USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > Bridgeport > Hart's history and directory of the three towns, Brownsville, Bridgeport, West Brownsville also abridged history of Fayette county & western Pennsylvania > Part 32
USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > West Brownsville > Hart's history and directory of the three towns, Brownsville, Bridgeport, West Brownsville also abridged history of Fayette county & western Pennsylvania > Part 32
USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Brownsville > Hart's history and directory of the three towns, Brownsville, Bridgeport, West Brownsville also abridged history of Fayette county & western Pennsylvania > Part 32
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The corner stone was laid June 16, 1894. The Rev. W. W. Ralston, D. D., (at that time one of the only four surviving pastors of this church) had been invited, and was expected to make the address on the occasion, but was suddenly taken sick, and unable to be present. In his absence the Rev. Dr. Y. N. Boyle, pastor of the M. E. Church, of Uniontown, was invited and kindly consented to make the address, which was a very happy and appro- priate one and was delivered and enthusiastically received by the large assembly present.
The day of the dedication of the new church building- the 8th day of March, 1896-though the ground was covered with a deep snow, and the temperature was far below freezing, was a happy day to the people of the
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Second Presbyterian Church
First Presbyterian Church, of Uniontown. The event which occurred was of far more than ordinary interest to them all. They were on that day privileged to witness the culmination of their labors for the past several years, or since the first congregational meeting was held in July, 1890, look- ing toward the erection of this building. As they contemplated the very complete, commodious, handsomely finished edifice, they felt their expecta- tions had been more than realized, their prayers more than answered, and with glad and grateful hearts for the goodness and loving kindness of the Lord in thus crowning their efforts with so great success, they solemnly set apart their beautiful buildings to the worship and services of the Almighty God.
Rev. A. S. Milholland, D. D., the present pastor, was installed June 15, 1880.
Present officers of the church are, present session: Rev. A. S. Milholland, D. D .; elders, Hon. John K. Ewing, L. L. D., Hon. Nathanael Ewing, Ross B. Reid; clerk, William M. Thompson; Albert J. McDowell, John C. Fulton, Daniel Gans, John M. Taylor, Daniel H. Thompson. Deacons, William H. Miller, M. H. Bowman, D. W. McDowell, Dr. L. S. Gaddis, John M. Care, T. R. Wakefield, Judge R. E. Umble.
SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The Central Presbyterian church was organized September 14, 1893, and the congregation worshiped in Commercial hall from September, 1893, to September, 1894. On September 9, 1894, they went into the old church building and worshiped until November 12, 1894, when the building was burned. The congregation worshiped a short time in the Cumberland church and on December 9, 1894, went into the opera house, where they held services for about a year. The first meeting held to consider the building of a new church was November 13, 1894.
The charter members of the church who are still with it and in good stand- ing, are Retta C. Bierer, John A. Bryson, Mrs. Anna B. Bryson, Mr. and Mrs. John C. Beatty, Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Brehm, Mrs. Joseph Beatty, Miss Florence Beatty, Mrs. Rebecca Craft, Miss Maggie Elliott, Mr. and Mrs. John E. Finley, Mrs. Thomas W. Holland, Mrs. George Green, Mr. and Mrs. William Hen- shaw, Mrs. Maria J. Henshaw, Mr. and Mrs. Elias B. Jefferies, Mr. and Mrs. John S. Junk, Mrs. Almira Longanecker.
The present modern building was begun in 1895 and the first service was held in the Sunday-school room in November, 1895.
Rev. Dr. S. R. Gordon began his work as pastor of the church January 1, 1894, with 56 members and a debt of $12,500. There are now almost 300 members, 297 persons have been received since Dr. Gordon came, 165 have been received on confession of faith in Christ. 81 adults have been baptized and an average of 30 each year have been added to the church since its organization. Just 29 of the original 56 members are in the church now. It is the youngest church in the city and yet in its membership it stands fourth. The church
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Dr. S. R. Gordon
cannot boast of age but it can of rapid growth, vigor, influence, size and re- sults.
The present officials of the church are,
ELDERS .- John R. Willson, Esq., John E. Finley, Samuel II. Brehm, Wm. J. Dickson, C. L. Smith, Wm. A. Rankin.
TRUSTEES .- S. H. Brehm, John S. Junk, William Henshaw, Wm. J. Dick- son, J. M. Silbaugh.
TREASURER .- John A. Bryson.
S. S. OFFICERS .- S. H. Brehm, superintendent; J. A. Bryson, assistant superintendent; John Leckey, secretary; Miss Cora C. Willson, treasurer; Miss Retta C. Bierer, primary teacher; Chas. L. Smith, Bible class teacher.
Prof. E. K. Heyser has led the choir and has had full charge of the music for about six years, to the entire satisfaction of the whole congregation. There has not been so much as a "ripple" in the choir since he has had charge of it. The choir consists of Miss Anna R. Downs, Miss Muriel Crawford, sopranos; Miss Cora C. Willson, Mrs. W. E. Isensce, alto; Frank Hurst, tenor; James E. Cook, M. G. Russell, bass.
The new church was erected at a cost of about $25,000, built when materials and work were very low. The same building would now cost $40,000. The old church building cost $14,000. The repairs on the old church building cost $2,500. Interest on money borrowed, current expenses, exclusive of benevolences and general expenses for the last 10 years have amounted to about $32,500, making a total of $75,000, all of which has been paid. This has been done by a church but ten years old and with a membership ranging from 56 to 275. It is true material help was given by friends outside of the church membership, all of which has been very greatly appreciated by the members of the Second Church. It shows the standing this church has in the eyes of the good business men of the city.
The large south window of the auditorium was placed there by the members in recognition of the services of their first pastor, Dr. Gordon. The window on Church street was put in by John R. Willson, Esq., and Miss Mary J. Will- son in honor of their brother, the late James Willson.
The church is in a more prosperous condition now than it has been since its organization and the handsome new building which the congregation now occupy will compare favorably with any of the modern churches about the town. The dimensions of the church are 80x102 and the seating capacity is 500.
DR. S. R. GORDON.
Rev. Dr. S. R. Gordon, pastor of the Second Presbyterian church, was born in 1852 near Mercer, Pa. 'His early life was spent on the farm and at the age of 14 he entered Westminster college, from which he graduated in 1874 with great credit to himself. He spent one year in Auburn Theological Seminary. In 1875 he entered the Western Theological Seminary at Allegheny, from which he graduated in 1877 with honors.
On his graduation he settled at Pulaski, Pa., where he was ordained and
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Bethel Baptist Church
installed in May, 1877. He remained there four years and was very successful in his work. It was during his pastorate there that he married Miss Fannie Torrence of Xenia, Ohio, and Dr. and Mrs. Gordon recently celebrated their silver wedding anniversary.
In the fall of 1880 Dr. Gordon accepted a call to the Sharon church, one of the largest country churches in the presbytery of Pittsburg, to be the successor of Father Jennings, who had closed his fifty years pastorate the previous summer. A few years later Parnassus gave him a call which was accepted and his labors there were signally blessed. The structure gave way to a splendid new one, the congregation increased and many were added to the church.
From Parnassus Dr. Gordon was called to the Church of the Covenant, in Pittsburg, which was later merged into the Third Presbyterian church. During his pastorate the congregation grew and the church building was enlarged twice. Twice he was honored with the presidency of the ministerial association of Pittsburg and Allegheny, and was sent by his presbytery as a delegate to the general assembly in 1893, which was made famous by the trial of Prof. Briggs. In 1888 he was elected a member of the board of directors of the Western Theological Seminary and was twice reelected. In 1893 he was chosen president of the Allegheny County C. E. association, which then numbered 6,000 members.
In 1894 Dr. Gordon accepted a call to the Central Presbyterian church of Uniontown, now the Second Presbyterian. He accepted the responsible position and without a house in which to worship preached to his people in a hall until they could enter their edifice. His work here has been very effective, as will be noted by a reading of the history of the church. In 1894 Dr. Gordon received his honorary title of D. D.
BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH
This organization was founded in the year 1770, and is evidently one of the first religious societies established within the boundaries of Fayette County, and can be traced by its own records as a distinct organization down to the present time.
In the oldest book of records now in the possession of the church the follow- ing entry is made on the first page: "The Regular Baptist Church of Jesus Christ at Uniontown, Pa., unwilling that their origin should be lost in ob- security, and apprehending, from the decaved state of the annals respecting the institution and progress thereof, and that they will shortly become un- intelligible, have by an unanimous resolution passed on this 12th day of November, 1812, ordered that the first book of said church should be tran- scribed line for line in the same words and the same manner in which it was written, and that our brother, Samuel King, be appointed for this service." From the transcript made by Mr. King, in pursuance of that resolution, the following letter is copied verbatim, viz:
"The Church of Jesus Christ Bethel, Constituted as is supposed in Province of Pennsylvania, holds Believes, Baptism, &c., &c., sindeth greeting. To
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Bethel Baptist Church
all Christian People to whom these may Concern, Know ye that Isaac Sutton is in full communion with us, and is of a Regular and of a Christian Conversation, and for aught we know is approved by us in general as a gifted Brother, and we do unitedly agree that he should Improve his Gifts as a candidate for the ministry where Ever god in his Providence shall Call him. sign'd by us this Eighth day of November, in the year of our lord Christ- 1770.
"Witness our hands,
JACOB VANMETRE. RICHARD HALL. ZEPIIENIAH BLACKFORD.
Because we are few in number our Sisters are allowed to sign.
RACHEL SUTTON. LETTICE VANMETRE. SARAII HALL.
"N. B .- That this Church was Consti- tuted by me, Nov. 7th, 1770, and that the Bearer was licensed to Preach before me, or in my Presence, as witness my hand this Sth day of Nov., 1770.
HENRY CROSBYE."
ASSOCIATIONS :- The Redstone Association, according to Benedict's "His- tory of the Baptists," was organized in 1776. In 1777 Great Bethel Church sent the following messengers to that body, viz: Isaac Sutton and Philip Jenkins. Owing "to the difficulty of the times," it did not suit to hold the Association that year at Muddy Creek, and it was agreed that it should be held at the house of Isaac Sutton. It is obvious from this that Great Bethel was one of the original members of the Redstone Association, with which it continued until 1836, and the branch which still clung to Rev. William Brownfield continued to send delegates until 1846, when William Brownfield, I. Hutchinson and S. Davis were sent to Indiana Creek Church, where it met that year. The other branch of the Church soon after their separation sent messengers to the Pittsburg Association, and were admitted to that body, of which this church remained a member until 1856. On the 26th of April, 1856, a letter was sent to the Pittsburg Association requesting dis- missal from them, with a view of uniting with the Monongahela Association. Their request was granted, and the same year, on applying to the Mononga- hela Association for admission, they were received into that body, with which they still continue.
SABBATH SCHOOL :- The first Sunday school in connection with this church was organized in July, 1845, on motion of Rev. Isaac Wynn.
As near as can be ascertained by reliable data the first church building was erected about 1788 or 1789 and Rev. Isaac Sutton was the first minister. Several houses of worship have been built in the years that have passed, but
14
412
Cumberland Presbyterian Church
the present structure was completed in 1902, and is located on the corner of West Fayette and Union Streets. It is of Cleveland stone, after the Ro- manesque style of architecture, with a corner tower. There are two cloisters and a parsonage connected. The auditorium is octagonal, dome-lighted and there are three galleries. The auditorium is furnished with a magnifi- cent pipe organ and is separated from a large and well-equipped Sunday- school room by a hoisting partition.
The members belonging to Great Bethel Church, living near and beyond the Youghiogheny, were permitted to organize as a branch of the church on the 20th of September, 1783, but we have no further record of this organiza- tion. October 16, 1784, the church at George's Creek was dismissed by re- quest and has since become one of the leading members of the Monongahela Association Many other organizations also sprang from Great Bethel Church, in consequence of which, it is very appropriately termed the mother of Baptist churches in this section of Pennsylvania.
Among those who early ministered to the spiritual wants of the members of Great Bethel Church we find the names of Revs. David Loofborrow, William Brownfield, John Thomas, Dr. James Estep, William Penny, Wil- liam Wood, and Israel D. King. Following these were Revs. Dr. John Boyd, James Sutton, William Loveberry, Milton Sutton, - Seymour, Isaac Wynn, E. M. Miles, S. H. Ruple, B. P. Ferguson, C. E. Barto, W. W. Hickman, F. B. LaBarrer, J. O. Critchlow, and Rev. H. F. King, D. D., who was installed September 1, 1888, and still continues to the present time.
The present officers of the church are: Clerk, D. M. Hertzog; assistant, Ralph Hickman; treasurer, J. S. Douglas; deacons, N. P. Cooper, Samuel Hatfield, J. S. Douglas, D. M. Hertzog, George L. Sloan; trustees, J. S. Douglas, G. W. Semans, J. V. E. Ellis, D. P. Gibson, N. P. Cooper, O. J. Sturgis, J. Q. Van Swearingen.
CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
"A brief narrative of the rise and organization of the Cumberland Presby- terian Church at Uniontown, Penn'a:
"In that vast series of events arising in the administration of Divine Provi- dence, such events occurred as directed the labors of the Cumberland Presby- terian missionaries to this place. In the month of December, 1831, a pro- tracted meeting was held by the Revs. A. M. Brien and Milton Bird, which continued five days. Although it commenced under very inauspicious cir- cumstances, yet it closed with quite favorable auspices. Owing to the numerous and imperious calls elsewhere, another was not held until the latter part of January, 1832, a third was held during the month of February, both by the above-named ministers. Those two last occasions were in- creasingly signalized with displays of Divine influence in the conviction and conversion of sinners, and in exciting the attention of many who had hitherto been thoughtless to serious reflection and decision on the subject of Chris- tianity.
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St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal Church
"A desire having been and still being expressed by sundry individuals for the formation of a Cumberland Presbyterian congregation, and God in his providence having opened an effectual door in this borough and adjacent neighborhood, the above desire was accomplished by the formation of a Cum- berland Presbyterian congregation in 1832. It having been manifested that such an event would meet the Divine approbation, additions were made from time to time, and in 1832, this congregation was regularly organized.
The names of the original members are not given in the record. The first name that appears with dates are Sabina Campbell, Lewis Marchand, Sarah Marchand, and Ann Maria McCall, who appear to have been admitted as members on the 23d of December, 1832. The first pastor of the church was the Rev. Milton Bird.
We have been unable to get any record of the church from 1832 to 1883. The pastors in the order of their succession since the latter date are Revs. M. R. Baugh, W. S. Danley, H. C. Bird, and the present pastor, Rev. James Douglas Gould, Ph. D., who became pastor on the first of December, 1903.
The present officers of the church are, Elders: H. C. Jeffries, W. H. Barnes, W. T. Kennedy, John M. Campbell, J. P. Adams, C. W. McCann, C. F. Green, J. T. Sembower, John L. Huston, Dr. J. F. Hackney, and Levi Frances. The Deacons are: J. W. Dawson, G. B. Jeffries, W. H. Moore, Jacob Newcomer, Dr. M. L. Johnson, and William Jacobs.
The present church edifice was built in 1883 and stands on the corner of Beeson Avenue and Church Street. It is a Gothic structure built of brick with stone trimming, has a tower on one corner and a tall, graceful steeple on another. It stands in a large, well-shaded grassy yard which extends from the street in front to the street in the rear. The interior arrangement is excellent for church work, having a good pipe organ, choir and organ rooms to the rear, a spacious gallery, reading and conversation rooms, ban- quet hall, kitchen, lavatories, bathroom for men and Sunday-school room, and is handsomely finished and furnished throughout.
ST. PETER'S PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
St. Peter's Church edifice at Uniontown was built in 1842, and being furnished with temporary seats and benches (the legs of which were made of spokes from old stage wheels), was opened and consecrated in October of the same year by Bishop Onderdonk. Before that time services were held periodically, first in the (old) court-house, and next in the Reform Methodist Church, the walls of which the Episcopals plastered, and furnished in part with the aforesaid temporary seats, the Rev. W. W. Arnett officiating for the Episcopalians, and continuing rector of the parish till December, 1844, when he resigned.
Capt. John Sowers and Hon. R. P. Flenniken were, at a vestry meeting held March 21, 1842, appointed wardens of said St. Peter's Church, then building, and L. W. Stockton, Daniel Smith, Daniel Huston, Dr. A. H. Camp- bell, and William P. Wells were the other vestrymen. On Mr. Arnett's resignation the Rev. S. W. Crampton accepted a call, but resigned in May,
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St. John's Roman Catholic Church
1845, after which Mr. James McIlvaine (then a vestryman) held services as lay reader once every Lord's Day till March, 1846, when Rev. Norris M. Jones took charge of the parish, and resigned in October, 1848. November of the same year, Rev. Mr. Lawson was appointed to the parish by Bishop Potter. He resigned in 1849, and Rev. Dr. Rawson had charge of the parish till 1851, when Rev. Theodore S. Rumney succeeded him, and resigned the charge in the fall of 1855, when Rev. Hanson T. Wilcoxson took charge of the parish, which he resigned on account of impaired health in November, 1856. In July, 1857, Rev. Faber Byllesby (then a deacon), took charge of the parish, which he resigned in October, 1859, after which occasional serv- ices were held by Rev. John Seithead, Jubal Hodges, and others till April, 1862, when Rev. R. S. Smith took charge of the parish. He was fol- lowed by Rev. John S. Wightman. After Rev. Wightman, Rev. John S. Lightburn took charge. In June, 1903, the present pastor, Rev. F. E. J. Lloyd, D. D., was installed.
The present church edifice was built in 1883 of sandstone at a cost of $40,000, and is handsomely finished and furnished.
The present officials of the church are John N. Dawson, senior warden; John Thorndell, junior warden and treasurer, and is also superintendent of the Sunday School; Dr. A. P. Bowie, secretary of the vestry; William C. DuComb, organist and choir master.
The church also has a fine parish house on Church Street, in which all of the organizations of the church have their headquarters and where they meet.
For a period of nearly thirty-five years from the erection of the edifice of St. Peter's Church, in Uniontown, there hung in its tower an ancient bell, bearing the device of a crown and the date 1711, it having been cast in Eng- land in that year, during the reign of Queen Anne, and by her presented to Christ Church of Philadelphia. It was used by that church for almost fifty years, and in 1760 was transferred to St. Peter's Church of Uniontown, where it remained more than eighty years, being displaced in 1842 by a chime of bells which had been presented to that church. The old bell was returned to Philadelphia.
ST. JOHN'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
About the year 1850 a Roman Catholic house of worship was erected on Morgantown Street in Uniontown. The first mention which is found of its congregation is by the Rev. Malachi Garvey in 1856, when he reported six- teen families and forty-two communicants at the Easter Communion in that year. On the 5th of September in the same year Bishop O'Connor, of this diocese, administered confirmation to fifteen persons.
In June, 1881, the Uniontown Mission and adjacent districts were set off as the Uniontown District, with the Rev. C. T. McDermott as pastor. He continued in the pastorate till June 24, 1885, when he was succeeded by Rev. Edward Dignam whose pastorate commenced June 28, 1885, and continued till December of the same year. The charge was then supplied from January
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First Methodist Episcopal Church
1, 1886, to May 16th of the same year by Revs. Alexander Hughes C. P. and Bernardine C. P. Rev. William Kittell served from May 30, 1886, to Decem- ber 12, 1893. Rev. B. P. Kenna commenced the pastorate December 13, 1893, and still continues the work.
The present church edifice is a cruciform 122 by 70 feet, built of brick and trimmed with Cleveland stone and is of the Romanesque style of architecture. The building was commenced in the fall of 1893, the corner stone was laid June 10, 1894, and the church was dedicated May 19, 1895. It is located on Jefferson Avenue.
FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
At the session of Conference held in Baltimore May 28, 1784, Redstone Circuit was formed, which included all of Pennsylvania west of the Allegheny Mountains. John Cooper and Samuel Breeze were appointed to this circuit. They came to Uniontown, probably in June, as Bishop Asbury preached in Uniontown July 7, 1784, to a congregation of seven hundred persons, and it is probable that Cooper and Breeze came with him. But the peculiar polity of Methodism in working the laymen as local preachers and exhorters had forestalled the appearance of the regular circuit preachers, who found in the vicinity of Uniontown Robert Wooster, a local preacher from England. Wooster, according to the best authority attainable, came to America about the year 1771, and commenced preaching in the neighborhood of Uniontown about 1780. Many traditions have been handed down in Methodist families concerning Wooster and his work, from which it is thought to be more than probable that he organized classes at several points in and around Union- town. The early records of the society at Uniontown were not preserved, so that a correct list of the persons forming the first class or society cannot be furnished, although many of them are known. The oldest record now in the possession of the church (prior to 1881) is a treasurer's book opened in 1807.
Cooper and Breeze remained on Redstone circuit but one year under the custom of annual changes, which was then the rule. They were followed by Peter Moriarity, John Fitler and Wilson Lee. It is probable that Bishop Asbury came to Uniontown with the new preachers as he writes that he exhorted in Beesontown, July 19, 1785.
It is not known exactly when the first meetinghouse was erected, but as Asbury preached in it July 1, 1786, it is probable that it was built in 1785. This first church was built of logs and was 35 by 70 feet, including a school- house at the west end, which, however, seems to have been built on at a later date. Bishop Asbury commenced the annual session of conference in this house August 22, 178S. During this session of conference, Michael Leard was ordained and it is said that he was the first Methodist preacher ordained west of the Allegheny mountains. Owing to some inconvenience and at the in- vitation of Mrs. Ann Murphy, the place of meeting of the conference was changed from the primitive church to the home of Mrs. Murphy, who not only furnished a place for the meeting of the conference but entertained the whole
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African Methodist Episcopal Church
body, including the Bishop, during the entire conference. Mrs. Murphy was a great power in the church for good, and many of her descendents are still living in Fayette County, but few of them, it seems, now belong to the Methodist Church.
Many able and eloquent men have presided over the destinies of the First Methodist Episcopal Church at Uniontown and there is perhaps not another point west of the Allegheny mountains where the associations and memories of Methodisin concentrate as at Uniontown. The early planting of Method- ism, its well-sustained efforts in hehalf of liberal education, the prominent position held by the denomination in its carlier days, and the great and good men who have been connected with the appointment, have conspired to make Uniontown an historical center in Western Methodism.
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