USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > A history of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and its people; Volume II > Part 3
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The Radnor Baptist Church originated in the days of the slavery agitation, in the Great Valley Baptist Church. Members of the latter church, strongly opposed to slavery, were desirous of forming an organization where there
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would be no dissension or argument over this issue, and obtained letters to form a new church. This took the name of the Radnor Baptist Church, and worship was conducted in a hall originally known as the Radnor Scientific and Musical Ilall, where formerly meetings of an atheistical character had been held. The first pastor was Rev. J. Newton Hobart.
The first Baptist organization perfected in Ridley township was the Rid- rey Park Baptist Church, founded in 1832, a stone house on the Lazaretto road doing service as a sanctuary. In 1872 a new church building was erected and the old structure used as a Sunday school. On December 11, 1837, the trustees purchased one hundred and seventeen square perches of land adjoin- ing the old church lot for burial purposes, reserving the right to dam a run near by for a space of twenty-four hours for baptismal purposes. The mem- bers of the Ridley Park Baptist church, not to be left in the rear by the onward march of progress, determined to build a new church at the time when the Ridley Park AAssociation began work on improving what is now Ridley Park. The town of Ridley Park was chosen as a good central location, the Ridley Park Company donating the lot upon which the edifice, whose cornerstone was laid July 3. 1873, was erected. The church and all its departments have flour- ished, and the organization wields a mighty influence for good.
Methodist Episcopal Churches .- The oldest Methodist Episcopal church in Delaware county is the Radnor church, whose record extends far back into the history of Methodism and touches upon the lives of many of the most illustrious pioneers of that faith in this continent. Soon after the Revolution- ary war, Radnor became a regular preaching place and was supplied by circuit preachers, the house of worship then being the home of the James family. "The Mansion House." When this little group was first organized, Radnor was included in the Philadelphia circuit, the preachers being John Cooper and George Main. In 1873 the name of the circuit became Chester, it having once before been changed from Philadelphia to Pennsylvania circuit, and Octo- ber 20th of the same year Evan Jones and his wife Margaret go on record as having recorded with Justice Thomas Lewis that for the sum of seven shillings they sold one-half an acre of land "on which a meeting house was to be built for Francis Asbury and his assistants, in which the doctrines of John Wesley. as set forth in his four volumes of 'Sermons' and his 'Notes on the New Tes- tament,' were to be preached, and no other." Work on the church was imme . (liately begun and after seemingly unsurmountable difficulties had been over- come, the project was pushed to completion. By 1833 the congregation had so increased that it was necessary to erect a new church, and while the same was in process of construction, open-air services were held under the trees in front of the building. Because of the necessity of having the house of wor . ship completed before winter set in, the work was rushed to the utmost, and in the fall of the year it was begun, Rev. (afterwards Bishop) E. L. James, preached the dedicatory sermon, soon after which the building was ready for occupancy. In 1822 considerable inside alteration and repair work was done,
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and in the following year Radnor Church, which had previously been affiliated with the Bryn Mawr and Bethesda churches, was made a separate station.
The Mount Hope Methodist Church was erected over a century ago, on land in Aston township, donated by Aaron Mattson, a noted paper-mantifac- turer of the day, whose body rests in the old churchyard. In the deed to Powell Clayton, Edward Carter, Daniel Carter, Robert Johnson, John Little, George Sneath, and Peter Longacre, it states that the lot shall be held "forever in trust, that they shall erect and build thereon a house or place of worship for the use of the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America, only those preachers appointed by the general conference, and none others, to preach and expound God's Holy word therein." The church was built of stone, and was plainly furnished. For many years the church was dependent upon the services of a circuit preacher, and in hii- absence the local minister led the congregation. In the early struggles of the church, valuable and timely aid was lent by a visit from Rev. James Caughey, a famous revivalist from England, whose preaching at the Mount Hope Church was heard by the people for miles around, greatly stimulating the pulse of inter- est in the institution, whose life and vitality had become exceedingly low. From then on, the number of its members steadily increased, a strong inde- pendent congregation being the result. In 1851 the church was part of Mount Hope Station, and the following year became Village Green Circuit.
In the autumn of 1851 a number of the members of the Mount Hope Cir- cuit, residing in or near Rockdale, actuated by the belief that the erection of a church at Rockdale would be of great benefit, met at the home of Rev. John B. Maddox, near Village Green. After deliberation, trustees were elected, and a committee on building appointed. At the first meeting of the trustees, held in the Parkmount school house, November 18, 1851, John P. Crozer do- nated a lot and subscribed a generous amount to the building fund. In 1852, al- though no structure had been erected, a petition was presented at the Philadel- phia Conference, urging that body to separate the Rockdale church from Mount Hope, and establish it as a regular station. Upon the favorable consid- eration of this request, Rev. George W. Mclaughlin was appointed the first pastor, holding his initial services in Temperance Hall at Taylortown, later known as Lenni. In the meanwhile the construction of the church building had been pushed forward at a rapid rate, and June 27, 1852, Rev. Dr. William Ryan, of Philadelphia, preached the dedicatory sermon, and conducted the contributory service, at which nearly $750 was realized. A resolution was presented at the Quarterly Conference, held February 19, 1853, that, as a rec- ognition of the generosity and favors extended to the society by Mr. Crozer, the name of the church be changed from Rockdale to Crozerville, an order which was made, and under that title incorporation papers were granted in December, 1860. Attendance and membership increased rapidly, and by the indefatigable efforts of the trustees the congregation was entirely free from debt in 1866. Ten years later a parsonage was erected near the church, and a few years later the church was completely renovated and remodeled.
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An association of Methodists in 1872 purchased a farm in Aston town- ship, on the Baltimore Central railroad, and was incorporated as the Chester Heights Camp Meeting Association. The tract purchased contained about 162 acres, of which sixty was woodland, and was inclosed with a fence seven feet in height. Within is a large building, 70 by 120 feet, a portion of which was two stories in height, and was used as lodging rooms, while the remainder was one-story, open at the sides, 'so constructed that in bad weather it could be used for religious services. In front of this structure were backed benches with a seating capacity of about 3500. The use of these grounds was not con- fined to camp meetings, but any organization renting them for any purpose whatsoever was required to conform with the discipline of the Methodist Church.
The Siloam Methodist Church is a branch of the Bethel Church of Dela- ware, and was organized in 1852. Ground for a church in Bethel township was donated by Samuel Hanby and Samuel Hance, and thereon was erected a stone edifice. The basement was in condition to be used before the main body of the church was completed, and services were held there until Septem- ber 24, 1854, when Rev. Hurey and Rev. Andrew Manship, of Philadelphia, conducted the dedication services. The cost of the building was $4,500, of which sum one-half had been raised from time to time, when the edifice was in the course of construction, the remaining half being made up by subserip- tions on dedication day. The church was embraced in the Mount Lebanon circuit, and the first pastor was Rev. William II. Burrell. The growth and expansion of the church led to the establishment of a mission at Chelsea, in a chapel originally built by Dr. Phineas Price, which was purchased by the con- gregation and dedicated July 22, 1871.
The Union African Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in Ches- ter by a freed slave, Robert Morris. An humble beginning was made in a room of a house occupied by a colored family, named Williams, the attendance and interest gradually increasing, until in 1831 a lot was purchased and a frame house of worship erected thereon. Rev. Samuel Smith was the first local preacher. During the second pastorate of Rev. Benjamin Jefferson, the stone structure, which had been built during his first ministry, was rebuilt Union Church became a strong institution, and established a mission church at Media, which has likewise prospered.
Rev. Stephen Smith, of Philadelphia, was the founder of the Asbury Afri- can Methodist Episcopal Church, which he organized on October 26, 1845. In this same year church property was purchased and a building erected, the pul- pit being filled at first by circuit preachers, although later local clergymen con- ducted the services. The first regular pastor was Rev. Henry Davis, appointed in 18.19. During the ministry of Rev. Jeremiah Young, who came to Chester in 1863, the church was rebuilt, and on November 25, 1867, the Asbury African Methodist Episcopal Church was incorporated. While Rev. C. C. Felts was pastor, a parsonage was purchased on Madison street. The church conducted
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the William Murphy church as a mission for a time, the Rev. M. F. Shuibey being installed as its first pastor in 1883.
The South Chester Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in South Chester, under the direction of Rev. S. W. Gehrett, in 1870, and in this year a chapel was erected as a mission chapel of Trinity Methodist Episcopal church of Chester, and was dedicated in November, 1871, Rev. Urie, of Wilmington, preaching the dedicatory sermon.
The Madison Street Methodist Episcopal Church of Chester had its begin- ning in meetings conducted by John Kelley, in 1818. Mr. Kelley had formerly been a preacher in St. George's Church, Philadelphia, and through his influence a class was formed and the conference prevailed upon to make the place a regular station on the circuit preacher's route. For many years services were held in the court house, where it is said the noted Bishop Asbury preached on several occasions. The congregation grew rapidly, but all efforts for the erec- tion of a house of worship were futile until 1830, when a stone church was crected on Second street, largely through the efforts of David Abbott, and was named Asbury Chapel, in honor of the bishop. In 1845 the congregation had become so large that it was freed from dependency upon the circuit preachers, and was established as a regular station, with Rev. Isaac R. Merrill as the first pastor. In May, 1846, the church was incorporated, and the erection of a second stone meeting-house was begun, Rev. Dr. Hodgson, of Philadelphia, and Dr. Kennedy, of Wilmington, assisting the pastor in the laying of the cor- ner-stone. From 1847 to 1872, thirteen pastors occupied the church pulpit as duly appointed preachers, and in 1872, the old building being inadequate, the corner-stone of a new edifice was laid by the pastor, Rev. James Cunningham, Rev. Henry Brown, rector, of St. Paul's, and Rev. A. W. Sproull, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, assisting. The church was constructed of green serpentine stone, trimmed with granite, and having corner-blocks of the same material.
For the convenience of the Methodist residents in the South Ward of Chester, the Quarterly Conference decided to effect a church organization in that section of the city, in consequence of which services were held in Crozer Academy, on Second street, while on June 26, 1865, Trinity Methodist Episco- pal Church was incorporated, and August 25 of that year the court granted an amended charter. In the summer of that year, under the leadership of Rev. Twiggs, the erection of a building began, but the structure had been barely roofed in, when, in October of 1865, a terrific northeast storm sweeping through the city, entirely demolishing the whole work, heaping it in the cellar, a mass of ruin and debris. In this condition affairs remained until the follow- ing year, when a chapel was erected on the ground to the west, a Sunday school built, and work recommenced on the main building. In the fall of 1866 the chapel was completed and dedicated, $5000 of the $20,000 debt which the congregation had incurred, being raised on the occasion. During the pastor- ship of Rev. George W. F. Graff, the main church was completed, and at the dedication services Bishop Simpson received subscriptions amounting to $5000.
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By 1875 the entire debt was paid, and the church was free from any obligation for the first time in ten years. Even during this period of adversity, the mis- sionary spirit had been alive, and a mission chapel was supported, which has since grown into the South Chester Methodist Episcopal Church.
St. Daniel's Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in South Ches- ter, with Rev. Ilenson, officiating as the first pastor.
The African Methodist Episcopal Bethel Church was organized in the old school house on the public grounds in South Chester. A lot was purchased for the consideration of one dollar (a gift) from John M. Broomall, and by the efforts of William Murphy sufficient money was subscribed for the erection of a brick edifice which was dedicated June 6, 1872, and Rev. G. T. Waters in- stalled as pastor.
In 1835 the organization of St. George's Methodist Church was effected. the indirect cause of which was the visit of Rev. Brooke Eyre to Marcus Ilook. He preached a sermon in a shoemaker's shop, and succeeded in arous- ing such interest that immediately after his departure subscriptions were taken and a plain wooden structure erected on Discord Lane, William MeLaughlin selling the land upon which it was built for a small consideration. The con- gregation was poor and depended entirely upon circuit preachers for regular services, but what it lacked in wealth it made up in interest and earnestness of purpose. On February 20, 1839, Lewis Massey and wife made a deed of a house and lot on Broad street in Marcus Hook, as a parsonage for the minis- ter of the Chester circuit, which was held by the Wilmington Conference until St. George's Church became a station in 1870. At that date the trustees peti- tioned the court to be empowered to convey to the trustees of Marcus Hook Methodist Church one hundred feet on Broad street and extending in depth the whole length of the lot, to be used for the erection of a church thereon. and to sell the remaining part of the lot to John A. Stevenson for $2500, which sum was to be used in the purchase of another parsonage, the house in Mar- cus Hook, then dilapidated, being six miles distant from the place where the clergyman of Chester circuit was appointed to preach. The court authorized the trustees, in November, 1873, to make the deed to Stevenson in fee-simple. and discharged from all the trusts mentioned in the deed of trust. On Satur- day, July 8, 1871, the cornerstone of a new building was laid, as the old church, in thirty-five years of constant use, had begun to show the ravages of time and was fast becoming too small. The new edifice was a large and imposing struc- ture, a worthy instrument for a holy use.
The lebron African Methodist Church was organized about 1837, the first incetings being held in a little log house on the road from Dutton's cross roads to Upper Chichester cross roads, in Lower Chichester township. A lot was purchased from John Mustin in 1844, and a frame church erected during the pastorate of Rev. Abraham C. Crippin. The first pastor was Rev. Israel Geott.
In 1842 the African Methodist Episcopal Church of Darby township was
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organized, a frame church being erected on Horntown road, which was re- placed in 1854 by a brick edifice. The first pastor was Rev. J. W. Davis.
The nucleus of Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in 1807, when about twenty believers in the Methodist faith residing near Darby, formed a class for divine worship. At some time subsequent to that date, Dr. Phineas Price purchased a lot on the Springfield road from Joseph Wood, and erected thercon a stone church. Upon the death of Dr. Price, who had held title during his lifetime, Mary, Ann M. and Henry Price conveyed the building and ground to Samuel Levis, Charles Levis, Samuel Sungren, David Dunbar and Jonas Morton, trustees of the church. When the congregation decided to move the church seat to Darby, a lot in the borough was purchased and a brick church costing $9400 was erected, and the dedication services held by Bishop Matthew Simpson.
A society of Methodists in Upper Darby township, who held meetings for worship at the homes of the various members from 1834 to 1837, resolved to erect a place of worship, and June 27 of the latter year laid the corner-stone of the Methodist Episcopal church at Pleasant Hill, Rev. M. Coomer officiat - ing. The church was under the care of the Philadelphia Conference, and after the organization of the Clifton Methodist Church, in 1871, the older organiza- tion was placed under that charge.
The Clifton Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1871, and that year the building of a brick sanctuary was begun, the funds being furnished largely by Richard Young, of Springfield. The corner-stone was laid August 10, 1871, Rev. F. A. Fernley and other clergymen prominent in the denomina- tion, assisting the pastor, Rev. M. H. Sisty. A Sunday school also sprang from the main body of the church, and is both well supported and enthusi- astically attended. In 1884 a parsonage was built on a lot adjoining the church property.
In 1831 an organization was formed in Haverford township under the name of the Bethesda Methodist Episcopal Church, with Rev. William Crider as its first pastor. The following year a building for worship was erected in the southwest quarter of the township, which was enlarged and remodeled in 1871.
The Methodists hold the honor of being the pioneers in organized religious work of any kind in Media, for in 1851 Rev. John B. Maddox, pastor of the Village Green Church, preached in the Media Temperance Hall, after which a class of five members was organized, of which John Hardcastle was the leader. During the winter, prayer and class meetings were held in the home of Joseph Iliff, and in August, 1851, a lot was purchased, with the idea of erecting d house of worship as soon as possible. Until 1854 meetings were held under the apple tree in the lot in summer ; in the winter, in the court house and an upper room in Mark Packard's barn. Rev. Ignatius Cooper, who had charge of the circuit, published an appeal for aid in the "Delaware County Republi- can." By August 7, 1854, the $2000 necessary to complete the fund of $3500 had been raised, and on that date Rev. Dr. H. G. King and Rev. J. S. Lane
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conducted services at the laying of the corner-stone. In the spring of 1858 the entire structure was completed and an excellent and impressive dedication service was preached by Rev. Franklin Moore, D. D., the church becoming an independent station the following year. During the pastorate of the Rev. G. T. Ilurlock, extensive repairs and alterations were made to the church and a parsonage erected.
In 1833, William L. Fox, Eleanor Fox, James Permar, John Pyle and four other persons, organized a Methodist society at Lima, in Middletown township, with James Riddle, a local preacher, in charge. For about six months services were held in the dwelling of Mr. Fox; later the school house was rented for the purpose, and services conducted there by the circuit preacher. On August .19, 1835, in consideration of $75, John Rattew conveyed to Henry Permer, Charles McCally, John Pyle, Lewis M. Pike, John Daniels, Seth Rigby, William L. Fox of Middletown, Caleb G. Archer of Aston, and Joshua Smith, of Edgemont, trustees, an acre of land "forever, in trust, that they shall erect and build or cause to be built thereon a house of worship for Methodist Episcopal church of United States of America." On this site was built a stone meeting house which in 1873 was rebuilt and enlarged. The dedication services of the new building were held Sunday, April 6, 1873, and March 23, 1873, the court of Delaware county incorporated the Lima Metho- dist Episcopal Church. A Sunday school has also been formed, its advance ment being steady from the date of organization.
The Honeycomb Methodist Episcopal Church was formed by a number of colored people of Middletown in 1872, and a building erected near the Bishop llollow road.
The Union Methodist Episcopal Church of Nether Providence township grew from a class organized in Hinkson's Corners, about 1812, composed of residents of Nether Providence and neighborhood. On January 28, 1813. the trustees, William Palmer of Aston, Edward Levis and William Coffman, of Springfield, Joseph Dicks, Caspar Coffman and John Esray of Nether Provi- dence, Christopher Snyder and Rudolph Temple, of Springfield, and William Morris of Upper Providence, purchased a lot of eighty square perches of land from Benjamin Houlston, for $110. Hereon a stone church was erected. which was enlarged and repaired about 1878. The church was under the same charge as the Mount Hope church, both being in Village Green Circuit.
The organization of the Stony Bank Methodist Church was effected in 1810, the first meetings being held in the Stony Bank schoolhouse while a place of worship was being erected. This was finished in 1812, a stone structure, that was used until 1870, when work was commenced on a new edifice, the cornerstone being laid on July 28 of that year. Dedication services were held May 27, 1871.
The Bethlehem Methodist Episcopal Church of Thornbury was not in- corporated until November 20, 1860, but the class from which it grew was or- ganized in 1845, and March 26 of the following year Albin Pyle conveyed a lot at Thornton to the trustees to be used for the erection of a church building,
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as well as for a burial ground. Soon after a meeting house was built, remain- ing under the charge of the Chester circuit for many years, and being depend- ent upon that body for ministers to conduct services. In 1871 the building was repaired throughout and reopened on Sunday, November 19, 1871, with elaborate services at which Revs. Hughes, Wallace, Alcorn, and Watson spoke, $500 being raised to defray the cost of renovation.
The Thornbury African Methodist Episcopal Church was organized from a class formed for worship, and used the old frame schoolhouse on the West- town road as a place of meeting.
The Kedron Methodist Episcopal Church of Springfield township was or- ganized with about forty-five members in 1859, who, until the erection of their church, held meetings in the drawing-room of John S. Morton's mansion, later in a wind-mill back of the mansion, and for a time in a chapel built on the church lot. The lot was donated by Thomas T. Tasker, and the cornerstone of the building was laid September 6, 1800. The dedication services were held June 19, 1862, conducted by Bishop Levi Scott.
In April, 1878, a class of Methodists purchased a lot in Ridley township, and obtaining a charter August 1, 1878, erected a brick structure named the Prospect Methodist Episcopal Church, which was dedicated June 1, 1879, by Bishop Matthew Simpson. Rev. J. H. Pike was the first pastor.
Catholic Churches .- Although in the localities where they have placed their missions and churches the Roman Catholic church has been a potent fac- tor in the development of the religious life of that community, in Delaware county the churches of that denomination are not numerous. The first Cath- olic church in this county was St. Denis', founded in 1825. Dennis Kelly, a woolen and cotton manufacturer, donated the ground and the burial lot, also subscribing largely to the building fund. The direct cause of its erection was for the accommodation of those of Catholic faith employed in Kelly's mills on Cohb's creek.
For many years the Catholic residents of Aston township attended wor- ship at St. Mary's Church, the noted mansion of the Willcox family at Ivy Mills, Concord township, but eventually the congregation became so large that a place of worship for those living in Rockdale, was necessary. A tract of land was purchased from Nicholas F. Walter, the deed being dated August 26, 1852, and made to Right Rev. J. N. Newman, bishop of the diocese of Philadelphia, the ground to be held in trust for the congregation of Ivy Mills. On Sunday, August 29, 1852, the Rev. Sourin, of Philadelphia, conducted services at the laying of the cornerstone of the church of St. Thomas, the Apostle, an edifice which was completed in 1856, on October 20 of which year Rev. Charles Jo- seph Maugin was appointed the first pastor. In 1858 a frame parsonage was erected, which on Tuesday night, February 4, 1873, was entirely destroyed by fire, the church building, which stood in close proximity, being saved from a like fate only by the most strenuous exertions on the part of the fire-fighters.
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