BX 8949 
 
 .L34 1909 
 
 
 
 Laird, Washington 
 
 R. , 
 
 , 1855?! 
 
 1928. 
 
 
 
 
 History 
 
 of First 
 
 
 
 Presbyt 
 
 erian Chur 
 
 ch 
 
 of Wes" 
 
<sbv 
 
 J\ 
 
 1 I'^l 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF 
 
 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 
 
 OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 WRITTEN AND COMPILED BY 
 
 REV. WASHINGTON R. LAIRD, Ph. D. 
 1909 
 
 Village Record Print 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 THIS LITl'LE BOOK is issued in commemoration of 
 the Seventy-fifth Anniversary of the organization 
 of the First Presl^yterian Church of West Chester, 
 Pa., which was oljserved on the loth and nth of January, 
 1909. 
 
 Arrangements which had been careful!}' made were 
 successfully carried out. At the Sabbath morning service, 
 January loth, at 10.30, the Rev. George Foot Moore, D. D., 
 of Cambridge, Mass., son of the Rev. William E. Moore, 
 D. D., fourth pastor of this church, preached the sermon, 
 taking for his text, i Tim. 3:15: "The church of the living 
 God, the pillar and ground of the truth." 
 
 At the evening service at 7.30, in which the pastor, 
 ofiicers and memljers of the Westminster Presbyterian 
 Churcli united, giving up their own service for that purpose, 
 the Rev. B. Canfield Jones, D. D., of Paterson, N. J., son of 
 the Rev. Benjamin T. Jones, D. D., fifth pastor of this 
 church, preached the sermon, taking as his text, Daniel 
 1 1 : 32 : "The people that do know their God shall be strong 
 and do exploits." 
 
 Monday evening, Januar}- iith, was made an "old 
 home" night, a meeting being held in the church to which 
 the other churches in AX'est Chester were in\'ited, and es- 
 l^ecially all residing here or elsewhere, who at any former 
 time had been members of this church. 
 
 At this large and very enthusiastic service, addresses 
 were made by the following pastors of the town : Rev. 
 Arthur Rogers, Rector of the Holy Trinity Episcopal 
 Church ; Re^^ Arthur H. Simpson, Pastor of the First Bap- 
 tist Church : Rev. Edwin C. Griffiths, D. D.. Pastor of the 
 Methodist Ei)iscopal Church; Rev. Charles H. Shaw, Pastor 
 
of the Olivet Baptist Church; Rev. Charles R. Williamson, 
 Ph. D., Pastor of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 
 and by the Rev. B. Canfield Jones, D D., who was able to 
 remain over for that meeting. A few remarks were made 
 by the Pastor of this church, who also read a paper pre- 
 pared by Mrs. William E. Moore, giving reminiscences of 
 the pastorate of her husband, which is published in its 
 proper place in this historical narrative. 
 
 At the forty-third anniversary of the organization of 
 this church, which was observed in 1876. during the pas- 
 torate of Dr. Jones, a very valuable historical sermon was 
 delivered ])y the Rev. Dr. Wm. E. Moore, which was pub- 
 lished at that time in the "Daily Local News." To that 
 sermon we are indebted for nearly all the material in this 
 account of the first four pastorates. Some items, however, 
 have been added from letters received from the Rev. John 
 Crowell, D. D.. of East Orange, N. J., the third pastor of 
 this church ; also extracts from an obituary of the Rev. 
 ^^'illiam A. Stevens, and several extracts from the Sessional 
 Records, giving memorial minutes, adopted after the death 
 of the elders who died while members' of the session. A 
 similar ])lan has been followed as to elders who died 
 during the last three pastorates to show to the present 
 generation the character of the men who were used of 
 God in the eldership as well as in the pastorate, in carry- 
 ing on and building up the work in this place. It is a 
 matter of regret that material is not available to give 
 a like estimate of the valuable services of the elders who 
 resigned their oiTfice or were certified to other churches, 
 and of whose work while in this church no memorial min- 
 ute was made. 
 
 That what is given may be used by the Holy Spirit to 
 stimulate us all to be more worthy successors and "follow- 
 ers of them who through faith and patience inherit the 
 promises," is the prayer of 
 
 THE COMPILER. 
 
History of the First Presbyterian Church 
 of West Chester, Pa. 
 
 In a history of the First Presbyterian Church in West 
 Chester, Pa., it is proper to call attention to the efforts made 
 to establish a church, almost as soon as the town itself was 
 organized. There is good reason to believe that these were 
 the first attempts made by any branch of the church to es- 
 tablish the ordinances of God's House in the new county 
 seat. 
 
 Prior to 1786, when West Chester became the capital of 
 Chester county, this now beautiful borough was but a 
 cross-roads village of some half dozen houses clustering 
 around the '"Turk's Head" tavern, which gave the name by 
 which the place was most widely known. The settlers of 
 the adjoining townships were almost exclusively of the 
 Society of Friends. These had their places of worship at 
 Birmingham, Marshallton and Goshen, each about four 
 miles distant from the Turk's Head. 
 
 But the western townships had been settled originally 
 by Presbyterians from the north of Ireland. On the north 
 and east the Welsh, intermingling with the Scotch-Irish, 
 had settled in and beyond the Great V^alley. These settlers 
 had brought with them their love for religion and liberal 
 education. They had founded flourishing congregations at 
 (ireat Valley and Charlestown, at the Forks of the Bran- 
 dywine, Octorara, Fagg's Manor, Doe Run, Oxford, New 
 London and Aliddletov/n in Chester county; at Chestnut 
 Level and Pequea, in Lancaster county, and at the head 
 of Christiana. White Clay Creek, Lower Brandywine, and 
 Wilmington, in Delaware. 
 
 These churches thus surrounding the new county seat, 
 with a radius of from ten to twenty-five miles, had at the 
 time referred to, 1786, for the most part a settled ministry, 
 among whom we find some of the oldest preachers and 
 
6 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 ripest scholars of their day in America. With the exception 
 of Great Valley, Charlestown and Middletown, the churches 
 named were all under the care of the Presbytery of New 
 Castle; which, formed in 1716, took the oversight of Pres- 
 byterianism in all the regions then settled, west of Phila- 
 delphia. 
 
 During the War of the Revolution the Presbyterian 
 Church suffered greatly. JNIany of her sons enlisted in the 
 army, and povired out their lives upon the field of battle. The. 
 causes which led up to the war for Independence, had long 
 been working in the mind and hearts of Presbyterians. 
 Their religion made them the asserters of freedom. Re- 
 publican institutions in the State are the necessary out- 
 growth of Presbyterian polity and Calvanistic doctrines 
 in the church.* 
 
 llie Royal Scot, himself a renegade, showed his usual 
 keenness when he said that "God and the devil agree as well 
 as Presbyterianism and monarchy." Other men may be 
 republicans, the true Presbyterian must be, or deny the 
 fundamentals of his faith. It is demonstrable that neither 
 Prelacy on the one hand, nor Independency on the other, 
 could have originated the form of government which dis- 
 tinguishes the United States from other nations. Its ideal 
 is to be found in that polity which characterized the "Re- 
 formed" churches of Europe, and which our fathers em- 
 bodied in the form of government of the Presbyterian 
 Church, a government of constitutional law, administered 
 by representatives chosen by the people ; a democratic re- 
 public. 
 
 Besides their affinities for free institutions few Presby- 
 
 *"By these," says Mr. Buckes, referring to the Presbyterian 
 Order — doctrine and worship, "the dying- spark of freedom was 
 kindled into a blaze" in Europe. "To John Knox," the founder of 
 Pi-esbyterianism in Scotland, says Froude. "England owes a debt for 
 liberty it cannot repay." "Calvin's principles." says Henri, "are im- 
 mortal and immovable both in government and doctrine." "Geneva," 
 says Montesquieu, "is the mother of modern republics." "Europe," 
 says Motley, "owes her political liberty to Calvin." Bancroft, liim- 
 self a New England Unitarian, declares that "Calvin, bowing to no 
 patent of nobility but that of the elect of God, made Geneva the im- 
 pregnable fortress of popular liberty," and adds that the very "first 
 voice" raised for liberty in this land, both civil and religious, "came 
 from Presbyterians," and that "he who will not honor the memory 
 and influence of Calvin knows but little of the origin of American 
 liberty." 
 
CHITRCH. OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 terians had any warm affection for the government of 
 England. Very largely their fathers had been exiled for 
 conscience sake. The IdIuc banner of the covenant bore 
 many a stain of martyr blood. Even to the memory of liv- 
 ing men the winter fireside witnessed the rehearsal of the 
 stories of the Scottish dragoonades by which the Stuarts 
 sought to force prelacy upon Scotland, as the surest support 
 of monarch}'. To them the cry, "No church without a 
 Bishop," was not simply a matter of ecclesiastical order. It 
 meant also, "No State without a king." 
 
 It is not strange, therefore, that none of the sons of 
 the Presbyterian Church in this region were found among 
 the Tories of that day. Few of them shrank from the call 
 to arms, often sounded by their own pastor. Among the 
 noble names on the roll of our country's honor, in this 
 struggle for liberty, are found many of the officers and 
 members of the churches named. Their pastors in many 
 cases rendered services in camp and council gratefully ac- 
 knowledged by Congress and by the Commander-in-Chief. 
 
 "In 1776, Rev. Dr. Read, then pastor in Drawyers, Del., 
 with some forty or fifty of his neighbors and parishioners, 
 equipped themselves and marched to Philadelphia, then 
 threatened by the British at Trenton. On the eve of the bat- 
 tle of the Brandywine, 1777, Washington suddenly found 
 himself confronted by Lord Howe, who had landed at the 
 head of Elk. It became necessary to fall back behind the 
 Brandywine by unfrequented roads. But no guide could 
 be found who knew the whole country well enough to be 
 trusted. Colonel Duff, of Washington's staff, rode at once 
 to Mr. Read's residence, and at midnight brought him to 
 headquarters, where in a few minutes he mapped out for 
 the commander the whole adjacent country, with every 
 cross road and bypath, so that a safe retreat was effected 
 from a very perilous position." 
 
 Rev. James Latta, at one time, when an unusual num- 
 ber of his people were drafted to serve in the militia, took 
 his blanket and knapsack like a soldier, and accompanied 
 
8 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 them on their campaign. At another time he served for a 
 while as Chaplain in the army.* 
 
 The loss of life and property dnring the war was very 
 great. The unsettled state of the finances, which followed 
 from the immense inflation of the currency, weakened the 
 congregations which had once been strong. Emigration to 
 the West and South set in with a new and resistless im- 
 pulse. Several of the congregations were left without a 
 settled ministry. In 1789, the year of the adoption of the 
 Federal Constitution, and also of the meeting of the First 
 General Assembly, the Presbytery of New Castle numbered 
 twenty-five congregations, of which five were vacant, and 
 sixteen ministers. 
 
 A new and mighty impulse, felt even to this day, was 
 given by the first General Assembly and its successors to 
 the work of Home Missions. The opening West already at- 
 tracted the attention of the churches, and many of her 
 ablest ministers followed or led the people of their charges 
 to the frontier of New York, Ohio, Virginia, Kentuck}^ and 
 Tennessee, Avhere the sturdy settler was yet contending 
 with the savage foe ; and the place of worship must be 
 guarded by the armed sentinel. But the fields at home 
 were not overlooked. With a self-denial which challenges 
 our warmest admiration, the pastors of these older and en- 
 feebled churches, many of whom supplemented their scanty 
 support by the farm or the school, sought out and supplied 
 the waste places. They not only strengthened the things 
 
 *James Latta wa.s born in Ireland, in 1732. and came with his 
 parents to America, in the sixtli or seventh year of his age, who settled 
 near Elkton, Md. The date of his conversion i.s unknown, but it was 
 early in life. He was educated under Dr. Francis Alison, chiefly at 
 New London, and graduated in the first class of the (now) University 
 of Pennsylvania, in 1757. He was licensed by the Presbytery of 
 Philadelphia, P"'ebruary 1.5, 1759, and ordained in October of the same 
 year. The degree of D. D. was conferred on liim by the University 
 of Pennsylvania in 1799. He had four sons who entered the ministry, 
 viz.. Francis Alison Latta. ordained November 23, 1796, succeeding 
 his father at Chestnut Level. He was celebrated both as a preacher 
 and a teacher. He died April 21. 1834, aged 67. AVilliam Latta. 
 D. D., settled, October, 1799, over the churches of Great Valley and 
 Charlestown, and continued until his death, February 19, 1847, aged 
 79. John Ewing Latta, ordained August 13, 1800. Pastor of New 
 Castle and Christiana until his death, September 26, 1824, aged 52. 
 and James Latta, Jr., settled April 3, 1811, at Octorara, where he 
 continued until 1850, a period of 39 years. 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 which remained, which were read}' to perish, but also laid 
 the foundations of churches now vigorous with life. 
 
 As we have seen, West Chester became the county seat 
 in 1786. Its prospective importance as a centre of influ- 
 ence, was appreciated. The Presbytery of New Castle, at 
 its sessions in Lancaster, October 21, 1790, took action for 
 supplying ^Vest Chester with stated preaching. 
 
 It must be interesting to every lover of history to know 
 something of the men. who, from 1790 to 1808, lent their 
 counsels, their prayers, and their labors to the effort to 
 found a church here, where as yet there was none. 
 
 The most eminent man at that time in the Presbytery 
 of New Castle, was Dr. Robert Smith, of Pequea, in Lan- 
 caster county, who died in 1793, after a pastorate of forty- 
 two years.* 
 
 Rev. Dr. Robert Smith was one of the most eminent 
 men of his day. An ardent friend of American liberty, he 
 was the trusted counselor of the statesmen who laid the 
 foundation of the Republic. But he was especially distin- 
 guished for his ability and activity in the ministry. Abund- 
 ant in labors, he spent much time in visiting vacant and 
 feeble churches, and in preaching Christ where He had not 
 been named. He did much to arrest and repair the decay 
 which followed the war. In the year 1790, he was Moder- 
 ator of the General Assembly. His bow yet abode in 
 strength. The wisdom of years was his, with the zeal of 
 his youth, chastened but unabated. 
 
 *Robert Smith was born at Londonderry. Ireland, in 1723. His 
 parents came to tliis country in 1730 and settled on the head waters 
 of the Brandywine. At the age of fifteen he was converted under 
 the preaching' of Whitcfield. He studied with Rev. Samuel Blair at 
 Jiis celebrated academy at Fa^g'.s Manor. He was licensed by the 
 Presbytery of New Castle, December 27, 1749, and ordained and in- 
 stalled pastor of Pequea and Leacock, March 25, 1751. At Pequea he 
 established a classical school, which became very celebrated and was 
 largely resorted to by young men from all the adjoining States, many 
 of \vhom became eminent in the church and in the State. He was 
 honored with the degree of D. D. in 1760, I)y the College of New 
 Jersey. Of his five .sons who lived to maturity, three became minis- 
 ters of the Gospel, viz.: Samuel Stanhope Smith, D. D., President 
 of the College of New Jersey, 1794-1S12; John Blair Smith, D. D.. 
 President of Hampden Sydney from 1779-1791; pastor of tlie Third 
 Church of Philadelphia. 1791-1795; President of Union College, Schen- 
 ectady, 17.95-1798. William R. Smith, pastor of the Second Presby- 
 terian Church, of Wilmington, Del., from 178G to 1796. 
 
10 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 At Chestnut Level was the Rev. James Latta, D. D., 
 who has already been mentioned, who was installed there 
 in November, 1771, and continued until his death, June 29, 
 1801, near the close of his 68th year. Dr. Latta was but 
 little inferior to Dr. Smith in learning or influence. His 
 salary at Chestnut Level was £100, Pennsylvania currency, 
 which was never increased and rarely all paid. To supple- 
 ment it he established an academy, which long bore a high 
 reputation. He was a very earnest and etifective preacher. 
 He was Moderator of the Assembly in 1793. 
 
 At White Clay Creek and Red Clay Creek, Rev. Wil- 
 liam AlcKerman was pastor, from 1755 to 1809, ^ period of 
 fifty-four years, during 34 of which he was also pastor of 
 the First Church, Wilmington. At the Second Church, 
 Wilmington, was Rev. William R. Smith, 1786 to 1796, 
 succeeded in 1798 by Rev. Thomas Read, D. D., an able 
 and zealous man, an eloquent preacher, who did much to 
 resuscitate the feeble and in many cases the dying churches. 
 He was released in 1817 and died June 14, 1823. 
 
 At Fagg's Manor, 1777- 1795, was the Rev. John E. 
 Finley, who removed to Kentucky in 1795, and was suc- 
 ceeded by Rev. Patrick Davidson, 1798- 1807. 
 
 At the Forks of Brandywine, Rev. Nathan Grier, 
 was settled in 1787, and continued until his death, March 
 31, 1814, aged 54 years.* 
 
 The Rev. Nathan Grier was probably the most ac- 
 tive and efificient of the members of the Presbytery of 
 New Castle, at the time when the first efforts were 
 made to establish the cliurch here in West Chester. He 
 was then in the prime of his young manhood, and full of 
 zeal for the extension of the Kingdom of the Redeemer. 
 His reputation for scholarship and pulpit ability was high, 
 and his influence widely extended throughout the Presby- 
 
 *Nathan Grier was born in Bucks county, and graduated at the 
 I'niversity of Pennsylvania in 1783. Of his five children, two sons 
 and three daughters, two became ministers of the Gospel, and two 
 the wives of ministers. The younger son. Rev. John N. C. Grier. 
 D. D., succeeded his father, November 24, 1814, at the Forks of 
 Brandywine, and continued until April 14, 1869, a pastorate of fifty- 
 five years. 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 11 
 
 tery and Synod. As long as he lived he continued to preach 
 as often as possible in the Court House here. 
 
 At Upper Octorara and Doe Run, Rev. Alexander 
 Mitchell was pastor 1785- 1797, after which they were va- 
 cant until 181 1. Rev. Thomas Grier was pastor at Aliddle- 
 town and Lower Brandywine, 1801-1809, and Rev. Thomas 
 Hindman, at New London, 1790-1791. At New Castle, Rev. 
 Samuel Barr was settled, 1 791 -1796, and was succeeded by 
 Rev. John Ewing Latta in 1800. 
 
 Such were the men who filled the pulpits of the 
 churches nearest the county seat, when the General As- 
 sembly at its first meetings, from 1789 onwards, taking a 
 survey of the whole field, called upon its ministers to go up 
 and possess the land for Christ. We are now prepared to 
 note the steps taken in pursuance of the action of the 
 Presbytery referred to, in trying to provide regular preach- 
 ing in this then unoccupied field. 
 
 In 1786-87, Samuel Martin, then a candidate for the 
 ministry, was here in West Chester, teaching a classical 
 school, the first school, probably, ever taught in this place, 
 and the forerunner of the excellent classical schools for 
 which this county seat was so long famous. 
 
 I\Ir. ^lartin was a native of Chestnut Level, born Janu- 
 ary 9, 1767, and was a member of the church there. He 
 had pursued his preparatory studies with his pastor, Rev. 
 James Latta. and with Rev. Dr. Robert Smith, at Pecpiea. 
 After teaching here in West Chester, he graduated at the 
 L'niversity of Pennsylvania, 1790. He was ordained and 
 installed, 1793. at Slate Ridge, York county, to which five 
 3'ears later Chanceford was added. In this field he spent 
 the whole of his ministerial life, nearly fifty years. He 
 died June 29, 1845, aged 78. Dr. Martin was an able 
 preacher, and an active and efficient presbyter. It was his 
 privilege to witness in 1834, the organization of the church 
 for which he prayed in 1786. 
 
 It was probably through his representations, during 
 his period of teaching here, that Mr. Latta requested the 
 Presbytery to appoint supplies. In accordance with this 
 
12 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 request, Rev. Alexander Mitchell was appointed to supply 
 on the fourth Sabbath of Xovember, 1790; Rev. Xathan 
 Grier on the second Sabbath in December, and Rev. James 
 Latta, on the first Sabbath in April, 1791. 
 
 This tentati\-e eiTort was encouraging. At the spring- 
 meeting of the Presbytery at l<"agg"s Manor, April 5th, 
 1 791, "application was made by Air. Kinnard in behalf 
 of the sundry inhabitants of \\'est Chester and its vicin- 
 ity, in which he requests that supplies may be granted 
 them one Sabbath in each month." The Mr. Kin- 
 nard here named was \\'illiam Kinnard, the father of 
 Caleb and ^Montgomery Kinnard. He was a Presby- 
 terian, and resided at that time in East Bradford, near 
 the Brandywine. Of others who joined in the request, 
 were probably James Hemphill, grandfather of Airs. Doc- 
 tor Wilmer Worthington ; Colonel Joseph McClellan, who 
 was Sherifif of the county in 1797, and owned property 
 in West Chester; Samuel Entriken, living then on the Wil- 
 mington road. He was the brother of Mrs. Hannah Good- 
 win, one of the original members of this church, and who 
 died June 9, 1861, aged 89. She gave to Rev. Dr. William 
 E. iVIoore many of the facts recorded of these early days, 
 to whose care in arranging them so carefully we are in- 
 debted for the record we have before us. 
 
 The Presbytery in compliance with this request above 
 referred to, appointed Rev. Alexander Mitchell to preach 
 on the fourth Sabbath of June, 1791 ; Rev. Dr. Robert 
 Smith on the last Sabbath of July ; Rev. Samuel Barr on the 
 last Sabbath in August; Rev. Mr. Andrews on the second 
 Sabbath in September, and Rev. Francis Hindman on the 
 first Sabbath in October. These appointments were filled. 
 The result is seen in the fact that at the fall meeting of 
 the Presbytery, "Rew Dr. Robert Smith made application 
 for supplies for the A\"est Chester congregation." 
 
 It is not to be inferred from this that any formal organ- 
 ization had ])een made. The Presbytery recognized the 
 individuals who had united to support religious worship 
 as "pro hac vice" a congregation. It had no house of wor- 
 
CHURCH, OP WEST CHESTER, PA. 13 
 
 ship or other property, and so no need of trustees or charter. 
 It is, however, significant of the purpose of the Presbytery, 
 that it was reported to the Assembly from 1793 to 1802, 
 during all of which time it is probable it was represented 
 to the Presbytery by some one in behalf of the associates. 
 As we shall see. it was connected for a time with Great 
 V'alley and Charlestown. Once it is reported simply as va- 
 cant, and once in connection with Chatham, pointing to an 
 effort to establish a church at that point, then an important 
 station on the Lancaster and Newport turnpike. 
 
