Ohio History Journal

280   Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.

present war, in such manner that the said lands be sold

out, or otherwise disposed of for the common benefit of

all the states; and that the money arising from the sale

of those lands, or the quit rents reserved thereon, may be

deemed and taken as part of the monies belonging to the

United States, and as such be appropriated by congress

towards defraying the expences of the war, and the pay-

ment of interest on monies borrowed, or to be borrowed,

on the credit of the United States from France or any

other European power, or for any other joint benefit of

the United States.

We do further declare that the exclusive claim set up by

some states to the whole western country by extending

their limits to the Mississippi or South Sea, is in our judg-

ment without any solid foundation, and we religiously

believe, will, if submitted to, prove ruinous to this state,

and to other states similarly circumstanced, and in pro-

cess of time be the means of subverting the confederation,

if it be not explained by the additional article or articles

proposed, so as to obviate all misconstruction and misin-

terpretation of those parts thereof that are hereinbefore

specified.

We entered into this just and necessary war to defend

our rights against the attacks of avarice and ambition;

we have made the most strenuous efforts during the

prosecution of it, and we are resolved to continue them

until Independence is firmly established. Hitherto we

have successfully resisted, and we hope, with the bless-

ing of Providence, for final success. If the enemy,

encouraged by the appearance of divisions among us,

and the hope of our not confederating, should carry on

hostilities longer than they otherwise would have done,

let those be responsible for the prolongation of the war,

and all its consequent calamities, who by refusing to

comply with requisitions so just and reasonable have

hitherto prevented the confederation from taking place,

and are therefore justly chargeable with every evil

Documents Relating to Western Lands.    281

which hath flowed and may flow from such procras-

tination.

By the House of Delegates, December 15, 1778.

Read and assented to, by order,

J. DUCKETT, C. H. D.

By the Senate, December 15, 1778.

Read and assented to, by order,

R. RIDGLY, C. S.

II.

THE VIRGINIA REMONSTRANCE OF DECEMBER 14, 1779.

Virginia was the State that made the largest claims to

western lands. Disregarding the growing conviction that

these lands ought to belong to the Nation as a whole, and

not to the individual States claiming them, Virginia pre-

pared to open a land office for the sale of lands southeast

of the Ohio river. This action led certain land companies

claiming large tracts of land on that side of the Ohio,

within Virginia's alleged boundaries, to memorialize Con-

gress to take such speedy action as would arrest the sale

of the lands until Virginia and the companies could be

heard by Congress and their respective rights be ascer-

tained. Congress promptly referred these petitions to

a committee with instructions to investigate. Further-

more Congress adopted, October 30, the following reso-

lution:

"WHEREAS, The appropriation of vacant lands by the

several states during the continuance of the war will, in

the opinion of Congress, be attended with great mischiefs;

therefore,

"Resolved, That it be earnestly recommended to the

State of Virginia to re-consider their late act of assembly for

opening their land office; and that it be recommended to the

said state, and all other states similarly circumstanced, to

282   Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.

forbear settling or issuing warrants for unappropriated

lands, or granting the same during the continuance of the

present war."

The onus was now shifted from Maryland to Virginia.

This remonstrance is in defense of her position.

VIRGINIA, to-wit:

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THE 14TH DECEMBER, 1779.

THE REMONSTRANCE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF

VIRGINIA TO THE DELEGATES OF THE UNITED

AMERICAN STATES IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED.

The general assembly of Virginia, ever attentive to the

recommendations of congress, and desirous to give the

great council of the United States every satisfaction in

their power, consistent with the rights and constitution of

their own commonwealth, have enacted a law to prevent

present settlements on the north-west side of the Ohio

river, and will on all occasions endeavour to manifest their

attachment to the common interest of America, and their

earnest wishes to remove every cause of jealousy and pro-

mote that mutual confidence and harmony between the

different states so essential to their true interest and

safety.

Strongly impressed with these sentiments, the general

assembly of Virginia can not avoid expressing their sur-

prise and concern, upon the information that congress

had received and countenanced petitions from certain per-

sons stiling themselves the Vandalia and Indiana company's,

asserting claims to lands in defiance of the civil authority,

jurisdiction and laws of this commonwealth, and offering

to erect a separate government within the territory thereof.

Should congress assume a jurisdiction, and arrogate to

themselves a right of adjudication, not only unwarranted

by, but expressly contrary to the fundamental principles

of the confederation; superseding or controuling the inter-

Documents Relating to Western Lands.   283

nal policy, civil regulations and municipal laws of this or

any other state, it would be a violation of public faith,

introduce a most dangerous precedent which might here-

after be urged to deprive of territory or subvert the sov-

ereignty and government of any one or more of the United

States, and establish in congress a power which in pro-

cess of time must degenerate into an intolerable despotism.

It is notorious that the Vandalia and Indiana company's

are not the only claimers of large tracts of land under

titles repugnant to our laws; that several men of great in-

fluence in some of the neighboring states are concerned in

partnerships with the Earl of Dunmore and other subjects

of the British king, who, under purchases from the Indians,

claim extensive tracts of country between the Ohio and

Mississippi rivers; and that propositions have been made

to congress evidently calculated to secure and guarranty

such purchases; so that under colour of creating a common

fund, had those propositions been adopted, the public would

have been duped by the arts of individuals, and great part

of the value of the unappropriated lands converted to

private purposes.

Congress have lately described and ascertained the

boundaries of these United States, as an ultimatum in

their terms of peace. The United States hold no territory

but in right of some one individual state in the Union;

the territory of each state from time immemorial, hath

been fixed and determined by their respective charters,

there being no other rule or criterion to judge by; should

these in any instance (when there is no disputed territory

between particular states) be abridged without the con-

sent of the states affected by it, general confusion must

ensue; each state would be subjected in its turn to the

encroachments of the others, and a field opened for future

wars and bloodshed; nor can any arguments be fairly urged

to prove that any particular tract of country, within the

limits claimed by congress on behalf of the United States,

is not part of the chartered territory of some one of them,

284   Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.

but must militate with equal force against the right of

the United States in general; and tend to prove such tract

of country (if north-west of the Ohio river) part of the

British province of Canada.

