2,500 and the stained windows $2,000. The design is Gothic. Its massive towers and art windows make it among the most beautiful of all the splendid church edifices in the city. The architect was A. A. Richer, and Daniel Kinsley was the contractor.
The Fourth Reformed Church is situated on Market street. St. John's Reformed Church, situated on the corner of Fourth and Maclay streets, was organized at a meeting held in Salem church, September 15, 1899, as the outgrowth of a Sunday School organized in 1893. April, 1901, a lot was purchased for five thousand dol- lars on Maclay street and ground was broken for a church building and the basement completed, when it was thought best to use that as a place of worship until such times as a larger fund could be raised for the erection of the superstructure. The basement which cost $6,000 was used until the completion of the beautiful structure reared above it and which cost $20,000. This was dedicated Sun- day, February 17, 1907.
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