USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 73
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fast increasing in members, Christian zeal, and, we trust, holiness, our membership now being 229. May God continue to build us up until called to join the church triumphant is our prayer." From this time until 1867 the church continued in a more or less prosperous condition, holding, as nearly as we can ascertain, about the same total membership from year to year. At the beginning of that year, however, opened the darkest hour of her history. Difficulties with the pastor had occurred, which will be more fully stated elsewhere, until they resulted in an open disruption of the church, and compelled a large por- I culty recorded in connection with this matter. From
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UNIONTOWN BOROUGH.
that time forward harmony appears to have prevailed until during the pastorate of Rev. William Brown- field. About the year 1832 there arose a difficulty be- tween Rev. Brownfield and other ministers of the Bap- tist denomination. Rev. Brownfield adhered strictly to the " Old School" or Anti-Mission Baptists, while Rev. John Thomas, Rev. Dr. James Estep, Rev. William Penny, and others who were occasionally invited to preach for the Great Bethel Church, were more liberal in their views and favored missionary and other benevolent societies. This soon caused a contention among the preachers themselves, and the members naturally fell in with one side or the other, until again a separation was brought about.
This contention continued and grew more serious until April, 1836, when the party favoring the New School ministers purchased a new book for keeping their records, and though they still permitted Rev. Brownfield to preach in the church one-half the time, and also allowed his adherents to hold business meet- ings there, nevertheless kept the minutes of their meetings entirely distinct. Contentions then began to arise as to whom the church property belonged. A petition by the Brownfield party and remonstrance against it by the others were sent to the Legislature of the State; the matter was also referred to the Red- stone Association. But nothing satisfactory could be done, the breach was only widened, until in 1837 an at- tempt was made by the Brownfield party to prevent the others from using the house by fastening the doors and windows with iron bars, and posting a notice on the door to the effect that should any one remove these fastenings and enter he would be liable to a suit at law for trespass. Nothing daunted, the new party at onee removed the bars and entered. This entry, in accordance with the notice given, resulted in a suit, which was tried before Judge Grier in a special court held in the year 1843, and was terminated by a ver- dict in favor of the defendants or New School party. From that time there seems to have been but little contention between them, though the Old School party still continued to keep a separate record and retained Rev. Brownfield to preach for them until Oct. 31, 1846, when no further record is found of their deliberations, and they appear to have gradually fallen in with the other branch until they became entirely absorbed by it, and from that time on the New School party continued as the only organization and the Great Bethel Church. This split, while it hin- dered greatly the spiritual progress of the church during its continuance, resulted in an entire change of the working of the body, and evidently opened for them many new fields of usefulness. From this time there are frequent collections for mission-work of various kinds, the church-doors were thrown open for the privileges of Sabbath-school, and a new era of ; time threatened to destroy the prosperity of the progress dawned upon the whole society. Happier church is a disagreement between the church at present aud Dr. Boyd as to the right of property in would it have been had this result been brought about without the contention and bitter feelings connected | the old church building. In order to test this matter
with it. At last the storm was over, and though it had dashed the waves of contention fiercely about her, serenely from amidst the roar and tumult the old ship of the church sailed out upon the placid waters ; and but a few years later it is with pleasure we quote from the record at the time of the famous meeting elsewhere referred to. During its progress reference is made to the preaching of Revs. Wood and King, and as a result "fifty-six eternity-bound souls fol- lowed the example of their master and elder brother, buried with him in Christian baptism, and raised, we trust, to newness of life. Fifty-four were received into full fellowship with the church, and the work still going on." Alas, that we must turn from this bright part of the record to note another time of gloom. Dr. John Boyd was called as pastor of the church March 21, 1864. For some time afterward the usual harmony continued, but about the close of the year 1866 disputes arose from various causes between the pastor and part of the members. Though the writer was not in any way connected with the church at that time, having since become a member, it may be pos- sible we are not sufficiently free from prejudice to im- partially state these causes ; and as the parties con- nected with the church at that time are almost all still living, lest we should do injustice to some of them we will leave that part of the church history for some one who can look back with an impartial eye, and from written records recount the true cause of this trouble when those who participated in it shall all have passed away. This dispute continued and grew so warm that it became impossible for both factions to remain to- gether, and those who adhered to the pastor still con- tinuing in the church building, the other party were obliged to seek a place of worship elsewhere. For a short time they obtained leave from the county offi- cers to use the court-house, afterward they resorted to what was formerly known as the town hall, in the borough of Uniontown, and there remained until their new house of worship, erected on Fayette Street, was sufficiently completed to afford them a place for assembling. This part of the members made appli- cation to the Monongahela Association in the fall of 1867, the same year of the separation, and were recog- nized as the regular church, as appears by the min- utes of the Association for that year. They at once upon leaving the old house discharged Dr. Boyd as their pastor, and soon afterward called another. They I have since regularly continued the organization as the Great Bethel Regular Baptist Church, and on the 17th day of March, 1881, procured by application to the court a charter under that name. Almost all the members who at first remained with the Boyd party have since left them and returned to this church, so that the only visible part of the trouble that for a
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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
a suit was brought a short time since by the trustees of this church against Dr. Boyd, aud when this suit shall have been determined the last great disturbance will be ended. May it be the last, with reference to the future as well as the past. In standing off thus at a distance and recounting the causes that have led to all the dark days of this old pioneer church, how simple they seem and how seemingly easy might they have been averted. A learned judge once said in de- livering the opinion of the court in a church case where the dispute arose about two ministers, "In this case some appear to be for Paul and some for Apollos, but none for Christ." With all due respect to those members who through all these difficulties still clung to the good work, and labored and nobly succeeded for the cause of the Master, a review of this history shows that it was only when the church began to approach that condition referred to by the learned judge, and in their zeal for their own choice of men forgot the great object of the church, that all this contention arose.
