USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > New Hanover > The Lutheran Church in New Hanover, (Falckner swamp) Montgomery County, Penna. Part XXII. of a narrative and critical prepared at the request of the Pennsylvania-German society > Part 9
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His wife was Anna Maria Reiter, to whom he was mar- ried on May 27, 1794. He was brother-in-law to Rev. John G. Roeller, and father-in-law to Dr. Jacob Miller, subsequently pastor of this congregation and later of Trin- ity, Reading. He served the congregation at New Han- over from 1796 to 1808 and also New Goshenhoppen, Trumbauers and Scheetz, as well as the Hill church and others during his first residence in Pennsylvania. In 1808 he removed to New York city, taking charge of the con- gregation formerly served by Dr. Kunze.
Six years later, 1814, he resigned this congregation and took up his residence at Karthaus, Clearfield County, Penn- sylvania. He was interested in a land company, for the development of coal lands in that vicinity. During his residence here he looked after the spiritual interests of the Germans of this section. In April, 1818, he returned to the eastern part of the state, settling in Chester County, where he assisted his son Frederic William, who was pastor at Zion's, Vincent Township, and St. Peter's, Pikeland.
When his brother Henry A. gave up the congregations at the Trappe and Limerick to go to Pittsburg, they were
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united with the son's parish. Then father and son served the four congregations. In April, 1823, he returned to his former congregation in New York, serving it until his death, May 27, 1838, "being exactly not only to the day of the month, but to the very hour of the day, forty-four years after his marriage. He was within less than a month of sixty-six years of age " (Jensen fr. Sprague) .
The title D.D. was conferred on him by the University of Pennsylvania. He prepared a number of young men for the ministry. Among these were his brother Henry A., John G. Roeller, subsequently married to his wife's sister, Dr. Jacob Miller, Fredr. Waage, (Bishop) Schwei- zerbarth, E. L. Braunsius, W. J. Eyer, Marcus Harpel, C. F. Welden, Fr. Miller, L. Schmidt, his own son, F. W. Geissenhainer, jr., and his nephew, Rev. A. F. Geissenhainer.
23. PASTORS DURING THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.
The following pastors served the New Hanover con- gregation during the nineteenth century: Rev. Jacob Miller, D.D., 1809; Rev. Conrad Miller, after 1820; Rev. Nathan Jaeger, 1852; Rev. H. Wendt, 1858; Rev. Abraham H. Groh, 1865; Rev. Leonard Groh, D.D., 1866; and Rev. John Jacob Kline, 1886.
24. REV. JOHN JACOB KLINE.
Rev. J. J. Kline, the present pastor of the congrega- tion, was born at Rehrersburg, Pa., September 17, 1856. He is a son of Jacob E. and Catharine (Zartman) Kline. His father was the organist and school teacher there for many years.
Palatinate College afforded him the opportunity for preparatory training for college from 1876 to 80. He
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entered the sophomore class at Muhlenberg College in the latter year and graduated June 28, 1883. The same year he entered the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadel- phia and graduated from it, June 15, 1886. On the twenty-second of that month he was ordained by the Ministerium of Pennsylvania in Christ Church, Easton, Pa. Immediately thereafter he took charge of this con- gregation as its pastor. During August of that year, Christ Church (Huber's), Niantic, Pa., was added to the charge. This congregation he served for nineteen years. He organized Trinity Lutheran congregation, Bechtels- ville, Pa., and supplied it for twenty-three years. In 1896 he organized Grace Lutheran congregation of Pottstown, Pa., which, with the New Hanover Congregation forms the present pastorate.
(1) REV. ANDREAS RUDMAN.
It is now proposed to add sketches of the lives of a number of men whose relation to this congregation is some- what in doubt. That some of them acted as pastor, or as supply, or sub- stitute, cannot be questioned. Some of them may have been ordained min- isters. The position of others cannot be decided. It is also a matter of grave doubt whether some of them ever sustained any closer relation than that of a neighbor- ing pastor, or a member of synod coming in to fill a few appointments, or on a special occasion administering the Lord's Supper, when the congregation was without a regular pastor.
The first of these men is Andrew Rudman, a Swede.
