History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 41

Author: Craft, David, 1832-1908; L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 812

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these were children of the members, for some of these early preachers baptized children whose parents were neither of them communicants in any church.

The third meeting of the association was in Orwell, June 16, 1812. The church of Wysox was received by their delegate, Jacob Myer, and also the church of Rush, after- wards called Middletown. At this meeting the preliminary steps were taken to receive into the body a church at Athens, for as yet no church had been formed at Athens. Mr. Wm. Wisner, since that time so widely known as Dr. Wisner, was then laboring in Athens as a licentiate of the associate presbytery of Morris county, N. J.

The association held an adjourned meeting in Athens, July 7, 1818, and Mr. Wisner received the laying-on of the hands of the association, and the church of Athens was organized. Rev. Simeon R. Jones joined the association June 15, 1813. He continued a member till death, March 13, 1857, at the age of eighty-four. He was a member forty-four years.

The seventh session of the association as it numbered its meetings, was in Waterford, June 21, 1814. At this meeting the newly organized church of Murraysfield was received with fifteen members. It was afterwards called Springfield. This church soon disappears from the roll of the association, without any notice of the reason or manner of its disappearance.

The association met in Orwell, Jan. 14, 1814. Here the name of John Bascom appears on the records, and a committee was appointed to install him over the church of Smithfield, and also to install William Wisner over the church of Athens.

Again they met, September, 1815, in Bridgewater. Here the Rev. Salmon King was examined and received as a member. He came from Greensburgh, Vermont.

February 15, 1816, the church of Pike first appears on the roll.

By the fall meeting of 1817, the Rev. John Bascom had been dismissed from the ehnrch of Smithfield, and Mr. Wisner from Athens; both, as the record states, for want of support. They were useful and highly esteemed in their respective charges, but the people were few and generally poor.

As early as 1815, the association had begun to consider the expedieney of uniting with the Presbyterian denomi- nation. At a meeting held in Colesville, N. Y., Sept. 16, 1817, they resolved to change the name of Luzerne asso- ciation to that of the Susquehanna presbytery. It was, however, only a change of name, for they made no change in form, and not a single church in their connection was Presbyterian in form ; even Wyalusing had become Con- gregationalist.

The so-called Susquehanna presbytery met in Wells, June 19, 1821. Here they made record of thanks to God for revivals of religion in Warren, Pike, Orwell, Wysox, and Towanda. The whole number added to the churches is not given, but it is stated that thirty-eight were added to the church of Wysox during the year.

Church meetings were often held in barns, although there seems to have been some sort of house of worship before this in Wysox. Sometimes the people in Wysox

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

met those of Towanda at a half-way place ; this half-way place was Mr. Means' barn, on the Wysox side of the Sus- quehanna. The word of the Lord was precious in those days, and the good people were ready to submit to many inconveniences to enjoy the privileges of the gospel.

The association had borne the name without the form of a presbytery for four years. By this time the people had become accustomed to the name of Presbyterians, and would be the less disinclined to take the form. Accordingly, at a meeting in Harford, Sept. 18, 1821, a resolution was passed to seek admission into the synod of New York and New Jersey. The following is an extract from the minutes of that meeting :

" The Susquehanna presbytery, consisting of six ministers able to labor, and two unable, and having under their eare twenty-four feeble churches, and covering nearly one hundred milos squaro, and em- bracing about forty thousand inbabitants, lamenting the needy state of those precious sonls, and eonseions of their own weakness and in- ability to afford the requisite relief, one year sinee took under serious consideration the subject of secking a connection with the churches under the care of the general assembly. And after much inquiry and prayerful reflection, not being able to devise any plan of equal promise to inerease the means of sound Christian instruction in their needy and extensive region, and to advance the interests of the Re- deemer's kingdom,-

" 1. Resolved, That we will seek a connection with the churches under the care of the general assembly.

" 2. Resolved, That this body will adopt the Confession of Faith and Book of Discipline of the general assembly.

" 3. Resolved, That we will seek a connection with the synod of New York and New Jersey, and endeavor to have the minutes of pres- bytery so formed that they may be accepted by the synod, provided the individual churches be allowed to manage their own concerns in their nsual, or congregational, manner.

"4. Resolved, That the Rev. Cyrus Gildersleeve, Rev. Simeon R. Jones, Rev. Lyman Richardsou, and Brother Henry V. Champion be a committee to earry forward an attested copy of the minutes of this presbytery to the synod at its ensuing session in Newark, on the third Tuesday in October, and use their endeavor to obtain the connection desired."

The synod received the presbytery in October, 1821, on the " Plan of Union."

