For those of you who were asking about the history of this church, this comes from the MEMORIAL HISTORY of the PITTSBURGH SYNOD of the EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Shannondale, Redbank Township, Clarion County, Pennsylvania The founding of this church was largely due to the faith and loyalty of a Lutheran Mother, Mrs. Katherine Keck, who came from the Brush Creek settlement of Westmoreland County to this vicinity in 1818. She had five sons, David, George, Joseph, Phillip and Conrad. All their earthly possessions were brought to Clarion county on the back of one horse, although it is said that the boys managed to drive four pigs through the woods to their new home. A tog cabin was erected, and here the boys grew up to manhood. Conrad was only eleven years of age at the time of the settlement; and walked all the way back to Brush Creek in his bare feet in order to attend catechitical instruction under Pastor John M. Steck, Naturally Pastor Steck was deeply interested in a lad as such parts, and visited the family several times in their new home during the years 1820 to 1828. He effected the provisional organization of a congregation here in 1820, and held services in a log school house located about two miles from Shannondale on the Michael Dinger farm. here the congregation probably expected to make their permanent home, since a burial ground was connected with the school house and several interments made. About eight years later, however, the people decide to locate their church in Shannondale; and a plot of ground containing between three and four acres was secured from Timothy _ickering and Nicholas Fish at a cost of eight dollars. The deed was dated December 18,1828, and the ground conveyed to "John Yeany and Jacob Hymes, in trust for the Presbyterian and Lutheran congregations of Red Bank Township, in the County of Armstrong, Pennsylvania" At that time, Armstrong County extended north as far as the Clarion River, and Red Bank Township included the present Red Bank, Porter, Monroe, Limestone, Clarion, and Mill Creek Townships of Clarion County, and the Red Bank, Mahoning and (part) Madison Townships of Armstrong. That naturally makes it difficult for the historian to determine what church is meant when the synodical records refer to "Red Bank". While the name Presbyterian in the original deed was meant to apply to the German Reformed Church, the Reformed people were not satisfied with their ___, and a reconveyance of the property was effected, April 23,1834 which Conrad Keck and Christian Yeany were named trustees of the "Lutheran and Reformed congregation called Zion" It is probable that the log school house, that stood here and was used for church and school purposes for a number of years, was erected in the fall of 1828. When Rev'd Henry David Koyl came to Clarion county in 1829, he soon learned to know of this school house and held regular services every month from 1830 to 1838. In the last named year, Rev'd John George Young became pastor and served them faithfully every four weeks for a period of 29 years. It is said that he preached here for two years before he was licensed by the West Pennsylvania Synod. An old document dated January 1, 1844 is preserved by the congregation, which contains the names of forty-one persons, Lutheran and Reformed, who pledged twenty-two dollars, twenty-eight bushels of wheat and nineteen bushels of rye to Pastor Young for one year of service. The last communion service in the old log school house was conducted by Pastor Young, April 12,1846, when the following communed:- Bachman, Katharine Heim, Katharine Schafer, Simon Bachman, Elizabeth Heim, Barbara Schafer, Margaret Bachman, Anna Hetrick, Katharine Schwab, Bronika Hattorf Benjamin Keck, Katharine Schwarz, Issac3 Boyer, George Keck, George Schwarz, Elizabeth4 Boyer, Elizabeth Keck, David Wolfgang, Hundieter, Sr. Bier, Johannes Keck, Salome Wolfgang, Magdalena Bisch, Jacob Meyer, Elizabeth Wolfgang, Hundieter, Jr. Bisch, Elizabeth Meyer, Nancy Wolfgang, Maria Burket, Margaret Rau, William Wolfgang, Michael Ferringer, Joseph, Jr. Reinerd, George Wolfgang, Barbara Ferringer, Caroline Reinerd, Elizabeth Wolfgang, Elizabeth Heim, Jacob, Sr. Reitz, John and Salome Wunderling, Fr. In the records of the West Pennsylvania Synod for 1834 this congregation is called Yeaney's, after a prominent Reformed family of the community. It is spelled "Jene" in the early communion lists. On April 9,1840, an article of agreement was signed by Daniel B Hanom, who agreed to build a good frame church, 40x55 for $1,300. this is a large sum of money for those days, but George Reinerd heeded a subscription paper with $100, Conrad Keck followed with $75, and John Jene with $65, and the sum was soon raised. The church was dedicated by Pastors Young and Hoffinan, January 19,1847, Rev'd William Uhl preaching the sermon. This building was a great improvement over the tog church, and was considered a very attractive place of worship. During the