Individual Details
Christian Newcomer
(21 Jan 1749 - 12 Mar 1830)
Christian Newcomer was a bishop of the United Brethren in Christ Church (later merged with the Methodists to become today's United Methodists). His "Journal of Tours, 1795-1829" is the basis for information in Alexander and Margaret Newcomers' book and in Thomas Williams' book for the early Newcomers. Christian bought his father's, Wolfgang, farm upon Wolfgang's death.
Christian dedicated his life to preaching after becoming dissatisfied with the Mennonite ways. It is not clear to me what, in more detail, dissatisfied him, but in light of his new direction it seems probable that he felt the Mennonites were too cold. His new direction was more emotional.
While in his dissatisfied stage, a peach pit became caught in his windpipe. Christian threw himself against a tree to dislodge the peach pit. He immediately fell to his knees and thanked the Lord, but he started having nightmares about the final judgment. Another time, he felt that a violent thunderstorm was a signal that he was not right with the Lord. He ran out into the storm, fell to his knees and submitted to God's will. In 1773, he was recovering from measles and felt that God had saved him to carry out the work of the Lord.
Although dedicated to serving the Lord, Christian fled from Lancaster County to Washington County in 1775 to avoid having his name included in those from which the local Mennonites would pick their next preacher.
Christian apparently wished to dedicated himself to preaching from then forward, but in a different style from that common among the Mennonites.
Christian helped organize the Church of United Brethren in Christ. The church was led by Philip William Otterbein, previously of the German Reform Church, Martin Boehm, formerly a Mennonite, and Rev. Ashbury, once a Methodist. The focus of the new church was German immigrants. Actually, Otterbein and Boehm continued to paster in their original denominations. Followers of theirs, however, felt there was a need to organize a new denomination. "Accordingly, on 2 October 1813, after a solemn period of worship and meditation, with the assistance of an elder of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Rev. William Ryland, Otterbein ordained by the laying on of hands these three men, the first to be ordained in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ (Wikipedia: Christian Newcomer). The three were Christian Newcomer, Joseph Hoffman and Frederick Shaffer.
Christian Newcomer's ministry was marked by his emotionalism. His prior religious experience had been joyless as a Mennonite. The United Brethren Church, which originated in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and was influenced by the Methodist revival, offered a more rewarding faith. He became a leading messenger of the new church, despite having a speech impediment. The United Brethren Church eventually became the Evangelical United Brethren, and then merged to become the United Methodists.
In a preface to his journal, he wrote, "I, Christian Newcomer was born in Lancaster County, State of Pennsylvania (old style) in the year of our Lord, One thousand seven hundred and forty nine. The name of my father was Wolfgang Newcomer, my mother maiden name was Weller."
My father emigrated with his parents in his childhood from Switzerland in Europe to America and the place of their debarcation was Philadelphia, Pa. His occupation in his younger days was that of a carpenter. He first married a Miss Baer with whom he lived with but a tweve month when she died. After being a widower about two years he married my mother Elizabeth Weller. The fruits of this marriage was eight children, three sons and five daughters. Henry was the oldest, myself the second and Peter the youngest. My parents were both members of the sect known as Mennonites. He could remember the French and Indian War and he had heard what few people now living have ever heard - The terrible War Whoop of the painted Savage. Notwithstanding an exceeding liberality, giving and doing deeds of charity, he amassed a considerable fortune."
In 1774, Christian, his brother, Henry, and Jacob Hoffert settled in Beaver Creek, Maryland. Christian was seeking a break from the unfulfilling religious life of Mennonites. He found the new life in Maryland very fulfilling.
In 1776 he was fined, along with his father Henry Newcomer, for refusing to bear arms.
Christian conducted most of his ministry in German, although he spoke English when that fit the congregation better. He wrote in German, and his "Journal" was translated into English by another.
Christian bought his father's farm before Wolfgang's death. However, within a few years of becoming the owner, Christian moved to Maryland.
Christian Newcomer's home in Beaver Creek, Maryland, built in 1795, is still lived in. The home is on the west side of Highway 40 and north of the lower intersection with Beaver Creek Road and Highway 40. A plaque is at the foot of the driveway. For more information on this historic home, please visit the web site: http://washingtoncountyhistoricaltrust.org/24-christian-newcomer-house-circa-1795-beaver-creek-east-of-hagerstown-md/
Although he moved to Beaver Creek, his will (C-418) identifies him as "of West Hempfield, Lancaster County," Pennsylvania.
Reverend A. P. Funkhouser described Christian Newcomer, on page 58 ....
"Newcomer was tall, commanding in figure, and robust in physique. No portrait is in existence. In 1828 he held a camp meeting near Crider's store in Brock's Gap, at a spring still known as the "camp spring." Seventy years later, Mrs. Maria Paul remembered seeing him there. Her description of him as atall, slim, smoothly shaven man of serious appearance tallies with other accounts.
"The bishop was not a great preacher except in earnestness of purpose. He had a slight impediment in his speech and his voice was but moderately strong. Yet he was a successful evangelist, and as a superintendent he was fearless as well as diligent. He was a firm believer in the itinerant system,perceiving that it is peculiarly adapted to new and sparsely settled districts."
Christian dedicated his life to preaching after becoming dissatisfied with the Mennonite ways. It is not clear to me what, in more detail, dissatisfied him, but in light of his new direction it seems probable that he felt the Mennonites were too cold. His new direction was more emotional.
While in his dissatisfied stage, a peach pit became caught in his windpipe. Christian threw himself against a tree to dislodge the peach pit. He immediately fell to his knees and thanked the Lord, but he started having nightmares about the final judgment. Another time, he felt that a violent thunderstorm was a signal that he was not right with the Lord. He ran out into the storm, fell to his knees and submitted to God's will. In 1773, he was recovering from measles and felt that God had saved him to carry out the work of the Lord.
Although dedicated to serving the Lord, Christian fled from Lancaster County to Washington County in 1775 to avoid having his name included in those from which the local Mennonites would pick their next preacher.
Christian apparently wished to dedicated himself to preaching from then forward, but in a different style from that common among the Mennonites.
Christian helped organize the Church of United Brethren in Christ. The church was led by Philip William Otterbein, previously of the German Reform Church, Martin Boehm, formerly a Mennonite, and Rev. Ashbury, once a Methodist. The focus of the new church was German immigrants. Actually, Otterbein and Boehm continued to paster in their original denominations. Followers of theirs, however, felt there was a need to organize a new denomination. "Accordingly, on 2 October 1813, after a solemn period of worship and meditation, with the assistance of an elder of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Rev. William Ryland, Otterbein ordained by the laying on of hands these three men, the first to be ordained in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ (Wikipedia: Christian Newcomer). The three were Christian Newcomer, Joseph Hoffman and Frederick Shaffer.
Christian Newcomer's ministry was marked by his emotionalism. His prior religious experience had been joyless as a Mennonite. The United Brethren Church, which originated in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and was influenced by the Methodist revival, offered a more rewarding faith. He became a leading messenger of the new church, despite having a speech impediment. The United Brethren Church eventually became the Evangelical United Brethren, and then merged to become the United Methodists.
In a preface to his journal, he wrote, "I, Christian Newcomer was born in Lancaster County, State of Pennsylvania (old style) in the year of our Lord, One thousand seven hundred and forty nine. The name of my father was Wolfgang Newcomer, my mother maiden name was Weller."
My father emigrated with his parents in his childhood from Switzerland in Europe to America and the place of their debarcation was Philadelphia, Pa. His occupation in his younger days was that of a carpenter. He first married a Miss Baer with whom he lived with but a tweve month when she died. After being a widower about two years he married my mother Elizabeth Weller. The fruits of this marriage was eight children, three sons and five daughters. Henry was the oldest, myself the second and Peter the youngest. My parents were both members of the sect known as Mennonites. He could remember the French and Indian War and he had heard what few people now living have ever heard - The terrible War Whoop of the painted Savage. Notwithstanding an exceeding liberality, giving and doing deeds of charity, he amassed a considerable fortune."
In 1774, Christian, his brother, Henry, and Jacob Hoffert settled in Beaver Creek, Maryland. Christian was seeking a break from the unfulfilling religious life of Mennonites. He found the new life in Maryland very fulfilling.
In 1776 he was fined, along with his father Henry Newcomer, for refusing to bear arms.
Christian conducted most of his ministry in German, although he spoke English when that fit the congregation better. He wrote in German, and his "Journal" was translated into English by another.
Christian bought his father's farm before Wolfgang's death. However, within a few years of becoming the owner, Christian moved to Maryland.
Christian Newcomer's home in Beaver Creek, Maryland, built in 1795, is still lived in. The home is on the west side of Highway 40 and north of the lower intersection with Beaver Creek Road and Highway 40. A plaque is at the foot of the driveway. For more information on this historic home, please visit the web site: http://washingtoncountyhistoricaltrust.org/24-christian-newcomer-house-circa-1795-beaver-creek-east-of-hagerstown-md/
Although he moved to Beaver Creek, his will (C-418) identifies him as "of West Hempfield, Lancaster County," Pennsylvania.
Reverend A. P. Funkhouser described Christian Newcomer, on page 58 ....
"Newcomer was tall, commanding in figure, and robust in physique. No portrait is in existence. In 1828 he held a camp meeting near Crider's store in Brock's Gap, at a spring still known as the "camp spring." Seventy years later, Mrs. Maria Paul remembered seeing him there. Her description of him as atall, slim, smoothly shaven man of serious appearance tallies with other accounts.
"The bishop was not a great preacher except in earnestness of purpose. He had a slight impediment in his speech and his voice was but moderately strong. Yet he was a successful evangelist, and as a superintendent he was fearless as well as diligent. He was a firm believer in the itinerant system,perceiving that it is peculiarly adapted to new and sparsely settled districts."
Events
| Birth | 21 Jan 1749 | Leola, Lancaster, PA |  |  | |
| Marriage | 31 Mar 1772 | Zeltenreich Reformed Church, , Lancaster, PA - Elisabeth Behr | | | |
| Death | 12 Mar 1830 | Beaver Creek, Washington, MD | | | |
| Burial | Church of the Brethren Cemetery, Beaver Creek, Washington, MD |
Families
| Spouse | Elisabeth Behr (1752 - 1811) |
| Child | Elizabeth Newcomer (1774 - 1828) |
| Child | Andrew Newcomer (1777 - 1847) |
| Child | David Newcomer Senior (1779 - 1856) |
| Child | Jacob Newcomer (1780 - 1852) |
| Father | Wolfgang Newcomer (1710 - 1771) |
| Mother | Elisabeth Maudlin Weber (1722 - 1798) |
| Sibling | Henry Newcomer Senior (1744 - 1795) |
| Sibling | Barbara Newcomer (1747 - 1820) |
| Sibling | Peter Newcomer Senior (1752 - 1826) |
| Sibling | Elisabeth Newcomer ( - ) |
| Sibling | Newcomer (1755 - 1805) |
| Sibling | Magdalena Newcomer (1758 - ) |
| Sibling | Anna Newcomer (1759 - 1808) |
Notes
Birth
Christian Newcomer's birth date as given on his grave stone is 21 January 1749. I believe that translates to 1750 February 1, as the shift from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar occurred in America in 1752. It added eleven days and shift the first day of the year from March 25 to January 1. Thus, January and February were near the end of the year in the old Julian Calendar, but early in the year under the new Gregorian Calendar.Marriage
Christian Newcomer and Elizabeth Baer were wed in 1770, according to Christian Newcomer in his preface to his "Journal." However, on page 155 of the original "Journal" (page 171 of the 1996 edition that included the preface), he stated that he had been married 35 years. This was in 1807, thus 1772 would be his wedding year. The church may also be spelled "Seltenreich."Death
Christian Newcomer died from a fall from his horse in which he broke several ribs.Endnotes
1. Hough, Samuel S, Christian Newcomer: His Life Journal and Achievements (Church of the United Brethren in Christ, 1941).
2. Manley Mallet, All Those Newcomer Families of Maryland (October 1972).
3. Mennonites of Washington County, Maryland and Franklin County, Pennsylvania, 23.
4. Newcomer, Christian. Christian Newcomer: His Life and Journal. Abram Sangrey, editor. Lancaster, PA: United Methodist Church, 1834; 1996., 6.
5. Best, Jane Evans, "Bear Saga Update: Part One." (Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage. Volume 21, Number 3 (July 1998), Pages 11-26), 32.
6. Davis, Richard Warren, Emigrants, Refugees and Prisoners: Volume III, 3 Volumes (Provo, UT: Richard Davis, 1999), 18.
7. Mabry Benson (Email: benson@acm.org).
8. Jackson, Melanie Phillips, Descendants of Heinrich Hans Weber (Melanie Phillips Jackson. 1344 Raintree Lane N.E., Arab, AL 35016. Telephone: 256-931-5862. Email: mjack2160@aol.com. Home Page: htt;://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/j/a/c/Melanie-Jackson-AL/in dex.html).