Middletown transcript., 1897-06-05
OLD DRAWERS CHURCH.

One of Delaware's Most Ancient
Places of worship.
1t is quaint. simple structure, standing
on little knoll on the left side Of the road
leading northward from Odessa. The an
cient style of architecture, the green latticed
windows with tiny panes, the high old
fashioned pulpit with sounding board and
pulpit stairs; The high backed pews and
gallaries give 1t proper distinction as an OBJ
ject worthy of reyerance of its great age as
well as for the historic associations that
cluster around it.
Surrounded by the graves of those who
built it and the generations who worshipped
within its walls it speaks to-day Of an ear
lier timewhen the county was new, when
dense forests covered the land, and the ear
ly settlers toiled and struggled to found q
place of worship in the community that be-
ing almost their first thought. With what
patient energy the first settlers of this hun
dred labored. We can but dimly realize
their struggle. for no easy task was theirs.
The hardship and sacrifices they made
stand as a memorial to-day. The first
church in this site known to history was
little frame building erected in I'LL. The
present building was erecied in 1773 and
is of brick. made of native soil and burned
on the farm where Mr.. Frank Pennington
now resides. It is staunch and strong old
building, having withstood the storms of
a century and quarter, and still preserves
its original appearance and since the organ
ization of the society. Friends of Old
Drawers" is kept in good repair and will
be preserved to the generation yet to come.
1t is the parent church from which all the
other Presbyterian churches in this section
have sprung, the church at st. Georges in
1742 and Forest Church at Middletown in
1850 aud later the church at Port Penn in
1888. The second Drawers Church in
Odessa is the mother church's last born,
the new church being built in the early ff-
ties of the century.
The earliest record of the trustees of Old
Drawers gives the following names, as be-
ing in Office in 1746. John VanDyke Hans
Hanson, James Anderson, Elias Naudain
and David Witherspoon. The records of
the Presbytery give much earlier dates of
pastors and elders. the name of Leonard
Vandegrift the first elders on record as
early as I'LL; and in 1872 the name of |
Isaac Piper was recorded. Among other
elders of this church in the early days were:
Alrichs Thos. Hyatt, Moses Nc
Kinley, John Crawford. Arnold Naudain
md John Moody. the names of nearly all
of whom are familiarly known to this gen.
sration.
There were in this early congregation
men and women of high estate, known for
piety, liberality, learning, and also fidelity;
10 church and country. Among those were
VanDyke, Governor of Delaware
in 1888 and his son Hon. Nicholas Van
Dyke, who was member of the Delaware
Legislature and was elected to both houses
If Congress; Rev. James Mccoy, a graduate
If Princeton and a fine scholar; he was
born and reared on the Skee Merritt farm
Hon. Arnold Naudain. who was also q.
]. Senator; among his direct descendants
ire the Misses Blackiston of this town.
Robert Haughey. DR.. Thos. Boyd. DR..
lanes s. Naudain were all men of promi-
hence, besides many others, some Of whom
we're prominent in securing our national
The pastorate of DR.. Thomas Reed. from
I76S-96, was one of the most fruitful on
'ecord. A sketch of the life of this good
nan will be read by 6. C. Conrad ESQ at the
lfternoon service tomorrow on the occa-
ion Of the annual reunion.