USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > Honesdale > History of the First Presbyterian society of Honesdale > 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.
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
Historu
at the First Presbyterian Society ......
HonesDale, Da
BX 9211 17 F52
CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
FROM
Cornell University Library BX9211.H7 F52 History of the First Presbyterian societ
olin 3 1924 032 370 359
V
1865
N
DED
A.D
Cornell University Library
The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library.
There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924032370359
HISTORY
OF THE
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN SOCIETY
OF
HONESDALE
BY
R. M. STOCKER
CLARA, LIEVE
HONESDALE, PA. HERALD PRESS ASSOCIATION
1906 KC
PREFACE.
This history of the Honesdale Presbyterian church has been written by direction of the session of the church.
At a meeting of the session at the residence of W. B. Holmes, January 15, 1904, at which there were present Rev. W. H. Swift, D. D., moderator, and Elders H. C. Hand, Andrew Thompson, R. M. Stocker, J. A. Bodie, J. Adam Reitenauer, W. J. Ward and W. B. Holmes, clerk of the session, the clerk stated that the seventy-fifth anniversary of the organiza- tion of the church would be February 11, 1904, and after some discussion it was decided to observe the anniversary on Sunday, February 21, with such morning and evening services as Dr. Swift might arrange; and, at the same meeting, R. M. Stocker was appointed to prepare a history of the church and arrange for its publication.
The Honesdale Presbyterian church is the pioneer church of the town, and was organized by the first settlers that located here. It has had included in its membership and congregation nearly every man of prominence, that resided in Honesdale,
III
IV
PREFACE.
that was connected with the Delaware & Hudson Canal Com- pany during the seventy years of its existence, besides a large percentage of the lawyers, doctors, editors, bankers, merchants, also mechanics, artisans, workingmen and enterprising citizens generally.
In old times under monarchical forms of government, a history of kings might pass for a history of the nation, but under a democracy, the individuality of the people begins to appear. A church that is governed after monarchical forms, may be contented with a history of its organization, together with a history of its priests, but a Calvinistic church, whose very life is founded on equality among its members, has a his- tory, not only of its ministry, but of its laity. It also has its organic history which consists of the work of the church in its various departments. A thoroughly organized Presbyterian church is a little republic within itself. The session is the governing body of the church, and delegates from the session, consisting of the minister and one elder from each church, con- stitute the Presbytery, and the Synod and General Assembly are composed of commissioners chosen in equal proportion from among the ministers and elders of the several Presby- teries, according to membership. So it will be seen that the government of the Presbyterian church is a representative de- mocracy, and that it is republican in form, very similar to the government of the United States; and it is very evident that the predominance of Presbyterians at the time of the formation of the government had its effect in the establishment of our system of government.
In preparing this history the records of the church have been very freely consulted and quoted from. The intention has been to give the language of contemporaries in describing events and in giving characteristics of individuals as far as possible. The account of transactions will thus be presented from the view point of more than one person. The files of the Wayne County Herald, the Democrat and its successor, the Citizen, also the Independent, have been searched for pen pictures by con-
V
PREFACE.
temporaries, and among them none wrote with a more compre- hensive grasp of his subject than did F. B. Penniman. Rev. Dr. Swift has assisted me in obtaining valuable matter, and old people and members of the session generally have contributed their recollections, and in this connection George H. Mayhew, the old harness maker, who came here when a boy with his parents, among the first settlers, should not be forgotten. In this history the best is said of people. There is another side that is not so good, but estimating their lives and characters as a whole, I am persuaded that the predominating characteristics of the persons herein mentioned have been given. There have been a large number of grand good men and women in the Honesdale Presbyterian church. This history is not written for the purpose of increasing family pride, but rather to inspire the church to nobler work through a knowledge of the conse- crated efforts that have been made by our predecessors. To make a slight change in Longfellow's poem:
Lives of GOOD men all remind us We can make our lives sublime And dying, leave behind us Foot prints on the sands of time.
This history not only comprises the ministry and eldership, but also the trustees and some of the laity who have never held any official positions in the church. Members of the congre- gation who have supported the church more faithfully, some of them, than some others who are enrolled as church members, have been mentioned. A church is a great moral and religious force in a community, and it is a blessing to all who help main- tain it. The dead are mentioned more at length than the living, and as this is a church history the religious life of the persons mentioned is made more prominent than it would be in ordinary history. In order to give the history a proper setting, a brief history of the Presbyteries with which the church has been connected, together with sketches of some old-time ministers and elders, have been given. It has been the intention of the author to treat all persons and religious denominations fairly. Our church does not claim all the goodness in the community,
VI
PREFACE.
but this being a history of the Honesdale Presbyterian church, it of necessity deals largely with the people that have been con- spicuous in that church.
