USA > New Jersey > Salem County > Salem > History and genealogy of Fenwick's colony > Part 38
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After such severe contention the congregation was rent in twain, the male members adhered to their pastor, whilst many of the female members maintained the doctrine of the mother church at Cohansey. Their names were Susanna Elwell, Catlı- arine Harris, Reuhana Austin, Ann Roberson, Tabitha Mayhew, Priscilla Blue, Abigail Joslin, Reuhama Moore, Rachel Robi- son, and Rachel Brick. Being deprived from meeting in the church by the apostate pastor, and, which was more trying, by
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their husbands and sons, these sterling women frequently held their meetings in private houses, and in pleasant weather, in a contiguous grove. Ancient Rome was saved at one time by a heroic band of women, and the fundamental doctrines of the Baptists were maintained at the Pittsgrove church by those faithful women, whose names, I have no doubt, are held in grate- ful remembrance by the congregation up to the present time. From the year 1803 the congregation gradually increased, and in the year 1876 they numbered two hundred and thirty-one, Levi Morse being pastor.
The Dividing Creek Baptist Church was constituted 30th of 5th month, 1761, by permission of Cohansey and Cape May churches. The following are the names of the members at the time of its organization : Jonadab Sheppard, Thomas Sheppard, William Paullin, William Dallis, Temperance Shep- pard, Ann Sheppard, Patience Paulin, John Terry, Sarah Terry and Eve Sockwell. Their first meeting house was erected on a lot donated by Seth Lore, in 1751. Edwards writes that their first meeting house was destroyed by fire, in 1770, and was rebuilt in 1771. The size of the building was 30 by 22 feet ; they continued to occupy the new building up to 1821; when like the former church it was destroyed by fire. In 1823 they built a new building, 40 by 34 feet, and in 1860 there was added in the length of the building twenty feet, and the old side gal- leries removed and the entire building improved. It appears by the record kept by the meeting as early as 1761, before the church was regularly organized, steps were taken to secure a permanent home for their pastor. The people of Nantuxet and Dividing Creek, having agreed to build a parsonage, (it being first introduced by four men, Samuel Heaton, the pastor, Jona- dab Sheppard, David Sheppard, and William Paullin,) they pur- chased of Alexander Moore, one hundred acres of land, on which they erected a house and other necessary buildings, for the use of their pastor. They paid two hundred pounds for it, and sold it some few years since for $2,700, and in 1850 they secured a lot in the village near their meeting house, on which they erected their present parsonage. Their pastor is II. B. Raybold. They have 291 members.
The Alloways Creek Baptist Church, known as the Canton Church, was constituted in 1818. There was a Baptist meeting held in this vicinity some years previous to the date of its organ- ization, from the Cohansey mother church. At the decline and final close of the Presbyterian Church at Logtown, many of its members, together with the Mulford family, purchesed a lot
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adjoining the Presbyterian grave-yard and erected a meeting house thereon. At what time they commenced holding their meetings at that place I have no means of determining. Frank Spencer is the pastor. Number of members 319.
Woodstown Baptist Church constituted in 1822. They num- ber 172 members, and have no pastor at the present time.
Allowaystown Baptist Church was constituted an independ- ent Baptist Church in 1830. The persons who took the most active part in the affairs of that meeting were William Walker, the Lambert family, and a few others at that period. M. M. Finch is the present pastor. There are 144 members.
