History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1, Part 47

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904; Hungerford, Austin N., joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Richards
Number of Pages: 948

USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 47
USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 47

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Laubach, John HI. Oliver, Esq., Dr. E. G. Martin, and Aaron Troxell, Esq.

It was also officially announced that Rev. A. J. G. Dubbs, Rev. W. R. Hofford, and Aaron G. Renninger, Esq., were elected members of the board to represent East Pennsylvania Classis in her trust of the insti- tution.

The formal organization of the board was effeeted Feb. 21, 1868, by electing Hon. Joseph Laubach presi- dent, Rev. A. J. G. Dubbs vice-president, Dr. E. G. Martin secretary, and Mr. Aaron Troxell treasurer. The board of trustees now assumed the sole control and jurisdietion of the college by the adoption of the minutes of the executive committee, in whose charge the school had hitherto been since its organization. The number of trustees was originally nine, but by a subsequent act it was increased to eighteen. The fol- lowing gentlemen constitute the board at present : Hon. Joseph Laubach, president; Rev. A. J. G. Dubbs, vice-president ; E. G. Martin, M.D., seere- tary ; Aaron G. Renninger, Esq., treasurer ; Hon. R. E. Wright, Sr., Charles W. Cooper, Esq., Aaron Troxell, Esq., Rev. W. R. Hofford, W. R. Lawfer, Esq., Rev. I. K. Loos, J. W. Grubb, Esq., J. R. Schall, Esq., Rev. S. G. Wagner, D.D., G. H. Stem, Esq., W. H. Deshler, Esq., Rev. T. O. Stem, Samuel A. Butz, Esq., and Rev. D. F. Brendle. For many years have the members of the board shown their fidelity to the responsible trust committed to them by their lib- eral support, unflagging interest, enterprise, and zeal in every measure calenlated to inercase the efficiency and promote the welfare of the college. Its steady growth and the rank to which it attained among the institutions of our country for its higher education of woman, for the thoroughness of its organization, and diseipline and excellence of its training, have been a source of satisfaction to the board as well as to its many patrons and friends.

The Rev. Lucian Cort's connection with the college as its first president was of but short duration. The Rev. W. R. Hofford, A.M., was formally elected to the posi- tion of president July 27, 1868. On the 22d of June, 1869, the Rev. S. G. Wagner, D. D., was elected vice- president and professor of Mental and Moral Science, whose valuable services as an experienced and suc- cessful teacher and wise counselor were very generously rendered to the college for seven years. The labors of a large congregation and shattered health necessi- tated his withdrawal from the faculty, but in his ca- pacity as a member of the board he has continued as a warm friend and earnest worker for the furtherance of the interests of the college. During the years 1869 and 1870, J. S. Hess, A.M., who is at present ably representing Northampton County in the public coun- cils of the State Senate, delivered a course of inter- esting and instructive lectures on English literature. The Rev. N. S. Strassberger, A.M., carefully dis- charged the duties of the professorship of German Language and Literature for several years. Other

teachers of marked ability and suecess have held positions in the various departments from time to time, viz. : Miss M. Lizzie Garrett, Miss Ida C. Erd- man, Miss Maria Serfass, Miss Caroline E. Marvin, Miss Sue C. Lentz, Miss Sarah Hughes, Mrs. E. Appleton, Miss II. Jane Johnston, Miss Katie M. Rothrock, Miss Elda J. Lichtenwallner, Miss Annie Allen, Miss Katie Koch, Miss N. C. Detrick, Miss Clara S. MeCauley, Mrs. Lavinia Gardner, Miss Mary S. Mills, Miss Caroline E. D. Casper, Miss Katie L. Shriner, Professors C. F. Herman, W. S. Blackman, and F. X. Braulik.

The number of pupils enrolled on the college reg- ister from September, -1867, to June, 1883, is five hun- dred and seventy-four; the member of alumna is precisely one hundred.

The impaired health of President Hofford necessi- tated him to seek relief from the burden of responsi- bility and the arduous duties of the position which he had held for fifteen years, and in accordance with the advice of his physician he tendered his resigna- tion, and withdrew from the prosideney April 16, 1883. At the same time the Rev. W. E. Krebs, who had been previously elected by the trustees, entered upon his duties as president, and was formally in- augurated in St. John's Reformed Church of this city on the evening of the 21st of June, 1883.

