Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 53

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing
Number of Pages: 1036

USA > Pennsylvania > Blair County > Altoona > Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 53

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CHURCH OF CHRIST (DISCIPLES).

There is but one congregation of the Church of Christ in Blair county and it is located in Altoona. In the year 1892 Mr. Walter L. King, through the city papers, invited all those who were interested in a New Testament church to meet at his home to discuss ways and means for a closer fel- lowship. This meeting proved to be the beginning of the congregation as it now is with its beautiful property on the corner of Sixth avenue and Ninth street.

The beginning seemed small, but with faith, work and prayer the movement grew, and in the year 1895 they bought the lot on which they built and dedicated a small chapel. Here they were ministered to suc- cessively by John L. Phoenix, T. L. Ham- ilton, E. Lee Perry, J. L. Boring, J. D. Houston, E. E. Manley, William Burley, J. H. Bristow, C. E. Smith and Richard H. Sawtelle. Rev. Sawtelle came to the con- gregation in the spring of 1909, and by this time it had reached such proportions that it was deemed necessary to provide a more commodious house of worship, and the pres- ent magnificent edifice was accordingly built during the year at a cost of $25,000. It was dedicated March 20, 1910. The pres- ent membership is about 300.

The marvelous growth in numerical strength, spiritual power and financial abil- ity of this people has come to pass because of their fidelity to these four great cardinal principles which stand for the ultimate Christianity of America and the world, "An inspired Bible, or no Scriptures; a Divine Christ, or no Saviour; Scriptural baptism, or no baptism, and a united-church or no Christianity."

HEBREWS.

The Hebrew Reformed congregation, Ahabath Achim, was organized in May, 1873. Joseph Berkowitz was the first presi- dent. A. Scheeline treasurer, and Simon Neuwahl secretary. The first rabbi was Rev. Mr. Goldman, who was followed in

order by Revs. Grossman, Block and Leas- ker. More recently Rev. Henry Kline, D. D., was in charge for a number of years. For a number of years the congregation had no regular stated place of worship for any protracted period of time. For a number of years its meetings were held in the Mc- Clain building at the corner of Eleventh avenue and Fourteenth street, and in 1898 the present beautiful stone temple at the corner of Thirteenth avenue and Fifteenth street was erected.

The Orthodox Hebrews have two temples, -the Agudath Achim synagogue, on Sev- enteenth street between Thirteenth and Fourteenth avenues, Rev. Jacob Rabino- vitz, rabbi; and Talmud Torah, on Thir- teenth avenue between Eighteenth and Nineteenth streets, Rev. Harris Rosenberg, rabbi.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Among other religious societies that have organizations in Altoona are the following : Seventh Day Adventists, corner Sixth and Union avenues, Rev. Wm. F. Schwartz, pas- tor; Christian Scientists, Chestnut avenue and Eleventh street, Matthew Bayle, reader; Christian and Missionary Alliance, 723 Chestnut avenue, Frank J. Potter, su- perintendent; Gospel Workers mission, 914 Eleventh avenue; Emanuel Church of the Evangelical association (German), cor- ner Fifth avenue and Fifth street, Rev. George J. Knippel, pastor; Progressive Brethren, Maple avenue and Thirtieth street, Rev. D. F. Eikenberry, pastor ; John Wesley African Methodist Episcopal Zion, Rev. Solomon T. Whiten, pastor, and the Salvation Army, who have an industrial home at Chestnut avenue and Ninth street and a place of worship at Eleventh avenue and Sixteenth street. The Greek Catholics and the Mennonites have also formed organ- izations in the city recently.

UNITED BRETHREN.

In the early years of the Nineteenth cen- tury the United Brethren church was to the

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German people of Pennsylvania and adjoin- ing states what Methodism was to the pop- ulation of English descent, and stood intensely for all that was spiritual and ex- perimental in religion, in sharp contrast to what was purely formal. It was first in- troduced in this section in Sinking valley in 1816, by ministers who preached in the house of John W. Bottenberg. As a result of their ministry the Antis church was founded, which is justly called the mother of the Allegheny conference of the United Brethren church. This church was situated at Elizabeth furnace, some five miles from Altoona, and was built in the year 1832, and dedicated December 18, 1834. It stood well the ravages of time until torn down and partially moved to Bellwood in 1894. The severe walls, the lofty pulpit, surrounded by high wainscoted railing with Bible board in front, so high that it hid all but the head and shoulders of the preacher, and a convenient closet underneath, into which the sexton could enter, all this strange old church has passed away. The march of time scattered its sons and daugh- ters and buried its fathers and mothers, till few remained to worship there. But the older members of Altoona First church will always remember it kindly, not only as the first church of the conference, but as its own fostering sister. For many years they were churches of the same circuit, and from it came, in 1850, its first Sunday school super- intendent and class leader.

