Donegal Presbyterian Church Complex is an historic

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * Chris ...

complex on Donegal Springs Road in East Donegal Township,

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Lancaster County (; Pennsylvania Dutch: Lengeschder Kaundi), sometimes nicknamed the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in the south central part of Pennsylvania. ...

. The church was built in 1732, and is a one-and-one-half story, three-bay-by-five bay,

stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and a ...

ed stone building with a gambrel roof.

History and architectural features

The chapel underwent a remodeling in 1851. The adjacent cemetery is enclosed in a rough-hewn stone wall built in 1791. The property also includes the William Kerr Study House, a one-and-one-half story, five-bay brick dwelling originally built in 1810 and expanded in the early 20th century. The building was restored in 1976. ''Note:'' This includes It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1985. p.92, note that Chiat misidentifies the county as Franklin County. In 1777, during worship services, word came to the congregation by way of an express rider, that the British General Howe was about to invade Pennsylvania. The message relayed was that the British army had advanced and had forced Washington's troops to retreat to

Chadds Ford Chadds Ford is a census-designated place (CDP) in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Chester County, Pennsylvania, Chester counties, Pennsylvania, United States, comprising the unincorporated area, unincorporated communities of Chadds F ...

. The rider found Colonel Alexander Lowry, who was attending worship at Donegal that Sunday, and shared the news with him, to encourage Lowry to organize his men to come to General Washington's defense. Upon learning this news, the congregation gathered around a white oak tree just outside the sanctuary. With hands joined, they vowed allegiance to the cause of the patriots, and their minister, Rev. Colin McFarquhar, who up until that time had always prayed for the King of England, united with them. From that time onward, the tree was known as the “Witness Tree.” The original Witness Tree grew and flourished for nearly three centuries, but succumbed to disease. A cast iron memorial exists in its place now.

Notable burials

Richard A. Snyder Richard A. Snyder (March 26, 1910 – June 17, 1992) was an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 13th district from 1961 to 1984. Early life and education Snyder was bo ...

(1910-1992), Pennsylvania State Senator

Gallery

File:Donegal Presby Cemetery PA.JPG, Cemetery File:Mt Joy PA Donegal Presby PHS384.jpg, Church and cemetery on an old postcard File:Mt Joy PA Donegal Presby and Springs PHS386.jpg, Church and Donegal Springs

References

External links

Official website
{{National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Cemeteries in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Churches in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania National Register of Historic Places in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania