USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Pittsburgh > East Liberty Presbyterian Church : with historical setting & a narrative of the centennial celebration, April 12-20, 1919 > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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
ROBT. PATTERSON
II
CENTENNIAL EAST LIBERTY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
WILLIAM SKILES
LAZARUS STEWART
WM. McCREA, JR.
THOS. H. FINLEY
WILLIAM HERRON
WILLIAM MOORE
BAPTIST McCOMBS
JACOB NEGLEY, JR.
JOHN INNIS and WISEMAN GEO. A. BAYARD
BARNEY M. KAIN JACOB SPANG DANIEL BERLIN
HENRY HOFER
WM. WALLACE
EPHRAIM PENTLAND
JAS. DEMPSTER
SAMUEL KINGSTON
GEORGE MIERS
JOHN WILLSON
WM. BINGHAM
WILLIAM CAVEN A. F. GORE
JAMES SILLS DANIEL NEGLEY
JOSEPH OLIVER
JOHN DAHLEM
JAS. B. OLIVER
JAS. M. RIDDLE
GEORGE WOLFE
NICH. DAHLEM GEO. H. McNAIR
WILLIAM McCALL
WM. L. COOPER
JOS. SAWTELL
JOHN McCASLIN
JOS. WAINWRIGHT
JONAS ROUP
JNO. SARBER
SAMUEL DUNCAN
ISAAC HARRIS
MAJ. JNO. FINLEY
ABRAHAM REIMER
On April 12, 1819, a meeting of the subscribers and all interested in the great cause was called at the school house. At this meeting, Jacob Negley and his wife, Barbara Anna Negley, deeded to a board of trustees elected by the subscribers to the building fund, of which board Mr. Negley was made president, in trust to them and to their successors forever, the choicest site which the beautiful valley afforded. The property was a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Negley jointly. Mrs. Negley's ancestral inheritance adjoined her husband's estate, and from their united possessions they selected this as the most advantageous site for a church.
Time has proved the wisdom of their choice, and they both rejoiced in giving the best gift at their joint disposal to the Giver of all good. On the same day, being Easter Monday, a constitution was adopted containing thirteen sections.
The purpose of the gift is clearly expressed in section 6 :- "The lot of one and one-half acres of ground granted by Jacob Negley shall be vested in the President and Trustees
I2
1
Allegany tonight
one of the vistas of the peace in and for the County afresant w one Orms buy and Being- Site that he is were acquainted with the Hand Writing of . Bouquet foto, and.
Signed Bythe acid tato Banque
Jis orn and du partio Bruten me this 4 days Are. 1188 c
John Dimmby Can You the
with for Sie of
(Reverse of Original Grant)
"Allegheny Co. ss:
"Personally came before me the subscriber one of the Justices of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid Mr. Jno. Ormsby and being duly sworn as the law directs deponeth and saith that he is well acquainted with the Hand Writing of H. Boquet, Col., and the within Permit was wrote and signed by the aforesaid Col. Boquet.
Sworn and subscribed before me this 4th day of Nov. 1788
"JOHN ORMSBY.
"GEO. WALLACE."
This is to codify to clear & D on the old raise Provisions
behave permitted.
Four mile, iming
0
a igoneed, in order to
hay queton
and the conditions
the daily
of the vaid great que thatthing cechy year, of this tas
the fordult
Certificate
the air"
Improvement con
under: 29 ally
above
The above winds for the Me
vers lyme
souquet bad
(Facsimile of Original Grant of Church Property)
"Fort Pitt, 12th Nov., 1762.
"This is to certify that I have permitted Caspard Taub to clear a plantation at the Four Mile Spring on the old road going to Ligonier, in order to raise provisions for the use of this garrison and corn for the King's horses, and the conditions of the said grant are that the said Caspard Taub shall pay every year, to the commanding officer at this post for the King's use one-third of all the Produces of the said Plantation, horses and cattle excepted, under penalty of forfeiting his improvement to the Crown. Given under my hand as above
"H. BOQUET, Col.
"The above words 'for the King's use' inserted by me.
H. BOQUET."
commanding offices
brown
PRELUDE AND THREADS OF HISTORY
and their successors for the use and behoof of the said East Liberty Congregation for a Meeting House, School House and Graveyard, and no other purpose whatever."