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He certainly visited this section, and almost as certainly held services here occasionally. For why should the Falckners try to become acquainted with the Swedish lan- guage, and why should Rudman try to become acquainted with the German, if theirs was only a casual meeting ? But if they were cooperating in trying to found and build up a congregation, and if the Falckners attended Rud- man's services at Molatton, less than ten miles distant, so that the people might understand that they were laboring for one and the same church, and for the estab- lishment of the same faith, the matter becomes quite plain. We are therefore clearly of the opinion that Rudman visited these people occasionally and used all his influence as a pastor to bring them together into a German congrega- tion, while the Falckners exerted their influence for him among the Swedes.
Rev. Andrew Rudman was the first Swedish pastor, as far as known, at Molatton. He was one of the three- Rudman, Bjorck and Sandel-who ordained Justus Falck- ner in the Wicaco (Gloria Dei) Church, Philadelphia, 1703, the latter then going to New York to become pastor there. Falckner was sent as a substitute for Rudman, who had himself served New York and Albany several years, from 1702 to 1704, or possibly a little longer.
As early as 1701 Rudman and others had been author- ized to take up ten thousand acres of land, virtually the whole of Amity Township. He was a native of Gestricia in Noorland. He was not very vigorous physically, in fact was almost an invalid. He was sent over with Erik Bjorck (Bjoerk) and Jonas Auren. They reached Phila- delphia in the summer of 1697, having landed in the south and come north overland, via Maryland.
He was the provost or superintendent. He visited
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Molatton several times a year, during the earlier years, but later he sent his assistant to look after the congre- gation there. This congregation was also known as Man- atawny or Manathanim. Rudman was one of the four Swedish pastors who warned the congregation at Hacken- sack against the acceptance of von Dieren. He is also credited with the founding of the Lutheran congregation at Lunenberg, now Athens, New York.
Advancement had been promised him in his native coun- try and he had received permission to return to Sweden, but after leaving Wicaco he tarried some time in New York. He then returned to Pennsylvania, took charge of an Episcopal congregation at Oxford and served it, to- gether with a congregation in Philadelphia, until his death, September 17, 1708.
(2) REV. ANDREAS SANDELL.
Rev. Sandell is one of the men concern- ing whose relation to this congregation there is no very definite information. About the only thing that is positively known is that he visited the place and found a congregation there, in charge of Rev. Daniel Falckner, in 1704. He speaks of the matter in such a way that we might readily come to the conclusion that the congrega- tion had existed for some time.
While there is no positive information to that effect, all the circumstances seem to indicate that he looked after the affairs of the congregation from the time of Rev. Daniel Falckner's removal to New Jersey until the time when Rev. Gerhard Henckel became the pastor here.
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His parish, Molatton, was not more than ten miles distant, and there was such a friendly feeling and relation between these people, the Germans at New Hanover and their Swedish neighbors, that we should naturally expect that if the former were without a regular pastor the latter would interest themselves in their behalf, just as in later years, when the Swedes were without regular pastors, the Germans interested themselves in their behalf. We know that Revs. Hesselius and Gabriel Falk did so, and we think it would be a safe conclusion to suppose that Rev. Sandell had done the same.
Rev. Andrew Sandell was the immediate successor of Rev. Rudman as pastor and superintendent of the Swedish Churches. We are told that, " he entered upon his duties March 29, 1702, was very active and energetic and brought about a more stable organization of the congre- gation." June 25, 1719, he set out upon his return to Sweden.
At first he was Rev. Rudman's assistant, and then he became his successor as superintendent. During his pas- torate at Wicaco he also looked after the spiritual interests of the congregation at Molatton, which seems to have been treated as a mission or chapel of the parent church. Apparently he also cared for New Hanover during this time.
He would seem to have had the care of Wicaco, Molat- ton, Neshiminy and other points from 1702 to 1719. Ap- parently, however, the up country churches had to be satis- fied with such limited services as he could give them.
If there is an account of his position and activities sub- sequent to his return to Sweden, we have failed to find it anywhere.
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(3) REV. JOHN CASPAR STOEVER, THE ELDER.
There are only a few things concerning the first five years of this man's residence in America that are clearly established. The first is that he arrived at Philadelphia in the
ship "Goodwill," September II, 1728. He had entered his own name as missionaire (mis- sionary), and that of his son as Theol. Stud., a theological student.
The next is that he almost certainly settled somewhere in Pennsylvania and remained there until he was called to be the pastor of a German congregation in Virginia.
