Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1883-12-20
Additional Locals.

WHERE WAS THE FIRST LUTHERAN
| CHURCH IN MARYLAND LOCATED ?-On
Sunday morning last Rev. DR.. Diehl, pastor
of the Lutheran church, this city, prcfaced
his sermon with short historical discourse,
relating to the location of the first Lutheran
church in Maryland. Dr. Dichl said the
general opinion has been that the Frederick
congregation is the oldest in the State, but
recent historic Investigations show that the
first Lutheran church was located ten miles
north of Frederick, on the public road from
Lancaster, York, Hanover and Taneytown
to Frederick, near the place where the road
crossed the Monocacy creek. That would
place the locality mile or two south cast
of Creagcrstown. About 1880 the Governor
Of Virginia, aud Lord Fairfax, made efforts
to induce the GERMANS of Pennsylvania to
settle in rginia--chicily in the Shenandoah
Valley. From the counties of Montgomery,
Berks, Lancaster and York, a number of
Lutheran families came to Hanover, fancy
town and into the Frederick Valley. These
scattered settlers extended from the Pennsyl-
vania line to CAROLS Manor. The first con-
gregational organization was located near
the Monocacy, on that road or near it, it be-
ing the chief route of travel to Maryland and
Virginia A Lutheran congregat ion was
located at York, another at the Conewago,
a little southwest of Hanover, and another
at the Monocacy, 10miles north of Frederick,
La 1T42 these were the only three Lutheran
churches west of the Susquchanna river DR..
MuhlcRbcrg states that between 1142, when
he came to this country, and 1747, half his
congregation at Providence 30 miles north
west ofFhiladelphia, removed to the extreme
limits of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Nir-
ginia. All the Lutherans between fancy
town and CAROLS Manor belonged to the
Monocacy church. North of Taneytown
they belonged to the Conewago church. In
1747 DR.. Muhlenberg, who had visited these
churches, speaks of the Frederick and Mon
ocacy people being one congregation. Fred
erick was laid ont by Patrick Dulaney in
1745 and became the county town in 174S,
when Frederick county WAS formed. Rev
Mr. Wolf baptized children in 1887, whose
names were afterward entered on the re.
cords One authority says congregation
was organized about 174l, perhaps as Il
branch of the Monocacy church, and later
become separate congregation. 4 house
of worship was built in 1743, and Req, Da-
vid Gambler was the first pastor. liis pasto-
raj charge embraced York. Conewago, near
Hanover; Monocacy, near Creag erstown and
Frederick. lie died in 1744, and was buried
at Conewago Some of the Monocacy and
Frederick congregations attended his funeral
Rev. Laurentius Nyberg pastor at York,
preached occasionally at Monocacy. Dr..
A. Seiss in July, 1888, examined the records
of the Moravian church at Graceham, this
county, with view of identifying the local
ity of the Monocacy church. He writes July
28th, 1888 81 find it recorded that in has
Lutheran and Reformed church existed
near the Monocacy, on the main road from
Taneytown to Frederick, about 81 miles
southeast of Graceham. AT the death of
~. Gambler u! Coucwago his funeral