This past week I have added to my google earth map of George E. Savage’s churches. I have added five more churches to the map the majority of which are located in Philadelphia, Pa. The photo below shows the map of 9 out of the 10 churches I have mapped. The one church that you can not see on this map is Otterbein Methodist Church. The new additions to the map are Erie Avenuc Church, Summerfield Methodist Episcopal Church, Ebenezer Methodist Church, St Paul’s Presbyterian church, and Oak Park United Presbyterian Church and Sunday School. The majority of the churches that I have found thus far, that were designed by Savage, have been methodist/episcopal churches. As my research continues throughout the next few weeks I plan on tackling certain similarities and differences that lie in the architectural design of Savage’s Methodist/Episcopal churches.
Lancaster: Architecture of Faith 
We just celebrated our , 69th year in present church building and are in the process of having the stained glass windows renovated. We would like to share with parishioners something about their history bot of their design and to whom they were dedicated. Our records show that they were executed and installed by the P.J. Reeves Studio. We have, however, not been able to find out who is responsible for their (lovely!) design. Would anyone know how I can find out whether George Savage may have been the designer?
Our church was built in 1941 and is located at 5502 York Road in Baltimore, MD.
Thanks for any ideas or help you may be able to give me . .
George E Savage was the architect. I believe the windows were done by the P.J.Reeves Company owned and operated by my father in law – Christian Sensenig who passed away in 1963 and carried on by my husband, George Sensenig, and myself. The artist could have been Anton Albers Sr. I have no records. After Chris’ death, we utilized several artists. The Sensenig and Savage family are very proud of all our works.
Louise, I am traveling to the Philadelphia area this week to see some stained glass windows installed by the P.J. Reeves Company in 1952. I would love to have a history or overview of the studio if you have one available. Thank you so very much. (carrie.crow@americanstainedglass.org)
Hello, I am doing research on the stained glass panels (including the Brotherhood Window) in the Second Presbyterian Church in Newark, NJ. The records I can find says they were done by P.J. Reeves in 1932. By chance, are you aware of this project or could you point me to someone who might be?
I don’t have any information, but good to know that where more P. J. Reeves windows exist. Kostis Kourelis.
My grandfather was George Savage. My Uncle Christian Sensenig worked for P.J. Reeves as did his son George. George has passed away, but his wife Louise is still living. She may have the answer for you. Please e-mail me if you would like to follow up.
George Savage was the architect of our church. I have not found much info regarding him, and I would love to hear from you regarding him. Our church was built of granite and completed in 1923. This building burned in 1926 with only the granite walls remaining. I recently found the web site showing stain glass windows done by P.J. Reeves and discovered that it was remarkably like the windows in our church. Just this past week I found another church record book from the 1950’s and in it, it speaks of having P.M. Reeves back to make some needed repairs to the windows. This made me think that I was right about the windows. I would love to have some history of both these men and it would be wonder if there were any records kept regarding his work. Thank you for any info you can give me.
Thank you, Linda
As per my reply above, the Church was designed by George E. Savage. Before 1925 I believe the stained glass was imported from England. After that time P.J.Reeves was formed and provided the stained glass.
Asbury United Methodist Church, Crisfield, MD.
Our church is celebrating 200 years of service. Our church building burned to the ground in the early 20’s. The architect was named George A. Savage. I am trying to find information about him and if this is the same man. I noticed one of the photos on the web page is remarkably like our Asbury Church in Crisfield, MD.
I have found out that George Savage was the architect for our church in Crisfield, MD. in the 1920’s I am trying to discover who did the beautiful stained glass windows. I have seen some of P. J. Reeves work and they look similar. I know that he did some work with Mr. Reeves and wonder if he might have done the windows in our church, Asbury.
i believe Mr. George E Savage was a brother of my grandfather, or perhaps his uncle. I recently found a pamplet called “Church Buildings erected by George E. Savage, Architect. Imagine my delight when i found this site! there is some writing of names and numbers on the back – it’s relevence i do not know (there is perhaps a ‘title’ that i believe says Junior Warden?). the inside is a listing of about 300 churches in 3 columns, and their towns. There is an overleaf of information about his office, located in the Witherspoon Building in Phila
C. I. Morris-Davis
I have been researching the history of Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church that dates back to 1833. It relocated but it January 1943, it suffered a devasting fire. I found in the Philadelphia Archives that George E. Savage was listed on the building permit as the architect/contractor Februay 1943. George Savage appears to have be a creative genius and I am hoping to locate the plans and paperwork for the work performed in the future. Hopefully, someone can advise.
My uncle Christian Sensenig was the son-in-law of George Espie Savagel, my grandfather. He worked for P.J.Reeves as did his son George Sensenig. I believe most of the windows for my grandfather’s churches were made by P.J. Reeves. My grandfather was born in Ayre, Scotland and came to Philadelphia as a yound child. We think he was in the class of 1892 at Central High School. He passed away on December 30, 1948 after working a full day at his offices in the Witherspoon Building. He was the architect for close to 300 churches. The Cape May Baptist Church is quite different from the others that he designed. The list that I have shows that he did the Harlem Methodist Church, the Third Reformed Church, and the United Presbyterian Church in Baltimore and the Asbury Methodist Church in Crisfield, MD. My cousin, George’s wife may know who the artist was for the windows.
He was in the Witherspoon building.
I’m a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Springfield, OH. This is another church designed by George SAVAGE with beautiful stained glass windows by P. J. REEVES.
I was just looking at the photos of his old renderings and saw your church.
I have architectural drawings by George Savage for the Calvary Presbyterian Church in Highland Park, PA (1926) as well as his furniture designs for the John D. Taggart Liggett Memorial at Ninth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia (1916).
I would be happy to donate them to an appropriate place so that they are preserved properly. Please contact me if that is of interest
George Savage was my grandfather and I would love to have anything you have regarding his work. Christine Bingham (my cousin) and I both have searched for information. I seem to be the family historian.
Nice to meet you. Thank you for your comments. I haven’t done much more research on George Savage, since I taught the class in 2010. I have been visiting as many churches he has designed as I can. He seems such an important designer, I wish there was more scholarship on him. Do you know where his archives might have gone? -Kostis Kourelis
Mr. Savage designed our church, Olivet Methodist Episcopal Church in Coatesville, PA as well as the Masonic Lodge in Coatesville and the Baptist Church in nearby Parkesburg. He also designed First Methodist Episcopal Church (a.k.a. St. Peter’s U.M.C.) in Ocean City, NJ. All four buildings are still in existence and used for their original purpose.
Barbara, I donated some of my grandfather’s renderings to the Anthenaeum in Philadelphia. They have gathered quite a bit of informatin on George E. Savage.
The Atheneum in Philadelphia would love to have any of his work. I sent them renderings that my mother had aftwr she died. My father was the son of George Savage.