L s d For 1 quart of whiskey 0 1 10 Half-pound of tobacco 0 1 6 6-1/2 yards of Irish linen, at 6s per yard 1 19 0 Half-yard of cambric 0 4 2 2 yards of white flannel 0 9 0 1 pack of playing cards 0 3 0 3 yards of hair ribbon 0 4 6 1 pack of playing cards 0 2 6 Total 3 5 6 By making a suit of clothes 1 2 6 Remainder 2 3 0Whiskey was worth at the above figures 25 cents per quart in our currency; tobacco, forty cents per pound; playing cards, seventy-five per pack; hair ribbon, sixty cents; white flannel, $1.20; Irish linen, $5.75; good prices for a pioneer to pay with corn selling at ten cents a bushel.
Mr. WALLACE was a man who had received a liberal education, but was rather indolent in his studies in after life. His manner of preaching was not of the first order of eloquence, nor was his discourse always arranged in the systematic order.
But when he addressed the throne of grace in prayer few men were more able and impressive. He had a natural vein of wit and satire, which at times he was in the habit of indulging too freely in conversation, and which frequently made him enemies, when it might otherwise have been avoided. He died in 1853.
In the year 1817 the Presbyterian congregation belonging to the General Assembly and the Associate Reformed congregation in Hamilton united in the erection of a building for a place of public worship. According to the agreement between them, each of the congregations were to have the privilege of occupying the house half of the time. For the purpose of carrying this agreement into effect, they purchased from David K. ESTE the south half of inlot No. 103, at the west end of where the Basin afterward was constructed, and which is now covered with warehouses and stores, for the price of one hundred and fifty dollars. On this, in the year of 1818, they erected a brick building for a church, fifty feet long by forty feet wide, which cost three thousand and ninety-eight dollars and eighty-eight and a half cents. The prices of material were at that time very high, and the work was not conducted with the most rigid regard to economy, so that the building cost a much larger sum than it ought to have done. The interior of the building, however, was never entirely completed. The interior of the building, however, was never intriely completed. On the location and construction of the Hamilton Basin in 1828, the congregations deeming the site of their building not a suitable place of public worship, sold out the lot and building for the sum of six hundred dollars to Silas SMITH, who converted the building into a store and commission warehouse. Part of the wall is still standing, and forms a part of Jacob's Hall, on Third Street, between Basin and High.
A deed of conveyance not having been executed by Mr. ESTE to the congregations, one was made by him directly to Silas SMITH. The deed bears date the 22d of May, 1828. The two congregations divided the proceeds of the sale between them, intending each to purchase a lot and build for themselves.
On the 21st of January, 1829, John REILY made a deed of conveyance to James BOAL, George R. BIGHAM, James B. THOMAS and Caleb DeCAMP, trustees of the First Congregation of Hamilton and Rossville, of inlot No. 22, in the south part of Hamilton, for the use of the Church.
On this lot the congregation erected a brick building for a church, fifty feet long by forty-two feet wide, and eighteen feet in height to the eaves of the roof. The entrance on Front Street, by two doors in the west end of the building. The pulpit was on the west, between the two doors, and the interior was divided into seventy-two pews and two aisles, capable of seating comfortably five hundred persons. The cost of erecting this church was about one thousand six hundred dollars.
In January, 1837, the Presbyterian congregation sold this lot and building to the German Lutheran congregation for the sum of seven hundred dollars, and purchased from the Bank of the United States inlot No. 253, on the west side of the Public Square, in Hamilton, for the sum of five hundred dollars as appears by a deed dated the 21st of April, 1835, made to George R. BIGHAM.
They also purchased twenty feet from the north side of lot No. 254, adjoining from Charles K. SMITH, for the sum of three hundred dollars, as appears by a deed made by Charles K. SMITH to George R. BIGHAM on the 23d of March, 1835, for the use of the "First Presbyterian Church of Hamilton." But when the fifth house of worship was erected in 1854, Mr. SMITH conveyed the lot in fee simple.
The Presbyterian Church was afterwards incorporated by an act passed by the Legislature of the State of Ohio. The deed for lot No. 253 having been made to George R. BIGHAM in his individual capacity, on the first day of July, 1843, he made a deed to James FISHER, William BIGHAM, William HUNTER, L. COOPER, and Lazarus McNEIL, trustees of the Church, for the use of the congregation.
