Читать книгу History of Western Maryland - J. Thomas Scharf - Страница 5

As in Frederick County, the honor of having first introduced the Christian religion into the then wilds of Washington County cannot be definitively accorded to any one denomination, but the probabilities are that the Episcopalians were first on the field as an organized body; for it seems to be very clear that the English settlers from Southern Maryland anticipated the Germans and the Scotch-Irish by some years, and most of the Southern Marylanders belonged to the Established Church, though many of them were Catholics. Besides, the Episcopal Church was established by law, and started out with everything to facilitate its proper organization. Churches of other denominations were founded irregularly and in various localities as circumstances dictated, but the growth of the Episcopal Church was in a logical order of development, and its history may be termed almost identical with that of the county itself. The Lutherans and the German Reformed and Presbyterian denominations also established permanent congregations in many localities at a very early period, while the Methodists, though considerably later on the field, developed rapidly into strong and flourishing communities.

Originally Washington County was part of All Saints' Protestant Episcopal, or, as it was then, Anglican, Parish, which was an offshoot of St. John's, or Piscataway Parish. The latter began at the mouth of the Mattawoman Creek, on the Potomac, and ran up the said creek and the branch thereof to the utmost limits of Charles County, and thence ran with the county line to the line of the province, separating it from Pennsylvania; thence westward with that line to the boundary line separating Maryland and Virginia, and southward with that line to the Potomac River; down that river to the mouth of the Mattawoman, its beginning. In 1695 Prince George's County was created, embracing all the territory north of the Mattawoman Creek and the main branch of Swanston's Creek; or, in other words, all between the Potomac and the Patuxent Rivers. St. John's accordingly fell into Prince George's County. ,In 1696 the Rev. George Tubman was rector. He was presented in 1698 for bigamy and " sotting," and was suspended. Abraham Ford was made lay reader in his place, but in 1700, Mr. Tubman was reinstated in the ministry, and in 1702 again became rector of the parish, and died soon afterwards. He was succeeded by the Rev. Robert Owen, who did not continue long in charge. In 1704, Hickford Leman was employed as lay reader. Mr. Owen, however, officiated in the church every other Saturday during part of the year. These services were continued some four years, if not longer. In October, 1708, it was ordered that a new church be built. On the 23rd of June, 1710, the Rev. John Eraser presented his appointment as rector. In 1726 a new parish. Prince George's, was erected out of St. John's Parish. It was eighty miles in length and twenty in breadth. Mr. Eraser died in November, 1742. Prince George's Parish embraced all the territory included in the then Prince George's County west of the Eastern Branch and East Fork of the Eastern Branch of the Potomac, Washington City, Georgetown, and the rest of the District of Columbia, Montgomery County, part of, Carroll, and all of Frederick, Washington, and Allegany Counties. It was a frontier parish, and at the time of its formation had not more than two thousand four hundred inhabitants. The first rector (1726) was the Rev. George Murdoch, afterwards rector of All Saints', Frederick, which was created in 1742. The latter parish embraced all the territory north of Great Seneca Run River, and west of a line drawn from its head in the same direction to the head of one of the draughts of the Patuxent, comprising part of Carroll and Montgomery and all of Frederick, Washington, and Allegany Counties. At this time Washington County constituted part of All Saints' Parish, and was known as Antietam Hundred, or District of Frederick County. A chapel of ease was built in this district soon after that date, but in 1761 it was represented in a petition to the General Assembly that it was decayed, and built on so narrow and contracted a plan as not to be capable of holding one-third of the congregation willing and desirous to attend divine service there, and could not be enlarged with profit or convenience, so that it was absolutely necessary to rebuild it upon a better plan and with more durable materials. It is supposed that this was done, though without any legislative aid so far as can be ascertained. This was a frame building, situated about five and a half miles west of Hagerstown, and about a mile from the present site of St. James' College. A graveyard still remains there. At a comparatively recent period the structure was transformed into a dwelling, and the late Rev. Ethan Allen narrates that the " elder Dr. Dorsey" (probably Dr. Frederick Dorsey, Sr.) told him that he remembered the old chapel well.

In 1770, by an act of Assembly of that year, the Antietam District of Frederick County was created a separate parish, to become such on the removal of the then rector. Rev. Bennett Allen. The latter resided in Hagerstown, opposite the old chapel, and a curate officiated for him in the parish church at Frederick Town. Another curate had charge of St. Peters' Church, in the Monocacy District. In the fall of 1776 the new county of Washington was created by act of the Provincial Convention, and the legal provision for the maintenance of the clergy was abolished. Thereupon Mr. Allen relinquished the rectorship and returned to England. In accordance with the law of 1770, Antietam District now became Frederick Parish, and in 1806 the Diocesan Convention changed the name to St. John's Parish, embracing the whole of Washington County, except the portion comprised in St. Mark's Parish. In 1819 a number of Episcopalians residing at Sharpsburg petitioned the Diocesan Convention for leave to establish a separate congregation at that place. This leave was granted and the new parish created. Similar petitions were presented from St. Thomas' Church, Hancock, in 1835, and from St. Andrew's, Clear Spring, in 1839, and in both instances parishes were allowed to be formed. Two years later the Episcopal College of St. James was founded, the site being the old mansion of Gen. Samuel Ringgold. Congregations were also formed at Williamsport, Funkstown, Lappon's Cross-roads, and other thriving points.

According to the journal of the Diocesan Convention for 1881, the register of the Episcopal Churches in Washington County at present is as follows: St. John's Parish: St. John's Church, Hagerstown; St. Ann's Chapel, Smithsburg; Rev. Walter A. Mitchell, rector.

College of St. James: St. James' Chapel; Rev. Henry Edwards, chaplain.

St. Andrew's Church, Clear Spring; Rev. Coupland R. Page, rector.

St. Mark's Church, Lappon's Cross-roads; Rev. Henry Edwards, rector.

St. Paul's Church, Sharpsburg; Rev. Henry Edwards, missionary.

St. Thomas' Church, Hancock; Rev. Henry Wall, S.T.D., rector.

Hagerstown is a city of churches, and no community of its size in Maryland can boast of as many handsome church edifices. In point of architectural excellence, it is doubtful if its churches would not bear off the palm in competition with any of the rural cities in the whole country. Especially beautiful and even imposing is St. John's Episcopal church, belonging to the strongest religious congregation in the city, but several of the other churches are striking enough in their appearance to render any very marked distinction impossible. The Lutherans, the Presbyterians, the Catholics, and the Methodists all have fine church buildings, which are really models of style, and finished in a uniformly handsome manner.

The records of'' The Vestry of Washington County" were begun on April 21, 1787, when ''a number of the inhabitants of Washington County professing the Protestant religion of the Episcopal Church" met at the court-house in Elizabeth Town (Hagerstown) and elected as vestrymen John Stull, Daniel Hughes, Alexander Claggett, Thomas Sprigg, Richard Pindell, Nathaniel Rochester, and Elie Williams. On May 19th the vestry contracted with Henry Bowart for twenty-six thousand bricks for the church, and on June 2nd they awarded to John Willar, at forty-five pounds, the contract for the carpenters' and joiners' work. The church stood near what is now the southern end of Locust Street, and was a substantial brick edifice.

On April 13, 1789, "a number of inhabitants of Washington County" again met at the court-house, and elected as vestry Rev. George Bower, Alexander Claggett, Thomas Sprigg, Daniel Hughes, Elie Williams, Richard Pindell, and Hezekiah Claggett. The church-wardens appointed were Rezin Davis and Wm. Gordon. Col. John Stull was allowed £24 16s. 8d. for " lyme, scantling, and hauling;" Alexander Claggett £1 16s. 8d. for sundries for the use of the church; Alexander and Hugh Claggett, for sundries advanced for the use of the church, £6 8s. 4d., and Frederick Alter ten shillings for altering a window in the church. At the meeting of the vestry on May 11th of same year the collectors of subscriptions were directed to proceed by legal process against the subscribers who had not paid the amounts for which they had set down their names. .To collect actual money seems to have been rather difficult at that time, and when, on May 18th, the vestry contracted with John Willar to erect a pulpit and lay floors for the sum of £25, in case the parish did not pay him, Alexander Claggett, Daniel Hughes, Hezekiah Claggett, Elie Williams, Thomas Sprigg, and Richard Pindell made themselves responsible for the money. Hezekiah Claggett was appointed " to represent this parish as a lay deputy in convention to be held in Baltimore Town on the first Tuesday in June next." On Oct. 5, 1789, the vestry meeting drew up a subscription paper " for the purpose of employing Rev. George Bower to officiate for the term of one year" from Dec. 1, 1789. On April 5, 1790, the next meeting at the court-house was held, when the same vestry were reelected, except that Mr. Bower was dropped and John Ingram was elected. Nathaniel Rochester was elected register of the vestry, and Daniel Hughes the lay delegate to the Diocesan Convention. Capt. Rezin Davis was appointed " to confer with a person to execute; the duty of sexton; also to direct the grave-digger in what manner the graves are to be dugg (sic) in future." At the next meeting, June 7th, Rezin Davis informed the vestry that he had not been able to collect " any of the monies subscribed for furnishing the church;" and Samuel Finley was appointed collector, and Rev. Mr. Bower was requested " to make use of every endeavor to induce those in arrears to discharge the sum due by them, and that he inform such as use further delay that necessity will prevent the vestry from granting further indulgence." On August 2nd, Capt. Rezin Davis reported that Titus Rynhart had agreed to act as sexton in return for the privilege of digging the graves in the churchyard. Benjamin Claggett was appointed to collect moneys due the church and one-half the salary of Rev. Mr. Bower, which had been for some time in arrears, but at the vestry meeting on November 1st it was still unpaid, and Rezin Davis was appointed to assist Mr. Claggett in raising subscriptions both for the pastor and the clerk, the salary of the former being now fixed at one hundred pounds per annum. Charles O'Neal accepted the position of clerk, and the vestry agreed to pay him twenty dollars for his services for eight months, from April 1st to November 30th. On Feb. 7, 1791, Henry Gamwell was appointed to collect the pastor's salary and the balance due on the old subscription papers, for which he was to receive five pounds.

The fourth vestry was elected by public meeting May 2, 1791, as follows: Daniel Hughes, Alexander Claggett, Elie Williams, Richard Pindell, Hezekiah Claggett, William Gordon, and William Reynolds, who chose Rezin Davis and William Prather to be church-wardens. On September 19th, John Willar submitted to the vestry his account of forty-five pounds for erecting pews, additional gallery, glass-rack, platform with steps, etc. He was debited with £19 4s. 8d. already paid him, leaving the balance due £25 5s. 4d. Willar's family was in distress for the necessaries of life, but up to November 8th the vestry could pay him but £3 5s. of the money due him, and William Reynolds was commissioned to collect the arrearages of subscriptions. Solomon Rawlings was made sexton, and was allowed £3 yearly, in addition to the usual compensation for digging graves. Of the latter he was to have a monopoly, the resolution of the vestry declaring that he shall " dig all graves that may be necessary in the English Protestant Episcopal churchyard." Hezekiah Claggett and William Reynolds were directed to procure bags in which a collection shall be taken up by the church-wardens each church Sunday. At the meeting on November 28th, Rev. Mr. Bower consented to remain as rector another year at the same salary, and it was decided to pay £7 10s. to the clerk, and £5 to a collector of subscriptions. On Feb. 6, 1792, the vestry settled up Mr. Bower's salary for 1790 and 1791, it appearing that they owed him £112 18s. On Easter Monday, April 1, 1793, the meeting for the annual election of vestry, previously held at the court-house, was convened in the church, and Elie Williams, Richard Pindell, Hezekiah Claggett, William Gordon, William Reynolds, Samuel Finley, and Rezin Davis were chosen, who elected as church-wardens Alexander Claggett and Cephas Beale. Rezin Davis was continued as treasurer, and Nathaniel Rochester as register. Solomon Rawlings was voted £3 yearly for taking care of and cleaning the church, and Titus Rynhart was continued as grave-digger. The treasurer was ordered to pay Mr. Bower £20 as soon as it could be collected, to enable him to finish his house. On October 14th, Turner Gor was appointed clerk, and it was ordered that " no person attempt to assist him in the clerk's desk but such as he shall invite for that purpose." As the register was directed to serve a copy of the order upon a certain Mr. Jones, it is probable that that gentleman had been intruding himself into the position. There is no record of the election of vestry in 1794. On June 14, 1795, The Spy contained an advertisement of " a lottery to be held at Elizabeth (Hager's) Town, Washington Co., to erect a church for the Episcopal congregation. There were two thousand tickets at two dollars," the prizes amounted to three thousand dollars, and eight hundred dollars was raised. The managers were Daniel Hughes, Thomas Hart, Elie Williams, Henry Schryock, Frederick Rohrer, Alexander Claggett, and Michael Fackler.

