USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Church of the brethren of the Eastern district of Pennsylvania > Part 30
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Elder Harley was a highly respected man in his com- munity. As an elder, having charge of the Ephrata con- gregation, he was a good housekeeper, watching over the flock. His preaching was mostly in his own district and adjoining districts. He was often called to other churches for counsel. He officiated at three hundred marriages. He served several times on the Standing Committee at Annual Meeting. He was once a member of the Home Mission Board. He was not a fluent speaker but his words were to the point and with power.
During the last few years of his life he retired from active church work on account of both mind and body fail- ing in health and strength. The call to come up higher
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reached him May 6, 1896, having attained the age of sev- enty-six years, two days. His funeral was largely attended. Interment was made at Mohler's Church burying ground. The text was Daniel 12:2, 3. The pallbearers were the four ministers of the Ephrata Church. Elders Samuel R. Zug and Christian Bucher officiated.
E. JOHN B. GIBBEL.
John B. Gibbel was baptized in White Oak Congregation in 1856, elected to the ministry, October 17, 1866, and later advanced to the second degree of ministry. He moved into the West Conestoga Congregation, March 18, 1873, near Lititz and labored in the latter congregation until the time of his death, January 20, 1889, dying very suddenly of apo- plexy of the heart, aged 56 years 7 months 22 days; burial at Middle Creek graveyard. He served 23 years in the ministry and two of his sons, Cyrus R. Gibbel and Aaron R. Gibbel, are ministers in the Brethren Church and his daughter, Elizabeth Gibbel McCann, served as a missionary in India from 1897 to 1903 and 1904 to 1907, as wife of Elder S. N. McCann, of Virginia.
PART VII. WHITE OAK GROUP.
CHAPTER I.
WHITE OAK CHURCH.
White Oak Church was originally a part of Conestoga, although history informs us that a few members had settled in White Oak Land, prior to 1736, in which year there was a lovefeast held. It was a part of Conestoga Church, and, although a considerable distance from the main body of the church, it was supplied in the ministry from Conestoga.
The first minister who lived within the bounds of what later became the White Oak Church district, was Peter Hummer. He lived on, and owned, a large farm, a part of which is now owned by Allen Hoffer, about three miles west of Manheim. Where he came from, or when he was elected, we have no positive data.
About 1753, or soon after, he bought a farm of 1993/4 acres, as aforesaid. It is probable that he was elected to the ministry soon after, for the White Oak settlement had no minister nearer than Jacob Stoll, and he lived at Middle Creek, from ten to fifteen miles away. In 1769 he, and his wife Catharine, sold 62 acres to Stoffel Miller, who, in 1774 sold the same to George Gantz, who started what was long known as Gantz's tavern. In 1770, Hummer and wife sold the balance of said farm to his son-in-law Sebastian Keller, whose wife was Catharine Hummer, of whom more will be said later on. Sebastian Keller passed it to his son, Sebas- tian 2d, who spent his life there, and then passed it to his son Sebastian 3d, who sold it to his sister's son, John K. Snyder, who sold it to his brother, Samuel K. Snyder, who, about 1875, sold it outside of the family, thus showing that
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it remained in the family about 120 years. Peter Hummer died in 1784, leaving seven children, four sons and three daughters; viz., Peter (who was married to Barbara, a daughter of the first elder, Christian Longenecker), Jonas, Joseph, Abraham, a daughter Susanna, married to Martin Shuh, one Elizabeth to Casper Lesher, and one Catharine to Sebastian Keller. One daughter Mary had been married to Stoffel Miller, but died before her father, making eight children in all. By a marriage contract, on record in Lan- caster, made between Peter Hummer and Susanna, widow of John Spencer, deceased, dated April 19, 1782, it appears he married his second wife. On September 3, 1784, he made his will which was probated September 18, 1784, which shows that he died between those dates.
