History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 50

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868-
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Brown, Runk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1323

USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including > Part 50

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In 1887 the Second ward building was erected at a total cost of fourteen thousand nine hundred and twenty-four dollars, and is a four-room brick, on Seneca street; the Fourth ward school, completed at the same time, is on the corner of Innis and Second streets, and cost twelve thousand one hun- dred and fifty-eight dollars, the difference in cost being due to the differ- ence in lot values. Libraries are in the Central, Third, and Second ward buildings, with an aggregate of one thousand one hundred volumes.

The total value of school property is estimated at eighty-seven thousand, five hundred dollars. The year closing June, 1889, showed receipts for the year of thirty-six thousand and seven dollars and sixty-one cents, and ex- penditures, thirty-five thousand eight hundred and sixty-two dollars and thirty-four cents, of which seventeen thousand eight hundred and thirteen dollars and ninety-eight cents was paid to teachers.

There have also been private and kindergarten schools, which have as- sisted in educating the youth of Oil City, while St. Joseph's parochial school, spoken of in connection with the history of that church, has been a flour- ishing institution for many years.

RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS.

There are few cities whose religions and ethical phase has been a better type of general modern religious progress than that of Oil City. It has kept time to the march of liberality, personal work, and the extension of or- ganization-points vital to modern religious life. The Methodist Episcopal society seems to have been the first to begin work at the mouth of Oil creek, and others are given in chronological order.

490

HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church clings to the heart of Oil City, let- ting its minarets rise in the midst of exchanges, banks, and bridges, on Center street, and even reflecting them in the oily surface of the famous creek. One of the most popular evening congregations in the city, it has a total membership of over four hundred and forty, and its auxiliary socie- ties include woman's foreign and home missionary societies, a ladies' aid society, a young people's Epworth league, and a Sabbath school of over three hundred members, besides a large choir, with pipe-organ accompan- iment. The pastor, Reverend Thoburn, late of Lucknow, India, occupies the parsonage at No. 9 Pearl avenue.

It was considerably over a half-century ago that this society had its be- ginning in meetings held by a young preacher, afterward the well-known Reverend Samuel Gregg, who, in 1831, preached to "one man and forty women, all the other men of the place being at work in an iron furnace." This was in the midst of Crary's decade of smelting, and in 1834 an Oil Creek circuit was formed at the Washington Conference. It is very unfortunate that the oldest society in Oil City should have so few of its records preserved. Little is known of the period of furnace times, except that this was a preaching point and under the following circuit riders, the name of the presiding elder being in parenthesis: Reverends D. Reichey and R. Peck in 1834 (A. Brunson); Daniel Prichard and A. Webber, 1835 (Isaac Winans); J. E. Chapin and L. Janney, 1836 (John Chandler); R. Parker and T. D. Blinn, 1837 (Chandler); H. Elliott and L. B. Beech, 1838 (Hiram Kingsley); W. Patterson and G. C. Baker, 1839 (Kingsley); S. Smith, 1840 (John Bain); J. Leech, 1841 (Bain); H. Luce and A. L. Miller, 1842 (Bain); E. Hull and A. Wilder, 1843 (John Robinson); Hull and I. H. Tackitt, 1844 (Robinson); H. S. Winans and John Abbott, 1845 (H. N. Stearns); Abbott, 1846 (Stearns); J. Van Horn, 1847 (W. H. Hunter).

In 1848, just before the Bell furnaces closed, it became known as the Oil Creek mission under Reverend Van Horn, (E. J. L. Baker, P. E.) and the first class was organized with James Halyday as leader. The closing of the furnaces no doubt reduced the mission to very small numbers, as no records can be obtained; and Mrs. Snyder, a daughter of James Halyday, recalls only the following ministers who held services at all: Reverends Ahab Keller, N. C. Brown, A. S. Dobbs, R. B. Boyd, under whom there arose a marked revival; A. S. Stuntz, Clark, and Dewoody. At the beginning of the oil excitement there were among the members: Joseph Hooton and wife, James Halyday, wife and daughter Cassandra, Hugh Mcclintock and wife, J. Campbell and daughter, and F. Coast. Meanwhile they had been using the old log weather-boarded district school house, located about the site of the Oil Well Supply Company's offices on Sycamore street.

It was made a station in 1862 under Reverend Milton Smith (J. M.

491

OIL CITY.