July (5, 1795, the regular meeting of parishioners elected Elie Williams, Richard Pindell, Rezin Davis, John Claggett, Cephas Beale, Charles Ogle, and William Gordon. The record here speaks of All Saints' Parish for the first time. On July 21st, Alexander Claggett and Cephas Beale were appointed trustees to superintend the building of an addition to the church. In June, 1796, a corpse was stolen from the churchyard, and the vestry offered a reward of thirty dollars for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the offender. On Aug. 13, 1797, the church and graveyard were consecrated by Bishop Claggett, who also on the same date confirmed the following persons: Mary Stull, Sophia Rochester, Ann Miller, Lucinda Bower, Catherine Swearingen, Matilda Stull, Elizabeth Rawlings, Rebecca Hughes, Susanna Hughes, Elizabeth Hall, Margaret Taylor, Otho Williams, Joseph Williams, Holland Stull, Prudence Williams, Allen Dowlas, Phoebe Grieves, Sarah Owen, and Sarah Dowlas. On November 6th the pews were sold to the highest bidders.

Accounts of John Hooper for £104 3s., for joiners' work, and of Cephas Beale for £11 3s. 6d., for the addition to the church, were passed. In 1798, Mr. Bower's salary as rector was increased to £150.

The act of Assembly for the establishment of vestries in the parishes required that members of the Protestant Episcopal Church should be enrolled on the parish-books a month before they could become eligible as vestrymen or electors of vestrymen. The earliest enrollments made were on April 8, 1799, as follows: Alexander Claggett, William Fitzhugh, Rezin Davis, Thomas Belt, John Carr, Griffith Henderson, Charles McCauley, Nathaniel Rochester, Otho Holland Williams, Eli Beatty, and Thomas Hallam. Daniel Hughes, Sr., Robert Hughes, and John Claggett were enrolled on April 19th. From November 6th, Mr. Bower's salary was cut down from one hundred and fifty pounds to four hundred dollars per annum. On Sept. 21, 1801, the vestry gave notice that they would prosecute delinquent pewholders who did not promptly settle up their arrearages. Still there was a deficiency in the finances.

In 1803, although the records do not mention the fact, a lottery scheme was successfully carried out for the benefit of St. John's congregation, which was superintended by the following commissioners, who had been authorized by the Legislature to conduct the drawings: Col. N. Rochester, R. Pindell, J. Taylor, R. Hughes, and O. H. Williams. The amount of money to be raised was five hundred dollars, " to finish the church edifice of the Episcopal All Saints' Parish in Hagerstown."

On Feb. 28, 1805, it was resolved to abandon the system of pew-rents and to resort to the old plan of soliciting subscriptions to meet the expenses of the parish. Rev. Thomas P. Irving was appointed rector Sept. 22, 1813, at a yearly salary of four hundred dollars, of St. John's Church, All Saints' Parish, as the title then appeared in the records, and on Nov. 13, 1814, he was authorized to charge five dollars for officiating at funerals, and four dollars for each christening. From this year onward the name appears as St. John's Parish". Mr. Irving resigned the pastorate in February, 1816, because of ill health, and on August 27th, Rev. Joseph Jackson was appointed his successor, but on July 26, 1817, the vestry rejected a resolution to reappoint him, and on October 1st refused him the use of the church to preach a charity sermon for the benefit of the Female Society for Instructing Poor Children. In a letter to Levin Mills, church-warden, in reference to Mr. Jackson's request, the vestry say that they " have determined, on account of the conduct of that gentleman on Sunday last, to hold no communication directly or indirectly with him." On Oct. 25, 1817, Rev. Jehu Curtis Clay was chosen rector, his incumbency to date from Jan. 1, 1818. At the vestry meeting Aug. 31, 1818, it was resolved to raise by subscription a fund for the building of a new church, the subscribers to have the choice of pews according to the amount of their subscriptions. On May 10, 1819, the pastor's salary was increased to one thousand dollars per annum. On May 12, 1821, one-fourth of the subscriptions for the new church edifice were called in, and Otho H. W. Stull was appointed to solicit aid in Baltimore. On July 2nd, Eli Beatty, George Bear, Otho H. Williams, and Franklin Anderson were appointed the building committee, and a lot on Jonathan Street was bought for six hundred dollars from Christian Fechtig for the site of the new church. The committee were authorized to contract with Daniel Sprigg for one hundred thousand bricks, with George Bear for stone for the foundation, with Mr. Stout for the stone and brick-work, and to purchase all the requisite materials. Rev. Mr. Clay resigned the pastorate on Nov. 28, 1821, and on December 16th the vestry notified him that they would regret to lose his services, and would make any possible exertions to retain them. Mr. Clay removed to Pennsylvania, and Rev. Mr. Shaw filled the pulpit for a few months, until the election of Rev. George Lemmon on Oct. 12, 1822. The salary was fixed at eight hundred dollars, and on June 17, 1823, the pews in the new church were sold.

The new church was consecrated June 18, 1825, by Bishop James Kemp, assisted by Rev. William Armstrong. On Dec. 4, 1827, Rev. Mr. Lemmon tendered his resignation, and on the following June 26th, Rev. Robert B. Drane was called to the pastorate, and in 1834 he opened a school to increase his income. He was permitted to officiate every other Sunday in the church at Williamsport, and on April 20, 1835, the vestry ordered that a parsonage be built. He resigned April 26, 1836, and in reply to a question from the vestry, he wrote that it would be impossible for him to remain because " of the malicious and vindictive conduct of some who had set themselves to destroy my reputation and influence as a minister of the gospel"; and that such a course on his part " would involve a sacrifice of the happiness of one too near and dear to me to be thus destroyed." On July 29th the vestry extended a call to Rev. Mr. Coleman, of Cecil County, Md., but he declined it, and Rev. John Wiley became Mr. Drane's successor. In March, 1838, Mrs. Henrietta Johns was engaged " to play upon the organ" for fifty dollars per annum.

On March 24, 1840, the vestry passed a resolution dissolving their contract with Rev. Mr. Wiley from April 1st, but permitting him to occupy the rectory, and receive a salary at the rate of seven hundred dollars annually for six months from that date, and in case he claimed possession of the church after April 1st, they would not hold themselves liable to him for his emoluments, and would proceed to expel him by law. Joseph I. Merrick, as counsel for Mr. Wiley, addressed a letter to the vestry denying their legal right to terminate the contract, or reduce the salary without the rector's consent, and Mr. Wiley himself refused to accept the terms offered him, declaring that he would do nothing which might be construed into an acknowledgment of their right " thus summarily to cast a minister of the gospel with his family upon the world." The vestry, however, proceeded to elect Mr. Wiley for six months from April 1st, thus reaffirming their theory that they had no authority to install a pastor for an unlimited time. Eli Beatty, Otho H. Williams, David G. Yost, William H. Fitzhugh, Richard Ragan, and Thomas Schnebly voted for the resolutions, and Dr. Frederick Dorsey against them. At the election for vestry on Easter Monday, April 20, 1840, the pastor's party were victorious, choosing Dr. Frederick Dorsey, John S. Hamilton, Peregrine Fitzhugh, Joseph I. Merrick, and Col. Frisby Tilghman, and the controversy was terminated by the passage of a resolution declaring Mr. Wiley to be the lawful rector of the church; but he stated that as he had vindicated the right of the position which he had taken he offered his resignation, to take effect in September. The contention had done much harm to the church, and the vestry requested Rev. Dr. Whittingham, then recently elected Bishop of Maryland, to make his residence in Hagerstown, and act as rector of St. John's until it could be restored to peace and prosperity. The bishop declined the proposition, and recommended for the vacancy Rev. Theodore B. Lyman, who was elected on Oct. 12, 1840, but the vestry stipulated that the contract should only run from year to year, and might be terminated by either of the parties at six months' notice. Mr. Lyman accepted the conditions, although the bishop regretted that they had been imposed. By vigorous effort the church was relieved of the worst of its embarrassments, and on Nov. 14, 1842, Rev. Russell Trevett was made assistant rector. In 1843 a fund of over seven hundred dollars was raised and repairs made on the edifice, which was dedicated anew by Bishop Whittingham on October 26th. In December, Col. Tilghman and Charles Macgill resigned because of their inability to agree with the other vestrymen concerning the position of the furniture in the chancel, and they, together with Otho H. Williams, Richard Ragan, Jervis Spencer, Alexander Neill, Jr., M. W. Boyd, Eli Beatty, and William B. Nelson, withdrew from the church. On April 5, 1845, Mr. Trevett resigned as assistant rector, and Dwight E. Lyman was chosen in his place. The gentlemen above named as having separated themselves from St. John's founded Christ Church, and on Oct. 29, 1845, the rector of St. John's wrote to their vestry suggesting a union of the churches, and avowing a willingness to arrange the chancel furniture as they desired, although he assured them that they were wrong in supposing that doctrinal innovations were concealed in the plan which he had adopted, and which had given offense to them. They, however, refused to entertain the proposition.

On July 18, 1848, Rev. R. G. H. Clarkson was elected assistant rector, to succeed Rev. Dwight E. Lyman, who had resigned, and in 1849, Mr. Clarkson was followed by Rev. Joseph C. Passmore. In the latter year Christ Church ceased to exist, and most of the Separatists returned to St. John's, in what was called by Eli Beatty " a nominal membership." On April 1, 1850, Rev. Theodore B. Lyman resigned to go to Trinity Church, Pittsburgh, and at the same time Mr. Passmore gave up the assistant rectorship. Rev. Mr. Wheat filled the pulpit temporarily, until the election of Rev. William G. Jackson, on April 22nd, who did not take charge until September, having spent the summer in Europe, and in January, 1851, he was again compelled to accept an indefinite leave of absence on account of his health. He resigned in December, 1852, and Rev. George C. Stokes declining the call that was extended to him. Rev. Walter N. Ayrault was elected on March 23, 1853, who continued until Sept. 1,1856. Rev. William W. Lord was offered the position, but could not accept it, and in December Rev. Henry Edwards was chosen. Gas was introduced into the church in May, 1857, and in April, 1859, Mr. Edwards was able to announce that the church had been freed from debt. On May 21, 1866, the building was damaged by fire, and was repaired at a cost of eleven hundred and fifty dollars. Mr. Edwards resigned Jan. 18, 1867, and on February 23rd, Rev. Claudius B. Haines was elected On Nov. 17, 1869, a portion of the church property, at the corner of Jonathan and Antietam Streets, was sold to Thomas H. Grove for two thousand five hundred dollars. A protest against the legality of the election of A. S. Mason, Frederick Dorsey, Henry Bell, and Prank Kennedy as vestrymen in April, 1870, having been made, they resigned, and a new election took place in June. Mr. Haines tendered his resignation Dec. 26, 1871. The church was burned to the ground on the night of December 6th, and Benjamin Reigle, George W. Harris, George A. Gambrill, Buchanan Schley, and Dr. William Ragan were appointed a building committee for the erection of a new edifice, and they recommended that it should occupy the site of the destroyed church. Rev. Walter A. Mitchell entered upon the rectorship in February, 1872, and the congregation worshiped in the chapel of the Reformed Church. In May it was decided to sell the old church property for not less than seven thousand five hundred dollars and buy a new site on Prospect Street for two thousand three hundred dollars.

