USA > Pennsylvania > Juniata County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 2, Pt. 1 > Part 10
USA > Pennsylvania > Mifflin County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 2, Pt. 1 > Part 10
USA > Pennsylvania > Snyder County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 2, Pt. 1 > Part 10
USA > Pennsylvania > Union County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 2, Pt. 1 > Part 10
USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 2, Pt. 1 > Part 10
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bequest of four hundred dollars for the purpose of erecting an additional building. The action of the grand jury and the notice of the legacy of Mr. Medown were presented to the com- missioners, who not only refused to grant the aid necessary to the erection of a building, but also refused to grant any company or associa- tion formed for the purpose the right to put up such additional buildings on the academy grounds. Upon this refusal the trustees ap- pointed a committee to secure grounds conven- ient to the academy building, for the purpose of erecting a suitable edifice to accommodate their necessities. An association was formed and eight Imindred and twenty five dollars were sub- scribed for the purpose above mentioned. A small tract of land adjoining the academy was purchased of William McKee and deed given to the trustees of the academy, who advertised for proposals to build a frame house, thirty-two by fifty feet and two stories high, to be ready for occupancy by May, 1854. It was completed and occupied. Troubles continued to affect the financial standing of the academy, and a petition was presented to the Legislature in the winter of 1854-55, asking permission to sell the prop- erty, which was granted by act passed April 3, 1855. The property was purchased, April 10, 1856, by the Rev. John B. Straw and R. G. Stephen, with a condition that the buildings and property should always be used for a High and Normal School. The school was then placed under the charge of Professor James 1. Stephens, who, January 6, 1862, became the owner, and sold to Rev. George S. Rea, who continued the school for a time when it was re- conveyed to Professor James A. Stephens, who, September 25, 1868, conveyed it to William Grier, the present owner.
The principals who have been in charge of the academy since its organization are as fol- low :--
1838 .-- Professor Robert Finley.
1839,-Rev. Matthew B. Patterson.
1812. J. M. Storus.
1813 .- Samuel Ramsey.
1815 .- - Rev. Mintin Smith.
1850 .- Rev. Matthew B. Patterson.
1858. - William S. Post ; elected March 7th, but did not serve.
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PERRY COUNTY.
1858 .- Charles A. Barnett ( August Ist). 1858 .- Professor James A. Stephens. 1862 .- George S. Roa. 1861,-Professor Janues A. Stephens. 1869 .-- T. A. Snively. 1870 .- A. R. Keiffer. 1870 .- W. Il. Dill. 1872 .-- Rev. John Edgar. 1877 .- J. R. Flickinger. 1881 .- Rev. John Edgar. 1883 .- J. R. Flickinger. 1881 .- Willimu Il. Schuyler.
"CHRIST'S CHURCH.L-After the Indian wars had closed . and the Revolution had successfully ended, the settlers in this valley located permanently, and, from all we can learn, the Lutheran portion of the population was the first to enjoy the stated preaching of the gospel. Of the original founders of the hu- theran congregation at Bloomfield, we can give the names of only a few. The Comp family and Shover settled in this vicinity in about 1780; the Cless family, in 1785; the Clark, Fritz and Meyer families, in about 1790; the Westfall family, in 1791, and the Slouch, in 1795; the Smith, Crist and Sweger families, in 1800, and the Roth family, in 1803. Besides these, a number of others had settled in this part of the valley at the close of the last century; but the exact time of their arrival we cannot learn. These families were scattered over au extended territory, and at that time the population was comparatively sparse. When visited by a minister of their church, they came together the distance of six, eight and even twelve miles, through dark, pathless forests, over hills and streams, to hear the glad tidings of peace and salvation by faith through Jesus Christ. Private dwellings, barus, school-houses and the shaded woods served them as places for divine worship. It is highly probable that they were occasionally visited, from 1780 to 1788, by the Rev. John G. Butler, of Car- lisle.
"Immediately after this, the Rev. John T. Kühl commenced visiting and preaching for the Lutherans in Sherman's Valley, and in 1790 located near Loys- ville. From 1788 to 1795 he preached also for the scattered members of the church in the vicinity of Bloomfield. Of his success here and of the condition. of the congregation at that time, we have no authen- tie information. Some time in 1795 or 1796, Rev. Kühl left Sherman's Valley: but where he located after he resigned here, we have no means of knowing. "Soon after this, the members in Sherman's Valley secured the spiritual labors of the Rev. John Herbst,
) This is part of a discourse delivered by the Rev. D. H. Focht, on the Ith of October, 1857, based on Psaln exliii. 5: " I remember the days of old." On that day, and for the last the, divine worship was celebrated in Christ's old Einion Log Church.
who located at Carlisle, Pa., in 1796, and took charge of the Lutheran congregation at Loysville, and preached also occasionally for the members here. We have been informed that he administered the sacraments among the members of the congregation, and it is probable that the congregation was regu- larly organized by him some time between 1797 and 1800. As the members were favored with occasional preaching, they naturally felt the want of a suitable house of worship, and such a house they now resolved to build.
"THE OLD UNION LOG CHURCH .- This church was built jointly by the Lutherans and German Reformed on one acre and a half of land, which they bought of Jacob Lupfer for twelve dollars. This land was lo- cated by Mr. Lupfer in 1787 by order from the Land Office, surveyed for church purposes in 1802 and con- veyed by deed to the two denominations on the 14th of May, 1804, and is now embraced in the borough of Bloomfield. Those of the members who were able to do so, furnished each one round or more of logs. These logs were fine white pine, oak and some poplar. After all the required timber had been brought to- gether, the church edifice was raised on Saturday, the 19th of June, 1798. The building was thirty-six feet loug by thirty feet wide. In erecting the edifice, heavy cross-beams were inserted for a gallery, which was, however, not constructed till about twenty-two years after. Soon after the building had been raised, Mr. Andrew Shuman covered it with a substantial roof; but, as we are informed, nothing more was done towards its completion till 1802. Thus for four years the edifice stood without doors, windows or floor. There was then no stove in the church (as it was called), and preaching only in summer. The congre- gation sat on slabs laid on blocks sawed from logs, and the minister, when preaching, stood behind a lit- tle, rough, wooden table. The earth served as floor, and the roof as the only covering overhead, whilst the naked walls, without doors and windows, sur- rounded the attentive congregation. In winter the minister preached in private dwellings in the vicinity. At that time, during the cold seasons of the year, there was preaching here but seldom. The pastor resided at Carlisle, abont eighteen miles off, and the roads in the depth of winter must has been almost im- passable across the North Mountain and through the dreary forests of Sherman's Valley.
" In 1801, Rev. Herbst resigned at Carlisle, and con- sequently ceased to visit the members here. In 1802 a floor was laid in the church, doors were put up and windows round below; the spaces for windows round above were closed with boards ; the seats remained as before, except that they were now raised on the floor, and the minister, as before, stood behind a small table when he preached. It is probable that about this time, or within a few years after, a stove was seenred for the church.
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
" As the draft of the church-land, made in 1802, clearly shows, the ground on which the church was located and the lands all around it were at that time well timbered with large forest trees. About one nere and a half, lying northwest of the church, had been cleared a long time before, but was now den-ely covered with young pine bushes and simac, and part of it was afterwards included in the grave-yard. A large pine free stood in front of the church, facing what is now High Street. Near where the brick school-house now stands was a pond of water in which, at that time, an abundance of frogs sported, and all the low ground from the pond down to Big Spring was overgrown with underbrush and greenbrier. The church was located on an eligible site. The place is considerably elevated on a dry gravel bank, which slopes away towards the north and rising sun ; north- west of it Liwiestone Ridge rises gradually in bold re- lief, and on the southeast it overlooks Bloomfield and a small but beautiful valley, when, at a distance of abont one mile and a half, the view is bonnded by the gracefully rising Mahanoy Ridge. A short dist- anec west of the the church the road forked-one road passed in front of the church and led to Carlisle ; the other passed back of the church, over ground now embraced in the grave-yard, and led to Juniata River at Newport. At the time when the church was erect- ed, all the lands around it, and nearly all that are now embraced in the borough of Bloomfield, were covered by a dense forest of large timber and under- wood. There was then not a house nearer than the old building on Mr. David Lupfer's farm and the dwelling of the late Mr. Baruett, each of them nearly a mile off. The church stood lonely in the woods to tell that God was worshipped there.
"The grave-yard was commenced soon after the erection of the church. Peter Moses was the first person buried here, and a Mr. Cless the second. The grave-yard, back of the church leans against Limestone Ridge, and from a gradual ascent looks down towards the southeast. The dead were buried a fence. The grave-yard is now quite large, and the many white marble slabs, dotting it all over, tell the sad story of man's mortality."
here many years before their graves were inclosed by I stationed at what is now Duncannon.