Lowe, P. E.) and a church was erected on the block facing Center, Spring, and Sycamore streets, costing three thousand dollars, the bell being swung in a derrick at the rear of the building. This was dedicated in 1863. Ac- cording to I. B. Jacobs another property was bought in the Third ward but resold, and the present Trinity site bought and a church erected, known as the Center street church. Be that as it may the first official board was composed of L. M. Gordon, C. F. Hasson, W. D. Riddle, H. C. Sheriff, J. W. Blaisdell, J. L. Mechlin, Joseph Hooton, F. Coast, J. Camp, William Kramer, Robert Alcorn, J. Campbell, and Isaac B. Jacobs, whose corporate name was the "Official Board of Trinity M. E. Church." These buildings were in the burned district of 1866, and in 1867 the deserted Presbyterian church at Pithole was secured and removed to the Spring Center-Sycamore site, where, after a service of ten years as a sacred place of worship, it became successively a public hall and billiard saloon, as it stands at present. Its successor was the present Trin- ity church, erected in 1876, by Messrs. D. C. Trax, W. Chambers, E. M. Hukill, E. C. Bradley, W. J. Kramer, and J. S. Rich, the building com- mittee, after plans of Jacob Snyder, an architect of Akron, Ohio, and at a cost of forty-five thousand dollars. The lot, including the site of the Tran- sit block, was bought in March, 1876, of Jacob Edmunds for fifteen thou- sand four hundred dollars, but the sale of a part reduced the cost of the re- mainder to five thousand dollars. The building was dedicated June 17, 1877, by Bishop R. D. Foster. In 1881 it was nearly destroyed by an in- terior fire on Sunday morning, December 18th. It arose from a defective register, and although the damage was seven thousand dollars, it was covered by insurance, and services were again held as usual the next May. Thirty years after the first class was organized there were two hundred and twenty- five members, and conference met with them during the year.

The pastors since 1862 have been Reverends Milton Smith, J. Whitely, in 1864; O. L. Mead, 1867; J. S. Lytle, 1869; J. O'Neal, 1871; J. G. Townsend, 1873; J. C. Scofield, 1874; J. G. Townsend, 1875; A. N. Craft, 1877; T. L. Flood, 1880; J. N. Fradenburgh, 1885; and Reverend J. M. Thoburn since 1888. It is interesting to note that the first pastor, Rev- erend Smith, is now the presiding elder.

St. Joseph's Catholic Church .- Catholic services were conducted at the houses of different adherents of this faith at the mouth of Oil creek several years anterior to the period in which Oil City first attained the proportions of a village. The officiating priests were usually from Fryburg and other points in Clarion county. These services were not distinguished by any regularity until the winter of 1859-60, and the visiting priest at that time was Reverend Patrick O'Neill, who was followed successively by Fathers Reynolds, Dean, Mitchell, Scopey, Delaroque, Koch, Lonegan, and others. The congregation was composed of the families of Moran, Sweeny, and Gavin

492

HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

and transient residents to the number of thirty or forty. Prior to 1863 and for some time afterward the place of worship was a flat-boat owned by Captain Sweeny, and moored near the location of the yards of the Oil City Lumber Company. The first resident pastor was Reverend David Snively. The erection of a frame church edifice was begun under his administration and completed during that of his successor, Reverend J. D. Coady. It was dedi- cated by Bishop Young of Erie, and, as enlarged in 1872, constitutes the present place of worship. Reverend Thomas Carroll assumed the pastor- ate October 13, 1871, and with the assistance of the talented Father Ray- croft he still looks after the spiritual needs of his large congregation. The successive pastors have been assisted by the following priests, most of whom, however, had charge of the missions attached to St. Joseph's: Reverends John L. Finucane, John Quincy Adams, James J. Dunn, James P. McClos- key, Patrick J. Smith, John Smith, Peter Brady, James McPhillamy, Peter Cawley, and J. B. Raycroft. The present commodious pastoral residence was built in 1874 and in 1885 the school building was enlarged. A new and more substantial church edifice commensurate with the size and impor- tance of the parish will be erected in the near future. The parish numbers two thousand souls and is one of the largest in the diocese.

A flourishing parochial school, established by Father Coady soon after taking charge of the congregation, is in charge of the Benedictine Sisters, and has done its full share in the education of the youth of Oil City.

The earliest place of interment for the Catholic population of Oil City was an inclosure of two or three acres at the locality known as Pinoak, a mile from South Oil City. It was acquired prior to 1865, and was used for burial purposes until the purchase of St. Joseph's cemetery, a tract of ground five acres in extent adjoining Grove Hill on the east. The latter was bought during Father Coady's administration, and consecrated by Bishop Mullen. It is an appropriate resting place for those who have " fallen asleep in the Lord."

