52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks March 7, 2022 Week 10 Worship

The prompt: Religion played an important role in the lives of many of our ancestors. Write about how a person's faith impacted their life, how an ancestor was involved with their church, or a discovery you've made in church records.

When I saw the prompt for this week, I wasn't sure where to go with it. But I decided that I would give a short synopsis of several times when religion touched the lives of my Pennsylvania ancestors. So here goes.

First, let's look at James Glenn and his first wife, Margaret Elizabeth Williams Glenn:

Plain Grove Presbyterian Church

James joined the Plain Grove Presbyterian Church in 1832. James was President of the 1st Temperance Society of Plain Grove Church, which was organized by his son, John, who was studying for the ministry, and was an elder from 1834 to 1850.

James was dropped from the roll of the church on 3 April 1850 over the slavery issue. The General Assembly and Allegheny (now Butler ) County Presbytery were evasive over this issue. A number of ardent Abolitionists were dissatisfied over this and at least 2 Free Presbyterian Churches were established, one in Worthington and one in Harrisville. James resigned from Plain Grove church over this issue and joined the Harrisville Church in 1845. His tombstone, in the Plain Grove Cemetery, states this.

                                                                                                 My Line of Descent from James Glann:

James Glenn and Margaret Elizabeth Williams

Mary Glenn and James Preston Book

Margaret Annetta Book and Valentine Edward Mohney

Donald Edward Mohney and Nettie Lynda Lindbeck

Donna Mohney

Tombstone of James Glenn and two of his daughters.  It's hard to read but states the reason he left this church. 

                                         

Tombstone of James' wife, Margaret Elizabeth (Williams) Glenn.

Below are other Ancestors who are also buried at Plain Grove:

James and Elizabeth (Nelson) Glenn   

Tombstone of Elizabeth (Nelson)Glenn.

Tombstone of James Glenn, Sr. 

        

Tombstones of Jacob Book and his first wife, Casandra (Spelling varies) Holliday Book. 

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Second, Charles Morrow and his wife, Rebecca Moore whose story is told in several articles about the area.

Twentieth Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County, 1908, pages 354-365

"The year 1796 marked the arrival of eight persons, six besides the Cunninghams. They were Abel Hennon, Robert and Samuel Gaston, William Cairns, Charles Morrow and John Moore. Only a portion of them settled or remained in what is now Wayne Township."

Charles and his family were early members of the Bethel Township Presbyterian Church in North Beaver Township, appearing on a list of worshipers in the log church. Thomas and Margaret (Gibson) Morrow were also early members of the church, which had been organized as the Little Beaver Church, under the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, and was probably the first church in the area. It was originally located on the Sefton farm in Little Beaver Township and, in 1804, was moved to North Beaver Township. The congregation worshiped first in a tent church, then in one of rough logs, and finally in one of hewn logs. By 1837, a frame church, measuring 44 X 56 feet, had been erected.

The church history has this to say about the establishment of the church: "Following General Anthony Wayne's peace treaty with the Indians in 1795, white men began to settle in this part of Allegheny County which became Beaver County in 1800 and Lawrence County in 1850. These predominantly Scotch-Irish pioneers were brave men with strong faith in God. They came with a Bible in one hand and their guns in the other. The first priority in this new land was to establish a place for the family to worship. Bethel was the earliest of these, having held its first meetings in 1798. The church was organized by Chartiers Presbytery under the name of Little Beaver Church. It was under the authority of Associate Presbyterian Church of Pennsylvania, commonly called Seceders. The church at the time was located about three miles from our present location, as the crow flies, between the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the Little Beaver Creek along Scott Wallace Road.....

Some of the elders of the first log church were: Thomas Hogg, Bryce (also spelled Brice) McGechon and Charles Morrow. ....

Charles Morrow was born in Ireland and came to this country in 1786. He was very strict with his family in religious observances. Sabbath Keeping and church attendance were the fashion of the time. He had his eldest son called before the session and him dismissed from the church on his refusal to confess that it was wrong to go with his wife to the Slippery Rock Presbyterian Church of which she was a member. Charles died at the age of 85 and is buried with his wife in the cemetery of Rocky Springs near New Galilee. ..."

A copy of the original list of pledges reads: 13 November 1826, We the underwritten subscribers engage to pay in grain the sum annexed to our names for posting and railing the grave yard of the Bethel congregation, the grain to be paid into Mr. Wallace's mill, against the first of April 1827 at which time the work is to be completed in workmanlike order."

