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THE HISTORY
OF THE
St. John's
Evangelical Lutheran Church
MAYTOWN. LANCASTER CO.. PA
1765—1904.
BY
REV. GEORGE PHILIP GOLL.
AUTHORIZED BY THE CHURCH COUNCIL.
WICKERSHAM PRINTING CO.,
IvANCASTER. Pa.
1904.
8 2 6 9 ^> 3 . 2
Published as a Souvenir of the Centennial
Anniversary of the Building of the Stone
Church, and the One Hundred and Thirty-
ninth Anniversary of the Founding of the
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Maytown. Lancaster County, Penna. . . .
1SS0830
eof^e
HONORED MEMORY
OF THE
DEAD AND LIVING PASTORS.
WHO FAITHFULLY SERVED OUR CHURCH,
THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY
DEDICATED.
PREFACE.
" Nothing useless is, or low;
Each thing in its place is best;
And what seems but idle show,
Strengthens and supports the rest."
When the Committee on Historical Research
was appointed, it was thought that a week's work
would be sufficient to write the history of this old
and historic church. That things are not always
what they seem, this book amply proves. For in-
stead of one week, it required many months of
laborious research and the reading of many old
German records unthought of at first. As the writer
delved beneath the surface for facts^ which had to
be authenicated to make this history reliable, he
was confronted by most perplexing problems in the
form of conflicting dates, incomplete records, etc.,
which could only be made correct by a thorough
search and study of the records of the other
churches in this charge whose history is identical
with that of the Maytown Lutheran Church.
While the writer was searching for records in the
Trinity Church of Lancaster, Pa., through the
courtesy of its pastor, Rev. John E. Whitteker,
vi PREFACE
D. D., M. D., he was shown the most up-to-date
historical work on the Lutheran Church in this
State, viz.: "The Lutheran Church in Pennsyl-
vania," by Rev. Thco. E. Schniauck, D. D., of
Lebanon, Pa., in which no mcntiojt whatever is
made of either the Maytown or Elizabethtown
church. How so careful a student and writer as
Dr. Schmauck could overlook these really histori-
cal churches is difficult to understand, and while it
is to be regretted, the writer has the assurance that
this history of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Maytown, Pa., will be ait absolutely necessary link
to make the great chain of Lutheran Church his-
tory of this State perfect and complete.
Incomplete and unsatisfactory as these records
no doubt will be to many, in justice to the author
let it be borne in mind that the fault is not his, but
is due mainly to the carelessness and indifference
with which the old records were too frequently
kept, and also to the culpable negligence on the part
of those who should have preserved them. And if
this history will do nothing more than impress
upon the reader the urgent need of keeping better
and more concise records of events and transac-
tions in the future, it shall not have been written
in vain.
Grateful acknowledgement and sincere thanks is
PREFACE vii
herewith made especially to Mr. William Clepper
for his valuable aid and counsel in the preparation
of this history; to John K. Miller for the excellent
photographs of the church and communion ser-
vices; to John H. Epler, Esq., of Elizabeth town,
and G. W. Hackenberger of Bainbridge, for the use
of their church records; to Mr. Herbert Putnam,
Librarian of Congress, and Mr. Philips, Chief of
Map Division of the Congressional Library; and to
the following for their valuable assistance in gath-
ering data and giving helpful suggestions: Dr. G.
A. Harter, Rev. Milton H. Valentine, D. D., A.
D. Chiquoine, William Bontz, Frank L. Goll, Miss
Bessie Johnstin, Mrs. Joseph Koehler, Miss Ella
Buller, Mrs. Sarah Hulsinger, Mrs. Henry Haines,
D. E. Pennepacker, John A. Dehoff, J. Frank
Johnstin, and to the many friends, too numerous to
mention, who encouraged the writer in this work.
" We may build more splendid habitations,
Fill our rooms with paintings, and with sculptures,
But we cannot
Buy with gold the old associations,"
The Author-
Maytown, Lancaster Co., Pa.,
March 26, 1904.
INTRODUCTION.
In so young a nation as ours, whose institutions,
great and flourishing as many of them are to-day,
date their origin, for the most part, from compara-
tively recent times, it is but natural that particular
regard should be paid to those whose beginnings
reach back into the colonial period. It is not sur-
prising, therefore, that this history of St. John's
Lutheran Church, May town. Pa., should be pub-
lished in connection with the centennial celebra-
tion of the erection of the stone building that took
the place of the log church in which the congrega-
tion thirty-five years before had held its initial
services. The very age of the congregation pre-
sents a challenge to the antiquarian and historian.
In accepting this challenge, the present pastor,
Rev. George P. Goll, has made a valuable contri-
bution to historical studies of the State of Pennsyl-
vania, and especially of the Lutheran Church
which has had such honorable share in the develop-
ing history of the State. Whatever Lutheranism
has accomplished for God and man in this great
and growing Commonwealth, has been done, in
X INTRODUCTION
the last analysis, through the units of its organiza-
tion, the local congregations. The history of
Lutheranisni is but the aggregate of what these
congregations have achieved within their several
and innnediate spheres and through their repre-
sentatives in synodical assembly.
Among the things which the general historian
gratefully recognizes to-day is his debt to the
monograph. The historian of Lutheranisni in
America, for example, would find it impossible to
make personal investigation into the original docu-
ments of the congregations severally, scattered
throughout the land. For much of his data he is
dependent upon such books as this. The interest
which the volume has, therefore, is not simply for
the local church, justly gratified though its mem-
bers may be at the honorable record here spread
before them; the interest which it excites is wider;
it is felt by the Church as a whole, and especially
by those who are concerned for the accumulation
and preservation of a body of information for the
use of future historians of Lutheranisni in America.
Rev. Mr. Goll has done his work in the prepara-
tion of this volume with painstaking care. It has
been no light task to compile from incomplete,
time-worn, and occasionally conflicting records,
many of them in the German language, such a
INTRODUCTION xi
connected narrative as is given in these pages. It
is to be sincerely hoped, however, that the admir-
able success with which he has accomplished the
task will inspire other pastors to gather into some
permanent form the historical facts concerning the
origin and development of their congregations.
The danger that the original documents from
which these must be obtained may be lost or de-
stroyed increases with the passing years.
M. H. Valentine.
Philadelphia, Pa., April 12, igo^.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
Epoch First— The Beginning i
Epoch Second— Growing . 33
Epoch Third— The Remodeli.ed Church 59
Epoch Fourth— Fruition, 1896-1904 103
List of Members, 1853 128
List of Present Members 129
sunday-schooi. i32
Woman's Home and Foiieign Missionary Society . . 150
Aid Society 154
Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor . . 159
Eari,y Public School History 163
Early Industries and Who Conducted Them .... 174
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Rev. George Phii,ip Goll . • Frontispiece.
Church Councii,, 1903 and 1904 i
Church as Remodelled in 1896 . 2
First Communion Service 16
Communion Service, 1879-1904 17
Individual Communion Service 17
Enlarged Map of Pennsylvania 29
Old Stone Church as Remodelled, 1853 38
Diagram of Interior as Built in 1804 39
Alex. Shireman, Builder of Stone Church .42
Rev. W. Gerhardt— Rev. W. S. Laitzle 43
Rev. J. W. Early— Rev. F. F. Hoover 43
Auditorium AS Remodelled IN 1853 62
Sunday-School Room 63
Rev. B. F. Apple 64
Rev. George p. Weaver, M. D 65
Parsonage 80
General Simon and Mrs. Cameron 81
James F. Johnstin— Rev. J. H. Houseman 81
Rev. Milton H. Stine 84
Rev. C. M. Aurand 85
Rev. a. H. Shertz 92
Rev. W. H. Harding ... 93
Auditorium as Remodelled in 1896 116
Elder Abraham S. Rhoads 117
Rev. Julius F. Seebach 124
Mrs. Anna Welchans ... 115
John Hays 142
Sunday-School Room in 1896 143
DIRECTORY.
PASTOR.
REV. GEORGE PHILIP GOLL.
Officers of the Church.
ELDERS. DEACONS. TRUSTEES.
William Frysinger, John Wolfe, Dr. G. A. Harter,
Edward Fitzkee, C. C. Keiser, Clayton Farmer,
John Kautz. Eph. Williams. Bayard T. Brandt.
Officers of the Church Council.
PRESiDEyr.
Dr. G. a. Barter.
secreta r )'. treasurer.
Bayard T. Brandt. Wm. Frysinger.
Ushers for Church.
Mr. Albert Clepper. Mr. Isaac Wolfe.
Divine Services.
El'ERV SUyDAV.
Morning service, lo a. m. Evening service, 7 p. m.
Mid-week prayer-ineeting, Thursday evening, 7:30 o'clock.
Sunday-school 9 a. in. and i p. in. ; Junior C. E. Society
at 5:30 P- ni- Senior C. E. Society, 6 p. m. : every Sunday.
Regular Council meeting every Monday after the first
Sunday in the month.
Monthly Meetings.
Aid Society meets on the first Wednesday in the month.
Woman' s Home and Forcif[n Missionary Society meets on
the last Tuesday in every month.
The church is supported by the voluntary contributions of
its members and friends.
All seats are free and everybody is welcome.
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EPOCH THE FIRST
THE BEGINNING, 176^1802
THE LOG CHURCH
AND SOMZ
CONTEMPORANEOUS HISTORY.
THE history of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran
Church of Maytown, Lancaster county, Pa., is
so closely identified with the history of the town in
which it is situated, and with which it grew, that
some facts concerning the founding of Maytown
will be of considerable importance to those who
are interested in the history of the church.
It is difficult for many of us of the present gen-
eration to realize, as we look upon the beautiful
little town named after the delightful month of
May, in which it was founded, in 1760, that things
were not always as they are at present. For where
the comfortable and cozy homes, with their well-
kept gardens and lawns are now seen, there was
once only wild, virgin forests in which the savage
red men lived, hunted, and fought their bloody
wars. Yet those were the actual conditions exist-
ing more than one hundred and fifty years ago in
what is now recognized as one of the richest agri-
cultural counties in the world.
When Lancaster county was first settled in 1709,
it was inhabited by Indians belonging to the Con-
estoga, Shawanese, Delaware, and Ganawese
tribes, some of whom had been driven out of
Maryland, Virginia, and the Carolinas. These
3
4 LEA I 'ES FROM A CE.VTC '/? )' PLANT
Indians gave the early settlers considerable
trouble, as their homes and hunting-grounds were
so ruthlessly invaded by the advent of the white
man.
The encroachments of civilization slowly but
surely wrought great changes, and with the com-
ing of the trader and pioneer began the passing of
the child of the forest.
Owing to the treaties made with these various
tribes by the Governor at Philadelphia, through his
agents, these early years were, comparatively
speaking, times of peace as f^u as Pennsylvania
was concerned.
In the year 1748 Lazarus Lowrey took out a
patent for 411 acres of land in the township of
Donegall, which was organized in 1722 by the
Chester county court. Through this tract of land
ran what was called the "Old Peter's Road,"
probably from the fact that it lead to a prominent
distant point lying to the north known as "Peter's
Mountain," (which can be seen on an old map in the
archives of the map division of the Congressional
Library, at Washington, D. C, which was made by
a German in the year 1750) and on this road May-
town was located.
" In the same year in which Lazarus Lowrey took
out his patent for this large tract of land, he sold
THE BEGINNING— 1765-1802 ^
150 acres of it to a trader in his employ, named
Dennis Sulivan. This man paid only a part of the
purchase money, and on account of losses sustained
by the Indians he was unable to meet his obliga-
tions, and a year or two later the sheriflf sold the land
and Mr. Lowrey repurchased it. In the year 1753
he again sold the same tract of land to another
Indian trader, named John Kenedy, who not only
met with losses by the Indians but was wounded
and taken prisoner by them. This resulted in
Sheriff Smith selling him out May 7, 1754, and
Thomas Harris and Joseph Simons, Indian traders,
who held a mortgage against the land, purchased
it."
In this same month and year (May 28, 1754),
Washington fired the first gun that opened the long
and bloody French and Indian War, in the west-
ern part of Pennsylvania, which eventually led to
the evacuation of Fort Du Quesne, and the found-
ing of Pittsburg in 1758. Desperate indeed were
the battles between the English and the French
with their bloodthirsty Indian allies. Horrible
beyond description were the massacres perpetrated
by the red fiends incarnate. The student of history
will no doubt recall the names of Crown Point,
Ticonderoga, Du Quesne, Niagara and Quebec, all
glorious trophies of the valor and bravery of those
6 LEAVES FROM A CEXTiRV PLA.\T
early colonists who bore the brunt of the battles,
and the burden of debt which inevitably followed
these intercolonial wars. "This war cost the
colonists $16,000,000, of which the English gov-
ernment only paid $5,000,000."
The surrender of Quebec brought a cessation of
hostilities, and just about this time, or to be more
exact, on February 15, 1760, the two Indian
traders, Harris and Simons, sold their tract of 150
acres of land to Jacob Downer, who had settled in
Lampeter township in 1731, and who commenced
to purchase land which bounded this 150-acre
tract on the east, in Donegal], from Lazarus
Lowrey in 1750.
THE FOUNDING OF MAYTOWN.
In the month of May Jacob Downer laid out a
town upon the 150 acres he had bought and called
it Maytown. It seemed to be a very desirable
location, and the lots sold readily, but only
ground-rent deeds were given. These quit- or
ground-rents amounted to a considerable sum, but
they did not realize sufficient money to relieve Mr.
Downer from the debts which were sorely pressing
him at this time. The result of this was that in
the fall of 1770, James Webb, Jr., high sheriff of
Lancaster county, .sold out Mr. Downer, and his
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THE BEGINNING-1765-1802 y
lands, including the ground-rents, which were pur-
chased by Col. Alexander Lowrey (son of Lazarus
Lowrey, the original owner of the tract), and the
conveyance was made to him November lo, 1770.
These changes, however, had no effect on the
growth and development of the town, and it was
not long ere it became "one of the first and most
important places west of Lancaster borough. The
back settlers," we are told, "came many miles to
purchase tea and coffee at a store kept by James
Eagen, those luxuries not being for sale at any
other place west of Lancaster. He was also the
first person west of Lancaster to keep iron-mong-
ery (hardware) for sale, and for fifty years it was
the most important town in Donegall township."
While Mr. Downer was busy founding Maytown,
Revs. Muhlenberg and Wrangel were making
earnest efforts in Lancaster to revive what was
then known as the Ministerium of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in North America, which had
been organized in 1748, in the same year that
Lazarus Lowrey took out his patent for 411 acres
in Donegall township. This ministerium, after
holding about seven sessions, gradually went
down, and for about six years was practically
dead, until 1760, when these earnest servants of
God succeeded in reviving the organization again.
8 LEAVES FROM A CEXTURY PLANT
This niinisterium is the oldest organization for
the union of the different synods of the Lutheran
church in America, and was the first successful
attempt at synodical orj^anization.
Among the many members who worshipped at
the Lutheran cluircl) at Lancaster about this time
was a devout and earnest Christian named Ludwig
Lindemuth, who, accompanied by his wife Marga-
reta, left Germany and arrived in America, Septem-
ber 19, 1749. He made his way to Lancaster and on
March 2, 1752 he bought a farm of 206 acres from
Robert McFarland, who moved to Virginia. This
farm was situated on the banks of the Little Chick-
isalunga (Chickies) creek, about a mile south of
the present site of Mount Joy. As there was no
Lutheran church in the neighborhood, the only
church in the whole region being the old Donegal
Presbyterian church, Ludwig Lindemuth regularly
attended the Trinity Lutheran church at Lan-
caster, with wliich he and his family had con-
nected themselves, as the old records of Trinity
church show, where their names, Ludwig Linde-
muth, his wife Margareta, and son Hans Georg
Lindennith are entered in the list of members who
communed on Kaster ^Sunday, 1751. This church
was twelve miles from his home, and "he often
walked there and back again in the same day."
THE BEGINNING— 1765-1802 g
While Jacob Downer was laying out the town-
lots of Maytown, events were transpiring at Lan-
caster the influence of which was soon to be
manifested in this new town. It appears from the
records that the members of the Lutheran church
in Lancaster found the stone church which was
erected in 1738, and in which they worshipped, too
small for their rapidly growing congregation, and
foundations were laid for a larger church, and on
August I, 1 761, the corner-stone of the present
Lutheran church of the Holy Trinity was laid.
Without doubt this work and the imposing services
in connection with the laying of the corner-stone,
which Ludwig Lindemuth undoubtedly attended,
made a deep impression upon him and filled his
heart with a zealous desire to do something for His
Master and the extension of His Kingdom, and in
the rapidly growing village of Maytown so near
his home, he saw his- opportunity for doing prac-
tical missionary work in the interest of his beloved
church. Gradually he gathered together the Luth-
erans who had settled in the neighborhood and
those who were making their home in Maytown,
and in 1765, with the assistance of Peter Thiel,
Johan Adam Nas, Johan Jacob Wolf, Philip
Brenner, Frederick Bauer, Frederick Schwartz,
Philip Klug and others, he succeeded in organizing
I O LEA VES FROM A CENTUR Y PLANT
and founding the first Lutheran church in Donegal
township, west of Lancaster.
Their first meetings were held in a log building
situated on Queen street, on one of the two lots,
which later on in 1770 were practically presented
to the church by the founder of the town, Jacob
Downer, together with the "Building," which is
expressly mentioned in the deed.
These earnest workers were no doubt so busy in
looking after their new work that in the first year
or two no effort was made to keep regular records
until 1767, shortly after they had secured the ser-
vices of an ordained minister, which was made
possible by the founding of another Lutheran con-
gregation in the village of Elizabethtown about
the same time, and the two churches became one
charge and were for many years served by the
same ministers.
REV. HORSEL.
1766-1769.
Of their first pastor nothing more is known
than that his name was Horsel, and he served
them for the first two years, and was negligent in
keeping records.
In the " Kirchen Protocol for the Evangelical,
based upon the Augsburg Confession, Lutheran
THE BEGINNING-1765-1802 1 1
Congregation in Maytown and vicinity, and en-
dowed for that purpose in 1770," the first entries
made were the Baptismal records dated April 17,
1767, and the names of the parents who had their
children baptized, and the sponsors who stood for
them, is herewith given. A fact that needs to be
remembered in connection with this list is, that
according to the old established rule of the Luth-
eran church, all who took such vows and responsi-
bilities upon themselves were recognized as eligible
communicant members of the Lutheran church,
and no doubt some of the following were charter
members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Maytown, Pa.
The following is the list as given in the
"Protocol:"
Peter Thiel, and wife
Anna Margaretha Thiel.
Johannes Buchtel, and wife
Katharina Buchtel.
Jacob Hautz, and wife
Magdalena Hautz.
Johan Adam Nas, and wife
Katharina Nas.
Jacob Schiimpf, and wife
Christina Schiimpf.
Johan Adam Wern, and wife
2 LEAVES EROM A CENTURY PLANT
Mrs. John Adam Weni.
Michel McCaferty, and wife
Susana McCaferty.
Andreas Hautz, and wife
Katharina Hautz.
Miss Magdalena Verdriistin.
Jacob Olhveiler and wife
Anna Ollweiler.
Bernhard Speck, and wife
Magdalena Speck.
Christian Schneckenberg, and wife
Dorothea Schneckenberg.
Theobald Vote.
Mrs. Dorothea Pfeiffer.
Michel Glans and wife
Elizabeth Glaus.
Johan Jacob Wolf, and wife
Maria Barbara Wolf.
Johan Hcinrich Hiinckel, and wife
Magdalena Hanckel.
Philip King, and wife
Veronica King.
Jacob Kintzer and wife
Elizabeth Kintzer.
Joseph Seigfried, and wife
Christina Barbara Seigfried.
William Hall.
THE BEGINNING— 1765-1802 13
Maria Magdalena Goleyn.
William Yost.
Johan Boers and wife
Anna Maria Boers.
In the year 1769 Rev. Horsel closed his labors in
this field.
While the foundations of the Lutheran congre-
gation in the thriving village of Maytown, were
being laid, events of far-reaching importance were
shaping the destiny of the colonies. In 1764 the
British Government passed the obnoxious Naviga-
tion Act, which practically meant the suppression
and prohibition of all American manufactures,
and William Pitt, then Prime Minister of Eng-
land, and the so-called friend of America, declared
that "America had no right to manufacture even a
nail for a horseshoe." The constant and persist-
ent attempts of the British Government to tax the
colonists, without giving them representation in
Parliament, thoroughly aroused the Americans,
who declared "that taxation without representa-
tion is tyranny." In 1765 the Stamp Act was
passed, which so aroused the colonists that Patrick
Henry, in the Assembly of Virginia, sounded the
trumpet of the Revolution in his ever-memorable
speech: "Caesar had his Brutus, Charles I. had
his Cromwell, and George III." — and amid the cry
14 LEAVES EROM A CEXTCRY PLANT
of treason he finished by saying — "may profit by
their examples ; if this be treason, make the most
of it."
The whole conntry was aroused, and so bitter
and threatening were the demonstrations of the
people that the English Government repealed the
act in 1766.
But they quickly fanned the smouldering fires
of revolution into brighter flames by insisting on
their right to tax the colonies and laying on new
duties on various necessary commodities ; and fear-
ing opposition, they also passed "the Mutiny Act,
by which they tried to compel the colonists to
shelter and feed their oppressors. To be taxed
was bad enough, but to be enslaved in this way
filled the people with burning indignation. The
New York and Massachusetts Assemblies refused
to comply with the act," and matters went from
bad to worse until they resulted in the Boston Mas-
sacre on March 5, 1770, and it was only with the
greatest difficulty that the threatened uprising was
quelled. But the whole land was in a ferment of
excitement, and the English Government, alarmed
by the state of the people, rescinded the taxes on
everything in 1773 except the tax on tea, which
they left to maintain the principle. This only
served to thoroughly exasperate the colonists, who
THE BEGINNING— 1765-1802 i^
were fighting for a great principle. It resulted in
drastic measures of every kind in the various parts
of the colonies by the people, and in Boston men
disguised as Indians threw 342 chests of tea into
the waters of the harbor. The demand for a union
of the colonies became insistent and imperative,
and everywhere companies of soldiers were formed,
who were known as "Minute Men." And in 1774
the first Continental Congress was held in Phila-
delphia.
This digression into contemporaneous history is
merely made as a reminder to the reader of the
fact that the growth of the Lutheran Church in
Maytown was not in a time that was particularly
conducive to such an enterprise. For the good
people who lived in this section of the country
were as thoroughly aroused over the epoch-making
events as were those in the larger cities. And
many of the citizens, as the Revolutionary records
prove, enlisted when the first call for troops was
sounded. And yet the church grew gradually but
surely, as the records clearly show.
REV. J. H. C. HELMUTH.
1769—1771.
The honored and distinguished pastor, Rev. J.
H. C. Helmuth, who was serving Trinity Lutheran
1 6 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PL A ST
church in Lancaster at this time, was called to
minister to the congregations made vacant by the
resignation of Rev. Horsel. He took charge of
the work and served both Maytown and Elizabeth-
town during the exciting and turbulent years of
1769-1770. The following is a list of the names of
the parents who presented their children to him
for baptism:
Johan Jacob Wolf and his wife Maria Barbara
Wolf.
William Yost and his wife Agnesa Yost.
Johan Boers and his wife Anna Maria Boers.
Johannas Buchtel and his wife Katharina
Buchtel.
Ludwig vSchultz and his wife Anna Katharina
Schultz.
Peter Kuntz and his wife Maria Eva Kuntz.
Jacob Ohlweiler and his wife Anna Ohlweiier.
Nicholas Peck and his wife Catharina Peck.
* Frederick Bauer and his wife Anna Maria
Bauer.
Heinrich Hinckel and his wife Magdalena
Hinckel.
George Schmidt and his wife Margaret Elizabeth
Schmidt.
* Great Grandparents of Bayard Taylor.
' i I ~m ~~ - .Mag-- ~AI» ^ifttf
THE FIRST COMMUNION SERVICE AND CHURCH BOOK.
Used for 11.3 years : 1766-1879.
CouuLNioN Service I'sed for TwEsTv-Fivt Year-.
1879-100^.
ImIMIHAL tc.MMlMdN SiRVICE .\|>()PTH> SlM.AY, MAKtll M, I.,
THE BEGINNING— 1765-1802 1 7
Johannes Nicolas and his wife Eva Nicolas.
Adam Nas and his wife Katharina Nas.
Jacob Wolf and his wife Carolina Wolf.
On May 25, 1770, Jacob Downer and his wife
Elizabeth in consideration of the sum of "five
shillings ($1.25) lawful money of Pennsylvania,
gave to Ludwig Lindemuth and Peter Thiel,
trustees of the congregation of the Lutheran
church of the High Dutch (German) Protestants
of the township of Donegal in the county of Ivan-
caster and province of Pennsylvania," the deed
for "two lots or pieces of ground ... to wit.
The one begins at a corner of Jacob and Queen
streets, thence along said Queen street two hundred
and fifty feet to other land of Jacob Downer, and
by ye same sixty-two and a half feet, thence by the
lot herein after described, and is known in the
plan of the said Maytown by the number eighty-
one." The other lot joined this one and was of the
same dimensions and was known by the number
"eighty-two," and here follows a very important
part of this deed: " Together with the building and
other improvements thereon.'''' And the building
thus referred to in Mr. Downer's deed, was without
the slightest shadow of a doubt the first log church
of this congregation, and this accounts for the
absence of any mention in the " Kirch en Abrech-
l8 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
uung " (church treasurer's acccounts) fonud iu the
" Kircheu Protocol" concerning the building of
this church, as the building was practically a gift
to the congregation from Mr. Jacob Downer. It
also accounts for the various items which appear
as follows, under the head of
" Ausgabe vor die Kirche und was sonst nothig
gewesen ist." (Disbursements for the Church and
for other necessary things.)
Peter Thicl paid for the deed May 1771 £2. 5. o
($11.25 according to the present computation of
English currency).
1775, March 26. Philip King made the pews in
the church for /5. 18. o ($29.50).
Adam Hubele paid out for nails s 16. o ($3.84).
Jacob Wolf paid out for the Boards for the pews
and also for a hewn beam s 7. 6 ($1.80).
