Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 26

Author: Hazen, Aaron L. (Aaron Lyle), 1837- comp. and ed. cn
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1058

USA > Pennsylvania > Lawrence County > New Castle > Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th > Part 26

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PRESBYTERIANISM.

Western Pennsylvania was largely set- tled by the Scotch-Irish, who were adher- ents of the Presbyterian faith. Thus the oldest organizations in the county belong to the two prominent branches of this sect -the Old School and the United Presby- terian, both of which were introduced

about the year 1800. Their earliest church organizations were (Presbyterian), Hope- well and Neshannock, in 1800; Slippery Rock in 1801-2, and New Castle (called Lower Neshannock) and Westfield in 1803. The earliest United Presbyterian churches (then known as Associate or "Seceder" and Associate Reformed), were the Deer Creek, about 1800, and the one known as Mahoning Church, about 1799 or 1800, and in New Castle about 1808.

Among the first ministers of the gospel who visited this region was Thomas Edgar Hughes, who settled at Greersburg, now called Darlington. He was the first settled pastor north of the Ohio. He was of Welsh ancestry and a native of Pennsylvania, born in York County, in 1769. Licensed by the Presbytery of Ohio (now Pittsburg) in 1798, he was ordained and installed over the churches of New Salem and Mount Pleasant, August 28, 1796.

Another noteworthy pastor was the Rev. William Wick, who came soon after Mr. Hughes. Born on Long Island, New York, in 1768, he removed to Washington County, Pennsylvania, in 1790. He studied theol- ogy at Dr. McMillan's log cabin college, was licensed August 28, 1799, and was in -. stalled over the congregations at Neshan- nock and Hopewell, September 3, 1800. He afterwards served the congregation of Youngstown, his labors being largely blessed. His death took place in March, 1815.

The Rev. Samuel Tait was another early minister in this section. He was a native of Shippensburg, Pa., was converted under the influence of a conversation with the Rev. Elisha MeCurdy, studied under Dr. McMillan, and was licensed in June, 1800. In the same year he was ordained over Cool Spring and Upper Salem. In 1806 he relinquished this charge and organized a congregation at Mercer, in the pastorate of which he continued until his death in June, 1841.

Rev. William Wood, a native of York County, studied at Cannonsburg Academy

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and at Dr. McMillan's log seminary. He was licensed October 29, 1801, and was in- stalled over the congregations of Plain Grove and Center, November 3, 1802. He was afterwards - from 1816 - pastor of Neshannock and Hopewell, where he la- bored eleven years. He died at Utica, Ohio, in July, 1839.

Among other prominent pastors, whose labors here or in this vicinity form a part of the history of the denomination, were the Rev. Joseph Badger, Joseph Stockton, Robert Lee, James Satterfield, William Wylie, John, James and Abraham Boyd, Robert Johnston and Timothy Alden, to whom this brief mention only can here be made.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

The First Presbyterian Church was orig- inally known as the Lower Neshannock. The exact date of its organization is not known, but it was probably about 1801. In the following years it was reported as able, in connection with Slippery Rock, to sup- port a pastor. Its first pastor was the Rev. Alexander Cook, who was installed in June, 1803. He had been licensed in 1802, and commissioned as a missionary to the Indians, with whom he had labored for a few months near Sandusky, in com- pany with Joseph Patterson; but not meet- ing with a favorable reception, they had returned. He was followed by the Rev. Robert Sample, who was ordained over the congregations of New Castle and Slip- pery Rock, April 10, 1811. He served the church at New Castle twenty-seven years, and that of Slippery Rock twenty-four years. At the time of his accession to the pastoral office Crawford White was clerk of the session, the other ruling elders be- ing William Moorehead, Joseph Pollock, William Raney, James McKee and Samuel Wilson.

Mr. Sample's successor was Rev. Wells Bushnell, who had been a missionary to the Wea Indians in Kansas, then a remote post, which he had been obliged to leave

