Picture of a generic church

History of St. Paul's Church, Windsor Township, Pennsylvania

This history appeared in Morton Montgomery's 1908 edition of The History of Berks County, p. 1379.

Surnames: SCHUMACHER, IAEGER, HERMAN, WEISS, BARTHOLOMEW, HUNTZINGER, SMOLL, DRUMHELLER, MILLER, GABLE, KLINE

St. Paul's Church, Windsor Township. This church is on the State Road in Windsor township, about two miles northeast of Hamburg, Berks county. It is a plain stone structure, and said to have been for more than 75 years an exclusive Lutheran church. The first church was built of logs after 1750, and was dedicated November 6, 1756, by Rev. Daniel Schumacher, as the "Lebanon Evangelical Lutheran Church, at the Blue Mts." The membership was very small, and the services were at long intervals. It is said that the Indians destroyed this church and drove off all its members.

On Sept. 25, 1767, a request was issued to collect funds for erecting a new church near the Blue Mts. On Oct. 9, 1767, permission was granted to collect £500. This, added to their own funds, enabled them to build a second church, which was also built of logs and was dedicated on the 15th Sunday after Trinity, 1769. This church endured 63 years.

In 1832 the third church was built, which was also the first Union church. The corner-stone was laid April 29, 1832. The building is a plain stone structure. Rev. G. F. I. Iaeger and Rev. A. L. Herman were the officiating pastors at this time. On October 20, 1832, the church was dedicated. In 1868 the church was remodeled, the interior was entirely changed with new pulpit, new altar and new pews, and re-dedicated on September 27; and in 1892 the interior was repainted and refurnished at a cost of $500.

In the fall of 1872 Rev. B. F. Weiss was elected pastor of the Reformed congregation and served until 1898. In 1900 Rev. J. S. Bartholomew was elected as pastor of the Reformed congregation. June 16, 1870, Rev. F. K. Huntzinger became Lutheran pastor and served until 1875; when Rev. B. S. Smoll was elected and served until 1880; then Rev. C. K. Drumheller became pastor and served until June, 1883. Rev. O. D. Miller was elected June 1, 1884, and served until 1896; was then supplied for a short time by Rev. Gable. Rev. H. C. Kline, the present pastor, began his official ministrations June 23, 1897.

[Supplied by Rev. H. C. KLINE ]


Gillis Sampler

Last Modified

Home Page       Church Index       Library Index