USA > New York > A history of the purchase and settlement of western New York : and of the rise, progress and present state of the Presbyterian Church in that section > Part 46
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This church has a house of worship, a brick edifice, sixty-four feet in length, and forty-four in width, erected in 1817. The Methodist denomination have a house of worship, and constitute a body of considerable strength. It is thought that two-thirds of the population attend on a preached gospel, of whom the largest part in the village attend with the Presbyterian church.
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Gorham .- This church has its present location in the village of Bethel, which is situated on Flint Creek, in the town of Gorham, near its eastern line. The Presbyterian church was organized Feb. 26th, 1828, by Rev. Messrs. Henry Axtell, Henry P. Strong, and Ansel D. Eddy. It was composed of twenty-four members, taken from the church of Hopewell for the purpose, of whom eight were males and sixteen females. The church, soon after its organization, was taken under the care of the Presbytery of Geneva. In 1832, it consisted of one hundred and two members; in 1836, it number- ed one hundred and twenty-eight ; and in 1846, sixty-eight. From the period of its organization till 1830, the church was temporarily supplied by different individuals. Rev. Chester Hinman supplied one year under the patronage of the American Home Missionary Society. From the beginning of 1830 to the close of 1839, Rev. Flavel S. Gaylord was pastor. From July, 1841, Rev. Hosea Kit- tredge supplied about one year. He was succeeded by Rev. Alva Lilly, for two years, who was followed by Rev. Charles Mer- win, who was installed pastor of the church, April 16th, 1845, and dismissed from his charge, May 6th, 1846. Rev. Robert Finley succeeded Mr. Merwin as a stated supply for one year, and was followed by Rev. William Rowlatt, for a short season. The church has been aided in the support of most of its ministers, by the American Home Missionary Society. In 1831, under the ministry of Mr. Gaylord, a revival was enjoyed, as the fruits of which about forty individuals were added to the church. A house of worship was built some years since, about four miles distant from the vil- lage of Bethel, in a north-westerly direction. In 1843, a new edi- fice was erected in the village, to which the meetings were re- moved. This removal was dissatisfactory to a part of the church and congregation, who withdrew, and were organized as a separate church and congregation, on the Reformed Dutch platform, and erected for themselves a house of worship at a place called Reed's Corners, in the north-western part of the town of Gorham. This circumstance considerably diminished the number of members in the church, and detracted from its ability to support the stated ministry of the gospel. But a small proportion of the population attend worship with the Presbyterian church. Its members live intermixed with those of the Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, Re- formed Dutch, and Associate Reformed churches. The Baptists and Methodists have appropriate houses of worship in the village.
Romulus .- This town was settled at an early period by emi- grants, mostly from New Jersey and Pennsylvania, numbers of whom were of German and Low Dutch origin. At what period the Presbyterian church was organized is not known to the writer. Rev. Jedidiah Chapman in his missionary journal, under date of August 20th, 1803, speaks of preaching in this place, and assisting
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the Session in examining candidates for admission to the church. It is probable that the church was organized a short season pre- vious to this date by Mr. Chapman. Of what number of members it was composed at any period prior to 1825, the writer is igno- rant. At that date it numbered two hundred and thirty-eight members. In 1832 it was increased to three hundred and thirty- six, and in 1843 had fallen to two hundred and sixty-nine. This church was received under the care of the Presbytery of Geneva, at the first meeting of that body, Sept. 17th, 1805. Rev. Charles Mosher was ordained and installed pastor of the church, August 19th, 1807. He continued in this relation somewhat more than seven years, and was dismissed, Oct. 17th, 1814. Rev. Moses Young succeeded him in the pastoral office, and was ordained and installed, March 8th, 1815. In the faithful and successful per- formance of the duties of his office Mr. Young continued till death closed his labors in 1824 or '5. Rev. Morris Barton was the next pastor of the church. He was ordained and installed in a short period after the death of Mr. Young, and continued until Feb. 4th, 1846, a period of about twenty years. Rev. Edward Lord was ordained and installed as his successor in the pastoral office in October, 1847. This church has repeatedly been visited with the showers of the Holy Spirit. In 1816 and in 1823, under the minis- try of Mr. Young, blessed seasons of revival were enjoyed. In the latter instance, between eighty and ninety were added to the church. Under the ministry of Mr. Barton several such seasons were experienced. For several successive years in the early pe- riod of his ministry, there were frequent accessions to the church from the world. In 1832, eighty-nine were reported as added to the church on their profession of faith, and in 1837, fifty-eight were thus added.