We may have to draw largely on Dr. Brumbaugh's His- tory of the Brethren, also as we have orally, from such men as Elders C. Bomberger, J. Hollinger, John Zug, and Abraham Gibbel, whose father was Johannas Gibbel, a deacon, and whose mother was a daughter of Hans Hum- mer, a brother of said Peter Hummer. These old fathers all lived contemporary with the fathers who were in touch, personally, with the work of the church almost from its beginning in White Oak Land, and their testimony can be taken as fairly authentic. In Brumbaugh's history, page 520, etc., we have the statement that Catharine Hummer "made a wonderful stir in the colonial church, that her father Peter Hummer was a minister, and that she would accompany him in his preaching tours, and take part." Her father seems to have had full confidence in her visions, and he would, in his preaching, sometimes remark that God does in such a wonderful way manifest himself in his family, and his daughter would follow it up with relating her visions, and that in her trances she is permitted to commune with the spirits of departed saints.
It was related by those who seemed to have it from good authority that she had these trances for years, off and on, but, as Dr. Brumbaugh mentions four in the fall of 1762, it seems they have become more frequent, and of longer duration.
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On May 27 and 28, 1763, there seems to have been a called General Conference (Kurtz's Brethren Encyclopedia, page 136) at which this trouble was considered by the Brethren. This meeting was in the Conestoga Church, of which White Oak was then a part. The decision is as follows :
"The undersigned Brethren from their different places (of abode) have been here assembled in the fear of the Lord, in order to see, in heartfelt and compassionate brotherly love, how we might advise our Brethren, in God beloved, concerning the many woundings and different transgressions that have oc- curred since the exercises, visions, and doings of, and with the sister Catharine Hummer, in the White Oak country have happened-after we have yesterday heard the accusations of the Brethren against one another and their testimony, that they would not seek any division, but were willing to hear our brotherly counsel of love-we have (in the next place) all, every one of us, carefully heard and considered the mind of each, and every one of us, the undersigned Brethren, has de- clared his mind and advice freely, one after the other, and then we have further united in the fear of the Lord in this, that we would in union counsel our Brethren as follows: First, we be- lieve and judge, indeed, that Brother Hummer has brought too much of his humanity, (or human nature) into this movement, from which different fruits of disunion have grown. In the second place, however, we consider, that both sides have gone too far in words and judgments against one another, and hence it is our brotherly counsel, that Brother Peter Hummer should needs make acknowledgments, where he might have offended with regard of brotherly obedience, and if there are on both sides conviction and acknowledgment, then we advise, out of brotherly love, that on both sides, all judgments and harsh ex- pressions, might be entirely laid down, though we have not the same opinion of that noted (singular) occurrence, so that those who think well of it, should not judge those who are of the contrary opinion, and those who do not esteem it, should not despise those who expect to derive some use and benefit from it.
"For the rest we advise you, beloved Brethren, receive one another, as Christ has received us, and pardon one another as Christ has pardoned us also, and let us everywhere consider, that all disputing, and judging, and despising should be laid
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aside, and thus remain, that every one leave to the other his own opinion, in the fear of the Lord, and altogether for con- science sake. Moreover, it is our advice that all unnecessary, and too frequent visiting should cease, and every one should earnestly abstain from all appearance of evil, and aim in all things after truth and uprightness, in order that truth may make us free from all that might still keep us in captivity, and prevent us from coming to a oneness of mind in Christ Jesus according to the will of God. If now one or the other should think we have not sufficiently judged the occurrence, let him consider that we cannot see the least cause for a separation for conscience sake. Hence we have felt constrained not to criti- cise, or judge this (strange) affair, but rather to advise every one to a godly impartiality and patience that none may judge anything before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart, and then shall every man have praise of God according to his faith and its fruits. Signed by Jacob Myer, Peter Dirdorf, Martin Urner, Nicholas Martin, Lorenz Shrab, Henry Naff, George Schreiber, Christopher Saur, George Etter, Joseph Reutsh, Jacob Stutzman, John Shlipfer, Jacob Mohr, Mattes Schweitzer, Henry Raudenbush, Gideon Rausser, Daniel Letterman, Daniel Arnold, Anton Hartman, Sander Mack, Nicholas Letterman, Stephen Ulrich."
It was further said that when she had those visions, no one could go into her room, lest they disturb her trance, but one young man of her acquaintance. He could go in, and it would not disturb her. In the summer of 1763 it developed that she was not true, and the church took her case up, and dealt with her. Then it happened, as it is often the case when members make mistakes, and are disciplined, they call it persecution. Hence the letter from her to Alexander Mack dated November 6, 1763, in which she says :
"The winter of persecution is here. Contempt and persecu- tion are strong. I am not only persecuted and hated by the world, but also by those that call themselves believers. They say that what has been done by me is idolatrous. They blas- pheme whereof they know not."
"Dear Brother Sander, thou hast written me that the heaviest will weigh less than nothing in the end. I am imper-
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fect. May the Lord give his good Spirit into my heart, that when I am weighed I may have the right weight, and may be taken from this sorrowful world, into eternal rest."
May this have been some of the "tribulation" which caused Elder Pfautz to fail to keep a record of baptisms from 1755 to 1763? (Brumbaugh's Hist., page 313.) Many did not believe in those visions, and therefore it caused a lot of trouble. It ended in 1763. The blow of his daughter's fall, in whom he placed so much faith, was so hard, that he did not preach any more (at least for some time) and that in a meeting once, when he was urged (it is said), he got up and quoted the sixth verse of the first chapter of the Song of Solomon, which reads in German: " Sehet mich nicht an das ich so schwartz bin, denn die Sonne hat mich also verbrannt. Meiner Mutter kinder zurnen mit mir. Man hat mich zur Hüterin der Weinberge gesetzt ; aber meinen Weinberg, den ich hatte, habe ich nicht behütet." Then he sat down again.
By the way, Catharine Hummer afterwards married the young man who visited her in her trances, and her son became a prominent witch doctor, known far and wide. Catharine Hummer's husband was Sebastian Keller, who got the Peter Hummer farm in 1770. They had six chil- dren, viz .: John, who lived in Dauphin County, and had a. daughter who was married to a Mr. Shenk and lived near Deodate, and one married to John Ruhl, and lived near Elstonville, Lancaster Co. His second son was Dr. Sebas- tian the second, who lived on the home farm, and died in 1839. His third child was Esther, married to George Bear. Next was Jacob, and George, and Rosina deceased, leaving a daughter, Magdalena Evans.
Sebastian Keller the first was a member of the state legis- lature, when Lancaster was the state capital, and it was said he would walk to town, fifteen miles, Monday morning, and home again on Saturday afternoon. He made his will February 4, 1808, which was proven March 14, 1808. Sebastian second had two children; viz., Dr. Sebastian third, who lived, and died, in Elizabethtown, Pa., whose son,
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Sebastian fourth, now lives in Steelton. The other was Elizabeth, married to John Snyder, who lived about one mile northeast of Mastersonville at a mill, whose children- four sons and four daughters-are all dead, but the youngest son, Cyrus K. Snyder, who lives in Pasadena, Cal. Sebas- tian second died in 1839.
