History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 124

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372

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In the year 1900, the Rev.

Emmanuel Peter Livingston walked over Lutheran. the newly laid off plot of exercised an important influence in the re- ground now known as Wind- ligious affairs of York County.

sor Park, and noticed the inscription "Three lots for a church." The lots were at once secured by Rev. H. H. Weber, secretary of the Church Extension Board. In 1902 a Lutheran Sunday school was or- ganized in a dwelling house, which was soon found to be too small. The Sunday school was then moved to the Windsor Park school house and shortly afterward a service was opened by Revs. P. Livingston and A. Bell. This was then carried on by the ministers of the city until January, 1903, when the York County Missionary Com- mittee appointed Rev. E. Lenhart to take the work in charge. In the spring of 1903, steps were taken for the erection of a church at the corner of Windsor and Sherman Streets. This was not the site first selected. The corner stone was laid, July 19, 1903, Rev. A. R. Steck, D. D., preaching the ser- mon. November 26, 1903, the organization was formed with forty-four charter mem- bers. June 26, 1904, the church was dedi- cated at a cost of $3,428. At that time Rev. Lenhart resigned and on September 1, 1904, Rev. G. A. Livingston became the pastor. In 1907, the church had a membership of 69.

January 20, 1907, Rev. G. A. Livingston organized Grace Lutheran Sunday school in the school house on Smith Street, in the Thirteenth Ward of the city. The organ- ization was formed by electing E. A. Demp- wolf, superintendent ; R. R. Kayler, assist- ant superintendent; Harry King, treasurer, and K. W. Altland, secretary. The first Sunday there were 167 present and the third Sunday, 251. A congregation was being organized in 1907.

REFORMED CHURCHES.

A large number of the early settlers who took up the fertile lands between the Sus- quehanna and the site of Hanover, in the present area of York County, were mem- bers of the German Reformed Church. No authentic record has been found showing who the first missionaries were to preach the doctrines of Zwingli west of the Susque- hanna. Soon after the first settlement, re-

vicinity of York. During the succeeding century and a half, this denomination has

James Logan, who had served as private secretary to William Penn until the time of the latter's death, in 1718, afterward served as secretary of the Province of Pennsyl- vania. In 1743 he came to York and in writing a letter to Thomas Penn, governor of the province, he stated that the Reformed and Lutheran people had selected lots and would immediately erect houses of worship. There were then only eleven dwelling houses in the town.

First

Reformed

Church.

A Reformed congregation had been organized and in 1743 a block house was erected on the lot granted by the Penns, when the town of York was laid out.

In 1744 Rev. Jacob Lischy came to York, as a visiting missionary. In the official re- port of his missionary work, Lischy stated that there were 300 members of the German Reformed Church in York and vicinity. His eloquence and fervor pleased the con- gregation, and he was invited to become the pastor. George Meyer and Philip Roth- rock, the elders of the new congregation, extended to him a call to become pastor. His missionary labors extended over a large section of eastern Pennsylvania, and he did not accept until the second call was ex- tended to him by the York people in May, 1745. At this time there was a considerable membership in the congregation. They re- sided on lands recently taken up in the en- tire valley of the Codorus.

Rev. Jacob Lischy, early in life, had joined the Moravian church. When he ar- rived in America in 1742 he proceeded to Bethlehem and was sent out as a mission- ary by Count Zinzendorf, the apostle of the Moravian people in America. Lischy had not been educated for the ministry, but on account of his ability as a public speaker he attracted the attention of all who heard him preach. When he came to York he claimed to be a member of the Reformed Church. Soon after he began his pastorate it was found he was trying to induce all his mem- bers to accept the Moravian faith. This caused a sectional strife within the congre-

THE CITY OF YORK

689

gation, which passed through many scenes of excitement during the first fifteen years of its history, on account of the conduct of its pastor. He several times offered to re- sign, but a strong party took up for him and he was retained as pastor. He finally, under a charge, withdrew in 1760, and or- ganized an independent church in Codorus Township. A biography of Rev. Jacob Lischy appears on page 464. The follow- ing is a list of some of the more prominent persons who were members before 1754:

George Mayer,

Christopher Weider,

Casper Kieffer,

John Wahl,

Christian Wampler,

George Grimm,

Jacob Upp,

John Guckes,

Philip Hantz,

Michael Neuman,

John Welsch,

John Appleman,

Abraham Welschans,

Christian Dittenhoffer,

Martin Danner,

Dewalt Emrich,

Peter Wolf,

George Schrum,

Philip Weber,

Jonas Leib,

Henry Glatfelter,

John Bentzel,

George Zinn, -

Jacob Schaffer,

George Hoke,

Michael Kann,

Philip Houck,

George Rudy,

Michael Weider,

Christian Wampler, Sr.,

Philip Gnass,

Godfry Frey,

John Welsh, tailor,

George Weldey,

Kilian Smith,

Nicholas Schrum,

Dieter Meyer,

Jacob Hildebrandt,

Benedict Swope,

Conrad Miller,

Ludwig Kraft,

Henry Everhart,

schoolmaster,

Jacob Welsh,

Ulrich Hess,

John Wolff,

Nicholas Reisinger,

Jacob Wagner,

Abraham Kieffer,

Jacob Shearer,

Gerhart Luc,

Nicholas Kerr,

Nicholas Upp,

Henry Wolff,

Jacob Reiff,

Henry Luckenbaugh,

Michael Greybill,

Matthias Gemshem,

John Gerber,

John Meyer,

Nicholas Scheaffer,

Charles Grimm,

Henry Bier,

Henry Stittler,

Nicholas Wilt,

Henry Linebach,

Zachariah Shugart,

was occasionally supplied by the Rev. Dan- iel Wagner, who preached at Kreutz Creek. The Rev. Otterbein returned October I, 1771, continued to serve the congregation three years more, and then went to Balti- more. In May, 1774, Rev. Daniel Wagner became the pastor. He was a man of high character and fine ability as a pulpit orator. The church prospered during his pastorate. He remained during the period of the Rev- olutionary war. During this time religious services were frequently conducted by Bishop White and Rev. George Duffield, chaplains to Continental Congress which met in York from September 1777 to June 27, 1778. Rev. Daniel Wagner resigned in 1786 and accepted a call from the Tulpe- hocken congregation, Berks County.

In the fall of the same year the church was supplied by Rev. Philip Stock, who re- mained until November, 1789. The records show that, in 1790, Rev. George Troldenier was pastor. Not much is learned from rec- ords concerning him. His last baptism was on May 31, 1793. During his pastorate on July 3, 1791, George Washington, while serving his first term as President of the United States, attended religious services at this church. Washington records in his diary that there was no Episcopal services that Sunday in York, so he attended the Reformed Church. The sermon was in the German language, not one word of which the President understood. Atfer the reli- gious services he proceeded to Lancaster, on his way from Mt. Vernon to Philadel- phia, which was then the capitol of the United States.

The congregation extended another call to their former pastor, the Rev. Daniel Wagner, who accepted, and entered upon his duties August 1, 1793. His second min- istry was more successful than the first. During this period the stone church, built in the time of Rev. Wirtz, was destroyed by fire on July 4, 1797, and all the records were burnt save one book. The congregation at once took steps for a new building, which was erected on the same spot, 65x55 feet, with the side on the street to the front. It was dedicated in May, 1800. In May, 1804, Rev. Daniel Wagner resigned and the Rev.

The congregation was without a pastor for one year. John Conrad Wirtz was then called and entered upon his labors May 9, 1762. He soon brought the congregation into harmony. The church prospered. The block building was taken down and the corner-stone of a large church was laid May 24, 1763. Rev. Wirtz did not live to see it completed. He died September 21, 1763, and was buried under the altar. A vacancy of two years, of which there is no record, occurred. In September, 1765, Rev. Philip William Otterbein was called, became pas- tor November, 1765, and served five years. A desire to visit his native land pressed George Geistweit took his place. He min- upon him, and without resigning he de- istered to this people for sixteen years, until parted for Germany. The congregation 1820. There is no record from which to es-

690

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

timate the work done. He is kindly spoken of by those who knew him.

Rev. Lewis Mayer, D. D., assumed the pastorate of this congregation January 8, in the fall of 1851.

1821. He was a man of great mental vigor. He introduced English preaching with the German, built a lecture and school room on the rear of the lot. He had weekly service for lecture and prayer, and also established a Sunday School. In the midst of his use- fulness as pastor he was called to a profes- sorship in the Reformed Theological Sem- inary. He resigned April 3, 1825. A biog- raphy of him will be found on page 467.

The pulpit was vacant for two years. Rev. James Reily was called, April 1, 1827. His health failing he had Rev. Daniel Zach- arias, a licentiate, for an assistant and re- signed July, 1831.

A vacancy of one year and a quarter oc- curred, when the Rev. John Cares was called, October 1, 1832. He did effective work. The lecture room at the rear of the lot was destroyed by fire December 8, 1837, and instead of rebuilding it the congrega- tion resolved to alter the interior of the church, taking off ten feet of the audience room, and make a lecture and Sunday School room out of it. Rev. John Cares served eleven years until his death on April 5. 1843. He was deeply lamented by his people.

