History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 132

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 132

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 the year 1809 the Rev. Bishops Asbury and Mc- Kendree visited the western settlements, which were even then the outposts of Methodism, and, in the course of their travels among the congregations of their church reached this section of country in August of that year. The following notice was published in the Washington Reporter, the issue of August 7th :

" He that hath ears to hear, Let him come and hear.

After the organization of the church in 1844, ser- vices were held in the College Hall till August, 1845, " The Rev. William McKendree, Junior Bishop of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, will preach in Washington on Thursday evening, the 17th ; also, the Rev. Francis Asbury, Senior Bishop of said church, will preach in Washington on Wednesday, the 23d inst., at 11 o'clock A.M. when they removed to the Lutheran Church. In June, 1850, the society purchased lot 160 on the east end of Beau Street, opposite the college buildings. "N. B. The camp-meeting will commence on Friday, the 11th inst., at Pike Run, in Washington County." The church was built and opened for worship on the 15th of December, 1850. The entire cost of the lot The log church was used by the society until 1836, when the congregation had increased to such numbers and church edifice was $2725.15. The furniture. of . the church was donated by the churches of Pitts-+ that greater accommodations were required, and it was burgh, Brownsville, and Philadelphia. In the year · decided to build a larger and more commodious house 1862 the present Gothic church was erected, at a of worship. In accordance with this decision the

520

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

trustees, as a building committee, erected a church building on the same lot fronting on Franklin Street. The building was of brick, forty by fifty-five feet in size, with a gallery. The building was used many years as a house of worship, when a change was again felt to be needed and a different location selected. The church erected on Wheeling Street was used by the society until 1876. Oct. 1, 1875, the trustees purchased lots 100, 101, and a part of lot 99, fronting on Beau Street and extending north on College Street two hundred and forty feet. They sold the old church and church lot, April 1, 1876, to the trustees of the In November, 1847, a committee was appointed to ; African Methodist Episcopal Church, who still own

procure subscriptions and select an appropriate loca- tion. In 1847, John R. Griffith obtained of Colin M. Reed an article of agreement for lot No. 85, on Belle Street (now Wheeling), fifty by two hundred and forty feet. Possession was to be given April 1, 1848. The deed was not given to Mr. Griffith until Aug. 21, 1852. Soon after this, by some arrangement, the lot No. 85 came into the possession of the church. A building committee was appointed, consisting of the Rev. Edward Birkett, John Harter, Samuel Hazlett, Samuel Mounts, Alexander Sweeney, and George Lonkert. Proposals were received, and the church now occupied by the African Methodist Society was built. It was dedicated Dec. 31, 1848, by Bishop Hamlin. The church society had not then been in- corporated, and the trustees had no authority to con- vey property. On the 18th of May, 1848, an act of incorporation was procured, and Samuel Hazlett, Alexander Sweeney, John Harter, John Shaffer, Jo- seph Reynolds, William Wiley, Abraham B. Wolf, George Lonkert, and Samuel Mounts were mentioned as trustees. Mr. Abraham B. Wolf alone survives. The property on Chestnut and Franklin Streets, lot 193, had been sold to the Washington school district. It was conveyed to them by deed June 26, 1850.

Before the erection of the church Mrs. Sarah A. Abbott conveyed to J. F. White for the church lot No. 84, on which to build a parsonage. In the sum- mer of 1849 the parsonage was erected. It was situ- ated at the west of the church site. The deed was from F. J. Le Moyne to the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Jan. 18, 1853, of the lot on Belle Street (now Wheeling), " on which the parsonage of the M. E. Church has been erected," bounded by Belle Street on the south, Methodist Episcopal Church lot on the east, Cumberland Presbyterian Church lot on the west. This parsonage lot was retained by them until 1879. On the 1st of September of that year they conveyed it to William Taylor, who still owns it.

As early as 1834 the church bought a house and lot at the west end of Beau Street, near the church now occupied by the Second Presbyterian Society. This they used as a parsonage. When they decided to build on Wheeling Street, they made an exchange with John R. Griffith. He took the house and lot on Beau Street, and they lot 85 (fifty by two hundred and forty feet) on Belle Street, adjoining the lot this soci- ety purchased later of Dr. F. J. Le Moyne for a par- sonage lot. It was the lot owned and occupied by Dr. James I. Brownson. The deeds for these two pieces of property were not exchanged until 1864. They bear the date of April 13th of that year.

and occupy it. The present church was erected in 1875-76, and dedicated in June, 1876. The dedica- tory sermon was preached by Bishop Foster. The cost of the church was about forty thousand dollars. A Sunday-school was opened in 1828, and has been continued to the present. It now consists of 260 pupils and 31 teachers. William H. Underwood is the superintendent. The church has a present member- ship of 375.

The following is a list1 of the pastors from 1801 to the present time : Revs. William Munroe, Archibald McElroy, William Lambdin, John Monroe, Jacob Dowell, Daniel Hitt, Jacob Young, Thornton Flem- ing, Daniel Hitt, James Reiley, William Brandiberry, John White, Jacob Gruder, Amos Barnes, John West, William Barnes, John Connolley, James Laws, Joshua Monroe (the latter of whom was a local preacher), Thornton Fleming. 1819, Rev. George Brown; 1820, Rev. John Bear; 1821, Rev. George Brown; 1822-23, Rev. Henry Furlong ; 1824, Rev. Charles Cook ; 1825, Rev. James G. Sansom ; 1826-27, Rev. Asa Shinn; 1828, Rev. Alfred Brunson ; 1829, Rev. Daniel Limerick; 1830-31, Rev. John Water- man; 1832, Rev. Daniel Limerick ; 1833, Rev. James G. Sansom ; 1834-35, Rev. Wesley Kenney ; 1836-37, Rev. Robert Boyd ; 1838, Rev. James Mills ; 1839-40, Rev. George S. Holmes ; 1841, Rev. Samuel R. Breck- amer; 1842-43, Rev. Charles Thorn; 1844-45, Rev. Charles Cook ; 1846, Rev. Thomas M. Hudson ; 1847 -48, Rev. Edward Birkett; 1849-50, Rev. Wesley Kenney ; 1851-52, Rev. Franklin Moore; 1853, Rev. Jamēs Henderson ; 1854, Rev. Edward Birkett ; 1855 -56, Rev. Charles A. Holmes ; 1857, Rev. Albert G. Williams ; 1858-59, Rev. William Cox ; 1860-61, Rev. Hiram Sinsabaugh; 1862-63, Rev. Hiram Miller; 1864-65, Rev. James B. Bracken ; 1866, Rev. H. C. Beacom; 1867, Rev. W. B. Watkins; 1868-70, Rev. W. A. Davidson; 1871-73, Rev. H. C. Beacom ; 1874 -75, Rev. H. L. Chapman ; 1876, Rev. R. L. Miller ; 1877-79, Rev. H. C. Beacom ; 1880, Rev. Charles. A. Holmes ; 1881-82, Rev. J. A. Miller.

The Christian Church of Washington .- The Christian Church at Washington is the natural out- growth of the principles which were first declared in this borough in the year 1809, and boldly and success- fully advocated by the Campbells in all this region

1 From 1819 the list is taken from the church record in possession of the church and minutes of the Conference. The church in Washington became an independent station in 1818, when it became a part of a new district called Washington District of the Pittsburgh Conference. The Rev. Asa Shinn was appointed the presiding elder, and the Rev. Thorn- ton Fleming the first minister on the charge.

521

WASHINGTON BOROUGH.

for several years thereafter. Unexpectedly to them- selves they became the leaders of a general reforma- tory movement, of whose magnitude and far-reaching results they at first had little conception.

The announcement and advocacy of these steadfast principles very naturally leavened to some extent the Baptist Churches within the boundaries of the old Redstone Association, with which these mighty men of God were connected. The regular Baptist Church in this borough, organized in 1814, contained some members who were in warm sympathy with the views of the Campbells. These persons, and perhaps others who were subsequently added to the church, kept along with the movement for a restoration of the primitive teaching and order of worship and disci- pline.

A few firmly believed the apostolic sermons and methods recorded in the New Testament should be our models in this century, and that the church of Christ should wear only scriptural names and con- tinue steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, "and the fellowship, and in breaking bread, and in prayers."

At a church meeting April 30, 1831, Rev. Charles Wheeler presiding, Samuel Marshall gave notice of his intention to withdraw from the church, briefly assigned his reasons for so doing, and requested that his name might be erased from the church-book with the approbation of the church. R. B. Chaplin, Sr., who had been an active deacon, made the same request for himself. After discussion the church decided by vote to grant their request.

On the Lord's day, May 8th, a few brethren met at the house of Samuel Marshall, and, after devo- tional services, it was proposed and agreed that they should meet at R. B. Chaplin's house on the follow- ing Thursday evening for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of forming a church of Jesus Christ. Accordingly, this meeting was held May 12, 1831, and there were present R. B. Chaplin and his wife, Henry Langly, Frederick Huffman, Franklin Dunham, Samuel Marshall, Jane McDer- mott, Hannah Acheson, and Hannah Marshall. The purpose of the meeting previously announced was fully considered, and it was unanimously agreed to form themselves into a Church of Christ then and there, taking the Holy Scriptures for their only rule and faith and practice, and submitting themselves thereunto. R. B. Chaplin, Sr., and Samuel Mar- shall were appointed to preside at the meetings for worship and to administer the ordinances.

the house of a humble disciple of Christ in this classic town.

This little band, calling no man master, and con- fessing no Lord but Jesus, the Christ, was as a " hand- ful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon." Their number was soon doubled and trebled. They con- tinued to meet in Washington, and at a school-house on Henry Vankirk's farm, four miles south of the borough, for five years.

In the autumn of 1836 a comfortable brick meeting- house was completed in Williamsburg, on the Na- tional road two miles east of town. The lot on which it stood was purchased of Joshua Martin for the sum of $25. He gave a deed for the same, bearing date June 1, 1839, to Hamilton Vankirk, Jonathan Martin, Samuel Nichol, James McDermott, and Henry Langly and their successors, in trust for the Church of Disci- ples, or Christians, at Williamsburg, Washington Co., Pa.' In this house meetings were commenced with renewed interest and zeal. In this building the church enjoyed great prosperity, and held up the lamp of life to bless the surrounding community for more than thirty years. Such was the joyfulness of those meetings to many that they cannot enjoy a meeting in any other place.

In 1867 it was determined to change the location and to meet in the borough, in the hope of reaching the people more readily with the plea for restoration of the old gospel. The building occupying the site of the present house, on West Wheeling Street, was rented of the Cumberland Presbyterians, and with J. B. Crane as pastor, a series of soul-refreshing meet- ings was held which resulted in many conversions. Subsequently the house and lot were purchased for the sum of $4560, and on Oct. 14, 1873, the board of trustees of the Cumberland Presbyterian Synod made a deed of the same to the Christian Church of Wil- liamsburg. In 1875 the house was thoroughly re- paired, wellnigh rebuilt, at a cost of nearly $5000.

The following extract is taken with little change from the "Semi-Centennial Sermon, delivered on May 15, 1881, by Elder L. P. Streator," to which the writer is debtor for other facts, some of which are narrated in his words :

" In taking their stand upon the Bible alone, in the year 1831, the brethren were influenced by the senti- ment that they must edify one another; that every brother ought to say a word for Jesus; and that the Scriptures furnished the man of God thoroughly, for every good word. Hence they found no place for the pastor, and would support only such men as would at great sacrifice and little pay go forth and preach the word. The names of brethren who have been elected to the office of overseers or elders, as far as has been ascertained, are Samuel Marshall, R. B. Chaplin, Sr., Henry Langly, Robert Tener, Daniel Carter, Hamil- ton Vankirk, Robert Milligan, L. P. Streator, Samuel

