USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > History of Perry County, Pennsylvania, including descriptions of Indians and pioneer life from the time of earliest settlement, sketches of its noted men and women and many professional men > Part 33
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The church was built upon lands warranted by Nicholas Robi- son, in 1766, according to Rev. Focht's "Churches Between the Mountains." According to Mr. T. W. Campbell, a native and resident of the neighborhood, the old Indian trail is supposed to have passed by the site of Charles O. Houck's home, at the foot of Dick's Hill, on the Newport-Duncannon road, the residence once having been an old tavern but converted into a dwelling by Mr. Houck's ancestors. Rev. Focht erred in stating "by whom or for whom it was built it is now impossible to say," as there are many records to show that it was of the Presbyterian faith. The cover- ing of the graves with stones does not prove that they are Indian graves, as there is record that the pioneers used that method in order to keep them from molestation by wolves.
There are some things about this old church that are hard to understand. If it was built in 1767 why was it not "chunked and (laubed" between the logs until 1798, and why was it yet roofless in 1797? Both these statements were made by Mrs. Black, a repu- table and religious woman, and are evidently true, yet they nat- urally cause inquisitiveness. That a people would meet in that kind of a building for over thirty years, without giving it even
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the ordinary advantages which their homes possessed is indeed strange. Might it have been that they early saw their error of location and in the following years used it only as a sort of camp meeting place during the summer months? From the silence of the long departed years there comes no voice to tell us.
Shermansdale Presbyterian Church. The date of organization and early history of Sherman's Creek Presbyterian Church-the forerunner of the Shermansdale Church-are enveloped in ob- scurity. In all probability the location of the church at Dick's Gap, in 1767, was meant to suffice for the lower end of that part of Perry County lying west of the Juniata. The language of the committee conveys that thought. In October, 1777, a call from . Dick's Gap went to Rev. Hugh McGill. When its acceptance was being considered the following spring the name of the Sherman's Creek Church first appears in the minutes of Presbytery ( 1778), in regard to the proportion of his time each should have. Accord- ing to these minutes the two churches are referred to as "the united congregations of Dick's Gap and Sherman's Creek." In 1779 Rev. McGill reported to Presbytery "on account of a disagreement in his congregation respecting the places of public worship, and his apprehension of their inability to support him," he desired to re- linquish his call. A noteworthy fact is that from then on the Sherman's Creek Church asked for supplies independently.
Just when the first church was built is a mystery, but it was located between Fio Forge and Dellville (on the Charles Zeigler farm), where an old graveyard marks the site. There rests Swiss- helm, said to have been a squatter on the Zorger farm. A brown stone, on which the name is still legible, marks his grave. The church was sometimes referred to as Swisshelm's. Various vol- umes mark the date as 1804, but that date is wrong, as the follow- ing facts will show : Owing to the congregation's place of worship being close to that of "the church at the mouth of the Juniata" (the forerunner of the Duncannon Presbyterian Church), in 1801, there is record of its being moved, first to Boyd's, now known as the Matlack farm, and in 1802 "to Swisshelm's," now the Adam Zorger property. Tradition has it that at these first two locations, at the graveyard in the Zeigler field, and at Boyd's fording, at the Matlack farm, were built small places of worship. On October 8, 1802, "verbal application was made to Presbytery for supplies every month to preach at the house of John Fitzhelm ( Swiss- helm)." In 1804, at Pine Hill, about one hundred yards from Sherman's Creek, and two and a half miles east of their present church, a log church was erected. There this people worshiped until 1843, when the church was taken down and the best of its material used in the erection of the present church. There, in an old graveyard, rest the Wests, Smileys, Hendersons, and others.
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This church is located a half mile north of Shermansdale, upon lands donated by William Smiley. The congregation was incor- porated by an act of the Pennsylvania Legislature dated April 16, 1829.
The church was served altogether by supplies until 1804, when Rev. Joseph Brady was installed, on October 3, his call including the churches at the mouth of the Juniata and Middle Ridge, which comprised one charge until Middle Ridge was abandoned in 1841. He served until his death, which occurred April 24, 1821, being pastor when the county was organized. Rev. John Noblock served from 1826 to 1830. Rev. Matthew B. Patterson was pastor from 1831 to 1853, and Hezekiah Hanson, from 1854 to 1856. Then, from 1857 to 1867 Rev. William B. Craig served the Sher- mansdale church and the New Bloomfield church, with which it had been united. Then Duncannon and Shermansdale were sepa- rated from New Bloomfield, and Rev. William Thompson was called in 1868 and remained until 1873, when Duncannon was separated from it. Rev. S. A. Davenport was pastor from 1878 to 1880, before and after which it was filled by supplies, two of which were Rev. J. J. Hamilton and Rev. J. A. Murray, D.D. For one year, covering 1883-84, Rev. J. C. Garver, of the Landisburg charge, was pastor, since which time the pastors have been the same as those of the New Bloomfield church, with which it is united. See New Bloomfield chapter.
