USA > Pennsylvania > Huntingdon County > Huntingdon > The Historical memorial of the centennial anniversary of the Presbytery of Huntingdon : held in Huntingdon, Pa., April 9, 1895 : 1795-1895 > Part 28
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About 1760 the congregation originally known as Cedar Spring, later as Mifflintown and Lost Creek, now as Westminster, sent James Purdy and James Patterson to Philadelphia to procure a warrant from the Proprietary Government for two hundred acres of land for a Presbyterian " meeting-house." This land was located about three miles from what is now Mifflintown, and here was erected their first house of worship. It was a log building, and was reared by the early settlers of the valley amidst difficulties and dangers of which the present generation can have little conception.
It is not known whether they were ever visited by an ordained min- ister previous to the year 1766, but in that year two missionaries, on their way to visit the Indians on the then extreme frontier in Ohio, spent a few days in this vicinity and preached to the congregation at Cedar Spring. These missionaries were the Rev. Charles Beatty and the Rev. George Duffield, who were accompanied by Joseph Peeby, a Christian Indian, as an interpreter.
The first stated minister engaged by this congregation, the Rev. J. Kennedy, from the North of Ireland, occupied the field for about four years, beginning in 1771. There is no record to be found of his having been installed, and it is probable that he served as a stated supply.
Mr. Kennedy was followed by the Rev. Hugh Magill, a native of Ireland, who was ordained before coming to this country, and was regularly called and installed as pastor of the churches of Cedar Spring and Tuscarora, now Academia. He was one of the original members of the Presbytery of Huntingdon when it was organized in 1795, and was installed as pastor of these churches in November, 1779. In 1796 he was released from the charge of Tuscarora, on account of failing health, having been pastor of that church for seventeen years ; but he still con- tinued pastor of Cedar Spring, where he had his home for three years
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288
THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY
longer, when, in 1799, on account of age and increasing infirmities, he asked leave to resign the charge, which was granted by Presbytery, the pastoral relation having continued for just twenty years.
The next pastor was the Rev. Matthew Brown, who was installed in 1802 and remained three years. Mr. Brown became greatly distinguished in the Presbyterian Church and among the educators of our country.
Some time before this, probably about the year 1800, the name had been changed from Cedar Spring to Mifflintown and Lost Creek and the old church at Cedar Spring abandoned. For mutual convenience two church buildings were erected eight and a half miles apart. That part of the congregation in and near Mifflintown erected a substantial stone church in the town.
During the summer and fall of 1805 the pulpit was supplied by Mr. John Hutchison, a young man who had been licensed to preach but was not yet ordained. A call to become pastor was presented to him, which was accepted, and Presbytery met in the church at Lost Creek, April 15, 1806, at which time Mr. Hutchison was ordained and installed pastor of Mifflintown and Lost Creek Church. The salary to be paid was men- tioned in the call as being four hundred and eighty-six dollars and sixty- six cents. This was the first and only charge of Mr. Hutchison. Hav- ing begun his ministry in the thirty-third year of his age, he continued among this people a devoted pastor, beloved and honored, for the long period of thirty-eight years and six months, and until removed by death in the seventy-second year of his age.
In order that the congregation or society might legally hold or convey property, a charter was obtained from the Supreme Court of the State, March 1, 1807. This charter was simply with reference to the temporal concern of the church in connection with its property, and had no connection with the ecclesiastical organization of the church.
The first roll of the church of which any account can now be found was made out in 1816, and is in the handwriting of Mr. Hutchison. As no distinction was made between the members of the congregation at Mifflintown and those at Lost Creek, but all names were mixed together in one roll as belonging to one church, it is impossible to tell the numerical strength of each part of the church. From the old roll it is found that the number of communicants in the whole church in 1816 was one hundred and sixty.
After the death of Mr. Hutchison, which occurred November II, 1844, the church was not even one Sabbath without regular services, for
WESTMINSTER (MIFFLIN).
GEN. AMBELL
CEO.W. WILSON
HENRYM.GRONINGER
GEO HEMARTIN
J.F.SIEBER
WESTMINSTER (MIFFLIN). ELDERS.
289
OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
the following Sabbath the Rev. Matthew Allison preached for this con- gregation, after which he was asked to supply the church until the fol- lowing spring, which he consented to do. He had been for twenty-three years pastor in Kilbarchan, Scotland, and for eighteen months in charge of a church in Paterson, New Jersey.
Mr. Allison was called to the pastorate of this church March 26, 1845, and, having accepted the same, he was installed by a committee of Presbytery the following month, and continued pastor of the two churches comprising the congregation of Mifflintown and Lost Creek for twenty- seven years, until his death, July 8, 1872. However, the failing health of Mr. Allison led the congregation to procure the services of an assistant pastor, by calling Mr. Thomas J. Sherrard, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Steubenville. Mr. Sherrard began his labors the first Sabbath of Jan- uary, 1872, and, at the meeting of Presbytery held at Mifflintown the following June, he was ordained and installed.
After the death of Mr. Allison, Mr. Sherrard continued to serve the two churches of Mifflintown and Lost Creek as pastor until the spring of 1875, when he resigned, in order that he might not stand in the way of a division of the congregation, or of a separation of the two churches, which at that time was being agitated.
In June, 1875, a committee of Presbytery, consisting of the Rev. O. O. McLean, D.D., the Rev. J. H. Stewart, and Elder D. W. Woods, organized the Mifflintown end of the congregation into a new church, and in July following, at a congregational meeting, a call was extended to the Rev. Mr. Sherrard, which he accepted. He was installed as pastor in October of the same year, and continued in this relation until April, 1880.
The Rev. George Benaugh was called to the pastorate and installed in the fall of 1880, and remained a little more than four years, resigning in November, 1884.
He was followed by the Rev. L. Y. Hays, who came under an agree- ment to supply the church for one year, beginning June 1, 1885, and at the termination of this agreement he was unanimously called to the pas- torate, which he accepted. He was installed and continued in the office until June, 1889. During the pastorate of Mr. Hays the present hand- some and substantial house of worship occupied by this congregation was erected, and to his skilful management and consecrated energy are largely due the erection and dedication to the worship of Almighty God of this beautiful and commodious edifice free from debt.
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290
THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY
Mr. Hays was succeeded, in the summer of 1890, by the Rev. J. R. Henderson, who continued as pastor until the Ist of June, 1895.
At a meeting of the congregation held on the 7th day of September, 1895, a call was extended to the Rev. Alfred N. Raven, which he accepted. Mr. Raven entered upon his duties as pastor on the first Sab- bath of November, 1895. He has not yet been installed. This congre- gation is now occupying its fifth house of worship, and Mr. Raven is its tenth pastor.
No complete list of those who served as ruling elders in this church can be found, but the following persons within the past seventy-five years have been called to discharge the duties of that office: William Cun- ningham, Joseph McCrum, John McCrum, John Robison, Jacob A. Christy, Edmond S. Doty, Dr. Thomas A. Elder, John Hutchison McAllister, Silas C. Moyer, Henry M. Groninger, R. Frank Elliott, James J. Horning, Thomas McCurdy, Joseph Cumins, Jacob Adams, David Cunningham, James Hardy, William Bell, William C. Laird, E. Southard Parker, George W. Wilson, William Banks, John Detrick, George H. Martin, Jesse R. Elder.
The present acting members of Session are William Bell, George W. Wilson, Henry M. Groninger, George H. Martin, and Jesse R. Elder.
The trustees are Hon. Jeremiah Lyon, T. Van Irvin, and John S. Graybill.
In its organization it maintains a Sabbath-school, a Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, and three missionary societies. At present it has a membership of about two hundred and sixty.
GEORGE W. WILSON.
WILLIAMSBURG.
THE Williamsburg Church was organized by the Rev. James Gal- braith on the Ist day of May, 1816. Previous to that time the commu- nity was supplied occasionally with preaching by the Rev. David Bard, who was pastor of the Frankstown Church as early as the year 1789. At the time of the organization, however, most of the Presbyterians of the community were in communion with the church of Hart's Log, from which most of the members who formed the organization were received. Not all the names of the thirty-five original members have been pre- served, but the following list is said to be as complete as can be found,-
+
JAMES
ROLLER
JOHN CLARKE
W= MC CORMICK
J.F. ELLSWORTH
REV. JOSEPH C. KELLY
WILLIAMSBURG.
PASTOR AND ELDERS.
291
OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
viz., David Stewart and Elizabeth, his wife; Alexander Nesbit; Hugh McKilip and Jane, his wife; John Fergus; James Stewart and Jane, his wife ; William Spear and Jane, his wife; John Carothers and Jane, his wife ; James Dunn and Catharine, his wife ; Robert Campbell and Rebecca, his wife; Maxwell Kinkead and Deborah, his wife; John Stewart and Elizabeth, his wife; John Martin and Nancy, his wife; Thomas Province and Elizabeth, his wife; Lazarus McClain and Ann Catharine, his wife ; Mrs. Catharine Jackson, Mrs. Sarah Royer, Mrs. Elizabeth Harris, Mrs. Catharine Whitzel, Miss Margaret Fergus, and Miss Emily Cadwallader, -thirty-two.
Of these David Stewart, Alexander Nesbit, Hugh McKilip, and John Fergus were elected and ordained as elders. Judge David Stewart died April 26, 1826.
MINISTERS.
As soon as the church was organized the Rev. James Galbraith was engaged as stated supply, and continued to give the church one-third of his time until 1834, when his pastoral relation to the Hollidaysburg Church was dissolved.
The next minister after Mr. Galbraith left, in 1834, was the Rev. John T. Dunlap, then a licentiate and stated supply of the church at Hollidays- burg, and employed also as stated supply of this church for about two years, one-third of his time.
When Mr. Dunlap moved to the West, in 1837, the church engaged the Rev. John Peebles, then pastor of the Huntingdon Church, to supply the congregation for one-third of his time. This arrangement was con- tinued till 1842, when the Rev. William J. Gibson was called to become the pastor of the church. This call was accepted, and Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Gibson was installed pastor of the church for one- half his time, in connection with Sinking Valley as the other part of his field. Almost immediately after his induction a notable revival occurred, from which the membership of the church was almost doubled. The pastor was assisted on this occasion by the famous Thomas P. Hunt, extensively known as the " apostle of temperance," who " reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come" with such power that the followers of Satan were stirred to great wrath, but the word of the Lord triumphed. Dr. Gibson remained until June, 1852, when the pastoral relation was dissolved.
In the month of October of the same year Mr. John Elliott, a licen-
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THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY
tiate of the Presbytery of New Lisbon, Ohio, was called to become pastor. Having accepted, he was ordained and installed by the Presby- tery of Huntingdon on the 17th of November. In this service the Rev. George Elliott (brother of the pastor-elect) preached the sermon, Dr. James Linn presided, proposed the constitutional questions, and made the ordaining prayer, the Rev. George W. Thompson gave the charge to the pastor, and the Rev. Joshua Moore the charge to the people. Mr. Elliott was much beloved by his people, and great was their regret when, at the end of three years and five months, on account of impaired health, he was moved to ask the Presbytery to dissolve the relation.
The next pastor was the Rev. John Moore, who was installed May 22, 1857, and resigned April, 1864. During his ministry seventy-eight persons were admitted to the communion of the church, the church was extensively repaired and handsomely refitted at a cost of one thousand dollars, what was known as the "old study" built, and the church in Canoe Valley erected.
The successor of Mr. Moore was the Rev. N. G. White, called June 27, 1864, installed November 9 of the same year, and continuing the pastor of the church for eighteen years, when, "on account of advancing age," he resigned March 31, 1883. His death occurred September 29, 1895. The ministry of Mr. White was blessed with many tokens of the divine approval. Accessions to the church occurred annually, but the year 1876 was especially marked as a season of large ingathering. One hundred and nineteen persons were added that year to the communion of the church, of whom one hundred and eleven were received on pro- fession of their faith.
The Rev. David Conway was called June II, 1883, installed Sep- tember II, 1883, and he resigned December 13, 1889. It was during his ministry, about the year 1888, that certain improvements upon the church building, referred to hereafter, were made. During his ministry, also, a goodly number were added to the communion of the church. Of these, seventy made profession of their faith and twenty-five were received by letter.
CHURCH BUILDINGS AND MANSE.
In 1816, the year the church was organized, the Presbyterians and the Methodists jointly built a house of worship on the lot now occupied by the residence of Mr. J. Grove Metz, which was afterwards sold to the ยท Baptists.
WILLIAMSBURG.
293
OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
About the period 1824-1826 the Presbyterians built a house of their own, near the centre of what is now the Presbyterian Cemetery. This was succeeded in 1841 by the present structure, which, although repaired and to some extent remodelled, is yet in the main part the same building.
In 1860 a church was built in Canoe Valley for the accommodation of the families in that vicinity, which is still used for one appointment every two weeks.
Between 1887 and 1889 extensive repairs were put upon the Wil- liamsburg Church. The entrance, which had been in front, was removed to the southeast corner and a tower erected over it. The pulpit was removed from the south to the north end of the church, and the seats reversed. The interior of the main audience-room was frescoed, and a chapel built in the rear. These improvements cost four thousand four hundred and thirty-nine dollars and eighty-seven cents.
In 1849 a building with a lot of ground convenient to the church was bought for a manse, at a cost of eight hundred dollars. This continued to be the minister's home until the present pastor was called, when in 1892 the old building with ninety feet of the lot was sold for the sum of six- teen hundred and thirty-six dollars, and on the remaining sixty feet the present manse was erected, at a cost of three thousand four hundred and thirteen dollars and one cent. It was first occupied by the pastor's family December 5, 1892.
