The Great Valley Church had a congregation as early as 1710, but was not formally organized until 1714, and most of its parishioners were of Welsh origin. ...The first church building for Great Valley was erected in 1720 and stood for over 70 years. Rev. Rowland faced strong opposition in the congregation and in 1741, left Great Valley to start up a new congregation at Charlestown. ... Rev. John Simonton became minister for the congregation in 1761 and held that position until his death in 1791.
"In 1791, the Great Valley church was joined with the Charlestown church under Rev. John Gemmill and a new church building was constructed for the Great Valley church. Rev. Gemmill's ministry was followed by ... and in 1859 the churches separated again ."
SOURCE: Patterson, Robert Mayne, "HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF THE GREAT (CHESTER) VALLEY" (Alfred Martien, Philadelphia 1869). "
During the last four years of his life, Mr. Simonton was laid aside, from the active discharge of his duties by ill health. The Church was dependent upon the Presbytery for supplies...Mr. Simonton died in 1791. On the 18th of October, in the same year, a call was presented, to Presbytery, from the united Congregations of the Great Valley and Charlestown, for the services of Mr. John Gemmil. In this call, these two societies were joined by a few Presbyterians residing in the town of West Chester, who at this period assumed the existence and form of a congregation. Mr. Gemmil was a native of this state, and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. The minutes of Presbytery state that he had 'obtained the honors of a College.' He had been licensed April 21st, 1789, and had been very frequently sent as a supply to the Valley, during the last days of Mr. Simonton. In 1790 a call was presented to him from the Church of Huntington, on Long Island, which he held under advisement until October of the following year. He then referred the decision to Presbytery. The Huntington people were numerous and respectable, and though they had been divided, were happily united on Mr. Gemmill. On the other hand, these congregations were scattered and unsettled, and likely to be wholly broken up if not soon supplied. He was, therefore, advised to accept their call, which he did; and on the 3d of November, 1791, he was ordained and installed - Dr. Ashbel Green, William M. Tennent, and Nathaniel Irwin conducting the services... "[At Charlestown Church] In 1774, The Rev. Daniel McCalla was called and ordained and continued in the church until the Revolution commenced. He then became chaplain to a regiment that marched to Canada, was taken prisoner, paroled and, on his return, forsook his charge and went to Virginia. The church was evidently in a very weak and struggling condition, and was glad, after half a century's sad separation, to unite with the Valley in calling Mr. Gemmil. The two, then formed one church, but with the two houses of worship. "Under the ministry of Mr. Gemmil, the congregation so rapidly increased that it became necessary to erect a larger house of worship. Accordingly the foundation of a new church was laid, May 20, 1793 and the building was completed in March following. This is the house in which the church assembles today.
At different times it has been modernized... "The West Chester
congregation did not keep in existence long. In 1795 Mr. Gemmil was released
from the charge of it. The present West Chester church is a more recent
organization. "In 1795 Mr. Gemmil received a call from the church at White
Haven, Connecticut, which he declined. Another call was presented from the
First Church of Wilmington; and he also received an invitation to the
Theological Chair of Yale College. These calls he referred to Presbytery,
who, January 6, 1796 - the Commissioners from the Valley and Charlestown
protesting against his acceptance - declined to remove him. On May 15,
1798, another call from the united congregations of White Haven and Fair
Haven, and one from Elizabeth, were presented. He accepted the former,
against the wish of this church, and was dismissed to the Association of
New Haven. "He was evidently a man of power and of great popularity.
A theologian he must have been, to be invited to occupy a Theological
Chair. A reputation for eloquence, also has survived him. That was
associated with much boldness, and plainness, in the exhibition of
practical truths for the flock ' did not find him as passive as John the
Simontite, for what he withheld, through fear of offending, John the Gemmilite
delivered through pride of oratory'; a compliment, no doubt, under the
uncharitable censure. Unhappily for himself, for a brother minister and
for the Church, he returned, and for a time resided in the bounds of the
congregation.." This last sentence is preceded by an X with
handwritten note in margins (hand of author himself?) "His health
failed Mr. G. returned to Chester Valley - Mr. Latta his successor was
living in half of Mr. Gemmil's house - so he occupied the vacant half. The
---- of Mr. Latta ---- he thinking he had come to disturb his ----. Mr.
