Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1), Part 44

Author: Babcock, Charles A.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages:

USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1) > Part 44

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gation spiritually and financially. The years 1875 and 1876 were especially fruitful.

Another notable pastorate is that of the Rev. W. F. Wood. It began on Nov. 17, 1882, the new pastor being installed at a special service at which Rev. John McCoy, the Rev. L. M. Gilliland, and the Rev. J. N. MacGonigle offi- ciated. The congregation grew rapidly, and in 1884 an enlarged and renovated church was dedicated. The building committee for this greatly improved structure consisted of Messrs. J. B. Smithman, Duncan McIntosh, P. Schrei- ber and John H. McElroy. The dedication sermon was preached by the pastor. . There was some indebtedness, but this was paid in 1888. It has been a busy congregation. The pastor having the genius of organization and the people a mind to work, have combined to make the Second Church one of the most high- ly organized Presbyterian churches in the State of Pennsylvania.

The pastorate of the Rev. S. A. Cornelius was greatly blessed. . Under his guidance the various organizations did a splendid work. The brick church which served the congregation well for a quarter of a century was displaced in 1912-13 by a very imposing grey stone church, with a fine exterior and an interior well arranged for the various church activities. The Rev. L. W. Sherwin is now the able and effi- cient pastor. The congregation is a large con- tributor to the missionary and charitable ac- tivities of the denomination at home and abroad.

Emlenton

On Sept. 29, 1857, thirty-two Presbyterians residing in Emlenton, but attending the serv- ices of the Richland Presbyterian Church, ad- dressed a memorial to the Clarion Presbytery asking leave to organize a Presbyterian con- gregation in Emlenton. The request was re- fused. A second memorial with fifty signers was addressed to the Presbytery at its meeting on Dec. 9, 1857. and was granted, and Revs. Messrs. David McCoy and James Montgomery, and Elders J. B. Lawson and Samuel Keifer, were authorized to effect the organization. Ac- cordingly on Jan. 13. 1858, the church was organized. The signers of the memorial be- came members of the congregation. Prom- inent among them were the following: Alex- ander B. Crawford. Marv Crawford. Mary S. Junkin, Mrs. Louisa Widle, Robert Colbert. Mrs. Ellen J. Russell, Mrs. Lucy Truby, B. F. Junkin, John F. Agnew, James M. Agnew, Mrs. Julia P. Agnew, Mrs. Susan M. Agnew,

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Benjamin Junkin, Mrs. Ann M. Junkin, J. F. guide, came to Franklin to form a congrega- Agnew, Dorcas Porterfield, Hannah J. Wilson, tion. His reception was not cordial. He was refused the privilege of occupying the school- house ; thereupon, taking his stand under an old chestnut tree on the diamond, he delivered the first Methodist sermon before a Franklin audience. There were probably at this time no Methodists in Franklin, and but few mem- bers of any denomination. John Camp, Mrs. Nancy L. Campbell, Jane Ohort, Ann Ohort. Messrs. Alexander B. Crawford and Benjamin Junkin were chosen ruling elders. For some years the Presbytery sent supplies to Emlenton. Among these we find the Revs. Messrs. Colledge, Mitchell, Travis, Coulter, Mateer and Mckean. The first pastor, Rev. M. M. Shirley, took charge in 1864. He was succeeded by the Rev. An- drew Virtue in 1868. The Rev. Josiah Mc- Pherrin came as a supply in 1872, and was in- stalled as pastor on May 12, 1873. On June 22, 1886, the Rev. Boyd F. Williams became the pastor, having served for nearly a year as the stated supply. The congregation met at first in the Town Hall. In 1859 a frame church edifice was erected on Water street and dedi- cated Jan. 13, 1860. The entrance of the rail- road made the location impossible, and the congregation sought another site. Finally, in 1874, the present brick structure was erected, and the new church was dedicated on Aug. 27, 1875.

