HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA: ME and Presbyterian Churches File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Linda Russell Lewis **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any 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. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. **************************************************************** History of Blair County, Pennsylvania. J. Simpson Africa. Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts; Press of J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1883. P. 46 down in 1856. In 1854 the present parsonage of Bell's Mills was built at a cost of fifteen hundred dollars. The brick church at the same place, costing six thousand two hundred dollars, and the frame church at Tipton, at a cost of twelve hundred dollars, were erected in 1856(1). In 1871-72 this organization contributed two-thirds of the amount necessary to build the present Tyrone Baptist meeting-house, which cost two thousand five hundred dollars. Besides this there are a few houses in the Association that the Logan's Valley Church has not helped to erect. Deacon William McCaulley was the prominent member at and for a long time after the organization. He died a few years since at an advanced age. To 1880 the total number of baptisms was five hundred and thirty-seven. At the present writing (1882) the membership is one hundred and twenty- five. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. -- The Logan's Valley Circuit at the present time consists of churches at Bell's Mills (Bellwood post-office), Asberry Settlement(2), Blair Furnace, Grazierville, and Tipton(2). Of these the Logan's Valley Methodist Episcopal Church at Bell's Mills seems to have originated in the spring of 1844, when Rev. Mr. Brads formed a class in the school- house near Mary Ann Forge. Among the members of this class were Charles S. Welch, leader, and his mother, a man by the name of Moore and his wife, Daniel Holland and wife, and John Sheer and wife. meetings were held once in two weeks. When organized this class was embraced by the Williamsburg Circuit. A few months afterwards, however, the circuit was divided, and the class was transferred to the Birmingham Circuit, Rev. Thompson Mitchell in charge. The school-house mentioned was occupied until the completion of the present house of worship at Bell's Mills in 1868. It cost three thousand dollars, and was dedicated Jan. 3, 1869, Rev. T. B. Reese preaching the dedicatory sermon. During the same year (1869) the Logan's Valley Circuit was formed. Since Mr. Mitchelle's time, -- i.e., 1844, -- the pastors on the Birmingham and Logan's Valley Circuits have been James Stevens (probably) in 1845-46; pastor in 1847 unknown; John Hersey, 1848; George Guyer, 1849; J. S. McMurray, 1850; George Guyer, 1851; Mr. Watters, 1852-53; W. A. McKee, 1854; Elisha Butler, 1855; Mr. Spangler and G. W. Couner, 1856; J. Wesley Black and Mr. Ackerman, 1857; J. Wesley Black and J. W. Buckley, 1858; J. A. Mellick and J. D. Brown, 1859; J. A. Mellick and L. M. Smith, 1860; James A. Coleman and W. A. Houck, 1861; James A. Coleman and W. W. Evans, 1862; John Stine and J. W. Leckie, 1863; John Stine and S. A. Crevling, 1864; John Morehead and C. Brittain, 1865; John Morehead and Watson Case, 1866; George Warren and J. D. Pennypacker, 1868; John A. Woodcock (the first preacher of the new Logan's Valley Circuit), 1869; Daniel Hartman, 1870-71; W. C. Robbins, 1872; John A. Dixon, 1873-75; William M. Meminger, 1876-77; George Guyer, 1878-80; Isaac Heckman, now of martinsburg, 1881; and W. W. Dunmire, late of Williamsburg, the present pastor since April, 1882. The present officers of this church are William Helsel and T. B. Hunter, class-leaders; Tobias Krider, John Gheer, and T. B. Hunter, stewards; and William Helsel, superintendent of Sabbath-school. This article is prepared from information derived of John Gheer, Esq.(3). Presbyterian Church. --The Logan's Valley Presbyterian Church was organized in 1837. It appears, however, that in 1836, Rev. Samuel Hill preached in this neighborhood one-sixth of his time. In 1837 the church was organized and he ordained as ruling elders John Campbell and James Hunter, who had been elected previously by the members. The members enrolled and received at that time were John Campbell, Barbara Campbell, James Hunter, Janet Hunter, Graham McCamant, Elizabeth Scott, Josiah Clossin, Mary Clossin, Nicholas Jenkins, Mary Jenkins, John Krotzer, Elizabeth Krotzer, Alexander McFarland, Nancy McFarland, John McFarland, Elizabeth McFarland (wife of John), Alexander McFarland, Jr., Nancy McFarland, Elizabeth McFarland, David G. Hunter, Harriet Kinney, Martha Kinney, and Mary McFarland. Of these were baptized Mrs. Barbara Campbell, Alexander McFarland, Nancy McFarland, and Mary McFarland. The first house of worship was erected in 1845, near where the town of Tipton now stands. It cost about fifteen hundred dollars, and is still used for regular services. It was a central point for the congregations at that time, but many changes have taken place since. In 1865 another building was erected at Bell's Mills, at a cost of about three thousand dollars. It has since been found to be unfavorably located, and the congregation have now in process of erection a building near the railway station of Bell's Mills, which will cost five thousand dollars. Before the organization of this church occasional -------- (1) On the 20th of December, 1856, Benjamin F. Bell and wife granted to William P. Dysart, David Henshey, James Mulholland, Edward Bell, and Martin Bell, trustees of the "Logan's Valley Baptist Church" (which, with Martin Bell, Hugh Mulholland, Thomas Hasson, William P. Dysart, John Henshey, Jr., Daniel McIntosh, John Weight, William McCaulley, Thomas Van Scoyac, David Henshey, John Miller, William Beigle, Edward Bell, George W. English, and E. B. Tipton named as incorporators, was incorporated by the Court of Commons Pleas during April term, 1855), a certain tract of land for the purpose of building a "meeting-house and parsonage thereon, and a classical school, and for no other purpose." (2) The Asberry and Tipton Churches, the oldest organizations in the circuit. (3) The Gehrs, the ancestors of John Gheer, emigrated from Germany to Phila- delphia some thirty years before the beginning of the first war between Great Britain and the United States. In 1843, John Gheer removed from Elizabeth, Allegheny Co., Pa., to Davidsburg. He has been a respected citizen of that town and Bell's Mills since. By occupation he is a cabinet maker, and since 1873 has served as a justice of the peace.