USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Church of the Brethren of the Western District of Pennsylvania > Part 11
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BRETHREN OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
Hooversville Church, Quemahoning Congregation.
Our first Sunday-school was organized at Pine Grove, in the spring of 1880, with Aaron Blough, superintendent, P. J. Blough, assistant superintendent, and Jerome E. Blough, secre- tary, but because of opposition it was discontinued at the close of the second summer. During 1886 and 1887 a Sunday- school was carried on for a short time in the Sipesville house, with Josiah P. Meyers, superintendent, and J. J. Darr, secre- tary. After some years, however, schools were opened in all our churches. While we were somewhat slow in taking up Sunday-school work, we were in the lead in local Sunday- school Conventions in Western Pennsylvania, and for a num- ber of years the only church to hold such meetings. The first one was held in the Pine Grove house in August, 1897.
We have suffered very much from emigration. Many of our strong, promising members have gone to other fields. Hun- dreds of active church workers scattered over the Brotherhood can trace their ancestry back to this old church.
The following deacons have served in this congregation : John Blough, Sr., Abraham Miller, Tobias Blough, John Forney, Jr., Jonathan W. Blough, Michael Forney, Jacob P. Speicher, Emanuel J. Blough, Daniel Baer, Josiah P. Meyers,
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE
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Present Maple Spring Church, Quemahoning Congregation.
Daniel Shaffer, C. C. Gnagey, William G. Lint, Jacob L. Wolford, John J. Blough, Joseph Schmucker, Jacob Koontz, Samuel E. Berkey, Aaron Blough, Joseph Forney, Joseph Shank, John J. Darr, Henry Casebeer, Tobias Berkley, Michael H. Meyers, Peter Speicher, William H. Blough, Ananias J. Beeghly, John W. Rummel, Norman H. Blough, Ed- ward F. Miller, Peter Trimpey, Francis J. Maust, Ephraim Speicher, Jacob Lichty, Henry Wentz, D. S. Gnagey, S. S. Lint, W. H. Koontz, John E. Kaufman, Herman A. Rummel, Henry J. Spaugy, Samuel E. Critchfield, Rufus D. Casebeer and Samuel D. Lape.
The Baer meetinghouse was sold some years ago, Pine Grove was disposed of as noted before, and Sugar Grove has no services, so that at present we use only four churches. In the spring of 1915 Elder C. A. McDowell became the pastor of the southern part of the congregation, and located at Sipes- ville. This congregation undertook the support of a mission- ary in India in 1894, being the second in the District to pledge itself to so noble a work. Local Sunday-school Conventions and Bible Institutes are held annually. Four evergreen Sun-
Maple Spring Cemetery, Quemahoning Congregation.
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day-schools, two Christian Workers' Societies and a prayer meeting are in operation.
The present official board consists of : S. P. Zimmerman, P. J. Blough and C. A. McDowell, elders; I. B. Ferguson, J. J. Darr, N. H. Blough, C. W. Blough and Newton Beabes, ministers ; Henry Wentz, Ephraim Speicher, Tobias Berkley, W. H. Blough, F. J. Maust, J. W. Rummel, Ed. Miller, W. H. Koontz, H. J. Spaugy, S. S. Lint, H. A. Rummel, J. E. Kaufman, S. E. Critchfield, and S. D. Lape, deacons.
RED BANK.
When the Cowanshannock congregation was divided in 1862 into three congregations, the part north of the Mahoning Creek was organized into the Red Bank congregation. The membership is principally in Mahoning Township. Some of the early settlers in this section were the Shumakers, who came from Virginia about the beginning of the nineteenth cen- tury. Philip Shumaker, a son of John Shumaker, of West- moreland County, settled in Mahoning Township in 1814, on four hundred acres. He and his wife were among the first members. His Uncle George had moved into the same county about 1800. He was the head of a large family, of whom a number were members of the Brethren. George, himself, also may have been a member.
It is pretty certain that Elders Levi Roberts and John Mineely, on some of their missionary tours, preached for these people. A little later George Rairigh and John Goodman also did considerable preaching there. Under the preaching of these faithful men the number of believers steadily increased, and in the course of time men from among their own number were called to the ministry. Joseph Shumaker was probably the first one to be elected. One authority says he was elected in 1838, and another one in 1841. As the former date is prior to his marriage, I am inclined to believe that the latter is the more nearly correct. George Shumaker also was early called to preach. Some say that one of George's brothers also was a
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preacher. Troubles came among the ministers and George withdrew from the fellowship and started a new sect called " The Brethren in Christ," but also known by the names of "Georgeites " and "Shumakerites." Peter Shumaker, who also went off with his brother, erected in 1847 a two-story meetinghouse on his farm. The lower story was used as a res- idence. Here the " Brethren in Christ " worshiped for years. After about a quarter of a century the organization went out of existence, and Shumaker united with the Baptists.
