USA > Ohio > Erie County > History of the Presbytery of Erie : embracing in its ancient boundaries the whole of northwestern Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio : with biographical sketches of all its ministers and historical sketches of its churches > Part 20
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Mr. Condit was the father of thirteen children. Two of these died in infancy, and one at the age of thirteen, and ten grew up to maturity. About a year previous to his death, he removed to Georgetown, and lived in a house that was under the same roof with that of his eldest son. His death was sudden, and occurred Oc- tober 24, 1836, from typhoid fever. This disease en- tered his and his son's families together. Eight mem- bers of the two households lay sick together, of whom four died. Mr. Condit was siek but eight days. Ile and his son Samuel, who was studying for the ministry, both died the same day and were buried in the same grave. His wife died soon after.
His remains find rest in the cemetery connected with the Fairfield church. His monument is seen facing the edifice in which he preached so many years, bear- ing the usual inscription, with the following homely yet terse lines, composed by a Rev. Mr. Smith, -
"In yonder sacred house I spent my breath ; Now slumbering here I lie in death. This sleeping dust shall rise and yet declare, A dread Amen to doctrines published there."
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Mr. Condit was the grandfather of Rev. Ira M. Con- dit, a missionary of the Presbyterian Board to China.
(25.) AMOS CHASE.
1786-1849.
AMOS CHASE was a native of New England. He was born in Sutton, near Boston, Mass., on the 12th day of May, 1760. When he was four years of age, his father moved to Cornish, N. II., and settled in the valley of the Connecticut River, at that time a dense wilderness. At the age of sixteen, he entered Dartmouth College, with the view of preparing himself for the life of a physician. But there was a different course marked out for him by the hand of Providence. The training that was begun in the wilderness of New Hampshire, must be put into practice in the wilderness of Northwest- ern Pennsylvania.
He became a subject of a revival that occurred in the College and surrounding country, in connection with the labors of Rev. Mr. Whitefield. His thoughts now ran in a different channel. Hle devoted himself to the ser- vice of God, and listening to the earnest call for labor- ers in the great vineyard, made a solemn consecration of himself to the work of the gospel ministry.
After taking his first degree in the arts in 1780, he commenced the study of theology, under the direction of Dr. Nathaniel Emmons, of. Boston. His theological studies were completed under the direction of Levi Hart, D. D., of Preston, Connecticut. He was licensed to preach the gospel by the South Association of Connecti- cut, and after some time spent in proving his gifts, was ordained by the same association at Litchfield, Connecti- cut, on the 27th day of June, 1787. In these services,
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his preceptor, Dr. Hart, preached the sermon.1 Here he commenced his work as pastor of the church at Litchfield South Farms, which continued for twenty-six years. In this field he was content to labor and practice self-denial, striving to live and educate a growing family upon a meagre salary, until forced to look for a different place of labor. The temporal interests of his family as well as the spiritual interests of his people, were a part of his burden, and he began to look to the West as an inviting field of labor.
The great Holland Land Company, at that time, were in possession of vast quantities of land, in Northwestern Pennsylvania, that they were anxious to have brought into market. To this end they offered inducements to clergymen to go out and settle in the territory they were opening up. Worldly prudence and a desire for the spiritual welfare of the people were mingled to- gether in unequal proportions, and so some of the agents of the company made overtures to Mr. Chase looking to the removal of his family and the es- tablishment of himself in the wilds of Pennsylvania. The motives held forth were, the wide field of useful- ness in a new country and in the midst of a destitute people, the founding of churches, and general mission- ary work ; together with the prospect of bettering his worldly circumstances. It was not kept out of view, however, that the company were to be benefited by the minister's removal, by inducing others to accompany or to follow him to the new country. And so the minis- ter went to the new country, found the wide, rough field of labor, a loud call for the preaching of the gos- pel, and earnest toil in building up Zion, but not the pecuniary advantages that had been promised. Still he labored and was content.
1 Sprague's Annals.
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The people of his old charge were much attached to him, and were unwilling to part with him. They pro- posed raising his salary, feeling that under his pastorate they had been most abundantly prospered. But the path of duty seemed plain, and at his own request, he was dismissed from his pastoral charge in 1814, and in the month of February, 1815, with his family, he set his face toward the West.
The association that dismissed him reported that he " had proved himself a workman that need not be ashamed : that the parish from a low estate of morality and religion, had become, under his ministrations, as a city set on a hill."
To the same effect is the testimony of an old parish- ioner, after his removal westward: " How much good, under God, Mr. Chase did, the world will never know. Think of South Farms, a place, when he went there, of comparative ignorance and vice, addicted to all kinds of vulgarity, debasing amusements, and dissipation; but raised during his residence there to respectability and intelligence, and what is still better, become the devoted worshippers of the living God."
The land of promise to which Mr. Chase had re- solved to emigrate was the northeastern part of Craw- ford County, Pa., in the neighborhood of what is now the city of Titusville. It was not a promising region then. On his first visit, the preceding summer, he found partially improved farms, with forsaken habita- tions, fields on which crops had been raised, but of which nothing now remained but decaying fences, and girdled trees standing in their nakedness, as monuments of wasted strength and disappointed hopes. Many who yet remained were preparing to leave the country as an accursed place. But Mr. Chase encouraged them to re-
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main, by assuring them that many families were on their way to the country ; and as the want of schools was very much complained of, assured them that his daugh- ters had signified their willingness to teach, if in that way they could be useful. With these assurances many were deterred from leaving, and a new impulse was given to the growth and prosperity of the country.
Here he pitched his tent and girded himself for labor. The whole country round was a spiritual desert. To one of his brethren in the East who had written him for a particular account of his circumstances and labors, he writes : "Take a map and stand with me a moment at Centerville, at the upper forks (navigable by law) of Oil Creek, and look an hundred miles to the east, north- east, and southeast, and there is no minister of Jesus Christ. Look again southwest, west, and northwest, and there are three ministers of our order, each minis- tering to three or four congregations. Who would not be ready to say, ' Who is sufficient for these things?' Being thus set down in the valley of dry bones, in the open valley and very dry, who would not tremble ? My poor, feeble labors were, during the past year, distrib- uted to encourage churches, congregations, and schools over an extent of country not less than one hundred miles between Buffalo and the Alleghany River. They were very general and without much effect save that of fur- nishing myself with an extensive knowledge of men and things in this region. My labors since have been more particular and their effects more evident."
On the 27th day of June, 1815, Mr. Chase was re- ceived into the Presbytery of Erie, as a member. For eleven years he took no regular pastoral charge, but acted as the missionary of Presbytery, particularly in portions of Crawford, Warren, and Venango counties.
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In the year 1815, he organized the churches of Oil Creek and Centerville. Of the first of these churches, he says : " A church was gathered, elders and trustees selected, and the sealing ordinances administered. The congregation, about two hundred, have continued to ap- pear solemm as well as punctual. The place I speak of is ten miles below Centerville (the present site of Titus- ville), at which place I have also gathered a congrega- tion, where there never was a meeting of any Protest- ant denomination before."
The labors of Mr. Chase, during these long years of watching and toil, were most exhausting. With his nu- merous family in the midst of the forest, his sons yet in their minority and needing his care and supervision, and the people scattered and poor, so that they could do little for his support, no wonder that his brave heart was well-nigh crushed. He had hoped for encourage- ment and support from his brethren in Connecticut, but a change in his church relations had abated their zeal. Ile writes : " The appeal in my behalf to the mission- ary society of Connecticut, was not encouraged.
If not much deceived, I have taken possession of this extensive field of missionary labor, in the name of the Lord, without the support of a missionary, but still remembering that the silver and the gold are the Lord's." Subsequently he received a commission from the Assembly's Board of Missions for one year.
In the year 1820, Mr. Chase represented the Presby- tery of Erie in the General Assembly, and in 1825, was its moderator. On the 24th day of May, 1826, he was installed as pastor of the church of Oil Creek for one half his time, and on the 27th of April, 1827, he was installed at Centerville for one fourth of his time, leav- ing a remaining fourth for missionary labor. These re- lations were dissolved in 1830.
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He was now in his seventieth year, and the infirmi- ties of age were coming upon him. Still his frame was erect and massive, and he felt that much missionary la- bor might yet be accomplished. The remainder of his days was spent in those itinerating labors to which he had devoted the strength of his manhood.
Mr. Chase was a social, friendly man, and his Chris- tian character always above reproach. As a preacher, he abounded in aphorisms. Ilis discourses were rich and full of thought, but often like Proverbs, abounding in short sententious utterances that sparkled with truth, drawn from the mine of sacred writ. Perhaps this style of speaking became more prominent during his labors as a missionary. The people were not accus- tomed to labored disquisitions, or elaborately written discourses, and preferred to have a preacher come to the point at once.
In figure and bearing Mr. Chase was noble and commanding. Tall and stout without being corpulent, in his missionary tours he sat his horse like a cavalier ยท of old. In his old age he presented a peculiarly patri- archal appearance. Ile was a useful man in his day, and the now celebrated oil regions are yet reaping the benefit of his self-denying labors.
Mr. Chase was twice married. He was first married to Rebecca, daughter of Rev. Levi Hart, D. D., his old preceptor at Preston, Connecticut. She was also a granddaughter of the celebrated Dr. Bellamy of Bethle- hem, Connecticut. This marriage took place on the 30th day of November, 1788. Mrs. Chase died on the 25th day of February, 1791, in the 26th year of her age. He was married the second time to Joanna, daughter of Peter Lanman, Esq., Norwich, Connecticut, June 10, 1792. Mrs. Chase was his companion for more than
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half a century, comforting him in his sorrows and en- couraging him in his labors, until August, 1848, when she was called to rest. The children consisted of six sons and six daughters, who were a comfort to them in their old age and are useful in their day and generation. Mr. Chase survived his wife but little over a year, when he too fell asleep. His death occurred at Centerville, Crawford County, Pa., December 23, 1849, in the nine- tieth year of his age, and sixty-third year of his ministry.
At the division of the Presbytery of Erie, in 1838, Mr. Chase chose his membership, in connection with the New School portion of the church.
(26.) JOHN REDICK. 1813-1850.
JOHN REDICK, son of John and Elizabeth (Sorrell) Redick, was born in Westmoreland County, Pa., about the year 1787. His father's family resided near Han- nastown at the time of the Indian troubles, and with his neighbors suffered grievously from their depreda- tions. On one occasion, when the neighborhood had been alarmed, and the people taken refuge in the fort, his father was wounded in the arm and permanently disabled, whilst crossing a fence near the fort. This was at the time Hannastown was burned. After this his father sold his farm and removed to Butler County, Pa., near the line of Venango County, and about one and a half miles from the Alleghany River. Here John Redick was raised, working on the farm and as- sisting in the support of the family. After he had at- tained to years of manhood, a circumstance of a prov- idential kind took place, that was the means of bringing him into the ministry. He with others were about
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crossing the Alleghany River on a hunting excursion. His companions had seated themselves in the canoe, when young Redick placed his gun in the canoe, took hold of the bow, and was in the act of pushing it from the shore, when the gun went off and wounded him severely in the limb. His father, supposing he would never be able to labor, proposed educating him as well as his means would permit.
The probabilities are, that before this he had made a profession of religion. Hle commenced his studies with Robert Johnston (14), who was then pastor of the church of Serubgrass. This was in company with sev- eral other students - Hon. Walter Lowrie, Rev. James Wright, Rev. Alexander Crawford, and others. He afterwards went to the academy at Greersburg, now Darlington, Beaver County, Pa. His theological studies were pursued under the direction of Mr. Johnston, who was probably his pastor. No doubt a part of the train- ing consisted in copying the system of theology, or lec- tures of Rev. Dr. McMillan, that was the chief staple with the early fathers of the Presbytery of Erie.
Having preached a trial discourse on John iv. 18, as well as passed other usual trials, he was licensed to preach the gospel by the Presbytery of Erie at its sessions at Meadville, Pa., on the 20th day of October, 1813. Ile was ordained by the same Presbytery on the 28th day of September, 1815, and installed as pas- tor of the united congregations of Slate Lick and Union, in Armstrong County, Pa. This meeting was at the former place. On the occasion, his old preceptor, Rob- ert Johnston (14), preached the sermon, and John Mc- Pherrin (16) delivered the charges.
Ile continued the beloved faithful pastor of these churches until the autumn of 1848, when he resigned
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his charge on account of the infirmities of age and in- ability to discharge the duties of the pastoral office. He did not continue long upon earth after the resigna- tion of his charge. Growing infirmities pressed upon him, until on the 11th day of July, 1850, he fell asleep in Jesus, in the seventy-third year of his age, and thirty-seventh of his ministry. Ilis mortal remains await the resurrection in the little graveyard attached to the Slate Lick Church.
About the year 1812, Mr. Redick was united in mar- riage to Miss Betsey Coulter, a sister of Rev. John Coulter, of the Presbytery of Alleghany. They had five sons and four daughters. Mrs. Redick was a model wife for a minister, and was throughout their journey together a most useful helpmeet to her husband. Mr. Redick was a plain, practical preacher, and a pious, godly man. His great aim was to do the Master's work and win souls to Christ. Through his instru- mentality, the churches of his charge were greatly strengthened and built np. He spent his entire pastoral life in their service, and was entirely devoted to their welfare. Ilis memory will long be fragrant in their midst.
(27.) TIMOTHY ALDEN.
1798-1839.
TIMOTHY ALDEN was of Puritan ancestry. He was a descendant of John Alden, of Duxbury, who came in the " Mayflower," to seek his fortune on the bleak shores of New England. He was the son of Rev. Tim- othy and Sarah Weld Alden. Rev. Timothy Alden, his father, was born November 21, 1736, old style, graduated at Harvard, 1762, ordained pastor of the
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Congregational Church of Yarmouth, Mass., December 15, 1769, and died November 13, 1828. Ilis mother was Sarah, daughter of Rev. Habijah Weld, of Attle- boro', Mass., lineally descended, according to Guil- lim, from Edrich Igloaticus, Anglicized Wild or Weld, and in the maternal line, from John Fox, the Martyrol- ogist. Rev. Habijah Weld was graduated at Harvard, 1723. ITe was the son of Rev. Thomas Weld, gradu- ated at Harvard, 1671. Timothy Alden, the subject of this sketch, was also great-grandson of Rev. John Fox, who graduated at Harvard, 1698, who was the son of Rev. Jabez Fox, who graduated at Harvard, 1665.
Timothy Alden, the subject of this sketch, was born at Yarmouth, Mass., on the 28th day of Angust, 1771. At the age of eight years, he left the paternal home, and went to reside with an unele, where he continued until his fifteenth year. The design was to train him to the business of farming, his uncle being engaged in that pursuit. His uncle had made him the promise that his valuable farm should be his inheritance if he would re- main with him. But young Alden thought of a differ- ent avocation from that of cultivating the soil. Even in boyhood he was resolutely bent on securing a liberal education. When sent into the fields to work, he would carry his Latin grammar with him, and in the midst of declensions and conjugations, forget all about his corn and his oxen. Under these circumstances, his uncle wrote to the father of the lad, telling him that the proj- ect of making a farmer of him was vain, and advising to send him to college.
Ilis preparatory course commenced when he was about fifteen, first with his father, and afterwards at Philips' Academy, at Andover. It is supposed that his mind took a religious direction whilst he was at
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Andover. He entered Harvard in 1790, and graduated in 1794. Whilst at college, he took and maintained a very high position as a linguist. He was particularly fond of the Oriental languages, and carried this taste beyond the ordinary curriculum of the institution. At the Commencement, his graduating oration was written in the Syriae language. It is said, that when he sub- mitted this oration to the President for his approval, the President, being altogether ignorant of the lan- guage, said, " Come Alden, sit down and construe it for me." When reduced to the form of good Anglo- Saxon, it was heartily approved.
The probabilities are that he engaged somewhat in the study of theology during his collegiate course, and that he remained at Cambridge for a short time after graduating. We next find him teaching at Marblehead, Mass., and whilst there, he was licensed to preach the gospel. In the year 1799, he preached with the view of settlement at Portsmouth, N. H., and on the 20th of November of that year, was ordained as co-pastor with Dr. Ilaven, over the church of that place.
The church was not strong, and the salary being in- adequate, he commenced teaching a young ladies' school in the spring of 1800, in connection with his pastoral labors. Wearied with this double burden, and discour- aged with the prospects before him in Portsmouth, he resigned his charge, and was dismissed July 31, 1805. He still continued his labors as a teacher, however, until 1808, when he left Portsmouth, and opened a ladies' school in Boston. Here he was highly appre- ciated and his efforts liberally sustained. In this city. his learned and antiquarian tastes had a fine field for their exercise and cultivation, and he rendered some very important services to the cause of science.
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In 1809, Mr. Alden resigned his position in Boston, and in the beginning of the following year, took charge of the young ladies' department in the academy at Newark, N. J. After contiming there some years, he opened a school for young ladies in the city of New York.
About the year 1815, the project was agitated of founding a college at Meadville, Pa. In this enter- prise, Mr. Alden enlisted with great zeal and earnest- ness. He gave up his school in New York, and became the agent for the new institution. During the many journeys taken in behalf of Alleghany College, he was offered the presidency of the college at Cincinnati, Ohio, with liberal pecuniary inducements. These were declined, as he was for the present at least pledged to Alleghany. Having accepted the offices both of Presi- dent and Professor in the Faculty, he was inaugurated on the 28th day of July, 1817.
Mr. Alden became a member of the Presbytery of Erie on the 2d day of April, 1816. During the period of his membersliip in the Presbytery of Erie, he had no regular charge. He preached to the Presbyterian congregation of Meadville at times when they were vacant, and often supplied vacant congregations in the neighborhood. He delighted in missionary work, and for many successive years labored for a time among the Seneca and Munsee Indians, who had reservations in northwestern Pennsylvania and southwestern Now York. These labors were at first performed on his own account, but afterwards he received an appointment from an eastern society, organized for the purpose of sending the gospel to the Indians. He enjoyed these labors very much. During his tours he became ac- quaintel with the celebrated chief Cornplanter, and
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enjoyed his protection and friendship. This was in Warren County, Pa.
Mr. Alden's last missionary tour among the Indians, was in 1820. Hle had a great admiration for their character, and enjoyed his labors among them, not only from the opportunities of doing good, but from studying their character in their forest homes.
Mr. Alden was a valuable friend to Alleghany Col- lege. It was mainly through his instrumentality that its valuable library and chemical apparatus was col- lected. Through his acquaintance in New England, one or two private libraries of great value were obtained and added to the catalogue. Many of these volumes are rare and valuable. His connection with the college . terminated in November, 1831. He retired from the position he had so long occupied, with the grateful ae- knowledgments of the Board of Trustees, and others interested in the institution, as well as the kindest feel- ings of the community.
In the month of April, 1832, he was dismissed from the Presbytery of Erie to connect with the Pres- bytery of Cincinnati. 'He removed his family to Cin- cinnati in June, 1832, and opened a boarding-school. The health of some of the members of his family suf- fering at this place, he removed to East Liberty, near Pittsburgh, Pa., in the autumn of 1833, and the next spring took charge of the academy at that place. Here, as at other places, he embraced every opportunity of preaching the gospel in vacant churches. In the year 1838, he became stated supply to the congregation of Pine Creek, about five miles from Pittsburgh. Being of a vigorous constitution, he was able to perform as much labor as many who were his juniors in years, and enjoyed good health up to within a few months of his
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death, when he was attacked by rheumatism. His last sermon was preached from the words, " The end of all things is at hand."
During his last illness, when the prospect of recovery seemed to fade away, " a dark cloud for some time rested over his mind, and he looked forward with awful apprehensions to the change that awaited him. That cloud, however, soon passed off, and those apprehen- sions yielded to an humble confidence in his Redeemer, which quickly became so strong as to cast out all fear, and even to fill his mind with the most intense rapture. In this state he continued until the moment of his departure." 1
He died at the house of his daughter, Mrs. J. B. Mc- Fadden, in Pittsburgh, Pa., on the 5th day of July, 1839, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, and the forty-first of his ministry. His remains were laid to rest in the cemetery connected with the Pine Creek Church, where his last pastoral labors were performed.
As a teacher and professor, Mr. Alden stood deserv- edly high, not only in the extent of his knowledge, but in the faculty of communicating it to others. As a preacher, his appearance in the pulpit was imposing, his manner of delivery on the whole pleasing, yet rather monotonous, and at times rather rapid. " As a man, he was affable and social, his conversation agree- able and instructive. As a minister, his public min- istrations were respectable, but lacking in earnestness and energy. His prayers were beautiful in construc- tion, but without variety. His sermons were written with care, but read with little action, and monotonous in tone. He was a good man." 2
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