USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Church of the Brethren of the Western District of Pennsylvania > Part 10
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During the months of September and October, 1901, Sister Elizabeth Howe conducted special Bible class work and otherwise assisted in the work of the mission.
A committee, consisting of Elders Joseph Holsopple, D. H. Walker and W. A. Gaunt, was appointed by the Elders' Meeting held at Jolinstown, in 1902, to go to Pittsburgh and organize the members into a congregation. The committee met the church July 5 and 6, 1902. Two sermons were preached, one by Elder Gaunt, the other by Elder Holsopple, with twenty-five and forty-seven present, respectively. At 2 o'clock P. M. a special meeting was held for the purpose of effecting an organization. After some explanatory remarks, setting forth the principles of the church, as founded upon the Gospel, by Elder Holsopple, the members present, by vote, decided to organize the congregation. The following twenty- seven members constituted the charter membership: Robert H. Forney, Sol Workman, Mary Workman, S. C. Workman, S. E. Workman, William Imler, Leah Imler, Melissa Steel, Mary A. Dell, D. F. Troxel, deacon; John L. Wareham,
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deacon; Sadie Wareham, Margaret Collins, A. O. Horner, deacon; C. S. Carr, S. S. Blough, elder ; Mary W. Blough, Cyrus B. Replogle, Minnie Replogle, Huldah Guyer, Leah Benner, J. Herman Royer, S. D. Humphreys, J. Ward Eicher, Edward Tonner, James Miller, Mrs. Silas Wareham. The organization was : Elder, S. S. Blough; secretary, S. C. Work- man; treasurer, S. S. Blough. Attendance, forty-five. In the evening Elder Walker preached the first sermon to an organ- ized church of the Brethren in the city of Pittsburgh, with thirty-four present.
After three years in Moore's Hall on Hazelwood Ave., the place of meetings was moved to a hall in the Hazelwood Trust Company's Building, on the corner of Hazelwood Avenue, November, 1903, and remained in this building until the church on Squirrel Hill was ready for occupancy. On January 10, 1904, the Christian Workers' Meeting was or- ganized, and January 14, 1914, a Children's Hour or Meeting was started, this latter growing into a Junior Christian Work- ers' Meeting. In these activities, as well as in the general wel- fare of the work, as visitors, Sisters Alice Smith, in 1904; Ida C. Shumaker, in 1905; Sister VanSickle, in 1906; Grace Gnagey, in 1907, 1908 and 1909; and Sister Sadie Wareham, since 1909, have left permanent results upon the growing con- gregation. The Sisters' Aid Society was organized in Jan- uary, 1905.
On April 30, 1903, Elders D. H. Walker and P. J. Blough were sent by the Mission Board and were authorized by the District Meeting to purchase a lot for a church building in Pittsburgh. The deal was made and closed May 4, 1903, the price paid being $2,250 cash. The location on Greenfield Avenue and Mont Clair Street, on Squirrel Hill, was then thought to be an unusually good and convenient one, but has since proved to be even better than was at first thought. The District Meeting of 1903 granted the Mission Board the priv- ilege to build the house, but as only very scant funds were available, it was not built until 1904. With the advice of the Mission Board, Elder S. S. Blough supervised the construction
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PROPOSED ALTERATION & ADDITIONS TO THE BRETHREN CHURCH - PARTYDURA PA. TREICHMOCI Architect
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Proposed Alteration and Addition to the Pittsburgh Church, Pa.
of the house, which was completed in the fall of 1904. The total cost of the lot and building was $9,600.
The new church was dedicated October 2, 1904, Elder W. J. Swigart preaching the dedicatory sermon. In the even- ing the first love feast in the new church was held, Elder Swigart officiating.
