USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > History of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania > Part 28
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Having well served the purpose for which it was constructed, the old church was removed, and the cathedral of to-day was built on its site. This magnificent structure-second only to the new Penn- sylvania State House in architectural beauty-was begun March 17, 1904, and completed March 1, 1907, and dedicated May 14, 1907. It is ninety-five feet by one hundred and seventy-five feet, and stands in the form of a cross. The material used in its construction is the celebrated North Carolina granite. Its total cost was about $250,000. The builder was William J. McShane, and the architect
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was George J. Lovatt. The building committee was Right Rev. J. W. Shanahan, chairman; Right Rev. J. J. Koch, V. G., Rev. A. F. Kaul, M. I. O'Reilly, A. Christ, J. J. Hollern, and M. M. Hassett. Later on Manager Benton and Rev. F. J. Welsh became members of this committee. The style of this edifice is what is known as Renaissance, which in its esential features closely resembles the most ancient type of Christian churches, the basilicas of the Fourth cen- tury. Its characteristic features are the substitution of the orna- mental features of classic architecture for those peculiarly gothic. The Harrisburg cathedral is located on State street, the widest street in the city. In its cruciform shape its imposing facade is surmounted by two small towers, between which a statue of St. Patrick, the gift of the Most Rev. Archbishop of Philadelphia, will soon be placed, adds greatly to its beauty of design. A dome two hundred feet in height rises above the transept. The interior presents an im- posing appearance. The nave is separated from the spacious aisles by two rows of majestic granite columns; a hundred feet from the floor is the graceful vault of the ceiling, which extends from the choir to the transept, where it is lost in the dizzy height of the dome. The interior walls are wainscoated to a height of nine feet with Ori- ental marble, with a verd antique base and crown of Conemara green. In the apse rises the majestic main altar and on the right and left in smaller apses the altars of St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin. Looking toward the rear of the Cathedral from this point the beautiful stained glass windows, forty-four in all, attract atten- tion at every point, and only in a less degree the Stations of the Cross. Finally the golden outlines of the great organ are seen ris- ing up from the choir in perfect harmony with the whole interior.
The main altar, almost unique of its kind in the United States, is a reproduction in marble of Bernini's famous altar in the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament of St. Peter's, Rome. The original was modeled after a well known rotund temple in the cloister of a St. Peters in Montorio. Its most striking features is the central cibo- rium, circular in form, the dome of which is crowned with the cross. The pavinazzo columns encircling the drums are particularly de- serving of attention, as well as the capitals and cornice they support. Two marble statues of adoring Angels, now being made in Genoa, will occupy the pedestals at the sides and thus form the required bal- ance for the ciborium.
St. Lawrence (German) Catholic Church of Harrisburg was founded by Father Dryer, of York, Pennsylvania, in April, 1859. They worshiped in a hall until 1860, when an old church on Front street was purchased, between Walnut and Locust. In 1874 a spa-
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cious edifice was commenced on Walnut street near Fifth street. This building was dedicated in September, 1878.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is situated on Cameron street. St. Francis Catholic Church is on Market street. St. Genevieve Catholic Church is located on Fifth and Maclay streets.
Besides the foregoing churches in Harrisburg, are the Seventh Day Adventists, at Third and Cumberland streets, and the Uni- tarian.
CONEWAGO CHURCH
Had it not been for the thoughtfulness of Mr. A. Boyd Hamil- ton, perhaps the historic description of the "Conewago congregation of the Presbyterians in Londonderry township," this county, existing as a society from 1730 to 1796, would have been forever lost. To him the reader is indebted for the facts herein narrated, which were written in 1878.
As early as July, 1718, there was a considerable population above the mouth of Conoy creek, in Chester county, (now Lancaster county) on the east bank of the Susquehanna river. From 1720 to 1725 many of the restless spirits of it migrated further westward, mostly into the broad and well-watered valley of the Conewago creek, now the line between Dauphin and Lancaster counties. These emigrants settled mainly along the road which in after days came to be the Harrisburg, Elizabethtown and Lancaster turnpike-about midway between Elizabethtown and Middletown. These emigrants were from the province of Ulster, Ireland. They were all of the Presbyterian faith, and having, as is supposed, erected a place of worship, began early in 1835 to agitate the question of a settled pastor. From that time, as we know, they were furnished with sup- plies from Newcastle and Donegal. In 1741 they subscribed a suf- ficient sum and were furnished a permanent pastor.
