History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 129

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

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717

THE CITY OF YORK

This church was dedicated Oc- 1896-98; Rev. Jay W. Yohe, 1899-1901. O11

Allison Memorial.

tober 23, 1887, by Bishop E.

B. Kephart, with Rev. I. H. Al- bright, pastor, in charge, and Rev. A. H. Rice as presiding elder, and Jacob Allison, David Crider and Willianı Witta as trustees. The church was built and furnished by Jacob Allison, hence known as Allison Memorial Church. The congregation was organized Sunday, Feb- ruray 19, 1888, by Rev. I. H. Albright, then pastor of the First United Brethren Church. Jacob Allison, M. H. Long and Frederick Brunhouse were named as trus- tees of the organization, which was com- posed of twenty-eight members. During the eighteen years of its existence the num- ber has increased from 28 to 320, and the Sunday School from 40 to 525 enrolled. The following pastors have served the con- gregation: Rev. J. P. Smith, March, 1888, to his death, January 12, 1892; Rev. J. R. Jones, March, 1892, to March, 1895; Rev. J. R. Hutchinson, March, 1895, to March, 1899; Rev. J. P. Anthony, March 1899, to 1902; Rev. A. H. Rice, March, 1902, to November, 1904. Rev. R. R. Rodes was called to the pastorate in 1904. During the pastorate of Rev. J. R. Jones an addition was built to the church at a cost of $1,500. In 1903, during the pastorate of Rev. A. H. Rice, the church was again remodelled at a cost of $3,500. A tower was built and circular pews put in, making the church one of modern appearance and convenience.

This church was dedicated Oc-

Fourth tober 1, 1893, by Rev. C. I. B. Church. Braine, of Washington, D. C., with Rev. J. P. Koontz, pastor. The class was organized October 22, 1894, with five members transferred from the First United Brethren Church. The cost of the first church building and grounds, situated on Hartman Street, was $2,200. April 1, 1903, this property was sold to the Mennonites, and a site at the corner of Market and Lehman Streets was purchased, and a church erected at a cost of $12,000, including the ground. It was dedicated De- cember 6, 1904, by W. M. Weekly, D. D., of Dayton, Ohio. The building committee were Rev. J. Lower Grim, Sylvester Hein- del and C. A. Stambaugh. The pastors who served this congregation have been Rev. J. P. Koontz, 1893-96; Rev. Sheridan Garman,

March 15, 1901, Rev. James Lower Grim was called to the pastorate. The member- ship in 1907 was 220, one hundred and fifty being received during the pastorate of Rev. Grim. The Sunday School contains 300 teachers and scholars. A Seth Thomas clock, costing $450, donated by George B. Rudy, was placed in the tower of the church. The Fifth United Brethren

Fifth Church in Christ, situated in

Church. North York borough, was founded under the leadership of C. A. Burtner, presiding elder of the Penn- sylvania conference. Religious services were held at stated times in the village school house for two or three years and were conducted by clergymen from York and in 1895 the congregation was organized. A frame church was erected and dedicated by Rev. C. T. Stearn, D. D., October 6, 1895. The congregation was then served by the pastor of the Fourth United Breth- ren Church of York. Rev. Sheridan Gar- man was pastor from 1896 to 1898; Rev. J. W. Yohe to IgoI, and Rev. J. Lower Grim for one year. In 1902 this congrega- tion was made a separate charge and Rev. E. H. Hummelbaugh became the pastor. The congregation grew rapidly in numbers and in 1907 had 235 members. The Sunday School, which was originally held in the school house has also grown in numbers and strength and contains an enrollment of 450 members. Levi Stough has served as su- perintendent for several years.

UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCHES.

The United Evangelical Church is a re- ligious body which has a large membership in York County. After the division of the denomination in 1891 the majority of the congregations in York County became a part of the new church entitled "The United Evangelical Church," which was or- ganized at Naperville, Illinois, in 1894.

