Church: Selected Goshen Baptist Church Minutes, 1773-1857: Greene Co, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by M. Burns. marta43@juno.com USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. ____________________________________________________________ Muddy Creek Presbyterian church from History of Greene County by Rev William Hanna, 1882, p 240 Another custom of the Presbyterians and the Seceders in those good old days was that they made it a conscientious duty to sing the praises of Jehovah. They had no thought of selecting some half dozen persons and making them responsible for that part of the worship. On the contrary, the Session chose a man who had the ability to read well and sing well and they called him "the clerk." A grand description of one of these personages is found in the language of Rev John McClintock who has for upwards of forty years ministered to this old church on Muddy creek. The name of this singer was Francis McClelland, the pen picture is as follows: "Courteous in manners of the old Virginia type, venerable for age, of commanding appearance and erect form, of genial temper and social habit." Nearly simultaneous with the date of American Independence, he made his home in what was then called west of the Allegheny Mountains. A pleasure enjoyed by few persons now living, he once had the opportunity of seeing him whom the American delight to call the Father of his Country. Mr McClelland was conversant with the stirring scenes and events of the Revolution and could related many thrilling adventures connected with Indian warfare. In the nineteenth year of his age under the ministrations of Rev Robert Finley, he united with this church of which he continued to be a member for a period of seventy six years. His pilgrimage on earth closed with the joyful hope of heaven at the age of ninety five years. This man stood up before the congregation reading two lines at a time from Watts, then raising some one of the following tunes: Old Hundred; Coronation; Mear; Pisgah; Portugal; Russia; Dunlap's Creek; America or Coles Hill. The clerk ususally beat the time while all the people helped to raise the "joyful sound." The people and session of this old church have long ago pledged themselves to total abstinance from all intoxicating drinks; hence we find on their minutes this record, "Resolved that in the judgement of this session, no person can be regarded as a member of this church in good standing who habitually indulges in the use of intoxicating drinks." In addition to this I fear dissultary history of some of the old families connected with this church. I will append several names of persons no so immediately connected with the church but dwellers in the neighborhood upwards of half a century ago. This list was sent to me by Mr John H RINEHART, an old Greene countian now living in Ashland Co, Ohio, who has not been in this county for fifty two years. I sent the list to the Rev J McClintock, who has appended numerous explanations. The first name is William CARMICHAELS, proprietor, of the town; James LONDEC; Isaiah CLEAVENGER, father of Samuel Cleavenger, a member of the Waynesburg bar and at one time a prominent candidate for Congress; Samuel HIGINBOTHEM is said to have no descendants in Greene but several in Fayette county; Mathew IRWIN, no descendants in these parts; James HUGHES, numerous descendants about Jefferson and Rice's Landing; Jay THOMPSON, Justice of the Peace; James SEATON Esq, descendants all gone from original neighborhood; Daniel MOREDOCK has two sons, James Moredock and Ligget Moredock, near the place of their ancestors' settlement; Aaron GREGG has one son, Aaron Gregg, still in the vicinity; Alfred Gregg has several sons in the neighborhood. James CURL was the father of Thomas Curl and Hiram Curl; Thomas is dead. John SHARPNECK has some children here yet. John CRAWFORD was the father of John Crawford, William Crawford and Jefferson Crawford, all deceased. Charles ANDERSON has no children here except Mrs John HATHAWAY. James CARR and Archie Carr are both here yet with many children, each family having a James, William and Archie. James BARNES, one of the most ingenious men in this county came from Vriginia at an early day and is still living. He also has two sons, William Barnes and Thomas Barnes. Philomen HUGHES, a school teacher; Benjamin WEST, a school teacher. John CRAGO was among the early settlers of the Muddy Creek region. His son John Crago of Carmichaesl is said to be in possession of some interesting reminiscences which I hope to see before the history is closed. I learn there is still another John Crago, a carriage maker in the town, while Jack Crago lives in the country. The REA family were old settlers. James Rea and J H Rea are sons of John Rea who emigrated from Bucks county long ago. The JAMISON family that once was numerous has now only three representatives left, Jehu Jamison and two daughters of Henry Jamison, Abbie and Jennie. The McCLELLANDS came to Green County shortly after the commencement of the present century and became very numerous, but by emigration and death their numbers have been depleted until they are nearly all gone. The CREE family which was once numerous in this vicinity have now but three representatives left; these are Hiram Creek and two sisters. Their father's name was Hamilton Cree. The men who were at different times members of the Board of Trustees of the New Providence Church which was incorporated in 1804 are as follows: James Flenniken; John Flenniken; Josias Lowrie; Samuel Harper; John McClelland; William Moore; Andrew McClelland Jr; Samuel Huston; Robert Morrison; Elias Flenniken; Robert McClelland; James Veech; Francis McClelland; David Veech; Abram Scott; George Davis; William Armstrong; Daniel Stephenson; Andrew Morrison; James Irwin; Charles Swan; John Rea; John N Flenniken; Henry Barclay; James Flenniken; Russell Armstrong; William Crawford; Alfred Armstrong. Other extensive families are located on Muddy Creek in the direction of Jefferson and Waynesburg. Among these families are the LONGS, the ancestors of which I have no information at present. Eli Long was a man of considerable prominence. His homestead was near the spot where the first court was ever held within the bounds of this county at the house of Jacob KLINE in 1799, previous to the building of the log house on the corner of Green Street and Whiskey alley, which was long occupied as a temple of justice.