THE OLD YELLOW CHURCH




In the Town of Manheim, on Yellow Church Road, there is a beautifully maintained cemetery, formerly the site of four churches. The first log church was built around 1733 by German settlers of Rheimensnyder's Bush, north of Little Falls. Around 1780 the log church was burned by a raiding party of Indians and Tories. In 1781 a frame church was erected. In 1821, a new church was needed and funds were raised to build a church called The German Evangelical Society of Manheim. In 1847 the name was changed to Dutch Reformed and Lutheran Union Church. A few years later it was solely Lutheran.

The fourth church built on the same site was completed in 1882 and painted yellow. Moving populations, the growth of churches in nearby towns, and the advent of the automobile caused the passing of many rural churches. In 1964 the church was sold and demolished. Currently the cemetery is maintained by an active Yellow Church Cemetery Association.

On May 4, 1881, the following people subscribed to pay sums of money to erect the new Yellow Church, built in 1882:

John T. Windecker
Josiah Rice
James H. Davis
Albert Davis
Solomon Keller, Jr.
Israel Keller
John W. Windecker
Andrew Goodell
Abram Keller
Henry Newman
Alexander Keller
William Staring
Joseph Davis
Anna Davis
Addison Van Slyke
Peter Kilts
William Van Slyke
Joel Pickert
Willard Davis
R.H. Loucks
W.D. Snyder
Charles C. Davis
Timothy Keller
Joseph Loucks
Henry Broat
John Broat
George F. Davis
William H. Petrie
Job Eades
Asa Keller
Archabald Petrie
Joseph Rice
Edward Sims
Chaney ? Cook
D. B. Loucks
G.H. Wetherwax
D. T. Lamb
J.M. Eysamen
L. Carryl
William Keller
Hiram Broat
John Petrie
R. and Peter Davis
Morgan Bidleman
J. and J. Ives
William Roberts
Jeremiah Loucks



Inscription on monument in Yellow Church Cemetery, Town of Manheim

1776

In memory of more than 50 Revolutionary Soldiers buried in Rheimensnyder's Bush

Col. Wm. Feeter
Capt. John Keyser, Jr.
Capt. Henry Ritter
Lieut. Peter Loucks
Lieut. Adam Bellinger
Ensign Adam Staring
John Keller     Paul Nelson
Bartholomew Pickert
John Boyer     Jacob Hoover
John Hoover     Henry Keller
Jacob Keller     Peter Keller
John M. Petrie     Nicholas Keller
Jacobus Van Slyke
John Cassleman     John Visger
Garret Van Slyke     Aaron Kingsley
Adam Bidleman     Ludwick Moyer
Anthony Kaughman
Henry Staring     J. Henry Davis
Philip Nellis     Jacob Ritter
Daniel Davis     Nicholas Petrie
Corp. Michael Keyser
Barnard Keyser     Henry Keyser
Peter Kilts     John Windecker
Frederick Windecker
Nicholas Windecker
Hendrich Klock     Henry Broat
Joseph Neumann     Stephen Neumann
John Van Slyke     Jacob Staring
_____ Dygert     John Garter, Jr.

Erected Sept. 1926
by their descendants



Source: The above article was researched from original sources and written by Jane Dieffenbacher, Fairfield Town Historian.
Copyright © 1997 Jane Dieffenbacher




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Last Updated: 10/12/97
Copyright ©1997 Jane Dieffenbacher/Martha S. Magill
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