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 7
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ITS EARLY RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
ters, and over the churches to such an extent as to exclude them from the connexion, if found erroneous in doctrine or practice. At the next meeting after the organization of the Association, Rev. Eleazer Fairbanks united with the Association ; in the winter of 1803, Rev. James H. Hotchkin ; and in the summer following, Rev. Ahijah Warren became a member. In 1804, it appears that the following churches were connected with the Association :- Charlestown (now Lima), East Bloomfield, West Bloomfield, No. 11 (now Victor), Canandaigua, North Bristol, South Bristol, Middletown (now Naples), Pittstown (now Richmond), and Au- gusta (now Rushville).
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42
CHAPTER IV.
Early Settlers on the Military Tract : their Character. Early Missionaries : Dr. Williston and others. Revivals of Religion. Organization of Churches. Milton, Aurelius, Skeneatoles, Pompey, Homer, Marcellus, Locke, Camillus, Ovid, Romu- lus, Ulysses, Junius. Rev. John Lindsley settled at Ovid : Rev. David Higgins at Aurelius : Rev. Hugh Wallis at Pompey : Rev. Nathan B. Darrow at Homer. Mr. Higgins's Letter. Presbytery of Oneida organized. Middle Association.
IT has been remarked, on a preceding page, that the settlement of the Military Tract did not commence as early, nor proceed as rapidly as the settlement of the Genesee country. It was not, however, far behind. The traits of character which distinguished the first immigrants of the Genesee country, are substantially the same with those which characterized the early settlers on the Mili- tary Tract. They were generally from the same regions of coun- try. In emigrating from their former residence, their objects were precisely the same. The circumstances under which they found themselves in their new residences, as respects security from hos- tile foes, and conveniences for comfortable living, were similar. Their opportunity for religious instruction was the same. It may; however, be remarked, that the country between the Seneca and Cayuga lakes received a much larger share of its first inhabitants from the States of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. These gave the character of the States from which they emigrated to this region, in a higher degree than is to be found in most other parts of West- ern New York. But the prevailing character of the inhabitants of the Military Tract, is the New England character somewhat modified. As to the views of the immigrants respecting religion, and religious institutions, and their religious feelings, they were, in all respects, of the same class with their more western neigh- bors. As to their religious privileges, especially the enjoyment of the preaching of the gospel, their circumstances were similar to those who settled in the Genesee country. As the Military Tract lay in the direct rout of trave Jto the Genesee country, it was visited by missionaries at as early a period as the other. Rev. Daniel Thatcher, who was a missionary to Western New York from the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, in 1795 and 1796, undoubtedly passed through some part of the Military Tract, and probably preached in some places. Of the missionaries sent out from Connecticut to visit the new settlements, it is not known to the writer that any of them penetrated as far west as the Military Tract. The accounts of their labors which the writer has
43
THE MILITARY TRACT.
seen, are indefinite, as regards the extent of the fields which they occupied ; and in some missionary accounts, he finds the region contiguous to the Hudson river designated as "the frontiers."
In the month of June, 1798, Rev. Seth Williston was appointed by the General Association of Connecticut to perform a tour of four months' missionary service, particularly in the county of Onondaga. This county at that period embraced the whole of the Military Tract. Mr. Williston labored in this county from about the first of September to the end of the year, occasionally going into the counties of Tioga and Chenango. In his report of his la- bors, he says, " There are but few churches in the county, and no stated ministers of our order. There is a great want of some able, pious, zealous men, to fix down in different parts of the county, as ministers of the gospel. Three or four such might be extensively useful. We are afraid to establish churches, while there are no shepherds within call to feed and lead them." The same year Rev. John Close, Rev. Asa Hillyer, Rev. Asa Dunham, and Messrs. John Semons, and John Patterson, licensed preachers of the gospel, were in the employ of the General Assembly, as missionaries, for different periods, to the new settlements. Their fields of labor included the county of Onondaga. Dr. Hillyer, particularly, was directed to visit the towns of Milton, Aurora, Homer, Manlius, Solon, and Pompey. The same year Rev. Beriah Hotchkin, in fulfilment of an appointment from the Berkshire and Columbia Missionary Society, passed through a part of the Mili- tary Tract, and spent a short time in missionary labors on that field.
In the year 1799, Dr. Williston, Mr. Bushnell, and Mr. Walter King, a licensed preacher of the gospel, spent some portion of the year on this field, in the service of the Missionary Society of Con- necticut. Dr. Williston, in his report, speaks of revivals of religion as existing in several places. His labors appear to have been abun- dant, and to have been useful. In the township of Locke he assisted in the organization of a church of the Congregational order. Of Mr. King, it is observed, that " he found several places where there was a revival of religion, particularly in Onondaga county. The same year Rev. Methuselah Baldwin was appointed by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, to spend three months or more in missionary labors, in the county of Onondaga, in connex- ion with Dr. Williston. Respecting his labors, there is no particu- lar account, excepting that at the next meeting of the General As- sembly, it is stated that the missionaries appointed at the previous meeting of the Assembly, had proceeded on their respective tours, and had been diligent and laborious in discharging their duty. It is remarked, " the success of missionary labors is greatly on the in- crease. God is shaking the valley of dry bones on the frontiers : a spiritual resurrection is there taking place. There is a serious and
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WESTERN NEW YORK.
solemn attention to the great realities of religion in many places, and in different parts of that country. Some hundreds of people have, in a short space, been received into the communion of the church, and among these, several who were formerly avowed infidels and uni- versalists."
Dr. Williston recommenced his labors in the beginning of Octo- ber, 1799, and continued them to the close of the year 1800. The general field of labor assigned him, was the western counties of the State of New York. This, as the term was then understood, would include a much larger territory than that which in this work is de- nominated Western New York. It is, however, well known, that a considerable share of his labors was expended on the Military Tract. He is said to have " spent a considerable time in places where there appeared to be an awakening, particularly in Milton (now Genoa), where the Spirit was poured out in an abundant mea- sure, with his usual zeal and assiduity. Mr. Williston performed the duties of his mission, and success attended his labors. Many individuals were added to the churches, and one new church orga- nized in the town of Scipio, and another in the town of Camillus." The same year, Mr. Bushnell, now an ordained minister, and Mr. Amara Jerome, a licensed preacher of the Gospel, were missionaries in the employ of the Connecticut Missionary Society, and labored a part of the time on the Military Tract.
The missionaries of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, who seem to have visited the Military Tract in the year 1800, were Rev. Robert Logan, Rev. Jonathan Freeman, Rev. John Lindsley, and Rev. Matthew L. R. Perrine (the late Dr. Perrine, Professor in the Theological Seminary of Auburn). Mr. Lindsley was particularly instructed to visit the towns of Ovid, Romulus, and Hector. With respect to most of these missionaries, it is not pro- bable that they spent much time on the Military Tract. The fields assigned them were extensive, and their periods of service short. It is probable that Mr. Chapman, who was this year stationed at Geneva, as has been already narrated, bestowed some part of his labor on this field. During the same year, Rev. David Perry and Rev. Samuel Fuller were employed on missions, by the Berkshire and Columbia Missionary Society. A part of the time of their service was spent on the Military Tract.
Up to this period, the close of the year 1800, no ministers of the Presbyterian or Congregational order had settled on the Military Tract. Very little, if any, preaching by ministers of these denomi- nations, except missionaries, was enjoyed. In some places public worship on the Sabbath was regularly maintained, but in many, this was not the case. The revival of 1799 and 1800, it appears, ex- tended to this region, and caused the wilderness to blossom as the rose. The character of the revival on the Military Tract was the same as in the Genesee country. The people upon whom it operat-
45
THE MILITARY TRACT.
ed, were of the same description ; mostly emigrants from New England. The same ministers, who as missionaries had labored in the Genesee country, and whose labors had been, in a particular manner, instrumental of the revival in that region, labored also on the Military Tract, and were especially the instruments God made use of to revive his work in that section of the country. Reference is here had to Dr. Williston and Mr. Bushnell. Their labors were of longer continuance than those of the other missionaries, and, of course, must have had a special influence in giving character to the revival. But those who were fellow laborers with them, were men of like spirit with themselves; believers of the same glorious truths, preaching the same gospel of Jesus Christ. Hence the same course of instruction, the use of the same means, and adoption of the same measures, to awaken and promote religious feeling, and to prepare converts for an admission to the church, were employed as in the Genesee country. On the Military Tract there were no set- tled pastors, or stated supplies ; in the Genesee country there were two or three. To give a particular account of this revival on the Military Tract at this late period, or even enumerate the several places in which it was most powerful, is impossible. Documents are wanting, or, if they exist, they have not fallen under the notice of the compiler of this work. The town of Milton (now Genoa) received a goodly share of the blessed effusion of the Divine Spirit. Scipio, Locke, Aurelius, Camillus, and Marcellus experienced a re- freshing. It is believed that the same may be said of Pompey, and probably of some other places. The revival in Homer was of a somewhat earlier date. Mr. Williston visited this place in 1797, and again in 1798, as a missionary. The present pastor of the church in a late communication says, Mr. Williston's labors were much blessed from the first, and resulted in a revival as early as 1798, by means of which about sixteen were hopefully converted. The result of these revivals was, that a goodly number of souls were born into the kingdom of God. The feeble churches pre- viously existing, were increased in numbers, and strengthened. The way was preparing for the regular settlement of ministers. How many churches on the Military Tract had been organized previous to the revival, is not known to the writer. The church of Milton (now Genoa) was organized in 1798, and as the result of the revival, received an accession of about twenty members to its former number. It is believed that churches were organized pre- vious to the revival in Aurelius, in Skeneateles, perhaps in Pom- pey, and in some other places.
These revivals prepared the way for the formation of several new churches. On the twelfth day of October, 1801, a Congrega- tional church, consisting of fourteen members, was organized at Homer, by Rev. Hugh Wallis of Solon. The next day a Congre- gational church was organized at Marcellus (Nine Mile Creek), con-
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WESTERN NEW YORK.
sisting of eighteen members, by Rev. Caleb Alexander, a missionary from Massachusetts. Mention has been made of the organization of a church in the town of Locke, in 1799. This church continued for a time. It was always small and feeble, and after a season be- came extinct, in consequence of churches organized in its near vicinity in more favorable locations. The church spoken of as formed in Camillus, in 1800, is the same as the present church of Elbridge, which was organized in 1800: and the church in Scipio, formed the same year, is that which is now known as the first church of Scipio. All these churches were organized as Congre- gational churches. Whether there were any others at as early a date is unknown to the writer.
It has been remarked that the country lying between the Cayuga and Seneca lakes received a very considerable share of its first immigrants from the States of New Jersey and Pennsyl- vania. These were a large share of them of Dutch, Scotch, and Irish origin, and, as far as religion was concerned, felt a sympathy with the Presbyterian and Reformed Dutch churches. The mis- sionaries who visited them were, to some extent, of the Presbyte- rian denomination. Mr. Thatcher probably visited them in 1795 and 1796, some others in 1798, and Mr. Lindsley and Doctor Perrine in.1800, and in subsequent years. From the year 1800 they were in the immediate vicinity of Mr. Chapman, who was stationed at Geneva, as a permanent missionary. A church was at a pretty early period organized in the town of Ovid, also one in Romulus, and two in Ulysses, also one at Junius (Seneca Falls). These churches were Presbyterian in their organization and form of government. The church of Ovid is not the church which at the present time bears that name. The original church of Ovid had its location in what is now the town of Covert, but embraced all the members of the Presbyterian church residing within the limits of the present towns of Ovid, Covert, Lodi, and Hector. Over this church Rev. John Lindsley was installed as pastor, probably in the year 1802 or 1803. He did not continue long in this situ- ation, but on the fifth day of November, 1805, was dismissed from his pastoral relation by the Presbytery of Geneva, on his own application, and with the consent of the congregation. In the year 1808, this church was dismissed from the care of the Presbytery to join a classis of the Reformed Dutch Church.
In the month of September, 1801, Rev. David Higgins, of Lyme, in the State of Connecticut, entered on a mission to the Western Counties of New York, under the patronage of the Connecticut Missionary Society. He spent some time in the counties of Dela- ware and Otsego, and then proceeded westward through the counties of Chenango, Onondaga, and Cayuga, to the county of Ontario. He spent seventeen weeks in missionary service, preach- ing to large and attentive assemblies. The Trustees of the
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THE MILITARY TRACT.
Society, in their Annual Report, say, " He speaks of an extensive harvest, with but few laborers. Mr. Higgins appears to have been faithful and laborious in his employment, and his services were very acceptable to those to whom he ministered." In the summer of 1802, Mr. Higgins returned to Western New York, preached for a season in different places, and finally accepted a call from the church and congregation of Aurelius to be their pastor. He then returned to Connecticut, and removed his family to Aurelius, and located himself near where the city of Auburn now stands. Soon after his return, he was installed pastor of the church and congregation. Within a short period after the installation of Mr. Higgins, Rev. Hugh Wallis was installed pastor of the church of Pompey, East Hill, and Rev. Nathan B. Darrow was ordained and installed pastor of the church of Homer. The settlement of these pastors was considered as a circumstance of such importance to the interests of religion on the Military Tract, that the ecclesiastical council convened at Homer for the ordination of Mr. Darrow, voted unanimously, "That to gladden the hearts of our Chris- tian brethren, with a view of our religious prosperity in this part of the country, the Rev. David Higgins make out and forward to the Editors of the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine, a succinct account of the installations at Aurelius and Pompey, and the ordi- nation in this place, to be published by them if they see cause." In the letter of Mr. Higgins, written in accordance with the above resolution, and published in the Magazine, there is contained the following statement :- " The Military Grant, so called, in- cluded in the counties of Onondaga and Cayuga, is a tract of country, about seventy miles in length, and fifty in breadth ; and contains probably at present about 30,000 inhabitants, who have settled in this country in the course of about twelve years. Before the first of October last, there was one respectable minister of the Dutch Reformed Church, and a number of Baptist elders settled on the Tract : but none of the Congregational or Presbyterian order. On the ninth of October I was installed over the church of Christ in this town, by a council of Congregational and Presbyterian ministers. On the fifth of January last, the Rev. Hugh Wallis was installed over the church on the east hill in Pompey. And on the second instant, the Rev. Nathan B. Darrow was ordained over the church in Homer.
"In each of these places the churches are respectable for num- bers ; their confessions of faith are distinguishing on the doctrines of grace ; and they have been unanimous in their calls to their respective pastors to settle with them. And the societies in these towns have presented competent terms of support to their respec- tive ministers. The councils on those ordination occasions were harmonious among themselves on the important points of the Christian religion ; and in their examinations of the candidates,
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WESTERN NEW YORK.
they entered with precision into their experimental acquaintance with the truth and power of religion, as well as into their doctrinal knowledge and sentiments in theology. To view the wilderness, which lately sat solitary, now become a fruitful field ; to consider the yell of beasts and savage men succeeded by the heavenly and harmonious praises of God and the Lamb; to view churches formed, ministers settled, and all conducted with religious order, peace, and love, must present an animating and grateful prospect to the distant beholders. It certainly warms the hearts of those of us who have been eye-witnesses of these things. 'The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.'" This letter is dated, " Aurelius, Feb. 14, 1803." In some part of the preceding statements, it is believed that Mr. Higgins must have had an ex- clusive reference to that part of the Military Tract which lies east of the Cayuga lake. Rev. John Lindsley was certainly a resident in the town of Ovid previous to October, 1802, and preaching to the congregation there. At the meeting of the General Assembly in May, 1802, the Presbytery of Oneida was detached from the Presbytery of Albany, including all that part of the territory of the Presbytery of Albany which lay on the west side of the eastern line of the counties of Otsego and Herkimer, including the Rev. Messrs. Fish, Lindsley, Dodd, Lewis, and Mr. Chapman, late of the Presbytery of New York, and Mr. Snowden, late of the Presbytery of New Brunswick. Mr. Lindsley must have been in Ovid at that time, or he would not have been included in this Presbytery. At the time of the organization of this Presbytery, there was no church in Western New York connected with it. Mr. Chapman and Mr. Lindsley were the only ministers of the Presbyterian denomination at that time resident on the territory. At a meeting of the Presbytery held at Geneva, in the month of June, 1803, which meeting the author of this work attended as a corresponding member, it is recollected that two or three churches in Western New York were represented in Presbytery by their ruling elders.
The congregational ministers and churches located on the Mili- tary Tract were impressed with a sense of the importance, espe- cially in their weak and scattered state, of having some bond of union among themselves, that they might by greater concert of action promote the prosperity of the Redeemer's kingdom. They considered that a standing ecclesiastical council, which should have jurisdiction over the ministers, to which the churches might resort for advice in their difficulties, and which, by frequent meetings, might deliberate and decide on measures to be employed in advanc- ing the interests of religion, was highly proper. Accordingly, in the month of February, 1803, shortly after the ordination of Mr. Darrow, at Homer, a meeting of ministers and delegates from the churches was held at Skeneateles, for the purpose of taking this subject into consideration, and forming an Association, if deemed
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THE MILITARY TRACT.
expedient. At a subsequent meeting, composed of ministers and delegates of churches, held at Marcellus (Nine Mile Creek), in January, 1804, the Association was formed, denominated, " The Middle Association on the Military Tract and its vicinity ;" the term "middle" having a reference to its location, as situated be- tween the Oneida Association and the Association of Ontario. The ministers who are supposed to have been present on this occasion, and to have united in organizing the Association, are Messrs. Hig- gins, Wallis, and Darrow, just settled as pastors of churches on the Military Tract ; Mr. Williston, then residing at Lisle, in the county of Tioga (now Broome) ; Mr. Chapman, of Geneva; Mr. Jabez Chadwick, then ministering to the first church in Milton (now Genoa) ; and Mr. Joseph Gilbert, then residing at Pompey. It was not at that period considered at all improper for a minister to be connected with two ecclesiastical bodies at the same time ; and Mr. Chapman, without dissolving his connexion with the Presby- tery, became a member of the Association. What churches were connected with the Association at its organization is not certainly known to the writer. The book of records of the Association is lost, or has been mislaid. It is believed that the churches of Aure- lius, Skeneateles, Pompey (East Hill), Homer, Genoa first church, and Scipio, were of the number. By the constitution, the ministers and churches consented to hold themselves amenable to the Asso- ciation with regard both to sentiment and conduct, and that they would submit themselves to an examination and trial of the same, when requested by the Association.
After the organization of the Association, the number of ministers and churches rapidly increased. Prosperity, in a good degree, attended the churches. The number of their members was much enlarged, and their ability to support the institutions of the gospel was more abundant. The Association, as a distinct ecclesiastical body, maintained its existence till the beginning of the year 1811, when it became merged in the Presbyteries of Cayuga and Onon- daga. The ministers who became members of the Association, subsequent to its organization, as near as can be ascertained, were Rev. Messrs. Joshua Leonard, Hezekiah N. Woodruff, William Clark, Levi Parsons, Joshua Johnson, Daniel Loring, Jeremiah Osborne, Seth Smith, Elnathan Walker, Andrew Rawson, Royal Phelps, Francis Pomeroy, William J. Willcox, and Reuben Hurd. Within four or five years from the time of the organization of the Association, Mr. Darrow was dismissed and removed to the State of Ohio, where he died many years since. The churches which have been connected with the Association, in addition to those already named, as far as can be recollected, are Locke, Cazenovia, Sempronius, Onondaga first church, Otisco, Fabius, Pompey (East Hollow or second church), Pompey third church, Manlius, Camillus, Brutus, Candor, and German.
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WESTERN NEW YORK.
Several of the ministers of the Association became connected with the Presbytery of Geneva, at the same time retaining their membership in the Association. This was the case with Messrs. Higgins, Woodruff, and Chadwick.
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CHAPTER V.
Territory in Western New York East and South of the Military Tract. Chenango Country. The Massachusetts Ten Townships. Governor's Purchase. Col. Linck- laen's Purchase. Thomas's Patent : Bingham's Patent : Hooper and Wilson's Pa- tent : Coxe's Patent. Extinction of Indian Titles. Settlement of the Country. Mission to the Indians at Oquago. Progress of Settlement. Major Buck's Or- dination.
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