So that this sacred spot has for one hundred years been formally consecrated to the highest and noblest interests of the community-the worship of the Triune God, with all the spiritual culture which accompanies such worship.
ORIGINAL GRANT OF CHURCH PROPERTY
Before the era of our national independence, power from the crown was delegated to the commandants of the forts to issue military grants for the improvement of lands near the forts, or on the military roads leading from one fort to another. A cut of one of these early grants, which covered the site of East Liberty Presbyterian Church, issued by Col. Boquet to Casper Taub in 1762 (two years before the blockhouse at the Point was built), is herewith reproduced, having been pre- served among family records.
The patent for this property was taken out in 1784, and was bequeathed by Casper Taub to his daughter Barbara, the ma- ternal grandmother of Mrs. Barbara Anna Negley, to whom the title descended.
Through the courtesy of Attorney William D. Evans, for many years a member of this congregation, this statement has been verified from the records and the following copy of the notation of the patent to Casper Taub secured.
As in all early documents, allowance must be made for varia- tion in spelling :
"November 19, 1784, then surveyed the above tract of land containing 303 acres and allowances of 6 per cent. for roads, etc., in pursuance of a copy of an order (or location) signed by the Surveyor General April 13, 1769, No. 3146 in the name of Casper Toupe Sr. on General Forbes Road about 4 miles from Pittsburgh.
"(Signed)
BENJ. LODGE, D. S."
It is a remarkable fact that the original grantee is, at the present time, represented in the membership of East Liberty
I3
CENTENNIAL EAST LIBERTY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Presbyterian Church to the eighth generation, the donor, Mrs. Barbara A. Negley, being the fourth generation in line of descent.
We are gratefully indebted to the Pittsburgh Board of Trade, through Mr. J. Ralph Park, for the use of the plates which portray the Grant.
For more than half a century, beginning at a time when there was no free school system in Pennsylvania, the educa- tional necessities of the community were partially, and some- times very largely, supplied here. Although the wisdom of the framers of the State constitution of 1790 was shown in the provision that the Legislature should as soon as convenient arrange for schools throughout the State in which "the poor should be educated gratis," yet the first bill establishing such a system was not passed until 1834, and met with consider- able hostility from some of the wealthy taxpayers, surprising as that fact may seem to us today.
On this site, too, for many years were the beloved dead laid to rest. The latter purposes are now better served elsewhere, but the worship of God, and all the attendant activities and benefits continue to flow forth from this life-giving fountain- a "Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth," which, through all these decades, has been a channel of untold blessing to this community and city, and regions far beyond-the full record being only kept on high.
We can scarcely estimate the importance of the educational work conducted here in the first half of the Nineteenth century. The absence of transit accommodations, and other conditions, made it impracticable for the youth of East Liberty to avail themselves of the advantages of the town schools at that early day. Later, some schools were established in East Liberty, but it was a long period ere the necessity for educational work in connection with this Church was entirely outgrown. Mrs. Sarah Negley Mellon, wife of Judge Thomas Mellon, who attended school in the first frame building erected by her father, described it as a comfortable frame school house of good dimensions for that day, and the fact that it stood until about 1835 bears out her statement.
14
PRELUDE AND THREADS OF HISTORY
The 1819 building, which stood until about 1862, was retained for educational purposes long after it had outgrown its possibilities as a church.
Some of the older members of this church and community were pupils in the East Liberty Academy, so long conducted in the 1819 building, familiarly known as Moore's Academy, where the curriculum included Greek, Latin and the higher branches. It was presided over for many years by Rev. Joseph Paden Moore. Prof Moore is still held in grateful remem- brance by his former pupils. He was born at Frankfort Springs, Beaver County, Pa., and married Miss Bigger, of the same place.
He was ably assisted in the duties of the Academy by Rev. William Addison Burchfield, son of the revered elder of this church. Prof. Burchfield later conducted the Newell Institute of Pittsburgh, and the memory of his noble life and honored service is still fragrant.
As late as September 30, 1863, we find the following record on the minutes of the trustees: "Unanimously agreed that Mr. Campbell could have the use of the old church building for the purpose of establishing a select school for one year." One of the latest teachers was Miss Giddings, who is still re- membered by former pupils. The early records show that the educational work conducted here was always under the supervision of the board of trustees of the church.
The close of the educational work on this site was soon followed by the establishment in 1870 of what is now known as the Pennsylvania College for Women, which has developed into an institution of which this community may well be proud, and which will soon celebrate its semi-centennial.
In relation to the closing of the mission of this site as a graveyard, many bodies having previously been removed, a lot 30x40 feet was purchased in Homewood Cemetery by the trustees, and in May, 1886, the remains still resting in the churchyard were transferred there, interment having ceased some years previous.
The congregation so auspiciously launched in 1819 soon met with difficulties, but the little band of faithful ones struggled on, under Divine guidance, amid the surrounding
15
CENTENNIAL EAST LIBERTY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
financial depression and all the other hindrances which the conditions of that era imposed, and held services as regularly as possible.
March 18, 1827, the congregation met with a serious loss, when Jacob Negley, at the age of sixty years, was called to his eternal home.
He was a consecrated, public-spirited man of remarkable vision and noble attainments, his library giving evidence of fine literary taste, and the loss of his inspiring presence and optimistic Christian counsel was a serious blow to the church and to the community. The generous support and interest of his noble widow continued, and his eldest surviving son, Jacob Negley, Jr., already serving as secretary of the board of trustees, bore his share of the burden which his father had laid down for almost three years, when he, too, was called home. The remaining sons of this worthy couple, Daniel, George G. and Alexander (who married Sophia McIlvaine, daughter of the pastor), as they grew to manhood, each took his part in the work of the church, as the records amply tes- tify. The workers pass, but the work continues. "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts"-and the Lord soon raised up new and efficient laborers in His vineyard.
February 8, 1828, the Presbyterian Board of Domestic Mis- sions, now the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions, com- missioned the Rev. John Joyce to "publish the Gospel and ad- minister the ordinances in the neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at discretion."
A consecrated man, well equipped mentally and spiritually for the work, a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, he was divinely led to choose East Liberty as his field of labor. Coming from the east in a Conestoga wagon, he began holding stated worship in the building already erected. Mr. Thomas Mellon, Jr., has memoralized the Rev. Mr. Joyce in the erec- tion of a handsome stained glass window which adorns the southern wall of the chapel of the church.
In addition to the members of the congregation who had already put their hand to the plough in the Master's cause, there had moved into the community a number of families
16
PRELUDE AND THREADS OF HISTORY
from the First and Second Presbyterian and other churches. Among the number, the Bailey family, for some years, ren- dered valued assistance. Mr. Francis G. Bailey canvassed the community and obtained signatures to a petition for the or- ganization of a church.
April 1, 1828, this petition was presented by Mr. John Roup and Mr. Bailey to the Redstone Presbytery, in the bounds of which East Liberty then lay, which was in session at Saltsburg, Pa. An interesting incident in this connection is that for more than nineteen years an esteemed son of this church, the Rev. Geo. M. Ryall, has faithfully and efficiently served as pastor of the church in Saltsburg where this event, so momentous in the history of our own church, was enacted.
After waiving aside all opposition, Presbytery acceded to the request of the earnest petitioners, and granted permission for the organiation of the church in East Liberty.
It is also interesting to recall that the Redstone Presbytery, which granted the permission, was organized in 1781, and, at that time, included all the territory west of the Allegheny Mountains and north of Virginia and Kentucky.
Another coincidence in this connection is the fact that the first son of this church who devoted his life to the ministry, the Rev. Theodore S. Negley, was for ten years stated clerk of the Red- stone Presbytery during his long and successful pastorate of the Little Redstone Presbyterian Church.
After the permission of Presbytery was finally secured, the records show that five months elapsed before the formal pro- ceedings to organize the church were enacted.
After public worship on Sabbath, September 21, 1828, notice was given by the Rev. Mr. Joyce of a meeting to be held at the house of Mr. F. G. Bailey on Thursday, September 25, to re- ceive certificates of persons wishing to be organized as a church. At this meeting twenty-two certificates were presented, these names being given in a subsequent chapter. The records imply that all the other meetings connected with the organization were conducted at the church.
The following Lord's Day, September 28, the church was duly organized and the following persons nominated for the office of ruling elder: Robert Bailey, James Backhouse,
17
CENTENNIAL EAST LIBERTY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Francis G. Bailey. Tuesday, September 30, according to ap- pointment, a meeting was held at which said officers were unanimously elected.
