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 SIMDAY SO iOlHM 
 
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FROM THE LIBRARY OF 
 REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D. 
 
 BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO 
 
 THE LIBRARY OF 
 
 PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
 

 xr'^Zi.vw "'A^^-*^ 
 
 
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^R^ OF P3;,Vff^^. 
 JAN 20 1932 '■^' 
 
 H I S T O R Yx^g;wl 8e^^\:^ 
 
 OF THE 
 
 IHDEPEHDEHT 
 
 PRESBTTERIAN CHORCH 
 
 SUNDAY SCHOOU 
 
 SAVANNAH. GA, 
 
 SAVANNAH : 
 
 GEO. N. NICHOLS, PRINTER AND BINDER. 
 1882. 
 
GRANT OF LAND FROM KING GEORGE 11. 
 
 George the Second, by the Grace of God. of Great Britain, 
 France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith and so forth. 
 To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting. Know ye 
 that we of our special Grace, certain knowledge and meer motion, 
 Have given and granted, and by these presents for us, our heirs 
 and successors. Do give and grant unto Jonathan Bryan and 
 James Edward Powell, Esqrs., Robert Bolton, James Miller, Jo- 
 seph Gibbons, William Gibbons, Benjamin Farley, William 
 Wright, David Fox the younger, and John Fox, All that public 
 Lot in the town of Savannah, in our Province of Georgia, known 
 by the Letter K, and situate in Decker Ward, containing Sixty 
 feet in front, and one hundred and eighty feet in depth, which lot 
 is bounded, as in and by the certificate hereunto annexed may 
 more fully appear. To have and to hold, the said Public Lot 
 hereby granted, together with all ways, water paths, passages, 
 privileges and appurtenances whatsoever, to the same belonging, 
 or in any wise appertaining, unto the said Jonathan Bryan, James 
 Edward Powell, Robert Bolton, James Miller, Joseph Gibbons, 
 William Gibbons, Benjamin Farley, William Wright, David Fox, 
 and John Fox, their heirs and assigns forever, in free and common 
 soccage yielding and paying therefor, unto us, our heirs and suc- 
 cessors, yearly and every year, one pepper corn if demanded. In 
 trust nevertheless, and to the intent and purpose that a Meeting 
 House or place of public worship for the service of Almighty God, 
 be thereupon erected and built, for the use and benefit of such of 
 our loving subjects now residing, or that may at any time hereafter 
 reside within the District of Savannah, in our said Province of 
 Georgia, as are or shall be professors of the Doctrines of the 
 Church of Scotland, agreeable to the Westminster Confession of 
 Faith. Provided always, and this present Grant is upon condition 
 nevertheless that in case such Meeting House shall not be erected 
 and built within three years from the date of these Presents, that 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 then the said lot hereby granted shall revert to us, our Heirs and 
 successors, as fully and absolutely to all intents and purposes, as 
 if the same had never been granted. 
 
 Given under the Broad Seal of our Province of Georgia. Wit- 
 ness his Excellency John Reynolds, Esquire, our Captain General 
 and Governor in Chief in and over our said Province, the six- 
 teenth day of January in the year of our Lord 1756 and in the 
 twenty-ninth year of our reign. 
 
 J. REYNOLDS. 
 
 Signed b)^ His Excellency the Governor in Council. 
 
 THOS. VINCENT, D. C. C. 
 
 Office of the Secretary of State, ) 
 Atlanta, Ga., March 3, 1882. \ 
 
 I hereby certify that the above and foregoing one page contains 
 a correct copy from Book A, Register of Grants, in this office, 
 page 97. 
 
 Given under my hand and official seal. 
 
 N. C. BARNETT, 
 
 Secretary 0/ State. 
 Registered May 17th, 1756. 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESS YTERIAN CHURCH. 5 
 
 EXTRACT. 
 
 "At a Council held in the Council Chamber at Savannah on 
 Fryday, i6th Jan., 1756. Present, 
 
 His Excellency John Reynolds, Esq. 
 
 f John Habersham, 
 I Alex. Kellet, 
 The Hon'ble-{ Francis Harris, J^ Esqrs. 
 I Jonathan Bryan, | 
 [ James Mackay, j 
 ******** 
 His Excellency the Governor signed the following grants for 
 lands laid out by the late Trustees and the late President and As- 
 sistants. 
 
 ******** 
 
 The following were lands laid out by warrant from his Excel- 
 lency. 
 
 ******** 
 
 To Jonathan Bryan and James Edward Powell, Esqrs., Robert 
 Bolton, James Miller, Joseph Gibbons, William Gibbons, Ben- 
 jamin Farley, William Wright, David Fox the younger, and John 
 Fox, in Trust, a lot in Savannah for a Presbyterian Meeting 
 House, known by Letter K in Decker Ward." 
 
 Executive Department, ] 
 Atlanta, Ga., March 14, 1882. \ 
 
 I, J. W. Warren, Secretary of the Executive Department, afore- 
 said State, hereby certify, that the preceding and opposite page 
 contains a true extract from a book of records purporting to be a 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 "Journal of the proceedings and minutes of His Majesty's Prov- 
 ince of Georgia, commencing the 30th day of October, 1754, and 
 ending the 6th day of March, 1759 inclusive," on file in the office 
 of the aforesaid Department. 
 
 Witness my hand and the seal of the Executive Department, 
 this March 14, A. D. 1882. 
 
 J. W. WARREN, 
 Secretary Executive Department. 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESB YTERIAN CHURCH. 
 
 No. 184. 
 
 AN ACT 
 
 To increase the funds of the Independent Presbyterian Church, in 
 the City of Savannah. \^See Laws of Georgia, 1801 to 1810, Clay- 
 tons Compilation, page 248. See Act of 1806, N'o. 249, Sec. 6, 
 repealing this Act.] 
 
 Whereas, the Independent Presbyterian Congregation of 
 the City of Savannah did, under the provincial government, obtain 
 in the said cit}- a lot. known in the plan of said city by letter K, 
 to build thereon a church to be denominated the Independent 
 Presbyterian Church, which was accordingly built and remained 
 dedicated to the service of the Almighty God, until the same was 
 destroyed by fire. 
 
 And whereas, there is not at present any successors of the orig- 
 inal Trustees of said congregation alive, authorized to take upon 
 themselves the charge and care of said church lot, and execute re- 
 ligious objects and desires of said congregation, excepting Barrach 
 Gibbons, Esq., who has the uncontrolled government, manage- 
 ment and disposition thereof. 
 
 Be it therefore enacted, That Joseph Bryan and Josiah Gibbons 
 Telfair, be, and they are hereby appointed as Trustees in aid and 
 addition to the said Barrach Gibbons to continue in office, to in- 
 crease the funds, and to rebuild the Church on lot K, to be de- 
 nominated and known by "the Independent Presbyterian Church, 
 in the City of Savannah." 
 
 ABRAHAM JACKSON, 
 Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
 JARED IRWIN, 
 
 President of the Senate. 
 Assented to December 3, 1805. 
 
 JOHN MILLEDGE, Go^'crnor, 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 CHARTER, 
 
 No. 249. 
 
 AN ACT 
 
 To incorporate the Presbyterian Church of the City of Savannah. 
 
 \_See Laws of Georgia, i8oi to i8io, Clayton s Compilation, pages 
 
 325, 327.] 
 
 Whereas, a number of the inhabitants of the City of Savannah 
 and County of Chatham have, by their memorial, represented to 
 the Legislature, that on the i6th day of January, 1756, a certain 
 lot of land, situate and being in the City of Savannah, and known 
 by the letter K, was granted to James Powell, Robert Bolton, 
 James Miller, Joseph Gibbons, William Gibbons, Benjamin Far- 
 ley, William Wright, David Fox and John Fox, their heirs and 
 assigns forever in trust nevertheless, and to the intent and pur- 
 pose that a meeting-house or place of public worship for the ser- 
 vice of Almighty God should be erected thereon, for the use of 
 such persons as were then residing, or might thereafter reside, in 
 the district of Savannah, as were professors of the doctrines of the 
 Church of Scotland, agreeable to the Westminster Confession of 
 Faith, with a proviso in the said grant contained, that should such 
 meeting-house or place of worship not be erected on the said lot 
 within the time therein limited, then the said lot should revert to 
 the grantors; that a meeting-house was built within the time lim- 
 ited, and the professors of the Presbyterian religion held, occupied 
 and used the same as their place of public worship until the said 
 meeting-house was destroyed by fire, in the month of November, 
 1796, and the said lot was afterwards disposed of by the then Trus- 
 tees, on building leases, and hath ever since been held by the les- 
 sees; that in the year 1800 the professors of the said Presbyterian 
 religion, were enabled by subscription to build a church on their 
 other lot in the said City of Savannah, known by the letter O, 
 which is their present place of worship, and have prayed that a cer- 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESB YTEKIAN CHURCH. 
 
 tain act of the Legislature relative to the said Church be repealed, 
 and that they, the said memorialists, may be made a body corpor- 
 ate, and Trustees appointed for the said Presbyterian Church or 
 congregation. 
 
 Section i. Be it therefore enacted by the Senate and House of 
 Representatives, of the State of Georgia, in General Assembly 
 met, and it is enacted by the authority of the same, That Thomas 
 Newell, Charles Harris, Francis Courvoisie, John G. Williamson, 
 John Scriven, Barrach Gibbons, Thomas F. Williams, Fingal F. 
 Flyming and Benjamin Maurice, and their successors in office, be, 
 and they are hereby declared to be a body corporate, by the name 
 and style of "The Trustees of the Presbyterian Church of the 
 City of Savannah." 
 
