While it becomes necessary, in outlining the history of the early
settlement of Harrison county, to make frequent and extended references
to the organizations of the Presbyterian and United Presbyterian churches
in the county, it should be understood that such reference is made solely
for the purpose of enabling us to gain what light we may from such occasional
facts as are preserved upon their records; and, while these records are
sadly lacking in detail and continuity, and at best give us but occasional
glimpses of the real life and growth of the communities with which they
are concerned, they are practically all we now have left in the way of
contemporary data; and constitute the chief source of information in regard
to Harrison county during the time its territory was still a part of Jefferson.
The most valuable and least appreciated of these early records
are the old tomb-stones in the church graveyards. Taken together, they
afford a more nearly complete roll of the early membership of the church
and the settlement than we can now obtain from any other source. Much valuable
information is also furnished by the sessional records of the churches,
where such have been kept, and the books preserved. It is much to be regretted
that the session book of the Presbyterian church at Cadiz, which had been
in use for, perhaps, more than half a century, was lost or mislaid a few
years ago, and has never been recovered.
The writer is fortunate in being able to present to the reader
of these sketches a brief account of the beginnings of the early churches
in Harrison county, written by the man who founded them, thus being in
the nature of a contemporary document. This consists of an outline sketch
of the history of the congregations of Rev. John Rea, the pioneer preacher
of Harrison county; and it was written as a part of his farewell sermon
delivered to the Beech Spring congregation in January, 1851.
Before presenting Mr. Reas’s sketch, let us survey his field
of labor, and the conditions under which he entered it.
The first Presbytery organized west of the Allegheny mountains was that
of Redstone, erected by the Synod of New York and Philadelphia in May,
1781. Its territory embraced the present counties of Westmoreland, Fayette,
Armstrong, Indiana, Allegheny, Beaver, Washington, and Green, in Pennsylvania,
and adjacent territory, including the Panhandle of western Virginia. Its
membership at the time of organization consisted of but four ministers,
viz., Revs. James Power, John McMillan, Thaddeus Dodd, and Joseph Smith.
Within the next three years Revs. James Dunlap, John Clark, and James Finley
were added to the Presbytery; and this organization continued to provide
for the spiritual needs of the greater portion of the population west of
the mountains until 1793. In that year, the Presbytery of Redstone was
divided, and that of the Ohio formed, --those ministers whose charges were
nearest the river being detached from the parent body, and erected into
the new Presbytery. They were John McMillan, John Clark, Joseph Patterson,
James Hughes and John Brice.
The bounds of the Ohio Presbytery first extended to the Scioto, or
beyond; and nearly all of these original members of the Presbytery made
missionary tours into Jefferson county before any churches were organized
in what is now the county of Harrison. The first regularly installed minister
to preach to congregations, composed, at least, in part, of Harrison county
people, was Rev. Joseph Anderson, who was also the first minister installed
by the Ohio Presbytery in what is now the State of Ohio. He was licensed
by the Presbytery on October 17, 1798, and engaged at once in missionary
work in the Western Territory, where he succeded in gathering congregations
at several points. On August 20, 1800, he was installed as pastor of the
three churches Richland (now St. Clairsville), Short Creek (now Mount
Pleasant), and Cross Roads (now Crabapple). If this congregation of Crabapple
was the same as that now known by the name, and it probably was, then the
latter must claim priority in organization over that of Beech Spring; although
the year of its erection is usually given as 1804. From the fact that Mr.
Anderson gave up the charge of Crabapple in 1802, however, it is possible
that the people there were not sufficiently strong numerically to sustain
a minister, even for one-third of his time, and that its permanent organization
was accordingly deferred until after Mr. Rea was settled at Beech Spring.
Robert McCullough represented Crabapple Church, as an elder, at a
meeting of the Presbytery in 1801.
Mr. Anderson was ordained by Rev. John McMillan, at Crabapple,
but his principal congregation was that now known as Mount Pleasant; and
there can be no reasonable doubt that many of the then residents of Short
Creek township who were inclined to be church-going people were members
of the congregation, and some of them communicants, of the church of Mount
Pleasant. The first ruling elders of that church were Richard McKibben
Thomes McCune, James Clark, and James Eagleson. It was not until the years
1802 and 1803 that the settlers began to come in large numbers to that
part of the county now comprising the townships of Short Creek, Green,
Cadiz, and Athens. A year later (1804), John Rea was licensed by the Presbytery
of Ohio, and entered this field as a supply for the people of Beech Spring
and Crabapple.
Rev. John Rea was born in Tully, Ireland, in 1772, the son of
Joseph and Isabel Rea. About the year 1790 he emigrated to America, and
first resided in Philadelphia for a short lime. He left there, on foot,
and started for the west, traveling usually without company and, after
crossing the mountains, located in Washington county, where in 1793,
he married Elizabeth Christy. He made his home for a time in the house
of James Dinsmore, then a ruling, elder of Upper Buffalo church, by whom
he was encouraged and assisted in his attempts to gain an education. A
few years later, he entered Jefferson College, and was graduated in 1803,
being one of the members of the first class graduated at that institution.
On August 22, 1805, having been duly called by the congre gations which
he had served as supply, Mr. Rea was ordained and installed as pastor of
Beech Spring and Crabapple. In April, 1810, he was released from Crabapple,
and thenceforth gave all his time to Beech Spring, where he continued in
active charge until 1848, although not finally severing his connection
with that church until some three years later. He died February 12,1855.
The work of Dr. Rea has been summed up in a few words by Rev. W. F. Hamilton,
in his History of the Presbytery of Washington, who says:
Dr. Rea was in an eminent sense a pioneer minister. His early
labors were largely evangelistic. Several churches now exist on the territory
wholly occupied by him. It may safely be said that no man exerted a greater
influence than did he in forming the religious character of the early inhabitants
of a large section of Eastern Ohio.
In the words of Dr. Crawford, "the early history, not only of
this vicinity [Nottingham], but of the Presbyterian Church in Eastern Ohio,
is closely connected with the biography of Dr. Rea. In the early part of
his public work he was remote from his clerical brethren. In the whole
region that now embraces the territory of four Presbyteries, in the eastern
part of this state, there were but six Presbyterian ministers, where there
are now [1888] over one hundred; and not more than twelve or fifteen churches,
where there are now one hundred and eighty-five. Such a man as Dr. Rea
was destined to make and leave an impression behind him—an impression not
easily erased from the minds of those multitudes acquainted with his early
self-denial and successful labors."
He is quoted by Dr. Crawford as saying near the close of his life:
" My early toils and dreary travels were on horseback, through the bounds
of your present charge, as also through a large district of country, mostly
traversing paths through an unbroken wilderness; and wherever an early
settler was found, and, more especially, wherever and whenever I heard
of one in our communion, him I visited, by day and by night, at all seasons
of the year.”
An examination of the records of the Presbytery of the Ohio,
now in possession of Dr. W. J. Holland, of the Carnegie Museum at Pittsburgh,
shows an application for supplies for the people of Indian Short Greek
to have been made on October 19th, 1802, the Presbytery then being in session
at West Liberty. On Wednesday, October 20th, Mr. James Hughes was appointed
to supply "at Daniel Welsh's on Short Creek, the third Sabbath of December,
and Mr. [George M.] Scott on the first Sabbath of April." The Presbytery
met at Washington, Pa., again in January, 1803, and on Wednesday, the 19th,
Jacob Lindley was appointed to supply at "Welch's, on Indian Short Creek,
on the second Sabbath of March." In June, 1803, Presbytery met at Ten Mile,
and on Wednesday, the 29th, applications for supplies were received from
the "heads of Indian Wheelin [Crabapple] and Short Creek." Rev. Joseph
Anderson was appointed to preach at head of Indian Wheeling creek on the
first Sabbath in August; and Rev. James Snodgrass, at Welch's, on the second
Sabbath of July. At Montour's, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 1803, the Presbytery
received an application for supplies from "Welsh's on Indian Short Creek,"
and Mr. Hughes was appointed for the first Sabbath in April, 1804. At Ten
Mile, on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 1803, Mr. Nicholas Pittinger was appointed
to supply at "Crabapple on the third Sabbath of January, and at Beech Spring
on the fourth Sabbath of January." This is the first time these two congregations
appear on the records of Presbytery under the names by which they have
since been known. On Tuesday, April 17th, 1804, Presbytery having met at
Cross Roads (in Washington county, PA.), applications for supplies were
again received from Crabapple and Beech Spring; and on the 19th, Rev. "Samuel
Ralston was directed to preach at Crabapple one Sabbath at discretion,
and Rev. Joseph Anderson at Beech Spring on the third Sabbath of May, and
at Crabapple one Sabbath at discretion.
At the meeting of Presbytery held at Cross Creek, Washington
county, Pa., on Wednesday, June 27th, 1804, John Rea, as the name appears
on the records, was licensed to preach. On the following day, Mr. Rea was
appointed to preach at Beech Spring on the first Sabbath in August, at
Crabapple on the second Sabbath in August, at "Stillwater" (this may have
been Nottingham or Cadiz), on the fourth Sabbath of September, and at Crabapple
again on the fifth Sabbath of September. On the same day, Rev. William
McMillan (afterwards president of Franklin College), was appointed to supply
at Beech Spring on the third Sabbath of September. At the meeting of Presbytery
at Raccoon, on October 16, 1804, applications for further supplies were
received from Beech Spring and Crabapple. On Thursday, the 18th, Rev. Joseph
Patterson and Rev. Elisha Macurdy were appointed to preach at Beech Spring
on the second Sabbath of November, and to administer the Lord's Supper.
Mr. Anderson was also appointed to preach there on the fourth Sabbath of
November, and at Crabapple, on the first Sabbath of the following April.
Mr. John Brice was appointed to preach at Crabapple on the third Sabbath
of November. "Mr. Rea, being appointed by Synod to itinerate as a missionary,
no appointments are to be made him prior to next meeting of Presbytery."
The next meeting was held at Cross Creek on Christmas Day, 1804, and Mr.
Rea was appointed to supply at Beech Spring on the first and third Sabbaths
of February, and at Crabapple on the second and fourth Sabbaths of the
same month.
Presbytery met at West Liberty again in April, 1805, and on the
16th instant, "a call was presented for Mr. Rea from the united congregations
of Crabapple and Beech Spring, which being read, was put into his hands
For consideration." Mr. Rea having signified his acceptance of the call,
the Presbytery, on Thursday, April 18th, "agreed to proceed to the ordination
of Mr. Rea in August next provided the way be clear, and appointed him
to prepare and deliver a sermon on Isaiah, iv., 7, as part of trial. Mr.
Brice was appointed to preach the ordination sermon, and Mr. Macurdy to
preside and give the charge." The Presbytery met at Crabapple on Tuesday,
August 20th, 1805, and on the 22d of the same month, '`the Presbytery proceeded
to the ordination of Mr.. Rea, and did with fasting and prayer, and the
laying on of the hands of the Presbytery, solemnly ordain him to the holy
office of the Gospel ministry, and installed him as pastor of the united
congregations of Crabapple and Beech Spring. Mr. Brice preached on the
occasion, and Mr. Macurdy presided and gave the charge."
The size of Mr. Rea's congregation at the time of his installation,
and for some years thereafter, may be very closely approximated from the
reports preserved in the records of Ohio Presbytery. On April 16th, 1806
less than eight months after the beginning of his pastorale, the Presbytery,
having met at Upper Buffalo, "called on each member to report the number
of existing communicants in the congregation, and the number of persons
baptized." Mr. Rea reported that Beech Spring and Crabapple had 131 communicants,
and that ten infants had been baptized by him since the beginning of his
ministry. The next report, under date of Dec. 20th, 1808, shows but 109
members in communion, fifteen having been added during the past year, and
thirty-five infants baptized. On January 9th, 1810, the total communicants
were 191, fourteen having been added during the past year, and twenty-five
infants baptized. At this meeting of Presbytery, Mr Rea reported that the
congregation of Crabapple was in debt to him in the sum of sixty dollars
which became due on the 16th instant. On October 17th, of the same year,
the report shows 146 communicants; fifteen having been added since last
report, and eighteen infants baptized. On April 21st, 1812, there were
119 communicants, twenty-seven having been added during the year, and one
adult and twenty-nine infants baptized. April 19th, 1814, the number of
communicants was 185, twenty-five having been added, and four adults and
thirty-two infants baptized. April 18th, 1815, there were 201 members,
sixteen having been added, and twenty-three infants baptized. On April
16th, 1816, the total number of members was 222, of whom thirty-three had
been added during the year, and fifty-five infants baptized. April 15th,
1817, the report showed a total communion of 239, thirty-three having been
added during the year, and three adults and thirty-three infants having
been baptized.
The following is a part of the farewell sermon delivered by Rev.
John Rea, at Beech Spring Church, in January, 1851:
I have come here to-day, in somewhat feeble health, to discharge.
what I deem a solemn duty; to take my leave of, and bid a final adieu to
a church that has been under our care, and where we have lived and labored
for nearly half a century--a church where we have lived to see one generation
pass all away and another rise in its room.
That justice, in some measure, may be done thereto, reference
must be had to her early history, and to some of the changes that have
shaped her destiny thus far.
To prevent being tedious, we shall do little more than outline
it.
This church was organized some time in the fall of the year 1803,
by two Rev. Fathers, Patterson and Macurdy, who are now no more. Three
persons were chosen, and set apart at the time as ruling elders, and a
communion followed. This appears to have been the beginning, the morning
of the existence of what has since been called Beech Spring, a name said
to have been given to it by Mr. [Daniel] Welch, and took its rise from
a group of beech trees that enclosed a large spring of water on a lot of
five acres he had generously donated for the use of the church, on the
west corner of his section.
The year following, another young man and myself, of the first
class of students that graduated at Jefferson College, having finished
a course of Theological studies under the direction of Rev. Dr. McMillan,
were licensed to preach the Gospel by the Presbytery of Ohio, June, 1804.
After a tour of three months through the interior of this State, and another
up the Allegheny towards the Lakes, the winter following I supplied here,
and at Crabapple, by order of Presbytery. In April, a joint call was prepared
by these two congregagtions, then in union, and forwarded to Presbytery
signed by the following persons, viz: John Miller, S. Dunlap W. Watt, Henry
Ferguson, Jesse Edgington, D. Welch, Esq., and William Harvey. You will
readily, excuse me in the mentioning of these names, when it is remembered
that these were the men who founded the Church of Beech Spring; these were
the men who called me, who first gave me the hand of fellowship, and welcomed
me to these woods; most of whom I remember with affection, and would gladly
visit were they living; but they are no more; the last died the other day.
This call being accepted, I was accordingly ordained and installed pastor
of the united congregation of Crabapple and Beech Spring by the Presbytery
of Ohio, August, 1805. [The first elders of Crabapple were Robert McCullough,
William McCullough, and David Merritt.]
The field covered by these two societies, at the time of our
settlement was very extensive, and the labor proportionately great. Crabapple
claimed as being within her bounds, the whole extent of country between
the south fork of Short creek and the farthermost part of Nottingham. Beech
Spring was equally, if not still more extensive, including the entire region
of country from the Piney Fork and the Flats, on west to Stillwater. All
passed under the general name of Beech Spring. There was no Smithfield,
nor Bloomfield, nor any other field, whereby to fix our limits. All was
Jefferson county, and Steubenville, the seat of Justice.
