Tent Presbyterian Church

**Tent Presbyterian Church**, locally called "**Tent Church**", is a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) church in Georges Township, Pennsylvania. Coming together in 1773 as a worship group, it has been holding worship services since its founding. The church gets its name from the canvas tent used for early services. Its address is 275 Tent Church Road.

The brick building was completed in 1832. During the 1905 Rand Powder Mill explosion in nearby Fairchance, the building's windows were damaged.

The cemetery around the church has graves from the late 18th century, with veterans from the American Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. In 2023, the church was celebrated with local support for its 250th anniversary, including things in the _Congressional Record_.

### The beginning (1773–1792)

Tent Presbyterian Church came together in 1773 by Scotch‑Irish settlers, guided by traveling preacher Rev. Dr. James Powers.

For its first 18 years, it worshipped under a canvas tent. In 1781, it joined the new Presbytery of Redstone.

### Building construction

In 1792, the group built a log house to replace the tent. Making of the present brick church started about 1827 and ended in 1832.

During the tearing down of the 1792 building, the building caved in, killing many church leaders.

### 19th and 20th century

Rev. Ashbel Green Fairchild was the pastor from 1827 until 1864.

The cemetery grew bigger during this time and has graves of veterans from the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War. Late 19th-century governance records show active trustees.

In 1905, the church took little damage from the Rand Powder Mill explosion in Fairchance. Architectural surveys taken during the 1930s recorded its 19th-century building style.

### Building style and features

The 1832 brick church shows early 19th-century Presbyterian church building methods in western Pennsylvania. Built from brick, its design features a rectangular shape and a pulpit in the central area.

### Nearby grounds and accessibility

The church is south of Uniontown, near the National Road (U.S. Route 40). Nearby streams are York Run and Browns Run.

### Layout

The cemetery has over 400 graves.

### Notable graves and memorials

There is a memorial for Lt. Col. John B. McClelland (1734–1782), a Revolutionary War officer and delegate to Pennsylvania's 1776 Constitutional Convention. Though his remains were never recovered, the Sons of the American Revolution made a marker in his honor in 2012.

Other graves include McClelland's wife, Martha Dale McClelland, and their son Ensign John McClelland, veterans of the Revolutionary War, Whiskey Rebellion, and War of 1812.

### In local events

The 1792 loghouse collapse caused deaths, including many church leaders. Later, the church took damage during the 1905 Rand Powder Mill explosion.

### Recent activities and anniversaries

In 2023, Tent Presbyterian Church had a public service for its 250th anniversary. The event received support from Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and U.S. Representative Guy Reschenthaler.

### Ties

Tent Presbyterian Church is a church of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) within the Presbytery of Redstone. Coming together in the 1780s, it has had an affiliation with the presbytery through denominational reorganizations, including those in 1958 and 1983.

## Leadership and membership

The church's early preachers included traveling preachers like Rev. Dr. James Powers. Rev. Ashbel Green Fairchild served from 1827 to 1864.

Later pastors included Reverend George M. Hickok (early 2000s)and Reverend Jeff Smith (from 2020).

## See also

- Presbyterianism in the United States
- History of Pennsylvania

## External links

- Tent Presbyterian Cemetery at Find A Grave (for extra information only)

## Infobox (church)

- **name**: Tent Presbyterian Church
- **image**: Tent Presbyterian Church, Uniontown, Pennsylvania.JPG
- **image size**: 250px
- **caption**: The 1832 brick building of Tent Presbyterian Church.
- **location**: Georges Township, Pennsylvania, Georges Township, near Uniontown, Pennsylvania, Uniontown
- **country**: United States
- **denomination**: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
- **presbytery**: Presbytery of Redstone
- **pastor**: Jeff Smith
- **architecture style**: Vernacular brick