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HISTORY
First Presbyterian Church
WEST CHESTER, PA.
1834-1909
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyoffirstp00lair
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HISTORY
OF FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
OF WEST CHESTER, PA.
WRITTEN AND COMPILED BY REV. WASHINGTON R. LAIRD, Ph. D. 1909
VILLAGE RECORD PRINT
PREFACE.
T HIS LITTLE BOOK is issued in commemoration of the Seventy-fifth Anniversary of the organization of the First Presbyterian Church of West Chester, Pa., which was observed on the Ioth and IIth of January, 1909.
Arrangements which had been carefully made were successfully carried out. At the Sabbath morning service, January 10th, at 10.30, the Rev. George Foot Moore, D. D., of Cambridge, Mass., son of the Rev. William E. Moore, D. D., fourth pastor of this church, preached the sermon, taking for his text, I Tim. 3:15: "The church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."
At the evening service at 7.30, in which the pastor, officers and members of the Westminster Presbyterian Church united, giving up their own service for that purpose, the Rev. B. Canfield Jones, D. D., of Paterson, N. J., son of the Rev. Benjamin T. Jones, D. D., fifth pastor of this church, preached the sermon, taking as his text, Daniel II : 32: "The people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits."
Monday evening, January IIth, was made an "old home" night, a meeting being held in the church to which the other churches in West Chester were invited, and es- pecially all residing here or elsewhere, who at any former time had been members of this church.
At this large and very enthusiastic service, addresses were made by the following pastors of the town: Rev. Arthur Rogers, Rector of the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church; Rev. Arthur H. Simpson, Pastor of the First Bap- tist Church; Rev. Edwin C. Griffiths, D. D., Pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church; Rev. Charles H. Shaw, Pastor
of the Olivet Baptist Church ; Rev. Charles R. Williamson, Ph. D., Pastor of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, and by the Rev. B. Canfield Jones, D D., who was able to remain over for that meeting. A few remarks were made by the Pastor of this church, who also read a paper pre- pared by Mrs. William E. Moore, giving reminiscences of the pastorate of her husband, which is published in its proper place in this historical narrative.
At the forty-third anniversary of the organization of this church, which was observed in 1876, during the pas- torate of Dr. Jones, a very valuable historical sermon was delivered by the Rev. Dr. Wm. E. Moore, which was pub- lished at that time in the "Daily Local News." To that sermon we are indebted for nearly all the material in this account of the first four pastorates. Some items, however, have been added from letters received from the Rev. John Crowell, D. D., of East Orange, N. J., the third pastor of this church; also extracts from an obituary of the Rev. William A. Stevens, and several extracts from the Sessional Records, giving memorial minutes, adopted after the death of the elders who died while members of the session. A similar plan has been followed as to elders who died during the last three pastorates to show to the present generation the character of the men who were used of God in the eldership as well as in the pastorate, in carry- ing on and building up the work in this place. It is a matter of regret that material is not available to give a like estimate of the valuable services of the elders who resigned their office or were certified to other churches, and of whose work while in this church no memorial min- ute was made.
That what is given may be used by the Holy Spirit to stimulate us all to be more worthy successors and "follow- ers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises," is the prayer of
THE COMPILER.
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CHURCH AND CHAPEL
History of the First Presbyterian Church of West Chester, Pa.
In a history of the First Presbyterian Church in West Chester, Pa., it is proper to call attention to the efforts made to establish a church, almost as soon as the town itself was organized. There is good reason to believe that these were the first attempts made by any branch of the church to es- tablish the ordinances of God's House in the new county seat.
Prior to 1786, when West Chester became the capital of Chester county, this now beautiful borough was but a cross-roads village of some half dozen houses clustering around the "Turk's Head" tavern, which gave the name by which the place was most widely known. The settlers of the adjoining townships were almost exclusively of the Society of Friends. These had their places of worship at Birmingham, Marshallton and Goshen, each about four miles distant from the Turk's Head.
But the western townships had been settled originally by Presbyterians from the north of Ireland. On the north and east the Welsh, intermingling with the Scotch-Irish, had settled in and beyond the Great Valley. These settlers had brought with them their love for religion and liberal education. They had founded flourishing congregations at Great Valley and Charlestown, at the Forks of the Bran- dywine, Octorara, Fagg's Manor, Doe Run, Oxford, New London and Middletown in Chester county; at Chestnut Level and Pequea, in Lancaster county, and at the head of Christiana, White Clay Creek, Lower Brandywine, and Wilmington, in Delaware.
