AREA HISTORY: Religious History, Lower Chanceford Township, York County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/york/ _______________________________________________ History of York County, Pennsylvania. John Gibson, Historical Editor. Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886. _______________________________________________ RELIGIOUS HISTORY – Page 741-744 CHANCEFORD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH – This church is located a short distance southeast of the village of Airville, and its early history was intimately connected with the Slate Ridge Church, of Peach Bottom Township, the two congregations, being served by the same pastors for many years. The exact time of its organization could not be accurately ascertained, through references are made to it in official records as early as 1760. The first settlers of this interesting section were a very worthy class of Scotch-Irish, many of whose descendants are now members of this church. The first house of worship was known as “the tent,” which was removed and a substantial church built. The present church was built in 1850. This one is soon to give place to a new one. Rev. John Strain was installed pastor in 1762, and served until his death in 1774. Rev. John Slemons was installed in 1781, and his pastoral relation dissolved in 1799. Rev. Samuel Martin, D. D., was installed in 1799, pastoral relation dissolved in 1845, and he died the same year. Rev. John Farquhar was ordained and installed in 1846, and died in 1866. He was highly educated. Some of his published sermons and other writings are of rare merit. Sketches of the clergymen preceding him, will be found in the history of the Slate Ridge Church in this work. The next pastor was Rev. Robert Gamble, who was installed in April, 1867, and served until September 20, 1882. Rev. C. B. Cross, present pastor, was installed in September, 1883. He is a graduate of Princeton. The present parsonage is located near the church, surrounded by ten acres of church-land. The congregation is large, and composed of an intelligent and prosperous people. In the adjoining large cemetery rest remains of the former members of this church, including a number of Revolutionary patriots. THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH – This church body was organized in 1858, at Pittsburgh, by the union of the Associate Presbyterian and Associate Reformed Presbyterian Churches, whose history runs back into Scotland, as Covenanters and Associates (Seceders). The present members in York county, are the descendants of Presbyterians, who immigrated to this country from the Province of Ulster and county of Antrim, the Scotch-Protestant districts of North Ireland. The rise of rents and tithes and several bad harvests from 1724 to 1729, and the oppression of the government, led many to immigrate to America. Four thousand and two hundred sailed in three years. A number sold themselves for four years to pay their passage. Some of them arrived in York County as squatters, in 1723, and as settlers in 1732. A part of them were from Scotland. Their first religious services were held in dwelling houses and in tents. The church at Airville was organized March 27, 1771. William Gabby and Daniel Sinclair were elected ruling elders. The Rev. John Cuthbertson had preached occasionally in that locality, for about twenty year previous to this time, and after the organization, he frequently officiated. A REMARKABLE MISSIONARY – Rev. Cuthbertson seems to have been a remarkable traveling missionary through Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and Connecticut. He arrived in this country from Scotland, in 1751, and landed at Newcastle, Del. He kept a diary, in which he reports having preached during the first year, 120 days, baptized 10 children, married 10 couples, and ridden on horseback 2,500 miles, exposed to all the dangers of frontier life. He preached in private houses and in tents. Some of these tents, he writes, were located in groves, with an elevated platform for the speaker, and board nailed against a tree to support the Bible. Thus did this apostolic man toil for thirty-nine years, during which time he preached 2,452 days, baptized 1,806 children, married 240 couples, rode on horseback about 70,000 miles, or nearly equal to three times around the globe. The last year of his life was spent in York and Lancaster Counties. He died in 1791, aged seventy-five years, and his dust now rests in an unpretentious graveyard, on the peaceful banks of the Octorara Creek, in Lancaster county. ANECDOTES OF REV. CUTHBERTSON - He was very highly revered by the people with whom he worked, and many interesting stories are related of him, which were transmitted to