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Sts. Peter & Paul Lutheran Church
What's on this page:
- Pastors
- Early history
- Later history
- Downloadable copy of 1983 Centennial booklet
- Michael Zemany
- More photos
Photo at top left is cropped from an early view of the church published in a commemorative booklet for the church, courtesy of Bill Davis.
Pastors of Sts. Peter and Paul’s Lutheran Church
[From their 100th anniversary booklet in 1983, with some added notes from an August 28, 1933 newspaper article; a downloadable PDF copy of the booklet is further down the page.]
1880-1883 (Services conducted by Lay Readers)
1883-1886 The Reverend Karol Horak
1886-1889 The Reverend Cyrill Droppa
1889-1891 The Reverend Ludwig Novomesky
1891-1894 The Reverend Drahotin Kvacala
1894-1905 The Reverend Karol Hauser
1905-1909 The Reverend Albert D. Dianiska
1909 The Reverend Julius Cernicky
1909-1914 The Reverend Ludwig Havel
1914-1915 The Reverend Geza von Albrecht (January 1914 - November 1915)
1915-1916 The Reverend John Murcek (December 1915 - July 1916)
1916-1918 The Reverend Dr. A. L. Ramer
1914-1922 The Reverend A. B. Swasko
1918-1922 The Reverend John Zabadal (September 8, 1918 - March 1921)
1921-1922 The Reverend Andrew Hibian (May 1921 - May 14, 1922)
1922 The Reverend Daniel Droppa (June-July 1922)
1922-1926 The Reverend A. B. Faska
1926-1927 The Reverend J. M. Bellan (Administrator)
1927-1938 The Reverend Joseph Abraham
1938-1939 The Reverend Martin Slabej
1939-1943 The Reverend Louis Sanjek (Administrator)
1939-1943 Seminarian John Chalupa, Assistant
1943-1950 The Reverend Stephen Hurnyak
1950-1953 The Reverend John Kanyuch
1953-1955 The Reverend Richard M. Rutter
1955-1962 The Reverend Lawrence P. Delp
1962-1971 The Reverend John M. Brndjar
1971-1979 The Reverend Ivon P. Harris
1980- The Reverend Raymond E. Lorthioir, Jr.
[This list needs updating; my most recent source was the 1983 centennial booklet. – CT]
Early history
This timeline information is pulled from Konstantin Culen's Mala Kronika Slovenskeho Zivota v Amerike (Small chronicle of Slovak life in America), shared here thanks to Tony Sutherland:
1874 - Many Slovaks immigrate to Freeland. An additional stream came to Streator, Illinois.
1877 - A greater number of Slovaks came to Freeland. These were all from Eastern Slovakia.
1877 - In Freeland was the first baptism of Slovak children in America, of Andrew Cajko [later Shigo] and John Elias.
1879 - In Freeland was the first known Slovak wedding in America, of Andrew Zipay and Maria Panko.
1884 - Slovaks begin to build the Evangelical church of SS. Peter and Paul in Freeland.
1886 - The Evangelical church of SS. Peter and Paul is built in Freeland. This was one of the oldest Evangelical churches in America.
1887 - Rev. Droppa leaves Streator for Freeland as the Evangelical pastor. He was the first Slovak Evangelical pastor in America.
News article February 20, 1933:
The founders of Saints Peter and Paul Lutheran Church, who organized the congregation and signed the charter, were: Michael Zemany, Michael Verga, Andrej Bakalar, George Richy, Thomas Hlavinka.
The first officers of the church were: Michael Zemany (Freeland), Michael Verga (Foster Township), Andrew Bakalar (Freeland), Andrew Tomkinin (Freeland), Thomas Halvinka (Jeddo), Thomas Bolend (Highland).
[There are several voices represented in what follows. These notes are pulled from an August 28, 1933 newspaper article and the church’s 1983 centennial booklet; the booklet’s historical summary comes largely from a treatise by Professor Andrew J. Stofan, prepared for the church’s 85th anniversary, with additions by later pastors.]
