USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > History of the Presbytery of Washington : including a brief account of the planting of the Presbyterian church in Western Pennsylvania and parts adjacent, with sketches of pioneer ministers and ruling elders ; also sketches of later ministers and ruling elders > Part 34
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SYNOD NEW YORK AND PHILADELPHIA-17SI-SS.
Synod met annually in Philadelphia in the month of May. Presbytery of Redstone was represented as follows: In 1782, Rev. James Power ; 1783, Rev. John McMillan, Rev. Joseph Smith; Ruling Elder, Patrick Scott; 1784, Rev. James Dunlap; 1787, Rev. Messrs. James Finley, John McMillan, James Power, Samuel Barr. In the years '85, 'S6 and '88, the Presbytery was not represented.
SYNOD OF VIRGINIA-17SS-ISOI .*
In the first fourteen years of its existence, Synod held its meetings annu - ally in the month of October, and with one exception in the valley ot Virginia, mostly at Winchester. The Presbytery of Redstone, during all this time, and the Presbytery of Ohio, from its organization in 1793, were constituent parts of it, and considering distance and difficulty of travel,
* Information under this head is supplied through the courtesy of Rev. James Power Smith, stated clerk of the Synod of Virginia. Mr. Smith, who is pastor of the Presbyterian church in Fredericksburg, Va., is a son of the late Rev. Joseph Smith, D.D., author of " Old Redstone," and is, consequently, a great grandson of the two honored veterane, Rev. Messrs. Joseph Smith and James Power.
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their members attended with exemplary diligence. The honor awarded them appears in the fact that in these fourteen years they were called to fill the Moderator's chair six times, viz. : In 1790, Joseph Smith; 1791, John McMillan ; 1794 and '97, James Dunlap; 1795 and '99, John McPherrin.
Meeting at Washington, Pa.
In 1800 Synod met at Washington, Pa. The names enrolled are these : 1
Hanover Presbytery .- Rev. James Robinson.
Redstone Presbytery .-- Rev. Messrs. James Power, James Dunlap, Jacob Jennings, John McPherrin, Samuel Porter, George Hill, William Swan, David Smith.
Ohio Presbytery .- Rev. Messrs. John McMillan, Joseph Patterson, James Hughes, John Brice, Thomas Marquis, Thomas Moore, Boyd Mercer, Samuel Ralston, William Woods, George Scott, Samuel Donnell, Andrew Gwin, Joseph Anderson, John McClain, Elisha McCurdy, William Wick.
Winchester Presbytery .- Rev. Messrs. Moses Hoge, William Hill.
Elders .- Joseph Morrison, Joseph Ogden, John Power, James Caldwell, Josiah Scott, William Brown, George Lee, James Edgar, Abel McFarland, James Riley, Patrick McCullough, Robert Mccullough, Philip Jackson, Aaron Williams, Charles McClain.
Presbyteries of Lexington, Transylvania, Western Lexington and Wash- ington (Chillicothe) not represented.
Rev. Robert Wilson, of Lexington Presbytery, afterward enrolled.
SYNOD OF PITTSBURGH-1802-19.
During this period Synod met annually in the month of October thirteen times at Pittsburgh, in Presbytery of Redstone, and five times at Washing- ton, in Presbytery of Ohio.
Of the Ruling Elders from Presbytery of Ohio in attendance at Synod within this time, a large majority are persons whose names have been given as found on the records of Presbytery.
The following names, not found on the records of Presbytery up to 1819, are found on the records of Synod within this time, viz. : David Mc Williams, John Edie, Thomas McCune, Robert Laughlin, William Allison, Samuel Harper, James McLaughlin, John McCullongh, William May, Ezra Stevens, Hugh Wylie, John Flack, Joseph McCready, Archibald Brownlee, James Torrence.
Some of these names appear on Presbyterial records subsequent to 1819.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY .- LIST OF DELEGATES. REDSTONE PRESBYTERY-1789-93. 1789. Hon. John Baird.
1790. Rev. James Power.
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1791. Rev, Messrs. James Finley, John McMillan, James Dunlap.
1792. Rev. Messrs. John McMillan, John McPherrin, Samuel Porter.
1793. Rev. Messrs. James Hughes, Jacob Jennings, James Power.
OHIO PRESBYTERY-1794-1819.
1794. Rev. John McMillan and Hon. James Edgar.
1795. Rev. Messrs. John McMillan, Joseph Patterson, and Ruling Elders, Patrick Scott, Wm. Smiley.
1796. Rev. Messrs. Thomas Moore, Boyd Mercer.
1797. Rev. Messrs. Samuel Ralston, James Hughes.
1798. Rev. Messrs. John Brice, Boyd Mercer, and Ruling Elder, Nathan- iel Coleman.
1799:
Rev. Messrs. John McMillan, Thomas Marquis.
1800. Rev. Messrs. Joseph Patterson, Samuel Ralston.
1801. Rev. Messrs, John McMillan, John Brice, John Watson, William Woods.
1802.
Rev. Messrs. Thomas Marquis, John Watson, and Ruling Elder, Wm. Mckinley.
ISO3.
Rev. Messrs. John McMillan, Thomas Marquis, James Hughes,
1804.
Rev. Messrs. James Hughes, Stephen Lindley, Cephas Dodd.
1805.
Rev. Messrs. Thomas Marquis, Elisha Macurdy.
1806.
Rev. Messrs. Andrew Gwin, George Scott,
1807. Rev. Messrs. William McMillan, Matthew Brown, and Ruling Elders, Wm. McKinly, Wm. Rea.
1808. Rev. Messrs. John McMillan, Elisha Macurdy, James Hughes.
1809. Rev. Messrs. Joseph Anderson, William Woods, and Ruling Elder, Robert Laughlin.
1810. Rev. Messrs. Andrew Gwin, John Anderson.
1811. Rev. Messrs. Joseph Anderson, Joseph Patterson.
1812.
Rev. Messrs. James Hughes, Wm. McMillan, Joseph Patterson.
1813.
Rev. Messrs. Elisha Macurdy, Thomas Marquis, Matthew Brown, and Ruling Elder, Obadiah Jennings.
1814.
Rev. Messrs. Andrew Gwin, James Hughes.
1815.
Rev. Messrs. Joseph Patterson, Wm. McMillan, Andrew Wylie.
1816. Rev. Messrs. James Hervey, Obadiah Jennings.
1817.
Rev. Messrs. Thomas Hoge, Thomas B. Clark, and Ruling Elder, Wm. Rea.
IS18.
Rev. Messrs. Matthew Brown, Joseph Anderson, Lyman Potter, Obadiah Jennings.
1819.
Rev. Messrs. Moses Allen, Joseph Stevenson, Thomas Marquis, and Ruling Elder, Wm. Rea.
All the meetings of General Assembly thus far were held at Philadelphia, except in 1792 and 1795 at Carlisle, Pa., and 1799 at Winchester, Va.
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APPENDIX NO. 2.
[Biographical Sketches of Early Ministers.]
Prefatory Note .- On the preceding pages mention has been made of many familiar and endeared names which appear on the records of Red- stone and Ohio Presbyteries previous to 1819, a very large proportion of whom resided on the territory now included in the Presbytery of Wash- ington. It was at first intended to confine notice to those thus resident, but this intention has been changed for the following reasons : In not a few cases it is found impossible to fix with certainty the residence of a can- didate previous to his licensure. Furthermore, some of those licensed, while they may have had their chief residence outside this territory, were intimately connected with it, by temporary residence, marriage and in other ways-indeed, the whole Western Church was, at that early day, very much a single ecclesiastical unit. Somewhat of complication arises also from the fact that the pastoral charge of that chiefest of the pioneer minis- ters, John McMillan, was, at first, partly on this field and partly cutside of it. Pigeon Creek was wholly on it, and at a very early date the town of Washington itself was in the bounds of Chartiers Church, while the church building and Mr. McMillan's residence were outside the present bounda- ries of Washington Presbytery. A like complication obtains with regard to McMillan's log-cabin school, and the academy and college growing out of it, a portion of whose students were residents within this territory, though the buildings were north of the geographical line. From these and other like causes it was found to be impracticable to draw such a line of distinc- tion as was proposed, without great risk of error. No such line could be known to be infallibly correct. And rather than incur the risk of histori- cal inaccuracy it was deemed best to avoid the difficulty by extending the list of sketches so as to reach to all these honored names, except in so far as sketches had already been given in the preceding part of the volume, by Drs. Brownson and Cunningham. Such increase in number will be atoned for by more rigid abbreviations in the contents of each. H.
