USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > History of the Presbytery of Washington : including a brief account of the planting of the Presbyterian church in Western Pennsylvania and parts adjacent, with sketches of pioneer ministers and ruling elders ; also sketches of later ministers and ruling elders > Part 1
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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 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40
Gc 974.8 P92W 1676663
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
5
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01144 9383
HISTORY
OF THE
PRESBYTERY OF WASHINGTON, FZ.
INCLUDING A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE PLANTING OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND PARTS ADJACENT, WITH SKETCHES OF PIONEER MINISTERS AND RULING ELDERS; ALSO SKETCHES OF LATER MINISTERS AND RULING ELDERS.
PHILADELPHIA: JAS. B. RODGERS PRINTING CO., 54 N. SINTH ST.
ISSO.
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyofpresbyt00unse
1676663
CONTENTS.
Page.
I. ANTECEDENT HISTORY I
By Rev. W. F. Hamilton, D.D.
II. HISTORY OF ORGANIZATION AND PROCEEDINGS OF PRESBYTERY, 1819-88 41 By Rev. Henry Woods, D.D.
III. TRIBUTE TO DECEASED MINISTERS WHO HAVE BEEN MEMBERS OF THE PRESBYTERY . I 20
By Rev. James I. Brownson, D.D.
IV. RELATION OF THE PRESBYTERY TO EDUCATION, WITH SKETCHES OF EDUCATORS . 162
By Rev. David A. Cunningham, D.D.
V. MISSIONARY HISTORY. THE RELATION OF THE PRESBYTERY TO MISSIONS, WITH SKETCHES OF MISSIONARIES . IS2
By Rev. W. H. Lester, D.D.
VI. DECEASED RULING ELDERS
. 200
By Rev. Smith F. Grier and others.
VII. SKETCHES OF CHURCHES
. 249
By the several Pastors and others.
VIII. APPENDIX NO. I. Statistics prior to IS19 . . 378 APPENDIX NO. 2. Biographical Sketches of Early Ministers . . 391 By Rev. W. F. Hamilton, D.D.
iii
ILLUSTRATIONS.
EARLY MINISTERS .
Frontispiece.
PRESENT MEMBERS, I.
41
PRESENT MEMBERS, II.
70
PRESENT MEMBERS, III. .
99
DECEASED MINISTERS, I.
120
DECEASED MINISTERS, II.
144
EDUCATORS
162
MISSIONARIES, I.
182
MISSIONARIES, II. .
189
OFFICIAL, MEMBERS IN PRESBYTERIAL MISSIONARY SOCIETIES . . 195
DECEASED RULING ELDERS
200
RULING ELDERS-CROSS CREEK.
260
RULING ELDERS-UPPER BUFFALO 273
RULING ELDERS-WEST ALEXANDER 277
RULING ELDERS-WASHINGTON, IST . 306
RULING ELDERS-CLAYSVILLE . 318
RULING ELDERS-MOUNT PROSPECT . 322
FIRST PASTOR AND RULING ELDERS-BURGETTSTOWN 359
PREFATORY.
A HISTORY of the Presbytery of Washington has long been felt by its members and by many others, to be an urgent want; and more than once, action has been taken in Presbytery, looking to the preparation of such a history, but no individual member of Pres- bytery could, at any time be found, who felt himself sufficiently at leisure to undertake so onerous a task.
Attention was recalled to the subject recently, by the action of the General Assembly, recommending to Churches and Presbyteries to put on record their respective histories, as one of the ways by which to honor the Centenary of the Assembly's organization.
Acting under this recommendation, Presbytery arranged to hold a special memorial and historical service, and assigned to several of its senior mem- bers the preparation of papers relating to the various phases of the Pres- bytery's history, and also provided for the preparation of concise statistical histories of all its individual churches.
At a meeting held in the church of Upper Buffalo, September 25-26, 1888, this special service was observed :-- Presbytery was opened with a sermon from Ecc. iii. I, by the Moderator, Rev. Joseph S. Pomeroy. In- terspersed with the reading of the historical papers which had been pre- pared, were addresses on cognate themes, by Rev. J. A. Donahey, Rev. W. H. Cooke, D.D., Rev. J. D. Moffat, D.D., who were under appoint- ment to this service, and by Rev. G. W. F. Birch, D.D., of New York City, a son of the Presbytery, who happened to be present .. It was the mind of the Presbytery, to have these oral discourses, as well as the written papers, published, and a committee, consisting of Rev. Drs. Brown- son, Woods and Hamilton, Rev. J. HI Snowden and J. I. Brownson, Esq., was appointed to carry the same into effect. This original purpose, how- ever, was afterwards modified by reason of an expressed preference on the part of those who had made addresses, to surrender all the space to the publishing of matter that was strictly historical. It was found, more- over, that the papers read were of such a character, and so related, that with certain ementdations which the committee were empowered to make, they would constitute a well-connected history of the Presbytery, inchid- ing the antecedent period during which its churches had belonged to previously existing Presbyteries.
1
It is in this way that the present volume has come into existence. A growth, rather than a creation.
The task performed by the committee has been a laborious one, in- volving in addition to the revision of manscripts, and the conducting of the work through the press, a large amount of correspondence, prelimi-
vii
1
viii
PREFATORY.
nary to and accompanying these details and also pertaining to the collect- ing and preparation of the distinctive class of illustrations which have been introduced. While in this correspondence and other work, all the members of the committee have shared somewhat, it is due to truth to state that upon two of the committee, Drs. Hamilton and Woods, has devolved, through force of circumstances, very much the largest part of this perplexing and exacting labor.
That a work so long projected and so important in itself, has at length been accomplished is certainly a gratifying result, and is owing, not alone to the industry of those who prepared the various constituent parts of the history, but scarcely less to the excellent spirit of co-operation which has actuated the members of Presbytery in general, and not a few, also, of the members of the individual churches.
It is not claimed that this volume is all that could be desired. The plan under which it has come into existence, while conducive to variety of style and matter, and consequent interest, carries with it some disad- vantage. It is not favorable to unity of design, and involves tendencies to repetition and conflicting statement.
Much care has been taken to overcome this disadvantage, aud, it is hoped, not without success.
The most serious fault likely to occur in a volume constructed as this has been, is inaccuracy of dates. On this point it may be stated, that to a large extent the dates have been taken from original records, and when this could not be done, have been verified as carefully as the cir- cumstances of the case permitted. Still, when it is remembered how num- erous are the dates which are given, and from how many sources gathered, and when to this are added the perils of transcription and typography, it will not be thought strange if a numerical error is here and there detected. It is believed, however, that the number of these, if any, will be found fewer than usually happens in works of this kind.
In the way of forestalling criticism ou another point, it may as well be admitted that the main thing sought after, has not been a high degree of literary finish, which under the circumstances of the case did not seem practicable. The excellence aimed at has been of another kind, namely. -fullness and accuracy of statistical and biographical information. In other words, it has been the object to furnish :- ist. A repository of facts and dates, which, unless thus gathered and preserved, would soou, to a great extent, be lost. 2d. A hand-book of reference for the use of min- isters and other students of history. 3d. A volume of interesting aud profitable reading to go into the homes of the people, and keep alive in their hearts, a loving remembrance of those to whom they owe so much. An additional value, it is thought, is imparted to the book, by the life- likenesses it contains. These the committee have been able to have in- serted, only through the kind co-operation of the churches, and of in- dividuals.
With this explanation of the origin and purpose of the volume, it is sent forth in the confident hope that its circulation will prove acceptable to very many, and will tend to endear to Presbyterians the church of their fathers, and what is most of all to be desired, will promote the glory of the church's Divine King and Head.
COM. OF PUB.
3
£
THE
PRESBYTERY OF WASHINGTON.
I.
ANTECEDENT HISTORY.
When the Presbytery of Washington was erected, in 1819, the churches included in it were, with few exceptions, churches which had been established in the latter part of the preceding century, co-eval with the gradual settling of the country, and had belonged in succession to two previously existing presbyteries.
There is thus an antecedent period of well-nigh half a cen- tury, without some survey of which the earlier history of the Presbyterian Church on this field would be left out of sight. Such a survey cannot, therefore, be deemed an unsuitable intro- duction to the story of the church's later growth.
And on the ground, too, of its intrinsic interest and im- portance as an epoch in history, this antecedent period merits some special consideration. Beyond all question, the planting of the Presbyterian Church in Southwestern Pennsylvania and parts of Virginia adjacent, was a great historic event.
The settlement of the region of country lying at the Western base of the Allegheny Mountains was an entering wedge to the various other forward movements of civilization, which, more or less, closely followed. Among its more immediate results were the rapid increase of immigration to the Kentucky wilderness, the settlement at Marietta by the Massachusetts Colony, under Manasseh Cutler, the ill-starred settlement of the French Col-
I
2
THE PRESBYTERY OF WASHINGTON.
onists at Galliopolis, the occupation of the Virginia Reserve on the Scioto by General Massie, the settlement west of the Mus- kingum on grant made to Ebenezer Zane and the several set- tlements of New England on Connecticut Reserve. Thise all were events which had their historic importance, an importance which has been fully recognized-perhaps, in some instances, unduly magnified; but it is quite plain that not one of them would have been practicable, had not prior occupation been made of the region situated on the head-waters of the Ohio. The real pioneers of Western civilization were the men who, at the first, scaled the Allegheny Mountains and settled in South- western Pennsylvania. Hence, we say the planting of the Presbyterian Church in this region was a great historic event, and the period in which it occurred was an historic epoch; for the planting of the church and the settlement of the country were not simply contemporaneous events-they were really identical. They constituted one and the same great social movement. It is true, indeed, as to the few men who, first of all, crossed the mountains-the primitive settlers --- the men who fished and hunted for subsistence, and served as guides and army scouts, it cannot be said that they made much religious profession of any kind. They were an exceedingly heteroge- neous class, and restive of the restraints of well ordered society. Yet, even among these, could be found here and there, a sturdy God-fearing Presbyterian family. But it was not until later that these Presbyterian families became sufficiently numerous to give character to the population. This was after the Penn proprietaries, in 1769, had opened their land office in Philadel- phia for acquiring titles to lands west of the mountains. From this time onward, and notably at the close of the Revolutionary War, and after the obstructions arising from conflict of jurisdic- tion between Virginia and Pennsylvania had been removed, a constant stream of Presbyterian, as well as other immigrants, flowed into the country. They came, some of them, direct from across the Atlantic, a few from New Jersey and Virginia, much the larger part from Chester, York, Lancaster and Cum- berland Counties, in Pennsylvania, Cecil County, in Maryland and New Castle County, in Delaware.
3
ANTECEDENT HISTORY.
In racial descent, they were predominantly Scotch-Irish, and possessed the well-known traits of that historic people. This means that, taken collectively, they were of fervid temperament, quick intellect and ready speech, yet, at the same time, of re- flective habits, wary in judgment, and by no means lacking in self-control. It means also, that they had conspicuous energy and persistence of purpose and of achievement, and were ex- ceedingly firm, even obstinate, in their convictions, whether right or wrong; in a word, that they were excellent types of rugged impetuous strength of character. Perhaps it should be added that they were naturally inclined to take part in public affairs, and were not averse to personal prominence. This much they owed to blood chiefly, though somewhat, also, to an- cestral training. In respect of moral and religious character, it cannot, of course, be claimed that they were, without exception, ideal Christians. Many of them, like their descendants, had more of Scotch-Irish vim than of divine grace, and there was much in the adversity of the times to tempt them; but it is to be noted that even when they failed in practical piety, they were apt to remain loyal to gospel truth, and from this cause, not un- frequently trained up a generation to follow them, better than themselves ; and furthermore, there were always among them, not a few leading characters, who were eminently godly persons, and whose influence was sufficient to leaven, in a measure, the entire community, and thus give to it, as a whole, a distinc- tively exemplary character.
Without disparagement, therefore, of what was done by other denominations of Christians, it may safely be said that the bulk of religious influence exerted in the West in that day, was what came from the Presbyterian Church-using the term Presby- terian in its broader sense as inclusive of the Associate, the Associate Reformed and the Reformed Presbyterian bodies, as well as our own. Taking this view it cannot be questioned that this initial planting of the Presbyterian Church west of the mountains was an event of great consequence, viewed merely in its secular or political aspects --- consequence to American So- ciety -- to the American nation.
But that which it concerns us much more to emphasize, was
..
4
THE PRESBYTERY OF WASHINGTON.
its importance to the cause of Christ. It was the first trans- montane movement on the part of the Eastern Church, and was thus, in the strictest sense, a new ecclesiastical departure. It was the beginning of the church's occupation of the great valley of the Mississippi. This resulted, necessarily, from the geographical position of the region occupied. It was the natural gateway to the west. It thus became in an ecclesiastical, as in a political sense, the key of empire. From it as a radiating point, the forms and much of the material of ecclesiastical or- ganization spread westward, initiating that great movement which has since extended over the vast domain included be- tween the Appalachian Range and the Pacific Ocean.
When we turn then, as we are now to do, to trace the begin- nings of the church's occupation of this field, we may enter on it, with the assurance that we have struck an epoch deserving our careful and interested study.
The period referred to as antedating the organization of Washington Presbytery divides itself into two minor periods -- one of twelve years, during which the field was included in the Presbytery of Redstone-and one of twenty-six years, dur- ing which it was in the Presbytery of Ohio; and it is a note- worthy fact that, in the case of each of these presbyteries, at its erection, the major part of the churches embraced in it, were churches now belonging to the Presbytery of Washington, and that each presbytery held its first meeting in one of these churches. It is obvious, therefore, that there can be no history of this part of the field which does not consist largely of de- tailed accounts of the doings of these two pre-existing presby- teries. If in attempting this, some things seemingly irrelevant should be introduced, let it be overlooked, as being almost, if not altogether, unavoidable.
FIRST MINISTERS AND CHURCHES.
I Previous to the erection of any presbytery west of the mountains, four Presbyterian ministers had become resident on
. Nothing written in the present day could so well describe the conditions of pio- neer life in Western Pennsylvania a, the following extract, from a letter penned in 1848, by President Carnahan, of Princeton College, whose residence here as a stu-
5
ANTECEDENT HISTORY.
the field, and had gathered, and were serving churches as fol- lows:
REV. JAMES POWER, who, having first visited the West in 1774, had removed hither with his family in 1776, and after two or three years of evangelistic labor at Dunlap's Creek and vi- cinity, then Westmoreland (now Fayette County) had, in 1779,
dent in Canonsburg Academy, and previously at a time when all the first ministers were still living, enabled him to speak as almost an eye and ear witness of the things which he relates. Referring to these first ministers he says : " To appreciate their labors and self-denial, it is necessary to keep in view the difficulties and dangers to which, in common with other pioneers, they were exposed. The journey over the mountains, not less than a hundred and twenty miles, was not what it now is, There were no Macadamized roads, or canals, or railroads. A horse path over rocks, and precipices, and marshes, was the only way of access to what was signifi- cantly called ' The Back Woods.' Nor could the direct route through Chambers- burg and Bedford be taken with safety. Parties of Indians hovered around, and murdered many families on their way to the West. On that road there are places whose names (such as ' the Burned Cabins,' ' Bloody Run,' &c.) to this day in- dicate the barbarous acts of that period. To avoid the tomahawk and scalping- knife, a southern route through Hagerstown, Hancock and Cumberland, in Mary- land, was usually taken, thence following Braddocks' road over the mountains. And this road was not suitable to wheel carriages. Many, like Father McMillan, passed through the 'Great Valley' to Staunton, in Virginia, and thence over the mountains to Tygarts Valley. At present a journey to Missouri or Iowa can be per- formed in less time, and with less than half the labor and danger necessary, at that time, to reach the ' Back Woods.' When the mountains were passed, accommoda- tions, not very attractive, were found. In the whole county of Westmoreland, then covering more than twice the space it now does, there was not, in 17SI, a single stone, or brick, or frame-house. All the inhabitants lived in log-cabins, more or less comfortable, according to the means of the occupants.
" The difficulty of obtaining articles necessary in carrying on farming operations was very great. Iron, with which that country now abounds, had to be carried on pack-horses over the mountains; and salt, which now may be purchased for twenty cents, could not, at that time, be had for less than five dollars per bushel. The want of mills to grind their bread was severely felt. In addition to these difficulties, and others, which I omit, the inhabitants were not safe from the incursions of the In- dians.
"The accommodations for public worship were also as rare and unsightly as the private dwellings of the people. They did not wait until they were able to erect a stone or brick building, costing from two to ten thousand dollars; nor did they send commissioners to ask aid from their wealthier brethren in the East. They took their axes, cut down trees, and, with their own hands, crected a log building, to protect them from the snow in winter, and from the rain in summer. Except in inclement weather, they worshipped in the open air, under the shade of the native forests.
6
THE PRESBYTERY OF WASHINGTON.
become pastor of the churches of Mount Pleasant and Se- wickly, Westmoreland County.
REV. JOHN MCMILLAN, who, having first visited the West in 1775, and again in 1776, accepted in that year a call from the congregations of Pigeon Creek and Chartiers (now Washington County), and although deterred for two years from more than occasional visits to the field had, in 1778, removed hither with his family and become permanent pastor of the two churches named.
REV. THADDEUS DODD, who, having first visited the West in the winter of 1777-78, came hither with his family in 1779, and
" Posterity will find it difficult to conceive of the rudeness of these primitive churches. They were constructed entirely with the axe. No saw, or plane, or even hammer, to drive a nail, was used, for neither nails or iron in any other shape, were employed. The roof was of clap boards, kept in their places by logs laid upon them; and the doors were also clap boards, fastened by wooden pins to cross bars, projecting sufficiently far, at cue side, to form a part of the hinge. The windows were small openings, cut in two adjacent logs, and were glazed with oil paper or linen. The floors, when any they had, were cleft logs, smoothed by the axe. These churches were of different forms. The most simple and common were square or parallelogramic, having only four sides-a single log extending from corner to corner. But when the congregation was large, and timber of sufficient length could not be had to make a four-sided structure of suitable dimensions, the cruciform was adopted, and there were twelve sides and twelve corners. In justice to these old-fashioned Presbyterians, it must be understood that the twelve sides and the twelve corners were not intended to represent the twelve apostles; nor was the cruciform adopted from a religious regard to the rules of ecclesiastical architecture, but to secure strength and convenience. And such buildings were both strong and convenient. The parts mutually supported each other, and one part of the transept was the preacher's stand, and the other part opposite, accommodated a portion of the congregation.
" The people were chiefly the descendants of Scotch-Irish. Their forefathers had fled from Scotland to Ireland, and from Ireland to this country, to escape religious persecution. Educated under Presbyterian influence, and familiar with the doctrines of the Westminster Confession of Faith, they retained, in a good degree, the re- ligious customs of their ancestors. The . Shorter Catechismn' was learned at school, and was recited every Sabbath evening at home, by young and old. The pastor, ac- companied by an eller, visited as he was able, the families belonging to his charge, prayed with them and gave them such advice as the case of each required. After he had gone from house to house, in a particular neighborhood, he appointed a gen- eral niceting, which all the families in the district were expected to attend. . . . Among these handy Back Wood people you would find individuals rauch better in- structed in the great truths of the Bible than many at the present day placed in more favorable circumstances."
7
ANTECEDENT HISTORY.
was settled in what is now Washington County, at Ten Mile --- at first one church with two places of worship, subsequently di- vided into Upper and Lower Ten Mile Churches.
REV. JOSEPH SMITH, who, having first visited the West in April, 1779, was soon after called by the churches of Buffalo and Cross Creek, in what is now Washington County, and having accepted the same, removed hither the following year.
At this time all the churches were within the territorial bounds of the Presbytery of Donegal, and subject to its juris- diction, though the ministers were variously connected, Power and Smith belonging to Presbytery of New Castle, McMillan to Presbytery of Donegal, and Dodd to Presbytery of New York.
PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
The first Presbytery organized west of the mountains, the Presbytery of Redstone, consisted of the four ministers named and their churches. It was erected by the Synod of New York and Philadelphia in May, 1781, and remained connected with the same until 1788, when, at the division of the one Synod into four, and the organization of the General Assembly, it was at- tached to the new Synod of Virginia, with which it remained connected until 1802, when, by act of General Assembly, the Synod of Pittsburgh was erected, and it was included therein.
The Presbytery of Redstone held its first meeting at Pigeon Creek September 19-20, 1781. For the first twelve years of its existence it remained undivided. Without aiming here to give precise dates, which are given separately in tabulated form (vide Appendix No. 1), the successive steps in the Presbytery's growth may be indicated as follows: Next to the four original members came Rev. James Dunlap, who assumed charge of the churches of Dunlap's Creek and Laurel Hill, in what is now Fayette County. Shortly afterwards Rev. John Clark was re- ceived, and became pastor of Bethel and Lebanon (then Wash- ington), now Allegheny County. Next in order of time Rev. James Finley was received. Mr. Finley, as early as 1765, and at several subsequent times, had visited the West, primarily on business, but preaching also, and on one occasion, 1771, had
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