The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-25

q essnoAs - Aob1ft Young. fs.As
e p. Loyal XeWng, long the pAsto
of the church ~ Dptlsr. Pa. grand
father 81 REV. =, Hail Young. D. D.
of Alanka. ana the srAat- grandfather
Ct pr' Edward Toung. q Brooklyn
The colony would have nothing 4
90 With slavery ana had schools fol
al children From the very f.rst.
About 1915 Dr. Thomas Hunt, lAte,
pastor Of the Second Presbs teriar
church o. Pittsburg. wAs the nrst min.
ietef Of the gospel to Visit the colony
| Shortly after his visit came Rev
Moses Allen. on.in-law Of Dr. McMil.
Ism. the noted patriarch 81 western
Pennsylvania. Each preached one SER
mon IN the house Of Aaron 0ouid u
The hrst minister to reside At French
Creek was Rev. Asa Brooks who came
from Massachusetts, In the fall OF 1875.
He was sent TO this region as I mis-
gregAtional Missionary society. which
pledged hts support at $500 4 year.
After iaborinE I year on French
Creek Mr.. Brooke returned to Massa-
chusetts. married Miss Polly Sumner,
and returned TO his Virginia charge
In the fall OF 1918. He had then three
preaching stations. French Creek.
Buckhanhcn and Beverly Oh April 20.
1873, Mr.. Brooks united with the Pres
hytery OF Redstone and received calls
from the congregations OF, French
Creek and Buckhannon. which he ac-
cepted.
The church OF French Creek was
formally organized September 10,
Young were chosen first elders. Tho
charter members were Nathan and
Esther Gould. Aaron and Lydia
Could, Robert and Lydia Young. Mrs.
Kebecca Morgan, Samuel Gould.
Aaron Gould, Jr., David and Anna
Phillips. Mrs Hehitabel Gould, Mrs.
ucy Allen and Mrs Polly Brooks
I hus there were fourteen members
besides the minister. Next year there
was a revivak ar dthe membership
CT the church more than doubled. OF
the new members nine were Goulds
and three were Toungs.
From the families represented in
the French Creek church thus early.
nearly all the families now
residing at French Creek or vicinity
and many who live in other parts Of
Cpshur and adjacent counties.
The first house OF worship. built of
logs, was erected in 1929 on or near
tAS Eite VI Tic pfGsSUt he
r eople Of the community were then
IL deep poverty. Many OF the set
tiers had to pay for their lands and
again because OF the contentious in
court OF different claimants to the
{ riginal tract. II did not take much
money to build the church hut the
required was great. The
women of the congregation con
trihuted yarn spun from the wool of
their own sheep and wove a web OF
linen. the FAX being raised tn their
own fields and Herewith the glass
and nails for the house were bought.
The smen of the community con-
tributed their sahor and built the
house. The church was not a. model
by any means having n very high
gallery on three sides and a box pull
pit ur near the ceiling. but It was a
true Bethel.
The moral influence of this congre- !,
gation from the very first was not ex-
ceeded by that OF any community in |
The state of Virginia TO it belongs
he distinction OF having organized |
the first total abstinence society In |
irginia and one Of the first in the |
nited states. This was orga uized at |
French Creek about the first of |
October, 1928. There were at this |
nfst meeting twenty-six males and |
twenty seven females who put their