After the resignation of the Rev. Mr. Herbst the congregation did not have a regular pastor until 1809, when the Rev. John Fred- erick Osterloh took charge of the Lutheran congregations in Sherman Valley, and served them until 1816, and in June, 1816, by resolu- tion of the Synod the Rev. John William Heim become pastor, and served until his death, De- cember 27, 1819. He preached entirely in the German language, and at the old log church once every four weeks. Mr. Focht says, --
" After the church had stood about twenty-Iwo years, it was completed on the 19th of June, 1820, Seats were now constructed, and a pulpit, wine-glass shaped, and supported hy a high post, was built against the northwest wall; a round, isolated altar was placed in front of the pulpit; windows were in- sorted round above ; the roof inside received an arched board ceiling; the gallery, on three sides of the house, was created and ceiled with boards below, and was supported by thick posts under strong cross-beams. All the wood-work was painted white, and the other part of the inside of the church received a coat of plaster. Mr. Michael Clouser superintended the car- penter work. After the church had in this way been completed, it was consecrated some time in July, 1820, and received the distinctive name, Christ's Church. The ministers present at the con-ceration were Rev. J. W. Heim, of the Lutheran Church ; Rev. Jacob Shall, of the German Reformed Church ; and Rev. Joseph Brady, of the Presbyterian Church. Sep- cal sermons were preached in the German language, and Rev. Brady preached a sermon in the English language. The concourse of people assembled on this joyful occasion is said to have been very great."
At the meeting of the West Pennsylvania Synod, held in Bloomfield in September, 1842, some of the ministers preached in the English language. Some of the members of 'the con- gregation at this place saw the necessity of intro- ducing the English language into the pulpit, and desired the Rev. Mr. Heim to associate with a minister who could use the language. Against this innovation he was strongly opposed, and did not, nor would not, yield to their wishes. The history of the rise and progress of the English Lutheran congregation is here given from a letter written to the Rev. D. H. Focht by the Rev. Levi T. Williams, who was then
" According to the directions of Rev. A. H. Loch- man, D. D., then president of the West Pennsylvania Synod, I preached a trial sermon at Bloomfield some time in Jannary, 1841. I was also to preach in the German language; but as I found the German-speak. ing members considerably opposed to that, I deemed it best to get Rev. Jacob Shull, a German Reformed minister, to fill that appointment for me. In order to reconcile the German-speaking members to English preaching, and to prevent a division of the congre- gation, no further appointment was made mitil every means had been used to induce the opposing party tu countenance the enterprise. When every effort had been made in vain, it was finally resolved to organize an English Lutheran congregation, wholly separate from the German. This was effected on Friday, June
L
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PERRY COUNTY.
14. 1841, when the following brethren were elected as officers, viz. : Jacob Christ, Sr. and David Deardorff, Elders; 11. C. Hickok, Esq. and George Attic, Dea-
A call was then extended to me. This call I ar- cepted. My introductory sermon I preached on Sun- day, the 14th of July, the same year, in the brick school-house near the old Union Church. Soon after this our Presbyterian brethren relieved us of the ne- cessity of worshipping in a filthy school-house by kindly tendering us the use of their church, which 1 then occupied till I resigned. 1 have no account of the number of members who joined in the organiza- tion, but there could not have been more than eight or ten. I preached for them every third Sabbath. The first communion was held on Sunday, December 8, 1844."
The Rev. Mr. Williams preached his last ser- mon to the congregation September 7, 1845, and soon after resigned and accepted a call to Frank- lin County. He was succeeded by the Rev. Lloyd Knight, who resided in the town. The German congregation under the Rev. J. William Heim, occupied the old Union Church, and, in the fall of 1848, permitted the English Enther- ans to worship in the old Union Church under certain conditions, they yet having the use of the Presbyterian Church by the kindness of the society.
