USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Church of the brethren of the Eastern district of Pennsylvania > Part 32
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These incidents, happening one after another, caused many members to change their membership to the lower district, leaving but a small number standing loyal to the upper church.
In 1847 Elder Jacob Wenger, of Little Swatara, and George Hoffer (2d degree) of Big Swatara met with the remnant of the Upper White Oak Church, in council, un- known to Elder Longenecker, who had practical charge of both churches, and held an election, which resulted in calling Jacob Rider to the ministry, and Joseph W. Gibbel, as deacon, and restored Abraham Gibbel and Peter Werner to membership.
This work was recognized by some and by others not,
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WHITE OAK CHURCH.
which created more or less confusion and bad feeling, and resulted in a committee from Annual Meeting consisting of Andrew Spanogle, Peter Long, and Samuel Lehman of Pennsylvania, and Philip Boyle and Daniel P. Saylor of Maryland who met both churches in joint council, on the premises of Philip Ziegler, in 1851, who probed the trouble to the bottom, and by their report wiped away the crooked line made ten years before, and merged the two churches into one again, and ordered that Jacob Rider and Joseph W. Gibbel be recognized and respected in their respective offices, and that Abraham Gibbel and Peter Werner be held as private members, which report was almost unanimously accepted.
In 1855 Elder Christian Longenecker died, in his 64th year of age. In 1856 David Gerlach was ordained, and given charge of the church. About this time Abraham Gibbel and Peter Werner became urgent to be again rein- stated in their office as ministers, but the Elders (Fretz, Haller and Gerlach, then living) were slow to make a move, too slow for them, and they began to appoint, and hold meetings so that they were both disfellowshipped again. They had a following of twelve members, including them- selves. They held one lovefeast, elected a minister and deacon, and for several years tried to build up a church. In the meantime they baptized one, but their effort was not successful and finally quieted down. In 1862 Gibbel and Werner were again both reconciled and received back into church fellowship, and one after another of their followers came back again, with few exceptions. In 1864 Abraham Gibbel died in his 74th year. The same year Daniel Fretz died in his 89th year. In 1865 Jacob Haller died in his 88th year. In 1867 Peter Werner died in his 74th year. Thus four conspicuous characters were removed from the White Oak Church, by death, in a ripe old age, in less than three years' time.
In 1868 White Oak Church was again divided by a line extending from Marietta via Mount Joy and Sporting Hill to Manheim by nearest road, and thence by nearest road to Mount Hope. The lower district to retain the old name,
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THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.
and the upper chose the name Chiques, after a creek that passes diagonally through the district. At the division in 1868, the ministers in White Oak were: David Gerlach, Jno. S. Newcomer, Samuel Graybill and John B. Gibbel, and the deacons were: Jacob Stehman, Henry Stehman, John Minnich and Jacob Sonon, with about three hundred members. The Chiques' ministers were: Philip Ziegler, Jacob Rider, and Samuel R. Zug, and the deacons were: Benjamin Zug, Samuel Gibbel, and Joseph W. Gibbel, with about two hundred members.
In the winter of 1869 and 1870 Dr. J. M. Dunlap, one of the school directors of Manheim borough, Lancaster Co., brought an old deed to the office of an attorney-at-law, in Lancaster, in presence of the writer of this sketch, and asked advice in regard to selling the property mentioned in the deed, and using the money realized by such sale in a school house then being built. While the doctor and the lawyer were consulting about the matter, the writer read the deed. While he has forgotten the date, and the name of the party who made it, he distinctly remembers the following con- tents : the deed was made for the use of four religious de- nominations, viz. : Lutherans, Reformed, Mennonites, and Dunkards (Brethren) for the purpose of building a church, which was specified to be used alternately ; namely, one was to have the use of it one Sunday and the week following, another church was to have it the next Sunday and the week following, and so on, so that each church had the use of it every fourth week. The deed was made to four trustees, each church being represented by one : namely, the Brethren by Henry Giebel, the Mennonites by a Mr. Hershy, a Mr. Bartruff was trustee for one of the other churches, and the fourth has been forgotten. The house was often seen by the writer, and was of logs, one story, about 30 × 40 ft. The house was so used by the churches, but as they got houses of their own they gradually dropped out.