These items plainly indicate the fact that while
they had no occasion to build a church, they did
need to make occasional repairs. All of which
proves conclusively that the congregation had a
hou.se of worship in 1770, and that they had the
use of this building for church purposes prior to
this date, very likely from the time their first pas-
tor Rev. Horsel served them in 1766. The only
condition exacted of the congregation in return for
this gift from Mr. Jacob Downer, aside from the
THE BEGINNING— 1765-1802 ig
consideration of the five shillings, was the yearly
payment of a ground-rent tax of "sixpense" (i2c.)
for each of the two lots, which amounted to twenty-
four cents a year, and had to be paid on the ninth
day of August of each year in Maytown.
This Log church was located on Queen, near
Jacob street, (which, however, was never cut
through) at the lower end of the lot from the
present site of the church. A clear proof of this
fact was revealed when on May 13, 1887, while
Mr. John A. Buller was digging his father's grave
(Abraham Buller) in the old burial ground, he un-
earthed a portion of the foundation of the old Log
church.
To Rev. Helmuth we are indebted for the first
record of communicants who presented themselves
at the Lord's table November 17, 1770. They
were as follows:
1. Philip Brenner and son
2. Adam.
3. Ludwig Lindemuth and wife
4. Margaretha and sons
5. Peter,
6. George.
7. Jacob Wolf and wife
8. Barbara.
9. Magdalena Speidin.
20 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
lo. Maria Eva Kreyin.
ir. Adam Nils.
12. Peter Wolf.
13. Jacob Ohlweiler.
14. Philip King.
15. Phillip Schenck.
16. George Kiinz.
17. Philip Ziininer.
18. Matthias Rapp.
19. Barbara Filleiig-erin.
20. Elizabeth Zauiiin.
21. Christopher Albrecht.
22. Heinrich Hinkel.
23. Johan Rudolph Cinder.
24. George Lantenberger.
25. Christian Wcnider and wife
26. Maria Wenider.
27. Regina Rosenbergerin.
28. Anna Maria Zininiermanin.
Rev. Helmuth ended his labors in this charge at
the close of the year 1770.
REV. MICHAEL ENDERLINE.
1771-1778.
In 1771 Rev. Michael Endcrline entered upon his
labors in the Maytown congregation, he, with his
two predecessors, Helmuth and Hor.sel, also serv-
THE BEGINNING-1765-1802 2 1
ing the weak and struggling Lutheran church at
Blizabethtown, which sprung into existence about
the same time as did the Lutheran church in May-
town, there being no authentic records of any pre-
vious pastors, though there are two other names
mentioned in the Blizabethtown Lutheran church
records, one of them being inserted in the wrong
place and for the other no authority is at hand,
their earliest record dating from 1780.
On May 12, 1771, his first communion season is
recorded, at which there were 24 communicants
present.
THE FREE-WILL OFFERINGS.
On May 27, 1771, the oflBcers of the church pre-
sented the following gifts as free-will offerings in
the presence of the entire congregation :
1. Frederick Schwartz gave a pewter chalice
and plate for the use of the holy communion.
2. Jacob Wolf gave a pewter baptismal bowl and
tankard for the wine.
3. Mr. Hof, in Lancaster, gave a small bell for
the collection bag,
4. Philip Brenner furnished the remainder of
the material to finish the collection bag, which
was fastened to a long rod, and shaken to cause the
bell to jingle while the offering was being taken.
22 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
5. Liidwig Lindeniuth gave the book for keep-
ing the church records of the congregation, and
contains the Kirchen Protocol from 1767 to 1830.
6. Peter Thiel gave a box, into wliich the conse-
crated bread and wine of the hoh' communion was
placed and held up before the people before com-
muning. This was known as "elevating the
host," a custom which is no longer followed in the
Lutheran Church.
7. Frederick Bauer also gave a linen altar cloth
to the church.
In the next communion, held December 22,
1771, at which there were 34 communicants pres-
ent, among the many honored names there appears
for the first time the name of Christian Beschler
and his wife, Barbara. He was among the earliest
settlers in the town. It appears that when in Ger-
many he was educated for the Catholic priesthood,
but some trouble with the government compelled
him to leave that country and come to America,
where he settled in May town in 1763, and in 1771
he connected himself with the Lutheran Church,
of which all his descendants have been loyal ad-
herents, and his grandson and namesake, Christian
Beschler, is one of the oldest living members of
the Lutheran Church to-day.
On February 2, 1772, Christian Beschler wrote a
THE BEGINNING— 1765-1802 23
very impressive poem, the first lines of which are
as follows:
"Auf mein Geist, du hast gelaufen
Lang genug der Siinden Bahn.
Willst du nicht zum Teufel's Haufen,
So schwing dich zum Himmel an."
The following is a hasty and free translation:
" Up my soul, for you have run
Long enough in the paths of sin ;
And, if Hades you would shun,
Then strive the heavenly home to win."
Owing to its length we content ourselves with
this slight notice of it.
During Rev. Enderline's ministry the colonies
were in the throes of the Revolutionary War, and
the following more important events took place:
The battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill, the
Declaration of Independence, and many other not-
able engagements. In 1777 Pennsylvania became
the battle-ground for a time, when the battle of
Brandywine was fought, Philadelphia captured by
the British, the Continental Congress fleeing to
Lancaster, and thence to York, and the Conti-
nental Army's retreat after the desperate battle of
Germantown, when victory was almost in their
hands.
24 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLAST
But durinj^ all these excitinj^ events, and amidst
the turmoils of a bloody war, made all the more
terrible through the fiendish atrocities of the
Indian allies of the British, through the earnest
efforts of pastor Enderlinc the church slowly grew
in strength, as the well-kept communion records
clearly show. In the year 1777 the church sus-
tained a severe loss in the death of the founder,
Ludwig Liudemuth. Rev. Enderline closed his
labors in this field in 1777.
REV. J. FREDERICK TRAUGOTT ILLING.
1777-1780.
Upon the close of Rev. Enderline's ministry the
Maytown and Hlizabethtown churches called Rev.
J. F'rederick Traugott Illing to serve their congre-
gations, and he entered upon his pastoral work in
in the fall of the year 1777. He resided at Middle-
town where he was serving a small congregation,
probably Presbyterian, thout^h he had been or-
dained a minister of the Episcopal church by the
Lord Bishop of London. The following is an
extract from the private diary of Rev. Illing con-
cerning the sub.scribers to the pastor's support.
*' Subscriptions in ^laytown, Lancaster Co., Pa.,
November 24, 1777-1778:
THE BEGINNING-1765-1802 25
Christian Weniger Jacob Wolf
Michael Klaus Nicholas Peck
Frederick Bauer Matthias Stier
Philip Brenner Adam Hubley
Philip Schneider John Nicolas
Peter Lindemuth William Peck
George Schneider John Tiller
Jacob Klopfer Peter Krey
Adam Nas Bernhard Speck
Stophel Albright Christian Beschler
Hans Kriel Regina Rosenberger
Simon Yost Frederick Seiler
Frederick Geig Martin Schneider."
These subscribed £22. 3. 7. equivalent to about
$110.75 in English currency. The descendants of
some of these people are still flourishing in May-
town.
His first recorded communion was on September
27, 1778, when 28 members partook of the Lord's
Supper.
In 1779 the Log Church was repaired at a cost of
£2'^. I. o, which was equivalent to about $115.24
English currency, according to present computa-
tion.
Rev. Tiling closed his labors in the year 1780,
the last recorded communion being held May 16,
of that year, and shortly afterward he left the field.
26 LEASES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
REV. JOHN DANIEL SCHROEDER.
1780-1781.
He was succeeded by Rev. John Daniel
Schroeder, who began his labors in the same year,
the first communion being held by him October 15,
1780, when twenty-nine members communed. He
remained witli the congregation until the close of
the following year. The date of his last com-
munion being November 11, 1781, when there
were only eighteen members present. Jacob Wolf
and his wife Barbara, whose names appear on this
list, were not present at the church, but took the
communion at their home as I\Ir. Wolf was sick,
and two days later, November 13, 1781, he died,
and in his death the church lost another of its most
loyal and earnest supporters.
A little less than a month previous, a notable
event occurred in the nation's history, in the sur-
render of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, Va., Oct.
19, 1781.
In connection with his work in Klizabethtown,
which was in the same circuit with Maytown, the
following notice appears on tlie title-page of the
Elizabethtown " Kirchcn Buch," dated 1780; it
is written in German and a translation is herewith
given:
THE BEGINNING— 1765-1802 27
"Pro Notitia.
" As the cougregation of this place is still very weak, and
has beeu thrown into disorder at various times, therefore up to
the present time there has been no regular (ordentliche) church
book kept. Hence, so that at last (endlich) order, under the
guidance of God, may again be established, it has been found
necessary to procure a regular Church-book, which accordingly
was done in the month of October, 1780, and it was bought by
the congregation for 200 (the word undecipherable) Congres-
sional money.
"Id quod testatur,
"J. D. SCHROETER,
" Pastor loci.*'
From these records and all the data at hand the
date of the founding of these two congregations is
identical.
REV. FREDERICK THEODORE MELSCHEIMER.
1782-1785.
Rev. Melscheimer began his labors in 1782 where
the records of baptisms performed by him are en-
tered as early as March 31. For some reason,
however, there is no record of any communion ser-
vice either in Elizabethtown or Maytown until
June 15 in the former, and September 5, 1794, in
the latter place, when twenty-eight regular mem-
bers, and eleven persons who were confirmed, par-
took of the holy communion. During the year pre-
28 LEAVES FROM A CEXTURY PLANT
ceding this communion, February 5, 1783, the
Revolutionary war was brought to an end. His
last communion was held April 18, 1785, when he
resigned and went to New Holland.
REV. JOHN WILLIAM KURTZ.
1786-1791.
According to the Elizabethtown church record,
Rev. Kurtz entered upon his work in 1786, but in
neither record is there any ministerial act recorded
until 1787 when 21 persons surrounded the Lord's
table, June 3. On May 4, 178S, the number of
communicants was 35; in 1789 there were 21, and
in 1 79 1 there were 24.
Three days before the communion, held on May
3, 1789, George Washington was inaugurated the
first President of the United States at New York
city, the temporary capital. At the next session of
Congress, Philadelphia was made the capital.
In 1 791 Rev. Kurtz accepted a call to Lebanon
and left this field.
REV. PETER BENTZ.
1792-J801.
In the year 1792, when Rev. Bentz entered
upon his work here, the Ministerium of the
THE BEGINNING, 1765-1802 29
Evangelical Lutheran church in North America,
changed its name to the Ministerium of Pennsyl-
vania, and all the churches in the state were mem-
bers of it. Rev. Bentz does not seem to have been
very careful about keeping records, except the
baptisms, as there is no communion recorded until
1793 when there were 34 members present in May-
town.
In the next year, 1794, the Whiskey Rebellion
broke out in the western part of Pennsylvania,
and May town became "the rendezvous of some of
the troops called out to quell that revolt, who were
known as the 'Whiskey boys.' "
Maytown had become such a prominent place
that several years before this time a direct road
had been opened from Lancaster to Maytown, and
from there to Galbraith's Ferry, the present site of
Bainbridge, thence to Harris' Ferry, the present
site of Falmouth or Collins. This road is shown
on the accompanying map, which was photo-
graphed from a map of Pennsylvania, made in
1792, by Reading Howell, which is in the archives
of the Map Division of the Congressional Library
at Washington, D. C, a greatly reduced copy of
which accompanies this book.
Rev. Bentz served the congregation for eight
years, and in 1801 he suddenly ended his labors in
30 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
an untimely manner, as the following extract
from the Elizabethtown church record briefly
shows: " Er wurde schwermiithig und Er hangte
sich."
With tlie close of Rev. Bentz's ministry we also
reach the end of the First Epoch. \or was there
any indication on the surface, of the great and
important work that was to be accomplished in
the next few years, which proved to be an epoch-
making period.
EPOCH THE SECOND
GROWING, 1802-18^3
THE STONE CHURCH
AND
CONTEMPORANEOUS EVENTS
THIS epoch marks a decided advance in the
growth of the Lutheran Church of May town,
and manifests a period of progress of which the
present generation can be justly proud, and it is
worthy of the prominence and honor which will
be given to it in the celebration of its Centennial
Anniversary.
These results are due to the self-sacrificing and
indefatigable labors of the honored servant of God
whose name follows.
REV. JOHN FREDERICK ERNST.
1 802-1 806,
Rev. Ernst was called from Cooperstown, N. Y.,
and preached his introductory sermon in Maytown,
November 28, 1802.
Until this year there is no mention made of any
school building for the education of the children
in the rapidly-growing town. And it is pleasant
to learn that those early settlers were not insensi-
ble to this need, and accordingly provided for it,
and the Lutheran church was rented in this year
for that purpose, as the following extract from the
church treasurer's account shows: "Received of
33
34 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
William Buchanan the ist of July, 1802, for the
school-house rent, it being in full, _;^i : 10 : o
($7.50 English currency)," and it is gratifying to
know that the Lutheran church and its members
were so early and closely identified with this edu-
cational movement.
Rev. Ernst was a zealous worker, and the re-
sults of his efforts were quickly manifested in sev-
eral important particulars. To him belongs the
honor of confirming the largest class of cate-
chumens in the entire history of the church.
There were thirty-six persons in this class, rang-
ing in age from fourteen to thirty years, the
majority being adults, and they were confirmed on
May 28, 1803, and the day following they, with
the other members of the church, received the
holy communion. The following is the list of the
communicants:
1. Frederick Bauer, Elder.
2. Peter Lindenuith, Elder, and wife
3. Barbara Lindemuth.
4. Johancs Sleiner, Deacon, and wife
5. Maria Steiner.
6. Johanes Beck, Deacon, his wife among the
confirmed.
7. Philip Brenner, and wife
8. Maria Brenner.
GRO WING— 1802-1853 3 5
9. George lyindemuth, and wife
10. Christiana Lindemuth.
11. Heinrich Hubley, and wife ^ ''-"^*QOR*10
12. Elizabeth Hubley. "^"''
13. Martin Lindemuth, and wife
14. Magdalena Lindemuth.
15. Johanes Nicholas, communicant for 20 years.
16. Michel Claus.
17. Samuel Machert.
18. Henry Miller, and wife.
19. John Reutlinger, widower.
20. Christoph Drebenstatt.
21. Michael Brenner, unmarried.
22. Peter lyindemuth, unmarried.
23. Elizabeth Klein.
24. Anna Wilhelm, wife of Jacob, promised to
have her children baptized.
25. Katharine Klopfer (Clepper).
26. Susana Hains, wife of Anthony, who was
reprimanded about his indifference.
27. * Magdalena Way, wife of Caleb, who is a
Quaker.
28. Christina Finley, wife of Moses, who is a
Presbyterian.
* She is the grandmother of Bayard Taylor the noted author,
historian and traveller.
36 LEAVES FA' OM A CENTURY PLANT
29. Christina King, wife of Philip King, who
was sick.
30. Christina Lehman, widow.
31. Barbara Bauer, widow.
32. Elizabeth Corner, widow.
33. Elizabeth Reutlinger, unmarried.
34. Maria Bauer, unmarried.
35. Barbara Lindemuth, unmarried.
36. Maria Lehman, unmarried.
37. Christina Lindemuth, unmarried.
38. Susana Machert, unmarried.
39. Anna Nicholas, unmarried.
40. Katharina King, unmarried.
41. Elizabeth Lindemuth, unmarried.
42. Barbara Lindemuth, unmarried.
The following are the newly-confirmed members
who partook of the communion for the first time,
and were admitted into church fellowship:
L Married Men.
Age.
1. Johannes Klein 30
2. Frederick Drebenstatt 28
3. Michael Kuster 27
4. Johannes Schmitt 25
5. George Kinny 24
6. Henry Jacobs, who was baptized 21
GRO WING— 1802-1853 3 7
II. Unmarried Men.
Age.
7. Joseph Albrecht, son of Frederick 21
8. George Lindemuth, son of George 19
9. Ludwig Hubley, son of Henry 19
10. George Nicholas, son of John 19
11. Ludwig Lindemuth, son of Peter 18
12. Nicholas Klopfer, son of Joseph 18
13. Joseph Klopfer, son of Joseph 16
14. Jacob Klug, son of Philip 17
15. Henry Klug, son of Philip 15
III. Married Women.
16. Maria, Christopher Drebenstatt's wife ... 28
17. Elizabeth Kuster, wife of Michael 27
18. Elizabeth Peck, wife of John 26
19. Margaret Drebenstatt, wife of Frederick . . 25
20. Kathrina Schmitt, wife of John 21
21. Elizabeth Jacobs, wife of Henry 18
IV. Unmarried Women.
22. Elizabeth Wilhelm, daughter of Jacob, bap. 20
23. Elizabeth Nafzger, daughter of Henry, bap. 19
24. Margaret Hubley, daughter of Henry ... 18
25. Anna Maria Hubley, daughter of Henry . . 16
26. Elizabeth Claus, daughter of Adam .... 18
27. Catharina Claus, daughter of Adam .... 16
28. Barbara Baum, daughter of Philip 17
38 LEAVES FROM A CEXTURY PLANT
Age.
29. Maria Kuiiz, daugliter of Christian . . . . 17
30. Elizabeth Liudemuth, daughter of George . 16
31. Maria Reutlinger, daughter of Joliu . . .16
32. Magdaleua Reutlinger, daughter of John. .15
33. Catharina Brenner, daughter of Philip. . • 16
34. Anna Maria Brenner, daughter of Philip . . 15
35. Sarah Geyer 15
36. Catharina Liudemuth, daughter of Martin 14
Making a total of 78 pensons who surrounded
the Lord's table on this eventful occasion.
THK STONE CHURCH.
This large ingathering of souls must have taxed
the limited capacity of the old log church to its
utmost, and steps were speedily taken to build a
new structure.
On September 21, 1803 the following agreement,
which is copied verbatim from the original docu-
ment in the possession of the present trustees, was
drawn up:
" Articles of Agreemeut agreed upon and Concluded this
twenty-first day of vSepteuiber, Anno Domini 1803, Between
Alexander Shirenian and Ulrich Shireman both of Donegal
Township in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania,
Mr. . . . and Frederick Bower, Peter Lindcniulh, John . . .
and John Shertz.er, Trustees of the Lutheran Congregation of
Maytown Donegal Township, aforesaid for the Piirj)Ose of Build-
ing a Church in said Town for the use of said Congregation,
THE OLD STONE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
After the remodelling in 1853.
©
1 ' ;
1 ;
J J L 1-
. 1
i-<
GROWING— 1802-1853 39
Are as follows (to wit) they the said Alexander and XJlrich
Shireman Do hereby Agree to Build the said Church at the rate
of One Dollar Per Perch and to Quarry all the stones for said
Church and find and provide hewn sand stones for the four
corners also to find and Provide all their own tools and wheel-
barrows Carts etc. and to haul the water to make the morter
and find tenders etc. all at their own Proper Costs and Charges
and also to board themselves and tender at their own expense
during the time of Quarrying the stones and build the said
Church, they also agree to begin the building on the first day
of April next if the weather will admit and begin to Quarry the
stones this faul, and not to quit the building until it is finished,
they also agree to deliver the hewn stone on the shore on this
side the River and the said Alexander and Ulrich Shireman also
agree to give security to finish the stone work of said Church
in workman like manner. They the said Trustees Do hereby
agree to haul all the stones to the place of building and find
and provide the sand lime and scaflFolding Alexander and
Ulrich Shireman are not to . . . for turning the arches over the
Doors and windows of said church. In Witness whereof the
said parties to these Presents have hereunto set their hands and
seals the date above.
Sealed & Delivered
In presense of
Joseph Ki^opfer
(Clepper)
Alexander
Shireman
[seal]
Ulrich
Shireman
[seal]
Johanes Streiner
[seal]
John Shertzer
[seal]
40 LEAVES I^ ROM A CEXTURY PLANT
Fortunately this valuable document was saved
by Mr. C. M. Brown, who at the aj^e of 79 years
delivered it into tlie hands of the church council.
According to the agreement these men began tlie
work, and tlie excavations for the foundations were
made in the upper end of the lot in the beginning
of April. On April 21, 1804, the corner-stone ot
the first stone church west of Lancaster, with the
exception of the old Donegall church, in this sec-
tion of the country was laid. It is a great pity
that only meager records of this large undertaking
can be found. Consistent with their agreement,
the builders made all possible dispatch, and in all
probability the church was completed in the fall of
the year.
The building was rectangular and was what
might be termed a one-story structure, having only
a ground floor, and very high ceilings. The
windows were arched and a gallery extended
around the two ends and along the west side of
interior, facing Queen street. There were two
entrances, at either end of the building, and from
these there was a stairway leading up to the north
and south gallery.
A pulpit, better known by the present generation
as the "Wine-glass pulpit" was built against the
the centre of the east wall, and was so high that a
GROWING— 1802-1853 4 1
winding stairway was necessary to get into it.
Just below this pulpit was the altar, which was in-
closed by a circular altar rail around which the
members gathered to partake of the holy com-
munion.
In the north corner there were three box pews,
with a small door opening into each one, which
were reserved and used only by the elders and
deacons of the church. On the opposite side, in
the south corner, the pews were ordinary benches,
as were all the other pews. This corner was
usually reserved for the ' ' carriers ' ' at funerals.
The pews were plain and at the top on the
back of each one a small shelf was attached,
upon which the members in the next pew could
rest their hymn- and prayer-books. These pews
were very long, extending from the aisles leading
from the two entrances at either end of the
building.
When the offering was taken, a bag with a little
bell attached, fastened to a long, slender pole was
used, and when occasion demanded it, the bell was
insistingly jingled to call the member's attention
from the spiritual to the practical portion of the
service. There were also pews under the galleries
in the space not taken up by the stairway on either
side facing the aisles.
^2 LEAVES FROM A CEXTL'RY PLANT
Near the centre of the room in both aisles there
were two large stoves of the old "cannon " pattern,
which, we are told, bnt inadequately heated the
church.
Separating the front pew from the altar was a
neat wood partition which was also provided with
a shelf for the books of the members occupying
the first pew. The accompanying diagram will
perhaps give a better idea of the arrangement ot
the interior. By referring to the picture of the
old church, taken after it was remodelled in 1853
(when the old arch windows were taken out and
the square ones put in), the old stone arches and the
size of the old windows can easily be seen.
The church was finished by October, and on the
30th day of that month, 1803, Rev. Ernst held his
first communion in the new church. He was a
progressive man and the stone structure planned by
and erected under his supervision is an enduring
monument of his earnest labors, as it is also of the
founders of our church, of whom it can be said,
" they builded better than thoy knew." How well
Alexander and Ulrich vSliireman did their work,
the massive walls of the church, after weathering
the sunshine and storm of a hundred years, silently
but eloquently speaks for them. The workers have
gone to their reward, but their work remains a
ALEXANDER SHIREMAN.
Builder of the Stone Church, 1804.
Kev. W.r.KRHAUDT. U. U.
Thi oldest livinc pastor of St. John's
EvanKcIical Lutheran Church.
Kkv. W. C. L.MTZLE
Kfv J. \V. i:.\RLY
lHrf.-lS68.
Rev. F. F. IIOOVKK.
i8<)8-i«-o
GROWING— 1802-1853 43
lasting tribute to their faithful and painstaking
labors. Rev. Ernst's work in this charge covered
a period of four years, and during the last year of
his service he was also instrumental in building
the stone church in Elizabethtown, and about the
middle of the year 1806 he left the field.
REV. PAUL FERDINAND KRAMER.
1806-1812.
Rev. Kramer was called from Lykens Valley,
and preached his introductory sermon in Maytown,
November 2, 1806.* He was an active worker,
and judging from his records took a keen interest
in the details of the work of the congregation.
From the treasurer's report dated April 30, 1808,
one item, " to expenses for one year's house-rent for
the Pfarrwohnung in Maytown to Dr. Wis. Preys,
$26. 63c.," shows that the congregation rented a
parsonage for him. During his five years' service
in this field his communions were large and his
records are among the best kept in the " Kirchen
Protocol."
* In the following year, 1807, an event of world-wide import-
ance occured when Robert Fulton's steamboat, "The Cler-
mont," the only steamboat the world could boast of for years,
made its memorable voyage on the Hudson river from New
York to Albany. Fulton was born in Lancaster county.
44 L EA I 'ES FRO. U A CE.VTUR V PL A NT
In the year 1810 the bell and belfry were added
to the church and placed on the south end of the
buildinj^^ His labors in this charge closed in June,
181 1, and the following is a brief note concerning
him in the Elizabethtowu record : " Er wurde von
der synode ausgestosen,"
REV. WILLIAM GOTTHOLD ERNST.
1812-1815.
Rev. Ernst was called to serve this congregation
and preached his "eintrits" sermon March 22,
1812. His first catechetical class numbered 21,
who were confirmed by him on September 26, and
on the following day, September 27, 1812, took
their first communion with the other members, the
total number being 83. Judging from the decline
in the number of communicants, the work during
his three years' service did not prosper, and in
October 1815, he accepted a call to Lebanon and
left the field.
During Rev. Ernst's pastorate the second war
with England took place, beginning in 181 2 and
ending 1814.
REV. JOHN JACOB STREIN.
1815-1822.
Shortly after Rev. \V. G. Ernst left the field
Rev. J. J. Strein was called and preached his in-
GROWING— 1802-1853 45
troductory sermon December 31, 1815. His pas-
torate continued for six years, and his records are
the best and evince the greatest care of all in the
"Kirchen Protocol." They clearly show that it
was the custom to have but one communion season
a year. During his pastorate the attendance at
these services was large and shows a steady increase.
While pastor of this congregation, the Minis-
terium of Pennsylvania, to which this church
belonged, in the year 1818, led a movement in
which it declared that it was "desirable that the
Evangelical Lutheran synods in the United States
should in some way or other stand in closer con-
nection with each other." The plan was sub-
mitted to the other synods for consideration and
approval, a convention was called, and the General
Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran church in the
United States was formally organized at Hagers-
town, Md., October 22, 1820.
On November 19, 1822, Rev. Strein resigned,
according to the Elizabethtown record, because
*' of quarrels in the congregation, which he did~ of
his own free-will."
46 LEAVES hROM A CENTURY PLANT
REV. JOHN SPECK.
1823-1827.
Rev. Speck was called to the Maytown and
Elizabethtown charges in 1823. Gross carelessness
and neglect marked his four years' ministry. A
note on page 129 of the " Kirchen Protocol"
records the following: "Children baptized, re-
corded by request of parents because Rev. J. Speck
through carelessness neglected to record them when
their preacher."
An important fact in connection with this charge
against the minister, is brought to light by the
discovery that page 59-60 of the "Kirchen Pro-
tocol" has been carefully cut out close to the bind-
iug^ which a casual observer would hardly notice.
This page was cut out of the section devoted to
"baptisms," which seems to clearly indicate that
when Rev. Speck was notified of his expulsion
from synod and from the ministry as well, he
wilfully and maliciously mutilated the church
book by cutting out this record of baptisms to vent
his spite upon the people who had brought charges
against him.
Through his cupable negligence he did great
harm to both congregations. It is said that one of
his favorite pulpit admonitions was " Ihr miissen
GROV/ING—1S02-1853 47
nicht thueii was ich thiie ; ihr miissen thuen was
ich sage " (you must not do as I do, but you must
do as I say). In 1827 he was "expelled from the
synod for destroying the congregation," and when
he received the notice of his dismissal he humor-
ously remarked ; " mit speck fangt man gewohn-
lich die mause, aber diesmal haben de manse den
speck gefangen," During his pastorate (save the
mark) in the year 1823 ^^ Ministerium of Pennsy-
lvania withdrev/ from the General Synod on account
of the antagonism in the rural districts, who feared
that what they thought was a centralization of
the ecclesiastical power might take from them
their congregational privileges.
REV. FREDERICK RUTHRAUFF.
1827-1833.
In December, 1827, ^^v. Rauthrauff assumed
charge of the Maytown congregation, which he
served for five years and five months. He was an
earnest and zealous worker and quickly restored
the congregations from their disordered to a more
orderly condition, and his first communion held in
Maytown on Whitsunday, 1828, was very large,
considering the harrowing experiences undergone
during Rev. Speck's maladministration, the total
^8 LEAVES tROM A CEh'TlRY PLANT
number being eighty-nine. Up to this time no
mention had been made upon the records of the
existence of a congregation at Rohrerstown.*
This congregation was added to the Maytown
district and was served by Rev. Ruthranff at odd
times, the records being very intermittent.
In this year 1828, the first sunday-school was
formed, and in 1830 it was regularly organized.
(For account of this see the history of the 5unday-
school appended). He served the following
charges : Manheim, Marietta, Elizabethtown,
Mount Joy, Maytown and Rohrerstown.
He was called to Gettysburg, and on April 29,
1832, he closed his labors in this field. Later on
through his persevering efforts, with the assistance
of ten other ministers of the Lutheran church,
among whom was another minister who served
this congregation. Rev. Wm. G. Laitzell, the
Evangelical Lutheran Synod of East Pennsyl-
vania was organized at Lancaster, Pa., INLiy 2,
1842, and Rev. Frederick RutliraufT became its
first president.
This pastorate closes the records in the Kirchcn
* Rohrerstown at this time was a small village, which to-
gether with Ricliland, an adjacent village, was incorporated
into Mount Joy when it became a borough in 1851.— [Evans'
History of Lancaster County.]
GROWING— 1S02-1S53 49
Protocol which covers the period from 1767
to 1832.
In 1832, Pennsylvania College, the oldest Luth-
eran educational institution in the United States,
was founded at Gettysburg, Pa.
In the Elizabethtown church record we find that
Rev. Frederick Ruthrauff's successor was Rev.
John Hermann Bernheim, who was called to the
charge in August 1832, but no mention is made of
him in the Maytown church record, and no minis-
terial acts are recorded by him, nor is there any
mention made of any rupture in the friendly rela-
tions hitherto existing between these two congre-
gations. A brief iiot^ in the Elizabethtown record
states that in 1833 he built the parsonage in that
town, and that he served that congregation until
October 23, 1838, when he left the field. It is quite
evident that there must have been some misunder-
standing and dissatisfaction between the two con-
gregations, though this may not have occurred
until the following year, and he may have served
the congregation in Maytown from 1832 to 1833,
when the misunderstanding occurred, though no
reason for it is recorded.
50 LEAVES FROM A CENTLRY PLANT
REV. PETER SAHM.
1833-1837.
On June 30, 1833, Rev. Peter vSahm preaclied his
introductory sermon at Maytown. The few re-
corded communions held by him show good attend-
ance, but in this respect he, like so many of his
predecessors as well as his successors, was very
remiss, a fact which is sincerely to be regretted.
His baptismal records are fairly well kept. During
the last two years of Rev. Peter Sahm's ministry
at Maytown, the whole country was plunged into
the greatest financial panic, during the administra-
tion of President Martin Van Biiren, when the losses
in New York City alone exceeded $100,000,000,
and the Government itself could not pay its debts.
Business and trade was paralyzed, and the shock of
this calamity affected the remotest villages in the
United States. During this same period another
event occurred, which while having 1:0 connection
with the history of the church, is still worthy of a
passing notice. It was Canada's rebellion against
English sovereignty in 1S37, ^"^ ^^ thoroughly
aroused the sympathy of the Americans, and many
volunteered to assist the Canadians in their effort
to throw off their yoke of bondage, in spite of
President Martin Van Buren's neutrality procla-
GROWING— 1802-1853 51
mation. In 1838 England quelled the revolt.
Rev. Peter Sahm left the field in the latter part of
1837.
REV. LEONARD GERHARDT.
1838-1847,
On November 4, 1838, Rev. Leonard Gerhardt
began his ministerial duties in Maytown, and
served this charge faithfully for a period of nine
years. His records are among the neatest, and
his communions were well attended and were
characterized by a deepening of the spiritual life
of the members. His ministry was one of
steady progress both in spiritual and temporal
affairs. In a note, written by Rev. Leonard
Gerhardt, at the close of the list of members who
communed on May 16, 1841, which numbered 94
souls, he writes: "This communion season was
very refreshing and encouraging. A work of grace
commenced in Maytown about the middle of March
and continued for a considerable time.
The state of religion in Maytown is better now
than it has been since I am here (viz. 2^ years).
Some of the members of the Reformed church
communed with us. This is very encouraging to
see our members go hand in hand in the bonds of
christian love and fellowship. L. G."
52 LEAVES EROM A CENTURY PLANT
It has been a constant temptation to insert some
of these coninuinion lists, bnt they are long and
would hardly be a true representation, for a mem-
ber might for valid reasons be absent and hence
would not have his name recorded, and for fear of
causing any dissatisfaction they have been gener-
ally omitted, except where there was some distinct
bearing in connection with this history.
Among the eleven catechumens who partook
communion with the regular members of the
church on May 15, 1842, occurs the name of Mon-
roe Alleman^ who a year or two later, left the con-
gregation and entered upon his studies for the
Lutheran ministry at the Theological Seminary at
Gettysburg, Pa. He is the only one given to the
gospel ministry from this congregation. There is
but one mention made of Rev. Monroe J. Alleman
in connection with this congregation, which oc-
curred in the minutes of the church council held
June 13, 1871, when Rev. G. P. Weaver, then pas-
tor, was "_appointed committee to write to Rev.
M. J. Alleman, requesting him to assist at the re-
opening of the church on the 28th of June."
The early years of his pastorate marked an impor-
tant event in the history of the Lutheran church
in the United States, which necessitates a brief
retrospect.
GROWING— 1802-1853 53
The steady growth of the Lutheran church
brought about a constant extension of its work,
and true to the divine command of its Lord and
Master, it took up the commission, "Go ye into all
the world and preach the gospel, making disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,"
and plans were taken as early as 1833 in the Gen-
eral Synod, which met in Baltimore, Md., "look-
ing towards the beginning of organized Foreign
Mission work by the Lutheran church in America."
In Hagerstown, Md. , at the meeting of General
Synod, "The German Foreign Missionary Society
in the United States of America" was organized
in May, 1837. Later on this name was changed to
" The Foreign Missionary Society of the Lutheran
Church in the United States of America." It was
decided to begin work in southern India among
the Hindoos, and Rev. C. F. Heyer was appointed
as the first foreign missionary of the Lutheran
Church to India in 1840. Because of a proposed
connection of the Lutheran Society with the
American Board of Foreign Missions, he resigned.
The Ministerium of Pennsylvania at this time had
also a separate missionary organization, and by it
he was appointed to the same field, and in the
third year of Rev. Leonard Gerhardt's ministry,
54 LEAVES FROM A CEA'TURV PLANT
Rev. "Father Heyer " (as he was afterwards
known) sailed from Boston, October 14, 1841, and
on July 31, 1842 he reached Guntur, in India,
where he sowed the gospel seed which has grown
a thousand fold.
Just about the time that Rev. Leonard Ger-
hardt entered upon his work in this field, the
Lutherans living in and about Bainbridge formed
an organization, and with his assistance the Lu-
therans and Reformed churches jointly bought the
Methodist Episcopal church from Mr. Henry
Haldeman, who owned the property, and had for
some reason become dissatisfied and closed the
doors against the congregation. In 1839, St. Luke's
congregation of Bainbridge came into the May-
town and Elizabethtown circuit, and was served
by Rev. L. Gerhardt.* Nor was this his only
effort in extending the Master's kingdom in this
practical way, and the following brief summary
taken from the Elizabethtown Record speaks vol-
umes of his energetic work: "During his term
(1838-1847) a church debt of was paid ; the new
church at Colebrook was built ; the Bainbridge
Methodist Episcopal church was purcha.sed, and
the lecture room in Elizabethtown was built."
*The first IvUtherau minister who served St. Luke's congre-
gation at Bainbridge, was Rev. Jos. Heinrich Voji Ilof in 1838.
GRO WING— 1802-1853 ^ 5
With this record, characteristic of godly and
indomitable zeal, he ceased his labors in this field
November 4, 1847.
REV. WILLIAM GERHARDT, D. D.
I 847-1 850.
The important work thus left by Rev. L. Ger-
hardt was turned over into his brother's hands, the
Rev. William Gerhardt, who assumed the re-
sponsibilities of the Maytown congregation on the
very day his brother left the field, November 4,
1847. His records like many of his brother's, ap-
pear as though they were made by a copper plate,
and it is restful to the eye and brain to turn to these
clear-cut and well-written entries, from the many
old hieroglyphics found in the "Kirchen Protocol,"
though in justice to some of the old fathers it must
be said that their writing is very seldom excelled.
Rev. William Gerhardt's connection ceased v;ith
the Maytown church, November 15, 1850, and the
following resolution, found in the " Protocol of the
church council of Christ Evangelical Lutheran
church of Elizabethtown, Lancaster county. Pa.,"
explains why he gave up this field: At a meeting of
the church council, held March 9, 1850, among
other actions taken was the following:
'•'■Resolved^ That our pastor be requested to re-
^6 LEAVES FROM A CEXJ UA'V PLANT
sign the congregation at Maytown, for the follow-
ing reasons, namely,
" I. Recanse the district is too large and reqnires
too much labor, and
"2. Because this congregation stands in need of
more english preaching, and also
" 3. Because we find that our pastor does not re-
ceive an adequate compensation from the congre-
gation in Maytown."
This resolution caused the separation of May-
town and Elizabethtown, and the Mount Joy con-
gregation which also was in the "district," went
■with Maytown, though Bainbridge remained in
the Elizabethtown circuit.
Rev. William Gerhardt, D. D., at the age of 87
is the oldest living minister who served this con-
gregation. He resides at Martinsburg, W. Va.
In 1850 an epidemic of dysentery prevailed in
Maytown and ten adults and twenty-three chil-
dren lost their live.s.
EPOCH THE THIRD
18^3-1896
THE REMODELLED CHURCH
NEW LEAVES DEVELOPING
ON THE
CENTURY PLANT
T^HE gradual growth of the work of the church
-*- during the past half century, manifested itself
in this Third Epoch by a vigorous and healthy ex-
pansion and development which brought many
changes with it. These clearly show that the
members of the Lutheran church of Maytown
were of a progressive and self-reliant nature and
only needed a leader to direct them in the im-
portant work which was to be accomplished. Such
a leader they found in the minister who served
them at the beginning of this epoch.
REV. JACOB B. CRIST.
1852-1854.
Beginning with the pastorate of Rev. Crist, many
important changes occurred in this Third Epoch,
which clearly show that the members of the Luth-
eran church in Maytown were a very progressive
and self-reliant people. In all probability the May-
town church was without a pastor until March i,
1852, when Rev. Jacob B. Crist assumed his duties
in this field, and his records while they are neatly
written, are very meagre, and nothing much
can be gleaned from them. He was an earnest
59
6o LEAVES h ROM A CENTURY PLANT
worker, and recognizing the needs of the growing
congregation and sabbath-school, lie planned the
remodelling of the old stone chnrch to meet those
needs, and it was not long ere he was hard at work
carrying out his plans, which no doubt accounts
for his neglect in keeping better records.
The following paper written by Mr. D. M. Book,
is the only record preserved concerning this work,
and is herewith copied verbatim as follows:
"To the citizens of Maytown who may be flour-
ishing in the year 1900.
Statistics relating to the remodelling of the
Lulheran C/iurch in the year of our Lord 1853, and
other matters.
Bjiildiug Committee.
Adam Fletcher, Nicholas Clepper, John Hays,
Jacob Bower, John F. Gephart.
Painters.
The paint work was done by Chas. M. and Jno.
Brown in highly creditable manner; the remodel-
ling of the Ijuilding was commenced in May 1853.
On the 28th day of August of the same year the
basement was consecrated, and four weeks from
that day this room will be dedicated to the service
of the Lord.
The pastor of the congregation is the Rev. Jacob
THE REMODELLED CHURCH— 1853-1896 6 1
B. Crist to whom great credit is due for the spirit
displayed to have the church modernized.
The work to the building will not cost more
than $750.00.
The health of the country is unusually good at
this time taking the season into consideration, y^t
in some parts of the states they are greatly afflicted
with yellow fever; it is committing great ravages
in New Orleans as papers which accompany this
will show.
There is a very beautiful comet visible in the
north-west and has been seen for some two weeks,
but at the present writing it has lost much of its
brilliance and will soon be among ' things that
were.'
Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire is President
of the U. S., and Wm. Bigler of Clearfield Co.,
Governor of Pennsylvania. The village of May-
town at this time, August 31, 1853, numbers 700
inhabitants and some no houses.
Persons present when this paper, etc., was de-
posited, all at the time residents of May town:
Chas, M. Brown, George Murrey, Jr., Nich. Clep-
per, Fred'k. Fletcher, John Brown, D. M. Book,
Dr. G. Wash. Breneman, Jr."
This paper was found beneath the pulpit, when
it was removed during the remodelling of the
62 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
cliurch in 1896. At this modernizing time the
old arclicd windows were taken out and rectang-
ular ones put in as is shown in the illustration
on the opposite page. The old galleries, pews,
altar and pulpit were removed, and the whole in-
terior remodelled. A floor was jiut in just above
the lower windows which changed it to a two-
story structure. The lower floor was consecrated
as a Sunday-school room, August 28, 1853, ^"^ on
September 26, 1853, ^^^ main audience room was
dedicated to the service of the Lord. The accom-
panying photographs illustrate the full nature of
these changes, which were a radical departure from
the old established ideas of a house of worship.
While it marked the destruction of an old historical
landmark, this change enchanced the beauty and
increased the eflSciency of the church work in
manifold ways.
On the first Sunday in October, 1853, Rev. Crist
celebrated his first holy communion ioi the newly
dedicated audience room upstairs, and in the fol-
lowing year 1854, he gave up the work and left
the field.
In the year 1851, Rev. Morris Officer made his
first public effort to awaken the church to an in-
terest in the dark continent of Africa, by inserting
**a brief paragraph " in the " Lutheran Observer"
THE REMODELLED CHURCH-1853-1896 63
of July 18, 1851. It closed with the following
pertinent inquiry: "Is the Lutheran church able
and willing to furnish the men and means to
establish a mission in Africa? or if suitable and
willing men can be found, will the church send and
support them?"
The valuable missionary station at Muhlenberg,
in Liberia, on the west coast of Africa, which was
established by this consecrated servant of God, in
i860, and the long and illustrious list of the noble
men and women who have given their lives for
Africa's redemption, eloquently show how well
the Lutheran church answered Rev. Morris Offi-
cer's question.
It was during the latter part of Rev. J. B. Crist's
pastorate, in 1853 that the Ministerium of Penn-
sylvania again reunited with the General Synod,
very likely because the rural opposition which had
caused its withdrawal in 1823, ^^^ been overcome.
At this time also the great slavery question was
agitating the country, and the now historical
names of Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lin-
coln were coming into prominence.
During the year when Rev. J. B. Crist left the
Maytown and Mount Joy charges. Commodore
Perry made a treaty with Japan, which opened two
ports of the sunrise kingdom to American trade,
-i^ ic
64 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
and it proved to be the opening of that country to
western civilization.
REV. WILLIAM G. LAITZLE.
1855-1862.
Up to this time the disa^^reement between the
Elizabethtown and Maytown clnirches had not
been adjusted. On October i, 1854, Rev. William
G. Laitzle a.ssumed the pastoral work of the Eliza-
bethtown charge, and the following account which
is copied verbatim from a record written by Rev.
W. G. Laitzle and pasted in the Elizabethtown
church record, clearly explains the whole situation.
"The congregations composing the pastoral dis-
trict at this time are Elizabethtown, Bainbridge
and Colebrook church. The salary however being
small it was decided to make application to con-
ference for another congregation.
" In consequence of the resignation of Mr. Crist,
the Maytown district was divided, and Maytown
was invited to this charge.
" At a meeting of the congregation the following
resolutions were unanimously adopted.
" ' Resolved^ That we solicit conference to grant
us another congregation to assist in making up a
sufficient salary for our pastor.
" ' Resolved, That Mr. John ShaflTer be appointed
REV. B. F. APPLE.
1S62-1864
THE REMODELLED CHURCH— 1853-1896 65
delegate to attend the next meeting of conference
to be held at Lancaster and present this request.'
"Conference granted this request, and Maytown
was accordingly added to this district. At a sub-
sequent meeting of the conference the church at
Mount Joy, which had been served by Rev. J.
Crist being vacant, they petitioned conference to
permit Rev. Wm. G. Leitzle to accept their con-
gregation and resign the Colebrook church; con-
ference granted this request. The Elizabethtown
charge is now composed of the following congre-
gations: Elizabethtown, Bainbridge, Maytown and
Mount Joy.
"This arrangement continued for the space of six
years, when the pastor, Rev. Wm. G. Leitzle re-
signed the charge on account of the amount of
labor required. The congregation however would
not accept the resignation, but proposed and de-
termined to have the services of the pastor every
Sabbath. Consequently the pastor resigned all the
congregations, the resignation to take effect on the
first of June, 1862. The pastoral year however,
commences on the first of April, 1862. It was also
proposed to take the Colebrook congregation in
connection with the congregation at Elizabeth-
town, provided that that congregation can be
obtained.
66 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLAN!
"It was afterwards found that the Colebrook con-
gregation could not be obtained. The congrega-
tion was therefore thrown upon its own resources.
Rev. B. P\ Appel (who had taken the congrega-
tions formerly belonging to this district), resigned
his charge in August, 1864, by which those congre-
gations became vacant. The congregation at May-
town made application to be reunited to the Eliza-
bethtown district; I commenced preaching for the
Maytoivn church in July, 1865. This congregation
is again in regular connection with the congrega-
tion at Elizabethtown. The Bainbridge congrega-
tion would be anxious to be again united with this
district as they have been heretofore. The pastor
has, however, been averse on account of difficulties
with that congregation growing out of a non-pay-
ment of salary."
Our church owes Rev. Laitzle a debt of gratitude
for this explicit statement of these events, for with-
out it we of the present generation would have
been quite perplexed over this period of history.
But as it is, he has supplied the needed links which
make a clear record of the trend of events of this
time.
It appears that there was some controversy
about the rights and privileges of members and
non-members of the church concerning the use of
THE REMODELLED CHURCH-1853-1896 67
the old burying-ground connected with it, and to
settle all future disputes regarding this question
the following by-laws were drawn up by the vestry:
By-laws of the Evangelicai. Lutheran Church of
Maytown, Lancaster County, Pa.
Relating to burial purposes, etc.
1st. All regular members in good standing in the Evangelical
Lutheran church of Maytown, shall have the privilege of
burial in said grave-yard of said church, and also those who are
not members of said church but contributing members yearly
of said church for the support of the ministry and repairs, shall
have the privilege of burial on said ground belonging to said
church.
2nd. Regular members of the Lutheran church of Maytown,
removing to another place and still contributing or paying to
the church in the place in which they live to the support of the
same and the ministry thereof {and there being evidence of the
same) can have the privilege of burial in the grave-yard of said
church in Maytown.
3rd. Those members, or those not being members of said
church, that will not pay to the support of the ministry and re-
pairs of the Lutheran church of Maytown when called on by the
collector or vestry of said church, shall have no privilege and
be barred of burial in said ground, unless they pay a certain
amount for the ground as the vestry may direct and demand.
4th. And all persons arriving at the age of 21 years by
not paying to the support of the ministry and repairs of the
church although they be descendants of members of good
standing, shall not have the privilege of burial on said ground,
unless they pay for the same burial purposes.
5th. All sermons or funeral sermons that shall be preached
68 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
by ministers of other congregations in this church, the consent
of the vestry shall first be obtained.
6th. That the vestry of the Lutheran church of Maytown
shall have the power of appointing one of their number to give
permits for burial purposes to all those that are not contributing
members and wish to be buried on said ground by their wish
or their friends.
Passed and adopted by the vestry of said church the 30th day
of June, A. D., i860.
{ Adam Fletcher,
I John Hays,
Attest : C. M. Brown. \ Abraham Buller,
John Rumbaugh,
L Jacob Bowers.
In connection with these by-laws, the following
record of a receipt given some years later shows
how much was charged by the vestry for burial
privileges:
"Maytown, July 29, ibjS.
Received of David B. Wilson, six dollars in full payment for
his sole right and privilege and right to bury in lot no. 2, com-
prising fifteen feet in length by ten feet in width, adjoining
that of David Rettew and a part of that plot of ground given by
the Maytown Union Cemetery Association to the Evangelical
Lutheran church of Maytown."
He was an able and energetic worker, and many
improvements were made in the Elizabethtowu
charge as well as in Baiubridge where he paid off
a debt of $400, and in Mount Joy he paid off a debt
THE REMODELLED CHURCH— 1853-1896 ^g
nearly as large. In 1861 he had the parsonage re-
paired at Elizabethtown, and in connection with
it on page 24 of the Elizabethtown church record
the following item of interest is found: "In the
year 1861 the ladies of the congregation at May-
town paid for the papering of two rooms." On
March 4, 1861, Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated
President of the United States.
Rev. Wm. G. Laitzle kept excellent records, and
as his pastorate covered the intensely exciting
period when the burning questions of state rights
and slavery culminated in the outbreak of the Re-
bellion, we wish that he had made more frequent
mention on the state of the feelings of the people in
his charge.
On April 14th, 186 1, Fort Sumpter was captured
by the Confederates. The effect was electrical and
no doubt accounts for the following reference, found
at the end of the list of 68 communicants (who par-
took of the Holy Communion on April 21, 1861, a
week later) is the only one he makes to this
great event :
"This communion was an impressive one. Some of the
members and catechumens are preparing to go to war against
the Secessionists and started on Tuesday after communion."
The following year in 1862, Rev. Wm. G. Laitzle,
for the reason given in the preceeding pages, re-
70 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
signed all the congregations, and a separation of the
Elizabethtown congregation from the others fol-
lowed, and Rev. W. G. Laitzle served that congre-
gation alone.
Up to this time the preaching in German had
grown less and less and when Rev. Laitzle closed
his work with this charge in 1862, it was discon-
tinned altogether without any serious objections on
part of the congregations.
The beginning of the Civil War caused the with-
drawal from the General Synod of the four south-
ern synods, who have never returned, and together
with four other synods now constitute the United
Synod South.
REV. B. F. APPEL.
1 862-1 864.
Two months after the MaNtown charge was made
vacant by the resignation of Rev. Laitzle the Rev. B.
F. Apple assumed tlie responsibilities of this charge
on August 8, 1862, and his period of service co\-ers
two years.
During his ministry the parish consisted of the
Maytown, Marietta and Bainbridge congregations.
Marietta did not formerly belong to this parish;
but as Rev. Darmstctter from Columbia, was the
German pastor, the English portion of the congre-
THE REMODELLED CHURCH— 1853-1896 yi
gation of the Lutheran church of Marietta united
with the Maytown parish, and had Rev. B. F.
Apple preach for them. After Rev. Darmstetter's
resignation, a pastor was secured who could preach
both in the German and English language and the
two congregations of the Marietta church united,
and withdrew from the Maytown parish and re-
mained in the Ministerium of Pennsylvania.
In the last year of his ministry at Maytown,
events were transpiring in the history of the Gen-
eral Synod the effects of which were to affect this
whole parish. At a meeting of the General Synod
at York, Pa., in 1864, the Frankean Synod from
New York, was admitted into the General Synod,
without previously adopting the "Augsburg Con-
fession. It aroused the keenest dissatisfaction
among the delegates of the Ministerium of Penn-
sylvania, and led by Dr. Seiss of Philadelphia, they
left the General Synod to report to their Minister-
ium, who sustained their action.
Up to this time no mention had been made any-
where of any other name in connection with this
church, other than "The Evangelical Lutheran
Church of Maytown," but in the following record
of the church council the first mention of a change
occurs:
72 LEAVES FROM A CENTbRY PLANT
" MA-iTOWN, October 26, 1864.
Pursuant to previous notice, the vestry met at John Cassels,
Brother Hays in the chair, the Secretary read a letter, dating
Oct 24, 1864, from the pastor, B. F. Apple, stating that he
received a call from congregations in Mt. Bethel, Northampton
Co., Penna., and tendered his resignation as pastor oi St. John's
Lutheran Church of Maytown, which is to take effect Nov. 13,
1S64 — which was accepted only with feelings of deep regret that
we part with him. May God through His infinite blessings
guide him safely through tribulations, trials and difficulties.
S. L. Yetter, Sec:'
There has been a.s yet, however, no record found
stating when and under what circumstances the
name "St. John's" was given to the church.
