CHURCH: New Harmony Presbyterian Church, York County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Marta Norton Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/york/ ________________________________________________ NOTE – THIS BOOK WILL BE DONATED BY THE CONTRIBUTOR TO THE YORK COUNTY HERITAGE TRUST, 250 EAST MARKET STREET, YORK, PA 17403. York County, PA Historical Records of New Harmony Presbyterian Church, In York County, PA. Up to June 21st, 1874. Oxford, PA “Oxford Press” Book and Job Office 1874 HISTORY During the summer of 1847 a number of person belonging to the Chanceford Presbyterian Church being obliged to travel a distance of from five to seven mils to attend public worship on the Sabbath, began to agitate the question of building a house of worship in neighborhood of the Brogue, in Chanceford township. In August of that year a meeting was called at the house of Mr. G.S. Murphy to take the subject into consideration. After much deliberation they resolved to go forward with the building. A committee consisting of Messers. Hugh Long, Esq., and G.S. Murphy was appointed to select a suitable location for the building. This committee selected the three acres of ground on which the church now stands, which was purchased by the society of Mr. John M. Funk for the sum of $30.00, which amount was generously donated by Mr. Funk towards the erection of the house. On the 25th of December another meeting was called, and a committee appointed to solicit subscriptions towards building the house. Nothing further was done except soliciting aid until the following spring. One the 24th of March, 1848, a meeting was held at the Brogue, and the following persons were appointed to superintend the work of building, viz: Messrs. Robt Gemmill, James Gemmill, and John A. Murphy. Active measures were at once entered upon; contractors were procured for the different parts of the work. LAYING THE CORNER STONE On the 11th day of August, 1848, a large number of people assembled to witness the laying of the corner stone. Among the number were following ministers, viz: John Farquhar, S. Hume Smith, Rodger Owen, Andrew Mitchel, and Mr. Lemon of the M.E. Church. Rev. S. H. Smith opened the exercises with prayer. Rev. Rodger Owen preached an appropriate sermon, choosing for his text, Nehemiah IV, 6. The corner stone was then laid by the Rev. John Farquhar, after which appropriate addresses were made by Revs. Rarquhar, Smith and Owen. Rev. Mr. Lemon led in prayer, and the exercises were closed with the Apostolic benediction by Rev. S. H. Smith. DEDICATION The rapidity with which the work was carried forward showed the earnest desire of the people to enter their house of worship. Before the beginning of winter their hearts’ desire was gratified. On Sabbath, December 3, 1848, the house was solemnly dedicated to the worship of the Triune God. Rev. S. H. Smith preached the sermon, and Rev. J. Farquhar made the dedicatory prayer. ORGANIZATION At first it was proposed to hold this as a Station or Chapel of ease in connection with the Chanceford Church, but owing to the distance from that church and the increasing population of this community, it was thought that the interest of the Lord’s work could best be promoted by a separate organization. This being decided upon, a petition was sent to the Presbytery of Donegal, at the spring meeting of 1849, for such an organization. Wereupon a committee consisting of Revs. J. McNair, Rodger Owen, T. M. Boggs, and Elders A. Clarkston and Andrew Anderson, was appointed to visit the field on the 21st of June, and if they way be clear organize the church. At the time appointed the committee appeared, the finding no hinderances in the way proceeded with the organization. Twenty-four persons presented letters from the Chanceford Church, and four from Hopewell or Round Hill. After these names had been received, the committee proceeded to an election for Ruling Elders, when the following persons were unanimously chosen by ballot, viz: Hugh Long, Esq., John A. Murphy and James Stewart. Mr. Long having been ordained an elder in Chanchford Church, Messrs. Murphy and Stewart were properly ordained, and the three installed in office. It was then resolved that this organization be known by the name of New Harmony Presbyterian Church. The church was now ready for SUPPLIES AND PASTORS From the time the church was dedicated, in the fall of 1848, till some time in the summer of 1850, the church was supplied alternately by the Rev. J. Farquhar, pastor of Chanceford, and Rev. S. H. Smith, pastor of Hopewell Church. In the summer of 1850, Rev. T.M. Crawford was invited to supply this church in connection with the recently organized church of Slateville. In the spring of 1851 the New Harmony pulpit was left vacant on account of Mr. Crawford having received and accepted a call from Slateville for all his time and labor. From the time of Mr. Crawford’s removel till in the year 1853, the church was without a regular supply. In May, 1853, a unanimous call was extended by the congregation to the Rev. J. J. Lane, pastor elect of Wrightsville church for one-half his time. On the 18th of October, Mr. Lane was installed the first pastor of the church. The Rev. Samuel Park preached the sermon from 2d Timothy IV, 2. Rev. J. Farquhar have the charge to the partor, and Rev. T. M. Crawford the charge to the people. This relation between Mr. Lane and the church was dissolved December 15, 1857. Mr. Lane in a recent communication says, “I found the church with 62 member in all, I left it with 139 of a membership. It made an increase of membership during the time of my being pastor of about 82 members.” The Rev. J. L. Merrill having been invited by the congregation, entered upon the work of a supply May 1st, 1859. On September 23, 1860, Presbytery placed in the hands of Mr. Merrill a unanimous call from the church. Seeing his was clear to accept, Mr. Merrill was on the 27th of October, 1860, ordained to the full work of the ministry, and installed pastor over the church. The Rev. John B. Kugler preached the sermon, Rev. J. Y. Cowhick gave the charge to the pastor, and Rev. L. C. Rutter the charge of the people. Mr. Merrill continued pastor of the church till the spring of 1865 when the relationship was dissolved. During this pastorate the church was in a prosperous condition; about 53 persons were added to the membership, nearly all on profession of faith. Sixty-five children were baptized. After the regination of Mr. Merrill, the church was without a regular supply till May 1st, 1869, when the present pastor, A. F. Morrison, entered upon the labor of stated supply. In April, 1871 a call was extended him to become pastor of the charge. The call being accepted, he was installed June 13, 1871. The Rev. R. Gamble preached the sermon, Rev. R. M. Crawford gave the charge to the people, and Rev. J. Y. Cowhick the charge of the pastor. Through the history of this church has not been one of remarkable ingatherings, yet its growth has been constant and healthy. Of the fifty communion seasons since the organization of the church, only six have passed without some accessions, and these principally occurred when the pulpit was vacant. ELDERSHIPS Hugh Long, Esq., installed June 21, 1864 John A. Murphy, ordained and installed June 21, 1849 James Stewart, ordained and installed June 21, 1849 Robert Graham, ordained and installed July 6, 1851 Valentine Trout, ordained and installed July 6, 1851 David Workinger, ordained and installed July 6, 1851 W. A. Thompson, Esq., ordained and installed January 1, 1871 J. M. Andrews, ordained and installed January 1, 1871 On the 20th of August, 1858, Mr. Long was called from his earthly work. He was a man of piety, active in this duties of his office, and beloved by all. Two of the eldership, Messers. Murphy and Stewart, have served a full quarter of a century and are still actively engaged in the work of their office. Three members will soon have served twenty-three years, and are yet active members of session. It will be seen for the date of organization that the twenty-fifth anniversary of the church will occur on June 21st of the present year. Thus for a quarter of a century the building has stood as a Bethel, a place, of which many now in glory, and many yet on earth, can say, “I was born there.” MEMBERSHIP OF THE CHURCH Explanation: L. United by Letter. Ex. United on Examination. * Indicates that the person is dead. % Indicates that the person has been dismissed. Joseph Murhpy * L June 21, 1849 Alice Murphy “ “ John A. Murphy “ “ Nancy C. Murphy “ “ George S. Murphy “ “ Rebekah Murphy “ “ Hugh Long * “ “ John Stewart * “ “ Margaret Stewart * “ “ James Stewart “ “ Mary A. Stewart “ “ Martha Long * “ “ Martha Murphy * “ “ John H. Stewart % “ “ Agnes Stewart % “ “ Thomas Brooks “ “ Elizabeth Brooks “ “ Margaret Douglas % “ “ Robt. M. Smith “ “ E. J. Smith “ “ Robt. Graham “ “ Sarah F. Graham * “ “ James Murphy * “ “ Mary Murphy * “ “ James Gemmill * “ “ Mary A. Gemmill “ “ Robert Gemmill % “ “ Jane Gemmill % “ “ Valentine Trout “ Sept. 21, 1849 Maria Trout * “ “ David Workinger “ “ Mary Workinger “ “ Ann Nichols * “ “ Wm. H. Frey Ex. “ Margaret Frey “ “ Thomas R. Stewart * L Sept. 30, 1849 Sarah J. Stewart % “ “ Stephen McKinley * “ “ Jane McKinley “ “ Joseph M. Griffith “ “ Martha W. Griffith “ “ Mary Murphy * “ “ Robert Andrews “ “ Margaret Andrews * “ “ William Stewart “ “ Elizabeth McCall * “ “ Ann Kay % “ “ Cath. Williams * “ “ Nancy Williams “ “ Jane Griffith “ “ Jane Dunlap “ June 1, 1850 Martha Dunlap “ “ Elizabeth Dunlap * “ “ Mary P. Stewart “ “ James Anderson “ “ Rudolph Miller “ “ Mary Miller * “ “ William Workinger “ “ Barbara Workinger “ “ Solomon Blouse “ “ Jacob Duke * Ex. “ Margaret Anderson “ “ Elizabeth Ayers * “ “ Smith Ayers “ “ Samatha Warner “ “ W. G. B. Johnston “ “ Mary R. Johnston “ “ Ann J. G. Johnston “ “ Alexander Ayers * “ Nov. 16, 1850 Emily Ayers * “ “ Martha J. Kay “ “ Jacob Keener L “ Susan Keener “ “ George Wolf % “ “ Jane Stewart “ “ Jane Armstrong * “ “ Eliza Douglass * “ June 8, 1851 Agnes Wolf “ “ Mary A. Wolf * “ “ Charles Duncan % “ “ Mrs. Duncan % “ “ George Warner “ “ Joseph Wolf “ “ Cath. Duke * Ex. “ Ann Wolf “ “ Mary Douglass * L Oct. 6, 1851 John Wolf “ “ Mrs. Blouse * Ex. “ Benj. A. Ambrose % “ June 5, 1852 Agnes Anderson * “ Oct. 2, 1852 Eliz. Overlander “ “ Martha Ambrose * “ “ Thomas S. Gemmill % “ “ John Butt “ June 4, 1853 Nancy Butt “ “ Jane Harris * L Nov. 6, 1853 Nancy Duncan * “ “ Mary Wolf * “ “ George W. Bacon % Ex. “ A. G. Grove “ “ Eliz. A. Grove “ “ Margaret E. Stewart % “ “ Elizabeth Bigler L May 20, 1854 Sarah A. Harris % “ “ William Harris % Ex. “ Caroline Hewitt “ “ Elizabeth Stager % L Oct. 22, 1854 Jacob Stager % “ “ Susan M. McKinnon % Ex. “ Sarah E. McKinnon “ “ Samuel Shaw “ “ Daniel Blouse “ “ Henrietta Blouse * “ “ Elizabeth H. Bigler % “ “ Sarah J. Bigler % “ “ Susan Brooks % “ “ Mary L. Murphy % “ “ George G. Anderson “ June 1, 1855 Margaret J. Thompson % “ “ Elizabeth J. Andrews % “ “ George Keener “ “ William Campbell * “ Nov. 2, 1855 Nancy Chism “ “ Martha A. Murphy % “ “ John Collins % “ “ James P. Maffet “ “ Rebekah Maffet “ “ Elizabeth Brooks % L May 2, 1856 Jane A. Stewart % Ex. “ Alexander Thompson * “ “ Alexander Thompson, Jr. “ “ Mary A. McCalister % “ “ Sarah E. Workinger “ “ Agnes H. Thompson % “ “ Mary A. Thompson * L Nov 2, 1856 Joseph Miller “ “ Cath. Miller “ “ W. W. Anderson % Ex. “ Mary Anderson % “ “ Cath. B. Miller “ “ Mary J. Gimmill “ “ Agnes Miller “ “ Elizabeth J. Stewart “ “ Peter Miller “ “ Cath. Ellen Kay % “ “ Elizabeth Miller “ “ Cath. Workinger “ “ James Sproul % “ May 29, 1857 Rebekah Sproul % “ “ Cath. Chriswell % “ “ John Miller L “ Cath. Miller “ “ Charles Wolf “ “ Elizabeth Wolf “ “ Susan Keener “ “ Abbie M. Murphy % Ex. May 29, 1858 John Patterson “ “ Wm. A. Thompson “ June 4, 1859 John A. Thompson % “ “ Mary A. Thompson % “ “ Margaret J. Workinger “ “ Hugh L. Andrews “ Nov. 12, 1859 Hervey R. Andrews “ “ Thomas L. Graham % “ “ Joseph A. Murphy % “ “ William G. Stewart “ “ Samuel Warner “ “ Elizabeth Workinger “ “ Anna Keer L May 25, 1860 James A. Monroe Ex. “ Lavinia Monroe “ “ John R. Stewart * “ “ Joseph R. Murphy * “ Nov. 2, 1860 Maria L. Smith % L “ R.S. Gemmill Ex. Oct. 26, 1861 Isabell Gemmill “ “ Mary A. Porter “ “ Lavinia Thompson % “ “ Thomas J. Douglass “ May 24, 1862 John Miller “ Oct. 4, 1862 Cath. B. Miller “ “ Philip Miller “ “ James A. Stewart % “ “ Sarah E. Stewart % “ “ Andrew Hanch “ June 5, 1863 Isabel L. Griffith “ “ Cath. Taylor % “ “ Andrew A. Maffet “ Oct. 9, 1863 Mary J. Maffett “ “ John Shaull * “ “ Elizabeth M. Shaull “ “ Harriett Wolfir % “ “ Annie E. Murphy “ “ Sarah J. Stewart “ “ James Downs “ June 10, 1864 Rebekah Downs L “ Rose Hewitt * Ex. “ Susan H. Riale * L June 4, 1865 Samuel J. Lynes Ex. “ Theodosia Lynes “ “ Alice M. Murphy % “ “ Asenath A. Stewart “ “ Sarah M. Workinger “ “ Hannah M. Murphy % “ “ Martha A. Murphy % “ “ Mary A. Workinger “ “ Lucinda M. Andrews “ “ Rebekah C. Stewart % “ “ Elizabeth J. Griffith “ “ Mary S. Bigler “ “ Susan Miller “ May 19, 1866 Sarah Miller “ “ Hester Riale L Nov. 4, 1866 Jennie M. Wolf * Ex. June 1, 1867 Sarah M. Butt “ Nov. 11, 1867 R. A. E. Butt “ “ Catharine Thompson L “ Rebekah J. Shaull Ex. June 5, 1868 Annie E. Maffet “ “ Agnes R. Frey % “ “ Maggie M. Stewart “ “ W. W. Maffet “ “ Benj. W. Lynes “ “ Maggie W. Lynes “ “ H. E. H. Graham * “ “ Maria J. Trout “ “ Maggie R. Trout “ “ Andrew W. Brooks L June 6, 1869 George Trout Ex. “ Sarah Trout “ “ J. McCall Andrews “ “ Mary J. Andrews “ “ W. F. B. Stewart “ “ T. Z. H. Murphy “ Oct. 17, 1869 Margie A. Murphy “ “ Mary A. Griffith “ “ M. Anne Griffith “ “ Elizabeth A. Trout “ “ Maggie E. W. Stewart % “ “ Lucy J. Workinger “ “ Mary E. Chism “ “ Jennie E. Murphy “ “ Maggie E. Maffet “ “ Mary M. Frey “ “ Callie D. Bigler % “ “ William McCormick “ “ J. Wiley Murphy “ “ T. S. Smith Stewart “ “ William Trout “ “ Joseph W. Stewart “ “ John Miller “ “ Emanuel Warner “ “ J. T. C. Stewart % “ “ Jacob W. Workinger “ “ B. Frank Dever “ “ George B. Murphy “ “ John S. Murphy “ “ William C. Wolf “ “ William H. Workinger “ “ A. Thompson Stewart “ “ George Riale L June 5, 1870 Ann W. Workinger “ Oct. 8, 1870 E. Richeardson Brooks % Ex. “ Samuel Runkle “ May 14, 1871 Mary A. Runkle “ “ James A. Ewing “ “ Eliza J. Ewing “ “ Agnes D. Miller “ “ William A. Workinger “ “ Martha E. Thompson “ “ Mary A. McCormick “ “ Lizzie McCormick “ “ Mary M. Anderson “ “ J. Wiley Gemmill “ “ Dr. B. F. Porter L Oct. 1, 1871 Sarah J. Porter “ “ Elizabeth Armstrong “ “ John Riale Ex. May 18, 1872 Hannah M. Stewart “ “ David Bigler * “ Aug. 11, 1872 John Brooks “ “ Sophia Brooks “ “ Maggie R. Brooks “ “ E. Ella Frey “ “ Emma C. Gemmill L May 18, 1873 James C. Graham Ex. “ Lucy L. Stewart “ “ Eliz. Annie Lynes “ “ Maggie McCormick “ “ Barbara Thompson L Sept. 28, 1873 Jacob B. Warner “ “ Cath. E. Wolf Ex. “ Ida M. Murphy “ “ Jospeh M. Wolf “ “ Nancy B. Kuffman “ May 24, 1874 Emma Smith “ “ John Workinger “ “ A. Purdy Grove “ “ M. Calvin Murphy “ “ J. Henderson Stewart “ “ STATISTICS OF THE CHURCH From the Organization to the twenty-fifth Anniversary June 21st, 1874 Whole number added to the church................300 Number dismissed.................................56 Number of deaths.................................49 Number dropped from the regular roll.............30 Present active membership.......................165 Whole number of baptisms........................251 Number of adults.................................21 Number of infants...............................230 Number of original members still in the church...13 Whole number of original members living..........18