The Berachah (Blessing) church was built in 1898 on the southeastern part of Samuel Deffenbaugh's farm., Section 2, Hopewell Township, Perry County. It was about 2 miles south of Brownsville, Bowling Green Township, Licking County, Ohio. The members had left the Greenwood Brethren church in 1882-3. The Greenwood church had been built in 1878, also on the Deffenbaugh farm, but to the west. Sam's wife, Mary Mack Deffenbaugh, claimed to be a fifth generation descendant of Alexander Mack, organizer of the church in Schwarzenau, Germany in 1708. Mary was the daughter of John Mack and was probably a cousin of the Nathan Mack(1868-1936) who "always played the cornet for church services." Reference from The Brethren Evangelist, page 4. July 15, 1954. Brethren Church History, Rev. Freeman Ankrum. And added to by family memory. Was the playing of the cornet one of the differences between the Progressive and the Conservative Brethren Church of that day? Nathan and his brother John lived in Brownsville. They married Zella and Della Orr, sisters of Bert R. Orr (1870-1970), all of Brownsville. They were both well known in the Brownsville Band. Twenty-eight-year-old Bert built the Berachah church. He had been married three years to Anna Maude Bowser. We think his sweet wife and his two sisters managed to get him baptized Brethren. But in in his later life there was not much sign of it. The Macks are said to have been in Masontown, German Township, PA before they came to Brownsville. The first Macks arrived in Brownsfille about 1830. Hal .............................................................................................................................................................................. Hal