Leonard BALLIET

                   May have been born 1755 in Easton, PA.

http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=beery6&id=I0052

      John Petty was a sponsor to his sister Hanna at Schlosser's Church, Whitehall Twp, PA when Hannah married. Apparently they lived right on the border of Lehigh where the original Petty land was owned.

      The Penn family granted tracts of land to these early settlers, a quite sizable one issued to the Schlosser family encompassing several hundred acres, in the Neffs area. After the settlers had worshiped in one anothers homes, and possibly attended neighboring churches such as Egypt, Jordan, and Heidelberg, all of which were established a few years before 1755, the Schlosser family, in that year, donated approximately 100 acres of land for church purposes. The present church complex, cemeteries, sextons house, church grove, woodlands, and some farm fields are what remain from the original gift. Over the years, land was sold and the proceeds used for church construction and improvements. The most recent sale was made for land on which to build the present post office in Neffs.

      The religious needs of the early settlers, such as baptisms, funerals, and weddings, were usually taken care of by circuit-riding preachers, missionaries, and lay preachers. The early ordained preachers often had charges consisting of as many as six or more churches, with travel on foot or horseback the only means of transportation.

      In 1755, the first church, of log construction, was erected near the southeast corner of the old cemetery. The first grave markers were made of soft shale or wood, and many have disappeared from the ravages of weather. The oldest legible tombstone, near where the log church set, is that of Vallendin Remeli, 1770.

      The first church was erected by the Reformed congregation (Detailed Early History) and known as the Schlossers Church in honor of the land donors. Soon thereafter, a two-room log structure was erected across the road from the church to serve as a school and schoolmasters living quarters.

      At the same time, settlers of the Lutheran faith were living in the area of Schlossers Church, and since the new church was not used every Sunday by the Reformed congregation because the preacher was at another church in the charge, the Lutherans were invited to use this house of worship. The first records indicate a pastor serving the Lutheran congregation on a regular basis in 1762.

      We must make special note that all services at Union Church were in the German language. That was the predominant tongue of the early settlers. These German services continued exclusively until about 1920. Then, change came rapidly, for by 1935, only English services were conducted, as they are today.

      The first crude log church, with its ground floor and no heat, served well for about 40 years. In 1795. the Union Church was formalized with all debts and assets to he shared. During the first forty years, there were still some problems with the native Indians, due largely to William Penns sons questionable land purchases from the Indians. The Revolutionary War was fought during our infant years, with at least a dozen veterans of that war buried on the old cemetery. Most notable was Colonel Stephen Balliet, who was also involved in state and national affairs of government.