Edwin LENHART, REV.

                   Rev Edwin Lenhart was described in his obituary as a pleasant speaker andforceful preacher, as well as a faithful and tender pastor.

He was born on a farm near Strayer's Church, Dover Twp., York County, PA.

At 17, Edwin enlisted in Company H, 200th Regiment, PennsylvaniaVolunteers.  After his discharge he entered Selingrove, which is nowSusquehanna University and graduated in 1878.

During his 35 years in the ministry, Edwin served the following charges:
Womelsdor, Berks County, PA., 1878.

The 1880 Census for Manchester Township, York Co., PA., listed EdwinLenhart, age 34, having an occupation of Pastor and his wife, Mary, age30.  Also listed residing in his household were Laura, age 11; Hattie,age 6; and Carrie, age 4.

Manchester, York Co., PA., 1880-1882.
Manchester Lutheran Church is a brick building located on Main Streettoward the south end of town.  It was built under the direction of Rev.Dr. A.H. Lochman of York in 1857.  The congregation was organized inDecember of the same year.  The cost of the building was $6,000.  In 1883valuable improvements, costing $1,100 were added and the interior of thechurch beautified.  Membership was about 110.

Dallastown, York Co., PA. (consisting of seven congregations).
between 1882-1886, when by a division, Edwin continued to serve fourcongregations until 1886 at St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church.

St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church:  This church is located south ofDallastown, and is familarly known as "Blimyer's Church".  Among theoriginal German settlers of this locality, an organization was effectedas early as 1748 (?) and a small loghouse for a church and school wasbuilt.  The pastor served also as a teacher.  It was then the only churchfor a large extent of the territory, in which there are now more than adozen churches of different denominations.  Tradition says some of themembers who worshipped here a century ago came a distance of twelvemiles.  The religious exercieses, for more than a hundred years, werepurely German and many of their pastors German.

Stahls Church is situated in the northern part of Chanceford Township andfounded by Jacob stahle and George Souders in the year 1874.  Twodenominations, the Lutherand and German Reformed, united in buildin thechurch and held church services alternately therein.  The first build wasa rude affair, but after being somewhat enlarged and repaired, served toaccommodate the congregation until the year 1866 when their presentchurch was built.  Edwin Lenhart was named as one of the Lutheran Pastorswho officiated at the church since it's founding in 1884.

Rebersburg, Centre Co., PA. - May, 1886.

Loganton, Clinton Co., PA. - 1788.
Charged with five congregations.

Seven Valleys, York Co., PA. - 1890-1898.
During this period, Edwin taught a sunday School which became the nucleusof St. Peter's Lutheran Church in 1891.

Windsor Park, York Co., PA. - 1899-1904.
He was the first pastor of what is St. James Lutheran Church.

"St. James in the southwestern part of the township (sometimes known asthe fifth ward) was built in 1870, and is of the Lutheran persuasions andis under it's present Pastor Rev. Lenhart, is rapidly increasing instrength and becoming a power for good in the community in which it islocated".

1902-1904 Rev. Lenhart was the first Pastor of Emmanual EvangelicalLutheran Church.

Edwin Lenhart later became the settler Pasor of the Paradise chargecomposed of the Holtzschwamm 1904-1912 and the Shilo (Neiman's)congregations situated in Paradise and Dover Twp. (respectively), YorkCo., PA.

Also during his ministry he served for some years as a chaplain of thelocal GAR post.

He was noted for inducing a number of young men, ie., Revs H.C. Bixlerand S.J. McDowell, to prepare for the ministry.

Until his first heart attack in January 1912, he served hiscongregation.  A very sever attack confined him to bed for weeks, but apartial recovery gave a brief hope of restoration.  But a second andlater a third attack brought the end at 2 o'clock, 11 July 1912.  At thetime of his death, he had a wife and three married daughters.   Funeralservices were conducted at his home on 14 July 1912 by his friend Dr.A.G. Fastnacht.  Dr. C.E. Walter and president of the Synod, Dr. G.M.Diffendeifer assisted.  Six of York's pastors acted as pollbearers.  Hewas buried at Greenmount Cemetery.  Edwin was 67 years, 3 months and 18days old when he died.