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Early American Presbyterians -- P-Q
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Rev. Thomas Paine (b pre 1728)
He graduated from Yale College and the Presbytery
of Suffolk licensed him to preach at Cutchogue on December 20th, 1748.
Rev. Joseph Park (b pre 1732)
He was from New England and received a call from the towns of Mattituck
and Aquebogue on Long Island in 1752. On June 10, 1752, a church
was organized called the Church of Union Parish and Rev. Park was installed
as its first pastor by the Presbytery
of Suffolk, Long Island, New York.
Rev. Noyes Parris (b. pre 1704)
In 1724 the Rev. Noyes Parris, of Massachusetts, came to the church at
Fairfield,
New Jersey, preached for five years, and then returned to New England.
[He may have been a Congregational Minister.]
Rev. John Paul (1706?-1739)
He was received by the Standing Committee of Donegal Presbytery as a licentiate
from Ireland, December 10th, 1735; was soon after called to Nottingham,
and was installed there on the second Wednesday of October, 1736. He was
one of the first supplies sent to Deer Creek, Md. He died in 1739, and
his tomb remains in the old graveyard, near the Rising Sun; the inscription,
nearly obliterated, tells that he died at the age of thirty-three.
Rev. George Phillips (b. pre-1677)
He was the son of Rev. George Phillips, who was the first pastor of Watertown,
from 1630 to 1644. He was a graduate of Harvard College. He
was called by the Congregational churches of Brookhaven, Smithtown, and
some in the Manor of St. George, April 30, 1697. He was one of the
charter members of the Presbytery of
Long Island in 1717. He was at that time the minister of the
church at Setauket.
Rev. William Pickles
June 20th, 1786, Mr. William Pickles was installed as pastor of the Church
at Deerfield, New Jersey. An Englishman
by birth, an eloquent preacher, but, according to the record, a bad man.
Rev. John Pierson (1689-1770)
He was born in 1689, and graduated at Yale, in 1711. He was ordained pastor
of the church at Woodbridge, New Jersey April 29th, 1717. In 1753 he resigned
his pastoral charge, and settled at Mendham, New Jersey, and was the minister
there for ten years. Mr. Pierson published a treatise on the "Intercession
of Christ;" and a sermon, preached before the Presbytery of New York, May
8th, 1751, on "Christ, the Son of God, as God, Man, Mediator." He died,
August 23d, 1770.
Rev. John Pitkin (1794-aft 1888)
He was born at Poultney, Vermont, May 12, 1794. He completed his academical
education at Chillicothe, Ohio (where
Robert
G. Wilson helped run a classical academy.) He was Dr. Wilson's son-in-law
and studied theology with him. He graduated from Jefferson
College in 1821 and was licensed at West Union, October 3d, 1823. In
September, 1824 the Presbytery
of Chillicothe, Ohio dismissed him to the Presbytery of Athens, Ohio,
having received calls from the congregations of Waterford and Wooster.
He was ordained by the Presbytery of Athens in 1825. He labored at Waterford
and Wooster six years as pastor, then, at Dresden and Muskingum as stated
supply for six years. Then, except for four years at Delaware, he labored
at Milfordtown, until he was 75. He was still alive in Dec. 1888.
Rev. Nicholas Pittinger (pre 1790-1831)
The Washington Presbytery
of
Kentucky and Ohio received him from the Presbytery of Hartford in October,
1810 and he accepted calls from Nazareth, Rocky Spring and New Market,
each for one third of his time. He was installed November 21, 1810. The
Revs.
William Williamson,
Robert
G. Wilson and James Gilliland
were all in attendance at the installation. He was appointed stated supply
for one year, one fourth of his time at Pisgah in 1829, and then at Hillsborough
in 1830. October 5th and 6th, he was made "stated supply at Pisgah until
next spring," and in 1831, "it being understood that the church in Clinton
[Co.] is supplied and that the Rev. N. Pittinger is unable, through ill
health, to preach at Pisgah, Messrs Crothers
and J. Dickey were directed to fill their mission
of eight days at Pisgah and Sinking Spring." He died April 23, 1831, and
was buried at Rocky Spring.
