Bartholomew, Abraham (1833-1903)

Abraham Bartholomew was bon in Dannersville, Northampton County, PA., on March 17, 1833. He was the son of George H. and Hannah Bartholomew. For two years he attended the Vanderveer School in Easton, after which he became a school teacher for ten years.

In 1859 he entered the Theological Seminary at Mercersburg, graduating in 1861. He was licensed by East Pennsylvania Classis in May, 1861, and ordained in November 1861. Rev. Bartholomew's first Charge was at Nazareth, PA., where he served from 1861 until 1864. He was also, from 1862, pastor of the Big Creek congregation in Carbon County. In 1864 he became pastor of the Lehighton, PA. Charge, and served it for 30 years, although during his pastorate occasional changes came about among the congregations forming the Charge. Altogether, during his time a Lehighton, he served nine congregations, although not all at the same time. From 1864 until 1875, his field included the Weissport Charge. In 1865 he organized a congregation at Mauch Chunk. In 1876, Big Creek, Weissport and Towamensing congregations were detached, after which his field was called "The Mahoning Charge"; serving here from 1876 until 1894. From 1864 until his death, his residence was always Lehighton. In August, 1894, on account of ill-health, he resigned his Charge and retired from the active ministry. Rev. Bartholomew died at his home in Lehighton, after a long illness, on August 15, 1903. He was married December 7, 1861, to Sarah Newhard of Pennsville, PA. They had two sons who became ministers, and Rev. Allen Revellen Bartholomew was Abraham Bartholomew's brother.

Source: Fathers of the Reformed Church, Volume 8, page 84.

Note: In this text, the author noted the following, "In spite of the fact that all the sources consulted give his birth-place as "Dannersville," I think that in recording and printing his biography, a typographical error was made and that Mr. Bartholomew was born at "Tannersville," Northampton County. It may be, of course, that the original name of Tannersville was Dannersville. There is now no Dannersville in Northampton County."