United Presbyterian Church
The following, regarding Venice's United Presbyterian Church, was extracted from the book, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Sketchies of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men (Boyd Crumrine, editor):
On the 4th day of September 1849, a petition from certain persons living in the neighborhood of Venice was presented to the Associate Presbytery of Chartiers, asking for the organization of a congregation in their vicinity. On the 25th day of the same month a similar petition from persons residing in the same neighborhood was received by the Associate Reformed Presbytery of Monongahela. Each Presbytery granted the prayer of its petitioners. The Rev. Thomas Hanna, D.D., by authority of the Presbytery of Chariters, organized the "Associate Congregation of Miller's Run" on the 24th day of September, 1849, at which time Alexander Reed, James McPeak, and Joseph Little were elected ruling elders.
The Rev. James Greer, D.D., having been appointed by the Presbytery of Monongahela, organized the "Associate Reformed Congregation of Venice," about the 1st of March, 1850. John Cockins, John Rowan, and Samuel McLaughlin were elected elders.
The first named of these congregations enjoyed, almost from the date of its organization, the joint pastoral services of Drs. Anderson and Beveridge, who were professors in the theological seminary, then located at Canonsburg. By the death of Dr. Anderson (which occurred the 8th day of May, 1855), and the removal of Dr. Beveridge with the seminary to Xena, Ohio, the same year, the congregation was left, for the remainder of its separate history, without pastoral care.
The Rev. J. L. Fairley was the first and only pastor of the Associate Reformed Congregation of Venice. His pastorate began June 28, 1853, and ended Dec. 25, 1855. Thus these two congregations, which had struggled into existence together, which had erected houses of worship the same season of adjoining lots of ground, and which had obtained the pastoral services of good and faithful men, became "vacancies" the same year, and continued for about the same length of time dependent on their respective Presbyteries for supplies of preaching.
The union of the Associate and Associate Reformed Churches in the spring of 1858 prepared the way for a speedy consolidation of these hitherto rival organizations. They were formally united under the name and title of the United Presbyterian Congregation of Venice on the 8th day of November, 1858. The session of the united congregation consisted of James McPeak, Joseph Little [see James Little], John Cockins, Samuel Morehead, John R. White, and John P. McConnel [see Alexander and Matthew McConnell].
The present pastor was installed April 17, 1860. The present elders are Joseph Little, John P. McConnell, John B. Kelso, Joseph Cowden, John P. Scott, Charles Wallace, David White, and John Mawkinney. James Patterson, Andrew Borland, and S. W. Scott constitute the present board of trusteesl. Superintendent of Sabbath-school, S. W. Scott; Secretary and Treasurer of Sunday-school, W. W. Kelso. The present membership of the congregation is 215.
Crumrine, Boyd (ed.), History of Washington County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men (Philadelphia: L. H. Everts & Company, 1882).
On the 4th day of September 1849, a petition from certain persons living in the neighborhood of Venice was presented to the Associate Presbytery of Chartiers, asking for the organization of a congregation in their vicinity. On the 25th day of the same month a similar petition from persons residing in the same neighborhood was received by the Associate Reformed Presbytery of Monongahela. Each Presbytery granted the prayer of its petitioners. The Rev. Thomas Hanna, D.D., by authority of the Presbytery of Chariters, organized the "Associate Congregation of Miller's Run" on the 24th day of September, 1849, at which time Alexander Reed, James McPeak, and Joseph Little were elected ruling elders.
The Rev. James Greer, D.D., having been appointed by the Presbytery of Monongahela, organized the "Associate Reformed Congregation of Venice," about the 1st of March, 1850. John Cockins, John Rowan, and Samuel McLaughlin were elected elders.
The first named of these congregations enjoyed, almost from the date of its organization, the joint pastoral services of Drs. Anderson and Beveridge, who were professors in the theological seminary, then located at Canonsburg. By the death of Dr. Anderson (which occurred the 8th day of May, 1855), and the removal of Dr. Beveridge with the seminary to Xena, Ohio, the same year, the congregation was left, for the remainder of its separate history, without pastoral care.
The Rev. J. L. Fairley was the first and only pastor of the Associate Reformed Congregation of Venice. His pastorate began June 28, 1853, and ended Dec. 25, 1855. Thus these two congregations, which had struggled into existence together, which had erected houses of worship the same season of adjoining lots of ground, and which had obtained the pastoral services of good and faithful men, became "vacancies" the same year, and continued for about the same length of time dependent on their respective Presbyteries for supplies of preaching.
The union of the Associate and Associate Reformed Churches in the spring of 1858 prepared the way for a speedy consolidation of these hitherto rival organizations. They were formally united under the name and title of the United Presbyterian Congregation of Venice on the 8th day of November, 1858. The session of the united congregation consisted of James McPeak, Joseph Little [see James Little], John Cockins, Samuel Morehead, John R. White, and John P. McConnel [see Alexander and Matthew McConnell].
The present pastor was installed April 17, 1860. The present elders are Joseph Little, John P. McConnell, John B. Kelso, Joseph Cowden, John P. Scott, Charles Wallace, David White, and John Mawkinney. James Patterson, Andrew Borland, and S. W. Scott constitute the present board of trusteesl. Superintendent of Sabbath-school, S. W. Scott; Secretary and Treasurer of Sunday-school, W. W. Kelso. The present membership of the congregation is 215.
Crumrine, Boyd (ed.), History of Washington County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men (Philadelphia: L. H. Everts & Company, 1882).
