USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical > Part 104
USA > Pennsylvania > Lebanon County > History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical > Part 104
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MEMORIAL UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH .- This beautiful church, one and a half miles south of Hum- melstown, was erected by Edward Stover as a memorial to his only son and child, and was dedicated on Aug. 4, . homes on the frontier, "over Conoy" and along the
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414
HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY.
Susquehanna, much to the distraction of mind of those who managed Jand affairs for the Penn family. Every obstruction was thrown in their way to pre- vent permanent location. However, they were not to be deterred by the frowns of the governing powers at Philadelphia, but took what Jand they needed ; as they felt settled. sought religious consolation from ministers of the Presbyterian faith, erected a church, and complied with the Provincial laws, in an uneasy, antagonistic fashion, "on the barrens of Derry." No one ean speak with entire certainty of its exaet lo- eation. A publie road now occupies a part of the first graveyard need by the early settlers, on a farm owned by Mr. Samuel Wingert. on a commanding elevation, and by tradition, it is the place where the first service was held and the original church built. The confused relies of a building supposed to have
when it was thoroughly repaired at a cost of five hun- dred dollars. It stood without further repair until May, 1883, when it came to be so much decayed that it was thought dangerous. It was taken down and a new one of stone is at present in course of construction of nearly the same dimensions. The early records of the congregation seem to be lost ; most likely have been carried " West" in the luggage of the very great migrations that have so frequently almost depop- ulated this early settlement. We know. however. the following interesting particulars: The Rev. Adam Boyd " preached to the westward of Octorara and Donegal, over Conoy." in 1723. The Rev. James An- derson preached in Donegal in 1724, and became pas- tor there in 1726, giving one-fifth of his time "over Conewago." the present Derry. The Rev. William Bertram was called in 1732 " to Derry." upon the so-
INTERIOR VIEW OF OLD DERRY CHURCH.
been the church were there sixty years ago. There- fore it is just possible that a small church was there. until one was erected on the present site, in 1732, the year the land-office was opened. One thing i- known, that the remain- of Patrick Campbell, who died in 1735, were removed from the abandoned burial-place at Wingert's to the present cemetery, and is the old- est date found there. Be all this as it may, it is eer- tain that a congregation was formally gathered in 1730, and soon afterwards worshiped at the present Derry, now an historically prominent feature in early frontier occupation, and their descendants have held divine service there ever since.
licitation of Rowland Chambers, William Wilson, John Sloan, John Wilson, Hugh Black, Robert Campbell, James Quigley, William McCord. The congregation paid him sixty pounds a year in hemp, linen, corn, yarn, and cloth, and gave him the use of a farm. Mr. Bertram served Derry until his death, which occurred on the 2d of May, 1746.
In 1742 the exact record is missing; Rev. John Elder, then in charge of the Paxtang congregation. after some debate about salary and "the time" to be " given to Derry, was installed pastor. The congrega- tion was then a large one, perhaps the largest in the Presbytery, but was not increasing. Soon after the peace of 1763 it began to diminish ; the tendency to to Wee was not to be resisted among these sons of the frontier, and its effect upon the church was espe- cially disastrous. Mr. Elder was a most efficient
So rapidly did the settlement increase that the first house was in a few year- found to be too small. It underwent some enlargement, when in 1769 A new church of logs, thirty-right by thirty-nine feet, was erected. It was used by the congregation up to 1831, , shepherd of his extensive charge-, and held this pas-
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415
DERRY TOWNSHIP.
torate with the presidency of the board of trustees from 1742 to April, 1791, when he was succeeded in the latter by Col. Robert Clark. Mr. Elder died JJuly, 1792.
Rev. Nathaniel R. Snowden was called March, 1793. He was pastor of Derry, Paxtang, and Harris- burg. In 1795 he resigned. Mr. Snowden died in 1850.
Rev. Joshua Williams was called August, 1793. with a salary of one hundred and eighty pound- in cash. In June, 1802, Mr. Williams resigned.