Middle Ridge Church. Dick's Gap Church, in Miller Township, was, according to all available records, one of the first churches located in what is now Perry County. When services were no longer held there Middle Ridge replaced it. The organization was effected in 1803, and the church built in 1804. In that year ( 1803) Rev. Joseph Brady was called to the charge, which included this church and the ones at the mouth of the Juniata ( Baskins') and Sherman's Creek (Swisshelm's). He was installed in October, 1804, and served until his death in 1821, being buried in the Pres- byterian cemetery which occupies the bluff above northern Din- cannon.
Supplies were then sent by Presbytery, among them being Rev. Gray, who served Centre and Middle Ridge for six months, cov- ering one winter. In November. 1826, Rev. John Niblock was installed and served until his death, which occurred in August, 1830, at the age of thirty-two years. His remains lie buried in the Middle Ridge graveyard, near the corner of the old church fonn- dation. During January, 1831, Rev. Matthew Patterson began supplying the three churches, and in November was installed as their regular pastor. He filled the position until April 13, 1842, when the membership had dwindled and Presbytery dissolved the congregation and directed the membership to unite with New
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Bloomfield or Millerstown, which churches had come into exist- ence in the meantime.
When the church was no longer used by the Presbyterians, the Associate Reformed people-known as the seceders-began wor- shiping in it and continued to do so until 1860. While the Pres- byterians held their services there they were attended by folks from as far as New Bloomfield, Millerstown, and other equally distant points. There is an authentic account of young folks com- ing from New Bloomfield on horseback to catechize, among them being Eve, a daughter of John and Catharine (Lesh) Smith. On their arrival Samuel Leiby. a youth, helped the fair Miss Smith from her horse, and his gallantry won him a wife, who became the maternal ancestor of the prominent Leiby families of Perry County. By an act of the Pennsylvania Legislature of April 16, 1829, the churches at Middle Ridge, the mouth of the Juniata, and Sherman's Creek were incorporated. The trustees were urged to sell the building, but failed to do so, and no longer in use, it be- came the object of marauders, who tore out and carried off pews, tore the doors from their hinges, and even removed a part of the roof. The stove had been loaned to the school board and was destroyed when the schoolhouse was burned. Every vestige, save the foundation, has gone to decay.
The mode of journeying to the old church was either on foot or horseback. Behind the husband often rode the wife, and per- haps a small child, and in many cases a mother rode with a small child in her arms. Naturally those residing at the greatest dis- tances started first, and as they passed others joined, crossroads contributing large delegations. Traveling two abreast they fre- quently arrived in great troops from different directions. The services were held twice each Sunday, the first one in the morning and the other in the early afternoon, lunches being carried along to be eaten during the intervening period. Later "the Tilburry," a two-wheeler, came into vogue, and a few were in use by at- tendants.
When Rev. Edgar, to whose historic articles we are indebted for no little material used in our descriptions along religious lines, was a resident of the county, a Miss Black, of Millerstown, sent him a relic of that early period. It is described by him as "a little, oblong piece of metal, marked 'M. R.,' and distributed to the members a day or two before communion, to entitle them to a place at the sacramental table."
This church was, originally, well founded and substantial. When the call was sent Rev. Brady in 1803, it offered sixty pounds for one-third of his services. Sherman's Creek Church and the church at the month of the Juniata offered fifty pounds each, later raising the amounts to sixty.
JACOB BUCK. (One of the best men I ever knew.)
In almost every community throughout the county there were men and women whose constancy and zeal never laxed, and whose com- munities were marked by their noble lives. Such a man was Jacob Buck, born October 9, 1815, whose death occurred February 20, 1907. The grandson of an original pioneer after whom Buck's Valley was named he carly followed the Master and for long years was class leader of the United Brethren congregation which worshiped at Buek's Church, and superintendent of the Sunday School. "Grandfather Buck," as everybody knew him, was widely known over the eastern third of Perry County for much of his life, over 91 years.
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There was an early Sabbath school started here in 1823 or 1824, which was well attended. Its first. superintendent was Ralph Smiley, an unmarried man, and the owner of Fravel's mill, south of Witherow's, whose remains lie interred in the old graveyard at New Bloomfield.
The Gap Church. There was an early church located in Half Falls Mountain Gap, erected about 1780, near a beautiful spring, on lands which were vacant until near the middle of last century. It is supposed to have been burned down in 1800. Professor Wright, the historian, states that "the foundation stones may still be seen (1880) and the spot recognized." There was no grave- yard there. The existence of this church has been questioned, but Mrs. William Kumler, all her life a resident of the immediate vicinity, was told of it by her aunt, Mrs. Mary Baird, who de- scribed how they used to ride to and from the church there on horseback, which substantiates its existence.
That this church really existed, although it has been questioned, is further attested by a statement of I. E. Stephens, a life-time resident of Bucks Valley, Buffalo Township, who says: "The peo- ple in an early day worshiped in a church situated on the top of Half Falls Mountain. It was used by the inhabitants of Buck's Valley and those of Watts Township. This church was destroyed by fire in 1800." Learning of its existence from an old resident Mr. Stephens soon found himself at the mountain top, on the road leading from Buck's Valley to New Buffalo. At the township line, on the crest of the mountain, stands a large oak tree. Taking thirty steps due west, and then thirty due south, he found the remnant of the old foundation, through which now runs a wood road.
Judging the matter by deduction, it is to be presumed that there was an earlier church than either Buck's Church, in Buck's Valley, or the old Union Church at the Hill, in Watts Township, for there was an early religious spirit pervading the community in the very early years and, not far from this location, at the Richard Baird place (at the forks of the road near the Richard Callin residence ), was started one of the first Sunday schools in Perry County. Further deduction is possible, for Rev. Focht, in his "Churches Between the Mountains," says this primitive Gap Church was burned down "about the beginning of the century." From his volume it is also to be learned that a graveyard already existed where the Hill Church now stands, and that the first church there was built during the period from 1804 to 1809. If the Gap Church existed and burned about that time, its replacement in the com- munity at another and better location within a very few years . would be logical. Rev. Focht names Rev. Mathias Guntzel and Rev. John Herbst, Lutheran ministers, as preaching there, the
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former from about 1789 to 1796, and the latter from 1796 for a few years.
St. Michael's Lutheran Church. When the land office opened in 1755 there were at least three Germans who warranted lands in Pfoutz Valley. In the succeeding years many others followed, and thus that section of Perry County became the pioneer Lu- theran community of the county and had the first regularly organ- ized congregation. Shortly after the expeditions of the Indians, which ceased in 1764, they were visited by ministers who held occasional services. Then, some time between 1770 and 1773 the congregation was regularly organized. Baptismal records date back to October, 1774, Rev. Michael Enderlin then being the pas- tor, and remaining such until April, 1789. This was the seventh congregation to organize in what is now Perry County, and the first outside of the Presbyterian faith. The deed to the church grounds, dated February 15, 1776, reads in part as follows:
"This Indenture, made the fifteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord, one thousand, seven hundred and seventy-six, by and between John Fouts, of Greenwood Township, in Cumberland County, and Province of Pennsylvania, of the one part, and John Long and Philip Huber and the whole Lutheran congregation of the township, county and province afore- said, of the other part."
While the person who wrote the deed wrote the name "Fouts," yet inscribed the signature is plainly Pfautz-now spelled Pfoutz. It was recorded at Carlisle, June 13, 1788.
Prior to the deed's execution a large schoolhouse had been erected upon the grounds, and in it the early settlers worshipped from 1770 until 1798, as the building was their property. After the last incursion of the Indians in 1763, when many of the resi- dents of this section were cruelly massacred, and prior to the erection of the school buildings services were held in the homes. It was on these grounds that these victims were buried, before either school building or church was there. Fearing surprise from the Indians when funerals were held the men carried their guns. They also came to church services carrying their guns. At that time the surrounding cemetery was the only one in the valley. Tradition tells of pioneers being tied to the hickory tree (now gone) at the corner of the church land and made targets for the deadly arrows of the red skins. It is said that the graveyard was started by the interment of their bodies. In "The Churches Be- tween the Mountains," Rev. D. H. Focht says: "No graveyard, and no place of worship in Perry County, is as old as this," which he evidently later found to be incorrect, as his introduction gives the credit for the first congregations to Centre and Dick's Gap. From the same authority it is learned that "on the 19th of March, in the year 1798, the church edifice was erected, and on the 25th
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of May, 1800, the church was consecrated," the services being in German. It was a log building, about 35x45 feet in size, with a gallery on three sides. The pulpit was high and supported by a post, and the seats had high and erect backs. The organ was on the gallery fronting the pulpit, and was not used as late as 1820, having become ruined. This old church stood until 1847, when it was re- placed by a new one. In 1802 the congregation purchased an addi- tional acre of ground from John Long for one dollar. With 110 free school system in sight, it appears the proceeds of the land were to go towards the support of the schoolmaster, who was also to lead the singing in the church and play the organ. For many years a congregational school was maintained there. The min- isters were :
1774-89 -Rev. Michael Enderlin. 1789-1800-Rev. Matthias Guntzel. 1800-04 -Rev. John Herbst. 1805-14 -Rev. J. Conrad Walter. 1815-33 -Rev. John William Heim.
During the pastorate of Rev. Walter, Rev. George Heim was his assistant. Other ministers conducted baptismal and other cere- monies during these years, but a careful perusal of Rev. Focht's book will not show them as regular pastors, although a number of historians have so stated. Then followed :
1833-35-Rev. C. G. Erlenmeyer. 1835-42-Vacant. 1842-43-Rev. Andrew Berg. 1843-47-Vacant. 1847-51-Rev. William Weaver.
Rev. Weaver found but three members of the congregation left, but immediately began a movement for building a new church. At a congregational meeting in March, 1847. a building committee was appointed, consisting of David Kepner, Joseph Ulsh, Fred- erick Reinhard, John Ulsh, and George Beaver. The carpenter work was contracted for at $680, and the masonry done separately. The corner stone was laid in June, and in the fall it was dedicated. Rev. Weaver resigned in 1851, and the pastorate was vacant until October, 1856. Pastors since then have been :
1856-59-Rev. Josiah Zimmerman. 1859-61-Rev. Jacob A. Hackenberger. 1861-62-Rev. William O. Wilson.
In April, 1862, it became attached to the Liverpool charge, since which time the ministers have been the same. See Liverpool chapter.
Lebanon Lutheran Church. In 1790 the Lutherans were organ- ized at Loysville by Rev. John Timothy Kuhl, who that year began
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visiting the different sections of Sherman's Valley in the interests of that denomination. Rev. Kuhl's family came from Path Val- ley, and George Fleisher, of Saville Township, who died in 1855, aged eighty-four years, hauled their household goods over the mountains, he being then a boy of nineteen. Private homes and barns were the scenes of many of these early meetings. Martin Bernheisel and Michael Loy donated two acres and forty-two perches of land in 1794 for the erection of a church and school building. The building was about 30x40 in size, and in 1808 was weatherboarded and painted white, from that time on being known as "the white church." John Calhoun superintended the building and a building committee consisted of Michael Loy, George Hammer and Peter Sheibley. While the majority of the congregation were Lutherans yet the Reformed denomination was an equal owner. It was in use until 1850.
March 2, 1851, a new church was dedicated, the pastors then being Rev. F. Ruthrauff, Lutheran, and Rev. C. H. Leinbach, Re- formed. Its construction was of brick and its cost about six thou- sand dollars. In 1883 it was remodeled at a cost of about $2,500.
Rev. Kuhl served as pastor until 1796. The following five years Rev. John Herbst, of Carlisle, acted as supply. Then came Rev. Frederick Sanno, and later Rev. John Frederick Osterloh, who resided on a farın in Saville Township and also occupied the pul- pits at New Bloomfield, St. Peter's (Spring Township), and Fish- ing Creek (Rye Township). In May, 1815, Rev. John William Heim became pastor, and until 1828 his pastorate included not only almost all of Perry County, but all of Juniata and Mifflin. In that year he moved to Loysville and died there on December 27, 1849.
After Rev. Heim's death Sherman's Valley was divided into three charges, the Upper Circuit including Loysville (Lebanon) church, Zion, St. Peter's, and Ludolph's (Little Germany). The middle, or Bloomfield charge, to include also Ickesburg, Shuman's, Bealor's, and Newport, and the lower, or Petersburg charge, to in- clude that church, Pisgah, Fishing Creek, Billow's, and New Buffalo.
