Rev. John Peter Schindel Sr. – Lutheran Minister of the Lykens Valley
John Peter Schindel was born in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, 3 October 1787, the son of John Peter Schindel, Esquire, and his wife Anna Maria [Menges] Schindel.
He was baptized and confirmed by Rev. George Lochman, D.D.
Rev. John Peter Schindel Sr. married Susanna McCulloch, of Lebanon, who died 14 March 1870, in Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania,at the age of 82. Together they had 12 children. Of their eight sons, three became ministers.
Reverend Schindel served parishes in Northumberland, Lycoming, Dauphin, Schuylkill, Union, and Snyder Counties. In many situations he had to preach during the week because he had too many churches in his charge to supply them all on a Sunday.
During the ministry of Rev. Shindel in Gratz, which was from 1827-1843, the current Gratz church building was erected, as was the current church building in Berrysburg, another of his congregations during that time period.
During Rev. Schindel’s ministry an excitement occurred in connection with the so-called “New Measures,” and he allowed himself to be swept up and captivated by this movement. This caused great great difficulty for him with many of the parishioners, and by 1843 he left the Lykens Valley.
During his lifetime, Rev. Schindel had only one vocation – that of the Lutheran ministry.
Rev. Schindel died on 23 October 1853 at the age of 66. He is buried at Sunbury.
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Edited and adapted from information in a History of Simeon United Lutheran Church, published in 1979, and other sources.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.