Friday, October 3, the session met and was constituted with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Joyce. On this date two additional cer- tificates were handed in, being those of Mrs. Barbara Anna Neg- ley and Mrs. Elizabeth McClintock. Nine persons were received on profession of faith-Priscilla McCaslin, Mary Sherer Burch- field, Hannah Bailey, Robert Bailey, Jr., John McClintock, Margaret Joyce, Catherine Joyce, Sr., Ann Finley, Rachel Dal- zell.
On Sabbath, October 5, 1828, the members (thirty-three in all), in the words of the saintly Rev. Joyce, "held their first Sacramental Communion as a Church in East Liberty, and re- newed their covenant engagements to be wholly the Lord's over the memorials of the broken Body and shed Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ."
October 12, 1828, occurred the first baptismal service of children, the following children of the congregation being bap- tized by Mr. Joyce: Rebecca Roup Negley, daughter of Jacob Jr., and Mary Ann Scott Negley; Fanny McClintock, daughter of John and Elizabeth McClintock; John Edward and Wil- liam Joyce, children of William and Elizabeth Joyce.
Among the number admitted to the church at the second communion service, seven certificates came from Beulah church.
There was a steady growth in membership, and the records reveal, by the grace of God, a notable spirit of consecration and devotion on the part of pastors, officers and people as the years go by.
While our own church properly holds first place in our af- fections, yet, in the Spirit of the Master, who tells us, "Other sheep I have which are not of this fold," we are happy to record the work done by other denominations in East Liberty, and only regret that the limitations of space will not permit more extended mention of their noble achievements.
In 1833, the Methodists began ecclesiastic effort with the building of a church, at what is now the corner of South Highland and Center avenues.
18
THE FIRST CHURCH-ERECTED 1819
S
PRELUDE AND THREADS OF HISTORY
The German Lutherans established a church in 1855.
Calvary Episcopal organized and built a church in the same year, 1855.
In 1856 what is now the Sixth United Presbyterian Church was organized.
The Shady Avenue Baptist church had its inception in 1886.
The Catholic Church laid the corner stone of St. Peter and St. Paul's church on Larimer Avenue in 1857.
The Christian Brethren and other denominations have also established churches in East Liberty and in 1913 Dr. John Royal Harris reported "Four hundred churches in Pittsburgh, forty of which are in East Liberty, including many of the finest and largest in the city," where in 1819, there was general rejoicing and gratitude over the erection of one church. "O Lord, how manifold are Thy works!"
There have been seven buildings erected on this property.
First the frame school house, about 16x20 feet, previously mentioned, built about 1809 on the western side of the lot. It stood until about 1835.
Second, the first church building erected in 1819, a two story brick structure 44x44 feet built after a plan submitted to the trustees by Jacob Negley and accepted by them. For many years the educational work was conducted downstairs during the week, and the upper auditorium was reserved for the church services. This building remained standing until about 1862.
The third building, erected in 1835, was called the lecture room, and stood on the western side of the lot. It was espe- cially designed for the purpose of prayer meetings and Sabbath school, and is thus described in the trustees' record. "April 27, 1835, proposals were agreed upon for a building 40 feet long by 22 feet wide, one story, ten windows, with 10x14 glass, twenty-two seats open-backed in pursuance of congregational instructions." Remains of the foundation of this structure are still in evidence underground.
But, so great and continuous was the growth of the church, under the Divine blessing, that this provision also soon became inadequate, and a fourth building was necessary.
In 1847, during the period of the Mexican War, not only did the necessity for more spacious accommodations become
19
CENTENNIAL EAST LIBERTY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
imperative, but there was also urgent need of an increased church revenue, and all of the 1819 building was needed for educational purposes. At this time, Mrs. Barbara A. Negley, with her accustomed generosity, donated an additional piece of property. 'Thus was erected the second church on the newly donated ground to the east of the former gift, on what is now South Highland avenue, which was not opened as a street until 1871. The record specifies the proportions of this building as 50x70 feet with "no doors to the pews and no windows in the pulpit end of the church." The contract price for fresco paint- ing of the interior was $90.00. The congregation first as- sembled for divine worship in the new Church June 12, 1848.
A few members still living recall this building, as well as the church of 1819, the description given by Messrs. James R. Mellon and R. Heberton Negley of the former building pre- senting a picturesque portrayal of the setting of the neat little church at the end of the long walks leading in from Penn avenue bordered with wide-spreading trees.
