History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended, Part 105

Author: Gibson, John, Editor
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago
Number of Pages: 1104

USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended > Part 105

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The Rev. Mr. Batwell was a loyalist, and during the early stages of the Revolution so favored his native land and his Tory con- victions, that he ceased not to pray for his Majesty George III, which so enraged the people that he was ducked one night in the neighboring creek and discharged in 1776. From this date until 1782 the church was without the ministrations of a clergyman; but it appears from the church records that the congregation was still active, as "in 1777 a lot of ground was granted by the honorable proprietaries to Robert Jones, Will- iam Johnston and George Welsh, trustees, for the use of the missionary of the said church and for the benefit of the said church, and for no other use or purpose whatsoever, as appears by the ticket for the same signed by Samuel Johnston, Esq."

This property was situated immediately opposite the church and had a frontage of 160 feet and a depth of 250 feet.

In 1784 a letter was received from the Rev. William White, D. D., on behalf of the clergy and a special committee of the laity of the Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, asking the church wardens and vestrymen to delegate „one or more of their body, to assist at a meeting to be held May 24, 1784, for the purpose of proposing a plan of ecclesi- astical government for the Episcopalians generally throughout the United States. Col. Thomas Hartley, William Baily and William Johnston were chosen delegates.

In 1784 Rev. John Campbell succeeded for over twenty years. Through his exertions the rectory was built on the lot opposite the church; and also the academy, for the erection of both of which he collected money, princi- pally in the cities of Philadelphia, Balti- more and Lancaster. "Toward the close of his rectorship the congregation somewhat declined, through the proselyting efforts of the sects. A large portion was drawn off at the close of the century and formed the Presbyterian congregation at the other end of the town." He shortly afterward-in

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

1804-removed to the parish of St. John, Carlisle, where he labored very acceptably until his death.

The parish remained without a rector un- til April, 1810, when the Rev. John Arm- strong was chosen, and served nine years. During his ministry the church was presented with a handsome brass chandelier (valued at $300) by the members of St. Paul's Parish, Baltimore. The church property, in 1810, underwent great improvement. A new floor was laid in the church; the chancel removed from the north to the west side; the entrance changed from the south to the east end, and a gallery erected over the door. This large expenditure was promply met and the records state, "The church is freed from all incum- brance and is in a flourising condition."

The first Sunday-school in York County was established by Samuel Bacon. Esq., August 7, 1817. Mr. Bacon was a lawyer of prominence in York, and a devout member of St. John's Church.

The Rev. Grandison Aisquith was rector from 1819 to 1821; Rev. George B. Schaeffer from 1821 to 1823; Rev. Charles Williams, from 1823 to 1825; under Rev. Will- iams the congregation was enlarged, he was elected principal of Baltimore College. The Rev. Richard Hall 'next succeeded, and enjoyed great popularity for three years. On Easter day 1829, the Rev. John V. E. Thorn was engaged as an occasional supply, after which the parish went very much into decay, and membership greatly decreased by death or defection. In 1834 the Rev. Ben- jamin Hutchins took charge of the parish and served it gratuitously for a year and a half, doing much to restore it to its former condition. The church and rectory were improved at the cost of $900, and a handsome set of silver communion plate was presented by the rector in charge.

The Rev. Walter E. Franklin, who served two years, became rector in 1836, and was succeeded in 1838 by the Rev. Edward Way- len, an English clergyman temporarily in America. The Rev. John H. Marsden was rector from 1841 to 1844, and the Rev. John H. Hoffman from 1844 to 1849. The parish at this time seems to have been somewhat weak, as it accepted aid from the Missionary Society of Grace Church, Philadelphia, to- ward the payment of the salary of the Rev. Charles West Thomson, who entered upon his duties in 1849, and continued for seven- teen years, laying firm and solid founda- tions of future strength and usefulness. He was a native of Philadelphia, and of Quaker parentage. He possessed gracious

gifts of mind and heart, such as made him signally successful in the high office of a clergyman. The parish soon began to feel the effect of his wise aud faithful services. The attendance so greatly increased that, in 1850, the church building was enlarged to more than twice its original capacity. It was still a plain, unpretentious church, with lit- tle pretense to architectural beauty.

Attracted by Mr. Thomson's sermonic ef- forts, as well as by his personal character, many who had been strangers to the church, identified themselves with it, and are still among her most loyal members. So rapidly and substantially did the parish increase that, in 1863, it was found necessary to make an- other enlargement of the church. Transepts were added and a recess chancel built, and also a tower. As a poet also, Mr. Thomson gained deserved distinction, and many of his productions have been incorporated in our school readers. All his writings were charac- terized by beauty of sentiment and clearness of thought, clothed in the choicest language. He resigned in 1866, owing to the increasing infirmities of old age, but continued to re- side in the town. He died April 17, 1879, beloved by all and honored by all; and his body was interred in Prospect Hill Cemetery. His wife was Miss Charlotte Prescott, a near relative of the historian. She died June 22, 1880, aged eighty-one years.

