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Wells Township Churches, Bradford
County PA
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The first christian organization in the townships of either Wells or
Columbia, was effected in 1795. Rev. Daniel Thatcher, a Missionary of General
Assembly, formed a church at Elmira, N. Y. that year; and finding two or three
Presbyterian families over the State Line, in Wells, he constituted them as a
branch of the Elmira, or Newtown Church. The members soon moved away, and
nothing further is known concerning the society. The first Minister of the
gospel to locate in the these parts, was Rev. John Smith, from Dighton, Mass.;
who settled on what is known as the Beckwith farm, under the Connecticut title,
in 1804, and remained several years. He was a Congregational Presbyterian, of
good learning and ability. "The word of the Lord was precious in those days;"
and the inhabitants would come up all the way from Pine Woods to the central
part of Wells, on ox sleds and on foot, to attend Mr. Smith’s meetings. His
quotations from the Scriptures, and Watts’ Hymns, were often striking, and never
to be forgotten. In 1806 Solomon Judson emigrated to Wells (Mosherville), from
Greenville, N.Y. He, and his sons Ithamer, Samuel and Isaac, as well as several
females of his family, were church members. About the same time Dea. Silas
Waldron came in from Ct., when prayer and reading meetings were held, at such
times as they were without preaching. Mr. Waldron returned to Ct.; Solomon
Judson & wife died; the sons moved to the west, and the little community was
broken up. The Presbyterian Church of Wells was organized at Mosherville, March
3, 1821, by Rev. M. M. York, and Rev. Simeon R. Jones. The Presbytery of
Susquehanna, with which it was connected, met here in June 1821. This society,
always feeble, became extinct in the course of ten of fifteen years, in
consequence of removals.
Reference:
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Jewell, Rev. Joel. History of the Presbyterian Church of Wells,
The North Church of Wells, the Presbyterian Church of Wells and Columbia, the
Presbyterian Church of Columbia Crossroads, the Presbyterian Church of Sylvania.
1876. Manuscript in possession of Presbyterian Church Historical Society,
Philadelphia.