Gemmil's health continued to fail. He went to P.C. Church. Twas ----
-----. He never was able to take charge of congregation on account(?) of
his health."
email address for the Great Valley Presbyterian Church greatvalleypres@juno.com
This is the follow-up for First Churches of Chester County Pennsylvania; Early Church Records Vol. 2 Chester Co.Pa.
The oldest Presbyterian Church in Chester County is the Great Valley in Tredyffrin Township where there was a congregation
as early as 1710. In its early years the congregation was largely Welsh. A
Church building was erected in 1720. The first minister was Malachi Jones who
was replaced by David Evans in 1720. The Charlestown Presbyterian Church was
erected in 1743 as a result of the Old Side/New Side split of the congregation
of Great Valley. Principally involved in the organization of the Church were
David Humphries, David John, Griffith Jones, Lewis Martin and Anthony Pritchard.
In 1791 the two churches united. The Upper Octorara Church in Sadsbury Township
was organized in 1720. Prior to 1724 it was supplied by Rev. David Evans and
Rev. David Magill. The first regular pastor was Adam Boyd, from County Antrim,
Ireland, installed in 1724. The Old Side/New Side controversy split this
congregation with the forming of the Second Congregation of Upper Octorara by
the New Side; Rev. Andrew Sterling was a pastor from 1747 to 1765. The churches
united in 1768. Fagg's Manor Presbyterian Church was formed in 1730. It was
first called New Londonderry, taking its name from the Township. Rev. Samuel
Blair, native of Ireland, became its first pastor in 1740. The Rock
Presbyterian Church was organized in 1720. The first structure was in
Lewisville, Elk Township; the second church was erected by the New Side in 1741
at Fair Hill, Cecil County, Maryland; the third location was in Cecil County
near the line with Chester County. The New London Presbyterian Church was
founded in 1728. Its first minister was Rev. Samuel Gelston, native of Ireland.
Doe Run Presbyterian Church was erected in 1740. It had supplies from the New
Side Presbyterian
Forks of the Brandywine Presbyterian Church
This Church was also known as Brandywine Manor in common parlance, and
constituted, in early times, a part of what is now Upper Octorara. It was
originally under the care of Rev. Adam Boyd, but was organized as a separate
congregation in 1735, at which time a building for worship had been erected. The
first pastor of the separate congregation was Rev.. Samuel Black, installed
11-10-1736. In the latter year there occurred the schism in the Presbyterian
church which divided it into "old side" and "new side", and
a Rev. Adam Boyd ministered to those of the ''old side". The church
reunited in 1760.
Upper Octorara
The Upper Octorara Church, in Sadsbury Township, one mile north of Parksburg was organized in 1720. The prefix "Upper" subsequently given to distingish it from Middle Octorara, in Lancaster County, and Lower Octorara, now lower West Nottingham. Prior to 1724 it Was supplied by Rev. David Evans and Rev. David Magill.
The first regular pastor was Rev. Adam
Boyd, a native of County Antrim,
Ireland, who was installed Oct. 13,1724. Previous to this date a log
church building had been erected. Mr. Boyd was at that time thirty-two years of
age, and ten days after his ordination was married to Jane, daughter of
Rev. Thomas Craighead. His original field of labor Was quite
extensive, and embraced that now occupied by several congregations. In
1741 the church was rent in twain by the "Old Side" and "
New Side" controversy, and a new church organized by these of the "New
Side," bearing the name of "The Second Congregation of Upper
Octorara,"
over which the Rev. Andrew Sterling was pastor from 1747 to 1765. They worshiped
in the church edifice which they erected on the farm lately of Cyrus Cooper, now
belonging to
David Parke,overlooking the Great Valley. During the division Mr. Boyd
continued his relations to the old church, and also ministered to the "Old
Side" portion of the Brandywine Manor Church. In 1768 the
divisions were
healed, and the two churchs of Octorara became again one. Mr. Boyd
died
Nov. 23, 1768, aged seventy-six years, having been pastor for a period of
forty-four years.
