Evening journal., 1905-06-03
OLD DRAWERS
194TH BIRTHDAY
Friends of Historic Church
VIII Hold Annual Meet
ing Tomorrow
HISTORY OF THE NOTED EDIFICE
speeIal 10 The EvenIng Journal.

granted to Richard CantweI authority
to establish a toll bridge there in 17SD will
tomorrow celebrate its i0ith anniversary.
Friends Of the church from far and near
viii gather once more to see the vener-
able structure, to visit the tombs Of their
fathers, and 10 meet again the friends OF
long ago. Each year. at this time, these
reunions are held, and much pleasure
and profit Is derived from them.
The hold Of this congregation began to
be settled about the year l6ll The Rev.
Nathaniel Taylor Is known TO have set
tied here in 1858. and Il Is probable that
he gathered together this congregation
long previous TO 1900 In i70S the Presby-
terry of Philadelphia received letter
| from persons residing here asking for
preacher, and the Rev. John Wilson OF
New Castle was ordered TO preach "oncc
a month, on a week day." Mr.. Wilson
was one OF the original members of the
first Presbytery established In the United
states He died I'm 11i2.
on May TO- 17li, Isaac Vigorue, Hans
Hanson, Andrew Peterson and Francis
King purchased Of John Peterson one
acre Of ground for the purpose of erecting
a Presbyterian house Of worship. The
building was erected during the same
wear. OF the men who engaged in this
work but little is known.
RECORDS WERE NOT KEPT.
Unfortunately for their successors no
record Of their transactions prior 10 l'"-
remains, except a solitary fact which was
copied from the deed OF this property
land Incorporated in the subscription Tor
the erection OF the present building. This
church was the second Presbyterian
church organized I'm New Castle county
and probably the second in the state
Three Presbyterian Churches have been
formed by divisions OF this congregation.
The first house OF worship stood on
the southeast corner Of the graveyard.
and was Of wood. II soon became too
small. and was enlarged in 1886 and Il
2 seems to have been enlarged more than
o. once. The study House" was built In lial
? and stood near the church. The burying
ground was enclosed for the first time In
1857.
. In 1863 the church building having de-
. cayed and being rendered unfit 10 an
y swer the purpose OF house Of worship
+, a subscription was raised Tor the purpose
4 Of ere2ting the present structure, build
ing committee being appointed, with Peter
Alrichs as treasurer. This house was not
+ built until 1913. howevre, the bricks being
, burnt on the farm Of Robert Meldrum
y now owned by Frank J. Pennington near
= Odessa. The house was not entirely I'm
ished then part Of Il being upholstered
- until 1923.
The dimensions of the church are A by
- Sc feet. and It's materials and workman
ship were of the most substantial cher
acter In 1911, new roof was put on and
In 1893 the pulpit and seats were rcmod-
q eled, and the interior otherwise improved
INSCRIPTIONS IN THE CHURCH.
Z The rame Of Mrs. Mary HIN, who was
/, considered a benefactor Of the chl.ch, IA
1 carved on q marble slab in the wall OF
n the church, on which she had the follow
ing inscription made;
= "The Church OF the First Presbyterian
I Society Of this Hundred.
e Built A. D., 1873.
8 Rev. Thomas Read, A. NJ, Pastor.
t This stone the gift Of Mrs. Mary Hill
d Serve the Lord with gladness.
Ps 100. I'd"
Mrs. Hill was the wife Of Joseph Hin
g an elder in the church, and grand
a daughter Of Peter Alrichs. a Governor
d Of Delaware.
q Later another stone was placed on th'
d opposite side Of the pulpit, with this in
d scription;
This site purchased May 10, iii.
Z The first church built 17il
n Rev. John Wilson, Pastor, l7OS
e Your fathers, where are theyT
s The church derived its name from III
Il creek near which it stands the origina
name being 1.-THE Church Of Apoquin
i imy;" its corporate name, 1.-THE lst Pres
II Ibyterian Church in ST. Georges Hundred.
y Dr. Read says that about the year ia
the Drawers Church divided, part Of thu
congregation going TO st. Georges.
After the death OF the Rev Mr.. VIII
son in 17l2, the Rev. Robert Wotherspool
was ordained ht Apoquinimy in 1714 IL
died In 17lS Next came the Rev. MI
\ Young, who died in 1921. The Rev. Henr.
4 Hook took charge Of the congregation II
i722, died in 1741. and was buried on tn
farm owned by him near here. The Rev
II John Dick was ordained here in l746 an
died in l747 The Rev. Hector Allison set
tied here in 1853 and remained until LIS
when he removed.
SOME OF THE PREACHERS.
The congregation seems to have ha
,. only occasional supplies during the mex
y ten years. In 176s the Rev. Thomas Rea
j came as a supply and began a regula
II pastorate in 1772. Before i772 he taugh
= IN the Academy In Newark. Dr. Read r.
a moved TO Wilmington in 1896 and died {
10 1923 The Rev. John Burton commence
n his labors in the congregation in 1904. re
mained until 1922, died IN 1925. and wa
~ buried in st. Georges Church yard.
= The Rev. Joseph Wilson, Of Pennsylva
n MIA, was Installed over Drawers, Smyrn
,t and Forest Churches in 1922. A portion @
r. the time he taught school, and he re
IA moved in 1880 In 1892 the Revs. Nichola
- Patterson and David Ely were here a
supplies, and in 1898 the Rev. Ware
AZ Jones was installed. Mr.. Jones left in IS.
n and was succeeded IN 1857 by the Rev
o. Charles Brown who resigned in 1889, afte
~ which the Rev. George Foote was IN
stalled. In 1852 Mr. Foote wrote and dc
AZ liyered most interesting account of n
re churchs history up TO that date.
ip The descendants Of many Of those earl
Continued on Page Two.)