USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > Newville > History of the Big Spring Presbyterian Church, Newville, Pa. : 1737-1898 > Part 7
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129
PRESBYTERIAN £ CHURCH.
PASTORATE OF REV. PHILIP H. MOWRY, D. D.
Rev. P. H. Mowry was elected pastor of the Big Spring Church October 17, 1863, and entered upon his pastoral duties the following December. He was in- stalled June, 1864.
The short ministry of Dr. Mowry was marked by ad- vancement in temporal and spiritual things. Unkind feelings of former years were, to a great extent, healed. A deep religious feeling pervaded the congregation, par- tienlarly was this the case during the months of April and May, 1866. Special services were held by the pas- tor which resulted in large accessions to the church. The church edifice was remodeled, and the pipe organ now in use was purchased. The use of tables in the adminis- tration of the communion were dispensed with by reso- lution of the session, September 9, 1864. In October, 1868, the pastoral relation was severed. The efficient work performed by Dr. Mowry and the high esteem in which he was held by the congregation is best expressed by an extract from resolutions passed by the congrega- tion at the time of his resignation. "Resolved, that the pastoral relation existing between this congregation and Rev. P. H. Mowry, has been marked by uninterrupted harmony and good feeling; that we have every reason to be thankful for the signal manner in which his labors in our midst have been blest, and that he carries with him our highest esteem and warmest affection." One hundred and thirty-six members were added to the church during this pastorate.
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PASTORATE OF REV. EBENEZER ERSKINE, D. D.
On the 17th of August, 1869, the congregation elected Rev. Dr. Erskine pastor. He accepted the call and en- tered his ministerial duties October 9, 1869. During the ministry of Dr. Erskine, pastor and people have done aggressive church work. Special series of services were introduced from time to time, resulting in several revivals of religion. The most note worthy of which was the revival of 1876. In the last week of December, 1875, Rev. Edward P. Hammond preached for a couple of days which was followed by union services by the different pastors of the town in their respective churches, for six weeks. These services produced a profound im- pression upon the community and resulted in much good. Business in the town was almost suspended for a time, people giving themselves up to church going and conversation on matters of religion. Many accessions were made to all the churches, the Presbyterian receiving one hundred and two members. The next largest in gathering followed the special union services held in the different churchies of Newville by Rev. Francis E. Smiley in 1892. At that time thirty-three persons united with the Big Spring Church.
The congregation led by the pastor has taken ad- vanced grounds on the moral questions of the day, es- pecially in temperance lines. Five Missionary societies and a Christian Endeavor Society have been organized during Dr. Erskine's ministry. Notwithstanding the frequent demands upon his time by the church at large, rarely a Sunday passes without finding Dr. Erskine in his pulpit faithfully presenting the offers of salvation to
131
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
the impenitent, and strengthening christians in their most holy faith. Five hundred and seventeen persons have been added to the church during the ministry of Dr. Erskine. We take from the last report of Dr. Ers- kine to the Presbytery on the State of Religion in the congregation, the following: "Number of members of the church, three hundred and thirty-nine. Four servi- ces are held on the Sabbath and one during the week the greater part of the year. The attendance has been generally good. The catechism is taught in the Sabbath School. The woman's and young people's missionary societies are well attended, and are active and liberal in support of the work. The spirituality of the church has been much quiekened during the past winter by a series of special religious services. Five hundred and ninety- six dollars were contributed during the year for Home and Foreign Missions. The cause of temperance has been strengthened and advanced during the year. The gospel, however, is our chief dependence in the moral elevation of the community when faithfully preached, attended by the demonstration of the Holy Spirit, which makes it the power of God unto salvation to all true believers."
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CHURCH BUILDINGS.
The first church building was erected in 1737 or 1738, shortly after the organization of the congregation. It was a log structure and stood in the present grave yard until 1790. We have nothing descriptive of its appear- ance or arrangement. In 1790 the congregation built a large stone church in the style then prevailing. It is said the plan was furnished by Rev. Robert Davidson, then pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Carlisle, and afterwards president of Dickinson College. The two back pews along the south wall in every tier from east to west wall were raised above the floor; the one next the wall about sixteen inches. The one in front of it about eight inches. The same was true of the elevation of the back pews in the tiers on the east and west of the pulpit. Every pew in the church had its price marked on it in shillings and pence, varying from sixty shillings the highest to twenty shillings the lowest. The raised pews at the back walls were about eight shillings higher than those before them. The church was heated by three stoves placed in the three aisles leading from the front doors. The pulpit was placed high against the north wall and was reached by a flight of steps on each side. The pews had high straight backs.
-
In 1832 the propriety of building a new church or re- modeling the old one was agitated, and in February of that year the congregation resolved to build a new church and voted three thousand dollars for the pur- pose. The records of the church show considerable confliction of opinion in the matter and, although it was frequently brought before the congregation and board of trustees, nothing was accomplished for several years.
THE EIG SPRING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Some of the members were in favor of using the "funds of the church" which were the quit rents and the sale of quit rents, others opposed this vigorously. Finally more decisive action was taken. On January 25, 1840, the congregation instructed the trustees to raise funds and proceed to the repairing of the church, and at a meeting held the fifteenth of the following February the congregation "resolved that the trustees are hereby auth- orized and required to appropriate three years interest aceruing from the monies and bank stock, together with three years quit rents, accruing from the lots in the borough of Newville, to the repairing and remodeling of this house, provided the sum does not exceed seven hun- dred dollars. "From this time the work of remodeling proceeded without interruption until completion. The trustees in conjunction with the congregation decided on making the following changes in the church edifice: The pulpit was to be placed in the east end of the church, and a lobby of nine and a half feet was to be taken from the west end of the church and over the lobby a gallery was to be made. The two principal aisles were to be six feet wide, and to run east and west. The aisle in front of the pulpit was to be seven and a half feet wide. The pews on the right and left of the pulpit were to be eight feet in length, and the two last pews in the west end were to be raised across the whole range, and all pews to have panel doors. There were to be four windows on each side of the building and two at each end, lowered to the standard of making windows in modern churches, each window to contain twenty-four panes of glass, twelve by fourteen. There were to be two doors opposite the aisle running north and south; two
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doors from the west end from the lobby into the church, and a large door from the west end to enter the lobby, with circular top and glass above. Three center pieces were to be placed on the ceiling. A new floor was to be laid. A cupola was to be placed on the west end in which a bell was directed to be hung. The bell, how- ever, was not bought until 1854. All of these changes seem to have been made and the work completed by the fall of 1841, for on the second of November of that year at a meeting of the trustees a committee was appointed to settle with the contractor, Jacob Zeigler. The report made of the expense of remodeling the church shows an expenditure of two thousand three hundred and thirty- nine dollars and thirty-five cents. Prior to 1853 the cupola appears to have become damaged by some means, and in the fall and winter of 1853 it was taken down and replaced by another. About this time the two small rooms in the lobby were removed and stairs to the gallery placed at each end of the lobby. A bell was purchased and placed in the new cupola at an expense of one hundred and seventy-five dollars, and was re- ported as being paid for at a meeting of the congrega- tion February 12, 1854. In 1865 the gallery of the church was taken down and a platform erected in its place for the use of the choir and the accommodation of the pipe organ which was purchased at that time. The pulpit was lowered and a new carpet was laid. At a a congregational meeting held November 23, 1880, it was resolved to remodel the old church building. This was done during the year 1881, and the remodeled edi- fice was reopened for worship.
The improvements consisted of erecting a spacious and
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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
well appointed lecture room at the east end of the church, the same being divided into two apartments for Sabbath School purposes; the erection of a square tower with belfry on the south side of the church; the enlarging of the audience room by adding a recess to the east end for the pulpit; erecting a porch at the west end serving the purpose of a vestibule, and adding a recess at the north and south sides in which the stoves are placed. The audience room was changed by a broad central aisle running east and west, and side aisles along the south and north walls. The church was furnished with hand- some gothic pews in walnut and chestnut; gothic pulpit, furniture in walnut, and crimson carpet. The ceiling was raised in gothic shape to the rafters and ornamented in stucco work, finished in white. The organ was placed to the left of the pulpit on a raised platform. The old square windows were changed to gothic, memorials to the families of James McFarlane, Daniel McDannel, Andrew Ralston, Robert. Mickey, Samuel and Deborah McKeehan, James and Susan McCord, Rev. Samuel Wilson, Rev. Joshua Williams, D. D., Daniel Leckey and David Mckinney.
When the church was remodeled in 1841 the exterior was rough coated, after a few years this coating fell off in patches and gave the walls a very unsightly appear- ance. It was again coated in 1881. In 1894 it was all removed showing the solid stone masonry erected by the fathers over a century ago.
In the summer and fall of 1896 the interior of the Church was greatly beautified, largely due to the exer- tions of the ladies of the congregation. The walls were handsomely frescoed; a brussels carpet in green
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was laid; the pews cushioned throughout; an artistic brass rail was placed around the organ loft, from which was hung curtains of green velour; all presenting a har- monious and pleasing effect. The amount expended on these improvements, was seventeen hundred and sixty- four dollars.
Tradition says, that a log study or session house was built near the first church, but we have no records showing the fact. In 1796, a stone building was erect- ed at the north side of the church, at a cost of about $500. Archibald McCoy, was the contractor. This building was called by some, a study house, by others, a session house, and was also known as the school house from the fact that a Latin school was taught there for a number of years. This building stood until about 1840, when it was taken down and a brick building erected at the east end of the church. This building served for school and sessional purposes until the ercc- tion of the present lecture room in the rear of the church in 1881.
OCCUPANTS OF PEWS IN 1790.
NO.
1. Rev. Samuel Wilson.
2. John Davidson, Andrew Patterson.
3. Robert Patterson, Andrew Patterson.
4. James Graham, Jared Graham.
5. Samuel Woods, William Woods, Joseph Pollock.
6. John Lemond, Thos. Glenn, W. Woods.
7. John McKeehan, James Huston.
8. Alexander Officer, William Douglas.
9. Matthew Davidson.
10. Samuel Blair, William Mitten.
139
Pulpit
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
SI
82
83
L
7.
F
0
S
OT
DOOR
DOOR
GREAT OR LONG ENTRY.
CHURCH.
72
52
32
13
54
51
1 1
70
55
50
30
15
56
19
=
68
57
18
9
67
58
88
27
18
66
59
46
39
26
19
65
60
45
10
25
61
4-1
=
17.
633
62
233
DOOR.
DOOR.
DOOR.
South.
GROUND PLOT OF THE CHURCH AS IT WAS IN 1790.
EAST
PRESBYTERIAN
WEST
71
SMALL WEST ENTRY.
MIDDLE OR GREAT ENTRY.
SMALL EAST ENTRY.
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11. William Clark.
12. Benjamin McKeehan, George McKeehan.
13. William Given, William Wilson.
14. Thomas Johnson, John Boyd.
15. Joseph Connelly, John Connelly, William French.
16. John McDonald, John Davidson, A. Leckey.
17. James McCune, William Auld, John Monroe.
18. Thomas Espey, James Johnson.
19. William Brattan, John Brattan.
20. John Ewing, William Ewing.
21.
James McFalane, Widow McFarlane.
William McFarlane, Alex. Buchanan, Alex. Boyle. James Laughlin, William Laughlin.
22. 23. 24. John Hays, James Woodburn.
25. James Graham, Samuel Lindsay.
26. George Lefevre.
Samuel Reauge, Mary Reauge, R. Beard, D. Craw- ford.
27. 28. John Espey, George Espey, John McDowell.
29. John Beale, James Johnson.
30. John Rippet, John Shannon.
Widow Cummins, James Kirkpatrick.
31. 32. Richard Woods, Gabriel Glenn. 33. David Stevick, James Nicholson. 34. James Irwin, Matthew Ramsey. 35. Thomas Jacobs, David Ralston. 36. 37. Robert Hutchinson, John Patton. 38. James Turner, John Turner. 39. Samuel Mathers, Joseph Mathers.
Paul Martin, Thomas McGuffin, I. Dearborough.
40. John Reid, W. Hunter, A. Brown, D. Gallespie.
41. James McKeehan, Jarman Jacobs.
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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
42. William Lusk, John Caldwell.
43. Matthew Walker, Samuel Finley.
44. Jere Mckibben, Benjamin Stewart, James Brown.
45. John Brown, James McCulloch.
46. Robert MeClure, James Laird, Matthew Wilson.
47. John Huston, Thomas Norton, Alexander Mc- Bride.
William Bryson, Hugh Allen.
48. 49. John Carson, Samuel Emmett, Joseph Parks.
50. John MeCune, Samuel Wier.
Hugh Laughlin, Alexander Laughlin.
51. 52. 53. 54. Robert Mickey, James Jack.
Robert McFarlane, William Thompson.
Samuel Morrow, Samuel McCormick.
55. Robert Shannon, William Stevens.
56. Solomon Lightcap, Daniel Mclaughlin.
57. Robert Walker, James Walker, Samuel Wilson.
James McGuffog, William McGuffog, John Rob- inson.
58. 59. John Work. 60. Nathaniel Roberts, Gillespie.
61. Alexander McClintock, Adam Carnahan.
62. John Morain, Dr. Laughlin.
63. 64. Robert Mickey, Andrew Mickey, -
Adam Bratton, George Gillespie, Thomas Gillespie. - Carna- han.
65. Thomas McDonald, William McDonald, William Hunter.
66.
James Mickey, William Kilgore.
Joseph Vanhorn, John Kelley, Joseph Kelley.
67. 68. William Duncan, John Doyle, Henry Clark.
69. Alexander Elliott, Thomas Mathers.
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70. Samuel Walker, McCune.
71. Win. Walker, Andrew Walker, D. Walker, Rob- ert Officer.
72. Thomas Kennedy, John Bratton.
73. Samuel McElhenny and sons, John Morrow.
74. Joseph Wilson, Jesse Kilgore, Robert Kilgore.
75. Andrew McElwain, John Bell.
76. John Purdy, David Ramsey, John Walker.
77. John Brown, Widow Walker.
78. John McFarlane, John Mitchell, Samuel Mitchell.
79. Alexander Thompson, William Thompson.
80. James W. Appleby, James McCurdy.
81. Robert McElwain, Nellie Stewart.
82. David Williamson, Andrew Thompson.
83. Robert Beale, Andrew Beale.
84. James Hamilton, Robert Lusk.
143
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
THE GLEBE.
The Glebe or land belonging to the church, consisted of eighty-nine acres and some perches. A warrant for this tract was issued from the Land Office of the Prov- ence, March 2, 1744, to William Lemond, James Walker, Alexander McClintock and David Killough, for the use of and in tract for the Presbyterian congregation of Big Spring. This trust was called "Reliance" and was held under the original warrant until the 23rd of September, 1794, when it was patented by the State authorities. The congregation built a stone parsonage on the glebe on the high ground on the north side of Main street near the Big Spring, the ruins of which stood until a few years ago. The parsonage was occupied by the pas- tor until some time after the settlement of Mr. Wilson. He bought a farm on the north side of the Conodoguinet where he built a stone house. The farm is now owned by his great grand son, James W. Sharp. Dur- ing Mr. Wilson's residence over the creek the parsonage was rented. On Jan. 10th, 1797, the parsonage prop- erty was offered at public sale. Rev. Samuel Wilson purchased it at £35 8d. per acre for about five acres.
The propriety of laying out a town on the glebe land had been discussed several years before it was paccom- plished. The first record of a meeting of the trustees or congregation when the expediency of laying out a town was considered, is taken from the trustees minute book of 1788; the first book used after the church was incor- porated. The church was incorporated February 27, 1785, under the style and title of "The First Presbyter- ian Church in Newton township in the County of Cum- berland. The resolutions taken from that book are as
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follows:
"Aug. 16, 1790 .- It was moved and agreed that the time for laying off the town upon the glebe be defered until the next meeting."
"Friday, Aug. 20. The trustees met for laying off the town upon the glebe land, agreeable to instructions from the congregation, and their own resolutions of the last meeting, but on Rev. Mr. Wilson's opposition thereto, the trustees agreed to postpone the prosecution of the business until they had further instructions from the congregation."
"Sept. 9, 1790 .- The trustees met and laid off sixty lots of ground, sixty feet front and one hundred feet back; after which they directed Mr. Vanhorn to make a drawing of the same, and appointed the president, Mr. Mathias, Mr. Vanhorn and the secretary, a committee to meet the following Tuesday at the office of the secretary for the purpose of making a plan, &c., for the disposi- tion of lots." The plan drawn consisted of one street, Main street, to run from the spring to the west, with Glebe alley running parallel on its south, and Cove alley on its north; to be crossed by the streets Corpora- tion, High and West; the former two to extend north to the boundary of the glebe. Building lots were laid out on these streets, and all the remaining land of the tract was divided into parcels of from two to five acres for pas- ture and tillage.
"Sept. 16 .- The trustees met. The committee sub- mitting the plan of the town and the conditions of sale to them; it was agreed as follows: That the town shall be called Newville, that the lots already laid off be dis- posed of by lottery, at a rate of six dollars a ticket re-
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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ..
serving one and forty-four, which shall be sold at public vendue. That all the lots fronting on Main street be subject to a ground rent of ten shillings. No. 1 of the reserved lots to be subject to a ground rent of twelve shillings, and No. 44 to sixteen shillings and eight pence. That adventures pay one-third of the price of their tick- ets in hand, and give their obligation for the balance, payable in three months."
Oct. 28 .- The day appointed for the sale of reserved lots, and likewise for the drawing of the lottery. The sale and drawing was postponed until Thursday of No- vember.
