Page 66 - WPA Book
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Works Project Administration – Articles from Rockingham County
CHURCHES
The Lutheran Church
Page Three
The first was erected about the time of the organization and the second, much larger than the first, was built in
1874. It has been remodeled and improved to such an extent that it appears quite ne, and is valued at $4,000.
Trinity, seven miles east of Harrisonburg, was first known as Armentrout’s, then as St. Phillip’s in 1825, but as
Trinity since 1864. The list of subscribers toward a church building in 1787 and the 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, existed as a congregation by this name 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 and the other in a very fine and beautiful script beginning in 1801. It is believed that the Emmanuel
congregation was the forerunner of St. Paul’s mentioned above. The church in which they 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 Churches 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 8th, 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 discouragements 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.
Page 65 of 482
CHURCHES
The Lutheran Church
Page Three
The first was erected about the time of the organization and the second, much larger than the first, was built in
1874. It has been remodeled and improved to such an extent that it appears quite ne, and is valued at $4,000.
Trinity, seven miles east of Harrisonburg, was first known as Armentrout’s, then as St. Phillip’s in 1825, but as
Trinity since 1864. The list of subscribers toward a church building in 1787 and the 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, existed as a congregation by this name 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 and the other in a very fine and beautiful script beginning in 1801. It is believed that the Emmanuel
congregation was the forerunner of St. Paul’s mentioned above. The church in which they 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 Churches 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 8th, 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 discouragements 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.
Page 65 of 482
