The Tuscarora Rush Religious Compact was how the Beaver Meadows Church in Tuscarora Township, PA was organized to begin with. You will note the multiple denominations that were served by the church. The two pages of the charter shown at the end of this page coincide with the pages of transcribed names below.

According to Carol Brotzman, Raymond Cobb recopied the "Tuscarora and Rush Compact" in the back of a secretary's book but only recorded February 13, 185- as the date of the charter. This charter states that the "Baptist, Presbyterian, Congregational, Methodist Wesleyan (sic), and Methodist Episcopal are all to share the church equally". A similar copy of this charter was recorded at the Bradford County Courthouse on December 24, 1868. This copy recorded only the trustees' names, no membership list. We know from an obituary of Susan (Mrs. Joseph) Marbaker that the church was built in the summer of 1849.

This Compact was drawn up to set the criteria for the people of various religions to use in the only existing union church building in several townships. The only older church in the area was the Stevensville Episcopal Church, which was established in 1799; however they only exchanged pulpits with the Lutherans. There are also records of people associated with Sullivan County being baptized locally by the Catholic priest as he traveled home to southern Pennsylvania. Carol can access those records upon request.

Many of the most well-known names in Bradford and Sullivan County history can be found in the roster of signatories: Fetherbay, Fowler, Potter, Bennett, Sturdivant, Sharer, Silvara/Sylvara, Stone and King, for example. Our contributor's direct ancestor, Samuel Brotzman, was also a signatory.

An obit proves the church was built in the summer of 1849 so the dedication probably was in 1850, although the document reads "185_" with the last digit blank. Here is a picture of the church taken about 1930, and a later one taken in 1960.

We are appreciative of Carol Hoose Brotzman for the information and pictures presented here.