Philip Shumaker, brother of Joseph, was one of the early deacons. Other Armstrong ministers assisted in the preaching, especially after the death of Joseph Shumaker, which occurred December 17, 1860. Levi Wells and Lewis Kimmel were among these. The Hetrick family was another influential family in this congregation. Jesse P. Hetrick was elected to the ministry on June 30, 1865, and Joseph Hetrick to the dea- con office. Brother Hetrick became quite active in the ministry, having at one time charge of Red Bank, Glade Run and Cowanshannock congregations. He left the congregation to become the pastor of the Philadelphia church in 1874. Elder John Wise moved to Oakland, Red Bank congregtion, in April 1866, and preached there several years. Elder J. W. Beer also had the oversight a while. A great deal of the preaching was done by traveling ministers named in connection with the other northern congregations.
During the division probably about a score of members went with the Progressive Brethren. This considerably weak- ened the cause. About 1884 Jacob Flenard was called to the ministry and on May 26, 1889, David A. Hetrick. Brother Hetrick labored successfully a number of years, but on account of his time being needed on the farm he could not give the work the requisite attention.
After this congregation had struggled along as best it could for a number of years, Brother L. R. Holsinger was located there in February, 1911, being supported jointly by the congregation and the Home Mission Board. He labored earnestly and persistently, and during his three and a half
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years' stay a marked transformation took place in all lines of church work. A number of series of meetings were held and the membership was about tripled. Delegates were sent by the congregation to District and Annual Meetings. March 7, 1911, Brother H. S. Replogle was chosen elder in charge, and Brother Holsinger was advanced to the second degree of the ministry. On July 19, 1913, Brother Holsinger was ordained to the eldership.
An election for deacons on July 7, 1911, resulted in call- ing Brethren Arthur Hetrick, Murray E. Shumaker and Adam C. Shumaker to that office. Peter Hetrick and Jacob Wells are old deacons, still living. Other deacons not already named were E. Z. Shumaker, M. N. Hetrick and George Bish.
A parsonage, costing about $1,500, was erected in 1913, on a half acre of land. In August, 1914, Elder Holsinger moved to Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and in September of the same year Brother Herman B. Heisey became the pastor. On July 22, 1915, Brother Heisey was ordained to the eldership. The membership is continually growing. Church attendance is excellent. It nearly always surpasses the number of mem- bers enrolled. A strong home and foreign missionary spirit is being created. A Front Line, wide-awake Sunday-school has been maintained for several years, and a weekly teachers' meeting and Seal Course Class are held.
In the summer of 1915 a baptistry was constructed to the rear of the church. The same summer the church was raised three feet, the basement was excavated and four attrac- tive Sunday-school rooms fitted up. The record attendance at Sunday-school is 122, and it is said to be the best in the neighborhood. There is a Sisters' Aid Society and a Christian Workers' Society. A missionary and temperance committee was appointed July 8, 1915. Three dates are given for the erection of the first church building, 1845, 1853 and 1857, It was replaced by a new one in 1888. The ground was given by Philip Shumaker. The cemetery is a little distance north- west of the church, one-half of the ground being given by Philip Shumaker and the other half by Peter Shumaker.
BRETHREN OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
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Red Bank Church and Parsonage.
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE
ROCKTON CONGREGATION.
This congregation extends over a number of townships in the northern part of Clearfield County. It also takes in a part of Jefferson County ; indeed, there is no boundary line fixed, all the members in the State in the north, and for a great distance east, naturally belonging to this congregation.
During the early sixties of the past century, Peter Beer, who then lived in the Montgomery congregation, often went on preaching tours to Boons Mountain and other points in this section. Mark Minser and other ministers frequently as- sisted Brother Beer in ministering to the needs of the mem- bers and friends.
In 1876 Brother Beer and family moved to a farm near Rockton, Clearfield County, and preached for the people in their homes, in camps, in schoolhouses, and other places avail- able, over the country. Sometimes a Lutheran church was opened for this purpose. While conducting a series of meet- ings, assisted by J. B. Wampler, of Armstrong County, the church door was closed against these pioneers. Nothing daunt- ed, however, the meetings were continued in a barn. Such were some of the early efforts, troubles and discouragements experienced by the workers in this territory.
