Notes and queries historical, biographical, and genealogical, Vol. I, Part 68

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: s.n.
Number of Pages: 618

USA > Pennsylvania > Notes and queries historical, biographical, and genealogical, Vol. I > Part 68

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NOTES AND QUERIES.

Historical, Biographical and Genealogical.

CXXV.

"UNCLAIMED MONEY."-A corres- pondent-A. R. M .- writes us from Ten- nessee to this effect: "I see in the Free

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Press of Detroit, Michigan, a list of names of persons entitled to money and property in England, France, Germany and other countries, among them being those of Dixon, Cochran, Murray, Henry and Robinson. My ancestors on my fath- er's side came from England, on my mother's side from Scotland and Ireland. As you know so much about my ances tors I thought I would ask you if it would be auy use to send our names as claim - ants. The advertisement says that $480, - 000,000 lic buried in the courts of ehan- cery, Bank of England, etc, awaiting claimants. The date of the newspaper is October 9, 1886. I know that my grand mother often told us there were money and property for us if we got our rights. Please let me know what you think of this advertisement. It also says, send to the British American Claim Agency, Stewart Building, New York City, for their book register." This is only a specimen of letters very frequently re- ceived by us. We can only reiterate what we have heretofore said upon this subject. The whole thing is a deception of the basest kind, and the villains who are interested in this scheme to defraud the unwary deserve the penitentiary. There is no money awaiting unknown claimants and these thieving rascals who send out sueh advertisements know it. To the wise this is sufficient.

BINDNAGLE CHURCH.

Nearly two weeks ago, accompanied by "E. W. S. P.," who has been editing the old records of Bindnagle church, we took in this landmark of the early German settlement in Lebanon county. The loca tion of the church is a beautiful one -on a high rocky bluff on the east bank of the Swatara, five miles north of Palmyra. It overlooks a large tract of charming country-of finely cultivated farms. wood and meadow and orehard-to the Cone- wago hills on the south and the first range of the Blue Mountains on the north.

The building is a plain substantial briek edifice, erected in 1803 I: has re- cently been repainted, both exterior and interior. Inside it presents the same ar rangement it did eighty years ago-but the gaudy painting of the walls in at- tempted imitation of variegated marble

proves that this at least was no improve» ment.

There are three doors, one on the east or front, the south and north sides, re- spectively. The seats are the old style straight baek, and the little pulpit so high that in looking at the minister one would run in danger of dislocating the neck. A gallery runs around the three sides.

Over the pulpit is the sounding board, beneath which some traveling artist bas painted a portrait of St. John, the Evan- gelist. Above the pulpit and near it, is a painting of what was intended for a pic- ture of the Divine Master. The poet. and artist, John Landis, in his palmy days would have been shocked at this artistic triumph. Around it on the same panel arc the words-

"Bete und Arbeite."

On either side are two panels with cherubs to the top, and below on the- right side the legend-

"Liebe Gott uber Alles,"

While to the left is that of- "Liebe diinen Nachsten."

In the main aisle running from the south to the north door are two large- cannon stoves, the pipes of which con . nect with a huge sheet iron drum almost on a level with the gallery, from the centre of which passes the smoke flue.

We next inspected the old relies-and of these there are quite a number, all worth examining as illustrative of a century ago. An elegant copy of "Sterbens Kunst," printed in Leipsic in 1713, aud bound in vellum, containing 1274 small quarto pages, is one of the treasures. The little bells which were attached to the old collection- bags of velvet, and which bang beside the columns supporting the gallery, are shown. In the early times when a min. ister thought nothing of an hour and a half and even of a two and three hour ser- mon, we are not surprised that the col- lectors of "Peter's pence" dcemed it ne- cessary to arouse the sleepers by the tinkling of the bell. The old black gown worn by the minister, riddled with moth- holes, reminds one of the days when the Luiberan ministers followed in the wake of the great Reformer and fully believed

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in distinctive church furniture and church clothing.

Ti e communion service is of interest. The pieces are all of pewter and exceed- ingly quaint in design. A small tankard has engraved on it, "M. B. H., 1715." This was evidently an old family relic, brought from the Fatherland hy an early settler and presented to the church. There are two large tankards of similar shape, on one of which is the inscription. "Gest von Mich'l Zimmerman, 1762;" while upon the other is engraved, "Gest von I. W. Kissner, 1762." There seems to he only one goblet remaining. It is quite larg ? and inscrihed, "M. Miller, den 20 Decemb'r, 1754 "

The Baptismal bowl is a large pewter dish which would hold ahout a gallon of water. Four small pewter platter plates complete this antiquated communion ser- vice.

