East Vincent German Reformed Church

The early records of this church, which style it the 'Reformed Congregation of Vincent Township', show that the old log church was built and consecrated in May of 1758 by the Rev. Philip Leidick and vestry, Sebastian Wagner, Sr, Simon Shunk, John Shoenholz, Thomas Schnider, and Lorentz Hipple.  There is also a baptismal record, kept by this church from 1758 to 1833.  Between these dates 735 people were baptized and from 1799 to 1833 the confirmation of 290  persons are given.  In 1784, Rev Frederick Dalliker became the pastor; Frederick Harman officiated from 1799 till 1831; John C Guldin, 1821-40; pastors between 1840 and 1848, Revs. Young, Onger, John R Hooken and Hoffman, all short pastorates; Albert Shenkel, 21 years 1848-69; S Maxwell Roland, 1869-1881; Rev Mr. Epert,the present pastor, since the first Sunday in May, 1881.

In 1812, the congregation met in their school-house, and elected as a building committee John Laubach, Casper Schneider, and Henry Hipple, for the proposed new church edifice.  3 Years after the laying of the corner-stone a burglary and sacrilege was committed; the corner where the box was deposited was cut out and robbed of its contents.  The stones of this edifice were red, yellow and white freestone.

In the old graveyard attached to this church are buried nearly all the early members of the church, several generations of the settlers of that vicinity.  Of the many hundred of interments, that of Benjamin Boyer - born 1727, died 1780 - is said to be the first.  Other early burials are indicated, by the dates on the headstones.

In 1828 there was a division in this congregation on doctrinal points of church discipline, which breadth widened in the ensuing years, and about 1847-8 one party withdrew and organized a new congregation and built the St. Vincent Church. >br>

Members of the congregation copied from the archives of the church, in 1846





This page updated on February 10, 2009