Now followed an exciting and stormy pe- riod in the history of this congregation. Mr. Douglas took charge July, 1843. He remained one and one-half years. On Jan- uary 16, 1845, Rev. William A. Good, from Hagerstown, Maryland, was chosen pastor. He, like the four pastors who preceded him, preached in the English and German lan- guages, and served congregations in the country. During his ministry, the congre- gation was chartered by the legislature of Pennsylvania, on March 9, 1849, under the title "The First Reformed Church of the Borough of York and its vicinity," and un- der this charter, the congregation was au- thorized to lay out a public cemetery, under the title of "Prospect Hill Cemetery." In the latter part of Mr. Good's pastorate it was resolved to call a co-pastor, to preach exclusively in the English language. This was unsatisfactory. They then resolved to divide into two sections, English and Ger- man, each to call its own pastor, and sup-

port him, but to hold their property in com- mon under one corporation. This called for the resignation of both Good and Philips

This opened a new era in the history of the congregation. It was virtually two congregations under one corporation wor- shipping in the same building. Rev. David Bossler, of Harrisburg, was called by the German section and entered upon his work April 4, 1852; and on November 6, 1852, the Rev. J. O. Miller, of Winchester, Virginia, was called by the English section, and ac- cepted the position January 1, 1853. Each section had the use of the audience room on alternate Sunday mornings; the English preached alternately in the lecture room, and in the evening in the church above.

A mission chapel was built by the pastor of the English section for Sunday School service, 1861, on Queen Street. In the spring of 1862 Rev. David Bossler resigned, and he was succeeded by Rev. Daniel Zeig- ler. The inconvenience of two congrega- tions worshipping in one building became daily manifest, and steps were taken for a separation of the sections. Terms were agreed upon and the property, all except the cemetery, was'offered for sale and sold to the highest bidder. The German members bought it, and paid the English for their rights in the church building, graveyard and parsonage, $9,725-the English congrega- tion to retain the corporate title, and the cemetery (Prospect Hill).

Zion

The congregation which wor- ships in this church was char-

Reformed. tered as Zion Reformed Church of York, in 1872. Since the di- vision which resulted in founding Trinity Reformed Church, Zion Reformed congre- gation has worshipped in the old church which was completed in 1800. The build- ing is of colonial style, unique in design, and modelled after the architecture in vogue during the Georgian period of English his- tory. The church was designed by George Small and built under the direction of George and Peter Small. The steeple, now standing, was erected with the church, and was claimed to be one of the finest speci- mens of colonial architecture in this coun- try, for more than half a century after its erection. Rev. Daniel Ziegler, who became pastor of the First Reformed Church in

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691

THE CITY OF YORK

1862, continued his labors with Zion Re- Thomas Hartley, a hero of the Revolution. formed congregation until 1873. He was a Upon this site, together with the adjoining lot on the east, Trinity Reformed congrega- tion erected a beautiful church edifice, at a cost of $60,000, including the organ and the chimes. The church was consecrated Oc- tober 21, 1866, during the meeting of the Reformed Synod of the United States in York. native of Reading, born in 1804, and edu- cated, at the University of Pennsylvania and the Reformed Theological Seminary at York. In addition to his pastoral duties, he devoted much atention to the study of entomology, becoming an authority on American insects, of which he made a large collection.

Rev. Aaron Spangler was pastor of the congregation from 1873 to 1886, during which time the church was remodelled. Rev. O. P. Schellhamer was pastor from 1887 to March, 1894, and as a result of his ministerial labors, the membership of his congregation increased two hundred. Dur- ing his pastorate a parsonage was purchased on West Philadelphia Street. Rev. Mor- gan A. Peters succeeded as pastor from April, 1894, to June, 1898, and during that period a chapel was erected to the rear of the church, and dedicated November 14, 1897.

Rev. George Stibitz, Ph. D., was chosen pastor November 1, 1898. He is a native of Schuylkill County, a graduate of Ursinus College and Ursinus School of Theology. He served as pastor of a Reformed congre- gation for two years at Shenandoah, Penn- sylvania, and the succeeding two years at Lehighton. For six years he was a mem- ber of the faculty of his alma mater and Ursinus School of Theology. He then spent two years at Yale University in the study of Semitics under Dr. Harper, and philosophy under Dr. Ladd. After leaving that institution, he served two years as pas- tor of a Presbyterian congregation at Glen- alvin, and then assumed the duties of Zion Reformed Church, which congregation in 1907 had a membership of 418. The Sun- day School has an enrollment of 464.