Nov. 4 .- The trustees proceeded to the sale of lot No. 1, which was duly purchased by William Laughlin, sen., for the sum of eighty pounds currency, and lot 44, by George McKeehan, for the sum of eighteen pounds, twelve shillings. The sale being over, they proceeded to the drawing of the lottery. The following scale of drawing was the result:
Sixty lots were drawn at about three pounds each. On the 12th of December, six were sold for six dollars the lot. The balance of the lots were not drawn but were sold at private sale. The pasture lots were sold at from $24 to $27 per acre. About eight acres of the north-east corner, was reserved for parsonage use, and subsequently sold to the Rev. S. Wilson. The reason lots Nos. 1 and 44 were considered more valuable, was their water privileges, they bordering on the spring. All of the lots were deeded in limited fee with a reserv- ed incumbrance, which was to yield an annual six per cent rent to the church. The incumbrance on the front lots, as given in the foregoing resolutions, was
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$22.22, each making an annual quit rent of $1.33; on the back lots, $17.90 each, with a quit rent of $1.07; and upon the out lots, $13.33 per acre, with a quit rent of eighty cents.
The collection of these rents as well as the other rev- enues of the church, was always annoying, and the rec- ords abound in different methods that were employed for their collection. Some were of a rather severe char- acter and would hardly be tolerated in this day. On one occasion, we find that "Pews will be declared vacant and given to others if rent is not paid at the end of the year." On another, "Resolved that all persons who are indebted to the congregation, be notified to pay in six weeks, or suit will be instituted for recovery of the same. Provided that in no case, suit be brought against any desolate or indigent female, or any other individual whom the trustees may consider from sickness, poverty, or like cause, to be unable to pay at present." For many years the collectors of the church funds were giv- en five per cent of their collections for their trouble and to stimulate them to greater activity. The trustees of the church in 1836, resolved to abolish the quit rents by collecting the incumbrance and giving the owner of the property a deed in fee simple. Many persons took advantage of the offer, but some of the quit rents were held by the church as late as 1884. Happily for all parties, the contentions which existed for so many years between the church and the town over the right of the congregation to collect the ground rents, have passed away, and now all things move along smoothly. It is thought by many, that those early difficulties over the ground rent, served to retard the growth of the town.
147
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The original purchasers of lots from the trustees were Ludwig Andrews, David Auld, Wm. Auld, Henry Aughinbaugh, Philip Beck, Isaiah Blair, John Boyd, James Boyd, John Bratton, Win. Cowden, George Car- mer, Samuel Crowel, John Clark, Joseph Crawford, John Davidson, John Dunbar, Samuel Finley, Thomas George, James Graham, Patrick Greer, Andrew Harvey, Abra- ham Hildebrand, Hugh Holmes, John Jacob, Isaac Jam- ison, George Keiser, William Leiper, William Laughlin, Felix Scott, Martha Lusk, Robert Lusk, Thomas Lusk, David McClintock, Samuel McCulloch, Archy McCoy, Henry MeDermond, Samuel Mellheny, William McEl- wain, Jere. McKibben, Daniel McQuire, Ezra McCall, George McKeehan, William McFarlane, William Mc- Gonegal, Isaac Mason, John Mason, Titus Miller, John Moore, Samuel Morrow, John Niekle, James Nicholson, David Ogler, Robert Officer, James Patrick, William Porterfield, William Patton, Samuel Silver, Leonard Shannon, Daniel Sourpike, Brice Sterrett, Matthew Thompson, John Turner, J. D. Waltenberger, JJohn Weily, Samuel Wilson, Hugh Wallace, David William- son, Thomas Wilson, James Woodburn, Alexander Work.
The following is a copy of one of the first deeds granted by the Big Spring Church, dated Ang. 25, 1797: "This Indenture Witnesseth, That John Carson, George MeKechan, Samuel Matthias, Thomas Jacobs, John Davidson, Jr., Alex. Thompson, John Geddes, Esqs., the present trustees of the incorporated congrega- tion of Big Spring, in Cumberland County, and State of Pennsylvania, have in virtue of the trust reposed in us by the said congregation, and in consideration of the
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sum of two pounds, two shillings and two pence in full, have bargained, &c., to -, of Newville, Newton township (here follows a description of the lot); being the same lot drawn at the lottery of the said town lots, on the 4th of March, 1790; and it is part of a tract of land surveyed in persuance of a warrant dated March 20, 1744, granted to William Lemond and others, in trust for the said congregation, containing 89 acres and 105 perches, and allowances as expressed in the patent granted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania under the hand of Thomas Mifflin, Esq., Governor, and the seal of the said Commonwealth, to the said John Carson, &c., and successors of said congregation, dated at Phila- delphia, September 23, 1794, together with all the sing- ular, &c., to have and to hold, &e. Attest, John Ged- des, John Dunbar, John Carson."
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