The stone covering his grave records that he was eminent through
life, for
modest piety, diligence in his office, prudence, equanimity, and peace."
Early in his pastorate the second church edifice, built of stone, Was erected. He left four sons and six daughters, and his descendants
are now
numerous. One of his sons, Col. Andrew Boyd, was lieutenant of the county
of
Chester during the Revolution.
In 1768, Rev. William Foster became pastor of the reunited congregation.
One of their first acts after the reunion Was the enlargement, in 1769, of
the old church to double its former capacity, making it substantially a new
building, and else the erection of a "session" or "Studyhouse,"
as they were
then called,which is still standing in a corner of the present graveyard.
The church edifice which had been used by the 'New Side" was sold and
removed. An old graveyard still marks the spot where it stood.
Mr. Foster
was pastor until his death, Sept. 30, 1780, at the age of forty-one years.
He was evidently a man of very superior mind, and was much esteemed by all
who knew him for his solid sense and unaffected piety. His wife was a
daughter of the celebrated Rev. Samuel Blair, of Fagg's Manor, and he Was
a brother-in -law of Rev. John Carmichael, of Brandywine Manor. Rev.
Robert Smith, D.D., of Pequea, the
father of the celebrated Samuel Stanhope Smith and John Blair Smith, Was an
uncle of Mr. Foster. During the Revolutionary war Mr. Foster Was an ardent
patriot, and so obnoxious did he become to the British by zeal in the cause of
the patriots that they planned an expedition to capture him, but it was foiled through,
the vigilance of his friends. Many of his descendants have filled positions
of prominence and usefulness both in church and State, among them the late
Ron.Henry J. Foster, of Westmoreland Co., Pa. Rev. Alexander Mitchell
succeeded Mr. Foster in the pastorate, and served from 1785 until 1796. He
was a scholar and a man of excellent mind, and social in his disposition,
but as a preacher he was not popular. He died Dec. 6,1812, at the age of
eighty -one years. The following list gives the surnames of families
connected with the congregation at different times during the last century.
In this list of 82 surnames about 30 are borne by members of the congregation at the present day(1889)Alison, Allen, Arthur, Boggs,
Blelock,
Boyd, Boyle, Bailey, Crawford, Cowan, Clingan, Cochran, Copeland, Dickey, Davidson,
Divin, Dougherty, Filson, Fleming, Foster, Futhey, Forsyth,
Fulton, Grier, Gillfillan, Gardner, Good, Glendenning, Heslip, Hope, Hamill,
Henderson, Hershberger, Irwin, Kerr, Kinkead, Kyle, King, Keys, Kilpatrick,
Liggett, Lockhart, Luckey, McAllister, McNeil, McClure, McPherson, McClellan, McCune, McKim, McWilliams, Mitchell,
Morrison, Moody, Officer, Parke, Pinkerton, Porter, Rowan, Richmond, Ramsay,
Robb, Ruth,Sharpe, Scott, Sloan, Sandford, Summeril, Stewart, Smith, Stills,
Thompson, Wilkin, Wiley, Wilson, Withrow, Wents, Wright, Wells, Wallace, Wigton,
and Young.
Upper Octorara Presbyterian Church - pastoral record 1894-5
Donegal Presbyterian Church, Lancaster County
Part I: First Presbyterian Church Marriages 1760-1803
Part II: First Presbyterian Church Marriages 1760 - 1803
Death Notices from the Philadelphia Public Ledger (26 Jan 1863)
Death Notices from the Philadelphia Public Ledger (15 Feb 1885)
Marriage Notices from the Philadelphia Public Ledger (26 Jan 1863)
Presbyterian Historical Society