USA > New Jersey > Hunterdon County > Amwell > The history of the First English Presbyterian Church in Amwell > Part 7
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There were many, doubtless, like the Mattisons, an- cestors of Mrs. Elizabeth Bonnell, widow of Vice-Chan- cellor Van Fleet, who when I chanced to ask her what of- ficial positions these ancestors of hers had filled, said, "Oh, they just fought and bled for their country." As we look back to-day and recall their devoted fidelity under trials hard to be born we count this honor enough surely.
However we are especially concerned with the Church itself, and her record. We can well conceive that the struggle for national freedom, imposed burdens numerous and heavy to be born, upon the Church in her own sphere of action, but without definite facts before us, this concep- tion will come far short of the actual condition. Bear in mind that Mr. Warford had been installed the same month in which the Declaration of Independence had been made. From that time onward the whole country was in- tensely occupied with national affairs. He was only the fourth pastor installed over this church and but twenty- eight years from the installation of the first one. The seven years immediately preceding this installation-the
96
AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
Church had been without a pastor, in which condition a church is uniformly losing more or less of its vital force. Two of these former pastors had died on the field, after a period of only three years service each. This undoubtedly indicates great hardships and exposures connected with the service. These hardships often befel the membership as truly as the pastor.
These difficulties were greatly augmented by the state of the finances of the colonies, diminishing as this did the resources of the Church. Added to this, the Church was never fully finished and consequently although the Church building had been on its foundation only thirty-seven years, it was already needing repairs. The Rev. Mr. Warford was called on a salary of £100 per annum from the two Amwell Churches, £50 to be paid in semi-annual payments.
The congregation had from the first provided a parson- age for their pastor. We learned this, as you will recall from the object stated in ordering a lottery to be held in 1749. This occurred before there was a pastor on the ground.
Again in our oldest subscription paper that of 1753, there is a vigorous effort made to supply this need. When the parsonage was secured, there was connected with it, a piece of land which they always speak of as a plantation. When the pastor Rev. William Kirkpatrick died in 1769, his widow Margaret Kirkpatrick, with her two children, was allowed to remain in the parsonage free of rent, so long as not needed by a successor to Mr. Kirkpatrick. This was indeed becoming and generous treatment.
The generosity, however, received a spot on the feast
a ar di
m ta
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INTERMEDIATE PERIOD-1776-1820
of charity. At the annual meeting of the congregation April 22nd, 1773, it was mentioned that leave had been given Mrs. Kirkpatrick in April, 1770, to occupy the par- sonage free of rent until the congregation should settle another minister. At the meeting now held, considering their former action, they think the minute before made was not fully expressive of the true intent of the vote then taken. That intent was, that Mrs. Kirkpatrick might have leave to occupy the parsonage for one year free of rent, unless a minister should be called, and it is the sense of this meeting that Mrs. Kirkpatrick ought to pay a rea- sonable rent to the said congregation since April, 1771, and that Mr. Mattison serve Mrs. Kirkpatrick with this minute.
Mr. Mattison reported that he had agreed with Mrs. Kirkpatrick, "that as she has put up two hundred rails within two years, if she buys and puts up five hundred more rails this year, it shall be in full for the rent of two years last past." Also agreed by Mrs. Kirkpatrick to give ten pounds paper money for ye year, and to have ye privi- lege of sowing ye field over ye brook with winter grain. But amid the present stringency and impending hardships there occurred a charming piece of romance connected with Mr. Warford and the inmates of the parsonage.
When Rev. John Warford came to Amwell fresh from his studies at Princeton, unlike most young clergymen of more recent times, he seems to have been free from all en- tangling alliances. Once on the field, he took in the situ- ation. It was not in his heart to displace Mrs. Kirkpatrick and her children, by bringing a wife to the parsonage. He did the vastly better thing. 7 He went to the parsonage
98
AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
for a wife. So in due time, he and Margaret, the widow of the Rev. William Kirkpatrick were united in holy wed-" lock. I am sure a new joy came into that parsonage from that union, the exact date of which I have not been able to discover.