First United Brethren Church .- There are many who yet remember the Altoona of the decade closing with 1850. Beautiful wooded farms, with old-fashioned farm houses, occupied the slopes on all sides of the central valley, where now stands the principal portion of the city. The railroad was here, the shops were in prospect, a Presbyterian and a Lutheran church had been built, the White hall was here, and near it stood an old Union chapel, where, before a single church was built, gathered the religious of every name and order, and

all worshipped together, led in turn by min- isters of different denominations, as they passed through the little village on their way to more important points. Here, as early as 1844, the United Brethren began to come together as a denomination, in which the McGlatherys, the Calverts, and the El- ways were leading spirits. A United Breth- ren camp-meeting was held on the farm of Samuel McGlathery, now corner of Twen- tieth avenue and Twentieth street, in 1848. But the real organization of the church took place in 1851, Rev. I. Sitman being presid- ing elder, and Rev. William Beighel in charge of circuit. The new class was soon transferred to a schoolhouse on Howard avenue, between Tenth and Eleventh streets, which has since been converted into a dwelling. Later they found themselves tabernacled in a little old church for which the Baptists had no further use, having built the First Baptist church of the pres- ent, and which until within a few years was one of the old landmarks of the city. Dur- ing the years Rev. T. L. Keesey was min- ister in charge, with Rev. C. W. M. Rigor, followed by Rev. D. D. Keedy, as junior as- sistants on a large circuit after the primi- tive method.

In January, 1856, Rev. D. Speck was sent as minister in charge, and he soon began to plan for a church building. The lot on which the church still stands, corner Eighth avenue and Twelfth street, then quite out- side the village, was bought for $100. The building committee was composed of M. T. Dill, S. McGlathery, M. Calvert, James El- way and S. Clouser. Later J. Wagner, T. A. James and J. W. Hooper were added to the number of trustees. According to the approved method of church building of that day, a cellar, long and deep, was dug, not by hired laborers, but by the willing hands of the little band of members, after their day's work at the railroad shops was done. The total cost in money was about $1,500. The building was fifty feet long by thirty- six feet wide. The same building, often al-

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tered, almost transformed, stood for forty- two years. The parsonage was built in 1863. In 1865, under the pastorate of Rev. M. P. Doyle, the church, heretofore a mis- sion, was made self-supporting. The mem- bership numbered 185.

The present beautiful church and parsonage were built during the pastorate of Rev. W. W. Williamson, which began September 25, 1897. The contract for the new structures was awarded to John W. Plummer for the sum of $19,900 on January 29, 1898. The church was completed in due time and dedicated on February 19, 1899. The entire cost of the buildings with the furnishings was $50,000. Those who have served as pastor since 1856 are as follows: Revs. D. Speck, W. B. Dick, D. Sherrer, E. B. Kephart, T. M. Halliwell, M. P. Doyle, William Wragg, J. Walker, Martin Spangler, J. Medsgar, T. P. Orner, J. N. Munden, W. J. Zuck, Milton O. Lane, J. I. L. Ressler, A. L. Funk, William W. Williamson, G. L. Graham, and W. G. Stiver- son. Rev. E. B. Kephart, D. D., LL. D., who served as pastor from 1861 to 1863, after- wards became a bishop and one of the most noted divines of the denomination in the country. During the pastorate of Rev. Funk, 1894 to 1897, his wife, Mrs. Mary Gardner Funk, who was a preacher, was the assistant pastor. Rev. W. G. Stiverson was in June, 1910, appointed by President Taft a chaplain in the United States army. Henry Schum, now living a retired life, served the church as treasurer of the board of trustees for forty years, retiring from the position early in 1910.

The Second United Brethren church was built at Fifth avenue and Third street during the year 1888, the trustees having concluded most unselfishly that the First church was large enough to undertake a mission. The church was dedicated in September, 1888, by Bishop J. Weaver, and Rev. H. A. Buffington was sent as assistant to the Rev. T. P. Orner, pastor of the First church, to have charge of the Second. For a year the affairs of the two churches were managed by the same board of trustees, though with separate accounts. In

1889, the division of the two churches was ef- fected, 207 persons being granted letters of transfer to the new church. Rev. Orner be- came the first pastor of the Second church, being succeeded by Rev. J. N. Munden at the First. The Second church has grown rapidly and prospered, especially during the pastorate of Rev. S. S. Hough. A few years ago the building was practically rebuilt and greatly enlarged. His successors have been Rev. S. R. Seese and Rev. W. D. Stratton, Ph. D.

The Third United Brethren church, an off- shoot of the Second church, is located in the East End, a suburban district, and is now pre- sided over by the Rev. R. J. Head. Further east in the village of Greenwood, there is an- other church of this denomination, at present under the pastoral charge of the Rev. G. W. Shires.

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.

The Church of the Brethren, changed from German Baptist in 1908, and com- monly known by the nickname of Dunkard, has one large congregation in Altoona and quite a number of others throughout the county. This church had its origin in Ger- many in 1708, when they became separated from the state churches on account of the cold formalities and the manifest depart- ures of those churches from the plain teach- ings of the Scriptures. Their investigations led them to. adopt trine immersion for bap- tism; feet washing and a supper as attend- ants of the communion, and the holy kiss was given just before communion. They adopted democratic government and con- gregational activity was practically unlim- ited. They elected their ministers from the laity, dressed plainly, avoided all legal con- troversies and settled their own disputes amicably. They held to the principle of peace as opposed to war and persecution, and contended that separation of man and wife by divorce was unscriptural. They an- nointed the sick with oil according to James 5:14, 15. They also held that the manufac- ture or drinking of intoxicating liquors is

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wrong. Holding these principles which dif- fered so radically from prevailing usages, subjected them to severe persecution in the fatherland and drove them bodily to North America. They landed at Philadelphia and as they spread out and as many new con- verts were added to their number, it became necessary for them to seek new homes in more distant parts of the country. They were accordingly among the first settlers of the Juniata valley at Frankstown, Roar- ing Spring and from Williamsburg along Clover creek to Martinsburg. They left no written history so that dates are uncertain, but they are mentioned in connection with incidents prior to the Revolutionary war and with others shared in the ravages of Indians. Being non-resistant, they suffered the more severely at the hands of the merci- less foes. Their refusal to bear arms even to repel a savage enemy brought them into contempt, and writers and speakers since have delighted to hold them up to ridicule and denounce them as unworthy citizens. But while other church people were uniting with the war forces for the suppression of the badly treated Indians, these people were exemplifying in their practice the teaching of the Saviour on the Mount and respected the work and sacredness of a human soul, firmly believing that man killing has no place in Christianity. The appeals to their courage and manhood to join in the defen- sive war, were unheeded and they contin- ued in their steadfast adherence to the prin- ciples they avowed and many of them with their families fell beneath the tomahawk and scalping knife of the Indians. They were willing to go to their graves and wait the coming of a better day when sober judg- · ment and dispassionate consideration would dispel prejudice and conclude if it was right. to despoil and wrong a race of weak and inferior people and then claim to be justified in killing them because they were savages. Because of their uncompromising attitude on this and other questions they did not meet with the same success in adding to

their number as the churches that were more liberal in their views. Their ministers were selected from the laity and were not paid a stipulated salary, which kept them from that aggressive missionary work that is necessary for church extension. They, therefore, fell behind in the work of prose- lyting.

This denomination has twenty-six congre- gations in central Pennsylvania, known as the Middle district of Pennsylvania. They by ap- portionment erected in 1902 a home at Mar- tinsburg known as the Morrison's Cove home for the aged and infirm. The building is a fine two-story brick containing thirty rooms, excluding the office, dining-room, sitting-room and kitchen. The net cost of the house and lot was $7,995. It was dedi- cated to the use of the aged of the fraternity April 1, 1903. The officers of the home are: President, John Bennet; vice-president, An- drew Spanogle; secretary, John C. Swigart ; treasurer, C. L. Buck; solicitor, A. B. Mock.

So far as known, the first minister in the territory of Blair county was a man by the name of Etter. . Soon after came Samuel Ullery. , The membership was considerably scattered and ministers were few in number. Later on there appeared David Albaugh, Sr., and David Albaugh, Jr., J. S. Burkhart, John D. Veach, Joseph B., James A., Brice and David D. Sell, Graybill Myers, Levi Benner, and William N. Hoover, in the central portion of the country, which brings the church in the valley up to date.

