History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 74

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1162

USA > Pennsylvania > Chester County > History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches > Part 74

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Lydia H. Kecch.

Hester Jefferis.

Elizabeth Woodward."

July 14, 1866, J. G. Powell, Sr., John Y. Woodward, and Job Keech were appointed a committee by the Hepzi- bah Baptist Church, of which they were members, to visit Newlin and see if a meeting-house was needed in that township; they reported favorably. In August, 1867, a " harvest home" was held in Daniel Pennock's woods, which realized $320. June 15, 1867, J. G. Powell, Strode Powell, William Entriken, J. N. Peirce, and Isaac Jefferis were appointed trustees for Newlin property, and J. N. Peirce, Isaac Jefferis, and William M. Powell a building committee. June 24, 1868, the meeting-house was located by Deacon Powell, Moses Keech, D. W. Hunter, and J. Stroud, and July 30th the masons began work, the corner- stone having been laid by Isaac Jefferis in the northeast corner. The basement, was opened for worship Dec. 3, 1869, when the pastor, Rev. D. W. Hunter, preached from Isaiah Ix. 13. Oct. 9, 1870, the main audience-room was opened for worship. A revival followed, lasting several weeks, and 33 persons were added by baptism. The house was dedicated Sept. 9 and 10, 1871, with a sermon by Rev. Simeon Seigfried from Psalms cxvi. 16, and one by Rev. James Trickett from Exodus xx. 24. The cost of the building was $2672.26. The subscribers were :

Isaac Jefferis. $320.00

Robert Irwin ..

$1.00

Joshua N. Peirce ...

300.00

Amanda Hawkins.

5.00

Proceeds of sale West

Ezra llall.

50,00

Bradford church ....... Proceeds of "harvest

308.00

David Pennock.

25.00

Wm. M. Powell ..

25.00

home," August, 1867.

320.00

John Y. Woodward

25.00

Hugh E. Steelc.

300.00

David Jefferis ...

105.00

Wm. E. Entriken.

100.00

John G. Powell, Sr

75.00

Robert Keech ..

5.00

Proceeds of "harvest home" in 1870.

310.00

Levi Conner

2.00

Joshua Stroud

25.00

William Hewlitts

2.50

James G. Young ..

25.00

Isaac Paulding.

5.00

Total subscriptions $2474.50

John G. Powell, Jr

25.00

25.00 Joshua B. Broomall .. Job Kecch ... 10.00

Moses Keech.

50.00

Lewis Sylvester.

1.00

Strode Powell

5.00

272

HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

The balance of the cost ($162) was paid by John G. Powell, Sr., John G. Powell, Jr., Strode Powell, Joshua B. Broomell, John T. Woodward, Robert Keech, William H. Jordan, and Willian Rubincam, each paying $20.25. The lot was purchased of Joshua N. Pierce for $100, which, with the fencing, furniture, stones, etc., added to the con- tract price, made the total cost of church edifice $3082.26.

OXFORD.

For two years past Rev. William R. McNeill, of Beulah, has preached to a number of Baptists at this place, and on the 12th of May, 1881, a council met and recognized theni as a church. No building is yet erected.

SEVENTH-DAY BAPTISTS OF NEWTOWN, NOTTINGHAM, AND FRENCH CREEK.

Morgan Edwards gives the following account of this body, first referring to the division in the Society of Friends, caused by George Keith and his adherents, some of whom became convinced of the doctrines of the Bap- tists :