The First Presbyterian Church of Oil City grew from a mission, begun at the direction of Erie Presbytery, November 7, 1860, by Reverend S. J. M. Eaton of Franklin. The rapid influx due to the oil excitement made an organ- ization possible by the last Sabbath in December, 1861, and with twelve mem- bers a committee of the presbytery, composed of Reverends S. J. M. Eaton and James M. Shields, succeeded in forming the First Presbyterian church. These members were John T. Hopewell, Martha Hopewell, Mary Hender- son, Sarah Hasson, Margaret Sproul, Christina W. Towles, A. M. Turner, Elizabeth Turner, Jane Woods, Margaret Winger, C. C. Waldo, and Mrs. Waldo-none of whom are now connected with the church. The prosperity of the society during the first decade was continuous, and, especially marked during a revival of 1867, so that in 1871 there were one hundred and ninety- five members. Some internal dissensions marked by the unaccepted resig-

493

OIL CITY.

nation of the pastor, December 20, 1871, and soon after by the withdrawal of forty-nine members, led to the organization of the Second Presbyterian church on the south side-an event not uncommon to churches with mem- bership on both sides of the river. Revivals in 1874, 1876, and 1880 to- gether with their continuous increase led to a membership of three hundred forty-eight on their twenty-fifth anniversary, December 26, 1886.

Previous to the organization worship was held in private houses, but afterward services began, first in a school house near the site of the Lake Shore freight depot, then in the Michigan block on alternate Sundays until its destruction by fire. The second floor of a building on Main near Ferry street was their final home before the erection of their first church, which, although agitated in 1863, was not completed sufficiently to use until Janu- ary, 1865. The dedication of this church occurred July 23, 1865, Reverend David Hall, D. D., officiating. January 30, 1876, following the adoption of "articles of association " on the preceding 25th of November, the con- gregation was incorporated with Joseph Bushnell, president; J. E. Conell, secretary; John J. Brodhead, treasurer; Geo. W. Parker and W. W. White, board of trustees. The financial affairs of the church were brought into a more systematic condition and a debt of six thousand dollars cleared. The first church had cost fifteen thousand dollars; the present pipe organ had been purchased in 1870; the building was improved in 1872 and still more enlarged in 1874, so that the new management of 1876 had the financial phase of church life clear. In March, 1878, the property adjoining the church on Spring street was purchased, and in January, 1883, J. J. Van- dergrift suggested to the board of trustees the advisability of erecting a structure more suitable to the growing needs of the congregation. The re- sult was that by May they were worshiping in Temperance hall, while their present elegant piece of church architecture was in process of construction under the care of a building committee composed of J. J. Vandergrift, W. J. Young, John J. Fisher, W. E. Stevenson, H. H. Rand, George W. Parker, James I. Buchanan, and the pastor, Reverend John N. MacGonigle. It is a unique design by Architect L. B. Valk, of New York, and when finished, including the price of the lots, cost over thirty-two thousand dol- lars, half of which was contributed by J. J. Vandergrift, and the whole of which was raised and paid at the transfer to the session and trustees June 21, 1883. On the day following the transfer it was dedicated in the pres- ence of all the former ministers of the congregation by the pastor, Reverend John N. MacGonigle. Its commanding site at the corner of Spring street and Harriot avenue with its graceful proportions make it a prominent figure in the beauty of Oil City. The parsonage adjoining the church was built in the early days of the society and September 2, 1885, the trustees were authorized to borrow one thousand dollars with which to erect a chapel on Palace Hill, on ground donated by a member of the church. This was dedicated January 17, 1886, by the pastor, Reverend MacGonigle.

494

HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

The first session consisted of ruling elders A. M. Turner and C. C. Waldo, but on the latter's dismissal January 23, 1864, Robert Colbert, M. D., George Thompson, and J. Wilson Paxton were added, and Mr. Thompson's death occurred December 20, 1864. January 9, 1867, Joseph Eggert, M. D., Thomas McFadden, Jr., Albert E. Ingham, and Robert M. James were ordained. Mr. Paxton ceased to act December 2, 1867; Mr. McFadden, April 29, 1868, and Doctor Eggert soon after. Messrs. Turner, Colbert, James, and Ingham composed the session at the beginning of 1869, and all ceased to act, except Mr. Ingham, in March, 1872. On January 28th preceding, Henry L. Davis, John Spear, and Hugh H. Stephenson were installed. Mr. Davis ceased to act in April, 1873; Mr. Spear, November 9, 1877; and Mr. Stephenson, September 3, 1884. F. W. Hays and A. J. Kilgore were installed June 3, 1877, but the latter closed his official career July 31, 1878, and William Henry Choate succeeded him April 5, 1885.

The ministers have been as follows: Reverend John H. Sargent, the first stated supply, in 1862; also James M. Shields, William P. Moore, June 23, 1863, to November 23, 1867; April 19, 1868, Nathaniel S. Mc- Fetridge, D. D., afterward professor of Greek in McAlister College, became pastor and remained until October 14, 1874. William S. Fulton served from April 29, 1875, until June 1, 1880, on September 16th of which year his successor, John N. MacGonigle, was installed. Reverends Z. F. Blakely and Beidleman have been the successive missionaries in charge of Palace Hill chapel.

The mission school, begun in 1885 at the request of Mrs. Angus Cameron, together with the Sabbath school of three hundred fifty pupils and teachers, in 1886, twenty-three years after its organization, gave a total of four hun- dred sixty-one pupils and teachers. The Woman's Foreign Missionary So- ciety, founded June 15, 1875, the "Home" branch, organized January 24, 1884, and the quartette choir embrace the auxiliary societies of the church.

The First United Presbyterian Church of Oil City had its beginnings in the desire of a few families of that belief for services. These were the Morrisons-M. J., and his wife, Susannah, S. P., and the Misses Susannah, Sarah, and Hannah; James G. and Jane Reed, Mrs. H. J. Cookston, Mrs. Nancy Zuver, J. B. and Katy A. Blakely, and Mrs. Euphemia Smith, the most of whom are now either deceased or resident at a distance. A petition sent to Lake Presbytery resulted in a called meeting in the "Old Banking House," December 21, 1863, at which Reverend J. R. Slentz, of Plumer, Pennsylvania, organized them with James G. Reid and M. J. Morrison as elders. On the following February 1st Reverend John W. Pinkerton arrived as the first stated supply, and services were held in the old hall on the site of the Morrison block on Center street. Their activity was such under Reverend Pinkerton that on December 18th, following his departure in May, 1865, services were held for the first time in their new church near

495

OIL CITY.

the corner of Pearl and Harriot avenues. Messrs. Graff, Hasson & Com- pany had donated the lot, and under the management of the building com- mittee, R. Sproul, S. P. Morrison, H. L. McCance, M. J. Morrison, and J. G. Reed, a frame church was erected at a total cost of six thousand dol- lars. Reverend D. Donnan preached the sermon and the little congregation began to feel firmly established although they were unable to have a regular pastor until September 7, 1867, when Reverend Joseph McNab was regu- larly installed. The vigorous life of the church under his direction is well illustrated by the fact that, although their church was burned in 1873, by the 19th of April of that year, the session met in the basement of the new church erected on the same spot. The fire resulted from a defective flue just after a service on a winter night. Their new church was built after more extensive designs than the old one, and the difficulties attending its com- pletion were such that it was not ready for dedication until October 28, 1877, when the ceremonies were performed by Reverends Jeffers, J. R. Britton, and Craft. It is an interesting frame structure, erected under W. J. Bell's direction, and cost about twelve thousand dollars.

The date of the arrival of successive pastors are as follows: Reverend Thomas Bracken, July, 1874; J. W. Swaney, April 30, 1877; J. W. Smith, May 15, 1883; W. E. Stewart, December 13, 1887, to April 21, 1889.

The society has a choir, and besides the Ladies' Missionary Society, there are two vigorous young peoples' societies, the Young Peoples' Society of Christian Endeavor and the Cheerful Workers - the latter composed of young ladies. The church membership reaches one hundred and seven at present.

The First Baptist Church of Oil City is an imposing frame edifice, over- looking the city from its commanding site at the corner of Grove and Har- riot avenues, and in whose tower the city clock clangs the hours the year around. Here too assemble from Sabbath to Sabbath, as the swelling tones of the great organ are heard, a membership of about two hundred sixty persons.

Few realize how much earnestness of life, persistence of effort, and length of time is required for the establishment of such an institution. It was in November, 1863, that the First Baptist congregation in Oil City met in the Third ward, and but three persons were present: Reverend Cyrus Shreve and two ladies whose names are not obtainable. In June following, however, a new congregation met and purchased a small house and lot on Seneca street, where on the 26th instant Reverend J. L. Scott began preach- ing, and on the 3rd of the following month, Andrew Cone, as superintend- ent, began a Sunday school of seventeen members. A week after the Sunday school began (July 10th) twenty-seven persons made an effort to organize the church properly, but although Reverend Scott preached on the 17th, his health failing soon after seems to have been the signal of general inactivity