No photograph of the original of any of the buildings so far described has been found, but, from memory and specifications, sketches of the first and second churches have been drawn.
East Liberty was incorporated in the city in 1868, and on April 14, 1879, motion was made and carried at the congre- gational meeting to change the name of the church from the First Presbyterian Church of East Liberty to the East Liberty Presbyterian Church, to avoid any possible confusion with the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh.
In the first two church buildings, but one pastor occupied the pulpit, Rev. Wm. B. McIlvaine, D.D., whose devotion for forty years to the Master's work in this, his only charge, is strikingly manifest in the church records. With a small salary, in times when pastors' salaries were not always paid with the strictest regularity, and their necessities were oftentimes met by individual donations, he yet labored on, winning souls for the Kingdom, and giving his personal interest to the welfare of the families entrusted to his pastoral care.
The fifth building on this site was the third church, a reso- lution for the erection of which was passed April 9, 1860. The completion of this building was greatly delayed by conditions
20
PRELUDE AND THREADS OF HISTORY
incident to the Civil War, so that it was only dedicated in January, 1864. It was twice thereafter refitted and improved. In 1868, an addition of sixteen feet in length was made and galleries erected, further improvements being made in 1873.
Into this building came a new pastor, Rev. John Gillespie, D.D., first as co-pastor, and upon the resignation of Dr. McIl- vaine, as full pastor of the church.
Dr. Gillespie is still held in affectionate remembrance by many of the older members of the church. He seemed to have a special interest in and influence with the youth of the con- gregation. For some years he conducted what was familiarly known as "Children's Church," a service held especially for the young, one Sabbath afternoon in each month. His graphic portrayal of Bible scenes and impressive lessons drawn from Bible characters and incidents still enrich the memory of those who heard them. Another interesting feature of these services was the reading of letters from our representatives on the mis- sion field, usually by Mr. Wm. G. Johnston, who at that time was superintendent of the Sabbath school, which served to stimulate an interest in missions in the minds of the youthful hearers.
Mrs. Barbara A. Negley had the privilege of witnessing the amazing growth of the church until a third building was necessary. The following records prove her continued interest in the work: "April 21, 1862, Mrs. B. A. Negley, one of the first and now the oldest member of our church, has offered to purchase one of the celebrated Meneely bells."
"April 22, 1867, we had, as before reported, in the sinking fund account $1,000.00, which Mrs. B. A. Negley contributed for the purpose of purchasing a bell. This sum was invested in government bonds, making with its interest about $1,200.00. Mrs. Negley, expressing a desire that we should procure a bell without delay, the board of trustees through a committee ap- pointed for that purpose contracted with and had made and put up by A. Fulton & Company of Pittsburgh, a bell weigh- ing 2,760 pounds at a cost of $1,375.00-the amount over and above the amount invested in the sinking fund account to be supplied by the said Mrs. Negley."
21
CENTENNIAL EAST LIBERTY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The bell was hung during the week the donor lay on her deathbed, in her eighty-ninth year. As it was being tested her windows were opened in the hope that she might hear its tones. She entered into rest May 10, 1867, and on Sabbath, May 12, the bell's first peals tolled her requiem as her remains were being carried to her family lot in the Allegheny Cemetery, where with her husband and twelve children, four having died in childhood, she awaits the resurrection morn.
Mrs. Negley was a consecrated, altruistic woman, of re- markable executive ability, which was evident during her forty years of widowhood.
Doubtless, other bells have rung from this place of worship in the early days, but for more than fifty years this bell, so familiar to us, has pealed in melodious tones the Gospel mes- sage, "Come".
When the present edifice in which we worship was being erected, the bell was hung on a scaffolding built for the pur- pose on the church ground, that it might still call worshippers to service at the rink on Frankstown avenue near Station street, where services were held during the interim. The bell has rung for the passing of the members of Mrs. Negley's immediate family, and for public events of special significance.
It was rung at the opening of the Centennial Exhibition held in Philadelphia in 1876, as well as at the opening of our congregational centennial on the evening of April 12, 1919.
It tolled as the funeral train of our martyred President Mc- Kinley passed through the city; at the advent of each New Year, and on many other occasions.
For weeks it rang a call for prayer daily at noon during anxious hours of the recent great conflict, and its joyous notes pealed an acknowledgment of the answer to prayer in victory for the great cause, when on November 11, 1918, the armistice was signed.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.