History of Western Maryland. J. Thomas Scharf
communion of the latter three hundred and eight names were recorded. Rev. Ezra Keller, D.D., succeeded Dr. Schaeffer, and during his pastorate, lasting four years, the number of communicants increased to four hundred and sixty. Rev. B. W. Conrad became pastor in May, 1844, and resigned in October, 1850. During his pastorate two hundred and nineteen persons were admitted, one hundred and ninety-two buried, two hundred and fifty baptized, and the sum of seven thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars was raised for various objects. Four Sabbath-schools were organized in the county, which with that in Hagerstown numbered more than five hundred scholars. In the fall of 1850, Rev. F. R. Anspach, D.D., became pastor, and was succeeded by Rev. R. Hill in 1857, who was followed by Rev. J. Evans in December, 1860. Mr. Evans remained until 1866, and was succeeded in 1867 by Rev. T. T. Titus, who resigned in October, 1869, in order to become pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, an offshoot of St. John's. During several intervals the pulpit was supplied by Rev. W. P. Eyster and Rev. C. Martin, while acting as principals of the female seminary. In November, 1869, the Rev. S. W. Owen (the present pastor) took charge. He preached his last sermon in the church in its old form on the last Sunday in May, 1870, and the first one in its remodeled form on the third Sunday of April, 1871. During the century and more of its existence this congregation has had fourteen regular pastors and four temporary supplies. Of the regular pastors six are still living, viz.: Revs. S. K. Hoshour, C. F. Schaeffer, F. W. Conrad, Reuben Hill, T. T. Titus, and S. W. Owen; and eight have died, viz.: Revs. Wildban, Young, J. G. Schmucker, Solomon Schaeffer, Benjamin Kurtz, Ezra Keller, F. R. Anspach, and J. Evans. Of the temporary supplies. Revs. C. Martin and W. F. Eyster are still living, while Revs. F. Ruthrauff and J. Medtard are dead. The original field covered by the pastors of St. John's has been divided into half a dozen charges, supplied by as many ministers. The older pastors took a prominent part in the organization of the General Synod, and in St. John's Church the delegates from the Pennsylvania, Maryland, and North Carolina Synods met on the 20th of October, 1820, to adopt its constitution. Here also the committee met to determine the location of the General Theological Seminary, and the congregation of St. John's subscribed the largest bona fide sum, two thousand five hundred dollars, to secure it. Three of its pastors became editors of the Lutheran Observer, while others have been prominent in educational works. It has furnished a number of ministers, among them Dr. W. M. Reynolds, Prof F. Springer, and Rev. Messrs. C. Startzman, J. H. A. Kitzmiller, H. J. Watkins, and J. Forthman. Its Ladies' Benevolent Association has aided a number of clergymen in obtaining their education. The congregation numbers three hundred and twenty-five members, and recently expended seventeen thousand dollars in remodeling its church edifice. The old church, built in 1795 and 1796, stood on South Potomac Street. Its pulpit was shaped like a wine-glass, and had six sides. It was twenty feet high, and entered by a door from a circular stairway, which led down into a latticed room which was used by the minister. Above the pulpit was a sounding-board, on which was emblazoned a large eye. There was no carpet on the floor, and the church was unhealed, it being considered improper that the congregation should enjoy the comfort of a fire while listening to the minister and performing their devotions. The collection-bags were attached to rods about ten feet in length, and had a silken tassel and a bell, which was used to attract the notice of inattentive or sleepy members. At this period the attendance was not as large or as regular as might have been desired, cockfighting at Big Spring or Yellow (now Ladle) Spring, horse-racing, bull-baiting, and similar sports proving attractions too strong to be resisted by some of the members.
In March, 1870, the old church was remodeled, so that the internal dimensions became seventy-five by sixty feet, and commodious access was afforded by means of two spacious stairways to the chief hall of worship on the upper floor. The lower floor was fitted up with new seats, and was used by the Sunday school, then containing five hundred scholars and teachers. The auditorium on the upper floor was fitted up with the newest style of seats, very handsomely upholstered in crimson damask and soft cushions. The old organ gave way to a new one of later pattern and better tone, which cost sixteen hundred dollars. The old pulpit and chancel were taken out and replaced, the new ones being of solid curled walnut. Previous to this, in January, 1870, the two old bells had been taken down, both being cracked so badly as to render them useless. One of these bells had been cast in London in 1788, and the other in Boston in 1824. The inscription upon the older bell, although in English, had the German spelling.