As long ago as 1796 all trace of the position of the church building was obliterated from the face of the earth. No tradition or relic remains of it. A ruinous burial place is all that is left of what was once an active congregation of Presbyterians. "amid a land of gushing springs." Thus it has happened that at the period when researches relative to this extinct congregation were made, not a dozen persons in all this county of Dauphin, except a very few in immediate vicinity to a couple of deserted burial places, knew enough about it to "point the spot where active men and women rested from all earthly toil an hundred years ago."
In 1877, as will be observed by the papers here embodied.
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Rev. William A. West, pastor of the Westminister congregation at Harrisburg, received a letter from a clerical friend in North Caro- lina. To enable him to frame a reply many inquiries were instituted, generally without success. It is the purpose of this sketch to present a brief narrative of the steps taken to obtain information respecting an historical fact of which we were so ignorant. The Rev. Dr. E. F. Rockwell writes :
COOL SPRING, Iredell Co., N. C., January 24, 1877.
"James Hall and wife Prudence ( Roddy) Hall, the parents of Rev. James Hall, D. D., who went to general assembly sixteen times and was wedded in 1803, came here and settled on Fifth creek, near Bethany church, 1751-2. They had a certificate: 'That James Hall and his wife Prudence ( Roddy) Hall heath lived in this congrigation ever Since it was erected, & heave behaved themselves cristianly & Soberly without any public Scandall Known to us, & heave been partakers of sealing ordinances amonghst us, & may be received into any cristian Society wherever God in his Providence shall order their lott, is certified this 20th day of August 1751 by the Session at Conawago.
" 'THOMAS BOWMAN, " 'ROBERT MORDAH, " 'HUGH HALL, " 'JOHN MCQUEEN, ""'JAS. MORDAH.' "
We are desirous to know where and whether there is any record like this-any names yet remaining there like these? The first four are names of Scotch-Irish settlers here from Pennsylvania about that time. These parties had a son Hugh Hall. We have found twenty-four or twenty-five ministers of the Gospel among the descendants of James Hall and P. Hall, and about twenty-eight females have married preachers. Rev. Robt. Hall, who died last November, at Oxford, Ohio, was a grandson. They have spread out all over the country. I preach one-half of the time at Bethany Church, which is the name of a post office near by, you may see on Colton's Atlas. We had our Centennial celebration in August, 1875, and had a large assembly.
"Last October I was in Philadelphia. I saw Rev. J. G. Craig- head, D. D. He advised me to write to Rev. W. S. Van Cleave, Gettysburg. There was a church at Conewago near there, but he replies that there are no such names on their records or tomb-stones; says there is or was a church of that name in Dauphin county, or- ganized earlier then his, and suggests that I write to you for infor- mation. I hope, therefore, that you will excuse me for troubling you with the matter. It is one of some historical interest.
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"In 1750 the people emigrated here, apparently in colonies, from Pennsylvania. The Church of Centre in lower end this Ire- dell county till 1753; Anson till 1788; Rowan too had a set of names, Davidson, Templeton, McPherson, Givens, etc. Next north, Fourth' Creek (now Statesville) had different names-Si- monton, Allison, Stevenson, Hall, Mordah, etc. Bethany is a branch of Fourth Creek. I am located ten miles from Statesville and letters reach me either at S. or here, at Cool Springs.
"Since the above was written I notice that Dr. William H. Foster, in 'Sketches of North Carolina,' states that Dr. James Hall was from Carlisle, Pennsylvania. I see in minutes of General As- sembly, Presbytery Carlisle, Great Conewago, Rev. Joseph Hen- derson, pastor. Whether the same I am enquiring for or not, I have no means of knowing."
The minutes of the original Presbytery of Donegal were first consulted and a number of those desired names were found. Then a letter was addressed to the Journal at Middletown, Pennsylvania. It appeared in that journal in February, 1877. It brought a re- sponse from Samuel Evans, Esq., of Columbia, fixing the locality of the church near Mt. Joy, Lancaster county, erected for Rev. John Roan, in 1742, or if not that one, one in Adams county, now Great Conewago.
The call of Rev. Samuel Black was in 1741. He probably had preached to this congregation previously, as he was in the neigh- borhood, preached at Carlisle in 1736-37, and presided at the in- stallation of Rev. John Elder at Derry and Paxtang churches in 1738. Upon inquiry it was found that Mr. Black never preached at Great Conewago.