After Elder Blough had acted at first as missionary and then as pastor and elder in charge for seven years, during which time the work grew from a mere handful of members to over 100, and four moves had been made, including the one to the new church, he tendered his resignation to the Mission Board and preached his valedictory on May 5, 1907, on the theme, " A Benediction " (2 Thess. 2: 16-17). Elders Walk- er and Gaunt now filled the pulpit two months, when M. J. Weaver was secured to take up the pastorate. Elder Walker became the elder in charge. Brother Weaver moved into the
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parsonage about July, 1907, with his sister Amanda as house- keeper, as well as helper in the work, especially with the chil- dren.
In November, 1909, Brother Weaver brought his new wife to Pittsburgh, and soon her helpfulness in all the varied activities of the congregation was manifest. During Brother Weaver's pastorate the congregation relinquished its depend- ence upon the Mission Board, and became self-supporting in 1910. In the fall of 1910 an entire reorganization of the activities of the congregation was effected by the adoption of a formal constitution, which, with slight modifications, has been followed ever since. This constitution provides for the annual election of all officers of the congregation, including Sunday-school superintendent, assistant superintendent, super- intendent of cottage prayer meetings, superintendent of Chris- tian Workers' Meetings, superintendent of women's work, superintendent of children's work, secretary of peace, sec- retary of temperance, secretary of missions, secretary of social service, secretary of publications and denominational litera- ture, general secretary, treasurer, and three trustees. These of- ficers are to report directly to the quarterly councils.
In June, 1912, the congregation was called upon to relieve Brother Weaver of his charge, he having been called to the pastorate of the Everett church, in Middle Pennsylvania. This separation was an unusually difficult experience to the congregation, as Brother and Sister Weaver had lived very helpfully into the lives of all, their consecration to the service of the Lord and his people being always in evidence. During his incumbency of one month less than five years, Brother Weaver baptized fifty-two persons, and a goodly number were added to the membership by letter. From the time the church was built these evangelists have conducted revival meetings in the congregation : A. W. Harrold, D. H. Walker, C. O. Beery, D. K. Clapper, Jasper Barnthouse, H. S. Replogle, J. H. Cassady, M. C. Swigart and P. J. Blough.
After the departure of Brother Weaver, Brother Carman C. Johnson, who, since the fall of 1900, had been connected
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with the congregation, took charge of the pulpit for about a month, until Brother Herman B. Heisey arrived to take the pastorate temporarily. When Brother Heisey left for his va- cation, preparatory to his leaving for India, Brother Johnson again filled the pulpit for a few weeks until Brother S. W. Bail was chosen to the temporary pastorate, pending the se- lection of a permanent pastor. Brother Bail served the con- gregation faithfully until February 1, 1913, during which time he was married and took up his residence in the parsonage. On Sunday, February 2, 1913, Brother T. Rodney Coffman, formerly of Hagerstown, Maryland, and Tyrone and Parker- ford, Pennsylvania, was installed as the first permanent pastor of the congregation, Elder D. H. Walker delivering an his- torical address and giving the charge. The roll of church membership numbered 175 when Brother Coffman took charge of the congregation. Since that date the church has enjoyed a healthy growth.
In May, 1914, Brethren Walter Mosier, John Kann and James Replogle were installed into the deacon's office.
Plans are completed for the enlargement and remodeling of the church in the near future.
PLEASANT HILL (Benshoff Hill).
The territory embraced in this congregation is West Taylor, Middle Taylor, and a part of Jackson Townships and Rosedale Borough, Cambria County, and is a part of the old Conemaugh congregation, but more recently of the West Johnstown congregation. This is one of the oldest settlements of the Brethren in the Conemaugh Valley. Among the oldest families of members on this hill are the Benshoffs, Stutzmans, Goughnours, Knavels, Strayers and Varners, and perhaps several others.
The first meetinghouse ( the second in the Conemaugh Val- ley) was erected in 1852 or 1853 on land donated by Lewis Benshoff and Jacob Knable. The deed for this property was made December 3, 1852, by Lewis Benshoff and wife, Christi-
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Pleasant Hill Church.
anna, and Jacob Knable and wife, Elizabeth, to Eli Benshoff, George Knable and Jacob Stutzman, Jr., committee for the con- gregation of " Baptist Brethren," of Cambria County, Pennsyl- vania, for a meetinghouse and graveyard. It contains 135 perches.
This house was remodeled in 1881 and continued to serve the needs of the church until 1909, when the present brick- case building was erected. The present church has a gallery and a finished basement, arranged into Sunday-school class- rooms. In the fall of 1914 a large number of the seats were provided with movable tables for communion purposes. Two love feasts a year are held.
Here the whole community has buried its dead for a hundred years or thereabout. Two cemeteries are filled and a third, comprising a number of acres, already contains many graves. Here may be seen the graves of the old church fa- thers, including Elder Jacob Stutzman, Eli Benshoff, Samuel Berkey, and probably others who used to minister at the altar in holy things.
While this dear old sacred spot has been the scene of some
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wonderful revival meetings, it has also been the scene of con- siderable strife and contention which resulted in the painful division of the church in the early eighties. We are glad, however, that a splendid feeling exists at present.
When the West Johnstown congregation was divided into three congregations February 14, 1915, Pleasant Hill (which is one of the three) congregation received about 100 members, including ministers in the second degree, Elmer D. Blue and Haddon Q. Rhodes, and Deacons Emanuel Rhodes, William Harrison and Milton G. Metzger. These, with Elder Jerome E. Blough, who was chosen to preside over the church, consti- tute the present official board. Brother Rhodes' family reside in Huntingdon, while he is a student at Juniata College for several years.
The church, which at present numbers 125, sustains a Sunday-school of 159, a Christian Workers' Society and a large Sisters' Aid Society.
On December 12, 1915, Brother J. L. Bowman was elected to the ministry, and now constitutes a part of the ministerial force.
PLUM CREEK.
The Plum Creek congregation was erected out of the southern part of the old Cowanshannock congregation, and was organized in 1862. So far as church boundaries are con- cerned it embraces all that part of Armstrong County east of the Allegheny River and south of the Cowanshannock congre- gation, together with Washington, Armstrong, Young, Cone- maugh and parts of Black Lick, Center, and White Townships in Indiana County. The main body of members, however, is located in the valley of Dutch Run, Washington Township, Indiana County, and Plum Creek Township, Armstrong Coun- ty.
So far as known the first members to settle here were the Frys, Wissingers and Fishers from Somerset County. To- bias Kimmel and wife, of Westmoreland County, settled in Plum Creek Township in 1837. The farm on which these in-
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fluential pioneers reared a large family, about all of whom became worthy members of the church, is still owned by a descendant of the same family.
Lewis Kimmel, who was elected in the Cowanshannock congregation in 1858, was the first minister. In June, 1865, Jacob Kelso was elected to the ministry, and in 1878 he moved to Beatrice, Nebraska. Other ministers elected were: R. T. Pollard, November, 1878, B. W. Miller and C. B. Kimmel, about 1887 (Brother Kimmel did not accept it), and Frank Ankeny. Cyrus E. Myers, who was elected to the ministry in Westmoreland County, September 27, 1887, moved into the congregation.
Lewis Kimmel was ordained to the eldership in 1872. R. T. Pollard was ordained in -, and H. S. Replogle in 1910.
This is one of the first congregations to support its pastor. The following is a list of the pastors: From 1897 to 1899, F. D. Anthony; from July, 1899, to September, 1901, C. O. Beery ; from September, 1901, to November, 1902, Kenton B. Moomaw; from November, 1902, to April, 1905, C. O. Beery ; from April, 1905, to April, 1908, L. M. Keim; from June, 1908, to September, 1908, A. J. Culler ; from November, 1908, to April, 1913, H. S. Replogle; from December, 1913, to February, 1914, R. D. Murphy, and since May, 1914, Galen K. Walker. These pastors also served the Glade Run congre- gation at the same time. The parsonage was erected in 1899, and Brother Beery was the first pastor to occupy it.
