Kindly
submitted by Jean Kashnicki
|
Also known as "Saucon" or "Blue Church". Blue Church -
because of the color it is painted.
Saucon - an Indian name Sakunk meaning, the
mouth of a creek.
Land Warrants
Dec. 12, 1730 - a warrant for three tracts
of land near "Saucong" Creek were issued to the heirs of HAYNES.
In 1743 these tracts were conveyed [350 acres each] to Joseph
SAMUELS.
Jan. 9, 1737 - a warrant was issued to
Conrad WALB . His heirs sold this land to Philip GEISSINGER.
About 10 acres of this land are occupied by the Blue Church and
graveyard. The adjoining cemeteries occupied a 10,000 tract of
land that had been willed to Springet PENN and William PENN. On
Apr. 16, 1729, Springet conveyed his title to his brother
William. William PENN sold this to William ALLEN who was issued a
warrant on March 5, 1730. ALLEN sold a large part of this land to
Philip GEISSINGER.
1730 - 1739 - twenty-seven warrants for
land were issued.
1740 - 1750 - about thirty-five warrants
for land were issued.
May 18, 1757 - Philip GEISSINGER had a deed
made out to the trustees of the church, John APPLE, Balthaser
BEIL, Andreas ERDMAN for use of a Lutheran Church, school and
burial place.
 |
Early Settler
 |
John and Thomas OWEN |
|
Christopher HELLER - progenitor of
a large family |
|
Johann George REINHARD |
|
Daniel COOPER |
|
John George BLANK |
|
John Matthias EGNER |
|
Rev. John Justus Jacob
BIRCKENSTOCK |
|
Philip GEISSINGER |
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Joseph SAMUELS |
|
George BRINKER |
|
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1743 - Petitioners for a New
Township
|
Christian
NEIKUMMER |
|
George ZEWITZ |
|
Henry RINKER |
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John YODER |
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John REESER |
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Christian SCHMIDT |
|
Henry BOWMAN |
|
Benedict GEHMAN |
|
Valentine STINMETZ |
|
George TRON |
|
Adam WARNER |
|
John WILLIAMS |
|
John TOOL |
|
John THOMAS |
|
William MORY |
|
Micheal WEBER |
|
John APPLE |
|
Jacob GANGEWARE |
|
Henry KREIBER |
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George BACHMAN |
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George MOSTELLER |
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Henry RUMFELD |
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Church Records
1738 - Rev. Jonh J. J. BIRCKENSTOCK bought
land in Saucon and offered part of it to the Lutherans there for
a church. This offer was declined because the Lutherans perferred
GEISSINGERS land.
1739 - beleived to be baptisms.
1740 - a church and school already
provided.
1746 - Muhlenberg writes in Halle
Reports that he has been serving the Saucon Congregation for a
year. He also speaks of two small congregations in Saucon and
Upper Milford [Dillingerville] and the dangers he encounters when
visiting them. When he declared he could not serve them any
longer, they wept so bitterly that he sent his school masters, J.
F. VIGERA, J. J. LOESER, and J. Nicolas KURTZ to serve the
congregation in 1746.
August 1747 - Muhlenberg visits the
congregation .
February 1748 - Muhlenberg almost
lost his life on the way to visit Saucon but the kind reception
by the congregation and the marked evidence of spiritual life
encouraged him even after his experience, to keep serving them.
In July of the same year he confirmed a number of young people
who had been masterfully instructed by Vigera. He could not leave
them so long as he had strenghth enough to serve.
[Muhlenberg fell through the frozen
Perkiomen Creek]
August 1748 - the first meeting of the
Ministerium of Philidelphia, Saucon and Dillingersville were the
only two congregations represented from the present territory of
the Allentown Conference. Delegates were Balthes BEIL from Saucon
and Matthias OX and Heinrich Ritter from Dillingersville.
Fall of 1748 - Vigera was transferred
to Philadelphia and Saucon and Milford were left unprovided
Nov. 22, 1749 - Catechist Rudolph
Heinrick SCHRENK who came from Lunenberg, Nova Scotia was
introduced to the congregation.
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1749 - Church record begun by
Schrenk. Some of the names in the baptismal record between
1740 and 1760 are
|
Johann APPLE |
|
John George REINHARD, |
|
Johann Philip TRAPP |
|
Heinrich BRUNNER |
|
Jacob GANGEWAHR |
|
Friedrich WEBER |
|
Michael SCHMIDT |
|
George KERSCHNER |
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Johan SIGMAN |
|
Martin KOHLER |
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Nicolaus SCHNEIDER |
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Elias BEITELMAN |
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Valentin STINMETZ |
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Michael SCHEYDER |
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Johann George MARSTELLER |
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Johann SCHAUT |
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George KUNKLE |
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Johann STURM |
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Valintine UHLER |
|
Peter EISEMAN |
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George Michael HITTLE |
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George CLEWELL |
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Jacob WENIG |
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Conrad HERTZEL |
|
George KLEIN |
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Balthaser BEIL |
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Philip RAUB |
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Abraham DANNENHAUER |
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Andreas ERDMAN |
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Andreas WIND |
|
Ludwig HELLER |
|
Michael MOSER |
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Christopher KOPP |
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Johann George SCHUMANN |
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Philip RAUP |
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Heinrich OTT |
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John Michael KEUPER |
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Heinrich RUMFELD |
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Jacob MOORI |
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Heinrich SCHOENER |
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Matthias MILLER |
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Melchior STECHER |
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Heinrich KECK |
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Andreas OVERPECK |
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George ALTMAN |
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Johann George STEIGLEDER |
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Johann CASSELMAN |
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Peter HERR |
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Heinrich RITTER |
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Peter STAUD |
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Adam SCHNELL |
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Johan Th. LEININGER |
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George MININGER |
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Johann Adam HEIST |
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Friedrich REITZ |
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George BASEL |
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Joh. Jac. KOCH |
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Valentine REIN |
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Matth. KERN |
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Peter HARTMAN |
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Thiel BAUER |
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Valentine GLODER |
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Bernard KUHNS |
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Nicol HEIL |
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George HERDER |
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Hans. Mich. WACKER |
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Jacob SARBE |
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Joh. NUCHTERN |
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Joh. George BLANK |
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Jacob DIETZ |
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Joh. MEIER |
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Henrich STECKEL |
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Phil. H. SCHOLL |
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George REINBOLD |
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Nicol. FRANTZ |
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Peter KNEPPLE |
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Peter KECHER |
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Adam MEISTER |
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Jacob RUFF |
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Casper ERB |
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Joh. H. RODER |
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Martin SCHAFER |
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Leonhard BOCK |
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Jacob KAMMERER |
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Friedrich MOLL |
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Conrad BITTENBENDER |
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Michael DITTHARD |
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Wilhelm LERCH |
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Joh. Mich. TRAUTMAN |
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Johann GANN |
