AREA HISTORY:  The First Reformed Church of York, Pennsylvania, York County, PA

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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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THE FIRST REFORMED CHURCH OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA – Page 530

The first reformed congregation in York antedates the organization of the county, and is connected with the first settlement of 
the town, in 1742.  The precise date of its organization cannot be fixed.  The Rev. Jacob Lischey, its first pastor, in a record 
made, 1744, in a book held by the present pastor, Rev. Dr. J. O. Miller, says “this congregation has been for several years 
without a pastor.”  They had an organization prior to his coming to visit them, and they must have worshiped in a private 
house.

In August, 1744, Rev. Mr. Lischey, a “Swiss preacher,” visited this settlement and preached for them.  The elders, George 
Meyer, Philip Rothrock, and others, extended to him a call; and a second call, in May 29, 1745, which latter he accepted.  The 
congregation had no house of worship until 1746, when a block building was erected on Lot No. 91, granted by the Penns.  
The congregation passed through many scenes of excitement in the first fifteen years of its history, on account of the conduct 
of its pastor, and the uncertainty of where he stood, as Reformed or Moravian.  He several times offered to resign, but a strong 
party took up for him and retained him.  He finally, under a charge, withdrew in 1760, and organized an independent church, 
in Codorus Township, and was deposed by the synod.  A biography of Rev. Lischey will be found on page 406.

The congregation was vacant for one year.  They then called the Rev. John Conrad Wirtz, who entered upon his labors, May 9, 
1762; and soon brought the congregation into harmony.  The church prospered.  The block building was taken down and the 
corner-stone of a large stone building was laid May 24, 1763.  Rev. Wirtz did not live to see it completed.  He died September 
21, 1763, and was buried under the altar.  A vacancy of two years, of which there is no record, occurred.  In September, 1765, 
Rev. William Otterbein was called, became pastor November, 1765, and served five years.  A desire to visit his native land 
pressed upon him, and without resigning he departed for Germany.  The congregation was occasionally supplied by the Rev. 
Daniel Wagner, who preached at Kreutz Creek.  The Rev. Otterbein returned October 1, 1771, continued to serve this people 
three years more, and then went to Baltimore.  In May, 1774, Rev. Daniel Wagner became pastor.  He was a most estimable 
man; the church prospered under his ministry.  He remained during the period of the Revolutionary war.  He resigned in 1786, 
and accepted a call from the Tulpehocken congregation, Berks County.

In the fall of the same year the church was supplied by a young man, Rev. Philip Stock, who remained until November, 1789.  
And the records show that, in 1790, Rev. George Troldenier was pastor; not much is learned from the records concerning him; 
his last baptism was on May 31, 1793.

The congregation extended a call to their former pastor, the Rev. Daniel Wagner, who accepted, and entered upon his duties 
August 1, 1793.  His second ministry was more successful than the first had been.  During this period the stone church, built in 
the time of Rev. Wirtz, was destroyed by fire on July 4, 1797, and all the records were burnt save one book.  The congregation 
at once took steps for a new building, which they reared on the same spot 65x55 feet, with the site to the front, which was 
dedicated in May, 1800, and which is still standing.  In May, 1804, Mr. Wagner resigned and the Rev. George Geistweit took 
his place.  He ministered to this people for sixteen years, until 1820.  There is no record form which to estimate the work done.  
He is kindly spoken of by those who knew him, and the church held its own, but made no progress.

Rev. Lewis Mayer, D. D., took charge January 8, 1821.  It was followed by an awakening and the bringing in of new life.  His 
preaching was profound – his energy great.  He introduced English preaching with the German, built a lecture and school-
room on the rear of the lot.  He had weekly service for lecture and prayer – also Sunday-school.  In the midst of his usefulness 
he was called to the theological professorship in the seminary.  He resigned April 3, 1825.

The church was vacant for two years.  The Rev. James Reily was called, April 1, 1827.  His health failing he had Rev. Daniel 
Zacharias, a licentiate, for an assistant.  He resigned July, 1831.

A vacancy of one year and a quarter occurs, when the Rev. John Cares, of blessed memory, was called, October 1, 1832.  He 
did an effectual work.  The lecture room at the rear of the lot was destroyed by fire December 8, 1837, and instead of 
rebuilding it the congregation resolved to alter the interior of the church, taking off ten feet of the audience room and making 
lecture and Sunday-school room out of it.  The Rev. Cares served eleven years, and on April 5, 1843, died.  He was greatly 
lamented by his people.

Now followed an exciting and stormy period in the history of this congregation.  Scarcely had the grave closed over their 
beloved pastor, until an effort was made by certain parties to secure the services of Rev. Herman Douglas, a converted Jew, 
then pastor of an Associated Reformed Church, at Hagerstown.  He was a man of brilliant attainments, and great pulpit ability.  
This excited serious opposition among a large class of persons; they resented it and appealed to the classis.  Mr. Douglas took 
charge July, 1843; he remained only one year and a half.  January 1, 1845, resigned, and went to Europe.  The congregation 
did not remain long vacant.  On January 16, 1845, they called the Rev. William A. Good, from Hagerstown, Md.  He, like the 
four who preceded him, preached in both languages, English and German, and likewise served surrounding congregations.  
During his ministry, the congregation was chartered by the legislature of Pennsylvania, on March 9, 1849, under the title “The 
First Reformed Church of the borough of York and its vicinity,” and under this charter, the congregation was authorized to lay 
out a public cemetery, under the title of “Prospect Hill Cemetery,” which now contains between 80 and 100 acres.  In the latter 
part of Mr. Good’s pastorate, it was resolved to call a co-pastor, to preach exclusively in the English language.  This was 
unsatisfactory.  They then resolved to divide into two sections, English and German, each to call its own pastor, and support 
him, but to hold their property in common under one corporation.  This called for the resignation of both Messrs. Good and 
Philips, in the fall of 1851.

This opens a new era in the history of this congregation.  It was virtually two congregations under one corporation in one 
building.  The Rev. David Bossler, of Harrisburg, Penn., was called by the German section, and entered upon his work April 4, 
1852; and on November 6, 1852, the Rev. J. O. Miller, of Winchester, Va., was called by the English section, and accepted the 
position, January 1, 1853.  Each section had the use of the audience room on alternate Sunday mornings; the English preached 
alternately in the lecture room and in the evening in the church above.

A mission chapel was built by the pastor of the English section for Sunday-school service, 1861, on Queen Street.  In the 
spring of 1862 Rev. D. Bossler resigned, and he was succeeded by the Rev. Daniel Zeigler.  The inconvenience of two 
congregations worshiping in one building became daily manifest; and steps were taken for a final and entire separation of the 
sections.  Terms were agreed upon – the property, all but the cemetery, should be put up, and the highest bidder of the two 
sections should have it.  The Germans bought it, and paid the English for their rights in the church building, graveyard, and 
parsonage, $9,725 – the English to retain the corporate title, and the Cemetery (Prospect Hill).

The English section, now an independent congregation, went out, and for a year or more worshiped in the court house, and 
then built for themselves their splendid church, called “Trinity,” on the second lot east of the old building.  It is in 
Romanesque style architecture, with tower and turret, 60 feet front and 180 feet deep, with chapel attached; a chime of nine 
bells, organ, etc., the entire cost $60,000.  The building was consecrated during the meeting of the Synod of the United States, 
October 21, 1866.  The pastor is the Rev. J. O. Miller, D. D., who has been with it for nearly thirty-three years since it become 
a distinct English congregation.   The congregation is in a healthy, growing condition, with a membership, confirmed and 
unconfirmed, of 550 people; two Sunday-schools numbering 520.