Montour-Northumberland County PA Archives Biographies.....Shindel, Martin L. unknown - living in 1899

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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com June 29, 2005, 6:34 pm



Author: Biographical Publishing Co.



REV. MARTIN L. SHINDEL, a gentleman of scholarly attainments and a devout

Christian worker, has served faithfully and most efficiently as pastor of the

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Danville since March, 1874. He has devoted his

time and energy to the cause of Christianity with a zeal and a love for his work

which could not but result in the accomplishment of much good to his charge and

his fellow citizens, and there is not a member of his church who does not love

and respect him. He is a son of Rev. J. P. and Susanna (McCollough) Shindel, and

was born in Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pa.



  Rev. J. P. Shindel, the father of our subject, was born in Lebanon County,

Pa., and when young decided that his life's work lay in the ministerial field.

He became pastor of the Lutheran Church of Sunbury and served as such for a

period of forty-five years, when he retired owing to his advanced age, five

years prior to his death. He married Susanna McCollough of Lebanon County and

they were the parents of a family of eleven children, as follows: Jeremiah, a

minister; Rev. John P.; Jacob J. G.; Solomon; Newton, a physician, deceased; Dr.

Daniel W., deceased; Martin L., our subject; Philip M.; Louise, the wife of

Gideon Leisenring; Maria, the wife of Benjamin Hendricks; Susanna, the wife of

Samuel Gobin, is the mother of Lieut.-Gov. J. P. S. Gobin of Pennsylvania.

Martin L. Shindel received a good education, graduating from the Susquehanna

University, after which he studied for the ministry and was ordained to preach

in 1861. His first charge was at McAlisterville, Pa., where he remained for

three years, after which he had three congregations at Selinsgrove, Pa., for a

period of seven years. He then removed to Danville, Montour County, as the

successor to Rev. U. Graves as pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, of

which he is pastor at the present time.



  This church was originally a part of St. John's German Lutheran Church of

Danville, which was established in 1820 by Rev. Peter Kessler, who for some

years was the only pastor of that denomination in that section of the state. He

had charge of all the congregations in Montour and adjoining counties. In 1830

the Lutherans and Episcopalians joined in building a house of worship in which

each was to hold its services, but after a year or two dissatisfaction arose,

and the Lutherans erected a church of their own in 1844. The congregation

assumed large proportions in a remarkably short time and it became apparent that

the size of the church was insufficient to comfortably accommodate all who

wished to attend. Many of the members again became dissatisfied and the

English-speaking members withdrew, resulting in the incorporation of the

Evangelical Lutheran Church on April 29, 1852. They erected a handsome brick

church on Pine Street in 1858, a building 45 by 72 feet in size, with a large

basement for a Sunday School room, and Rev. P. P. Lane was installed as the

first pastor. He in turn was succeeded by the following in their respective

order: Rev. M. J. Stover, Rev. E. A. Sharretts, Rev. George M. Rhoads, Rev. U.

Graves, and Rev. Martin L. Shinclel, our subject. The trustees of the church at

present are: Jacob Fish, William E. Case, Charles Pusey, and Charles Werkheiser.

Adjoining the church, but facing on Mulberry street, is the parsonage which is

in every way in keeping with the church edifice.



  Under the successful guidance of its present pastor the church has increased

in membership to an enrollment of two hundred, and is in good financial

condition. Rev. Mr. Shindel during his long pastorate and faithful devotion to

his duty toward God and man, has won a high place in the affections of the people.



  Our subject was united in the holy bonds of matrimony with Catherine Young, a

daughter of John Young, and they reared a daughter, Elizabeth B., now the wife

of Samuel McCoy, town clerk of Danville, Pa. Mrs. Shindel died at the age of

fifty-five years, and our subject formed a second marital union with Mary O.

Tillson, a daughter of Darius and Mary Tillson of Danville, and they have one

daughter, Susan Mary, born October 23, 1889.





Additional Comments:

Extracted from:



Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District

Published by 

Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899)



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