USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > Tennent > History of the Old Tennent church : containing : a connected story of the church's life, sketches of its pastors, biographical references to its members, all its earlier record lists, full quotations of its earlier historical records, a complete list of burials in all its graveyards, many of its local traditions, most of its important illustations and maps, an account of the battle of Monmouth, and a large collection of genealogical notes > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
HISTORY OF THE OLD TENNENT CHURCH
S
62.1.05.
Library of the Theological Seminary, PRINCETON, N. J.
Presented by Rev. E. R. Symmes
SCC #11,226 Symmes, Frank Rosebrook, 186 HAStory of the Old Tennent c ch
-
-
OLD TENNENT CHURCH IN 1895.
HISTORY
OF THE
OLD TENNENT CHURCH 1
SECOND EDITION:
CONTAINING
A CONNECTED STORY OF THE CHURCH'S LIFE,
SKETCHES OF ITS PASTORS,
BIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES TO ITS MEMBERS,
ALL ITS EARLIER RECORD LISTS,
FULL QUOTATIONS OF ITS EARLIER HISTORICAL RECORDS,
A COMPLETE LIST OF BURIALS IN ALL ITS GRAVEYARDS,
MANY OF ITS LOCAL TRADITIONS,
MOST OF ITS IMPORTANT ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH,
AND A LARGE COLLECTION OF GENEALOGICAL NOTES.
COMPILED BY REV. FRANK R. SYMMES, 1
FIFTEENTH PASTOR.
CRANBURY, N. J., GEORGE W. BURROUGHS, PRINTER,
1901.
of the vicinity of The Old Scots and Tennent Churches. Scale_Lmilesto linch.
WICKATUNK
Old Deuts Ground
First 1icfowed
Ch of
Fachola
Rev. daha Boyds
grave
N
MARLBORK
Cintasi R. R of N J.
Penna R.R.
Tennent Church
TINNE
# Grave of Walter Ker.
Battle of Monmouth, JuinE 26.1778
Site ofy Parsonage. 1734
FREEHOLD
₹
Monmouth County,
Presbyterian Church of Freehold.
PINHA RR
New Jersey.
Taken from the State topographical maps of George H. Cook and C. C. Vermeule.
BRADEVENTO
JUNTO
AUTHOR'S NOTE.
The title page shows what this book is. As a second edition of The History of Old Tennent it is a rewriting of the first, much the same in matter and arrangement ; but corrections have been made, and very much new material added, with a few changes in form throughout. Also a number of new pictures and maps will be found in this print ; but the author regrets that, though seeking for it, he was unable to find and obtain a picture of Rev. Robert Roy. The author has performed this work amid his busy pastoral and ministerial duties, and can lay no claim to studied elegance of language. He has sought rather, with much care and review, to be exact and accurate, but even in this respect does not claim that the book is absolutely perfect, for unknown mistakes might be discovered. Nor is it claimed that the book is exhaustively complete, for the study is one that is almost interminable especially as to family history. The author is much indebted to Rev. Allen H. Brown, Rev. Henry G. Smith and many others for assistance afforded, materials furnished, and for loans granted ; and especially to James Steen, Eatontown, N. J., for aid in gen- ealogical research. To the List of Authorities the reader is referred for further study in Old Tennent history ;- and to these authorities the author hereby makes due acknowledgment for their invaluable help. Trusting that the book may prove of some value and interest to students in its line, it is sent out on its way.
TENNENT, N. J. June, 1904.
FRANK R. SYMMES.
LIST OF AUTHORITIES.
Records of the Old Tennent Church.
The Log College . . . Archibald Alexander. Constitutional History of Presbyterian Church in the United States of America . . Charles Hodge. Records of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.
History of the Presbyterian Church in America . . Richard Webster.
History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland . . Robert Wodrow.
History of the Presbyterian Church in Trenton, N. J. . John Hall.
Annals of the American Pulpit . William B. Sprague.
History of the Old Scots Church Henry Goodwin Smith.
Various Historical Sketches .
. Allen H. Brown.
Historical Sketch of Monmouth Presbytery . Joseph G. Symmes.
Minutes of the Presbytery of New Brunswick.
Minutes of the Synod of New Jersey.
Minutes of the General Assembly.
Minutes of the Presbytery of Monmouth.
Contributions to Early History of Perth Amboy Wm. A. Whitehead.
Contributions to East Jersey History . Wm. A. Whitehead.
History of Monmouth County, N. J. .
. Franklin Ellis.
Court Records in Monmouth County, N. J.
Life and Times of Rev. Richard Baxter . Wm. Orme.
Brick Church Memorial (Marlboro, N. J.) Theodore W. Wells.
Memoirs of Rev. David Brainerd . Jonathan Edwards. Life of John Brainerd . Thomas Brainerd. Publications of New Jersey Historical Society.
Historical Sermons . . Archibald P. Cobb. Manual of the Village Presbyterian Church, Freehold, N. J.
Presbyterian Church in Jamesburg, N. J .. Benjamin S. Everitt.
Presbyterian Church in Allentown, N. J. . . George Swain. Records of the Presbyterian Church in Manalapan.
Papers in Library of Princeton Theological Seminary.
Collections in the Presbyterian Historical Society, Philadelphia.
Records of the Descendants of John Foreman .
Wm. P. Forman.
New Aberdeen . James Steen. Historical Notes on Presbyterian Church in Shrewsbury . Rufus Taylor. History of Freehold Presbyterian Church, Charlton, N. Y. . R. H. Stearns. Biography of George Whitefield .
Joseph Belcher.
Indians of New Jersey . Wm. Nelson. Historical Lectures by D. V. McLean. History of Monmouth and Ocean Counties Edwin Salter. Old Times in Old Monmouth, printed by . Jamies S. Yard. Genealogical Papers . James Steen. History of Leacock (Pa.) Presbyterian Church Old Stone Church (Cohansey) Epher Whitaker. New Jersey Archives. P. J. Timlow.
HISTORY OF THE OLD TENNENT CHURCH.
CHAPTER I.
ORGANIZATION.
Near the center of the rich agricultural county of Monmouth in New Jersey stands an old church building of colonial style and in- posing appearance, attracting the attention of passengers in trains on the nearby Pennsylvania railroad, and the interest of constant visitors who enter its doors and enroll their names in the register on the church desk, and who usually come by carriage on the Freehold- Englishtown road crossing the Manalapan and Patton's Corner road.
This sanctuary, now widely known as Old Tennent, is a relic and a witness, a land-mark and a monument. It is a treasured heritage from stern and sturdy servants of God transmitted to their descend- ants through a number of generations, testifying to the history of a rugged faith in the eternal word of the Lord and of a noble and stead- fast adherence to principle. This house is the proof positive of the sacred past speaking to the observing present. That splendid pro- found document, the Declaration of Independence, a parchment care- fully preserved under glass is fading in its ink, and possibly will soon need to be deposited in a dark case to preserve the clear strong chir- ography of its precious page ; but Old Tennent edifice was standing twenty-five years before the Declaration was written, and through all the years since has stood exposed to the weather of storm and sun and wind, straight and strong to-day, and good for many years more if with God's providence her children will love her with faithful care.
As has been said this old building stands for an old organization or church, which has more than once changed its title or designating name. The present corporate name of the church is "The First Presbyterian Church of the County of Monmouth." Its earliest for- mation is called the "Old Scots Church." Afterwards, for more than one hundred years it was known as the "Freehold Church," and
S
HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
under this name it acquired its reputation. But in memory of the saintly John Tennent, and of the long and efficient services of his brother William Tennent, Jr., as pastors, it took the name of the "Tennent Church." By this name it has been enrolled in the lists of the General Assembly since 1859. This avoids confusing this church with the one organized in Freehold village in 1838, and which now is incorporated "The First Presbyterian Church of Freehold, N. J." And finally, from the dignity of its great age and its inter- esting historical association it has been colloquially styled "The Old Tennent Church." Thus following the successive stages of its history it might consistently be called The Scots-Freehold-Tennent Church. And though designated by all these different names its history is that of a continuous organization.
The history of a rural church is largely composed of an account of its organization, a description of its edifices, a record of its pastors, a story of its worshiping families, and a narrative of its local events. In this respect an increasing interest gathers around Old Tennent, ecclesiastical, genealogical and historical. That Old Tennent had an origin, and somehow in process of time an organization, is certain. But it is impossible to make a precise, correct, and authentic state- ment as to just when, where and how the organization was effected. Probably it will never thus be exactly known. Conjectures can easily be made and appear very plausible ; but they are sometimes mis- leading, and sometimes diminish the credibility of a historian's page. Inferences are of value only so far as the reasons or arguments for them are set forthi by the presentation of pertinent facts. In this strain much of the story of Old Tennent's organization must be told, for in the absence of positive statement there are nevertheless some relevant facts from which inferences may be drawn that will form a story that approaches being irrefutable. These facts are :
First : Old Tennent was of Scotch origin. Freehold township was largely settled by Scotch people, which suggests Old Tennent's extraction. But this fact is settled by the explicit statement of Wil- liam Tennent, Jr., writing from Freehold, Oct. 11, 1744, to Rev. Mr. Prince of Boston. In that letter he describes the character of the re- vival at that time in Freehold, and he makes this historical paragraph, -"This place lies southwest from New York, and is distant from it about fifty miles. It was the first in the East Jersey, on the west
9
ORGANIZATION.
