Old Union's History

Old Union was founded in 1806 under the leadership of Rev. Matthew Williams and in affiliation with the Reformed Presbyterian Church. The congregation met in a grove of trees about four miles north of the present location, near the present village of Brownsdale until 1820, when they moved to a site one and a half miles south of the current building.

The congregation suffered a split in 1833, as the Reformed Presbyterian Church debated participation in civil government. About half of the membership left the congregation and built a church on adjacent property. In 1839 the Old Union church moved to the present site, and in 1859 changed denominational affiliation to become part of the newly-organized United Presbyterian Church of North America.

The Civil War years brought controversy to Old Union, as members debated the appropriateness of the war (including a fist-fight between two members on the bridge over Breakneck Creek, and the dismissal of twenty dissident members). The congregation survived another division in 1895, prompted by the decision to install an organ.

After a fire destroyed the church building in 1905, the present building was erected within a year, despite the fact that the church had only 90 members and no pastor at the time. Old Union's membership declined to an all-time low of 78 in 1928, when the trend was reversed and the congregation began to grow.

In 1958 an addition was erected to handle the increased numbers, which peaked at about 330 members in the late 1960's. Following another period of membership decline, Old Union is once again beginning to grow, with a current membership of about 210.  In 2009 the congregation dedicated an addition, which nearly doubled the size of the building, to accommodate its growing ministry to the community

The grave of James Glover, a Revolutionary War veteran and the first permanent white settler in Butler County, is located in Old Union's cemetery, and is a continuing testimony to the history of this church.

Rev. Dr. Peter C. de Vries has served as pastor of the Old Union church since November 1993.

Old Union's building, 1839-1905

Old Union's building, 1906-1959

Old Union's building, 1959-2009

Old Union Presbyterian Church | 200 Union Church Road, Mars, PA 16046
​724-538-8672 | [email protected]