Circulation, las ™ ek, Over 3400. 'PRESBYTERIANS IN PENNSVALLEY Members of the Church Over fifty Years ago SKETCH BY DR. VAN TRIES Reminiscences of the Sinking Creck Church—Dedication of the Marker at Penn Hall, October 6th—Meet- ing of Presbytery Ed. DEMOCRAT :— You sometime ago pub- ished a brief history of the Presbyterian church in Penns Valley, in connection with a notice of the meeting of Huntingdon Presbytery to be held at Centre Hall, Oc- tober 6, 1902. As it may be of interest to some of your readers, I herewith present a list of the ruling elders, and older male members and adherents of the Sinking Creek Presbyterian church at Centre Hill, Aa. fifty years ago (A. D. 1852) with some reflections upon the decline of Presbyter- ianism in that valley. RULING ELDERS. William McCloskey Esq., John W. Irvin, Joshua Potter Sr., William Milligan, MALE MEMBERS AND ADHERENTS, Samuel R. Patton Dr. Wm. I. Wilson(E) Wm. Burnside (E) James Potter Gen, Jas, Irvin Sam’'l Van Tries (EK) Alexander McCoy John M, McCoy Francis McCoy John Benner Elijah C. Hewes John Hewes John Gemmill David Wasson Daniel Sherrick Walter Altkins William Aftkins Robert MeCormiek Thomas Sankey William Kerr (E) Alexander Kerr John Milligan James A. Boozer John R, Gilliland Robert Gilliland Wm. Spear Gilliland David Gilliland Joseph Carson (E) John Goodhart James Barber George Woods Samuel Huston John 8, Foster Richard Conley Francis Alexander Robert Watson James Lingle J. Shannon Esq. (E) Clark Brisbin John Love John Lee, Sr. Uriah Sinck John Ross Thomas Davis Those persons baviog (E) after their | names were elected ruling elders after 1852. This list has been prepared from | hemory, aided by a number of the older | citizens and church members. Possibly | there may be some errors or omissions in it. In the days of his boyhood and early manhood the writer knew all of these men. | Most of them were well-to-do, and eom- | fortably fixed in life. -A mmmber of them | were wealthy, Nearly all of them were | then men of middle life, or past it. So it | is perhaps not strange that not a man of them ix living today. This list does not | include any of the many excellent Christ. | ian women belonging to the church at that | time ; nor their sons and daughters, many | John A, Krise *Irillip Foster James R, Foster Thomas Maves e W. Boal Thomas Lingle Dr. Jas, P, Wilson David Brisbin William W, Love James Love Robert Lee Guyan Irvin John Leach Robert Ross Georg of whom were then active and efficient members of the church. | The Spring Creek or Slab Cabin church became the successor of the old West | Penns Valley or Cedar Creek church. This | gation and the Sinking Creek church | a ntre Hill were both organized in 1750, | sod were included in the same pastoral charge from 1750 to 1575, a period of eighty six years. It would occupy too much time and space to give the history of their different pastors during all these years, The Rev. Robert Hamill, D. D. became pastor of these churches in the spmng of | 1846. He continued to be their pastor until 1575, when he resigned the pastorate of the Sinking Creek church, then wor. shipping st Lemont. He continued pastor | of this church until 1891, having served it | forty-five years. He was also stated clerk | band will furnish a lunch at a reasonable price to those who may not care to bring | true of ‘the young people, the fault does not lie entirely with them. The tempting ucements held out to farmers to settle in the far west have induced many of maturer years to cast their lot in that eldorado of farm life. Unfortunately, these same in- fluences have wrought like results among nearly all our country churches, Yours truly, Tros, C, VAN Tries, SPRING MILLS AND AARONSBURG. Knowing your special interest in local history, I herewith add a brief sketch of the Spring Mills and Aavonsberg church. es, omitteslin your article of July 31. The History of Presbyterfanism in Penn's Villey would be incomplete with. out a reférence to these churches. Pre- vious to the division of the Presbyterian church inte Old School and New School by the disrupyon of 1837, these churches were part of the Sinking Creek congre.- gatiov and worshipped with it. Some. time after the division of the church, they connected themselves with the New School branch. This separation from the mother church was perhaps due more to madegumate church privileges, than to any very serious doctrinal differences. In 1842 they erected the neat and at. tractive building still standing at Spring Mills. They owned a third interest in the German Reformed church building at Aaronsburg, and worshipped in it for many years. They also had a smaly church at Hublersburg. Their ruling BELLEFONTE, PA. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1902. OUR HISTORICAL REVIEW Centre County Erected and Its Boundaries. DISPUTES OVER THE LINES Boundary Between Union and Centre Indefinite—Other Lines Defined Between Adjoining Counties —Old Surveys Given. Centre county was erected Feb. 13, 1800 with the following boundary : Be- ginning opposite the mouth of Quinn's Run, on the West Branch of the Susque- hanoa; thence to the northeast corner of Miles township to the summit of Tussey’s Mountain; thence by the summit of said mountain, by the lines of Haines town. ship in Northumberland county, Potter township in Mifflin, and Franklin town ship in Huntingdon county, to a point three miles southwest of the present line between Mifflin and Huntingdon coun. ties; thence by a direct line to the bead of the Southwest Branch of Bald Eagle Creek; thence a direct line to the head waters of the Moshannon; thence down the same to the Susquehacna, and down the Sasquehanna to the place of begin- ning. The northeast corner of Miles was the | Blders fifty years ago were Dr. Charles | southeast corner of old Lamar, and | Coburn, Peter Wilson, Thomas Huston, | and Thomas Hutchinson. The most prominent male members Tussey Mountain in the act must mean the Seven Mountains, which no doubt were considered a continuation of Tussey. OCC OOO00CT00CCOV00V2000000000000002 FOR CO. TREASURER. W. J. Carlin, Democratic Nominee of Miles Township. Mr. Carlin is a native of this county, { being a son of George avd Catharine | Carlin, born at Potters Mills, { township, in 1850 Potter He was edaated in | and adherents at that time were James | Shortly after the erection of Potter, in | public schools, and the Lewistown, Pa, {| Duncan, John Foster, James P. Coburn, Wm. Cook Duncan, Dr. R. F. Van Val. zah, David Duncan, Samuel Woods, Robert Cook, Anthony Carner, and John Divens, After the reunion of the Old and New | School churches in 1869, these churches | were again united with the Sinkiog | Creek church into one pastoral charge, and continue 80 to this day. The church at Hablersburg has been abandoned. I am largely indebted to Col. James P. | Coburn of Bellefonte, for the main facts in the history of these churches, "eV. PRESBYTERIANS IN 1705. i ] : i | the McNitts, who lived on the eastern | stores. Carryiec | portion of Armagh, disappear from the | 1774, its southern boundary must have been limited to the Seven Mountains, as Potter assessment. But the processes of change of township boundaries cansot be traced by the records, and we are in doubt bow the eastern line of Centre changed from a northwesterly line to a northeasterly line, When Hartley was erected, in 1811, the county line from the four-mile tree in the Narrows is spoken of as a south line. The change of direction of the north. ern portion of the east boundary line of Centre is explained by the anvexation of some of the territory of Lycoming by | Academy, worked at painting axes and | by the day, at various times clerked in M i on a general merchan. tile business at different in his early life ; taught schoo! for six or more years. He then entered into the mer. | chastile business for himself at Rebers. burg, his home town, in 183, and by dili. | gence, fair and honest dealiogs, be has established a fine business. A careful, | methodical business man whose success | due entirely to perseverance, enter: [Br and good management. In such : times esteem and regard is he held by the peo: | ple of Miles township, and they have such faith in his good judgment, that for | & periotd covering twenty years he has | act of Assembly of March 23, 1518. That | geyved them as Justice of the Peace, and The Presbytery of Huntingdon will | part of Wayne township in Lycoming | has been elected and is qualified for meet in Centre Hall, Monday, October | county which includes the east end of | (he 8th term. 6th, at 3:15 p.m. On Wednesday, the | Sugar valley, beginning on the summit of | Sth, Presbytery will go to the site of the | a mountain north of Sugar valley, at a | | church where it held its first meeticg | water.pond on the division line between | April 14, 1795, to participate in exercis Lycoming and Centre counties; thence es appropriate to the dedication of the | an east course to the bead.waters of direction. | marker recently erected there under its | Sinking Fishing Creek, including Henry The Spring Mills church | Barner's farm; thence a south course to and their friends will furnish a free the Union county line, was annexed to Junch to members of Presbytery, also | Miles township, Centre county, convey them free from the Spring Mills station to the grounds. For the accom- modation of others, William Ruhl, of Spring Mills, will run a hack, charging 25¢cts for round trip, and the Penn Hall W. H. SCRUYLER, Chalrman of Committee, baskets, Reduced by 24 by One Family. There was an exodus from Penn ave. nue, Wilkinsburg, that reduced the population of the borough by just 24 per. sons. Ava they were all members of one family! Richaad Barrett, a painter and paperhanger, who has been a resi: | dent of Wilkinsburg for a number of of the Presbytery of Hantingdon for forty. | years and whose modesty has been his four years. We cannot speak advisedly, but the | membership of the Sinking Creek church fity years ago, probably cxoeeded two ndred. The early years of Dr. Hamill's | ministry were seasons of great spiritual prosperity in this church. They were marked by extensive revivals of religion. y souls were brought into the King- m and added to the church. Its mem. hip in those days included many de- vout and spiritual-minded people. But we cannot fail to notice the many changes wrought in this church daring these fifty years. It has sadly declined in numbers aod in influence, and we naturally seek for the eanses which have led to this result, There is a popular impression that the decline of Presbyterianism in Penns Valley has been due to the inroads made upon its membership by the German-speaking churches. Fortunately this has not heen the case. The Preshyterisos have stood by their colors. The descendants of those who were Presbyterians fifty years ago are Presbyterians still. Hence, the cause of this decline must be sought for in other Jeena. The sdvenp of railroads into secluded hamlets of our vglleys and the spirit of discontent pervading onr mod. ern social lite, have been potent factors in bringing aboat the decline of churches in our rural districts. The of farm life with ita toll and drodgery no longer satisfies the rising ambition of our young Jape. They want to see something of outwide world. Bo the quiet home life of the farm is exchanged for the din of centres, and the excitement the marts of trade. While this has been }8 | safeguard, removed his family recently from Wilkinsburg to Swissdale. During | a settlement he was making before leav. | ing the borough he confided to Justice Creelman that be was the father of 22 children—11 boys and 11 girls—all of whom are living and enjoying good health, In fact, there has never been an occasion since the birth of any of the children to call a physician. Mr. Barret is a worthy Irishman and his wife is an Eoglish woman. They were married when the husband was 17 and the wife 14. There have been born to them three sets of triplets and every year since their marriage has seen a fulfillment of the Scriptural injunction to multiply and re. plenish the earth, The eldest of their offspring is now 28 years old. Mr. Bar. rett is 4% and his wife 43 years of age. Centre Countians Form Club. A number of former residents of Cen. ter county met last week at the home of of George C. Blair in Williamsburg, pear Pittsburg, to formulate a plan whereby a club of former Centre county residents could be organized, It was brought out at the meeting that between 300 and 400 old residents of Centre county are living in Allegheny county and Invi. tations were sent to all whose addresses were obtainable, to meet at Kennywood Park on Saturday, September 30, bee tween 3 and 8 o'clock, to organize a clab, Among those who are advocating the movement are W. T. Speer, Charles Dor. worth, W. L. Runkle, C. P. Delninger, Dr. George L. Hays, George C. Blair This was the northeastern territory eof the present township of Greene in Clionton county. However the change occurred, there was a difficulty and dispute about the | line, arising from the fact, no doubt, that the act erecting Union county, March 22, 1813, made no locally identified bound. ary, merely erecting all that part of Northamberland county lying on the west side of the river into a separate county to be called Union The dispute was seitled by the report of Jacob Kryder, of Centre county; James Dale, of Union; and John Hanna, of Lycoming county, who were authorized by act of Assembly, passed March 28, 1820, to employ two practical surveyors to ran the division line between Union and Centre counties, and the line agreed upon by the commissioners, or a majority of them, was to remain of record as the established line between the sald coun. ties. These commissioners, in a report dated May 23, 1820, state that they employed Abraham Weber, of Centre county, and Adam Wilt, of Union county, as survey. ors. and that they ran and marked the line trom Hendrick’s saw-mill on Penn's Creek to the top of the mountain north of the Brush Valley road, according to a draft accompanying their report, The draft shows that they commenced at a spruce on the north side of Penn's Creek, opposite a small island, and ran N. 47° E. 40 perches to a spruce; thence