This history account is from the history achieves of the Presbyterian Church's newspaper "The Centenarian" printed during the Centenennial week April 5 thru April 12, 1964.
By Mrs. Ruth Hoenes and Mrs. Peg Brown.
The history of the First Presbyterian Church of Corry dates from the evening of January 18, 1864. The meeting was held in Concord Street School House, with the following committee present: Mr. and Mrs. E. S. Osgood, Mr. Charles Boyle, Mr. Ashel M. Davis, Mrs. Ellen M. Bennett, Mrs. Marta Boyle, Mrs. Mary Davis, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Gridley and Miss Nancy J. Knight.
A request for the organization of a church of this denomination having been sent to the Buffalo presbytery, Rev, S. W. Roe of Jamestown, New York was delegated and present to proceed in the proper way to effect such an organization. Mr. Charles Boyle and Mr. E. S. Osgood were elected Elders and were ordained and installed: Mr. Boyle to serve one year and Mr. Osgood two years. Mr. Osgood, Mr. Davis and Mr. Bennett were elected as Trustees for one, two, and three years in order named.
After the church was organized, the meetings were held for six months in the Concord School House. In the summer of 1864, the Presbyterians rented the McKenzie hall on West Main Street. This hall was located between what is now First Avenue and Spring Street.
In the autumn of 1865, they worshipped in "Continental Hall", afterwards known as "Cooks Hall", on the corner of Second Avenue and West Pleasant Streets. In the following winter, the Presbyterians purchased a lot on what is now West Church Street.
The first mention of a Building Committee in any record was on February 27, 1865. It is not known just when the church was dedicated on West Pleasant Street. However records give that a meeting was held in the church on January 21, 1867. The membership increased so rapidly that in the fall of 1867, the church building had to be enlarged. The Sabbath School was a vital help in recruiting members. Also much credit is given to Rev. Alvin Nash for his self-sacrificing efforts in 1867-1868. Rev. Mr. Nash was the last of the temporary pastors of the church.
On June 6, 1867, the congregation voted to ask the Presbytery of Buffalo of the Synod of Genesee to transfer this church to the Presbytery of Erie. This was asked for because of the great distance involved in being part of the Presbytery of Buffalo.
The Synod of Genesee doubted its ability to change its boundaries without permission of the General Assembly. However, the Synod stated that it would not interfere, if it were the wish of the church to transfer to the Erie Presbytery. At a meeting of the Corry Congregation on December 27, 1867, it reaffirmed its desire to be transferred to the Erie Presbytery. At the January meeting in 1868, the First Presbyterian Church was received as a member of the Erie Presbytery. All through the years the First Presbyterian Church of Corry has been given a valuable rating by the Erie Presbytery.
In the year 1874, on January 19, the Rotary System of Electing Elders was adopted at the annual church meeting.
Rev. S. G. Hopkins was the first regularly installed pastor; and he served from 1869-1876. During this period the membership increased to 140. During Rev. Hopkins' pastorate the church released its self indebtedness.
In the spring of 1878, with the untiring aid of the ladies of the church, the congregation and the trustees, at a cost of $600.00, had the church thoroughly renovated: the church nicely decorated, new carpet on the floor, a new platform built and new pulpit furniture.
The church continued to grow and the congregation realized that a larger church was needed.
A building committee was elected on January 9, 1883, consisting of Hollis King, John Smutz, G. H. Hummanson, L. L. Bliss, A. M. Kent and V. Polder. This committee reported to a meeting held May 25, 1883, and recommended that they build on the present site, which was on West Church Street. At this meeting a motion was made to appoint a new committee to find a new location, and to report back on June 1, 1883. This committee consisted of T. A. Allen, Henry King, R. F. Livermore, C. H. Bagley, James Turner and Rev. Mr. Sloan.
Meantime the church occupied the frame structure on West Church Street. Meyer Berliner, one of the earliest settlers, and his son, Jacob Berliner, had acquired the lot at the southwest corner of Pleasant and South Center Streets for the purpose of building on it a Jewish Synagogue. However, it was found that the property was too large for the synagogue. Advised that the Presbyterians were looking for a new site for a church, the Hebrews offered to swap their land on Pleasant Street for the Presbyterian’s church on West Church Street. Therefore a meeting was held June1, 1863 at the church and the committee reported that the Jewish Society would give their lot at the South west corner of West Pleasant and South Center Streets and $500.00 for our church on West Church Street. They also offered to the committee the house and lot of Mr. Purington for $1,200.00 and the committee recommended that we accept both offers. The recommendation was accepted and a resolution was carried that we accept this offer and proceed to build a new church on the above property, not to exceed $8,000.00.
A building committee was appointed, consisting of Rev. Sloan, T. A. Allen, C. B. Kibler, A. M. Kent, Hollis King, R. F. Livermore, John Smutz and Harry King. In the year 1884, our present church was finished and dedicated at the approximate cost of $12,000.00. There seems to be no record of the exact date when the church was dedicated. The Rev. W. N. Sloan was then in his fourth year as pastor of the church.
In the spring of 1896, May 28, at eight o'clock a very happy and exciting meeting was held in the Sanctuary ofthe church when the mortgage on our present church was burned. A large audience was assembled to witness the flames and sang the Long Metre Doxology. The amount of the mortgage was $2,300.00.
Now that the .church was clear of indebtedness, the time had come to fulfill a dream. Therefore, in the summer of 1897 our pipe organ was installed by A. B. Felgemaker of Erie, Pennsylvania at a cost of $1,200.00. Until a few years ago, the organ was situated in the center of the pulpit, and the choir also was seated on the platform.
In the year 1904, the Sabbath School presented to the church the stone steps and wrought iron railing leading up to the entrance of the church. Steps were on Pleasant Street and also on South Center Street.
During the following years the church underwent improvements such as redecorating, changing from gas lighting to electric lighting and new radiators. A beautiful chandelier, adorned with hundreds of Swedish hand-cut prisms and lighted with a long pole equipped with a wax taper in the end, was changed over to electricity. This never again was as pretty since the gas light had made the prisms glow in rainbow colors.
The next big project was the building of the new Chapel to adjoin the church. Our Sunday School Superintendent for years, Dr. P. G. Wood, always had in mind building a new Sabbath School adjoining the church. Dr. Wood served twenty years as superintendent. On April15, 1906, the Sabbath School Easter offering amounting to $300.00 was put aside as a "nest egg" for such a building. Each year their offering was added to this fund.
In the fall of 1910, this project was discussed. A committee consisting of F. L. Babbitt, who had been the Sabbath School Treasurer for years, Harry B. Smith, F. E. Whittlesey, W. Ed Marsh and N. R. Dickson were appointed to make preliminary plans. At this point it can be said that all the committee attended Sabbath School regularly, with Rev. C. E. Woodward teaching the men's class of which they were members. The committee worked faithfully and employed Mr. A. P. Mount, an architect and Corry resident to draw up plans for the new building.
At a congregational meeting, the committee submitted the plans and made their report. The plans were accepted by the congregation and the above named men were made permanent committee and authorized to let the contract for the New Chapel. The estimated cost was to be $12,000.00. The following Sunday School members were added to the committee to help raise funds: Alex McInnes, Jr., Charles H. Geiger, F. L. Weeks, J. B. Patterson and Dr. P. G. Wood.
This committee decided to raise the entire amount in one day. Their slogan was adopted, "$12,000.00 in 12 Hours". On May11, 1911, they succeeded in securing pledges for the full amount. The contract was let on June 28, 1911, to Mr. A. C. Stolz of Meadville, Pennsylvania, for $13,104.75. The ground was broken for the new Chapel on Thursday, July 27, 1911. The first service was held in our new Chapel on Children's Day, June 9, 1912. This day fulfilled the dream of one man, our efficient and beloved superintendent for twenty long years, Dr. P. G. Wood.