 It is most proljable that at this time the only regular 
 religious service held here in West Chester was by the sup- 
 plies of the Presbytery. The place of meeting was the 
 Court House. It is natural to suppose that such of the 
 inhabitants as were religiously disposed, a-nd not prevented 
 by scruples against a hireling ministr}', would attend these 
 services. The population, however, at this time was small. 
 The borough, which was incorporated in March, 1799, had 
 in 1800 a population of three hundred and seventy-four and 
 in 1790 to 1793 it must have been much less. 
 
 We have seen that in October, 1791, the Presbytery 
 granted supplies for the next six months. But on the i8th 
 of October of the same year, the congregation united with 
 the churches of Great Valley and Charlestown, which were 
 in connection with the Presbytery of Philadelphia, in a call 
 for the pastoral services of Rev. John Gemmie, a licentiate 
 of that Presbytery. 
 
 How long ]Mr. Gemmie continued to preach at West 
 Chester we have no means of ascertaining. Probably, how- 
 ever, more or less regularly until 1798. The next notice on 
 the records of the Presbytery occurs September 30. 1800. 
 "A petition came in signed by a number of persons in and 
 about West Chester, in the County of Chester, recpiesting 
 the Presbytery to grant them a supply once in each month, 
 and that Rev. Charles W^allace be the person appointed." 
 The request was granted. "]\Ir. Wallace was appointed to 
 supply at A\'est Chester until our next meeting." 'Sir. A\'al- 
 lace fulfilled the appointment, and at the spring meeting 
 
14 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 of the Presbytery at Fagg's Manor, April 7, 1801, "West 
 Chester apphed for Rev. Charles Wallace for a supply twice 
 a month for the next six months." He was accordingly 
 "appointed to supply two Sabbaths a month at West Ches- 
 ter, agreeably to the request." 
 
 After this no record of Presbyterial action is found 
 until 1807, with the solitary exception of an appointment 
 for Rev. Mr. Mitchell, in March. 1804. The efifort, which 
 seemed so hopeful had failed. But we are not to infer that 
 the place was left entirely destitute of preaching. As often 
 as once a month when the roads were good, services were 
 held in the Court House. Rev. William Latta, pastor of 
 Great Valley Church, and Rev. Nathan Grier, pastor of the 
 Forks of the Brandywine Church, were the most frequent 
 supplies. 
 
 In 1807, at its spring meeting. Presbytery appointed 
 Rev. John D. Perkins to supply the fourth Sabbath in April ; 
 Rev. Thomas Grier, the second in July, and Rev. Nathan 
 Grier, the first in August. At the fall meeting. Rev. Nathan 
 Grier was appointed for the second Sabbath in November : 
 Rev. Thomas Grier for the first in January, 1808, and Rev. 
 Thomas Read, for the first in February. 
 
 Thenceforth until 1831 we find no minute on the rec- 
 ords of the Presbytery of any supplies for West Chester. 
 For eighteen years the Presbytery of New Castle had la- 
 l)ored with perse\'ering faith to establish a church here. 
 Inuring all that period, 1790 to 1808, no other evangelical 
 denomination was in the field. 
 
 The fullness of time was not yet come. In 1808 the 
 population could ha\'e hardly exceeded four hundred. It 
 was but four hundred and seventy-one in 1810, the most of 
 these in number and influence were inclined to the Society 
 of Friends. 
 
 But though Presbytery no longer formall}' appointed 
 supplies, its members living nearest, continued to preach as 
 occasion ofifered. \\'hen the roads were good there was 
 divine service in the Court House, on the average of once 
 a month. 
 
CHURCH. OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 13 
 
 Rev. John Gemmie, Principal of the Academy in 
 1813-14. is known to have preached here. Rev. Nathaniel 
 Todd, Principal from 1818 to 1822, preached frequently 
 during the whole period of his residence here, but no effort 
 seems to have been made to establish a congregation. 
 
 By the year 1830. the population of the borough had 
 increased to 1244. The completion of the railroad from 
 Philadelphia to Columbia, rendered it practicable to con- 
 nect West Chester with the city by the branch road jjegun 
 in 1831 and completed in 1832. The original road was laid 
 with yellow pine string pieces and strap rails. The motive 
 power was horses. Steam was introduced in 1845. I" 
 1829 and 1830, a considerable addition was made to the 
 town plot by William Everhart, it included most of the 
 borough south of Market street and west of Church. A 
 new impulse was then given to the growth of the town. 
 Price's school, long and highly celebrated was erected in 
 1830. The Mansion House was built in 1832. The con- 
 gregations established here at that time were the Roman 
 Catholic, in 1793; the Friends, in 1812, who divided in 
 1827; and the Methodist Episcopal, in 1816. Many who 
 were not connected with either of these societies were 
 ready to co-operate in forming a Presbyterian Church. Of 
 members of the Presbyterian Church it is not known that 
 there was one among the permanent residents of the bor- 
 ough. Gen. John ^\^ Cunningham, Prothonotary in 1830 
 to 1836, was ruling elder in the church at New London, 
 and Robert Ralston, Register of A\'ills, 1830 to 1833, Re- 
 corder of Deeds, 1834 to 1836, was an elder at Brandywine 
 Manor. But several very prominent citizens were by de- 
 scent or preference attached to the doctrines, worship and 
 polity of the Presbyterian Church. Among these were Hon. 
 Thomas S. Bell, afterward one of the Justices of the Supreme 
 Court of Pennsylvania ; A\'illiam H. Dillingham, Esq. ; 
 Hon. A\'illiam Everhart : Charles Miner, editor of the Vil- 
 lage Record; Asher Miner, Joseph Davidson. Henry 
 Fleming. Esq., John T. Denny, Esq., Ziba Pyle, Esq., 
 AMlliam Williamson, Esq., and Henry Van Amringe, Esq. 
 
us HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 At this time William Augustus Stevens, a licentiate 
 of the Presbytery of Baltimore, was led in the providence 
 of God to undertake the task of founding a church here. 
 His first service was held in the old Court House, March 
 27, 183 1. 
 
 At the meeting of the Presbytery of New Castle, held 
 in Wilmington, April 6. 1831, application was made for help 
 to establish here the permanent institutions of the Gospel 
 according to the usages of the Presbyterian Church. Gen- 
 eral Cunningham was a member of the Presbytery, and it 
 was probably he who urged the application. 
 
 Idle Presbytery directed their Committee on Missions 
 "to recommend to the Poard of Missions of the General 
 Assembly, West Chester as a mission station, and Rev. 
 William A. Stevens to occupy that place." At the same 
 meeting of Presbytery Mr. Stevens was received as a licen- 
 tiate. 
 
 Mr. Stevens entered upon his work at once. We find 
 a notice in the papers that he would preach in the Court 
 House, April 10, 183 1, and thenceforward the same notice 
 is found weekly. In the early part of 1832, his labors were 
 interrupted for a time by sickness, but resumed on May 
 27. 1832. 
 
 I'rom the \ery first ]\Ir. Ste\'ens was resolved to estab- 
 lish a church here. He did not propose to exercise his gifts 
 for a time and look for something better. He would lay 
 the foundation of many generations. He saw that a church 
 edifice was a necessity to the permanence of his work. He 
 began at once to agitate the question of building. 
 
 The circumstances were propitious. A number of those 
 who had recently settled here were of Presbyterian ante- 
 cedents. ]\Iany of the most thoughtful of the citizens were 
 anxiou*; for the establishment of a church with an educated 
 and ])ermanent ministry. The spirit of enter])rise was 
 aroused, and some who were not interested in the church 
 as a spiritual power were wise to recognize its \'alue in pro- 
 moting' the social and material interests of the borough. 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 17 
 
 They were willing to help in building the ark even if they 
 did not propose to enter it. 
 
 By June 5, 1832, matters were so far advanced that 
 "the contributors for the building of a Presbyterian 
 Church" were called to meet the next evening, "for the 
 purpose of adopting measures preparatory to building." 
 Of that meeting we have no record. But work had already 
 been begun. 
 
 The location of the church had been a matter of earnest 
 discussion. Many desired the very central position, north- 
 west corner of Market and Church streets, where the Ever- 
 hart Block now stands. As a compromise, Mr. Everhart 
 offered as a gift, an acre of ground on the southwest of 
 the borough back of where Portico Row now is. It was 
 finally agreed as a more acceptable compromise, to select 
 the lot on which the church now stands, and this was pur- 
 chased for the congregation by Ziba Pyle, Robert Ralston 
 and Henry Fleming.* 
 
 The location thus selected, now central and convenient, 
 was then "out of town," two squares beyond the side-walks, 
 with not a house south or west of it within the borough 
 limits. 
 
 The corner stone of the church was laid on the 3d of 
 July, 1832, "in the presence of a large concourse of citizens." 
 A statement was made by William H. Dillingham, Esq., 
 chairman of the Building Committee, explaining the plan, 
 resources, views and objects of the congregation. We 
 have a few extracts from his address : "This stone," he 
 said, "is laid in no sectarian spirit, with no proselyting 
 views. We believe that religion is essential to the very ex- 
 istence of society, and that without it men would soon be- 
 come a prey to their own bad passions, and civilization be 
 driven from the earth. However any of us may come short 
 
 ♦This lot, S4 feet on Miner by 145 on Darlington, was purchased 
 of Cheyney Hannum for four hundred and twenty dollars. It was 
 bought by Cheyney Hannum, April IS, 1829. of William Everhart, 
 being a part of the "Wollerton Farm." The deed to Ziba Pyle et al., 
 trustee, is dated July 27, 1S32. and is recorded in Deed Book F4, vol. 
 123, under date of July 28. 1832. It was enlarged by the purchase May 
 24. 1853. of the lot adjoining, 30 feet on Miner street, on which the 
 chapel now stands. 
 
IS HISTORY OF THE FIFIST PRESBYTEUTAN 
 
 in the profession or practice of it, with humility be it 
 spoken, there are none but feel and recognize its blessings. 
 Whoever has seen a house of worship erected, a Christian 
 church established, and piety to God successfully cultivated, 
 has seen wholesome virtues and worldly prosperity spring 
 up around it. There he has seen the man who loves his 
 neighbor as himself, the woman who looks well to the ways 
 of her own household, the child who honors its parents, the 
 people who respect those in authority, the magistrate ruling 
 in the fear of God, and there he has seen the approving 
 smile of Heaven upon the works of men's hands. * =•' ■■' 
 "Other sects have done their part, it remains for us to 
 do ours. The two meeting houses of the Society of Friends, 
 the Methodist meeting house, and the Catholic chapel are 
 the only houses of public worship. The Society of Baptists 
 have a meeting house within two miles, while the nearest 
 Presbyterian Church is ten miles from the borough. There 
 are but eight places of worship of our particular sect, in 
 this large and populous county. We desire to worship God 
 after the manner of our fathers, to give public testimonial 
 in honor of the faith in which we were educated, and to 
 srive some assurance that our children shall become useful 
 members of society. * * * * 
 
 "The building is to be of stone rough cast, seventy-five 
 feet long by forty-five wide, and twenty-three feet high. 
 It is calculated to seat five hundred people on the ground 
 fioor, and galleries can hereafter be erected to accommodate 
 three hundred more if occasion should require. The foun- 
 dation will be a few feet above the pavement, and a suffi- 
 cient excavation has been made to admit of a basement 
 storv. The architecture is Grecian in good taste, and there 
 is to be a cupola if our funds will admit of it, seventy-three 
 feet in height from the ground. The estimated cost, as we 
 propose now to finish it, is five thousand dollars. Of this 
 sum three thousand is already subscribed, twenty-one hun- 
 dred of it in this borough, two hundred in other parts of the 
 county, seven hundred in the city of Philadelphia. We are 
 encouraged to hope that we shall be able to raise the bal- 
 
CHURCH, OP WEST CHESTER, PA. 19 
 
 ance before the building is completed. The work is to be 
 commenced immediately and prosecuted vigorously, will be 
 covered in this fall, and finished in less than a year." 
 
 The document to be deposited in the corner stone was 
 read by Thomas S. Bell, Esq., and "the blessing of God in- 
 voked by Rev. Mr. Stevens." 
 
 The following is a copy of the paper put in the corner 
 stone : 
 
 "On Tuesday, July 3rd, 1832, this corner stone of the 
 Presbyterian Church, was laid by Rev. William A. Stevens, 
 ofifitiating Presbyterian clergyman of this borough, at- 
 tended by 
 
 "Building Committee — William H. Dillingham, Asher 
 Miner, Joseph Davidson, Henry Fleming, Thomas S. Bell. 
 
 "Architect — Thomas Ustick Walter. 
 
 "Carpenters — David Haines and James Powell. 
 
 "Stone Mason — Eli Pyle. 
 
 "Corresponding Committee — Rev. William A. Stevens, 
 Thomas S. Bell, John W. Cunningham, William H. Dilling- 
 ham. 
 
 "Collecting Committee — William Everhart, John Cun- 
 ningham, Robert Ralston, John T. Denney. 
 
 "Trustees — Ziba Pyle, Robert Ralston, Henry Fleming. 
 
 "Population of West Chester, fifteen hundred." 
 
 A copy of the names of the subscribers was also en- 
 closed. Until recently it was thought there was no other 
 list in existence. 
 
 A short time after the celebration of the seventy-fifth 
 anniversary of the organization of this church, it was 
 learned that Samuel Marshall, Esq., of West Chester, had 
 discovered among some old papers in his office what is 
 manifestly the official copy of the subscriptions made for 
 the erection of the church building. It contains all the 
 nances of subscribers not onl}^ in West Chester, but in 
 Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Coatesville and vicinity, New 
 London, The Rocks and Pencader, East Whiteland and 
 vicinity, scattering subscriptions, Brandywine and vicinity 
 and Newark and vicinity. 
 
29 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 This list gives all the names, the amount subscribed by 
 each one, the amount collected, and by whom collected ; the 
 amount uncollected, the amount uncollected and available, 
 the amount uncollected and supposed to be unavailable, and 
 the amount payable in materials. All these are in separate 
 columns, and every item is most carefully carried out and 
 the whole is summarized for a complete report. 
 
 Air. Marshall has turned this valuable document over 
 to the church to be carefully preserved for future genera- 
 tions.* 
 
 The work of building, however, went on more slowly 
 than was expected. It was not covered in until the summer 
 of 1833, and not before January, 1834. was it in a condition 
 to be occupied for public worship. The cost exceeded the 
 estimate and funds came in slowly. The building, however, 
 was erected in the most substantial manner. But meantime 
 much earnest and efficient work had been done toward the 
 rearing of the spiritual temple. Preaching services were 
 held regularly in the Court House, and meetings for prayer 
 from house to house. 
 
 *Tlic subscribers in Wcsf Chester arc as foUows: William Ever- 
 hart, W. H. Dillingham, T. S. Bell, A. and C. Miner, Ziba Pyle, Isaac 
 Darlington, Isaac Thomas, David Townsend, H. H. VanAmringe, Dr. 
 W. Darlington. Owen Stover, John Barber, Wm. Williamson, W. 
 Apple, Wm. Winterbottom, John Tweddle, Thos. Williamson, George 
 Brinton. John B. Brinton, Jesse Kerns, Jos. I. Lewis. Jos. Hemphill, 
 Jr.. Geo. Meredith. Outten D. Jester, Wilmer Worthington, Robert 
 Ralston, L. W. Williams, James Tillum, Joseph Jones. John T. Haines, 
 Nimrod Strickland, E. A. Maginess, Jesse McCall. Townsend Haines, 
 John Marshall, Wm. Davis, Peter Osborne, John Burns, Robert Irwin, 
 David Carr, Jacob Keemble, Robert Matlaek, John Hall, Marshall 
 James, James Mendenhall, Jos. Townsend (shoemaker), Parmenio L. 
 Phillips, Jacob Entriken, l*^. V. Pennypacker. Edward Shields. William 
 Mercer, Seneca Warner, Thos. Ogden, Ed. E. Collins. Elizabeth Good, 
 B. Turner, John Ingraham, H. T. JefEeris, R. B. Dodson, Eber Worth- 
 ington, Isaac Worthington. Cheyney Hannum. Jas. A. Hemphill. I. R. 
 M. Bicking, Granville S. Jefferis, Thomas Garrett, William Miller, 
 E. Goulcher, A. McKay, Wm. Reid, Jos. Davidson, John AVhite, Richard 
 Evans, John R. Pierce, Jacob Binder, John H. Sweney. John Miller, 
 John McGinley, Chas. Sink, Thomas Sweney, P. Frazer Smith, Cheyney 
 Jefferis, W'llliam Adle. Jos. 1. Townsend, Francis Hickman. Robert 
 Mercer, David B. Reed, Thos. Powell, James Davis, John T. Denny, 
 Joseph Hickman. Sam'l C. Greene. Enos Smedley. John C. G. Rauch, 
 John H. Brinton, Olof Stromberg, Samson Babb, Henry Fleming, 
 Daniel Buckwalter. Daniel Fuller. Oliver Alison, Harriet Work, E. S. 
 Price, Ab'm Williams, Wm. Wickersham. Geo. Fisher, E. Bradley, 
 .John James, Wm. Lent. Y. Miles, Jesse Turner, Robert Fielding, S. 
 Augee, John Rutter, Mrs. Haslet, Samuel Way, John D. Pettit. Eli 
 Pyle, Warner Bennett. Wm. Bennett. David Haines, James Powell, 
 Eusebius Townsend. Joseph H. Brinton. Added to the list after the 
 total amount of the above had been given, was a subscripton of fifty 
 dollars, "Subscription of a Friend put into the hands of A. Miner. 
 Dr. J. E." 
 
CHURCH. OF WEST CHESTER. PA. 
 
 All". Stevens was ordained as an evangelist by the Pres- 
 bytery of New Castle. December 5, 1832, but it was not 
 deemed expedient to organize the church until the house 
 should be ready for use. Indeed at the date of Mr. Stevens' 
 ordination it is not probable that material for organization 
 could he found. A Sabbath School Society was formed 
 July 22, 1832. Air. Stevens was chairman of the meeting. 
 The preamble tersely states its aim. "With a single eye to 
 the glory of God, and a desire to promote the welfare of our 
 fellow beings, we whose names are hereunto affixed do form 
 ourselves into a society for the religious and moral instruc- 
 tion of children and adults." 
 
 The members subscribing were: Joseph A. Davidson, 
 Henry S. Evans, John T. Denny, Charles Sink, Christian 
 K. Ralston, Sarah Ann Duval, Ann Maginness, John Neill, 
 Henry Webber, John Watson, Isaac J. Riter, Lucretia 
 Fleming, Ellen E. Miner, Anna Mar}^ Townsend, Charlotte 
 Miner, Hannah Jones, Mary Ann Thompson, Anna Thomp- 
 son, A. J. Lewis, Cornelius O'Callaghan, Robert Ralston, 
 Rachel A. Noble, Mary Truman, Carolina Haslett, Ann M. 
 Ilaslett, Alary Ann Haslett, Jeanette Haslett, Alaria L. 
 Haslett, Elizabeth Smith, Eliza Entriken, George W. Gal- 
 lagher, Franklin S. Alills, Peter Gite, John H. Brinton, 
 William P. Townsend, John AIcGinley, Joseph Hemphill, 
 Jr., Mary Sink, Catherine A-IcGinley, P. Frazer Smith, Asher 
 Miner, Elizabeth Worthington, Henry C. Fulmer, Rachel 
 Townsend, Wilmer Worthington, M. D., William White- 
 head, Addison Alay, James Hutchinson, Rebecca Thomp- 
 son, William Wheeler, Henry Fleming, Esther Williamson, 
 Aliriam Pyle, William Everhart, John Marshall, Alalinda 
 Marshall, Edward M. Bartlett, Alary Ann Harris, Thomas 
 S. Bell, Kezia Bell, Catherine L. Darlington and Stephen 
 Harris, AI. D. Its first officers chosen, July 2y, 1832, were: 
 President, Joseph A. Davidson ; Vice President, H. S. 
 Evans ; Corresponding Secretary, John F. Denny ; Secre- 
 tary, Charles Sink; Treasurer, Lucretia Fleming; Librarian, 
 Christian K. Ralston. July 26, 1833 : Superintendent, 
 Charles Sink; President, Henry Fleming, Esq.; Vice Presi- 
 
22 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 dent, Joseph Hemphill, Jr. ; Secretary, John H. Brmton ; 
 Corresponding Secretary, William P. Townsend; Treasurer, 
 Henry Webber. The officers in 1834 were: Superintend- 
 ent, P. Frazer Smith ; President, Dr. Wilmer Worthington ; 
 Vice President, Charles Sink; Librarian, William Webber. 
 July 7, 1835, Dr. Wilmer Worthington became Superin- 
 tendent, Mr. Smith having resigned. A report made in the 
 fall of this year tells us that "the number of regular attend- 
 ants is from forty to fifty. On the register, ninety-seven. 
 Of the scholars, two classes, one male and one female, are 
 colored. Number of teachers, four males and eight females, 
 all except three of the females professors of religion and 
 members of the Presbyterian Church." The falling off from 
 1834 is due chiefly to its having become distinctively a de- 
 nominational school, and its removal to the church. 
 
