From "The Presbyterian Church of Wellsburg"
1839-1930
A copy of this book is on the shelf in the Wellsburg Library, genealogy section.
In 1793 the Presbytery of Ohio was created which contained what now makes up the Presbyteries of Washington, Wheeling, Steubenville and other sections of the State of Ohio. This Presbytery continued until 1819. On its records Charlestown is mentioned as a place where supply preachers were sent from time to time. There must have been a Presbyterian organization in Wellsburg by this time although not yet officially into a church by the Presbytery. In fact an early document of Jacob DeCamp, a pioneer of Presbyterianism in Wellsburg, was given to the church by a descendant and is now pasted on the front of the earliest existing session record. It is dated October 8, 1817, and contains a subscription list of those who contributed to help bring ministers to Wellsburg to hold services for the Presbyterians of the town. The document goes as follows:
"We the subscribers, desirous of having the gospel preached in this place promise to pay to Jacob DeCamps and James Stevenson the sums annexed to our names, in three equal payments to wit: One-third the first of November, one-third the first of January, and one-third the first of March next, for the purpose of paying such of the Presbyterian ministers as may be sent as supplies to administer the word and ordinance in this place, betwixt this time and the first of May next.
•James Stevenson $3.00
•James Ferguson $1.00
•James Moore $3.00
•Charles King $ 1.00
•John Klien $3.00
•Thomas Grimes $1.50
•Robert M.. $3.00
•John Berry $2.00
•William Wright $1.00
•George Green $1.50
1839-1930
A copy of this book is on the shelf in the Wellsburg Library, genealogy section.
In 1793 the Presbytery of Ohio was created which contained what now makes up the Presbyteries of Washington, Wheeling, Steubenville and other sections of the State of Ohio. This Presbytery continued until 1819. On its records Charlestown is mentioned as a place where supply preachers were sent from time to time. There must have been a Presbyterian organization in Wellsburg by this time although not yet officially into a church by the Presbytery. In fact an early document of Jacob DeCamp, a pioneer of Presbyterianism in Wellsburg, was given to the church by a descendant and is now pasted on the front of the earliest existing session record. It is dated October 8, 1817, and contains a subscription list of those who contributed to help bring ministers to Wellsburg to hold services for the Presbyterians of the town. The document goes as follows:
"We the subscribers, desirous of having the gospel preached in this place promise to pay to Jacob DeCamps and James Stevenson the sums annexed to our names, in three equal payments to wit: One-third the first of November, one-third the first of January, and one-third the first of March next, for the purpose of paying such of the Presbyterian ministers as may be sent as supplies to administer the word and ordinance in this place, betwixt this time and the first of May next.
•James Stevenson $3.00
•James Ferguson $1.00
•James Moore $3.00
•Charles King $ 1.00
•John Klien $3.00
•Thomas Grimes $1.50
•Robert M.. $3.00
•John Berry $2.00
•William Wright $1.00
•George Green $1.50
Source Industrial Wellsburg 1899 by Ralph S. Kerr
The First Presbyterian Church
The First Presbyterian Church
Was the third religious organization in Wellsburg. From April, 1835, to May, 1839, before an organization was effected, the few Presbyterian families of the place were supplied with preaching in the old Court House, once in three weeks, by Rev. David Harvey, and who at that time was pastor of the Lower Buffalo Church at Independence, Pa. In 1839 a petition was presented to the Presbytery of Washington, asking for an organization. In answer to this request Rev. David C. Harvey and Daniel derail were appointed a committee to effect organization. On November 29th of that year this committee organized the church with twenty members, two of whom, Messes Smiley Johnson and Stephen Caldwell, were chosen and ordained ruling elders. The first house of worship was built in 1840; it was a plain, substantial building and served the wants of the congregation until rendered unfit for service by the great flood of 1884. The old building was removed that year in order to give place to the present beautiful structure at a cost of about $20,000. The seating capacity of the auditorium and chapel is about 800. The present membership is over 250, and Sabbath school enrollment 200. Services are regularly held every Sabbath, morning and evening, and on Wednesday evenings. This church contributes annually to all the Boards of the General Assembly. Among the agencies for Christian work are the Senior and Junior Christian Endeavor Societies, Ladies' Home and Foreign Missionary Society and the Children's Mission Band.
The following named ministers have served either as pastors or stated supplies: Revs. David Harvey, Samuel Fulton, G. M. Hair, Thos. M. Newell, E. Quillan, J. M. Smith, Nathaniel Conklin, Dr. Wm. Robinson, M. A. Parkinson, R. T. Price, R. R. Moore, Jonathan Cross, W. Wright, W. A. Mackey, J. D. Walkinshaw, R. M. Brown, D. D., Samuel Cochrane. The present pastor, Rev. Chas. H. McDonald, was installed December, 1898.
The following named ministers have served either as pastors or stated supplies: Revs. David Harvey, Samuel Fulton, G. M. Hair, Thos. M. Newell, E. Quillan, J. M. Smith, Nathaniel Conklin, Dr. Wm. Robinson, M. A. Parkinson, R. T. Price, R. R. Moore, Jonathan Cross, W. Wright, W. A. Mackey, J. D. Walkinshaw, R. M. Brown, D. D., Samuel Cochrane. The present pastor, Rev. Chas. H. McDonald, was installed December, 1898.