AREA HISTORY: Churches, Spring Garden 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. _______________________________________________ MOUNT ZION CHURCH – Page 610 Mount Zion Church is located in Spring Garden, about three and a half miles northeast of York, and is owned conjointly by the Reformed and Lutheran denominations. It is a frame structure, built in 1852. The building committee representing the Reformed congregation were Z. Spangler and Jacob Dietz; on the Lutheran, Thomas Plowman and A. Sipe. The Reformed congregation was organized by Rev. F. W. Vandersloot in 1852 with eighteen members. Its elders then were William Spangler and Daniel Byerts. A. Doughterty was the first deacon. April 17, 1852, the first communion was held. Since its organization, the following-named ministers of the Reformed Church have served this congregation as pastors: F. W. Vandersloot, D. Bossler, R. Smith and A. Wanner, D.D. The last named became supply to this congregation in 1870. He served in this capacity until 1882, when Mount Zion congregation became united with the Kreutz Creek charge, of which Dr. Wanner was then pastor. At the first communion he held, in 1870, twenty-two persons communed. The congregation now (1885) numbers 102 members, and is in a flourishing condition. A charter was obtained for the two congregations in 1867. It gives them equal rights in the ownership and use of the church property. The trustees then were Jacob Miller, Christian Gingerich and John Knaab from the Reformed, and D. Heidelbaugh, Samuel Gingerich and John Flory from the Lutheran congregation. A large and flourishing Union Sunday-school has been kept in the Mount Zion Church since 1867, and for many years it has been the largest Sunday-school in York County outside of the villages. It now (1885) number, including officers and teachers, about 200 in average attendance. The present superintendent is Jacob Drohrbach. The original plat of ground contained one acre, subsequently six additional acres were purchased, and a large cemetery laid off. In November, 1852, Rev. C. J. Deininger organized the Lutheran congregation with eighteen members, which, at the time of his death, in 1885, had increased to 200 members. In his official work for this congregation Rev. Deininger, during his thirty-five years as pastor, baptized 656 infants and 25 adults, confirmed 271 persons and officiated at 215 funerals. Some of the prominent members of the Lutheran congregation who have taken an interest in the church work were Daniel Heidelbaugh, John Fritz, Henry Kunkle, Henry Smyser and Michael Dietz. Rev. J. Henry Lesser was elected pastor in 1885. CHURCH OF THE EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION This is known as Green Hill Church, and is situated in the southern part of this township. It originated in 1868, first as a Sunday-school and prayer meeting, in a carpenter shop on the property of Michael Shellenberger. The same year and the year following Revs. Rearick, J. C. Smith and J. Bowersox, of York, conducted services here. In 1869 Mr. Shellenberger died, and his heirs deeded a tract of land to a committee for a church and a cemetery. In 1870 a building was erected at a cost of $1,300. Rev. Farnsworth was then pastor. The following ministers have since served: J. Manbeck, H. W. Shenberger, A. W. Shenberger, J. Snyder, H. Conrad, N. Young, E. S. Brownemiller, D. P. Kline, S. Aurand, George Carothers, W. H. Lilly, S. Aurand, W. H. Gross, A. Crouse, C. F. Kephart, S. Rearick, C. W. Finkbinder, C. H. Goodling, H. N. Greeninger, M. J. Snyder and L. E. Crumbling. The church trustees are George Druck, John L. Snyder, S. D. Shellenberger, Henry Campbell and B. S. Shellenberger. Church membership in 1885 was forty. A Sunday- school has been kept in this church, of which, at different times, the following persons have been superintendents: A. Sipe, A. G. Simmons, H. Kreidler, H. Conrad, J. A. Wise, J. S. Geist, J. S. Billet, Amos Druck and Walter Brown.