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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02246 9776
REV. JOHN B. KUGLER.
THE HISTORY OF
THE FIRST ENGLISH
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
IN AMWELL N. J.
BY
REV. JOHN BACKER KUGLER, A. M. CLINTON, N. J.
-
1912
74. 901 + 91 K
THE UNIONIST-GAZETTE ASSOCIATION SOMERVILLE, N. J. 1912
Copyright, 1912, by The Unionist-Gazette Association Somerville, New Jersey
.
DEDICATION.
IT IS IN HARMONY WITH THE FITNESS OF THINGS THAT
I DEDICATE 1199564
THIS HISTORY TO YOU
ANN ELIZABETH CRAMER,
MY BELOVED WIFE.
I do this to express my appreciation of your great helpfulness in the work we shared for the Master; and with the intent, that it may serve as a Memorial of your faithfulness in his service, after we shall have finished our Mission. It was while the June roses were bloom- ing in eighteen hundred and seventy-three that you per- mitted me to call you by my own name. From that day onward, the charm of your personality has blessed my home. At once your enthusiasm for the Saviour's work kindled a like zeal among the Church women, so that they gladly followed your leadership without faltering during the ten years we continued in the home Church of your girlhood and young womanhoou. This is an achievement, I believe, rarely equalled, never surpassed.
And further, the same unswerving devotion to duty on your part was a large factor in accomplishing blessed results in the other churches in connection with which our lot was cast.
JOHN B. KUGLER.
FOREWORD.
The writer is aware that from the viewpoint of the stranger this History may seem to be burdened with unimportant statements. Be it so. In reply he begs to say that in its production his aim has been to aid a venerable Mother to tell the Story of her life to her children. True, multitudes of these children have obeyed the Master's call to come home; yet there are others who fondly gather within her doors for worship, while vaster numbers of her children and children's children are scattered and settled in nearly every State of the Union.
From these scattered children have come to the writer, again and again, requests for just such unim- portant facts (but very important to a child), as are here given.
His deep regret is, that many of these requests must ever remain unanswered. Conscious of this, and other deficiencies, yet after long and persistent research, he submits this record of those whose memories we fondly cherish, along with this venerable Mother Church for which his affection has increased with years of de- voted service, with the desire that it may awaken a stronger attachment to this Church of Christ, and a gladness like that of the Psalmist, when they say unto us: Let us go into the house of the Lord.
JOHN B. KUGLER. Clinton, N. J., March 5th, 1912.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMWELL-PERIOD I.
Page.
First Things,-First Dates. 15
First Families-The Cases, The Holcombes, The
Coryells, The Stouts, The Chamberlins 21
The Hills, The Sutphens, The Griggs 30
The Henrys, The Pralls 37
The Readings
57
The Church in the Cemetery, its date; the first meet- ing of Presbytery of New Brunswick, and first in Amwell
60
Rev. John Rowland 61
Whitefield at Amwell 67 The Lottery
70
The first pastor, Rev. Eliab Byram 72
Second Amwell organized. 74
The oldest subscription paper. 76
The second pastor, Rev. Benjamin Hait 79
The third pastor, Rev. William Kirkpatrick 87 His death 87
The Communion Cups 42 and 88
Bequest of Joseph Reed.
89
PERIOD II.
The fourth pastor, Mr. Warford. 93
Mrs. Kirkpatrick and Mr. Warford are married. . 98 Salary paid in produce. 102
Depreciated currency
106
vi
CONTENTS
Page.
Means of heating the Church and the form of Church
building III
Pews and pew holders. III
Death of Miss Kirkpatrick. 113
William, son of Mr. Kirkpatrick. 114-117
Rev. Mr. Warford leaves Amwell II7
Roll (on parchment) for swearing Trustees 118
Appendix II, Captain John Schenck. I20
The fifth pastor, Rev. Thomas Grant 122
Dr. John Witherspoon in Amwell. 123 and 128
Petition for Church at Flemington 125
Argument for the same. 127
Mr. Grant ordained and installed 129
Flemington formed themselves into a Church 130
First existing Minute Book of Trustees 130
Purchase of plantation. 130
The plantation sold. 132
Mr. Grant resigns. 134
The sixth pastor, Rev. Jacob Kirkpatrick 137
Limited call 138
The German Church became Presbyterian and united with Amwell First. 142
The corporate name taken. 142 Names born by these churches 143
The union dissolved 147
Business meetings of the two churches often held at the house of Joseph Kugler. . 146-148
Mr. Kirkpatrick goes with Amwell Second and the new Church 149
Sketch of Mr. Kirkpatrick. 150
vii
CONTENTS
Page.
