history
Written by: Mrs. William Moreland, Archivist
Revised by: Mark L. Double, Membership Committee
Information Source: From Strength to Strength: A History of the First Presbyterian Church of Morgantown, WV
by James R. Moreland and Ruth Morrel Hicks.
In the early settlement of Morgantown a considerable number of Presbyterians came from neighboring Pennsylvania and, therefore, it is not surprising that very early a church was developed. Minutes of the Redstone Presbytery in 1788 recorded the request of a group for a minister. October 21, 1788 is considered the real beginning of our church and is accepted by the Department of History of the General Assembly.
In 1785, the Trustees of Morgan's town were instructed to lay out the town, and in doing so, set aside a lot for a Court House, a Jail and another lot, #32 (corner of Kirk and High Street –current site of the Post Office) for the public as a "Sepulcher" or burial lot. The Methodists purchased their own cemetery and in 1817 Colonel William McCleary conveyed lot #122 to the Presbyterians for burial purposes. Since lot #32 was never used as a cemetery, it was available for a church lot by whatever congregation should occupy it first. The earliest Presbyterian Church building was said to have cost $250, and it was in use for 15 years, or until about 1800, when it became so inadequate that a new one was begun. It took about 4 years to build a new brick building which is said to have been 30 x 50 feet in size.
Colonel McCleary, unquestionable, was the leader in the founding of the Church. He held many offices including collector of Internal Revenue for the district embracing western Pennsylvania and northwestern Virginia. When the whiskey rebellion broke out in 1791, Colonel McCleary tried to collect the unpopular tax, causing a mob to invade Morgantown on August 9, 1794 with the intent to tar and feather the Colonel. He disguised himself as a slave and fled from his home, swam the Monongahela River and escaped.
This Church was built in cooperation with a few Episcopalians and was occupied in 1822. It was called the Union Church and for many years the two groups jointly occupied the building. Due to the tide of immigration being more Presbyterian than Episcopalian, the Presbyterian end of the partnership soon outgrew the other. The agitation of various kinds leading up to the Civil War also affected the maintenance of the Episcopalian group as they belonged to a Southern diocese, who were not interested in the maintenance of a church in a section where the sentiment was mostly northern. For these and other causes the Episcopal group dwindled and the church was used almost exclusively by the Presbyterians. In 1868, the Episcopalians became organized once again, and it took a court order to establish the fact that the Presbyterians had kept up the building for 50 years and thus owned the building.
The next Church building was built in 1868 with only 91 communicants and a Sabbath School numbering 80. The communion table, a chalice and a collection bag used in this Church are still in existence. Dr. A. M. Buchanan, pastor from 1866-1915, propagated the idea that the religious work for University students should be associated closely with the local Church, which gave rise to the Westminster Foundation in which students, student pastors and corresponding organizations in other denominations would work together. His ideas led to the incorporation of the Westminister Foundation in 1925.
The congregation increased from less than 90 to 500 in the first ten years for Dr. Buchanan's ministry. Morgantown was growing also. The second Church building was down town, an adjoining lot purchased and the third Church building was dedicated December 13, 1896. A the time, it was considered to be the last word in churches, with beautiful stained glass windows, many given as memorials. In 1872 Sarah Gay wished to purchase a bell for the Church tower in memory of her mother. The second building never had the tower completed and it wasn't until a third building was built that the bell was installed in the tower. The bell is now in the present Church tower. In 1900 Dr. Buchanan announced the gift offer of $2,300 by a friend to put in a modern pipe organ. The same organ was rebuilt for the present Church interestingly, the same man "voiced" the pipes which he had "voiced" some 54 years earlier. This organ which was situated in the front of the Sanctuary was removed and sold when the present organ was installed.
"The Shack" and Mountain Mining Mission are an outgrowth of "The Scott's Run Project" undertaken by the men's Bible class under the leadership of the pastor, Dr. Edward A. Drapp (1916-1923). Dr. William E. Brooks, pastor from 1924-1947, secured the first student pastor, Dr. Leslie French. Scott's Run was his challenge, serving as a laboratory for the Christian training of students and changing the whole outlook of the community.
