USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > East Donegal > An authentic history of Donegal Presbyterian Church : located in East Donegal Township, Lancaster Co., Pa. > Part 3
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Thomas H. Stewart married Aun Gemmill
George H. Stewart married Emeline
Chappelle
Ann Thompson married ist, John J. Bucher, M. D .; 2d, Ja- cob Gemmil, M. D Jane Thompson, died William Thomp: on John Stewart T. Calvin Stewart, D. D. Satiah ( Suit ) Stewart married E P. Walker Jacob Stewart, attorney Robert Stewart, M. D. Sarah Stewart
Margaret H Kelly, died Rebecca Jane Kelly married George M. Graham, M. D. John Harris Kelly, died Rev. Joseph Clark Kelly1
Ann Stewart married Col. David McNair
! To the Rev. Joseph Clark Kelly the writer is indebted for the information ichuing to the descendants of Ann Anderson, daughter of Rev. James Anderson.
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After the death of Anderson, the following extracts from the minutes of Donegal Presbytery relate to Donegal Church :
"Presbytery met at the Forks of Brandywine in September, 1740. Mr. Lyon was ordered to supply Donegal the first and third Sabbath of this month. At the meeting in November, Mr. McDowell and Mr. Caven were to supply the pulpit. April 8th, 1741, there was a call from Donegal to Mr. Lyon, and Mr. Sankey was appointed to moderate the call. Mr. Lyon and Mc- Dowell to supply Donegal. Forks of Brandywine, July, 1741 .- A supplication from Donegal requesting Mr. Lyon to answer their call. Mr: Lyon accepts the call. Chestnut Level, Oct. 8th, 1741 .- Mr. Lyon says there was some disturbance at Done- gal on his account. His case was deferred until our next. At the meeting of Presbytery at Donegal, Mr. Lyon returned the call to Presbytery." He subsequently relinquished his connec- tion with the Presbytery. " Mr. Bell ordered to supply Done- gal the third Sabbath of each month. Mr. Black at Donegal the fifth Sabbath of January, 1742. Paxton, April 7th, 1742 .---- Pursuant to a supplication from Donegal, Mr. Black is appointed to preach there and to moderate in forming a call to Mr. Bell on the last Tuesday of this month. Chestnut Level, June 15th, 1742 .- Mr. Bell accepts a call to Donegal. Mr. Bell ordained at Donegal, November 11th, 1742. Mr. Bell's conduct inves- tigated at Donegal, 1744. He was deposed by Presbytery, March 8th, 1744. He appealed to Synod."
Whether this case was ever acted upon by Synod is not stated in the minutes of " Presbytery: Messrs. Caven, Sankey and Black were appointed to supply Donegal." " Hanover, June 12th, 1745 .- Mr. Gillespie to supply Donegal." Minutes of Presbytery were lost to June 16th, 1747. A call for Mr. Tate in the hands of Presbytery from Donegal :
"Donegal, November 22d, 1748 .- Arthur Patterson, in the name of the congregation, promised a gift to Mr. Tate of seventy pounds over and above the quota of seventy pounds per annum to be paid within a year after he purchases a planta- tion. Mr. Tate passed trials on the usual parts of learning to the satisfaction of Presbytery. Adjourned until nine o'clock
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tomorrow, November 23d, 1748. The Session of Donegal promised in the name of the congregation that they would in due time take regular subscriptions and give them to Mr. Tate. The edict being served at the door of the meeting-house and no objections made the Presbytery proceeded to the work of ordi- nation."-( Records of Donegal Presbytery. )
"On the fourteenth of June he was called to Donegal, and soon after the Rev. Andrew Bay of the New Side Presbytery of Newcastle accused him of having preached false doctrine at three springs (Big, Middle and Rockey). He was acquitted October 25th and accepted the call from Donegal, they giving seventy pounds to buy a plantation and seventy pounds salary. He was ordained November 28th, 1748. . . . Immediately after his installation he was married, December 15th, 1748, to Mar- garet, the eldest daughter of Boyd of Octorara. Her father gave her besides a silk gown, a bed and its furniture, a horse and saddle, and nearly every article for housekeeping, all of which he carefully entered in his book. . . . He died October IIth, 1774, age sixty-three years."-( Webster's History. ) He and his wife are buried at Donegal (grave No. 126).
The long period of eight years after the death of Anderson before a suitable minister was installed at Donegal may be accounted for by the distracted stan of the Church throughout the country occasioned by the Schism of 1741, known as the Old Side and New Side.
The following extract from the Assembly's Digest (page 595) illustrates the cause of its origin and may throw some light on the difficulties at Donegal : "Some years ago our Synod found the interests of Christ's kingdom likely to suffer in these parts for want of a college for the education of young men. . . . Mr. William Tennent set up a school among us, where some were educated and afterwards admitted into the ministry without sufficient qualifications, as judged by many of the Synod. And what made the matter look worse, those that were educated in this private way decried the usefulness of some parts of learning that we thought very necessary. It was, therefore, agreed to try to erect a college and apply to our friends in Britain, Ireland
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and New England to assist us. . . . Mr. Gilbert Tennent cried out that this was to prevent his father's school for training gracious men for the ministry . . he and some of his adherents protested against it."
Other questions arose during the controversy which added to its asperity and finally caused a separation into two Synods, viz .: New York and Philadelphia. The Synod of Philadelphia, in a letter to the President and fellows of Yale College (from which the above quotation is taken), lucidly explains the whole controversy and shows the difficulty of supplying vacancies in the churches under their care. About the time Mr. Tate was called to Donegal there was a lull in the storm ; overtures for peace were being prepared, which, after much debate and con- ference by committees from both bodies, a union was consummated and peace restored .. "All former differences and disputes were laid aside and buried " in 1758.
Although Donegal Presbytery had adhered to the Old Side, there was controversy and difference among pastors and people, but, peace being declared, affairs progressed apparently without friction until 1762, when the old leaven began to manifest itself, which subsequently resulted in what was called the Donegal Schism. This was apparently of short duration, as matters were adjusted in 1768. The Rev. Joseph Tate took a conspicuous part in the last named controversy .- (Vide: Baird's Digest, page 610. ) It is to be regretted that the loss of the Records of the Session of Donegal Church renders his long pastorate of twenty- six years a sealed book. Until 1786, when a charter was obtained, there are no authentic records of the Church. Three years after the death of the Rev. Joseph Tate the Rev. Colin McFarquhar was installed, in 1777. He was a man of profound learning and was held in high estimation by the people, as is indicated by a pastorate of thirty years and by the very prominent part assigned him in the affairs of the Church aside from his ministerial duties. He was one of the charter members, and served as President of the Board of Trustees for many years .*
* The imputation of his disloyalty to the cause of our Revolutionary struggle is unjust to his memory. In a paper read before the Scotch-Irish
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Congress at Harrisburg, 1896 (Vide : Transactions of the Scotch-Irish Congress, vol. viii, page 215), it is said " He (Mr. McFarquhar) did not fully sympathize with his congregation in their hostility to Great Britain. He must have been greatly astonished on the 16th day of June, 1777, when he was holding services, an express arrived from Philadelphia to Col. Alexander Lowry calling upon him to muster his battalion and march to the Delaware. . . . The congregation adjourned without waiting for the benediction and formed a ring around the old oak tree in front of the Church and, placing Mr. McFarquhar within the circle, made him take off his hat and shout for the patriot canse ; joining hands, they pledged their faith to each other in their determination to fight the British to a finish." If the author of the above quotation can give the precise date and the minute particulars of an event which occurred one hundred and twenty- four years ago, he must have some authentic document, reference to which he should have made in order to substantiate his assertion ; while these good old Presbyterians were intensely patriotic, they had an equally intense respect for the services of God's house. It seems incredible that they would have rushed from the Church with one accord, regardless of the benediction, and rudely assailed their pastor, compelling him to take off his hat and shout for the success of the patriot cause. To inflict such an indignity upon him, especially in view of his recent installation (as that must have taken place less than six months previously ), seems in- compatible with the high estimation in which the pastors were held and the respect accorded them in those days, Mr. McFarquhar was a Scotch- man, a minister of the Gospel, trained in Scotland, educated in the school of a "Knox," coming to America at a time when, in the estimation of an Englishinan, a Presbyterian and a rebel were synonymous terms. It is not to be supposed that Mr. MeFarquhar's sympathies were very strong for Great Britain. It would be a strain of one's credulity to suppose that the congregation of Donegal would have suffered him to remain as their pastor and subsequently entrusted him with the many responsible duties during a pastorate of thirty years. The incident concerning the " Witness Tree " has been alluded to before, as tradition, and that there are different versions as to the facts, but this last " caps the climax" and, unless authentic documentary evidence of its truth can be produced, it cannot be regarded otherwise than very extraordinary embellishment of un- reliable tradition.