In the year 1833 the congregation erected a church on the ground which they had purchased. The building was of brick, sixty-six feet long by forty-two feet wide, with a basement story under the whole, divided into a school-room and apartments for other purposes. The part above occupied as the church had entrances by two doors on the east facing the Public Square on Front Street. The pulpit was on the west end of the building opposite the doors and the body of the church was divided into two aisles running east and west from the two doors the whole length of the building. It had sixty pews, capable of seating comfortably four hundred and fifty persons.
There was also a gallery on the east end of the church capable of seating one hundred and fifty person more. The interior arrangement of the church was neat and convenient. It had a plain roof without cupola or steeple, and standing back from the street, with other buildings crowded around it, was not seen to advantage; none of it being exposed to view but the end next to Front Street. The whole cost of erecting and completing the church was about five thousand dollars.
The Rev. Francis MONFORT, who came to Hamilton and became the pastor of the Presbyterian Church in November, 1821, continued to officiate thus until the year 1831 when a schism occurring in the Church, in part originating from the doctrines of the New School and Old School parties, which then began to agitate the Church, Mr. MONFORT adhered to the Old School. He was ejected from the charge of the congregation. However, a portion of the congregation still adhered to him. They built a new brick church on lot No. 58, in Rossville, where Mr. MONFORT continued to officiate as their pastor until the year 1837, when he relinquished his charge and removed to Mount Carmel in the State of Indiana.
On Thursday, the second day of February, 1832, "The First Presbyterian Church of Hamilton and Rossville" was organized by order of the Cincinnati Presbytery, the Rev. Andrew S. MORRISON and Rev. John THOMPSON acting on the committee of presbytery. The Church was then composed of thirty-five persons, thirteen males and twenty-two females. Hugh WILSON, David BIGHAM, and Thomas MITCHELL were elected elders.
On the 4th of June, 1832, after a sermon preached by the Rev. Henry LITTLE, the Church unanimously invited the Rev. Augustus POMEROY, who belonged to the New School party, to preach in the congregation as a stated supply for one year; the invitation was accepted, and Mr. POMEROY entered on his duties on the 24th of June, 1832. On the 24th of November following, Cornelius W. HALL was chosen an additional elder. On the 1st of March, 1833, James BOAL, George R. BIGHAM, James BIGHAM, and Hugh B. WILSON wee elected deacons. On the 12th of the same month the Rev. Mr. POMEROY received a call to be pastor of the Church. He accepted the invitation, and was installed on the 21st of the same month.
Mr. POMEROY continued pastor of the Church until the year 1836, when his pastoral relations were dissolved. He was succeeded in June in the same year by the Rev. Mr. JONES, an Episcopalian, who acted as supply to the congregation for a few months only. He removed in September, 1836.
The Church remained destitute until some time in the year 1837, when the Rev. Charles PACKARD, an adherent to the New School, was invited as a stated supply. He discharged the duties of pastor for two years, until the 1st of May, 1839, when he gave in his resignation.
On the 19th of July, 1840, the Rev. Thomas Ebenezer THOMAS was called to the pastorship of the Church. He accepted the call and forthwith entered upon the duties of his office. Henry J. CURTIS, William COOK, and William WILSON were elected elders to supply the vacancies occasioned by the removal of two of the former session. They were afterwards duly ordained by the pastor. At the time Mr. THOMAS took charge of the Church at Hamilton he was reputed to belong to the New School party. He afterwards acted as a mediator between the two parties, and latterly attached himself to the Old School Presbytery. He was a violent abolitionist. He continued the pastor of the Church. He congregation paid Mr. THOMAS for his labors about $500 per annum, which was raised by subscription from the members of the Church. The number of members in connection with the Church in 1842 was 102.
On the 5th of February, 1847, a meeting of the membership of both Presbyterian Churches was held. A plan of union was adopted, and the two Churches hereafter worshiped together. Mr. THOMAS continued as stated supply until the last of October, 1849, a period of ten years and a half. He was succeeded by the Rev. George DARLING for three years, and the Rev. Charles STURDEVANT for two years and a half. During his stay it was resolved in April, 1854, to rebuild, and during the progress of the work they held their meetings generally in Beckett's hall.
The Rev. Levi CHRISTIAN was called in April, 1855; but after arrangements had been made for his installation declined, and went to Philadelphia. Hugh USTIC was called in April, 1857, but died the next Fall.