As early as 1919 the Congregation voted to sell the third Church building and build on Spruce and Forest Street property. Graves in the old cemetery were moved to the back of the lot about 1920. Our present church building, occupied in 1954 represents the persistent efforts of Dr. Brooks, who pushed the campaign for financial support and Rev. Robert E. Shields (1948-1960) who was pastor during the planning and erection years. The Church was built through the devotion of many contributors. In particular, the carillon, hearing aid equipment and railing at the main entrance were given by Mr. Frank Wilkins in memory of his wife Lelia. Mrs J. Lester Hayman gave the Cross in the Chancel in memory of her husband, son and daughter. Also, the Baptismal Font was given by Mrs. Frank Frankenburger in memory of her husband.
Several persons from our Church gave to foreign mission work. The first was Louisa Wilson Lowrie in 1833. At the age of 23, she and her husband, Rev.. John Lowrie, sailed for India as the first Presbyterian missionaries in that land. She died of tuberculosis, soon after arrival in Calcutta without fulfilling her dream. The Louisa Lowrie Missionary society, established in her memory, was the beginning of foreign mission work for the women of this Church. The Women's Association continues to make financial contributions to our present missionaries in India in her name. Other missionaries included: Sarah Moreland Hunter (1879; medical missionary to China), Mr. And Mrs. Andrew Torrence (1910; head of a boys school in Taiman, Shantung Province, China) and Mr. Frank Llewellyn (1918, ; missionary to India).
A number of young men who where members of our Congregation have gone into the ministry. The Church as its pastors can justly claim an influence upon these men and take pride in their accomplishments. Included are W. M. Howell, Henry Ryland, Herman Stoetzer, L. A. Lindemuth, Dewitt, Prescott and Charles White (three brothers), John Roemer, John Frances, A.B. M. Cooper, Earl Brooks, Frederick Mundenhall, Roy Miller, Wlater Case, Robert Moreland and Thomas Hughart. The last three named were ordained by the Presbytery of Grafton and in our Church.
Among the projects which the Congregation completed in recent years are the liquidation of its debt, the paving of the parking lots, the redecoration of the Sanctuary, the purchase of Westminister Hall, the first weekly kindergarten in Morgantown, creation of the Child Development Center and sponsorship of two refugee families from Indo-China. The Congregation has also continued to actively support numerous community and denomination benevolence.
In the early 1960s, Session decided that there was a real need for a weekday kindergarten. At that time, there were only a few private kindergartens in Morgantown, and the feeling was that many Church members would gladly pay tuition from a Church-sponsored kindergarten. It was a big success and was continued until 1972 at which time it was disbanded when public kindergarten was instituted in the county.
The Presbyterian Child Development Center was established by Session in January, 1970 as a means of utilizing the ten vacant Westminster Hall, a building built and used by Westminster Foundation. When the Foundation Moved its offices there was a great concern as to what to do with the building - it was on property owned by the Church, but the Church did not own the building (it was paid for by the Synod and the Presbytery as a campus ministry site). The Child Development Center was established to meet two needs: the financial obligation incurred by the Church in acquiring the building, and a real need for day care in the community. Margaret Roberts, who had long worked with children in the church was named Director of the Center. The Center began with three children in 1970 and has grown to 150 children with a complete staff of teachers.
More recent events in the life of our Church include the appointment of the Long Range Planning committee in 1984, and the Bicentennial Celebration. The Long Range Planning committee was established to identify the aspects of the Church which should be kept and strengthened and suggest new programs which should be developed. The Bicentennial Celebration marked our 200th anniversary and was a year-long event. The initial activity took place eon January 24. As an opening, Pastor Richard Fiete dressed as an 18th century circuit rider, and rode horseback up Spruce Street to the Church for morning worship. His sermon entitled "From Strength to Strength" emphasized the history and heritage of the Church. After worship, a one-act play, 1794, was presented by several members. Written by member Paul Atkins, the play brought life to Colonel McCleary and others as founders of the Church. Pentecost (May 22) was designated Homecoming Sunday and many former members and ministers came to share in our celebration. We had "Bicentennial Preachers" during the summer, a banquet in October at the WVU Mountainlair, an ox roast at nearby Prickett's Fort, a special service utilizing a long poem, "Company of Pilgrims" and a children's pageant entitled "So Great A Cloud of Witnesses." Other annual events have been the Senior High youth's involvement in Special Olympics and the Church's support for Rev. Simon Looking Elk and the Sioux Indians on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
Our history is rich. We have much to be proud of and we are glad you are joining us. We are grateful to have new members as our Church enters its third century of praising God.
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