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Address: 780 Pughtown Road, Spring City, PA 19475
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1846 - 1854 Beginnings
The church's early start began with revival meetings in neighborhood school houses. In 1846, Rev. J. V. Allison, pastor of Vincent Baptist Church, began a series of meetings in a little school house on the banks of French Creek, near the post office in Pughtown. He described this place as being "destitute of Baptist preaching" and after he left Vincent church his successor, Rev. A. J. Hires, continued the work until 1851.
In early 1852, Vincent church being without a pastor at that time, Rev. John Duer, pastor of East Nantmeal Baptist Church, began a series of meetings at another school in the neighborhood, baptizing converts into the fellowship of his church in East Nantmeal. The interest grew with each new meeting, making it apparent a larger and more localized place of worship was necessary. William Reagan made a gracious offer, presenting a lot on which to build a local church - an offer which was promptly accepted.
The work of building was commenced in the late summer of 1854. By the following spring the lower room of the two-story stone building, 40 X 60 feet in dimensions, was finished with a capacity to seat 250 people. The vestibule and upper room remained unfinished until 1861. The early cost of building the lecture room amounted to $2200 with $1600 immediately being paid through cash and pledges.
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1855 - 1856 The Church's Formation
On December 22, 1855, a meeting was held with a view of organizing a new church, Samuel Bertolett, chairman, and Charles M. Griffith, secretary. A committee of four men was appointed to visit any persons who would like to unite with the new church at Pughtown.
At their January 7, 1856 meeting, the following was reported: Edwin Morris, eleven from East Nantmeal; Samuel Bertolett, six from Vincent; Charles M. Griffith, four from Windsor. Joshua Burgoyne, the fourth member of the committee, reported no definite numbers pledged. Burgoyne should not be thought as lazy, since he was involved with origins of the East Nantmeal Baptist Church.
It was resolved on January 17, 1856 to abstain from the use of intoxicating liquors for sacramental purposes. Samuel Bertolett and David Philips were the first elected deacons at this business meeting along with Charles M. Griffith as secretary.
On January 19, 1856, a council of pastors and delegates from East Nantmeal, Vincent, Windsor, Phoenixville, and Bethesda churches convened and organized an independent Baptist church at Pughtown. A sermon was preached from 1st Peter, chapter 2, verse 9, by Elder W. S. Hall. Two members from Willistown were part of the 23 constituent members, of which ten were males and thirteen females. They are listed as follows: Samuel Bertolett, Catharine Bertolett, William McFarlan, Rebecca McFarlan, Francis Brownback, Pricilla Nyman, Edwin Morris, Jonathan Rooke, David Philips, Joshua Burgoyne, Samuel Weidner, Catharine Morris, Matilda Rooke, Tamson Philips, Margaret Miller, Sarah Guest, Sarah Curell, Charles M. Griffith, Melchi Guest, Martha E. Griffith, Elizabeth M. Guest, Robert and Alice Ann McNeely.
With the current research of the church's history (1980), it was discovered that there were two extra names listed by mistake (originally 25 constituent members had been recorded). This information came from the minutes of original church business meetings. Joshua Burgoyne was the last original member to survive, passing to his rest in 1904.
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1856 (March - August) A Growing Church
The ordinance of baptism was first observed on March 9, 1856 in French Creek stream, since there was no baptistery in the unfinished church building. Those baptized were Caroline Mancill, John Nyman, William and Deborah Reagan, Mary Beeber, and Phoebe Ann Hall.
On May 17, 1856, Robert McNeely was paid $15 a year to be custodian for the church.
At a business meeting of June 14, 1856, Rufus and Anna L. Styer, a couple, were the first to be received by letter into the newly organized church. A communion set from the Franklin Baptist Church, of Philadelphia, was gratefully received at this time. The set was in use until 1904, when a modern individual set was purchased. The old set currently resides in an enclosed glass case on the back wall of the sanctuary. There was one record of the new communion set being loaned to people at Camp Sananac.
Samuel Bertolett, William Reagan, Jonathan Rooke, David Philips and Robert McNeely were selected as the first trustees, and admission was granted to the Central Union Association of Independent Baptist Churches. There are now thirty - one church members.
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1856 - 1859 Rev. Theophilus Jones
There is very little description of physical attributes or personality traits of our early pastors. Most of this will have to be gleaned from what they did or was done for them. Rev. Theophilus Jones was the first permanent pastor who started his call in August of 1856. The main worship service was performed in the evenings. His yearly salary was $150 and he probably had to commute to church since there was no parsonage in the beginning. Even his means of transportation was supplied by the church because, on September 20, 1856, money was raised to purchase Rev. Jones a carriage. About a year later Rev. Jones lost the use of his carriage and another "good used carriage" had to be supplied for his use. Rev. Jones preached later at East Nantmeal in addition to his work at the church.
Another major contributing member of our congregation was Isaiah Guest who was received into the church fellowship on March 20, 1858.
On February 19, 1859, Rev. Theophilus Jones submitted his resignation, which was accepted effective April 1, 1859. After Jones left the worship service returned to the morning hours.
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1859 - 1861 Rev. J. Perry
The second pastor of our church was "brother" J. Perry. He was procured on August 20, 1859 to preach twice a month for six months being paid $50 for his services. His term started on September 1. In February of the following year, it was decided to pay Rev. Perry $125 for the remainder of the year. After a year and an half, Rev. Perry resigned on February 23, 1861 effective March 1. He was yoked full time with Lawrenceville when he resigned from here.
By this year, the second floor of the church had been completed including a baptistery built by Samuel Shick, great grandfather of John Murray, the late husband of June Murray Favinger.
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1864 - 1868 Rev. Walker
The following years and pastors have very little written about them. Quite frequently the morning services were filled by pastors of the surrounding churches. One such pastor Rev. Walker, on occasion preached from the pulpit before he was finally called as a permanent pastor of the congregation.
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1869 Rev. Strayer
Rev. Strayer was another who preached at times and was asked to become pastor, but for some reason the congregation was opposed to his selection.
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1870 - 1874 Rev. Wm. Barrows (Early Years)
One of our most influential and active pastors was Rev. William Burrows who accept our call of need June 12, 1870. He was ordained in the church during special service on August 18, 1870. At the end of his first year, an exhibition of the Sunday School was presented and proceeds went toward an organ fund.
In early 1871, a three member committee consisting of Samuel Bertolett, Charles M. Griffith, and pastor Barrows were assigned to write a history of the early beginnings of the church. Fence posts and rails were installed around the church and painted.
On April 15, 1871, a ill-fated financial resolution was developed that each member pay 25c per month in advance to meet the financial needs of the church. The resolution was revoked the same October, six months later. The ability to enforce such resolution was the death of it, especially since some members even at that time were unable contribute that much.
During the fall, the building of a parsonage was started. The following June 29, 1872, it was completed and Rev. Barrows and his wife moved in and took up residence.
On October 19, 1872, it was resolved to look for an adjoining lot on which to start a cemetery. John R. Hoffman offered a lot which was to the east adjoining the church. It was resoundingly accepted and bought for $300 on November 21, 1872. The committee who worked on finding the land was Edwin Morris, Rufus Styer, and John Liggett.
The new cemetery trustees were the three above mentioned along with Joshua Burgoyne and Pastor Barrows. They divided the cemetery into 8X10 foot size lots and sold them for $5 each. The lots were laid out to run in a east to west direction. The first burial was for a Miss Ida Wertz, daughter of Thomas Wertz, of East Nantmeal, who had died on July 11, 1873 of diphtheria.
Rev. Barrows was a major temperance advocate and lead many a meeting on the subject. Many tracts on temperance were distributed as well.
Raising the money to pay Rev. Barrows his salary was quite difficult during these years, especially since he was being paid $500 a year which was probably the highest paid for a pastor by this time.
It was not infrequent that someone was selected to canvas for money to pay the pastor's salary. Despite the problem, everything seemed mutually agreeable between the pastor and the congregation.
The loving and thoughtful relationship between pastor and constituents can be seen in the surprise dinners, going away parties and helpful work for the pastor when the occasion arosed. One incident was when the congregation wanted to give Rev. Barrows a surprise Thanksgiving dinner in 1874. An elderly woman of the congregation, giving a reason for the pastor to stay indoors, so he would not be suspicious of seeing everything being setup for the dinner, said that it is a good time for people to get married and that she had an idea of getting married for the past 25 or 30 years. At the appropriate time, the pastor was called to join eating the bounty of food that was set. It was noted that a piece of celery glass over 140 years old that it should be cared for so it could brought out for use years later.
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1875 New Members
One baptism took place Sunday April 25, 1875 in the French Creek stream. Chrissie Fertig, one of our church's great ladies, was received into the fellowship. Chrissie was the chairwoman for the Women's Missionary committee. She was a simple woman who was a seamstress and active teacher in the church. Her life time of leadership and teaching was so noted when she resigned her post as teacher of the infant department early in 1905.
The steps leading from the road up to the front of the church were originally made of sandstone and erected in 1875.
A line of Christians that became part of the church's history came about when David and Elizabeth Lockart were received into our fellowship. David is the great grandfather of our present day Clyde Lockart whose children are sons, James and Edgar, and daughter, Betty Houck.
Return to the TopUpdated February 5, 2006.
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