USA > Pennsylvania > Bradford County > History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 40
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The first class or society of Methodists in
MONROETON
was organized in the early part of this century. The lead- ing spirit in this was Father Cole, whose large log house and capacious log barn, with a large farm and large fields of corn attached, and controlled by his large heart, afforded a pleas- ant place for the weary itinerant. Quarterly meetings, love-feasts, communions, and all of the different services connected with the Methodist church, were held here. People would come from twenty miles around to attend one of these grand old quarterly meetings, where two hundred voices would sing, to the old tune of " Coronation,"
" All hail the power of Jesus' name ! Let angels prostrate fall."
Every heart was stirred. It was a grand preparation for the exercises which were to follow. Rev. E. H. Cranmer and S. W. Alden were converted here; both entered the ministry, and both have been presiding elders of the Troy district. Their present pastor is E. E. Morris, who has the charge of 106 members. There are two houses of worship, valued at $4000.
ULSTER.
There had been preaching with considerable regularity, and a class formed at the house of Captain Benjamin Clark, in Ulster, or old Sheshequin, as it was formerly called, since 1793. William Clark, who was a local preacher, moved west about 1817 or '18, when the society ceased to exist. In 1824 a new society was formed, being a part of Tioga circuit, and Abraham Goodwin was made the first class- leader. Since then the society has maintained its existence. The church at Ulster was built in 1854. Since then there has been a parsonage built upon the church, and a church at Milan. There are three preaching-places on the charge, viz .: Ulster, Milan, and Moore's Hill. N. N. Beers is the present pastor. The charge has a membership of 125, with a church and parsonage which are worth $2900.
TOWANDA.
The Methodist Episcopal church in Towanda was incor- porated by act of legislature, April, 1853, and the church building erected under the pastorate of Rev. Philo E. Brown, in 1837. Prior to that time, the few members of the society here worshiped in private dwellings, in the court-house, or school-house. The East Genesee conference held its session here in 1861, at which Bishop Baker presided. In 1869 the church edifice was rebuilt, enlarged, frescoed, carpeted, furnished with a good organ, and dedicated by Bishop Peck, March 16, 1870. The church has now a membership of about 300, and more than 200 connected with the Sabbath-school. The church is under the pas- torate of Rev. George C. Jones, and has 290 members, and value their church and parsonage at $15,500.
TROY.
The first Methodist Episcopal church building in Troy was erected under the pastorate of Rev. W. H. Knapp, and dedicated January, 1855. In 1871 a lot was purchased and a parsonage built, which, with the lot, cost $3000. The old church was sold in 1873, and a new one erected on a part of the parsonage lot, which was dedicated March 12, 1874. J. E. Williams has the pastoral care of the church, which numbers 160 members, with church and par- sonage valued at $11,000.
EAST TROY.
There is a church here of 108 members, which has two church edifices, one at East Troy and the other in Colum- bia, and a parsonage estimated at $5300. The pastor is D. Crow.
CANTON CHARGE
numbers 231 members, is under the pastoral care of G. W. Gibson, and value church and parsonage at $6500.
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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
EAST CANTON
reports on the charge 185 members, three church edifices, and a parsonage valued at $10,200. Rev. P. J. Bull is the pastor.
LIBERTY CORNERS AND ASYLUM
is a strong field, and at present in the care of Rev. M. G. Kymer. At Liberty Corners, or Hollow Hill, is a church and parsonage, and at Asylum is a very neat building. The property altogether is estimated at $7800; the membership is 153.
ALBANY
is in the charge of the Rev. J. C. B. Moyer, whose mem- bership is 102, and whose two churches are valued at $3000.
WILMOT
is a large field, covering the townships of Wilmot and Terry, and is now in charge of Rev. L. R. Crippin ; it has a mem- bership of 93, in four societies. There are eight or nine appointments on the charge. They have a parsonage at Terrytown, valued at $1000.
SPRINGFIELD CHARGE
has 142 members, and is in the charge of Rev. J. R. Drake. Its two church buildings and parsonage are esti- mated at $6900.
WELLS,
under the pastorate of Rev. T. Jolly, has a membership of 82, and two houses of worship and a parsonage, together valued at $5200.
ATHENS.