posterity by former generations. A few, to illustrate that there was a vein of humor in his nature, should be related: He once asked if it were wrong to sing songs, when he answered in his broad Scotch, that he thought it would not be wrong to sing, “I love Lillie and Lillie loves me.” It is also said that if any one made an excuse that the table was not well supplied, or that the accommodations were not good, he would say, “None of your sunful excuses.” He was very fond of a cup of tea, especially after a fatiguing day’s journey on horseback. As tea was a very rare article then in this country, he was accustomed to carry it with him in his saddlebags, for his own use. Arriving at his stopping place in this county, while on a trip westward, late one evening, he handed the precious parcel to the lady of the house, asking her to prepare some for supper. She complied cheerfully, emptying the entire contents into a kettle of water, boiled well, carefully drained off the liquid and served up the leaves after the manner of greens. When the reverend guest perceived the error as he commenced to partake of his meal, he exclaimed, in characteristic Scotch, “Dear woman, if you had gi’en me the broth, you might have had the kale,” At one time he says he traveled eleven miles searching for a wagon to borrow. Such vehicles were very scarce then. EARLY MEMBERS AND CLERGYMEN – Some of the first members of this church in 1774, were William Wilson, George Buchanan, Hugh Ross, William Smith, James Anderson, Samuel Dickson, William Fullerton, Samuel Nelson, William Maughlin and Alexander Ewing. Revs. Lind and Dobbins preached as supplies until the arrival of Rev. Charles Campbell, of Stewartstown, Ireland, who was installed in 1801. Lower Chanceford and Hopewell were in one charge, and so continued until the year 1858. Rev. Campbell died in 1804, at the age of thirty-six. Rev. Josiah Wilson became pastor in 1808, and died in 1812. He lived near Muddy Creek Forks, on the farm now occupied by Francis Grove. There was no regular pastor then until 1843, when Rev. D. B. Jones was ordained and installed. During the thirty-one years without pastoral care, the congregation became much weakened. Some families met for worship during this interval. Mr. Jones remained until 1847, and was soon afterward succeeded by Rev. William Carlisle, who resigned in 1856. In May, 1857, Rev. Joseph Boyd was called and remained one year. There was at this time, an Associate Presbyterian congregation in Lower Chanceford, connected with the Guinston charge. In 1858 this congregation united with the one at Airville, and formed the United Presbyterian Church of Lower Chanceford. The pastors since that have been Rev. T. F. Baird, from 1861 to 1865, when he died. Rev. D. G. Bruce, from 1869 to 1872, when he resigned. Rev. A. S. Aiken was ordained and installed on the 29th of April, 1875, and is the present efficient pastor. To him we are indebted for much of this information. In the old “Nelson Graveyard,” one-half mile below Airville, on the York and Peach Bottom wagon road, rest the remains of many of the early covenanters of this section. There is now a new cemetery adjoining the remodeled church in the village. This, and the church, are surrounded by a beautiful grove of oak trees. The present church building was erected in 1843. A neat and cozy parsonage belonging to the congregation was erected in 1884. PINE GROVE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH – This church is situated in Lower Chanceford on the wagon road, leading from York to Peach Bottom, twenty-five miles southeast of the former and five miles northwest of the latter place, and equi-distant from the Presbyterian Churches of Lower Chanceford, Slate Ridge and Slateville. Rev. Samuel Park, who had completed and resigned a pastorate of forty years in Slate Ridge Church, began to hold meetings in the vicinity of Pine Grove Schoolhouse in 1851, preaching every alternate Sabbath afternoon in private houses, and subsequently in Pine Grove Schoolhouse. July 28, 1853, a few Presbyterian families, residing in that vicinity, who felt the inconvenience of the distance to be traveled over in reaching the churches above named, resolved upon erecting a church edifice (40x35 feet) on land donated by James Barnett. The building was finished in 1857, and October 30, 1857, the church of Pine Grove was organized by a committee of Presbytery appointed for that purpose. There were then five members and two ruling elders. These elders, whose names are James Barnett and Herman Snyder, yet live and continue to officiate in the capacity for which they were chosen. Other elders, as circumstances required, were elected and ordained, whose names were James McKay, Thomas Norris, Enas F. Barnett and Daniel Shenk. Mr. McKay, who was elected an elder in 1858, died in 1864. The session, as now constituted, consists of four elders: James Barnett, Herman Snyder, Enas F. Barnett and Daniel Shenk. The deaconate was introduced into this church in 1876 also. The names of those who have served in this capacity are D. J. Barnett, Alexander Monroe, Jr., Richard Ruff, S. P. Snyder and G. T. Barnett. There have been received to membership in this church seventy-six persons; the removals by death and otherwise number forty-one, leaving, at this date, a membership of thirty-five. The Rev. Samuel Park continued to preach to this people up to 1859. The Rev. T. M. Crawford, then pastor of the Slateville church, and the present occupant of the pulpit of Pine Grove, has ever since 1859, in the main, supplied the Pine Grove pulpit, excepting two and one-half years, included in 1871, 1872 and 1873 when it was occupied by Rev. Alexander F. Morrison, who was at the same time pastor of New Harmony church, and excepting also four and one-half years in the aggregate, when Rev. Samuel Park, Rev. John Farquhar, pastor of Lower Chanceford church, and Rev. Robert Gamble, his successor at Lower Chanceford, and Rev. J. D. Smith, successor of Rev. Samuel Park at Slate Ridge, and Rev. D. M. Davenport, successor of Rev. T. M. Crawford at Slateville – were at different stages of the church’s history associated, and took their turns with Mr. Crawford in supplying the pulpit at Pine Grove. This church has its Sabbath-school, prayer-meetings and ladies’ missionary societies, and has been contributing statedly to all the objects of benevolence recommended by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. AIRVILLE CIRCUIT OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH embraces Salem, McKendree, Prospect and Bethel Churches. The first two are in this township, the third in Fawn and the last in Chanceford. The entire membership is about 400. There is a Sunday-school in each of the four churches, whose aggregate membership is 600 pupils. The original name of the charge was Castle Fin Circuit, which name was held from 1825 to 1883, when the present name was adopted. June, 1825, to 1840, Castle Fin Circuit included the present charges in Harford County, Md., Shrewsbury, Stewartstown and Wrightsville. The parsonage was located near Castle Fin, and was burned in 1872. In 1877 a parsonage was built at Airville. The following is a list of the pastors of this circuit from 1825 to 1885: Revs. P. D. Lipscomb, John Monroe, R. Barnes, James Ewing, William butler, E. Nichodemus, Joseph Parker, Zech. Jordan, John W. Cronin, William Hank, Isaac Collins, Penfield Doll, Asbury Harden, Oliver Ege, now the oldest member of Central Pennsylvania Conference; Thompson Mitchell, James R. Durborrow, George Berkstresser, Alfred Wiles, Joseph S. Morris, J. W. Cullum, John Stone, E. D. Owen, Samuel Ellas, T. B. Lemon, John McKinley, John McFarland, James A. Coleman, Samuel Cornelius, E. W. Kerby, Charles Clever, Asbury Rilley, John Anderson, Job A. Price, P. E. Watters, William G. Furgeson, Joseph S. Lee, J. F. Brown, Wesley Howe, John B. Mann, Albert Hartman, John S. Clarke, John A. McKindless, Elisha Butler, Harry White, Frederick Crever, John Z. Lloyd, Henry Webster, H. H. Minnich, Lewis H. Clarke, Thomas Wilcox, Josiah P. Long, Levi S. Crone and A. W. Decker. SALEM METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH – This building is historic as being the oldest Methodist Church in this section of the county. It is located in the extreme lower end of the township near the old Castle Fin Forge on the York & Peach Bottom public road. A church was built on the site where the present one stands in 1820. It stood until 1867, when the frame building now used was erected at a cost of $2,500. The old cemetery adjoining the church was laid out many years ago, and contains a large number of tombs. MCKENDREE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, is located on the York and Peach Bottom public road near Airville, and is one of the oldest Methodist Churches of the lower end of the county. Religious meetings were previously held in barns and houses, by missionaries. The first church was built in 1825 and the present one in 1867, at a cost of $2,400. UNION CHAPEL – This house of worship is located near Slab Postoffice and was built about 1874, greatly through the instrumentality of Christopher Witmer, Alexander Snodgrass and Sample Scott. It is a neat frame building with a burying ground adjoining it. Regular services are now held by the Evangelical Association. PLEASANT HILL CHURCH – This church is located near Collinsville and was built about 1875, at a cost of $1,000, by the Evangelical Association.