The Rev. Mr. Knight resigned in June, 1849, at which time the English Lutheran congrega- tion numbered about seventy members. The Rev. Jacob Martin succeeded to the charge in July the same year. In a letter concerning the union of the German and Lutheran congrega- tions, the Rev. Mr. Martin says, ---
"I commenced my pastoral labors in the Bloomfield charge ou the first Sabbath in July, 1819. The charge was then composed of Bloomfield, Petersburg, Billow's or St. David's, Mt. Pisgah, Newport, Buffalo, nvar Ickesburg, and New Buffalo, on the Susque- hanna. After the death of Father Heiro a convention of the Church Councils of the Lutheran congregations in Perry County was hekl at Bloomfield in February, 1 50, and the congregations which Rev. Heim had served, together with those under my pastoral care, were so divided and arranged as to form three pastor- ates,-namely, the Loysville, the Bloomfield and the Petersburg. My charge (the Bloomfield) was then composed of five congregations,-namely, Bloomfield, Newport, Shmaan's or St. Andrew's, St. John's, near Marketsville, and Buffalo, west of lekesburg.
life, and thus the German part of the congregation was left without a pastor. As Rev. Martin could preach so well in both languages, he was able to give lull satisfaction to both congregations and to meet all their wants. The convention referred to above so divided the congregations as to throw the Germans at Bloomfield into Rev. Martin's charge. Ind in this way he became the regular successor of Rev. Heim, and thus the German and English congregations were united into one congregation."
The Rev. Mr. Martin preached once in every three weeks, alternately, in the German and English languages.
Mr. Martin resigned in 1852, and preached his farewell sermon on the 28th of March in that year. He was followed by the Rev. Will- iam Gerhardt, in June of the same year, and re- signed in Jime of 1853. The preaching to the Bloomfield congregation was required to be one- third German.
The Rev. Adam T. Height accepted a call to the congregation, and began his labors on the Ist of May, 1854. He served about seven months, and was succeeded by the Rev. D. H. Focht, who preached his introductory sermon May 27, 1855. He served the charge for eight years and four months, and resigned October 1, 1863, then in ill health. He remained in Bloomfield and died at home. He was succeeded in the charge by the Rev. P. P. Lane, October 1, 1863, who continued about two years, and was followed by the Rev. G. F. Schaffer, whoaccepted the charge Angust 15, 1866. The Rev. S. A. Hedges as- sumed the pastorate August 4, 1869, and served until August, 1872. After an interval of a year the Rev. R. Sheeder became the pastor, and en- tered npon his duties Angust 9, 1873. . After a vear or two of service he resigned, and removed to luis farm, and preached as a supply nutil a call was extended, in 1879, to the Rev. A. H. Span- gler, which was accepted, and he became the pas- tor and continued until Angust, 1882. The Rev. A. H. F. Fisher was called to the charge, assumed the duties of the office August 5, 1883, and is still the pastor. The congregation at pres- ent numbers ninety-nine members.
The old log church which had been the home of the Lutheran and Reformed Churches in this vicinity for sixty yours, was feed for the "At the close of 1819 Father Heim departed this I last time October 4, 1857, when the Rev. D.
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Il. Focht delivered an appropriate address, from which many of these facts are obtained.
The old church had long been dilapidated and uncomfortable, and in 1865 action was taken which resulted in an effort towards build- ing a new church, and a subscription-list was commeneed Dee. 1, 1855. As the following action concerns also the Reformed Church, it is here given :
On the 18th of January, 1856, according to previous notice, the members of the Lutheran congregation met in the old Union Church to elect a building committee and consult on other matters pertaining to the erection of the new church. The vote being taken, it was found that the following brethren were unanimously elected the building committee, viz., Samuel Comp, Dr. Jonas Ickes, Henry Rice, John Beaver, Sr., and JJacob Stonffer. This commit- tre was then instructed to consult with the Ger- man Reformed brethren respecting the pro- priety of dividing, equally, the ground on the southeast front of the grave-yard, held jointly by the two denominations ; to see other churches and lay before the congregation the plan of the proposed new church ; to contract for the erec- tion of the new church edifice; and, finally, to superintend the creation of the new church, and see to it that it be built according to the contract. Without delay, the committee entered on the discharge of their duty with energy and unanimity.
According to previous announcement, the elders, deacons and trustees of both denomina- tions met in the old Union Church on the 281h of February, 1856, to divide the ground hold jointly by the Imtherans and German Reformed. Dr. Jonas Tekes was chosen president and Rev. Samuel Kuhin secretary of the convention, and the following action was had :
"The President of the meeting, Dr. Jonas lekes, stated that the object of the meeting was the equal divi- sion of that part of the church lot, and of the church edifice thereon erected, bounded on the south by High Street, cast by an alley and the school-house, north by the lower or southern grave-yard fence and west by lands of Samuel Klinepeter. On due deliberation the following resolutions were adopted :
" Resolved, 1. That the ground above described, which was the joint property of the German Ro-
formed and Intheran congregations, be divided equal- ly between said congregations, after cutting off an alley on the cast sixteen feet wide, and also one on the west twelve feet wide, in order that each of the said denominations may employ and use said ground, when so divided, for the purpose of holding and using clairch edifices as their exclusive property.