This church has ever supported its own ministers without foreign aid. A house of worship was erected many years ago, which some years since was abandoned, and a new and commo- dious one erected in a more eligible location.
Ovid .- The town of Ovid formerly included the present town of that name, together with Lodi and Covert. The settlement of it commenced about the year 1790 or '91, by immigrants from New Jersey, and parts of Pennsylvania adjacent to New Jersey. Many of them were of Dutch origin. After a season they became somewhat intermixed with immigrants from the Eastern States and Eastern New York. How soon the public worship of God was established, and at what period a Presbyterian church was organized, are circumstances not known to the writer. In the year 1800, Rev. John Lindsley was appointed by the General Assem- bly a missionary for four months, with special directions to visit the town of Ovid. It is not improbable that a church was organized
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by him on this mission, which subsequently became connected with the Presbytery of Oneida, and afterwards was transferred to the Presbytery of Geneva. Mr. Lindsley became pastor of this church, but at what period is not known to the writer. He was dismissed Nov. 5th, 1805. The church, on its request, was dis- missed from its connexion with the Presbytery of Geneva, to join the Classis of the Reformed Dutch Church. This was the original Presbyterian church of Ovid. The author believes that its general place of meeting and centre of operation was at or near the place of worship in the present town of Covert, of the church which styles itself the "True Reformed Dutch Church," and that the original church has succession in this church.
The present "First Presbyterian Church of Ovid," is of later ori- gin. At a meeting of the Presbytery of Oneida, held at Geneva, June 28th, 1803, an application was made to the Presbytery for a commission to form a new church in the north-western part of the town of Ovid, a Society organized according to the civil law being then already constituted. The Presbytery appointed Rev. Jedi- diah Chapman to go to Ovid and organize the church. Accordingly on the tenth day of July, 1803, Mr. Chapman organized a Presby- terian church consisting of twenty members, most of whom, if not all, were taken from the original church of Ovid. This church was taken under the care of the Presbytery of Oneida, and at the divi- sion of that Presbytery was assigned to the Presbytery of Geneva. In 1810 the number of members had increased from twenty to seventy-three. In 1825 it numbered one hundred and seventy-one ; in 1832, two hundred and twenty ; in 1843, two hundred and eighty- three ; and in 1846, two hundred and seventy-nine. The church at its organization was denominated the Seneca Church, and by that appellation it was known for a number of years. In 1817 it adopted the style of the "First Presbyterian Church of Ovid." What minis- terial assistance this church enjoyed previous to 1811, is not known to the writer. On the seventeenth day of April, of that year, Rev. William Clark was installed pastor of this church, in connexion with that of Hector, with the understanding that three quarters of his time was to be devoted to Ovid, and one quarter to Hector. Mr. Clark was dismissed from Ovid August 9th, 1815, and soon after from Hector. Rev. Stephen Porter was installed pastor of the two churches Sept. 10th, 1816, to divide his labors between them in the same proportion as Mr. Clark had done. He was dismissed from his charge of the church of Hector Sept. 6th, 1820, and from that period till Sept. 5th, 1822, his whole time was devoted to the church of Ovid. At the last mentioned date, the relation between him and the church was dissolved. After an interval of about one year, Rev. Thomas Lounsbury, D.D., was ordained and installed pastor of this church, and has sustained the relation to the present time,
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during a period of more than twenty-four years, a very unusual circumstance in the history of Western New York.
During the ministry of Messrs. Clark and Porter, it is not known to the writer that any extensive work of grace was wrought. There were seasons of more than special interest, in which souls were converted and additions made to the church. The number of mem- bers at the period of Mr. Porter's dismission, was 141. Under the ministry of Dr. Lounsbury the church has enjoyed several very precious seasons of revival, as in 1824, '27, '30, '31, '32, '36, and $42. During these seasons of visitation, from ten to more than fifty were added to the church. This church has always supported its own pastor without foreign aid.
