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 6
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The next prominent event was the convening of the Presbytery of Huntingdon in the East Penn's Valley Church (Mr. Martin's), on the 14th of April, 1795.
Huntingdon Presbytery was formed under the direct authority of the General Assembly, and its first meeting was directed to be held on " the second Tuesday, 14th of April, 1795, at Mr. Martin's church, in Penn's Valley." Accordingly it was constituted in that church, by the Rev. John Hoge, after he had preached from John i. 12, " But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."
Two months and six days after the convening of the Presbytery, June 20, 1795, the Rev. James Martin died. His grave is the only one marked in the old graveyard on the Musser farm, where the East Penn's Valley congregation worshipped, and the spot where the Huntingdon Presbytery was cradled.
On the slab covering his remains is inscribed, --
" Here lies the body of the Rev. James Martin, Pastor of the first Presbyterian Congregation in Penn's Valley, who died June 20th. 1795. aged about 65 years.
" Deep was the wound, O Death, and vastly wide, When he resigned his useful breath and died, Ye sacred tribes with pious sorrow mourn, And drop a tear at your dear Pastor's urn.
"Concealed a moment from our longing eyes, Beneath this stone his mortal body lies. Happy, the spirit lives; and will, we trust, In bliss associate with his pious dust."
Mr. Martin was a native of Ireland, and emigrated to America in 1774. He was enrolled a member of the Presbytery of Donegal June
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18, 1777. At the time of his death his congregation embraced more members than any other charge in Huntingdon Presbytery. He is said to have been an able, earnest, orthodox, and popular preacher. Gibson's History contains a sketch of his life. The Hon. Martin Bell, now presi- dent judge of Blair County, Pennsylvania, is a representative of his descendants now living.
After Mr. Martin's death the name of the East Penn's Valley con- gregation disappears from the records, and that of Sinking Creek takes its place, under the pastorate of Mr. Wiley, in connection with Spring Creek.
On the 4th of October, 1797, Mr. Wiley resigned his connection with Sinking Creek ; the congregation was declared vacant, and on the 12th of May, 1799, he was released from Spring Creek, in both instances at his own request, and with the consent of the respective congregations.
EAST AND WEST KISHACOQUILLAS.
The churches of East and West Kishacoquillas stand forth next in historical mention. Land was surveyed in the valley in 1755, but owing to the Indian raids and the French war no permanent settlements were made until about twenty years later.
On Sunday, August 13, 1775, the next Sabbath after Philip V. Fithian had preached at Captain Potter's in Penn's Valley, the same minister preached to the East Kishacoquillas Congregation. In his diary of this date he says, "There is a large society and it makes a good appearance. We were in the forenoon in a large barn ; it was too small, and we went into a fine meadow (the meadow of Judge Brown), opposite the present village of Reedsville, Mifflin County. I am told the people of this vil- lage are all united in religious matters-all Presbyterians, and all or- thodox, primitive Presbyterians too, all except eight sour unbrotherly Seceders, and a sociable and agreeable churchman, Mr. Landrum. For supply Esquire Brown gave me 20 shillings 9 pence."
The next Sabbath Mr. Fithian preached (August 20, 1775) in West Kishacoquillas, in a barn of Robert Brotherton (or Brokerton), twice. For this supply John McDowell gave him twenty shillings.
For a period of eight years there is no other mention of preaching in that valley, but a call bearing date of March 15, 1783, and still preserved, with the names of sixty-nine of the members of the two congregations of East and West Kishacoquillas, for the pastoral services of the Rev.
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James Johnston, makes it clear that at that time there were two strong congregations already organized, and were provided with places of worship.
A description of the first church of East Kishacoquillas is given in the historical sermon of the Rev. Andrew H. Parker, pastor of that church, and delivered in the year 1883, which is in part as follows,- viz. : " It was a rough log building one story high, without any plaster- ing, without any floor, and without any fireplace or provision made for heating. It had windows on each side of the door, on the opposite side, and perhaps at each end; but the lights were small and few in number. The seats were slab benches made of split logs without backs. The coldest season of the year the minister had to preach, and the peo- ple came to hear him with their overcoats buttoned up to their chins. And seldom were the sermons less than an hour and a half, and often much longer. Judge Kyle stated, at one time in particular, whilst a boy, he came a straight course through the fields, with snow-shoes, on snow over the tops of the fences, to attend church in the old log meet- 'ing-house, and not a spark of fire, much less fireplace or stove, in the house. The pastor stood up manfully to his work, with surtout but- toned to his chin, preaching to a full house, and not a shiver or shake among the entire congregation, although the mercury was near zero at the time."
Contrast that scene with the elegant, beautiful, and comfortable church in which the sessions of this Presbytery were held six months ago, and it will help us to measure, in some degree at least, "the great things which the Lord hath done for us."
CHURCHES ALONG THE JUNIATA, WEST OF LEWISTOWN.
The history of the churches along the Juniata, west of Lewistown, begins with the visit of the Rev. Charles Beatty, August 26, 1766. On that day, Tuesday, he preached to "a considerable number of people, collected together at a place in the woods, where a mill was building, near to which a house of worship is intended to be built, as being most essential to the inhabitants of those parts."
The preaching place here mentioned is supposed to be near the old Bratton graveyard, and here a few years later a log church was built. The tradition is still retained in old families that the Rev. Charles Beatty preached the first sermon ever preached in that neighborhood in that place, near to which the Brattons had a saw-mill.
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OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
Referring again to Mr. Beatty's diary we read, " While the people were convening it began to rain, and the rain continuing, obliged as many as could to crowd into a small house. While I was preaching and the people were very attentive, we were alarmed by a rattlesnake creeping into the house among the people, supposed to have gotten in under the logs of the house, it being pretty open. But this venomous creature was happily discovered, and killed before it did any damage. Scarcely were the people composed again, before we were alarmed anew by a snake of another kind being discovered among the people, which was also killed, without any detriment, besides disturbing us. The providence of God appeared very remarkable in preserving us from the venom of the creatures, and more so, as these people were so crowded together, as that it might be a just matter of wonder how these creatures could crawl through the congregation without being in some way offended by them, which always excites them to bite.
" However the auditors all got composed again, and were attentive the remaining part of the discourse, which was the first sermon ever preached in these parts.
" Here I baptized several children, and after sermon rode about four and a half miles with one of the audience and lodged at his house."
The next early notice of preaching in this region we find in a state- ment furnished the historian of the Juniata Valley by William P. Elliott, of Lewistown. From his statement it appears that "On the 24th of May, 1781, David Steele conveyed to James Huston, Thomas Martin, and Robert Chambers, Trustees of the Presbyterian Congregation, two acres of land on the north side of the Juniata River, in consideration of 'fiveteen' bushels of good sufficient merchantable wheat, with the privilege of the use of the head of the spring of water, arising on the northwest side of the said forementioned tract or lot of ground; and also for liberty for a road from the said tract to the present landing of him the said David Steele, and what other roads may be necessary for the other parts of the said congregation to come from the ' great trading road' to the said lot or tract of ground; likewise the said David Steele doth grant as much timber as will be sufficient to build a house of wor- ship and study house on the said lot or tract of ground, and to allow privilege of firewood from time to time and at all times, that may be necessary for the use of said house of worship and study house."
Upon this lot a log church was built and a graveyard enclosed. It is now on the farm of James Shepherd. The logs of the church were
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still there, about three or four feet high, in 1836. The burial-ground contains many graves, among which are the families of the Armstrongs, Lyons, Mienhart, Steele, Rittenhouse, Gemmill, and others. The church was in use many years. William P. Elliott says that " the Rev. Matthew Stephens used to preach in this log church and in the loft of the still- house on Archibald Moore's farm, now owned by William A. Moore in Oliver Township.".
The accuracy of the above statement of William P. Elliott has been questioned. Dr. Gibson's History of the Presbytery does not mention it. Mr. William A. Moore, who was born February 4, 1804, is still living ; but though born and raised on the farm where the still-house is said to have stood, he has no recollection of having ever seen or heard of it.
Possibly Mr. Stephens might have preached in a still-house loft else- where; but in regard to the church described as being on the farm of Mr. Shepherd, the minuteness of Mr. Elliott's statement about it and the graveyard adjoining would render it easy to test its accuracy, both as to whether there was such a church and the site on which it stood. The writer is not familiar with the locality, and has not had opportunity to visit it.
All this region was in Mr. Stephens's time included in Wayne Town- ship. It is known that Mr. Stephens resided in Wayne Township from 1785 to 1795, on land now included in Bratton Township. He probably preached during that decade at points along the river, extending from Jack's Narrows to the Lewistown Narrows. At the time the Presbytery was organized, in 1795, he was holding a call from " Upper and Central Wayne." "Central Wayne" has since been known as McVeytown. But the terms "Upper and Central" imply that there was probably a Lower Wayne, which may have been the church here referred to.
UP THE RIVER.
Still following the banks of the Juniata, we find that the next surging of the tide of Scotch-Irish immigration sends its top wave far up the stream past "Standing Stone" into the lateral valleys of Hart's Log, Shaver's Creek, Sinking Valley, Spruce Creek, Warrior Marks, and Half Moon. In the two valleys last named it was met by the advancing swell of population coming up Penn's Valley from the east, and which, as we have already seen, was soon after, in the year 1789, provided for and united with West Penn's Valley under the pastoral care of the Rev. James Martin.
HL
Y
HART'S LOG.
u remembrance of
IEN CONSUN
This.dom
of me.
NEC TAMI
MEBATUR
THIS TOKEN HAS ON THE EDGE OR RIM THIS INSCRIPTION : " IST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF CHARLESTON, S. c., 1800."
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OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
HART'S LOG.
But without doubt, prior to the arrangement referred to above, Hart's Log was the centre for Presbyterian effort for all this region. The time of the earliest existence of a congregation at that point is fixed as not later than 1786. An old account of that date has been found with "Mr. John Spencer, for building a house of worship for the Hart's Log Congregation."
The Rev. John C. Barr, in his historical sermon, gives several good reasons why he believes there was preaching, even at an earlier date, the last of which reasons is this,-viz., " The older people yet among us who worshipped at Hart's Log say they remember two trees in which notches had been cut, and to which a board had been fastened for the purpose of making a preaching desk for the minister, and from the changes in these notches in the growth of the trees as they remember them, they infer that they had been made many years before that time, and, as Mr. Barr asks, 'Why made at all if at the time they had a house in which to preach ?'"
One year later the Hart's Log congregation joined with the Shaver's Creek congregation in a call for the pastoral services of the Rev. John Johnston. That same year (1787) the Hart's Log people determined to repair the church according to the following specifications,-namely, " To lay a floor, have six large windows and one small one, to have a door made, and to have it daubed and underpinned, also to have a convenient place or pulpit for the minister, and a table."
Hart's Log has been called a "Mother of Churches." For although it is known that in 1786 there were Presbyterians scattered through all these valleys, it was not till one year later (1787) that Shaver's Creek was strong enough to make herself heard in a cry for the gospel, and three years later (1789) that Warrior Marks, Half Moon, and Hunting- don were supplied with the preached word. All these churches, as well as Spruce Creek and Sinking Valley, derived a considerable portion of their strength from Hart's Log. Huntingdon at the beginning was only an outpost of that congregation, and shared the services of the same pastor, the Rev. John Johnston.
Alexandria is also an offshoot of Hart's Log, and when the Williams- burg Church was organized, most of the thirty-five original members were communicating members of the Hart's Log Church. (The writer, through the kindness of the Rev. A. H. Jolly, a former pastor of the
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Alexandria Church, is the fortunate possessor of a "token"* once used on sacramental occasions in this old historic church.)
WARRIOR MARKS.+
But although Hart's Log appears to have flourished to a degree be- yond all the neighboring communities of that time, yet it is certain there was occasional preaching at Warrior Marks as early, if not a few months earlier than at Hart's Log.
Matthew Stephens preached at Warrior Marks the fourth Sabbath of June, 1786, Mr. Wilson, a licentiate, six weeks later, and a Mr. Caldwell, " a probationer from Ireland," the third Sabbath of May, 1788. The spot where this preaching took place was two miles southeast of the present village of Warrior Marks, a short distance west of the Dry Hol- low ore-bank, and easily located by two springs (the only springs in the Dry Hollow) which rise near it. The site of the old church was pointed out to the writer in 1876. It was then all overgrown with small oak- trees ; but a slight rise in the surface of the ground indicated where the church stood. Stone markers at the head and feet of a number of graves were still standing.
The location of this church was evidently a compromise, a half-way meeting place between the widely separated communities of Spruce Creek, Sinking Valley, and Half Moon. It was not long, however, until Spruce Creek and Sinking Valley had meeting-houses of their own nearer home, and in 1798 they were united under the pastoral care of Rev. Samuel Bryson, who was ordained and installed over these congregations at a meeting of Presbytery, held at the house of Robert McCartney, on the hill north of the present village of Franklinville, November 20, of that year.
* Tokens at the communion season were in common use in most of the churches of this Presbytery as late as 1850, about which time their use was discontinued. Like the Hart's Log token here represented, they were simply a leaden disk with the initials of the name of the church and sometimes of the pastor stamped upon it. The writer has seen a token of the Lewistown Church which was made of sheet brass. But not any of the tokens of churches within this Presbytery rivalled the beauty of the token of the First Church of Charleston, South Carolina. This was of silver. The original of the impression here given is now in possession of the Rev. Harvey Græme Furbay, Ph. D. Another is in possession of Robert Shiells, and is fully described in his admirably told "Story of the Token," published by John Ireland, 1197 Broadway, New York.
Originally spelled as above, but now Warrior's Mark.
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HOLLIDAYSBURG.
Returning again to the Juniata, and tracing the principal branch towards its source in the Alleghanies, we find that in 1768 two cousins, William and Adam Holliday, entered and took possession of separate tracts of one thousand acres each, including that on which the town of Hollidaysburg now stands. These men were Presbyterians, they came from Mercersburg. Two years afterwards their pastor, the Rev. John King, was sent as a supply to the " destitute settlements of the Upper Juniata," and preached in the house of William Holliday, near Franks- town. Dr. King was followed by Rev. Mr. Dougal, and perhaps other supplies occasionally until 1788, about which time the church of Holli- daysburg (then called Frankstown) was organized. The first pastor of this church was the Rev. David Bard, who also supplied the Presbyterian community at Williamsburg at stated times. He was elected to the first Congress of the United States, and represented his congressional district for twenty-two consecutive years, attending Congress during the winter, and preaching during the rest of the year. He was pastor of the Franks- town Church at the time of the organization of the Presbytery, and October, 1799, was allowed to resign his charge at that place. After this he was the stated supply of the Sinking Valley Church up to the time of his death, which occurred at Alexandria on his return home from Congress, March 12, 1815, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Dr. Buchanan. His remains lie in Sinking Valley cemetery near Arch Spring.
I have now traced the growth of the Presbytery of Huntingdon from the Tuscarora to the Alleghanies, and in the order of time I have only reached the beginning of the present century.
It was some time afterwards that the Presbytery of Huntingdon en- tered the county of Clearfield, and that part of Centre which lies beyond the mountains.
CLEARFIELD.
In April, 1803, the Presbytery of Huntingdon appointed the Rev. William Stuart to visit Chincleclamoose one day at his discretion and preach. At the same meeting a similar appointment was made for Rev. Henry R. Wilson, of Bellefonte.
In 1806 the General Assembly sent fifty copies of the Shorter Cate- chism to the Presbytery, with orders to distribute them. The Presbytery instructed the Rev. William Stuart to take twenty-five copies to Chin-
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cleclamoose, Rev. Henry R. Wilson to scatter twelves copies along the Bald Eagle Creek, and the Rev. Isaac Grier to spread the remaining thirteen above the Great Island. Some time afterwards the Rev. James Linn, of Bellefonte, was sent into the same region to preach and to catechise. Whether the seed thus sown and carefully cultivated has ever yielded its proper harvest history does not state, but the numerous and flourishing churches in the region described would seem to encourage the continued circulation of the Shorter Catechism and the faithful cate- chising of the people therein.
There are many fragments of local and biographical history which still remain to be gathered. The Presbytery of Huntingdon is a fruitful field, abundant in incident illustrative of the heroic self-sacrifice of the people and the faithful devotion of the ministers. During the century God blessed the churches with many seasons of refreshing. Children were born who under the sound of the gospel grew up to strong man- hood and fair womanhood, lived in the fear of God, passed on to old age, and went up to heaven, of whom many a shining chapter might be writ- ten. But I must not trespass further upon your time and patience.
Permit one other reference and I close. There is a vacant seat in the Presbytery of Huntingdon to-day ; there is a vacancy on the Centennial Committee, and there is a vacancy on the programme. George Elliott, that genial, kindly, noble brother whose hearty hand-shake, cheerful voice, and beaming eye brought sunshine into all our hearts and homes, is not here. With what enthusiasm he looked forward to this occasion, and labored for its success! But he died in the midst of his labors, a soldier of the cross of Jesus, on the field of battle, and to him it has been given to celebrate the centennial of this Presbytery in " the General Assembly and church of the First-born, which are written in heaven."
SOURCES OF PRESBYTERIANISM IN HUNTINGDON PRESBYTERY.
D. W. WOODS, ESQ.
THE subject assigned to me confines my address to the period before the organization of this Presbytery.
To write or speak about "The Sources of Presbyterianism in the Huntingdon Presbytery" before 1795, when it was organized, is a difficult
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matter to do, owing to the want of official records and the fact that no one is now living who could furnish any information on the subject.
I here desire to acknowledge the aid received from General James A. Beaver, John B. Linn,-through General Beaver,-Hon. William M. Hall, Rev. Geo. B. Stewart, and Rev. Robt. F. Wilson.
According to my judgment the only true source of Presbyterianism in this Presbytery, or anywhere else, is the teaching of the apostles as found in the divine word. But this, I take it, is not what the Committee intended, but rather the means or causes which led to the establishing of Presbyterianism within our bounds. The territory now embraced in the Huntingdon Presbytery was at one time part of Donegal Presbytery, and afterwards part of Carlisle Presbytery.
A great many of the early settlers were Scotch and Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, and some also of the Huguenots. These men brought their Bibles and religion with them, and as soon as they had built their rude and primitive homes to shelter them and their families, and there was a sufficient number of them, they proceeded to erect a church and a school-house.
Our forefathers believed in education, the Confession of Faith, and the Shorter Catechism. Nor were these frontier settlements neglected by the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, and the Presbyteries of Donegal and Carlisle.
In the summer of 1766 the Rev. Charles Beatty and Rev. George Duffield were appointed by the Synod of New York and Philadelphia to make a missionary tour through all this section.
By the journal of Rev. Charles Beatty we find they came over the mountains from Carlisle, preached in Tuscarora Valley in the woods near what is now Academia, in August, 1766, and also to the Cedar Spring congregation, August 22, 1766, and lodged with Captain James Patter- son, August 23, who was a leading man and prominent Presbyterian. At this point these ministers separated; Rev. George Duffield went to Path Valley and Rev. Charles Beatty came up the Juniata to Mifflin County. The first attempt, so far as known, to erect a church in what is now Juniata County was made in 1762 or 1763, at Cedar Spring; but before it was completed the settlers were driven off by the Indians and compelled to flee to Carlisle and other places of refuge.
About the year 1766 or 1767, and after the visit of the two mis- sionaries spoken of, another and larger church building was erected near the site of the old one, and an order of survey, No. 3268, for two hundred
5
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THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY
acres of land was procured from the Land Office "in trust for a Presby- terian meeting-house and graveyard." The meeting-house was built upon this land, and was used by the congregation until about 1799, when the congregations of Mifflintown and Lost Creek each built a house of worship, and the old meeting-house was abandoned.
The first official notice of Cedar Spring congregation is found in the records of Donegal Presbytery, October 1, 1768, at which time Cedar Spring congregation made application for supplies. The Rev. Mr. Cooper was appointed.
In April, 1769, a joint application was received by the same Presby- tery from Tuscarora and Cedar Spring congregations for a supply. The Rev. Mr. Cooper was again appointed, and served both congrega- tions. At the April meeting of Presbytery, 1771, the congregations of Tuscarora and Cedar Spring presented a call to the Rev. Mr. Rhea. Some time in 1771 Rev. S. Kennedy, a minister from the north of Ire- land, settled among the Cedar Spring congregation, and in 1774 or 1775 they built a parsonage upon the tract of land owned by the congrega- tion, which Mr. Kennedy occupied until about 1779, when he was suc- ceeded by Rev. Hugh McGill, who continued many years as pastor of Tuscarora and Cedar Spring congregations, and was one of the constituent members of this, the Huntingdon Presbytery, upon its organization.
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