History of the Churches of the Pittsburgh Baptist Association

by William Pankey

RIVERVIEW BAPTIST CHURCH McKEESPORT, ORGANIZED 1884

The Riverview Baptist Church of McKeesport was organized by the Swedish people of the town, September 6, 1884. The organization took place in the home of Mr. C. A. Person, 1127 Jenny Lind Street, McKeesport, under the direction of the Eev. O. Lindh, from New York City. The seventeen charter members were: A. F. Skager, Mrs. Maria Skager, C. O. Lechman, L. P. Eodjare, C. Lindahl, E. W. Lindquist, Mrs. Amalia Lindquist, Emil Skager, Frank Swartz, Axel Lundin, C. A. Person, Mrs. Augusta Person, J. A. Birath, Mrs. Emma Johnson, A. P. Lundquist, Mrs. Josephine Lundquist. Otto Bihl.

Services of worship were conducted for a while in the McKeesport Christian Church. At a later date the congregation moved to a large room rented from the Woman's Christian Temperance Union on Walnut Street. In 1890 the congregation moved to the High School building. Tenth and Walnut Streets. In 1891 it occupied its new edifice at 1010 Jenny Lind Street. The mortgage was burned in 1905. Due to shifting of the Swedish population, it became necessary to erect the present church on the corner of Soles and Riverview Streets. The cornerstone was laid June 9, 1907, and the dedicatory service held April 12, 1908. The present membership is 216. The members of the congregation who have entered Christian service include Charles I. Johnson, Fritz C. Hamlin, Edna Oden, Ephrain Hamlin, Henry Erickson, Henry W. Birch, Walfred G. Holmberg, Martin C. Hamlin, Judith S. Lindquist, Sigrid Anderson Bradley and Ruth Dahlman. The name of the church was changed from "The Swedish Baptist Church" to "The Riverview Baptist Church" in 1937.

The following ministers have served the church:

Rev. O. Lindh (1884), Rev. A. F. Skager (1885), Rev. C. F. Skager (1886), Rev. C. O. Leckman (1886), Rev. A. W. Tunelius (1887), Rev. C. O. Leckman (1887-1889), Rev. Ola Hanson (1889), Rev. C. A. Hamlin (1889), Rev. L. J. Kallberg (1889-1890), Axel Wester (1890-1892), Wm. Tjernlun (1892), E. Rosen (1892-1893), Rev. F. Ferre (1895-1896), Rev. A. A. Hammar (1897-1902), Rev. D. Lofstrom (1902-1905), Rev. E. J. Nordlander (1905-1914), Rev. C. T. Brodin (1914-1918), Rev. J. O. Hammarberg (1918-1925), Rev. Linus Johnson (1926-1929), Rev. C. Adolph Anderson (1929-1936), Rev. Donald P. Shogren (1936 ).

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