The church at Cochranton came into the Presbyterian connection on Sept. 26, 1867. It had existed for years, certainly from about 1811, as a branch of the United Presbyterian Church, and was then ministered to by the Rev. Robert Johnston. It seems to have pos- sessed a migratory spirit or the genius of itineracy. In 1820 it passed into the connec- tion of the Associate Reformed Church. The Rev. Mr. Patton ministered at Cochranton for some time.

THE METHODIST CHURCH

In 1804 the Baltimore Conference appointed Thornton Fleming Presiding Elder of the Mo- nongahela District, and Andrew Hemphill preacher in charge of the Erie Circuit, which included Venango county, taking its name no doubt from Fort Venango. Mr. Hemphill at once organized a class at Greggs, now Pioneer. on Oil creek. John Gregg, Hannah Gregg, and Sallie Stevenson became members of this congregation. A class was also formed at Pit- hole. In this organization the names of Daw- son, Siggins, Kinnear, and Henderson appear prominently.

Franklin

In the fall of 1804 Mr. Hemphill, accom- panied by William Connelly, who acted as

William Connelly, one of the earliest Meth- odists in northwestern Pennsylvania, was at this time a resident of Oil Creek, the present Titusville. He had passed through Franklin, the then Fort Venango, as a member of a sur- veying party in 1795. He was well qualified to act as a guide through the wilderness of Venango. In 1809 he became a resident of Franklin and a potent factor in Methodist af- fairs. In 1810 Jacob Gruber was presiding elder of the Monongahela District, and John Monroe was appointed preacher for the Erie Circuit. He preached to the congregations at Pithole and at "Mrs. Mitchell's," and he, at this time, formed a class at Franklin. William Connelly, John Lupher, and William McEl- hany and their families made up this first Methodist congregation in Franklin. In 1812 Jacob Young, the presiding elder of the Ohio District. held services in the village at the mouth of French creek, and William Connelly, now a local preacher, accompanied him on a missionary tour. James B. Finley, John P. Kent. and Ira Eddy also engaged in mission labors throughout the county in those early days. James B. Finley became presiding elder in 1816, and at this time William Connelly gave a lot for the erection of a church ; but the good brethren did not build until 1833. This first Methodist church was completed in 1834. In 1820 the General Conference of the Methodist Church changed the boundaries of the Genesee and Ohio Conferences, and in the change di- vided Franklin, giving a part of it to each of these conferences. This cutting in half did not affect Franklin greatly, either for the better or the worse. In those days all con- cerned in the work of the Kingdom of God had to endure hardness as good soldiers of Christ. Presiding Elder Gruber said to his preachers as he sent them forth: "Hard work, but good and certain pay-bread and meat given, and water, living water sure, including grace and glory: everything that is good here, and a crown hereafter." He evidently was a remark+ able man. Henry Boehm says of him: "He had a German face and a German tongue, and often looked quizzical. He wore a drab hat, and a suit cut in Quaker style. With a rough

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exterior but a kind heart, it was necessary to know him in order to appreciate him. A more honest man never lived, a nobler soldier of the cross never wielded 'the sword of the Spirit.' As a preacher he was original and eccentric. His powers of irony, sarcasm and ridicule were tremendous, and woe to the poor fellow who got into his hands; he would wish himself somewhere else. I heard him preach scores of times, and always admired him; not only for his originality, but at all times there was a marvelous unction attending his word."

Equally noteworthy were the elders follow- ing him: Jacob Young, James B. Finley, and William Swayze. Resourceful, masterful men were these-men who did things. The men who succeeded them were men of like temper, spirit, and energy, hence the growth of the Methodist congregations. It seems espe- cially fitting to refer to the pioneer Methodist minister of Franklin. In the exacting labors and successes of those early days he had a large share. "He was, in the best sense of the word, a revivalist; he acted on the principle that he is the best preacher who wins the most souls to Christ. As a preacher he was grave, sincere, pure in doctrine, original in thought, affectionate in address. He performed all the duties of a Methodist preacher. He was care- ful to fold the sheep of the Lord's pasture, he kept the fence in good order, he paid particu- lar attention to the organization of the societies, and the improvement of church property. He was scrupulously punctual as to time, and, until his afflictions toward the close of life consider- ably embarrassed his movements, hardly ever missed an appointment."

