USA > Pennsylvania > Bucks County > Warwick in Bucks County > History of Neshaminy Presbyterian Church of Warwick, Hartsville, Bucks County, Pa., 1726-1876 > Part 19
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SAMUEL CROASDALE,
COLONEL 128TH PENN. VOLUNTEERS. KILLED AT ANTIETAM, Sept. 17, 1862, AGED 25 YRS. AND 25 DAYS.
MAJOR JAMES H. HART.
James H. Hart, son of John and Mary Hart, was born in Warminster in 1821. His mother was a member of Ne- shaminy Church, and he was in the habit of attending the services of the Church on the Lord's Day, until he removed from the neighborhood. He responded to the call for volunteers to defend the Union in 1861, and was among the first to unite in forming the Company A, 1st Regiment N. J. Cavalry, Col. Halsted, and joined it as Lieutenant, under Captain Shelmire. On the promo- tion of the latter to be Major, he was promoted to the command of the company. He was a brave, and active, enterprising officer, yet remarkably cool and collected in
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time of danger. Among the battles and skirmishes in which he was engaged, may be mentioned the following: Harrisonburg, Cedar Mountain, Brandy Station, Thorough- fare Gap, Chantilly, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Sulphur Springs, Mine Run, Wilderness, Bristow Station, Sheri- dan's Raid, Coal Harbor, Gaines' Mills, White House, Lee's Mills, Weldon, Stoney Creek. For his courage and efficient services he was advanced to be Major of the Regiment, and was brevetted Major of the U. S. Army. In an engagement with the enemy at Stoney Creek, Va., in March, 1865, he was mortally wounded and soon died. His body was brought to the Southampton Baptist Church, Bucks County, Pa., where the funeral services were attended by a large gathering of people, and his re- mains were deposited in the grave. A handsome monu- ment has been erected over it, on which, beside the names of the battles given above, is the following inscription :
JAMES H. HART,
Major of the 1st N. J. Cavalry, and Brevet Major U. S. Army.
SON OF JOHN AND MARY H. HART.
Fell in action at Stoney Creek, Va., in defence of his country, March 30, 1865, in the 45th year of his Age. Sol- dier, Citizen, Husband, Father. No one more brave, up- right, affectionate, and kind. His country asked his Ser- vice; he gave his life.
In addition to those who have just been mentioned as engaged in the war of the Union against the Southern Confederacy, the following persons served in the army for
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a longer or shorter period from Neshaminy Church and congregation.
Of the 104th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers under Col. W. W. H. Davis.
Charles Arnell. Died and buried in Hampton, Va., in the autumn of 1861.
William Raisner. Served also in the 31st Regiment of the Pennsylvania Militia.
Isaac Holcomb.
John Eckhart.
Lieut. James M. Fox. Went from the Reformed Church of North and Southampton ; now belongs to Neshaminy.
George Hare. William Hare. John Walton.
Of the 1st Regiment New Jersey Cavalry, under Col. Halsted. Washington Raisner.
Of the 128th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers.
Samuel Morgan. Henry Long. John Lewis. George Lewis.
Of the 31st Regiment Pennsylvania Militia. In the Emergency, 1863.
Charles Meredith. Leonard Laverell. Jesse Ewer.
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Drafted Men.
Jesse Selser. Wilson Brady. William Mckinstry.
George Arnell. Served in an Illinois Regiment.
James Wallace. Went in Capt. Kimble's company, from Hatborough, June, 1861.
Dr. William E. Doughty. Went out from Philadel- phia twice. In Company C, 17th Regiment Penn. Volunteers and in Company D, 45th Regiment Penn. Volunteers, 1st Union League Brigade. He was posted at Odd Fellows Cemetery, at the battle of Gettysburg.
CHAPTER XXIII.
CLOSE OF PASTORATE OF REV. D. K. TURNER.
In 1873, Mr. Turner felt obliged on account of impaired health to resign the pastoral care of the church, and hav- ing several times previously intimated to the Session, that he would probably find this step necessary, he addressed a letter March 8, 1873, to the Session, asking them to unite with him in calling a congregational meet- ing, at which action should be taken upon his resignation. The Session expressed deep regret that he considered this
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course requisite, and inquired, whether in his judgment it might not be possible for him to regain his strength by a few months of relaxation and rest sufficiently to assume again the duties of the pastorate. He thought it best to give up the care of the church altogether, that he might be wholly free from cares and labors, hoping that by en- tire exemption from responsibility, he might sooner re- cover his physical vigor. Accordingly the Session at length yielded to his request, and called a meeting of the congregation, which was held March 20, 1873. But the people not being prepared to act upon the matter then, the meeting was adjourned to March 24.
At the adjourned meeting the following resolutions were presented by a Committee appointed for the purpose, and unanimously adopted, viz .:
RESOLUTIONS.
The Rev. D. K. Turner, our Pastor at Neshaminy Church, having communicated to us his inability to further discharge his minis- terial duties on account of impaired health, and asking his congre- gation to unite with him in applying to Presbytery to dissolve the pastoral relation between him and the congregation, we feel in duty bound in proper respect to him, and as an expression of our sincere affection to record our testimony respecting this unexpected determination. Therefore,
Resolved, I., That the Session of this church, the members and congregation hereby declare their high appreciation of the zeal, ability and devotedness, which have characterized the ministerial services of our beloved Pastor, and his constant labor in attending to all the calls of his congregation for religious advice, instruction and consolation.
Resolved, II., That he has commended himself to the Christian world by his whole walk and conversation, and merited the high
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respect accorded to him by his brethren in the ministry and others who have had the pleasure of his acquaintance.
Resolved, III., That his whole ministerial period, from early life till the present time, has been one continuous effort to build up and establish our religious faith, which we have received from our ancestors, and his pastoral service of twenty-five years will favor- ably compare with that of those eminent ministers of the Gospel who have preceded him in this ancient church.
Resolved, IV., That if it is the dispensation of the Head of the Church that we be parted from our dear Pastor, we ardently desire that he ever may remember us, and implore upon the church and people he has left, the dispensation of such spiritual blessings and care as the church militant needs in the conflict with the world and its allurements.
Resolved, V., That we give him our earnest wish for his restoration to health, his continued usefulness through life, the pleasure of a probation passed in well doing, and a serene approach to that kingdom which is not of this world, and an eventual enjoyment of the presence of his Saviour.
Resolved, VI., That we humbly offer our bereavement to the Presbytery with which we are connected, and hope that their united counsels and supervision will promote the spiritual welfare of the people, the unity of the church, and the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom among all conditions of men.
Signed,
STACY B. BEANS,
Chairman of Committee on Resolutions. GEORGE JAMISON, Secretary of Congregational Meeting.
Mr. George Ramsey, one of the Trustees and Treasurer of the church, was appointed to go to Presbytery at Pottstown, Pa., in connection with Elder Cephas Ross, who was to represent the Session there, and bear this ac- tion of the congregation.
At a meeting of the North Presbytery of Philadelphia,
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at Pottstown, Pa., March 25, 1873, Mr. Turner's request that the pastoral relation between him and the church be dissolved was presented by letter, as he was not able to be present on account of a funeral and marriage in the congregation. The action of the congregation in regard to it was also presented by Mr. George Ramsey, when the request was granted, and the dissolution of the re- lation made, to take effect April 20. Rev. J. H. M. Knox, D. D., was appointed to preach and declare the pulpit vacant April 27, who duly on that day performed the duty assigned him. Mr. Turner was appointed Mod- erator of the Session by the Presbytery until another Pastor should be chosen, and the Session were granted leave to supply their own pulpit for the succeeding six months.
During the summer and fall the following ministers were obtained to conduct the services of the sanctuary on the Sabbath, viz .:
Rev. Elias S. Schenck, Rev. J. L. Jenkins, Rev. An- drew Tulley, Rev. A. Poulson, each one Sabbath ; Rev. William E. Jones, two Sabbaths; Rev. John Wright, two Sabbaths; Rev. D. K. Turner, five Sabbaths; and Rev. T. Darlington Jester was stated supply two months. The latter had just finished his studies in the Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and through correspondence of the Session with Prof. H. B. Smith, D. D., was recommended as a supply until the Pastor elect could take up his residence permanently with the people.
