Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice Orwell Churches History by V. C. Detty Bradford County PA Chemung County NY Tioga County PA

A HISTORY OF  THE CHURCHES OF ORWELL, PENNSYLVANIA (Congregational, Presbyterian, Methodist, Federated) 1803-1951 By Victor Charles Detty, Pastor Federated Church 1930-1943 Copyright, 1955 Printed in the United States of America Retyped & Submitted by Linda Selub Reprinted on this site 1999 with permission of Victor Charles Detty, Jr. This page is part of the Tri-County Genealogy & History Site by Joyce M. Tice No Unauthorized Commercial Use May Be Made of This Material

This View of North Orwell was taken August 11, 1999 by Joyce M. Tice

Joyce's Search Tip - January 2008 Do You Know that you can search just the 250 pages of Church Records and Histories on the site by using the Churches button in the Partitioned search engine at the bottom of the Current What's New Page? .

On March 29, 1867, a group of citizens of North Orwell, namely: E. B. Miner, E. Boardman, J. W. Wilbur, Byron Cass, S. Thurber Cass, S. Sibley, and Orville D. Cass, signed the deed for land purchased from Mr. and Mrs. Horace A. Russell for the price of $50.00 to be used for "Meeting House Site — Orthodox Christian Church." S. Thurber Cass was grandfather of Bessie Coryell, Sam. T. Cass (late of Wysox), E. Stella Cass, and Newton Cass, and their brothers and sisters. Sheldon Gleason drew the first load of hewn timbers for the church from his farm, and Edward Boardman brought the second load..

In 1887, by subscription, money was raised to remodel the church, amounting to $784.46. On November 16, 1888 the citizens met to apply for a charter for the church as a union church. In remodeling it, they changed the pulpit from the front to the back of the church, the interior of which had been similar to that of the Brick Church at Wysox, the pulpit being high in the center of the present main entrance, with a door on each side of it.

Between the year 1887 and 1890, money was raised for paying all the debts of the church. E. N. Moore was appointed to draw up the by-laws which were adopted January 13, 1890, the church to be known as The North Orwell Union Church. Its being union meant that any people of any creed or denomination could worship there.

The names of the trustees from 1890 to the present are: Mrs. Mary Hamilton, F. N. Moore, J. P. Sibley, Florsila Russell (Mrs. O. A. Alger), Stephen Wickham, J. E. Hamilton, E. E. Reynolds, Charles F. Moore, J. P. Allen, R. R. Sibley, E. E. Chubbuck, John Wickizer, William Baxter, L. J. Tyrrell, M. L. Rogers, L. B. Sexton, Leslie Phillips, E. C. Moore, Mrs. Helen Moore Clark, Mrs. Mildred Boardman, Judd Brown, Jacob Hennip, Harvey Hennip and Emery Moore.

Of the citizens mentioned in the deed, Samuel T. Cass died in 1868. His wife died in 1884 sitting in her chair by the window at her home in North Orwell, found by her son S. Thurber Cass, where Leonard Fox lived in 1948. They had five children all born in the town of Maryland, N.Y., on a hill across from Schenevus, and their names follow: Thurber (married Polly Russell), Byron, Philetus (married Ruth Wilbur), Calista (married Jacob Wilbur), and Anson Cass, who died recently in Schenevus, where he spent most of his life, though he operated the store at North Orwell in the 1870’s, and sold the farm to J. E. Hamilton, father of Mrs. Stanley Green.

Outside the church were two horse-blocks, later replaced by a plank platform across the front of the church; later by one of concrete; and now brick steps with wrought iron railing lead to the main entrance. A Sunday School room was added in 1938. The steeple was replaced with a cross since then, and the interior redecorated.

At the first half of the decade of 1870, two ministers served: Silas Barner, and G. Greenfield.

The Reverend Silas Barner, born August 28, 1807, in Cobbleskill, N.Y. moved to Rome, Pa. In 1849, joined the Wyoming Conference about 1855, having married in 1851 Miss Harriet N. Clagett of Susquehanna County Pa., who died November 30, 1888 (?) at the home of her daughter, Mrs. C. H. Jewell, in Lockwood, N.Y. He served churches at Rome, Dundaff and Glenwood, Beach Pond, Sanford, Damascus, Lanesboro, Page Brook, Harpursville and Orwell (1870 – 1872). He died at Rome, April 23, 1886.

The Rev. George Greenfield, born in Philadelphia, Pa., May 10, 1839, died there December 1, 1895. "He was a blacksmith by trade, and was converted in the shop where he worked when 17 years of age. His gifts were soon recognized, and within a year he received exhorter’s and local preacher’s licenses. In 1865 he was sent as supply to Lehman, Pa., and became a member of Wyoming Conference in 1866. In 1887 because of throat trouble, he took the supernumerary relation and retired to live in his native city, where after he found some work to do till his death. He married Miss Mary A. Heller, of Philadelphia and they had 2 children. One son was a member of the California Conference, at Virginia. In addition, to Lehman and Orwell (1873), Rev. George Greenfield served Northumberland, Pa., Nicholson, Auburn, Skinner’s Eddy, Meshoppen, Parsons, Forty Fort, Wanamie.

New trustees of the Orwell Hill church appearing on the list of those elected May 31, 1873, were: Philemon Arnold, John C. Jillson and C. J. Chubbuck.

The full list of church officials in 1875, was: PresidingElder, I. T. Walker, Pastor, R. S. Rose; Local Deacon, Frances A. Dimmick; Leaders, Daniel Dimmick, Leonard O. Brown, C. H. Upson, L. Sheldon Chubbuck, E. B. Miner, Jarvis Buttles; Stewards, C. J. Chubbuck, Samuel Buttles, C. H. Upson, Arad Platt, A. N. Alger, Horace Russell, Morris Woodruff, Cyrus Cook, and L. Sheldon Chubbuck. C. H. Upson was elected trustee 1876. Officers were: L. S. Chubbuck, president; C. J. Chubbuck, secretary; and Morris Woodruff, treasurer. The Rev. J. B. Davis was asked to circulate a petition for repairs on the church. C. J. Chubbuck was appointed to superintend the work and keep the time of the workmen he hired. Nearly $500 was subscribed, but the repairs cost very much more. When the work was completed the church was reopened January 18, 1877, and additional funds were subscribed that day payable in 9 months by 115 persons, to the total amount of $1443, to which $20 was added later by Mrs. C. M. Chubbuck. Of the total sum, the Ladies Aid Society paid $125. The repairs and improvements cost a total of about $2200. Trustees C. J. Chubbuck and G. L. Pendleton were ordered to get the church building insured for $2500. $1000 at 8 percent interest was borrowed on the basis of subscriptions. In 1882 the trustees authorized Mr. I. W. Robertson and Brother W. R. Netherton to raise by subscription $450 the amount of the church debt still unpaid.

Name	Amount		Name	Amount
Morris Woodruff	$70.00		G. D. Welch	$5.00
J. C. Pendleton	25.00
Arad Platt	25.00
C. J. Chubbuck	25.00		Asa Russell (Wood)	10.00
W. L. Pendleton	25.00
J. C. Jilson	25.00		Sarah Gills	15.00
L. O. Brown	25.00
Daniel Dimmick	25.00		William Howe (Work)	8.00
Stephen Russell	25.00
Cyrus Cook	25.00		Mr. Grow (Work)	3.00
George Lyon	25.00
J. M. Robertson	25.00		A. A. Platt	5.00
Joseph Ponell (?)	25.00
J. B. Davis	25.00		A. A. Darrow	5.00
Tracy J. Chubbuck (Work)	11.05
James Cleveland	10.00		Wm. Rose (Work laying
C. M. Chubbuck	15.00		stone)	5.00
P. F. Ellsworth	5.00		Eastburn Werkheiser
Mrs. Charles Ellsworth	15.00		(flour)	1.90
Aaron Vough (work)	10.50
George Smith	10.00		Leonard Chamberlin	1.50
David Ford (lumber)	10.00
J. M. Barrett, M.D.	10.00		Charles Upson	25.00
Albert Conklin (lumber)	8.00
Jas. Fisher	10.00		Total subscribed	$598.95
R. B. Hall	5.00

When the church was reopened by Presiding Elder I. T. Walker, on January 18, 1877, the following additional subscriptions were made:
 

George Lyons	$50.00		W. L. Pendleton	$25.00
L. O. Brown	50.00		L. E. Chubbuck	25.00
C. J. Chubbuck	50.00		Isaac Vought	25.00
T. E. Gridley	50.00		J. W. Robertson	25.00
Stephen Russell	50.00		A. F. Beckwith	25.00
C. H. Upson	50.00		Sis. Morris Woodruff	30.00
C. L. Pendleton	50.00		J. L. Pendleton	25.00
Ladies Aid Society	100.00		S. L. Chubbuck	25.00
C. J. Chubbuck	50.00		Cyrus Cook	25.00
J. C. Jillson	25.00		S. A. Chaffee	25.00
Ladies Aid Society	25.00		Mrs. Ruth Ellsworth	10.00
J. S. Ellsworth	10.00		Clarrie Chubbuck	5.00
Asa Russell	10.00		Frank Robertson	5.00
George Lyon Jr.	10.00		Russell Beckwith	5.00
O. P. Taylor	10.00		T. J. Chubbuck	5.00
P. E. Woodruff	10.00		W. D. Chaffee	5.00
W. L. Pendleton	10.00		G. H. Howe	5.00
H. H. Pendleton	10.00		Phebe Chubbuck	5.00
P. H. Ellsworth	10.00		E. D. Hall	2.00
Sarah Woodruff	10.00		E. A. Chubbuck	2.00
M. M. Chubbuck	10.00		Aurora Robinson	1.00
Mrs. E. R. Hiney	10.00		H. Champlin, Jr.	2.00
Mary Robinson	10.00		Keally	1.00
H. J. Frisbie	10.00		L. E. Chubbuck	2.00
Isaac Marsh	10.00		J. S. Ellsworth	2.00
Jane Fisher	10.00		Mary Brown	2.00
George Frisbie	10.00		Henry Howe	2.00
W. E. Lott	10.00		S. M. Beckwith	2.00
Ruth Bosworth	10.00		Theresa Brown	2.00
Dr. J. M. Barrett	10.00		Helen Howe	2.00
G. W. Wells	10.00		Mrs. A. M. Willson	2.00
Catherine Jones	10.00		A. C. Pendleton	2.00
B. L. Beckwith	10.00		Rev. W. B. Barrach	2.00
Dr. A. Conklin	25.00		Anna Pendleton	2.00
A. F. Cleveland	10.00		S. S. Brown	2.00
Mr. E. D. Taylor	5.00		W. J. Chubbuck	5.00
T. Jakeway	5.00		J. M. Dawes	2.00
Chas. Gridley	5.00		Wm. Hardy	2.00
S. N. Bronson	5.00		L. S. Chubbuck	10.00
Wm. Upson	5.00		Ethel Davis	5.00
L. J. Pendleton	5.00		W. L. Pendleton	2.00
David Lord	5.00		E. M. Farrar	5.00
George Welch	5.00		E. C. Bull	3.00
A. C. Cook	5.00		J. P. Cowles	10.00
R. B. Hall	5.00		A. W. Alger	25.00
A. F. Blair	5.00		A. Platt	15.00
J. T. Spicer	5.00		F. C. Woodruff	2.00
Aaron Vough	5.00		Sally Gibbs	20.00
Albert Allen	5.00		Robert Nelson	25.00
S. G. Case	5.00		Harriet A. Gridley	5.00
C. M. Chubbuck	5.00		Hattie Gridley	5.00
C. J. Hardy	5.00		Mrs. C. M. Chubbuck	20.00
Amos Robertson	5.00
Mary Eastman	5.00
Alfred Welch	5.00		Total	$1463.00
Fred Frisbie	5.00
J. J. Newell	5.00
Hector Frisbie	5.00
Nelson Ellsbree	5.00
S. M. Wickizer	5.00
H. C. Ford	5.00
A. A. Darron	5.00
G. G. Corbin	5.00
Esta Allen	5.00
Joel Johnson	5.00
Sarah Allen	5.00

 

One of the above subscribers was the father of a young man who became a well-known minister of the gospel, concerning whom the following sketch is contributed by Mr. Raymond E. Russell of Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

The Rev. Dr. Horace A. Cleveland was born on the old Cleveland homestead in Orwell Township, (north of the Leonard Brown farm), Brad Cleveland. This homestead is situated on a side road not far from the farms of Mr. Harold Russell. Born to Mr. and Mrs. James Cleveland were two other children, namely, James, who studied law and was admitted to the bar but died in California at the age of 34; and Mary E., who married Stephen Russell, grandson of Daniel, a farmer, and lived throughout her life on the Russell homestead in Orwell. This Cleveland family came of Stalwart New England stock and were noted for their hard-working, God fearing qualities. These traditions, Rev. Dr. Cleveland cherished and exemplified through his entire life. After passing through the curriculum of the village academy, Mr. Cleveland entered upon the work of teaching for three years, during which time Rev. J. H. Wythes, D.D., L.L.D., but without completing it, he entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1857.

Nature had been very lavish in bestowing her choicest treasures upon this man, physically, mentally, and spiritually. He was a man of indefatigable industry and fearless speech. His first charge was the M. E. Church of Phoenixville, Pa. By the aid of private tutors, devotion to study, foreign travel, and familiarity with the best minds of the age, he became one of the finest belles-lettres scholars in this country and achieved great renown as a pulpit orator. He edited a newspaper for two years and was correspondent of the New York Methodist. His book, Golden Sheaves , passed through a goodly number of editions.

With Mr. Cleveland's great powers, his passionate ambition, rich and melodious voice, generous culture, warm sympathies, quick perceptions, chastened yet brilliant imagination and ardent love of the true, the good and the beautiful, he rendered great and invaluable service to his church, his day, and generation.

