History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 226

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 226

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Presbyterian Church of Burgettstown .- The people of this vicinity in sympathy with the Presby- terian faith were members of the Cross-Roads Presby- terian Church (now Florence). The first action taken in reference to the organization of a society at this place is found on record in the minutes of the Wash- ington Presbytery bearing date Dec. 30, 1828, as fol- lows :

" A memorial was presented by the inhabitants of Burgettstown and vicinity, praying the appointment of a committee of this Presbytery to confer with a committee of the Ohio Presbytery respecting the pro- priety of forming a congregation near the aforesaid village. On motion resolved that the petition in the memorial be not granted. Dr. A. Wylie and Mr. Mccluskey were appointed to embody the reasons which influenced the Presbytery in passing the above resolution and to trans- mit them to the people."

No further effort seems to have been made for many years towards the permanent establishment of a Pres- byterian Church in this immediate locality. In the year 1845 a Presbyterian church edifice was erected on the hill where the cemetery now is, in connection with the congregation of Florence, then under the pastorate of the Rev. Joel Stoneroad. Agreeably to a resolution of the citizens of Burgettstown and vi- cinity, an application was made to the Presbytery of Washington at its meeting at the Forks of Wheeling on the first Tuesday of October, 1849, praying for an organization of a congregation at Burgettstown, which petition was not granted. A complaint against which action was taken by Robert Patterson and others to the Synod of Wheeling, which met at Steubenville on the third Tuesday of October, 1849, at which time and place an order for organization was granted. The Rev. Joel Stoneroad was appointed by the Presbytery of Washington to organize the congregation, Having assembled for that purpose on the 18th of October, 1849, an organization was effected by the reception of sixty members, all of whom were members of the con- gregation of Cross-Roads (Florence). The following were elected elders: Thomas Thompson, Robert Pat- terson, John S. Lamb, William Cunningham, and John Moore. On the 4th of April, 1850, a call was extended to the Rev. James P. Fulton, of the Pres- bytery of Ohio, which was accepted. The Presbytery of Washington met at Burgettstown on the 1st of October, 1850, and on the next day the Rev. James P. Fulton was ordained and installed pastor of this congregation. He remained in charge until the spring of 1857, when he sent in his resignation, which was accepted.

The Rev. James T. Fredericks preached his first sermon at this place on the second Sabbath of Feb- ruary, 1858. On the 28th of April he received and accepted their call. He was ordained and installed

on the 26th of October following, and from that time to the present has been the pastor. The first church edifice was enlarged in 1860, and again about 1868. In 1873 the present brick structure was erected, sixty by ninety, with a seating capacity of eight hundred, and at a cost of $25,000. The highest membership at any one time has been four hundred and forty-five ; its present membership is three hundred.

A Sunday-school was established before 1840, and the church was the outgrowth of it. Robert Patter- son, an elder in the Cross-Roads Church, was for many years superintendent, and others were con- nected with him. D. M. Pry, elder in the Burgetts- town Church, was a very successful superintendent for ten or twelve years. J. L. Patterson now presides over the school. It contains at present two hundred pupils. The elders since the first have been S. P. Riddle, Josiah Scott, W. W. Van Emen, Finley Scott, John L. Proudfit, J. L. Patterson, John L. Rankin, D. M. Pry, W. W. Riddle, W. McFarland, A. E. Walker. The present elders are J. L. Patterson, J. L. Rankin, and D. M. Pry.

This church has been one of the most successful in Western Pennsylvania. There have been but two communions under the pastorate of the Rev. J. T. Fredericks in which some accessions have not been received. Within the last ten years four hundred and forty have been received into the church.

Burgettstown United Presbyterian Church .- The congregation now known as the United Pres- byterian Church of Burgettstown, Pa., belonged originally to the Associate Presbyterian branch of that church. It is now impossible to fix the date of its organization, if indeed it was ever formally organized. But it first appears as a congregation about the year 1800, at which time it was supplied with preaching, in connection with the congrega- tion of Hickory, by the Associate Presbytery of Char- tiers. The Rev. (afterward Dr.) William C. Brown- lee took charge of it in connection with Hickory about the year 1809. This pastorate continued about three and one-half years, when he left for Philadel- phia, and afterwards removed to New York, where he united with the Dutch Reformed Church. The next pastor was Rev. Alexander Donnan, from Ireland, who had charge of it in connection with the congre- gation of Hickory at a salary of $500 from June 1, 1818, to June 6, 1840. He relinquished at that time the charge of Burgettstown to give his whole time to Hickory. The congregation continued without a pastor until 1845, when the Rev. Robert J. Ham- mond, who had been settled in Albany, N. Y., became their pastor, at a salary of $350, which was afterwards increased to $400. He resigned and was released in the year 1857. The Rev. S. H. Graham, the next pastor, commenced his labors among them in April, 1862, and was ordained and installed their pastor August 12th of that year. In 1868, Mr. Graham ac- cepted a call from a congregation in New York and

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was released. In the same year the Rev. John Hood accepted their call and became their pastor. The pastorate continued until April, 1878, when he re- signed and was released. The present pastor, D. W. Carson, was installed in October of that year.

The first elders whose names appear on the roll of the session (though without. record of the time of their election or installation) are John Coventry, William Baily, from York County, Pa., Joseph Philles, William Donaldson, from Ireland, Nathan Porter, William Smith, James Brown, James Leech, and James Keys. In 1819, John McBurney, A. Hunter, and Robert Harvey were ordained as elders. In 1837, Joseph McNary, William Wilson, Samuel Livingston, and Joshua Pyles. In 1839, William Galbraith, Sr., William Caldwell, and James McCal- mont. In 1851, Samuel B. Shillito and John Fergu- son. In 1863, Robert Scott and James NeNary, who were received from the congregation of Mount Ver- non at its dissolution, were chosen and installed, to- gether with John Keys, William H. Witherspoon, M. R. Welsh, and W. R. Galbraith, who were also ordained at the same time. The session at present con- sists of John Ferguson (died February, 1882), Robert Scott, W. R. Galbraith, W. H. Witherspoon, and M. R. Welsh; Mr. John Keys, who is still a member, having resigned on account of bodily infirmities.

The earliest roll of members extant, though it is with- out date, numbers sixty-two members, with the follow- ing family names: Andrews, Brown, Cavert, Coventry, Donaldson, Ferguson, Keys, Leech, Nelson, Philles, and Smith. The roll of members in 1876 numbered two hundred and twenty. In consequence of some difficulties in which the congregation became involved through a heavy debt contracted in building a new house of worship, quite a number of members left about that time. These difficulties were also the occasion of the resignation and release of Mr. Hood in 1878. The present membership is two hundred and fifteen. The first house of worship, like that of all the churches in the same region at the same time, was a cabin of unhewed logs seated with slabs. During the summer season the congregation usually wor- shipped in the open air, a wooden tent serving as a pulpit for the minister. On the 13th of October, 1826, Robert Coventry, Robert Tenan, and Thomas Philles, trustees of Associate Congregation of Bur- gettstown, purchased one acre and one hundred and twelve perches of land of James Miller, it being "a lot of land on which a church is erected." In 1845, the date of Mr. Hammond's settlement, a neat and sub- stantial frame building, fifty-four by forty-four feet, and sixteen feet in height, was erected at a cost of $1040 in money, besides the lumber from the old building. This building was located about half a mile east of the village. It was afterwards moved into the village. In 1873 the present house was erected, at a cost of about $27,000.

Methodist Episcopal Church .- For many years

the people of this place who inclined to the Methodist belief were dependent upon occasional visits from the preachers of the Florence Circuit. At first services were held in the old woolen-factory. After the brick school-house was built services were held with more frequency, and in later years with regularity. In the summer of 1872 the society erected a church edifice at a cost of fifteen hundred dollars. They now have forty members, and are connected with the Midway and Noblestown charge. A list of the pastors who have served in this connection will be found in the history of the Methodist Church of Midway, Robin- son township.

Centre United Presbyterian Church. - This church edifice is situated in the southeastern corner of Smith township. It was organized in May, 1859, by Rev. J. C. Campbell, who was appointed for the pur- pose by Chartiers Presbytery. The elders elected at the organization were Jacob George, Thomas Steven- son, John Campbell, and John D. Reed. The first trustees were Robert McBurney, Jacob George, and John Campbell. At the organization there were fifty- eight members, fifty-three being received on certificate and five on examination. They held their services for a time in Mr. John Campbell's barn, but soon pre- pared for building a church. At a cost of two thou- sand five hundred dollars they built a frame church forty-six by sixty feet, which was finished and occu- pied the first time on the third Sabbath of February, 1860. On the 28th of January, 1862, they called Mr. D. S. Kennedy to become their pastor. He was in- stalled and ordained on the 4th of September, 1862. This relationship continued ten years and six months, closing on the 13th of October, 1872. On the 10th of June, 1861, Mr. Robert McBurney and William Keys were ordained and installed as ruling elders. Mr. James McCalmont was added to the eldership Jan. 23, 1863. Fourteen persons in all have been elders here. At present there are six, viz., William Berry, James McCalmont, W. C. Aiken, J. G. Wilson, Wil- liam A. Dickson, and J. S. Espey. The present pas- tor, J. B. Waddell, is the second whom the congrega- tion has had. He preached his first sermon at Centre on the first Sabbath of January, 1873. He was called on the 30th of January, 1873, and took charge of the congregation, May 1, 1873, and still continues pastor. The congregation now numbers one hundred and fifty-three members; has a Sabbath-school of over one hundred scholars, and owns a parsonage with ten acres of land, worth four thousand dollars.

