St. Luke’s (Winters) Lutheran-New Windsor

Sources:

Church Website: http://www.stlukesnewwindsor.org/

Organization of St. Luke's (Winters) Lutheran Church

St. Luke's (Winter's) Lutheran Church is the fifth oldest surviving Lutheran Church in what is now Carroll County, Maryland.

Antiquated books at Gettysburg Lutheran Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania state that the church was organized as the Evangelical Lutheran (Winter's) Church in 1783. The first evidence of the name of St. Luke's (Winters) Lutheran Church was in the Articles of Incorporation of March 30, 1856.

It is believed that some of our earliest settlers in Carroll County, New Windsor (Frederick County until 1837) worshipped in homes and groves long before St. Luke's (Winter's) Lutheran Church was organized. It has been recorded that as early as 1766 George Francis Winter, who was one of the earliest settlers near the town of New Windsor, received an application from German colonists in Pennsylvania for land for the erection of a prospective Lutheran church, and for land for farming purposes. It has been stated by historians that a log church was erected in 1772. However, the church was not organized until 1783, eleven years later, apparently under the direction of The Rev. Johann Daniel Schroeter. This organization was documented in our old record book at the Gettysburg Seminary. The old register dated 1783-1884 is still intact, and is kept at the Seminary because of its antiquity.

On March 30, 1856, our church was incorporated under the name of St. Luke's (Winter's) Lutheran Church. Most of the first members (communicants) of our church were German immigrants. The old register at Gettysburg is in old German, as well as some of our old tombstones in the cemetery. Both the German Reformed and Lutherans used our church at one time. We were probably served by the same itinerant preachers as the Taneytown charge, and we were once part of the Westminster charge. In 1870, we were part of the Uniontown Parish. This union lasted until 1979 (109 years). In 1979, we decided to take on the responsibilities of our own full-time pastor.

Our present church was built in 1875, and has been remodeled several times. The parish hall was added in 1958.

George Francis Winter

It's been recorded by some historians that as early as 1766 George Francis Winter, who was one of the earliest settlers near the town of New Windsor, received an application from German colonists in Pennsylvania for land for the erection of a prospective Lutheran Church and for land for farming purposes. In addition, historians state that a log church was erected in 1772.

According to Mr. Charles H. Glatfelter author of "Pastors and People" which possibly has the most recent history of St. Luke's, and I quote, "Berks County Deed 7, p. 20, dated December 27, 1766, recites that George Frantz Winter and Judith, his wife, joined the other heirs of Deobald or Theobald Baum, late of Berks Co., Pa., in a transfer of the latter's property. The deed recites that George and Judith, Jacob and Margaret Baum, and Frederick and Eva Barbara Baum, all heirs of Deobald, are residents of Maryland".

Information from the Hall of Records, Annapolis, Maryland, states that a George Winter arrived in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1733. This information came from a book entitled "A Collection of Upwards of Thirty Thousand Names of Germans, Swiss, Dutch, French, and other Immigrants in Pennsylvania from 1727 to 1776". Depending upon his age upon arrival and if this is the same George Winter he would have been in the age range of his 50's up to 80's or 90's when he deeded the ground for the erection of the church.

The information could be added here that the only deed found was Frederick County Deed WR - 17, P. 271, dated September 17, 1798, wherein, "for and in consideration of the sum of seven shillings and six pence current money, and for the love and veneration, he feels himself to have for the true Worship of Almighty God", George Winter deeded to Jacob Haines, Conrad Brook, John Engleman, and Adam Swigart - and their heirs forever, all the parcel of land being part of a tract of land situate lying and being in the County - and State aforesaid - called - and known by the name of "Six in One". The deed went on the state that this was three quarters of an acre of land more or less in Trust for the use of the German Lutheran Church, according to the confession of faith made at Augsburg.

According to Mr. Glatfelter in "Pastors and People", the church property was completely surrounded by George Winter's land and the author found this to be true, in checking a map of land patents made by Dr. Arthur Tracey of the Historical Society of Carroll County. Most of the land lies between Clear Ridge and New Windsor. The Arthur Thompson, Jr. farm, the Frank Cave farm, and the Singer farm are a few examples of present day properties that were once owned by George Winter. According to Mr. Glatfelter in "Pastors and People", a deed dated January 22nd 1831, 230 � acres were transferred from the estate of John Winter, to Samuel, Joseph, and Catherine Winter. This deed stated that excepted from the transfer was three-quarter acre "lot of ground laid out by direction of George Winter, deceased, for the use of a Lutheran Church and a School and grave yard" (Frederick County Deed JS - 36, page 36). This provides us with more proof that George Winter was instrumental in providing ground for our church.