SESSION.
The names of those who have served the church in the Session, in addition to those who were elected at the organization, are as follows,- viz. :
Name. Ordained.
Died.
William Spear
1827.
June 10, 1844.
John Stewart, Esq.
1827.
February 18, 1837.
Joseph Roller
827.
September 30, 1841.
Maxwell Kinkead .
1832.
December, 1841.
Daniel Hewitt
1832.
Daniel Lower
1838.
January 10, 1844.
John Clark, Sr.
1838.
October 28, 1863.
Joshua Roller . 1838.
December 17, 1870.
Joseph Feay .
February 6, 1843.
November 22, 1876.
William S. Spear
February 6, 1843.
August 3, 1865.
James Kinkead .
November 27, 1859.
Jacob M. Sellers
November 27, 1859.
March 9, 1885.
Thomas Cunning
October 30, 1869.
September 19, 1894.
Samuel Isett
October 30, 1869.
May 18, 1895.
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THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY
The present Session consists of the following members : James Roller, ordained November 27, 1859; John Clark, October 30, 1869; Josiah F. Ellsworth and William A. McCormick, December 14, 1874.
DEACONS.
Since 1843 the church has had a board of deacons, of whom Johns- ton Moore, David S. Rhule, Robert Alexander, Thomas Cunning, and Samuel Dean were ordained February 6, 1843; John K. Neff, J. F. Ellsworth, and Alexander Rutledge, November 27, 1859; Joseph H. Blackburn, Joshua H. Roller, and Homer H. Hewitt, December 14, 1874; James Patterson, George W. Roller, and George M. Patterson, 1878; William R. Cunningham, May, 1887; and C. R. Fluke, J. Grove Metz, and John A. Biddle, December 23, 1894.
The present pastor, the Rev. Joseph C. Kelly, was called November I, 1890, and installed January 13, 1891.
There are one hundred and eighty-two church members, and one hundred and fifteen members of the Sabbath-school.
A Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, a Ladies' Aid Society, and a Women's Foreign Missionary Society add very much to the efficiency of the church both at home and abroad.
JOSEPH C. KELLY.
WINBURNE.
REV. CHAPPELL began the work at Winburne in 1889. He conducted his service in the school-house, and preached there regularly, once every two weeks, until the church was built. The church was organized with eleven members, Messrs. Somerville and Dunlap being ordained elders.
The Methodists had, and still have, a half interest in the church building, but they have ceased to conduct services there, as their chief supporters joined the Presbyterian Church.
This little church is in a good, healthy condition, and has one of the finest Sunday-schools in the Presbytery. The present membership is about forty.
THOMAS MCCLATCHY.
WILLIAMSBURG.
MANSE.
295
OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
WOODLAND.
THE Presbyterian organization at Woodland was commenced some time in 1868 or 1869 by Rev. Sergeant, who preached in the school- house for a few years about once in two weeks. About 1873 he left his charge at Kylertown and Bradford, after which Woodland had occa- sional supplies for a time. About 1878 Rev. E. P. Fousman preached at Woodland once in two weeks while in charge of the Kylertown and Bradford Churches. Then Rev. Kuhn was pastor for a time ; after Kuhn, Rev. Chappell ; and since he resigned his pastorate, Rev. Mckinley sup- plied Woodland occasionally on week evenings for about two years.
There being so few Presbyterians here, we were never able to build. This want of a church building, and the fact that the place is made up largely of a floating population and of persons who have to depend on their daily labor for support, have prevented the growth of the organiza- tion. At the present time there are but few Presbyterians left, about five, and we have given up trying to hold the organization together longer.
J. S. NORRIS.
YELLOW CREEK.
IN the vicinity of Yellow Creek, in Bedford County, some of the early settlers were of the Presbyterian faith. The nearest church of their choice was located at the county town, the ancient borough of Bedford. Their devotion to the church of their fathers was shown in that they united with this organization, twelve or fifteen miles distant, and attended upon its ordinances with commendable fidelity.
In 1833 they applied to the Presbytery for an organization in their immediate locality, when Rev. Samuel Wilson was directed to proceed with the formation of a church, if it were deemed expedient. On No- vember 8 the organization was effected, when twenty-three persons associated themselves together as "The congregation of Yellow Creek," -viz., John Piper, Margaret Piper, David Piper, Elizabeth Smith, John Kay, Elizabeth Kay, Ann E. Anderson, Elizabeth Shoup, George Long, Elizabeth Long, Lucinda Piper, Thomas C. Piper, Eliza Cook, John Cook, Rebecca Fredrigle, Mary Buchanan, Thomas Rowland, Abraham Shoup, Christian King, Margaret King, Elizabeth McClanahan, Catherine Levingston, and Elizabeth Taylor.
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THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY
John Piper and John Kay were elected ruling elders, and on the following day, which was the Sabbath, they were solemnly ordained and installed, after which the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was adminis- tered to the newly-constituted church. Mr. John Piper served to the edification and satisfaction of the congregation for a period of more than thirty years, until January, 1865, when he entered into his rest. John Kay in after-years removed to the West, and helped to build up the waste places in the newer parts of our country until his pilgrimage was ended.
The loyalty of the congregation to the Presbytery was shortly there- after manifested, when they demanded the withdrawal of a member, who by his sympathy and support encouraged in his defiance of its authority a former minister, who had been deposed by its action. The offender was permitted to withdraw without any further censure.
On September 15 and 16, 1842, services were held in the newly- erected church building, when a number were received into the fellow- ship of the church on profession of their faith. On the 16th their new church edifice was dedicated to the worship of the covenant God, and at the same time the glad congregation celebrated the holy communion. The new structure was located on an elevation near the banks of the Yellow Creek, from which the church takes its name, and is beautiful for situation. The ministers who conducted the dedicatory services were Revs. David Mckinney and John G. Howell. For a series of years the church enjoyed only occasional services by appointment of Presbytery. The names of Revs. Baynard Hall, pastor of the church of Bedford, David McKinney, William J. Gibson, Brittan Collins, David Sterrett, and John McKinney, names of "brethren whose praise is in the gospel throughout the churches," appear on the records as preaching the word of life to the little flock.
In August, 1846, an arrangement was made with Rev. William M. Hall, then pastor of the church of Bedford, by which he preached to the congregation for one-fourth of his time. This contract was to continue for six months and thereafter at the pleasure of the contracting parties.
From 1846 to 1866 no record whatever exists of the action of the Session or of the proceedings of the congregation. In the mean time many changes had taken place. The great emigration to the newer parts of our country had occurred, and many from this secluded valley had left their early homes to found new ones towards the setting sun. George Long had been elected a ruling elder in 1839, and probably at the same time John Cook was called to this position also. The latter
297
OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
joined the great company who sought to occupy the fertile lands of the distant West. This depleting process enfeebled the little church, though doubtless contributing to the advance of Christ's kingdom in the remoter parts of the country.
During the twenty years referred to above Rev. John Elliott, Samuel Lawrence, D. S. Banks, and W. C. Harding ministered to this people. The last mentioned, after a year's service, removed to Minnesota beyond the " big woods," and there soon thereafter ended amidst the trials and privations of frontier experience his work for the Master and his life. Rev. D. S. Banks served the churches of Saxton and Yellow Creek with great acceptance. The work prospered in his hands, and the scattered Presbyterians in all this region were edified and helped by his faithful and cheerful ministry. His name with that of Rev. Samuel Lawrence is still fragrant in all these parts.
In the year 1867, Rev. R. J. Graves became the stated supply. He was a man also of marked ability, and the churches were filled by eager hearers. This congregation especially seemed to be in a flourishing condition, and quite a goodly number of accessions gladdened the hearts of its friends. Additional elders were chosen in the persons of James M. Kinkead and Joseph B. Noble. The former served to the great satisfac- tion of the people as long as he remained within its bounds. But the latter, Judge Noble, declined to accept the responsibilities connected with the office. His son, Joseph E. Noble, subsequently was an active member of the board of deacons, whilst another son, Rev. William B. Noble, D.D., has occupied conspicuous places in the church, and is now preaching the glorious gospel of Christ on the Pacific slope. After three years Dr. Graves gave notice that his ministry there would end on the 17th of November, 1870. For a time thereafter occasional supplies were furnished by the Presbytery, when in October of the next year a call was presented for the pastoral services of Mr. J. W. Boal, a licentiate of the Presbytery. The call was accepted by Mr. Boal, and he was ordained at the October meeting, but was not installed until May, 1872. The services of installation were conducted by a committee, consisting of Revs. G. W. Zahnizer, J. C. Barr, and Dr. R. M. Wallace. At the same time two elders who had been previously elected-viz., J. L. Melloy and James Piper, Esq .- were ordained and installed after the usual manner. Mr. Boal enjoys the distinction of being the only pastor which the church ever had. He alone of the many ministers who have had the care of this church was actually installed. The congregation was in a
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