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 53
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PRESBYTERY OF CHIEMUNG.
in April following. The church at its organization consisted of seventeen members, eleven of whom were from the church of Painted Post (now Corning). It was organized a Presbyterian church, and numbered sixty-two members at the last report. On the sixth of May, 1811, Rev. Samuel S. Howe was ordained and installed its pastor, and continued till Dec. 20th, 1842, when he was dismissed. Rev. B. Foster Pratt was his successor, and was in- stalled as pastor Dec. 12th, 1843. He still continues in the pasto- rate. The church has received constant aid from the American Home Missionary Society in the support of its pastors. In the winter of 1843-4, the church was favored with a revival, by which its number was increased, and its bands strengthened. It has a house of worship, fifty-eight feet by thirty-eight in dimensions, with a bell. It is estimated that one-third of the population attend wor- ship with the Presbyterian church. Many attend worship nowhere. The Methodists are about as numerous as the Presbyterians. There are some Baptists and some Episcopalians.
Erwin .- The location of this church was in the southern part of the town of Erwin. It was organized with twenty-five members taken from the church of Lawrenceville by a committee of the Presbytery of Bath, and was taken under the care of the Presby- tery Angust 26th, 1834. It was transferred to the Presbytery of Chemung on the organization of that body. Rev. Daniel B. Butts labored here as a stated supply a part of the time for three years, but the church did not flourish. Its highest number of members ever reported was twenty-eight. In 1843 it was reduced to sixteen. It has now become extinct, and the few remaining members have united with the church of Painted Post Village.
Addison .- The name of this town originally was Middletown. Some settlements were made in it about the year 1795, but the settlements generally are of a much later date. At what time public worship was set up is not known to the writer. No church of the Presbyterian denomination was organized till 1832. The church was organized by a committee of the Presbytery of Bath, and was received under the care of the Presbytery Jan. 30th, 1833, and was transferred to the Presbytery of Chemung at its organiza- tion. The church was formed with fifteen members. In 1846 it had increased to the number of thirty-eight. Rev. Daniel B. Butts officiated as stated supply to this church a part of the time for three or four years. Rev. Lewis Hamilton was ordained and installed pastor of the church July 1st, 1840, and was dismissed March 16th, 1842. Rev. Darius Williams succeeded him as a stated supply, and continued two or three years. He was followed by Rev. A. H. Parmelee, who commenced his labors in 1844, and still continues. The church have an appropriate house of worship,
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and at the last report were making a gratifying progress. They are very much intermixed with other denominations.
Thurston .- This town is of recent organization, being taken from the eastern part of the town of Cameron. Its settlement is of recent date. A small Presbyterian church was organized in 1845, and taken under the care of the Presbytery of Chemung Sept. 2d of that year. Its number of members is not known to the writer, nor does he know whether it has enjoyed any stated ministrations of the gospel. It was reported in 1846 as vacant.
Woodhull .- The settlement of this town is of a comparatively recent date, and the population not numerous. A Presbyterian church, consisting of fifteen members, was organized by Rev. Isaac Flagler, which was received under the care of the Presbytery of Bath, Jan. 30th, 1833. At the organization of the Presbytery of Chemung, it was assigned to that body. In 1834 it reported thirty- nine members, twenty-three having been received on profession the year previous. For a number of years past no report from this church is found on the reports of the Presbytery. The church has never had a regularly settled pastor, but as stated supplies Rev. Messrs. Jeremiah Pomeroy, Oren Johnson, Daniel B. Butts, Noah Cressey, and Thomas Duncan, have for different periods officiated, for a part of the time. The church was aided in their support by the American Home Missionary Society. The present - condition of the church is not definitely known to the writer.
Troupsburgh .- This town began to be settled in 1805, but a large proportion of the inhabitants were said to be of an irreligious character. The Methodist and Baptist denominations at a pretty early period made some progress, but the Presbyterians had no establishment till about 1833. At that period a Presbyterian church, in the north-western section of the town, was organized by Rev Isaac W. Platt, and composed of about twenty members. This church was taken under the care of the Presbytery of Bath, August 27th, 1833, and was transferred to the Presbytery of Chemung on its organization. But the church has never flourished. It has never enjoyed stated ministrations of gospel ordinances ; few or no additions have been made to it ; and in consequence of re- movals and deaths the church has become extinct.