In 1863 he married a young lady from the May-
town congregation, Mary E. Book. On Sunday,
June 27, 1863, the entire county was thrown into
a furore of excitement by the appearance of a por-
tion of Gen. Lee's army, 8,000 strong, at Wright.*^-
ville, where they were for a short time held in
check by volunteer companies under the leader-
ship of Col. Frick and others, but the enemy being
too strong, the volunteers were compelled to fall
back, and on their retreat they burned the bridge
acro.<?s the Susquehanna river, connecting Wrights-
ville with Columbia, which effectively cut off the
threatened invasion. After the burning of this
bridge the Rev. B. F. Apple, with many other cit-
izens of Maytown and vicinity, organized a home
THE REMODELLED CHURCH— 1853-1S96 73
guard to help repel this threatened invasion, but
though they went to Columbia, their services were
no longer needed.
A few days later, July 1-3, was fought one of
the world's decisive battles, at Gettysburg, when
the "backbone" of the Confederacy was broken,
and it put an effectual stop on Lee's northern
invasion. The latter part of the year saw the
bitter defeat of the Union forces at Chickaraauga,
September 20, 1863, and the brilliant victory
of Gen. Grant's troops at Chattanooga and the
storming of Missionary Ridge.
Meanwhile the affairs of the congregation were
not making very much progress. Rev. Apple's
records show that the communion seasons were
increased from one to two within the year. And
while the number of communicants did not vary
much, yet at the last season he held there were
only fifty members present, which caused him to
enter the following observation on the general con-
dition of the people:
"The reason why so many were absent to-day from the Com-
munion Table is because they seem to love the World more
amid these political excitements than their church and their
God. And again, because many by their very actions seem to
have reversed the order of our blessed Saviour's Commandment
in His memorable Sermon on the Mount, where He says (Matt.
vi. 33): * Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteous-
74 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
ness.' But tliey say, if not in words, but by their actions, ' Seek
ye fini— Politics, and the World, then the kingdom of God and
His righteousness.' May the infinite God have mercy upon
such, and grant tliem the true knowledge as it is in Christ Jesus
their Lord, Amen. W. P. Applk."
This communion was evidently the last one lie
celebrated, and he left the field in August, 1864.
Rev. B. F. Apple is at present pastor of St. John's
Evangelical Lutheran Church at Stroud.sburg,
Northampton Co., Pa.
REV. WILLIAM G. LAITZLE.
1865-1866.
In July, 1865, Rev. Laitzle again took up the
work of the i\Ia>town charge after the resignation
of Rev. B. F. Apple. During this period of his
ministry the delegates of the Ministerium of Penn-
sylvania to the General Synod were refused ad-
mittance to tliat body, and after much discussion
and controversy, a convention was called and held
at Reading in 1866, and the Ministerium of Penn-
sylvania was changed into the General Council.
At a Council meeting held March 5, 1866, a sig-
nificant action was taken by that body, " Bro.
Henry Johnstin was appointed by the Vestry in
behalf of Evan. Luth. Church to represent the
church in the Temperance Convention to be held
THE REMODELLED CHLRCH— 1853-1896 75
in the city of Lancaster on the ninth (9) day of
March next " — a convincing proof of their earnest
interest in the great and all-important question
which effects every town in our land.
On April 9, 1865, ^^^^ dreadful Civil War was
brought to an end when Gen. Robert E. Lee sur-
rendered to Gen. U. S. Grant at Appomattox Court
House, Va., and on April 14, Abraham Lincoln
was assassinated.
Rev. Laitzle's labors lasted only a little more
than a year, when he was called to Pottstown,
Montgomery Co., Pa., after serving the charge for
eight years.
REV. J. W. EARLY.
1866-1868.
In the spring of 1866, Rev. J. W. Early, of
Mechanicsburg, Cumberland Co., Pa., was called
as Rev. W. G. Laitzle's successor, and he served
the congregations for two years.
The pastorate of Rev. J. W. Early marks an
important period in the history of the Maytown
and Bainbridge congregations. The controversy
between the General Synod and the Ministerium
of Pennsylvania, in consequence of the admission
of the Franckean Synod into the former body, re-
sulted in the organization of the General Council,
76 LEAVES FROM A CEWTURY PLAN!
and this body, through its Secretary, sent a letter
to the May town charge making certain offers, pre-
sumably for their affiliation with the new organiza-
tion. This caused a joint council meeting of the
Maytown and Bainbridge congregations, and as
full minutes were kept of these proceedings they
are quoted verbatim :
" Bainbridge, Aug. 79, i!<6j.
"The Church Council met pursuant to notice at the house of
S. Hackenberger. Members present : J. S. Horst, S. Hacken-
berger, George Hackenberger. Elders; G. \V. Hackenberger,
Deacon; C. Gamerling, John Fahs, Trustees.
"By unanimous vote Geo. Hackenberger was chosen Prest.
who stated the object of meeting briefly to be for the purpose
of appointing a committee, to consult with the Maytown
Church Council, on next Saturday, at Maytown concerning
the change of Pastor, of our separation with the Elizabethtown
charge, the forming of a new charge to consist of this place
and Maytown, and also whether we will or will not accept the
offer of the Pennsylvania Synod, in a letter sent to Maytown,
all agreeable to recommendation of our present Pastor Rev.
J. W. Early. The President then appointed S. Hackenberger,
John Fahs and Gto. Hackenberger the committee, which was
agreed to by uu^ninious vote of all present.
" G. W. Hackknbkrgkr,
" SecVy of Church Council."'
The following is the report which this com-
mittee presented after meeting the Maytown coun-
cil :
THE REMODELLED CHURCH-1853-1896 77
"We the undersigned committee, who by appointment of the
Church Council, visited Maytown to consult with the Lutheran
Church Council of that place, on the change of Pastor, etc.,
would respectfully submit the following report :
"We met the Council of the church according to your in-
structions on Saturday, 24th of August, 1867. By a unanimous
vote it was agreed to separate our churches from the Elizabeth-
town charge, and to form a new pastoral district to be com-
posed of Maytown and Bainbridge. We took no final action on
the offer of the Ex. Com. of the Pa. Synod, because a majority
of the committees believed, that as Maytown has no other con-
stitution than that of the General Synod, as recorded in its
English Hymn book, and as Bainbridge is constitutionally a
General Synod church, it is best to refer the whole matter to a
congregational vote, the majority to decide whether we remain
General Synod churches, or connect ourselves with the Pa.
Synod, and alter our constitutions. It was believed by a
majority that the interest of our churches can best be attended
to by uniting with some Synod connected with the General
Synod if the same financial interest be taken in us as is oflFered
by the Pa. Synod. Agreeable to the constitution an election
was published August 25, to be held in two weeks, whether we
join the Pa. Synod, or seek connection with a Synod connected
with the General Synod.
"Signed, S. Hackenberger,
John Fahs."
" Lutheran Church, Bainbridge, I
Sunday, Sept. 8, 1867. i
" This being the day appointed for an election by the May-
town Committee, Elder J. S. Horst, by virtue of being the
seignior elder, in the chair. * * * * The minutes of the pre-
vious meeting of the Council was read and adopted. The
78
LEAVES l^ROM A CENTURY PLANT
report of the Maytowu CouiiniUee was now read, after which
remarks were made by several members, after which the elec-
tion was held which resulted as follows: For the Pa. Synod, 5
votes. For the East. Pa. Synod, 13 votes. Bro. B. (D. R.
Brubaker) was now chosen by unanimous vote to attend Synod
as a delegate, to represent our cause. Adjourned.
"G. W. Hackknberger,
"Sed'y Chtirch ConnciL'^
This caused the final separation of the Maytown
and Bainbridge cougregations from the Pennsyl-
vania Synod, and also from the Klizabethtown
charge, and Rev. J. W. Early resigned from these
two congregations. Maytown and Bainbridge con-
necting themselves in the same month, September,
1867, with the East Pennsylvania Synod, which
met in Pottsville, Pa.
A noticeable feature of Rev. J. W. Early's
records is the departure from the old method of
recording the names of the communicants. He
arranged the names in alphabetical order and then
ruled lines for the various communion seasons,
just as all such records are kept at the present
time. His method did not .seem to meet with ap-
proval, however, for none of his successors for the
next thirteen years adopted it. That a similar
method is in vogue generally at the present time
(1904), proves its practical utility and value. The
following note written by Rev. Ivirly in connec-
THE REMODELLED CHURCH-1853-1896 yg
tion with his last recorded communion, November
lo, 1867, under the head of "Remarks," gives us
some insight into the affairs of the congregation at
this time, and explains in a measure the reference
to "the change of pastor," which was one of the
questions for discussion by the previously-men-
tioned Joint Council meeting:
"The slow but gradual increase of the communion list would
seem to indicate a healthy growth. But there are those who
are not willing to bide the Lord's own good time. Hot-house
growth and feverish excitement would suit them better.
Others again, as was likewise experienced by a former pastor
(Rev. B. F. Apple), prefer their political notions to their
church. A congregational meeting having been called, how-
ever, without any notice of the object of the meeting being
given, an election for and against the pastor was held without
his knowledge. He was at once informed of the trick. He
immediately resolved to let the majority take their own course,
so that he could not be charged with interfering with the future
prosperity of the congregation. May God have mercy on those
who stand in their own light." " J. W. Eari.v."
Possibly "the slow but gradual increase of the
communion list" to which he refers, which in his
first recorded communion, November 11, 1866,
numbered 19; on his second, March 26, 1867,
it had increased to 22; on his last one, Novem-
ber 10, 1867, it numbered 27; may have been a
partial cause for the friction which existed between
8o LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
himself and the Maytown congregation during his
pastorate. That the congregation was somewhat
to blame for this condition is clearly inferred by
his " Remarks."
During this year, 1867, the Trcssler Orphans'
Home was founded, and the names of two of our
former ministers, Revs. Peter Sahm and Jacob
Crist, head the list of trustees who applied for the
charter.
The separation of the churches from the Eliza-
bethtown charge brought his labors to an end in
Maytown, and while it is not very creditable to
the congregation, yet as a matter of history, it re-
quired an action of law ere Rev. J. W. Early
secured the remainder of the salary that was due
him. Rev. J. W. Early has retired from the min-
istry and now lives in Reading, Pa.
REV. F. T. HOOVER.
1868-1870.
On May 24, 1868, Rev. F. T. Hoover began his
ministerial labors in the Maytown congregation.
His records are well kept. In 1869 he held three
communions in Maytown, which indicated a deep-
ening of the spiritual life of the congregation.
Heretofore the number of communion seasons
recorded never exceeded two within one year.
_^IIH!IIIIII!III1. '^
Parsonage of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church.
The gift of Gen. Simon Cameron.
GENKKAL SlMo.N AND M/.S. MAUCAKKT iUUA CAMIIUON.
JAMKS I-. jnllNSTIN. KKW J II. IIOI SKM \\.
■luiJt. Suiiilay-ScluKj). i8'<3-ivo4. 188.-1884.
THE REMODELLED CHURCH— 1853-1896 gl
The records give but little information concerning
him, and he gave up this field in the latter part of
the year 1870.
A few months before he began his labors with
the Maytown charge, the United States purchased
Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000 in gold through
the diplomacy of William H. Seward, Secretary of
State. And while Rev. Hoover was ministering
to his people during his first year's pastorate,
science, through the mighty persevering efibrts of
Mr. Cyrus W. Field, achieved a glorious triumph
in binding together two continents with the great
American cable, which, after many disheartening
failures and at a cost of many millions of dollars,
was at last successfully accomplished in 1868.
During the second year of Rev. Hoover's pastor-
ate, in 1869, the Pacific Railroad was opened
which connected the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
Eighteen days before he held his communion on
April 17, 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment, having
been ratified by a requisite number of states, was
formally announced as a part of the Constitution.
REV. D. STOCK.
1871-1872.
On April i, 1871, Rev. D. Stock began his min-
isterial labors in the Maytown congregation, and
82 LEAVES EROM A CENTURY PLANT
his lerin of service lasted a little more than a year.
One week before he held his second communion,
October 15, 1S71, al which there were forty mem-
bers present, the great fire broke out iu Chicago,
which destroyed $200,000,000 worth of property,
Ininiing 25,000 buildings, and leaving 100,000 peo-
ple shelterless.
Rev. Stock's stay in this congregation was of
short duration, and in the latter part of 1872 he
left the field.
REV. GEO. P. WEAVER, M. D.
1873-1875.
On May 2, 1873, Rev. George P. Weaver, M. D.,
began his ministerial labors in the IMaytown con-
gregation. For many years the only musical in-
strument in the church was a melodeon which was
loaned by Mr. Nicholas Peck, who with his sisters
were active members in the choir. In 1863 the
congregation decided to purcha.se their own instrn-
ment, and collectors were appointed to .secure the
amount necessar>', which was $45.00. Thaddeus
Slevens was among the first subscribers, giving
$10.00, and a fonr-oclave nielodeou was pnrchased.
The new organ thus bought by sul)scrijjtions w-as
the first organ ever owned by the chnrch, and
rendered excellent service for 30 years. About the
THE REMODELLED CHURCH— 1853-1896 83
same time there was also some remodelling done
in the church building, though what the changes
were is not stated. The following action of the
Church Council held in Maytown, June 13, 1874,
gives us the only reference in regard to these
changes:
"Council met according to notice. Rev. G. P. Weaver in
the chair. Rev. Weaver was appointed a committee to write
to Rev. M. J. Alleman requesting him to assist in the reopening
of the Church on the 28th of June. An organ bought by sub-
scription was presented to the Council and accepted as Church
property. Bro. A. Buller oflFered his report ; on motion, it was
accepted. John Brown was elected Treasurer, H. H. Johnstin
Secretary, and N. L,. Peck Organist. On motion, Dr. Ziegler
was given the privilege of fencing his father's and brother's
graves on condition of him giving as a donation to the Church
one dollar per foot of ground used.
" H. H. Johnstin, SecVy."'
Rev. Weaver was an active and earnest worker,
and his records were carefully kept. At his first
communion held in 1873 there were 48 members
present. In the next year he held two, the first
on January 4, and the second on August 30,
when 45 members communed. On May 9, 1875,
he held his last recorded communion in Maytown
when 51 members were present.
At the time that Rev. Weaver entered upon his
work in Maytown, he was also a student at JefFer-
84 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
son Medical College, from which he graduated in
1874, and in the last year of his pastorate 1875, he
began the practice of medicine in Marietta where
he lived while serving this charge. He also con-
ducted a singing class consisting of about thirty
members.
Rev. Weaver closed his labors in this field in the
year 1875.
REV. I. C. BURKE.
1876
While the congregation in Maytown was con-
sidering the calling of their next pastor, Rev. I. C.
Burke, who was located at Columbia at this time,
preached for them, and held a communion service
on June 4, 1876, at which there were fifty-two mem-
bers present. He is now and has been for many
years the honored })aslor of the Third Lutheran
Church of Baltimore, Md.
In this year on May 10, 1876, the great Ccntc-n-
nial Kxhibition was opened in celebration of the
one hundredth anniversary of the independence of
the United States, in which nearly all the nations
of the world took part. It was kept open until
November 10, 1876, and was visited by more than
10,000,000 people.
In the same month that Rev. Bmkc- held his
REV. MILTOX H. STIXE. Ph.D.
1880-1882.
AC RAM
THE REMODELLED CHURCH— 1853-1896 85
communion, Gen. Custer and his entire command
of 250 men were brutally massacred by an over-
whelming force of Sioux Indians who had refused
to go upon the reservation as they had agreed in a
previously made treaty.
REV. J. V. ECKERD.
1876-1880.
On October i, 1876, Rev. J. V. Eckerd entered
upon his regular ministerial labors in the Maytown
congregation. He had been a minister in the
Reformed church, which for some reason left and
had affiliated with the Lutheran church, and had
been serving a church at Eden when he accepted
Ihe call to the Evangelical Lutheran church at
Maytown. Not wishing to leave the church at
Eden, he still continued to minister to its needs,
and as he also served the Bainbridge congregation,
he could only preach in Maytown every third
week.
Of his activity and earnestness there is ample
proof; for during his nearly four years' ministry
he succeeded in increasing the communicant mem-
bership considerably, and he also had the church
remodelled in June, 1879. "^^^ officers of the
church at this time were : John Hays and Henry
Johnstin, Elders; H. S. Book and Jesse Klugh,
86 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
Deacons; M. S. More and Jesse Myers, Trustees.
The carpenter work was done by John L. Hays,
Jr. and Benjamin Rannibaugh. The painting was
done by C. M. Brown and Abrani Buller. The
Sunday-school room was also remodelled at this
time. (For fuller account see Sunday-school
history.)
The Neiv Communion Sef.
Until this time the old comnuinion set, which
had been given as a free-will offering by the found-
ers of the Lutheran church in 1770, though it
had been in service for four years previously, was
used. In 1879, after more than a hundred and
thirteen years of constant use, it was set aside, and
a new communion set (a picture of which is here-
with given) was purchased with money realized at
a church fair and turkey supper which were held
for that special purpose. Since then it has been
in use until January 3, 1904.
In the second year of his ministry in Maytown,
the Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Soci-
ety of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Iowa,
was organized iu Iowa City, Iowa, in 1877, which
was practically the beginning of this uoble and
self-sacrificing organization that has produced such
magnificent results in the home and foreign field.
THE REMODELLED CHURCH— 1853-1896 87
111 1879 the first general convention was held in
Canton, Ohio. Rev. Eckerd held his last com-
munion on March 28, 1880, when he left this charge.
REV. MILTON H. STINE, PH. D.
1880-1882.
On April i, 1880, Rev. Stine entered upon his
duties in the Maytown charge, having but recently
graduated from the Lutheran Theological Sem-
inary at Gettysburg, Pa. During his two years'
ministry several important things were brought
about which were of considerable moment to the
church. After a lapse of thirteen years we find
Rev. Stine the first minister to adopt a method
similar to that of Rev. Early, in keeping his com-
munion records, by arranging the names of his
m.embers in alphabetical order. Another notice-
able feature of Rev. Stine's records is the increased
number of communicants, his list being the first
to pass the hundred mark, his first communion
list numbering loi, the second 104, the third
107. The following notes are taken from his
records on the several communions:
" April 2, 1882. The communion was the largest held since
I am here. Was assisted by Rev. Shrader. Simon Cameron
communed, who is not a member of this church."
" May 28, 1882. The communion held to-day was not as
88 LEAVES tROAf A CENTURY PLANT
spiritual nor as large as the othera. It having been but seven
weeks since our last, many were indifferent. Many removals
have taken place. Many were not aware that there was com-
munion, the weather having been inclement at our last ser-
vice. I was assisted by Rev. Reimensnyder. The whole num-
ber in attendance at communion was about 95.
" M. H. Stine, pa.etor."
The Parsonage.
About 300 feet from the Square in Maytown, on
West High street, there stands a two-story brick
dwelling-house with a large side yard. In this
yard stood the log house in which General Simon
Cameron, one of Pennsylvania's most famous
statesmen and politicians, was born on March 8,
1799.
About the year 181 1 Mr. Jolin Kamp bought the
Cameron property, and in 1812 he erected the
present brick building, the west wall being built
against the old log house. Mr. Kamp was a
weaver by trade, and had his loom in the cellar.
The old log house he used for a tavern, and tlie
upper front room of the brick house was used for a
ball-room. In 1873 the log house was torn down
a short time after the last owner, Daniel K. Heisey,
purcha.sed the property.
General Cameron had a great love for the home
of his childhood, and in his conversations with
THE REMODELLED CHURCH— 1853-1896 89
some of tlie old residents of Maytown, often spoke
of the old log house in which he was born.
In the second year of Rev. Stine's pastorate,
General Cameron purchased the Heisey property,
and on his eighty-second birthday, March 8, 1881,
he presented the deed for this property to the St.
John's Evangelical Lutheran church, to be used as
a parsonage. This noble gift was given ''In testi-
mony of the love and affection borne by him for
the memory of his deceased wife, Margaretta Brua
Cameron^ who was an exemplary member of the
Lutheran church."
Rev. John A. Hay, Professor at Gettysburg
Theological Seminary, Mrs. Cameron's old pastor
in the Zion's Lutheran church at Harrisburg,
preached the sermon and made the presentation
speech on behalf of Mr. Cameron, and Mr. John
Hays responded in behalf of the congregation.
The crayon portraits of General Cameron and
his wife (also his gift) hang in a conspicuous place
in the parlor of the parsonage. After the house
was thoroughly repaired. Rev. Stine was the first
minister to occupy the new parsonage.
On April 4, 1881, the church council passed the
following resolution relative to the oflBcers of the
church :
" Resolved, That 3 deacons, 3 elders, and 3 trustees shall con-
(JO LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLAXT
stitute the council of said church, including the pastor as jnesi-
dent of said body, a majority of the same to constitute a quorum
for transacting business."
At this meeting H. vS. Book and M. S. Moore
were appointed " a committee to procure suitable
furniture for furnishing one room in the building
as a parlor."
It was the custom at this time for the congrega-
tion to elect their pastor to serve them for the per-
iod of only one year at a time. Some light is
thrown on this subject by the following action of
" On motion of Rro. M. S. Moore it was ordered to dispense
with election of pastor by congregation this year, but here^ifler
an election for pastor shall take place on the first Sunday in
Jauuary that tlu re is i)reachiug."
During the winter of 1881-1882, through Mr.
Stine's efforts, a successful lecture course was
given, which resulted in a "profit over all expenses
of $33.68 " for the treasury of the church.
One other noteworthy event occurred during the
first year of Rev. Stine's ministry: with the able
assistance of Mrs. Stine he organized the first Wo-
man's Home and Foreign Missionary Society,
which has been a great power for good in the
church. (For account of this Society, see histori-
cal sketch appended.)
THE REMODELLED CHURCH— 1853-1896 gi
Rev. M. H. Stiue, Ph. D., is the author of sev-
eral interesting volumes, the latest from his pen
being "Baron Stiegel."
Rev. Stine left the field July i, 1882. He is at
present located at Harrisburg, Pa., as the pastor of
the Memorial Lutheran Church in that city.
REV. J. H. HOUSEMAN.
1882-1884,
At a joint council meeting held at Maytown,
October 22, 1882, Rev. J. H. Houseman was elected
pastor of the Maytown and Bainbridge congrega-
tions. At this meeting it was agreed that May-
town pay $250.00 a year and Bainbridge $225.00,
However, on motion of Bro. Hackenberger, the
salary was increased $25.00 a year, each congrega-
tion paying $12.50 additional. Maytown, there-
fore, paid $262.50 and Bainbridge $237.50.
Rev. Houseman accepted the call, and entered
upon his ministerial labors December i, 1882. He
followed his predecessor's plan of recording the
communicant members, and of the three services
thus recorded by him, the second one held May 12,
1883, which numbered ^'j^ was the largest. Rev.
Houseman served these congregations but little
more than a year when he resigned and left the
field in the beginning of 1884.
92 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
REV. C. M. AURAND.
1884-1886.
On March 29, 1884, Rev. C. M. Aiirand preached
his introductory sermon at Maytown, He served
this charge acceptably for two years, though the
communion records do not show any large increase
of members, the average attendance for his four
recorded communion services numbering 57. In
his "Notes on the November communion," he
gives an explanation of the causes for this condi-
tion. Rewrites: "This communion was rich in
spirituality, but not in members. Some were
sick, some away from home, and others indiffer-
ent. The presidential election devil had so thor-
ough control of .some that our Heavenly Father
could not attract their attention. Some were ad-
mitted into full communion, for which we praise
God."
Rev. Aurand as an author has produced several
books on religious topics. The i)rincipal one is
entitled "Rays of Light."
Though the Council on April 5, 1886, voted to
increase Rev. Aurand's salary to $300.00, as an in-
ducement to serve another year, he did not accept,
and on April 12 he handed his resignation to the
Council, to take effect on April 25, 18S6, when he
left the field.
^EV. A. H. SHERTZ.
U. II IIAKl
j-(vi-kS<j7.
THE REMODELLED CHURCH— 1853-1896 93
At present Rev. Auraud is located at Martins-
burg, Blair Co., Pa., and is serving a charge
belonging to the Allegheny Synod.
REV. A. H. SHERTZ.
1886-1890.
Rev. A. H. Shertz began his labors in this charge
on November 7, 1886, and his ministry extends
over a period of three years and nine months.
Rev. Shertz did not follow his predecessor's
-method of recording the communicant members,
but he used the old style of writing out the names
of those who communed. The only record of this
kind that can be found is dated October 23, 1887,
when 64 were present. His observations on this
service are self-explanatory. He writes:
"This was a large congregation, but not as many commtmed
as should. The day was pleasant. The Lord seemed to be in
the midst of all. A. H. S."
The neatness and clearness of this record is a
decided improvement upon those of his two pre-
decessors, and the great regret is that he neglected
to make a record of his other services and other
ofl&cial acts, such as baptisms and marriages, there
being only one funeral recorded in the regular
church book.
At a council meeting held at this time, Nov. 16,
Q_^ LEAVES hRO.V A CEXrVRY PLANT
1887, Mr. H. S. Book urged the adoption of the
envelope system for collecting the pastor's salary,
which after some discussion, on motion of Mr.
Jesse Klugh, was adopted by that body.
At the close of the year 1887, Mr. Nickolas Peck,
who for the past thirteen years had served as organ-
ist, resigned, and Miss Viola Shelter was appointed
to .serve in that capacity from the beginning of
1888. In this year the beautiful Mary J. Drexell
Deaconess Home of the Lutheran Church was
established in Philadelphia, Pa.
Rev. Shertz was a very active pastor, and was
also a noted skater, besides being a great lover of
horses. His ministry, on the whole, was unevent-
ful, and he resigned the charge July 27, 1890. At
present Rev. Shertz is serving the Hooversville
charge, Somerset Co., Pa., belonging to the Alle-
gheny Synod.
In the last year of Rev. Shertz's pastorate (i89o\
a notable event occurred in the manufacture ol
Liquid Air for practical purposes by I\Ir. Chas. E.
Tripler in New York.
REV. WILLIAM H. HARDING.
1891-1895.
A lapse of six months now occurred, during which
the church was without a regular pastor, and the
THE REMODELLED CHURCH— 1853-1896 95
congregations were served by various supplies, the
last or.e on February 15, 1891, being Rev. W. H.
Harding, who was a student in the senior class of
the Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa. On
March i, 1891, he was unanimously elected to be-
. come the pastor of this charge, which he accepted
on April 10, and continued as regular supply until
after his graduation. On July i he took permanent
charge, and on July 12 was regularly installed as
the pastor of the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran
Church. The presiding officers at this service
were the venerable President of the Theological
Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa., Rev. M. Valentine,
D. D., LIv. D., and Rev. F. W. Staley, of Middle-
town, Pa.
Shortly after Rev. Harding began his regular
pastoral work, the council, on June 21, 1891,
ordered the purchase of a new church record, which
was accordingly done. At their next meeting, held
November 11, the pastor suggested a revision of
"the list of church members, and it was agreed
that the new record should constitute such mem-
bers as commune regularly, pay to support of pas-
tor's salary, and desire to lead a true Christian life.
On motion of Bro. Jno. A. Dehoff, the regular time
of meeting was fixed on the first Monday evening
following the first Sunday of every month."
^5 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
The revising of the old list of members in accord-
ance with the newly adopted plan, no doubt
largely accounts for the small number of com-
municants recorded at his first service, held
November 15, 1891, when but 62 members par-
took of the holy sacrament.
The new record book selected by Rev. Harding
is modern, and the pastor's work in keeping
records is so well systematized that much less
clerical labor is necessary than would have been
required under the old method. From these
records it is seen that there was a continual in-
crease in the membership of the church, and from
them the following facts have been gleaned: Dur-
ing his pastorate, covering a period of almost six
years, Rev. Harding held fifteen communion ser-
vices, at which the total number of communicants
was 1,628. The highest atteiulnnce numbered
137, and the lowest 62, as mentioned above, while
the average attendance for the entire period was
108.
At this time the Lutheran and Reformed con-
gregations in Baiubridge worshipped in the same
building, but at a joint council meeting of these
churches held there Aug. 11, 1891, the committee
representing the Lutheran church, consisting of
"three trustees, John Finlay, Jonas Rutherford
THE REMODELLED CHURCH— 1853-1896 gy
and Christian Hoover, with Bros. William Swan,
Henry Schroll and Henry Linton," decided to pur-
chase the half interest of the Reformed church.
The sum agreed upon was $165.00.
It is very gratifying to note the increased
care taken in recording in detail the minutes of
the proceedings of the church council, and we are
greatly indebted to them for the various following
items of interest which are gleaned from this par-
ticularly interesting period:
On February 8, 1892, Dr. G. A. Harter was
elected choir leader by a unanimous vote, in which
capacity he faithfully served for a period of more
than five years.
At the close of 1890, upon the resignation of
Miss Viola Shetter, Miss Miranda Peck was elected
organist and served for about one year, resigning
in May, 1892. At the meeting held June 13, 1892,
the church council, in appreciation of her faithful-
ness, passed resolutions of regret, and Miss Mabel
Houseal was elected, where she rendered faithful
service until 1894.
A new innovation was introduced March 8, 1892,
when the church council appointed Mr. Henry
Tome, Jr., and Mr. John A. Dehoflf, as ushers.
Previous to this time any member of the council
or congregation who happened to be present acted
gS LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
in that capacity if he felt so inclined, and the ser-
vice tluis rendered was very irrej^ular.
Under date September 5, 1892, the council de-
cided "that $3.00 be charged for all funerals held
in the church of persons who are not members or
sujiporters of the same."
It is pleasant to note the unity and fellowship
existing between the various congregations in
Maytown, an indication of which is seen in the
suspension of the evening service on November 15,
1892, to "join in the Union Thanksgiving Service
in the Bethel Church." This is the first mention
of such union services being held among the
churches, a custom which has been followed with
but few exceptions. Tiiat the Lutheran church has
ever been ready to extend and promote this spirit
of lellowship is also shown by the fact that on
Ma>' 14, 1893, they dispensed with their regular
morning service to accept an invitation from the
Reformed church to attend their dedicatory .ser-
vice.s. Nor was this spirit of fellowship limited to
the churches of this town, for when, in 1894, the
Maytown Choral Union was organized, the use of
the Lutheran church was granted them for their
meeting.
About this lime permission was granted the
Aid Society to repair the parsonage in general, and
THE REMODELLED CHURCH— 1853-1896 gg
the whole house was remodelled. (For fuller
account, see history of Aid Society appended.)
At a congregational meeting held Feb. 5, 1893,
on motion of Bro. Eph. Williams, the pastor's sal-
ary was increased twenty per cent.
Hitherto it had been the custom to ring the
church bell three times before each regular service,
there being an hour's intermission between each
ringing of the bell. On March 8, 1893, the council
decided to have it rung but twice for regular service.
An event of general importance occurred to all
the members of the Lutheran Church of the Gen-
eral Synod in the founding of " The National Lu-
theran Home for the Aged " at Washington, D. C,
on Easter Monday, 1893. To this home all per-
sons aged sixty years or more are admitted upon
the payment of an admission fee of $150 for those
over seventy, and $200 for those under seventy
years of age.
An interesting event occurred at the parsonage
on Dec. 14, 1895, when Reed Minich Harding was
born, this being the first birth at the parsonage.
In the summer of 1895 the work of remodelling
the St. Luke's Church at Bainbridge (which had
been unanimously decided upon as the result of a
motion to that effect made by Bro. David Brubaker
and seconded by Bro. Frank Kinsey at a meeting
I OO LEAVES FROM A CENTUR Y PLANT
held July i6, 1893) was begun "in good earnest,
and the old church structure was almost entirely
torn away. After a summer of exceedingly hard
work and self-denial on part of pastor and people,
the church was rebuilt and furnished at an actual
cost of $2,700." By the close of the year the
rebuilding (practically speaking) of the old church
was completed, and out of the ruins of the old was
erected the fine and commodious structure of St.
Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bain-
bridge. Pa. It was dediccd on December 29, 1895,
when "the balance of debt ($600.00) was obligated,
and the church was dedicated free of debt."
The names of the Building Committee were as
follows: Rev. W. H. Harding, Chairman; Mr. G.
W. Hackenberger, Treasurer; Harry Linton, Abra-
ham Bachman, Jr., Harry Hawthorn, Thadius
Groff. (Extracts from Bainbridge Church Record.)
The close of the year 1895 found the congrega-
tion putting forth efforts along various lines to
replenish the church treasury, the auxiliary societ-
ies heartily assisting in this work. It has truly
been said that " coming events cast their shadows
before," and this activity to increase the finances
of the church was the shadow cast over the close
of the Third Epoch by the new one whose bright
dav was about to dawu.
EPOCH THE FOURTH
FRUITION, 1896-1904
THE MODERN CHURCH
AND THE
CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY
'T^HE great and important changes which occurred
^ in 1891 and the succeeding years very natur-
ally mark this as a distinct epoch. Occurring, as
it did, during the latter part of Rev. W. H. Hard-
ing's pastorate, it has necessitated the dividing of
his ministry into two parts, and without further
elaboration we will let the work accomplished
speak for itself, and for the man to whose untiring
and consecrated efforts these results are largely due.
REV. WM, H. HARDING.
1896-1897.
In the beginning of the year 1896, and in fact
for some time previous, the desirability of remodel-
ing the church was a much-discussed topic, which
culminated in definite measures towards that end
on April 13, when, on motion of Deacon William
A. Bontz, "it was unanimously agreed by roll-call
of the council to recommend to the congregation
the repairing or general remodeling of our church
this year."
On April 26, 1896, "after the morning service,
a congregational meeting was held to consider the
recommendation of council relating to the repair-
ing or remodeling of the church. On motion of
103
104 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PL A XT
brother James F. Johnstin the conjj^regatioii unani-
mously voted to REMODEL the church this year."
Upon this action of the congregation the church
council resolved itself into a Building Committee,
with the addition of Dr. G. .\. Harter, the members
of which were as follows :
BUILDING COMMITTEE.
Rev. W. H. Harding, Chairman.
Abram S. Rhoads, Treasurer of Building Fund.
Henry S. Book, Abram S. Rhoads,
John A. Dehoff, Wm. A. Bontz,
William Frysinger, Albert B. Clepper,*
John Wolfe, George Hall,
John Xieman, Dr. G. A. Harter.
At a special meeting of council, held a few days
later, on April 28, the plans submitted by Mr.
J. A. Dempwolf, of York, Pa., were adopted, witli
some modifications, among which was Mr. Jeffries
Shireman's suggestion concerning the large win-
dow sashes by which the infant room and church
parlor could be thrown open to the main Sunday-
school room. The plans thus adopted involved
the following changes in the old building:
* A lineal descendant of Joseph Klopfer, one of ibc signers of
the contract for the building of the stone church in 1804.
FR UITION— 1896-1904 1 05
I. A large and imposing stone tower, build of
lime stone, with light-colored sandstone with rock
face, for the corners, procured at Lititz, and the
old steeple removed to it from the main building.
This stone tower was the magnanimous gift of
Elder Abraham S. Rhoads, and was given by him,
as the following inscription on a marble tablet
placed in the hall of the tower shows: "In grate-
ful memory of God's goodness." The cost of the
tower exceeded $1,100.
When the corner-stone was removed from its
original resting-place to the southwest corner of
the tower many were the expressions of sorrow
and disappointment expressed when it was found
that the precious documents it contained were un-
decipherable, and still more strange that no coins
were found in it. This fact gives some credence
to the assertions current for several generations,
that these coins had been surreptitiously removed
the night following the day of its laying.
Rev. Harding prepared a historical sketch of the
church, an outline of the proposed changes and
other matters of interest, which together with a
number of coins, were put in a hermetically sealed
box and placed in the stone. Precautions were
taken and carried out to insure the safety of the
contents until the tower had reached a height
where such measures were no longer necessary.
,o6 LEAVES FROM A CEXTCRV Pf.AXT
The followinj^ is a list of tlie coins and donors:
COINS.
By Rev. Hardin*^ : Columbian half dollar; half
dime of 1857; eaj^lc cent of 1858; cent of 1896; a
German coin.
By Henry S. Book : Half dollar of 1893; quarter
dollar of 1896; lo-cent piece of 1892; 5-cent piece
of 1890; cent of 1887; cent of 1895.
By Abram Rhoads : Quarter dollar of 1774;
quarter dollar of 1781; half dollar of 1805.
By John Johnstin : Cent of 1798; cent of 1812.
By A. Edw. Archer : British coin of 1730.
By Thos. Hnines : Half penny of 1832; cent of
rSi9.
By John Tome : Spanish coin of t8io.
By Jesse Kln.oh : Cent of 1822; Canadian cent of
1859; U. S. cent of 1856; half penny of 1809.
By Isaac Carpenter : 5-cent piece of 1883, minus
the word "cents;" cent of 1853.
Bv Wni. Bnrnhart : Cent of 1828.
Temperance ])ledge by John A. Buller.
2. The old square window frames were removed
and the orio;inal arched frames restored, in which
were placed the present beautiful and impressive
stained glass memorial windows.
The two south windows bear the following in-
FRUITION— 1896-1904 JO7
scriptions : "In memory of Samuel F. Kame by
John Kame and his wife," and "Sacred to the
memory of Frederick F. and Catherine E. Klugh."
The imposing window with a life-size representa-
tion of Martin Luther on the east side was pre-
sented by George and Anna Rhoads, "In memory
of George and Elizabeth Rhoads," while the other
two windows on either side of the Luther window
v/ere given respectively by " Catharine Garber and
daughter Anna," and "In memory of Henry and
Sarah Johnstin by their children and grandchil-
dren." The two windows in the recess, behind
the pulpit, are dedicated to "the pastor. Rev. W.
H. Harding," and to his wife, "Martha R. Hard-
ing." The beautiful and inspiring window show-
ing a life-size picture of Christ on the west side"
was presented "In memory of David and Sarah
Shetter by their children." The two windows on
either side of this one were given respectively " In
memory of Lawrence and Catharine Beschler by
their children," and "In memory of Samuel and
Barbara Drabenstadt by Mrs. Anna M. Welchans."
(For the memorial windows of the Sunday-school,
see history appended.)
3. A recess was added to the north end of the
church, which was built by Messrs. Wm. A. Bontz,
assisted by Jacob M. Henderson, Isaac Carpenter
Io8 LEAl'ES FROM A C/iXTLRY I'LAXT
and Charles Evans. The ceiling was also torn
down and replastered by Mr. Samuel Sload.
4. The walls of the church and Sunday-school
were frescoed by Mr. C. Day Rudy, of Harrisburg,
at a cost of $275. The entire wood-work of the
church was painted by Messrs. Milton and Harry
Shireman and John Brown. Mr. J. F. McCullon,
of Lancaster, Pa., did the graining.
5. The old pews were taken out and replaced by
heavy quartered oak curved pews, which were fur-
nished, except those under the gallery, which are
straight, by the Grand Rapids Furniture Co., of
Michigan. The old mohair pulpit furniture, con-
sisting of a sofa and two chairs, and the old pulpit
were transferred to the Sunday-school room, and
were replaced by the massive and elegant quartered
oak pulpit and three i)lnsh-covere(l chairs, the cen-
ter one being a beautiful high-backed arm-chair.
Tiiese, together, with the finely-e.xecuted oil paint-
ing of Christ the Good vShcj^hcrd bearing a lamb
on his arm, which covers the entire space between
the two windows in the rece.ss behind the pulpit,
and painted by the famous artist. Beck, of New
York — all these, were the generous gifts of Mrs.
Susanna Brandt, in memory of her husband, Mr.
Christian Brandt, which fact is inscribed on a sil-
ver tablet in front of the pulpit.
FR UITION— 1896-1904 1 09
A handsome golden oak communion table and
two silver offering plates wei;e "presented by the
young men of the Sunday-school of '96."
A large Holman pulpit Bible, printed in 1896,
was presented by the pastor, Rev. W. H. Harding.
Five dozen folding-chairs were purchased for use
in the church ; at the same time five dozen large
and three dozen small chairs were bought for the
Sunday-school and infant rooms.
6. Through the influence of Mr. C. G. Longe-
necker, a very generous friend, whose identity
even to this day has not been made known, j)re-
sented to the church a Frick eighteen-light chande-
lier, with prisms, valued at $215.
7. The old heater was donated to the Maytown
Band, and a steam-heating plant was put into the
church by the Monitor Steam Generator Manu-
facturing Co., of Landisville, Pa,, at a cost of $327,
8. The old galler}' was lowered a distance of two
feet and a half in the rear, and a foot and a half in
the front. The old board front was taken out and
replaced by a modern banister, the base of which,
however, was left intact. As it was not only a
rare specimen of the old style of workmanship, but
also a historical relic, it being one of the original
hand-carved beams of the old gallery when the
church was built in 1804.
I lo LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
Another matter of great historical interest is
that the present door frames in use, which are
also fine specimens of the skillful handiwork of the
craftsmen of the i8th Century, were built by the
carpenters who assisted in erecting the church in
the beginning of the 19th Century, and they are
not to be surpassed by those made in the present
day.
9. A new carpet was bought to cover the entire
floor of the auditorium, hitherto the aisles only
being carpeted. This carpet was purchased from
Artman, Treichler & Co., of Philadeli^hia, Pa., at
a cost of $S8.
The work of remodeling was begun on June 6,
1896, when Deacon Wm. A. Bontz removed the
old pews from the church, some of which later on
replaced the benches previously used on the gallery.
The following is a brief list of the men who were
engaged upon this work besides those already
mentioned :
Mr. Jeflries Shireman * was the chief carpenter,
and his assistants were Messrs. Geo. B. Welchans
and Kphraim Williams.
Messrs. Abraham Cobaugh and Jacob Dimeler
were the stone-masons.
* A lineal descendant of Alexander Shireman, one of the con-
tractors in the building of the stone church in 1804.
FRUITION— 1896-1904 1 1 1
Mr. Charles Mayer did the tin work.
The price of ordinary labor was fixed by the
council at |i.io per day, and great credit and
praise is due to the members and others interested
in this important work who rendered valuable aid
gratuitously in the labor connected with the re-
modeling of the church.
At first the progress of the work was rather slow,
but soon the earnest and willing workers began to
make headway, and as the alterations assumed
definite form the work was pushed forward more
rapidly, and after a period of six months and
eleven days was brought to its final completion
preparatory to its dedication.
Thus out of the debris resulting from the many
alterations of the old church rose the beautifully
remodeled St. John' sEvangelical Lutheran Church
of Maytown, Pa., and the unostentatious elegance
and comfort of its interior is excelled by few
churches of i-ts size outside of our larger cities.
It stands as a magnificent monument of the self-
sacrificing, consecrated and earnest labors of the
pastor and its people, who can be justly proud of
the beautiful church they will bequeath to the
coming generations. The entire cost of the re-
modeling exceeded $4,400.
On December 13, 1896, the dedicatory services
I 1 2 LEA VES FROM A CEXTUR Y PLANT
were licld, when the entire debt was paid in cash
and subscriptions by the members and friends of
the church. Tlie program of that event is here-
with given :
Sunday, December 13, 1S96.
10:00 A. M.
Anthem— Gloria Mozart.
Morning vService— Book of Worship.
Reading OF ScRiPTDRK Ps. xxiv., xlviii.
Rev. A. H. Shertz, Newry, Pa.
Hymn No. 491— Book of Worship.
Prayer.
Hymn No. 158.
Sermon Rev. F. W. Staley, Middletown. Pa.
Prayer.
Anthem— " The Lonl is Great" Righitii.
Financial Statement and Offering.
Solo— " If Jesus is Near " Mrs. G. A. Hatter.
" Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow."
Benediction.
Sunday-school Rally.
2:00 p. M.
Selection Wrij^ht.sville Orchestra.
Singing—" More About Jesus."
Scripture Reading — Ps. cxxii. . . J. A. DehofT, Asst. Supt.
Prayer Jas. F. Johnstiu, Supt
Singing Infaut School.
Addres.ses by Visiting Mini.ster.s.
FR UITION- 1896-1904 1 1 3
" Breaking of Barrei^s " and Coi.i,ection.
Addresses by Pastors oe Town.
Singing—" Beyond the Ken."
Selection Orchestra.
Benediction.
Dedication Hour.
7:00 p. M.
Selection Wrightsville Orchestra.
Evening Service — Book of Worship.
Hymn No. 18— Book of Worship.
Reading of Scriptures — 2 Chron. vi., 18-3 j ; Psalm cxxxiv
Rev. F. W. Staley.
Prayer.
Anthem— " Great and Marvelous " Farmer.
Sermon Rev. W. S. Hintnan, Columbia, Pa.
Solo—" Nearer, My God, to Thee " . . . . Mrs. G. A. Harter.
Financial Statement and Offering.
Selection Orchestra.
Dedicatory Services Pastor.
Anthem— " Break Forth Into Joy " . . . . .Dunham.
Address Rev. A. H. Shertz.
doxology.
Benediction.
Services Following Dedication.
Monday — Preaching by the Rev. B. F. Alleman, D.D.,
Lancaster, Pa.
Tuesday— Preaching by the Rev. A. H. Shertz, Nevpry, Pa.
Wednesday — Preaching by the Rev. George Scholl, D.D.,
Gen'l Sec'y Board of Foreign Missions, Baltimore, Md.
114
LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PI.AXT
Thursday— Preaching by the Rev. D. M. Gi'.bert, D.I>.,
President of East Penna. Synod, Harrisbur}^', Pa.
Friday— Preparatory Services, Rev. Milton H. Stiiie,
HarrisbuTK, Pa.
Sunday, Dec. 2oTH — Holy Connnuuion Pastor.
In the following year, 1897, the pastor v/as in-
strncted to present the old chandelier to one of
the home missions, which accordingly was done.
About the same time, January 4, Rev. Harding
attempted to organize a catechetical class at Row-
en na, in which he was not very successful. On
May 5, 1S97, the pastor sent the following letter
of resignation to the council :
" To Joint Council:
"On March i, 1S91, I received a unanimous call to become
your pastor, and feeling guided by our heavenly Father, I
cheerfully accepted a call which was formally extended. Now
after six years of labor among you, which has been wonder-
fully blessed of God, both by adding souls to cur number and
in beautifying both houses of worship, we can look back and
feel that God truly directs His work and workers. In my
relations with you as pastor and undershepherd, I have
spent the most precious portions of my life, and having un-
daunted faith in God, who has been leading, I now feel called
of Hira, through His people, to accept a unanimous call of St.
John's Lutheran church of Willianisport, Pa., I hereby extend
to you my resignation, to take effect June 15, 1S97."
"Very fraternally,
" Your Brother in Christ's work,
"W. II. Harding."
FR UITION— 1896-1904 j 1 5
The Joint Council accepted this resignation, and
on the above-mentioned date he left the field.
Rev. Harding at present is the pastor of Trinity
Lutheran church, at Colwyn, Pa., where through
his earnest efforts, his congregation, though only
a mission church, has recently built a beautiful
house of worship.
At the first council meeting held after the charge
became vacant the following important action was
taken :
"July 5, 1897, on motion of Deacon William A.
Bontz, council voted unanimously to recommend
to joint council the following propositions for a
readjustment of the pastor's salary :
1. That each congregation pay the sum of $300
salary, and receive preaching once every Sunday,
alternating from morning to evening.
2. That if the Bainbridge congregation is unable
to pay one-half the salary, then the May town con-
gregation shall pay $400, the Bainbridge congre-
gation $200, and the congregations receive preach-
ing in the ratio of 4 to 2, thus giving Bainbridge
one service each Sunday two out of three, alter-
nating from morning to evening.
3. That if neither of the first two are agrccr.hle
or desirable, then the Maytown congregation shall
apply for a dissolution of the pastorate and thereby
become an independent pastorate."
1 1 6 LEA VES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
These propositions were considered at a special
meetiuj; of the joint councils held at Bainbridge
July 14, 1897, " without any agreement being
reached."
On July 25 the Maytown congregation endorsed
the propositions of their council, and that if no
satisfactory agreement could be accomplished, "we
apply to Synod for a dissolution of the pastorate."
From the records it is evident that no satisfac-
tory adjustment could be accomplished, and on
September 27, 1897, on motion of Deacon G. A.
Harter, it was resolved that council recommend to
the congregation :
1. That we procure a regular supply, to continue
until pastorate is regularly dis.solved by Synod.
2. That said supply be continued as our regular
pastor after formal dissolution.
3. That the salary of aforesaid pastor shall be
$500 per annum, payable monthly.
These resolutions were unanimously con6rmed
at a congregational meeting held October 3, 1897.
REV. JULIUS F. SEEBACH.
1897-1900.
On October 3, 1897, R^v. Seebach was called as
supply, to continue ns such until the difficulties
with the Bainbridge congregation should be ad-
ICI.DKK AMKAIIAM S. KlloADS.
Died Sc|)tcMiil)cr 28. 1901.
FR UlTION— 1896-1904 1 1 7
justed; after which he was to be continued as reg-
ular pastor. He took charge of the pastorate
November 15, and owing to Synod's delay in
settling the differences between the congregations
he was not regularly installed, but served them
faithfully and well as a supply for two years and
six mouths.
His records were well kept and speak for them-
selves. From them we glean that in the ten com-
munion services which were held by him there
were 1,108 members present during his period of
ministry; the average attendance being no. The
highest number to commune was 126, and the
lowest was 95.
During his pastorate the old and inadequate
envelope method for collecting the pastor's salary
was changed at a council meeting held July 11,
1898, when on Deacon G. A. Harter's motion,
it was "resolved that the weekly system of pay-
ment for preacher's salary be recommended to the
congregation," which was adopted. At this meet-
ing a very important action was taken in connec-
tion with delinquent church members, when on
motion of Deacon John Wolf, it was "resolved that
all those who wilfully neglect the privileges and
responsibilities of membership in the congregation,
both spiritually and financially, for the space of
1 1 8 LEA I 'FS FJ?Oir A CEXTL '/? V PL A XT
two years, shall be considered as having: sepa-
rated themselves from the communion as rej^ular
members."
At the close of 1898 Miss Jennie Brooks, who
had served as organist from 1895 (when Miss Mabel
Houseal, the former org^anist, had resigned) gave
up that position, Miss Hallie Buller was elected,
and for the past six years she has ably and faith-
fully served the church in this capacity.
On August 30, 1898, Julius F. Scebach, Jr., was
born in the parsonage.
Rev. Seebach, having accepted a call to the St.
John's Evangelical Lutheran church of Mahanoy
City, Pa., he resigned this pastorate, and on June
I, 1900, he left the field. On September 18, 1902,
Rev. Julius F. Seebach was elected secretary of the
East Pennsylvania Synod, at Mt. Holly Springs, Pa.
REV. GEORGE PHILIP GOLL.
1900—1904.
Having received a unanimous call to become the
regular pastor of vSt. John's Evangelical Lutheran
Church of May town, Pa., Rev. Goll entered upon
his ministerial duties June 24, 1900. He had been
a missionary in Liberia, on the west coast of Africa,
from 1887-1898. In 1899, he was a member of a
government commi.ssion under the direction of
FR UJTION— 1896-1904 1 1 q
Prof. O. F. Cook and Mr. G. N. Collins, which
v/as sent by the Department of Agriculture to
study the economic plants and products of Porto
Rico, when he made a collection of over 2,000
specimens of the phanerogamous (flowering) plants
of that island for the U. S. National Museum in
Washington, D. C.
On September 9, 1900, by permission of the
President of the East Pennsylvania Synod, Rev. J.
A. Singmaster, D. D., Rev. Goll was regularly in-
stalled as pastor of the May town congregation.
Revs. M. H. Stine, Ph. D., and D. H. Geiser, both
of Harrisburg, Pa., performing the installation
service.
At the next session of the Bast Pennsylvania
Synod held at Gettysburg, Pa., by a unanimous
vote the Maytown and Bainbridge charge was dis-
solved, and St. John's Evangelical Lutheran
Church of Maytown became an independent con-
gregation on Monday, October i, 1900.
It is the custom now to hold quarterly commun-
ion seasons, which are usually held on the first
Sunday in the quarter, and from the records
covering a period of three and a half years, the
following data is gleaned : During this time 15
communion services were held, and a total of
1,635 members partook of the holy sacrament,
I JO LEA VES FROM A CE.VV URY PLANT
making an average of 109. The lowest number
was 75; while the highest number, and also the
largest in the history of the church, was 144. It
was held on July 5, 1903, a little over 100 years
after Rev. John Frederick Ernst confirmed the
largest catechetical class in the history of the
church, May 28, 1803. At this service the pastor
was assisted by Rev. Milton H. Valentine, D. D.,
of Philadelphia, Pa. He also baptized Margaret
Goll, the infant daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Maude
B. Goll, who is the first girl born in the parsonage,
February 15, 1903.
Nor has the congregation been lacking in its
contributions toward the benevolent objects of the
church, as the following tabulation of the past four
years shows :
. I146.26
178.79
160.33
205.00
1900.
Total benevolence
I90I.
"
1902.
" "
1903-
"
Grand total to end of Syuodical Year . . 5690.38
It is gratifying to note that many of our members
have adopted the plan of systematic giving toward
meeting the Synodical apportionment, quite a
number giving much more than the plan calls for,
and others, alas, do not seem to have awakened to
their responsibility in this important matter.
FR UITION— 1896-1904 1 2 1
The Pan-American Exposition held at Buffalo,
N. Y., in the year 1901 will ever be memorable in
the history of our country because of the tragic
assassination of President William McKinley on
September 6, who died a week later, September
14, 1901. While the whole country was mourning
this untimely death of its executive officer, the con-
gregation of St, John's church in May town were
again called upon to mourn the loss of one of its
most honored and faithful members and officers,
Elder Abraham S. Rhoads, who was called from
his earthly labors to his heavenly reward Septem-
ber 28, 1901, at the advanced age of almost 78
years.
His death was a great loss to the church, and
was keenly felt by the members, and on October 7,
1901, resolutions of respect and condolence were
unanimously adopted by the council on behalf of
the congregation, which were entered upon their
minutes, and a copy was also given to his relatives.
Up to this time there had stood on the corner of
the lot on the south side of the church, just across
an alle}^ on Queen street, an old, dilapidated build-
ing belonging to the Lindsay estate, which had
been used as a cigar shop. It had become an eye-
sore to the members, and late in the fall of 1901
this property was to be sold at public auction, and
122 LEAVES EIWM A CENTURY PLANT
the council instructed its treasurer, Elder William
Frysinger, to buy it, wliicli was accordingly done,
and the property was bought for $645. In the
following year, 1902, the trustees were authorized
to sell the house and lot, with the exception of 100
feet nearest the church, and in March Mr. Abra-
ham Fletcher bought it for $450. In May the old
building standing on the upper end of the 100 feet
ot the lot retained by the church was torn down, and
in June the trustees were empowered to build on
this lot a wagon-shed 60 feet long with six stalls.
The tearing down of the old shop enhanced the
beauty of the church, and has added very much to
the general appearance of the whole propert)-. As
the centennial year of the building of the stone
church was rapidly drawing near, active measures
were adopted by the council for a fitting celebra-
tion of that event.
In the council meeting held on March 2, 1903,
a motion made by Dr. G. A. Harter and seconded
by brother lulward Fitzkee, recommended the ap-
pointment of a committee on historical research
by the congregation preparatory to our centennial
anniversary in 1904. At a congregational meeting
held on March 21, 1903, the pastor presented the
above question to the members, and the motion of
brother William A. Bontz to hold the centennial
FRUITION— 1896-1904 1 23
anniversary was carried unanimously. Brother
C. G. Longenecker's motion that the council
should appoint a committee on historical research
was also carried. The president of council, elder
John A. DehofF, then made a statement of the
financial condition of the congregation, and pre-
sented a recommendation of the council that the
debt of ^600 which had accrued from unpaid sub-
scriptions for the remodelling of the church in 1896
amounting to $350.00; from expenses incurred by
the purchase of the lyindsay property, and for gen-
era] running expenses of the church, be paid before
the anniversary. On motion of Deacon Harry
Yeagle it was unanimously decided to "clear the
church of all debt before our anniversary in 1904."
At this meeting and at a subsequent one subscrip-
tions were taken for this purpose, and the whole
amount was provided for.
At a meeting of the council held May 4, 1903,
the following committees were appointed: "Finance
committee, brothers Dehofif, Frysinger and Yeagle;
Historical committee, Rev. GoU, Dr. G. A. Harter,
and J. Frank Johnstin." How well these com-
mittees have performed the work assigned them
the coming anniversary will show in the liquidated
debt and in the completed history which will be
placed in the hands of all those who care to read it.
1 24 ^EA VES bROM A CENTL 'R Y PLANT
In accordance with a resolntion presented in
council by Elder John A. Dehoff on April 6, 1903,
authorizing the purchase of two new musical
instruments for the church and Sunday-school,
steps were taken toward that end. On January 10,
1904, the Sunday-school purchased a fine Estey
organ at a cost of $100. The Aid Society then de-
cided to assist in securing a suitable organ for the
church, and among the many successful jjlans for
raising funds, a very fine silk "crazy patch" quilt
was made by some of the ladies, on the lower side
of which, a broad ribbon bearing the names of all
those contributing toward this fund, forms a square
border. The final disposition of the quilt will be
made at a public auction.
After due deliberation it was decided that it
would not at this time be advisable to purchase a
pipe organ, which was ardently desired by many.
The purchase of a handsome two-manual and pedal
Estey philharmonic reed-organ, with pipe-organ
top, was made possible through the generous gift
of Mr. Andrew Carnegie, of New York, to whom
Rev. Goll had written for assistance, who offered
to pay half the cost of the instrument selected at
that time. Owing to the liberal terms of Me.ssrs.
Yohn Bros., of Harrisburg, Pa., through whom the
organ was purchased, the present beautiful instru-
REV. JULIUS F. SEEBACH.
1897-igoo.
MKS. ANNA WKI. CHANS.
I'rcsidcnt of \\ II. \ F. M. Society. 188.-1904.
FRUITION— 1896-1904 1 25
ment was selected at a special price, which the
Aid Society unanimously agreed to furnish. This
beautiful and wonderfully sweet-toned organ will
be dedicated at the beginning of the week of the
centennial anniversary, S«nday morning, April
17, 1904.
Another historical event occurred at a congrega-
tional meeting held March 20, 1904, when Dr. G.
A. Harter, President of Council, presented the
recommendation of that body for the adoption of
the individual communion service in St. John's
Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Bro. J. Frank Johnstin made the motion, which
was seconded by Bro. John Wolfe, " that the indi-
vidual communion service be adopted by the con-
gregation," which motion was carried without a
single dissenting vote.
On Palm Sunday, March 27, 1904, the beautiful
aluminum individual communion service was pre-
sented to the congregation by Mrs. Alice Dehoff, to
whom belongs the credit of securing the funds for
its purchase.
A brief history of the various communion ser-
vices used by the church since its founding will
not be out of place. The first communion service
had been used by the congregation for a period of
113 years, from 1766 to 1879, when it was replaced
1 26 ^E'-i ^ '^"^ FROM A CEXrUR Y FLA XT
by another service, which was used for the past
quarter of a century, from 1879 to 1904. On Easter
Sunday, April 3, 1904, the new individual com-
munion service was used for the first time.
The committee to prepare a fitting programme
for the celebration of the centennial anniversary,
which was appointed by the council March 7,
1904, consisting of brothers Dr. G. A. Harter,
chairman, John A. DchofT, and the pastor. Rev.
George P. Goll, decided to devote an entire week,
from Sunday, April 17, to April 24, for the cele-
bration, which embraces the special day of the
laying of the corner-stone, April 21.
And now we turn the last leaves of this century
plant. Its history of one hundred and thirty-nine
years have been as carefully and painstakingly
written as time and incomplete records would
allow, and with its shortcomings and incomplete-
ness it is now sent on its mission to the present
and coming generations of consecrated and loyal
members of the vSt. John's Evangelical Lutlieran
Church of Maytown, Pa., with the earnest prayer
that it will inculcate a greater reverence for the
past, undaunted courage for the present, and a
bright faith and hope for the future. And if the
grand record of the past shall be an incentive to
FRUITION— 1896-1904 127
those of the present to emulate and surpass what
has been accomplished with nobler and more con-
secrated effort for the extension of the kingdom of
our Lord and his Christ, so that a fuller, completer
and more strenuous history of achievement may be
passed on to the coming generations, this little
book will have accomplished its humble mission,
and we close the record with the beautiful poem
which follows, " the truth of whose prophecy those
living in the year 2004 will be able to verify, and
perhaps after adding another century's history may
deem it worthy enough to pass onward to the next."
" Where, where will be the birds that sing
A hundred years to come ?
The flowers that now in beauty spring,
A hundred years to come ?
The rosy lips, the lofty brow,
The heart that beats so gayly now.
Oh! where will be love's beaming eye,
Joy's pleasant smile, and sorrow's sigh,
A hundred years to come ?
" Who'll press for gold this crowded street
A hundred years to come?
Who'll tread yon church with willing feet
A hundred years to come ?
Pale, trembling age, and fiery youth,
And childhood with its heart of truth,
The rich, the poor, ou land and sea,
Where will the mighty millions be,
A hundred years to come ?
128
LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
We all within our graves shall sleep
A hundred years to come ?
No living soul for us will weep
A hundred years to come?
But other men our lands will till,
And others then our streets will fill,
While other birds ^\ill sing as gay.
And bright the sun shine as to-day,
A hundred years to come!"
1. 1ST OF COMMIN
Geo. Lehman,
Saul Drabenstadt,
John Hays,
James McClure,
John Smith,
Abraham Smith,
Wm. Hentz,
John Allenian,
Abraham Duller,
Christ. Lentz,
Saml. Oberlin,
Jacob Lindemuth,
John Stouer,
Adam Fletcher,
Elizabeth McClure,
Mrs. Klugh,
Ester Lightner,
Mary Lentz,
NicANTs, January i, 1853.
Mary Shirtman,
Catherine AUeman,
Barbara Book,
Elizabeth Johnstin,
Sarah Johnstin,
Elizabeth Crist,
Susan Albright,
Ester Buller,
Christian l.chman,
Mrs. Drtl.custadt,
Susan Gepher,
Jane Clcpper,
Eliza Hays,
Mary Lynch,
Catherine Clepper,
Margaret Willson,
Pastor J. B. Crist.
Total— 35.
FR UITION— 1896-1904
List of Members, January 5, 1904,
129
Alexander, Miss Mamie,
Beschler, Christian,
Beschler, Miss Mary,
Billet, Mrs. Jacob,
Blessing, Miss Annie,
Bontz, William,
Bontz, Mrs. William,
Book, Mrs. H. S.,
Book, Miss Lizzie,
Bowers, Mrs. Harry,
Brandt, Mrs. Susan,
Brandt, B. T.,
Brandt, Mrs. B. T.,
Buller, Miss Alice,
Buller, Miss Hallie,
Buller, Miss Ella,
Buller, Harlan,
Buller, Miss Blanche,
Buller, Mrs. Annie M.,
Clepper, Albert,
Clepper, Mrs. Albert,
Clepper, Miss Mary,
Clepper, Miss Catherine,
Clepper, Miss Minnie,
Curren, George,
Curren, Jacob,
DehoflF, John A.,
DehoflF, Mrs. John A.,
DehoflF, Miss Mary,
Dietz, Miss Bertha,
Drace, Mrs. Amanda,
DeLong, Mrs. Annie,
Eisenhart, Edward,
Eisenhart, Mrs. Edward,
Eater, Mrs. George,
Ely, Mrs. Sklargaret,
Fackler, Miss Sallie,
Farmer, Clayton,
Farmer, Mrs. Clayton,
Fitzkee, Edward,
Fitzkee, Mrs. Edward,
Fitzkee, Reuben,
Fitzkee, Miss May,
Fletcher, Henry,
Fletcher, Mrs. Henry,
Fletcher, Emlin,
Fletcher, Mrs. Emlin,
Flick, Mrs. Mary,
Francis, Mrs. Emarina,
Frank, Mrs. Roberta,
Frysinger, William,
Frysinger, Mrs. William,
Garber, Mrs. J. A.,
Garber, Miss Annie M.,
Garber, Miss Josie C,
Geltmacher, Mrs. R.,
130
LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
Glattacher, John,
Glattacher, Mrs. John,
Glattacher, Miss Katie,
Glattacher, Isaac,
Gocheuaur, David,
Gochenaur, Harry B.,
Gocbt-naur, Mrs. David,
Gochenaur, Mrs. Mary,
Gochenaur, Miss Mollie.
Goll, Mrs. Maude B.,
Grove, Mrs. Amos,
Haines, Mis. Thomas,
Hake, Miss Agues,
Hall, George,
Hall, Mrs. George,
Hall, Miss Olivia,
Hall, Mrs. Lewis,
Harter, Dr. G. A.,
Harter, Mrs. G. A.,
Hays, Mrs. Luther,
Heisey, Mrs. Fanny,
Heisey, Miss Minnie,
Heisey, Mrs, Laura,
Hester, Mrs. Barbara,
Hester, Mrs. Winfield,
Hester, Miss Bertha,
Hester, Miss Frances,
Hester, Brantly,
Hinkle, Mrs. Harry,
Hoffman, Mrs. Jacob,
Hou.seal, Mrs. Arbel,
Houseal, Miss Mabel,
Houscal, Miss Margaret,
Houseal, Mrs. Cecilia,
Hulsinger, Mrs. Sarah,
Jobnstiii, J. I'rank,
John. tin, Mrs. J. Frank,
Johnstin, Miss Bessie,
Johnstin, Samuel,
Johnstin, Mrs. Leah,
Johnstin, Mrs. John,
Johnstin, Thomas,
Jacobs, Mrs. John,
Johns, Albert,
Johns, Mrs. Albert,
Kame, Mrs. Alice,
Kame, Mrs. Clem.,
Kame, Harry,
Kame, John W.,
Kame, Mrs. John W,,
Keener, John,
Keener, Mrs. John,
Kautz, John,
Keiser, C. C,
Keiser, Mrs. C. C,
Klugh, Mrs. Horace,
Klugh, Jesse,
Klugh, Mrs. Jesse,
Koehler, Mrs. Blanche,
Kraybill, Ira,
Leese, Christian,
Leese, Mrs. Christian,
Levenight, Mrs. Belle,
Long, Mrs. Annie,
FR UITION-I896-1904
131
Longenecker, C. G.,
Longenecker, Mrs. C. G.,
Longenecker. Howard,
Longenecker, Mrs. Clinton,
Loucks, Mrs. Clayton,
Loucks, North,
Markline, John,
Masterson, Mrs. Irvin,
Mathias, Mrs. John,
Maj'er, Mrs. Charles,
McClure, James F. ,
McClure, Mrs. J. F.,
Miller, Mrs. M.,
Miller, Miss Lillie,
Mathias, John,
Mathias, Miss Sarah,
Mathias, Miss Mary,
Neidigh, Mrs. Wm.,
Neiman, John,
Neiman, Mrs. John,
Ney, Amos,
Ney, Mrs. Amos,
Otto, Miss Katharine,
Paules, David,
Paules, Mrs. David,
Paules, Miss Sallie.
Paules, Hiram,
Peck, Mrs. Nicholas,
Roath, Mrs. John R.,
Roath, Mrs. Charles,
Roland, Miss Lizzie,
Shepp, Mrs. Fyetta,
Shireman, Mrs. Flora,
Sload, Mrs. Samuel,
Stark, Miss Ella,
Straley, Charles,
Straley, Mrs. Charles,
Strickler, Mrs. R.,
Tome, Mrs. Henry,
Tome, John,
Tome, Mrs. John,
Tome, Charles,
Warner, Geo.,
Warner, Mrs. Geo.,
Weiser, Samuel,
Weiser, Mrs. Samuel,
Welchans, MissW.,
Wilgus, Mrs. Amanda,
Williams, Ephraim,
Wolfe, Isaac,
Wolfe, Mrs. Isaac,
Wolfe, Miss Minnie,
Wolfe, Miss Fannie,
Wolfe, John,
Wolfe, Mrs. John,
Wolfe, John, Jr.,
Yeagle, Harry,
Yeagle, Mrs. Harry.
13-
LEAVES EROM A CENTURY PLAN!
ST. JOHN'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL.
More tlian three-quarters of a century a^^o, in the
year 1828, tlie first Sunday-school in Maytown was
organized by ]\Irs. John Hastings. The log school-
house in which she taught her scholars was located
on the lot where later on the double brick school-
houses were built, and these many years afterward
were converted into the dwelling-houses now
owned by Mr. David Gochenour.
In 1830 the first Lutheran Sunday-school was
organized, with Mr. John Brown and Mr. John
Stoner as superintendents, who served from 1830
to 1838, but the meetings were rather irregular.
It was not until the year 1838 that the Sunday-
school was regularly organized, as is shown by the
original Constitution found in the archives of the
Sunday-school, which we quote in full.
Constitution of the Evangelical Lutheran Sunday-school of
Maytown, Pa.
Article I. This Sunday school shall be styled the " Evan-
gelical Lutheran Sunday-school of Maytown," and shall be
under the supervision of the vestry of the Lutheran Church of
Maytown.
Art. II. Its officers shall consist of two superintendents, one
secretary, one librarian, and a treasurer.
Art. III. One of the superintendents shall preside at all
meetings, and in their absence the secretary shall officiate.
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 133
Art. IV. The secretary shall keep a book in which all the
proceedings of the Sunday-school shall be recorded.
Art. V. The treasurer shall keep regular accounts, and pre-
sent reports whenever required.
Art. VI. Children of all denominations shall be received
into this school, and they shall be taught the pure principles of
Christianity agreeably to the doctrines of the Lutheran Church.
Art. VII. The Bible and the Lutheran Church Catechism
shall form the basis of instruction in the Sunday-school,
Art. VIII. The librarian shall take charge of the books and
keep a catalogue of the same.
Art. IX. Strict order and discipline shall be observed by
both teachers and scholars, and should any be found guilty of
misbehavior in Sunday-school they shall be suspended for a
certain time, and if during that period they should come for-
ward, confessing their faults and promise to do better in future,
they shall be received again, but if not, then they shall finally
be expelled from the school.
Art. X. The school shall be opened every Sabbath at such
hours as the teachers may agree upon.
Art. XI. All the teachers of this rchool must be such as the
vestry of the Lutheran Church may approve.
Art. XII. The school shall be opened with singing and
prayer, and closed with the same.
Art. XIII. A majority of the teachers, with the approval of
the vestry of the Lutheran Church, may amend and enlarge the
foregoing Constitution.
Art. XIV. All the officers of the school must be taken out of
the body of the teachers of the school.
Signed, Fanny Ober, George Shriner, Abraham Buller, C. A.
Book, Frederick Clepper, Elizabeth Brown, James Johnstin,
Sarah Johnstin, C. A. Yetter, John Hays, Mary Johnstin, Collin
McCurdy, Jane Clepper, Christian Lantz, Ann E. Jeffries.
134 LEAVES FROM A CEXTURV PLANT
Great credit is due to the forcsij^ht of Mr. John
C. Willson, in recognizing the historical value of
this document and in securing the correct date of
its adoption. The members of the Sunday-school
of the present generation and those of the future
owe him a debt of gratitude which can best be re-
paid by his successors in the office of secretary,
using the same thoughtful care in keeping and
preserving the records of the future.
The signers of the above constitution were its
officers and teachers, with brothers John Hays and
John Stoner, who served from 1838 to 1854 as its
superintendents.
From the "Librarian's class book for the Evan-
gelical Lutheran Sunday-school, Maytown, August
4, 1846," we copy the names of the teachers at
that time:
Frederick Clepper, Philip Hess,
Collin McCurdy, John Gephart,
Christian Lentz, John Brown,
James Johnstin, Elizabeth P>rown,
John Hays, Mary Johnstin,
John Stoner, Ann Elizabeth Jeffries,
Catharine Yetter, Catharine Book,
Sarah Johnstin, Jane Clepper,
Fanny Ober, Elizabeth Montgomery,
Barbara Book.
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 135
In the beginning of 1854 the members connected
themselves with the iVmerican Sunday-school
Union, and for a period of nine years it was
known by the title given in the first Article of the
Constitution, which was adopted in this year, viz. :
"This school shall be known by the name, style,
and title of the Union Sunday-school of Maytown,
auxiliary to the American Sunday-school Union
in Philadelphia;" and on "April 24, 1854, the
following oflBcers were elected to serve until Easter
Monday, 1855." The names of the scholars and
their ages are also added:
Superin ten den ts .
Rev. Jacob B. Crist, John Hays,
John Stouer, John F. Gebhart.
Librarian.
Henry E. Klugh.
Secretary.
E. H. Green.
Treasurer.
Jacob Bower.
Male Teachers.
** Jacob S. Roath, Jacob Bower,
John Hays, John F. Gebhart,
James H. Jacobs, David R, Brubalcer,
Peter V. Albright, Frederick Fletcher,
Henry M. Shriner, E. H. Green,
John Bowman.
136
LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
Female Teachers.
Mrs. Elizabeth S. Crist,
Miss Barbara S. Book,
Miss Elizabeth M. Peck,
** Miss Martha Goruer,
Miss Catherine Brown,
Miss Elizabeth Peck,
Miss Mary Kliigh,
Miss Ann S. Crist,
Miss Mary E. Book,
Miss Catherine Peck,
Miss Mary Klugh,
Miss Sarah Long.
Visilors.
Mr. I)avi<l R. Brubaker,
Mr. Peter Albright,
Miss Mary Book.
♦Albright, Thos., 6
* Albright, Henry, 1 1
* Albright, John, 13
* Albright, Daniel, 9
* Albright, Catherine, 11
Brown, John, 8
Brenenian, Geo. C , 7
Breneman, Ann F., 10
Brown, Mary E., lo
Brown, Catherine G., 5
Bower, Emma, 9
Bower, Sarah, 4
* Boyer, Harriet, 5
Bowman, Henry, Jr., 10
Buller, Annetta, ii
Beschlcr, Catherine, 10
Beschler, Angnstn, 8
Be.«;chltr, Mary, 6
Buller, Abraham, Jr., 8
Scholars.
Breneman, Helen, 5
Breneman, Geo. D., 6
Buller, Harrison, 13
Carpenter, Anna, 5
Clepper, 01i\'ia B., 4
Carpenter, Mary Jane, 12
Drabenstadt, Saml., Jr., 14
Drabenstadt, Jas. F., 12
* Dunkle, Jacob, 10
* Dunkle, Benj., 7
* Dowhower, Henry, 7
Drabenstadt, Horace, 10
Daily, Albert. 11
* Fckman, Elli.'*, 6
Fritz, John, 14
Fry, Mary J.ine, 12
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL
137
Fritz, Anna, 11
Green, Susan, 12
Green, Amanda, 10
Green, Joseph L., 7
Griffith, Wm., 15
Griffith, Mary, 8
Griffith, Frances, 10
Griffith, Reuben, 6
* Hull, Geo. Iv., 6
* Henderson, Benj., i
* Houseal, Henry, 11
Houseal, Fred, 13
* Houseal, John H., 8
* Houseal, Horace G.
Hays, Ann M., 13
Hays, Luther, 11
Houseal, Frank, 5
* Houseal, Elizabeth,
Hull, John, 9
, 6
Klugh, Jesse, 11
Klugh, John, 9
Klugh, Lewis, la
Klugh, Jacob, 17
Klugh, Barbara, 14
Klugh, Horace, 9
Klugh, Benj., 12
* Kester, Anna,
Keller, Anna, 6
Klugh, Anna E. , 5
Keller, Martha, 14
Longenecker, Henry, 15
Lehman, Charlotte, 12
Longenecker, Elizabeth, 10
Landis, Solon Z., 8
Lehman, Geo., 10
Longenecker, Amanda, 8
Longenecker, Anna, 6
Lynch, Eph., 11
Loucks, Saml., 12
Isely, Wm., 12
Johnstin, Mary E., 11
Johnstin, Jas. F., 7
Johnstin, Winfield, S.,
Jacobs, Hiram, 13
Johnstin, Malissa, 5
Johnstin, Henry, 9
Jacobs, Anna, 5
Johnstin, Frances, 12
* Morton, Jacob, 12
* Morton, James, 14
Myers, Eliza, 16
* Markley, Eveline, 13
Markley, Henrietta, 9
Markley, Anna Mary, 7
* Markley, John L., 5
Markley, Reah F., 4
Murray, Jacob, 13
Maize, Anna Mary, 7
I3H
LEAVES FRO.-\f A CENTURY PLANT
Miller, Anna, 14
* Markley, Geo., 7
Morton, Aaron, 15
Morton, Helen, 6
Murray, Geo., 8
Morton, Cooper, 10
Murray, Minerva, 10
Peck, Nicholas, 13
* Pence, Jacob, 10
Pence, Emma, 11
Pence, Mary, 9
Reidliuger, \Vm., 14
Reidlinger, Anyeline, 9
Reidlinger, Mary, 5
Reidlinger, Fred, 1 r
* Roath, Amelia, 10
Royer, Elizabeth, 6
Royer, David, 8
Rumbaugh, Benj., 14
Reese, David, 15
Reif, Elizabeth, 10
Slaymaker, Mary E., 11
Slaymaker, Harriet, 9
Slaymaker, Anna, 6
* Shinabrook, Anna, 14
Schroll, Margaret, 7
Stape, Susan, 13
Stape, Geo., 1 1
* Stape, Elizabeth, 12
Shertzer, Mary, 1 1
Shertzer, Amelia, 9
Shertzer, Elanora, 5
Shireman, Wra., 12
Shriner, Wm., 13
* Stape, John, 14
Shaffner, Charlotte, 10
Sherbahn, Anna E., 12
Sherbahu, Frances, 10
* Stephens, Catherine, 1 1
Swords, Mary, 12
* Shireman, Ann E., 9
* Shireman, Joseph, 7
*Shirem.an, Saml., 5
Sliireman, Christian, 10
Shriner, Julia, 8
Sherbahn, Cyrus, 5
Sherbahn, Eliza, 7
Sherbahn, Mary, 9
Swords, Martha, 6
Swords, Smith, 8
Schroll, Sarah, 10
Shireman, Anna, 6
Sherbahn, Cecilia, 12
Sherbahn, Margaret A., 14
Schroll, Absalom, 6
Smith, John, 1 1
Sherbahu, Horace, 8
Sherbahn, Abram, 6
Sohns, Calvin, 12
Sohns, Anua M., 6
Wilson, Vincent, 17
Wilsou, .Xnna, 5
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 139
* Welchans, Charlotte, 13 Welchans, Anna, 5
* Welchans, Joseph, 6
* Wilhelm, Mary A., 6 Zearing, John, 13.
Total number of ofiBcers, teachers and scholars, 1S7.
The members' names in this list, marked with a
star, left the Union School in order to form the
first Sunday-school of the German Reformed
church in May town. Pa., sometime during the
year 1854, and all of those thus marked, with the
exception of the two marked with a double star,
came back and were enrolled in the Union School
in the beginning of 1855.
