Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 59

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 930

USA > Pennsylvania > Indiana County > Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I > Part 59

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The deacons are: Messrs. I. I. Gardner, John Huff, Walter Fee. The trustees are: Messrs. T. J. Fee. I. I. Gardner, John Huff, Joe Rowley, H. H. Pennington. Miss Doll Barkey is the church clerk. The superintend-

The membership of the church is sixty-eight.

BLAIRSVILLE CHURCHI

The church ocenpied by this congregation was purchased from the Methodist Evangeli- cal congregation in September, 1896, It is a large brick building, 35 by 90 feet, and when new cost about $15.000.

The following ministers have served the congregation : Revs. C. W. Teasdale, Daniel Swigart, M. L. Rowland, A. B. Runyan, C. W. Teasdale, A. B. Runyan, R. R. Reidel, J. T. Davis, C. W. Sheriff, J. T. Davis, A. M. Whiteley and R. B. Dunmire, the present minister.

Mr. L. C. Smith is the clerk ; George Klein, treasurer; George Jennings, financial secre- tary. The trustees are: Charles Stair, A. Howe, Frank Cover, Harold Bennett, H. F. Bowser, D. R. McKee, George Klein. The deacons are: A. T. Weimer, G. W. De Lan- cey, Charles Stair, J. G. McCreery, Harold Bennett, L. C. Smith. Mr. L. C. Smith is the superintendent of the Sabbath school, which has an enrollment of eighty-five and is kept open the entire year.

Rev. James Patterson, who was reared in this congregation, is at present a pastor near Philadelphia, Pa., and 1I. S. Coulter, of this congregation, is a student in Bucknell Col- lege.

This church was richly blessed through the union meetings held in Blairsville in the spring of 1912, when twenty-eight persons united with the church. The present enroll- ment is 158.

EAST MAHONING CHURCH

In the summer of 1850 Rev. Samuel Fur- man, then pastor of the Twolick and Pine Flats Churches, visited by request the neigh- borhood of the Buterbaughs and preached a sermon in the old log schoolhouse near John O'Hara's. The service resulted in the awak- ening of O'Hara and wife and John Spicher and wife. At the next meeting these four con- verts were baptized. In the autumn of 1851 Mr. Furman, assisted by Rev. Thomas Wil- son, held a protracted meeting in the neigh- borhood with good results. Ten persons pro- fessed conversion and were baptized. During this meeting the East Mahoning Church was organized. Its constituents were David Bu- terbaugh and Frederick Buterhaugh, with their wives, dismissed from the Twolick Church ; J. O'Hara and wife and J. Spicher

296

HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

and wife, and Margaret Langham, dismissed thirteen in number, were dismissed for the from the Shiloh Church; James Davis and purpose from the Twolick Baptist Church. wife, dismissed from the Livermore Church; On the Sabbath, the day following the organ- together with the ten baptized, twenty-one in ization, two persons were baptized into its all.

From this time forward Mr. Furman preached statedly for the new church every fourth week, occupying for two years the log schoolhouse. In 1853 the church built a plain and commodious frame meeting-house, bur- dened now with no debt, in which worship is still held. This church was built at a cost of $3,000.

For ten successive years the church held a yearly meeting of some days' continuance which was greatly blessed, the least number of hopeful conversions at any one meeting being ten, and the greatest twenty-one.

In 1863 Mr. Furman resigned his pastorate, having served the church faithfully for the space of ten years. He was succeeded by Rev. Franklin Hollen, who served the church for but one year, at which time the former pastor was recalled and ministered to the church for six years more, from April, 1864, to March, 1870. Then he again resigned and, with his family, removed to Tennessee. In the sum- mer of 1870 Rev. J. E. Dean served the church for three months, and in the fall of that year Rev. T. C. Gepford was called to the pastor- ate, filling the office until July, 1874, when he was dismissed. A third call was now extended to Rev. Mr. Furman, the old pastor. This he accepted, and in the spring of 1875 moved from Tennessee to the parsonage of the East Mahoning Church, remaining until 1881. The pastors since that time have been Revs. D. W. Griffith, A. B. Runyan, C. F. McMann, M. L. Rowland, W. P. Hile, C. F. Cornman, E. E. Hall, C. W. M. Turner and Thomas Lambert, the present minister.

