Return to Index

1. SUBJECT:

The Lutheran Church.

2. LOCATION:

On the southwest corner of North Main and Wolf Streets, Harrisonburg, Virginia.

3. DATE:

Beginning about 1748, possibly at Friedens in the County; also in other parts of the county of different dates in Harrisonburg in 1853, the Harrisonburg Church is now one of the two oldest church buildings in the city; the other one, being the third church erected by the Methodists on German Street, now Liberty Street.

4. OWNERS:

Robert and Reuben Harrison.

Samuel Hare from Robert and Reuben Harrison, April 1790. B.R.D.B 000, page 369.

Henry Burgess, Jr. from Samuel Hare, Deed not recorded.

Peter Sprinkle from Henry Burgess, Jr. July 18, 1809. See D.B. 0000, page 301.

Gideon Obersheiner &c. from Peter Sprinkel, July 11, 1814, acre lot No. 14 in northeast square, corner of Irish and Wolf Streets. The house on this corner was probably build by Samuel Hare in the 1790’s B.R.D.B. 0000, page 301.

Richard Hagan from Gideon Obersheiner &c., May 23, 1816, ½ lot 14, including house. B.R.D.B. #3, page 199.

Lewis Bryan from Richard Hagan, including house, February 27, 1821. B.R.D.B. #5, page 207.

Henry Welch from Bryan, March 30, 1821, B.R.D.B. #5, page 212.

James Gray from Henry Welch, Nov. 8, 1824. B.R.D.B. #5, page 418.

John J. Suman from James Gray, April 8, 1850, B.R.D.B. #23, page 36.

Trustees of the Lutheran Church, Present Owners, from John J. Suman, September 6, 1853.

5. DESCRIPTION:

Gothic architecture; rectangular plan; tower on front of south corner of building; Cathedral window in front. The present building in the second erected on this location and was built in 1888. The first building, built of brick, was dedicated May 8^th, 1851.

6. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:

The Lutheran Church was established and working in what is near Rockingham long before the county was organized in 1777.

The earliest of the Lutheran Churches seems to have been Frieden’s, nine miles southwest of Harrisonburg, Virginia. This church was established as early as 1749, when a small building was erected to be used as a church and school house. The Lutherans and Reformed have shared equally in ownership and use of the property, although the Reformed appears to have been the stronger from the beginning. The second church, larger and better than the first, built into a residence in 1819, when the brick church was erected. This building originally was very similar to that at McGaheysville. It could be entered by either of three doors, one in each and one on the East Side. A gallery extended across each end and the East Side. The pulpit nine feet from the floor, against the west hall, was reached by a stairway of fourteen steps, one each side of which was a railing of hand carved bric-a-brac work painted green. A sounding board was over the pulpit, and under was a small enclosure, one step above the floor, in which the singing-master sat. This was also used by the clerk to record the communicants, and later, at times when there were but few hearers, it was used by the preacher. The interior was modernized in 1874, by closing two of the doors and removing the side and north gallery and the high pulpit.

But little is known of either Lutheran or Reformed congregations. The Rev. Daniel Huffman, whose death occurred in 1798, and who is buried in the cemetery, had labored here a number of years, but it is not certain

The Lutheran Church

Page 2

to which denomination he belonged. The Rev. Dr. John Brown of the Reformed church was pastor from 1799 to 1850. Regular Lutheran services are not being held at present, though the congregation retains all its property rights and privileges. The following pastors served the Lutheran congregation prior to 1853:

Gotlieb Deshler Adolph Spindle

Daniel Huffman(?) George Reimensnyder

John G. Butler(Botler) Jacob Stirewalt

Peter Ahl Jesse Hoover

D.F. Brittle J.J. Reimensnyder

Peter Schickel J.J. Suman

McGaheysville is called by the name of the village, or the "Peaked Mountain"Church (Massanutten). Here, prior to 1750, German people of the Lutheran and Reformed faiths established homes, and, as early as 1763, built a church. This, too, was shared by both congregations, Lutheran and Reformed. The first church was built of logs and in it was conducted a school taught by Gottfried Christian Luthmanns Loendart. In 1768, the second church was dedicated by the Rev. John Schwarbach. The third church, a large frame building, with high ceiling, extended gallery and high pulpit was dedicated on May 27, 1804, by Christian Streit, Lutheran minister, and the Rev. John Brown, Reformed minister. This church, with some alteration, is yet standing, and is used as a place of worship by the Lutherans in the community, the Reformed congregation having withdrawn and building the Brown Memorial on an adjoining lot.

The records of this church were written in German until 1825, and are said to be the most complete of any old church in the county; and the agreement entered into by the two congregations on October 31, 1769, is one of the most interesting documents of its kind anywhere to be found.

Raders (Roders), near Timberville, Virginia organized by Lutherans and Reformed in 1762, log house; replaced in 1806; Lutheran since 1881. (Dr. J. W. Wayland, History of Rockingham County). Thirty years passed before a ministry came to take up the work of Peter Muhlenberg in Woodstock. This was the Rev. Paul Henkel, who worked with energy in all this part of the Valley as well as in North Carolina, and in Tennessee. His home was at New Market, Virginia. He was a faithful and untiring servant of God and His church for many years. His first sermon was preached on Monday, December 2, 1782; and on Wednesday the fourth, he preached for the first time in "Old Raders Church".