In 1772 Baron Stiegel, the founder of Manheim, deeded to the Lutherans the land on which they have their church, and burying ground; later the Reformed, in town, and the Mennonites about one mile north, had their own, and the
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WHITE OAK CHURCH.
Brethren began to have their meetings in their private homes, so that this house ceased to be used. Then it began to be utilized for school purposes long before the free school law was passed, and afterward, until 1870.
It is not likely that the Lutherans would have joined in this union movement after they had one of their own, and Henry Giebel was baptized in 1748 and lived to be 72 years old, so that in all likelihood this house was built between 1762 and 1770. Although we spent time and money in search of that deed, we failed to find it. It is even not re- corded. But we found the lot on which the house stood. In February, 1870, the legislature of Pennsylvania passed a special act authorizing the school directors to sell, etc. They sold it to Benjamin Donavon who lived alongside (in whose deed reference is only made to the act of assembly ), and he sold a part of it, with the old house, to sister Barbara Manly, who, with her daughter Ann, lived in that house some time, and then razed it and built on the spot a new double dwelling, now owned by the daughter, who was since married to a Mr. Ritter, now dead, and it is nearly in the center of the town.
LATER WHITE OAK CHURCH.
Before the first division of the White Oak Church terri- tory in 1868, it contained all of Lancaster County north and west of Lititz and Lancaster, and extended northward across the Blue Ridge Mountain into Lebanon Co., west of Schaefferstown. In 1841, White Oak ceded the part of its territory in Lebanon Co. to what was then organized into Tulpehocken Church.
In 1868, White Oak Church was divided into two divisions known as White Oak and Chiques. Elder David Gerlach was resident Elder of White Oak after said division and also had charge of Chiques Church until April, 1869, when Philip Ziegler was ordained Elder by Jacob Hollinger and William Hertzler, and given charge. Elder Gerlach continued in charge of White Oak with ministers John S. Newcomer, Samuel Graybill and John B. Gibbel, and
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THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.
deacons Jacob Stehman, John Minnich, Henry Stehman and Jacob Sonon. The membership numbered about 300.
In 1871, Dec. 25, B. Z. Eby was elected minister and B. G. Musser, deacon. In September, 1872, Hiram Gibble was elected a deacon and on January 1, 1873, H. E. Light was chosen a minister in place of John B. Gibbel who intended moving into West Conestoga district. About the same time, Jacob Stehman, a deacon, died.
In 1876, Elder Gerlach had a stroke of palsy while preaching at a funeral, which incapacitated him; so in 1878 at a lovefeast held at Bro. John Hernley's, J. S. Newcomer was ordained by Christian Bomberger and Samuel Harley and given charge of White Oak Church. In 1879 Elder Gerlach died in the sixty-eighth year of his age.
In 1877 Hiram Gibble was elected to the ministry, and Israel Graybill and Tobias Herr to the deacon's office. About this time Samuel Gibble, a deacon, moved in from Chiques Church. In 1880 George Bingeman, a minister, moved in from West Conestoga Church, and Samuel Gray- bill died in 1881, aged 72 years.
In 1882, White Oak Church was divided a second time by cutting off the southern end, now known as Mountville, with Elder Newcomer in charge, and H. E. Light, minister, and B. G. Musser and Tobias Herr, deacons. The northern division retained the old name White Oak, which constitutes the present White Oak Church. The White Oak Church of to-day is bounded on the north by the Blue Ridge Moun- tain, on the east by the Lancaster and Schaefferstown Road, on the south by Mountville Church, and on the west by Fair- view and Chiques churches, with the exception that the eastern boundary has been slightly moved westward since the organization of Lititz Church on January 10, 1914.
The officers of White Oak Church after the division of 1882 were : ministers, B. Z. Eby, Hiram Gibble, and George Bingeman; deacons, John Minnich, Henry Stehman, Samuel Gibble and Israel Graybill. The membership at the time of this division is not known, but at present it numbers about 465.
