AREA HISTORY:  Churches of Jefferson, 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 OF JEFFERSON – Page 702

The Union Church – Rev. Emanuel Keller, a Lutheran clergyman, December 26, 1825, 
preached the first sermon within the village of Jefferson.  Soon after this a 
Lutheran congregation was organized.  In 1827 Rev. Samuel Getelius, of Hanover, 
organized a Reformed congregation, of which Christian Renoll was elder, and 
Christian Renoll, Jr., deacon.  The services of both denominations were held in 
the schoolhouse until 1830, when a Union Church was built, whose dimensions were 
40x50 feet and contained a gallery along one end and two sides.  This building 
was used only until 1883, when the two denominations built separate churches.  
The Lutheran congregation erected a beautiful brick church near the square; Rev. 
W. H. Ketterman is the present minister.  The membership is quite large.  A 
Sunday-school was organized in the Union Church in 1860.  The successive 
superintendents have been George Kraft, Joseph Bare, Henry S. Hershey, Jesse 
Kraft, John Brillhart and Amos Rebert. 

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Christ’s Reformed Church – This church was built in 1883, at a cost of $3,300.  
The church membership is 200 communicants.  The pastors of the Reformed 
denomination who preached in the Union Church were Rev. Samuel Gutelius, who 
organized the congregation and remained a long time; Rev. Jacob Geiger, William 
F. Vandersloot, Samuel Gutelius (a second time) Joel S. Reber, Henry Bentz, 
Jacob Sechler, J. C. Julius Kurtz and Rev. J. D. Zehring.  The last-named 
gentleman served the congregation sixteen years, and, on account of paralysis, 
was compelled to resign.  Rev. Zehring is now (1885) living, a highly respected 
citizen of the village.  In the new church, Rev. Silas F. Laury served a short 
time, and was succeeded by Rev. Franklin A. Guth, of Lehigh County, a graduate 
of Ursinus College.  There is a Sunday-school in the church, of which the pastor 
is superintendent, Rev. J. D. Zehring, acting superintendent and G. S. Brodbeck 
assistant superintendent.  Rev. Samuel Gutelius, the founder of the congregation 
died in Dauphin County in 1866, aged seventy years.

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The Church of the United Brethren in Christ – Religious services were first 
conducted under the auspices of this denomination by Rev. Samuel Enterline, in 
the dwelling houses of members in 1847, which resulted in a church organization.  
A lot was purchased on the east side of Baltimore Street, and the present church 
building erected of wood, at a cost of $1,400.  John Garman, Jacob Thoman and 
Peter Zech, composed the building committee.  The following-named clergymen have 
ministered to the wants of the congregation since its organization:  Revs. 
Enterline, Snyder, Raber, Wagner, Coombs, Grim, Kreider, Jones, Carl, Craumer 
Brickley, Rudisill, Jones and J. L. Nicholas.  The services for a number of 
years were conducted almost entirely in the German language.  English is much 
used now.  The congregation numbers sixty-five members.  The trustees are 
Barnhart Spangler, Ezra Myers, Jacob Shearer, John Shearer and Samuel Sterner.