This church, near Marianna, is in what is now West Bethlehem Township, 
      Washington county, Pennsylvania. It had its beginning about 1776, when 
      three young families came from Frederick County, Maryland, probably 
      together:
      
         Martin Spohn and wife Mary Magdalena Leatherman (counsin of Daniel) 
            with Catharine, 2, and John, 1. 
      
         Paul McCarty and wife Catharine Spohn, 
            likely with two small children. 
      
         Daniel Leatherman and Elizabeth --- (son of Bishop Daniel) 
            with Theobald, 3, and Jonathan, 1. (see Keyhole XIX 177)
      
      The first tax list in 1782 shows Martin with 100 acres, 1 horse, 
      2 cows and 5 sheep. For Paul it is 100 2 3 4, Daniel 250 2 2 6. 
      The 1790 census lists Martin 1 male 16+; 2 males 16-; 2 females. 
      Paul has 1 5 4, Daniel 1 3 3. Martin and Paul are listed in the 
      1782 militia under Captal Ezekiel Rose.
      
           There were other Brethren families, such as Noffsinger, Swine-
      hart (see Keyhole XX 3) and Wise. Where they settled was on the 
      boundary of Yohogania and Monongalia Counties, then claimed by 
      Virginia. The counties were newly formed. Daniel Leatherman’s 
      cousins, Peter and Christian, had made settlements there in 1772 
      and 1774, respectively.
      
           Daniel in applying for his Virginia land certificate said he 
      had made a settlement in 1776. Spohn tradition says that John 
      Spohn was a tiny lad when they came to Pennsylvania.
      
           The father of Martin Spohn was Michael Spohn, a native of Ehr-
      stadt, Baden-Wurttemberg -- 22 miles southeast of Heidelberg. He 
      was born July 19-1701 and died June 26-1779 (Frederick Maryland 
      church record). He is not listed in Pennsylvania German Pioneers. 
      He was married twice and had 9 children by his first wife. In 
      1735 he married Catharine Klemm and had 7 more children. Catharine, 
      daughter of George Adam and Rosina Klemm, was born June 27-1714 
      at Adersbach, near Ehrstadt. She died 4 days before Michael. In 
      1779 they had 7 sons and 4 daughters living. One of the youngest 
      was Martin Spohn. There is record of Catharine, who married Paul 
      McCarty, and John (1790 census 2 4 3)and Conrad (1790 1 3 4). Md.
      
           Daniel Leatherman was the Ten Mile minister until his death in 
      1799. Martin Spohn built a loghouse with a second story on land 
      adjoining the Leatherman land. He bought the farm from Neal Gilles-
      pie in 1787. In 1800 he bought another farm.
      
           A 1798 description indicates a 2-story log house 35 x 20 with 
      4 windows and 23 panes. This was about twice the size of an ordinary 
      cabin. There was a log shed 10 x 35, likely for horses and vehicles. 
      A nearby spring house was 10 x 12. The value of the house was $180. 
      In West Bethlehem out of about 200 houses, there were only 15 
      rated more valuable than Spohn’s. It was a Brethren meeting house 
      for many years.
      
           After the death of Daniel Leatherman in 1799, son Michael carried 
      on until he died in 1811. Then came “Rev Bruist”, not identified. 
      Next was George Helft, born 1744, died January 10-1819, buried in 
      Wise cemetery. He was connected to Peter Noffsinger. George’s 
      second wife was the widow of Adam Wise, who died June 9, 1781. After 
      Helft, John Spohn 1775-1857, son of Martin, served for many years. 
      John moved to Marion County, Iowa in 1855, where he died 2 years 
      later. Many of the members of this church moved to Ohio and points 
      west. The Noffsingers, also from Frederick County, Maryland, went 
      to Montgomery County, Ohio.* They established the Noffsinger Breth-
      ren Church. There were other families that went - names not known. 
          
           *also Shidlers and Swineharts
      
      MARTIN SPOHN, one of 16 children, born 1747, died 1839 West 
         Bethlehem Twp, m Mar 28-1773 (Frederick, Md) Mary Magdalena, 
         daughter of John Leatherman Jr., went to Pa 1776, served in 
         militia 1782, bought farms 1787 and 1800, sold them 1816 to 
         sons John and Daniel.
      
      1. Catharine 1774-1866 m 1790 John Weaver d 1816 
         Ch: Adam, Daniel, Mary, Elizabeth, Catharine, John, 
             Sarah, Jacob, Martin, Joseph, Margaret.
      
      2. John 1775-1857 Highland Co, Ohio - m 1 1797 Judith (daughter 
          of Adam) Wise 1779-1819 - m 2 1823 Mary -- 1792-1863 - sold
          Pa land 1829, 1848 - went to Marion Co, Iowa, 1855 - to High-
          land Co. 1857 - Church of Brethren minister 
         Ch by Judith: John 1805-, Rachel 1807-1892 m Matthias Tombaugh, 
            + 2 sons, 2 daughters
         Ch by Mary: Eli B, Jonathan B
                                                       /sold Pa land 1837 
      3. Daniel 1778-1865 Richland Co, Ohio m 1803 Sarah Mack 1778-1851
         Ch: Martin 1804-, Jacob 1806-, Hannah (Beal), David, Samuel +2
      
      DANIEL LEATHERMAN bap Nov. 6, 1718 Langensoultzbach, near Mattstall, 
         Alsace, buried Nov. 11, 1797 Frederick Co. Md m c1753 Catharine 
         (dau of Adam and Regina) Boyer
      
      Daniel was a son of Theobald and Mary (Engel) Ledermann. Theobald 
      landed at Philadelphia in 1727. Daniel was a bishop in the Church 
      of the Brethren. His son Daniel (Jr) went to Washington Co, Pa 
      in 1776. A second son, Michael, was there in 1782.
      
      Daniel (Jr) b c1754 d May 1799 m 1772 Elizabeth ---- 
      Ch: Theobald, Jonathan, Elizabeth, Hannah (Lazear), Salome 
          (Swinehart), Joseph
      
      Michael b Jan 9, 1761 d Apr 23, 1811 m 1785 Elizabeth Palmer 
      Ch: Elizabeth, John, Magdalena, Catharine, Daniel, Peter, 
          Joseph, Michael, Susanna, Maria, Sarah
      
      GEORGE HELFT b 1744 d Jan 10, 1819 buried Wise cemetery
         his will names stepdaughter Judith Spohn; John and Rachel, 
         children of John Spohn; Daniel and Elizabeth, children of 
         Peter Noffsinger -- executors, Daniel Spohn, Adam Wise Jr 
         1782 tax list, 50 acres, two horses, two cows, three sheep 
         1790 census 1 0 2 - 1796 small log house, cabin, barn 
       m1 ----- 
       m2 Catharine, widow of Adam Wise Sr (he d 1781)
      
      Peter Noffsinger m2 Catharine, widow of Frederick Wise, son 
         of Adam Sr
      
      This ties together the Spohn, Helft, Wise, Noffsinger families. 
      George Helft and his step-son-in-law were both ministers.