AREA HISTORY:  St. John’s Lutheran and Reformed Church, York Township, 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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ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN AND REFORMED CHURCH – Page 721

This church is located south of Dallastown and is familiarly known as “Blimyer’s Church.”  
Among the original German settlers of this locality, an organization was effected as early as 
1748(?) and a small log-house for church and school was built.  The pastor served also as 
teacher.  It was then the only church for a large extent of territory, in which there are now 
more than a dozen churches of different denominations.  Tradition says some of the members who 
worshipped here a century ago, came a distance of twelve miles.  The religious exercises, for 
more than a hundred years were purely German, and many of their pastors were Germans.  The 
following-named Lutheran clergymen officiated before 1812:  Revs. John Reyman (Raiman), George 
Berger, Conrad Raiman, son of the first clergyman.  There have been others, whose names cannot 
now be obtained from the records.  Rev. John Herbst, who organized Lebanon Church became pastor 
in 1813; Rev. George Stecher in 1820; Rev. A. Geanal, in 1830; Rev. J. Harman, 1848; Rev. Jacob 
Kempfer, in 1852; Rev. John Conoway in 1867; Rev. P. Warner, in 1873, and Rev. E. Lenhart, the 
present pastor, who resides in Dallastown, assumed charge in 1882.

Among the first reformed clergymen of this church was the celebrated Rev. Wilhelm Otterbein.  
In the pastorate of the German Reformed congregation at Blymyer’s Church, he was succeeded by 
Revs. Rudesil, Jacob Friesz, F. A. Scholl in 1813; G. Hoblestein in 1823; Jacob Myers; F. 
Hurst, who preached the doctrines of the Universalists, and afterward joined that denomination; 
F. W. Vandersloot in 1830; D. Gring in 1862 and R. Smith.  The last pastor was Rev. Rahauser.  
At present the Reformed congregation has no pastor.  Some of the old members and church 
officers are John Geesey, Christian Blymire, Michael Albright, Adam Flinchbaugh, Theobalt 
Sherer, John Riechard, John Householder, Ulrich Neff, Herman Miller, John A. Innerst and 
Christian Dohm.  The present building of brick is the third one erected here.