In 1883, B. Z. Eby was ordained an Elder and given charge of the White Oak Church. He continued in this
LONGENECKER'S MEETING HOUSE.
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WHITE OAK CHURCH.
position until 1906 when he moved to Fairview Church. In 1900, Hiram Gibble was ordained and succeeded B. Z. Eby as Elder in charge. Other ordinations in this church oc- curred as follows : H. E. Light in 1888; Israel Graybill and Reuben S. Graybill in 1910; N. B. Fahnestock in 1912. Ministers were elected as follows: Israel Graybill in 1883; Reuben S. Graybill in 1885; N. B. Fahnestock in 1898; Linn B. Longenecker in 1906; Charles D. Cassel in 1907; Israel B. Graybill in 1910. The following were elected as deacons : Reuben Graybill and Nathaniel Minnich in 1883; Abraham Longenecker in 1885; Samuel G. Keller in 1888; N. B. Fahnestock in 1895; T. S. Beck in 1898; Eugene Brubaker and Israel B. Graybill in 1907; Levi Fahnestock and Isaiah G. Gibble in 1911.
Deaths of officials occurred as follows : Elder J. S. New- comer died in 1902, aged 92 years ; Elder Israel Graybill, in 19II, aged 74 years; Elder Reuben S. Graybill, in 1913, aged 74 years.
Prayer meetings are held at private homes. The first Sunday School in this church, after the division of 1868, by authority of the church, was organized in 1902 in Manheim, with Elder Hiram Gibble as superintendent, and T. S. Beck as assistant superintendent. After an existence of several years, it was discontinued on account of opposition. In 1912 the congregation by a good majority decided to or- ganize again and chose N. B. Fahnestock, superintendent.
The building of the first house of worship in the White Oak Church occurred in 1859, when two were erected : one, known as Kreider's near Manheim, and the other, Longe- necker's near Lititz. The latter was rebuilt in 1912 (see illustration) and made much larger than the former one. Other meeting-houses in this congregation were built as follows : White Oak, near Elstonville, in 1872; Graybill's, near Elm, in 1881; Manheim, in 1893. Several of these houses are intended for lovefeast occasions. Prior to 1881, the communion meetings were held in barns of members.
Bishops of later White Oak Church: (1) David Gerlach, 1868-1878; (2) John S. Newcomer, 1878-1883; (3) B. Z. Eby, 1883-1904; Hiram Gibble, 1904, September 19, to the present.
CHAPTER II.
CHIQUES CHURCH.
After the division of White Oak Church in 1868, the part cut off was organized with about 200 members, three ministers, Philip Ziegler, Jacob Rider and Samuel R. Zug, and three deacons, Benjamin Zug, Samuel Gibble and Joseph W. Gibble, under the name of Chiques Church, and in charge of Elder D. Gerlach. In 1869 Philip Ziegler was ordained by Elders Gerlach, Jacob Hollinger and Wm. Hertzler, and given charge of the church.
In 1871 Jacob L. Eshelman was elected to the ministry, and died in 1892, aged 68. In 1874 Elder Ziegler died in his 70th year of age. In 1873 Abraham L. Eshelman was elected a deacon. In 1877 privilege was granted to raise funds to re-build the Chiques meeting house.
In 1880 A. L. Eshelman was elected to the ministry, and B. R. Zug and D. M. Eshelman, deacons.
In 1882 a plan for re-building Chiques meeting house was proposed in council and passed by a vote of 31 to 8, and that summer it was rebuilt, by J. G. Stauffer and M. G. Gibble, building committee. In raising, the framework, from lack of proper support below, and the weight of people working above, broke down, by which two men and a boy, John Shenk, Jacob G. Gibble and John Werner, were killed, and a number injured, which caused some trouble in the church for several years.
In 1875 Jacob Rider was ordained, and in 1883 he died, aged 79 years, whereupon Elder C. Bucher, of Tulpehocken Church, was chosen Elder in charge, until 1885, when S. R. Zug was ordained by Elders Samuel Harley and Wm. Hertzler, in presence of Elders J. Hertzler, C. Bucher, J. S. Newcomer, and B. Z. Eby.