Previous to 1834 the charge of St. John's embraced Williamsport, St. Paul, Clear Spring, and Martinsburg. At these places the church buildings were inconsiderable, there being only a log building even at Williamsport, which was the most considerable of them all. When Rev. Benj. Kurtz returned from Europe in 1827, Rev. Mr. Winter took charge of the church at Williamsport, and during his pastorate, in 1829, the present brick church was built.
In September, 1834, Rev. S. W. Harkey took charge of Williamsport, St. Paul, Clear Springs being served by Rev. Winter. After serving the charge one year and a vacancy of eleven months Rev. Daniel Miller became pastor, and continued to sustain this relation for one year, when, after a vacancy of one year and four months, Rev. Christian Startzman became pastor, and remained eleven years. During this period Clear Spring was reunited to the charge, but when Rev. Henry Bishop was called to be pastor in 1850, Clear Spring withdrew a second time from the charge. In 1855, owing to the removal of Rev. Mr. Bishop, Rev. Wm. F. Greaver was chosen as his successor. He is represented as having been " very much esteemed and beloved by the whole congregation, and under his ministry the church was prospering, but he died Oct. 16, 1857.
His successor was Rev. Jos. Barclay, late of Baltimore, during whose ministry the church edifice was enlarged and beautifully frescoed. In August or September, 1859, he resigned, and was followed on the 20th of October of the same year by Rev. Christian Lepley, who remained until October, 1864. After a vacancy of about a year Rev. S. Jesse Berlin was called to assume the pastoral care on Nov. 1, 1865, but owing to failing health he removed Feb. 1, 1867, when he was succeeded by Rev. M. L. Culler, who remained until 1869, when he removed to Martinsburg, W. Va. In 1870 another division took place in the pastorate by the union of St. Paul's with the Clear Spring charge. In 1871, Rev. W. D. Strobel became pastor, and after a ministry of about three years he resigned. The congregation was now supplied with preaching by Rev. J. McCrow, of the Hagerstown Female Seminary, and in April, 1874, Rev. J. B. Keller was called to become the pastor. During this period the membership has been considerably increased, numbering now about one hundred and forty. The church has for the second time been freed from debt, the contributions have been largely increased, a " Dime Society," averaging ninety members, who pay ten cents monthly, has been kept in successful operation for three or four years, the Sunday-school numbers on its roll one hundred and thirty-five pupils and twenty-two teachers, and the church has been lately repaired at a cost of about three hundred dollars.
One of the leading members of St. John's and a pillar of the church for many years was Capt. George Shryock. George, son of John and Mary (born Teagarden") Shryock, was born in 1783 on the manor in Washington County. In 1787 the family removed to Hagerstown, and resided on Franklin Street opposite the Oak Spring. In 1796 he accompanied his father and brother John to Westmoreland County, Pa., where they built a log house in the woods. The rest of the family followed them in the same year, the wagon conveying their goods being the first ever seen in that portion of the country. Heavy wooden sledges were used for hauling and pack-horse trains for transportation between more distant points. In 1803, George Shryock returned to Hagerstown and commenced the manufacture of pumps. He was a leading member of St. John's Lutheran congregation, which his father had furnished with a portion of the building materials for the church edifice, erected in 1796. In 1808 he married Elizabeth Lewis, daughter of Capt. James Lewis, and in the same year both himself and his wife became communicants of St. John's Church. In 1820 he was a lay delegate to the first General Synod of the Lutheran Church in America, which met in Hagerstown, and was the last survivor of that body. In 1813 he served as captain in Ragan's regiment, Stansbury's brigade. David Artz was first lieutenant of his company,
Posey was second lieutenant, and Christian Fechtig was ensign. After the repulse at Bladensburg the company was detailed to support Commodore John Rogers' battery at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, and was present at the famous bombardment on the night the " Star-Spangled Capt. Shryock was one of a family of eleven children, of whom seven reached the age of eighty years and over, one that of seventy, and two that of sixty years and over.
Trinity