Since the formation of Frederick Parish in 1777 the rectors have been:

Since the formation of Frederick Parish in 1777 the rectors have been :

1777-85, Rev. Bartholomew Booth; Dee. 1, 1786, to 1812, Rev. George Bower; Sept. 22, 1813, to 1815, Rev. Thomas P. Irving; Aug. 27, 1816, to Aug. 1, 1817, Rev. Joseph Jackson; Oct. 25, 1817, to December, 1821, Rev. Jehu Curtis Clay, D.D. ; Feb. 27, 1822, to July, 1822, Rev. Samuel B. Shaw, D.D.; Oct. 12, 1822, to April, 1828, Rev. George Lemmon; June 28, 1828, to June, 1836, Rev. Robert Brent Drane, D.D. ; April 2, 1837, to 1840, Rev. John Wiley; 1840-49, Rev. Theodore Benedict Lyman, D.D. ; September, 1850, to 1852, Rev. William Gooden Jackson, D.D. ; June, 1853, to 1856, Rev. Walter Ayrault, D.D.; January, 1857, to Jan. 18, 1867, Rev. Henry Edwards ; April 27, 1867, to 1871, Rev. Claudius B. Haines; Jan. 1, 1872, Rev. Walter A. Mitchell.

The vestries of St. John's Church have been:

1787. — John Stull, Daniel Hughes, Alexander Claggett, Thomas Sprigg, Richard Pindell, Nathaniel Rochester, and Eli Williams.

1789. — Alexander Claggett, Thomas Sprigg, Daniel Hughes, Eli Williams, Richard Pindell, and Hezekiah Claggett.

1790. — Alexander Claggett, Thomas Sprigg. Daniel Hughes, Richard Pindell, Hezekiah Claggett, Eli Williams, and John Ingram.

1791. — Daniel Hughes, Alexander Claggett, Eli Williams, Richard Pindell, Hezekiah Claggett, William Gordon, and William Reynolds.

1793.— Eli Williams, Richard Pindell, Hezekiah Claggett, William Gordon, William Reynolds, Samuel Finley, and Rezin Davis.

1795. — Eli Williams, Richard Pindell, Rezin Davis, John Claggett, Cephas Beall, Charles Ogle, and William Gordon.

1798. — Alexander Claggett, Eli Williams, John Claggett, Rezin Davis, William Fitzhugh, Ignatius Taylor, and Thomas Belt.

1799. — Alexander Claggett, Thomas Belt, Rezin Davis, Eli Williams, William Fitzhugh, Griffith Henderson, James Kendall, and Benjamin Claggett.

1802. — Nathaniel Rochester, Alexander Claggett, Ignatius Taylor, Robert Hughes, Samuel Ringgold, Frisby Tilghman, Benjamin Claggett, and Otho H. Williams.

1805. — Rezin Davis, Otho H. Williams, Robert Hughes, Frisby Tilghman, Benjamin Galloway, John Ragan, Sr., and Nathaniel Rochester.

1807 — Daniel Hughes, Thomas Belt, Rezin Davis, William Fitzhugh, Nathaniel Rochester, Eli Williams, Otho H. Williams, and Thomas Grieves.

1809. — William Fitzhugh, Thomas Belt, Thomas B. Hall, Nathaniel Rochester, William Fitzhugh, Jr., Otho H. W. Stull, Otho H. Williams, and Daniel Hughes, Jr.

1810.—William Fitzhugh, Thomas Belt, Thomas B. Hall, Upton Lawrence, Thomas Grieves, William Fitzhugh, Jr., Otho H. W. Stull, Otho H. Williams, and Daniel Hughes, Jr.

1813. —Daniel Hughes, Sr., William O. Sprigg, Otho H. Williams, Frisby Tilghman, John Ragan, Jr., Thomas B. Hall, Henry Lewis, George C. Smoot, and William Fitzhugh.

1814. —Otho H. Williams, Frisby Tilghman, Thomas B. Hall, William Fitzhugh, Daniel Hughes, Henry Lewis, Eli Beatty, and George C. Smoot.

1815. —Benjamin Galloway, Thomas Belt, Otho H. Williams, William Fitzhugh, George C. Smoot, Eli Beatty, Thomas B. Hall, and Frisby Tilghman.

1816. —Benjamin Galloway, Eli Beatty, Thomas Grieves, Daniel Sprigg, Anthony B. Martin, Levin Mills, Thomas Compton, and Franklin Anderson.

1817. —Same vestry, except that Rev. Thomas P. Irving and Otho H. W. Stull took the places of Levin Mills and Franklin Anderson. Mr. Irving resigned, and his place in the vestry was filled by Frisby Tilghman.

1818. —Eli Beatty, Daniel Sprigg, Thomas Grieves, Richard Ragan, Franklin Anderson, Otho H. W. Stull, Frisby Tilghman, and A. B. Martin.

1819. —Frisby Tilghman, Eli Beatty, Thomas Grieves, Otho H. W. Stull, Daniel Sprigg, Otho Lawrence, George Bear, and Franklin Anderson.

1820. —Frisby Tilghman, George Bear, Richard Ragan, Levin Mills, Thomas Belt, Daniel Sprigg, Edward Gaither, and Franklin Anderson.

1821. —Daniel Sprigg, Thomas Grieves, Otho H. W. Stull, Eli Beatty, Frisby Tilghman, George Bear, Richard Ragan, and Franklin Anderson.

1822. —Same vestry, except that Levin Mills took the place of Mr. Stull.

1823. —Eli Beatty, Daniel Sprigg, Thomas Grieves, John B. Claggett, Frisby Tilghman, George Bear, Richard Ragan, and Franklin Anderson.

1824. —Same vestry, except Otho Lawrence in place of Frisby Tilghman.

1825. —Same vestry, except Henry Barnett in place of Otho Lawrence.

1826. —Otho Lawrence, Eli Beatty, Daniel Sprigg, John B.. Claggett, George Bear, Thomas Grieves, Joseph Martin, and Franklin Anderson.

1827. —Same vestry, except Richard Ragan in place of Thomas Grieves.

1828. —Vestry of 1827 re-elected.

1829. —Re-elected as above.

1830. —Re-elected as above.

1831. —Same vestry, except that Frisby Tilghman took the place of George Bear.

1833. —Richard Ragan, Otho Lawrence, J. B. Claggett, Marmaduke Boyd, Joseph Martin, Frisby Tilghman, J. P. Dali, and Eli Beatty.

1834. -—Eli Beatty, Frisby Tilghman, Joseph Martin, Jr., Richard Martin, Horatio McPherson, Richard Ragan, and Otho Lawrence.

1835. —Frisby Tilghman, J. R. Dali, H. McPherson, Otho Lawrence, Richard Ragan, Eli Beatty, F. Tilghman, Jr., and Barton Bean.

1836. —F. Tilghman, Sr., F. Tilghman, Jr., Otho Lawrence, O. H. W. Stull, Horatio McPherson, John R. Dali, Richard Ragan, and John B. Claggett.

1837. —Richard Ragan, William H. Fitzhugh, O. H. W. Stull,

Otho Lawrence, Thomas Schnebly, John B. Claggett, Frederick Dorsey, and William R. Abbott.

1838. —Otho H. Williams, Eli Beatty, Fred. Dorsey, Jacob Hollingsworth, John B. Claggett, Thomas Schnebly, John R. Dali, and William R. Abbott.

1839. —Eli Beatty, John B. Claggett, William Fitzhugh, Thomas Schnebly, William R. Abbott, Fred. Dorsey, Otho H. Williams, and Jacob Hollingsworth.

1840. —Frisby Tilghman, Joseph I. Merrick, John S. Hamilton, Peregrine Fitzhugh, Fred. Dorsey, William H. Fitzhugh, Thomas Schnebly, and Jacob Hollingsworth. Two members resigned, and their places were filled by John Thomson Mason and Charles F. Keerl.

1841. —Same vestry, except Jervis Spencer and James R. Jones, in place of P. Fitzhugh and Fred. Dorsey.

1842. —Same, except John R. Dali in place of Joseph I. Merrick.

1843. —Jervis Spencer, John Thomson Mason, James R. Jones, Fred. Dorsey, Charles Macgill, W. H. Fitzhugh, Frisby Tilghman, and John R. Dali.

1844. —William H. Fitzhugh, James R. Jones, Jacob Hollingsworth, Thomas Schnebly, J. T. Mason, Edward Gaither, and Fred. Dorsey.

1845. —Same, except John R. Dali in place of James R. Jones, and a vacancy filled by John Ingram.

1846. —Same, except William Motter, vice John Ingram.

1847. —No change.

1848. —Same, except Charles Macgill in place of John R. Dali.

1849. —Jacob Hollingsworth, William Motter, J. R. Jones, Fred. Dorsey, William H. Fitzhugh, J. T. Mason, and Charles Macgill.

1850. —Same, except John D. Reamure in place of J. R. Jones.

1851. —Jacob Hollingsworth, John D. Reamure, Wm. Motter, Fred. Dorsey, Charles Macgill, Joshua P. Crist, Edward Gaither, and Richard Ragan, Jr.

1852. —Same, except Benjamin Pendleton in place of Richard Ragan.

1853. —Wm. Motter, Jacob Hollingsworth, Edward Gaither, Fred. Dorsey, Chas. Macgill, John D. Reamure, J. P. Crist, and Robert Fowler.

1854. —Same, except Z. L. Claggett in place of Robert Fowler.

1855. —Same, except W. S. Berry in place of Z L. Claggett.

1856. —No change, except Z. L. Claggett in place of Edward Gaither.

1857. —Jacob Hollingsworth, Fred. Dorsey, Charles Macgill, Wm. Motter, John D. Reamure, Joshua P. Crist, Washington Berry, and Eli Beatty.

1858. —Same, except Charles F. Keerl and Dr. Wm. Ragan in place of Washington Berry and Charles Macgill.

1859. —No change.

1860. —Jacob Hollingsworth, W. Berry, James H. Grove, Charles F. Keerl, Charles Macgill, Joshua P. Crist, John D. Reamure, and Wm. Motter.

1861. —No change.

1862. —No change.

1863. —No change.

1864. —Frederick Dorsey, John D. Reamure, Jacob Hollingsworth, Edward Watts, James H. Grove, W. Berry, Wm. Motter, and Chas. F. Keerl.

1865. —No change.

1866. —Jacob Hollingsworth, Chas. F. Keerl, James H. Grove, W. Berry, D. G. Huyett, Wm. Motter, T. W. Simmons, and Wm. Ragan.

1867. —No change, except Richard Ragan in place of W. Berry.

1868. — Same, except Frederick Dorsey in place of Jacob Hollingsworth.

1869.— W. Ragan, Richard Ragan, T. W. Simmons, Charles F. Keerl, D. G. Huyett, George W. Pole, James H. Grove, and Wm. Motter.

1870.— Henry Bell, George W. Pole, D. G. Huyett, B. Riegle, Wm. Motter, Frederick Dorsey, T. W, Simmons, and Charles F. Keerl.

1871.— No change.

1872.— B. Riegle, Geo. W. Pole, Wm. Ragan, Wm. Motter, D. G. Huyett, Geo. W. Harris, Alonzo Berry, and B. H. Griswold.

1873.— Wm. Motter, Geo. W. Harris, Alonzo Berry, B. H. Griswold, Wm. Ragan, J. P. Crist, D. G. Huyett, Buchanan Schley.

Following are brief sketches of the rectors of St. John's: The Rev. Bartholomew Booth, who is put down as the rector of St. John's from 1777 to 1785, was born and ordained in England, and came over to this country about 1776. He was famous as an instructor, and a sketch of him is given in another place. There is no record of his officiating in the church, but as there is no mention of any other minister being there from the time of Mr. Allen's departure in 1777 to that of Mr. Bower's arrival in 1786, it is to be presumed that Mr. Booth performed all the functions of a minister.

