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SAINT PAUL'S LUTHERAN CHURCH
OF ARCADIA, BALTIMORE COUNTY
GEORGE PRECHTEL
One of the very early, if not one of
the earliest German churches in the
the eastern part of Maryland was St.
Paul's Lutheran Church at what is now
Arcadia in the upper part of Baltimore
County. It was, in fact, the only
church of any denomination in that im-
mediate section of the county. Its re-
corded history dates back to 1794, but
by tradition its beginning is placed
about a quarter century earlier.
The early settlements in the northern
part of the county and westward in
Frederick and Washington counties
(the latter then a part of Frederick)
were largely German. These settlers
belonged, in the main, to that numer-
ous German immigration which set in
soon after the opening of the 18th cen-
tury. They drifted from the border
counties of Pennsylvania into northern
Maryland, and many of them crossed
the Potomac to settle in the Shenan-
doah Valley of Virginia.
Of this stock and of their descendants
and successors were the founders of
St. Paul's. They brought with them
the deep religious feeling inherent in
the German race, no matter of what
faith or creed, and therefore felt the
need of providing facilities for its sym-
bolical manifestation. Some adhering
to the Lutheran, some to the Reformed
creed, and neither class being numerous
enough to maintain itself independently,
the custom, then generally followed, of
combining efforts in erecting a build-
ing to serve the purposes of both as a
place of worship, was adopted.
Prior to this they attended the serv-
ices of the mother church at Manches-
ter, now in Carroll County (also a
union church of Lutheran and Re-
formed congregations) which was
founded about the same time, or very
shortly after Zion Lutheran Church of
Baltimore. This involved a journey of
more than seven miles both ways, either
afoot or on horseback, unless a vehicle
devoid of springs was available, over
primitive country dirt roads, for the
Hanover turnpike was not constructed
until about the early part of the last
century. A part of the original ante-
turnpike Hanover road is still used, di-
verging from the pike at Woodensburg
and, after a distance of more than three
miles, rejoining it at Fowblesburg. It
is bordered by a branch of the Western
Maryland railroad practically this en-
tire distance. This is known as the
"Old Road," but smooth, hard surface
has replaced the original dirt and mud.
The tradition of an earlier date than
the authentic 1794 is not without a
more than probable foundation. One
of the oldest inhabitants of the locality,
Francis Rhinehart, who claimed com-
mon ancestry, more or less remote, with
the sculptor Rinehart, also from this
section of the state and not very dis-
tant, often asserted to the writer that
he had the statement concerning the
traditional, earlier church from some of
its members. As he was living before
all of the original members had passed
away, and being an old-time country
schoolmaster, especially interested in
historical data and therefore well in-
formed on the past history of the settle-
ment and its early families, the relia-
bility of the statement is highly prob-
able if not certain.
Meager inscriptions on old tomb-
stones in the adjoining churchyard,
with name and date still fairly legible,
go back to that of E. Poe, 1782. An-
other greystone slab contained only the
rudely carved date, 1771. Whether it
was then already a churchyard or only
a neighborhood or family burial
ground, very frequent throughout this
section, is undetermined. There is also
a record of baptisms August 31st, 1793,
recorded among the later data.
In 1902 Rev. C. Stork Jones, one of
the late pastors, published a pamphlet
[23]
on the history of the church containing
the data pertaining thereto gathered
from the old church records and ap-
parently reliable traditions stored in
the memories of the older people as
well as facts within their own knowl-
edge. In preparing this the writer
was of some little assistance, as the
earliest entries were mostly in German
script with which the author was not
sufficiently familiar. The record of the
Lutheran congregation has since been
unfortunately destroyed in a fire while
in possession of the writer, that of the
Reformed congregation still exists. The
former was the more comprehensive.
The pamphlet gives nearly all that is
preserved of its contents, practically the
essentials, and has been used in the veri-
fication of dates and occurrences not
coming, primarily, to the knowledge
of the writer by observation or from
reliable sources.