The Rev. William P. Orrick was called in 1866. He continued in charge for seven years. During his administration the parish building was erected on the church lot, thus giving suitable accommodations for the Sun- day-schools and the other parochial organi- zations.

The Rev. Octavius Perinchief was rector from 1873 to 1874. Mr. Perinchief was one of the ablest preachers in the American Church and attracted, wherever settled, uni- versal attention.

Rev. Edward L. Stoddard succeeded to the charge of the parish in 1874 and remained until 1877, when he gave place to Rev. W. T. Wilson, who served the parish from 1877 to 1878. The Rev. Henry W. Spalding, D. D., assumed charge in December, 1878, and con- tinued until 1883. The Rev. Arthur C. Powell was called. to the rectorship in June, 1883, and still administers to the parish.

The parish had assumed such proportions in 1883, that it was deemed imperative to make a radical enlargement of the church. This was begun in September of that year. By this, the third improvement, the edifice was signally changed and improved, until it is now one of the most beautiful in the country.

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BOROUGH OF YORK.

A new organ, new pews and new chancel furniture were added, so that, while on the ancient site, St. John's is practically a new church, though the original church is so in- corporated as to leave portions of its walls still standing.

The entire expenditure, including hand- some memorial windows, was about $17,000, which amount was fully raised by the gener- osity of the members, and the church was pre- sented. for consecration to Rt. Rev. M. A. De Wolfe Howe, D. D., LL. D., Bishop of the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, on Thurs- day, April 16, and in the presence of a large audience was solemnly set apart for religious worship, according to the rites and ritual of the Episcopal Church. The instru- ment of donation, on this occasion, was read by the Hon. John Gibson, and the article of consecration by the rector (to whom we are indebted for this sketch).

St. John's Parish has arrived at such strength, that it ranks among the largest and best parishes in the diocese.

The First Presbyterian Church .- Its begin- ning may be traced back beyond the date of the Declaration of Independence. For several years a little band of Presbyterians, without any formal church organization, were minis- tered to by the Rev. Mr. Hanna, of the Pres- bytery of Carlisle. In 1785, George Irwin, William Scott and Archibald McLean pur- chased the lot on the corner of High and Queen Streets "in trust, for the use of the Religious Society of English Presbyterians." On this lot, in 1790, the first house of wor- ship was erected, a plain brick building. In March, 1793, this congregation was united with the Round Hill Church, in Hopewell Township, in a call to the Rev. Robert Cath- cart, of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, which was accepted. Of the twenty-four signers of York to that call no descendants remain, ex- cepting those of Jennet Grier and William McClellan. William Harris, another of the signers, was grandfather of Hon. S. Morrison Harris, of Baltimore, and Hon. James Smith, another, whose remains are in the church- yard, was one of the signers of the Declara- tion of Independence.

In the year 1813, the congregation, was incorporated by the legislature. In 1835, near the close of Dr. Cathcart's pastorate, the old church edifice was remodeled and pre- pared for the accommodation of the synod of Philadelphia, which met in October of that year. This synod became famous for the trial of Rev. Albert Barnes, the distinguished - commentator, for alleged heresies of doctrinal opinion and teaching. The entire commu-

nity became greatly interested. The trial terminated in a vote of suspension by a majority of the court, to which the accused meekly submitted until it was set aside by the general assembly in the following May, and he was restored to the exercise of his ministry. The sympathies of a large propor- tion of this people were undoubtedly with Mr. Barnes, and when, in 1837, the great division of the Presbyterian Church took place, they, with their pastor, for the most part adhered to the exscinded or new school branch. A minority, however, who preferred connection with the old school, organized a board of trustees, and made an attempt to obtain possession of the church property. An action for ejectment was brought by them in the York County Court (April, 1840, Judge Hays of Lancaster, presiding), but was decided for the defendants, which decision was affirmed by the supreme court at Harrisburg, May, 1841.

For several years the old school party kept up a separate organization under the pastor- al care of Rev. Stephen Boyer, but at length the enterprise was abandoned and most of its supporters returned to the other church.

Dr. Cathcart, owing to the infirmities of age, resigned his long pastorate in 1837, and was succeeded by Rev. Benjamin J. Wallace, of the Presbytery of Muhlenburgh, Ky. He continued until September, 1845, when he accepted a professorship in Delaware Col- lege.

In November of that year, Rev. Daniel Hop- kins Emerson commenced bis labors as pastor elect, and continued until April, 1855, when failing eyesight obliged him to accept an agency. He was succeeded by Rev. Charles J. Hutchins, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Erie, whose pastorate of four years was marked by large additions to the church, and by initiatory steps for the erection of a new house of worship.

In December, 1859, Rev. Thomas Street, of Philadelphia, was chosen pastor, and the four years of his ministry are memorable for all the excitement and changes growing out of the war of the Rebellion, and also for the activity and enlargement connected with the erection of the present beautiful church.

In December, 1864, Rev. Henry E. Niles, then located at Albion, N. Y., was called to the pastorate. He was installed by the Pres- bytery of Harrisburg in April following, and during the twenty years of his ministry just finished, the church has enjoyed an almost uniform course of prosperity.

From Dr. Niles' recent anniversary dis- course it appears that from 117 attending members the church has grown to 440. Its

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

Sabbath-school, missionary societies, and work in the mission chapel are well sus- tained, and it has recently sent out twenty- six of its number to form the beginning of the Calvary Presbyterian Church in the southern part of York.

The Presbyterian Church building is de- lightfully located on East Market Street. The Sunday-school has been ably superin- tended by Dr. J. W. Kerr for more than a quarter of a century. The parsonage adjoins the church.

Calvary Presbyterian Church .. - This church is located on South Duke Street. It grew from a Sabbath-school, opened on the 6th of August, 1882, in a cooper shop, lo- cated on South Duke Street, just beyond Cottage Avenue. On the first Sabbath of its meeting. there were present twenty-seven scholars and seven men and women interested in the work. These persons were Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Luitweiler, Hattie Luitweiler, Clara B. Cross, Maggie W. Cross, Samuel Small, Jr., and H. S. Myers. Mr. Small was chosen superintendent. The next Sabbath a number were added, viz. : Mrs. B. F. Willis, Mrs. Dr. McDougall, Mrs. Annie Stair, Miss Mary Edie and Miss Belle Small. On a piece of ground, donated by Samuel Small, Sr., was, built a chapel at a cost of $2,500. by a few members of the Presbyterian Church in the town; and on the 19th of No- vember, 1882, the school left their quarters in the cooper shop, and went to the new chapel, which seated about 250 persons. In the spring of 1883, when the work had been carried on only a few months, it was felt necessary to secure the services of a minister. Rev. George L. Smith, then pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Cedarville, N. J., came permanently in August, 1883.

Application was made to the Presbytery of Westminster, September 25, 1883, for the organization of a new church, to be called the Calvary Presbyterian Church. A com- mittee, consisting of Rev. Dr. Niles, Rev. T. M. Crawford and Rev. Eby (ministers), Samuel Small, Sr., and Mr. Purple (elders), to meet on the 9th of October, and organize the church. Stephen Cunningham, William Gamble, J. C. Luitweiler and B. F. Willis were elected elders.

On the 17th of October the new congrega- tion called the Rev George L. Smith, who had for a time been laboring among them, and on the 30th of the same month the Pres- bytery at Westminster met in the Calvary Chapel, and Mr. Smith was installed pastor. At the installation service, Rev. Mr. Eby, of Columbia, presided; Rev. Dr.

McDougall preached the sermon; Rev. Dr. Stewart gave the charge to the pastor, and Rev. Dr. Niles the charge to the people.

The Sabbath-school grew so that the build- ing was too small, and hence during the summer of 1884, by the gifts of Samuel Small, Sr., and his nephew, Samuel Small, Jr., the building was enlarged and improved, giving additional accommodations. for perhaps 100 pupils.

On the 7th of October, 1884, Isaac W. Allen was ordained a ruling elder.

The present membership of the Sabbath- school is 250, and that of the church eighty- seven. During the summer of 1885 a hand- some new church was built by this congre- gation.

The Moravian Church .- Among the first Germans who purchased lots in 1741, at the laying out of the town of York, were a num- ber of Moravians. Services were held in this county by Moravian missionaries as early as 1744. Many years earlier than this, missionaries of this denomination. conducted services among the Indians and the first settlers. Before there were any per- manent settlements there was a trail or route,. for the devoted missionaries of this church, from their famous settlement at Bethlehem across York County to their settlements in Maryland. Rev. Jacob Lischy who, in 1744, was the first pastor of the German Reformed. Church in York, was originally a Moravian. His first membership was composed of Ger- man Reformed and Moravian people. In 1751 Rev. John Philip Meurer was the first regu- lar pastor, and during that year organized a congregation. The same year a clergyman of this faith, whose name cannot now be given, organized a congregation in Codorus Township, which existed for a time. The York congregation worshipped in private houses, until 1755, when a stone house was built on what was then the outskirts of the town, but now located on the corner of Princess and Water Streets. In the adjoining burying-ground are interred the remains of a great many of the early residents of York and vicinity. These graves are all carefully arranged in rows, and numbered according to the original rules of the denomination. The tombstones are all of the same height, and of the same quality of stone. The stone building, erected in 1755, and dedicated on December 21, of the same year, was used as a dwelling house for the minister, and in a large hall in it, the religious services were held. A church was built in 1828.

