The Session House at Derry Presbyterian Church

"The log cabin [at Derry Presbyterian] is the oldest building in this part of Pennsylvania. It was constructed of handhewn logs in the year in which George Washington was born - 1732. This building housed the first school ever to be held in this part of what was then frontier America.

In 1741, the land upon which the Session House and the original and now present church were built was deeded to Derry Presbyterian Congregation by John, Thomas, and Richard Penn, sons of William Penn and proprietaries (given owners rights) of the King of England.

Presbyterians first met for worship in this grove in 1724. Reverend Robert Evans was church missionary and founder of the congregation.

In the years since 1732, the log house has been used for many purposes. Church meetings, Sunday School and other gatherings were held here at intervals. For a time, the building served as the post office of Derry Church, the village which later became a part of Hershey.

More than two centuries ago, boys passed in and out of the door of this cabin who later were to serve in the War for Independence. A plaque at the cemetery gate lists their names. The Reverend John Elder was Pastor of Derry Church from 1746 to 1791. He was the famous Fighting Parson who was active in the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars and was a prominent landowner in this area.

The glass enclosure which protects the Session House, was erected for the church in 1929 by M.S. Hershey, chocolate manufacturer and founder of the town of Hershey. [His home, High Point Mansion, overlooks Derry Church.]

In November 2006, the Session House Pastor's Study was approved to be included in the National Historic Registry of the United States Department of the Interior."

Derry Cemetery

"The burial ground beside the Session House is enclosed with a stone wall, capped and neatly built. The only entrance is at the center of the south side. The first grave in the cemetery is that of John Campbell who died in 1735. The Rev. Bertram was buried in the southwest corner of the cemetery in 1775.

There are over 200 pioneers' graves in the cemetery. This is not counting the Native Americans (Indians) in the northeast quadrant. It has been reported that these were buried three and four deep, so that Indians remaining in this area would not know the actual number.

The original limestone wall around the cemetery had been built in 1771. In 1842, the wall was covered with a wooden coping which was renewed by descendants of Rev. Elder in 1909.

In 1842, the graveyard was carefully enclosed, grave markers set up and cleaned and iron gates provided. The work cost the congregation $678, a liberal expenditure for a congregation whose income was not more than $500 a year. Much of the wooden coping caught fire from sparks from the nearby railroad steam engines or rotted away and the wall fell into disrepair. In 1922, it was largely rebuilt and topped with concrete with funds secured mainly from descendants of those who rest within its walls. The wall has again been recoped and pointed with financial assistance from the Dauphin County Historical Society.

The large trees now growing inside the cemetery walls are Dawn Redwoods, brought from California in the 1960's. In 1981, Derry Church approved a plan to allow the burial of cremated remains in the northeast corner of the cemetery. This plan made spaces for about 200 remains, of which over 100 have since been used. The occupants must be members of the church.

There are at least 40 Revolutionary War soldiers buried here and another 27 Frontiersmen - those recruited to protect the area from marauding Indians. You may note that pioneers buried here were either very young or very old when they died. None of the early graves seen are of middle-aged persons. At least six men who ministered to this congregation are also buried here.

Many of the early settlers are not buried here because they continued to move west and south. Just as they had moved to the frontier from Philadelphia and Lancaster to settle here. A list of the people buried in the cemetery is available for perusal in the church office."

Brochure 7/2007