A number of the inhabitants of Bridgeton, in the latter part of the last century, were Baptists. They were members of the old Cohansey Church. The advantage of establishing a meet- ing for their denomination in Bridgeton, was early recognized by the members then connected with the mother church at Co- hansey. As a number of the members lived in the town of Bridgeton and surrounding neighborhood, they were desirous of having meetings that they could attend, nearer than the meet- ings of the Cohansey Church, which at that time were held in the Neck, near Sheppard's mill. About 1797 the Baptists com- menced holding religious meetings every First-day afternoon in the Court House in the town of Bridgeton. The Pastor of Cohansey Church, Henry Smalley, generally attended their meetings. His services were continued, and the number of Baptists increased in the town. They soon found the need of a house of worship, and although the large edifice at Roadstown had been finally completed but a few years before, at a large expense for that time, and the clouds of war were gathering over the nation, the Baptists at Bridgeton resolved to wait no longer, and selected a suitable lot. On the 6th of 6th month, 1812, the matter was brought before the Cohansey Church, at that time removed to Roadstown, and met their approval. A committee was appointed to purchase the lot already selected, then belonging to Daniel Elmer. This committee promptly attended to their duty, and reported at a meeting held July 16th, of the same year, that they had secured a " deed" for two acres of land, on condition that a house of worship be built thereon within three years, and a street three rods in width was to be kept open between the meeting house and his lot, and on failure thereof the lot to be "forfeited." The lot cost $155, and the deed bears date July 16th, 1812. The lot is the one so long occupied by the church, bounding on Pearl, Marion and Bank streote, and is the same where is still their cemetery, and where
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the house stands which they built, now remodeled, enlarged and occupied by the Pearl street Baptist Church, a branch of the First Church. On July 23d, 1812, a committee was appointed to procure materials and superintend the building of the meet- ing house, and Moses Harris, Isaac Mulford and Moses Platts were chosen. The chief share of the responsibility rested on Mulford. But, as the result of the magnitude of the enterprise for those interested in it, and the high prices incident to the war, the building was not completed until the latter part of 1816. In accordance with the custom of the greater number of the religious denominations, the building was dedicated to the wor- ship of Almighty God 17th of 12th month, 1816. Joseph Shep- pard, pastor from Salem, preached the sermon on the occasion, and the pastor, Henry Smalley, from the First Cohansey Church, made the dedicatory prayer. The meetings that were formerly held at the Court House were transferred to the new house, and were regularly held there thereafter.
The first meeting with reference to a separate organization was held 1st of 2d month, 1827. At that meeting there were thirty-eight members, men and women, applied for letters of dis- mission from the First Cohansey Church, for the purpose of forming a separate church. The letters of dismission were granted at a meeting held 5th of 1st month, 1828, and the church at Bridgeton was constituted a separate body the 31st of the 1st month, the same year. The number of members belonging to the new organization was forty, and George Spratt was their pastor. He and his wife Elizabeth were from the Third Bap- tist Church, Philadelphia. The rest of the congregation were from the First Cohansey Church, among whom were John Sib- ley, Curtis Ogden, Noah Ayres, Lewis Paullin, Ruth B. Ogden, Sarah Sibley, and a number of others. The church was incor- porated by the name of the "Second Cohansey Baptist Church, at Bridgeton." The first trustees elected were Smith Bowen, Daniel Pierson and Garrison Maul. Mr. Spratt continued as pastor until 20th of 10th month, 1830. Ile was succeeded by John C. Harrison in 2d month, 1831, who remained until 3d month, 1834. Michael Frederick became the third pastor in 12th month, 1834, and died in the pastorate, 13th of 11th month, 1837. Large numbers were added to the church during his pastorate, and the number of members at his death had in- creased to one hundred and sixty-eight, besides thirty-one dis- missed in the fall of 1836, to form a new church at Cedarville. Galleries and a vestibule were put into the meeting house during his time, greatly increasing its accommodations. The fourth 53
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pastor was Charles J. Hopkins, who commenced his labors 25th of 11th month, 1838, and resigned 25th of 9th month, 1843. During his pastorate the church increased to two hundred and thirty-nine members, and a chapel was built on Atlantic street, near the centre of the town, for evening meetings and Sunday School purposes, which was dedicated 11th of 1st month, 1840. The fifth pastor was Charles E. Wilson, who commenced his labors 7th of 4th month, 1844, and remained until 5th month, 1852. The number of members had increased to 304 at the time of his removal. The sixth pastor was William Cornwell, who was installed 7th of 8th month, 1852, and remained until 13th of 7th month, 1856. Soon after his arrival, the subject of repair- ing and enlarging the meeting house, or building a new one, was advocated, and on 26th of 2d month, 1853, a meeting of the church was held to consider the subject, and a resolution was adopted to procure a lot in as central a location as possible and build a new house of worship, and a committee, consisting of James Stiles, Horatio J. Mulford and Isaac A. Sheppard, was appointed to carry out the above resolution. A lot, 67 feet front and 126 feet deep, situated on the south side of Com- merce street, just above Pearl and in the centre of the city, was purchased for $1,300, of Azel and Henry R. Pierson, the deed being dated 3d of 10th month, 1853. The size of the building was 50 feet in width, and 99 feet in length. It has a basement story for evening meetings and Sunday School purposes, and the upper story is for the main audience room. The basement is built of stone, and the rest of brick. The whole building is rough-cast, with a tower in the centre of the front, surmounted with a steeple rising 140 feet from the ground. The building was completed in the fall of 1857.
