The
First Presbyterian Church of Sharpsville was organized on May 12,
1870, with twenty-eight members, by a committee of the Beaver
Presbytery, consisting of William M. Taylor, J. M. Mealey
and Elder James Wilson. The original members embraced
Albert Lightner, Mrs. Susan Lightner, R. T. Hadley, Mrs. Louisa J.
Hadley, Matthew Gemmill, Mrs. Margaret Gemmill, Mrs. Julia Kirkland,
Mrs. Sarah Drumm, David Agnew, Mrs. Eliza C. Agnew, Miss Mary Agnew,
David M. McMillan, Mrs. Nancy McMillan, Martha Hobaugh, Thomas
Carmichael, Mrs. Rebecca Carmichael, Mrs. Eliza Moore, William Fruit,
Mrs. Sarah Fruit, Miss Callie Fruit, James E. McMillan, Mrs. Mary
McMillan, Michael Keith, Mrs. Susannah Keith, Mrs. Melissa P. McMurray,
John B. Forest, Mrs. Martha Forest and Miss Eva Keith.
Services had occasionally been held at Sharpsville for a year or two
previous to the organization of the congregation, Rev. Falconer,
then pastor of the Sharon Church, doing the preaching. The early
preaching of the congregation was done as a supply by the pastors of
the churches at Sharon and Clarksville. The first regular pastors were
Revs. A. B. Wilson and S. H. Wallace, both of whom served the
congregation two years each. They were succeeded by the present pastor,
Rev. S. L. Boston, who began his labors 1887, and is working
efficiently for the development of his people. The eldership of the
congregation consisted of David Agnew and David W.
McMillan. Subsequently L. M. Ormsby, C. F. Eldredge and I. D.
Hadley were chosen, as additional ruling elders. The present neat
and commodious frame house of worship was erected in 1882, at a cost of
$4,000. The congregation enrolls at present some 115 members, and is in
a fair condition. Its pastor is a young man, and believes firmly in
earnest work, both on his own part and that of his people. The
aggregate annual expenses are about $1,900.
Source: History of Mercer County, 1888, pgs. 452-453
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