side of the Raritan river, which was settled with a gospel ministry. This was owing, under God, to the agency of some Scotch people that came to it ; among whom there was none so painful in this bless- ed undertaking as one Walter Ker, who, in the year 1685, for his faithful and conscientious adherence to God and his truth, as professed by the Church of Scotland, was there apprehended and sent to this country, under a sentence of perpetual banishment. By which it appears that the devil and his instruments lost their aim in sending him from home, where it is unlikely he could ever have been so ser- viceable to Christ's kingdom as he has been here. He is yet alive, and blessed be God, he is flourishing in his old age, being in his SSth year." At the close of this letter Mr. Tennent's church officers add, "ATTESTATION to the preceding Account by the Ruling Elders and Deacons of the Congregation of Frechold. "We the subscribers, Rul- ing Elders and Deacons of the Presbyterian congregation of Freehold, having had perfect knowledge of the circumstances of this place, some of us from the first settling of it, and others of a long time, do give our testimony to the truth in general, of the above letter of our Rev. pastor. May the Lord make the same of use for carrying on his glorious work begun in these lands, and make the name of the dear- est Jesus glorious from the rising to the setting sun.
Walter Ker, David Rhea, William Ker,
Robert Cumming,
John Henderson,
Samuel Ker.
Freehold, in New Jersey, October 11th, 1744." (Log College Apndx,) Thus Wm. Tennent's statement was founded on the testimony of living witnesses, Walter Ker in particular, who might be styled The Father of Old Tennent. That the Scotch were persecuted for loyalty to their church is a matter of history. From Wm. Tennent's state- ment it is not improbable to suppose that more than one that wor- shiped in the Old Scots meeting house had been a sad witness of such atrocious work as that of Viscount John Graham (Claverhouse) and his dragoons, and of the horrible tortures and dreadful sufferings of the prisoners in the damp and foul Dunottar Castle ; and had heard "the piteous prayers" of their Covenanter brethren. (read Wodrow )
The Covenanters were chiefly Scotch Presbyterians that hated and opposed prelacy. They believed that Christ is the head of the church, and the authority in all true religion, and that no man could usurp these prerogatives. They would not unite in worship that was led
IO
HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
and governed by so-called functionaries. Therefore they refused to conform to the zealous effort of King Charles the IInd to impose the rites and modes of prelatic worship upon them. Disobedience to the king's order by these non-conforming Presbyterians was especially manifested in their attendance on "conventicles," or gatherings for worship apart from the established church, and often held in private houses or in retired glens. This opposition to the king's will was the cause of a bitter and bloody persecution of twenty-eight years, from 1660 to 1688. "The Highland Watch, as it was called, was let loose upon the country (Scotland) : its inhabitants were spoiled of their goods ; cast into prisons, banished, and sold as slaves ; and multitudes of them shot in cold blood, and otherwise butchered, sometimes with, and sometimes without, form of law." (Orme.) Some have estimated that during these twenty-eight years about 18,000 people were either banished or put to death.
During the summer of 1685, in the period of the " Killing times" so called, about one hundred men and women were imprisoned in Dunottar Castle, a strong fortress in eastern Scotland, built on a great rock looking out over the North Sea. It is now in ruins. Here these people were shut up in a vault which "was ankle deep in mire, with but one window overlooking the sea. They were without any conveniences for sitting, leaning or lying, and, indeed, so full was the place, that little more than sitting room was afforded. Stifled for want of air, stinted for both food and water * * many died, and others became afflicted with diseases." (Whitehead ) And when several attempted to escape, some were retaken and subjected to excruciating torture by having matches put between their fingers and kept burning for three hours. The scars of these and other barbarous tortures were carried by the persecuted ones through after life. This reminds one of the story of the " Black Hole" in India, seventy years later. Toward the close of the summer these Dunnottar prisoners were marched down to Leith, most of them on foot, "and their hands tied behind their back with small cords," making a weary journey of six- ty-six miles after their dreadful incarceration.