The Evangelical Association is an eccle- siastical body which originated in Pennsyl- vania in 1800. Its founder was Jacob Al- bright, a man of earnest piety. Early in life he was a Lutheran; afterward united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. He began to preach in 1796 and in 1803 was ordained a minister of the gospel. He la- bored among the Germans, and, as the

718

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Methodist Episcopal Church was entirely English at that time, the congregations he Bethlehem gathered banded themselves together into a separate denomination, adopting the name "Evangelical Association of North America," in early days called "Albright," after the founder. In doctrine, the de- nomination is Arminian. The church or- ganization is similar to that of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church. Bishops and pre- siding elders are elected every four years by the general and annual conferences re- spectively. The itinerant system is prac- ticed. The progress of the church has been rapid, and, although originally German, conferences are now entirely in English.

The Evangelical Association Pioneer Churches. was first introduced into York County in 1810, by Revs. John Erb and Matthias Betz, who was then sent to Oregon as missionary ; J. established three preaching places: One C. Farnsworth, 1870-72; G. Brickley, 1872- at the house of Jacob Klinefelter, in Shrews- 73: S. Aurund, 1873-75; C. F. Deininger, 1875-77; A. F. Leopold, 1877-79; C. Phili- bar, 1879-80; R. Deisher, 1880-82; J. Koehl, 1882-84: J. Shambach. bury Township, about one mile south of Glen Rock ; the second at the house of John Seitz, in Springfield Township, and the third at the house of Adam Ettinger, in Do- ver Township. The eighth conference ses- sion of the Association was held at the house of Jacob Klinefelter in 1815 at which time there were fifteen minis- ters present. In

I822 the members in the vicinity of Shrewsbury united with the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in building a log meeting house. This was the first church building used by the Association in York County, and the second in the Association, the first hav- ing been built at New Berlin, Union County, Pa., in 1816. In 1827 a stone church was built at Mt. Zion, in Springfield Township, entirely by the Evangelical As- sociation. In 1831, under the labors of Rev. W. W. Orwig, Dr. George Brickley and J. Roesner, who had charge of the work in the county for that year, a successful re- vival took place in the Conojohela valley. Among the families that united with the Trinity church were those of J. G. Thomas, Henry Thomas, Henry Burg and J. A. Jacobs. This was the beginning of the congregation at Millersville (Yorkana) and East Pros- pect. In 1842 a mission was established in York with twelve members. George Brick- ley was the first missionary. Rev. U. F. Swengel was the first English missionary.

This church, which belongs to

the Evangelical Association,

Church. was built under the leadership of Benjamin Thomas. In

1842,. George Brickley, a practicing physician of York, had this charge assigned him. He labored until 1844. During his administration the trustees of the church obtained a charter. Among the early pas- tors who served this congregation were: George Brickley, 1842-1844: W. W. Orwig, 1844-46; J. Boas, 1846-47; L. Eberhart, 1847-49; G. Weirick, 1849-50; C. Hammer, 1850-52; C. F. Deininger, 1852-54; E. Kohr, 1854-56; H. Althouse, 1856-58; S. Wolf, 1858-59: D. Kreamer, 1859-60; A. L. Reeser, 1860-62; B. Hengst, 1862-64; J. Young, 1864-66; S. Smith, 1866-68; A. Rai- rich 1868-69; J. Bowersox, 1869-70, who

The services were altogether German. For some time they were German in the morning and English in the evening, until 1871, when a part of the membershipwas or- ganized into an English mission. At the gen- eral conference held in 1875, this church was added to the newly organized Atlantic Conference, but in 1883 it was again placed in the Central Pennsylvania Conference. In 1868, while Rev. A. Rairich was sta- tioned here, a brick parsonage was built at a cost of $2,700. Rev. J. Young, Joshua Young and Jacob Seachrist constituted the building committee.

