i . . . , VOLUME 12 McCONNELLSBURG, PA., DECEMBER 22, 1910. NUMBER 14 THE OLD SECEDER CHURCH A Paper Read Before the Pennsylvania Scotch-Irish Society by T. Elliott Patterson. INTERESTING LOCAL HISTORY. Continued from last 'week. THEIR CIVIL WAR RECORD. Of those old elders, three of them each sent a son into the Union army and a fourth sent three. James Walker Johnston, 1st Lieut., Co. II, 77th Pa. Vol.; John P. Kendall, Orderly Ser geant, 126th and 205th Pa. Vol.; James Kendall, 126th and 205th Pa. Vol.; David M. Kendall, 121st Pa. Vol.; James P. Nelson, 121st Pa. Vol.; D. H. Patterson, 14th Pa. Minute Men, Co. C.l One of these, John F. Kendall, deserves more than passing notice. As orderly of his company, and knowing the detail for picket duty on a certain dangerous night to which his younger brother was assigned, went to him and said: "James, exceptionally heavy lines are being thrown out by both armies to-high t. You are the younger and must remain in eamp; 1 go in your place." The chivalrous offer was declined by James, who, jn speaking of it said: "1 could never forget John for that affectionate and consider, ate offer." The younger has since died and John is now an elder in the same old congregation. Knowing them both and remem- Dering we a ay their company was welcomed Home alter com pleting their full term of service, 1 take pleasure in referring to the incident. But the men of the congregation were not the only exponents of strong and iorceiui character. There were daughters of the Revolution among them, the genuine, real. article, and without frills. Eliza beth Bourns, the Revolutionary cannon-maker's daughter; Henri etta Maria Ashman, whose fath er, Col. George Ashman, of the firm of Ashman, Cromwell & Ridgey, built, owned, and worked the first iron furnace west of the Susquehanna (built in 1780); and Isabel N. Milhgan, grand- niece of Dr. Samuel Young, of Hagerstown, whose beautiful in tellect, unimpaired through along and useful life, mastered the larger and shorter Westminister Catechisms, all of the Psalms, and the entire New Testament as a memory exercisein the religi ous training of her youth. Two others, sisters, during a Confederate raid that threatened the capture and imprisonment of the husband of one of them, were standing in the doorway of their home, when the younger, becom ing hysterical, began crying, "Oh, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, the day of judgment ha come, the day of judgment has come." Elizabeth, turning to her, with the raiders standing about them, said: "Keep quiet, Rebecca; keep quiet. 1 liope the day of judgment will see a better looking crowd than this." A worthy granddaughter ot a revolutionary colonel. When 1 tell Justice Stewart, and Alex ander and George, of our mem bership, that those women were first cousins of one of the border raiders Dr. Ash. Hamii, of Mar tiosburg, Virginia they can tell you more about the Confederate doctor than I, and claim as close relationship. Their ministers were men of power and influence. Lind, of Greencastle; Clarkson, of Mercersburg; and Fmly Mc Naughton, of McConnellsburg. The last, a graduate of Union College, Schenectady, In 1822, had a long pastorate of nearly thirty years, and, not unlike some of the Kings of Israel, at its close found his kingdom divided. He as followed by Dr. James Bruce, father of former Lieutennant Governor Bruce, of New York, hot pastorate covered the rly period of the CivU War. fi'a successor, Rev. RobertGracy Ferguson, LL.D., a graduate of Jefferson College and a lieuten ant In the Union Army, brother of one of our members, William N. Ferguson, M D., and cousin of our member lion. William 0. Fer guson, was one of their later and most successful pastors. The last to officiate m the old church is the present pastor of the Unit ed Presbyterian branch of that old congregation, Rev. J. L. Grove, whose pastorate covers twenty five years. FORM OP WORSHIP. fill m m a ineir iorm or worsnip was simple, but direct. No anthems nor instrumental music, or, as our Judge Campbell's erand uncle expressed it, "do dom fud- dlen'." A psalm was read, ex piainea, iinea out, ana sung; a prayer offered, all standing like soldiers at attention, eyes and ears open, "and no loafin' around the throne," as John Hay put it; a chapter read; another prayer and psalm; and sermons, two of a kind, both long, with but a short intermission; and home by sun down. But of all services, those con nected with the observance of the Lord's Supper were the most im pressive. Preceded by a fast oq the Friday before the commun ion, it was followed by the Mon day after communion as a day of thanksgiving. All ordinary work ceased on that Friday, which was kept as carefully as the Sabbath itself, and attendance on divine service was imperative. On that day the leaden tokens, commem orative ot the day 8 when Claver- house's followers spied out the meeting places of their fathers on the "hethered hills, "were dis tributed to the intended commu nicants as a pledge of their ac ceptance and right to the com munion table on the coming Sab bath when the elders carefully received them back from every communicant. The elements were served at a long table in front of the pulpit or extending down the aisles, and the members rose from their pews, coming for ward singing a psalm until seat ed in their places at the table, and after participating, they re turned to their pews singing an other vers6 or two .of the same psalm, and often to the same tune. On these occasions, the men of the congregation came .n "their blacks," and the women in their best new gowns. There was a dignity and reverence at tached to this solemn service that in itself lot bade indifferencs or carelessness in approaching the table of the Lord. They looked upon it as His table, not theirs, and have often been severely cen sured for their vigilance and care in guarding it from the impure and the profane, but none can gainsay or deny the honesty of their purpose in so doing. MILITARY AND CIVIL SERVICE. In military and civil life they were active and efficient. From Valley Forge and the Brandy wine to the Philippines William Pat terson, (Revolutionary War), Eu sign, 8th Pa. Battalion, Co. 7, July 81st, 1778; Ralph B. Patter son, (Spanish-American War), 88th N. G. Vol., died at Manila, March 19th, 1900 that old con gregation was represented, and from the same township of Ayr a great grandfather, grandfather and grandson represented that community in the Legislature, and the great-granduncle of one of them, Benjamin Elliott, repre sented the old county of Bedford, in the State constitutional con vention that sat in Philadelphia, July 16th, 1776. But their ser vices wero not limited to (he nar row field of their own settlement. There is something la the atmos phere1 and companionship of the mountains that invigorate and in spire for higher things. As Ulysses said of his native Ithaca: 'It is a rough, wild nurseland, but whose crops are men." And to day a daughter of Sergeant Kendal, above mentioned, is giv ing her young life to a service more beautiful than that of clois tered novice or mannish suffra gette a missionary among the Fine Mansion. The finest mansion m Southern Pennsylvania has just been com pleted, at Mercersburg, for 1 V. Byron head of the big tannery firm doing business at that place, it is without a doubt the most magnificent and finest equipped home in Franklin county. IT 1 . orn on ine uyron mansion was begun in the spring of 1909 and as old 1910 ends, the house is turned over to the owner com plete in every detail. It is locat ed on an elevation at the south eastern edge of Mercersburg, at the fork of the old pike and the state road. The grounds include several acres and have been ar tistically graded, concrete walks and driveways leading from the msnsion to all parts of the prop erty. It is estimated that the mansion and its appointments cost at least 50,000. Thanks, Friends. hile we have noticed during the past few years -a growing habit of subscribers to settle up their back subscription before the new year comes in, there never has been a season before when so many of our subscribers have paid up their arrearages, and advanced their subscription another year. There is some thing gratifying about being able to enter the new year with a clean sheet especially in small mat ters like one's newspaper ' sub scription. It makes a brighter New Year's day for the editor, too. mountaineers of the South, of whom Major lless, who served throughout the whole war from Ayr.Township, told the following incident, illustrative of the latent colonial fires that had not died out among that physically and mentally vigorous people, many of them of our own etock: "When General Thomas' divis ion was crossing a mountain in East Tennessee, they halted for a short rest near an apparently deserted mountaineer cabin on tne roaa. in a few minutes a child's face peeped out, and later the mother ventured out and. coming to the color bearer, asued if they were 'Yankees.' Assured that they were, she asked if that was the American flag. Think she was guying him, he made a flippant reply, and the General, noticing it, stepped forward and said: 'Yes, that is the old stars and stripes; don't you know it?' She replied: 'Mo, never seed it afore, butsumfin told me it was it.' Then, raising her voice, she called her children, some seven or eight of all sizes and ages, making an odd group in their homespun dresses, poke bonnets, and coonskin caps, to whom she briefly explained that that was our flag.' Then, asking her chil dren to join her, they all rever ently fell upon their knees, while she thanked God for sparing their lives to see the flag. The King's English was murdered in the presence of men who were scholars and thinkers, but there was not a dry eye among them, from the grizzled general to the raw recruit And when, on ris ing from her knees, she told them her husband had keen taken out and hanged in the woods the night before because he was a Union man, the pathos of the scene was impressive. "t AN ABANDONED FORTRESS. To-day thatOld Seceder Church of Ayr Township stands like an abandoned fortress on one of the rough, rocky hillsides in that lit tle valley, for they chose not where the south winds blew soft ly. But 1c still stands, and while it does, memories of earnest and faithful home teachings and the godly stepping of those wko went in and out from its venera ble walls will be to the descend ants of that people, as to many of you with like experiences, among the most sacred and tender ot life. RECORD OF DEATHS. Persons Well Known to Many of Our Readers, Who Have Answered Final Summons. ALL SEASONS ARE THINE, 0 DEATH. HOHMAN. After a short illness, George Hohman died at his home in Ayr township last Friday, of ulcora tive endocarditis, aged 68 years, 8 months, and 26 days. The funeral which was conducted by Rev. C. W. Bryner, of McCon nellsburg, took place Sunday aft ernoon, and interment was made in Union cemetery. The deceased was born in Ger many; and, with his parents and six brothers and sisters, came to this country in 1850 his oldest brother, Peter, remaining in Germany. He was married to Miss Kate Snyder, daughter of the late Philip Snyder, of Tod township. She died about ten or twelve years ago. Three children sur v'we, namely, Harry; Mary, wife of Charles Reed; and Bessie. He is also survived by two brothers and one sister, Leonard, of this place, John, living in Kansas, and Mrs. Elizabeth Spade, living in Dills burg, Pa. Mr. Hohman was a veteran of the Civil War, and a most excel lent citizen. He was one of those quiet, honest, industrious men that go towards the making of our country's highest type of citizenship. TRITLE. Lydia Tritle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Walter Tritle, died at the home of her parents in Way nesboro on Wednesday morning after less than forty-eight hours illness from croup. She was eight years old. Walter Tritle is a native of Ayr township, and is a sen of the late George Tritle, deceased. Their many friends here sym pathize with the parents in this hour of sore bereavement. y Silage for Fattening Steers. A moderate amount of silage fed to fattening animals improves the appetite health. Some ex periments have been made to de termine, as far as possible, the feeding value of silage to fatten- ng animals. At the Pennsylania Experi ment Station when corn silage was compared with corn stover for fattening steers it was found that "the steers fed corn silage made more economical gains than those fed corn stover," and showed a better coat and more thrifty appearance."- These steers were fed broken ear corn and cottonseed meal in connec ion with the corn silage and corn stover. A liberal silage ration was found to be more economical than a limited one when fed in this manner. The steers getting the largest amount would eat only about 15 pounds ot silage per day. The Indiana Experiment Stat'on states that 'corn silage may profitably be used as a portion of the ration in finishing steers." "A ration composed of shelled corn, cotton seed meal and corn silage with out bay proved to be most ef ficient ration tested for fatten ing two year old steers, as shown by the rate of gain, cost of gain and finish of the cattle. At the Ohio Station, it was found that silage cculd be used to good ad vantage in fattening cattle when stover and hay were high in price. No difference in the finish of silage fed and dry fed cattle was apparent. Recent experiments at other stations seem to give similar re- ults. Silage is each year used more exclusively by practical feeders with almost unanimously good results.- From the Corres pondence Courses of the Pennsyl vania State College. Subscribe for the "News, 'only tl.00 a year, ' NEW ENTERPRISE. Farmers' Co-operative Creamery Estab' lished in McConnellsburg. Is Now Inder Full Headway. During the latter part of Sep tember, Mr. U. M. Cole, repres sentmg the firm of O'Presprich & Co.. of New York City, Cream ery Experts, appeared in this community, and it took him just ten days to convince a halt hun dred of our leading farmers and business men that it would be to their advantage financially to have a creamery of their own. Mr. Cole said that his people would put the creamery on the ground, fully equipped, and turn ing out first quality butter, be fore a cent need be paid. If, when they saw the creamery and its work they were satisfied that it was all right, be should then be paid forty-seven hundred dol lars, and the creamery turned over to its new owners. A subscription paper was cir culated, and fifty six hundred dollars in shares of one hundred dollars each were subscrioed, Un the 8th of October a meeting was held and C. R. Spangler, M. M. Kendall and Harvey Unger were appointed a committee to supervise the construction of the building, the contract for the erection of which had been let to Wm. Benjamin, of New York. By the 5th of this month the building waa completed, the ma chinery was moving and butter was being produced. Everything being entirely satisfactory to the subscribers, a meeting was held, an organization effected, and the money paid in. The following persons were elected directors, namely, M. M. Kendall, W. S. Brant, Levi Kee fer, Andrew Rotz, and Harvey Unger. At a subsequent meeting of the directors, the following or ganization was effected: Presi dent, M. M. Kendall; Secretary, W. C. Patterson: Treasurer. W. Nace. The building is on the south side of the"Commons"a short dis tance west of the Presbyterian graveyard, and just west of Wilkinson's blacksmith shop, It is 24x55 feet, which includes a 75 ton ice house. The creamery has a capacity of eight hundred cows, and is starting out with four hundred. The plant is in charge of Scott Runyan, of Franklin, O.. a first class butter maker, and the busi ness outlook is encouraging, to the stockholders. There are already two cream cries in operation in this valley the Grissinger creamery in town, and the Patterson creamery at Webster Mills, both of which have been in successful opera' tion for several years. The names of the stockholders are: D. A. Nelson, M. M, Ken dall, J. U. Kendall, C. F. Nesbit, A. K. Nesbit, Daniel Knauff, Scott Tritle, C. M. Unger, Geo. Paylor Wm. Paylor, Jacob Motter, Aaron Martin, Wm. E. Brewer, Levi Keefer, Henry Carbaugb, D. II, Wible, Wm. Bivens, Alex Patter son, Harvey Unger, Geo. Buter baugh, Andrew Rotz, C. R. Span gler, J. S. Alexander, Philip Rotz, Wm. Buterbaugh, S. A. Nesbit, W. L. Nace, Geo. B. Mel- lott, D. A. Washabaugb, John W. Ott, Beamer Gress, Clarence Cooper, Wm. Woodal, A. B. Wilk inson, J. W. Hoop, W. S. Brant, Bert Brant, John Raker, W. C. Patterson, "Wm. Patterson, Ahi maaz Clevenger, Charles John ston, Fred Gordon, 1L B. Trout, D. B. McQuade, John Carbaugb, O. H. Wible, O. C. Wible. C. M. Ray. , IN MEMORIAM. Miss Irvie Hull a very efficient stenographer in the employ of O. S. Hammond & Co., publish ing house New York City spent the time from Wednesday morn ing until Thursday noon of last week In the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Hull of this place, and attending the wedding ot her brother James. Tribute to the Memory of W. Frank Hart by C. Wilson Peck. in ine passing away ot our friend and relative W. Frank Hart of Needmore, Pa., whom we have known and loved for half a cen tury, it is fitting that some sped al tribute should be paid to his memory; some record should be inscribed to attest the noble traits of his character; some truths concerning Lis hope in Christ laid bare, that we who sorrow may find comfort in the assurance that his spirit is with God. An earnest seeker after Jehovah, his pleadings were "Lead kindly Light, Amid the encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on" And as year gave place to year, he seemed to unbind the ties of earthly things, and lay hold most earnestly, upon things heavenly and divine. Faithful to the teachings of Godly parents, his whole life was characterized by cleanness. His attitude toward others was an ev idence of his belief in the scriptural declaration that "no man liveth unto himself and no man dieth unto himself;" that the relationship which every man sustains toward every other man, is a sucred trust, and that the moral welfare of the community rested not lightly upon his own shoulders. He was just in his dealings; and the Church, in the affairs of which he was prominent, has lost a faithful helper one whose place it will not be easy to fill. The writer has before him a letter from Mr. Hart bearing date November 16, 1910 three weeks before his death; and, al though at that time he was in his usual health, his writing bears evidence of his readiness to "de part and be with the Lord. 1 here is expressed a spirit of submission, and a willingness to go hence. "How frail we are at best," he writes." and how soon we may be cut down, and the places which know us now, will soon know us no more forever." And then, to give assurance of his unaltering devotion to the highest of all ideals Christ he continues; " am sure of one thing, and that is, I would like to know the truth for myself; for the truth is all that can do us any good. Oh, may He giye us to know Him bet ter and serve Him with more de votion." The doctrines of his choice were strictly orthodox. He loved the Bible, and was guided by its teachings, much of which he knew by heart He was the last surviving member of a large family, bis mother dying only few months ago. 1 hough earth has received his body, Angels have borne his spirit back to God who gave it. '1 he grave is welcome to all It gets. Its hewn walls cannot hold his soul captive. He has gone to Him who said, "I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there ye may be, also." Mr. Hart decended from one of two branches of the Hart family, both of which we.re prominent in England three hundred and fifty years ago. The earlier ones were Friends; but since 1685, al most all of the Harts in America have been identified with the Baptist denomination. Philadelphia, December 18, 1910. ABOUT PEOPLE YOU KNOW Snapshots at Their Comings and Goings Here for a Vacation, or Away for a Restful Outing. NAMES OF VISITORS AND VISITED Wall Blown Down. The south wall of the Walker barn which was destroyed by fire near St Thomas a few weeks ago, was blown down to its foun dation last Thursday night In spectors who had examined the wall said it was In good condition and was perfectly safe to build again provided the foundation were protected and re enforced an occe by new concrete walla, This means an additional lots to Mr. Walker of more tlra t!.00. , Miss Elsie Greathead of Ath ens, O., is home for the holidays. John Spangler, a State College student is home for the holidays. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett Mellott were in town doing some Christ mas shopping last Thursday. M. D. Mathias, of Huston town, called at the News afflce a few minutes while in town Monday. Miss Esther Sloan left last Friday for an extended visit lo friends in the western part of the State. Joseph C. Barnett and James Barnett of Waterfall, spent a few hours in McConnellsburg last Saturday. Miss Mazie Mellott, of Phila delphia, is spending the holidays in the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. B. Mellott. Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Hohman, of this place, went over to Cham- bersburg Wednesday of last week and returned home Thurs day. Walter A. Peck and family, of Needmore, spent last Wednesday night in the home of their uncle Jonathan P. Peck near Knobs-ville. Mrs. Elizabeth McEldowney and daughter Edith of Belfast township, spent last Thursday in town doing some holiday shop ping. Ruth Roettger an employee in Wilson College Chambersburg is spending the holidays with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. N. H. Roettger. John II. Reisner, a Yale Col lege student came home Monday to spent the holidays with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Reisner. Russell H. Runyan of the U. S. Census Department Washington, is spending his holiday vacation with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Runyan. Mr. and Mrs. Berkeley Sipes, of Hustontown, were registered at the City Hotel last Saturday. Mr. Sipes wants to buy a nice two-year old mare colt Mr. Claude B. Cook and daugh ter Kathryn, and brother Charles, of Lanark, 111., are spending a few days in the home of their mother, Mrs. S. M. Cook, of this place. Mrs. Melvin E. Bobb and little daughter, Scottanna, of Beaver- town, were visitors last Satur day and Sunday at the home of Mrs. Bobb's brother, Mr. L. C. Mann. Everett Republican. Mrs. W. H. Nesbit left last Thursday for a visit to her pa rents, Mr. and Mrs. John H. Wilt m Waynesboro. On Tues day of this week Mr. and Mrs Wilt celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary. Rev. and Mrs. L. W. McGarvey and their .little son Albert, of Hustontown. were in town Tues day. Rev. McGarvey is just get ting on his feet ogam after a siego of typhoid fever, which re duced his avoirdupois quite per ceptibly. Miss Bessie Helm an who underwent an operation in the hospital at Chambersburg nine weeks ago for appendicitis, re turned to her home in this place last Saturday. While she has Improved much, she has not en tirely recovered. J. Lind Patterson and his sis ter Misa Bess wont over to New ville last Wednesday and stayed until Thursday morning in the home of their cousins, Mr. and Mrs. R. Sharpe Patterson, when they boarded the Cumberland Valley train for a trip West dur- , lag which they expect to visit re latives ln.Cliicaso, OniRla, Liu- cola, and Denver.
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