The Memorandum of Formation of the Old Yellow Church of Manheim was transcribed from original handwritten pages at the Little Falls Library by Douglas L. Ingalls. Assisting him in proofing it was Sue Thompson. This was a lot of hard work and slow-going, transcribed by breaking up into original pages. We enthusiastically appreciate Douglas's recent efforts in making Old Yellow Church records accessible to online researchers! In addition to the transcription of the pages, Douglas provided a scanned page for inclusion, page 7, which was "one of the better pages".




Record Book

X We the undersigned Trustees
x of the German Evangelical Church
x of Manheim have appointed
x Jacob H Hais as our clerk and
x do hereby certify that he is
x Clerk of the said Society wherein
x we set our hands Manheim December
x the 7th 1822

x In this = Peter P Nellis
x area is = John Bellinger
x a notation = Peter B Keyser
x in German = John ?
x repeating = ? ?
x the above = ? ?

x Jacob H Hais Clerk 1822
x Manheim December 1822

16 November 1998

Note 1: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx refers to a line inscribed "Book of records bought at the Little Falls Price 3 Shillings"

Note 2: The cover is one of the pages that is more difficult to read.

Note 3: The trustees are Peter B. Keyser, Henry T. Keller, John Pickert, S. John Bellinger, Jost D. Petrie and Peter P. Nellis.

Note 4: I felt that it was important to do the cover of the records even if it was almost impossible to read. The date and trustees are important.

1
The two Members or persons who were Chosen at this meeting to preside as Chairman and Clerk signed the Following certificate. We the undersigned Two of the Members of this Society chosen to preside at this Meeting do certify that

Peter B Keysor Henry T Keller
John Pickert & John Bellinger
Jost D Petrie Peter P Nellis

have been duly elected to serve as Trustees for this Society. At this meeting thereof notified, and called according to law, and that the name of this Society be called and forever hereafter be known by the Trustees of the Evangelical Society of Herkimer County Given under our hands and seals this first day of September in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eighteen Hundred and Twenty One.
In presence of William Feeter Seal
Jacob H Hais Seal
Further that we the said Two Members
chosen to preside at said meeting as that man and clerk brought it before Mr John Tygert one of the magistrates in this county where it was acknowledged and then petitioned ... of George H Feeter who had ...... in the County Clerks office

Note 1: It is customary to omit the period after an initial in these pages.

2
After taken into consideration to build a Meeting house, the Trustees concluded or thought best to have a Subscription drawn and to find out what Money they could raise or get Subscribed of the congregation for building a Meetinghouse. The Subscription then was drawn or written by the Rev. Mr. John P Spinner from Herkimer in Manner and form as follows - -2 After taken into consideration to build a Meeting house, the Trustees concluded or or thought best to have a Subscription drawn and to find out what Money they could raise or get Subscribed of the congregation for building a Meetinghouse. The Subscription then was drawn or written by the Rev. Mr. John P Spinner from Herkimer in Manner and form as follows - -

Whereas a general Meeting of the German Reformed and Lutheran Societies united of Inhabitants on the ajoining corners of the towns of Herkimer, Fairfield, and Manheim which usually meet for divine worship in the old Meetinghouse Situated in the town of Manheim, County of Herkimer, and build on a spot where four acres of land has formerly been conveyed by persons of the Reformed, and Two Acres by persons of the Lutheran Denomination for the good benefit of both

Note 1: The Reverend Spinner is also pastor of the Churches at Herkimer and Stone Arabia.

3
Societies and dedicated to a church and a future ecclesiastical establishment holden on the first of September in the year of our Lord 1821. it was unanimously resolved that the said Reformed and Lutheran Society unite and shall stand united by the Stile and title of the German Evangelical *Church at Manheim, in building a Church for divin Worship, to be placed near the present old Meeting house above described in order to form in future one and the same identical Church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, where divine Service and Church Liturgies in strict conformity with the principles of the Gospel is only to be performed in the German Language, as long as an ordained minister of the Gospel may be possible obtained who should be able to preach to us and instruct our children in the German Language.
And it was further resolved that without any loss of time a subscription

Note 1: At the point marked with * there appears to be the word Lutheran and over the words German Evangelical there appears to be the words Dutch Reformed Union. These words are light as if they were possible erasures. The German Evangelical Church is definite and maybe to compromise name for the union church.

4
Shall be opened for raising Money Sufficient for erecting and completing the outside of said Church, including painting and laying the lower and upper floors. And it was further resolved, that on the completion of the outside of said Church in manner aforesaid that then for the purpose of raising Money sufficient for completing the inside of the same, the pews or seats of the same Church, be separately sold at auction or public vendue, to the Cries of to the highest bidder and that if any person or persons, who shall bid for a pew or seat in said Church and to whom the same shall be cried of, Shall also have Subscribed and paid any Money towards completing the outside of said Church, in Cash or in Materials received and approved by the Standing Trustees of Said Church, he or they shall be Credited the amount, wich he or they so paid, as pay towards the purchase of the pews, or the pew or seat, by him or them bid of and shall only pay the balance after deducting the Same so paid as aforesaid.

5
And be it further resolved that the Said Subscription in cash be made payable in three equal instalments in the following manner to wit - One equal Third part on the first day of January next, One equal Third part on the first day of June next, One equal Third part on the first day of January One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty three, as also the Subscription in Materials to be Made and to be delivered on or before the two first instalments on the Spot of the building. And it was further resolved that the Said Subscription in cash be made payable to the Trustees of the said Church, viz. Jost D Petree, Peter P. Nellis, John Bellinger, Peter B Keyser, Henry T Keller and John Pickert and their Successors in office, who also shall be receivers and appraisers of the Materials Subscribed and delivered on the Spot in due Season, and the persons to cause the said Church to be built, and to transact all things in any way relating thereto, who shall whenever they deem a Sufficient sum of Money Subscribed and approved Materials brought on the appointed Spot, for the purpose aforesaid, proceed to collect the same, and contract for building the Said Church in Manner aforesaid.

6
Now therefore we the Subscribers do for the purpose aforesaid each one by himself promise the said Trustees and their Successors in office, to pay and to deliver or cause to be paid or to be delivered by our assigns and executors the several Sums and articles annexed to our names in this Subscription to be paid, as in the above installments Specified and we do further authorise and empower the said Trustees and their Successors in office whenever any of the Said installments has been due, and remain unpaid, in their own names to sue for and recover, the same by action of indebitatus assumpsit, for Money by them paid laid out and expended, in any court having cognizance of the same, and to give this Subscription in evidence in Support of the same.

Witness our hands this 9th day of October A. D. 1821
Dollars Cent M(?)

Jost D. Petrie 125 0
John Bellinger 150 0
Henry T Keller 150 0
John Pickert 60 0
John Keller 150 0
Frederick Pickert 75 0
Christian Pickert 50 0
Nicholas Monk 3 0
Peter T Keyser
Honrich Broat 20 0
Jonas Pickert 5
David Younglove 2
Samuel Freeman 10
John Broat 30
Juliana Kaufman 5
Jacob Seyfer 2
John F Windecker 30
Henry Boyer 30
Isaac Churchill 3
Peter Staring 20
Hermanus Visger 10
Henrich Becker 25
John Visger 10
Peter B Keyser 25
Jacob Petrie 15
John Strough 5
William Feeter Paid 150
Adam Petrie
Rickard Petrie and 20
Jost Petrie

Note: The last three names are grouped together.

John Wendecker 80
Wm Hadcock 4

his
Christian x Davis 30
mark

h
Henry x Davis 10
m

Daniel Hadcock 5
Lutwick Moyer 10
Jacob Collar 8
William Kilts 10

h
Philip + Blank 5
m

xy Peter Eiseman 10
xy John Hoover Jun 6
xy Adam Bideman 4
zy George H Feeter Paid by Wm 25 Feeter
xy Peter P Nellis 30
xz D. Petree 15
xz Joseph Clock 3
xz Nicholas Hadcock 2 days work
xz Jacob Hoover 15
xz John Hoover 10
xz Henry Hoover 8
xz John Von .... ?
xz Jacob Keller 20
Wm ? 10
Marks ? ?

