USA > Pennsylvania > Beaver County > History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and Its Centennial Celebration, Volume II > Part 28
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' This name Aten was formerly Auter and is now Eaton.
" Thomas Reed was in the expedition, which attempted to take Quebec. He was buried in a field on the farm of the late John C. Reed in Hopewell township. In August. 1004. Rev. Dr. Reid and J. F. Reed, Esq., of the Beaver bar, who is a great-grandson of Thomas Reed, had the ashes of this old veteran removed and re-interred in the burial- ground of Mt. Carmel Presbyterian Church.
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Presbyterian congregation in Moon township. Its first building was a log structure, to which an addition of frame was after- wards made. This was destroyed by fire in 1837. Later a brick building was erected on the same site at a cost of $2000, and this was replaced in 1871, by a substantial frame, costing about $8000.
In order of time the pastors of this church have been: An- drew McDonald, - Frazier, - Rutherford, J. D. Ray, W. G. Taylor, D.D., P. J. Cummings, 1887-1898. The As- sembly's Minutes report the pulpit of this church vacant 1899- 1901.
Raccoon United Presbyterian Church .- This congregation was organized about the year 1823, and for a few years wor- shiped in the homes of the community and in the woods just in the rear of the present church-building, where the custom- ary "tent" was erected for the minister. In 1829 the erection of a church-building was begun. It was situated in the east end of the plot of ground containing the present cemetery. A short time ago the old foundation of this building was unearthed in the digging of a grave. This church was replaced in 1867 by the present structure.
Among the first elders in this congregation were James Mc- Cormick and William McCune. No record is preserved of the names of the pastors until 1837, but since that time the minis- ters who have served it (the dates assigned being in some cases approximate), were the following: James Prestly, May, 1837, to September 8, 1840; Robert Armstrong, 1845-51; William L. Wilson, September, 1859, to April, 1862. James W. Wither- spoon, at present pastor of the Fifth United Presbyterian Church of Allegheny City and Corresponding Secretary of the Freedmen's Board, was in charge of this church, in connection with Ohio congregation, from September, 1863, until December 9, 1866. James P. Sharp, now pastor of the "Wharton Square" congregation in Philadelphia, was installed at Raccoon, Septem- ber 27, 1870, and resigned sometime in 1883. For three years -1870-1873-he was in charge of Raccoon and Ohio. Hugh W. Millin was called in 1884 and resigned about 1897. He is now pastor of Scottdale, Pa., United Presbyterian Church. M. D. Telford, the present pastor, began his work in 1900, and holds but the one charge.
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Raccoon congregation numbers about 115, being much weakened by removals to the towns. The church is near the village of New Sheffield, in the midst of a good farming com- munity. Many worthy sons of this congregation have gone out from it into the ministry and other professions. The present session of the church is composed of John Anderson, George Hall, and Thomas Shannon.
The borough of Aliquippa was taken from this township. (See Chapter XXIV.)
On the bank of the Ohio, just above the borough, is a beauti- ful picnic ground, known as Aliquippa Park, with a station of the same name on the Pittsburg & Lake Erie Railroad.
Shannopin is a village of this township, with a station of that name on the Pittsburg & Lake Erie Railroad. It is a growing town, deriving its importance from the proximity of a rich field of natural gas and petroleum.
New Scottsville is a small hamlet near the center of the township, having not more than six or seven houses.
New Sheffield is a village and post-office, located north of the center of the township. The postmasters have been as follows:
William M. Calvert, Jan. 9, 1879; Zachariah Hall, Sept. 9, 1885; Thomas S. Mercer, Dec. 7, 1888; William M. Calvert, Aug. 13, 1889; Clarence E. Reed, July 17, 1893; Thomas C. Sterling, Sept. 9, 1895; William M. Calvert, Sept. 23, 1897 and Elsworth W. Swearingen, May 5, 1902.
Ethel Landing is a post-office in the southeastern corner of Hopewell township. Following are the names and dates of ap- pointment of its postmasters:
Frank R. Morris, June 28, 1886; Minnie B. McCandlish, Aug. 14, 1890; Minnie B. Kohl, June 1, 1891; Jennie Nye, April 16, 1892; Harry G. Bell, Aug. 8, 1894; Hugh C. Wright, Oct. 30, 1896; Hugh H. McCoy, Oct. 10, 1899; Samuel M. Thompson, April 16, 1901.
Zeller post-office, discontinued April 4, 1901, had two post- masters, Henry C. Zeller, appointed July 29, 1891; and Mary E. McCormick, appointed July 20, 1892.
WOODLAWN
Woodlawn is a beautiful little village situated on the south bank of the Ohio River and on the line of the Pittsburg & Lake
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Erie Railway, whose station here is called also Woodlawn. The small population of the village, and that of the surrounding country is composed of the best elements of Beaver County's yeomanry. From the earliest times an interest in education, religious and secular, has been taken here, a Sabbath-school having been organized as early as 1810. Preaching services were held occasionally in the old saw-mill prior to the erection of the academy building, and afterwards in the hall of that institution, which was used for this purpose from about 1879 on until the building of the Presbyterian Church.
The Presbyterian Church of Woodlawn .- As just stated, ser- vices had been held in the village for many years in an irregular fashion and at different places. These were conducted for the most part by Rev. P. J. Cummings, pastor of the Mount Carmel Presbyterian Church, but there was as yet no formal organiza- tion. This was effected, September 12, 1895, by a committee of the Presbytery of Pittsburg, consisting of Revs. J. M. Mercer and P. J. Cummings, together with elder W. H. Guy. The char- ter members were as follows: Eliza J. Barnes, Mrs. Jane Bruce, Vena Bruce, Lillie Bruce, John Cochran, Mary Douds, Martha Douds, Andrew McDonald, Jane H. McDonald, Stella A. Mc- Donald, Theodosia McDonald, William McDonald, Mary Mc- Donald, David A. McDonald, Mary F. McDonald, Eliza McCune, Maria McCune, Casalena McCune, Peter Maratta, Catherine Maratta, Martha Maratta, Marsh W. Maratta, William V. Maratta, James Maratta, Sarah J. Maratta, James C. Ritchie, William M. Ritchie, Martha V. Ritchie, Phœbe W. Ritchie, George J. Davis, Mary E. Davis, S. F. Sutton, Agnes J. Sutton, T. A. Torrence, Mrs. T. A. Torrence, P. H. Torrence, Vena Torrence, B. F. Swartz, Amanda Swartz, Martha Wilson, Mrs. Hannah Somer- ville, Robert Ritchie.
The elders elected were John Cochran, Robert Ritchie, and T. A. Torrence, Cochran alone accepting the office.
The corner-stone for the present building was laid in Octo- ber, 1897, and the church was dedicated in April, 1898. It cost $3600. There are at present thirty-five members. Rev. P. J. Cummings served the church as stated supply from its organiza- tion until April, 1903; since which time it has had supplies from the Presbytery.
Woodlawn Academy was chartered, April 7, 1879, by James
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C. Ritchie, C. I. McDonald, O. A. Douds, J. W. Fitch, Dr. Wil- liam Woods, D. A. McDonald, Alfred Ritchie, Archy Lawson, Robert Brown, William M. Ritchie, Elery Douds, and Mary W. McDonald.
The capital stock consisted of 100 shares of $25 each-total, $2500. The building, erected in 1879, is a two-story frame, which cost $2500. The officers of the board of trustees were William Woods, M.D., president; C. I. McDonald, secretary ; and Robert Brown, treasurer. For some years the academy has not been running, and the building has been used as a dwelling.
The New Sheffield Council, No. 153, J. O. U. A. M., was organized at Woodlawn, May 14, 1887, with thirty-five mem- bers, and met in the Woodlawn Academy building.
POST-OFFICE
Following is the list of postmasters at Woodlawn, with the dates of their appointment:
C. I. McDonald, Nov. 13, 1877; Robert W. Anderson, Oct. 26, 1880; T. A. Torrence, March 10, 1882; William Ritchie (did not qualify) June 8, 1886; James C. Ritchie, June 14, 1886; T. A. Torrence, July 13, 1889; John De Haven, April 13, 1892; Anna M. Wilkes, Sept. 20, 1894; Mattie V. Ritchie, June 30, 1896; Joseph M. Irons, Jan. 29, 1900; Fred. L. Todd, June 11, 1902.
RACCOON TOWNSHIP
This township was formed from parts of Moon and Greene townships by a decree of the court made at the September Ses- sions, 1833. It takes its name from Raccoon Creek, which divides it from Moon township on the east. Its western boundary is Greene township, its southern Hanover and Independence, and its northern the Ohio River. One or two small streams flow through its northern portion, reaching the Ohio River and Rac- coon Creek, and Service Creek cuts across its southern half. The soil of this township is good and well-timbered. An interesting reference to this section occurs in Washington's journal of a trip which he made down the Ohio in 1770, which we quote, as follows:
Oct. 20, 1770. Col. Croghan, Lieut. Hamilton and Mr. Magee set out with us. At two we dined at Mr. Magee's, and encamped ten miles
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below and four above Logstown. 21st. Left our encampment and breakfasted at Logstown, where we parted with Col. Croghan and com- pany. At eleven we came to the mouth of the Big Beaver creek, opposite to which is a good situation for a house; and above it, on the same side, that is the west, there appears to be a fine body of land. About five miles lower down, on the east side, comes in Raccoon creek, at the mouth of which, and up it, appears to be a good body of land also. All the land between this creek and the Monongahela, and for 15 miles back, is claimed by Col. Croghan under a purchase from the Indians, which sale, he says, is confirmed by his majesty. On this creek, where the branches thereof interlock with the waters of Shurtees [Chartiers] cr. there is, according to Col. Croghan's account, a body of fine rich level land. This tract he wants to sell, and offers it at £5 sterling per 100 acres, with an exemption of quit-rents for 20 years; after which to be subject to the payment of four shillings and two pence sterling per 100 acres; provided he can sell it in ten-thousand-acre lots. At present the unsettled state of this country renders any purchase dangerous.I
The early history of the territory of this township is that of the townships of Washington, Allegheny, and Beaver counties, to which it has belonged in various periods. The pioneer his- tory has been already given in the earlier chapters of this work.
This township had previous to 1901 four small post-offices, which in that year were discontinued on account of rural free delivery being extended to the territory which they had sup- plied with postal facilities. These offices, with their postmas- ters and dates of appointment, were as follows:
Green Garden-Michael Springer, April 25, 1867. Holt-James H. Christy, May 31, 1870; Maria M. Christy, Dec. 11, 1882; Alonzo L. McMahon, Oct. 25, 1888; Albert J. Lloyd, May 22, 1897; Irwin Baldwin, April 19, 1898; Homer J. Gormley, Aug. 9, 1900. McCleary-Robert Hall, March 24, 1864; Robert Moore, March 28, 1896. Service-Joseph H. Meheffey, April 21, 1879; Stonewall J. Morgan, Nov. 15, 1892; Robert L. Morgan, April 13, 1896; William McCague, June 24, 1897.
" It does not belong to this history to tell the story of Washington's real estate specu- lations, but it is an interesting one and full particulars of it as far as it pertains to the county in this State named for him will be found in the excellent History of Washington County by Boyd Crumrine, Esq. The Father of his Country purchased several thousand acres of land in that county and did not hesitate to defend his rights against the settlers, bringing ejectment suits against many of them. The journey down the Ohio referred to above was made by him with a view to selecting for surveys choice lands for the purpose of satisfying the claims of the officers and soldiers to whom grants had been made by Governor Dinwiddie as a reward for their services at the beginning of the French War. These lands were ultimately surveyed and appropriated, every officer and private soldier receiving his due proportions. Where deaths had occurred the heirs were sought out and their claims verified and allowed. To Washington belongs the credit of bringing this whole matter to a satisfactory adjustment. See Sparks's Life of Washington, p. 110.