Mr. Cornwell was succeeded, as pastor, by J. Spencer Ken- nard, 4th of 1st month, 1857; the church prospered greatly during his pastorate, which lasted until 11th of 9th month, 1859. He was succeeded by James F. Brown in 6th month, 1860, who remained until 3d month, 1868. William Wilder became the ninth pastor 1st month, 1869, and continued until 7th month, 1871, when he resigned, and was succeeded in 3d month, 1872, by E. B. Palmer, the tenth and present pastor. The walls and ceiling of the audience room of their house of worship were handsomely frescoed in the summer of 1872. A parsonage, situated on Atlantic street, was purchased in 1869, at a cost of about $5,500. The church also has three chapels, two frame and the other brick, used for Sunday school purposes. The present number of members is three hundred and sixty-six.
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In 7th month, 1866, sixty-nine members of the First Church were dismissed, and were constituted a new church under the name of the Pearl Street Baptist Church, of Bridgeton. The mother church gave them a deed for the old meeting house, which they have since enlarged and handsomely improved, at a cost of about $20,000. William R. McNeil became their first pastor, and remained until 2d month, 1872. He was followed by B. S. Morse, in 4th month, 1872, who resigned in the spring of 1874. A. B. MacGowan is the third and present pastor. They number two hundred and eighty-eight members at the present time.
I am indebted to my young friend, Charles E. Sheppard, of Bridgeton, for the particulars of the first Baptist churches, and the time they were constituted in that city.
As a result of a series of meetings held at Cedarville in 1835 and 1836, by Mr. Frederick, pastor of the Bridgeton Baptist Church, a large number of persons united with that church, and on their application thirty-one persons were dismissed and con- stituted a church at Cedarville, 6th of 9th month, 1836. Dur- ing the last year the congregation have erected a large and elegant building for a church edifice, and a building attached where they hold their First day or Sunday school, which is a very commodious room. The cost of the whole building was nearly $10,000. Wm. A. Durfee is the pastor. There are at present two hundred and thirty-five members.
The Baptist Church at Greenwich was constituted from Co- hansey in 1850, and erected a plain and substantial briek edifice on the main street of Greenwich. S. C. Dare is the pastor. There are two hundred and thirty-seven members.
The Baptist congregation at Newport built themselves a good meeting house within the town a few years ago; the church was constituted in 1855. W. A. Durfee is the pastor, and they have one hundred and thirty-seven members.
Within the recollection of some of the oldest inhabitants of this section of the country, the place where Vineland is now located was a wilderness, where many sportsmen of the towns of Salem and Bridgeton, in the fall of the year, went in pursuit of deer and other wild animals. When Landis purchased the tract of land of the late Richard Wood, it was in its primeval state. IIe soon afterward commenced running out the land into convenient lots, and held out inducements for persons to settle thereon, and many embraced the opportunity from several states-the result is, there is no part of South Jersey that has a more cultivated set of inhabitants than can be found in Vine-
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land. A seminary was built, and good school houses were established; meeting houses were erected of nearly all religious organizations; among them are two Baptist churches, which are rapidly increasing in members. The first one was constituted in 1865 ; N. B. Randall is the pastor, and has three hundred and nineteen members. The second, called South Vineland Baptist Church, was organized in 1871; Wm. W. Meach is the pastor, and it has fifty-six members.
The idea of a High School for the southern part of New Jersey, to be under the control of Baptists, originated with R. F. Young, in 1849, then pastor of the First Baptist Church in Salem. Through his influence a convention was subsequently called, connected with the West New Jersey Baptist Associa- tion, to be held at Salem. To this invitation a number of churches responded. After deliberating on the propriety of the enterprise, passed resolutions touching its desirableness and importance. No corresponding act, however, followed, and the whole project ended. It was revived again at a meeting of the West New Jersey Baptist Association, held in Greenwich in September, 1865. At that time the Association passed the following resolutions :
Resolved, That this Association has heard, with pleasure, of the establishment of a denominational school, for the education of both sexes, at Hightstown, and that in the judgment of this body, the time has come when a high school, for the education of both sexes, should be established within the bounds and under the exclusive direction of the West Jersey Baptist Association.
Resolved, That this Institution shall be located in that place which shall present the greatest inducement.
Resolved, That the minimum amount to be raised for the buildings and grounds of said Institution, shall be twenty-five thousand dollars.
There was a committee appointed at the time, to carry out the objects of the aforesaid resolutions. All the churches belonging to the West New Jersey Baptist Association were represented on the committee; they had power to act as trustees till the next meeting of the Association. The first meeting of the com- mittee was held 3d of 10th month, 1865, at the rooms of the American Baptist publication society, 530 Arch street, Phila- delphia. The following preamble and resolutions were passed :
WHEREAS, The sum of ten thousand dollars has been offered by the following individuals, conjointly, HI. J. Mulford, Isaac W. Mulford, Anna Maria Mulford, Hannah Mulford and Lucy
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W. Mulford, with the understanding that the proposed school shall be located in Bridgeton, their place of residence, respect- ively ;
WHEREAS, This is the highest sum offered for the location ; Therefore,
Resolved, That the school shall be located in Bridgeton, New Jersey, agreeable to the resolutions passed at the late meeting of the West Jersey Baptist Association.
Horatio J. Mulford, in 1868, offered the ground for the Insti- tute on west side of the Cohansey, containing ten acres and forty-two rods, which was cordially accepted, as being ample in size and most eligibly located. This Institute is located on the west bank of the Cohansey. It is built of brick, with a mansard or French roof, and is a great improvement to the city of Bridge- ton. The school was opened in the fall of 1870, and has taken a high rank in the community, and is in a prosperous condition.
SEVENTH-DAY BAPTIST SOCIETIES.
