He had two wives, the first Mistress Suit Gar-
land, daughter of Sylvester Garland, who died in
1736 after twenty-two years of married life. The
following year, almost to the day, he married Re-
becca Crawford.
The will of Parson Anderson gives a curious
picture of the times as we find him bequeathing
to his beloved wife Rebecca "ye use & services of
ye negro wench Dinah." He also bequeaths her
his son Thomas to be raised by her as her own
child and specially desires that "he be brought up
to learning & particularly to the ministry."
Rev. William Bertram
1732—1736
With the coming of Mr. Bertram to Paxton
the church seems to have been first definitely or-
ganized, for in 1733 we find him presenting to
100
Presbytery, meeting that year in Upper Octo-
rara, a list of men nominated by the congrega-
tion at Derry and Paxton for Ruling Elders.
The first business, too, of the newly organized
Presbytery of Donegal was the call of Mr. Bert-
ram to these two churches. This was presented
by Thomas Koster, George Renick, William
Kuningham, Thomas Hays, for Paxton.
Mr. Bertram was born in Edinburgh in 1674
was graduated from its University, licensed to
preach in Presbytery of Bangor, Ireland. He
was installed at Derry Church, November 15,
1732. He was married in 1706, but his wife died
early. In 1731 he came to America, where he
later married Elizabeth Gillespie, sister of the
Reverend George E. Gillespie, died in 1746 and
was buried in the old grave yard at Derry.
The four years of his pastorate at Paxton
seems to have been disturbed by disputes over
his arrears of salary, which occupy at least ^Ye
meetings of Presbytery in succession. This
seems more a question of factional fights than of
niggardliness, as besides his salary, the congre-
gations made over to him the right to "The In-
dian Town'' purchased from the Indians, a tract
of over three hundred acres.
There was a law suit between George Renick
and one Patrick Martin because Patrick did not
fulfil his contract to saw a thousand feet of
plank for Mr. Bertram's house. Because certain
persons of Paxton did not contribute to this law
suit, they complain they were suspended from
church privileges. This bickering over money
101
continues until Mr. Bertram finds the care of
the two churches onerous and begs to be relieved
of one of them. Paxton offers him £60 salary
and Derry £55, but the old man chooses Derry
and Paxton is declared vacant in September,
1736. Whether this choice was guided by the
nearness of his farm to Derry or by greater bel-
ligerency in his Paxton flock we can only guess.
Doubtless arrears were paid up later, as Pres-
bytery does "lament and bewail this spirit of
contention & uncharitable stiffness of temper,''
and the people of Paxton are urged "to put on a
spirit of meekness, mutual forbearance & chari-
table condescension, lest if they bite and devour
one another they be consumed of one another."
Parson Elder was also directed to suspend from
church privileges those who refused to pay up
the arrears in Mr. Bertram's salary.
Notwithstanding these disputes, the church
grew spiritually and materially under Parson
Bertram, and the people at large were on har-
monious terms with him.
Rev. John Elder
1738—1791
Page 37
Presented as published in 1913. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
He had two wives, the first Mistress Suit Garland, daughter of Sylvester Garland, who died in 1736 after twenty-two years of married life. The following year, almost to the day, he married Rebecca Crawford.
The will of Parson Anderson gives a curious picture of the times as we find him bequeathing to his beloved wife Rebecca "ye use & services of ye negro wench Dinah." He also bequeaths her his son Thomas to be raised by her as her own child and specially desires that "he be brought up to learning & particularly to the ministry."
Rev. William Bertram 1732—1736
With the coming of Mr. Bertram to Paxton the church seems to have been first definitely organized, for in 1733 we find him presenting to
Presbytery, meeting that year in Upper Octorara, a list of men nominated by the congregation at Derry and Paxton for Ruling Elders. The first business, too, of the newly organized Presbytery of Donegal was the call of Mr. Bertram to these two churches. This was presented by Thomas Koster, George Renick, William Kuningham, Thomas Hays, for Paxton.
Mr. Bertram was born in Edinburgh in 1674, was graduated from its University, licensed to preach in Presbytery of Bangor, Ireland. He was installed at Derry Church, November 15, 1732. He was married in 1706, but his wife died early. In 1731 he came to America, where he later married Elizabeth Gillespie, sister of the Reverend George E. Gillespie, died in 1746 and was buried in the old grave yard at Derry.
The four years of his pastorate at Paxton seems to have been disturbed by disputes over his arrears of salary, which occupy at least five meetings of Presbytery in succession. This seems more a question of factional fights than of niggardliness, as besides his salary, the congregations made over to him the right to "The Indian Town'' purchased from the Indians, a tract of over three hundred acres.
There was a law suit between George Renick and one Patrick Martin because Patrick did not fulfil his contract to saw a thousand feet of plank for Mr. Bertram's house. Because certain persons of Paxton did not contribute to this law suit, they complain they were suspended from church privileges. This bickering over money
continues until Mr. Bertram finds the care of the two churches onerous and begs to be relieved of one of them. Paxton offers him £60 salary and Derry £55, but the old man chooses Derry and Paxton is declared vacant in September, 1736. Whether this choice was guided by the nearness of his farm to Derry or by greater belligerency in his Paxton flock we can only guess.
Doubtless arrears were paid up later, as Presbytery does "lament and bewail this spirit of contention & uncharitable stiffness of temper,'' and the people of Paxton are urged "to put on a spirit of meekness, mutual forbearance & charitable condescension, lest if they bite and devour one another they be consumed of one another." Parson Elder was also directed to suspend from church privileges those who refused to pay up the arrears in Mr. Bertram's salary.
Notwithstanding these disputes, the church grew spiritually and materially under Parson Bertram, and the people at large were on harmonious terms with him.
Rev. John Elder 1738—1791