USA > Pennsylvania > The Historical journal : a quarterly record of local history and genealogy devoted principally to Northwestern Pennsylvania > Part 33
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36
Appointed April 30, 1861.
Horace E. Taylor.
Aug. 8, 1865.
Jacob Sallada
Aug. 27, 1866.
Jeffrey C. Ayres.
66 April 20, 1867.
John S. Grafius.
66 April 5, 1869.
Robert Hawley
July 30, 1869.
Re-appointed Jan. 8, 1874. 66 Jan. 23, 1878.
Frank J. Burrows.
Appointed Jan. 19, 1882.
William F. Logan. Feb. 10, 1886.
This shows that in a period of nearly eighty-nine years Williams- port has had twenty-three postmasters. but several of them were re-appointed. Henry Hughes appears to have served the longest, but as no date of his appointment is given, it cannot be told how long he had charge of the office. It must have been for a great many years, however, as he was only succeeded in 1839, forty years after the appointment of his predecessor. If the date of Mr.
Grier's retirement were known, the record would be complete. There are a few yet living who remember Henry Hughes. He lived in a log house on East Third Street, opposite the present postoffice, which was kept as a hotel. The same building is still there, but it is weather-boarded. The room in which the postoffice was kept is now used for a lager beer saloon. Hughes had a corner of the bar room fenced off where he kept the postoffce. At that time the mail matter could be carried in a pair of saddlebags. The contrast between then and now is very great.
Of the twenty-three appointees, the majority are now dead. The oldest, living of the number is Hepburn MeClure, Esq .. and he is in his 78th year. He was appointed under the administration of Van Buren, to succeed Hughes, and removed when Harrison was elected. When first appointed he changed the office to a frame building which stood on the site now occupied by the hardware store of Kline & Co. He introduced great improvements, by having letter boxes, with glass in front, so that the letters and papers could be seen. The office at that time only paid about $800 per annum. During his postmastership a singular circumstance oc- curred. The contractor, who carried the mail to Elmira, died. In due time a letter came from the Department directing Postmaster McClure to announce a letting. He did so. and " Ben " Hall oh. tained the contract, gave bail and entered upon his duties. In a
358
THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL.
short time Mr. McClure received another letter from the Depart- ment inquiring who gave him authority to announce a letting and give out a contract. He referred the Department to the previous letter directing him what to do. That settled it. He never heard from the Department again on that subject. It is supposed that a clerk, unfamiliar with the law, had committed the blunder, and it was allowed to rest.
Jeremiah Jeffrey Ayres and Jeffrey C. Ayres were one and the same person. His proper name was Jeremiah Jeffrey, but the De- partment got the name so " twisted up " that one unacquainted with the facts might think there were two persons. Captain Ayres often facetiously remarked that the military Presidents seemed to have a "spite at him," because he was removed under the administrations of both Taylor and Grant. He had been appointed captain of a military company by Governor Marey, of New York, before he removed to Williamsport; but his military title was not taken into consideration when a change was made. He belonged to the old school of Democrats. Captain Ayres was the first bookseller in Wil- liamsport. He died August 24th., 1880, and is well remembered.
Theodore Wright, who was appointed in 1855. and served from January to September of that year, is now the editor of the Phil- adelphia Record. Robert Hawley, Esq., after Henry Hughes, served the longest, his incumbency of the office reaching from July 30th, 1869, to January 19th, 1882, a period of over twelve years.
Newberry was laid out for John Sutton, by William Ellis, in 1795, and, although one year older than Williamsport, did not have a postoffice established until April 5th, 1824, or twenty-three years later. The names of the postmasters and the dates of their appointments, as they appear on the records of the Postoffice De- partment at Washington, are as follows:
. John Sloan. Appointed April 5, 1824.
John Murphy. Aug. 25, 1824. Samuel Caldwell. May 15, 1829. James Cummings Aug. 1, 1833. Nicholas Funston Oct. 30, 1835. James Cuminings
Aug. 12, 1841.
Mary Ann Cummings.
May 23, 1842.
Lindsay Mahaffey
66 April 12, 1850.
James C. Funston
June 1, 1353.
359
THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL.
John F. Stevenson. Appointed June 8, 1857.
William J. Mahaffey
April 14, 1860.
William Colt
Dec. 21, 1863.
David Showers.
Oct. 1, 1866.
Rebeca Showers
June 28, 1867.
William Colt ..
June 10, 1869.
John P. Fisher.
Aug. 21, 1885.