Not far from 1810, George Harmon preached at Mr. Saltmarsh's tavern in Athens probably the first sermon ever preached in the neighborhood by a Methodist preacher. About the same time a Methodist by the name of Shippy, a blacksmith, lived in a log house near the tavern, and held meetings in his house, in which his neighbors of different denominations united. About 1832 a class was organized in the village, and regular appointments were made at the academy. In 1834 there were only two members of this class ; new members, however, were soon added. In 1843 the academy burned down, when the society became incor- porated, and proceeded to build a church, which was dedi- cated the next year. This house was burned in 1852, and was replaced the same year by the present brick edifice, costing about $1800. The Sabbath-school was organized in 1844 under Chester Park as its superintendent, and still continues. Among the class-leaders are the names of C. Harsh, Chester Park, William Norton, John Drake, A. A. Kinner, and Thomas Grantham. The charge embraces two societies, one at Athens and one at Sayre, besides a small class at Sutliff Hill. The membership of the charge is 154, of which Rev. W. N. Cobb has the pastoral care. The church is connected with the Owego district.
STATISTICS.
There are in the county 24 separate charges ; 3 distriets and 2 conferences each occupy part of the territory. As we have traced the progress of the church from its small beginning in 1792 down to its present commanding position
of wealth, numbers, and influence, and remember that all this has been wrought in about eighty-five years, we can but admire the wisdom and patience of the men who estab- lished here her dwelling and nurtured her growth.
There are in Bradford County, in the Wyalusing district, 6 charges, 1099 members, 6 conference preachers, and 7 loeal preachers ; in the Troy district, 15 charges, 1994 members, 13 conference preachers, and 13 loeal preachers ; in the Owego district, 4 charges, 3 conference preachers, 724 members, and 11 local preachers,-making altogether 22 conference preachers, 31 local preachers, 25 charges, and 3817 members.
AFRICAN M. E. CHURCH OF TOWANDA.
Abont 1853, Elder Blaine (white), of the Wesleyan Methodist faith and conference, organized a little society of the colored people of Towanda, and preached to them for a time irregularly, and finally organized a church under that conference held at Rochester, this being the only Afriean church in that conference during its connection with that body. White clergymen supplied the church with preach- ing until some time about 1862-63, when Solomon Cooper, a colored man, was licensed as a preacher by the Rochester conference, and was given the especial charge of the To- wanda church. Mr. Cooper was subsequently ordained as an elder by the conference, and remained with the church some seven or eight years. In 1868-69, Elder Cooper left the Wesleyan connection and went to the Methodist Epis- copal conference, taking his charge with him into that fold, but did not continue to preach to this church long after- wards .* He was succeeded by J. Broaden, who preached about a year, and then for a time the church was left with- out a shepherd. William Smith finally was seeured as pas- tor, and about that time (1874-75) the church joined the Zion conference at Philadelphia, and since that time has been regularly supplied by that body with pastors. Rev. S. Thompson succeeded Mr. Smith, being in turn succeeded by Rev. John Tyler, in 1877, and he by the present pastor, Elder Macaw. The membership of the church is about 21.
A church edifiee-the present one-was built in 1854- 55, on State street, between Second and Third, at a cost of $2200, and is at the present time being thoroughly re- paired and renewed. It is of wood, with basement and audienee-room, the latter about 30 by 40 feet, with 125 sittings, and with its site is valued at $3000.
A Sunday-school was organized soon after the organiza- tion of the church, and has been kept in operation for the greater part of the time since. It numbers some 20 scholars, and has a small library. Joseph Johnson is the present superintendent and principal teacher.
The present officers of the church are as follows : Trus- tees, Lewis Lee, Pearson Jones, and Samuel Powell ; Stew- ards, Matthew Young and Jerry Geeder.
PROTESTANT AND WESLEYAN METHODISTS.
About the years 1832 or 1833 a society made its ap- pearance, called Protestant Methodists. They were mostly seceders from the Methodist Episcopal church, differing
# Mr. Cooper died a few weeks prior to this writing (1878).
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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
from the latter mainly in the form of church government and on the question of slavery, and not in theological doc- trines or mode of worship. In the matter of church gov- ernment they claimed to be more liberal, having neither bishop nor presiding elder. They also declared it to be the first duty of the church to demand the immediate emanci- pation of persons held in bondage. From 1835 to 1845 this denomination had a large and respectable membership in this county. They had societies formed in Albany, Towanda township, Pike, Herrick, Wilmot, Burlington, Granville, Springfield, and other places. Another secession followed, mostly from the Protestants, called Wesleyans, using nearly the same ritual and mode of worship. The distinguishing feature of this new sect was their earnest and uncompromising opposition to slavery.
After the War of the Rebellion and the emancipation of the slaves, the leaders of this denomination have mostly united with the Methodist Episcopals. In each of these divisions were some of the most intelligent and earnest Christian men in the country. The purity of their charac- ter and their conscientious devotion to the principles of liberal church government and personal freedom are the best evidences of their sincerity. There are small congre- gations of the Protestants in Wilmot, Alhany, and Burling- ton, and a flourishing congregation of Wesleyans at East Herrick, hut none of them have furnished statistics of their numbers or strength. They are being rapidly absorbed by their stronger sister.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
As has been remarked, the first settlers in this county were nearly all Congregationalists in sentiment. Previous to the battle of Wyoming the settlers were so few and the settlements so recent that no minister had attempted to live among them. There is a tradition, which seems to be well authenticated, that Rev. Jacob Johnson, of Wyoming, was accustomed to visit friends here, especially the family of Mr. York, and that on these occasions he preached to the few settlers who could be gathered in. If this be cor- rect, it was doubtless the first preaching of any kind for white people within the limits of the county. Mr. John- son was an earnest Christian preacher of the Congregational church, whose faithful preaching, abundant sacrifices, ardent patriotism, and as ardent defense of the Connecticut title, endeared him to all the New England people settled in the Susquehanna valley.
Among the chaplains who accompanied the Sullivan ex- pedition in 1779 was the Rev. Samuel Kirkland, who had been previously a missionary among the Oneida In- dians, and by whose influence that tribe were induced either to remain neutral or cast in their lot with the Americans in the Revolutionary war. The school which he founded was the nucleus of Hamilton college. During the occupa- tion of Tioga Point by the army he doubtless preached to his division, as did other chaplains in the service.
After the settlers had begun to return to this valley on the dawn of peace, missionaries sent out by the Connec- ticut missionary society visited this region to look after the scattered sheep in the wilderness. Among these was the Rev. Jabez Culver, who was here as early as the spring of
1791. In that year Col. Thomas Proctor, who, it will be remembered, commanded the fleet in the Sullivan expedi- tion in 1779, was sent by the United States government to the Indians of the Six Nations, for the purpose of concili- ating some of their chiefs who refused to attend the treaty at Athens. Spent the night of March 26 at Mr. William Wynkoop's, then living at or near Chemung. Here he met Mr. Culver. He says in his journal of this date,* " Took up our quarters this night in company with Mr. Jabez Colloor, a dissenting minister, at the aforesaid Wyncoop's, with whom we spent a most agreeable evening, and, during our conversation together, he enjoined me, in a very becom- ing manner, should I at any time see the honorable Major- General Sullivan, late the commander-in-chief against the Indians in the year 1779, to tender to him the grateful thanks of himself and his parishioners, inhabitants of the district of Tioga, for opening a way into the wilderness, under the guidance of Providence, to the well-doing of hundreds of poor families for life."
From this paragraph it would appear that Mr. Culver had been some time on the field, and had labored with some success in northern Pennsylvania and southern New York, among the frontiersmen and their families, since he speaks of them as his " parishioners." So far as records have been obtained, Mr. Culver is the pioneer preacher into this re- gion, " the very first to blow the gospel trumpet."
The very first church of which there is any record of its organization is the church of Wysox, which was organized by Mr. Culver Oct. 3, 1791, with fourteen members. Of these were Fosters, from Sugar creek, Franklins and Guth- ries, from Hornbrook, besides the settlers at Wysox. Nov. 5, 1791, seven others were admitted to the church. Isaac Foster and Jchiel Franklin were chosen deacons, and Elisha Hubbard serihe. This was indeed a " church in the wilder- ness," separated by a distance of at least eighty miles from any organization of Christian people.
The next year Rev. Ebenezer Martin had succeeded Mr. Culver, and is with the church June 17 and October 20 of 1792. On each of these occasions persons were admitted to membership. Mr. Martin is also found with the church May 4, 1794. How much of this time he had spent in labors in this county cannot now be known. The form of the organization seems to have been borrowed from churches common in Connecticut, for in 1795 four ruling elders, viz., Isaac Foster, Jehiel Franklin, William Coolbaugh, and Jonathan Arnold Franklin, were elected, and in 1796 one more, viz., Zachariah Price ; and yet it was all the while a Congregational church. There is no record to be found of any more church meetings till 1807, when the officers were called upon to report on certain " irregularities," which were disturbing the peace of the brotherhood. Previous to this we cannot tell who were the supplies of the church. It is quite likely that Rev. Ira Condit, a missionary sent out by the general assembly of the Presbyterian church, preached here in 1793. In 1795, Rev. Daniel Thatcher was on the ground, and died suddenly at the house of Mr. Henry Strope this year.
Another item is deserving of mention. A convention of
# Pa. Ar., 2d series, vol. iv. p. 559.
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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the churches of Smithfield, Wysox, Orwell, Wyalusing, and Braintrim was held at Wysox, Feb. 16, 1804, at which they resolved to take more decided stand against the pre- vailing evils of the day, and especially against Sabbath- breaking, profanity, and gambling, and offenders were threat- ened with the rigors of the law if they did not desist.
In 1809, Manasseh Miner York was engaged for $140 a year to preach one-half of the time; this half to be equally divided between Wysox and the west side of the Susque- hanna, now Towanda. But the " irregularities" previously existing still continued, and it was becoming more and more necessary to take measures to correct them. The officers of the church had failed to restore order, though they had had three years to school the church into obedi- ence. A regular course of discipline seems to have become impracticable. To remove the long-existing evils, the church adopted the expedient of what they called recove- nanting. A meeting was called, and as many of the mem- bers as were disposed to do it entered anew into solemn covenant engagements, and these were declared to consti- tute the church of Wysox. The number recovenanting was 24. The number who did not recovenant is not given. They now had no elders, but in 1815 they seem to have had some sort of house of worship; but what it was, or where it stood, the writer cannot find. In 1820, Mr. York was dismissed, and Lyman Richardson succeeded him. But in 1827 we find Mr. York again on the ground, having come from the presbytery of Geneva. The records are ir- regular and confused, and particulars cannot be given ; but there were now two churches on the ground, and two ministers. In 1829 one of the churches had 53 mem- bers, and the other 33. The one last formed was a Presbyterian church. They applied to the presbytery for admission. The presbytery pronounced them out of order, but after much hesitation received them. In 1830 the other church adopted the confession of faith and Pres- byterian form of government; and in the same year Mr. York died, and Mr. Richardson left the ground, and the two churches were united, with the Rev. John Dorrance for their minister. They proceeded at once to finish the brick church, which had been before begun. Mr. Dorrance la- bored there with acceptance and success for two or three years. An act of incorporation was obtained, with the chartered name of " The Old Presbyterian Church of Wy- sox." Matters went on, with some troublesome cases of discipline, till the " exscinding acts" of 1837. These acts did not affect the church of Wysox, but they were made the occasion of stirring up old feelings anew. A portion of the church, professing grief for the exscinding act, formed a separate organization, and eventually joined the presbytery of Montrose. Thus matters stood in 1870. Since the great reunion these two churches are again together as one. The church has no pastor, but reports a membership of 50. Its history has been a checkered one; sometimes enjoying great prosperity, at others broken by feuds and quarrels, usually having able and pious ministers, but once, at least, suffering from the unchristian and criminal conduct of one who was sent from the church to the penitentiary, it has never- theless, for eighty-seven years, maintained its visibility as a church of Christ.
WYALUSING.
The first public Christian worship held in this place after the Revolutionary war was in the house of Mrs. Lucretia Miner York, under the direction of an old man, whose name was Gideon Baldwin, living near Browntown, in the latter part of the year 1785. This old man and his wife, with Mrs. York, were the only religious persons at that time in this neighborhood. These two families agreed to meet every Sabbath for religious worship, and invited their neighbors to join them. The old man read a psalm and offered prayer, and Mrs. York's son, Mannassah Miner, read a selected sermon. The good effects of this service were soon apparent. Attendance upon the meetings became quite general, Sabbath profanation in a great measure ceased, and the good order and morals of the community greatly improved.
In the years from 1786 to 1793 several pious families settled in the neighborhood. The Rev. Ira Condit visited them occasionally as a missionary, and on June 30, 1793, organized the first Presbyterian church in the whole valley drained by the north branch of the Susquehanna. The meeting was held in a log school-house, which stood very near where the church now stands. The organization con- sisted of 13 members. Uriah Terry was at the same time ordained and installed ruling elder.