The deacons who served the Plum Creek congregation are: Jacob Kelso, Tobias Kimmel, William Wilcox, George Clark, Peter Kimmel, Henry Miller, William Miller, S. H. Wilcox, George Zimmerman. The present deacons are : J. W. Miller, Samuel Kimmel, W. H. Miller (moved to Garrett, Pennsylvania), C. B. Kimmel, J. L. Ankeny, Murray R. An- keny, M. H. Kelly, R. Blain Miller, Jerry F. Kimmel and Howard M. Kimmel.
This congregation was among the first to introduce Sun- day-schools. They organized a Sunday-school in a school-
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Plum Creek Church and Parsonage.
house in 1860, before their church was built, and have kept it up since then. They have an evergreen Sunday-school with an enrollment far in excess of their church membership. A live Christian Workers' Meeting is maintained, two love feasts a year are held, and a number of special services are held in addition to the regular preaching services. The membership numbers 137 and is made up largely of young people.
The first church was built in 1863. This was remodeled in 1892. The elders in charge have been : Lewis Kimmel, J. F. Dietz, H. S. Replogle and G. K. Walker.
Plans are about completed for the remodeling of the church, which will give a number of Sunday-school class- rooms.
QUEMAHONING CHURCH.
Prior to 1849 all of Somerset County, with the exception of the Shade Creek congregation in the northeastern part of the county, was in one congregation, called the " Glades." As stated elsewhere, that year the Annual Meeting, which con- vened in the large Grove meetinghouse, north of Berlin, ap- pointed a committee to look into the advisability of districting this large territory into smaller congregations. The committee
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met the same summer at Berkley's Mills and divided the coun- ty into four congregations; viz., Elk Lick, Berlin, Middle Creek and Quemahoning.
The territory embraced in this congregation stretches from the top of the Laurel Hill Ridge on the west to the foothills of the Alleghanies on the east, and from within three miles of Somerset on the south to the Cambria County line on the north. It comprises Conemaugh, Jenner, Quemahoning, Lincoln, and parts of Shade and Somerset Townships, the area being, probably, about 300 square miles.
Some of the families living in this territory prior to 1855 were: John Forney, Sr. (the name of the husband only is given, but in every case the wife is included), John Horner, Sr., Jonathan Berkley, Christian Schmucker, John Baer, Sr., Joseph Beeghly, Benjamin Blough, John Blough, Sr., Michael Forney, John Forney, Jr., Daniel Baer, Solomon Horner, Michael Horner, Peter P. Blough, Daniel Shaffer, Lena For- ney (Jacob Forney's widow), Peter C. Blough, John Miller, Samuel Miller, Joseph Meyers, Josiah Meyers, John Horner, Jr., Isaiah Beam, Solomon Horner (Smith), Daniel Forney, Elias Forney, Jonathan Blough, Tobias Blough, David Horner, David Crofford, Peter Forney, Abraham Blough, William Blough, Aaron Michael, Jacob Koontz, Solomon Baer, Ezra Berkley, Jacob Schmucker, and others. About the first eight- houses (or barns) before the first meetinghouse was built. een families named above regularly held the meetings in their
After the division of the county the members of this ter- ritory convened in council in Brother David Crofford's large barn to consider whether the division was acceptable to them. This barn was torn down several years ago to avoid being flooded by the Manufacturers' Water Company's large dam. Very little is known about the business transacted at this meet- ing, but it is known that strong objections were raised to being cut off from the " Glades," as it would deprive them of the efficient services of the Berlin preachers. But upon being promised that those brethren would continue to do a part of the preaching, they agreed to the division, and the organiza-
Pine Grove Sunday-school (1909), Quemahoning Congregation.
