CHURCH RECORDS OF THE NEW GOSHENHOPPEN REFORMED CONGREGATION, UPPER HANOVER TOWNSHIP, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA. PDF
Preview CHURCH RECORDS OF THE NEW GOSHENHOPPEN REFORMED CONGREGATION, UPPER HANOVER TOWNSHIP, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA.
Cbutcb 1Recot68 ot tbe (5o8benboppcn IRefotmeb (Tbatoe 1731-1833 TRANSLATED AND EDITED BY PROF. WILLIAM J. HINKE Ph.D., D.D., Cburcb IRecotbs CHURCH RECORDS OF THE NEW GOSHENHOPPEN REFORMED CONGREGATION, UPPER HANOVER TOWNSHIP, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA. VOLUME I, 1731-1761. VOLUME II, 1762-1832. Translated and Edited by William Hinke, Ph.D., D.D. J. The church record herewith published has the unique distinction of being the oldest known record book of the Reformed Church in the United States. It is the property of the New Goshenhoppen Reformed congregation, which worships in the New Goshenhoppen Reformed Church, a building standing about one mile west of East Greenville, Montgomery County, Pa., close to the east bank of the Perkiomen Creek. The book measures 75^ inches in width and I23/^ inches in length. It is bound in heavy, leather-bound, oak covers. The leather was at one time tastefully tooled, but it is now torn and shows the signs of age. It was also provided with iron clasps, but they have mostly disappeared, and only parts of them have survived. The number of leaves still in the book is eighty-one. They are water-stained and yellow with age. The publication of this record is justified by both historical as well as genealogical considerations. It is on the one hand an im- Church Records of Goshenhoppen. 273 portant source of family history for the Goshenhoppen region, making us acquainted with some of the most prominent families in the Perkiomen Valley. But it is also important as a source for church history, because it contains the record of the ministerial labors of some of the earliest Reformed ministers in Pennsylvania. The title page is especially interesting and important. It was written by John Henry Goetschius (or Goetschy). Being undated it was formerly thought to have been written as early as 1731, when the first baptismal entries were made. But this is now known to be an error, because documents both in Switzerland and Pennsylvania prove that Mr. Goetschy did not come to Pennsylvania till 1735. As the title page of the Great Swamp record was written in 1736, so it is most likely the case with this record. At least we cannot be far from right when we say that It was entered about the year 1736. The title page reads verbatim et literatim: Das Buch Kost 5 schiling. Tauf Buch der Gemeind von Coschenhope. In welchem verzeichnet sind die Namen der Kinderen welche durch die H. Tauf nach dem Befehl Jesu under die Gemeine Gottes als Glieder an- genomen worden, im beyseyn Christlicher Tauf Zeugen, der(en) Namen samt der Getauften Kinder(en) Eltern von den(en) rechtmesigen Lehrern hier eingezeichlet worden. Gott wolle Ihre Namen mit dem Blut Jesu aus dem Siinden Buch ausl6sch(en) und in das Lebens Buch ein Schreiben. Amen. Joh. Henricus Goetschius, V. D. M. Helvetiae Tigurinae et cet. Pronuncia[n]s veritatem in Schippach, Alt Coschenhopen, Neu Coschenhopen, Schwam, Sacen, Aegipten, Macedonia, Missillem, Oli, Bern, Dolpenhacen. : 274 The Pennsylvania-German Society. This means This Book costs 5 shillings. Baptismal Book of the Congregation of Goshenhoppen, in which are recorded the names of the children, who, through H. Baptism, according to the command of Jesus were received into the congregation as members, in the presence of Christian wit- nesses, whose names together with those of the parents of the baptized children have been here recorded by the regular ministers. May God erase their names with the blood of Jesus from the book of sin and enroll them in the book of life. Amen. John Henry Goetschius, V.D.M., of Zurich, Switzerland, etc., preaching the truth at Sklppack, Old Goshenhoppen, New Goshenhoppen, [Great] Swamp, Saucon, Egypt, Maxatawny, Moselem, Oley, Berne and Tulpehocken. List of the Heads of Families Belonging to the Congregation of New Goshenhoppen, Reformed Members: [l] Herman Fischer Conrad Colb Joh. Michael Moll Fridrich Hilligas Michael Reder Joh. Bartholomeus Kuker Michael Lutz Andreas Lohr Georg Mertz Michael Fabion Henrich Jung Philip Jacob Schellhammer Leonhardt Knopf Jacob Knopf Caspar Kamra Church Records of Goshenhoppen. 275 [31] Caspar Holzhauser [39] Benedict Raderly [32] Michael Zimmerman [40] Valentin Griesemer [33] Baltasar Hut [41] Lorentz Hartman [34] Niclaus Ensly [42] Georg Philip Dotder [35] Jacob Maurer [43] Jacob Meyer [36] Fridrich Maurer [44] Daniel Lawar [37] Christian Knopf [45] Peter Walper[t]. [38] Fridrich Pfanenbeker [This list of45 members is in the handwritingof Mr. Goetschius and was therefore made sometime between 1736-1739,] List of the Heads of Families who in New Goshenhoppen Belong to THE Congregation of the Rev. George Michael Weiss. [x] 276 The Pennsylvania-German Society. List of the Heads of Families who in Old Goshenhoppen Belong to THE Congregation of the Rev. George Michael Weiss. Johannes Jost [20 Philip Wentz Jacob Hauk [21 Johannes Faust Jacob Weitraan [22 Kilian Zimmerman Samuel Schiiler [23 Ullerich Herzel Benedict Schwob [24 J. Denig Daniel Hister [25 Hoffel Dickenschitt Jost Keller [26 Jacob Hoffman Hennerich Buhl [27 Gabriel Schiiler Felix Lee [28 J. Gotz Jacob Grub [29 Simon Mag J. Hollenbusch [30 J. Lee, Junior H. Hollenbusch [31 J. Denig, Junior J. Werman [32 Baltasar Lamper Jacob Isset [33 Philip Ried J. Gantz [34 H. —Bamberger, Junior J. Muck [35 N. Dickenschitt, Junior H. Bamberger [36 J. G—otz, Junior J. Brunner [37 N. * Hildenbeidel Andres Miillcr st of the Heads of Families who in Great Swamp Belong to the Congregation of the Rev. George Michael Weiss. I] Church Records of Goshenhoppen. 277 [32] Abr—aham Ditloh [40] Valadin Kaiser [33] N. Ditloh, Junior [41] Dani—el Hucken [34] J. Nicolaus Mombauer [42] N. * Huber, bro. of Huber, [35] Paul—Samsel the tailor [36] N. Villauer [Christian [43] A w—eaver living at Ditloh's Willauer] [44] G. — Weiss [37] Johannes Huber [45] N. Kunius [38] J. Huber, Junior [46] David Streib [39] Philip Boehm, the locksmith [47] Andres Greber [These three lists were entered by Rev. George Michael Weiss, probably in the year 1758, when the record book came into his hands, according to a note entered on p. 37 of the original.] [I. BAPTISMS BY THE REV. JOHN PETER MILLER, 1731-1734] In August, 1731. Elisabetha, parents, Philip LABAAR and wife. Witnesses, Fridrich Hillegas and wife. Anna Maria and Jacob, parents, Fridrich MAURER and wife. Wit- nesses, Anna Maria Segler and Jacob Maurer. Maria Susanna, parents, Johan Georg WELCKER and wife. Wit- nesses, Maria Susanna Zimmermann. Anna Catharina, parents, Herman FISCHER and wife. Witness, Anna Catharina, wife of Joh. Mack. HAG Johann Wilhelm, parents, Andreas and wife. Witnesses, Joh. Wilhelm Schmidt and wife. Johann Adam, parents, Henrich RETHER and wife. Witnesses, Michael Rether and Susanna Zimmermann. Elisabetha Barbara, parents, Joh. Michael LUTZ. Witnesses, Frld- dich Hilligas and wife. June 6, 1731. Anna, parents, Herman DECKER and wife. Witness, Anna, wife of Georg Best. Johann Adam, parents, Michael HEYDER. Witness, Johann Adam Blanck. Johanna Elisabetha, parents, Joh. Wilhelm LABAAR and wife. Wit- ness, Johanna Elisabetha, Frantz Stupp's daughter. Johann Abraham, parents, Abraham TRANSOU and wife. Witness, Michael Schell. August 22. Johann Adam, parents, Johann Jost KOB and wife. Witnesses, Jo- hann Adam Beuscher and wife. — * N. means that the name was unknown to the writer. 278 The Pennsylvania-German Society. Johannes, parents, Jacob DANCKEL and wife. Witnesses, Johannes Bingeman and wife. Anna Maria Elisabetha, parents, Jost HENCKEL and wife, Wit- nesses, Valentin Griesemer and his wife and Marie Elisabetha Henckel. September 21. Maria Margaretha, parents, Georg RAUTENBUSCH and wife. Wit- nesses, Jacob Danckel and wife. Johann Philip, parents, Johannes HUTH and wife. Witnesses, Jo- hann Philip Emmerth and wife. October 31. Johann Jacob, parents, Wilhelm SCHMITT and wife. Witnesses, Jacob Keller and wife. 1732, April 9. Maria Magdalena, parents, Elias LANG and wife. Witnesses, Maria Magdalena, wife of Ludwig Schlosser, Anna Maria, wife of Georg Philip Schuman. Anna Elisabetha, parents, Johannes BLEULER and wife. Witnesses, Peter Diethert and wife. Johann Jost, parents, Joh. Jost SELER and wife. Witnesses, Jost Henckel and wife. April II. WilhelmandAbraham,parents,Jacob SCHMIT and wife. Witnesses, Wilhelm Schmit, Abraham Saler. April 15. Johannes, parents, Johan Philip EMMERT and Maria Catharina, his wife. Witnesses, Johan Hut and wife. April 16. Andreas, parents, Burckhard HOFFMAN and wife. Witnesses, An- dreas Maurer and Anna Maria Zimmermann. Johann Peter, parents, Jacob WETZEL and wife. Witness, Johann Peter Miiller. June 4. Johann Wilhelm, parents, Hans Adams BLANCK and wife. Wit- nesses, Wilhelm Labaar and wife. Elisabetha Barabara, parents, Fridrich HILLIGAS and wife. Wit- ness, Anna Barbara, daughter of Kaspar Kamm. Anna Maria, parents, Thomas HAMMAN and wife. Witness, Anna Maria, wife of Christian Lehman. Anna Clara, parents, Henrich BISSBING and wife. Witnesses, Hen- rich Bissbing and wife. Christophorus, parents, Philip Jacob SCHELLHAMMER and wife. Witness, Christophorus Schmitt.
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