Up to this time it was the custom to eleet the pastor president of the corporation consisting of thirteen trustees. After Mr. Williams' pastorate this ceased and laymen were chosen.
An inscription in the graveyard has the following : " In memory of James Adair, preacher of the Go-ffel. who departed this life September 20, 1803, aged 32 years." Mr. Adair came to Derry as a "supply" during the vacancy in the pastorate, preaching occa- sionally from Sept. 20. 1802, until April 7, 1803, when this appear- on the books of the congregation : " Paid Reverend James Snodgrass for moderating a call for Mr. Adair, $1.10." He does not appear to have ae- eepted this call. He, however, preached seven sun- days as a supply, when this appears: " By cash paid to Mr. Snodgrass for a funeral sermon at Mr. James Adair's Burial, $1.10.0."
June, 1:05, the congregation came together to call a pastor ; fifteen voted for Rev. James Snodgrass, and twenty-sis for others. No choice was made. In Sep- tember another meeting was held. Rev. John Hutch- inson was called,-twenty-one for, nineteen against. Mr. Hutchinson declined the call. September, 1506. all the members of the congregation united in a call to Rev. James R. Sharon, who had previously been settled at Paxtang. He continnel pastor of both con- gregation, to the time of his death, in 1843. May 31. 1843, the following is recorded : " By cash paid )Ir -. Sharon, a donation from Derry congregation for the purpose of erecting a tomb-tone over the remains of the Rev. J. R. Sharon, our late pastor, $100." Then. April 2, 1844, this entry : " By cash paid Mr -. Sha- ron, being a donation granted by the congregation to Mrs. Sharon, which will appear by reference to the minutes as entered April 24, 1843, 8100."
Rev. J. M. Boggs was called March 9, 1844, until April 1, 1847, when a church dispute between Derry and her daughter "over Swatara, on lands of Dr. William Simonton," caused so much feeling that Mr. Boggs was refused compensation, and Presbytery dis- solved his relation to Derry June 12, 1849.
Rev. Andrew D. Mitchell was chosen pastor by a unanimous vote Aug. 11, 1849, the congregation agreeing to pay him two hundred dollars a year for one-fourth of his time. He served as pastor until Aug. 19, 1874, the date of his last receipt for salary. The minutes are missing from 1857 to 1883. Mr. Mitchell died in 1882, at Middletown, Dauphin Co.
Thu- this congregation has had in one hundred and fifty-four years the following pastor- : Mr. Ber- tram, four years; Mr. Eller, fifty years; Mr. Snow- don, two years; Mr. Williams, four years ; Mr. Sha- ron, thirty-seven years; Mr. Boggs, five years: Mr. Mitchell, twenty-five years; vacancies, seventeen years.
Under the charter of March 28, 1787, an organi- zation took place, with Rev. John Elder as presi- dent ; Robert McC'allen, treasurer ; Thomas Laird, Jr., secretary ; John Rodger-, William Laird, and Robert Clark, trustees. There is no earlier record than this, except a note "that William Laird, James Wilson, Jr., and Thomas MeCallen were appointed to settle accounts with former trustees, John Rodger -. Robert Clark, and James Wilson, Sr .. " who appears to have been the security for the treasurer of the previous organization.
In 1842 the graveyard was carefully and substan- tially inelosed, memorials of sorrow or affection to departed friends " set up and cleaned," iron gates provided, and every mark of respect paid to the re- mains of the fathers and mothers of a noted race. The wall and yard are to-day in excellent order. The cost to the congregation wa- six hundred and seventy- eight dollars, a very liberal expenditure for a congre- gation whose income was not five hundred dollars a vear.
Ang. 1, 1845, it was agreed that a chapel " for the member- beyond the Swatara Creek" should be erected on " land of Dr. William Simonton, on the line of Dr. Simonton and John Berst. facing the road from Swatara to Corbett's Mill," to be weatherboarded and pla-tered. "Capt. John B. Moorhead and Dr. Wil- liam Simonton are to superintend, and Mr. Boggs is to give one-sixth of his time" after the building is ready. The chapel was soon finished, and cost four hundred and twenty-five dollar- and twenty-nine cents. It was sold about 1860 for three hundred and ten dollars. As has been stated, this "daughter of Derry" was the cause of many disputes before the necessity of the mother church required it to be disposed of. It was not until about 1800 that the exact dimensions of the Penn gitt of 1741 were determined. Since that time the glebe lias dwindled to less than a dozen of acres.
HUMMELSTOWN BOROUGH.
Ix the year 1738 there was warranted to Valentine Gloninger one hundred and fifty acres of land on the Swatara. In 1761 this right was purchased by John Campbell, one of the earliest settler- in that region, who the year following sold to Frederick Hummel. The same year the latter laid out the tract into town lots, naming the place Fredericktown. The lots sold freely, and one of the earliest purchasers was Anthony Doebler, of Lebanon, who bought a lot on Market Street in January, 1763, within a month after the lots were for sale. That lot is described as being along " another Jot taken up by Adam Hurshey." Doebler agreed to pay a yearly rent for the fee of ten shillings sterling (about two dollars and a half of our present money), "one shilling sterling of which sum was to be paid yearly forever for the use of a German Lu- theran Church intended to be erected." the purchaser further binding himself to erect a substantial house eighteen by twenty feet "at least" on the premises. No time for the fulfillment of this condition is fixed. It may be here stated that it was not until after the founder's death that the name of the town was changed from Fredericktown to that which it now bears. From the assessment-list of Fredericktown, in 1771. and that of Hummelstown. in 1779. it will be seen that in the eight years supervening there was no increase in the number of inhabitants. Whether this was due to the war which was then going on, and which will account for the absence of either "free- men" or "single men." we cannot say. The absence of the name Hummel in the last list is in striking contrast with recent returns. The Hummels then re- sided on the adjoining farm to the town, and are in- cluded in the other portion of Derry tax-lists. In 1779 it is well known that there were a large number of gunsmiths at Hummelstown making arms for the Continental army. They perchance are also included in the Derry assessment proper.
FREDERICKTOWN, DERRY TOWNSHIP, 1771.
Peter Sbat. Jacob leigart. Widow Wetherhold. Sebastian C'reas. Fred. Hummel. Widow Eurick. Jacob Hammer. Adam Pium. Bernar . Fridley.
Jacob Myer. Henikle Shwooutz. Peter Hliney. Christopher Bogner.
Melchor Reigert.
Jobn Philips. Henry Wieser. Andrew Hearauf.
Freemen.
Hani k! Evart. William Grab.
Themas Flack. Jacob Fridley.
HUMMELSTOWN, DERRY TOWNSHIP, 1779.
Elizabeth Cloony. George Lauer.
Jacob Deery. Jacob Ricard.
James Dainy. Martin Rise.
Ludwik Emerick.
Peter Spade.
David Eatly. Nicholas Smith.
John F'ergison. Adam Baum.
Martin Fridley.
Widow Wetherhold. -
Peter Fridley.
Andrew Gambel.
Juseph Ferree.
Michael Spade.
Widow Haupt.
----- Hall.
The oldest house in town is that owned by Chris- tinn Garver, on Swatara Creek. It is a log structure, weatherboarded, and originally stood on the square, and in it lived Frederick Hummel, son of the founder of the town. Before the latter's death he built another house on the same >ite. The white stone house on the square (partly of logs) was erected before Harris- burg was laid out. James Clunie lived in it and kept ! store, the first in the place. MIr. Clunie sold the building to John Barnard, he to Abraham Landis, and he to Frederick Hummel. Rahm & Baum kept store, in 1790, on Main Street in the house now owned by James Hays. Among the early physicians was Dr. Duncan King, who died in 1826. Frederick Hummel kept hotel on the northwest corner of the square, and Michael Rahm kept another at same time where Richard Hummel now lives, both about 1792. Afterwards John Fox had an inn (within the town limits) on the Harrisburg, Ephrata, and Downing- town road. The first schoolmaster of whom any recollection is preserved was David Eckstein, who was teaching here as early as 1792 in the Lutheran Church. He had served in the Revolutionary war as one of Washington's life-guards. Peter Fishburn . was the first cooper in the village. In 1814, Philip Leebrick, Jacob Earnest, George Gish, and Thomas Fox kept stores here. Drs. William Henderson and Nice were physicians. Michael Spade, George Fox, Jacob Greenawalt, and Mr. Hill had taverns. Alli- son Piney taught school, his successors being John Phillips and David Eckstein (the latter having taught more or less since 1790). Thomas Ramsey and Daniel Seiler were blacksmith», and Samuel Spidle and John Shadel had cabinet-shops. For a long time the town was a favorite militia training point for the okl-time battalions.
On Thursday morning. Nov. 20, 1500, two shocks of earthquake were sensibly felt by the inhabitants of Hummelstown and vicinity. The first took place about fifteen minutes before five o'clock, and lasted about
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HUMMELSTOWN BOROUGH.
forty seconds. In some houses the effects were more visible than in others. The knockers on some of the doors rapped as though they were moved by hands, and in the dwelling of Philip Leebrick a set of china was shaken from a table and broken to pieces. The fright caused many of the people to rise from their bed -. The second shock took place five minutes after five o'clock, and lasted about half a minute. . It was
ot as severe as the former, but was sensibly felt in every house. In both instances a rumbling noise ac- companied the trembling of the earth. Such was the fear of the people that a large number of them im- mediately repaired to the meeting-house, where prayers were offered for the preservation of the in- habitants.
The history, growth, and prosperity of the town is so intimately connected not only with that of the connty but with it> local institutions that reference to them will be found of value and interest. Hum- melstown was incorporated as a borough Aug. 26, 1874, since which period the following have been the , burg, Columbia Co. He was followed by Rev. Samuel chief municipal officers :
BURGESSES.
1874-76. John Z. Grove. 1876-78. C. A. Nissley.
1879-80. George F. Greenawalt. 1880-51. Dr. J. B. Crist.
1878-79. W. R. Hendricks.
1881. Dr. H. B. Rupp.
TOWN CLERKS.
1874-81. Franklin Smith.
1881. John J. Bolton.
ZION'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH .- This congregation was organized in 1765, and the first church edifice, a log structare, was completed May 16, 1766. The church receipts for building the meet- ing-house and all other purposes from 1765 to 1768 were £140 1Ss. 6d., and the expenditures $127 28. 4d. The original building stood some twenty or thirty feet from the present edifice, and was destroyed by fire in December, 1817. David Eekstein was the parochial schoolmaster from 1792 to 1805, and kept school in the old log church. The present stone church was erected in 1815 and 1816 and remodeled in 1855, making it now one of the most attractive church edifices in the county. All that can be learned from the few fragments left of its early history is that Maj. Frederick Hummel was the chief member of the building committee, and that Rev. Michael Enterline served the church as pastor until 1780, and during his administration baptized seventy-one children, confirmned eighteen catechumens, and administered the communion to one hundred and forty-eight per- sons. The pastors have been : 1771-81. Michael En- terline; 1781-95, William Kurtz; April 15, 1804, to April 5, 1807, John Frederick Ernst; April 5, 1807. to June 23, 1311, John Paul Ferdinand Kramer; June 23. 1811, to June, 1>19, John Henry Vanbof: June, JSI9, to Oct. 6, 1-22, Charke's Rudolph Denime; Oct. 6, 1822, to Dec. 5. 1:50, Peter Scheurer ; Dec. 5, 1580. to Oct. 27, 1554, Henry G. Stecher; Oct. 27, 1854. to Nov. 1, 1850, George Haines; Nov. 1, 1856.
to Feb. 1, 1857, John F. Probst ; 1857-61. A. S. Link; 1861-67, Eli Huber; 1867-73, P. Rizer; July 1, 1373, to 1877. P. S. Mack; July 1, 1877, J. II. Leeser, the present incumbent.
From 1793 to 1804 the congregation had no minister.
REFORMED CHURCH .- As heretofore stated, when the town was laid out in 1762 by Frederick Hummel, he set apart a lot to the Reformed congregation, ou which its church is now erected. The first church edifice was a log structure, built by the Lutheran and Reformed congregations jointly, and which was burned in December, 1817. Before 1808 there are no records to show who the pastors or church officials were. Rev. Philip Gloninger, of HarrisBurg, served the congregation from 1608 to 1824. Under his pas- toral eare the elders were Peter Heffelfinger, Sr., and Henry Seig ; Deacons, Jacob Duey, Sr., and Samuel Brightbill. His successor was Rev. Joseph La Ross, who married here Mi -- Elizabeth Earnest, and after several years' faithful ministry removed to Blooms- Seibert, who continued some year-, and re-igned in favor of Rev. Daniel Bo-sler, who preached for some seventeen years every four weeks in German. He was succeeded in 1:53 hy Rev. D. G. Heisler, who continued until 1856. The religion- - ervices up to 1853 were conducted in the German language only, but after that. under Rev. Mr. Heisler, were alter- nately in English and German. Up to 1855 the congregation worshiped in the Lutheran Church, first in the log edifice burned in 1817, and afterwards in the stone building ereeted in 1815-16. In 1855, the Lutherans having decided to remodel their church edifice, the Reformed congregation was compelled to vacate, and removed temporarily to what wa- then known as the Middle school-house. On the 8th of January, 1855, it resolved to erect a church edifice, the corner-stone of which was laid in the following May by Rev. Mr. Leinbach, Rev. Messrs. Gans, Kremer, and Hoster participating in the ceremonies. The dedication occurred Dec. 23. 24, 25, 1855. the officiating ministers being Revs. H. Harbaugh. J. W. Nevin, Daniel Bossler, and others. The original cost of the church was five thousand two hundred and twenty-one dollars. Rev. D. G. Ileisler con- tinned until 1357. The next pastor, Rev. M. A. Smith, came in December, 1857, and continued until 1866. At this time the charge consisted of congre- gations known as Shoop's, Wenrich's, Union Deposit. and Hummelstown, with preaching here every two weeks.
The next pastor, Rev. Samuel Kuhn, came in the spring of 1847, and continued until 1-77, when he resigned. No pastor for some time, preaching being supplied by the students of Franklin College. During this year the church was made a separate charge, and in May, 1877, Rev. A. R. Bartholomew was in-talled pastor, who remained until the fall of 1875, when he accepted a call to the Jonestown
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HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY.
Church, in Lebanon County. The congregation was then supplied with preaching every two weeks hy Rev. J. H. Pennypacker, of Elizabethtown charge. until Aug. 1, 1879. In 1832, Rev. A. S. Stauffer took charge.
UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH .- This denomination began to have preaching at Hummelstown as early as 1840, the services being held at the residences of dif- ferent members. In Is42 a congregation was formed, Conrad Smith (now deceased) being one of the first and leading members. In 1843 a stone church edifice Was erected on the site of the present one, which was built in 1857, the first not being large enough to ae- commodate the increased membership. Since 1565 the pastors have been : 1865, Rev. Miller (who died ) ; 1865-67, J. M. Kephart; 1567-69, D. O. Farrell; 1869, Israel Carpenter : 1869-71, Rev. Stehrwalt; 1871-73, John F. Smith : 1873-74, Jacob F. Smith ; 1874-77, C. C. Meily ; 1977-79, G. A. Loose ; 1879-S1. E. Light; 1881-82, Thomas Garland.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- Hummelstown Station was formed out of Dauphin Circuit in 1857. Since then the pastors have been : 1857, William B. Gregg; 1858, C. L. Stineman : 1859, Gideon J. Barr; 1860, John C. Gregg; IS61-63, Jacob Slichter; 1863, J. O. Sypherd; 1864-66, M. Barnhill; IS66-69. F. M. Brady ; 1869-72, L. Hubbs; 1872, E. Potts : 1873-76, J. M. Gable; 1876-79, Richard Kaines; 1879, J. T. Gray ; 1880-82, Jonathan Dungan.
In 1852 the congregation was organized as the Dauphin and Hummelstown Mission. The church editice was built in 1852 and 1853, and is a neat one- story frame structure.
CHURCH OF GOD .BETHEL .- This congregation was organized in 1874, and for nearly two years ser- vices were held at the Engine Hall. The church edifice, a brick structure, was ereeted in 1976 on South Railroad Street. The pastors have been : 1875-77, S. P. Stoneseifer : 1877-79. James MeDonald; 1879- 81, A. Snyder; 1881-82. F. L. Nicodemus. Mr. Nico- demus lives at Palmyra, and preaches there and at Hummelstown.
The first school-house of the town and vicinity was built on Hanover Street about 1764. The ground was donated by Frederick Hummel, the founder of the town, for school purposes. A one-story house was erected, and a -chool supported voluntarily by the citizens. The district composed an area of fifty square miles. The furniture consisted of desks, con- structed of rough oak or pine boards, fastened to the walls around the room. Benches were made of rough logs hewn on the one side, and supported by blocks. The building was in use until 1790. It was then soll and converted into a dwelling-hoo-e. In the same year the Lutheran Church was selected for school purposes (the school being then taught by Allison Piney), and was occupied as such until it was de- stroyed by fire in 1519. A small house in which
articles belonging to the church were kept was then used, and subsequently the school was moved from one private house to another until 1820, when a brick house on Front Street was built in a more modern style. At this period the schools were managed by a board of trustees appointed by the commissioners, and this plan was continued until the free schools were established in 1827.
The Hummelstown Weekly Press was the first news- paper established in the town, and its first number was issued July 14, 1870. It was a four-page sheet of twenty-four column-, and was published at one dollar per year. Its publisher. Mr. Kersey, was also a sur- veyor and engineer. Its publication was continued until March 30, 1871, when it was discontinued for want of support.
The Hummelstown Sun, a weekly paper, was estah- lished and its first number issued Dee. 1, 1871, by W. R. Hendricks and J. W. Stofer, the latter of the Middletown Journal. Mr. Stofer having the Journal to edit and publish, retired from the Sun, and Mr. Hendricks became its editor and publi-her until April 1, 1875, when he purchased Mr. Stofer's inter- est, and has continued from that to the present time it- sole editor, publisher, and proprietor. Its size was originally four pages and twenty-four columns, changed during the past year to twenty-eight col- umns.
THE HUMMELSTOWN BANK, a private institution, owned by individuals, was organized in 1368. George T. Hummel was president until 1875, when he was succeeded by the present incumbent, Abner Ruther- ford. John J. Nissley has been the cashier from its formation. The first board of directors was composed of George T. Hummel, Jacob Eherly, John M. Shenk, Abner Rutherford, John H. Balsbaugh, Joseph Farn -- ler. Dr. Jacob Shope, Christian Landi-, Martin Early. The directors in 1882 were Abner Rutherford, Dr. Jacob Shope. John M. Shenk, John Balsbaugh. Joseph Her-hey, Judge Image Mumma, John H. Balsbaugh. Joseph Lonch. The teller was Levi H. Ni-sley.
CITIZENS' FIRE COMPANY, NO. I .- The Hummels- town Fire Company was organized Jan. 12, 1819, and remained as such until 1882. when the name was changed to Citizen,' Fire Company, No. 1. In Jan- uary, 1819. the company bought an old engine built in Philadelphia about forty years prior, and which it nses to this date.
MIOBE FIRE COMPANY, NO. 2, was organized as early as 1837, but there are no records, save a bill found showing it to have been in existence that year. Its second engine was brought here in 1350. It was reorganized first in 1865 and again in 1872, when John M. Hummel was elected president. It was in- corporated July 19, 1879.
VIGILANT FIRE COMPANY, No. 3. was organized as a stock company in the fall of 1881. It bought an engine of Rumsey & Co., of Seneca Falls, N. Y.
LONDONDERRY TOWNSHIP.
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