|
Mercer County PAGenWeb |
| Lake Township | ||
|
Bethany Presbyterian Church |
||
|
The First Church in the [Lake] township was built by the Cumberland Presbyterians about 1859-60, the society have been organized previously, in Cool Spring township. Their church was repaired a few years since. The first pastor in it was Rev. Mr. Blackford. During the summer of 1876, the Cumberland Presbyterian congregation, at Jackson Center, in Jackson Township, divided, and about seventy members organized a separate congregation, which now [1877] worships in the church in Lake township. Four of the ten elders of the old congregation connected themselves with the new one, and Rev. James Gallagher, of Jackson Center, was its first, and its present pastor (October 1876). The division was made on account of the congregation at Jackson Center being rather large for their building, and abundantly able to support two ministers and carry on two separate organizations.
History of Mercer County, 1877, page 54 The Bethany Congregation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church The Bethany Congregation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized April 1, 1870, in Lake Township, by Rev. J. M. Gallagher, with seventy members. The present membership [1888] is about 140. The house of worship used is a frame structure that was erected in 1859 at a cost of $1,000. The first session consisted of John Kemm, David Zahniser, Daniel McClure, William McKay and F. M. Fleming. Since that time Thomas Kemm, John Zahniser and James S. Palmer have been chosen. The congregation is out of debt, and therefore enjoying peace and prosperity. It has regular preaching by its first and only pastor [Rev. James M. Gallagher].
History of Mercer County, 1888, page 555 |
Return to the main Bethany Cumberland Presbyterian Church page