The first record of the Rev. George Bower is that of his arrival, Dec. 1, 1786, and his employment at a salary of one hundred pounds, equal to two hundred and sixty-six dollars per annum. During this year a subscription was raised for building a church in Hagerstown, then called Elizabeth Town. The first records now known date from April, 1787, when the first vestry were elected. Mr. Bower still continued rector. In 1788, however, he left and became rector of Queen Caroline Parish, Anne Arundel County, now in Howard, where he continued a year, at the expiration of which he returned to Hagerstown. The Diocesan Convention met on the 2nd of June, 1789, in Baltimore. Mr. Bower was present, and Mr. H. Claggett represented the parish as lay delegate. The first convention met June 22, 1784, but that of 1789 was the first in which St. John's Parish was represented. In the certificate of appointment of the lay delegate it is stated " that the upper part of the parish [of All Saints', which this had been] has for some time been considered a separate and distinct parish;" and so the act of 1770 had made it. This the convention recognized, and accordingly Mr. Bower and Mr. Claggett were admitted to seats from Frederick, now St. John's, Parish. Mr. Bower acceded to this, and ratified the constitution and canons for himself and Mr. Claggett in behalf of the parish.

Town commissioners were appointed in 1791, and in the same year Mr. Bower appears to have officiated part of his time in Frederick Town. It is possible that he had officiated there before. In 1795 an addition was made to the church. The following letter from Mr. Bower to Bishop Claggett gives an interesting picture of the condition of the parish at that time:

" Hagerstown, July 11, 1797.

''Rev. and dear Sir, — It was out of my power to attend the convention this year, as it has been for some years past, owing to the delicate state of Mrs. Bower's health.

" Our congregation in Hagerstown has become very respectable. The addition we have made to our church is not yet completed. I attend here every other Sunday, at Fredericktown every fourth Sunday, and at Taneytown every fourth Sunday. Next Sunday, which is the fifth Sunday after Trinity and the 16th day of the month, I am to officiate here. The Sunday after, which is the 23rd of the month, I am to officiate at Taneytown. The Sunday after that, which is the 30th, I stay here, and the Sunday after that, which is the 6th of August, I go to Fredericktown. And so on regularly through the whole year.

" Should we be favored with the pleasure of your company this fall, you will be so good, sir, to keep this letter, and you will know where to meet me. I have kept a constant register of the marriages, births, funerals, and communicants. But the adults I have found it impossible to make out. They are so scattered about in this extensive parish, which contains three counties, and is, I believe, near one hundred and fifty miles in length, reaching from Baltimore County to the end of the State.

"You would oblige me greatly to write a few lines by the post, to acquaint me with the time you think you can come up.

" I am, reverend and dear sir, with great respect,

" Your very humble servant,

"George Bower."

In the following August the bishop visited this parish, and on the 13th of that month consecrated the church. In 1799, Mr. Bower's salary was four hundred dollars; in 1805, two hundred; in 1806, four hundred; in 1807, five hundred and fifty for half his services.

In 1806 a petition was presented to the convention from sundry inhabitants of All Saints' Parish, in Washington County, praying to be allowed to constitute a separate cure by the name of St. John's Parish, Washington County. An act was passed making the whole of the county St. John's Parish except that part of said county which forms a part of St. Mark's Parish. It would have been proper, doubtless, if desirable, to have granted a change of name and defined its bounds, but it had been made a separate parish before.

Very soon after May, 1813, Mr. Bower died, after a ministry of twenty-seven years. He had been placed on the standing committee five times, and in 1801 preached the convention sermon.

The only time when the number of communicants was reported was in 1808. The number then was ten. At more than half of the conventions he was absent. He left a widow, three sons, and a daughter. One of the sons died in Frederick. The others of the family went West, but in July, 1815, Mrs. Bower was living in Hagerstown.

Rev. Thomas P. Irving became rector Sept. 22, 1813, at a salary of four hundred dollars. He also taught a school. Mr. Irving was a native of Somerset County, but came into the diocese from the South, having been ordained by Bishop White in North Carolina, where he was principal of an academy at Newbern. In November, 1814, the vestry ordered five dollars to be paid for burial, and four dollars for a christening. In July, 1815, Mr. Irving had formed a Bible Society. Under date of May, 1816, Mr. Irving writes Bishop Kemp that he had been compelled on account of his health to resign his church, though not his academy. He is said to have died in 1817, at the age of forty-one years.

Rev. Joseph Jackson was elected rector Aug. 27, 1816. By birth Mr. Jackson was an Englishman. He was ordained deacon by Bishop Claggett in 1794, and in 1796 was rector of St. Peter's, Talbot, and for fifteen years of William and Mary, St. Mary's. He moved to Hagerstown in 1811, but remained only a year. In 1820 he went as a missionary to Kentucky, where he died that year. He had been twice on the standing committee, twice the convention preacher, and once deputy to the General Convention. His savings formed the nucleus of St. James' College.

Rev. Jehu Curtis Clay was elected rector Oct. 25, 1817, to commence Jan. 1, 1818. He was the son of the Rev. Slater Clay, of Pennsylvania. In giving notice of his becoming a candidate for holy orders, Jan. 16, 1812, he says he had lived with the Rev. George Dashiell since 1809, except a few months spent in the University of Pennsylvania, " under whose direction I have pursued and am still pursuing the studies preparatory to ordination." He was ordained deacon by Bishop White, June 13, 1813, being just twenty-one years of age, and went to North Carolina, whence he removed to Hagerstown. He continued there four years, and resigned Dec. 18, 1821. He returned to Pennsylvania in 1822. In 1831 he became the rector of Gloria Dei Church, Philadelphia, where he died Oct. 20, 1863, in his seventy-second year.

Rev. Samuel B. Shaw was elected rector Feb. 27, 1822. He came from Massachusetts, his native State, having been ordained deacon by Bishop Griswold in 1821. He remained at Hagerstown but six months, and then returned to Massachusetts.

Rev. George Lemmon was elected rector Oct. 12, 1822, with a salary of eight hundred dollars. He was a native of Baltimore, and was ordained deacon by Bishop Claggett in 1813. He became the minister of Queen Caroline Parish, in Anne Arundel County, but in 1816 removed to Virginia, where he married. From thence he removed to Hagerstown. In 1823 the new church recently built was consecrated by Bishop Kemp.

Hitherto the parochial reports on the convention journal had been merely statistical; but in 1825 Mr. Lemmon reports that two Sunday-schools had been put into operation, one white and the other for colored children. The congregation had much increased, and some had become the subjects of "spiritual change of heart." In 1826 he speaks of a lecture delivered on every Thursday evening. On the 1st of April, 1828, Mr. Lemmon resigned, after a six years' pastorate, and returned to Virginia, where he died, aged sixty. When Mr. Lemmon resigned Rev. Ethan Allen was invited to the charge, but declined.

Rev. Robert Brent Drane was elected June 26, 1828, but took charge on the 31st of August. He was a native of Rock Creek Parish, a graduate of Harvard College, and was ordained deacon by Bishop Griswold, of Massachusetts, May 3, 1827. Returning to the Diocese of Maryland, he became the rector of Addison Chapel Parish, Prince George's County, and thence removed to Hagerstown. In his report Mr. Drane mentions (1830) the reorganization of the Sunday-school and the formation of an Auxiliary Missionary Society. In 1832 he reports a weekly meeting for prayer and the exposition of Scripture. About this time he officiated once a month at Williamsport, and occasionally at a place seven miles east of Hagerstown. In 1833 he reports that he was continuing to officiate regularly at Williamsport, and also to a congregation then recently formed in Funkstown. In 1834 he reports having officiated every other Sunday at Williamsport from May 10th. During the year 1835 a parsonage was built for St. John's Church, and Mr. Drane had a school. In 1836 he preached the convention sermon. In June, 1836, after a ministry of six years, he resigned, and removed to North Carolina, to the rectorship of St. James', Wilmington. In 1843 he became the president of Shelbyville College, Kentucky, and received the degree of D.D., but at the end of the year he returned to Wilmington, where he continued till his death, in October, 1862. He died of the yellow fever, after a ministry of thirty-five years, and left a wife and children. On Aug. 1, 1836, Rev. John Weleyman was elected, but declined.

Rev. John Wiley was elected rector April 2, 1837. He was a native of Delaware, and a graduate of the General Theological Seminary, and was ordained deacon July 5, 1829, by Bishop Hobart, of New York, and coming to Maryland, became the minister of St. James' Parish, Baltimore County. In 1833 he became rector of All Hallows and Worcester Parishes, Worcester County, and in 1836 of St. Peter's, Talbot, whence he removed to Hagerstown. Mr. Wiley's convention reports are all merely statistical. In 1840 he was the convention preacher. In 1841 he resigned this parish and went to North Sassafras Parish, Cecil County. In 1853 he removed to Trinity, Charles County; in 1866 to Labyrinth, Montgomery County; in 1872 to Sherwood Parish, Baltimore County. He has been a deputy to the General Convention twice.

Rev. Theodore B. Lyman became the rector of this parish in 1840, having been ordained deacon by Bishop Whittingham, Sept. 25, 1840. He was a native of Connecticut, and graduate of the General Theological Seminary. In 1841 St. James' College was founded under his auspices. In his convention report of 1842 Mr. Lyman mentions that since October he had been assisted by the Rev. Russell Trevett, deacon, that the church had been open on all holy days and Wednesday and Friday mornings, and that he had a Bible-class, a Sunday-school, a weekly service for the colored people, and weekly offerings. In 1844 the church had been enlarged and repaired, giving it a Sunday-school-room and a vestry-room. In 1848 two silver chalices and two large silver alms-dishes had been presented. About 1849, Mr. Lyman removed from St. John's Parish to Columbia, Pa. In 1857 he was in Pittsburgh; in 1857 he received the degree of D.D.; in 1863 was residing in Paris, France; in 1865 in Rome, Italy; in 1871 in San Francisco; and in 1874 became assistant bishop in North Carolina.

Rev. William G. Jackson took charge of the parish in September, 1850. Mr. Jackson was a native of England, the son of Rev. Thomas Jackson, rector of All Saints', Frederick, from 1830 to 1836. He graduated at the Virginia Theological Seminary, and was ordained deacon by Bishop Moore, of Virginia, in 1833. He became rector in 1850, and was married in 1852 to Lydia E. Kennedy, daughter of Col. Jacob Hollingsworth. In January, 1851, on account of ill health, he was absent a while, and his place was supplied by the Rev. W. W. Lord. Before the convention of 1853, Mr. Jackson had removed to South Carolina. In 1855 he had returned, and had become rector of Grace Church, Howard County. In 1870 he received the degree of D.D., and afterwards became dean of the Convocation. Rev. Walter N. Ayrault entered on his charge in June, 1853. He was a native of New York, and was ordained deacon in 1846 by Bishop De Lancey, and removed from Western New York. In 1856 he returned to Western New York. In 1868 he received the degree of D.D.

Rev. Henry Edwards became rector in January, 1857. He was born in Connecticut, and was ordained by Bishop Brownell in 1853, but came to Maryland from New York, and became assistant in Emmanuel Parish, Allegany, whence he removed to St. John's. In 1858 he reported that the daily service had been continued with increasing congregations, and that services had been held in two villages a few miles distant. In 1859 the old church debt had been entirely paid off. In 1860 were reported a parochial school and a ladies' sewing society of ten years' standing, and a new organ. During the civil war Washington County was often the scene of extensive military operations, and the parishes suffered greatly. Mr. Edwards resigned his charge in January, 1867, and became the rector of St. Mark's. He also assumed missionary charge of St. Andrew's, St. Luke's, Pleasant Valley, St. Mark's, and St. Paul's, in Frederick County.

The Rev. Claudius R. Haines commenced his rectorship April 29, 1867. In that year he reported that the church, which had been very much injured by a fire more than a year before, had been repaired at the cost of over three thousand dollars, and that two beautiful stained-glass windows had been presented for the chancel. In October, 1861, he became the minister of Christ Church, Anne Arundel County, but received his letters of transfer from Virginia in 1866, and from thence removed to Washington County. On the 1st of October, 1869, the vestry declared the church free. Its revenue increased, and in 1871 it had proved a great success. In that year he became the rector of St. Timothy's, Catonsville, Baltimore Co.

Rev. Walter A. Mitchell became rector January, 1872. He is the son of the late Rev. Richard H. B. Mitchell, f-o many years in St. Mary's County. He was ordained deacon by Bishop Drane, of New Jersey, in 1856, and in 1857 became rector of St. Paul's, Calvert County. In 1860 he was a missionary in Baltimore, and in 1866 became rector of St. John's, Howard County, whence he removed to Hagerstown.

Upon Mr. Mitchell's arrival, in the spring of 1872, he at once turned his attention to rebuilding the church. It was determined, as soon as the matter had been sufficiently discussed, that the wisest plan would be to sell the old site and erect the new church in another part of the town. A lot was accordingly purchased on the west side of Prospect Street, near " the Dry Bridge." The lot is ninety-two by two hundred and forty feet, and the position one of the most commanding in the town.

The foundations of the church were laid in August of 1872, and it was ready for occupancy on Nov. 3, 1875, although not absolutely complete until August 18, 1881, when the capstone of the spire was laid, and the cross which surmounts the whole was set up in its place by Geo. W. Stover, superintendent of the contractors, M. Gault & Son. As completed, the edifice is one of the most beautiful and convenient in the country. It is Gothic in style, and is built of limestone, broken range rock-work, laid in strong lime mortar. It presents a front of seventy-three feet, and is one hundred and nine feet deep. The tower is fifteen feet square, and the top of the steeple one hundred and ten feet from the ground, surmounted by a gilt cross four feet five and a half inches high, the whole steeple structure being of hewn stone, and is graceful and imposing in appearance. The native limestone is generously relieved by trimmings of brownstone and massive granite over the doorways of the tower. The tower and steeple were contributed by C. C Baldwin as a memorial to his wife, and he has since ordered to be cast a magnificent peal of bells, which will soon be in place. The church building proper was erected under the superintendence of W. H. Hurley. The corner-stone was laid on September 4th by the rector, Rev. W. A. Mitchell, assisted by the following clergymen: Rev. Dr. G rammer, Rev. A. J. Rich, M.D., Rev. Wm. T. Johnson, Rev. Henry Edwards, Rev. Julian Ingle, and Rev. James B. Averitt. Rev. John D. Easter, Ph.D., delivered the address. The wardens, vestry, and building committee were prominently engaged in the ceremonies. They were as follows: Wardens, William Kealhofer and Buchanan Schley; Vestry, Hon. Wm. Motter, George W. Pole, Dr. William Ragan, Daniel G. Huyett, Geo. W. Harris, Alonzo Berry, and R. Howell Griswold; Building Committee, Geo. W. Harris, Dr. Wm. Ragan, Geo. Gambrill, and Buchanan Schley. Ember C. Little, of New York, the architect, was also present. At the time of its completion, in 1875, the building committee was as follows: Rev. W. A. Mitchell, Dr. Fred. Dorsey, Geo. W. Harris, and Geo. W. Pole, Esqs. The main auditorium will comfortably seat four hundred and fifty people, and its plan and decorations are very handsome. The walls are of a neutral drab, wainscoted four feet from the floor with alternate beaded walnut and chestnut planks oiled. The church is finished with walnut, and the furniture is of the same wood, the pews being richly upholstered.

A magnificent organ furnishes the music for the congregation. The windows are exceedingly handsome and rich in their coloring. The central light of the chancel window is a figure of St. John, the two side lights figured stained glass, the three upper circular windows are figures of adoring angels with trumpet, lute, and harp. There are three handsome windows in the south transept, one, the subject of which is the Annunciation and Nativity, contributed by the Sunday-school of the church, costing about one hundred and sixty dollars; another, representing the presentation in the Temple and our Lord among the doctors, is a memorial of the late Maj. Holker Hughes; and a third, in memory of Miss Anna Fitzhugh, is triangular, and represents the adoration of the wise men. In the north transept is a large circular window representing the Ascension. The other windows are of diamond-shaped buff and white stained glass.

The opening services of the church were held on Oct. 11, 1875. The following clergymen were present: The Right Rev. Theodore Lyman, Assistant Bishop of North Carolina, a former rector of the parish; Rev. C. W. Rankin, of St. Luke's Church, Baltimore; Rev. Fred. Gibson, assistant rector St. Luke's Church, Baltimore; Rev. Dr. J. Stephenson, of Frederick County; Rev. Dr. S. C. Thrall, of Cumberland; Rev. Jas. Mitchell, Centerville, Queen Anne's Co.; Rev. Henry Edwards and Rev. Jos. B. Trevett, of Washington County; and the rector, the Rev. Walter A. Mitchell. The procession was headed by thirty choristers of St. Luke's Church, Baltimore. While marching up the aisle the hymn " Holy, Holy, Holy," was sung. The sermon was preached by Bishop Lyman.

St. John's Lutheran Church, Hagerstown, was organized in 1770, its constitution being signed by sixty members. Its first pastor was the Rev. Mr. Wildban, and within-one year after its organization it had one hundred and sixty communicants, and a year later two hundred and seventy-one. Prom 1772 to 1779 the pastor was the Rev. Mr. Young, and it is believed that the first church edifice was built during his pastorate. In 1782 a collection, amounting to £127 19s. Gd., was taken to purchase an organ. There are no records in existence of the proceedings for the ensuing eleven years, except that in December, 1791, the congregation held a lottery for raising nine hundred and sixty-five dollars. There were two thousand two hundred tickets at two dollars, with seven hundred and forty-one prizes and fourteen hundred and fifty-nine blanks. The trustees and managers were: Trustees, Peter Hoeflich, Henry Shryock, Peter Woltz, Baltzer Goll, David Harry, and Jacob Harry. Managers, William and John Lee, Rezin Davis, Alexander Claggett, Nathaniel Rochester, Henry Schnebly, William Reynolds, Melcher Bellzhoover, John Geiger, John Protzman, Adam Ott, Michael Kapp, George Woltz, John Ragan, Abraham Leider, Robert Hughes, Henry Shroder, Henry Eckhart, William Van Lear, Jacob Miller, F. T., Frederick Stemple, Peter Whitesides, Andrew Kleinsmith, Philip Entler, John Ney. In 1793 the Rev. J. G. Schmucker, D.D., became pastor. Dr. Schmucker was educated at Halle, Germany, and was twenty-two years of age when he came to Hagerstown. Previous to his acceptance of the charge of St. John's he had been engaged in religious work in York County, Pa., among his charges being " Quickel's." An old sermon contains a graphic picture of the condition of religious society at the time of his first appearance in Hagerstown. The Presbyterians were described as leisurely waiting God's time, while the Episcopal minister was " much more at home in the ballroom and on the turf than in the pulpit," and the Methodists only were fighting" the devil with any vigor. The new pastor of St. John's entered vigorously into the work which was before him, and made a great impression and was very successful. In 1795 another building was erected. The congregation numbered one hundred and eight members at this time, and ten years afterwards it had increased to two hundred and eleven. A new constitution was adopted in 1806. Dr. Schmucker resigned in 1810, and was succeeded by the Rev. Solomon Schaeffer, who died young and was buried beneath the church. A marble tablet in the aisle near the chancel marks his resting-place. In 1815, Rev. Benjamin Kurtz, D.D., became pastor. He also supplied the congregations at Funkstown, Williamsport, Beard's, and Smithsburg. In 1816 there were one hundred and seventy-nine communicants; in 1800, three hundred; and in 1822, four hundred and two. In 1825 a second bell was purchased, the congregation having paid off an indebtedness of thirteen hundred dollars in the previous year. During Dr. Kurtz's pastorate, which lasted sixteen years, preaching in English and protracted prayer-meetings were introduced. During Dr. Kurtz's absence in Europe in 1825, for the purpose of securing assistance for Gettysburg Theological Seminary, the pulpit was supplied by the Rev. F. Ruthrauff and the Rev. J. Medtard.

In 1827, Mr. Kurtz returned from Europe and resumed his pastoral relations with the church, Rev. F. Ruthrauff removing to Pennsylvania, while Rev. J. Medtard took charge of the church at Martinsburg, Rev. Winter being called to Williamsport — an associate charge of St. John's — upon Mr. Medtard's removal therefrom to go to Martinsburg.

Dr. Kurtz was succeeded at St. John's by Rev. Samuel K. Hoshour in 1831, who was followed in 1834 by Rev. C. F. Schaeffer, D.D. The latter resigned in 1840. At the last 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 Evangelical Lutheran Church. — The project of forming a new Lutheran society and erecting a new church edifice in Hagerstown tools definite shape in the spring of 1868, the first meeting of those favorable to the enterprise being held in May of that year. The circumstance which led to the new church project was the refusal of a majority of the members of St. John's to remodel their old edifice. After numerous efforts on the part of some of the most enterprising of St. John's members to remodel the edifice had failed, about sixty or seventy withdrew from the mother-church and proceeded to organize another congregation. Before their withdrawal an equitable division of the common church property was proposed, and a committee was appointed to value the property, which they did, and reported the value to be sixteen thousand dollars. No division, however, was ever made.

On May 13th the friends of the new enterprise held a meeting, and a committee of arrangements was appointed, and other preliminary steps taken. At subsequent meetings the following committees were appointed: On subscriptions, Martin Startzman, Jonathan Schindel, and John E. Herbst, M.D., and to this number Philip Wingert, Jacob Roesner, and A. J. Weise were subsequently added; for procuring a lot and selecting a site, David Artz, Sr., Otho Swingley, and William H. Protzman; on constitution and bylaws, A. J. Weise, William H. Protzman, Otho Swingley, Wilson L. Hays, and John Byers; in procuring designs, Dr. J. E. Herbst and William Householder. Subsequently the following members of the building committee were chosen by ballot: Dr. J. E. Herbst, Otho Swingley, George W. Stover, Lewis L. Mentzer, and Jonathan Schindel. The following were named trustees of the new congregation: M. Startzman, W. L. Hays, and F. J. Posey.

The lot on which the church now stands, on West Franklin Street, was purchased for three thousand five hundred dollars from E. M. Reche. The architect of the present " Trinity Lutheran Church" was C. S. Witzel, of Danville, Pa. Ground was broken for the foundation on Oct. 1, 1868, and the ceremony of laying the corner-stone occurred in the presence of a large concourse of people on Nov. 7, 1868, Rev. Joel Swartz officiating. The church cost thirty thousand dollars, not including the furniture, which was put in at a cost of two thousand dollars, and when completed ten thousand dollars of debt remained against it. The congregation was formally organized on the 29th of August, 1869, with about one hundred and twenty members; the building committee, under whose superintendence the church edifice was erected, were as follows: Dr. J. E. Herbst, chairman; L. L. Mentzer, secretary; F. J. Posey, treasurer; and Messrs. Jonathan Schindel, Otho Swingley, and Geo. W. Stover.

The church was dedicated on the 3rd of October, 1869, on which occasion Rev. F. W. Conrad, D.D., preached the dedicatory sermon. The congregation at once elected Rev. T. T. Titus, of St. John's, pastor of their new church, a call which he at once accepted, and began his ministry. In 1870 a chime of bells was placed in the steeple at a cost of fifteen hundred dollars, and a splendid organ placed in the church. The total cost of the church has been thirty-six thousand dollars, and although a parsonage has been recently purchased at a cost of three thousand dollars, the congregation only owes five thousand dollars. On the 3rd of April, 1870, Rev. T. T. Titus, in consequence of the impaired condition of his health, was compelled to resign as pastor, and the church was without a pastor until Feb. 25, 1872, when Rev. W. H. Luchenbach was elected and served until August, 1874. On the 13th of June, 1875, Rev. John R. Williams, the present pastor, was elected.

Rev. T. T. Titus, first pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, was born in Loudon County, Va., on the 4th of March, 1829. He was the son of poor parents, and the youngest of ten children. He manifested an eager desire for learning when quite young, and was carefully instructed by his mother in the principles of religion. At sixteen years of age he became a teacher, to which occupation he devoted some years of his life. Being very poor, however, he was often obliged to labor with slaves in the field. He was converted at a protracted meeting led by the Rev. P. Willard in 1847, and not long after united with the Lutheran Church. In 1848 he went to Gettysburg, and commenced his studies for the ministry in the preparatory department of the General Theological Seminary. His extreme poverty made it necessary for him to leave college several times in order that by teaching or selling books he might obtain the money needed to continue his education. In 1853 he was rewarded by graduating as valedictorian of his class. In the following year he took a class in the preparatory department, and at the same time continued his studies for the ministry. The double labor, however, was too much for his strength, and he was compelled to go abroad for the benefit of his health. He was then ordained, and served in the ministry for eighteen years. In 1867 he succeeded the Rev. J. Evans as pastor of St. John's Church, Hagerstown, and in October, 1869, became the pastor of Trinity Church. He labored with the greatest zeal, until at last his voice grew so weak that he could no longer be heard from the pulpit. As a writer he was vigorous and pointed, and was a valued contributor to the Lutheran Observer. He was also the author of a useful " Explanatory Question Book for Sunday-schools." Mr. Titus was very active in temperance work, and was twice elected to the office of G. W. C. T. in the order of Good Templars in Ohio. A memorial service was held at Trinity Church, conducted by Rev. Dr. McCron and Rev. W. H. Luckenbach, who preached the sermon.

The St. Matthew's German Lutheran Church, which stands on Antietam Street, was founded in 1871, and the congregation was organized on June 19th of that year. Work was commenced on the church during the next fall, and the edifice was completed in the spring, the dedication of the church occurring on May 26, 1872. The first church council was as follows: Lewis Heist, Y. Maisack, William Schlotterbeck, Christian Thomas, Jacob Schneider, Wolfgang Brey, Henry Darnberger, Peter Rauth, G. Grebner, John Brey. The first pastor was Rev. J. J. Dietrich, who was succeeded by Rev. C. Steinhauer. After him came Rev. J. G. Reitz, who immediately preceded the present pastor. Rev. G. H. Brandon. The present church council is constituted as follows: Christian Krohberger, George Rauth, Jacob Rettberg, Gottlob Schmidt, Frederick Baumbach, Jacob Wuensch, Justus Heinel, Christian Bretzler, Jacob Schlotterbeck.

The Reformed Church. — Although the Reformed Church was founded even prior to 1776, there are no authentic records of the church previous to that year, when the first regular church organization was effected. Its first regular pastor was Rev. Jacob Weymer, who was first put in charge of the congregation in 1770, and who continued to serve it until his death, which occurred in 1790. During his pastorate the oldest church edifice now standing in Hagerstown was erected, in the year 1774, more than a century ago. The congregation elected William Heyser, a member and deacon of the congregation, building-master, who was assisted in the construction of the church by his colleagues, Philip Osten, Peter Wagner, and Jacob Hauser, who carried the work on to the laying of the corner-stone.

On this occasion Rev. Frederick Ludwig Henop, Reformed pastor at Frederick Town, who had been invited to be present, preached on the words contained in Colossians iii. 17, " And whatever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him." At this service, which was held on the ground on which the church was to be built, there was likewise present Jacob Weimer, Reformed pastor in Elizabethtown, Rev. George Young, Lutheran pastor, and Rev. ––– , also Lutheran pastor of Fredericktown; William Heyser, builder, and Philip Oster, Peter Wagner, Jacob Hauser, deacons. The following were the members of the first congregation: William Baker, Ernst Baker, Yost Wegand, Isan Gundig, Johannes Karr, Frantz Greilich, Herman Greilich, Andreas Link, Eustagines Jung, Wilhelm Courath, Henrich Doutweller, Jacob Fischer, Johannes Steinseyfer, Frantz Wagner, Ernst Ditz, Rutholph Bley, Johannes Oster, Michael Eberhart, Matthaus Saylor, George Herda, George Clampert, Johannes Nicholas Schister, George ––– , Hanadam ––– , Valentin ––– , Jacob Hauser, Peter Diller, George Frey, Johannes Frey, Conrad Eichelberger, Philip Klein, Ernst Kremer. The corner-stone of this venerable structure was laid on the 10th of August, 1774. The ground occupied by the church was given by Jonathan Hager, founder of the town, and a member of the congregation who was killed by a rolling log while engaged in cutting timber for the church edifice.

No record has been preserved of the date of consecration. It is known that after the building had been placed under roof the congregation, for want of means to complete it, worshiped in it for four years with the interior unfinished. The dedication probably took place about 1778. The succession of pastors is as follows: Rev. Jacob Weymer, 1770, who continued to serve the congregation and to preach at St. Paul's, near Clear Spring, at Salem Church, at Beard's Church near Cavetown, at Besore's, near Waynesboro', and at Apple's, in Frederick County, until the 12th day of May, 1790, when he died, at the age of sixty-six years, and was buried in the graveyard attached to the church, no stone, at his own request, marking his last resting-place. Two years afterwards the Rev. Jonathan Rahauser succeeded him in the charge of these congregations, and served them for a period of twenty-five years, performing an immense amount of labor, and proving an effective preacher and a popular pastor. He died Sept. 25, 1817, in the fifty-third year of his age, and was also buried in the graveyard attached to the church. Rev. James R. Reily was the third pastor, who entered upon the discharge of his duties on the 1st of January, 1819, having on that day preached his introductory sermon. He seems to have been a very popular preacher, as well as pastor, and drew immense congregations. He resigned on the 25th of April, 1825. Although there was an occasional English sermon preached during Mr. Reily's ministry, it was so rare that it might almost be said that the German was the only language used in the services of the church for fifty-five years of its existence. With his successor the transition from German to English fairly commenced. Mr. Reily's successors were Rev. Mr. Brunner, 1827-32; Rev. W. A. Good, 1833-36; Rev. Albert Helffenstein, 1837-43; Rev. M. Kieffer, 1844-49; Rev. D. Gaus, 1850-55; Rev. S. H. Giesy, 1855-60; and Rev. J. H. Wagner, 1861—64. Rev. J. S. Kieffer became pastor of the congregation in 1868, and still continues to serve in that capacity, being the eleventh in a succession of pastors covering one hundred and eleven years.

Improvements in the church building were made from time to time, and the entire structure was remodeled and placed in its present condition in 1867-68. About the same time a chapel was erected beside the church, on the site of the old lecture-room. Two or three years afterwards the tower of the church, which had been loft unchanged when the remodeling took place, was replaced by a new one. The new spire, however, was blown down by a violent tornado in June, 1878, — a heavy loss to the congregation, which it has not as yet been able to repair. The Sunday-school connected with the church numbers thirty odd teachers and over two hundred scholars.

The Consistory of the congregation consists, in addition to the pastor, of six elders and four deacons. These are at present the following:

Elders.— D. C. Hammond, H. K. Tice, M. A. Berry, A. D. Bennett, Wm. Gassman, E. M. Recher.

Deacons.— W. H. McCardell, J. T. Seiss, W. D. Troxell, George Shaver.

Christ Reformed Church. — During 1852 religious meetings were held in the lecture-room of the First Reformed Church, in Hagerstown, for the benefit of those who desired services exclusively in the German language, and were attended by Germans, members of the German Reformed and Lutheran Churches, and others not members of any church. Rev. Carl Kast, a minister of the German Reformed Church, ministered to the special wants of the new congregation for several years. No organization was, however, effected at this time, although measures were taken to build a Reformed church in which those who desired German services exclusively might worship. A location was ultimately selected on Franklin Street, and the work of building went forward. In March, 1855, the Germans assembled in the First Reformed church and organized a Reformed congregation, after which they proceeded in a body to the new church, where the corner-store was laid, and the church received the name of " Christ Church," and was popularly known as the Second Reformed Church. The church was completed in 1856, and was dedicated in the spring of the same year. Among the ministers present were Rev. Samuel H. Giesy, D.D., pastor of the First Reformed Church, Rev. Philip Schaff, D.D., and Rev. Dr. George Wolff. The following were the officers of the congregation: Henry Winter, Leonard Maisack, Mark Benner, Jacob Gruber, Theobald Kiefer, William Beslard, and George Steinmetz. Rev. Mr. Kast continued to serve the congregation for a number of years, and was succeeded by Rev. John B. Poerner. Rev. Dr. George Seifert followed Mr. Poerner. In 1868, Rev. Henry Louis G. Mienard became pastor, and served for one year. He was succeeded by Rev. Casper Scheel, who was in turn succeeded by Rev. Theobald Heischman, who was a member of the Lutheran Church, and the only Lutheran minister that ever served its congregation. It appears that he was not installed as pastor of the congregation. During his brief term of service difficulties arose, and the Reformed Classis of Maryland, which held jurisdiction over Christ Reformed Church, at its next meeting took into consideration the difficulties and complaints made by the Reformed portion of the congregation, and by resolutions declared its unwillingness to have under its jurisdiction a congregation served in so irregular and unsatisfactory a manner. As a result of this action the German Lutheran portion of the congregation left the church and proceeded to build a German Lutheran church. Rev. William F. Colliflower succeeded Rev. Heischman in 1872.

During his pastorate there was practically a reorganization of the congregation. Quite a number united with the church by confirmation and certificate who were not familiar with the German language, and in consequence there were only occasional German services, and in a short time German services were discontinued. This change from German to English services rendered necessary a change in its constitution, and on Sept. 18, 1877, such changes and alterations as were necessary were made. Rev. Mr. Colliflower continued pastor of the congregation for about three years and three months, and his successor, Rev. C. H. Coon, was installed in the fall of 1876, and was succeeded on Oct. 1, 1878, by Rev. Leighton G. Kremer, the present pastor. The officers of the congregation are: Elders, George Fridinger, Charles Fridinger, C. G. Boryer, Henry Haltzapple; Deacons, George G. Solliday, John Gassman, Solomon Baker, Theodore Weagley. The present number of communicants is ninety-seven, and Sabbath-school scholars one hundred and sixteen. Extensive improvements were made in the audience-room of the church in the fall of 1878, and the congregation possesses a neat and comfortable place of worship. The basement of the church has lately been fitted up for a Sabbath-school and lecture-room.

The Presbyterian Church. — Traces of the Presbyterian Church are found as far back as 1774, when Rev. Thomas McPherrin was called by the united congregations of Conococheague and Jerusalem, the latter being known as " Hagerstown charge," to the pastorate of the Presbyterian congregations west of the South Mountain. In 1788 it is mentioned that, in compliance with a "supplication" from Falling Waters, Hagerstown, and Williamsport, Rev. Mr. Caldwell was appointed by the Presbytery " as a constant supply for those places for one year." There are, however, no known records of the church earlier than 1817, when the society was organized.

Previous to this, from about 1809, John Lind divided his time between Greencastle and Hagerstown. He was a son of Rev. Mathews Lind, and came from Ireland in 1774, and shortly afterwards organized the Associated Reformed Church, his church being erected in Greencastle. Under the pastorate of the younger Lind the first church on South Potomac Street was erected. Before this, service was held in the German Reformed church.

On Nov. 15, 1817, Robert Douglas, John Kennedy, Joseph Gabby, and John Robertson were ordained to the office of ruling elder, and the church was known as the Associated Reformed Church. On the following day the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered for the first time by an English Presbyterian minister. The society thus formed comprised thirty-seven members. The church had just been completed at a cost of 89149.17. This included also the price of the lot.