The first page of the Lutheran record
contains the signatures of the male
members. They are, with two excep-
tions, written in German script, some
quite creditable, others partly or en-
tirely without capital letters, indicating
that the literacy of these fathers was
not of a high order, whatever may have
been their natural talents or their
efficiency as pioneers. The two excep-
tions, written in very good English or
Latin script, were both Lautenschläger.
As originally written, the signatures
were: Married—Jacob Algeier, Sr.,
Ludwig Bäuerle, Johannes Algeier,
Johann Peter Schnepf, John Brown,
Jacob Oberkugen, Conrath Bäuerle,
Michel Homan, George Lautenschläger,
Phillip Lautenschläger, Heinrich Gut-
länder, Frenk Lautenschläger, Elias
Rathge, Georg Treuer, Michel Weber,
Georg Tänner, Peter Ziegeler, Friedrich
Frankfurter, Daniel Helm.
Single—Jacob Allgeier, Jr., Georg
Allgeier, Soloman Lautenschläger,
Adam Lautenschläger, Adam Bortz.
There are no signatures of females,
but their names appear among the com-
municants of 1794, and in the case of
the married were written with the then
customary feminine terminal -in, which,
as yet is not entirely obsolete, at least
in speech. They were:
Barbara Lautenschlägerin, Rosina
Barbara Radge, Margaret Treyer, A.
Maria Fletter, Maria Barbara Allgeiger,
Eva Roth, Maria Catherina Schneider,
Anna Catherina Elzrothin, Christina
Sturm, Elizabeth Margaret Riebelin,
Anna Maria Brownin, Magdalene
Brownin, Sarah Hegerin, Margaret Roth,
Elizabeth Gettingerin, Christina Radge,
Rahel Diehlin, Barbara Hohmanin.
The additional male names:
J. Georg Fletter, Christoph Roth,
Daniel Radge, Conrad Bayerle, John
Jacob Gutländer also appear on this
list.
The first pastor of record was Rev.
Johann Daniel Shroeter.
The book contains mainly the dates
of birth and baptisms with names of
parents and sponsors. Deaths were
frequently not recorded. It was ex-
clusively German, except here and there
a Latin term, until about 1817. Then
there is a hiatus, no entry whatever
until 1826, when entries far from per-
fect, however, were resumed, but there-
after exclusively English. At the latter
date the English service was introduced
alternating with the German.
The first pastor of the Reformed con-
gregation was Rev. Christoph Kobrecht.
Its records do not contain the signa-
tures of its members, although the pref-
ace states the intent, and likewise begin
in 1794, but, including a hiatus from
1811 to 1817, end definitely in 1842,
when only seven communicants ap-
peared. This register is more defec-
tive than that of the Lutheran congre-
gation. It contains, with meager ex-
ceptions, only names and dates of birth
and baptism together with those of par-
ents and sponsors. It is utterly devoid
of data relating to deaths. The entries
in both records plainly show that they
were not always made by the pastors.
The following excerpt relating to the
church building is from the pamphlet
of Rev. Jones, stating:
[24]
"The first house of worship was built
of logs. It was nearly square and
large enough to hold about fifty people.
This old temple, erected by our grand-
fathers, stood until 1838, when it gave
way to a stone structure. In the center
of the unplastered room stood the stove,
its pipe going straight up through the
roof. This pipe became the habitation
of flying squirrels. On one occasion
they greatly disturbed the spirit of a
funeral sermon by their excited sailing
about the church, the fire in the stove
having driven them forth. The seats
were benches made from the slabs of
logs with legs driven into them. There
were no backs to these benches. What
a blessing to the preacher! The drowsy
member could not settle back and take
his Sunday nap. What a test of faith
an hour's discourse must have been!
However, all discomforts were forgotten
in the great privilege of having preach-
ing once a month and the Lord's Supper
once a year. Unchanging human na-
ture manifested itself then as now.
