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/311

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

Church o f England, and his family were at­ tendants in (heir Delaware home of the Episco­ pal Church. Thus it was natural that soon after their establishment in this new land they should have arranged to build themselves a religious home. The result was the b^in ning of the erection of the " L c ^ Church," which fo r fifty years a fte r this township’s settlement w as the only one in the northern end o f Colum­ bia county. Begun in 18 10 and completed in 18 12, this church was not dedicated until Ju ly 15, 1828, when the Right Rev. Henry M. Onderdonk. bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, performed the cereniony. The names of the members signed to the subscrip­ tion book in 18 12 were as follow s: Caleb Hopkins, W’iltiam Wood, Ezekiel Cole, Matthias Rhone, Jam es Peterman, John K eel­ er, Philip Fritz, Jacob Gough, Conrad Hess, Henry Fritz, Uriah M cHenry. John Kile, W il­ liam Osborne. George Hess. William Hess, Sr., Daniel Stone. Jacob Hess, John M cHenry, Tobias Hess, John Kopsnydcr, .Andrew Hess, Cornelius Coleman, Frederick Hess, John Roberts. John llcs.s, Daniel Robbins, Levi Priest, George Rhone. Jonathan Robbins, W il­ liam Ed gar. Benjamin Coleman, Abraham Kline. S r., Jacob Rine, Conrad I,aul)ach. Peter Yocum. Abraham Whiteman. William Hess. r.. Samuel Musselman, Paul Hess. Jonathan lobbins, Henry Hess, William Waldron, W il­ liam V'orks, Christian Pouts. Edward Roberts, Cas|)er Chrisman. Emanuel Whiteman, Daniel M cHenry. Jesse Pennington. John Emery, William Wilson, Thomas Miller, Frederick H arp. Benjamin Stackhouse, Silas Jackson, John W'hitcman, Jacob Whiteman. The first church, built o f pine logs, had galleries around three sides of the interior. A fte r being occupied for years as a place o f worship it was burned in 1876. T he owner­ ship was held by the Epi.scopilians. Lutherans and Presbyterians, jointly, until the fire, and this will explain the presence of the names of members o f those different denominations on the subscription list. T he present frame church was built in the next year on the site of the old one. The belfry is located In a giant tree directly in front of the church. It was built and the bell hung therein in 1882, during the pastorate o f Rev. John P. Rock­ well, who lies beside his w ife in the rear of the church, outside the main burying ground.

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The memorial window in this church is a copy o f one in Christ Church, O xford, England, made from a dcsimi drawn from memory by Professor W eir, o f West Point M ilitary Acad­ emy. T he communion plate o f pewter, as well as the lectern and Bible, have been in use since 1812. The first wardens of the Episcopal Church were Christian Laubach and Jam es Peterman, and the vestry consisted o f W'Uliam Wilson, Jacob Rine, John Roberts and Matthew Rone. T he successive rectors o f this church have been: Revs. Caleb Hopkins, William Eidred, Benjamin Hutchins, Jam es DcPut, W. H. Bounie, G e o i^ C. Drake, G. M. Harding. John P. Rockwell. Services were held at various times by the rectors o f S t. P au l’s, Bloom sbu^. Rev. C. C. Kclscy, Berwick, is now the visiting rector. It is interesting to note that the first acces­ sions to the Disciples, or Church o f Christ, in Columbia county were made in (his township in 1836. when Elders John Ellis, J . J . H arvey and John Sutton held a protracted meeting in the ile s s schoolhouse. A church was estab­ lished at Guava and for a time was prosperous, but is now out o f existence. T he Methodist Episcopal faith w as estab­ lished on a secure footing in 1855 by Rev. Elijah Fulmer, who conducted then a revival at the schoolhouse near Central. Ten years later Rev. John ,A. D cM oycr o f Berwick con­ ducted a [irotracted meeting here and that year a chapcl was built and named "Sim pson,” after the bi.shop o f that period. I^ te r another church was built near what is now Grassmere Park. IRnh of these churches are served by (he pastor of the Jam ison City Church. Rev. J . N . Diehl. The Jam ison City church was built in (8S9. There are 2 51 Methodist at­ tendants in this township, and the churches are valued at $9,000. A Prc.sbv'tcrian Church was organized in this township in 1848. but did not thrive and w as later removed to Renton. P 0 n f L. T T 0 K

The population o f Sugarloaf township 1820 was 50 5; in 1830. 6 7 8; in 1840. 9 4 3; 1850, 1 ,3 1 6 : in i86o, 7 5 2 : in 1870. l8 to. 86c>: in 1890. 1.3 3 7; in »900, 1.3 7 6; 19 10 . 1404.

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