When Virginia acceded to the articles of confedera-

tion, her rights of sovereignty and jurisdiction within her

own territory were reserved and secured to her, and can-

not now be infringed or altered without her consent. She

could have no latent views of extending that territory;

because it had long before been expressly and clearly de-

fined in the act which formed her new government.

The general assembly of Virginia have heretofore

offered congress to furnish lands out of their territory on

the north-west side of the Ohio river, without purchase

money, to the troops on continental establishment of such

of the confederated states as had not unappropriated

lands for that purpose, in conjunction with the other

states holding unappropriated lands, and in such propor-

tion as should be adjusted and settled by congress; which

offer when accepted they will most cheerfully make good

to the same extent, with the provision made by law for

their troops, if congress shall think fit to allow the like

quantities of land to the other troops on continental

establishment.  But although the general assembly of

Virginia would make great sacrifices to the common inter-

est of America (as they have already done on the subject

of representation) and will be ready to listen to any just

and reasonable propositions for removing the ostensible

causes of delay to the complete ratification of the con-

federation; they find themselves impelled by the duties

which they owe to their constituents, to their posterity,

to their country, and to the United States in general, to

remonstrate and protest; and they do hereby, in the name

and on behalf of the commonwealth of Virginia, expressly

protest against any jurisdiction or right of adjudication

in congress, upon the petitions of the Vandalia or Indiana

company's, or on any other matter or thing subversive of

Documents Relating to Western Lands.    285

the internal policy, civil government or sovereignty of

this or any other of the United American States, or un-

warranted by the articles of the confederation.

NATHANIEL HARRISON, S. S.

BENJ. HARRISON, Sp. H. D.

Attest: JOHN BECKLEY, C. H. D.

III.

THE CONNECTICUT CESSION OF OCTOBER 1O, 1780.

On September 6, 1780, a committee of Congress to

whom all the documents in relation to the subject, ac-

cumulated on the table, had been referred, submitted a

report that Congress promptly adopted, as follows:

" That having duly considered the several matters to

them submitted, they conceive it unnecessary to examine

into the merits or policy of the instructions or declaration

of the general assembly of Maryland, or of the remon-

strance of the general assembly of Virginia, as they in-

volve questions, a discussion of which was declined, on

mature consideration, when the articles of confederation

were debated; nor, in the opinion of the committee, can

such questions be now revived with any prospect of con-

ciliation; that it appears more advisable to press upon these

states which can remove the embarrassments respect-

ing the western country, a liberal surrender of a portion

of their territorial claims, since they cannot be preserved

entire without endangering the stability of the general

confederacy; to remind them how indispensably neces-

sary it is to establish the federal union on a fixed and per-

manent basis, and on principles acceptable to all its re-

spective members; how essential to public credit and con-

fidence, to the support of the army, to the vigor of our

councils and success of our measures, to our tranquillity

at home, our reputation abroad, to our very existence as a

free, sovereign and independent people; that they are fully

persuaded the wisdom of the respective legislatures will

286   Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.

lead them to a full and impartial consideration of a sub-

ject so interesting to the United States and so necessary

to the happy establishment of the federal union; that

they are confirmed in these expectations by a view of the

beforementioned act of the legislature of New York, sub-

mitted to their consideration; that this act is expressly cal-

culated to accelerate the federal alliance by removing, as

far as depends on that state, the impediment arising from

the western country, and for that purpose to yield up a

portion of territorial claim for the general benefit;

"Resolved, That copies of the several papers referred

to the committee be transmitted, with a copy of the report,

to the legislatures of the several states; and that it be

earnestly recommended to those states who have claims

to the western country to pass such laws, and give their

delegates in Congress such powers, as may effectually re-

move the only obstacle to a final ratification of the articles

of confederation; and that the legislature of Maryland be

earnestly requested to authorize their delegates in Congress

to subscribe the articles."

The following act is the reply that Connecticut made to

this appeal:

OCTOBER, 1780.

This Assembly, taking into their consideration a reso-

lution of Congress, of the 6th of September last, recom-

mending to the several States which have vacant, unap-

propriated lands lying within the limits of their respective

charters and claims to adopt measures which may effect-

ually remove the obstacle that prevents a ratification of

the Articles of Confederation, together with the papers

from the States of New York, Maryland and Virginia,

which accompanied the same, and being anxious for the

accomplishment of an event most desirable and important

to the liberty and independence of the rising Empire, will

do everything in their power to facilitate the same, not-

withstanding the objections which they have to several

parts of it.

Documents Relating to Western Lands.    287

Resolved by this Assembly, That they will cede and relin-

quish to the United States, who shall be confederated, for

their use and benefit, their right or pre-emption of soil in,

or to so much of the vacant and unappropriated lands

claimed by this State, contained and comprehended within

the extent and limits of their charter and grant from King

Charles the Second, and which lies and extends within

the limits of the same westward of the Susquehannah

purchase, so-called, and eastward of the river Misisipi, as

shall be in just proportion of what shall be ceded and

relinquished by the other States, claiming and holding

vacant lands as aforesaid, with the quantity of such their

claims unappropriated at the time when the Congress of

the United States was first convened and held at Phila-

delphia. And it is further

Resolved, That all the lands to be ceded and relinquished

thereby, for the benefit of the confederated United States,

with respect to property, but which shall, nevertheless,

remain under the jurisdiction of this State, shall be dis-

posed of and appropriated in such manner only as the

Congress of the United States shall direct, and that a war-

rant under the authority of Congress for surveying and

laying out any part thereof, shall entitle the party, in

whose favor it shall issue, to cause the same to be laid out

and returned according to the directions of such warrant,

and thereupon the interest and title of this State shall

pass and be confirmed to the grantee for the estate speci-

fied in the said warrant, for which no other fee or reward

shall be demanded or received than such as shall be allowed

by Congress; always provided, that said lands to be granted

as aforesaid be laid out and surveyed in Townships in reg-

ular form to a suitable number of settlers, in such manner

as will best promote the settlement and cultivation of the

same according to the true spirit and principles of a repub-

lican State; and the Delegates of this State in Congress,

or any three of them, are hereby empowered and author-

ized, on behalf of this State, to agree to the location of

288   Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.

such warrants and surveys as shall be made by Congress

according to, and in pursuance of, the resolves aforesaid,

and whatever may be further necessary for the same being

carried into full execution.