In January, 1858, the Rev. Mr. MacMILLAN was invited to labor here, and remained until 1864, laboring with much success. After him the pastors have been C.B. MARTIN, E.J. HAMILTON, Nathaniel WEST, S. McCANADERSON, and E.W. ABBEY.
In the beginning the affairs of the Church were managed by trustees. In 1822 these were G.R. BIGHAM, James WILSON, and Jonathan BARRET. At the division, James BOAL, G.R BIGHAM, James THOMAS, and Caleb DeCAMP, were trustees in the new Church; but in March, 1832, James BOAL, G.R. BIGHAM, James WILSON and Hugh B. WILSON were elected deacons in this branch. The old branch had no deacons until December, 1840, when S.E. GIFFEN, and James GARVER were elected.
After the union the Church elected William HUNTER, Abraham HUESTON, Robert KENNEDY, Jacob L. GARVER, S.E. GIFFEN, and James R. GARRISON. In 1854 John R. LEWIS, and John KEEN were elected. Afterwards there were chosen Jacob SHAFFER, P.C. CONKLIN, David J.T. SMYERS, Samuel SHAFFER, Alpheus STEWART, James T. IMLAY, Jacob MILLER.
The list of elders is as follows;
David BEATY, William BIGHAM, John L. WALLACE, David BIGHAM, Doctor
Benjamin B. HUGHES, Hugh WILSON, Jeremiah PORTER, Abraham P. ADREWS, Isaac
DAVIS, Robert IRWIN, Thomas MITCHELL, Daniel DELAPLANE. Benjamin R.
SYMMES, John McKEAN, James M. CHAPMAN, Jonas BALL, William N. HUNTER,
Cornelius W. HALL, Henry J. CURTIS, William WILSON, William BIGHAM, Doctor
Cyrus FALCONER, S.E. GIFFEN, Noah C. McFARLAND, James R. GARRISON, Josiah
SCOTT, Isaac ROBERTSON, Doctor J.S. McNEELY, J.W. HARRIS, R.C. STEWART,
William ANDERSON, J. Calvin SKINNER.
The Church has had nineteen pastors, as pastor or stated supply, nineteen deacons, and thirty-two regularly installed elders. In 1876 the rolls contained 1,479 names, but it is probable a number of persons are omitted, and there are some omitted from the official roll.
William BIGHAM, Sr., Phoebe BARR, David BEATY George SNIDER, John L. WALLACE Sarah WATKINS, David BIGHAM, Nancy ANDREW, Benj. B. HEWS, Jonathan BARRETT, Mary BIGHAM, Abraham P. ANDREW, George R. BIGHAM, Mary LEWIS, Margaret BIGHAM, Dorothy WILEY, Margaret BEATY, Ann McCLELLAND, Mary McCLELLAND, Lucinda SYMMES, Hugh SYMMES, Daniel T. SYMMES, Sarah WILSON, Charles SMITH, Phoebe SYMMES, Rebecca BALL, Sr., Jackson AYRES, Cornelia J. SEMPELAAR, Elizabeth AYRES, Wm. J. SNODDY, Mary WALLACE, D. SAMPSON (colored), Rebecca WALLACE, D. MORGAN (colored), Hannah EWERT, Martha BIGHAM, Abner TORBERT, David BUCK, Jane TORBERT, Mary GIFFEN, Thomas MITCHEL, Jane GIFFEN, Frances MITCHEL, Margaret GIFFEN, Ester THOMAS, Martin RINEHART, Elizabeth RHEA, Mary GAULT, Elizabeth SHROADS, Mary DeCAMP, Isaac ANDERSON, Mary WILSON, Euphemia ANDERSON, Johnson SNODDY, Harriet SMITH, Ann SNODDY, Nancy REILY, Jane McGILVERY, Mary HAYNES, Elizabeth C. MONFORT, Eleanor KEYT, William N. HUNTER, Isabella BENHAM, Ester W. HUNTER, Mary D. HEWS, Celadon SYMMES, Zebulon WALLACE, Mary WILSON, Moses PROUDFIT, Mary CRANE, Jane WILSON, Susan BELL, William BIGHAM, Jr., Deborah GALLOWAY, Hannah McBRIDE, Phoebe LONG, Betsey V. HAWLEY, Isaac B. PERRINE, William MURRAY, John GAULT, Debby MURRAY, Samuel W. GIFFEN, Matilda PIERSON, Mary B. SNODDY, Charlotte DUFFIELD, Jane WALLACE, Margery McMECHAN, Sarah RANDOLF, Samuel BARNETT, Susannah SCHOOLEY, Mary BARNETT, Dinah MAYS (colored), John SMITH, John WILSON, Catharine SMITH, Catharine BIGHAM, Richard MALONE, Thomas BURNS, Mary MALONE, Jeannette BURNS, Benj. F. RANDOLF, Cecilia HIGGINS, Jeremiah PORTER, Matilda SMITH, Nancy MOORE, John McKEEN, Susan SNIDER, Margaret McKEEN, Maria McCLELLAND, Hezekiah T. CRANE, Jane DELAPLANE, James M. CHAPMAN, Rebecca WALLACE, Jr., Rebecca DANIELS, Susan BOAL, Isaac DAVIS, James BIGHAM, Mrs.-----DAVIS, John H. THOMAS, Hannah DAVIS, John JONES, Jane BIGHAM, James Boal, Clarissa CRANE, Margaret WILSON, Martha BUCK, Margaret PROUDFIT, Jane BUCK, Ezekial McCONNELL, Elizabeth ANDERSON, Margaret McCONNELL, Jemima ROWAN, Joseph WILSON, Jonas BALL, Sarah WILSON, Margaret WATKINS, Ann WILSON, Henry ROWAN, Mary WILSON, Robert IRWIN, Jr., Sophia MONFORT, Mary Ann IRWIN, John McKINNEY, Madelina VINNAGE, Nancy STEWARD, Charles BEELER (colored), Joan MILLIKIN, Samuel BUCK, Kozia JONES (colored), Sarah BUCK, David HIGGINS, Frances BOAL, Rachel BARRETT, Susan BIGHAM, Matthew SNODDY, Eliza Ann McCOWAN, Mrs. ----SNODDY, Mark S. GASKELL, Sarah HATHAWAY, James S. McCLELLAND, Joseph HARPER, Stephen SCHOOLEY, Elias GABRIEL, Isaac WATKINS, Uriah W. STIMSON, Lucinda BUCKLEY, Katy Maria MELLINE, Hugh B. WILSON, Susan Jane MELLINE, Eliza GILLARD Joseph P. WILSON, John BRIDGE, Julie Ann WILSON, George VANAUSTRIN, George ATKINS, Isaac GASKELL, Polly GILMAN, Charity KEISER, Martha A. McCLELLAND Clarinda DUNEY, Sarah WILSON, Stephen HAWN, Mary WIDENER, Julia Ann HILL, James ANDERSON, William WILSON, Julietta COHY, James SMITH, Eliza WILSON, Jno. W. HILL Rosanna MURPHY, Sarah PIERSON, Elizabeth GAULT, Sarah RUNNELS, Frances A. BARDSLEY Margaret C. BIGHAM, Elizabeth GREEN, Martha F. COOK, Christina SHEPHERD, Pheobe HENDRICKSON, Harriet POCOCK, Mary BAKER, Susanna HARPER, Evelina BAKER, Deborah BUCK, John T. ALLISON, Ester CHAPMAN, Rebecca ALLISON, James GALBRAITH, Leonard GARVER, Agnes GALBRAITH, Isaac AYRES, Rhoda DeCAMP, Nicholas SHEPERD, John McCRAE, Catharine SYMMES, Margaret McCRAE, Damaris CAMPBELL, William COOK, Leon PIERSON, Margaret NEAL, Elizabeth HINKLE, Margaret CLICK, Mary Ann MORGAN, John COPPAGE, Benjamin C. BROWN, Catharine HUESTON, Mrs. Catharine GARVER, Eliza JEFFERSON, Mary Ann CORNELIOUS, Susannah LEWIS, Elizabeth MURPHY, Rebecca WILSON, Dorothy BARDSLEY, Mary CUMMINS, Mary CORNELL, Thomas VanHORNE, Margaret McCLAMERS, Joseph WALLACE, Elizabeth MILLS, Jane PAULEY, Joseph D. MONFORT, Mary RITCHIE Samuel GARDNER, Isaac D. WATSON, Pamela ALEXANDER, Deborah WATSON, Nariah DAVIS, John B. CORNELL, Jane MURRAY, Joseph PINER, Daniel DELAPLANE, Antoinette PINER, Catharine DELAPLANE, Jane SIMPSON (colored),