The original ground for church and graveyard was donated by Mr. John Campbell. His son, William C. Campbell, afterward gave some additional ground for the graveyard, but this too is now filled with graves, and the trustees have recently bought more land from Mr. W. C. Campbell.

Mount Vernon Associate Reformed Church .- A society formed of people of this denomination was organized in 1829 in the southwestern part of the

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

township, on the line between Smith and Mount Pleasant. In 1832 a brick edifice fifty by fifty-six feet was erected on land of James Leech. The society worshiped here under the ministrations of the Rev. S. Taggart until the formation of the United Presby- terian denomination, when the society went down and the church building was sold in 1859 to J. P. Leech, who now owns it.

Schools of the Township.1-The earliest school taught in the township was at the close of the Revo- lutionary war by William Lowrie, a surveyor and a soldier of that war, on that part of the Rankin tract owned by the estate of Andrew McFarland, within the present limits of No. 7 District. Mr. Lowrie died in Beaver County, Pa.

A surveyor named Sinclair taught some time before 1800 within the limits of No. 3, as it stood previous to June, 1881. Mr. Sinclair's name is found in the early land records. The names of James Cresswell, Robert'Colvill, and Nathaniel Jenkins appear on the assessment-roll of the township in 1796 as teachers. Where they taught is not known.

A school was taught in Burgettstown in 1798-99 by George McKaig. He afterwards taught (in 1803) in a house standing on land now owned by Prof. S. C. and John Farrar. John Burnett taught in No. 4 in 1806, on land owned by John Ferguson, Esq. John Smith taught in 1806. In 1807 the teachers were William Grant, James Lee, George McKaig, Henry Robinson, and John Smith. Mr. Smith taught on the Rankin tract.

In 1808, Henry Robinson taught on land of Jesse Campbell, now owned by Pressley Leech in No. 8. Dr. Joseph Campbell taught in 1808 on land of Capt. John B. Hays in No. 2. He also taught in the same place in 1812. John Crooks and John Vas- binder were teachers in Burgettstown before the school law of 1834 went into operation. The schools and their teachers previous to the time that the free school system went into operation were as follows : Burgettstown, Henry Robinson, Robert Patterson, Anthony Gallagher (1817), Mr. Hatch, Mr. Tellfair, Dr. Joseph Campbell, Rev. Joseph McLain, Rev. Forster, Samuel Douthett and his sister, and Mr. Brakeman ; Miss Potter, afterwards the wife of Dr. Marshall. Hamilton, Washington Carter, Sallie Tay- lor, Miss Sibella Galbraith (afterwards the wife of the Rev. Middleton), Dr. Sweeney, Houston Walker, and Joseph Buchanan. Two schools were frequently in operation at the same time. Henry Robinson taught fourteen years in all in Burgettstown.

At the house on Capt. J. B. Hays' farm, besides Dr. Campbell, were William Conyngham (1817) and An- thony Gallagher. At the Kerr school, on land of James Kerr, now owned by John Dinsmore, George Cunningham (supposed to be the first or among the first), Samuel Douthett, Sr., Aaron Aten, William

Haney, Levi Hays, Samuel Dickey, Solomon Spind- ler, and the late Rev. Alexander McCarrell, D.D., of Claysville, Pa. A house stood on land now owned by John Vance in No. 3. John Matthews is the only teacher reported, and he was among the early teachers; he taught Latin and other higher branches.

In No. 10, on land now owned by Isaac Simpson, John McCreary taught in 1825. Other teachers were Reuben Rich, James Hays, Thomas Clelland, and John Hoge. At the Cross-Roads, near the same place, Henry Robinson and Adam Rankin are reported. In No. 7, in addition to those reported, was Mr. Shell- cock, who taught before 1812. The late William Gal- braith, Esq., began to teach in 1817, and quit about 1840. Most of his teaching was in No. 7. He was reported as one of the best in his time. He was one of the examiners after the school law went into opera- tion.

In the house that was built in 1825 on land of Jo- seph Vance, now Samuel G. Scott's, in No. 9, John Stevenson, John Crooks, Nathaniel Wilson, T. T. Camby, John Hartry, and Dr. Joseph Campbell. In a house that was on a farm now owned by John L. Proudfit, Esq., near school No. 10, John Stewart, Nancy Bert, C. Shepherd, Tillie White, William Pyles, Ann Pyles, and Sylvester Robb. Other teachers, whose places of teaching are not mentioned, are David Hays, Robert Lee, David Galbraith, Hugh Barton, James Geary, and James Hays. Henry Rob- inson's teaching extends from 1807 until some time in 1842. In 1841 he taught in No. 8. His last term was in the Rankin district, Mount Pleasant township. Dr. Joseph Campbell's teaching extends through a period not quite so long, being from 1807 until 1837. He practiced medicine part of the time. William Gal- braith's extended from 1817 until about 1840.

There are many teachers, no doubt, who deserve honorable mention, but they do not appear to be re- membered to be handed down to succeeding gener- ations.

The first land leased for school purposes was by George Burgett to David Bruce, Robert Boland, and James Wiley, trustees of the Burgettstown school, and their successors for the use of said school a lot of ground No. 45, in the town of West Boston, bounded by Liberty Street and lot of Joseph Caldwell, dated April 23, 1807. The house is now occupied by Mr. John Divitt. A lot of ground was leased by Dr. Ste- phen Smith in Burgettstown, on Washington Street (now Main), for church and school purposes. The house is brick, built in 1834 by Edward Downing, of Hickory. . School closed when the house was needed for preaching. When the county commissioners were holding their triennial assessment appeals they were asked to contribute for the building ; they did so, and gave their days' wages. The house is now owned and occupied by Mr. Joseph Robinson, a nephew of Henry Robinson, the teacher.

Much interest was manifested in the cause of edu-

1 By William Melvin.

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SMITH TOWNSHIP.

cation, and when the location of school buildings is asked for, you are told that one stood here, and one there, etc., all over the different portions of the town- ship. If buildings used for school purposes were re- stored, Smith township would be thickly dotted with school-houses.

Smith township accepted the school law in the year of its passage, though there was considerable opposi- tion to accepting its provisions. A part of the oppo- sition was by men who were in favor of education, but were opposed to the policy of the immediate con- struction of new houses. On the day appointed to vote on its adoption the voters assembled in Bur- gettstown. The day being wet, and no room in the town large enough to hold them, they went to the covered bridge at the foot of Pittsburgh Street, near the steam-mill ; all favorable to the law went to one end of the bridge, those opposed went to the other. Robert Patterson, Esq., the leading spirit in the move- ment, and one of the early teachers heretofore men- tioned, was the first president of the new board, and Nathaniel Hunter the first secretary. Mr. Hunter was the last survivor of the original board, dying in 1879 in Jefferson County, Ohio.

Directors previous to 1843 were Robert Patterson, Esq., Nathaniel Hunter, Hon. James Keys, Jesse Spencer, Alexander Kidd, John Neal, Garrett Van Eman, Thomas Bavington, David Cook, Alexander Hays, Joseph McNary, James Dunbar, and Isaac Morgan. No others are reported. Robert Patterson, Esq., was president in 1840; Garrett Van Eman was treasurer in 1837; John L. Proudfit, Esq., collector, and Alexander S. Berryhill, treasurer, in 1840. Isaac Morgan was treasurer at one time.

The township was divided into nine sub-districts. The log edifices then in use gave way to neat frame buildings, excepting in Nos. 1 and 7, where brick houses were built. From the school reports it ap- pears that the free-school system did not go into effect immediately upon its adoption. In the State super- intendent's report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1836, Smith township is credited with eight schools, and having received from the State appropriation $209.76 for 1836-37, and $99.48 for former years, but nothing from the county or district, and the schools not re- ported in operation. The $99.48 received must have been a part of the first State appropriation, distrib- uted Jan. 12, 1835.

In the report for Dec. 31, 1837, eight schools are re- ported and one required. Three months taught; teachers, seven male and one female ; salary of males, $20 per month ; females, $14 per month ; scholars, male, 152; female, 136 ; cost of instruction, 54 cents. Re- ceipts, district tax, $459 ; State appropriation, $732.97 ; county, $355 ; $462 spent for instruction ; three houses unfinished and six required ; average cost of houses, $225. In the report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1838, the report for Smith township is not complete. Four schools are reported, seven houses in use, and two re-

quired. Receipts, for buildings, $644.70; from State appropriation, $322.19; county, $117.41; district, $185.10. The nine houses were all built previous to 1840. No. 1, Burgettstown, was built, as before stated, in 1834. Houston Walker, afterwards a minister in the Secession Church, taught the first school (a select) in it. The house was conveyed to the directors, they keeping it in repair, but the prior right to occupy it for church purposes was retained. James Logan taught two public terms in it in 1838 and 1839, and is probably the first of the public school teachers in Burgettstown. In 1865 the school was graded. Mr. and Mrs. Van B. Baker were the teachers. But one teacher was employed in 1866.

In 1868 a two-story frame of four rooms was built, and the school was permanently graded, George T. McCord, principal, and Miss Kate Ghrist (now Mrs. J. R. McNary, of Smith township), assistant. In 1869 another department was added, H. S. Phillips, principal, and Miss Carrie A. Brockman (now Mrs. Robert E. Hill, of East Liverpool, Ohio) and Miss Sarah Hays, assistants. The fourth department was added in 1875, William Melvin, principal, and Misses Mary Bingham, Eva Simmons, and Mattie Fleming (now Mrs. D. F. Enoch, of Pittsburgh, Pa.), assist- ants.

No 2 school-house was built in 1836 by George Mil- ler, on land of John Proudfit, now owned by his son, Robert F. Proudfit. It was generally known as Hays school-house. The house previously used was the Kerr school-house. James Fulton was the first teacher. About the year 1852 the house was moved to a location on the Burgettstown and Eldersville road, on a farm of Robert Campbell, now owned by his son, Arthur Campbell. Miss Eliza Ann Pyles was about the first teacher at the new location. In 1864 the location was again changed and a new house built on the same farm a few rods west of the old house. Van B. Baker taught the first term in the new house.

No. 3, now known as Cinder Hill, was built in 1837, on land of William Wilson, now owned by his son, William E. Wilson. The house used until it was ready was on land of James Rankin, now owned by John Vance. Andrew Vance taught the first term in the new house. His son John taught one term in it shortly before the civil war. A new house was built by James Seawright on the original location in 1868. It is the only house standing on the original location.

No. 4 was built by James Dunbar on a twenty-one- year lease, on land of Thomas Bavington, now owned by D. S. McBride. A new house was built in 1863, on land of Robert Coventry, now owned by Dr. Wil- liam Donnan, of Burgettstown.

No. 5 was built by James Dunbar, on land of John S. Russell, now owned by his son, D. A. Russell. The house used until it was ready was on land of John Stevenson, now owned by William S. Russell. The first teacher, or among the first, in the new house

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

was John H. McCombs, now practicing law in Ash- land, Ohio. In 1866 a new house was built on the same farm near the old one. In 1873 a larger house was built near Bulger, on land of Lockhart and Frew. William T. Slater taught the first two years in the new house.

No. 6 was built on land now owned by William C. Campbell. The house previously used until it was ready is not reported to the writer. (In fact he failed altogether to get any information on the early schools and teachers in that locality.) In 1873 the location was changed, and a new house built in Midway, on a lot obtained from Mr. Stephen Arnot. In 1878 an additional room was built, and the school graded. James C. Wilson, principal, and Miss McClure, daughter of Robert McClure, deceased, assistant.

No. 7, a brick house, was built by Andrew Bruce, on land of Samuel Farrar, now owned by Wiley Stevenson. The house used was on the site on which the brick was built. William Galbraith was the first teacher. After teaching one month he was obliged to quit, the scholars becoming sick. It is supposed the house was occupied too soon. The bricks were burnt in 1866, and a new house built on land of the late Judge John Farrar, now owned by his sons, Prof. S. C. and John Farrar. Mr. L. McCarrell taught the first term in the new house.

No. 8 was built by George Miller, on a lease ob- tained from William Stephenson, now owned by his grandson, Robert T. C. Stephenson, of Burgettstown. William Thompson taught the first term in No. 8. It is now used as a dwelling-house. The house used until No. 8 was ready was on land of Samuel Cook, now owned by William K. Lyle. The old house is used as a tenant-house. The location was changed and a new house built in 1860 on land of John Stur- geon, now owned by his heirs. Miss Sarah K. Lyle taught the first term in it. The house is now known as Cook's school-house.

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 226

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