greater part of his long pastorate, Rev'd J. G. Young lived in a little house in the woods about four mites from Hawthorne. When he moved to Michigan in 1887, he left a strong parish of six churches with more than four hundred communicants. Local people speak of his peculiarities, one of which was to enter the church with his long clay pipe in his mouth and lay it carefully on the window ledge until after the benediction. He was not a well educated man, since he had but two years of private study under Pastor Bornheim to his credit but he filled a useful place in the Pittsburgh Synod, and had more to show as a result of his ministry then many of the better trained men. Like Pastor Henry David Koyl, he was a missionary in the earlier years of his pastorate, and often had as many "preaching stations" as churches under his care. he traveled as far to the northeast as Emerickville, and as far to the west as the Kammerdiener settlement holding all of his services in the German language. His successor was Rev'd C. A. Fetzer, whose term of service extended from 1868 to 1875. About the year 1870 he introduced English services, preaching in both languages once a month. White some of the Germans were inclined to resent the innovation. It seems that practically all the members of Zion attended all service, whether the sermon was in English or German. By this spirit of cooperation, the transition stage from German to English was made comparatively easy, and regular German services ceased during the pastorate of Rev'd J. H. Ritter. On February 12,1874, the parsonage property in Shannondale was bought for $1,300. by Zion, Bethlehem, Renggold and Hawthorne churches but the interest of the test two were purchased by Zion and Bethlehem ten years later. During the pastorate of Rev'd Jacob Ash, 1876 to 1889, the union between the Reformed and the Lutherans was dissolved. The Lutherans asked but $250. for their interest in the old church but the Reformed compromised with them for $150. the land was divided by survey June 21,1887, and the Lutherans then built a new church. The corner stone was laid, October 31, 1887, and the building dedicated by Pastor Jacob Ash, June 3,1889. It was built of frame at a cost of $4500. but much of the labor was donated. The first Sunday School was a union school of all denominations in the school house; the second was a Reformed - Lutheran school, which met in the church with Isaac Shaffer as the first superintendent, the present Lutheran school was organized by Pastor Ash. From 1884 to 1920 Red Bank Parish consisted of Zion and Bethlehem (near Ohl, Beaver Township, Jefferson County, PA.) except for a short period 1884 -1889, when Cool Springs was added: since 1920 Trinity church of New Bethlehem has been connected with the parish. The present constitution was adopted, January 1,1900, but Zion has not yet been incorporated. The pastors were: - 1820-1829 Rev'd J. V. Steck - Occasional Supply 1820-1829 Rev'd G. A. Reichort - Occasional supply 1830-1838 Rev'd Henry David Koyl 1838-1867 Rev'd John George Young 1868-1875 Rev'd C.A.Fetzer 1875 Rev'd Michael Schweigert - Supply 1876-1889 Rev'd Jacob Ash 1889-1895 Rev'd Jeremiah Ritter 1896-1903 Rev'd J. Leonard Fischer 1904-1908 Rev'd Henry Voogtly 1908-1909 Rev'd William H. Kline 1910-1918 Rev'd William M. Weicksel 1918-1921 Rev'd James A. Boord 1921-1923 Rev'd W. R. Siegart - Supply 1923-1926 Rev'd Daniel Dawson Miller 1926-1930 Rev'd William L. Price 1931-1934 Rev'd Kenneth Cornell 1935-1936 Rev'd Frederic Merl Crist 1930-1940 Rev'd Arthur H. Blank 1941-1947 Rev'd Paul J. Trout 1947-1949 Rev'd C. W. Barnett Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Shannondale, Redbank Township, Clarion County, Pennsylvania 1949-1964 Rev'd Martin A. Wagner Copied from: MEMORIAL HISTORY of the PITTSBURGH SYNOD of the EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH -1926 pages 426-465 by Mr. Cornelius E. Koppenheffer, 351 Howard Circle, Emporium, Pennsylvania November 15,1967 Retyped June 11,2001 by Mary Rowene Swartz Beck from a copy received from the Mormon Family History Center (LDS). Underlined letters or words are words that I could not figure out from the poor quality of the copy that I was using. 2 It appears that this is the Conrad Keck whose Mother started the church. Eric Swab Voice: 719/632-0251 Email: eswab@adelphia.net Website: http://users.adelphia.net/~eswab

Thanks Eric. Appreciate that history. I was there once and the little church stands on a hill with a beautiful view-so peaceful and so pofound to be walking the graveyard of my ancestors. I left with a onderful peaceful feeling. wish I could have gone into the church but it was locked. Mary in OH -- N2NET (http://www.n2net.net) ---------- Original Message ----------- From: Eric Swab <eswab@adelphia.net> To: PACLARIO-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 07:40:42 -0700 Subject: [CLARION] History of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Shannondale > For those of you who were asking about the history of this church, > this comes from the MEMORIAL HISTORY of the PITTSBURGH SYNOD of the > EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH. > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Shannondale, Redbank Township, > Clarion County, Pennsylvania > > The founding of this church was largely due to the faith and loyalty > of a Lutheran Mother, Mrs. Katherine Keck, who came from the Brush > Creek settlement of Westmoreland County to this vicinity in 1818. > She had five sons, David, George, Joseph, Phillip and Conrad. > > All their earthly possessions were brought to Clarion county on the > back of one horse, although it is said that the boys managed to > drive four pigs through the woods to their new home. A tog cabin was > erected, and here the boys grew up to manhood. Conrad was only > eleven years of age at the time of the settlement; and walked all > the way back to Brush Creek in his bare feet in order to attend > catechitical instruction under Pastor John M. Steck, Naturally > Pastor Steck was deeply interested in a lad as such parts, and > visited the family several times in their new home during the years > 1820 to 1828. He effected the provisional organization of a > congregation here in 1820, and held services in a log school house > located about two miles from Shannondale on the Michael Dinger farm. > here the congregation probably expected to make their permanent home, > since a burial ground was connected with the school house and > several interments made. > > About eight years later, however, the people decide to locate their > church in Shannondale; > > and a plot of ground containing between three and four acres was > secured from Timothy _ickering and Nicholas Fish at a cost of eight > dollars. The deed was dated December 18,1828, and the ground > conveyed to "John Yeany and Jacob Hymes, in trust for the > Presbyterian and Lutheran congregations of Red Bank Township, in the > County of Armstrong, Pennsylvania" > > At that time, Armstrong County extended north as far as the Clarion > River, and Red Bank Township included the present Red Bank, Porter, > Monroe, Limestone, Clarion, and Mill Creek Townships of Clarion > County, and the Red Bank, Mahoning and (part) Madison Townships of > Armstrong. That naturally makes it difficult for the historian to > determine what church is meant when the synodical records refer to > "Red Bank". > > While the name Presbyterian in the original deed was meant to apply > to the German Reformed Church, the Reformed people were not > satisfied with their ___, and a reconveyance of the property was > effected, April 23,1834 which Conrad Keck and Christian Yeany were > named trustees of the "Lutheran and Reformed congregation called Zion" > > It is probable that the log school house, that stood here and was > used for church and school purposes for a number of years, was > erected in the fall of 1828. When Rev'd Henry David Koyl came to > Clarion county in 1829, he soon learned to know of this school house > and held regular services every month from 1830 to 1838. In the last > named year, Rev'd John George Young became pastor and served them > faithfully every four weeks for a period of 29 years. It is said > that he preached here for two years before he was licensed by the > West Pennsylvania Synod. > > An old document dated January 1, 1844 is preserved by the > congregation, which contains the names of forty-one persons, > Lutheran and Reformed, who pledged twenty-two dollars, twenty-eight > bushels of wheat and nineteen bushels of rye to Pastor Young for one > year of service. The last communion service in the old log school > house was conducted by Pastor Young, April 12,1846, when the > following communed:- > > Bachman, Katharine Heim, Katharine Schafer, Simon > Bachman, Elizabeth Heim, Barbara Schafer, Margaret > Bachman, Anna Hetrick, Katharine Schwab, Bronika > Hattorf Benjamin Keck, Katharine Schwarz, Issac3 > Boyer, George Keck, George Schwarz, > Elizabeth4 Boyer, Elizabeth Keck, David > Wolfgang, Hundieter, Sr. Bier, Johannes Keck, Salome > Wolfgang, Magdalena Bisch, Jacob Meyer, > Elizabeth Wolfgang, Hundieter, Jr. Bisch, Elizabeth > Meyer, Nancy Wolfgang, Maria Burket, Margaret > Rau, William Wolfgang, Michael Ferringer, Joseph, > Jr. Reinerd, George Wolfgang, Barbara Ferringer, > Caroline Reinerd, Elizabeth Wolfgang, Elizabeth > Heim, Jacob, Sr. Reitz, John and Salome Wunderling, Fr. > > In the records of the West Pennsylvania Synod for 1834 this > congregation is called Yeaney's, after a prominent Reformed family > of the community. It is spelled "Jene" in the early communion lists. > > On April 9,1840, an article of agreement was signed by Daniel B > Hanom, who agreed to build a good frame church, 40x55 for $1,300. > this is a large sum of money for those days, but George Reinerd > heeded a subscription paper with $100, Conrad Keck followed with $75, > and John Jene with $65, and the sum was soon raised. > > The church was dedicated by Pastors Young and Hoffinan, January 19, > 1847, Rev'd William Uhl preaching the sermon. This building was a > great improvement over the tog church, and was considered a very > attractive place of worship. > > During the greater part of his long pastorate, Rev'd J. G. Young > lived in a little house in the woods about four mites from > Hawthorne. When he moved to Michigan in 1887, he left a strong > parish of six churches with more than four hundred communicants. > Local people speak of his peculiarities, one of which was to enter > the church with his long clay pipe in his mouth and lay it carefully > on the window ledge until after the benediction. He was not a well > educated man, since he had but two years of private study under > Pastor Bornheim to his credit but he filled a useful place in the > Pittsburgh Synod, and had more to show as a result of his ministry > then many of the better trained men. Like Pastor Henry David Koyl, > he was a missionary in the earlier years of his pastorate, and often > had as many "preaching stations" as churches under his care. he > traveled as far to the northeast as Emerickville, and as far to the > west as the Kammerdiener settlement holding all of his services in > the German language. > > His successor was Rev'd C. A. Fetzer, whose term of service extended > from 1868 to 1875. About the year 1870 he introduced English > services, preaching in both languages once a month. White some of > the Germans were inclined to resent the innovation. It seems that > practically all the members of Zion attended all service, whether > the sermon was in English or German. By this spirit of cooperation, > the transition stage from German to English was made comparatively > easy, and regular German services ceased during the pastorate of > Rev'd J. H. Ritter. > > On February 12,1874, the parsonage property in Shannondale was > bought for $1,300. by Zion, Bethlehem, Renggold and Hawthorne > churches but the interest of the test two were purchased by Zion and > Bethlehem ten years later. > > During the pastorate of Rev'd Jacob Ash, 1876 to 1889, the union > between the Reformed and the Lutherans was dissolved. The Lutherans > asked but $250. for their interest in the old church but the > Reformed compromised with them for $150. the land was divided by > survey June 21,1887, and the Lutherans then built a new church. The > corner stone was laid, October 31, 1887, and the building dedicated > by Pastor Jacob Ash, June 3,1889. It was built of frame at a cost of > $4500. but much of the labor was donated. The first Sunday School > was a union school of all denominations in the school house; the > second was a Reformed - Lutheran school, which met in the church > with Isaac Shaffer as the first superintendent, the present Lutheran > school was organized by Pastor Ash. From 1884 to 1920 Red Bank > Parish consisted of Zion and Bethlehem > (near Ohl, Beaver Township, Jefferson County, PA.) except for a > short period 1884 -1889, when Cool Springs was added: since 1920 > Trinity church of New Bethlehem has been connected with the parish. > The present constitution was adopted, January 1,1900, but Zion has > not yet been incorporated. > > The pastors were: - > > 1820-1829 Rev'd J. V. Steck - Occasional Supply > > 1820-1829 Rev'd G. A. Reichort - Occasional supply > > 1830-1838 Rev'd Henry David Koyl > > 1838-1867 Rev'd John George Young > > 1868-1875 Rev'd C.A.Fetzer > > 1875 Rev'd Michael Schweigert - Supply > > 1876-1889 Rev'd Jacob Ash > > 1889-1895 Rev'd Jeremiah Ritter > > 1896-1903 Rev'd J. Leonard Fischer > > 1904-1908 Rev'd Henry Voogtly > > 1908-1909 Rev'd William H. Kline > > 1910-1918 Rev'd William M. Weicksel > > 1918-1921 Rev'd James A. Boord > > 1921-1923 Rev'd W. R. Siegart - Supply > > 1923-1926 Rev'd Daniel Dawson Miller > > 1926-1930 Rev'd William L. Price > > 1931-1934 Rev'd Kenneth Cornell > > 1935-1936 Rev'd Frederic Merl Crist > > 1930-1940 Rev'd Arthur H. Blank > > 1941-1947 Rev'd Paul J. Trout > > 1947-1949 Rev'd C. W. Barnett > > Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Shannondale, Redbank Township, > Clarion County, Pennsylvania > > 1949-1964 Rev'd Martin A. Wagner > > Copied from: MEMORIAL HISTORY of the PITTSBURGH SYNOD of the EVANGELICAL > LUTHERAN CHURCH -1926 pages 426-465 by Mr. Cornelius E. Koppenheffer, > 351 Howard Circle, Emporium, Pennsylvania November 15,1967 > > Retyped June 11,2001 by Mary Rowene Swartz Beck from a copy received > from the Mormon Family History Center (LDS). > > Underlined letters or words are words that I could not figure out > from the poor quality of the copy that I was using. > > 2 It appears that this is the Conrad Keck whose Mother started the church. > > Eric Swab > Voice: 719/632-0251 > Email: eswab@adelphia.net > Website: http://users.adelphia.net/~eswab > > ==== PACLARIO Mailing List ==== > Visit the Newly updated CLARION County, PA USGen website! > http://www.pa-roots.com/~clarion/ ------- End of Original Message -------