on account of failing health. He was in- stalled in the church at New Castle in April, 1839, and labored there for fifteen years and a half. Toward the close of his pastorate troubles arose in the congrega- tion owing to the dissatisfaction of some of the brethren with the attitude of the General Assembly on the subject of slav- ery, and a part of the membership with- drew and organized the Free Church, one of the earliest congregations of which af- terwards became the Second Church. With this organization Mr. Bushnell united and was afterwards pastor of its churches at Mt. Jackson and New Bedford, until the close of his earthly labors, July 16, 1863. He was succeeded by Rev. Elliott E. Swift. who was installed September 27, 1854, and who continued in charge until February, 1861, when he was called to the co-pastor- ate of the First Church at Allegheny. He was succeeded by Rev. Joseph S. Grimes, a native of Ohio, and, it is believed, a grad- uate of Franklin College, who was in- stalled July 9, 1861, and who was pastor until September 27, 1865. He was a man of earnestness and ability, and his labors were attended with valuable results. He was pastor, however, during the troublous times of the Civil War, and the dissensions which then arose among the congregation resulted finally in his resignation. In May, 1866, he was followed by the Rev. David X. Junkin, who was not installed, how- ever, until the 13th of September. The church has since enjoyed a prosperous ex- istence, and under subsequent pastors has taken a leading part in promoting the king- dom of God and His righteousness.

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

This church was organized as the "Free Presbyterian Church of New Castle," on the 15th day of February, 1851. In the Free Church organization, it was connect- ed with the Presbytery of Mahoning and the Synod of Cincinnati. The Free Pres- byterian Church owed its origin to the agi- tation of the slavery question. As the Re-

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publican party was a political, so the Free Church was a religious protest against the iniquities of American slavery. As the early records of the church plainly indi- cate, there was no little dissatisfaction among the Presbyterians of New Castle with the decision of the Assembly of 1845, "that slave-holding is no bar to commun- ion." But when President Fillmore signed the Fugitive Slave Bill, in September, 1850, the attitude of Church and State to- wards the slave-holding power seemed no longer tolerable. Opposition to slavery was greatly intensified. Action was imme- diately taken looking to the organization of a Free Church in New Castle, which ob- ject was accomplished only a few months after the Fugitive Slave Bill became a law. Twenty-nine persons united in the organ- ization.

The growth of the church was quite moderate for the two and one-half years following the organization.

Preaching services were held at irreg- ular times and in different places. In Feb- ruary, 1854, Rev. A. B. Bradford accepted a call to this church, and his relations with it continued (with the exception of one year, during which he was United States consul in China), until the summer of 1867. During his ministration a commo- dious church edifice was erected, and the membership increased to near two hun- dred. The last important act of Mr. Brad- ford's administration was the withdrawal of the congregation from the Free Church organization, and its union with the New School branch of the Presbyterian Church.

Immediately after his resignation, the congregation extended a call to Rev. W. T. Wylie, of the Covenant Church of New Castle, organized by Rev. Josiah Hutch- man, in 1847, expecting him to bring his congregation with him. This expectation was realized, and Mr. Wylie remained pas- tor of the united congregations until Sep- tember, 1869. In 1871 Rev. B. M. Kerr accepted a call to this church, and was in- stalled June 14 of that year. Mr. Kerr's

pastorate was brief, but during his admin- istration this church passed through an- other change of ecclesiastical relation in the union of the "Old" and "New School" bodies. Thus, inside of twenty-five years, the original members of this church had come back where they started from, and that without change in their principles on the subject for which they went out from the "Old Style" church. In the abolition of slavery their principles had been justi- fied before the world.

Mr. Kerr resigned his charge at the end of one year and six months, leaving a mem- bership of about two hundred. In about one year from the date of his resignation, Rev. M. H. Calkins was installed, in July, 1873. Under subsequent pastors this church continued in earnest Christian work and has taken a prominent place among the religious organizations of the city.

THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN (FORMERLY ASSO- CIATE REFORMED) CONGREGATION, OF NEW CASTLE.

The history of the United Presbyterian Church includes, in the first instance, a union so early as 1782, and during the Revolutionary War, of certain Presbyte- rians in the United States, intensely loyal, who had belonged to two distinct offshoots from the Established Church of Scotland, the one being the Associate or "Seceder," and the other the Reformed Presbyterian or "Covenanter," both of which bodies had resisted governmental intrusions in their native land in their church affairs, and therefore refused to remain in "the establishment." The body formed in the United States in 1782 took both names, and became the "Associate Reformed Church," but failed to embrace the whole of either church. The more general, if not absolute, union was, however, affected by the formation of the United Presbyterian Church in 1858, including almost the en- tire forces of the Associate and Associate Reformed churches.

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At first, and for years, the hamlet of New Castle was itself only an inconsider- able part, ecclesiatically, of the territory of the Associate Reformed Church of She- nango. No Associate Reformed congrega- tion was organized in New Castle till 1849, when the town had become a manufactur- ing center, included a population of 2,500 persons, and was soon to be erected into a county-seat. The Presbyterian, Asso- ciate and Methodist churches had, how- ever, long occupied the place, and, more lately, the Reformed Presbyterian and Baptist. The Associate Reformed people had an occasional sermon from the pastor of Shenango, or from passing ministers, on Sabbath or week-day evenings.

In 1814 or 1815 Rev. James Galloway preached in the house of Dr. Alexander Gillfillan, on Jefferson Street, and admin- istered baptism in the family of John Frazier, justice of the peace. Both these citizens were members of Shenango Church.

In 1823-4, during a space of six months, Rev. James Ferguson, pastor at Harmony and Center, took in New Castle as a preaching-station for a small portion of his time, but at the end of this period his pastorate and service ended, and no fur- ther regular preaching was had until Rev. J. M. Galloway was settled, in 1837, in She- nango Church as his sole charge. New Castle was once more made a preaching station for a part of the time. By cour- tesy of the Associate Congregation the stone church was temporarily granted Mr. Galloway and his people; and, so encourag- ing were the prospects of forming a con- gregation, that Joseph Kissick and Ezekiel Sankey purchased for its use a lot of three acres, lying between the residence of R. M. Allen and the Shenango, the consideration for the three acres being $300. But Mr. Galloway resigned his charge and removed in August, 1838. The project was aban- doned and the land returned to the former owner.

Rev. Thomas Mehard, pastor of She-

nango, Eastbrook and Beulah, located in the borough in 1844, but his time was as yet too fully occupied for him to assume any new labors, and he suddenly died, July 16, 1845, before any new work was attempt- ed at this point. Rev. Robert A. Browne succeeded him in Shenango and Eastbrook, taking up his residence at New Castle. Un- der his ministry, within a few years, three new organizations were formed inside his pastoral charge one in New Castle in 1849, one about the same time in New Wil- mington, and, two years later, one at the Harbor.

In December, 1848, when there were as yet but twelve members in the town belong- ing to Mr. Browne's charge, a subscription was started by which the sum of $832 was raised on the spot for the erection of a church. A few days before the same per- sons had subscribed $600 to buy the lot lying on the east side of Jefferson Street, 180 feet north of the public square. The first stone was laid in the following May in the presence only of the pastor and el- der. The building was a plain brick, 50 by 65 feet, with a basement containing a lecture room and three smaller rooms. The first cost of the church in 1849-50 was $4,609, but it was worth much more, Mr. Kissiek's judicious supervision being of great value, and the work being well done by the contractors. Of the amount men- tioned, needed to be paid before the infant congregation had an unincumbered title to their property, more than one-half was contributed by Mr. Kissick. His object was to have a place of worship convenient for his old age, for himself and others. The other devoted men and women who shared in the service deserve remembrance by those who come after, but none more than Joseph Kissiek and Margaret Kissiek, his wife.

The Presbytery of the Lakes granted an organization for the congregation, and the appointment was carried into effect on Christmas Day, 1849, thirty-two members being enrolled. Joseph Kissick and James

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D. Bryson were elected elders. James Gil- liland, Thomas Alford and Samuel F. Cooke were elected elders April 17 follow- ing. Mr. Gilliland declined to serve. Mr. Cooke soon removed and afterwards Mr. Alford, both to Illinois. These were the elders who served at the first communion.

Early in 1850 the new congregation ex- tended a call to the Rev. Robert A. Browne, who began his formal pastorate April 1, from which time he was released from the charge of Eastbrook entire, one-fourth only of his time being given to Shenango, while New Castle engaged him for one- half, but really received from the first three-fourths of the pastoral service. In April, 1857, the arrangement with She- mango ceased, and all Mr. Browne's time was given to New Castle.

In the eleventh year of his pastorate he obtained a temporary leave of absence from his congregation, during which time he was for twenty-eight months chaplain of the One Hundredth or "Round Head" Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. From this service, he returned, partly disabled by disease, January, 1864. In the sessions of 1866-67 he was a member of the Penn- sylvania Senate. Except during his brief visits home, the congregation was at these periods served by supplies, engaged by the pastor and session. In September, 1867, Mr. Browne resigned the charge of the con- gregation and became president of West- minster College. He was succeeded as pas- tor by Rev. John W. Bain, who was in- stalled November 16, 1868. Mr. Bain had graduated at Westminster ten years be- fore this, and had been ordained pastor of the United Presbyterian Church at Can- nonsburgh, in September, 1861, but at the time of his call to New Castle, and for a vear or two previous, had been pastor of the United Presbyterian Church of Sidney, Ohio. He resigned the charge of New Cas- tle April 15, 1873. Shortly after his re- lease from New Castle the congregation made out a new call for Mr. Browne, who was then engaged in pastoral work in

Titusville. The call was accepted and on the 1st of November, 1873, Mr. Browne en- tered anew upon the charge of the New Castle congregation. He subsequently re- mained in the pastorate until his death in 1902. Rev. James M. Ferguson was or- dained and installed June 24, 1902, and will continue as pastor until November 1, 1908.

