GOOD HOPE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

WEST SALEM TOWNSHIP, MERCER COUNTY, PA

Submitted by Beth Rollinson

Among the earliest pioneers of Mercer County were Jacob Keck, Jacob Loutzenhiser, Daniel, Peter, and John Klingensmith, Pennsylvania Germans from Old Westmoreland (Westmoreland County, PA), who settled in West Salem Township in 1796.  A few years later they were joined by Philip Schabandi, Jacob Erdmann, and Friedrich Eberhard, forming a settlement of German-speaking people, in the midst of which this mother church was born.  The German record of Good Hope Church begins with the year 1805, when Pastor John Michael Steck of Greensburg visited his former parishioners and baptized the four children of Peter and Katharina Klingensmith.  The fact that the oldest of these four children was born, October 17, 1799, would indicate that this was the first time the parents had access to the means of grace since making their home in the wilderness.  The fifth and sixth children of this family were baptized by Rev. Andreas Simon, August 14, 1808; the seventh and eighth by Rev. Peter Rupert in 1814; and the ninth by Rev. Carl Wilhelm Colsen in 1815.  The last recorded visit of Rev. John M. Steck was made in 1812, when he baptized the child of Abraham and Magdalena Keck, who also were former members of his Westmoreland Parish.  The old record also makes mention of a missionary visit from Rev. Johannes Stauch, and the name Good Hope, as well as a direct statement in his diary, leads us to believe that this church was organized by Pastor Stauch in 1807.  All these Lutheran pastors were but missionary visitors, who had the spiritual welfare of the scattered settlers in their hearts, and were ready to do what they could to help them in the establishment of their church.  Their first regular pastor was Rev. Heinrich Huet, a sturdy young German from Columbiana County, Ohio, who counted it no hardship to travel a score of miles on horse back in order to render ministerial service.  His name fills a large place in the old German Church Record, and shows that he was the pastor of the congregation from January 19, 1815, to April 7, 1827.  All these early services were conducted in German and were not likely more frequent than once every eight weeks.  By his faithfulness the people were encouraged to secure church ground and build a house of worship.  Peter Klingensmith and Jacob Keck offered to donate a generous acreage; and on this ground a substantial log church was built in 1816.  This church was built of such choice timber that it served the congregation for fifty-three years.  It was probably dedicated by Pastor Huet, but no record of dedication can be found.  The deed for the property was not executed until September 16, 1826, when the donors conveyed 4 acres and 152 perches of ground to Frederick Eberhardt and Abraham Keck, "Trustees of the German meeting house in West Salem Township", for a nominal consideration.  The successor of Pastor Huet was Rev. Michael Kuchler, a young member of his parish, whose name has been written large in the annals of Mercer County.  The records show that his first pastorate in Good Hope extended from June 15, 1828, to June 2, 1839, when he resigned to accept a call to Erie.  On October 5, 1828, shortly after he had taken charge of the congregation, he was visited by Bishop J. G. C. Schweizerbarth, who administered the sacrament to the following communicants:

At this time a reorganization of Good Hope was effected by the two ministers, when the following members of the Church Council were elected: George Adam Blank and Conrad Bittenbinder, Lutherans; and Jacob Kamerer and Jacob Hamm, Reformed.  It will be noted that Lutherans and Reformed communed together in this service; but this was not an unusual thing for that day.  The first Reformed pastor of Mercer County did not enter the field until 1826, and prior to that time all ministerial acts for the settlement were performed by Lutheran pastors.  The only exception to this rule was made by the occasional visit of a Reformed pastor, Rev. Johann Peter Mahnenschmidt, beginning with May 27, 1818.  Pastor Kuchler's successor was Rev. Friedrich Christian Becker, whose ministerial acts date from June 28, 1840 to May 22, 1847.  During the latter part of his pastorate he seems to have shared his work with Rev. Theodore Hengist, whose ministerial acts date from May 31, 1846, to September 3, 1860.  This overlapping may be accounted for by the fact that the two men served adjoining parishes during that time.  Rev. Michael Kuchler returned to Good Hope for his second pastorate immediately after the resignation of Pastor Hengist, and served until April 1, 1874.  During this time many changes occurred in the parish, chief of which was the organization of Holy Trinity Church in Greenville.  This organization gave an impetus to English preaching that was felt in all the German congregations of the county, and the German gradually gave way before the English in Good Hope.  In 1865 Good Hope and St. John's applied for admission to the Pittsburgh Synod.  Good Hope Church was required to adopt a new constitution, which was done, June 10, 1869.  This constitution was further revised in 1890.  Another outstanding event of the second pastorate of Rev. Michael Kuchler was the building of the second church.  The corner stone was laid by the pastor, May 2, 1869, but not dedicated until some time later.  At that time the congregation numbered seventy-five members, and used German in the greater part of her public services.  After the resignation of Pastor Kuchler, Rev. Herman Gilbert was asked to supply the pulpit until the congregations of Mercer County Parish could agree in calling a successor.  This arrangement continued until May 1, 1876, When Rev. J. A. J. Zahn took Good Hope Church under his care in connection with Lake Shore Parish, and served it until the fall of 1878.  When Rev. Jeremiah Fishburn became pastor of Holy Trinity Church, Greenville, January 1, 1879, Good Hope was admitted to his parish, and served until March 11, 1883.  During the years 1883 and 1884, Doctor H. W. Roth was supply pastor; and then parish relations were restored with St. John's Zion, and Salem.  With the exception of two years this relation has remained unbroken until the present.  The following is a consecutive list of the pastors: Rev. John M. Steck, Rev. Johannes Stauch, Rev. Andreas Simon, Rev. Peter Rupert, Rev. C. W. Colsen (supplies), 1805-1815; Rev. Heinrich Huet, 1815-1827; Rev. J. G. C. Schweizerbarth (supply) 1828; Rev. Michael Kuchler, 1828-1839; Rev. F. C. Becker, 1840-1847; Rev. Theodore Hengist, 1847-1860; Rev. Michael Kuchler (second term), 1860-1874; Rev. Herman Gilbert (supply), 1874-1876; Rev. J. A. J. Zahn, 1876-1878; Rev. Jeremiah Fishburn, 1879-1883; Rev. H. W. Roth, D.D. (supply), 1883-1884; Rev. C. A. Fetzer, 1884-1887; Rev. W. M. Rehrig, Ph.D., 1887-1894; Rev. W. G. Dressler, 1895-1897; Rev. S. B. Stupp, 1897-1901; Rev. Peter Riffer, 1902-1910; Rev. Wilson Yeisley, 1910-1919; Rev. C. E. Schweikert, 1920-.

       Note:    The above historical information is from the Memorial History of the Pittsburgh Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church by Ellis Beaver Burgess, Beaver Printing Company, Greenville, Pa.  1925

In 1796 the Kecks, Klingensmiths, and Loutzenhisers from Westmoreland County settled in West Salem Township, making possible the founding of Good Hope Church in 1805.  To the old log church erected by these pioneers came all the Germans of this part of the county to worship.  Governed by ties of faith and language they counted it no hardship to travel ten or twelve miles to hear the word of God and receive the sacrament.  A second congregation was started in the Wolf Creek region near Grove City at an early day, Michael Kuchler assisting Pastor Henry Huet as his catechist.  This teacher was given a license to preach by the Synod of Ohio, June 4, 1828, and became the outstanding figure in the history of the Lutheran Church of Mercer County.  He helped to organize St. John's Church of  

Delaware Township in 1837, which is now organized as the strongest rural Protestant church of this region.

        Note:  The above information is from Good Hope Church, Lutheran and Reformed, West Salem Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, by Paul Miller Ruff.                                

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