On the Clover Creek district the data is meager and uncertain. The first ministers there may have been Etter and Ullery, but later on the names of Brumbaugh, Holsinger and Miller are mentioned. Coming still to a : later date we have George Brumbaugh, D. M. Holsinger, J. W. Brumbaugh, G. W. Brum- baugh, Jacob Wineland, Thomas Maddocks, Andrew Burket, James Brumbaugh, Jacob Brown, Orville Long, John Beshoar, Fred Zook, John B. Miller, George Myers; M. R.

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Brumbaugh, Daniel Maddocks, William Hol- singer and John Brumbaugh.

In the Logan valley we have the names of Samuel M. Cox, Daniel Brallier, Benjamin Ranck, Walter S. Long, Joseph W. Wilt, Josiah B. Brumbaugh and C. O. Beery.

The first religious services were held in the private houses and as schoolhouses were erected they were also used for the same pur- pose. There was a house built where the vil- lage of Geeseytown now stands jointly by the Brethren, Lutherans and Mennonites and also one by the Brethren at Clover Creek, but which claims priority is not known. Both date back to about 1800. There are at present about 1,200 members in the county. Children and young people not baptized are not reck- oned as members of the church.

The church in Altoona dates back to about 1869 or 1870, when eight or ten members worshipped in a chapel on Eighth avenue be- tween Twenty-first and Twenty-second streets. September 4, 1874, the congregation having increased in numbers, it purchased from H. D. Witmer a lot and building at the corner of Sixth avenue and Fifth street for $1,500. The building was remodeled and made into a church, where the congregation worshipped for ten years, when the present two story building was erected. For a number of years the services were conducted by Revs. James A. Sell, Grabill Myers, Brice Sell and David D. Sell, and later on by Joseph W. Wilt and D. S. Braller. During the past ten years the congregation, now a large and flourishing one, has supported a regular pastor, Rev. Walter Scott Long serving in that capacity. Through the efforts of Rev. Wilt, a church has been built in Juniata in recent years.

METHODIST CHURCH.

Methodism began in Altoona in 1850, with eighteen members. She now has more than 4,000." In 1853, the probable value of the church property was $5,000; in 1910, the probable value of the property owned by the various "Methodist congregations in the city is/ $337,200, with a debt not exceeding

$20,000. She had in 1850, one Sunday school, and the first enrollment was forty with officers and teachers. She has eight Sunday schools now, and an enrollment of 4,310. She has paid to home and foreign missions and church extension since 1864, to the present time $77,120.57. The experiences through which the churches have passed have been varied and many of her early struggles were very severe, but they have prospered spiritually and materially, and today but one denomination has a larger membership and no other has so many fine churches.

The First Church .- When the moves that the Pennsylvania railroad was making drew people to this vicinity, some of them were of the Methodist faith, and there being no regu- lar place of worship, they attended meetings in the old Union schoolhouse, in what was then known as the upper end of the Tuckahoe val- ley. During the year 1850, Rev. George Guyer, presiding elder of the Birmingham district, and the Rev. Plummer E. Waters preached in the schoolhouse, the society then numbering eighteen members. The first class was formed in May, 1851, with Edward Hawkins, leader, who at the end of three months was succeeded by Thomas Elway. The appointment belonged to the Birmingham circuit, with Rev. Waters as pastor and Rev. T. S. W. Monroe as presiding elder.

The growth of the society brought increased need of service and in February, 1853, a meet- ing was held in the office of Thomas Burch- nell, for the purpose of considering the pro- priety of organizing a separate charge, asking for recognition by the annual conference, and securing a pastor.

Of this meeting Alexander Enos, of Holli- daysburg, was president, and John Shoe- maker, secretary. The feasibility of such a movement was questioned by some, but al- though wild geese and ducks were swimming on the ponds where the Logan house and Central Trust building now stand, and wild animals infested Gospel Hill, they had faith in God and sufficient hope in the future to enable them to sign a petition asking the Baltimore

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conference to constitute them a separate charge. Among other things the petition stated that the town was growing and would probably become a town of two or three thou- sand people. The conference heard the peti- tion with many misgivings, but after consider- able debate the prayer of the petitioners was granted, and Altoona was constituted a sep- arate charge, in March, 1853, with Rev. John Ryland the pastor.

The society then worshipped in the old Union schoolhouse, on what is now Sixteenth street, where the African Methodist Episcopal church now stands, except occasionally, when, through the courtesy of the Presbyterians, they were permitted to occupy their church, then on the corner of Twelfth avenue and Thirteenth street. The Sunday school was or- ganized on the second Sunday of April, 1853, George R. Everson being elected superintend- ent, John A. Baer, secretary, and Solomon F. Ramey, librarian. The number of pupils pres- ent was forty.

