Index of Cumberland County Birth, Wedding, Divorce & Obituary Newspaper Records - 2003
This index runs from January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2003.
History of Uriah United Methodist Church, Gardners
One hundred twenty years ago, in 1878, concerned Christians in the Uriah area of rural southeastern South Middleton Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, organized and built a church. It was originally named Flint Ridge Chapel, or more commonly known as just "Chapel," of the Evangelical Association denomination. This denomination had been formed by Jacob Albright in 1800.
Uriah is located in the area of South Middleton Township that residents on the north side of South Mountain call "over the mountain" from Boiling Springs. It is near the border with Adams County. The current address of the church is 925 Goodyear Road, Gardners.
The village of Uriah was named for a life-long resident, Uriah T. Gardner (1848-1936), who was more commonly known as "Dick," and was the son of Barnhart and Agnes Day Gardner, whose land bounded the land purchased in 1878 to build the original church. Uriah, or "Dick," was born on a farm just east of the Uriah church and lived in two different houses on the farm during his 88 years, and is the maternal great-grandfather of the writer of this history.
It is believed that some of the Uriah area residents had attended the Idaville Evangelical Association church, which was organized about 1835, located a few miles south of Uriah in Adams County. In addition, members probably met in homes in the Uriah area prior to erecting the church building.
A deed, dated 1878, indicates that approximately one-half acre was purchased from David P. Lerew and his wife, Sarah, for $15.56. Land was bounded by the land of heirs of Michael West, land of Franklin Delp and land of Barnhart Gardner. Lerew reserved the timber standing on the lat, but agreed to remove it as fast as the ground was needed. The trustees, and therefore the first trustees of the Uriah church, or Flint Ridge Chapel, who signed the deed were Daniel J. Glass, Thomas Shuff and John Griffie.
So, the first church, a small weather-boarded building, was erected in 1878 on the Frost Road near the intersection of the Frost Road and Goodyear Road. These roads are located between State Route 34 and State Route 94.
At the 38'" Annual Session of the Central Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical Association, which convened in the Bennett Street Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, March 8, 1877, Rev. B. F. Keller was appointed to the Bendersville Circuit or Charge. Among churches on the Bendersville Circuit were Bendersville, Idaville, Flint Ridge (Uriah ), Beamer's (above Arendtsville) and Chestnut Hill (near Heidlersburg). The Rev. Mr. Keller was the first pastor to serve the Flint Ridge congregation.
The church has in its possessions the first pulpit Bible used in the original church. Recorded on the front page is, "This book belongs to Flint Ridge Chapple [Chapel], May 18, 1879."
A quote from Annual Conference minutes in 1894: As a result of "troublesome affairs in the church" of the Evangelical Association, the denomination divided. Most of the churches and members of the Evangelical Association in Pennsylvania, including Flint Ridge (Uriah), took the name United Evangelical Church. These two denominations were united again 28 years later, in 1922, to form the Evangelical denomination.
During the pastorate of Rev. Benjamin L. Moore, 1904-1908, a large revival was experienced. There were approximately 100 converts. Among those converted were William Glass, Bruno Group, Ellis Frost and John Richwine. They became active members in the leadership of the church.
Following the revival there was some interest in building a new church, but due to lack of enough support, the matter was dropped.
Between 1907 and 1910 the Central Pennsylvania Conference made many changes in realigning charges or circuits. In 1907 Flint Ridge (Uriah) and Idaville were taken from the Dillsburg Circuit and put with Mt. Holly Springs to form the Mt. Holly Springs Mission. Then it appears that about 1909 Uriah and Idaville were on the Wellsville Circuit. About 1910 the Idaville Circuit was formed and Uriah assigned to that charge.
The Wellsville Circuit probably included five churches: Wellsville, Beavertown (near Dillsburg), Union (now United Brethren in Christ on Mountain Road between Latimore and Dillsburg), Idaville and Uriah (Flint Ridge). Probably only four churches were on the Idaville Charge: Beavertown, Union, Idaville and Uriah (Flint Ridge). Most of the ministers who served the churches during these years lived in the parsonage in Idaville.