The Halle Reports imply, although not stating so ex- plicitly, that the younger Stoever at once made his home at the Conestoga, near New Holland. Is it not natural to conclude that when a father and a son, the son being still in his minority, settled in a particular place, it was the father who settled there? We therefore think it should be plain to everyone that the John Casper Stoever that settled there at that time was the "Missionnaire" and not the Stud. Theol. Possibly we might be met with the objection that he performed so many baptisms from 1727 on. But by whom were they performed, by the boy of nineteen to twenty years of age, or by the ordained minister? Where is the evidence that these early bap- tisms, or any of those occurring the first five years of their stay, were performed by the younger man ?
While it may be true that the younger John Caspar Stoever was not overstrict in the observance of church reg-
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ulations, still it would be a very bold thing to assert that he travelled all through the country, baptizing without license and without being ordained, for almost five years.
It seems to be far more natural to suppose that most of these early baptisms, if not all of them, were performed by the elder Stoever, as he was an ordained minister. The younger man would hardly have under- taken it. But the fact stated by Dr. Schmauk, that their handwriting is so nearly alike as not to be readily distinguishable, would give the color of reasonable prob- ability to this opinion.1 Over and above all this, the statement of the younger Stoever in a number of his records, fairly implies that some of the entries may not have been his own acts. Some of the baptisms, as shown by the records, were performed on the ocean. Now a boy or young man a little over twenty years of age would almost certainly not perform them while his own father, an ordained minister at that, was present to perform the office. Should the question be raised as to why the elder Stoever did not take all these records along, it would seem to be a sufficient answer to say : they belonged to these con- gregations, and it would have been worse than useless to carry them to Virginia. More than this, the son became the father's successor in this field. It is plainly implied in the statements of the Halle Reports, and the statement seems to be correct, that steps looking to the organization of congregations here were taken before the younger man married and settled here.
We are very much inclined to think that when the
1 Since this was written the original German will of the elder Stoever has been examined very carefully and there is certainly a very striking resemblance in the handwriting, especially in the formation of pp. final s and final e, which are altogether unique in both cases.
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younger Stoever was ordained, it was more with a view to being in a position to build up a charge for himself in this section than to supply the congregations served by Rev. John Christian Schulze. A supposition of this kind certainly would explain fairly well the difficulty oc- casioned by the fact that there is so little evidence that the younger John Casper Stoever acted as the regular pas- tor of these congregations, New Hanover, Trappe, Ger- mantown and Philadelphia for any length of time. In addition to all this there is the added fact that in a few months-almost certainly not more than three-after his ordination, and apparently very shortly after his father's removal to Virginia, he took up his residence where his father has had his home.
In a note on John Caspar Stoever, Sr., found among documents in possession of the late Dr. F. J. F. Schantz, there is a sketch of his life by a certain A. G. Grinnan. In that it is stated that J. C. Stoever, of Virginia, was twice married and had issue by both wives. According to the son's statement his mother's first name was Gertrude. Ac- cording to Mr. Grinnan's statement the second wife's given name was Mary Magdalene. According to the same au- thority his estate was divided among five children, John Caspar Stoever, pastor of Lutheran churches in Pennsyl- vania, Elizabeth, Philip Stoever, - Stoever and Mary Magdalene. The will is among the court records at Phil- adelphia, and a copy is filed at Charlotteville, Va.
Mr. Grinnan also describes Rev. Stoever's collecting tour in Germany, with its varied experiences. He also claims for him that he was an accomplished linguist. Dur- ing his collecting trip, at Dantzig he met Rev. Klugh, who afterwards became his successor as pastor in Vir- ginia.
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But the man took sick on the ocean on his return trip from London to Virginia. He had secured a " number of valuable donations for his church, e. g., 300 panes of cut glass,1 300 pounds of putty," etc. He advised his son living in Pennsylvania,
To write to the minister of Prince Darmstadt's Court to send a new minister over, and to do his best to keep up other corre- spondence spiritual and temporal in Germany, that they may send over other collection money, which was to be expected from friends in the old country.
Rev. Stoever desired his son to send for three of the church wardens of the Lutheran Church to come to his home in Penn- sylvania, at Conestoga, and to keep Michael Schmidt there, until they came, and with his aid to divide properly all money, books, goods and plate . . to the satisfaction of the wardens.
It seems a sum was left over, which began the endow- ment of the church. It almost seems as if the man had also made collections for the benefit of his son's churches in Pennsylvania.
