The Valley of the Shadow


About Franklin County's Churches



African-American Churches

St. James A. M. E. Church
This church for Franklin County blacks was first noted in 1811, as the St. James Methodist Episcopal Church. The following year, the church moved into a log building (previously occupied by the Catholic church) on South Main Street, the area known as Kerrstown. The two-room building was furnished simply, with backless benches and kerosene lamps. In 1839, Augusta and Rebecca Greene purchased land from George and Sarah Chambers, and founded the St. James A. M. E. Church. Six years later the congregation split, with the separatists forming the John Wesley A. M. E. Church. The original log building was remodeled in 1865, and eventually replaced by a brick structure in 1872.

John Wesley A. M. E. Church
The John Wesley Church was formed in 1845 when for "unknown reasons," a group left the Methodist Church of Kerrstown (later the St. James A. M. E. Church). They too met in a log cabin, located on West German Street. Before 1864, the only pastors were circuit riders. In 1872, the church had outgrown their log building, and erected a new church on the same site.

Mt Moriah Baptist Church
In 1863 the Mt. Moriah Baptist church was founded. Known initially as the "Old School Baptist Church," it was first located in a log building at the corner of Liberty and Water streets.


List of Churches in the County
(Taken from McCauley, I. H. Historical Sketch of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, prepared for
the Centennial Celebration
. 2nd edition, enlarged. Harrisburg: Patriot Publishing Company, 1878.)

McCauley also includes pastors, circa. 1876.

Presbyterian
Mercersburg
Chambersburg: Falling Spring, Central Church, St. Thomas, Rocky Spring
Fayetteville
Fannetsburg: Lower Path Valley, Burnt Cabins
Dry Run: Upper Path Valley
Greencastle
Welsh Run
Lutheran
Chambersburg: 1st Church, 2nd Church (Germ.), Grindstone Hill
Greencastle
Waynesboro
Upper Strasburg
Mercersburg
Shippensburg: Greenvillage
McConnellsburg: Loudon
Clearspring, Md.: Sylvan
Reformed
Chambersburg: Chambersburg, St. John's (Germ.), Grindstone Hill
Waynesboro: Waynesboro and Mont Alto
Greencastle
Mercersburg: Loudon, Mercersburg, College Church
St. Thomas
Methodist Episcopal
Chambersburg: 1st Church, King Street
Waynesboro
Greencastle
Mercersburg
Loudon
Greenvillage
Mont Alto
United Brethren In Christ
Chambersburg: Chambersburg, Rocky Spring
Greencastle
Orrstown
Funkstown
Loudon
Spring Run
Local Preachers
Chambersburg
Orrstown
Protestant Episcopal
Chambersburg
Roman Catholic
Chambersburg
Church of God
Chambersburg: Chambersburg, Orrstown & Fayetteville
Mennonite Church
Letterkenny
Greene
near Mercersburg
Reformed Mennonites
Guilford
Montgomery
Washington
Waynesboro
River Brethren
Guilford
Antrim
Southhampton
Washington
Lurgan
Greene
Letterkenny
Peters
Montgomery
Waynesboro
Hamilton
Tunkers
Guilford
Quincy
Antrim
Washington
St. Thomas
Peters
Hamilton
Waynesboro
Greene
Seventh Day Baptists
Quincy



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