Church History: Maytown Reformed Church, Maytown, Lancaster County, PA Copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Abby Bowman Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lancaster/ ________________________________________________ History of the Classis of Lancaster of the Eastern Synod of the Reformed Church in the United States, 1852-1940; Part II, Histories of the Congregations of the Classis of Lancaster, Pg. 218-222 Printed by The New Holland Clarion, New Holland, PA; Editors Rev. Daniel G. Glass, Rev. C. George Bachman, Rev. Harry E. Shepardson, Rev. John F. Frantz, Rev. J. N. Le Van, D.D. ________________________________________________ MAYTOWN REFORMED CHURCH, MAYTOWN, PA Vacant, Student Supply, William H. Banks Maytown dates its history from the year 1760. On the 15th of February, Thomas Harris and Joseph Simons sold to Jacob Downer, of Lampeter Township, a tract of 150 acres. This land adjoined a tract of 288 acres extending from the Susquehanna River East, which Jacob Downer had purchased in 1750 from the agent of John, Thomas, and Richard Penn. On March 13, 1767, Jacob Downer gave Joseph Simons a mortgage on this same tract of land and in the recording of it this passage appears: "Part of which is laid out into lots on which is erected a town called Maytown". This definitely establishes the fact that the town was laid out on land owned by Jacob Downer between the years 1760-1767. After he laid out the town he seems to have invited a number of German families to settle there. They were entirely surrounded by Scotch Irish Presbyterians, who had erected a church building at Donegal, which was the earliest church in this locality. There was, however, a Donegal Reformed Church built in 1745 near Milton Grove, 8 miles from Maytown. A number of families from this congregation were among the first in the Maytown congregation and in all probability the organizers of the Maytown Reformed Church. There was a great deal of uncertainty as to the date of the founding of the Reformed congregation in Maytown until the minutes of the Coetus of the Reformed Church in Pennsylvania were discovered in the archives of the Hague in Holland. From these old records we learn that the Maytown Reformed Church was the first congregation organized in the newly laid-out village of Maytown. In his report to Coetus, May 8, 1765, Rev. Wm. Hendel, of Lancaster, reports that he preached to the Maytown congregation, which fact determines that the congregation had its beginning somewhat previous to that date. The records of the church itself begin with the recording of baptisms in 1765. In these early days the Maytown congregation was served by pastors who served numerous churches. The earliest of these was John Conrad Bucher, who, according to the writings of Dr. Harbaugh, became pastor of the church at Lebanon in 1760, and visited twenty-one other churches and preaching places, among which were Maytown, Manheim, Rapho, and Blasser's (now Elizabethtown). Rev. Bucher served as a Captain in the English army during the French and Indian war, and as a chaplain in the Revolutionary War, and a window in his honor will be found in the hallway. Previous to his pastorate, preaching services were held in private homes. On the first of August, 1769, Jacob Downer and wife sold two lots of ground sixty- two and a half feet each on Elizabeth street in Maytown to Garret Fiscus and Christian Fox, Trustees of the Reformed Church of the High Dutch Protestants, of Maytown. In the same year a log church was erected thereon. The Reformed Church of Maytown, was the first church structure in Donegal Township as now constituted, with the exception of the Donegal Presbyterian Church. The new brick church was dedicated August 21, 1808. At this time Rev. Henry B. Schaffner, who preached his first sermon July 10th of this same year, was serving the congregation. The main building of the present church, not including the hallway and belfry, is this original brick building, dedicated in 1808. At the time it had but one floor and in the rear, at the level of the present second floor there was a gallery. In the centre of the south wall a wine glass pulpit was located. On the spire of this church a weathervane, depicting Gabriel blowing his trumpet, was placed. This was removed when the present tower was built in 1893. For many years this vane adorned the barn of Dr. G. A. Harter. In 1930, he returned it to the church, and it was again placed on the tower. Rev. Shenkle in his history tells us that: "Mr. George Hollinger was a good organist, but the church had no organ. He collected money to purchase one and a contract was entered into with Gottlieb Strahlheim to build an organ". On the Communion case in the church parlor can be seen the wooden torches and eagle which adorned this old organ. Quoting again from Rev. Shenkle's history: "Up to this time the church had no bell. George Barr, Henry Haines and George Hollinger were appointed a committee to go to Philadelphia and purchase two bells. On the 16th day of May, 1810, the bells came to hand, which with the freight, cost $416.50". Rev. Schaffner's pastorate was long and successful, extending from 1808 to 1835. We are indebted to him for the record of much of our church history. His personal records have been entrusted to the trustees of the church by his descendants, Misses Georgia and Virginia Schaffner and Mr. Frank Schaffner. These records contain accounts of baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and deaths of members of the congregations of Maytown, Manheim, Blasser's, Marietta and Columbia, of which Rev. Henry Schaffner was pastor. An agreement entered into makes these records available to the representatives of these congregations, but at no time can they be removed from the Maytown National Bank, where they are deposited in the vault. In 1859 the church was remodeled, the gallery made into a second floor, the main floor becoming the Sunday School room. In 1893 the old spire was removed and a brick tower and hallway added to the original church building. With these changes the building assumed its present appearance. In 1930 during the pastorate of the Rev. James B. Musser, the church was redecorated. This was made possible through the generosity of friends of the congregation and the faithfulness of its members. Being a small congregation, from 1850 to 1890, the Maytown Reformed church was either served by supplies or made a part of a charge which at times included Elizabethtown, Marietta and Conestoga Center. Most notable of these supplies was the Rev. Alfred B. Shenkle, 1878-80; 1884-86; Rev. Emanuel V. Gerhart; Rev. Charles B. Schneder, and later Rev. George M. Whitmore, who served from 1911-13. Rev. Shenkle has given the most complete history of the church. Rev. Hay in his account says of Rev. Shenkle's work: "His was an arduous work, but it was faithfully perfomed". From 1874 to 1878, the Rev. J. H. Pannebecker served as pastor. His pastorate was marked by an arduous effort to secure a charter for the church, but this was not amicably agreed to until later and the same was approved by the congregation in 1879. As later pastors, Reverends John F. Mackley, M. M. Noacher, Ellis S. Hay, Samuel Dietzel, George B. Raezer, William J. Lowe, C. M. Mitzell, Charles Faust, James B. Musser, Arthur D. Knoebel, and Alfred Creager have served this congregation. We are justly proud of the heritage which has come to us through our church. Here we see the memory of Simon Cameron, Secretary of War under Abraham Lincoln, perpetuated by a window which testifies to the close friendship he had with members of this congregation. Here Rebecca Way, the Mother of Bayard Taylor was baptized and confirmed, and her parents rest in the adjoining graveyard. Simon Cameron served his country as minister to Russia and at that time Bayard Taylor acted as his secretary. Later Taylor became minister to Germany. The Brandt family in this community are descendants of paternal relatives of Bayard Taylor and some of the family are members of this congregation. Of those members who founded the church, many are represented by their descendants in the present church membership. Prior to 1800 George Barr, Jacob Shireman, John Hollinger, Henry Haines, Frederick Albright, Karl Murry, John Gelbach, and John Esterli were influential in church affairs. The list of members in 1812 includes: Peter Albright, Henry Jacobs, John Spangler, Reuben Welchans and George Terry. Between 1840 and 1850 these additional names appear: Jacob Roath, David Henderson, Samuel Pence, and numerous Albrights, Murrys, Shaffners, Shiremans, and Welchanses. Since 1929 this congregation has been united with the Marietta Reformed church to form the Maytown-Marietta charge of the Reformed church. The present supply is William H. Banks, student in the Seminary at Lancaster.