On May 15, 1831, as in the primitive church, “ on the first day of the week," these " disciples came to- gether to break bread" at the house of R. B. Chaplin, Sr., and so they began their public worship. Of the original nine persons whose names appear on the record only one survives, Jane McDermott, now in her eighty-seventh year. Beside her, Franklin Nichol is the only survivor of those who surrounded the Lord's . table on that memorable day over fifty years ago, at . Nichol, Jonathan Martin, John Hughes, Arthur Van-

522

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

kirk, J. C. Chambers, Franklin Nichol, R. B. Chaplin, Jr., T. A. Crenshaw, and David MeClay."

The deacons' names do not appear on the church record until 1850, when we find a record of an elec- tion choosing Joshua Martin, James Langly, Frank- lin Nichol, and James Hamilton to the work of dea- cons.

March 2, 1851, thirty-one years ago last March, Benjamin Prall and John McElroy were elected; April 15, 1866, John Munce and Edward Vankirk · were elected. About the same time J. C. Hastings, and subsequently R. G. McDonough and James Kuntz, Jr., were elected.

The present board of overseers includes John Hughes, J. C. Chambers, Franklin Nichol, and David McClay, Sr. The deacons at this time are J. C. Has- tings, treasurer, John Munce, Robert G. McDonough, and James Kuntz, Jr., clerk.

There have been five brethren of this church set apart for the ministry of the word, viz., Robert Milli- gan, Henry Langly, Hamilton Vankirk, and Richard Williams, and after going to Illinois, Richard B. | Charles E. Jones and wife, James L. Porter and wife, Chaplin. The preachers employed at a stated price, and for a given time, have been J. T. Smith, W. F. Pool, James Darsie; Chancey Ward, L. P. Streator, Robert Milligan, Dr. Lucy, John Whitaker, J. B. Piatt, T. J. Melish, M. E. Lard, Philip Galley, T. V. Berry, T. C. McKeever, J. B. Crane, F. D. Power, T. A. Crenshaw, E. B. Challener, W. T. Goodloe, L. S. Brown, W. L. Hayden, and S. W. Brown.

Of those who have held protracted meetings, Thomas Campbell, Alexander Campbell, Walter Scott, John Lindsey, Robert Graham, Wesley Lamphear, O. A. Burgess, W. T. Moore, Isaac Erret, J. F. Rowe, M. L. Streator, and A. E. Myers will be remembered by many of the members. Many others have spoken here the word of the Lord in occasional discourses, of whom the names are recalled of Thomas Munnell, C. L. Loos, Dr. W. A. Belding, Leroy R. Norton, J. R. Frame, W. S. Earl, J. M. Streator, Campbell Jobes, S. B. Teagarden, W. K. Pendleton, John L. Darsie, ' J. I. West, Joseph King, F. M. Green, J. H. Hendron, and H. K. Pendleton. The largest membership at any time has been three hundred. In removing from the village to the borough quite a number did not follow the meetings on the Lord's day. The present number enrolled is about two hundred and twenty.

superintendent, and there are nine teachers and above ninety pupils. The school is regarded in a prosperous condition. It has contributed regularly and liberally to foreign missions, and is said to hold the proud po- sition of the banner-school, having given more accord- ing to numbers than any other school in the whole Disciple brotherhood.

Methodist Protestant Church .- This denomina- tion grew out of dissensions in the Methodist Episcopal Church. All over the country new organizations sprang up under the name of Methodist Protestant. It was about 1828 when this division took place at the General Conference in session at Pittsburgh. The Rev. Asa Shinn was pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Washington at that time. He was here a year after, hut was affected by the dissension, took part in it, and became one of the leaders. In the summer of 1830 a missionary of the new denomina- tion visited Washington, and found a few persons ready to unite in the organization of a church. A society was formed in the court-house, composed of S. B. Robinson and wife, William Harter and wife, John Sands and wife, William Hutchinson and wife, and David Schultz and wife. Of these original mem- bers Charles E. Jones is the sole survivor. He is now eighty-three years of age and resides in Washington.

Services were held in the court-house until the spring of 1836. Lot 123 on Beau Street (now owned by William Braden) was donated to the society by William Hunter, and a considerable sum of money was given to them by Charles Avery, of Pittsburgh, towards the erection of a church edifice. A brick church, thirty-five by forty-five feet, with a base- ment for class-room and Sunday-school purposes, was proposed. The deed for the lot was not executed until after Mr. Hunter's death. It was made to the trustees April 20, 1841, by his executor, Robert Officer. The trustee's were at that time Charles E. Jones, John R. Griffith, W. J. Hutchinson, William Bushfield, and James L. Porter. The society was incorporated Jan. 5, 1850. The church edifice was destroyed by fire on the 8th of November, 1851, at the time of the destrue- tion by fire of Hayes' carriage-factory. In this ca- Jamity Mr. Charles Avery, of Pittsburgh, again came to their relief and donated to the society five thousand dollars. The lot was sold to George W. Brice, Nov. lot 148 on the north side of Beau Street, nearly oppo- site the former, was purchased of Thomas H. Baird for seven hundred and twenty-five dollars, and a second edifice was erected under the supervision of the trus- tees. James T. Dagg, one of their number, was ap- pointed as general superintendent. The present brick building is the one then erected. It is forty-eight by sixty-eight feet, with a floor divided into rooms for class and Sabbath-school purposes, and an upper floor for the audience-room. The church was completed in

The Sunday-school work began in this church with : 19, 1851. On the 1st of December in the same year, the year 1844. The brothers Langly, Henry and James, especially Henry, were the active persons in the movement. They had charge of the school for five or six years, which at that time consisted of forty or fifty members. The highest number it ever reached was one hundred and sixteen. Following these noble men there have been called to the superintendency Dr. Cole, R. B. Chaplin, Franklin Nichol, William McGary, John Campbell, John Keeny, George Crall, J. B. Crane, Frank Langdon, Sr., Erasmus Wilson, and Prof. W. C. Lyne. Franklin Nichol is the present . October of 1852. It took its name of Avery Chapel

523

WASHINGTON BOROUGH.

from Charles Avery, who very liberally assisted the society at its organization and afterwards. By a reso- lution of the board of trustees, June 27, 1852, a marble slab bearing his name was placed in the front wall of the church as a memorial.

The society flourished for several years, then· be- gan to decline, and from 1869 was without a pastor. In the year 1873 the church property was leased to the Second Presbyterian Church society for a term of fifteen years, and from that time the members became scattered to other denominations. A few, however, remained, and in the winter of 1881-82 they were visited by the Rev. James Robison, an agent of the Pittsburgh Conference. After consultation it was decided to make an effort to revive the society, and to have preaching regularly, the pulpit to be supplied from Pittsburgh. The first services were held in the court-house Jan. 8, 1882. Dr. Scott, of the Metho- dist Recorder, preached in the morning, and the Rev. James Robison in the evening. Services are still held in the court-house, and the Rev. James Robison continues to minister to them. A society of fifty members was organized March 12, 1882. The Rev. Mr. Robison will supply the pulpit until the meet- ing of Conference, when a pastor will be regularly appointed. The following trustees were chosen at the organization : A. J. Ford, James P. Sayer, Andrew McDaniel, R. R. Forest, and Frederick Marshall. Following is a list of pastors serving this church from its organization to 1870 : 1833-34, Rev. William Rus- sell ; 1835, Rev. Enos Woodward; 1836, Rev: John Burns; 1837, Rev. James Woodruff; 1838, Rev. James Porter; 1839, Rev. G. Hughes ; 1840, Rev. Nelson Burgess ; 1842, Rev. J. B. Roberts ; 1843, Rev. John Cowell ; 1844, Rev. James Robison ; 1845, Rev. Samuel Clawson; 1847, Rev. J. C. Hazlett ; 1848, Rev. G. B. McElroy ; 1850, Rev. F. A. Davis ; 1852, Rev. V. Lucas; 1853, Rev. Noble Gillespie ; 1854, Rev. S. J. Dorsey ; 1855, Rev. John Scott ; 1857, Rev. W. H. Phipps; 1859, Rev. J. D. Herr; 1860, Rev. William M. Smith ; 1862, Rev. W. Wal- lace ; 1863, Rev. Henry Palmer ; 1865, Rev. D. I. K. Rine; 1867, Rev. J. D. Herr; 1868, Rev. W. Griffith ; 1869, Rev. A. S. Woods.

northwest corner of the ground for a school-house, which was occupied for that purpose until 1831, when they rented it to Jacob Kuffenburger in consid- eration of his taking charge of the church building. The lots were subject to a ground-rent of two dollars when purchased, which was continued until about 1870. Repairs were made upon the church from time to time, notably in 1843 and in 1868, the latter year at a cost of about nine hundred dollars.

The name of Monesmith is given as that of the first preacher. A subscription paper in the hands of Fred- erick Barthel shows that the Rev. D. Henry Weygandt was employed as their pastor in 1818. He remained with them until about 1829, The Rev. John Brown became their pastor on the 21st of February, 1829. He was succeeded by the Rev. Abraham Winters, of the United Brethren, and Rev. Charles Swissler, of the Reformed German. In 1841 the Rev. H. B. Mil- ler appears as their pastor. He was succeeded by Abraham Weill's, C. G. Fredericks, John Hardle (Jan. 1, 1858), - Weygandt, Abraham Weills, P. Sweigert (1867), L. H. Grubel, George C. Fredericks (1871), and J. W. Myers (March, 1881). The last two are the present pastors, the former preaching in German, the latter in English. The church has a membership of about thirty. The lots in the rear, for a year or two after the purchase, were rented, and later they were used by the congregation as a burial- place, and are now used for that purpose. The facts above given are from papers in the hands of Mr. Frederick Barthel, one of the present trustees of the church.

Cumberland Presbyterian Church .- The history of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, found in the general history, will show the origin of that denomi- nation in the county. It is there shown that the Revs. Alexander Chapman, Robert Donnell, Reuben Bur- row, John Morgan, and Alfred M. Bryan were mis- sionaries who visited the congregations in this county. The Revs. John Morgan and Alfred M. Bryan arrived in Washington, Pa., July 4, 1831, where Mr. Morgan preached several times in the Methodist Episcopal Church. On the 21st of July of that year the Revs. Alexander Chapman, John Morgan, and A. M. Bryan were in Washington. Services were held at different places in the town of Washington, and the pulpit was often supplied by one or two of the missionaries. On the 29th of September, 1831, the Revs. Robert Don- nell, Reuben Burrow, and Alfred M. Bryan met in court-house at Washington with the following per- sons, who were then organized into a society called " The Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Washing- ton :" Abel M. S. Gordon, William Fleming, Charles Andrew, J. Huper, Elizabeth Wiley, Mary and Ann Jordan, and Martha and Amelia Mahoffey.

German Lutheran Church .- It is not known at what time this church organization was effected, but on the 5th of May, 1812, " Jacob Weirich, Lewis Hewitt, David Sedicker, and Christian Hornish, Trustees and Managers of the German Lutheran and Presbyterian Church of the Borough of Wash- ington," purchased lots 264 and 265 of the town plat from Peter Snyder for fifty dollars. The trustees in September of that year contracted with James Chambers, a carpenter, to build the church for one hundred and seventy dollars, the trustees furnishing the material. It was not completed until 1816, and Meetings were held at times in the court-house, Methodist Episcopal and Baptist Churches, and there were large additions made to the church. On the in that year another subscription was taken up to . "finish the church." In 1818 the trustees built a ' small log house (which is still standing) on the | 24th of February, 1832, A. M. S. Gordon, Peter

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 Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 132

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 1216

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216