Church: History of Fagg's Manor Presbyterian Church from The History of Chester 
County by Futhey and Cope (1881); Chester County, PA

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Sandra Ferguson
<ferg@intelos.net>.

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From Futhey and Cope's THE HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA (1881)

Fagg's Manor Presbyterian Church, Chester County, PA  was established in an
area largely settled by the Scots Irish.  This is a list of some of the
leading men in the Church  in the 1767 timeframe; Job Ruston, James Cochran, 
John Ramsey, David Ramsey, John Love, John Smith, John Simpson, William Boyd, 
Moses Ross, David Simpson, David Fleming, Montgomery Kennedy, James Gilleland, 
John Culbertson, John Caruthers, and Stephen Cochran, Sr.

Fagg's Manor Presbyterian church  was organized by those in the Upper
Octorara and New London area, and  was located in the NW corner of what was 
called Sir John Fagg's Manor, but first called New Londonderry, from the 
township in which it is located.  The first pastor was Samuel Blair, who came 
from Ireland in early youth and was educated in Bucks co at a school which 
became knows as the "Log College". He was pastor till his death in 1751 at the 
age of 39.  His brother the Rev John Blair succeeded him and continued the
school which his brother had established.  In 1767 he became a professor in
the College of NJ, at Princeton, and moved there.
    The church was without a regular pastor when John Blair left, till 1781,
when John  Evans Finley was installed.  He married the dau of Job Ruston, a
leading member of the congregation, but  who moved his family to Kentucky,
in 1793.
    There was a vacancy of several years, till Patrick Davidson took charge
in 1797, but he only was there one year.  The next minister was Robert
White, installed in 1809, and he remained till his death in 1835.  Rev.
Alfred Hamilton succeeded Mr White in 1836 and was there till 1859, when he
moved to Illinois.  He established an academy for young men, named "Blair
Hall", in honor of the brothers Samuel and John Blair.
    The pastors following Dr. Hamilton were Justice Umsted 1860-1872,
William Noble 1872-1881.