From Rev. Frederick Weiser's translation of the German script records in the Parish Register, 1783-1884, George Franz Winter and Judith (his wife) were sponsors of the baptism of Susanna (birth date Feb. 19th 1782 - baptism date not given), and the parents were John and Elizabeth Winter. All information given does not tell much about the personal life of George Francis (Frantz) Winter, but it does prove that he was a prominent land owner.

The Winter name stands out in our church. Evidently, they were a large family and through the years most of them have died or moved away. Our pastor from 1849-1852 was Rev. John Winter, and we find such names as Isaac and Josiah Winter, who were trustees in the year 1904. In our records in 1912, Isaac Winter received payment of $7.60 for boarding the hired hands while working at the cemetery fence. Board was $1.00 per day, and meals were 10 cents a meal. Josiah Winter's name appears on a note at First National Bank of New Windsor, Maryland, along with Winfield S. Drach's for $450.00 for Winter's Church, dated July 17th 1908. This money evidently was for the pavilion where the strawberry festivals and other social affairs were held. This gives us an idea when the pavilion was built. I have found no evidence that the total cost of the pavilion was $450.00. John Winter was a trustee in 1852. These papers are in the possession of St. Luke's (Winter's) Lutheran Church at this time.

There are other "Winter" names, such as Levi and Jesse. Moreover, let us not forget some of the ladies names, such as Judith, Catherine, Susanna, and Elizabeth. Hence the name St. Luke's (Winter's) Lutheran Church. However, I can find no evidence of when and how we were called, "St. Luke's". My theory is that the name "St. Luke's" was first used when our congregation was incorporated March 30th 1856, as in Article 1 of the Articles of Incorporation, Section 1, states, "The name of this congregation shall be St. Luke's (Winter's) Lutheran Church of New Windsor, Maryland". We have a copy of the "Articles of Incorporation" on display.

Pastors of St. Luke’s:

The Rev. Johann Daniel Schroeter 1-1-1783

The Rev. John Grobp (or Grubb) Unknown

The Rev. Michael Wachter Unknown

The Rev. Reuben Weiser Unknown

The Rev. Ezra Keller 1836-1842

The Rev. Solomon Sentman 1842-1843

The Rev. Philip Willard (Westminster Charge) 1843-1845

The Rev. C. Riemensnyder 1846-1849

The Rev. John Winter 1849-1852

The Rev. Samuel Henry 1853-1859

The Rev. Jacob Martin 1859-1863

The Rev. H. C. Holloway 1863-1868

The Rev. P. A. Stroble 1868-1869

The Rev. John F. Diener (Uniontown Charge) 1870-1872

The Rev. G. W. Anderson 1873-1876

The Rev. D. B. Floyd 1876-1881

The Rev. W. S. Delp 1882-1890

The Rev. J. R. Williams 1890-1893

The Rev. G. W. Baughman 1893-1914

The Rev. N. J. Gould Wichey (supply pastor) 1914

The Rev. W. E. Saltzgiver 1915-1918

The Rev. B. E. Petrea 1919-1921

The Rev. J. Edw. Lowe 1921-1928

The Rev. M. L. Kroh 1928-1940

The Rev. Geo. E. Bowersox 1940-1944

The Rev. Charles Birx 1945-1948

The Rev. Andrew Theisz 1948-1949

The Rev. D. R. Warrenfeltz 1950-1957

The Rev. Joseph Callahan1957-1960

The Rev. Seth S. Hester 1961-1962

The Rev. J. H. August Borleis 1962-1974

The Rev. Robert McEllroy 1974-1978

The Rev. James Davis (interim pastor) 1978-1979

The Rev. Peter Comings 1979-1982

The Rev. Lyle Peters (supply pastor) 1982-1983

The Rev. Richard Sebastian 1983-1987

The Rev. Darrell L. Layman 1988-1997

The Rev. Michael Adams (interim pastor) 1997-1998

The Rev. Richard Krebs (interim pastor) 1998-1999

The Rev. Anne Rosenquist Durboraw 1999-

Church Location:

701 Green Valley Road (Route 75)

New Windsor, Maryland 21776

410.635.6177

stlukes5@verizon.net

See also Maryland State Archives

Records at the Maryland Archives MSA S 1512-268 (01/09/09/65) and St. Luke's Winters MSA S 1512-1992 (00/59/06/29)