The trustees are: S. F. Baker, William Rankin, John Farnsworth, J. M. Nupp, H. H. Houk, W. II. Buterbaugh; church clerk, Mrs. Charles Keating; treasurer, Mrs. Mayme Buterbaugh.

Mr. J. M. Nupp is superintendent of the Sabbath school, which has an enrollment of 171, and is kept open the entire year.

The congregation has an enrollment of 123 members.

MAHONING CHURCH

This church was organized under the super- vision of Revs. G. I. Miles and William Shad- rach, at the house of Enoch Hastings on Glade run, April 18, 1830. Its constituents,

fellowship, so that there were fifteen mem- bers at its first celebration of the Lord's Supper.

At this time the church had no pastor, the ministers above named being but casual visit- ors, botlı engaged in voluntary missionary tours over territory extending from Center county, on the east, to Washington county, on the west. The first regular ministrations rendered the church were by Rev. Thomas E. Thomas, pastor of Zion Baptist Church in Clarion county. He was followed by J. P. Rockefeller, T. Wilson, Ed. McCromber, S. Furman, A. Neff, M. S. Bowser, A. B. Run- yan, J. W. Shoemaker, D. W. C. Henry.

The present church was built in 1882 at a cost of $2,000. The pastors in the new church have been Revs. W. D. Griffith, J. D. Gallagher, I. W. Shoemaker, C. W. Teasdale, W. P. Hile, C. F. Cornman, E. Percy French, M. V. S. Gold, James McPhail and C. F. Carll, the present minister, who gives half his time to this congregation.

The trustees are : H. E. Rowland, Charles Rowland, D. F. Moore, A. C. Lukehart, W. S. Burns. The deacons are: Evan Lewis, John Lewis, A. H. Bowser, Clarence Lukehart, E. K. Nolf, W. D. Raraigh, E. J. Welsh. E. K. Nolf is superintendent of the Sabbath school.

Two young men from the congregation have entered the ministry, Rev. Preston De Lancey, of Meadville, Pa., and H. E. Lewis, of Somerset, Pennsylvania.

This church has been greatly blessed. It has received into its membership many mem- bers and has at present 140 members. The enrollment of the Sabbath school is sixty-five, and it is kept open the entire year.

GEORGEVILLE CHURCH

This church was built in 1886, when Rev. J. W. Shoemaker was pastor. It is a neat frame structure and cost $1,000.

The pastors in order since organization have been : Revs. I. W. Shoemaker, W. P. Hile, John E. Kanarr, R. R. Reidel, Charles Teasdale, J. T. Gallagher, M. V. S. Gold, James McPhail and C. F. Carll, who has served the congregation since 1910, giving one fourth of his time.

The deacons are Messrs. John R. Smith, H. S. Miller, P. A. Weaver, George Fry ; the trustees are P. A. Weaver and George Fry ;

297

HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

clerk, P. A. Weaver; treasurer, Mrs. A. S. byterians and Baptists. The site of these Aul.

The church membership is thirty-five.

Mr. Silas McMillan is the superintendent of the Sabbath school, which is kept open ten months in the year, and has an enrollment of forty-five.

RICHMOND CHURCH

three churches fifty years ago was a dense undergrowth of pine and laurel, and it is now the prettiest part of the village.

At present the church is without a pastor and has no services. The six remaining mem- bers deeply deplore their weakened condi- tion.

