COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES
62
Sunday
N o .tf
Church
MenCbtfi
M a in v ille ^ E m m a n u e l .................................................................
M ifllm ville^ S l. Matthew
138
.....................................................
56
N u m id ia ^ S t. P a u l ....................................................................... B ear G ap—G r a c e .......................................................................... Briarcrcek— St. P eter ................................................................. St. J a m e s ....................................................................................... Zion ................................................................................................. O ra n g eville ....................................................................................
300 164 ^ 104 69 75
Hidlay
Fastor R . Ira Gass R . Ir a Gass ohn F . Bair ohn F. Bair . K . Adam s V. S. G erhard W . S. G erhard W . S. G erhard W . S. G erhard P. H . H o o ver L N . Bauman r . W . B row n F . W . B row n A . F. Dreisbach A . P. Dreisbach J. K . A dam s
45
234
- 75
140
....................................................................................
49
Btoom sburg ................................................................................... ly^nville— bh iloh .......................................................................... D anville— St. John ...................................................................... St. James .....................................................................................
249 432 114 ti4
330 325
Strawberry Kidge— Trin ity ...................................................
225
175
Kmanuel ........................................................................................ 93 B erw ick— Salem .......................................................................... 10 R ev. W . S. G erhard was succeeded in O ctober, 1914. by R e v . FkO TESTA N T
E P IS C O P A L
Among the New Je rse y immigrants to this section were many who adhered to (he Estab lished Church o f England, (he American branch o f which w as the Protestant Episcopal denomination. Rev. Caleb Hopkins w as chief ly instrumental in establishing the church at Bloomsburg in 1793, and in 18 )2 at Sugarloaf. A third organization was effected at Je rse y town at an early date* but no records what ever are available regarding it. In i860 Rev. E . A . l.ightner began services in Catawissa which resulted in (lie founding o f a church there, and in 1866 Rev. M. Washburn did a similar work in Centralia. These were the only churches in Columbia county in 1868, and in 19 14 the number has been increased to five, the church at Berwick having been founded in 1903 T lic Episcopal Church m Montour county came into being at Danville in 1828, under the ministrations of Rev. Jam es Depew, o f Blooms burg. St. Jam es’ Church at Exchange was erected in 1848. Services had been held there by Rev. Edw in Light ner from 1843, how ever. In 19 14 the number o f Episcopal churches in Montour county was two. B A P T IS T S
T his denomination w*as chiefly recruited from the English settlers of the county. The first church in Columbia county w as oi^anized in Madison township, through the c f^ rts o f Revs. Wolverton, Sm iley and Coombs. Tw o years later Revs. Joel Rogers and E lias Dod son organized another one in Jackson town ship, and about 1841 other churches were founded in Berwick and Bloomsburg. In 1851 an organization o f thirty members w as made in Centre township, and in 1886 another o f twelve members was effected in Centralia.
120
15a
i
85 as M . Shaflfner.
T he first Baptist services in Montour county were held in the courthouse at Danville in 18 4 1, Rev. J . S. M iller being the leader at that period. Services were also held at that date in the schoolhQusc at Exchange. T he Danville church w as built in 1844. K ev. A n drew F . Shanafcit assisted in the organiza tion of the church at Whitehall in 1 8 ^, and the same year the first building there w as erected. A t present there arc five Baptist churches in Columbia county, and three in Montour county. UOUAS
C A T H O L IC
Although one of the latest of the religious denominations to establish themselves in this section, the Roman Catholics have within re cent years attained considerable prominence and are possessed o f valuable property in various parts of the two counties, while the congregations have shown a steady and healthy growth. T he sacrament of the M ass w as celebrated in Blooinslnirg a s early as 1829, by Father Fitzpatrick o f Milton, but there is no record o f other services here until 1844. when Father Fitzsimmons held services on several occaston.s in a private house. The first regular services in a building of their own were held bv the members o f this denomination in 1874. T lie organization of the church at Centralia w as made in 18O9 hy Father I). J . McDennott, and the cornerstone of the church there was laid in the same year. The church at Berwick was established in 1899, under (he ministra tions o f Father J . R. M urphy, o f Rloomsbtii^. The mission o f Father J . P. Hannigaii. in 1847, resulted in the establishment o f St. Joseph’s Church at Danville. The first church
