THE CHURCH
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THE CHURCH The First Building The first
church building erected, and which was called "New Hope," was situated
in Orange county, five miles south of Hillsboro',
and about one-fourth of a mile east of the public road leading to Chapel
Hill. It was necessarily a very rude structure, corresponding with the almost
new country and straitened circumstances of the original settlers. It stood just
outside of the old graveyard at the north-west corner. As heretofore stated, it
was built by a part of the original Hawfields congregation, and perhaps the
first intention was merely to have a "meeting-house," convenient to
the few families, where they might assemble when a minister by chance should
visit them. This is a reasonable supposition, because it was quite a number of
years after this house was built before the church was regularly organized. I
have only traditional authority for saying that in this house Henry Patillo
occasionally preached. And this also seems reasonable, for he was the first
pastor of Hawfields and Eno churches, and
as the New Hope people still adhered to the Hawfields, he was
likewise their pastor. He came to the Hawfields in the year 1765 and left
in 1774, and it is almost certain that this house
at New Hope was built before he came to the field. But whether he or one
of his immediate successors organized the church, and whether in this house or
not, will perhaps never be known, though it is confidently believed that he did
organize the church, and in this house. I may here state that the original
records of New Hope church, together with the records of the first twenty-five
years of Orange Presbytery's existence, were destroyed by fire in the house of
Dr. John Witherspoon, which was burned the first day of January, 1827. This is a
matter of deep though vain regret, as it necessarily prevents accuracy of dates
and names, as well as the knowledge of much valuable information pertaining to
the early church. But by taking into consideration all the facts which I have
been enabled to collect, I am of the opinion that the first church building was
erected about the year 1760. It is impossible to determine anything even
approximating the time by any marks in the old graveyard. The first graves were
marked with rough stones without any lettering, and I have been told that the
first person buried there was a little child by the name of Steel, who was in
some way connected with Gilbert Strayhorn. The oldest date I have ever been able
to find is in the corner next to where the church stood, and reads as follows:
"D.C. -- N. 2 -- 1785." My interpretation of this inscription is:
David Craig; died November 2, 1785. The location of the graveyard contiguous to
the church is presumptive evidence in favor of the belief that the church was
organized here, and that this house was in use a long time. The location for
both church and graveyard was very unsuitable, the ground being entirely too low
and it would strike one as singular that they selected this spot while there are
so many beautiful elevations all around. The land upon which this church was
built, as well as all the succeeding one, was at this time the property of
Gilbert Strayhorn, and whether the house was organized in this house or not, it
is certain that he and John Craig were among the original movers in the
transaction. THE SECOND BUILDING and the First Ministers of the Church This house was
located about two hundred yards to the south-west from the first building. It
was on higher ground, a far better location, and about the same distance from
the spring, which was to the north. It was built of large logs in octagonal
shape, or rather it had eight corners, and seems to have been quite a roomy
house. It was surrounded by large trees, some of which are still standing. The forest at
that time was composed of large trees, standing at considerable distance from
each other, and the wild pea-vine, which grew luxuriantly, instead of the
undergrowth which we now have. Around one of
these trees near to the church it was the custom of the congregation to stack
their guns during the service, while a sentinel kept watch over them, and gave
the alarm in case of the approach of Indians. On one occasion
at this church the alarm was given, and quite a number of red men were seen to
approach within a short distance from the church and suddenly halt. The
minister, who must have been the Rev. John DeBow, abruptly closed the services,
and lit a pipe of tobacco, and smoked as he walked forth amid the confused and
frightened congregation to meet the Indians. The pipe was offered to the chief
of the clan, who received it and smoked, and then returned it to the minister.
They immediately departed, having understood this token as an emblem of peace. I
have heard this story through a great-uncle of mine, Isaac Craig, whose mother,
the wife of James Craig, was present on that occasion. Perhaps the
first preacher who had anything like a regular appointment at New Hope church
was the Rev. John DeBow. He succeeded the Rev. Henry Patillo as pastor of
Hawfields and Eno churches, and ministered to the people of New Hope as time and
opportunity would permit. He was a young man of considerable talent, and came to
his field of labor about the year 1775. He died Sept. 8, 1783, at the age of
thirty-eight, and was buried at Hawfields church. I have seen his grave, and
have been informed that he was the first person buried at the present Hawfields
churchyard. The next
minister of New Hope was the Rev. Jacob Lake, who succeeded Mr. Debow, serving
the churches in the same way until he left in the year 1790. He left the
Presbytery in the year 1794, having been connected with it about ten years. The next
minister was the famous William F. Thompson, the first pastor of the church.
This man was ordained at New Hope, and was doubtless installed pastor at the
same time. It is worthy of
note that the first recorded meeting of Orange Presbytery
now in existence is dated Nov. 18, 1795, and they met at New Hope church.
This was the first meeting after Concord had been set off as a new Presbytery,
and as I have already stated, all the recorded proceedings of the Presbytery
before this were burned with the records of New Hope church. But according to
this first record of the Presbytery now in existence, at this meeting at New
Hope, the Rev. James Bowman was made moderator. William F. Thompson and William
McGee were ordained, and John Gillispie was licensed. Robert Foster and Robert
Tate were examined as candidates on parts of their trial. Robert Tate was an
uncle of my grandfather, Samuel Strayhorn, and became one of the pioneer
Presbyterian ministers in the eastern part of the state. Mr. Thompson,
according to my information, was a native of Connecticut, and continued to be
pastor of New Hope church until Nov. 12, 1799, when he resigned his charge at a
pro re-nata meeting of the Presbytery held at Cross Roads church. He left the
bounds of the Presbytery, and in April, 1802, he was suspended from the ministry
for false charges made against the Presbytery. He was a shrewd man, and during
his ministry at New Hope he aroused the people to give more attention to
schools, and from that time through many years afterwards a school was generally
kept up at the church. It was soon
after Mr. Lake's departure that Gilbert Strayhorn, who was now an old man, made
a deed of gift "to the subscribers of the church and their successors"
of two hundred acres of land. This deed was signed and sealed by Gilbert
Strayhorn the 25th day of Feb., 1792. At the instigation of Mr. Thompson a
parsonage was built at the place where William C. Claytor now lives, and a large
portion of the aforesaid two hundred acres of land was laid off as a farm to be
attached to the parsonage. But at the departure of Mr. Thompson this land, in
some way, passed out of the hands of the church, and also another portion, after
his departure, went in the same way, leaving only seventy acres of the original
tract belonging to the church. There has been a great deal said about these
transactions, and a great many conflicting statements have been made. On the one
hand, it has been claimed that the instrument of writing which Mr. Thompson drew
up as a mere statement of the boundaries of the pastor's farm, which the elders
unwittingly signed, proved to be a bona-fide deed to him, and that he sold the
land on leaving the congregation. On the other hand, it has been claimed that
the elders of their own free will sold the land, and perhaps appropriated the
money towards the building of the third church, or in settling arrears with Mr.
Thompson. Since writing
the first edition of this pamphlet, I have seen the old deeds, which will
forever set the matter at rest as to who sold the lands, but the question of
right or wrong in the matter still remains. On the
twentieth day of Sept., 1799, the Rev. William F. Thompson made a deed to John
Strayhorn, son of Gilbert, for one hundred acres of land, more or less. I have
seen this deed, and never in my life, have I seen a more perfect and beautiful
work of penmanship. In it Mr. Thompson says, "Said lands were conveyed and
made over to me by him, said Gilbert Strayhorn, etc." Upon this statement
alone it is evident that the whole transaction was a fraud, and yet there are
some strange facts connected with it. It will now be
remembered that Gilbert Strayhorn made a deed of these said lands to "the
subscribers of New Hope church, and to their successors forever," on the
25th day of Feb., 1792. This was three years before Thompson came to New Hope,
for he was ordained and became pastor in Nov., 1795, and he left in 1799 -- the
year in which he sold the land. Now the question is, what right had Gilbert
Strayhorn to make a deed to Mr. T(h)ompson, -- or who will suppose that he did
do so -- after having already deeded the lands three or four years previous to
the church? Mr. Thompson
says, "conveyed to me by him, per deed, etc." It is a standing fact
that no such "per deed, etc.," has ever been seen or recorded. One of the
strange things connected with the matter, is the fact that Gilbert Strayhorn was
still living in 1799, and we would naturally expect that he would have exposed
the fraud; but he was in the decrepitude of old age and incapacitated for
business and perhaps knew nothing of the transaction, and the presumption is
that the congregation neither knew nor cared concerning the matter, and so it
passed away without special notice. And as to John Strayhorn the purchaser, who
was a son of Gilbert, it would seem that he would have known better and
prevented any fraud, but some one has said, "he may have wanted the land
very bad." I am confident the deed was a forgery. The other
portion of land, seventeen acres, in the southwest corner of the tract, was sold
by the elders and subscribers of New Hope church, -- "after mature
deliberation and consultation," for church repairs, on the 17th day of May,
1817. This was an honest transaction, but I am of decided opinion that they had
no right to do so, according to the deed of 1792. It was sold to Samuel
Strayhorn, a son of John, who now owned the Thompson tract. The deed was signed
by ruling elders James Hart, John Freeland, James Strayhorn, John Strain and
Alexander Strain; and by subscribers William Strayhorn, John Strayhorn, David
Strayhorn, Alexander Gattis, George Johnston and Andrew Burns. The wrong that
may have been perpetrated is a matter to be regretted, but it is sheer folly for
anyone at this day and time to think of attempting the resurrection of those
transactions. For whether it was right or wrong, or in accordance with the
intentions of the donor or not, the right of possession has long since confirmed
these transactions. The agitation of the question of reclaiming these lands can
never amount to a row of pins towards accomplishing that end, and will be
productive of no good, but great harm, and therefore ought to be sedulously
avoided. And in view of the past, it is some consolation to believe that the
remaining seventy acres, upon which all of the churches have stood, will never
pass out of the hands of the congregation. The next
minister who served the church in the second house of worship was the Rev. James
H. Bowman. From the Presbyterial records I learn that in the year 1799 his
charge was Eno and Little River. In the year 1800 he was sent as a missionary to
the west, and returned in the fall of 1801, and perhaps came to New Hope in the
year 1802. He was wholly different from Thompson in many respects. He seems to
have been deeply pious, of considerable learning and much engaged in teaching
school in connection with his preaching. If I have been rightly informed he
taught school at New Hope during his ministry as stated supply to the church. My
grandfather, and others whom I have known, remembered him well, and his
preaching. His ministry closed, or rather he left the Presbytery, in the year
1815. He was perhaps the first man who preached in the third house of worship,
and he seems to have been greatly beloved by the people, and spent much of his
time in pastoral visiting among them. I am not aware
of the causes which about this time led to the building of a third church.
Perhaps the old one was dilapidated from age or it may be that the advanced
ideas and tastes of the congregation demanded a new church. In the year 1800
there was a great revival at New Hope and the people came from great distances
and camped for days on the ground. They preached and prayed and sung and
shouted, and the spirit of the revival spread far and wide into other
neighborhoods. It was perhaps the fruits of this revival which largely prompted
the building of a new church. THE THIRD BUILDING And Ministers who Preached in it This house was located about two hundred yards to the south-east from
the second. The situation was still more desirable than the second, and the
spring, which was heretofore on the north, was now deserted for an elegant one
on the south, which bubbles out of a solid rock. This third church was built in
the year 1806, and destroyed by fire on the night of March the 9th, 1862. The
origin of the fire which destroyed it has always been a matter of conjecture,
but most generally believed to have been the work of an incendiary. It occurred
on Saturday night, and I well remember the peculiar and almost comical
expression on the face of the Rev. Dr. James Phillips, when he walked up and
stood around the smoldering ruins on Sabbath morning. But the want of a house did not prevent the
beloved old doctor from preaching the gospel that day. The people assembled
under the trees and quietly listened to a most excellent sermon from the 119th
Psalm and 101st verse. The last sermon preached in this house was by the Rev.
Dr. Charles Phillips on a public "fast day," February 28th, 1862, the
text from "The wages of sin is death." In many respects it was not so
good a house as the present one, but answered all the purposes for more than
fifty years. The pulpit was in the west end which was a high structure with
several steps ascending up into it, and which elevated the preacher much above
the people. There was a gallery attachment at the east end for the accommodation
of the colored people, and under this gallery was a door of entrance, but the
chief door was on the south side. In this house,
after Mr. Bowman had left, and about the year 1815, the Rev. Robert H. Chapman
served the people as stated supply. The Rev. Elijah
Graves succeeded him, and preached from November, 1818, until April 1820. He was
a great temperance reformer, and many signed a pledge under his preaching. The Rev. Dr.
John Witherspoon frequently preached at New Hope about this time, and
occasionally during a number of years after this date. These brethren
were located at Hillsboro, and engaged in teaching in connection with the church
there, and they supplied New Hope as time and opportunity would permit. We have now
reached a point in the history of the church from which we can be more accurate
in dates and names, for henceforth there is a full record of all the proceedings
of the church.
The Re-organization The first minute recorded in the oldest session book is as
follows:--"New Hope Church," April 22, 1820. "Session met. Present: Rev. S. K. Kollock, Mod.: James Strayhorn,
John Strain, James Hart, John Freeland."Rev. Mr. Witherspoon being present was invited to take a seat as a member
of the session. "Mr. Kollock laid before the session the resolution of the
Presbytery 'recommending all the churches under their care that had been vacant
for some time to be re-organized and newly regulated.' It seemed upon inquiry
that there was no record of the members of the church, and that owing to the
want of stated preaching but little discipline had hitherto been exercised. Therefore," Resolved, That on to-morrow the church be re-organized and the members be
admitted by a public assent to the articles of faith and covenant to walk as
disciples of Christ." On the next day it appears that the following came forward and assented to
the covenant:--Ruling Elders -- John Strain, James Hart, James Strayhorn and
John Freeland. Members:-- Alex Gattis, Samuel Faucett, Rebecca Craig, Sr.,
Rebecca Craig, Jr., Penelope Strayhorn, Elizabeth Currie, Jane Freeland,
Elizabeth Davis, Margaret Craig and Elizabeth Faucett.Aaron Hunter and Jane
McCauley seem to have been members, but were not present on that day. It appears from the above minutes the Rev. Mr. Kollock was at this time
pastor, though there is no mention made of his installation. His home was in
Hillsboro and he preached at New Hope in connection with the Hillsboro church
until 1825, when we find the following note in the minutes:--"In May 1825,
the connection between Mr. Kollock and the New Hope congregation was dissolved.
He was succeeded by the Rev. Elijah Graves as stated supply."Mr. Graves began to preach at New Hope the second time in November, 1825,
and continued to be the regular minister until May, 1831, when the co-laborers,
Rev. Daniel L. Russell and Rev. John S. McCutcheon began their ministrations. These brethren were missionaries or evangelists, and unitedly preached at New
Hope from November, 1831, until March, 1832.They were immediately followed by
the Rev. Phillip Pearson, who remained until October of the same year. It was during
this time -- from November, 1831, until November, 1832 -- that the church
enjoyed a great and gracious revival of religion under the ministration of these
three brethren. Numerous and substantial tents were built upon the grounds, and
the people came from all quarters, and lived in them for weeks at a time in
order to attend the meetings. The record shows that there were at least seventy
persons admitted to the communion about this time, and Dr. John Witherspoon
seems to have been present at most of the sessional meetings. The next
regular stated minister after Mr. Graves was the Rev. George W. Ferrill. He was
unanimously elected pastor March 23, 1833, and was installed soon after. He
continued to preach at New Hope until July, 1836, when the pastoral relation was
dissolved. He is still living at his home in Granville county, but is very old
and infirm, and has long since ceased to attend the church courts. He was
succeeded by the Rev. Dr. James Phillips, who began to preach at Hew Hope as
stated supply in August, 1836, and he continued to serve the church in this
relation until December, 1865. He served the church a longer period than any
other one man, and was greatly beloved by the congregation. When he ceased to
preach at New Hope -- about thirty years having passed away -- the congregation
was in a great measure a new generation from that which was present when he
began his labors there. His life and history as a professor in the University of
North Carolina, as well as a preacher of the gospel, are well known, not only in
this State, but throughout the South. For a long time during the early history
of Chapel Hill there was no Presbyterian church in the village, consequently the
people of New Hope enjoyed the preaching of this pious and learned man almost
every Sabbath for quite a number of years. He was a pure Englishman, and never
failed to betray it by his peculiar brogue. His name and memory are still
precious in the congregation -- especially with those who knew him best. His son, the Rev. Dr. Charles Phillips, united with the church at New
Hope March 27, 1842, and in after years, when he became a minister, often
preached there in connection with his father. He was ordained at New Hope in
1866. He was one of the brain(i)est men that North Carolina ever produced. His
life work was teaching and yet, he was a most powerful preacher -- big hearted
and had the symplicity(sic) of a child in his manner and illustrations. The Hon. David L. Swain also first united with the church at New Hope, and
both he and Dr. Charles Phillips were dismissed by certificate to join the
church at Chapel Hill October 26th, 1845.As before stated, it was on Sunday
morning of March 10th, 1862, when Dr. Phillips and the congregation came
together to find the old church a smoldering (sic) heap of ruins. At that time the civil war was the all absorbing
theme, and the hearts of the people were filled with sadness -- both on account
of the desolation upon the battle-fields and the destruction of their cherished
old landmark -- the church of their fathers. This house had stood in tact since
the year 1805, but it was now a thing of the past. But the people were not
discouraged and took immediate steps towards building a new church. In the
meantime a large arbor was erected on the grounds, under which the people
worshipped during the summer of 1862. THE FOURTH BUILDING And Ministers This house
stands about twenty steps to the northwest from the site where the third was
burnt. It is a very neat and comfortable country church, and capable of seating
an ordinarily large congregation. It was built in war times with Confederate
money, when it required a large amount of money to pay for a small amount of
work. David Craig, a ruling elder, who still lives, was an active mover and the
chief manager in its erection. Within the last year it has been painted, and its
appearance much improved. This house forms a water shed between the streams of
Eno and New Hope, or the Neuse and Cape Fear rivers. The Rev. Dr.
James Phillips preached the first sermon in this house to a large congregation
on Sunday, the 25th of October, 1863, from the text, Isaiah 35:8. After Dr.
Phillips ceased to serve the church -- in 1865 -- the Rev. Thomas Lynch became
stated supply, and served the church from February, 1886 (sic, 1866), until the
winter of 1867. It was during
this period that the Presbytery of Orange last convened at New Hope -- April
11th, 1856 -- at which time the Rev. Drs. Charles Phillips and Calvin H. Wiley
were ordained, sine-titulo. After Mr. Linch the Rev. Henry B. Pratt, supplied the church for the
space of six months in connection with church at Hillsboro. He was a foreign missionary, and spent most of his life in South
America. He began to preach in May 1868, and on the 24th day of said month and
year the writer of this sketch, together with John T. Hogan, Caroline Strayhorn,
Elizabeth and Isabel Kirkland, were received and baptized as members of the church. And the first sermon I ever preached in this
church was from 2 Cor. 5:20, May 20th, 1877. After Mr. Pratt
the church was supplied during a part of 1869 and 70 by the Rev. A. Kirkland. In 1870 the
Rev. T. U. Faucett became stated supply, and served the church until the fall of
1872. The Rev. C. N.
Morrow preached for a short while in 1873 and Rev. J. L. Currie a short while in
the year 1874. In August 1874,
the Rev. P. H. Dalton became stated supply, and served the church in this
relation until January 6th, 1884, when he was installed pastor. In February 1786
(sic, 1886), he offered his resignation of the pastoral charge, which was not
accepted by the great majority of the congregation, and he still continued to be
pastor of the church until December 1886, when the pastoral relation was
dissolved. Mr. Dalton united with the church at New Hope while a student at
Chapel Hill, September the 4th, 1842, and his membership has never been removed.
During his ministry at New Hope for the past twelve years, according to his own
statement, there have been at least fifty additions to the membership, the
congregation having largely increased, and several families have been brought in
which had no connection with the church. In closing a recent letter to the
writer he says "I have worked hard, and under unfavorable circumstances,
but god has blessed my labors." Before the
departure of Mr. Dalton there arose trouble in the church which seemed to be
chiefly confined to the session. They could not agree touching many points, and
did not act harmoniously among themselves. The church remained vacant about one
year, during which time the Presbytery sent a commission to the church which
apparently settled all existing troubles. In March, 1887,
Rev. James L. Currie was installed pastor, which relation existed until
November, 1889, when it was dissolved. During this
short pastorate fresh troubles arose which involved certain members of the
church and session. A case growing out of the settlement of an estate by a
member of the congregation, and which properly belonged to the civil courts, was
allowed to come before the session. This case was finally adjudicated by an
adjourned meeting of the Presbytery, March 5th, 1889, and the result only
widened the breach in the session and intensified a spirit of bitterness on the
part of certain members. Whereupon a
private member of the church, Mr. David A. Claytor, originated and executed a
petition signed by a large majority of the church, asking the entire bench of
active elders to resign, namely: Messrs. John T. Hogan, Chas. W. Johnston,
William C. Claytor, Samuel D. Blackwood, Samuel Kirkland and Leroy Craig. Ruling elder
David Craig, who is now an old man and infirm, and who enjoys the confidence,
love and esteem of the entire church, was not included in this petition. The three first
named elders expressed their willingness to resign, the three last named
refused. The petition
was then sent up to the Presbytery. The Presbytery met at the church in an
adjourned meeting May 16, 1889; after hearing all the parties, dissolved the
relation as elders between all the aforesaid six brethren and the church and
ordered a new election. The election
was held May 25, 1889, and was presided over by the Rev. F. H. Johnston, D. D.
Messrs. Chas. W. Johnston, John T. Hogan and Wm. C. Claytor were
re-elected -- a majority of the ballots cast determining the number elected, as
well as the men chosen. These brethren were re-installed in the presence of a
large congregation. Another
adjourned meeting of the presbytery was held at the church in the summer of
1890, in order, if possible to reclaim certain disaffected and absenting
members. The next pastor called to New Hope church in connection with Chapel
Hill, was Rev. James E. Fogartie, who was installed Nov. 30, 1890. About this
time Rev. Dr. W. D. Morton and Rev. Mr. Maxwell, synod cal evangelists, conducted a meeting at New Hope with blessed results.
Quite a number have been added to the church, and Mr. Fogartie, the new pastor,
has already won the hearts of the people. It is to be
devoutly hoped that the church in the future, "forgetting those things
which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, will
press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus," and go on to grow, and to prosper, and to conquer, through him who,
"loved the church and gave himself for it." THE NAMES OF
THE MINISTERS OF THE CHURCH And the Date of
Their LaborsRev. Henry Patillo, Organizer, About 1765Rev.
John Debow, Stated Supply, 1775Rev. Jacob
Lake, Stated Supply 1785Rev. Wm. M.
Thompson, Pastor 1795Rev. James
H. Bowman, Stated Supply 1802Rev. Robert
H. Chapman, Stated Supply 1815Rev. Elijah
Graves, Stated Supply 1817Rev.
Shepherd K. Kollock, Pastor 1820Rev. Elijah
Graves, Stated Supply 1825Rev. Daniel
L. Russell, Evangelist 1831Rev. John
S. McCutcheon, Evangelist 1831Rev. Philip
Pearson, Evangelist 1832Rev. George
W. Ferrill, Pastor 1833Rev. James
Phillips, D. D., Stated Supply 1836Rev. Thomas
Lynch, Stated Supply 1866Rev. Henry
B. Pratt, Stated Supply 1868Rev.
Alexander Kirkland, Stated Supply 1869Rev. Thomas
U. Faucett, Stated Supply 1870Rev. Calvin
N. Morrow, Stated Supply 1873Rev. James
L. Currie, Stated Supply 1874Rev.
Pleasant H. Dalton, Stated Supply 1874Rev.
Pleasant H. Dalton, Pastor 1884Rev. James
L. Currie, Pastor 1887Rev. James
E. Fogartie, Pastor 1890 THE RULING
ELDERS OF THE CHURCH From this point forward in the history of New Hope church the writer
desires to call especial attention. If we lose the line of our ancestry we often
lose sight of the repeated fulfillment of the promises of God to His people. This is an important matter, and
should be impressed upon the minds of our children and our children's children.
For be it remembered "Our God is a covenant-keeping God." His promise
is unto His children and to their seed forever. And "He is not slack
concerning His promise, as some men count slackness.(") This thought is
beautifully expressed by William N. Patterson, a great-grandson of Gilbert
Strayhorn, who in a recent letter to the writer says, "The divine
inspirations as taught and enjoyed by the founder of old New Hope church can
never be lost to their descendants. Family connections and other causes may for
a time draw them from the worship of their fathers, but intuitively we see them
away down along the course of time moving into line again." Let this be
noted as we trace the eldership and the families of New Hope church in
connection with Gilbert Strayhorn and John Craig, the original founders of the
church. From the time
the church was organized -- most probably by Henry Patillo, and about 1765, --
until the year 1795 the following persons were known to have been elders:
Gilbert Strayhorn, John Craig, John Mitchell, Robert Baker, Mr. Gill, Alexander
Strain and James Hart. There may have been others whose names I have never
learned, but these were elders during the first thirty years of the church's
history. And of these Messrs. Mitchell, Baker and Gill have left no
representatives. The Mitchells were connected with the Faucetts, and the latter
family was three times afterwards represented in the session, but this family
also has ceased to be found in the congregation. About the year
1795 the following three persons were ordained and installed elders, and they --
with James Hart -- constituted the entire session at the re-organization of the
church in April, 1820. They were James Strayhorn, John Strain and John Freeland. Gilbert
Strayhorn and John Craig were now dead -- the former having died Feb. 6, 1803,
and the latter Feb. 19, 1816. The one was 88 years old and the other was about
90. It will now be noticed that the above named James Strayhorn was a son of
Gilbert. James Hart married his daughter, Nancy; John Strain was his nephew and
married his daughter, Miriam, and John Freeland was in some way closely
connected with John Craig. From the minutes of Orange Presbytery I learn that John Craig attended
the Presbytery at Hawfields in April, 1796; John Freeland at Buffalo church in
September, 1796; John Strain at Raftswamp church in March, 1797; Mr. Strayhorn
at Hawfields in October, 1797. I cannot tell whether this was the father or son,
as the Christian name is not given. James Hart attended at Alamance church in September,
1798, and John Mitchell at Eno church in March, 1799. From these facts it is
evident that the four above mentioned elders, who were present at the
re-organization of the church in 1820, were ordained about the year 1795. The next
ordination occurred Oct. 15, 1820, when the following three persons were added
to the session: Alexander Gattis, Samuel Faucett and Gilbert Strayhorn. The
latter was a grandson of Gilbert, the old elder, and a son of William. The next
ordination occurred Feb. 1, 1832, when the following five persons were added to
the session: William Brown, Alexander Strain, Samuel Hart, David Hart and Allen
Petty. Again it will be noticed that two of these -- the two Harts -- were the
grandsons of Gilbert Strayhorn. Mr. Strain was a son of Alexander. Of the other
two there is neither name nor representative in the congregation at the present
time. In May, 1836,
John R. Faucett was received and installed an elder from the Cross Roads church. The next
ordination occurred May 9, 1840, when the following four persons were added to
the session: George A. Faucett, David Craig, William C. Blackwood, and Joseph
Kirkland. And again it will be noticed that David Craig is a grandson of John
Craig and a great-grandson of Gilbert Strayhorn. And all of these four, except
Mr. Faucett, were the great-grandsons of William Craige, and Joseph Kirkland was
the father of the present Rev. A. Kirkland. In September,
1859, the following five persons were ordained and installed elders: Samuel S.
Claytor, Alexander Dickson, William S. Kirkland, Bryant Strayhorn and George R.
Long. We will note again the connection with the old elders: Bryant Strayhorn
was a grandson of Gilbert, and his wife Mary Strain, was a granddaughter. Mr.
Kirkland was a great-grandson of William Craige, and married a
great-granddaughter of Gilbert Strayhorn. Mr. Long was a grandson of a grandson
of John Craig. Mr. Claytor was in some way connected with the Strayhorns through
the Cabes. In June, 1871,
John T. Hogan and Samuel D. Blackwood were ordained and added to the bench of
elders. Here again Mr. Hogan is a direct descendant of the old elder, John
Freeland, and married a great-granddaughter of Gilbert Strayhorn. Mr. Blackwood
is a grandson of a daughter of John Craig, and married not only a
great-granddaughter of John Craig, but a granddaughter of the grandchildren of
Gilbert Strayhorn in direct line from both her father and mother. The next
ordination occurred July 8, 1877, when William C. Claytor, Nettleton G. Craig
and Charles W. Johnston were made elders. Mr. Claytor is a son of the elder
ordained in 1859. Mr. Craig was "a choice young man" -- born Jan 16,
1849, and died May 2, 1879, -- and a great-grandson of John Craig, and a
great-great-grandson of Gilbert Strayhorn in direct line from both his father
and mother. And Mr. Johnston is a grandson of Gilbert Strayhorn's daughter,
Mary, who married John Cabe. The next and
last ordination of elders at New Hope occurred July 17, 1879, when Samuel
Kirkland and Leroy Craig were added to the session. Mr. Kirkland is a
great-grandson of William Craige, and his wife is a granddaughter of John Craig
and a great-granddaughter of Gilbert Strayhorn. Mr. Craig stands in the same
relation to John Craig and Gilbert Strayhorn as that described above in the case
of Nettleton G. Craig. Thus ends the
long list of elders who have officiated in the affairs of New Hope church, and I
hope I will be pardoned if I here record my own name, David Irvin Craig, -- a
great-great-grandson of both William Craige and Gilbert Strayhorn. I was born
Feb. 11, 1849; studied at Davidson College, and graduated at Columbia
Theological seminary, S. C., May 8, 1878, was licensed to preach the gospel at
Greensboro, N. C., May 31, 1878, and was ordained and installed pastor at
Reidsville, N. C., June 1, 1879, where I still abide. I have already
called attention to the fact that the Rev. Robert Tate was a grandson of Gilbert
Strayhorn. The Rev. G. A.
Russell, of Tenn., and the Rev. Andrew Craige were both grandsons of John Craig,
and the Rev. Alexander Blackwood and Rev. Alexander Kirkland both sprang from
New Hope church, also Rev. Braxton Craig, a Baptist minister, and Rev. Newell
Strayhorn, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister in Austin, Texas. I have also been
reliably informed that there are ten or a dozen Cumberland Presbyterian
ministers in the west who can trace their origin to old New Hope church. Thus let it be
carefully noted that nearly all of these ministers and elders are either the
direct descendants, or are in some way closely connected with the original
founders of the church, therefore clearly illustrating the truth of God's
promises to them that keep His covenant. And the same will be equally apparent
if we have the time and patience to enter into the large field of family
connections and their relations to the church. NAMES OF THE
ELDERS OF THE CHURCH And the Time of
Their Ordination Gilbert
Strayhorn About1765 John Craig
" " John
Mitchell____ Robert
Baker____ Mr. _____
Gill____ Alexander
Strain____ James Hart
____ The above named
persons were the elders through the first thirty years of the church's
existence. James Strayhorn
1795 John Strain
" John Freeland
" Alexander
Gattis 1820 Samuel Faucett
" Gilbert
Strayhorn " William Brown
1832 Alexander
Strain " Samuel Hart
1832 David Hart
" Allen Petty
" John R.
Faucett1836 George A.
Faucett 1840 David Craig
" William C.
Blackwood " Joseph Kirkland
" Samuel C.
Claytor 1859 Alexander
Dickson " William S.
Kirkland " Bryant
Strayhorn " George R. Long
" John T. Hogan
1871 Samuel D.
Blackwood " William C.
Claytor 1877 Nettleton G.
Craig " Charles W.
Johnston " Samuel Kirkland
1879 Leroy Craig
" |