Dufford, Philip

1850 census: farmer with $2000 value in property and born in PA

Philip Dufford was elected one of the two original deacons of the German Reformed church in Butler in 1845. The text of the county history suggests that the Dutch-German population kept seperate from the English population at that time, at least in matters of church, and possibly even worshipped in German:: "The only church in Butler Township outside of the borough is the German Reformed Church, which is located near the western boundary at the intersection of the Meridian and Harmony roads. The society is large, and composed of about equal numbers of residents of Butler and Connoquenessing Townships.

The society was organized in 1845, at the HENSHAW Schoolhouse, by the Rev. S. MILLER, who came from Westmoreland County, and consisted of the following individuals and their families, viz: Frederick BARICKMAN, Henry SCHLEGLE, Abram HENSHAW, John HENSHAW, Henry DUFFORD, Jacob DUFFORD, George SLEPPY, Samuel DUFFORD, Eli HENSHAW, Samuel DERSHIEMER, Henry SARVER and Gideon SCHLEGLE. Frederick BARICKMAN and Henry DUFFORD were elected Elders, and Abram HENSHAW and Phillip DUFFORD, Deacons. This congregation and the Harmony congregation originally constituted a pastoral charge.

In October, 1846, the congregation resolved to build a house of worship, and appointed Abram HENSHAW, Henry DUFFORD, Frederick BARICKMAN and Henry SCHLEGLE as a committee to solicit subscriptions for that purpose. This committee was soon afterward appointed as a Building Committee, and John HENSHAW, Samuel DUFFORD and Eli HENSHAW were elected as Trustees, and authorized to purchase ground for a building site, and hold the same in trust for the German Reformed Church. The congregation numbered at this time eighty-two members. The corner-stone of the church was laid, with appropriate ceremonies, May 28, 1847, and the building was dedicated in December, by the Rev. Samuel MILLER, assisted by Rev. L. D. LEBERMAN and the Rev. HOFFMAN, all of Westmoreland County. The name bestowed was the Reformed Zion Church. In 1848, Mr. MILLER being called away by the Synod, Revs. LIBERMAN and HOFFMAN were appointed as supply preachers. Mr. MILLER returned in 1849, and had pastoral charge of the church until 1852, when he was succeeded by Rev. Joseph MILLER. Rev. HARTMAN supplied the pulpit for some time subsequent to 1854. In 1859, the congregation, in connection with that at Harmony, extended a call to Rev. F. W. DEEHAND, which he accepted. In 1863, he was called elsewhere, and the pulpit was vacant until 1866, when the Rev. LANDIS assumed the charge. He served until the fall of 1870. On the 19th of June of that year, he organized an English society, under the name of St. John's congregation of Zion Reformed Church, and consisting of the following members. John J. DUFFORD, Eli HENSHAW, Michael DUFFORD, Samuel DERSHIEMER, John FRY, Peter GRUVER and Francis HECKART." Butler County History, p. 182.