An American Family History

For many years Heidelberg Union Church was the only church in Heidelberg Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. It also included what is now Washington Township and Slatington. Between 1736, when Heidelberg was legally opened for settlement and 1752, groups of settlers formed two Heidelberg congregations.

The first church was built in 1744 and the earliest document is an agreement between the Reformed and the Lutheran congregations dated March 25, 1745.     

The first church building was destroyed by fire in 1757. In 1757 there were two major Indian attacks in the Heidelberg area. Twenty-five people were killed in these attacks including members of the congregations. Two companies of soldiers were enlisted to protect the settlers. . .

On March 22, 1777 and in 1778 Jacob Brandstetter appeared on the list of communicants.

Margaretha Brandstetter Schneider (Snyder) was christened on March 23, 1783.

The building was completely rebuilt in 1787.

On Palm Sunday, 1794 Jacob Brandstetter appeared on the list of communicants.

In 1796 they built a new schoolhouse and Jacob Brandstetter promised to pay 1 pound and 10 schillings.

Daniel and Christiana Branstetter were the sponsors at several baptisms: Daniel Kunfahr on January 2, 1812 and Lilia Schneider (Snyder) on February 20, 1813.

In 1842 Maria Barbara Brandstetter Peter was buried in the Heidelberg Church Cemetery with her husband Johannes.

In 1849 the church building was again rebuilt.

Early Baptisms

Heidelberg Union Church
By Samuel J. Kistler, Esq
(Selections on the early years)

The first settlement by the congregation was made in the year 1735. The number of the first immigrants was small, consisting of isolated families who had come from Switzerland and Westphalia. Their names have been preserved, and show that they were from one neighborhood, but the name of the place is, unfortunately, forgotten.

The names of the first arrivals were Jacob Peter, Casper Peter, and Wilhelm [sic Rudolf] Peter, three brothers, but whether their father accompanied them cannot be ascertained. Later came Johannes Hunsicker, Jacob Mayer, David Gisi, Conrad Wirtz (now written Wert), Friederich Nisele, Ulrich Neff, Heinrich Hoffman, Peter Miller, Heinrich Roeder, Georg Grum, and Jörg Schmalz. This first company of settlers formed the foundation of the succeeding congregation, and at once staked off the land they intended to use for church and school purposes...

Between the years 1735 and 1740 there also came hither Palatines and Würtemburgers, and strengthened the colony. Among these there were, on the Reformed side, Heinrich Ohl, Jacob Riedy, Michael Fritzinger, and others; on the Lutheran side, Ulrich Sensinger, Jörch Recks, Peter Handwerk, Johann Krauss/Krause, and others. The Lutherans likewise provided themselves with a piece of land for the church and school purposes adjoining the Reformed lands on the south.

The organization of the congregation took place in the year 1740. Heinrich Ohl who had taken up the land where Saegersville now stands, and who was the richest and most respected man in the settlement, agitated the matter of building a church, but four years passed before the church was constructed. Meetings were held, but as no minister could be engaged, the work of construction was discontinued.

During this period the services of a reader from Lynn were obtained, and he was accustomed to hold services at the houses of the people. The place for assembling was at Jacob Daubensdpeck’s, about one mile south of the church lands. There divine service was held for a period of five years. Finally there came a talented Lutheran minister, by the name of Jacob Friederich Schertlein, who was undoubtedly sent through the interposition of Rev. Muhlenberg to this portion of the country.

And now steps were taken to build the first church, which was erected in the year 1744 as a log church, and was dedicated by Revs. Schertlein and Philip Jacob Michael. This first church building stood in the northeastern corner of the old graveyard, which has for a long time been filled with graves. At the same time a school-house was erected. From the very beginning the plan of the fathers contemplated the holding and enjoyment of these buildings in common. For this reason they built the church upon the Reformed land, and the school-house upon the Lutheran, and when the church was completed and dedicated, both branches of the congregation made a contract on the 28th of March, 1745, that it should be and remain a Union church.

The following heads of families formed the congregation: Jacob Friederich Schertlein, the Lutheran minister; Philip J. Michael, the Reformed minister. Schertlein was a regularly ordained minister of great ability, who soon, however, left here and was called elsewhere, either to Maryland or Virginia. Michael, of whom we have already learned in the history of the Ziegel Church, was a reader, who was never ordained, and had elevated himself to the office of minister. The Reformed elders were George Grum and Jörg Schmalz; the Lutheran, George Recks and Michael Mosser.

