AREA HISTORY: Churches, Manchester Township, York County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/york/ _______________________________________________ History of York County, Pennsylvania. John Gibson, Historical Editor. Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886. _______________________________________________ CHURCHES – Page 616-617 Union Church of Manchester – In November, 1820, a number of the citizens of the town met at the house of William Reeser, for the purpose of effecting an organization to build a Union Church and schoolhouse. At a subsequent meeting held March 28, 1821, Charles M. Poor, William Reeser, Jacob Fink, John Gross and Daniel Gotwald were chosen trustees and a building committee. The church was built in the summer of 1821, at a cost of $612, and dedicated January 21, 1822. Rev. Robert Cathcart, Presbyterian, and Rev. J. G. Schmucker, Lutheran, both of York, were the officiating clergymen. The church was first used by the two denominations mentioned and afterward by others also. Some of the merchants and managers of the mills at York Haven were Presbyterian. A schoolhouse was built on the same lot. At the second election William Reeser, Henry Grove, David Nelson, Charles Bishop, Charles M. Poor and Samuel Inloes were chosen trustees; Henry Metzgar was for many years secretary. The old meeting house was removed in 1879, and the present Union Church was built. This is used by different denominations. The German Baptists hold occasional services. The Evangelical Association is one of the denominations that at present hold services in this church. A class was organized in 1858 by George Young and Frederick Althouse. The preachers who had charge of the circuit to which this congregation belongs since then, have been as follows: S. D. Bennington, George Brickley, E. S. Brownmiller, H. Conrad, George Carothers, George Dellinger, Adam Ettinger, John Edgar, Charles Hammer, Peter Heis, Daniel Kreamer, John Kreamer, J. C. Link, L. May, Moses McLean, H. R. Price, H. H. Ream, P. H. Rishel, J. Harlacher, J. Zimmerman, E. Stombaugh, Hornberger, D. L. Reeser, W. Detwiler, J. M. Ettinger, N. Young, A. Krause, Steyman, D. P. Kline, S. Aurund, W. H. Lilly, H. W. Gross, S. Yearick, C. W. Finkbinder, C. F. Gephart, C. H. Goodling, H. N. Greninger, M. J. Snyder, L. E. Crumbling. Manchester Lutheran Church is a brick building located on Main Street toward the south end of town. It was built under the direction of Rev. Dr. A. H. Lochman, of York, in 1857. The congregation was organized in December of the same year by Rev. C. J. Deininger, and served by him until December 1865. He was succeeded by Revs. P. Warner, P. Austadt, E. Lenhart and the present pastor – Rev. W. S. Porr. The cost of the building was $6,000. In 1883 valuable improvements, costing $1,100 were added and the interior of the church beautified. Membership is about 110. Trustees, Samuel Gross and Henry Cassell. A Sunday-school of 100 pupils is superintended by John Frank, with Jacob Smith as assistant superintendent, who is also leader of the Church choir. Miss Emma Eisenhart is organist. United Brethren Church – About the year 1832 Rev. William Brown began preaching the doctrines of this denomination in Liverpool; an organization was effected in the Union meeting house, which was used until the erection of the new and handsome church, in the year 1878, at a cost of $1,700. Of this building George Yinger was contractor, J. A. Dempwolf, architect; Col. J. A. Stahle, H. M. Everhart, Charles Mathias, Jacob Eppley and John B. Rentzel, the building committee. The church was dedicated the same year by Bishop Glossbrenner. The following clergymen have ministered to this congregation since the church was built: G. W. Kirakofe, A. H. Rice, I. H. Albright and T. Garland. Church membership about sixty, and a Sunday- school of 100 pupils, of which Col. Stahle is superintendent. Mennonite Meeting House – Half a mile north of Manchester stands the old Mennonite Meeting House. Some of the early settlers of this locality, were members of that religious society. Among them were the Kellers, Leibs, Reiffs and Rodeses. Until 1810 religious services of this denomination were held in private houses and in the Union Meeting House, on the site of Hoover’s Church. It was during the summer of that year that the present old relic was built, of native yellow sandstone. Mr. Keller furnished the land free, and, characteristic of this kind-hearted, economical people, the other members associated together and completed the building with their own hands. From 1810 to 1850, it was regularly used, since then, only occasionally. It is still owned by the society.