Shakespeare makes Mark Antony say that "The evil that men do lives after them, while the good is oft interred with their bones."
This age is a realization of the truthfulness of Shakes- peare's observation. A noisome journalism has catered to evil by magnifying the evil that men do, by highly colored descrip- tions and pictorial representations, until a glance at the daily press would lead one to believe that nothing but evil prevails in the world. There is evil enough, doubtless, but a glance at the brighter and better side of the human race is more benefi- cial and inspiring than contemplating a train robbery or some domestic wrong. Surely the sublime utterances of the Psalmist or Isaiah, the all important teachings of the New Testament and the lives of those who follow the teachings of the Bible, are more wholesome and elevating than the exaggerated statements of modern journalism. Let the lives of those who have founded communities and churches be perpetuated. A contemplation of their good works tends to a nobler and purer manhood and womanhood.
R. M. STOCKER.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Andrew Thompson, W. B. Holmes, H. O. Hand.
1
Church, Chapel and Manse
8
Salem Church 11
Old Presbyterian Church.
9
Bethany Presbyterian Church
12
Old Parsonage 16
20
Reverends Campbell, Judd, Westwood and Skinner
25
Elders Kingsbury, Foster and Lord. 32
56
Rev. Dr. Dunning.
72
Rev. Dr. Swift. .
73
Elders Reed, Darling, Ward and Strong.
80
Elders Seely, Tracy and Cory.
97
Church Session of 1906.
104
Deacons Gillen, Eno and Beers
112
Otis Avery and J. F. Roe
128
First Presbyterian Church of Honesdale.
161
Chapel 176
John Torrey.
187
Blandin, Lord and T. H. R. Tracy.
189
Minor, Penniman, Woodhouse and Smith.
193
C. P. and G. G. Waller and Coe F. Young. 200
211
Three Deacons and Two Trustees.
216
Raymond, Wright, Torrey and Ward.
264
Mount Pleasant Church.
272
Dickson, Hand and Dickson
297
Hand, Dunning and Hand 304
Stourbridge Lion 332
VII
Board of Trustees.
Old Tabernacle.
Rev. Stephen Torrey.
1.00
W. B. HOLMES
ANDREW THOMPSON
H. C. HAND
The Patrons of the History, without whose financial aid it would not have been published.
HONESDALE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
CHAPTER I.
PIONEER CHURCHES AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS
THE first churches in North- eastern Pennsylvania were es- tablished by the Dutch settlers in the Minisink along the Dela- ware. In 1737 Georg Wilhel- mus Mancius established four Dutch Reformed churches, and among them the one at Smithfield, being the only one on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware river. Perched on a high pulpit, with a large hollow hemisphere suspended over his head for a sounding board, Rev. Johan Caspareus Freyenmoet and his successors gave the people the strongest kind of Cal- vinism in these churches, speaking in the Dutch language. In 1741, Count Zinzendorf, accompanied by his brave daughter Anna, made a missionary tour through Northeastern Pennsyl- vania, with special reference to converting the Indians. Beth- lehem, whose roaring blast furnaces melt the ore for the im- mense armor plate that covers our war vessels, was established as a Moravian mission, and named by Count Zinzendorf in honor of the birth place of the Prince of Peace.
It is refreshing to turn from the grasping policy of the later proprietaries of Pennsylvania to the honest and success- ful mission work of the Moravians among the Indians. In a
2
HONESDALE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
later trip, about 1742, Zinzendorf came into Wyoming valley and passed through Cobb's Gap. While reposing in his tent some lurking savages determined to kill him. They crept up where they could look in on their intended victim. While they were looking, a rattlesnake that had been thawed out by the fire, came out of his den and crawled over the Count's legs and coiled down without harming him. The Indians were as- tonished and, believing that he was protected by the Great Spirit, slunk away into the darkness of the forest.
Rev. David Brainerd, a Presbyterian, spent his life in labors among the Indians who lived northward of Easton. Most of our knowledge of Indian names and customs is de- rived from Heckewelder and other Moravian missionaries among these Indians. Indian missions were not fruitless of results. Andrew W. Ellicott, who with David Rittenhouse, was engaged in establishing the line between Pennsylvania and New York, writes under date of August 6, 1786, from a station near Great Bend, "I have just returned from attending divine service of the Indians in their camp. This will appear no doubt strange to you, but stranger yet when I assure you that I have found more true religion and Christianity among them than with the white inhabitants on the frontier; they are of the church of England and have the service complete in their own language-they sing psalms to admiration, much superior to the Dutch Methodists in Baltimore. The Indian town of Shanang (Binghamton), is about twelve miles from our present situation." These were Mohawks and they were probably using the translation of the celebrated chieftain, Joseph Brandt. This chief was a half blood white and after the Revolutionary war he made a trip to England where he was well received, and being an educated Indian, he translated the book of common prayer into Mohawk.
The Baptists, Methodists and Congregationlists were early on the ground in Wayne county. It is impossible to state accurately who preached the first sermon. It is conceded, however, that the Baptists organized the first church.
3
PIONEER CHURCHES AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS
PIONEER BAPTIST CHURCHES.
Samuel Stanton, of Stantonville, now Pleasant Mount, was a Free Will Baptist, and on his invitation, Rev. David Jayne preached in the settlement and June 28, 1796, the fol- lowing persons were organized as a Free Will Baptist church : Samuel Stanton, Joseph Tanner, Martha Stanton, Lydia Tan- ner, Margaret Dix and Rhoda Stearns. Rev. Epaphras Thomp- son, a close communion Baptist, preached in Mt. Pleasant in 1800. He preached there some time until he and Stanton had an argument on the communion question, which resulted as such things generally do, in greater strife and confusion than before. They agreed to separate and Thompson preached his farewell sermon. They compromised finally, allowing mem- bers liberty to commune with other denominations. They now had fourteen communicants and styled themselves the First Baptist church of Wayne County. This church increased to some 200 members. In 1807 the communion trouble broke out again, when Epaphras Thompson, Elijah Peck, Samuel Torrey, Benj. Newton, Rhoda Stearns, Elizabeth Torrey, Phebe Newton and Rhoda Kennedy were organized into a close communion church. Rev. William Purdy settled in Palmyra, now Paupack, in 1792, and immediately commenced to preach in his neighborhood. In 1800 Rev. Lebbeus Lathrop preached in the place and in 1801 the Baptist church of Palmyra was organized with fifteen members and Wm. Purdy was ordained as pastor of the church. In 1807, this church united with the Mt. Pleasant and Abington churches in forming the Abington Association. In 1824, Rev. Wm. Purdy, who had been pastor of this church since its organization, died, and George Dobell was licensed to preach in his stead in 1829. He was pas- tor for eleven years. The old school movement with which Elder Dobell sympathized, caused some division about this time.
Rev. Newell Callender held a great revival in 1854 and the Jonestown Baptist church was established with forty-four members. The Bethany Baptist church was organized in the court house by Rev. John Miller and others June 7, 1817, with
4
HONESDALE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
eighteen members. Rev. Henry Curtis was pastor of this church for 13 years from 1832 to 1845. He preached at Honesdale, Smith Hill and Paupack Eddy. In 1843 the church had 210 members. The Baptist church at Hones- dale was organized May 10, 1842, with 29 members by Rev. Henry Curtis, who had preached here more or less since 1833. The Wayne Baptists remained in the Abington Association until 1870, when they organized the Wayne Baptist Associa- tion. It is composed of eighteen churches having an aggregate membership of about 1000 persons, holding property valued at $29,000.
PIONEER METHODIST CHURCHES.
The Methodists were early on the ground in Wayne county. Francis Asbury, the first Methodist Bishop in the world, passed through Cobb's Gap, following the old Indian trail road, and stopping all night at Stanton's, who lived on the Little Meadows farm in Salem, in 1793. In his journal he says "he found it better than he expected." The pioneer bishop had evidently learned not to have great expectations at log inns and taverns in the wilderness. Stanton's Inn at Little Meadows was somewhat famous for its dishes of fox meat and its beds of leaves and hemlock boughs. The Meth- odist church has risen to great opulence and influence, but it need never be ashamed of the energetic and far-seeing pioneer, who established churches throughout the land, living on hum- ble fare and lodging in log cabins.
One of the earliest preachers of Methodism was Anning Owen. He was one of the first settlers in Wyoming Valley, and while in hiding after the massacre of Wyoming, he resolved to live differently if his life was spared. Hollister describes him as " one of those happy characters able to hew his way into a prominent usefulness, emerging from a blacksmith shop in Kingston and commencing to exhort and explain the doc- trines of Methodism to the world in 1787. He had fought beside the gallant Butler in the Indian battle on the plains un- til the day was lost, escaping only with his life. He wan-
5
PIONEER CHURCHES AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
dered to the east, remaining there eight years, when he re- turned and rolled up his log cabin and shop on the bank of Toby's Creek in Kingston. He acted in the double capacity of exhorter and blacksmith until his appointments became so numerous that he became a circuit preacher of efficiency and power."