The fifteenth anniversary in our new Chapel was held on Children's Day, June 12, 1927. The program used that day was a duplicate of the one used fifteen years before at the first service in our Chapel, with the exception of the first anthem which could not be located.
In 1948, the Chapel was remodeled. This provided a whole new floor, with class rooms and a separate assembly room for the Primary and Junior departments.
In reading all available history of the church, it is a conclusive fact that the Sunday School has been an outstanding factor in the growth and the success of the church. Also, that great honor and praise should be given to the women of the church, as the first committee meeting to be held in January 18, 1864, was comprised of three men and six women. The women through the hundred years have always come forward and worked diligently for every project and need. These women have always banded together in Christian fellowship and were always happy in doing their work. It was deeply regrettable to them, when the women were compelled to disband the Ladies' Aid Society, the Missionary Society, the New Era Club and the Opportunity Club.
In 1949, another dream was fulfilled, when our church purchased their first manse at 19 West Park Place. Within a year the manse was entirely free from debt. Over the years improvements were made.
Rev. G. L. Boyd served the church nineteen years, and the growth of the church was very steady under his guidance. Rev, Boyd ended his ministry with a membership of 440. It was with sincere regret that his resignation was accepted. Rev. Boyd honored the church with the longest years of service. He and his family occupied the manse for about a year only.
In the year 1951, the congregation spent $10,000.00 in a renovation program. The organ was electrified, and new organ console chambers were added. The front of the sanctuary was remodeled and painted. New wrought iron lanterns were installed in the sanctuary at the cost of $70.00 each, which did not include the wiring. A building fund was established, also.
In the year 1952 an amplifying system was installed for the sanctuary. A fine new study for the pastor was provided on the first floor of the church.
In 1951-1952 the manse was re-sided at the cost of $2,000.00. Also a garage was built on the property. In 1953 the heating system in the church was converted to gas at considerable expense. Also the floor in the recreation room and the Primary and Junior Departments were renewed with Kenite. In 1954, manse repairs amounted to $400.00 and church repairs $800.00.
In 1954 there was received through the will of Mrs. Eugene Burlingame, her brick home on the corner of Franklin and Mott Streets and a house on Mott Street. The money received from the sale of these properties was used to acquire the home next to the church on South Center Street from Ronald Slank and remodeling and annexing it to the church. This annex is called the Burlingame Annex in memory of Mrs. Burlingame.
Reverend Paul F. Bauer served as pastor from 1950 to 1961. Rev. Bauer was very active with the young people of the church. And through this work, he received an unsolicited call from Waynesburg College to serve as an advisor for young people, which he accepted. Rev. Bauer severed relations with our church, October 1, 1961.
In 1962, a new office and study was made in this annex and a new heating system installed costing $2,200.00.
In September 1962 a new manse was purchased at 706 North Center Street, costing $21,000.00. Improvements in the amount of $1,500.00 were made. In December 1962 the first manse the church owned was sold for $7,500.00.
A committee was appointed consisting of two members each from the Session, the Trustees, the Sunday School, and all other organizations. This committee was to go forth, contact and hear candidate ministers in their own environment. And on advise of the committee, Rev. Richard Allen Bodey was called to fill our pulpit in February 1962. Meantime the pulpit had been filled with guest ministers.
Only fifteen installed pastors served the people of the church in the one hundred years. This speaks well for the relationship between the pastors and the people of the congregation.
No value can be placed one the great influence which the church adds to the community. Its vast work and manifold blessings are beyond man to measure. And so it has been with the First Presbyterian Church of Corry, which stands triumphant after one hundred years of bringing God's word to thousands of residents of the city since 1864.
May the good work in ministering to the Spiritual needs of Corry continue for many more years to come.
Abraham Lincoln, Republican, elected to a second term in 1864 by a popular vote of 2; 216,067.
How refreshing is the reply of a Quaker lady when asked how she maintained such a lovely complexion. "I use truth for the lips," she said, "prayer for the voice, pity for the eyes, charity for the hands, uprightousness for the figure, and love for the heart."