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 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30
On the 4th of October, 1810, Mr. John Boyd (8), hav- ing relinquished his position as stated supply at Amity and West Unity, on account of ill health, was dismissed to the Presbytery of New Lancaster, now Zanesville.
On the 26th of June, 1810, John Matthews (22), a licentiate of the Presbytery of Ohio, was received
71
IHISTORY.
under the care of Presbytery, and on the 17th of Octo- ber following, he was ordained and installed as pastor of the churches of Waterford and Gravel Run.
Discouraging circumstances had arisen in Scrubgrass, as they frequently do after great revivals, and Mr. Johnston was constrained to sunder his connection with a people he loved. His field there had been, as it has been since, a remarkable one. Old John Lowrie, his principal elder, had been a host .in himself, in the church. ITis family have been remarkable since in the influence they have exerted on Presbyterianism. Wal- ter Lowrie, his son, was at one time a candidate for the ministry under the care of the Presbytery of Erie, but has since, as the Secretary of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, been, perhaps, of more service to the church than though he had been in the ministry. Three sons of Walter Lowrie, John C., Walter M., and Reuben P., have been foreign missionaries. Another son of John Lowrie, Matthew B., was long a valuable elder in the church. A son of Matthew B., Ilon. Wal- ter II. Lowrie, is also an elder, and another son, the late Rev. John M. Lowrie, D. D., was a prominent man in the church. Judge Lowrie has also a son in the ministry. A daughter and two grandchildren of John Lowrie are missionaries to the Indians in the Northwest, and a grandson, Rev. W. L. Lyons, is a member of the Pres- bytery of Iowa.
On the 2d day of January, 1811, Mr. Johnston (14) was released from the pastoral charge of the church of Scrubgrass, and calls placed in his hands from the con- gregations of Meadville, Sugar Creek (Cochranton), and Conneaut Lake (Evansburgh), with an injunction to these congregations. " To augment their stipulated sal-
72
PRESBYTERY OF ERIE.
ary for the whole of Mr. Johnston's time, to at least four hundred dollars for the whole of his time."
At this meeting "The Presbytery, taking into view the gloomy and shattered state of the churches under their care, appointed the first Thursday of February next, to be observed as a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer to Almighty God, that Ile would remove the clouds of separation between Him and us."
April 9, 1812, Mr. Riggs (18) was dismissed from the pastoral charge of the congregation of Fairfield, and commenced his labors, soon after, in the congregations of Scrubgrass and West Unity. In this latter charge, he found many of the prejudices of the times in his way. But he was a quiet, unpretending man, and yet had his own ideas of propriety ; and in addition to this, had the faculty of carrying out his own plans, in spite of the prejudices of the times and the unreasonableness of many of his people. Ilis strategy was simple and yet effective. It was to approach new subjects gradu- ally, and undermine foolish prejudices by degrees, until his object was accomplished. His people were not probably more unenlightened than others at that day, and their operations may be taken as a specimen of the spirit of the times.
One of their peculiar notions was that fire was not necessary in the church edifice, even in the coldest weather. When he went to Scrubgrass, the people were in the habit of coming to church from distances of from one to seven miles. They would then hitch their horses, and sit in the cold church during the two hours of divine service, and return home, without seeing fire. When they erected a new house of worship, Mr. Riggs proposed putting in it two ten-plate stoves, in order that the people might worship with comfort. This prop-
73
HISTORY.
position met with a most strenuous opposition. They argued that their fathers had never had fire in the church, and they were no better than their fathers. Moreover they said, the house would be so warm they could not occupy it. ' The spirit of improvement pre- vailed, however, and the stoves were placed in the new church ; yet it was observed that an old father, who could not be convinced against his will, gave up a pew he had occupied near the pulpit, and took one near the door, with a window at the back of it, which he regu- larly opened a little lest he should be suffocated.
Churches were not generally heated in any way, in these times, even during the long winters that charac- terized the country. Occasionally an old foot-stove that had done service in New England was found in some household, and was filled with coals and embers and carried to church. Yet even this was considered effemi- nate, and none but the aged would condescend to use them. Nor were the services abridged on account of the cold. There was the regular routine - two services, and the intervening recess, during which the people cat their biscuits, and shook hands with the minister. Nor were the people warmly elad in those days. Overcoats were rare, and overshoes ahnost wholly unknown. Dur- ing the service there was often an audible sound of shuf- fling feet, that was produced in the attempt to quicken the circulation and so restore warmth to the system. But this was never excepted to on the part of the minister. It was justified by circumstances.
About this time an improvement was introduced in the Church of Fairview, a portion of Mr. Eaton's charge, The little log church, which overlooked Lake Erie, was exposed to the bleak winds that sometimes raged with great fury ; and the idea was suggested that as the
74
PRESBYTERY OF ERIE.
people had fire in their cabins at home, a little would improve the temperature of the meeting-house. But there was neither fire-place nor chimney. So a large iron kettle, that had been used in boiling sugar, was set in the middle of the floor, half filled with charcoal, and the mass ignited. This moderated the cold somewhat ; yet the ladies would sometimes approach the kettle so near as to inhale the carbonie acid gas that arose from the coal, faint away, and be carried out into 'the open air to revive. Subsequently a large ten-plate stove, that had been brought from Eastern Pennsylvania by some enterprizing settler, was obtained, and added greatly to the comfort and satisfaction of the worship- pers.
In the spring of 1812, Rev. John McPherrin (16) was invited to preach in Erie County, and remained some six months, preaching in North East and Middlebrook. The journal of William Dickson, already quoted, men- tions an incident of interest.
"In the spring of 1812, Rev. John McPherrin ac- cepted a call from North East and Middlebrook con- gregations, and came and preached six months. As war was declared that year, and we were on the frontier, he declined staying with us, and returned to his former charge in Butler County. While he was with us, we had an election for elders, and he was not pleased with the choice, as polities had something to do with it. Two men were elected who were never known to pray in their families, and the time was appointed for their ordination ; but they had first to pass an examination that was like a refiner's fire, and he declared from the pulpit that they were not qualified for members of any church, and he would never ordain such men; if we must have elders, we must elect praying men. One
75
HISTORY.
of these men repented, and became an elder ; the other like Judas, went to his own place."
At the meeting of Presbytery on the 9th of April 1812, the attention of Presbytery was called to mission- ary ground, near Pittsburgh, now the site of Alleghany City. The minute is in these words : " An indigent and needy neighborhood, situated on the Alleghany, oppo- site to Pittsburgh, having applied to Rev. Messrs. Herron and Hunt of the Presbytery of Redstone, for supplies of preaching from them and the Rev. Robert Patterson, of Erie, as frequently as convenient ; it was deemed proper by them to lay the case for consideration before the Presbytery of Erie. On motion, Resolved, That they, with discretion, attend to this application."
At the same meeting a resolution was offered, but afterwards negatived, looking to the continuance of the practice of publishing the bans of matrimony in the con- gregation on the Sabbath. This practice had been of long standing. The custom had been to set forth the intentions of matrimony in something like the following words : "There is a purpose of marriage between John Smith and Hannah Brown of this congregation ; whereof this is the first publication." The next Sabbath it would be the second publication, and the following the third ; when it would be proper to celebrate the marriage. The publication was read by the clerk, as he was called, or the leader of the singing, as he stood in front of the pulpit, and was done with as much gravity and unction and sing-song tone as he would line out the psalm pre- paratory to singing. Sometimes there would. be a dis- position to smile on the part of the younger portion of the congregation, at the first publication of the' bans, but usually it was received with gravity and decorum such as were fitting to the worship of the Sabbath.
76
PRESBYTERY OF ERIE.
At the date referred to, the Presbytery did not feel like insisting on the observance of the old rule. Against this laxity, Mr. McPherrin enters his solemn protest, giving four reasons as grounds of his protest. The protest is spread upon the minutes.1
At the meeting of the Synod, the year previous, the same question had come up, when it was decided, first, " That the Synod do not approve of their members celebrating marriage, without publishing the purpose of marriage, or license." And secondly, that it is not a breach of the Sabbath to publish a purpose of mar- riage on that sacred day.2
At the meeting of Synod in 1811, Robert McGar- raugh (23), with his congregations, New Rehoboth and Licking, was detached from the Presbytery of Redstone, and annexed to that of Erie. The territory so annexed was determined by the boundary line between the two Presbyteries, thus defined by Synod : " Ordered, that the Redbank Creek from the mouth up the southern branch to the boundary line of the Synod, shall hereafter be the line of division between the Presbyteries of Erie and Redstone." 3
Mr. McGarraugh was a laborious minister, and suf- fered a full share of the privations and difficulties in- cident to the new settlements. He was a plain, humble man, intent only on the great work of preaching the gospel and leading souls to Christ. His field once em- braced the whole of what is now Clarion Presbytery. A few sermons had perhaps been preached in that re- gion before his arrival, yet he was the first minister that came permanently into the field. He did not content himself with preaching in his own particular charge, but extended his labors in all directions, wherever there
1 Vol. ii. 10. 2 Min. of Synod, 1811. 3 lbid.
77
HISTORY.
vere people to hear, or needy souls to be sought out. During one year of his labors, he visited every family, without regard to denomination, in the whole of what is ow the Presbytery of Clarion. Without being a fluent reacher, he was an earnest worker, and probably no erson in all his region of country doubted either his incerity or his piety. Ile was the only Presbyterian minister in all this region up to the year 1824, when John Core came into the bounds.
Mr. MeGarraugh was pastor of the churches of New Rehoboth and Licking from 1807 to 1822, when he esigned his charge, but continued to labor in the con- gregations of Concord and Calensburgh, up to the ime of his death in 1839. A detailed record of his abors, and the struggles of himself and family during he early years of his ministry, would seem more like omance than reality. Yet his experience, probably, did ot differ much from that of our early ministers gener- lly during the first quarter of a century of the history f the Presbytery.
In June, 1812, Mr. Wood (10) became pastor for the whole of his time over the congregation of Plaingrove. At the meeting of Synod in October of this year, the ongregation of Hilands was detached from the Presby- ery of Erie, and annexed to that of Redstone. At the ame time a remarkable action was had by the Synod, defining the boundaries of this congregation : "That he first point be at the Alleghany River, opposite the nouth of Puckety Creek ; thence westerly until it inter- ects the Franklin road twelve miles from Pittsburgh ; hence southwest, until it strikes the Ohio River, eight niles from Pittsburgh ; and thence up the river to the own of l'ittsburgh."1
1 Minutes of Synod, 1812.
78
PRESBYTERY OF ERIE.
At the same meeting of Synod, Johnston Eaton (20), with his pastoral charge, Fairview and Springfield, on the shore of Lake Erie, was detached from the Pres- bytery of Hartford, and annexed to the Presbytery of Erie. This was an extensive charge. It extended from the Ohio State line to that of New York. Some- times he supplied at Erie, and sometimes at Lower Greenfield or North East. IIe had begun the work in 1805. In 1807 he moved with all his worldly effects from Fayette County, Pa., on horseback. There was no road for wagons, and all the fixtures for housekeep- ing and domestic comfort must be " packed," as it was then termed, or lashed on the backs of horses, and these horses led single file, one being tied behind another. A portion of the furniture was manufactured by the minister himself; a small table was constructed out of a walnut log, by laboriously hewing down split puncheons, until they were of the proper thickness. For the children's comfort the minister made shoes with his own hand, and his wife braided hats from the bark of the leatherwood that grew plentifully in the forest. They manufactured coffee from rye; and good Mr. Blair furnished all the sugar that was wanted, made from the trees that grew on his broad acres. Some- times the bread was made from "sick wheat,"1 and caused a terrible agitation of the stomach, but venison and bear-meat and fish were plenty, and the little fam- ily lived in comparative comfort. During the absence of the minister on his preaching tours, the log-cabin parsonage was lonely and often visited by Indians, but a neighbor was usually at hand for company and pro- tection. Twice during these years, Mr. Eaton was a Commissioner to the General Assembly at Philadelphia,
1 A peculiar disease that affected the wheat in that day.
79
HISTORY.
and on both occasions performed the journey to and from on horseback. The road led by the way of Pitts- burgh, and required about two weeks to complete the journey each way.
April 7, 1813, Mr. McPherrin was installed as pastor of the congregation of Butler. On the same day, Mr. Lee (5) was dismissed to the Presbytery of Redstone. In June, 1813, an arrangement was made by which Mr. Tait (3) became pastor once more at Salem, the people of Cool Spring agreeing to worship at Mercer. Salem had been a portion of Mr. Tait's original charge in 1801. Joseph Stockton (4) had preached the first sermon to this congregation in 1799 ; it was on the banks of the Shenango, about half a mile from where Green- ville now stands. He was a candidate at the time Mr. Tait was elected pastor. In this congregation a sin- gular question arose in regard to the ruling eldership. Amongst the elders elected was William Beatty, who was a bachelor. The mothers in Israel doubted the propriety of ordaining such a man. The question was warmly debated at several " frolies" in the neighbor- hood, and the conclusion arrived at was, that an elder "should be the husband of one wife, and rule his house- hold well." The difficulty was mentioned to Mr. Tait, who at first humored the joke, as he considered it, but finding the matter growing serious, it required quite an effort on his part to remove their doubts ; and they only yielded their opinion in deference to that of their minister. Mr. Beatty was ordained and installed into office, and thenceforward scrupulously devoted one tenth of his income to religious purposes.
In the year 1813, during the war with Great Britain, Johnston Eaton was appointed chaplain by the govern- ment. His people were generally in the army, as was
80
PRESBYTERY OF ERIE.
the case throughout the Presbytery, and his feelings and sense of duty induced him to desire to go with them. Joseph Badger and Benjamin Boyd, former members of the Presbytery, were also in this service under the government.
During a portion of this war, the congregations along the Lake Shore were in great fear and often terror. After Ilull's surrender, it was reported that 'a British fleet was coming down the Lake, and a body of British and Indians by land at the same time. On one occasion the land forces were reported as coming, when heroic John Sturgeon commenced casting bullets, declaring he would " Make them stand off, or he would send the lead at them." The British and Indians did not come. On another occasion the fleet was reported landing, when an old gentleman, with commendable zeal, but doubtful judgment, set off on foot at full speed for the shore, taking off his old hat and filling it with stones as he ran, with the avowed intention of sinking the fleet. The fleet proved to be a single boat with a few fisher- men in it, from the neighborhood.
During the war there was a circumstance that should be recorded to illustrate the general religious influence that prevailed in at least some portions of the Presby- tery. In Mercer County a company was raised to go to Erie, for the defense of the border. This company was under the command of Captain Joseph Junkin.1 During the entire campaign, family worship was kept up daily, in every tent but two, by their respective in- mates, and in these two, it was kept up by the officers volunteering to attend to the duty for those who occu- pied them.
In October, 1813, Ira Condit (24), a licentiate of the
1 Brother of Rev. Drs. George and David X. Junkin.
81
HISTORY.
Presbytery of Ohio, was received under the care of Presbytery, and on the 8th of November following, was ordained and installed as pastor of the congregations of Fairfield and Big Sugar Creek.
On the 20th of October, 1813, John Redick (26) was licensed to preach the gospel. On the same day it was urged upon all the churches, notwithstanding their poverty, to contribute to the fund for educating young men for the gospel ministry.
On the 6th of April, 1814, Mr. Riggs was installed at Scrubgrass. At the meeting of Presbytery, Septem- ber 29, 1814, there was a movement that reveals the incipient dawn of a great moral enterprise. It con- tains the prophecy of the temperance reformation. Its voice now seems faint and feeble ; yet it was the bud wrapped up in its cerements, out of which grew the great work in which Presbytery, in later days, has taken such an active part. The minute and resolution are couched in the following words : -
" The Presbytery, taking into view the pernicious effects of ardent spirits on the peace and good morals of society, and the necessity of testifying, by example as well as precept, against the common and excessive use of them at public meetings and social visits : Resolved, To make no use of them at their various ecclesiastical meetings." 1
Mr. Eaton was released from the pastoral charge at Springfield, and Mr. Matthews from Gravel Run, in November of this year. In June, 1815, Amos Chase (25) was received from the South Consociation of Litchfield. He at once engaged in missionary work, and was for many years an untiring laborer in what has since become the great oil-field of Pennsylvania, trav-
1 Min. ii. 41.
6
!
82
PRESBYTERY OF ERIE.
elling from neighborhood to neighborhood, and from house to house, bearing the great message. At this meeting Mr. Eaton was permitted to supply the churches of Erie and North East. At this time the monthly concert of prayer for missions, was recom- mended to be observed on the first Monday evening of each month.
At the same time the question of "moral societies" was discussed, and the following minute passed : -
" Presbytery being informed by their commissioner to the General Assembly that moral associations have been formed in many parts of our church, and have been successful in checking immorality, and that the assembly at their late sessions have earnestly recom- mended the formation of such societies, deem it their duty to make known to the churches under their care the wish of the Assembly on this subject, confidently believing that they will cheerfully give their united aid in endeavoring to suppress Sabbath-breaking, drunken- ness, profane swearing, gambling, and all immoralities, within their bounds." 1
At this meeting a complaint was brought against one of the pastors, for having violated a fast day, by going on that day to purchase whiskey. The investigation showed that the alleged offense was committed on a Thursday that had been set apart previous to the Lord's Supper. The offense, as urged, consisted solely in per- forming a secular work on a fast day, and not in the quality of the work itself. The Presbytery unanimously agreed that the delinquent pastor should be admonished by the moderator.
On the 28th of September, 1815, John Redick was ordained and installed as pastor of the congregations of
1 Min. ii. 51.
83
HISTORY.
Slate Lick and Union. April 2, 1816, Timothy Alden (27) was received from the Presbytery of Jersey. At the same meeting a committee was appointed to draw up a petition to the Legislature in behalf of " Common English Schools."
June 26, 1816, the congregation of Erie requested one third of the ministerial labors of Mr. Eaton. The request was granted.
In. September, 1816, the following resolution was adopted : -
" Whereas, vice and immorality abound to the de- struction of the souls of men, and of the peace and hap- piness of the church ; therefore, the Presbytery resolve to bear a more public, decided, and unanimous testi- mony against vice in general, and particularly against the sins of drunkenness, Sabbath-breaking, swearing, gambling, dancing, etc., than formerly, and enjoin it on the ministers and sessions under their care to pay special attention to this resolution." 1
The pastoral relation between William Wood and the congregation of Plaingrove was dissolved October 7, 1816, and on the 1st of April, 1817, he was dismissed to the Presbytery of Hartford.
On the 2d of April, 1817, the pastoral relation between Mr. Matthews and the congregation of Water- ford was dissolved. On the same day the pastoral rela- tion existing between Mr. Johnston and the congrega- tions of Meadville, Little Sugar Creek (Cochranton), and Conneaut Lake (Evansburg), was also dissolved. The congregation of Meadville then requested that Mr. Alden might be appointed as a stated supply; but as there were arrearages still due Mr. Johnston, from a part of the charge, Presbytery declined the request.
1 Min. ii. 65.
84
PRESBYTERY OF ERIE.
This was the source of serious difficulty in these con- gregations. They felt that they were treated unjustly, and the result was that the church of Little Sugar Creek eventually withdrew from the Presbytery, and connected with the Presbytery of the Associate Reformed Church.
On the 24th of June, 1817, John Munson (28), a licen- tiate of the Presbytery of Hartford, was received under the care of Presbytery. He was a native of New Jer- sey, a man of uncouth exterior, but of a genuine ear- nest nature, with a heart to work, and a physical consti- tution that peculiarly adapted him to the wants of the times. For a time he labored as a missionary. He would take his horse and set out on a tour of two hundred miles, seeking his way at times through cow- paths, over lofty hills, swimming rivers, fording streams, sleeping on the floors of log-cabins, eating corn-bread and bear meat, and all this that he might preach the gospel to the scattered settlements that were on the verge of the great forest. For a time the Upper Alle- ghany, and from that to Lake Erie, was his favorite re- sort. He would find the people, gather them together on Sabbath and on week-days, and preach the gospel to them. Sometimes his congregations were numbered by hundreds, and sometimes by half dozens. It mat- tered not; one soul was precious, and a small company had the same promise of the Master's presence as a large one. Ilis early habits of labor and toil in assist- ing in the support of the home family, and his custom of self-dependence in the great struggle with the world, from boyhood up, were of great use to him in the labors of the Lord's vineyard. And these early missionary labors fitted him for entering upon pastoral work, upon which he entered a year or two later.
The question of psalmody is an interesting one in
85
HISTORY.
this connection. The minutes of Presbytery throw no light upon it. They are silent in regard to the ancient practice of the churches, and the gradual transition from the old version of the Psalms of David, to the imita- tions of the Psalms and the Hymns of Dr. Watts, and thence to the more improved hymnology of the modern church. That these changes took place without any jarring or discord or contention, we can hardly suppose. Human nature is by far too stern and rugged in its constitution to undergo such changes without conflict, even though they be connected with the worship of God. and the spiritual enjoyment of the heart. And so the traditions that have come down to us from the fathers and mothers that have fallen asleep, and the recollections of fathers and mothers who yet linger amongst us, assure us of the troubles and contests that were connected with this subject.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.