OUR CHURCH’S UNITED HISTORIES
1850 - PRESENT
The Knoxville United Church
has a unique heritage intermeshing a mixture of denominations from its
inception to its very present status. The ecclesiastical edifice which
currently houses our fellowship had its inception in 1876 when “some
earnest Christian young men of different denominations - Baptists,
Christian, United Presbyterian, Methodist Episcopal, and Presbyterian
denominations being represented - organized themselves into a
prayer-meeting committee” which ultimately resulted in the formation of
the Knoxville Presbyterian Church, 1 July 1888. This blending of
differing denominations, each affirming Christ as Lord and Savior,
repeated itself in the late 1960’s with the merger of the Knoxville
Presbyterian Church with the McKinley Park Presbyterian Church; and,
later in the early 1970’s, the merger of this merged church with the
Knoxville Methodist Church (organized 1850) and the Knoxville United
Presbyterian Church (organized in 1899). The result of that union is
the current “The Knoxville United Church”.
No one can measure the
witnessing power of the countless thousands of confessing Christians who
have passed through the doors of the church who now are represented in
this current one. Because of these individuals, past and present, the
“light of the gospel” message was transformed into a “beacon” which
still shines brightly from this hilltop. In a very real way, the church
continues the abiding theme which those young, adventurous, daring
Christians in the 1870’s dedicated to the motto of this church: “A
BEACON ON THE HILLTOP.”
As this church completes the
last decade of the 20th century, it continues in its mission endeavor to
serve Jesus Christ as His ambassadors to the community and the world.
Through its mission endeavors, church members actively contribute
approximately forty-six percent of contributions to mission causes -
feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and giving aid to whomever may
be in need. From the Benevolence Committee to the Women’s Association
to the Deacon Board activities, this church is a vibrant source of labor
in the name of our Lord and Savior.
In 1997, the church adopted
the following mission statement which is it spiritual measuring rod:
We are a congregation that accepts Jesus
Christ as Savior, professing Him to be the risen Lord by obeying Him
through Christian examples and actions. Called by the love of God
through Jesus Christ, and supported by the Holy Spirit, we are ordained
to shared the good news in service to others through community outreach
ministries; to present a Christ-centered program of education for all
children, young people and adults, and by respecting all God’s peoples.
We endeavor to nourish the faith of those who have already found a
personal relationship with Christ as Lord and Savior, to extend an
invitation to others to come to know Jesus Christ as personal Savior
and Lord, that together we might grow spiritually, emotionally and
physically. We strive to remember all those in need of prayer. This
church affirms that together we worship, we pray and praise, we grow to
know God, we share, we lead, we obey and we fellowship with Christ. We
constantly attempt to be the “Beacon on the Hilltop.”
THE KNOXVILLE METHODIST
CHURCH
The following information
was taken from the 100th Anniversary program of the Knoxville Methodist
Church. The pastor of the church at that time was the Rev. Mr. Clifford
D. Buell. The following is a direct quote from that program.
“We are proud of our church,
the Knoxville Methodist Church; and we are proud of the great Methodist
denomination, of which we are so humble, but so essential a part, for
our church and our denomination have done much for our community and our
country.
Methodism has a long history
in the United States. The first Methodist ministers, ministers,
missionaries, arrived here in 1766: Robert Strawbridge came to Maryland
and Philip Embury to New York City. In the next five years, four more
ministers crossed the Atlantic Ocean the next five years, four more
ministers crossed the Atlantic Ocean to preach Methodism to the
colonists. There were Richard Boardman, Joseph Pilmoor, Francis Asbury
and Richard Wright. When the Revolutionary War ended, there were about
eighty preachers and fifteen thousand members, all still members of the
church of England.
Since all political
connections with England had been severed, it was deemed wise to sever
church connections, too. Accordingly, in 1784, sixty of these Methodist
preachers met in Baltimore, Maryland, and organized an independent
church: the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1828, delegates from eleven
states met in Baltimore and formed the Methodist Protestant Church. Of
both these organizations, we are justly proud; from them we have
received our noble heritage. And, in our day, we have helped unite the
three branches of Methodism to form the largest English-speaking
Protestant denomination in the world. The Knoxville Methodist Church is
the outgrowth of these two churches.
In 1850, our beginnings in
Pittsburgh were small. Thirty residents of the South Side, all members
of the Fifth Avenue Methodist Protestant Church, met one evening in
September 1850 to consider the possibility of forming a new church in
the new and rapidly growing part of the city to which they had moved.
The Reverence James Robinson was the leader of these serious and
farsighted Christians. And energetic they were too, for the contract
for building a church was let the next month. The building, on or near
Thirteenth Street, was completed the following February, at a cost of
about $2,400. This was splendid progress, accomplished through work and
prayer.
The membership of the church
grew steadily. By the end of the Civil War, the congregation had
outgrown this church building. During the pastorate of the Rev. G. G.
Westfall (1867-1871), a new building was planned and erected on
Eighteenth Street. This building, which cost about $25,000, was
dedicated by Dr. William Collier on January 3, 1869. Its excellent
construction was shown by the fact that it is still standing, still in
use, and still in good condition.
This, the First Methodist
Protestant Church of Birmingham, was still an energetic congregation and
still far-seeing. They realized that residents of the sparsely settled
hilltops above the South Side needed a church too. They, therefore,
established a mission in the old Knoxville School Hall. A Sunday School
was organized here in 1883 and at the Pittsburgh Annual Conference held
in 1884, the Rev. F. S. Crowther was sent to organize the mission into a
church. This was completed in January 1885 with sixty-five members.