In 1898 the church property on North Queen street was sold and a lot for a new house of worship at the corner of Wallace and Vine Streets purchased. Upon this site a church edifice was erected during the pas- torate of Rev. John D. Farnsworth.

Trinity United Evangelical Church was established by the

Church. Central Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical Association in March, 1871. Rev. U. F. Swengel became its first pastor. He organized the church in the Court House, August 5, 1871, with fifty-seven members, most of whom had withdrawn from Bethlehem Church. A Sunday School was organized the same

719

THE CITY OF YORK

year. Religious services were held in the erected a church on the site of the old one Court House until October 1, 1871, when at a cost of $14,230, including the furnish- the congregation took possession of the ings. The church was dedicated January chapel on East King Street, which was dedi- 24, 1897, with Bishop R. Dubs officiating. cated on that day. The lot and chapel cost $3,400. Rev. H. B. Hartzler preached the ded- icatory sermon, and Rev. Jacob Young, pre- siding elder, dedicated the church as "Trin- ity Chapel of the Evangelical Association." Jacob A. Sechrist, Rev. U. F. Swengel, Adam Sechrist, J. M. Ettinger and John Sechrist composed the building committee.

Rev. Swengel served the congregation three years. In March, 1874, Rev. H. B. Hartzler succeeded. During the second year of his ministry there was a great re- vival. Soon afterward he resigned and went to another field of labor. Rev. A. W. Bower, a student of Union Seminary, was appointed to fill the unexpired term. In March, 1877, Rev. E. Swengel was ap- pointed. Rev. S. Aurand succeeded in March, 1878, and remained two years, during which time a parsonage was built. In March, 1880, Rev. P. W. Raidabaugh began a pastorate of three years, when the re- maining indebtedness on the church prop- erty was paid. In 1883 Rev. A. H. Irvine was appointed. In 1884 John F. Thomas, P. W. Keller and John Sechrist were ap- pointed a building committee, and the church was enlarged and remodelled. The main audience room was frescoed and the entire floor carpeted, new furniture was placed in the pulpit and altar.

In 1886 Rev. A. Stapleton, the historian of the United Evangelical Church, was ap- pointed pastor of this congregation and continued three years, during which time eighty-six persons were admitted to mem- bership. Afterward he was elected presid- ing elder of the Carlisle District. Rev. W. E. Detwiler succeeded as pastor in 1889 and re- mained for two years when he was appointed presiding elder of the Carlisle District. Rev. U. F. Swengel succeeded as pastor in March 1891, and served three years, during which time he organized a class in Evangelical Normal studies, the first within the boun- daries of the Central Pennsylvania Confer- ence. The pastorate of Rev. Edward Crumbling began in 1894 and in 1896 the congregation, with I. M. Jacobs, M. E. Hartzler, Rev. E. Crumbling, F. L. Bair and C. S. Stark as the building committee, bership of 150.

Rev. U. F. Swengel was called as pastor for the third time in 1898, and after serving one year was elected presiding elder of the York District. Rev. J. C. Reeser served as pas- tor from 1890 to 1893, when he was chosen presiding elder of the Carlisle District to succeed Rev. A. Stapleton. Rev. H. A. Ben- fer succeeded to the pastorate of this flour- ishing congregation in 1903. In 1906 the church was enlarged and improved, giving the auditorium a seating capacity of 700. A Sunday School building was erected with a seating capacity of 1,260. The Sunday School of this church during that year num- bered 650 teachers and scholars.

Iu 1895, during the pastorate of Rev. E. Crumbling, the name of this church was changed from Trinity Church of the Evan- gelical Association to Trinity United Evan- gelical Church of York. After a long con- troversy, the religious denomination to which this church belonged was separated into two church bodies, nearly all the churches of York County forming a part of what has since been designated as the United Evangelical Church of the United States.