The members were Jacob Mayer, Heinrich Ohl, Ulrich Sensinger, George Schmalz (elder), Daniel Burger, Nickel Klein, George Grum (elder), David Gisi, Michael Fritzinger, George Recks (elder), Leonhard Mayer, Heinrich Oswald, Adam Winch, Heinrich Hofmann, Ulrich Neff, Andreas Shcüssler, Friederich Schneider [Snyder], Jonas Matzinger, Michael Fritzinger, Jacob Peter, Casper Peter, Rudolf Peter, Michael Mosser (elder), Jörg Newhard, Nickelburger, Michael Ruch, Peter Miller, Conrad Wirtz (Wert), Friederich Nisele, Jacob Schlung, Hans Ulrich Arndt, Johannes Niesele, Heinrich Roeder. The above-named members were the builders of the first church, and paid for its construction L18 5s., of which the Reformed side contributed 13£ 18s 8d., and the Lutheran 4£ 6s 4d....

The Indian massacres, which during the fifties of the last century devastated all the settlements across the Lehigh, at Gnadenhütten (now Lehighton) and in Lynn, both on the right and left of the Heidelberg settlement, passed by this congregation almost without leaving a trace...

The second church was built in the year 1756. The first little log church was destroyed by fire. The new church was also a log church, but very much larger and better arranged in every respect, being fitted out with galleries, aisles, pulpit, and altar. A new school-house was also erected at the same time with the church. This was placed upon the land of the Reformed congregation, which sold all its right in and to the old school-house to the Lutherans for 4£ 10s., and from this time on each portion of the congregation had its own school until later years, when the old school-house was torn down, and the schools again united in one. The new church was dedicated in 1757, and the old contract, that this building should be used in common, was renewed. From 1745 and 1757 the number of communicants was more than doubled. However, an increase from Europe partly accounts for this....

Not until 1758, the year following the building of the second church, did the congregation make efforts to obtain a fee-simple deed and lawful possession of their church- and school-lands. To accomplish this Michael Ohl, son of Heinrich Ohl, and Simon Wehr were appointed a committee on the Reformed side to obtain the requisite papers in Philadelphia. At the same time the Lutherans acted in the matter.

The following members of the Reformed Church obligated themselves to furnish the money for the purchase of the lands, viz.: Jacob Peter, Johannes Hunsicker, Johannes Grum, Rudolph Peter, George Hack, Bernhard Neff, Jacob Riedy, Heinrich Neff, and Heinrich Ohl. Nancy Ohl, and unmarried daughter of the last named, had the church weatherboarded at her own expense in later years.

In the war of independence, this congregation furnished a number of soldiers, the names of only two of whom, unfortunately, have been preserved for historians, namely, those of Christian Schmidt and ------- Krumbach.

The first church records were, according to the statement of Father Johannes Hunsicker, who died when upward of ninety years of age, and who is the authority for most of the foregoing information, destroyed by fire with the first church building. The minutes of the Reformed Church records begin in 1764, and are still in existence; of the Lutheran, in 1768. On the title-page of the latter appear the names of Wilhelm Rex, Casper Schnerr, Tobias Ebert, and Samuel Miehl as the Lutheran consistory.

A new cemetery was opened in the year 1832. The old graveyard was filled to its entire capacity. The congregation decided to use the ground to the east of the church, and this has been increased in size a number of times since.

In the year 1849 the congregation held an election to decide the question whether the schools should be joined in one, to abrogate the difference in the creeds. All the votes but three were cast in favor of uniting the schools. At this time Ferdinand Berkemeyer taught on the Reformed side, and Joseph Folban on the Lutheran. The latter resigned, and Berkemeyer was chosen as the common teacher. A centennial festival was held for two days in the year 1845, upon the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the founding of this congregation.

The third church was built in the year 1849. On the 17th of May in that year the consistory and members of the church assembled for the purpose of adopting a constitution, according to which the church should be built, and by which the congregations should in the future be ruled according to the establishment of their fathers. The new church was placed on the other side of the little brook, hardly one hundred paces from the spot where the other stood...

Scarcely was the church finished when the desire arose to possess an organ. The matter had already been agitated before this time, but the majority were always opposed to the idea. They preferred singing without the accompaniment of an organ. Upon the election held upon this matter, only sixty-three votes were cast in favor of purchasing an organ, while fourteen resolute ones were found against it. The construction of the orga was intrusted to Charles Hanzelman, an organ-builder, who had removed to these parts from Philadelphia. The organ was dedicated in 1853, and was for those times a perfect work...