We have introduced many of these matters not so much because they belong directly to the history of this congre- gation, as to indicate that much information which has not been used is available in regard to both of these men. This information would throw much light on the history of those early days. But we have introduced enough to show that the records at Philadelphia plainly prove that the two Stoevers were father and son, and that their names are so entered upon the public documents. The facts also seem to indicate that there is not only a possi- bility, but a strong probability that the elder Stoever first took up his abode at Conestoga, his son-a minor, re-
1 The will says 100.
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siding with him. They also seem to show that there is at least a fair probability that the younger Stoever was or- dained with the consent, if not at the request of his father, to be his successor in that field, in view of the father's change of residence. Last of all, the statements and facts known would indicate that as soon as the father had va- cated the field the son moved in and occupied it, taking his place and continuing the work which the father had com- menced. It looks very much as if many, if not nearly all, the baptisms performed prior to 1733, were those of the father and not those of the son. Possibly the dis- covery of additional facts may some day throw more light on the subject.
If allowed to construct an itinerary and " cursum Vitæ " of the two Stoevers, we would present the following : Dur- ing the winter of 1727-8, or, more probably, in the follow- ing spring, Rev. John Caspar Stoever, Sr., with his family, including his oldest son, the father's namesake, who was now twenty years of age and a student of theology, set out for America. September 11, 1728, they landed at Philadelphia. The father, taking his entire family with him, settled at Conestoga, near New Holland. Having come to this country with the evident purpose of preaching the gospel, and building up con- gregations, he preached and performed ministerial acts wherever opportunity offered, at the Trappe, at Phila- delphia, at New Hanover, at Moselem, at Oley Hills, Dorm (Durham) Furnace and various other points, ex- tending through Maryland into Virginia. He also endeavored to gather and organize Lutheran congrega- tions in the more sparsely settled sections in the interior, where he made his home, at New Holland, Lancaster, Muddy Creek, Little Tulpehocken, Hill and other points.
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While the father was thus engaged, the son still pursued his studies and probably rendered his father whatever assistance he could as a student. The son applied to the Swedes for ordination, but for some reason or other, pos- sibly because he was not a university student, and possibly because he had only his father's recommendation, they seemed to doubt his fitness. He also applied to Rev. Dan- iel Falckner, who likewise declined to ordain him. We can readily see reasons other than a question as to personal fitness or capacity for this refusal.
But now circumstances became different. Rev. John Caspar Stoever, the father, receives a call to Virginia, and this whole territory will be without the services of a Ger- man pastor. Rev. John Christian Schultze is about to go to Europe to collect funds for his congregations, and also to interest the German people in their brethren in the faith living in this country. The whole German popula- tion will then be without the services of a Lutheran minis- ter. That state of things could not and would not be sat- isfactory. The two men conclude that the remedy lies in the ordination of this young man who is now twenty-five years of age, and supposed to be able to take care of him- self and to look after the interests of the church. Pri- marily he was to be the pastor of Muddy Creek, New Holland, Lancaster, Hill, Tulpehocken, etc., But being the only ordained German minister in Pennsylvania he was to look after and care for the churches which Schultze left without any pastor and which the elder Stoever had evidently served before. That he did visit and look after these churches as often as circumstances would permit, is, we think, not questioned. That he did not reside among them is also known; for soon after his ordination, he re-
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moved to the more distant field and had his home there until his removal to Lebanon about 1760.
As to the time, place and circumstances of his ordination we need not say much. He himself tells us that it oc- curred April 8, 1733, about the time his father left for Virginia. The place he does not mention, but he does say that his marriage took place in connection with the or- dination service. Now what would be more natural than that the son should be ordained and married in the father's presence at or near his home? And there is really no ground for any other supposition than the statement of the bitterly partisan missive called the "Confusion von Tulpe- hocken," which seems to have been issued with the sole purpose of maligning Stoever's character.
Muddy Creek is almost certainly the oldest of all those churches, and unless we are greatly mistaken it was the principal congregation at the time. It was here that Schultze baptized children during April, 1733. Would Schultze have come all that distance less than a week before their own pastor was ordained? What business had he to do it after that ?