On 13 November 1826, Charles had paid into Mr. Wallace's mill, the value of 2 bushels of wheat, as his share of the cost.

Above information from the Galilean United Presbyterian Church Records of Rocky Spring, page 22."

Charles Morrow's tombstone (It was broken and leaning against another stone when I first went there but has since been repaired.. 

Rebecca Moore Morrow, wife of Charles. 

My Line of Descent from Charles Morrow:
Charles Morrow and Rebecca Moore

Adam Morrow and Catherine Van Eman

George Van Eman Morrow and Margaret Jane McConahy

Sierra Nevada Morrow and James Preston Book

Margaret Annetta Book and Valentine Edward Mohney

Donald Edward Mohney and Nettie Lynda Lindbeck

Donna Mohney

Third , Joseph Hennon and wife, Margaret Morrow (She and Charles Morrow were siblings.)

Joseph and Margaret, along with William and Mary (Smith) Cunningham, William and Nancy Cairns, Jesse Bell, Jonathon and Elizabeth Peppard, Andrew Elliot and his wife, and Jacob Van Gorder, were instrumental in founding Slippery Rock Presbyterian Church. The church members first met for prayers at Allen's Grist Mill on Slippery Rock Creek. The first log church was later built on the banks of the Slippery Rock. Two other buildings were later erected. He was one of the first three elders and was again appointed elder on 11 April 1811. On 25 October 1812, he was ordained 1st elder. Joseph's dismissal from the church occurred in December 1841, following his death. Both Joseph and Margaret are buried in the Slippery Rock Cemetery. His tombstone reads "One of the first settlers of this part of the country".

Tombstone of Margaret (Morrow) wife of Joseph Hennon

Tombstone of Joseph Morrow.

Below are several photos of the cemetery and church.

Marks the site of the mission House

Marks the site of the first Log Church

Below are 2 articles about the history of Slippery Rock Church. 

Article about the history of Slippery Rock Church

Another Article about the history of Slippery Rock Church

Slippery Rock Presbyterian Church Cemetery holds the graves of many of my ancestors and their descendants:

Ancestors:

Joseph and Margaret (Morrow) Hennon

Adam and Catherine (Van Eman) Morrow

Nicholas and Catherine (Riddle) Van Eman

George Van Eman and Margaret Jane (McConahy) Morrow

Peter and Margaret (???) Book

Tombstone of William James and Mary (Hennon) McConahy

Tombstone of Margaret (last name unknown) Book, wife of Peter Book.

Tombstone of Peter Book.  It was broken off and on the ground when I first saw it.  I tracked down the caretaker and paid him to repair the stone.  

Tombstone of Adam and Catherine (Van Eman) Morrow

George Van Eman and Margaret (McConahy) Morrow

The stones are for the two wives of Nicholas Van Eman (Margaret (Lusk) Van Eman and Catherine (Riddle) Van Eman.   Another researcher states that Nicholas' stone was between his two wives before.  

     My Line of Descent from Joseph Hennon:

Joseph Hennon and Margaret Morrow

Mary Ann Hennon and William James McConahy

George Van Eman Morrow and Margaret Jane McConahy

Sierra Nevada Morrow and James Preston Book

Margaret Annetta Book and Valentine Edward Mohney

Donald Edward Mohney and Nettie Lynda Lindbeck

Donna Mohney

Fourth (and last for now,) is my grandmother's grandmother, Margaret Jane (McConahy) Morrow.

She was instrumental in the establishment of the Moravia Presbyterian Church in Moravia, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. The church is very close to the home she shared with her children. This church will not share it's records but I'm sure there is more information out there and will keep looking for it.

Moravia Presbyterian Church

Their Facebook pages says this: “Moravia Presbyterian Church, established in 1889 on the banks Beaver River still embraces the Moravian missionaries’ motto “to meet the needs of people wherever they are.”

     My Line of Descent from Margaret Jane (McConahy) Morrow:

George Van Eman Morrow and Margaret Jane McConahy

Sierra Nevada Morrow and James Preston Book

Margaret Annetta Book and Valentine Edward Mohney

Donald Edward Mohney and Nettie Lynda Lindbeck

Donna Mohney

So there are a few of those who came before me (on my father's maternal side of the family.) Writing this up made me see that I need to do some more research on Margaret (McConahy) Morrow and the Moravia church.

Donna E. Mohney 3/12/2021