"The Society of Keithians most forward in these matters was that kept at the house of Thomas Powell, in Upper Providence, which for- wardness, it is said, was owing to one Abel Noble, who visited them, and was a Seventh-Day Baptist minister when be arrived in this eouo- try. The time they began to put their designs in praeties was June 28, 1697, when the said Abel Noble baptized a public Friend (whoss name wss Thomas Martin) in Ridley Creek, Afterwards Mr. Martin baptized other Quakers, viz. : Thomas Powell, Evan Harry, Hugh Harry, John Palmer, Judith Calvert, Alce Vestal, Thomas Budd, Richard Dungworth, John Powell, David Thomas, Joho Hannum, Margery Hannum, Margery Martin, Mary Palmer, Elizabeth Powell, John Beckingham. To them joined one William Beckingham, who broke off from the church of Cohansey. These 19 persons did, Octo- ber 12, 1697, incorporate, and proceeded to choose a minister by lot. Three were put in nomination, William Beekingham, Thomas Budd, Thomas Martin ; the lot fell on the last, who the same day admin- istered the Lord's Supper to them for the first time. From that day forth other Keithian Quakers were baptized,-Ann Compton, Samnel Miles, Hannab Brunsden, William Thomas, Jane Phillips, Edward Lans, Edward Edwards, James Plumley, David Phillips, Elizabeth Paviour, Mary Clark, Elizabeth Hall, Rees Pries, ste.,-some of whom lived in other parts of the country ; hut in 1700 a difference arose among them touching the Sabbath which broke up the society. Such- as adhered to the observation of the Seventh day kept together at Newtown, where some of their posterity are to this day. The rest lay scattered in the neighborhood till Mr. Abel Morgan gathered together 15 of them and formed them into a society, now called the Church of Brandy wine."

The Keithian Baptists distinguished the days and months by numerical names, and held to plainness of language and dress; not swearing nor fighting.

Abel Noble is claimed to have been the first Seventh- Day Baptist in Pennsylvania, and to have arrived in 1684. His name is among the forty-eight who signed the reasons of the Keithian separation. That he signed this paper is evidence that he had been a Friend, to which may be added his marriage at Darby Meeting, in 1692, to Mary Garrett, a member thereof.

Speaking of the Seventh-Day Baptists, Mr. Edwards says,-

"The first society we shall mention is that at Newtown in Chester county, about 24 miles W. b. S. from Philadelphia. The meeting is kept at the house of David Thomas. Three families belong to this place, wbereof the following persons are baptized : David Thomas, John German, Hazael Thomas, Ruth Thomas, Priscilla Wune, Eliza- beth Wane [Wayne], Mary Gilky. This was their state in 1770. They

originated in 1700 in the manner described, but their ministers, mes- sieurs Martin, Beckingham and Budd dying, and none rising in their strad, they are reduced to a sinsll handful."

By deed of Jan. 30, 1717, Thomas Thomas, of New- town, conveyed half an acre of land to Philip Rhytherach, Henry Lewis, and David Thomas, all of Newtown, and within this lot the Seventh-Day Baptists buried their dead. The land had belonged to William Thomas, father of Thomas Thomas. It is now owned by the Newtown Bap- tist Church by purchase. The mother of Gen. Anthony Wayne, who was perhaps a Thomas, mentions in her will that four of her children had been buried here, and directs tombstones to be placed at their graves. Joseph Lewis, Jr., of Newtown, has kindly furnished information respect- ing this graveyard, with the following dates from the tomb- stones :

David Thomas, d. 9, 17, 1734, aged 64; David Thomas, son of Da- vid and Jane, d. Apr. 14, 1789, in his 79th year; Ruth, wife of David Thomas, d. Feb. 20, 1792, about the 60th year of her age; Margaret Thomas, daughter of David and Sarah, d. March 9, 1811, aged 24; David Thomas, d. Dec. 12, 1839, in 80th year ; Jane Thomas, d. 7, 23, 1730, aged 55; Margaret Iddings, d. Nov. 21, 1755, aged 84; Priseilla Wayne, wife of Humphrey, d. June 11, 1781, aged 74; Elizabeth Wayne, danghter of Humphrey and Priscilla, d. Aug. 28, 1758, aged 13 yrs., 7 mos., 18 d .; Margaret Wayne, d. Jan. 11, 1764, aged 16; William Wayne, son of llumphrey, d. Apr. 25, 1752, aged 3 years, 7 mos., 6 d .; Elizabeth Wayne, relict of Isaac Wayne, Esq., d. May, 1793, aged 84 years.

Morgan Edwards, in his account of the Seventh-Day Baptists, proceeds to say,-

"The third society of them is at Nottingham in Chester county. . . . The meeting is kept sometimes at the house of Abigail Price in said Nottingham, but chiefly at the house of Samuel Bond in Cecil county, in the province of Maryland. The families to which Nottingham is eentral are six, whereof 8 persons are baptized, viz. : Daniel Osborn, Joseph Osboro, Samuel Bond, Richard Bond, Richard Clayton, Abi- gail Price, Ann Bond, Mary Bond. Hore a Yearly Meeting is kept on the last Sabbath in August. This was their state in 1770. They orig- inated from the Keithians at Upper Providenes, but having no min- ister among them, and lying wide one of another, they have not increased.

"The other society of them is at French creek in East Nantmel township, county of Chester. Here is a meeting house 30 feet by 22, built in 1762, on a lot of one aere, the gift of David Rogers. Tho families belonging to the place are six, whereof 10 persons ars bap- tized,-Philip Thomas, Gwen Griffiths, David Rogers, Abel Griffiths, James Roberts, William Griffiths, Daniel Griffiths, Owen Hughs, Ed- ward Hughs and Ano Hughs. They have no stated worship in this house, though it be the only ons belonging to the Sabbstarians. This was their stats in 1770. They originated in the year 1726, when the following persons broke off from the Great Valley Church on account of their ebange of sentiments concerning the Sabbath : Philip Davis, Lewis Williams, Richard Edwards, Griffy Griffiths; and the next year William James. These five with their families removed to French creek in the fore said year. Philip Davis sud Lewis Williams did preach among them, and after them John Brayman, but for some time past they bave been as sheep without a shepherd."

This church was in what is now Warwick township, a short distance east of Knauertown. The old frame build- ing disappeared many years ago, but the graveyard remains, in which sleep the families of Templin, Thomas, Damp- man, Evans, Knauer, James, Harris, and others .*

* " The oldest tombstone which can be deciphered is that of Elizabeth Thomas, who died on the 21st of May, 1744, in the eightieth year of her age; next to it is that of her son, Philip Thomas, who died on Sept. 12, 1773, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. Another old tombstone marks the grave of Thomas Harris, who died Feb. 28, 1748,

273

EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.

In 1794 a petition was presented to the Legislature by the Seventh-Day Baptists, asking relief from the penalties attached to a non-observance of the first day of the weck as the Sabbath. Another petition in their behalf was signed by a number of other prominent citizens of this county.

DUNKERS (TUNKERS), OR GERMAN BAPTISTS.

Previous to the year 1724 the few brethren (Dunkers) who lived in Coventry were not joined together as a con- gregation ; but in the summer of that year, with the assist- ance of Bishop Peter Becker, of Germantown, they organ- ized themselves into a church, in order to observe all the ordinances of the Lord's house, and to walk together in love. On the evening of Nov. 7, 1724, they celebrated the " love feast" and the Lord's Supper for the first time, with eight communicants. Their names were Daniel Eiker and wife, Henry Landis and wife, Peter Heffley, Martin Urner, Sr., Owen Longacre, and Andrew Sell. Of these, Martin Urner served as an exhorter, and was their first minister, and in 1729 he was formally ordained, by the imposition of hands, to the office of bishop, in which capacity he served the church until his death, in 1755.

Morgan Edwards names the first minister Peter Urner, and says he was born in Alsace about 1695, and bred a Presbyterian ; came to America in 1715, became a Baptist in 1722, and was ordained by Rev. Alexander Mack in 1729. By his wife, Catharine Reist, he had children,- Mary, Martin, and Jacob, who married into the Woolf, Edis, and Light families. Assistant to Mr. Urner was one Casper Ingles. The next minister was Martin Urner, nephew of the first, born 1725, in New Hanover township, ordained 1756, and took on him the care of the congrega- tion. He married Barbara Sweitser, and had children,- Mary, Joseph, Martin, and Elizabeth. His assistant (in 1770) was Peter Reinhart.