The names of the pastors in order of suc- cession since 1751 are Revs. Meuer, Engel,

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BOROUGH OF YORK.

Neisser, Soelle, Schlegel, Schmidt, Herr, Lindemeyer, Krogstrup, Schweishaupt, Roth, Reineke, Huebner, Bochler, Molther, Beck, Rondthaler, Miller, Loeffler, Kluge, Dober, and Van Vleck.

From 1835 to 1861 the congregation was served by the following named pastors in the order mentioned: Rev. W. L. Lennert, 1835 to 1847; Rt. Rev. Samuel Reineke, 1847 to 1853; Rev. Ambrosius Rondthaler, 1853 to 1854; Rev. F. F. Hagen, 1854 to 1861; Rev. S. M. Smith, 1861 to 1866; Rt. Rev. H. A. Shultz, 1866 to 1868; Rev. W. H. Rice, 1868 to 1876; Rev. J. Blickensdorfer, 1876 to 1879; Rev. L. F. Kampman, 1879 to 1884; Rev. E. W. Shields, 1884.

The church built in 1828 was used until 1867, "when under the pastorate of the Rt. Rev. H. A. Shultz a site was purchased on North Duke and the present church erected. It was dedicated by his successor, Rev. W. H. Rice, in 1868. Rev. E. W. Shields, who at present ministers to the con- gregation, entered upon his duties on the 20th of August, 1884. In 1885, the church was remodeled, the interior converted into one large auditorium, into a basement story for Sunday-school purposes, and a second story for the church auditorium. The cost of these repairs was $5,000. The congregation has a total membership of 250 persons; a. communi- cant list of 150.

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. -The services of the First Lutheran Church for nearly a century . were all conducted in the German language. In the course of time, however, the English language unsurped the place of the German, and it be- came necessary, especially in order to retain the young, to conduct part at least of the public services in English. Of this ne- cessity no one was better aware than the Rev. Dr. J. G. Schmucker, then the pastor of the First Church, and hence, as early as the year 1825, he introduced occasionally English preaching, and in the year 1828, established also an English Sunday-school. This school was held in the old brick schoolhouse which stood in the rear of the church. The super- intendent of this First Lutheran Sunday- school in York, was the late Charles A. Mor- ris. The necessity for English preaching increased, and, in 1829, a call was extended to Rev. Jonathan Oswald, then a student in the Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg, to act as joint pastor with Dr. Schmucker, and to officiate in the English language. Mr. Os- wald entered upon his duties in July, 1829. He labored in this capacity for about seven years, until 1836. Shortly before the latter

date, it became evident, however, that the demand for the use of the English language was not being fully met by the occasional hold- ing of English services in the German church, but that there was a necessity for the establish - ment of an exclusively English church. The first meeting for this purpose was held Feb- ruary 18, 1836. Dr. Luke Rouse was elected president; Frederick Baugher and Adam Eichelberger, secretaries. A board of trust- ees was apppointed, consisting of Daniel Kra- ber, Charles Eppley, Luke Rouse, Michael Sowers, John Immel, Adam Eichelberger, Christian Hildebrand, Christian G. Pfahler, George S. Ziegler, Conrad Shultz, Benjamin Johnston and Abraham Forry. At a meet- ing held February 26, 1836, Charles Weiser, Luke Rouse, George P. Ziegler, Charles A. Morris and Adam Wert, were appointed trus- tees, Lewis Rosenmiller was appointed treas- urer. A congregational meeting was held on Sunday, February 28th, in the lecture room of the Reformed Church, at which the first council of the church was chosen as fol- lows: Elders, Frederick Baugher, Jacob Weiser, Abraham Forry, Adam Wert, Dr. Luke Rouse, and G. P. Ziegler; deacons Robert W. Long and John Immel. On Feb, ruary 26, 1836, a constiution was adopted and signed by sixty-eight male members. The number of female members who entered into the organization was about thirty. The Sun- day-school was organized in November, 1836, with Rev. J. Oswald, president; Daniel Kra- ber, superintendent; Charles A. Morris, treas- urer, and Mrs. C. A. Morris, female superin- tendent.