 At the beginning of this Sabbath School effort, the 
 Society connected itself with the American Sunday School 
 Union. It held its school at first in the lecture room of the 
 academy, and afterward successively in the hall afterward 
 known as the Village Record Building, on Church street, 
 between Market and Gay, and then in the Court House. 
 It was not denominational, but most of its members were of 
 those who afterward Ijecame members or worshipers in 
 the Presbyterian Church when organized. This Society 
 and its schools were the first formal fruit of Mr. Stevens' 
 labors here. In 1833 the school was removed to the Pres- 
 byterian Church, "in consequence of the sale of the hall, 
 and a resolution of the County Commissioners forbidding 
 the use of the Court House for any religious purpose unless 
 upon the payment of one dollar for each day, which the 
 funds of the association would not warrant." During the 
 winter of 1833 and 1834, an extensive revival took place 
 under the ministrations of Mr. Stevens. The report of the 
 Society, April 29, 1834, shows, that of twenty-two teachers 
 in the school, seventeen had united with the church. Of 
 pupils, they report one hundred and two females and sixty- 
 two males, "none of whom, however, had professed their 
 faith in Christ." 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 23 
 
 Public worship was held in the church for the first time 
 on the first Sabbath in January, 1834. Its completion had 
 been delayed for want of funds, and now its unpainted 
 pews, and unfinished gallery, and temporary steps, gave 
 evidence of the straits of the congregation. The cupola, 
 which was to crown it, remains to this day a vision of the 
 future. 
 
 But the spiritual house about to be founded was full 
 of promise. On Saturday, January nth, 1834, the Com- 
 mittee of Presbytery, appointed to organize the church, 
 met for that purpose. It consisted of Rev. Robert Graham, 
 Rev. Dr. James Alagraw, Rev. William Finney, Rev. Wil- 
 liam A. Stevens, with Gen. John W. Cunningham and 
 Robert Ralston as ruling elders. 
 
 The original minutes, in the handwriting of Mr. 
 Stevens, tell us that "certificates of dismission and recom- 
 mendation from other churches were received from the 
 following individuals, viz. : Stephen Harris, AI. D., Thomas 
 Hutchison, Charles Sink, Robert Ralston, Edward Bart- 
 lett, John Marsh, Mary Ann Harris, Elizabeth Smith, Jane 
 Burns, Eliza Marsh, Mary Ann Sink, Mary Ralston, Ann 
 Bartlett, Mary Smith, Alartha Smith, Anna Haslett, Mary 
 Ann Haslett, John White and Plannah White; nineteen 
 in all. 
 
 The following were received upon examination as to 
 their acquaintance with the doctrines of the church and 
 experimental religion, viz. : Henr}^ Fleming, James T. 
 Beaumont, P. F. Smith, George W. Gallagher, Henry 
 Webber, William Everhart, John Todd, Asher Miner, Mary 
 Fairlamb, Hannah Everhart, Elizabeth Everhart, Elizabeth 
 Worthington, Anna Thompson, Mary Ann Thompson, 
 Hannah Goodv/in, Christiana Ralston, Lucretia Fleming, 
 Caroline Fleming, Ellen E. Miner, Charity Babb, Martha 
 Taylor. William Taylor, William AVhitchead, Susan Webb, 
 Mary Ann Ingram, Hester Goodwin, Catherine Young, 
 Hannah Winterbottom, Letitia Fleming, Elizabeth Good, 
 Rebecca Thompson, Peninah Long, Hannah liutchison — 
 thirty-three. Making in all fifty-two. 
 
24 HISTORY OP THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 The ntembers of the church recognizing their dis- 
 tinctive character, as composing a part of the Presbyterian 
 body of Christians, adopted the following article of agree- 
 ment : "We do hereby receive and adopt the Confession 
 of Faith of the Presbyterian Church, as containing the sys- 
 tem of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures, together 
 with the discipline and. form of government." 
 
 The church constituted by the reception of these mem- 
 bers chose as elders, Dr. Stephen Harris, Thomas Hutchi- 
 son, Charles Sink, Robert Ralston, Henry Fleming and P. 
 F. Smith. 
 
 At the close of the afternoon service on Saturday, the 
 nth, the committee ordained Messrs. Fleming and Sink, 
 the others, with the exception of Mr. Smith, having been 
 previously ordained. Mr. Smith preferred that his ordina- 
 tion l)e jjostponed for the present. With this exception 
 the newly chosen elders were installed, Rev. Robert Gra- 
 ham delivering the charge to the elders, and Dr. Magraw 
 delivering the charge to the congregation. On Sabbath 
 morning the ordinance of baptism was administered to 
 fourteen of those who had joined on profession of their 
 faith, and the newly-constituted church sat down together 
 for the first time at the table of their Lord. 
 
 The occasion brought together many from other 
 churches, so that about seventy are said to have shared in 
 their first communion. Nothing is said in the record of any 
 formal dedication of the house. Naturally enough the 
 heart of the pastor was full of the more glorious consecra- 
 tion of the living temple to the work and service of Jehovah. 
 
 Not often is success so speedily vouchsafed to a minis- 
 ter of the gospel. Less than three years before, Mr. 
 Stevens entered on his work as a licentiate, with but little 
 experience, in a community whose permanent residents fur- 
 nished but few members of the church he sought to estab- 
 lish. The congregation he would gather had no home of its 
 own. Now he stands at the table of the Lord in a house 
 reared largely by his labors, to administer the ordinance to 
 more than fifty communicants, three-fifths of whom owned 
 
CHURCH. OF WEST CHESTER. PA. 
 
 him for their spiritual father. The victor on the battlefield 
 can know no such joy as fills the heart of the pastor when 
 God gives him souls for his hire. The warrior's greenest 
 wreath shall wither on his brow ; the pastor's crown shall 
 grow brighter as the years of eternity roll. "They that turn 
 many to righteousness shall shine as the stars forever and 
 ever." 
 
 The services in connection with the organization were 
 protracted until the 15th of January. At the close, on invi- 
 tation given, twenty-four are said to have gone forward to 
 testify by this act their purpose to serve God. 
 
 On the first of March, Henry H. VanAmringe, James 
 Hutchison, William Apple, Samuel Howard, James Jack- 
 son, Miriam Pyle. Hester Williamson, Rhoda W. Smith, 
 Rachel Ann Noble, Evelina A. Burns, Sidney Weaver, 
 Elizabeth Haslett and Elizabeth Beaumont, were received 
 by examination, and Mr. Kinsey and Agnes Reed by cer- 
 tificate. 
 
 On the 31st of May, Sarah Weaver was received by 
 examination, making the entire number received, twenty- 
 one by certificate, and forty-seven by profession of their 
 faith in Christ. 
 
 A charter was obtained January 15th, 1834, from the 
 Supreme Court, incorporating the congregation under the 
 title of "The First Presbyterian Church of the Borough of 
 West Chester." Under this charter, at an election held 
 January, 17, 1834, Henry Fleming, Thomas S. Bell and 
 William H. Dillingham, were chosen trustees to serve for 
 three years; Joseph Smith, Asher Miner and Thomas 
 Hutchison, for two years; P. Frazer Smith, H. H. Van- 
 Amringe and Wilmer Worthington, M. D., for one year. 
 On the first of February a public letting of the pews took 
 place. Twelve pews were let at twenty dollars each ; nine, 
 at fifteen dollars; eleven, at twelve dollars; four and one- 
 half, at ten dollars,and one and a half, at five dollars ; 
 making a revenue of five hundred and fifty-nine dollars and 
 fifty cents ; leaving thirty-six pews of the eighty-four, un- 
 rented. Pew number forty-two was appropriated to the 
 
26 HISTORY OP THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 pastor of the church. /\t the rate proposed, all the pews, 
 if rented, would yield one thousand one hmidred and four- 
 teen dollars. 
 
 A statement of the affairs of the congregation, Feb- 
 ruary 4th, shows the indebtedness incurred in erecting the 
 church, to be one thousand nine hundred and fifty-two dol- 
 lars and twenty-nine cents, which was fiuided and secured 
 by mortgage. Ziba Pyle was elected treasurer. 
 
 At a meeting held to fix the salary of the minister, 
 February 24th, it was resolved "that after the interest on 
 the debt on the church, say one hundred and twenty dollars, 
 shall have been paid out of the pew rents, that the balance 
 of the pew rents shall be appropriated to pay the pastor's 
 salary, provided that the salary shall not exceed in any one 
 year the sum of eight hundred dollars." 
 
 THE FIRST PASTOR— REV. WM. A. STEVENS. 
 
 On the third of March, 1834, a unanimous call was ex- 
 tended to Rev. William A. Stevens to become the pastor 
 of the church, promising the salary provided for above. It 
 marks the faith of both parties, that no provision is made 
 looking to the possibility of its being less. The call was 
 put into the hands of ]\Ir. Stevens by the Presbytery, April 
 I, 1834, and was formally accepted. The Presbytery ap- 
 pointed a committee of installation to meet in West Chester 
 on the last Friday in May, at 7.30 p. m. Mr. Stevens was 
 installed as appointed. May 30, 1834, Rev. Robert White, 
 Rev. John N. C. Grier and Rev. John M. Dickey officiating. 
 On the same page of the record, which contains the report 
 of the installation, is found this brief minute, "Rev. William 
 A. Stevens was removed by death, October 3, 1834." 
 
 The Sabbath next after his installation was the com- 
 munion. At the close of the services, Mr. Stevens remarked 
 to a friend that he considered his life work chiefly done. 
 It proved to be so. A single Sabbath at home, then came 
 the sickness, not at first alarming, which was to end his 
 life. 
 
CHURCH. OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 The record of the session is : "The Rev. WilHam A. 
 Stevens, the pastor of this church, departed this hfe on 
 Frida}^, October 3, 1834, at the residence of Hon. David 
 Potts, Warwick Furnace, Chester county, aged 2^ years. 
 His remains were interred in the burial ground belonging 
 to the church, on the succeeding Sabbath at four o'clock, 
 attended by his congregation and a large number of the 
 citizens of West Chester." 
 
 The body of Mr. Stevens was originally interred as 
 stated above, in the burial ground of the church, then sit- 
 uated on the south side of Barnard street, west of New. As 
 recently as 1853, the whole block bounded by Barnard, 
 New, Union and Wayne, was occupied by the cemeteries 
 of the respective churches, in the following order beginning 
 on Barnard street, viz.: Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist 
 and Episcopal. Not long, however, after his death, the 
 body was removed to the yard of the church where it re- 
 mained for many years, and was then transferred to Oak- 
 lands Cemetery, where it now lies. At that time the grave 
 was in a line with the pulpit window, beside the church on 
 Darlington street. A simple and beautiful tablet marks 
 the place of burial. 
 
 Thus in the short space of three years and a half the 
 ministerial life of Mr. Stevens was completed. His best 
 and most enduring monument is this church. At his death 
 it numbered sixty-eight members. He left behind him the 
 reputation of a faithful servant of God, blameless, cour- 
 ageous and devoted to his high calling. His memory lives 
 as a blessed legacy in the community in which his life's 
 work was so quickly and so well done. 
 
 Mr. Stevens was born at Compton, Talbot county, Md., 
 April 9, 1807. His father, Hon. Samuel Stevens, was three 
 times elected Governor of Maryland, and bore through life 
 the reputation of an honorable and upright man. His 
 mother, a daughter of Robert May, Esq., of Chester county, 
 was a sister of Addison May Esq. She was an eminently 
 pious woman, and to her prayers and counsels we must 
 ascribe in cfreat measure the character of her son. Mr. 
 
2S HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 Stevens' early education was at home under private tutors. 
 In his seventeenth year he entered Jefferson College, and 
 soon became a subject of the revival prevailing there. His 
 plans of life were changed, and he at once set his heart 
 upon the ministry and shaped his studies to that end. 
 After graduating at Jefferson, Mr. Stevens studied one year 
 at Yale, and then entered the Theological Seminary at 
 Princeton. After his licensure he preached for a brief pe- 
 riod on the eastern shore of Maryland. Then for a short 
 time he preached in Norristown. In March, 1831, he came 
 here. 
 
 In person Mr. Stevens was of medium size, some five 
 feet nine inches in height, and inclined to corpulency at the 
 time of his majority. "His delivery was pronounced excel- 
 lent by all. His sermons were always written and com- 
 mitted to memory, and generally short." One of his ser- 
 mons remains as a possession of the church. 
 
 From an obituary notice published at the time of his 
 death, and preserved all these years by Mrs. Martha May 
 Rothrock, whose father was Mr. Stevens' uncle, and who 
 lives here in West Chester to witness this seventy-fifth an- 
 niversary, the following is quoted: 
 
 "Air. Stevens had but four short months before been 
 installed pastor of the church by the Presbytery of New 
 Castle, to which he Ijelonged, and had preached but one 
 Sabbath afterwards, when the symptoms of declining 
 health induced him to relinquish his labors and try the 
 effect of traveling and relaxation. His place was supplied 
 by the Rev. Elias P. Ely, who had but just completed a two- 
 months term of labor for his Master, when he returned to 
 Connecticut to die at the paternal mansion, thus preceding 
 a few days our departed brother, who has now followed 
 him to the land of silence. How transporting their inter- 
 view beyond the cold Jordan they have now both passed! 
 "Finding his health but little improved by the jaunt, he 
 returned from the Springs, in New York, and after languish- 
 ing for two months in West Chester and vicinity, flattered 
 f;ccasionally with some apparent change for the better, he 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 29 
 
 ceased to breathe on the morning of the 3rd instant, at the 
 house of a relation, at Warwick Furnace. * * ''' He 
 was a scholar well trained, a soldier well equipped for the 
 work of the ministry. The sweetly persuasive accents of 
 his silvery tongue, and the well digested thoughts which 
 he gave forth from the sacred desk * "•' * and the 
 softening mellow impression still remains. Mr. Stevens 
 was certainly peculiarly gifted. His mind was of a fine 
 mold, accurate, clear, elevated and comprehensive — care- 
 less of detail, but adapted to seize hold of the prominent 
 points of a subject and present them in bold relief for 
 practical efl'ect. The beautiful rather than the sublime was 
 his element. There was chasteness in his conceptions, and 
 a polish in his diction. There was a certain fascination in 
 his address, which, while it suppressed levity, won atten- 
 tion and fixed impression. He was not impassioned, but 
 pathetic ; not illogical, yet not abstract. Argumentative 
 when he chose, but pleasing and winning even when com- 
 pelled to controvert. 
 
 "He was, as a man, possessed of a versatility of talent 
 Avhich had the property of rendering him companionable 
 to all, to the extent of becoming 'all things to all men,' for 
 the purpose of winning some. He knew, however, where 
 to set just bounds, and to shun the unwholesome influences 
 arising from too much familiarity with the things of the 
 world. He was, in his days of best health, possessed of 
 fine manly form, ruddy, robust and rather commanding, 
 but withal delicate, and as the event proved, unsound. * 
 '■' * To his people he was endeared as a man of God 
 who toiled and prayed and sought after their good, and he 
 was entwined about their hearts by tenderest cords. The 
 tear involuntarily starts from the writer's eye when he re- 
 calls the frequent expressions of brotherly, motherly, ten- 
 der regard which have fallen from their lips in his hearing, 
 when speaking of their pastor. Prayer without ceasing 
 was made for his recovery, and for a time some felt en- 
 couraged to hope. A complicated disease involving several 
 of the vital parts presented such dubious and conflicting 
 
30 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 s3miptoins as to liaftle medical opinion and render the 
 proper treatment difficult. A marked alteration for the 
 worse a day or two before his decease awakened appre- 
 hension of the issue in some, and a difficulty in breathing 
 occasioned probably by the presence of water in the chest, 
 soon confirmed their fears, and left the emaciated frame to 
 tell the rest. Fondly had maternal tenderness and piety 
 watched and cheered the pillow of a dying son, for tedious 
 days and nights and weeks together, and it was hoi)ed that 
 ere the close of the past week he would return to the bor- 
 ough, preparatory to attendance at church with the mem- 
 bers of his Presbytery now expected to convene in it ; but 
 the Most High had other designs toward him, and his sun 
 descended in its western sky more rapidly than even des- 
 pondency itself had anticipated; so true is it that death 
 comes like a thief in the night, rendering it essential that 
 we be always ready. The nature of his complaint pre- 
 cluded the expression of his feelings, but from much that 
 had passed in conversation before, we infer that death was 
 not a terror to his mind. 
 
 "The first interview had with him on his return from 
 New York to Philadelphia convinced the writer that he was 
 incurably sick, and freely communicating the impression 
 did not create distress. He observed, 'Brother AI., I am 
 not long for this world.' I responded in the affirmative with 
 tenderness, and he was afifected, but did not lose his firm- 
 ness. When asked if it would trouble him to know his 
 case to be incurable, he said not, and requested a free dis- 
 closure of medical opinion, which was given him. Thus 
 calm, collected, leaning, we trust, on all-sufficient grace, he 
 has passed from our view to join the choir of the redeemed. 
 Many a heart aches for him, many a tear flows. The sons 
 and daughters of Zion in West Chester deplore him as a 
 brother; some weep for him as a spiritual father, by whom 
 they have been born to God ; and many are the tributes of 
 respect and tenderness for his memory which lips un- 
 feigned pay. 
 
 "May God sanctify the dispensation to saints and sin- 
 
CHUUCII. OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 31 
 
 ners. O ye who heard Hstlessly the voice of this man of 
 God when alive, hear him now from the grave, for he being 
 dead yet spcakcth. You will meet him ; and shall he wel- 
 come you to the joys of the common Lord, or shall he ap- 
 pear as a witness against you ? * ''' Servant of God ! 
 Well done. 'I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, 
 Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from 
 henceforth : Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from 
 their labors ; and their works do follow them.' " 
 
 The death of Mr. Stevens was a great blow to the 
 church. His own popularity was great. His talents were 
 of a high order. J\Iany were drawn to the new congrega- 
 tion by the zeal and the eloquence of the youthful preacher. 
 His death left the tiock literally as sheep without a shep- 
 herd. In the brief period between the organization of the 
 church and the death of the pastor, but little could be done 
 toward molding the heterogeneous materials into a com- 
 pact and organized body. Officers and members were alike 
 new to each other. 
 
 The dissensions which were then agitating the church 
 at large, and which culminated in the division of 1838, were 
 felt here. The efforts of those without, who endeavored 
 to keep the church in harmony with a majority of the 
 Presbytery, were injudicious. Seeds of discord were sown. 
 The power of unity was no longer felt. Repeated failures 
 to secure a pastor discouraged the congregation. Some 
 who had worshiped with the church and supported it in 
 the absence Of any organization of their own, now united 
 with the Baptist Church, which dates from 1834, or the 
 Episcopal gathered in 1836. Moreover, the location of the 
 church, now so central and desirable was then against it. 
 There were no sidewalks from Church street west. A build- 
 ing for evening meetings and Sunday School was erected 
 "in town," on the rear of a lot on the west side of Church 
 street, then owned by P. Frazer Smith, Esq., now No. 10 
 South Church street. The building which was a small 
 frame structure was used until 1850, when it was removed. 
 
32 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 For many years it stood in two sections at the southeast 
 corner of Miner and New streets. 
 
 REV. JAMES J. GRAFF'S PASTORATE. 
 
 On January 12, 1835,, a call was given to Rev. Joseph 
 Barr, which he decHned. A call July 6, 1835, to Rev. Joseph 
 Mahon, was also declined. In December, 1835, the Rev. 
 James J. Graff was invited to supply the church. A call 
 was subsequently given and accepted, and he was installed 
 on April 29, 1836. The number of members at this time 
 was sixty-two. On the 30th of October, 1836, Dr. Wilmer 
 Worthington was ordained a ruling elder. 
 
 Reference has already been made to the troubled state 
 of the Presbyterian Church in the United States. Some 
 of the members of the New Castle Presbytery were annoy- 
 ingly active in their efforts to control the pulpit and secure 
 the church to what was then known as the "Old School," 
 while the sympathies of the congregation were very de- 
 cidedly with the "New School." 
 
 At a meeting of the Presbytery at Pequea, September 
 27, 1836, the church requested it to concur in a petition to 
 Synod that it be transferred to the Presbytery of Phila- 
 delphia. The Presbytery, however, recommended the con- 
 gregation to forbear making its application to the Synod 
 at the next meeting, "trusting that the church will be in a 
 more settled state a year hence, and that Presbytery 
 can concur in their request if presented." The difffculties, 
 however, were not removed. The questions which agitated 
 the church at large were agitated here. The prosecution of 
 Rev. Dr. Albert Barnes for heresy, was regarded as perse- 
 cution, a large majority of the church sympathizing with 
 him, and with the views of which he was regarded as the 
 exponent. 
 
 At a meeting of the Presbytery held in this church, 
 October, 1837, on the question of sustaining the excluding 
 acts of the Assembly, Henry Fleming, Esq., the delegate 
 from this church, voted the solitarv "No!" with an em- 
 
CHUllCH. OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 33 
 
 phasis which those who knew him could well appreciate. 
 
 At the meeting of the Assembly in 1838, the com- 
 missioners from the New Castle Presbytery went with the 
 "Old School," which explains the following minute of the 
 Presbytery. "The Rev. J. J. Grafif and Mr. P. F. Smith, in 
 their proper persons, and the session and the congregation 
 at West Chester, by a written communication declared, 
 'That should this Presbytery affirm the conduct of their 
 commissioners to the last General Assembly, then, and in 
 that case, they, and each of them, would withdraw from 
 their connection.' The Presbytery did so approve of the 
 course of said commissioners, whereupon they, according 
 to their declaration, did withdraw. This Presbytery does 
 therefore, hereby declare that Rev. J. J. Graff, and the ses- 
 sion and congregation of West Chester are no longer to be 
 considered as connected with the Presbyterian Church." 
 The church with its pastor thus excluded sought admission 
 to the Third Presbytery of Philadelphia, and was received 
 by it October 2, 1838. 
 
 From this time onward to the reunion in 1870, the 
 relations of the church were with that Presbytery, and 
 were perfectly harmonious. It is not easy at this day to 
 conceive the bitterness of feeling, which preceded, accom- 
 panied and followed the disruption of 1838. It is our 
 blessed privilege to share in the harmony and prosperity of 
 the reunion. 
 
 The ministry of Mr. Graff here continued a little more 
 than four years. During that time 25 were added to the 
 church by certificate, and 16 by examination, a total of 41. 
 The number on the roll when he left was '/(i. Meanwhile, 
 in 1839, a church was organized, chiefly of members of this 
 church, at East Whiteland. Until the spring of 1841 it was 
 connected with this church in the same pastoral charge. 
 In April, 1840, Mr. Graft" resigned. 
 