While the aged saints listened devoutly
in the front benches, the young sinners
courted in the back seats as they have
ever done.
"In those days the proverbial country
mile was in fashion. Distance was not
such a barrier to church going as at
present. Our grandfather and grand-
mother mounted their horses, sometimes
the same horse, and rode many miles to
church. Until many years later car-
riages were unknown hereabouts. Be-
fore St. Paul's was built many walked
to Manchester and back, a distance of
fifteen miles, and for years afterwards
the Lutherans of Reisterstown held
their membership at St. Paul's, six miles
distant. In those days our grandmother
gathered together chickens, geese and
whatever she had for market, threw
them on her horse, climbed on top and
thus rode into Baltimore. Sometimes
the pigeons she sold beat her home.
"In walking to church on warm days,
men and women, old and young, carried
their shoes until they came near the
Church, when they would put them on
until the homeward journey was begun.
The shoes made by the itinerant shoe-
maker were too clumsy and uncomfort-
able to be worn except when necessary,
and of course would not stand the wear,
year in and year out, like the human
epidermis that repairs itself free of
charge. Our ministers with their saddle-
bags were genuine rough-riders."
Further on the author cites a set of
resolutions inscribed upon the Register
by one of the ministers to govern his
conduct, one of them being: "That I
will do all I can for the suppression
of eating to such a vast degree at
funerals; also labor to banish ardent
spirits from among the people at all
times, but more particularly at this
time."
The author comments as follows:
"These resolutions give us a glimpse of
the times—of the funeral feasting and
drinking. Ardent spirits were legion.
It is said nearly every farm had its
liquor still. When the minister stopped
with a family, it was regarded as a
lack of hospitality not to pass around
the bottle. An incident is told of one
man who, on his way to Hampstead,
told a neighbor he expected the Metho-
dist preacher to stop with him on Sun-
day, and, as he was out of liquor, he
was on his way to get enough for the
occasion. An elder of St. Paul's kept
a tavern and entertained the preachers.
In looking backward we can see that
we have made some progress."
A part of the dismantled old log
structure still stood within the recollec-
tion of the writer. In 1838, as already
stated, it was replaced by a square
structure of rough stone. This was of
larger dimensions and provided with a
gallery along three of its sides. The
timbers used in its construction were
hewn and the nails wholly hand-
wrought. Although the Reformed con-
gregation was then nearly defunct, it
was still a union church, as attested by
the documents later taken from the
corner-stone. However, no representa-
tive of this congregation is named as
assisting in the ceremony of laying the
stone.
[25]
The name St. Paul's, chiseled into
a stone imbedded high up in the wall,
was probably adopted about this pe-
riod, as no earlier record thereof is
available. This building gave way in
1882 to the present brick structure,
more imposing and of larger dimen-
sions, which, however, is exclusively
Lutheran. The inscription on the title
page of the Record by the Lutheran
pastor gives no name, and as to loca-
tion, states in the first recorded com-
munion service, 1794, that it was in
the church "beim Allgeiger, Sen." A
half century later it was mostly referred
to as Algire's church, and even today
some of the old people still so desig-
nate it. Nor do the records of the Re-
formed congregation mention the name.
The pastor's inscription on the title
page, in 1794, gives the location, "Bal-
timor Caunty, Peib Krück Hundert."
Pipe Creek is in Carroll county, but a
part of this, at that date, was included
in Baltimore County. The term hundred,
as designation for subdivisions of a
county, was in use at that period of our
colonial history.
There evidently was very little akin
to segregation, as there is a regular
intermixture of names in both books,
therefore the final merging into one,
when the Reformed congregation went
out of existence about 1842, encoun-
tered few if any obstacles. The German
service had entirely ceased some time
before this occurrence. However, about
this time, and for some years after,
there was another influx of newcomers
from other localities as well as immi-
grants, and this later led to the forma-
tion of another German congregation
apart from the English one composed
mostly of the descendants of the orig-
inal settlers. This had a rather flourish-
ing existence for some years, but in-
creasing adverse conditions caused its
dissolution about 1871.
