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/239

 200

COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES S t. Jo h n 's R efo rm ed Church

St. Joh n 's parish w as formed, and George S. Gilbert, W alter Scott, Isaac H. Seesholu. W il­ A fte r the pastorate o f Rev. John Dietrich liam Abbott and S. E. Jon es were elected w ard­ Adam s, which commenced in 1808. the suc­ ens and vestrymen. T hey applied for a char­ cessive Reform ed pastors up to the ye ar 1886 ter in that year, but did not receive one until were Revs. Diefenbaugh, Knable, Tobias, 1 8 7 4 Fursch, Stcclcy, Daniels, Moore, Dcchant, T h c first rector. Rev. Joseph L. Colton, came Derr. During M r. Dechant's pastorate, the to the town in A pril, 1872, and opened a paro­ joint ownership of the Lutheran church w as chial school. In Jan u ary the congregation dissolved, and in M ay, 1882, the cornerstone bought the Catawissa Sem inary, but w or­ o f a new S t. Joh n 's w as laid. M r. Dcchant shipped in the Masonic hall until the building himself conducted all the building operations could be altered to suit its new uses. The rec­ and in M ay, 1883. the completed edifice was tor held the first communion in June. 1872, dedicated, Revs. O. H. Strunck, o f Blooms­ and in two weeks the congregation worshipped burg- 2>>d Rev. William C. Schcaffcr, o f Dan­ in their own building, but the deed w as not ville, participating. given till 1879. On Ju ly 2 1, 1878, M r. Colton M r. Dcchant's pastorate continued over thir­ resigned, and ins place was not filled until 1880 teen years and his successors have been: Rev. by Rev. Charles E. Fessenden, who only re­ Joshua H. Derr. 1886-90; K ev. Raymond E. mained for six months. T hereafter, at various Butz. 18 9 1-9 5; R ev. H arry W. W issler, 1895- times when the parish w as without a rector, 9 9; R ev. A. T. G. Apple, 1899-1903: Rev. A l­ services were held by Rev. I.. Zahner, Rev. W. fred M. Schaffncr, 19 0 4 - 11; Rev. Charles E. C. 1-everett and Rev. D. N. K irkby. successive Rupp, the present pastor, who came Nov. 1, rectors o f St. Paul's Church. Bloomsburg. 1 9 1 1. T he present church officers a r c : Je re S. M ethodist Episcopal Church Shuman, A. B. P ifer, H arry H. K e ife r, H. M. GelUngcr. elders: Jaco b H. Gross. Charles N. T h e home o f Joseph M cIntyre, where the K e ife r, H ow ard N. Gunther. George Vastine first school in this township w as opened, also Fisher, deacons. saw the first sciv'ices of the Methodist de­ T he congregation owns a splendid parsonage nomination in the Ix ^ n n in g of the last cen­ on Third street, the purchase o f which w as tury. Bishop A sbury, the founder o f Method­ made possible by the will o f M rs. M ary E. ism in Am erica, stopped here on a trip from Ritter. T h e church w as completely renovated S u n b u ^ to W yoming and held services which in 1909 at .a cost o f $i,0 0 0 and rededicated in resulted in the conversion of the entire fam ily the (alt o f that year, R evs. George W . Richards, and some of the neighbors. H e w as followed o f I-ancaster, C yrus M usser, o f Philadelpjiia, in later years by Nathaniel M ills, Jam es Paynand form er pastors Butz, W issler and Apple, ter and Benjam in Abbott, itinerant preachers participating. o f that denomination. In 1828 a church w as T h e present membership of the church is built near the road, on land donated by M c­ 140. and the congregation ts noted fo r its mis­ Intyre. in the southern part of the township. sionary enterprises. T he Sunday school for A second church w as dedicated in 1869 and is twenty-five years has supported P ro f. T . De- the one there in 19 14 . It is at present served mura, a native preacher and teacher in Japan. by Rev. John H . Grccnwalt, of the Roaringcrcck circuit. The M cIntyre fam ily celebrated 5"!. Jo h n 's Protestant Episcopal Church their eighteenth annual reunion in 19 14 at the old church, hy a picnic and social services, the T he first services of the Protestant Episco­ attendance being very large. pal denomination In Catawissa were held in T he Catawissa Methodist church w as built i860 by Rev. E. N. I.Ightncr. rector o f Christ in 1834 by members of the above church who Church. Danville. Some years later Rev. T. had migrated to the town earlier. A second H. Cullen, rector o f St. P au l’s. Bloomsburg. house w as built in 1854 and the last one in held serv'ices monthly and administered bap­ 1884. T he latter w as dedicated in February. tism. Tn 1870 his successor. R ev. John Hewitt, 1885. R evs. Vincent and Upham participating. conducted bimonthly services in the Masonic T h e building committee w ere: R ev. R. E. hall, alternating with Rev. J. M. Peck o f Dan­ Wilson. H. F. O ark, W. W. Perry. J. M. ville. During this time the Right R ev. W il­ Smith. C. C- Sharplcss, Jesse Mensch. Dr. I.. liam B. Stevens, bishop of the diocese, offi­ B. Kline. ciated at two confirmations. In M ay. 18 7 1, Pastors o f this church have been: R evs.