Until the year 1873 Neshaminy Church had never owned a house for the residence of the Pastor. The min- isters previous to that time had possessed houses of their
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own, or been so located that it seemed unnecessary for the congregation to procure a parsonage. But upon the resignation of Mr. Turner, the people became aware that in order to obtain another minister they must be able to provide for him a home. Accordingly, in June, 1873, it was determined by the Trustees to secure a manse, either by purchasing a house already built, or by buying a lot in the village of Hartsville and erecting suitable buildings upon it. A subscription was circulated through the con- gregation, which resulted in donations to the amount of $3,300. At length it was decided to purchase the farm of James Field, Esq., which was formerly the residence of Rev. R. B. Belville, and which adjoined the grave-yard, with the intention of reserving a portion of the land for an addition to the cemetery, and allotting ten or twelve acres as a glebe, to be attached to the house for the benefit of the Pastor. The property, comprising a house, barn and other buildings, and forty seven acres of land, was bought for $6,500; and subsequently sixteen acres were sold to Conard Reigle, and sixteen acres to Morris Messer. Five acres were set apart for a new cemetery contiguous to the old, and ten acres were assigned to the parsonage. Possession of the property was not obtained by the church until the spring of 1874, and during the winter previous the Pastor resided temporarily in the house of Isaac Weaver, on the brow of Carr's Hill, once occupied by Samuel Long as a boarding and day school. A part of the ground designed as an addition to the cemetery was laid out in grave lots in the summer of 1874, under the direction of a committee of the Trustees, consisting of the following persons, viz .: Andrew Long, Theodore Flack and George Jamison. A neat plot of it was gratuitously
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drawn by Samuel F. Long, and was hung up in a frame in the vestibule of the church ; and soon several lots were sold at $25 per lot.
CHAPTER XXIV.
PASTORATE OF REV. W. E. JONES.
July 13, 1873, Session met to consider the propriety of calling a congregational meeting for the election of a Pastor, and being convinced that the people were pre- pared for this step, they resolved that such a meeting be published for July 24, and that Rev. D. K. Turner be re- quested to preside at that meeting and preach a sermon suited to the occasion. Accordingly, on the day desig- nated, Mr. Turner conducted the usual services of public worship and preached, after which a meeting of the con- gregation was held. John J. Spencer, Esq., was chosen Secretary. Measures were about being entered upon for an election of Pastor, when a motion was made that on account of the people being much engaged in the labors of the harvest, and many being absent, the meeting ad- journ for two weeks. After some discussion the mo- tion was carried and the meeting adjourned to August 7.
The congregation again assembled according to ad- journment, August 7, and proceeded to elect a Pastor.
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Samuel F. Long and John M. Darrah were chosen tellers.
Elder Henry Mckinstry, on behalf of the Session, nominated as a candidate, Rev. William Evan Jones, of Tuscarora, Livingston County, N. Y., and no other person being nominated he was unanimously chosen. The sum fixed as the yearly salary was twelve hundred dollars, be- sides the use of the Parsonage and the ground attached to it. At this election, as on former occasions in the history of the church, the following classes of persons were by resolution allowed to vote, viz .: the members of the church, and contributors with the wives and children of contributors, if over the age of twenty-one years, up to the number of sittings held by the contributor.
The following Committee was chosen to inform Mr. Jones of his election, to sign the call on behalf of the congregation, and to prosecute it before the Presbytery viz. :
John C. Beans, John McNair,
George Taylor, Charles Ramsey,
John M. Darrah, John J. Spencer.
On the 25th of September, Mr. Jones* arrived at Ne-
* Rev. William E. Jones graduated at the University of Pennsyl- vania in Philadelphia, July, 1850, and at the Theological Seminary of Princeton, N. J., in May, 1853. He was ordained Pastor of the Green Island Presbyterian Church, New York, June 22, 1854, and afterwards served as Pastor of the churches of Caledonia, Bath, and Tuscarora, N. Y., and Cedarville, N. J. During the war of the Confederate States against the Union he served two and a half years, part of the time in the far South, as Chaplain of the 161st Regiment, N. Y. State Volunteers.
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shaminy and began his labors as Pastor elect. October 8th, during the Sessions of the Presbytery of Philadelphia North at Norristown, Pa., the call for the services of Mr: Jones was presented by the commissioners of the congre- gation to the Presbytery, and by them put into his hands, and by him accepted. The time arranged for his instal- lation was Thursday, October 23, 1873, at 1} o'clock, P. M., and the following commission was appointed by the Presbytery to conduct the installation services, viz. : Rev. J. Grier Ralston, D. D., LL. D., Moderator of Pres- bytery, to preside, and put the Constitutional Questions ; Rev. Roger Owen, D. D., or in case of his absence, Rev. H. T. Ford, to preach the sermon ; Rev. D. K. Turner, to give the charge to the Pastor; and Rev. Thomas Murphy, D. D., or in case of his absence, Rev. Belville Roberts, to give the charge to the people.
On the day designated, October 23rd, the installation services were conducted in the church, as follows :
Dr. Ralston offered the Invocation, put the Constitu- tional Questions, and gave a statement of the proceedings which led to the assembling of the people on that occa- sion. Rev. Henry T. Ford of Norristown, preached an able sermon, Rev. D. K. Turner delivered the charge to the Pas- tor, and Rev. Thomas Murphy, D. D., of Frankford, Pa., the charge to the people. The choir sang appropriate an- thems accompanied by the organ ; the attendance of peo- ple was large; the weather fine; and the exercises and events of the day were auspicious of good to this vener- able church.
It had long been deemed very desirable, that a perma- nent sidewalk should be constructed from the center of
.
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1
Hartsville to the church, a distance of half a mile, for the convenience of many who walked to meeting on the Sabbath, as well as for pedestrians during the week. As early as 1843 Rev. James P. Wilson, Robert Darrah, and Joseph Hart, and some others, had made a gravel-walk protected by posts along the road over a part of the low ground near the Neshaminy creek. This was much im- proved through the efforts of Rev. D. K. Turner and others about the year 1851, when a quantity of flat step- ping stones were contributed by John Polk of Warring- ton, and laid in order, which served a good purpose a long time. About the year 1866 some money was raised by the ladies under the lead of Mrs. Emily Nichols, which was to be devoted to the completion of a walk, when sufficient funds were obtained to finish it. Late in the autumn of 1872 Joseph Hart, of Hartsville, died, and left by will $100 to aid in building a walk from the York Road to the Church, of which he was for many years a Trustee and Treasurer. The bequest was on con- dition that the walk should be of stone or other durable material, at least three feet wide, and finished within two years after his death. This encouraged the people of the neighborhood to make exertions to raise the necessary funds. Between $300 and $400 was secured by a festival in the grove of Elder R. Henderson Darrah in the sum- mer of 1873, and a fair in the lecture-room the following winter.
John C. Beans and Dr. William E. Doughty put a walk in front of their properties at their own expense on the line of the proposed improvement, and the rest of it con- structed of wood as far as R. H. Darrah's lane, was
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made in 1873. But it was deemed important that it should be of stone, wherever this material could be laid, especially in the flats near the Neshaminy creek, which often overflows its banks, and by the flood and heavy cakes of ice might endanger a wooden structure. Flag- ging stone was obtained from the quarry of W. Mont- gomery Carr, of Warrington, and the neighbors hauled it. One large stone was donated by George Jamison for a culvert over the Darrah run. It had been out of the quarry since the days of Major Carr, half a century since, and was moss grown and venerable with age. The entire expense of the walk was about $500.
The Sabbath-schools of the church were formerly closed during the winter on account of the severe weather and the state of the roads. But about the year 1866, though the schools in the outlying districts were suspended dur- ing cold weather, it was deemed best to maintain a central school in the church in winter before divine ser- vice in the morning. This arrangement continued under the superintendence of Mr. S. F. Long, who during the summer was the Superintendent of the Hartsville School, until the winter of 1873-74, when, by the recommenda- tion of Rev. Mr. Jones, the central winter school was held for an hour after the morning service, with an in- crease of attendance and interest.
During the winter of 1874-5 an interesting work of grace was enjoyed in the church, which resulted in the hopeful conversion of twenty-five persons. Special meet- ings were commenced at the " Week of Prayer," the first week in January, 1875, in the meeting-house, which were continued almost uninterruptedly four or five weeks,
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the Pastor preaching nearly every evening. Sometimes a prayer-meeting was also held during the day. Christians were greatly quickened and revived ; those who had been alienated from each other, were reconciled ; a spirit of prayer was poured out upon the members of the church ; and a strong desire for the salvation of souls awakened. At the sacramental season, on the 2nd Sabbath of Feb- ruary, twenty-six stood up together before the congrega- tion, and professed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and their determination to live for his glory. Rather more than half of them were in youth, and about the same proportion received the ordinance of baptism, the others having been baptized on the faith of their parents in infancy.
