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From:
Subject: Celebration of Church Anniversaries? SPOHN, SHIDLER, WISE
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 2004 22:27:52 EDT


Hello,

I have a speculative question which I will hopefully word well enough to be
clear...

In Washington Co PA, county histories tried to place a date for when the
Brethren came to the county, which they list as 1759-60. Rev. Elder John Wise, as
an elderly man, stated he thought it was 1759-60.

At first they met in members' homes, then the Spohn home which was built with
a special 2nd floor for meetings. The actual brick church was not built
until 1832. Then, in the spring of 1859, John Leatherman, Daniel Ward and S. W.
Tombaugh were elected members of the building committee for a new church in the
north, or Pigeon Creek, end of the congregation. (This is actually along
South Pigeon Creek so South Pigeon Creek Dunkard Church was in the northern part
of the church's area.)

My speculative question has been and continues to be, IF the South Pigeon
Creek Dunkard Church was built in 1859-60, and that was close to a 100th year
mark for the Gerrman Baptists entering Washington Co, PA, wouldn't there have
been SOME mention that this church was being erected near / close to the 100th
anniversary?

I keep thinking maybe the German Baptists' arrival was earlier than 1759-60,
maybe as early as before 1750? There are no membership lists other than one
that begins by saying "members before 1838" so that does not include the very
early families to the area, when meeting at Spohn's (and, didn't they meet at
"Shidler's" before Sphon's?)

Does anyone know when Martin SPOHN moved into Washington Co, PA? Or anyone
know anything about the SHIDLER family? If I had more info on these 2 early
families maybe it would help me develop my speculations more.

My grandmother said that in the earliest days that families of the Ten Mile
area included as far as Fort Redstone in Fayette Co (and into Greene Co PA
also)... does anyone have families, known to be German Baptists, in those areas
who date back into 1750 or before?

I know Brethren families came up from Frederick Co MD (such as Wise and
Saylor and my LANE family) by 1810. Was there an earlier migration into
Washington Co., PA?

Again, it just seems to me there would have been some mention at the time
that South Pigeon Creek Dunkard was being built close to a 100th Anniversary of
arrival to to county ....am I off-base in thinking this way? Did Brethren
mention anniversaries in other congregations in PA, Ohio or MD?

Thank you,

Judy

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