Other ministers were Peter Eichelberger and Jacob Stoll, who later became elders in the Conestoga Church. Eichel- berger was baptized in 1752, and Stoll was baptized in 1748. Hannes Zug was baptized in 1749, George Miller in 1753, and Christian Longenecker in 1754. Stoll was elected to the ministry in 1753, Longenecker in 1764, Zug in 1770. Of the other two, we have no record. Han Jacob Böshor was baptized in 1747. When elected we know not, but the record which Elder C. Bomberger, of Conestoga Church, had, and now in possession of Elder Hershey Groff, states that "the church district is getting large, and the member- ship spreading; it was agreed to divide. So they, in 1772, divided into three districts, with Peter Eichelberger and Jacob Stoll, ministers in Conestoga; C. Longenecker and Hannes Zug in White Oak; and John Jacob Böshor and George Kline in Swatara." The line between Conestoga and White Oak is mentioned as " the Lancaster and Schaef- ferstown road," which is to this day the dividing line be- tween churches. In 1769, C. Longenecker was ordained to the eldership, and in 1780 George Miller and Hannes Zug were ordained by Christopher Sower and Martin Urner. Regarding the other three-or four with Kline-we have no record of their ordination, but considering the time at which they were baptized, and Elder Pfautz having died in 1769, and Jacob Stoll having been elected in 1753, eleven years before Brother Longenecker, it is highly probable that they were ordained, at least, before that division of the church took place in 1772.
Ulrich Zug came from Switzerland in 1727 to his wife's brother, Michael Bachman, four miles northwest of Lan- caster, who went to White Oak Valley and preempted by warrant about 1,000 acres of land which he afterward had patented. About 1742, he sold to Ulrich Zug 345 acres and
ULRIC ZUG
rine naborut Dobrý. Gir wvar prboten brutos
Den Of Janpart, 18 00.
is auf.
BECAUSE OF RELICIOUS PENSECORIO DEMIC ZUC CRANDSUN OF HANS ZDE FLE FROM THE CANTON CUC SWITZERLAND. HE ARRIVED IN PHILADELPHIA PA. SET
Brurbir top!
[2] MARRIED MISS BACHMAN LOCATED ON THIS FARM WAS BAPTIZED BY THE BRETHREN IN 1742 AND DIED
ABOUT 1758.
HE HAD SIX SONS AND THE BANCHTERS
JOHANNES ZUG
SON OF ULRIC. BORN JULY 11 1731.
BAPTIZED BY THE BRETHREN 1743.
ELECTED TO THE MINISTRY 1770. ORDAINEDY
BISHOP 1780 AND DIED APR. 2 1821.
JOSEPH ZUG SON OF JOHANNES BORN MAR. 3 1770 -- DIED OCT. 15 1821
ANDREW ZUG SON OF JOSEPH
BORN MAY 31 1795 -DIED JAN. 27 1824
JOHN ZUC
.
GRAVE OF ELDER JOHN ZUG AND WIFE, HEIDELBERG CEMETERY.
FATHER MOTHER
GRAVE OF ELDER ABRAHAM ZUG AND WIFE, TULPE- HOCKEN CEMETERY.
GRAVE OF MICHAEL ZUG AND WIFE, TULPEHOCKEN CEMETERY.
MONUMENT OF ULRIC ZUG, ANCESTOR OF ZUGS IN AMERICA, ERECTED THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF MARY ZUG FRANCIS, LEBANON.
Er wurde arborea
tud starb
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WHITE OAK CHURCH.
allowance, for "£60 and one ear of Indian corn for every 100 acres to be delivered in Lancaster on November I for said Bachman yearly to the proprietors forever."
Ulrich Zug had eight children,-six sons and two daugh- ters. According to the best information we have, they came to this country Mennonites but his wife was baptized to the Brethren Church in 1741 and he in 1742, their son Peter in 1747, John in 1749, Magdalena in 1748, Michael in 1752, Jacob in 1761 and Christian in 1769.
