John Walter
East Hanover Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Co-laborer of Jacob Albright in founding of Evangelical Church, born 1791, died 1818, is buried in this cemetery. An effective preacher and hymn writer, he published the first songbook for his church.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
John Walter worked alongside Jacob Albright in the early 1800s to organize what became the Evangelical Church, a German-language revival movement among the Pennsylvania Dutch. Though he died young in 1818 at only twenty-seven, Walter was remembered as a powerful preacher and hymn writer who compiled the first songbook for the fledgling denomination. He lies buried in this cemetery, near the communities his preaching stirred.
Why it matters
His work reflects the German-American religious awakening that shaped the spiritual life of frontier Pennsylvania in the early republic.
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Related people
- · John Walter
- · Jacob Albright
Themes & tags
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