The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-10-19

long known as Free School Point. Ii i.
believed that they started a school there
How long it lasted, who taught il. and
who were taught in it, we, after diligen,
investigation, have failed To ascertain
We have ascertaIncd, however, that so little
attention was paid 10 the land that a com.
mission was appointed by the court. in
1854, To ascertain and mark its boundaries,
which at that time had become 80 obscure
that they were found with much difficulty.
The school visitors at this time were Peter
Lawson, John ID. Thompson. Rev. VIM.
Thompson, John Ward, Sidney George and
William Mathews. Rev. VIM Thompson
was at that time rector of st. Stephen
Parish and Sidney George was 4 lawyer
who resided in Middle Neck. John Dock
cry Thompson was one of the justices of
the court, and was probably descendant
OF the Thompson who married the daugh-
ter of Augustine Herman, from which it
would seem that the vacancies in the board
OF visitors had been filled from time 10
time rs they occurred by selections from
" the principal and better sort of inhabi-
tants. Shortly after the close of the Rev
olntionary war, this land is believed to
have been sold and the proceeds applied 70
the purchase of the Aims House farm.
The Rock congregation, like that at
Nottingham, was divided by the contro-
versy that arose from Whiteiicld's preach
ing. The new church was organized in
l1il, and this led to the erection of the
meeting house at Sharp's grave yard, which
is about mile north of Fair Hill.
The New Side congregation was without
a pastor for eleven years, when they OBJ
tanned the services OF Rev. James Finley,
who was a younger brother of the Rev
Samuel Finley, and who was installed
pastor of this church in 1852
Mr.. Finley also had charge of the Pres
byterian Church in Elkton for few years
after he became pastor of the Rock Church,
but in 100 the pastoral relation was dis
solved, probably on account of the reunion
of the old and new sides OF The original
Rock congregation, which took place the
following year. During part of the time
of the division Of this church the Rev Jas.
Mcdowell had charge of the Old Side branch,
which continued TO worship in the old
church at the stone grave yard near Lewis
vile, Pa. During his pastoratc he taught
the classical school which had been founded
at New London some years before by the
Synod Of Philadelphia, but which was re-
moved 10 his residence about a mile south
west Of Lewisville, in l752 This school
was removed to Newark. Delaware. in 1867,
and was chartered by the Penns two years
afterwards. II was the germ from which
Delaware College sprang
Mr.. Finley's pastoral connection with
this congregation extended over a period
Of thirty years, and so much was he en-
dcared to his congregation, that it success
fully resisted his efforts to obtain a disso-
luton Of the pastoral relation and his dis
missal from the Presbytcry of New Castle
for some years. He finally appealed TO the
synod, which set aside the action of the
Presbytery, and he removed to western Penn.
sylvania, in 1888. Mr.. Finley was twice
married. His second wife was a daugh.
ter Of Robert Evans and sister of Captain
John Evans, who owned the rolling mill
west of Cowantowu. lie resided, during
part OF his pastorate, on the White Hall
farm near Andora, or Poplar Hill, as it was
formerly called.
The church at the Head Of Christisna
was not divided by the schism that resulted
from Whitelield's preaching, but its pastor,
the Rev. George Gillespie, for short time,
favored the New Side, being induced to do
so for the reason that he thought those who
adhered to it had been treated with too
much severity by the other side. Mr. Gil
lespc died in 1860. He was pastor of Head
of Christiana church for forty seven years,
and was succeeded by Rev. John McCrery,
who, in 1869, was installed pastor of the
united churches Of lead of Chrisliana and
White Clay creek. Mr.. McCrery was Il
jealous and popular preacher, and well
worthy to be the successor of Charles Ten.
nent, who preceded him as pastor of White
Clay creek church.
The city of Charlestown we call it a
city, because its founders intended and ex-
pect-d it to be one), very early in its his
tory, received the attention of the minis
tiers of New Castle Presbytery, and for
many years they were in the habit of send.
n nG he bar n. Oh,
gospel to its citizens, who, if the stories
that tradition has handed down TO us are
true, were very much i'll need of it, But
about the beginning of the Revolutionary
efforts in behalf of those people. Proba-
bly, this was owing to the active part that
nearly all of them took in that struggle
We must not forget, while upon this sub.
ject, that there was a Presbyterian church
organized in Georgetown, Kent county, As
early rs 1853, and that probably some of
its members were residents of this county
but they seem not to have exerted much
influence upon society i'll the southern part
of 1t; and the church, like the ono at Broad
creek, finally ceased 10 exist in the early
part of the present century.
Many of the members of these early
Presbyterian churches migrated to Vir-
ginia and the Carolinas and western Penn.
sylvania in the latter part of she last CEN
fury. We shall have something to say of
them aud the controlling influence they
exerted upon the religions and politics of
North Carolina, and the active part they
took in subduing the western wilderness
and developing the resources of the coun-
try west of the Allegheny mountains in the
next chapter. GULF.
the AMERICAS FARMER for October is
an unusually rich number-the celebrated
Prize Essay of Edward Stabler. of Mont.
gomery county, Md, upon the ReHor4fion
of Wora-oW Lands in the old States, being
the leading paper. This essay is now re-
published in the old Fdrmer, where it
originally appeared, accompanied by a
note from Mr.. Stabler. the author, in which
he says: After thirty years further ex
pcrience, since its publication, | do not
perceive any necessity or any advantage to
result from any modification of it: subse-