The exercises of the Sunday-school and of the congregation, from the time they left the old church until they began worship in the lecture-room of their own church, were held in the lecture-room, and on special occasions in the main room of the German Reformed Church, which had been kindly tendered for that purpose. A building committee was ap- pointed, consisting of Charles Weiser, Dr. Luke Rouse, Charles A. Morris, George P. Ziegler and Adam Wert. The board of trustees purchased the lot on the southeast corner of Beaver and King Streets, of James S. Conallee. The corner-stone was laid on May 29, 1836, the Rev. Drs. H. L. Baugher and J. G. Morris, together with the pastor and other clergymen of the town officiating. On the 19th of the following December, the first worship was held in the lecture-room of the new building, Rev. Dr. H. L. Baugher, officiating. But "the great day of the feast," in the early history of the church, was June 11, 1837, when the finished building was

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

dedicated. The ministers officiating, besides the pastor, were the Rev. Drs. Benjamin Kurtz, J. G. Morris, H. L. Baugher and C. P. Krauth. The size of the church was 50x75 feet.

The present charter of the church was ob- tained on the 24th of May, 1839. In Janu- ary, 1842, a parsonage was purchased, at the northwest corner of George and King Streets, for $2,500. On January 1, 1856, every dol- lar of the church debt was paid. And from a report then prepared and made to the con- gregation by Daniel Kraber, it was ascer- tained that since the formation of the con- gregation, up to that time, the sum of $15,287 had been collected and paid. On December 9, 1857, the organ was bought, and the gal- lery lowered and other repairs made, the en- tire cost of which was $946.

In 1858 the church was remodeled, the walls frescoed, gas and furnaces introduced, at a cost of $2,500.

On the 4th of November, 1868, a com- mittee was appointed, consisting of Dan- iel Kraber, David Emmit, William Smith, George W. Ilgenfritz and M. B. Spahr, for the purpose of building a new church. The design for the new building was one presented by S. D. Button, of Philadelphia. Nathan- iel Weigle was superintendent and builder; Charles S. Weiser, treasurer. April 4, 1869, the last services were held in the old church. It is an interesting fact in this connection that whilst, as already mentioned, Dr. H. L. Baugher preached the first sermon that was delivered in the old building, his son, Prof. H. L. Baugher, preached the last one in it; and as the father preached at the dedication of the first house, so the son preached the sermon at the dedication of the chapel of the second house.

The corner stone of the old building was relaid June 12, 1869. At the same time a new corner-stone was also laid. The dedi- cation of the chapel took place January 9, 1870, on which occasion, in addition to the $26,000 previously subscribed, $10,000 more were subscribed.

The dedication of the church took place March 12, 1871. The ministers officiating besides the pastor, were the Rev. Drs. H. A. Pohlman, J. A. Brown, F. W. Conrad and J. Oswald, together with Revs. Solomon Oswald, B. C. Suesserott and Prof. H. L. Baugher. Dr. Pohlman preached the sermon; Dr. J. Oswald, read the dedicatory services. The fine bell, weighing over 3,000 pounds, and costing $1,400 was the handsome Christmas gift of the church's faithful treasurer, David Emmit. The cost of the building was about

$60,000. The Sunday-school has steadily grown; it numbers at present about 440 pupils. During the year 1884, the average at- tendance of the school was: officers, 14; teach- ers, 36; scholars, 180; infants, 83; total 312.

The present treasurer of the church, David Emmit, filled this position for more than thirty years. The old organ, which was bought in 1857, was, in 1882, replaced by a much larger one, costing $3,600.

The first pastor was Rev. Dr. Jonathan Oswald, who still worships with the congre- gation. Chosen pastor by the little band, which almost a half century ago colonized from the old German Church, Dr. Oswald continued most faithfully and successfully to serve the congregation for more than twenty- five years, until June, 1861, when his labors were suddenly interrupted by serious illness. With unfeigned sorrow, his devoted people were obliged to accept his resignation on De- cember 31, 1861. In a recent communication, among other things, he writes as follows: "The old pastor is yet living, and he asks nothing of this generation but that only which John asked of the disciples of his day: 'Little children, love each other.' He wishes for nothing in behalf of this church but that only which Paul supplicated in be- half of the Ephesian Christians. And for himself he asks nothing but that he may worship with the children, whose fathers he so often directed in the way of truth."

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History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended, Part 105

Author: Gibson, John, Editor Publication date: 1886 Publisher: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Gibson, John, Editor
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago
Number of Pages: 1104