PASTORS .- The first reference in any way to a pastor of the church other than the letter previously referred to is in the minutes of March 14, 1778, as follows : " Had under consideration whether Br. Jas. Sutton shall take the care of this church in place of Isaac Sutton, to remain under consideration till another op- portunity." Although this is nearly eight years after the organization of the church, the records seem to indicate that Isaac Sutton was the successor of Henry Crosby, but at what time the pastorate of the latter closed and that of the former began we are unable to ascertain. May 16, 1778, a reference is made to Jas. Sutton again as follows: "That Bro. Jas. Sutton take the oversight of this church-a full conclusion re- ferred till our next meeting." Nothing more is said of a pastor in any way until Sept. 18, 1784, when it was " Resolved that Bro. Jas Sutton shall act in every respect as an assistant to Bro. Isaac Sutton." Dec. 18, 1784, James Sutton and wife were dismissed by letter from the church, and the next reference to the pastor is in the minutes of June 20, 1789, when a resolution was passed that "Isaae Sutton, Sen., ; tinned as pastor until April, 1841. Dec. 22, 1838, should stand minister in this church as usual," and Rev. Isaac Wynn was called to supply the place of Rev. Thomas, who had been employed by the Penn- sylvania Missionary Society. Rev. Wynn continued in connection with Rev. Wood until 1841, when Elder E. M. Miles was called as pastor, to preach twice a month, and who continued his labors with the church until September, 1842. October 29th of the same year Rev. Isaac Wynn was again called as a supply, but afterwards retained as pastor, preaching one-half his time until April 1, 1854, with the following excep- tions : Dr. James Estep, pastor for six months from April, 1844: Dr. William Penny, from Dee. 26, 1846, to April 1, 1848; S. H. Ruple, one year from April 26, 1851; and Rev. Milton Sutton, for one year from April 24, 1852. From the time of his resignation as pastor, Rev. Wynn was kept as a supply until June also called Wm. Loveberry as an assistant, to preach once a month for one year. It appears also that David Loofborrow had been called as an assistant near the same time. Some months after this occurred the difficulty previously mentioned, when Isaac Sutton resigned, March 21, 1790, but was recalled by one ' branch of the church on the 18th of September fol- lowing, and continued with this part of the church, while Rev. Loofborrow remained with the other branch, until Oet. 5, 1793, when the two branches were united, and both called to officiate as ministers. Sutton, however, was granted a letter of dismission on the 21st of the same month, and left the sole con- trol to Loofborrow, who continued as pastor until Oct. 5, 1793, when he too was granted a letter of dis-
mission. From this time until May 26, 1794, the church was without a pastor, when Rev. Benjamin Stone was called, first as a. supply and afterwards as pastor, and continued as such up to Sept. 7, 1805, ' when he was granted a letter of dismission, but was recalled on June 11, 1806, to preach once a month, and continued as pastor until 1812. In the mean time that remarkable man, William Brownfield, had been licensed to preach, and Feb. 6, 1802, received a call to preach the second and fourth Sundays in each month. He thus continued until June 9, 1804, when he was dismissed by letter, and we hear no more of him until Feb. 12, 1812, when he received a call as pastor of the church. This position he held uninter- ruptedly and alone until April 6, 1833, when Rev. Milton Sutton was invited to preach once a month. On June Ist of the same year Wm. Wood was also invited to preach once a month for six months. May 3, 1834, Isaac Wynn was procured to preach once a month, and May 2, 1835, Milton