He was stout, tall and erect in person, square across the shoulders,
and had an intelligent and commanding countenance. He preached with intense
earnestness, straight from the heart. He threw the shot and shell of God's
word thick and fast. Every small boy and girl, every father and mother,
every grandfather and grandmother, delighted to see the goodly shake of
his head and hear the trumpet tones of his voice, as it rolled out on the
audience, rattling with the thunders of Sinai. He had large congregations,
and especially in summer and at communion seasons, which were generally
held in a grove, as the house would not hold half the people. (Account
of the Rev.Wilson C. Hollyday.)
Rev. Andrew W. Poage (b. pre 1797-ca.
1842)
He was taken under care of the Washington
Presbytery of Kentucky and Ohio in 1815 as a candidate. He went to
Princeton for one year and was licensed August 7, 1817. In 1819 he was
dismissed to the Presbytery of Miami.
He was appointed stated supply for the church of Yellow Springs, now Clifton,
Ohio. He was ordained and installed October 19, 1819. He continued
there until his death, about 22 years. Muddy Run was part of his
field for several years.
Rev. Thomas Poage (pre-1770-1793)
Thomas Poage, son of John, Sr., was a promising young minister, who died
in 1793. He had recently married a Miss Jane Watkins to whom, and
his brother John, he left his estate. The witnesses to the will were
the Rev. William Wilson
and the Rev. John Poage
Campbell. The latter and John Poage were appointed executors.
Mr. Campbell's name was originally simply John Campbell, but he added the
name Poage on account of his devotion to his friend, Thomas Poage.
His will p. 84 of Will Book 8, Augusta County. He is called Thomas
Pogue, Jr. to distinguish him from his uncle Thomas: Oct. 1, 1793.
To wife, Jean, 1/2 mill plantation on Falling Spring, which was willed
to testator by his father; to brother John. Executors, Rev. John
Campbell and brother John Poage. Teste: Alex. Humphreys, Richard
Trother, Philip Sholl. Proved, Jan Court, 1794, by Strother and Sholl.
Executors qualify; 3d Oct. 1793. John Poage, legatee above relinquishes
to widow Jean all claim under will to any property which came to Thomas
through the widow, Jean, who was Jane Watkins. No children
are named in the will. Part of his estate was in Rockbridge County.
Rev. Samuel Pomeroy (1687-1744)
(Also spelled Pumroy) He was one of the charter members of the Presbytery
of Long Island in 1717. He was at that time the minister of the
church at Newtown, Long Island which
had been a Congregational Church. He was born September 16, 1687
in Northampton, Massachusetts and graduated at Yale College at age 18.
He accepted a call at New Town, Long Island, arriving in September, 1708.
In 1715, he applied for membership with the Presbytery of Philadelphia
and was accepted. He thus brought Newton Congregation into the Presbyterian
fold. He remained the minister there for 36 years, dying June 30,
1744.
Rev. Alexander Porter (b. 1770)
He was born abt 1770 near Parson's Mount, Abbeville Co., South Carolina,
and was the first native-born minister of the Associate Reformed Presbytery
or the Carolinas and Georgia. He completed his literary training at Dickinson
College, Pennsylvania. He was licensed by the Second Associate Reformed
Presbytery of Pennsylvania, and then returned home and began to preach
at Long Cane and Cedar Springs, January 1, 1797. A call was presented for
his services on March 22, 1797. [History of Long Cane Associate Reformed
Presbyterian Church by Dr. Nora M. Davis.]
He led a congregation north to Ohio to avoid contact with the institution
of slavery and formed a congregation in Israel township in Prebel Co.,
Ohio. (See also, Rev. James
Gilliland, Rev. Robert
G. Wilson, Rev. William
Williamson.)