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE
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tion was effected. All the services were then conducted in German.
About the time of the division, the brethren who dealt out the Word of Life were Peter Cober, Henry Meyers, Ephraim Cober, Jacob S. Hauger, John P. Cober, Jonathan Berkley and Christian Schmucker. In the division the last two fell on the Quemahoning side. Prior to this time, in 1840, John Forney, Sr., had moved from near Berlin to a farm on the west bank of the Quemahoning Creek, in Conemaugh Township. He was an elder of about four years' experience. Here he la- bored till August 31, 1846, when he died, aged 69 years, 9 months and 21 days. This was over three years before the division, and therefore disproves the statement sometimes made by writers that he was given the oversight of the Quemahoning congregation after its organization. I would rather believe that he was, to a degree, given charge of the work in this end of the county prior to the division. For a number of years after the organization there was no resident elder, but in due course of time Jonathan Berkley and Christian Schmucker were ordained. One authority says Berkley first, and another, equally reliable, claims Schmucker was first ordained. We know for a certainty that Christian Schmucker was ordained at a love feast at Michael Forney's, May 28, 1854 ("Life of John Kline," page 343). He died the same year, December 27, aged 52 years, 7 months and 19 days. Elder Berkley died nearly two years later, November 17, 1856, aged 62 years, and 11 months.
About 1851 the first election for minister was held, and Tobias Blough was chosen. In 1852 or 1853 Henry P. Hos- tetler was elected. Up to this time all the preaching was in German, but the demand for English preaching becoming pretty strong, an election was held in 1854 and Christopher Isaiah Beam, whose services were altogether in English, was elected. In 1855 John Forney, Jr. (German and English), was elected, and in 1856 Jonathan W. Blough (German and En- glish ) and Solomon Baer (German) were elected. Some time in the summer of 1857, Michael Forney, just before emigrating
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to a section in Southern Illinois, where there was no preacher, was licensed by the church to preach. This was special and not by election. In the spring of 1858 John Forney, Jr., moved to Northern Illinois. Both these brethren became prominent pioneer elders in the West. John was born April 25, 1815, and died February 6, 1895, aged 79 years, 9 months and 11 days, having been the father of nineteen children. At the time of his death his living descendants were sixteen children, 103 grandchildren and twenty-five great-grandchildren, while three children, twenty-one grandchildren and two great-grand- children had died before him. He is buried near Abilene, Kansas. Michael was born January 14, 1811, and died March 20, 1894, aged 83 years, 2 months and 6 days.
Five of Quemahoning's Ministers. Left to Right, Back Row, Isaiah B. Fer- guson, Norman H. Blough, Charles W. Blough. Front Row, Elders Samuel P. Zimmerman and Perry J. Blough.
In 1865 Emanuel J. Blough (English and German) and Jacob P. Speicher (German) were elected. These were the last brethren elected who could use the German. In October, 1874, Samuel P. Zimmerman was elected; June 27, 1882, Joseph Beam; September 22, 1890, John J. Darr; October 21, 1893, Jacob S. Zimmerman ; September 4, 1897, Perry J. Blough and Jacob M. Blough ; June 2, 1907, Norman H. Blough and Oscar W. Hamer; November 2, 1910, Charles W. Blough,
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Newton Beabes and E. Percy Blough. The last named brother · has not yet been installed.
Tobias Blough died November 21, 1884, aged 73 years, 1 month and 13 days. Henry P. Hostetler died June 19, 1898, aged 81 years, 11 months and 7 days. He died in the Shade church, whither he had moved about a quarter of a century before. Solomon Baer moved to the Brothers Valley church, where he labored many years. Jacob P. Spicher died Novem- ber 20, 1903, aged 85 years, 10 months and 17 days. By the adoption of the line between us and the Middle Creek congre- gation, Joseph Beam fell to the latter congregation. Jacob S. Zimmerman moved to Waterloo, Iowa, in 1900. Jacob M. Blough went to the India mission field in 1903. Emanuel J. Blough died August 29, 1910, aged 79 years, 9 months and 23 days. Jonathan W. Blough died October 16, 1912, aged 86 years, 11 months and 8 days. Besides the foregoing min- isters, the following have lived in the congregation at different times : Samuel A. Moore (didn't have his letter placed here), Amos D. Christner, Francis Bowen, Jerome E. Blough ( from April 1, 1900, to December 8, 1910), and Isaiah B. Ferguson.
Pine Grove Church, Quemahoning Congregation.
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Of these Brother Ferguson remains. Tobias Blough was or- dained in 1857 ; Emanuel J. Blough, January 1, 1882 ; Jonathan W. Blough, June 30, 1900; and Samuel P. Zimmerman and Perry J. Blough, September 3, 1904.
The first meetinghouse in the congregation was built in 1855 near the Quemahoning Creek, in Jenner Township, on land donated by Elias Forney, and was named Pine Grove. This was a half mile north of the place where the church was organized and the first love feast held. This house was in constant use for fifty-six years, the last service having been held July 23, 1911. Here I quote from my diary : " Today was the last meeting in the old Pine Grove meetinghouse. The day was beautiful and the house crowded, with some on the out- side. The speakers were: Jonathan W. Blough, S. P. Zim- merman, I. B. Ferguson, Jerome E. Blough, A. J. Beeghly, S. S. Blough, E. E. Blough and J. M. Blough. The moderator, P. J. Blough, also spoke. Carman G. Blough read a poem of twenty eight-line verses, entitled ' Old Pine Grove,' composed by myself. We four brothers sang a quartet entitled 'The Little White Church,' to the tune of 'The Little Brown Church,' the verses having been arranged to suit the occasion. It was a great meeting. People present from far and near. Very sad ; so much weeping. The influence that has gone forth from this place can not be measured." The dam before mentioned now covers the dear, sacred spot.
In 1860 a church was built in the southern end of the congregation, near Sipesville, on land purchased from Abra- ham Baker. In 1875 the first love-feast house (40x70 feet with basement under the entire building) was erected in Cone- maugh Township, near the present town of Jerome, on land donated by Daniel Fry. The dedicatory services were held by Elder Graybill Myers and a love feast held at the same time. The present name of this house is Maple Spring. Prior to this time the love feasts were held in barns. In 1878 the fourth meetinghouse was built in the extreme northern end of the congregation, at the foot of Tire Hill, on land donated by John Kaufman. Elder Joseph Berkey preached the dedicatory
Sipesville Church and Congregation, Quemahoning Congregation.
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Old Maple Spring (Fry) Church, Quemahoning Congregation.
sermon. In 1888 the old house at Sipesville was replaced by a new one suitable for love feasts. Elder C. G. Lint preached the dedicatory sermon. In 1890 a church was erected at Blough Station, on land donated by Jacob B. Blough. Elders D. H. Walker and E. J. Blough conducted the dedicatory services. Name of house, Sugar Grove. In 1893 the Baer schoolhouse, in Somerset Township, was converted into a church and dedicated by Elder E. J. Blough, S. P. Zimmerman and U. D. Brougher, September 10, 1893. In 1895 Perry J. Blough built and furnished a church room above his ware- house in Hooversville, which was dedicated by Jeremiah Thomas, September 14, 1895. For eight years, to the day, preaching and Sunday-school were held here. September 13, 1903, a new love-feast house was dedicated in Hooversville, J. M. Blough delivering the sermon on the occasion, shortly before leaving for India. In 1905 the old Maple Spring house was replaced by a new and more modern edifice, which was dedicated by Elder George S. Rairigh, March 4, 1906. In 1914 the Tire Hill house was remodeled and improved, and January 24, 1915, it was rededicated by H. S. Replogle, Jerome E. Blough and S. P. Zimmerman.
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