USA > New York > History of the Presbytery of Redstone : organized by the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, Sept. 10, 1781, and under its care till 1788 : a part of the Synod of Virginia, 1788-1802 : of the Synod of Pittsburg, 1802-1881 : and now of the Synod of Pennsylvania, 1881-1889 > Part 1
USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > History of the Presbytery of Redstone : organized by the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, Sept. 10, 1781, and under its care till 1788 : a part of the Synod of Virginia, 1788-1802 : of the Synod of Pittsburg, 1802-1881 : and now of the Synod of Pennsylvania, 1881-1889 > Part 1
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Gc, 974.8 P92r 1082781
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01144 9375
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyofpresbyt00barn_0
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REV. ASHBEL G. FAIRCHILD, D. D. See Appendix.
HISTORY
OF THE
PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE
ORGANIZED BY
The Synod of New York and Philadelphia, Sept. 19, 1781, and Under its care till 1788;
A PART OF -
THE SYNOD OF VIRGINIA, 1788 -- 1802 ; OF
The Synod of Pittsburg, 1802-1881;
AND NOW OF
THE SYNOD OF PENNSYLVANIA, 1881-1889.
1889.
WASHINGTON, PA .: OBSERVER BOOK AND JOB PRINT, 1889.
1082781
PREFACE.
- -
In obedience to a resolution of the General Assembly of 1886, that "Presbyteries be requested to send two copies of their histories to the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly and to the Presbyterian Historical Society, respectively," the Presbytery of Redstone appointed the undersigned a committee to prepare a history and transmit the same to the parties named. In the per- formance of this duty the committee prepared and forwarded the history of the Presbytery to the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, and also to the Historian of the Synod of Virginia. In preparing the history they did not hesitate to draw largely from all reliable sources within their reach. It was read before the Presbytery in the fall of 1887 and approved, and the Presby- tery directed that the history and the accompanying histories of the several churches secured by the committee, be published in permanent form if satisfactory arrangements could be made.
These arrangements having been completed, the committee have issued this volume. A history of woman's work in the Presbytery, a list of candidates, licentiates and ministers, and the dates of their connection with the Presbytery as far as could be ascertained, and a few personal sketches in connection with the phototypes, are added.
The committee cannot forbear expressing regret that this little book gives such an inadequate view of the pioneer work of this earliest of the Presbyteries west of the Alleghenies. They
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
became more and more impressed with its defects as the prepara- tion of it was drawing to a close. But the imperative demands of other duties forbade the research necessary to gather addi- tional materials and properly sift and arrange them, or even to re-arrange what were already in their possession. They send it out hoping that in some small measure it may preserve facts and give a better understanding of the faithful, self-sacrificing and consecrated labors of the Fathers, and strengthen the faith and increase the consecration of those who are building on these foundations laid so deep and broad by the laborers who rest from their labors and "their works do follow them."
JOHN M. BARNETT, JOHN C. MELOY, EBENEZER FINLEY,
COMMITTEE.
HISTORY
OF THE
PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
ORIGIN OF NAME.
Redstone Presbytery is said to have taken its name from the rocks in the banks of Redstone Creek, one mile below Browns- ville, Pa. It is supposed that a vein of coal in that locality was set on fire at an early day, either by the Indians or by friction caused by a land slide. In course of time the fire died out leav- ing the banks reddened by its heat. They present a very pecul- iar appearance and are quite an object of interest to any one fond of natural curiosities.
BOUNDARIES AND EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The Presbytery originally was practically bounded on the east by the Allegheny mountains, on the north by Lake Erie, on the south by Virginia and on the west by the setting sun. It embraced what was called the "Great West," the vastly larger part of which was at that time a "terra incognita."
The Synod in passing the order for the new organization as- signed no geographical limits, and named no churches save only Laurel Hill and the four Ministers west of the Allegheny Moun- tains, one of whom was in Westmoreland county and the other three in Washington county, which was organized as a county shortly after the act was passed.
Previous to its organization the first parts of the country settled, were portions of what is now embraced in the counties of Washington, Fayette, Westmoreland and Allegheny, together with the regions along the Monongahela and Ohio rivers and
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
their branches and later along the Allegheny to the shores of Lake Erie and westward to the Muskingum, Sciota and Cuyaho- ga rivers. The first settlers were of Scotch-Irish descent, who had come from the east taking up lands, clearing out farms and building log houses until such times as they were able to pro- cure more comfortable homes. They were a sturdy people, with the same kind of blood in their veins which had flowed at the Battle of the Boyne in the days of William the Third. They brought with them the Assembly's Catechism, the Confession of Faith and their Bibles; and withal a good degree of religious faith, intelligence and fervor. There was a population here very early in the last century. In the year 1738 "John Caldwell in behalf of himself and many families of our persuasion who were about to settle in the back parts of Virginia, induced the Synod of Philadelphia to appeal to Governor Brooch, of Virginia, for countenance and protection in their proposed settlement." "The request was granted and they went to settle on the western side of our great mountain." Smollet, in his history of England, says that in 1760 there were 4,000 settlers in this region.
EARLY MISSIONARY EFFORTS.
Rev. Chas. Beatty, the grandfather of the late Rev. C. C. Beatty, D. D., is said to have preached the first protestant ser- mon in this part of the country. It was a Thanksgiving sermon and was preached on the 25th of November, 1758, at Fort Du- quesne, which had just been evacuated by the French. Two years later the Rev. Messrs. Alexander and Hector Allison were sent by the direction of the Synod of Philadelphia to go with the Pennsylvania forces to explore the country and see what might be done in the way of missionary efforts. In the year 1766, Revs. Chas. Beatty and George Duffield were sent by the Synod on a similar errand "to explore the frontier settlements and to as- certain the condition of the Indians." They preached a number of times going as far west as the Muskingum river. Soon after this the Rev. Mr. Anderson was sent by the Synod to visit this region with a promise of "20 shillings" for every Sabbath he should preach on the other side of the Kittochtinny mountains.
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
In the year 1769, the Presbytery of Donegal, by the direction of Synod, supplied the western frontier with ten Sabbaths' preach- ing-but just where their labors were performed we do not know. It is probable that they preached in the bounds of some of the old Centennial Churches which are still vigorous congregations within the bounds of Redstone Presbytery.
EARLY MINISTERS.
In the year 1771, the Rev. James Finley came to this wes- tern frontier and did some excellent missionary work. He was a native of Ireland, forty years of age, a fat, florid, nervous little man, very hardy and ready for any labor, having already an ex- perience of nineteen years in the ministry. He had been in the country in 1765, again in '67, doing some secular work in the Dunlap's Creek region-but he returned again by direction of Synod and supplied in Ligonier or that region for two months in '71 and '72. He also labored for some time in that part of the country called "The Forks of Yough," organizing, it is said, on the same day, in the year 1778, the Churches of Rehoboth and Round Hill. He brought his family west in 1783, and two years later became pastor of the two churches just mentioned, continu- ing in that relation till the time of his death, January 6, 1795.
Rev. James Power, D. D., was the first minister who came to stay and grow up with the country. He was a tall, graceful, genteel young man, clear, methodical and evangelical as a preacher, in the 29th year of his age, a native of Pennsylvania and a graduate of Princeton. He came in 1774, as a licentiate, was ordained by the Presbytery of New Castle, "sine titulo," in 1776, and sent back "to the western parts of this Province." He proved to be a most effective missionary, organizing in 1774, while he was yet a licentiate, so it is claimed, the Dunlap's Creek Presbyterian church-the oldest organization west of the moun- tains. The authority for this is a statement said to have been made by Mr. Power himself. While we are not disposed to dis- pute the correctness of the claim, we are inclined to think there must have been some ordained minister present to set apart the Elders to their work in the church. Dr. Power also organized
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
the Sewickley Church in 1776, and soon after, it is believed, he organized the Mt. Pleasant Church at its present location, two miles north of the present town of Mount Pleasant. He was pastor of the two churches named until 1787, when he was re- leased from Sewickley, serving the other church until the year 1817, when on account of infirmity he gave up his charge. He died in 1830.
Rev. John McMillan, D. D., was the second man to stay upon the ground. He was born at Fagg's Manor in 1752, grad- uated at Princeton in 1772, and was licensed by the Presbytery of New Castle in 1774, at the age of twenty-two. He first visit- ed this region in 1775, staying but a short time. It is said that during this visit he organized the churches of Pigeon Creek and Chartiers, the latter now in the Presbytery of Pittsburg and the former in the Presbytery of Washington. After going back East he married. He returned to this region in '76 and in '78 brought his family, crossing the mountains on pack-horses. He was pas- tor of the two churches he organized till his death, November 16, 1833. He was a tall, rough-looking man, with a voice re- sembling thunder. Dr. D. X. Junkin said of him, "Dr. McMil- lan's voice, even when your present speaker sat under him in 1829-31, was strong, clear and powerful in the tones of denunci- ation, but often meltingly tender. He almost made you hear the vibration of Sinai's thunder, and yet when setting forth the love of Jesus, his voice would mellow to the tenderest tones. At the Communion season he was peculiarly effective. Then his heart and eyes and voice were like one fresh from Gethsemane and Golgotha." We presume that his subsequent life and labors will be treated of at length in the history of Pittsburgh Presbytery, within whose bounds Dr. McMillan did his greatest work, and which includes Chartiers Church, where his remains lie buried.
Rev. Thaddeus Dodd, a descendant of a New England family, a man in the prime of life, after two years pastoral labor at Patterson's Creek, Va., (1777-1779) came to this region in September of the latter year and began his labors in the Upper and Lower Ten Mile Churches, where he continued up to the time of his death in 1793. He was a gentle, earnest man, a fine
5
PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
scholar, especially noted as a mathematician and very attractive as a preacher. He was born near Newark, N. J., March 7th, 1740. He graduated at Princeton in 1773, was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of New York in 1775, and in October, 1777, was ordained by the same Presbytery "sine titulo." Washington Presbytery will doubtless give the details of his work.
Rev. Joseph Smith, was born in Nottingham, Md., in 1736, was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of New Castle, August 5th, 1767, after graduating at Princeton, 1764. He was ordained by the same Presbytery, April 19th, 1769 and installed pastor of Lower Brandywine Church, Del. He remained here until 1772. In 1774 he accepted a call to the Second church in Wilmington, where he labored till 1778, when he resigned on account of the distracted state of the country. In 1779, the 44th year of his age and the IIth of his ministry, he came to this "Western Wil- derness," and in 1780 became pastor of Buffalo and Cross Creek, both now in the bounds of Washington Presbytery. A revival began in his church very soon after his arrival which never ceas- ed till the day of his death. As a preacher he was very impres- sive both in the terrific and the pathetic. He dealt largely in the terrors of the law, so much so that some of the irreverent called him "Hell Fire Smith." Rev. Samuel Porter says of him, "I never heard a man who could so completely as Mr. Smith, un- bar the gates of Hell and make me look down into the dark, bot- tomless abyss, or like him could so throw open the gates of Heaven and let me glance at the insufferable brightness of the great white throne." Mr. Smith died April 19, 1792.
ORGANIZATION OF REDSTONE PRESBYTERY.
The Act for the organization of the Presbytery of Redstone was adopted by the Synod of New York and Philadelphia in session at Philadelphia, Pa., May 16, 1781. It directed that the Presbytery should meet at Laurel Hill Church (now in Fayette county, Pa.,) on the third Wednesday of September at II o'clock A. M., (September 19th).
The meeting was held at the appointed time, but at Pigeon Creek instead of Laurel Hill, because the incursions of the sav-
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
ages into Washington county rendered it very undesirable for the ministers there to leave their homes. The record is as follows : U. P. P. S., the Revs. Messrs. John McMillan, James Power and Thaddeus Dodd. Elders, John Neil, Demas Lindley and Patrick Scott. Absent, the Rev. Joseph Smith.
The second meeting failed for want of a quorum. The third meeting at Sewickley also failed "by reason of the incur- sions of the savages" into Washington county. The next and subsequent meetings were held without interruption.
The Presbytery continued with great zeal for a period of 12 years to push forward her work within the immense boundaries described before-or up to the formation of the Presbytery of Ohio in 1793. In the meantime, however, May 28th, 1788, the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, having completed the re- vision of the public standards of the church and having adopted them, arranged for the organization of a General Assembly. To accomplish this, the old Synod was divided into four Synods, viz .: New York and New Jersey, Philadelphia, Virginia and the Carolinas. Redstone was set off in order to form the Synod of Virginia. This change of relation, however, did not make any change on the boundary lines of the Presbytery up to the time noted above-1793. During these years the Presbytery received a number of ministers and organized various churches. Rev. James Dunlap was received from the Presbytery of New Castle. He served in 1782 the church of Dunlap's Creek and subse- quently he became the pastor of Laurel Hill Church, continuing in that relation until 1803, when he was made President of Jeffer- son College.
In 1783 Rev. John Clark was received into the Presbytery and shortly afterwards was installed as pastor of Lebanon and Bethel, continuing in that relation till his death in 1797.
Mr. Alexander Addison, a licentiate from Scotland, applied in 1785 to be taken under the care of the Presbytery. His ex- aminations were not entirely satisfactory and he was not received, though leave was given him to preach to the church of Wash- ington until the next meeting and at that meeting until the meet-
7
PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
ing of Synod, after which his name is not mentioned. He studi- ed law and became an eminent jurist and judge.
Then we find on the records the name of Rev. James Hughes, who was one of the four young men licensed in 1788. He became pastor of the churches of Short Creek, now West Liberty, West Va., and Lower Buffalo. Afterwards he removed to the Presbytery of Miami and became the President in 1818, of what is now Miami University.
We find on the roll the name of Rev. Samuel Porter, who was licensed by the Presbytery November 12th, 1789, and be- came pastor of the churches of Congruity and Poke Run in 1790; of the latter he was pastor until 1798, and of the former congregation he continued as pastor up to the time of his death, September 22d, 1825. He was 66 years old.
Rev. Joseph Patterson, a man famous in his day, belonged at this time to the Presbytery. Indeed he was licensed by the Presbytery in 1788. He was pastor of the church of Raccoon for 27 years, dying February 4th, 1832, aged 80 years.
Rev. George Hill, born in York county, March 13th, 1764, was licensed in 1791. He became pastor of Fairfield, Donegal and Wheatfield. He was afterwards released from Wheatfield and took instead Ligonier, a new congregation organized be- tween Fairfield and Donegal. He finally devoted his whole time to Fairfield, where he remained till his death in 1822.
Rev. Jacob Jennings, grandfather of the late Rev. S. C. Jen- nings, D. D., was received from the Dutch Reformed Church and made pastor of Dunlap's Creek Church. Rev. David Smith, father of the author of "Old Redstone," was licensed in Novem- ber, 1792, and became pastor first of George's Creek and Tent Churches, and afterwards of Rehoboth and Round Hill Churches. He died August 14th, 1803. A writer says, "The Presbytery of Redstone was composed of able, devoted and self-denying men. They were men for the times. Although commencing in the wilderness, they were not forgetful of the prospective wants of the country. They laid the foundations deep and broad. The influence they exerted in the planting of the church is felt at the
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
present day, not only in the region where they labored but in the regions beyond."
PRESBYTERY OF OHIO.
In the year 1793 the Presbytery of Ohio was organized by the Synod of Virginia, cutting off all that territory lying west of the Monongahela river, including what is now Washington Presbytery and that part of Pittsburgh Presbytery west of the Monongahela river and south of the Ohio. The ministers in the new Presbytery were John McMillan, Joseph Patterson, James Hughes, John Clark and John Brice, together with all the churches west of the Monongahela river. The boundaries now were the Monongahela river on the west, Lake Erie on the north, the Allegheny mountains on the east and a part of Vir- ginia on the south. How far the Presbytery extended into Vir- ginia is not definitely known-probably as far as Presbyterians could be found. Within this newly adjusted boundary the Pres- bytery continued to work till the year 1801, when the Synod of Virginia erected the Presbytery of Erie. This organization was granted on the unanimous request of the members present from the Presbyteries of Redstone and Ohio, at the meeting of the Synod of Virginia, in session at Winchester, Va., October 2d, 1801, and included Rev. Messrs. Thos. E. Hughes, Wm. Wick, Samuel Tait, Joseph Stockton and Robert Lee, together with all the congregations north and northwest of the Ohio and Alle- gheny rivers "unto the place where the Ohio river crosses the western boundary of Pennsylvania." (Act of Synod in History of Presbytery of Erie, by Dr. Eaton).
SYNOD OF PITTSBURGH.
In the year 1802, by the act of the General Assembly, the Presbytery of Redstone was set off from the Synod of Virginia, and with her two daughters was organized into the Synod of Pittsburgh. Thus Redstone assisted in the organization of two Synods and the General Assembly and is now in the third Synod. It would make our history too long and tedious to speak of all the ministers whose names have appeared on her roll.
In 1788, when the Synod of Virginia was formed, there were on the roll eight ordained ministers, viz .: James Finley,
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
John Clark, Joseph Smith, John McMillan, James Dunlap, James Power, Thaddeus Dodd and Samuel Barr.
We have not the means of knowing accurately the names of all the churches, as there are no statistical reports, and in the minutes, congregations and preaching stations are not distin- guished. Twenty-four places are mentioned as supplicating or applying for supplies. Some of these we know were organized. When the Synod of Pittsburgh was organized, there were twelve ministers in the Presbytery, viz .: James Power, Mt. Pleasant, Pa .; Joseph Henderson, Ebenezer and Blacklick; James Dunlap, Lau- rel Hill; Jacob Jennings, Dunlap's Creek and Little Redstone; John McPherrin, Salem; Samuel Porter, Congruity ; George Hill, Fairfield and Donegal; Wm. Swan, Long Run and Sewickley; David Smith, Round Hill and Rehoboth; James Adams, George's Creek and Union ; Francis Laird, Poke Run and Plum Creek ; Robert Steel, pastor elect, Pittsburgh. The vacant churches able to support a pastor were Pittsburgh, Greensburg and Unity ; Pitt Township and Mckeesport; Morgantown and Middletown. The churches unable to support a pastor were New Providence, Uniontown, Tyrone, Sandy Creek Crossings, Clarksburg, Ty- gart's Valley, Somerset, Turkey Foot, Wheatfield and Stoney Creek. About this time some of the churches were visited with a wonderful revival accompanied by what were called "The Fall- ing Exercises." These were often observed in churches now in Washington county. Rev. Robt. Johnson who was an eye wit- ness of this work in the Round Hill Church, gives the following account of it :
"I have seen men and women in solemn attitude, pondering the truths which were presented, fall in a moment from their seats or off their feet as helpless as though they had been shot and lie from ten to fifteen or twenty minutes or longer as motion- less as a person in a sound sleep. At other times the whole frame would be thrown into a state of agitation as seemingly to endanger the safety of the subject ; and yet in a moment this agi- tation would cease and the person arise in the full possession of all his bodily senses and take his seat composed and solemn without the least sensation of pain or uneasiness."
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
A very deep impression was made upon the people by these exercises and the very old, as long as they lived, spoke of them with the most profound reverence. In these meetings very many were brought into the fold of Christ, who were pillars in the house of the Lord. The question as to how the persons who were the subjects of these remarkable experiences conducted themselves is one of deep interest.
A very old lady whose memory ran back to those times once said to the writer, "Some of them proved to be very good Christians and were useful in the church and others soon went back to the world and became as wicked as ever." In some churches there was a continuous revival lasting a number of years. Revivals began at an early day.
In 1778 the settlers in what is now Washington county were driven into Vance's Fort by the Indians. Then God's spirit was poured out in copious showers. "From 1781 to 1787," says the historian, "a most extensive work of grace was experienced in the churches of Cross Creek, Upper Buffalo, Chartiers, Pigeon Creek, Bethel, Lebanon, Ten Mile, Cross Roads and Mill Creek, during which more than a thousand persons were brought into the Kingdom of Christ."
"From 1795 to 1799 another series of gracious visitations were enjoyed by the churches generally, throughout Western Pennsylvania, extending to the new settlements north of Pitts- burgh." (Dr. Eaton's History of the Presbytery of Erie, p. 405.) These reached on into the new century as we have seen. The Communion seasons were usually occasions of very great inter- est. People came on horseback and in wagons not infrequently as far as twenty miles and lodged with the members who were nearer until the services were concluded. Often has the writer heard one who had been present in these seasons speak of the delightful social Christian intercourse enjoyed.
EDUCATION.
Redstone Presbytery was a pioneer in Christian Education. The early pastors were deeply impressed with the importance of raising up a native ministry. The outpouring of the Spirit had
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
led young men to consider the duty of preaching Christ. But there were no available facilities for education. The pastors though burdened with the labor needed to help support their families, with the care of planting and fostering the infant churches in the wilderness and looking after the lost sheep of the house of Israel, heroically undertook this new work of educating the young.
FIRST SCHOOLS.
In 1782 Thaddeus Dodd built a little log cabin and opened a classical and mathematical school which continued for three and a half years, till he sold his farm. In 1785 Joseph Smith began a school at Buffalo in his study, for young men, who were preparing for the ministry. In Dodd's Academy, amongst others were Jas. Hughes, John Brice, Daniel Lindley, Robert Marshall, John Hanna and David Smith. When Mr. Dodd's school was suspended Messrs. Hughes, Brice and perhaps others went to Buffalo to Joseph Smith's school, in 1785, where they were join- ed by Joseph Patterson, Jas. McGready and Samuel Porter. This school was continued with success until Mr. Smith's failing health compelled him after a few years to give it up and his scholars passed into the Log Cabin School at Chartiers.
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