Family Register of the Fiat St. Peters Congregation 1849-1936, Bucks Twp. Tuscarawas Co. Ohio (there are over 30 families listed in this register):

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Fiat's St. Peter's Congregation

History of the congregation:

In 1834 there was a considerable German settlement in Bucks Twp., Tuscarawas Co., Ohio. The people for the most part came from Canton Rockenhausen, Rhein- Pfalz. A few families came from other countries. Also a few Pennsylvania Germans had settled here.

In 1834 Adam Regula, the father of Henry Regula, Sr. settled on the farm now occupied by his son Henry. He was a tailor by trade. At this same time, the Rev. Henry Colorada was pastor up at New Bedford. It is reported that he came to Bucks Twp., to Mr. Regula to have a suit of clothes made. He, on this occasion manifested a deep interest in the German settlers and proposed to Mr. Regula that if he, Mr. Regula would gather the settlers together in a given place at a given time he would come down and preach to them. Mr. Regula went around among the settlers and told them of the proposition and invited to assemble themselves at his home on a given Sunday. This was done. This may be called the beginning of the St. Peters congregation which now has its home near Fiat, Bucks Twp., Tuscarawas Co., Ohio. The arrangement thus made was continued for some time to meet at the homes of such of the settlers as could best arrange to have the preaching services at their homes.

At length the settlers began to look around for a suitable location to build a church home for themselves. After some time the present site was selected and a log church house erected.

The following are the names of the men who were instrumental in organizing the congregation and building the first church house: Andreas Eckert, William Schumacher, Peter hahn, Valentin Schweitzer, Valentin Baab, Henry Froehlich, Nicholas Froelich, Jacob Stilgenbauer, Daniel Lembrecht, Phillip Stilgenbauer, Frederick Schumacher, Adam Wolf, William Miller, Daniel Thomas, George Gonter, John Ott, John Lauer, Emanuel Lauer, Jacob Young, John Goeler, Jacob Boehmer, Phillip Reinhart, Nicholas Koenig, Adam Bretzius, John Marquardt, Henry Kefauver, Adam Kefauver, Simon Fruhahn, Adam Graef, George Graef, Frederick Snellenberger, George Wolf, Michael Wolf, Adam Regula, Gustav Regula, Phillip Hoff, Phillip Miller, Adam Maurer, Christian Denzer, Samuel Allabach, Henry Stepp, John Wolf, Francis Hoff, Jacob Hermann, Joseph Miller.

The old log church served the community until 1888, when it became necessary to build a new church house. The corner stone of the new church was laid July 17, 1888, with a dedication service done by the Rev. Dr. J. G. Zahner of Shanesville.


The original incorporation document was recorded in the Recorder's Office, Tuscarawas Court House, New Philadelphia, Ohio on March 21, 1849.

A celebration in St. Peter's Church as recounted by John Regula in 1979 at the age of 86 years:

In researching all available records up to 1964, I failed to find any account of the celebration of the Twentieth Century. So I finally wrote to my cousin Fred G. Regula of New Philadelphia who recalled the occasion thus: "I remember the service we had at the Fiat Church when the 19th Century was rung out and the 20th was rung in. This was on Wednesday evening, December 31, 1900 and Thursday morning was January 1, 1901. I do not know who rang the bell but it was rung for 20 minutes. I was 18 years old and attended high school in Baltic, and believe me, the church was filled."

What part Fred took in the program he did not say but I recall that my father recalled that Fred recited Tennyson's poem, "Ring out the Old, Ring in the New."

.......Rev. Dreibelbies read Pennsylvania Dutch stories and that New Year music and greetings filled the air.

John Regula, 1979