McKean County GenWeb
From the Souvenir program of Ludlow's Old Home Week, July 4-5-6-7
Ludlow Church History
The first Swedish Lutheran services held in Ludlow were between 1880 and 1882, with the Rev. J. Franzen, of Kane, Pennsylvania, conducting the meetings. These services were held in the old, one-room school house.

Moriah Lutheran Church

In 1889, the Swedish Lutherans erected a church on a plot of ground donated by J. G. Curtis. This is the exact site of the church today. The congregation, composed of forty charter members, was organized in 1882. The following charter members are still living:

  • Rev. Christian Swenson
  • Mrs. Emma Anderson
  • C. W. Anderson
  • Mrs. Maria Wenstran
  • Mrs. Britta Wenstran
  • Mrs. Hulda Jacobson

Many improvements have been made to the church property during these years. An altar painting, representing an angel in flight, was done in oil in 1893, by Albert Johnson. In 1913, this painting was replaced by the present altar and a copy of Thorwaldsen's statue of Christ. The Sunday School room was added in 1897 and the kitchen in 1904, thereby giving more space for the carrying on of church activities. With the addition of the added parsonage in 1905, the building program of the church was completed. In 1932, the congregation celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. The celebration lasted three days, from Friday, August 5th, to Sunday, August 7th. The picnic in Wildcat Park Saturday afternoon, and the Confirmand Reunion in the evening, were the best attended meetings. Doctor Felix V. Hanson, president of the New York Conference of the Augusta Synod of the Lutheran Church, delivered the address at the Historical Meeting Sunday afternoon.

Three sons of the congregation have become Lutheran pastors, namely: Rev. E. W. Peterson, Rev. Harry A. Peterson, and Rev. Robert E. Olson. Regular pastors who have served the congregation are as follows:

  • Anders Palmer
  • E. G. Juhlin
  • A. F. Peterson
  • C. A. Hallberg
  • A. S. Pearson
  • 1935 -Reverend Carl E. Lundgren is the present pastor

The Union Church

Elder McEwen occasionally came to Ludlow, when, he found time, and preached an English service in the old school house. During the week he was employed in the Kane engine house. This was before the day of the Sunday passenger train, and he had either to walk the nine miles or "hop" a freight or a "pusher." The services were very irregular as it was decided to build a church in Ludlow. Accordingly in 1890, a church was erected where the side entrance gate to the Olmsted residence now stands. J. G. Curtis donated the lot most of the building materials used in the construction of this new church. It was a rather pretty church, the interior being in Gothic architecture. Unfortunately, this church burned to the ground on Christmas Eve, 1914, and was never rebuilt.


Swedish Mission Church

The Swedish Mission congregation was organized March 5, 1897, by Rev. A. W. Franklin, with twenty-four charter members. The church was built during the same year. It has held regular services during the past thirty-eight years.

The following pastors have served the congregation:

  • A. W. Franklin
  • A. E. Hallmertz
  • David Lindquist
  • A. F. Hogberg
  • B. A. Johnson
  • 1935 -Rev. A. Alm is the present pastor

Contributed by Chris McClelland