The eight ministers in the body were Ebenezer Kings- bury, Cyrus Gildersleeve, Simeon R. Jones, Oliver Hill, Lyman Richardson, Salmon King, Joel Chapin, and Joseph Wood. The two who were unable to labor were probably Joel Chapin and Joseph Wood.

Of the twenty-four churches the following were in this county, viz., Wysox, Wyalusing, Smithfield, Pike, Orwell and Warren, Athens, and Wells. Of these Smithfield and Pike never became Presbyterian, while of Wysox and Wy- alusing we have given an account. Of the remaining three brief notices will be given.

ATHENS.

The region about Tioga Point was in a deplorable re- ligious condition at the beginning of the present century. Sabbath desecration, intemperance, profanity, and horse- racing abounded, while wife-whipping was no uncommon occurrence, and wives had been turned out of doors for attending a religious meeting; and it was even boasted that an orthodox sermon had not been preached there for years. Mr. William Wisner, a lawyer in Elniira, be- coming convinced that he could be more useful as a min- ister, gave up a good practice, received license to preach,

and had been called to a desirable position in Bloomfield. Having a Sabbath to spare before removing, he was led to spend it in Athens. This was in January, 1812. He thought the novelty of hearing a lawyer preach would call out a large congregation. He found the academy crowded, and preached several times. Interest in his preaching was increasing. He urged the people to call upon the proper missionary agency for aid in supplying them with preach- ing, but they insisted he was the man they needed ; so, yielding to their solicitations, he declined the call from Bloomfield, and engaged to preach at Athens, at a salary of $220 a year. July 12, 1812, the Congregational church of Athens, consisting of twenty-two members, was organized. Mr. Wisner was installed pastor Jan. 7, 1815. The relation continued until Feb. 27, 1816. For the next six years the church had only occasional supplies. In 1822, Rev. John Williamson visited the church, was engaged as its minister, and continued with it until 1824. During this interval the church was greatly enlarged by the fruits of a revival, and, April 23, 1823, resolved to adopt the Presbyterian form of government, remain in connection with the presbytery, and elected two ruling elders.

In 1825, Rev. Isaac W. Platt became the minister. During his ministry a church edifiee was built, the first house of worship ever erected in the place.

December, 1829, the church adopted the "plan of union" scheme, remaining in connection with the Sus- quehanna presbytery. Rev. Samuel Schaeffer commeneed his ministerial labors in 1831, continuing about one year. In 1833, Rev. William C. Wisner, son of the first pastor, was with the church as its minister. He was followed by William M. Adams in 1835, and he by Rev. C. C. Corss in 1837. In May following the celebrated " exscinding act" was passed, repudiating the " plan of union" upon which this church then stood. A committee from the Susque- hanna presbytery visited the church to notify it that it had been severed from the presbytery ; also to take measures to organize a church in connection with the presbytery, to be strictly Presbyterian. A part of the church favored this, and a part opposed it ; in consequence a division followed. The church being thus divided, a question of church prop- erty was involved, which was finally settled by each party using the house alternately. Mr. Corss preached to the Old School church, so called, and Rev. Curtis Thurston to the New School. Mr. Thurston was pastor of the church for many years, and was succeeded by Rev. Nathaniel Elmer.

This state of things continued about twenty years, when the two churches united as a Reformed Dutch church July 21, 1858, the Dutch church becoming connected with the classis of Geneva. Rev. A. Todd, Rev. P. Berry, and Rev. J. Shaw were pastors during this arrangement.

The old church edifice was burned in 1861, and a new brick church was built in 1862.

After the reunion of the two general assemblies, in 1869, the church became Presbyterian, and united with Lackawanna presbytery April 18, 1871, having been, by its request, formally dismissed from the classis of Geneva April 25, 1870. After the connection with Lackawanna presbytery, Rev. Yates Hickey, Rev. Charles M. Whit-

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telsey, and Rev. H. H. Welles supplied the pulpit for a time. Rev. John McMaster commenced his labors with the church Oct. 1, 1873, and was installed pastor in May, 1874. He continues in the pastorate at this time (January, 1878).

THE CHURCH OF ORWELL AND WARREN

was organized Sept. 5, 1815, as a Congregational church, by Rev. John Bascom and Rev. Salmon King, with 8 mem- bers. Jannary, 1819, the number had increased to 33, with Levi Frisbie and Parley Coburn as deacons, and Mr. King as the pastor. The church became connected with the Luzerne association Sept. 18, 1817. The church by a unanimous vote changed its form of government to the Presbyterian, April 3, 1824, at Orwell, and Anson Collins, Chauncy Frisbie, Uri Cook, Milton Humphrey, Amos Co- burn, and Nathan Young were chosen elders, and ordained April 15. At a meeting held in the school-honse, in War- ren, April 5, the action taken at Orwell was unanimously approved. After a long deliberation the church, on account of the great distance between its two most important points, divided, Dec. 18, 1827, and the portion of the membership residing in Warren, 18 in number, were organized into a separate church, with Parley Coburn as both deacon and elder, and Moses Coburn, Nathan Young, and Aaron Corbin ruling elders, and were henceforth known as the church of Warren. Rev. Salmon King died April 15, 1839, " much lamented by the church and congregation." The subse- quent list of pastors and supplies and of its ruling elders has not been obtained. The church reports 37 members, and 34 members of the Sabbath-school. They have a good church building, a comfortable parsonage, with several acres of land attached.

THE CHURCH OF ORWELL,

was the name assumed by the remnant which was left after the division. The old church in which they worshiped was on the Ridge road, between the hill and Potterville; having become dilapidated, the congregation determined to erect a new house of worship, and the place selected was on the hill. At this a minority of the church took offense, and 23 seceded to form the Congregational church of Potterville. They were dismissed March 20, 1851. This church has always had supplies, most of whom have remained with the church only for one or two years. There are 66 members of the church and 100 connected with the Sabbath-school. They have a good church building, which is pleasantly situ- ated.

THE CHURCH OF WELLS.

In 1795, Rev. Daniel Thatcher organized a Presbyterian church in Elmira, and finding a few members in the corner of Wells, he constituted them into a branch of the same church. This little society survived but a few years, min- istered to mostly by Rev. Simeon Jones. July 4, 1810, a little girl was accidentally scalded so that she died, and as there were none who were professors of religion, she was buried withont Christian services. This produced very serious impressions on the minds of many. It was found there were a few pious women in the neighborhood who were Presbyterians, and reading- and prayer-meetings were soon established. Feb. 22, 1832, a committee from the

presbytery of Bath organized the church which took the name of the

CHURCH OF WELLS AND COLUMBIA,

with fifteen members. This was the successor of the old church of Wells. As the presbytery of Bath was con- nected with one of the exscinded synods, the church was connected with the New School body, but united with the presbytery of Susquehanna in 1841. Its ministers have been David Harrower, Stephen Sargent, Henry Ford, Eg- bert E. Roosa, David Abby, Benjamin Wells, J. L. Riggs, Joel Jewell, George Pierson, Stephen A. Califf, and T. B. Jervis. Mr. Jewell has served the church more than six- teen years. They have a house of worship, erected in 1839, and at the last report there was a membership of 36 souls.

PRESBYTERY OF SUSQUEHANNA.

At a meeting in Wysox, in 1823, James Williamson, a licentiate laboring in Athens, was ordained as an evangel- ist. The body had now, in all, eleven ministers for a terri- tory one hundred miles square, and a population of above 40,000. There were not more than twenty-five ministers, of all denominations, on all this ground, as records made at the time state. By the end of the year 1824 the number of min- isters had been reduced to seven. At the meeting in April, 1825, the presbytery lamented the languishing state of some of its churches, the prevailing intemperance, Sabbath desecration, and profanity, and add, " our extensive bounds present almost one continued scene of moral desolation." In 1831, Rev. Isaac W. Platt, who had been stated supply in Athens five years, was dismissed, William Franklin ordained and installed over the church of Smithfield, and George Printz over the churches of Wyalusing and Brain- trim. John Dorrance came to Wysox, and the next year Rev. Samuel Henderson was installed pastor of the churches of Orwell and Pike. This year (1832) was a year of awakening and revival, and more than 300 members were added to the churches. At this time presbytery advised the churches under their care " to lay aside their written constitutions and adopt that of the Presbyterian church of the United States." When this was done by all of the churches who had, according to the custom of Congrega- tionalist churches, adopted constitutions and articles, is not known; the church of Warren did this March 2, 1833. The presbytery was divided by the synod of New Jersey in October, 1832, and the presbytery of Montrose erected out of its territory.

Nothing worthy of especial notice occurred for three or four years, and we pass on to the year 1837, when the " plan of union" was abrogated by the general assembly, and the famous " exscinding acts" were passed, by which the four synods that came into the assembly on that plan were declared "out of ecclesiastical connection with the Presbyterian church in the United States of America." The ministers at this time in the body were nine,-Salmon King, John Rhodes, Isaac Todd, George Printz, Oscar Harris, Charles C. Corss, John Dorrance, Simcon R. Jones, and Richard Andrus. The churches in this county were Warren, Pike, Orwell, Wyalusing, Wysox, Towanda, Athens, Smithfield, Troy, and Canton.