Previous to this, a certain George Scot, laird of Pitlochie, having been fined and imprisoned a number of times for the sake of his relig- ion, determined to sail for the plantations in East Jersey, seeking to find there a refuge from the troublous times in his native land. Per- mission was granted him by the authorities to pass from the kingdom
II
ORGANIZATION.
"without any Let, Impediment, or Molestation." He chartered a vessel, "the Henry and Francis, of Newcastle, a ship of 350 tons, and twenty great guns, Richard Hutton, master," or captain. Then he publicly announced his purpose of sailing to the colonies, and invited and solicited others who were of his mind, and like him persecuted, to take passage along with him. Scot's project was quite extensive. He put out a volume of 272 pages under the title "The Model of the Government of the Province of East New-Jersey in America; and en- couragement for such as design to be concerned there." (read in N. J. Hist. Soc. Collections. Vol. I.) Many joined Scot's company. Most of the Dun- ottar prisoners, then lying in the tolbooth at Leith, were sentenced to perpetual banishment to America, because they tenaciously and con- scientiously held to their religious principles. A considerable portion of them was transferred as a gift to the laird of Pitlochie; that is, he was to carry them to America and there dispose of them so as to re- ceive their passage money. But verily, in this way, he was acting as a quasi deliverer to these poor persecuted and mutilated prisoners.
The vessel set sail from the port of Leith on September 5, 1685, having on board in all about 200 persons, of whom 72 are said to have been banished prisoners. One historian relates how these prisoners suffered on shipboard by being disturbed in their worship under deck by the captain causing great planks to be thrown down among them. The voyage was sadly disastrous. A sickness of virulent fever broke out, especially among the prisoners; but also among the passengers and crew. About 60 people died, and their bodies were committed to the deep. George Scot and his wife were among this number. John Johnstone, son-in-law (to be) to George Scot, took his place in directing the voyage, and in disposing of the so-called prisoners. The captain proposed then to sail to Virginia or to Jamaica; but the winds set toward New Jersey, and there on its shores, probably near Perth Amboy, the vessel finally arrived near the middle of December 1685, after a voyage of about 100 days. Many if not all of the prisoners were, in process of time, cited before the legal authorities of the prov- ince, and settlements made for their passage money; after which they went free. Whitehead, in his book "Contributions to East Jersey History" p. 28 & 29, gives the names of nearly one hundred persons that came to New Jersey on the "Henry and Francis" with George Scot's company, and this list may be compared with some names in the early history of Old Scots.
12
HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
A goodly number of those that came in the ship "Henry and Fran- cis" moved to New England, and some returned to Scotland. Some evidently settled in Monmouth County. Walter Ker, as Whitehead says, "may have been a passenger with Scot." Beyond a doubt some of these passengers and prisoners joined in the formation of the church society of those who finally built the Old Scots meeting house. The name of George Scot, the Scotch Covenanter extraction, the names of the church officers, and the early name of "Free Hill" given to the eminence on which the old building stood, are all in line of the outcome of George Scot's enterprise. It is an exceedingly difficult matter to positively identify persons in the records of the past because of the wide possibility of mistake in making all references to them, in location, chronology and circumstance, corroborate ; never- theless James Steen, in his valuable sketch "New Aberdeen," has unquestionably established the fact that John Johnstone, son-in-law and companion to George Scot on his disastrous voyage, is the same man whose name is mentioned first, as one of the acting trustees in the deed for Old Scots ground given by Alex. Napier 1727 :- and therefore his name stands with Walter Ker's as a charter promoter of Old Tennent. In the aforesaid deed the name of Peter Watson is mentioned second as acting trustee for Old Scots. In a letter to his cousin in Aug. 1684, (quoted in Scot s Model) he said "There are here very good religious people. They go under the name of Independents, but are most like the Presbyterians, only they will not receive every- body into their society. We have a great need of good and faithful ministers, and I wish to God, that there would come some over here ; they can live as well and have as much as in Scotland, and more than many get. We have none within all the Province of East Jersey except one who is a preacher in Newark ; there were one or two preachers more in the province, but they are dead, and now the peo- ple they meet together every Sabbath-day and read and pray and sing psalms in their meeting-houses." Steen, in a separate sketch, also identifies this man and points out that his Presbyterian churchly influence in Momouth County antedated that of Walter Ker ; and that his wife's name was Agnes, and he had sons William, Gawen, and David. If that Gawen Watson was the same as the one who married Euphame -, who owned a pew in Old Tennent for many years, who died Aug. 24, 1771, aged 86 yrs. 8 mos. and was buried in a private grave-plot near Perrineville, and who appears to have
13
ORGANIZATION.
had two sons Gawen and Peter, and two daughters Eupheme that married Joseph Ker, and Ann that married Walter Ker, - then the influence of the longing heart of old Peter Watson, the Scotch Presbyterian, was felt through Old Scots down into Old Tennent, and he may thus be considered a so-called charter associate with Walter Ker and John Johnstone.
