Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/236

 COLUMBIA AND M O NTOUR COUNTIES plea was unanimously granted and from that day her (roubles ceased, the people of the town xying with each other in assisting to care for the grounds and taking a pride in their preservation. A m ong the most enthusiastic of the volunteer caretakers are the railroad men, who keep the grass cut ami the fences and gates in proper shape. The property is still owned by the Philadel­ phia S ^ ic t y and each ye ar a meeting is held here by delegates from that city. In the meantime M ary Em m a W alter liolds regular solitaiv service in the old building on the first day o ( the w eek, and during the period o f her residence here she has missed hut two Sab ­ baths, ow ing to the severe winters. Sh e is the daughter o f Jo h n W alter and ICliza Violetta Hicks (h is second w ife ), w as one o f ten chil­ dren, and w as bom Sept. 4. 18 4 1, near E lysburg. Pa. H e r father w as from Devonshire. England, w hile her m other's ancestor. Robert Hicks, settled on Long Island in 16 2 1. H e did not com e over in the "M ayflo w e r,'' owing to the lack o f room in that fam ous vessel, but took a follow 'ine boat. A rrangem ents will be made to c a re lo r this fam ous meetinghouse in the event of the death of the self-sacrificing custodian, through the Columbia County H is­ torical S o cie ty and the Society o f Friends. When a n e w roof w as put on the old church and some rep airs made in 19 14 it w as found that the w h ite pine hoards of the gable ends had been w o rn down from one ami one-eighth inches to but three-eighths o f an inch by the storms and sn ow s o f 139 years. In the center of the upper floor o r garret w as found a ye l­ low pine g ir d e r 1 2 by 15 inches in size a n ( ^ o feet long, w hich w as perfectly sound. T ne joists were 3 by 7 inches and the rafters 3 hy 5 inches, a ll o f yellow pine, mortised and fastened together with wooden pins. The old hand-forged nails which fa.stcned the w caiherboarding on w ere made at the time the building w as erected by some blacksmith, from charcoal iron. T hese w ere preserved and made into breastpins as souvenirs. The wooden lock which had been used at first ujion the door w as replaced in position, and (he door was lined w ith heavier boards to preserve it. The groun ds surrounding the old meeting­ house are now use<l hy the citizens o f C ata­ wissa as a park, in the absence o f a public place for gatherings and exercises. W ithin the meetinghouse arc tw o interesting stoves of (he "ten plate'' variety— so named from hav­ ing ten sections, fasteneil together by long rods. One of these stoves w as made in the foundry o f O . D . L cib & C o., C ataw issa, and

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the other at V alley Forge. Both are in fine shape and the custodian says they w ill still heat the room or bake a lo af o f bread. Lutherans W hen Christian Brobst came to Catawissa in 179 5 he w as accompanied by R ev. M r. Seely, a Lutheran minister from B erks county. On M ay 1st of the follow ing year ( 17 9 6 ) the first recorded communion w as held in Brobst's cabin, the follow ing persons participating: M ichael R au p, M ichael H ow er, Daniel Geiger, Christian Brobst, Jo h n W irts, Jac o b Yocum , Conrad G eiger, Catharine W irts, Barb ara Brobst, Regina H artel, M aria Gilllhans, Catharine H ow er. On Ja n. ist o f that ye ar the follow ing children were baptized: Joseph , son o f Christian B ro b st; E d na, daughter o f Fred erick K n ittle; and M aria, daughter o f Daniel Yockum. T h ereafter until 1802 serv­ ices w ere held in the old stone house on the K ostenbargcr farm, and between 1802 and 1804 in a ham at (he foot of the hill on the farm now owned hy P. H . Shuman. D uring 1802 R e v . G . V . Stochs w as pastor of the Lutherans, and in 1808 K ev. Jo h n Dietrich held the services fo r the R eform ed conregation which affiliated then with the .utherans. B y a deed o f Sept. 4. 1802. C hris­ tian Brobst and his w ife Barb ara gave to Jaco b Yockum and H arm an Y o st, in trust, an acre o f ground near the town o f "H u ghcsbu rg or Cataw ese,” fo r the use of the Lutheran and Presbyterian (G erm an R efo rm ed ) denomina­ tions. on which to build a union church ancf establish a free burying ground. On M arch to. 1804, articles o ( agreement w ere entered into by both denominations fo r the joint ow n ­ ership o f a house o f worship, signed by Michael H ow cr. Jac o b Yockum and H arm an Y ost, e ld e rs; and Sam uel F cltcr and Daniel G eiger, deacons. In that ye ar the old stone union church w as built on the site of the present sol­ d iers' monument. It w as of the usual style o f architecture o f those times, having galler­ ies around three sides and a “ wineglass” pulpit. It w.as occupied until 1852. when the second church, a brick structure, replaced it. T h e increase o f English speaking members by 1845 can.scd a separation of the congrega­ tion into two jiaris. S t. Jo h n ’s and S t. M at­ thew 's, the form er retaining the old brick church projicrty. in partnership with the R cfom ied congregation. In 1881 the Lutherans bought out the interest of the Reform ed Church and in Ju ly. 1890. laid the cornerstone of the present brick building on a lot directly

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