These churches thus surrounding the new county seat, with a radius of from ten to twenty-five miles, had at the time referred to, 1786, for the most part a settled ministry, among whom we find some of the oldest preachers and
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HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
ripest scholars of their day in America. With the exception of Great Valley, Charlestown and Middletown, the churches named were all under the care of the Presbytery of New Castle; which, formed in 1716, took the oversight of Pres- byterianism in all the regions then settled, west of Phila- delphia.
During the War of the Revolution the Presbyterian Church suffered greatly. Many of her sons enlisted in the army, and poured out their lives upon the field of battle. The causes which led up to the war for Independence, had long been working in the mind and hearts of Presbyterians. Their religion made them the asserters of freedom. Re- publican institutions in the State are the necessary out- growth of Presbyterian polity and Calvanistic . doctrines in the church .*
The Royal Scot, himself a renegade, showed his usual keenness when he said that "God and the devil agree as well as Presbyterianism and monarchy." Other men may be republicans, the true Presbyterian must be, or deny the fundamentals of his faith. It is demonstrable that neither Prelacy on the one hand, nor Independency on the other, could have originated the form of government which dis- tinguishes the United States from other nations. Its ideal is to be found in that polity which characterized the "Re- formed" churches of Europe, and which our fathers em- bodied in the form of government of the Presbyterian Church, a government of constitutional law, administered by representatives chosen by the people; a democratic re- public.
Besides their affinities for free institutions few Presby-
*"By these," says Mr. Buckes, referring to the Presbyterian Order-doctrine and worship, "the dying spark of freedom was kindled into a blaze" in Europe. "To John Knox," the founder of Presbyterianism in Scotland, says Froude, "England owes a debt for liberty it cannot repay." "Calvin's principles," says Henri, "are im- mortal and immovable both in government and doctrine." "Geneva," says Montesquieu, "is the mother of modern republics." "Europe," says Motley, "owes hier political liberty to Calvin." Bancroft, him- self a New England Unitarian, declares that "Calvin, bowing to no patent of nobility but that of the elect of God, made Geneva the im- pregnable fortress of popular liberty," and adds that the very "first voice" raised for liberty in this land, both civil and religious, "caine from Presbyterians," and that "he who will not honor the memory and influence of Calvin knows but little of the origin of American liberty."
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CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA.
terians had any warm affection for the government of England. Very largely their fathers had been exiled for conscience sake. The blue banner of the covenant bore many a stain of martyr blood. Even to the memory of liv- ing men the winter fireside witnessed the rehearsal of the stories of the Scottish dragoonades by which the Stuarts sought to force prelacy upon Scotland, as the surest support of monarchy. To them the cry, "No church without a Bishop," was not simply a matter of ecclesiastical order. It meant also, "No State without a king."
It is not strange, therefore, that none of the sons of the Presbyterian Church in this region were found among the Tories of that day. Few of them shrank from the call to arms, often sounded by their own pastor. Among the noble names on the roll of our country's honor, in this struggle for liberty, are found many of the officers and members of the churches named. Their pastors in many cases rendered services in camp and council gratefully ac- knowledged by Congress and by the Commander-in-Chief.
"In 1776, Rev. Dr. Read, then pastor in Drawyers, Del., with some forty or fifty of his neighbors and parishioners, equipped themselves and marched to Philadelphia, then threatened by the British at Trenton. On the eve of the bat- tle of the Brandywine, 1777, Washington suddenly found himself confronted by Lord Howe, who had landed at the head of Elk. It became necessary to fall back behind the Brandywine by unfrequented roads. But no guide could be found who knew the whole country well enough to be trusted. Colonel Duff, of Washington's staff, rode at once to Mr. Read's residence, and at midnight brought him to headquarters, where in a few minutes he mapped out for the commander the whole adjacent country, with every cross road and bypath, so that a safe retreat was effected from a very perilous position."