Mr. Cleveland's pastorates included some of the most important churches in this country. He preached in Taunton, Mass., Boston, Reading, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Washington, D.C., Erie, Indianapolis, Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and San Francisco. He preached 18 years in Philadelphia, and while there built Christ Church. Bishop Simpson was a regular attendant at his church in Philadelphia. At this time he was invited to succeed Dr. Talmadge when the latter left for Brooklyn but he decided to remain with the church of his early choice.

Mr. Cleveland was the friend and associate of the truly great and famous in America and was on terms of pleasing intimacy with many who have been inscribed on the pages of American history. He preached to Grant, Hayes, Garfield, and McKinley. One of his most important charges was the Meridian Street Church of Indianapolis. That city then was the literary center of the United States. While there he was President of the Shakespeare Club, famous for its members of national and world renown.

Universities recognized Mr. Cleveland's talents and achievements and conferred upon him the degrees of Lit. D. and D. D. For four years,

in connection with his ministry, he held the chair of Higher English in Wesleyan University.

But as Mr. Cleveland reached old age, became infirm, and began to fail in health, he asked for smaller stations in his church where the responsibilities would be lighter. While serving in Glencoe, Minn., he suffered the loss of his wife, Mrs. Eleanor C. Cleveland. Mrs. Cleveland died of blood poisoning caused by a mosquito bite on July 31, 1905. She was born in Chester, Pa. They were married November 22, 1860, when Mr. Cleveland was a member of the Philadelphia Conference.

But Mr. Cleveland’s own health became so serious while preaching in Long Prairie, Minn. that he sent in his resignation to the Board of Trustees, February 17, 1910, thus ending a ministry of 53 consecutive years. He then left to reside with his daughter, Eleanor, Mrs. Frederick D. Orff of Minneapolis, third of four children born to Dr. and Mrs. Horace Cleveland. His first child a daughter, Jennie, lived in Taunton, Mass., married to Dr. Sampson. His second child, William, was an insurance executive in California, married and having a family.

Mr. Cleveland’s health failed to rapidly after being with his daughter in Minneapolis a short time, that he sought help at St. James’ Sanitarium, Minn. but failed to benefit therefrom. He suffered from rheumatism and a heart affliction. But unable to benefit from the treatment, he died in this hospital in October of 1910, at the age of seventy-six years. He, as well as his wife, was buried in the Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis. And thus passed a good and great man, after a long and useful service.

Mrs. Genevieve Cowles Smith recalls attending a meeting at church in which six Orwell ministers took part, including: W. H. Farrar, Ira Bronson, Leonard L. Vought, Fred V. Frisbie, Dr. Horace A. Cleveland. The last was the pulpit orator that day and his theme is still quoted: "Strength at the base, and lily-work at the top." (1 Kings 7:19).

The father of Dr. Horace Cleveland, James, married three times. He outlived all three wives. His first wife was named Mary Chubbuck, and their children were: Mary E. (Mrs. Stephen Russell); Horace A., the preacher, and James, the lawyer, who died in California 1872, aged 34.

His second wife was Orinda, daughter of Eleazer Allis, and they had children: Annis O., wife of Gustavus Conklin, M. D., who practised medicine in Orwell throughout a long life; Ellen S., (Mrs. Andrew McCumber) of Bradford County; and Oscar, who died in infancy.

His third wife was Eunice, daughter of Cicero Dimmick, and their children were: John Cicero, and Nathan.

Cicero married first, Annette Russell (died 1900); second Miss Whitney of Towanda, lived on a farm at Macedonia Corners till after the death of his second wife, after which he moved to Towanda where he died the effects of being struck by an automobile.

Mr. Frank Champlin wrote, November 12, 1948:

The Reverend Dr. Horace Cleveland with all his talent and popularity never forgot his father or his native town. He made it a rule to visit his father once a year as long as he lived and would give his home town the benefit of his talents by preaching in Methodist Church. At first in his early ministry, some thought his ideas were too liberal, but he developed into a preacher of sound gospel doctrine such as Christ taught. Then the Presbyterian society would adjourn their services when it was known the Rev. Mr. Cleveland was to preach. His graceful manner in the pulpit and the use of English language were peculiar to him and rarely, if ever, equaled. The last time he preached in Orwell was after he had retired because of poor health. He said near close of his address, "Methinks the next time I meet with you people it will be in heaven." I heard him that time and at other services at Orwell. His sister Mary’s son, Horace Russell, who was named for him told Mr. F. I. Champlin that Dr. Cleveland offered to educate him (Horace Russell) if he would study for the ministry.