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The Frankford Church was originally a German Reformed congregation, planted by Market Square Church and served by the same German pastor. The German founders were joined by a group of Swiss Calvinists from Basel, including Hans Georg Gerster, who changed his name to George Castor.  Castor was the son of a single mother and a boyfriend who promised marriage, then abandoned her and refused to acknowledge his child.  Without a father to admit paternity, no Swiss canton would give Castor citizenship.  Yet there was one advantage to being a nobody, an un-citizen, an “illegal”, so to speak—he...

At its October 20, 1812 meeting the Presbytery approved the application of the Solebury congregation to be received under its care and organized it as the Presbyterian Church of Solebury. The service of organization took place in April, 1813. Among its first members were some who transferred from the Newtown Church because Solebury was nearer their homes. The church name was changed to Thompson Memorial Presbyterian Church in 1875, in connection with the dedication of a new building erected by William Neely Thompson in memory of...