In 1884 Jonas P. Price came from Montgomery Co., Pa., to Elizabethtown, where he married his fourth wife, and
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MT. HOPE MEETING HOUSE.
GRAVE OF ELDER DANIEL FRETZ AND WIFE.
Über 3 Schulhaus (abraham )aner) Daniel Bibber,
Essionse perfabifin henrich herr. alt Gem Brebiel. Daniel Grebiel. Dcount Dlefent.
Ober's Schulhaus ("braham Maner.) Daniel Bibber.
Unor berner. John Jung. Bennich Reger
Offen.
John Bug. Christian Rauffman Jacob Beib.
Mount Splefent Philip Regler Shers Jacob Bucher
Diome Serfchifin.
Monnt Plefent John Groff Ober3. Jacob Bucher.
Bionde Szerfohnm
Jung Gem Grebiel. Jacob Gtc man. mount Plefent
John Zeman. Samuel Sibbel.
Diffen (Georg (Sibbel ) .
Abraham Mininig. Sem Schumacher. (S. Langenetter,
Jacob Render. John Beman. Samuel Sibbel. 2braham Broff. Offen. [@jeorg Gibbel.]
Abraham Mining Gem Schumacher. S. Langenetter.
Daniel Sibbel. Abraham Bibbel.
Biome Selfchilin. Şenrich Sert alt Gem Grabiel. Daniel Grabiel Mount Plefent
Undi gernner. Franc (Efchelman. Senrich Meyer
Offen.
John Bug Christian Senffman. Jacob Beib.
jung Gem Brebiel. Jacob Eternan. Mount Plefent.
Senrich Sibbel. John Sinfi
MEETING LIST BEFORE DIVISION OF LANCASTER AND LEBANON CIRCUITS AND BEFORE THE DAY OF MEETING HOUSES.
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CHIQUES CHURCH.
lived here until he died in 1895, aged 82 years. He was in second degree, and is buried in the Price grave-yard, near Indian Creek Meeting House.
In 1882 John Gerlach, and 1885 Henry S. Zug, received as deacons, by certificate ; and in 1889 H. S. Zug elected a minister and D. M. Hiestand a deacon.
1891. C. C. Madeira, a minister, first degree, received by certificate.
1893. Elder Wm. Hertzler presented his letter from Spring Creek, and in 1896 died, aged 68 years; and same year A. L. Eshelman died, aged 65 years.
1892. Three deacons were elected, viz .: D. R. Forney, Eli Brubaker and Isaac S. Gibble. In 1895 Daniel M. Eshelman was elected to the ministry, and in 1897 S. H. Hertzler was elected a minister. In March, 1899, S. B. Fahnestock was elected a deacon, and D. M. Eshleman advanced to second degree. In December, 1899, S. B. Fahnestock was elected as minister and S. H. Hertzler advanced to second degree.
In the spring of 1902 Chiques Church was divided into four districts, all of which organized soon after, viz .: Chiques, West Green Tree, Elizabethtown, and Fairview.
Chiques Church, at its organization in 1902, had as ministers, S. R. Zug as Elder, and H. S. Zug, second degree ; and as deacons, B. R. Zug, D. M. Hiestand and I. S. Gibble.
In September, 1902, P. C. Geib was elected a deacon. In 1903, I. S. Gibble was elected a minister (died 1906, aged 52), and S. S. Eshleman was elected deacon. In Novem- ber, 1905, John C. Zug was elected a minister. April, 1906, S. S. Eshleman was elected a minister, and H. B. Shearer and S. G. Wenger deacons.
On April 1, 1906, S. R. Zug and John C. Zug moved to Elizabethtown, but by consent of both churches continued their membership and ministerial labor in Chiques Church.
