Church: Big Spring Presbyterian 1786 Pew Holders List: Big Spring/Newville, Cumberland Co, PA CUMBERLAND & FRANKLIN CO., PA - "CHURCHES OF THE VALLEY" (published 1852) *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Gina M. Reasoner AUPQ38A@prodigy.com April 15, 1999 *********************************************************************** PENNSYLVANIA ANCESTORS These records were taken from "CHURCHES OF THE VALLEY" published in 1852. The book is an Historical Sketch of the Old Presbyterian congregations in Cumberland and Franklin Counties, Pa. by Rev. Alfred Nevin. "BIG SPRING, CUMBERLAND COUNTY 21st March 1786" "We the members of the Congregation of Big Spring, do hereby bind and oblige ourselves annually to pay Mr. Samuel Wilson, Preacher of the Gospel, on his being ordained to be our minister, and for his discharge of the duties of said office, the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds, Pennsylvania Currency, in specie, and allow him the use of the dwelling house, barn, and all the clear land of the glebe, possessed by our former minister, also plenty of timber for rails and firewood, likewise a sufficient security for the payment of the above-mentioned sums during his incumbency. As witness our hands: Allison, John Cunningham, Samuel Graham, John Armstrong, James Carnahan, Adam Graham, David Alison, Thomas Carson, James Gourril, John Aumer, James Carson, John Hodge, John Sr. Appleby, Thomas Carnahan, William Hutchison, Robert Adams, William Coply, John Hodge, John Sr. Ardle, Caleb Clark, John Hutchison, Robert Atchison, Jacob Clark, William Hodge, John Sr. Allen, Hugh Davidson, John Hathorn, Samuel Buchanan, Thomas Dinison, William Himter, William Blair, Rannel Douglass, William Huston, James Bovard, Robert Deniston, Andrew Hunter, William Bell, John Donald, Francis Hays, Joseph Bell, John Davidson, Matthew Hamilton, James Bell, Andrew Dening, William Irvine, James Bell, Robert Eawing, John Irvine, Agnes Brown,John Espey, Thomas Jack, James Brown, Catherine Elliott, Alex. Jacobs, Thomas Brandon, James Fenton, Samuel Jacobs, Jermon Brisbane, William Flinn, Abigail Johnston, James Bell, Andrew Ferguson, William Johnston, James Boyle, Daniel Finley, Samuel Kilgore, Elizabeth Brouster, Ann Graham, James Kilgore, William Brown, John Giffin, William Kilbourne, Berry Bratton, Adam Gillespie, James Laughlin, Alex Brown,John Gillespie, Robert Lightcap, Solomon Bell, John Gillespie, Nathcl. Laughlin, Hugh Bryson, William Graham, Jared Leeper, Charles Bovard, Howard Grier, Jared Laughlin, William Laughlin, James Laughlin, Atchison Lechey, Alex. McCune, John Ramsey, David Lusk, Robert McFarland, John Robinson, John Lindsey, Samuel McCullough, Elizabeth Ralston, David Lindsey, William McBride, Alex. Shannon, Robert Lusk, John Milligan, William Stewart, James Lusk, David McCune, James Smith, Hugh Little, George McCune, Isabella Shannon, James Laughray, James McFarland, Patrick Shannon, John McGeehen, John Murdock, Patrick Stevenson, Wm. McKibbin, Jeremiah Mitchell, James Sterret, David McKain, Margaret Moore, Thomas Smith, William McGeehen, Alex. McGeehen, George Sumar, John McCracken, Alex. McGeehen, James Thompson, Alex. McFarland, William McGeehen, Benjamin Thompson, Andrew MCormick, Samuel McCune, John Thompson, William McClintock, John McElhenny, Samcl Jr Thompson, William Jr Mitchell, John McElhenny, Samcl Sr Van Horn, Jospeph Mathers, Samuel Morrow, Samuel Williamson, David McClure, Margaret Nicholson, William Walker, Andrew McElwain, Andrew Nicholson, Richard Wallace, John McElwain, Mary Nicholson, James Woods, Richard McElwain, James OcNeal, John Work, L. McDonnel, Joseph Officer, Alex. Weaver, Samuel Mitchell, Samuel Officer, James Weaver, George Mitchell, John Pollock, Joseph Wilson, Mathew Munro, John Patterson, Robert Wilson, Samuel McFarland, John Partes, Joseph Whitin, John Jr. Mathers, Thomas Patton, John Wilson, William McFarland, Margaret Porterfield, John Wilson, James McFarland, James Patterson, Robert Walker, William Martin, Paul Preaug, Widow Walker, Joseph McComb, Robert Jr. Patton, Wm. Jr. Walker, Robert McGuffin, James Pierce, Joseph Murain,John Reed, John Mickey, Robert Sr. Reed, John Mickey, Robert Jr. Mickey, James (Number of Pew-Holders, 204) This church was organized about 1735 when this section "across the river" belonged to Lancaster County and in 1750 was became Cumberland County. The first Presbyterian churches of the Cumberland Valley were erected near a spring or stream of water, and from their location they derived their name. Big Spring church was first called Hopewell Church. Neighboring Presbyterian churches were Rocky Spring Church and Middle Spring Church. Across the river was evidently beyond the Susquehanna River and near the Pennsboro District. Rev. Thomas Craighead was pastor of Big Spring Church in 1738. He passed away about a year later while delivering a sermon at the church and his remains rest where the church now stands. Big Spring was connected with Middle Spring and Rocky Spring, as a charge then for some years. Ministers complained that many of their members were moving farther west. [Ed. Note: the Mc names {e.g., McElwain} were listed with ' {M'Elwain} and not a c. The ' were replaced to aid in locating names via the search engines.]