In the spring of 1759, the children of Ulrich Zug divided the farm into two equal parts, of 175 acres, one to Jacob, and one to Michael, the others all releasing for their shares, all signing their names in German. The last we know of Peter Zug is in 1762, when he, with others, stood in defense of Elder George Adam Martin, and "opposed his excom- munication, and were anxious to reinstate him," etc. (Brum. Hist., p. 331). Whether he was married, or when or where he died, is all a blank to us. Jacob took half of his father's farm in 1759, after the death of both parents, but sold it to his brother Hannes in 1772, and moved to Washington Co., Md., where he died in 1794. One of his daughters was married to a Long, and was the grandmother of Elder David Long, late of near Hagerstown. One to a Wolf, on whose grandson's farm the Annual Meeting was held in 1857. One to Elder Nicholas Martin, who was grandmother of the late Elder Nicholas Martin of near Hagerstown. One son John moved to Bedford Co., Pa., and from there to Indiana. And two sons remained in Welsh Run district, from whom came Elder David Zuck, who lived in Fulton Co., Ill., as also Elders John Zuck of Clarence, Iowa, and David, now elder of Welsh Run Church.
Michael married Maria Wolf, and took a half of his father's farm, but later sold it, and moved to Somerset Co., Pa., where he died childless.
Hannes, or John, and his father Ulrich were engaged in clearing a piece of woodland, when, while at work, he said to his father that he has it in his mind to take a wife. The father then asked him: "Hast du dann was im Zweck?" John answered: "Yes, sister Anna Heffelfinger." The
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father answered, "Shon recht. Ich will es den Armen diener sagen dasz sie gehen sie fragen ob sie dich auch haven will. ( All right, I will tell the deacons that they go and ask her whether she will have you.) This was quite a different way for trying to get a wife, from that now gen- erally in use.
About 1760 John Zug and wife went with her father to the Beaver Valley, now Dauphin Co., Pa., near Beaver station where he had taken up a large tract of land, and where he promised to give them a farm to clean of brush and timber; but in 1762 the Tuscarora Indians from the valley up the river became so dangerous by murder, and arson, and robbery that by fall they decided to go back to White Oak until life became safe again. So in that fall one morning they started on foot with their two children, each carrying one. After going a little way they saw a man lying in a buckwheat patch dead. He shouldered the man, who was yet warm, and took him along to the next house, not knowing when he might be the next one shot from behind a tree.
Things in Paxtang and Beaver Valleys grew worse instead of better, and in 1763 a number of young and middle-aged men organized themselves into a company, and assumed the name, "The Paxton Boys," for the purpose of revenge. But the Indians learned of it, and went to an Indian town in Manor Township, about six miles southwest of Lancaster, whence the Paxton Boys trailed them, but when they arrived there, the marauders had gotten wind of their coming, and had left. The Indians misdirected the gang, who essayed to follow, so as to give the fugitives time to escape. When the neighbors learned of the trick the Indians played on the Paxton Boys, they had the Manor Indians placed in the Lancaster Workhouse for their pro- tection, but the Paxton Boys came back, burned the Indian village, broke into the workhouse, and killed every Indian. There was a little boy among them, and one man proposed to spare him, but before he had done speaking another one grabbed him by the legs, flung him around, and dashed his brains out against the wall, the bloody mark of which could
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be seen as long as the old prison remained, which was on the northeast corner of West King and Water Streets.
Hannes Zug had four sons and four daughters; viz., Christian, married to a Miss Rupp, and died young, leaving one daughter who was married to a Frick, two of whose daughters were married to two Swarrs, and lived near Landisville. John, married to a Miss Mohler, was given a part of the home farm, where he lived some years; then sold it to David Sahm; then he moved to Running Pump tavern, a'bout two miles west of Elizabethtown, where he lived ten years; then he bought a farm near Carlisle where he lived, and died, leaving one son, Jacob, who lived in Carlisle, and died there. Joseph, married to Barbara Eby. He got the home farm, where he lived and died, aged 51 years. He had four sons and one daughter, Andrew, Joseph, John, Benjamin, and Catharine, who was married to Peter Eby. Elders S. R. Zug and B. Z. Eby1 were grandsons, and S. Z. Witmer and J. C. Zug great-grandsons of his. Abraham was a tanner and lived some years in Rapho Township. His wife was a Miss Royer. Later he carried on his trade at Lexington, and from there he bought a farm in Lebanon Co., near where Richland now is. He was elected a minister in 1815, ordained 1823, died 1841, aged 69 years. Of his family more will be said in another chapter. One daughter was married to Jacob Deardorf, and moved to Franklin Co. Another was married to a Mr. Ream, and moved to Ohio. One was married to Jacob Kinsey and lived near Cornwall, Lebanon Co., and one was married to Abraham Shissler, and the last lived, and died, near Bain- bridge, Lancaster Co. Hannes Zug was baptized in 1749, elected a minister 1770, ordained by Christopher Saur, and Martin Urner in 1780, and died 1821, in his 90th year.