The congregation at Loysville had built a parsonage and bought fifteen acres of land as early as 1828. While Rev. Heim was pastor as early as 1815, he did not reside in Loysville until this parsonage was built, and he then gave up his appointments in Mif- flin County. While pastor here he found time and money where- with to purchase a farin and erect a gristmill. In 1833 he gave up the congregations east of the Juniata so that they might be formed into a separate charge, and in 1835 he gave up those in Juniata County for a similar reason. In 1842 he still had eight churches in Perry County.
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The church erected in 1851 was used jointly by the Lutherans and Reformed faiths until 1909, when a separation took place, the interest of the Lutherans having been purchased by the Reformed people, who still use the edifice. In that year the Lutherans erected a new church, known as the Tressler Memorial Church, the cost of which was $16,000. Its seating capacity is five luun- dred, and it is one of the finest churches in the county.
Until 1850 the services were held entirely in German, but in that year Rev. Frederick Ruthrauff began preaching alternately in Eng- lish. He resigned in 1852. In 1853 Rev. Reuben Weiser followed, but was elected as president of Central College of Iowa in 1856. Rev. Philip Willard then served two years. The succession of min- isters from then on is as follows:
Rev. G. M. Settlemover, 1859-61. Rev. John F. Dietrich, 1877-80.
Rev. Peter Sahm, 1862-69. Rev. F. Aurand, 1880-83.
Rev. Daniel Sell, 1869-71. Rev. W. D. E. Scott, 1883-1906.
Rev. John B. Stroup, 1873-74.
Rev. Geo. A. Royer, 1907-14.
Rev. Isaiah B. Crist, 1875-77.
Rev. A. R. Longenecker, 1914-20.
Rev. J. G. C. Knipple, 1921-
Rev. John William Heim was the pastor of this church for thirty-four years. In the spring of 1824, at Eastertide, he re- ceived into membership a class of seventy persons.
Loysville Reformed Church. The history of the Reformed congregation's church home is identical with that of the Lutheran Church, described above, as the two bodies were joint owners of the old Lebanon Church. The first minister of the Reformed con- gregation was Rev. Jacob Scholl, who became pastor in October, 1819, although there were earlier ministers of that faith who held occasional services, one probably being Rev. Ulrich Heininger, who traveled Sherman's Valley. Rev. Scholl served until 1841, when he was succeeded by Rev. Charles H. Leinbach, who served until 1859. A list of the pastors since that time will be found under the Landisburg Reformed Church.
St. Peter's Church. Two miles east of Landisburg, in Spring Township, stood St. Peter's Church, built in 1816-17, and dedi- cated in the spring of 1817. While its inception is shrouded in obscurity yet it is known to have been a preaching station when Loysville Church was formed in 1790, the ministers from Carlisle stopping to attend to the spiritual needs of the members.
Historians place the probable date of first services as 1788, and 1809 as about when the Lutheran and Reformed congregations were organized there. Prior to 1815 both congregations had wor- shiped in a school building which stood on the site now occupied by St. Peter's Union Church. This school building was likely the property of the two congregations.
December 23. 1815, is the date of an agreement between the two congregations to build a church, in which it was stated that
20
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HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
owing to the increasing number of Germans in that vicinity and the rapid growth of the congregations, the schoolhouse was too small for further worship. The new church was built on lands given for the purpose by John Gamber, and was dedicated in the spring of 1817. It was a log structure, 35x40 feet in size, and had a gallery on three sides, a cup-shaped pulpit mounted on a high post, and high, unpainted seats. The building committee was Henry Kell, Reformed, and John Miller, Lutheran.
This old landmark stood until 1857, when on September 20th the present brick church was dedicated, taking its place, and belong- ing to the German Reformed people, the Lutherans having at the same time erected their own church. On April 28, 1824, $800 was paid to Samuel Ickes for fourteen acres of land for a parsonage for the pastor of the "German Reformed Presbyterian Church." by Philip Stambaugh, trustee of Zion Church in Toboyne Township; Henry Kell, trustee of Lebanon Church in Tyrone Township; Philip Kell, trustee of St. Peter's Church in Tyrone (now Spring) Township ; William Hipple, trustee of Fishing Creek Church (now Rye) Township; Casper Lupfer, trustee of Christ's Church in Juniata Township. Here the pastor resided for many years.
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