And there were others who aided in forming Old Scots about whose names and services we wish we knew more. It is said that in 1855 in the Amboy bay might still have been seen the remains of an old ship named the "Caledonia," which had been commanded by Robert Drummond. Ancestral tradition widely handed down in the Ander- son family says that Capt. John Anderson commanded the "Cale- donia :" this, of course, may have been at a different time from that in which he commanded the "Unicorn" in the Darien expedition. Dr. Arch. Alexander says in his "Log College" p. 103, "This con- gregation owed its origin to some Scotch people who were cast on the Jersey shore ; the vessel Caledonia, in which they sailed, having been stranded on our coast." Possibly because of the old and unservice- able condition the Caledonia was deserted presumably in 1715, and a storm breaking its moorings to the Amboy wharf, it drifted away to its wreck. Some people have still preserved relics in the shape of canes &c., made from the timbers of this old vessel. It is supposed that this ship brought emigrants from Scotland as early as 1685, and it is a matter of history that it bore to New Jersey many Scotch fam- ilies about 1715. Some of these possibly joined with the early wor- shipers in Old Scots church. And so also some of the settlers that came over with Lord Neil Campbell (brother to the Earl of Argyle) in 1685, or through his instrumentality afterwards, may have had their names enrolled among the Old Scots members, as some of their names favorably compare with early records of the church. (see N. J. Archives. Ist Ser. Vol 21, p. 68. Also Whitehead's "Contributions to East Jersey History" p 22.)
Later on, the early lists of officers, members, and supporters of Old Tennent discover such family names as evidently indicate the amalgamation of French Huguenot, Reformed Dutch, and English Presbyterian with the Scotch element, which latter at the first pre- dominated. It might also be noticed that Old Tennent is a farmers' church, having been originated for the most part by land-holders or planters, and has always been and is to-day largely composed of hus- bandman of the soil.
14
HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
Second : Old Tennent was formed into a church about 1692. This fact is based on a letter by John Woodhull, D. D., dated April 23, 1792, in which he says "The church was formed about an hundred years ago, chiefly by persons from Scotland." (quoted in Hodge's Const1. Hist. Pres. Ch. Part I p. 65.) Here again we have a competent and reliable authority in the character of the man and in the relations of his offi- cial position. But his expression is only general, or approximate, and leaves the reader to understand that Old Tennent was formed somewhere about 1692. Possibly Dr. Woodhull did not state the exact date because he did not know it ; and that because there was 110 exact date : and if there had been, he surely would have known it and would have stated it. Rev. Isaac V. Brown, in a foot-note in his sermon at the funeral of Dr. Woodhull 1824, found authority for saying concerning Old Tennent, "This Congregation was regularly organized, June 3, 1730. Before this, it had nominally existed a short time and enjoyed the Pastoral labours of the Rev. Joseph Mor- gan" &c. Yet long before this date Old Scots was considered a very church by the County Court ; and from Dr. Hodge we learn that it was the only church at first, in Jersey, belonging to the Philadelphia Presbytery. Rev. D. V. McLean, D. D., in a lecture 1866 on Free- hold Church, says "The exact date, however, of the actual organiza- tion of the church cannot now (1866) be fixed with our present light on the subject. More thorough investigations, however, it is con- fidently believed will disclose facts which may enable us to fix the exact date, or at least to approximate very near to it." As Dr. Mc Lean had access to all the old records of Old Tennent before some of them were destroyed by fire in 1869, it appears that the records that were burned could not have stated the date of the organization. But those records may have been the foundation for the statement Dr. McLean makes further on in his lecture, viz. : "The Scotch Pres- byterians who settled in Freehold, prized the ordinances of religion so much, that they sacrificed everything rather than surrender them and submitted to bonds, imprisonment, spoiling of their goods and even banishment. Some Ministers had come with them, or about the same time, and were probably living at least temporarily withi them ; hence it seems in the highest degree probable that the Free- hold congregation was organized very promptly, after the arrival of the Scotch, probably within a year or two, certainly before the year 1690." In this Dr. McLean is evidently making an approximation,
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.