Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice Neath Church, Pike Township, Bradford County PA Bradford County PA Chemung County NY Tioga County PA

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Joyce's Search Tip - January 2008 Do You Know that you can search just the 250 pages of Church Records and Histories on the site by using the Churches button in the Partitioned search engine at the bottom of the Current What's New Page? .

This photo, a copy of which I believe hangs inside the existing structure, was taken about 1907.    When  this church was rebuilt after being destroyed by fire in 1927, it was done so without a steeple and, regrettably, without the distinction that the steeple provided.  Behind the church is a line of horse stalls under one long roof.  The white building at the extreme right is the Neath School.  Like the horse stalls, this no longer exists.  My grandfather, Hugh Jones [b. Bala Wales, 1869-1946], served as pastor of this church from 1896 to 1907.  He is buried in the cemetery at this church.
                                                                                                                                                                                                        P.H.S.

During 1824-1825 the first Welsh families arrived in the area. During the next seven years, these families attended church in LeRaysville, held weekly prayer meetings from house to house, and held Sunday School during summer months. In 1831-1832 several more Welsh families arrived in Neath and The Welsh Congregational Church of Bradford was formed with the Rev. Daniel Jones as pastor.

During the first year, meetings were held house to house. In 1833 a 24 foot square building was built with dual purpose of school and church. In 1848 the present Lower Hall was constructed to serve as a meeting house. In 1872, a 55 by 38 foot church was constructed to house the growing congregation. (This building was destroyed by fire in 1927, and was replaced by the current church which was completed in 1932.)
 

These were composed of members of different denominations, who laying aside and forgetting their religious opinions and creeds united together in a band of christian brotherhood, adopting the name of then Welsh Congregational Church of Bradford, without subscribing themselves to any creed but adopting the Word of God as their only guide and rule of conduct. From the “History of the Welsh Congregational Church of Neath, PA,” written by Phillip Davis and presented to a meeting of the church by him in 1875.

[Note by P. H. Squires, 7-12-2003:  The above is an exact transcription, with no changes or corrections, of one page from an undated church bulletin. Although the text is attributed to Phillip Davis in 1875, the parenthetical comment about the 1927 fire and subsequent building reconstruction obviously had to have been added later——probably at the time the church bulletin was printed.]

Photo - 25 SEP 2002 by Paul H. Squires

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