OHIO STATEWIDE FILES OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 562 Today's Topics: #1 Church Records From Tuscarawas Cou [MWilli1008@aol.com] ------------------------------ X-Message: #1 Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 20:14:42 EDT From: MWilli1008@aol.com To: OH-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <975a6e52.24d24872@aol.com> Subject: Church Records From Tuscarawas County Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Section 16 Diary of the Congregation at Sharon and Gnadenhutten in the year 1840 to October 1841 by the Rev. Herman Tietze January 1840 January 1. For the New Year's sermon in Sharon there were not very many in attendance, as one might have expected from the good sleighing. In the evening their Memorabilia was read to the congregation in Gnadenhutten. January 3. P.M. Burial in Gnadenhutten of little Albert Charles Clewell. little son of Bro. David Clewell and his wife Rebecca, a siclky child who only reached the age of six months and some days. Sunday 5th. In the evening I arranged with Bro. Edward Peter, this year's school teacher in Gnadenhutten, that I would hold instruction in the school every Wednesday from 11 - 12. 6th. I visited with the married sister Demuth in Beersheba who has suffered long from dropsy. 8th After the instruction in the school, we get ready to visit our brothers and sisters in Fry's Valley; hence we drive, by sleigh, to Bro. and Sr. Martin Keyser, senior, and in the evening we visit with the not distant John Tschudys. But then my horse rolled itself under the trough at night and was wedged in so tight that it required the help of some neighbors and chopping through the trough before he could be pulled out of his difficult situation; he was lame and quite useless for our farther visit in the valley. Hence, Bro. Kayser had the goodness to hitch up one of his horses and to drive us to Bro. and Sr. Jac. Hellers who had settled at the farthest end of the Valley. Scarcely warmed, a messenger, sent after me from Sharon overtakes me to hold the burial in the afternoon at Sharon, as the 8 day old little son of John Demuth, Jr. had gone home. I therefore rode in all haste on my borrowed horse about 8 miles by way of Gnadenhutten to Trenton, Where I give an English address to a very small group of mourners. I get back in time in the evening to conduct the evening meeting in Gnadenhutten The following morning I get my family at Fry's Valley. Fortunately the horse had improved enough that he was able to pull us home. Sunday the 12th. To the brethren assembled for Church Council, I bring my concern over the matter of gathering in the necessary firewood for the preacher. It was decided to go at it the next day and to chop it in Bro. Joshua Miksch's clearing. 15th. Wood is hauled from Joshua Miksssch's land in bitter cold. Saturday 18. With the Bro. and Sr. Christian Blickensderfer, I visit by sleigh with Bro. and Sr. Jos. Schemels, who live 4 miles from here. (Bro, Schemel was still away on his visit in Salem, North Carolina.) Their step-mother, a widow, lives with them. She suffered long with an incurable leg injury and was now very distressed. The old mother was very thankful that she was so well off with these stepchildren as to find the attention and care which her own children could not give her since her oldest son, Abraham Guenther had passed awway. Scarcely had I reached home from this visit when I learned that the married sister Demuth in Yankee Town, who had already suffered so long from dropsy, had finally been released from her unspeakable suffering. 2nd Sunday after Epiphany. A large crowd of people had already gathered at Mr. Jos. Demuth's house for the funeral in Yankeetown when I arrived by sleigh in the afternoon. After a prayer in the house, which was far too small for the crowd of neighbors and mourners, the procession started for Gnadenhutten. They drove over the frozen Tuscarawas. After the burial, I gave the funeral address of the deceased sister Demuth in German. There survive 3 sons and 3 daughters. 21st. I have an appointment in Muddy Run Valley to bring a funeral of an 8 year old girl of a Lutheran, Mr. David Reichman from there to Sharon for burial. Several hours passed before the funeral procession got under way as the casket was a foot too short and had to be added to by those present. So it became night before I got across the Tuscarawas with the sleigh over the thawing roads. 22nd. 10 sleds came to haul rails for the Gnadenhutten church land from Dr. Greytag's forest. As usual we provide food for the men. March 1840 Sunday, March 1st. Baptism of Bro. Eli Rehmels child. 11th. Bro. Joshua Miksch blocks up his house on an out-let bordering on his piece of ground purchased from the Fenner inheritance. 14th. I had to bury a foreign coaldigger. Mr. Dinninghem, from Ireland. I had an English address before a very small number of people. 19th. The burial of little Caroline Matilda Blickensderfer in Sharon, who became sick with scarlet fever while with her Aunt in New Philadelphia and passed into eternity. 22nd. There was first the baptism of Mr. Joshua Blickenderfer's child and then, quite unannounced, the burial of a Catholic, Baiern, who was a resident of Trenton. He was buried in our God's Acre; Since the Trentonites do not fence in their cemetery lot, they come to Sharon with all their funerals, I am sorry to say----- Sister Maria Blickensderfer, in whose family I always found a hospitable reception, is unfortunately almost hopelessly sick from a stomach malady. 23rd. I begin the instruction for confirmands in Mr. Jac. Blickensderfer's house: Hanna Blickensderfer and 2 daughters of Bro. and Sr. Sherer. 27th Just as the confirmands reached the place for instruction, Bro. Valentine Sherer came with a summons from his mother, to administer the rite of Holy Baptism to his 13 year old sister who lay dying. I could not make up my mind at first, but there was no time for postponment or giving the matter consideration. The instruction had to be put off until Sunday afternoon, and I rode directly with the messenger up the towpath to Henry Kellers where the suffering one lay, already past consciousness. Afer I prayed with all those assembled, I could do nothing else than to comply with the urgent plea of the comfortless mother and baptise her, to which the girl was no longer able to give her consent. Sunday 29th. English preaching, then the baptism of a little boy. It was very difficult for me to conduct the services on account of sore throat exhaustion as I had to be on my feet the whole night before with my wife who suddenly taken ill. P.M. The postponed confirmation instruction. A large number of sisters who came to visit the distressed sister Tietze in celebration of her birthday and had caused confusion in the home. 30th. Burial of 2 girls in Sharon, the above mentioned Mary Sherer, and of Elizabeth Hursh, who died of inflamation of the brain after a short illness. I accompanied the two bodies from their homesl 2 miles apart, in each of which I offered prayer, as is the custom. As i was riding home I felt very unwell and exhausted-----it was a raw rainy day. There is very much sickness in the Sharon congregaton. April 1840 April 2. Again 2 bodies to bury in Sharon. First, the child of a stranger in Fry's Valley, Mr. Kisling who was married to Mrs. Herrick. it was in the German language. Second, Oliver Harvey Blickensderfer, it was in the English language on account of the Mother. Little Oliver also died of the prevailing scarlet fever. In the evening of this full day I allow the evening meeting and singing to be omitted. Sunday the 5th. As we are again practicing Easter pieces in Gnadenhutten in the evening, Gottlieb Ochler came to engage me to the funeral of old mother Pfeiffer on the morrow. On Monday, the 6th there were again two bodies to bury: at 10 A.M. little Henry Dell. A rainstorm soaked me through and through before I reached home. May 1840 May 4th. Sisters festival in Sharon. Sister Tietze rides along with me. Twenty sisters celebrate a delightful choir festival. it was the first which Sharon single sisters celebrated there alone, as there are many difficulties at this time of year, especialy bad roads and high water. 8th. I was engaged early to come to Sharon in the afternoon on account of a certain Mich. Scheip, a stranger, who was taken in by widow Oerter in Trenton, who cared for him during his sickness there and had now died of consusmption. Only a handful of his German countrymen followed the corpse of the young foreinger, in heavy rainfall. Sunday the 19th. I baptized there a child of Jac. Blickensderfer, Junior, in the home of the grandparents. Monday 18th. A child of Sarah Walton, maiden name Krainter, was baptized. In the afternoon I took time with Bro. Jac. Blickensderfer to look over his farm which is 2 miles below Dover. Before I ride home on the following morning, I have a conversation with Br. Abr. BLickensderfer, who gave me a satisfactory explanation regarding his hear--condition and his relation to our church. In the afternoon having reached home my wife and I visited Polly Dell, who it was evident, was rapidly approaching her end. We sang and prayed by her bedside. On the 21st. I visited with Jac. Uhrich in Waterford and was busy in the garden and lot, same as on the preceding days. June 1840 5th. Bro. and Sr. Ricksecker and Jas. Blickensderfer of Dover, arrive to observe Whitsuntide with the Gnadenhutten congregation; the former were sheltered by us, as usual. Sunday 7th. The child of Mr. John Redwelll, who is here on a visit with his parents-in-law, Ant. Huebers, is baptized. Monday 15. We drive to Zoar on a visit, accompaning the brethren and sisters Blickensderfers land Rickseckers. Sister Rachel Fahnestock was hindered from going along by indisposition. I am called early to Bro. Michael Rehmel who suddenly became very sick, who is brought so far, after all kinds of remedies and trials as to show whose little James is hopelessly ill. 