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s THE PRESBYTER!
Contributed
MAKEMIE MEMORIAL CHURCH
Celebrates the Two Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Anniversary
of Their Organization?The Pastor Cele
brates the Tenth Anniversary of His Pastorate.
By M. M. North.
The "eastern shore" of Maryland was certainly the
birthplace of organized Pre>l?\ torianisnt in America,
and tradition points to the year 1<>S^ as the auspicious
time. The story has been told so many times, that
surely all Presbyterians know that the earlv settlers
of this section, many of whom were Protestant Irish.
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Makemie Presbyterian Church, at Snow Hill, Md.
longed for the church service of their fathers, and wrote
to their old home, begginj* that a minister he sent
them.
A young licentiate of the Presbytery of Laggan,
Ireland, Prancis Makeniie. heard the Macedonian cry,
and at once responded, landing upon these shores, presumably
in l<>S^. and losing no time in organizing
churches. Snow IIill at that time was a town, and
three years later was recognized as such by the General
Assembly in "an act" in which it even prescribed
that the houses should cover four hundred feet of
ground and that the chimneys >hould he huilt of brick.
In all the vast territory which Somerset county comprised,
this was the only town'so recognized lor fortysix
years. Somerset county was afterwards divided
into Somerset, Wicomica and Worcester.
I lie church at Snow llill was one of the live organized
l?v Francis Makcmic. and when the two hundredth
anniversary came, the people decided to build
a memorial to the founder, and the present handsome
structure is the result. .Makcmic Memorial Presbyterian
Church is built of brick, with red sandstone
AN OF THE SOUTH. February 24. ig0g.
trimmings. There are five beautiful memorial windows
in tin- eburcli. Three of them very large, ami two of
medium size. The one in flout i> The Sowers, ami i*?
a splendid work of art. It i> a memorial to Joint Richardson,
who was for tn.attv \ ears an elder in the
church : ami the money was furnished by his daughter,
l.adv Martha kortright. of England.
The font, a superb piece of workmanship. is of sandstone.
and represents an open water lily, springing from
a cluster of leaves. It stands three feet high, and is a
memorial to Edward Smith I landy. of Philadelphia.
In the grave yard adjoining the church among many
outers < ?i sainted memory, lie the remains of two members
of (ieneral Washington's staff. Lieutenant Lolonel
Levin Handy and Major James llamly.
The earlv records state that the first edifice was a
.......
"plain country building." so it is presumed that it was
built of logs. This gave place in 1751 to a frame building.
which in 1705 was superseded by a brick structure,
which cost I4_'ll>> *5> 4<1 exclusive of pews, and the
pastor's salary at that time was 44lbs. 13s. 2d.
It is worthy of note that Rev. Samuel McMaster.
great-grandfather of Mr. John S. McMaster. of Jersey
(.'by. preached in this church thirty-seven years. It
was his first and only pastorate, lie was the pastor of
Madam \nne llohlen. Francis Makemie's daughter,
and the executor of her will.
From the organization of this church to the present
time there have been continuous services, for it is a
matter of record that when the pulpit was vacant for
any length of time, an elder found a supply, or conducted
the service himself. The Snow 11 ill church is
the only one of the five historic churches that stands
u]M?n tlu* original site.
It is not known positively how long Uev. Francis Makemic
served, but it is presumed until just before his death, which oe
curred in 170S.
7tJS" ?1 Tt'S. Rev. Francis .Makemie, Pastor, and Rev. Samuel
i ?a vis.
iTOS? Rev. John Hampton, Pastor.
170S Rev. John Purviance. Supply.
1774?177!t Rev. Samuel Mc.Master. Supply.
1S11 ? IS'.L'. Rev. Stuart Williamson, Supply.
1812?1S14. Rev. Stuart Williamson, Pastor.
1814? IS".S I-nl.iit vsK-fiiu - >- * "
.?? , r?\. ? ? I\ cr* ^UlHMUU'd |)V .Ml*. J. r.
Rutiieid.
18'!8? Rev. Stephen Saunders, Pastor.
1*20?18211. Rev. Thomas R. I'allch, Pastor.
1831? Rev. Alexander Campbell. Supply.
1831?183.1. Rev. Cornelius II Mustard, Supply.
1840?ISIS. Rev. .lames J. Graff, Pastor.
.Nov .7846? io .March. 1S49. Rev. Mr. Munnis, Supply.
1S49? May to November, Rev. .?.ohn Atkinson, Supply.
1 *."?( ?1857. Rev. Renjamin Grigsbv Mephall, Pastor.
(let. 1857?1859. Rev. Klknnah I). Maekey, Pastor.
1859?ISfi*. Rev. William I) Maekey, Pastor\
1 Stilt?1870. Rev. Charles Reach.
1872?1876. Rev. Renjamin P. Myers, Pastor.
1*79?iSSJ. Rev. David Conway. Pastor.
1885?1891. Rev. James Campbell. Sunnlv.
1S90?1893. Hcv. David Hruee Fitzgerald, Pastor.
iS94?1S98. Rev. William Wvann, Pastor.
1S99? Rev. Joseph P. North. LI,. 1)., Pastor.
The exact ilatc of the organization of the Snow li'ill
church is not known, lint for convenience tlie celebration
was on February 7th. as at that time Rev. Joseph