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Subject: [*MACTHOMAS*] Our Ancestral Churches and Graveyards ~SI~ (McComb Families in America cont)
Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2003 18:48:51 EST

Middle Spring Presbyterian Church

Presbyterians were in this district as early as 1736 and in 1738, when the
first church was built. Thomas (1)x Robert (4)x David (18)x were among the
members and the builders of the first Middle Spring Church. Robert later
becoming a Ruling Elder.

The building was of logs, 35 feet square, earth floor, no heat, and slab
benches. The pulpit stood high against the wall, with the percentors desk
below. The church stood near the banks of the N Stream, about at the present
entrance to the old graveyard. The site had been marked with a bronze tablet,
showing a sketch of the log building.(Im not sure if any of these tablets
exist today).

A second church, 48 ft x 48 ft, was built on the same site in 1765,and by the
time of the Rev War it was even larger.They added to both sides, and a
gallery reached for two stories, the steps were outside and on the side of
the building.During the Rev War, it was at the top of these stairs where
Pastor Dr. Cooper stood when he called his congregation to arms.As he stood
there, sword in hand, exhorting them, one old women cried out ``Mr. Cooper,
if you had lost 2 of your `purty boys` in the wat as I have, you wouldnt be
talking that was, but you would go yourself``. He did go as Chaplain and he
also fought on the front line..They raised a company and they joined
Washington in the Jerseys. Middle Spring sent out over 800 men into Patriot
Army, so it is no wonder this old church and graveyards, are held almost as a
`Patriotic Shrine`, with monuments and tablets surrounding the church,
honoring their soldier members. It is said the church and graveyard have
inspired both poetry and prose.

The 3rd church was built in 1781, beside the site of the present church, 58
ftx 68 ft, with a gallery on all three sides, supported by pillars. It was
built without a roof stool,so 4 pillars were put inside against the walls for
support.There were huge windows, 100 panes or more per window, with paneled
shutters half way up. On the shutters were large brass knobs( for the
preachers hat).The high pulpit was a goblet shaped thing, with 10 steps
ascending to it. Under it was a cup board, and in front, was the precentors
desk( a step above the floor).In front was a huge chancel where the commision
table was placed.On the ministers right,were seats for the communion
sessions. Above the pulpit was a sounding board surmounted by an Acron.There
were 46 pews, and 30 more above in the gallery, all straight and high.Records
show Thomas and William McComb worked on the building,along with several
others, Kearlseys, Capt. McCune, Capt Mathew Henderson and other relatives
are all on the contributers list.

The 4rth church was a red brick buidling built in 1847. It stood on a knoll
surrounded by fine woods.At the side stand, several monuments to the soldiers
of the congregation, and an oblesik on which are inscribed the names and
dates of all Middle Spring Pastors, unique among memorials. This church
celebrated its 200th Anniversary in Oct, 1938. There, under the fine old
oaks, members and many descendents.

Middle Spring has/had 4 Graveyards. Our ancestors are buried in the old,
old, old ,old one. The very first yard, down along the stream. Few stones are
still intact,alot of the early graves never had permanent markers, but a few
are still there, Near the entrance gate is the Cooper, Kearsley, McComb plot.
Just modest memorials to our McComb ancestors.



x- <A HREF="hometown.aol.com/jjrmccomb4/index.html">Thomas (1) Robert (4) David (18)</A>


>

_____________________________________


*Jeff McComb
* MacThomas-L Admin , Rootsweb.com
* <A HREF="http://hometown.aol.com/jjrmccomb/index.html">Sine'Manicus'Ne'Tange'Felem</A>;




















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