USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Lower Heidelberg > History of St. John's (Hain's) Reformed church in Lower Heidelberg Township, Berks County, Penna > Part 43
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45
The early Ermentrout family lived on the farm now tenanted by Samuel Brossman. After several generations of ownership the family moved to Womelsdorf, where they engaged in farming, manufacture of hats and in general store business. The Lerch family, through Nicholas Lerch, acquired and for many years owned this tract and the land now included in the homestead oc- cupied by William Delp. The historic chestnut tree described in the sketch "A Soldier of the Revolution" is standing on this
The Old Chestnut Tree That Stood Where the Hain Monument Will Be Erected.
464
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
tract. The next generation of the Lerches, through John Lerch, also acquired the large property known as the Dechert farm, ad- joining the Brossman farm now owned by John Rick. This lat- ter property was an early Schaeffer farm. The Lewis Lamm farm and the tract now tenanted by Paul Bare were also Schaef- fer properties. On this last named farm lived Jacob Schaeffer, a cavalry soldier in the Revolution.
The first homestead of Casper Lerch and his wife Margaret, the ancestor of probably all the Lerches in this section, was the tract in the horse-shoe curve of the Tulpehocken above Blue Marsh, now the farm of Rev. J. Richards Boyle. Directly across the stream from the Lerch tract settled the Reber family, who, together with the Lerch family, came from Langenselbold, a town in Prussian Germany, and landed in Philadelphia in 1738.
John Peter Gerhard, who came to America in 1764, gave a long line of descendants to the Hain's Congregation. His home- stead was the farm until lately owned by Adam Gerhart, with the large farm adjoining owned by Edwin G. Ruth (tenanted by Jo- seph Sheidy), and the land comprised in the tract owned by John Gerhard (tenant, Clyde Schell). The present barn on the Adam Gerhart farm was built by the ancestor Peter, though this tract was not his first homestead in America. The Arbogast family was the first owner of these hills and meadows later tilled by the Gerharts. The name is mentioned in the earlier baptismal rec- ords of the Hain's Congregation, but is now extinct in the neigh- borhood. The family in early times married into the Reber family.
Peter Gerhard also acquired a tract of land along both sides of the Brunnenkill (Spring Creek), near Brownsville. Here a pair of twin farms on opposite sides of the stream with the typi- cal German peak-roofed, low-eaved barns of a century ago and the Colonial type of heavy limestone-walled houses testify to-day to the toil, thrift and rugged qualities of this early family of settlers. These twin homesteads are owned by John Gerhard, of Reading (tenanted by Mr. Whitmoyer and by the estate of John Ruth, lately deceased, respectively).
Let the reader come back again into the valley at Werners- ville. The general extent of the Hain lands has been traced. Below Furnace Lane, or east of it, and on the south side of the main highway, extending east as far as the Cacoosing Creek, is a tract of land settled and owned by the Fisher family. William Fisher married Gertrude Elizabeth Hain, daughter of George Hain. The family homestead was established on the present John Bowman farm along the pike, east of the borough line of Wernersville, by a William Fisher, who we conclude, from read- ing the will of George Hain, was the father of the William Fisher who married a daughter of George Hain, the ancestor. We call
465
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
THE GERHARD HOMESTEAD.
466
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
attention to two homesteads helonging now or in the past to de- scendants of these Fishers. John Fisher, a grandson of the an- cestor William, married Rosina Hain. His homestead was the farm still owned by one of his descendants, Samuel Fisher. It lies in the valley of Spring Creek, midway between Hain's Church and Robesonia. Here at an early day, about 1820, John Fisher established a paper mill, later turned into a woollen mill. Far- ther up stream some of the Eckert family had established a mill and distillery, and the "big spring" farm next adjoining was the homestead of the Bechtel family. All of these represent names found in the early baptismal records of the congregation, which
-
THE OLD HAIN MILL.