In 1905, H. S. Zug was ordained Elder. In May, 1909, Allen B. Ruhl was elected a minister and advanced to second degree August 24, 1912. In year of 1910 Elder S. R. Zug and John C. Zug moved their membership to Elizabethtown where they lived. In 1912, Henry Hess was elected a
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THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.
deacon. On November 29, 1913, Henry L. Hess was chosen minister and Monroe G. Hollinger, and Benjamin G. Stauffer, deacons.
In 1871 the first Sunday School was allowed and later was organized in Chiques Meeting House, it being the first among the Brethren in Lancaster County.
The officials of the church now are : H. S. Zug, Elder ; S. S. Eshleman, and A. B. Ruhl second degree ministers, and Henry L. Hess, first degree. Deacons are : B. R. Zug, P. C. Geib, H. B. Shearer, S. G. Wenger, Monroe G. Hollinger and Benj. G. Stauffer. The membership is 258.
The second Sunday School was organized in 1898, in a leased meeting house, near Mt. Hope. Both schools have been kept up since. The first Chiques Meeting House was built in 1856. It was not arranged for lovefeast, and needed much repairing, hence rebuilding.
In 1910 a new church house was built, suitable for hold- ing lovefeasts, known as Mount Hope Meeting House, into which the Sunday School was moved from the leased meet- ing house.
A Christian Workers' Meeting was organized in this con- gregation in February, 1907, with M. G. Gibble, president, and Minnie Ginder, secretary.
Bishops of Chiques Church : (I) David Gerlach, 1868- 1869; (2) Philip Ziegler, 1869-1874; (3) Jacob Rider, 1875-1883; (4) Christian Bucher (non-resident), 1883- 1885; (5) S. R. Zug, 1885-1910; (6) H. S. Zug, 1910.
MOUNTVILLE MEETING HOUSE.
1
EAST PETERSBURG MEETING HOUSE.
CHAPTER III.
MOUNTVILLE CHURCH.
The Mountville Church district was taken from the White Oak in 1882, and organized into a separate church with ministers, Elder John S. Newcomer and Henry E. Light. The deacons were B. G. Musser and Tobias Herr. The membership numbered about two hundred.
Since the organization of this congregation, the following ministers were elected : Tobias Herr in 1883, Amos Hotten- stein in 1885, Henry S. Sonon in 1890, Milton G. Forney in 1898, Isaiah N. Musser in 1902 and William N. Zobler in 1910. Advancements to the second degree of the min- istry occurred as follows: Tobias Herr in 1885, Amos Hottenstein in 1890, Henry S. Sonon in 1898, Milton G. Forney in 1902 and I. N. Musser in 1910. In 1900 Tobias Herr was ordained. His death occurred in 1901 in the seventy-fourth year of his age. Other ordinations to the eldership were made in 1909 when Amos S. Hottenstein and Henry S. Sonon were made elders.
Deacons were chosen by this congregation as follows: Henry Herr and John H. Herr, August 13, 1883; P. S. Hottenstein, November 27, 1890; B. Hershey, April 8, 1898; Henry Bender, May 28, 1902 ; Benjamin M. Brenne- man, December 26, 1905; Elam Weaver and Daniel S. Neff, November 16, 1910.
The present officials are : H. E. Light, Elder in charge; elders, A. S. Hottenstein and Henry S. Sonon; ministers, M. G. Forney, I. N. Musser, W. N. Zobler; deacons, B. G. Musser, John Herr, P. S. Hottenstein, H. Bender, D. S. Neff, Elam Weaver, J. A. Seldomridge. The membership at present numbers three hundred forty-five.
CHURCH HOUSES.
Petersburg House .- The Petersburg House is the oldest place of worship in a special meeting-house in the Mountville
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THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.
congregation. The old log meeting-house, or block house as it was called, is still remembered by many. It stood where the new brick house now stands. It was not built by the Brethren nor for the Brethren. Jacob Hershey, April 2, 1831, conveyed for one dollar "a certain lot of ground situated in the township of East Hempfield " with the pur- pose in view of "promoting the worship of Almighty God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ . . to and for the use, benefit and behoof of the society called Mennonists and the meeting-house thereon erected and being for their place and hour of public and divine worship and next after and at all such times when it will actually not be used for that purpose by the said society called Mennonists, that all and every Protestant minister or preacher of the Gospel may hold public meetings therein for divine worship without hindrance or molestation forever."