The Seventh-Day Baptists are an ancient religious organiza- tion in the American Provinces. As early as 1662, a large number of Welsh Baptist emigrants, known as John Miles Company, he being their pastor, arrived at Boston, and settled in Massachusetts, and named their location "Swansea," after their native place in Wales. (See Davis' History of the Welsh Baptist). Meeting with persecution from their Puritan neighbors, a large number of their children and grandchildren, with some Baptists from Scotland, moved to South Jersey, in the year 1687, and settled at Barratt's Run, Bowentown and Shiloh. This colony from New England, was known as the "Rev. Timothy Brooks," or the Bowen Company ; and kept up a sep- arate Society until 1710, when they united with the old Cohan- sey Baptist Church. From 1695 to 1700, and subsequently, Jonathan Davis, son of the pastor by the same name, of the Miles Company from Wales, a Seventh-Day Baptist from Long Island, (see Morgan Edward's History,) having married Eliza- beth Bowen, one of the Miles Company, visited his Welsh cousins at Bowentown, Shiloh and vicinity; he gained' many converts to the Seventh-Day Baptist Church. Their numbers were also increased by additions from Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland, and from Trenton, Bonhamtown and Piscata- way, New Jersey. It appears from their old records, that in 1716 these Seventh-Day Baptists had a temporary organization, and held meetings from house to house. Abont the year 1700, Jonathan Davis moved from Long Island and settled at Tren- ton, with his brother Elnathan Davis, who was the Surveyor. General of New Jersey; from there Jonathan made frequent visits to his brethren at Shiloh. Jonathan Davis, son of Elna- than, the Surveyor-General, married Esther, daughter of Isaac Ayars, Sr., of Shiloh, and located near by, and became a prom- inent preacher of the Gospel. On the 27th day of the 3d month, 1737, the Seventh-Day Baptist Church of Shiloh, was organized, with the following articles of faith, and agreement, and the names in the order as they are found in the old records. It
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commences thus: "We, whose names are hereunder written, " do join together upon the articles of agreements following "which includes nine articles of Faith. 1st. We believe that " unto us there is but one God, the Father, and one Lord, Jesus "Christ, who is the Mediator between God and mankind. We " believe the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God." The other ar- ticles of faith I omit on account of brevity. John Swinney, his wife Deborah Swinney, Dr. Elijah Bowen, Deborah Bowen, John Jerman, now spelled Jarman, Caleb Barratt, Abigail Bar- ratt, Hugh Dunn, Amy Dunn, Jonathan Davis, Jr., Esther Davis, Caleb Ayars, Joseph Swinney, Deborah Swinney, Jr., Samuel Davis, Ann Davis, Jane Philips, of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, and Anna Swinney.
It should be borne in mind that many of the Seventh-Day Baptists still held their membership with the First-Day Bap- tists, and hesitated to become contentious members, among whom were Timothy Brooks' two daughters. Some of the consistent members had burial lots in other societies, and were not interred at Shiloh; among this class were the first two names on the list who were buried in the old Baptist burying ground of Cohansey, located near Sheppard's Mill. On a marble tombstone, still standing, are carved the words, "In " memory of Deborah Swinney, who departed this life the 4th " day of April, 1760, in the 77th year of her age." She was the daughter of John Swinney, who was one of the first European settlers at Cohansey. The inscription further states that Deborah was the first white female child born at Cohansey precinct. At the constitution of the church Jonathan Davis, Jr., was chosen pastor ; ruling elders and deacons were also elected officers of the church-the former to look after the spiritual, and the latter the temporal interests of the flock. About the year 1830 the office of ruling elder was discontinued, partly from an unwillingness on the part of some to submit to the close spiritual oversight of the elders, partly on account of the belief that the deacons should attend to the spiritual as well as temporal concerns of the church. On the 24th of 3d month, 1738, Caleb Ayars, Sr., deeded to the church one acre of land, near the village, for a meeting house lot and burying ground ; and a frame house for worship, size forty by thirty feet, was erected the same year. The ministers of the Seventh-Day Bap- tist Church were many of them noted for their learning and piety. Jonathan Davis, of Trenton, was never a settled pastor at Shiloh; his wife was Elizabeth Bowen, sister, aunt and cousin to the Bowens, Brookses, and Swinneys, who resided at
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Bowentown and vicinity. On account of this relationship he frequently visited Cohansey, and preached mostly at Shiloh ; occasionally at the Cohansey Church. History says he was very tall and large in proportion, and was sometimes called "great high priest." Samuel Bowen, of the Timothy Brooks' company, was colleague for many years of the first pastor, Jona- than Davis, Sr. The younger Jonathan Davis continued to be pastor of Shiloh Church till his death, which occurred 2d of 2d month, 1768, in his 60th year. He was suceceeded by Jona- than Davis, of the Welsh tract, now Brandywine, Delaware. He married Margaretta Bond, of Delaware, a descendant of the distinguished Sharpless family, of Chester county, Penn- sylvania. Before settling in Shiloh he founded Newark Acad- emy, which has since grown into Delaware College. This Elder Davis was born 7th of 7th month, 1734, ordained in Shiloh Church 1768, and continued to be their pastor till his death, which event took place in 1785. It was this man, so eminent for learning and true piety, that gave the beautiful name of Shiloh, in imitation "of the Ark of God resting at " Shiloh." Previous to that time the place was called Cohansey Corners. Jonathan Jarman was his colleague for some years, and after his death supplied the church until he moved to Cape May, where he died, but his remains were brought back to Shi- loh for burial. For about two years Thomas Jones, a First-Day Baptist minister, supplied the church, and Deacon Philip Ayars, a prominent member of the church, administered the ordinance of baptism, in the absence of a pastor. In 1786 Nathan Ayars was called by the church, and ordained to the gospel ministry, and remained pastor till his death in 1810. John Davis, youngest son of Jonathan Davis, of Delaware, was ordained in 1807. He continued within the church until 1842, when he resigned on account of age. During his pastorate there were large numbers added to their church.