The following comprise the faculty at present : Rev. W. E. Krebs, A.M., president, Mental and Moral Seience; Rev. W. R. Hofford, A.M., Latin Language and Literature; Miss Lottie E. Shafer, English Branches ; Miss M. Poole, Drawing, Paint- ing, and French ; Miss Katie S. Shriner, Music ; Miss Ada Krebs, Music; Miss Ida E. Hofford, English Branches; Edwin G. Martin, M.D., Attending Phy- sician. The trustees are at this writing engaged in erecting a large wing to the north side of the build- ing in order to be able to meet the growing wants of the college. The building committee consists of the following gentlemen : W. HI. Deshler, Esq., S. A. Butz, Esq., Rev. W. R. Hofford, John Schall, Esq., and J. W. Grubb, Esq.

Religious History-The Lutheran Churches in Allentown.' -- The history of the Lutheran Church in Allentown begins substantially with the history of the place itself. Fortunately, that which might easily have been lost by the lapse of time, as having taken place more than a century ago, has been faithfully preserved in various records, and was laborionsly gathered together and presented in excellent form upon the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Congregation by Rev. B. M. Schmucker, D.D., at one time pastor of this church. From his memorial discourse all the statements following have been taken up to 1855, and all credit for them are due to him.

In 1762, Allentown is said to have been laid out

I By Professor M. H. Richards.

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THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN.

by James Allen, its founder. In the same year the Lutherans and Reformed erected a building of logs to serve as a church, and probably also as a school- house. Thus, no sooner had they begun to lay the foundations of their own houses, than, though few in numbers, they also reared a place of worship to the God of their fathers. The continuance of the or- ganization thus formed constitutes St. Paul's Evan- gelical Lutheran Church of this day, and, whilst the common history of the other organizations grow- ing out of it, may be elaimed as its peculiar historical record. We will therefore follow it up as such.

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church (Eighth, between Hamilton and Walnut Streets). -The first Lutheran pastor was John Joseph Roth. Pastor Roth had been a Roman Catholic studiosns, and was from Siegen, in Germany. It is not known by what authority he came to aet as a Lutheran pastor. He was examined subsequently by the Lu- theran Ministerium, and upon approval of his doctrine received as a member of that body without any ques- tion as to the validity of his ministerial authority. Previous to his taking charge at Allentown he had made application for such membership, and was on probation as to his character and teachings at that time. The results of further experience and fuller knowledge of these being satisfactory, he was re- ceived into full membership Oet. 17, 1763, and the minute concerning this is the first specific mention of the Allentown Church in the Synodical records of the Lutheran Ministerium. Unfortunately, the services of Mr. Roth as pastor did not continne long, as he died and was buried May 13, 1764, at Upper Sancon Church.

From 1764, after the death of Pastor Roth, until the close of 1769 the four congregations of the charge to which Allentown belonged (Upper Milford, Sau- con, Allentown, and Indianfield) were vacant and dependent on occasional visits from neighboring elergymen.

Mr. Van Buskerk was especially eminent as a ente- ehist of the young. The services of the church were conducted in accordance with the forms preseribed by the Ministerium of Pennsylvania, adopted in 1748, and Van Buskerk's own manuscript copy of this Lit- urgy is in existenee, and at present in the hands of the Liturgical Committee of said Synod. It is sub- stantially the same as that now contained in the " Church Book" used by congregations of that body at the present time. Rev. Van Buskerk died in 1801, at his residence near the Upper Dublin Church, and is buried in the churchyard there.

After his death, owing to the paneity of ministers in the Lutheran Church compared to the incessant demands made by the flowing in of population from abroad, the congregation was unable for some years to obtain a regularly-settled pastor. It was united first with one circle of churches and then with an- other. It was served a short time by one pastor, and then again by another, or by visitations uncertain and infrequent from the neighboring pastors, already over- tasked.

In 1783, John Christian Leps is mentioned in the Synodieal minutes as pastor at Allentown. It is probable that he resided there also. Mr. Leps was a native of Denmark, and had resided in the Danish West India islands, He arrived in Philadelphia in 1773. He was a man of scholarly attainments, was associated with Dr. Kunze in educational movements, which failed, owing in part to the political disturb- ances of those Revolutionary times. Ile did not re- main long at Allentown, since mention is made of his being in Virginia before 1787.

In the list of ministers present at the Synod in 1793 is the name of Joseph Wichterman among the li- censed candidates, his residence being given as Allen township. He had charge of Allentown and the church in Hanover township, with one hundred and twenty-three communicant members. He left Allen- town at this meeting of Synod to go to Frederick, Md., whence he soon departed for West Camp, N. Y.

Toward the close of 1769 these congregations, with the addition of Macungie, obtained the services of In 1793, George Fred. Ellisen, a candidate from Germany, was examined and licensed, and received charge of Upper Milford, Upper Saucon, Salisbury, and Allentown. In 1797 his name no longer appears upon the roll, and his license was not renewed. In 1800, or about that time, John Conrad Jaeger beenme the pastor of the church at Allentown, and with his coming began onee more a period of regular pastoral care and long pastorates, which had been interrupted since the resignation of Van Buskerk in 1778. He was born near York, Pa. As a young man of decided talent and promise, he attracted the attention of Rev. Jacob Goering, who loaned him a Greek grammar and urged him to undertake sneh studies as would prepare him for the sacred office, Jaeger was already then a married man, and prosecuted his labors in his trade as a tobaeconist while pressing forward his studies. Rev. Jacob Van Buskerk, who continued for many years to labor among them. He was born at lack- ensack, N. J., seventeen miles from the city of New York. His father, Capt. Jacob Van Buskerk, was of Dutch descent, and his family of much prominence among the Lutherans of that vicinity. Jacob Van Buskerk was born about 1737. He studied first for four years with his pastor, Rev. John A. Weygandt, then at the College of New Jersey, at Princeton, and afterwards with Rev. Mr. Schuyler, the Dutch Re- formed pastor at Hackensack. He was ordained Oet. 12, 1763. After serving other charges he removed to Macungie in 1769, taking charge of the circle of churches in which Allentown was included. His pastorate of Allentown is believed to have extended from that date to 1778. It was during his pastorate that a second church of stone was erected in 1772. i Subsequently he removed to Philadelphia in order to

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

obtain educational advantages, and in 1792 was li- censed as " catechet" for the congregations at Green- wich, N. J., and Williams township, Northampton Co., Pa. In 1800 he purchased a farm in Allen (now ! Hanover) township, where he lived until his death, Nov. 8, 1832. He was a man of great activity of mind, and a very diligent student. Fo anxious was he to obtain an accurate knowledge of the Hebrew language that his house became the frequent stop- ping-place of several intelligent Jews, and the even- ings of their visits were devoted to the study of Hebrew. He prepared his son and another student for the ministry, and he wrote out an extended treatise on several principal branches of theological scienee for their use. He died Nov. 8, 1832, and was buried at Christ's Church, Hanover township, of which he had been pastor about thirty-eight years. About 1800, as has been stated, Mr. Jaeger became pastor at Allentown. The charge then i included Hanover (Christ's Church), Dry Lands, Frieden's in Saucon, and Allentown. In each of his four churches there was Lutheran preaching once in four weeks on Sunday morning, and while he was pastor there was never any service at night in Allen- town. The salary paid to Mr. Jaeger by the Allen- town church was one hundred dollars. He retained the charge of these four churches until 1831, but his son Joshua was licensed to preach in 1827, and as- sisted his father in his whole charge until 1831, when the father resigned at Allentown and Frieden's, of which the son then became pastor.

Rev. Joshua Jaeger, when elected pastor, settled in the town itself, which had received a fresh impulse of ; growth from the improvement of navigation upon the Lehigh, and needed more frequent services. He of- fered to preach every other Sunday, which proposal was accepted, and the salary was inereased to one hundred and fifty dollars. After his father's death, when he became pastor of the two other churches in the charge, these additional services were held in the evenings of Sunday. Weck-day services were added as the town grew, the pastoral labor increased, but the salary never rose above one hundred and seventy- five dollars.

In 1834 a Sunday-school was established by mem- bers of the Lutheran and Reformed Congregations. 1 In its establishment Mr. Jaeger took a very active part, going around from house to house, and urging his members to send their children. The school met ! in the Lutheran Church until the completion of the Reformed Church (Zion's), in the erection of which a room was provided for the school, when, in 1839, the school was removed to its new quarters. Its officers or most active laborers were from both congregations.

Joshua Jaeger remained the pastor of St. Paul's for twenty-one years. A whole generation grew up under his ministrations. He was respected and be- loved, a man confessedly upright, earnest, eloquent, and faithful. The causes of his resignation at the

expiration of that period were external, and lay in the growth of the town and the increased use of the English language. The former forced upon him the choice of resigning his country charges or his town congregation, because of the great need of an increased member of public services, The latter inclined him to abide by his country churches, because of his predi- lection for conducting the services in the German tongue, in which his training had been and in which he had gained pulpit ability. Having reached these convictions and conclusions therefore, he presented his resignation, April 11, 1852, in order that, follow- ing his advice, the town congregation might secure the services of a pastor trained to the use of English and German.

The result of Rev. Jaeger's resignation was not precisely in accordance with the programme mapped out, but exceeded it in efficiency. The advice of the Synod having been sought led to the selection of two pastors, one for the German portion of the congrega- tion, the other for the English. Out of this latter portion grew, as was intended from the first in the advice given, a separate English Church, whose for- tunes are to be narrated subsequently. Mr. Jaeger's residence still continued to be at Allentown, and his stalwart and lofty form is even yet seen upon its streets. Although far advanced in years he continues to serve his country charge with fidelity and accept- ableness, and has outlasted his earlier contemporaries in years even as he stood physically above them all in stature. There are few men, if any, so well known and so widely acquainted as Father Jaeger is after the pastoral work of more than half a century ; few will be so widely lamented at their departure, or so honorably spoken of.

The removal to Allentown, in 1852, of Rev. Jacob Vogelbach, to take charge of the congregations which nearly a century before had been connected with Al- lentown, enabled the Germau portion of the congre- gation to secure a pastor who for the present could preach every other Sunday morning, and even oftener at night, the other services being conducted by the pas- tor of the English portion. It was hoped, then, that when these latter members organized into a separate - congregation and built their own church, Mr. Vogel- bach would become pastor of St. Paul's alone. This I juncture was reached in 1854, when St. John's Eng- lish Lutheran Church was built, and at this time the German portion resolved also to replace the old stone edifiee by a modern structure of brick. The old building was vacated Easter, 1855, and the present edifice of Gothic architecture arose upon the site hal- lowed by such long and continuous worship of God. In February, 1857, Rev. Vogelbach resigned the pas- torate and accepted a call to St. James', Philadelphia. Ile was a man of great pulpit power, earnest and popular in tone and style. His services were largely attended, and his departure very much regretted. He died suddenly, in his sixty-eighth year, Nov. 20, 1880,

191

THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN.

being at that time pastor emeritus of St. James'. Jacob T. Vogelbaeli received his theological training in the Basel Missionary Institute, and came to this country in 1831. He served congregations in Mary- land, at Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, Pa., and in 1852

St. John's English Evangelical Lutheran Church (Fifth, between Hamilton and Walnut) .- We must take up the thread of our narrative where we broke came to Allentown; thence in 1857 to Philadelphia, , off' in 1852 with the statement that the English por- where he continued until May, 1879, as active pastor, ' tion of old St. Paul's were advised to select a pastor when on account of impaired health he laid aside the further discharge of his duties.

At the departure of Pastor Vogelbach a call was : rather than the harvest of the present, the problem extended to Rev. A. T. Geissenhainer, of Trenton, N. J., which was finally accepted. His pastorate . continued only up to August, 1858, when he resigned, and Rev. William G. Mennig succeeded him.

Rev. Mennig took charge February, 1859, and con- tinued in the pastorate until the spring of 1877. The gradual and peaceful growth, almost devoid of inci- dent, that had characterized the history of St. Paul's was broken during the last seven years of this minis- try by serious disturbances resulting in the rupture of the congregation.

A narrative of this sort does not assume the judicial office, and can only state the facts very briefly. Under Rev. Mennig gradually what were known as "New Measures" crept into the services and social religious observances of the congregation. These estranged a portion of the members as much as they were advo- cated by the rest. Finally the matter was brought to the notice of the Synod, which pronounced posi- tively as to the un-Lutheran character of these new or Methodistical measures. So far from being de- terred by this, the New Measure party, which had ob- tained possession of the organization of the church, opened negotiations with another Lutheran Synodical body, the East Pennsylvania Synod, and were received by it, without reference or objection to these usages and practices, in 1872. The other members attempted to obtain legal reeognition as the true St. Paul's Church and possession of the property, but, although indorsed by the Synod of Pennsylvania, failed in their efforts after litigation expensive to both sides, and of benefit to no one except the legal fraternity. Matters had hardly been settled when Pastor Mennig resigned. Hle also continues to be a resident of Allentown, and or- casionally even yet preaches, although feeble and aged.

