Rev. John Nicholas Hemping – Lutheran Minister of the Lykens Valley
Rev. John Nicholas Hemping was pastor of the Lykens Valley Parish from 1812-1850. This parish included Stone Valley, Mahanoy and Line Mountain, in Northumberland County.
During this time he resided two miles southwest of Berrysburg.
Rev. Hemping was born 4 July 1778 at Schoenberg, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg, Strelitz-Natzeburg. He received his classical training in the gymnasium at Jetzeburg and later studied pharmacy at Hamburg. The war-line movements of the times caused him to emigrate to America in 1802. On 27 May 1812, at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, he was licensed and accepted the call to the Lykens Valley Parish. On 12 June 1816, at Philadelphia, he was ordained a deacon and on 1 June 1820, he was voted a full pastor.
Rev. Hemping led an active life and retired in Halifax, where he died 12 March 1855 at the age of 76 years, 8 months, 8 days.
Burial took place at St. Peter’s (Fetterhoff’s) Church, Halifax Township, with the Rev. F. Walz officiating.
Rev. Hemping was a dedicated pastor and a thorough linguist, being master of six or seven languages.
He served Simeon Church at Gratz from 1822-1827.
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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.