Wayne County, NC - First Presbyterian Church ~~~~~~~~~~ A SHORT HISTORICAL SKETCH of the FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH of GOLDSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA In writing a historical sketch of the First Presbyterian Church of Goldsboro, N.C., it is interesting to go back to more than 200 years, for in 1756, Rev. Hugh McAden, a Scotch Presbyterian, began a great missionary journey in the Colony of N.C., which resulted in the establishing of a chain of churches from the Cape Fear to the Catawba Rivers. The First Presbyterian Church founded in North Carolina by the Scotch Irish was in 1735, 20 years before Rev. McAden's great missionary journey. When the church at Kenansville, in the adjoining county of Duplin, was established, it was known as the Grove Church. This church has been in continuous existence ever since. The Rev. Samuel Stanford was one of the early ministers of this church and the old records show that some of the forebears of several members of the Goldsboro Church were baptized by the Rev. Stanford. Naturally the Presbyterians in the county of Duplin had much to do with furthering the work of the Presbyterians in Wayne County. When the old town of Waynesborough, the first county seat of Wayne County, was incorporated in 1787, there was no church in the town for several years, but in 1830 a church was built which was used by all denominations. It is interesting to note that a Community Church flourished in Wayne County as early as 1830. It was about this time that Dr. Elisha Mitchell, a Presbyterian preacher as well as a great teacher and scientist, wrote an account of his preaching visit to Waynesborough telling how he gathered the few Presbyterians together for services. This is the first recorded service held for the Presbyterians who in later years became allied with our present church. Situated about eight miles from Waynesborough was the little village of Everittsville. The old record states that in November, 1848, the Rev. Andrew McMillan of Fayetteville Presbytery visited Everittsville and the adjoining country as a Missionary. He found two or three members of the Presbyterian Church in the village, and at their earnest request he was induced to remain and to continue his labors by preaching on alternate Sabbaths in Everittsville and Goldsboro. In the meantime the old town of Waynesborough has been abandoned and the County Seat moved two miles east to the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad (now the Atlantic Coast Line) where the town of Goldsboro had come into being. At the spring meeting of Fayetteville Presbytery a resolution was passed, and a Committee appointed to organize a church in Everittsville. On the 29th of Sept. 1849, Rev. Stedman, Rev. H. McAlister, and Rev. McMillan met at Everittsville for the purpose of carrying out the resolution of Presbytery. After the sermon an invitation was given to those who wished to enroll in the Everittsville Church, and the following were admitted as members: Eli Murray, Miss Mary Snyder, James McDuffie, Mrs. Rachel S. West, and Miss Elizabeth Sherbrook. Not being prepared for a full organization, it was decided to defer the election of Elders and Deacons until the following spring. On the 17th of March 1850 Messrs. John Everitt and Eli Murray were ordained as Elders and Willis Hall was appointed Deacon. Up to this time there was no house of worship, so the members now thought it the proper season to erect a church. Aided by friends abroad and by their own earnest efforts, "they were enabled to erect a very neat and commodious building at the cost of $1,826. The house was dedicated in 1850." Before the dedication of the building we find that Mrs. Esther McMain, Mrs. Margaret Castex, John Everitt, Mrs. Rachel Everitt, Miss Barbara Ann Everitt, Willis Hall, Mrs. Sarah Hall, Miss Elizabeth Clinton Morrisey, Miss Julia A. Bunting, Mrs. Eliza Smith, and J. H. Crosby were received as members of the Everittsville Church. Also a colored man named Yorke. "It is right to mention here with gratitude the kindness of the Ladies of the Wilmington Presbyterian Church, who besides other marks of kindness presented to the Church a very neat and elegant pulpit Bible." The two members of this early church who did more than anyone else were Messrs. John Everitt and Willis Hall. The little village of Everittsville did not grow very rapidly, neither did the church, but the newer village of Goldsboro (about six miles from Everittsville) was growing in population, and many of the residents of Everittsville had moved to Goldsboro. So in 1855 we find a committee from Fayetteville Presbytery meeting in Goldsboro on February 17th for the purpose of organizing the Goldsboro Church. The Church was organized on this date with the following members: Mrs. Margaret Castex, Mrs. Esther McMain, Willis Hall, Mrs. Martha Gregory, Miss Sarah McMain, Mrs. Margaret Pittman, Mrs. Nancy Harris, N. B. Bull, and Mrs. Eliza Bull. Messrs. Willis Hall and N. B. Bull were elected and ordained Ruling Elders. Shortly after the organization of the church, a lot, corner of West Ash and North James Streets, was donated by Mr. Willis Hall to the new congregation, and the First Presbyterian Church was built and completed for use in 1856 with the following gentlemen named as trustees: Dr. Chas. F. Dewey, Messrs. Willis Hall, John Griswold, E. B. Borden, Sr., R. J. Gregory, and James A. Washington, none of whom were Presbyterians except Mr. Hall. The first service held in the church was a confirmation service held by Bishop Atkinson of the Episcopal Church in 1856. In 1861 the Presbytery of Fayetteville dissolved the Everittsville Church, and its members became members of the Goldsboro Church. In the same year, 1861, the Goldsboro Church made its first recorded report to Presbytery. It reported eleven Communicants, forty-eight members in the Sunday School, and $489.00 collected for all purposes. For several years there seem to be no records of any kind. It has always been generally reported by the older members that the church was closed on account of the War Between the States from 1862-67. MINISTERS WHO HAVE SERVED THE GOLDSBORO CHURCH Rev. D. T. Towles, who was Moderator of the First Meeting of the Session in 1856, preaching occasionally. Rev. John Nott, of Schenectady, N. Y., was stated supply from 1857- 1860. Rev. W. W. Latta, 1861. Rev. Simmons H. Isler, 1862. Rev. Luther McKinnon, 1867-1871. Rev. N. Z. Graves, D.D., 1872-1875. Rev. B. F. Marable, D.D., 1876-1879. Rev. Robert McAlpine, 1880-1882. Rev. J. M. Rose, D.D., 1883-1889. Rev. J. C. McMullen, 1889-1891. Rev. Edward Mack, D.D., 1892-1893. Rev. Jonas Barclay, 1893. Rev. F. W. Farries, D.D., 1893-1908. [The following information is added by Lynn Bretz, great-grandaughter of Rev. Farries: His full name was Francis Wallace Farries. He was a dear soul who ministered for the Knox Presbyterian Church in Ottawa, Canada, from 1875-1893, before immigrating to the U.S.] Rev. V. G. Smith, 1909-1913. Rev. Peter McIntyre, 1914-1937. Rev. Legh R. Scott, D.D., 1937-1943. Rev. James M. McChesney, Jr., 1944-. How interesting it would be if we had some information about these early ministers of our church, but the records give no interesting data. However, from some of the older members we do have a few personal recollections of some of these ministers. Rev. S. H. Isler and family lived in Goldsboro and Mr. Isler often supplied the pulpit. He was a godly man, loved and respected by all. His family contributed much to the growth of the Church from 1866 to 1951. Rev. Luther McKinnon was greatly beloved, not only for his excellent qualities as a minister but also because of his genial, friendly nature and became President of Davidson College 1885-88. Rev. B. F. Marable, often spoken of as one of the great scholars of the church, was a preacher who greatly stirred his members. A grandson of Dr. Marable, Rev. Thomson Brown Southall, was a missionary to Korea from 1938-1941. He is now (1951) Superintendent of Home Missions and Director of Colored Work in the Presbytery of New Orleans. Rev. Robert McAlphine was also well beloved, his friendliness and Christian character won for him great affection throughout the entire congregation. Rev. J. C. McMullen was a minister of decided opinions and his personality left an impression on this Church. One son and one daughter became missionaries in China and were in the field until compelled by war conditions to return home. A grandson, John C. McMullen, is a Presbyterian Minister. Rev. Edward Mack was just out of the seminary when he came to this church, having graduated from Davidson College and Princeton Theological Seminary. After leaving this church he served as pastor of several larger churches, also was professor in Lane Theological Seminary in Cincinnati, later in Union Theological Seminary in Richmond. He remained at Union until forced to retire on account of poor health. Dr. Mack served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, U. S., and one son, Rev. Joseph B. Mack, a Presbyterian Minister, is now Superintendent of Home Missions of Knoxville Presbytery. Rev. W. F. Farries, a Scotch Canadian, not only served the church well, but was also an active force in the community. Largely through his efforts a start was made which eventually led to the establishment of the Goldsboro Hospital, now known as the Wayne County Memorial Hospital. Rev. Peter McIntyre, also a Scotch Canadian, came to the church well known by many of its members, as he had held a Pastorate at Faison, N. C., for several years. Mr. McIntyre was a great leader and possessed a wonderful personality, and during his pastorate the church grew greatly. He began the second Home Mission project at Antioch, a country settlement a few miles from Goldsboro. The Sunday School Building was erected at a cost of $50,000.00 during his lifetime, and after his death it became the McIntyre Memorial Building. Mr. McIntyre died February 6, 1937, after having served the church and community for 23 years. Once in a long time it may come to a church to have a minister so blessed by God as Mr. McIntyre was, one who walked humbly with God, kept the faith and went about doing good. He left the Church and the community greatly blessed because he had lived with us. Dr. Legh R. Scott was greatly interested in the Home Mission projects, as well as being interested in the work with the soldiers at Seymour Johnson Field. During Dr. Scott's pastorate, the Church had its first Director of Religious Education, Miss Mary Rhoads, who came well equipped for work, especially with the young people of the Church. During this time, the young people were fully organized and really a splendid work began to take shape. Dr. Scott left the church to accept a call to the Presbyterian Church in Rome, Georgia. Rev. James M. McChesney, Jr., came to the church in 1944, and by his devotion to the church and his untiring efforts we have seen the membership greatly increased and have seen the work among the young people grow steadily. In this work he has been aided by Miss Mary Jean McFadyen, the present Director of Religious Education. Not only in the church has Mr. McChesney served the young people but in the community as well, having taken a very active part in the work of the Goldsboro Recreation Council. Mr. McChesney has been greatly interested in furthering the plans for the church to have more space and better facilities to meet the growing needs of the congregation. Consequently, the church through proper committees purchased an excellent site comprising a little more than seven acres on the corner of Ash and Jackson Streets. It is on this location that we now turn with so much pride to the dedication of the first unit, the Education Building, and look forward with equal pride to the construction of the Sanctuary. Mr. McChesney has worked long and hard to see these projects carried out. During the years it is interesting to note the growth of the church. The report first made to Presbytery in 1861 showed that this church had 11 communicants, 48 members of the Sunday School, and $489.00 collected for all purposes. Compare this with the report made to Presbytery in 1951 which shows 599 communicants, 449 enrolled in Sunday School, and $52,577.22 collected for all purposes. Source: Joyner Digital Library North Carolina History & Fiction Digital Library http://digital.lib.ecu.edu/historyfiction/search.aspx Additional information: The windows in the church are memorial windows, placed in memory of the following: Willis Hall, 1795-1857 Octavia A. Marable, 1840-1893 Lorraine R. Miller, 1880-1892 John Everitt, 1802-1879 Henrietta G. McMullen, 1864-1893 Barbara Miller Isler, 1803-1876 Benjamin F. Marable, 1831-1892 Ellerslee Spicer, 1872-1875 Rachel Everitt, 1811-1889 Henry Lee Spicer, 1875-1884 Addie McKinnon Spicer, 1879-1884 ______________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Sandra Collier Rasberry - tr8733@swbell.net ______________________________________________________________________