SHILOH CHURCH

As early as 1845 there was occasional Bap- tist preaching in the vicinity of the present The Shiloh Baptist Church, located in village of Richmond. The first preachers of Grant township, was organized June 15, 1839, whom we have any record were Aaron Neff

by Rev. Thomas Wilson, assisted by Rev. and Thomas Wilson. The few Baptists in Samuel A. Morris. Its constituent members, this vicinity for the years from this time for- fourteen in number, were dismissed for the purpose from the Twolick Baptist Church. Its present membership is twenty-seven.

ward belonged to the Shiloh Church at Deck- er's Point. The most active members in the vicinity having died or removed, interest in

The church worships in a neat, commodious the work about ceased until vitalized by the edifice, which is free from debt. Its pulpit voluntary labors of Rev. C. H. Prescott, of has been occupied by the following named Reynoldsville, Jefferson Co., Pa. He preached ministers : Revs. Thomas Wilson, L. W. Chap- man, Samuel Furman, F. Hollen, W. Shad- rach, A. Shadrach, W. P. England, J. G. Con- over, C. H. Prescott, D. W. C. Hervey, M. L. Rowland, A. Shadrach, C. P. De Camp, J. T. Gallagher, A. J. Alexander, C. F. Cornman, R. L. Williams, C. W. M. Turner, James Mc- Phail and Thomas Lambert, the present min- ister, who gives one fourth his time to this congregation. without pay, giving of his own means also towards the establishment of a church, with a house of worship of its own. A meeting held by him in the United Brethren house of worship resulted in the conversion and bap- tism of some, who with members from Shiloh and East Mahoning Churches living in the neighborhood met and organized January 26, 1875. A council from other churches of the same faith and order convened July 28, 1875, The present church was built in 1874 at a cost of $1,300, when Rev. Thomas Wilson was in the Presbyterian Church, and reorganized the brethren as a regular Baptist church. pastor.

Ministers present at these services : Rev. Wil- liam Shadrach, D. D., Rev. Enos Woodruff, Rev. Daniel Griffith, Rev. Samuel Furman, Rev. Aaron Neff, Rev. A. B. Runyan, Rev. Hewell Jeffries, Rev. C. H. Prescott; James Ansley, of Crooked Creek Church, was chair- man, and Rev. Enos Woodruff, clerk. The constituents were : George Barrett and wife, of Washington. John C. Weaver and Prudence, his wife, David Weaver, Conrad Peiffer and Eliza, his wife, John Lowman, David T. Brown and Hannah, his wife, David Daugherty and Caroline, his wife.

A comfortable building was erected in the summer of 1875, at a cost of $1,500. Rev. C. H. Prescott served the church as pastor part of his time for two years, and Rev. D. W. C. Hervey part of the time for eighteen months. The church building is one of four built at this point since 1860, the first being built about that year on the south side of Ma- honing creek, for the United Brethren, and since then three comfortable churches have been erected on the north side of the creek, one each by the Presbyterians, United Pres-

The present officers are : D. W. Mumau, W. P. Kinter, R. F. Hazlett; Mr. G. W. Hazlett is the superintendent of the Sabbath school, which is kept open the entire year with an en- rollment of forty-five.

Rev. J. K. Mumau, who was reared in this congregation, is now preaching in the State

FAIRVIEW CHURCH

The Fairview Baptist Church in Grant township was organized October 11, 1877, and recognized as a regular Baptist Church by a council representing several of the neighbor- ing churches, called for the purpose, in ac- cordance with the usual practice of the de- nomination. The ministers serving on the occasion were Revs. Samuel Furman, J. G. Conover, I. W. Shoemaker. Its constituent members numbered about thirty, twenty-three of whom had been dismissed from the East Mahoning Church.

At the time of their organization thie mem- bers placed themselves under the pastoral

298

HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

care of Rev. I. W. Shoemaker, who served them for one year. After a brief interval the church called to the pastorate Rev. M. L. Row- land, who was followed by Revs. De Camp, H. W. D. Kirkendall, Teasdale, M. L. Parker, Alexander, E. E. Hall and J. T. Davis, who at present supplies the pulpit once a month. J. D. Spicher is clerk; John McMillan, L. T. Spicher, F. M. Bartlebaugh, trustees.

The present church was built in 1892 at a cost of about $1,600, while Rev. R. B. Dun- mire was pastor.

The present membership is thirty-three. There is no Sabbath school at present.

DILLTOWN CHURCH

The Dilltown Memorial Baptist Church was built in 1897 in honor of Rev. Samuel Conrath and William Stephens, at a cost of $1,500. The lot on which the church stands

In September, 1871, the church was re- was donated by Mrs. Rebecca Dill. The ceived into the Clarion Association. The year

church was dedicated October 31, 1897.

For many years the church services were conducted in the schoolhouse. Prior to this time the members went to the Brushvalley Baptist Church, in Mechanicsburg. The dis- not a member of the organization, was a well- tance being so far and the roads not good, the Stephens, Conrad, Dill and Altimus fami- lies, thirty-six in all, withdrew from the Brush- valley congregation to establish the present Baptist congregation at Dilltown. The fol- lowing have served as ministers: Revs. R. B. Dunmire, Rockwell, A. B. Runyan, Elias Rowland. At present the church is supplied by Rev. J. T. Davis, of Blairsville, Pennsyl- vania.

When the church was organized William S. ship with the God they loved by acts of more

Conrad and Samuel Stephens were the dea- cons. The present deacons are S. W. Hess and Frank Conrad. The membership is thirty. Lizzie R. Stewart is the superintend- ent of the Sabbath school, which has an enroll- ment of eighty pupils.

Dr. John Harris, the president of Bucknell University, was a member of the Brushvalley Church and attended the Sabbath school in the old schoolhouse at Dilltown.

CROOKED CREEK CHURCH

son county, was chairman, and J. O. De- Lancey, of Mahoning, clerk-was composed of delegates from Soldiers Run, East Mahon- ing, Shiloh, Twolick, Mahoning and West Lebanon Churches. Following the organi- zation the same council advised the ordination to the gospel ministry of C. H. Prescott, a gifted laymen of Soldiers Run Church. The ordination having taken place, he was chosen as the new organization's first pastor. While his stay with this church was comparatively brief, his ministerial career thus officially be- gun in this obscure country schoolhouse was destined to attain honored recognition in at least three States, many weak interests find- ing in him an interested helper and the larger denominational work in him a liberal sup- porter. Many through his efforts became Christians, his effectiveness in personal work being very marked.

1871 brought to the new organization the gift of one acre of desirably located land to be used for church purposes, the donor' being Mrs. Charlotte Pierce. Mrs. Pierce, though wisher of the undertaking, and her remains as well as those of her husband repose in the plot so generously donated in former years. The church during this year met the need for a new building by liberal contributions and willing service, and early in 1872 the members were enabled to dedicate their new building free of debt. In the years that fol- lowed many of the members showed their in- terest in bringing their neighbors into fellow-

than ordinary effort, and their devotion to their Church was such that many of them could sincerely say :

For her my tears shall fall; For her my prayers ascend; To her my cares and toils be given, Till toils and cares shall end.

This being strictly a country church the removal of persons joining to places where employment was abundant and more remu- nerative has prevented the membership from ever becoming large, but many whose going weakened the home interest added strength to churches elsewhere and the good that has been done is known only to God.

The Crooked Creek Baptist Church, located near Chambersville, in Rayne township, was organized in the Hawthorn schoolhouse December 15, 1870, with forty members, The following have served as pastors: C. II. Prescott, Aaron Neff, H. Jeffries, A. B. Runyan, D. W. Griffith, M. L. Rowland, I. W. whose connection had been with the Plum- ville Church. The council-of which Rev. Samuel Miles of Soldiers Run Church, Jeffer- Shoemaker, C. W. Teasdale (H. F. Loomis,

299

HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

assistant ), R. R. Reidel, R. B. Dunmire, J. W. Lutheran pulpits of the county. This is a Cottrell, C. F. Carll.

fact that cannot be affirmed of any other The following have served as deaeons: eounty within the bonnds of the Pittsburg James Ansley, John Long, D. C. Haslet, J. F. Synod. A second distinction enjoyed by this MeLaughlin, D. C. Davis, J. C. Kimple, E. M. Ansley, B. S. Connor.

county is the fact that all of her Lutheran Churches, with the single exception of the Saltsburg Church, founded by Westmoreland EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN county Lntherans, are in the fellowship of the General Synod. When the General Coun- One of the first white men to set foot upon cil was organized, in 1867, these churches the soil of Indiana county was Conrad Weiser, were eonneeted with the Alleghany Synod, and the loyalty of that body to the General Synod was never broken by a single disloyal act on the part of any of them. In 1887 they were transferred to the Pittsburg Synod. and have been strong, nuselfish factors in build- ing up the home mission work of that body. an Evangelical Lutheran of eastern Pennsyl- vania, who crossed the mountains in 1748 ou his way to old Logstown, on the north bank of the Ohio river, to treat with the Indians. Those who followed him were Scotch-Irish set- tlers, who braved the dangers of wilderness life and endeavored to set np homes for them- selves as early as 1769. The most attractive ZION CHURCH, INDIANA spot to these early pioneers seemed to be in the neighborhood of Indiana. Here the land a rieh growth of prairie grass, which made Angust, 1794, made western Pennsylvania

The splendid victory of General Wayne was free from heavy timber and covered with over the Indians in Ohio on the 20th day of exeellent provender for the cattle during the winter season. The first two men of whom a comparatively safe place for settlement, and many Pennsylvania Germans gladly availed history makes mention, who settled in this themselves of the opportunity of seeuring neighborhood, were Fergus Moorhead and homes west of the Allegheny mountains. James Kelly. A wolf reached through the Among those who settled in the neighborhood chinks of the latter's cabin one night and of Indiana in 1794 and 1795 were Conrad almost tore the sealp from his head, but this Reis, Adam Rowe, Andrew Bates, Christian did not deter him or his companion from bringing out their families in the following year. The wolves and rattlesnakes were tronblesome neighbors in this loeality for a long time. Rugh, Michael Hess, John Farr and Gott- fried Klingenberger. Preeminent among these pioneers was Conrad Reis, whose hospitable home was the rallying eenter for all the Lutherans of the community. The traveling preachers sent out by the Eastern synods to explore the territory never failed to renew their spiritual strength before his family altar. From 1798 to 1806 Rev. John Michael Steck,

The Pennsylvania Dutch, who established the faith of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the eounty; did not come in until the close of the eighteenth century. There were three distinct periods of Pennsylvania Duteh emi- of Greensburg, Pa., preached at his house four gration to western Pennsylvania before the year 1800, the first in the spring of 1769, the

times a year to the Lutherans who gathered there. During the pleasant weather these second in the spring of 1784, and the third in services were frequently held in his barn. the summer of 1794. It was the last wave Pastor Steck was a very busy man in those that brought a number of Lutheran families days. He had at least a score of preaching

(chiefly from Lancaster, Berks and Franklin places and those who could secure his serviees counties) to Indiana eonnty. From these once every three months considered them- families the churches in Indiana, Brushvalley selves fortunate. From 1806 to 1813 he was

and West Wheatfield were organized. The churches of the northern end of the county were not established until a later date.

able to preach for them but once a year.

By this time a number of other German families had settled in the county. especially As late as the year 1827 the Lutheran serv- ices of the county were conducted exclusively in the German language. In that year Rev. N. G. Sharretts introdueed English services in the Indiana, West Wheatfield and Brush- in Brushvalley township, and the people began to hunger for more frequent serviees. In 1813 they were visited by Rev. John Gott- fried Lampbrecht, a young man from the University of Goettingen, Germany. They valley congregations ; and to-day the German were well pleased with his serviees and ac- langnage is a strange tongne in all the cepted him as their pastor. From the regular-

300

HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ity of the baptismal records it would appear at the communion service which he held for that he preached for them every four weeks.

them. When he was reappointed to his work He preached for the Rupp's settlement in by the Synod, the following year, he made Armstrong county, the Brushvalley settlement Indiana his place of residence. On the 16th in Indiana county, and the Addison settlement