Within two years after Mr. Jones became Pastor, about forty individuals united with the church, including those just mentioned, most of them by profession of their faith. During that time the attendance upon the public means of grace was good; the Sabbath-school libraries were annually enlarged, as was the custom in the congregation ; the Sabbath-schools were in a flourishing condition ; and the contributions to benevolent objects and to congrega- tional work were regularly made.
In the autumn of 1875 the pews on the north side of the gallery, commonly occupied by young men and youth, were furnished with new cushions, that they might find it as comfortable to sit in the house of God, as in their own homes.
Neshaminy Church has been during many generations a fountain of spiritual good to the surrounding region. Besides the Sabbath-schools in different districts, which
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HISTORY OF
during more than half a century it has maintained, and the out-stations, at which the Gospel has been proclaimed on Sabbath afternoon and evening and on other evenings of the week; besides the many souls that have been born again and nurtured for the heavenly mansions under the means of grace in immediate connection with it, several churches have been formed partly out of elements once contained in it.
The Presbyterian Church of Deep Run, which was un- der the pastoral care of the elder Tennent and Francis McHenry, a hundred and thirty or forty years ago, and which was called "Mr. Tennent's Upper Congregation," was ministered to in the first part of this century by Rev. U. Dubois, who, in 1803 or 1804, began to preach regular- ly at the small hamlet, which has since become the bo- rough of Doylestown. In 1815, the Presbyterian Church there, was regularly constituted and set forth upon its work. During the last forty-five years it has enjoyed the ministry of Rev. S. M. Andrews, D. D., and has been greatly prospered and blessed. Not a few of the families who used to attend the church at Neshaminy, have be- come attached to the church in Doylestown, and it has grown up within the territory once covered by the labors of Tennent, and Beatty, and Irwin.
The borough of Hatborough, about the years 1820 to 1825, was a mission station of Rev. R. B. Belville, ot Neshaminy, and Rev. R. Steel, of Abington, who, during a considerable time held services for preaching in the Loller Academy. Now a Baptist and Methodist Church are located in the place, possess good houses of worship and respectable congregations, and support their own Pastors.
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NESHAMINY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
About the year 1836, Rev. Charles Ewing and some other clergymen, held protracted religious services in a grove near Pleasantville, not far from the County Line School House, where during a long time before, Rev. Mr. Belville, the Pastor at Neshaminy, had been in the habit of regularly holding meetings once a month, and occasion- ally at other times, especially during seasons of revival. The result of the efforts of Mr. Ewing and his fellow- laborers was the establishment of a church in the German Reformed connection, of a strictly evangelical type, which has accomplished great good under the ministry of Rev. W. E. Cornwell, Rev. N. S. Aller, and other faithful ser- vants of Christ. Several of the families of Neshaminy congregation, either united with this church at its organ- ization or have become attached to it since. Among its founders may be mentioned Frederick Hoover and Wil- liam Kneedler, the latter of whom became a member of Neshaminy Church again in 1848. The church at Pleas- antville may be deemed very properly one of the off- spring of this mother of Churches.
The Presbyterian Church of Neshaminy, in Warminster, at Hartsville, is a branch of the original church at Ne- shaminy, and an account of the division, which termi- nated in its establishment, has been already given.
Rev. D. K. Turner, while Pastor at Neshaminy, occa- sionally preached and often attended funerals in the vicinity of Forestville; and several families living in that neighborhood, among others, those of Joseph Carver, Sr., and of his sons, James, Joseph, Samuel and William Carver, were associated with Neshaminy Church. A house of worship was built in Forestville, in the year
-
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1855, and a church organization made, its first Pastor being Rev. H. E. Spayd, who was also at the same time Pastor at Solebury. This church, now under the charge of Rev. J. B. Krusen, derived a considerable part of its life and strength originally from Neshaminy, and two of the Sabbath-schools of the latter, viz .: Concord and Bush- ington, being not far distant from Forestville and on each side of it, have been transferred to the care and superintendence of the Forestville Church.
The blessing of God has been frequently enjoyed in the history of Neshaminy Church through many past years. Morality, intelligence, respect for true religion, and the experience of vital piety have marked the people in an unusual degree. They have been not unworthy of their intelligent and pious ancestry, who loved the Bible, made it the guide of their faith and practice, and walked in its light. This church, by the favor of Him who dwells amid the golden candlesticks, has been a source of real benefit to the region in which it is established. May it still con- tinue thus to be to the latest posterity.
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