A history of the First Presbyterian Church, of Springfield, N.Y. : presented in a memorial discourse ... July 16, 1876

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IS 754

/it^'^yHi'--^'' /-^«^'"

HISTORY

OF THE

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,

OF
SPKINGFIELD, N. Y.

PKESEJs'TED IN A

MEMORIAL DISCOURSE,

BY KECOIMMENDATION OF

The Greiieral i^ssexnbly,
TO THE FIEST PRESBYTEKIAN CONGREGATION,

jIULY 16, 1876.

BY REV. P. F. SANBORNE.

PUBLISHED BY REQUEST.

CHERRY VALLEY. N. Y..

GAZETTE PRINT, UNION BLOCK,
1876.

Glass V \l^

Book aS7^1- Sa.

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TTTSTOKY

OF TITK

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,

OP
SPRINGFIELD, N. Y.

PRESENTED IX A

MEMORIAL DISCOURSE,

BY RECOMMENDATION OF

Tlie General ^sseinbly,
TO THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CONGREGATION,

July i 6, i 876.

BY REV. P. F. SANBORNE.

PUBLISHED BY REQUEST.

CHERRY VALLEY, N. Y.,

GAZETTE PRINT, UNION BLOCK,
187G.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

AT

SPRINGFIELD, N. Y.

DEUTERONOMY XXXII— 7.

Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations ; ask
thy father and he will shew thee, thy elders and they will tell thee.

Words more appropriate for the present occasion could not
well be found. By recommendation of the General Assembly
of the Presbytei'ian Church of these United States each of the
pastors in its extended commission is invited to prepare and
present an Historical discourse, commemorative of his respec-
tive congregation, and afterward transmit a copy of the same
to be deposited in the archives of the Presbyterian Historical
Society at Philadelphia, thus to secure a faithful and true his-
tory of our beloved Church in America, from its beginnings. —
It is my duty, as well as pleasure to gather up the facts touch-
ing the history of this individual church, — its origin, early years,
and later growth, its vicissitudes of trial and prosjjerity — and
trace the way in which the Great Shepherd has led his little
flock hitherto.

^ EARLY DAYS.

ite Hobool ho ,i; , : '"""^ coinfoitable habitations,

™ 1; ™.'z;;"" ""™'-^' ""^ °'"""'">-- '*<= -j- a. a„ ',! ,

ofGoa va?i« '^ T ' ^"" "" •■"'"' *'"* '»"«• But no house
be past ™ r "° 1 """ '-"'»«"-. - cattle grazed among
"le Cof 'i, T r "-:; ""'""^^ °' ''■"'■■^ ^eantified a sin-
beai anci the panther, and the wilder red man pursued his < ame
yea;. V^:;^ """ """;' f " f"-'«- '" t"e Ar Hol. thirtl

«^ ts wire he ™« ?' ''"■°'"""" °P™«'' «'= «-' -«'-
Thn I&r « T', 1™ '^""'''^ taking „p lands, viz: that of
sectiofo,-;,,!'f '"■'' r'°'"™ "'"' J-aS^^^fflaS in the eastern
-a^ta the \"T, °^'' Gnstavns Klumph and Jacob Tv-

Ee unto jr « ''" '"'"• '■"■•^ '^" '™- "''''«' '<• t'« ""-
stnr t« of f ""■■ *''°»Sl""«-e and there a house con

ended . J"" V^"" «P'-Snpon some hill or within some

vea ,"'■ ^""'^' ''•■"' ""<'" °«"l™'l f".- twenty

jears: a company of Presbvteri.ans, originally from Scotland

'; ■: r "h" "' ^ ''""'"^ '"^' ™"""»^ -> "^^ to London" :
D„ on ^""'•"''"■^' «'"i?™t«'J Wther in 1741. Rev. Samuel
t^>enL r, ■ '"""■''"■■ Tbeir growth, though the town
: :trr?'1 "•^'"■""^"' ---undingto^s, was very
slow. In 17.52, twelve years after the first settlement, ther'e

yZf :f '"'"'"- ™ "- P'-e. andinI7G5. twe.tv fi e
years from the settlement, there were hut forty famihes. '

I IS d>fhcult for us to form a just conception of the countrv
as .t was when the hrst five fannlies cmmienced a house amid

tar out m the woods, a remote outpost of civilization in the,/«
««* west, as viewed by the inhabitants of New England and
te dwellers on the Hn.lson. A few German families had occu-
1 ed lands along the Mohawk and up the Schoharie Creek, but
"n leavmg these streams north or south, the settler at once ad-
vanced n,to the p„mev.al forest, and .„„„„■,; the entire country
".fh lew cxccptums reaching to the P.acifi,. Ocean, was a vast

APPKEHENSIONS OF DANGER.

unexplored wilderness. Indian trails were the only paths in
any direction. And what added vastly more to the disagreea-
bleness and hardships of the times, it was a period of great
public excitement, alarm and peril. The French and Indian
wars had hardly been concluded, and the terrible conflict of
seven years with England was hastening on. The few scattered
inhabitants then occupying this region were kept under almost
constant apprehension of danger and attack from hostile In-
dians who bore no special friendship to the English, much less
to the actual settlers in their ancient domains. The war broke
out. Thirty-three individuals from the towns of Cherry Val-
ley, Springfield and Middlefield espoused the American cause
as soldiers, nnd consequently the remnant of the settlers were
left in a defenseless condition. So seriously exposed at this
time did the people in this region regard their situation that
they caused the following letter to be written to the County
Committee for relief. It bears date of June 3d, 1776, and was
penned by Eev. Mr. Dunlop.

Sir : — "We, the inhabitants of Cherry Vallev being assem
bled yesterday at a Public Town Meeting, and among other
things taking the present critical situation of affairs into con
sideration, looked upon ourselves, and the neighborhood around
us, Springfield and Newtown Martin (now Middlefield,) as a
frontier lying verj' open and unguarded, and very much exposed
to the enemy, in case an Indian war should break out, or any
party of the enemy should take it into their heads to come down
upon us, and that it would be absolutely necessary, to have a
party of men stationed here among us, in order to keep a sharp
lookout, and to scout all around our frontiers, lest at any time
we be taken by suiprise And therefore, have appointed me to
write you, to lay this matter warmly before the Committee and
earnestly to impress them with the absolute necessity of the
thing, and to beg of them that if Capt. McKean and his com
pany be removed from this place, that they would be pleased to
send some others in his stead, that we may not lie altogether
naked and exposed to the assaults of the enemy."

The Committee of the County were unable to comply with
this request ; and then a petition of similar purport, signed by
several of the inhabitants bearing date of July Ist, 1776, was
addressed to the honorable members of the Provincial Congress
of New York and the request was granted. It is for the civil
historian to i elate how far the very few that occupied these hills

INDIAN INVASIONS.

shared in the sore perils of the first years of the war, their anx-
ieties, their bravery and their sacrifices. Yet I may be indulged
in an incident or two. In the battle of Oriskany, in which the
insidious efforts of the traitorous party to lead over this region
to the enemy was foiled, there were soldiers fi om Springfield
and among them Capt. Thomas Davy, grandfather to tlie three
brotliors who still reside on the paternal acres, Janies, Jeremiah
and H irvy. He went forth to the fight after bidding good-bye
to his wife and two little ones, (then living in a log house burned
the next summer by Indians.) but never to return. He was
doiabtless shot in the battle. The noble white steed on which
he rode was returned and his bereaved widow's first fears of his
fate were started by his familiar whinneying heard at the dis
tance of a mile. This was in August, 1777. In June of the
following year, five months previous to the bloody massacre in
Cherry Valley, the great Chieftain and Captain of the six na-
tions, Joseph Brant, came to Springfield with a party, and
burned the town, carrying away several prisoners, among them
John and Jacob, two sons of Mr. Tygart, who were taken to
Canada. "Brant collected together the women and children in-
to one house and there left them uninjured, an act of mercy not
always followed by his allies.' Among the houses burned was
one o\\aied and occupied by Mr. Spalsbury, a few rods north of
the present residence of Mr. Daniel Franklin. Another was
that of widow Thomas Davy ; she had prepared dinner for tlie
men, and was about calling them from the field, when she saw
the Indians approaching, and hiding herself in the woods and
her child beneath her skirts, her eyes witnessed the destruction
of her dinner and her home : and that niglit slie made her way,
with no attendant save her little son, to the nearest fort, sever-
al miles away. These invasions and perils put a stop to the fur-
ther settlement of Springfield for some years. Most if not all
the inhabitants fled away and remained till after the war, and
peace and security were restored. Some returned, as the names
of Younf" and Ferguson and Klumph in the immediate succeed-
ing years are found on the town and church records. Before
• the war no church had been organized in the town, no sanctuary
had been built. The few that Avere able and disposed to wor-
ship God, doubtless made their way to Cherry Valley, where the
only church with proacliing in the Eng^lish language existed

WORSHIP AT CHERRY VALLEY.

within a distance of forty miles. The old log house church of
that village built thirty-five years previous was burned during
the war, and the little band that worshipped therein disorgan-
ized. On the fifth of April, 1785, when the dispersed were re-
turned and settled again in prospective peace and security, a
public meeting of the citizens was held as appears by the record
made at the time which I coi)y from the books of the Presbyter-
ian Society. I do this more especially as I find among the elec-
tors the names of Springfield men, which shows conclusively
that our fathers worshipped there before they were able to have
a sanctuary of their own. It is as follows : — "We the ancient
inhabitants of Cheri-y Valley in the County of Montgomery and
State of New York, having returned from exile find oui'selves
destitute of our Church Officers, viz : Deacons and Elders. In
consequence of our difiiculties and other congregations in simi-
lar circumstances our Legislature thought proper to pass a law
for the relief of these, viz, an act to incorj^orate all religious
societies, passed April 5th, 1784. In compliance of &aid act, we
proceeded as follows : "At a meeting of a respectable number
of the old inhabitants of Cherry Valley, it was agreed upon,
that an advertisement should be set up to give notice to all the
former inhabitants that are returned to their respective habita-
tions, to meet at the meeting hotise yard, on Tuesday the 5th
day of April next at ten o'clock before noon, then and there to
choose Trustrees. who shall be a body corporate for the purpose
of taking care of the temporalities of their respective Presby-
terian Congregation agreeable to an act of the Legislature of
the State of New York, passed April sixth, one thousand, seven
hundred and eighty-four.

Samuel Clyde, Justice of the Peace.
Cheeky Valley, March 19th, 1785.

Cherry Valley, April 5tb, 1785.
1st, The Congregation being met agreeable to the above ad-
vertisement, proceeded as follows, viz: the congregation having
no minister, nor elders, or deacons, at present by reason of
death and removal of such in the late war, we, the people at
large, did nominate and elect the following two members of the
Congregation to be the returning officers and judges of the
qualification of the Electors of said meeting.

Col. Samuel Campbell, )_
,.„ .J William Dickson. >

6 NEW SETTLERS AND THE CHURCH.

2nd, Proceeded as follows at the said meeting and have nomi-
nated Col. Samuel Clyde, John Campbell Jr. and James Wilson
to be the trustees for said (Jongrefyation. The trustees appoint-
ed James Cannon as clerk for said boai-d.

CnERHY Valley, April 5th, 1785.

At a meeting of the inhabitants of Cherry Valley this day, the
undermentioned were elected trustees for the Presbyterian Con
gregation.