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Soon after the assembly of 1837 presbytery took meas- ures to have all their churches adopt the Presbyterian form in full. The only ones that had not previously done so were Pike, Smithfield, and Athens. These three churches, not complying with the direction of the presbytery, were no longer continued in their connection. Early in the year 1838, however, a portion of the church of Athens was organized in the Presbyterian form and received into the presbytery.

The Rev. John Dorrance, pastor of the church of Wilkes- Barre, was commissioner to the general assembly in 1843. An overture was presented to that body by him, asking to have a specific number of ministers and churches deseribed in the overture erected into a new presbytery, to be called the presbytery of Luzerne. The assembly acceded to his wishes, and a large part of the territory of the old presby- tery was taken into the new body. From this to the time of the reunion of the two branches of the Presbyterian church, which was consummated in 1870, nothing of especial interest is to be noted. The usual work of presby- teries was done, and harmony prevailed in the body. It had organized ten churches in Bradford County, licensed, ordained, and installed ministers, dissolved pastoral rela- tions, received and dismissed ministers, watched the purity of its churches, and fostered the spirit of benevolence in its members. In the reorganization which followed the reunion the presbyteries of Susquehanna, Montrose, and the greater part of Luzerne were consolidated into the pres- bytery of Lackawanna, which covers nearly the same terri- tory as the original Susquehanna presbytery.

Brief sketehes will be given of the ten churches organ- ized during the period covered by the old presbytery.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, TROY.

This society was originally organized as a Congregational church, under the care of the old "Presbytery of Susque- hanna," March 21, 1822. Sixteen persons united with the church at its organization; only one of this number is now living, viz., Mrs. Laura Pomeroy, aged eighty-three years.

April 13, 1833, this church became distinetively Pres- byterian, and united with the presbytery of Susquehanna as the "First Presbyterian church and congregation of Troy, Pa." Its first ruling elders were Solomon Morse, Ebenezer Pomeroy, and Isaae Tears.

The first house of worship, a small frame building, fifteen by thirty feet, was erected mainly by the labor and generosity of Elder Solomon Morse and family, in 1828. The growth of the congregation soon demanded the erection of a second and much larger sanctuary, which was dedi- cated Nov. 29, 1848, during the pastorate of Rev. Isaac Todd.

The corner-stone of the elegant and commodious church building now occupied by this society was laid by the pre- sent pastor, Rev. S. L. Condé, Sept. 16, 1875, and the completed house was dedicated free of debt Dec. 20, 1876. It is built of brick, with pressed stone trimmings, slate roofs, and a spire 135 feet in height.

The plans were prepared by Lawrence B. Valk, architect, of New York, according to suggestions furnished by the

pastor, and embrace an auditorium sixty by sixty feet, pro- vided with rising floor and circular seats, to accommodate a congregation of nearly six hundred; a church parlor, thirty by sixty-two feet, with kitchen adjoining, and a spa- cious Sunday-school room, thirty by sixty-two feet, over the parlors and kitchen. The auditorium is provided with a very superior organ of thirty registers, designed by and built under the supervision of the pastor, by William King, of Elmira, N. Y. The entire cost of the building and furniture was a little over $30,000.

The following-named clergymen have served the church as pastors, or stated supplies, since its organization : Rev. David Harrower, stated supply, 1833 to 1836; Rev. Isaac Todd, first pastor, from March, 1842, to August, 1851; Rev. J. K. Cornyn, stated supply, 1852 to 1853 ; Rev. H. L. Doolittle, second pastor, 1854 to 1856; Rev. Sidney Mills, stated supply, 1857 to 1858; Rev. J. G. Carnachan, third pastor, from July, 1858, to May, 1866; Rev. Samuel F. Colt, stated supply, 1866 to 1867; Rev. L. S. Fine, stated supply, from June, 1868, until his death, Mareh 5, 1869 ; Rev. Edward H. Camp, fourth pastor, from April 28, 1870, to April 8, 1872. Rev. Samuel L. Condé, fifth and present pastor, commenced to serve the church Nov. 1, 1872, and was installed pastor by presbytery of Lacka- wanna, May 20, 1873.

The ruling elders of the church have been Ebenezer Pomeroy, Solomon Morse, Isaae Tears, Eli Baird, Ezra S. Jewell, Alfred Waldron, Jas. B. Adams, Layton Runyon, Dr. N. Smith, Fred'k Whitehead, Daniel F. Pomeroy, E. B. Parsons, Theo. Waldron, Jonathan Peck, N. M. Pomeroy, Edward Vandine, Geo. L. Peek, and Daniel Compton. The six last-named persons are the present ruling elders of the church. Elder Jonathan Peck has filled his office nearly thirty years.