Small beginnings in numbers were these, both on the South Side and on
the Hilltop, but not small in fervor nor in faith.
The First Methodist
Protestant Church of Birmingham (affectionately known as ‘the old
Eighteenth Street Church’) continued its work of preaching Jesus and the
Christian way of life on the South Side until 1906. Twenty-three
ministers labored there:
|
James Robinson |
1850-55 |
William Wallace |
1874-75 |
|
J. H. Hill |
1855-57 |
G. G. Westfall |
1875-78 |
|
John Scott, D.D. |
1857-58 |
William Wragg |
1878-81 |
|
R. W. Rutledge |
1858-60 |
Hugh Stackhouse |
1881-83 |
|
Henry Lucas |
1860 |
A. W. Robertson |
1883-87 |
|
Valentine Lucas |
1860-62 |
M. R. Jennings |
1887-88 |
|
John Scott, D.D. |
1862-64 |
C. A. Sturm |
1888-90 |
|
William Wragg |
1864-65 |
F. N. Foster |
1890-98 |
|
R. H. Sutton |
1865-67 |
R. B. Whitehead |
1898-00 |
|
G. G. Westfall |
1867-71 |
J. A. Johnson |
1900-03 |
|
T. H.Colhouer, D.D. |
1871-72 |
F. P. Hummel |
1903-06 |
|
J. B. Lucas |
1872-74 |
|
|
And fifteen hundred souls united with
the church under the ministration of these twenty-three men of God.
Three years after the
founding of the mission on the hill, the mission members decided to
build. It was the young people who insisted upon building. True, they
were too young to have much money, but they had faith. The location
chosen was the corner of Zara Street and Virginia Avenue (now Grimes).
Shortly afterwards, a parsonage was built next door. Knoxville was
building up rapidly; people were moving from the changing South Side to
this new residential area. Many joined the new church. At the Annual
Conference in 1904, the church reported having paid in full the
indebtedness on the church property. This church, like the one on the
South Side, was led by devoted ministers:
|
F. S. Crowther |
1884-86 |
A. E. Fletcher |
1905-20 |
|
George W. Morris |
1886-88 |
K. K. Haddaway |
1920-22 |
|
T. W. Colhouer |
1888-89 |
S, K. Spahr |
1922-24 |
|
Henry Siviter |
1998-90 |
A. E. Fletcher |
1924-26 |
|
W. S. Hanks |
1890-92 |
H. H. Price |
1926-31 |
|
T. H. Colhouer |
1892-99 |
T. L. Hooper |
1931-38 |
|
F. N. Foster |
1899-05 |
P. P. Holden |
1938-39 |
Meanwhile, on the South
Side, conditions had greatly changed. This onetime great residential
section was slowly being encroached upon by industries of various
types. The people were reluctant to admit that living conditions in the
district were on the decline, but finally, family after family moved
quietly up to the Hill Tops, away from the noise and dirt of industry.
Gradually, the membership of the old Eighteenth Street Church dwindled,
until only a few faithful people attended and supported its worship
services. The time finally came when even the most optimistic members
admitted that the glory of their church had faded before the onslaught
of time, and the logical thing to do was to unite the mother church with
its sturdy young mission child in Knoxville.
Committees were appointed;
plans for the consolidation were discussed. This consolidation took
place at the Annual Conference, September 1996, during the second year
A. E. Fletcher was serving the Knoxville Methodist Protestant Church.
The names of the two churches were dropped and the consolidated churches
took the name ‘The First Methodist Protestant Church of the South Side,
Pittsburgh, Pa.’
The growth of the Knoxville
Church was such that plans were already being made to build a new
church. Now the Eighteenth Street church was sold. But its stained
glass windows were removed and stored until they could be put into the
proposed new church. The site chosen for this church was just a block
away, on the corner of Zara Street and Georgia Avenue.
On November 7, 1908, a
bright Sunday afternoon, the cornerstone was laid with Masonic
services. On August 8, 1909, the old Knoxville Church, which had been
sold to King’s School of Oratory, was abandoned and the new church was
dedicated. The organ was officially dedicated the next evening; and a
recital was given by Professor Herbert Sisson of Cleveland.
The Christian Endeavor
Society, organized in 1891, and the Ladies’ War Aid Society, organized
march 14, 1901, were very active. World War I saw sixty-three of the
church’s men in the service of their country. The First Methodist
Protestant Church of the South Side, Pittsburgh, Pa., was exerting its
influence upon the religious and civic life of the community.
The Knoxville Methodist
Episcopal Church also began in a humble way. As with many another
church, the first meeting was a prayer meeting held in a private home in
January 1899. Only about a dozen people were there, but immediate
results were evident. On Sunday, April 30, 1899, the church was
formally organized, in the hall over the office of the Knoxville Land
Improvement Company, where services were being held. Plans were
immediately under way for the building of a church home. Ground at the
corner of Knox Avenue and Morse Street (now Marland) was purchased. The
stone basement of the church was dedicated on January 13, 1900, and was
used for a Sunday School and church until the members deemed themselves
financially able to build a second story. This second story, a brick
building, was dedicated January 14, 1906. The dedication of a pipe
organ in April of 1918 marked the completion of the church and its
furnishings.
A year later, April 1919, a
house on Summit Street (now Suncrest), was bought to serve as a
parsonage. On January 11, 1925, the church celebrated twenty-five years
of activity. It had certainly grown - it had four hundred and sixty
members.
Its leadership, under the
following pastors, had been excellent:
|
Paul Weyland |
1899 |
Clyde L. Nevins |
1921-24 |
|
C. H. Reckard |
1899-01 |
W. Waldo Weller |
1924-26 |
|
George Orbin |
1901-03 |
J. A. McCamey |
1926-28 |
|
Paul Weyland |
1903-07 |
O. B. Emerson |
1928-29 |
|
John R. Wolf, D.D. |
1907-11 |
C. W. Tinsley |
1929-32 |
|
J. D. Brison |
1911-14 |
C. W. Campbell |
1932-33 |
|
A. J. Ashe |
1914-18 |
H. M. Carnahan |
1933-36 |
|
J. C. Brown |
1918-21 |
M. S. Longnecker |
1936-39 |
In 1939, the Methodist
Protestant Church, the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist
Church, South, merged. In conformity with this, the two Methodist
Churches of Knoxville consolidated. They both had the same aims and
were doing the same work. Liabilities and assets were pooled. The two
congregations would now worship together. The old names, ‘The Knoxville
Methodist Episcopal Church’ and “The First Methodist Protestant Church
of the South Side’ were dropped. The name chosen for the new church
risen from this merger is the Knoxville Methodist Church. Only one
church building was needed. The one on Zara Street seemed better suited
to the needs of the congregation.
But there were many sad
hearts as the Knox Avenue Church was abandoned and shortly sold to
Monongahela Lodge No. 249, Masonic Order. The personage on Suncrest
Street was also sold, putting the united church on a solid financial
basis. Officers of both churches served the new church until the time
for the next regular election. In line with the decision of Bishop Adna
W. Leonard, the minister from each church was transferred and the Rev.
John N. Hempstead was appointed. On October 29, 1939, Bishop Leonard
preached the Sunday morning service with the Rev. Hempstead presiding.
The church had entered upon a new phase of its career.
The Rev. Hempstead served
this church from October 1939 to October 1945. During his pastorate,
the last indebtedness was paid and the mortgage was burned with
appropriate services and prayers of thanks. The following pastor, the
Rev. Clifford D. Buell, who is in charge of this, does much to keep
alive the energy and vision of those gone on before. Although the Rev.
Buell had admitted about one hundred and twenty new members, the total
membership is down to seven hundred and twenty. This decrease is due
partly to death, also to the movement of the population. The
congregation continues to work for the good of the church and the
betterment of mankind. May they have vision as they labor for the
Father.”
KNOXVILLE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The following information
was taken from the “Fiftieth Anniversary” celebration of worship booklet
printed in 1949. The minister at the time of this publication was the
Reverence Dr. W. R. McGeary. It listed as “charter members still in the
congregation: at that time as being: J. C. Morrow, M.D., Mr. W. P. Linn
Noah, Miss Euphenia Park, Miss Isabella Park. The program then went on
to give the following brief historical sketch of the Knoxville United
Presbyterian Church.
“On May 28, 1898, about
twenty persons met in Eibs Hall, corner of Warrington and Arlington
Avenues, and organized a Sabbath School under the name of ‘The Hill Top
Mission’. The officers selected were: Mr. Thomas Martin,
Superintendent; Mr. Daniel Shaw, Secretary; Mrs. Mattie Forrest,
Treasurer.
Monongahela Presbytery in
June 1898 granted the Mission the privilege of holding preaching
services and the Rev. W. H. McMurray supplied the pulpit July 24, 1898
and continued with the work of the mission.
In the Spring of 1899, it
was decided to locate the Mission in Knoxville, a growing suburb of
Pittsburgh. The German Baptist Church, Beltzhoover Avenue and Jucunda
Street, was secured for the morning services.
On April 18, 1899,
Monongahela Presbytery organized the First United Presbyterian Church of
Knoxville, which was then a borough. This name had been proposed by a
committee composed of Mrs. W. J. Forrest, Mrs. A. D. Husted and Miss
Lizzie Park, and that name was adopted. The Reverence J. D. Boyd, D.D.,
pastor of the Mt. Lebanon United Presbyterian Church, preached the
sermon and constituted the meeting with prayer. Forty-one persons
presented certificates to become members and eleven were received upon
profession of faith. The fifty-two names were written on the church
roll and declared charter members.
Mr. James Conway and J. D.
Morrow, M.D. were elected Ruling Elders and Messrs. Thomas Martin, W. C.
Allen, Anthony Hill, Thomas Lemon, W. J. Forrest and O. F. Wilson were
elected Trustees. Mr. Anthony Hill was elected Chairman of the
Congregation and Mr. W. P. Linn Noah, Secretary. A meeting for calling
a pastor was held and the Rev. W. H. McMurray was chosen. His
installation took place July 11, 1899.
The German Baptist Church on
February 4, 1900 notified the congregation that they would need their
church building for their own services. No room could be found in
Knoxville in which to hold services. It was then decided to erect a
temporary building at 328 Jucunda Street. The work began on a Monday
and services were held in it the following Sabbath. The building was a
very crude structure, built of rough lumber lined with paper. This
became known as ‘The Tabernacle’.
From such a humble
structure, whose dimensions were twenty by forty feet, grew the present
church building; for immediately after erection of ‘The Tabernacle’, the
present location was secured for a permanent church home. It was
decided to erect a building housing a sanctuary and Sabbath School rooms
so arranged that the main building could be annexed later. Ground was
broken during the month of October 1990 and dedicatory services were
held April 7, 1901. This building was erected during the pastorate of
the Rev. W. H. McMurray.
Early in March 1919, the
officers of the Warrington Avenue United Presbyterian Church, located at
Warrington and Beltzhoover Avenues, signified their willingness to merge
with the First United Presbyterian Church of Knoxville and it was
decided by a Presbyterian committee that the property of the Knoxville
Church should be used for the united church and the name First United
Presbyterian Church of Knoxville would be retained. This merger was
completed March 24, 1919. Later, when Knoxville Borough became part of
the City of Pittsburgh, the name of the church was changed to its
present title, ‘The Knoxville United Presbyterian Church’.
With the merger of the two
congregations came the need for expansion of the church property. The
annex, originally contemplated, was erected, and the main building was
dedicated December 31, 1922 during the pastorate of Dr. J. F. Ray. Five
faithful and devoted ministers, each with special characteristics, have
served this congregation well, each adding to the spiritual growth and
influence of the congregation and all of them building for the ‘Church
Triumphant’.
Dr. And Mrs. McGeary came to
Knoxville from the Second United Presbyterian Church in East Liberty.
This congregation has gained under their leadership and was never more
prosperous or influential than during this pastorate.
Dr. McGeary has a keen
interest in people and he enjoys the confidence and loyal support of
this congregation. The interest of both in the community has been
manifested by many forms of service.
There has been a substantial
increase in the congregation’s membership and a widening in its scope of
service, which is reflected in part by the fact that within the past
twenty years there have gone out from our congregation four young men
into the Gospel Ministry and four young women have become the wives of
ministers. Some of the promising young ministers in the United
Presbyterian Church have had their early training under the pastorate of
our church.
During World War II, there
were 106 young men and women from this congregation in the service of
our country, including three who were in the Chaplaincy. Two of our
young men gave their last full measure of devotion to the cause of
freedom and righteousness. They are Joseph Ciaramella and Emerson
Hopfer.
A story of part of the work
of our congregation during its fifty years is shown in the following
figures: members received on profession of faith - 1,118; members
received on certificate of transfer - 772; total - 1,890; children
baptized - 430; adults - 94; total - 524; contributions to mission,
since 1930 (foreign, home and charitable purposes) - $54,318;
contributions to women’s work $14,916; to congregational expenses -
$349,348. Membership as of March 10, 1949 was 614.
Only a small part of the
service of a congregation can be reduced to cold facts and figures.
Most of its ministry is not capable of thus being told in dollars and
cents.
A generous bequest from the
estate of the Myers-Spahn family, in 1947, is gratefully acknowledged,
which bequest has made possible additional missionary giving and local
improvements.
God, man and materials made
possible our church building and the seed sown by the fifty-two charter
members has not fallen on stony ground.
God has blessed the labors
of our leaders and members. May we strive to be true to His word and
faithful in His service. In the future, by His grace, may new chapters
of faith and service be written by our Congregation. ‘The Lord hath
done great things for us whereof we are glad.’” (Psalm 126:3)
The ministers of this church
were:
|
Rev. W. H. McMurray |
|
Rev. H. F. Hazlett |
|
|
Rev. J. F. Ray |
|
Rev. F. M. Blick |
|
|
Rev. W. R. McGreary |
|
Rev. Howard McMurray |
|
MCKINLEY PARK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The following information
was taken from the 50th Year Anniversary Week bulletin of the McKinley
Park Presbyterian Church, October 16-23, 1955.
“Before the turn of the
century, a group of people met in the Old West Liberty School District
#2 as a mission under the sponsorship and jurisdiction of the Knoxville
Presbyterian Church and from the school they built a church home which
was known as 21 Lafferty Avenue.
On the 19th day of March
1895, the first people to join the Knoxville Presbyterian were Dan Shaw,
who was at the time Professor at the West Liberty School. The people
had to be taken into the Knoxville Presbyterian Church in order to
become members of the church.
The Mission grew and grew
until after the turn of the century, their church home not being large
enough they started to lay plans for a larger church home. Through the
help of Rev. William A. Jones, at the time Minister of the Knoxville
Presbyterian Church and Elder Edward Best, they started planning for a
larger church home for the mission.
A man by the name of Mr.
Maples had possession of a large amount of farm land in Beltzhoover
donated a portion of his land at the corner of Delmont Street and
Chalfont Street for the purpose of erecting a church.
In the latter part of the
year 1904, the plans were completed and the initial construction started
in the month of February 1905; the cornerstone was laid and in September
the erection was completed.
While the church was being
erected, other plans were worked for this church to become a part of the
Pittsburgh Presbytery. The first minister to be called by the people
and cleared by the Presbytery was Rev. Charles Brown who was with the
church until his death in 1907. The name of the church was to be known
as the McKinley Park Presbyterian Church taking its name from the park.
The ground of this park was
known as Butcher’s Grove around the turn of the century. Mr. Maples
sold this grove to the City of Pittsburgh which later called it McKinley
Park after our 25th president of the United States who was born in 1843
and assassinated in 1901.
After Rev. Brown died, the
people through the Presbytery called Rev. George R. Phillips who served
the church until 1913. The church then gave a call to Rev. Paul
Slonaker who served for a period of six years until 1919.
It was under Rev. Slonaker’s
administration that a ten room manse was erected beside the church.
Following his departure, the Rev. Thomas Grey filled the pulpit as a
stated supply (who was followed by) the Rev. Daniel Hamill, Jr., who
served the church until July 25, 1926. The Rev. Alexander Gibson was
called in November 21, 1926, (and following his leaving in 1942) the
Rev. Lester Crummy was called to serve the church.
It was under Rev. Crummy’s
administration that we had the disastrous fire on March 7, 1947 which
practically burned the church to ruins. March 31, 1947 we had the
misfortune of Rev. Lester Crummy resigning as minister due to bad
health.
Under these trying times of
no church or minister, we were forced to hold our Sunday School and
church services elsewhere. We had our regular Palm Sunday and Easter
Sunday services held at the Warrington Recreation Center and thereafter
we held services in a store room on Climax Street until our church home
was repaired. During this trying time, we had to use stated supply and
guest ministers from Presbytery. We were fortunate to have Rev. Rudolph
Lippincott with us for the summer months.
Rev. Murray Reiter was then
appointed by Presbytery to be the moderator of the Session until Rev.
Richard Wainwright was called as a student from Presbytery to fill the
church duties. He was ordained and installed as regular minister, June
17, 1949...who left December 25, 1950.
The original manse being too
large for our present needs was sold in 1951 and a six room manse was
purchased in 1951 at 400 Chalfont Street. On the 15th day of November
1951, Rev. H. G. Wilkinson was called to serve our church...”
The ministers who served
this church were:
|
Rev. Paul Slonakeer |
|
Rev. Thomas Gray |
|
|
Rev. Daniel Hammill, Jr. |
|
Rev. Alexander Gibson |
|
|
Rev. Lester Crummy |
|
Rev. G. Richard Wainwright |
|
|
Rev. Russell Murphy |
|
Rev. Robert L. Robers |
|
KNOXVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The following synopsis was
found in two sources: “The History of the Knoxville Presbyterian
Church’s Fiftieth Anniversary, 1877-1927: and the “Seventy-fifth
Anniversary of the Knoxville Presbyterian Church, 1952”.
“During the summer of 1876,
some earnest Christian young men of different denominations...organized
themselves into a payer-meeting committee and went from house to house
conducting cottage prayer meetings. These meetings were held in homes
along the South Hills as far south as what was then known as Welch
Row...The first definite work done by this group of young men was the
organization of a Sunday School in Mt. Oliver. During the first winter,
the group being too poor to buy coal, the place of meeting was changed
to the room over the large store room built and operated by Mr. W. W.
Knox...located at 125 Zara Street and was later known as Douglas Hall.
Mr. W. W. Knox, son of
Jeremiah Knox of Knox Farm fame, was at this time managing the Knox
Estate and was desirous of having a church organized and a house or
worship built in the borough of Knoxville. At the request of Mr. Knox,
a petition was sent to the Home Missionary Board of the Presbyterian
Church asking that a church be established in Knoxville.
The Home Missionary Board
was very loath to support the proposition of a Knoxville Church owing to
the fact that the Knoxville side of the hill district was sparsely
populated...(and that)...a mission work was being carried on under the
care of leadership of the Second Presbyterian Church. After several
solicitous calls upon the Board and presentation of the fact that there
was already a well organized Sunday School of nearly one hundred and
fifty members and that the people were determined to have immediately a
church of some denomination, the Board became interested and sent
representatives to meet Mr. Knox and with him look over the ground. Mr.
Knox offered to donate a lot for a building and sufficient stone for the
foundation if the Home Board would act favorably. As the result of
their visit, these men recommended to the Home Board and the Board
recommended to the Presbytery that a church be organized.
Quoting from the Original
Minutes of Presbytery of Pittsburgh, June 6, 1877: ‘A petition was
presented from a number of persons, fourteen members of the Presbyterian
Church and thirty-six supporters thereof, asking for the organization of
a church at Knoxville. After due consideration and on recommendation of
the Committee on Missions, Presbytery granted the request and appointed
a committee consisting of Rev. S. F. Scovel, Rev. J. G. Lyle and Rev. P.
S. Jennings and Elders W. C. Aughenbaugh and David Robinson to visit
Knoxville at their convenience and organize a church in accordance with
the prayer of the Petition.’
Accordingly, on July first,
1877, the Knoxville Presbyterian Church was organized with an enrollment
of fifteen members. They were as follows: Mr. H. H. Allison, Mrs. C.
S. Allison, Mr. W. H. Bryson, Mrs. Margaret Bryson, Mr. W. S. Murphy,
Mrs. S. A. Murphy, Mrs. Elizabeth Lougeman, Miss Mary Boak, Mr.
Nathanial Jones and Mrs. Elizabeth Jones, all by letter from the First
Presbyterian Church of Birmingham, and Mr. John Dyer, Mrs. Jennie A.
Dyer, Mrs. Ann A. Wilson, Miss Mary Meininger and Miss Amelia Meininger,
all upon profession of their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Attorney Aughenbaugh, an
elder at the South Side Presbyterian Church, procured the charter, and
Elder Robinson of the First Presbyterian Church presented us with a
Session Book. They were now a full fledged church happy, but oh, so
poor!
Not a member owned his own
home, but they were workers in the Lord’s vineyard, all striving
together as one person. They had no money with which to pay a minister
so just took anyone who would preach for them without expecting any
stated sum as remuneration. The first regular supply was Rev. E. P.
Swift who lived on a farm, the present site of the Elk’s Lodge
building. Rev. James Kirk was the next regular supply. His work
extended well into the year of 1878. In this year, the men of the
church, assisted by some who were non-members, during their spare time,
prepared the foundation and succeeded in having the building completed.
Dr. W. J. Holland preached the dedicatory sermon.
Arrangements were then made
with the Western Theological Seminary to send a student each Sunday. It
was understood that he, too, was to be paid only what was received from
the collection each day. At this time, the mission in Allentown was
still alive, but like old Concord and ourselves, could not pay a
minister. Presbytery took the matter in charge and united the three
fields. Rev. F. R. Watring was called by the Knoxville Church with the
understanding that he was to preach for Knoxville in the morning, for
Concord in the afternoon, and for Allentown Mission in the evening.
Since the organization of
the Knoxville Presbyterian Church, the congregation has had the
experience of passing through four building programs. The first house
of worship was a modest, yet well arranged and attractive frame building
completed in 1878, at a cost of nearly $5,000. Mr. W. W. Knox donated
the lot and sufficient stone for the foundation and the men of the
congregation did most of the excavating and a great deal of other work
in building the first church home. It accommodated the congregation
until 1892, when owing to the growth in membership, a larger building
was required.
This first structure was
sold to the Christian congregation and moved to a different site on
Jucunda Street. The moving process consumed about two weeks time, and
on two Sundays the Presbyterian congregation literally worshipped on
rollers, it having been agreed that the Presbyterians should have the
use of the old building until a temporary structure had been raised.
The second building was
dedicated on March 18, 1894. It was of much larger proportions that the
first building and seemed adequate for the needs of the congregation for
many years to come. It had a seating capacity of 600, and the
congregation numbered about 400. That the entire membership was
earnestly engaged in the work of the church is indicated by the fact
that in June 1901, the congregation canceled its indebtedness and burned
the mortgage.
The people were justly proud
of their pretty little church which they had built and maintained by
individual sacrifice and love. The test of their devotion came a year
later, when on Easter Sunday, the last Sunday of March 1902, the
building was badly damaged by a storm, making a new one necessary.
How the people met their
test of loyalty and devotion to Christ and the church is best
illustrated by a news item which bears the date of April 10, 1902, a
part of which item follows: ‘It was agreed (at a meeting of the
congregation) that the building had been so badly damaged by the storm
that it would be unwise to repair it. After some discussion, a
committee was appointed to have plans drafted for a new church building,
to cost not more than $25,000. The vote to build the structure from the
ground up and to enlarge it was unanimous. The past, Rev. W. A. Jones,
and the congregation are profoundly impressed with the serious
undertaking they have on hand. The new structure will occupy the site
of the former building and will be begun at once’. Work progressed
rapidly, for on Saturday afternoon, September 17, 1902, the cornerstone
was laid with fitting ceremonies.
Plans were formulated early
for the dedication to take place on Easter Sunday but unexpected delays
caused a postponement until Sabbath, June 28, 1903.
The building, which now is
the major portion of the present edifice, was designed of Gothic style.
It was built of Kittanning brick, with store trimmings. The auditorium
seated about six hundred, and the Sabbath School provided for the same
number. The pipe organ was the gift of Andrew Carnegie, probably the
very last one every donated by this great philanthropist.
All that could be desired in
the arrangement and the equipment of a modern church is to be found in
the present House of Worship of the Knoxville Presbyterian
congregation. It is virtually the building erected in 1903, but greatly
enlarged and modernized. The auditorium was renovated; the pews were
repainted and varnished; the walls and the ceilings were cleaned and
newly frescoed; and an entirely new indirect lighting system was
installed. Later in the year when the organ was rebuilt and enlarged, a
harp and chimes were added, the change making our organ one of the best
and most modern in the city.
The pastor’s study and the
church officers consist of three connected rooms on the Jucunda Street
side of the building. The new addition was erected in commemoration of
the twenty-five year pastorate of Rev. W. A. Jones, D.D., a former
pastor who resigned in 1915. It was dedicated Sabbath morning, April
30, 1916. The pastor, at that time, Rev. S. Willis McFadden, D.D.,
presided at the service, Dr. John Royal Harris, pastor of the Shadyside
Presbyterian Church, preaching the sermon.
We have a Church Home of
which we are justly proud. Our pride is manifested outwardly by the
care which we give and the condition in which we keep the building. It
is God’s House, and no expense should be spared in making it and keeping
it the Temple Beautiful. With the Psalmist we can truly say: ‘I was
glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of Jehovah.’
(Psalm 122:1)
Since the organization of
the church in 1877, there have been nine pastors, two associate pastors,
and three stated supplies:
|
Rev. E.P. Swifty |
Stated Supply |
Rev. M.M.McDivitt |
1919, Pastor |
|
Rev. James Kirk |
Stated Supply |
Rev. John Bibby |
1923-25, Assoc. |
|
Rev. F.R. Watring |
1878-1881, Pastor |
Rev. Ralph Merker |
1926, Assoc. |
|
Rev. J.W. Hazlett |
1881-1882, Pastor |
Rev. Frederick Fowler |
|
|
Rev. G.W. Hare |
1882-1884, Pastor |
Rev. H. C. Carson |
|
|
Rev. A.J. Duff |
1884-1885, Pastor |
Rev. John Miller |
|
|
Rev. S.J. Glass |
1886-1887, Pastor |
Rev. Richard Stroman |
|
|
Rev. W.P. Braddock |
1887-1889, Pastor |
Rev. Francis Kinsler |
|
|
Rev. W. A. Jones |
1889-1915. Pastor |
Rev. Archibald Campbell |
|
|
Rev. J.W.McFadden |
1915-1917, Pastor |
Rev. Robert McCune |
|
|
Rev. John Gaston |
1918-1919. SS |
Rev. Norman Hunter |
|
The Knoxville Church was now
well established and the work was going on smoothly and quietly, yet
courageously and determinedly. During the year 1892, the spiritual
progress of the church was manifesting itself in the lives of the
people, seventy-four persons being received into membership, fifty-seven
on profession of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and seventeen by
certificate. The total member now was two hundred and sixty. The
entire contribution for the year was $2,055. What is recorded as one of
the happiest events in the history of the church was the dedication of
the Pulpit Furniture on September 19, 1909. This event was in the
observance of the twentieth anniversary of the pastorate of Dr. W. A.
Jones. At this period in the life of the Church, there were 700
members, 91 of this number being added during the year. The Sabbath
School membership was 720, the Church roll for the first time nearly
equaling that of the school. (By) December 19, 1915, the church
membership had been increased to more than 1,400.”
Additional information
contained within this first “History of the Knoxville Presbyterian
Church” delineated the development and work of the Sunday School
program, the Missionary Society, the Ladies’ Aid Society, the Young
People’s Societies, the Choir, the Session Board, the Trustee Board, and
the Staff of the church.
Dr. Michael W. McDivitt
stated: “The Knoxville Church is not only rich in her own right but in
the children she has given to the Presbytery of Pittsburgh. Mr. H. H.
Allison and Dr. R. J. Phillips, two charter elders, used to tell me how,
when the Presbytery had ordered the dissolution of the Concord Church,
they went to Presbytery and said they would sponsor the weak Church, and
they did. Then there are the Dormont Church, the Castle Shannon Church,
McKinley Park Church and the Overbrook Church. At one time, I added up
the membership of these Churches, including the Mother Church, and found
more than 6,000 members. The light on the hill has shown downward and
upward and also far and wide.
In commenting upon how the
members of this church received the name “Holy Rollers”, Dr. Jones
remarked: “The removal of the building by Mr. John Eichleay (moving
from old church location to current location) was an occasion of
interest to many...On the first Sunday after the work of removal began,
we worshipped on rollers. Mr. Eichleay erected steps so that little
inconvenience was experienced. On the second Sunday, the building was
turned toward the new foundation and steps to the auditorium were gain
erected, and we worshipped on rollers. This is how we got the name of
Holy Rollers”.
The mission of this church
was not limited to the geographical boundaries of the Knoxville
community. From the very inception of its ministry, the Knoxville
Presbyterian Church was involved in the active ministries of other
churches. “On May 27, 1879, Mr. Watring requested Presbytery to permit
him to preach at Knoxville in the morning six months, from April to
October, and at Concord in the afternoon during the same period. For
the other six months, the time of the service was to be reversed. The
request was granted.” During the pastorate of Rev. J. W. Hazlett, it
was “the supposition that Mr. Hazlett was to direct the work in the
Concord and the Allentown churches also. However, there was a radical
change relative to the status of those two congregations. In September,
1881, the two churches were dissolved and the ‘entire membership
formally dismissed by Presbytery to connect with other churches, mainly
the Knoxville Presbyterian.’”
The relationship between the
Knoxville Presbyterian Church and the Concord Church continued via the
sharing of a pastor. In fact, this relationship resulted in the calling
of Rev. Glass from his pastorate at the Knoxville Church to the Concord
Church after only being at the Knoxville Church for a month. He was
installed as the Knoxville pastor on 19 December 1886, and was called by
the Concord Church in January, 1887.
Under the twenty-five year
pastorate of Dr. Jones “three flourishing congregations had spring from
the activities of the Knoxville Presbyterian Church. They are the
Arlington Avenue, the McKinley Park, and the Overbrook Presbyterian
Churches.” In addition, a specialized ministry to residents in “The
Hollow”. In the words of Dr. McDivitt, “The sun never sets on the work
of the Knoxville Presbyterian Church.”
Who Have Served the
Merged Churches
|
THE KNOXVILLE UNITED CHURCH
1972 - PRESENT |
|
The Rev. Dr. Bruce Bryce, D.Min,’72-’75 |
|
The Rev. Dr. Gilbert J. Fitzsimmons,
Ph.D. (current minister) |
|
|
|
McKINLEY PARK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
1913 - 1968 |
|
The Rev. Mr. Paul J. Slonakeer |
|
The Rev. Mr. Thomas J. Gray |
|
The Rev. Mr. Daniel Hamill, Jr. |
|
The Rev. Mr. Alexander Gibson |
|
The Rev. Mr. Lester W. Crummy |
|
The Rev. Mr. G. Richard Wainwright |
|
The Rev. Mr. Russell L. Murphy |
|
The Rev. Mr. robert Lloyd Roberts |
|
|
|
KNOXVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
1877 - 1971 |
|
The Rev. Mr. James Kirk |
|
The Rev. Mr. F. R. Waring |
|
The Rev. Mr. J. W. Hazlett |
|
The Rev. Mr. G. W. Hare |
|
The Rev. Mr. A. J. Duff |
|
The Rev. Mr. S. J. Glass |
|
The Rev. Mr. W. P. Braddock |
|
The Rev. Dr. William A. Jones |
|
The Rev. Dr. John Bibby |
|
The Rev. Dr. S. Willis McFadden |
|
The Rev. Dr. John M. Gaston |
|
The Rev. Dr. M. M. McDivitt |
|
The Rev. Dr. Frederick C. Fowler |
|
The Rev. Dr. H. Carlyle Carson |
|
The Rev. Mr. John O. Miller |
|
The Rev. Mr. Richard N. Stroman |
|
The Rev. Mr. Ralph K. Merker |
|
The Rev. Mr. Francis Kinsler |
|
The Rev. Mr. Archibald Campbell |
|
The Rev. Dr. Robert McCune |
|
The Rev. Dr. Norman Hunter |
|
|
|
KNOXVILLE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
1898 - 1971 |
|
The Rev. Mr. W. H. McMurray |
|
The Rev. Mr. H. F. Hazlett |
|
The Rev. Dr. J. F. Ray |
|
The Rev. Dr. F. M. Blick |
|
The Rev. Dr. W. R. McGreary |
|
The Rev. Mr. Howard McMurray |
|
KNOXVILLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
1850 - 1971 |
|
|
(Methodist Episcopal) |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Paul Weyland
The Rev. Mr. C. H. Record |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. George Orbin |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Paul Weyland
The Rev. Mr. John R. Wolf |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. J. D. Brison |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. A. J. Ashe |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. J. C. Brown |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Clyde Nevins |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Waldo Weller |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. J. A. McCamey |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. O. B. Emerson |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. C. W. Tinsley |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. C. W. Campbell |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. H. M. Carnahan
The Rev. Mr. M. S. Longnecker |
|
|
|
|
|
(Methodist Protestant) |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Colhauer |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Foster |
|
|
The Rev. Dr. A. E. Fletcher |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. K. K. Haddaway |
|
|
The Rev. Dr. A. E. Fletcher |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. H. H. Price |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. T. LeRoy Hooper |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Paul P. Holden |
|
|
|
|
|
(United Methodist) |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. J. M. Hempstead |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. C. D. Buell |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. W. E. Siess |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. John W. Gordon |
|
|
The Rev. Dr. H. Eagleson |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. T. S. Lynn |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. T. D. Stewart |
|
|
The Rev. Dr. Thomas Johnson |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. William P. Hand |
|
|
|
|
|
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
1909-1993 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Robert L. Gaut
1909-1911 |
|
|
The Rev. Mayson H. Sewell
1912-1913 |
|
|
The Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Hunter
1914-1920 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Frank D. Scott
1921-1922 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Roscoe W. Porter
1922-1926 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. George R. Lambert
1927-1934 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. John A. Bakora
1935-1947 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Abner P. Richard
1948-1950 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Edward W. Warner
1952-1954 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. A. Meade Prichard
1955-1957 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. O. Curtis Griffith
1957-1964 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. William F.
Jorgensen 1965-1968 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. James R. Duncan
1969-1971 |
|
|
The Rev. Miss Joan M Fenner
1971-1972 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Bruce Bryce(SS)
1973-1974 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. David J. Evans(SS)
1974-1976 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Andy Chalmer(SS) |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. James B. Marshall(SS)
1976-1978 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Ronald L. Miller(SS)
1978-1984 |
|
|
The Rev. Mr. Thomas C. Fairley(SS)
1984-1992 |
|
|
The Rev. Richard Mowry(SS)
1992-1993 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SONS OF OUR CHURCHES WHO BECAME
ORDAINED MINISTERS |
|
KNOXVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH |
|
The Rev. Albert Kountz, Jr.
05/29/44 |
|
The Rev. Jack Reid
06/25/46 |
|
The Rev. Wm. John Turner,
Jr. 10/05/59 |
|
The Rev. Dr. Paul Fowler |
|
The Rev. Dr. Frederick Fowler |
|
The Rev. Mr. Robert H. McClure |
|
|
|
KNOXVILLE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN |
|
The Rev. Mr. A. Vance Meanor
10/22/37 |
|
The Rev. Wm. F. Fuschhaupt,
Jr. 10/26/39 |
|
The Rev. William McGeary 06/04/43 |
|
The Rev. Herbert W. Keebler,
Jr. 12/03/44 |
|
The Rev. Norman M.
MacDowell 07/27/52 |
|
The Rev. Clif
Reynolds, Baptist
03/02/80 |
|
|
|
KNOXVILLE METHODIST CHURCH |
|
The Rev. David J. Wyne 1945 |
|
The Rev. Howard Brown 1953 |
|
The Rev. Walter Hehman 06/15/75 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SEMINARY STUDENTS
(who served their field placement) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
THE KNOXVILLE UNITED CHURCH |
|
The Rev. Mr. Wilbur Douglass,
III 1978-1981 |
|
The Rev. Mrs. Charlene Maue
1981-1984 |
|
The Rev. Mr. Hershel Ele
1984-1985 |
|
The Rev. Mr. Jerry Thordsen
1985-1987 |
|
Miss Nancy
Harris 1988 |
|
Mr. Robert Gumm
1988-1990 |
|
|
|
|
