NOTE TO NEW RESEARCHERS: Although the Goshenhoppen Records currently apply to a church located in the northeast corner of Montgomery County, many members of our Berks Community are affected by them. Either they passed through the area on their way to Berks County or they were a part of the bigger area included in Philadelphia County which once encompassed both counties.
The Goshenhoppen Church is just across the county line from Hereford Township. Berks County citizens went to this church from its foundation until this very day. Therefore, before you give up on finding church records for your early Berks County family, check the records for this congregation.
According to Glatfelter's 'Pastors and People', Vol 1, pub 1980:
The earliest reference to the name Goshenhoppen found was in a petition to the governor dated May 10, 1728. Many of the 'Back Inhabitors' about Falkners Swamp, and near 'Coshahopin' were seekng protection against a threatened Indian attack. Pastor William Hinke identified Goshenhoppen as a region ten miles long and five miles wide, which 'extends along the Perkiomen Creek, in the upper end of Montgomery County, and covers also small strips of land in the adjacent counties of Berks, Lehigh and Bucks.' An early Roman Catholic congregation in Washington township, Berks county, was called Goshenhoppen.
Glatfelter also says that the Lutheran and Reformed Congregations of New Goshenhoppen are among the oldest in the Pennsylvania field. George Michael Weiss organized the Reformed in late 1727. The Lutherans began abt 1739 when Justus Birkenstock came and served until 1743. Until 1749-50 the New Goshenhoppen church was union. Then the Lutherans moved two miles southeast and built their own church. Henry Goetschy began a registry for the Reformed congregation abt 1736 and Birkenstock began a Lutheran one in 1739.
The Old Goshenhoppen congregations in Upper Salford date from the 1730s. In a letter wriiten by Rev Henry Goetschy (Reformed) dated July 31, 1735, he stated that 'every third Sunday' he was at 'Old Goshenhoppen, two hours from Skippach.' In Jan 12, 1738, land warrants for forty acres in Salford, 'for use of a burying ground and schoolhouse for the Presbyters and Lutherans'. Four days later a survey was done, laying off thirty-eight acres and forty perches. The schoolhouse was built first and is thought to be the oldest surviving building (1980) in Pennsylvania erected for German church or school purposes. In spring of 1744 a cornserstone was laid for a church and in 9/20/1746 the first sermon was preached by Rev. Michael Schlatter 'in the new stone church'.
Rev. Weiss left PA for a few years, but returned in 1746 and became pastor of 3 churches which he brought into coetus - New Goshenhoppen, Old Goshenhoppen and Great Swamp. When he died in 1761, there wasn't a pastor for a few years - Rev. Jacob Riess - irregularly served. In 1766 Rev Theobald Faber arrived from Europe, accepted their call and brought the three congregations back together. The Reformed register began in 1764 with Riess. Lucas Raus began the Lutheran register in 1751.
Submitted by Diana Quinonis
Leon Borst, a prominent and respected local historian states:
"Goshenhoppen was an area that extended from somewhere around Salford in Montgomery County and followed the Perkiomen Creek and its tributaries to their source in the hills west of Herford and Bally in Berks County. In this area the southern part was known as "Old Goshenhoppen" and the northern part known as "New Goshenhoppen".This is why I think "The Old Goshenhoppen Church" is newer than the "New Goshenhoppen Church".
Where did the name "Goshenhoppen originate? Some say it's an Indian word meaning "where we met". Some say it comes from "Goshen" in the Bible. And others say it is a combination of both.
The one I like best is that some German settlers from Goshen thought this was "der Hafen" (the Haven) and called the area "Goshen Hafen" which eventually became " Goshenhoppen".
Some people think that the Borough of Bally in Berks was Goshenhoppen. There is no doubt that the land that is now Bally was in Goshenhoppen. Perhaps other locals in Goshenhoppen became known by other names and the area shrank to include only the area around " the Chapel in Goshenhoppen" (which would have been St. Paul's Chapel built by Jesuit Missionary, Father Theodore Schneider in 1743 - the Chapel still exists as part of the Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Bally). Fr. Schneider came to the area in 1741 and kept a record of Baptisms, Marriages, and deaths. This Sacramental Record Book is known as the "Goshenhoppen Register."
It wasn't until the 1830's that the area around the Catholic Church and the Mennonite Church became known as "Churchville". It was after the death of Fr. Augustin Bally, beloved Pastor of The Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, that in 1883 the people of Churchville honored him by changing the name if their town to "Bally".
Today, as a geographical location, Goshenhoppen only exists in the History books.
New Goshenhoppen Reformed Congregation in Upper Hanover. Baptismal register began in 1731.
St Paul's Lutheran Church, Red HIll, Upper Hanover, also known as 'Six-Cornered Church" and sometimes called New Goshenhoppen Lutheran Church. Baptismal register began 1739.
Old Goshenhoppen Lutheran in Upper Salford Township. Baptismal register begins in 1751.
Old Goshenhoppen Reformed Congregation also in Upper Salford Township. Baptismal records began in 1765.
Ann from Arizona adds a personal note: My ancestor, Johan Adam Wieder, had a large family. The boys were raised Lutheran and the girls were raised Catholic. The girls went to the mission in Goshenhoppen to get married. They also had some of their children baptized at the mission. Evidently Catherine, wife of John Adam, was Catholic before they emigrated to America in 1741. I found these records at the Lehigh Co. Historical Society in Allentown, Pa.
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