USA > New Jersey > Atlantic County > Port Republic > History of the Methodist Episcopal Church on Port Republic and Smithville charge : also, a sketch of the Presbyterian Church at Port Republic, and the Friends' at Leeds' Point > Part 2
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the sacrament from the hand of her pastor, Rev. J. F. Heil- enman. Tears of joy rolled down her face as she spoke of God's mercy and the joyous anticipations of soon being at home. She was buried at Port Republic; the pastor offi- ciated, assisted by Rev. W. N. Ogborn. The choir by her request sang "I'm Going Home to Die no More" and " I'm Glad Salvation's Free." Thus in life and death she did her utmost to spread the grand old Methodist doctrine of free salvation.
The writer of this present sketch is indebted to this saintly woman for many items of history prior to 1828. She was for many years the only representative of those early days. At the time of her death she had been a mem- ber of the church for seventy-two years.
There are two other names which deserve special mention in the history of this early period of our church: those of Nicholas Vansant and Evy Adams. Mr. Vansant moved to Port Republic in 1825, and Mr. Adams a short time be- fore. Both these men did much to advance the cause of God in the community and, with Mr. Blackman, deserve the gratitude of succeeding generations for their successful efforts to banish from our village the legalized traffic in rum.
Mr. Adams brought up a large family whose influence for religion and morality has been felt in many communities.
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Two of his sons entered the gospel ministry at an early age* Daniel L. joined the New Jersey Conference in 1854 and labored most faithfully and efficiently till called to his re- ward in 1873, while serving the church at Mays Landing, where he was greatly beloved and deeply mourned. John E. Adams has filled some of the most important appoint- ments in the New Jersey, Genesee, and Newark Confer- ences.
Mr. Vansant also reared a large family that has been a power in New Jersey Methodism. Four sons entered and served with honor in the itinerant ranks, Samuel and James in the New Jersey Conference and Nicholas and Isaac in the Newark. Nicholas was powerfully converted when a youth and was sent out as a supply to Bedford Circuit and preached his first sermon December 6th, 1840, the day before he was seventeen years old. December 4th, 1890, was celebrated in St. John's Church, Staten Island, the fiftieth anniversary of his entrance into the Christian ministry.
Each of these fifty years he has taken his appointment and done his work to the entire satisfaction of the church. For eight years he held the office of Presiding Elder in the Newark Conference. Samuel was licensed as an exhorter in 1843 and joined the Conference the following year. He labored with marked success both as traveling preacher and Presiding Elder. He was an eloquent preacher and faithful pastor. He died in 1881. James was licensed as local
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preacher in 1839, and served the church in this capacity till 1856, when he joined the New Jersey Conference, of which he is yet a member. Uncle Nicholas Vansant, as he was familiarly known for many years, lived with his companion to extreme old age. Loved and reverenced by all, they rest in the little churchyard at Green Bank, N. J., awaiting the resurrection of the just.
Bargaintown Circuit was formed in 1828. "At the Philadelphia Conference," for the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight, a new circuit was laid off of the lower end of "Gloucester" circuit and a small part of "New Mills," which included the following places for preaching, viz .: Zion, English's, West's, Absecon, Wrangleboro, Leeds', Simkins', Pine Coaling, Gloucester Furnace, Westcott's, Pleasant Mills, Green Bank, Glass Works, Dutch Mills, Lake, New Friendship, South River, Estell's, Weymouth Furnace, Mays Landing, and the Shore School House."
In the early days Port Republic was known as Wrangle- boro. The origin of the name antedates authentic history, but the supposition is that it was suggested by the character of some of the residents who were frequent visitors at the six public houses in the neighborhood. By this name it was at first designated in the Minutes of Bargaintown Quarterly Conference, but when the seeds of genuine piety had germinated in this seemingly unpromising soil, it bore
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blessed fruit and old things passed away and for many years the church was known as Union Chapel, Unionville. The church at Smithville was known in the Conference Minutes as " Leeds'," but since 1865, when the last division of the circuit was made, the two have been Port Republic and Smithville Charge. The first Quarterly Meeting of Bar- gaintown Circuit was held at a camp meeting at Bargain- town in June, 1828. The first Presiding Elder was Charles Pitman, and the veterans love yet to tell of the wonderful power that attended his preaching. The first preachers in charge were Rev. Waters Burrows and Rev. James Moore.
In warm weather the quarterly meetings were generally held in groves near some of the villages on the circuit and were occasions of great spiritual power. The people came for many miles, and from adjoining circuits. Many yet live who first tasted the joys of salvation on the old camp grounds of Gloucester and Bargaintown Circuits. And Gospel truths ne'er fell on human ear with sweeter sound or greater power than as they came from the lips of Ezekiel Cooper, Charles Pitman, Father Lummis and other holy men in these first temples of the living God, in South Jersey. The places for holding the camp meetings are given in the minutes as near Pleasant Mills, Wrangleboro, Absecon, Tanners' Brook, Zion, Price's Grove, near Bargain- town, and at Joslin's and Weymouth.
At the first quarterly meeting, with thirty-eight mem-
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bers present, it was agreed to purchase heavy articles of furniture for the " parsonage house." Interest attaches to some of the articles bought, as they bring to mind the primitive times of which we write. A pair of andirons, a bedstead and cord were purchased and $1.121/2 were ex- pended in re-bottoming chairs.
There was then no railroad to connect the shore with the rest of the world. A stage line run to Philadelphia, and business was carried on with New York by means of sailing vessels. The preachers made their journeys on horseback with their wardrobe and library in their saddle-bags.
In 1829, when Revs. Ayars and Walker were on the cir- cuit, a class of twenty, mostly young people, were received into the church at Port Republic. Mrs. Ann E. Cake and Mrs. Sabrina Bates were among the number and, so far as known, are the only ones now living. During youth and middle life they were faithful attendants at public service and cared for the interest of the church as they did for their own households ; now weak in body, though strong in faith, they await the summons to join the band that have crossed over.
It was not until April, 1837, the Methodist Society at Port Republic became an incorporated body with the fol- lowing persons as trustees : Nehemiah Blackman, Nicholas Vansant, Gilbert Hatfield, Ralph Ashley, Joseph Garwood, Levi D. Howard, and Abner Gaskill; their incorporate
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name being "Trustees of Methodist Union Chapel at Blackman's Mills." The society now decided to build a new church. An acre of land was accordingly purchased for ten dollars from Felix Adams and Sarah, his wife, for this purpose. A part of the ground was used as a ceme- tery. A two-story brick building was erected; most of the brick were made from clay found on the land of Jesse McCollum. The lower room of the church was for many years used as a public school room.
Hammonton and Winslow first appear as appointments on Bargaintown Circuit in 1835; after 1839, these two places, with Gloucester Furnace, Westcott's and Pleasant Mills are not mentioned in the Minutes, and it is presumed they were formed into a separate circuit. After 1851, Mays Landing, Weymouth, Catawba, Shore School House, Joslin's, and Estleville disappear from the record. In 1855, Absecon Circuit was set off with Absecon, Oceanville, Smithville, and Port Republic as preaching places. Isaac Felch was Presiding Elder, and David Teed, pastor. In 1862, Salem was added to Absecon charge, and so con- tinued for three years. During this brief time, the charge was again served by two ministers ; previous to this, each appointment had been filled every other Sunday, at least by local preachers, and in the very early days much oftener than that. Under this regime, the cause prospered, and new societies were formed.
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At a quarterly conference, held at Port Republic, Sep- tember 23, 1854, J. F. Morell, J. P. Cake, and John R. Doughty were appointed a committee to look after the interests of our church at Atlantic City. Next meeting, this committee reported in favor of establishing an appoint- ment there. Rev. David Teed, who succeeded Mr. Morell as preacher in charge, informs us that he used to preach in Atlantic City, in the house of Mr. Chalkley Leeds, before any church was built on the Island.
In 1865, the last division was made, and this has been since known as Port Republic and Smithville Charge.
In 1868, the trustees of the church purchased from James B. Johnson and wife the present parsonage property for twelve hundred dollars, giving a mortgage for over seven hundred dollars. This was subsequently paid, and the whole church property is free from debt. Prior to this date, the preacher in charge had resided at Absecon in a rented house.
SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
David S. Blackman informed me that he remembered attending Sunday school in a barn opposite the house of the late Jas. L. Endicott, in about the year 1820. A school had previously been organized by John Whedon. The church seems to have slowly recognized the importance of
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this branch of work. The first Sunday school report recorded on the Quarterly Conference Minutes was by Rev. Joseph Atwood, in 1841 ; each of the twelve preaching places had well-organized Sunday schools, but all closed in the winter. In 1845, Port Republic and Smithville each reported one hundred members in their schools.
During the years of its history, the church has been blessed with many revival seasons, when the members have been greatly quickened, and souls have been saved. During the pastorates of the following men of God, there have been unusual displays of divine power in the salvation of sinners : Rev. David Duffell and Rev. Wm. Gearheart, in 1840. This revival reached all classes and ages. John W. John- son, then a little boy, David S. Blackman, and John Collins were converted at this time, as well as many others, whose names are not known, who have been influential for good. Rev. David Teed, in 1855-56, had extensive revivals both at Port Republic and Smithville ; Rev. Wm. C. Stockton, in 1860; Rev. M. C. Stokes and Rev. Willis Reeves, in 1865 ; and Rev. W. F. Randolph, in 1870, when one hundred and thirty-seven were added to the church at Port Republic. During his pastorate, in 1870, the first organ was purchased for the church, much to the sorrow of some of the older members, who considered a musical instrument in a Metho- dist meeting house as a very grave departure from old-time
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custom, and a device of the devil to entice souls unto him- self. · One or two even refrained from attending service for a time, to show their disapproval of anything so un-Meth- odistic.
Through the influence of the revival and the indefatigable labors and zeal of the pastor, a new church enterprise was undertaken and carried through successfully. The trustees were: John Collins, Jos. P. Cake, Lardner Clark, David S. Blackman, Oliver P. Hickman, Cornelius Garrison and Wm. A. Johnson. The lot on which the present church stands was purchased from three different parties, viz .: Jeremiah Endicott, John York and Felix Adams. The Building Committee for the new church were: David S. Blackman Jos. P. Cake, John W. Johnson and Lardner Clark. The whole community was deeply interested, and contributed liberally. It is a handsome two-story frame building, eighty- two feet long by forty feet broad, with spire and bell. It cost about $15,000. The upper room is beautifully frescoed. The Ladies' Aid Society raised $1000 toward its furnishing. It is yet a wonder how so handsome an edifice could have been built by a church having so few wealthy members, but the poorest gave what they could, and all were blest in their giving. The men who contributed the largest amounts were n David S. Blackman, Joseph P. Cake and Mark Johnson. Mr. Johnson gave the name of St. Paul's Methodist Episco- · pal Church to the building. A debt was on the church for
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some time, but by a united effort, all obligations were met and the property is free from encumbrance. The corner- stone of the new church was laid July 4th, 1871, and the basement was formally dedicated July 11th, 1872, the Pre- siding Elder, Dr. J. B. Graw, and Rev. Samuel Vansant, officiating. The audience-room was dedicated by Bishop Matthew Simpson in May, 1873. He was assisted in the services of the day by Rev. J. W. Jackson, of Philadelphia, Dr. J. B. Graw, Rev. W. F. Randolph and the pastor,' Rev. J. J. Graw.
Since the erection of the church nothing of special interest or history has occurred, save the usual changes that time brings in its course. Only one member of the Building Committee, Bro. J. W. Johnson, remains with us, Brothers Blackman, Cake and Clark having each entered into their reward, but their works are held in grateful remembrance. During the last twenty years many others have left the ranks of the church on earth, and during the various pastorates many have joined, but the membership at this time is not as large as it was a few years ago, on account of the change of residence of quite a number and their withdrawal by letter; thus while lost to us they swell the number who help forward the cause of God in other places.
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Smithville methodist Episcopal Church.
About 1790 the first Methodist class was formed at Leeds', as it was called on the Quarterly Conference Min- utes prior to 1844, when it took the name of Smithville. Richard Leeds was the first class leader and continued in that office till enfeebled by extreme age when John Smith was appointed assistant. The first meeting house was built where Joseph Turner's house now stands. At a short dis- tance on either side was a house of public entertainment and the worshipers were often disturbed by the music of the violin and the merry feet of the dancers. Measures were soon taken to provide a place of worship in a more quiet neighborhood. No deed could be found for this property but it was sold to Mr. Baremore for $300, as a lot in charge of the trustees of the Methodist Society, and the very room that had been used for worship was transformed into a ball room. The property was afterward purchased by Jas. L. Turner and the voice of prayer and praise was again heard as these early Methodists used to gather at times for
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a prayer meeting in the large old-fashioned kitchen of the good brother.
A new lot was purchased about a half-mile west of the present site from Richard Higbee and wife for the sum of fifteen dollars. The trustees were Robert Leeds, Richard Leeds, William Newberry, Jos. Endicott and Jos. Parker. The purchase was made June 15th, 1811. The deed was recorded in the clerk's office of Gloucester county May 13th, 1820. Richard Leeds, Joseph Endicott and Elias Conover each gave $100 toward building the church, and others contributed as they were able. Two houses were erected on this site. The last one was a small unpainted frame building, vacated in 1870 when the present church was built.
Richard Leeds, we have already stated, was the first class leader.' He was also the first local preacher. The itin- erant was always welcome at his home. His daughter, Mrs. Job Giberson, remembers many who used to travel the circuit in the early days. Especially vivid upon the walls of memory is the picture of the venerable Father Lummis, mounted on a white horse, with his saddle bags at his back, as he made his appearance at her father's door. The ser- vices by the preacher in charge were held on Monday afternoons at intervals of four weeks and sometimes longer. . Mrs. Giberson remembers the day of the famous September gale in 1820. The preacher, Rev. Richard Petherbridge,
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took dinner at Mr. Leeds' and then the family wended their way to the church. On their journey the gale reached home before good Mrs. Leeds, and she found the house unroofed, articles of furniture and wearing apparel flying before its fury and the children in terror.
For many years the religious people were greatly annoyed by a rough class of young men from this and adjacent com- munities who delighted in disturbing their services. But times have changed and the majority of the young men in the vicinity are staunch supporters of the church.
Mr. Leeds was born in 1774. He was a local preacher forty-five years and a local deacon thirty-three years, having been ordained by Bishop George in Philadelphia in 1824. He attended church and assisted in the services until pre- vented by extreme old age. He died May II, 1857, aged eighty-three years and was buried by his own request directly back of the church and near to the old pulpit from which he had so often proclaimed the Word of Life. Rev. Noah Edwards preached his funeral sermon, and in the obituary states that " Few men have had stronger sympathy with, or more fearlessly and ably maintained, the doctrines and discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church."
Half a century ago the older and more influential mem- bers were Richard Leeds and wife, Elias Conover, Jos. Endicott and wife, Benj. Smith and wife, Paul Sooy, Adam and William Conover, Rebecca Smith and Absalom Higbee.
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All these have passed to their reward, and many to whom their memory is precious with feeble steps now press near to the banks of the mystical river. Thus quickly do the years of life pass and the young take up the burdens that have been borne by the middle-aged, and those so lately in their prime crowd the ranks of them who sit in the gathering shadows of life's evening hour awaiting the dawn of the morning of the eternal day.
Rev. David Teed states that among the most active members, when he was on the charge in 1855-57, were Jonathan Smith and wife, John Smith, and Enoch Johnson and wife. This church has recently sustained a severe loss g.m- Bw in the death of Mr. and Mrs. Enoch Johnson. Converted in early life, for many years they were faithful and efficient workers, planning and laboring for the success of the church until called to the rest above. Mrs. Johnson died in October, 1888, and Mr. Johnson in the following February, greatly esteemed and deeply mourned. The present church was built in 1870, during the pastorate of Rev. Henry G. Williams, and cost $4,500. The building lot was purchased of Thomas Bowen, adjoining the old Quaker Meeting House lot. In 1890, during the pastorate of Rev. Charles W. Livezley, the inside of the church was greatly improved and beautified at an expense of between $400 and $500, the last dollar of which was subscribed on the day of re-opening. Revivals have occurred during its
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history ; some have been of great power and extent, notably that in 1856, under the labors of Mr. Teed, when the house was crowded nightly for weeks, and many hardened sinners were powerfully convicted and converted. He was gravely told by some of the members that it was impossible to hold services there at night on account of the rough element who attended to disturb ; but the boys soon learned to respect his muscular Christianity, and declared that Mr. Teed was not afraid of man or devil. Extensive revivals occurred also during the pastorates of William C. Stockton in 1860; J. H. Payran in 1875, and W. B. Osborn in 1888.
This charge has been greatly blessed with faithful, efficient servants of God, as her ministers. Bargaintown Circuit, in 1828, contributed to the Presiding Elder's support, $40.00. The senior preacher received $347.50, and the junior $III.64, and the circuit had twenty-one preaching places. In 1850 the Presiding Elder received $60.00, and the two preachers respectively $357.00 and $307.00. Under these circumstances there was surely little danger of young men choosing the Methodist ministry as a profession where large salaries could be secured for positions involving little labor. When we remember what the church owes to the heroic labors of these veterans of the cross, surely she should give ungrudgingly of her wealth to provide them comfort in their old age.
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The following is a list of the ministers, as far as it has been possible to name them, that have served this charge from its beginning to the present :
SALEM CIRCUIT.
CIRCUIT PREACHERS.
PRESIDING ELDERS.
1796. Anthony Turk.
Richard Sneath.
1797. R. Sneath. John McClaskey from 1796-'s9.
Sylvester Hutchinson.
1800. Richard Swain.
Solomon Sharp (1800) over all
Richard Lyon. New Jersey.
1806. Samuel Budd. Jos. Totten.
GLOUCESTER CIRCUIT.
CIRCUIT PREACHERS.
PRESIDING ELDERS.
1813. Daniel Ireland.
Wm. Smith. Michael Coates.
1817. Solomon Sharp.
Wm. Smith. James Smith.
1819. David Bartine.
· Thos. Davis.
Lawrence McCombs.
1820. David Bartine.
Richard Petherbridge.
BARGAINTOWN CIRCUIT.
CIRCUIT PREACHERS. PRESIDING ELDERS,
1828. Waters Burrows.
Charles Pitman.
James Moore.
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1829. John Walker. James Ayers. 1830. John Walker. Wm. H. Stevens.
Henry White.
1835. Jacob Loudenslager.
1837. ' John Spear.
1837. E. Page. Z. Gaskill.
Richard Petherbridge.
Thos. Neal from 1837 to 1844.
1839. Thos. Christopher. David Duffell.
1840. Abram Gearhart. David Duffell.
1841. Joseph Atwood. Abram Trewitt. 1843. Thos. Christopher. John Fort.
1844. Thos. Christopher. James White.
1845. James White. Levi Herr.
1846. Jacob Loudenslager. Levi Herr.
1847. J. Loudenslager. Brumwell Andrew.
1848. W. C. Nelson. John W. Barrett.
Richard Petherbridge.
Richard Petherbridge.
1850. Philip Cline. Wilson Stokes.
1851. Philip Cline. Josiah F. Canfield. Robert Sutcliff.
John S. Porter from 1845 to 1848.
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1852. J. F. Canfield. Fred. B. Nixon. 1853. John W. Hickman. Jas. F. Morell.
I. N. Felch from 1852 to 1856.
ABSECON CIRCUIT.
CIRCUIT PREACHERS.
PRESIDING ELDERS.
1854. Jas. F. Morell.
Wm. Darrow.
1855. David Teed.
1856. David Teed.
G. F. Brown from 1856 to 1860.
1857. Noah Edwards.
1859. Wm. C. Stockton.
1860. Wm. C. Stockton.
A. K. Street from 1860 to 1864.
I861. Thos. Wilson.
1862. Thos. Wilson. W. E. Greenbank.
1863. M. C. Stokes. Willis Reeves.
I864.
S. Y. Monroe.
PORT REPUBLIC AND SMITHVILLE CHARGE.
PREACHERS IN CHARGE.
1865. T. C. Carman.
1867. James White.
1868. H. G. Williams.
1870. W. F. Randolph.
I872. W. F. Randolph.
1873. J. J. Graw.
1875. J. H. Payran.
PRESIDING ELDERS.
J. B. Dobbins. Samuel Vansant from 1867 to 1870.
J. B. Graw. J. B. Graw. S. E. Post from 1875 to 1878.
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1877. J. F. Heilenman.
1880. C. K. Fleming.
1883. Levi Larew.
1884. W. N. Ogborn.
1886 *. Wm. E. Perry.
1887t. W. B. Osborn.
1888. C. W. Livezley.
189I. C. W. Livezley.
C. E. Hill from 1879 to 1881.
J. B. Graw. J. S. Gaskill.
Milton Relyea from 1887 to 1891.
* To November, 1887. + From November, 1887, to March, 1888.
Presbyterians at Port Republic.
The first church in the village of Port Republic was built by the Presbyterians about a mile west of the present site of the Methodist Episcopal Church and was known as "Clark's Mill Meeting House." A burying ground, in which a few headstones are yet in a good state of preservation, marks the location. Like most of the societies of that time and this part of New Jersey, it claims the saintly John Brainerd as its organizer and spiritual head. In his journal, a precious fragment of which has been preserved, he makes the follow- ing statement :
" FEBRUARY 23d, 1761.
" Preached a lecture at Chestnut Neck. After sermon stayed the heads, or principal members of the congregation, to discourse about building a meeting house."
This conference doubtless resulted in the building of the "Clark's Mill Meeting House," as there is no evidence of any other having been built in the
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vicinity, and the neck of land between Nacott creek and Mullica river was called Chestnut Neck. Rev. Philip Fithian, a Presbyterian minister who visited Egg Harbor in 1775, mentions preaching at "Clark's Mill Meeting House," to an attentive assembly on Monday, February 27th, 1775, and a dollar was raised toward his support. He gives the names of twenty-six Presbyterian preachers who occasionally, and some of them very often, preached as supplies to the scattered societies organized by Rev. John Brainerd through this sparsely-settled section of New Jersey. Among the noted names in the list are those of Brainerd, Tennent, Dr. James Sproat, Boyd, and Green.
Rev. Allen H. Brown, a zealous minister of the same denomination, in 1850 discovered and published many val- uable facts concerning these churches founded by Brainerd; and to him we are indebted for these few facts concerning the first house of worship in Port Republic. In his pub- lished account he says :
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