The following is a literal transcription with spelling and punctuation  copied as accurately as possible

 

 

 

Samuel Willson Speech / Sermon on Occasion of 33 Years as Pastor of

Pleasant Hill / New Concord Presbyterian Church

New Concord, Muskingum County, Ohio

 

 

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The ch of P H does not appear to have been formed as an off shuit from a neighboring church but made up of  individual and families who to better their worldly circumstances had moved from older settlements chiefly from Pa and Va into this region where lands were cheap and better prospects offered settling their families in circumstances of independence.  As everything must have a beginning - it is believed that the very first step to the establishing the ch of Pleasant H was the following.  The Rev Jno WRIGHT traveling westward from the forks of Yough lodged with John REASONER  who  had about  2 yrs previously settled on a farm in the immediate vicinity of the cite of the village of Concord he was invited to preach and leaving an apointment for some time ahead word was given to the neighborhood  an encouraging congregation was collected and Mr  WRITE preached near the present cite of  Rs barn.   This was in 1804.  Ministers traveling from the east Westward and returning from the west to their homes Eastward preached occasionally at or near Mr REASONERS. The names of some of these are yet recollected viz: Rev Jas ROBINSON, Mr BOYD, Mr MOOR.  The church it is believed was organized by Rev James ROBINSON who was born in Washington Co reared in the church of Crosscreek then under the pastoral care of Rev Jos SMITH  Educated at Jefferson College and  licensed by the Pby of Ohio in what  year this ch was organized and how long Mr R-n sustained the pastoral relation to it we are not informed.

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His pastorate here seems to have been short  he was a man of about the ordinary stature of pleasing personal appearance interesting in his pulpit exercises agreeable in his manners and warm in his friendships  he was settled afterward over different chs westward and always we believe within the bounds of the Synod of Ohio in later yrs he lost part of his nose by a cansor and died in the NW part of this synod we believe about the 75 yr of his age.  After Mr Rn’s dismissal the ch appears for some years to have had occasional and stated supplies who aministered the sacraments and kept the ch in a living state preaching at a tent near the P H Spring in barns and private houses  the congregation in this period was mostly composed of the rising(?) families of farmers who were engaged in opening their farms and making their first improvements having little of the conveniences and less of the luxuries and elegances reconed indispensable in a more advanced state of society.  They generally appeared at church in their own domestic manufacture   the old folks coming on horseback whilst the boys and girls took the nigh cut over the fields and thru the woods barefooted until nearing the ch  they stopt and put on their stockings and shoes so as to appear respectable among their fellow worshipers and manifest their reverence for the assemblies of the saints.

In Oct 1818 That the Rev Saml BALDRIDGE was the constituted pastor as he appears on record as moderator of a session the elders ?hep of which was composed of  John REASONER  Solomon ADAMS and Daniel HAMMOND.  In March 1819 John CONNOR John SHAW  Benj REASONER and Enoch RUSH were ordained and installed Elders.  I may be proper here to record what we know of the members of this session.  Rev S BALDRIDGE was a man rather below the ordinary stature a man active on his limbs  his Physical man capable of much  endurance  of prepossessing appearance  very ready speaker  able in prayer  delighting much in society and exercising the office of a Physician  it was that  that he did not give so much time to study as was necessary to make his ministry.  His pastoral relation with P H continued about 4 years   during his ministry a church edifice was erected of frame 40 ft square with a 2^nd story to be used as an academy --- the former part of his ministry was encouraging and successful  many additions being made to the ch  but the after part was marked by dissensions and in 1824 he left for the west   of his after history we know little  but that in his latter days he became partially paralyzed and died at his sons probably upwards of 70 years.  We think he was reared and educated in the region of Knoxville  E Tenorissee (sic).

John REASONER was reared in the bounds of Round Hill church in W’morland Co Pa  came to this region in 1802  opened and improved a farm upon which he reared a large family 7 sons and 3 daughters all of whom he lived to see members of the Pby’n  ch  his youngest son Nathan

