USA > Pennsylvania > Greene County > Waynesburg > Historical sketch of the Honeybrook Presbyterian Church of Waynesburg, Chester County, Pa. > Part 1
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.
HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF THE
oneybrook 7 resbyterian
hurch,
OF
WAYNESBURG, CHESTER COUNTY, PA.
DELIVERED BY THE PASTOR,
REV. W. W. TOTHEROH,
July 2d, 1876.
PUBLISHED BY REQUEST OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
A PHILADELPHIA: JOIIN CRAIG & SON, BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS, South-East Corner of Sixth and Arch Sts. 1876.
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2018 with funding from
This project is made possible by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries
https://archive.org/details/historicalsketch00toth
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
JOB 32: 7 .- "DAYS SHOULD SPEAK, AND MULTITUDE OF YEARS SHOULD TEACH WISDOM."
IT is the natural tendency of mankind to be almost entirely absorbed by the future. To the man of experience, as well as to the child of inexperience; to the most prosaic, as well as to the most poetic, is the future a kind of fairy-land, a domain in which everything shall be higher, better, and more beautiful. And yet, with all this wonderful attractiveness and popularity of futurity, it must be acknowledged that all it presents is but a dream,-vague, uncertain, and that, if real information is desired, there must be a review of the days that are gone. The real worth of any thought, effort, or thing, is chiefly to be learned by a careful survey of its productions in the past.
There may be happiness derived from permitting our thoughts to ramble out into the to-morrow, which is, by our fancy, here and there dotted with peculiar attractions, but real knowledge, genuine wisdom, are only to be acquired by our visiting the paths of yester- day. The past is just a vast mine of truth. Hence it may be that one of the most advanced thinkers remarked, "not to know history is to be always a child," and that another said, "He is the wise man who lived yesterday."
It is then a matter of no trifling importance that we frequently recur to the past, and learn the many salutary lessons which its remembered events may teach us. "Days should speak, and multi- tude of years," as we earnestly attend to their counsels, "should teach wisdom."
It is a fact of great significance that God in the moral and spiri- tual education of the Israelites made constant use of their own history. The principal events which marked the pathway of their nation they were commanded to keep in remembrance and to com- municate to their children, who in turn were to tell them to their children to the last generation. "Ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest in the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up,
4
and thou shalt- write them upon the door-posts of thine house, and upon thy gates, that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon earth." "Thou shalt remember all the ways which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness."
Nor is it less significant that the Apostles were inspired by the Holy Ghost to record, for the benefit of future ages, the wondrous manner in which they were led while complying with their com- mission to go forth "in Christ's stead."
It is by such reflections as these that we justify, if indeed there is any need of justifying, the practice of pausing at different stated periods to note the events of past history.
On the present occasion, in accordance with the recommendation of our General Assembly, heartily endorsed by our Presbytery, we pur- pose to review the history of our local church. Not that that history contains anything of a very remarkable character: our location and, comparitively speaking, the but recent organization of the church prevent us from looking for anything of that kind. Our history is made up for the greater part of simply such incidents, trials, and successes as commonly mark the life of churches. Some part of what is best, and of course also some part of what is worst, cannot be written nor spoken for various reasons. Just as we may never. become acquainted with the best nor the worst in the life of any individual man, so is it in reference to the life of a church.
In endeavoring to gather together the materials from which to work out the history of our church, strange as it may seem when we remember that the occasion of the organization is within the recollection of many yet living, I have experienced considerable difficulty. For years the records of the Session and of the Board of Trustees were but very incomplete notes, and at no time has any one seemed to care about treasuring up the successive events which constitute the history.
This section of country was early settled by the Welsh and Scotch-Irish; the mountains extending along upon our North and West, were apparently the boundary line for the wave of emigra- tion of these sturdy and intelligent people; and it may at once be inferred that with them were brought the Calvinism and Presby- terianism of their former homes.
Up to the time of the organization of our church, the Presbyte-
5
rians of this locality were connected with the Forks of Brandywine congregation. Every Sabbath might large companies have been seen either on horseback or on foot "going to meeting." Six and even nine miles were then not so great a distance as to serve as an excuse for even the aged or the wearied to remain away from service.
I have been informed that some of the ladies, who formerly walk- ed several miles to church, were accustomed to carry their shoes and stockings until they were within a short distance of the " meet- ing-house," when they would put them on and wear them until they came to about the same place in returning home, when they would again remove and carry them. This may have been for both com- fort and economy.
At quite an early day, a prayer-meeting was commenced in "the log school-house," which formerly stood where Mr. Worrall's tenant- house is now located, about a quarter of a mile from the village, and which was removed by Mr. Amos Griffith, upon whose land it stood ; the meeting was continued there until "the stone school-house" was erected, on the site between the present school-building and the Union Burial Ground, when it was conducted in that. Occasionally there was a preaching service held.
In the year 1831, while under the pastoral care of the Rev. J. N. C. Grier, D. D., the Forks of Brandywine Church was visited with a wonderful revival of religion, which continued until the year 1835; the fruit thereof was an addition of three hundred persons to the already large number of communicants. So great was the mul- titude of worshippers that the church edifice was soon found to be too much contracted, and consequently the question of enlargement was suggested. It was decided, by a meeting of the congregation, that the church should be enlarged. But that was not carried out. The members residing in this vicinity, and who had been sustaining the prayer-meeting, and who had been looking forward to the time when there should be a church of their own faith here, believing that the time had come for them to go forward and work out their cherished plans, suggested and acted for a division of the congrega- tion.
A meeting of the citizens of Waynesburg and its vicinity was called and held in "the stone school-house," January 10th, 1835. Jacob McConnell was elected chairman, and Robert Morton was appointed Secretary. At that meeting, the following resolutions were adopted :
.
6
" Resolved, That a suitable building be erected in the village of Waynesburg, to accommodate the Presbyterian denomination of Christians in and around said village.
" Resolved, That seven Trustees be appointed by this meeting to superintend said building, and perform such other duties as may be incumbent upon them."
Joseph Marple, Abner Griffith, David Buchanan, William White, Robert Morton, Jacob McConnell, and Amos Griffith were appoint- ed said Trustees. Of these Amos Griffith alone is yet living.
"The said Trustees purchased of George Bailey a lot of land [in the hollow in the rear of our present school-building-W. W. T.], containing one and a half acre for the purpose of erecting thereon a Presbyterian meeting-house for the sum of $150, and then called a meeting to be held on the 23d day of January, for the purpose of putting said building under contract."
On the day appointed, the contract for a building 55 feet long by 45 feet wide was awarded William Buchanan, he being the lowest bidder, he agreed to put up the building and finish it, "with the exception of the basement-story inside"-and to find all the material, except the stone, which the Trustees agreed to deliver on the ground, for the sum of $1,660. Abner Griffith, William White, and Robert Morton were appointed a building committee.
The necessary steps were then taken to be organized as a church by Presbytery. The Presbyterial record of the organization is as follows :
" At the New Castle Presbytery held in White Clay Creek Church September 29th, 1835,
" A petition for the organization of a Presbyterian Church in Waynesburg, was presented by Mr. Grier, signed by a number of the members of the Church of the Forks of Brandywine, where- upon it was
" Resolved, That their request be granted, and Presbytery appointed Messrs Grier, Wallace and Douglass a committee to organize said Church on the 29th day of November next, and to administer the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and to make out supplies for it."
On Saturday, the 28th of November, 1835, at 11 o'clock, A. M., Rev'ds Grier and Wallace met the applicants and organized the church. There were present with certificates of membership twenty- seven persons,-David Buchanan, Robert Morton, Andrew Stanley, Joseph Marple, Samuel Lawrence, Daniel Spiese, Rebecca Griffith,
7
Eliza Buchanan, Elizabeth Griffith, Elizabeth Graham, Mary Ann Griffith, Ann Curry, Jane Buchanan, Hannah Buchanan, Eliza Curry, Nancy Morton, Mary H. Morton, Rebecca Lawrence, Mary Ann Stanley, Ann Ottenkirk, Mary White, Margaret Bailey, Margaret Sloan, Mary Ann Bunn, Elizabeth Corbett and Mary Jane Spiese. Of these there are yet living, Samuel Lawrence and his wife Rebecca, Mary Ann Griffith, (Mrs. Wm. Robinson of Rock- ville) and Jane Buchanan, (Mrs. Wm. Morton.)