Organization of the Hunterdon County Bible So- ciety 154
List of Mr. Kirkpatrick's supporters 156
PERIOD III.
The seventh pastor, Rev. John F. Clark. 163
Amwell First alone in support of pastor 163
List of people adhering to this Church 165
Flemington proposes union 168
Union consummated 170
Rev. Mr. Clark appointed as Supply for half his time 171
Smallness of subscriptions for support of Church. 175 List of members when Mr. Clark took charge. 176 Mrs. Mary Wilson, daughter of Peter Fisher 177
What Mr. Clark did for the Church. 178-183
Union with Flemington discontinued. 184
Mr. Clark called for his whole time by Amwell 184
Mr. Clark resigns. 184
Sabbath School organized by Mr: Clark 184
Sketch of Mr. and Mrs. Clark. 188
The eighth pastor, Rev. David Hull
Decide to build new Church. 193
I90
Funds in hand used for new Church, and to be built at Greenville. 193
Built by contract, and cost 194 Date of the erection of new Church. 194
Presbytery of Raritan organized 195
Union with Clover Hill consummated 196 Sketch of Mr. Hull. 210
viii
CONTENTS
Page. The ninth pastor, Rev. Benjamin Carrell 211 Members received by Mr. Carrell. 214 Total number 219
Mr. Carrell dismissed at his own request by Presby- tery 219
The work of the Church for Missions during Mr. Carrell's pastorate 220
Sketch of Mr. Carrell. 221
The tenth pastor, Rev. Geo. P. Van Wyck. 222 Result of labors. 224
Pastor's sickness 224 Pastoral relation dissolved 225
Sketch of Mr. Van Wyck. 225
Union of the Church with Clover Hill dissolved 226
The eleventh pastor, Rev. J. B. H. Janeway 228 Mr. Janeway installed. 228 Ingathering under Mr. Janeway 231
Death of Mrs. Janeway. 232
Personal sketch of Mr. Janeway. 233
The twelfth pastor, Rev. N. L. Upham 234
His installation 234
Favorable condition of the Church. 236
Session enlarged
236
Loss of Elders by death. 236
Members received by Mr. Upham 238
Parsonage built 241 Increased beneficence of the church. 242
Personal sketch of Mr. Upham. 243
Thirteenth pastor, Rev. John H. Scofield 245
Mr. Scofield installed 245
ix
CONTENTS
Page.
Election of Elders and deacons 246 Members received by Mr. Scofield. 248
Result of beneficient work of the Church 250 Report of interest on parsonage discontinued 251
Personal sketch of Mr. Scofield . 251
He married a descendant of Gov. Reading 252
Fourteenth pastor, Rev. John S. Beekman 252 Rev. Mr. Macbeth supplied pulpit. 253 Mr. Beekman installed. 253
Persons received by Mr. Beekman. 254
Amwell unites with neighboring churches in support-
ing Missionary on Sourland Mountains 255
"Difficulty" in the Church. 256
Firm stand for orderly proceedings taken by Chair- man Hill 258
Beneficent work under Mr. Beekman. 260
The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society organized under Mr. Beekman. 260
Personal sketch of Mr. Beekman 261
The fifteenth pastor, Rev. J. W. P. Blattenberger. . 263
His installation 264
Gift from Mrs. John Quick.
266
Pastor offered his resignation.
267
Opposed by Congregation and he remained 267
Pastoral relation to Church dissolved. 268
A great ingathering into the Church. 269 New Elders chosen. 273
The Church enlarged and greatly improved 277
Tabulated statement of Church's beneficence 279
Personal sketch of Mr. Blattenberger. 279
X
CONTENTS
Page.
Appendix No. 1., Elder John Y. Bellis 280 The Sixteenth pastor, Rev. T. C. Potter 283
Called 283
Installed 285
Close of first year 286
Pastoral relations dissolved 287
C. E. Society organized 287 Personal sketch 289
Appendix, Geo. P. Rex, M. D. 290
The seventeenth pastor, Rev. J. B. Kugler 294
Mr. Kugler installed. 296
Foreign Missions pressed on the Church 297
Death of Elder Hill. 300
Increased interest in Foreign Missions 305
Inter-Church evangelism
307
Mrs. Kugler organized Mission Band 309
Death of Deacon Sutphen 310
The 160th anniversary of the Church. 3II
Hunterdon County Church evangelism 314
Election of Elders. 315
Death of Deacon John Quick. 316 Pastor's sickness 318
Pastoral relation to Church dissolved 319
Review of pastor's aims and successes 320
Tabulated statement of beneficence. 322 Sexton Wm. Cronce. 324
Mrs. Christianna Wert.