Azor Estee was the next pastor, who remained nearly three years ; during that time, their records state, there were ninety new members. In 1844, Solomon Carpenter took the oversight of their church, but his transfer to the China mission left them without a pastor. In 1845, Samuel Davison, a convert to the Seventh-Day Baptist Church, took the pastoral charge, and was succeeded in 1848 by Giles M. Longworthy, whose sickness and premature death again left them without a pastor. Enoch Barnes, a convert from the Methodist Church, supplied the pul- pit during the summer of 1850. Elder George R. Wheeler and wife, joined the church under the ministry of Davison, and he
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supplied the church occasionally ; but living at Salem, twelve miles distant, could not perform pastoral labor. Soon after, he became pastor of the Seventh-Day Baptist Church at Marl- borough, located in Salem county near Cumberland line, it being a branch of Shiloh Church.
William Jones became a convert to the Seventh-Day Baptist Church, while laboring in Hayti under the Baptist Free Mis- sionary Society. He became the pastor of Shiloh Church in 1850, and continued there three years. During that time, the present brick meeting house was completed, and dedicated. The old building was donated to Union Academy, and fitted up es- pecially for the wants of that institution, then so prosperous under the principalship of Prof. E. P. Larkin. Their pastor, William Jones, continued after the new meeting house was com- pleted, to hold meetings from night to night, which resulted in a large addition to the church, principally young people. In the year 1853, Jones resigned his charge to go as missionary to Palestine, and was succeeded by Walter B. Gillette, after a successful pastorate of nearly twenty years; during his minis- tration the cause of education advanced, and the present Aca- demic building was erected. He resigned the pastorate to go as missionary in the Western Association. In April 1873, A. HI. Lewis was elected as pastor of their church; during his ministration a parsonage in the village was purchased and re- modeled at a cost of about three thousand dollars. Lewis is above mediocrity as a pulpit orator, possesses great learning, and is affable and pleasing in his address, consequently many joined the church during the last winter. It now numbers about three hundred and seventy-five. In 1827 a Sabbath School was organized, and I have been informed it has continued ever since, uninterruptedly. The old, as well as the young, take absorbing interest in the maintenance of the schools. The first settlers of Shiloh were an intelligent people, and some were graduates of institutions of learning. They soon established a library of useful books in their village school; the higher branches were taught, as well as the rudiments of knowledge, and Shiloh be- came noted for its schools. In 1848, an academy was opened under the management of Prof. E. P. Larkin, which stood for many years as the leading institution of learning in South Jer- sey, and still continues to exert a healthful influence under the care of Prof. G. M. Cottrell. The temperance cause enlisted the feelings of the members of this ancient church. In 1833, their Elder William B. Maxson, introduced the subject in their meeting, and so great an interest was manifested that one hun-
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