Today the sounds of the German lan-
guage are rarely heard in this section.
The few who still retain some knowl-
edge of it have practically abandoned
its use. Even its modified form, known
as the Pennsylvania German or Pennsyl-
vania Dutch, once so generally in use
that some could scarcely speak passable
English, is practically extinct except,
perhaps, among a few very old people.
The writer recalls hearing it almost ex-
clusively used in many homes as the
medium for family intercourse.
Some of the family names are no
longer found in the community, others
have undergone a decided change. Some
of the forefathers could scarcely trace
their descendants by the names as now
written, although the sound might serve
as a means of identification. For ex-
ample: Allgeiger has become Algire;
Opferkuchen, Upperco; Armegast,
Armacost; Ibach, Ebaugh; Bäuerle,
Byerly; Bortz, Ports; Eltzroth, Else-
road; Diehl, Deal; etc., etc. A list of
original names, with their variations
and present form, is appended.
The only pastors of the Reformed
congregation named in the record are
the first, Christoph Kobrecht, 1794, and
the last, Philip Philips, whose ministry
ended in 1842. If there were others
intermediate no names are given, nor
does the variation of the handwriting
furnish any reliable clue. The entries
were in German verbiage to 1834;
thereafter they were in English.
The records of the Lutherans, too, are
not clear as to the early pastors. The
first, as before stated, was Johann
Daniel Schroeter, 1794, succeeded by
Rev. John Herbst, presumptively in
1797, continuing until 1825. Then came:
Rev. Emanual Keller, 1826-1827.
Rev. Jacob Albert, 1827-1836.
Rev. Jeremiah Harpel, 1837-1839.
Rev. Philip Willard, 1841-1843.
Rev. Frederick Ruthrouff, 1843-1844.
Rev. Elias Schwartz, 1845-1848.
Rev. Jacob Kaempfer, 1848-1849.
Rev. John Winter, 1850-1853.
Rev. Daniel Hauer, D.D., 1853-1860
(nephew of Barbara Frietchie).
Rev. J. M. Graybill, 1860-1861.
Rev. Jos. R. Facht, 1862-1864.
Rev. Jacob Martin, 1864-1867.
Rev. P. P. Lane, 1870-1872.
Rev. Christian Lepley, 1873-1881.
Rev. Albert Bell, 1881-1884.
Rev. Geo. H. Beckley, 1885-1897.
Rev. A. Harrison Burk, 1898-1900.
Rev. C. Stork Jones, 1900-
[26]
NAMES OF MEMBERS OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCH
Original names,
Names as now
with variations
written
Allgeiger, Jacob, Sr.......
1794 Algire
Algeier, Jacob, Jr..........
1794
Allgeier, Georg..............
1794
Allgier
Allgeyer
Allgire
Algire
Armegast, Magdalena...
1795 Armacost
Armegast, Adam...........
1809
Ormagosh, John............
1842
Armacost
Bäuerle, Ludwig...........
1794 Byerly
Bayerle, Peter
...............
1795
Byerle, Elizabeth... .1796-1843
Byerly, Thomas.............
1853
Bortz, Adam...................
1794 Ports
Borz, Adam
Portz, Adam
..................
1797
Portz, Elizabeth.............
1803
Ports
Becker, Geo. et al..........
Baker
Busch, Rhoda.................
1827 Bush
Coldrider, George..........
1820 Caltrider
Diehl, Rahel..................
1794 Deal
Diel, Susanna................
1808
Diehl, Catherine............
1831
Deal, David P
................
1830
Diehl, David
..................
1837
Deal, David P
................
1838
Duhs, Margaret.............
1854 Duse
Elzrothin,
Anna Catherina
.........
1794 Elseroad
Eltzroth, Johannes and
and
Eltzeroth
....................
1809 Elsroad
Elseroad, Geo................
1817
Elserote, Geo..................
