The following is information from the book " History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania" by Ellis & Evans 1883:
The Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal Church is situated on a hillock in Fairfield. It is a small frame structure, and was built in 1835. The carpenter work was done by Abraham Boyce. Alexander Shank, W. H. Potts, Nathen Blake, William Arnold, and their wives were the first members. The first trustees were Shank, Potts, Shade, Arnold and Barnett. The present trustees are James Cain, N. N. Hensel, Elias Hambelton, Matthias Harvey, and William Harrison Potts. The first preacher in charge was Lawrence McCoombs. The first sabbeth-school superintendent was W. Harrison Potts, and the present superintendent is John Adams.The members number fifty-two.
Mount Zion Church was built mainly thru the efforts of Alexander Shank, who emigrated to this County from Ireland in 1815. He was a Weaver by trade. Converted to Christ in the Methodist faith, he became an earnest exhorter, and was licensed as a local preacher. In his anxiety for a Church, he dreamed he was given a blank paper to present to a Mr. Caldwell for a subscription-heading and a contribution for church building. He stated the case to Mr. Caldwell, who headed the list with fifty dollars, and directed him to go to Gardner Furnac, a generous and eccentric Quaker, and secure a building lot. He did as directed and was successful. Calling on Joseph Smith for a contibution, Joseph said "Alexander, thee knows I do not believe in churches with paid preachers. " Alex replied, " We must have a fence around the graveyard. " Joseph answered, " I will give thee ten dollars for the fence. "
In Baltimore he noticed three well dressed gentleman in conversation, and presented to them his subscription-list. Looking at him for an instant, one of the party said to the others, " Let us give him ten dollars apiece, on the condition that he build as many bricks in the church as we give him dollars. It will be something to remember us by when we are gone " He raised five hundred dollars, with which was erected the plain little church, soon to be replaced by a new one. His constent feast of merry heart, his sincerity and piety warmed all hearts toward him, and is still affectionately spoken of by those who knew him as good old Father Shank.
Alexander Shanks is my 4th Great Grandfather.
The Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal Church is situated on a hillock in Fairfield. It is a small frame structure, and was built in 1835. The carpenter work was done by Abraham Boyce. Alexander Shank, W. H. Potts, Nathen Blake, William Arnold, and their wives were the first members. The first trustees were Shank, Potts, Shade, Arnold and Barnett. The present trustees are James Cain, N. N. Hensel, Elias Hambelton, Matthias Harvey, and William Harrison Potts. The first preacher in charge was Lawrence McCoombs. The first sabbeth-school superintendent was W. Harrison Potts, and the present superintendent is John Adams.The members number fifty-two.
Mount Zion Church was built mainly thru the efforts of Alexander Shank, who emigrated to this County from Ireland in 1815. He was a Weaver by trade. Converted to Christ in the Methodist faith, he became an earnest exhorter, and was licensed as a local preacher. In his anxiety for a Church, he dreamed he was given a blank paper to present to a Mr. Caldwell for a subscription-heading and a contribution for church building. He stated the case to Mr. Caldwell, who headed the list with fifty dollars, and directed him to go to Gardner Furnac, a generous and eccentric Quaker, and secure a building lot. He did as directed and was successful. Calling on Joseph Smith for a contibution, Joseph said "Alexander, thee knows I do not believe in churches with paid preachers. " Alex replied, " We must have a fence around the graveyard. " Joseph answered, " I will give thee ten dollars for the fence. "
In Baltimore he noticed three well dressed gentleman in conversation, and presented to them his subscription-list. Looking at him for an instant, one of the party said to the others, " Let us give him ten dollars apiece, on the condition that he build as many bricks in the church as we give him dollars. It will be something to remember us by when we are gone " He raised five hundred dollars, with which was erected the plain little church, soon to be replaced by a new one. His constent feast of merry heart, his sincerity and piety warmed all hearts toward him, and is still affectionately spoken of by those who knew him as good old Father Shank.
Alexander Shanks is my 4th Great Grandfather.