The lot upon which the church was erected was purchased for fifteen hundred dollars from Gotleib Zimmerman. Of the one hundred and sixty-seven contributors to the church fund, only one, Frederick Humrickhouse, was alive in 1875. It is mentioned that two of the subscriptions to this first Presbyterian Church amounted to six thousand dollars. From the organization of the church until the end of 1824 there were added to its membership fifty-seven persons. In 1824, Rev. Mr. Lind died, and was succeeded by Rev. Matthew L. Fullerton. The church, together with that of Greencastle, united in the spring of 1825 with the Presbytery of Carlisle. Mr. Fullerton was installed as pastor Sept. 28, 1825, and ministered to the congregations of Hagerstown and Greencastle upon alternate Sundays. He died Sept. 17, 18.33, and was succeeded by Rev. Richard Wynkoop, who was installed June 25, 1834, when the severance from the Greencastle Church became final. In January, 1836, the Session having determined upon the election of three additional elders, on the 26th of that month Messrs. Joseph Rench, Samuel Steele, and John McCurdy were elected. In the opposition to the ordination of Mr. McCurdy was begun a difference which ultimately resulted in a division of the church. The pastorate of Rev. Mr. Wynkoop continued until his death, April 6, 1842. He was succeeded by Rev. Herman Douglas, and he by Rev. John F. McLaren, whose pastorate continued until it became evident that a reunion could be accomplished, when he and Rev. Mr. Love, the pastor of the other church, resigned in order to further it. The pastors of the seceding portion of the congregation were Rev. Mr. Davies and Rev. William Love. Under the corporate name of the First Presbyterian Church of Hagerstown they perfected and maintained an organization, worshiping in the court-house, the Session consisting of Elders William Stewart, Nathan McDowell, and William M. Marshall. This congregation was admitted to connection with the Synod of the Associate Reformed Church Jan. 26, 1838, notwithstanding the Presbytery of Cai lisle did not release it nor recognize its withdrawal. The reunion of the congregations was effected April 10, 1846, and September 14th, Rev. Septimus Tustin, D.D., was called, and came in response to the call, but was not installed until the following year. John Kennedy, the founder of the church, died April 27, 1847. Dr. Tustin having resigned, Rev. R. W. Dunlap was next called, and began his ministry in the latter part of 1851 or early in 1852. He died Feb. 17, 1856, and was succeeded by Rev. Robert A. Brown, who was called early in the year 1858. During the summer of 1861, Victor Thomson, who had long been an attendant of the church, died and devised to it the sum of five thousand dollars, which was applied, in accordance with his will, first in placing a substantial iron fence in front of the church; the balance being invested with its annual increment, made it possible to indulge the idea of remodeling the church building, but the war occurring, dissipated the project, the ultimate result being the erection of the new structure.

In the spring of 1862, Rev. Mr. Brown resigned, and the pulpit was afterwards filled and until Sept, 24, 1866, by Rev. W. C. Stitt, first as stated supply and then as pastor. Feb. 18, 1867, Rev. Tryon Edwards, D.D., was called and entered upon the ministry. He resigned Oct. 29, 1872. In April following the congregation, at the annual meeting, directed the building of the new church. July 24, 1873, Rev. J. C. Thompson was called, and he was installed November 18th of that year.

Mr. Thompson resigned in 1879, and was succeeded by Rev. J. A. Roundthaler, the present pastor. The old church on South Potomac Street was sold to the Christian Church in 1878, but the last service held in it by the Presbyterians was on Sunday, Dec. 18, 1875. The sacrament having been a part of the opening services of the church fully eight years before, it was deemed proper that the final services should be also completed with the sacrament. There was not, however, a single person who was present on both occasions. The new church was dedicated on Sunday, Dec. 25, 1875, the sermon being preached by Rev. J. T. Smith, of Baltimore. Rev. George P. Hayes, D.D., president of Washington College, preached in the evening, and raised four thousand dollars with which to help pay off the debt of ten thousand dollars. The edifice, which was designed by E. G. Lind, of Baltimore, is of graystone, and is simple but imposing in style. The main auditorium is forty-throe by seventy-five feet, and is entered from a vestibule nine by forty-five feet, which opens on Washington Street. A tower occupies the northwest corner, and faces both Washington and Prospect Streets. When completed this tower will be one hundred and twenty-five feet high. The finish of the audience-room is of black walnut oiled, the scats being cushioned in crimson terry, the floor carpeted in crimson and drab. The triple window in the front is a memorial in stained glass to Victor Thomson, whose bequest formed a valuable part of the building fund. The windows upon the sides are also of stained glass in simple style. The ceiling is broken by heavy white moldings running across, and is of a lavender tint. It is lighted artificially by four large reflectors, circular in pattern, and neat and ornamental in design.

Methodist Church. — The section of country surrounding Hagerstown was visited by Strawbridge, Owen, King, Asbury, and other pioneer preachers. In 1776, Asbury wrote, " It seemed as if Satan were the chief ruler there; the people were very busy in drinking, swearing, etc." In 1812 he revisited the place, and says that he " preached in the neat, new Methodist chapel to about one thousand hearers." It was for a number of years included in the Chambersburg Circuit, but in 1822 appears as a separate circuit, with John Emory, subsequently bishop, as pastor. As early as 1793 the Methodists had a congregation in Hagerstown, for they are mentioned in connection with Dr. Schmucker's first appearance, which was in that year. They held camp-meetings at Enoch Jones', five miles from Hagerstown, about 1807, of which Rev. Hambleton Jefferson had charge. They had built a church in the town early in the present century, and Rev. William Rylan preached there as early as 1810. A new church was dedicated in 1867, and on Sunday, Dec. 14, 1879, the present Asbury Methodist Episcopal church was dedicated. It is situated on North Jonathan Street, and was completed during the pastorate of Rev. J. W. Waters. The structure is of brick, and is built upon the site of the old building, in which the Rev. James Brown led in worship for so many years. Its gable front abuts upon the street. The main auditorium is on the second floor, and is quite plain in its appearance, a single motto in an arch upon the wall back of the pulpit being its only ornamentation.

The church lecture-room is upon the ground-floor. Thurston & Beck, contractors, commenced work on the edifice in July, 1879, and it was dedicated on Sunday, December 14th. Rev. N. M. Carroll, of Baltimore, preached the dedicatory sermon, and the services were conducted by Presiding Elder H. A. Carroll. Sermons were also delivered during the day by Rev. James Thomas, of Baltimore, and Rev. Robert Steel, of Baltimore. On the Sunday of the dedication Presiding Elder J. H A. Johnson, of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and Rev. Mr. Wayman, bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, participated in the ceremonies. The following members of the congregation conducted the collection, which amounted to a considerable sum: John Harden, H. W. Dorsey, Benjamin Myers, H. Dorts, C. Dorsey, P. Moxley, G. Miller, and J. T. Wagner.

The colored people of Hagerstown had maintained a Methodist Church organization for many years previous to the building of their church, in July, 1879. Their church edifice was completed in the fall following, and is a commodious and convenient place of worship.

Catholic Church. — The Catholics, although they bad a congregation in Hagerstown previous to that time, built their first church in the spring of 1794. Proposals for this church, or " stone chapel," were received at the house of John Worland on the 29th of January. The walls of this chapel were fifty feet long, thirty-five feet wide, and nineteen feet high. The advertisement soliciting proposals for the building of this church was signed by William Clark, who stated that he would show the plan for the chapel upon application, and proceeded to say that the person undertaking to build the walls must find stone, lime, clay, sand, and all other materials, laborers, etc., " so that the whole work may be done within himself, and the walls delivered by him ready built. His proposals must mention what he will do it for by the perch of the wall, — that is, sixteen feet and one-half of a foot in length and one foot in height of the whole thickness of the wall. Stone can be had on the lot where the house is to be built, and the quarry is already opened, which will save a great deal of expense in hauling."

In 1804, Rev. Charles Duhamel was pastor, and Patrick Edwards was parish teacher of the congregation. In 1828 a new church was built, and dedicated! on October 5th of that year. On June 9, 1837, Rev. T. Ryan, who had been for many years pastor of the: church, died. After this, for twelve years, Rev. Henry Myers was pastor of the Hagerstown Church, it being embraced in his parish, comprising all of Washington County. Father Myers was one of the most highly-esteemed pastors of the church. He was born in Conewago, Adams Co , Pa., in 1806, and studied at St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore. He was ordained in 1830, and prior to his pastorate at Hagerstown was stationed at St. Patrick's, Washington, D. C, and afterwards at Cumberland, Md., where he built a church. He went to Pikesville, Baltimore Co., after twelve years of labor at Hagerstown, and in 1860 succeeded Rev. Leonard Obermyer as pastor of St. Vincent de Paul's, on Front Street, Baltimore City, where he remained until the time of his death, in July, 1873.

The old Catholic church in Hagerstown was repaired in the fall of 1870, and was re-dedicated on January 29th of that year. The improvement to the church, which was already large, consisted in the erection of a tower thirteen feet square and the building of a beautiful spire, the height of which from the ground to the summit of the cross is one hundred and twenty feet. The length of the church is one hundred and nine feet, and it is forty-eight feet wide. These improvements were made from designs furnished by George A. Fredericks, of Baltimore, under the direction of Mr. Hurley, Mr. Wright, and Mr. Cushwa. The total cost was seven thousand dollars, of which all but fifteen hundred had been paid on the day of dedication. The dedication services were conducted by Rev. Henry Myers, who was then pastor of St. Vincent de Paul's, Baltimore. The Very Rev. Dwight Lyman, of Baltimore, delivered the dedicatory sermon. The Catholic cemetery at Hagerstown embraces four acres of land on West Bethel Street.

The Church of the Disciples was dedicated on Jan. 1, 1859, by Bishop Glassbrenner, the Rev. Mr. Coursy, and the Rev. Mr. Lowber. The only debt on the church at that time was four hundred and ninety-four dollars, which amount was contributed upon the day of dedication.

The Christian Church. — The youngest religious organization in Hagerstown is the congregation of the Christian Church, which began in 1876, with eighty members. The original officers were John D. Newcomer, J. H. Wagoner, elders, and Abraham Corbett and Alfred Stouffer, deacons. At first worship was conducted in Hoffman Hall, but in a short time the old Presbyterian church on South Potomac Street was purchased. In March, 1877, Elder Louis H. Stein, of Kentucky, was called to the pastorate of the church, being its first regular minister. He remained but a little more than a year, during which time Elder John H. Wagoner resigned his eldership, and Henry S. Eavey was elected in his place. In September, 1878, Elder S. B. Moore, of Iowa, became the second pastor of the church. In the summer and fall of 1879 the old Presbyterian church building, recently purchased, was remodeled and repaired, making it one of the neatest and most comfortable church edifices in the city. The congregation has had an uninterrupted and steady growth, until it now numbers one hundred and sixty-eight communicants, and owns a church property valued at nine thousand dollars, free of debt. The present officers are: Elders, John D. Newcomer, Henry S. Eavey, A. M. Wolfinger; Deacons, Abraham Corbett, Alfred Stouffer, John W. Newcomer, George D. Keller. The pastor is S. B. Moore, and the treasurer Levi Middlekauff. The Sunday-school numbers one hundred, including officers and teachers. Superintendent, J. Irvin Bitner; Assistant Superintendent, Levi Middlekauff. In connection with the church is a " Ladies' Aid Society," the object of which is to raise money by weekly contributions for the aid of the poor in the congregation, and for other purposes.

Rose Hill Cemetery was incorporated March 16, 1866, Governor William T. Hamilton being one of the original incorporators. The others were B. H. Garlinger, W. M. Marshall, David Zeller, Chas. T. Nesbitt, Geo. F. Heyser, William Updegraff, W. H. Protzman, Samuel T. Zeigler, William McKeppler, N. I. Magruder, Chas. Knodle, and Geo. B. Oswald. Governor Hamilton was made president. The cemetery grounds were purchased from the wife of T. H. Norman, and consist of twenty-six acres, beautifully situated on the southern borders of the town, facing the Sharpsburg turnpike and the Washington County Railroad. The cemetery is one of the ornaments of the town. The grounds were laid out by Jno. Wilkenson, of Baltimore, and were dedicated in September, 1867, the Rev. T. T. Titus, of the Lutheran Church, delivering the address.

Washington Cemetery. — In 1870 the Legislature appropriated five thousand dollars to pay the expense of removing the bodies of the Confederate dead from the battle-fields in this section, and the commission appointed selected a portion of Rose Hill as the most suitable place. The removals began in September, 1872. On Feb. 28, 1877, a beautiful monument was erected by the managers of the cemetery and dedicated to the Confederate dead. The body of the monument is of Scotch granite of Aberdeen, of a beautiful brown, dappled with varied hues; the base is a solid, heavy stone of American granite from Richmond; upon the top is a marble figure more than five feet in height, representing Hope leaning upon her anchor, with flowing robes, and upon her brow is set a star (perhaps the " single star of the Confederacy"). Upon the front of the die facing the cemetery is the inscription, " The State of Maryland has provided this cemetery and erected this monument to perpetuate the memory of the Confederate dead who fell in the battles of Antietam and South Mountain." On the right side we read, " The State of Virginia has contributed toward the burial of her dead within this cemetery," and on the left the same of West Virginia.

On Tuesday, the 15th of June, 1877, the Washington Confederate Cemetery, near Hagerstown, was dedicated and decorated for the first time. The weather was very fine, and there was an immense concourse of people within the grounds. The arrangements were under the direction of Col. H. Kyd Douglas, president of the board of trustees of the cemetery, seconded by Mr. P. A. Witmer. The first arrival occurred about eight o'clock in the morning, when a train from Martinsburg, via the Cumberland Valley road, reached Hagerstown with over six hundred excursionists. Among these was Capt. Charles J. Faulkner's company of the Berkeley Light Infantry, numbering eighty men. About the same time the two regular trains of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad came in, bringing about two hundred people from the lower districts of the county. At half-past eight o'clock a delegation from Shepherdstown, headed by Col. W. A. Morgan, trustee of the cemetery on behalf of West Virginia, and accompanied by the Shepherdstown Cornet Band, arrived on the scene, and shortly before noon a special car of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad bearing Gen. Fitzhugh Lee reached Hagerstown, and was met by Maj. George Freaner, Col. H. Kyd Douglas, and Dr. A. S. Mason, who conducted Gen. Lee to Maj. Freaner's residence, where he was entertained. Maj. Freaner had been a member of Gen. Lee's staff during the war. At noon a train arrived from Baltimore, via the Western Maryland Railroad, and soon after two trains of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad came in, one of them from Washington, and the other from Baltimore. The excursionists from Frederick returned home on learning of a railroad accident which had occurred at Point of Rocks. Among them was James Gambrill, one of the trustees of the cemetery. In Hagerstown the day was universally given up to the celebration. Many of the citizens kept open house and invited persons to lunch or dine with them. Although it was Tuesday, the county " public day," very little business was transacted. It is thought that at least six thousand people visited the cemetery during the day, and that there were five thousand present at one time.

At two o'clock P.M. the procession formed in the public square at Hagerstown. with Col. R. E. Cook, chief marshal, assisted by Marshals A. J. Schindle, A. K. Syester, Jr., Edwin Schindle, George M. Stonebraker, Frank Emmert, and Upton Brumbaugh. In half an hour the different organizations had taken their proper places and the march to the cemetery was commenced. At the head of the column, preceded by the Martinsburg Band and Drum Corps, were the Berkeley Light Infantry, Capt. Charles J. Faulkner, who were followed by the mayor and City Council of Hagerstown, Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, Hon. D. B. Lucas, Gen. I. R. Trimble, and others in carriages. After these came the delegation from the Society of the Army and Navy of the Confederate States and other citizens of Baltimore, accompanied by the Fifth Regiment Band, and commanded by Capt. McHenry Howard, president of the society. Next in order came the Fire Department of Hagerstown, their engines handsomely decorated with flowers, and accompanied by the Keedysville Band. These companies were followed by the delegation from Shepherdstown, W. Va., commanded by Col. W. A. Morgan, assisted by Capts. J. S. Melvin and Lee H. Moler, and led by Criswell's Cornet Band. After the Shepherdstown delegation came various other delegations from Washington County and elsewhere. Those from Williamsport, Funkstown, and Sharpsburg were noticeably large, and carried masses of beautiful flowers. On the route from Hagerstown to the cemetery the different bands played lively and spirited airs, but when the enclosure was reached they were succeeded by solemn marches and dirges.

At the cemetery the light infantry were drawn up in line facing; the graves and near the speaker's stand. The bands were stationed at various points. The mayor and Council, the speakers, and the guests were then conducted to the stand by the trustees of the cemetery. A choir of sixty persons, with an organ, were placed in front of the stand, and the engines of the Fire Department were stationed along the main drives, upon a conspicuous eminence.

The exercises began with prayer, which was offered by the Rev. Levi Keller, of Funkstown. He thanked Almighty God for the restoration of love and unity between the late contending armies, and offered an earnest supplication for the President and other civil functionaries of the United States. After music by the Fifth Regiment Band, Maj. George Freaner, secretary and treasurer of the cemetery association, delivered a historical sketch of the cemetery. The burial of the Confederate dead who fell in the battles of Antietam and South Mountain in an appropriate place was, he said, the result of a series of efforts made by the State of Maryland. Less than eighteen months after the battles were fought the Legislature passed an act organizing the Antietam National Cemetery. This act, which was amended and re-enacted at the succeeding session of 1865, provided for the purchase of ten acres of land, " a part of the battlefield of Antietam," as a burial-place for the soldiers who fell in that battle. Those acts made it the duty of the trustees of all States joining the corporation to remove the remains of all the soldiers who fell in the battles of Antietam and have them interred in this national cemetery, the remains of the soldiers of the Confederate army to be buried in a portion of the ground separate from that in which the bodies of the soldiers of the Union army were interred. To carry out this scheme the sum of fifteen thousand dollars was appropriated and expended in the purchase of the grounds, etc., near Sharpsburg, now the National Cemetery. Many thousands of dollars were contributed by fourteen other States, but, in violation of the law, the remains of the Confederate soldiers were not reinterred, but were permitted to remain where they had been hastily buried. In many instances the trenches were so washed by the rain that their bones were laid bare and were turned over by the plow.

In a letter dated Dec. 3, 1867, Governor Fenton, of New York, called the attention of the trustees of the Antietam National Cemetery to the sad condition of these Confederate dead, and to the requirement of the Maryland acts of Assembly, which they had disregarded, viz., that the remains of Confederate as well as Federal soldiers should be removed to their cemetery. In this connection. Governor Fenton said. " The hostility of the generous and heroic ends with death, and brief as our history is, it has furnished an early example. The British and Americans who fell at Plattsburgh sleep side by side, and a common monument on the Plains of Abraham attests the heroism of Wolfe and Montcalm." Influenced probably by this appeal and the earnest entreaties of Thomas A. Boullt, secretary and treasurer of the board, the trustees passed a resolution designating and setting apart for the burial of the Confederate dead who fell in the battle of Antietam, in the first invasion of Lee, the southern portion of the grounds, not occupied, and separate from the ground devoted to the burial of the Union dead. At the next session of the Maryland Legislature five thousand dollars was appropriated to the cemetery, presumably for the reinterment of the Confederate dead. But the trustees in 1868 finally postponed any further action towards the removal of these remains. The five thousand dollars appropriated by Maryland still remained in the State treasury, and at the January session of the Legislature of 1870 an act was passed organizing the Washington Cemetery and appropriating the five thousand dollars to its use. The charter provides for the burial of the dead of both armies remaining unburied at the date of that instrument, and for the appointment of three trustees from Maryland and one from any State which may join the corporation. It gives the trustees full power to accomplish the work entrusted to them, and enables them to receive and hold all contributions by way of gift, devise, bequest, etc.

During the summer of 1870, Governor Bowie appointed as trustees on behalf of the State of Maryland Col. H. K. Douglas and Maj. George Freaner, of Washington County, and James T. Gambrill, of Frederick County. The first meeting of the trustees was held in the fall of 1870, and Col. Douglas was elected president. The summer of 1871 was consumed in seeking sites for the cemetery. The charter required that it should be located within one mile of Hagerstown, and the trustees finally purchased two and a half acres and ten perches of land from the Rose Hill Cemetery Company for two thousand four hundred dollars. The Rose Hill Cemetery Company agreed, in making the sale, to keep the grounds in the same condition as their own. After securing the ground, the trustees commenced the removal of the dead, first from the fields of Antietam. about twelve miles south of Hagerstown. With the aid of H. C. Mumma, of Sharpsburg, the trustees disinterred and removed from the battle-fields of Antietam seventeen hundred and twenty-one bodies. The remains when known were placed in single boxes, and when unknown were deposited two in a box. They were moved to Washington Cemetery and buried at an average cost of one dollar and a half per head. This closed the work for 1872 and nearly exhausted the money appropriated, leaving the dead of South Mountain and in isolated parts of the county unburied.

A further appropriation of five thousand dollars, however, was made by the Legislature of Maryland at its January session in 1874, and the Legislatures of Virginia and West Virginia each appropriated five hundred dollars. On receiving these appropriations, the trustees elected Col. W. A. Morgan, of West Virginia, and Maj. R. W. Hunter, of Virginia, to represent their respective States in the board of trustees. In 1874 the trustees resumed work, and buried two thousand four hundred and forty-seven dead, of whom two hundred and eighty-one were identified. The graves were sodded and the grounds decorated as far as the funds of the trustees permitted, after they had set apart a sum (two thousand dollars) which, invested, would yield an income sufficient to keep the cemetery in good repair. A monument was also erected, the work of A. Steinmetz, of Philadelphia, at a cost of fourteen hundred and forty dollars. At the close of his remarks Maj. Freaner said, "It is our intention to make this cemetery a beautiful spot, worthy of an annual pilgrimage from those whose friends and kindred lie here buried, as well as all those who may wish to render homage to a race of men who were willing to die rather than submit to humiliation."

The dedication dirge (words by Col. H. Kyd Douglas, music by F. J. Halm) was then sung by the choir, led by Prof Halm, with organ accompaniment by Mrs. John Cretin. During the singing Capt. Faulkner's company stood at " present arms." The dirge and music were dedicated to Gen. Fitzhugh Lee. Gen. Lee, the orator of the day, was then introduced, and delivered an eloquent address, in which, after giving rapid sketches of the conspicuous Southern generals, he said that the people of the two sections now had a common country, and that it behooved his hearers to love and cherish it, and to banish discord and strife. After Gen. Lee's address there was music by the Martinsburg Band, which was followed by a poem delivered by its author, Hon. Daniel B. Lucas; then music by the Keedysville Band, after which a letter was read from Brevet Maj. Gen. J. W. Crawford, of the Federal army, then living at Chambersburg, Pa., in which he said that he would most willingly add his testimony to the bravery and devotion of the gallant men who rest at Washington Cemetery. " In their devotion to principle," said he, " and in those high qualities which enabled them to die for it, they have the respect of every true American." After the reading of this letter the graves were strewn with flowers, the monument was decorated with roses and evergreens, and a handsome magnolia was placed at the base. On the mound whereon the monument stands and in front of the monument stood a shield, with the ground in white roses and a St. Andrew's cross in red roses; and on the three remaining sides the words, in large letters, Gettysburg, Antietam, South Mountain, in red, white, and pink roses respectively. Besides these there was a great profusion of flowers and of floral decorations placed on the green turf near the monument. During the ceremony of strewing the graves with flowers the different bands played funeral marches and requiems. When the decoration was finished Harry Greenwood, of Shepherdstown, aged five years, performed a "solo" on the drum, accompanied by his father with the fife. The choir then sang " Farewell," with the words as arranged by A. D. Merrick, and the long meter doxology, with accompaniment by the Hagerstown Band, after which the Rev. Walter A. Mitchell, rector of St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church, pronounced the benediction. The Berkeley Light Infantry then discharged three volleys over the graves of the dead soldiers, after which the procession formed again and marched back to Hagerstown, and the visiting delegations took the trains for their respective homes.