 Sec. 2. And be it further enacted. That the said Trustees and 
 their successors in office, shall be invested with all manner of 
 property, real and personal, all monies due, and to grow due, do- 
 nations, gifts, grants, privileges and immunities whatsoever, which 
 shall or may belong to the said Presbyterian Church, at the time of 
 the passing of this act, or which shall, or may at any time, or 
 times hereafter, be granted, given, conveyed or transferred to them, 
 or their successors in office, to have and to hold, the same to the 
 said Trustees and their successors in office, to the only proper use, 
 benefit and behoof of the said Church forever. And the said 
 Trustees, and their successors in office, ma)' have and use a com- 
 mon seal, and shall be, and the}' are hereby declared to be capable, 
 by the name and style aforesaid, of suing and being sued, implead- 
 ing and being impleaded in any court or courts of law or equity, 
 and of using and taking all lawful and necessary ways and means 
 for recovering or defending any property whatsoever, which the 
 said Church may have, hold, claim or demand, or the rents, issues 
 and profits thereof, or any part thereof. 
 
 Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the above named Trus- 
 tees shall continue in office until Easter Monday, in one thousand 
 eight hundred and eight, and that on the said Easter Monday, one 
 thousand eight hundred and eight, annually thereafter, the mem- 
 bers of the said Church shall convene at the said Church, between 
 the hours of ten and two o'clock, and then and there elect, from 
 among the said members, nine fit and discreet persons, as Trus- 
 tees of the said Church, who shall be vested with all necessary 
 
to HISTORY OF THE 
 
 powers, to carry the several purposes intended by this act into 
 full effect. 
 
 Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That nothing herein con- 
 tained, shall be construed to vest in the said Trustees, any right 
 or title, or color of right or title, to an)'^ estate or property what- 
 soever, real or personal, other than such as doth, or may right- 
 full)^ or lawfully belong to the said Presbyterian Church or con- 
 gregation, hereby made a body corporate. 
 
 Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That it shall not be lawful 
 for the said Trustees or their successors in office, at any time or 
 times hereafter, to grant, bargain, sell, alien or convey any real 
 estate whatsoever, belonging to the said Church, to any person or 
 persons, under any pretence or upon any consideration whatsoever, 
 so as to dispose of the fee simple thereof. 
 
 Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That an act entitled "An 
 Act to increase the funds of the Presbyterian Church in the City 
 of Savannah," be, and the same is hereb)'^ repealed, 
 
 BENJAMIN WHITAKER, 
 Speaker oj the House of Representatives. 
 EDWARD TELFAIR, 
 
 President of the Senate. 
 Assented to December 8, 1806. 
 
 JARED IRWIN, Governor. 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. it 
 
 No. 308. 
 
 AN ACT 
 
 To amend an Act entitled "An Act to incorporate the Presby- 
 terian Church of the Cit)' of Savannah." \^See lazvs of Ga., 
 1801, 1810, Claytons Cotnpilatioii, pages ^o^, 406.] 
 Section i. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- 
 sentatives of the State of Georgia, in General Assembly met, and 
 it is enacted by the authority of the same, That the Trustees ap- 
 pointed in and by the said act, shall continue in office until the 
 first Monday in January, one thousand eight hundred and eight, 
 and no longer; and that on the said first Monday in January, one 
 thousand eight hundred and eight, and on the first Monday in Jan- 
 uary, in each succeeding year, the pew-holders, or persons rent- 
 ing pews in the said Church, shall convene at the said Church, be- 
 tween the hours of eleven and two o'clock, and there elect, from 
 among the said pew-holders, five fit and discreet persons as Trus- 
 tees of the said Church. 
 
 Sec. 2. And be it further enacted. That the said Trustees, and 
 their successors in office, shall be invested with all manner of 
 property, real and personal, monies, rights and immunities what- 
 ever, belonging to the said Presbyterian Church, and shall have, 
 use and exercise, the same powers as given and vested in the 
 Trustees named and appointed in said act, in as full and ample a 
 manner, as the said Trustees, at the time of passing this act, are 
 invested therewith, under and by virtue of the act aforesaid. 
 
 BENJAMIN WHITAKER, 
 Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
 ROBERT WALTON, 
 
 President of the Senate. 
 
 Assented to November 27th, 1807. 
 
 J A RED IRWIN. Governor. 
 
12 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 No. 215 
 
 AN ACT 
 
 To empower the Trustees of the Independent Presbyterian Church 
 of Savannah, to sell the real estate belonging to the same, and 
 to amend an Act entitled "An Act to amend an Act to incor- 
 porate the Presbyterian Church of the City of Savannah." 
 ^Laws of Georgia, Dazvson s Compilation, p. 102.] 
 §1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
 of the State of Georgia in General Assembly met, and it is hereby 
 enacted by the authority of the same, That the body corporate cre- 
 ated, and the Trustees appointed under and by virtue of the afore- 
 said acts, shall be entitled and styled "the Trustees of the Inde- 
 pendent Presbyteria Church of Savannah," and all acts done, and 
 all deeds, testaments, gifts, grants, conveyances and contracts 
 which have been or shall be made, executed or entered into by, 
 with, or to them, under or by the said name or style, or any other 
 name or style which shall describe the said corporation or Church, 
 or efficiently to ascertain the intention of the parties, shall be as 
 good and valid in law, as if the said corporation had been cor- 
 rectly described therein, 
 
 §2. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid. That 
 the said Trustees be, and the)- are hereby authorized and em- 
 powered to sell and dispose, in fee simple or otherwise, of the 
 real estate belonging to the said Church or corporation, — the half- 
 tything whereon the new Presbyterian Church or meeting-house is 
 situate, excepted, — for the purpose of paying the debts now due, 
 and owing by the said corporation. 
 
 §3. And be it further enacted. That all laws and parts of laws 
 militating with this act be, and they are hereby repealed. 
 
 DAVID WITT, 
 Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
 MATTHEW TALBOT, 
 
 President of the Senate. 
 Assented to May i6th, 1821. 
 
 JOHN CLARK, Governor. 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESB YTERIAN CHURCH. 
 
 EC I S T C) lE^ "Y" 
 
 — OF THE — 
 
 — OF — 
 
 FROM 1755 TO 1882. 
 
 The following History has been compiled with great 
 care by one of the Trustees, the information contained 
 therein being gathered from the official records of the 
 Church in the custody of the Session and Trustees, as 
 well as from other reliable and authentic sources. 
 
 According to the original Grant of land from King 
 George IL, as well as from the Acts of the Legislature 
 and Charter of subsequent dates (copies of \vhich are 
 appended), it is ascertained that the congregation ob- 
 tained the grant on the 16th day of January, 1756, of 
 Lot K, in the City of Savannah, upon which to build 
 a Church, to be denominated the Independent Piies- 
 BYTERIAN Church, the land granted and the Church 
 built under said grant being " for the use of such persons 
 as w^ere then residing or might thereafter reside in the 
 District of Savannah, as were professors of the doctrines 
 
14 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 of the Church of Scotland agreeable to the Westminster 
 Confession of Faith." 
 
 As the grant was obtained in January, 1756, it is 
 reasonable to suppose that the congregation was or- 
 ganized at some previous time, certainly not later than 
 the year 1755, which, for want of earlier reliable infor- 
 mation, may be taken as the year in which the Church 
 was organized. 
 
 While the Church is not called Independent in either 
 the grant of 1756, or the Cliarter of 1806, her history 
 plainly proves that she declared herself Independent 
 from the first, and has so remained during the one hun- 
 dred and twenty-seven years of her existence. 
 
 The following facts corroborate this statement, viz.: 
 Among the manuscripts of Rev. Ezra Stiles, D. D., of 
 Newport, R. L, is one of the date of 1760, four years 
 after the date of the grant, enumerating the Southern 
 ministers and churches. In Georgia only two are named, 
 " iMr. Zubly, of Savannah, Independent Presbyterian, 
 and Mr. Osgood, of Medway, Congregational." 
 
 The following extract from a letter written by Mr. 
 Zubly, of Savannah, to Dr. Stiles, of Newport, April 
 19th, 1769, and copied from Rev. Dr. Howe's History of 
 the Presbyterian Church of South Carolina, shows the 
 status of the Church at that time; Mr. Zubly being the 
 regular Pastor : 
 
 " Since my last, a Presbyterian meeting is set on foot 
 in this place as the house I preach in is upon so general 
 a plan as to receive the Westminster Confession of Faith. 
 Some think it done out of opposition to me; however, 
 Phil. 1, 18." Upon which the author, Dr. Howe, com- 
 ments as follows: ''These allusions we do not fully 
 understand. Dr. Zubly was ordained in the German 
 
EXTRACT 
 
 From the " report of a committee of pew holders of the In- 
 dependent Presbyterian Church," of which Oliver Sturges 
 was chairman, appointed by the pew holders of the Church 
 to inquire into the facts concerning the action of Harmony 
 Presbytery at White Bluff, in reference to Dr. Kollock, and 
 bearing date January 7, 18 16. Said report being among 
 the records of the Trustees in 1885. 
 The committee commence their report by saying : 
 " It is recollected by a majority of those to whom this re- 
 port is submitted that at a meeting of the members and 
 pew holders of this Church, on the 24th of May, 1814, after 
 full deliberations on certain proceedings of the Presbytery 
 of Harmony, they did resolve that this church was in its 
 original foundation and establishment, and by its renewed 
 charter hath continued to be an Independent Church, 
 totally free from the superintendence, control, authority or 
 interference of any Presbytery whatever, either in relation 
 to the pastor of the said Church, or any of its concerns. 
 That the pretended act of deposition of the said Presbytery 
 of Harmony in so far as the same relates to the pastor of 
 this church, its Trustees, pew holders, or the supporters 
 hereof is utterly null and void and of none effect," &c., 
 &c., &c. 
 
INDEPENDENT PRE SB YTERIAN CHURCH. 
 
 Reformed Church at London, August 19th, 1744. There 
 was no Presbyterian organization from which an effort 
 of the kind aUuded to could emanate but the Presby- 
 tery then in existence in South Carolina." 
 
 Dr. Howe gives in his history a roll of the members 
 of the Presbytery of South Carolina prior to the Revolu- 
 tionary War, and Dr. Zubly's name does not appear 
 among them, although he preached in South Carolina 
 both before he came to Savannah and after he left. 
 There was no Georgia Presbytery at that time, the 
 South Carolina Presbytery holding jurisdiction over 
 Georgia as well as South Carolina. Dr. Howe informs 
 us that the succession of the old Presbytery of South 
 Carolina was interrupted by the war of the Revolution 
 and a new Presbytery was not incorporated until 1790. 
 
 In 1805, in an Act passed by the Georgia Legisla- 
 ture, the Church is styled the Independent Presbyterian 
 Church, though in the Charter, granted in 180G, the 
 word Independent is omitted. This must have been an 
 error, for we find that in the year 1821 the Legislature 
 passed another Act giving the correct name as the In- 
 dependent Presbyterian Church, and legalizing all acts, 
 conveyances and contracts made by the Trustees, under 
 any other name or style "as if the corporation had been 
 correctly described therein." During the years, how- 
 ever, between 1806 and 1821, the records show that the 
 Church was independent; for example, prior to 1812, 
 as shown hereafter, one of the Elders, Dr. Gumming, 
 stated on the floor of Harmony Presbytery, '' that the 
 Church was and would remain independent." 
 
 In 1816 the books of the Trustees record a meeting 
 of the pewholders of the '• Independent Presbyterian 
 Church," at which the committee appointed to select 
 
i6 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 the site for a new Church, reported favorably upon those 
 lots where the present Church now stands, as being 
 among the most central and eligible for the erection of a 
 '' Xew Ixdependent Presbyterian Church." Since 
 1816 there are many more similar entries, but the fore- 
 going will suffice. 
 
 There is at this time a sister Church in Charleston, 
 S. C, viz.: the First, or Scotch Church, being the first 
 Presbyterian Church organized in that State, and dating 
 back as an Independent Church to 1731. A Church in- 
 corporated Avith the same principles as our own, it has 
 not only remained always independent but has called 
 all its ministers from Scotland. That Church, how- 
 ever, united with Presbytery on the 12th of March, 
 1882. The practice of the communicants assembling 
 at a table is a Scotch custom, formerly generally ob- 
 served in all Scotch Churches and still observed in our 
 own Church. The table, being covered with a white 
 cloth, is laid the entire length ot the broad aisle, as 
 well as in the transept aisles, forming a cross, with the 
 elements at the intersection. It has always been the 
 custom for the ministers of our Church to wear both 
 gown and bands, at least as far back as the year 1800, 
 beyond which reliable information on this subject can- 
 not be obtained. 
 
 Lot K, mentioned in the grant and upon which the 
 first Church was built, is the lot between Bryan and St. 
 Julian Streets, facing west on Market Square and ex- 
 tending east to Whitaker Street. The following nine 
 gentlemen were appointed by the Colonial Government 
 Trustees, " their heirs and assigns forever," viz.: James 
 Powell, Robert Bolton, James Miller, Joseph Gibbons, 
 William Gibbons, Benjamin Farley, William Wright, 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 17 
 
 David Fox and John Fox. A brick Church was built, 
 and completed within the time specified in the ^rant, 
 and a call extended to Rev. John J. Zubly, who accepted 
 and remained Pastor until 1778. 
 
 The following information, gathered from Sprague's 
 Annals of the American Pulpit, and from Rev. George 
 Howe's History of the Presbyterian Church in South 
 Carolina may be of interest: As early as 1H3 the in- 
 habitants of Vernonburg and villages adjacent, in the 
 neighborhood of Savannah, addressed a petition to the 
 Trustees of Georgia desiring a minister of Calvanistic 
 principles be sent to them, and recommended Mr. Zubly 
 as the person of their choice. John Joachim Zubly was 
 born at St. Gall, Switzerland, August 27th, 1724, and 
 was ordained in London, August 19, 1744, coming to 
 this country at once to take charge of the Churches 
 above mentioned. He remained preaching at Vernon- 
 burg and Acton to the Germans for three years, going 
 thence to South Carolina in 1747. 
 
 Mr. Habersham, writing of him from Savannah, 
 under date of August 3d, 1751, says: **Mr. Zubly is a 
 person of no mean parts and education, yea, I may say 
 his talents are extraordinary, but what is more he is a 
 faithful, zealous and laborious minister of the gospel, 
 and would to God our colony, or rather the whole world, 
 Avas filled with such." 
 
 On the 25th of April, 1758, he was called to Savan- 
 nah from Wando Neck, South Carolina, and accepted 
 the call, preaching his farewell sermon January 28th, 
 1750, in the Independent Presbyterian Church in 
 Charleston. He took charge of the Indepen^dent 
 Presbyterian Church at Savannah the following 
 year, 1760, being the first Pastor. The degree of D. P, 
 2 
 
i8 HISTOR Y OF THE 
 
 was conferred upon him by the college in New Jersey 
 in 1770. Besides preaching to his own congregation 
 in the English language, he preached to one neighbor- 
 ing congregation in German and to another in French. 
 Of the many traditions that remain of " Parson Zubly," 
 as he was called, there are none which do not accord to 
 him great learning and ability. At the commencement 
 of the dispute between the mother country and her 
 American colonies. Dr. Zubly took a decided and active 
 part with the latter, and in the London Magazine for 
 January 1776, may be found a fervid appeal over his 
 signature in behalf of the colonies. This paper was 
 published at the request of "an old correspondent" 
 signing himself " 0," and who was no other, as is sup- 
 posed, than the founder of Georgia, General James E. 
 Oglethorpe. * * Such was the confidence of the 
 people of Georgia in Dr. Zubly that he was appointed 
 a delegate to the Continental Congress, of which he 
 was a member in 1775 and 1776. * * It appears 
 by his correspondence that he was in Savannah during 
 the siege of that place by the American and French 
 armies in 1779, and that his losses in property, books, 
 etc., during the war were considerable. * * He 
 died some where in South Carolina on the 23d of July, 
 1781, and his remains Avere afterwards brought to Sa- 
 vannah and there interred. 
 
 While at the opening of the struggle Dr. Zubly had 
 strongly favored the colonies, yet when the separation 
 from the mother country came, he opposed it. During 
 the war he apparently lost the confidence of his people 
 by his loyalty to the King, and this may have been the 
 cause of his leaving the Church in 1778. 
 
 Eev. Mr. Simpson writes from Savannah, under date 
 of March 22d, 1781, that " I walked into Savannah, 
 
INDEPENDENT PRE SB YTERIAN CHURCH. 19 
 
 which has suffered much by the late war. Visited my 
 old fripud, Mr. Zubly's, meeting house, which is in a 
 very ruinous condition, and has a chimney in the middle 
 of it, having been a hospital. Mr. Zubly died some 
 years ago, having in his last days acted a very incon- 
 sistent part, changing sides from Congress to British, 
 and died despised by both, yet I am persuaded he was a 
 real good man and that he is now in the kingdom of 
 Heaven." 
 
 After Dr. Zubly the pulpit was supplied by Rev. Mr. 
 Phillips until 1790 and by the Rev. Mr. Johnston until 
 1793. Mr. Phillips was probably not a regularly or- 
 dained minister. Both of these gentlemen were sent 
 out to Savannah by Lady Huntingdon to have charge 
 of the Orphan Asylum established by herself and Whit- 
 field at Bethesda. Rev. Mr. McCall was called in 1794, 
 but died in 1796. Rev. Walter Monteith came in 1797 
 and left in 1799, and it is uncertain whether he was the 
 regular Pastor or not. During his stay, viz.: in 1796, 
 the Church was destroyed by fire, and until a new one 
 could be built, the congregation worshipped in the 
 Baptist Church (the Baptist congregation having no 
 pastor), until they called Dr. Holcombe, after which the 
 Presbyterian congregation used the Baptist Church half 
 of each Sunday until the new Church was finished in 
 the year 1800. This second Church was built on lot Q, 
 which had been purchased by the congregation, and is 
 situated on St. James Square, between York and Presi- 
 dent Streets, just opposite and east of where Trinity 
 Methodist Church now stands. Afterwards the Trustees 
 erected stores on the old lot K, leasing them to outside 
 parties until they were finally sold. This second Church 
 was a frame building. During the great storm of 1804 
 
20 HIS TOR V OF THE 
 
 the spire was blown down, its fall being witnessed by 
 persons living in the neighborhood. 
 
 Eev. Robert Smith was called, in the year 1800, to take 
 charge of the new Church. He died in 1803 while 
 absent for his health, and the Rev. Robert Kerr preached 
 that Summer, but he also died before Fall of bilious 
 fever and was buried in the Old Cemetery. At his 
 death the congregation presented his widow with one 
 thousand five hundred dollars. Rev. Samuel Clarkson 
 then discharged the duties of Pastor until 1806, al- 
 though he had no regular call. 
 
 In the year 1805, all the original Trustees being dead, 
 and the Church property being under the control and 
 management of Barrach Gibbons, brother of William 
 Gibbons, who was one of the original Trustees ; the 
 Legislature appointed two additional Trustees to serve 
 with Barrach Gibbons, viz.: Joseph Bryan and Josiah 
 Gibbons Telfair. In the year 1806, the Legislature 
 passed another Act chartering the Church, repealed the 
 former Act and appointed nitie new Trustees, constitut- 
 ing them a corporate body capable of suing and being 
 sued, which Trustees were to remain in office only until 
 Easter Monday of that year, when their successors were 
 to be elected by the members of the Church, this elec- 
 tion to take place annually. The Trustees were therein 
 restrained from selling any of the Church property. 
 