The following is information from the book " History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania" by Ellis & Evans 1883:
The Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal Church is situated on a hillock in Fairfield. It is a small frame structure, and was built in 1835. The carpenter work was done by Abraham Boyce. Alexander Shank, W. H. Potts, Nathen Blake, William Arnold, and their wives were the first members. The first trustees were Shank, Potts, Shade, Arnold and Barnett. The present trustees are James Cain, N. N. Hensel, Elias Hambelton, Matthias Harvey, and William Harrison Potts. The first preacher in charge was Lawrence McCoombs. The first sabbeth-school superintendent was W. Harrison Potts, and the present superintendent is John Adams.The members number fifty-two.
Mount Zion Church was built mainly thru the efforts of Alexander Shank, who emigrated to this County from Ireland in 1815. He was a Weaver by trade. Converted to Christ in the Methodist faith, he became an earnest exhorter, and was licensed as a local preacher. In his anxiety for a Church, he dreamed he was given a blank paper to present to a Mr. Caldwell for a subscription-heading and a contribution for church building. He stated the case to Mr. Caldwell, who headed the list with fifty dollars, and directed him to go to Gardner Furnac, a generous and eccentric Quaker, and secure a building lot. He did as directed and was successful. Calling on Joseph Smith for a contibution, Joseph said "Alexander, thee knows I do not believe in churches with paid preachers. " Alex replied, " We must have a fence around the graveyard. " Joseph answered, " I will give thee ten dollars for the fence. "
In Baltimore he noticed three well dressed gentleman in conversation, and presented to them his subscription-list. Looking at him for an instant, one of the party said to the others, " Let us give him ten dollars apiece, on the condition that he build as many bricks in the church as we give him dollars. It will be something to remember us by when we are gone " He raised five hundred dollars, with which was erected the plain little church, soon to be replaced by a new one. His constent feast of merry heart, his sincerity and piety warmed all hearts toward him, and is still affectionately spoken of by those who knew him as good old Father Shank.
Alexander Shanks is my 4th Great Grandfather.
The Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal Church is situated on a hillock in Fairfield. It is a small frame structure, and was built in 1835. The carpenter work was done by Abraham Boyce. Alexander Shank, W. H. Potts, Nathen Blake, William Arnold, and their wives were the first members. The first trustees were Shank, Potts, Shade, Arnold and Barnett. The present trustees are James Cain, N. N. Hensel, Elias Hambelton, Matthias Harvey, and William Harrison Potts. The first preacher in charge was Lawrence McCoombs. The first sabbeth-school superintendent was W. Harrison Potts, and the present superintendent is John Adams.The members number fifty-two.
Mount Zion Church was built mainly thru the efforts of Alexander Shank, who emigrated to this County from Ireland in 1815. He was a Weaver by trade. Converted to Christ in the Methodist faith, he became an earnest exhorter, and was licensed as a local preacher. In his anxiety for a Church, he dreamed he was given a blank paper to present to a Mr. Caldwell for a subscription-heading and a contribution for church building. He stated the case to Mr. Caldwell, who headed the list with fifty dollars, and directed him to go to Gardner Furnac, a generous and eccentric Quaker, and secure a building lot. He did as directed and was successful. Calling on Joseph Smith for a contibution, Joseph said "Alexander, thee knows I do not believe in churches with paid preachers. " Alex replied, " We must have a fence around the graveyard. " Joseph answered, " I will give thee ten dollars for the fence. "
In Baltimore he noticed three well dressed gentleman in conversation, and presented to them his subscription-list. Looking at him for an instant, one of the party said to the others, " Let us give him ten dollars apiece, on the condition that he build as many bricks in the church as we give him dollars. It will be something to remember us by when we are gone " He raised five hundred dollars, with which was erected the plain little church, soon to be replaced by a new one. His constent feast of merry heart, his sincerity and piety warmed all hearts toward him, and is still affectionately spoken of by those who knew him as good old Father Shank.
Alexander Shanks is my 4th Great Grandfather.
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