USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > History of Schuylkill County, Pa. with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 65
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FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The first movement for the establishment of a Presby- terian church in Pottsville was made in the autumn of 1831.
The home mission work of the Presbyterian church was then very largely carried on under the auspices of the American Home Missionary Society, in New York, of which Rev. Absalom Peters, D. D., was then secretary. Application was accordingly made to the society for aid in the maintenance of Presbyterian worship in Pottsville, and certain churches in Philadelphia having asked that a portion of their annual contributions to the society be ap- propriated to this object, Rev. Sylvanus Haight was sent as a missionary in March, 1832, and immediately com- menced preaching in a private house on Centre street, near Norwegian.
The church was organized, with sixteen members, on the 13th of July in the same year, by Rev. E. S. Ely, D. D., and Rev. James Patterson, a committee of the 2nd Pres- bytery of Philadelphia, and at the same time a church building which had been erected on the corner of Third of Market streets was dedicated.
The first elders of the church were Erwin Safford, John C. Ernst, Elisha Warne, and Alexander Graham. The original members, in addition to these elders and their wives, were Jesse Turner, Lewis Waters, Mrs. Sophia Chichester, Mrs. Mary Neligh, Mrs. Margaret Thomas, Mrs. Mary Wilde, Miss Abigail Parrish, and Miss Elizabeth Ernst.
Rev. S. Haight resigned his position in March 1834. He was followed by Rev. J. Addison Mines, who left early in 1835 and was succeeded by Rev. Joseph McCool, who commenced his labors in June, 1835, and was installed as pastor in the autumn of 1836.
On the 25th of August, 1838, the corner stone of a new church building was laid at the corner of Third and Mahantongo streets. It was completed and occu pied in 1842.
283
CHURCHES OF POTTSVILLE.
During the pastorate of Mr. McCool the Second Pres- byterian Church of Pottsville was organized in connec- tion with the Presbytery of Luzerne (O S.), the First church being in connection with the Third Presbytery of Philadelphia (N. S.).
Mr. Warne resigned the eldership in 1837, Mr. Ernst in 1842, and Mr. Graham removed in the same year, Mr. Safford having been transferred to another church in 1834.
J. C. Oliver and Thomas Pollock became elders in 1843, the former resigning in 1848 and the latter leaving in 1850. Solomon Foster and Hiram Parker were elected, ordained and installed elders in October, 185 1, and (February, 1881) are both still active in the duties of the office.
Mr. McCool resigned the charge January 17th, 1864, and he is still a resident of Pottsville.
He was succeeded by the Rev. Isaac Riley, who was installed November 30th, 1864, and continued pastor until the autumn of 1867. He was subsequently settled in Newark, N. J., and in New York city, and afterward was pastor of the Westminster Presbyterian church in Buffalo, N. Y., where he died, greatly lamented, in Octo- ber, 1878.
At the close of Mr. Riley's pastorate, Rev. A. P. De Veuve being then pastor of the Second church, an effort was made to unite the two churches. A plan of union was matured and carried into effect, the two churches, on their own application and with the consent of their re- spective presbyteries, being constituted into a single church by the Third Presbytery of Philadelphia. They worshiped for some months in the building of the First church, Mr. De Veuve for a time acting as their supply.
A large portion of the members of the Second church, however, after a few months, withdrew.
During the continuance of the union Mr. Stephen Harris and Mr. T. L. Godfrey were elected elders, and during the same period, in October, 1868, Rev. J. W. Schenck, a member of the Central Presbytery of Philadel- phia, who had previously been pastor of the First Re- formed Dutch Church in Philadelphia, was elected and installed pastor. During his pastorate the reunion be- tween the old and new school assemblies of the Presby- terian Church was effected, and, as the result of this union, the First church of Pottsville became connected with the Presbytery of Lehigh, which includes all the Presbyterian churches in the counties of Monroe, North - ampton, Lehigh, Carbon, Berks, Schuylkill, and the por- tion of Luzerne south of the Wilkes-Barre mountain.
Mr. Schenck resigned the charge in September, 1872, and was subsequently settled as pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church at Claverack, N. Y.
Rev. Jacob Belville, D. D., of Mauch Chunk. was then called, and was installed May Ist, 1873.
Before the commencement of this pastorate Simon Derr and Heber S. Thompson were elected elders, and subsequently Joseph S. Harris and George W. Beck, who with Solomon Foster and Hiram Parker now compose the eldership.
In the spring of 1874 plans were matured for the erection of a new church building, which had been for some years in contemplation. Elder Stephen Harris was very prominent in this movement, but just as the plans were maturing he was removed by death, being run over by a railroad car and instantly killed on the 10th of March, 1874. He was born in Chester county, Pa., in 1834, and united with this church in December, 1860. He was distinguished as a civil and mining engineer, and was a man of singular purity, integrity, elevation and strength of character, of cultivated mind and deep piety. The large window in the north end of the new church was erected to his memory by the Sabbath-school, of which he was superintendent at the time of his death.
The trustees under whose direction the building was erected were Joseph S. Harris, D. A. Smith, L. C. Thompson, George Chambers and John Phillips. They were aided by active committees, and a most wise and efficient treasurer, Simon Derr.
The building is of native gray sandstone, dressed, and trimmed with Pennsylvania brown stone and Ohio free- stone. The lower story contains a parlor, a pastor's study, a lecture and Sabbath school-room, infant school- room and library. The main audience room will accom- modate about 700 persons. The cost of the whole, with furniture, including a large and superior organ, was nearly $51,000. The lower story was first occupied on the 23d of April, 1876. The whole was completed and ded- icated free from debt, February 8th, 1880.
The number of members is 295. The Sabbath-school numbers about 200, and the infant school 150.
WELSH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
In 1831 this church was organized, and in the follow- ing year it erected a suitable church building on Miners- ville street. In 1851 this building was rebuilt as it now stands. Rev. A. B. Evans was pastor for the first ten years. Rev. William Jones then served until 1845; Rev. Charles Edwards, 1849; Rev. Roderic Williams, 1850; Revs. Morgan Morgan and Edward R. Lewis until 1872; Rev. John W. Pugh, 1874.
GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN TRINITY CHURCH.
Years before a regular Lutheran congregation was or- ganized the members of this church were visited, from time to time, by the ministers living in Berks and Schuyl- kill counties and served with the Word and Sacrament according to the confession and rule of the Lutheran church. Rev. G. F. I. Jaeger was among the early min- isters who came from Reading. In the year 1834 a reg- ular congregation was constituted by calling Rev. W. Mennig and adopting a constitution. He accepted the call and began his work on the 29th of June. After three years the congregation resolved to build a small framed church, in connection with the German Reformed mem- bers of this place, on the same lot on which now stands the present church. The corner stone was laid with the usual ceremonies on the 18th of June, 1837, and on the 8th and 9th of October in the same year it was dedicated
40
284
HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
by several ministers of the two denominations, under the name Emanuel's Church. All the Lutherans of Potts- ville worshiped together until the year 1842, when Rev. D. Steck organized an English congregation from a part of Rev. Mr. Mennig's people. Afterward the church building came into the hands of the Lutherans alone, who held service therein until 1864. Another separation occurred in 1848 from the Emanuel church, and a new congregation was organized, which was served for a short time by Dr. C. F. Manz. The more conservative part elected, in 1851, Rev. F. Walz, who remodeled the con- gregation named " Zion's " by introducing a good con- stitution. The public services were held at that time in the small framed church in First street, between Market and Mahantongo streets. Rev. Mr. Walz left Pottsville early in the fall of 1853, and Rev. J. Ehrhart became his successor. He was pastor of Zion's church until the 7th of July, 1864, when this and Emanuel's church were re- united under the name Trinity congregation.
Rev. William Mennig, of Emanuel's church, received a call from St. Paul's church in Allentown, and left Potts- ville, in 1859, after laboring here twenty-five years. Rev. W. Lampe was then elected as pastor, but resigned after three years' work, following another call from Williams- port. Rev. W. Hoppe became his successor, but his administration lasted only one year. At this time the two congregations felt more and more the propriety of uniting themselves in one. An election took place on the 17th of July, 1864, for this purpose, and by an almost unanimous vote the reunion of the long separated con- gregation was declared. The new title of the united church has been since that time Evangelical Lutheran Church. In the fall of 1865 Mr. Ehrhart resigned. In the spring of 1866 Rev. G. A. Hinterleitner, the present pastor, accepted a call, and entered soon afterward on the pastorate of this congregation. When it was found that the old framed building was too small for the public services, it was resolved to erect a large and commodious house of worship on the same place. In 1867 the work was commenced, and on Christmas the congregation oc- cupied the basement of the new church. A few months afterward the work was finished, and the dedication took place on the 26th of April, 1868. The church is of brick, 87 by 45 feet, and it has a capacity to seat 700 persons. Its cost was $23,000. It has a tower 130 feet high, with three large bells. The present number of members is about 400; of scholars in the Sunday-school, 300.
BETHEL AFRICAN M. E. CHURCH.
The A. M. E. church was organized about 1834, when Revs. Charles Beal and Joseph Jackson preached here. Burd Patterson encouraged the church by donations of land and money, and in 1868 they erected a church building.
Their present substantial stone church on Laurel street, near Mount Hope, was built in 1868.
WELSH BAPTIST CHURCH.
erected a small church building in Second street. Rev. William Owens was an early pastor, and was succeeded by Rev. William Morgan, under whose pastoral charge a new house of worship was erected, about 1839.
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH.
The Reformed denomination, of Swiss origin, has two congregations in Pottsville. One of them is known as the First Reformed Church, in which the services are conducted mainly in the German language; the other as Trinity Reformed Church, in which the services are conducted exclusively in the English tongue.
The origin dates back to 1836, when this was a preach - ing point, supplied by Rev. Daniel Hassinger, who served several neighboring congregations. At this period the members did not exceed twenty. Those who were then most active were Francis C. Kuentzler, Benjamin Sterner, Abraham Sterner, George Fisher and Philip Womelsdorf.
In 1837 this small band united with the members of the Lutheran denomination in the erection of a small framed church in Third street, on the site of the present Lutheran church. The building when completed cost $2,000 and seated 250 persons. The structure of this building was in accordance with an ancient style of architecture, with an elevated pulpit at the side, and the altar in the center of the audience chamber.
The name of Rev. D. Haessing stands identified with this congregation up to 1847.
In his later career he manifested a spirit of insubor- dination, on account of which, and the unbecoming acts of his ministry, he was deposed by the Classis of Le- banon.
The congregation also found itself involved in finan- cial embarrassment, and its continued existence became extremely precarious.
In the records of the classis a petition from the mem- bers stands recorded, asking it to take under its care the interest of this congregation. Under the auspices of the board of domestic missions, which appropriated $100, Rev. J. A. Reubelt served this church from November Ist, 1848, until 1850, when he becanie a missionary in the west. Rev. J. W. Hoffmeier, then located at Or- wigsburg, was commissioned to attend to the interests of the church until a regular minister could be secured.
In 1852 Rev. John Gantenbein, who was received July 16th by Lebanon Classis from the theological institute of Basle, Germany, became pastor of this and several neighboring congregations. He continued until Sep- tember 25th, 1854, when he was dismissed by the classis to take charge of a Reformed congregation in Balti- more.
In May, 1855, Rev. I. E. Graeff became the pastor of this congregation, which then numbered seventy-five. A Sunday-school was organized at this time, with a consti- tution and by-laws that afterwards became the ground- work for the Sunday-school that continued through the fluctuating condition of the congregation. The friction
This church came into existence in 1834 or 1835, and of the Lutheran and Reformed congregations worshiping
285
CHURCHES OF POTTSVILLE.
in the same building made both parties restless. After considerable negotiation the Reformed congregation dis- posed of its interest in the church property for the sum of $950, and rented a small church in Second street.
In 1857 Rev. I. E. Graeff resigned, and in 1858 Rev. Samuel Miller became pastor. A new constitution was adopted, the congregation was better organized and measures were taken for the erection of a new church.
The site on Market street, above Eighth, was secured, and a brick church, 36 by 60, was erected. The corner stone was laid on the 17th of July of the same year. The church was completed in 1860, at a cost of $3,500, including the price of the lot. The debt was reduced to about $700.
In 1863 Rev. S. Miller resigned the pastorate and the place was filled in the following year by Rev. J. C. Bucher, D. D., who was installed December 25th, 1864, by Rev. C. H. Leinbach and J. P. Stein and resigned in February, 1868. The congregation, then numbering 130, prospered under his care until, on account of the preference given to the English language, the German portion became much dissatisfied.
On account of the difficulties in securing a man that could preach in both languages, and satisfy both parties, petitions were sent to Lebanon Classis, which convened in May, 1868, in Mahanoy City, requesting that the con- gregation be divided on the basis of language. This re- quest was granted and a committee appointed to duly install the officers of both consistories. The English portion was to leave the old congregation for the con- sideration of $2,000 for their interest in the property, secured by mortgage, while the old organization was to be continued as a German congregation.
Rev. Samuel Miller was selected pastor of the German congregation, still known as the First Reformed church, immediately after the separation, and served until December 25th, 1872. Rev. Gottold Neff was then pastor until August 12th, 1873.
Rev. Rudolph Kuntz, a native of Switzerland, educated at Basle, and a student of the theological seminary of Bloomfield, New Jersey, became the next pastor of the con- gregation, and continued in office until September, 1875.
In March, 1876, Rev. Christian Baum took charge of the congregation, which under his pastorate is still in a flourishing condition.
UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.
It was John M. Crossland's idea to have a Universal- ist or independent church in Pottsville, and, accordingly, in 1838, he erected at his own expense the building now used by the Primitive Methodists in Second street. Revs. Gallagher and Brush preached here before the building was sold to Daniel Leib.
ST. JOHN BAPTIST CATHOLIC CHURCH.
and held services for them in St. Patrick's church. The whole congregation then consisted of the following male members: John Ruch, M. Ruch, Lorenz Fischer, George and Francis Altstatt, James Sellgrath, John Gressang, Ignatius Gartner, Henry Ackermann, Clement Acker- mann, Francis Ackermann, John Ackermann, Blasius Hasenauer, Adam Reith, Francis Reith, Peter Schmidt, John Lecher, Ferdinand Bodefield, Peter Wohl and a few others.
In the year 1840 they bought two lots on the north- east corner of Fourth street and Church alley, on which to erect a church. The corner stone for the new edifice was laid by Father Steinbach, whose pastoral relations with the church ceased in the year 1842, when Rev. Jo- seph B. Burg was sent in December by the Rt. Rev. P. Kenrick, bishop of Philadelphia, to take charge of the rapidly growing congregation. Father Burg died in January, 1849, after a successful ministry of nearly seven years. He was succeeded by Rev. Peter Carbon, who remained until July, 1850. Under his supervision a pa- rochial school was built at a cost of nearly nine hundred dollars.
The Rev. Daniel Oberholzer was called to the pastor- ate. Under him two cemeteries were bought-one on Ninth street, and the other in the borough of Yorkville. He remained until May, 1856, and after the close of his ministry the church was for one year without a resident pastor. The deficiency was at length supplied by receiv- ing Father Wegmeyer on the 22nd of May, 1857. He was succeeded by Rev. Francis Neufeld December 14th, 1858, who remained four years. By him a new bell for the church was procured. The Rev. Francis Joseph Wachter took the pastoral charge in December, 1862. In 1866 the congregation had become so large that arrange- ments were made for building a large church for its ac- commodation. Four lots were bought on the corner of Tenth and Mahantongo streets, for $10,000.
The corner stone for the new edifice was laid by the Right Rev. John Shanahan, Bishop of Harrisburg. But Father Wachter did not see the work which he had com - menced finished, as he was succeeded by Rev. B. A. Baumeister, who worked very hard to get the new church under roof. After the close of a very successful minis- try, the Rev. H. A. Depmann took charge of the congre- gation in August, 1872. He finished the new and costly church so far as it now stands. The church is 160 feet deep, 60 feet wide, and has accommodations for almost 1,000 persons. Its cost has been so far more than $80,- 000. It is supplied with a valuable pipe organ built by Max Oestreich. While the new church was in course of construction the services were held in the old church on Church alley. The new edifice was dedicated Decem- ber Ist, 1872, by the Most Rev. J. F. Wood, archbishop of Philadelphia. In January, 1872, Father Depmann entered the Franciscan order, and the Rev. Francis W. Longinus took charge of the now very large congrega- tion, counting more than 2,000 souls. He entered on his duties February 7th, 1878, and he is pastor at the present
In 1839 there were but few Germans professing the Catholic faith residing in what is now known as Potts- ville. During that year Father Steinbach, missionary from Reading, Pa., visited the few German Catholics | time. His assistant is the Rev. Bernard Korves.
286
HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH.
A congregation composed largely of miners organized this church in 1840, and built a small church edifice in the northern part of the borough. Rev. Charles Spurr was pastor in 1849. The congregation was weakened by removals until, in 1852, their building was sold. The present church, a new organization dating from 1873, now occupies a rented house of worship on Second street. The pastor in 1880 was Rev. Thomas Bateman.
SECOND M. E. CHURCH.
This church was organized in 1845, with forty-eight members, previously connected with the First M. E. church. A house of worship was erected at the corner of Market and Fifth streets and was dedicatcd August 9th, 1846. In 1857 this church was reunited to the parent church.
During the period of its existence the following clergy- men were pastors of the Second church:
D. D. Lore, Thomas G. Murphy, J. B. Finnery, Thomas S. Johnson, James Y. Ashton, Curtis F. Turner, Andrew Longacre, J. T. Gracey.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH.
In 1846 Robert C. Green, Paul Moody, James Ward, Robert Crozier, Eunice Moody, Mary Reilly, Mary Evans, Lydia Thomas, Mary Gill, James Oriel, Charles Beal, Miss W. M. Allen and Ann Thomas met in a hall on the present site of R. R. Morris's elegant block in Centre street, and organized the first Baptist church in Pottsville. The next year Andrew Levering became their pastor, and remained until 1853. During the last year of his successful pastorate the brick church at the corner of Mahantongo and Seventh streets was erected. His successor, J. Harvard Castle, was in turn succeeded by R. H. Austin, who resigned in 1868. The next four years included the pastorate of A. J. Hay and A. H. Sembower. The next clergyman, Manning F. Decker, died after a short service of six months, and after the pulpit had been vacant for a time James A. Matz had the pastoral charge until 1874. The supply of preach- ing was irregular for the next two years, when Rev A. Myers, the last pastor, came, who labored until 1878.
ENGLISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
This church was organized on the 16th of May, 1847, by eleven members from the German church, among whom were Washington L. Heisler, George Beyerley, J. D. Rice, Daniel Heil, Samuel Burr, Amelia Auman, and others. The first pastor was Rev. Daniel Steck, D. D., who served the congregation till 1858. Under his min- istry the present church building was erected, of some- what less length [than it has at present. He was suc- ceeded by Rev. W. H. Luckenbach, who resigned in 1860, and was followed by Rev. S. A. Holman, who left in 1861 for a chaplaincy in the Union army. Rev. S. M. Koons, who left in 1866 as a missionary for the west succeeded Mr. Holman. Rev. Uriel Graves was the next
pastor, till 1869, and during his term of service the build- ing was enlarged. Rev. Daniel Steck returned and re- mained until 1871, and was succeeded by Rev. J. Q. McAtee, who filled the pulpit till 1878, when the present pastor, Rev. John McCron, D. D., a profound scholar, of mature years, took the congregation in charge.
The church is a brick structure 80 by 50 feet, with a tower in front. It is capable of seating 500. The lecture-room is admirably arranged for service and Sun- day-school purposes. The parsonage, a handsome brick structure, was built five years ago, at a cost of $5,000. The Sunday-school numbers 450 teachers, officers and scholars, and owns a library of 600 volumes. The num- ber of communicants in the church is 140.
ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
This church, generally remembered as the Scotch church, was organized with 29 members on the 18th of January, 1851; although as early as May, 1843, Rev. D. T. Carnahan preached to the Scotch people in Pottsville, from the pulpit of the First Presbyterian church. The Big Spring Presbytery subsequently sent Revs. R. Gracey, James Greer and John Sturgeon to this missionary field, and in 1849 Mr. Carnahan was called to preach for one year, and became settled pastor in October, 1851.
Meetings were at first held in Thompson's Hall, corner of Market and Second streets. In the spring of 1851 a building was completed and dedicated on a lot in Mar- ket street donated by the late Samuel Thompson, who, with J. G. Cochran, Joel B. McCamant, Thomas Wren, William Pollock, James G. Turner, David Beveridge, John Aikman, Thomas Fender and Henry Lomsdon, was the founder of this church. Mr. Carnahan's last sermon here was preached September 19th, 1852, and in the fol- lowing February Rev. John Werner was settled as pastor. During the pastorate of his successor, Rev. William H. Prestley, the society became reduced in numbers, and in 1858 he resigned and the building was rented to the Second Presbyterian society.
At the time of Samuel Thompson's death, March, 1851, no deed of the church lot had been executed, and being a methodical man he had kept a record of his donations or loans to the society, amounting to some $2,700, and his administrators regarded the record as a book account. A great amount of hatred was engendered by these facts, and several very good people accused his administrators of perverting his charitable intentions. These very good people were so fully convinced that wrong was intended, that in 1880 they had all forgotten what the following. court record of September 10th, 1858, shows:
" Administrators of Samuel Thompson's Estate vs. The Associate Presbyterian Church of Pottsville .- It is agreed between the parties to the above stated suit that the demand of the plaintiff be settled, compromised and adjusted as follows :- The plaintiff shall cause the de ed * * * to be duly delivered, and in case defendants ever sell the church property, or it it permanently ceases to be occupied as an Associate Reformed Presbyterian church, the sum of $2,708.82, without interest, shall be
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