Numerous Protestant denominations got their start in Pennsylvania. After reading The Reformation recently, I dug out my book on The Pennsylvania Germans. The following are some excerpts from “The Pennsylvania Germans” by Charles H. Glatfelter
The largest body of German sect people in colonial Pennsylvania were the Mennonites, spiritual descendants of Menno Simons (1496-1561), a contemporary of Martin Luther.
The Amish, disciples of Jacob Ammann, a Swiss, were formed in the 1690’s as a secession from the Mennonites when they adopted as their main distinctive practice the complete shunning of those members who had been disciplined or excommunicated from their ranks.
The German Baptist Brethren, sometimes called Dunkers or Dunkards and then the Church of the Brethren, were formed in Germany in 1708 under the leadership of Alexander Mack (1679-1735). Their main distinctive sect beliefs were that prospective members should be baptized as adults by being immersed three times face forward in a flowing stream and that they should follow Jesus’ example by engaging in foot washing.
Between 1783 and 1865 religious developments matched in importance those in other aspects of Pennsylvania German life. At least four new denominations came into existence. During the later years of the revolution a group, most of whom were Lancaster county Mennonites who now favored the Dunkard mode of baptism, formed the River Brethren, now the Brethren in Christ.
Second, in the 1790’s or shortly thereafter the efforts of Philip William Otterbein (1726-1813), a Reformed pastor; Martin Boehm (1725-1812), a former Mennonite; and others resulted in the birth of the United Brethren in Christ.
Third, about 1800 Jacob Albright (1759-1808) and his followers organized the Evangelical Association, a church not to be confused with several others in whose name the word evangelical has been used. Because
in many ways they were similar to the rapidly growing Methodist church in the United ‘States, United Brethren and Evangelicals were sometimes called German Methodists.
Fourth, about 1825-1830 Dauphin and Cumberland County followers of John Winebrenner (1797-1860), a Reformed pastor, formed the Church of God. (From the Church of God there evolved the Penticostal and the Assembly of God churches.)
In 1789, Lutheran and reformed pastors and others organized Franklin College in Lancaster. The Moravians began their seminary at Bethlehem in 1820; the Reformed established theirs in Carlisle in 1825; and the Lutherans theirs in Gettysburg in 1826.