The old coffin cloth is still in existence -although much faded and moth .eaten. On it are worked in large letters, "H. B. N, 1754." This was no doubt the gift of Heinrich Bindnagle. In good preserva- tion is the Bible rest and the cloth cover- ing used in 1753.

To complete these relics of the old times there is in the possession of the church a large box filled with Continental money. We suggested that this ought to he sold and the proceeds turned into the church treasury. Otherwise it may disappear. Of course it is only valuable as a curiosity.

We examined everything about this venerable edifice-even to the wrought iron hinges and locks of almost a century ago, and then turned into the graveyard, where rest the remains of the fathers and mothers of the years which have gone. Even this God's acre has been carefully tended The hriars and weeds which rendered it almost impassable have been recently removed, and grass seed sown. It speaks well for the survivors. We hurriedly made transcripts from the stones which mark the resting place of Bindna- gle's sleeping children, and as darkness came on apace, bade adieu to this old landmark of early settlement, with feel- ings of great veneration for Bindnagle church.

LETTERS FROM OLD IRON MASTERS

[ The following transcripts furnished us by John W. Jordan of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, may not inter- est the general rcader, but to the iron manufacturers of to-day have a special value. ]

DURHAM, April 12th, 1750.

Dear Sir : The bearer is one of the company's servants whose arm was bruised oy the overset of a cart, beg the favor to recommend him to your doctor, whose charges with the ferryage, two quarts of oats for our creature, and a pint or quart of beer for the man shall be paid to you. * * The furnace will be in blast in June next. We then can cast for you what 56, 28, 14 and 7 1hs. weight you shall want. * * *

Your most humble servants,

WILLIAM LOGAN & Co.

GREENWICH IRON WORKS, July 12th, 1750. Sir: This is to desire you please to or- der something of Dr. Otto to cure per- sons that is poisoned in mowing grass; and please to order your saddler to make conveniences in my saddle to carry a pistol on each side of the saddle. * *

Your humble serv't,

JACOB STARR.

Received of John Brownfield, twenty- eight pounds in full for onc ton har-iron had of me the 18th of January last.

Witness my hand this 7th of May, 1751. JOHN POTTS.

DURHAM, 23 April, 1752. Friend Jasper Payne: There was no agreement made between John Brown - field and me about the price of iron, and I only told him, that I could not sell it under £28 per ton, but if William Logan, whom I exp ct up in a short time, would lower the price, he should know of it. * * In behalf of William Logan & Co.

HENRY MITCHELL.

UNION IRON WORKS, Dec. 19th, 1754

Dear Sir: I received your favor with balance of the old account. * * *

Be- ing confident of the goodness of our new iron have sent you five hundred of it to make a trial, assuring you at the same time you shall have whatever quantity

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of it you want, 20 shillings per ton less than you can possibly get it for any where else. * *

Sir, your most humble servant, JOHN HACKETT.

UNION IRON WORKS, 20th Dec , 1754.

Dear Sir: The bearer informs me that you are willing to supply us with shoes as follows: Women's shoes at 5 shillings per pair and men's at 7 shillings; and if there should happen to be any boys' shoes among them you must fix your price ac- cordingly. It is true that I can have them of others 6d. a pair cheap er, but I have reason to think that your shoes are 6d. a pair better. Therefore, if these terms are agrecable to you, I would recommend to you to get a hundred pair made, and send them as soon as it suits your convenience. I am, with great respect, your very hum- ble servant, JOHN HACKETT.

DURHAM, 6th May, 1757.

Mr. Oerter: Please send by Peter Chris- tiau the four blind halters I wrote for some time ago, and likewise a skin fit for sewing leather, and if the saddler has any good snaffle bridles, please to send one. All which charge to account of Dur- ham company. I am, sir, your humble servant, GEORGE TAYLOR.

SOME GENEALOGICAL NOTES.

DIXON. Robert Dixon, of Drumore township, Lancaster county, d. in January, 1767, leaving a wife Ann, and children:

i. WILLIAM.

ii. ROBERT.

DENNY. Margery Denny, widow of Walter Denny, of Little Britain township, Lan- caster county, d. June, 1761, leaving daughters as follows:

i. SARAH; m. John Evans.

ii. ANN; m. Robert McQuestion.

iii. MARGERY; m. David Dunning.

DUFFIELD

George Duffield, of Salisbury township, Lancaster county, d. March, 1774, leav- ing a wife Elizabeth, and children :

i. WILLIAM; m. and had George.

ii. MARY; m. - McIlvain, and had George and Andrew.

iii. JOHN; m. and had George, John, Elizabeth, Francina, and Margaret.

iv. SAMUEL. v. GEORGE; m. and had George and Elizabeth.

