The following history comes from Pastors and People: Pastors and Congregations, vol. 1, by Charles Glatfelter, published in 1980:
This Lutheran Congregation in the Tulpehocken settlement was organized by Casper Stoever and his followers in 1742, after Reed's church was lost to the Moravians and after some Lutherans who wanted to build Christ church nearby made it plain that they didn't want Stoever as their regular pastor....
This congregation was located in Tulpehocken township; it is now Jefferson township. This writer has not found the name Little Tulpehocken in the 18th century documents, but it is used to help distinguish the congregation from Christ, Tulpehocken, near Stouchsburg.
In 1742 Stoever began a register for "the Evangelical Lutheran congregation down at the Tulpehocken near the Northkill". He pastored there into the 1760s and used it as his base. Emmanuel Schultz succeeded him. Since 1853 it has worshipped with the Reformed congregation in a union church. It is located about 1 mile sw of Bernville.
In 1744 a warrant for 110 acres was granted to Michael Shower and Jacob Miller 'for the use of the Lutheran Congregation situate in Tulpehocken township'. A tract of 35 acres was surveyed, one of whose courses ran along the Tulpehocken creek. On 11/2/0/1747 a patent deed was granted to Jacob Miller, Simon Munch, Conrad Ernst, Mathias Smith, Henrich Gruber, and Martin Batteicher, for the 'use of the Minister and Society of Lutherans residing, and to reside, in and about the said township of Tulpehokin' (filed in Lancaster Warrants). The first church was completed during the 1740s; there is a record of a marriage performed in it in 1749.
Submitted by: Diana.
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