Guide to the Records of Voegtly Evangelical Church, 1833-1986
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Records of Voegtly Evangelical Church
- Creator
- Voegtly Evangelical Church (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Collection Number
- MSS#125
- Extent
- 3.75 cubic feet (6 boxes)
- Date
- 1833-1986
- Abstract
- The Voegtly Evangelical Church, dedicated in 1833, was the first German Evangelical Protestant Church in Allegheny City (now Pittsburgh's North Side). The church was razed in 1985 for the construction of I-279. These records include organizational materials, minutes, vital statistics records of congregants, publications, financial and real estate materials and other items documenting the day-to-day operation of the church and providing genealogical information on the congregants.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project, a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
Historical Sketch of Voegtly Evangelical Church (1833-1985)
The Voegtly (pronounced Vek-lee) Evangelical Church was the first German Evangelical Protestant Church in Allegheny City (now Pittsburgh's North Side neighborhood). The church had other names before settling on the name Voegtly Evangelical Church of Pittsburgh, in honor of a founding benefactor, in 1935. These other names included the German United Evangelical Protestant Church of the City of Allegheny and the Pilgrim Evangelical Church of Pittsburgh. The organization of the church dates from the early 1800s when Nicholas Voegtly and Heinrich Rickenbach purchased a parcel of land for a church. The congregation was originally made up of German American residents of Allegheny City and served as an identifiable pillar of that community in the young city. Prior to the Church's construction, there was no German Evangelical Protestant Church in Allegheny and members of this congregation met in a common House of God on Smithfield Street in Pittsburgh (that would later become the German Evangelical Protestant Church of Pittsburgh). In 1832, Jacob Dellenbach, a member of the church council, collected funds from residents of Allegheny totaling $300 to build a new church. The congregants of the new church drew a hostile response from Pittsburgh congregants who did not wish to donate their money for the construction of the new church. In 1832, a brick church measuring thirty feet long by forty feet wide by twenty feet high was decided on and built for a cost of $957. On September 29, 1833, Pastor Carl L. Daubert was installed as pastor for $200 per year. On November 13, 1833, the church council was installed and the church was dedicated. The first janitor, John Bauder, cared for the church and cemetery for a salary of $10 per year.
The church served as a pillar of the strong German American community that existed in Allegheny City from the early years of European settlement in the city through the mid-20th century. From its inception to the period just prior to World War I, the church operated almost exclusively in German. English was not used during services until the tenure of Reverend J. G. Stilli, who served the congregation between 1909 and 1913 and offered evening services in English. Stilli resigned in 1913 after a few members accused him of preaching socialism. In the early 1920s, the first English morning services were held, alternating with German language services. In 1933, an interim minister, the Reverend Harvey E. Cook, was appointed despite his inability to speak German. He served the congregation until 1940 and represented a break from the purely German origins of the church. Dr. George Hegele was the last German speaking minister of the church and served from 1940 until 1942. The church established charitable and community organizations to assist the church community and general population in the predominantly German section of the city. Formed in 1891, the Tabea Society assisted poor parishioners, raised money for the operation of the church and worked to support the German American community of Allegheny City. In 1934, the Esther Circle was formed for charity work and the German Club was formed as a social group. After years of shrinking membership in the 1940s, the Voegtly Volunteers were formed in 1948 to provide financial assistance and labor to the church to restore its role in the community.
Over the years, the organization and physical structures that made up the Voegtly Evangelical Church changed, reflecting the growth and decline of the congregation. In 1835, a small school house was built alongside the church. A gallery was added and an organ was purchased from Mathis Schaub for $650 in 1837. Pastor Daubert left in April 1839 and was replaced by Pastor Carl C. Weitershausen. A church constitution was printed, and the church became known as the German United Evangelical Protestant Church of the City of Allegheny on October 13, 1840. In 1848, during the tenure of Pastor Mathis Frederick Dehtlefs the old church building was razed and a new one was built for $3,000. A small bell was purchased and in 1854 a pew rental fee was levied for the first time. Also, a small school that also served as the minister's residence was built for $520. In 1860, Pastor Jacob Kredel purchased a piece of land on Troy Hill for a cemetery for $3,500.00. Within eight years, two additional parcels of land were purchased for the cemetery. In 1868, Mrs. Mathis Voegtly donated a communion service and a baptismal font. In 1882, a beautification of the church began and carpeting for the aisles, chancel space, and the sanctuary was added. Chancel and pulpit chairs were purchased, covers for the furniture and the pulpit were provided by the "Frauen Verein" (the women of the congregation). The Sunday school also purchased a new organ because of the membership's approach to 400 members, and a new Parsonage was erected. In 1909, Reverend J. G. Stilli erected a new Sunday School Room at a cost of $8,275. In 1921, Reverend Martin E. Bierbaum once again began a remodeling program. New pews, an altar platform, pastor's study, new pulpit, altar and altar chairs were all purchased, and English was introduced on alternating Sunday mornings. In 1926, the first set of Deagon Tower Chimes was installed and the Church's name was changed to the Pilgrim Evangelical Church of Pittsburgh. In 1948, the church was remodeled and a new furnace, roof, organ and flooring were installed.
In 1959, the property was entered into an engineering study by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for an extension of Route 28, eventually to become part of I-279. At the same time, the Church was suffering from declining membership and financial problems, partialy because of the changing demographics of the adjacent neighborhood. In 1972, the Parsonage was razed and in 1976, the last summer school was held. When the cost for heating the church became too great in 1980, the Sunday school room was used for services. In July, 1982 the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation decided that the church would be razed for the I-279 extension. All interior parts of the Church were sold and in March of 1984 the Department of Transportation acquired the church property. On November 4, 1984 the last church service was held. In 1985 the Church was disbanded and razed. Still standing is the Voegtly Cemetery, founded in 1860, on Lowrie Street in Troy Hill (Pittsburgh, Pa.).