Rev. Francis H. Porter (d. aft 1828)
He was of the the Presbytery of South Carolina, and joined the Presbytery
of South Alabama in 1828. It is said, however, that he visited Alabama
as early as 1818, and held a two days' meeting and administered the Sacrament
ofthe Lord's Supper under a large oak of the aged William Morrison, and
again in 1821, and held a similar meeting near the house of David Russell,
Sr., long one of the venerable fathers of the Valley Creek Church. To these
meetings parents carried their children, a distance of thirty miles, to
have them baptized. It is also stated that during this visit he assisted
the Rev. Mr. Brown in organizing
the New Hope Church, in Greene county. He labored in various parts of the
bounds of Presbytery, both as an instructor of youth and a preacher of
the gospel. The Presbytery of Tuskaloosa, in their notice of Mr. Porter's
demise, refer to him "as one with whom they had often taken sweet counsel."
Rev. Elam Potter (b pre 1745)
He was a graduate of Yale and he was ordained by the Presbytery
of Suffolk, Long Island, New York, June 11, 1766 over the congregation
at Shelter Island.
James Power D.D. (1746-aft 1817)
He was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, in 1746. He was one of the
students of Princeton College who visited President Finley on his death-bed,
in Philadelphia, and the affecting scene left a powerful and enduring impression
on his mind. He was licensed by the Presbytery of New Castle, June 24th,
1772. The next year he traveled and preached in Virginia. In 1774 he crossed
the mountains and spent three months as a missionary in Western Pennsylvania,
after which he returned to the East and supplied a church in Maryland.
In 1776 he was ordained and removed permanently to Western Pennsylvania,
and after supplying various churches, was installed pastor of Mount Pleasant
and Sewickley churches in 1779. In 1787 his connection with the Sewickley
Church was dissolved, and from that time until April, 1817, he devoted
himself to the Mount Pleasant Church, when, on account of age and infirmity,
he gave up his charge.
Dr. Power in his conversation and manners was dignified and precise,
seldom, if ever, indulging in anything like wit or levity. And yet he was
sociable, and far from being morose or censorious. The church in which
he preached was one of logs, upon which no plane, hammer, saw, nor nail
were used The windows were small openings cut in adjacent logs, and glazed
with paper or white linen, oiled with hog's lard or bear's grease.
Rev. Ebenezer Prime (1700-1779)
He was born July 21st, O.S., 1700, and graduated at Yale College in 1718.
The next year he was preaching at Huntington, L.I., as an assistant to
the pastor, Rev. Eliphalet
Jones. Four years afterwards he was ordained as colleague of
Mr. Jones, who continued as pastor till June 5th, 1731, when he died, in
the 91st year of his age. Mr. Prime continued to be the pastor of
the church until his death, September 25th, 1779, in the 80th year
of his age. Several of his discorses were published and are preserved by
his descendants. He wrote four thousand sermons with his own hand.
One of his published discorses was addressed to the soldiers about to leave
to participate in the French war; and it was delivered May 7th, 1759.
He was a charter member of the self-organized Presbytery
of Suffolk, Long Island, New York in 1747.
Nathaniel Scudder Prime, D.D.
(b pre 1785)
He was the grandson of Ebenezer Prime.
Born in Huntingdon, Long Island April 21st, 1785. He graduated at
Princeton
College in 1804 and October 10th, 1805, he was licensed to preach by
the Presbytery of Long Island.
Having labored with great success at Sag Harbor, he preached for some time
at Fresh Pond and Smithtown. In 1812 he removed to the northern part
of New York, and preaching for a few months at Milton, he was called, in
1813, to the Presbyterian Chruch in Cambridge, Washington county.
His pastorate of seventeen years was noted by his powerful influence through
the whole region, in the several departments of learning, benevolence and
religion. He was Principal of the Academy in that place, and in 1830
removed to Sing Sing, New York, where he preached two years, and was Principal
also of the Academy and Female Seminary. In 1835 he established a
Female Seminary in Newburgh, New York, where he resided eight years.
He was not settled in the ministry again, but being a powerful preacher
his services were in great demand, and he continued to preach until his
death at Mamoroneck, new York, March 27th, 1856. The degree of D.D.
was conferred upon him by Princeton College in 1848. Dr. Prime was
the author of a work on baptism (1818) and a history of Long Island (1845)
and many occasional discourses. So early as 1817 he delivered a sermon
before the Presbytery of Long Island, on the evils of Intemperance which
was published; one of the earliest Temperance discourses.