Grace United Evangelical Church Grace on Broad Street, near Market, Church. was built in the year 1895, and dedicated the same year by Bishop Rudolph Dubs. This congregation originated as the result of a division of the Evangelical Association in 1891 and the organization of the United Evangelical Church in 1894. Bethlehem Evangelical Church on North Duke Street retained its membership with the Evangelical Associa- tion. About fifty of its members left the church and decided to organize a new con- gregation. Rev. Benjamin Hengst was chosen as the pastor in 1895 organized a congregation which had a temporary place of worship until a church was built at a cost of $4,000, including the lot. Rev. Hengst continued to be pastor for four years. He was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Fox, a young man, who died soon after he entered upon his duties as pastor. Rev. D. P. Kepner was pastor in 1905, with a mem-

720

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

St. Paul's United Evangelical Church, at the corner of Belvi-

St. Paul's Church. dere and Poplar Streets, was founded in 1902. Some time be- fore this Rev. Benjamin Hengst held the first services in his parlor, Mrs. Hengst playing the organ. Although the attend- ance was very small, the labors of the aged Jackson pastor accomplished good results. A con- gregation was organized which grew rap- idly in numbers and prospered. In 1902 a chapel was built in which a flourishing Sun- day School was started under the direction of the pastor. In 1903 Rev. E. B. Keen was appointed pastor of the congregation. In 1905 a new church was built at a cost of $12,000.

Bethany Bethany United Evangelical

Church, on Boll's Avenue, was

Church. founded in the year 1905. As C. Farley, E. Fulcomer and C. H. Good- early as 1860 religious services ling.

had been conducted a short distance south- west in York Township, at Green Hill, where a frame church building had been erected in 1864. Rev. Benjamin Hengst organized the congregation of fifty mem- bers, which in 1905, erected a church, using part of the material in the Green Hill church. The new church cost $3,700 and was dedicated December 10, 1895, Bishop Dubs officiating.

Zion United Evangelical Church,

Zion of West York Borough, was Church. founded through the missionary efforts of Rev. Benjamin Hengst, who held the first services in the public school house. The church was built in 1900 and dedicated by Bishop Rudolph Dubs that year. The cost of the building and lot was $3,000. Rev. W. L. Shambaugh be- came the second pastor. Rev. W. E. Pfeff- ley was pastor in 1907.

Rev. Benjamin Hengst, the founder of this church, and three other congregations of the United Evangelical Church in York, was born in Windsor Township in the year 1826. He taught school in his native town- ship in 1845, and in 1846 entered the minis- try, first preaching at Seitz's Church, in Springfield Township. In 1847, together with a colleague, he was stationed at twenty- six appointments in Centre and Hunting- don Counties, travelling over this region on horseback. For twenty years he was pastor of churches in Baltimore; sixteen of

these years he labored among the Germans in that city. He was presiding elder of the York District and was four times pastor of Bethlehem Church of York. During his early career he was on terms of intimate association with the fathers of this church. In June, 1901, religious services under the auspices of the United

Street Evangelical Church, were held in Church. a tent at the corner of Jackson and Water Streets. The mission work prospered and a congregation was or- ganized in June, of the same year, with a membership of eighty-four. A lot was pur- chased for $1,300. The corner stone for the church was laid October, 1901, and the building completed October 13, 1901. The pastors of this congregation in order of suc- cession have been : Revs. R. C. Walker, H.

BAPTIST CHURCHES.

Prior to 1850 no effort had been made to establish a Baptist Church in York. It is known that an occasional sermon was preached by Baptist ministers passing through the place. One of these, Dr. Hora- tio G. Jones, baptized a young woman in the Codorus Creek, and preached to a large company upon its banks. In August, 1850, a young dentist, George M. Slaysman, vis- ited York, and found an enterprising and wealthy town of 8,000 inhabitants. Dr. Slaysman found some Baptists but they had no place of meeting and held no services. This so impressed him that he gave up a lucrative profession in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, and returned to York in No- vember to establish a Baptist Church.

