Church and Family History Research
Assistance
for Chester County, Pennsylvania
CHURCHES:
GREAT VALLEY (1711)
Great Valley Church was organized April 22, 1711, with sixteen members, viz., Elder Hugh David, Margaret David, Richard Miles, Sarah Miles, Joan Miles, Jane Miles, Margaret Phillip, James David, Alexander Owen, William Rees, Morris Edward, John Evan, Margaret Evan, William David, Arthur Edward, and William Thomas Hugh. These were Welsh Baptist brethren who came to this country to find freedom of religion. They had formerly worshipped at Rhydwilym, Wales. Meetings were held in their homes until 1722, when a 28 foot square log meeting house was erected.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
BRANDYWINE (1715)
Brandywine Church was organized as a Baptist Church in 1715. Among the earliest members of this church we find the names of Edmund Butcher, John Powell, Richard Buffington, John Beckingham, Joseph Powell, David Roberts, Jeremiah Collett, Elizabeth Powell, Margery Martin, Hannah Beckingham, Hannah Hunter, Mary Robinett, Mary Powell, Joan Powell, and Joseph Powell.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Baldwin, Barnett, Beckingham, Bentley, Blackwell, Brunsdun, Budd, Buffingham, Butcher, Butler, Calvert, Chalfon, Chalfunt, Chalfant, Clark, Clempson, Collett, Compton, Cross, Davis, Deal, Derrom, Dungworth, Downs, Eaton, Edwards, Evans, Faddes, Frame, Garrett, Griffith, Hall, Hannum, Harlan, Harry, Heath, Hopton, James, Johnson, Kibb, Kimbler, Kimber, Lane, Lewis, Liggett, Linvil, Martin, McBride, McCracken, McCim, McGloughlin, McKinley, Miles, Mundle, Palmer, Pavier, Philips, Phillips, Piper, Plumley, Powell, Pratt, Price, Pullin, Pyle, Quantence, Ranfron, Fentfro, Richie, Scott, Semonson, Shields, Stalkey, Stevenson, Strode, Thomas, Turritt, Vaughn, Vernon, Vestall, Wansell, Wells, Williams, Withers, Wright.
LONDON TRACT (LANDMARK) (1780)
London Tract Church (also referred to as Landmark Church) was organized on November 21, 1780, with eighteen members, who were dismissed for that purpose from Welsh Tract Church. The Evans family was prominent in the early membership.
Worship services were held here, and a meeting house erected, perhaps as early as 1730. Elder Thomas Griffith, of Welsh Tract, Elisha Thomas, Enoch Morgan, and Owen Thomas all preached here for many years before the church was actually organized.
Early pastors of London Tract Church included Elders Thomas Fleeson, Jethro Johnson, and Thomas Barton (who served for fifty years). The last active member of London Tract Church died in 1930, and the church then closed, until 1946, when it was reorganized by members of Mt. Carmel Church at Bel Air, Maryland, who lived in Pennsylvania. Elder F. E. Thompson served as pastor; he was followed by Elders Troy Edwards and James L. Compton.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
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