Greenwood .- The settlement of this town is of a date posterior to that of most other towns in the County of Steuben. One half of the town formerly belonged to the town of Canisteo, and the other part to Troupsburgh. On the twelfth day of May, 1823, a church was organized, by Rev. Robert Hubbard, in the town of Canisteo, consisting of thirteen members, of whom five were
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PRESBYTERY OF CHEMUNG.
males, and eight females. Of this number, ten had previously been members of other churches. The church was denominated " The Church of Christ on Bennett's Creek in the town of Canisteo." The greater part of the members resided in that part of the town which now constitutes the towns of Greenwood and Jasper. The additions afterwards made to it were almost exclusively from this part. The church was received under the care of the Presbytery of Bath, August 29th, 1826. In the course of about six years four male members and eleven females were received, of whom eleven were received by certificate and four by profession.
On the twenty-ninth day of October, 1829, a Committee of the Presbytery, consisting of Rev. David Higgins, Rev. Lyman Bar- rett, and Elder Israel Baldwin, met at the house of Col. John Stephens, in the town of Greenwood, with the members of the church residing in that vicinity, and organized them into a separate church, to be known as the Presbyterian Church of Greenwood, and to retain the records of the original church of Bennett's Creek. This new organized, or rather re-organized, church con- sisted of sixteen members, of whom eight were males and eight females. All except one were members of the church of Ben- nett's Creek. At the formation of the Presbytery of Chemung, this church was assigned to that Presbytery. The church has always been in a feeble condition, and has enjoyed stated preach- ing but for short periods. In 1833, it consisted of twenty-three members. This was the highest number ever reported. In 1843, they were reduced to eleven. A very large share of the popula- tion are exceedingly irreligious, and other denominations take the most of the professors. It is, perhaps, probable that this church will, ere long, be merged in the church of Jasper.
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CHAPTER XXX.
Presbytery of Bath :- Starkey, Dundee, Rock Stream, Barrington, Wayne, Tyrone, Pulteney, Prattsburgh, Naples, Conhocton, South Dansville, Howard Second Church, Howard, Kennedyville, Wheeler, Hammondsport, Bath, Cameron, Hornellsville, Jas- per.
WE next proceed to narrate the history of the churches within the bounds of
THE PRESBYTERY OF BATH.
Pursuing our usual order we begin with the church of
Starkey .- The town of Starkey was formerly a part of the town of Reading, which constituted the gore of land lying between the east line of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase and the Seneca lake. The settlement of the town commenced soon after the commence- ment of the present century. A Presbyterian church, consisting of three males and five females, was organized by Rev. Jedidiah Chap- man, Oct. 26th, 1806, to which two more were added the next year. But the church did not flourish, and became virtually ex- tinct. With the assistance of Rev. David Higgins, the church was . resuscitated or reorganized, June 11th, 1817. It then consisted of three males and three females. From this period regular stated public worship was maintained, and the church began to shed light on the surrounding darkness. The church was received under the care of the Presbytery of Bath, August 20th, 1817. It was then denominated the First Presbyterian Church of Reading. The name was changed to Starkey in 1827. In 1825 the church numbered fifty-four members ; in 1826, eighty-two; in 1832, one hundred and sixty-nine; and in 1846, eighty-five. The great diminution of the number of members was principally caused by the organization of two other churches from it. Rev. Joseph Crawford was ordained and installed pastor of this church and that of Wayne, Feb. 14th, 1821. His relation to the church of Starkey was dissolved Feb. 26th, 1823. Rev. Samuel White was installed pastor, Sept. 28th, 1825. His dismission took place Feb. 17th, 1831. After Mr. White's dismission Rev. Linus W. Billington labored as stated sup- ply two or three years, and after him Rev. B. F. Pratt, for two or three years. Rev. Absalom K. Barr labored as stated supply for a season. In the year 1831 an extensive revival was enjoyed, as the result of which, more than eighty members were added to the
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church, on a profession of faith in Christ. This church has been greatly reduced in consequence of divisions to form other churches in contiguous villages. In the town of Starkey, which is a town of moderate size, are three or four distinct villages, in three of which there are Presbyterian churches. From this circumstance the churches are confined to narrow limits, and this is particularly the case with the first or original church. This church has an appropri- ate house of worship, situated in the small village called Eddytown, which was erected in 1825. It does not appear that this church has ever received aid in the support of any of its ministers from a Missionary Society. There are many Methodists intermixed with the members of this church, whose house of worship is in Starkey village.
Dundee .- This village is in the town of Starkey, on the western part. The Presbyterian church was formed by a division of the original church of Starkey, as the writer believes, in 1832, and was taken under the care of the Presbytery of Bath. In 1833 it con- sisted of fifty-nine members, and in 1846, of eighty-five. It has never had an installed pastor, and has much of the time been con- nected with the first church of Starkey in the enjoyment of minis- terial services. As stated supplies, Rev. B. Foster Pratt, Rev. Da- vid I. Perry, Rev. Absalom K. Barr, and Rev. A. T. Il. Powell, have severally served the church. Mr. Powell officiates at the present time. No remarkable revivals have been experienced since the organization of the church. In the support of Mr. Pratt the church was aided one year by the American Home MissionaryS )- ciety. They have a commodious house of worship. The church was originally denominated the Second Church of Starkey. The name was changed to Dundee in 1846. The Baptists and Metho- dists have each an appropriate house of worship in the village of Dundee. There is also another, denominated a Free House, occu- pied mostly by Universalists and Christians.
Rock Stream .- This is a small village in the southern part of the town of Starkey. A Presbyterian church, formed by a division of the first church of Starkey, was organized and recognised by the Presbytery of Bath in 1832, or the beginning of 1833. It was de- nominated the Third Church of Starkey till 1840, when it took the name of Rock Stream. In 1833 it consisted of twenty-eight men- bers; in 1840, of sixty-four; and in 1846, of sixty. It has never had an installed pastor. As stated supplies, Rev. Samuel White, Rev. Egbert Roosa, Rev. George T. Everest, Rev. Abraham K. Barr, and Rev. Ethan Pratt, have officiated, some of them supplying another church at the same time. In the support of Messrs. White, Roosa, Everest, and Pratt, the church has been aided by the American Home Missionary Society. A measure of revival was
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WESTERN NEW YORK.
enjoyed in 1838, and again in 1846, but the results were not large, as it relates to additions to the church. The church has a small, but commodious house of worship, erected several years since.
Barrington .- This church was organized, September 21st, 1830, and was received under the care of the Presbytery of Bath, Oct. 19th, 1830. It was, at its organization, composed of a few individuals taken from the church of Starkey. In 1832, it numbered only fifteen members ; in 1837, it reported twenty-nine. Rev. Benjamin B. Smith labored here in 1832 and 1833, Rev. John S. Reasoner in 1835, Rev. Samuel T. Babbitt one half of the time in 1836, and Rev. George T. Everest a part of the time in 1838 and '39. In the support of all these ministers, the American Home Missionary Society lent its aid. In 1833, a house of worship was erected. One or two partial revivals were experienced, but not of such a character as to strengthen the church. It never flourished. Divi- sions existed, and about the time of the division of the Presbyterian church in the United States, a part of the members withdrew from their brethren, and refused to be under the jurisdiction of the Pres- bytery of Bath. Under these circumstances the church became so reduced and discouraged, that the Presbytery, at their request, dissolved the church, giving letters of dismission to those of its members who acknowledged their jurisdiction, to such churches in the vicinity as were most convenient in location. Thus the church ceased its separate existence, August 25th, 1840.
Wayne .- This town, originally named Frederickstown, at the time of its organization, included the present towns of Bradford, Orange, Tyrone, Wayne, and Barrington. The settlement of the town commenced in 1794, but did not make much progress for several years. A Baptist church is supposed to have been the first religious organization in the town. A Presbyterian church, con- sisting of sixteen members, was organized, December 21st, 1809, by Rev. John Lindsley, acting as a missionary under the General Assembly. It was received under the care of the Presbytery of Geneva, September 21st, 1814, and was transferred to the Pres- bytery of Bath on the organization of that body. In 1821, it con- sisted of twenty-one members ; in 1821, of one hundred and three ; in 1832, of two hundred ; and in 1846, of sixty-four. For several years after its organization it was in a very low state, its members were few, and most of them very negligent in duty. Public wor- ship was intermitted, and the church seemed fast verging to disso- lution. But at length some light appeared. On the 14th day of February, 1821, Rev. Joseph Crawford was ordained and installed pastor of this church and the church of Starkey, to divide his labors between them. At the expiration of two years, his relation to the church of Starkey was dissolved, and his whole time devoted to
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the church of Wayne till April 29th, 1839, when he was dismissed from his pastoral charge. Rev. James Rowlette officiated as stated supply for several years, Rev. William Johnson, one or two years, Rev. Benjamin Russell, one or two years, and Rev. Flavel S. Gay- lord, one year. At the present time the church is vacant. In the support of Mr. Russell the church had the aid of the American Home Missionary Society. In 1827, the church reported thirty-six members, added within the year, and the next year, twenty-one. These additions were most of them the result of a blessed revival which had been enjoyed. In 1832, nearly one hundred were added by profession to the church. But from that period the church has declined. About this period the church was divided. The church of Tyrone was formed from it, a circumstance which deprived it of at least one halfits strength. It is now reduced to a low condition. There was a house of worship erected by the Baptists at an early period, but left unfinished. This was removed some years after- wards to a location considerably south of the present village of Wayne, by the joint labors of the Baptists and Presbyterians, and finished in plain style. It was then for some years occupied by each denomination alternate Sabbaths. Some years since it was deserted by the Presbyterians, who built for themselves a new and commodious house in the village. The Methodists have also a house of worship in the village, with regular ministrations. There is a small Episcopal Society, who have preaching a part of the time, but have no appropriate house of worship.