Another paper at hand, found among the old
Sunday-school records, which shows how inter-
ested the members were in the work of dissem-
inating Christian literature, is herewith given:
"We the subscribers feeling anxious that a life membership
to the American Tract Society should be obtained in Maytown,
agree to pay the sum affixed to our respective names in order
to raise the balance required, which is ^6.00 :
Mrs. Mary Longenecker 25
Mrs. M. Shireman I2j^
Mrs. C. Keller 25
Mrs. M. A. Breneman 50
Mrs. M. Klugh . .' 16
Mr. Henry Johnstin 22
Mr. H. S. Slayma"ker 50
Total %2.oQ%,
December 5, 1855.'^
1 40 ^-£"^-^ ^^S FROM A CENTL 7? y PLANT
The school remained with the American Sab-
bath-school Union for nine years, during which
time and agreeable to their Constitution, they
elected annually four superintendents. The fol-
lowing are the names of those who served during
this period : 1856, John Hays, John Stoner, Johu
F. Gephart, Adam Fletcher; in 1857 Mr. Abra-
ham Buller succeeded Mr. Fletcher. In 1858, for
some reason, there were only two superintendents
appointed, Mr. John Hays and Mr. John Stouer.
From 1859 to 1861 two others were added, Mr.
John Rumbaugh and Mr. Frederick Reidlinger.
From 1861 to 1863 only three served, Mr. John
Hays, Mr. John Stoner and Abraham Duller.
On November 2, 1863, a new Constitution was
drawn up and adopted, and the name was changed,
as is shown in Article i, "This school shall be
known by the name of the 'Evangelical Lutlieran
Sunday-.school of May town.' " This Constitution
was based upon the original one adopted in 1838.
In the "By-laws" the system of rewards is
stated in Article 7, "Children shall be rewarded
with tickets and books as follows : For attendance,
one blue ticket ; for every five verses recited from
the Bible, catechism or hymn-book, one blue
ticket; for every five blue tickets one red ticket.
Two red tickets shall be valued at one cent, and
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 141
books shall be sold to scholars for their tickets at
such rates as the officers of the school may direct."
On September 30, 1867, at a special session,
amendments were made to the Constitution and
By-laws, when the above "Article 7" was an-
nulled by the new Article i, "Any scholar bring-
ing a boy or girl, whose name shall be entered on
the roll of the school, shall be entitled to five red
tickets or their equivalent." The custom is, how-
ever, no longer in vogue. The following is a list
of the superintendents and the date of their service:
1864-1866, John Hays and S. L. Yettei.
1867-1868, John Hays and H. H. Johnstin.
1869-1870, John Hays and J. F. Brown.
1 87 1, John Hays and Rev. Jno. Stock.
1872-1874, John Hays and Rev. G. P. Weaver.
1875-1876, John Hays and Henry Johnstin.
1877-1879, John Hays and Rev. W. H. Engler.*
1880-1882, John Hays and Henry Johnstin.
1883-1888, James Frank Johnstin and Henry
Johnstin.
1889-1893, James Frank Johnstin and John A.
Dehofif.
1894, James Frank Johnstin and Henry Peck.
* A minister of tlie Church of God who attended the Luth-
eran Sunday-school because of some disagreement with his
congregation.
142 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
1895-1902, James Frank Johnstin and John A.
Dehoff.
1903 to the present, James Frank Johnstin and
Chas. A. Straley.
From this record it will be seen that brother
John Hays served the school as its honored super-
intendent from 1838 to 1882, a period oi forty -four
years ; while brother J. Frank Johnstin has an un-
broken record of twenty-one years as the able and
efficient head of the school. All honor is due to
the man who rows <;rey in the service of the Mas-
ter and His clnifch.
Until 1879 the Sunday-school used the old
church benches which were made by Philip King
at the close of the eighteenth century, and had
been given to them when the church was remod-
elled in 1S53. These benches were very incon-
venient for the class and teacher, and in 1879 the
school decided to ask permission of the Church
Council to remodel the room, which was granted.
The committee appointed to superintend the work
were l\Ir. C. G. Longenecker, William Rontz,
M. S. Moore, and Albert B. Clepper. The old
benches were taken out and replaced by octagon-
shaped seats with a chair for the teacher. The
room was wainscoated and repainted, and the walls
were calcimiued at a cost of $140.00, which was
paid by the school.
JOHN HAYS,
Superintendent Sunday-school, 1838-1883.
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 143
On April 25, 1882, the Church Council passed a
resolution that the superintendent be elected by
that body; but on November 4, of the same year,
they decided that the school should elect and the
Council ratify their action. In this year Mr. John
Hays was elected as an auxiliary superintendent
for life.
On October 14, 1895, the Church Council "re-
solved to ask the Sunday-school to assist in paying
the current expenses of the church," and at the
next meeting-, November 11, 1895, the Sunday-
school reported that "it would contribute $10.00
annually for this purpose."
During the last remodelling of the church in
1896, the Sunday-school nobly did its share, and
contributed about I500.00 toward the church debt.
At this time the infant room was built, and on
December 23, 1896, the primary department was
organized, with Mrs. Lewis Hall as its superin-
tendent. Twenty-three members were enrolled,
and it rapidly increased in numbers. From time
to time some were transferred to the main school,
and on December 31, 1903, there were sixty-four
scholars enrolled. On January 3, 1904, twenty-
five members were transferred, leaving thirty-nine
on the roll, which is its present membership.
144 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
The superintendents were:
1896-1897, Mrs. Lewis Hall.
1898-1900, Mrs. Lewis Hall and Miss P.lanche
Bontz.
1901-1902, Miss Blanche Bontz and ^liss Cora
Albright.
1903 to July I, Miss Blanche P>ontz.
From July i to the present time, Miss Bertie
Hester.
In the special services and entertainments of the
church on Christmas, Easter, Children's Day, etc.,
the principal part of the exercises is lar^^ely fur-
nished by the members of the primary department.
Since the organization of the department in 1896
only one of its members has been called to dwell
with the angels; he was Oliver Johns, who died on
January 7, 1904.
After the remodelling of the church and Sunday-
school, the octagonal benches were taken out and
replaced by chairs in the main and infant rooms.
The following memorial windows are found in
the various rooms : In the church parlor one " Pre-
sented by the W. H. & F. M. Society" and one
"In memory of Rev. and Mrs. D. A. Day by Liz-
zie Roland," Infant room: one to "Reed M.
Harding, by a Iriend;" the other to "Julius F.
Seebach, Jr., by infant school." In the main
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 145
room are the following: "In memory of James F.
Johnstin;" "In memory of Edwin G. Johnstin;"
"In memory of James Brown Henderson;" " Pre-
sented by Henry Peck and wife;" " In memory of
Baby Frj-singer;" "In memory of Amos Fry-
singer;" "In memory of John Hays, Superin-
tendent of Sunday-school from 1838 to 1883, by
his wife,"
In October, 1900, Rev. George P. Goll organ-
ized the Home Department with 11 members, and
Mrs. Lewis Hall was appointed Superintendent,
with Maude B. Goll as assistant. The members
were: Mrs. H. S. Book, Miss Lizzie Book, Mrs. J.
S. Roath, Mrs. Wm. Welchans, Mr. Edward Fitz-
kee, Mrs. Edward Fitzkee, Mr. John Kame, Mrs.
John Kame, Mrs. Clementine Kame, Miss Mamie
Alexander, Mrs. David Heisey.
All whose conditions and circumstances make it
difficult or impossible to attend Sunday-school
regularly are eligible for the Home Department,
and when enrolled are recognized as regular mem-
bers of the Sunday-school, and are entitled to all its
privileges. The superintendents make monthly or
quarterly visits, when the International Augsburg
Quarterly Lesson Books are distributed, together
with envelopes for their offerings, upon which is also
marked their study of the lesson, which is counted
1 46 l-^'i ^ '^ *^ FROM A CENTURY PLANT
as their attendance. The contributions from this
Department for 1901 was $5.20; for 1902, $7.08,
and for 1903, $9.74: making a total for three years
of $22.02. Its present members are: Mrs. Lewis
Hall, Superintendent; Mrs. Wni. Frysinger, As-
sistant Superintendent; Mrs. Wm. Welchans, Mrs.
Jane Book, Mrs. Maude B. Goll, Mr. John Kautz,
Mrs. Fyetta Shepp, Mr. David Ilcisey, Mrs. David
Heisey, Mrs. Clementine Kame, Mrs. John Kanic,
Miss Sallie Facklcr, Mrs. John Kautz.
In October, 1903, Miss Bessie Johnstin organized
the "Cradle Roll " of the Sunday-school with the
names of .seventeen infants, which follow: Mar-
garet Goll, Frank Longenecker, Walter Tome,
Rhea Peck, Alice Fletcher, Florence Fletcher,
Master vSmith, Lau Trcssler, Paul Tressler, Eliza-
beth Fletcher, Rebecca Heisey, North Hei.sey,
David Heisey, John Keener, Fxlward Puller, j\Iar-
gucrite Hoffman, Helen Hoflfman. Mi.ss Bessie
Johnstin is the superintendent.
The work of the Sunday-school at first was car-
ried on and its expenses paid by taxing its
officers and teachers the sum of twenty-five cents;
this, however, was changed at a later period, when
five visitors were appointed who solicited contribu-
ions from friends and members for the support of
the school. This custom was followed until 1882,
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 147
when it was discontinued. In the beginning the
oflferings were small, and in 1862 the treasurer re-
ported the collections from all sources to be $6.^^.
Forty-one years later, in 1903, the collections from
all sources amounted to $210.00. As far as can be
learned very little was given to benevolence until
1883, when it amounted to about $20.00, and
twenty years later, in 1903, it was $40.00. The
entire amount of the collections of the Sunday-
school from all sources, as far as could be gleaned
from incomplete records, during its history of
seventy-four years is $4,225.00.
On January 5, 1904, the Sunday-school pur-
chased a beautiful new Estey organ at a cost of
$100.00, and the various classes made liberal con-
tributions to the church debt to be liquidated be-
fore the centennial anniversary in April, 1904.
The following is a list of the officers, teachers and
members enrolled at the present time, 1904:
Superintendent— }k^^s F. JohnsTin,
Assistant Superintendent— Q.^krx,^s A. Straley.
Secretary — Wm. A. Bontz.
Assistant Secretary— John Keener.
Ti easurer—MKS. Francis Hall.
Librarians — A. B. Clepper, Chas. Tome, Samuel Johnstin,
and North Loucks.
Chief Scrivener— Marga-r-b'T House al.
Organist — Hallie Buller.
48
LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
Rev. Geo. P. CJoll.
James F. Johnstin,
Mrs. J. R. Roath,
Mrs. Elizabeth Loucks,
Miss Margaret Houseal,
Teachers.
John A. DehoflF,
Chas. Straley,
Mrs. Clara M. Clepper,
Miss M. M. Wolfe.
Mrs. James McClure.
Supt. Infant Room—'^\\S'^ Bertik HESTER.
Organist — Miss Hallik Buller.
Albright, Effie,
Curran, Sallie,
Curran, Emma,
Bontz, Mrs. Wm.,
Curran, Jacob,
Bowers, Grace,
Curran, Geo.,
Bowers, Wm.,
Bcschler, Elizabeth,
Dehoff. Mrs. J. A.,
Bescbler, Emily,
Dehoff, Mary,
Blessing. Annie,
Drace, Geo.,
Blessing, Harry,
Drace, Harry,
Blessing, Alice,
Drace, Jacob,
Blessing, R.iymond,
Deitz, Ruth,
Brosey, Phares,
Brosey, Elmer,
Fletcher, Abram,
Brandt, B. T.,
Fletcher, Wm.,
BuUer, Ella,
Fletcher, John,
Buller. Alice,
Fletcher, Henry,
Fletcher, Marie,
ClepptT, M;<ry,
Fletcher, Paul,
Clepper, Catherine,
Fitzkee, Reuben,
Clepper, Paul,
Fitzkec, Elizabeth,
Clepper, Louisa,
Fiizkee, Heuiy,
Clepper, Albert B., Jr.,
Fitzkee, Paul.
Clepper, Minnie,
Fitzkee, Ruth,
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL
149
Fitzkee, May,
Farmer, Myrtle,
Farmer, John W., 3d,
Francis, Gertrude,
Frank, Edna,
Frank, Harry,
Frank, Mrs. H.,
Frysinger, Wm.,
Frysinger, Mrs. Wm.,
Flick, Rebecca,
Glattacker, Myrtle,
Glattacker, Eugene,
Gochenour, Mrs. David,
Gochenour, Harry,
Hulsinger, Bertha,
Harter, Chas.,
Harter, Marie,
Harter, Helen,
Hester, Elizabeth,
Hester, Jennie,
Hester, Fred.,
Hester, Mrs. W. S.,
Hester, Francis,
Hester, Brantley,
Houseal, Arble,
Houseal, Mary,
Houseal, Mrs. A. R.,
Houseal, Mabel,
Hinkle, Sarah,
Hinkle, Paul,
Hinkle, Henry,
Hinkle, David,
Hinkle, Geo.,
Heisey, Mrs. David,
Heisey, Minnie,
Heisey, Harry,
Hays, Rozella,
Hall, Lewis,
Johnstin, Bessie,
Johnstin, Viola,
Johns, Iva,
Keener, Edith,
Keener, Mary,
Kautz, John,
Koehler, Joseph,
Koehler, Mrs. Jos.,
Keiser, C. C,
Kame, Mrs. Sam'l,
Longenecker, Ruth,
Longenecker, A. S.,
Landvater, Maud,
Latchford, Chas.,
Matthias, John,
Matthias, Flora,
Matthias, Mary,
Matthias, Barbara,
Matthias, Lawrence,
McClure, Pauline,
I 50 LEA I '£S FROM A CESTUR Y PLANT
McClure, Chester,
McClure, James,
McCurdy, Lilly.
Mayers, Harry,
Neiman, Irvin,
Peck, Georgia,
Peck, Grace,
Roland. Lizzie,
Roatb, Emily,
Roath, Roland,
Sload, Helen,
Sload, Mildred,
Sload, Charles,
Schaffner, Gertrude.
Schaffner, Flora,
Schaffner, Martha,
Schaffner, Albert,
Shenk, Edna,
Stewart, Samuel,
Shelter, Arabelle,
Stark, Ella,
Shireman, Mrs. Flora,
Tome, H. L.,
Tome, Mrs. H. L.,
Tome, Hugh,
Tome, Jennie,
Tome, John,
Tome, Lloyd,
Tome, Mrs. Collin,
Tressler, Mrs.,
Tressler, Florence,
Tressler, Lettie,
Tressler, Marie,
Wolfe, John, Sr.,
Wolfe, John, Jr.,
Wolfe, Paxton,
Wolfe, Isaac,
Wolfe, Francis,
Wiliiams, Eph.,
Warner, Geo., Jr.,
Warner, Ella,
Weiser, Mrs. Sam'l
Weiser, Byron,
Wilgus, Mrs. Amanda,
Yeagle, Harry,
Yeagle, Mabel.
WOMAN'S HOME AND FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
From the beginning of the churcli until 1880 no
regular sum of money was contributed to missions
nor any work done by tlie members in the line of
foreign missions. During the pastorate of Rev.
W. H. & F. M. SOCIETY i^i
M. H. Stine a missionary interest was aroused,
and the members wished to take an active part in
missionary work, that they might give a helping
hand in winning the world for Christ. It was
decided that the work should be carried forth by
the women of the congregation. As organization
is needed in doing active or definite work, an effort
was made which resulted in the following :
A meeting was held in the church October 20,
1880, for the purpose of organizing a Woman's
Home and Foreign Missionary Society. An or-
ganization was effected. From this time until
May 27, 1881, forty-three persons were enrolled as
members. Mrs. M. H. Stine was elected president.
Three of the original members are active members
in the society at the present time, Mrs. Anna
Welchaus, Mrs. H. Hulsinger and Mrs. L. Hall.
Some of the original members living who have
left the community are Mrs. M. H. Stine, Annie
Lichtenberger, Mrs. John Stum, Emma Stum,
Anna C. Johnson and Maggie Jacobs.
Original members who have died are Clara Car-
penter, Mrs. D. Shetter, Mrs. H. Johnstin, Mrs. J.
Roath, Barbara Book and Mrs. V. Wilson.
From the time of organization until 1890 the
society varied in number of members from forty to
fourteen, and contributed in that time toward the
general fund, box-work, etc., about $100.
I -2 LEA I '/rs FROM A CEXTUR V PLANT
As the early records have either been lost or
destroyed a full and definite report can not be
given.
During 1890 and 1891 the society, owing to
changes, was discontinued.
On February 30, 1892, the society was reorgan-
ized. The officers elected were :
President — Mrs. Anna Welchans.
Vice President — Mrs. Luther Hays.
Recording Secretary — Mrs. A. B. Clepper.
Corresponding Secretary — Barbara Book.
Treasurer — Mrs. J. A. Dehoff.
The following were members:
Mrs. Anna Welchans, Mrs. L. Hall, Mrs. H.
Hulsinger, Mr.s. J. A. Dehoff, Mrs. Wm. Bontz,
Mrs. J. F. Johnstin, Mrs. J. Roath, Mrs. D. Shelter,
Mrs. H. Peck, Mrs. Wm. Frysinger, Mrs. A. B.
Clepper, Lizzie Roland, Annie LiclUenberger, Bar-
bara Book, Blanche Bontz, Mrs. H. Book, Mrs. S.
Kame, Mrs. H. Klugh, I\Irs. H. Bowers, Mrs. L.
Hays and Mrs. A. Houseal.
Much credit is due I\Irs. Anna Welchans, who
for twenty-two years has been the efficient presi-
dent of the society. The society has been in a
prosperous condition since its reorganization.
Regular monthly meetings are held, at which
"our missions" are studied and discussed, also
JV. H. & F. M. SOCIETY 153
other topics relating to missions and missionary
work.
The amount of monthly dues collected since its
reorganization to the present time (which is sent
to the General Fund) is $122.15.
In 1897 a sinking fund was started, which has
added to the treasury $102.16.
Two thank-oflferings have been given amounting
to|8.25.
The sinking fund has been used for special pur-
poses, some of which are as follows : Two barrels
of fruit sent to a missionary in the West; $5 for
Council Bluff's Mission; one barrel of fruit sent to
missionary in Nebraska; $5 for mission church in
Chicago; two boxes to missionaries; $10 for Afri-
can Mission; $10 for church debt; $10.50 for pocket
communion set; $11 for carpet for Sunday-school.
The society at present numbers twenty-three
active and four honorary members.
Active.
Mrs. Anna Welchans, Mrs. J. Roath, Mrs. Wm.
Frysinger, Lizzie Roland, Mrs. H. Hulsinger,
Mrs. A. B. Clepper, Mrs. Wm. Bontz, Mrs. S.
Weiser, Mrs. ly. Hall, Bessie C. Johnstin, Mrs.
J. A. DehofF, Mrs. C. G. Longenecker, Mrs. J.
Kautz, Mrs. S. Sload, Mrs. G. R Goll, Mrs. E.
1^4 LEAVES FROM A CENTUKY I'LANT
Fitzkee, Bertie Hester, Frances Hester, Ella Dul-
ler and Mabel Houseal.
floTiorary.
J. F. Seebach, A. B. Clepper, J. F. Johnstin and
G. P. Goll.
The officers are :
President — Mrs. Anna Welchans.
I'ice-Presidetit — Bessie C. Johnstin.
Recordirig Secretary — Mrs. J. Roatli.
Corresponding Secretary — Mrs. Wni. Frysinger.
Treasurer — Lizzie Roland.
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN AID SOCIETY.
The "Mite Society," as it was first termed, was
organized at the home of the late Mrs. Elizabeth
Saflfner over thirty years ago. Written records of
the society were not kept nntil September i8, 1878,
when Mr. Henry Johnstin became treasurer of the
Society. This society continued in organization
until March 12, 1880. During this period the
money in the treasury amounted to $203. This
was realized by the monthly dues and several fes-
tivals. A portion of this money was donated to
the Sunday-school and the rest was used for church
purposes, namely, pulj)it furniture, papering, paint-
ing, carpet, matting, and a lamp.
In i88o the society disbanded, and was not re-
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN AID SOCIETY 155
organized until April i, 1888, when Rev. A. H.
Shertz became pastor of the congregation. The
first meeting was called by Rev. Shertz April 3,
1888, with a determination to develop the liberality
and zeal of the congregation. Any person of the
congregation or others of good standing could be-
come a member. The name was now changed
from "Mite Society" to Evangelical Lutheran
Aid Society, which name was very appropriate, as
it has always succeeded in being an aid to the con-
gregation. The following were the oflScers elected
at the reorganization :
Presidejit—K^v. A. H. Shertz.
Vice-Preside7it — John Tome.
Secretary — Wm. A. Bontz.
Corresponding Secretary — Mamie Tome.
Treasurer — Mrs. Jesse Klugh.
At the end of the year 1888 there were 105 mem-
bers each paying the fixed sum of five cents a
month. Every meeting of the society is opened
with prayer and reading of Scripture, after which
the roll is called and dues collected. New and
deferred business is then attended to. A pro-
gramme prepared by a committee appointed each
month is then rendered. During this period, from
April 3, 1888, to August i, 1890, $98.01 was real-
ized; of this, $79.56 was paid toward church ex-
I -6 LEA I 'ES FRO.^f A CEXTi 'RY PI. A XT
penses, leaving^ a balance of $18.45 '" ^^'^ treasury.
At the end of Rev. Shertz's pastorate tliere was a
lapse of one year, from Auj^ust, 1890, to November
4, 1891, when the society again disbanded. In
1891, when Rev. W. H. Harding became pastor,
the society was reorganized, November 4, with a
membership of 112, and has been an organized
body and in continuous work ever since. The Aid
Society is an organization that every member of
the congregation should become a member of, as it
is, and has proven to be, an important auxiliary
to the church. On September 6, 1892, it was
decided to repair the parsonage, and the Aid So-
ciety assumed the responsibility of raising money
to defray all expenses. A Building Committee,
composed of Rev, Harding, Mr. J. A. Dehoff and
Mr. Jas. F. Johnstin, was appointed to superintend
the repairing. March 7, 1893, the Building Com-
mittee reported total amount expended for par-
sonage repairs $334.33. The society at once pro-
vided for all but $81.33, and this amount was paid
June 5, 1894.
At the monthly meeting of the society, Decem-
ber 5, 1894, the remodeling of the church was
spoken of. No further action was taken until
June 3, 1896, when the society obligated itself to
raise $500, or more if possible, toward church re-
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN AID SOCIETY 157
pairs. October 7, 1896, $300 of this amount was
paid; November 4, 1896, $350, and December 2,
1896, $150. At various times between 1894 and
1899 smaller sums were paid, making a total of
$1,141.71.
On December 6, 1899, a committee, consisting
of Messrs. A. B. Clepper, Wm. A. Bontz, Mrs.
Lewis Hall and Mrs. K. Francis, was appointed to
see that a new fence be procured for in front of the
cemetery. This committee was to secure a sub-
scription as large as possible from persons having
friends or relatives buried in the church grave-
yard. This list was headed with $50, given by
Mr. Hiram Jacobs, now of Pittsburg, formerly of
Maytown. Sufficient money was raised by sub-
scription to purchase an iron fence. May, 1902, the
total cost of fence being $188.94. The cemetery
company then purchased iron gates for cemetery
entrance to complete the undertaking, which was
a decided improvement to the church property.
In 1900 the society had no special object to work
for, so they decided to help pay a small debt which
the church incurred. May 2, 1900, $100 was paid;
March 6, 1901, $100, and March 5, 1902, the bal-
ance, $110.60, was paid.
Continually the Aid Society seeks work, and on
August 6, 1902, it was proposed to make a silk
I 38 l-^'-'i I '^■'^ F/^O.^r A CESTVRY PLANT
quilt, each member of the society donating as
many silk patches as possible toward the quilt,
and after the completion of the quilt names be pro-
cured and placed upon the ribbon which was to be
fastened on the quilt. For each name any desir-
able sum could be paid, the money obtained from
this source to be used toward a new church organ.
Until December 16, 1903, $35.85 was realized by
the committee. Miss Bertie Hulsinger, Mrs. Dehoflf
and Mrs. Frysinger. Miss Hulsinger continues
soliciting names, and after all names have been
received the quilt can be bought by any party
desiring to pay the specified sum.
The society held its twenty-fifth anniversary
October 7, 1903, this being the silver anniversary
(counting from reorganization) and a collection
was lifted amounting to $19.67. During the even-
ing a splendid programme was rendered, consist-
ing of recitations, special music, and two excellent
addresses, one by Rev. S. Dietzel, of the Reformed
church, Maytown, and the other by Rev. Milam,
of the Methodist church of Marietta. The society
at present has a membership of 70, and the follow-
ing ofl^icers are serving a six months' term :
President — Wni. A. Bontz.
V^ice- President — Mrs. Lewis Hall.
Secretary — Mrs. J. Roath.
SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN ENDEA VOR 1 59
Treasurer — Mrs. E. Francis.
Mrs. Francis has served as treasurer since Feb-
ruary 2, 1892, a period of twelve years. Mrs. Jesse
Klugh was the first treasurer, serving from 1888 to
1892. From 1888 to 1904 the amount of money
in the treasury has been $2,346.35, with a balance
of I138.94 January i, 1904. From notes given it
will be readily seen the Aid Society has accom-
plished great work since its reorganization.
Mrs. Joe Koehler.
the young people's society of christian
endeavor.
The primary object of the founding of the first
Christian Endeavor Society on February 2, 1881,
by Rev. F. E. Clark, D. D., in Portland, Me., was
"to promote an earnest Christian life among its
members, to increase their mutual acquaintance,
and to make them more useful in the service of
God."
How well the Christian Endeavor Society filled
a long-felt need in the churches of all denomina-
tions, its millions of members convincingly show.
Nor was the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran
Church an exception to the rule, and recognizing
what a great power for good such an organization
would be, Rev. W. H. Harding organized the first
l6o LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
Christian Endeavor Society in our cliurch on
March 23, 1892, with forty-eight active and eigh-
teen associate members. The meetings of the So-
ciety were held regularly, and on the occasion of
its first anniversary, Rev. Harding and Mr. Plenry
Peck were appointed as a committee to .secure a
speaker for that event. On April i, 1893, the
treasurer reported that the collections for the year
were $10.54.
