| 15 South Mulberry Street Hagerstown, Maryland 21740 301-733-3565 |
| MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Hagerstown Church of the Brethren is to celebrate the love of Jesus Christ and glorify the Lord by striving to live as Christ lived, experiencing the power of God's healing in our lives. We seek to nurture our faith community through prayer, music and the proclaimed Word, while enthusiastically reaching out to others with compassion, respect and love for everyone so that we may grow in faith and commitment together. VISION STATEMENT Journeying with Christ - Serving Our Neighbors - Uniting at the Master’s Table |
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| Unsung Brethren |
| All rights reserved. Used by permission. Permission to copy must be obtained from the author. |
| Strange enough, the “bloodiest day” of the Civil War, would be fought in a small community of worshipers who were totally against war or slavery. One of these men, who refused to take up arms against a fellow human being, while losing almost everything during the Battle of Antietam, was Samuel Mumma of Sharpsburg. Born November 8th 1801, Samuel Mumma was a devout member of the German Baptist Brethren Church – today known as the Church of the Brethren. Sam and his wife, Elizabeth Miller Mumma, were known in the Sharpsburg area of Washington County as being a very caring, charitable couple. In the early 1800’s, the German Baptist Brethren held meetings in their homes and even barns. Records of the Washington County Court House state in 1851, Samuel and Elizabeth Mumma donated to the German Baptist congregation “100 perches of land situated in a woods along the west side of the (gravel) Sharpsburg Turnpike” for the purpose of building a house of worship. The original church charter called for construction of a brick, painted white, building (35 x 40 feet) having pews and altar table of unfinished pine. Mr. Mumma also made provisions in the charter for anyone too poor for a decent funeral, could hold services in the new meeting house and granted burial for the same in his own nearby private graveyard. The day before the Battle of Antietam, Sam loaded his family in a horse- drawn wagon and drove them to the Manor Church of the Brethren 4 miles north of Sharpsburg. During the battle (Sept. 17th 1862) the Mumma’ s home, barn and all personal belongings were completely destroyed by fire; all crops and livestock lost. It was reported Sam Mumma lost more financially than any other Sharpsburg farmer during the battle. The Federal government denied compensation simply because the destruction to the Mumma farm was caused by “Confederate forces.” Although Sam lost most of his earthly possessions, he never lost faith in his Heavenly Father; he still had his family and some good neighbors. Joseph Sherrick, a friend living on the lane to the Rohrbach Bridge (Burnside Bridge today), moved with his wife to Boonsboro and left the Mumma family move into his farmhouse for the winter of 1862. The following spring and early summer, Mr. Mumma, with the help of the Brethren, rebuilt his home and barn on the original foundation. The congregation also restored the now famous “Dunkard Church” that was riddled by shot and shell during the battle and was used as a hospital and embalming station. Samuel Mumma passed away at the age of 75 in December 1876. Elizabeth was placed at her husband’s side in 1886. Besides the Mumma family, over 70 other local residents can be found buried in the limestone-walled graveyard; giving silent evidence to the charitable heart of the Brethren farmer. “… that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” Rev. 14:13 |
| Samuel Mumma |