A short time after the death of his wife ( August 6th, 1805, buried at Donegal, grave No. 169), he tendered his resignation. In an N. B. to a receipt, dated May 7th, 1806, he says : " My pastoral labors in the church at Donegal terminate at the above date and therefore the above is a receipt in full for all my pastoral services in said church.
"COLIN MCFARQUHAR."
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After his resignation we have no evidence of his resuming the pastorate anywhere. He had a daughter residing at Hagers- town, Maryland, where he spent the last days of his life, and is buried there, in the Presbyterian burying-ground.
To the kindness of Albert Small, Esq., of Hagerstown, I am indebted for the following inscription on his tombstone :
Here lies the remains of Rev: Colin McFarquhar A native of Scotland 30 years Pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Donegal, Lancaster Co., Pa. who died 27th Aug: 1822, full of years having reached the age of 93. Also his daughter Mrs Mary Cooke who died Aug: 22d, 1820, aged 64 years also David Cooke Esq. her husband who died June 12th, 1821 also Their Daughter Mrs Eliza C. Boggs who died Dec. 4th, 1817.
Rev. Colin McFarquhar, during twenty years of his pastorate at Donegal, owned and occupied the farm in Mount Joy Town- ship, about two miles northwest from the Borough of Mount Joy, at present owned and occupied by Mr. Samuel Sherer. He purchased one hundred acres from James Cunningham, January 31st, 1787, and sold the same to John Greider, May Ist, 1809. The original deed is at present in Mr. Sherer's posses- sion. He evidently lived on the place some time before he purchased it, as his first receipt for salary (Trustees' Records ) is dated Mount Joy, January 18th, 1787, and his subsequent receipts are dated Mount Joy-that is, Mount Joy Township ; the town of Mount Joy was not in existence at that time.
One year after the resignation of the Rev. Colin McFarquhar the "Rev. William Kerr was ordained and installed May Ist, 1807, at a salary of $400.00 yearly until May Ist, 1814, at $600.00 per annum" (Trustees' Records), which was continued
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until his death, which occurred September 22d, 1821. Mr. Kerr was much beloved by his parishioners and the people of the neighborhood. There are still some living who remember Mr. Kerr. His son, James W. Kerr, M. D., a much esteemed and eminent physician, a member of the York County Medical Society, died at York, Pa., June 10th, 1889.
One of the Rev. Kerr's daughters was the wife of a dis- tinguished lawyer of Harrisburg, Pa., Mr. Herman Aldricks. Another daughter, Martha, married Dr. Orth, of Harrisburg. She is still living. Her son, Dr. H. L. Orth, is the present superintendent of the Pennsylvania State Lunatic Asylum.
Mr. Kerr owned the farm situated on the road leading from Maytown to Elizabethtown, a few hundred yards north of the crossing of the Donegal and Bainbridge roads. It is part of a tract of land patented by James Fulton, May Ist, 1767. The Executors of Samuel Cooke, deceased, deeded the farm to the Rev. William Kerr, September 28th, 1810. The deed is in the possession of Mr. M. K. Brubaker, of Mount Joy Borough, the present owner. The writer has no evidence that the Rev. Kerr lived on his farm at any time. He resided in Marietta at the time of his death. He and two of his sons are buried at Donegal (graves Nos. 146, 147, 148 ).
After an interval of one year the Rev. Orson Douglas was unanimously elected pastor, December 2, 1822, and installed the following Spring. He served the congregation fourteen years. He resigned in 1836 and removed to Philadelphia. 'At the close of Mr. Douglas's pastorate the records of the Session were lost.
The Rev. Thomas Marshall Boggs was called to Donegal in 1836. He was installed April 27th, 1837. He resided at Mr. John Clark's place (now Hon. J. Donald Cameron's). He removed to Marietta and subsequently to Mount Joy, where he died November 10th, 1850. Mr. Boggs preached at Donegal, Marietta and Mount Joy. He was much beloved by his parishioners and greatly esteemed by the community as a sincere Christian in all his walk and conversation. He married Miss Amelia Jane Cunningham, of Chester County, and had two sons and one daughter. His daughter became the wife of Rev. John
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Edgar, President of Wilson College, at Chambersburg, Pa. Shortly before his death, the Rev. James L. Rodgers assisted Mr. Boggs in his ministrations with the view of becoming co- pastor, as the duties of Mr. Boggs were too laborious. At the time (1837) he assumed the labors of the pastorate of Donegal, the separation of the Church into the Old and New School was being accomplished. Many of the churches throughout the country were more or less agitated by the New School Schism, especially that portion of the Donegal congregation residing at Mount Joy (about three miles east of Donegal). Marietta (about three miles south of Donegal) was at that time a distinct church organization under the pastoral care of Mr. Boggs, in connection with Donegal. Mount Joy had no organization, but had a building in contemplation, and had purchased a lot for that purpose, which the distraction consequent to the separation of the General Assembly into two bodies frustrated.
The Old School party of Mount Joy purchased an interest in the Lutheran Church of Mount Joy, thus securing a place of worship alternately with the Lutherans. The New School party proceeded to erect a place of worship, which they accomplished in 1840. At this time the Rev. N. Dodge's Cedar Hill Seminary for Young Ladies, and Mr. John H. Brown's Mount Joy Institute for Boys were in a flourishing condition, and both principals associated themselves with the New School party.
Mr. Boggs continued his pastoral services at Donegal, Marietta and Mount Joy until his death. He and his wife are buried at Donegal (graves Nos. 122 and 123). The Rev. James L. Rodgers, who had been supplying the pulpits since the death of Mr. Boggs, "was ordained and installed pastor of Donegal congregation by the Presbytery of Donegal, Thursday, the 21st of August, 1851." The Marietta congregation about this time became self-sustaining and with the consent of Presbytery called a pastor, thus severing its connection from the Mother Church. During the first year of the pastorate of Mr. Rodgers proposals for union between the Mount Joy members of Donegal and the New School congregation of Mount Joy were made and mutually agreed to ; whereupon the Mount Joy members sokl their interest
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in the Lutheran Church to that congregation and appropriated the funds obtained to the liquidation of the debt remaining on the New School Church of Mount Joy.
In 1852 the New School ( with the consent of their Pres- bytery) organization united with the Donegal members residing in Mount Joy and vicinity (forming what has since been known as the First Presbyterian Church of Mount Joy) under the pastorate of Mr. Rodgers, who continued his ministrations to the congregations of Mount Joy and Donegal every alternate Sabbath morning until his resignation in September, 1856. Mr. Rodgers's resignation was very much regretted. He was a successful preacher and very cheerful and lovable Christian gentleman. He removed to Springfield, Ohio, where he died January 25th, 1895.
After the resignation of Mr. Rodgers, the congregation of Donegal would not consent to the previous arrangement of every alternate Sabbath morning services, but insisted on having every Sabbath morning. To this the Mount Joy people could not agree as they had the largest congregation and good prospects for a self-sustaining church, to maintain which at the time would be a very heavy burden without the aid of Donegal fund (the invested fund of Donegal at the time was about $8,000.00) of which they deemed themselves entitled to a share as the offspring of Donegal, and as they (the Mount Joy people) constituted one-third of the membership. The result was that Donegal called the Rev. John J. Lane, who was installed May 14th, 1859. He served the congregation until 1868, when he resigned. He died in 1893. The Mount Joy congregation called the Rev. James Smith, who, on account of declining health, resigned in 1868. Both congregations now being vacant, the former difficulty was amicably adjusted ; the Rev. John Edgar was installed May 12th, 1869, who served both congregations until 1870, when he resigned to accept a call to New Bloomfield, Pa., where he preached until chosen President of Wilson College, where he dicd June 5th, 1894.
The Rev. William B. Brown served both congregations from September, 1872, until April, 1880, as stated supply, when his
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services were discontinued. At the special request of Mr. Brown he was not installed, as he had in view the restoration of Cedar Hill Seminary, to which object he proposed to devote,all his time. His efforts not meeting with sufficient encouragement, it was abandoned, whereupon the arrangement with the congregations was continued until 1880, as above stated. He died June 23d, 1892.
In 1881, the Rev. Cyrus B. Whitcomb, a Congregationalist from Connecticut, preached a few Sabbaths as a candidate at Donegal and Mount Joy. He was called by both congregations. His installation was deferred until the meeting of Presbytery at Columbia, the following Spring, when Mr. Whitcomb applied for installation. A committee of Presbytery was appointed at Columbia to install him on the following Sabbath after meeting ; at Donegal in the afternoon and at Mount Joy in the evening, June 13th, 1882. The Donegal people secured his dismissal at an adjourned meeting of Presbytery held at Mount Joy a short time after his installation. At the Fall meeting of Presbytery, held at Union Church, the pastoral relation between him and the Mount Joy Church was dissolved.
The installation of Mr. Whitcomb at Donegal deserves a special notice, as it was unique, if not unprecedented, in the annals of Presbyterianism. Mr. Whitcomb had preached the greater part of a year, from the date of his call to the 13th of June. In the meantime the Donegal people had unanimously changed their opinion concerning Mr. Whitcomb's fitness to preach and his orthodoxy, and as Presbytery refused to re- consider Mr. Whitcomb's call or consent to a postponement of his installation, the Donegal people all agreed upon a course of action at the installation. The Elder, Mr. James A. Patter- son, and one of the trustees, Dr. J. L. Ziegler, were delegated to state the facts to the committee appointed by the Presbytery to install Mr. Whitcomb (this committee was Rev. John McElmoyle, Rev. John McCoy and Rev. James C. Hume) and request a postponement of the installation, to which request they refused to accede ; whereupon they were handed a paper ( with the request that it be read from the pulpit) the purport of which was that no one should give their assent to the questions asked
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by the committee except those who are eligible according to the charter of the Church and the confession of faith, and that the members be permitted to rise in response instead of raising the right hand, as is customary. The paper was read from the pulpit, and after the preliminary services the Moderator, Mr. McElmoyle, proceeded by asking Mr. Whitcomb the usual questions, after which he turned to the congregation, who were expected to answer in the affirmative by rising. The first and second questions were asked without anyone rising. The Moderator asked: "Is there no assent to these questions?" The congregation responded "No !" He proceeded to ask the remaining questions without receiving any assent from the con- gregation, when, turning to Mr. Whitcomb, he said : "Not- withstanding the extraordinary circumstances which have occurred to-day, I declare you pastor of this Church." After this the congregation was dismissed. The subsequent conduct of some of the members of Presbytery in their endeavors to force an illegally installed and unacceptable minister upon an unwilling people was, to say the least, unkind and ungenerous.
The Rev. Robert Gamble was appointed Moderator to supply the now vacant churches. Both congregations sub- sequently united in giving him a call, which he accepted. He was installed October 11th, 1883 In 1886, Mr. Gamble requested the congregations to unite with him in asking Presbytery to dissolve the pastoral relations ; after hearing Mr. Gamble's reasons they consented. His resignation is dated April 12th, 1886.
The Rev. Edward A. Snook was installed April 5th, 1887, Pastor of Donegal and Mount Joy. On February 23d, 1889, he resigned to accept a call to Williamsport, Pa.
The Rev. David Conway was installed in Donegal and Mount Joy, October 7th, 1890; after serving both congregations nearly nine years he died May 9th, 1899. His death was the result of a sad accident on the first Sabbath in May, while returning from services at Donegal. His horse ran away and injured him so severely that his death occurred on the following Tuesday evening.
Rev. Richard Downes, the present pastor, was installed in Donegal and Mount Joy, December 1th, 1899.
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Recapitulation of the Pastors of Donegal Church in the Order of their Installation and Termination of Service.
Rev. James Anderson-installed August, 1727 ; died July 16th, 1740.
Rev. Hamilton Bell-installed November 11th, 1742 ; deposed March 8th, 1744.
Rev. Joseph Tate-installed November 23d, 1748 ; died October IIth, 1774.
Rev. Colin McFarquhar -- installed 1777 ; resigned May 7th, 1806.
Rev. William Kerr-installed May Ist, 1807 ; died September 22d, 1821.
Rev. Orson Douglas-installed December 2d, 1822 ; resigned 1836.
Rev. Thomas Marshall Boggs-installed April 27th, 1837 ; died November 10th, 1850.
Rev. James I. Rodgers -- installed August 21st, 1851; resigned September, 1850.
Rev. John J. Lane-installed May 14th, 1859 ; resigned 1868.
Rev. John Edgar-installed May 12th, 1869 ; resigned 1870.
Rev. William B. Brown-as stated supply from April, 1872, until 1880.
Rev. Cyrus B. Whitcomb-installed June 13th, 1882 ; pastoral relation dissolved in 1882.
Rev. Robert Gamble-installed October 11th, 1883 ; resigned 1886.
Rev. Edward A. Snook-installed April 5th, 1887 ; resigned 1889.
Rev. David Conway-installed October 7th, 1890 ; died May 9th, 1899.
Rev. Richard Downes-installed December rrth, 1899.
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Elders of the Church (Deceased) as far as known.
Andrew Galbraith
Arthur Patterson, died July 3d, 1763.
John Allison. James Mitchell.
David Hayes.
James Mehaffy, died December 31st, 1850. John Clark, died February 18th, 1860.
James Patterson, died May 30th, 1863. James Thompson, died 1883.
James A. Patterson, died January 7th, 1899.
THE DONEGAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Present Organization of Donegal Church, 1901.
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