" Resolved, 2. That the division line is to be occu- pied by a fence to be built and kept in repair at the equal expense of the two congregations named.
" Resolved, 3. That neither of the two churches be built in from the alleys more than five feet.
" Resolved, 4. That the German Reformed Church edifice shall be built on the extreme west end and the Lutheran Church edifice on the extreme east end of said lots, alleys and spaces excepted as stated in the 1st and 3d resolutions.
" Resolved, 5. That the error in the deed, relating to the right of the Lutheran congregation to a piece of ground purchased jointly by the German Reformed and Lutheran congregations for the use of an addi- tional burying-ground, be so amended and corrected in the deeds of conveyance as that the Lutheran congregation may be recognized as joint owner of said piece of land.
" Resolved, 6. That within the space of two years, dating from the first of April, A.D., 1856, to the first of April, A.D., 1858, the old church building, now standing on the above named property and known as the ' Union Church,' shall be taken down and all the material equally divided between the two congrega- tions owing it.
" Resoleed, 7. That the Trustees of both congrega- tions be instructed to employ Daniel Gantt, Esq., to survey the ground and make the deeds of conveyance forthwith, and that the expenses thereof be defrayed equally by the two congregations.
" The minutes having been read, they were, on mo- tion, unanimously approved. The meeting adjourned indefinitely.
"Signed, " JONAS ICKES, " President.
"SAMUEL KINN, " Secretary."
" On Thursday, the 10th of December, 1857, some of the members of both denominations met and tore down the seats, pulpit, board-ceiling, gallery and tore up the floor of the old church and divided the Iumber equally between them. For twenty dollars the Luth- eran trustees sold to the German Reformed trustees their half of the wall and roof which were soon after pulled down and used by the Reformed for various purposes. This was the end of the old log Union Church."
A contract was made May 3, 1856, for the erection of a new church with William Stouffer and Thomas Sutch, Jr., who soon after began the work, and on the 20th of September, 1856,
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PERRY COUNTY.
the corner-stone was laid with appropriate ser- and others concerning the expedieney of erecting vices, and the church was completed in October, a union church jointly, etc.
1857, at a cost of three thousand dollars. It was dedicated on the 22d of October in that vear. The basement, then unfinished, was com- pleted in 1862. The church was used without material change until 1885, when it was renod- cled, and rededicated November 8th in that year.
A house and lot was bought of Conrad Roth June 5, 1854, and the house refitted for a par- sonage, which is still used.
TRINITY REFORMED CHURCH .- Adherents of the Reformed denomination living in the vicinity of what is now Bloomfield, in the year 1798, nited with the Lutherans in the erection of a log church, long known as the Union Church, a full account of which will be found in the sketch of Christ's Entheran Church preceding this article. It is not known what pastors were preaching regularly in this region, but in 1815 and 1816 the Rev. Jonathan and Albert Helt- enstein in the Caspar Lupfer house. In 1819 the Rev. Jacob Sholl was appointed to take charge or the Sherman's Valley congregations, which then embraced all the churches in what is now the county of Perry. His first sermon was preached October 3, 1819, in St. Peter's Church, now Spring township. He continued in charge until his death, September 1, 1817.
On the 31st of December, 1815, the trustees, Peter Smith, Philip Roth and David Lupfer, purchased one acre of land of Samuel Klinepeter as an addition to the burial-ground.
The Union Church was used until 1857, when, as the house was dilapidated and neom- fortable, it was thought best to take action in reference to the matter.
In pursuance of a call, the members of the Reformed congregation at New Bloomfield met, November 22, 1855, to take into consideration the building of a new church. Rev. S. Komm and F. M. MeKochan were appointed a com- mittee to request the Evangelical Intheran con- gregation to unite in building a union church in this place. Adjourned to meet on the evening of November 29, 1885, at which time the com- mitice reported that they had consulted Rev. D. I. Focht, pastor of the Lutheran Church,
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