20th. The burial of little Lewis Dell at 10 o'clock in the forenoon, and at 3 P.M. of little James Clewell. July 1840' July 2, 1840 We drive to Diensts to engage vechiles to bring over the hay to me for the churchland. On this occasion we visit widow Lucy Knaus, who had the misfortune 14 days ago of being butted and injured on her farm by a bull that became wild; but she was again on her feet. 9th. The single brother Lewis Peter was married to the single sister Sarah Blickensderfer in Gnadenhutten, in the presence of rrelatives of both sides, also of brothers and sisters Jac. Senior and Abraham Blickensderfer of Dover. On the 19th the same party celebrated the wedding in David Peter's home. 10th. The fever announces itself to me. Sunday, the 12th. I drove to Dover from Benj. Blickensderfer's where I preached in the evening. It was very difficult for me to get to the end, due to indisposition and vertigo Also there were not men in attendance. On the way home I visited in new Castle and Schmicks, whose daughter Caroline became very sick again. As I had been engaged to preach in Dover, I had to refuse to marry the single sister, Hannah Heller to a certain Mr. Moore, which was performed in the afternoon by the Squire. 13th. I took the young Johannes Blickensderfer, from Newwied with me to Gnadenhutten; he is to stay on our home for a few weeks, until his uncle can find employment for him with some gentleman. Also I am to give him confirmation instruction, so he may be confirmed with the young people in Dover in the fall. Sunday 19th. I baptized the child of a neighbor, Wilson in Widow Miksches guesthouse. 20th. Bro Ferdinand Helwig of Trenton speaks to me about a "Social Ball" which the innkeeper in Trenton, who belongs to our church, had given in house in honor of the 4th of July, about which I considered it necessary to make some ernest remonstances to him. Our beloved David Peter, who has his birthday, is sick, and likewise his daughter, Marie Blickensderfer, in Dover is looking toward an early end with cheerful resigned mind. 24th P.M. I had a conversation with Bro. Samuel Romig, the innkeeper, he promises me to allow no dance in his home in the future,l which he had been persuaded to by some of his clients and boarders, much to his detriment and chagrin, as he himself admits. 25th. Old father Samuel Hefer finally succeeds in blocking up a house on his town lot. Sunday 26th. In the afternoon, in the home of lhe widow, Mrs. Krakon, the marriage of her daughter Theresa to the single brother, John Rehmel of Gnadenhutten. 27th I drive to Dover, accompanied by sister Susanna Peter, to visit Marie Blickensderfer, who is very sick. She had become unsettled about her heart condition, as though she had given herself false hope. 29th. We had to give up our already announced visit to our friends in Newcomerstown as our child became very sick Monday night. 31st/. After waiting 2 hours, they bring in the afternoon, the body of a little Stocker, which I bury in Gnadenhutten. Afterward the baptism of a little Guenther. Toward evening, Bro. and Sr. Abraham Blickensderfer at the Trenten Ferry, were visited. August 1840 Sunday, Aug 2nd. The serman in Gnadenhutten. After dinner Br. Martin Keyser, Sr., told me that bad reports have reached his ears about many of our young people who have carried on card playing for a good while and have given our more strict neighbors just cause for offense. Altho I had at times been suspicious that at the gathring in numbers of our young people, and often continued until into the night, with our doctor in town, what was not good might have been pursued, so it was extremely painful to learn of its certainly amd indeed of its extent. I see the necessity and duty of investigating these disagreeable events and of controling the situation where possible, according to my strength. 3rd. Since we left our little ones we hasten home and only visit on the way with Bro. and Sr. Schmicks, almost all of them have been very sick., but were now improving. 7th Bro Christ. Blickensderfer and his wife are both very sick with the fever - likewise Bro. David Peter is also becoming very weak, and his daughter, Maria BLickensderfer, threatens to hasten before (him) into eternity. Bro. and Sr. Brennerl, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, arrived at their relatives, Christian Blickensderfers, in order to take their sister Rachel Fahnestock back again. 8th. In the afternoon, just as I was making preparation for tomorrows serman, I finally succeeded in getting more definite information and more exact details about the card playing which was carried on in Gnadenhutten, through Br. Wunsch, whose honest brotherly mind did not think the matter dared be looked on in that way, but after much talking on my part, he named the persons involved in it. I was now able to take active steps in the matter. -------------------------------- End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V99 Issue #562 *******************************************