In 1896, while the church was being remodelled,
the Society held its meetings in the Bethel church,
and in September of this year the Society donated
$5.00 to help pay the church debt. The member-
ship at this date was fifty active and thirty-three
associate members.
In the beginning of the year 1898 the Junior So-
ciety of Christian Endeavor was organized by Rev.
Julius F. Seebach, who also became its superin-
tendent, and Mrs. Lewis Hall was his assistant.
In August, 1898, the roll of the senior Society
was revised, showing thirty-.seven active and
thirty-three associate members on the list. For
some reason which the records do not state, the
members decided to disband on March 4, 1898,
which was accordingly done. On October 7, 1900,
Rev. George P. Goll reorganized both the seilior
and junior Society, the former with twenty-five
SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN ENDS A VOR 1 6 1
active and ten associate members, and the latter
with a membership of thirty-two. At this meeting
the following resolutions were adopted:
1. That we adopt the Model Constitution as the
constitution of our Society.
2. That the officers be elected to serve for six
months, the election to be held the first Sunday in
January and July.
3. That the regular time for meeting be fixed at
six o'clock on Sunday evening.
The following officers were elected:
President — Rev. George P. Goll.
Vice-President — Mrs. Lewis Hall.
Secretary — Miss Bessie Johnstin.
Corresponding Secretary — Mrs. Maude B. Goll.
Treasurer — Mrs. John A. Dehoff.
During the year 1902 the members of the junior
Society, with the aid of "stars" which had spaces
for ten dimes each, collected and presented the
sum of $15.00 to the church treasury. And in the
following year, 1903, they sent a box of groceries
to the Loysville Orphans' Home on Donation Day,
and paid their subscription of $5.00 toward liquid-
ating the church debt before the centennial anni-
versary.
In 1901 they purchased Christian Endeavor
topic cards for the Y. P. S. C. E. of Muhlenberg
l62 LEAVES FROM A CEXTURY PLANT
Mission in Liberia, Africa. They are earnest and
willing workers, and give promise of great nseful-
ness in the future activities of the church. In
1902 eight members were transferred to the senior
Society, receiving diplomas, and in the next year,
1903, they were received into the church by the
rite of confirmation. The present officers serving
for the year 1904 are: Superintendent, Mrs. John
R. Roatli, with Miss Bessie Johnstin and Miss
Minnie Wolfe, assistants; Secretary, Miss Flora
Matthias; Treasurer, Miss Ruth Longenecker.
On October 21, 1902, the senior Christian En-
deavor Society obligated itself to pay $25.00 for
missions, and a missionary circle was organized.
In 1903, during the presidency of Mr. Charles
Straley, this money was raised and sent to the
African mission field for the support of a native
evangelist of our Lutheran mission, Mr. Henry O.
Stewart. During the incumbency of Mrs. Samuel
Weiser the $10.00 subscribed by the society to help
wipe out the church debt was paid.
In 1902 the society purchased the new "En-
deavor Hymnals," which are also used in the
weekly prayer-meeting. Since the reorganization
of the senior society in 1900 the collections from
all sources to present time, March, 1904, amount
to $77.25.
EARL Y SCHOOL HISTOR Y 163
Its present officers are:
President — Mr. John A. DehofF.
Vice-Preside7it — Miss Catherine Clepper.
Secretary — Miss Alice Buller.
Correspo7idmg Secretary — Mrs. Maude B. Goll.
Treasurer — Mr. Chas. A. Straley.
Organist — Miss Hallie Buller.
A FEW LEAVES OF EARLY SCHOOL HISTORY.
BY WII,I,IAM H. CLEPPER.
Our churches and schools have ever been so
closely allied, that to omit any mention of the
early eflforts in the formation of the latter, would
be a serious mistake; and it is to be regretted that
more space cannot be allotted to enlarge upon this
subject. But in this, as in all other matters, the
citizens of Maytown and vicinity, and the mem-
bers of the Lutheran church, were in the forefront
and found doing their full duty.
Previous to the adoption of the common school
law, children were dependent either upon their
parents or private schools for an education. That
the teachers who conducted these schools were
able and worthy of their calling we have ample
evidence.
The first school of which we have any knowl-
edge we learn from the Lutheran Church Records,
164 LEAVES t ROM A CENTURY PLANT
mention of which is made in another portion of
this work.
One of these schools of which we have authentic
record was conducted by Miss Sallie Haines, a
little more than seventy years ago, in a small log
liouse which stood on the site of the residence now
occupied by Mr. G. \V. Hicks. A few years later a
Miss Hastings taught a private school for young
ladies in a frame house in the neighborhood of the
present residence of Mrs. Philip Roath. Resides
the elementary brnmches, she taught her young
pupils plain sewing. She was from one of the
New England states, and one of her pupils relates
that the letter-postage to her home was twenty-five
cents, the rates then being governed by the dis-
tance traveled. Thus it can be seen "that the
hand that rocks the cradle and rules the world "
had a hand from the very beginning in building
what finally resulted in our present school system.
Ninety-two years ago, on November 11, 1812,
from money raised by subscription, the lot was
purchased and shortly afterward the stone house
erected, which, with some alterations and improve-
ments, is now occupied by Mr. Henry Tome as a
residence. This property was deeded to Philip
Corner, Henry Hcckert and John McClure as
trustees, to be used for scl'.ool purposes for ever.
EARL Y SCHOOL HISTORY 1 65
The trustees employed the teachers who charged
for their services a certain sum per head for the
pupils attending. In this building for at least half
a century all elections were held. A special act of
the legislature was required before possession could
be had by the school boards of properties deeded as
this one was.
The legislature passed the common-school law,
April I, 1834. On the third Friday in September,
1834, an election was held in May town, when
John M. Whitehill, John Bowman, A. N. Cassel,
John Alleman, Abraham Varley and Wm. D. Slay-
maker were elected school directors for this
"school division," which included, besides East
Donegal township, Marietta and Mt. Joy. This
board met September 27, 1834, elected officers and
appointed Mr. Varley a delegate to meet the other
delegates of this school division in Lancaster to
help carry out the provisions of the common-school
law. Thus was inaugurated our first school board.
On November 22, 1834, a public meeting was
held to consider the question of taxation and to
receive the report of Mr. Varley. Henry Haines,
Esq., was elected chairman. From what we can
glean from the minutes, Mr, Varley reported that
it had been decided by the delegate meeting that
this school division was entitled to I393. 74 of the
1 66 IE A VES FROM A CEXTi 'R V PL ANT
State funds for school purposes. To lliis sum the
meeting unanimously added the sum of $2,000 to
be raised by taxation, making a total of $2,393.74
appropriated the first year under the common-
school law.
At a meeting held December 6, 1834, it was
agreed to establish the following schools: two in
Maytown, one at Zeigler's or in that neighbor-
hood, one at Donegal, three at ^Marietta, one at
Hiestand's, one at wSpringville and two at Mt. Joy,
a total of eleven.
The next meeting of the board was held Decem-
ber 20, 1834, when the election for teachers was
held, and we find the following minute: "On ap-
plication ot Thos. Haines (a member of the Luth-
eran church), Rcsoh'cd, that he be chosen as a
teacher to conduct school No. i, in Ma}town, for
three months, from the first Monday in January,
1835, at $25 per month, he to find his own school-
house, fuel, etc., at his own cost and expense."
Michael Rathvon was appointed to teach school
No. 2 in Maytown at $80 per quarter under the
same conditions as above. The following is the
agreement entered into :
" It is agreed this second day of Janunr}', in the year of our
Lord one tlioiisand eij;ht hundred and tliirty-five, between the
board of school directors of East Donegal township, Lancaster
EARLY SCHOOL HISTORY
167
County, Pa., and all those teachers whose names are hereunto
annexed, of the same township and county aforesaid, in man-
ner aforesaid, to wit: The said teachers covenant and agree
faithfully, truly and diligently to teach according to the most
approved method for the education of youth, all such children
as the said directors shall deem suitable to send or grant per-
mits to attend school, according to the provisions of the several
acts relating to common schools; and shall at all times have a
particular regard and take every opportunity to teach the most
pure principles of virtue and morality, from the first Monday
in January, 1835, for and during the term of from one month to
twelve months, or such portion of said term as the said board
of directors shall think there is that faithfulness of duty per-
formed which is necessary, without absenting him or herself
from the same; during which term we, the said teachers, shall
find suitable school-houses and all necessary furniture and fuel
for the same — such as desks, benches, etc. — at our own proper
cost and expense, and will resort to the said school-houses
where said schools are to be kept every day, except one Satur-
day in every two weeks, and such other days as the board of
directors may think expedient. In consideration of which
service so to be performed the said board of school directors
covenants and agrees to allow and pay the said teachers the
compensation agreed upon in quarterly payments; and for the
true performance of all and singular, the covenants and agree-
ments aforesaid, each of us binds ourselves unto the school di-
rectors firmly by these presents; in witness whereof we have
hereunto set our hands the day and year above written."
This agreement was originally signed by Thos.
Haines and Michael Rathvon of Maytown; Eliza-
beth Wilcox, Wm. and Edw. Rankin, Theo. W.
1 68 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
Simpson, and Pennington Stoner, of Marietta;
Adaline B. Thomas, Geo. M. Bowman, and Isaac
Lell, of Mt. Joy; H. H. Albright, of Zeigler's;
Daniel McClain, of Hiestand's; Jacob Beidler, of
Donegal, and John Kolp, of Springville.
At the August, 1836, meeting a committee was
appointed "to procure two school houses in May-
town, or to make an estimate of the expense of
building such houses as they may want." Noth-
ing further was heard of this matter until August
7, 1837, when a committee was appointed to pur-
chase the house of I^Ir. Jacob Zeigler for school
purposes, this being the first property owned by
the district in Maytown.
That the colored children were not exempt from
the benefits of the common-school law is evi-
denced by a bill presented in April, 1837, by Rufus
Childs, for teaching the colored school in Marietta.
It was for the munificent sum of $5 and was
ordered paid. In 1837, at a cost of $335.37, a
school-house was built by the board in Marietta,
and another at Richmond for $321.48.
In 1838 the number of schools had been increased
to seventeen, and the salaries ranged from $21 to
$28 per month, with a four months' term.
In 1 84 1 the school term was increased to six
months for white and three months for colored
EARLY SCHOOL HISTORY igg
children. We have good reason to believe that
this difierence in the length of the term for white
and colored children was entirely due to the col-
ored people, who refused or neglected to comply
with the provisions made by the board for such
schools.
The character of at least some of the school-
houses at an early date can be learned from a bill
presented by one Samuel Hopkins for $6 in 1843
for daubing and chunking the school-house in the
east end of Marietta.
The first mention as to what branches should
be taught we learn from the adoption of a reso-
lution in 1839, which made it obligatory upon
a teacher to be able to teach reading, writing,
arithmetic, geography, and English grammar.
Previous to this date, however, "it was agreed
that each scholar learning Latin or any of the
other classic languages pay to the school fund $2
per quarter."
The supposition that all the taxpayers and
patrons were satisfied with the common-school
law is dispelled when we find that in 1840 a meet-
ing of the qualified voters of East Donegal town-
ship was called for the purpose of deciding by
ballot whether the system should be continued.
This election was held at the house of Thos.
I yo LEA VES FROM A CESH A' ) ' ri.AXT
Johnstin in Maytown, when to the honor and j^lory
of onr forefathers it was decided in the affirmative
by a vote of 276 to in.
Tlie first mention of a brick school-liouse in
Maytown we have in the niinntes of the October,
1844, meeting, when a new stove-pipe for the brick
school-house was ordered. Tliis building is now
owned and occupied by Mrs. Benj. Gochenauer.
From this date improvements followed in rapid
succe.ssion, it seeming to be the prevailing spirit
not to be satisfied with anything less than the best
attainable. This spirit abides with us, and we
feel that we have just cause to be proud of the
schools of our township from their incejnion to the
present day. Starting in 1835 with two schools, a
three months' term, and an allowance of but $155
for salaries, they have grown until at this writing
we have five graded schools, practically under one
roof, with six competent, up-to-date teachers and a
.seven months' term. The salaries alone of these
six teachers exceeds the amount paid to all the
teachers in East Donegal township. Marietta and
Mt. Joy fifteen jears after the pa.ssage of the com-
mon-school law.
The high school was organized in 1S93, and the
first class graduated in 1896. A few years ago the
Legislature passed a special act granting, in addi-
EARL Y SCHOOL HISTOR Y lyi
tion to the regular State appropriation, an extra
sum of money to such township high schools as
would agree to add several branches to those al-
ready taught. The " Central High School of May-
town " has the honor of being the first in the
county to comply with the conditions of this law
and receive its benefits. It is pleasing to add that
the graduates of this school taking the preliminary
examination at the Millersville State Normal
School have received better averages than those
from any other township high school in the county.
Following are the names of the present teachers:
Mr. A. S. Longenecker, of Maytown, principal of
the high school; Miss Laura A. Munson, of Lan-
caster, assistant; Miss Susie C. Beck, of Millers-
ville, grammar; Mr. John Simons, of East Donegal
township, intermediate; Miss Anna E. Rutt, of
Landisville, secondary; and Miss Bessie C. John-
stin, of Maytown, primary. The school board is
composed of the following: M. R. Hoffman, presi-
dent; S. S. Kraybill, secretary; Amos F. Eaby,
treasurer; S. B. Lenhart, Eli L. Nissly and B, F.
Becker.
We can not close this brief outline of early school
history without mentioning the names, among
many others, of a few men to whom the district is
largely indebted for the success of our schools in
the early days, to wit :
172 LEAVES FROM A CEMURY PLANT
John Allcman, whose remains lie beside those of
his wife in the graveyard just east of the church,
was a member of the first board. He was a mem-
ber of the Lutheran church council for years, and
was prominent and energetic in all affairs of the
township. His three sons, Monroe, Samuel and
Horace, left names to be proud of — the first as a
Lutheran minister, the second as a teacher in the
township and successful lawyer, and the third as a
physician.
A. N. Cassel, the last surviving member of the
first board, who served continuously for ten years,
was an active, enterprising citizen during his long
life, having died but a few >ears ago. He left two
sons, Hon. H. Burd Cassel, our present Congress-
man from this district, and Dr. Geo. Cassel, an
oculist.
Samuel Book was one of the earlier members of
the board, and its secretary for many years. To
his painstaking care and legible hand-writing are
we mainly indebted for our earlier school records.
For nearly half a century he did the written work
of nearly all the township officers. With one ex-
ception, we believe, he was the only citizen of
Maytown to hold a county ofiice. He was a mem-
ber of the Lutheran church. His son, Henry S.
Book, served a term in the State Legislature and
EARLY SCHOOL HISTORY 173
held numerous oflBces of trust in the township. ^
He was also a member of the Lutheran church,
and at the time of his death, and for many years
previous, one of its active councilmen.
Dr. John H, Grove was also a member of the
board at a very early date, and for several years its
president. He was born and reared on a farm just
on the outskirts of our village. When a young
man he was elected to the captaincy of the mili-
tary company located at Maytown, which for many
years held the proud distinction of being one of the
best drilled companies in this section. He was a
graduate of Jefferson Medical College,"'and during
the Rebellion served his country at the front as a
surgeon. At its close he located at Philadelphia,
where he built up a large and lucrative practice.
A few years before his death he presented a beau-
tiful chapel to the Presbyterian church of Marietta,
and by his will gave to the Church of God at May-
town $5,000. His last resting-place is in the cem-
etery at Marietta.
Jacob Longenecker, a life-long resident of May-
town, served twenty-four consecutive )'ears as a
member of the board, when he refused a re-election.
What further need be said of his status as a school
director and citizen?
174 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
EARLY INDUSTRIES AND THOSE WHO CONDUCTED
THEM.
BY \V1 1.1,1AM n. CI.EPPER.
Altlioiio;h our soil and climate were particularly
well adapted to agricultural pursuits, these were
by no means the only avocations followed by our
ancestors. Long before the advent of labor-saving
machinery Maytown had artisans surpassed by
none. That this is no vain boast can easily be
confirmed by an inspection of some of the handi-
work of their labor and skill, and be the material
wrought from either wool, wood, brick, stone or
iron, the result was the same.
The Lutheran church, built of stone, has with-
stood the ravages of the elements for a century,
and its condition to-day makes it a worthy monu-
ment to the mechanics who erected it. The same
may be said of the Reformed church, built of brick,
ninety-seven years ago.
In the homes of our citizens can be seen speci-
mens of walnut furniture manufactured by our
mechanics from lumber cut and sawed in the im-
mediate vicinity. Many of these are fine speci-
mens of the cabinet-makers' skill, for which their
owners have been offered large sums, but as heir-
looms are beyond price.
A number of the much-sought-after grandfather
EARL V IND USTRIES 1 75
clocks, made by John Esterli in the early part of
the last century, and still in good running order,
are yet to be found.
The locks turned out by our locksmiths a cen-
tury and more ago defied the attacks of the burglar
of those days fully as well as do the intricately con-
structed locks of the present defy the ingenuity of
our knights of the jimmy. One of these, Jacob
Gorner, was not only a skilled locksmith, but in
addition made the old-style coffee-mills, a few of
which are yet in existence.
Perhaps in no branch of mechanics have there
been greater changes than in that of the black-
smith. The smith of our forefathers was able to
make anything from a wagon-tire to a nail. If
anything of iron was required, instead of going to
the hardware store for it, he w^ho needed it went to
the blacksmith, who not only made it, but made
it strong and well.
With the introduction of machinery the wheel-
wright and wagon-maker, who was closely allied
with the blacksmith, has almost completely dis-
appeared. Two years ago Maytown lost by death
the last craftsman of this line — Mr. George Ken-
dig, who was a worthy successor of the many who
preceded him. Those attending farm sales often
hear this special announcement made: "This
176 LEAVES FROM A CENTURY PLANT
wagon was made by Geo. Kendig and ironed by
David Shelter," which speaks volumes for the
workmanship of these two mechanics.
Our younger people may be surprised to learn
that tobacco was first planted in this section less
than seventy years ago. Among the first to farm
the weed were, Henry and Anthony Haines, Geo.
Filby, Samuel Book and John Hays. The pioneer
cigar manufacturers were a Mr. Patterson, Henry
Hoke, Samuel Hackenberger, and Jacob Bowman.
The farming of tobacco and the manufacturing of
cigars has been a steadily increasing business, and
at the present time these two pursuits are the main-
stay of the community. The approximate output
of cigars per year is 3,500,000, while several hun-
dred acres of tobacco are farmed in the township
yearly.
That history sometimes repeats itself is shown
by the shad -fishing industry. This branch of the
finny tribe were first caught with seines in the
Susquehanna in 1760. In 1799 Henry Haines and
Dr. Geo. Breneman, of Maytown, purchased a shad
fishery in Helm township, York county. From
that date until 1835, when the dam at Columbia
was constructed, it was a profitable business. How
valuable it was may be estimated from the fact
that at one time a large farm was offered and re-
EARL Y IND US TRIES lyy
fused in exchange for it. Now that the canal has
been abandoned and the dam partially destroyed
the business has been revived with promising
prospects. The most remarkable fact connected
with this industry is that the methods employed
for catching shad in 1760 are almost identical with
those in vogue at the present day. This fishery at
the present time is owned by Henry Haines, great-
grandson of the first purchaser.
More than a century ago, in a little log house
just opposite the Lutheran church, one of its mem-
bers— John Gebhart, Sr. — for years was engaged
in weaving carpets with a hand-loom, not from the
elaborate designs and many hues found in the pro-
duct of the looms driven by the powerful machin-
ery of to-day, but from ideas of his own and with
rags cut, sewed together and dyed by the thrifty,
industrious housewives of that period. The dyes
were compounded from leaves, bark and other
ingredients found thriving in the rich soil of the
forests, and always ready to the hand of those who
knew how to use them. Nevertheless many of
these carpets were of pretty patterns and served
their purpose well, being woven of good heavy
material, and although not so pretty to the eye or
soft and yielding to the foot as those of the twen-
tieth century, yet fully as well met the wants of
1-8 LEAVES EROM A CESTURY PLANT
our progenitors. From this humble beginning
grew to what culminated in the coverlet factory,
May town's greatest industry in days gone by.
John Gebhart, Jr., following in the footsteps of his
father, built a factory just north of the old home-
stead, and enlarged the business by the introduc-
tion of hand-looms for the manufacture of coverlets
(bed-spreads). This proved to be a profitable ven-
ture, and was continued for a number of years.
This building was destroyed by fire, but was re-
built, new machinery installed, and the business
again established. In 1854 or 1855 John Gebhart
3d purchased and installed a steam engine with
power looms, and manufactured what was termed
a solid, machine-made coverlet, being, if not the
first of its kind in the United States, at least
among the very first. Those turned out by the
hand-looms were made in sections and afterwards
sewed together, while by the new process the cov-
erlet was woven complete in one solid piece. A
large number of these coverlets are in use at the
present time, although woven a half century ago.
The steam engine used by Mr. Gebhart was the
pioneer of its kind in Maytown, and tales are yet
related of the hubbub it created when the whistle
was first blown and the machinery set in motion.
The demand for these coverlets was large, and
EARL Y INDUSTRIES 1 79
during 1856 and 1857 four traveling salesmen
were busy in the west and south, while forty
hands were constantly employed in the factory.
Another innovation was the installing of a dyeing
plant, one of the first in this section. The busi-
ness was successfully conducted for some time,
but during the Rebellion it was closed out, and
Mr. Gebhart, with his family, removed to New
Albany, Ind., where at last accounts he was
largely interested in woolen industries, owning
and conducting four large mills. Mr. Gebhart
was musically inclined, and while he resided in
Maytown his home was the musical center of the
place. Previous to the Rebellion he was captain
of the Maytown military company and took great
interest in its welfare. He was succeeded by
Capt. Henry Haines, 3d, who led it during its
active service in the field.
What has been here written of a few of our
earlier industries might have been enlarged to in-
clude all, but space forbids. Below will be found
a list of our earlier artisans, and while it is by no
means complete or chronologically correct, it is
the best that could be compiled from the data at
hand:
BlacksmUhs~]6hn Barues, Henry Gipp, Peter Vice, Jacob
Gilman, Sam'l Pence, Simon Albright, David Shetter.
1 80 LEA I 'ES FROM A CEXTl N V PLANT
Briik Makers — Michael, Zachariah, Frederick and Charles
Sherhahn, Benedict Witiner. v
»/ »• m
Broom Makers — Daunty Musseinan, Samuel Daily.
^tt/f/t^rj— Christian and Henry Epler, Henry Houseal, Sr.,
and Jr., Samuel Noll, Geo. Pence, Samuel Drabenstadt, Benj.
Grove, Abram Geltmacher.
Cabinet Makers and Undertakers— Q\\^9.., Geo. and Jacob
Murray, Abram and \Vm. Buller, Frederick, Aaron and Joseph
Shireuian, Christian Bucher.
Carpenters — Thilip Klug, Geo. Gorner, Joseph Welchans,
Samuel Peck, Reuben Welchans, Nicholas Clepper, Frederick
Fletcher.
Clock Maker— ]o\\n Esterli. C « • * •' '" •
Chair and Spinning Wheels— ]6)xn and Charles Brown.
Cat tiage Builders— Jacob Tatlan, Michael Eagle and John
Eagle.
Coverlet Factofy— John Gebhart, Jr., John Gebhart, 3d.
Cigar Manufacturers — Henry Hoke, Samuel Hackeuberger,
Jacob Bowman, Wm. Miley, Fred. Bower, John Reinhold, Fred.
Reidlinger, Henry S, Book.
Coopers— Q,^o. Lehman, John Cushter, Daniel and Wm.
Swords, Joseph Green.
Dyey — Mrs. Polly Chapman.
Distillers— John Gailbach, Martin Bowman, David Hender-
son, Henry Haines, Harmon, Geo. and Augustus Lightner,
John Brooks.
Druggists— 'W^m. Barr, John Gebhart, David Bowman.
Dentists— Thos. Johnstin, Wm. Shireman.
Fishery — Henry Haines and Dr. Geo. Breneman.
Natters— "Wm. Rittner, Henry Brooks.
Hotels— Q&\e:h Way, John Kanip, Fred. Gailbach, Chas. Cam-
eron, Jacob Bletz, Tobias Drabenstadt, Henr\' Houseal and
EARL Y IND USTRIES i g i
John Houseal, John Barr and Geo. Barr, Geo. Murray, Sr.,
Geo. Murray, Jr., Thos. Johnstin, Jacob Jentz Miller, Jacob
Miller, Samuel Allgyer.
Locksmiths — Jacob Gorner, Sam'l Pence,
Potters— ]dhn King, Geo. Shriner, Frederick Henry, Jessie '€^^6 )
and Louis Klugh, Geo. McCurdy.
Pump Makers -^axn\x€i, George and Henry Book.
Physicians — Geo. W. and Abram Breneman, John Beschler.
Stores — ^James Eagan, John Hastings, Amos Slaymaker,
Henry Slaymaker, John Campbell, John Reinhold, Benj. Al-
bright, Hippie and Herr, Jacobs and Latcham, Jacob Bletz,
Amos Gable, Samuel Hackenberger, John Markley, John Deer-
ing. < ■■■•'
Stone Masons — Alexander and Ulrich Shireman, Caleb Way,
John JeflFries, John Albright.
Saddlers— John Hays, Edw. Royer, W. D. Carpenter, John
Glattacker.
Shoe Makers — Lawrence Beschler, Christian Lentz, Peter
Albright, Henry Haines, Jos. Green, Henry Johnstin, Jacob
Bower, Sylvester Giiffith, Jacob Roath.
Tailors— Q:ha,s. Cameron, Wm. Hastings, Henry Haines,
Samuel Mockert, Peter Albright, Samuel Shaflfner, Fred. Reid-
linger, John Houseal, Jos. Shertzer, Andrew Brooks, Jeremiah
Shaffner.
Tinsmith— John Shertzer.- /Uj^kn. wi\<^ -^-^
7a««^r)/— James Eagan. v - '--
Weavers — John Kamp, Owen Barr, John Gebhart, Sr., Sam'l
Drabenstadt.
Wheelwrights — Henry Eagle, Fred. Sherbahn, John Rum-
baugh, Henry Jacobs, Geo. Kendig.
-e
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