Mahoningtown Presbyterian Church - Mahoningtown PA

The congregation of the Mahoningtown Presbyterian Church was organized in May 1866 with thirty-five original members. The first pastor was the Reverend D. L. Dickey. A small church was erected on North Cedar Street, and was replaced with a larger church (shown above) that was completed in early 1902. (c1915)

The church, located next door to the Mahoning School, was renamed as the Mahoningtown United Presbyterian Church in 1958. On Sunday, October 23, 1966, the congregation celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding. Due to dwindling attendance the church was closed in the summer of 1984 and the building was razed beginning in December 1984. (c1920) Full Size

The Mahoningtown Presbyterian Church was located at the northeast (east) corner of the intersection of North Cedar Street and West Cherry Street. (c1915) Full Size

The Rev. M. Wilson Keith (1868-1918), a Mercer County native who graduated from Westminster College, served as the pastor of Mahoningtown Presbyterian Church from 1898-1915. He served as a chaplain with the U.S. Army in WWI France. He constantly refused orders to stay behind the lines and was frequently in the trenches with the boys. On Sunday, Sept 8, 1918, during a German attack near Reims, he crawled forward from a trench and attempted to rescue two wounded soldiers. He was unfortunately severely injured when poisonous gas was deployed by the Germans. He died three days later and was buried in France. In the late 1930’s he was reinterred in the new Suresnes American Cemetery just west of Paris. (c1910)

The church once sat in this grassy lot along N. Cedar Street. E. Cherry Street is visible in background. (Aug 2015) Full Size