The son now settled at Conestoga: according to all the evidence the very place the father had occupied. The father spent five years with his congregation in Vir- ginia. Then he set out on his collecting tour to Europe, whence he never returned to his people. After his ordina- tion the young man undoubtedly visited his father a num- ber of times in his far distant home. This is shown by the record of baptisms performed at Monocacy, Opequan and points further south. He evidently also made a num- ber of trips in that direction after his father's death in 1738. The remainder of their history, especially that of the younger man, is elsewhere given. It might further
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be added that the will of John Caspar Stoever of Vir- ginia, of which we append a copy in a note, appointing his " beloved son John Caspar Stoever of Conestoga " his ex- ecutor, also declares that he expected his son to succeed him as pastor of the church in Virginia. Why this did not happen is not recorded.1
1 COPY OF THE WILL OF JOHN CASPAR STOEVER, dec'd.
In the Name of the Holy Trinity, Amen.
Since the great God hath determined an end for all mankind, although the manner and hour thereof by none is foreknown, yet he sendeth some- times messengers of sickness, by whom he calls us to consider his saying: Set thine house in order for thou shalt dye (die) ; which I also have experi- enced in (on) my sea voyage from England to Pennsylvania, and thence to Virginia. I have so (to) set in order two great (important) House affairs, both concerning the House of God (the affairs of the House of God, as well) as my own family. I will therefore begin on (at) the chiefest as the House of the Lord (at the House of the Lord as the chief). The articles of agreement (contract) with my congregation, and the cer- tificate from the Governor to his Brittanic Majesty of Williamsburg (the certificate of the Governor of Williamsburg to his Brittanic Majesty), to (do) testify of (on) whom I depend, and what I and my companions after the finishing of the collections on such long and very dangerous journeys for our faithful sincerity should enjoy. (The German says: " and what I, after having finished the collections, and goods presented, shall enjoy (or receive) for the faithfulness and uprightness in this great (long) and most dangerous journey.) Michael Holdt hath truly accompanied (did in- deed accompany) us to Danzig, but what wicked knavery he hath raised (commenced) there against us, and what damage in our collecting affairs (by the ministry) in London on his return there he has caused cannot be restituted to this congregation with 400 pistoles. (The German says: that Mr. Holdt in going back to London damaged their collections to an extent which could not be replaced or requited to the congregations by 400 pistoles.) Yea how through him and his wicked mouth, that blessed institution when a (well) learned man Master George Samuel Klugh by the heartbending (directing) grace of God, hath fully resolved, and in Elbingen as a (the) second minister (pastor) to his (this) congregation the calling (call) accepted, and further in Danzig confirmation received for whose maintenance in his journey from thence to London we have paid 400 Elbingen or 200 Dutch Florins according to the currency in the empire and for reason of the many recommendations from a great many
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(4) REV. LUCAS RAUSS.
This man was one of the assistants of Dr. H. M. Mühlenberg, or a sub- stitute, as Dr. Mühlenberg sometimes denominated those men. As this sketch will show his was a very checkered career.
He was born October 18, 1724, near Cronstadt, Siebenbürgen. His father and his grandfather both were ministers. The latter attained the age of ninety, and being blind, obtained his education by hear- ing others read. His grandfather was also named Lucas.
high Lords, both spiritual and temporal, as from other great merchants, our full and abundant confidence was further confirmed, that the great God would prosper our collections so far, that constantly two ministers without the least charge to the congregation could (have) been main- tained and, likewise, a church and other unto the worship of God neces- sary buildings would (have) been erected. This mentioned is not said with the least intent (that), we either have (we or) Michael Schmidt would draw that part or share due to Michael Holdt (wh. was Michl Holdt's), during the time he has been with us to our use: but we find it requisite in our conscience to consider it in the Lord, whether not such ought to be restored to the congregation as to whom chiefly it is a great detriment, of his mischiefs (tricks) acted to the great loss of the con- gregation can issue an oath to be assured by Michael Schmidt, a man of a good conscience, and when I this should confirm with my death, I hope credit will be given to my words as also to the correspondency held with Master Ziegenhagen. Now unto my well beloved son John Caspar Stoever, Minister of Conestoken, unto thee and Michael Schmidt do I give full power to do thy earnest endeavor for the estate of this church, and especially the well ordering of Divine Service with all thine (thy) con- science, so as we have begun it in the Lord and if these (this) beloved congregation would call thee for their minister, in my place, thou oughtest to accept of it, in case thine conscience be not hurted thereby: therefore as soon as thou hearest anything of a (from this) Mich- ael Schmidt, go to Philadelphia, and assist him as good as pos- sibly to bring unto thine house him and his and mine goods, and two other families going along to Virginia: this done send directly an ex-
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