324
Personal sketch of pastor 324
Appendix, Elder Quick. 326
Roll of officers and members 329
PERIOD I. THIS IS THE COLONIAL PERIOD; EXTENDING FROM THE ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH TO THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
The Amwell First Church
PERIOD I.
SECTION I. FIRST THINGS.
Walk about Zion, and go round about her; tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following .- Ps. 48:12-13.
T HE text assigns two duties which claim our at- tention. The one is to recognize the full equip- ment of Zion for defense and safety and fellowship as shown by tower and bulwark and palace. And so confident is the psalmist of security that he asks for a military inspection of Zion's security. And yet it is patent to all believers that he does not so much rely on these fortifications for the protection of Zion, as upon the more essential fact, that God is known in her palaces for a refuge. It is this most precious truth, wrought into the very fibre of the Jewish patriot who, rejoicing in this relationship, exclaims, "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer." We would be disloyal to our divine Master not to recognize his indwelling in the Church now, as really as in the past. For safety and for victory, the Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. God is good to Zion, and he would have his goodness known. For lack of this knowledge men perish.
Hence the second duty enjoined is to make known
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
the fact of God's indwelling in his Church, as the source of her life, and strength, and safety. And knowing this each generation is to "tell it to the generations following." And while thus he continues to be his people's strength and safety, be it remembered that the instruments of his care, and the gifts of his love may differ. The tower and bulwark of the Church to-day are the finished atonement, the risen Christ, the gift of the Spirit, the completed Bible, the ministry of the Word, the appointed Sacra- ments, and the consecrated lines of her sons and daugh- ters. The monuments, documents and sacraments of both Old Testament and New, by stress of example, show how God would have us make known the former victories of his grace to the present generation; then, gathering up the achievements of the past and present, to "tell all to the generation following." Herein is divine authority for Church History. In obedience to this authority we are assembled here to-day to tell the story of the Amwell First Presbyterian Church. So far as our own experience demands this would be an easy task.
But to gather up the neglected and forgotten past in the history of this venerable Church, and from a line here and a name or date there, to tell what God has wrought in her, and by her, has been found most difficult to accomplish. And I am conscious that this attempt to tell the story of his doings in the past to the present gen- eration, and to put it on record for the generation follow- ing will be found far from satisfactory. To shield myself from too severe criticism for such deficiency I beg to state that the Records of the Session of the Church are lost from the unknown beginning up to 1821, or a period of
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THE COLONIAL PERIOD
at least eighty-four years. And the Records of Trustees and Congregational Meetings are also lost up to 1792, a period of at least fifty-five years.
To cover this long period we must rely first upon the Records of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, with a record or two on the minutes of the Presbytery of Phila- delphia.
In addition to these chief sources of information we have a few subscription lists and other scattered papers, preserved by Jasper Smith, one of the early and most active members of this Church. We have also been able to cull a few facts from Hodges' Constitutional History of the Presbyterian Church, from Alexander's Log Col- lege, from Murphy's Presbytery of the Log College, from Nevius' Encyclopedia, from Mott and Blattenberger, who have reaped and garnered all the full sheaves from this field, from Sprague, and Webster, from Smith's, N. J., and Snell's Hunterdon County, from Cooley of Ewing, and Hall of Trenton, from Beatty, Kirkpatrick and Con- verse; from family records furnished by several members of this congregation, from correspondence with distant ministers and professors, and from visits of inquiry and research to distant cities, and last of all, from the me- morial stones and monuments in yonder cemetery, where sleep the beloved dead of the congregation.
Yet we do not know the date of the organization of the Church, nor who were its first members, nor the names of the persons active in its establishment. However, there are many facts of much value pertaining to the early history of the Church, which we deem worthy of being recorded. The small country Church is too often looked
6
AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
upon as an institution of but little importance to the State or the Church at large. Yet I am confident that the history of this Church, along with scores of others, similar in location and numbers, will show how erroneous that opinion is. This Church not only has a history, but that history shows it to be a factor of great efficiency and influence in the nation and in the Church at large. In the first place, the Church stands on historic grounds, and is identified with "the beginnings of things." A
tribe of Indians living near the site of Hartsville, Pa., had a path to and across the Delaware at Lambertville, and thence to Newark, by way of Mt. Airy, Ringoes and Reaville. In time this path became the Old York Road. In a deed for land at Ringoes, dated August 25th, 1726, this is described as the King's Highway, that is called the York Road. That road passed the doors both of the old Church and that in which we now worship. And this is historical ground in a higher sense.
The oppressions of Charles II, who died in 1685, toward dissenters of every phase of faith, such as Quakers, Puritans, Independents and Presbyterians, and the greater sufferings visited upon the same people by that monster of cruelty, his brother, the Duke of York, who reigned as James II, until December 25, 1688, drove many of these most valuable citizens from the kingdom. Some went to Germany, others to Holland, and many came to the Colonies in America. And, though the government changed for the better, in subsequent reigns, yet religious privileges were much restricted, especially from 1714 to 1740. As a consequence, multitudes of the oppressed came to America for the freedom they could not find at home.
to
7
THE COLONIAL PERIOD
The revocation of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV of France in 1685, and like oppressions in the Palatinate, now covered chiefly by Bavaria and Baden, had a similar effect, in driving many earnest souls from their own country, of whom thousands came to America.
Fronde says that in two years, after the Antrim Evic- tion, 30,000 Protestants left Ulster, in the north of Ire- land, for a land where there was no legal robbery. Ships could not be found to carry the people who were eager to go. The rich and spacious Amwell Valley at an early day received many of these worthy immigrants. Some landing at Philadelphia, proceeded to Lambertville, and came into the valley from the west. Others landed at Perth Amboy or New York. Many settled on Long Island, others on Staten Island, who eventually came over to Jersey, journeyed up the Raritan, and finally settled in Amwell.
Such a people will make history. They will also or- ganize a church and form a state. So worthy an ancestry should inspire us with the determination to be their worthy sons. These are the people who formed this Church. But when? We do not know. But in 1738 the Synod of Philadelphia ordered that the members of the Presbytery of Long Island should be united with the Presbytery of East Jersey, and be henceforth known by the name of the Presbytery of New York. The same year came a supplication of some members of the Pres- bystery of New York to be erected into a new Presbytery with certain members of the Presbytery of Philadelphia. The petition was granted and the churches to constitute the Presbytery mentioned. And it was ordered that said
@
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
Presbytery be known by the name of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, and that the time of their first meeting be the second Tuesday (which was the 8th) of August next, and that they meet at New Brunswick. Amwell First was at this time a member of the Presbytery of Phil- adelphia and was by this order made a member of the Presbytery of New Brunswick. It was then an organ- ized Church, having a house of worship. This date, 1738, 160 years ago, has long been that, from which the exist- ence of this Church has been known or recorded. That it was then an organized Church, with a house of worship, is evidence conclusive that its origin was prior to this date. After long research I have been able to carry the date back one year. From the records of the Presbytery of Philadelphia we learn that Francis McHenry, before leaving Ireland, married the eldest daughter of Hugh Wilson, who emigrated with his family and friends to America, and was among the first purchasers at Craig's Settlement in the Forks of the Delaware.
McHenry appeared before the Presbytery November 10th, 1737. He was licensed after examination and directed to supply Amwell, Bethlehem and other vacan- cies in Hunterdon County, N. J. The date of his preach- ing here is not given. Again, Hugh Carlisle, most prob- ably from Ireland, or Scotland, was admitted into the Presbytery of Newcastle in 1735. He joined the Pres- bytery of Philadelphia in 1736. He was called to New- town and Plumstead, in Bucks County, Pa., in 1737, but declined the call. He was sent by the Presbytery to sup- ply Amwell and Bethlehem, in Hunterdon County, N. J., with other vacancies. Which of these two men came first
9
THE COLONIAL PERIOD
to our Church the records do not definitely state, but both were sent or ordered in November, 1737. Here again we have the Church, but not the date of its origin, but showing its existence 161 years ago.
While unable to give that date definitely, we are war- ranted in placing it long previous to 1737. This, on pre- sumptive evidence. Presumption, it is true, is not history, but presumptive evidence may be so strong as to demand consideration. Such it is as to the earlier date for the origin of this Church.
In the first place, the people were on the ground in sufficient numbers, and with character and religious ten- dency of such a degree as to make a church a necessity to their full enjoyment. In fact they left home and settled in America in order to secure for themselves church privi- leges to the full. What here they sought more than any- thing else was "freedom to worship God." It is wholly improbable that such a people would remain long without a church.
