USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > Radnor > The history of old St. David's church, Radnor, in Delaware county, Pennsylvania, with a complete alphabetical list of wardens and vestrymen, and of the interments in the graveyard, 1700-1906 > Part 2
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In view of the close relation that both William Davis and Thomas Edwards sustained to the church organi- zation, it would seem highly probable that to one or both of them is the church indebted for the laconic conveyance referred to; and this theory finds some support from a mysterious entry in the old register, accompanied by no further explanation, as follows :
JUNE THE 8TH, 1729.
The Gift of Mr. William Davies to St. David's Church at Radnor in the Province of Pensilvania.
Although in Mr. Brincklé's handwriting in a later register appears an entry stating that, from traditional sources, he learns that the church land "was deeded by one Saunders," this explanation of the title is unsup- ported by any other evidence.
It is a lasting glory to the administration of justice in Pennsylvania, that the philanthropic acts which secured the land for old St. David's Church, and later for the old Eagle School in Tredyffrin township, were sustained, notwithstanding an entire absence of record title in each case, and the test of prolonged litigation.
Early in May following Mr. Clubb's arrival, the foundation of the present building was laid with the solemn Episcopal ritual so well becoming the occasion.
I6
Old St. David's Church.
Nearly all of the Protestant Episcopal clergymen in the Province, both English and Swedish, are said to have attended and taken part in the ceremonies.
The details of this scene are tersely preserved in the diary of Israel Acrelius, one of the Swedish clergymen, as follows :
But something peculiar is to be seen among the English at the laying of the foundation of a church.
On the 9th of May, 1715, Pastor Sandel (the Swedish mis- sionary at Wicacoe, Philadelphia) was invited to attend the laying of the foundation of Radnor Church sixteen miles from Philadelphia. First a service with preaching was held in a private house then they went in procession to the place where the church was to be built. Then a prayer was made, after which each of the clergymen laid a stone according to the direction of the master-mason.
One of the subsequent missionaries gives an addi- tional light on the appearance of the church in a let- ter, containing the following extract :
LONDON, Augt. 3rd, 1728.
The Church of Radnor was likewise built by the Contributions of well-disposed People in the Year 1715, and the materials of it are stone, &c., and it is 40 foot long, 27 foot broad and 18 to the square; it has no endowment that I know of.
(Signed) ROBT. WEYMAN.
In Dr. Sachse's article, referred to, further details of the size and character of the building are given as follows :
The dimensions of the new church were 40 by 26 feet, and, according to the custom of that day, it was laid out east and
I7
The Original Building.
west, with the main door in the south. The east was pierced for a large window, and if I err not, there was an additional door in the west end; two large windows in the north and south walls respectively admitted ample light, while the roof with its sharp pitch, the more easily to shed the snow, gave height and proportion to the structure.
The interior of the church for many years remained un- finished and open to the roof, exposing to the view the split shingles, and oaken rafters, which still bore the marks of the axe of the pioneer who felled the timber and hewed them into shape.
The church erected in 1715 presented a very dif- ferent appearance than the present edifice. Disclosures resulting from repairs and alterations made in 1893 show beyond reasonable doubt that a door was orig- inally in the west end, and that this and the original windows were of Gothic architecture.
The erection of the church building was, however, only an incident (though a very important one) in the history of missionary work at Radnor. Scant room existed in the life of the devoted American missionary of that period for æstheticism. The example of the Cathedral Bishops of early English history, who recog- nized architectural as well as spiritual obligations in their high office, had no parallel in early American his- tory.
Old Radnor Church bears convincing evidence in itself-besides the Swedish testimony-that the stones of its walls were laid "according to the direction of the master mason." But if any architect was responsible for its Gothic features, it was certainly not Mr. Clubb.
2
I8
Old St. David's Church.
That missionary was engaged during the erection of the church building in laying foundations for far more important buildings, even "those not made with hands," and so absorbed was he in this holy work, that he has left in the old register no record whatever of his brief term; and even the Secretary of the Propagation So- ciety complains, in a letter to him, that he has failed to comply with the Society's order respecting semi- annual reports of the condition of the parish. But the cause for this oversight is forcibly given in a let- ter from John Humphreys, missionary at Chester to the Society, wherein, under date of October 3, 1715, speaking of the arduous life of the missionaries, he says :
Mr. Clubb, has likewise his hands full as well as we, preach- ing frequently to 2 or 3 congregations besides those imme- diately committed to his charge by the honble Society.