Tyrone .- This church was formed by a committee of the Pres- bytery of Bath, Feb. 21st, 1832. It was composed of twenty-eight members, being a detachment from the church of Wayne, and was taken under the care of the Presbytery of Bath. The next spring it reported eighty-four members ; in 1840, one hundred and forty- seven. This is the last report which the writer has seen. The church has never had a settled pastor. Rev. Joseph Crawford la- bored here as a stated supply for a season, after the organization of the church. He was followed by Rev. Charles Goodrich, Rev. William Todd, Rev. William Johnson, and Rev. Samuel White, who labored some time. Rev. James Rowlette was stated supply about ten years, but was at length obliged to desist on account of bodily indisposition. Rev. Henry C. Morse is the supply at the present time. In 1832 a revival was enjoyed, which added to the church twenty-five members by profession. In 1840 sixty were reported as thus added, the result of a gracious outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The church has been aided by the American IIome Missionary Society in the support of Messrs. Crawford and White. The church, in connexion with the Baptists, has a house of worship, which is occupied alternate Sabbaths by the two denominations.
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WESTERN NEW YORK.
The Methodist denomination has also a house of worship in the vil- lage of Tyrone.
Pulteney .- The settlement of this town commenced about the beginning of the present century. The early settlers were from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and different parts of New York and the Eastern States. Hence there was an entire want of homoge- neous character. But few of them were professors of religion of any denomination, and for a considerable period no male professor of the Presbyterian order resided in the place. A Baptist church was organized in the north part of the town as early as 1811 or '12, and not long afterwards another of the same denomination at the southern part. Previous to these organizations the Methodists had a class formed, and circuit preaching established. Rev. James H. Hotchkin, of Prattsburgh, began to pay some attention to this desti- tute region as early as the latter part of 1809, preaching occasion- ally, and sometimes statedly on a week-day. Itinerant missionaries occasionally visited the place, and spent a day or two. At length Mr. Jabish Havens, who had been a ruling elder in the church of Ulysses, moved into the place, and commenced regular public wor- ship upon the Sabbath. A few other professors of the Presbyterian order moved in, and a Presbyterian church, consisting of twelve members, was organized June 2d, 1817, by Rev. Ebenezer Lazell and Rev. James II. Hotchkin. The church was received under the care of the Presbytery of Bath, August 20th, 1817. In 1825 it numbered sixty-nine members ; in 1832, one hundred and fifty-six; and in 1846, one hundred and twenty-three. At the time of the or- ganization of the church Mr. Lazell was engaged with them as stated supply, and continued to officiate in that capacity for some time. Rev. Charles Yale was ordained and installed pastor of the church Jan. 30th, 1823. His regular dismission took place August 31st, 1825, though his services as pastor had ceased some time pre- vious. Rev. Beriah Hotchkin commenced preaching in the con- gregation in Oct. 1824, and supplied this congregation in connexion with Wheeler one year. He then removed to Pulteney, and sup- plied statedly two years. He was followed by Rev. Stalham Clary, who supplied one or two years. Rev. Samuel White commenced as a stated supply in the spring of 1830, and continued between two and three years. After him Rev. Asa Messer supplied a short time, and was followed by Rev. Benjamin B. Smith, who continued three or four years. He was succeeded by Rev. Samuel T. Bab- bitt, who continued two or three years. Rev. James H. Hotchkin was the next in order of time, commenced his labors in the spring of 1840, and continued three years. Rev. Samuel White immedi- ately succeeded him, and officiated as stated supply till April 10th, 1844, at which date he was installed pastor of the church, and in
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that relation still continues. A revival under the ministry of Mr. Yale was enjoyed, which added a number of members to the church. Under Mr. Clary's labors the Spirit was shed down, and twenty- eight members were added to the church on a profession of faith. Also during the first period of Mr. White's ministry, a revival was experienced, and in 1832 fifty-seven was reported as the number of additions by profession the preceding year. The church has been formerly aided, for seven or eight years, in the support of their ministers, by the American Home Missionary Society. The church has an appropriate house of worship, erected in 1835, but its loca- tion is such, that in the opinion of many, the prosperity of the church is greatly impeded. This congregation has a glebe of forty acres, which is under good improvement, and on which are a house and barn for