1819
Elserode, Catherine
.......
1820
Elsrode, Francis.............
1820
Elsroad, Francis............ 1825
Elseroad, Francis
.......... 1828
Ibach, Anna Catherina.
1796 Ebaugh
Ebaugh, Geo
.................
1806
Ebach, Geo....................
1817
Ebaugh, Geo
.................
1818
Ibaugh, Jacob...............
1818
Ebaugh, Conrad............
1825
Ebaugh, Rachel
............
1827
Fletter, J. Georg...........
1794 Flitter
Fleter, John
..................
1825
Flitter
Fauple, Elizabeth............ 1796 Fowble
Faubel, Melcher............
1808
Fouble, Malchor
............ 1811
Vaubel, Savina............... 1824
Fowble, Frederick.......... 1827
Fowbel, Frederick
......... 1832
Fauble, Salome............. 1831
Fowble, Sarah..............
1833
Original names,
Names as now
with variations
written
Frenger, Rebecca...........
1795 Fringer
Fringer, Michal.............
1808
Frankforter, Friedrich..
1794 Frankforter
Gittinger, Elizabeth
......
1794 Gettinger
Gittinger, Jacob.............
1810
Gettinger, Francis.........
1820
Helm, Daniel
.............1794-1811 Helms
Helms, Daniel, Jr.
........
1846
Homan, Michel..............
1794 Hohman
Hohman, Barbara.........
1794
Heger, Sarah.................
1794 Hager
Hager, John..................
1809
Haug, Christian F.........
1796 Houck
Houk, Geo.....................
1824
Hauck, Geo...................
1826
Houck, Catherine...........
1855
Hennystoffel, John........
1810 Hennistoffel
Hennestopher, Samuel..
1826
Hildebrand, Katherina..
1809 Hildebrand
Hildebrant, John
...........
1810
Hiltebrand, Jacob.........
1828
Huber, Heinrich.......
1811 Hoover
Hoover, Adam...............
1842
Hallenbach,
John
.............1819-1830-1844 Hollenbaugh
Hallenbaugh, Catherine.
1829
Huster, Godlieb
.............
1844 Huster
Ibach, Anna Catherina..
1796 Ebaugh
Ebaugh, Jacob...............
1818
Ebaugh, Geo..................
1818
König, Frederick...........
1858 King
Lautenschläger, Georg..
1794 Loudenslager
Laudensläger, John.......
1809
Laudenschläger,
Elizabeth
...................
1823
Lautenschleger,
Catharine
...................
1819
Laudenslager, Elizabeth.
1833
Lepo, Jacob...................
1829 Lippo and
Leppo, Peter..................
1848 Leppo
Lammott, Gothard
.........
1858 La Motte
Mash, Barbara
..............
1811 Marsh
Meyer, Geo. E
................
1841 Myers
Noll, Heinrich and
Maria .........................
1811 Null
Null, Mary
....................
1843
Oberkugen, Jacob..........
1794 Upperco
Opferkuchen, Catherine
1794 and
Oberkuchen
Uppercue
Oberkugen
Opferkuchen, Rachel...
1830
Ormagash, John
.............
1842 Armacost
[27]
Original names,
Names as now
with, variations
written
Rathge, Elias................
1794
Radge, Daniel
...............
1794
Reister, John................
1796
Reinhard, Magdalena...
1803 Rhinehart
Reinhart, Eva.................
1806
Reinhart, Maria
.............
1836
Rhoten, James
(orig. Roth)................
1897 Rhoten
Schnepp, Johann Peter..
1794 Schnepf
Schnepf, Margaret.........
1795
Snapth, Peter (in deed)
1840
Sturm, Christina
...........
1797 Storms
Sturm, Georg.................
1796
Schneider,
Maria Katherina........
1794 Snyder
Schneider, Johannes-----
1796
Sneider, Philip................
1808
Snyder, Philip................
1809
Schneiderin, Elizabeth..
1809
Schneider, Samuel
.........