On the Ist of October, 1877, another change took place in old St. Paul's which would also have shoeked or surprised some of its ancient worshipers : it was voted to make use of the English language in the Sunday evening services, which has since been con- tinuously done.

day-school numbers over seven hundred, officers and scholars.

for themselves and look forward to a separate estab- lishment. Few in numbers, the promise of the future of how to support such a pastor and to build such a church was no slight one. Extreme liberality would be necessary, extreme activity on the part of the mem- bership, and no slight self-denial on the part of the new pastor. Providentially these different conditions of the problem were provided for. In October, 1852, Rev. B. M. Schmucker, who had accepted a call at a salary of four hundred dollars, entered upon his duties. In his own language, speaking of the German services of Pastor Vogelbach and his own in English, " The contrast was very great between the audiences. The English andiences were very small. No English had been ever before preached in the church, except at a meeting of Synod, or on some such extraordinary occasion, nor were there any English services then in the Reformed Church. The few English inhabitants not of German descent had gathered into a Presby- terian and a Methodist congregation, each of which had a settled pastor. Slowly indeed but steadily the little band increased. A elass of catechumens was formed at once, and at Easter, 1853, fifteen were con- firmed. Early in 1854 it was determined to take measures for the erection of a church. A meeting of those who took an interest in the matter was held in St. Paul's Church, Dr. Charles H. Martin being presi- dent, and Augustus L. Ruhe secretary. A building committee was appointed, and subscriptions were soon begun. The pastor devoted most of his time to the work of securing funds, and ultimately nearly nine thousand dollars was secured, including the lot on which the church and parsonage now stand." The location being selected, the contracts were made, the foundation built, and the corner-stone was laid June 25, 1854. The Lutheran clergymen present were Revs. L. W. Heydenreich, C. F. Welden, J. T. Vogel- bach, and the pastor, B. M. Schmucker. The articles placed in the corner-stone were a statement read at the time containing names of national and State officers, church council, building committee and builders, list of subscribers, order of services, cate- chism and Augsburg Confession, church and town papers.

Dec. 1, 1877, the present pastor, Rev. Charles E. Hay, took charge. Since his coming peace and steady, The new church was consecrated May 6, 1855. In the morning the attending ministers and the building committee went in procession from the pastor's resi- dence to the church, bearing the Bible, service-books, and the communion vessels. An especial antiphonal order of consecration had been prepared for the occa- quiet growth have been the characteristics of its church life. The debts have all been paid, various church activities organized and fostered for old and young, extravagances repressed, and a healthy old age insured for this venerable congregation. The present membership is nearly six hundred ; its Sun- ! sion, which included the separate consecration of the

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

altar, pulpit, books, and vessels. The sermon was de- livered by Rev. C. F. Schaeffer. In the afternoon Rev. J. T. Vogelbach preached ; in the evening Rev. J. Dubbs, of the Reformed Church. The services were continued on Monday and Tuesday, and on the next two days the Distriet Conference met in the new church.

July 16, 1855, the new congregation was formally organized. The name and style of St. John's Evan- gelical Lutheran Church was adopted. The congre- gation resolved to unite with the Lutheran Minis- terium of Pennsylvania, and adopted the constitution then prescribed by it. The following officers were elected : Deacons, Benjamin M. Krause, William H. Balliet, Tilghman J. Kleppinger, John J. Jarrett ; Elders, William Saeger, Ephraim Grim, Christian Pretz, and Charles Keck. Fifteen male members were present and took part in these proceedings. The church was incorporated in February, 1856, and in April a corporate seal was adopted.

In February, 1856, the purchase of an organ was agitated, and soon afterwards a contract was made with Henry Knauff, of Philadelphia, to build an organ of sixteen stops for the sum of twelve hundred dollars. Mr. C. F. Herrman beeame organist, and has con- tinned until now to give eminent distinction to the music of St. John's by his superior attainments and thorough appreciation of the spirit of our Lutheran Church service.

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History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1, Part 47

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904; Hungerford, Austin N., joint author Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Richards Number of Pages: 948

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904; Hungerford, Austin N., joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Richards
Number of Pages: 948