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 55
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Kennedyville .- This small village is located in the town of Bath adjacent to the town of Avoca, in which there is another small village called Avoca. The Presbyterian Church of Kennedyville is com- posed of persons residing in these two villages and their vicinity. It was organized October 18th, 1831, by a committee of the Pres- bytery of Bath, consisting of Rev. David Higgins, Rev. Lyman Barrett, and Mr. James G. Higgins, ruling-elder. It consisted of fourteen members taken from the church of Bath, and was taken under the care of the Presbytery, January 31st, 1832. In 1833, it numbered seventy-six members ; in 1834, ninety-nine ; and in 1843, forty. Rev. David Iliggins officiated as stated supply from January, 1833, to the close of April, 1834. Rev. Edwin Bronson supplied one year from December, 1834. Rev. Lyman Barrett succeeded him for a period of six months. Rev. Ebenezer Everett commenced ministering to the church in September, 1836, and con- tinued three years. Rev. Oren Johnson was the stated supply from the autumn of 1841, two years. Since Mr. Johnson's departure the church has been vacant. In the summer of 1832, Rev. James Boyle held a long protracted meeting with this church, as the im- mediate result of which more than fifty individuals were added to the church on their profession of faith. But the final result was not as happy as was desired. Many of the converts so called, aposta- tized, and others gave little or no evidence of piety. This circum- stance, with the great number of removals of members to other parts of the country, has reduced the church to a very low state. They have had no stated preaching for several years, and stated public worship has been intermitted. The prospects of the church are very unpromising. In the support of its ministers, it has been aided
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by the American Home Missionary Society. The church has a commodious house of worship located in the village of Kennedyville, which was erected in 1833, and is forty-six feet in length and thirty- eight in breadth. It has been seldom occupied for two or three years past. There is another house for worship in the village, erected by the Universalists and Christians, and formerly occupied by the two denominations alternately. For some years past it has seldom been occupied. In the village of Avoca the Methodists have a commodious house of worship and a respectable society. There is a small church of German Lutherans, the members of which live in the towns of Avoca and Wheeler. They have no house of worship.
Wheeler .- The settlement of this town commenced about the year 1800. Philip Murtle, Capt. Silas Wheeler, and Thomas Aulls, Esq., were among the first settlers. For many years after the set- tlement of the town commenced, no stated public worship was attended. An occasional sermon from a travelling missionary, or a neighboring minister, was enjoyed, and this for some years was the amount of religious services which were held. The Sabbath was greatly desecrated, and no encouraging appearances were exhibited. About the commencement of the year 1815, Rev. James H. Hotch- kin began to preach occasionally on the West Hill near the northern line of the town, where two of the members of the church of Prattsburgh, of which he was pastor, resided. This, in process of time, became a stated service on a week-day once in two weeks. He also frequently preached in the eastern part of the town on the creek, as did also Rev. David Higgins of Bath. Two or three individuals on the creek were members of the church of Bath. In the latter part of the year 1818, and the beginning of the following year, a considerable measure of religious interest was felt in the neighborhood of Mr. Hotchkin's lectures. A season of revival was enjoyed, and a goodly number hopefully born again. As the result of this revival, a Baptist church and a Methodist class were orga- nized, and eight individuals united themselves to the church in Prattsburgh of which Mr. Hotchkin was pastor. In the latter part of the year 1824, Rev. Beriah Hotchkin commenced preaching in the town of Wheeler, and continued his ministrations each alternate Sabbath for one year. During this period a Presbyterian Church was organized, composed of members taken from the churches of Prattsburgh and Bath. This church was taken under the care of the Presbytery of Bath, August 30th, 1825. The next year it con- sisted of twenty-three members, which is the highest number ever reported. The church, for a season, maintained the stated worship of God on the Sabbath, and enjoyed to some extent the preaching of the gospel. But an unhappy case of discipline occurred, the result of which was to create disaffection and alienation of feeling
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in the church. The meetings were broken up, and the Session and church as such ceased all action. Some members of Presbyterian churches from abroad moved into the place, and found no acting church with which to unite. Some instances of hopeful conversion had taken place, and the individuals wished to connect themselves with a Presbyterian church. Under these circumstances, applica- tion was made to the Presbytery for the formation of a new church. A committee, of which Rev. Messrs. Higgins and Rudd were mem- bers, was appointed to meet at Wheeler, and organize a church, if judged expedient. The committee met, October 19th, 1831, and organized a church of nine members, of whom five were males and four females. Five of these had been members of churches in the places from which they had removed, and four were received on examination. In February following, ten members were received by letter from the original church, leaving to that church not more than eight or nine resident members. The new church, by the name of the church of Centre Wheeler, was received under the care of the Presbytery of Bath, January 31st, 1832. It then consisted of twenty-one members. In 1836, it numbered forty members. From that period the number has been diminishing. In 1846, the num- ber was twenty-two. In 1833, most of the remaining members of the original church united with the new one, and that church be- came extinct. In 1832, the new church erected and completed a small but commodious house of worship, which was dedicated to the worship of Almighty God, January 10th, 1833 : Rev. David Higgins preached the sermon on the occasion. In the month of February of the last mentioned year, Rev. James H. Hotchkin commenced laboring in this congregation, and was installed as pas- tor of the church on the 17th day of September of the same year. He continued in the pastorate four years from the commencement of his labors with them, and was dismissed February 17th, 1837. At the commencement of Mr. Hotchkin's ministry, the prospects of the church appeared somewhat flattering. The community seemed to be assuming a more orderly position, the difficulties of the church vanishing, and the members of the church manifesting a determi- nation to enjoy the ordinances of the gospel. A measure of revival was enjoyed, which brought an addition of members to the church. During Mr. Hotchkin's ministry thirty-seven members were received into the church by letter and examination ; twenty-one were dis- missed with letters to other churches, among whom were two of the elders ; some removed without letters, two were suspended, and one or two deceased. But though the number of members was somewhat enlarged, its pecuniary ability was actually diminished, and from the period of Mr. Hotchkin's dismission the church rapidly declined, through the removals of so many of its important mem- bers. Rev. Elijah Wollage officiated as stated supply in 1838 and 1839, and Rev. Flavel S. Gaylord, principal of the Academy in
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Prattsburgh, supplied the pulpit each alternate Sabbath for two or three years. Some others have supplied for short periods. At the present time the church is vacant, and its prospects are gloomy. The death of Thomas Aulls, Esq., one of its ruling elders, and a most able supporter, which occurred in August, 1846, was to this church and community a most afflicting event.
This church has received the aid of the American Home Mis- sionary Society in the support of Mr. Hotchkin and Mr. Wollage. The Baptist church in Wheeler has become extinct. A Free Will Baptist church was organized some years since in the north part of the town, which the writer believes still has an existence, though in a decayed state. The Methodist denomination have a house of worship on the hill west of the valley. They are the only denomi- nation in Wheeler at all in a flourishing state.
Hammondsport .- This village is situated at the head of the Crooked lake in the town of Urbana. The extensive valley which constitutes the most important part of the town was early known by the appellation of " Pleasant Valley." The settlement of this valley commenced in 1793. William Aulls, the father of the late Thomas Aulls, Esq., of Wheeler, was the first, or one of the first settlers. He was from Pennsylvania, and, at the time of his re- moval, was a member of the Presbyterian church. He was one of the original members of the church of Bath, and was punctual in his attendance on public worship at the village of Bath, until old age and bodily infirmities prevented, though living at the distance of seven miles from the village. And here let it be noticed, that when public worship was set up in Prattsburgh, and the only place where public worship was practised in all the region, an elderly woman, of Dutch extract, who lived in Urbana, at a distance of eight or ten miles from Prattsburgh, occasionally came there on foot to attend worship with the people of God, and hear the word of salvation dispensed. Her path must have been through a forest, with very few habitations by the way. Such, however, were not the feelings of the mass of the early settlers in Pleasant Valley. Some of them were respectable in a civil point of view, benevolent and generous, strict moralists in most points, intelligent and good citizens of the civil community, but sceptical on the subject of reli- gion, and regardless of the ordinances of the gospel. Under such influences, a generation has been trained up, and the consequences are seen in the defective views entertained by many of the more respectable class concerning the gospel and its institutions.
The village of Hammondsport was founded in 1826. Wil- liam Hastings, who is now a member of the Presbyterian church, erected the first store, and commenced mercantile business. The settlement of the village progressed, and on the first of July, 1831, Rev. Isaac Flagler commenced preaching as a stated supply to the
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people. On the twenty-fifth day of that month, a religious society was organized according to the law of the State, and a Presbyte- rian church, consisting of eight members, was organized, Sept. 14th, 1831, by a committee of the Presbytery of Bath, consisting of Rev. Isaac W. Platt, Rev. Samuel White, and two elders. The mem- bers of the church were taken from the church of Bath. The church thus organized, was recognised by the Presbytery, Jan. 31st, 1832. The next spring after organization it reported forty- five members ; in 1836, eighty-two ; and in 1846, one hundred and fifteen. Mr. Flagler continued to officiate as stated supply till January, 1833, when he left. In April following, he was succeed- ed by Rev. William M. Adams, who officiated as stated supply till September, 1834. In January, 1835, Rev. George E. Delavan commenced laboring as stated supply, and continued till Septem- ber, 1837. In January following, Rev. Robert E. Willson entered upon this field of labor, was ordained and installed pastor of the church, Dec. 4th, 1838, and still continues in the pastorate. During the period of Mr. Flagler's ministry the church received frequent accessions both by letter and profession. At the time of his leav- ing there was an unusual state of religious feeling prevailing. Rev. Moses Ordway was invited to hold a series of religious meetings, and as the result of this protracted effort, seventeen members were added to the church by profession. Under the ministry of Mr. Adams, there were frequent additions to the church, but no general revival. In the winter of 1836-37, while Mr. Delavan was stated supply, an outpouring of the Spirit was witnessed, and as the result thirty members have been added by profession to the church. At several times since the present pastor commenced his labors, there have been movings of the Divine Spirit on the minds and hearts of the community, and a goodly number have been brought into the church.
This church, like most others, has from time to time been greatly weakened by the removal of its members to other parts of the country, and though its members generally have been very liberal in their contributions for the support of the ministry, they have been under the necessity of receiving continued aid from the Ame- rican Home Missionary Society. At an early period Mr. William Hastings built a small, but tolerably convenient house for worship, designed for temporary use. The Society has lately erected a spacious and convenient edifice, which is furnished with a bell.
There is an Episcopal Society in this village. They have a house of worship, and a clergyman of the strictest sect of Episco- palians. Previous to the organization of any church in this village, Rev. Mr. Savage, a respectable clergyman of the Baptist denomi- nation, preached for a considerable period in the place.
Bath .- In the month of April, 1792, Robert Morris sold to Col.
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Charles Williamson all that immense tract of land, which was afterwards known as the Pulteney Estate, including the principal part, or the whole of the original county of Steuben. The same year Col. Williamson located himself and family at Bath, and laid out a village, in the full belief, as the place was at the head of ark navigation on the Susquehannah, that it would constitute the cen- tre of business for Western New York. Col. Williamson, as a European, entertained the views, and was addicted to the habits, of Europeans of his grade. He soon erected a theatre, and pre- pared a race-course for the lovers of pleasure. But no preparation was made for the worship of God. The first settlers were princi- pally from Europe, or the States of Maryland and Virginia, with a sprinkling of Yankees, who came in to make money. The early state of society was very dissolute. The Sabbath was disregarded ; drinking, gambling, carousing, horse-racing, attending the theatre, with other concomitant vices, were very general, and numbers of those who moved in the high circle were exceedingly depraved in their habits. But, it deserves notice, that at this dissolute period, an obscure individual of the Baptist denomination, plain and illite- rate, but very pious, upheld public worship. This man's name was Streeter. He drew around him upon the Sabbath in some humble building, a little circle, mostly of colored people, prayed and sang with them, read a portion of Scripture, and talked to them about the salvation of the soul. Some called it preaching, but Mr. Streeter did not. He denied being a preacher, entertained humble views of himself, but claimed the privilege of addressing his fellow men on the subjects which concern salvation. There was at that period a large proportion of slaves in Bath and its immediate vici- nity. Some of them were pious ; and among the white population, there were a few pious individuals. Mrs. Townsend, the wife of Henry 'A. Townsend, Esq., was, in the early period of the history of the village of Bath, a light shining in a dark place. A travelling missionary occasionally visited this place, and preached a sermon, or spent a Sabbath. In 1807, Rev. John Niles, as has been stated, moved into Prattsburgh, and some time afterwards commenced preaching in Bath a part of the time. Some success attended his labors, and a few instances of hopeful conversion took place. He organized a church consisting of fourteen members, Jan. 3d, 1808. Of these fourteen, several of them resided at a considerable dis- tance from the village of Bath. The congregation of Bath at this early period might be considered as extended over what is now embraced by the congregations of Bath, Kennedyville, a part of Wheeler, and Hammondsport. The church conducted its disci- pline on the Congregational plan, and was not connected with any ecclesiastical judicatory till Sept. 18th, 1811, when it was received under the care of the Presbytery of Geneva, and on the organiza- tion of the Presbytery of Bath was assigned to the care of that
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body. The church, soon after its reception by the Presbytery, on the advice of that body, and with a view to allay animosities arising, adopted the Presbyterian form of church government in full. On the seventh day of July, 1808, Mr. Niles was installed pastor of the church by a committee of the Ontario Association, of which body he was a member. Mr. Niles continued as the pastor of the church till his death, which occurred Sept. 13th, 1812. During Mr. Niles's ministry, or at least the early part of it, public worship was held a part of the time at the mouth of the Five Mile Creek, a little above where the village of Kennedyville.now stands, and a part of the time in the school-house in Pleasant Valley, near Judge Baker's; but at least half of the time in the village of Bath, in the old court- house. During the pastorate of Mr. Niles, about twenty members were added to the church. Rev. David Higgins received a unani- mous call to become the pastor of the church, Dec. 7th, 1812, and was installed into office, July 1st, 1813. Mr. Higgins labored with various degrees of success from time to time till June 21st, 1831, when he was dismissed from his pastoral charge. During the whole period of Mr. Higgins's ministry there was a gradual increase of the number of members in the church, so that at his dismission it numbered one hundred and seventeen members. There were seve- ral seasons of more than ordinary attention, in which some were born into the kingdom. Near the close of his ministry, there was a revival of considerable extent, and as the result, thirty-six united with the church. Rev. Isaac W. Platt was installed pastor of the Church, Sept. Ist, 1831. A considerable addition was made to the church during the first year of his ministry, by profession. In 1836, the church reported one hundred and forty-four members, a larger number than had ever before been reported. In 1837, the Exscinding Act of the General Assembly took place. Mr. Platt strongly sympathized with the old school party. The Presbytery of Bath took a decided stand against the action of the General As- sembly. Under these circumstances, Mr. Platt, on Sabbath, August 27th, 1837, notified a meeting of the church to be attended the next day, for the purpose of taking into consideration the relations of the church. At this meeting, it is said, some thirty-five or forty members, the major part females, were present, and instructed the Session to take immediate measures to procure the admission of the church into the Presbytery of Susquehannah. Two of the three elders were opposed entirely to the measure, and took no part in it. Mr. Platt and the other elders set out the next day to attend the meeting of the Presbytery of Susquehannah, and Mr. Platt was received as a member, and the church taken under the care of that Presbytery. The church at this time consisted of about one hun- dred and thirty members.
At the meeting of the Presbytery of Bath, in January following this event, a memorial was laid before the Presbytery, signed by
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twenty of the members of the church including two of the elders, stating their circumstances, and praying to be re-organized as " The Church of Bath, under the care of the Presbytery 'of Bath." The Presbytery "Resolved that the memorialists and others who may within six months return to them, be authorized to proceed to elect officers, and commence a record, and do all other things consistent with their connexion with this body, considered as a vacant church." Mr. Hotchkin was directed to visit them and supply them one Sabbath. In obedience to this direction he visited them within a few days after the meeting of the Presbytery. Nineteen of the memorialists met, and a re-commencement of action in the capacity of a church took place. The church, in 1840, had in- creased to the number of forty-four members. In 1847, it was seventy-six, and in November, 1845, ninety. The church was sometimes vacant, sometimes supplied by neighboring minis- ters, and for short periods by stated supplies. Rev. George H. Hastings, and Rev. Orris Fraser, then licentiates, supplied for a season each. Also, Rev. William L. Strong, for a season. Rev. Orris Fraser was ordained and installed pastor of the church, Jan. 27th, 1841, and continued in the pastorate till May 16th, 1843, when the pastoral relation was dissolved. He was followed by Rev. Hiram Gregg, as stated supply for about six months ; and he, by Rev. Samuel Porter, for a season. Rev. Sabin M'Kinney succeeded, and was employed one year. In June, 1845, Rev. Loren W. Russ commenced labor with the church, and was or- dained and installed pastor, Nov. 11th, 1845. He was dismissed from his pastoral relation, May 16th, 1848, having announced his intention to unite with the Episcopal Church. Several seasons of ingathering have been enjoyed, and the church has been much blessed. They have been for several years, and still are, aided by the American Home Missionary Society. They have a house of worship, forty-six feet in length, and thirty in breadth, with a fine bell, and well arranged, which was erected in 1841. The ordinary congregation is from two to three hundred.
The other branch of the church, in connexion with the pastor, Mr. Platt, remained attached to the Presbytery of Susquehannah, till the organization of the Presbytery of Steuben, when they were assigned to that body. Mr. Platt was dismissed from his pastoral charge in April, 1844. The number of members in the church at his dismission was one hundred and twenty-three. Rev. L. Mer- rill Miller was ordained and installed as pastor, Oct. 8th, 1844, and still retains his station. The church in 1846, numbered one hun- dred and thirty-two members. It holds the property which be- longed to the church before the disruption, and has a good house of worship, sufficient to hold a large congregation, and is located in a very commanding position. It was erected in 1824. Between the two churches there is a more friendly state of feeling than for-
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merly existed ; and it is to be hoped that, in future, the only rival- ry between them will be, which can do most to promote the pros- perity of Zion, and exemplify the Christian character.
Besides the Presbyterian, there are four other houses of worship in the village : the Methodist, the Episcopalian, the Baptist, and the African, to all of which are attached respectable congregations.
Cameron .- This church was organized, probably, in the year 1840, and was received under the care of the Presbytery of Che- mung, Sept. 23d of that year. It was transferred, by act of the Synod, to the Presbytery of Bath, Oct. 4th, 1842. It has always been a small and feeble church, and the principal part of the time destitute of the stated preaching of the gospel. Rev. William B. Stowe, under the patronage of the American Home Missionary Society, officiated as stated supply one year from December, 1845. The church has, to some extent, been supplied by others. Its num- ber of members, at any period, is not known to the writer.
Hornellsville .- This town was formerly a part of the town of Canisteo, which originally embraced the present towns of Canisteo, Hornellsville, Hartsville, Greenwood, Cameron, and a part of Jasper and Woodhull. Hornellsville was familiarly known as Upper Canisteo. The settlement of the town commenced near the close of the last century. Hon. George Hornell, Hon. Christo- pher Hurlbut, two families of the name of Stephens, and one of the name of Crosby, were among the first settlers, and were almost the only ones down to a period as late as 1810. As early as 1810, itinerant preachers of the Methodist denomination began to visit the settlement, and occasionally preached. In 1809, '10, and '11, Rev. Samuel Parker, missionary from Massachusetts, occasionally preached in this place, and under his labors Judge Hornell and one or two of his family were hopefully converted to God. In 1810, Rev. Robert Hubbard visited this region as a missionary. In the spring of 1812, a Presbyterian church was organized in Alfred (now Almond), with which a few individuals in Hornellsville united. Mr. Hubbard was ordained and installed pastor of this church and that of Angelica, by the Presbytery of Bath, August 20th, 1812. During the continuance of Mr. Hubbard's ministry, down to the period of 1829, he statedly preached a small part of the time at Hornellsville, and considered it a part of his charge. After Mr. Hubbard's dismission, other ministers laboring at Almond considered Hornellsville as included in their field of labor.
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