CHURCH: Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Codorus Township, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Abby Bowman

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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History of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of West Pennsylvania of the United 
Lutheran Church in America, 1825-1925

Edited by Adam Stump, D.D. and Henry Anstadt, D.D.

Published by the Action of the Synod in Celebration of Its Centennial,
Printed For The Synod By J. R. Kerr & Bro., Chambersburg, Penna.,1925 
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Pg 484-485

BETHLEHEM LUTHERAN CHURCH, YORK CO., PA.

(Jefferson Charge)

REV. W. H. EHRHART, PASTOR

An old deed informs us that Philip Stiltz, often called Steltz, sold to the 
Subscribers of the Church named Bethlehem on the 14th day of February, 1795, two 
acres of land located in Baltimore Co., Md., on the Mason and Dixon line close 
to the point where Shrewsbury and Codorus Township join.  For these two acres 
the subscribers were to pay five shillings Sterling Money.  The tract itself was 
known as Stiltz's Deer Park.

On June 30, 1803, the Penns issued a Patent Deed to John Ruhland and Daniel 
Peterman, representatives of the church organization, for two acres and 120 
perches, adjoining the land bought from Philip Stiltz on the Pennsylvania side 
of Mason and Dixon line.

But prior to these two grants of land, in February, 1794, Christopher Ring, 
Philip Stiltz, Christopher Ziegler, Jacob Barg, Andrew Kay, George Ruhl, John 
Sour, William Rogers, Philip Stiltz, Jr., Henry Henig and Peter Henig signed an 
article of agreement for the founding of a Union Congregation where the 
doctrines of the Lutheran and German Reformed Churches should be preached and 
taught.

About 1801 a church building was erected on the tract of land purchased from 
Philip Steltz within a few feet of the boundary line in the State of Maryland.

In 1862 a brick church was erected on land purchased from John Fisher in Codorus 
Township, about one hundred yards north of the site of the first church.

The church was served as near as we know by the following ministers:  Revs. 
Sieger, Reineck, Andrew Berg, William H. Ketterman to 1903 and William H. 
Ehrhart from 1903 to the present time.

The church was incorporated December 5, 1863.