The present church structure was dedi- cated June 29, 1902. The church member- ship numbers 375. The officers of the church are at present as follows: Pastor, Rev. James M. Ferguson; elders, George A. Caruthers, Samuel Hanna, J. Frank Edgar, Frank Geiger, George W. Hart- man (clerk), S. C. McCreary, Samuel D. Robinson and M. E. Miller; board of trus- tees, J. Lee MeFate, president; George Loudon, Clyde Lockhart, J. Fred War- rock, John Moore and W. J. Ewing; offi- cers of the Sabbath-school, J. Clyde Gil- fillan, superintendent; Miss Hattie Smith, secretary.

THIRD UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

The Third United Presbyterian Church was organized July 13, 1899, by a commis- sion appointed by Beacon Valley Presby- tery. and held its first meetings in a store room on Lathrop Street. There were six- teen charter members received August 8, 1899, and W. R. McClaren, H. L. Palmer and W. J. Kildoo were elected trustees. W. S. Taylor was appointed treasurer. On February 8, 1900, the first building was dedicated. On account of rapid growth an auditorium was built in 1906, seating about 400. The Rev. T. L. Rose canvassed the field and after the organization became its first pastor, and so continued until his death, which occurred October 7, 1905.

On December 7th of the same year J. Elmer Campbell was called and began work on the first Sabbath of January, 1906, and is the present pastor. The con- gregation now numbers about 420 mem- bers, with a Sabbath school of almost 300. It has the largest "W. M. S." in the Pres- bytery, with Mrs. J. Elmer Campbell as

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president, and the "Y. P. C. U." is second in numbers in the Beaver Valley Presby- tery.

There are four adult Bible classes fully organized, and the Wednesday evening prayer-meeting is one of the largest in the city. During the last ecclesiastical year 153 persons were received into member- ship, and the future is bright for great work for the Master and his cause. The present session consists of W. J. Kildoo, clerk: Major L. C. Brinton, William E. Reed, A. L. Black, Thomas J. Gordon and A. M. McConaghey.

FOURTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

This church, situated at the corner of South Jefferson and Chartes Streets, was organized on the 14th of October, 1902. The committee of the Shenango Presby- tery to organize was Rev. H. S. Jordan, D. D., Rev. H. C. Foster, Rev. M. W. Keith, P. J. Watson and J. L. Welch. The first elders were A. E. Yoho, James Yoho and J. A. MeCay. The first trustees, Ralph Swisher, William Yoho and Sidney MeCay. The first treasurer was Mrs. Agnes Ever- ett ; the first secretary, Mrs. Ida MeCreary.

The organization was made possible by the labors of W. G. McConnell, of Lees- burg, Pa. During the spring of 1902 a Committee of Presbytery, composed of Dr. H. S. Jordan, Rev. M. W. Keith and Rev. H. C. Foster, appointed to look over the field, secured the services of W. G. MeCon- nell. who had completed one year's work in the Western Theological Seminary at Allegheny, Pa. Taking charge of the work on the 21st day of May, 1902, he labored under the appointment of Presbytery for three months. The nucleus from which the church grew was a small Sunday school conducted in the Gaston school house in Shenango Township. Here Mr. McConnell preached each Sunday afternoon at the conclusion of the Sunday school until his commission from Presbytery expired on the 21st day of August, 1902.

Conscious of the needs of the many boys and girls who had never heard of the Gos- pel, of the men and women who had no church home, those most interested shoul- dered their responsibility and engaged Mr. McConnell's service for an indefinite pe- riod, assuming the responsibility of his sal- ary. At the September meeting of Pres- bytery these petitioned for an organiza- tion. The petition was received by Pres- bytery with favorable action. A commit- tee composed of Dr. H. S. Jordan, Rev. H. C. Foster, Rev. M. W. Keith, J. L. Welch and P. J. Watson met for organiza- tion October 14, 1902, at 8 P. M. At the conclusion of a sermon by Dr. Jordan the church was organized with the following members: Mr. John A. MeCay, Mrs. Mary E. MeCay, Mr. Albert E. Yoho, Mrs. Ida Yoho, Mrs. Agnes Everett, Mrs. Alice Blucher, Mr. Sidney MeCay, Mrs. Nannie MeC'ay, Mrs. Martha Gaston, Mr. James Yoho, Mrs. Christina Yoho, Mrs. Ella Ab- lett. Having no regularly appointed place of worship the next step was to secure a place of worship. At a congregational meeting held November 10, 1902, plans were adopted for a new building and the committee in charge instructed to proceed with the work. A new place of worship was dedicated to the service of God on Oc- tober 18, 1903, at a cost of $7,367, not in- eluding the work of the congregation. At the close of his work in the seminary Rev. W. G. McConnell, who had labored among this people for two years while a student in the seminary, received a unanimous call to become the pastor of this church. The call was accepted and he continues to be the pastor of this people. In the six years of its organization the church has in- creased in membership to 135, with an en- rollment in the Sunday school of 210. On the 14th of October, 1906, a mortgage on the property was burned and the church cleared of all its indebtedness. The pres- ent elders are: A. E. Yoho, James Yoho. D. M .- Bell and A. R. Kerr.

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REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

As early as 1825 a little band of "So- ciety People," or "Covenanters," met in houses in the vicinity of New Castle. In 1834 the Rev. James Blackwood became their pastor or spiritual overseer in con- nection with the pastorate of neighboring similar organizations.

In 1852, shortly after the death of the Rev. Mr. Blackwood, the Rev. Thomas Hanna became their pastor and continued so for nine years. In 1863 the Rev. J. Cal- vin Smith became their pastor. In 1871, while under the pastoral care of Mr. Smith, they were organized into a separate con- gregation-January 9, 1871. The member- ship then was forty-one.

The Rev. S. J. Crowe, now D. D., was in- stalled the first pastor of the new and in- dependent organization-the first organi- zation as a church or congregation - in 1872 and resigned in 1881. Rev. J. M. Wylie, now D. D., was installed in 1883, and resigned in 1887. He began with a membership of 101 and left 109. Rev. W. R. Laird was installed in 1888 and left in 1892, leaving a membership of 131. Rev. J. S. Martin was ordained and installed in 1893, and is still pastor, with a member- ship of 220. The present Sabbath attend- ance is 200.

Present officers: Elders-Robert Speer, T. J. Blackwood, M. W. Leslie, William McClelland, T. E. Smith, J. R. Speer and O. C. Orr. Deacons-William Allen, I. C. Allen. Samuel Saklem, D. A. Byers, R. T. Galbraith, R. I. Orr, W. C. McCawn, Thomas Pattison, Mrs. D. C. Pattison, Mrs. J. R. Speer.

In 1900 a new $25,000 church building was erected, having a seating capacity of 400. The congregation is in good working order, with a junior and a senior "Y. P. S. (. E.," a Junior and a Senior Ladies' Mis- sionary Society, and a Men's Christian Organization.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL.

(Taken in part from an article by Hon. David Sankey.)

"Methodism was planted, so to speak, in this section of country, as it has been in every rural district on this continent, by pioneer settlers. Its first appearance in the Erie Conference was in Mercer County, in the Leach settlement, in 1798. A class was formed there by two local preachers, Thomas McClelland and Jacob Gurwell, both natives of Ireland, of such persons as had come to that neighborhood and brought letters of membership with them. A settlement had been commenced there two years before by Robert R. Rob- erts (the father of Methodism in this part of Pennsylvania), and others. These local preachers labored in word and doctrine, in the rude log-cabins, in groves, and wher- ever a little group could be collected to- gether. Soon after the formation of the class in the summer of 1798, a second class was formed, a little south of the first (of which R. R. Roberts was leader). Thomas MeClelland was a member of the class first formed, and Jacob Gurwell of the second, which latter was joined by John Leach, Sr., and wife, who arrived in that settlement in 1802. The two local preachers named above took the entire watch-care of these classes and supplied them regularly with preaching for several years before the reg- ular itinerant preachers reached them.

"In 1800 the Baltimore Conference ap- pointed Rev. P. B. Davis to the Shenango circuit; he did not, however, embrace the classes in the Roberts neighborhood within his circuit, but left them still under the care of the two local preachers residing in the place. There were eight annual con- ferences held in the year 1800, but there were no fixed boundary lines between them, and each preacher being at liberty to do so, attached himself to the Conference most convenient to his work.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 26

Author: Hazen, Aaron L. (Aaron Lyle), 1837- comp. and ed. cn Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold publishing co. Number of Pages: 1058

Author: Hazen, Aaron L. (Aaron Lyle), 1837- comp. and ed. cn
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1058