1822
Schneider, Friedrich-----
1827
Snyder
Schmidt, Johann............
1796 Smith
Schmidt, John B.............
1854
Schammloeffel, Nicholas
1843 Schaumleffer
Schaummloeffel, Barbara
1877
and
Schaumloeffel
Stoll, John......................
1809 Stull
Stull, John
.....................
1822
Stoll, Daniel...................
1828
Stull, Daniel...................
1836
Schafer, Michael
...........
1810 Shaeffer
Schaffer, Jacob
...............
1818
Shaffer, Frederick..........
1820
Shaeffer, Jacob...............
1830
Souk, Henry
..................
1811 Zouck
Zauck, Georg.................
1827
Zauk, Johannes
.............
1829
Zouck, Henry.................
1830
Sprengel, Henry
............
1828 Sprenkel
Sprengle, Andrew, Jr....
1842 and
Sprinkel
Original names,
Names as now
with variations
written
Schuster, Jacob..............
1828
Shuster
Stumpf, Henry...............
1854
Stump
Stumpf, Henry, Jr.
........
1886
Seip, Philip (also Seipp)
1845
Seipp
Swartzbach, Uhriah........
1860
Swartzbaugh
or
Swartsbaugh
Treuer, Georg................
1794
Troyer
Treyer, Margaret
...........
1794
Tänner, Georg
...............
1794
Tanner
Terner, Elizabeth
...........
1803
and
Tänner, Elizabeth..........
1831
Danner
Tanner, Geo...................
1833
Oberkugen, Oberkuchen
Upperco
and (mostly)
and
Opferkuchen...............
1794
Uppercue
Upperco, Thomas...........
1821
Vaubel, Savina...............
1824
Fowble
Weber, Michel...............
1794
Weaver
Weber, Margaret............
1831
Wikert, Maria...............
1795
Wickert
Wicker, John.................
1810
Wiggert, John................
1827
Weisz, Jacob..................
1818
Wise
Wise, Jacob
...................
1821
Wann, Oratio
................
1818
Vaughn
Yungblut, Elizabeth....
1803
Youngblood
Yaus, Jacob
...................
1809
Youse
Yenker, Henry...............
1857
Jünke
Ziegeler, Peter...............
1794
Ziegler
Ziegeler, Christine.........
1795
Souk (Zauk) Henry....
1811
Zouck
Zauk, Johannes
..............
1829
Zouck, Henry.................
1830
Zauck, Georg.................
1827
Zepp, Catherine.............
1845
Zepp
[28]
THE GERMAN REFORMED CONGREGATION
IN BALTIMORE TOWN
This is hardly a story of a church,
nor of a congregation, nor of its mem-
bers, but just an illuminative period
out of the land books, indicating that
these dusty records with their oft yel-
low pages and fading ink contain stories
which under the deft and facile pen of
a reflective observer could make the past
live again.
The tale is really that of two lots,
now in the heart of the city but when
our narrative begins they form the
northern boundary of what was then
Baltimore Town and came originally
out of the possession of Charles Carroll
of Carrollton, who dying, by his will
probated in 1710, left his lands to his
descendants with the instruction that
they were not to sell or convey away
any tract of more than five hundred
acres at a time.
The lots in quo would today be de-
scribed briefly as follows:
All that lot of ground situate at the
northwest corner of Saint Paul and
Saratoga Streets and running thence
westerly, bounding on the north side of
Saratoga Street two hundred feet more
or less to the centre of Lovegrove Alley,
thence binding on the centre line of said
alley northerly two hundred feet more
or less, thence easterly bounding on the
north side of the twenty foot alley there
situate two hundred feet more or less to
the west side of Saint Paul Street, thence
southerly bounding on the west side of
said street two hundred feet more or
less to the place of beginning. The
whole containing one acre of land more
or less and improved by various build-
ings among other, the three story build-
ing and basement at the corner of Saint
Paul and Saratoga Streets, at one time
known as the Athenaeum, which later
was the home of the Maryland Histori-
cal Society and after occupied by the
State Automobile Commissioner, as also,
directly in the rear of this, the school
building which was used as the Central
Police Station and is now a manufac-
turing plant.
The whole being and comprising what
were lots Nos. 151 and 152 as designated
on the plat of the second addition to
Baltimore Town.
In those days Saratoga Street was
known as Saint Paul Street and a little
lane sixteen feet wide on the east of the
tract was Saint Paul's Lane; this today
as widened is Saint Paul Place. At the
next corner, that is Charles and Saratoga
Streets, in provincial times was erected
a line of picket fence as, so 'tis said, a
protection against the Indians.
For us these lots, Nos. 151 and 152
have a peculiar interest, for as the land
records show, they were the property
of what in provincial days was variously
designated as the "High Dutch Calvin-
istic Congregation in Baltimore Town",
the "High Dutch Reformed Calvinistic
Congregation in Baltimore Town", and
the "German Reformed Congregation in
Baltimore Town".
When this congregation was first
formed and where its members had pre-
viously met and worshipped there is
naught to be found in the land records.
Though all the evidence makes it a fair
assumption that not only was it a mature
congregation but that its members were
energetic and of some affluence.
But to begin at the beginning:
In the Land Records of Baltimore
County (now City,) in liber B No. H on
folio 164 and pages following we find
beautifully inscribed, in what in German
would be described as "Kanzleischrift",
a deed, bearing date of April 30th,
1760, from Charles Carroll, of the City
of Annapolis, conveying the said lots
Nos. 151 and 152, in fee simple to
Valentine Larsch, Conrode Smith and
Jacob Keepaut; this in consideration of
the sum of eighteen pounds sterling.
In passing it may be noted that on
page 166 et sequens of the same liber
is to be found a conveyance to Valen-
tine Larsch, individually by one Georg
Nicolaus Mayer of one hundred and
[29]
seventy acres of land, as also lot No. 84
on the west side of Jones's Falls from
Gay to Frederick Streets; and Mayer's
stock of horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, and
sundry chattels.
Three years later, under date of
August 29th, 1763, recorded among the
land records aforesaid, in liber B No. L
folio 505, we find an indenture from
Larsch, Smith and Keepaut conveying
the two said lots to the Elders of the
High Dutch Reformed Calvinist Con-
gregation in Baltimore Town, and their
successors as elders, in consideration of
eighteen pounds sterling. From this
conveyance it seems clearly evident that
the lots had been bought originally by
Larsch and his two companions for the
use of the congregation.
Here is to be noted that the con-
veyancer who drafted these various in-
struments evidently was not conversant
with the German language for we often
find a variance between the spelling of
the names in the deed and the signa-
tures found in the execution thereof;
these latter are often written in German
which the copyist reproduced with as
much fidelity to the original as he
could. So the name Keepaut is shown
to be Kühborth (this later reappears as
Keeport) Smith to be Schmitz; Knupp
to be Knaupp; Neymeyer to be Neu-
meyer; and Haake to be Hacke.
Another interesting item the records
disclose is the names of the wives of
the three grantors—for, as was the cus-
tom in those days, the wives were sep-
arately examined by two Justices of the
Peace, for assurance that they had not
been coerced by their husbands into
surrendering their rights of dower.
Larsch's wife was named Mary, Schmitz'
Margaret, and Kühborth's Elizabeth.
The instrument bears an official re-
ceipt of the payment of one penny as
an alienation fee to Edward Lloyd, esq.,
agent for Lord Baltimore.
After some forty-six years of church
ownership we find on record a volumin-
ous document whereby the lots are con-
veyed away to be used for other than
church purposes. This deed is chiefly
interesting for the names therein re-
cited and which are still borne by their
descendants of this day who are oft
entirely ignorant of their ancestral
progenitors.
The deed begins in manner following:
"This indenture made the third day
of April, in the year of our Lord
Eighteen Hundred and Six, between
John Henry Dreyer of Baltimore County
in the State of Maryland, the present
pastor of "The German Reformed Con-
gregation in Baltimore Town," Jacob
Hoofmann, George Decker, Henry Mar-
filius, and Nicholas Haake, all of Bal-
timore County aforesaid, the present
elders of the same congregation, Arnold
Smith, Jacob Lehman, Herman Ney-
meyer and Abraham Knupp, all of Bal-
timore County aforesaid, the present
deacons of the same congregation, and
Michael Diffenderffer, Christian Keeh-
ner and Philip German, all of the same
County and State, the present trustees
of the same congregation, of the one
part, and Benjamin Williams and
Samuel Williams, both of the City of
Baltimore in the County and State afore-
said, merchants, of the other part.
"In consideration of the sum of five
thousand dollars the said parties of the
first part convey unto the parties of the
second part, their heirs, etc., * * *
"All that whole lot or parcel of land
or ground situate, lying and being in
Baltimore County aforesaid in the Sec-
ond Addition to Baltimore Town (now
the said City) known and distinguished
on the plat of the said Addition by
the number one hundred and fifty-one,
which was granted and conveyed by
Charles Carroll of the City of Annap-
olis in Anne Arundel County and said
State of Maryland unto Valentine
Larsch, Conrode Smith and Jacob
Keepaut, their heirs and assigns for-
ever, by indenture bearing date the thir-
tieth day of April, in the year seven-
teen hundred and sixty, recorded among
the Land Records of Baltimore County
in Liber B. No. H folio 164 and 165,
and which was granted and conveyed by
the said Valentine Larsch, Conrode
Smith and Jacob Keepaut unto the eld-
[30]
ers of the High Dutch Reformed Calvin-
istic Congregation in Baltimore Town,
by indenture bearing date the twenty-
ninth day of August in the year seven-
teen hundred and sixty-three recorded
among the said Land Records in Liber
B. No. L. folio 505, etc.
"And also all that part of a lot or
parcel of land or ground situate, lying
and being in Baltimore County afore-
said and in the Second Addition to
Baltimore Town aforesaid, known and
distinguished on the said plat of the
said Addition by the number one hun-
dred and fifty-two, and which part ad-
joins the said lot number one hundred
and fifty-one, the whole length and
depth of both the said lots, and is con-
tained and described as follows to wit,
Beginning for the same part, hereby in-
tended to be conveyed, at the distance
of sixty-six feet easterly from the south-
west corner of said lot No. 152 in the
line of the south end or side of the said
lot number one hundred and fifty-two
at the southeast corner of another part
of the said last mentioned lot, pur-
chased by William Lorman, and run-
ning thence easterly, bounding on the
said last mentioned line thirty-three feet
to the said lot number one hundred and
fifty-one and running thence northerly
the same width and bounding on the
said part so purchased by the said
William Lorman and also on the said
lot number one hundred and fifty-one,
the whole depth of the said lot number
one hundred and fifty-two. And which
said described part of a lot was granted
and conveyed in like manner and form
as the said lot number one hundred and
fifty-one.
(Executed by)
John Henry Dreyer
Jacob Hoffman
George Decker
Henry Marfilius
Nicholas Hacke
Arnold Schmitz
(By mark) Jacob (x) Lehman
(In German) Henry Neumayer
(In German) Abraham Knaup
Michael Diffinderffer
C. Keehner
Philip German
(Witnessed by)
George P. Keeports
Henry Hollins
Then follows the (in those days cus-
tomary) acknowledgment of the receipt
of the consideration money, signed by
the same parties.
The Corporate seal of the Reformed
Congregation of Baltimore Town is
attached.
The whole is acknowledged before
two Justices of the Peace, John Aisquith
and Owen Dorsey.
Recorded on April 7th, 1806, in W. G.
No. 89 folio 206 to 210, by Clerk of the
Court William Gibson.
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