USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2 > Part 28
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He remained, however, but four years, resign- ing for the reason, as given to Presbytery, of in- sufficient support. At the meeting which severed the pastoral connection, September, 1734, one Mr. Ingliss (or English) represented the church. Mr. Wales, we have reason to believe, was a devoted and godly man, and though it seems that he had no marked success in this vicinity, we can well assume that his short minis- try was by no means in vain. We read of him afterwards as in warm sympathy with White- field and Brainerd, this fact bespeaking for him an earnest spirit and decided evangelical views. He died, says Webster, in 1749.
From 1734 till the erection of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, in 1738, we have nothing definite or special with respect to the church. At the first meeting of this new body, however, to whose care Allentown was transferred, com- missioners appeared both from this, and the congregation at Cranbury asking for supplies. One of the representatives was John Chambers, said to have been from Cranbury; but while
1 Rev. Joseph Morgan, who then lived in what is now . Marlborough (then Freehold) township.
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
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no such name appears in the record of that church, we know that one John Chambers owned lands adjoining those of Nathan Allen, in this vicinity. Pursuant to this request, Gilbert Tennent, whom Whitefield called that " son of thunder," was appointed to preach at both places. Similar petitions continued to come up, year after year, showing the want of a settled pastor, but at the same time no dispo- sition to allow the Presbyterian interests to perish. As the result of these, the names of Mr. McCrea and William Tennent are on rec- ord as visiting the people and helping on the work.
It was during this state of things that, one came to America who was destined to work great increase to the cause of evangelical religion. This was George Whitefield, who, in Novem- ber, 1739, landed at Philadelphia to commence preaching at once through the colonies. The way was well prepared for his coming; for not only had his fame reached from over the sea, but a great revival also was already in progress. New England was aroused, and the fire then burning spread to Long Island and likewise to New Jersey.
A great and wide door was thus opened for Whitefield, and he went rapidly over the coun- try preaching with astonishing power. Early in 1740, in company, no doubt, with the Ten- nents, he visited Allentown ; and while there is no special note of his success, we may trust that the word spoken did not fail to build up and convert. At any rate, we have cause to believe that by the . stimulus thus received, as well as through the revival influence abroad in the land, the churchi grew in strength, though wanting a regular minister. In the summer of 1741 there appeared before the Presbytery of New Brunswick, Mr. Charles MeKnight, ask- ing to be licensed by that body, and his qual- ifications were such that his license was granted without delay. He soon received offers from Amboy, Baskingridge and Staten Island, none of which he accepted. He continued without a regular charge till 1743, when, at a meeting of Presbytery, August 10th, a call was presented for his pastoral services by the united congrega- tions of Allentown and Cranbury. After hold-
ing the matter in consideration for a year, lie concluded to accept the call, and July 10, 1744, was duly installed pastor of the two churches. Rev. William Tennent preached the sermon, and the services were accompanied with fasting and prayer. But Mr. MeKnight was no sooner settled than an unhappy contest arose between the two places as to where the pastor should reside. Cranbury at first gained the preference ; and accordingly Mr. Mcknight removed thither, and, though in the beginning unmarried, kept house.
On the Minutes of Presbytery, October 15, 1744, is the record that Mr. MeKnight could not attend with the committee to install Mr. Hunter, because he was absent marrying a wife. He, therefore, did not remain single very long. The dispute between the two churches as to the minister's residence continuing unsettled, it fin- ally became so serious that Presbytery was ap- pealed to for counsel. A committee from this body met with the disputants October 12, 1748, and the business was prefaced by a sermon by William Tennent. They advised that the pas- tor should remain at Cranbury, and that the people of Allentown obtain a minister of their own as soon as possible. This latter they did ; but it was Mr. McKnight himself,-he relin- quishing tlie charge at Cranbury, and moving to Allentown iu 1756. After this, he remained ten years,-this his sole charge, save that Bor- dentown appears to have shared one-fourth of his time, on from 1758. For twenty-three years altogether he had care of the church, when he removed, in 1767, to settle at Middletown Point and Shrewsbury. At the latter place, so obnoxious did he become to the British in the Revolution, that his church was burned and himself taken prisoner. After a tedious and severe confinement, he was released, but only to die from the effects of it. January 1, 1778, he passed away, his body being buried in Trinity Churchyard, New York, where his grave may be seen to this day.
Turning to the record of his ministry here, the first important item is the purchase of ground for a house of worship and graveyard, December 15, 1744. William Lawrence, for the sum of five shillings, conveyed to Robert
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Imlay and Tobias Polhemus one acre of land, for the use of thePresbyterian congregation. On this a brick edifice was erected, 1756, a struc- ture which some of the oldest citizens remem- ber well. It served the congregation till 1837. Further, in 1752, a parsonage farm was pur- chased, and however much it contained at the first, it was five years after inereased to more than two hundred and twenty acres. The persons who conveyed it to the trustees were Gysbert Hen- driekson, Leaford Leason and Robert English. The temporal matters of the church were thus in prosperous condition, and we have cause to believe (though with no recorded data to draw upon) that spiritually also there was flourishing and growth. Like pastor like people is an old adage with sound basis of truth, and as Mr. McKnight seems to have been a firm, independent and withal a godly man, we may argue that his twenty-three years' pastor- ate made a deep and lasting impression for good. He no doubt had mueh from the very beginning to encourage. When he took eharge a great wave of revival had just swept over the land, and moreover, he had about him for several years after his settlement that man whose constant prayer it was that he might be a flaming fire in the service of God. We mean David Brainerd, apostle to the Indians of this region. He came from New England, in the summer of 1745, to labor among the red men, still numerous about Crosswieksung. On his way thither he records stopping at Cranbury, and lodging with Mr. MeKnight, of whom he speaks as a " serious minister." After this, so long as Brainerd re- mained in the vieinity, their intercourse was most cordial, and much aid did they render each other as opportunity allowed. All that the pastor could do to commend to Christians at large the missionary's work, pecuniary help when the lat- ter was building the town and church of Bethel, near Cranbury,-a home for the converted In- dians,-these he cheerfully gave, reaping much for himself and churches in return.
May 11, 1746, was one occasion on which the earnest apostle assisted in administering the sae- rament at Allentown. He states that the word then preached was received with deep feeling and that after the public service he was much refreshed by the conversation of Christian friends.
Upon his removal, the church was again to suf- fer from a protracted vacancy. For the long period of eight years there was no pastor living among the people ; but in 1774 commissioners appeared from Allentown in Presbytery to pros- ecute a call to the Rev. William Schenek, a na- tive of Monmouth County, and graduate of Princeton Seminary. From records in possession of a branch of his family, it appears that he had preached much for the congregation prior to this date. He had spent fifteen Sabbaths here before 1772. Indeed, from this time he continued a sort of stated supply-with occasional inter- ruptions-till the call was formally made out as above. There is no minute of his installation ; but from the fact of his removal to the place and occupation of the parsonage, we may suppose that he was regularly indueted as pastor. He evidently remained till 1778, as there is found a record of baptisms administered by him as late as that year. He removed from Allentown to South Hampton, Pa., and after other changes died at Franklin, Ohio, 1823, at the age of eighty-three. Of the character and success of his pastorate among us we have no record. It appears, however, that he gave part of his time to a station at Imlaystown. He mentions the sum of one pound twelve shillings for labors there.
The Rev. Mr. Schenck having removed about 1778, we find that in the spring of the following year a call was presented from Allentown and Nottingham for the pastoral services of Mr. George Faitoute. Of Nottingham, to which he was to devote one-third of his time, this is the earliest mention, and, however the congregation of this place came into being, it was destined for many years to be, to all intents and purposes, one with Allentown. As long as the connection ex- isted there seems to have been one Session caring for both churches. Mr. Faitoute was pastor but for two years, as the minutes of Presbytery record his dismission in 1781. Following his removal there was again a protracted vacancy, the church becoming dependent for three years or more on Presbyterial supplies. These fur- nished the people with preaching once or twiee a month. At length, in the spring of 1784, a call was presented to Mr. Joseph Clark, a grad-
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
uate of Princeton and a licentiate of the Pres- bytery of New Brunswick. Of his previous history we have the following : Mr. Clark was born in Elizabethtown, N. J., October 21, 1751. He early felt the power of religion, and, though apprenticed as a carpenter at the age of seven- teen, strong was his desire for knowledge, and, if possible, to become a minister. Having bought a Latin grammar, he would often, after the day's toil, sit up nearly all night, conning over it by the light of a pine knot. He thus, by hercic effort, fitted himself for the junior class at Princeton College in two years. His collegiate course was, however, interrupted by the war, during which he served several years as a soldier in the army. At the close of the war he returned to college, and graduated in 1781. Having also studied theology two years, he was, in 1783, . licensed to preach the gospel.
He had been sent to Allentown as one of the appointed supplies, and immediately, by his excellent preaching and evident piety, had won the hearts of the people. He did not forthwith accept the eall, but requested time for due con- sideration. We may, perhaps, imagine as the cause of this a precarious condition of health, for it is manifest that in his carlier ministry Mr. Clark was not robust. Meanwhile it was agreed that he preach one year as supply; and having, at the request of the congregation, been ordained as an evangelist, he began his work. Not one, but four years did he thus continue. For this long period he held the call in abey- ance, though all the while acting faithfully and fully as the pastor. He remained in this position till the summer of 1788, when, doubtless to the pleasure of the church, he accepted the call and was regularly installed. The celebrated With- erspoon, together with Rev. Messrs. Woodhull, Smith, Armstrong and Morton, were the com- mittee from Presbytery to perform the duty of formal induetion. Having been thus regularly settled among the people, Mr. Clark became growingly abundant in labor; he was a work- man, earnestly devoted to the work of Christ. His toils were such that they soon told upon his health, and in 1792 lie was obliged to ask Presbytery for supplies that he might take a · season of rest. He was probably much out of
the pulpit for over a year, but in 1794 he was so far recovered as to require no further aid. For two years longer he remained the diligent pastor of the congregation, and then the First Church of New Brunswick laid their choice upon him. Manifestly `the . people were reluctant enough to liave liim go. Commissioner William Ford and Samuel Wykoff, elders, with John Van Emburg and James Imlay, appeared at Presbytery, April 26, 1796, and stated that it must be disastrous to the interests of the church if Mr. Clark be taken away; and he himself showed an excellent spirit in the transaction. He deferred the case to the will of Presbytery, which, at a fall meeting, voted that he ought to accept the call. He complied, and, removing to New Brunswick, there spent the rest of his days, an honored and faithful minister of Christ. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity soon after the change, and was moderator of the General Assembly at its Session in Philadelphia, in the year 1800. In 1813 he died. Tradition states that when Mr. Clark left Allentown, he carried the records of the church, at least those of his own ministry, with him. A fire that soon thereafter destroyed his dwelling consumed the documents, and so perished all written data of the Session and himself.
For four years after Mr. Clark's removal the congregation was destined to be without a pastor. What was the cause of this long interregnum does not appear ; perhaps it was difficult to find a fit successor to the noble preacher just gone away. At length, in the year 1800, the choice of the people fell on Mr. John Cornell, at this time a licentiate of the Classis of New Brunswick, of the Reformed Dutch Church. He was a native of Pennsylvania, born at Northampton in 1774; he began his classical studies, in which heexcelled, at the famous Log College, Pennsylvania, and studied theology under Livingstone at New Brunswick. He married Maria Frelinghuysen, daughter of General Frederick Frelinghuysen, of Somerset County, a lady of great amiability and eminent piety. She proved an invaluable hielp to him as long as he lived. Her labors were constant to advance her husband's usefulness, and among a multitude of benefits, Allentown is indebted to her for the first Sabbath-school
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within its bounds. Altogether she was a rare model of a minister's wife.
At a meeting of Presbytery, June 3, 1800, Mr. Cornell, having accepted the call to Allen- town and Nottingham, arrangements were made for his installation. on the 23d of the same month. Pursuant to this, his formal induetion took place, Dr. John Woodhull preaching the sermon, and the Rev. Joseph Clark delivering the charge to pastor and people. Of the first nine years of Mr. Cornell's ministry we have no Sessional records, and so are much at a loss to know either the condition of the church or the character of his work for this period of time. By. a report to Presbytery, in 1806, the mem- bership seems to have been, in both branehes, only sixty-seven. In 1808 there were sixty- nine. The last report, in 1817, gives seventy- five. From all that is written, covering more than ten years, we can learn that only four per- sons were united with the church, though it must be that the names of some are not recorded. It is stated also that in 1818 the Session resolved to begin prayer-meetings in the eon- gregation; these to be held on the first Monday of each month. In 1820 the pastoral relation was dissolved, and Mr. Cornell went hence to take charge of a flourishing classical school, first at Somerville, and later at Millstone, in Somerset County. At the latter place he died, in the year 1835. He was the father of a large family, the graves of some of whom are beneath the shadow of the church, while those who grew to maturity have proved men and women of eminent qualities. Upon the removal of Mr. Cornell the vacancy was, fortunately, brief, for in the fall of 1820 a call was presented to Mr. Henry Perkins, a graduate of Princeton and licentiate of the Presbytery of New Brunswick. This, without protracted delay, he accepted, and on December 6th of the same year, after well aequitting himself in the necessary trial, was ordained and installed as pastor. Dr. John Woodhull presided at the service ; Dr. Samuel Miller preached the sermon ; Revs. David Com- fort and Eli F. Cooly gave the charges to pastor and people. The union thus formed was to be the longest in the annals of the elinreli, and likewise a most fruitful one. The minutes
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of his long forty-three years' pastorate show from beginning to end a steady inerease and pros- perity. When he began, the communicants here and at Nottingham were a sum total of seventy-five, of whom forty-eight belonged to Allentown. When he closed his labors in 1864, by reason of failing health, the number was two hundred and forty-nine. He had received to the church five hundred and fifty-eight,-an average of fifteen for each year of his ministry.
Looking over the Sessional record for other matters of interest, we find the following to have been elders at the date of his installation. They were David MeKean, Robert Vander- beek, Cornelius Vanderbeck, Ebenezer Smith, Samuel Wikoff, Peter Wikoff, Amos Hutehin- son, James Hughes, David Cubberly and Theophilus Forman. In the minutes of 1830 appears a notable resolution. Its purport is that the Session, marking with pain and alarm the spread of intemperance, bind themselves to ab- stain entirely from the use of spirituous liquors, except as a medieine. 1831 mentions the forma- tion of a missionary society to be governed by Session, its object to promote liberality and ex- tend Christ's kingdom in foreign lands. It had an honorable career, proenring generous eontri- butions, but no record of the society is found after 1846.
The house of worship erected in 1756, and having sinee that time served the use of the congregation, was now coming to be felt un- suitable, and in 1837 it was resolved to build a new edifice on the same ground. This marked the passing away of a struetnre about which elustered most hallowed and memory-quiekening associations. Its high, elosed pulpit, duly equipped with antique sounding-board, had been honored with godly and sainted men. Through four generations of the faithful its almost sky- like roof and walls severely plain had echoed with the teachings of grace, and, at first, with the Psalms of David in the Scottish version. In its straight and high-backed pews, some of them forming a hollow square, had worshiped many of the noblest people of the region. The names of Lawrence, Montgomery, Forman, Polhe- mns, Wikoff and Imlay were among the car- liest who in them worshiped God and made
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
ready for eternity. But the old house, which some yet remember, must give way to the new, and the latter was speedily in process of erec- tion.
In 1840 the long-existing relation between Nottingham and Allentown was severed. This left all of Mr. Perkins' time to Allen- town, which provided scope ample enongh for the fullest labor he could perform. In 1842 and thereafter he appears to have been called . into conflict with a Mormon invasion. The followers of Joseph Smith, then eentered at Nauvoo, Ill., had sent missionaries to this region and also in and beyond the section of Cream Ridge, who were much disturbing thie peace and minds of the people. Some two or three had been drawn away from this eom- munion, and the excitement was rising when Mr. Perkins felt constrained to put himself in the breach. His fearless, unflinching conduct is remembered, and the result was a powerful blow against the spread of Smith's obnoxious doctrine.
In 1858 the house of worship was enlarged to its present dimensions to meet the wants of the increased congregation. After this nota- ` ble ministry, some time before the elose of which Mr. Perkins received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Princeton, with the highest love and confidence of the people, expressed in fit- ting resolutions, he, in 1864, retired from active labor. Immediately upou his retirement steps were taken to secure a successor.
After a few montlis the congregation resolved to extend a call to the Rev. K. P. Ketchiam, then pastor of the church at Tuckerton, this State, and a graduate of Princeton. As the re- sult, he was duly installed pastor in the fall of the same year. About the time of his coming, the southern section of the congregation, living about Cream Ridge, withidrew to establish a church among themselves, and so Allentown be- came the parent of another and, as it has proven, flourishing congregation. The parsonage farm also was sold by will of the people to Mr. Abel Cafferty, and a parsonage proenred within the village. Mr. Ketcham remained some six and a half years, when, in 1871, he accepted a call to the First Presbyterian Church of Plainfield, · N. J.
In the winter following Mr. Ketcham's re- moval the congregation, by unanimous vote, decided to call as pastor Mr. Lawrence M. Colfelt, then a student in the seminary at Prince- ton. Having regularly finished his studies, he accepted the invitation, and was installed May 9, 1872. His pastorate was destined to cover less than two years. March 9, 1874, the eon- gregation met, and after expressions of deep re- gret, resolved to unite with Mr. Colfelt in ask- ing a dissolution of the pastoral relation. He had accepted a call to the venerable and im- portant charge of the First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, to which field he carried the warmest wishes of the people for his success. Mr. Colfelt's removal was followed by a vacancy of about six months, when the Rev. George Swain, then over the Gates Avenue Presbyteriau Church, of Brooklyn, became pastor of the church at Allentown, and he still continues in that relation.
Following is given a list of pastors, ruling elders and trustees of this church, viz. :
Pastors.
Eleazar Wales, installed 1730 ; dismissed September 19, 1734; died 1749.
Charles MeKnight, installed July 18, 1744; dis- missed October, 1766; died January 1, 1778.
William Schenck, installed 1774; dismissed 1778; died 1823.
George Faitoute, installed 1779; dismissed 1781.
Joseph Clark, installed June, 1788 ; dismissed April 26, 1796; died 1813.
John Cornell, installed June 23, 1800; dismissed February, 1820; died 1835.
Henry Perkins, D.D., installed Deeember 6, 1820 ; dismissed April, 1864.
K. P. Ketcham, installed September, 1864; dis- missed April, 1871.
Lawrence M. Colfelt, instalied June, 1872; dis- missed March, 1874.
George Swain, installed November, 1874. Still pas- tor (November, 1884).
Ruling Elders.
Mr. Inglis, eleeted in 1734.
Mr. Chambers, elected in 1744.
Peter Covenhoven, elected in 1784.
Henry Harper, elected in 1784.
John Imlay, clected in 1784.
Samuel Wikoff, elected in 1784.
John Silvers, elected in 1784.
James Jackson, elected in 1793.
Peter Wikoff, elected in 1793.
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UPPER FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP.
William Foord, eleeted in 1809. Jacob Fisher, elected in 1809.
Robert Wilson, eleeted in 1809. Samuel Wikoff, elected in 1809. Aaron Hutchinson, elected in 1809. James Hughes, elected in 1809.
Theophilus Forman, elected in 1809. Samuel S. Wikoff, Jr., elected in 1810.
David MeKean, eleeted in 1810. Ebenezer Smith, elected in 1817.
Robert Vanderbeck, eleeted in 1817.
Cornelius Vanderbeek, elected in 1817. David Cubberly, cleeted in 1818.
George Sinclair, elected in 1827. Christopher Van Nest, eleeted in 1827. William Imlay, eleeted in 1832. - Samuel Hutchinson, elected in 1832. John Cubberly, elected in 1832. Samuel W. Croxson, eleeted in 1846.
David M. Cubberly, elected in 1846.
A. A. Howell, M.D., elected in 1859.
John Robbins, elected in 1864. - Samuel F. Fowler, elected in 1868.
Henry R. Taylor, elected in 1868.
John G. Vanderbeck, elected in 1871.
Trustees.
1787 .- Henry Harper, Abraham Hendricks, Tobias Hendrickson, James Bruere, John Imlay, Samuel Quay.
1793 .- James Imlay, Garrett Wikoff, Robert Wilson, Jacob Hendrickson, Abraham Montgomery.
1796 .- John Van Emburgh and John Painter.
1797 .- Jacob Hendrickson.
1805 .- David Hay, Jacob Fisher.
1807 .- Robert Montgomery.
1810 .- David MeKean, William Blackwell.
1814 .- Robert Vanderbeck, Ebenezer Smith.
1815 .- Jeremiah Woolsey, George Holcombe.
1816 .- Cornelius Vanderbeck.
1820 .- Price Bruere.
1823 .- John F. Thompson, William Davis.
1831 .- Peter H. Wikoff, George Sinclair.
1842 .- Garrett R. Wikoff, John Brucre.
1848 .- James J. Conover.
1862 .- Albert A. Taylor, Charles Meirs, Benjamin Fowler.
1864 .- A. A. Howell, George H. Vanderbeck, E. T. Hendrickson.
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