REV. JAMES POWER, D.D., was born in Chester Co., Pa., in 1746, of parents who had emigrated from the north of Ireland. He graduated at Princeton College in 1766, and was licensed by Presbytery of Newcastle June 24, 1772. Having spent a few years in missionary labor, including a tour, in 1774, to the region west of the Alleghenies, he was ordained by same Presbytery in 1776, and in November following removed to Western Pennsylvania with his family,-himself and wife and four children and bag- gage being conveyed on three horses. He lived first at Dunlap's Creek, doing evangelistic work there and at George's Creek and other points. In 1779 he settled permanently at Mt. Pleasant, having Sewickly also as part of his pastoral charge. In August, 1787, he resigned Sewickly, con- tinuing pastor of Mt. Pleasant until April 15, 1817. His death occurred
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August 5, 1830, in the eighty-fifth year of his age and the fifty-eighth of his ministry.
In person Dr. Power was of medium height, slender and erect, and in manner at once dignified and affable. Dr. Carnahan says of him, " He was a polished, gentlemanly man ; remarkably neat in his dress -- a very correct and graceful speaker." He was a member of the first Board of Trustees of Jefferson College, and in 1808 had conferred on him by that institution the degree of Doctor of Divinity.
In early life Mir. Power was married to Mary, daughter of Philip Tan- ner, an elder in East Nottingham Church, of which Rev. James Finley was pastor. They had born to them eight children, all daughters. One was married, first, to Rev. David Smith, and after his death to Rev. Thomas Hunt; another to Rev. William Swan, and a third to Rev. Thomas Moore. Rev. Dr. Joseph Smith, author of "Old Redstone," was a grandson. Among Dr. Powers' descendants are many ministers and elders. Rev. James Power Smith, of Fredericksburg, Va .; Rev. James Power Fulton, first pastor of Burgettstown, Pa., now of Richfield, Kan., and his son, Rev. WV. S. Fulton, of Lexington, Ky., are of this number.
REV. JOHN MCMILLAN, D.D., son of William and Margaret (Rea) McMillan, was born at Fagg's Manor, Chester Co., Pa., November 11, 1752, 'He graduated at Princeton College in 1772, and studied theology with Rev. Robert Smith, D.D., of Pequea; was licensed by Presbytery of Newcastle October 26, 1774. The two years following were spent in missionary work, including two several tours to Western Pennsylvania. Having received a call from the churches of Pigeon Creek and Chartiers, in what is now Washington County, he decided to accept it, and was dismissed to Presbytery of Donegal, by which he was ordained June 19, 1776. For two years, however, he was hindered from doing more than to sojourn part of the time with his future parishioners, ordaining elders, bap- tizing children and taking such care of the flock as circumstances would per- mit; but in November, 1778, he came among them with his family and re- mained. Aboutthe year 1794 he was released from Pigeon Creek, continuing pastor of Chartiers until his death. He was one of the original members of the Presbytery of Redstone at its erection, in 1781, and also of the Pres- bytery of Ohio, in 1793. He was Moderator of the Synod of Virginia in 1791 and of the Synod of Pittsburgh in 1803 and 1816. He was the princi- pal founder of Jefferson College, in which he was made Professor of Di- vinity in 1802 and Vice-Principal in 1805. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1807. His death occurred November 16, 1833, in the eighty-second year of his age and the sixtieth of his ministry.
Dr. McMillan was a man of great strength of character. He was large in person, of swarthy complexion and strongly-marked features. His manner, both in the pulpit and out of it, was stern and often abrupt, but not unkind. His voice was very powerful and his sermons rich in gospel truth, pointedly addressed to the hearts and consciences of his hearers.
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EARLY MINISTERS.
Many were converted under his preaching. He was fitly styled "The Apostle of Presbyterianism in the West." As illustrating his extraordinary zeal even to the end of life, and also as possessing a special local interest, the following facts taken from authentic records may be cited. During the ten weeks preceding his deccase, though over eighty-one years old, he assisted in communion services at least seven times, preaching thirty-five sermons, viz. : First Sabbath in September at Chartiers; second, Raccoon; third, Cross Roads and Frankfort; fourth, Mill Creek; first Sabbath in October, Miller's Run; second, Bethany ; third, Pittsburgh (during ses- sions of Synod) ; fourth and fifth, at Wheeling, where he preached ten . sermons, being the last he preached. During his whole ministry he preached about six thousand sermons.
The wife of Dr. McMillan, to whom he was married August 6, 1776, was Catharine, daughter of William Brown, an elder in the Church of Upper Brandywine. Their home life on first coming to the West is graphically described by Dr. McMillan himself, in a letter to Dr. Carnahan : "When I came to this country, the cabin in which I was to live was raised, but there was no roof to it, nor any chimney, nor floor. The people, however, were very kind ; they assisted me in preparing my house, and on the 16th of December I removed into it. But we had neither bedstead, nor table, nor stool, nor chair, nor bucket. We could bring nothing with us but what was carried on pack-horses. We placed two boxes, one on the other, which served us for a table, and two kegs served us for seats; and, having committed ourselves to God in family worship, we spread a bed on the floor and slept soundly till morning."
Of the immediate family of Dr. McMillan, his eldest daughter, Jane, was married to Rev. W. Moorhead; another, Margaret, to Rev. John Wat- son (q. v.), first President of Jefferson College. The youngest daughter, Catharine, became the wife of Rev. Moses Allen. Rev. Robert McMillan, deceased, was a worthy grandson. Several other of the descendants have been elders.
REV. THADDEUS DODD was a son of Stephen Dodd, who was born in Guilford, Connecticut, in 1703, and whose father was Daniel Dodd (Dod). Thaddeus was born near Newark, N. J., March 7, 1740, but spent his boy- hood and youth at Mendham, Morris County. He was of weak constitu- tion, and suffered interruption in his studies from sickness, but graduated at Princeton in 1773; and having studied theology with Rev. Dr. Mc- Whorter and Rev. Timothy Johnes, was licensed by the Presbytery of New York, in 1775. In his evangelistic labors as a licentiate, he visited the Ten Mile settlement in Washington County, Pa., and accepting their invitation to settle among them, returned East, and was ordained by Presbytery of New York in 1777, and shortly afterward started to remove with his family, but found it necessary to leave them on the way. In 1779, bringing his family with him, he located permanently at Ten Mile, supplying also at South Fork, in what is now Greene County. His location, being on the
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APPENDIX NO. 2.
south-western frontier, was at the first much exposed to Indian forays, but ere long the dangers of the tomahawk and scalping-knife were forgotten amid the cheering outpourings of God's Spirit. Within a short time, forty souls were added to the Lord.
Mr. Dodd had excellent musical taste and skill, and used Watts' Psalms and Hymns from the first. Having previously helped himself into the ministry by teaching, he now added this labor to that of preaching. A small building was erected within a few steps of his dwelling, and a clas- sical and mathematical school opened in it in the spring of 1782. When, under a charter granted in 1787, an Academy was opened in Washington in 1789, he consented to serve as its Principal, still retaining his pastoral charge at Ten Mile, but supplying at Washington one-third of the time during his incumbency as Principal of the Academy. His death occurred May 20, 1793, in the 54th year of his age, and the 18th of his ministry.
Mr. Dodd was married soon after his graduation to Miss Phebe Baldwin, of Newark, N. J. Of his descendants, 121 were known to be living a few years ago. Several of these were ruling elders, as had also been several others not then living. One son, Rev. Cephas Dodd, became his succes- sor, after a time, to the pastorate of Ten Mile Church.
In the Presbyterian Magazine for 18544, an autobiography and memoir, edited by his son, Rev. Cephas Dodd, was published, covering some twenty pages. In the memoir it is mentioned, as illustrating his linguistic skill, that the Greek and Hebrew texts in their appropriate characters were prefixed to not a few of his written discourses. The autobiography, which is in the form of a diary, gives an insight into his spiritual experiences, such as is given only in rare cases. It appears from this that years before he began to study for the ministry, his religious experience was deep and thorough. A few extracts may fitly be added.
"July 25, 1764. This being the day set apart to seek the eternal welfare of my soul, and for imploring divine assistance, retired into a solitary place on the mountain. Here I made my solemn engagements in writing, and in that solemn manner entered into covenant engagements to be the Lord's. Oh, my God, leave me not-help me daily to take up my cross and follow thee."
"Feb. 19, 1765. Met with my friends at the session, and was examined by Mr. Peppard and the elders of the church as to my experimental knowledge of Jesus Christ and my fitness to approach to the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. We had a pleasant meeting. Nothing was heard in the company but heavenly things."
"July 17, 1766. Had some freedom in commending myself to God in my studies and imploring his blessing on them. Oh, infinitely glorious God! the secrets of my heart are naked and open before thee. I cast myself upon thy all-wise and holy Providence, and rejoice that through thine infinite wisdom, thou knowest what will be best for me. Oh, my God, I would unbosom my soul to thee. Thou knowest the end I propose in my studies, which I have no visible means of obtaining. Thou must
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EARLY MINISTERS.
bless me, both in the work of my hand and the labors of my mind, or I shall fail. I leave myself . . . with thee. Use me, oh Lord, as an instru- ment of thy glory, and grant that in whatever station it may be thy pleasure to appoint me to act, I may bring some glory to thee and good to the world of mankind."
"Sep. 1, 1766. I have long had great desires of the spreading of Christ's Gospel among the heathen, and have sometimes earnestly requested that God would employ me in that glorious work."
These dates were some nine years previous to the date of his licensure.
REV. JOSEPH SMITH was born of pious parents, in 1736, in Nottingham, Md., near to the Susquehanna River. He graduated at Princeton in 1764; was licensed by Presbytery of Newcastle August 5. 1767 ; was ordained by same Presbytery April 19, 1769, and installed pastor of Lower Brandywine. Here, and also for a time, conjointly at Wilmington, Del., he labored until 1778. In the spring of 1779 he visited the West, and the next year, 1780, became pastor of the churches of Upper Buffalo and Cross Creek, residing in the bounds of the former. Here he labored with fidelity and success for twelve years, when he entered into rest, April 19, 1792, in the fifty-sixth year of his age and the twenty-fifth of his ministry.
Mr. Smith had been married shortly after his licensure to Esther, daughter of Mr. Wm. Cummin, merchant, of Cecil Co., Md. She survived him twenty-eight years, dying October 7, 1820, in her seventy-eighth year.
Mr. Smith was one of the four original members of the Presbytery of Redstone and was moderator of the Synod of Virginia in 1790. In per- sonal appearance he was tall and slender, of fair complexion, well-featured and had eyes that were fairly brilliant. In fidelity to his work, in depth and fervor of piety, and in zeal to promote religion and education, he was not inferior to any of his associates. His preaching was close and search- ing, and was made eloquent by the intensity of his desire for the conver- sion of souls. The following extract from his last will and testament evinces the spirit which actuated his life: "I give and bequeath to each of my beloved children a Bible ; and in so doing mean to intimate to them, as I am a dying man and in the sight of God, that it is ten thousand times more my will and desire that they should find and possess the pearl of great price hid in the Scriptures, than enjoy anything else which I can bequeath."
