Ancient and historic landmarks in the Lebanon Valley . imes that holds for us a fasci-nating charm. The building, which is a large and substantial stonemill-structure — originally provided with a suite ofdomestic apartments, and occupied by this pioneer ofLutheranism as the permanent abode of himself andfamily for a period of forty years—was erected in theyears 1737-40. The strong and substantial character ofthe building required three years of time to complete is a massive structure, considering the times and themeager facilities of building; in dimensions about 40 by60 feet. Its walls,
Ancient and historic landmarks in the Lebanon Valley . imes that holds for us a fasci-nating charm. The building, which is a large and substantial stonemill-structure — originally provided with a suite ofdomestic apartments, and occupied by this pioneer ofLutheranism as the permanent abode of himself andfamily for a period of forty years—was erected in theyears 1737-40. The strong and substantial character ofthe building required three years of time to complete is a massive structure, considering the times and themeager facilities of building; in dimensions about 40 by60 feet. Its walls, three feet thick, are most of them assolid to-day as when first erected, though composed of (300) REV. JOHN CASPKR STOKVER HOMESTEAD. 301 simple, undressed surface stones, many of them nolarger than a mans fist. The mortar is as firm ascement, and no pen-knife has yet been found strongenough to break its cohesive service. The writer hasthought that if all the Lutheran stones that first com-posed the walls of the spiritual building of this denom-. REV. JOHN CASPER STOEVER HOMESTEAD. ination in America, had been as firmly cemented as thisgood Lutheran pastor bound together the stones of hisearthly abode, this now honored and numerically strongdenomination would much sooner have assumed firmand conspicuous proportions in this country. 302 LANDMARKS IN THE LEBANON VALLEY. Whether it was from a generous desire to supplythese early settlers with bread for the body as well asfor the soul, that this pastor built a mill almost simul-taneously with the church, or whether he saw in it achance to grind more cash into his own pockets, we cannot tell and would not wish to insinuate. Suffice it tosay that for more than a hundred and fifty years thewaters of the Quittapahilla have here turned themachinery that has ground out the one kind of gristfor the customer and the other for the owner. It waseither the grist of this mill, or that of his large parish,probably both together, that made
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