N. 83° B. 100 perches to a gum; thence N. 47° E. 1960 perches, crossing Cherry Run (twice), then Laurel Run, to the four-mile tree on the Penn’s Valley road. At this point they bave dotted ‘the old county line,” as running across the road in the direction N. 224° W. From the +H Mr. Carlin is a man well known for reliability and integrity in the communi. ty were he lives. Frequently be is select- ed by those interested to act as adminis trator, executor or trustee of large es tates. The duties pertaining to these responsibilities are always discharged to the entire satisfaction of the Courts and all parties interested As a Justice of the Peace and in all | his business and other transactions, he | keeps a better record, the neatest and | cleanest books and accounts it has ever | been our good fortune to inspect. He is | well fitted by experience, education and business training to fill the office of County Treasurer. He is, as were his ancestors, a thorough democrat, regu. larly and at all times in the past 31 years giving the party his earnest sup- port. - A SLIGHT BELCH Persons with sour stomachs usually make their ailments known by belching. Last week, afler Editor Harter, of the Gazette, read our article be took a violent fit and belched out another dose of abuse, this time belaboring the poor editor of the Democrat. As almost everybody in Centre county now reads the Centre Democrat, they necessarily must know the editor to be a very dad, BAD man, a thing generally conceded, and for that reason Harter's personal {llusions were unpecessary ; as usual the Gazette got off the track, missed the sue. As the character of the writer is not in question at this time, we pass, The last part of his answer only merits a bit of attention and we copy with com- ment in parrenthesis : “We have been appealed to from all that is true, since the last issue of the ( ’ markable) but it is a difficult task (Yea! verily 11) to sit down and complacently fold our hands while these itical bue- caneers are flaunting the Diack flag in put face,'and, Aguinaldo-like, . g our sides to avold personalities (No dou | A PENNSVALLEY DEMOCRAT. Several weeks ago a communication was published froma certain valley Voter,” and be has again soliceted | space. As his article shows that he is a close observer of events and a man of | good sense we give his communication space as be touches up some important issues io the campaign © Mouday, Sept. 22, 1902. — Kindly permit me to say a bings to my fellow readers. country persons, and don't pretend to know as much as certain fellows, le we can remember [rom year year and try to be consistent at least wish some smart chap would explain to us country people the following : Io August igo, about a year ago,at the Republican County Convention, Hamilion, some cal! him offered a resolution denouncing Wm. Allison for not working aad voting with the Quay gang at the last corrupt ses. sion of the legislature Do you remem ber bow Dan. Hastings got up “in mectin'’ and tore old Hamilton to pieces, denounced the Quay machine at Harris. burg and then nipped John K. Thomp. son up the back and called him ugly names. | read the account in this paper August 8, 1901, and have that copy vet. Now what puzties me is that since the County Chairman W. F. Reeder and Dan. Hastings are managing the repub. licans in Centre county, why they stood up for Allison so fiercely last year and lo pummeled Hamilton all to pieces, and | then this year forsake Allison, drop him, and put Jim Strobm in his place? When I put these two things together it looks to me as though Allison was the same man as a year ago, but the other fellows have sold out, are mighty crooked in their politics, and think we country people can’t remember from year to year, We know Mr. Allison did not ask to go back to the legislature, because he knew Hastings had turced his coat again, swallowed all the ugly things be | said a year ago about the machine, and Aa man like Allison was not wanted They took Jim Strohm instead, because be is a politician ; some fellows say he is smart , be is the kind of a icilow who makes no promises to the people and if he gets to the legislature can do as be pleases. Stohm stands for that gang; he always was a political rooster of a smooth order, Further, why is Strohm selected for so many offices! There are over 4000 other republican voters in Centre coun- ty and many of them just as good, as he. Look what he has had : He was appointed Census Eoumera. tor in 1890. Next he was made Mer. cantile Appraiser of Centre county. Next he was appointed Clerk to County Commissioners ; then be defeated John Decker for County Commissioner, the man who secured Strohm his clerkship, He beld this office six years. Then he tried to get the Recordership the year Cal. Harper was elected, but the leaders sidetracked bim to the Register's office During these years be had an applica: tion on file at Washington for == appoint. ment, which be never got. As a candi. ‘date for Register, he got left. Next he was again made Cosus Enumerator in 1900. Last session of teachers institute he announced his candidacy for County Superintendent and after a short skir. mish dropped out of the race. In Potter | township most every year he must have some loca! office. In fact, for the last 15 or 20 years, he | has been on the political “sliding board” | =gontinually after an office. | Honestly, in my judgment, it is a seri ous question whether such men are the right kind 0 send to Harrisburg, | don't believe in feeding men on “political That is why | think Jim Strobm not the proper man; and Schoonover will be “Penns- | We peopie are not as smart as some At the same | I) John | **Oleo Jobn,” | VOL. 24. NO. 7% FACT, FUN AND FANCY. Bright Sparkling Paragraphs—Select- ed and Original. Now doth the truly plous Quay Improve each shining minute. And shake the corporations down For everything there's in it, He laughs best who laughs last, Leaves, like pride, go before a fall, Even railroad bands have to be train- ed. The coal dealer is giving us a cold deal. The folding bed is a case of put up and shut up. A dead beat can generally te told by the touch. It takes three to make a pair, counting the minister, { It takes considerable drilling to make | a safe robber. When a girl steels ber heart no one else can steal it, The apothecary always conducts his | business on a small scale. It’s only natural that there should be | springs in the bed of a river. | The man who has just left a barber shop may have clean-cut features. Punctures will take the wind out of the pneumatic manufacturer's sales, | When a girl loses ber appetite for ice cream soda it's time to call in the doctor. A man doesn’t have to have an auto- | mobile in order to run down his neigh- | bors. “This is a turn for the better,” remark- ed the gambler as he spun the roulette wheel. | It's all very well to kiss and make up, | but women can generally make up with. | out kissing. It's generally the with a | scrawny neck who talks against decol- lete gowns, When a man boasts that he doesn’t owe acentin the world, it may be because | he can’t get any credit, woman ODD FELLOWS NUMEROUS. At the meeting of the 78th annual ses. sion of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of | Odd Fellows, in Des Moines, Iowa, last week the following statistical report was submitted by the Grand Sire showing that there were 127 grand lodges estab. | lished, of which six were in foreign coun- |tries. The total number of subordinate lodges is 12.8g2, en- campments 2780. and subordinate ORDER'S MIG MEMBERSHIP, The entire membership of the order reaches 1,002,272 the year there were 99,393 in the subordinate lodges, including those | initiated in other branches. The total | reached 185.845 The amount of relief disbursed was | $3939 785.68, an increase of $203,093.08. The financial statements show : Rev. | canes from all branches, $10,826 ¢76.76 increase, $666,025.19. Expenses, $5, 7906, | 195 30; increase, $436,353 03 surplus rev. enues, $2.030,775.35. lovested funds, | $29.952,769.38 | increase, $1,309 076 28, | The report says that since 1530 there | have been 2.544.120 members initiated | into the subordinate lodges, 2,565,007 ; members relieved 256604; widowed | families relieved ; 252, 154 members died; | total relief, $192 665,214 47; total rev. | enues, $240,430,422,21. | so——— Daring initiations Married. A pretty wedding took place on the 19th, at the home of the bride's parents, in Runville, the contracting parties being Howard E. Wells, of Picasant Gap, and Miss Lala M. Shirk, of Runville, There were about twenty-one guests present. Miss Sally Hancock played the wedding march ; the ceremony was performed by Rev. G. A. Sparks, pastor of Runville U. B. church, after which congratulations were received, following this they were all invited to partake of a bountiful re. past, to which all did justice. The bride was the recipient of many hand. some and useful presents, and is the ac. complished daughter of W. T. and Mollie Shirk, of Runville; a worthy young lady. The groom's parents reside at Pleasant Gap; be is a fine mechanic. May their voyage over the sea of life be pleasant and prosperous, may their pathway be strewn with flowers. (x) A New Swindler. A new swindler is capturing some of the New York farmers. A man comes around offering a patent wagon tongue. The farmer doe not buy but the agent leaves the tongu\ to be called for in a
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