Pastor Reichart served the congregation as pastor from 1822 to 1826, resigning only be- cause the congregation desired English preaching for the young people and he was . not able to furnish it. In 1822 he organized a union Sunday school (probably the first in the county) auxiliary to the American Sun- day School Union.

day of September, 1823, he was married to in Somerset county at the same time. He Miss Lydia Tyson, of Brushvalley, riding on organized or reorganized the congregation in horseback with his bride forty-one miles to a 1813. Conrad Reis and Christian Rugh were neighboring pastor for the wedding trip. the first elders. Michael Hess and John Farr were the first deacons. The congregation was not large. At a communion held in Novem- ber, 1813, twenty-four persons were present, and at another communion held October 23, 1814, about the same number participated. In 1813 Conrad Reis donated three acres of land to the Lutheran and German Reformed congregation for $1.50, "as long as the sun In September, 1826, Rev. Nicholas G. and moon shall shine." It is not known that Sharretts was licensed by the West Pennsyl- he ever made any other will. For some rea- vania Synod and commissioned as a traveling preacher for three months in the counties of Indiana, Clearfield, Jefferson, Venango, Arm- son a church was not built on this property. Pastor Lampbrecht came to Indiana as an in- dependent preacher. In 1816 he applied to strong, Crawford, Erie and Huntingdon. the Ministerium of Pennsylvania for admis- sion and was rejected. From that date his name disappears from the records of the Indiana Church and from the pages of Evangelical Lutheran history in western Pennsylvania. His last entry in the old for more than nine years, refusing many church record bears the date May 15, 1815. The Indiana congregation fell in love with him and invited him to become their pastor. This affection was cordially returned. He took charge of the congregation some time during the summer of 1827, and served them flattering offers from other more prominent

From 1815 to 1822 the congregation was churches, until he was called of God to the without a settled pastor and was kept alive church triumphant, December 31, 1836. He by an occasional supply. In 1817 an im- was a man of rich endowments and fervent postor, named Hoover, preached for them piety. The impressions of his first sermon never abated. His power among the people increased with the years. He made friends not only among the Germans of his congre- gation, but also among the English-speaking people of the community, and succeeded in drawing many of the latter into the fellow- ship of his church. When the West Penn- sylvania Synod met in his church, in October, 1831, the ordination services were conducted a while, but he was soon dismissed. In 1818 Rev. John M. Steck visited them. From 1819 to 1820 Rev. Mr. Shultze, pastor at Johns- town, Pa., preached to them occasionally. The name of Rev. John Adam Mohler of Arm- strong county also appears upon the record. It was a time of patient waiting on the part of the congregation, but the dawn of a better day was at hand.

When the Pennsylvania Ministerium met in English for the first time in the history of in Germantown, Pa., in June, 1822, Rev. that body, in order that the English-speaking Gabriel Adam Reichart was commissioned as members of the congregation could under- a traveling preacher for western Pennsyl- stand them. The services of the church were held in the home of Conrad Reis until 1829, when the courthouse was rented. Banished from this place of worship after a few months of very successful work, the congregation de- termined to build a church of its own. On vania. In his private diary he says: "With God I left Lancaster July 14, 1822, visiting the counties of Lancaster, Perry, Hunting- don, Indiana, Venango and Erie, the western part of New York, the northern part of Penn- sylvania, Tioga, Center, Columbia, and March 22, 1830, a lot was purchased from Luzerne counties, having preached fifty-one Adam Altemus for $100. The trustees of the times, baptized sixty-one, administered the congregation at this time were Conrad Reis, sacrament to fifty-nine, traveling 1,320 miles, Samuel Guest and James Stewart. The work of building a church was begun soon there- and occupying three months." Indiana con- gregation received much benefit from his after. On Sunday morning, October 9, 1831, visitation and thirty-five persons were present the church was solemnly dedicated to God by

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 59

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp Publication date: 1913 Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 930

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 930