AREA HISTORY:  Addenda, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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ADDENDA – Page 772

ADDITIONAL HISTORY OF NEW FREEDOM.

The Evangelical Church organization was formed in 1859, by Rev. G. Hunter.  The first building 
in which the society worshiped had been a blacksmith shop.  In this building the worship took 
place of both the Evangelical and Methodist people up to 1871, when each organization erected 
new and commodious buildings, in which they have since worshiped.  The same pastors who had 
charge of Shrewsbury Circuit, had also charge of these congregations.  The Evangelical 
Association was the first Protestant Church organized in the borough.  There is a flourishing 
Sunday-school connected with the church.

The Lutheran congregation was organized in 1869, by Rev. A. Berg, and worshiped for some time 
in Hildebrand’s Hall, now Gore’s Hall.  In 1877 the congregation erected a fine church edifice, 
which has since been occupied.  This congregation is also served by the same pastor that serves 
Shrewsbury charge.  There is a strong Sunday-school connected with the church.

The Baptists at one time had an organization in the town, and erected a church edifice, but the 
membership was small, and finally it was suspended and the church edifice was sold to the 
Reformed people.  

The German Reformed people have had an organization in the town, but having no regular place 
for worship, met with only partial success, until Rev. A. Driesbach became the pastor of the 
charge, when it began to develop, and they recently purchased the church edifice of the Baptist 
people, and now is completely organized, and promises to become one of the strongest 
congregations of the town.

Freedom Lodge, K. of P., was organized in December, 1884, with an excellent membership which 
has since grown, and the lodge promises to become strong and influential.

A strong and influential literary society has been in existence in the town for some time, and 
is doing a good work among the young people of the place.

The terminus of the Stewartstown Railroad has recently been effected at the town, which will 
add considerably to the interest of that place.

The town has 3 stores, 1 lumber yard, 2 harness shops, 2 cigar factories, 3 shoe-maker shops, 2 
blacksmith shops, 1 ice cream factory, 2 wheelwright shops and 2 physicians.  This shows it as 
considerable of a manufacturing town.

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The following-named York County soldiers were among the “Continental Troops,” page 144 not 
mentioned in the general history:

Third Pennsylvania Regiment – Frederick Waltman, died in York County, August 23, 1825, aged 
seventy-one.

Sixth Pennsylvania Regiment – Archibald Campbell, of York County, Captain Lieutenant, February 
15, 1777; died in 1788.

Ninth Pennsylvania Regiment – David Bell, York County, 1776; died in hospital, South Carolina, 
1782.

Tenth Pennsylvania Regiment – John Ohmet, May, 1777-78; died in York County, April 16, 1823, 
aged sixty-five.  Leonard Weyer, wounded at Brandywine and Red Bank; resided in York County, 
1826, aged sixty-eight; blind. 

German Regiment – Jacob McClean, Capt. Weiser’s company, died February 18, 1824, in York 
County, aged sixty-six.  John Richcreek, Dover Township, York County, wounded at Germantown, 
and transferred to invalid corps.  Jacob Cremer, resided in York County, 1818, died May 19, 
1832, aged seventy-eight; was also in Col. Hazen’s Regiment.

“Ninety-second Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Ninth Cavalry.”  In addition to those named 
on page 189, in this corps were the following York County men:

Henry W. Heffner, Company G; William H. Swartz, Company G; Josiah M. Jones, York.  Howard W. 
Clark, Company I; Sylvester I. Eckenrode, Company I; John H. Serff, Company K; Lewis F. Kraft, 
Company L; George Trone; Henry S. Grove, Company L; Hanover.  William B. Showalder, Company E; 
Charles Neiman, Company E; John M. Brubaker, Company K; John Kirk, Company L; Edward Sweigart, 
Company L; Newberry.  William H. Sherwood, Company K, Chanceford.  John D. Hoover, Company H, 
Manheim; Ambrose Baylor, Company H, Fairview.

Ninety-third Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry – Henry Fisher, Company I; John Fisher, Company I; 
Sanford Fisher, Company I; Frederick Koch, Company I; Wilson Danner, Company I; Fairview.