****(Douglas, what are all the x's and z's?)

Note 1: xxxxxxxxxxxx Peter Bideman 50
Note 2: zzzzzzzzzzzz Peter Huffman 50 Cents

9
During the Winter Season Mr Peter T Keyser fetched out the Stones for the foundation of the Church, for fifty Dollars worth wich he had Subscribed towards the Meetinghouse and Mr Stevens brought on the Timber and other Materials necessary to use for the said building. Sometime in the month of January some of the Trustees as well as some of the Congregation wished for to have a Subscription drawn for the purpose of getting Money signed to build a Steeple on said Meeting House and had One wrote in the following Manner -
For value received we the Subscribers do promise to pay unto the Trustees of the German Evangelical Church of Herkimer each of us as much as we undersign to to be paid on or before the first day of January One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twentyfour, for the purpose of building a Steeple on the Meeting house in Remesnyders bush, where unto we set our hands this 18 January 1822.

Subscribers Names

D S C Mat 10

George G Louks 1 0 0
John G Louks 1 0 0
Luther Pardee 1 0 0
John J Timmerman 0 0 0
Jacob Starring by order 10 0 0
Jacob H Hais 3 0 0
Harmanus Visger 1 4 0
Henry T Keller 5 0 0
John Scott Jun 1 0 0
Frederick Pickert 2 0 0
James Wright 2 Dollars in Labor
Marks Becker 5 0 0
Henry Hart 1 Dollar in Timber
Joseph Lepper 1 0 0
Jacob Hoover Jun 1 0 0
John Bellinger 2 0 0
Henry H. Boyer 1 0 0
Thomas Ransom 0 4 in Timber
crossed out 1 0 0
Henry Windecker 1 0 0
Nicholas Van Slyke 1 0 0
John ? [Tecker] 1 0 0

11
Elijah Beekman 1 0 0
Thomas Merrils 1 0 0
Wm Hadcock 1 0 0
Frederick Vanslyke 0 4 0
Wm Kilts 0 4 0
Jacob Keller 1 0 0
Abraham Keller 1 0 0
John Keller 3 0 0
Jacob Seyfer 1 0 0
John Garlock 1 0 0
Adam A Klock 1 0 0
Peter P Snell 1 0 0
Henry Petrie 0 4 0
Henry Timmerman 1 0 0
Marks Dockstader 1 0 0
Ludwig Hardt 0 4 0
Peter G Snell 0 4 0
Henry Klock 1 0 0
Nathan Christy 1 0 0
John Youngs 0 4 0
Joseph House 0 4 0
Benjamin Staring 0 4 0
Theobald Moyer 1 0 0

12
Jacob Baum 1 0 0
Jacob Markell 4 0 0
Adam P Snell 1 0 0
Jacob Hart 0 4 0
John Petry 1 0 0
Jacob Wires 1 0 0
John Scott 1 0 0
Jost Rasbach 0 4 0
John Strough 2 0 0
Jacob Ansted 0 4 0
Adam Bideman 1 0 0
Henrich Ritter 15 0 0
Jacob Davis 5 0 0
William Feeter Paid 50 0 0
Henry Becker 5 0 0
John Broat 5 0 0
Juliana Kaufman 1 0 0
Baldus Strough 3 0 0
John Rasbach 1 0 0
Henry Hoos 1 0 0
Jost G Snell 2 0 0
Adam Feeter 3 0 0
Hans Louks Jr 1 0 0

13
Zacharias Cramer 1 0 0
John Visger 1 4 0
Robert T Boyer 1 0 0
Peter T Keyser 3 Dollars in work
Henry Visger 1 0 0
Jost Davis 1 0 0
William Johnson 0 4 0
Jacob P Louks 1 0 0
John Dockey 2 0 0
David Timmerman 1 0 0
George P Snell 1 4 0
George Snell Jun 0 2 0
Daniel Hays 0 4 0
John A House 1 0 0
Adam House 1 0 0
Thomas Johnson 0 4 0
John Bark 0 2 0
Caspar (?) 1 0 0
Henry Louks 0 4 0



Source: Transcribed by Douglas J. Ingalls from the original record book. [Note: Doug passed away September 29, 1999]




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Last Updated: 12/20/98
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