History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 68

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829-
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1424

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The first places of worship were the Central school building and the United Brethren church, for which the lecture room of the Reformed church was substituted in 1869. In 1870, under the administration of Rev. S. S. Chubb, å church building was erected and dedicated, in which an organ was placed in 1874. It was remodeled in 1886, and in 1888 a commodious par- sonage was erected. The congregation now worships in an attractive church edifice free from debt, with seating capacity of seven hundred.

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church .- Among the earliest supporters of this faith at Shamokin were William and Reuben Fagely, and through their efforts the Rev. J. P. Shindel, of Sunbury, was induced to institute oc- casional services at the Central school house about the year 1840. Several Mormon missionaries were endeavoring to proselyte at the little mining town, and the immediate object of the Fagelys in introducing Lutheran worship was to counteract the influence of their work. It had the desired result, without, however, effecting anything immediate or definite in the way of Lutheran church organization. The Reverend Alleman, of St. Peter's and St. Jacob's churches in the Shamokin valley, partially effected an organization in 1842, and regular services were held under his administration and that of his suc- cessor, Rev. Philip Williard. On the 11th of October, 1854, the church was fully organized under Rev. C. J. Ehrhart as pastor. His incumbency was principally noticeable in view of the educational project undertaken-the erection of a college, now the Academy school building-which was not a success, and depleted the resources of the congregation to a serious extent. Mr. Ehrhart also conducted a private school of an academic grade. He was succeeded, October 11, 1857, by Rev. J. F. Wampole. Under his adminis- tration services were held in the Presbyterian church one year; in 1858 a room was fitted up in the Odd Fellows' hall by the Lutheran and Reformed

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congregations, and used by them on alternate Sundays for divine worship. Rev. J. B. Keller became pastor in 1865, and in the summer of that year a project for the erection of a church edifice assumed tangible form. C. S. Wetzel was the architect, and Jonas L. Gilger the contractor. The corner- stone was laid with appropriate ceremonies on the 8th of October, 1865, Rev. H. Zeigler, D. D., officiating, assisted by the pastor. The basement was first occupied for public worship on the 20th of January, 1867, and on the 11th of August, 1867, the completed edifice was dedicated, Rev. A. C. Wedekind, D. D., preaching the dedicatory sermon. On this occasion the contributions aggregated two thousand dollars. On the following Monday the Susquehanna Conference of the church assembled here.

Since the resignation of Mr. Keller in 1869 the following clergymen have served as pastors: Reverends 'J. R. Williams, S. Domer, D. D., H. C. Haithcox, P. S. Hooper, J. A. Flickinger, L. D. Wells, and C. F. Steck, the present pastor, who assumed charge in the autumn of 1889.

The church edifice is a substantial brick structure on Sunbury street. It was originally fifty by seventy-five feet in dimensions, and in 1884 an addition of twenty-five feet was erected at the rear. Steam heating apparatus was provided in 1887, and in 1891 a fine pipe-organ was secured. The height of the tower is one hundred eighteen feet.

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church .- Several attempts were made to start a mission among the German Lutherans of Shamokin but none were successful until 1885, when Rev. H. Weicksel began to hold German services in Trinity Lutheran church every fourth Sabbath in the afternoon. As the hour proved inconvenient, a congregational meeting was held at Seiler's hall, October 31, 1885, and at this first business meeting of the church ten persons were present: Christian Lehner, Samuel Wagner, Martin Hoffman, Mrs. Sarah Mack, Lewis Marquart, John Myer, John W. Kessler, William H. Mack, Miss Ida Mack, and Rev. H. Wicksel; among the results of the meet- ing was a decision to hold German services every fourth Sabbath in Seiler's hall, to install Christian Lehner and Samuel Wagner as deacons, and have Lewis Marquart as treasurer. The congregation was served for some time by Rev. J. W. Early, after which Rev. H. Weicksel returned; the latter was succeeded by his son, Rev. W. Weicksel, who was installed by his father, assisted by Rev. A. P. Pfleuger, September 16, 1888. A constitution was adopted, January 1, 1888, and the organization was incorporated as the "German Evangelical Lutheran Grace Church of Shamokin" on the 11th of the following May. Rev. W. Weicksel is the present pastor, and through his efforts the church has now a membership of seventy-five communicants. Two large lots at the corner of Seventh and Chestnut streets have been secured for the future location of a church building.

The first effort to establish a Sunday school was made, August 14, 1887, by Luther Early, but for three successive Sabbaths the announcement for

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Sunday school was attended with no results. On the afternoon of the fifth appointment fourteen children were present and an organization was effected.

St. John's Reformed Church was organized in 1855 by Rev. Henry Hoffman, with Benjamin Martz and Jacob Smink, Sr., as elders, Daniel Yost and D. C. Smink as deacons, and thirty-eight members. The first services of this church at Shamokin were held in 1839 by Rev. Richard A. Fisher, of Sun- bury, who preached in the school house on Dewart street. He was succeeded by Rev. R. Duenger, who served from 1843 to 1846, when Mr. Fisher again re- sumed pastoral work and served from 1846 to 1854. In 1854 the Shamokin charge was formed, composed of St. Jacob's and St. Peter's churches, Sha- mokin township, and this church; Rev. Henry Hoffman was pastor from 1854 to 1857, Rev. Henry Losch, D. D., from 1857 to 1858, and Rev. C. A. Rittenhouse, from 1858 to 1861. In 1858 the Lutheran and Reformed peo- ple rented a room in the Odd Fellows' hall, where services were held by both denominations on alternate Sabbaths. During Mr. Rittenhouse's pastorate two lots were secured on Eighth street and considerable lumber purchased for the erection of a church edifice, but the project was abandoned, owing to the ineligibility of the location and the resignation of the pastor. The church was without a pastor from 1861 to 1864, and when Rev. H. H. W. Hibschman took charge (1864) but five members remained: William Wary and wife, D. C. Smink and wife, and Mrs. Wary.

Services were successively conducted in the school house on Dewart street, the school house on Sunbury street, the Presbyterian church, the United Breth- ren church, Odd Fellows' hall, and the Academy. It was not long, however, until the question of erecting a church edifice was presented. Money was collected through the personal efforts of Mr. Hibschman, with the exception of some thirteen hundred dollars which were raised by a fair. The building was erected by Daniel Yost and dedicated, May 5, 1867. Mr. Hibschman re- signed in 1868 and was succeeded by Rev. C. Scheels, 1868-71, and Rev. D. W. Kelly, 1871-75. During this time the congregation had increased to such an extent that it was separated from the other churches of the charge, St. Jacob's and St. Peter's, and became a pastorate individually. As such it called Rev. D. O. Shoemaker, who was pastor until 1879. Rev. T. J. Hacker was ordained and installed, June 17, 1879. During the next year the church and parsonage were repaired, and on Christmas day, 1883, the pastor an- nounced to the congregation that their property was entirely free from debt. In 1885 a frame building thirty-six by fifty feet was temporarily erected at the rear of the church building for the use of the infant department of the Sunday school.

At a congregational meeting in 1888 the consistory, composed of Elders Samuel Yost, C. C. Leader, R. S. Aucker, D. Eisenhart, and E. G. Seiler, and Deacons J. S. Haas, F. G. Seiler, C. J. Lessig, J. S. Zimmerman, J. Zart-

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man, and T. H. Paul, were empowered to erect a new church edifice. Charles W. Bolton, architect, designed the church and chapel in such a manner that the latter could be erected without interfering with the old church building. The contract was awarded to Aucker, Slayman & Company, and the chapel was dedicated, May 11, 1890, Rev. Joseph H. Dubbs, D. D., assisting the pastor. This building, fronting on Grant street seventy-one feet, with a depth of seventy-four feet, is built on a quarter-circle plan; it is particularly adapted to Sunday school purposes, with department rooms and class alcoves .in the gallery, and was erected at a cost of twelve thousand dollars. The pastorate of Rev. T. J. Hacker has extended over eleven years with the fol- lowing as the present (1890) statistics of the congregation: members, seven hundred thirty, unconfirmed members, six hundred fifty, of whom one hundred fifteen are Geman, necessitating German services every alternate Sabbath; Sunday school: officers and teachers, forty-two; pupils, seven hundred fifty, with a mission school at Excelsior of one hundred twelve pupils.

The Sunday school was connected with other schools from 1858 to 1865, but since the latter date has been a separate organization. Early in the year 1858 the Reformed and Lutheran congregations organized a Sunday school in Bittenbender's hall, with D. C. Smink, Reformed, and Solomon Weaver, Lutheran, as superintendents. They remained in this hall only six or eight months, when the school was removed to the Odd Fellow's hall on Sunbury street. The two separated in 1864, when the Reformed element of the old school was merged into a union of Reformed and United Brethren, with D. C. Smink as Reformed superintendent and Mahlon Scholl as United Brethren superintendent. In 1865 a distinctively Reformed school was or- ganized in the Penrose public school building; R. Williard was superintend. ent one year, and was succeeded by D. C. Smink, who served until 1872. In 1867 the school occupied the basement of the church on Eighth street. Will- iam Wary, R. S. Aucker, and John K. Haas were superintendents at different times after Mr. Smink until 1881, when C. C. Leader, the present incum- bent, was elected.