While Mr. Porter was pastor, the congregation built a house of worship, which at the time was considered superior to any in the region, but which of late years has become considerably dilapidated, and not being in a proper location, the congregation have the year past (1847) erected a new, spacious, and elegant one in a very com- manding location.
There are now within the proper limits of this congregation, four Christian churches : the First Presbyterian Church of Ovid,-the Methodist Episcopal Church of Ovid,-the Methodist Episcopal Church of Sheldrake,-and the Baptist Church of Scott's Corners. Intermingled with the dwellers in Ovid proper, are many members of the Reformed Dutch Churches of Lodi and Farmerville, and of the old, or as they call themselves, the True Dutch Church, which is located about equi-distant between Lodi and Farmerville.
West Dresden .- This village is situated on the western bank of the Seneca lake, at the mouth of the outlet of the Crooked lake, in the town of Benton. A Presbyterian Church consisting of eight members taken from the church of Benton, was organized here in 1830, and taken under the care of the Presbytery of Geneva. In 1843, it consisted of fifty-eight members. Since that period it has declined. Several ministers have labored here under the patronage of the American Home Missionary Society, the church never having been able to support a minister without aid. Rev. William Todd, at the time of the organization of the church, and for a year or two afterwards, labored as a stated supply, and left the place to go on a foreign mission. Under his labors, some measure of divine influ- ence was enjoyed, and an accession made to the church. Rev. Linus W. Billington, Rev. William B. Worden, and Rev. George T. Everest, have severally been stated supplies. Under Mr. Everest's ministry, a measure of revival was felt, and a small num- ber were added to the church. But adverse influences have ope- rated, and the church has been for several years without any stated preaching, and is reduced to a very low state. They have a house of worship which was erected in 1834.
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Bellona .- This village is situated in the north-eastern part of the town of Benton. This town, including the present town of Milo, was set off from Jerusalem in 1803, and constituted a town by the name of Vernon. In 1808, the name was changed to Snell, and in 1810 again changed to Benton. Since that period it has been divided and the town of Milo detached from it. The settlement of the town commenced about the year 1789. Missionaries sometimes visited this place and preached a sermon, or perhaps spent a Sab- bath, but no stated public worship of the Presbyterian denomination was established before the year 1802. About this period Mr. Stephen Whitaker made efforts to establish prayer meetings and public worship on the Sabbath, persuading the people to meet and read sermons. He succeeded in forming a nucleus around which a religious influence clustered, and increased until Nov. 7th, 1809, when a Presbyterian Church, consisting of sixteen members, was formed by Rev. John Lindsley, a missionary. Stephen Whitaker, John Hall, and Solomon Couch, were chosen, and ordained ruling elders. The church was taken under the care of the Presbytery of Geneva, Sept. 19th, 1811. In 1825, it numbered fifty-five mem- bers ; in 1832, one hundred and twenty-five ; in 1843, one hundred and seventy-nine ; and in 1846, one hundred and sixty-eight. Until 1820 the church had no pastor or stated supply. They had only the occasional assistance of missionaries and others for a Sabbath, or, at most, for a short season. But on the nineteenth day of Sep- tember, 1820, Rev. Richard Williams was installed pastor of the church, and continued his labors, half of the time in a log dwelling- house near the spot where the church was afterwards erected, and the other half of the time in a dilapidated school-house in the village of Pennyan, until Feb. 19th, 1825, when he was dismissed from his pastoral charge. After Mr. Williams' dismission, Rev. Alfred E. Campbell supplied about one year and a half. Rev. William Todd (since missionary to India) supplied one year, and was then installed pastor of the church. He was dismissed from his pastoral charge in February, 1830. Rev. Stalham Clary succeeded him as stated supply, commencing his labors about the first of May, 1830, and continuing them till his decease, Nov. 25th, 1831. The next spring, Rev. M. Carpenter commenced laboring as a stated supply, and continued one year. Rev. Mr. Ingersol succeeded, and con- tinued six months. He was followed by Rev. William Johnson, who continued until the summer of 1837. Rev. William Backus succeeded, and continued until the autumn of 1839. Rev. Alfred Eddy commenced labor in the congregation Dec. 1st, 1839, was installed pastor Feb. 17th, 1841, and still sustains that relation.
In 1825, the church experienced a refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and a goodly number was added to the church. In the spring of 1831, the Lord again poured out his Spirit in copious measure, and about thirty were added to the church by profession.