The present membership of the church is 210, one hun- dred of whom have been added to the church during the present pastorate. The average Sabbath congregation dur- ing the year past has been 360 ; average Sunday-school at- tendance, 175.

THE CHURCH OF TOWANDA.

The church of Towanda was an offshoot from Wysox. In 1821 that church was blessed with a marked revival, and 38 were added to its communion. A number of these were living on the west side of the river. In accordance with a request of the church that it might be divided, presbytery appointed a committee which met the applicants for the new church at the court-house in Towanda, Oct. 25, 1825, and there constituted them into a separate organization. The new church was constituted with 16 members. Rufus Foster, John B. Hinman, John Fox, and Ephraim Ladd, were chosen ruling elders ; Rufus Foster, deacon ; and J. B. Hin- man, clerk. The church struggled against great opposition until the winter of 1831, when Rev. John Dorrance, then preaching at Wysox, assisted by Rev. Nicholas Murray, of Wilkes-Barre, afterwards so widely known as " Kirwan," commenced a series of meetings in the court-house, and the following summer 34 were added to the church, and in April a membership of 50 is reported. In September, 1833, the church gave a unanimous call to Rev. Oscar Harris to be-

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

come their pastor, at a salary of $400 per annum, which he accepted,-was ordained and installed pastor of the church the October following. In 1834 there was not a church edifice in Towanda. This church, however, determined to build one: a site was settled on Pine, between Main and Second streets, and during the fall of 1835 the church was completed and opened for worship. Aug. 7, 1837, Mr. Harris resigned his pastorate, and was succeeded by Rev. Julius Foster in December, who was ordained and installed pastor, Feb. 4, 1838. The old church becoming unsafe, the present building was erected and finished in the spring of 1855. Mr. Foster continued the pastor of the church until his death, Jan. 16, 1865, a period of twenty-seven years. He was a faithful and able preacher, greatly beloved by his church, and respected by all who knew him. He was a stanch defender of the truth, a prudent counselor, and bore an unblemished reputation. Over hills, along rough roads, through storms and heats, he rode far and near, to answer some special call for his services or to attend some meeting of the church-courts. He was succeeded in the pastorate by Rev. Wm. Harris, who had supplied the church during the latter part of 'Mr. Foster's illness. In 1866 was wit- nessed a remarkable revival under the preaching of Rev. E. P. Hammond, whose services had been obtained by the Young Men's Christian Association, and 73 were added to the church in that year. Uuder Mr. Harris' pastorate, the building was enlarged and the church was quickened in all of its activities. He resigned in January, 1870, and in March of that year Rev. John S. Stewart, D.D., was in- stalled pastor. The church has enjoyed a steady growth under his pastorate, and now numbers 324 members. The Sabbath-school is in a flourishing condition, with 350 con- nected with it. The congregation owns a pleasant parson- age on Second street.

THE CHURCH OF CANTON

was organized by a committee of the Susquehanna presby- tery at East Canton, Dec. 5, 1832, with a membership of 21 persons. For the first five years the church was but rarely supplied with preaching; then Mr. Todd, of the Troy church, preached monthly for four years, and Rev. Moses Ingalls semi-monthly from 1842 to 1845. In 1846 the church at East Canton was huilt, and the next year Philan- der Camp began his labors with the church,-was ordained and installed pastor in September, 1848, and resigned in March, 1857. In 1861 a house of worship was erected at Canton village, and the next year Mr. Camp again returned to supply the church, and was followed by Dr. John Cald. well, who was pastor until 1864. In June, 1865, Rev. S. P. Gates, the present pastor, began his labors in the congre- gation. He was ordained and installed pastor in September, 1866. The first elders were Jerome Wright, Oliver Bart- lett, and John Vandyke. Mr. Wright was thrown from his horse and killed, in the streets of Monroeton, May 17, 1836, in the midst of his usefulness. Mr. Bartlett also came to his death by accident, Jan. 24, 1863. Mr. Van- dyke was for nearly thirty years the clerk of the church session. The other elders have been Joseph Fellows, J. O. Randall, Dr. C. T. Bliss, T. S. Manly, Wm. Lawrence, and C. C. Wright. For a number of years the main congrega-

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History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 41

Author: Craft, David, 1832-1908; L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : L. H. Everts Number of Pages: 812

Author: Craft, David, 1832-1908; L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 812