The Methodist class at Ross Hill organized in 1787-8, and the one at Dr. Wm. Hooker Smith's forge, three years later, were probably the first classes in Northeastern Pennsyl- vania.
Bishop Asbury visited the Lackawanna Valley in 1793, and soon two somewhat noisy itinerants traveled on a circuit, including Kingston, Plymouth, Shawney, Wilkes-Barre, Pitts- ton, Providence, and crossing the Moosic mountains at Cobb's Gap they entered Wayne county, preaching at Salem, Canaan and Mt. Pleasant, continuing through to Great Bend and Tunk- hannock. In 1807 a regular circuit was formed and a portion of the circuit was traveled over every four weeks. The Salem church was organized in 1807 in Major Woodbridges's log barn by Gideon Draper and William Butler. These itinerants asked Major Woodbridge, a Congregationalist, to enroll the names, which he did, and twenty-two persons were enrolled, after which these organizers coolly informed the Major that he had been appointed class leader, and Dr. Peck says "Major Woodbridge was installed a class leader in the Methodist church almost before he was aware of it." Canaan circuit, as it was then called, included all of Wayne county, the Salem church being the strongest, was headquarters for the circuit preachers for a number of years. Anning Owen appears to have been Presiding Elder in 1807, when the church was or- ganized. He held the first quarterly meeting in Salem and probably the first in the county in 1807 in Woodbridge's barn. Some of the preachers who traveled this circuit, which includ- ed Salem, Sterling, Mt. Pleasant and Paupack settlement, were Thomas Elliott, 1808, Loring Grant, 1812, Israel Cook, Eben- ezer Dellitts, Robert Montgomery and Isaac Grant. Dr. Geo.
6
HONESDALE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Peck traveled the circuit in 1820, and he says it included all of what was known as the Beechwoods generally. "It was a two weeks circuit with a membership of 223 persons and had twelve preaching places, one of them being at the Court House in Bethany, three or four school houses, several private houses and not one church."
The Honesdale Methodist church began in an old school house and probably also in the old tabernacle where most of the churches of the place were organized. The most promin- ent of the first class were S. W. Genung, W. W. Parmen- ter, J. Callaway, Derial Gibbs, Thomas Kellow, Mary Stewart, T. Pope, D. Tarbox, H. Heath, O. Hamlin, J. Birdsall, sr., R. Doney, R. Webb, E. Eggelston, T. Hawkey, R. Spry, James Ball and R. Henwood. They appear to have worshipped in a school house that stood near Callaway's and the old Taber- nacle until 1834, when the first meeting house was erected on a site presented by John Torrey. In 1845 the church was doubled in capacity and in 1872 the present church was erected. Honesdale District is in Wyoming conference, being composed of thirty-five charges, twenty of which are within Wayne county with an aggregate membership of about 2800.
PIONEER EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.
A meeting was held at Charles Forbes, Feb. 13, 1832, for the purpose of organizing an Episcopal church in Honesdale. The principal organizers were Edward Mills, Thos. T. Hays, Chas. Forbes, Z. H. Russell, Daniel B. Wilcox, Jas. B. Wal- ton and A. H. Farnham. Rev. Jas. H. Tyng was the first rec- tor. They first worshipped in the building now occupied by Bernard Reilly as a store. In 1834 they erected their first church on the site of the present church. The present church was designed by Henry Dudley and erected by Henry Heath in 1854. It is of native blue stone and one of the handsom- est churches in the State. The church has been served by a number of rectors whose stay has been for only a few years. Rev. R. B. Duane and Rev. George C. Hall had the longest pastorates and they are more generally remembered than any
7
PIONEER CHURCHES AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS
others. Rev. Jno. M. Lewis succeeded Rev. Mr. Hall in 1894, and Rev. Jas. P. Ware is the present rector. Rev. S. B. Dal- rymple and Rev. Geo. C. Abrams died while ministering to this church and are remembered for their self-sacrificing labors.