Samuel Clyde, Esq , "^
John Campbell, Jr., ^
James Wilson. " )

Among the twenty-one Electors' names at this meeting recor-
ded, two at least are found that must have been inhabitants of
of Si^ringfield (then a district of Cherry Valley,) viz. James
Ferguson and John Mc'Killip. The fact establishes the reiiy-
ious character of the settlers of Springfield at this early period,
that in their lack of Christian ordinances and without a house
of Avorship, they would make the tedious ride on horseback,
over the hills and tlirough the woods, to a neighoring settle-
ment, in order to keep holy day with God's people. Within
the next ten years many new settlers came into Springfield
from New England and spnij^, Germans from the Mohawk. —
Among them Benjamin Rathbun, Lieut. Nathaniel Sikes, Aaron
and Bond Bigelow, Eliakim Sheldon, Ichabod Griggs, Moses
Franklin, Capt. John Cotes, Abner Cook, Peabody Cook, four
brothers by the name of "W'alradt, AVilliam Gilchrist, Henry Gen-
ter, William Hardy, Jedediah Beach from New Jersey, Robert
Kellj-, and his son James, — William Thompson. Most of whom
with their wives were religious people. The names of many of
their children and their children's children are recorded in the
Church books of the diiferent organizations of Christ's people
in Springfield this day.

The First Christian Church gathered in this town was in
the beginning of 1787 within three years after the return of
the inhabitants- The account of its organization is found in
the records of the Baptist Church as follows :

•'There has been a work of grace in this wilderness and at a
meeting of believers at the house of Nathaniel Dike, Januy 5th,
1787, it was voted to send to Mapleton for Elder Bentley, who
came among us Jann'y 17, 1787 and baptised nine individuals
as follows :

THE FIKST CHURCH EDIFICE.

Audolph Walradt, Elizabeth Walradt,

Nathaniel Dike, Esther Dike,

Josiah Heth, Hannah Heth,

Juvenal Winter, Starlin Way

and Henry Stancel.
In October following. Elder William Farman paid the church
a visit and soon thereafter became its minister and continued as
such for a period of thirteen years.

I cannot learn by any light that has come to my knowledge,
(and I have made diligent search) at what time the first sanctu-
ary was built, but jDrobably soon after the year 1787. It was
a plain, unpretentious, moderate- sized building, painted yellow,
without steeple or bell, built without doubt by voluntary sub-
scriptions from the Christian citizens of the town ; called /'the
Meeting House" and stood nearly in the middle of the old town
buryiny ground in the middle village. Mr. Nicholas Genter
remembers it as standing there at the the time his father first
moved into the place in the year 1792, when he was but seven
years old. Each Christian Denomination used it for religious
services as they had need for a period of more than fifteen years.
In it the Annual Town Meeting was held, from the incorporation
of the town in 1787 until 1810. A vote was passed annually in
town meeting of an appropriation of five dollars to some trusty
man for the purpose of "keeping the Meeting House in clean
and decent order for religious worship." Some of our older
people remember it well, its rough floors, its square pews, with-
out paint, without carpets, without stoves, yet worship as accept-
able to God was rendered therein by as devout hearts as as-
cends from sanctuaries in these days of cushioned seats and
tasteful adornings. Mrs. Kinney now in her 92d year distinct-
ly recollects riding over from Stuart's Patent with a company
of young people to attend the funeral services of Gen. Wash-
ington in January 1800. A Sermon was preached by Elder Far-
man and she says "the singing was beautiful." The Building
was finally sold to Aaron Bigelow and converted into a dwell-
ing house, the same as occupied by his son, the late Wm. L.
Bigelow.

The precise date of the organization of this the First Presby-
terian Churcli in this town is not known, as the earliest records

MISSIONARY WORK.

of the church and society are lost ; yet without scarcely a doubt
as early as the year 1796. In its infancy it was very feeble and
unable to maintain a stated ministry. Occasional preachers
ministered to it for a limited time. Missionaries from Connec-
ticut visited the place, and were blessed in their labors. Chief
among them was the Rev. Jedediah Bushnell, who spent several
^months, and neg-otiations Avere entered into for his stated em-
ployment. Widow Betsey Sikes Sheldon, now in her 87th year
well remembers him, his being at her father's house, his preach-
ing in the old Meeting House and in School Houses, and letters
of correspondence with her father. From a report in the Con
necticut Evangelical Magazine of the year 1801, from him to
the Trustees of Connecticut Domestic Missionary Society, in
whose jemployment he was, I quote a paragraph which is not
only very interesting in itself, but establishes the fact of the ex-
istence of this church as early as the beginning of the year
1800. Reporting for the year 1800 of his missionary labors in
Delhi, Stamford, Franklin, Worcester, Springfield, and Otsego
Creek, to the Trustees of the Connecticut Missionary Society
he writes : "About the middle of June a glorious work began in
the town of Springfield, in the northern part of Otsego County.
The means which God used at the beginning of the attention
were a little singula!'. Tlie small church in that place invited a
clergyman to come and preach with them on the Sabbath, and
administer the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. On Friday
preceding the Sabbath, he preached the Preparatory Lecture.
After the public exercises were closed, he requested the church
to tarry, and examined them respecting their experimental and
practical religion. "^I'hey were so deficient in family prayer, in
the education of their children, and in other Christian duties,
that tliey were informed without reformation, he did not feel
clear to administer to them the Lord's Supper. The church
was solemnly moved, most of them Avere in tears, and before
they left the house, confessed their sin and promised reforma-
tion. From that day the church arose from the dust and put
on her beautiful garments, and the awakening immediately fol-
lowed. It has by no means been general in this town ; some
people have been convicted, and hopefully converted, some oth-
ers solemnized, but many have remained unmoved. Our ])laces

EEVIVAL AND GROWTH. 9

of diviue worship have been fall, and usually attended with much
decency, and sometimes with deep solemnity. Seventeen pei-
sons have publicly united with the church in this place since the
commencement of the awakening, and a considerable number
of others expect soon to make the same declaration of their
faith in Christ." It is added, "twenty-six children have been
baptized." ,;

Thus it is clear this church was in existence prior to 1800, and
in its infancy was nurtured by missionaries, and increased by
the visitation of the Divine Spirit. Probably the church was
formed several years before. It was now in a state quite re-
moved, spiritually from a church at its organization. As evi-
dence of an earlier origin, we find in the records of the Baptist
Church under date of September 13 th, 1798, the following en-
try: "Chose Deacon Bond Bigelow, Deacon Tenant and Bro.
Benjamin Allen as a committee to meet a committee of the
Presbyterian order, to agree on what part of the time each one
shall occujDy the meeting house." Also on the records of the
Presbyterian Church of Cherry Valley, under date of January
4th, 1797, the following minute : "Met agreeable to a notifica-
tion to consult whether the society will consent that Rev. Mr.
Nott (their newly elected pastor) shall preach owy part of the
time in Spriuglield — Rev. Mr. Spaulding was voted chairman.
A letter from the Trustees of Springfield addressed to the Trus-
tees of Cherry Valley was read requesting the consent of this
society, that Mr. Nott should preach at Springfield, not exceed-
ing half the time in which a vote was taken whether the society
would accept the proposals of Springfield society which was not
carried in the affirmative. Voted that the Trustees be requested
to return an answer to the people and Trustees of Springfield."

Meeting dissolved.

A TRUE COPY BY THE CLERK.

Thus we fix most satisfactorily the date of this church's or-
ganizatioii, that was at least as early as 1796 and might have
been a year or two earlier.

Springfield at this time was prospering with a sure and
steady growth. Log houses were giving way and being ex-
changed for good and substantial framed dwellings. Stores
and meehraiic shops sprang into being as the people had need.

10 KEV. MK. OLIVEK. DEA. MCKILLIP.

New roads were laid out, anrl school houses established. Farms
improved under a more careful cultivation and many new fami
lies came in to enjoy a home in this region of quiet and pictnr-
que lovliness. As early as 1803 the great western turnpike was
laid through the place and finished a few years later, which gave
a new impetus to business, invited more settlers — and caused an
immense stream of emigration to flow through the place from
the East on their way to find new homes in the richer lands at
the West. About this time in the spring of 1806 the Rev An-
drew Oliver a native of Scotland but recently from Pelham
Mass., was introduced to this church as a candidate for settle-
ment in the ministry, and was favorably received. A call was
duly extended him and accepted and he was installed in the old
meeting house, its first jjastor ,Oct. 14th, 1806. From this
point for seventy years last past, there are faithful and authen-
tic records by which we are enabled to trace all the way in
in which a gracious God has led this people. In the absence of
records, however, hitherto, the uncertainty of tradition and
the frailty of memory in those whose lives in the town reach
back the farthest, it is impossible to determine with certain-
ty the names of the seventeen added to the church during the
revival in 1800, and still more those who were of the original
few that helped to constitute the church at the beginning. Of
one however there is no doubt, Dea. John Mc Kiilip, a Ruling
Elder from the first, a period of well nigh forty years until his
death in 1836, at the ripe old age of four score and seven, He
was one such as Liike speaks of in his Acts of the Apostles
"who seemed to be a pillar in the church." In its days of
weakness and trial he was firm as a rock upon the seashore
against which the billows and storms dash in vain. The church
on earth has always had its pillars, men around whom the ])eo-
ple gather and on whom they are accustomed to lean. In al-
most every body of believers that can be fcund, we discover its
efficiency, increase, and consequent prosperity traceable to the
earnest, patient, untiring efforts of the few whom God by his
grace has qualified to be pillars in his church. They are men
of deep religious experience and strong practical faith and a
rmiformly consistent Christian life. Sucli a man, so far as the
books show and the testimony of those who re*nember him.

EARLY CHURCH MEMBERS. 11

was Dea. John Mc Killip. How often was he seen in his old
age witli stalwart frame and a head silvered with snowy locks
and stafif in hand niakino- his way along the road or across the
lots to the House of God or meetings of Session, or
circle of prayer, or a visit to the sick more like an Apostle than
other men. The good that snch men do lives after them.
When they die, not only the church but the world sustains a
loss. As justice of the peace he persuaded multitudes that came
to him for redress of grievances against their neighbors, to set-
tle their difficulties between themselves without resort to suits
at law. He was honored by the town as no man since has been,
being elected its supervisor for twenty successive years. That
he took part in the organization of this Church and was a ruling
elder from the beginning there can be no doubt, and with him
as an original member was Mrs. Fanny Young Mc Killip his
goodly wife who survived him four years — Their remains lie
side by side in the field immediately west of this church : and
were it proper I would say here and now, their sepulchres de-
serve a regard and care that seem not to be cherished. With
them may be added with good degree of certainty as members
at the organization, Dea. John Young and Betsey his wife, Wm.
Thomj)son and wife, James Y''oung Esq., Robert Ferguson, Mrs.
Jernsha Griggs, Dea. James Kelly and wife and Mrs. Gitty
Van Vost. When Mr. Oliver was installed in 1806, this church
had no hoiise of its own as a place of worship, but feeling the
growing necessities of the case and encouraged by its pa?tor it
undertook the building of one the following Spring. The land
where this building now stands was deeded to the trustees of
the society by Major John Tennantand Dr. Little— A subscription
paper was put in circtilation and in Aug. 1807 eighty-five names
attached to it with an aggregate subscription of $1507.46. A
building 50 by 45 was at once commenced but completed after
many delays in June 1809, when the pews were sold at auction
to the highest bidder. That edifice had its front toward the
East, with a steeple 13ft. square andatow-er 46 feet high.