After a sermon by Rev. John Wallace, the communicants present proceeded to choose by ballot two persons to serve as ruling elders. David Buchanan and Robert Morton were unanimously elected. The same day Robert Morton was ordained. David Buchanan having been a ruling elder in the Forks of Brandywine Church, ordination in his case was not necessary.
On the afternoon of Sunday, the 29th of November, 1835, the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was for the first time administered to the church. Rev'ds Grier and Wallace being present and officiating.
Different members of Presbytery supplied the pulpit. On Sab- bath, January 17th, 1836, by invitation of the session, Mr. W. W. Latta preached. Rev. James Latta, his uncle, pastor of the Upper Octorara Church, by Presbyterial appointment, was to have supplied the pulpit that day, but in a note, which has been shown me, and which was written by him January 16th, 1836, he mentions that on account of illness he must be excused, and recommends, as his sub- stitute, Mr. W. W. Latta, whom, he says, the Session might secure for a Sabbath or two, if they pleased. He occupied the pulpit several Sabbaths after this in February and in March.
On Saturday, March 19th, 1836, the congregation met to provide for preaching when the following paper was adopted:
"That this congregation unite with the Grove congregation, in Lancaster County, to be under the care of the same pastor, provided they agree to unite, and that two persons be appointed a committee to effect the object." Elders David Buchanan and Robert Morton were appointed the committee.
I do not find any record of further action in reference to this union, which fortunately was never consummated.
The congregation being disappointed on the last Sabbath in March and the second Sabbath in April, by the failure of supplies to meet
8
their engagements, Elder David Buchanan conducted the religious exercises and read a sermon.
Presbytery continued to furnish supplies until the first Sabbath in May, when, by invitation, Mr. W. W. Latta again preached. On the following day, May 9th, 1836, the Trustees entered into a written agreement with Mr. Latta to supply the pulpit every Sabbath for one year, to commence the first Sabbath in June, for which service he was to receive " three hundred dollars in two installments of $150 each, the first to be paid at the end of six months, and the other at the end of the year."
On Saturday, the 21st of May, 1836, the Session convened and received two persons by examination, these being the first so received into this church. I give their names, Joseph Duncan and Mrs. Sarah Bunn. ยท
On Sabbath, August 14th, 1836, Margaret Jane, daughter of Samuel and Rebecca Lawrence, was baptized by Rev. William Latta (the father of Mr. W. W. Latta, and long the honored pastor of the Great Valley Church). This was the first baptism since the organization of the church.
On Wednesday March 8th, 1837, the rents of the pews were in- creased. The following is the record :
" It was agreed that six seats on each side of the middle aisle in front shall be twelve dollars each, and six on each side of the meet- ing-house in front, eleven dollars each, and every pew afterwards to fall in price one dollar, bringing the back pews as low as five dollars each. The four corner pews, two in front, five dollars and twenty-five cents each, and the two back, five dollars each."
On the same day, after a sermon by Rev. Joseph Barr, the con- gregation met and made out a unanimous call for Mr. W. W. Latta, promising an annual salary of $450.
On the 9th day of May, 1837, the Presbytery of New Castle con- vened in Waynesburg and ordained and installed Mr. Latta.
On Saturday, October 14th, 1837, the Session received, among others, Captain John Buchanan ruling elder of Forks of Brandywine. On the same day he was unanimously chosen by the congregation, and was installed a ruling elder of this church.
The first marriage notice recorded after Mr. Latta's installation, is that of " William Morton and Jane Buchanan, both of Honey- brook," on February 1st, 1838, They deserved praise for disregard- ing the absurd idea, cherished by many then, and some even now,
9
that it is always unfortunate with the couple which chances to be the first married by the officiating minister.
The first death of a member of the church occurred on the 25th of March, 1838, when Miss Mary Ann Stanley, aged 30 years, was summoned away. She bequeathed some money to the church, I have never learned the amount. She certainly did it in a way that is to be commended, gave it to be used at once, and not to linger as a shelter for the parsimonious, who are at any time quick to discover a place of refuge, when their assistance is solicited.
During the session of the Legislature of Pennsylvania of 1839- 40, an Act was passed incorporating this Church. The Charter reads thus :
AN ACT
To incorporate the Honeybrook Presbyterian Church in the village of Waynesburg, Chester Co., and for other purposes.
Sec. 1st .- Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- tives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, that the members of the Honeybrook Presbyterian Church, in the village of Waynesburg, be and the same are hereby created and erected into a body politic and corporate, in deed and in law, by the name, style and title of the "Honey brook Presbyterian Church, in the village of Way- nesburg in Chester County," and by the same name shall have perpe- tual succession, and be able to sue and be sued, implead and be im- pleaded and shall be able and capable to take and hold lands and tene- ments, goods and chattels, real, personal and mixed, which are now, or may hereafter become the property of said congregation, or body cor- porate, by gift, grant, devise, bequest, or otherwise, and the same to convey, lay out, apply or dispose of in such manner as a majority of the trustees of said congregation shall direct and appoint, and according to the true intents of the donors, grantors and devisors ; provided that the yearly value or income of said estate shall not, at any time, exceed the sum of two thousand dollars, exclusive of an- nual stated contributions.
Sec. 2d .- That Joseph Marple, Abner Griffith, William White, David Buchanan, Robert Morton, Jacob McConnell and Amos Griffith, be trustees, to continue in office for one year, and until others be chosen, in such manner, time and place as shall be deter- mined by a majority of the members of the said church.
10
Sec. 3d .- That the said trustees shall choose by ballot from among their number a President and Secretary, and shall also choose a Treasurer, who shall be a member of the congregation, and who shall, if required by the trustees, give security for the faithful per- formance of the trust reposed in him, and to account to them for all sums of money received by him ; and in the case of the removal of the President or of any other officer or member of the board of trustees, by death, or resignation, or by neglecting to attend the meetings of said board twice in succession without a good cause, or otherwise, the vacancy or vacancies shall be supplied by said board until the next annual election.
Sec. 4th .- That the trustees, and their successors, shall have power to make and use one common seal, and the same to alter and renew at pleasure; to enact and enforce such By-Laws and ordi- nances as may be proper and necessary for the regulation and trans- action of the business of the corporation ; to change the time for holding the annual election of trustees from time to time as they may find convenient ; or if the congregation fail to elect on the day of the annual meeting, to appoint any subsequent time on which said election shall be held; provided that notice thereof be given from the pulpit, or in such other manner as a majority of the trustees may direct, at least two weeks before said election, and provided also that said By-Laws and ordinances shall not be inconsistent with the Constitution or Laws of this State, or of the United States.
WM. HOPKINS, Speaker, H. R. EBENEZER KINGSBURY, Speaker S. DAVID R. PORTER, Governor.
Approved April 16th, 1840.
In the year 1843, the church was blessed with quite a revival of religion, during the progress of which the pastor was aided by Rev'ds Wm. Latta, James Latta, Alfred Hamilton, R. P. Du Bois, Alfred Nevin, J. N. C. Grier, and others, and at the Fall commu- nion, forty-four were received by examination.
On the 2d of November, 1844, the trustees met, when a commu- nication was received from Mr. Latta in which he asked an increase of fifty dollars to his salary, among other things, he said, as the clerk has recorded :- "If the trustees will secure to him a salary of $475.00 a year and see that it is regularly and punctually paid from year to year he will rest satisfied until the full amount, $500, can be collected from the pew rents, otherwise the trustees may consider
11
the pulpit vacant from and after the next meeting of Presbytery :* he further says, that he desires the trustees to do nothing whatever simply out of regard to himself personally, but to act according to what they think best for the interests of the congregation, as he has no fears that he shall be unable to soon secure another field." The trustees agreed to raise the salary for that year to $475, but voted to refer the communication to the congregation at some future time. I fear that, like many other papers set aside for future consideration, this was never again brought to the surface, as I have not been able to find any trace of it after this date.