One can not but mention at least one devoted Methodist layman of that formative period, namely, George Siggins, who came to Venango county in 1801. He was a great worker be- cause he was a devout Christian. Writes a biographer, "One of the first memories of my grandfather. George Siggins, is one of the fam- ily sitting before the great fireplace, where huge logs fed the flames that were roaring up the black throat of the chimney ; and of step- grandmother cooking and baking before the fire, where on the ample hearth she had drawn the glowing coals. Here they would gather night and morning for the family worship." At Hickorytown he was instrumental in having a little meeting-house built, and also a school- house. He organized debating clubs, and en- couraged the young people to take part. He attended Methodist quarterly meetings far and wide, and was ever ready to assist in the serv- ices. He was a man of courtly bearing, gen-

erous in all his impulses, sincere and cordial in his kindly and Christian greetings to all, strict in integrity, firm in adhesion to principles, and, all in all, a noble, manly man. He maintained a high standard of morals, and sought to model his life after the example of Christ.

In 1867 the Methodists of Franklin under the pastorate of the Rev. J. H. Tagg began to build a large and beautiful church on Liberty street. Bishop Matthew Simpson laid the cornerstone. The church was dedicated by him in 1869. Among the other outstanding pastors of the First Methodist Church in Franklin there ap- pear prominently the Rev. Dr. Osborne, the Rev. Mr. Hall, the Rev. Dr. Bowers, the Rev. Robert E. Brown, the Rev. Dr. Herbert A. Ellis, under whose supervision the fine new church was erected in 1915, and the Rev. A. Norris White, D. D., who has just commenced his labors.

The Church at Big Sandy .- It seems quite probable the Methodist itinerants began to minister to the widely scattered population in the territory about five miles south of Franklin in the year 1801-02 in their little log cabins, although no classes or congregations were formed there in the opening years of that cen- tury. Prominent among these heralds of the King were Asa Shinn, Joseph Hall, James Watts, John Elliott, Samuel Adams and John Summerville. James Cannon figured prom- inently among the laity here. He came to Big Sandy about 1812, some claim about 1802. It was in his log cabin that the Rev. Ira Eddy organized the first class in 1817. For over ten years services had been held in the cabins of the settlers. They felt the need of a church. The matter was discussed in 1825 and decided upon in the following year. James Cannon gave the lot and also the lumber for the build- ing. Robert Temple prepared the lumber at his mill and Aaron McKissick, a ship carpenter from Maine, was chief workman and super- visor of the work. The church was built in 1827. It was the one frame building in the community and quite pretentious in size, all the other buildings being small log structures. It is said that the voice of the early pioneer in prayer and song could be heard distinctly on the hills two miles away. They sang, "making melody in their hearts to God" and melody also through the corridors of the forest, re- verberating from the rocks to the cliffs. This church was in use for thirty years, people from a radius of ten miles attending it, except the Methodists of Franklin, who were devoted to their own House of God. Other churches in

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the neighborhood depleted the congregation, and in 1860 a committee was appointed to sell the "Old Sandy Church." It went to some favored buyer for $28. 121/2, and the committee took a note for the whole amount. That does not seem like good business, but men often transact the church's business as they would not dream of transacting their own.

In the meantime services had been started in the farmhouse of Jonah Reynolds about ten miles west of Franklin, the one brick house in these parts in 1834. The family used to come to Sandy. Services were also held in the cabin of a tenant farmer near the great house at an even earlier date, namely in 1825. In 1840 a class was formed. Jonah Reynolds, John Stone, Samuel Shannon, Nicholas Wagner, and their families, and others, became members of this congregation. The class decided to erect a church, and in 1845 built a log structure on land given by Hiram Reynolds about a half mile distant from the Reynolds homestead. He also gave the land for a cemetery. In 1865 the log church was displaced by a frame struc- ture, and this church was remodeled within re- cent years and is still in use.

It is not known exactly when the Methodist messenger of the Lord carried the good tidings into the Bully Hill region. Residents of the Hill very likely attended services in Franklin; some certainly attended at Sandy. James Fos- ter, a worthy Methodist son of a worthy Meth- odist father, John Foster, was converted at a meeting in the Sandy Church in 1827. The first organization of a class on the Hill was effected in 1843. In 1847 another class was formed at the Foster schoolhouse, the scene of many great revivals. In 1847 a wonderful revival took place there and many entered the mem- bership of the church. Among these new acces- sions there appear prominently the names of Ross Foster, Steven D. Smith, Robert Graham, Philander Brown, James Brown, and their families. John Abbott, a noted preacher of that day, figured largely in the above revival, and during the winter of 1852-53 another great awakening took place under the inspiration of Ahab Kellar. This revival won many young people and John Foster was appointed their leader. Men and women were deeply in earn- est in those days. They came on foot many miles, after a week's hard toil, to attend the simplest services in the most barren buildings, even without the attraction of the sermon. They came from distances of many miles just

to attend a class or prayer meeting. The church was built here in 1863.

The Church at Lyons .- A great work was achieved by the Rev. J. R. Lock, pastor in Franklin, at the Lyons schoolhouse. He be- gan his ministrations there in 1842. A class was formed consisting of Essington Kephart, Robert Seaton, Samuel Nickerson, David Vin- cent, David Nickerson and Samuel Lyons and their families, This station became known as "Lyons," and was supplied for many years from Franklin. Its little log church was hidden in the woods some distance from the road, but the faithful knew how to find this sylvan shrine. John Paden and John Cummings and Mrs. John Runninger figured prominently among its members. In 1851 Lyons was made part of the Hendersonville Circuit, and Edwin Hull be- came the pastor and J. G. Thompson the junior preacher. About this time, 1852, the preachers changed the services to the Gould schoolhouse, two miles distant. It proved a hardship to the older people of the church, so they secured the use of the new schoolhouse on the Lyons farm, known as the Nicklin schoolhouse, and in- vited the Rev. W. F. Day, the pastor in Frank- lin, to be their preacher and pastor. A class was formally organized and Robert Seaton was appointed the leader. After one of their suc- cessful revival meetings there occurred this tragic incident : Rev. Parker Dodd, of Frank- lin, brother of Hon. S. C. T. Dodd, of New York City, formerly a Franklin boy, came out and preached in the Nicklin schoolhouse. On returning home, in company with Elizabeth Selders and Mary Ann Stocker, he was ac- companied by William Sandford, who had vol- unteered to take them across French creek at the Echols farm. They had to cross in a boat. Two young men or boys assisted in the row- ing. Through indiscretion or lack of care on the part of the boys, the boat capsized, and Rev. Mr. Dodd and Misses Selders and Stocker were drowned, Mr. Sanders and the boys reaching the bank in safety with great diffi- culty. This cast a great gloom over the "Lyons" or Nicklin Church. But, although the workers pass, the work of God must go on.

The need of a church edifice had been keenly felt for years ; so David Nicklin offered a half acre of land. Kind friends in Franklin con- tributed five hundred dollars, and the congre- gation subscribed one thousand, and on Dec. 10. 1860. the church was completed, furnished ready for service, but not for dedication. There was a debt of some hundred dollars.

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The Rev. G. W. Maltby preached the sermon at the opening of the church. In thirty min- utes afterward the amount was subscribed and the church was dedicated. The cherished project of a generation had become an accom- plished fact, and it has been a source of bless- ing to God's children for nearly two genera- tions.

Utica

The beginnings of Methodism in Utica are hidden in obscurity. Dr. Fradenburgh has told us that "It is known that Methodist itin- erants visited the French creek settlements long before the town was founded, but it was not until some time in the thirties that an at- tempt was made to effect a permanent organ- ization." An old resident of the borough some years since, in answer to inquiries, said that the first class in Utica was formed during the ministry of John Van Horn, of Meadville. He states that there were about sixteen members enrolled at the first meeting, among whom he remembers the following: Jacob Whitman and wife, Thomas Johnson, John Martin, William Hays and wife. John Duffield and wife, Philip Duffield and wife and Samuel Jackson and wife. The class was attached to Lebanon Circuit, but later was con- nected with the Cooperstown Circuit. The dis- trict schoolhouse was used as a place of wor- ship, but upon the erection of the Utica Acad- emy a room in that building was fitted up for church purposes. In 1862 a small but neat frame building was erected near the central part of the borough, and during all these years it has served as a place of worship.

Salem Church 1

In the early fifties a class was organized at the Lee schoolhouse near the pike, a mile from Oil City. The congregation was gathered by Rev. Richard Caruthers and became known as the Salem Church. The class had in it, among others, Mrs. James Lee, Mrs. Harriet Lake, the Misses Mary and Jane Long and James Shaffer. After the place of worship was re- moved to Salem John Crum and James Shields were the regular preachers. It is difficult to ascertain whether these workers in the Lord's vineyard should be dignified with the title of "Reverend," or whether they were only class leaders or local preachers, but they were cer- tainly reverent. God-fearing, God-loving. dis- ciples of the Master. Subsequently Frederick Vernon and E. H. Yingling served the congre-

gations as preachers. For some time the old log church was shared with the Cumberland Presbyterians, so, for a time, the Arminian and the Calvinist dwelt together in unity. After some years the Presbyterians built a church of their own, and a little later, in 1866, the Methodists did likewise, in 1882 adding a par- sonage. The present Salem church was built in 1897 under the pastoral supervision of the Rev. Thomas Pollard.

Salina

At this time also, namely in the early fifties, the first class was organized at Salina by the Rev. Mr. Doolittle, who was much better than his name. The congregation was formed on the Hitchcock homestead and consisted of the Hitchcock family and Isaac and John Steffee. They met regularly in the Allison schoolhouse. The present church was built in 1885 under the pastorate of Abraham Bashline. The Rev. John McLean was in charge of the Salem Cir- cuit. He refers to the rivalries growing out of the "unhappy divisions" of Christians, and declaims against the disturbers of the peace of Zion. He says: "We are spread over a section of country through which other would-be re- vivalists run to and fro, assuming the distinct- ive doctrines of Methodism, and adopting our measures, and singing the charming song of 'union, union'; and almost threaten us with the 'curse of Meroz' if we decline to engage in their meetings with them. Thus a few of our members, whose prayers and faith are available in behalf of the penitent, join in and help till the special effort is over, and a few are con- verted. Then the song of 'union' ceases; and these busybodies who have a 'party' interest to . build up, beset the penitent inquirer and young convert with all manner of misrepresentations, and false accusations of Methodism and Meth- odist ministers, and give them no rest till they are induced to follow them down into 'Jordan, even though her banks be frozen fast with ice'; and then they triumph over their success. Mr. Editor, I am fond of 'Evangelical Alliance'; but such 'union' as the above deserves the exe- cration of every sensible and good man."

Victory Church

For some years prior to 1858 the Rev. Fred- erick Vernon preached in the schoolhouses in the vicinity of Victory. In 1858 he organized the class which constituted the Victory Church. The following were included in the first class : Simon Nicklin, Jacob Wilt, Joseph K. Dale,

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James Mccutcheon, Samuel Hughes, James P. congregations were large, earnest, and gen- Morrison, Charles Ridgway, and their wives, and Miss Mary Hughes. The congregation prospered and erected a church edifice. It was finished in 1870. The Rev. Prof. L. G. Marvin of Allegheny College was requested to dedicate it. A dedication service was then, as it is too often even now, a combination of a scheme for raising funds and a dedicatory ceremony, the former often outweighing the latter in impres- siveness and importance. The church at Vic- tory presented a notable and laudable excep- tion. When the committee proudly informed Professor Marvin that there was no debt upon the new church, he exclaimed: "I thank God, I have been asked to dedicate one church with- out asking for money."

Oil City

In the early fifties also Methodism took tan- gible form in Oil City, although itinerant preachers officiated in the vicinity as early as 1831. The work here became known in 1841 as the Oil Creek Mission. About 1850 the Rev. Samuel Greggs preached at the present site of Oil City to "one man and forty women, all the other men in the place being at work in an iron furnace." In 1851 the Rev. A. S. Dobbs had an appointment at the Brown schoolhouse, a short distance from the mouth of Oil creek. He preached at the house of a Mrs. Halliday. He also crossed to the "South Side," and preached there to a congregation consisting of three women, two little girls, and a little boy. That certainly was the day of small things; but now certainly "the little one has become a thousand." A class was form- ally organized in 1860 by Mr. Dobbs, and as he was an itinerant preacher, the Rev. Jona- than Whitely, the pastor at Franklin, took charge of this first congregation at Oil City. He extended his labors to Petroleum Center and the surrounding territory, notably on the "Blood Farm" and the "Tarr Farm," where classes were organized. He also organized a class and Sunday school at the McElhaney Farm. The first church edifice was a frame structure and was secured in 1862. It was formerly the banking office of E. V. Culver. It was removed from Main street and estab- lished on "the flats" on the present site of the National Transit Company's shops. The pews in this first Oil City church consisted of rough boards laid on trestles. The boards were usually soaked with oil, and were covered with newspapers to save the ladies' dresses from oil stains. However, the historian tells us that the

erous. The Oil City congregation became a regular charge in 1862 under the Rev. Milton Smith, the Rev. J. W. Lowe being the presid- ing elder. During the pastorate of Mr. Smith a church was erected at Center, Sycamore, and Spring streets. It had no tower. The bell was hung in a derrick which was generally known as the "Holy Derrick." The church was for- mally dedicated in 1863 as Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church. The first official board con- sisted of L. M. Gordon, C. F. Hasson, W. D. Riddle, H. C. Sheriff, J. W. Blaisdell, J. L. Mechlin, Joseph Hooten, F. Coast, J. Camp, William Kramer, Robert Alcorn, J. Campbell and Isaac B. Jacobs. At the time of the great fire in 1866 the church fell a prey to the flames. In the following year, 1867, the board secured the abandoned Presbyterian church at Pithole and removed it to the site of the former church. It served the congregation for nearly ten years. The present Trinity Church was erected in 1876, and the new edifice was dedi- cated with impressive exercises by Bishop Fos- ter on June 17, 1877. Coincident with the services which resulted in the formation of the congregation of Trinity Church the Rev. John McComb and the Rev. J. M. Groves held serv- ice in the schoolhouse on the hill, which was then known as Venango City. They officiated here in 1862, and out of their ministrations there grew Grace Methodist Episcopal Church. The Rev. J. W. Weldon succeeded them in 1864. In 1865 the congregation was fully organized under the new pastor, the Rev. N. C. Brown and the Rev. L. G. Merrill. Several classes were united for a time under the name of the Venango City charge, but the union proved unsatisfactory, and in 1868 Venango City and Reno were made a separate charge under the Rev. R. F. Keeler. In Oil City the Rev. Mr. Weldon preached, as a rule, in the houses of the members of his congregation. The first edifice of Grace Church was erected on East Third street in 1869 under the pastor- ate of the Rev. R. D. Waltz, and the church was dedicated in 1870 by the Rev. Dr. I. C. Pershing. The honor of freeing the church from debt belongs to the Rev. M. Miller. This he achieved thirteen years after its dedication. The new church, an exceptionally imposing structure at the corner of Central avenue and First street, was erected in 1894. and dedicated in 1805 by the Rev. B. I. Ives, D. D. The building committee consisted of Messrs. A. P. Dale. George Steffee, Maj. J. B. Maitland, F. S. Richards, S. L. Cribbs and H. H. Fair. The Methodists of Oil City may well feel

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Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1), Part 44

Author: Babcock, Charles A. Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: Babcock, Charles A.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages: