Four times a year (barring unexpected circumstances), I make the trek to Dauphin County, where the White Rose Irregulars of York gather in a private room at Leeds Restaurant and Lounge. We're what's called a scion society of the Baker Street Irregulars, and get together quarterly to share our mutual love of all things related to Sherlock Holmes. A few of them promised to read this, so in case they did - hi everybody! Also, when dining at Leeds, I can't say enough good things about the fish and chips, which are the best I've had anywhere, or about Anne, our designated server.
This past weekend was our summer gathering, and I brought my best friend Andrea with me for her first foray into Sherlockiana. Since we were sort of in the neighborhood, I proposed that on the way home, we stop in the wonderful community of Hershey to see if we couldn't collect a few markers for this blog. We picked up a few pieces of chocolate and then went to Derry Presbyterian Church, which has the distinction of being home to two markers. As such, this piece is a little longer than usual, and has more photos too.
Edited 5/8/2024: This blog post is now available as a podcast episode! Learn even more facts about God's Acre by listening today on Spotify or your preferred podcast provider.
 |
| This marker is at the Derry Road entrance to the church property, right by the cemetery |
Today we know Hershey as the shining and sweet-smelling domain of all things chocolate. A long time ago, however, it was known as the village of Derry Church, which took its name from... well, Derry Church, which has occupied its grounds for close to three hundred years. The original congregants were Scots-Irish immigrants who settled in the area and, it is said, started worshiping on the site as early as 1724; the church was officially founded in 1729. They called their first pastor, Rev. William Bertram, in 1732, and he's one of four church pastors to be buried in the historic churchyard. According to the brochure provided for visitors, the church members lived within roughly a twelve-mile radius of the church. On the Sabbath, they would gather to listen to the morning sermon for more than two hours, then break for a picnic lunch before an additional two hours of service in the afternoon.
 |
| The Session House is encased in glass for its own protection; the glass enclosure was built as a gift to the church in 1929 by Milton S. Hershey himself. |
Also in 1732, the settlers constructed a tiny building made of hand-hewn logs. This was known as the Session House, or Pastor's Study; it served a number of purposes over its lifetime, housing everything from church meetings to Sunday School classes to the village post office. Among its earliest uses was as a school, since the minister was in charge of educating the children in his flock. The congregants were particularly keen that their children should learn to read, because it was a strongly held belief that everyone should be able to read the Bible. This little building used to have a stone fireplace for warmth, although that's no longer there, and this was where they would heat water for tea during those between-sermon lunches. The Session House is extremely special, being one of the oldest surviving buildings in Dauphin County - for context, it was built the same year that George Washington was born - and has been on the National Registry of Historic Places since 2006. A short video about the history of the structure can be viewed on this site.
 |
| Derry Church's chapel, built in 1884 |
In 1741, the sons of William Penn formally deeded the church property to the congregation. The original church building is, of course, long gone. What I have pictured here is the oldest part of the present-day building, which was built in 1884. The church is actually quite a bit larger than my photograph would suggest, but I just liked this picture too much not to use it. If you visit the church's website (linked in the sources list below), you can view an aerial shot of the entire property. It's not visible in this picture, but to the left of the 1884 chapel is a second, smaller chapel dedicated to the memory of Rev. John Elder. You may have heard of him; he was known as the "Fighting Parson," who participated in both the Revolutionary and the French and Indian Wars, and preached at Derry Church for a number of years.
I did promise two markers in this post, and the second one is specifically for the cemetery. It's not on the church property; it's a little distance to the south, past Spring Creek, probably because US 422 (locally known as Chocolate Avenue) is quite a bit busier than Derry Road. By the church's own accounting, more than 200 pioneers are buried here; so are an unknown number of Native Americans, whose graves occupy the northeastern section of the grounds. The earliest grave is that of John Campbell, who died in 1735. The churchyard was originally enclosed in 1771 with a limestone wall; later renovations eventually led to the concrete borders it has today, with iron gates installed in 1842. Dawn Redwoods, transplanted from California in the 1960s, still grow inside the cemetery. Burials no longer take place there, but since 1981, cremated remains are permitted to be interred in the northeast corner, provided they belong to church members.
I very much wanted to enter the churchyard, which is small and quiet and filled with old headstones that I longed to read. However, the gates were shut, and I didn't feel entirely right just letting myself into the place. But you don't have to enter the churchyard to appreciate its significance. At least 40 soldiers of the Revolutionary War are buried here, along with 27 Frontiersmen - that is, non-military pioneers who helped to protect the area from raids by Natives. (Five of the men buried in the churchyard were both.) A plaque by the gate details their names and ranks, with Colonel John Rodgers being the highest-ranked individual; he signed a document known as the Hanover Resolves, which has its own marker elsewhere in the county. If you're very curious, the church office has a list of all of the names of the churchyard's occupants.
 |
| This marker sits at the corner of East Chocolate Avenue (US 422) and East Mansion Road. |
I very much wanted to enter the churchyard, which is small and quiet and filled with old headstones that I longed to read. However, the gates were shut, and I didn't feel entirely right just letting myself into the place. But you don't have to enter the churchyard to appreciate its significance. At least 40 soldiers of the Revolutionary War are buried here, along with 27 Frontiersmen - that is, non-military pioneers who helped to protect the area from raids by Natives. (Five of the men buried in the churchyard were both.) A plaque by the gate details their names and ranks, with Colonel John Rodgers being the highest-ranked individual; he signed a document known as the Hanover Resolves, which has its own marker elsewhere in the county. If you're very curious, the church office has a list of all of the names of the churchyard's occupants.
Much like when I visited God's Acre in Bethlehem, I was struck by what a beautiful and serene place this is. Even in the humidity of August, the church grounds enjoyed a soft breeze, and the massive trees provided plenty of shade. The brochure said that people traveled for miles to sit in the oak grove for worship and a picnic; I think I can understand why.
Sources and Further Reading:
Official website of Derry Presbyterian Church
Derry Church at FindAGrave.com
The Session House's application for inclusion on the National Registry of Historic Places
History of Derry Township
Derry Presbyterian Cemetery at the Hershey-Derry Township Historical Society
Derry Church and Derry Churchyard at the Historical Marker Database
If you've enjoyed this, please leave a comment!
Except where indicated, all writing and photography on this blog is the intellectual property of Laura Klotz. This blog is written with permission of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. I am not employed by the PHMC. All rights reserved.
Laura, you've done remarkable research, an obvious Labor of Love. You not only show your enthusiasm for the subject matter, but you also show the proper respect for these historic spots that tell the varied stories of our state. My few years spent at the PHMC were among the most interesting of my adult working life.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kind words, JD! I really appreciate you taking the time to read them and I'm glad you've enjoyed them. I'll see you in November, but meanwhile, stick around because I have (as you know!) a lot more to come.
ReplyDelete