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Joh. Nic. GAUER |
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Jacob ROTH |
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Johann MOOR |
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Joh. EBHARD |
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Joh. SCHUMACHER |
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Samuel WIDMER |
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Michael KUSTER |
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Christian GEIS |
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Christian LINDER |
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Fried. KRATZER |
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Christian JACKEL |
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Joh. RAHN |
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Christian TOLL |
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Joh. Jacob ZIEENFUS |
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Joh. HERING |
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George WOLFF |
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Conrad LEISENRING |
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Heinrich BURCHARD |
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Jacob HUBER |
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Andreas DIEMER |
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Peter SAMSEL |
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Peter LAWAR |
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Joh. GERATHENWOHL |
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Peter SCHWAB |
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Joh. Peter SCHULER |
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Jacob PRAUG |
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Adam SCHWANK |
|
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1750 Catechumens
|
Jacob GANGEWEHR |
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Andreas RAUB |
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Catharine MARSTELLER |
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Catherine DORSLINGER |
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Anna Christina MARDER |
|
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Some Marriages
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May 15, 1750 married Johann Adam
KUCHERT and Elizabeth LAUBACH, dau. of Christian
LAUBACH. |
|
April 14, 1757 married Peter
SOHNS from beyond the Blue Mountains and Anna Maria
RAUP, dau. of Michael RAUP. |
|
May 3, 1757 married John Ahrenhold
EBERHARD from Egypt and Anna Margaret WEBER, dau. of
Fried. WEBER, of Lower Saucon. |
|
Feb. 21, 1758 married Michael
ENGELHARD, soldier of Capt. Ahren's Company and Maria
Margaretha KOCH, dau. of Jacob KOCH of Dryland. |
|
Sept. 8, 1758 married George
STOLZE, widower, and Anna Elizabeth ROTH, widow of
Jacob ROTH, who was murdered by the Indians beyond the
Blue Mountains. |
|
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1926 Church Council
Elders
|
John B. GEKO -Allentown |
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Peter H. OHL - Emaus |
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Deacons |
|
Arthur WALP |
|
Paul YOUNG |
|
Urich WEIL Jr. |
|
Edward REINHARD |
|
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Trustee
|
Leo SAMES |
|
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Treasurer
|
V. F. SCHOENEBERGER |
|
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Secretary
|
E. G. ERNEY |
|
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Organist
|
Prof. C. D. OTT |
|
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Sup't. S. S.
|
W. E. HUBER |
|
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Pastors
|
1745 - 1749 - Muhlenberg with
assistants J. Nicolas Kurtz, J. J. Loeser and J. F.
Vigera. |
|
Oct.1749 - Nov. 5, 1753 -
Catechist L. H. Schrenk, he also served Milford, Morgan
Hill, and other congregation above and below the Blue
Mountains. |
|
1754 - 1762 - Rev. John Andreas
Frederici - parishes same as Schrenk and other
congregations in the territory. |
|
Oct. 17, 1763 - May 1764 - Rev.
John Joseph Roth - preached at Saucon, Allentown,
Egypt and possibly Indianland. He was buried in the
Blue Church burial ground May 13, 1764. He was a former
Catholic. He arrived in Philadelphia from Siegen,
Westphalia Sept. 22, 1752. He preached first at
Tohickon and then Indianfield where he baptized two of
his own children, John Marcus in 1757 and John Michael
Kilian in 1759. |
|
1764 - 1769 - supplied [not
specified by whom] |
|
1769 - 1793 - Rev. Jacob Van
Buskirk - parishes, Milford, Saucon, Macungie. |
|
In 1781 John BEIL, son of
Balthader Beil was given a chance at preaching. Though
a good man he was not a good preacher and no further
attempt was taken. |
|
1793 - 1795 - Rev. George F.
Ellison - parishes, Milford, Saucon, Salisbury and
Allentown. |
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1795 - 1798 - supplied |
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1798 - 1819 - Pastors -
Geissenhainer, Roeller, Kramer, Plitt, Heiny[9years],
Stecher. |
|
1820 - 1848 - Rev. Benjamin
German assisted by Rev. S. K. Brobst and student
Dechant [Reformed]. Benjamin and William were
brothers, Benjamin died in 1848 and is buried in
Allentown. |
|
1848 - 1851 - Rev.William German
-died June [26,28] 1851 and is buried in West Salisbury
Church. |
|
March 3, 1852 - March 1857 - Rev.
Jacob Vogelbach. |
|
May 1857 - 1888 - Rev. William
Rath and son Myron, part of the time. Died July 2,
1889. |
|
1889 - May 6, 1893 - Rev. E.A.
Yehl, D.D. |
|
1894 - Rev. William W. Kistler -
still serving as pastor in 1926 |
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- The
History of the Allentown Conference of the Ministerium of
Pennsylvania"
by Preston A. Laury
published in 1926, Kutztown Publishing Company, Inc.,
Kutztown, Pa.
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