The Episcopal church in Salem was built in 1847. The leading members were Robert Patten and wife, Franklin Good- speed, Jolin Raymond, Caleb B. Hackley, Daniel Potter, Gaius Moss and Mrs. Anson Abbey. Rev. Edwin Mendenhall was their first rector and remained with them fourteen years, until his death, and during his time he organized the Zion church in Sterling. Rev. R. H. Brown was rector for fifteen years un- til he died. Since his time there has been no regular rector.
The Mt. Pleasant church was organized in 1862. Revs. Day, Burrows, Cowpland, Howard and Scott have served this church.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES.
The first adherents of the Catholic church settled in Mt. Pleasant township. These people received their ministrations from missionaries from New York and Friendsville. In 1835 the first Catholic church was erected where the present St. Juliana church now stands. The present church was erected in 1866, and recently a fine church has been erected at Pleas- ant Mount. Rev. Henry Fitzsimmons, of Carbondale, was the first regular pastor of the Catholics in Wayne county. He erected the first church at Honesdale in 1842. In 1845 Hones- dale became a separate parish with Rev. P. Prendergast as pastor. He seems to have had charge of the whole county. He was followed by Rev. James Maloney, and Dr. O'Hara as- sisted by Father Kenney. About this time the German Cath- olics began to settle here and Father Etthofer and Sharle made them occasional visits. In 1852, Rev. Jas. Power, as- sisted by Father Whitty, came to Honesdale, the latter caring for Hawley and Rock Lake districts. Other pastors in Wayne have been Rev. Daniel Kelly, Father Delanave, an Italian, Rev. Thos. Brehony, Rev. John Judge, who ministered for a long time in Mt. Pleasant, Rev. Michael Filen, Rev. J. P. O'Malley,
8
HONESDALE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
who went to Hawley in 1870, and Rev. J. J. Doherty who came to Honesdale in 1859 and remained here until he died in 1896. He remained so long in the place that he made a great impression upon the people. During his pastorate the pres- ent beautiful St. John's Catholic church was erected. Rev. Thos. M. Hanley is the present pastor of St. John's church.
The German Catholic church was erected in 1860. Rev. Francis Buthe ministered to this church from 1863 till 1878, when he died and was succeeded by the present pastor, Father Dassel.
There are churches at White Mills and Salem and one in Canaan. The churches in the northern part of the county have Revs. John Healy and P. E. Levalle for their pastors. There are some five or six thousand Catholics in the county under five pastorates. Father Dassel has a parochial school in connection with his church, but the larger part of our Cath- olic population attend our excellent public schools, whence a number of bright men have gone forth to enter the profes- sions of law, medicine, and the priesthood.
PIONEER LUTHERAN CHURCHES.
There are three Lutheran churches in the county. The Honesdale Lutheran church was organized in 1845 and the church was incorporated May 2, 1846, under name of German Evangelical Lutheran Church and Congregation of Honesdale. The first pastor and charter members were: Christian Sans, pastor ; members, George Richenbacker, A. Fritz, J. Kolus, H. Goodman, J. Wagner, J. Ch. Grambs, J. Miller, H. Grambs, J. Grambs, W. A. Brede, Jolm Reichenbacker, E. Kalmesten, R. Kalmesten, F. Tinker. The ministers have been C. Sans, G. Zeuner, J. Goetz, F. A. Bauer, F. W. Helper, S. F. Wilkens, O. Telle, F. A. Herzberger, G. F. Werner, T. Herschman, R. Con- rad, O. Puhl, W. Schmidt, O. F. Leisz, A. O. Gallenkamp, and, since 1901, H. A. Behrens.
The first church was built on Second street in 1848. The parsonage was bought under the pastorate of S. F. Wilkens.
E
11
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, CHAPEL, AND MANSE
ERECTED IN 1836.
OLD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
9
PIONEER CHURCHES AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS
The new church was built in 1903-4, on Church and Seventh streets, on a lot purchased by the Ladies' Aid and Young Peo- ples' Society. Among the prominent members there have been John M. Baumann, John Krantz, John Guckenberger and John Reifler. The new church is called the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church, and it is one of the handsomest churches in the borough.
There is a Lutheran church in the southern part of Mt. Pleasant township and another at Gouldsborough Station in Lehigh township.
Besides the churches already mentioned there are a num- ber of Protestant Methodist churches, two in Salem, one in South Canaan and one in Sterling, and there are Free Method- ists in several townships and Albright Methodists and Evangeli- cals; also several congregations of Christians and a flourish- ing Moravian church in Dreher, besides some Universalists, Second Adventists, and probably a few Christian Scientists and Agnostics, and there have been in the county a few Quakers, and Seventh Day Baptists.
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.