By the end of the Revolutionary War, Lancaster County was growing in population causing land to be more at a premium and increasing in prices. Land in the Shenandoah Valley was available and ready for settlement with the Indian populations driven further west.
The major route for the Germans was from Pennsylvania to previous German settlements in Frederick County Maryland-through Loudoun County and into the Valley of Virginia (following the Great Philadelphia Wagon Road).
PALSER SHAVER-THE EARLY YEARS
Baltzer Schaefer (Palser's Father) born June 1716-Germany-came over on the ship
THE LOYAL JUDITH in 1742
CHURCH RECORDS-First German Reformed Lutheran Church,-Lancaster, PA
Buried-December 19,1781 at 65 years and 6 months
Wills-1785-Baltzer Sheffer, wife-Anna Margaret Schaefer.
Anna Margaret Schaefer-born 1726 in Germany Buried-July 19, 1798 at age 71 years and 9 months.
Children:
1.) Catherine 1748
2.) Johann Frederich 1749
3.) Ann Margaret 1754
4.) John George 1756
5.) Balthasar born 3/14/1759-Baptized 4/16/1759-Confirmed: Easter Sunday 1775-last church record for him here.
6.) Phillip born 1762 father of EMANUEL SCHAEFFER OF LANCASTER
7.) John Phillip born 1766
�The wilderness and the solitary places shall be glad for them and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose�
Pastor John Jacob Hock-Church dedication June 20, 1736
Congregation of German, Swiss and French settlers was formed about 1729.Log Church 1736-Stone building 1753-Brick church 1854.
With the purchases of a hickory grove-now East Orange Street in Lancaster-construction of the log church was completed in 1736 and dedicated by Pastor John Jacob Hock on Pentecost Sunday-it was the first church structure in the city of Lancaster.
In 1746, Michael Schlatter came to the log church within a few weeks of his arrival in America.Preaching here many times, administering communion and baptizing children.
The third annual meeting of the COETUS gathered here in 1749, the first of 17 meetings held in Lancaster. In December of 1749, Rev. Ludwig Vock,�an aged man� arrived in Philadelphia. In January, he bagan his ministry in Lancaster. The minutes of a congregational meeting held January 28, 1750-deciding on payment for pastoral services-such as marriages etc and other pastoral duties �
signed by 20 men-one being Baltzer Schaeffer.(Palser's father)
In 1750, the log church was too small-so in 1752 the building was sold and moved across the street where it was used as a private residence until it was destroyed by fire. It was during the charge of Phillip Wm. Otterbein that the stone church was built. Otterbein was pastor from 1752-1758. It is believed that the Stone Church was dedicated in 1754.
The large oval communion table and chancel furniture are currently a part of the historical display.