JANUARY, 1783.

Resolved, by this Assembly: That the Delegates of this

State in Congress be instructed and directed, and they are

hereby instructed and directed not to proceed any further

towards carrying into execution the powers, authorities

and directions to them given in and by a resolve of this

Assembly passed at their sessions in October, 1780, touch-

ing the cession and relinquishment of this State's right

in the western lands for the benefit of the confederated

United States until further order from this Assembly.

This "cession," so-called, was never accepted by Con-

gress, and in 1786 Connecticut made a second one convey-

ing all her right and title to her western claims, with the

exception of the Western Reserve.

B. A. HINSDALE.

THE FIRST CHURCH ORGANIZATION IN THE

OLDEST SETTLEMENT IN THE NORTH-

WEST TERRITORY.1

BY REV. C. E. DICKINSON.

Exodus: 19: 5-6.-"Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed,

and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above

all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom

of priests and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak

unto the children of Israel."

SUNDAY, JULY 20, 1788, the first sermon preached to

white men in the present State of Ohio was delivered on

the banks of the Muskingum river, by Rev. Daniel Breck,

from the text which we have just read. We can easily

imagine that the eloquent divine on that important occa-

sion laid before his hearers the principles which have

governed God's dealings with communities and nations

during the years of human history, and that he then pic-

tured the blessings they might claim for their descend-

ants, provided they obeyed the divine precepts.

The people who composed the congregation that day

were far-sighted and enterprising beyond many of their

contemporaries, but if they had then been told the ma-

terial, social, intellectual, and religious progress which has

been made during the last century they might have said,

as did an ancient prophet: "If the Lord should make

windows in heaven might these things be?" Where they

then looked upon a wilderness inhabited by wild beasts

and savage men, we now see five great empire states,

each one, in wealth and resources, surpassing the whole

country a century ago, while the nation, then in its

1 Historical discourse delivered in the Congregational Church, at Mari-

etta. Ohio, April 8, l888. At the service when the discourse was delivered

Rev. Temple Cutler, of Essex, Mass., a grandson of Dr. Manasseh Cutler,

and Rev. Samuel B. Shipman, D.D., of Cleveland, Ohio, a grandson of

Joshua Shipman, who superintended the construction of the church build-

ing, were in the pulpit and took part in the exercises.

280

Vol. 11-19

290  Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.

infancy, and almost bankrupt through war, is now the

richest nation on the globe, and because it has the best

government in the world is the asylum for the oppressed

of all nations. Not alone the descendants of the Puritans

and Cavaliers, but many who have not been here long

enough to learn our language, point to the star spangled

banner and say with honest pride, " I am an American."

I propose to-day to give some facts in the early history

of this colony that we may understand how the settlers

attempted to fulfill the conditions of the text, and so laid

foundations for the blessings we now enjoy. The influ-

ences which led to the establishment of Christian institu-

tions here were at work many centuries before the pio-

neers set foot upon this soil. We have been told that a

few years ago a grain of Egyptian wheat was found in the

hand of a mummy where it may have lain for 4,000 years.

When planted this wheat grain grew and produced many

fold, and it has since multiplied itself from year to year.

The seed which was planted upon the bank of this

"beautiful river" a century ago may be traced to the

teachings of Jesus of Nazareth but it did not lie in the

hand of a mummy during the intervening centuries. In

the Apostolic age it produced many fold. Then imperial

Rome attempted by fire, sword, and wild beast, to destroy

every vestige of Christianity, but it flourished in the

catacombs and mountain fastnesses. From the cliffs of

the rocks it scattered its seed until it overran the empire.

In the middle ages it was still fruitful though often com-

pelled to escape from persecutions. The reformation in

the sixteenth century greatly increased the harvest. The

invention of printing and the discovery of America helped

spread the truth. The Pilgrim fathers and their Puritan

brethren, driven from their native land by persecution

brought this seed to the New World and planted it in

New England. Its fruitage there was a free church and a

free school. Intelligence and Christianity became the

corner stones of New England society. So thoroughly

First Church Organization in Marietta.  291

were the people imbued with the spirit of God's word that

neither the demoralization incident to eight years of war,

nor the introduction of French infidelity could destroy

these foundations.

Since the colony that settled at Marietta was composed

almost entirely of New England men, we should expect

that institutions of learning and religion would be intro-

duced at the beginning of the settlement, and facts do not

disappoint this expectation. When the Pilgrim Fathers

landed on Plymouth Rock their primary object was to es-

tablish a church in which they could worship God accord-

ing to the dictates of their own consciences, but they did

not neglect to lay the foundations of a civil government,

which was free, because the logical sequence of a church

without a bishop was a State without a king.

The influence of New England thought secured for the

Northwest Territory a charter of freedom in the Ordinance

of 1787, under which the pioneers came to Ohio,primarily

to better their fortunes and lay the foundations of a civil

government, but these men did not neglect to lay broad

and deep the foundations of the church and the school.

Before the revolution the New England colonies had

pushed their settlements westward until they had met the

Dutch settlements on the Hudson, and when our inde-

pendence had been acknowledged they looked farther

toward the setting sun for more land to possess. The

army officers and their associates, who formed the Ohio

Company, were moved by patriotism, as well as by a de-

sire to better their own fortunes. They knew that when

they purchased the public lands with their certificates

they would reduce the debt of the country for which they

had periled their lives.

The Ohio Company, though a business corporation, had

among its members several clergymen and others of de-

cided Christian character. At a meeting of the Agents

held at Rice Tavern in Providence, R. I., March 5, 1788,

it was "Resolved, that a committee composed of Rev.

292    Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.

Manasseh Cutler, General Varnum and Colonel May con-

sider the expediency of employing some suitable person

as a public teacher at the settlement now making by the Ohio

Company."

This committee reported two days later "that the Direc-

tors be requested to pay as early attention as possible to the

education of youth and the provision of public worship

among the first settlers, and that for this important pur-

pose they employ, if practicable, an instructor eminent for

literary accomplishments and the virtue of his character,

who shall also superinted the first scholastic institution

and direct the manner of instruction, and to enable the

Directors to carry into execution the intention expressed

in these resolutions, the proprietors and others of benevo-

lent and liberal minds are earnestly requested to contribute,

by voluntary donations, to form a fund to be solely appro-

priated thereto." This resolution was confirmed by the

Directors at a meeting held the same day, March 7. At

the time this action was taken, the first company of pio-

neers were encamped on the banks of the Youghiogheny

river, constructing the Mayflower of the West, which

was to bear them down the Ohio and land them one month

later at the mouth of the Muskingum. During the same

month a subscription paper was prepared and printed for

circulation. This quoted the resolutions passed by the

Agents and Directors and appealed to the "benevolent

and liberal minded" to contribute for this worthy object.1

This paper was as follows: "Whereas, the Agents of the Ohio Com-

pany at their meeting in Providence, State of Rhode Island, upon the 7th

day of March, instant, passed the following resolution: 'That the

Directors be requested to pay as early attention as possible to the

education of youth and the promotion of public worship among

the first settlers, and that for these important purposes they employ,

if practicable, an instructor eminent for literary accomplishments

and the virtue of his character, who shall also superintend the first

scholastic institution and direct the manner of instruction, and

to enable the Directors to carry into execution the intention expressed

in this resolution, the proprietors and others of liberal and benevolent

minds are earnestly requested to contribute, by voluntary donations, to

First Church Organization in Marietta.          293

We have no means of ascertaining how extensively

these papers were circulated, or how much money was

thus raised. About eight months later, under date of

November 8th, 1788, Dr. Cutler wrote to General Put-

nam as follows: "I have requested Colonel Platt (treas-

urer) to   forward a   sum, raised    for  the   support of

preachers and schoolmasters, to the Directors at Marietta,

of $200, which will enable you to pay preachers and

schoolmasters for the present." It is certainly a fair

inference from   such language that this sum was raised

by the circulation of these papers. We also have evi-

dence that resources from this source soon failed, for

a year and a half later, March 29, 1790, it was " Resolved,

That it is the opinion of the Agents that the Ohio Com-

pany's funds are holden to the amount of the orders

which have been protested, being drawn on the min-

isterial fund, and for the payment of all expenses of sup-

porting preaching to this time." If the orders drawn

on the ministerial fund had been protested, we conclude

there was no money in that fund. At a subsequent meet-

ing, the Directors were requested "to ascertain from

General Putnam and Dr. Cutler the state of the fund

for the support of a preacher and for schools, in order

that the uncertainty we are in, in respect to this im-

portant subject, may be removed." In April, 1791, the

statement is made that the ministerial fund, so-called,

has failed.¹ We find in the records of the Company for

form a fund to be solely appropriated thereto. That the Agents will exert

themselves in promoting subscriptions and paying the monies they may col-

lect into the treasury, and the treasurer is to report to the Directors at or

before the next meeting.' And whereas, the Directors of the said Company

by their vote of the same day, have fully approved the resolution aforesaid,

and add their solicitations to the request of the Agents. We, therefore, the

subscribers, anxious to promote so laudable an undertaking, do, each one

for himself promise to pay to any one of the Agents of the Ohio Company

the sums respectively annexed to our names. Dated March, 1788."

1 This may refer to the rents of ministerial lands not then productive,

but probably to the fund above mentioned.

294   Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.

nearly seven years that occasional appropriations were

made for the support of preaching and to "pay the

boarding" of the preacher.  Thus a quarter of a cen-

tury before the formation of the American Home Mis-

sionary Society the Ohio Company aided in planting

Christian institutions in the Ohio Valley.

From the first landing of the pioneers at Marietta

Sunday was observed as a day of rest. July 15, 1788,

Rev. Daniel Breck, from Topsfield, Mass., a member of

the Ohio Company, arrived at Marietta on a tour of obser-

vation, and on the following Sunday, July 20, he inaugu-

rated public worship in the Northwest Territory. He

preached in a " bower," on the banks of the Muskingum,

which had been prepared for a Fourth of July banquet.

This bower was probably very nearly in front of where this

church stands. Colonel May, who was present on that

interesting occasion, wrote in his journal as follows: "A

large number of people were assembled, from the garrison

[" Fort Harmar,"] Virginia, and our own settlement, in

all about 300, some women and children,l which was a

pleasing, though somewhat unusual, sight for us to see.

Mr. Breck made out pretty well, the singing was excel-

lent; we had Billings to perfection. Governor St. Clair

was much pleased with the whole exercises."

At that time there was not a Protestant church for

white people in the Northwest Territory, and not another

clergyman there to preach the gospel in the English

language. Now, in the five States carved from this terri-

tory, there are more than 22,000 Protestant churches, and

more than 2,000,000 church members, and to-day not far

from 17,000 clergymen unfold the truths of God's word to

their congregations. All this is the growth of a century.

Mr. Breck remained at Marietta five weeks. I find evi-

dence in contemporary journals that he preached four

1 The women and children were from the settlement in Virginia; only

one family had then arrived at Marietta.