Minister List
- 1833-1839 Rev. Carl L. Daubert
- 1839-1846 Rev. Carl C. Weitershausen
- 1848-1860 Rev. Mathis Frederick Dehtlefs
- 1856-1864 Rev. Jacob Kredel
- 1865-1879 Rev. Carl Schilling
- 1879-1881 Rev. Otto Telle
- 1881-1895 Dr. Bernard Pick
- 1895-1897 Rev. G. Weisse
- 1897-1909 Rev. H. K. Mueller
- 1909-1913 Rev. J. G. Stilli
- 1913-1920 Rev. August Ruecker
- 1920-1921 Rev. C. Schaer
- 1921-1932 Rev. Martin E. Bierbaum
- 1932-1933 Rev. T. F. Stoerker
- 1933-1940 Rev. Harvey E. Cook
- 1940-1942 Dr. George F. Hegele
- 1942-1956 Rev. Arthur D. Rhea
- 1956-1966 Rev. John E. Hockenberger
- 1966-1984 Dr. Jack Munyon
Scope and Content Notes
These records include organizational materials, minutes, sacramental statistic records of congregants, publications, financial and real estate materials, and other sundry items. These records document the day to day operation of the church and provide a great deal of genealogical information found in statistical records of births, deaths, marriages and confirmations. For the most part, these records were recorded in English only from the 1920s, reflecting the exclusive use of German by the church prior to World War I. Organizational material includes the church's charter, articles of incorporation, copies of the constitution from various times in the church history, correspondence and a comprehensive set of minutes from 1916 until the closing of the church. Most of these items date from the twentieth century and are recorded in English. Items in German include the articles of incorporation, 1840, and early printed copies of the church constitution. The correspondence includes incoming letters from congregants, regional churches, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and contractors primarily documenting the maintenance of the church, deaths of members, activities of other churches and other concerns.
The minutes document the day to day operation of the church through the activities of the church council as well as through special meetings of the church held from 1916 until the 1986. While the minutes between 1916 and 1920 were recorded in German or English, depending on the language skills of the secretary, the minutes were kept exclusively in English after 1920. The early minutes often provide a brief record of the issues under discussion. The later minutes are more comprehensive, providing detailed accounts of the issues under discussion and include both mailings to the congregants and letters received by the church council. The minutes primarily document the secular concerns of the church including financial issues, maintenance and construction of church buildings, and contracts with workers, employees and the clerical staff. Nearly all financial transactions and annual treasurer's reports are included in the minutes. Also of note are reports from various committees from the church such as the cemetery committee and the dinner committee. Of note are detailed discussions and added material documenting the later years of the church and their negotiations with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation concerning their desire to purchase the church's property for the construction of the I-279 highway linking downtown Pittsburgh with I-79 in Northern Allegheny County. Also included in these later minutes are continual concerns about the changing demographic nature of Pittsburgh's North Side neighborhood and the distribution of the church property.
Other records of the Voegtly Evangelical Church include cemetery records, financial records, publications and sacramental statistic records. Cemetery records document both the sale of plots to congregants and the actual burial of members for nearly the entire time period of the church. Also included are receipt books for payments made for plots by congregants. Financial and real estate materials include land plot maps, mortgages, wills and estate material for people who left money to the church, financial reports and other sundry items. More comprehensive financial material may be found in the minutes, arranged with organizational materials. Publications include yearbooks, anniversary books, historical pieces, and bulletins. Following the rest of these records, the publications prior to 1917 are primarily in German. The vast majority of these publications were produced for the church's anniversaries and many include printed photographs that are not available elsewhere in these records.
Sacramental statistic records provide strong genealogical and demographic information about members of the church. These records provide information on baptisms (1833-1880), confirmations (1833-1956), weddings (1833-1885) and deaths (1833-1873). These statistical records date primarily from the 19th century and were kept in German. Two volumes were used to record two activities and both have been recorded in the container list. Since death records are only recorded until 1873, researchers should also consult the burial records kept with cemetery records.
Arrangement
The Voegtly Evangelical Church Records are housed in six archival boxes and arranged alphabetically by folder title with organizational material arranged to the front.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These materials came in two accessions and were combined into one body of records in 1986.
Acc# 1985.144 -- Gift of Harold W. Lang on behalf of the Voegtly Evangelical Church, (Records).
Acc# 1986.10 -- Gift of Harold W. Lang on behalf of the Voegtly Evangelical Church, (Additional Records).
Preferred Citation
Records of Voegtly Evangelical Church, 1833-1986, MSS #125, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Historical Society Staff c. 1986. The records were rearranged and the inventory was rewritten by Stephanie Riccardi in 1994.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Jennifer Marshall on June 23, 1999.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.
Subjects
- Voegtly Evangelical Church (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Pennsylvania -- Dept. of Transportation
- German Evangelical Church of Pittsburgh
- German United Evangelical Protestant Church of the City of Allegheny (Pa.)
- Pilgrim Evangelical Church of Pittsburgh (Pa.)
- Voegtly family
- Pittsburgh (Pa.) -- Genealogy
- Pittsburgh (Pa.) -- Religion
- Allegheny (Pittsburgh, Pa.) -- Genealogy
- Allegheny (Pittsburgh, Pa.) -- Religion
- North Side (Pittsburgh, Pa.) -- Genealogy
- North Side (Pittsburgh, Pa.) -- Religion
- Interstate 279
- Evangelicalism -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- German Americans -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Interstate Highway System -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Roads -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Transportation -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Urban renewal -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh