USA > New Jersey > Hunterdon County > Amwell > The history of the First English Presbyterian Church in Amwell > Part 3
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One of the subscriptions is that of Thomas Reading, who delivered two and one-half bushels of corn at the mill of John Griggs for Rev. Mr. Warford. And Charles Reading delivered one and one-half bushels of wheat at the same mill for Mr. Warford also. And be it remem- bered, in passing, that these two persons were among the prominent and active members of the Church at the time.
In 1784 a subscription paper was circulated in order to raise funds for erecting a new meeting house in place of the two existing under the pastoral charge of Mr. Warford. This was one of several attempts made to get
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THE COLONIAL PERIOD
the Church nearer to the people in and about Flemington. Though liberal subscriptions were made, the object failed, and among the subscribers we have the names of John and Joakim Griggs. A little presumption may be in- dulged in here in two respects. First, that the mill of John Griggs was on the South Branch near the home of the Readings or near Flemington Junction. Second, that John and Joakim Griggs were father and son, or, if not, then brothers. Either relationship would be possible with dates given, and others yet to be produced. But it is evident that Joakim and Samuel Griggs were more deeply interested in the Amwell First Church than this John Griggs. As already noticed their names and that of John were on the petition of 1791, asking for the formation of a Church at Flemington. At the time evidently the two mentioned were members of the Amwell Church, but it is not so clear about this John. They were regular sup- porters of that Church, both being on the subscription papers from 1779-the earliest one preserved up to 1791 -and on that to pay supplies for 89 to 91, as at this period there was no pastor. There is preserved one list of pews in the Amwell Church located and numbered. In the pew "southeast" of the pulpit No. 2, Joakim Griggs has "2" (presumably sittings) and Samuel Griggs has "2."
Earlier yet, we have the name of Daniel Griggs on the subscription of 1753-our oldest Church document in existence. The purpose of this subscription was to pro- cure a parsonage.
It will be perceived from the above that we have a Daniel Griggs and a John Griggs, not included in our information derived from members of the family. That
30
AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
these two persons belong to an earlier generation, or to two generations in the same family, is very probable. Evidence for this is their interest in the same Church, and especially the recurrence of the same Christian name in later generations. The date of 1753 would allow this Daniel Griggs to have been the father of John Griggs of 1779 and 1785, and grandfather of Joakim, providing he was an old man at the time; or this John and Joakim may have been brothers or cousins. Be that as it may, we find the names, presumably of one family, on record from 1753 to the end of the century. And we find the names of the same family at the present time. There is evidence of devotion to the interests of Church all through her earlier history and we have decided evidence of the same interest on the part of this family in all departments of the Church's claims to-day.
NOTE .- The above statements of this family, as well as similar ones of some of the other families, are here recorded as important facts in this history, although they are not as clearly digested as we wish had been the case. But they are gathered from perishable papers, not easily accessible to any who may be personally interested, and here inserted for their preservation.
THE HENRYS.
Another family on the ground in the early days of the Church's history is that of Michael Henry. Although the name has not appeared on our records for many years, Mr. Henry deserves a place in this history as among the first members of the Church. In fact, his name stands second in the roll of our elders. And from the Minutes
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THE COLONIAL PERIOD
of the Presbytery of New Brunswick we have the inter- esting fact that at the first meeting of the Presbytery in Amwell, which was in the second year of its organization, October 11th, 1739, the Presbytery held its first session in the evening of that day at the house of Michael Henry.
His name occurs again as one of the managers of a lot- tery held in 1749, for the purpose of raising funds to "finish the Presbyterian meeting house and to purchase a parsonage." We next have his name on that noted sub- scription paper of 1753, where we find Mr. Henry bear- ing his part in raising funds for that same parsonage. The name in his will, which is on record at Trenton, is spelled Henarie, and this spelling occurs on a duplicate of the subscription paper above mentioned.
In 1756 Michael Henry is named in the records of the Presbytery, among the elders in attendance at that meet- ing.
These facts have been long familiar to all who have had to do with the Amwell Church, and their importance gladly recognized in this history. Among the new facts more recently discovered was the burial place of Mr. Henry. To this is to be added the more interesting fact that Michael Henry is the ancestor of my friend and classmate, the Rev. J. Addison Henry, D. D., of Phila- delphia. The remains of Michael Henry are interred in a private burying plot, known as that of the Rowe family. What relation, if any, existed between the Rowe family and Mr. Henry, I have not been able to discover. The plot referred to is about twenty feet square, inclosed by a common fence, and is situated between the South Branch of the Raritan and the Flemington branch of the Central
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
Railroad of New Jersey. Its location is near the village of Three Bridges, Hunterdon County. Four members of the Rowe family are buried here, which are marked by a small granite obelisk. These are Jacob, who died Feb- ruary 15th, 1851, Christopher, who died April 25th, 1833, aged 77 years, Ida, wife of Christopher, died Oc- tober 31st, 1839, aged 81 years, Abraham, son of Chris- topher and Ida, who died October 12th, 1790, aged 3 years. The other two graves are those of Michael Henry and Jean, his wife. They are marked by small brown stone slabs bearing the inscriptions as follows:
Here lie the Precious Remains of Michael Henry Who Died December 1760 Aged 77. The truly Pious Faithful, Loving Friend Who persevered in every Christian Virtue to the End.
With other testimony to his worth.
On another and similar slab we have:
Here -
lie
the Precious Remains of Jean Henry, wife of Michael Henry Who died June - 1761 aged 67 years.
The accomplished Friend, ye Christian, Mother, Wife, Shone with ye brightest Charms thro' all her Life.
33
1
THE COLONIAL PERIOD
Quaint as are these inscriptions we look upon them with deep interest, as we recall the important places the sub- jects of them filled in the early Church. How that inter- est deepens as we trace back to them one of our grandest and most useful and honored ministers of the Gospel. More delightfully true is that to me. Since this minister, Dr. J. Addison Henry, and I sat together as students in college and seminary at Princeton for six precious years. And, again, while I was settled at Strasburg, Pa., meet- ing in the same Synod, and during which I was frequently made a welcome guest in his charming home, and some- times having the added pleasure of occupying his pulpit. A very rare instance of this fellowship came to me in later years, 1895, in the city of London, when the omnibus in which I was riding with Mrs. Kugler stopped and the passenger who entered was Dr. Henry. That the greet- ing was cordial need not be stated, and the more surpris- ing because neither of us knew of the other's presence in the city.
As I am revising these pages this year, 1907, and add- ing here and there a newly discovered fact, there came to me yesterday, from Princeton Seminary, the record of her sons who died during the previous year. In this record of her honored dead is found the name of Dr. Henry.
The leading facts of that record are already known by the Church. Briefly, they are these: Dr. Henry was born at Cranbury, N. J., October 28th, 1835. He graduated from Princeton College in 1857, and from the Seminary in 1860. He was installed pastor of the Princeton Church, Philadelphia, June 5th, 1860, and continued in charge of the same until his death, which occurred at 3
34
AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
Asbury Park, August 8th, 1906. He was honored with the degree of D. D. by Centre College, Kentucky, and Washington and Jefferson College, Pennsylvania. This latter college conferred on him the degree of LL.D. in 1905, and he received the title of S. T. D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1906 just before his death. He was Commissioner to the General Assembly seven times, and the General Assembly meeting in Buffalo in 1904 elected him as her Moderator. He was also a trus- tee of Princeton University from 1883 until the time of his death, and one of the trustees of the General Assem- bly. The Church bestowed on him many other offices and honors, but none of these was held by him in higher esteem than that of pastor of the Princeton Church, which office he held, and whose duties, with love and faithful- ness, he discharged for the long period of forty-six years. During these years this Church grew under his nursing care and by the blessing of the Master from infancy to be a leading Church in strength, activity and influence. Naturally it is a matter of personal interest to me to know that this classmate is by descent a son of the Am- well First Church. His sister-in-law, Miss Steen, visited me in 1905 to get the facts of his ancestry as related above.
Dr. Henry traces back to Amwell First as follows: He was the son of Rev. Symmes Cleves Henry, D. D., of Cranbury, and Catherine Rowley, his wife; the grandson of Colonel James Henry, of Lamington, N. J., and Abi- gail Woodruff McCrea, his wife; the great-grandson of David Henry and Mary Rosborough, his wife. David was born in 1728, probably at Amwell. He died Janu- ary, 1783, asd was buried at Lamington. J. Addison was
a
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THE COLONIAL PERIOD
the great-great-grandson of Michael Henry, and Jean, his wife. It may be noticed that the age given of Michael Henry carries his birth back to 1683, while the date of Dr. J. Addison's death in 1906 extends our record of the family to a period of 223 years, the greater part of which was passed in America.
1199564
THE PRALLS.
Of these old families no one has been more uniformly identified with the Church than the Pralls. They were here at the beginning and they are with us to-day. At present we have Deacon William Bellis Prall and his brother, Elder Abraham Prall. And at the one hun- dredth and sixtieth anniversary of the Church, 1898, they both had children on the roll of the Church, and William had grandchildren. Going back to the earliest known date of the family in America we give the record only so far as it concerns the ancestry of those connected with this Church.
Arent or Aaron Praal owned land in Staten Island in 1684. Peter Praal, a son of his, born date unknown, who died October 27th, 1748, was an assessor in Staten Island in 1702. He came to Amwell between 1711 and 1716. In 1716, May 25th, he purchased 750 acres of land in Amwell. His son, Pieter Praal, born March 29th, 1700, and died May Ist, 1761, belonged to the last generation in which the German spelling of the name was practiced. His son, Abraham Prall, was born February 6th, 1723, and died June 9th, 1812. Peter A., son of his, was born June 3d, 1751, and died March 2d, 1829.
The next generation we have Abraham again who was
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of on
of vid nu-
36
AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
born November 21st, 1770, and died June 21st, 1851. And his son, Abraham, born December 9th, 1811, and died September 6th, 1843, was the father of William Bellis Prall, born April 10th, 1834, and his brother Abra- ham, one of our elders. William B. Prall died January 26th, 1906. Of Pieter Praal born March 29th, 1700, we have the interesting fact that he gave the land for the old Church, and also for the cemetery within whose walls the old Church was situated. In this venerated spot sleep the dead of the Church and congregation for many generations. It contains the remains of many noble pa- triots of the revolution, and of many valiant soldiers of the Civil War. By this generous act of Pieter Praal, the family is closely identified with the Church in all its sub- sequent history. 1
William B. and Abraham Prall represent the sixth generation of the family in the Church from the time of that generous gift, and the eighth generation of the fam- ily in America. Remembering that these brothers have baptized grandchildren, we can say we have eight genera- tions of the family in the Church. This is truly a very interesting fact, and I am convinced, a very unusual one in American Church history.
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Members of this family may be found in many states of the Union. I met one of them in California at the Christian Endeavor Convention in San Francisco in 1897.
A grand nephew of Pieter Praal the early benefactor of the Church was John Prall, born September 20th, 1756, and died September 21st, 1831. He married Amelia Coryell, of Lambertville. This John Prall built the mill at Prallsville above Centre Bridge, now Stockton. He
the ere
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THE COLONIAL PERIOD
was a member of this Church when it stood on the hill, where his great uncle had given it a plot. And not- withstanding the distance of ten miles away, to this day the statement is remembered and repeated to his credit that he was noted for his regularity in attending the Church. He would be found in his place, almost without failure, both winter and summer. His remains and also those of his wife lie in our cemetery. I was impressed by the unique inscriptions on their tombstones and copied them, before I had learned the interesting fact just stated. They are as follows :
John Prall-A Christian, a philanthropist and a pa- triot.
The other is Amelia Prall-Sixty years a Christian. Records like these well authenticated are an honor to any Church. During my pastorate these brothers did very much to show the continued attachment of the family to the Church and their interest in its welfare.
THE READING FAMILY.
In a subordinate sense the families I have named, with others, whose record has passed out of sight, have con- stituted the "towers and bulwarks" of this Church for generations. It has seemed becoming that we should "mark them in our Walk About Zion."
There is yet another name no longer represented among us, yet by common consent, holding, in the early days of the Church, the place of greatest prominence. The ref- erence is to John Reading. Mr. Reading was born June 6th, 1686. It was my purpose, originally, to dwell at length upon the facts of his life. But I recently learned
He
of 50
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38
AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
that Mr. J. Granville Leach, acting for Hon. Stephen B. Elkins,* is now publishing a fuller history of his life than I could possibly give, I, therefore, confine myself to the statement of only a few of the interesting facts of his life, and I do this both because of the fitness of such a record in the history of this Church, of which he was so important a part in the early period of its organization ; and I do it also to show how wide and beneficent the influ- ence of the small, and often lightly esteemed country Church may be. The father of John Reading was also John. He and his wife Elizabeth came to America some- time before 1683, and settled in Gloucester, N. J. Dr. Mott and Mr. Covley give his wife's name as Elizabeth. (The New Jersey Archives IV, page 62, say her name was Rebecca). He was a prominent man in our early colonial history. While at Gloucester he was Clerk, or Recorder of the county from 1683 to 1701. Archives IV, p. 62. We find him a member of the Council in 1706, and again in 1707, (N. J. Archives III, pages 158 and 221). He was nominated as a member of the Coun- cil again in May, 1711, and confirmed in 1713, and held the office until his death in 1717 (Archives IV, pages 62, 171, 333).
From what place in England he came, is not positively known, Mr. Leach asserts that it is almost certain that he came from London. He sent his children, John and Elsie, in charge of his wife, back to England for a better education than could be secured at that time in the col-
*Senator Elkins is a descendant of Elsie, sister of Gov. Reading.
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THE COLONIAL PERIOD
ony. They remained nine years and then returned to America. The father, with two other persons was sent in 1730 to purchase the great tract of land of one hundred and fifty thousand acres between the Delaware and Rari- tan rivers. He also made extensive purchases of land for himself in Amwell, and about this time, 1703, removed to his estate at Howell's Ferry, now Stockton and Pralls- ville. He named his estate Mount Amwell." To Mr. Leach's contention that Mr. Reading the elder, came from London, I wish to say that my belief is, he or his an- cestors came from Amwell, a small village N. E. of Lon- don. Snell (Hist. of Hunt. Co., p. 346) says from 1709- 14, Amwell was one of the three towns that constituted Burlington Co. Hunterdon was set off March 15th, 1713-14 making the Assunpink the southern boundary and Amwell was one of the four towns which lay to the north of it. So far as I have been able to discover, and I have the aid of one of the best authorities* on the State Archives, that there is no mention of the word Amwell previous to its use by the elder Reading to name his estate at Howell's Ferry." The custom of bringing names from home or fa- miliar places in the old home land to the new, leads me to the belief that this is the origin of the name, "Amwell."
A uniform tradition up to the present time has asserted that he was a Quaker, and that at his death, in 1717, he was buried in the grounds of the Buckingham Meeting House, Bucks Co., Pa. Mr. Leach stoutly contests both of these traditions, adding "there is not a scintilla of evi- dence to show that he was a Quaker, but much to the con-
*Mr. Frank Transue of Trenton.
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
trary. In the first place he is never alligned with the Quakers, when they dissent from any action on the part of their fellow citizens." I can confirm this contention from personal examination of the State Archives. Second- ly, he bears military title, as Captain and Colonel, which a Quaker did not. But there is no question about the more important fact to us "that the son, John, during his stay in England, became a Presbyterian, to which Church he was warmly attached until the time of his death" (Dr. Mott's First Cent. of Hunterdon Co.). He was a most liberal supporter of the Amwell First Church, as the meagre documents and subscription lists fully show.
He, like his father, was a surveyor. He was one of the Commissioners appointed to run the State line between New York and New Jersey, July 25th, 1719, Archives IV, page 394.
As a surveyor, he became acquainted with the rich lands in the Amwell Valley. He had formerly surveyed tracts in this valley for parties in Burligton, who were locating lands here.
He improved the opportunity afforded, and purchased for himself six hundred acres along the South Branch, a short distance from Flemington, where he subsequently built the Reading homestead. Governor Reading was noted for his fair dealing with the Indians, and in this way gained their confidence and high regard. He was trusted by them as truly as he was by the whites. He came thus to have frequent dealings with them, and was often employed for purchasing lands from these original owners.
Mr. Reading was recommended by Governor Hunter
was Readingcf
hummel 1767
SILVER CHIALICE. Presented to Amwell Church by Governor John Reading, 1767.
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THE COLONIAL PERIOD
as a suitable person to be appointed a member of his Majesty's Council, November, 1718, when he was only thirty-two years of age. The appointment was confirmed May 31st, 1720. Archives IV, p. 377. He held this office, under repeated appointments, until 1758, when he resigned on account of age and infirmity. Archives IX, 127. He was Lieutenant Governor for two terms, and as the oldest Counselor became Governor, by virtue of this position on the death of Governor Hamilton in 1747, being the first native born Jerseyman to govern the prov- ince.
Again, on the death of Governor Belcher in August, 1757, he was Governor for the second time, holding the office until the arrival of Governor Bernard in June, 1758.
His name heads the list of the trustees of Princeton College, under the new and more liberal charter granted by Governor Belcher in 1748, when the college was trans- ferred from Elizabeth to Newark.
"His influence, services and money were freely be- stowed to lay the foundation of religious privileges, edu- cational advantages, and national freedom."-MOTT.
Mr. Reading married, November 30th, 1720, Mary, daughter of Yoris or George Ryerson, and Ann Schoute, his wife, of Pequenac, Passaic County, N. J. Governor Reading died November 5th, 1767, in the 8Ist year of his age, and is still "remembered for what he has done." Mrs. Reading died April 17th, 1774, aged 78 years. They are buried, as are many of their kindred, in the old Am- well burying ground, near to the spot where the old Church stood. Over the grave of the Governor and his wife was erected within a few years a monument of Quincy
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
granite, by John G. Reading of Philadelphia, and Frank- lin Reading of Williamsport. The monument states that Mr. Reading's death occurred November 7th. But Mr. Leach discovered an obituary notice, printed at the time of his death, and almost certainly written by Rev. Wil- liam Kirkpatrick, pastor of the Church at the time, which says the death took place on the 5th of November. The closing paragraph of the obituary reads "He manifested an high regard to religion, and was a constant attendant on public worship; was Catholic in his sentiments, and loved good men of every denomination of Christians."
While Governor Reading is gratefully remembered as, perhaps, the most liberal benefactor of this Church in its early days, there is no one gift of his that stands out so distinctly and awakens so much interest to-day as that which he made just before his death.
In a codicil to his will added October 29th, 1767, only one week before his death, we have the statement.
"I give also the sum of ten pound proclamation money towards the making of a silver chalice, or such other need- ful Church utensil for the use of the Eastern part of the Presbyterian congregation in the township of Amwell in the administration of the Lord's Supper." These cups are of heavy hammered silver, and still in a perfect state of preservation. On one of them, is the following in- scription : A Gift of the Honorable John Reading, Esq., deceased, to the Eastern Presbyterian Congregation in Amwell, 1767. They came into use during the pastorate of the Rev. William Kirkpatrick to whose pen we ascribe the obituary notice of Mr. Reading, to which reference has been made. These cups are still in use in this Church,
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THE COLONIAL PERIOD
as they have been for one hundred and thirty-three years. There are, I am sure, few objects of deeper and more sacred interest, or more venerable with age, in the whole Presbyterian Church in America, than are these conse- crated vessels of the Sanctuary. They have passed through the hands of fifteen pastors of this Church, besides many who have supplied the pulpit, when the Church was with- out a pastor. Among these, was the venerable John Witherspoon, D. D., President of Princeton College who administered the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in this Church, June 21st, 1789. And now 1910 at the revision seventeen pastors and 145 years. Your parents and grand- parents to the third and fourth generation who now "asleep in Christ," have pressed them to their lips, and taken from them the consecrated wine. What a chain of tender associations between the living and the dead, do they suggest! How blessed to feel, as "we receive" from these sacred vessels that we are communing with our Lord, and with those who have gone to commune with Him in his Father's Kingdom.
Was Governor Reading a communicant member of this Church? This question was asked by his biographer. We have no records in existence to which we can appeal for an answer. But it seems to me that these communion cups do give answer. They certainly testify to his appre- ciation of Christ's death for our redemption, and of the blessed Sacrament by which that death is commemorated. And whether a member of the Church or not, we have here an act of faith and devotion, that would adorn the profession of any Church member; which, with many oth- er acts of his, for the furtherance of the Church leads us
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
to regard him as numbered with believers, who consti- tute the Church of Christ.
The relation of Governor Reading to the Church and State seems to warrant me in adding a few statements con- cerning his family.
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