Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 267, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 November 1910 — Odd News From Big Cities [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Odd News From Big Cities

Stories of Strange Happenings in the Metropolitan Towns

Historic Barn Is Used as a Church

PHILADELPHIA. —Grace Lutheran church of Roxborough is erecting a handsome Gothic edifice on the northwest corner of Ridge and Roxborough avenues. The site is a historic one and was long revered by the older residents for the part taken there during the revolutionary war. The old stone dwelling has been demolished, but the large barn in the rear not only has been preserved, but Is being used as a house of worship while the building of the church home Is in progress. Both the barn and the house figured in a cowardly proceeding during the winter of 1777-1778, while the British were ia possession of Philadelphia. Washington’s army was at Valley Forge, enduring the hardships of that terrible winter and scouting parties ■were frequently sent out from the encampment there to the outlying districts of the city. One December afternoon, during a snowstorm, a company of Virginia troopers rode dow r n Ridge avenue, then known as the Plymouth road, through Roxbor-

ough. and, seeing the spacious and inviting barn, stoppe/J at the house and asked permission of Andrew Wood, the owner, t,o spend the night in the barn. Wood was a patriot, and at once acceded to the request, urging a number of the troopers to spend the night in the house. Midnight passed, and the weary troopers were indulging in dreams of deliverance from their foes and a safe return to their own firesides when suddenly the sentinel detected the approach of a body of horsemen. He had scarcely given an alarm when they rushed by him. In a moment the house and barn was the scene of confusion, alarm and disorder. Already had some of the Virginia troopers mounted their horses and were hastening to escape by Care’s lane, opposite the house, when the British rushed on to the attack, giving no quarter. Many of the Americans escaped, but those remaining were fallen upon and murdered in cold blood. Grace Lutheran church, after holding services in the Roxborough Lyceum hall, rented the Woods’ house, the lower part of which was fitted up as a chapel, with Sunday school rooms on the upper floors. The property was subsequently purchased, the old house torn down and tho barn brought Into service.