have been worked out with much patience and labor for publica- tion in this book. The homestead farmed by Fred G. Hain (a short distance north of the church) was for some years a Fisher home. We call attention to it as having been the boyhood home of Rev. Peter S. Fisher, a man of much influence in the life of the Reformed Church in Pennsylvania. It was an early Hain property, and later came into the possession of William Fisher and his wife. They built on this property in 1820 the large stone barn still standing in excellent condition. On the tombstone erected on the graves of William Fisher and his wife in the old graveyard adjoining Hain's Church is this meaningful sentence: They were the parents of Rev. P. S. Fisher." Two sons of Rev. Peter S. Fisher came to prominence and influence in their lifetime. General B. F. Fisher, who was an eminent law-
467
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
yer and veteran of the Civil War. The writer of this recalls very distinctly the first political meeting and torchlight parade in the Garfield campaign, where General Fisher and ex-Governor Hart- ranft spoke from the same platform. A second son, Rev. Nevin Fisher, of Philadelphia, was for a number of years rector of St. John's Catholic Church on 13th street, opposite the Wanamaker store, and is now a monsignor, an office of high rank and dignity in the Church.
The Ruth family from the days of the earliest settlements held lands in the valley directly to the east of the Fishers. The farm on the Cacoosing, near Fritztown, owned by Peter Pfeiffer, was the site of the first homestead of Peter Ruth. The Orr stock farm was a part of this tract, and was the homestead of one of the sons of Peter Ruth. Without endeavoring to trace the connection of relationship of the early owners, we will mention that the John
HENRY GAUL FARM
A. Kintzer homestead, now known as Belle Alto farm and owned by J. H. Cummings; the Henry Gaul farm and the farm of William Krick, between Wernersville and Sinking Spring, were all owned by members of the Ruth family.
The present Henry Gaul farm-a Ruth homestead -deserves especial mention. It lies in a broad sweep of the valley more than a quarter of a mile from the public highway. The main part of the house dates back to about the time of the Revolution (the date stone on the east gable end being no longer legible). Double floors, with the space between the timbers filled solid with mortar, are a feature in the construction of the house. A beauti- ful meadow stream-a branch of the Cacoosing-and a group of three grand buttonwood trees overtopping the farm buildings by more than fifty feet, the gently rising hills in the distant back-
468
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
ground crowned in the highest point with a group of stately old chestnut trees, all combine to make of this homestead a picture of peace, plenty and content that it would be hard to surpass anywhere.
The house on the farm of James Gaul, south of Wernersville, is a splendid specimen of a well-preserved building of the Colonial style of architecture. It was built in 1802 by George Hain and must have cost a small fortune to erect. This large, massive building, true to type in exterior and interior proportions, is characterized by a heavy and beautifully finished cornice in a fine state of preservation. A large central hallway running through the length of the building opens from the beautiful Colonial door- way (the top of which is somewhat marred by the more recent building of a wide front porch). On each side of this hall are two large rooms with high ceilings, deep window seats and wain- scoting with chiseled ornamentation so finely executed that one can readily believe the story that one carpenter spent forty weeks in finishing the most elaborately worked room. This room, on the east front of the second floor, is spoken of as the "chapel room," as it was planned and used by the owner for the purpose of holding religious meetings. (See pictures, pages 105 and 121.)
Many of the early churches of Pennsylvania were located by their German founders in prominent or striking places with ref- erence to the surrounding landscape. Some sheltered hollow, as at Berne and North Heidelberg; by some meandering stream in a meadow landscape, as at Tulpehocken or Falkner Swamp; or on some prominent hill-top overlooking the country for miles around, as at Hain's. For one hundred and fifty years the splendid old church, revived and beautified at intervals, has stood 'like a city set on a hill which cannot be hid"; or like a watch- man on the tower, as if keeping guard over the hearths and homes over which she looks. May she continue in her place of word and watch for years to come, and may the sons and daugh- ters of many generations yet to come continue to find hope, cheer, inspiration and life at her altar.
A Soldier of the Revolution.
Michael Walleisen (Walliger), an apprentice of Nicholas Lerch, enlisted on the 2d day of June, 1778 or 1779, under a chestnut tree still standing on land of now William B Brossman estate, and was enrolled in Captain Edward Scull's Company at Read- ing, Pa. During his term of service he was transferred into other commands. He was honorably discharged at Lancaster in the year 1782. On the 25th of July, 1784, his son Nicholas, who was named for the father's employer, born July 4, 1784, was bap- tized. February 25, 1787, his daughter Anna Barbara, born January 20, 1787, was baptized. In 1830 he was living in Derry township, Columbia county, Pa. (See picture, page 53.)
469
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
A Child Lost.