However, a respectable congregation was the result of their perseverance. In 1877, the Montgomery congregation, then under the care of Mark Minser, in council gave permis- sion to form and organize the Rockton congregation. The officers who were present, as far as known, were Peter Beer, minister, and Charles Brown, deacon. These were resident near Rockton. J. B. Wampler, then a minister in Armstrong County, also was present. The first officers of the Rockton congregation were: Minister and later elder, Peter Beer; deacon and treasurer, Charles Brown; clerk, Levi Spicher. At first the brethren held a union Sunday-school, but in 1886 a Brethren Sunday-school was opened at Rockton, which con- tinues.
After the organization the work continued to prosper un- der the efficient ministration of Brother Beer, resulting in
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BRETHREN OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
Old Rockton Church, Rockton Congregation.
the erection of a church building at Rockton, in 1884. This was a wooden structure, 30x40 feet, until, some time later, an addition was built for a room in which to prepare the things needed at love-feast occasions. This made the old meeting- house 30x54 feet. After thirty years of service, the old build- ing, no longer suitable, and being in a bad state of repair, was replaced by a new and more modern structure. The new build- ing, which was dedicated in 1914, is a plain brick structure, 36x52 feet, with a stone basement, having a number of Sun- day-school classrooms provided.
Besides the Rockton house, there are three other places of worship, as follows : Sunnyside, built in 1894 ; Bethel house, built in 1895, and Greenville house, built in 1899, making four houses of worship in the congregation. However, from lack of ministerial help, the work at Sunnyside has been tempo- rarily abandoned, and the work at Bethel much neglected.
In 1899 a number of members from the Rockton church moved to Maryland, and later, in 1905, the elder, J. Harvey Beer, also moved to the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The removal of so many of the brethren and sisters from this con-
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE
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New Rockton Church, Rockton Congregation.
gregation was a loss that it has taken years to replace with new workers.
The following ordinations and elections of ministers and deacons have taken place: Peter Beer was ordained to the eldership in 1855; died June 23, 1892.
J. Harvey Beer, elected to the ministry, 1885, ordained to the eldership, 1892, and moved to Maryland, 1905.
Warren Charles, elected to the ministry in 1887, near Greenville. Not now an active minister.
George Cleaver, elected to the ministry in 1887, ordained to the eldership in 1912, at present the oldest minister in the congregation, at Greenville (66).
J. A. Brilhart elected to the ministry in 1892; relieved of his ministry in 1897, after having united with another denom- ination.
W. N. Brubaker, elected in 1897, and is now an active minister at Rockton.
E. F. Clark, elected in 1897, soon removed to Johnstown,
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BOR . GATION
Greenville Church, Rockton Congregation.
then to Meyersdale, and now lives in Washington, District of Columbia.
J. B. Shaffer, elected in 1905, granted letter in 1909, and is now with the Brethren at Table Grove, Illinois.
W. F. Bilger, elected in 1905, and granted a letter in 1908; not active in the ministry.
Urban Cleaver, elected in 1911, resides at Greenville.
Jason B. Hollopeter, elected in 1911, resides at Rockton.
The following have served as deacons: Levi Speicher. B. P. Huey, Gilbert Thomas, V. V. Clouser, E. W. Hollopeter. Oran Fyock, Urban Cleaver, Abraham Thomas, J. B. Hol- lopeter, and John Kreps.
This is, indeed, a hard field to work because of the vast extent of the territory, it being almost thirty miles from the Bethel meetinghouse to the Sunnyside house, with Rockton about centrally located as to distance from each of the other places. More workers are needed.
The present official board is composed of the following brethren : Elder, George D. Cleaver ; ministers, W. N. Bru- baker, Urban Cleaver and Jason B. Hollopeter; deacons, E. W. Hollopeter, B. P. Huey and J. M. Kreps. The membership
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is about seventy. Three evergreen Sunday-schools are doing good work. The total enrollment is 270. Three teacher training classes, with an enrollment of twenty-five, are training for better work. The annual offerings amount to $150, of which $40 goes for mission work. There are one Christian Workers' Meeting, one prayer meeting and two teachers' meet- ings.
RUMMEL.
As stated in the history of the Shade Creek congregation, a division of that large congregation was formally effected on January 1, 1916, though the votes for the division were taken during the preceding month at the various appointments. So, on January 6, 1916, the members of the Rummel congrega- tion met to organize. Brother R. D. Murphy presided at the meeting and a full corps of officers and missionary and tem- perance committees were elected. Elder P. J. Blough was elected elder in charge. The membership consists of 224 resi- dent members with the following officials: Ministers, R. D. Murphy, A. G. Faust, C. S. Knavel and Foster B. Statler ; dea- cons, Jacob C. Knavel, Samuel W. Knavel, Elmer Knavel and Lewis Penrod. They have the Rummel and the Highland meetinghouses. The former is a love-feast house. They have two Sunday-schools, an Aid Society and a Christian Workers' Society.
RYERSON STATION.
The territory included in this congregation is Greene County, Pennsylvania, and Marshall and Wetzel Counties, West Virginia. It is not definitely known when and by whom the first preaching by the Brethren was done here. But from the best information obtainable, Brethren Michael Meyers and Jacob Murray, from Fayette County, who bestowed much labor here in the early forties, were the first to preach the doctrine here. Henry Pletcher, from Fayette County, was the first resident minister here. He remained only a few years when he moved into another congregation in West Virginia.
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Elder John Wise, then of the Ten Mile congregation, or- ganized this congregation about 1848 (Miller's "Record of the Faithful " says 1842, with forty members), and served as its elder until some time after the " Division," or between thir- ty and forty years. In 1850 his brother, Adam Wise, moved here from the Ten Mile church, and in 1851 was chosen to the ministry, and after the removal of Brother Pletcher was the only minister for some time. Then some time after this Breth- ren James A. Murray and William Murray, ministers of Fay- ette County, moved in. October 28, 1857, Jacob A. Murray was called to the ministry and Jeremiah Murray and Henry Wise to the deacon's office. C. J. Showalter also was chosen minister, date not known. Other deacons elected were: Samuel Murray, Wenman Wade, William Weimer, George Murray, Charles Keller and Henry Wise, Jr. Henry Wise was also elected to the ministry, and Thomas Showalter moved in.
In the early history of the congregation services were held in the members' homes, the ones most frequently used being those of Brethren Adam Wise, Charles Keller, John Chambers, a Brother White and Solomon Chambers. Later on school- houses were used for public worship. In a minute of the council of the congregation held in the Hineman schoolhouse, February 3, 1860, it is stated that services were to be held regularly, but alternately, every two weeks at the Hineman schoolhouse and the Mud Lick schoolhouse.
February 4, 1871, the church decided to build a meeting- house. The building committee were Adam Wise, James A. Murray, Henry Wise, John Henry, James Matheny, Jackson Whitlach and William Weimer. Some time was lost in secur- ing a site acceptable to all. As the membership covered so much territory, it was impossible to build it convenient for all. June 7 they accepted a lot on land of C. J. Showalter, one mile from Aleppo, and five miles from Ryerson Station, in Green County, Pennsylvania. The new house was dedicated in 1872, Elder John Wise preaching the dedicatory sermon from the text, "My house shall be called a house of prayer," to a large congregation. At this time several appointments were
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kept up at different places not in the neighborhood of the church. Among them were: Hart's Run, in Greene County, Bowman Ridge, in Marshall County, and Knob Fork, in Wetzel County.
The membership was highly respected by those without. None were rich, yet many were thrifty farmers, and very few depended upon the charities of the church.
Early visiting ministers to this congregation were: Michael Meyers, Jacob Murray, a Brother Mauk, or Mock, James Quinter, John Berkley, Jacob S. Hauger, Jacob M. Thomas, John Wise and others.
Prior to 1884 William Murray had moved to Ohio, Jacob Murray to Iowa, and later to Ohio, and C. J. Showalter and Thomas Showalter to West Virginia. The greatest trial of this church came when the Progressive movement divided the church, late in 1884, the youngest two ministers, Henry Wise and James A. Murray, the meetinghouse and all the members around it going with them. They moved the house to Aleppo. Elder Adam Wise and Deacon Wenman Wade, and some scat- tered members in isolated places were all that remained loyal to the church. After John Wise moved West, Elder J. C. Johnson looked after the welfare of the members. In 1886 the Dis- trict sent Elders John S. Holsinger and Jacob Holsopple to see to the needs of the church. At a council November 13, Adam Wise was ordained, and Andrew Chambers was elected to the ministry. Later Elder Holsinger returned and Brother Chambers was advanced in the ministry and Benjamin Wise was elected deacon. Elder Adam Wise was the only resident elder the congregation ever had.
Brother Chambers took up the work with little delay, and regular services were held at three points; viz., Nauvou, Knob Fork and Hart's Run. On account of the age and feebleness of Elder Wise, Brother Chambers did most of the baptizing, though he was in the first degree. In 1894 Brother Chambers moved to Midland, Virginia, and now for several years no regular services were held, but short series of meetings were held nearly every year by Brother Chambers, while on visits to
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Baptismal Seene, Ryerson Station Congregation, near Smithfield, W. Va., August 23, 1914. Administrator, Andrew Chambers, Washington, D. C. Candidate, Minnie Shuman, Age 15. Number Baptized, . Eight, Ranging from 11 to 55 Years.
his native State. At Smithfield, West Virginia, in May, 1896, at one of these series of meetings, ten persons were baptized, and there was a splendid opportunity to build up a strong con- gregation if a minister could have been located there. In time many of these moved to other localities.
James Q. Wade and his wife, Jennie, who had moved to Littleton, West Virginia, were instrumental in having a meet- inghouse built at that place, which was dedicated June 27, 1909, Brother V. C. Finnell preaching the dedicatory sermon. Before that, some preaching had been done there by A. Cham- bers and H. A. Stahl. January 19, 1897, Elder Adam Wise died, and Deacons Wade and B. Wise, having also died, the church was without an official.
H. A. Stahl, by direction of the Home Mission Board of Western Pennsylvania, made frequent visits to the few scat- tered members and preached for them, baptizing some at dif- ferent times. Other ministers, among them W. J. Hamilton and S. W. Bail, also preached for them. After the last deacon had died, Brethren James Q. Wade and Henry Shuman were
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elected to that office, September, 1898. Several years ago, Brother W. F. Wade, who had been baptized near Knob Fork, February 22, 1897, and who, while living in another congrega- tion, had been elected to the ministry, returned, and is now the only resident minister.
Probably the first Sunday-school organized in this church .was one at Hart's Run schoolhouse, by Adam Wise, in 1856.
In 1913, by the consent of both Districts, this congrega- tion was transferred to the Second District of West Virginia. The membership is now principally in that State.
SCALP LEVEL.
This, as a separate congregation, dates from February 19, 1912, when the old Shade Creek congregation was divided. At that time the membership was 230. This congregation em- braces part of Paint Township, Somerset County, and parts of Richland and Adams Townships, Cambria County, and the boroughs of Windber, Paint and Scalp Level. It has two meetinghouses, the Scalp Level, and the Windber. For many years this community has been a stronghold for the Church of the Brethren.
The first members to live within the bounds of the present Scalp Level congregation came from the East some time near the close of the eighteenth century. They were Philip and Barbara (Miller) Hoffman. Sister Hoffman was a sister of Elder Martin Miller, of Morrison's Cove, Bedford County, who had the oversight of a territory now comprising about seven congregations. Brother Hoffman settled on a farm a few miles southwest of where Windber is now located. Here he died early in the thirties of the past century. His widow occupied the farm till 1838, when it passed into the hands of Jonas Weaver. Sister Hoffman now made her home with her son-in-law, Christian Thomas, between Windber and Rum- mel, where she died the same year, at the age of seventy-two years.
The first meetinghouse in Scalp Level was built in 1867. This building was replaced by a new and larger one in 1892.
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BRETHREN OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
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Scalp Level Church.
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Several years before the Shade congregation was divided this house was arranged suitably for holding love feasts, and in 1915 it was raised, an addition built to it, and the basement fitted up with classrooms. The rededication took place August 15, and the discourse was delivered by Elder J. H. Cassady, of Huntingdon.
The house in Windber was erected in 1905, and about 1913 it was raised and the basement made into Sunday-school classrooms.
In the division the following officials fell to Scalp Level : Elders, Peter Knavel and David S. Clapper; deacons, Peter Hoffman, Noah J. Hoffman, Norman S. Berkey, Aaron S. Hoffman, Harvey Berkey, James Cassady, C. E. Schuldt and T. N. Park. March 24, 1914, John H. Lehman, George H. Fyock, Harvey Knavel and Sylvester B. Hoffman were elected deacons.
Prior to the division Elders J. J. Shaffer and D. M. Adam .each served a number of years as pastor, living in Scalp Level. The congregation also pledged itself to support Sister Anna Z. Blough in India. This support is now given jointly. Joint missionary, temperance and Sunday-school meetings are also held. In April, 1913, Elder Harvey S. Replogle became the pastor of the congregation. June 30, 1914, Elder D. S. Clapper died. This is one of the leading churches in mis- sionary and Sunday-school activities. The first Sunday-school in the congregation was organized in the spring of 1878, Hiram Musselman being the leading spirit in the enterprise.
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