The father of Jacob Hershey, himself a Mennonite, was Benjamin, Jr., who inherited this land from his father, Benjamin, Sr., in 1790. They were doubtless Mennonites. The log architecture of the old house was prerevolutionary and the house itself was likely built before our independence. In fact tradition tells us that when it was built every settler brought a log towards its erection. Most of the logs were likely brought by Mennonites, but enough of other persuasions to give to the house the union character that was afterwards recognized in the deed given by Jacob Hershey. There can be no doubt that it stood for many years on private property deeded to nobody's trustees.
It was early used as a neighborhood schoolhouse. The fathers of many of the old residents now living attended school here. Among them was the father of Elder Amos Hottenstein, who must have gone to school here as early as 1825. Later, a part of this house was used as a residence. The Lutherans likely worshipped within the old log walls until 1847 when they built their present house of worship in Petersburg.
The Brethren had been worshipping in this neighborhood in private homes, among them that of Brother Jacob Steh- man. About 1840 he erected over his spring a house in-
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MOUNTVILLE CHURCH.
tended especially for worship but only when his turn came for meeting, perhaps every twelve or twenty-four weeks. This was a step in the direction of special houses of worship, which at the time were violently opposed. He lived some distance north of Petersburg and the said spring is one of the sources of the Conestoga Creek. Perhaps the Brethren began to worship in the block house when the Lutherans withdrew. We were certainly in it by 1850. The meet- ings in Stehman's spring-house ceased when the block house was secured for worship. Jacob Graybill's barn just west of Petersburg was a place long used for lovefeasts.
The Mennonites transferred their remaining claim in this old property to the Brethren, September 29, 1867, likely about the time they erected a new house for their own private use. The tract on which the old log house stood contained one hundred and twenty perches. The new brick schoolhouse was erected on this tract where the driveway now goes in, about 1860. It was erected by the permission of the Brethren and showed the friendly attitude of the Brethren towards public education. The Mennonite interest at this time was waning.
The present brick house, 45 X 60 feet, was erected by the Brethren in 1873 at a cost of $2,674.29. This was the first lovefeast house in the White Oak congregation, and was built amidst great opposition. The Graybills were very anxious to have their old family cemetery incorporated into the new cemetery of the congregation at this place. The liberality of Herman Graybill and his father in giving towards the erection of the new house secured the desired end. The survey for the Petersburg cemetery was made July 31, 1878. Including the Graybill cemetery this church burial place contained 77.7 perches, the ground costing the church $78.25. The tract of land below the church con- taining 641/2 perches was purchased by the Brethren in 1875 at a cost of $657.50. The brick schoolhouse was removed some years after the new meeting-house was built. Sunday School was organized in this house in 1898.
Neffsville House .- On September 28, 1869, Jacob Graver conveyed to Christian Brubaker, trustee for the West Con-
27
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THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.
estoga congregation, and to Henry B. Rohrer, trustee for the White Oak congregation, for $549.371/2 one acre and one hundred and thirty-three perches of ground in Neffsville. On this tract perhaps the next year the two congregations erected the present brick structure, in size 40 X 50 ft. The house was built on White Oak ground. April 9, 1901, the West Conestoga congregation for one dollar released her interest to the Mountville congregation. This is the oldest meeting-house now standing in the Mountville district, but in interest it is about the weakest. There are some indica- tions of reviving interest.
Mountville House .- Mountville is a town four miles east of Columbia. While this belonged to the White Oak Church, yet a substantial brick church house, covered with slate, 70 X 40 ft. with basement, was erected in 1881 at a cost of $3,500. The new house of worship was dedicated September 25 in the same year with services morning, after- noon and evening, in the presence of a large congregation. Elder James Quinter, of Huntingdon, Pa., preached in the English language in the morning and evening and Elder Wm. Hertzler of Spring Creek congregation preached in the German language in the afternoon.
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