We may be equally sure, that notwithstanding the stringency of the times, and the impending hardships and privations awaiting the pastor, he found unfailing help and encouragement in this wife whose wise management and resourcefulness, have already been manifest. And for the impending hardships, they had not long to wait.
As previously stated the minute book of the trustee and congregation is no longer in existence, but from 1779 we have some unengrossed minutes of congregational action, also several lists of pewholders and other subscription pa- pers. In such a minute dated Jan. 21st, 1779, we have the record of the following action : "Whereas the Prices of Country produce are much risen to what they were when the Rev. Mr. Warford settled in Amwell, when his con- gregations agreed to pay him a salary of one hundred pounds per annum, to which we respectively subscribed or engaged to pay. We who had subscribed or taken seats in order to pay the salary, now engage to make up our re- spective engagements in produce, at the price they respec- tively bore when we made such engagements. Or to pay as much money as will purchase such, or so much produce. And this to commence from October last past. Witness our hands the 21st January, 1779.
JASPER SMITH.
The prices prevailing in 1776are then annexed-Wheat 7/, which means 7 shillings; Rye 3/9, is three shillings
--
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INTERMEDIATE PERIOD-1776-1820
nine pence; Oats at 2/, Corn 3/6, Buckwheat 2/, Hay 6/ per ton, best sort. Of course this was the coinage of the Mother country. It will be of interest to see the names of the persons making this agreement. They are as fol- lows:
Arthur Gray, Samuel Carman, David Jones, Samuel Furman, David Bishop, Garret Schenck, Abm. Devemer, James Stout, Captain Peter Phillips, Cornelius Stout Major, Samuel Hill, John Phillips, Thomas Reading Ma- jor, David Bartron, Charles Reading Captain, John Read- ing Captain, son of David; Wm. Abbit, Tunis Quick, Wm. Schenck, Abrm. Williamson, Peter Prall, Thomas Lowney, Isaac Hill, James Stout, Jacob Mattison, Jas. Hankinson, Jr., John Hankinson, Thomas Wilson, Jona- than Pidcock, Jacob Bowman, Walter Wilson, Thomas Burrows, Abraham Hagaman, Thomas Hankinson, Dan- iel Wilson and surely Jasper Smith who drew up the pa- per to which he signs his name as here given, considered himself a signer to its obligation. From this date down to the forming of the Church at Flemington, he was the most active man in the Church. A sketch of his life is given by Dr. Mott in his history of the Church at Flemington. It may only be stated here that he was a lawyer and to his care as a lawyer, we owe the preservation of these subscription papers to which we are indebted for the valu- able information they furnish of this interesting period of the Church's history. On the same day January 21st, 1779, on which the above action was taken, we find an- other paper was circulated on which generous subscrip- tions were made. Although the purpose of this act was not then accomplished, we quote a few of its statements.
100
AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
The paper opens as follows: Whereas a good parsonage is of great consequence towards supporting the Gospel and the place in Amwell wherein the Rev. Mr. Warford lives, being small, and but little wood on it, and not capable of much improvement, it is judged best by many to sell it, and purchase a plantation if to be had, that may be suitable and convenient. The persons named to receive the money and make the purchase were-David Chambers, Nathan- iel Hunt, Jonathan Pidcock, David Jones, Tunis Quick, Jr., David Bishop, Cornelius Stout and Jasper Smith.
From the first subscription paper after this meeting of January 2Ist, 1779, we learn that that meeting was a joint one of the two Amwell Churches, as undoubtedly the above names represent both Churches. Although the sub- scriptions as far as made were most generous, there were only eight subscribing, and this movement to sell the old parsonage was abandoned, but not the main movement to secure better accommodations for the pastor.
We are especially interested in this paper, because it as- serts that Mr. Warford was living in the parsonage Janu- ary 2Ist, 1779. This gives us a strong probability that the marriage between Mr. Warford and Mrs. Kirkpatrick had taken place previous to that date.
May 10th, 1779, another subscription paper was circu- lated in the interests of the parsonage. I shall venture to quote this paper also in part, because it seems to me that the tenacity with which the members of old Amwell ad- hered to their purpose, is truly refreshing. This paper reads-"Whereas the parsonage in possession of the Rev. Mr. Warford in Amwell is small, the committee of the two congregations have hired a plantation ad-
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INTERMEDIATE PERIOD-1776-1820
joining the parsonage to be used with it, in order the bet- ter to support the minister. They agree to pay one hun- dred and fifty pounds rent for the year, a part of which plantation is since rented out (so as to ease the congrega- tion) at fifty pounds, leaving fifty pounds a year for each congregation to raise by subscription. And as these con- gregations have heretofore been noted for their zeal in supporting the Gospel, and the hiring of this place, being absolutely necessary for that purpose, the Committee have the highest confidence of the approbation of the congrega- tions in their proceedings. And any overplus money, is to be laid out in repairing the parsonage or the Meeting Houses as the committee may think best. The persons appointed to receive the subscriptions, were Jas- per Smith, Cornelius Stout, Tunis Quick and David Bishop. There were two of these papers circulated (in Amwell First as it appears). There were twenty-one sub- scribers on this paper, and the amount subscribed was six- ty-three pounds two shillings and six pence. I shall not give the names, because they all and many others appear on the first paper next circulated, for the salary. That is, the First Church secured on their subscription circulated for the first time to raise funds for renting a plantation, thirteen pounds, two shillings and six pence more then the £50 required for the purpose. We must now go back a month and give an account of the new methods of paying the salary, each Church paid £50 per annum in two equal payments, April and October. April 23rd, 1779, atten- tion was called to the fact that the salary was due for six months past and collectors sent out.
On this first paper there are sixty-two subscribers, with
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
the amounts each had been accustomed to pay in the cur- rency of the Mother Country, but which they had agreed to pay either in that currency or in produce at the price prevailing before the war, or in full value in continental currency. April 23rd, 1779, the collectors were notified that the half year's salary settled on the pews at the rate of £50 for the year, was now due, and they were urged to collect the same as soon as possible. It is also stated that there had been an addition made at the rate of nine pence in the pound, to each subscriber, to meet the deficiency arising from a number of vacant pews. We add the full list of these subscribers or pew holders, their amounts and in what each paid, whether money or produce :
£ sd
John Reading .. . 0 10 4 Joseph Hankinson 0 10 4 Received £9.18.9 in cash. That is in colonial cur- rency .- John Warford. David Bartron .. 0 14 9 Promised wheat after har- vest.
Thomas Reading 0 5 2
1
Delivered 212 bushels of corn at Griggs' mill. The overplus to be on next collection.
Isaac Hill. . 097
Delivered 15 lbs. of flax to Mr. Warford.
John Reading. . . 0 9 7 Promised wheat after har- vest.
!
Jasper Smith. ... 0 14 5 Not legible.
INTERMEDIATE PERIOD-1776-1820 103
Samuel Hill .... 0 8 10 Delivered 11/2 bushels of wheat at James Stouts' mill for Mr. Warford.
Richard Phillips. 0 8 10 Received 45 dollars towards this and next half year's salary .- John Warford.
Rulif Schenck. . . 0 8 0
C. Reading, Capt. 0 10 4
Promised I bushel and 4 quarts wheat after har- vest. To deliver 11/2 bushels of wheat at Jno. Griggs' mill.
Henry Bailie. . .. 0 5 2
To work to this amount at the old price.
Thomas Lowrey. 1 0 8 Received 53 dollars in cash .- John Warford.
Mary Carman .. 0 8 10 Delivered 4 bushels of oats to Mr. Warford.
Cornelius Stout .. 0 8 10
Promised to deliver 11/4 bushels of wheat at Jno. Stout's mill.
Thomas Stout. .. 0 4 5 Hannah Clark. . 0 4 5 James Clark. . . . O 4 5 James Stout. .. . O 9 6 Promised wheat.
Samuel Furman. O 9 6 Delivered 11/2 bushels wheat at Stout's mill.
James Stout, Jr .. 0 9 6 Jos. Moorehead .. O 7 9
Promised wheat.
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
Arthur Gray. . .. O II 3 Promised to deliver 11/2 bushels of wheat or a little more at Griggs' mill.
Joseph Mattison. 0 5 8
Received of Jos. Mattison £5.8 in cash, and Id, Mr. Warford the same July.
Moses Estey, Jr. 0 5 8
27 dollars 7d for this and next half year's salary, and Estey moved away.
Promised wheat. 1
John Henry . .. . O II 3 Joachim Griggs. 0 10 5 To deliver 112 bushels of wheat ' at James Stout's mill.
Samuel Griggs. . 0 10 4
To deliver 2 bushels rye at James Stout's mill, to be 7-6, 2-10 to be paid next collection.
James Furman. . 0 5 2
Isaac Gray. 0 14 3
Jacob Mattison .. o 9 6 :
Delivered to Mr. War- ford 3 bushels of oats. Promised to deliver at Griggs' mill 2 bushels of wheat.
Delivered to Mr. War- ford I bushel of wheat and one of rye.
Rich. Hankinson. 0 3 II
Paid Mr. Warword £3. 15 in cash.
John Haviland .. 0 7 9 Promised a pair of shoes.
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INTERMEDIATE PERIOD-1776-1820
The following names belong to members South of the Neshanic, as those already given are on the north side or in the Flemington district. This distinction runs through the subscription papers although there may be individual exceptions. The old subscriptions are here giv- en, but how they paid is not stated :
£
sd مـ
Lewis Chamberlin
0
8 0
John Schenck, Capt.
0 8 0
Stout Sutphin
O 4 O
George Hyde
O II O
David Bishop
O
9
7
William Schenck
O 9 7
Cobus Johnson's widow
O 9 7
Sarah Williamson
O 4 IO
John Sutphin
O 8 0
George Prall
O 8 0
John Williamson
O 4 O
Tunis Quick
O II O
Abraham Prall
O II 3
John Prall
O
5
8
Benjamin Prall
0
5 8
Jared Sexton
O 5 8 8
Douck Sutphen
O 5
Peter Prall
0
IO
5
Abraham Williamson
0 IO 5
Jacob Sutphin O
8 8
Derick Sutphen
O
5
8
Guisbert Gulick
O
8 8
Garret Schenck
O 7 9
Isaac Prall
O 8 8
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
Jacob Kershaw 0 3 II 0 10 5
Benjamin Johnson
The subscription paper for the next half year for the Flemington district has not been found. Only a few items need be given for the same period from the paper circulated in the district south of the Neshanic. The sub- scribers and their amounts remain the same as before given excepting that for Guisbert Gulick, we have his estate. And in the payment by Isaac Prall, whose subscription was 8 shilling, 8 pence, we have the Cr. received £17.7.6, rate 21/2 bushels of wheat at 20 dollars continental.
In the collection for October 23rd, 1779, to April 1780, in the Flemington district, we see evidence of the burden of the church from the greater depreciation of the currency. In this paper we have collections for salary in arrears, and also the current dues together with an in- crease of two shillings to the pound, assessed on those who hold pews, to make up for the increased number of vacant pews. Our list of subscribers remains substantially the same, as it was a year before. We only select a few of the name, in order to bring out more clearly the state of things existing. John Reading II shillings, and arrearage for a year preceding £1.0.8. Received in cash 380 dol- lars in full.
Joseph Hankinson II shillings, and arrearage for six months, 10 shillings, 4 pence. Received in cash 256 dol- lars in full. That is, in the colonial currency they paid twelve (12) dollars to the shilling of hard money as they termed the English coinage. Thomas Reading 5/6, re- ceived sixty-six dollars in full. Jasper Smith 10-2, deliv-
INTERMEDIATE PERIOD-1776-1820 107
ered Mr. Warford two quires of paper at three shillings per quire and eighty-six dollars cash in full.
