OLDEST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE STATE?

A recent Harrisburg magazine pictures the Paxton Presbyterian Church, built in 1740, and calls it the oldest Presbyterian sanctuary in continuous use in the state.  We won’t protest their claim, but it is believed that Donegal was built no later than 1740.  Martha Bladen Clark, who was an authority on our history (and was one of the organizers and first president of the Donegal Society) believed Donegal was built as early as 1732. 

That date, 1732, also was claimed by no less than Samuel Evans, co-author of the well-known Ellis and Evans Lancaster County history published in 1883.  Mr. Evans, whose great-grandfather was Col. Alexander Lowrey, was Donegals Clerk of Session for many years in the late 1800s.  He at one time lived in the still-standing 1762 Marietta mansion that Col. Lowrey built, before later moving to Columbia.  An 1878 photo of the Lowrey home can be seen in our narthex bookcase.

As for Donegal’s construction date, it is unfortunate that while we have written confirmation of the date of founding (1721), we cannot prove any date for our building.  If any such information should ever appear in a letter, it would be most welcome. 

Last revised 09/19/10