John Foltz was a pastor of much usefulness in Rockingham County. He was licensed by the Ministerism in May 1796, as a candidate for St. Peters, Raders, Powells Fort, and Brooks Gap. He was ordained June 16, 2024 and spent his ministerial life, ending in 1810, in various congregations in Rockingham and Shenandoah Counties.

St. Peter’s (in Shenandoah Parish), four miles north of Elkton, Virginia, is the continuation of the Naked Creek Church and old St. Peter’s west of the river. The Naked Creek Church was founded in 1733. In 1747, it was moved west of the river and given the name of St. Peter’s. Under the lid of the pulpit was found the name of the builder of the pulpit, Christian Konrad, and the names of the building committee: John Mueller, Hiederfisch, John Ziegler, Frederick Ziegler and Gerhard Koyte. Among the pastors were: Christian Stover, Samuel Godfrey, Ziegler, Emanuel Rudebush, and Gerhard Mueller. (From Gen. J. E. Roller). In early years, and from 1875 to 1925, it was connected with the Tennessee Synod. Before the Civil War and possibly until 1875, it was connected with the Virginia Synod, and is so connected today.

Bethany: near Pleasant Valley, six miles south of Harrisonburg, called St. Jacob’s or Spader’s Church was organized about 1843, by the Rev Henry Wetzel. The congregation has two church buildings, both frame.

The Lutheran Church

Page 3

The first was erected about the time of the organization and second, much larger than the first, was built in 1874. It has been remodeled and improved to such an extent that it appears quite new, and is valued at $4,000.

Trinity: seven miles east of Harrisonburg. First known as Armentrouts, then as St. Phillip’s in 1825, but as Trinity since 1864. The list of subscribers toward a church building in 1787 and constitution adopted in 1807, at which time Armentrout’s church was standing, are the two outstanding dates in the early records of the congregation. The name of Gottlieb Deshler, a scholarly Lutheran minister of that day, appears on this subscription list in 1787, but no other minister’s name appears on the existing records until 1851, when Pastor Ambrose Henkel administered a baptism.

St. Paul’s, at Mt. Solon, was formed from a colony from Koiner’s church early in the eighteenth century. The first entries in the record book are those made in 1838 by Jacob Killian, who began to serve them shortly after he became pastor at Koiners. The name at first was the Lutheran Chapel, but later it was called by the name it now bears. The first church was dedicated in 1844, by the Rev. henry Wetzel, and the rev. Ambrose Henkel.

Emmanuel: According to an old record book, a congregation by this name existed at an early date near Mt. Solon. The records are written in two forms of handwriting, one in a crude, imperfect German, beginning in 1803, the other in a very fine and beautiful script, beginning in 1801. It is believed that Emmanuel congregation worshiped is now used by the church of the Brethren.

St. John’s: nine miles northeast of Harrisonburg, originally Lutheran and Reformed, bears a date upon its records of 1808, but dates upon the stones in the old cemetery show burial as early as 1790. The small log church standing here in 1812, was the place of worship until 1870, when it was torn down and rebuilt, the old side logs being used for the ends of the new building and new and longer logs were used for the sides.

Muhlenberg Church in Harrisonburg

When J. A. Seiss was licensed "To perform the duties of a minister of the Gospel" in May 1842, and was directed to visit Union Church in Rockingham county and such other churches as are unsupplied in that region, he took up his residence in Harrisonburg, and shortly thereafter, began holding regular services in the town. At the next convention of the Synod the "enter rise at Harrisonburg was commended and Brother Seiss encouraged to go forward". Following the withdrawal of Pastor Seiss in 1843, Pastors J. Suman and P. Schickel appeared to have been in charge of the work for well nigh a decade. The congregation was received into synod in 1849, a lot purchased in 1850, and the church, a brick building, dedicated May 8^th, 1851. During the civil War it was used as a Federal hospital, and not again used for worship until 1868. A new brick building was erected on the same location in 1888. There followed a long, hard struggle and many discouragement’s, until 1925 when the congregation became self-supporting. There has been a steady and substantial growth in membership, which in 1930 was 315, with a Sunday School of 165. These figures have been increased since that time.

This church has always had a membership of earnest, faithful and energetic workers and their efforts have been rewarded in many ways. Perhaps their best work, in recent years at least, has been done under the leadership of their recent pastor, the rev. Mr. Minnick, who was with them as pastor from November 1930 until August 1937, a period of seven years, when he was called to a larger field of labor at Lynchburg, Virginia. Since Mr. Minnick’s pastorate, the church has been without a minister, but their enthusiasm and work has not slackened or abated. Within the past week a call has been presented to Rev. Mr. Shuey.

The Lutheran Church

Page 4

7. ART:

8. SOURCES OF INFORMATION: