The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1903-04-04
Johnston's History
Of Cecil County.
CHAPTER XVIII CONTINUED.

North Carolina began, a similar one COM
menced from this region to the country
west Of the Allegheny mountains. Many
of the emigrants settled along the Ohio
River and its tributaries in southwestern
Pennsylvania and northwestern Virginia.
The existence Of the strong PRESBYTERIAN
element that has always pervaded So
ciety in that section of country is readily
traceable to the early PRESBYTERIAN
churches, whose history is so closely
blended with the early history of this
county. These emigrams and others OF
the same class from the southern parts
of Chester, Lancaster, and York counties
We're the first permanent settlers west of
the Allegheny mountains.
The emigration from these districts
continued for many years. During A
period Of twenty years, which probably
commenced about the time of Rev. Jas.
Finley's first visit to the West, it is said
that as many as thirty-four families.
members of the Rock congregation, chief
iy young married persons, emigrated to
the valley of the Youghiogheny, and set
tied along that stream and in the valleys
along the other tributaries of the Ohio
River. These families all settled within
the bounds Of the old Redstone presby-
terry, and twenty-five of the heads Of
them became ruling elders in the churches
of which it was composed. These Pres
byterians made an indelble impression
upon society in the region where they set
tied, which is yet plainly discernible
there, and which while society lasts will
remain as n witness of the untiring en-
ergy and unhagging zeal of those who
planted the standard of Presbyterianism
in the Western Wilderness
But the emigration from this county to
Western Pennsylvania was not confined
to New Munster. and many of the in
habitants, generally Presbyterians, emig-
rated there from Nottingham Among
the latter were members OF another fam
lily of AleXanders, whose ancestors set
tied in Nottingham in the early part OF
the last century, and who is supposed to
have belonged to the same clan in Scot
land to which the ancestors Of the Alex
anders Of New Munster belonged. Hugh
Alexander, a member of this family, mar
ried Margaret Edmisson. and migrated
to Western Pennsylvania as early as
1140. The Edmsson family owned a
tract of land, containing $50 acres at the
mouth Of Stony Run at this time. This
land included the site of the mill near the
junction Of that stream with the Octor-
arc Creek.
These emigrants. having descended
from a hardy and restless race, trans
mtted their peculiar characteristics to
their offspring, who. when civilization
encroached upon them and was about to
circumscribe their accustomed liberties
n d subject them somewhat to the con-
ventionalties and restraints Of refined
society, cmigrated to Kentucky, as did
the same class that had emigrated to
Virginia and the Carolinas. In this way
Kentucky and Tennessee received the in
tluence of Presbyterianism that has made
an indeliblc impression upon the char
acter of their citizens.
During this period OF the history Of
the county, the state of society was not
very good, and few OF the old records
OF the Court that are now extant show
that Righteousness and drunkenness pre-
vailed to a considerable extent among the
lower classes, most of whom were indent-
ured servants or redemptiOners. The re-
cords OF New Castle Presbytery contain
but very few references to matters Of
this kind, which, inasmuch as the Pres
byterians were very austere and also
rigid disciplinarians, leads us to believe
that few breaches of dccorum were COM
mitted by their membership.
Slavery prevailed to some extent
throughout the county, but the slaves
were not numerous in that part of it
north of the Elk River. Rev. James Fin
ley had few of them. in whose religious
welfare he is said to have been much
interested, always having them present
at family worship and catechising them
with his own children. This was prob
ably the case with the members of his
and the other Presbyterian churches.
CHAPTER NIN.