Those Places Thursday - Lower Skippack Mennonite Church, Skippack PA

My ancestor Johannes KOLB came to America

in 1707 with his brothers, Martin and Jacob.

They settled in Germantown, but by 1709 or so

had removed to Skippack, Montgomery Co., PA.

On December 15, 1709, Johannes bought land

in Skippack. 

The family worshipped at the Skippack Mennonite

Congregation which was established ca. 1702, 

the 2nd oldest Mennonite congregation in America. 

"Later known as the "Lower Skippack", 

this congregation would become the largest and most influential in young America. It would establish Mennonite policy and practice in the new world, as church elders had remained in Germany." [from Skippack Historical Society_The Hunsicker Family page

And yes, the Hunsicker's are kin!!

Lower Skippack Mennonite Church 

(the first church was built in 1719; this

one built in the 1800's)

When the denomination split in 1848:

 (the Mennonite Church [MC] and 

the General Conference Mennonite Church [GCMC]), 

the members that stayed with the MC split 

and started the Upper Skippack Mennonite Church, 

which is now known as the Wellspring Church of Skippack. 

 The Lower Skippack Mennonite Church became affiliated with the GCMC and that is where my Kolb family has held their family reunions for many years.  A few years ago the two Mennonite denominations joined together again.  But today the Lower Skippack Mennonite Church continues on and is not affiliated, as to my understanding, with any particular Mennonite

denomination; and on its website states: 

"A non affiliated Christian Church" 

The cemetery near the church is beautiful.  

Many of my kin are buried there: 

  We walked and talked among 

the graves for at least an hour when we

attended the 2007 reunion.

Christopher Dock, the school teacher:

Some of my family - and newly

found kin - enjoy visiting 

at the end of the 2007 "300th

Anniversary of the Kolb Brothers

Coming to America". 

I loved going to Skippack.  

And as the Terminator says, 

"I'll be back", you can count on that.

This place of my Johannes Kolb and 

his brothers and their families was a

place that touched my soul...

And, yes, I will go back!

Happy Hunting, 

Revis