The church edifice in which the congregation worshipped being poorly located and out of repair, on the 27th of September, 1850, a majority of the trustees and members of the congregation assembled and unanimously determined to erect a new edifice on new ground, and for that purpose then and there subscribed $1,350. On the 25th of November of the same year, the subscriptions having increased to $3,100, it was agreed to proceed with the preparatory work for building. Messrs Henry Long, Wm. P. Buchanan and Robert Morton were appointed a building committee, and Rev. W. W. Latta, and Messrs Amos Griffith, John G. Buchanan and Robert Morton were appointed a committee to visit other edifices to deter- mine upon the style of architecture.
Contracts were made as follows, with Mr. George Beam to do the carpenter work at $1.12} a day, John Gest to do the mason work at 54 cents per perch, Murray & Jamison to do the plastering at $1.30 a day, or by the square yard, at the customary price, Isaac Griffith to do the painting at $1.12} a day.
The new site was donated by Rev. W. W. Latta, and Mr. Abner Griffith.
The old edifice having been at once demolished, the congrega- tion was kindly tendered the use of their edifice, for Sabbath after- noons, by the trustees of the M. E. Church, and the offer was grate- fully accepted.
The cost of the new house was over $6,000 in cash, while the stone, lumber and lime, were delivered free. It was dedicated in the Spring of 1852, Rev. Henry Boardman, D. D., preached in the morning, from the words, "Thy way, O Lord, is in the sonctuary." Rev. Lewis Cheeseman, D.D., preached afternoon and evening.
# Such a course now is not considered orderly.
12
The dimensions of the building are on the outside, fifty-five by seventy feet ; the audience room exclusive of the gallery, is sixty by fifty-one feet. The number of pews on the ground floor was 104. The gallery is thirteen feet wide across the one end of the building, and will accommodate at least one hundred persons.
Too much in the way of praise cannot be said of the good judg- ment and excellent taste displayed in connection with every portion of the edifice, by the committees and those whom they had in their employ. In every respect they wrought fully as much for the future as for the present.
In the new church the highest pew rent was $12, the lowest about $2.50.
In April, 1852, the congregation elected to the office of ruling elder, John G. Buchanan, Hugh R. Buchanan and William E. Lewis. Mr. H. R. Buchanan having been an elder in the Pequea Church, and Mr. Lewis having served as such in the West Nant- meal Church, they were simply installed, while Mr. J. G. Buchanan was both ordained and installed.
January 8th, 1855. At a meeting of the trustees and elders it was unanimously agreed, "owing to the rise of the necessaries of life," to raise the pastor's salary to $600.
In the year 1857 when the flood tide of revival was rolling over our land this community with others was blessed. At the Fall com- munion twenty-seven persons were received on profession of faith.
The year following witnessed the painful separation of the pastor from his first, and, as since proved, his only flock, and the flock from its first pastor. He had been a loving and faithful am- bassador for Christ. He had joyed with his people when they were in joy, and had wept with them when they were in tears. They in turn had unitedly stood by him, and had cherished for him the highest affection. How could their removal from each other be otherwise than painful ? Mr. Latta's ministry in this place was a decided success : without any pomp or show, quietly, it may at times have seemed slowly, he was enabled to lead his people onward. He saw them develope from a handful into quite a host, he was privileged to see them advance from one of the lowest to one of the highest positions in the way of benevolence. During his pastorate of more than twenty years, there were received into the church by examina- tion two hundred and twenty-one, by certificate eighty-four.
Mr. Latta is still living, as a ministerial brother has remarked "he
13
is spared to be to us an example of Christ-likeness." He is a member of the Philadelphia Presbytery. His name appears in the General Assembly minutes with the title of "teacher." May he long be permitted to abide on earth to teach those who come under his influence how to develope in both mind and heart.
In his farewell discourse Mr. Latta said, "I step aside, and yield my place unto some other public servant of the Master, may he be a man of faith and prayer." That wish was well answered.
On the 20th of December, 1858, at a congregational meeting moderated by Rev. Robert Gamble, Mr. John G. Thom was unani- mously called to fill the vacant pulpit, on a salary of $700, which was subsequently increased. Mr. Thom was the recipient of several calls, but to his mind "the indications of providence pointed clearly to Waynesburg." He accepted the call, and on the 19th of May, 1859, was ordained and installed by the Donegal Presbytery.
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.