Li less than two months after Mr. Oliver's Installation, Dec.
2d. 1806, a Congregational Church was organized at the School
House in the West Village, of t\\enty-four members, and com-
menced the erection of a House of Worship at nearly the same

12 CHURCH BEHAVIOR CHURCH BELL.

time with the Presbyterians. It however was never fully com-
pleted by them. It stood on land near the resideiiee of Mrs. A.
A. C. Winsor, and was sold to the Baptist Society in 1818. The
church had but one minister, the Rev. Mr. Williams who was
installed by an Ecclesiastical Council, June 30th, 1807. He re-
mained but a short period. In 1813, the church o-ave up its
separate organization, and its members iiuited with this con-
gregation.

In the record of this Presbyterian society iinder date of July
15th, 1811, we find a singular minute indicating aiegardfor
church behavior not always cherished, and a mode of punishing
offenders not over terrible. It is as follows : 'vVt a meeting of
members of session, trustees and a number of members of the
First Presbyterian Society at the meeting house, Robert Loth
ridge was appointed to return to the minister the names of all
such young persons who behave unbecoming in the gallery dur-
ing the time of public worship.''

An event quite small in itself, yet indicative of great progress
for the times, and helpful to religion, was the purchase of a
church bell in 1816. This I am told was chiefly owing to the
influence and exertions of Captain Ishi Parmele, late from
Killingworth, Ct. For several years the town appropriated
money by vote to have the church bells rang at 9 in the a. m. at
12 M. and at 9 in the evening. Before this, there was no church
bell in our more pretentious, surrounding towns, nor indeed in
all this region. Mr. Oliver's ministry continued near thirteen
years ; the church growing in strength and stability, and though
no special seasons of revival were enjoyed, there were ninety-
seven admitted to the church, during his ministry, fifty five of
whom were on profession of their faith. He was a man sound
in doctrine, and faithful in preaching, and by catachetical in-
structions to the youth, impressed truth as he had opportunity.
Mr. Oliver had many warm friends, faithful to the last. He
was honorably dismissed hy Otsego Presbytery, in the year
1819. and continued to reside in town until his death, March
24, 1833, at the age of 71 years. His remains lie interred on
yonder bill side in the family burying ground awaiting in hope
the morning of the Resurrection. Oct. 18, 1819, a proposition
Avas made bv the trustees of this society to the trustees of the

A WOEK OF GRACE. 13

society at Cherry Valley to engage the rainisterial services of
their j^astor the Rev, Eli F. Cooley D. D. half the time but
without success. The Lord was preparing for this people better
things than their faith aiiticipated. The Rev. Aaron Putnam, a
native of Pomfret, Conn.; graduate of College, well read in Law
and Theology, and a man of devout piety was directed hither
and installed the second pastor to this church, March 14th, 1821.
At the time of his coming, an unusual degree of religious inter-
est existed, which wonderfully increased, and resulted in one of
the most precious revivals with which the church has been blessed.
God was evidently preparing the way for a work of grace. Its
beginnings were manifest before Mr. Putnam came, originating
luider God in the spiritual preaching of occasional ministers who
visited the place. A Rev. Mr. Waters was diligent to incite the
church to prayer, by instituting prayer meetings in different
neighborhoods, and worthy of mention, was the active piety of Mr.
John Young, son of Deacon Young, then a student in Union Col
lege. Coming home from his studies in a vacation at a time of re-
vival in the College, with a heart fresh and warm with the love of
Christ and human souls, he was moved to converse with the
young jDcople on matters of the soul's value and its mighty sal-
vation, and gather them in school houses and private dwellings
as opjDortunity offered, for prayer and singing and exhortation ;
many were moved by his example and influence to seriousness
and care for the "one thing needful.' This educated pious
young man, afterwards studied for the ministry, intending to
become a missionary, but was early cut down in the midst of a
most promising prospect of Christian usefulness. He died in
Vincennes, Indiana, August 15th, 1825, deeply lamented. Often
are the greatest revivals in the Church of God traced to begin-
nings of his grace in some single soul, that soul becoming a
leaven to bless an entire church and draw to salvation a multi-
tude of souls, that otherwise seemingly would have perished.
The "great revival of 1821," as it has been justly called in this
local church, continued to spread through the entire years, and
at three successive Communion Seasons, one hxmdred and sixteen
were added to the church on piofession of their faith. Sixty-
two at one time stood up together in the old "centre aisle" to
take upon themselves the vows of the Lord. Four names only

14 SABBATH SCHOOL ESTABLISHED.

of that great number, after a lapse of fifty-five years now re
main on the church's catalogue, viz : Miss Lucy Sikes, Eosetta
J. Parmele, Albert Cotes and Hannah M. Sheldon. Nearly all
have entered eternity, and are experiencing the fruits of that
wisdom that inclined them to seelc the Lord in "an accepted
time, and in the day of salvation." The fruits of that memorable
work of grace through all these years have been most marked
in the spiritual interests of this church, and the morals of this
community. Many very precious Christian lives have been
spent here, examples of wisdom, patience, devotion and con-
sistent i^iety ; bringing down upon the church by their prayers
and influence, blessings of harmony, stability and beneficence,
and giving largely of their means to extend the gospel of God's
dear Son to the ends of the earth. Four ruling Elders were
among the number, and one ordained preacher of the gospel.
Many others of them have passed their useful days in other
places, valuable men and godly women that have strengthened
and adorned God's heritage abroad. The whole blessed results
of the work of grace enjoyed by this church in 1821, cannot be
written nor told till its final effects are realized in the exper-
iences of eternity. AboTit this time the Sabbath School con-
nected with this church had its origin, although two years be-
fore Miss Permelia Sheldon, the devoted daughter of Deacon
EUakim Sheldon, had gathered a local school, and taught it from
the scriptures in the school house, a mile and a half south of
this village on the Continental road. To her I am credibly in-
formed belongs the honor of instituting and instructing the
first Sabbath School in the town of Springfield. Yet after the
great re\'ival a new and broader impulse was given to this right
hand enterprise of the church. The warm piety of the young
converts led them to reach after and gather in the youth of the
town. The conduct of the school was characterized by the great-
est simplicity. There was no library, no Sabbath school litera-
ture, no hymns or music as now specially adapted to this form
of worship ; there were classes arranged, and teachers set over
them for the reciting of verses with but little note or comment,
and sometimes prizes were offered to the scholar correctly re-
peating the largest number of verses. It was the pioneer period
(^f Sali])ath scliools in tliis country, and quite in contrast witli

OUT-POUEING OF THE SPIRIT. 15

the Sabbath School of to-day with its numerous appliances and
coTintless unappreciated privileges.