At the same time each of his eight children received a respectable patri- mony. To David, who was preparing for the ministry, he left seventy pounds in gold " for ye single purpose of supporting my said son David in his learning." Of the other two sons, one died while preparing for the ministry. Of the five daughters, one died in early womanhood ; the other four became wives of ministers, namely, Rev. James Hughes, Rev. James Welsh, Rev. Wm. Wylic and Rev. Joseph Anderson. ( For full biography of Mr. Smith see " Old Redstone," by his grandson, Rev. Joseph Smith, D.D., published in 185.4.)
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APPENDIX NO. 2.
REV. JAMES DUNLAP, D.D., was born of pious parents in Chester Co., Pa, in 1744; graduated at Princeton in 1773; was tutor in the same 1775 to 1777; studied theology with Rev. James Finley and was licensed by Presbytery of Donegal (record of date lost). He was ordained by Presby- tery of Newcastle August 21, 1781, and the year following was received by Presbytery of Redstone and settled as pastor of Laurel Hill and Dunlap's Creek, residing in the bounds of the former. Relinquishing- Dunlap's Creek in 1789, he continued for fourteen years longer at Laurel Hill; was Moderator of the Synod of Virginia in 1794 and in 1797. In 1803 was made president of Jefferson College, and during his incumbency preached most of the time as stated supply at Miller's Run. In 1806 had conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. After his resignation from the college, which was in 1811, he conducted a classical school, first at Geneva and then at Uniontown, Fayette Co., Pa. In 1816 removed to Abingdon, Pa., where he died, November 22, 1818, aged seventy-four, and having been in the ministry about forty years.
Dr. Dunlap had not robust health and was subject to nervous despond- ency. His piety was most exemplary. His greatest success was as a teacher of the classics, in which his knowledge was remarkably full and exact. Many of his pupils became distinguished in Church and State. Two of these, Rev. Dr. Andrew Wylie and Rev. Dr. Robert Baird, have left very full testimony to his excellence, in published sketches of his life and character. The former, in piquant style, speaks of his successful career as college president. " The students liked him. His sobriquet was Neptune, queller of the waves. His personal appearance and some of his traits of character were alike remarkable-the one a symbol of the other. About 5 feet 8 or 10 inches in height, he appeared, as he walked along with slow and measured steps, to notice nothing; his figure straight as an arrow ; his gait regular and uniform; his form perfect in its proportions ; his dress plain and neat. The most noticeable thing about him was his abstraction. He seemed generally lost in thought and to take no interest at all in the outward world. He was a fine classical scholar, and when a pupil did well his eye gleamed with delight. His preaching was clear, plain, rich in thought, and in some respects impressive. His spirit, in its sensibilities, was too delicate. He had no rugged strength. He was not a Luther, but a Melanchthon."
Of Dr. Dunlap's family, one son, a graduate of the Jefferson class of 1807, was Rev. Wm. Dunlap, of Abington, Pa, A daughter became the wife of Rev. Stephen Boyer, a graduate of Jefferson College in the class of 18OS. Rev. Samuel Fulton, licensed by the Presbytery of Washington in 1839, is a grandson of Dr. Dunlap.
REV. JOHN CLARK was born in 1718; graduated at Princeton 1759 ; was licensed by Presbytery of New Brunswick May 9, 1760, and ordained by same April 29, 1761. The first twenty years of his ministry were spent in preaching to various churches in the Fast, chiefly Mt. Bethel and Allens-
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town, in Presbytery of Philadelphia, and Bethel, in Presbytery of Newcastle. In 1782 was dismissed to come to the West, and after supplying for a while the churches of Bethel and Lebanon, in Presbytery of Redstone, was re- ceived, March 11, 1783, into the same, and became settled pastor of said churches, Relinquishing charge of Lebanon in 1788, he continued pastor of Bethel until 1794, and after three years more of hopeful waiting, entered into rest July 13, 1797, in the eightieth year of his age and the thirty-eighth of his ministry.
The most exciting incident of the Western Insurrection -- the burning of Inspector Neville's house-took place in the bounds of Mr. Clark's charge, and in Findley's " History of the Insurrection " Mr. Clark is referred to as "a venerable clergyman who expostulated with the insurgents and en- deavored to dissuade them from their purpose."
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