At the time of the first settlers in the quadrangle formed by the Indian trail, later known as the Dry Road, Spring Creek (Brunnenkill), Tulpehocken and Cacoosing, the territory was a wilderness inhabited by wild beasts. On the west bank of a small tributary of the Tulpehocken 'Antoni Lambrecht and Anna Maria, his wife, had their abode on lands, the right of which they had purchased from John Ermentrout, who had acquired the same from the proprietaried by a warrant and survey as was then the custom to do.
They had cleared some of the land and raised crops for their support. They had a little son, who was just beginning to talk and move about. It was their custom to put him in a large bas- ket and take him out in the fields with them while they were at work. While topping or gathering their corn crop, they took him along as usual and placed the basket at a convenient spot where they were at work. When they came back the basket was empty, and no trace of the child could be found. They and the neighbors instituted a thorough search, but without avail. A par- ticular method was resorted to. He had been taught to answer the questjon, "How do the little sheepies call?" by answering,
"Ba. "> "' This the searching parties used to locate the child, but
could not obtain an answer. In their distress the question, what has become of the child? admitted several solutions. First, was the boy carried away by a wild beast? Second, had some Indians passed through there and taken him along? Several years later the skull and bones of a child were found in the woods of that region, and the conclusion and saying then was that wolves had devoured Lambrecht's little boy. The incident occurred in the little valley directly north of the Dry Road, about a mile west of State Hill, on or near land owned by Peter Horn.
School Teachers and Organists.
By a close inspection of all available records it appears that a parochial school existed at Hain's Church in 1768, when a cer- tain Mr. Huber was the schoolmaster or teacher. In 1770 Ernst Wilhelm Christ served as chorister and teacher.
In 1774 Thomas Weller appears to have been the incumbent, and has likely served for some time.
Peter Crill served during the year 1790 and John Stoudt in 1791, after which Mr. Hemsing became the parochial teacher and chorister. In 1795 an organ was purchased and Mr. Hemsing continued as schoolmaster and organist until 1803.
Of the above named persons very little is known at this time, as from three to five generations have passed the stage of life since they completed their labors and were gathered to rest.
470
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
Peter Bertram was the parochial teacher and organist from 1803 to 1810. He was followed by Mr Weinail, who served until 1811. From 1811 to 1812 Charles Frederick Egelman was the schoolmaster and organist. He was likely the most educated incumbent the congregation ever had in the capacity as teacher and organist, being an astronomer of more than ordinary note. In later years he made the astronomical calculations for most of the publishers of almanacs in eastern Pennsylvania, and contributed charts and other works on the planetary system, some of which are found in books published nearly a century ago. He was re- garded and considered an excellent teacher, especially of those who had advanced to some degree in mathematics. He was born at Osnabrück, March 12, 1782, as Frederick, Duke of York, was Bishop of Osnabrück. The Duke of York was the second son of George III, King of England. Osnabrück was in the Duchy of Lireberg, governed by the King of England. Later it became the kingdom of Hanover. He came to America the latter part of October, 1802. He was an honorary member of the New Eng- land Mathematical Society in recognition of calculations he made for the eastern College. He died in November, 1860.
From 1812 to 1813 Mr. Knechley served as schoolmaster and organist. He appeared to have been a man of uncontrollable tem- per, and did not make a favorable impression in the congregation.
In 1813 Peter Bertram was re-elected to his former position and continued to serve the congregation until 1838. He was well educated and was an organist of considerable talent. He knew how to bring about the intricasies of the tones of a pipe organ, mechan- ically. He was also a faithful teacher, who was able to sympathize with the beginners, and was assisted by his faithful wife, who ap- peared to have been a mother to all the little boys and girls who began their school life at Hain's Parochial School. He was of an excitable temperament, which appeared to increase as he advanced in years. An incident which happened at a funeral service illus trates his knowledge as organist and what effect discordant tones of the organ had on him. It was his custom to give definite in- structions to the person who was drawing the bellow ropes, so as to produce a tremolo while he was playing. In this particular case he had given the usual instruction to an old friend of his, Christian Spengler, who by all appearances was a very jovial old man. Mr Spengler soon discovered that doing somewhat con- trary to instructions he could produce music quite different than Mr. Bertram desired. Every such undesirable tone would jerk Mr. Bertram on his seat, either to the right or left. From Hain's Church he moved to Christ Church, near Bernville. He died on. December 12, 1842, and is buried at Bernville.
471
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
John Philips served from 1838 to 1840. Prior to his call to Hain's Church he served Belleman's, to which place he returned again in 1840. It is said that he kept the graveyard as a pasture for his sheep and sowed the Shemokin grass on the old graveyard.
In 1840 Jonathan Bertram, a son of Peter, assumed the duties of organist and schoolmaster. He was fairly well educated in the German language, but very limited in the English It was often remarked by some of the older people that it was a mystery how he ever was able to acquire the limited knowledge of the English, in direct opposition to the will of his father, who was all the time opposing the advent of the English to the utmost. Mr. Bertram was able to instruct in the three R's, and was al " ays regarded as an excellent penman. He was not only able to write s plain, legible hand, either German or English, but he could also cut a quill with which a hair line as well as drawing heavy flourishes could be equally as well made as with the best gold pen. He con- tinned in the capacity as organist and parochial teacher until the adoption of the public school system. He was then licensed to teach by the County Superintendent and employed by the School Board, who paid an annual rental of $12 for the use of the paro- chial school room. In the spring of each year after the close of the public school he opened a summer subscription session for a period of from six to eight weeks ; also sometimes a fall session before the opening of the public school session. He thus contin- ued until the close of 1868. He became paralytically affected in his right arm and hand and could no longer perform his duties as organist. The school, even after the advent of the common schools, was continued as a German or mixed school. During the entire period it was kept open in the parochial school room. The catechetical classes at that time, with few exceptions, used the German catechism, and those who attended lectures invariably went to Bertram's school, using the German Psalter or New Tes tament as the reading text book. His system of promotion, from first to second, to third, to fourth Reader required no examina- tion. He died January 1, 1870, and is buried in the old grave- yard.
In 1869 John W. Ernst assumed the duties as organist and school teacher. He was possessed of musical talents naturally, and, being a young man, soon gathered about him by having at the time then known singing schools at stated places and times, where the old hymns were rehearsed and newer songs practised. He was by trade a blacksmith, but relinquished the same and attended a short session at the Keystone Normal School. He was licensed to teach in the public schools. The German had now been almost eliminated in catechetical instructions, the school was
472
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
depleted of the customary number of German pupils and new school houses erected in the immediate vicinity of the church, the Board of Directors decided to close the church school, several years after Wr. Ernst had assumed the duties as organist and schoolmaster. He continued in the capacity as organist and at- tended to the tillage of the arable land belonging to the church, which he brought to a high state of fertility. During the time the annex to the church was built he rendered services in a num - ber of ways, being of a mechanica' as well as musical turn of mind. He was able to assist where assistance was most needed. He had the misfortune to lose his first and second wives by death during his incumbency. He removed in April, 1879, to a farm he purchased near Black Horse, Lancaster county. Later he re- sided in Reamstown. He died May 4. 1916, aged 80 years and 5 days, and is buried on his lot in the Eastern Cemetery, which he assisted to open.
John S. Yocom became the organist at the time that Mr. Ernst left. The conditions were considerably changed since the school connected with the place was closed. Mr. Yocom was a teacher in the public schools and continued as such a number of years after he assumed the duties as organist at Hain's Church. He exerted himself to have a good choir to assist him at services. By reason of the change which was brought by changed condi - tions the detail of the duties developing upon the organist were quite different from what they were at the beginning of the cen - tury. The graveyard had increased at least four fold. Instead of a church 40x50 a structure of more than double the former capacity had been erected. Regular church services were more frequently held. The increase of membership resulted in more funerals to be attended to, which all tended to increase the duties devolving on the organist residing on the property, and with ad- ditional labor and duties which he voluntarily assumed the re- sponsibility was increased, so that it became a burden and almost impossible for one person to give proper attention to all the de- tails. This tended to bring about dissatisfaction, and the consis- tory was urged to obtain better services in detail. Mr. Yocom thereupon decided to retire. He afterwards served St. Michael's church, near Hamburg, to the entire satisfaction of the congrega tion. He died September 6, 1901, aged 49 years, 8 months and 13 days, and is buried in the Sinking Spring Cemetery.
