175 years of the Claar Congregation
and counting.
This week marks 175 years since the founding of my families church. I am very proud of how far we have progressed from barn meetings to having two meeting churches.
Frederick Klee Claar was a prominent figure in the early history of Claysburg, Pennsylvania. He was the founder of the Claar Church, a congregation that laid deep roots in the community. Born on October 30, 1780, in York County, Pennsylvania, Frederick was the son of Johan Simon Clar and Anna Maria Klee. Frederick would eventually move from the Borough of Bedford and settle in Union Township (now Kimmel), Bedford County/Greenfield Township, Blair County, where Frederick would spend the last 60 years of his long and influential life. The Frederick Claar Homestead is split between modern day Greenfield (Blair County) and Kimmel Township (Bedford County).
In 1800, Frederick married Christena Martha Walter (yes with an E.), and the couple embarked on a journey to establish their homestead in the rugged, forested wilderness that would become Klahr, near present-day Claysburg. Here, Frederick, working as a farmer and blacksmith, not only cleared the land but also served as an essential resource for the small, growing community, providing tools and hospitality to fellow settlers and traveling preachers.
Claar was a devout student of the Bible. In 1816, he and his wife Christena formally converted to the German Baptist Brethren Church (known today as the Church of the Brethren). They were baptized after attending services led by traveling preachers who journeyed across the mountains to hold services in the homes and barns of the early settlers. Those traveling preachers were Levi Roberts and Jacob Miller who were members of the Yellow Creek Charge of German Baptists. Frederick and Christena quickly became central to these gatherings, opening their home to welcome worshippers and ensuring that all who came were fed.
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As the community grew, so did the need for a dedicated place of worship. By 1851, the desire to erect a church building was strong. The Claar Home was far too small to meet the accommodation of the multitude of families in the valley that had the need of joining together with fellow believers to worship. Frederick and Christena generously donated land from their homestead for this purpose. The first Claar Church, a 26 by 36-foot structure was built on the land. The Claar-Walter Family Reunion had dedicated a small “pulpit” monument that now marks the spot of the first Claar Church in 1949. Lower and Upper Claar were a joint ministry for many years. The Lower Claar house was dedicated in 1891 and Upper Claar house followed the next year.
Frederick lived to see the church become a cornerstone of the community before his passing on March 2, 1864, at the age of 83. At the time of his death he had 277 descendants, this is according to a very small write up in the Bedford Gazette.
Pastors at Upper Claar include J. W. Wilt, D. M. Adams, A. M. Dixon, Oliver S Corle, Edgar Diehm, Charles A Rose, Samuel Weyant, E. Myrl Weyant, Ralph Ebersole, Glen Hassinger, A. Harrison Smith, T. L. Dively, George H. Snyder, Ronald E. Page, Hoyt Williams, Rodney Thomas, Greg Quintrell, George Ebersole, David Maxwell, Mark Wyland, and many other students from Juniata College. (Please note some of these were shared with Lower Claar)
Pastors at Lower Claar include Mary Hall, Todd Eichelberger, John Keiper, Paul Johnson, and John Winesickle.
Frederick K. Claar’s legacy is one of unwavering faith, communal leadership, and generosity. The church he helped found stands as a testament to his vision and the enduring spiritual foundation he and his wife laid for the people of Claysburg. The congregation’s continued presence in the area is a direct result of the selfless efforts of its pioneering founders.
Today. Upper Claar is under the pastoral leadership of Mark Wyland. We are a congregation of around 120 members. Lower Claar has 84 members on the role and is under the pastoral leadership of John Winesickle.