496

HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

for some time. March 1, 1866, a few met at Doctor J. D. Baldwin's and as trustees J. D. Baldwin, S. A. Boyer, Robert Lowrie, R. B. Fulton, and Andrew Cone were chosen, to whom a charter was granted November 30th following. The 11th of February, 1867, the church was organized with twenty-one members, and Shadrach Couch, treasurer, Andrew Cone, clerk, J. D. Baldwin and Andrew Cone, deacons, embraced the official list. Rev- erend W. W. Meech was called at a salary of twelve hundred dollars per annum, and by August 15th of the same year the congregation was officially recognized by a council embracing representatives from Titusville, Cherry Tree, Spartansburg, Franklin, Corry, and Conneautville, which convened for that purpose, while on the 6th of the following month it was admitted to the Oil Creek Baptist Association, then sitting in Warren, Pennsylvania.

The society was now founded but its career began so precariously that after Reverend Meech's resignation November 25, 1867, they had to depend on supplies until May 16, 1869, and also received seven hundred dollars aid from the state association. Up to September, 1869, twenty-one new members were added, and during Reverend E. F. Crane's pastorate, begun on the preceding May 16th, a lot was secured and steps taken to erect a church. August 6th of that year (1869) Julius Davis and Charles Williams were elected deacons, and after the arrival of Reverend J. W. Spoor, May 8, 1870, the failing health of Reverend Crane having caused his resigna- tion, the church building was taken up and on December 2nd following the contract was let to Carpenter & Matthews of Meadville. After its comple- tion in September, 1871, at a cost estimated at thirteen thousand dollars, it was dedicated the 15th day of October next, and on the 5th of the fol- lowing month (November) Reverend William Young, D. D., became its pas- tor, the few previous months having been a period of supplies, as Reverend Spoor remained but a year.

Soon after this their present pipe-organ was secured through the influ- ence of Colonel Fox of Oil City, an experienced organ builder, at a com- plete cost of about four thousand dollars; and the efforts of Charles Haines soon led to a subscription of one thousand dollars through which the pres- ent large clock was placed in the tower as city property and so cared for. Doctor Young left October 30, 1872, and on the 25th of the next month was succeeded by Reverend J. D. Herr of Pittsburgh, who, however, did not arrive until the following April (1873). Mrs. Herr organized the Woman's Missionary Society on the 21st of May, but this pastorate closed in Novem- ber of that year (1873). Reverend Austin supplied until May, 1874, when Reverend George Whitman came. During the next years of his pastorate the church prospered, and with the aid from Samuel A. Crozier, the state association, and other sources they succeeded in clearing themselves of a large debt by the close of 1878, and the annual increase of membership had been considerable. The resignation of Reverend Whitman took effect April 15, 1879.

497

OIL CITY.

On the first Sunday of the following May Reverend Charles T. Hallowell began a ministry which closed November 1, 1880, and on February 13, 1881, a unanimous call was made to Reverend C. T. Morgan, of Geneva, Ohio. After his resignation, August 5, 1883, Reverend Crane returned for six months, until May 2, 1884, when Reverend Dillingham, of Corry, was called. The organization of the Baptist Social Union during this year, and the new bell and other improvements in 1885, may be noticed. After the death of the pastor, June 4, 1886; Deacon A. W. Cox supplied until his own death, on the following July 2nd. It was not until October, 1888, that Reverend J. D. Smith began the next and present pastorate, under which the Social Union and the Society of Christian Endeavor have grown into active life. In 1888 there had been seven hundred and ninety-six new members, and funds raised to the amount of eighty-nine thousand one hun- dred and eight dollars eighty-four cents since the organization of the church. Four of the charter members were then alive: Mrs. M. J. Lowrie, Mrs. M. Williams, Mrs. Shadrach Couch, and Mrs. Caroline Couch.

Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, of South Oil City, like its sister society across the river, is unfortunate in the lack of complete records. The earliest services to be held with any kind of regularity on the south bank of the river by this church were in 1863-64, when Reverends McCombs and J. M. Groves preached in the old school house on the hill, above what was then called Venango City, a mission point on President circuit. These two ministers-the former now deceased and the latter superannuated-con- ducted an interesting revival during the years mentioned, and, when Rever- end J. W. Welden succeeded them in 1864, he made his headquarters here and preached in private houses. Messrs. A. B. Rice and - Seely organ- ized a Sunday school in the grove on the hill, and continued it in Lee's hall, where, in 1865, the church was reorganized by the new pastors, Rever- ends N. C. Brown and L. G. Merrill. Two classes were formed, with D. W. Amy and L. Miliken as leaders.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 50

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago : Brown, Runk & Co. Number of Pages: 1323

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868-
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Brown, Runk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1323