This is confirmed by a writer belonging to the Episco- pal Church, who, speaking of Amwell and Hopewell as early as 1718, regrets the presence of so many Dissenters in this part of the Colony. The Episcopal Church of Amwell, St. Andrews, was situated near the present vil- lage of Ringoes, where the old academy now is. It was in existence as early as 1725, having been organized under a charter granted by the Crown, by a Missionary of the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts." Because of this royal favor, and the bigotry of Lord Cornbury, the Episcopal Church was founded at this early day, but by its own testimony had the masses
İO
AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
of the people against it. Such testimony is of great value. Thirdly, Nevin in his History of the Presbytery of Phil- adelphia, page 104, states that Robert Orr, a probationer from Ireland or Scotland, having preached sometime for the churches at Maidenhead (Lawrence) and Hopewell (Pennington), presented his credentials to Presbytery in 1715. They were approved, and a call being presented by Phillip Ring, he was ordained at Maidenhead October 20th, 1715. "His field," says the historian, "embraced the ground covered by Lawrence, Pennington, Trenton First Church, which is Ewing, Trenton City, Titusville, and perhaps Amwell."
Dr. Sprague, in "Annals of the American Pulpit," contends that it is highly probable that Orr preached at Amwell. Webster, in his History of the Presbyterian Church in America, also maintains that Orr preached at Amwell during his pastorate from 1715 to 1719. When we remember Mr. Webster's great diligence in searching the early records of the Church, his testimony adds much weight to the reasons given for believing in this early date for the existence of the Amwell Church. But taking either date, that of 1737, where we have solid ground from the mention of the Church in the Minutes of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, or the presumptive date of 1718, at which time the Dissenters of Amwell are men- tioned by the Episcopal writer, or 1715, under Orr's min- istry, the Church comes into existence amid events of great, historic interest, and may rightfully claim a place with "the beginnings of things" in this country.
Let us note things ecclesiastical. The first Presbytery was formed in 1705 or 6. The first Synod was formed
3 1833 02246 9776
11
THE COLONIAL PERIOD
out of the four Presbyteries, in 1717. The Adoptive Act was passed in 1729. By this act the Westminster Stand- ards, Confession of Faith and Catechisms were made the doctrinal standards of the Presbyterian Church in Amer- ica. Simple as the record of this event is in the minutes, there never has been an act passed by what is now the Great Presbyterian Church in the United States of Amer- ica so far reaching and salutary as that which received "the Westminster Standards as containing the System of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures," or to give the exact language of the members of Synod, which "declared these Standards to be the Confession of their Faith." And, again, it is certainly a distinguished honor, at this day, to have been a charter member of the Presbytery of New Brunswick at its formation in 1738. This Church likewise has the honor of having been identified with the "beginnings of things" of historic interest in the State. Hunterdon County was set off from Burlington, March IIth, 1713, only a year before the death of Queen Ann, and was named after Brigadier-General Robert Hunter, who was Governor-General of the Provinces of New York and New Jersey at the time.
Hunterdon County then extended south to the Assan- pink, and Trenton was the county seat. It contained the territory now embraced in Morris, Sussex, Warren and most of Mercer, as well as the present territory of Hun- terdon. The boundary lines of the county on the north and northeast were fixed in 1738. Mercer was set off a century later. But it thus appears that the history of this Church and of the county run in nearly parallel lines.
From its origin until 1728 the county was deprived of
12
AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
representation in the General Assembly of the Colony. This privilege had been suspended by Queen Ann "until her Majesty's royal pleasure was further known." In 1728 King George declared it to be "his royal pleasure" "that Hunterdon County should, in the future, have two representatives."
At that time John Reading, a member of this congrega- tion, assuming that the Church had an existence at that date, was a member of the Council of the Province of New Jersey, having been appointed to the office in 1720. His interests would lead him to co-operate with the repre- sentatives of the county for its welfare and advancement.
From 1689 to 1702 the proprietors of the Colony of New Jersey were vexed and distracted by the many rival claimants for the Government. Wearied by this political intrigue, these proprietors surrendered their rights of civil jurisdiction to the Crown, retaining only ownership to the soil. Thereupon the Colony was accepted by her Majesty, Queen Anne, and united to that of New York, with Edward Hyde, known as Lord Cornbury, Governor of both Colonies .* Cornbury was a most unworthy Gov- ernor. The colonists found themselves in a worse state than before. They complained of the Governor to the Queen. They described him as "trifling, mean and ex- travagant."
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