He rented a hall on the third floor

First over a store in the center of the

Baptist town. Buying lumber they made Church. seats and a pulpit and fitted up the hall in time to worship in it on the first Sunday in December. Mr. Da- vis gave a stove and paid to have the lum- ber planed for the seats. John Hartman gave the pulpit Bible, and donated a year and a half rent, sixty dollars. Eleven per- sons voted to form themselves into a Bap- tist church ; seven of these were women and two were colored. On May 21, 1841, they called a Council of Recognition and were recognized by the Baptist Churches, as the

721

THE CITY OF YORK

First Church of York. George M. Slays- man was elected pastor. In June the church united with the Central Union Association. During the first year eleven persons joined the young church, which doubled its mem- bership. The first person to be baptised was Miss Mary A. Wireman. Pastor Slays- man secured a lot on South George Street and on application to the Court, a charter of incorporation was granted to the church. The pastor raised the money, superintended the work, doing much of it with his own hands, and erected a church building. Since its organization in 1850 the church has had ten pastors, and to the credit of the church it should be noted that the first pastor was recalled three times and the present pastor, Charles D. Parker, is in his second term. The pulpit Bible is a fine one and has a his- tory of which the church is very proud. At

the government brought troops here and marched them to Penn Park, which at the time was called the Public Common. They had no tents or protection of any kind, and it is said that even food was very scarce. The volunteer soldiers had not much expe- rience in warlike preparations in those early days. When the pastor and members of the First Baptist Church learned of the sad plight of the soldiers they invited them into the church, and as long as the troops re- mained here they occupied the church build- ing as a barracks and when they were or- dered to the front they asked the church for their bill, expecting it would be a large one, but the members would take nothing. The soldiers expressed their gratitude and after- wards sent a present, the pulpit Bible, which is treasured so highly.

The German Baptists were Church

German among the first to settle in the of God.

Baptist western and southwestern sec-

Church. tions of York County. A com- plete account of these settle- ments will be found in this volume in a chapter beginning on page 135. This de- nomination erected its first house of wor- ship in York at the corner of Belvidere Ave- nue and King Street in 1883. In early days and at the time this church was built York belonged to the Diocese of the Codorus, whose central point of interest in 1883 was a church in Dunker Valley, near the bor- ough of Loganville.

The Diocese, in the language of the Ger- man Baptists, was known as the Codorus Congregation, which, sometime before the York meeting was founded, was presided over by Isaac Myers, assisted by Thomas Gray. This congregation included a part of Maryland, bordering on the Pennsylvania line. Elder Jacob Shomberger, of Mary- land, in 1883, was the bishop of the Codorus congregation. Under his direction the house of worship in York, was built. In December, 1883, Elder David Long, of Washington County, Maryland, father of Rev. J. A. Long, preached the dedicatory sermon. Soon after the house was erected Elder J. A. Long came to York as assist- ant to Elder Shomberger, and after the latter's death became the pastor.

Meantime the German Baptists of York were separated from the Diocese of the the beginning of the Civil war in 1861, Codorus and became an individual congre- gation. Under the pastorate of Rev. J. A. Long, the membership has been increased and in 1907 numbered about 300. There are two missions connected with this congrega- tion within the city limits. Owing to the increase in membership the first church was removed and another, 45x85 feet was erected on the same site and dedicated dur- ing the fall of 1898.

This congregation belongs to what is known as the progressive branch of the church, which has institutions for the higher education of both men and women at Hunt- ingdon, Elizabethtown, Penn'a; Bridgewa- ter, Virginia; Union Bridge, Maryland, and Mt. Morris, Illinois. The York congrega- tion has a large Sunday School which meets regularly in the church.