Sutton was re- quested to continue his services. During all this time, however, Rev. Brownfield was still retained as the pastor of the church. Soon afterwards occurred the second division, before referred to, and although Rev. Brownfield was then, on April 30, 1836, dis- missed by " a majority of the members present" from the pastorate of the church, he was still allowed to preach on his usual days, the first and third Sabbaths of each month. This he continued to do until 1846, except such times as his place was supplied by other ministers, whom he frequently invited to assist him. Among these were Revs. Frey, Avery, MeClelland, Whitlock, and others. On the 24th of December, 1836, the other branch of the church called Elder James Seymour to preach once a month, and from this time until the end of Rev. Brownfield's labors, if the church did not succeed it certainly was not from lack of preachers. June 24, 1837, Elder Milton Sut- ton called once a month for one year, in connection with Rev. Seymour. Feb. 24, 1836, Rev. John Thomas called to preach once a month. June, 1838, Elder Win. Wood called once a month, and con-
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24, 1855, when Rev. Wm. Wood was called as a sup- ply, to preach once a month. On Jan. 24, 1855, Rev. Israel D. King was called as pastor of the church, and continued as such until March 1, 1860. On the 8th of December following, Rev. B. P. Ferguson was called to the pastorate of the church, which place he retained until Sept. 12, 1863. Dr. John Boyd was called as pastor March 21, 1864, and continued until March 2, 1867. Rev. C. E. Barto was next called, Jan. 19, 1868, and continued until April 1, 1872. Rev. W. W: Hickman entered as pastor in May, 1872, and remained until April 1, 1878. From that time until June 6, 1879, the church was without a pastor, when Rev. F. B. La Barrer assumed the duties as such, and still continues in that position, July 1, 1881.
PREACHERS LICENSED .- The following list shows the licenses granted to young men by this church, permitting them to enter the ministry :
Isaac Sutton, Nov. 8, 1770.
Joseph Barnet, March 19, 1773; ordained June, 1775.
Isaac Morris, May 21, 1775. John Wade Lovebery, Sept. 20, 1783.
John Hopwood, Aug. 20, 1791. Sreve, Nov. 19, 1792.
William Brownfield, April 6, 1799; ordained Dec. 19, 1800.
Milton Sutton, July 6, 1833 ; ordained May 4, 1834. Isaac Wynn, July 6, 1833.
Richard H. Austin, June 28, 1856; ordained Sept. 27,1857.
Joseph Collins, Feh. 26, 1859.
John Batt, Jan. 19, 1868.
LIST OF CLERKS .-- Isaac Morris, appointed July 15, 1775.
Philip Jenkins, appointed Nov. 19, 1776.
Moses Sutton, appointed Oct. 16, 1784.
Isaac Sutton, Jr., appointed Sept. 15, 1787.
John Hopwood, appointed Feb. 19, 1791.
Anthony Swain, appointed Oct. 18, 1794.
John Ayers, appointed Sept. 8, 1804. Simon Gard, appointed Aug. 12, 1809.
Charles King, appointed March 28, 1812. Samuel Little, appointed Aug. 1, 1818.
William Bryson, appointed May, 1830. Hamilton Abraham (O. S.), appointed Jan. 2, 1836. William Bryson (N. S.), appointed April 30, 1836. George A. Shallenberger, appointed May 21, 1853. F. L. Hatfield, appointed March 22, 1856.
Isaac W. Bryson, appointed Aug. 22, 1856. Samuel Hatfield, Jr., appointed Sept. 26, 1857. C. G. Turner, appointed Jan. 22, 1859. R. Porter Craig, appointed Dec. 8, 1860. Joseph Hayden, appointed Dec. 24, 1865. Amos Bowlby, appointed Jan. 25, 1873. S. W. Carter, appointed May 24, 1873.
D. M. Hertzog, appointed Sept. 27, 1879.
LIST OF DEACONS .- Elijah Barclay, June 8, 1776, on trial ; ordained May 19, 1781.
Philip Pierce, May 17, 1779, on trial ; ordained May 19, 1781.
William Wells, Jan. 20, 1782.
Thomas Gaddis, Feb. 14, 1784.
Moses Carr, Jan. 19, 1790.
Robert Jackway, Jan. 15, 1791.
--- Ker, Oct. 18, 1794.
David Conger, April 5, 1800.
John Gaddis, March 9, 1805.
Simon Gard, March 9, 1805.
Isaac Minor, May 1, 1812.
William Vance, Nov. 4, 1815. Moses Nixon, May 4, 1822.
John Troutman, May 4, 1822.
William Bryson, July 6, 1833.
Isaac Hutchinson, April 1, 1837.
Squire Ayers, Dec. 24, 1842.
A. B. Bryson, March, 1851.
Elijah Jennings, March, 1851.
George A. Shallenberger, Jan. 27, 1855.
George W. Foulk, Jan. 19, 1868.
William Swearingen, Jan. 19, 1868.
Crawford Vance, Aug. 22, 1868.
Porter Craig.
John Collins.
James Nahor, April 24, 1875.
H. C. Diffenderffer, Feb. 22, 1879.
Robert Bryner.
ASSOCIATIONS .- The Redstone Association, accord- ing to Benedict's "History of the Baptists," was or- ganized in 1776. In 1777 Great Bethel Church sent the following messengers to that body, viz .: Isaac Sutton, James Sutton, and Philip Jenkins. Owing " to the difficulty of the times," it did not suit to hold the Association that year at Muddy Creek, and it was agreed that it should be held at the house of Isaac Sutton. It is obvious from this that Great Bethel was one of the original members of the Redstone Associ- ation, with which it continued until 1836, and the branch which still clung to Rev. Wm. Brownfield continued to send delegates until 1846, when Wm. Brownfield, I. Hutchinson, and S. Davis were sent to Indian Creek Church, where it met that year. The other branch of the church soon after their separation sent messengers to the Pittsburgh Association, and were admitted to that body, of which the church re- mained a member until 1856. On the 26th of April, 1856, a letter was sent to the Pittsburgh Association requesting dismission from them, with a view of unit- ing with the Monongahela Association. Their request was granted, and the same year, on applying to the Monongahela Association for admission, they were received into that body, with which they still con- tinue.
SABBATH-SCHOOL .- The first Sunday-school in con- nection with this church was organized in July, 1845, on motion of Rev. Isaac Wynn. It has been main- tained as an organization ever since. At first, for a ยท few years, it was conducted only during the winter
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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
season, but since then it has been maintained regu- Jarly throughout the year. At present it is under the superintendency of D. M. Hertzog, and numbers in full nearly one hundred and fifty members, with nine teachers.
CONCLUSION .- We have now attempted to record briefly the principal events in the history of this re- markable church. Much that is interesting has no doubt been omitted, but enough is given to mark the course along which she has passed. Dating her exist- ence back to a time when the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was a feeble province of the mother- country, she has witnessed the birth, growth, and un- precedented prosperity of a mighty nation. Some- times disturbed by national or State convulsions from without, and occasional contentions within, her course has not always been smooth as that of church brother- hood should be, yet upon the whole her members have reason to rejoice that they belong to a body which, by the grace of God, has been permitted to do so much for the cause of the Master, and especially to see the harmony that now prevails in all her parts, and the glorious opportunity at present offered for the successful advancement of that great work. May peace continue within her walls and prosperity within her palaces !
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN UNIONTOWN.1
At the session of Conference held in Baltimore May 28, 1784, Redstone Circuit was formed, which included all of Pennsylvania west of the Allegheny Mountains. John Cooper and Samuel Breeze were appointed to this circuit. They came to Uniontown, probably in June, as Bishop Asbury preached in Uniontown July 7, 1784, to a congregation of seven hundred persons, and it is probable that Cooper and Breeze came with him. But the peculiar polity of Methodism in working the laymen as local preachers and exhorters had fore- stalled the appearance of the regular circuit preach- ers, who found in the vicinity of Uniontown Robert Wooster, a local preacher from England. Wooster, according to the best authority attainable, came to America about the year 1771, and commenced preach- ing in the neighborhood of Uniontown about 1780. Many traditions have been handed down in Meth- odist families concerning Wooster and his work, from which it is thought to be more than probable that he organized classes at several points in and around Uniontown. The early records of the society at Union- town were not preserved, so that a correct list of the persons forming the first class or society cannot be furnished, although many of them are known. The oldest record now in the possession of the church is a treasurer's book opened in 1807.
Cooper and Breeze remained on Redstone Circuit but one year, under the custom of annual changes which was then the rule. They were followed in 1785 by Peter Moriarity, John Fittler, and Wilson Lee. It
is probable that Bishop Asbury came to Uniontown with the new preachers, as he writes that he exhorted in Beesontown July 19, 1785. He also preached, July 1 and 2, 1786, in the new meeting-house in Beeson- town. He says, "We had a feeling, gracious season ; the Sacrament was, I trust, attended with a blessing." On July 20th, same year, he writes that he preached to a congregation of six hundred persons in Beeson- town during court. July 30th he writes that he was at the Widow Murphy's. It is not known exactly when the first meeting-house was erected, but as As- bury preached in it July 1, 1786, it is probable that it was built in 1785. The deed for the lots on which it was built on Peter Street was not made, however, until Aug. 6, 1791, and was made in the names of David Jennings, Jacob Murphy, Samuel Stephens, Jonathan Rowland, and Peter Hook, trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Uniontown.
The first church or meeting-house was built of logs, thirty-five by seventy feet, including the school-room at the west end. It stood on what is now the grave- yard, near the line of the Second Church lot, fronting on Peter Street and flush with the street. There was a hall separating the school-room and the meeting- house, and a stairway in the hall leading to a room over the school-room. There were doors in the hall leading to the school-room on the left and into the meeting-house on the right.
Bishop Asbury commenced the annual session of Conference at Uniontown, in the meeting-house, Aug. 22, 1788. There were in attendance seven regular preachers and five others " on trial." Owing to some inconvenience and at the invitation of Mrs. Ann Murphy, Bishop Asbury changed the place of meet- ing to her house, which stood opposite the present residence of Henry Gaddis. Mrs. Murphy not only furnished a place for the meetings of Conference but entertained the whole body, including the bishop. During the session of this Conference Michael Leard was ordained. He was the first Methodist preacher ordained west of the mountains. Mrs. Ann Murphy was one of the original members of the church in I'niontown, and often entertained Asbury and his traveling companions, who always made it a point to stop with "Mother Murphy" when their journeys west and south brought them into the neighborhood. She came from Maryland during the Revolutionary war (the exact date is not known), and bought what is now the county farm and the Gaddis place, where she lived at the time of Conference in 1788. In Mary- land she owned a tobacco plantation between Balti- more and Harper's Ferry, and having several chil- dren, she (at their solicitation) sold out and moved west to Uniontown. The year before her son, Eli Murphy, made a preliminary visit to the neighborhood of Uniontown. He was murdered, it was supposed, for his money. His traveling companion charged his death to the Indians, while the settlers, although not entertaining a very high opinion of the red men,
1 By Dr. J. E. Moffitt, of Uniontown,
seemed inclined to exonerate them from the charge. Mrs. Murphy was accompanied by all her children, except a married daughter, who remained in Mary- land. She brought a considerable sum of money with her, and after buying the home-farm and the farm at Mount Braddock for Jacob, she had for those days a ' building several years after the latter was built, prob- large surplus, but as it was in Continental notes it became worth- less at the close of the war. Jacob Murphy married a daughter of Col. Meason, and in 1791 his name appears as one of the original trustees. Ann Murphy (the daughter) married Samuel Stephens, who was also one of the original trustees. They were the parents of Mrs. Priscilla Austin, and lived on their farm near Upper Middle- FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, UNIONTOWN. town. Sallie Murphy married a Mr. Banning, and moved to Ohio. Rachel | Murphy married Rev. Roberts, a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and also moved to Ohio. Nacca Murphy, the youngest, married James Gregg. They were the grandparents of Dr. William and Miss M. E. Sturgeon. Mrs. Murphy brought a number of her slaves with her, and among them a Guinea negro named Nero, of whom many laughable anecdotes are related. Nero conceived a great dislike to the raw edges of pioneer life in the West, and mourned over the flesh-pots of Maryland, refusing in the bitterness of his anguish to attend family worship. Bishop As- bury on one occasion persuaded Nero to attend family worship. He reluctantly consented, but during the singing, reading, and praying he became so demon- strative in his happiness as to break down his chair and fall to the floor shouting,-a little too happy for the occasion,-so that the good bishop never again asked Nero to attend family worship. Bishop Asbury and Richard Whatcoat preached a sermon each during the session of the Conference of 1788, and Conference ad- journed on the 25th of August. Asbury was again in Uniontown July 25, 1789. Conference held its annual session in Uniontown in 1790, commencing July 28th, Wednesday, and continued over Sunday. Three elders and four deacons were ordained by Asbury at this Con- ference. In 1792, June 2d, Conference again met in Uniontown, and Asbury writes in his journal, date June 10th : "We have founded a seminary of learning, called Union School. Brother C. Conway is manager, who also has charge of the District. The Establishment is designed for instruction in Grammar, Sciences, and the languages." This school was located in the school- room in the west end of the church on Peter Street."
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