The congregation which worships. in Trinity Reformed Church on Trinity Church. West Market Street, was origi- nally the English branch of the First Reformed Church. When the Ger- man section of the original congregation purchased the property belonging to the First Reformed Church, the English branch was chartered as the "Trinity Reformed Church of York." This congregation pur- chased the historic mansion which, before 1800, was the private residence of Colonel

Jacob Ott Miller, who for a period of forty years, was pastor of this congregation, was born in Woodstock, Virginia, Decem- ber 30, 1822, and grew to manhood in Read- ing, Pennsylvania, where his ancestors lived for a long period. After obtaining a good preparatory education at Reading, he en- tered Marshall College, at Mercersburg, and graduated from that institution in 1848, and from the Reformed Theological Seminary, at the same place, in 1850. He was pastor of a church at Winchester, Virginia, until 1853, when he assumed his duties as pastor at York. He took an active and prominent part in the classis and synods of the Re- formed Church, and in 1871, 1873 and 1893, was president of the Synod of the United States, the highest deliberative body of the Reformed Church in America, and was also president of its Board of Home Missions for several years. He was a trustee of the York County Academy and of Franklin and Marshall College at Lancaster. During his long pastorate at York, he built up a large congregation and exerted a wide influence for good, not only with his own church peo- ple, but throughout the city and county of York, where he spent a large part of his useful career. He died at York, April 18, 1898.

Rev. Henry H. Apple, son of Dr. Thomas G. Apple, president of Franklin and Mar- shall College, was chosen pastor of Trinity Reformed Church to succeed Dr. Miller. In the year 1905, a pipe organ was pre+ sented to the church by Theodore R. Helb, of York, at a cost of $7,000. Other decora- tions and improvements were added to the church within recent years, amounting to $20,000. Among the liberal contributors to these improvements were Israel Laucks and J. T. Kopp.

Heidelberg Reformed Church

Heidelberg. was organized under the au- thority of the Classis which met at Gettysburg, May 10, 1867, in re-

692

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

sponse to a petition of forty members of the purchased on the north side of Philadelphia Reformed Church, residing in York. Re- Street, near Beaver, and a parsonage on ligious services were first held in Masonic Hall on North Beaver Street, and a congre- gation was organized June 9, 1867, under the title of "Third Reformed Church of York." July 15, Rev. Alexander S. Vaughn was elected pastor and served one year. Meantime the name was changed to " Heid- elberg Church of York," under a charter ob- tained from the county courts. Rev. A. Wanner, D. D., was installed as pastor in December, 1869. The Court House was used as a place of worship for several months.

The congregation was now in a prosper- ous condition, a lot was purchased and a house of worship erected on North Duke Street, at a cost of $6,000. It was dedi- cated November 20, 1870. Rev. Dr. Wan- ner resigned as pastor October 12, 1874, and Rev. James I. Good, then a student in Union Theological Seminary, New York, was chosen his successor and was installed June 16, 1875. His father had served as pastor of Zion Reformed Church. Rev. Dr. Good became president of the Reformed Theo- logical .Seminary in Philadelphia, and also wrote a work entitled " History of the Re- formed Church." Rev. Frederick J. Sauber was installed as pastor October 28, 1877. During his pastorate a pipe organ was pur- chased at a cost of $1,300, and when he re- signed September 3, 1887, the congregation had 295 members.

Rev. Henry A. Bomberger, son of the president of Ursinus College, was installed as pastor May 1, 1888, and continued until July 1894. During his pastorate, several lots were purchased on Philadelphia Street, near George, for the sum of $17,000. Upon this site a church was erected at a cost of $10,500 under the direction of a building committee composed of M: B. Gibson, W. F. Bay Stewart, Reuben Hildebrand, Sam- uel Shumaker and William Stuck. The title of the church was changed to "Heidelberg Reformed Church of York." When Rev. Francis C. Yost, D. D., was installed as pastor of the congregation February I, 1895, the membership was 350. Owing to the growth and influence of the congrega- tion, it was decided to sell the property, ex- clusive of the chapel for the sum of $20,000. In 1900 an eligible and convenient site was

Beaver Street, for the sum of $21,600. Plans were completed for the erection of a large and commodious church from a de- sign drawn by Architect Harry E. Yessler. The committee that superintended the erec- tion of this edifice was composed of M. B. Gibson, E. E. Johnston, Walker A. Drom- gold, E. D. Ziegler, S. Howard Welsh, Ed- ward L. Schroder and Harry J. Beitzel. Ground was broken for the new building February 19, 1901, and the corner stone laid August 4, of the same year. The church was completed at a cost of $41,000, including the pipe organ and the furnish- ings. Rev. B. B. Royer, formerly of Grace Reformed Church, Chicago, was installed as pastor of Heidelberg Reformed Church, July 1, 1906. The membership in 1907 was 600. A Sunday School of 500 teachers and scholars has been superintended for a num- ber of years by M. B. Gibson. W. F. Bay Stewart, judge of the courts of York county, and Edward D. Ziegler, a former member of Congress, taught large Bible classes con- nected with this Sunday School.

The movement which resulted Grace Reformed. in the organization of Grace Reformed Church at the cor- .ner of Hartley and Park Streets was originated by Rev. J. O. Miller, D. D., then pastor of Trinity Reformed Church. The corner stone of the present church building was laid in June, 1886, and the church was dedicated April 22, 1888. On the payment of $2,500 to the Rev. Dr. Mil- ler, the church property was transferred to the congregation whose organization was effected July 31, 1888, with the following roll of thirty-seven charter members: Capt. Frank Geise, Sadie M. Laucks, S. Forry Laucks, Irene E. Laucks, George W. Laucks, Fannie Laucks, Laura Coon, Mary E. Landis, Anna M. Gring, Sue D. Gring, Robert L. Motter, Jacob Strine, Emaline Strine, Ida Pfleiger, J. Z. Hildebrand, Lor- ina Hildebrand, Peter Feiser, Margaret E. Feiser, George R. Stough, Mrs. George R. Stough, A. J. Stough, Harriet Motter, Julia R. Fink, Edward E. Johnston, Laura E. Johnston, George Shaeffer, Mrs. George Shaeffer, Jennie Shaeffer, Mrs. Rose Spy- ker, Malinda Rawhauser, Clayton Strick- houser, John M. Strine, Alice Strine,

1 1

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693

THE CITY OF YORK

Charles Strickhouser, Mrs. Charles Strick- of Trustees and Consistory, Elders P. C. houser, Orvilla Becker, George W. Wertz.

This nucleus of laymen entered into the work of the infant church under the lead- been members of these official bodies con- ership and inspiration of Captain Frank Geise, whose interest and faithful service did much toward enabling the congregation to rise out of its "day of small things.

The first minister, Rev. I. N. Peightel, began his pastorate October, 1888. During his ministry ending November 30, 1895, the church developed rapidly and a comfortable parsonage was built at a cost of $3,000. In February, 1896, the Rev. H. M. J. Klein, a student of the Theological Seminary at Lancaster was called as pastor. Mr. Klein began his pastorate May 15 of the same year and continued his services with the congregation until April 15, 1905. During this pastorate the church enjoyed a period of substantial growth. The growing needs necessitated the erection of the commodi- ous two-story Sunday School building at the rear of the church, at a cost of $12,000. The dedication of this building took place September 19, 1898.

Rev. Elmer E. Emhoff assumed his duties as pastor of this church May 10, 1905. A prominent feature in the work of Grace Church, is the Sunday School, built up un- der the wise supervision of a succession of efficient superintendents, Captain Frank Geise, S. Nevin Hench, Dr. J. W. Dehoff and E. A. Rice. The membership of the school is 650.

From the beginning there was cultivated the spirit of benevolence among the mem- bers of Grace Church. The Board of Home Missions extended financial aid to the with a Sunday School enrollment of 400. young congregation for but a few years, Plans were then being laid for the erection amounting in all to several hundred dollars. of a commodious church edifice. Generous sums were given annually to the work of home and foreign missions, Beth- Bethany any Orphans' Home and to other worthy . Reformed benevolent objects. Church.

On November 1, 1903, a mission congre- gation was organized in West York bor- ough, known as St. Stephen's Reformed Church, under the care and direction of Grace Church.

During the eighteen years of her exist- ence, Grace Church contributed $55.663 for local congregational purposes and $18,467 for benevolence. The present membership of the church is 338. Of the present Board

Wiest and S. N. Hench, and Deacons Rob- ert L. Motter and John M. Strine, have

tinuously from the earliest years of the church. These, with a number of other de- voted men, gave freely of their means, time and thought in the work of the church they loved and served.

In 1861, seven years after Rev.

Memorial J. O. Miller, D. D., became pas- Church. tor of the English congregation of the First Reformed Church, he purchased a lot on South Queen Street. Upon this site a chapel was built and in August of the same year, William H. Welsh, bookseller at Market and Queen Streets, opened a Sunday School, of which, during the succeeding thirty-two years, he was superintendent and Alexander Spang- ler, treasurer. Its membership at times numbered 200 and it was a flourishing Sun- day School.

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 124

Author: Prowell, George R. Publication date: 1907 Publisher: J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1372

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372