This is the last account of Mr. Clubb's work at Rad- nor. In a memorial to the Society dated 6th of July, 1716, Rev. Evan Evans, then about to return to Phila- delphia from England, refers to his "understanding that the Churches of Oxford and Radnor are vacant by the Death of Mr. Clubb," and in John Humphreys' letter to the Society dated August 4, 1716, he speaks of "the death of Mr. Clubb whom God was pleased to take from us last Christmas."
But little more detailed is the account in a communi- cation from the Radnor Church Wardens and others to the Society, dated September 26, 1720, wherein they say :
I9
Mr. Clubb's Death, 1715.
Dr. Clubb our late minister was ye first that undertook ye care of Radnor & Oxford & he paid dear for it; for ye great fatigue of riding between ye two churches in such Dismal ways & weather as we generally have for four months in Winter soon put a period to his life.
Although of this life very little is known, although he was officially connected with this parish but a few months, enough has been told of Mr. Clubb's short his- tory, ending during that eventful year, 1715, just as one great aim of his ministry here had been accom- plished, to call out very deep interest ; nor is this inter- est lessened by the fact that on the very day on which is commemorated the advent of his beloved Lord into this world, came the summons to John Clubb to meet that ascended Lord in the heavenly kingdom; and the absence of any record to mark the grave of this good man, most forcibly suggests the fitness of that tritest of epitaphs, "Si monumentum requiris, circumspice."
The following receipt on a fragment of paper in one of the old books seems to be the only reference to Mr. Clubb amongst the Radnor records :
PHILA., Oct. ye 4, 1718.
Recd. then of Mrs. Isabella Clubb the books in the catalogue hereunder written by the order of the Reverend Evan Evans which books were all delivered by the sd Mrs. Clubb in the presence of Dr. Evans, being all that she found belonging to the Church of Radnor after her husband's death as she saith. I say Recd. for the use of the Missionary to Radnor for the time being,
By us MERRICK DAVIS EVAN HUGHES Wardens of Radnor Church.
20
Old St. David's Church.
This fragment interestingly supplements a letter from the Society to Dr. Evans, dated October 14, 1717, wherein they request that he shall send them "A List of all the books which shall be delivered to you by Mrs. Clubb." And in a letter to the Church Wardens of Oxford and Radnor dated Aug. 6, 1716, the Sec- retary of the Propagation Society expresses their wil- lingness that "Mrs. Clubb should receive her husband's Last Quarter's Salary as a gratuity, tho he died before Quarter day, Provided their books which her late husband left in his hands be safe and ready to be delivered according to the Society's order."
In Dr. Evans' memorial to the Society, dated July 6, 1716, already referred to, he "proposes (that if the Honble Society will be pleased to allow him the Salary appointed to Mr. Clubb) to undertake to officiate every week alternately at ye said two churches on Tuesdays or Thursdays; the people being used to attend con- stantly Divine Service upon Week days, and pticular that when he resided at Philadelphia and preached to the Welch on the week Days the congregation was as numerous as it hath been since it was served by Mr. Clubb on the Lord's Day." And in a "second Me- morial of Evan Evans, D.D., to ye Honble Committee of the Society," he offers to "supply Radnor and Oxford without any salary from them as soon as the Patent be renewed for ye church at Philadelphia."
The appointment of Dr. Evans as missionary at Radnor and Oxford was at once made, and in the let-
-
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Doorway and Judge Moore's Grave.
2I
The Warden's Letter, 1717.
ter (already quoted) from the Society to the Church Wardens of those places dated August 6, 1716, inform- ing them of the fact, they are urged to "consider on proper means to raise Among your-Selves a Main- tenance or some Allowance for a Minister to reside Constantly Among you to officiate on the Lord's day and take a more Immediate and Constant Care of you."
