Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-10-01

Df the Centennial of Island Creek
Presbyterian Church.
Opened with Appropriate Exercises
ut Stcubenville Yestcrday-Sketch
OF the Church.

Special to the Register.
STEUBENvILLE, o.. September 81.
The exercises in connection with the
celebration of the centennial of Island
Greek Presbyterian church began to-
day with a communion service, Rev.
Homer Shelley preaching the sermon.
Rev. e. L. Mcllvaine addressed the
union service. AT to-morrow's exer-
cises Rev. S. L. Boston. Rev. G, L. ".
Mckee and Rev. T. j. Gray will deIiv-
er addresses on the past, present and
future work of the church On Tues
day a reunion and basket picnic will
be held with addresses by Rev. 7. v.
Milligan, Rev. ]. N. Swan, Rev. j. T.
Leyenberger, Rev. w. B. Carr, OF La
trobe, Rev. Shelley and Rev. w. b.
Irwin Many former members and pas
tors are here for tue centennial.
The history of the church is part Oh
the history of the county. AS early
as 1896 Scotch-Irish Presbyterians from
Western Pennsylvania settling in ISL
and Creek, Rev John McClane. plo-
neer minister. held the first services IN
that section, preaching to thirteen peo-
pie Revs. George Scott, Thos. T.
hughes and John McMillen preached
to them in 1898. The next year Reys.
JOS Stockton, Smile Hughes and
James Snodgrass preached TO them.
The latter was stated supply Tor some
months. Rev. Thomas Marquis nelo
the first communion service on Carr S
Ridge. He was installed pastor in No
vember, 1900, at salary of S26I, tnat
he might be free from worldly cares
and avocations."
The church when organized had M
teen members, with Thomas Robertson
and Loderic Hardenbrbok as ruling ell
ders. 1t is claimed that Rev. George
Scott, of Mill Creek, Pa, organized the
church In 1901 Rev. James Snodgrass
was reported as pastor. At first ser
vices were held in tent and under the
trees in summer, and IN various
houses in cold weather. In 1902 log
house was erected. In 1903 a hewed
log house was built. In 1925, while the
Steubenville Presbytery was being held
in the edifice, it caught fire and was
destroyed. That summer new edifice,
35x56 feet, was erected. In December.
1856, the church was so damaged by
a windstorm, that new edifice of brick,
42x65 feet, was erected. In 1853 tokens
and tables were abolished at commun-
ion, after bitter protests. The SEES
sional records show that members were
hauled over the Goals for SANDER, tale
bearing and immoralities. Among the
early members was colored woman, a
slave of a man named Brown, OF
Browns Island, whose freedom the
members of the church purchased. In
the territory that this present church
drew from there are to-day fifteen
churches of various denominations.
The pastors since Rev. Snodgrass, who
was pastor and supply till 1925, were:
Rev. John c. Tidball, 1S26-1S35. Rev.
Tidball opened an academy ON Island
Creek, and later at Richmond. Rev.
James Robertson, an eccentric Scotch
minister, supplied them for a time.
Rev. Thomas F. Magill, 1837-1840; Rev.
John X Cunningham. 1S41-1S53; Rev.
on. A. Parkinson, 1S54-1S65; Rev. w. R.
Vincent, 1866-1S74; Rev. Samuel
Forbes, 1S77-1S79; Rev. NJ. A. Parkin-
son, 1SS0-1SS6; Rev. Homer Shelley,
18S7-1892; Rev. j. P. Lydenberger, 1898,
and still continues.