From page 93, history of Walnut Township:
“A man named Debold is mentioned as having preached the first sermon (of the township, I suppose), at the cabin of William Hauer. He was a Baptist, I believe.”
From page 128:
“The Regular Baptist Church was organized in Lancaster in 1817, by Rev. George Debolt, who was its first pastor. The constituent members were six, viz.: Isaac Church and wife, James Lowrey and wife, Stephen Whittlesey and Anna Bruen. The last named died recently at the great age of 106 years. The other five are deceased. Mr. Debolt also lived to a very advanced age. Rev. William White, father of the late Dr. James White, of Lancaster, succeeded Mr. Debolt as pastor, and continued in that relation for many years. Rev. Samuel Carpenter was the next pastor; he began his labors in that relation in 1829, which was only broken off by his death, which took place in the summer of 1870.”
