AREA HISTORY:  Churches, Franklin Township, 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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CHURCHES – Page 663

United Brethren Church was built in 1849 at a cost of $1,000, Capt. John Klugh was the 
contractor.  The building committee were David Heiges, Joseph Brenneman, and Valentine Elicker.  
The Sunday-school is superintended by Israel Heiges.  This church belongs to York Springs 
Circuit, the pastor residing in the village.

Evangelical Lutheran Church was built in 1884.  The Lutherans of the village previously 
worshiped with the congregation at the Franklin Church two miles distant.  The pastor of the 
congregation is Rev. Henry Seiffert.  The building committee under whose direction it was built 
were Capt. John Klugh, Jacob Lau, Frederick Murray, William Straley and P. R. Lehmer.  A 
Sunday-school of 100 pupils meets in it; George Evans is superintendent.


THE CHURCHES

St. John’s Reformed and Lutheran Church – This historic house of worship, better known as “The 
Franklin Church,” is situated near the state road, a short distance south of the center of the 
township.  Neither existing records nor tradition seem to establish the date of the origin of 
the congregation that now worship here, nor the time when the first log, weather-boarded church 
was built, except that “it was more than a hundred years ago.”  The adjoining burying ground 
contains tombs that are a century old.  Near the old church, for half a century, stood a 
building in which a school was kept that was supported by the congregations.

The present two-story brick church was built in 1847, at a cost of $3,000.  The building 
committee were Peter Wolford, George Dick and Jacob Stickel.  The Reformed pastors who preached 
here, as far back as they could be traced were Charles Helfenstein, Frederick W. Vandersloot 
and Edward Vandersloot.  Since 1839 the venerable Rev. Daniel Riegle has served the Reformed 
congregation, whose membership is now 150.  The Lutheran pastors were A. G. Deininger, Gotwald, 
Weil, Peter Sheurer, A. G. Deininger (second time), John Ulrich, Samuel Henry, J. Williams, 
Joseph R. Focht, Aaron Finfrock, Peter Warner, Jacob K. Bricker, E. Studebecker and Henry 
Seiffert.  The Lutheran membership is 120.  A Union Sunday-school of about seventy pupils, is 
held in the church.  Samuel Heiges is superintendent.


South Mountain Union Church was built in 1867, and dedicated by Revs. Warner, Fohl, and Hunter.  
Rev. Samuel Diller superintended the building of the church, which cost $1,500.  There is no 
church organization here, but services are held in the building by clergymen of the Evangelical 
Association United Brethren in Christ, German Baptist and Church of God.  John Arnold is church 
superintendent; Jacob Brandt, George P. Weaver, Abraham Flemming, Samuel John and J. M. 
Sollenberger are the trustees.  A Sunday-school was organized in 1868.  Its membership is 
sixty-five.  G. W. Brandt is superintendent.


Harmony Bethel-  This church belongs to the Church of God, an order of Baptists.  The house was 
built in 1877, Abraham Flemming being the chief contributor toward paying for the church, whose 
cost was $800.  The pastors who have ministered to the congregation are O. H. Betts, William 
Sanborn, Daniel Mumma, and Frank Bardeens.