Rev. James Latta, at one time, when an unusual num- ber of his people were drafted to serve in the militia, took his blanket and knapsack like a soldier, and accompanied
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HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
them on their campaign. At another time he served for a while as Chaplain in the army .*
The loss of life and property during the war was very great. The unsettled state of the finances, which followed from the immense inflation of the currency, weakened the congregations which had once been strong. Emigration to the West and South set in with a new and resistless im- pulse. Several of the congregations were left without a settled ministry. In 1789, the year of the adoption of the Federal Constitution, and also of the meeting of the First General Assembly, the Presbytery of New Castle numbered twenty-five congregations, of which five were vacant, and sixteen ministers.
A new and mighty impulse, felt even to this day, was given by the first General Assembly and its successors to the work of Home Missions. The opening West already at- tracted the attention of the churches, and many of her ablest ministers followed or led the people of their charges to the frontier of New York, Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee, where the sturdy settler was yet contending with the savage foe; and the place of worship must be guarded by the armed sentinel. But the fields at home were not overlooked. With a self-denial which challenges our warmest admiration, the pastors of these older and en- feebled churches, many of whom supplemented their scanty support by the farm or the school, sought out and supplied the waste places. They not only strengthened the things
*James Latta was born in Ireland, in 1732, and came with his parents to America, in the sixth or seventh year of his age, who settled near Elkton, Md. The date of his conversion is unknown, but it was early in life. He was educated under Dr. Francis Alison, chiefly at New London, and graduated in the first class of the (now) University of Pennsylvania, in 1757.
He was licensed by the Presbytery of Philadelphia, February 15, 1759, and ordained in October of the same year. The degree of D. D. was conferred on him by the University of Pennsylvania in 1799. He had four sons who entered the ministry. viz .. Francis Alison Latta, ordained November 23, 1796, succeeding his father at Chestnut Level. He was celebrated both as a preacher and a teacher. He died April 21, 1834, aged 67. William Latta, D. D., settled, October, 1799, over the churches of Great Valley and Charlestown, and continued until his death, February 19, 1847, aged 79. John Ewing Latta, ordained August 13, 1800. Pastor of New Castle and Christiana until his death, September 26, 1824, aged 52. and James Latta, Jr., settled April 3, 1811, at Octorara, where he continued until 1850, a period of 39 years.
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which remained, which were ready to perish, but also laid the foundations of churches now vigorous with life.
As we have seen, West Chester became the county seat in 1786. Its prospective importance as a centre of influ- ence, was appreciated. The Presbytery of New Castle, at its sessions in Lancaster, October 21, 1790, took action for supplying West Chester with stated preaching.
It must be interesting to every lover of history to know something of the men, who, from 1790 to 1808, lent their counsels, their prayers, and their labors to the effort to found a church here, where as yet there was none.
The most eminent man at that time in the Presbytery of New Castle, was Dr. Robert Smith, of Pequea, in Lan- caster county, who died in 1793, after a pastorate of forty- two years."
Rev. Dr. Robert Smith was one of the most eminent men of his day. An ardent friend of American liberty, he was the trusted counselor of the statesmen who laid the foundation of the Republic. But he was especially distin- guished for his ability and activity in the ministry. Abund- ant in labors, he spent much time in visiting vacant and feeble churches, and in preaching Christ where He had not been named. He did much to arrest and repair the decay which followed the war. In the year 1790, he was Moder- ator of the General Assembly. His bow yet abode in strength. The wisdom of years was his, with the zeal of his youth, chastened but unabated.
*Robert Smith was born at Londonderry, Ireland, in 1723. His parents came to this country in 1730 and settled on the head waters of the Brandywine. At the age of fifteen he was converted under the preaching of Whitefield. He studied with Rev. Samuel Blair at his celebrated academy at Fagg's Manor. He was licensed by the Presbytery of New Castle, December 27. 1749, and ordained and in- stalled pastor of Pequea and Leacock, March 25, 1751. At Pequea he established a classical school, which became very celebrated and was largely resorted to by young men from all the adjoining States, many of whom became eminent in the church and in the State. He was honored with the degree of D. D. in 1760, by the College of New Jersey. Of his five sons who lived to maturity, three became minis- ters of the Gospel, viz .: Samuel . Stanhope Smith, D. D., President of the College of New Jersey, 1794-1812; John Blair Smith, D. D .. President of Hampden Sydney from 1779-1791; pastor of the Third Church of Philadelphia, 1791-1795; President of Union College, Schen- ectady, 1795-1798. William R. Smith, pastor of the Second Presby- terian Church, of Wilmington, Del., from 1786 to 1796.
