£ibrarjo of trhe t:heolo0ical ^^mimvy 
 
 PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY 
 
 •a^D- 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 The Estate of 
 W. p, Stevenson 
 
 BX 9211 .C35 R66 1895 
 
 History of the Rocky Spring 
 Church 
 
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 HISTORY ^^%ii2iLsc«v 
 
 OF THE 
 
 l^ocky 5pi*Jn^ Church 
 
 AND 
 
 ADDRESSES DELIVERED 
 
 AT THE 
 
 Centennial Anniversary 
 
 of the Present Church Edifice, 
 AUGUST 23, i894. 
 
 COMPILED AND ARKANGED BY 
 
 REV. S. S. WYLIE AND A. NEVIN POMEROY. 
 
 CHAHBBRSBURO, PA.: 
 FRANKLIN REPOSITORY PRESS: 
 
 1895. 
 
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION ROCKY SPRING 
 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 
 
 HELD AT ROCKY SPRING, AUGUST 23, 1 894. 
 
 In the early snininer of 1894, The Franklin Repository^ in 
 its editorial page, suggested the propriety of suitably cele- 
 brating the centennial of the erection of the present house 
 ot worship of the Rocky Spring Presbyterian Church which 
 was completed in the summer of 1794. The importance of 
 its proper observance was brought to the notice of the Pres- 
 bytery of Carlisle at its June meeting and it was unanimously 
 resolved to appoint a suitable committee to further the above 
 worthy object. Rev. E. Erskine, D. D., pastor of the Pres- 
 byterian Church of Newville, Rev. S. S. Wylie, pastor of the 
 Middle Spring Presbyterian Church, and Rev. H. G. Finney, 
 pastor of the Rocky Spring Church, with A. Nevin Pome- 
 roy, editor of Franklin Repository and Joshua W. Sharpe, 
 Esq., of Chambersburg, were appointed by Presbytery. This 
 committee soon convened, and appointed Rev. E. Erskine, 
 D. D., Chairman, and Rev. S. S. Wylie, Secretary. Com- 
 mittees were appointed to procure speakers and prepare a 
 programme, on finances and on entertainment. 
 
 August 23d, the day appointed, opened beautiful and 
 bright and those interested in the Centennial Celebration 
 lelt that the heavens above them were smiling upon them. 
 As early as 7 a. m. teams began to arrive at the church and 
 each minute only increased the number of visitors for the 
 day. Many came on foot, some on horseback, many more 
 in buggies, carriages, hacks, and by 10 a. m. the many pub- 
 lic roads, and especially the one from Chambersburg, pre- 
 sented the appearance of a compact funeral procession. At 
 
lO THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 I p. m. by count there were seven liundreed' conveyances 
 on and near the church grounds and tully three thousand 
 people were massed together in and around this grand old 
 historic spot gathered from far aud near. At lo o'clock the 
 church was crowded to repletion, while hundreds filkd the 
 door steps and open windows. 
 
 With Presbyterian punctuality the exercises opened at lo 
 a. m. with the following programme of exercises which had 
 been previously arranged by the committee in charge: 
 
 1. Prayer of Invocation, by the Pastor, Rev. H. G. Finney. 
 
 2. Singing the lOO Psalm, each line read by the Rev. E. 
 
 Erskine, D. D., and lead by W. G. Reed, of Chambers- 
 burg, standing at the presentor's desk. 
 
 3. Prayer by Rev. George Norcross, D. D., Pastor of Second 
 
 Presbyterian Church, of Carlisle. 
 
 4. Singing of the 23d Psalm. 
 
 5. History of the Rocky Spring Church by Rev. Samuel 
 
 S. Wylie. 
 
 6. Deceased Ministers of the Rocky Spring Church, by 
 
 Rev. E. Erskine, D. D. 
 
 7. Presbyterianism and Civil Liberty, by Hon. John Stew- 
 
 art, President Judge of Franklin County, Pa. 
 Recess until 2 p. ili. 
 
 8. 2 p. m. The Early Scotch-Irish Settlers of the Cum- 
 
 berland Valley, by Dr. W. H. Egle, State Librarian at 
 Harrisburg, Pa. 
 
 9. Early Founders of the Presbyterian Church in America, 
 
 by Rev. Thomas Murphy, D. D., of Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 10. Impromptu Address — Some Lessons from the History 
 
 of this Church, by General and ex-Governor James A. 
 Beaver, of Bellefonte. 
 
 11. Development of Pennsylvania Presbyterianism, by Rev. 
 
 R. M. Patterson, D. D., VAiior oi Presbyterian Journaly 
 Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 12. Old Families of Rocky Spring, by William P. Steven- 
 
 son, of New York City. 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. II 
 
 13. Singing — "Blest be the Tie that Binds." 
 
 14. Closing Prayer, by Rev. Dr. George Shearer, Secretary 
 
 of the American Tract Society, New York. 
 All the above addresses and historic papers were requested 
 lor publication. Those which were furnished to the Com- 
 mittee of Publication, consisting of Rev. S. S. Wylie, are 
 given in the after pages of the history and published in the 
 order of their delivery. It is hoped that a generous public 
 will aid in a laudable effort to put in permanent form much 
 historic matter, which has never as yet been printed, and 
 may arouse a new interest in these old churches of our val- 
 ley so rich in history, in noble men and women, and in their 
 influence on future generations. W. 
 
 HISTORY OF ROCKY SPRING CHURCH. 
 
 READ AUG. 23, 1894. 
 
 As we to-day stand in these presence and amid these his- 
 toric surroundings, there is only one voice, which is neither 
 the present or the future but of the omnific past which 
 speaks and says in the words of the Inspired Pensman, "call 
 to remembrance the former days," "I said days should speak 
 and multitude of years should teach wisdom," "remember 
 the days of old the years of many generations." "Ask thy 
 fathers and they will tell thee." "Walk about Zion and go 
 round about her." "Tell the towers thereof" "Mark ye 
 well her bulwarks, consider her palaces, that ye may tell it 
 to the generations following. For this God is our God forr 
 ever and ever." Beautiful as well as noble sentiments are 
 these. Those Holy Pensmen were ever pointing that 
 Ancient people to the past, to the deeds, history and achiev- 
 ments of their fathers, from which they draw their noblest 
 sentiments and highest inspirations to a better life. Cer- 
 
12 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 tainly do I wish and hope that the reading of and better 
 knowledge of the history of this church and all the services 
 of the day, would lead us to these reflections. First — How 
 little we have which is due to ourselves, what a rich legacy 
 we have received from the past. Second — That men have 
 lived, fought and died for us. Third — That as every advance 
 makes a new advance easier, we ought to far excel them 
 in material, intellectual and spiritual attainments. Fourth 
 — To a spirit of gratitude and praise to God for the noble 
 record which lies behind us and a desire to commemorate 
 this grand centennial day by raising up some worthy Ebe- 
 nezer. We are acquainted with no spot in this ancient 
 Kittochtinny Valley, around which cluster more hallowed 
 and interesting associations than the venerable Church ot 
 Rocky Spring, the history of which I now proceed to give. 
 For the sake of convenience I divide the history into three 
 periods: First — Early Formation Period; Second — Period of 
 Greatest Prosperity; Third — Period of Decay. 
 
 The first period extends from the beginning of the church 
 to the pastorate of Rev. John Craighead in 1768. The best 
 date for the organization of Rocky Spring Church is 1738, 
 but as there are no records in existence of such an organiza- 
 tion the exact date never can be named beyond the possibil- 
 ity of a doubt. The date of organization of all these old 
 churches stretching through our valley is involved in much 
 obscurity. The old Donegal records give us no direct infor- 
 mation and the early sessional records, if there ever were 
 any, are not now in existence. Many ot these churches 
 never were organized in the modern sense of that term, they 
 simply grew. The fact that the first church was erected in 
 the autumn of the following year does not militate against 
 the above for we know congregations to-day are organized a 
 considerable time before securing a house and especially was 
 this true at that early date when their private houses and the 
 outspreading forest trees were generally used as temples of 
 praise. The following points as the Presbytery records 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 13 
 
 show that there was much dispute and delay in selecting a 
 suitable site for the building, are to be kept in mind in 
 determining the date of organization. As early as 1730 
 there were a few isolated settlements in this valley such as 
 at the Falling Spring, Chambersburg, between Middle 
 Spring and Shippensburg at the Big Spring and at other 
 points nearer the Susquehanna. When in 1734 the Samuel 
 Blunston license system of title came into effect and the 
 Proprietary Government encouraged immigration, and the 
 peaceful attitude of the Indians, together with the fertility 
 of the soil, caused a rapid influx, so that in 1736 Roop speaks 
 of settlements extending from the long crooked river to the 
 Potomac. And with the exception of a few Germans at 
 Greencastle and Welsh at Welsh Run they were all Scotch- 
 Irish or their immediate descendants and this was true of 
 the whole valley up to 1750. We are not to overlook the 
 fact that the uniform custom of these early settlers was to 
 avoid the choice limetone lands and the towns and settle 
 along streams such as the Conedogwinet and at springs; 
 to select the higher slate lands such as lie adjacent to this 
 church. And it cannot be disputed that in 1738 there was 
 quite a settlement of people between Rocky Spring and 
 and Strasburg and around the present town of Stras- 
 biirg, and between this point and Chambersburg. Among 
 many others the following can be named, viz: James and 
 Samuel Henry, John Hastin, Francis and Samuel Jones, 
 William Baird, Matthew and Robert Patton, and James 
 Culberson." These elevated slate lands being their choice 
 we find, as might be expected, that one of the first arrange- 
 ments of these early settlers was to have the Gospel preached 
 to them. They importuned the Donegal Presbytery for sup- 
 plies, so that in 1734 Rev. Alexander Craighead is ordered 
 over the river for three Sabbaths. He is ordered over a 
 second time. In 1735 Rev. John Tompson was to peram- 
 bulate along the Conedogwinet. In 1736 Rev. Samuel 
 Gelston was ordered to Opekan, Va., Cones toga and Cone- 
 
14 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 dogwinet. In 1736 supplies are sent for the first time to the 
 Conococheagiie settlement. When you remember that at the 
 meeting of Presbytery at Pequa, October, 1738, a commis- 
 sioner from Hopewell congregation which, I will show 
 included Rocky Spring Church, complained to Presbytery 
 that the people of Falling Spring, organized 1737, are about 
 to encroach upon them in erecting their house of worship 
 and the year following, as the Presbytery records show, the 
 privilege was granted them to erect their log church at 
 the Rocky Spring. Putting all these facts together can 
 any one doubt that the old theory that this congregation, as 
 well as the Middle Spring, was not organized until 1739, or 
 as most all authorities hold until 1740, is not correct, rather 
 in 1738 if not indeed earlier those noble. God-fearing men 
 gathered these gospel-hungry people together and in the 
 quiet of their plain home, and under the shade of the out- 
 spreading trees invoked the divine favor and pointed them to 
 "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world." 
 The first pastor of this church in connection with Big Spring 
 and Rocky Spring was the Rev. Thomas Craighead. The 
 earlier historians of this church, such as Nevin, Lane and 
 others, held that Rocky Spring had no settled pastor until 
 1768, when Rev. John Craighead was appointed over them. 
 This is altogether incorrect. In more recent years the Rev. 
 John Blair is assigned as the honored first pastor. Now I wish 
 to lead you another step back to the Rev. Thomas Craighead. 
 This I am aware is a much disputed point. The follow- 
 ing reasons would seem to justify such conclusions. The 
 Presbytery record of Donegal held at Derry church, Novem- 
 ber 17, 1737, (mark this record) a call was presented to 
 Presbytery by the people of Hopewell for the services of Mr. 
 T. Creighead — which was accepted by him, but he was not 
 installed for almost one year, until the second Tuesday of 
 October, 1738. The reasons were two: First — The difficulty 
 in settling boundary between Pennsborough and Hopewell 
 congregation, and Second — Because on Saturday night pre- 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 1 5 
 
 vious to the communion, without consulting his session, he 
 suspended his wife from church privileges because she 
 would not live in peace in the same house with her daughter- 
 in-law. V/e are to remember that the Presbytery records 
 designate these churches by the name of Hopewell — derived 
 from the township formed in 1735 by a line drawn across 
 the valley at the Great Spring- all east to be called by the 
 name ot Pennesboro and west by the name ot Hopewell. — 
 The churches of Silver Spring and Carlisle first took their 
 general name of Pennesboro from the township — one being 
 upper and the other lower and the Conococheague by east 
 and west, lower east and lower west, so Hopewell was dis- 
 tiguished by lower and upper from the flow ot water. The 
 reasons for believing that Rocky Spring was then called 
 with the other two Spring churches by the general name of 
 Hopewell and with Middle Spring by the name of Upper 
 Hopewell are these, ist. — At the time Rev. Thomas 
 Craighead became the settled pastor over the Hopewell 
 Charge or in Oct. 1738, Presbytery at Pequa, — Robert 
 Henry a commissioner from Hopewell complained that the 
 people of Falling Spring are about to encroach upon Hope- 
 well congregation. This was in the matter of erecting 
 a house of worship at Falling Spring — the old Presbytery 
 rule being ten miles apart. Now the boundary of Middle 
 Spring or Upper Hopewell as is declared never extended 
 beyond Herron's branch one mile east of Orrstown and fully 
 eight miles from Falling Spring. Now would it not be 
 perfectly absurd for Robert Henry the most prominent 
 member of Middle Spring Church, as the John Blair ses- 
 sional records show, to go to Pequa and make complaint to 
 Presbytery that Falling Spring is about to encroach upon 
 Hopewell if Hopewell simply meant as men declare Middle 
 and Big Spring. Why Middle Spring is thirteen miles 
 from Falling Spring and the south and south-west 
 boundary of Middle Spring is eight miles from Fal- 
 ing Spring. But if Hopewell included Rocky Spring 
 
1 6 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 tlien his conduct is quite clear. Falling Spring was 
 encroaching on Rocky Spring less than five miles distant. 
 This man Robert Henry, had a remarkable zeal in this mat- 
 ter — so much so that he became involved in trouble with 
 Presbytery in reference thereto. His zeal I explain for 
 these two reasons. First. — He was remarkably loyal to his 
 minister Rev. Thomas Craighead and was the main instru- 
 ment of his settlement over the Hopewell Charge. And 
 Second — James Henry, who is supposed to be his brother, 
 was a member ot the Rocky Spring Session but a short 
 time after this and he would therefore feel a special interest 
 in the rights of that church. Third — Rev. Richard Web- 
 ster whose history as you know covers this period of our 
 churches' history and its minister declares that Rocky Spring 
 was called by the name of Upper Hopewell. Fourth — On 
 page 189 of Donegal records in recording supplies appointed 
 to Lower Hopewell makes this record on the margin where 
 an abstract of all Presbyterial business is given: "Upper 
 and Lower Hopewell the former Rocky and Middle 
 Spring and latter Big Spring." Fifth — That the name of 
 Rocky Spring does not appear upon the records for many 
 years after this and if it was not designated by Hopewell, 
 how was it known ? All the above is important in ascer- 
 taining what is implied by the people of Hopewell that it 
 included the three churches. That Rev. Thomas Craighead 
 preached here is evident further from the fact that the co- 
 temporaneous pastors preached for two, three or four 
 congregations. Rev. Samuel Cavin preached to the four 
 appointments of the Conococheague. Sixth — By the words 
 of the call — "A call was presented to Presbytery by the 
 people of Hopewell for the services of Mr. T. Craighead" 
 (Page 1 53 of Donegal records.) Seventh — The author of the 
 history of Franklin Co. says the first pastor was Rev. 
 Thomas Craighead. Eighth — Rev. Richard Webster who 
 evidently examined the records of Presbytery with great care 
 and a most reliable historian in speaking of Rev. John Blair 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 1 7 
 
 saj'S "then those churches had been served by the Rev. 
 Thomas Creaghead." The pastorate of Rev. Thomas Creag- 
 head over the Spring Churches was very brief — about seven 
 months, from October, 1738 until the latter part of April, 1739. 
 At the June meeting of the Donegal Presbytery 1739 he is 
 reported as having died. The theory handed down in ref- 
 erence to his death is that at the close of a communion ser- 
 vice at the Big Spring and at the close of a remarkable ser- 
 mon for which he was noted, he sank down in the pulpit 
 from exhaustion after exclaiming, ''Farewell, farewell." 
 Like Moses of old his natural strength was not abated 
 though he was called in Presbytery "Father Creaghead,'' 
 and that his grave is unknown to this day. He was a stir- 
 ring preacher — indeed a revivalist — whose pulpit ministra- 
 tions were greatly blessed ot God in all the various fields of 
 labor he occupied. Cotton Mather, Freetown, Mass., his 
 first pastoral charge in this country speaks of him in these 
 striking words, "That he was a man ot an excellent spirit 
 and a great blessing to the plantation. A man of singular 
 piety, meekness and industry in the work of God All 
 that are acquainted with him have a precious esteem of him 
 and if he should be driven from among you it would be such 
 a damage, yea such a ruin as is not without horror to be 
 thought ot." It is a fortunate thing that out of the wreck 
 and ruin of the past that the sessional records of Mr. Blair's 
 ministry at Middle Spring have been preserved, which are 
 perhaps the oldest sessional records of any church in the val- 
 ley. Otherwise his relation to this church would have been 
 enveloped in darkness. I quote in full of sessional records, 
 page 2, Dec. 27th, 1742. "The minister and elders of Big 
 Spring, Middle Spring and Rocky Spring met at Middle 
 Spring in order to settle the division of the minister's labors 
 among the three congregations. It is unanimously agreed 
 that the minister's labors be equally divided in a third part 
 to each place, as being most for the glory of God and the 
 good of the place. Also, upon the motion of the elders of 
 
1 8 THK ROCKY SPRING 
 
 Big Spring, it is lett to them, the people and Mr. Blair to 
 converse among themselves in respect to the subscriptions of 
 the Big Spring congregation. Appointed that the session 
 of each place meet every second Monday of their turn of 
 sermon. ' Agreed that each session send a member to Pres- 
 bytery or Synod in their turn beginning with Middle Spring. 
 Agreed that none be published in order to marriage until 
 they make application to the minister or some of the session. 
 Concluded with prayer." This session book shows that these 
 three sessions quite frequently met afterwrrds as at this time, 
 for business. Rev. John Blair was never a member of Don- 
 egal Presbytery, but of the New Castle Presbytery. So the 
 Donegal records in no way help us either as to the begin- 
 ning or end of his pastorate over these churches. When he 
 ended his ministry at this place cannot no\^ be exactly 
 determined. The New Castle Presbytery records which 
 alone could authoritatively answer are not in existence or at 
 least cannot be found. The time of his pastorate according 
 to Webster, Sprague, Nevin, is the latter part of 1748 or 
 on December 28, '48, The reason for their belief is due 
 wholly to the tact that the sessional records referred to above 
 stops with that date. After no little study of this point I 
 place the dissolution of the pastorate at a much later date 
 and for the following reasons: First — In October 5, 1745, 
 he bought a large farm of 2 1 2 acres from Thomas and Rich- 
 ard Penn, the patent for which he had recorded in 1753 and 
 sold it to Samuel Rippy, Shippensburg, in 1760. Second — 
 I quote from an old receipt ot steepens, now in my posses- 
 sion: "Sept. II, 1757. Received from John Johnston, two 
 pounds, two pence, which appears to me to be in full of 
 steepens due Rev. John Blair. Signed David Megaw." He 
 was collector and this indicates that he left about that time 
 and they were settling the salary due him. Third — Sprague, 
 Alexander, Webster and others all agree that the reason for 
 his leaving the springs was due to the incursions of Indians, 
 but any one conversant with that period knows that between 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 1 9 
 
 the settlers and Indians there were no outbreaks in 1 748. We 
 all know after the disastrous defeat of Braddock, July 9, 1755, 
 and the retreat of Dunbar, the tardy, this valley in every 
 part, and especially this part, was swept by fire and sword, 
 the scalping knife and tomahawk of an exultant savage foe. 
 When thirteen hundred and eighty-four refugees were hud- 
 dled together in Shippensburg, and seven hundred families 
 left this valley for York and Lancaster counties; when men 
 between this spot and Strasburg plowed their fields with 
 their guns strapped to their plows, and reaped their harvests 
 with their rifles set against the nearest tree, Mr. Blair, with 
 his family, would then have to flee in 1755 for their lives. 
 F'ourth — No historian of this life gives the least hint of what 
 he did or where he spent his time if he left in 1748 to 1757, 
 the date of his next pastorate. Is it likely that this man in 
 the prime of his manhood and in the full possession of his 
 many talents would have remained in idleness those nine 
 years? From such facts the best conclusion is that he left 
 this valley in the Autumn of 1755 and in those unsettled 
 times the pastoral relation was not dissolved until 1757 when 
 he accepted a call to the Fags Manor Church. After remain- 
 ing there for ten years, occupying the position vacated by 
 his gifted brother, Samuel, he became Professor of Divinity 
 in Princeton College. Rev. Blair lived at Middle Spring in 
 the centre of his large field of labor on a farm near the Mid- 
 dle Spring now owned by W. S. Ziegler, Ke married a 
 Miss Denborrow, of Philadelphia, and lived in a style alto- 
 gether above his plain parishoners. He was a great untir- 
 ing worker. He was frequently absent from his important 
 work at the Springs and engaged in revival work and preach- 
 ing tours in Virginia. He was a gifted writer and Dr. Alex- 
 ander says of him: "As a theologian he was not inferior to 
 any man in the Presbyterian church." It is no exaggeration 
 to say that he was one of the most gifted and eloquent men 
 who ever filled the pulpit of the Springs Churches. 
 
 Rocky Spring Church no doubt had occasional supplies 
 
20 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 during the period between the pastorates of Rev. John Blair 
 and that of Rev. John Creaghead in 1768. It was a very 
 unsettled period and many were the vacancies throughout 
 the Presbytery during that time. It was during this first 
 formative period that the first house of worship was erected 
 at Rocky Spring Church. The following is the action of 
 Presbytery: "Conococheague, Nov. 16, 1739. A supplica- 
 tion being presented and read requesting the committee's 
 concurrence that the meeting house be erected at the Rocky 
 Spring and hearing a great deal on both sides of the question 
 the committee observing that proper methods were fallen 
 into some time ago to regulate this affair and a report of the 
 good issue being made by Rev. Creaghead and a commission 
 from that people together with several other circumstances 
 too tedious here to insert, do agree and conclude that the 
 house for public worship be erected as near to the Falling 
 Spring as conveniently as may be. Concluded with prayer." 
 While a number of sights are claimed on which this original 
 church was erected, yet the best information I can now com- 
 mand, places it in part on the ground now occupied by the 
 present building with the eastern side running parallel with 
 the graveyard fence and nearer to it than the present build- 
 ing. It was doubtless about thirty-five feet square when 
 originally erected. There was the same relation to points 
 of compass as the present building, with front towards the 
 south. It was constructed of rough logs, one and one-half 
 stories high, with one row of windows on lower floor. Soon 
 proving too small for the congregation an addition was 
 formed by constructing of logs a small square building 
 attached to it on the south and extending one-half the length 
 of the main one, the roof of the main building was extended 
 over it and the wall between the two was sawn away. No 
 windows were in this extension. A similar addition was 
 also made and joined to the other south side of the main 
 structure. I do not know what Sir Christopher Wren or 
 some of our modern architects would think of this building. 
 
 V 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 21 
 
 I rather suppose they would say that it was certainly a lop- 
 sided affair. It is not likely that any provisions were made for 
 heating this house when first erected which was in accord- 
 ance with the custom of the day. The study house made 
 provision in part for that. Afterwards these stoves, now in 
 use, in the present house, were purchased and heated the 
 old log church. Shortly after the construction of this log 
 church there was erected a small, rough-log house built fif- 
 teen feet square. Some say it joined the church on the 
 north side but the best memories place it some distance to 
 the north-west of it and on the ground occupied by the road 
 which runs north of the church. It had a wide fireplace 
 with large wooden chimney and could with propriety be 
 called either a study house, a session house, a saddle house, 
 or a school house as you please, for it was put to all these 
 iises and stood for nearly a century. The ground floor of 
 this old church will be shown to-day together with the 
 names of the pew holders. Such was the house of worship 
 which echoed to the eloquent and stirring appeals of Creag- 
 head, or the classic diction of Blair. We have no fear of 
 exaggeration when we say there was no lofty spire, no chime 
 of bells, no stained glass windows, no upholstered seats, no 
 pipe organ, no large reception room in the basement for 
 grand soirees and church festivals. Mother earth the floor, 
 benches were the seats, smooth peeled saplins were the raft- 
 ers, clap boards were for the roof with a presentor's desk 
 beneath and a goblet-shaped pulpit, tacked to the ceiling, 
 on which lay a well worn copy of the Scriptures, either 
 Glasgow or Louden edition, and Rouse's version of the 
 Psalms. These completed the furniture. Oh! were it 
 standing to-day what a precious relic of the past it would be. 
 How delightful to visit this sacred spot, join the worship 
 and after services return home with some of its worshipers. 
 To see the men with their home-spun hunting shirts and 
 moccasins, and from necessity practicing 
 
 "He scorns exotic food and gaudy dress, 
 
52 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 Content to live on honest fare in peace, 
 Sweet to the taste his unbought dainties are, 
 And his own homespun he delights to wear. 
 Yes, my friends, when we look back to this far distant 
 period of a century and a half, it was these plain, honest, 
 hard working men and women with their zealous, self-sac- 
 rificing pastors, who by faith, by prayer, by honest and manly 
 toil and by victory over difficulties to which we are strangers, 
 laid the permanent foundations both of church and state. 
 All glory to God and all honor to these fathers. "Other 
 men labored and ye have entered into their labors." 
 
 PART II. 
 
 From the commencement of the pastorate of Rev. John 
 Creaghead, 1768 to the year 1815, at the closeof the stated sup- 
 ply of Dr. John McKnight. This period of forty-seven years 
 w^as the most important in the history of this church during 
 which time it attained high water mark of prosperity. It 
 was the golden age of this church. At this time the dis- 
 tracted condition of the churches of the valley over the Old 
 and New Side controversy had practically died out. The 
 Indian troubles no longer came to the front, peace having 
 been patched up between the French and the English. The 
 people were returning from the Eastern counties to again 
 occupy their homes, and ships were bearing their precious 
 fruitage of immigrants from the Old to the New World. 
 Each of the three Springs congregations now called pastors 
 of their own. Big Spring has Dr. Duffield, Middle Spring 
 Dr. Cooper, and on April 13, 1768, Rocky Spring has ap- 
 pointed over it by the installation act of Presbytery Rev. 
 John Creaghead called at a salary of ^100, not all of which 
 however is paid in money. He had been called the previous 
 year, in April, 1767, accepted in October, and installed as 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 23 
 
 above. Rocky Spring was his only pastoral charge and 
 next to Rev. Nelson the longest in the history of the church, 
 a period of thirty-one years. Mr. Creaghead was a tall, 
 handsome man, with rather dark hair and possessed a musi- 
 cal voice. His sermons were well prepared, forceful and 
 persuasive and without manuscript delivered with a power 
 and eloquence which tew men possessed. In his disposition 
 he was mild, affable, and peculiarly winning. Every one 
 knew him and he knew everybody in all the region. His 
 powers and fine humor made him the favorite of all with 
 whom he came in contact. I here take occasion to speak of 
 his home which stood one-half mile north-east of this church, 
 a large farm the main part of which is in the possession of 
 Mr. Samuel Wingert. It was built of stone the walls of 
 which were destroyed in 1875. It is thus described. It was 
 a grand old building with walls two feet thick, bent and 
 curved inward considerably, from the occasion of fire, the 
 interior having been twice entirely burned out during the 
 occupancy of Rev. Creaghead. It had great stone chimneys, 
 four flues in the east and a large, open, wide chimney place 
 in the west end with space enough to boil apple butter, bake, 
 boil soap and butcher. A long porch extended in front. 
 During his day this house was headquarters for the clergy 
 and eldership of all the surrounding congregations. Drs. 
 King and Cooper, Revs. L^ang, Dougal, Steel and Linn were 
 frequent visitors. The social and elegant manners of Rev. 
 Creaghead and wife made this place one of constant resort 
 by the members of his congregation. The tea and quilting 
 parties. The three-cornered parlor was often the scene of a 
 merry, social throng after the husking frolic or apple butter 
 boilings. 
 
 Besides being a member several times of the General 
 Assembly and sent by the General Assembly to several im- 
 portant missions, he stands out especially conspicuous in the 
 cause of the Revolution. Belonging as he did to a noble 
 Scotch family, and living as he did in those stirring days of 
 
24 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 '76, his noble soul burned with indignation against the 
 wrongs perpetrated on the early colonists. By both voice 
 and example he lead his people in that patriotic cause. In 
 thrilling tones he exhorted his members to stand up boldly 
 and let their slogan cry, "God and liberty forever ring from 
 mountain to mountain." All seemed to be overcome but 
 one old lady who cried out, "Stop, Mr. Creaghead ! I just 
 want to tell ye again if ye have sich a purty boy as I have 
 in the war ye will na be so keen for fighting, quit talking 
 and gang yourselt to the war. Yer always preaching to the 
 boys about it but I dunna think ye'd be very likely to go 
 yourself; first go and try it." But the reverend gentleman 
 did go and acted both as captain and chaplain and acquitted 
 himself bravely on many a fild of battle as we no doubt will 
 hear to. day. He was at times subject to periods varying 
 from a few days to many months, of great mental depression, 
 bordering at times upon insanity. A like trouble afflicted 
 his friend and colaborer. Dr. Cooper, of Middle Spring. 
 Then he would rise from these periods of mental gloom and 
 manifest a fervency in declaring the gospel and a zeal in 
 his ministry among the people which was a surprise to all. 
 But this disease brought this noble patriot and soldier of the 
 Cross to a premature grave. On April 9, 1799, ^^^ pastoral 
 relation was dissolved and in a few days, April 20, he passed 
 into eternity at the early age of fifty-seven. His body rests 
 under that slab, covered by thyme in that quiet enclosure of 
 the dead, the only one of all these pastors who sleeps among 
 those to whom they ministered. Did space allow many 
 other things crowd upon me for utterance in reference to 
 this servant of God — the grandest man who ever stood in 
 this sacred desk. His tablet well records he was a faithful 
 and zealous ser\'ant of Jesus Christ. He was a broad man, 
 a financier, a patriot and a preacher. 
 
 After a vacancy of two years a call was presented to 
 Presbytery lor the pastoral services ol Rev. Frances Her- 
 ron, which he accepted and he was ordained and installed 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 25 
 
 over Rocky Spriiio- Church, April 9, 1800. He was 
 thoroughly consecrated to his work and his preaching 
 was with such unction and power that the impenitent 
 in all parts of his large field of labor were convicted and 
 brought to Christ. Bible and Catechetical Classes sprang 
 up and in a spiritual sense as well as numerically the con- 
 gregation grew. It is probable the congregation attained 
 its greatest strength and prosperity during his ministry. It 
 was a great loss to Rocky Spring, but a greater gain to 
 First Church, Pittsburg, when he, after ten years, accepted 
 the latter's call. Had he remained and given his grand mind 
 and heart to the work as unreservedly as he did in the 
 great metropolis of Western Pennsylvania, no one here 
 can doubt but that things would be different to-day. 
 
 Soon after his remo\'ai a call was presented by the Rocky 
 Spring Church to the Rev, John McKnight, D. D. Mr. 
 McKnight refused to accept the call but acted as supply for 
 four years, imtil 18 15, when he accepted the Presidency of 
 Dickinson College. At the time he acted as supply to 
 Rocky Spring and until his death he owned and lived in the 
 property in which Mrs. W. L. Chambers now resides. The 
 records show that it was in the township of Guilford, 
 bounded by lands of Joseph and George Chambers and 
 Philip Berlin, containing about fifteen acres. Dr. McKnight 
 was a very superior man, and this congregation was fortunate 
 in having his ministrations among them for four years. 
 His leaving them was regretted by all, while some became 
 so much discouraged as to say that they would never attempt 
 to call another pastor. A fine portrait of this man hangs in 
 the reception room of the Presbyterian Historical Society of 
 Philabelphia. In this picture he wears his gown and bands 
 and while his face is by no means handsome, it possesses 
 the beholder as of one possessed with great force of charac- 
 ter and high born manhood. 
 
 It was during the second period of the history of this 
 church that this present house was erected, the centennial 
 of which we celebrate to-day. 
 
26 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 The present church building is located on the brow of a 
 small hill, and can be seen, owing to its peculiar situation, 
 for several miles, as one approaches it by the various roads 
 leading thereto. At the foot of the hill issuing from out 
 rocks is a large spring, from which the church takes its 
 name. As is well known in the history of the early Pres- 
 byterian churches in Pennsylvania, nearly all were located 
 close by large springs. 
 
 The present edifice was built by Walter Beatty. It is of 
 brick upon a stone foundation, and in size sixty by forty- 
 eight feet, and eighteen feet to ceiling. It is entered by a 
 door on the south side; although there are two doors on the 
 east and one on the north side at the end of the aisles in the 
 church. The inside corresponds somewhat to the exterior 
 of the edifice. The aisles are paved with bricks, while the 
 floors of the pews are boarded. The pulpit is old fashioned, 
 of a circular form, above it being an oval-shaped sounding 
 board or canopy. This is entered by a staircase, towards 
 which a passage on each side with a railing leads. With 
 the exception of the old-fashioned table, the chancel does 
 not contain either benches or chairs. These probably have 
 been removed or taken away as relics. The pews are high, 
 straight-backed, long and narrow, and unpainted. All have 
 pasted upon them the names of former occupants. We 
 found standing in the church two ten-plate stoves, which 
 seem to be almost as great relics of the past as the church 
 itself. The pipes extending from these old time heaters 
 pass up into the ceiling and out through the roof, there 
 being no chimneys on the church; and it is surprising to us 
 that the edifice has not burned down long ago. At one end 
 of the ceiling near the entrance on the south side, is a square 
 opening which gives admittance to the loft. This is reached 
 by means of a rude ladder, which is left in the church. This 
 ladder has afforded an opportunity for "the write-your-name- 
 on-the-wall idiot," and, consequently, all around the walls 
 of the church are the vulgar effusions of the modern vandals. 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 27 
 
 The indignation which this causes in the minds of the 
 thoughtful visitor, destroys, in a great measure, the feelings 
 which would otherwise occupy the mind while examining 
 this ancient church. The ceiling is arched in the place 
 where the walls and ceiling meet. There is placed all 
 around the room a narrow strip of board, which together 
 with the edges of the window cases, is painted blue, similar 
 to the painting on the pulpit. This church interior, as your 
 fathers saw it in the autumn of 1794, so you see it to-day. 
 No painter's brush or carpenter's hand has been laid on it 
 for a century. Surprising fact! Undergone less change 
 than any other church building in this country. Many 
 others are older in Philadelphia, and other parts of the 
 country, but as it was then, so to-day. A souvenir, a keep- 
 sake from your fathers. The only changes wrought by the 
 hand of man were those necessary to its preservation, new 
 wooden steps, new roof in 1825, ^^ 1863, and the present 
 slate roof put on in 1885, and provided for by Joseph Gil- 
 more. This church as it is now, with its almost perfect roof, 
 walls and foundation would stand for another century. May 
 the Divine Hand so order it. Then may your children's 
 children celebrate a second Centennial. Just prior to the 
 erection of this edifice a warrant was taken out by the trus- 
 tees and the land, for the congregation, was then for the first 
 time surveyed. The following is the wording: "Warrant 
 for five acres granted to George Matthews, Esq., James Mc- 
 Calmont, Esq., James Ferguson, Esq., James Culberson, Esq. 
 and Samuel Culberson, Trustees for the congregation, in- 
 cluding the Rocky Spring Church, Nov. 6, 1792." During 
 the Revolutionary War of this period I hesitate not to say 
 that this was one of the most patriotic congregations in the 
 valley. In proof I have gathered from some imperfect lists, 
 viz: one general, four colonels, twelve captains, and a like 
 number of other officers, and in a list of the members pre- 
 pared after the war, there were only one or two men who 
 had not been soldiers of the Revolution and for many years 
 
28 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 after. All the members of session had held important posi- 
 tions in the Continental Army. A list of the soldiers fol- 
 lows: Samuel Culbertson, colonel 6th battalion, Cumberland 
 County Associators, 1777; lieutenant colonel 4th battalion^ 
 May 10, 1780. James McCalmont, major of the 5th battal- 
 ion, July, 1776; major of 6th battalion, 1777; major of 4th 
 battalion, May 10, 1780. John Wilson, adjutant 6th bat- 
 talion, 1777. William Ramsey, private. Captain Arm- 
 strong's company, December, 1776; ensign, 3d company, 
 6th battalion, 1777. Robert Peebles, colonel of battalion of 
 Associators, July, 1776. Robert Miller, on committee of 
 observation, July 12, 1774. Robert Culbertson, captain 5th 
 battallion, 1776. James Gibson, captain 4th battalion, Jan- 
 uary, 1777. John Rhea, lieutenant 5th battalion, January, 
 1777. William Huston, captain 2d battalion, September, 
 1776; captain 6th battalion, 1777; captain 5th company, 6th 
 battalion, January, 1778. Rev. John Craighead, private in 
 Captain Samuel Culbertson's company. Colonel Armstrong's 
 battalion, December, 1776. Joseph Culbertson, Robert 
 Stockton, and James Reed were privates in the same com- 
 pany. Samuel Patton, captain in Col. Armstrong's battal- 
 ion, July, 1776; captain 3d company of 6th battalion 1777; 
 captain 2d company of 4th battalion. May 10, 1780. George 
 Matthews, captain Colonel Armstrong's battalion, December, 
 
 1776. John McConnell, lieutenant in Captain Matthew's 
 company, December, 1776; captain in 8th battalion, 1777; 
 captain in 4th battalion. May, 10, 1780. William Beard, 
 William Waddle, William Kirkpatrick, Robert Caldwell, 
 John Machan, James Hindman and John Caldwell were pri- 
 vates in Captain Matthew's company, December, 1776. Jo- 
 seph Stevenson, first lieutenant, 8th battalion, 1778. Albert 
 Torrance, first lieutenant 8th company, of 8th battallion, 
 
 1777, and lieutenant in 8th battalion, March, 1778. Joseph 
 Caldwell, lieutenant ist company, 4th battalion, May 10, 
 1780. John Caldwell, ensign ist company, 4th battalion, 
 May 10, 1780. James Culbertson, captain 3d company, 4th 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 29 
 
 battalion, May lo, 1780, Reuben Gillespie, lieutenant 3d 
 company, 4th battalion, May 10, 1780. John Beard, ensign 
 3d company, 4th battalion. May 10, 1780. William Beard, 
 John Beard, Hugh Wylie and James Walker were privates in 
 Captain William Huston's company in January, 1778. Sam- 
 uel Henry, private in Lieutenant Albert Torrance's company, 
 8th battalion, March, 1778. Thomas Kinkead, private Cap- 
 tain Samuel Patton's company, 6tli battalion, in July, 1778. 
 Ot others who served in the War of the Revolution, although 
 we have only their subsequent military titles, were Colonel 
 James Armstrong, Captain James Sharpe and Captain Alex- 
 ander Culber4:son. Others there were on the list who went 
 to make up that army ol Scotch-Irish patriots whose services 
 in the War of the Revolution made independence possible. 
 These veterans after the war would attend church wearing 
 their cocked hats, breeches and swords, and hang the former 
 on pegs around the wall. This scene must have been quite 
 animated and military. The same noble record may be 
 recorded of this people in protecting their homes against 
 the skulking savage foe. The name of the intrepid INIajor 
 James McCalmont, his remarkable skill in Indian warfare, 
 his daring bravery, his hairbreadth escapes, constitute a page 
 of real history more wonderful than the imagination could 
 paint. And here we see that "truth is stranger than fiction." 
 At the close of this period the congregation was very large 
 and numbered three hundred and eight heads of families. 
 The people invariably came on horseback and rode long 
 distances, from Culbertson's Row, Greenvillage, near Orrs- 
 town, Roxbury, Strasburg, St. Thomas, along the base of 
 the North Mountain for many miles and all intermediate 
 points. A list of the membership at that period is given in 
 the History of Franklin County, but as it records the names of 
 one hundred and thirty men and only seven women it is un- 
 doubtedly incorrect. The communion seasons were then 
 grand, impressive occasions. The neighboring pastors 
 always assisted. Four days, from Friday until Monday after- 
 
30 THK ROCKY SPRING 
 
 noon, would be occupied. After the sermon and the fencing 
 the table by the pastor, and receiving their tokens of good 
 standing at the hands of the trusted elders, table after table 
 would be filled and vacated by the voice of song, usually the 
 ii6th Psalm, "I'll of Salvation take the Cup," each table 
 addressed by a different minister. It was no uncommon 
 experience for darkness to overtake these faithful worshipers 
 before they would reach their homes. The intermission 
 between the services of the Sabbath was spent in exchanging 
 the salutation of the day under the trees on all sides ot God's 
 house, so different from the nude condition of this rocky hill 
 to-day. The pastor and session would meet in the study 
 house for consultation. The young people would invariably 
 wind their way down over the rocky declivity to the gush- 
 ing waters from the rock. 
 
 "Blest sight it was to mark that godly flock. 
 
 At intermission, grouped throughout this wood; 
 
 Each log, each bench, each family upping block. 
 Some grand dame held amidst her gathered brood. 
 
 Here cakes were shared, and fruits, and counsel good; 
 Devoutly spoken ' twas of crops and rain, 
 
 Hard-by the church the broad-brimmed elders stood. 
 While oe'r that slope did flow a constant strain 
 Of bevys springward bound or coming back again. 
 
 Ah, luckless wight, whom gallantry did press. 
 Fast by that spring, to stoop him often low. 
 
 And serve, with cup up-dipped, and bland address. 
 The gathering fair, whose multitude did grow ! 
 
 Her first cup hath drunk, and off does walk; 
 Her then to follow fain he must forego, — 
 
 With some far happier swain he marks her talk. 
 
 While he must stoop, and grin, and water all the flock." 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 3 1 
 
 PART III. 
 
 From the year 181 6, or the ministry of Rev. John Mc- 
 Knight, until the present time — this third period of the Rocky 
 Spring Church opens with the ministry of Rev. John Mc- 
 Knight — it seems remarkable that so little is known and no 
 proper biography of this worthy man of God has ever been 
 preserved. The few facts of his life I have been able to glean 
 are given below. The exact time and place of his birth 
 and place ot education are now not known to the writer. 
 He was born in New York City, likely in the year 1789, the 
 son of Rev. John McKnight, D. D., his predecessor at Rocky 
 Spring. He was licensed by Carlisle Presbytery September 
 16, 181 1, and pastor of Rocky Spring Church from Novem- 
 ber 13, 1816, to January 20, 1836; Pastor of St. Thomas 
 from 1824 to 1836; organized Fayetteville during 1833, and 
 stated supply of same for six years, from 1830 to 1836. He 
 was dismissed to Presbytery of Lewes, and in 1839 united 
 with the New School branch of the Presbyterian church. In 
 1840 stated supply to Rehobeth Church, Maryland. In 1846 
 pastor of New School church, Hamitolsville, near Philadel- 
 phia. He is marked W. C. in New School minutes of 1857, 
 died July 29, 1857, and hurried at Montrose, Susquehanna 
 county, Pa., aged sixty-eight years. He married the 
 daughter of Joseph Chambers, Esq., and owned and lived on 
 the farm recently sold by John Schlichter to the Land and 
 Improvement Co., of Chambersburg, Pa. The older people 
 and their children have ever spoken of him in the highest 
 terms, except that he became a New School man. That he 
 was a faithful, laborious under-shepherd is evident from the 
 length of his ministry of twenty years and the wide extent 
 of his field of labor. But many things blocked the way to 
 a prosperous ministry. For many years there was much 
 sickness and the Great Enemy thinned the ranks both of 
 great and small. Emigration to the west and removals to 
 Chambersburg and other places were severe, while his own 
 
32 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 ministry lacked concentration. He preached at Strasburg, 
 Rocky Spring, St. Thomas and Fayetteville. After a brief 
 interval of four years, dnring which time the church was 
 supplied by the farmer-preacher. Rev. Robert Kennedy, of 
 near Welsh Run, whose relationship to the church was that 
 of stated supply. 
 
 Rocky Spring and St. Thomas churches called the Rev. 
 Alexander Kilpatrick Nelson and on IMay 30, 1840, he was 
 installed pastor of these churches where he remained until 
 April 10, 1873, after a pastorate of thirty-three years and at 
 the ripe age of four score he honorably lays aside the Gospel 
 Armor. Rev. Nelson has the honor of sustaining the long- 
 est pastorate of any minister in the history of this church. 
 With equal propriety he was the most humble, quiet, unas- 
 suming and self-denying ol all these worthies v/ho stood in 
 this sacred desk. One word could be emphasized all through 
 his life, not brilliancy, but faithfulness; "be thou faithful 
 until death and I will give thee a crown of life," — a fit epi- 
 taph. An illustration in point. He was always both regu- 
 lar and punctual in filling his appointments no matter what 
 was the weather or the number present. On one bad Sab- 
 bath only the sexton appeared, but Father Nelson went 
 through all the services as though a congregation was pres- 
 ent. It so happened that the sexton sunk into a deep sleep 
 but the reverend gentleman completed his sermon and the 
 services as though nothing unusual had occurred. That he 
 was of a yielding, self-denying disposition is illustrated in 
 the fact that he was called on a salary of $400, and that dur- 
 ing all these long years not a dollar increase was ever asked 
 by him or granted by the congregations. When you take 
 into thought that his pastorate extended over the Civil War 
 when prices of everything were much inflated and currency 
 depreciated sixty per cent., the fact that there was an endow- 
 ment fund which brought in $250, to aid in payment of sal- 
 ary, that the congregation was quite numerous, that it was, 
 for its numbers, one of the wealthiest in the valley — there 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 
 
 33 
 
 were four families worth $100,000 each — you have an ilhis- 
 tration here of what the Bible means when it warned the 
 Jews "not to muzzle the ox which treadeth out the corn," 
 
 Soon after the resignation of Rev. A, K, Nelson the 
 Rocky Spring and St. Thomas churches presented a call to 
 the Rev. Samuel C George and he entered upon his duties 
 as pastor on November 25, 1875, and continued the accept- 
 able pastor of this charge for nearl}' twelve years, until Feb- 
 ruar}- 10, 1887, The writer has only a few facts at hand 
 relative to Rev. George. He was reared and educated in 
 Western Pennsylvania, graduated from Allegheny Theolog- 
 ical Seminary, licensed by the Presbyter}- of Allegheny in 
 i860. In 1862 he was sent out by the Board of Foreign 
 Missions as a missionary to Bangkok, Siam. He returned 
 to his native land in 1873 O'' account of the delicate health 
 of his wife, who died a few 
 years after. He resigned 
 in 1887, and soon after he 
 became the pastor of the 
 Presbyterian Church o f 
 Unionport, Ohio, where 
 he remained as pastor un- 
 til 1893, where he now 
 resides. 
 
 The present pastoral re- 
 lation between the Rev. 
 Henry G. Finney and this 
 charge was formed in 1888 
 whose bow still abides in 
 strength amongst this peo- 
 ple. For a number of 
 years Rev. H. G. Finne}- 
 preached as supply to the 
 Presbyterian Church ot 
 Fayetteville. This good 
 brother, with his worthy family, is so well and favorably 
 
 REV. H. G. FINNEY. 
 
34 
 
 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 known in this community that any special reference to him 
 and his work as pastor of this church would be unnecessary 
 at this time. 
 
 It was during this third period of the history of Rocky 
 Spring Church that the St. Thomas Church was organized. 
 No regular organization was formed until the summer of 
 1824, when the petition of the people of Campbellstown and 
 its vicinity petitioned to be organized into a separate church, 
 which was referred to Messrs. Denny, Elliott and McKnight 
 who granted the same. However, preaching by stated sup- 
 plies had previously been granted by Presbytery from 1810, 
 and for fourteen years they employed the services of the 
 McKnights, father and son. St. Thomas Church has ever 
 been, since its organization, associated with Rocky Spring 
 in one pastoral charge, and the people, with the exception 
 of Rev. A. K. Nelson, have never enjoyed the advantages of 
 a pastor residing among them. Their pastors since 1824 
 until the present have been the same as at Rocky Spring. 
 
 At the present tim the roll of membership of this church 
 (Rocky Spring) scarcely numbers halt-a-dozen, and the most 
 of these are aged, infirm women living in Strasburg. The 
 question may well be asked, whence the causes of this 
 remarkable decay and almost extinction of church member- 
 ship. These causes are many and of long standing, running 
 back to the commencement of the present centur}\ First — 
 Emigration to the towns. Formerly Presbyterians loved 
 the country but now town and mercantile and prolessional 
 life are preferred. Emigration to Western Pennsylvania, 
 Ohio, and further west, have told heavily on this church, 
 especially in the period from 1820 to 1830. Second — Sick- 
 ness and death have played a necessary part in this deca- 
 dence. Some people relate that from 1820 to 1824 was a 
 period of epidemic, of fever of a most fatal kind, so that at 
 times it was difficult to find enough well persons to attend 
 to the sick and bury the dead. Many heads of families were 
 thus called away, among these at least three elders: Captain 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 35 
 
 Samuel Patton, Charles Cuiiimins and William Cummins. 
 The congregation was much weakened thereby. Third — 
 Financial troubles. In the early part of this century prices 
 were inflated and, as is generally true, many persons went 
 heavily in debt Afterwards there was great depreciation 
 of land property on account of the cheaper and richer lands 
 of Ohio and other states and many of the farmers of the 
 Rocky Spring Church were compelled to sell their farms for 
 one-fourth of what they cost and move elsewhere. Fourth — 
 The character of the immigrants. Generally the German type 
 and not naturally congenial to the Scotch-Irish element, and 
 they at once began to establish churches of their own faith. 
 The Rocky Spring farmers would sell out in almost every 
 instance to a man from one of the eastern counties who were 
 wont to often boast that they would dig out the Scotch- 
 Irish with their silver spades, 5th — There was a want ot 
 adaptability and congeniality between the old Scotch-Irish 
 type of Presbyterian of this church and the people of the 
 surrounding communities. In this community the feeling 
 between these two classes was very intense. Sixth — Very 
 many of these older aristocratic families never entered the 
 marriage relation and hence became extinct. This was 
 especially marked of the Wilsons, Gilmores, and to a certain 
 extent, of the McClellands. At the same time the wealth 
 and tarms of the community became unduly concentrated in 
 the hands of a few. Seventh — Not one of all these pastors, 
 from the Rev. John Creaghead down to the present time — 
 unless we except Dr. Herron, whose place of residence is in 
 doubt — either lived or identified himself with the immediate 
 community. It was manifestly contrary to the highest 
 interests of this church that all these worthy men should 
 live four miles distant in Chambersburg. It cannot now be 
 doubted that if this people years since had built a parsonage 
 at the church for their minister, modernized their church, 
 held prayer meetings, and especially a Sabbath School, and 
 shown an interest in the spiritual welfare of this community, 
 
^6 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 things would present a different aspect to-day. Even at this 
 late hour if some man of both wealth and consecration would 
 be inspired of this grand occasion and moved of God to erect 
 a manse and chapel and place in it a man who would live 
 with the people, and adapt himself to the people, and if he 
 had a little of the German blood in his veins all the better. 
 I say that Ichabod need not be written on this house. Why 
 should this church die when two summers since there was a 
 Sabbath School of seventy-five scholars and teachers, the 
 first and only school in its history. 
 
 It may be well to correct, a false impression which is gen- 
 erally held in this community in reference to the future title 
 and disposition of this church property, which is, '*that it 
 should never pass out of the possession of the Presbyterians 
 as long as grass grows and water runs." In answer to this 
 I quote here the 25th Section of the Constitution of this 
 church adopted May 6, 1796: If in the course 01 procedure 
 of Divine Providence it should hereafter so eventually hap- 
 pen that the congregation of Rocky Spring should come to 
 be dissolved Irom being a society, and should be so considered 
 by Presbytery and their own mutual agreement, finding 
 themselves divested of all probable hope of retrieve, then, in 
 that hopeless situation, the then existing trustees are hereby 
 empowered to dispose of the Glebe lands with the church and 
 other improvements that now are or may be thereon erected, 
 to any other society who may be disposed to purchase the 
 same for a house of worship. But the purchasers must be 
 bound never to suffer the said church to be converted to any 
 other purpose than a place of worship, and also the grave- 
 yard to be ever continued for that purpose and no other. 
 
 The following is a list of the ministers who were born in 
 and raised in Rocky Spring Church, yiz: Rev. John Boyd, 
 whose father was an elder and died in 1770, and is buried 
 at Rocky Spring; Rev. James' Patterson, born in latter part 
 of last century, son of Nicholas Patterson, was a pastor in 
 Philadelphia, and died many years ago; Rev. Charles Cum- 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 37 
 
 mings, son of Charles Cummings, born latter part of last 
 century, pastor in New York state, died three years since at 
 Muscatine, Iowa; Rev. Charles P. Cummins, son of John 
 Cummins, pastor at Dickeson Church, died at Brookville, Pa., 
 twenty-five years since; David Hays Cummins, son of Alan 
 Cummins, pastor of Co vetingon, Tennessee, and died in 187 1; 
 Rev. Samuel B. McClelland, son of John McClelland, and 
 now pastor of Presbyterian Church at Grand Junction, Iowa; 
 Rev. Samuel Wilson, son of John and Sarah Wilson, born 
 in 1754 in Letterkenny township, pastor of Big Spring 
 Church from 1757 to 1799, when he died aged forty-five. 
 
 The following list of Elders presided over the spiritual 
 interests of the church, at the time the church was organized: 
 Robert Boyd, George Mitchel, Robert Stockton, James 
 Henry, John McKennie. Later were John Boyd, Robert 
 Shields, Robert Brotherson, Robert Anderson; these 
 were prior to 1800. Later, Samuel Culberson, Mr. Grimes, 
 Charles Cummins, Joseph Culberson, Samuel Patton, Wil- 
 liam Cummins, Moses Kilpatrick, Matthew Patton, John 
 McClelland, John Hunter, David Wilson, William Gillan, 
 William H. Anderson, and Dr. W. A. Hunter, in all twenty- 
 two names. Two of these, David Wilson and William Gil- 
 lan acted as elders also of St. Thomas church. 
 
 The three noted presentors in the history of this church 
 are Robert Swan, who led in the service of praise for fully 
 thirty years; Joseph Stevenson, who was clerk in Dr. Her- 
 ron's ministry, and John McClelland, father of Thomas Mc- 
 Clelland, from 1835 to his death in 1859, or twenty-four years. 
 
 The following is a list of Trustees and Collectors, or both, 
 as both positions were often held by one man: James McCal- 
 mont, Samuel Culberson, James McConnel, Samuel Culber- 
 son, James McConnel, Joseph Culberson, John Beard, Rob- 
 ert Brotherton, George Matthews, William Waddel, John 
 Eaton, John Wilson, Joseph Swan, Samuel Patton, Joseph 
 Stepheson, Robert Stockton, John Finley, John Fergason, 
 Thomas Beard, John Kerr, James Wilson, Matthew Patton, 
 
38 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 Robert Gilmore, William McClelland, Robert Anderson, John 
 Hunter, John McClelland, David Over, Wm. Gilmore, Wni, 
 H. Anderson, Joseph Gilmore, William A. Hunter and Thos. 
 A. McClelland. Those who acted exclusively as collectors of 
 stipends were James Breckenridge, James Boyd, John Mc- 
 Connel, John Wilson, Moses Kirkpatrick, Samuel Ligate, 
 George McElroy, Robert Anderson and Charles Allison. 
 
 When the congregation was large their administration ot 
 the temporal affairs of the congregation was quite elaborate. 
 They divided the congregation into eleven districts, each 01 
 which had what they called a committeeman and his collector. 
 
 The following article of agreement between the Trustees 
 and pewholders, an original copy of which will be found to- 
 day among the archives, is interesting illustrating the strict 
 business-like methods of these old fathers: 
 
 "The Seat Numbered — , which belongs to the Presby- 
 terian Society in their church near Rocky Spring, is now 
 rated at per annum from and after the first of Novem- 
 ber, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred 
 
 and — . And whereas, ot township, doth now 
 
 agree with the said Society, by their agents, and giving his 
 
 note, obliging himself to pay thereon the sum of yearly 
 
 and every year for the use of of said seat, in two equal 
 
 payments, on the first Mondays in May and October, in each 
 year, as in said obligation is duly set forth: Therefore, 
 
 the said is hereby vested with a right and title to the 
 
 due and orderly use of of said seat, and his part thereof 
 
 bears the same proportion to the whole of said seat, which 
 the aforesaid yearly payment he stands bound for, bears to 
 the whole annual price of the seat. And said right is hereby 
 granted to continue to him, his heirs and assigns, so long 
 as he or they standeth bound and doth punctually pay the 
 
 said yearly sum ol in time and manner as he the said 
 
 hath obligated himself to do. Provided, that he or 
 
 they do also, in other respects, conform him or themselves 
 to the rules of the said Society. 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 39 
 
 Witness the Names and Seals of the Agents of said soci- 
 ety. Done at Rocky Spring this day of one 
 
 thousand hundred and ." 
 
 The grave yard hard by was used as a place of burial at a 
 very early age in the history of this church. A feeling of 
 awe pervades our mind as we wander over the resting places 
 of those who lived more than a century ago. Here sleep the 
 dust of many brave spirits who freely ventured their all to 
 secure that precious freedom we now enjoy. Here rest those 
 who first settled on these hills and valleys which now sur- 
 round us on every side, and whose ax woke the stillness of the 
 primeval forest, who cleared these fields now waving with 
 luxuriant harvests. All around us lie the brave men who 
 amid the wilds of this almost uninhabited land built here a 
 house for the worship ot the Most High and disseminated 
 through our most remote settlements the hallowed principles 
 of the religion of Christianity. Time would fail me to enu- 
 merate the Creagheads, the Robertsons, the Cumminses, the 
 Boyds, Burns, McConnells, Beards, Culbersons, Wilsons, 
 Gilmores, McClellands. A mighty host of the dead which 
 no man can now number, only known on that day when the 
 trump of the arch-angel shall sound, and all who are in their 
 graves shall hear His voice. The quaint inscriptions on many 
 of these stones are quite striking. On that of John Wade: — 
 
 "Remember man as you pass by, 
 As you are now so once was I. 
 As I am now, so must you be. 
 Remember man that you must die." 
 
 Of all these old families who formed this church and now 
 sleep in this city of the dead, I suppose the Wilsons were 
 the most interesting. They were one of the largest families 
 and the greatest land owners, had the largest and finest 
 horses and were the most quaint, old-fashioned people in the 
 community. Six of them would invariably ride to church, 
 
40 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 David in front, followed by Moses, and the others would fall 
 in line, all single file, Sarah bringing up the rear. They 
 would enter the church the same way. After services they 
 would speak to their neighbors and friends and after awhile 
 David would get his horse and start home and the rest would 
 follow single file, though he was never known to say to any 
 of the rest it was time to leave. 
 
 This church is fortunate in having some legacies left it 
 both for the support of the gospel and for the proper keep- 
 ing of the graveyard. Funds amounting to about $6,000 
 were left by Matthew Patton to sustain preaching at St. 
 Thomas, Rocky Spring and Strasburg as they now are. 
 This fund i^ now in the safe keeping of W. D. Dixon and 
 Thomas A. McClelland. 
 
 What now should the record of one hundred and fifty-six 
 years make upon us to-day. First — The ravages of time. 
 What names, families, generations passed into eternity. 
 "Your fathers, where are they, and the prophets, do they 
 live forever?" Second — When we see the follies and mis- 
 takes of these your fathers what occasion of thoughtfulness 
 and humility. I said days should speak and multitude of 
 years should teach wisdom." Third — Under what obliga- 
 tion of gratitude to Almighty God are you placed by such a 
 view of the past; such a fruitful old vine of God's right 
 hand planting from which siich rich clusters of Eschol grapes 
 have been gathered by individuals, families, churches, this 
 community, this valley, and our beloved land should call for 
 the songs of praise and should cause more than one devout, 
 tender heart to-day to exclaim, "Here I raise my Ebenezer." 
 
 Oh, brethren, standing in the light and glory of this clos- 
 ing hour of the nineteenth century and encompassed with 
 such a great crowd of witnesses seated in glory, shall we 
 not, ministers, elders, members of Christ's living church 
 dedicate ourselves to the great work laid at our feet. "Now 
 unto God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost be praise in a 
 world without end. Amen. 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 4 1 
 
 SKETCHES OF DECEASED MINISTERS. 
 
 BY REV. E. ERSKINE, D. D. 
 
 Assembled as we are this morning within these venerable 
 walls, once filled statedly with thronging worshipers, and 
 echoing to the earnest proclamations of Gospel truth by able, 
 devoted and patriotic ministers of the Word, but now for 
 many years quite deserted and desolate, the words of the 
 prophet naturally suggest themselves to us. "The fathers, 
 where are they? and the prophets do they live forever?" 
 
 As the goodly proportions of this church edifice erected a 
 century ago, and the long list of pew holders of that period 
 — one hundred and seventy-nine — go to show, large congre- 
 gations were wont to assemble here. As the fathers, gener- 
 ation after generation, passed away, and their mortal remains 
 lie sleeping in yonder congregation of the dead, one of the 
 most interesting and important inquiries for our considera- 
 tion to-day is, where are their children, and their children's 
 children? whither are they dispersed? and why is it that 
 their places have not been filled Irom the generations that 
 have come after them ? 
 
 One fact is gratifying, and that is that while the fathers 
 are no more, and the children have so generally dispersed, 
 that yet the line of the prophets has remained quite 
 unbroken. This only affords another illustration of the 
 tenacity of the lite of a Presbyterian Church. 
 
 While the question as to who was the first minister or 
 pastor of this church is involved in some uncertainty, it is 
 not only possible, but I may add, it is even probable, that 
 the Rev. Thomas Craighead, the first pastor oi the Big 
 Spring Church, and the first pastor of any church this side 
 of the Susquehanna river, ministered to this people statedly 
 for a time. This inference is based chiefly upon the fact 
 that after supplying the people of the Conodoguinet, i. e. of 
 Pennsboro and of Hopewell, for six months, in 1736, he 
 
42 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 was invited the following April, (April jo, 17 2,7) j to supply 
 the people of Hopewell. And shortly afterwards a call was 
 made out by the people of Hopewell and accepted and his 
 installation ordered to take place November 17, 1737, but 
 the "Presbytery finding' some inconvenience in reference to 
 the situation of one of their meeting hoiises^^^ the installation 
 was delayed until October 13, 1738. As all west of the line 
 run from the North to the South Mountain in 1735, by way 
 of the Big Spring was called Hopewell, and all east of it 
 Pennsboro, the people of Hopewell would include not only 
 Big Spring and Middle Spring, but also Rocky Spring. 
 And the fact that there was trouble about the location of 
 one of their meeting houses, implies that they had two or 
 more such places of worship; and the further fact that Rob- 
 ert Henry, a commissioner to Presbytery from Hopewell, 
 complained October 17, 1738, that the people of Falling 
 Spring were about to encroach upon Hopewell congregation. 
 This could hardly be said of Big Spring or Middle Spring 
 on account of the distance between them and Falling Spring, 
 and did relate more probably to the more contigous place of 
 worship, Rocky Spring. Some confirmation is afforded of 
 this view from the further fact that two persons of the same 
 name, viz: James and Samuel Henry, were pew holders here 
 in 1794. Further confirmation is had from the statements 
 of an intelligent writer, signing himself "K. H." in the 
 Presbyteriajioi^Qxiwaxy 15, 1853, to wit: "The congregation 
 beyond the river which first settled a pastor was Hopewell, 
 called also Upper and Lower Hopewell, the meeting house 
 being first built at the Great Spring, but with services divided 
 with Middle Spring and Rocky Spring." He also said "Rocky 
 Spring barely had its meeting house ready when their good 
 minister. Father Craighead, was called away." From all 
 these facts, which are a matter of record, we naturally con- 
 clude that Thomas Craighead probably was the first stated 
 minister of the people of Rocky Spring. 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 43 
 
 REV. THOMAS CRAIGHEAD. 
 
 The Rev. Thomas Craighead, reverently styled in the 
 Presbytery of Donegal, Father Craighead, belonged to a 
 family of ministers now extending through six generations. 
 His father. Rev, Robert Craighead, a native of Scotland and 
 pastor of Donoughmore, in the north of Ireland, for thirty 
 years, and afterwards Minister to Ivondonderry at the time 
 of the great siege by the papal forces of James II, where he 
 continued until his death in 171 1, besides being an earnest 
 evangelical preacher was the author of several publications 
 of a highly evangelical and practical character. His brother, 
 the Rev. Robert Craighead, Jr., was a man of equal or 
 greater prominence than his father. Thomas was born and 
 educated as a physician in Scotland. His v/ife was the 
 daughter of a Scotch laird; but afterwards, with his wife's 
 approbation and in obedience to the dictates of his own con- 
 science, he abandoned the medical profession, read theology 
 and was ordained as a minister of the Gospel. He was a 
 pastor for ten or twelve years in Ireland, and for the most 
 part of that time at Donegal. By reason of the oppressive 
 enactments of the government, and the persecuting spirit of 
 the Established Church, Mr. Craighead, with a large number 
 of ministers and people, despairing of any permanent relief, 
 emigrated to America. He settled first in Freetown, in the 
 colony of Massachusetts in 17 15. In 1724 be became a 
 member of the Presbytery of New Castle, and pastor of 
 White Clay Creek, and preached every third Sabbath at 
 Brandywine. He was Moderator of the Synod of Philadel- 
 phia in 1726, and was present at the adoption of the West- 
 minster Confession and Catechisms in 1729. He accepted 
 a call to the Church of Pequa and united with the Presby- 
 tery of Donegal in 1733. In 1735 he was appointed to sup- 
 ply the people of the Conodoguinet — Pennsboro and Hope- 
 well — and in 1737 he was called by the people of Hopewell, 
 including what came to be known as Lower and Upper 
 
44 THK ROCKY SPRING 
 
 Hopewell, Big Spring and Middle Spring, and most prob- 
 ably also Rocky Spring, over whom he was installed Octo- 
 ber, 1738. His pastorate here was of short continuance. 
 He was a man well advanced in years, yet with his mental 
 faculties in full vigor and his fervor and impassioned elo- 
 quence unabated. He died at the close of a communion 
 season in April, 1739, expiring in the pulpit, and lies, tradi- 
 tion says, buried under the present church edifice at Big 
 Spring. Mr. Craighead was a man greatly respected for his 
 talents and attainments, and much esteemed by his brethren 
 lor his piety and genial disposition. His preaching was 
 remarkably earnest and evangelical. He was active as an 
 evangelist and did much in the way of gatherings and build- 
 ing up churches. His theology was strictly of the type of the 
 Westminster Assembly's Confession of Faith, which he held 
 in the highest reverence. He was a man, wrote Cotton 
 Mather, the distinguished minister of Boston, by reason 
 of his acquaintance with him while in Freetown, "of 
 an excellent spirit, and a minister of singular piety, 
 meekness, humility and industry in the work of God." 
 After he was settled over the people of Hopewell, though 
 now of advanced age, he still preached with all his usual 
 fervor and impressiveness. Under his ministry the people 
 were often greatly moved and when dismissed were unwil- 
 ling to disperse. At such times he is represented as con- 
 tinuing his impassioned discourses with his audiences melted 
 to tears. It was on one of these occasions, at the close of 
 a communion season in the church of Big Spring, when 
 having preached until quite exhausted, and not being able 
 to pronounce the benediction, he waived his hand, and 
 exclaimed, "farewell, farewell!" sank down and expired in 
 the pulpit. Mr. Craighead left four sons and one daughter, 
 Thomas, a farmer at White Clay Creek, whose daughter 
 Elizabeth married Rev. Matthew Wilson, the father of the 
 Rev. Dr. J. P. Wilson, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church 
 of Philadelphia. John, who settled four miles south of Car- 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 45 
 
 lisle, and whose descendants still possess the paternal estate, 
 and some of whom are doubtless with us to-day. Jane, the 
 only daughter, who was married to the Rev. Adam Boyd, 
 for forty years pastor of the Presbyterian Church at the Forks 
 of the Brandywine. From him Mr. Cross of our Presbytery, 
 the son of Rev. Boyd Cross, is a descendant. Andrew, who 
 died unmarried at White Clay Creek, and Alexander, who 
 became a talented and eloquent minister, the originator 
 of the Associate Reformed and Covenanter Churches in East- 
 ern Pennsylvania, and who afterwards, by reason of having 
 offended the Governor of the Colony of Pennsylvania and 
 many of his ministerial brethren by the publication of 
 advanced sentiments on civil liberty as early as 1742, went 
 south and settled at Sugar Creek, North Carolina, where he 
 had much influence in the origination of the Mecklenburg 
 Declaration of Independence. He died greatly respected as 
 a minister and citizen in the year 1766, and his descendants 
 are found scattered over the South and South-west section of 
 the country, many of them attaining to positions of honor 
 and influence. 
 
 REV. JOHN BLAIR, D. D. 
 
 The next minister in charge of Rocky Spring Church in 
 connection with Big Spring and Middle Spring was the 
 Rev. John Blair. Soon after the withdrawal of the New Side 
 party from the Synod of Philadelphia in 1741, Hopewell, 
 which seems to have included the churches of "The Three 
 Springs" and the New Side portion of Derry, Upper Penns- 
 boro, Conococheague and parts of other congregations, sent 
 a request to the New Side Presbyteries of New Castle and 
 New Brunswick, for supplies and Reverends Campbell and 
 Rowland were sent to visit them and organize them so far 
 as was thought advisable. In 1742 Mr. John Blair, a 
 licentiate of the New Castle Presbytery was sent to take 
 charge of Big Spring, Middle Spring and Rocky Spring 
 
46 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 Churches. He was a younger brother of the Rev. Samuel 
 Blair and was born in Ireland in 1720, came to this country 
 when quite young, and settled with his father near Brandy- 
 wine Creek in Chester county, Pa. He and his brother 
 received their classical and theological education as had 
 Rowland and Campbell, under William Tennant at the Log 
 College at Neshaminy, Bucks county. Pa., the history of 
 which has been recently written b)' our friend Dr. Murphy, 
 who is with us here to-day. He was ordained pastor of the 
 congregations of the Three Springs, Big, Middle and Rocky, 
 December 27, 1742. Mr. Blair continued pastor of these 
 churches certainly until 1748, and most probably until 
 1755 or 7. In 1757 he accepted a call to the church at 
 Fagg's Manor, Chester county, Pa., made vacant by the 
 death of his distinguished brother, Rev. Samuel Blair. Here 
 he continued for ten years, taking the place of his brother, 
 both as pastor of the church and principal of the classical 
 school which his brother had conducted with eminent suc- 
 cess and great usefulness. In this position he had charge 
 of the education and religious training of a number of young 
 men who afterwards attained to great distinction and useful- 
 ness. In 1767, after Dr. Finley's death as president of 
 Princeton College, a sum of money having been left to that 
 institution for the support of a Professor of Divinity in it, 
 Mr. John Blair was chosen to that position. This appoint- 
 ment he accepted and removed from Fagg's Manor to Prince- 
 ton. He was also chosen Vice President of the College and 
 was its acting President until Dr. Witherspoon accepted the 
 presidency of the same in 1769, just one hundred years before 
 the acceptance of the same office by another distinguished 
 Scotchman, Rev. James McCosh, D. D., LL- D. On account 
 of the insufficiency of the funds to support Dr. Blair as Pro- 
 fessor of Divinity, apart from the other positions which he 
 had filled and from which his support was partly derived, 
 which were now occupied by Dr. Witherspoon, Mr. Blair 
 felt constrained to resign his position and accepted a call to 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 47 
 
 Wallkill, Orange County, N. Y., where he died at the early 
 age of fifty-one. Mr. Blair's ministry in the churches of the 
 Three Springs was very acceptable and profitable to the 
 people, and during his pastorate he made visits down into 
 Virginia in 1746, and prior to that time, preaching with great 
 power and marked effects in various places and organizing 
 several new congregations, leaving wherever he went abid- 
 ing impressions of his learning, piety and eloquence as a 
 preacher. Dr. John Blair, and his brother Samuel Blair, 
 were among the very foremost preachers of their times. Dr. 
 Archibald Alexander expressed the opinion that Dr. John 
 Blair, for sixteen years pastor of the churches of "the Three 
 Springs, as a theologian was not inferior to any man in the 
 Presbyterian church in his day." President Davies spoke 
 of his brother. Rev. Samuel Blair, "as the incomparable Mr. 
 Blair," and said "that in all his travels in Great Britain he had 
 heard no one equal to him either as to the matter or manner of 
 his preaching. Dr. John Blair is spoken of in the Presbyterian 
 Afag-asi'ne of that time, "as a judicious and persuasive preacher 
 and that through his preaching sinners were converted and 
 the children of God edified. Fully convinced of the truth 
 of the great doctrines of grace he addressed immortal souls 
 with a warmth and power which left a witness in every 
 breast." Though he sometimes wrote his sermons out in 
 full yet his common method of preaching was from short 
 notes. His disposition is said to have been uncommonly 
 patient, placid, benevolent, disinterested and cheerful. He 
 was too mild to indulge in bitterness or severity, and he 
 thought that the truth required little else than to be fairly 
 stated and properly understood to accomplish its saving 
 results. Those who did not relish the savor of his piety, 
 nor accept of the truth as proclaimed by him, were still 
 drawn to him on account of his amiability and moral excel- 
 lence, and revered him as a great and good man. He was 
 also an intelligent and sincere believer in that system of 
 doctrine set forth in the Westminster Standards and highly 
 
48 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 approved of the Presbyterian form of church government, 
 and regarded them as most favorable to the promotion of 
 true religion and for the preservation of the peace and unit)' 
 of the church. Mr, Blair married the daughter of Mr. John 
 Durburrow, of Philadelphia. The Rev. John Durburrow 
 Blair, ol Richmond, Va., was his son. His daughter was 
 married to the Rev. Dr. William Linn, who was born over 
 here in Lurgan township, near to Roxborough, and became 
 one of Dr. Blair's successors as pastor of Big Spring Church 
 and was for twenty years one of the collegiate pastors of the 
 Retormed Dutch Churches and one of the most eloquent 
 preachers in the city of New York. The Rev. Dr. John Blair 
 Linn, pastor for a short time of the P'irst Presbyterian Church 
 of Philadelphia, was his grandson, a very prodigy of talent, 
 learning and poetic genius. Dr. John Blair Smith, presi- 
 dent of Princeton College and Dr. John Blair Hoge, of Vir- 
 ginia, were descendents of his, Francis P. Blair, of the Globe at 
 Washington, and father of the late Montgomery and General 
 Frank P. Blair, were of this same family of Blairs. He was 
 the author of a treatise on Regeneration; a treatise on the 
 Nature and Use of the Means of Grace and of two or more 
 controversial works on the ecclesiastical questions of his 
 day, the title of one of which is, The Synods of New York 
 and Philadelphia Vindicated. He was very prominent and 
 influential in the synods of his time. 
 
 REV. JOHN CRAIGHEAD. 
 
 After an interim of from ten to thirteen years, during 
 which time the church was dependent on supplies, Mr. John 
 Craighead became the next pastor ot Rocky Spring. Mr. 
 Craighead was the son of Mr. John and Rachael B. Craig- 
 head who settled four miles south of Carlisle. His father 
 was a grandson of the Rev. Thomas Craighead. He, Rev. 
 John Craighead, was born in 1742. He graduated at 
 Princeton College in 1763, and was a class-mate of Dr. 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 49 
 
 Cooper, of Middle Spring; studied theology with Dr. Robert 
 Smith, of Pequea, Lancaster county, Pa., and was ordained 
 and installed pastor of Rocky Spring Church, April 13th, 
 1768. Here he continued his ministry with great faithful- 
 ness until 1789, when his health failed. He resumed his 
 work after a year's rest and recuperation, and died April 20, 
 1799, at the age of fifty-seven, and is buried in the Rocky 
 Spring graveyard. The people erected a suitable memorial 
 and inscribed upon it the date of his installation and death, 
 and added, "He was a faithful and zealous servant of Jesus 
 Christ." Mr. Craighead in addition to being an earnest and 
 faithful preacher of Christ and His great salvation, was a 
 zealous patriot in the war of independence. He is noted in 
 history tor his earnest and patriotic appeals to his people 
 during the Revolutionary struggle, and for his services as 
 Captain and Chaplain of a company formed out of his own 
 congregation, in response to his patriotic appeals at a sol- 
 emn crisis in the war when the whole male portion of the 
 congregation rose to their feet in token of their readiness to 
 embark in the defence of their country. It is said again, 
 that in the early days of the Revolution he assembled the 
 people of a remote part of his congregation under the 
 extended branches of a majestic oak tree, in front of the 
 dwelling of one of his parishioners, a Mr. Sharpe, and there 
 in thrilling tones addressed them in behalf of American Inde- 
 pendence, beseeching them to stand up boldly in their coun- 
 try's cause, and to let their slogan cry, for "God and liberty," 
 ring from mountain to mountain. As a proof of the patriotic 
 spirit thus infused, it is stated "that the list of the members 
 of Rocky Spring Church at the time of the erection of the 
 present church edifice, a century ago, eleven years after the 
 close of the war, reveals the historic fact that nearly every male 
 member of that date had served in the War of the Revolution." 
 What a list of names is found in the roll of honor which has 
 been preserved in the archives of the State, of those who 
 served in the war of independence from tliis congregation. 
 
50 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 Their surviving descendants will have no difficulty in assert- 
 ing their claim to be enrolled as sons or daughters of the 
 American Revolution. A sermon is preserved in the Pres- 
 byterian Historical Society preached before Col. Montgom- 
 ery's battalion, August 31, 1775, by Mr. Craighead on Cour- 
 age in a Good Cause, which was well adapted to inspire all 
 to whom it was addressed with courage and resolution in 
 the cause of Independence. There were stirring scenes on 
 these grounds in those days. Here it was, after most 
 earnest appeals from the pastor, that a full company of men 
 assembled and were organized, and with their young and 
 handsome pastor as their chosen Captain, marched away lor 
 the scene of conflict, at that time in New Jersey. Mr. 
 Craighead was married to the daughter of the Rev. Adam 
 Boyd, in Lancaster County, at whose house he stayed over 
 night when on his way with his company to join the army in 
 New Jersey, at which time he first made her acquaintance. 
 They were married at the close of the campaign. His wife 
 survived him and died in Carlisle in 1802, at the age of 
 seventy-three, leaving no children. The Rev. Dr. Martin of 
 Chanceford, York county, Pa., a man of good judgment and 
 rare intelligence, said of Mr. Craighead, that he was a man of 
 talent, a fine scholar, an excellent preacher, specially able in 
 scripture illustration, and always emerging from his melan- 
 cholly spells, spells ot occasional deep gloominess, with 
 increased light and power as a preacher. 
 
 REV. FRANCIS HERRON, D. D. 
 
 The Rev. Francis Herron, who became a very conspicuous 
 minister in his later years, succeeded Mr. Craighead. He 
 was born, educated, licensed, ordained, and installed pastor 
 all within the bounds of the Presbytery of Carlisle. He was 
 the son of John Herron, a ruling elder in the church of 
 Middle Spring. He was born June 28, 1774. His parents 
 were of the Scotch-Irish race, and like all that people, were 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 5 1 
 
 noted for their devotion to the Presbyterian faith and wor- 
 ship, and ardent friends of civil and religious liberty. 
 Francis was early consecrated to God, trained up in a Chris- 
 tian household and under the ministry of the Rev. Dr. 
 Cooper. He entered Dickinson College, pursued a regular 
 classical and scientific course under the presidency of Dr. 
 Nisbet, with a view to entering the ministry, and graduated 
 May 5, 1794. He at once entered upon the study of theol- 
 ogy under the direction of his pastor, Rev. Dr. Cooper at 
 Middle Spring, and was licensed to preach October 4, 1797. 
 Soon after his licensure, accompanied by the Rev. Matthew 
 Brown, a class-mate and subsequently a brother-in-law, Mr. 
 Herron, set out upon a missionary tour to the west on horse- 
 back by way of Pittsburg. Mr. Herron went as far as Chil- 
 licothe, Ohio, traveling for days through unbroken forests, 
 the course to be pursued being indicated at times only by a 
 foot path or by blazes upon the trees. For days he journeyed 
 without finding any human habitation or shelter, and for 
 two nigbts he encamped near what is now the town of Mari- 
 etta, Ohio, with the Indians. On his return Mr. Herron 
 stopped at Pittsburg, then a village of less than two thous- 
 and inhabitants, and with but one church building, a rude 
 log structure, which stood upon the lot where the first Pres- 
 byterian Church now stands. In the keeper of the hotel 
 where Mr. Herron lodged, he found an acquaintance whom 
 he had known east of the mountains, at whose solicitation 
 he preached to a congregation ot less than twenty people. 
 This was Mr. Herron's first introduction to the people of 
 Pittsburg, with whom his after life became so fully identified. 
 This was the period of the great revival which prevailed so 
 extensively among the churches of Western Pennsylvania 
 at the beginning of the present century and which had a 
 great influence in moulding and giving t}pe to the piety 
 and religious activity of the churches in all that region of 
 the country. Mr. Herron was induced to visit a number 
 of the churches in which a deep religious interest at the time 
 
52 THE ROCKY SPRESTG 
 
 existed. He entered into the work most heartily and was 
 j^reatly blessed and strengthened spiritually himself, while 
 his labors proved eminently acceptable and useful to the 
 churches visited. Among the congregations visited were 
 those of Dr. John McMillan, of Chartiers, near to Canons- 
 burg, the patriarch of Presbyterianism in Western Pennsyl- 
 vania, Drs. Ralston and Smith, the Rev. Mr. McCurdy and 
 others, which were all in the midst of a protracted season ot 
 gracious revival. One of the congregations in which he 
 preached at this time was that of Buffalo, in Washington 
 county, the people of which were so much pleased and edi- 
 fied with his preaching that they extended to him a unani- 
 mous call to become their pastor. This call he was strongly 
 urged by Dr. Ralston and others to accept, but he concluded 
 to hold it under consideration until his return home, where 
 he found a similar call awaiting him from the congregation 
 of Rocky Spring, the one adjoining that in which he had 
 been raised. This latter call he accepted and respectfully 
 declined the former. He was accordingly ordained and 
 installed here by the Presbytery of Carlisle, April 9th, in the 
 year 1800. Here, in what was then a large congregation, be- 
 gan the life work of Dr. Francis Herron, Greatly quickened 
 and renewedly consecrated by the revival scenes in which 
 he had participated, and deeply impressed by the ordination 
 services through which he had just passed, he girded him- 
 self for his work and began his ministry in such a way as 
 soon told upon the congregation. His preaching was with 
 such unction and power that the impenitent were awakened 
 and professing Christians were quickened into new life and 
 energy. Prayer meetings were instituted, a thing previously 
 unknown in the congregation, and carried on with encour- 
 aging success. A Bible Class was formed and meetings for 
 catechetical examination were appointed and conducted with 
 persevering energy to the great and lasting advantage of all 
 concerned. The first decade of Dr. Herron's ministr}^ was 
 thus passed in this congregation in labors such as these. It 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 53 
 
 was a period of healthful growth to the congregation and a 
 time when the young pastor grew in ministerial strength 
 and usefulness. In the year 1810, however, Mr. Herron 
 made another visit to Pittsburg, to his sister, Mrs. Peebles, 
 then a resident of that city, and to Dr. Matthew Brown, his 
 brother-in-law, then President of Washington College, at 
 Washington, Pa, During this visit he was invited to preach 
 in the First Presbyterian Church then left vacant by the 
 death of Rev. Robert Steele. The result was a unanimous 
 call to become their pastor. This call he accepted and 
 accordingly his pastoral relation to Rocky Spring was dis- 
 solved April 9th, 18 1 1, and he was installed pastor of the 
 First Church, Pittsburg, Pa., June iBii, by the Presbytery 
 of Red Stone. Here he accomplished the great work of his 
 life and became one of the most prominent and useful min- 
 isters of the Presbyterian Church. Dr. Herron, as a man, 
 was tall and commanding in person, fully six feet in height 
 and large in proportion, of very regular features, one of the 
 handsomest men in the State. He was a man of great nerve 
 and will power, moulding rather than being moulded, breast- 
 ing the current rather than floating with the stream. As a 
 Christian he was distinguished by a vigorous growth and a 
 uniiorm development of all the Christian graces. As a 
 preacher his discourses were doctrinal, experimental, awak- 
 ening, tender and affectionate. As a Presbyter he was regu- 
 lar, attentive, thoroughly acquainted with the rules of order, 
 making a good presiding officer, calm and judicial in discus- 
 sion, and of great weight and influence in the deliberations of 
 ecclesiastical bodies. He was moderator ot the General As- 
 sembly in 1827. ^^ February, 1802, he was married to Miss 
 Elizabeth Blain, daughter of /Alexander Blain, Esq., of Carlisle, 
 Pa., and sister to the first wife of the Rev. Dr. Matthew Brown, 
 President of Washington and afterwards of Jefferson College, 
 in Washington county, Pa. Mrs. Herron died in the year 
 1855. Dr. Herroa's happy, serene life came to a peaceful 
 end December 6, i860. They had several children. 
 
54 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 REV. JOHN m'KNIGHT, D. D., 
 
 Another distinguished minister of the Presbyterian Church 
 was stated supply of Rocky Spring Church from 1811 to 
 181 5. He was also a son of the Cumberland Valley. 
 John McKnight was born near Carlisle, October i, 1754. 
 His father who was a Major during the French and Indian 
 War, died during his childhood. John, in his youth, was 
 noted for special amiability and buoyancy of temper and was 
 a general favorite with his young associates. He graduated 
 at Princeton College under the presidency of Dr. Wither- 
 spoon in 1773, studied theology under Dr. Cooper at Middle 
 Spring, was licensed by the Presbytery ot Donegal in 1775, 
 and ordained by the same Presbytery in 1776. In 1775 he 
 went to Virginia and preached and organized a church on 
 Elk branch between Shepherdstown and Charleston. In 
 1783 he accepted calls to Lower Marsh Creek, now in Adams 
 county, Pa., and Tom's Creek, Maryland. Here he spent 
 what he afterwards regarded as the six happiest years of his 
 life. At the end of six years in Marsh Creek Mr. ]\I'Knight 
 was called to be collegiate pastor to Dr. John Rodgers, pas- 
 tor of the Presbyterian Collegiate Churches in the city of 
 New York, and Moderator of the Second General Assembly. 
 After the most careful deliberation, and with the advice of 
 his Presbytery, he accepted this call and was installed there 
 December, 1789. There he continued in the most earnest 
 and laborious discharge of his ministerial duties for twenty 
 years, preaching^ for the first four years, three sermons each 
 Sabbath, until the call of the Rev. Samuel Miller as a col- 
 league in 1793. In 1792 he received from Yale College the 
 honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity. In 1809 the col- 
 legiate relation, which he never liked, was dissolved, but in 
 a manner which he disapproved. On this account, and on 
 account of enfeebled health, with the consent of Presbytery, 
 he resigned his charge in April, 1809, and returned to Penn- 
 sylvania and settled on a small farm with modern improve- 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 55 
 
 ments near Chanibersbiirg, which he purchased for a home. 
 Soon after this, Rocky Spring Church being vacant, the people 
 desired to call him as pastor. Declining a call he consented 
 to serve them as a stated supply as his strength would admit. 
 For five years he performed for them all the duties of a pas- 
 tor as well as preacher with as much fidelity and regularity 
 as if he had been installed. In 1815 he was constrained to 
 accept the presidency of Dickinson College, but finding it 
 as it seemed to him, hopelessly embarrassed financially and 
 in other ways, he resigned that position at the end ot one 
 year. Returning again to his home near Chambersburg, he 
 there spent the remainder of his life, preaching as opportu- 
 nity occurred and his health allowed, and on the 23d of 
 October, 1823, i^ ^^^ seventieth year of his age, from the 
 effects of a billions epidemic disease, he passed away in the 
 full exercise of his mental powers and in the enjoyment of 
 a blessed assurance of eternal life. In 1795 Dr. McKnight 
 was chosen Moderator of the General Assembly in Carlisle, 
 Pa. Dr. McKnight was described by Dr. Duffield, latterly 
 of Detroit, Michigan, and formerly of Carlisle, Pa., "as a man 
 of slender person, above medium height, and of a considerate 
 and reflective countenance indicative of deep and protracted 
 thought. His bearing and address were graceful and digni- 
 fied, without any manifestation of overbearing pride. . He 
 was at his ease in all society. As a preacher he was calm, 
 dispassionate, with little of variation in tone or gesture, with 
 no prancing about and little gesticulation, yet not monoto- 
 nous or unimpressive, but with a manner well adapted to 
 his matter, which was generally a lucid and logical exposi- 
 tion of some important Scripture truth. He was a zealous 
 expounder and defender of the Calvanistic faith, which he 
 was careful always to enforce with a due citation of Scripture 
 passages. The bearing of Christian doctrine on Christian 
 experience he was want clearly to set forth." This is high 
 testimony from an intelligent source. Dr. McKnight took 
 an active part in the discussion of the question in relation 
 
56 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 to the location of a tlielogical seminary in the Assembly of 
 181 2, earnestly advocating Chambersburg, Pa., as the place 
 for its location rather than Princeton, N. J. He published 
 six discourses on faith, which were highly commended by 
 Drs. Rodgers and Witherspoon, besides a number of others 
 preached on different occasions. Dr. McKnight was married 
 to Susan, daughter of George Brown, of Franklin county. 
 Pa., by whom he had ten children, two of whom entered the 
 ministry. 
 
 REV. JOHN M'KNIGHT, JR. 
 
 The next minister in the Rocky Spring Church was the 
 Rev. John McKnight, Jr., son of Dr. John McKnight. A 
 call was presented and accepted by him at a meeting of Pres- 
 bytery April 9th, 18 16, as a licentiate. He was ordained on 
 the same day with George Dufifield at Carlisle, Pa., Septem- 
 ber 25, 1816, and was installed pastor of Rocky Spring 
 Church the second Wednesday in November, 18 16, Dr. 
 Joshua Williams of Big Spring, preaching the sermon and 
 the Rev. Mr. Denny of Chambersburg, charging the congre- 
 gation. Mr. McKnight is represented as a minister whose 
 labors were abundant and successful during his pastorate 
 here of twenty years. He inherited many of the amiable 
 and excellent qualities of his distinguished father which 
 rendered him not only an earnest and faithful preacher of 
 the essential truths of the Gospel, but also a most affection- 
 ate and agreeable minister in his pastoral and social inter- 
 course with the people. But while inheriting his father's 
 amiable and social qualities he does not seem to have had 
 his firm and uncompromising adherence to the standards of 
 the church. The minutes of Presbytery show that he was 
 a strong sympathizer with Dr. DufiEield all through his trial 
 on account of the serious errors contained in his book on 
 Regeneration, and was foremost among the small minority 
 of the Presbytery in protesting against the decisions of the 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 57 
 
 Moderator and of the large majority of the Presbytery dur- 
 ing the trial. Whether this sympathy with Dr. Diiffield 
 was chiefly due to personal friendship for him, as was the 
 case with some others, and not from doctrinal affinity with 
 him, we have not the means of determining. At all events 
 when his pastoral relation with Rocky Spring was dissolved 
 in 1836 he removed to Philadelphia and identified himself 
 with the New School branch of the church in which con- 
 nection he spent the remainder of his ministry. In 1839 
 Mr. McKnight was dismissed to the Presbytery of Lewes, 
 Delaware, In 1840 he was stated supply of the Rehoboth 
 Church, Maryland. In 1846 he was pastor of the New 
 School Church, Hamontonville, Pa. He is marked in the 
 New School Minutes of 1857, as without charge. He died 
 July 29, 1857, at the age of sixty-eight years and was 
 buried at Montours, Susquehanna county, Pa. Mr. Mc- 
 Knight was married to the daughter of Joseph Chambers, 
 ot Chambersburg, and owned and lived upon the farm 
 recently sold by John Schlichter to the Land and Improve- 
 ment Company of Chambersburg. 
 
 ROBERT KENNEDY. 
 
 From 1836 to 1840 Rocky Spring Church had as a stated 
 supply the Rev, Robert Kennedy, a sketch of whose life is 
 given in the late history of the Presbytery of Carlisle; — and 
 to whom, by reason of the grateful appreciation of Mr. Elias 
 Kennedy, of Philadelphia, a descendant of his, the Robert 
 Kennedy Memorial Church at Welsh Run, was erected as a 
 tribute to his memory. 
 
 REV. ALEXANDER K. NELSON. 
 
 The next regular pastor was the Rev. Alexander K. Nel- 
 son, who was in charge of this congregation for thirty-three 
 years, one-third of a centur}^ Alexander Kirkpatrick Nel- 
 
58 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 son, son of William and Margaretta Turner Nelson, was bom 
 October ist, 1793, i^ Tyrone county, Ireland, and was 
 brought the next year by his parents to this countr}^ They 
 settled in York county, Pa., within the bounds of the Chance- 
 ford Presbyterian Church, of which the Rev. Samuel Mar- 
 tin, D. D., was the able and successful pastor. He had the 
 advantages only of an academical education prior to his 
 entrance upon the study of divinity. He was a student for 
 some time of West Nottingham Academy, Md,, under Rev. 
 James Magraw, D. D., and studied Hebrew and theology 
 under Dr. Samuel Martin. He entered the second or mid- 
 dle class of Princeton Theological Seminary with the 
 approval of his Presbytery in 1832, and graduated from the 
 same in the Class of 1834. He was licensed by the New 
 Castle Presbytery October 8th, 1834, and was stated supply 
 of the church at Coleraine 1835-6, was ordained by Presby- 
 tery of Carlisle May 3d, 1837, and installed pastor of the 
 congregations of Center and Upper, Perry county. Pa. On 
 May 29th, 1840, he was installed pastor of Rocky Spring and 
 St. Thomas churches, in which relation he continued until 
 May, 1873, having reached the eightieth year of his age. 
 His residence was in Chambersburg, Pa., where, September 
 3d, 1886, in the ninety-third year of his age he died. Mr. 
 Nelson was married March 15, 1842, to Mrs. Mary H. 
 Humphreys, daughter of Thomas McDowell, Esq., of Par- 
 nell's Knob, Franklin county. Pa. She died October 20th, 
 1874. They had two children, the elder, Margaretta, died 
 April, 1872, at about the age of twenty-six. The other, 
 Thomas M. Nelson, is three years younger, and with his 
 family, is here with us to-day. A pastorate of thirty-three 
 years to the same congregation involves an untold amount 
 of labor and self-sacrifice for the sake of the jMaster and the 
 spiritual interests of the people to whom one ministers. Mr. 
 Nelson served this people through all this period, during 
 all ol which time he had to keep a horse and buggy, support 
 a family and entertain as ministers are obliged to do, on a sal- 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 59 
 
 ary of 1:400 a year. This indicates the self-denying and nnas- 
 snming character of the man, and a lack of liberality among 
 the people, especially when there was an endowment which 
 rendered an annuity of about $250 a year. Mr. Nelson 
 made frequent and earnest appeals in behalf of the benevo- 
 lent work of the church and the records ot the church show 
 that the contributions for these objects were above the aver- 
 age, but he was too modest and unassuming to make any 
 corresponding appeals in behalf of his own support. Mrs. 
 Nelson has been heard to remark, and that not altogether 
 playfully, that she paid more for the support of the Gospel 
 in St. Thomas and Rocky Spring Churches during her hus- 
 band's pastorate, year by year, than both congregations 
 combined. On account of deafness Mr. Nelson mingled but 
 little in society during the last twenty-five or thirty years of 
 his life, not even attending the meetings of Presbytery 
 because of his inability to engage in ordinary conversation 
 with comfort to himself and others, and to hear and under- 
 stand the business of Presbytery. When however, he was 
 thrown among people, and especially in his earlier years, he 
 was sociable and entertaining and greatly enjoyed the society 
 of his friends. His natural disposition was gentle and yield- 
 ing, but his convictions on the subjects of religion and poli- 
 tics are said to have been very firm and pronounced. In 
 regard to his religious views he was of the strictly orthodox 
 type believing fully in the inspiration of the Scriptures of 
 the Old and New Testaments and in the Westminster Con- 
 fession of Faith and Catechism as the Church'e accepted and 
 authorized interpretation of the same. His deep humility 
 in view of conscious sinfulness and unworthiness in the 
 sight of God, begat in him a fear of death, and he often 
 quoted the words of the Apostle, "Lest by any means after 
 having preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." 
 But, several months before he died, he was graciously 
 relieved of this bondage through fear of death, and his 
 departure at the end was calm and peaceful, like the fading 
 
6o THK ROCKY SPRING 
 
 ol the twilight at the close of a clear summer's day. His 
 end was peace. His remains lie buried in Chambersburg. 
 
 The remaining two pastors of Rocky Spring Church, Rev. 
 Samuel C. George and the Rev. Henry G, Finney still survive. 
 
 PRESBYTERIANISM AND CIVIL LIBERTY. 
 
 BY HON. JOHN STEWART. 
 
 The fact that two representative Scotch-Irish divines have 
 already addressed you and there still remains a fragment of 
 the morning for further exercises, is not to be taken as evi- 
 dence of any decline in the ability or endurance of the Pres- 
 byterian pulpit. Had either of these worthy gentlemen 
 been allowed to choose his own theme and set his own limit 
 to the discussion of it, we would doubtless still be listening 
 to a learned discussion of some one of the five points of 
 Calvanism which would have required the whole morning 
 for its unfolding, and a large section of the afternoon for its 
 application, leaving to the other brother but sufficient time 
 for the orthodox benediction. It was otherwise arranged, 
 not because of any distrust in the ability of these gentlemen 
 to handle these high themes in a manner quite as exhaust- 
 ive, and lor that matter quite as exhausting, too, as would 
 have been expected of the preachers ot an earlier age; but 
 rather because of distrust in the endurance, submission and 
 resignation of the people who were to do the listening. If 
 the circumstances warrant any inference of decline, let us be 
 honest enough to admit that it is in ourselves. We of the 
 laity cannot afford to expose our clergy to any unjust suspi- 
 cion. On the contrary it is as little as we can do to guard 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 6 1 
 
 with jealous care their reputation as the special conservators 
 of the faith, the traditions, the interpretations and the cus- 
 toms of our dead progenitors, since to accommodate ourselves 
 with a larger freedom, we have left them to take into their ex- 
 clusive care the ark of that solemn league and covenant, which 
 so securely guards for all time those rich treasures of the church 
 which are so familiar to all of us, and so dear to the Presby- 
 terian heart, the institutes of Calvin and the deliverances of 
 the Westminster divines. That they have well and nobly 
 discharged this high task which we have imposed on them 
 is most evident from the fact, that notwithstanding they have 
 carried that ark through the storms of a century, its contents 
 remain intact, without diminution or enlargement, and are 
 as dry as when first committed to their charge. In view of 
 such a fact as this it would be most ungenerous if we were 
 to expose any of them to a suspicion of latitudinarianism in 
 faith or practice. In the present instance they have simply 
 conformed to the requirements of the occasion — they were 
 brief, because they had to be. If any of yoii are not satisfied 
 with this explanation, I am authorized to say that you are at 
 liberty to assemble yourselves in some convenient place 
 apart, and either of these gentlemen will then proceed to 
 conduct a congregational siege of indefinite length that will 
 make you wish that the traditions of the fathers had perished 
 before you were born. They have both the ammunition 
 and the endurance equal to it. 
 
 This brings me to the subject of my story, for I am to 
 speak to you about ammunition — not their kind however, 
 and yet the two have often been used together, or to speak 
 more correctly, the one has often been used to supplement 
 the other in the days when men were accustomed to prove 
 their doctrine orthodox by apostolic blows and knocks. 
 The ammunition with which I have to do, is that which was 
 fired from flint-lock muskets of those Ulster Presbyterians 
 who, true to the traditions of their race and the faith of their 
 church, espoused the cause of American independence and 
 
62 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 fought SO nobly for its achievement. The Presbyterian 
 church militant, not in the theological but political sense, 
 during tlie period of our revolutionary struggle, is what I 
 am expected to speak about. Not being a clergyman, it 
 was not thought necessary to impose any restriction as to the 
 time to be occupied in my case. The fact that it was to be 
 the last exercise before dinner was thought to be sufficient 
 pretection against one of my profession. 
 
 The event ot greatest significance in modern history was, 
 undoubtedly, the political separation of the American colo- 
 nies from Great Britain, and their federation in one common 
 constitutional government. Though a century has inter- 
 vened between that period and this the full importance of 
 the event has not yet been revealed. Those who shall 
 occupy the higher ground of a later age than ours, will be 
 able with clearer vision to sweep a larger horizon; and dis- 
 cover mighty currents, as yet concealed from view, which 
 take their rise in that historic period. The event gave but 
 little outward sign of its immense importance, and it is not 
 strange that the contemporaneous world but feebly under- 
 stood it. Men are apt to measure the importance of politi- 
 cal events when they occur, by the noise and confusion that 
 attend them. What was the noise made by the rude guns of 
 Lexington's embattled farmers, to the loud reverberations of 
 the great Frederick's artillery at Leuthen and Rossbach, 
 then still echoing throughout the world? What was the 
 assault of a few thousand Continentals at Yorktown, to the 
 bloody engagements which so soon followed on the borders 
 of France and elsewhere in Europe, when the mighty 
 nations of the earth grappled in deadly conflict? And yet 
 issues of vaster moment to humanity, were to be settled in 
 the unequal and apparently insignificant contest of our revo- 
 lution, than any of those which converted Europe into an 
 armed camp, and drenched a continent in blood. These 
 latter changed the boundaries of empires, crowned and dis- 
 crowned kings, but brought no emancipation to the people 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 63 
 
 trom the tyranny of kingly government. It was of vast 
 conseqnence to the peace of the world to change the map of 
 Europe, to overthrow a Bourbon dynasty, then a Nepoleonic 
 one which was to share a like fate in its turn; but all these 
 seem of feeble significance, after the lapse of a century, when 
 contrasted with the immense consequence which has resulted 
 from the independence of the American colonies. The issue 
 which precipitated the American revolution, was the right 
 ot the thirteen original colonies to separate and independent 
 existence; but in the issue lay a germ seed, which was to be 
 fruitful in blessings of civil and religious liberty beyond any- 
 thing the world had ever known. Directly involved in the 
 struggle, was the right of the colonies to govern themselves; 
 indirectly involved in it, was the supreme authority of the 
 people in all questions of government, and the equal right of 
 every man with his fellow to political power and privilege. 
 
 To the maintenance and establishment of these principles 
 of civil government, self-evident to you as they were to the 
 early colonists, but rejected and despised by the rulers and 
 privileged classes of the world, our fathers pledged their 
 lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor; a covenant 
 which cost them six years of devastating war in which a 
 British king and ministry exhausted the resources of a king- 
 dom in the mad attempt to conquer them. But through it 
 all, undaunted, inflexible, uncompromising, enduring pov- 
 erty, hunger, nakedness, and the calamities of war, they bore 
 themselves and their cause right on, until in the end they 
 wrought out complete deliverence from political thraldom, 
 and were enabled here in this new world, to crown their 
 labors with a government of their own building and by them- 
 selves dedicated to civil and religious freedom. 
 
 I make but passing mention of these things for my pur- 
 pose lies not with them, but rather with the men of a certain 
 race and faith who were here in these colonies when these 
 things occurred, and were witnesses of them. They are the 
 men whose memory we assemble here to-day to honor, the 
 
64 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 Scotcli-Irisli Presbyterians of that early time. It interests 
 and concerns us who are their descendants, or claim kinship 
 with them by descent from a common ancestry, to know how 
 they regarded this revolution, and what their attitude 
 towards it was. When the dread crisis came, and the alter- 
 native of servile submission or the horrors of war was pre- 
 rented to the colonies, how stood these Presbyterian fore- 
 fathers of ours ? There were colonists who wej:e for submis- 
 sion; there were yet others who wore a neutral garb. Were 
 they among either of these? It would be the marvel of history 
 were it so. Human conduct is often inconsistent, and illog- 
 ical; men are sometimes found opposing when you would 
 expect them to be advocates, and submitting when you 
 would expect resistence; but history records no such extrav- 
 agant inconsistency in human conduct as that would be, were 
 we to find Scotch-Irish Presbyterians in such a contest as 
 this, either advocating submission or standing on neutral 
 ground. Consider the race, its lineage, its iaith, the tradi- 
 tions and experience of this people, and ask yourselves where 
 they would likely be found in such a controversy, then make 
 your appeal to history, and you will learn to honor their 
 memory, not only for the noble work they accomplished, but 
 lor the sublime consistency of their lives, and their devotion 
 through many generations to the cause of human freedom. 
 Belonging to no one nationality, but drawn together from sev- 
 eral into one family, by the attraction of a common faith, they 
 built their firesides and erected their altars in the north of 
 Ireland, and there mixed the blood of the Saxon with that 
 of the Celt and Teuton, until in process of time, were devel- 
 oped traits and characteristics which made them a homo- 
 geneous and distinct race. We are told that in the settle- 
 ment of New England God sifted three kingdoms for the 
 seed of that planting. A sifting process covering a still 
 greater variety than this, was required when he prepared his 
 seed for the Scotch-Irish planting in the American colonies; 
 lor his design contemplated their planting not in one lati- 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 65 
 
 tnde oiil}-, but in several, from New Hampshire to Georgia. 
 The product was to be the same whether the seed were 
 scattered on the barren liills of New England, the rich val- 
 leys of Pennsylvania or the savannahs of the South ; where- 
 ever planted it was to yield hearts of oak. But the plant- 
 ing was not yet. The seed thus gathered was to be sifted 
 and sown, again and again in Ulster, until from these 
 repeated processes there came a distinct and peculiar people. 
 The}' were to have more than Geneva theology in common; 
 that and other influences were to work an assimilation in 
 thought and speech, in feeling and purpose, in habit and 
 customs, and inspire them with noble conceptions of the 
 rights of man, and the true object of all just government, 
 which were to be realized later on in another land than that 
 in which they then were. It may seem strange, but so it is 
 and all history attests it, that the soil which best produces a 
 vigorous race is that which is best watered by human blood. 
 Ulster soil was so prepared. This people whose industry 
 had reclaimed it, and made it the fairest portion of the island, 
 were to be harried and torn and plundered, and many of 
 them butchered, because the)- would submit to all these, 
 rather than surrender their faith at the dictation of a perfid- 
 ious king. Such an experience was required to add to their 
 creed, which already demanded a church without a prelate, 
 the political corollary, which demanded a government with- 
 out a king, and make them the chosen instruments to carry 
 the new evangel to the new world. Then came the fullness 
 of time when both seed and soil were ready. The field was 
 here in these scattered colonies. Thither, across an ocean 
 far more treacherous then than now, came these trained and 
 disciplined Ulstermen, bringing with them the faith and 
 traditions of their fathers, hatred of tyrann}- and love of free- 
 dom, with an inheritance of courage, self-reliance and 
 humble trust in the favor of the God thcN- served. They 
 were not many who moored their bark on stern New Eng- 
 land's rock bound coast; but the few were chosen, and 
 
66 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 enough to make the Londonderry of New Hampshire which 
 they founded and where they lived, worthy of the ilkistrious 
 name they gave it. More were not needed there, for New 
 England was already settled by a people disciplined and 
 prepared for the struggle in which they were to play so 
 prominent a part. In far larger numbers they crowded the 
 shores of the Carolinas, where they were needed to neutralize 
 and overcome the British influence then at work. Some 
 came to Maryland, others to New Jersey, but in the greatest 
 numbers they came to that colony which most needed them, 
 in view of what was so soon to occur. Shipload after ship- 
 load in quick succession landed at Philadelphia, and the 
 majority of these at once found their way to the southeastern 
 counties of this province, then the border of our western 
 civilization. 
 
 I have said that here they were most needed, Mark the 
 Divine strategy that' directed and controlled the distribution 
 ot these Presbyterian forces, which were then pouring into 
 the colonies ; for it was not by chance or accident that they 
 came in greatest numbers to this, rather than to some other 
 colony. If in any movement God's hand is visible, it may 
 be seen in this. He was on tlie side of the revolution, and 
 these Scotch-Irish immigrants were to be employed in the 
 accomplishment of His friendly purposes. It was He who 
 emptied Ulster into Pennsylvania, and He did it at the right 
 time. His purpose now seems plain enough. Without the 
 active cooperation ot this province, there could have been no 
 revolution, and none would have been attempted. With 
 Pennsylvania hostile, or even neutral, it would have been 
 idle to talkot separation from Great Britain. Its unfriendly 
 or neutral territory, separating the northern from the south- 
 ern colonies, would have deterred the most rebellious spirits 
 from oftering resistance, which, in the nature of things, could 
 only have brought greater oppression and distress. The 
 government of the province was in the hands of the peace- 
 ful Quakers who had founded it, and they, with the German 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 67 
 
 Meniionites, whose religion also forbade a resort to arms, 
 constituted a large majority of the population. These peo- 
 ple by their intelligent enterprise and industry, by the 
 wholesome system of laws they had enacted, and by their 
 g^enerous treatment of friend and foe, had made the province 
 famous above all others. But the era of peace was fast 
 drawing to a close ; the day was not now far oif when Patrick 
 Henry and other heralds of the revolution, were to startle 
 the colonies from repose by their appeal to arms. Against 
 the exigency of that day, what was so much needed in Penn- 
 s}lvania as the incoming of a people, to whom it had been 
 revealed that resistance to tyrants was obedience to God. 
 We are apt to think ot it as a happy circumstance that these 
 Scotch-Irish distributed themselves over these colonies in 
 the way they did, forgetting that it was (xod's own ordering, 
 and that He was using the limited supply of the material on 
 hand, in the way that would best accomplish His designs. 
 Into this valley of ours these people came as pioneers. The 
 first white foot that ever made an imprint here belonged to 
 a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian, and close behind him were his 
 brethren with their bibles, tlieir catechisms, their rifles, their 
 axes, and their rude implements of husbandry. Here they 
 built themselves homes, then churches, then schools. They 
 came in such numbers, that at the beginning of the war 
 they constituted a third of the jwpulation of the pro\-ince. 
 
 Knowing this much of the history and antecedents of 
 this people, where, I now ask, would 3'ou expect to find 
 them, when choice was to be made between submission to 
 the demands of the British ministry, which meant chains 
 and slavery for themselves and their posterity, or the hazard 
 of a doubtful war for political freedom ? Surely you would 
 expect all this iron that had been nnxed in tlieir blood to 
 count for something. Now make your appeal to history for 
 the facts. You know where these Scotch-Irish were in the 
 colonies ; they were everywhere, but not sufiicient in any 
 one colony to give them ]X)litical control. The}- were 
 
68 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 strongest in the Carolinas and Pennsylvania. If you would 
 catch the first note sounded in the colonies for the cause of 
 independence, you must turn your ear to the south that you 
 may hear what is borne on the winds from the hills of North 
 Carolina, There these people were, and plenty of them. 
 
 The blood shed at Lexington, had scarcely dried on the 
 soil it stained, when the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians of the 
 Mecklenberg district, in solemn assembly, declared that 
 Americans were free and independent people, and proceeded 
 to annul and vacate all laws and commissions confirmed by or 
 derived from the authority of the king of parliament. This 
 was on May 20th, 1775, and it was the first formulated ex- 
 pression for political independence which came from any 
 organized assembly of the people. Responses came quick and 
 hot from the Presbyterians of Philadelphia and Baltimore, but 
 these were only voices in the wilderness calling the people 
 of the colonies to prepare for the approaching contest. A 
 whole year was yet to be spent in fruitless expostulation 
 and entreaty. The idea of separation from the mother 
 country was entertained by few. The general voice was for 
 resistance to the t}-rannous measures of the ministry, but for 
 continued loyalty to the throne. Separation was thought 
 neither necessary nor desirable; it invited disaster to the 
 colonies and vindictive punishment to its abetters. The 
 influence and example of Pennsylvania were on the side of 
 submission. But persistent and repeated remonstrance 
 brought only increased demands, with an increased display 
 of power to enforce them, upon the colonies, until at last 
 the conviction was burned into the hearts and minds of the 
 people, that their only possible escape from political servitude 
 was in a war for final separation and independence. But 
 this province of Pennsylvania was yet to be won over to the 
 cause. Her Assembly had instructed the delegates in the 
 Continental Congress, not to consent to any step which might 
 cause or lead to a separation from Great Britain. How was 
 the attitude of Pennsylvania to be changed? for changed it 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 69 
 
 must be before any declaration of independence could come 
 from the Continental Congress, and changed it must be, if such 
 declaration, when made, was to be enforced by arms. Two- 
 thirds of her population professed a faith which forbade an 
 appeal to arms; and though there were fighting Quakers and 
 fighting Germans too among them, yet the great body of 
 this population were submissionists, and opposed to any 
 step that would result in war. But the Ulster Irish had 
 multiplied rapidly, and large accessions were constantly 
 pouring in. During the two years immediately preceding the 
 first actual violence here, thirty thousand of them had been 
 driven from Ireland by persecution and eviction, the most 
 of whom found homes here in Pennsylvania, so that when 
 the great question of independence was to be determined 
 these people constituted the one-third of the whole popula- 
 tion of the province. The Scotch-Irish of this valley — and 
 but few of any other race were then here — with their zeal 
 inflamed by the blood shed at Bunker Hill, and their pulses 
 quickened by the memory of the persecution they had suffered 
 in early May 1776, gathered in Carlisle, then the shiretown 
 of a county which included this, — and some ot the men who 
 sleep in yonder graveyard were there that day — blessed be 
 their memories, — and with unanimous voice demanded ot 
 the Provincial Assembly that the instructions against sepa- 
 ration be withdrawn. If there was any earlier public 
 demand for congressional action looking to independence, 
 history does not record it; certainly this was the first iitter- 
 ance of the kind heard in Pennsylvania. The Assembly 
 heard it, and heeded it too. The memorial adopted at Carlisle 
 was laid before that body on the 28th of May. On the 5th 
 of June, after much discussion, it was referred to a com- 
 mittee to bring in new instructions to the delegates in Con- 
 gress. These resolutions were reported, adopted and signed 
 on the 14th of the same month. The divine strategy in 
 emptying Ulster into Pennsylvania was rapidly unfolding. 
 It was Ulster influence that placed Pennsylvania in line with 
 
70 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 her sister colonies, and gave her vote for freedom and inde- 
 pendence on the 2d of July following, when Congress decided 
 upon separation, and solemnly resolved, "that these united 
 colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent 
 states ; that they are absolved from allegiance to the British 
 crown, and that all political connection between them and 
 the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be totally dis- 
 solved." These were brave words from brave men; none 
 braver were ever uttered, and none, if they are to be made 
 good, of deeper significance to the welfare and happiness 
 of posterity. The war which hitherto had been one of 
 resistance by the courageous and freedom loving people of 
 New England, to the unjust and oppressive measures of a 
 headstrong king and stupid ministry, was now to become a 
 war for political independence, in which thirteen scattered 
 and feeble colonies were to engage the most powerful nation 
 of Europe. Well might the brave men who spoke the 
 brave words, pause and hesitate, when, on August 2d, the final 
 step was to be taken, and each was to sign his name to that 
 immortal paper, which was to publish to the world their 
 high resolve, and commit the colonies to an undertaking 
 so desperate as this seemed and was. But it was only for a 
 moment. It needed but one note of defiance to break the 
 solemn stillness of that morning's meeting, and revive the 
 courage of the men who so braveh- resolved two months 
 before. John Witherspoon, the venerable President of the 
 Presbyterian College of New Jersey, rises in his place, and 
 with a voice trembling with age, not fear, is heard to say, 
 "Mr. President, that noble instrument on your table, which 
 insures immortality to its author, should be subscribed this 
 very morning by every pen in the house. He who will not 
 respond to its accents, and strain every ner^-e to carry into 
 effect its provisions, is unworthy the name of freeman. 
 Although these gray hairs must descend into tlie sepulchre, 
 I would infinitely rather they should descend thither by the 
 hand of tb.e public executioner, tlian desert at this crisis the 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 7 1 
 
 sacred cause of m^' country." There was hesitancy no longer, 
 and of the fifty-five historic men who that mornino-, under the 
 leadership of John Witherspoon, subscribed their names to 
 the declaration of independence, fifteen were of Scotch and 
 Irish birth or ancestry. 
 
 And now begins the War of the Revolution, where the 
 lives and fortunes and sacred honor so solemnly pledged are 
 to be given and redeemed. Where now may we expect to 
 find these men of Presbyterian faith, who were so early and 
 constant in their demand for independence at any cost, when 
 it was to be accomplished, if at all, by the sword? We 
 know v.diere you would expect to find them ; but appeal 
 again to history. Turn in the direction where these men were; 
 first ot all to that little colony of them in New Hampshire. 
 For a whole year already hundreds of them have been in the 
 trenches at Boston, and now hiuidreds more are marching thith- 
 erward under the lead of Sullivan and Stark ; both of whom 
 are to become famous as generals in the revolution. Turn 
 to the Carolinas and the South, and view their kindred 
 rally under the chosen leaders, Morgan, and Pickens, and 
 Campbell, and Howard. Their day of severest trial is yet to 
 come, but watch them and you will see them fighting ever so 
 gallantly at Moultrie, at Kings ^Mountain, at Cowpens and at 
 Yorktpwn aye, for that matter across New Jersey and at 
 Brandy wine too. Turn to Pennsylvania, and what of her? 
 For a whole year she too has had her brave sons in the 
 trenches at Boston, some from this valley, under the lead of 
 Chambers and others. But now a larger demand is to be 
 made on her patriotism. With the declaration of inde- 
 pendence comes a call for men to make it good. Six thous- 
 and men are required ot Pennsylvania in addition to those 
 already in the field, and the exigency admits of no delay. 
 The quota is filled, and filled rapidly, but how? Let one 
 example stand for all. This county of Cumberland, as it 
 then was, was a frontier settlement, remote from the scene 
 of conflict and secure from British invasion. Before the 
 
72 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 leaves had that year fallen from the trees, this single county, 
 sparsely populated then, had given to Washington's army 
 more than a thousand men, and more than a sixth of the 
 entire quota of the province. It gave to that army such 
 officers as Armstrong, and Mercer, and Irwin, and Chambers 
 and Magaw, and others of like service and renown. The 
 number of men contributed to the Continental Army by this 
 valley, during the war was equal to the whole number of its 
 taxables; and the contribution of the Scotch-Irish of the 
 colony exceeded by one-half of the entire quota of the prov- 
 ince. So true and firm and devoted were the people of this 
 faith and race, that it can be said of Pennsylvania, that she 
 v/as one of the two colonies that complied with all the 
 requisitions of the Continental Congress, for money and 
 supplies. 
 
 And what they did in Pennsylvania they did in every colony, 
 according to the measure of their strength and numbers. There 
 was not a battlefield in which they did not take part. It 
 was a task too great for the occasion, to recall on the names 
 of all the men of Presbyterian faith and lineage who ren- 
 dered illustrious service in the war. I shall not attempt it. 
 It is enough to know that the contribution of this people 
 to the leadership of it, was as conspicuous as their contribu- 
 tion to the ranks was liberal and generous ; and that all alike 
 rendered faithful, honorable and distinguished service. 
 
 The njen of that race who first settled this immediate 
 locality, had here on this hill-top, where now we stand^ 
 with pious hands and devout hearts, built and dedicated to 
 the service of God their humble sanctuary. Here they 
 gathered on a Sabl?ath day in July 1776, to hear from him 
 who had been appointed over them in holy things, what 
 duty God required of them, now that indej>endence had 
 been determined on. That man of God and the revolution, 
 John Craighead, sleeps over there in that gra\e3ard, and 
 about him lie the men who returned with him from the 
 war. To \our tents O Israel! was the message he brought 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 73 
 
 to his people that da}', and through the mists of a century 
 and a quarter, we can see the men of Rocky Spring con- 
 gregation waving a long farewell to homes and families, as 
 they begin their long and toilsome march to Long Island 
 and the war, with brave John Craighead in the lead. 
 
 Standing amid such associations what emotions should 
 stir our hearts today? Pride? Yes, indulge it, for who 
 can boast a nobler ancestry than those of you who claim 
 kinship with these heroic dead. Gratitude? Yes, deep 
 and profound let it be, from all, for the loyal and helpful 
 service the men of Presbyterian faith rendered the cause of 
 American independence. Reverence? Yes, in abinidant 
 measure, for this people adorned their heroism with the 
 noblest virtues and employed it in a sacred cause. 
 
 But better still, let us here enkindle our patriotism and 
 pledge anew our devotion to the cause of human freedom, 
 that we may the better guard the heritage bequeathed us. 
 In no other way can we so well honor the memory and 
 perpetuate the fame of the Presbyterians of the American 
 Revolution, 
 
 THE HISTORIC FAMILIES OF THE CUMBERLAND 
 
 VALLEY. 
 
 BY William henry egle, m. d. 
 
 Among these representatives of theological and legal lore 
 surrounding me, if I have not the eloquence of the one or 
 the profoundness of the other, I trust that at least I may have 
 your attention and interest in what I have to say in a cursory 
 resume of the tamily history of this charming valle}'. 
 Without any further prelude, }-ou will pardon my abrupt 
 launching torth with ni}' subject — The Earh' Scotch-Irish 
 
74 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 Settlers of the Cumberland Valle)-, or, rather, its Historic 
 Families. 
 
 On the eastern end of this valley, close to the water's 
 edge, is a small one-story stone structure, known in Provin- 
 cial or ante-Revolntionary days as the Kelso ferry-house, 
 erected in 1734, of which we have positive knowledge, it yet 
 remains, the oldest residence in this valley. From that land- 
 mark, almost to the Pennsylvania-Maryland line, between 
 years 1720 and 1740, families of Scotch-Irish extraction, the 
 whose ancesters, after having been seated in the Province of 
 Ulster, Ireland, for possibly two or three generations, 
 emigrated to Pennsylvania, and became the pioneers of the 
 Cumberland Valley, and from thence passing on to the com- 
 mimities South and West, to which they gave their own 
 distinguishing characteristics. Many of the later genera- 
 tion have exerted a marked and beneficent influence, in- 
 dividually and as families, upon the material progress, the 
 educational and religious advancement, and the political 
 action of the several Commonwealths where they settled. 
 Of much concerning them — ol the martial spirit exhibited 
 by them and their descendants upon the battlefields of their 
 country — of the high positions they have held in the Coun- 
 cils of the Nation, in the pulpit and the forum — it is not 
 my province now to speak. The time is too brief to enter 
 fully into the life-history of the early pioneers of this valley, 
 and of the generations who have become famous in the 
 annals of the States and the Nation. You will bear with 
 me, however, in a rapid glance over the records of some of 
 the early settlers — brave men and bright women — whose 
 descendants have loomed up above others in many sections 
 of oiu' Union. 
 
 It may be interesting to note just here, that at a distance 
 of about ten miles apart, were located the churches of the 
 Scotch-Irish Presbyterian settlements. The first west of the 
 vSusquehanna was Silvers Spring Meeting House, fully ten 
 miles distant from old Paxtang on the east side of the river, 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 75 
 
 llieii Meeting House vSpring, (Carlisle), followed by Big 
 Spring, (Newville), Middle Spring, (Shippensbiirg), Rocky 
 Spring and Falling Spring, (Chambersburg), and Mossy 
 Spring, (Greencastle). Around these magnificent springs, 
 clustered at first, the Scotch-Irish settlers — and here they 
 erected their churclies and schools — -and the allusion is thus 
 made, that. we nia\' the better be guided in the reference to 
 the historic families brought to our remembrance. 
 
 James Silvers and Richard Parker were probably the 
 earliest permanent settlers in the valley, the former locating 
 about 1720 at the Spring which yet bears his name, although 
 so frequently named Stlve)^ Spring, instead of Silvers. His 
 descendants went into the Shenandoah Valley prior to 1750, 
 and in the female line intermarried with the First Families 
 of Virginia. Richard Parker located near the glebe of 
 Meeting House Springs on the Conodoguinet in 1725. His 
 family became quite noted and influential in the early his- 
 tory of the valley, and were connected with the Dennys, 
 Dunbars and Creighs, early settlers, and whose descendants 
 have m.ade their mark in Western Pennsylvania and other 
 localities of our Union. Major Ebenezer Denny was a 
 soldier of the Revolution, and his son Harmer Denny, who 
 married a daughter of Gen- James O'Hara, was a member 
 of Congress and of the State Constitutional Convention of 
 1837-8. Other members of this family were the late Rev, 
 Thomas Creigh, D, D,, of Mercersburg, and Rev. Joseph 
 Alexander Murray, D. D., of Carlisle, both of whom were 
 valient soldiers of the Cross — faithful ministers of the Gospel 
 of Christ. 
 
 Of the Armstrongs, there were two prominent ikmilies— 
 that of John of Carlisle, and that of Joseph of Hamilton 
 township, now in Franklin count)-. Of the histor}- of Col. 
 John Armstrong, the "Hero of the Kittaning," every Penn- 
 sylvanian ought to be familiar, as also, with the services of 
 his son, who rose to be a General in the War of the Revolu- 
 tion. His descendants are more especially represented by 
 
76 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 the Astor family of New York City, although others are 
 scattered in many States, just as prominent even though not 
 crowned with such great wealth. The first Joseph Arm- 
 strong was an officer in the French and Indian War ; and, 
 strange to say, all the histories of the valley give the son 
 the honor reaped by the father, the son being too young 
 for the Indian wars, while the father died prior to the strug- 
 gle for independence. The second Joseph Armstrong was a 
 brave and gallant officer during the War of the Revolution, 
 and his remains lie in yonder graveyard. ]\Iost of their 
 descendants have gone out into the South and West, and, 
 during the late conflict for supremacy of the Union laid 
 down their noble lives in defence thereof. 
 
 At Big Spring, possibly as early as 1734, settled Archibald 
 McAllister. His son Richard laid out the town of Hanover, 
 York county, was a member of the Provincial Assembly 
 and Colonel of one of the York County Battalions of Asso- 
 ciators in the Revolution. Some of his children went to 
 Georgia, and became quite prominent there — while of their 
 descendants — Matthew Hale McAllister died as a Judge in 
 California. Others were representatives in Congress, while 
 one was for many years the acknowledged leader of the 
 "Four Hundred" in New York City, Mr. Ward McAllister. 
 One portion of the McAllister family went to Virginia, and 
 with them the Mitchels and McKnights, also early settlers 
 near the Big Spring. From these came that great distin- 
 guished soldier of the War of the Rebellion and famous astron- 
 omer. General Ormsby McKnight jMitchell, and whose daugh- 
 ter now vies with Miss Proctor as the leading astronomer of 
 
 today. 
 
 What family in the entire Colonies became more famous 
 than the Butlers of the Cumberland Valley in the contest of 
 1776? Their fame is not restricted to this locality alone, 
 but is national in its range. About 1745, Thomas Butler 
 and Eleanor his wife, settled in West Pennsboro' township in 
 the valley. Their five sons became eminently distinguished 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. ']'] 
 
 in the War for Independence ; Richard, the eldest, was an 
 Ensign in the French and Indian War, and entered the 
 Revohitionary struggle as Major of the Eighth Regiment 
 of the Pennsylvania Line, promoted to lyieutenant-Colonel 
 of the same, and transferred to Morgan's Rifle Command in 
 June 1777. This legion was composed of picked men de- 
 tached from the several regiments of the Pennsylvania, 
 Maryland and Virginia Lines. Soon after the Revolution, 
 in the conflict with the Indians of the Northwest Territory, 
 Colonel Butler was appointed by President Washington a 
 Major-General under St. Clair, and was mortally wounded 
 at the IMiami disaster. William Butler became Lieutenant 
 Colonel of the Fourth Regiment of the Pennsylvania Line. 
 Thomas Butler entered the service as First Lieutenant of 
 the Second Pennsylvania Battalion, became Captain in the 
 Third Regiment of the Line and was in every action that 
 was fought in the Middle States during the war. His in- 
 trepid conduct at Brandywine in rallying a detachment of 
 retreating troops, and his defending a defile in the face of a 
 heavy fire from one of the enemy, at the battle of Monmouth, 
 are noted incidents in our Revolutionary History. In the 
 St. Clair expedition, against the Indians, he commanded a 
 battalion and was seriously wounded — his surviving brother 
 Edward removing him from the field with difficulty. Upon 
 his recovery, he was continued in the military establishment 
 and in 1794 was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel Com- 
 mandant of the Fourth sub-legion. Percival Butler served 
 in the Pennsylvania Line, as a Lieutenant in the Second 
 and Third Regiments. He removed to Kentucky and was 
 Adjutant General in the War of 181 2. One of his sons, 
 William O. Butler, was a candidate on the Democratic 
 ticket for Vice President in 1848. Edward Butler, the 
 youngest of the brothers, was an officer in the Second, Fifth 
 and Ninth Regiments of the Pennsylvania Line, serving 
 with distinction in the contest. Under General V/ayne he 
 served in the Northwest in 1794, as his Adjutant General. 
 
78 THE ROCKY SfRING 
 
 He removed to Tennessee, where he died. All of these five 
 brothers left numerous descendants, many of whom served 
 meritoriously in the United States Army and Navy. 
 
 It need not be here remarked that the Cumberland Valley 
 was a nursery of brave officers of the Revolution—as well 
 as of other wars. The records prove it, and it is to be 
 regretted that some one, with the time and inclination, as 
 well as love and fascination lor the work, will not take up 
 this interesting subject, that some of the historical scaven- 
 gers who are today writing up American history, always to 
 the disparagement of Pennsylvania and her people, may 
 have their mental strabimus removed, and see what even the 
 First Families of this lovely Valley alone have accomplished. 
 
 There were Irvines and Irwins, notably prominent among 
 the early settlers. Of the first named, we have General 
 William Irvine, a hero of the Revolution, and a man around 
 whose name there is a halo of martial glory which is to be 
 honored and revered by every lover of his country. He 
 served during the entire war with distinction, and was one 
 of the original members of the Society of the Cincinnati. 
 His brother-in-law, James R, Reid, was a Major in the war, 
 and a member ot the Continental Congress. Some of the 
 Irvine family went to the Southward after the Revolution. As 
 to the Irwins, James Irwin settled in the lower part of the val- 
 ley prior to the formation of Cumberland county. Of his 
 children, Archibald Irwin, was an officer in the French and 
 Indian War and served in the Revolutionary struggle. He 
 married Jean McDowell, and they were the ancestors of Ex- 
 President Benjamin Harrison and the family of Governor 
 Francis R. Shunk. To the family of Irwins, which settled in 
 the Eastern portion of the valley we shall allude further on, 
 
 William Linn settled in Lurgan in 1736. His father 
 fought on the side of "The Orange'' at Boyne-water. His 
 descendants became distinguished in every prominent walk 
 in life. A grand son. Rev. William Linn, was a Chaplain 
 in the Pennsylvania Line, and the first Chaplain of the 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 79 
 
 United States House of Representatives in 1789. Ot his 
 children, a daughter married Charles Brockden Brown, the 
 novelist; another, Simeon De Witt, Surveyor General of 
 the United States in 1796; while a son was the Rev John 
 Blair Linn an eminent Presbyterian divine. In the fourth 
 generation we have William Linn a noted lawyer and author; 
 and the fifth in line of descent, my friend, Hon. John Blair 
 Linn, of Bellefonte, the historian of the Buffalo Valley. 
 
 William INIcGaw came to Pennsylvania early in the 
 "Seventeen Thirties." Of his children three became dis- 
 tinguished. The eldest, Samuel, became a Minister of the 
 Gospel, was made a Doctor of Divinity and was Provost of 
 the University of Pennsylvania. Robert Magaw was a 
 soldier in the Revolution and Colonel ot the Fifth Penn- 
 sylvania Battalion of the Line. He married Miss Van 
 Brunt of Long Lsland, died at Carlisle in 1790, and was 
 buried in Meeting-House Springs graveyard. Dr. William 
 Magaw was Surgeon of Colonel William Thompson's Bat- 
 talion ot Riflemen in 1775 — continued as Surgeon of the 
 First Regiment of the Line, remaining in the service until 
 January i, 1783. He died at Meadville. All left decend- 
 ants, but none reside in the valley. 
 
 Of the Chamberses, there were two distinct families — that 
 of Falling Spring and that of Middlesex, both prominent 
 in the history of the valley — both honored by distinguished 
 representatives today. Of the brothers, James, Benjamin, 
 Robert and Joseph Chambers, so much has been made 
 familiar through the histories of Cumberland and Franklin 
 counties, that it is necessary for me to only allude to their 
 services in the War of Independence and that the bravest 
 of the family rose from a Captain in Colonel William 
 Thompson's Battalion of Riflemen to Colonel of the Tenth 
 Regiment of the Line, subsequently transferred to the com- 
 mand of the First Regiment. -He was wounded at the 
 Battle of Brandy wine. Colonel Chambers, title of "General" 
 came to liim afterwards. The name of this family of Cham- 
 
80 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 bers is perpetuated in the naming of the beautiful town five 
 miles distant. Of the Middlesex family of Chambers, 
 Colonel William Chambers served with the militia in the 
 Revolution, was a man of prominence in public affairs, and 
 is represented in the fourth generation by that distinguished 
 divine, Rev, Talbot W. Chambers, D.D,, of New York City- 
 Tobias Hendricks settled three miles east of Harrisburg, 
 about 1729 or 1730. His grandson William Hendricks, 
 enlisted the first company west of the Susquehanna for the 
 contest tor liberty. Within ten davs after the reception of 
 the news of the Battle of Lexington, and as soon as orders 
 were received, he was on his march to join Washington's little 
 army in front of Boston. His was one ot the two Pennsylvania 
 companies of expert riflemen which were ordered upon the 
 Quebec expedition under Arnold. There the gallant Hen- 
 dricks lost his life on the last day of the last month of the 
 year 1775. From this family of Hendricks sprung Vice 
 President Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana. 
 
 John Potter settled in the Valley prior to 1740. He was 
 the first Sheriff of Cumberland county. Their son, James 
 Potter, was a hero of the Revolution, rose to be a Brigadier 
 General, and became Vice President of Pennsylvania during 
 the war. He settled in Centre, then in Northumberland 
 county, but died at the residence of his son-in-law, Captain 
 James Poe, in the Valley. 
 
 Speaking of the Poes reminds me of the fact that several 
 of that name were early settlers in Antrim township. From 
 these came, besides Captain James, just alluded to, a soldier 
 of the Revolution, the Indian fighters of Western Pt nnsyl- 
 vania and Virginia, Adam and Andrew Poe, whose thrilling 
 exploits are given in "^Incidents of Border Life."' Another 
 member settled beyond the Line in Ivlaryland, became the 
 ancestor of Edgar Allen Poe, that erratic genius, whose 
 poetic fire flashed as his young life went out in sudden 
 darkness. Accidental circumstances made him born in 
 Boston, but his ancestors lived in this Valley, settled here 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 8l 
 
 over a century and a half ago, and, as with others, claims all 
 her children. 
 
 Among the early settlers were the Caldwellsand Calhouns. 
 Some of these went into the Virginia Valleys, and thence 
 into the Carolinas and Georgia, while Kentucky and Ten- 
 nessee honor their descendants today. Of this stock came 
 John Caldwell Calhoun, the nullifier of South Carolina. 
 During the recent conflict for the perpetuity of the 
 Union, many of these people took an active part in the 
 Rebellion, especially those South, who became distinguished 
 in the cause of the Confederates. In the West others were 
 arrayed on the Union side of the struggle, some of whom 
 perished in that fratricidal strife ; but, all proved the bravest 
 ot the brave, leaving imperishable renown on the name. 
 
 No doubt you have all heard of the Brady family. Hugh 
 Brady settled near Middle Spring, prior to 1740. He had 
 quite a large family of children, the most noted of whom 
 was John Brady, his second son. He was the father of Cap- 
 tain Samuel Brady, the eldest of the family, and General 
 Hugh Brady, who was greatly distinguished in the service 
 of his country during the early part of the present century. 
 Of the gallant exploits of Captain Samuel Brady, it would 
 take a volume to narrate, and, much that is said of him 
 belongs to the record of his uncle Samuel Brady, who was 
 an officer in the War of the Revolution, wounded at the 
 Battle ot Brandywine, where two of his sons, Samuel, his 
 eldest, and John, a youth of fifteen years, were in the same 
 conflict. With his family are intimately connected the 
 Sharps, early settlers, as also the Quigleys. Captain John 
 Brady perished, as also did his son, by the hand of the red 
 savages of the forest, and the second Samuel Brady was 
 cradled among dangers. Much that has been said of him 
 is entirely erroneous, but accounts of his many conflicts and 
 hair-breadth escapes are all well authenticated. He never 
 was a cruel toe, as has been pictured by some of the recent 
 writers ot sensational history. The late A. Brady Sharpe, of 
 
82 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 Carlisle, was a distinguished descendant of this family. 
 Many of the family intermarried with the families of Cham- 
 bers, Wallace, Hanna, Carnalian, and Irvine. 
 
 Andrew Gregg, of Bally-arnat, near Londonderry, Ireland, 
 settled in the Cumberland Valley prior to 1750 on a farm 
 adjoining the glebe of Meeting-House Springs, which was 
 in sight of his dwelling. His son, Andrew, born near 
 Carlisle, was one of the most distinguished men from 1791, 
 when he entered the public service, until his death. He 
 was a jMember of the Lower House of Congress sixteen vears, 
 and in 1807 served as United States vSenator from Penn- 
 sylvania. His wife was Martha Potter, daughter of General 
 James Potter, just referred to. Among the most distin- 
 guished of the family of the same surname, was the late 
 General J. Irvin Gregg, who served with distinction in the 
 War of the Rebellion, and also David McMurtrie Gregg, 
 the present most excellent Auditor General of Pennsylvania, 
 who was promoted Brevet Major General U. S. Volunteers, 
 for highly meritorious and distinguished conduct throughout 
 the campaign, and who participated with his cavalry com- 
 mand in the most important engagements in the War for 
 the Union. From the first Andrew Gregg's son John, 
 descended Andrew Gregg Curtain, properly named the "War 
 Governor" of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Charles Maclay, as also his brother John, settled in the 
 Valley about 1742. From the former were descended 
 William and Samuel, both United States Senators from 
 Pennsylvania. Of them, and their distinguished services 
 to the State and Nation, time will not allow us more than 
 an allusion. John Maclay's son John was an elder in the 
 Middle Spring Church. They left a large family, including 
 men and women, who became distinguished in their various 
 callings. Elizabeth, daughter of John Maclay the first, 
 married Colonel Samuel Culbertson, of "The Row." Their 
 descendants include Rev. James Culbertson, of Zanesville, 
 Ohio ; Mrs. John Rhea, the widow of General Rhea, who 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 83 
 
 was a Member of Congress from Pennsylvania, and tlie Rev. 
 S. C. McCune, of Iowa. It is doubtful whether any one 
 family in the United States contains as many representa- 
 tive men and women, as are found among the "Maclays of 
 Lurgan." 
 
 Tliomas McCormick, grandson of James, who was at the 
 siege of Londonderry, — came to Pennsylvania in 1735. He 
 located in East Pennsboro township in Cumberland county 
 about 1748. He died about 1762, leaving a family of five 
 sons and a daughter. From their son James are descended 
 the IMcCormicks of Harrisburg, while from Robert, who 
 married Martha Sanderson, we have the grandson, Cyrus 
 H. to whom the world is indebted for the lamous reaping 
 machine, and which has made the family not only lamous 
 but wealthy. 
 
 About the year 1730 there came into the lower part of 
 the Cumberland Valley, the family of William McDowell. 
 He settled at the foot of Parnell's Knob, about ten miles 
 west of Chambersburg, but was driven away by the Indians, 
 subsequent to Braddocks defeat.. It was during his absence 
 trom home, that he died at the residence of friends near the 
 Susquehanna, and was buried at the old Donegal Church 
 graveyard. He left a large family and they are the ances- 
 tors of the McDowells, who have not only assisted to make 
 this valley famous, but became quite prominent in the history 
 of the Carolinas and Kentucky. During the War of the 
 Revolution, several of them distinguished themselves as 
 officers in the Pennsylvania Line, and there has recently 
 been published in the Second Series of Pennsylvania 
 Archives, an interesting journal of Lieutenant William 
 McDowell of the First Pennsylvania Regiment concerning 
 the Southern Campaign of 1781-82. This family is con- 
 nected with the ]\Iaxwels, Pipers, Newells, and Reynolds, 
 as well as the Findleys of the Cumberland Valley. 
 
 John Williamson settled in the Valley as early at 1740; 
 his wife was Mary Davidson, belonging to that family of the 
 
84 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 neighborhood. Of their children the Rev. Hugh William- 
 son, was a distinguished divine, as also a soldier of the 
 Revolution and an author of considerable note, being the 
 historian of South Carolina. Another son, John, was a 
 distinguished lawyer, but after the Revolution he became a 
 wealthy merchant of Charleston, South Carolina. A daugh- 
 ter, Margaret, married first, William Reynolds. Lett early 
 a widow with a small family, she married Daniel Nevin. 
 From them descended the Nevin family, the most distin- 
 guished of whom was the great theologian of the Reformed 
 Church, Rev. John Williamson Nevin, D. D. Another 
 daughter, Mary Williamson, married a McClintock, while 
 Rachel Williamson intermarried with the Montgomerys. 
 
 William McLene settled about 1745 near what is called 
 Brown's Mills in Franklin county. He had located some 
 time in Chester county, where his son James received the 
 rudiments of a good education, at the New London Academy. 
 It is a remarkable fact that many of the most prominent of the 
 historic families of Cumberland county remained with their 
 friends and neighbors who had previously removed from 
 Ireland, in the Scotch-Irish settlements in Chester and 
 Lancaster counties, for several years, until the farms were 
 made tillable and their homes were erected in the Valley. 
 It is more than probable that owing to this fact, the repre- 
 sentative men of this locality prior to the Revo- 
 lution, were educated at the Classical Academy at 
 New London, then under the charge of the Rev. 
 Francis Alison. James McLene took an active part 
 in the early deliberations of the conferences, through 
 and by which, Pennsylvania declared herself a free and in- 
 dependent State. Mr. McLene served not only in the 
 Assembly but in the Supreme Executive Council, as well 
 as in the Continental Congress. He was a remarkable man 
 in many respects, and, until his death in 1806, he was influen- 
 tial in public affairs. He was buried in Brown's Mill grave- 
 yard, four miles northeast of Greencastle. 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 85 
 
 The Pomeroys settled in Letterkenny township, prior to 
 1740. The various members took active parts in the strug- 
 gle for independence. Many of the descendants remain in 
 the Valley, with whom some of the prominent or represen- 
 tative families have intermarried. 
 
 The ancestors of Presidents James K. Polk and Andrew 
 Johnson were early settlers in the Cumberland Valley, and 
 from thence went first to Virginia and subsequently to 
 Kentucky and Tennessee. As is well known, the ancestors 
 of President Buchanan were also settlers in the Valley and 
 that distinguished statesman was born at "Stony Batter," in 
 this county of Franklin. 
 
 Recently in glancing over the signers of the celebrated 
 Mecklenburg Declaration, approved and signed by the Pro- 
 vincial Congress of N. C, the 20th of May, 1775, I was 
 especially struck with the number of persons connected 
 therewith, who were natives of the Cumberland Valley, 
 and I wish briefly to refer to them : Hezekiah and John 
 McKnitt Alexander were born in the lower part of the Val- 
 ley. They were members of the Committee of Safety for 
 Mecklenburg County, as well as delegates to the Provincial 
 Congress of North Carolina, in x'lpril, 1776. John David- 
 son was the son of John and Ann Davidson, who settled 
 in West Pennsboro township about the year 1731. He 
 served also during the War of the Revolution and became 
 quite distinguished. Another Davidson was Patrick, who 
 settled about the same time in the Valley. His son George 
 removed to North Carolina in 1750, and was the father of 
 General William Davidson, born in the Cumberland Valley 
 in 1746, and who so distinguished himself in the Revolu- 
 tionary War. He was killed near Cowan's Ford in 1781, 
 thus falling in the prime of life and when of great useful- 
 ness to his country. North Carolina has honored herself 
 and him, by naming one of her counties for this noble and 
 patriotic soldier. John Irwin settled in the Valley, in what 
 was subqently Milford township, about 1734 ; his son Rob- 
 
86 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 ert removing to North Carolina, became a distinguished of- 
 ficer and performed important military service during the 
 war. Benjamin Patton, the son of William and Elizabeth 
 Patton, who settled in Peters' township, removed at an early 
 period to the eastern part of Mecklenburg County. He 
 was a man of iron firmness and idomitable courage. De- 
 scended from the proud blood of the covenanters, he inher- 
 ited their tenacity of purpose, sagacity of action and purity 
 of character. 
 
 Zacheus Wilson, James Harris and Matthew McClure, 
 also signers of that declaration, were emigrants from the 
 Cumberland Valley into western North Carolina. Thus it 
 will be seen that not only were the descendants of these 
 early Scotch-Irish settlers remaining in the Valley, true to 
 their friends, to their country, and their God, — but, those who 
 went Southward performed deeds of noble daring and ex- 
 emplified that lofty patriotism which has been the distin- 
 guishing characteristic of the Scotch-Irish settlers of the 
 Cumberland Valley in their own homes. No other settle- 
 ment in the Colonies of similar area ever sent forth so 
 many men of distinguished bravery and zeal in the cause 
 of liberty. 
 
 There are, perchance, more representative families de- 
 scended from the early Scotch-Irish settlers in this Valley 
 than from any other section. From Maine to California 
 there are people bearing the same surname, as well through 
 intermarriage tracing their ancestry to those sturdy pio- 
 neers of the forest, and it would afford me much pleasure to 
 rehearse their distinguished services, not only to the States 
 wherein they dwell, but to the Nation at large. I can only 
 refer in praise at this time to the deeds of the Blaines, of 
 Middlesex ; the Allisons of Antrim ; the Duncans of Car- 
 lisle ; the Elliotts of Peters ; the Browns of Antrim ; the 
 Lyons of Milford ; the Maxwells of Peters ; the Culbert- 
 sons of "The Row"; the McConnells, Herrons, and Hen- 
 dersons of IvCtterkenny ; the McCalmonts and Stevensons, 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 87 
 
 but time on the present occasion will not allow. I intended 
 to refer somewhat to the Campbells, the Findlays, Hoges, 
 Breckenridges and Craigheads, but these also, with the rec- 
 ord of others, must be left tor some future historian of the 
 Valley. 
 
 It would greatly please me to continue this subject further, 
 as there are hundreds of families of more or less promi- 
 inence concerning whom and their descendants I may have 
 information. The theme is a fruitful one, and there cer- 
 tainly is a fascination about following the lines of descent 
 from the first settler to those of the present generation, 
 scattered as they are to the North, South, East and West. 
 Some day, there may arise, I hope, some one who will take 
 this matter up, and, with a love that knows no faltering, 
 preserve to you and those who come after you, a faithful 
 record of the "Historic Families of the Cumberland Valley." 
 
 AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN 
 AMERICA. 
 
 BY REV. THOMAS MURPHY, D. D. 
 
 No subject of deeper interest can we study than that of 
 the Providence of God over the affairs of human histor>' 
 and to us no point of that study could be more absorbing, 
 than that whereby He directed the earliest movements of 
 history to the accomplishment of His great design in 
 reference to this land in which we live. That He had in 
 view for it some sublime purpose in the future we cannot 
 question. On that account, every movement of His Provi- 
 dence in reference to our laud, becomes to us a point of 
 intense moment ; and of all other points none are so inter- 
 
88 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 esting- as those whereby He prepared a church for our people. 
 Moreover, of all churches, to be gotten ready for the coun- 
 try, none could have the attraction for us that we find in 
 the Presbyterian. In it we believe we can very clearly 
 trace His divine footsteps in preparing a Presbyterian 
 Church in America in which there are many kindred prin- 
 ciples — It was an American Presbyterian Church for 
 America — and the successive stages of its preparation form 
 the subject on which we would dwell. Merely as a subject 
 for study it is most attractive, but as involving the very 
 highest welfare of our country, it must awaken our greatest 
 interest. The successive stages of preparation for the 
 church, run parallel with the progress of the country, and 
 cannot but attract our affectionate study. We would take 
 these stages in succession, that we may see clearly the won- 
 derful similarty. 
 
 First. We see the hand of God in the gathering of the 
 people out of which the church is to be formed. They were 
 all people from lands where a sound Presbyterian faith had 
 long prevailed. Chief among them were the Scotch-Irish, 
 from Ulster and the land of John Knox, and German 
 Calvinites, from Basil and the home of Calvin, and the 
 faithful from the banks of the Rhine, and Welsh Calvin- 
 ites from Travecea — and descendants of the Puritans from 
 England ; and children ot the Huegenots from France, and 
 many others of a kindred spirit and creed. They were 
 peoples, all of whom had suffered severely in their ancestral 
 homes for their God and their faith. 
 
 Second. The next stage of God's leading was seen in His 
 providing for these gathered people a sound scriptural creed. 
 The crowning act of this great event was, when in 1729, 
 they heartily and most solemnly adopted the Westminster 
 Confession of Faith, with the catechisms, as the standard of 
 their belief, and pledged themselves in the most solemn 
 manner that they would follow its doctrines and practice. 
 ^ The Thii'd stage by which God was preparing His church 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 89 
 
 for this land, was that of providing for her an edncated 
 ministry. From the first, the Presbyterian Chnrch would 
 have no ministers but those who had been carefully 
 trained for their great work, and at that early day when 
 toundations were to be laid this was especially needed. Our 
 fathers could not rely any longer on a supply of ministers 
 trained in Scotland, Ireland or the colleges of New England. 
 There must be some method found by which the young 
 men could be trained at home. By a strange, almost ro- 
 mantic, path of Providence this was provided for in the es- 
 tablishment of the renowned Log College. The story of 
 the beginning of that blessed institution has never been 
 told in its simple facts. It has only recently been dis- 
 covered in the archives of Bucks County, Doylestown, 
 Pennsylvania. Only now has even the name of the toun- 
 der been brought to light in connection with the records 
 of the transfer of property in those early days. Marvelous 
 was the way in which Providence prepared the way. 
 
 The true founder was an humble girl named Catharine 
 Kennedy, born about 1678, in County Armagh, Ireland. 
 Carefully educated in the manse of her father, Rev. Dr. Ken- 
 nedy, in the earnest faith and love of Christ, her chief train- 
 ing for her glorious life-work began while yet but a child. 
 At that time merciless persecution for the Presbyterian 
 Faith of his ancestors, drove her father into exile in Hol- 
 land, the daughter of hope and promise with him. After a 
 time, the bloody persecution abating, the fugitives returned 
 to their native land. There, she soon made the acquintance 
 of a young Episcopal clergyman, just graduated from Trin- 
 it\^ College, Dublin. They were married ; and, after a time, 
 probably through the influence if her godly example and 
 persuasions, he left the Church of England, and entered that 
 of her Presbyterian father. A few years pass, and probabl)- 
 through her influence again, he, the great and good. Rev. 
 William Tennent, with his wife and four boys who had 
 been born to them, sought a better field of usefulness in 
 
90 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 preaching the Gospel to the Indians in America. By the 
 leadings of Providence, they were conducted step by step, 
 to the founding of what became the celebrated Log College; 
 a very humble structure of 20 by 18 feet, formed ot logs cut 
 down by their own hands in the adjoining woods. Its first 
 design was the education of the four boys ; but others soon 
 sought its advantages, and it rapidly grew into the so-called 
 college where most of the first ministers of our church were 
 trained. That was the scene of the noble Catharine's great 
 life-work. In helping, probably sometimes with her own 
 hands even, the erection of the building, encouraging her 
 husband, often despondent, and not strong in body, proving 
 a mother to all the boys, in their sickness and sorrows, she 
 left the impress of her deep piety, fine scholarship and emi- 
 nently good sense, upon the character of all the young men 
 trained at that first school of the prophets. It was, through 
 her influence that the ten Log College Evangelists had the 
 foundations laid of their future marvellous power for Christ 
 and His cause. To no other individual is our church and 
 country so much indebted as to Catharine Kennedy though 
 until a few years ago, even her name was unknown to the 
 world. 
 
 The Fourth stage by which God was getting his church 
 ready for the country He was establishing, was the endow- 
 ing that infant body with the special power of the Holy 
 Spirit. This was, in one respect at least, the most marvel- 
 ous of his doings. The first ministers, most of whom had 
 come from abroad, were soundly learned men, and possessed 
 of correct theological creed, but their piety was less spiritual 
 and earnest. A different spirit was needed for a great 
 church of a great country. How was the want to be met ? 
 In a way we would little have expected. He sent here 
 that most godly and eloquent man. Rev. George Whitfield, 
 bringing with him from England, the burning spirit of the 
 Oxford Methodists. He came and preached to thousands 
 upon thousands, imparting his earnest spirit wherever he 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 9 1 
 
 went. In no place did he leave so deep an impression as 
 upon Log College. Through him the tone of piety there 
 was utterly changed and intensified. Before, it was eminent 
 for its sound learning and theology ; now it became as emi- 
 nent for its devoted piety. How can we imagine the great- 
 ness of the marvel that the acknowledged great spirituality 
 of John Wesley, without a particle of his errors, should thus 
 be made the reigning spirit of the church destined to such a 
 mission. Verily it was God's doing, and it is marvelous 
 in our eyes ! 
 
 The Fijth stage of preparation was another very great 
 marvel. The sound creed was provided ; the arrangements 
 for an educated ministry were made ; the Baptism of the 
 Holy Spirit had been granted — all was ready ; but the bless- 
 ings were confined to a narrow locality. The Log College, 
 the city of Philadelphia, and large circle around it were all 
 yet reached ; but the gracious influences were intended for 
 the whole country. East, West, North and South were all 
 contemplated in the sublime scheme. It was a national 
 preparation which the God ot the nations intended. How 
 are the other parts of the land to be reached ? How is the 
 whole country to be included in the gracious work? The 
 God ot infinite wisdom and power has his plan ready. In 
 the Log College, He has a band of ten evangelists prepared, 
 with the same doctrines and the same spirit ; but with dif- 
 ferent gifts, and different powers, as soon as his plans are 
 ripe ; to spring forth over the whole land and spread the 
 system in every quarter, and plant the standard at every 
 point. But little is this glorious movement understood. 
 
 The names of these blessed men, all taught in the Log 
 College, sanctified by the same spirit, and bring with them 
 the same love to Christ and souls, must be had in remem- 
 brance. They were the four great sons of Tennent, Gilbert, 
 William, John and Charles ; the two brothers, Samuel and 
 John Blair, Samuel Finley, William Robinson, John Row- 
 land, and Charles Beatt)-. These were the men whom God 
 
92 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 prepared and sent abroad to disseminate the cause over the 
 whole land. Not only did he give them all this general 
 commission, but to each of them a special work, and a gen- 
 eral qualification, Gilbert Tennent, was the pioneer, to 
 break down with the blows of a giant, all that might op- 
 press. William Tennent, Jr., was the saintly man appointed 
 to illustrate how near are the interests and communion of 
 heaven and earth. John Tennent, the type of true piety, 
 who did his brief, but glorious work, and then went home. 
 Charles Tennent, the model pastor, leaving an example for 
 all ministers. Samuel Blair the eminent preacher, drawing 
 thousands to the cross. John Blair the theologian, needed 
 to define the doctrines of the church. Samuel Finley, the 
 establisher of institutions for learning and piety. William 
 Robinson, prominently the evangelist who as a flying angel, 
 preached the gospel in every quarter ; and who, as asserted 
 by Dr. Archibald Alexander, was the means of more true 
 conversions than any other man by whom the land was 
 ever blessed. John Rowland, the great revivalist, leading the 
 way in this method of building up the cause. And finally 
 Charles Beatty, the gentleman by instinct and culture, 
 with his mission to recommend the gospel to the cultured, 
 the refined and the intellectual. Among those who had en- 
 trusted to them the work of spreading the cause over all the 
 land, I must name another, a most blessed woman. Among 
 those born of women, how few so highly blessed as she ! 
 The simple story of her relationship to the great, and the 
 good is all that we can give. She was the sister of the two 
 eminent brothers, Samuel and John Blair. She was the 
 wife of Rev. Dr. Robert Smith, president of Pequa Academy, 
 almost equal in learning to its mother, the Log College. She 
 was mother of Rev. Dr. Stanhope Smith, first the president 
 of Hampden-Sidney College, Virginia ; and afterwards presi- 
 dent of Princeton College. She was also mother of Rev. 
 Dr. John Blair Smith, who followed his brother as president 
 of Hampden-Sidney College, and then became president of 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 93 
 
 Union College, Schenectady, New York, Moreover, she 
 was foster mother of Rev. John Caldwell, prominent in the 
 Macklenburgh Convention, Dr. McMillan, the great western 
 missionary', of Dr. George Dnffield, of Dr. Rice of Ken- 
 tncky, and many others of the great and good ot that early 
 day. Where — where snch a blessed record as this ? 
 
 The sixth stage of this marvelous preparation was as 
 strange as the rest. Its design was to homologate, to bring 
 into harmony the many and various discordant elements of 
 which the church was originally composed. In the original 
 formation of the church, there were members from Ulster, 
 from Scotland, from Old and New England, from Switzer- 
 land, from the Palatinate of Germany, from Wales, and other 
 lands. How could all these harmonize in doctrine and 
 practice. They had been accustomed to utterly diverse 
 views of non essential doctrines, to different ways of wor- 
 ship and plans of work. They were good men and true, 
 but in their minor points they had been used to different 
 modes. Though truly converted men, they could not at 
 once see alike in all things. And without that harmony of 
 views, how could they work and worship together in peace 
 and prosperity ? Then how could they at once be brought 
 all to see, and feel and act in full accord. Such a chance 
 would ordinarily be the work of centuries. But the work 
 could not wait. One united and harmonious church was 
 needed at once, as both church and country were reaching 
 maturity. How shall the problem be solved — the difficulty 
 met? To mere human wisdom it was impossible ; but God 
 has his own plan ready. In His mysterious Providence he 
 suffered the church to be rent in twain by what is ordinarily 
 called the great Schism of the old and new controversy. 
 From the human side it was a pure and great calamity. 
 Pride, and prejudice, and passion seemed to rage supreme. 
 But what was the Lord doing with it ? What could be ac- 
 complished by no other power on earth. The breach began 
 in 1741 ; and by it misunderstandings were cleaned up, doc- 
 
94 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 trines were discussed and defined, plans were tried and 
 adopted, or rejected, passions had time to cool, and men 
 were seen in excellencies of character, which they were 
 never before supposed to possess. Thus was the blessed re- 
 sult achieved. The annealing process went on for seven- 
 teen years ; when all had become healed in 1758 ; and that 
 in the spirit of these blessed words sincere and permanent — 
 "All complaints and differences shall be mutually forgiven 
 and buried in perpetual oblivion, and they shall unite in 
 principle as though they had never been concerned with 
 one another, nor had any differences." Oh how gloriously 
 perfect in result is God's work ! 
 
 Seventh Stage. All was now ready — all prepared for the 
 New American Church for America — all but one thing ; 
 and that would require time — veneration for the fathers was 
 needed — sweet associations of the memories of other days — 
 attachments to the old church, with which was connected 
 many blessed reminisicences, the feeling of "our good old 
 church" was wanted there still. Again had the infinite 
 wisdom provided for the want. Time was required in 
 which all that had -been accomplished should be settled — 
 defined and fully established. The principles of doctrine 
 and order were to take root ; the habits, and character, and 
 modes of thought, and forms of an American Presbyterian 
 church were to be matured ; influencing traditions were to 
 be formed ; the great power of early associations was to be 
 created ; the children were to be put in possession of such 
 peculiar attachment to the Old Church as is hallowed by the 
 memories of the past. But this would require many years ; 
 and even that was providentially provided for. Moreover 
 it explains a mystery that seemed very dark. In the pro- 
 gress of the cause we find a strange break. From 1758, 
 when the great Schism was healed, until 1788, all seemed 
 at a stand-still, only one church was organized. Not one 
 important movement was witnessed, all seemed dead. Thir- 
 ty years, a whole generation in tinie^ seemed lost to the his- 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 95 
 
 tory. What means this? Has the Divine scheme, as to 
 the church been abandoned? No, no, far from it. That 
 long period of apparent inaction, was accomplishing a most 
 important <md. It was ripening all the previous planting. 
 It was establishing the cause for the next, and final stage. 
 
 Eighth Stage. That last stage was the organization of 
 the church ; for which Cjod, in his usual manner, was so 
 long, surely, steadily, gloriously preparing. In that final 
 stage, of organizing the church, there comes to light, in a 
 way which cannot possibly be mistaken, the fact that this 
 American Presbyterian Church and American nation or 
 government had been prepared for each other by the sub- 
 lime working ot God's Almighty Providence through all the 
 preceding years. The way in which this is made absolutely 
 unmistakable is that the General Assembly of the church 
 was organized, and the constitution of the government 
 adopted, at the same time^ in the same place^ by men of the 
 same vieius^ and on the same principles. These momentous 
 facts are beyond all controversy, and with a glance at them 
 we close our remarks. 
 
 First, as to the Time. The General Assembly was organ- 
 ized on May 24th, 1789. The organization of the govern- 
 ment was consummated, when Washington was inaugurated 
 as President on April 30th, 1789 — the great events only 
 twenty-four days apart ! 
 
 Second, as to the place. Both events occurred on well 
 nigh the same spot. Not only was it in the same city of 
 Philadelphia ; but the constitution of the government was 
 adopted in a hall a little over two squares from the church 
 where the church was organized. A clear voice might have 
 been heard from one building to the other. 
 
 Third, men of the same views formed both. The men 
 who organized the General Assembly were all, of course, 
 staunch Calvinites. On the best of authority we have it 
 that : i ^For above one hundred ajid thirty years previous to 
 the adoption of the constitution.^ all the higher institutions 0/ 
 
96 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 the land were under Calvanistic management and teaching y 
 But that was the period in which the great statesmen who 
 wrote that instrument had received their education and bias. 
 Such were the institutions which made them wliat they 
 were. Hence their spirit, the bent of their minds, their 
 opinions and views, and their interpretations of history were 
 the same as those of the framers of the Constitution of the 
 Church. 
 
 Fourth. Formed on the same principles. The principles 
 of the two were precisely alike, as even the most superficial 
 examination will reveal, (i) A total disconnection of 
 church and state, the one asking no aid, the other acknowl- 
 edging no obedience. (2) Total separation from the old 
 world — one seeking no ordinations, and the other yielding 
 no allegiance. (3) Both adopted written constitutions, as 
 guides to all their laws. (4) Absolute equality in all the 
 members of their respective constituencies — the one tolera- 
 ting do prelates of any degree — the other no potentates or 
 privileged claims. (5) The framing of both constitutions 
 was on precisely the same plan — in the one, the church, the 
 session, the Presbytery, the Synod and the General iVssem- 
 bly. In the other, the township, the county, the state and 
 the general government. (6) The principle of representa- 
 tion in all bodies. (7) Courts of review and appeal identi- 
 cal in every respect. 
 
 Now were all these coincidences mere chances ? Did 
 they all merely happen to be so ? Who can imagine that 
 the mere wisdsm of men made this arrangement ? Is it not 
 as manifest as the day that the same mind was at work in 
 the formation of the purpose that shaped them all, and that 
 the all-wise mind ? Was there not clearly one great plan 
 in both lines of events ? Was not that plan to set up a 
 great nation tliat would take a leading part in the final 
 movements of the earth, and side by side with it a great 
 Scriptural Church, that would influence its character and 
 shape its destiny ? 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 97 
 
 SOME LESSONS FROM THE HISTORY OF THIS 
 
 CHURCH. 
 
 BY HON. JAMES A. BEAVER. 
 
 The church building being unable to accommodate the 
 crowds who were in attendance upon the Centennial, demand 
 was made that Gen. Beaver should take a place in the 
 doorway where he could be heard by those who were inside 
 as well as outside the church. The double doors at the 
 side of the church were opened and, standing in the door- 
 way, he partly faced the congregation inside and the great 
 crowd gathered about the doorway, and was in iull view of 
 the churchyard connected with the church, where so many 
 of the founders of the church who were instrumental a hun- 
 dred years ago in erecting the building in which the 
 services were held, lie buried. 
 
 The General spoke without notes and, as he said, without 
 previous preparation, the substance of his remarks being 
 wdiat follows: 
 My Friends^ and Friends of the Friends of my Ancestors : 
 
 I have joined with you in this service today with very 
 great delight. The invitation to be present was both a sur- 
 prise and a pleasure, and ever since its receipt I have 
 counted in anticipation upon what has been more than 
 realized in the services ot today. The journey hither has 
 been in itself a rare enjoyment. A ride through the 
 Cumberland Valley always brings pleasure with it: but, I 
 have, in addition — being the guest of my friend Pomero)' — 
 enjoyed to the full the graphic account of the several occu- 
 pations of Chambersburg by those who were opposed to us 
 during the late Civil War, as I heard it from the lips of his 
 mother-in-law, Mrs. William McLellan. The drive from 
 Chambersburg here this morning has also been exception- 
 ally pleasant, and, as I have mingled with you in social in- 
 tercourse during the day and have heard, trom the lips of 
 
98 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 those who were abundantly able to furnish us both instruc- 
 tion and enjoyment, how for more than a century this 
 region has been cultivated, morally and religiously and how 
 for a round century this building has stood a very beacon 
 light of Gospel truth upon this hilltop, I have realized to 
 the full that it is good to be here. 
 
 The thoughts which come to me upon the occasion, how- 
 ever, are not all joyous. As we have listened to the story 
 of what this church was a century ago and compare what 
 we learn its condition to be now with what it was then, one 
 cannot help a feeling of sadness, in view of the contrast ; 
 and this feeling is emphasized when we consider that this 
 church stands for very many in like condition throughout 
 this valley and throughout our goodly Commonwealth. 
 Many churches, once flourishing and sending out streams of 
 wholesome and elevating influences, are practically dead or 
 able to maintain life only by help from outside themselves. 
 A first and partial view ot the subject is discouraging and 
 we are prone to think that the Church goes backward. As 
 a matter of fact, this is not so. The general tendency of 
 the age is toward city and town life, and, as our people con- 
 gregate together, they naturally seek conveniences for wor- 
 ship in their own vicinity. The result in this case, as in 
 many other cases, is that churches in towns and villages 
 draw to their support the descendants of those who formerly 
 founded and maintained this church. If you consult the 
 names of the original pew holders, as they are givt n in the 
 draft which has been exhibited here today, and interrogate 
 their descendants who have come together to observe this 
 centennial, you will find that many of them are doing just 
 as good work for their Master and for the church of their 
 choice in cities and towns and villages widely separated, as 
 was done by their ancestors who founded and maintained the 
 Rocky Spring Chiirch. In looking, therefore, at the ques- 
 tion which naturally suggests itself, in view of the condition 
 which confronts us, we must take a broad view of the case 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 99 
 
 and determine whether or not, viewed from the standpoint 
 of the entire Church, we have not made a great advance 
 upon former times. The general statistics of the Church 
 will undoubtedly sustain this view ; and, instead of being 
 saddened by the decadence of what was once a flourishing 
 and influential church, now reduced to a handful unable to 
 support a pastor of themselves, we must look at the streams 
 of influence which have flowed hence to the uttermost parts 
 of the earth, beautifying and fructifying in their course the 
 localities which have been reached by them. The towns in 
 this immediate vicinity, towns and cities more remote, and 
 the great metropolis of our country itself, send the repre- 
 rentatives of the families who worshiped here to testify 
 to the wholesome influence which went out from this chm'ch 
 and to the steadfastness and loyalty of their sons to the 
 the truth as it was maintained by the Fathers in this place. 
 I recall at this moment a church in the immediate vicinity 
 of my home, situate something as this is, which was orig- 
 inally the strong, vigorous and influential organization 
 which enabled our church in Bellefonte, in connection with 
 it, to call a pastor and which for many years led our church 
 in numbers, in influence and in all that makes church life 
 vigorous and wholesome and helpful. The tendency 
 toward town life, of which I have spoken, has brought 
 many of the members of that church into connection with 
 our own. At the organization of a single church in Illi- 
 nois, thirt}^-eight of its members were found uniting together 
 in establishing a new church of our faith and order. Many 
 other churches in the West testify in like manner to the 
 help which they have received trom this strong mother 
 church. These depleting influences have gone on, until it 
 is now unable to support a pastor and depends upon ccca- 
 sional supplies for maintaining the regular means of grace. 
 There is undoubtedly a sad side to the case to which I have 
 alluded and yet that church was founded in large part by 
 those who were at one time coiinected with this church. 
 
lOO THR ROCKY SPRING 
 
 The Cumberland Valley and the Rocky Spring Church sent 
 the McCalmonts to Nittany Valley and the Lick Run 
 Church. They for years constituted an important element 
 in maintaining that church. They have all gone from the 
 locality and the Church at Bellefonte, and others in western 
 states to which I have alluded, have absorbed the Entire 
 family ; so that, as I stand here, I can readily recall th e 
 grandchildren of the men who founded this church who are 
 bravely and loyally doing their share in building up and 
 maintaining churches elsewhere in our own State and in 
 Home Mission fields of the States farther west. Let us not 
 yield to this feeling ot discouragement, therefore, but gather 
 from the condition which confronts us the claim which this 
 church and others of like character have upon those who 
 have drawn from it the strength of its eaiiier years and 
 influence. 
 
 As I look from the hilltop across the valley which opens 
 out before me, there comes within the range of my vision 
 the neglected churchyard — God's Acre as it is sometimes 
 called. Its appearance gives rise to another practical 
 thought which I would like to emphasize in this presence. 
 The descendants of the old tamilies who founded this church 
 and whose remains are buried in this adjoining churchyard 
 are widely scattered. Naturally they become interested in 
 what immediately siirrounds them; and, as they become 
 further removed, generation after generation, from the as- 
 sociations which cluster around this locality and from the 
 more intimate knowledge of their ancestors, it is very 
 natural to lose sight of and interest in such a locality as 
 this, but assuredly the devoted men and women whose 
 bodies lie in yonder churchyard deserve better of their des- 
 cendants than what has been accorded them. It has been 
 a great pleasure to me to learn, since my coming here, that 
 my friend, John Gilmor, who lived in one of the villages 
 near by, provided a fund by his will, the interest of which 
 can be used for maintaining the churchyard in proper con- 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. lOI 
 
 dition. His wishes in this respect will no doubt be relig- 
 iousl}^ complied with and yet the fund is utterly inadequate 
 to do what should be done in improving- these surroundings, 
 naturally so beautiful. In looking up the graves of my 
 own ancestors in this neighborhood, I called upon John 
 Gilmor several years ago and received from him, as a loan, 
 a receipt book which had the names of some ot my ances- 
 tors and which contains in it a receipt signed by James McCal- 
 mont for the contribution of Mr. Gilmor's father for the 
 building of this church. The history of the early settle- 
 ments of this valley and of our entire State is preserved very 
 larg-elv throusfh our churchvards and the monuments which 
 perpetuate this history should be carefully preserved and, 
 as the}- decay and moulder, should be transferred to more 
 enduring material. It is only in this way that we can tell, 
 to the generations which shall come after us, what has been 
 done by those which have gone before us. I sincerely hope 
 that, as one of the results of this Centennial, we shall see the 
 churchyard which contains the dust of many who lived 
 heroic and honorable lives and who served their country as 
 well as their God faithfully in their day, substantially en- 
 closed and beautified and made the proper and worthy rest- 
 ing place of the bodies of these heroic souls. 
 
 Inasmuch as I accepted the invitation to come here, with 
 the distinct understanding that I was not to be regarded as 
 one of the speakers of the day and have, therefore, made no 
 preparation for an address, you will, I am sure, allow me to 
 express for myself and for those who may not have the op- 
 portunity of giving voice to their feelings, the great enjoy- 
 ment we have together had in the services of this day. The 
 addresses which have been delivered are worthy ot per- 
 manent preservation and I sincerely hope that we may have 
 them given to us in such form as will enable us to tell the 
 next and succeeding generations what was done here upon 
 this day. In this wa}', as well as in what I have indicated 
 heretofore, we may tell to others some of the history which 
 
I02 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 has been made by those who have left their lasting impress 
 upon this community and, through their descendants, upon 
 many portions of our country. 
 
 The occurrences of the day have reminded me somewhat ot 
 the regular services of the country church of which I have a 
 distinct recollection and which come to me as a very pleas- 
 ant memory trom my boyhood's days. We have heard 
 these services described today — the morning service in 
 which we were expected to have a doctrinal sermon of con- 
 siderable length, with all the usual accompaniments, the ad- 
 journment for lunch and the social enjoyments which fol- 
 lowed — which, by the way, have been admirably carried out 
 on this occasion, and the shorter practical discourse which 
 followed in the afternoon. I owe the committee a debt of 
 gratitude for giving me the opportunity to be here. I have 
 already intimated the feeling of indebtedness under which 
 the speakers of the day have placed me, and it only remains 
 to thank you all, at least such of you as I have been able to 
 speak to and associate with socially, and particularly the 
 gentleman who so kindly presented me with the bag of 
 pears which he says were gathered from a tree growing 
 upon the very spot upon which my great-great-grandtather's 
 house was built, for the rare enjoyments of the day. 
 
 May peace remain and prosperity return to this venerable 
 church and may the people of the next century find it even 
 more useful and flourishing than it was left by those who 
 built this edifice one hundred years ago. 
 
 OLD FAMILIES OF ROCKY SPRING. 
 
 BY WILLIAM P. STEVENSON. 
 
 Some time since Chauncey Depew was invited to make 
 an address at the annual dinner of the Holland Society in 
 New York City, and he commenced by saying that he had 
 been investigating the origin and derivation of his name, 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 103 
 
 and that while it is now Depew, he found it was formerly 
 Depie, and before that it was Van Pie, which gave him a place 
 among the Dutchmen. 
 
 If he were here on this occasion I have no doubt but 
 that he would adapt himself to present circumstances and 
 prove to us that he is Scotch-Irish. 
 
 We are all Scotch-Irish today, and it therefore seems fit- 
 ting that I should commence my address with a quotation 
 from that ancient Gaelic bard Ossian, 
 
 "There comes a voice that awakes my soul. 
 It is the voice of years that are gone; 
 
 They roll before me with all their deeds." 
 
 It is this same voice that I hear today, and yet it is in 
 distinct, the mists of a hundred years hang over us. I see 
 as through a glass darkly. Would that I could see these 
 old-time worshipers face to face. 
 
 This is no ordinary occasion, — it is like the century plant 
 which blooms out only once in a hundred years. 
 
 As Dr. Erskine expressed it in his letter* inviting me to 
 come, I am the representative of one of the old families who 
 worshiped here. 
 
 My grandfather's great-grandfather settled in this vicinity 
 about the time of the ecclesiastical organization of this old 
 church, more than one hundred and fifty years ago. He 
 and his wife lie buried in that graveyard with no stones to 
 mark their resting places. He and his son and his son's 
 son and their families worshiped in the old log church 
 which stood here from 1750 until this substantial edifice 
 was erected one hundred years ago. 
 
 My great-grandfather worshiped in this house from the 
 time it was built in 1794 until he moved westward in 1803, 
 and ray grandfather has told me of his walking from their 
 farm called "Stevenson's Delight," near Strasburg, to this 
 church each Sunday when he was a child, and when I was 
 here some twenty years ago I found the name Stevenson 
 marked on the pew where they used to sit. 
 
I04 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 If the walls of this ancient church could speak, or its 
 echoes could syllable the memories of the past, what a tale 
 they would tell! 
 
 In the minds of some of us these memories are gathering 
 and forming with more than ghostly distinctness as we try 
 to reproduce the scenes of other days. I have been living 
 much in the past during the last few years, delving into 
 family history, and I often find mv thoughts wandering back 
 to this old chuich. 
 
 I see the old log building, the grove of trees, the grave- 
 yard, the horses standing in the shade, the gathering of 
 families and friends to ask of each other's interests and wel- 
 fare, the old spring; and then we enter the church and see 
 the venerable forms of our ancestors as they assemble in the 
 family pews, the precentor standing within the rail, the 
 minister in the pulpit telling them the same old story that 
 we love so well, the sacramental season, the old pewter 
 communion service, the venerable men distributing the 
 symbols of tire bread ot life, and the kindly invitation from 
 the pastor in the Master's name. All this we can call up in 
 imagination, but that is all. 
 
 The first emigrants began to come into this valley about 
 1730. They were a plain people with the log cabins to live in 
 and rough home-made furniture, and the decorations on the 
 walls were the rifle, the pouch and the powder horn. 
 
 Their clothing was of the simplest kind and their food 
 was equally plain. 
 
 They had few books, because they were scarce and high 
 priced, but they could afford to own some good ones, such 
 as the Bible, the Catechism, the Confession of Faith, the 
 Psalm book and Pilgrim's Progress, and they studied these 
 and made themselves familiar with them and instructed 
 their children carefully. 
 
 They were probably not all pious, but they all had the 
 very highest respect for religion and its institutions, and 
 they loved the doctrine of the Presbyterian church. 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. IO5 
 
 Every Sabbath afternoon or evening the family was 
 gathered together for instruction in the shorter Catechism. 
 No family was complete without the family altar, and such 
 scenes as Robert Burns describes in his "Cotter's Saturday 
 Night" were just as true of the inhabitants of this valley as 
 of families in Scotland. 
 
 The majority of these settlers were men of intelligence, 
 resolution and energy, who by their own enterprise and in- 
 dustry hewed out for themselves valuable farms from the 
 primeval forest, and these very toils, perils and trials formed 
 characters which enabled them to endure the hardships of 
 their frontier situation. 
 
 Riddle says "they were a God-fearing, libert}--loving, 
 tyrant-hating, Sabbath-keeping, covenant-adhering race." 
 They were a very different class from those who come to 
 this country today. 
 
 One who lately came over, telling his friends about the 
 recent Chicago strikes and the great advantages of freedom 
 and a free country, said, "Why, you can not only stop work 
 yourself, but you can make everybody else stop." Thank 
 Heaven our forefathers were made of different stuff! 
 
 During those terrible years from 1755 to 1765, the first 
 pastor of this church. Rev. John Blair, was driven from his 
 pastorate by the Indian incursions after Braddock's defeat, 
 and the people all through the Kittotiny Valley had to flee 
 from their homes with what effects they could carry to the 
 safety afforded at Carlisle and Shippensburg, so that at one 
 time it is said there were in Shippensburg nearly fourteen 
 hundred of these wretched, homeless creatures occupying 
 cellars, sheds and barns, some of whom were without doubt 
 members of this old congregation. The suffering inhabi- 
 tants of this county sent one petition after another to those 
 careful, slow-going Quakers in Philadelphia, who held the 
 reins of government, and who refused, absolutely refused, to 
 grant arms and amunition to these our forefathers who were 
 protecting them on the frontier. 
 
Io6 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 While all these things were transpiring, on July 19, 1757, 
 a party of Indians swooped down on one of my forefather's 
 fields, only a few miles from this spot, where about twenty 
 men were reaping, and killed nine, one of whom was 
 Robert Stevenson, and carried away four as captives. 
 Margaret Mitchell, whose husband and son were murdered, 
 took the scalp ot the one Indian (who was killed) all the 
 way to Philadelphia in order to receive a reward which was 
 offered tor the same. 
 
 I have often heard of Indians carrying the scalps of their 
 victims hanging to their belts, but I do not believe that 
 there is any one in this audience who can produce a female 
 ancestor who went round with an Indian scalp in her 
 pocket. 
 
 About this time a tuneral procession was moving along 
 in this locality, and the Indians rushed out and dispersed or 
 killed the mourners, opened the coffin, and scalped the 
 young woman who was being carried to her burial. 
 
 Living in the safety of our present surroundings, think 
 ot what our forefathers endured to secure them to us ! 
 
 Coming down to the period of the Revolutionary War, I 
 often think of that stirring appeal which Rev. John Craig- 
 head made trom the pulpit of the old church, which brought 
 every man in the audience to his feet as a volunteer to go 
 to the assistance of Washington. My great-grandfather 
 Joseph Stevenson, and several of his brothers, were ot these 
 volunteers, and he served in the Sixth Battalion and after- 
 ward in the Eighth Battalion of Pennsylvania troops, and I 
 am a member of the Society of the Sons of the Revolution 
 by reason of his services, and a certificate to this eflfect, 
 of which I am very proud, hangs in my library. 
 
 As we walk around this hill, let us do so reverently, for 
 we are treading on sacred ground, dedicated to God and 
 to American liberty. Here lie the remains of our ancestors 
 who were the original settlers of this county, and the sound 
 of whose axes first broke the stillness of the forest. Many 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. IO7 
 
 of them ventured their all to purchase the freedom we now 
 enjoy. They built this house of God when this was a re- 
 mote frontier settlement, to disseminate the hallowed prin- 
 ciples of the religion of Jesus Christ, and all of them are 
 now gathered into that land "where congregations ne'er 
 break up and Sabbaths have no end." 
 
 While I stand here as the representative ot the old 
 families who attended this church years ago, there are un- 
 doubtedly numbers ot the descendants of some of these 
 original settlers who might have been here today, and prob- 
 ably there are some in this audience, but if any of you have 
 reason to teel interested in this occasion, "I more," for I 
 cannot think of any one who has more links of historic 
 connection with this celebration than myself Four gen- 
 erations of Stevensons worshiped in these sanctuaries, and 
 my father and my little son are here with me today, mak- 
 ing seven generations that have been on this sacred spot. 
 
 As I trace back my ancestry on every side I find them all 
 true blue Presbyterians, and that they played a part in the 
 formation, organization and early history as members of or 
 officers in many of the old pioneer churches of Pennsyl- 
 vania, commencing with Neshaminy, in Bucks County, 
 Donegal and Octorara, in Lancaster, Upper and Lower 
 Marsh Creek and Great Conowago in Adams, Rocky Spring 
 and Big Spring in Franklin and Cumberland, Cross Creek 
 and Chartiers in Washington. 
 
 Turning to the patriotic side, I find that ten of my ances- 
 tors took part in the Revolutionary War, so that I think 
 you will consider my pride pardonable, both as to my Pres- 
 byterianism and my x\mericanism. 
 
 From Bucks, Lancaster, York and Cumberland Counties 
 they responded to the call to arms, and as far as I have been 
 able to learn, every one who was of sufficient age took part 
 in the struggle, privates, lieutenants, captains, majors, 
 quartermasters and colonels. 
 
 Our Scotch-Irish ancestors hated tyranny with a "perfect 
 
Io8 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 hatred," and were among the earliest champions of freedom. 
 
 The historian Bancroft says, "The first public voice in 
 America for dissolving all connection with Great Britain 
 came not from the Puritans of New England, the Dutch ot 
 New York, nor the planters of Virginia, but from the 
 Scotch-Irish Presbyterians." 
 
 We certainly have a goodly heritage in such an ancestry, 
 and it seems to me as I stand here in the church of my 
 lathers today that I can almost feel that their hands are 
 stretched across the lapse of years in benediction upon their 
 children. 
 
 May the spirit of the past inspire us today, and the 
 memory of our forefathers stimulate us so that we may not 
 forget our covenant with the Lord God of our fathers, but 
 may the promised blessings descend from the fathers to the 
 children. 
 
 Let us open our hearts to the stimulus ot these thoughts 
 and memories, and as we turn away from this old Scotch- 
 Irish landmark and go to our homes, may we feel in our 
 hearts that the God of our Fathers is "the God of their 
 succeedinof race." 
 
LIST OF PEW HOLDERS. 
 
 The following is a list of the pew holders in the old log 
 church of Rocky Spring dnring Rev. John Craigheads min- 
 istry there in 1 768-1 794. 
 
 No. I. 
 
 Joseph Culbertson, 
 
 Col. Samuel Culbertson, 
 
 Lieut. John Rhea. 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 Col. Joseph Armstrong, 
 James Finley, 
 William Young. 
 
 No. 3. 
 
 Robert Mitchell, 
 Moses Blackburn, 
 John Gelvin, 
 Andrew Thomson. 
 
 I^Io. 4. 
 
 William Smith, 
 Thomas Ferguson, 
 William Witherow. 
 
 No. 5. 
 
 William Wallis, 
 Alexander Robertson, 
 Robert McCamey. 
 
 No. 6. 
 
 Daniel Eckels, 
 Joseph Henderson, 
 Robert Cauven, [Caven] 
 
 No. 7. 
 
 James Moore, 
 Noble Heath, 
 Thomas Ross. 
 
 No. 8. 
 John Gray, 
 Samuel Reed. 
 
 No. 9. 
 
 James Henderson, 
 
 Charles Herron, 
 
 Janet McCouch. 
 No. 10. 
 
 James Tom, 
 
 Samuel Menter, 
 
 Robert Stockton. 
 No. II. 
 
 Capt. James Sharp, 
 
 Stephen Doyle, 
 
 William McHolson. ' 
 No. 12. 
 
 Samuel Jordan, 
 
 John Beard, (Falling Spring) 
 
 Thomas King. 
 No. 13. 
 
 Andrew Marshall, 
 
 Arthur Patterson, 
 
 Martha Wade, 
 
 William Bell. 
 No. 14. 
 
 Cathleen Dunlap, 
 
 Ensg. John Beard, (Rocky 
 Spring), 
 
 William Beard, 
 
 James Henry, 
 
 Samuel Henry. 
 No. 15. 
 
 James Wilson, 
 
 Daniel McGregor, 
 
 Nathan Mead. 
 
no 
 
 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 No. l6. 
 
 James Lockard, 
 
 David Jordan, 
 
 William Gibson. 
 No. 17. 
 
 John Anderson, 
 
 James McClnre, 
 
 Robert Miller. 
 No. 18. 
 
 Alexander Mares, 
 
 Adjt. John Wilson, 
 
 William Waddle. 
 No. 19. 
 
 James Walker, 
 
 David Grimes, 
 
 William McCord. 
 No. 20. 
 
 Samuel Miller, 
 
 James Hise, 
 
 James Ensley. 
 No. 21. 
 
 Capt. John McConnell, 
 
 George Wilson, 
 
 lyieut. Reuben Gillespy. 
 No. 22. 
 
 William Davis, 
 
 James Davis, 
 
 Josiah Ramage. 
 No. 23. 
 
 Nicholas Patterson, 
 
 Andrew Wilson, 
 
 Isaac Martin, 
 
 James Endslow, 
 No. 24. 
 
 Eliza Thomson, 
 
 James Nickel, 
 
 Thomas Boyd, 
 
 William Archibald. 
 No. 25. 
 
 Major James McCalmont, 
 
 Lieut. Albert Torrence, 
 
 Hugh Wilie. 
 
 No. 26. 
 
 John Stewart, 
 
 Moses Lamb, 
 
 William Wayne, 
 
 James Barr. 
 No. 27. 
 
 Charles Cummins, 
 
 William Kirkpatrick, 
 
 John Shaw. 
 No. 28. 
 
 Stephen Colwell, 
 
 Robert Colwell, 
 
 James Harper, 
 
 William Johns. 
 No. 29. 
 
 Capt. Alexander Culbertson, 
 
 James Reed, 
 
 William Trotter. 
 No. 30. 
 
 John Ferguson, 
 
 Hugh Torrence, 
 
 Joseph Clark. 
 No. 31. 
 
 Samuel Culbertson, (creek), 
 
 Capt. Robert Culbertson, 
 
 Alexander McConnell. 
 No. 32. 
 
 Samuel Nicholson, 
 
 George Davidson, 
 
 John Boyd. 
 No. ss- 
 
 John Beard, (mountain), 
 
 Lieut. Joseph Stephenson, 
 
 John Beatty. 
 No. 34. 
 
 James Kirkpatrick, 
 
 James Dougherty, 
 
 Alexander White, 
 
 Thomas Taylor. 
 No. 35. 
 
 John Thomson, 
 
 William Fullerton, 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 
 
 Ill 
 
 Charles Stewart, 
 
 William Fleming. 
 No. 36. 
 
 John Machan, (sr.), 
 
 John Machan, (jr.) 
 
 Robert Brotherton. 
 No. Z7- 
 
 John Breckenridge, 
 
 Samuel Breckenridge, 
 
 James Breckenridge, 
 
 John Clayton. 
 No. 38. 
 
 Robert Mahon, 
 
 Ensg. John Colwell, 
 
 Thomas Crawford, 
 
 William Sharp. 
 No. 39. 
 
 Robert McConnell, 
 
 John McConnell, 
 
 James McConnell, 
 
 Donald McConnell. 
 No. 40. 
 
 Rev. John Craighead, 
 
 Thomas Stockton, 
 
 Robert Cook, 
 
 Thomas Kincaid. 
 No. 41. 
 
 Capt. INIatthew Ferguson, 
 
 Margaret Dixon, 
 
 John Chestnut. 
 No. 42. 
 
 James Eaton, 
 
 Rebecca Eaton, 
 
 Capt. Samuel Patton, 
 
 John Wilkison. 
 No. 43. 
 
 John Wilson, 
 
 Capt. James Gibson, 
 
 Thomas McConnell. 
 No. 44. 
 
 James Hindman, 
 
 Ensg. William Ramsey, 
 
 William Barr, 
 
 Charles Berry, 
 
 William Fullerton. 
 No. 45. 
 
 Capt. George Matthews, 
 
 John Peak, 
 
 Martha Allen. 
 No. 46. 
 
 Robert x^llison, 
 
 David Blair, 
 
 Robert Craig, 
 
 Robert Dixon. 
 No. 47. 
 
 Samuel Ligget, 
 
 William Ferguson, 
 
 Betsey Thomson, 
 
 Capt. William Huston. 
 No. 48. 
 
 Col. Robert Peebles, 
 
 Moses Barnet, 
 
 John Kerr. 
 No. 49. 
 
 John Thomson, 
 
 Samuel Rhea, 
 
 Josiah Allen, 
 
 William McClintock. 
 No. 50. 
 
 Oliver Culbertson, 
 
 William Gill, 
 
 Joseph Sivan. 
 No. 51. 
 
 Thomas Hoops, 
 
 George McElroy, 
 
 John McClellan, 
 
 Charles Kilcrease, 
 
 Robert Carrick. 
 No. 52. 
 
 Henry Duncan, 
 
 Mary Kerr, 
 
 John Moore, 
 
 Alexander Spear. 
 
112 
 
 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 LIST OF PEW HOLDERS IN THE BRICK CHURCH 
 
 of Rocky Spring at commencement of Rev. Francis Her- 
 ron's ministry, 1800. 
 
 No. I. 
 
 Mark Gregory, 
 
 William Kirkpatrick. 
 No. 2. 
 
 James Warden, 
 
 John Warden. 
 No. 3. 
 
 Robert Swan, 
 
 John McConnell 
 No. 4. 
 
 James McConnell. 
 No: 5. 
 
 Robert Shields, 
 
 Joseph Swan. 
 No. 6. 
 
 Isabella Matthews, 
 
 W. W. Lane, 
 
 Capt. Benjamin Ramsey, 
 
 William Kirkpatrick. 
 No. 7. 
 
 Capt. Samuel Patton, 
 
 Joseph Marshall. 
 No. 8. 
 
 Isaac Eaton, 
 
 John Gilmor. 
 No. 9. 
 
 Nicholas Patterson, 
 
 George McClellan. 
 No. 10. 
 
 No. 14. 
 
 Andrew Wilson, 
 
 Charles Wilson, 
 
 John Machan. 
 No. 15. 
 
 John Stewart, 
 
 David Arrell. 
 No. 16. 
 
 Samuel Brachenridge, 
 
 Andrew Lyttle. 
 No. 17. 
 
 Andrew Taylor, 
 
 Clarina McCalla. 
 No. 18. 
 
 James Brackenridge, 
 
 Samuel McKain. 
 No. 19. 
 
 Andrew Thomson. 
 No. 20. 
 
 Joseph Graham 
 
 William Archibald, 
 
 Robert Cresswell. 
 No. 21. 
 
 James Boyd, 
 
 George McElroy. 
 No. 22. 
 
 Col. Joseph Armstrong. 
 No. 23. 
 
 Samuel Wilson, (M. D.) 
 
 Jane Craighead (pastors pew) Henry Davis. 
 
 Rev. Francis Herron. 
 No. II. 
 
 Robert Brotherton. 
 No. 12. 
 
 Col. Joseph Culbertson. 
 No. 13. 
 
 John Brackenridge, 
 
 Andrew Brackenridee. 
 
 No. 24. 
 
 William Bolton, 
 
 John Wylie. 
 No. 25. 
 
 Matthew Gelvin. 
 No. 26. 
 
 Andrew Beard, 
 
 Cornelious Harper. 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 
 
 113 
 
 No. 27. 
 
 John Dormon, 
 
 Joseph Dooley. 
 No. 28. 
 
 Africans pew paid for by 
 James McCahnont and 
 Charles Cummins. 
 No. 29. 
 
 Samuel Nicholson. 
 No. 30. 
 
 Hugh Ferguson, 
 
 John Ferguson. 
 No. 31. 
 
 James Gillelland. 
 No. 32. 
 
 Robert Mitchell, 
 
 Andrew Murphy, 
 
 Mary Denis. 
 No. S3. 
 
 Robert Smith. 
 No. 34._ 
 
 William Davis, 
 
 Robert Stewart. 
 No. 35. 
 
 Gen. John Rhea, (.M C.) 
 No. 36. 
 
 Capt. Albert Torrence. 
 No. 3,7- 
 
 Charles Cummins. 
 No. 38. 
 
 Col. Samuel Culbertson. 
 No. 39. 
 
 Maj. James McCalmont. 
 No. 40. 
 
 Capt. Thomas Grier. 
 No. 41. 
 
 Capt. John McConnell, 
 
 Nathaniel McKinstrie. 
 No. 42. 
 
 Capt. Robert Culbertson. 
 No. 43. 
 
 Moses Kirkpatrick, 
 
 Matthew Shields, 
 
 Michael Lane. 
 No. 44. 
 
 Capt William Huston. 
 No. 45. 
 
 William Marshall, 
 
 James Hendman. 
 No. 46. 
 
 Vacant. 
 No. 47. 
 
 Joseph Dooly. 
 No. 48. 
 
 Samuel Nicholson. 
 No. 49. 
 
 John Chestnut. 
 No. 50. 
 
 Robert Anderson, 
 
 Isaac Parker. 
 No. 51. 
 
 William Beard, 
 
 Charles Allison. 
 No. 52._ 
 
 William Beard, (Sen.) 
 No. 53. 
 
 Joseph Eaton, 
 
 Daniel Eckels. 
 No. 54. 
 
 John Wilson, (Adjt.) 
 
 Alexander Mears. 
 No. 55. 
 
 John Kerr, 
 
 Samuel Peebles. 
 No. 56. 
 
 Capt. Matthew Ferguson. 
 No. 57. 
 
 Thomas Chestnut, 
 
 William Hay. 
 No. 58. 
 
 Lieut. Joseph Stevenson, 
 
 James Cooper. 
 
114 
 
 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 THE GRAVEYARD. 
 
 The following is a list of those buried in Rocky Spring 
 graveyard so far as tombstones have been erected, with year 
 of birth and death so far as can be ascertained: 
 
 Allen, Josiah, b 1772, d 1850 
 
 Allen, Susanah, b , d 1842 
 
 Allen, William, b 1820, di843 
 Allen, Margaret, b i8i2,di845 
 Anderson, Robert Herron, b 
 
 1805, d 1862 
 Anderson, Mary, b 18 10, d 
 
 1890 
 Armstrong, Col, Joseph, b 
 
 1739, d 181 1 
 Allison, Sarah, b 181 1, d 
 
 1891 
 Bard, Martha, b 1787, d 1865 
 Bard. William, b 1762, d 
 
 1815 
 Bard, Margaret, b 1771, d 
 
 1835 
 Barr, Margaret, Jane, b 1827, 
 
 d 1850 
 Beard, William, b 1795, d 
 
 1823 
 Beard, Bobert, b 1800, d 1807 
 Beard; Robert, b 1769, d 1804 
 Beard, Elizabeth, b 1769, d 
 
 1842 
 Beard, George, b 1802, d 1873 
 Beard, Hugh, b 1857, d 1771 
 Beard, Sarah, b 1774, d 1794 
 Beard, Martha, b 1755, d 
 
 1795 
 Beard, Agnes, b 1730, d 1810 
 Besore, Rachel, b 1812, d 
 
 1838 
 Besore, Balzer, b 1784, d 
 
 1833 
 Besore, Peter, b 1779, d 1854 
 
 Besore, Martha, b 1789, d 1855 
 Besore, Elizabeth, b 1787 d 
 
 1853 
 Besore, William, b 18 15, d 
 
 1840 
 Besore, Peter, b 1814, d 1874 
 Besore, Amos K. b 1835, d 
 
 1857 
 Besore, Elizabeth, b 1814 d 
 
 1839 
 Besore, John, b 1810 d 1889 
 
 Bishop, Melanchton, b 1861 d 
 
 1873 
 Brackenridge, James, b 1742, 
 
 d 1809 
 Brackenridge, Elizabeth, b 
 
 1760, d 1835 
 Brackenridge, Rebecca, b 
 
 1810, d 1833 
 Brackenridge, Culbertson, b 
 
 "^IIZ, d 1832 
 
 Boyd, John, b , d 1770 
 
 Boyd, Mary, b , d 1778 
 
 Brotherton, Samuel, b 1754, 
 
 d 1839 
 Brotherton, Robert, b 1792, d 
 
 1849 
 Brotherton, Matilda, b 1804, 
 
 di857 
 Burns, John, b 1681, d 1760 
 Craighead, Rev. John, b 1742, 
 
 d 1799 
 Cummins, Charles, b 1744, d 
 
 1821 
 Ciimmins, Elizabeth, Boyd, 
 
 b 1748, d 1802 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 
 
 115 
 
 Cummins, Mary, bi773, 1790 
 Cummins, Elizabeth, b 1780, 
 
 d 1792 
 Cummins, William, b 1782, 
 
 d 1821 
 Cummins, Catharine, Patton, 
 
 b 1783, d 1873 
 Cummins, Mary, b 1782, d 
 
 1804 
 Culbertson. Mary Finley, b 
 
 1781, d 1814 
 Culbertson, Mary Jane, b 1812, 
 
 d 1815 
 Culbertson, Samuel, b 181 5, 
 
 d 1816 
 Culbertson, Elizabeth, b 
 
 d 1802 
 Culbertson, Joseph, b , d 
 
 1818 
 Culbertson, IMargaret, b 
 
 d-i838 
 
 Culbertson, Sarah, b 1800, d 
 
 1875 
 Culbertson, John, b 1803, dGelvin, Mathew, b 1771, d 
 
 Davis, Sarah, b 1761, d 1825 
 Deyarman, Jane Holmes, b 
 
 1757, d 1823 
 Deyarman, Henrv, b 1751, d 
 
 1833 
 Dillon, William, b 1824, d 
 
 1891 
 Duncan, Mary H., b 1807, d 
 
 1828 
 Durborrow, John, b 18 10, d 
 
 1826 
 Eckerman, Daniel, b 1786, d 
 
 1855 
 Eckerman, Elizabeth, b 1784, 
 
 d 1827 
 Eckerman, Mary Gilvin, b 
 
 1800, d 1853 
 Ferguson, Hugh, b 1760, d 
 
 1834 
 Ferguson, Elizabeth, b 1756, 
 
 d 1826 
 Finley, James, b 1739, d 1812 
 Finley, Jane, b 1745, d 1814 
 
 1861 
 Culbertson, William E., b 
 
 1838, d 1865 
 Culbertson, Joseph, b 1840, d 
 
 1871 
 
 1847 
 Gelvin, Hannah, b 1777, d 
 
 1852 
 Gelvin, Mary Zimmerman, b 
 
 1816, d 1845 
 
 Culbertson, Clara M., b 1847, Gibson, Mary, b 17 — , aged 
 
 d 1862 
 
 71 years 
 
 Culbertson, Joseph, b 1837, diGillan, William, b 1797, d 
 
 7838 
 Culbertson, G. Francis, b 
 
 1850, d 1854 
 Culbertson, M. Simpson, b 
 
 1854, d 1859 
 Culbertson, Laura, b 1852, d 
 
 1859 
 Culbertson, R. Hays, b 1856, 
 
 d 1859 
 Davis, William, b i76i,di823 
 
 1867 
 Gillan, Sarah, b 1796, d 1868 
 Gillan, Elizabeth, b 1828, d 
 
 1866 
 Gillan, James, b 1836, d 1839 
 Gillan, Jane, b 1824, ^ 1826 
 Gilmor, John; b 1760, d 1823 
 Gilmor, Elizabeth, Patton, b 
 
 1770, d 1838 
 Gilmor, Robert, b 1793, d 1843 
 
ii6 
 
 THE ROCKY SPRING 
 
 Gilmor, Mary, b 1805, d 1867 
 Gilnior, James, bi8i2,d 1875 
 Gilmor, William, b 1809, d 
 
 .1875 
 Gilmor, Joseph, b 1807, d 
 
 1879 
 Gilmor, John, b 1802, d 1889 
 Gilmor, Eliza, b 1800, d 1891 
 Grier, Michael, b 1767, d 1844 
 Grier, Elizabeth, b 1783, d 
 
 1855 
 Grier, Thomas, bi8oi, di8i8 
 Grier, Margaret, b 1802, d 
 
 1822 
 Harbison, Adam, b 1754, d 
 
 1824 
 Harbison, Martha, b 1766, d 
 
 1840 
 Harbison, Thomas, b 1799 d 
 
 1861 
 
 Hudson, Mary, b , d 1872 
 
 Huston, William, b 1755, d 
 
 1823 
 Huston, Margaret, b 1767, d 
 
 1823 
 Jamison, Jane Beard, b 1775, 
 
 d 1799 
 Kirkpatrick, Moses, b 1769, d 
 
 1846 
 Kirkpatrick, Alexander, H. b 
 
 1809, d 1850 
 Lindsay,James,b 1788, d 1823 
 Ivindsay, Margaret, b 1788, d 
 
 1840 
 Lightner, Sarah, A. b 1829, 
 
 d 1856 
 Lightner, Sarah, b , d 
 
 1895 
 McCalmont, James, b 1684, d 
 
 1780 
 McCalmont, Jane, b 1694, d 
 
 1794 
 
 McCalmont, Major James, b 
 1737, d 1809 
 
 Mc Calmont, Charles, Eliza- 
 beth, and Isabella,children of 
 Tames and Jane, b — , d — 
 
 McCabe, Eliza, b 1820, d 1862 
 
 McClellan, George, b 1761, d 
 1823 
 
 McClellan, Lydia, b 1772, d 
 1840 
 
 McClellan, William, G. b 
 1790, d 1869 
 
 McClelland, John, b 1805; d 
 
 1859 
 McClelland, Martha. A. b 
 
 1814, d 1883 
 McKinney, David, b 1767, d 
 
 1835 
 McKinney, Eleanor, b 1772, 
 
 d 1825 
 McElhare, Maria, b 1796, d 
 
 1866 
 McConnell, Donnald, b 1701, 
 
 d 1776 
 McConnell, Robert, b 1702, d 
 
 1777 
 McConnell, Rosannah, b 
 
 d 1770 
 McConnell, Capt. John, b 
 
 1746, d 1817 
 McConnell, Grizelda Stewart, 
 
 b 1796, d 1832 
 McConnell Rachel Cummins, 
 
 b 1801, d 1831 
 Machan, John, b 1730, d 1805 
 Machan, Mary, b 1728, d 1803 
 Machan, Elizabeth, b 1750, d 
 
 1804 
 Marshall, Isabella Patton, b 
 
 1773, ^ 1862 
 Miller, Margaret, b 1809, d 
 
 1892 
 
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 
 
 117 
 
 Newton, Anna, b 1789, d 1861 
 Nicholson, Jane Cooper, b 
 
 1768, d 1796 
 Nicholson, Wni. Cooper, b 
 
 i795> <^ 179^ 
 Poe, John, b 1796, d 1862 
 Poe, Isabella, b 1806, d 1863 
 Poe, Thomas, b 1840, d 1859 
 Poe, James, b 1841, d 1866 
 Patton, Martha, b 1784, d 1869 
 Patton, Rebecca, b 1776, d 
 
 1861 
 Robison, Agnes, B. b 1794, d 
 
 1823 
 Robertson, William, b 1752, d 
 
 1796 
 
 Thomson, Elizabeth, b 1727, 
 
 d 1815 
 
 Vance, G. b , d 1793 
 
 Wade, John, b 1710, d 1790 
 Wilson, John, b 1750, d 1826 
 Wilson, Sarah, b 1752, d 1848 
 Wilson, John, Jr. b 1791, d 
 
 1818 
 Wilson, Alexander, b 1804, d 
 
 1828 • . 
 
 Wilson, James, b 1791, d 
 
 1847 
 Wilson, Robert, b 1803,"' d 
 
 1857 
 Wilson, Moses, b 1781, d 
 
 1861 
 
 Robertson, P':iizabeth, b 1750, 
 
 d 1780 
 Robertson, James, b 1788, d 
 
 1793 ^ ^ 
 
 Stewart, Martha, b 1756, d 
 
 1791 , , 
 
 Stewart, Martha, b 1776, d 
 
 1779 
 Stevenson, Joseph, b d 
 
 1779 
 Stevenson, Margaret, b d 
 
 1779 
 Thomson, Alexander, b 1722, 
 
 d 1800 
 
 Wilson, David, b 1784, d 
 
 1862 
 Wilson, William, b 1794, d 
 
 1867 
 Wilson, Sarah, b 1795, d 
 
 1871 
 Wilson Col. Stephen, b 1777, 
 
 d 1823 
 Wilson, Charles, b 177 1, d 
 
 1823 
 
 Wilson, Mary, b 1771, d 183 1 
 White, Elizabeth, b 1771, d 
 
 1816 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Introductory .... 
 Histor}^ of Rocky Spring Church- 
 
 -Part I. 
 Part II. 
 Part III. 
 
 Sketches of Deceased Ministei's . 
 
 Presbyterianism and Civil Liberty 
 
 The Historic Families of the Cumberland Valley 
 
 American Presbyterian Church in America 
 
 Some Lessons from the History of this Church 
 
 Old Families of Rocky Spring . 
 
 List of Pew Holders, 1 768-1 794, 
 
 List of Pew Holders, 1800, 
 
 The Graveyard ...... 
 
 9 
 II 
 
 22 
 31 
 
 41 
 60 
 
 1Z 
 87 
 97 
 102 
 109 
 112 
 114 
 
Princeton Theological Seminary Libraries 
 
 1012 012 
 
 7 6204 
 
 
 Date Due 
 
 
 .iigrsTT 
 
 tm 
 
 
 . 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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