Some
of the Slovaks who had settled in the area (many of whom spoke
little or no English) came to Michael Zemany’s business place and said
that they had not heard a Slovak Gospel since their arrival, and they
wanted to attend Slovak services. Records indicate that from 1880 to
1883 Slovak Lutherans met for worship in private homes for services
conducted by laymen. Mr. Zemany called a meeting at his home on
February 15, 1883 to discuss a local ministry, with a second meeting a
week later. As a result he was delegated to select a Slovak-speaking
minister. Rev. Smith of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church assisted by writing
to the Ministerium of Pennsylvania for the group. He learned that there
were two ministers, a Czech and a Pole, who attended the Theological
Seminary and could preach the Gospel. The Rev. Karol Horak, a Czech,
was selected and accepted the call to Freeland. He performed the first
Sunday services on either February 22 or March 11, 1883 (accounts
differ), for 16 men and 2 women. He officiated at services for three
years. 
This photo of the 1906 Confirmation class was at the time of its publication the oldest extant photograph from this congregation. I’m adding two cropped sections from the photo so that people can get a closer look at the faces. This and the old view of the church in the previous paragraph came from a commemorative booklet from the church (possibly from 1978), shared here by Bill Davis.
As the group grew, St. Luke’s offered use of their church for services. After three years a meeting was called on February 25, 1886 to make plans to build a church. Land was donated by Eckley B. Coxe and construction began that spring. In 1886, Rev. Cyrill Droppa was called from Streator, Illinois. He was able to secure from Mr. and Mrs. Coxe two more lots for a parsonage, giving the church a total of 4 lots. The church was built and dedicated as St. Peter and Paul’s Slovak Lutheran church (1886). During Rev. Droppa’s time here, the Charter of the church was signed by Michael Zemany, Michael Varga, Andrew Balakar, George Cichy and Thomas Hlavinka. The directors and trustees who signed the property deeds were: Michael Zemany, Michael Wargo, George Dzurisin, John Soltis, Michael Cervenak, George Cichy, John Kmetz and John Homulko.
On June 20, 1887, the church was incorporated and given the official name, “The Saint Peter and Paul Evangelical Lutheran Slavonian Church of Freeland, Pa.” In 1905 Eckley B. Coxe donated land for a parish cemetery.
From Charlie Stumpf’s notes: “A charter for the first Slovak church, St. Peter and Paul's Slovak Lutheran church (339 Washington St., Freeland) was secured in 1883. The church was erected in 1886 being the first of its kind in the western hemisphere. The first pastor was Rev. Charles Horak. In 1903 Rev. Joseph Abraham, a native of Czechoslovakia, came to Freeland to serve St. Peter and Paul's. He was a scholar of rare merit, as well as a fine composer. Rev. Abraham copyrighted a hymnal containing more than 600 hymns with words set to music written by himself. Through painstaking efforts, by way of stencil, he produced 18 copies of the hymnal which he also bound himself.”
These
two photographs come to us from the collection of Anna Mae (Stofan)
Sissock. The one at left shows a large group of the congregation
photographed in 1922. The photo at right was taken on the occasion of a
service of some kind officiated by Pastor A. B. Faska. Both photos were
reproduced in one of the church’s commemorative booklets, perhaps in
1978 for the 95th anniversary. A list of pastors is at the top of the page with their service dates. Here are some additional notes about some of them (from the August 28, 1933 newspaper article). In 1886, Rev. Cyrill Droppa was called from Streator, Illinois; he served as pastor 1886-1889. In 1889, Rev. Ludwik Novomesky started the Parish Register and served for three years. At the end of 1891, Rev. Drahotin Kvacala was assigned the pastorate; during his administration the Slovak Evangelical Union was organized. Rev. Karol Hauser served as minister 1894-1905, also serving other Slovaks in eastern Pennsylvania. In February 1905 Rev. Albert D. Dianiska began his administration, during which the cemetery was donated by Mrs. Coxe and dedicated by Rev. Kuntz, Rev. J. Schlenker, Rev. Karol Hauser, and Rev. S. Schoultz; he married Mary Zemany, daughter of Michael Zemany, and served until 1909. Rev. Ramer, Ph.D. served 1916 to 1918, as did Theologians J. M. Bellan, Paul Faska, A. B. Svasko and others. Theologian John Zabadal officiated September 8, 1918 - March 1921. Theologian Daniel Drobba served June-July 1922. Rev. Paul Faska served 1922-1926, during which time a pipe organ was purchased. Rev. Joseph Abraham served 1927[-1938], during which time the Sunday School was better organized, and a Ladies’ Aid Society and Junior and Senior Choirs were organized; he produced the first Slovak hymnal ever arranged for the Slovak Lutheran church.
A June 4, 1948 [Daily Sentinel?] newspaper article contains historical notes, including this one: The Slovak Lutheran church was among the last of the European churches to be transplanted in America. However, organized Lutheran church life began over 200 years ago when Pastor Henry Melchior Muhlenberg founded the Ministerium of Pennsylvania, now the largest synod of the United Lutheran Church in America. Saints Peter and Paul Lutheran church is affiliated with this synod, which nurtured its development from its early years in Freeland.
Later history
This February 20, 1933 local newspaper account of the 50th
anniversary
celebration includes a note on the new Slovak Hymnal, compiled by Rev.
Joseph Abraham, “the first complete hymnal ever arranged for the Slovak
Lutheran church.” [I don’t know whether it was the first in America or
the first anywhere. – CT] The article also gives the names of the
founders of the Freeland church, the first officers, and the 1933
current officers. A local newspaper article dated August 28, 1933 described plans to mark the 50th anniversary of this church with a weeklong celebration beginning on Labor Day. The article reported that the church has been a member of the Ministerium of Pennsylvania ever since it was organized, and that the congregation currently had 226 members, of which 171 were confirmed. The congregation had cleared many debts, and at the time of writing there was no debt on the church property.
The officers of the church in August 1933 were: George Marencin, Jr., president; Michael V. Sabo, recording secretary; Prof. Andrew Stofan, financial secretary; Andrew Sholtis, treasurer. The trustees: Michael Kostelnik, Michal Zippaj, John Goch. The church janitor: Michael Zippay. The collectors of the church: Michael V. Sabo, Andrew Varga, George Marencin, Jr., Michael Zippay, George Antolik, John Goch.
Another local newspaper article dated June 4, 1948 is headlined “Oldest Slovak Lutheran Church in U.S. Will Mark Its 65th Anniversary,” with festival services to be held that Sunday. Rev. Stephen Hurnyak was pastor at the time. The church interior was extensively renovated and would be re-dedicated on this occasion, which will also mark the pastor’s 5th anniversary of ordination and of his Freeland pastorate. The article referred to the Freeland congregation as “the mother church of Slovak Lutheran congregations, especially of those in the anthracite area.” A number of pastors from other congregations with a special relationship to the Freeland church will attend and assist with the festival services.
From the centennial booklet, p.8: “In the late 1940s and 1950s, the anthracite industry went into a deep decline which persists to this day. The result was a considerable shift of population away from the area as people searched for work. This trend was felt in the congretation, and because of it, it became impossible for the congregation to call a full time minister. In the 1940s, the congregation entered into a practice of sharing pastoral services with other larger congregations, a practice which persists to the present.”
Many changes, renovations and improvements are
described in the 1983 centennial booklet. Records of the original
incorporation of the church were unable to be found, and so in 1982 the
church was again incorporated in 1982, this time with the official name
“Saints Peter and Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church.” In 1983 a new
cornerstone was dedicated. [Material from the centennial booklet’s historical summary comes largely from a treatise by Professor Andrew J. Stofan, prepared for the church’s 85th anniversary, with additions by later pastors.]
Standard-Speaker 11-30-1983: Michael Kostelnick - One of Freeland's Oldest Residents is Dead at 98
"Michael Kostelnick, age 98, a former resident of 192 Alvin St., Freeland ... died ... after a prolonged illness. He was one of Freeland's oldest residents and was the oldest living member of Ss. Peter and Paul's Lutheran Church, Freeland. In September 1983, he was honored at the church's 100th anniversary. … He was one of the organizers of Ss. Peter and Paul's Slovak Lutheran Church, Washington Street, Freeland, the oldest Slovak Lutheran Church in the Western Hemisphere. He was a ... former member of the church council, ... and was a member of the Lutheran Society and was one of the organizers in 1919."
Centennial booklet: "Our 100th Anniversary - 1883-1983 - Saints Peter and Paul Lutheran Church"
A downloadable copy, thanks to Bill Davis. 
Saints
Peter and Paul Lutheran Church, centennial booklet - (PDF file size
= 10 MB)
Michael Zemany
This
tribute to Michael Zemany is from the church’s 1983
centennial booklet, contributed by Bill Davis. Michael Zemany died on March 23, 1933 and his death was reported the next day by Aubrey Powell in the Freeland and North Side section of one of the Hazleton newspapers. From that report: Michael Zemany was 83, living at 705 Main street. He was born in Kucina in Sariskoj Kupa, Czechoslovakia on June 11, 1849. He married Anna Koscelnik in 1872 and they came to the U.S. in 1873, first living in the Mahanoy area. In 1877 they moved to Upper Lehigh and he worked at the colliery for 3 years, then moved to Freeland and opened a hotel and grocery store on Main street, also operating a farm near St. Johns.
Under his leadership in February 1883 Saints Peter and Paul Lutheran Church was organized in Freeland, said to be the first Slovak Lutheran Church in America. [There is another contender for that honor in Streator, Ilinois.] He remained active in the affairs of the church, and in 1890 he organized a Slovak lodge in Freeland that eventually developed into the National Slovak Union, a non-sectarian Slovak order with [in 1933] a membership of about 100,000 in the U.S. and Canada.
In 1893, he headed the organization of a Slovak Evangelical
Lutheran
group now known as the Slovak Evangelical Union Confession of America
with [in 1933] a membership of over 12,000. [Group photo from the 1929 Slovensky Evanjelicky Kalendar,
seen here thanks to Tony Sutherland] To keep in touch with the members of these groups he began publishing a Slovak paper, the Slovenska Pravda (Slovanic Truth), published in Freeland for many years, then moved to Cleveland and eventually discontinued. He also served as a member of the Borough Council, listed that way in an 1897 directory. In that same directory, he was listed as a bottler, his son Michael Jr. was listed as a printer, and his brother Andrew was listed as the manager of the Slavonic Truth publication, all at 17 E. Main street.
These
portraits of Michael and Andrew Zemany were published in the 1929 Slovensky Evanjelicky Kalendar,
seen here thanks to Tony Sutherland. As for various Zemany family businesses, in the 1884-86 and 1886-88 directories Michael Zemany was listed as having a “hotel &c” at 21 E. Main street. In the 1889 mercantile directory he was listed as having a liquor and general store business. According to Charlie Stumpf, that year he also leased his livery stable (on land behind where the post office now stands) to the Fisher brothers, and in 1890 he built a bottling works on Washington street. In 1892 he was listed among a group of hotel owners who applied for liquor licenses, his for 19-21 Main street, in 1895 listed as a bottler in the directory, and in 1896 as selling wholesale beer.
From H. C. Bradsby, History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Selections, 1893:
“Michael ZEMANY, general merchant, Freeland, may well be classed in the front rank of the progressive citizens of his town. He was born in Kucsin, Saros Co., Hungary, June 11, 1849, and learned the carpenter’s trade which he followed in his native land until he reached the age of twenty-one, when he came to this country and settled in Pennsylvania. He followed mining in various parts of the Upper Lehigh district of the anthracite regions for two years, at the end of which time he established a clothing store in Mahanoy City. Here he remained until 1876, when he removed to Upper Lehigh and worked at his trade until 1880. He then removed to Freeland, where he opened a saloon, and a year later also engaged in the bottling business and operated a general store. Each branch of his business has constantly increased since, until he is well-nigh at the head in each department. Mr. ZEMANY was married in 1870 to Miss Anna KOSCELNIK, which union has been blessed with eight children, viz.: Andrew, John, Anna, Michael, Jr., Charles, George, Mary, and William. Mr. ZEMANY is a member of the Verhovay Aid Association; and the Saints Peter and Paul Aid Association. In politics he is a very active Republican.”
More photos
Here are five photos from one of the church’s commemorative booklets (perhaps in 1978 for the 95th anniversary), from Bill Davis.
I took these eight photos in 2010.
Thanks to contributors to this page: Bill Davis, Charlie Stumpf, Ed Merrick, Charlie Gallagher, Professor Andrew J. Stofan, the late Anna Mae (Stofan) Sissock, Charlie Stumpf, Tony Sutherland.