In 1827, Rev. John Winebrenner, pastor of a German Reformed Church, in Harrisburg, started a series of revivals in his church. He soon afterward began evangelistic work in the northern townships of York County. and in parts of Dauphin and Lancaster Coun - ties, frequently holding open air meetings, and also conducting religious services in school houses and private dwellings. He had a large number of followers resulting from revivalistic work, and then organized a denomination which became known as the Church of God. His followers for many years were called Winebrennerians. This denomination is Presbyterian in polity.

722

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Great earnestness and zeal were the char- acteristics of the early clergy. In 1835, and shortly after, a number of congregations were formed in York County, by Revs. Winebrenner, Maxwell, Ross, Mulnix, Weishampel, Kiester and others. There are now about a dozen churches of this de- nomination in the county, in Newberry, Warrington, Monaghan, Franklin and Windsor Townships.

The Church of God, on Vander Avenue, in East York, was organized in 1887 by Rev. O. J. Farling. At the same time the con- gregation erected a house of worship. He was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Martin, who was pastor for seven years and built up a prosperous congregation. Rev. S. E. Kline was pastor for one year and was followed by Rev. H. W. Long, who remained until 1905, when he was succeeded by Rev. Sam- uel Sollenberger, who ministered to a con- gregation of about seventy members. Af- ter his retirement from the Vander Avenue Church, Rev. Joseph Martin organized a congregation on Poplar Street, in the west- ern part of the city and erected a brick church building. He was succeeded in the pastor- ate of this church by Rev. W. J. Grissinger, who remained three years. Rev. J. T. Flee- gle became pastor in 1904.

Among the early settlers in Mennonite Church. York County were a number of Mennonites, who took up lands east and southeast of the site of Hanover, where two different con- gregations were organized before the Rev- olution. Some of these religious people settled east of York in the Hellam Valley, where there have been two or three meet- ing houses for more than a century. This de- nomination has houses of worship in sev- eral other townships in the county. Preach- ing services had been held in East York by the Mennonites for several years before the congregation purchased from the Fourth United Brethren Church a house of worship on Hartman Street, in East York. Rev. Theodore B. Forry, who ministers to sev- eral congregations in this county, is the reg- ular pastor of the church which holds its services in the Hartman Street meeting house. A complete history of the early Mennonites in York County will be found on page 134 in this volume.

Beth

Beth Israel, a Reformed Hebrew congregation, which in 1907 erected Israel. a beautiful temple on South Beaver Street, was organized September I, 1877, with S. Rosenthal, president, and Leon Herz, secretary. The first religious services were held September 3, 1879, at the resi- dence of Solomon Kahn, on West Market Street. The original membership was com- posed of the following persons : Hess Goodman, Isaac Goodman, Nathaniel Good- man, Daniel Reineberg, Leon Herz, Isaac Heller, Simon Rosenthal, Bernard Mier, Meier Eisennau, Adolph Robert, Nathan Lehmayer, Samuel Weil, Isaac Herz, Jo- seph Lebach, Jacob Lebach, Solomon Kahn, I. Walker, Henry Bailey, John Lewis, A. Ornauer, H. Ornauer, L. Rosenbaum, S. Trattner, B. Rubenstein, S. Rosenthal. For several years the congregation worshipped on the third floor of the Hartman building and also the Jacob Stair building and in 1907 was composed of forty male members, representing some of the prominent cit- izens engaged in the business interests of York. In 1906 a site was purchased on the corner of South Beaver Street and New- ton Alley, where the present temple, with a seating capacity of 300, was completed in 1907. Some of the stained glass windows are of the most artistic workmanship. This temple, designed by Charles Keyworth, of York, is a model of architecture. When the building was erected, Lee Reineberg was president of the congregation ; N. Good- man, vice president; Adolph Adler, secre- tary; Sol. Fuld, treasurer. The building committee was composed of the following members: N. Rosenau, chairman; F. R. Mayer, secretary; Solomon Walker, Max Grumbacher, I. Metz, Leon Herz, R. M. Granat. In 1907 the board of trustees was composed of N. Goodman, A. Bellak and M. N. Lehmayer.

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 129

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