AREA HISTORY:  West Bangor – The Welsh, 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/
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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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WEST BANGOR – THE WELSH – Page 768

The village of West Bangor is situated on the summit of the slate ridge, and contains a 
population of about 300, all of whom are Welsh.  The town was started about 1850, and a 
postoffice was established July 31, 1861, which became a money-order office July 6, 1876.

The Welsh, who began to locate in Peach Bottom as early as 1843, coming from the slate region 
of North Wales, are an intelligent and industrious people.  Many of them have become remarkably 
prosperous as operators of the mines.  There are in all 500 Welsh people in this community who 
speak a language which had its origin as far back as the sixth century, or 700 years before the 
origin of the English language.  They are representatives of an ancient Celtic race, of which 
there are 1,500,000 in Wales, and 400,000 in America, mostly in the West.  Welsh children are 
all taught English in their native country as well as in America.  In Peach Bottom they attend 
the public schools; most of them are bright and intelligent pupils.  They are taught, however, 
to hold in great reverence their native tongue, scarcely a word of which is identical with the 
English.  All of their religious services are conducted in Welsh in a solemn and impressive 
manner.  There is no nationality more faithfully devoted to the cause of Christianity.  As a 
people, the Welsh are matter of fact, and do not read frivolous stories.  There are no works on 
infidelity published in the Welsh language, and none were ever written by a Welshman.  Infants 
are baptized only when their parents are members of church.  The remains of the dead are placed 
in the tomb facing the east.  As a people they love sacred music, and some are great singers.

In the Slateville churchyard among many Welsh tombs, is one with the following inscription:  
“Er Cof am William Morris Y Canor, Bu farw Hydref 27, 1869.  Oed 44.”  William Morris, who died 
here at the age of forty-four years, was a noted singer.  On one occasion, with his sister, he 
sang the Unbroken Covenant with great feeling and effect to an audience of thousands collected 
in Caernarvon Castle, the birth place of the first Prince of Wales.


The Calvanistic Methodist Church at West Bangor was erected in 1854, on land donated by the 
late Maj. Williamson, under the director of John Humphrey, D. E. Williams and Robert Davis, the 
first trustees.  The first pastor was Rev. E. J. Hughes, who was succeeded by Rev. Evan F. 
Jones, who remained about eleven years, after which the pulpit was vacant for three years, when 
Mr. Hughes returned to the charge, which he continues acceptably to fill.  Mr. Jones went to 
Wales, where he has attained celebrity as a pulpit orator.  The membership of this church 
numbers about 100, composed entirely of Welsh immigrants and their descendants, the services 
being conducted in that language.  The Sabbath-school numbers 150, of which Timothy Morgan is 
superintendent.


The Welsh Congregational Church, of West Bangor, was organized November 21, 1855, at 
Slateville, with thirty-seven members.  Hugh Williams and William Morris were first deacons.  
The worship was then held in the vestry of the Presbyterian Church, and the congregation had no 
regular pastor.  In 1857 the society purchased, for a nominal sum, a lot in West Bangor, of 
Thomas S. Williamson, and in the same year erected a commodious frame church.  The trustees 
then were Griffith Davies, Robert Hughes, David C. Williams, Hugh Williams and Elias Rowlands.  
The church was dedicated in 1858, by Revs. Morris R. Remsen, of New York, and David Price, of 
Utica.  The late William Morris assisted greatly in paying for the church, Rev. Thomas 
Williams, now at East Bangor, this State, was the first pastor and served ten years.  In 1884, 
after being nearly ten years without a pastor, Rev. Dglyn Jones, a young man from Wales, was 
called.  On account of ill-health he returned to his native land.  In 1885 the present pastor, 
Rev. John Cadwallader, then of Columbus, Ohio, accepted a call to this church.  The church 
membership is seventy, with a congregation of 250; membership of Sunday-school, 100 pupils.