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Writer's pictureYen Ho

Centre Square Seminary

The Treemount Seminary in Norristown was one of the most well-known seminaries in Montgomery County, PA for college and higher education. But did you know there was another seminary that was located in Whitpain Township? Not many people know about this place, but it has an interesting history behind it that was associated with the St. John's Lutheran Church.

 

History of the St. John's Lutheran Church

The St. John's Lutheran Church

The St. John's Lutheran Church was based from the St. Michael's Church in Germantown where the majority of German Lutherans lived. The St. Michael's Church was built in 1730, but did not have a pastor until 1741. Unfortunately, there were not enough preachers at the church. As a result, more Lutheran churches were built in the Philadelphia area, including Whitpain where the St. John's Lutheran Church was established (1769).


The church was built few years after the founding of the congregation in Whitpain. The first pastor at St. John's was John Frederick Schmidt, who was 20 years old when he arrived at the church. He preached at St. John's from 1769 to 1789.


The St. John's Lutheran Church was modeled after St. Michael's, its mother church. The church was torn down, and rebuilt in 1834.


Fun Fact #1: The church was known as "Grog Hill Church" around the time the church was rebuilt. The name was based on a worker who carelessly transported refreshments from the Waggon Inn. The wagon used to transport refreshments broke, and rolled down the hill, damaging everything that was in the wagon. Thus, the nickname "Grog Hill Church" was born.


Due to its infamous name, the St. John's Church was financially embarrassed. As a result, the church was forced to put up for sale. It wasn't until two men, John Miller and Charles Hallman, who pledged to the church members they'll stand by them loyally and provided them with personal bonds to keep the church out of debt.

 

Reverend David Levin Coleman and his Seminary

Rev. David Levin Coleman (1846-1904)

On October 23, 1875, Reverend David Levin Coleman (1846-1904) was given a warm welcome as the next pastor of St. John's. When he arrived in Centre Square, he was welcomed by everyone from young and old. He was described as considerate, kind, and generous that helped him make friends in the area. David even welcomed everyone into his home.


He was anxious to start an institution for the young men and women who desired to prepare for college. Thus in 1878-79, David gave up his work in ministry and established the Centre Square Seminary right next to his home. Later on as he saw the success of the seminary, David decided to build a larger institution and purchase a bigger lot along Skippack Pike close to the St. John's Lutheran Church.


At that time it was known as "Coleman's Seminary." During out-of-school hours, the institution was used as a community center where clubs, events, and activities took place.


As someone who grew up on a farm in Easton, PA, David was an advocate for agricultural life. With his desire to educate people, he decided to use his large barn on his property to demonstrate to his parishioners about live stock.


As his health began to decline, David returned to Easton where he died.


Fun Fact #2: David Levin Coleman offered to fill as pastor at the First Colored Evangelical Lutheran Church in Easton.

Montgomery County 1877, Whitpain, Rahn Sta., Grater's Ford; J.D. Scott, Publisher
 

Reverend John Harmony Sechler


One of the most known professors at the Centre Square Seminary was Reverend John Harmony Sechler (1850-1905). John was born in Hanover, PA and attended public schools in Littlestown, PA, including a college prep school Littlestown Classical Academy. After graduating in 1866, he enrolled at Franklin and Marshall College.


In his career, he was devoted in teaching, and taught at a public school in Heidelburg, PA in York County from 1870 to 1871.

From 1873 to 1874, John took a theological course at Ursinus College where he became an instructor in the Preparatory Department of Ursinus College. He was given the honorary Doctorate of Divinity in 1892.


He went on to continue his pursuit in teaching, and became a joint principal and professor of ancient languages and mathematics at the Centre Square Seminary. He taught at the institution from 1878 to 1880. While in Whitpain, John became a school board member of the township from 1885 to 1889. He was also a pastor at the Boehm's Church from 1875 to 1899.


Finally, from 1895 to his death, he became a professor of Church History and Homiletics at the Ursinus School of Theology, on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, where he was also a treasurer.

 

The Taylor Farm Boarding House


In the late 1910s, the Centre Square Seminary was sold to Morris Taylor of New Jersey. Morris Taylor saw the opportunity to establish a boarding house near the Centre Square Trolley Station to attract people coming out from Philadelphia.


Morris Taylor's boarding house was open from May to September. There were large crowds staying at the boarding house during major holidays like Memorial Day and 4th of July. The most number of guests at Taylor's boarding house was at least 400.

Clipping from Ambler Gazette (February 8, 1917): Page 5
Clipping from Ambler Gazette (July 7, 1921): Page 5

To provide more entertainment at the boarding house, Morris Taylor added in a dance hall that replaced the old barn on his property. It was considered the most attractive building on Skippack Pike.

Clipping from Ambler Gazette (December 22, 1921): Page 1

Clipping from Ambler Gazette (March 31, 1927): Page 4



Fun Fact #3: Morris Taylor's daughter Pearl saved a Philadelphia man from drowning in the large swimming pool at Taylor's boarding house.

Clipping from Ambler Gazette (August 18, 1927): Page 2

Morris Taylor also managed the Little Ritz Café in Centre Square while managing the boarding house. In 1940, Morris Taylor and his wife moved to Philadelphia with his daughter, possibly as a retirement, resulting in hiring new management for his café and the boarding house.

Clipping from Ambler Gazette (January 18, 1940): Page 4
Atlas: Montgomery County 1935 Vol B, Plate 8, Franklin Survey Co., Publisher
 

Bibliography


"About Us." St. John Lutheran Church. Accessed February 13, 2022. https://www.stjohnbluebell.org/about-us.html.


Bean, Theodore Weber. History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Volume 1. (Philadelphia: Everts & Peck, 1884): 114


Beck, Clara A. St. John's Lutheran Church, Centre Square. (Norristown: Historical Society of Montgomery County, 1915): 52-72.


Franklin Survey Co. Atlas: Montgomery County 1935 Vol B, Plate 8, 1935.


Golson, Wilton. "Rev David Levin Coleman." Find a Grave. Last modified December 24, 2008. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32374881/david-levin-coleman.


Obituary Record: A Record of the Lives of the Deceased Alumni of Marshall College, and of Franklin and Marshall College, Volume 2, Part 1. (Lancaster: Franklin and Marshall College Alumni Association, 1901): 146-149.


Scott, J. D. Montgomery County 1877, Whitpain, Rahn Sta., Grater's Ford, 1877.


"Sketches of Whitpain. Historical Data Relative to Rev. D. Levin Coleman. Warmly Received as Pastor of St. John's--Opened a Private School, Which Was an Educational Centre--Eminent Pupils Listed." Ambler Gazette. August 24, 1922. Page 2. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/9612/rec/3.


The Chi-Phi Quarterly 5, no. 1 (1880): 92.


"Wissahickon Valley Public Library's Ambler Gazette Collection." POWER Library: Pennsylvania's Electronic Library. Accessed February 8, 2022. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/wivp-gazett.


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