Re: Sanners church records - Church History
-
In reply to:
Sanners church records
MICHAEL BENDER 9/03/01
Hi!I don't know if this may help you any in your search, but, here is a little history on the church condensed from the Rockwood Area Historical and Genealogical Society's "Down the Road of Our Past" (Volume One) and my own personal research.It would take some time to do a detailed history exhausting all resources.I worked this like a timeline.
The beginning of the congregation dates back to 1783 meeting in a log building.At this time, the area was known as Milford Township, Bedford County, PA.
Somerset County was formed from Bedford County in 1795. Many other records prior this time would be located in the Bedford County Courthouse, i.e. birth, death, marriage, estate, land warrants... (if they exist)
For 10 cents, the land for the church building was deeded to the trustees of the Lutheran/Reformed Societies on 03-26-1814.(I once read that this church was formed from a German Church in the tiny town of Milford, several miles away. I don't remember all the details.)
The people planned a 25X30 foot church building, but a school and cemetery were put into place first and the building not built as designed.So, they planned a new church in 1871.A planning committee was formed.Lutheran members were George Humbert and Levi Sanner.Reformed members were David Wable and Peter J. Baker.
Once the new building, the "Baker Church," was erected, neither the Lutheran nor the German Reformed ministers would dedicate the union church.It became part of the Rockwood Charge in 1881.
Black Township was formed in 1886 from Milford Township.
In 1916, the church was incorporated.
I know several people who attended services at the church.My Grandmother is one (she is now 90).A gentleman donated one of the stained glass windows and glass name plates to the Rockwood Historical Society.Most of the people buried in the Sanner Cemetery I can connect to my genealogies.There are 5 generations from one family and 4 from another buried there.
The site is situated 2 miles from Rockwood.The cemetery and church were on opposite sides of the road.The church was torn down many years ago (the outhouses still stand :-) along the edge of the woods) and this land now has several graves on it also.
The name "Sanner-St. John Lutheran Church" is inscribed on a stone on the edge of the cemetery.
St. Luke's Lutheran Church is the sister church, located on Broadway Street in Rockwood, Somerset County, PA
As for the church records, some copies are housed at the Somerset County Historical and Genealogical Society.I am not sure which records or years, but some are birth records.They would be worth looking into.I do research there at times and may be able to search them for you.
For anyone who might have information or ideas where to locate other records, we are in a dilema here:The cemetery burial records are missing.
There was a tragic accident at the cemetery in 1985 when a child was injured and the cemetery association disbanded.The Rockwood Historical Society has been searching for the burial records and so far, there seems to be no copies anywhere.
There could be a problem for several widows if these records are not found.
One man claimed to have a plot purchased there, but he died several years after the accident and was buried in the Rockwood IOOF Cemetery.
The cemetery was cleaned in recent years and it would be nice to replace dislodged headstones.
There are various death records indicating place of burial as the Sanner Cemetery, but headstones cannot be found.
The WPA records (cemetery transcriptions) are incomplete or inaccurate in some instances also.
I hope you can use something from all this to aid you in your search for the information you need.Best of Luck!Anita