 In the Fall of 1806 Rev. Henry Kollock, D. D., was 
 called, with a salary of $3,000, and accepted, remaining 
 until his death, which occurred thirteen years alter. 
 Dr. Kollock was born in New Jersey in 1778, went to 
 college at the age of thirteen, was licensed, ordained 
 and installed in a Church in Elizabeth, N. J., in 1800, 
 where he remained three years and then moved to 
 
IhTDEPENDEk T PRE SB YTERIA JSf CH UR CH. 2 i 
 
 Princeton, where, in 1806, the degree of D. D. was con- 
 ferred upon him. 
 
 In ]\"ovember, 1807, the Legislature passed an Act 
 reducing the number of Trustees to five, and changing 
 the time of the annual election to the first Monday in 
 January, votes to be cast by the pewholders instead of 
 by the members as heretofore. \x\ the year 1808 a 
 sounding-board "of modern style" was placed over the 
 pulpit in the Church at a cost of eighty dollars. In 
 the Spring of 1809 Dr. Kollock was called to take 
 charge of a new Church in Boston, Mass. He there- 
 fore resigned his charge in Savannah and proceeded to 
 Boston. Not finding the people congenial however, he 
 declined to be installed, but preached to them during 
 the Summer and returned to Savannah and his charge 
 in the Fall. 
 
 The following account of Dr. Kollock's connection 
 with Presbytery, written by Dr. John Cumming, will 
 be of interest. Writing of Dr. Kollock he says : 
 
 "Educated in a section of the country essentially 
 Presbyterian, and finding himself the pastor of an In- 
 dependent Church, he early thought of uniting him- 
 self to a Presbytery, but unwilling to call up a measure 
 which he had much reason to believe would be opposed, 
 he remained silent. Some of his friends knowing his 
 wishes brought the subject before the congregation." 
 
 " After mature deliberation it was determined that no 
 opposition would be made to his becoming a member of 
 Presbytery, but whilst the wishes of their beloved pastor 
 would not be opposed, measures should be taken, if he 
 carried his views into effect, to prevent the Church 
 from losing its inaependent character. He having 
 considered the subject and having determined to unite 
 
2^ HISTORY OF THE 
 
 himself with Presbytery, the Church resolved to send a 
 delegate with him to Augusta, where the Presbytery 
 was to meet." 
 
 This was probably one of the ^' measures taken to pre- 
 vent the Church from losing its independent character," 
 as Dr. Cumming's actions on the floor of Presbytery 
 proves. Dr. John Cumming (father of the late G-. B. 
 Cumming), by whom this account was written, was 
 that delegate who went with Dr. Kollock to the meeting 
 of Harmony Presbytery. 
 
 " When his name was called, this delegate rose and 
 said that he appeared there as an Elder of the Church 
 in Savannah, not as a member of Presbytery but was 
 delegated by the Church to declare that whilst the wishes 
 of the Pastor were not opposed, the Church was and 
 would remain independent. He was accordingly ad- 
 mitted and the Church was not committed." 
 
 " After this meeting of Presbytery and before Dr. 
 Kollock left Augusta, hoping to induce his congrega- 
 tion to join Presbytery, he requested that body to hold 
 their next meeting in Savannah, which was done. 
 After returning from Augusta, Dr. Kollock informed 
 the Elder who had accompanied him, that he began to 
 examine into the scriptural authority for Church 
 Government, and as his investigation proceeded, he was 
 surprised to find, that what he had, from education and 
 habit, taken for granted, had not the foundation he ex- 
 pected, and that neither the writings of the Apostles 
 nor the practice of the primitive Christians, clearly de- 
 cided the Presbyterian form to be that enjoined or 
 practiced in the early age of the Church. On the con- 
 trary, it rather appeared to him that each Church was 
 regulated by its members, the Apostles only being con- 
 
INDEPENDENT PRE SB YTERIAN CHURCH. 2^ 
 
 suited when cases occurred which requiring their ad- 
 vice." 
 
 "Still, however, seeing no objection to Presbyterian 
 usages and being still anxious to have his Church con- 
 nected with Presbytery, he hoped that the opposition 
 would be removed when the members of the congrega- 
 tion became acquainted with the modes of proceeding, 
 supposing it to be a prejudice which would yield to 
 familiarity with the subject." 
 
 " Presbytery did meet in Savannah, but he found the 
 opposition as great or greater than ever. Having his 
 confidence shaken by the examination he had made, and 
 unwilling on a doubtful point to separate himself from 
 his people, he resolved to withdraw himself from Pres- 
 bytery." 
 
 " In the Fall, therefore, of 1812, being summoned to 
 an extra meeting of Presbytery, he sent his resignation 
 to the Moderator, and it was delivered to Rev. Mr. 
 Thompson, of Augusta, Ga., the then Moderator, about 
 ten days before the extra meeting which was to be held 
 in Edgefield, S. C." 
 
 ^' Mr. Thompson had simply informed Dr. Kollock that 
 the extra meeting was called to investigate the conduct 
 of a brother. When he received the declinature he in- 
 formed Dr. Kollock that he was the accused. His 
 resignation was then in Mr. Thompson's hands, and he 
 denied the authority of Presbytery to cite him after his 
 declinature was received." 
 
 Dr. Gumming adds that he " saw the whole corres- 
 pondence of which the above is an abstract in the order 
 of time." 
 
 " Dr. Kollock did not attend at Edgefield, and he was 
 again cited to attend a regular meeting of Presbytery in 
 
24 HISTOR Y OF THE 
 
 Augusta, still informing him that it was his case which 
 required his attendance, but gave no copy of the charges 
 against him. Several members of the Session were 
 summoned to give evidence in this case, and fearing that 
 by non-attendance the truth of the charges would be 
 taken for granted, one of the Session attended/'' 
 
 " The Elder was desired to give evidence, which he was 
 ready to do, provided he, together with all the witnesses, 
 were put under oath. This Presbytery declined to do, 
 and therefore his evidence was not given at all." 
 
 " Everyone was permitted to say what he pleased and 
 much that was thought to be untrue was said. Without 
 hesitation after this ridiculous trial Presbytery declared 
 Dr. Kollock to be contumacious and suspended him. 
 and at a subsequent meeting in Charleston deposed 
 him. So malignant was one of the members of Pres- 
 bytery that he stood in the streets of Princeton and 
 handed a copy of the proceedings, in the form of a 
 hand-bill, to any one who would take it, on the Sab- 
 bath, as the congregation left the Church. The whole 
 proceeding was irregular. The General Assembly called 
 on Presbytery for a certified copy. After many delays 
 it was furnished and laid on the Clerk's table. When 
 it was to be taken up the paper was not to be found, 
 some person having taken it away. The investigation 
 was never renewed." 
 
 (See manuscript of Church History by Dr. John 
 Cumming.) 
 
 " Pending the proceedings. Dr. Kollock tendered his 
 resignation, viz : April 16th, 1813, to the congregation 
 which was not accepted. The congregation presented 
 him with a purse of $1,500 and begged him to remain." 
 
 "In June, 1816, a meeting of the pewholders was 
 called, and several documents relating to the proceed- 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESS YTERIAN CHURCH. 25 
 
 iiigs of the Presbytery of Harmony were read and the 
 conduct of Dr. Kollock in respect to said proceedings, 
 whereupon it was resolved to appoint a committee to in- 
 quire into the circumstances, collect evidence and re- 
 port to the congregation. This committee was appointed, 
 but there is no record that they ever acted." 
 
 In the year 1815 a parsonage was purchased for $8,000, 
 which is the building now occupied by the Kollock 
 family, on the southwest side of Wright Square and 
 directly west of the Court House. 
 
 In the following year, 1816, the congregation had in- 
 creased to such an extent that the building would not 
 contain them, and it was determined to build another 
 Church. On the 20th of April, of that year, a Build- 
 ing Committee was appointed to select a site and attend 
 to the building of another Church, which should be 
 large enough to contain the growing congregation for a 
 long time. This committee selected the five lots on the 
 south side of South Broad Street, between Bull and 
 Whitaker Streets, where the present Church now stands, 
 and proceeded with the work. Lots No. 17 and 18, 
 Columbia Ward, property of the Church, were sold by 
 permission of City Council March 6th, 1817. The 
 corner-stone of this, the present Church, was laid with 
 very impressive ceremonies on the loth of January, 
 1817, the following account of which was taken from 
 the Savannah Gazette of Thursday, January 16th, 1817 : 
 
 •^^ At half-past ten o'clock the citizens assembled and 
 moved in procession from the present Church to the 
 site of the new building in the following order: 
 
 Pastor of the Church and other Clergy; 
 
 Members of the Session ; 
 
 Trustees j 
 
26 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Building Committee and Architect; 
 
 Mayor and Aldermen, attended 
 
 by their officers; 
 
 Judges of the Superior Court, attended by 
 
 the Sherifi'and officers of the Court; 
 
 Grand Jury ; 
 
 Judges of the Inferior Court, attended by 
 
 their officers; 
 
 Gentlemen of the Bar ; 
 
 Citizens. 
 
 "The services were commenced by a suitable hymn. 
 The corner-stone was then laid in the name of the 
 Holy and Adorable Trinity. In it was deposited a plate, 
 on which the following inscription was engraved : 
 
 This Corner-Stone 
 
 of the 
 
 Independent Presbyterian Church 
 
 was laid on the 
 
 13th Day of January, A. D. 1817. 
 
 Pastor of the Church, 
 Rev. Henry Kollock. 
 
 Me7nbers of the Sessiofi, 
 Edward Stebbins, John Gumming, 
 
 John Bolton, John Hunter, 
 
 Moses Cleland, Benjamin Burroughs. 
 
 Trustees, 
 
 Oliver Sturges, Edward Stebbins, 
 
 Thomas Young, William Taylor, 
 
 John Hunter. 
 
WDEPENDENT PRE SB YTERIAN- CHURCti. 27 
 
 Building Committee, 
 John Bolton, George Anderson, 
 
 Lemuel Kollock, Benjamin Burroughs, 
 
 R. Richardson, Robert Isaac, 
 
 John Hunter. 
 
 Architect, 
 
 John Green. 
 
 This Stone Shall be God's House. — Gen., xxviii, 22. 
 
 " The services were concluded by an address and 
 prayer from the Rev. Dr. Kollock." 
 
 John H. Green, the architect, came from New York 
 and remained as long as his services were needed, re- 
 ceiving five dollars a day while in Savannah. Some of 
 the pews were sold before the Church was finished to 
 raise the necessary funds for continuing the work, and 
 the Columbian Musexcm and Savannah Daily Gazette 
 of Tuesday, May 12th, 1818, comments as follows: 
 
 "Sixty Thousand Dollars. 
 
 "Yesterday most of the pews on the lower floor in 
 the new Independent Presbyterian Church, now build- 
 ing in this city, were sold at public sale for the above 
 amount." 
 
 During the year 1818, so many persons had issued 
 what were called "change bills" and money had in 
 consequence depreciated to such an extent that Dr. 
 Kollock's salary was raised to $4,000. He went to 
 Europe that Summer and the congregation paid his 
 passage, etc. In the Fall he returned and resumed his 
 labors. In May, 1819, the Church was finished and 
 dedicated, and a marble tablet placed over the door, 
 with an inscription in Latin, of which the following is 
 a translation : 
 
2S HISTORY OF THE 
 
 " TO JEHOVAH, 
 Father, Son and Holy Ghost. 
 
 The Citizens of Savannah, under the Pastoral 
 
 care of Henry Kollock, D. D., solemnly 
 
 dedicate this building sacred to 
 
 Divine Worship. 
 
 Founded A. D. 1817. Completed A. D. 1819." 
 
 The total cost of this building, not including the five 
 lots, was $06,108.67|. The proposed width of the middle 
 aisle was twelve feet, but afterwards it was reduced to 
 eleven ; the proposed width of the side aisles was six 
 and a half feet, afterwards reduced to live and a half; 
 width of pews on broad aisle three feet two inches, length 
 tw^elve feet ; width of pews on side aisles, next the wall, 
 six feet four inches, length five feet six inches, being 
 nearly square, with seats on two sides ; other pews on 
 side aisles nine feet long and thr*?e feet and two inches 
 wide ; galleries thirteen feet wide ; size of main build- 
 ing eighty by one hundred feet, to accommodate 1,350 
 people. By recent measurements the height of the 
 steeple, from the ground to the top of the lightning 
 rod, is two hundred and twenty-three feet. Inside the 
 building, from the centre of the dome to the floor, is 
 forty-four feet. Notwithstanding the large capacity of 
 the Church, old members of the congregation say that 
 during the services held by Dr. Kollock, the building 
 could not comfortably contain the congregation. 
 
 The following is an extract from the Columbian 
 Museum and Savaimah Daily Gazette published Mon- 
 day, May 10th, 1819: 
 
INDEPENDENT PRE SB YTERIAN CHURCH. 29 
 
 " New Church." 
 
 '* Yesterday the new Independent Presbyterian Church, 
 which has been building in this city and now nearly 
 finished, was solemnly dedicated to the service of Al- 
 mighty God. An able and impressive discourse was de- 
 livered from the second chapter of Haggai, and ninth 
 verse. For grandeur of design and neatness of execu- 
 tion, we presume this Church is not surpassed by any 
 in the United States. It is seldom that we discover a 
 scene more affecting and impressive than this solemn 
 ceremony afforded; and in this city we never witnessed 
 such an immense congregation, so large a portion of 
 which was formed by female beauty; also the President 
 of the United States and suite, and other distinguished 
 personages belonging to the Army and Navy of the 
 United States, who listened with pious attention to the 
 learned, appropriate and eloquent discourse of the 
 reverend Pastor. In no other than the house of God, 
 in the midst of so imposing a scene, we could, and with 
 emphasis, echo the words of the reverend preacher, Dr. 
 Henry Kollock, ' The glory of this latter house shall 
 be greater than the former, saith the Lord of hosts, and 
 in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.' 
 The psalms and hymns interspersed through the service 
 were peculiarly well adapted to the solemnity of the 
 occasion, and the performance of the vocal music tended 
 to elevate the soul to sublime and heavenly musings. 
 The respectful attention and the fervency of the 
 responses all combined to induce the belief that the 
 heart accompanied the lips in supi)lication to the throne 
 of Divine Grace." 
 
 The following is an extract from the sermon delivered 
 by Dr. Kollock upon the occasion : 
 
30 HISTOR Y OF THE 
 
 * * * * "You see, my brethren, the purposes 
 for which this house is built — it is dedicated to God. 
 It never should, I trust and believe that it never will, 
 be employed for any secular purpose. In the tablet 
 placed over the door you declare that it is sacred to 
 Divine worship alone. Let it be a spot to which we 
 never bring the cares of earth, the occupations of the 
 world, into which we never enter without thinking of 
 God our Redeemer." 
 
 " It is true, the walls and stones have no inherent 
 holiness unconnected with the pure worship of God in 
 this place, but we cry with thd Psalmist — • Holiness be- 
 cometh thine house, Lord, forever.' We are followers 
 of that Redeemer, who with indignation cast out from 
 the temple those who employed it for secular and worldly 
 purposes. * * * * And ^now most glorious God, 
 we look to Thee; to Thee the great Jehovah, Father, Son 
 and Holy Ghost, we solemnly consecrate this house, and 
 dedicate and set apart for the pure preaching of Thy 
 Word, for the administration of the sacraments, for the 
 praises of our own God, prayer, for supplication, and 
 for all the offices of devotion. * * * * Let all 
 dissension and hatred ever be excluded, and may this 
 be the house of love and peace, as well as of holiness. 
 * * * * 'j'tjig ig i^Q^ tije house of God and the 
 gate of Heaven, the Lord is here, and we know it." 
 
 In conformity with the views expressed above, as well 
 as with the language of the inscription upon the tablet 
 over the door, the Trustees, up to the year 1832, positive- 
 ly and emphatically declined to permit the building to 
 be used for any but religious services. In April, 1828, 
 Mr. Geo. W. Anderson applied for the use of the Church 
 in which to celebrate the anniversary of the Union 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 31 
 
 Society, but the Trustees in reply resolved "that they 
 would not consent to the Church being used for any 
 other than Divine worship, except for the transaction 
 of business by the pewholders in general meeting." In 
 the year 1832, however, application having been made 
 for the use of the Church upon the one hundredth an- 
 niversary of the birth of George Washington, for ser- 
 vices, religious, civil and military, the Trustees granted 
 the request, '• on account of the extraordinary circum- 
 stances which cannot occur again in the lifetime of any 
 individual taking part in it, making it an exception to 
 the rule established by this Board, and it be not con- 
 sidered as a precedent." Subsequent to 1840 the records 
 show that the Trustees became lax, and permitted the 
 building to be used several times for eulogies and orations 
 and once for a sacred concert, notwithstanding the fact 
 that it Avas dedicated "Sacred to Divine Worship." 
 
 On the 29th of December, 1819, Dr. Kollock died very 
 suddenly at the parsonage, aged forty-one. His re- 
 mains were surrendered to the Trustees, at their earnest 
 solicitations, by his widow, on condition that her body 
 should be placed by his at her death. The Trustees 
 erected a vault in the Old Cemetery, in which his re- 
 mains were deposited. They also placed a monument 
 over the vault, surrounded it with an iron railing and 
 placed a memorial tablet in the Church. 
 
 In March, 1854, application was made by James M. 
 Wayne for permission to remove the monument and 
 remains to Laurel Grove Cemetery, which request was 
 granted by the Trustees. There is no evidence that the 
 project was ever carried out. 
 
 At Dr. Kollock's death the whole city was draped in 
 mourning, stores were closed and universal grief ex- 
 
32 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 pressed. All the city officers, members of the bar, 
 societies, Judges, children of the schools, and citizens 
 generally, attended his funeral. 
 
 Twelve days after his death, on the 10th of January, 
 1820, a great fire occurred which destroyed the two 
 buildings owned by the Church on the lot where the 
 first Church had stood. One of the buildings was hardly 
 finished, and as the Trustees had been waiting until it 
 was completed to take out insurance on it, it was a total 
 loss; the other building, on the same lot, was covered 
 by insurance. The loss to the Church by this fire was 
 estimated at $40,000. 
 
 As the debts of the Church at this time amounted to 
 over $90,000, caused partly by the improvements placed 
 on lot K, application Avas made to the Legislature for 
 permission to sell the property of the Church, and ac- 
 cordingly an Act was passed by that body in May, 1821, 
 granting permission to sell all the Church property 
 except the lots on which the new building stood. The 
 property was accordingly sold, the lot K and improve- 
 ments bringing $35,000. An assessment of seventy per 
 cent, was levied on all fee-simple pews. Those owners 
 of pews who declined, or neglected to pay, forfeited 
 their titles, and the pews reverted to the Church in ac- 
 cordance with the wording of all the titles to the fee- 
 simple pews. By these means the debt was reduced to 
 $20,000, and subsequently discharged by private con- 
 tributions. 
 
 The congregation purchased Dr. Kollock's library 
 from his widow for $2,500, giving a bond for that 
 amount, to bear interest at eight per cent, until paid. 
 The amount was paid eventually, but not until the in- 
 terest had run up to over $600, making the total cost of 
 
INDEPENDEN T PRE SB V TERIA N CH UR CH. 3 3 
 
 the library something over $3,100. This library was 
 bought "for every succeeding incumbent," and thus 
 became the property of the Church. What remains of 
 it is now at the parsonage, but is in very bad condition. 
 
 The old parsonage was sold for $8,000 and also the 
 other Church property. 
 
 The organ was finished in 1820 at a cost of $3,500, 
 and Lowell Mason, the well known composer of church 
 music, was engaged as organist with a salary of $300 
 per annum. It was during this engagement of Lowell 
 Mason's that he composed the well known tune '• Mis- 
 sionary Hymn" and set it to the words of the hymn '"From 
 Greenland's Icy Mountains" (written by Bishop Heber) 
 for use at a missionary meeting in this Church, where 
 it was sung for the first time. 
 
 After the death of Dr. Kollock, the pulpit was sup- 
 plied by Rev. Wm. Wallace and Rev. Mr. Capers for one 
 year; in January, 1821, Rev. Mr. Otterson was engaged 
 to supply the pulpit with a salary of $125 a month, and 
 after him Rev. Mr. Magee preached for a short time; 
 Rev. Daniel Baker was called, but declined the call ; 
 Rev. Dr. Snodgrass was called in January, 1822, from 
 North Carolina as regular Pastor, at a salary of $2,500, 
 but remained only until June, 1823; Rev. Samuel B. 
 Howe, D. D., of New Brunswick, was then called and 
 remained until the Summer of 1827. 
 
 In June of this year, 1827, according to the records 
 of the Trustees, Lowell Mason, organist,|left the Church. 
 It was during this year that several members of the 
 congregation left the Church and established what is 
 now known as the First Church, on account of its hav- 
 ing been the first Church established in Savannah con- 
 nected with Presbytery. 
 3 
 
34 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 This portion of the history is best described by Mrs. 
 S. Hancock, of Apalachicola, Florida, formerly Miss 
 Susan Brainard, who, coming from the North about this 
 time, was one of the original members of that Church. 
 
 The following extract from a letter, written by her to 
 a friend in Savannah, dated March 5th, 1875, states the 
 facts relating to the origin of that Church, which facts 
 are fully corroborated by many of the present members 
 of both Churches. 
 
 She says: "The First Presbyterian Church was 
 formed in the Fall of 1827. Some of the members of 
 the Independent Presbyterian Church were dissatisfied 
 with their Church government, and resolved to secede, 
 and form a Presbyterian Church governed by a Presby- 
 tery. The names of these persons who seceded were 
 Mr. Joseph Cumming, a Deacon in the Church ; Dr. 
 Coppee, Mr. George Faries, Mr. Lowell Mason, with 
 their families (Miss Mary Lavender joined from the 
 Methodist Church) ; Captain Crabtree and family, Mr. 
 Wells, myself, and others whose names I do not recollect. 
 The first preacher I do not recollect, but think it was 
 Eev. Mr. Boggs, who taught school at the same time." 
 
 " In 1829, Dr. Josejoh Stiles was our Pastor, and under 
 his preaching there was a large accession to the Church. 
 We had a very interesting Sabbath School, Mr. Joseph 
 Cumming, Superintendent. Our place of meeting was 
 in a large building, on Broughton Street, up stairs, 
 known as Lyceum Hall." 
 
 After Dr. Howe left the Church, Rev. Wm. Ford and 
 Rev. Mr. White preached until 1828. Rev. Daniel 
 Baker, D. D., of Washington, D. C, came in April of 
 that year and filled the pulpit for three years. On the 
 31st of January, 1828, the old bell of the Church being 
 
The following is an extract from an old pamphlet which was 
 handed to the compiler of this history, in December, 1887, it having 
 been preserved in the family of the present owner from the time of 
 its publication in 1827, until now. As it was published officially by 
 the officers of the "First Presbyterian Church," and contains the 
 rules, etc., for the government of that church, it effectually establishes 
 the origin of that church. 
 
 " Rules and confession ol faith ofthe First Presbyterian Church constituted in 
 Savannah, June 6, 1827. 
 
 Early in the month of May of this year, a few Christian brethren, then mem- 
 bers ofthe Independent Presbyterian Church * * * presented 
 the following application to the church, of which they were then members. 
 To the Kev. S. B. How, pastor, and the session of the Independent Church in 
 Havaunah : 
 
 Brethren— The undersigned members ofthe church over which you pre- 
 side, believing that the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom would be pro- 
 moted by the establishment of a Presbyterian Church in this city, respectfully 
 and atfectionately request, for the purpose of forming such a church, a dis- 
 mission from your body. * * * ^^Q are brethren yours, etc., 
 
 George G. Faries, 
 Lowell. Mason, 
 Edw^ard Coppee, 
 Joseph Cu^oiing. 
 
 In reply to which they received the following regular dismission from that 
 church : 
 
 Extracts from the minutes of session of the Independent Presbyterian con- 
 gregation of Savannah, at their meeting. May 18, 1827. 
 
 "A communication having been received from Messrs. George G. Faries, 
 Lowell Mason, Edward Coppee and Joseph Cumming, requesting to be dis- 
 missed from this church, it is unanimously resolved by session to grant their 
 request ; that they be and are hereby dismissed from this church as commun- 
 icants in good and regular standing. S. B. How, 
 
 "Moderator ofthe Session." 
 
 Having obtained this dismission, these brethren made an application to the 
 Moderator of the Presbytery of Georgia, who visited Savannah in person, and 
 after examining into the circumstances of the case, appointing a meeting of 
 the Presbytery to be held on Wednesday, June «. At this meeting a formal 
 application was made and supported by these persons, together with others 
 connected with them in their religious views, to be constituted a church in 
 connection with the Pi-esbyterian church of the United States. * * * 
 The Presbytery unanimously resolved to grant their request, and accordingly, 
 in the afternoon of the same day, twelve persons were solemnly constituted 
 into a church of Christ, and ruling elders ordained for the same. 
 
 The following is the form of admission, etc., etc. * * * 
 
 Pi'ofession of faith. * * * Rules for the government of the First 
 I'resbyterian church in Savannah. Article 1. This church shall be known by 
 the name ofthe First Presbyterian Church of Savannah. It shall be regularly 
 connected with the Presbyterian church in the United States and subject to 
 its government and discipline. Its pastor shall be a member of the Presby- 
 tery." * * * 7th. A Sabbath school or schools, for religious instruc- 
 tion of children, shall be established in connection with this church, under 
 the direction of the session, etc., etc. * * *" 
 
 JOHN I. STODDARD. 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESB YTERIAN CHURCH. 35 
 
 cracked, it was decided to recast it, and for the purpose 
 of defraying the expense, as well as to increase its size, 
 Benjamin Burroughs, William Gaston and Norman 
 Wallace contributed 1200 each, provided that " the same 
 is conveyed in trust for the congregation and never be 
 subject to the debts of the Church." This is the bell 
 now in use. 
 
 Miss Lucy SheUman was engaged as organist in 1827, 
 (when Lowell Mason left), with a salary of $100, after- 
 wards raised to $200. She remained as organist until 
 May, 1848, when she resigned. 
 
 The records of 1829 show that there were Deacons 
 in the Church at that time, who had charge of the 
 money for the poor and rendered accounts of the dis- 
 pensation of the same to the Session. 
 
 Rev. Dr. Baker was authorized on the 29th of Novem- 
 ber, 1829, by the Trustees, to "grant the use of the 
 Church when not in use by the congregation to the 
 Synod of South Carolina for purposes of worship." 
 
 In November, 1830, Mr. Baker made known his de- 
 sire to unite himself with the Presbytery of this State. 
 " This proposed step occasioned much regret on the 
 part of the Elders, recollecting, as they did, the diffi- 
 culties that had arisen under Dr. Kollock from a similar 
 step taken by him. They would have preferred to have 
 had him remain a member of a Presbytery of a distant 
 State rather than unite himself to one in our vicinity, 
 but since he had obtained his dimission, though they 
 could not approve, they did not oppose the contem- 
 plated union ; at the same time, in order that the Church 
 should not be committed by this act of the Pastor, under 
 any possible circumstances, it was resolved that a state- 
 ment to that effect be inserted on the minutes." 
 
36 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 During the year 1831, ninety-eight persons were added 
 to the Church, but lor reasons not stated, Dr. Baker left 
 the Church before the expiration of the year, and Dr. 
 Willard Preston was called from Madison, Ga., a Con- 
 gregational minister who never had any connection with 
 Presbytery. Dr. Preston preached his first sermon on 
 the 25th of December, 1831, and received his call at a 
 salary of $2,500 on the 14th of the January following. 
 He found two hundred and sixty-eight communicants 
 when he took charge. 
 
 In June, 1838, Dr. John Cumming, with his wife, to- 
 gether with fourteen other members of the congrega- 
 tion, were lost in the steamer Pulaski between Savannah 
 and Baltimore. Among the lost were the wife and 
 children of Robert Hutchinson, who, by permission of 
 the Trustees granted that same year, placed a marble 
 tablet in the Church to their memory. 
 
 The iron railing around the Church was not put up 
 until 1841, at a cost of $4,227, 12,000 of which had 
 been left the Church by the will of James Wallace for 
 that purpose. 
 
 In the year 1846 the ladies of the congregation raised 
 $7,630 by subscription for the repairs of the Church. 
 Among other repairs and changes made at that time 
 was the relaying of the flag-stones of the porch and 
 the removal of the wooden balustrade, which ran around 
 the roof near the eaves. The flag-stone sidewalk around 
 the Church lot was not laid until 1846, and it was 1850 
 before it was entirely finished around Church and Sun- 
 day School. 
 
 In 1851 permission was granted by the Trustees for 
 the City to place a clock in the steeple, same to remain 
 the property of the City. 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESB YTERIAN CHURCH. 37 
 
 The iron railing was placed around the Sunday School 
 building in 1852 at a cost of $578.U, and gas was in- 
 troduced into the Church the same year at a cost of 
 11,150.85. It had been introduced into the Sunday 
 School several years before, and would probably have 
 been placed in the Churcli at the same time but the 
 second service Avas held in the afternoon. Previously 
 the Church had been lighted with oil and the old 
 Church with candles. In November, of this year, the 
 Trustees offered the Lecture Room to the Synod of 
 Georgia for the purpose of holding their meeting and it 
 was accepted. 
 
 In 1853 the old square pews on the side aisles, next 
 the wall, were divided into two each, at a cost of 1450, 
 and their backs were made sloping. They are the only 
 pews down stairs that uoav have sloping backs. 
 
 During this year (1853) eight ladies of the congrega- 
 tion applied to the Trustees for a portion of the vacant 
 lot in rear of the Church upon which to build a par- 
 sonage, and the Trustees granted them a space on the 
 corner of Whitaker and South Broad Streets, sixty by 
 ninety feet, for the use of satd building. When the 
 building was partially finished, the ladies discovered 
 that the work was being improperly performed, and in 
 1854 requested the Trustees to assume control and 
 finish it, Avhich they did. The former contract was an- 
 nulled, and the contractor ordered to remove the un- 
 finished work. For this he sued the ladies and obtained 
 judgment against them for $2,347.19. The building 
 was finished in 1857 and occupied by Dr. Axson that 
 Fall. The total cost of the building, including the 
 judgment against the ladies, was 117,515.09, of which 
 the ladies raised $6,484.28. 
 
38 HISTOR y OF THE 
 
 The old organ, upon which large sums of money had 
 been expended, viz.: $600 at one time, was finally ruined 
 by the great storm of September 8th, 1854, and it was 
 proposed to procure a new one by subscription, which 
 was done, and the new one finished in 1856 at a cost of 
 $6,000, less $1,000 allowed by the builder for the old 
 one which he took in part payment. Repairing the 
 same he sold it to the Roman Catholic Church of this 
 city, and it is now in use (188;^) in the Cathedral. The 
 cost of repairing the damage done the Church by this 
 storm was $746.56. The furnace was placed in the 
 Church in 1854 at a cost of $527.57. Previously the 
 Church had never been heated. 
 
 Dr. Preston's health being feeble, on the 2d day of 
 May, 1855, he applied for leave of absence, stating in 
 his application that he had served the Church for 
 twenty-four years, and had only been absent four times. 
 The leave was granted, and $650 raised by the congrega- 
 tion to defray his expenses. His health continued to 
 decline and on the 26th of April, 1856, he died, at the 
 age of seventy-two, having been Pastor for over twenty- 
 five years. A tablet was erected to his memory in the 
 Church, at a cost of $350, in 1858, and a monument in 
 Laurel Grove Cemetery, at a cost of $600, by contribu- 
 tions from the congregation. 
 
 A lot was purchased in Laurel Grove Cemetery in 
 1857 to be kept as a burial spot for the Pastors of the 
 Church as shall die in its service. It was proposed to 
 move Dr. Preston's remains to it, but as the family re- 
 fused to have them moved, the monument was erected 
 in the Preston family lot, and a railing placed around 
 that lot at a cost of $160. This Church lot in Laurel 
 Grove Cemetery was next to the Preston lot, but it w^as 
 afterwards exchanged for Dr. Axson's lot, at his request. 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESS YTERIAN CHURCH. 39 
 
 Dr. Preston's sermons were published for the benefit 
 of his family, and a list of subscribers was made up 
 who agreed to pay each year the sums opposite their 
 names for the support of his widow. The total amount 
 to be collected annually was over $800. $600 a year 
 was paid his widow, by the Trustees, out of this fund, 
 until her death in 1868, the balance being carried to an 
 annuity fund, to be used in replacing the amounts with- 
 drawn from the original list, as the years rolled on. 
 
 After the death of Dr. Preston, several ministers 
 preached at different times. Those who remained the 
 longest were Rev. W. M. Baker, from August 3, 1856? 
 for six weeks. Rev. D. H. Porter, Pastor of the First 
 Church, tor three months, that Church being unfin- 
 ished. Dr. Hardenberg, of New York, from Novem- 
 ber, 1856, until June, 1857, and Rev. C. W. Rogers from 
 June, 1857, to November, 1857, at which time Rev. I. 
 S. K. Axson, D. D., was called from Greensboro, Ga., at 
 a salary of $3,000. He accepted the call in November, 
 which had been made in April of that year. 
 
 In 1859 the second service was changed from after- 
 noon to evening. In the year 1830 the afternoon ser- 
 vice was held at a quarter past three in the afternoon. 
 
 The gallery pews were altered in 1860, at a cost of 
 $322.39, and during the alteration the backs were made 
 sloping. 
 
 In 1863, prices for everything being fabulously high 
 on account of the war, the congregation presented Dr. 
 Axson with $1,000, and in 1864 with $3,500 more, all 
 raised by contributions. In the latter year the Trustees 
 added $1,500 to this amount in addition to his regular 
 salary. 
 
40 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 After the fall of the city in 1865, it was determined 
 to take np a collection every Sunday morning for cur- 
 rent expenses, as the funds in the hands of the Trustees 
 were worthless. 
 
 In 1866 Dr. Axson's life was insured by the Trustees 
 for 15,000 for the benefit of his family. 
 
 During this year Mr. Charles Green presented the 
 Church with eight silver-plated collection plates, brought 
 from England. Previous to this, with the exception of 
 the offering on Communion Sunday, which was lelt, 
 according to custom, under the table-cloth by the com- 
 municants, all collections were taken up by the Elders, 
 who stood at the doors, receiving the same in their hats, 
 as the congregation passed out. 
 
 In 1868, $1,5.80 were raised by contributions, and 
 spent in repairing the Church, painting steeple, etc., 
 and it was during these repairs, in the Fall of that 
 year, that a painter fell from a point just below the 
 basket to the roof and thence to the ground, causing 
 instant death. 
 
 During this year, Mrs. Mary Frew presented the 
 Church with a lot on Anderson Street on which to erect 
 a Chapel, to be used perpetually as a place for worship. 
 The Chapel was completed the following year. 
 
 Before the close of 1868 Mr. Francis Sorrel resigned 
 from the Board of Trustees on account of failing health, 
 he having been Chairman of the Board for thirty-four 
 years. 
 
 Eev. N. P. Quarterman was called as Assistant Pastor 
 in 1869, to take especial charge of Anderson Street 
 Chapel, and entered upon his duties the following year, 
 with a salary of $2,000, remaining until called to Thom- 
 asville in 1873. The vacancy thus created was not filled 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESB YTERIAN CHURCH. 41 
 
 until the Spring of 1874, when Rev. E. C. Gordon was 
 called as Junior Pastor, at a salary of 12,500. He re- 
 mained until the Fall of 1880, when he was called to 
 Salem, Va., and his place was filled by Rev. Robert P. 
 Kerr, who was called from Columbus, Ga., at a salary of 
 $2,000, and assumed his duties in January, 1881. 
 
 On Saturday evening, January 15, 18TG, a fire occurred 
 in the Church basement, caused by the furnace. The 
 fire engines were promptly on the spot and prevented 
 serious damage, but as the flames had succeeded in 
 reaching the loft by means of the interior of one of 
 the large columns, they would soon have been beyond 
 control. The floor, which had been somewhat weak- 
 ened, was shored up, and service held as usual the fol- 
 lowing day; and to prevent a recurrence of the accident 
 the furnace was subsequently sunk into the ground. 
 
 During the Spring of 1880, having received permis- 
 sion from the Trustees, the family of John Stoddard 
 (who had served the Church for thirty-five years as 
 Elder, and w^ho died in 1879), placed a memorial tablet 
 in the Church to his memory. 
 
 In the following Spring the family of G. B. Gumming 
 presented the Church with a handsome Baptismal Font, 
 as a memorial of Mr Gumming (who had served as 
 Elder for thirty-four years, and who died in 1878), and 
 his wife Catherine. 
 
 The cost of repairing the damage done by the great 
 storm of August 27th, 1881, was 8500. While repairing 
 the same, the Trustees discovered that the body of the 
 Church had at some previous time been struck by light- 
 ning, which had apparently entered the roof at the rear 
 end of the Church, and after splitting three of the king 
 posts which supported the roof, had passed ofl" on the 
 
42 mSTOR V OF THE 
 
 gas pipes. It was, therefore, determined to place a new 
 rod on both Church and spire, which was done in 
 February at a cost of 8178.92, a guarantee being re- 
 ceived from the company doing the work, to be responsi- 
 ble for any future damage caused by lightning. 
 The following are the officers of the Church : 
 
 Rev. I. S. K. AxsoN", D. D., Pastor, called in 1857 
 
 Rev. Robert P. Kerr, junior Pastor, " " 1881 
 
 ELDERS. 
 
 W. H. Baker, elected in 1859 
 
 C. H. Olmstead, " " 1867 
 
 T. H. Hardej^-, " " 1874 
 
 Randolph Axso:n-, " " 1874 
 
 Joseph Clay, " " 1877 
 
 W. L. Wakelee, " *' 1882 
 
 TRUSTEES. 
 
 George C. Freeman, Chairman, elected in 1878 
 
 John I. Stoddard, « "1878 
 
 Geo. J. Mills, " " 1881 
 
 H. F. Grant, " « 1882 
 
 E. M. Green " " 1882 
 
 Number of Communicants on the Church roll in 
 
 December, 1881 373 
 
 Number on the roll of Anderson Street Church 56 
 
 Number on the roll of Anderson Street Sunday 
 
 School, (J. R. West being Superintendent) — 
 
 Scholars 100 
 
 Teachers 18 
 
 LEGACIES. 
 
 As far as can be ascertained from the books, the 
 following are all the legacies which have been left the 
 Church, viz.: 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESB YTERIAN CHURCH. 43 
 
 III 1841 Mr. James Wallace left the Church $2,000 
 for the purpose of erecting an iron railing around the lot. 
 
 In 1855 the Church became residuary legatee under 
 the will of Mrs. Martha Williams, and, though not yet 
 in full possession of the property, receives therefrom 
 about $325 a year. 
 
 In 1860 Mrs. Susan Courterleft half of her property 
 to the Church and half to her Son, but the Trustees de- 
 clined to receive it, relinquishing all claim in favor of 
 the son. 
 
 In 1861 Mr. Hutchinson left $1,000 to the Church. 
 
 Miss Mary Telfair, who died in 1875, left the Church 
 the building on the southwest corner of Bull and 
 Broughton Streets, with thestipulation that the Church 
 should care for her lot in the Cemetery ; should give 
 $1,000 every year towards the support of feeble Presby- 
 terian Churches in Georgia; that the lot where the 
 present Sunday School now stands should never be sold ; 
 and that neither the pulpit or galleries in the Church 
 should ever be materially altered. Her will was con- 
 tested and the Church has never received the property, 
 the case being still in the courts. 
 
44 HISTOR y OF THE 
 
 :e3: I s T o i^ -Y- 
 
 — OF THE — 
 
 liEPEIDFi'I PHESEIIEII SDNMI SCHOOL 
 
 FROM 1804 TO 1882. 
 
 The records of Session having been destroyed by the 
 great fire of 1820, the oldest authentic account of the 
 Church School was obtained from the late Mrs. Isaac 
 Cohen, who at that time lived near where the Church 
 then stood. She stated positively that there was a 
 School in the Independent Presbyterian Church in the 
 year 1804, that met, at that time, every Saturday after- 
 noon in the Church building for the catechetical in- 
 struction of the children of the congregation. She 
 further stated that while she lived near there she saw 
 the children going to and from the School sessions every 
 Saturday. 
 
 How long the School had been in existence at that 
 time is not known, but it certainly was organized during 
 the life, and perhaps through the influence of Robert 
 Raikes, the originator of Sunday Schools, for there is 
 now in possession of the School a life size oil painting 
 of that gentleman. He died in 1811, having founded 
 his first Sunday School in England in 1781. 
 
 Not being able, however, to obtain any earlier authen- 
 tic account, we must accept the year 1804- as the date of 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESS YTERIAN CHURCH. 45 
 
 the organization of the School. Mrs. Sarah Sawyer 
 frequently stated that the School was in a flourishing 
 condition in 1807, the year she arrived in Savannah, 
 and that tlie School met at that time on Sunday morn- 
 ings. Another — Mrs. Harriett M. Green — said that she 
 herself was a member of the School in 1807. The 
 School continued to assemble on Sunday mornings until 
 the year 1866, since wiiich time the services have been 
 held in the afternoon. 
 
 During the year 1815, the School was reorganized by 
 Lowell Mason, organist of the Independent Presbyterian 
 Church, who was then Superintendent of the School, 
 and the sessions were held on Sunday morning in the 
 basement of the Chatham Academy. Up to this time 
 there were no other Sunday Schools in Savannah, the 
 children of the other denominations uniting with this 
 while Lowell Mason was Superintendent. 
 
 In 1827 Lowell Mason left the Church, and Geo. W. 
 Coe was elected Superintendent, and served until his 
 death in 1832. During the early part of Mr. Coe's ad- 
 ministration, most of the other denominations established 
 Sunday Schools of their own, and withdrew their 
 children to their respective churches. 
 
 In the year 1833, the lot on the northwest corner of 
 Bull and Hull Streets, on which the present School 
 building stands, was bought, and the present structure 
 erected through the efforts of the teachers and schol- 
 ars, the money being raised by fairs and contributions, 
 and on the 29th of September, 1833, the services were 
 transferred to the new building, which was dedicated 
 on that day by Dr. Preston, from whom the above in- 
 formation was obtained. 
 
46 HIS TOR V OF THE 
 
 Mr. James Smith succeeded Mr. Coe as Superinten- 
 dent in 1832, who in turn was followed by Captain Bee 
 in 1835. Captain Bee died in 1844 and Capt. John W. 
 Anderson served as Superintendent until his death in 
 1866. John D. Hopkins served from 1867 until 1874, 
 during which year Wm. H. Baker, the present Superin- 
 tendent, was chosen ; Mrs. M. E. Wilbur being the 
 Superintendent of the infant department. In former 
 years all the Sunday Schools of the city united in cele- 
 brating what was then called " Children's Day," march- 
 ing in procession through the streets with their banners 
 waving, to assemble in some convenient place for ad- 
 dresses, etc. 
 
 When the new Sunday School was built, Captain Bee 
 and Captain Anderson were appointed Trustees to take 
 charge of it for the School, but in the year 1841 Captain 
 Anderson, surviving Trustee (as the records of the 
 Church Trustees show), turned the building over to the 
 Church, stating at that time how and by whom it was 
 built. 
 
 Nunber of teachers now on the roll 30 
 
 Scholars 200 
 
 REGULAR PASTORS WHO HAVE SERVED THE 
 CHURCH. 
 
 Rev. John Joachim Zublv, D. D., called in 1760, left 
 in 1778. 
 
 Rev. Mr. McCall, called in 1794, died in 1796. 
 
 Rev. Robert Smith, called in 1800, died at the North 
 in 1803. 
 
 Rev. Henry Kollock, D. D., called in 1806, died in 
 1819. 
 
 Rev. W. D. Snodgrass, D. D., called in 1822, resigned 
 in 1823. 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 47 
 
 Rev. Samuel B. Howe, D. D., called in 1823, left in 
 1827. 
 
 Kev. Willard Preston, D. D., called in 1831, died in 
 1856. 
 
 Rev. I. S. K. Axson, D. D., called in 1857. 
 
 ASSISTA^^T AND JUNIOR PASTORS. 
 
 Rev. N. P. Quarterman, assistant Pastor, called in 
 1869, resigned in 1873. 
 
 Rev. E. 0. Gordon, junior Pastor, called in 1874, re- 
 signed in 1880. 
 
 Rev. Robt. P. Kerr, junior Pastor, called in 1881. 
 
 ELDERS WHO HAVE SERVED THE CHURCH. 
 
 The early records of Session having been lost, all 
 the Elders who served from the organization of the 
 Church are not known. 
 
 Thomas Young was an Elder during the year 1800, 
 and subsequently John Gibbons, John Bolton, John 
 Hunter, Edward Stebbins and George Hanall were 
 elected. In Dr. Kollock's time John Millen, Dr. John 
 Gumming, Benjamin Burroughs and Moses Cleland 
 served the Church ; afterwards and prior to 1829 Geo. 
 W. Coe, John Lewis and Geo. W. Anderson were 
 elected, since then Judge Law, James Smith, Capt. Bee, 
 G. B. Lamar, John Stoddard, G. B. Gumming, Z6\^x^.^, /incmA<^ 
 ^oUm. Hopkins, Charles Green, Wm. H. Baker, C. H. 01m- 
 stead, T. H. Harden, Randolph Axson, Joseph Clay, 
 W. L. Wakelee. 
 
48 
 
 HISTOR V OF THE 
 
 TRUSTEES WHO HAVE SERVED SINCE 1755 
 LIST BEING COMPLETE. 
 
 From 1755— 
 
 James Powell, 
 James Miller, 
 Wm. Gibbons, 
 Wm. Wright, 
 John Fox, 
 Thomas Newell, 
 Francis Coarvoisie, 
 John Screven, 
 F. F. Flyming, 
 
 From January, 1808 — 
 
 Edward Stebbins, 
 Ebenezer Stark, 
 Oliver Sturges, 
 John Bolton, 
 
 From January, 1823 — 
 William Taylor, 
 Joseph Camming, 
 Dr. John Camming, 
 Moses Cleland, 
 F. Sorrel, 
 N. T. Bayard, 
 Ralph King, 
 John W. Anderson, 
 Charles Green, 
 W. B. Hodgson, 
 
 Robert Bolton, 
 Joseph Gibbons, 
 Benjamin Farley, 
 David Fox, 
 Barrach Gibbons, 
 Charles Harris, 
 John G. Williamson, 
 Thos. F. Williams, 
 Benjamin Maurice. 
 
 Thomas Young, 
 John P. Williamson, 
 William Davis, 
 John Hunter. 
 
 Benjamin Burroughs, 
 Alexander Telfair, 
 C. W. Rockwell, 
 A. Porter, 
 F. Densler, 
 W. W. Gordon, 
 Robert Hutchinson, 
 (i. B. Lamar, 
 Wm. Duncan, 
 C. F. Mills, 
 
INDEPENDENT PRESB YTERIAN CHURCH. 
 
 49 
 
 J. W. Latlirop, 
 J. L. Hardee, 
 E. C. Anderson, Sr., 
 John N. Lewis, 
 Wm. H. Barroughs, 
 E. C. Anderson, Jr., 
 D. R. Thomas 
 0. W. Anderson, 
 John I. Stoddard, 
 Geo. J. Mills, 
 
 E. 
 
 Thos. H. Harden, 
 J. G. Mills, 
 N. B. Knapp, 
 John Cunningham, 
 J. F. Gilmer, 
 Henry Lathrop, 
 
 F. Muir, 
 
 G. C. Freeman, 
 
 J. P. S. Houston n, 
 H. F. Grant, 
 M. Green. 
 
TTtstorv m? tttt;^. Prf.rrvtf.rv of New ■RRTmswTqK 1 25 
 
 
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