(p3) was for some years a respected elder in this ch until he removed to Ill  his third son Peter is now an elder in this ch  some of his children and many of his grandchildren are still amongst us sustaining well their profession  and in their sphere sustaining the interests of this ch  Mr Rsr was a man rather over the medium hight, rather slender, of a tough wierey frame, industrious in his habits  firm in opinions and true in his friendships; as an elder he was faithful and willing in the discharge of his official duties and punctual in his attendance with his family upon meetings for public and social worship   he died on the 15^th Jany 1850 in 72 yr of his age  his disease was dropsy his remains lie in our graveyard his honored widow survived him a few years her maiden name was Elizabeth WILSON a neat oblisk of marble marks the place where their dust reposes.  We know little of the history of Soloman ADAMS  there [is] no record of his dismission   his name is last mentioned in a meeting of Psby session Nov 1^st 1827   Daniel HAMMOND came to this region from W??’t Co Pa  settled on a farm N of the present cite of Norwich  reared a large family none of whom so far as we know are in connection with the Pbyn ch  by advice of session he ceased to act as elder in the latter part of his life  he died at an advanced age

John CONNER came to this region from the ch of Lebanon under the pastoral care of Rev Wm WOODS Allegheny Co Pa  he settled on a farm in the immediate vicinity of what is now the village of Claysville  on which he reared a large family 4[?] Sons and [??] Daughters all of whom became members of the Pbyn ch  his youngest son Thos E CONNER is now a member of this ch   he died of a canerous disease  his remains with that of his widow sleeps in our grave yard.

Benj REASONER settled on a farm in the immediate vicinity of this ch now owned by Jno Voo??wert  on which he reared a large family of sons and daughters  all of whom we believe became members of the Pbn ch  his son Benj is an Elder in the neighboring ch of Buffaloe.  Benj Rsr was a man of great firmness of purpose energetic and enterprizing and strong in his likings or disliking he removed to the Massinway Co with his family family in 1831 where he died in a good old age.  John SHAW was born in the state of NJ but removed into this region with his family from Rockbridge Co Va from the ch of Timber Ridge  his wife's maiden name was Sarah PAXTON [could be PARTON] he settled on a farm S W of this ch had two sons and 7 daughters all of whom became members of the Pbyn ch  his eldest son Wm is an elder in Buffaloe ch and his youngest son Jno is deacon in this ch  Mr SHAW was a man rather slender built of a weakly constitution  died of consumption Jany 1820 at the age of 49  his remains with that of his widow who survived him many years lie intered in this grave yard.   Enoch RUSH was a man rather below the common stature with a firm well built frame was a blacksmith to trade discharged faithfully the duties of his station  in his second marriage became involved in difficulties with his wife which ended in his suspension from the ch and office of elder.  After her death he was restored to the ch and always behaved himself in a christian and orderly manner

(p4)  he moved from the bounds of this ch and died some years since.  During the interval between the Pastorate of Rev BALDRIDGE and his successor the ch seems to have had occasional and stated supplies  administering the sacraments and preaching the word  Sacraments administered by Rev CLARK 1825, by Rev Wm McMILLEN 1826  this vacancy last about 3 years   When the Mr James ARBUTHNOT a native of Western Va educated at Jefferson College and Licentiate of the Pby of Wn was ordained and installed pastor of the united charge of  PH and Salt Creek in 1827.   June 8 1827 first meeting of ses  Wm Hunter Oct 16^th 1830 S Marshal elders  (see page 7 sermon at N U)  during his pastorate the ch of N U was organized and supplyed by him and peace harmony and a good degree of success appears to have followed his ministrations  this marks one era in this church  We now enter upon the history of another pastorate (see page 7 sermon at N H?)

The session at this time consisted of John REASONER  Abraham POLLOCK and Saml MARSHALL    A POLLOCK’S name first appears on record Aug 30^th 1832 . . . . . . .  Was born in Green Co Pa came with his fathers family who settled on a farm in the vicinity of what is now Claysville  he was a man of most agreeable temper peacable  ready to aid in every good undertaking faithful in the attendance on worship conciliatory in his manner a man much beloved and confided in as a citizen and elder in the house of God  his children are exemplary members of the churches to which they belong and his son is an honored and efficient Elder in the ch of Beulah -- he died on             in the     of his age  his remains sleep with the honored dead in PH graveyard.  The name of Robt McGEE first appears on record at a meeting of session 12^th Sept 1833.  Mr McGEE was born in Ireland settled in the bounds of the ch of Racoon Washington Co Pa from that ch he came to PH certified as a ruling elder   he was taken into the session of PH where he continued faithfully to discharge the duties of his office until he removed from our bounds to Athens Co in Sept 1837 where in a few years he died.

In May 1841 James BELL is recorded as a member of session  he was elected and ordained in this ch, he was born in Washington Co Pa, reared in the church of Chartiers of which Dr Jno McMILLIN was pastor; he was a man of more than ordinary physical ability very affable in his manner, warm in his friendship, faithful as an elder in the house of God whose interests lay near his heart, he removed with his wife whose maiden name was Sarah REASONER to Ill. some years since where he continues an honored elder in the ch of JC.  On the 27^th of May 1844 an election for elders and deacons was held after due notice Isac STORER and Robt HUNTER were elected elders and Jesse WORTMAN  Abraham MILLER and John MULHOLLAND and Robert CONNER were elected Deacons  On the 9^th of June the elders and deacons elect were ordained to their respective offices.   The Session and board of deacons thus continued without any diminution or addition for ten years with the

(p 5) exception of the death of John REASONER in 1850.  During this period of 22 years no dissention arose in the church to mar the progress of the gospel and the prosperity of the church.  From one sacramental occasion to another encouraging additions were made to the church, the monthly concert observed the benevolent operations of the board of the church, sustained the pastors salary promptly paid, the members we trust increased in knowledge, piety, harmony, unanimity and brotherly kindness marked the onward progress of the church. 

In fifty four May 15 an election was held when George WALTERS  Jesse WORTMAN and Nathan REASONER were duly elected Elders and John WHITACRE  Peter REASONER  Saml POLLOCK and Alex’d MckINEY were elected deacons   All of whom were ordained to their respective offices on the 4^th of June following to their respective offices.  Jesse WORTMAN died        1862   he was a man of about the ordinary stature, minded his own business and minded that well.  He was a man of prayer strict in his attendance on the ordinances of Gods house, could lead in singing pretty well, had few words but was always in his place and punctual to his promises.  In him the church lost a faithful officer and the pastor a stedfast friend, his widow is still with us, her maiden name was Elizabeth SHAW, his sons and daughters sustain their part as members of the ch of PH.   About this time also the church of PH lost another important and efficient officer in the person of Jno McMURRY who had acted as treasurer for about 29 with entire sa-

(p6) tisfaction to the church keeping always the financial concerns of the church in a sound and prosperous condition.  He died on the 7^th October 1852  he came to this region from the vicinity of Winchester Va  He was a man rather below the common stature industrious in his habits possessing a constitution of uncommon endurance honest in his dealing punctual to his engagements his only son is a minister in ?Texas? And his daughters are all members of the church  His place as a friend and neighbor and an officer in the ch will be hard to fill -- on Nov 27 1852 an election was duly held when Jonas ANSPOKER,  Peter REASONER,  Alex’d McKINNY and Thos P CONNER were elected elders and Saml SCOTT, Robt SPEER, David SELLERS and Jno SHAW were elected deacons on the 30 of the same month Alex’d McKINNY, Peter REASONER, and Thos E CONNER were ordained Elders . Jonas ANSPOKER  being an ordained elder was installed with them and John SHAW and Robt SPEER were ordained deacons.  Thus my dear friends have we tried to place before you the various way marks calculated to call forth our gratitude for Gods dealings with us as a ch for 33 years   oh my friends how great the mercies how rich the blessings how undeserved the kindness thus continued with us during these days of old  let us recount them with gratitude let us ponder them with wonder let us by his grace labor to bring forth fruit proportional to our privileges.   During all this period my friends time like a rapid stream has been bearing on its bosom our neighbors and friends and fellow members into the ocean of eternity.   We are not able now to point to a solitary individual who sat down at the first communion in this ch  And of those who were members of the ch at my ordination 33 years ago  We can recollect but 4 now in this ch viz  elder Samuel MARSHALL and his wife and Elder Thos CONNER and his wife.  Oh my friends how few there will be at the and of the coming 33 yes to tell what they heard me rehearse today.   My friends how happy am I this day when I reflect back on the period thro which G(od) has spared my life to go out and in before you and break unto you the bread of life.   In affliction in my family when sickness and death were in my family I have always found in my people the kindness of brethren and the sympathy of warm friends to alleviate my sorrows and ligten my afflictions,  And when latterly I have been pursued with untiring opposition your firm support has under God kept my heart cheerful and my hands strong   For which I thank God and take courage thanking him for the past and trusting him for the future.

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Church records, 1818-1887

Authors: Presbyterian Church (New Concord, Ohio)

 

Congregational meeting minutes 1834-1882 -- Session minutes 1818-1870 (includes lists of members, baptisms, etc.) -- Treasurers accounts, 1819-1864 (transcription of original record) -- Historical narrative for 1804-1898 -- Women's Missionary Society minutes 1876-1887 -

FHL Film# 912247 ]

 

[Microfilm of original records in the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
This church was originally called the Presbyterian Church at Pleasant Hill. In 1872 the name was changed to New Concord.]