 Mr. Graff was born within the limits of the congrega- 
 tion of Chestnut Level, Lancaster county, Pa., November 
 22, 1803. During his childhood his parents removed to 
 Maryland. Fie received his classical education at Chestnut 
 
K4 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 Level, under Rev. Francis A. Latta, and at Bethesda, Md., 
 under Rev. John Mories, D. D. He studied theology at 
 Princeton, and was licensed by the Presbytery of the Dis- 
 trict of Columbia, in the fall of 1833, and ordained in the 
 spring of 1834 as an evangelist. After leaving West Ches- 
 ter he served several churches as pastor, being called 
 eventually to Annapolis, Md. Here he labored until the 
 breaking out of the Rebellion, when a majority of his people 
 being opposed to the Union, which he heartily sustained, 
 he resigned in 1861. He was immediately appointed by 
 the Government Librarian of the Naval Academy at Annap- 
 olis, a position which he held until his death. 
 
 REV. JOHN CROWELL. 
 
 Soon after the resignation of Mr. Graff, a call was 
 given to the Rev. John Crowell, a licentiate of the Third 
 Presbytery of Philadelphia. He was ordained and installed 
 June 5, 1840. During the first year the pastoral services 
 were divided between East Whiteland and West Chester. 
 In the spring of 1841, Mr. James Crowell, the father of the 
 pastor, took charge of the academy, and Mr. Crowell was 
 associated with him, having charge of the classical and 
 mathematical departments, a step made necessary by the in- 
 adefjuacy of the support. Four hundred and fifty dollars was 
 all the church could promise its pastor, and even this was 
 often in arrears. Home missionary aid was withdrawn, on 
 the ground that the pastor devoted part of his time to 
 teaching. This withdrawal of aid, combined with the debt 
 on the building and other financial difficulties, brought on, 
 in the summer of 1842, a crisis in the history of the church, 
 which resulted favorably to its subsequent progress. Ar- 
 rearages were brought up; the debt was provided for and 
 subsequently paid; the house, which had never been com- 
 pleted, was put in thorough repair, the pews and wood- 
 work were painted, a gallery built, and a great advance 
 made toward self-support. As often happens, this awaken- 
 ing of interest in the outward concerns of the sanctuary, 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 was followed in the winter of 1842-43 by a revival of great 
 power. Some thirty-eight were received into the church 
 on a profession of their faith, of whom twenty-five were 
 baptized. The number on the roll was reported May, 1843, 
 as one hundred and twenty-four. 
 
 During the ministry of Mr. Crowell, great and substantial 
 progress was made in all the elements of true success. 
 The antagonism of the disruption disappeared. The church 
 became homogeneous ; valuable additions were made to the 
 congregation, and the way was prepared for a more rapid 
 growth. Mr. Crowell was pastor for a little over ten years. 
 During that time sixty were added to the church by pro- 
 fession and thirty by letter, a total of ninety. On the 15th 
 of July, 1850, having received a call from the Second Pres- 
 byterian Church of Orange, N. J., Mr. Crowell tendered 
 his resignation, which was reluctantly accepted. The pas- 
 toral relation was dissolved by the Presbytery, July 17, 
 1850. The number of communicants, as reported in May, 
 1850, was one hundred and twenty-four. A careful revision, 
 however, reduced the number of those present or accounted 
 for to ninety-six. 
 
 Rev. John Crowell, D. D., was the only ex-pastor who 
 lived to see the seventy-fifth anniversary of the organiza- 
 tion of this church. Writing from East Orange, N. J., he 
 expressed regret that on account of lack of strength he 
 would be unable to be present at the exercises.* He re- 
 
 *Since the above was written. Rev. John Crowell, D. D. died at 
 his home in East Orange, N. J., March 29th, of pneumonia after an 
 illness of two davs. He was in his ninetv-flftl^ year. Dr. Crowell 
 was born in Philadelphia, the son of James Crowell and Mary 
 Gardner. He studied at the University of Pennsylvania and at 
 Princeton College, graduating- from the latter in 18.34. Three years 
 later he was graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary. He 
 was a tutor in Princeton College in 1836. He was ordained in the 
 Presbyterian ministry in 1840, and was pastor of the First Presby- 
 terian Church, of West Chester, Pa., from then until 1850. During 
 the next thirteen years he was pastor of the Brick Presbyterian 
 Church in East Orange, N, J. He held a pastorate at Odessa, Del., 
 from 1867 to 1878 and was an acting pastor of a church at Stirling, 
 N J., from 1884 to 1888. He was secretary of the Board of Educa- 
 tion of East Orange from 1889 until 1906. when he resigned and at 
 the same time retired from active worK. He was author of " Repub- 
 lics- Popular Government an Appointment of God," 1871; and Christ 
 in All the Scriptures." He contributed about 400 articles to 
 the International Encyclopaedia. He was married on October 24, 
 1840, to Katharine Roney, daughter of Thomas Roney, of Philadel- 
 phia He is survived by these children: Miss Catharine Crowell and 
 Miss Marv Crowell, of East Orange; Foster Crowell, of New York: 
 Mrs, Artlnir Richmond, of East O.range, and Thomas R. Crowell, of 
 Lebanon, Pa, 
 
36 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 called the fact that in April, 1839. the Third Presbytery of 
 Philadelphia met at West Chester, and he was there li- 
 censed to preach the Gospel. Then in June, 1840, the Pres- 
 bytery met there again to ordain and install him pastor of 
 the church. He tells us that in the years of his pastorate 
 "the side pews on the right of the minister were occupied 
 by boys from Mr. Bolmar's school, and the corresponding 
 pews on the left were filled by the boys from the West 
 Chester Academy. At that early period in the history of 
 the church, the church edifice had not been completed, but 
 the work was soon accomplished by the finishing of the 
 vestibules, stairways and gallery, after which a choir was 
 established which added greatly to the efficiency and at- 
 tractiveness of the church services. Before the gallery 
 was built 'Squire Fleming, who was also one of the elders, 
 discharged the duties of Precentor. His official station was 
 at a small table on the cross aisle in front of the pulpit." 
 
 He wrote in his letter that eventually a "pipe organ" 
 was obtained, but it was "quite small." He gives it as his 
 impression that "it was some time, perhaps several years," 
 before the organ came into use, and he adds, "This delay 
 may have been owing in part to the strong Quaker senti- 
 ment of West Chester." 
 
 REV. WILLIAM E. MOORE. 
 
 On the second Sabbath in August, 1850, Mr. William 
 E. Moore, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Wilmington, 
 was invited to supply the vacant pulpit. A unanimous 
 call was extended to him and he entered on his work, 
 September 29, 1850. He was ordained and installed by the 
 Third Presbytery of Philadelphia, October 30, 1850. The 
 amount of the salary promised in the call was five hundred 
 dollars, but it was understood that it should be made up 
 by subscription to six hundred dollars. The income of the 
 church from pew rents at this time was five hundred and 
 twenty dollars. 
 
 When Rev. Mr. Moore became pastor, there were 
 
WILLIAM EVES MOORE 
 Pastor, 1850-1872 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 37 
 
 found on the roll of those who could be accounted for a 
 membership of ninety-six. The congregation was harmo- 
 nious and united. Under the faithful and able preaching 
 of the preceding pastors the church had been consolidated 
 and indoctrinated. The population of the borough was 
 3072. Among the members of the church and congregation 
 were many influential citizens. At that time Rev. J. B. 
 Clemson was rector of the Episcopal Church ; Rev. Alfred 
 Patton, of the Baptist Church, then standing on Church 
 street, north of where the West Chester Laundry is now 
 located ; Rev. James Huston was pastor of the Methodist 
 Church, succeeded the next spring by the Rev. Alfred 
 Cookman. Among all these churches was the most cordial 
 harmony. 
 
 The elders of the church at this time were Henry 
 Fleming, Esq., P. Frazer Smith, Esq., Wilmer AVorthington, 
 M. D., and James Crowell. These were also trustees, and 
 in addition, Ziba Pyle, Esq., William Williamson, Esq., 
 John Marshall and Captain Williani' Apple. The signatures 
 of these eight were, by order of the congregation, affixed 
 to the call given to Rev. Mr. Moore. 
 
 Up to the end of Mr. Crowell's pastorate here, the 
 evening meetings and Sabbath School were held in the Lec- 
 ture Room on Church street. For a year or more after 
 Rev. Mr. Moore became pastor, they were held in the au- 
 dience room of the church. The basement was then fin- 
 ished, gas was introduced, the whole church was painted 
 and papered in 1853. 
 
 The growth of the church was gradual but strong. On 
 the 9th of July, 1854, Mr. Lambert Clark and William F. 
 Wyers were elected ruling elders. In May, i860, the num- 
 ber of members reported was 211. The revivals of 1858-59 
 had reached this church, not so much in the way of large 
 additions, as in increased zeal and energy. Sabbath Schools 
 were established in the neighboring districts, and an at- 
 tempt was made, successful for a time, to maintain a Young 
 Men's Christian Association, which ultimately failed be- 
 cause its young men were too old. 
 
38 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 The field of labor around the borough had by this time 
 widened, so that the pastor of this church was called upon 
 to preach almost every Sabbath, either at Unionville, Ham- 
 orton, Kennett Square, Dilworthtown, Sager's, Parker- 
 ville, Harmony Hill, or some other point within reach. By 
 this time the church was full and a demand was made for 
 more room. 
 
 The trustees took measures to enlarge the church by 
 adding twenty-five feet in length, which would give forty 
 additional pews, making the seating capacity six hundred 
 in addition to the gallery. This was all accomplished, and 
 at the same time the whole was frescoed, painted and fur- 
 nished. The repairs were completed in 1862 at an expense 
 of $1,968.60, and the sermon on the occasion of its re- 
 occupation was preached by Rev. John Crowell. 
 
 While these repairs were in progress the Rebellion 
 Ijroke out, and the quiet of the borough was broken by the 
 gathering here of armed men. The harmony of the church, 
 however, was not disturbed; with perfect unanimity its 
 meni'bers recognized their obligations to their country. 
 
 The following is a list of those immediately connected 
 with the families of this congregation who were in the 
 army in different capacities during the war : 
 
 Surgeons — Dr. William S. King, U. S. A. ; Dr. William 
 H. Worthington, 93d Regiment, P. V.; Dr. John R. Ever- 
 hart, 97th; Dr. J. R. Hayes, 8ist; Dr. William B. Brinton, 
 4th Reserve; Dr. Howard King, 21st Cavalry; Dr. William 
 Goodell, Hospital. 
 
 John G. Parke, Major General ; George F. Smith, Col- 
 onel, 6ist P. v.; Henry M. Mclntyre, ist Reserves, died of 
 wounds received at New Market, Va. ; William James, 
 Brigadier General and Quartermaster; E. L. Christman, 
 Captain ist Reserves; David Jones, Quartermaster, 97th; 
 D. B. Hannum, Jr., Lieutenant, .... Cavalry ; William Snare, 
 Lieutenant, 124th; William Whitehead, Lieutenant, 124th; 
 John Barber, Lieutenant, 97th ; P. Mercer, Lieutenant and 
 Quartermaster, ist Reserves; Paul Whitehead, Captain, 
 86th ; Thomas John, Sergeant, 97th ; Reuben Fithian, Ser- 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 39 
 
 geant, 97th, Austin Fithian, 97th; Weaker Lackey, 95th; 
 George Garrett, 97th ; Lee A. Stroud, 97th ; John P. Win- 
 terbottom, 97th ; William Hemphill, 97th ; Isaac Burns, --.- 
 Cavalry; George Burns, 97th; Joseph Davis, 124th; Ed- 
 ward Jester, 124th; Charles W. Fraley, 124th; S. Naylor, 
 124th; Frank P. Gardiner, Ensign, U. S. N., died in service; 
 Robert T. Cornwell, Captain. 
 
 The following responded to the call made by the Gov- 
 ernor for the militia for Antietam and Gettysburg. 
 
 William B. Waddell, Major; J. B. Everhart, Major; 
 William Dallett, Captain; Thomas Reed, Lieutenant; John 
 A. Leslie, Artillery ; William E. Barber, Lieutenant ; Wil- 
 liam McKay, John G. Robinson, C. B. Lee, George Kerr, 
 Theodore Apple, W^ W". \Voodruft, Theodore Lee, Theo- 
 dore Beaumont, Charles Jacobs, Livingston Hartman, Ar- 
 tillery; Rev. W^illiam E. Moore, Second Lieutenant, Artil- 
 ley; F. A. Allen, Artillery; William V. Husted, Artillery; 
 J. Carpenter Rhoades, Artillery ; E. R. Stevens, Artillery ; 
 R. E. Monaghan, Infantry; Willie Fithian, Musician. 
 
 With very few exceptions these embraced all the men 
 in the congregation capable of bearing arms. The militia 
 of 1863 were mnstered into the service of the United States, 
 June 29th, for three months, and were mustered out on the 
 24th of August. The ladies of the congregation did a noble 
 and untiring work in feeding and caring for the soldiers. 
 Camp Wayne was located here. The 9th and nth Regi- 
 ments of the three months' men were organized here, as 
 also the 9th and 7th Reserves, and the 97th. The Christian 
 and Sanitary Commissions were largely aided by our 
 people. 
 
 During the ten years from i860 to 1870, the growth of 
 the church was rapid. Two hundred and seventy-one were 
 added to its commimion. The years 1865-66 were espec- 
 ially marked by large accessions. Mr. William McCul- 
 lough and Mr. William V. Husted were installed as ruling 
 elders, October 20, 1865. 
 
 In November, 1869, the two branches of the Presbyte- 
 
40 HISTOnY OP THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 rian Church were reunited, and by the adjustment of Pres- 
 byterial lines this church, with all the Presbyterian 
 churches of Chester and Delaware counties, were formed 
 into a new Presbytery bearing- the name of Chester. 
 
 During the years 1871-72 the gallery of the church was 
 enlarged and a new organ bought. The vestibule was laid 
 with tile, the granite steps erected, and other improvements 
 made in heating, lighting, etc., at an expense of about 
 $3700. 
 
 On the 22d of Fe])ruary, 1872, a call was extended to 
 the pastor of this church by the Second Presbyterian 
 Church of Columbus, Ohio. After visiting that field he 
 felt it to be his duty to accept, and accordingly was dis- 
 missed by the Presbytery of Chester, April 9, 1872, and 
 preached his farewell sermon, Sabbath, April 14th, closing 
 a pastorate of twenty-one and a half years. During these 
 years there were added to the church 221 l)y letter, 325 by 
 profession, a total of 546. The number on the roll of the 
 church as reported by the Clerk of the Sessions, May, 1872, 
 was 370. 
 
 In April, 1872, the church adopted the "term service" 
 ■of the eldership. Dr. Worthington, William McCullough 
 and William V. Husted resigned, and were immediately re- 
 elected to serve for three years. Four additional elders 
 were elected to serve for the same time, viz. : John G. 
 Robinson, William E. I'arber, William S. Kirk and Alfred 
 P. Reid. Of the elders, James Crowell had been dismissed 
 March 16, 1854; H/enry Fleming, Esq., had died September 
 29, 1865, aged 82; Lambert Clark died. May 16, 1869, aged 
 72, and W^illiam F. W^yers died June 23, 1871, aged 59. 
 
 Henry Fleming, Esq., died September 29, 1865. In 
 the minute adopted by the Session, November 15, there is 
 an extended notice of his relation to this church from its 
 beginning: "Although the church was not formally or- 
 ganized till 1834, it may be said that it had a practical and 
 effective existence since 1831, when Mr. Fleming faithfully 
 aided its first pastor in laying its foundations, and until 
 
RULING ELDERS 
 
 1. Henry Fleming 4. William F. Wyers 
 
 2. Dr. Wilmer "Worthing-ton 5. William E. Barber 
 
 3. Lambert Clark 6. P. Frazer Smith 
 
CHURCH, OP WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 Mr. Stevens' death continned one of his able and steady 
 supporters. Mr. Fleming first made a public profession of 
 religion at the organization of the church in January, 1834, 
 and with five others was chosen a ruling elder. Four of 
 these have been dismissed to unite with other churches, 
 and three of them afterwards died. No ruling elder before 
 him has died whilst in connection with this church. * * 
 * ■''- Notwithstanding this church was organized with 
 such vigorous strength and with such promises of continued 
 prosperity as are rarely given to a young church, the dif- 
 ferences and dissensions which arose in the effort to choose 
 a successor to Mr. Stevens, nearly destroyed it. During 
 the many years of its consequent adversity, when strug- 
 gling for existence, Mr. Fleming, often disheartened, never 
 thought of abandoning it. At times, when its very life 
 seemed flickering to go out, his watchfulness and fostering 
 care kept the flame alive. To these, with his prayers, it is 
 in no small degree owing that our candlestick is not re- 
 moved from its place, and that its light now burns with 
 such strong brightness. For the church he performed the 
 most laborious and, what might be esteemed by some, 
 menial services ; by day, at midnight, and before the dawn ; 
 in storm and in calm ; for the church lay deep in his heart. 
 '•' * '•' * Regular in his attendance on all the services 
 of the sanctuary, devout in his attention, he was indeed an 
 example to the flock. From his connection with this church 
 for more than twenty-six consecutive years, he was never 
 absent once from the communion table. The records of the 
 session will testify of his punctuality at our meetings. 
 Practically as well as theoretically he was a thorough, 
 sound Presbyterian. The memory of the small number 
 who starting with him have not fallen from his side in his 
 long pilgrimage, can recall but few prayer meetings, where 
 his clear and sonorous voice was not heard in songs of holy 
 praise." 
 
 The fact is recorded that he was the first President of 
 the Ciiester County Temperance Society, "he also main- 
 tained an unequivocal stand on the side of the slave through 
 
42 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 much contumely and even persecution." '^ * * '•' 
 "In the War of 1812, he was among the first who went from 
 this community into the mihtary service of the United 
 States. He was absent from home in that service about 
 three years, one half of which was spent in Quebec as a 
 prisoner of war." His long service as Justice of the Peace 
 is referred to until he refused to longer hold that ofifice, 
 fearing "lest his declining health should so affect his mind 
 that he might err in deciding between suitors." "Perhaps 
 his very last intelligible utterance was an expression of his 
 entire reliance on Christ and on His mercy only for his sal- 
 vation." 
 
 Mr. Lambert Clark was almost fifteen years an Elder 
 in this church. In the minute in reference to his death, 
 adopted September 15, 1869, we find tlie following: "Mr. 
 Clark was born August, 1797, near Centreville, Queen 
 Anne's county, on the eastern shore of Maryland. In early 
 manhood he united with the 6th Presbyterian Church, of 
 Philadelphia, in which he bore the office of Deacon until 
 his removal to Tioga county. There he served the church 
 at Blossburg as a ruling elder with great acceptance. In 
 1856, having removed to West Chester, he was elected and 
 installed a ruling elder in this church and filled the office 
 with great acceptance and profit to the congregation until 
 his death, a period of nearly fifteen years. 
 
 In all the relations of life Mr. Clark was a man of 
 marked fidelity to duty. He always aimed to know and do 
 what Avas right. Men instinctively felt that they could trust 
 him, and that trust was never betrayed. Modest and retir- 
 ing, he yet held a large place in the esteem of every com- 
 munity in which he lived. He was a good citizen, a kind 
 neighbor and friend. But it was especially as a Christian 
 that his light shone before men. Always unassuming and 
 even shrinking, he yet bore his Christian profession on the 
 fore front of his whole life. Every one who knew him, 
 knew that he was a follower of Jesus. Men glorified God 
 in him. 
 
 As an officer of the church he was always faithful to 
 
CHURCH, OP WEST CHESTER, PA. 43 
 
 the solemn trust confided to him. The church was the first 
 object of his earthly care. He sought its prosperity as his 
 own. Deeply conscious of the want of that power which 
 education, and wealth, and position give, he was always 
 willing to do what he could. His visits of sympathy and 
 consolation to the sick and the bereaved were highly prized 
 by those to whom he loved to minister. He was always 
 ready to sacrifice his private interests to the call of duty 
 to the church." 
 
 The death of Mr. William F. Wyers, after serving this 
 church in the eldership for nearly seventeen years, is noted 
 in the minutes of session for September 13, 1871. "The ses- 
 sion would leave on record their profound sense of bereave- 
 ment in the death of their late colleague, William Frederick 
 Wyers, A. M., Ph. D., who departed to a better life, June 
 23, 1871, in his 60th year. 
 
 Born at Essens, in the Kingdom of Hanover, January 
 12, 1812, the son of a Lutheran pastor, educated in the best 
 universities of his native land, Mr. Wyers came to America 
 in the year 1842. Soon after he commenced what proved 
 his life-long work, the teaching of an Academy, for which 
 he was eminently qualified. 
 
 About the year 1844 he united with the Presbyterian 
 Church, at New London, in this county, on the profession 
 of his faith. On his removal to West Chester, in 1852, he 
 became a member of this church. In 1854 he was elected 
 a ruling elder in the church and ordained and installed 
 July 9th. 
 
 A man of the most thorough education and the highest 
 culture, Mr. Wyers gave the warm afTection of his heart 
 and the power of his intellect to the service of his Re- 
 deemer. As a Christian he let his light shine everywhere. 
 The of^ce of ruling elder he discharged for a period of sev- 
 enteen years with singular fidelity and acceptance. We 
 thank God for his life, his example and his influence, while 
 we deeply feel and mourn his absence from the prayer meet- 
 ing which he loved, from the public worship of God, and 
 from his place in the session." 
 
44 HISTORY OP THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 At the close of Dr. Moore's Historical Sermon, deliv- 
 ered in this church in 1876, he referred in tender terms to 
 some of those who had already passed away. His words 
 are as follows : "It was my lot to come to the church when 
 it was just passing- out of the clouds which had so long 
 overshadowed it. It has grown to self-support and was at 
 peace within and without. The most of those who had la- 
 bored at the foundations were living to enjoy the fruit of 
 their sacrifices and toils. To-day but five of the names of 
 those who joined in the organization of the church are 
 borne upon the roll : Lucretia Whitehead and Caroline 
 Fleming, daughters of Captain Fleming; Mary Ann Thomp- 
 son and her sister, Anna T. Grier and Mrs. Peninah Long. 
 All its building committee and original trustees sleep be- 
 neath the sod. Of those who labored upon the walls, James 
 Powell alone remains. The original elders are all gone. 
 Bear with me as I call up to your mind and mine some of 
 the men and women who welcomed me here twenty-six 
 years ago and who are now numbered with the dead. 
 
 "First of all of the elders, the venerable James Crowell, 
 whose face shone with the peace which reigned within. 
 Henry Fleming, taciturn and stern to the eye, but with a 
 heart as tender as a woman's. Dr. Wilmer Worthington, 
 'the beloved physician,' whom everybody loved and every- 
 body trusted, the head and centre of a family of noble 
 brothers, every one of whom it was my sad duty to attend 
 to the grave. Of the trustees, Ziba Pyle, Esq., and William 
 Williamson, Esq., who with their wives, large-hearted and 
 noble women, lived side by side on Gay street. William 
 Apple, as iipright in his ways as in his form. John Mar- 
 shall, gentle as a woman, but firm as a rock and hating hy- 
 pocrisy with a perfect hatred. To these men as. trustees 
 the church owed much. Its interests were always dear to 
 them, and their money was freely given. Of others there 
 were William Everhart, not always appreciated by those 
 whom he served, but who was always ready to stand in the 
 breach ; James Atwood, an earnest, spiritually-minded man, 
 by nature, careful and close ; by grace generous and free. 
 
CHURCH, OP WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 Mrs. Elizabeth H. Caldwell, advanced in years but young' 
 in heart, dispensing- her benefactions with liberal hand but 
 wishing always to be unknown. Mrs. Everhart, Mrs. Mary 
 Smith, Mrs. Elannah Hutchison, Cidney John, Sidney 
 Weaver, Mrs. Rutter, Elizabeth Beaumont and Hannah 
 Winterbottom, are of those whose names should be held in 
 remembrance. Mrs. Mary Gardiner, a leader in every good 
 work. Of those who came after I began my ministry here, 
 I would recall Francis Park, the Hinmans, then an un- 
 broken family of whom seven, representing four genera- 
 tions, lie in our cemetery. John Barber and wife, John S. 
 Futhey, Lambert Clark, the godly elder, and William F. 
 Wyers, the genial companion and untiring worker. These 
 are all gone, their memory is precious, 'their works do fol- 
 low them.' " 
 
 Mrs. AVilliam E. Moore, unable because of age and 
 weakness to attend the Seventy-fifth Anniversary of the 
 organization of the church, was asked to send some remin- 
 iscences of those early days. As nothing could be more in- 
 teresting, we give it entire. 
 
 "Asked to give for the Seventy-fifth Anniversary of 
 this church some memories from the days when it and its 
 fourth pastor were young together, I am bewildered among 
 them. They are so many and vivid, so personal, and so 
 linked with many now in the church above. 
 
 "Upon the first page of my book of remembrance there 
 is a picture. It is of a bride and groom of one week ap- 
 proaching West Chester by a country road on a golden 
 September afternoon in 1850. It is he who speaks as they 
 catch their first glimpse of the home to which they come, 
 he now the accepted pastor of this church. 'There it is, 
 our home and long looked for field of work. I give myself 
 five years in it. Mr. Crowell did his first work there and 
 for ten years, but he had superior advantages and a better 
 start. But God helping us we will do our best as long as 
 he keeps us there.' 
 
 "Six months before, Mr. Moore had been licensed bv 
 
46 . HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 the Presbyter}^ of Wilmington, and had been the principal 
 teacher in a large academy until within two weeks of his 
 coming to West Chester. Hence he had brought to the new 
 life small stock of sermons, or of practical experience, 
 though he had often preached during the summer in 
 churches familiar to his boyhood and youth. 
 
 "Beautiful, too, is the companion picture, of the first 
 bright Sunday morning in the church, charming to our 
 e3^es in its simple grace and dignity, with its choir and white 
 organ yonder at the front. In that choir most conspicuous 
 is the stalwart form of Elder Henry Fleming with his son- 
 orous bass voice, and his watchful eye and care over many 
 things. The front pew is newly decked in Presbyterian 
 blue, and there are kindly welcomes on every hand. 
 
 "A month later came the ordination and installation by 
 the Third Presbytery of Philadelphia, the charge to the 
 pastor being given by the Rev. George Foote to whom Mr. 
 Moore owed much for guidance and cheer in his preparation 
 for the ministry, and to whom he now stood as a son. 
 
 'Tjetween that evening and the Sunday the young pas- 
 tor had laid to rest one aged member of the church, and one 
 infant, so beginning the "long ministry of sympathy and con- 
 solation for which God seemed specially to endow him. 
 
 "It was his duty in 1854, in the very earliest days of 
 Oakland Cemetery to lay there the dead of the church and 
 community, and in six months to consecrate a spot of earth 
 as our very own. with little thought that it should become 
 the Machpelah of four generations as it is to-day; or how 
 as this ministry went on he should say, 'God seems to keep 
 our hearts tender for others' woes by touching us often, 
 and in tenderest places.' 
 
 "Upon the roll of the church in October, 1850, there 
 were 123 names, 96 of whom were present or in acti\'e mem- 
 bership. Since the passing away within the last year of 
 Elder W^illiam V. Husted, not one of them all remains. 
 Upon the printed roll of 1906, there are two names of the 
 twentv-six added in the next vear, and not fiftv of those ad- 
 
OIjD manse (Where Chapel now Stands) 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 47 
 
 niitted in Mr. Moore's ministry of twenty-one and a half 
 years. Few conld now be found in any earthly church who 
 rallied round the young pastor — good men and true, and 
 godly women, all helping by works of faith and labors of 
 love. Every well-remembered name is precious, while fa- 
 miliar forms and faces yet seem to fill accustomed pews. 
 Believing in 'the communion of saints,' are we wrong in 
 thinking that close to the veil which hides, but does not 
 divide the heavenly from the earthly church, there throng 
 about the services and the gatherings of these anniversary 
 days a cloud of witnesses from all the years of its history? 
 
 "At the opening of Mr. Moore's ministry, the income 
 of the church from pew rents was five hundred and twenty- 
 five dollars. It was three years before the basement lec- 
 ture room and pastor's study were available for social 
 services and Infant Sunday School, to which last, was long 
 remembered responsive singing from the parsonage nur- 
 sery windows near by. Other vivid memories are of sun- 
 rise prayer meetings in that sacred lower room in the spring 
 and summer of the great revival year of 1858, when men 
 and women from nearly every church in town, and from 
 every calling, gathered there for united prayer and received 
 a blessing. 
 
 "From the outset of his work ^Ir. Moore had held that 
 'the minister of the Gospel is a citizen of the State and 
 bound to promote good morals and sound learning as well 
 as true religion ; that he is Christ's servant and the whole 
 church is his.' Hence care for feeble surrounding churches 
 came almost at once to be assumed, and this church was led 
 to see its duty and privilege to the field about it, in the con- 
 duct of such social services as were made possible. In his 
 farewell sermon here he also said : 'I do not regret the 
 claims which have been made upon me from 'without.' I 
 understand it to be every pastor's duty to hold himself to 
 be the servant of all men for Christ's sake.' Hence by lead- 
 ings not now to be traced doors were opened to needy 
 places. In Kennett Square he preached first on a hot Sun- 
 day afternoon, in August, 1853, paying a dollar for the 
 
48 HISTORY CF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 privilege of a room in a public house. At the close of the 
 service, Bayard Taylor, alluding to the fact said, 'Air. 
 Moore, this must never happen again.' It never did. A hall 
 was provided. 
 
 In the same summer was held in Dilworthtown, what 
 the then oldest inhabitant averred to be the first preaching 
 service of which he had known. It was for ]\Ir. Moore the 
 first of one hundred and eighteen such services, from which 
 a little church was nourished into life. To Unionville 
 church, weak and often without a pastor, he went and came 
 in like manner eighty-five times. His faithful record-book 
 carries on its pages names of Hamorton, Parkerville, 
 Charlestown, Downingtown, ^^larshallton, Chadd's Ford, 
 Sager's, the Poor House, and many other places where the 
 word was preached or Sunday Schools begun. Among 
 those. Harmony Hill has maintained its long enduring 
 work. Goshen Baptist Church is also named in days be- 
 fore Rev. Joseph S. Evans entered on his pastorate of half 
 a century. 
 
 "Seed-sowing had its promise fulfilled, in blessing on 
 this Sabbath School, and widened church life. 'By all 
 means to save some,' may well be said to have been the 
 motive of service which had its reflex influence upon the 
 church itself. Revivals came, and increasing additions from 
 within, while from families coming to the town for change 
 of occupation or for education, goodly numbers found their 
 church home here, making further enlargements necessary. 
 
 "Just then the war cloud burst upon the country and 
 quiet West Chester was stirred to its depths. Already the 
 thriving academy of Mr. Wyers had become a military 
 school as well, and when Colonel Theodore Hyatt presently 
 opened a second in the buildings of the well-known Bol- 
 mar's School, many of these pews were filled by students 
 from both academies glittering in uniform and boyish pride. 
 This pulpit had been for months giving forth no uncertain 
 sound, and the Thanksgiving sermon of 1859 was solicited 
 for a volume of war sermons issued in Washington in 1865. 
 
 "Once more from ]\Ir. Moore's farewell sermon we have 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 these words : 'I do not regret the part I took when in the 
 hour of our country's peril I lifted up my voice for its de- 
 fence, and girded on my sword for the protection of our 
 homes. I could have done no otherwise if every pew in 
 this church had been vacated on that account.' 
 
 "Between the lines of his record of sermons preached, 
 we read the story of weeks of dark foreboding and thrilling 
 anxiety, or encouraged faith or hope deferred. To the pas- 
 tor's joy the harmony of this dear church was in no wise 
 disturbed. Its men and boys were a unit for service. 
 
 "The pastor was himself fired with the soldier spirit. 
 which had led him in early youth to serve a campaign in 
 the Seminole war. With him were found elders and mem- 
 bers, teachers and students, lawyers and doctors, the old 
 and the young. As Gray Reserves for home protection, or 
 for final need they trained in our streets, and lifted up their 
 voices for the support and cheer of their country. 
 
 "On the Sunday after the surrender of Fort Sumter 
 there were in church the first of its friends, sons and broth- 
 ers, answering the call of President Lincoln for seventy-five 
 thousand men; and l)rother spoke to brother from the text, 
 'Be of good courage, and let us play the men for the cities 
 of our God ; and the Lord do that which seemcth to Him 
 good.' 
 
 "Camp Wayne was organized as the rallying place for 
 regiments formed and forming, and on May 5, 1861, that 
 sermoii was repeated to them, and later, was one from the 
 words, 'Fear not them that kill the body, but are not able 
 to kill the soul.' One Sunday of that month the Ninth 
 Pennsylvania Regiment was sheltered from a furious 
 storm in the audience room of the church, unfinished and 
 cheerless from the enlargement of the }-ear before, while 
 from every neighboring home was brought cofifee and food 
 for the men. 
 
 "Bv the texts of special, or Fast, and Thanksgiving 
 Dav sermons, we mark the fluctuations of all those painful 
 months and years. For President Lincoln's first National 
 Fast dav. this was the word chosen : 'And God saw that 
 
.no HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 they turned from their evil way, and God repented Him of 
 the evil that He said He would do and did it not.' 
 
 "Before the first Antietam, September 17, 1862, we find 
 this : 'Fear not, for they that be with us are more than 
 they that be with them," etc. And at once the preacher 
 was on his way to the awful battlefield under the Christian 
 Commission, for work among the wounded and dying, find- 
 ing our own thinned regiments and gathering them for 
 words of cheer. After the second battle the text tells of 
 fear largely mingled with the faith in his heart, 'And the 
 end is not yet.' 
 
 On Thanksgiving Day, 1863, he says, 'Our own con- 
 gregation has great reason to thank God for the spared 
 lives of those who have gone to the field, and who them- 
 selves were members of this congregation, or husbands, 
 brothers and sons of members — sixty in all, as I have been 
 able to count them. Of them but one to my knowledge has 
 died of wounds or disease. From the borough itself few 
 have fallen — but they, alas, among our noblest and best.' 
 
 "The one named in this paragraph was his own be- 
 loved half-brother, Lieutenant-Colonel Henry M. ]\lclntire, 
 who was borne from this church to Oakland one sad Mon- 
 day morning, in January, 1863, while from his own home in 
 the afternoon also was laid there Colonel George Roberts. 
 College students, and students of law together in the same 
 office here, in death they were not divided. 
 
 "In June, 1863, and to meet another call for militia 
 pending the Battle of Gettysburg, a battery goes forth 
 largely composed of the best of the town and from this 
 church, the pastor as lieutenant, with chaplain's and sur- 
 geon's duties attached. They are on their way while the 
 battle rages, and spend eight or ten weeks on guard duty 
 in Cumberland Valley. In his history of this church, pre- 
 pared in 1876, he gives a list of the men from it who had 
 been in the service. 
 
 "The following years of the war are in every history, 
 but there came the day of victory at length, and Mr. Moore 
 is upon the first boat that passes up the James River, again 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 51 
 
 charged by the Christian Commission with duty at City 
 Point and Richmond, or as its letter of instruction read, 
 'wherever piety, patriotism-, good common sense and en- 
 ergy may call.' The venerable Joseph Evans, still with 
 you, knows of this great experience. 
 
 "On April 9, 1865, in his pew in Richmond, Mr. 
 Jefferson Davis has received from General Lee a telegram 
 that the capital must be evacuated. President Lincoln has 
 been already several days at City Point. Our delegate re- 
 ports at the hospital there, attends the funeral of two Con- 
 federate soldiers, and 'a full prayer meeting, in which six 
 rose for prayer.' He is twelve days among the thrilling 
 scenes of that time, preaching twice at City Point, once in 
 Libby Prison to 2000 Southern prisoners, to Northern 
 regiments, and to a great congregation of negroes keeping 
 Thanksgiving. 
 
 "That Sunday evening the news of the assassination 
 of President Lincoln, just returned to Washington, is 
 spread like lightning in every corner and to every color in 
 Richmond. At Fortress Monroe, on Wednesday, April 
 19th, he takes part in funeral solemnities at the same hour 
 with those in Washington. Rev. Joseph Evans and Charl- 
 ton Lewis are also there. Mr. Moore returns home on Fri- 
 day, and on Sabbath preaches from the words, 'And the 
 disciples came and took up the body, and went and told 
 Jesus.' 
 
 "A marked religious interest had been going on for 
 weeks in the military academies, with many services and 
 inquiry meetings. The communion services are at the 
 close of this historic April, and Mr. Moore had preached 
 seventy-six times since the new year. Sixty-three were re- 
 ceived upon confession, and eighteen by letter in this year, 
 and in the two years following one hundred and twenty- 
 eight. 
 
 "The few succeeding years of this pastorate were full 
 of labors, in the effort to enter every opening door of use- 
 fulness, until March, 1872, the change came by which he 
 was transferred to a new field, for new and wider work. 
 
52 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBVTERIAN- 
 
 Into this beloved 'First Church, " in the twenty-one and a 
 half years, he had received on confession of faith, three 
 himdred and twenty-five, and by letter two hundred and 
 twenty-one ; a total of five hundred and forty-six members ; 
 ])y infant baptism, three hundred and six. He had married 
 six hundred and sixty-five couples, and laid five hundred 
 and four persons to their final rest. 
 
 "Other twenty-one years were given to Dr. Moore in 
 the active pastorate in Columbus, Ohio, until at the aii^e of 
 seventy-one he retired from it and g-ave himself for the re- 
 maining five years of his life to service for the church at 
 large, which had long claimed much of his time and care. 
 With the closing session of the General Assembly of 1899, 
 in Minneapolis, his life-work also closed, and in a little 
 more than one week he was brought for the last earthly 
 service to the church which had welcomed him on that Sep- 
 tember day, 1850, and to sleep his last sleep among people 
 of his long love." 
 
 In concluding this account of Rev. Dr. Moore's labors 
 in this church it is ])roper to add a carefully prepared esti- 
 mate of the man by Prof. A\'. A\'. W'oodrufl^. who was more 
 intimately connected with Dr. ^Moorc during his pastorate 
 here than any other member of the church now living. 
 
 "Rev. William E. Moore was a man of winning pres- 
 ence and personality. He was intelligently frank in ex- 
 pression, and impressed those whom he met with his dis- 
 criminating sincerity. He had an intuitive perception of 
 character, and was seldom wrong in his estimate of men. 
 While quite definite and positive in his theological beliefs, 
 and beyond most men ready and able to give a reason for 
 his faith, he was considerate and charitable in regard to 
 those who dift'ered from him. and he could set forth his 
 views of Gospel truth in their fullness without giving 
 offense. 
 
 "All who knew him were so impressed l\v his intelli- 
 gence, his candor, his breadth of view, and his charitable 
 spirit, that barriers disappeared and he won his way to 
 
BENJAMIN TOWNSEND JONES 
 Pastor, 1873-1883 
 
CHURCH, OP WEST CHESTER, PA. 53 
 
 many a heart and life in a wa}' that prol)al)ly neither he nor 
 they could explain. 
 
 "While he did not seek public position, he was a man 
 of such general intelligence and sound practical judgment 
 that he was often consulted in regard to public affairs, es- 
 pecially those of an educational character. He was several 
 times elected school director, and was largely instrumental 
 in founding and organizing our flourishing Xormal School, 
 where one of the literary societies bears his name. 
 
 "In brief. Dr. Moore was in manner, an agreeable gen- 
 tleman ; in spirit, considerate, charitable and polite ; in ad- 
 dress, gracious and appreciative; in reference to the opin- 
 ions of others, always tolerant and charitable ; in habits, 
 methodical, uniform and correct ; in discharge of duty- 
 faithful ; in loyalty to friends, absolutely trustworthy, and 
 in forbearance a model that most men, even of a less ardent 
 temperment, need grace to ec|ual." 
 
 As we have seen, Dr. Moore preached his farewell ser- 
 mon on Sabbath, April 14, 1872. The following July Dr. 
 Moore returned and conducted the comn.iunion service. 
 
 PASTORATE OF REV. BENJ. T. JONES. 
 
 Early in November it was manifest that the congrega- 
 tion was prepared to elect a pastor, and a congregational 
 meeting was called for November 9, 1872, when the Rev. 
 Benjamin T. Jones was unanimously chosen. He entered 
 upon his work here January i, 1873, and was installed pas- 
 tor on January 15th. 
 
 The earnestness with which the new pastor entered 
 upon his labors is evidenced in many ways. Before he had 
 been installed a month plans were made for a visitation c^f 
 the congregation by the elders, the borough being divided 
 into four districts, and two elders assigned to each section. 
 At the same meeting of session it was resolved to take 
 measures to hold "prayer meetings in pri\'ate houses in 
 dififerent parts of the congregation." 
 
 The annual report of the congregation in April, 1873, 
 
r,4 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 gives five added during the year on examination, four 
 added by letter, and a total membership at that time of 413. 
 The membership of the Sabbath School is given as 190. 
 April 18, 1873, "The Superintendent of the Sabbath School 
 stated to the session that the teachers upon consultation 
 were of opinion that the sessions of the school should be 
 in the afternoon instead of the morning. It was therefore 
 resolved that session approve of said change." Before the 
 close of the first year of this new pastorate the church suf- 
 fered a great loss in the death of Dr. Wilmer Worth in gton, 
 who had most faithful!}- served as an elder for almost forty 
 years, having been chosen to that office soon after the or- 
 ganization of the church. He died September n, 1873. 
 From the minute of the session the following trilmte is 
 taken : "For a period of nearly thirty-seven years, he ex- 
 hibited in his daily walk and conversation the power and 
 beauty of the religion of Christ. I''aithful in the discharge 
 of every duty pertaining to his high vocation as an office- 
 bearer in the church, he was always a valuable counselor, 
 a safe guide and an exemplar in every good word and work. 
 Occupying in the providence of Gotl a prominent position 
 in the community in which his lot was cast, he was uni- 
 versally esteemed as a good man and beloved as a physi- 
 cian. Chosen by his fellow-citizens to places of trust and 
 responsibility in the State, requiring constant intercourse 
 with all classes of men. he never compromised his Chris- 
 tian integrity. He has left to the church the legacy of a 
 blauTcless life and transmitted to his friends an unsullied 
 reputation." 
 
 January 28, 1874, "The Session deemed it important 
 that the younger men of the church and congregation 
 should be more interested in the affairs of the church and 
 identified with it and its welfare, and believing that these 
 results may be accomplished by assigning to them active 
 duties such as taking up the collections in the church, at- 
 tending to strangers who may come to the church, etc., ap- 
 pointed a committee of the session to "report to the ses- 
 sion at an adjourned meeting the names of such persons as 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER. PA. 
 
 will be suitable and likely to engage in the.se duties." 
 
 At the next meeting the committee reported the fol- 
 lowing names "as suitable to perform the duties referred 
 to:" William H. Morgan, William H. Hodgson, Herman 
 F. Wyers, John P. Thornbury, George F. Smith, Charles 
 B. Lee, George Kerr, Charles M. Crowell, W. Marshall 
 Swayne, William H. Burns, Alexander A. Parker, Charles 
 F. Cornell, William H. Dock, William M. Swayne, Jr., 
 George McElree, William T. Barber, William Thorp, Rich- 
 ard B. Swayne and Henry B. Pepper. 
 
 In providing for the pastor's vacation in 1874 the fol- 
 lowing action was taken by the session : "It was resolved 
 that during the absence of the pastor in his summer vaca- 
 tion, the church shall be opened every Sabbath morning, ser- 
 vices to be conducted by the elders, and that Messrs. Reid 
 and Barber be a committee to make the necessary arrange- 
 ments for carrying the resolution into efifect." 
 
 It is learned that this action was taken because of the 
 condition of the finances of the church, and that the idea 
 was to have a sermon read by one of the elders at each ser- 
 vice. It appears that the two elders named as the commit- 
 tee to carry the resolution into efifect were compelled to do 
 the reading themselves. At all events it is not remembered 
 that any other elders acted in that capacity. And this may 
 account for the action of the session the following summer 
 when "Messrs. McCullough and Robinson were appointed 
 a committee to provide according to their discretion for 
 services in the church during the absence of the pastor." 
 
 For some time past reference is made in the minutes 
 of session to meeting the expenses of the Sabbath School 
 at Harmony Hill, but it appears from a minute of June 30, 
 1875, that efforts were now being made to ])rovidc a build- 
 ing there for the better prosecution of religious work. "It 
 was resolved that the remainder of the money collected for 
 the Memiorial Fund, now in the hands of the committee be 
 appropriated towards the cost of erecting the chapel at Har- 
 mony Hill, after the title of the lot for said chapel shall 
 have been conveved in accordance with direction of this 
 
56 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 session." A committee of session was appointed "to report 
 a plan for the conveyance of the Harmony Hill Chapel lot 
 in trnst." 
 
 The spirit with which this work was undertaken and 
 carried on is shown in the plan adopted, which provided 
 that the lot was to be held in trust with the understanding 
 that "if a church be org-anized at Harmony Hill in five 
 years, in connection with the Presbyterian Church in the 
 United States," then the men holding the deed in trust 
 shall convey the lot to the corporation of such church ; and 
 if no such church be organized within that time, then to 
 conve}' the same as shall be directed by the session and 
 trustees of this church." 
 
 After serving this church in the eldership for more 
 than forty-one years, P. Frazer Smith, Esq., was on No- 
 vember ID, 1875, at his own request, granted a certificate 
 of admission to unite with the b^irst Presbyterian Church 
 of Philadelphia. 
 
 The years 1875 and "76 were fruitful in large additions 
 to the church. In April, 1876, the report for the past year 
 shows 34 added by examination, 17 by certificate, a total 
 of 51 in all. The following annual report shows 45 added 
 by examination, and 12 by letter, a total of 57. 
 
 This manifest favor of God may have influenced the 
 session to provide for the very interesting and helpful mem- 
 orial service that was held in July, 1876, and known subse- 
 quently as the forty-third anniversary of the church. At a 
 meeting of session, June 21, the following action was taken : 
 "This being a Centennial year of our nation, it was resolved 
 to hold a memorial service on the fourth Sabbath of Jnly, 
 and that all the former pastors of the church now living 
 to wit. Rev. James J. Grafif, of Annapolis, Md., Rev. John 
 Crowell, of Odessa, Delaware, and Rev. William E. Moore, 
 of Columbus, Ohio, be invited to be present and participate 
 with the pastor. Rev. B. T. Jones in the exercises. That 
 the exercises consist of a historical discourse in the morn- 
 ing by the Rev. Dr. Moore, a sermon in the afternoon by 
 the Rev. Mr. Crowell, a sermon in the evening by the Rev. 
 
CHURCH, OP WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 Mr. Graft", and the reading by the pastor of a sermon writ- 
 ten by the first pastor, Rev. W. A. Stevens (now deceased) ; 
 and that on Monday evening following, there be held a 
 social gathering at the church." 
 
 This plan was carried out with great acceptance and 
 profit to the church. The "Historical Discourse," by Dr. 
 Moore, was published in full in the "Daily Local," and is 
 incorporated almost entirely in this historical sketch. To 
 Dr. Moore's exhaustive research we are indebted for much 
 that would not otherwise have been preserved. 
 
 In the summer of 1876 the session adopted a plan 
 which was followed for several years. "Mr. Samuel S. 
 Cryor, a licentiate of Princeton Seminary was by arrange- 
 ment made with the trustees of the church engaged to 
 spend the months of May, June, July and August, laboring 
 in the bounds of the congregation and preaching at the 
 various points within the border of the congregation, and 
 aiding the pastor with great acceptance and profit." Other 
 students from Princeton Seminary were engaged the fol- 
 lowing years, and always with great satisfaction and good 
 results. 
 
 As we have already seen, the congregation adopted 
 the "term service" for elders, April 13, 1872, which was 
 carried out by electing a full list of elders every three years, 
 and might involve an entire change of the members of 
 session, except the pastor at any election. 
 
 At the second election of session under this plan. Sab- 
 bath April 14, 1878, official notice was taken of a change 
 in the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in the 
 United States of America, by which it was required that 
 if any congregation desired to elect elders for a term of 
 years, it could be done "provided the full term be not less 
 than three years, and the session be made to consist of 
 three classes, one of which only shall be elected every year." 
 
 The church resolved to hereafter conform to the pro- 
 visions of said amendment, and further resolved to elect 
 six elders "without reference to their term of office, and 
 that those elected should designate among themselves, two 
 
HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 to ser\'e for three }'ears. two to serve for two years, and 
 two for one year, in order that henceforth there might be, 
 each year, an election of two elders to serve for three 
 years." 
 
 The election and the snbsequent arrangement made 
 by the session resulted in William McCullough and Wil- 
 liam' V. Husted to serve for three years, John G. Robison 
 and William E. Barber to serve for two years, and Paul F. 
 Whitehead and Alfred P. Reid to serve for one year. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church at Dilworthtown was organ- 
 ized in the spring of 1878, and on April 12, of that year, the 
 session of this church met in adjourned meeting at the Dil- 
 worthtown Church and dismissed fifteen members, giving 
 them letters to unite with the Dilworthtown Church. 
 
 Since April 18. 1873, the sessions of the Sabbath School 
 were held in the afternoon instead of the morning, which 
 had been the time of meeting before that date. The after- 
 noon continued to be the time of meeting both winter and 
 summer until June 4, 1879, when the session received a 
 communication from the teachers of the Sabbath School 
 asking that the sessions of the school during the summer 
 months be held on Sabbath morning. "After due consider- 
 ation it was ordered that the sessions of the Sabbath 
 School hereafter be held during the months of June, July, 
 August and September at 9 o'clock on Sabbath morning." 
 
 The fidelity of the session is shown in the action taken 
 December 5, 1879. *"It was resolved that the session begin 
 a systematic visitation of the families connected with the 
 church ; and Monday, Tuesday and Friday evenings of each 
 week were set apart for that purpose; notice to be given 
 from the pulpit of such resolution, and each family to be 
 notified by postal when they would be visited." 
 
 Under such conscientious oversight the church in- 
 creased in numbers and endeavored with more and more 
 wisdom and zeal to do the work God had committed to it 
 to accomplish. The annual report in April, 1880, shows a 
 total of 455 communicants, and a Sabbath School member- 
 
CHl'RCH. OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 50 
 
 ship of 660, doubtless including all the Sabbath Schools un- 
 der the care of the session of this church. 
 
 In view of the growth of the colored population in 
 West Chester, this church recognized a responsibility in 
 that direction, and at a meeting of session, September 15, 
 1880, "The feasibility and propriety of establishing a Pres- 
 byterian Sabbath School among the colored people was dis- 
 cussed," and a committee from the session and congrega- 
 tion was "appointed to inquire into the matter and organ- 
 ize one if practicable." 
 
 This school for colored children was opened in Hart- 
 man Naylor's school room, then located on the south side 
 of West Gay street, about half way between High and 
 Church streets. The Treasurer of the session was directed 
 to pay Mr. Naylor the rent for the use of the room as it 
 falls due, $4 per month. Hartman Naylor was appointed 
 by the session. Superintendent of the Colored Sabbath 
 School. 
 
 Out of this work there there grew eventually the Sec- 
 ond Presl)yterian Church (colored) which was organized 
 by the Presbytery in 1887, and now owns a nice church 
 property on South Walnut street, and is doing good work. 
 
 In i88r the trustees ])urchased the house and lot at 317 
 West Miner street, for $6500, which has since been used 
 as a manse. 
 
 This church seems never to have succeeded in main- 
 taining a Board of Deacons, but this history would be in- 
 complete if no mention was made of an endeavor in this 
 direction, made at the election of elders, April 30, 1882. "At 
 a meeting of the communicants, convened after due notice, 
 for the election of Elders and Deacons, the following per- 
 sons were elected Elders : For three years, Alfred P. Reid 
 and Paul F. Whitehead, to succeed themselves. For one 
 year, Herman F. Wyers, to succeed William E. Barber, 
 who died April 13, 1882. 
 
 After due consideration of the propriety of having a 
 Board of Deacons, it was decided, "That it is for the best 
 interests of the church to complete its organization and 
 
60 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 obey the Scriptural injunction by proceeding to elect six 
 (6) Deacons, who shall arrange themselves into three 
 classes whose terms of service shall expire in one, two and 
 three years respectively, so that hereafter an election for 
 two (2) Deacons to serve three (3) years shall be held an- 
 nually, at the same time that the Elders are elected." 
 
 Accordingly the following persons were elected Dea- 
 cons: William P. Schell, Samuel M. Brown, J. Gheen 
 Morgan, William Dowlin, W. W . AlacElree, William C. 
 Husted. 
 
 As was directed the arrangement into classes was ac- 
 complished as follows : 
 
 To serve three years, J. Gheen Morgan and William 
 Dowlin ; to serve two years, William P. Schell and Samuel 
 M. Brown; to serve one year. \W W. MacElree and W^il- 
 liam C. Husted. 
 
 The following Sabbath all the above Deacons were or- 
 dained and installed, as was also the newly elected elder, 
 the other elders being reinstalled. 
 
 Mr, William E. Barber held the office of Ruling Elder 
 in this church for ten years lacking one day, entering upon 
 his duties, April 14, 1872, and dying April 13, 1882.* In the 
 memorial minute adopted by the session, reference is 
 made to his services as Superintendent of the Sabbath 
 School for more than twelve years, as long as his health 
 would permit ; and also to the fact that he organized the 
 Harmony Hill Sabbath School and conducted it for several 
 years. Mention is also made of his connection with the 
 Marshallton Sal^bath School. 
 
 "Mr. Barber was thoroughly grounded in the doctrines 
 of the Bible, and well versed in Presbyterian Polity * * 
 * * His hand and heart were always at the service of 
 any cause that had for its object the good of men and the 
 honor of Christ. He loved the church. To him her sanctu- 
 ary was God's temple ; her ministers, God's messengers, 
 and her ordinances, God's handwriting. The Lord Jesus 
 Christ was his master whom he loved with ever increasing 
 affection. ■" '■' ''" As a member of this session he 
 
CHURCH, OP WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 was a valuable counselor, careful for the honor and in- 
 tegrity of the church, and for the spiritual welfare of the 
 flock. His words of counsel in public and in private were 
 freighted with heavenly manna and perfumed with a celes- 
 tial fragrance." 
 
 The years of Dr. Jones' pastorate were marked by a 
 constant and healthy growth, and the happy relations ex- 
 isting between pastor and people might have continued in- 
 definitely except for the fact that on Alarch 14, 1883, the 
 pastor "informed the session that he had been elected to 
 fill the Chair of General and Sacred Rhetoric at Lincoln 
 University, and that he considered it his duty to accept the 
 position." 
 
 At the congregational meeting called to take action 
 there was a regretful acquiescence with the pastor in his 
 request to Presbytery for a dissolution of the pastoral re- 
 lation, and on April 11, 1883, Presbytery dissolved the pas- 
 toral relation to take efifect May ist. 
 
 From the recorded action of the congregation at the 
 meeting above referred to the following is selected : 
 
 "Resolved, That while sincerely regretting the neces- 
 sity for a severance of the ties that have bound us together 
 as pastor and people for the last ten years, and greatly pre- 
 ferring the uninterrupted continuance of the same, we rec- 
 ognize the fact that our pastor is not the servant of this 
 or of any particular church, but only of the great 'Head of 
 the Church.' and that confidence in him and in his judg- 
 ment requires us to acquiesce in his recjuest, in a matter 
 in which he is positive and decided that his duty is clear, 
 
 "Resolved, That we desire in view of the separation 
 about to take place, to bear testimony to our love for Mr. 
 Jones as a pastor, to our admiration for him as an effective 
 preacher of the Word of God, and to our confidence in him 
 as a conscientious, spiritually-minded Christian, as well as 
 to our appreciation of the able and unselfish manner in 
 which he has performed his pastoral and ministerial duties 
 in our midst; and our earnest prayer is that he may be 
 speedily and completely restored to health, and that the 
 
62 HISTOFiY OF THE FIRST I'RESBYTERIAN 
 
 blessing of God may accompany and abide with him and 
 his household in his new field of labor." 
 
 During the ten years of Dr. Jones' pastorate, two hun- 
 dred and seventeen had been received into the church by 
 examination, and one hundred and fourteen by letter, mak- 
 ing three hundred and thirty-one in all. The statistical re- 
 port for the year ending April i, 1883, shows a total number 
 of communicants of 446. The Sabbath School membership 
 is reported as follows: Church Schools, 330; Colored 
 School, 100; four (4) Country Mission Schools, 275; making 
 a total of 705. 
 
 It is noted in the record of the election of elders, April 
 19. 1883. that an election of deacons was held also accordr 
 ing to the plan adoptefl the year before, and the two dea- 
 cons elected for one year were re-elected to serve three 
 years, but thereafter, for some reason, there was no notice 
 given at the time for the election of elders that any deacons 
 would be elected. Thus ended, after such a brief period, 
 all efforts to maintain what had been undertaken with such 
 promise of much advantage to the church. 
 
 Asked to prepare an estimate of Rev. Dr. Jones, as he 
 is affectionately remembered by those who were privileged 
 to know him and to come under his influence, Arthur T. 
 Parke, Esq., one of the present elders of this church, has 
 submitted the following: 
 
 "Rev. Benjamin T. Jones was a man of somewhat 
 slight physique, of dignified bearing, and of scholarly at- 
 tainments. He came to West Chester in his early man- 
 hood, with all the enthusiasm of youth, and with a mental 
 and spiritual equipment, which made him at once a vital 
 force in the community. He was a man of strong convic- 
 tions, of Puritanic and Spartan habits of life, and possessed 
 of a zeal for his Master and the Church which proved to be 
 contagious. 
 
 "From the moment of his advent to our town he at- 
 tracted men, and especially young men, to him. He en- 
 listed the members of his session in active and quickened 
 service, and organized a class for regular and systematic 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER. PA. 63 
 
 study of the Bible, which inchided in its number many of 
 the young men of the town. His energy led him to extend 
 his activities beyond the limits of the borough, and, with 
 the earnest co-operation of the members of the church, he 
 established Sabbath Schools and preaching stations in out- 
 lying country districts. 
 
 "His sermons were masterly productions, delivered 
 for the most part from manuscript, and from time to time 
 repeated by request. He accepted the Scriptures as un- 
 cjuestioned authority in faith and practice, and was devoted 
 to the doctrine of the Presbyterian Creed. He was always 
 accorded a prominent place in the Councils of the Church. 
 He found the First Presbyterian Church of West Chester 
 occupying a leading position in the Presbytery of Chester 
 and he maintained its prestige and advanced its standing." 
 
 Rev. J. B. Kendall, D. D., President of Lincoln Uni- 
 versity, was requested to give his impressions of Rev. B. 
 T. Jones, D. D., and has kindly furnished the following: 
 
 "Dr. Jones came as a young man to the important 
 church in ^Vest Chester in Chester Presbytery. Straight 
 as an arrow, spare, quick and graceful in movement, one 
 could not but look at him with a kind of fascination. And 
 then when in Presbytery or at installations or in public 
 service he rose to speak, the clear resonant voice, the 
 chaste, forceful sentences, the apt and beautiful illustra- 
 tions, the evident sincerity and conviction that prompted 
 all his utterances, all riveted the attention and retained it 
 until he sat down. I can directl}- remember the time, when 
 he first took possession of my warmest admiration. 
 
 "A motion was made to disorganize and disband the 
 church at Doe Run on the ground that all further assist- 
 ance was a waste of sacred mone}^ And the motion came 
 from one of the recognized leaders of the Presbytery. Dr. 
 Jones, still a comparative stranger in the Presbytery, 
 sprang to his feet and said it was the custom in heathen 
 lands to strangle and destroy parents who had grown old 
 and feeble, but Christendom gloried in the privilege of then 
 rendering- the tenderest ministrv. The name of Doe Run 
 
HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 remained on the roll of churches. Then came an adjourned 
 meeting of Presbytery to install a pastor at Doe Run, if 
 the way should be clear. But before the way could be clear 
 nearly $ioo was needed, and again he promptly went to the 
 platform, and said that he had been advised by some of his 
 friends to put a little more meal in the barrel and give a little 
 less to benevolence, but that this was a time for benevolence 
 and prompt benevolence, and his hand went into his pocket 
 and brought out $5, and there he stood pleading until the 
 $100 was raised, and now, he said, the way is clear to pro- 
 ceed with the installation, and he modestly went back aud 
 took his seat, and the installation proceeded. 
 
 "From that tinve on 1 felt that he was a wise, large- 
 hearted leader, and safe to follow. And then as the years 
 went on the day came when Lincoln University needed a 
 Professor. My thought at once went out to Dr. Jones. I 
 was pronounced a visionary, but I clung to my view that 
 he was influenced not by material considerations but by his 
 conscience, and if we could appeal to his conscience, 'he 
 would come. And the appeal was made and the conscience 
 was gained. His devoted church offered him a year's va- 
 cation, and a continuance of salary, and an extra $1000 
 for a year's travel abroad. But he had devoted himself to 
 what he believed was the call of God, and he closed his ears 
 to these generous plans of his devoted flock. Still later he 
 was called to a church ofifering three times the salary he 
 was receiving at Lincoln L^niversity, but he remained where 
 his conscience bade him stay until God called him to his 
 service and reward above. He was the first Professor of 
 the English Bible in any institution in our land, and there 
 never can be a better. 
 
 "He belie^'ed the Bible from lid to lid, and he believed 
 it was the power of God unto salvation. He loved it and 
 taught it with a glowing earnestness. On more than one 
 occasion as professors and students were on some of the 
 messianic passages and hearts were burning, he would 
 suddenly stop and call on some student to pray and he 
 
JOHN CALVIN CALDWELL 
 Pastor, 1883-1892 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 would follow, and when their eyes were opened, it was as 
 if they saw Jesus only. 
 
 "He was taken home in the noontide of usefulness. 
 And to this day I cannot realize that he has gone. It seems 
 as if I ought to be able to see his earnest, spiritual face, and 
 to hear the words welling up from' his full enriched soul. 
 His sermons were highly intellectual, and they were also 
 full of feeling, but above all the appeal was to the con- 
 science. The glowing imperative of duty ran through all 
 his preaching. No man was more sought or more effective 
 in seasons of religious interest. Fagg's Manor, New Lon- 
 don and Kennett Square, all experienced gracious revivals 
 under his ministry while he was with us at Lincoln. 
 
 "He was peculiarly sensitive about counting the 
 sheaves and recei\4ng glory from men. One time when a 
 reporter Avanted to know how many had been converted 
 under his preaching at one of these places, he denied all 
 knowledge and showed righteous indignation that he 
 should be reckoned an agent of conversion. I never knew 
 a servant more completely hid behind his Master. 
 
 "I am his debtor. No man had more influence over me 
 either by his life or by his words. In all her history Lin- 
 coln University has never had a more winsome or nobler 
 Professor. Every where he has been there are long, loving, 
 lingering memories. And never was it more true of any of 
 God's servants, 'He being dead yet speaketh.' " 
 
 REV. JOHN CALVIN CALDWELL. 
 
 Fortunately the church was soon led to the unanimous 
 election of a pastor, the congregational meeting for that 
 ])urpose being held on July 2, when the Rev. John Calvin 
 Caldwell, D. D., of Chambersburg, Pa., was given a call, 
 which he accepted, entering upon his work August 20, 
 1883. He was installed by Presbytery, October 10, 1883. 
 
 It was soon after the settlement of Dr. Caldwell as 
 pastor that the body of the Rev. William A. Stevens, the 
 
HISTORY OP THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 first pastor of this clnirch. was removed to Oaklands Ceme- 
 tery. 
 
 This removal was first suggested by Addison May, 
 Esq., an uncle of Mr. Stevens, who expressed to the Session 
 and Board of Trustees his desire that the body might be re- 
 moved to his famil}- lot. Therefore at the meeting of Session, 
 November 7, 1883, "P- F. \\'hitehead and A. P. Reid were 
 appointed a committee to attend to the removal of the re- 
 mains of Rev. Wm. A. Stevens, first pastor of this church, 
 from their present location near the church l>uilding. to 
 the lot of Addison May. Esq.. Oaklands Cemetery, accord- 
 ing to the request of the Board of Trustees." 
 
 The annual statistical report for the year ending April 
 I. 1883. gives 22 as received on examination during the 
 year, and 19 by letter, in all 41. making the total member- 
 ship reported at that date, 452. Sabbath School member- 
 ship is given as follows: Church Schools. 333; Colored 
 vSchool. 56; five countr}' schools, 335, making in all a total 
 of 724. 
 
 The custom of obtaining the services of a theological 
 student for the summer months had been kept up each 
 year. (3n May 31, 1884, the session took action as follows: 
 "In accordance with our usual custom of engaging the 
 services of a theological student for the summer months, 
 the Rev. George F. Greene, of Princeton Theological Sem- 
 inary, accepted the place, and is now laboring within the 
 bounds of our congregation under the direction of the pas- 
 tor. It was directed that at the close of his labors the 
 treasurer of the session shall be authorized to ])ay him $50, 
 which amount is in addition to the usual sum paid by the 
 trustees." 
 
 In the fall of that year, death again visited the session, 
 removing Paul F. Whitehead, who died October 14, 1884. 
 He was ordained to the eldership April 24, 1878. In the 
 memorial minute adopted by the session, after referring to 
 his services as chorister for twelve }-ears, and his long 
 labors as teacher in the Sabbath School, it continues as fol- 
 lows : "He was faithful to everv trust. He was conscien- 
 
CHURCH. OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 tious in the performance of every duty. His life was full 
 of sweet charity. His heart was warm and loving. His dis- 
 position was cheerful and obliging. He was sturdy and 
 zealous for the right. He was devoted to his church. He 
 was loyal to his Master. He grew in grace daily. He will 
 be iTfissed at the fireside, where he was the revered hus- 
 band and father. He will be missed in the community 
 which trusted him implicitly. He will be missed in the 
 social circle where his presence had a quiet and hallowing 
 influence. He will be missed in every department of 
 church work where his wise counsel and ready help were 
 always seen and felt. He will be missed in the eldership 
 which he adorned." 
 
 At the election of elders. April 19, 1885. Mr. J. Gheen 
 Morgan was chosen to fill the vacancy caused by the death 
 of Paul F. Whitehead, and he was ordained and installed, 
 on Sabbath, April 26. 
 
 Early in the fall of this year the pews were declared 
 free on Sabbath evenings and on Communion Sabbaths, 
 cottage prayer meetings were planned, and the borough 
 was districted for sessional oversight, one elder being ap- 
 pointed for each division. 
 
 The following summer, Air. H. F. Means, a student of 
 the \\'estern Theological Seminary was engaged to work 
 in the bounds of the congregation during the usual number 
 of months. 
 
 The annual statistical re])ort for the year ending April 
 I, 1886. gives the total number of communicants then on 
 the roll, 460. The Sabbath School membership is given as 
 follows: Church School. 356; Colored School, 70; three 
 country schools. 156, making a total of 582. 
 
 In the fall of 1886 the Colored Sabbath School was 
 given new accommodations by the session of this church 
 renting the room in the third story of the building on South 
 Church street, then used by the Post Office, and now occu- 
 pied by the West Chester Laundry. The annual rental was 
 fixed at sixty dollars and the Clerk and Treasurer of the 
 session were authorized to sign the agreement. J. N. Hus- 
 
68 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 ton, Esq., was Superintendent. The removal of the school 
 to this place marks the beginning of religious services for 
 the colored people on Sabbath, Mr. Thomas H. Amos, a 
 student at Lincoln University, and a candidate for the min- 
 istry, being "appointed to conduct religious services for the 
 colored people of West Chester, under the charge of this 
 church." This led to the organization of the Second Pres- 
 byterian Church (Colored) the following year. 
 
 Mr. J. Gheen Morgan resigned his ofifice as Ruling 
 Elder, February 5, 1890, which was accepted by the session. 
 At the regular election of elders, April 20, 1890, Mr. Wil- 
 liam Dowlin was chosen to fill Mr. Morgan's unexpired 
 term. 
 
 On the minutes of session for December 7, 1889, "The 
 pastor was authorized to revive the Sunday evening prayer 
 meetings, putting them in charge of the young people of 
 the church." This resulted in the establishment of the 
 Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, which has 
 accomplished much in the work of this church. 
 
 The formal organization of the Society is recorded in 
 the minutes under date of October 14. 1890. That meeting 
 was held in response to an invitation by the pastor to the 
 young people of the First Presbyterian Church of West 
 Chester to meet "for the purpose of forming a Society for 
 Christian work and the improvement of its members in 
 lal)oring for Christ." 
 
 "After quite an explanation of the working of various 
 associations and particularly the Society called Christian 
 Endeavor, it was decided to form an association, the name 
 to be decided by a committee." The following ofificers were 
 then elected: Mr. W. B. Dunwoody, President; Mr. H. 
 T. Ferrell, Vice-President; Mrs. Ella E. MacElree, Treas- 
 urer, and Miss Sue D. Pinkerton, Secretary. The commit- 
 tee to select the name consisted of the ofificers and Mr. 
 William C. Husted. 
 
 At the next meeting held October 21, the committee 
 reported recommending the adoption of the Constitution 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 framed for Christian Endeavor Societies and that the as- 
 sociation be known by that name. It was decided to hold 
 the meetings every Sabbath evening, in the smaller Sunday 
 School room, in the basement of the church ; every meet- 
 ing to begin promptly at 6.45 and close promptly at 7.20. 
 The place of meeting was soon changed to the larger room 
 in the basement, known as the Lecture Room, to see if 
 more would not be thus led to attend. 
 
 The first Lookout Committee consisted of Miss Sue D. 
 Pinkerton, Chairman ; Miss Anna Whitehead, Miss Mary 
 L. Walsh, Miss Annie Clark and Mr. Norman B. Guss. 
 The other committees as first formed were as follows : 
 
 Prayer Meeting Committee — Mr. H. T. Ferrell, Chair- 
 man ; Miss Lizzie Moore, Miss Lillie AL Temple, Miss 
 Nellie Ross and Miss Emily Taylor. 
 
 Calling Committee' — Miss Emily Taylor, Chairman ; 
 Mrs. H, F. Wyers, Miss Bessie Smith, Miss Anna J. Dun- 
 woody and Mr. W. B. Dunwoody. 
 
 Social Committee — Mrs. H. F. Wyers, Chairman ; Miss 
 Marion Gheen, Miss Emily Taylor, Miss Jessie Caldwell 
 and Mr. Paul Smith. 
 
 Music Committee — Miss Anna Whitehead, Chairman ; 
 Miss V. Bowman, Miss Bessie Smith, Miss Annie Clark 
 and Miss Louisa White. 
 
 These seem to have been the only committees ap- 
 pointed until after the next election of officers, which was 
 held April 9, 1891, when a Corresponding Secretary was 
 added, Miss Anna J. Dunwoody being selected for that 
 office. A Sunday School Contmittee and a Flower Com- 
 mittee were added to the list of committees. Among the 
 names not found in the first committees, but now brought 
 into the work we have the following: Miss A. Shields, Mr. 
 Sydney Kirk, Miss Florence V. Gallagher, Miss Belle Clark, 
 Miss Mabel Taylor, Miss Mary A. Mercer, Miss Maud T. 
 Williams, Miss Lillian Pierce, Mr. Flarry Morgan, Miss 
 Mary E. Wilson, Miss Sarah M. Bogle, Miss Florence H. 
 Parker, Miss Minnie A. Johnson, Miss Katie Miller, Miss 
 Fannie D. Musser, Miss Mabel Matlack, Miss Ella Beatty, 
 
HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 Mr. Arthur P. Reid, Mr. Howard Beatty, Miss Carrie Heed, 
 Miss Lizzie Clark, Miss Adda Worrall, Miss Maggie Clark, 
 Miss Ella Parker and Mr. Clarence Stott. 
 
 Early in the year 1891 reference is made in the min- 
 utes of session to the possible organization of another 
 Presbyterian Church in West Chester. Nothing was done 
 in the matter, the minute closing with the statement that 
 "the consideration of this paper was postponed." 
 
 The next mention of the subject is in a meeting of the 
 session, February 12, 1892, when we find the following 
 record : "A communication from the Outlook Committee 
 of Chester Presbytery was laid before the session as fol- 
 lo\ys : 
 
 "At a regular meeting of the Outlook Committee of 
 Chester Presbytery it was moved and seconded that the 
 Secretary be requested to direct the session of the First 
 Presbyterian Church of West Chester to canvass the whole 
 (|uestion of another church in that place and report to this 
 Committee. As this motion was unanimously adopted, I 
 hereby obey the command of the Committee and notify the 
 session." This communication was signed by Rev. Wm. 
 A. Patton, D. D., Secretary of the Outlook Committee. 
 
 After consideration, the following paper was adopted: 
 "The session of the First Presbyterian Church of West 
 Chester, in response to the resolution of the Outlook Com- 
 mittee of Chester Presbytery in reference to another Pres- 
 byterian Church in this place, say : that they canvassed the 
 whole matter of such an organization a year ago, and then 
 agreed that it was very desirable that such a church 
 should be established here, and steps were taken to that 
 end, which failed of accomplishment. And now on further 
 consideration have reached the conclusion again that such 
 a church is desirable ; therefore the session trusts the pres- 
 ent movement will result in another Presbyterian Church 
 organization, and believe that it is best it should be carried 
 out as it has been conducted, independently of this session, 
 without any control by or responsibility to the session." 
 
 The clerk was directed to send the above to the Sec- 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER. PA. 
 
 retary of the Outlook Committee. As a result of this ac- 
 tion. Presbytery took measures to organize another church, 
 which was named the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 
 and on ]\Iay 23. 1892, letters of dismission were granted 
 to ninety-eight of the members of this church, including a 
 majority of the elders, "to the Presbyterian Church to be 
 organized. May 25. 1892, by direction of the Presbytery of 
 Chester." At a meeting of session, June 4th, two additional 
 letters were granted to the newly formed church, making 
 one hundred in all entering the new organization from this 
 church. 
 
 The great success achieved by the Westminster 
 Church under the blessing of God has been exceedingly 
 gratifying. Before the organization was formed preaching 
 services were held in what was called "Smith's Hall," on 
 East Gay street, conducted by the Rev. J. L. Estlin, who 
 was then pastor of the Dilworthtown Presbyterian Church. 
 Soon the meetings were transferred to the "Assembly 
 Building" on High street, where the church increased 
 greatly. Eventually they erected a beautiful church build- 
 ing on South Church street, which is owned by the congre- 
 gation free of debt. 
 
 Such movements are seldom effected with the full and 
 hearty concurrence of all concerned, and this was no excep- 
 tion. Many feared that the prosperity of the old church 
 would be seriously affected by the loss of such a large num- 
 ber, most of them very earnest workers, especially since 
 they believed the borough did not afiford field enough for 
 two strong churches of the same denomination. Happily 
 all such fears proved absolutely groundless. The blessing 
 of God rested richly upon both organizations, and before 
 many years it was recognized by every one that the organ- 
 ization of a new church had not been in any sense a mis- 
 take, as manifestly much more was being accomplished by 
 the two churches working harmoniously side by side than 
 could have been expected from one church, even under the 
 most favorable conditions ; and it has been a great joy to 
 every heart to see the two churches often coming together 
 
T2 HISTORY OP THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 in union meetings, and especially to witness the unfeigned 
 joy of the pastor, officers and members of the Westminster 
 Church, as on the seventy-fifth anniversary of the organi- 
 zation of the old church they gave up their Sabbath even- 
 ing service that all might meet together to praise God for 
 bringing the old church to the end of three-quarters of a 
 century with a strength and vigor which had never been 
 equalled in all its history. 
 
 Elder William ]\IcCullough did not live to see the or- 
 ganization of the new church, as he died April 2, 1892. 
 From the memorial minute adopted by the session, April 
 17, the following is taken: 
 
 "The session desires to put on record this tribute to his 
 memory. He was a consistent and faithful follower of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ. He was an upright and honorable citi- 
 zen. He was a wise and judicious counselor. He was de- 
 voted to his church, and served her with all the energy of 
 his nature, and all the fervor of a true love. He ever 
 sought her peace, prosi)erity and purity in doctrine and life. 
 He was mild in speech and benevolent in every action. He 
 passed to his long home like a shock of corn fully ripe, 
 to enjoy the companionship of his Blessed Master, whom 
 he had served nearly his whole lifetime. Blessed is the man 
 that maketh the Lord his trust." 
 
 On Sabbath. July 3. 1892, the Pastor, Rev. J. C. Cald- 
 well, D. D., "announced to the congregation his intention 
 of resigning the pastorate of this church, and with the ses- 
 sion agreed to call a congregational meeting, to be held on 
 Wednesday evening, July 6th, to request them to join with 
 him in asking the Presbytery of Chester to dissolve the 
 pastoral relation existing between him and this church." 
 
 This action the Presbytery took at a meeting in this 
 church, July 12, the dissolution to take effect August 15, 
 1892. 
 
 The appreciation and affection of the church for their 
 pastor are shown in the resolutions unanimously adopted 
 at the congregational meeting referred to : 
 
 "Whereas, Rev. J. C. Caldwell, D. D., has asked that 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 73 
 
 his pastoral relation with this church be dissolved, and 
 that commissioners be appointed to the Presbytery of 
 Chester to unite with him in this request : 
 
 "Resolved, That while we accede to Dr. Caldwell's 
 wishes, we do so with sincere and heartfelt sorrow, and 
 consent with the greatest reluctance to a severance of our 
 relations with the beloved pastor of this church. 
 
 "Resolved, That his able and efficient ministry in our 
 midst, his earnest and faithful service in season and out of 
 season, his eloquent and fearless preaching of God's word, 
 his afifectionate and tender sympathy with all who are in 
 sorrow or distress, his constant care and solicitude for the 
 poor, have not only endeared him- to the members of his 
 congregation, but have won him the regard and esteem of 
 all who know him, and have made him an influence for good 
 in this community. 
 
 "Resolved that our love and affection will follow Dr. 
 Caldwell and his family in his new field of usefulness ; that 
 we commend him to the different communities to which he 
 is called, as one worthy of their full confidence and esteem ; 
 and our fervent prayer is that God will crown his labors 
 with that abundant success which he so richly deserves." 
 
 John J. Pinkerton, Esq., was one of the commissioners 
 appointed by this church to convey to Presbytery the ac- 
 tion taken at the congregational meeting. In his address 
 •to Presbytery, speaking of Dr. Caldwell, he said: 
 
 "As a preacher he had rare qualities, as those who 
 flocked into the church and filled its pews to its fullest ca- 
 pacity can testify. In the language of Luke, in describing 
 the walk with Christ to Emmaus, 'He opened to us the 
 Scriptures.' He presented a real living Christ, not some 
 vague definition of Him which no one could understand 
 and no one wanted to hear. He believed with Robertson, 
 of Brighton, that belief in the human character of Christ 
 must be antecedent to belief in His Divine origin. And so 
 he preached Christ as He appeared in the streets of Naza- 
 reth, a carpenter's son ; as He appeared on the mountain 
 of Judea and by the side of the Galilean Sea ; the Christ 
 
74 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 who taught Nicodemus and talked with the woman at the 
 well of Sychar. 
 
 "He understood the wants of the age in which we live 
 and preached accordingly. * * * j^g ^jj^j j^q^- ^^^y 
 
 to prove that Baruch could or could not have written the 
 book of Isaiah, nor labor to defend the authenticity of the 
 fourth Gospel ; but he did stand in his place and with bold- 
 ness and emphasis condemn the violation of the Sabbath ; 
 denounce intemperance and the sale of rum ; protest against 
 venality and corruption in politics ; warn against the greed 
 of corporate organization, and plead the cause of labor and 
 the payment of its just rewards. He was the friend of 
 every just and humane cause, and his name will long abide 
 in this town as the imwavering advocate of all that was 
 good. 
 
 "I am not unmindful of the occasion, nor do I fail to 
 appreciate the privilege I enjoy of addressing this body of 
 men of trained ability and liberal scholarship. I know that 
 their profession, like my own, places a high value upon 
 precedent and authority in all that relates to their calling. 
 And so, in attempting to portray another phase of Dr. 
 Caldwell's character as a Christian minister, I beg your in- 
 dulgence while I employ not my own words but the words 
 of another. They are the words of a man who is, by uni- 
 versal designation, one of the greatest leaders of the Pres- 
 byterian Church, words employed by him in describing, 
 one of the most lamented teachers of his faith and practice. 
 'He never talked about his religious states nor indeed did 
 he often talk about personal religion at all. There were 
 certain phases of religion that he did not like. He hated 
 cant, and he had no faith in the modern rose-water evan- 
 gelism that ignored the guilt of sin and the meaning of 
 atoning blood. He believed in the ordinances of the church, 
 in the efficacy of prayer, and the ministry of the Word. He 
 was no friend of societies, and pledges and platforms and 
 schemes of faith-cure and devices of propagating religion 
 by hot-bed culture. He was thoroughly churchly in his 
 religion, and his church was the Presbyterian Church.' " 
 
WASHINGTON ROBERT LAIRD 
 Pastor. 1S92 — 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 The last annual statistical report before the organiza- 
 tion of the Westminster Church showed a total member- 
 ship of 461. The Sabbath School membership was reported 
 as follows: Church School, 310; Copeland School, 51; 
 Goshenville School, 78; Harmony Hill School, 98, making 
 in all, 537. With the addition of 12 before the end of Dr. 
 Caldwell's pastorate, and the loss of 107, since the annual 
 report was made there remained reported on the church 
 roll a total membership of 366. During Dr. Caldwell's pas- 
 torate there had been received into membership in the 
 church, 162 on profession of faith, and 132 by letter, making 
 294 in all. 
 
 REV. WASHINGTON R. LAIRD. 
 
 The congregation on October 10, 1892, made out a call 
 for the Rev. Washington R. Laird, of New Castle, Pa., 
 which was accepted and Mr. Laird entered upon his work 
 in October, preaching his first sermon as pastor-elect, Oc- 
 tober 30, 1892. He was installed b}- Presbytery, November 
 17, 1892. 
 
 A careful revision of the roll gave the total number of 
 members in connection with the church at the beginning 
 of this pastorate, 334. The annual statistical report, April 
 I, 1893, showed, with 53 added since the new pastorate be- 
 gan, a total membership at that time of 364. 
 
 Only the Harmony Hill Sabbath School remained in 
 connection with the church, most of those connected with 
 the other country schools having joined the Westminster 
 Church. The Sabbath School membership in that annual 
 report is given as follows: Church School, 350; Harmony 
 Hill School, 129. Total, 479. 
 
 The events of the present pastorate are so familiar to 
 the minds of many that no history is required. At most 
 there is only need for mentioning a few improvements and 
 enlargements of the church property. 
 
 In 1893 a handsome chapel was completed, which had 
 been begun in the fall of 1892. This was erected on the 
 
HISTORY OP THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 lot east of the church, where a dwelHng that had formerly 
 been used as a parsonage, but later occupied by the sexton, 
 was torn away to make room for it. The chapel cost when 
 complete and furnished, about $21,000. 
 
 Nothing had been done with the church building since 
 1872, except to keep it in repair. But in 1905, with a con- 
 sciousness of increased ability, a much larger pipe organ 
 was constructed at a cost of $3100, and new windows, sev- 
 eral changes in the auditorium, and new furnishings se- 
 cured at a total cost of about $7500. 
 
 When the manse was purchased in 1881, a mortgage 
 was placed upon it for $4000. Interest was paid regularly 
 on that debt, with no thought of trying to remove it, until 
 some years ago, after the chapel was fully paid for, a plan 
 was undertaken for paying the manse debt through the 
 Building and Loan organization, out of the regular receipts 
 of the church. This has required between four and five 
 hundred dollars a year to pay the entire debt in some twelve 
 years, and only three of those years now remain. 
 
 Within the last two years a new steam heating plant 
 has been put into the manse, giving heat for the entire 
 house from the Electric Light Works through pipes laid 
 in the street. The same system has been put into the 
 church building and chapel at a total cost of about $1200. 
 
 The pastor's study has been fitted up beautifully in the 
 southwest corner of the church buildings, with an entrance 
 from Darlington street. No room could be better adapted 
 for the purpose, with four large windows, two facing south 
 and two west. 
 
 At the beginning of the present pastorate, in 1892, 
 there were but two ruling elders in the session, Mr. William 
 V. Husted and Mr. John G. Robison. April i, 1893, four 
 additional elders were elected : William C. Husted, Wil- 
 liam C. Hawkins, Samuel O. Barber and Dr. W. K. Thorp. 
 This made a session of six, and they were classified as fol- 
 lows : William V. Husted and William C. Hawkins, for 
 three years ; William^ K. Thorp and John G. Robison for 
 
RI'LING ELDERS 
 
 1. William V. Hu.sted 3. Paul P. Whitehead 
 
 2. John G. Robi^s()n 4. William McCuUough 
 
 ."i. ^^'illiam C. Hawkins 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 77 
 
 two years, and William C. Husted and Samuel O. Barber, 
 for one year. 
 
 This number remained unbroken until February 4, 
 1897, when Mr. Hawkins died. On the following April 18, 
 Samuel D. Ramsey, Esq., was elected to serve in his place. 
 In the memorial minute of the session, on the death of 
 Elder Wm. C. Hawkins, we have the following: 
 
 "We would place on record our esteem for him as a 
 brother beloved, our confidence in his true Christian char- 
 acter, and high admiration for those noble qualities which 
 endeared him to such a large circle of friends. 
 
 "Though hindered by distance from meeting with the 
 session as often as he would have done had he lived nearer, 
 no one could fail to recognize in his regular attendance 
 upon religious services and communions, and sympathetic 
 fellowships at other times, his deep interest in the church 
 and cause of Christ at large, and his profound joy in all 
 that evidenced the Lord's favor to this congregation." 
 
 Seven 'years later, on January 17, 1905, Elder John G. 
 Robison went to his reward. On the following April 30, 
 \lr. Herbert McCornack was elected an elder in his place. 
 Elder Robison served this church in his high office, nearly 
 one-third of a century. In his later years, being unable to 
 mingle with the people as much as formerly on account of 
 failing strength, he spent much time writing personal let- 
 ters to his unconverted friends, urging them to give their 
 hearts to Christ. The influence of his example in this mat- 
 ter, on the other elders of the Presbytery, no one can 
 measure. 
 
 From the minutes of session we take the following: 
 
 "Whereas, God in His providence has called home to 
 his reward our beloved elder, John G. Robison, who has 
 been a member of this session since April 14. 1872, and 
 who in all these years has manifested such strict fidelity to 
 all his duties as an elder, such deep and unselfish love for 
 the church, and such an intense desire for the salvation of 
 souls and the upbuilding of the cause of Christ in the 
 world; and who in addition to this was such an example in 
 
HISTORY OP THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 wisdom and love and prudence and strict integrity ; exem- 
 plary as a father, as a business man and as a citizen, there- 
 fore be it resolved: i. That we express as a session our 
 gratitude to God for all he has been to this church, for the 
 privilege of friendship and fellowship with this dear ser- 
 vant of Christ, and for all the helpful encouragement of his 
 counsel and prayers in the work of the church by which we 
 have all been so richly blessed. 
 
 "2. That we hear in this the call of God to us who re- 
 main, to take up and carry on with more earnestness than 
 ever, the work which our brother has laid down ; and that 
 especially we will endeavor to bring to Christ every uncon- 
 verted person for whose salvation our brother by writing 
 letters and otherwise, made such long and continued effort." 
 
 The last death in our session removed the one who 
 had served longest in the eldership of any in the history 
 of the church. Mr. William V. Husted died May 14, 1908, 
 after a service in the session of almost forty-three years. 
 At an election of elders held May 17, 1908, Arthur T. Parke, 
 Esq., was elected to succeed Mr. Husted in the eldership. 
 He was ordained and installed. May 24, 1908. 
 
 In the minutes adopted by the session there is a little 
 sketch of Elder Wm. V. Husted's life and of his long rela- 
 tion with this church. 
 
 "William Vandever Husted was born in West Ches- 
 ter, Pa., April 20, 1824, and with the exception of about one 
 vear this was his place of residence all his life. When he 
 was less than ten years old this church was organized, and 
 a little while before its organization a Sabbath School was 
 organized, which this little boy began to attend. 
 
 "Mr. Husted's relation to the Sabbath School was 
 worthy of note, because he began to attend almost, if not 
 exactly, at the opening of its first session, and with the ex- 
 ception of one year's absence from West Chester he re- 
 mained identified with the school as scholar or teacher un- 
 til in extreme old age he became too feeble to attend. 
 
 "Our Sabbath School has been greatly blessed in lead- 
 ing many souls to accept Christ as Saviour, and this boy 
 
CHURCH. OF WEST CHESTER. PA. 79 
 
 was one of the first fruits. On April 30, 1843, j'-ist ten days 
 after his nineteenth birthday, he was received into commu- 
 nicant membership in this church. There is nothing special 
 to record of his early years of membership. There was in 
 his heart no disposition to push himself into prominence; 
 he was one of those who did nothing through strife or vain- 
 glory, but in lowliness of mind esteemed others better 
 than themselves.' Yet these years were marked by such 
 consistency of Christian de])ortment and by such loyal de- 
 votion to Christ and the upbuilding of His cause, that on 
 October 22, 1865, when he was a little more than forty-one 
 years old, he and Mr. William McCullough were elected to 
 the eldership. 
 
 With the election of these two men, the session con- 
 sisted of P. Frazer Smith, Dr. William Worthington, Lam- 
 bert Clark, William F. Wyers, William McCullough and 
 William V. Husted. Mr. Husted survived the last of these 
 by more than fifteen years, and outlived four others who 
 were later chosen to serve as his associates in this high 
 office. Many years ago a vacancy occurring in the clerk- 
 ship, Mr. Husted was elected clerk and treasurer of the 
 session, and held this office until his death. 
 
 "Such a long and prominent identification with this 
 church and session might have been expected to give al- 
 most any one the disposition and attitude of a dictator, at 
 least to some slight degree ; but nothing was more foreign 
 to Mr. Husted than such a thought. All his associates can 
 bear witness to the humble, unassuming spirit of this man 
 of God, who was ever more ready to listen than to speak, 
 and was always willing, without the least pride in his 
 opinion, to defer gladly to the mind of others the instant 
 he saw that their judgment was safe; and even when not 
 entirely satisfied, he accepted the will of the majority with- 
 out the least manifestation of disappointment, and with 
 heartiest determination to make the work of a united ses- 
 sion a blessing to the cause he so dearly loved. 
 
 "His afi^ectionate loyalty to his pastor was all that any 
 human heart could render. His attitude was one of contin- 
 
80 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 tied, and, if possible, increasing sympathy and support. He 
 never failed for one instant to do all in his power to hold 
 up his pastor's hands. His love was wonderful. * * * 
 
 "During all the years his place was never vacant in 
 the church service, morning or evening, or at the mid- 
 week prayer meeting, except once in a long while when a 
 short illness might prevent, or he might be absent from 
 home. This faithfulness to all church meetings character- 
 ized his long life until the very day when he was stricken 
 with the sickness from which he did not recover; then for 
 several months he was 'shut in,' that in God's own way 
 His child might be fully prepared for higher fellowship and 
 service, and late in the afternoon of Thursday, May 14th, 
 he 'fell asleep.' " 
 
 In concluding this historical sketch it remains but to 
 mention some of the flourishing organizations connected 
 with this church. 
 
 First of all we have the Woman's Home Missionary 
 Society, and the Woman's Foreign A'lissionary Society, 
 which have existed from the early years of the church. The 
 work of these two societies has been faithfully done, with 
 devotion and self-sacrifice. Through the instrumentality 
 of the latter organization, this church has for quite a num- 
 ber of years, supported a missionary in the foreign field. 
 The money thus raised is devoted to work in Etawah, 
 India. 
 
 Then there is the Young People's Mission Band, which 
 has really existed in this church from the time when it was 
 organized by Mrs. William E. ]\Ioore. The money raised 
 by this society is devoted in some form of home mission 
 work ; often to the support of a scholar in some Home Mis- 
 sion School. 
 
 Next should be named the Christian Endeavor Society, 
 first established in this church under the leadership of 
 Rev. Dr. Caldwell. Three societies are maintained, the 
 Junior, Intermediate and Senior. 
 
 February 3, 1908, a meeting of the men of the church 
 and congregation was held in the church parlor to con- 
 
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 >H OS . 
 
 Eh C O 
 
 ';5K 
 
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CHURCH. OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 81 
 
 sider the organization of a Brotherhood. The meeting 
 was addressed by Mr. J. H. Jefferis, an elder in the St. 
 John's Presbyterian Church, Devon, Pa., and Chairman of 
 our Presbyterian Committee on Brotherhoods. 
 
 This meeting resulted in the formation of a Brother- 
 hood which has continued to grow from the beginning, and 
 is regarded as one of the most important and promising fea- 
 tures of Christian activity our church presents. 
 
 The officers elected at the organization were as fol- 
 lows: President. Mr. Casper P, Worthington ; Secretary 
 and Treasurer, ]\Ir. Walter C. Munshower. Messrs. E. L. 
 McKinstry, T. Franklin Woodside and William Heckroth, 
 with the two officers named above, constitute the Execu- 
 tive Committee. 
 
 In the fall of 1908, work was undertaken among the 
 Italians. It was planned and carried on under the auspices 
 of the Young People's Mission Band, the effort being at 
 first to teach the Italians the English language, and then 
 to help them in other ways to become good Christian citi- 
 zens. Rev. Felix B. Santilli, Presbyterial Evangelist among 
 Italians, soon began to come once a week to visit among 
 the Italian families, and to help in the school work. After 
 a few weeks he began holding a brief religious service, 
 preaching to them in their own language. As a result quite 
 a number are already beginning to attend the Sabbath 
 School and some are beginning to come to the regular 
 church services. 
 
 To give a final summary of the work of this church, as 
 represented in the number received into the church under 
 the different pastors, will involve the repetition of the fig- 
 ures given at the close of the pastorates, but it will be help- 
 ful in presenting in one aspect of it the influence of this 
 Church upon this community during the three-quarters of 
 a century in which God has permitted it to do its work. 
 
 During the pastorate of Mr. Stevens there were re- 
 ceived into membership by profession of faith, 47; by let- 
 ter, 21 ; making a total of 68. During the pastorate of Mr. 
 Graff, by profession of faith. 16; by letter, 25; making a 
 
HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 total of 41. In Mr. Crowell's pastorate there were received 
 by profession of faith, 60; by letter, 30; making a total of 
 90. During Mr. Moore's pastorate there were received on 
 profession of faith, 325; by letter, 221; making a total of 
 546. In Mr. Jones' pastorate there were received by pro- 
 fession of faith, 217; by letter, 114; making a total of 331. 
 Under Mr. Caldwell's pastorate there were received on 
 profession of faith, 162; by letter, 132; making a total of 
 294. During the present pastorate there have been re- 
 ceived to January i, 1909, on profession of faith. 430; by 
 letter, 269; making a total of 699. 
 
 During the entire seventy-five years there have been 
 received into this church on profession of faith, 1257; by 
 letter. 812: making a grand total of 2069. 
 
 This large number represents those who came into 
 communicant membershij) in this church. Many came by 
 letter from other churches to find here those religious in- 
 fluences by which their souls could be nourished and fitted 
 for the hea^•enly home. The great majority, however, 
 were here led to accept Christ as their Saviour by the Spirit 
 of God working upon their hearts through sermons and 
 Sabbath School lessons and the personal efforts of pastors, 
 Sabbath School teachers and parents. In this church they 
 commemorated for the first time the Saviour's dying love 
 as they came to the table of the Lord. Here they were built 
 up in faith and love, and became, many of them, earnest 
 workers in this church. 
 
 The six hundred and seventeen communicants on the 
 roll at the time of the seventy-fifth anniversary subtracted 
 from the total number received give fourteen hundred and 
 fifty-two. Probably two hundred of these are still in mem- 
 bership with other churches to which they have taken their 
 letters from this church, but the others have passed over to 
 the other side. 
 
 These, of course, who came into communicant mem- 
 bership, are those who have been most influenced by this 
 church, but even this great number are but a small per- 
 centage of those whose lives have been more or less bene- 
 
CHURCH. OF WEST CHESTER, PA. S3 
 
 fited by the public worship, the prayer meetings, the Sab- 
 bath Schools here and in other places estabHshed and con- 
 ducted by this church, not to speak of what the contribu- 
 tions of this church have helped to accomplish in a large 
 way in our own and in foreign lands. 
 
 With grateful recognition of the mercy and grace of 
 our Saviour which have been so gloriously manifested in 
 the past, with increased faith in the God of our fathers, 
 whose word "has been tried," and with a deeper sense than 
 ever of the privileges and responsibilities for which we also 
 shall soon render an account, we invoke the guidance and 
 power of the Holy Spirit, praying that with the blessing 
 of the Most High this church may be more and more able 
 to accomplish a work that will not only abide through the 
 coming generations but endure the tests of the Great Da}' 
 of the Lord. 
 
84 HISTORY OP THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 A^PFENDTX 
 
 ROLL OF ELDERS 
 
 Dr. Stephen Harris Jan lo, 1834 Dismissed. . Jan. 18, 1840 
 
 Thomas Hutchinson Jan. 10, 1834 Dismissed. ..Nov. — , 1841 
 
 Robert Ralston Jan. 10, 1834 Dismissed. ..Apr. 30, 1836 
 
 Charles Sink Jan. 10, 1834 Dismissed. ..June 18, 1838 
 
 Henry Fleming Jan. 10, 1834 Died Sept. 29, 1865 
 
 P. Frazer Smith Oct. 8, 1834 Dismissed.. .Nov. 10, 1875 
 
 Dr. Wilmep Worthington.Oct. 30, 1836 Died Sept. 11, 1873 
 
 James Crowell Nov. 14, 1841 Dismissed. ..Mar. 15, 1854 
 
 Lambert Clark July 9, 1854 Died May 16, 1869 
 
 William F. Wyers July 9, 1854 Died June 23, 1871 
 
 William McCullough Oct. 22. 1865 Died Apr. 2, 1892 
 
 William V Husted Oct. 22, 1865 Died May 14, 1908 
 
 John G. Robison Apr. 14, 1872 Died Jan. 17, 1905 
 
 William E. Barber Apr. 14, 1872 Died Apr. 13, 1882 
 
 William S". Kirk Apr. 14, 1872 Resigned. . ..June 15, 1877 
 
 Alfred P. Reid Apr. 14. 1872 Resigned May 20, 1892 
 
 Paul F. Whitehead Apr. 24. 1878 Died Oct. 14, 1884 
 
 Herman F. Wyers May 7, 1882 Resigned May 20, 1892 
 
 J. Gheen Morgan Apr. 26, 1885 Resigned. .. .Jan. 8, 1890 
 
 William Dowlin Apr. i, 1890 Resis^ned. . ..May 20, 1892 
 
 William C. Husted Apr. i, 1893 
 
 William C. Hawkins. .. .Apr. i, 1893 Died Feb. 4, 1897 
 
 Samuel O. Barber Apr. i, 1893 
 
 Dr. William K. Thorp.. Apr. i, 1893 
 
 Samuel D. Ramsey Apr. 18, 1897 
 
 Herbert McCornack. . . . Apr. 30, 1905 
 Arthur T. Parke May 17, 1908 
 
 ROLL OF DEACONS 
 
 William P. Schell May 7, 1882 Resigned .... Feb. 17, 1885 
 
 Samuel M. Brown May 7, 1882 Resigned. .. .June 30, 1886 
 
 J. Gheen Morgan May 7, 1882 Resigned May 20. 1892 
 
 William Dowlin May 7, 1882 Resigned. . ..May 20, 1892 
 
 W. W. MacElree May 7, 1882 Resigned May 20, 1892 
 
 William C. Husted May 7, 1882 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 85 
 
 LIST OF TRUSTEES 
 
 Giving the Year of Their Election to Office 
 
 Henry Fleming 1834 
 
 Hon. Thomas S. Bell 1834 
 
 William H. Dillingham 1834 
 
 Joseph Smith 1834 
 
 Asher Miner 1834 
 
 Thomas Hutchinson 1834 
 
 P. Frazer Smith 1834 
 
 Dr. Wilmer Worthington..i834 
 
 Ziba Pyle 1835 
 
 James Crowell 1842 
 
 Thomas S. Bell 1842 
 
 William Apple 1842 
 
 John Marshall .' 1842 
 
 William Williamson 1842 
 
 F. E. Parki 1853 
 
 B. Franklin Pyle 1853 
 
 Dr. A. L. Bardin 1858 
 
 Hon. William B. Waddell. 1858 
 
 Hon. J. Smith Futhey 1858 
 
 John G. Robison 1861 
 
 Caleb Brinton, Jr 1861 
 
 William H. Dallett 1866 
 
 Dr. Isaac Massey 1868 
 
 William S. Kirk 1871 
 
 David M. McFarland 1871 
 
 Alfred P. Reid 1871 
 
 Charles Fairlamb 1872 
 
 John J. Pinkerton 1872 
 
 S. Alphonso Kirk 1874 
 
 Lewis W. Shields 1877 
 
 David W. Eyre 1881 
 
 Davis Hause 1885 
 
 George Kerr 1885 
 
 Evans Rogers 1885 
 
 Slater B. Russell 1885 
 
 William T. Barber 1885 
 
 Thomas W. Marshall 1887 
 
 Dr. Thos. D. Dunn 1887 
 
 Wilmer W. MacElree 1888 
 
 Charles M. Crowell 1890 
 
 William B. Dunwoody 1891 
 
 Hugh DeHaven 1892 
 
 Thomas T. Smith 1892 
 
 Edward E. Shields 1896 
 
 William H. Hodgson 1897 
 
 Dr. Robert M. Scott 1899 
 
 Dr. Charles E. Woodward. 1899 
 
 E. L. McKinstry 1899 
 
 Dr. John R. Everhart 1899 
 
 Arthur T. Parke 1901 
 
 A. Darlington Strode 1903 
 
 Joseph Menkins, Sr 1906 
 
 Howard G. Darlington 1907 
 
 OFFICERS OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 CHURCH 
 
 The Session 
 
 Rev. Washington R. Laird, Ph. D., Moderator 
 
 William C. Husted, Clerk 
 
 Dr. William K. Thorp 
 
 Samuel O. Barber 
 
 Samuel D. Ramsey, Esq. 
 
 Herbert McCornack 
 
 Arthur T. Parke, Esq. 
 
S6 HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
 
 The Board of Trustees 
 
 Thomas W. Marshall, President 
 
 Edward E. Shields, Secretarj' 
 
 William H. Hodgson 
 
 Dr. Robert M. Scott 
 
 Dr. Charles E. Woodward 
 
 Edwin L. McKinstry 
 
 Arthur T. Parke, Esq. 
 
 A. Darlington Strode 
 
 Howard G. Darlington 
 
 OFFICERS AND TEACHERS OF THE 
 SABBATH SCHOOL 
 
 Superintendent — Mr. William C. Hasted. 
 
 Assistant Superintendent — Dr. William K. Thorp. 
 
 Treasurer — Mr. Edward E. Shields. 
 
 Chorister — Mr. Joseph F. Hill. 
 
 Organist — Mr. Casper P. Worthington. 
 
 Pianist — Mr. Frank A. Pinkerton. 
 
 Librarians— Mr. C. Harry Barber, Mr. G. Geyer Hill, Mr. 
 John A. Johnson and Mr. T. Hastings Travilla. 
 
 Secretary — Mr. George S. Roberts. 
 
 Assistant Secretary — ^^Ir. Thomas W. Pierce. Jr. 
 
 Teachers — Mrs. S. LeRoy Barber, Miss Ada Barber, Miss 
 B. Louise Bruske, Miss Mary A. Bogle, Miss Elizabeth H. Dallett 
 (Organized Bible Class), Mrs. Henry J. Furness, Miss Mary E. 
 Green, Miss Roberta Laird, Miss Florence E. Martin, Miss Lo- 
 rena B. Matlack, Miss Sallie A. Myers, Miss Lillian W. Pierce, 
 Miss Hattie M. Torbert, Miss Florence Travilla, Miss Florence 
 Thorp, Miss Lucy E. Woodruflf, Mr. William E. Baldwin. Rev. 
 Washington R. Laird (Organized Bible Class), Mr. E. L. McKin- 
 stry (Organized Bible Class), Mr. Herbert McCornack, Arthur 
 T. Parke, Esq., Mr. Louis F". Powell, Samuel D. Ramsey, Esq. 
 
 Primary Department 
 
 Superintendent — Mrs. Justin E. Harlan. 
 
 Assistants — Mrs. E. L. McKinstry, Mrs. Arthur T. Parke and 
 Mrs. Charles T. Young. 
 
 Organist — ^Miss Frances E. Shields. 
 
 Kindergarten Section 
 
 Kindergartner — Miss Eleanor B. Ramsey. 
 
 Harmony Hill Sabbath School 
 
 Superintendent — Mr. Norman B. Guss. 
 
CHURCH, OF WEST CHESTER, PA. 
 
 OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES OF THE 
 CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR SOCIETY 
 
 President — Mr. Harold S. Laird. 
 
 Vice-President — Mr. Herbert J. Plank. 
 
 Recording Secretary — Miss Sara E. Abernethy. 
 
 Corresponding Secretary — Miss Ida E. Crowe. 
 
 Treasurer — Mr. Charles H. Powell. 
 
 Assistant Treasurer — Mr. C. Norman Hammond. 
 
 Chorister— Mr. Walter R. T. Pratt. 
 
 Pianist — Miss Marian E. Sharpless. 
 
 Organist — Mrs. Norman B. Guss. 
 
 Ushers — Mr. William Davis. Mr. Herbert Moore. 
 
 Superintendent of Intermediate Society — Mrs. Frank R. Gilbert. 
 
 Superintendent of Junior Society — Mrs. Albert J. Walton. 
 
 Assistant Superintendents — Miss Emma March, Miss Mary Bolton. 
 
 Committees 
 
 Lookout Committee — Mrs. George R. Scott, cliairman; Miss 
 Emilj' E. Himmelright, vice-chairman; Miss Ida E. Crowe, Mrs. 
 Frank Burnett and Mr. Jesse K. Weaver. 
 
 Prayer Meeting Committee — Mr. Louis F. Powell, chairman; 
 Mr. John A. Aberneth3^ vice-chairman; Miss Carrie L. Few. Miss 
 Sara J. Ramsey, Mr. William Davis and Mr. Frank R. Gilbert. 
 
 Calling Committee — Mrs. Alvernon S. Kester. chairman; Mrs. 
 Tevis Mercer, vice-chairman; Miss Louisa White and Miss Jose- 
 phine Mitchell. 
 
 Social Committee — Miss Roberta Laird, chairman: Miss 
 Marian E. Sharpless, vice-chairman; Mrs. Frank R. Gilbert and 
 Mr. Walter R. T. Pratt. 
 
 Refreshment Committee — Miss Mary S. Burnett, chairman; 
 Mrs. Charles H. Powell, vice-chairman; Mr. Robert Laird. 
 
 Missionary Committee — Miss Harriet R. Hallman. chairman; 
 Miss Mary Bolton, vice-chairman; Mrs. Edward Hoffman. Mrs. 
 Jason Moore. J\Iiss Mildred Kester and Mr. Jacob Wertz. 
 
 Flower Committee — Miss Jessie Furness, chairman; Miss 
 Hattie Torbert. vice-chairman; Miss j\lary Ramsey, Mr. Ralph 
 Sharpless and Miss Laura Strode. 
 
 Music Committee — ]\[r. Walter R. T. Pratt, chairman; Miss 
 Marian E. Sharpless. Miss B. Louise Bruske, Mrs. Norman B. 
 Guss, Mr. John F. Riddle and ]\Ir. Herbert !•".. Moore. 
 
 Information Committee — Miss Florence I-. Crowe, chairman; 
 Miss Bertha Few, vice-chairman; Miss Lillian Pierce, Rev. W. 
 R. Laird and Mr. Norman B. Guss. 
 
88 HISTORY OP THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 
 
 OFFICERS OF THE WOMAN'S FOREIGN 
 MISSIONARY SOCIETY 
 
 President— ]\liss Mary A. Bogle. 
 
 First Vice-President — Mrs. John J. Piiikerton. 
 
 Second Vice-President — Mrs. John J. Ghecn. 
 
 Secretary — Miss Roberta Laird. 
 
 Treasurer — Miss Elizabeth H. Dallett. 
 
 Secretary of Literature — Mrs. Robert AL Scott. 
 
 Music Committee — Mrs. Wm. C. Husted and Mrs. John J. Ghcen. 
 
 OFFICERS OF THE WOMAN'S HOME 
 MISSIONARY SOCIETY 
 
 President — Mrs. Justin E. Harlan. 
 First Vice-President — Mrs. Maurice R. Travilla. 
 Second Vice-President — Miss Mary L Stille. 
 Secretary — Mrs. George E. Enibree. 
 Treasurer — -Miss Mary Noble. 
 
 OFFICERS OF THE CHAPEL CIRCLE 
 
 President — Miss Jennie B. Alartin. 
 
 First Vice-President — Miss Elizabeth H. Dallett. 
 
 Second Vice-President — Mrs. William C. Husted. 
 
 Secretary — Mrs. Charles Hoopes. 
 
 Treasurer— Mrs. Robert M. Scott. 
 
 OFFICERS OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S 
 MISSION BAND 
 
 President — Airs. William C. Husted. 
 Vice-President— Mrs. Robert M. Scott. 
 Secretary — Miss Margaret H. Griffith. 
 Treasurer — Miss Florence L. Crowe. 
 
 OFFICERS OF THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE 
 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 
 
 President — Mr. Casper P. Worthington. 
 
 Secretary and Treasurer — Mr. Walter C. Munshower. 
 
 Executive Committee — Casper P. Worthington, chairman; 
 Walter C. Munshower, secretary; William A. Heckroth, T. Frank 
 Woodside, E. L. McKinstry. 
 
 Organist — Mr. Casper P. Worthington. 
 
 Chorister— Air. Walter R. T. Pratt. 
 
Princeton Theological Seminary Libraries 
 
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