Isaac Hill 9/4, received flax on last collection overpay to 8/7, 9 pence now due. Richard Phillips 9/4, received 7 lbs. of flax badly cleaned, and 51/2 lbs. well cleaned.
Thomas Lowrey, subscription £1.2, received in specie £1.2.6.
Joseph Moorhead 8-3, arrearages for a year preceding 15-6, received weaving 34 2-3 ells at eight pence per ell, £1.3.2. John Haviland 8-3 credit, 1-9 before paid, and a pair of shoes 8 shillings. Dr. Jacob Kirkpatrick in his reminiscences of fifty years, being at one time pastor of this Church, tells also of a pair of shoes extra finish, for Mrs. Warford, but that record is no longer to be found. In the subscription paper for salary for April to October, 1780, only the following need be mentioned, Joseph Han- kinson, salary II shillings, paid by giving 132 dollars; Jasper Smith salary is 10-2, pays by sending Mr. War- ford 15 lbs. of veal at 21/2 pence per lb., making 3 shillings 11/2 pence and 80 dollars in continental currency. Sam- uel Hills' salary 9-4, Mr. Warford receipts for pasturing two heifers.
On the salary list from October, 1781, to April, 1782, we have a new subscriber, William Searles, 4-2. In the list from October, 1782, to April, 1783, we have in place of John Henry, John Henry's estate £1.11.3, showing the death of Mr. Henry, and as was the case with many sub scribers, that his previous salary had not been paid. Also the collector chosen for this period was Isaac Hill, who was charged to collect in hard money only. In the direc- tion on the previous list the collector, Thomas Reading,
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
was informed that Mr. Warford was in great want of money. In the list from October, 1783, to April, 1784, Joseph Mattison is credited with 15 shillings for a wheel- barrow, as part payment of his salary of which there was the sum of £2.14.8 in arrears.
Also in this paper the statement that James Furman had moved to Reading Town, and that William Searles had moved to Lebanon (twp.). In the list for October, 1784, to April, 1785, in addition to the usual heading, we have the statement that at a meeting of the congregation held April 29th, 1782, it was ordered that to make up the de- ficiency arising from the vacant seats, and all deficiency since October, 1778, the Church should levy a sufficient amount on the seats occupied which would occasion an ad- dition of 6-8 in the pound.
This heavy increase showed again the earnest purpose of the church members to sustain the Church. It is the more noteworthy, because the action was taken in the face of many, and large amounts in arrears. This, too, among leading families. Such members as the Readings, Griggs, Hills, Stouts and even Thomas Lowrey who paid the largest salary at this period, and always in specie, are at times in arrears.
This arrearage, in some cases, was as high as four and five pounds, but it was eventually paid .* But we can well understand that in doing so there were cases in which the burden seemed very heavy, because of the depreciated con-
*Of several of these in arrears, it should be said the heads of families had been many years in the army.
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INTERMEDIATE PERIOD-1776-1820
dition of the currency. We may be pardoned for illus- trating this state of the currency by an example from civic affairs.
Snell's History of Hunterdon Co., informs us that Am- well township before the war paid £100 for keeping the poor, and at a later period so great was the depreciation that it required £6000 to pay for the same service.
In the illustrations we have given, our statements have been taken from old manuscripts, with subscribers names, amounts and how and in what it was paid, just as re- corded.
Besides articles mentioned, we find almost every pro- duct of the farm used to pay the pastor's salary, such as hay, buckwheat, oats and apples.
At length the congregation grew weary of this method of paying the pastor's salary, and doubtless he did too.
It was more satisfactory to both to do it, even with the depreciated currency of the colony, when it could not be done in the specie of the Mother country.