At this time they had no public place of worship, but met in rotation at private houses. There were about 22 families, whereof 40 persons had been baptized, viz. :

Martin Urner (minister) and wife, Peter Reinhart (exhorter), Owen Reinhart, Henry Dasker and wife, Nicholas Harwick and wife, Abra- ham Gruh and wife, Christian Monsieur, Barbara Miller, Barbara Welty, Frederick Reinhart and wife, Barbara Urner, Elizabeth Ingles, Catharine Grumbacker, Catharine Boch, John Eiker, Jacob Pfauts and wife, Abraham Boch, Andrew Woolf, Esther Switzer, Wendle Danfelser, Henry Bear and wife, Jacob Sweitser and wifo, Maud Reinhart, Jacob Light and wife, Philip Waggoner and wife, Eliz. Holderman, Anthony Bernhard and daughter, John Light and wife

George F. P. Wanger furnishes, in addition to the fore- going, the following remarks :

" Among the noted ministers of this church were Rev. George Price (the first bishop), Rev. John Baugh, and Rev. John Price, known to all as ' Johnny Price, the boy preacher.' Under his supervision the present church was built, and through his instrumentality a Sunday-

school was organized about 110 years after the founding of the ohurch."

This is now known as " Price's meeting-house."

EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.

The churches of this denomination in Chester County are St. John's, in West Caln ; St. Peter's, in East White- land ; St. John's, in Penn ; St. Mary's, in Warwick ; St. Andrew's, in West Vincent; St. Peter's, at Phoenixville ; St. Mark's, in Honeybrook ; St. Paul's, in West White- land; Trinity, at Coatesville ; St. James', Downingtown ; Church of the Good Samaritan, Paoli; and Church of the Holy Trinity, in West Chester borough.

Sketches of most of the above are herewith given.

The Episcopal churches of St. Paul, at Chester, and St. Martin, at Marcus Hook, are claimed to have been built in 1702. We have seen specifications for building St. John's, in Concord, dated September, 1722. Henry Nayle, of Thornbury, in his will, dated June 11, 1726, says, " I give and bequeath the sum of five pounds towards ye finishing the church now a buildin in Concord," to be paid to such as shall be appointed to finish the same.

Jan. 24, 1765, all these churches petition the Assembly for aid, the minister, wardens, and vestry of St. John's representing that they " have at present a very small Place of Worship, the same being a Frame Building, with Clap- boards, erected about forty years ago; which wants consid- erable Enlargement by Reason of the great Number of ser- vants and others of low Circumstances who frequent it." The next day the House agreed that these three churches might receive £300 out of the proceeds of a lottery de- signed to aid the Episcopal Churches of Philadelphia and other parts of the province. The act authorizing the lot- tery was passed Feb. 15, 1765, but there was much delay in disposing of the tickets, and the time of drawing was postponed more than once.

ST. DAVID'S, RADNOR.

St. David's (commonly called Radnor) Episcopal church, situated about a mile and a half southwest of Radnor Station, Pennsylvania Railroad, at the junction of New- town township, Delaware County, and Easttown township, Chester County, was established by a colony of Welsh- men, who emigrated from Radnorshire, Wales, about the year 1685. Concerning the early history of this ven- erable institution very little is definitely known. Tradition speaks decidedly of a log church near the site of the present edifice as early as the seventeenth century, which was finally burnt. A more accurate authority, however, being letters published in Dr. William S. Perry's work, entitled " His- torical Collections of American Colonial Churches," shows us that service was first held from the year 1700 to 1704, by the Rev. Evan Evans (missionary at Christ Church, Philadelphia), at the house of a William Davis ; and this fact of services held here prior to the erection of the present edifice is somewhat corroborated by the fact that in the old church register are recorded births of children in the year 1706. Oldmixon, also, who wrote in 1708, mentions a " congregation of Church-of-England men" at Radnor; while the ruins of an old log house on the property of .

aged thirty-four years. Richard Templin, the ancestor of the family of that name, is buried here. He died April 13, 1775, in the eighty- seventh year of his age, and his wife, who sleeps beside him, died April 6, 1775, in her seventy-eighth year. John Christopher Knauer, the ancestor of the Knauer family, is also interred in the ancient com- etery. He was born in Coburg, Germany, in 1702, and died Aug. 12, 1769, aged sixty-six years, ten months, and twelve days."-Pottstown Ledger, August, 1879.

274

HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Tryon Lewis (formerly owned by William Davis), seeming to mark the exact spot where the old church was established, tends to reconcile tradition with history.

The Rev. Evan Evans, in a letter dated September, 1707, states that he preached in Welsh at Radnor once a fortnight for four years, and that among his numerous charges Mont- gomery and Radnor, next to Philadelphia, received his most special attention. The people at Radnor about this time sent a request to the " Honorable Society for the Propaga- tion of the Gospel in Foreign Parts" that a minister might be settled amongst them, which request was not granted for nearly seven years, when, in the summer of 1714, Mr. John Clubb, who had previously been a schoolmaster in Phila- delphia, and had frequently preached here during several years, was formally appointed as missionary to Oxford and Radnor. In September, 1714, Mr. Clubb reported to the

ST. DAVID'S CHURCH, BUILT 1715.

honorable society that he had received subscriptions for building a stone church, and that the people " obliged them- selves to make it good." Immediately after these subscrip- tions were raised, however, tradition tells us that sharp debates were held whether the church should be erected on its present site, or on a large lot of some 15 acres (known as the " graveyard field"), situated near the junction of Su- gartown and Reeseville roads. The present position being decided upon, on account of its proximity to a good spring, we are told by Acrelius that

"On the 9th day of May, 1715, Pastor Sandel was invited to attend the laying of the foundation of Radnor church, sixteen miles from Philadelphia. First a service with preaching was held in a private house, then they went in procession to the place where the church was to be built, then a prayer was made, after which cach one of tho clergymen laid a stone according to the direction of the master mason."

Mr. Clubb died in December, 1715, after which the honorable society appointed Evan Evans as temporary mis- sionary to Oxford and Radnor, in which station he labored from the spring of 1716 until the summer of 1718. Rev. John Humphrey, then missionary at Chester, supplied his place until the appointment of Rev. Robert Weyman, who commenced his duties in December, 1719. Mr. Weyman also preached at Conestoga, Whitemarsh, Perkiomen, or

Evansburg, and in Chester Valley. At this latter place the original log church was erected during his charge, about the year 1728.

In 1719 we find the names of Mirick Davies and Evan Hughes as wardens, but it was not till 1725 that a vestry was appointed, as appears by the records :

Thursday, April 1, 1725 .- " At a meeting of the ministers and members of the church of St. David's in Radnor, 'twas proposed the new church wardens should be named for the ensuing year, and a vestry appointed, not exceeding twelve in number, to represent the whole congregation for the greater ease of the people in carrying on the affairs of the church."

Church wardens, Evan Hughes, Griffith Howell; vestrymen, Wil- liam Davis, James Price, Thomas David, Joseph Coleman, William Moore, John Hunter, Anthony Wayne, Thomas James, David Evans, William Evans, Peter Elliot, John David.

Early in 1731, Mr. Weyman was removed to St. Mary's Church, at Burlington, and no successor ap- pointed for Radnor for nearly two years, during which it appears by the old register that a subscription was raised " for the use of Mr. [Richard] Backhouse, who pretends with God's assistance to preach here once a month." In the spring of 1733, John Hughes arrived, being sent ont as missionary to Per- kiomen and Radnor. At this time the ser- vices were in Welsh, and we find letters from Mr. Hughes to the honorable society entreat- ing that Welsh books may be sent to him. In 1737 he was succeeded by the Rev. William Currie, the last missionary minister at Radnor, of whom there is further mention in the his- tory of St. Peter's Church.

A school-house was built in the year 1749, and also a " vestry-house" about the same time ; the former stood on the knoll in front of the church until within a few years. The position of the latter building rests in doubt. " At a meeting held Dec. 5, 1763, the vestry granted to Robert Jones the privilege to build a pew on a piece of ground in St. David's Church, adjoining Wayne and Hunter's pew ; he paying for ye ground four pounds ten shillings," which money appears not to have been paid, however, till Nov. 23, 1767.

At the outbreak of the Revolution, Mr. Currie declared that, in accordance with his oath of office, he must continue to use the liturgy in behalf of King George ; but as that would be contrary to the wishes of his parishioners, he was prevented from officiating, and finally, in May, 1776, re- signed his charge. During the war the church was seldom opened for service, and tradition asserts that it was fre- quently used as a rendezvous by parties of soldiers.

In 1771 a subscription was started for the erection of the present gallery, which was built under the supervision of Gen. Wayne's father, then a warden of the church, and ex- tended beyond its present limits, passing over the front door, and joining unto the east wall.

In the uiche in the north wall of the old church is placed this simple inscription, " A.D. 1717." Tradition tells us that from this niche a large stone had fallen out many years before, bearing the date thereon of "1717," and for this reason the same date was placed on the new tablet. As

275

EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.

this date, however, flatly contradicts several official records, we may justly conclude " 1715" to be the proper date and the tradition incorrect.

In 1783, Mr. Currie again took charge of the church, the ratification of the treaty between England and the United States having absolved him from his oath of office. In 1788 he was succeeded by Rev. Slaytor Clay, the first American minister, whose field of labor included also the Great Valley Church, St. James', at Perkiomen, and the Swedes' Church, Dear Norristown. For this reason he could net preach at Radnor oftener than two or three times each month.

Among other important events occurring during his term, the church was incorporated in August, 1792, he being the first rector of the incorporated body, and John Jones and Thomas Read the first wardens. In 1818, Mr. Clay's son, John C. Clay, officiated here about once a month ; and in the same year the Rev. Samuel C. Brinkle settled near Paoli, and at the request of the congregation preached here every two weeks until Slayter Clay's death, when he succeeded him and preached every Sunday. To enable him to de this, William Crosley, a wealthy member, sub- scribed $20, and others, animated by this generous example, also contributed, so that the rector's salary rese to nearly $400.

The successors of Mr. Brinkle have been,

Rev. Simon Wilmer, from December, 1832, to July, 1833; Rev. William Henry Rees, from July, 1833, to September, 1838; Rev. Wil- liam Peck, from October, 1838, to October, 1845; Rev. William W. Spear, from January, 1846, to March, 1846; Rev. Breed Batchelor, from March, 1846, to December, 1847; Rev. Thomas G. Allen, not regularly appointed ; John A. Childs, from January, 1848, to August, 1850; Rev. Henry G. Brown, from 1851 to 1855; Rev. Richardson Graham, from January, 1856, to January, 1861; Rev. Thomas G. Clemson, from August, 1861, to June, 1866; Rev. William F. Halsey, from Nov. 18, 1866, to the present.

The pastoral connection between this church and St. Peter's, in the valley, was formally discontinued from April 4, 1836. The present parsonage was built in 1844. Va- rious repairs and changes have been made to the old church, but, owing to the fortunate opposition of some of the mem- bers, the efforts of those who would have entirely modern- ized its appearance have been frustrated. At this church there was an old custom to sell land within the church walls, on which the purchaser would " build ye pugh ;" and thus persons could, with some appearance of justice, exelude others from a pew, for which they not only paid a rent, but which their ancestors had actually built or owned. About 1830 a new vestry-room was built, and io 1871 the present one was erected on and beyond the site of the fermer house.

ST. JOHN'S, WEST CALN.

St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church, in the village of Compassville, West Caln township, is one of the oldest parishes in Pennsylvania. The first church, which was built in 1729 by emigrants from Great Britain, was a frame building, 22 by 20 feet, and stood en a plot of ground containing one acre, it being within a few feet of the site of the present church, which is the third one built by the parish. Rev. Richard Backhouse, living at old Chester, was the curate, and conducted services at St. John's on the first Tuesday of each month for ten years, at the expi- ration of which time, 1739, Rev. John Blackhall became

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History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 74

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts Number of Pages: 1162

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1162