The question of locality was set to rest by a communication signed "J. R.," in a subsequent issue of the Journal, in which he truly fixed the site of the church, or its graveyard, about three- fourths of a mile in an eastern direction from Geinburg -- not "Gains- burg," as on the maps-formerly the village of Franklin. The exact location is upon the farm of Mr. J. Alwine, in Londonderry township. J. R. (Dr. Ringland, of Middletown) shows conclu- sively the ownership of the spot belonging to this extinct organiza- tion. He says :
"The piece of ground belonging to the church was a portion of a larger tract which was taken on a warrant bearing date the first day of August, 1743, granted to Samuel Clark by the land office. The land was afterwards patented to Robert Spear, by patent deed November 8, 1785, and was called 'Spear's Choice', and called for
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202 5-8 acres and usual allowance. The patent was enrolled in Rolls Office in patent book No. 4, page 99. A notation in the land office book says 'the above square piece of nineteen by twenty perch- es is a Presbyterian meeting-house and burying grounds.' The re- turns was made to the land office, November 3, 1785, for John Lukens, Esq., S. G. Signed,
"EDWARD LYNCH."
The piece of ground designated as the burying ground con- tained more than two acres. A number of stones, placed to mark the graves of those buried there, are still standing, but many have been carried away and put to other uses. The stones are all un- dressed, red sandstone, without date or other inscription. The foundation walls of the building still remain, though in somewhat dilapidated condition. There is nothing on our county records to show when, by whom or to whom the title for this place was made.
The church must have been a very small building, as the foun- dation is only twelve by sixteen feet. A portion of the ground was last summer planted to corn. 'Black-haw' and other trees are grow- ing within the area of the church wall. Tradition has it that the carpenter who built the church fell from the roof and was killed, and was the first person buried on the ground.
A personal examination of the burying ground was made in May, 1877, in company of Hon. John Blair Linn, of Bellefonte; Hon. Joseph H. Nisley, of Middletown, and Dr. William H. Egle, of Harrisburg. The enclosure which Dr. Ringland supposes to have been a church foundation, is a dilapidated wall, enclosing the burial place of some important families. There is no inscriptive stone to tell what it really was. It is about ten by twelve feet. Clearly there is no mark of a church at this spot. What is very remarkable there is not a tombstone or part of one with any inscrip- tion in the mass of fragments of such memorials which surround the family enclosure spoken of. The stones are of the red sandstone of the neighboring hills-many of them buried in the earth or taken from the quarry, free from all evidence of manual adornment- weather-beaten as well as rough.
The small space set off for the congregation was part of the lands of Clark & McKee. This reservation was as early as 1737, before either of these members of the church had any legal claim to the land, but there was no adverse title, and the gift was a good one.
A warrant was granted 1742, and a survey returned, excluding these two acres, in 1743. In 1785 it was again surveyed. A great part of this plot was prepared for corn when the above named company examined it.
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HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
After searching all the assessments of that portion of Dauphin county from 1725 to 1790, we are inclined to think the following list comprises most, if not all, the heads of families of this congre- gation, from 1745 to 1755. All the names are on the tax list from 1750 to 1766; many for twenty years previously. After the Revo- lution they disappear year by year, and names of other nationalities take their places :
Bence, Alexander.
Grice, Richard.
McKee, Thomas.
Bowman, Thos.
Hall, Hugh.
McKee, Robert.
Bowman, John.
Hall, (Widow).
McQueen, John.
Bridgot, Abraham.
Hall, John.
McQueen, Joseph.
Breese, Thomas.
Hall, Thomas.
McQueen, James.
Black, Hugh.
Hall, Jabel.
McQueen, Edward.
Corby, Peter.
Hall, James.
Queen, Cornelius.
Crouch, James.
Kerr, John.
Rea, James.
Clarke, James.
Kar, Thomas.
Rea [or Wray], John.
Clark, Hugh.
Karr, Malcom.
Rea, Wm.
Chambers, Rowland.
Lenox, Thomas.
Rutherford, Thomas.
Chambers, Robert.
Mitchell, Thomas.
Shaw, Wm.
Candor, Joseph.
Murdoch, Peter.
Spear, Robert.
Clark, Thomas.
Murdoch, Robert.
Thomas, Adam.
Combe, John.
Murdoch, James.
Wallace, Thos.
Davidson, George.
Murdoch, John.
White, Wm.
Doakes, John.
McAllister, Neil.
Walker, Archibald.
Elliott, Archibald.
McAllister, John.
Walker, James.
Gray, George.
McNair, John.
Work, Wm.
The foregoing list of names shows a population of about two hundred in 1740.
Another family burying place is about half a mile west of the one belonging to the Conewago congregation. The inscription on the stones scattered about are in German and all bear the name of "Gein." This spot, as well as its neighbor, is in a disgraceful state of neglect.