Over all this extensive field, claimed by both churches, we had
to travel. Wherever one was found, or whenever we heard of one in our connection,
him we must visit; day and night, summer and winter, all seasons of the
year, without a road in most places, save the mark of an axe or the bark
of a tree, or the trail of an early Indian. No man that now comes in among
us at this distant day, and highly improved state of the country, can so
much as conjecture the labor and fatigue of the primitive pioneers of the
Ohio forests, out of which the savage had just begun to recede, but continued
still in large encampments in some places, near the skirtings of little
societies, where the few came together to worship under the shade of a
green tree.
The two churches under our care lay nearly twelve miles apart.
Many Sabbath mornings, in the dead of winter, I had to travel ten miles
to the place of meeting in Crabapple, having no road but a cow-path, and
the underwood bent with snow over me all the way. Worn down by fatigue,
and frequently in ill-health, I was more than once brought near the confines
of the grave.
In all the region around, there were but two clerical brethren
who could afford me any assistance, where now there are two Presbyteries
and well-nigh thirty preachers. Notwithstanding all this, I must say of
those early times, as Jehovah once said of Israel, eight hundred years
after, "I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thy espousals,
when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was
not sown." Those were the best times, and that generation, that Israel,
as a nation, ever saw. During the first years of these two congregations,
a great and good Providence was evidently seen over them. They prospered
exceedingly. Their increase was unprecedented; within our knowledge, we
have seen nothing like it; without anything very special that could be
called a revival (though something of the effects of the great western
revival still remained, and appeared at times in our meetings), yet so
rapid was their growth that in less than five years each became able to
support a minister all his time.
Accordingly, in April, 1810, the union existing between these
churches was by mutual consent dissolved, and the way opened for each to
employ a pastor. Shortly after, a call was prepared by this congregation
for the whole of our time, and received through the same Presbytery as
before. About this time there were several small societies forming at some
distance from us; and appeared to be promising. From one of these societies
an earnest request was forwarded to the session at Beech Spring, that some
part of their pastor's time might be granted them. With this request the
congregation complied, and for some years the fourth of our time was spent
in laying the foundation of what has since become a numerous and respectable
congregation, known by the name of the Ridge.
After the division of Jefferson county had taken place, and a
new county formed out of it, Cadiz, then a small village, became the Seat
of Justice of Harrison county. This village lay within our limits, and
was considered a part of our congregation. Here we organized a church,
at the request of the villagers, and labored a part of our time for three
years; since which our ministry has been chiefly confined to this place
alone.
For several years after, this church continued still more to
increase, until she became, as was generally supposed, the largest in the
State of Ohio. Out of this congregation, at different periods, there have
been formed not less than six contiguous organized churches. Still, she
continued to maintain her standing entire, until April, 1848 when age and
infirmity made it necessary that I should resign, and the pastoral relation
of forty-three years was at length dissolved.
Having thus briefly outlined the history of this church,—for
"Why should the wonders He has wrought, Be lost in silence and forgot."
some notice is due to its officers.
In the Presbyterian Church the membership of elder is recognized in
all her courts. The interest this class of men take, or the course of conduct
pursued by them, will go far in shaping the destiny, the well being, or
ill-being of any church. In the organizing of this church at first I had
no concern; it took place before my settlement. But in the course of years,
as the congregation increased, frequent additions had to be made, until
at one time we had not less than ten members in session. All were chosen
by the people, and ordained by myself, with the exception of three, viz:
James Kerr, Sr., John McCullough, Esq., and Dr. Thomas Vincent. These were
valuable men, and useful members of the session. They obtained their ordination
elsewhere, and were received as such here.
From Historical collections of Harrison County, in the state of Ohio, by Charles A. Hanna, printed 1900