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Cited Prestrictan Church of Franktore Sponges Arough in Chapter XXIV. He served this short and Juh, INet. The next pastor was Rev. David W. Carea, DD, west. Then followed Rev. John C. Roe. 1820 83: Rov. 11' I Cialden 1885-95: Rev. A. P. Gibson, ordained and installed June as. 1899. released January 23. 1001 ; the present pastor being N. W. McFarland. who serves this church half time, giving the other half to Mount Pleasant. The present session are . A. Robert. son, J. M. Ewing. J. B. Mckibben, and A. Campbell, and the membership is about one hundred. Many of the descendants of the early members are still in connection with the congregation. as the Nelsons, Shillitos, Craigs, Shanes, Handys, Ewings, Ruh ertsons, Littells, Campbells, Mckibbens, Smiths, and others.
Wednesday and Thursday, August 13th and rath. INuo, the cell tion of this church was appropriately celebrated.
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The congregation is in good condition. Its cemetery is called the Dr. John Anderson Memorial Cemetery of Service and is under the management of a board of directors.1
Eudolpha Hall and Rev. John Anderson, D.D .? This school of the prophets and its first teacher played such an important rôle in the early history of Beaver County that we cannot pass them without a rather extended notice. Dr. Anderson was born in England, near the Scotch border and of Scotch parents, about the year 1748. Graduating at one of the Scottish Universities, he studied theology at the Associate Divinity Hall, and was licensed by a Presbytery of the Secession Church, but owing to a defective voice and delivery he became a "stickit minister," and served for several years as a corrector of the press. In June, 1783, he sailed for the United States, landing in August at Phila- delphia. On the way over he lost his aged mother, who died at sea, and a valuable library was also lost in the passage. For four years he itinerated under the care of the Associate Presby- tery of Pennsylvania, and was then ordained sine titulo in Phila- delphia, October 31, 1788. In the autumn of 1792, as already stated, he was installed pastor of Service and King's Creek, in this county, where he remained until his death, April 6, 1830. April 21, 1794, Dr. Anderson was appointed Professor of The- ology for the Associate Church, and so continued until the spring of 1810, when he was compelled to resign on account of the infirmities of age.
Dr. Anderson was remarkably small, not over five feet in height, with a large head, and thick, tangled hair. His eyes were black and penetrating, and his whole manner that of a man not belonging to the ordinary grade of humanity, but marking him off as one of unusual powers. He impressed all
1 The following minute was obtained from old records of this congregation:
"August 20, 1793, at a congregational mecting, it was agreed upon by the Associate congregations of Service and Raccoon, that the meeting house be at the very place it was first appointed if it can be obtained of Mr. Redick; if not, it is to be on the other side of the creek, on the west side of the road that leads from Record's old mill on Raccoon creek to Waggoner's old cabin. It is also agreed upon at this meeting that five men are appointed to regulate the affairs of the congregations for one year, viz: John Kain, Joseph Baggs, Nathaniel McCoy, Samuel Kenedy, James Kenedy. Likewise three collectors appointed, viz: Hugh Graham, Matthew Neilson, Mathew Kenedy; likewise John Neilson, treasurer; likewise William Little is appointed to purchase the ground for the meeting house and get the conveyance."
In tearing down this old Service church a deer prong was found imbedded in one of its big hewed sills. A section of this interesting piece of timber, with annual rings show- ing that the deer prong was planted in the tree perhaps 370 years before Service church was built. was placed in the Centennial Loan Exhibition at Beaver, in 1900.
" We are indebted to the Manual of the United Presbyterian Church of North America by James Brown Scouller for the facts given in the above sketch.
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who came in contact with him as a man of intellect and deep piety. He was quick of temper and impatient of contradiction in matters of principle. but possessed so much humility that when he thought he had given offense to any one unjustly, he would immediately show the deepest humiliation and peni- tence and solicit again and again the pardon of the wounded person. As a student he was unwearying. giving from ten to fourteen hours a day to the most intense application to his studies, and frequently carried a book with him to read when traveling to and fro on horseback. He is said. moreover, to have been so absent-minded that, when thus engaged in read- ing in the saddle, he would lose all consciousness of time and place, and that he often lost himself in going to presbytery or even to his own church.
As a preacher he was tedious, and his weak voice and hesi- tating manner made it a difficult matter for his hearers to profit by his really able instructions. His unfitness for the pulpit and his great fitness for the chair of an instructor led to his selec- tion for the position in which he obtained his greatest fame -- the professorship of theology in the seminary of the Associate Church at Service.
This seminary was established by the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania as the means of meeting the want of the church for educated young men for its ministry, the church having been up to this time mainly dependent upon the supply of ministers sent from Scotland. Classical schools and a few colleges had already sprung up, but the provision for theological training was yet to be made. On the 21st of April, 1794, as we have said above, Dr. Anderson was elected by the Associate Presby- tery of Pennsylvania as its teacher in divinity. He was given the option of locating the seminary to suit his own convenience, and chose a site about one mile west of Service church, a short distance east of the direct road from Beaver to Frankfort Springs. For some years the seminary had its class-rooms in Dr. Ander- son's own modest log house, but about 1805 a two-story log building was erected near by which was devoted to its needs. About eight hundred valuable books, most of which were don- ated by Associate brethren in Scotland, were collected here jas the foundation of a library. The course of instruction ex- tended over four years, with one term during the winter season, VOL. 11 .- 20.
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: and the number of students varied from five to ten. "The pro- fessor's chief employment was the reading of lectures founded upon Marck's Medulla Theologic. These he expanded at every repetition, until they became so voluminous that he was not able to finish them during the four years of his last class, al- though he read for four hours on each of four days of every week of the four sessions." Some Hebrew and Greek exegesis was taught, but not much else besides Didactic and Polemic Theology.
In 1819, the year following Dr. Anderson's resignation, the Synod divided the seminary into an eastern and a western hall. The former was located in Philadelphia; and the latter, in 1821, was opened in Canonsburg, Pa., and finally, in 1855, removed to Xenia, Ohio.
The log building at Service, in which the theological students boarded, is still standing and used as a dwelling. The old seminary building is gone. This seminary was popularly known as ."Eudolpha Hall," which word Eudolpha we take to be a corruption of Eudelphia, signifying brotherly kindness. With two exceptions this is the oldest theological seminary in the United States. There had been professorships of divinity at Harvard and Yale and William and Mary, but the first separate : theological school was founded by the Dutch Reformed Church at New Brunswick, N. J., in 1784. The Roman Catholics fol- lowed with the Theological Seminary of St. Sulpice and St. Mary's University at Baltimore in 1791; and Eudolpha Hall was founded next, in 1794. Pictures of the old school and boarding house are given herewith It is of interest to note the names of some of the eminent men who were students in this primitive structure, or at least were taught by its principal. Among these are Rev. William Wilson, who had a grandson of the same name, who was a former resident of Beaver. Mr. Wilson was born in Ireland in 1770, and came to America in 1791 Of 1792. He was the first student under Dr. Anderson, though the building known as Eudolpha Hall was not erected until he was through his course. Rev. Daniel McLean, father of Dr. D. H. A. McLean, at one time a resident of Beaver, studied With Dr. Anderson; also Rev. Thomas Allison of Virginia (died 1840); Rev. James Ramsay, D.D., first professor of Theology in the Western Hall at Canonsburg, and father-in-law of Rev.
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Eudolpha Hall, 1802. The oldest 'Theological Seminary in the United States west of the Allegheny Mts.
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History of Beaver County
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Dr. William Meek McElwee; Rev. Andrew Heron, D.D., of Cedarville, Ohio 1; Rev. Alexander McClelland, D.D., sometime professor in Dickinson College; Rev. Joseph Scroggs, D.D., over fifty-seven years pastor of the churches of Fairfield and Donegal in Westmoreland County, Pa .; Rev. Thomas Beveridge, D.D., Professor of Theology at Canonsburg, Pa., and Xenia, Ohio; Rev. Abraham Anderson, D.D., from 1818 to 1821 Professor of Languages at Jefferson College, and after- wards Professor of Didactic and Polemic Theology in the Asso- ciate Seminary at Canonsburg; Rev. Thomas Hanna, D.D., pastor at Washington, Pa., 1851-62; Rev. Francis Pringle, Jr., of Xenia, Ohio; James Pringle, his brother, of North Carolina and many others.
Bethlehem Presbyterian Church.2-The inception of this church was in the Christian influence and efforts of several good men who felt the need of the community round about them for some definite religious instruction. One of these was William Rambo, who was born about the year 1800, in the region of Raccoon Creek, and about five miles from the place where the church was afterwards built (died December 13, 1871). Another was John Potter, father of Rev. Henry N. Potter, of Darlington, this county. Mr. Potter, amid much discouragement, and some opposition, established here sometime in September, 1830, a Sabbath-school, which met first in the house of Edward Crail, with eleven scholars present. The next Sabbath the school was held in his own house, and the following week in that of William Connor. The attendance increased very rapidly, and Abraham Vaughan's house being all one large room, it was used until the church was erected. Mr. Potter had been ordained an elder at the early age of twenty-two, and he was now the only teacher in this Sabbath-school. He occasionally read after the sessions of the church a sermon from Burder's Village Sermons. A library was also established in the school, sixteen dollars being
' In 1843 Dr. Heron was suspended from the ministry because he had gone (although on a week day) to hear the Rev. H. H. Blair, an "exscinded" brother preach. He after- wards became a member of the Indiana Presbytery of the U. P. Church. He became deaf, then blind, and finally crippled by a fall when eighty-three years old. Possessed of vast accumulations from wide reading and an iron memory, he still maintained an active life, preaching occasionally, though supported on crutches and unable to see his audience or hear his own voice.
" The facts for this sketch were partly obtained from an anniversary sermon preached at Bethlehem on August 10, 1877 by Rev. H. N. Potter, of Darlington, and partly from Mesers. William Cook and James Henderson.
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raised for this purpose, although the farmers had little money in those days.
Another man who did much for the work of Christ in this neighborhood was Jonathan Cross, who after the organization of Bethlehem Church took a deep interest in its welfare. He became an elder, and afterwards a minister in the Presbyterian Church, dying December 18, 1876.
In addition to the school, Mr. Potter started a weekly prayer- meeting, and on his application to the Presbytery of Ohio sup- plies were occasionally sent to preach for the people here. Rev. George Scott, then pastor of Mill Creek Church, was the first Presbyterian minister to preach in the neighborhood, coming occasionally on a week day for that purpose. The Sabbath- school was maintained for nearly two years, when, on the representations of the need of the community for a church organization made to the Presbytery of Ohio by Mr. Potter, a committee consisting of Rev. Mr. Allen, Rev. James D. Ray, and Elder Henry Reed was appointed to view the field, and report to Presbytery. They came and preached two sermons on Sabbath in the horse-mill of William Rambo that stood on the bank of the Ohio River, a short distance above Christler's Landing- now Shippingport. This committee made a favorable report to Presbytery, which then appointed Rev. John K. Cunningham to preach and organize a church in this neighborhood. Mr. Cunningham came and preached on Sabbath, June 17, 1832, in a grove on the stream near William Connor's, and the next day met the people at the house of Mr. Connor and organized a church of thirty members, who presented letters from the con- gregations of Mt. Carmel, Beaver, and Mill Creek, chiefly from the latter. Mr. John Potter, having been a ruling elder in the church of Mingo, Washington County, Pa., was then elected to the same office in this new organization, and installed by Mr. Cunningham. On September 2d, following, William Rambo and Jonathan Cross were ordained and installed as elders by Rev. James D. Ray. By a vote of the congregation the church was named Bethlehem, and it was decided to erect a church- building. The ground for this purpose and for a graveyard was donated by William Rambo, who also in the summer of 1832 built the church, the funds for which were raised by the people with some outside assistance. This was the first building
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