The surroundings of the Conewago place of burial are charm- ing and romantic. Almost under the shadow of the frowning "Round Top" on the north and west, the Cornwall Hills on the east, and in the more distant south the South Mountain shows its broken front. The farms are kept in very handsome condition, a generous soil is carefully cultivated, the improvements and enclosures substantial, and at present inhabited almost entirely by persons of German descent. There are not a half dozen families of Scotch- Irish descent in the neighborhood.
Mr. Black, the only pastor we have been enabled to name, was from Ulster, and was licensed to preach by the Newcastle Presby-
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HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
tery in 1735, when he was chosen pastor of the "Forks at Brandy- wine." In 1738 he presided at the installation of Rev. John Elder, at Paxtang. In October, 1741, he came to Conawago. In 1743 he appears to have gone "Missionary to South Mountain," in Virginia. He died there in 1770, "an aged minister."
Hugh Hall's wife was a daughter of James Roddy, who was on the first grand jury in Lancaster county, and whose name appears on the assessment of Donegal in 1723.
Hugh Hall had a son, Hugh Hall, who was an ensign in .Colonel (afterward General) Hugh Mercer's "third battalion of sixteen companies, May 4, 1758." Opposite his name on the roll is written "of a reputable and good family in Lancaster county." Their captain was Adam Read, the father-in-law of John Harris, by his second marriage, and the lieutenant was John Simpson, father of General Michael Simpson. All these officers were citizens of the territory of what thirty years afterward became Dauphin county
The McQueens, so numerous in this congregation, have mostly become McCunes. The orthography of the list of taxables about 1750 is something wonderful. Just as the assessor talked he wrote. If a man paid his taxes he was marked "pate;" if Kerr was assessed he was enrolled Carr, and so with all the rest, even to dropping the national "Mac" from the McQueens, reducing the name to Queen ; in some instances M'Guinne and M'Quoin.
The Kerrs came to Conewago in 1730. One of the family be- came the Rev. William Kerr, of Donegal, who married a grand- daughter of the Rev. John Elder. Representatives of the family in almost all its branches still reside in Dauphin county-an instance of stability and content to be noted in the restless race from which it sprang.
Jane Murdock, the daughter of John and sister of James, married Thomas Rutherford, in 1732. The Murdocks then lived "above Conoy."
The family of Work removed to the west early after the Revolution.
The Clarks are found in all parts of Pennsylvania and the west. A son of one of them was an officer of rank in the Revolution, and some of his descendants yet reside in the county.
A daughter of John McQueen, Rosanna, married Captain Jamieson, of Donegal.
David McNair has descendants yet in Dauphin county. Hon. John McNair, formerly member of Congress from the Montgomery district, stated that "his people originally settled on the Susque- hanna."
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HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
Adam Thomas owned a farm just north of the graveyard, and was uncle to the venerable Mrs. Valentine Egle, of Harrisburg, who died in Harrisburg, August 5, 1867, at the great age of ninety- five years. Thomas was a Welshman.
The family of Chambers permanently established themselves below Harris' Ferry.
James Crouch became a prominent man in Revolutionary times. He was a colonel.
Hugh Black's family has no descendants in the male line.
Both Mckees were Indian traders. James and his descendants remained on the land he warranted in 1737, until 1830, when the family name is lost. The famous Belle of it was an only heir, mar- ried and removed to a distant county. Thomas, about 1753, re- moved "to his upper farm, about thirty miles from Harris' Ferry," where he built a fort. He was an officer under Burd at Forts Augusta and Hunter, and his singular orthography figures in long pages of letters printed in the Pennsylvania Archives.
The Wallace family, possibly descendants of the one belong- ing to this congregation, settled in great force along the Swatara creek in Derry and Hanover townships.
The family of Wray were numerous in Hanover at a later date.
Candor and Lenox are names not often found in Dauphin county at present. It is not known to what part of the country they emigrated. One of the name died in Harrisburg forty years ago.
HARRISBURG BIBLE SOCIETY.
The Harrisburg Bible Society was founded in February, 1814. The original members of this society were: William Gray- don, president; Rev. F. C. Schaeffer, secretary ; William Findlay, Si- mon Snyder, Richard G. Leech; Joseph M'Gimsey, treasurer. Soon after its organization the following named enlisted in the worthy cause : Dr. Roberts, Dr. Agnew, N. B. Boileau, Rev. George Lochman, Robert Sloan, John Wyeth, John Mytinger, Pe- ter Keller, James Trimble, Henry Anter, George Bryan, James Peacock, Rev. W. R. DeWitt, George White- hill, John Whitehill, William Allison, James Wright, Andrew Graydon, William Murray, Perry C. Nabb, John C. Capp, M. Ranhausen, F. Heisley, James Wright, George K. Nutz, John Stoner, Dr. Martin Luther and Mrs. Hanna. This membership was made up from the most prominent citizens of the place. For many years this was the only society of its character within Dauphin county.
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It sought out and provided the destitute throughout the entire county, with the scriptures, at the same time making liberal donations an- nually to the parent society. In 1851 auxilliary societies were formed to the number of twelve in the county. The whole were finally combined under the head of the society known as the Dauphin County Bible Society, of which the following were the officers in 1858: Hon. H. O. Hiester, president; Rev. C. A. Hay, secretary ; A. K. Fahnestock, treasurer. There were at that date one hundred and fifty members. The compiler of this work is indebted to the Daily Patriot and Union for the foregoing facts.
Rev. William Bertram, the first minister of the Gospel to settle in Dauphin county, was of the Presbyterian faith. He was born February 2, 1674, in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, and received his education at the university of his native place, studied for the ministry and was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Bangor, Ireland, who gave him "ample testimonials of his ordination, minis- terial qualifications and regular Christian conversation." About 1706 he married Elizabeth Gillespie, and their children were John and Elizabeth. During the political excitement common in those days in the British Isles the son disappeared, and the parents, think- ing he had come to America, they came, too, hoping, if possible, to learn of his whereabouts. They came to Pennsylvania about 1730, but failed to find the lost son. They finally concluded the New World was a good place in which to live and labor, and the follow- ing year he was called by the Donegal Presbytery to become one of its members. At the same time George Renick presented him an invitation to settle at Paxtang and Derry, which he accepted. He was installed November 17, 1732, at the meeting-house on the Swatara. The congregation executed to him the right and title to the "Indiantown tract," situated in Hanover township, on the north side of Swatara, containing three hundred and fifty acres. On his settlement the congregation in Swatara took the name of Derry, while the upper congregation was styled Paxtang. In 1735 Rev. Bertram complained of the "intolerable burden" he was under with two congregations, and September 13, 1736, he was released from the care of Paxtang. He died May 2, 1746, aged seventy-two years, and his remains are at rest in Derry Church graveyard, his good wife dying prior to his death. He was a faithful minister, sowing seeds which are still bearing fruit in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Through his marriage to Miss Gillespie his descend- ants became the rightful heirs to a handsome fortune in Edinburgh, but through being unable to prove descent, they failed to come into possession.
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HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY
REV. JOHN ELDER.
Among the early-day stalwart, intelligent and beloved char- acters, both in religious and patriotic circles, none shone more bril- liantly than did "Parson Elder," as he was usually called. While his ashes have long since mingled with the dust, and the tombstone erected to his memory in the old Paxtang burying-ground, is rapidly crumbling, it remains both a pleasure as well as duty to record in these pages something concerning this truly able and good man.
Mr. Elder was the second son of Robert and Eleanor Elder, born January 26, 1706, in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. He re- ceived a fine classical education, graduating from the University of his native city. He subsequently studied theology, preparatory for the ministry. His father removed to the Lough Neagh, Antrim county, Ireland, and later he emigrated to the Province of Pennsyl- About five
vania, in then Paxtang township, Lancaster county.
He came as a years later his son followed him to this country.
regular licensed minister and as such was received by the New Castle Presbytery, having brought credentials to that body, afterward into Donegal Presbytery, October 5, 1737. Paxtang congregation having separated from that of Derry in 1735, and Rev. Bertram adhering to the latter, left Paxtang vacant. He accepted the unani- mous call April 12, 1738, and the following November was or- dained and installed pastor.
The early years of this devout man's ministry were not full of ease, for the second year the great Whitefield excitement spread over the Presbyterian church. He preached against this religious furor, or the "great revival," as it was termed, and for this he was accused to the Presbytery of propagating "false doctrine." That body cleared him, however, in December, 1740, "but the separation was made," and the conjunct Presbyters answered the supplications sent to them the next summer by sending Campbell and Rowland to those who forsook him. He signed the protests. His support being reduced he took charge of the "Old Side" portion of the Derry congrega- tion. Then came the French and Indian war. Associations were formed throughout the Province of Pennsylvania for the defense of the frontiers, and the congregations of Mr. Elder were prompt to embody themselves. Their minister became their leader-their real . captain-and they were trained as rangers. He superintended the discipline of his men, and his mounted rangers became widely known as the "Paxtang Boys." At least during all of two summers, every man who attended Paxtang Church carried his rifle with him, and their minister took his. Later on in the conflict he was promoted
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