Amid these struggles for existence, it was very grateful to the Churches of Amwell, to be aided, as they were by a legacy, even though the amount received was not large. This legacy was bequeathed to the Amwell Churches in 1774. The record reads Samuel Turken, Esq., Executor of Joseph Reed, deceased, late of Amwell, Dr. to the Churches of Amwell.
To a legacy bequeathed said Churches by Jo- seph Reed, and kept in the hands of S.
Turken £50.00.0
IIO
AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
Interest on the same from July, 1775, being one year after the death of the testator to July, 1790 52.10.0
£102.10.0
Deduct four years' interest, from July, 1777, to July, 1781, on account of the war, and depreciated state of the money 14.00.0
£88.10.0
Credits :- Received interest by Rev. Mr. Warford, minister of the Churches:
In favor of the First Church .... £10.16.7
In favor of the Second Church. .
10.16.7
21.13.2
Bal. due £66.16.10
At a meeting of the members of the corporation of the first English Presbyterian Church in Amwell, it was agreed that if the above amount as stated, should be paid without difficulty, they would agree to remit four's in- terest for the reason as above, by order. .
JASPER SMITH, President of the Corporation of First Church.
I shall copy another of these papers, because I believe it will be of real interest to the members and descendants of the Church. You will recall the fact that the old Church, used by the congregation as the place of worship at the time of which we are writing, stood in the cemetery
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INTERMEDIATE PERIOD-1776-1820
where sleep the dead of many generations. It was on the north side of the old York road, and unlike modern custom was placed lengthwise to the road. The entrance was in the side facing the road, and the pulpit in the centre on the north side. There was a large space in the centre aisle to which was carried a large caldron filled with live coals. These were obtained from burning logs outside the Church. This was the only means of heating the Church in the early days of its history. There was neither fire- place nor chimney. The fumes rising from these hot coals often caused persons sitting in the gallery to faint. These facts I have from Peter Young in the ninetieth year of his age, whom I visited at the suggestion of Miss Kuhl of Brazil. She is a descendant of the Church. Mr. Young had lived when a boy, with his maternal grand- father, Peter Gano, near Greenville, as Reaville was then called. This description will make intelligible the paper referred to. This paper contains a list of the pews, and the persons occupying them at the time, the paper being dated 1785. Remembering the location of the pulpit, and the open central space, we can see these ancestor, as they were seated for worship.
On the east of the pulpit north side of the Church :
No. 1-John Reading 2, Lesla Bartran I, Thomas Reading Esq. 2.
No. 2-Jasper Smith Esq. 2, John R. Reading I, Dan- iel Reading I.
No. 3-Samuel Hill 2, Isaac Hill 2, Richard Hill I, Henry Kennady 2.
No. 4-Lewis Chamberlin 2, John Schenck 2, Ruloff Schenck 2.
112
AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
No. 5-
West of pulpit, north side :
No. I-Captain Charles Reading 2, Henry Chapers 2, Titus Quick I.
No. 2-William Schenck 3, Dr. Gersham Craven I, John Runyan I.
No. 3-Mary Carmen 2, Cornelius Stout 2, Widow of John Stout, Jr., I.
No. 4-Jacob Williamson 2, Amos Haseland 2.
No. 5-
Southwest :
No. I-Abram Prall 2, Derick Sutphin I, James An- derson I.
No. 2-Peter Prall 2, Abrm. Williamson 2, Tunis Quick 2.
No. 3-Samuel Furman 2, Widow Stout I, Garret Schenck 2.
No. 4-Jacob Sutphin 2, Ruloff Sutphin I, Samuel Williamson 2.
No. 5-
Southeast :
No. 1-Arthur Gray 2, John Findly I, George Clark I.
No. 2-Joachim Griggs 2, Samuel Griggs 2, Peter Clover 2.
No. 3-Jacob Mattison 2, David Bishop 2, Isaac Prall 2.
No. 4-John Williamson I, Zenos Lanning 2.
No. 5-John Hankinson I, Edward Cooper I.
Following close upon these repeated struggles for main- taining the Church, there came to the parsonage and to congregation also, a day of great sadness.
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