In 1794, Rev. Noble Judd visited the church, and ten persons were added to the church. The next year Rev. Daniel Thatcher visited the church, and the record shows they contributed for his support $4. There is a gap of twelve years in the records. In 1800 we find the Rev. Daniel Buck commenced preaching for the church one- fourth of his time, and continued for three years. Sep- tember, 1809, the church assumed the Congregational form of government. At this meeting Mr. York was called to be pastor of the church, and was ordained and settled the 27th of October following; and in 1811, the church having adopted the constitution of the Luzerne association, became a part of that body. Mr. York remained with the church nine years, but removed in 1818, and there was no stated preaching for several years. Rev. Salmon King and Ebenezer Kingsbury were occasionally present, and admin- istered the sacrament. In 1826 the church was visited by a committee of presbytery, and initiatory steps were taken which ultimately resulted in the church becoming Presby- terian again. As the valley of the Wyalusing had become more thickly settled, the meetings were most frequently held in the school-house at Merryall. After a great deal of ex- ertion a subscription sufficient to warrant the undertaking was raised, and Mr. Justus Lewis agreed to build the house, which was commenced in 1828, and dedicated nearly three years afterwards. As showing something of the difficulty with which such an undertaking was carried on in those days, Mr. Lewis says that on that subscription he did not receive one dollar in money, but took grain, produce, lumber, or whatever the people could spare, to the amount which had been subscribed. In 1830, Rev. Simeon R. Jones commenced preaching for the church, and continued for nearly two years. March, 1831, the church became Pres- byterian again, with 26 members, and April 7, 1832, called Mr. George Printz to the pastorate, and he was ordained
158
HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
at a meeting of the presbytery, held in the new church, June 28. Samuel F. Colt succeeded Mr. Printz, De- cember, 1843, ten years pastor; Lucius W. Chapman, February, 1854, three and a half years pastor; Darwin Cook, April, 1858, the present pastor. John Taylor, Aden Stevers, William Bradshaw, Hiram Stevens, and Chester Wells, ruling elders in 1831; Edwin Lewis, H. W. Camp, Bascom Taylor, J. R. Welles, and Henry Styer, 1849; William Camp, Elisha Lewis, in 1855; J. J. Lewis, 1859; Milton Lewis, Martin Fee, C. W. Camp, 1869. The church owns a parsonage, and reports a membership of 29.
SUSQUEHANNA ASSOCIATION.
This was formed in 1802, and consisted of Revs. Seth Williston, Joel Chapin, David Harrower, Seth Gage, and William Stone. In a circular, bearing date Oct. 28, 1807, entitled " A circular letter by the Susquehanna associa- tion to the churches in their connection," they say, " If this letter should fall into the hands of any who are unac- quainted with such an association, they are informed that it is composed of a small number of Congregational minis- ters and churches, living on and near the Susquehanna river, in the States of New York and Pennsylvania." The names of the churches are not given. We hear nothing more of this association, and know not how it came to its end.
ORWELL.
The next in the order of time was the church of Orwell, organized Oct. 10, 1804, by Seth Williston and James Woodward, missionaries from the Connecticut Congrega- tional missionary society, and consisted of nine members. This church subsequently became centered at Le Raysville, and is now known as the Congregational church of Pike. Rev. Benoni Mandeville was ordained its pastor, Oct. 12, 1812, and was deposed from the ministry Jan. 5, 1814. The church still continues its existence at Le Raysville as a Congregational church.
LUZERNE ASSOCIATION.
The Luzerne association was formed Nov. 2, 1810, with the following ministers, viz .: Ebenezer Kingsbury, from the church of Harford ; Ard. Hoyt, from the church of Wilkes-Barre and Kingston ; Manasseli Miner York, from the church of Wysox ; and Joel Chapin. Where Joel Cha- pin was laboring the record does not state. Seven churches were represented by their delegates, viz. : Daniel Hoyt, from the church of Wilkes-Barre and Kingston ; Aden Stevens, of Wyalusing; Wm. Johnson, of Orwell ; Moses Thatelier, of Harford ; Joshua W. Raynsford, of the first church of Bridgewater (Montrose), Joshua Miles, of the second church of Bridgewater, and Henry V. Champion, of Black Walnut Bottom.
The second meeting of the association was held in Kings- ton, Sept. 11, 1811. At this meeting the church of Smith- field joined the association by their delegate, Solomon Morse : also the churches of Salem and Palmyra. Niue churches were now in the association, with an aggregate membership, as the record of the meeting states, of 134 males and 176 females, and 517 baptized children, or 310 members and 517 baptized children. Probably not all of
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