First Church Organization in Marietta.  295

Sundays, and the fifth was probably not an exception.

He left for his home August 18, and the next day Rev.

Manasseh Cutler, LL. D., arrived in company with several

pioneer families. He preached in the Northwest block

house at Campus Martius on the three succeeding Sun-

days. August 24 he preached a sermon, specially pre-

pared for the occasion, from Malachi I, II: "For, from

the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the

same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in

every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and

a pure offering for my name shall be great among the

heathen, saith the Lord of hosts." In this sermon we

find the following significant passage: "We, this day,

literally see the fulfillment of the prophecy of our text,

gradually advancing incense offered to the Most High

God in this place, which was lately the dreary abode

of savage barbarity. Here may the gospel be preached

to the latest period of time; the arts and sciences be

planted; the seeds of virtue, happiness and glory be

firmly rooted and grow up to full maturity."

Thus, for eight consecutive Sundays, the settlers were

favored with preaching by these eminent divines. From

that time stated services were conducted for several months

by laymen. According to the testimony of A. T. Nye,

Esq., these were under the general direction of General

Benjamin Tupper. For a considerable portion of the time

the services were conducted by Mr. Thomas Lord, who

was a graduate of Yale College, and had studied theology

with a view to entering the ministry.

On the annual Thanksgiving, December 18, 1788,

General Samuel H. Parsons (the son of a clergyman)

officiated, as we learn from the following letter, written to

Dr. Cutler: "I beg you will come on as soon as possible.

We want you. I am sure you will be welcome. I can

preach no longer for you. On the public Thanksgiving I

was obliged, for the first time, to preach, much against my

will, from Psalms ciii, 2, and such a piece of work I be-

296   Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.

lieve you never heard. I am sure I never did. To con-

firm my wife in her faith I have sent it for her perusal."

Prom this letter we learn that the settlers were so thor-

oughly imbued with the religious sentiments of New Eng-

land that the governor issued his proclamation for a pub-

lic thanksgiving after the ingathering of the first harvest,

and, though far away in the wilderness, and without a reg-

ular minister, the people gathered in their accustomed

place for a religious observance of the day. We may sup-

pose that after the services they repaired to their log

houses and feasted upon venison, bear meat, squirrel pie,

wild turkey, fish, and corn bread, with a dessert of pump-

kin pie.

In the journal of one of the settlers, under date of No-

vember 23, 1788, we read, "Heard a sermon by Dr.

Jones." Whether this was an itinerating clergyman who

was that day entertained in the colony, or a sermon from

chat divine was read by a layman, we cannot tell, but the

statement is additional evidence that Sunday worship was

regularly maintained after July 20, 1788. This should

be remembered as one of our important dates. April

7 marks the landing of the pioneers. August 19 the

arrival of the pioneer families. September 2 the open-

ing of the first court. July 20 is a not less important

date, for on that day the primitive forests echoed for

the first time to the sound of public prayer, singing and

preaching. We trust the voice of public worship on the

Lord's day will not cease to be heard in every city and

hamlet in all our domains until the angel, with one foot

upon the land and one foot upon the sea, shall proclaim

that there shall be time no longer. There is still another

important date, namely, August 25, when the first death

occurred in the settlement; this was a child thirteen

months old, named Nabby Cushing, who had arrived with

her parents a week previous. Two days later, August

27, the weeping parents laid the little body in the grave.

The funeral services were conducted by Dr. Cutler. They

First Church Organization in Marietta.        297

buried the body in a coffin of cherry wood, which, at Dr.

Cutler's suggestion, "was not colored, as an example for

the future." We of the present generation have departed

somewhat from that primitive simplicity.

We have already mentioned the meeting of the Ohio

Company, held at Providence, R. I., in March, 1788. In

addition to the resolution already quoted, it was voted at

that meeting to authorize Dr. Cutler to search out and

employ some suitable person to fulfill the intentions of

the company in regard to religious instruction. Dr. Cut-

ler expressed his interest in this matter in a letter to

General Putnam in which he said, "I can in truth de-

clare I know    of no subject which      lies with   so much

weight on my mind as that your settlement may be fur-

nished with a number of able and faithful ministers; con-

vinced, as I am, that religious establishments and social

worship are essential in a civil view to the well-being of

society, especially under free government. If no regard

was had to the interests and concerns of a future world,

you cannot be too solicitous to have them early estab-

lished in your rising settlement." Acting under the in-

struction given him Dr. Cutler secured the services of Mr.

Daniel Story, a native of Boston and a graduate of Dart-

mouth college, an uncle to Joseph Story the eminent jurist.1

Mr. Story arrived at Marietta, March 19, 1789, and

1In the following letter to General Putnam we have a description of the

bargain made with Mr. Story: "The terms on which he goes into the

country are that his board be given him; that he draw from the funds raised

to support preaching $4.00 in silver per week; that he be permitted to im-

prove, if he pleases, a part of the land near the city granted for religious

purposes; that the people be requested to assist in clearing and cultivating

it so far at least as shall render his pay equal to $5.00 per week; and that

he be allowed a reasonable compensation for his expenses in going into the

country. These were the best terms on which he would consent to go. He

could have his board and $5.00 per week here and constant employment.

As he must lose several Sabbaths in going into the country, he conceived it

reasonable that he should have a consideration for his expenses. There

was no other person of respectable character whom I could employ on bet

ter terms."

298   Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.

preached his first sermon here on the following Sunday,

March 22. From that time until 1796 he was in the em-

ploy of the Ohio Company and received a portion of his

salary from their funds. He probably received a part

from the voluntary contributions of the people. In 1790

Mr. Thomas Wallcut says he drew up a subscription

paper for the purpose of raising money for the support of

Mr. Story.1

In the spring of 1789 settlements were commenced at

Belpre and Waterford and arrangements were soon made

by which Mr. Story preached at each of these places one

Sunday in five. The services in Marietta were held in the

northwest block-house at Campus Martius, and after 1790

additional services were held at Munsell's Hall at "the

Point." The journey to Belpre and Waterford was made

in a row-boat. During the Indian war these journeys were

made at longer intervals and he was accompanied by an

armed guard. Scouts frequently attended them, who ex-

amined the forest for traces of a savage foe. On the

Sundays when Mr. Story did not preach at these settle-

ments Colonel Ebenezer Battelle conducted services at

Belpre, and Major Dean Tyler at Waterford; both these

gentlemen were graduates of Harvard College. Their ser-

vices consisted of singing, prayer and reading a sermon

from some standard divine. The New England people, a

century ago, were nearly all versed in psalmody and prac-

ticed congregational singing. Nearly all the people in the

various settlements attended services and paid a proper

respect to the ordinances of religion, though many of the

men were not church members.

1The paper was as follows: " Whereas, the worship and reverence of the

Supreme Ruler of the world is essential to the well-being of society, and is

the most solid foundation as well as the surest support of government and

good morals with everything useful and ornamental to a civilized people;

and whereas, we, the subscribers, are impressed with a sense of the import-

ance of these blessings and of our obligations to secure and transmit them

to our posterity to the latest generation, we do promise to give in money

or labor what is affixed to our respective names."

First Church Organization in Marietta.   299

As we now look back through the vista of a century, we

cannot fully explain why the Christian people of Marietta

waited more than eight years before they organized a

church. Two or three churches were organized in the

state before the one at Marietta and yet the people here

had a regular pastor on the ground almost as soon as any

other settlement was commenced and they had established

regular Sunday services nine months earlier. We will

not judge our brethren of a century ago, for we know the

cause of Christ was dear to their hearts. They were in

the wilderness, seven hundred miles from their former

homes, and the journey must be made on foot, on horse-

back, or in farm wagons. The trip from Boston to Mar-

ietta and return required nearly as much time as is now

consumed by a journey around the globe, and subjected

one to many more inconveniences. The mails, after they

were established, were quite irregular. Postage was so

high and money so scarce that letters were sent in the

knapsacks of friends whenever it was possible. Three

months often elapsed after a letter was written before it

reached its destination. The attention of the settlers was

absorbed in the work of subduing the forests and establish-

ing their homes, and they probably thought, and with a

show of reason during the Indian war, that it might be-

come necessary to abandon their enterprise. Some were

probably reluctant to sever their connection with the old

home church under such circumstances.

There were those in the settlement who were interested

in this important subject. General Benjamin Tupper,

who was one of the founders, and an officer in the church

in Chesterfield, Massachusetts, anticipating a removal to

Marietta, made application to the Hampshire Association

in Massachusetts for a "form of church older and disci-

pline fitted to a church to be erected in a new plantation."

Reverends Judd, Strong, and Forward, were appointed a

committee to draft such form " consonant with the scrip-

tures," and deliver it to General Tupper. Diligent search

300  Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.

has failed to bring this paper to light. Dr. Wickes, in a

sermon preached in 1846, says it was then in existence,

and his description of it reveals the fact that, while it was

congregational in principle, it claimed scriptural authority

for the office of ruling elder. General Tupper died in

1792, and did not see a church set up at this new planta-

tion. What influence the plan he secured exerted in de-

termining the character of the church when formed, we

cannot tell, but they did not adopt the office of ruling elder.

December 6, 1796, the Christian people in the various

settlements banded themselves together in a church under

a simple but comprehensive confession of faith and cove-

nant. Of the original members thirty-one had been mem-

bers of Congregational churches in New England and one

of a Presbyterian church in Linlithgow, Scotland. These

brethren were so far removed from other churches that it

was impracticable to secure their counsel, so, by the

authority of God's word, they organized themselves into

a simple, New Testament church, a church of Christ, and

there is no record of any vote by which they assumed a

denominational name, though from the first the business

was transacted by the church. The persons composing

the church resided in Marietta, Belpre, Waterford, and

Vienna, Virginia, and on this account it required some

time to perfect the organization. March 20, 1797, a

church meeting was held, at which it was " voted that per-

sons producing evidence to the satisfaction of the church

that they are members in regular standing in any regular

Congregational or Presbyterian church, and whose life and

conversation whilst with us has been agreeable to the gos-

pel, shall be admitted members of this church, notwith-

standing they have not produced regular vouchers of their

former membership." Several members were so received.

The church was, from the first, broad and catholic in its

spirit, and cordially invited members of other communions

to share in its worship and participate in the sacraments.

First Church Organization in Marietta.    301

April 4, 1797, the church "voted that they would take

measures for the settlement of two ministers in colleague

as pastors thereof, provided the people of the several set-

tlements where the members of the church reside shall

concur therein, and make provision for their support."

At the same meeting it was also " voted that Mr. Daniel

Story be invited to the office of pastor in this church,

provided the people concur and make provision for his

support, as expressed in the last vote." Shortly after this

meeting, Mr. Story left Marietta to visit his friends in New

England, and the business of settling a pastor progressed

slowly. Committees were appointed to canvass each set-

tlement, and February 5, 1798, a meeting was held, at

which it was reported that the people concurred in the

vote of the church, and that sufficient subscriptions had

been secured to offer Mr. Story a salary of $300.  We

find nothing more in the records respecting a colleague,

and therefore conclude that the subscriptions were not

sufficient to support another man. February 8 a letter

was sent to Mr. Story, giving the result of the canvass,

and extending to him the call of the church. April 9, or

sixty days later, an affirmative answer was received.

It was not practicable to convene a council in this

distant settlement, therefore on May 15 the church " voted

that Rev. Manasseh Cutler be, and he is hereby appointed

agent for and in behalf of this church, to join with Mr.

Daniel Story, the pastor-elect, in convening an ecclesiasti-

cal council, for the purpose of ordaining the said pastor-

elect, and that Dr. Cutler represent this church in all

matters necessary for having the said ordination effected."

In accordance with this vote, a council was called by Dr.

Cutler and Mr. Story, which convened at Hamilton,

Massachusetts, August 15, 1798, at which time " Mr.

Daniel Story was solemnly ordained as pastor of the

church of Marietta and vicinity, in the Northwest Terri-

tory of the United States." This ordination was held

302      Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.

seven hundred miles from the church, with no mem-

ber of the church present except the pastor-elect.¹ The

charge given by Dr. Cutler is found in his recently

published Memoirs. It was Christian and catholic in

spirit. The only denominational allusion is as follows:

"You have the honor, sir, to be the first regularly or-

dained and settled minister of the Congregational denom-

ination in the extensive country westward of the Alle-

ghany mountains. We, who are convinced that this de-

nomination is most comformable to the sacred scriptures,

and, from long experience, think it most consistent with

the rights of conscience and religious liberty; most con-

genial with our national government and most favorable

to those   numerous municipal advantages which            well-

founded Christian societies endeavor to promote, feel

much satisfaction in seeing it transferred to that new

country." We, who still believe in the scriptural church

polity may well express our regret that such sentiments

were not universally prevalent in the New England

churches during the next half century.

Mr. Story returned to Marietta April 3, 1799, and re-

sumed his labors with the church. This, we shall observe,

1 The following is an extract from the minutes of that council:

"After suitable examination of the pastor-elect, and mature consider-

ation of the several matters before them, the council came to the following

results:

I. Voted unanimously that the council is satisfied with respect to the

qualifications of Mr. Story for the work of the gospel ministry, and of his

being regularly called to be pastor and teacher of the church and associa-

tion at Marietta and its vicinity.

II. Voted unanimously to proceed to the ordination of Mr. Story. The

council then went in regular procession to the meeting-house where the Rev.

Thomas Barnard introduced the solemnity by prayer. The Rev. Isaac

Story (an uncle of the candidate) preached from 2 Cor. iv, 5. "For we

preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves your servants

for Jesus' sake." The ordaining prayer was made by the Rev. Eli Forbes,

the Rev. Dr. Manasseh Cutler gave the charge, the Rev. Benjamin Wards-

worth gave the right hand of fellowship and the Rev. Joseph Dana con-

cluded the solemnities with an address to the throne of grace."

First Church Organization in Marietta.  303

was two years after the vote to call him as pastor of the

church. It seems strange to us, accustomed to the hurry

of the present generation, that a period of time nearly

equal to an average modern pastorate was consumed in

the settlement of the first pastor of this church, but we

must continue to bear in mind the distance which separa-

ted the settlement from New England and also that

religious as well as secular thought has been greatly

quickened during the last century. During Mr. Story's

absence the services were principally conducted by lay-

men and the sacraments were omitted. The first elec-

tion of deacons was held April 26, 1799, when Josiah Hart

was chosen for Marietta; Joseph Spencer for Vienna, Vir-

ginia; Benjamin Miles for Belpre, and Nathan Proctor for

Waterford. Mr. Story continued his labors in these set-

tlements until March 15, 1804, when, at his own request,

he was released from the pastorate.  His health was

greatly impaired and he ended his earthly career Decem-

ber 30 of the same year at the age of forty-nine.

Mr. Story's ministerial labors were almost entirely with

the people in these settlements. He died here and his

remains rest in the old Mound cemetery. He has been

described as "a man of more than ordinary intellectual

and literary attainments, a good preacher and very social

in his disposition and intercourse." Most of his people

were strongly attached to him and his influence was good.

He is described as a man slightly below the medium

stature, and a contemporary relates that he took his turn

on guard during the Indian war.

In the early settlement of New England, when a new

town was surveyed, it was customary to reserve one sec-

tion of land for the support of the ministry and one for

schools. When the Ohio Company laid out their lands

they adopted a similar practice, and reserved in each

township section 29 for the ministry and section 16 for

schools About the same time the general government

adopted the same principle of reservation for schools in

304   Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.

all its territories; but since the constitution prohibited

the union of church and State the ministerial reservation

was very properly omitted, except by special enactment,

as in case of the purchase by the Ohio Company. The

ministerial section in Marietta fell within the city limits,

and about the year 1800 began to yield a considerable

income from rents.   March 2, 1801, the first religious

society was organized, according to an act of the legisla-

ture of the Territory, to take charge of the temporalities

of the church. This society made a contract with Mr.

Story, for the year 1802, at a salary of $450; provided that

amount was realized from the rents of the ministerial

lands. The leading members of the society now hoped.

to be able to provide Mr. Story with a salary which should

in some measure remunerate him for the sacrifice he had

made in previous years; but about this time some mem-

bers of the society withdrew and employed a Presbyterian

minister to preach for them. In the interest of peace, Mr.

Story voluntarily relinquished one half the ministerial

fund to support the new church. In 1804, a second relig-

ious society was formed in the interest of this Presbyterian

church. That church was discontinued after a few years.

Other religious societies were subsequently formed, which

have divided the ministerial funds in the ratio of adher-

ents to the present time.

The early religious history of Marietta embraces the

history of the first Sunday School in Ohio and one of the

first in the country. Upon the outbreak of the Indian

war, January, 1791, the commanding officer ordered all

families in the different settlements to retire within their

fortifications. Not less than thirty families took refuge

within the stockade at Campus Martius. This consisted

of a block of buildings surrounding an open space of 144

feet square. Among those who occupied rooms there was

Mrs. Mary (Bird) Lake, wife of Archibald Lake. Mrs.

Lake was an elderly Christian lady, who had been a nurse

in our hospitals during the war of the revolution. She ob-

First Church Organization in Marietta.  305

served the children playing in the enclosure during Sunday

afternoon and conceived the plan of organizing a Sunday

School. I cannot find conclusive evidence that any other

Sunday School then existed in the country, although three

or four had existed some years earlier. If any existed at

that time it is not probable Mrs. Lake knew of them, but a

warm Christian heart and love for the children prompted

her to gather them together Sunday afternoon and teach

them scripture lessons and portions of the Westminster

catechism. This school was commenced in the spring or

early summer of 1791, and was continued until the close

of the Indian war in 1795, when Mrs. Lake removed with

her family to a farm about eight miles up the Muskingum.

She died in 1796, and her grave in the cemetery at Rain-

bow is at present unmarked. It is hoped that the Sunday

Schools of Washington county will erect a suitable monu-

ment to her memory.

Mrs. Nancy Allison Frost, who was born October 22,

1784, was one of Mrs. Lake's pupils from the beginning

of her school and is still living at Lowell, Ohio, in the

104th year of her age; she retains her faculties and has a

very vivid recollection of scenes in Marietta during those

early days. The writer had an interview with her a few

months since in which she gave a very interesting account

of Mrs. Lake and her Sunday School. It is not probable

there is another person in this country, perhaps not in the

world, who was a Sunday School scholar ninety-seven years

ago. What changes have occurred during the life of this

aged pilgrim. Nearly 4,000,000,000 human beings have

been born and as many have closed their earthly career

during these years, and the population of our country has

increased twenty fold. The Northwest Territory was a

wilderness when she was born, and she was a pupil in the

first Sunday School here organized; to-day there are about

23,000 protestant Sunday Schools within these five states,

with an enrollment of not less than 2,000,000.

The religious services at Marietta, during the first ten

Vol. 11-20

306    Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.

years, were held in the Northwest block house at Campus

Martius, and in Munsell's Hall at "the Point"; in 1798

the Muskingum Academy was built on the lot adjoining

this church on the northwest. That building was used

both as a church and school house until the erection of

the present edifice, which was dedicated to the worship of

God, May 28th, 1809, and is supposed to be the oldest

building now used for church purposes west of the Ohio

river. After the Muskingum Academy ceased to be used

as a school house it was removed to Second street, where

it was used as a dwelling house uutil it was demolished in the

autumn of 1887.

This ancient church has maintained the Congregational

polity during all its history, although it was connected

with Athens Presbytery for a few years according to "The

Plan of Union." It has always been liberal and catholic

in its treatment of other denominations, and during the

first fifty years of its existence probably gave more money

in aid of Presbyterian than of Congregational churches.

It has been the mother of seven or eight churches, and

has contributed members and money to many others. It

has also been a very liberal patron of the cause of educa-

tion. The Muskingum Academy, though not a sectarian

school, was built and sustained principally by members of

this church. Marietta College owes its foundation and a

large part of its early endowments to members of this

church.

The years we have reviewed may be characterized as a

time of foundation-laying. The church enjoyed no season

of special revival during Mr. Story's ministry, although

he received about twenty members on confession of faith.

The settlement was made by people of much more than

average intelligence and influence. Of the original fifteen

male members, seven had been officers in the revolu-

tionary army, and some of the others were men of liberal

education. Such people were qualified to lay broad foun-

dations for education and religion. After the resignation

First Church Organization in Marietta.     307

of Mr. Story a prominent member of the church wrote a

letter to President Timothy Dwight, D.D., of Yale College,

asking him to send a candidate for the vacant pulpit; this

letter contains a brief word picture of the man they de-

sired. He said: "We hope he may be one who shall

preach the pure gospel of Jesus Christ, without teaching

for doctrines the opinions of men  One of liberal charity

toward those who may differ with him in some points,

wherein some of the greatest divines have not been fully

agreed. One who, for the sake of displaying his learning

and talents, will not entertain a common audience with

meat which the strongest have not been fully able to

digest; yet we desire and hope that he may be one of the first

class for literature and science as well as popular talent."

Such was the outlook for the young man who was sought as

the second pastor of this church.

The civil and religious institutions of the Northwest

have not all sprung from  Marietta, for there were other

centers of planting and of influence. Here was the first

colony, and because the first, our pioneers laid founda-

tions amid great difficulties.  For several years in the

early history they were liable at any time to find a savage

foe behind any tree, stump or log. Money was exceed-

ingly scare and they had a severe struggle for existence,

much more to increase their possessions.    Under such

circumstances there are strong temptations to neglect

public worship and other religious duties, but, by Divine

help, the Christian people among the pioneers were en-

abled to maintain their character in the face of these dis-

couragements. Sunday was very generally observed as a

day of rest, and in many log cabins incense arose from

household altars. Dr. Manasseh Cutler should be remem-

bered as a sort of spiritual father to the colony; although

he made but one short visit to Marietta, his influence as a

director of the Ohio Company secured many religious

privileges for the settlers. Here was established the first

regular preaching in the English language in the North-

308   Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.

west Territory, and here the first pastor resided.  Here

was organized the first Congregational church, and we are

met to-day in this building which has been used for

Christian worship nearly eighty years. It is not too much

to say that the influence of this settlement and of this

church has been a power for good in all parts of the great

Northwest.

The era of material, social, intellectual and religious

progress which has been so marked during the past cen-

tury is yet in its beginning. Those who celebrate the bi-

centennial will then witness advancement and improve-

ments which would seem as wonderful to us as would

what we now    see to the pioneers.    None of us can

prophesy what is to be in the century to come. The star

of empire holds its course westward and we are no longer

limited to the Atlantic States for our scholars, authors,

statesmen and presidents. The Mississippi valley has al-

ready become a power in the civilization of this country

and the world, and this influence is steadily increasing.

If we continue to govern our conduct by the principles of

God's word; if we cherish and perpetuate the churches

and schools which have been formed for us and establish

others as they are needed, it will be true in the years to

come that we "shall be a peculiar treasure unto the Lord

above all people. A kingdom of priests and an holy

nation."