Middletown transcript., 1906-06-02
OLD DRAWERS REUNION

0tu - nH,fctS fteOy OybeflaH O1tlEcn, one
mile from Odessa, formerly Cantwell's
Bridge, so-caIled from the fact that tile
General Court granted to Richard Can't
well authority to establish a toll bridge
there in l7Sl) will tomorrow celebrate
its 195th anniversary Friends of the
Church from far and near will gather
once more to see the venerable structure,
to visit tile tombs Of their fathers, and 10
meet again the friendsef long ago. Each
year, at this time, these reunions are
held, and much pleasure and profit de-
rived from them.
The morning services will begin at TO-
30 O'Clock and the Rev. Joseph B. Turner
of Dover, will preach the sermon In
the afternoon the Rev. A. w. Light
bourne, Of Middletown, will speak. In
addition tablet will be unveiled to the
memory of the late Lewis c. Yandegrift,
of Wilmington, who was always deeply
interested in the old church. This table
will be placed on the wall of the struc-
tnre, and William S. Hiiles, of Whining
ton, will make an address.
The field of this congregation began to
be settled about the year 1871. Tie Rev.
Nathaniel Taylor is known to have settled
here in 1853, and it is probable that he
gathered together this congregation long
PrerieIls tn 100 In 1zn8, the Preshx-l
terians of Philadelphia received letter
from persons residing here, asking for a
preacher, and the Rev. John Wilson of
New Castle, was ordered to preach, "once
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 in 1712.
On May 10th, III, Isaac Vigorne,
Hans Hanson, Andrew Peterson and
Francis King purchased of John. Peterson
one acre of ground, for the purpose of
erecting Presbyterian house of worship.
The building was erected during the same
year. OF the men who engaged in this
lWOFk Uub llt6lc rs kuOWH.
Unfortunately for their successors, no
record of their transactions previous to
1872 remains, expect solitary fact which
was copied from the deed of this property,
and incorporated in the subscription for
the erection OF the present building.
This church was the second Presbyter-
ian Church organized in 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. 1t soon became too small for the
congregation and was enlarged in 1876,
and it seems to have been enlarged more
than once The ''Study House" was
built in 1851, and stood near the church.
The burying ground was enclosed for the
first time in 1897. In 1859, the church
building having decayed, and being rem
dered unfit to answer the purpose OF
house of worship, subscription was
raised for the purpose of erecting the
the present structure, building commit
tee being appointed with Peter Alrichs as
treasurer. This house was not built until
1878 however. the bricks being burnt on
the farm of Robert Meldrum, now owned
by Frank J. Pennington, near Odessa.
The house was not entirely finished then,
part Of it 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 char
acter. In 1911 new roof was put on,
and in 1888 the pulpit and seats were re-
modelled, and the interior otherwise i'm
proved.
The names OF Mrs. Mary Hill who was
considered benefactor of the church, is
carved on marble slab in the wall Of the
church, on which she caused the follow
ing inscription to be made
''The Church of the First Presbyterian
Society of this Hundred.
Built A. d. 1773.
Rev. Thomas Read, A. M. Pastor.
This stone the gift of Mrs. Mary Hill.
Serve the Lord with gladness.'
Ps. 100. 3D."
Mrs. Hill was the wife of Joseph Hill,
an elder in the church, and a grand
daughter of Peter Alrichs, Governor of
Delaware.
Later. another stone was placed on the
opposite side of the pulpit, with this in
scription
"This site purchased May 10th, I'LL.
The first church built I'LL.
Rev. John Wilson, Pastor, 170S.
Your fathers, where are they?"
The Church derived its name from the
creek near which it stands, the original
name being "The Church of appoquini.
N.Y." It's corporate name being''The First
Presbyterian Church in st. Georges
Hundred" DIR. Read says that about
the year 1742, the Drawers Church
divided, part OF the congregation going to
st. Georges" :"
After the death of Rev. Mr.. Wilson in
I712, the Rev. Robert Wotherspoon was
ordained at Appoquinimy in 17l4. He
died in I7l8l Next came Rev. Mr..
Young, who died in 1921. The Rev.
Henry Hook took charge of the congre-
CATION in 1872, died in l74l, and was
buried on the farm owned by him near
here. Rev. John Dick was ordained here
in 1746, and died in 1747: Rev. Hector
Allison settled here in 1853 and remained
until 1888.
The congregation seems to have had
only occasional supplies during the next
ten years. In 1858, the Rev. Thomas
Read came as supply and began regu-
lar pastorate in l772. Previous to l772,
he taught in the Academy in Newark.