Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-19
DONEGAL CHURCH
ANNUAL REUNION
Tablet to Members Who Died
in World War Unveiled at
Session of Association

Lancaster, Pa, June 19.-At old
Donegal Church, in northern Lam
caster county, to-day is being held
the annual reunion of the sons and
daughters of the famous Donegal
Valley and their descendants as
we'll. The pilgrimage to this shrine
of Presbyterianism, made historic
through its two centuries of achieve
ment and dissemination of culture
locally, as we'll as through the dis
tinguished persons directly connect
ed Herewith during the past two
centuries, is made each returning
season by probably larger and larger
numbers of people. To this mecca
come the pilgrims from all parts of
Lancaster county. from beyond the
Mason and Dixon line, from the Mid
die Atlantic seaboard and New Eng
land.
Annually. for the past decade,
programs of historical and high
ly inspiring character have been
rendered at Donegal. Seasons of the
Colonial Danes and the Daughters
of the American revolution have
been held there. The ancestors of
GTeSluenI william MChiHiey dIS
buried in the picturesque Gods
acre" adjoining. which also boasts
possessing the ashes of Revolution
ary and Civil War patriots. The
fame of the wonderful Donegal
Springs, on the opposite side of the
ancient stone church. has spread
nation wide, and touching its very
grounds are the lawn and country
mansion house of the late Secretary
of War Simon Cameron and United
States Senator Don Cameron. Don
egal Presbyterian congregation was
founded prior to 1921. the records
show, and the present church edi-
flee was builded in the years between
1740 and 1860.
The historical session took place
this morning, beginning at IL
o'clock. John n. Hetrick. of Ian
caster, delivered the address of well
come. An address. The Test of
Pedigree" was delivered by the Rev.
ain Presbyterian Church, and an
other. THE Sign of a New Age"
by the Rev. DR.. George w. Rich
ards. of the Reformed Theological
Seminary at Lancaster.
The most historically important
occurrence of the day was the url-
yelling of a tablet of bronze placed
on the Witness Tree"-the great
spreading oak near the entrance to
the church. The presentation of the
tablet was made by the Rev. George
Israel Browne, of Lancaster, who is
a lineal descendant of General Israel
Putnam, of Revolutionary fame.
The acceptance was made through
Samuel C. Slaymaker. of Lancaster.
The presiding officer of the 3
o'clock patriotic session, the re-
turned One Hundred and Eleventh
United States Infantry commander
in the World War, Colonel E. C.
Shannon, of Columbia, delivered an
address. Trees were planted to the
memory of Daniel S. Keller. Alex
ander Rodgers and Henry S. Heis-
tand, three youthful members of the
Donegal Society, who made the-su-
preme sacrifice in the World War.
The Society's national service flag
contains fourteen stars.
The Donegal Society to-day has
upwards of 500 members. It's pres
ident. who was also one of the or
ganizers and has always been. dur
ing the seven years of its existence,
a leading spirit, is Miss Martha
Bladen Clark, a local historian.
to perpetuate the memory of Don
egal Church, to collect relics and an
tiquities belonging to the church, to
preserve and beautify the graveyard
and to conduct an annual reunion.
Surrounded by the fine old white
oaks of the churchyard, veritable
monarchs. with their enormous boles
and huge, spreading branches,
stands the marble shaft erected by
the Witness Tree Chapter of the
D. A r.. in memory of the heroes
from the Donegal Valley who fought
in the Revolution as well as in
earlier Indian wars. Names of en-
signs, lieutenants and a half-doZen
captains appear on the roster.