William Z. Baker was selected by the consistory as Mr. Yo- com's succes-or. He assumed the duties as organist and sexton, April 1, 1891. He had some musical talents, but lacked prac- tice to operate a pipe organ, and his daughter performed that part of the service most of the time. He failed to make a gen-
ORGANISTS OF ST. JOHN'S ( HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH
Charles Frederick Egelman John W. Ernst Mrs. Calvin Ruth, John S. Yocom
Harvey Artz
Peter Bertram
Aaron R Rollman William Z Baker.
473
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
eral favorable impression, and was unable to raise the choir to the standard he desired. He appeared to be a man of an irritable temperament, naturally became disgusted with the position he had assumed, resigned and moved away. The consistory there- upon prevailed upon Daniel Dunkelberger, Sr., to occupy the house and act as sexton and general caretaker until the following spring. In the meantime applications were considered, and, be- fore New Year, Aaron R. Rollman was selected as the successor to Mr. Baker. He was possessed of natural musical talents, and had considerable practice.
Aaron R. Rollman was born July 25, 1855, in Cumru town- ship, Berks county, Pa , son of John and Elizabeth Rollman, nee Richwein. Baptized December 22, 1872, by the Rev. Benj. D. Zweizig, and confirmed in the St. John's Lutheran church, Sink- ing Spring, Pa., December 22, 1872. His common and early school education was received at the Faust School House, taught at that time by Mr. Edward Smeltzer. He later entered the Business College in Reading, better known as the Brunner Com- mercial College. Most of his musical education was received through hard and consistent home study and practice. He took a few lessons from Prof. Unger, of Reading. He started his career as an organist at the age of 22 years by playing in the Blue Marsh Sunday School, at which place his father taught the Sabbath School. At the age of 24 he married Maggie S. Strunk, of Wool- town, on November 18, 1879. He later moved to Philadelphia and there conducted green houses at Rolandville, then a suburb of Philadelphia. After several years he returned to Spring town- ship and took charge of his father's farm for nine years. He was summoned through a friend, Mr. Oliver Schaffer, to a meeting of the consistory of Hain's Reformed Church in reference to ac- cepting the position as organist, chorister and rector of that con- gregation. He was an earnest church worker and performed his duties willingly for eleven years. He also took an active part in the Sunday School work, being superintendent for several years. Through the support of church members he was elected tax col- lector of Lower Heidelberg township, serving this office for seven consecutive terms. Much against his will he resigned his posi- tion with the church, moving to the city, thinking that the change of city life would improve the health of his only daughter, Elda L., whose health was fast failing. The change of residence, how- ever, was not beneficial, On August 25, 1904, she was called to her rest. Resolutions were adopted by the Sunday School of Hain's Church in her memory. She was a most earnest worker, assisting her father in Sunday School and choral work. Three years after the death of his daughter he met with an accident while in the employ of a Reading hardware firm. The accident was severe, and after lingering three days he was called to his rest on March 21, 1907. He was considered a true and faithful 31
474
ST. JOHN'S (HAIN'S) REFORMED CHURCH.
man by all his employers. He was survived by his wife, Maggie S. Rollman, nee Strunk, who was a true and faithful helper in her husband's endeavors. Three sons, Charles Earl, Edward Clarence and John William, survived; also one grandson. In the caretaking of the old graveyard, cemeteries and buildings Mr. Rollman was assisted by his father-in-law, William Strunk.
Harvey R. Artz became Mr. Rollman's successor as organist, but not the sexton. A division of the duties was then made, and Levi R. Beecher moved on the church property, assuming the duties as sexton and general caretaker of grounds, cemeteries and buildings. Mr. Artz being a young man with good musical tal- ents, applied himself energetically to advance. Being under spe- cial instruction to operate pipe organs, soon gave proof of his efficiency. He soon had gathered about him some of the best vocal voices of the younger element of the congregation. He was just about to earn of the fruits of his labor, when he was removed by an all-wise Providence to the life beyond the grave. He died August 21, 1908, aged 29 years, 2 months and 23 days, and is buried in the Western Cemetery. He was a son of Jacob B. and Caroline R., a born Ruth, and was born at Mohn's Hill, May 28, 1879. He studied music under Prof. O. H. Unger, and harmony and voice culture under Prof. Solomon Unger and Prof. Philip Lee. On January 18, 1902, he was married to Miss Annie Alva Fox, which union was blessed with one son, Owen Artz.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.