The health of Mr. Putnam failed him after three and a half
years of faithful, assiduous labor. More than one hundred and
twenty had been added to the church during his ministry. The
catalogue now comprising more than two hundred names — He
was dismissed in the summer of 1824, and afterward preached in
Owego in this State where he died in July 1831 aged 41 years.
Serious troubles and sore divisions alSicted the church about this
period and may painful trials were endured, a relation of which, in
my judgment would be productive of no good. The Lord
watched over his flock and maintained his cause.

Rev. Edward Fairchild a g)-aduate of Williams College, 1820,
succeeded Mr. Putnam and continued as stated supply for the
year 1825. He was a man of pure character and useful to the
Church, labored afterward in various places in the ministry
and died in 1852 M. 57.

Rev. James C. How, the 4th minister to this church, was or-
dained and installed by Olsego Presbytery Oct. 18, 1826. He
mniistered to the Church between four and five years and was
honorably dismissed, again settled at SL George's in the State
of Delaware and there died many years since. The years he
spent in Springfield were years of peace, few were added to
the fold, the church lost in numbers by death and removals, yet
TUr. How accomplished good for Zion in other directions.

Rev. Oren Hyde, the 5th minister, more of a scholar than
preacher, eminent in his knowledge of the Hebrew language,
and afterwards a teacher in Fayetteville in this State, was in-
stalled pastor May 4th, 1831. His ministry was brief, being
only one year. It was the memorable period in our American
Zion when a very general interest in religion obtained through
all the country, the period of "Four day's meetings" and pro-
tracted efforts for the salvation of souls. Pastors called for the
aid of Evangelists and neighboring ministers to assist them in
the preaching of the word. Among them Mr. Hyde invited Rev.
Lumand Wilcox who became his successor and continued as
stated supply for three years. This church in common with
many others shared in the out-pourings of the Divine Spirit.
More than one hundred individuals were durino- these three

16 CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS.

years added to Christ's flock on profession of their faith. The
church in the year 1834 had enrolled anions^ its members two
linndred and twenty-fonr names, a larger number than at any
time before or since. Mr. Wilcox in his preaching had the as-
sistance of the neighboring clergymen, and for a limite:! time
that of the Rev. Dr. Lansing of Utica. It was about this period
the Methodist Episcopal Church in this village was built, and
the Conference established a Charge.

In the year 1835 very general repairs were made on the old
House of worship, the interior being entirely reconstructed, the
ancient square pews giving way to slips and two aisles taking
the place of three. The high backed pews in tlie gallery, that
before had been a convenient and tempting place for youth to
indulge in conduct unbecoming the house of God, were changed
into long open slips, and the old uncoiith steeple was lengthened
to a far greater height.

The church has a very CDmmen lable hisfcoiy, tauo'iing its
charitable contributions. They have been regular for above
forty years, and very uniform and increasing in amount, chieily
in the interests of Foreign Missions, Home Missions, The Amer-
ican Bible Society and Ministerial Education. Other causes
from time to time have received generous aid. Of what was
contributed previous to the ye ir 1831, 1 have no records near at
hand to show, but the average contributions per year ivom 1831
to 1836, were $196.07.

Average per year from 1851 to 1856 $333.12.

"■ " " 1856 to 1861 $384.75.

" " " 1861 to 1866 $771.50.

" " " 1866 to 1871 $588.00.

" - " 1871 to 1876 $659.25.

Rev. Mr. Wilcox, closed his ministerial labors in the j'^ear 1835,
preached in various plisccs, and last in Thawville, 111. wliere he
died in 1873.

Rev. Richard Montgomery Davis, the seveiith minister to this
church, was a graduate of Union College and Auburn Theologi-
cal Seminary, and was installed pastor July 29th, 1835. He was
a man of strong and original powers of mind, independent in
forming his opinions, fearless in proclaiming the truth, eccentric
in many of his pulpit expressions and sometimes offended by his
ingenuous and abrupt utterances ; yet a minister of devoted

DIFFERENT PASTORS. 17

piety, impressive as a preacher, and of great usefulness in many
directions. His ministry continued five years during which fifty-
five were added to the church, forty of whom on profession of
their fsith. He was called to preach in Bridgewater, Oneida
Co., and there died of consumption, June 13th, 1842, M. 41
years. By his request, his remains were brought to Springfield
for burial, and a marble tombstone marks the spot in the old
grave-yard where they lie.

Re^. Samuel IVfoseley was the 8th, that ministered to this peo-
ple, though but for a few months, in the year 1840. He was a
young man fresh from the Seminary at New Haven, eminently
studious, but of ill health, and consumptive tendencies. On
leaving liere he preached a few months at St. Vincent, but with-
in a year retired to his friends in Hartford. Connecticut, rnd
there died.

