54         The Presbyterian Church of Frankford

Jacob Peterson, Edward Gilfillen, M.D., Jacob Deal,
Dr. William Hurst, Lewis Wurnwag, Peter Brous,
George Haines, Henry Rohrer, Conrad Baker,
Robert Worrell, Hugh McKinley, Henry Castor,
Danfrith Woolwurth, Daniel Thomas, Jacob Myers, Abraham Tenbrook, John R. Neff, Benjamin A.
Prentiss, Joseph Pierson, Captain William Hess,
Joseph Wigfall, Jacob Coates, Peter Buckius, Gard-
ner Fulton, James Tatham, John G. Teese (who
long and faithfully filled that office--the latter part
of his life President of the Board), Dr. John White,
Abraham Yonker, Conrad Fries, Roderick Adams,
Samuel Wakeling, Samuel Castor, Dr. Thomas D.
Mitchell, Joseph Allen, William Gibson, Bela
Badger, John Wilen, Charles Dewees, Rudolph
Buckius, George K. Budd, Adam Slater and Alfred
Jenks.
     When Dr. Biggs became the pastor Mr. Jesse Y.
Castor was elected to the position of chorister,
which he held for three years, until 1821. During
that time he organized the Harmonic Society, a
singing school of the old time character, whose
meetings were held around the huge stove in the
church auditorium, and which was continued for
many years by those who succeeded him. Under
his leadership the first choir was organized out of
this singing school. James Seddins became the
musical director in 1821 and performed acceptable
service until 1827, when Dr. Thomas D. Mitchell,
one of the elders, assumed this laborious task.
Shortly afterward William Gibson was placed in
charge and continued until 1833. Jacob Harper

The Development of a Presbyterian Organization      55

became sexton of the church in 1818, and was succeeded by John D. Harper in 1829, and two years later by James P. Williams.
     Following the resignation of Dr. Biggs, the con-
gregation extended a unanimous call to the Rev.
James G. Watson, who had occupied the pulpit a
number of times during his pastorate, but he de-
clined to accept the call. Shortly afterward the
Rev. J. T. Marshall Davie was called and was in-
stalled August 28, 1832. The Rev. Alexander
Boyd presided on this occasion, the Rev. William F. Gibson preached the sermon and the Rev. Robert Steel delivered the charge to pastor and people.
     Previous to the installation of Mr. Davie, the
entire community was stricken with the cholera
epidemic and church services were held only oc-
casionally by Mr. Barber, who was secured to supply the pulpit until the newly-elected pastor should assume charge.
     Mr. Davie's pastorate was comparatively brief,
covering a period of two years, when he accepted a
call to the Presbyterian Church in Lancaster, Penn-
sylvania, of which James Buchanan, who later be-
came President of the United States, was a member. Mr. Davie passed to his eternal reward in 1862, at Flatlands, Long Island, having fulfilled his ministry faithfully and with marked success. It was declared concerning him, that he was a man of even temper, patient and sweet-spirited, and of a uniformly happy and forebearing disposition.
     The Rev. Austin G. Morss was called to succeed Mr. Davie and was installed on April 30, 1835. At

56         The Presbyterian Church of Frankford

this service the Rev. John McDowell, D.D., pre-
sided, and delivered the charge to the pastor. The
Rev. Robert Adair preached the installation sermon
and the Rev. James L. Dinwiddie delivered the
charge to the people. The records concerning the
ministry of Mr. Morss indicate but little growth in
the church's life and activity. He tarried but two
years, closing his ministry in 1837.
     During this period the Presbyterian Church in the
neighboring community of Bridesburg was organ-
ized (1837). Dr. Biggs had prepared the way for
this enterprise by holding ocasional services in the
school house, and his successors continued this work
which gave promise of bearing fruit in a permanent
organization. This was the beginning of an era of
church extension activity that was continued during
the subsequent years, making the Presbyterian Church
of Frankford a "mother of churches" in the truest sense.
     During the pastorates of Mr. Davie and Mr.
Morss three new elders were elected, Charles
Dewees, John D. Harper and John Deal, (for many
years the Postmaster in Frankford), the latter per-
forming the duties of that office for more than forty
years. The trustees, according to the date of their
election, were Christopher Wisner, Peter Slaughter,
David Smith, Samuel Dixon, Thomas Bell, Daniel
Yonker, Francis Putt, George J. Foulkrod, John D.
Harper, John Lamb, M.D., John Deal, David Hun-
ter, William Wilkey, Dr. R. R. Porter and Jesse
Castor. The musical directors were Daniel Axe, in
1833, and Abraham Barnard, from 1834 to 1838.

    The Development of a Presbyterian Organization  57

    It could hardly be expected that the church would
show any substantial growth, much less could there
be any extension of its activities under the unfavor-
able conditions which prevailed after the departure
of Dr. Biggs. Two brief pastorates of two years
each, and nearly three years of vacancy, during
which at frequent intervals they were without even
a pulpit supply, would not be likely to add any new
strength to the congregation. Besides this, the
whole aspect of the church's membership had under-
gone a decided change. Many of the descendants
of the original families had moved away, and the
few new members who had been received were not
influenced by the trials and sacrifices borne by those
who had gone before. The absence of aggressive
leadership was apparent in the attitude of the
people. No revivals had taken place, and a spirit of
indifference and lethargy pervaded every depart-
ment of the church's life. This was reflected in the
condition of the church building, which showed
signs of neglect, no effort being made to provide for
its renovation. It was evidently a time of discour-
agement to the little flock, and we can picture them
wrestling in prayer for the strengthening of the
walls of their beloved Zion, for the anointing
of one sent of God who would lead them into new
pastures, and for such an outpouring of His
Holy Spirit as would bring seasons of refreshing. Their
faith was soon to be rewarded in the coming of one
whom God was preparing for this particular task.