In the summer of this year, the two lots of ground upon which the present church stands were secured from Colonel John A. Wright, of Philadelphia; and in the fall of the same year the church edifice was commenced by Daniel K. and David K. Ramey, contractors and builders, the contract price being $5,000. During the progress of the work, David K. Ramey withdrew and his brother, Daniel, of Hollidaysburg, completed the work. The charter of incorporation of the congregation was granted May 5, 1856.

The church was dedicated August 13, 1854. There was a considerable debt, the contractor claiming $4,999, which was disputed because of certain things not having been done accord- ing to contract. In default of the payment, suit was instituted for the whole of the claim, including $700 for extras. The case was tried in court in the spring of 1856, when the jury gave a reduction of nearly $1,000, thus reduc- ing the judgment to $3,009. There were further proceedings, and the congregation came near losing the property, but finally on September 16, 1856, an amount sufficient to

redeem the property was raised and possession was secured. A number of years elapsed, however, before the congregation was free of debt. In 1871, under the pastorate of Rev. Finley B. Riddle, the church was remodeled. The entire structure was changed, the tower was built, with the entrance in it, and the re- cess for the pulpit and choir. These changes and alterations cost $2,200.

In 1870 there was a split in the church be- cause of an organ. To this innovation some of the older members objected, finally leav- ing the church and organizing in Elway's hall, Eleventh avenue and Ninth street, the Chestnut avenue church. In 1879 her mem- bership numbered 333, and by 1893 it had increased to 534. For years the church has been favored with the best ministers in the conference, and among those who have served the First church are Revs: George Guyer, Willford Downs, Plummer E. Wa- ters, Samuel Creighton, Jacob S. McMur- ray, Finley B. Riddle, Asbury Guyer, James Curns, W. W. Evans, B. B. Hamlin, Joseph B. Shaver, George Warren, D. S. Monroe, M. L. Ganoe, B. C. Conner and Horace Lincoln Jacobs.

The present beautiful brownstone church edifice, the largest and most beautiful in Al- toona, was built in 1905, at a cost of over $80,000. It was designed by M. R. Brown of New York city and erected by Contractor P. W. Finn. The building committee was composed of Messrs. Wm. L. Woodcock, H. J. Cornman, H. L. Nicholson, H. A. Hutchison, H. E. Stall, Fred Hesser, and the pastor, when the work started, Rev. B. C. Conner. Andrew' Carnegie presented the pipe organ to the congregation. The rooms on the first floor were ready for use and occupied September 30, 1906, and the building was entirely completed and dedi- cated on April 27, 1907. The pastor, Rev. Jacobs, was assisted in the dedicatory serv- ices by Bishop E. G. Andrews, D. D., Bishop B. H. Moore, Dr. D. S. Monroe and Rev. B C. Conner, former pastors. On May 23,

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1909, the entire indebtedness of the church, $81,000, was fully paid.

From 1864 to 1909 this church has paid in pastor's salaries, $69,400; in home and foreign missions and church extension, $30,- 829; first building, church and parsonage valued at $8,100, present property value, $125,000. Ada May Trout is the present deaconess of the congregation, and W. L. Woodcock, Esq., is now and has been' for a number of years, the superintendent of the Sunday school.

Eighth Avenue Church .- By the year 1867 Altoona was a good-sized town, and the churches had shared in the rapid growth of the place. At this time there were about as many people living on the one side of the railroad as the other, so it was quite nat- ural for the people of the east side to think of building a church which would be in their immediate vicinity. Accordingly, it was not long until a board of trustees was elected to look after the interests of the pro- posed new church. The board held its first meeting February 28, 1868, in the office of John Shoemaker, and organized by electing J. W. Webber, secretary; Henry Bell, treasurer. The other members of this board were Andrew Kipple, Joseph Nixon, Solomon Boyer, George Rosenberger and William C. Jacobs. Rev. McMurray, pas- tor of the First church was president ex officio. Shortly after, on the resignation of Mr. Bell, Ambrose Ward was elected, and when George Rosenberger resigned from the building committee, Jeremiah Delo was elected. At the second meeting of the board, April 3, 1868, Messrs. Ward, Rosen- berger and Webber were made the building committee for the temporary chapel, to be erected on the rear of the lot where the church now stands. This chapel was built of pine boards, and the window frames were so made that they could be used in the basement of the new church when it was ready for them. Rev. William M. Fry- singer was officially appointed as junior pastor by the conference in 1869, to work

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Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 53

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872- Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Number of Pages: 1036

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing
Number of Pages: 1036