Rev. Solomon J. Tracy, a graduate of Williams College of the
class of 1823 and Andover Theological Seminary, came by
invitation to this people in April 1841, and continued as their
stated supply thirteen and one half years, a longer period than
any of his predecessors. During Mr. Tracy's ministry, the
church edifice was somewhat remodelled, and for the first time
painted icithin, aisles carpeted, slips reshaped and other minor
alterations. The Sabbath School was more thoroughly officered,
and in various ways magnified. A precious revival of religion
was enjoyed, in which several of the young ladies in Mrs. Cotes
Seminary became the hopeful subjects of Divine grace. The
Seminary itself was a great blessing to Springfield while it con-
tinued, exerting not only an educational and elevating influence
in the town, but under the Christian inspiraticn of its estimable
founder and head, commending heavenly wisdom and purity of
heart to every conscience within its reach. It was a calamity
indeed that other claims and failing liealth should necessitate
its suspension.

In the year 1854, April 1st, Deacon Benjamin Rathbun died,
a convert in the revival of 1821— a Ruling Elder for nineteen
years. Besides making noble bequests to the cause of Missions,
he left to the society as a dying gift, and a pleasant memorial
of his thoughtful generosity, the commodious parsonage and
grounds as a perm.anent help to the church for all time to come

18 DIFFERENT PASTORS.

In the STimmer of 1854, the health of Mr. Tracy failed to that
degree, that he felt constrained to seek release from the exhaus •
tive labors of the ministry ; though not without hope that he
might resume them again, and in October resigned his pastoral
charge. He still lives among us, respected and revered for
his years and virtues, praying with, and for the prosperity of
the church which he so long and faithfully served. Long may
he yet live to favor us with his counsels, prayers and Christian
example, as a minister of Jesus Christ.

Rev. Charles F. Beach came to this church in the beginning
of 1855, and was installed during the year. He served the
church two years. In 1857 he removed West, preached to sev-
eral churches, and now resides in Louisville, Ky., as editor and
proprietor of "the Kentucky Presl)yterian." Rev. Daniel Van-
Valkenbergh, graduate of Union College and Auburn Seminary
was called to this church as its stated pastor in April, 1857, and
remained esteemed and beloved until his death, which occurred
while in office Nov. 24, 1864. His remains were buried In Rich-
field. Mr. V. is remembered as a man of more than ordinary
intellectual ability, whose sermons commanded the attention
of the thoughtful and who never dismissed a Congregation un-
fed. He delighted to discuss the knotty points in theology
and make clear abstruse and difficult subjects. His was a logical
mind, unimaginative and rarely dealing in figures and illustrations.
The common hearer would call him dry and dull, while the dry-
ness and dullness were more a j^art of themselves. In conver-
sation he was reticent unless in company with his peers, but
with them he was more than ordinarily genial and communica-
tive. Few were converted during his ministry while all were
enlightened and built up in truth and righteousness. The
church at this time by death and removals, was reduced to about
one hundred members, the lowest in point of numbers since
1820 — but its staliility and faith were never stronger. The orig-
inal house of worsliip that had stood for fifty years, v.-axed old,
and needed repairs. Decisive measures were adopted to take
down the old building and construct a new, using as nnich of
the old material as was sound and suitable, and changing the
front of the sanctuary from East to North. The expenditure
of three thousand five hundred dollars cheerfullv subscribed and

ELDERS, SIKES AND JACOBINSON^ 19

paid, ccave the society its present house of worship finished
in 1857.

Eev. Samuel N. Robinson, graduate of Hamilton College, in
the class of 1841, was called to servo this church in the spring
of 1865, and remained as stated supply three years. The Lord
was pleased to pour out of his Spirit upon the place in the
spring of 1866, and seventeen professed subjection to its power,
mostly among the youth, and made public their profession by
uniting with the church. During Mr. R.'s ministry, the church
sustained two serious losses in the death of Richard B. Sikes
and Benjamin Jacobson, both ruling Elders, the former for
thirty years, and the latter, for twenty-six years. It seemed at
the time that the strong pillars were being removed, and that
God was visiting his people in judgment. They were true and tried
men, "of good report of them that were without," and loved
and respected by all that were within, to whom God directed
the attention of his people as worthy to be relied on in all those
things pertaining to the upbuilding of Zion. Mr. Robinson left
Springfield in the fall of 1868, and preached for sometime in
North Walton, Delaware Co. At present he is ministering to
till' Presbyterian church in Sherman, Chautauque Co.

The present incumbent preached his first sermon in this
pulpit, April 11, 1869, and left the next morning with no expec-
tation of returning. A call was immediately made out and sent
him by the trustees of the society offering a salary much larger
than the Society had been accustomed to pay, and this was at
once respectfully declined. A special messenger was then com-
missioned to visit him, and lay befoie him the earnest and
unanimous wish of the society, that he become their minister,
which compelled him to review his first decision, and visit
Springfield again, which he did, preaching three Sabbaths in
the month of May, and finally acceded to the wishes of the
church and people. He commenced his labors as stated supply,
June 27, 1869. During the seven years, the Lord has blessed
the union with harmony and the united labors with a good
degree of success. The congregation is somewhat enlarged,
and the numbers attending the Sabbath School nearly doubled.
Ninety have been added to the church, seventy four of the
number on profession of their faith. The greater part of these.

20 RULING ELDERS.

became subjects of Grace in the winter of 1874 and 5, during a
series of meetings, conducted by the Rev. O. Parlcer, since
deceased, an aged and experienced revivalist. It sliould be
mentioned to the honor of this church, but more to the honor
of God's Grace that gave the church the means, and the dispo-
sition, to contribute a thousand dollars, as a memorial ofifering,
that was bestowed in 1870 to swell tlie five milhon memorial
fund raised by the United Presbyterian Church, in token of
gratitude to God for the reunion of a once dismembered church.
By the death of Miss Nancy Griswold, in March, 1874, the
Society received a legacy of three hundred dollars, the interest
of which, is to be applied annually in support of preaching.
From the beginning, tins church has bad enrolled in its hst of
membership six hundred and nine names, the great majority of
which, have been removed by death or dismissions. One hund-
red and thirty-five remain on its record to-day.

