OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - "CHURCHES OF THE VALLEY" (published 1852) *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Gina M. Reasoner AUPQ38A@prodigy.com April 15, 1999 *********************************************************************** OHIO The cross road of our nation Records & Pioneer Families October-December 1963 Vol. IV No. IV Published by Esther Weygandt Powell -NO COPYRIGHT LISTED PENNSYLVANIA ANCESTORS My intention in publishing the magazine was to confine myself solely to Ohio records. Since Ohio and Pennsylvania families are so closely related I decided to use this Pennsylvania material. So many of the names are those of Ohio families and may be of value in finding your ancestors of Ohio pioneers. These records were taken from "CHURCHES OF THE VALLEY" published in 1852. The book is an Historical Sketch of the Old Presbyterian congregations in Cumberland and Franklin Counties, Pa. by Rev. Alfred Nevin. "BIG SPRING, CUMBERLAND COUNTY 21st March 1786" "We the members of the Congregation of Big Spring, do hereby bind and oblige ourselves annually to pay Mr. Samuel Wilson, Preacher of the Gospel, on his being ordained to be our minister, and for his discharge of the duties of said office, the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds, Pennsylvania Currency, in specie, and allow him the use of the dwelling house, barn, and all the clear land of the glebe, possessed by our former minister, also plenty of timber for rails and firewood, likewise a sufficient security for the payment of the above-mentioned sums during his incumbency. As witness our hands: Allison, John Cunningham, Samuel Graham, John Armstrong, James Carnahan, Adam Graham, David Alison, Thomas Carson, James Gourril, John Aumer, James Carson, John Hodge, John Sr. Appleby, Thomas Carnahan, William Hutchison, Robert Adams, William Coply, John Hodge, John Sr. Ardle, Caleb Clark, John Hutchison, Robert Atchison, Jacob Clark, William Hodge, John Sr. Allen, Hugh Davidson, John Hathorn, Samuel Buchanan, Thomas Dinison, William Himter, William Blair, Rannel Douglass, William Huston, James Bovard, Robert Deniston, Andrew Hunter, William Bell, John Donald, Francis Hays, Joseph Bell, John Davidson, Matthew Hamilton, James Bell, Andrew Dening, William Irvine, James Bell, Robert Eawing, John Irvine, Agnes Brown,John Espey, Thomas Jack, James Brown, Catherine Elliott, Alex. Jacobs, Thomas Brandon, James Fenton, Samuel Jacobs, Jermon Brisbane, William Flinn, Abigail Johnston, James Bell, Andrew Ferguson, William Johnston, James Boyle, Daniel Finley, Samuel Kilgore, Elizabeth Brouster, Ann Graham, James Kilgore, William Brown, John Giffin, William Kilbourne, Berry Bratton, Adam Gillespie, James Laughlin, Alex Brown,John Gillespie, Robert Lightcap, Solomon Bell, John Gillespie, Nath'l. Laughlin, Hugh Bryson, William Graham, Jared Leeper, Charles Bovard, Howard Grier, Jared Laughlin, William Laughlin, James Laughlin, Atchison Lechey, Alex. M'Cune, John Ramsey, David Lusk, Robert M'Farland, John Robinson, John Lindsey, Samuel M'Cullough, Elizabeth Ralston, David Lindsey, William M'Bride, Alex. Shannon, Robert Lusk, John Milligan, William Stewart, James Lusk, David M'Cune, James Smith, Hugh Little, George M'Cune, Isabella Shannon, James Laughray, James M'Farland, Patrick Shannon, John M'Geehen, John Murdock, Patrick Stevenson, Wm. M'Kibbin, Jeremiah Mitchell, James Sterret, David M'Kain, Margaret Moore, Thomas Smith, William M'Geehen, Alex. M'Geehen, George Sumar, John McCracken, Alex. M'Geehen, James Thompson, Alex. M'Farland, William M'Geehen, Benjamin Thompson, Andrew MCormick, Samuel M'Cune, John Thompson, William McClintock, John M'Elhenny, Sam'l Jr Thompson, William Jr Mitchell, John M'Elhenny, Sam'l Sr Van Horn, Jospeph Mathers, Samuel Morrow, Samuel Williamson, David McClure, Margaret Nicholson, William Walker, Andrew M'Elwain, Andrew Nicholson, Richard Wallace, John M'Elwain, Mary Nicholson, James Woods, Richard M'Elwain, James O'Neal, John Work, L. M'Donnel, Joseph Officer, Alex. Weaver, Samuel Mitchell, Samuel Officer, James Weaver, George Mitchell, John Pollock, Joseph Wilson, Mathew Munro, John Patterson, Robert Wilson, Samuel M'Farland, John Partes, Joseph Whitin, John Jr. Mathers, Thomas Patton, John Wilson, William M'Farland, Margaret Porterfield, John Wilson, James M'Farland, James Patterson, Robert Walker, William Martin, Paul Preaug, Widow Walker, Joseph M'Comb, Robert Jr. Patton, Wm. Jr. Walker, Robert M'Guffin, James Pierce, Joseph Murain,John Reed, John Mickey, Robert Sr. Reed, John Mickey, Robert Jr. Mickey, James (Number of Pew-Holders, 204) This church was organized about 1735 when this section "across the river" belonged to Lancaster County and in 1750 was cut off for Cumberland County. The first Presbyterian churches of the Cumberland Valley were erected near a spring or stream of water, and from their location they derived their name. Big Spring church was first called Hopewell Church. Neighboring Presbyterian churches were Rocky Spring Church and Middle Spring Church. Across the river was evidently beyond the Susquehanna River and near the Pennsboro District. Rev. Thomas Craighead was pastor of Big Spring Church in 1738. He passed away about a year later while delivering a sermon at the church and his remains rest where the church now stands. Big Spring was connected with Middle Spring and Rocky Spring, as a charge then for some years. Ministers complained that many of their members were moving farther west. ==== Maggie_Ohio Mailing List ====