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Again, in the autumn of 1837, God visited this church, and twenty- three were added to its number. The spring of 1840 was also memorable for the marks of the divine goodness, and forty-two united with the church. Seasons of more than ordinary serious- ness have since transpired, by which forty or fifty have been led to a public profession of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This church has always supported its own ministers without foreign aid. In 1824 the congregation erected a house of worship, four miles south of Bellona, in the eastern part of the town, and worshipped there until 1838, when they purchased the edifice in the village of Bellona, belonging to the Reformed Dutch Church, which continues as their place of worship. From this church two others have emanated-the church of Pennyan, and the church of West Dresden. The Methodist denomination have a commodious house of worship in the village of Bellona.
Pennyan .- This village is situated in the town of Milo, formerly a part of the town of Benton, on the outlet of the Crooked Lake. The settlement of the place was commenced at a quite early period, but did not make much progress for a number of years. The name, Pennyan, is derived from the circumstance that the first settlers were composed of about an equal number of Pennsylvanians and Yankees. The village for many years bore the character of a very irreligious place, though it is now one of the most respectable villages in Western New York. For many years no stated public worship was maintained in the village, and very little occasional preaching, except by a wicked Universalist, who exercised a con- siderable influence in the community. At as late a period as June 20th, 1819, the author of this work preached in a dilapidated school-house in the village of Pennyan, and administered the sacra- ment of the Lord's Supper to the church of Benton. At that time there were two females resident in the village, who were members of the Presbyterian church ; but no male members within one mile. The author was informed that there was one male professor of the Baptist denomination, but none of any other evangelical denomina- tion, who resided in the village. The Sabbath was to a very great extent a day for business, pastime, and tavern-haunting. In view of the immorality prevailing, and with a wish to counteract its in- fluence, an individual not a professor of religion, about the period of 1818 or 1819, set up meetings on the Sabbath day, by reading a sermon to the assembly, and uniting other devotional exercise whenever any male professor of religion was present. About the same time a Sabbath school was instituted by a pious lady, and some desire for a better order of things was manifested in the commu- nity. In the summer of 1820, Rev. Richard Williams was employed to preach in the congregation of Benton, and was installed pastor, Sept. 19th of that year. The meetings on the Sabbath were held
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alternately in the town of Benton, and at the village of Pennyan in the school-house before mentioned. At this period the number of professors of the Presbyterian order in the village of Pennyan and its immediate vicinity was small. They were connected with the church of Benton. From this period, however, the number was inercased, and, on the fifth day of February, 1823, thirty-eight members of the church of Benton were by an Act of the Presby- tery set off as a separate church, to meet in the village of Pennyan for a full organization on the third Tuesday of that month. On the day appointed, a full organization was effected, and the church was enrolled as a church under the care of the Presbytery of Ge- neva, Sept. 2d, 1823. In 1815, it numbered forty-eight members ; in 1831, ninety-eight; in 1832, two hundred and two; in 1840, two hundred and twenty-nine; and in 1846, two hundred and nineteen.
For a season after the organization of the church Mr. Williams continued to officiate as stated supply. Some others for short periods occupied the place till 1828. About this period Rev. Chauncey Eddy was employed to supply the pulpit, and was in due time installed as pastor of the church, a relation which he sustain- ed till some time in the year 1831, when he was dismissed from his pastoral charge. He was succeeded in the pastorate by Rev. Stephen Crosby, who continued about four years. The church was then for a short season vacant. Rev. Ovid Miner was next installed pastor of the church, but was dismissed, Feb. 17th, 1841. On the eighth day of June, of the same year, Rev. James Richards was installed pastor of the church, and continued in that station till the latter part of the year 1847, when the relation was dis- solved. He was succeeded by Rev. William W. Robinson, who was ordained and installed pastor of the church in the spring of 1848. Several noticeable seasons of revival have been enjoyed by this church. In 1827, thirty-four members were reported as hav- ing been added to the church on profession, the preceding year ; in 1832, one hundred and fourteen ; and, in 1843, forty-eight are reported as having been so added. These were periods of blessed outpourings of the Spirit on the congregation and village.
The church has a house of worship which was erected during the period of Mr. Williams' ministry, and has since been re- modelled and enlarged. It is now an elegant and commodious place of worship, and will conveniently accommodate a congre- gation of seven or eight hundred worshippers. This church has always supported its own pastors without foreign aid.
The dismission of Mr. Miner was the result of a dissatisfaction with his views and measures. Mr. Miner harmonized with the Oberlin School in his doctrinal views and measures, and very fully identified himself with the ultra-abolitionists. This gave dissatis- faction to the majority of the church, and caused his dismission.
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A considerable minority of the church sympathized with Mr. Miner, seceded from their brethren, and were formed into an in- dependent Congregational church. They employed Mr. Miner as their minister, and erected a large and elegant house of worship. Mr. Miner continued to minister to them for some years. He has now left them, and Mr. Hawley has been ordained, and installed pastor of the church. Since the division both congregations have greatly increased in numbers, and there has been, particularly in the Presbyterian church, since the ordination of Mr. Robinson, a blessed effusion of the Holy Spirit.
Besides the Presbyterian and Congregational churches, the Baptists, the Episcopal Methodists, and the Episcopalians, have organized churches and commodious houses of worship. The Wesleyan Methodists also have an organized Society, and a build- ing in which they meet for worship. Most of the Societies are large, and the great body of the people in the village and its vicinity attend some place of worship on the Lord's day.
Branchport .- This village is situated in the town of Jerusalem, at the head of the west branch of the Crooked Lake. It is of com- paratively recent origin. The town of Jerusalem was, at a very early period, settled by the followers of the late Jemima Wilkin- son, respecting whom it may, perhaps, be a matter of doubt, whether she was a gross impostor or a mad enthusiast. For a season she had a considerable number of followers, but the connexion is now entirely broken up and dissolved. For a considerable period hers was almost the only form of religious worship practised in the town of Jerusalem. The great mass of the population disregarded the Sabbath, and were irreligious in their habits of living. About the year 1829 or '30, Mr. James Rowlette, a young gentleman from Ireland, of respectable education and hopeful piety, came into the town and set up public worship on the Lord's day. His exertions were attended with a measure of success. In 1831, Mr. Rowlette was licensed to preach the gospel by the Presbytery of Bath, and the next year ordained an evangelist. He continued his labors with the people of Jerusalem, and a Presbyterian church was organized in the little village of Branchport in 1831 or 1832, as the result of his ministrations. Over this church Mr. Rowlette was installed as its pastor and continued till 1836, when the pastoral relation was dissolved. As stated supplies, Rev. Robert L. Porter, Rev. Lewis Hamilton, Rev. John C. Morgan, and Rev. Samuel Porter, severally officiated for short periods. Mr. R. L. Porter's ministrations continued but five months. Sickness arrested him in his hopeful career, and death terminated his labors on earth, at the very commencement of his course of ministerial usefulness. He was a young man of ardent and intelligent piety, and high hopes were entertained that he would become a burning and a shining
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light in the candlestick of the Lord. Rev. Horace Fraser was ordained and installed pastor of the church, July 12th, 1842. The relation was dissolved Sept. 3d, 1845. He was succeeded for a season by Rev. L. M. McGlashan, but the church is now (1848) vacant.
This church has always been small and weak, and has never been able to support a minister without aid from the American Home Missionary Society. In 1836, it reported fifty members in communion, and in 1843, fifty-four. Its number, at the present time, is not, probably, increased. It has a good house of worship erected several years since. The Baptist Church has also a house of worship in the village.
Pontiac .- This church has its location in the State of Michigan. The town of Pontiac was settled, in a considerable degree, by emi- grants from Western New York, particularly from the town of Ovid and its vicinity. A number of them were members of Pres- byterian churches in New York. A Presbyterian church was soon organized after their arrival in Michigan, and as no Presbytery was as yet organized in the State of Michigan, the church put them- selves under the care of the Presbytery of Geneva. This occurred, probably, in 1824. In 1825, the church is reported as consisting of twenty-nine members. In 1827, it consisted of fifty-four. About this period it was dismissed from the Presbytery of Geneva to unite with a Presbytery in the State of Michigan. In 1846, it was connected with the Presbytery of Detroit, consisted of one hundred and sixty-six members, and had Rev. Nathaniel West for its pastor.
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