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HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
At Chestnut Level was the Rev. James Latta, D. D., who has already been mentioned, who was installed there in November, 1771, and continued until his death, June 29, 1801, near the close of his 68th year. Dr. Latta was but little inferior to Dr. Smith in learning or influence. His salary at Chestnut Level was £100, Pennsylvania currency, which was never increased and rarely all paid. To supple- ment it he established an academy, which long bore a high reputation. He was a very earnest and effective preacher. He was Moderator of the Assembly in 1793.
At White Clay Creek and Red Clay Creek, Rev. Wil- liam McKerman was pastor, from 1755 to 1809, a period of fifty-four years, during 34 of which he was also pastor of the First Church, Wilmington. At the Second Church, Wilmington, was Rev. William R. Smith, 1786 to 1796, succeeded in 1798 by Rev. Thomas Read, D. D., an able and zealous man, an eloquent preacher, who did much to resuscitate the feeble and in many cases the dying churches. He was released in 1817 and died June 14, 1823.
At Fagg's Manor, 1777-1795, was the Rev. John E. Finley, who removed to Kentucky in 1795, and was suc- ceeded by Rev. Patrick Davidson, 1798-1807.
At the Forks of Brandywine, Rev. Nathan Grier, was settled in 1787, and continued until his death, March 31, 1814, aged 54 years .*
The Rev. Nathan Grier was probably the most ac- tive and efficient of the members of the Presbytery of New Castle, at the time when the first efforts were made to establish the church here in West Chester. He was then in the prime of his young manhood, and full of zeal for the extension of the Kingdom of the Redeemer. His reputation for scholarship and pulpit ability was high, and his influence widely extended throughout the Presby-
*Nathan Grier was born in Bucks county, and graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1783. Of his five children, two sons and three daughters, two became ministers of the Gospel, and two the wives of ministers. The younger son, Rev. John N. C. Grier. D. D., succeeded his father, November 24, 1814, at the Forks of Brandywine, and continued until April 14, 1869, a pastorate of fifty- five years.
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tery and Synod. As long as he lived he continued to preach as often as possible in the Court House here.
At Upper Octorara and Doe Run, Rev. Alexander Mitchell was pastor 1785-1797, after which they were va- cant until 1811. Rev. Thomas Grier was pastor at Middle- town and Lower Brandywine, 1801-1809, and, Rev. Thomas Hindman, at New London, 1790-1791. At New Castle, Rev. Samuel Barr was settled, 1791-1796, and was succeeded by Rev. John Ewing Latta in 1800.
Such were the men who filled the pulpits of the churches nearest the county seat, when the General As- sembly at its first meetings, from 1789 onwards, taking a survey of the whole field, called upon its ministers to go up and possess the land for Christ. We are now prepared to note the steps taken in pursuance of the action of the Presbytery referred to, in trying to provide regular preach- ing in this then unoccupied field.
In 1786-87, Samuel Martin, then a candidate for the ministry, was here in West Chester, teaching a classical school, the first school, probably, ever taught in this place, and the forerunner of the excellent classical schools for which this county seat was so long famous.
Mr. Martin was a native of Chestnut Level, born Janu- ary 9, 1767, and was a member of the church there. He had pursued his preparatory studies with his pastor, Rev. James Latta, and with Rev. Dr. Robert Smith, at Pequea. After teaching here in West Chester, he graduated at the University of Pennsylvania, 1790. He was ordained and installed, 1793, at Slate Ridge, York county, to which five years later Chanceford was added. In this field he spent the whole of his ministerial life, nearly fifty years. He died June 29, 1845, aged 78. Dr. Martin was an able preacher, and an active and efficient presbyter. It was his privilege to witness in 1834, the organization of the church for which he prayed in 1786.
It was probably through his representations, during his period of teaching here, that Mr. Latta requested the Presbytery to appoint supplies. In accordance with this
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HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
request, Rev. Alexander Mitchell was appointed to supply on the fourth Sabbath of November, 1790; Rev. Nathan Grier on the second Sabbath in December, and Rev. James Latta, on the first Sabbath in April, 1791.