To this appeal the Church Wardens of Radnor re- plied, under date of September 20, 1717, referring to "the death of our good Minister, the Revnd Mr. Clubb, which was a great loss to our Congregation and Others in this Province," and very forcibly presenting their position as :
Generally poor settlers that have newly settled Lands back in the Wilderness and have not yet as much as our own Habitations free from debts. *
* * We have built a church (in hopes of being supplyed with the right worship of God) and have put ourselves in so much debts that in all Probability (according to the times) we shall be several years before we clear ourselves for the outside building without furniture, &c. * If we should attempt to bring our Congregation under a Certain Salary it would be a means to scatter our Congregation among Other Societies and bring it to Nothing (or at least to a very few) ; but we can do no less than Lament our great loss for the Reverd and good Minister, Mr. Clubb, for by all likelyhood if he had lived our Congre- gation would have increased, for we had several children by him Baptized. [They earnestly urge that the Society] will consider some way to supply us on the Sabbath days and ease the Docr of the Trouble now Imposed on him, altho. we cannot Complain on him, for our Reverend and good Docr
22
Old St. David's Church.
hath not neglected his Duty but it is almost Unreasonable to expect him to travel so far in the winter season having soe much Business in the City daily required at his hands and the Cuntrey Church at frankford.
Of the further history of Radnor Church during Dr. Evans' ministry little is known, except that he entered upon the duties of his Mission March 22, 1717, and continued in the active discharge of them until June, 1719, when he removed to Spesutia Church, St. George's Parish, Baltimore County, Maryland, and was succeeded by Robert Weyman, son of William Weyman, who was probably a Welshman, with Eng- lish education.
Although Dr. Evans' appointment at Radnor to ·succeed Mr. Clubb was in the nature of a temporary one, and only continued about two years, yet his serv- ices in the establishment of the Parish, and his prompt action in supplying the vacancy after Mr. Clubb's death, entitle him to a high place of reverence amongst the early missionaries at Radnor, to whose fostering and faithful care the church owes its existence. Lit- tle is known of his history. In a letter of "obre I, 1700," immediately after Mr. Evans' arrival as mis- sionary to Christ Church, William Penn referring to him, says, "The new minister sent over for Philadel- phia has been with me and appears a man sober and of a mild disposition," and a few years later speaks again of him as "Parson Evans whom I esteem."
During his return to England, about 1716, he re- ceived the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Brasenose
23
Robert Weyman, 1719.
College, Oxford, He died in Maryland, October, 1721.
Of the details of Mr. Weyman's appointment and ministry very little has been preserved amongst the Church records; the records of the Propagation So- ciety, however, have supplied much valuable material from which the history of the church in this early period is fairly presented, in the copious extracts which follow.
The letter of instructions from the Society, accom- panying Mr. Weyman's credential letter, is dated Feb- ruary 1, 1719, although the copy of the letter itself, recently published, is dated "September 18" of that year. A memorial from the Church Wardens and Vestry of Radnor to the Society dated September 20, 1720, after expressing "our humblest thanks for send- ing us a pastour so assiduous in ye work of his calling and so well qualified and inclined to Instruct us as ye Rev. Mr. Robt. Weyman," suggests the inconvenience incident to attendance at both Oxford and Radnor, and urges that the Society "would condescend and set- tle ye Rev. Mr. Robt. Weyman or any other Welsh minister among us and ye People of Parkyeomn which are now building a church."
This reference to a church "now building" is evi- dently to the original church at Perkiomen erected in 1721 in the burial ground opposite the present build- ing, and clearly indicates the parentage of that ancient parish.
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Old St. David's Church.
The desire for a resident missionary at Radnor finds constant expression in the correspondence of this time. The minutes of the Propagation Society show the re- ceipt of a letter from Thomas Edwards (one of the Wardens of Radnor Church), dated "Easttown, March 29, 1721," expressing apprehension of Mr. Weyman leaving "on account of being too great a fatigue to supply that and Oxford 28 miles distant, and as he did not well understand Welsh, and not one-fourth of that congregation understanding English." Also a let- ter from Mr. Weyman to similar effect and referring to the fact that two or three miles from Radnor is "a meeting of Quakers, and another of Independents, the teachers of which preaching in Welsh draw many of the congregation after them."
In a letter to the Society, dated "Philadelphia, 4th April, 1723," Mr. Weyman expresses satisfaction that the "Hon'ble Society are enclined
* to make some provision for the people at Radnor who require a person of years and well conversant in the Welch tongue to reside amongst them and to visit them from house to house as well as to preach to them, for frequent conference with them in their own lan- guage is the most likely method that I can think of in order to recover them from their errors and to bring them to a conformity to our holy mother the church to which many of them are inclined but cannot be brought over by mere Itinerant preaching."
In another letter to the Society, dated "Oxon, Pen-
25
Correspondence, 1725.
silvania, July 26, 1725," he acknowledges their letter of August 25, 1724, and expresses regret "that the Society are not yet come to resolution of sending a missionary to Radnor, where the people have great need of one to be always residing amongst them that can converse with them in their own British dialect," and adds, "I have communicated the contents of the Letter to them and they have immediately upon the perusal thereof agreed and committed it in writing in an instrument obligatory under their hands to con- tribute Yearly £40 in proclamation money towards the better support of such a missionary as the Honble Society shall think fit to send them. But they desire he may be well acquainted and obliged to speak to them in their own language because there are a considerable number amongst them that are strangers to the Eng- lish."
Another petition to the Society, without date, pur- porting to be "The Address of the Inhabitants of Rad- nor & East Town in Pensilvania and members & well- wishers of the Church of England as by Law Estab- lished," after acknowledgment of the "Invaluable bles- sings that we have from Time to time and for the space of many years enjoyed by your Appointment of the Reverend Mr. Robert Weyman to exercise ye Duties of the sacred function amongst us in con- junction with the care and oversight of other churches," expresses an earnest desire for "his settle- ment wholly and solely & constantly amongst us in the
26
Old St. David's Church.
Relation of Pastor to the end we may have the com- fort & satisfaction of being led in the way of sal- vation of having the means of grace dispensed to us in our own Language, wch is more Edifying to us than any other can be," and after further eulogy of Mr. Weyman as "a Painfull labourer in God's Vineyard amongst us," concludes with the request "that we shall be provided with a minister that shall Officiate amongst us in our own British Language for the Reason aforesaid."
There can be no doubt that the further reference in this petition that "we have resolved on building an- other Fabrick in Stone for Divine worship * * * about eight miles in distance from this" marks an early period in the history of the establishment of St. Peter's Church in Chester Valley, and indicates also the parentage of that ancient parish.
From the records of Christ Church, Philadelphia, was obtained an interesting bit of information to the effect that in 1726 Rev. Mr. Weyman officiated there constantly from February until September after the withdrawal of Rev. Dr. Richard Wilton and received from the Vestry fifty pounds for his services; and again in 1729 "Rev. Dr. Weyman preaches before the Welsh in their language and gives them a Welsh psalm on the organ."
These records indicate in Robert Weyman an ideal pioneer missionary, intelligent, earnest and aggressive ; yet no less clearly do other records show him to be a
27
First Vestry of 1725.
faithful pastor of the parishes specially committed to his care at Radnor and Oxford, although it seems clear that his residence was in the Oxford parish with which he seems more closely identified. In Dr. Buchanan's Historical account of Oxford Parish, Mr. Weyman is referred to as "a person of great worth and very dilligent in the discharge of his ministerial duties."
The following record taken from the old register in- dicates that under Mr. Weyman was organized the first regular Vestry of Radnor Church, (although mention is also made of Vestrymen in the petition of Septem- ber 20, 1720). This occasion was evidently the one referred to in Mr. Weyman's letter of July 26, 1725; before quoted. The entry is preceded by a memo- randum that at the Easter Communion of 1725, fifty- nine persons, whose names are given in detail, partici- pated :
MARCH YE 28TH, 1725.
A Letter fm the Honble Society for propagatn of the Gos- pel in Foreign parts to the Membs of St. David's Church in Radnor Bearing being read that Day before the Congregation, T'was then agreed yt on ye Thursday following they wd. meet to prepare an answer to ye same.
THURSDAY, April ye Ist, 1725.
Att a meeting of the ministr & membrs of the Church of St. David's in Radnor T'was proposed ye new ch. Wardens shd. be named for the ensuing year and a Vestry appointed not exceeding Twelve in Numbr to Represent the whole con- gregation for the greatr ease of the people in carrying on the affairs of this Church.
During his term at Radnor Mr. Weyman returned
28
Old St. David's Church.
to England, under circumstances of which no record is preserved, and while there submitted a report or memorial to the Society under date of "London, Augt. 3rd, 1728," indicating not only a knowledge derived from a faithful pastorate, but also containing a valuable and interesting description of the condition and cir- cumstances of the early settlers as follows :
The number of inhabitants originally belonging to and fre- quenting these Churches at first was small, as was their general Condition low in the World. Their employment was chiefly Agriculture and handy Craft Employments. Their sentiments in matters of Religion were very wild & absurd for the most part, & their manner of living is to this day Plowing the ground and following the business of the farms, Plantations and trades. They are dispersed over a large Compass of ground and live not together as our towns in England, but scattered & remote and at a great distance from any other Church. Even at the distance of 9 mile from Philadelphia at Oxon, & at Radnor 16, which is the nearest Place of Worship, and not easy to travel to specially in Winter in Extreme Cold nor in Summer in excessive heat.
The number of inhabitants in the Township of Oxon are according to the best & nearest computation that I can make about 60 families, and in Radnor about the same number. In their fortunes they are much the same as they are in their conditions indifferent and mean. * * *
* At Radnor there is one Quaker Meeting House and a Considerable number of Dissenters from the Church of England in both Parishes. * * * There are two Schools in my parish * * At Radnor none.
It is not easy to enumerate Negro Slaves in this Country, considering their distance and the remoteness of their Situa- tion. Neither is there any due care taken hitherto for their
29
Mr. Weyman's Withdrawal.
Instruction, and I have often pressed the necessity & duty of it upon their masters and offer'd my Service to instruct them in the principles of the Christian Religion, and to pre- pare them for Baptism; and could never prevail but with one Family at Oxon, and another at Radnor to bring them to Church.
In October 1730, a vacancy having occurred in the important Mission field at St. Mary's Church, Bur- lington, by the death of Rev. Mr. Howard, Mr. Wey- man made application to the Society for appointment to that charge, assuring the Society at the same time that "I would not in any wise leave my Flock at Oxon and Radnor, had it been possible for me considering distance of the situation of the two Towns to serve each of them with Advantage to them and with any conveniency to myself," and urging the association of Radnor with Perkiomen and Oxford with White- marsh.
This petition was favorably considered by the So- ciety, and during that same year Mr. Weyman removed to Burlington, terminating his connection with Radnor after a faithful service of eleven years, "Marked," (as Anderson truly records) "by unvarying diligence and zeal on his part and by the continued love and confidence of his increasing flock." He remained at Burlington until its death about 1739, leaving a widow and six children in straitened circumstances for whom the Propagation Society made some provision.
After Mr. Weyman's removal to Burlington, Rad- nor Church, during nearly two years, had no settled
30
Old St. David's Church.
minister, but in the old registry is found the following quaint subscription list :
At St. Davids Church, Nov. 7th, 1731. We whose names are under written do promise to pay into ye Hands of the present Church wardens, the several sums of money annexed to our names on or before ye 16th day of May next ensuing the Date hereoff for the use of Mr. Backhouse who pretends with God's assistance to officiate here once a month.
This minister, Rev. Richard Backhouse, then mis- sionary at Chester, was relieved of his duties by the Rev. Griffith Hughes, who probably arrived early in the winter of 1732-33 as the Society's missionary to Perkiomen and Radnor; the separation of Radnor Church from Oxford and its union with St. James Church at Perkiomen, having been effected by the So- ciety in accordance with the recommendation of Mr. Weyman.
The minutes of the Propagation Society and other authorities indicate that Griffith Hughes, who applied for the Radnor Mission in June, 1732, was a recent graduate of St. John's College, Oxford, who was seeking Holy Orders. He was recommended for the Radnor Mission by a Dr. Pardo "in pursuance of the request of the Society," and having passed a successful examination he received Priest's orders, and in Oc- tober, 1732, was appointed as the Society's missionary to Radnor and Perkiomen at a salary of sixty pounds per annum.
The date of Mr. Hughes' arrival at his mission does
3I
Griffith Hughes, 1734.
not appear in any record, although an allusion to him as "the missionary designed for Radnor whom the congregation impatiently expect" appears in a letter from Rev. Archibald Cummings to the Secretary of the Society as early as March 8, 1732.
While there are but few references in the Church register to Mr. Hughes' term at Radnor, much in- formation is to be gathered of this time from his let- ters to the Society; and this fact is again deemed a sufficient warrant for submitting the following copious extracts therefrom.
In a letter dated "Radnor, March 2, 1733-34," Mr. Hughes writes to the Society :
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