the use of the minister. This property was obtained by the sale of a lot of one hundred acres of wild land, given to the So- ciety by the agent of the Pulteney estate. The location of the house of worship occasioned a division of the church. About twenty members living at the southern extremity took letters of dismission, and were organized a Congregational church, in connexion with the Genesee Consociation. Rev. Elijah Woolage was installed its pastor, and so continued two or three years. He was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Porter, as stated supply, one year. Rev. Samuel White, the pastor of the Presbyterian church, labored with them one quarter of the time for two years, from August, 1844. They have been aided in the support of their ministers by the American Home Missionary Society. They have a small house of worship, in an unfinished state. In consequence of deaths and removals, the church has become nearly extinct. Within the town of Pulteney are two Baptist churches, with houses of worship, two churches of Free Will Baptists, one of which has a house of worship, two Methodist chapels, and a small community of Christians, which has no appropriate house of worship. Some of the members of this community reside in the town of Prattsburgh, and their ordinary place of worship is a school-house, situated on the line which di- vides the two towns.
Prattsburgh .- That part of the town of Prattsburgh which con- stitutes Township number six in the third Range of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, was purchased in 1800, of the agent of the Pulteney Estate, by Capt. Joel Pratt of Columbia county. Capt. Pratt was a member of a Congregational Church in the village of Spencertown. It was his determination to settle himself and family on this township, and establish religious society in the order to which he had been accustomed. With a view to the accomplish- ment of this object, he required every person to whom he sold land to give a note, to the amount of fifteen dollars on each hundred acres of land purchased by him, payable within a given time with
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WESTERN NEW YORK.
the legal interest annually till paid, to the trustees of the Religious Society which should be formed. The first permanent settlers in the township were Mr. Jared Pratt, a nephew of Capt. Pratt, and his wife, who came in, in the early spring of 1801. They consti- tuted the only family in the township for about two years and a half. Their hardships were many, and their privations great. No neighbor within several miles ; no roads except a mere trail, and a dense forest all around them. To obtain flour for their bread, Mr. Pratt would yoke his oxen, fill his bag with grain, lay it across the yoke of his oxen, and drive his team eleven miles to Naples, where was the nearest mill to his habitation, the road all the way lying in a dense forest without any habitation contiguous to it. In the autumn of 1803, Rev. John Niles, then a licentiate, moved his family into the place and settled near Mr. Pratt. - Mr. Niles was in feeble health, and expected to be obliged to relinquish the work of the ministry, and adopt the occupation of an agriculturist. Capt. Pratt gave him eighty acres of land as a gratuity for settling on his town- ship. The next Sabbath after Mr. Niles's arrival, public worship commenced, and has been constantly maintained ever since. The succeeding winter one or two other families came on, and the next season a considerable number, and for three or four years the influx of immigrants was considerable. Almost all the heads of families who first came in were members of Congregational churches, and persons of more than ordinary intelligence. They were drawn hither by the expectation of enjoying a good, religious, and civil society. They were peculiarly a homogeneous population. The plan adopted by Capt. Pratt for establishing a permanent fund for the support of the gospel, was the means of drawing together such a community, but after a few years the fund became a subject of dissatisfaction, and was eventually given up. On the 26th day of June, 1804, a Congregational Church was organized by Rev. Timothy Field of Canandaigua. The church at its organization consisted of eleven members, of whom six were males, viz. Joel Pratt, John Niles, Samuel Tuttle, Solsbury Burton, Pomeroy Hull, and William P. Curtis. Four others were added to them in a short time. Of these fifteen, two, W. P. Curtis, Esq., and his wife, are still members, one other who removed from the place many years since is supposed to be alive, and the rest sleep. At the close of the year 1808 the church had increased to the number of fifty- one members; in 1819, eighty-six ; in 1822, 180; in 1826, 235; in 1840, 400 ; and in 1846, 321. The church became connected with the Ontario Association, June 10th, 1806, and after the dissolution of that body was received under the care of the Presbytery of Geneva, September 12th, 1813. On the organization of the Pres- bytery of Bath, it was assigned to the care of that body.
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