This tentative effort was encouraging. At the spring meeting of the Presbytery at Fagg's Manor, April 5th, 1791, "application was made by Mr. Kinnard in behalf of the sundry inhabitants of West Chester and its vicin- ity, in which he requests that supplies may be granted them one Sabbath in each month." The Mr. Kin- nard here named was William Kinnard, the father of Caleb and Montgomery Kinnard. He was a Presby- terian, and resided at that time in East Bradford, near the Brandywine. Of others who joined in the request, were probably James Hemphill, grandfather of Mrs. Doc- tor Wilmer Worthington; Colonel Joseph McClellan, who was Sheriff of the county in 1797, and owned property in West Chester; Samuel Entriken, living then on the Wil- mington road. He was the brother of Mrs. Hannah Good- win, one of the original members of this church, and who died June 9, 1861, aged 89. She gave to Rev. Dr. William E. Moore many of the facts recorded of these early days, to whose care in arranging them so carefully we are in- debted for the record we have before us.
The Presbytery in compliance with this request above referred to, appointed Rev. Alexander Mitchell to preach on the fourth Sabbath of June, 1791; Rev. Dr. Robert Smith on the last Sabbath of July; Rev. Samuel Barr on the last Sabbath in August; Rev. Mr. Andrews on the second Sabbath in September, and Rev. Francis Hindman on the first Sabbath in October. These appointments were filled. The result is seen in the fact that at the fall meeting of the Presbytery, "Rev. Dr. Robert Smith made application for supplies for the West Chester congregation."
It is not to be inferred from this that any formal organ- ization had been made. The Presbytery recognized the individuals who had united to support religious worship as "pro hac vice" a congregation. It had no house of wor-
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CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA.
ship or other property, and so no need of trustees or charter. It is, however, significant of the purpose of the Presbytery, that it was reported to the Assembly from 1793 to 1802, during all of which time it is probable it was represented to the Presbytery by some one in behalf of the associates. As we shall see, it was connected for a time with Great Valley and Charlestown. Once it is reported simply as va- cant, and once in connection with Chatham, pointing to an effort to establish a church at that point, then an important station on the Lancaster and Newport turnpike.
It is most probable that at this time the only regular religious service held here in West Chester was by the sup- plies of the Presbytery. The place of meeting was the Court House. It is natural to suppose that such of the inhabitants as were religiously disposed, and not prevented by scruples against a hireling ministry, would attend these services. The population, however, at this time was small. The borough, which was incorporated in March, 1799, had in 1800 a population of three hundred and seventy-four and in 1790 to 1793 it must have been much less.
We have seen that in October, 1791, the Presbytery granted supplies for the next six months. But on the 18th of October of the same year, the congregation united with the churches of Great Valley and Charlestown, which were in connection with the Presbytery of Philadelphia, in a call for the pastoral services of Rev. John Gemmie, a licentiate of that Presbytery.
How long Mr. Gemmie continued to preach at West Chester we have no means of ascertaining. Probably, how- ever, more or less regularly until 1798. The next notice on the records of the Presbytery occurs September 30, 1800. "A petition came in signed by a number of persons in and about West Chester, in the County of Chester, requesting the Presbytery to grant them a supply once in each month, and that Rev. Charles Wallace be the person appointed." The request was granted. "Mr. Wallace was appointed to supply at West Chester until our next meeting." Mr. Wal- lace fulfilled the appointment, and at the spring meeting
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HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
of the Presbytery at Fagg's Manor, April 7, 1801, "West Chester applied for Rev. Charles Wallace for a supply twice a month for the next six months." He was accordingly "appointed to supply two Sabbaths a month at West Ches- ter, agreeably to the request."
After this no record of Presbyterial action is found until 1807, with the solitary exception of an appointment for Rev. Mr. Mitchell, in March, 1804. The effort, which seemed so hopeful had failed. But we are not to infer that the place was left entirely destitute of preaching. As often as once a month when the roads were good, services were held in the Court House. Rev. William Latta, pastor of Great Valley Church, and Rev. Nathan Grier, pastor of the Forks of the Brandywine Church, were the most frequent supplies.
In 1807, at its spring meeting, Presbytery appointed Rev. John D. Perkins to supply the fourth Sabbath in April ; Rev. Thomas Grier, the second in July, and Rev. Nathan Grier, the first in August. At the fall meeting, Rev. Nathan Grier was appointed for the second Sabbath in November ; Rev. Thomas Grier for the first in January, 1808, and Rev. Thomas Read, for the first in February.
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