In these historical reminiscences of this Presbyterian church,
special mention ought to be made of those members, that have
served as Riihng Elders. Daring the period of eighty years of
this church's existence, there have been twenty-three of them,
and none of them unwisely chosen, none of them proving on
trial unworthy of their office, or so faulty in any degree as to
lose the confidence of the brethren and come under censure
for crime or immorality. Tiie mention of their names will
stir very pleasant memories in many minds and incite those
who now occupy that responsible position "to use their office
well." I will name them in the order of their ordination :
John McKillip. Esq.. John Young, Win. Thompson.
The session at the organization.
George OUver, 1808. CharlRS Fitch, 1835

Jame^ Kinc^ 1811 Asahel S. Brown. 183f).

Eliakini Shddon. 1814. r.eniamin Jacohson 1841.

James Kelley. 1814. George Bui-nham. 1841

Jedediah De-ich. 1823. .I'^m^^s «• Ferguson 1859.

Benjamin Barrett. 1823. . Ehsha W Stannard 1800.

Wi.liam Hamilton. 1823. -lames E. Buell. ISbG

James Whipple. 18:)0. •Jf'™e».^- J"^^'"^; ^f.'i"-

lUchard B. Sikes. 1835. Ephrann O Beach. 18 <o.

Benjamin Rathbun, 1835. -Janies Hood, 18, o.

A goodly catalogue indeed, three of them serving more than
thirty years, viz, Messrs. Mc Killip, Sikes and Burnham. Is
there a church in the country that for eighty years can show a
better record of its ruling Elders, for intogiiiy, gcod judg-

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND REFLECTIONS. 21

ment, harmony in counsel and sympathy in co-operation for
Christ's kingdom, soundness in the faith and elevated piety I

I may not conclude without asking in review of all the way
in the which the Lord our God has led us these eighty years,
what have we found ? But before doing so I must here express
my grateful obligations to those women, Misses Rosetta J. Par-
mele and Lucy Sikes whose personal memories by their long
lives and connections with the church, supplying the defects
of defective records, have greatly supplemented my labors in
preparing this narrative. It has been no easy task whi^e it
has been a pleasant one to gather up facts touching the Relig-
ious history of the town. Help has been found in the records
of the Baptist Church and the records of the neighboring
Presbyterian Churches, the town records, the records of tlie
Congregational Church [now extinct,] the Conn. Evangelical
Magazine in which was found an accouiit of the Missionaries
who labored here, Campbell's Annals of Tryon County, and
even from the grave stones of the dead. From these and other
reliable sources there have been gleaned the facts FiuST, that
this Church was early gathered long before it could build a
sanctuary or support the stated ministry, 2ndly, that it owes
much to Home Missions, being undoubtedly a child of the Conn.
Domestic Missionary Society. oRDLY, we discover that the early
settlers of the town whether from old Scotland and Ireland or
emigrants from New England were a religious people and
willing to make great sacrifices to enjoy gospel privileges.
4TTHTA-, this church has occiision to love and labor for revivals
of religion. It might have died while yet an infant, yea
indeed might never liave been born had not God graciously
poured out his Spirit when the Missionaries came hither from
New England and through their labors the church was estab-
lished, and in 1800, seventeen souls added to its membership.
Then the memorable awakening in 1821 and the revivals of
1831-2 and 3; the pleasant showers of grace in 1852, 1866, and
the larger revival of 1875— all have a lesson —the old gospel
lesson, "Not by might nor by power nor by human effort, but
by my spirit saith the Lord" is the Church of Christ quickened,
nurtured and comforted on earth or sanctified and prepared
for the bliss of heaven And .')THrA', this church has been

22 CONCLUSION.

characterized by a uniform, stable and uninterrupted support
of Public worship and the maintlftnance of the gospel ministry.
Searcel}' a year has intervened from the settlement of its first
minister in 1806 to the present time without the stated minis-
trations of the gospel by an employed preacher and even in
the brief periods when destitute of a minister, public worship
has been maintained. Though the first ministers, and the
first elders, and the first generation of members have nearly
all died and passed to their long account, the Church still lives.

One family — wc dwell in him ;
One ( hurch — above, beneath :
Though now divided by the stream —
Tlie narrow stream of death.

One army of the living God,

To his Command we bow.

Part of the host have crossed the flood.

And part are crossing now."

Oliver has long since gone, and Putnam and Fairchild and
Howe and Hyde and Wilcox and Davis and Moseley and
Van Yalkenbergh from the ministers, and from the Ruling
Elders, Mc Killip, Young, Thompson, Oliver, King, Sheldon,
Kelly, Beach, Barrett, Hamilton, Whipple, Sikes, Rathbun,
Fitch, Brown, Jacobson and several hundred that in less con-
spicuous but quite as serviceable ways, prayed and struggled
in all the experienc^es of private membership in this CiiTirch
of God. They are gone — we still remain — we wait only a lit-
tle longer — and shortly our work will be done. Yet wheth-
we live or die God lives and the Chui-ch lives. He keeps
all his promises. We have looked over to-day the history of
Eighty years. We cannot look forward that reach of time.

It is certain that as another eighty years roll along, and reveal
their events, onr work and sufi'ering will one by one have come
to an end — the fiuaerals will have been attended — the grave will
have gathered our mortal bodies to its embrace, and our souls
have been united with the unnumbered spirits that before us
have passed into the mysteries of the unseen and eternal world.
The Lord grant that we all may stand with the accepted of sin-
ners from earth, redeemed and saved through our blessed
Christ, and all the honor and glory, and thanksgiving shall be
given to Him that sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lamb
forever and ever. Amen.

LIBRPRY OF CONGRESS

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