EWING.

James Ewing, of Lebanon township, d April, 1776, leaving a wife Sabina, and children: i. WILLIAM. ii. JOHN.

EARLEY.

Jacob Earley, of Donegal, d. April,, 1777, leaving a wife Christina, and children:

i. JOHN.

ii. JACOB.

iii. LUTERY; m. Smith.

iv. AGNES; m. Winogle.

v. EVA.

ENSMINGER.

Nicholas Ensminger, of Lebanon town - ship, d. May, 1781, leaving a wife Eliza- beth, and children, besides others not. named:

i. PETER.

ii. DANIEL.

John Flora, of Rapho township, Lan- caster county, d. during the war of the Revolution, leaving a wife Anna, and. children :

i. ELIZABETH.

ii. RACHEL.

iii. JOHN.

iv. ANNA.

V. BARBARA.

vi. CATHARINE.

vii. MARY.

viii. MAGDALENA.

ix. SALOME.

X. JUDITH.

FULTON.

John Fulton d. April, 1753, and left issue:

j. ANDREW.

ii. JOHN.

iii. ELIZABETH. iv. MARGARET.

His brother Samuel was executor.

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GROSS.

Michael Gross, merchant, of Lancaster, d. in March 1771, leaving his estate to his wife Elizabeth, and family, as follows :

My much honored father in Germany. My sister's daughter Lucina Karith in Germany.

Nephew Martin Gross.

Niece Elizabeth Lauman, wife of Lud- wig Lauman.

Adam Zantzinger, son of Paul Zant- zinger, brother of my mother.

Mary and Barbara, daughters of Paul Zantzinger.

Paul, son of Paul Zantzinger.

My brother, George Gross, of Paxtang, and his children, Michael, George, Chris- tian and Catharine.

My daughter, Catharine, married to Henry Keppele.

The executors were Henry Keppele, sen., son-in-law Henry Keppele, and Ludwig Lauman.

[The foregoing is of much genealogical value and interest to many in our county. ]

GINGRICH.

Christian Gingrich, of Warwick town- ship, Lancaster county, d. August, 1778, leaving a wife Elizabeth, and children : i. JOHN.

ii. MICHAEL

iii. DANIEL.

The executors were his son John and Christian Hollinger.

GEIGER.

Christian Geiger, of Warwick town- ship, d. May, 1779, leaving a wife Chris- tiana and children:

i. CHRISTIAN.

ii. GEORGE.

iii. WILLIAM; d. prior to his father.

iv. ELIZABETH; m. Peter Leib.

v. MARGARET; m. John Bender.

vi. ANNA MARIA.

GRAY.

Michael Gray, of Donegal, d. Novem- ber, 1784, leaving a wife Mary and chil- dren:

i. WILLIAM.

ii. JANET; m. - Porter.

iii. NELLY.

iv. JOSEPH.

v. RACHEL.

INTERESTING HISTORY OF THE

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

BY REV. WM. A. WEST.

The Presbytery of Donegal was erected by the Synod of Philadelphia in May, 1732. The following is the record of Synod: "It being understood by the Committee of Overtures than an erection of a new Presbytery in Lancaster county should be appointed by the Synod, it was voted by a great majority that Masters Anderson, Thomson, Boyd, Orr and Ber- tram be members of a Presbytery by the name of Doncgal Presbytery."*

Of these members, Revs. John Thom- son, Adam Boyd, Wm. Orr and Wm. Bertram were from Ireland and Rev. James Anderson was a Scotchman.

The territory covered by the Presby- tery was Lancaster county. Lancaster county had been erected three years be- fore (1729), and the boundaries fixed were as follows: "All and singular the lands within the Province of Pennsylvania lying to the northward of Octoraro creek and to the westward of a line of marked trees, running from the north branch of said Octoraro creek north wardly to the river Schuylkill, be created into a county, and the same is hereby created into a county, named and from henceforth to be called Lancaster county."

Thus it will be seen that the Presbytery of Donegal embraced the entire State of Pennsylvania with the exception of a few counties in the eastern part. Under her fostering care was also taken in a short time a large part of the States of Mary. land and Virginia.

At the time of the formation of the Presbytery there were no regularly organ- ized churches in that part of it which afterwards formed the Presbytery of Car- lisle. There were two congregations- Derry and Paxton-in which the people had associated themselves together for the worship anu service of God. But they had no ruling elders to perform the duties of that office among themselves, or to represent them in Presbytery. In Presbytery their wants and wishes were made known by commissioners appointed for that purpose and organized as such. At the first meeting of Presbytery, held at Dunagall, October 11th, 1732, there were present such representatives from Derry

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and Paxton, viz: "George Remick and others." They were there "to require an answer to their call given to Rev. Wm. Bertram at Philadelphia, where the Pres- bytery of New Castle met, producing their subscriptions for his support, which subscriptions were attested by Mr. Anders son.''

This call was accepted by Mr. Bertram. And at an adjourned meeting of Presby- tery, held at Swatara (Derry ) November 15th, 1732, when Mr. Bertram was in- stalled pastor of the churches, "Paxton congregation recommended four and Derry eight persons whom Presbytery appointed to assist Mr. Bertram in con- gregational affairs until the election of a formal session." This election took place the next year and the ordinance and in- stallation occurred in September, 1733 +

With a rapidly growing population, homogeneous alike as to nationality and religion, the establishment of preaching points and the formation of new congre gations went forward with wonderful rapidity. In most instances it is extremely difficult to fix the exact date at which the organization proper of these churches took place. The fact of people being banded together for church purposes, of their sending "supplications" to Presby- tery for supplies, and even of extend ing a call to a minister to become their pastor, do not of themselves (as we have seen in the case of Derry and Paxton) afford conclusive evidence that they were organized in our acceptation of the word, i. c., having a bench of regularly or. dained ruling elders. It is only in rare cases that mention is made of the election and ordination of elders and the regular organization of churches. Therefore, in very many instances, wc can only reach a proximate, or more properly, an esti- mated date.

The following churches were organized prior to the Old and New Side divisions of 1741. To the east of the Susquchanna- In 1733 Deiry and Paxton; in 1736 Manada, afterwards known as Hanover, and Conewago. The Conewago church here mentioned is often confounded with the Great Conewago church at, Hunters- town, Adams county. It was located on or near the Little Concwago creek not far from Middletown, and it is sometimes

mentioned in the records of Presbytery as "Conewago, this side of the river." Rev. Samuel Black was its first pastor. He was never pastor of the Great Cone- wago church, as was erroneously stated by Rev. Richard Webster in bis history of the Presbyterian Church, and by others. after him.

Turning to the territory west of the Susquehanna, we find that Presbytery at its meeting. October 16th, 1734, "ordered Mr. Alexander Craighead," son of Rev. Thomas Craighead, who had just been licensed, "to supply over the river two or three Sabbaths in November." At the April meeting of 1735 a supplica- tion from the "settlement over the river, desiring supplies, was presented; and Presbytery appointed Mr. Alexander Craighead to supply said people the next two Sabbaths, and Mr. Thomson also. was appointed to supply at least two Sab- baths before the next meeting of Presby- tery." At the meeting of June 10th, the same year, Rev. Wmn. Bertram was or dered "to supply the people over the river two Sabbaths and to give them timous warning thereof." Thus far no mention is made of any particular locality. But

at the meeting of Presbytery September, 1735, "the people over the river" are also. called "the people of the Conogoguin- nett." These are the "people of Penns- borough," spoken of a little farther on in the minutes, and may mean Lower Pennsborough (Silvers' Spring) or Upper Pennsborough (near Carlisle). At each of the places it is now claimed that the- "people over the river" were their ances- tors; and doubtless they werc. Without pretending to settle the question of pri- ority, wc date the organization of both these churches (Lower and Upper Penns- borough, now Silvers' Spring and Car- lisle) in 1736 In 1737 Hopewell (Big Spring) and East Conecocheague (Green. castle) were organized. In 1738 Upper West Conecocheague (Mercersburg). In 1739 Rocky Spring and Falling Spring (Chambersburg). In 1740 Upper Hope- well ( Middle Spring), Upper Marsh Creek (Gettysburg) and Great Conewago.

As a rule, the churches were located about ten miles apart, and Presbytery claimed and exercised the right of fixing the boundary lines between them, and

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·saying to the people on one side, you shall worship there; and to those on the other side, you shall worship here. In establishing the dividing lines, Presby . tery often sent committtees to "permabu - late" the territory and take testimony as to the character of the roads and the num- ber and circumstances of the families to be accommodated. And if the people were disposed to be rebellious, as some» times they were, they were given to un- derstand that Presbytery was visited with authority. There are instances on record where it declined permission to call a paster (e. g , Hopewell and Rev. Thomas Craighead, 1787) or even appoint sup- plies to preach (as in the case of Lime- stone Ridge, Perry county, years after the above). The distance people had to go to church, the two long ser mons, the intermissiou and the lunch, afford sufficient reason for locating nearly all the earlier houses of worship at or near springs or streams of fresh water. Thus we have Derry; Paxton, the spring now closed; Lower Pennsborough, at Silvers' Spring; Upper Pennsborough, at the spring a mile and a half from Car- lisle; Big Spring; Middle Spring; Rocky Spring; Falling Spring; Upper Coneco. cheague, at the beautiful spring where the "white church" stood, some two miles east of Mercesburg; Lower West Conecocheague, out at Welsh Run, and the Upper and Lower churches in Path Valley.

In these early days much attention seems to have been given to visitations to the churches. These visitations were not made by a committee as now, hut by the Presbytery as a whole. The pastor of the church where the visitation was made was appointed to preach on these occasions upon a text previously assigned, and Presbytery passed judgment on his discourse. After this, inquiry was made into fidelity of pastors, elders and people. To relieve of all embarrassment and secure the most accurate information pos- sible, each party was interrogated sepa- rately in regard to the other two who, during the investigation, were in turn re- quested to retire from the house. If wrong doings or shortcomings were found to exist, the guilty or delinquent party was dealt with as the case might seem to demand.

As we have seen, the years which im - mediately followed the organization. of the Presbytery, and preceded the schism which occurred in 1741, dividing the Church into Old and New Side, were . years in which congregations were multi. plied, and the growth of Presbyterianism in this region was unparalleled. Not less than eleven churches were organized in what are now the counties of Dauphin, Cumberland, Adams and Franklin; and in other instances assemblies of wor- shipers were collected, looking to organi- zation in the future. But there were years, also, in which sprang up misun- derstandings, fierce controversies and bit- ter strite, in which frequently brethren of the same Synod, of the same Presbytery, and of the same neighborhood were ar- rayed against each other.

The questions entering into these un- happy controversies were not questions affecting the doctrines or polity of the Church. In Synod, all accepted the "adopting act" of 1729, and were loyal to the standards of the Church. True, it was opposed by Jonathan Dickinson, one of the greatest and best men of his day. Dr. Hodge remarks: "It is obvious from the uature of his objections that he be- longs to the small class of persons op- posed to all creeds of human composi- tion." His own language is: "A sub- scription to any human composure as the test of our orthodoxy is to make it the standard of our faith, and thereby to give it the honor due only to the word of God."

But with the document explanatory of the Synod's measure attached to it, all the ministers of the Synod then present, except one who declared himself "not prepared," subscribed to the act-Presi- dent Dickinson among the rest. In the Presbytery of Donegal all accepted and adhered with equal fidelity to the "Formula wherein to subscribe and adopt the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechism," which prefaces the first volume of its records; and which reads as follows: "I have seriously read and perused the Westminster Confession aud Catechisms, do declare in the sight of God and all here present, that I do believe and am fully persuaded that, so far as I can discern and under-

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stand said Confession and Catechisms, they are in all things agreeable to the Word of God, taking them in the plain and obvious sense and meaning of the words; and, accordingly, I do acknowledge them as the confession of my faith, and do promise, through divine assistance, forever to adhere, thereto.

"I also believe the Directory for the Ex - ercise of Worship, Discipline and Govern- ment, commonly connected to said Con- fession, to be agreeable to the Word of God, and do promise to conform there- unto in my practice, as far as in emer- gent circumstances I can attain unto."

To this "Formula"-ironclad, we may say, in its character-are subscribed the names of Alexander Creaghead and David Alexander-two of the most zeal- ous of the New Light party-as well as those of John Thomson and John Elder, and other staunch, uncompromising Old Side men.

And, after the division had virtually taken place by the exclusion of the Pres- bytery of New Brunswick from the Synod in 1741, that Presbytery adopted the following: "We think it fit unani- mously to declare, that we adhere as closely and fully to the Westminster Con fession of Faith and Catechisms and Di. rectory, as the Synod of Philadelphia to any of their public acts."!

This, it should be observed, included not only the "Adopting Act" of 1729, but also the thorough going "Declara- tion" of 1736, in which the Synod de- clared its adherence "to the Westminster Contession of Faith, Catechisms and Di- rectory, without the least variation or al- teration, and without any regard to the distinctions" in the adopting act between essential and non essential articles § We then see that it was not on questions in any way affecting the doctrines and polity of the Church that this schism occurred.

Whence, then, the unhappy contro . versy which resulted so disastrously ?

It seems to have come almost without observation, and to have had its origin in the state of the Church and the com munity, and the needs of both.

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Notes and queries historical, biographical, and genealogical, Vol. I, Part 68

Author: Publication date: 1884 Publisher: s.n. Number of Pages: 618

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: s.n.
Number of Pages: 618