REV. ELISHA McCURDY born October 15, 1763 in Carlisle, Pa
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In reply to:
REV. ELISHA McCURDY born Oct
Cathy Farrell 5/04/14
INFORMATION FROM BOOK.I AM NO RELATION OR HAVE NO FURTHER INFO.
The Life of the Rev. Elisha Macurdy: with an appendix, containing brief notices of various deceased ministers of the Presbyterian Church in Western Pennsylvania
Elliott, David, 1787-1874
(DAVID ELLIOTT was the professor of theology in the Western Theological Seminary,
Alllegheny, Pa.)
Allegheny: Kennedy & Brother, Federal Street, 1848
Philadelphia: William S. Martien, No. 37, South Seventh Street, 1848
Pg. 13
The Life of the REV. ELISHA MACURDY
The REV. ELISHA MACURDY was the son of JOHN MACURDY, of Chester County, Pa., whose father emigrated from Ireland.His mother's name was MARY FOX, whose grandfather came from England and settled in Philadelphia, where her father afterward resided.Of the time and place of their marriage, we have no information.ELISHA was the third of twelve children, five of whom are still living.He was born October 15, 1763, in Carlisle, Pa., at which place the family then resided.He was baptized in the old log meeting house, on Pomfret Street, in that borough, by the Rev. George Duffield, D.D. the grandfather of the (pg. 14) present Dr. George Duffield, of Detroit.One of his school instructors was the late Judge Creigh, grandfather of the Rev. Thomas Creigh, of Mercersburg, a prominent Elder in the Presbyterian church of Carlisle.Another was the son-of-law of the Rev. John Steel, of Carlisle, but whose has been forgotten.
(pg. 15)
His father moved his family to Taneytown, Maryland.After continuing there a year, he returned to Pennsylvania, and settled in York County, where he remained nearly four years.He later moved to Ligonier Valley, Westmoreland County, Pa.At the period of his father's removal to Ligonier, MR. MACURDY was about 21 years of age.His elder brother having gone to the South, where he remained.Among the most valuable property which was saved from his father's property were a wagon and team of horses.As the best means of providing for the wants of the family, he determined to employ these in the transportation of freight to and from such places as might be most profitable.He started with his team for Baltimore.On his way, he stopped at Green Castle, in Franklin Co., where he became acquainted with the late George Clarke, father of Mathew St. Clair Clarke, Esq., of Washington City, who kept a store in that place, and who furnished him with his first load to the seaboard.He continued in the business of transportation for 18 months.With the money he earned he returned to Ligonier and was able to purchase a farm.
(Pg. 18) At Ligonier he had the opportunity of hearing various ministers of the gospel, who were sent by the Presbytery such as Rev. James Hughes.(Pg. 20) Another preacher he heard was the Rev. John M'Pherrin.
(Pg. 21) MR. MACURDY first made a public profession of his faith in Christ, in the church of Salem, of which the Rev. Mr. M'Pherrin was the pastor.The occasion was one which was distinguished by a large number of men, who afterward entered upon the work of the ministry.These were John, Abraham, James, and Benjamin Boyd,(brothers); William Morehead; John Thompson; and Richard M'Nemar.
(Pg. 22) At the time that there was no pastor at Ligonier, the place of his residence.He took a leading part in securing the erection of a house of worship which was known by the name the “Fairfield meeting house.”(pg. 23) Through his preaching those converted were Daniel Hendricks, James Gageby, and Joseph Ogden, all of whom afterward became Ruling Elders in the Fairfield church.(pg. 24) Various ministers who supplied the church at Ligonier advised him to turn his attention to study.Among those was the Rev. George Hill (pg. 25) who had been invited to become the pastor of the church at Ligonier.MR. MACURDY sold his farm to raise the funds to study.
MR. MACURDY left Ligonier and proceeded to Canonsburg, where he entered the Canonsburg Academy as a student in 1792, which, in 1802, was merged in Jefferson College.He remained at Canonsburg (pg. 26) until 1799 during which period he completed the course.His theological studies were prosecuted under the direction of Rev. Dr. John McM'Millan, assisted occasionally by the Rev. John Watson, who was one of the teachers in the Academy.
(Pg. 27) In the month of August, 1796, and during his residence at Canonsburg, MR. MACURDY was married to MISS SARAH BRICELAND, daughter of THOMAS BRICELAND of that place, and formerly of Carlisle.(pg. 28) Having completed his literary and theological course of preparation, and having satisfied the Presbytery of his qualifications, he was licensed to preach the gospel, by the Presbytery of Ohio, on June 26, 1799, at the church of Upper Buffalo, Washington Co., Pa.The Presbytery appointed him to preach to several congregations such as the united congregation of Cross Roads and Three Springs and the united congregations of the Forks of Beaver and Shenango.Later he was ordained and installed pastor of the united congregations of Cross Roads and Three Springs, by the Presbytery of Ohio, in the month of June, 1800.(pg. 230) His friend and family physician was Dr. Dale.He died between the hours of two and three in the afternoon.(pg. 231)On the day following his decease, his remains were conveyed to Cross Roads.
[MACURDY was also spelled Elisha McCurdy in other works.]
History of Washington County, Pennsylvania
Edited by Boyd Crumrine
Philadelphia: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882
Pg. 802 Under Hanover Township
The part of the township set off by this division was named Hanover, and embraced the territory lying north of Harman's Creek and Brush Run to the Ohio River, bounded on the east by Raccoon Creek, and west by the Virginia line.
The line dividing the township from Cross Creek and Smith townships ran up Harman's Creek to its source near the old McCurdy farm; thence across the ridge to the head-waters of Brush Run; thence down the run to Raccoon Creek.
Pg. 808
Cross-Roads Presbyterian Church – The mother church from which this society and that of the Three Springs Church sprang was known as “King's Creek Presbyterian Church.”The ordinance of the Lord's Supper was administered first in August of the year 1788.Philip Jackson, Miles Wilson, and John McMillan were then elders.Ten years later it was thought best by a large majority of the congregation to move the place of worship from King's Creek to the “Cross-Roads,” now Florence.
On the 20th of November, 1799, a call was extended to the REV. ELISHA McCURDY by the united congregations of Three Springs and Cross-Roads to become their pastor.The call was ordained and the REV. MR. McCURDY was ordained and installed pastor of the united congregations in June, 1800.REV. ELISHA McCURDY served as pastor from 1800 to 1835.
Presbyterian Graveyard:this old graveyard (pg. 809) located at Florence, many of the old settlers in this section of country were buried, among them the following (I didn't list them all.) : SARAH McCURDY, wife of the REV. ELISHA McCURDY, died Oct. 26, 1818, in her 48th year.
The REV. ELISHA McCURDY was buried here, and the following is inscribed upon his tombstone:
“In memory of the REV. ELISHA McCURDY, Late Pastor of the Congregation of Cross Roads.Born October 15th, 1763.Licensed June 24th, 1799.Ordained and Installed Pastor June, 1800.A Pastor 35 years and minister of the Gospel 46 years.Died July 22d, 1845.He took an active part in the great revival of 1802, and was distinguished for his zealous labors in the cause of Indian Missions.”
History of Washington County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1
Forrest, Earle R. (Earle Robert)
Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1926
Pg. 706
Briceland's Tavern was probably the most noted in all Canonsburg's history.This old building stood on the present site of the Citizens Trust Building, and was a landmark of the town for many years.The date of the erection of this building and by whom is not known; but when the old Washington-Pittsburgh Pike was at the height of its glory, in the day before the Chartiers Valley Railroad was completed in 1871, this tavern was a famous stand.Its history began back in the “40s and extended through a period of thirty years or more.It was conducted for many years by John Briceland, son of Thomas Briceland, one of the town's first residents, and from him this stopping place received its name.For years before the Civil war it was the popular stopping place for all visitors at college events, and on the muster days of the militia it was headquarters for military men.During the Civil war all soldiers gathered there when preparing to go to the front or when passing through the town on furlough.When Company G, of the famous One Hundred and Fortieth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Canonsburg's own company, returned at the close of the Civil war, the survivors were welcomed home at a big banquet in this tavern.It continued as the town's principal hotel under the name of Sherman House and Central Hotel until it was razed in 1903 to make room for the trust building.
History of Washington County, Pennsylvania: with biographical sketch of many of its pioneers and prominent men
Edited by Boyd Crumrine
Philadelphia: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882
Pg. 605
THOMAS BRICELAND had two sons, JOHN and JAMES.JAMES, the eldest, was mentioned in the assessment roll of 1802.A few years later he moved to Hanover Township, and built at what is now known as Florence.He opened a tavern at the cross-roads, and the place was known for many years as Briceland Cross-Roads.Later he moved to Washington, and finally to Steubenville, Ohio, where he died. JOHN kept a hotel in Canonsburg many years, now the Sherman House.JOHN, GARLAND, and SARAH BRICELAND, residents of Canonsburg, are children of JOHN BRICELAND.