Trinity Episcopal Church .- The first Episcopal services at Shamokin were held in the Lutheran church in 1854-55 by Rev. D. Washburn, of Pottsville. In the spring of 1865 Rev. Rowland H. Brown, of Lewisburg, held Episcopal services in the Presbyterian church; an organization was effected not long after through the efforts of Reverends Brown and G. W. Shinn, of Philadelphia. The latter became the first rector, remaining a little over a year. During the summer of 1865 a contract was awarded J. B. Gib- son for the erection of a church edifice; in the meantime services were held in the Presbyterian church and Central school house. It was decided to erect a building twenty-eight by seventy-eight feet on the lot presented by Charles P. Helfenstein, and the corner-stone was laid, November 7, 1865, at which service Rev. G. W. Shinn officiated, assisted by the Reverends Brown,

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Gibson, and Allen. The building was almost completed when it was entirely destroyed by a violent wind storm: timbers were obtained from the ruins, however, with which a chapel was erected at a cost of fifteen hundred dollars.

Although services had been held and an organization effected in 1865, there is no record of any communion until January, 1866. On this occasion but five persons partook of the sacrament: Charles P. Helfenstein and wife, William A. Richardson and wife, and Mrs. Abbie Slocum. From the early part of January, 1866, until May of the same year, worship was held in the Central school building. The first service in the new chapel occurred, May 11, 1866, when the rite of confirmation was administered by Bishop Vail, of Kansas, to fifteen persons. Mr. Shinn resigned on the 10th of February, 1867, and since that date the succession of rectors has been as follows: Rev- erends I. N. Spear, I. H. H. Millett, F. M. Bird, H. H. Boyle, D. Washburn, Joseph Wright, Samuel Cheevers, Wilber F. Watkins, Jr., and John Graham, the present incumbent, who assumed charge in March, 1890. During Mr. Cheevers's administration the chapel was enlarged, a tower was erected, and a bell was placed therein. This building was removed to the southern part of the lot in 1890, placed upon a stone foundation, and adapted to the pur- pose of a Sunday school room and general "church workshop." The erection of a handsome stone church edifice at the corner of the lot was begun in the same year and it is now approaching completion.

First Baptist Church. "No effort was made to form a Baptist church at Shamokin until 1870, when Rev. A. B. Still, pastor at Sunbury, preached at Shamokin occasionally, and on September 3d of that year a meeting of thirty- two persons with letters of dismissal from the churches at Sunbury, Danville, Trevorton, and Shamokin township was held, at which it was decided to issue a call for a council formally to constitute them a church. Pursuant to this call a council met on the 15th of September, 1870, and resolved to recognize them as the "First Baptist Church of Shamokin." The following were the first officers: pastor, Rev. A. B. Still; deacons: John Renn, Aaron Roadarmel; trustees: J. D. Roadarmel, William McConnell, John Renn, Withington Lake, and J. W. Young. Among the pastors and supplies prior to the year 1884 were Reverends Still, Johnson, Rush, Brensinger, Nathan Thomas, O. R. Thomas, and Giles. Rev. W. G. Watkins, the present pastor, assumed charge in April, 1884; after considerable search he found six persons who considered themselves members, but accessions were numerous and frequent, and in 1890 the present church edifice, a substantial two-story brick structure on Lincoln street, was erected. It was dedicated on the 21st of December, 1890, Reverends J. H. Harris, Ph. D., and J. Green Miles officiating. A flourishing Sunday school is connected with this church.

The Welsh Baptists of Shamokin enjoyed religious worship for some time as a mission of the Ashland congregation, and erected a frame church build- ing on the east side of Rock street between Clay and Webster. In May,

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1884, they were organized as a church by Rev. W. G. Watkins, who became their pastor but resigned in the following year; the membership then united with the English Baptist and Welsh Congregational churches.

The Welsh Congregational Church was organized by Rev. Henry C. Harris; seven deacons were elected at that time, but one of whom, John W. Thomas, is still an active member of this church. A hall on Sunbury street was occupied for religious worship until 1864, when a frame church edifice was built on Rock street. The present church building, a frame structure on Grant street, was erected in 1870 under the supervision of a building committee composed of John W. Thomas, John Phillips, and Henry Sim- mons. Since 1875 the pastors have been Reverends D. T. Davis, Henry Whitby, Morris Hughes, David D. Davis, and D. T. Davis, present incumbent.

This church originally included nearly the entire Welsh population of Shamokin. The Baptists and Methodists withdrew; the former erected a church on Rock street, the latter on Independence street, and since these organizations dishanded a large proportion of their membership has again become connected with the Congregational church, which is the only Welsh organization at Shamokin at the present time.

Ecce Homo Greek Catholic Church .- The Rev. John Wolansky, from Gallicia, Austria, established the first Greek church in the United States in 1884 at Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, and celebrated Mass for the adherents of his faith at Excelsior in the same year. During his absence in Europe the affairs of his recently established congregations were conducted by Rev. Constantine Andrushowitch. The erection of a church edifice was undertaken by Father Wolansky upon his return; ground was secured in the southeast- ern part of the borough of Shamokin, and a frame structure, presenting some of the characteristics of the Byzantine style of architecture, has been erected thereon. It was dedicated with imposing ceremonies, August 19, 1889, on which occasion a large concourse of people was present, including excursions from Shenandoah, Freeland, and Hazelton. The membership of the parish is two hundred. The St. Cyril and Metody Beneficial Society, organized June 20, 1888, is an important social adjunct.

EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS.

The fourth or fifth house at Shamokin was erected in 1837 for school purposes, and thus early in the history of the town its educational record begins. This first school house was a one-story frame building of diminutive proportions, situated on Dewart street; it was subsequently occupied as a dwelling, a shop, and as the armory of the Shamokin Guards. In its last years it was used as a stable, and ultimately met destruction in a fire that swept over that part of the town.

The first school was opened in the winter of 1837-38, principally through

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the efforts of John C. Boyd and Ziba Bird, by whom Abia John, of Shamokin township, was employed for a three months' term at the munificent salary of eight dollars per month and hoard. But the school was small, and no great degree of professional skill was required in those days. The furniture was of the most primitive character, and of apparatus it is not probable there was any. But the teaching seems to have been satisfactory, and when the adop- tion of the public school system was voted upon in 1838, it was decided in the affirmative by an almost unanimous vote from the citizens of the embryo borough. This was the first school within the present limits of Coal, Mt. Carmel, Cameron, and Zerbe townships, embracing the boroughs of Shamo- kin and Mt. Carmel, with a school population of four or five thousand and school property aggregating in value several hundred thousand dollars at the present time. The pupils at this school were Hannah Bird, Ziba Bird, David Snyder, Rachel Snyder, Ephraim Phillips, Ellen Phillips, William W. Wary, Catharine Wary, Perry J. Eaton, Lydia . Ann Porter, Elizabeth Porter, Ephraim Mowry, Marie Mowry, Emmeline Mowry, and Morgan Mowry.

The public school system was adopted in Coal township in 1838. The sentiment was strongly in its favor among the mechanics and laborers em- ployed at Shamokin, and equally strong in its opposition in the territory that now constitutes Cameron township. The first board of directors was com- posed of Sylvanus S. Bird, Kimber Cleaver, Jehu John, James B. Porter, George Long, and David Billman, of whom Messrs. Bird, Cleaver, and John were president, secretary, and treasurer, respectively. It does not appear that any active measures whatever were taken that year. The composition of the board was unchanged by the election of 1839, except that William Fagely succeeded Mr. Porter; the same president, secretary, and treasurer were chosen as in the previous year, and Benjamin McClow was appointed tax collector. A local tax of two hundred one dollars, thirty-five cents, was levied, which, with the State appropriation of six hundred thirty dollars, placed a total sum of eight hundred thirty-one dollars, thirty-five cents, at the disposal of the board. Eight sub-districts were formed.

At that period in the educational history of this region, the position of tax collector was not a sinecure. Mr. McClow encountered great difficulty in the discharge of his duties, especially in Cameron township, where the tax was regarded as tyrannical and unjust, and the sentiment of the people was almost unanimously opposed to the system. He was threatened with violence, but pursued his work unmolested, traveling, it is said, more than five hundred miles for the purpose of making collections, and received a little more than five dollars for his services.

Building operations were begun by the board in the summer of 1839. A two-story brick building was erected on Sunbury street at a cost of six hundred dollars, and completed in February, 1840; it subsequently formed the eastern part of the Central school building, and was ample at that time

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for the requirements of No. 2 district, comprising the present territory of Shamokin borough and Coal township. In No. 5 district a small frame building was erected at a cost of ninety-four dollars, eighty-seven cents. This was in Cameron township; John Fidler and William Stizes taught therein during the following winter, but the practical application of the sys- tem does not seem to have popularized it, and in 1840 Coal township was divided into two general school districts by act of the legislature. The citi- zens of South Coal promptly defeated the system, while the withdrawal of a hostile minority tended greatly to establish it permanently in North Coal. There a tax of three hundred twenty-seven dollars, eighty cents, was levied, and a State appropriation of one hundred forty-five dollars was received, sufficient to place the system in operation and sustain the schools several months. The first teacher at Shamokin under this regime was John T. Rood, of New York; he resigned after teaching fourteen days, for some reason that does not appear upon the minutes of the board, and was suc- ceeded by Mary Shipman, who also taught only a few weeks. The first teachers who remained any length of time were Amos Y. Thomas and Jehu John.

While the town of Shamokin formed part of North Coal and of Coal town- ship school district the buildings erected or secured for permanent use as school houses were the Central, previously noticed, the Penrose, the Newtown, and the Academy buildings. In 1865, when the borough became a separate school district, eight schools were in operation, for which the following teachers were appointed for the term of 1865-66, respectively: No. 1, the high school, in the Academy building, John B. Savidge; No. 2, intermediate, Central building, Samuel Wood; No. 3, intermediate, Penrose building, Hud- son Sober; No. 4, intermediate, Central building, Miss Hay; No. 5, primary, Penrose building, Emma Raup; No. 6, primary, Central building, Miss Martz; No. 7, primary, Newtown building, John Haas, and No. 8, primary, Academy building, Samuel Reeder. Their salaries ranged from thirty to sixty dollars per month.

The first school board of the borough, composed of Frederick S. Haas, Dr. J. J. John, Pemberton Bird, Daniel S. Miller, Matthias Emes, and Will- iam K. Erdman, organized, June 9, 1865, with Messrs. Bird, John, and Haas as president, secretary, and treasurer, respectively.

The school buildings of the borough are known by the respective names of the Academy, Penrose, Stevens, Garfield, Washington, and Lincoln. Of these the Academy is the oldest. It was originally projected in 1852 by the Lutheran congregation and its pastor, Rev. C. J. Ehrhart, encouraged and assisted by William L. Helfenstein, William Fagely, Kimber Cleaver, Jonas L. Gilger, Joseph Bird, and other public spirited citizens of that period. The Shamokin Collegiate Institute was incorporated, April 28, 1854, with an authorized capital of twenty-five thousand dollars and the following officers:

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president, Kimber Cleaver; secretary, Dr. William Atwater; treasurer, Jonas L. Gilger; who, with Rev. C. J. Ehrhart, William Fagely, and Daniel Yost were the first trustees. Bonds were issued and a sufficient amount of stock subscribed to erect the large brick building on the square bounded by Eighth, Arch, and Grant streets, agreeably to plans prepared by Kimber Cleaver. But the anticipated indorsement of the movement by the Lutheran synod was not secured, and after the walls and roof of the building had been com- pleted the enterprise collapsed. Local resources had been exhausted, and for some years the building remained unfinished and unused. In 1857 Lewis L. Bevan, postmaster of the town and an ardent supporter of the public school system, suggested the feasibility of purchasing the building and adapting it to the purposes of an academy or high school. A public meeting was held at the Central school house to consider the proposition, but it was not regarded favorably. No further action was taken until the 16th of July, 1863, when, at a special meeting of the school board of Coal township, Dr. E. S. Robins, George McEliece, W. F. Roth, Jonas L. Gilger, and Freder- ick S. Haas, members present, it was resolved to purchase the property if a clear title could be obtained. Messrs. Roth, McEliece, and Gilger were appointed a committee to secure legal advice on the subject. At that time the surviving trustees of the old academy association were W. H. Marshall, W. M. Weaver, and Charles P. Helfenstein, and Messrs. Gilger, McEliece, and Harper were appointed by the board to confer with them. On the 26th of September, 1863, Messrs. Haas and McEliece were appointed to bring the purchase to a final consummation, but legal obstacles intervened, and it was not until March 14, 1864, that the property was secured by the board, at coroner's sale for the sum of twenty-nine hundred fifty dollars, in pursuance of action taken by the board, March 7, 1864. Several of the rooms were finished for immediate occupancy, and others as the growth of the school population required; the last apartment was adapted for use by a resolution of the board passed on the 19th of July, 1871. At the present time there are nine school rooms and four class rooms in this building; the high school, two grammar schools, three intermediate, and two primary schools are con- ducted here.

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History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 68

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829- Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829-
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1424