AREA HISTORY:  Hellam Churches, York County, PA

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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 OF HELLAM – Page 606-607

The Lutheran and Reformed Church – This is popularly known as “Kreutz Creek Church” though it 
existed nearly a half century before the name “Kreutz Creek” came into use.  During the time of 
the early German settlement, west of the Susquehanna, the Lutheran and German Reformed people 
of this community worshiped with the settlers near the Codorus, so that it is entirely probably 
that the first religious services by the Germans west of the river, were conducted in this 
valley until 1741, when the town of York was founded.  A synodical meeting was held in this 
valley in the year 1745.  It was between that date and 1751 that the first church was built of 
logs on a tract of 50 acres, obtained by grant from the heirs of William Penn, “at the rate of 
£15 10s. per 100 acres with a quarterly quit-rent of one half penny per acre.”  The land was 
deeded to Martin Shultz, Jacob Welshoffer, Henry Smith and George Amend in trust for the use of 
the “Reform Duch and Lutheran Congregations.”  In 1777, a stone church was built, which was in 
use until 1860, when the present brick church, 60x44 feet, with end and side galleries, was 
erected.  It is located at a beautiful site to the left of the turnpike near the village of 
Hellam.

June 2, 1825, Thomas Cadwalader, of Philadelphia, as attorney for the heirs of Penn deeded “to 
Jacob Weltzhoffer, Jacob Libhart, Conrad Dietz, trustees of the German Reformed Congregation, 
John Blessing, Simon Fries and Lawrence Fisher, trustees of the German Lutheran Congregation, 
forty acres and one hundred and thirty-three perches for a consideration of $108, surveyed and 
lying within the Manor of Springettsbury in the township of Hellam. 

For the record of the First Reformed Church at York, it is ascertained that a congregation of 
that denomination existed here in 1751, and from these records it seems that Rev. Jacob Lischy 
was the first pastor.  He was succeeded in order by Revs. John C. Wirtz, William Otterbein, 
Daniel Wagner, George Geistweite, Daniel Zacharias, D. D., Daniel Zielger, D. D., R. Rauhauser, 
E. G. Williams and A. Wanner, D. D.  The last-named became pastor, April 1, 1882.  The Reformed 
membership is eighty-eight.

The early history of the Lutheran congregation, is closely identified with that of the First 
Lutheran Church of York, to which the reader’s attention is directed.  It is known from records 
that a Lutheran congregation was organized there by Rev. Lucas Raus in 1764.  The congregation 
was visited, and children baptized by Revs. Candler, Handshuh, and Muhlenburg who were followed 
by regularly elected pastors, viz.:  Revs. Hornell and Bager whose term of service is unknown.  
The following-named pastors succeeded each other in the order given:  Nicholas Kurtz, in 1777; 
Jacob Goering, in 1786; J. G. Schmucker, in 1809; Charles A. Morris, in 1815; John George 
Kraber, in 1818; Jonathan Oswald, in 1835; George P. Weaver, in 1869; A. W. Lilly, in 1870.  
Rev. E. K. Secrist was chosen in 1872, and is the present pastor.  The Lutheran membership is 
130.  The two congregations have connected with them, a Sunday-school of 160 pupils.  John W. 
Gable is the superintendent.  


DRUCK VALLEY U. B. CHURCH – The building in which this congregation worships, was erected in 
1884.  It is a well-modeled stone structure, 30x42, and cost $1,200.  An organization was 
effected December 30, of the same year it was built.  The membership is about thirty.  In 1885 
Rev. Isaac H. Albright was pastor.  The church is located in the northern part of Hellam 
Township in the valley after which it was named.