Christian, fifth son of Ulrich, had a farm near Lititz. He had four sons and several daughters. Jacob lived in Cum- berland Co., Pa. He was baptized by Elder Moses Miller at the age of 97 years and his wife at the age of 86. He lived yet about a year. He had several children, among
1 Elder B. Z. Eby opposed Sunday Schools as long as he could, but after they were introduced into his church, he left, and went to the Old Order.
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them a son Christian, living in Pittsburgh, became a multi- millionaire. Christian lived at a place called Papertown, Cumberland Co. Of his descendants we know little. David lived in York Co. Two of his grandsons, Jacob and Peter, lived in Bainbridge some years ago. Abraham had his father's farm, which he gave to his two sons, Christian and Henry. One daughter of Abraham's was married to Joseph Aldinger, one to Joseph Graybill, one to Jacob Stehman, and one died unmarried.
Henry, Ulrich's sixth son, moved to the Potomac River, in Washington Co., Md. From all the information we could gather James Zug, or Zook, who lived near Arcanum, Ohio, was a grandson of Henry. Three of James's daugh- ters are living there now, one a Mrs. Caylor, and two had been married to James and Reuben Gilbert.
Ulrich Zug's oldest daughter Magdalena was baptized 1748. She was afterwards married to Michael Frantz, son of Elder Michael Frantz. He was also baptized in 1748. Shortly after 1770 they moved to Botetourt Co., Va. Elder Isaac Frantz, of Pleasant Hill, Ohio, is a great-great-grand- son of theirs, and their descendants are numerous through- out the West.
Christina, the other daughter of Ulrich Zug, married a Musselman, when she was fourteen years old, and they united with the Mennonites. A son of theirs, many years ago, had a fruit tree nursery near Manheim, and two of that nurseryman's children, Jacob, and his sister, about 30 years ago, lived along the state road below Manheim.
Andreas Eby lived about one and one half miles south of Manheim. He and his wife were baptized in 1767. Some- time after 1772 he was elected to the ministry, and the writer heard his grandmother, who was Eby's daughter, relate that when she was eight years old, which must have been 1777, the Revolutionary conscriptors came and took father, and two horses, to the camp in Lancaster, but a man who knew him, one day came to the camp, and was surprised to find him there. He then went to headquarters and ob- tained his release, because he was a minister, but the horses they kept. When the war was over they brought one horse
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back, but so poor that his ribs could be counted from a dis- tance. She was then thirteen years old, and said, "Oh, how I pitied that horse!" They said the other horse was dead. Those were troublous times that tried men's souls. Jacob, known as "Jockley " Hirshy, and wife were baptized in 1768, and in war times was a deacon, who lived about a mile west of Andreas Eby. One night the conscriptors came to his place, and brought a neighbor along by the name of Long, whom they caught at his home, a little south of Hirshy's, and he let on as if he would gladly go along, but Hirshy objected, and while they were fussing around with him, Long examined the conscriptors' muskets, which had flintlocks, and slyly shook off the priming from the pans, and then went for the door, and the men ran for their guns, and followed, and snapped, but they missed fire, having no priming, and Long ran, shouting, "Hurrah for King George." That was the last seen or heard of Long by any one that knew him. The supposition was they caught him afterward, and shot him. Hirshy did not go to the war, but how he got off we are not able to tell.
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