From the above it will be seen that in a period of almost sixty- four years, Newberry has had sixteen postmasters. Two out of the number served twice, and Mary Ann Cummings served the longest-nearly eight years.
REV. JOSEPH PAINTER, D. D. BY JOHN F. MEGINNESS.
O NE of the old-time ministers who served as pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Newberry, was the Rev. Joseph Painter, D. D .* He was a son of Jacob and Deborah Painter, and was born May 21. 1799, in Solebury Township, Bucks County. Pennsylvania. Of his youth, until he arrived at the age of six- teen, very little is known. In early life he was left an orphan, and he spent a portion of his time on a farm, or clerking in a store hear Easton. At the age of seventeen he commenced his studies in the classics, literature and sciences, at the Amwell Academy, New Jersey, and soon after he entered this institution he made choice of his profession.
Having finished his academic course he entered the Sophomore class in Union College. Schenectady, September 22d, 1819, where he graduated in July. 1822. The two years following his gradu- ation were spent in Danville, Pennsylvania, in the family of Rev. Isaac Grier, teaching an academy, and studying theology privately under the direction of Rev. John B. Patterson, for many years the pastor of the Mahoning Church in that place.
On the 17th of November, 1824, he was united in marriage to Miss Hannah, fourth daughter of Rev. John S. Vredenburgh, pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church in Somerville, New Jersey, and granddaughter of Rev. James Caldwell, who was inhumanly mur-
*See memorial sermon of Rev. T. D. Ewing, delivered at Kittanning, Novem- ber 16th, 1873. Mr. Ewing is now president of Parson's College, Fairfield, Iowa, having resigned his charge at Kittanning in 1879.
360
THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL.
dered by a drunken Hessian sentinel, at Elizabethtown Point, New Jersey, November 24th, 1781.
Rev. Painter was taken under the care of the Presbytery of Northumberland, October 7th. 1823, and subjects were assigned him for Exegesis and Homily, to be read at the next stated meeting. April 21st, 1824, he delivered the Exegesis and Homily, and was examined in Latin and Greek, the Sciences and Systematic Theol- ogy, "giving on all competent satisfaction." On April 19th, 1825, at a meeting held in the Warrior Run Church, he was. on application of the Lycoming Church, appointed to supply that church until the next stated meeting. On the 7th of October, 1825, at Milton, he accepted a call for his pastoral services from the Lycoming Church, at Newberry, on a salary of $500, and he was installed November 23d, 1825. Rev. W. R. Smith, of Northumberland, preached the sermon, and Rev. J. H. Grier, of Jersey Shore, de- livered the charge to the pastor, and Rev. John Bryson, of War- rior Run, to the people.
Dr. Painter represented the Presbytery of Northumberland in the General Assemblies of 1827. 1828 and 1832. He was then a very young man to have such high honors conferred on him. The pastoral relation existing between him and the Lycoming Church was dissolved April 20th, 1831, because the congregation failed to pay him enough out of his small salary to enable him to live. Between April, 1831, and March, 1834, he labored in the churches of White Deer, Warrior Run and Peniel, as stated supply.
In the fall of 1834 Dr. Painter made a trip to the western part of the State and Ohio, traveling alone in his sulky. He visited Hollidaysburg, Johnstown, Blairsville, Saltsburg and Freeport. He stopped with his friend, Rev. Samuel MeFerren, D. D., of Con- gruity, Westmoreland County, for advice. He urged him to visit Kittanning. After visiting various places in Eastern Ohio, he re- turned and stopped at Kittanning, where he spent two Sabbaths and preached three times. He then returned home. On his arrival his wife was taken violently ill, the night following, and after ling- ering two weeks, died December 4th, 1833, leaving him with a family of four children, the eldest about six and one-half years old. She was buried in the cemetery at Warrior Run Church, where her tombstone may be seen.
361
THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL.
In the meantime he received a call from the First Presbyterian Church of Kittanning, which he accepted and arrived there with his children the first week in April, 1834. His reasons for sever- ing his pastoral relations with the Newberry Church incidentally appear in a correspondence between him and Dr. George Junkin. As a preacher and a pastor he was greatly beloved, the congrega- tion was united and prosperous, but they neglected to pay him the salary which they had promised, and he could not live on promises. On the back of the call from the Lycoming Church, promising him $500, the following endorsement was found :
October 1st, 1833. Due on this call, $850, with interest.
Dr. Painter was duly installed as pastor of the Kittanning Church, November 14th, 1834, and entered upon his labors. Ar- rangements were made whereby he preached one-fourth of his time in Rural Valley. His church was a small log building; his pulpit, a dry goods box on end; his salary, $80. payable in produce. He continued to preach here and at other places until the fall of 1840. Kittanning Church soon afterwards required all his time, and he labored there until age and increasing infirmity induced him, in December, 1863, to retire from the active duties of the pastorate.
On the 13th of February, 1839, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Ann, eldest daughter of Boyle Irvin, of Pittsburg. This happy relation was continued through his life.
Dr. Painter's attainments in literature were of a high order. Endowed by nature with a superior intellect, and being a close student all his life, he secured the first rank as a scholar in the ministry. His was no mere superficial knowledge, it was solid and substantial. Every discourse, whether extempore or delivered after careful preparation, discovered his ripe scholarship. He was emi- nently a social man and the life of company in which he mingled. As his age advanced deafness came upon him and rendered it hard for him to engage in conversation. In the summer of 1865 he met with an accident, by falling down stairs, which seriously in- jured him. In the winter of 1872 he was attacked by paralysis, and in May, 1873, he had a second attack, which caused his death on the 1st of June, 1873, in the 75th year of his age. He died greatly beloved by the people of Kittanning, among whom he had so long faithfrilly ministered. His son, Rev. H. M. Painter, and all the living members of his family, were present at the close.
·
362
THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL.
NEARING THE END OF A CENTURY.
ISAAC WILLOWER, father of W. W. Willower, of Lock Haven. was 98 years old on Sunday, January 22d, 1888. He resides in Hublersburg, Centre County, and is in the full possession of all his mental faculties. His friends earnestly unite in wishing that he may be permitted to round off a full century before he is called hence.
RIPE SHEAVES GATHERED BY THE REAPER.
MRS. MARY SMITH, of Towanda, died Christmas, 1887, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. C. P. Spalding. after an illness of five weeks, in the 90th year of her age. Deceased was born in Sheshe- quin, in 1798. and was the daughter of Colonel Joseph Kingsbury. Besides Mrs. Spalding, one other daughter, Mrs. P. P. Rogers, of Binghamton, survives her.
MRS. ANNA RINN, widow of Jacob Rinn, died at the residence of her son, Jacob Rinn, in Lock Haven, on the 20th of January. 1888. Her death occurred on the 81st anniversary of her birth, she having been born January 20th, 1807. Deceased left two sons, Jacob and Philip Rinn, and one daughter, Mrs. Christian Heineman.
HENRY HAAS, a well-known hotel keeper of the "olden time," died at his home in Sunbury, January 5th, 1888. He was born in the town where he died almost. 80 years ago. His exact age was 79 years, 5 months and 8 days. Mr. Haas embarked in the hotel business in 1845, and kept the Washington House, in Sunbury, which stood on the site of the Neff House. After a few years he removed to Northumberland and kept a hotel which stood on the site of the present Methodist Church. He remained there ten years, when he removed to Kingston and managed a public house there for several years. He then returned to Northumberland and purchased the Washington House. but did not keep it. In 1863 he purchased the Central Hotel, in Sunbury, and conducted it until 1881, when he sold out. Under his management the house became very pop- ular. Mr. Haas had many friends and acquaintances throughout the State.
. ..
363
THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL.
MRS. MARGARET KRISE, who was, perhaps, the oldest woman in Pennsylvania, died at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Henry MeDade, of Portage Street, Gallitzin, on the evening of January 31st, 1888, aged 108 years. The deceased was born in County Donegal, Ireland, from whence she came to this country with her parents, William and Ellen Jorden, when she was eight years old. They settled near Philadelphia, where they remained about seven years, when they went to Cambria County and settled on the farm now owned by William McNellis, near St. Augustine. The de- ceased remained on the farm until she was nearly 22 years old, when she married Henry Krise and they went to live on a farm owned by him in the same neighborhood, which is now owned by Henry Kirkpatrick. Six children were born to them, four of whom are now living. They are Dr. John Krise, of Pittsburg; W. G. Krise, of Ashville, Cambria County; Mrs. Henry McDade, of Gal- litzin, and Mrs. Margaret Delozier, of Altoona. Henry Krise, the husband of the deceased, died about twenty-one years ago, on the farm near St. Augustine, since which time she resided with her daughter, Mrs. Henry McDade, at whose home she died. It is estimated that she is survived by between ninety and one hundred children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
THE statement is made by the Muncy Luminary that Jacob Lilley, of Clinton Township, Lycoming County, now 83 years old, is the owner of a copy of Baer's Lancaster Almanac for every year of his life. The earlier copies of this favorite calendar came to him from his father, and they are all in the German language. It is probable that few men in this country are to be found who pos- sess an almanac in an unbroken line for 83 years.
THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL is anxious to receive a plan or draw- ing of Fort Muncy, if there is one in existence in the hands of any person. Any one having such a plan among their old papers, or possessing any knowledge regarding the old stockade, are re- spectfully asked to inform us. It is wanted for the purpose of making an engraving for the revised edition of the History of the West Branch Valley.
364
THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL.
TOMBSTONE RECORD.
In the upper Milton Cemetery, which is one of the most beauti- fully located in the West Branch Valley, many men of prominence are buried. On a recent visit to this charming "city of the dead" several inscriptions were copied from tablets of marble and granite, which are worthy of a place in these pages, and the following are given :
REV. WM. S. HALL, D. D. M. D. Born at Blockley West Philadelphia, Pa November 27th 1809 Died at White Deer Valley, Union County, Pa., June 8, 1867 Aged 57 years, 6 months and 11 days.
The sudden death of a well remembered minister, while in the line of his duty, is thus tersely but eloquently told in marble:
REV. JOHN H. RITTENHOUSE Pastor of the Church at Derry and Washingtonville, Died While passing from his Carriage to the Church to preach the Dedication Sermon at Washingtonville, Nov. 9, 1853. in the 39th year of his age.
The parents of this distinguished Presbyterian divine lie by his side, and their tombstones bear the following plain inscriptions:
DAVID RITTENHOUSE Who Died Oct. 4th 1826 aged 50 years & 2 months.
In memory of SARAH H. wife of David Rittenhouse Who Died Nov. 15th 1832 aged 54 years 8 months & 24 days.
:
Williamsport Dickinson Seminary.
THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL.
A MONTHLY RECORD.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1888, by JOHN F. MEGINNESS, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
Vol. 1. APRIL, 1888.
No. 12.
HISTORY
-OF-
NORTHUMBERLAND PRESBYTERY.
BY REV. JOSEPH STEVENS, D. D.
THE SECOND CHURCH OF WILLIAMSPORT .- This church was organized on the 12th day of December, 1840. The organization took place in the same old stone church in which the first bench of elders of the First Church had been ordained in 1833. The Pres- byterian Church, iu the United States, was divided into New and Old School, in 1838. We have discussed the causes of division in another part of our narrative. The Second Church of Williamsport was organized as a New School Church by the Presbytery of Har- risburg. The Rev. J. W. Phillips was sent by the Presbytery to view the ground and effect an organization, if the way should be · clear. The population of Williamsport, at this time, was less than 1.000, so there could have been no pressing need for two Presby- terian churches in the place. There was obviously some dissatis- faction in the First Church which led to the establishment of the Second Church .. We shall not inquire what was the cause of disturbance. It appears from documents at hand, that in the sum- mer of 1840 a number of Presbyterians residing in Williamsport, not members of the Presbyterian Church already existing there, secured from the County Commissioners the use of the Court House for a preaching place, and sent for ministers to come and preach to them. They wrote to New School parties in Philadelphia, and two
-
366
THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL.
men were sent, the Rev. William Sterling and the Rev. Robert Adair, who preached on a number of consecutive evenings and awak- ened a good degree of religious interest among the people. After their return from Williamsport they reported their visit to the Synod of Pennsylvania, and John B. Hall, who had been an elder in the First Church, being present, was also heard on the situation of the people at Williamsport. Thereupon the Synod advised the Pres- bytery of Harrisburg to look after the case. Thus it came that the · Rev. Mr. Phillips was sent to Williamsport to organize a New School Church. The church was organized with fifteen members, only one of whom. the document before us says, was a member of the First Church. and with three elders, viz .: John B. Hall, Nathaniel D. Eaton and Benjamin C. More. After the organization they adopted a short summary of doctrines, and covenant condensed from the Confession of Faith. The elders were ordained and installed, and the church put itself under the care of the Presbytery of Harrisburg. The congregation was encouraged by the reception of a considerable addition to its communicants within a few months after the organization, and on the 15th of February, 1841, called the Rev. James W. Phillips to be its pastor. They promised him a salary of $700 a year. Mr. Phillips accepted this call, and returned to labor with the church. which was received under the care of the Presbytery of Harrisburg, at its spring meeting, 1841, and arrangements were made for Mr. Phillips' installation, which was soon after consummated. The congregation worshiped in the Court House for nearly three years, but began to prepare to build a house of worship as early as 1841, a lot for the purpose having been secured by Jobn B. Hall, on the corner of Fourth and Market Streets.
The building of a church was a serious undertaking for the con- gregation, for they were yet few in number and possessed of little wealth: but they had great faith in God's favor on the enterprise. and they all had a mind to work, and so the church was eventually completed, and dedicated by the Rev. William Sterling on the 15th of October. 1843. In the meantime the revival had ceased and a financial panic had set in, one of those business crises which peri- odically afflict our country, and the little church became greatly embarrassed. not knowing where to look for help. But the provi- dence of God raised them up three friends who came to their relief;
.
367
THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL.
these were Joseph B. Anthony, a member of the bar of Lycoming County, and afterwards President Judge of the District; James Armstrong, also a member of the Lycoming bar, and afterwards a Judge of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; and Robert Faries, superintendent of the construction of the West Branch Canal, and afterwards chief engineer in the construction of the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad. These gentlemen took charge of the church building and carried it on to completion. In May, 1846, Mr. Phillips resigned the pastorate; and on September 15th, 1846, a unanimous call was made out for the services of the Rev. William Sterling, who agreed to accept it, if the congregation would remove the debt of about $2.000 which stood against the church. This they promised to do, and Mr. Sterling assumed the pastoral oversight of the church on the 27th of September, 1846. By this time the mem- bership had grown to ninety-six. The church had from its beginning received pecuniary aid from the " Philadelphia Agency of Home Missions" till 1851 ; from that date onward it has been self-sustain- ing, and at the present writing is one of the strongest and most liberal churches in the interior of the State. In 1856 the Synod of Pennsylvania (New School) held its annual meeting in this church, which seems to have been an event of much interest to the com- munity. The church gradually increased in numbers and financial strength; in April, 1864, its membership was 188, and in June of that year the congregation vacated the church building, intending to enlarge and repair it; but the great flood in the West Branch, in March, 1865, which overflowed much of the city, as it did also the whole West Branch Valley, so injured the foundation of the building and damaged the material they had collected, that they determined to tear down the old. building and erect, in its stead, a larger and more substantial edifice. A building committee was appointed, consisting of the Hon. William H. Armstrong, president; Abram Updegraff, John B. Hall and Elias S. Stone, who at once proceeded with the undertaking.
In the meantime the congregation worshiped in the Court House for nearly two years and a half; when, on the 23d of January, 1867, the new building was dedicated; the Rev. J. J. Porter, of Water- town, N. Y., preached the dedication sermon by invitation. The congregation left the old building with 188 communicants, and
368
THE HISTORICAL JOURNAL.
entered the new building with 328. This large increase seems to have resulted from a revival which developed itself under the min- istrations of the famous evangelist, the Rev. E. P. Hammond, and became general throughout the city in 1866.
The new building being completed, a new organ was placed in it at a cost of $3,000, and the edifice was beautifully and substantially furnished throughout. The whole cost of the structure, with the organ and furniture complete, was $66,500. On the day of dedica- tion there was an unpaid balance against the church of $35,000; a subscription was taken up amounting to $35,510. This, however, as is usually the case with such subscriptions, was from various causes not all paid, and the church was encumbered with a debt of about $12,000 until February, 1876, when it was cleared off.
In 1868 this church dismissed thirty-three members to the newly formed Congregational Church in the upper part of the city ; and in May, 1869, it dismissed twelve members to form the Third Presbyterian Church in the same neighborhood. It assisted the Third Church in the purchase of its lot and the erection of its edifice, to the amount of $6,000, according to the statement of John B. Hall, the worthy elder to whom we are indebted for the most of our information touching this church.
In 1871, after these dismissals to the two churches, as mentioned above, the membership of this church was 280, having dismissed this same year, it should be noted, sixteen members to go into the Presbyterian organization at Montoursville. On April 2d, 1871, Mr. Sterling gave the congregation notice, at the close of service. of his intention to resign his pastorate, which purpose was in due time consummated. It should be recorded to the credit of this congregation, and as a commendation of the consideration and genuine Christian spirit of this people, that after hearing the fare- well sermon of Mr. Sterling, a congregational meeting was imme- diately called and a resolution passed commendatory of his labors as their pastor for twenty-four years and a half. and it was also resolved to pay him $500 annually for three years. How refreshing is this in contrast with the cold and heartless turning off of an aged pastor who has worn out his life in self-denying labors for a congre- gation, as an old horse is sometimes turned out to die of exposure when he can be of service no longer. Such cases have occurred even in the Presbytery of Northumberland.
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.