First Congregational Church of Locke Cayuga County New York 1818-1836

<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="18d64643.html" LINK="#0000BF" ALINK="#80028F" VLINK="#660099"><script> (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-47423994-1', 'fortunecity.ws'); ga('send', 'pageview'); </script> <center> <br> <div> <script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="http://ad.broadcaststation.net/ads/show_ad.php?width=728&height=90"></script> </div> </center> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#666666" FACE="Arial" ><B>First Congregational Church of Locke Cayuga County New York         1818-1836</B></FONT>     |   <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="First Congregational Church of Locke Cay"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>back to  </B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Arial" >                                                   </FONT><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >   </FONT></div> <div> <IMG SRC="13458020.html" border=0 width="600" height="2" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> <IMG SRC="13458020.html" border=0 width="600" height="2" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <I><B>First Congregational Church of Locke Cayuga County New York         1818-1836</B></I></div> <div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Click to View the Title Page of Publishe"><U><B>Click to View the Title Page of Published Vital Records</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>INTRODUCTION to the Published "Vital Records..."</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Anyone interested in genealogy or history should be pleased when a newly  discovered primary source is made available to the public, even if it does not relate to their own personal family or community.  This churchbook has never been available to the general public, and its existence was unknown to the historian of western New York Presbyterianism (which includes the Congregational Churches) James Hotchkin, who wrote in 1858 "Documents are wanting, or, if they exist, they have not fallen under the notice of the compiler of this work."(p. 45, </B><B><U>A</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>HISTORY</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>OF</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>THE</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>PURCHASE</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>AND</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>SETTLEMENT</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>OF</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>WESTERN</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>NEW</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>YORK</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>AND</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>THE</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>RISE</U></B><B><U>, </U></B><B><U>PROGRESS</U></B><B><U>; </U></B><B><U>AND</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>PRESENT</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>STATE</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>OF</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>THE</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>PRESBYTERIAN</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>CHURCH</U></B><B>, James Hotchkin, NY, 1858)  The Rev. Mr. Hotchkin was speaking specifically of the records of the Congregational and Presby-terian churches on what was known as the "Military Tract," of the Finger Lakes region of New York State.  He names the communities Milton (now Genoa), Scipio, Locke, Aurelius, Camillus, Marcellus, Pompey and Homer. Specifically, in regard to the Town of Locke, Hotchkin says "Mention has been made of the organ-ization of a church in the town of Locke, in 1799.  This church continued for a time.  It was small and feeble, and after a season became extinct, in consequence of churches organized in its near vicinity in more favorable locations." (p.46)</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Actually, the church in Locke which was organized in 1799 and incorporated in 1802, the same year the Township of Locke was formed, probably was in the eastern part of Groton, a few miles south of the present village of Locke. In 1806 a Congregational Church was organized in Sempronius, a few miles northeast of Locke, according to Elliot G Storke and James H. Smith, </B><B><U>HISTORY</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>OF</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>CAYUGA</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>COUNTY</U></B><B><U>, </U></B><B><U>NEW</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>YORK</U></B><B>.  Other small congregations of Congregationalists appeared and disappeared in the area in the years before and after the organization of the "First Congregational Church of Locke."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The location of the eventual church building related to this particular congregation, which often met in the homes of members or the school house, was in the settlement then known as </B><B>Milan</B><B>, the present village of Locke.  The first mention of a building connected with this Church in the churchbook presented here reads "a church meeting held at the </B><B>meeting house in Milan Vilage</B><B> [sic] Thursday, June 21, 1821".  This congrega-tion, which was organized in 1818 and was desolved about 1836 is probably the body which owned the building shown on an 1829 county map, next to what is now known as the "Old Settlers Cemetery."  The size of the membership of this church grew from the initial 19 or 20 members to nearly 100. In January, 1823, for instance, the total of 91 "communicants" was reported to the Presbytery meeting in Ithaca.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Although the members voted to name this church </B><B>First</B><B> </B><B>Congregational</B><B> </B><B>Church</B><B>  </B><B>of</B><B> </B><B>Locke</B><B> it was organized by the Cayuga Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church and maintained a relationahip, although tenuous at times, to this Presbytery throughout most of its existence.  At a special meeting of this church on Aug. 31, 1820 it is referred to as the first "Presbyterian Church of Christ in Locke," but is usually called "First Congregational."  The members did vote on one occasion, on April 28, 1827, to withdraw from their relationship to the Cayuga Presbytery, but yet continued to send delegates to Presbytery meetings and send the churchbook for "examination and approval."  Notations made at the time of these examinations reveal some of the activity taking place in this Church during this period. On January 18, 1832 the following notation appears The following is an extract from the annual return from this church to Presbytery - Viz - from Jan. 1, 1831 to Jan. 1, 1832 -- Members recd. on examination 13, on Certificate 2, dismissed 1 -- Total now in Communion 70 - No. of infants 4 - Collection to missionary causes $6."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Perhaps one of the most significant aspects of this record is that it is the "life" ( and unfortunately the death) story of a church on the frontier during a period of mass migration westward.  This region was often a stopping place for those migrating farther west.  The present village of Locke was within two or three miles of the "fifth Great Western Turnpike," a main thoroughfare to the west.  As this record illustrates, several families moved in from New England and eastern New York, stayed for a few years and moved on.  In a few instances it appears that some of these migrants returned to New England. Others stayed in the vicinity, where descendants live today.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>It might be helpful to understand the procedure used in organizing a Presbyterian or Congregational church at the time this church came into existence.  James Hotchkin describes the typical organization of a Congre-gational church on the frontier "The usual method of organizing a church was this The individuals propos-ing to unite in church fellowship, obtained the assistance of some minister of the gospel, or more than one, if convenient, and on the day previously appointed for the purpose, assembled in a conference meeting with the minister or ministers who were to officiate.  They then individually gave a relation of their religious exper-ience, or statement of the reasons on the ground of which they believed that they were Christians.  If satisfi-ed with each other in this respect, and their relations were satisfactory to the officiating minister, they then, standing, gave their assent to a short confession of faith, or summary of Christian doctrine, read to them by the minister officiating; after which a form of covenant was read by the minister, to which they all gave their assent, whereupon they were declared to be a church of Christ. If any of them had not been previously baptized, their baptism immediately took place.  Credible evidence of the regeneration of the heart by the Holy Spirit, was considered as essential to church fellowship and a participation in the sacraments of the New Testament. The Confession of Faith and Form of Covenant, in different churches, were often expressed in different terms.  The officiating minister furnished one, perhaps, which was adopted by the church of which he was pastor, or which he had obtained from some respectable source, or which was composed by himself for the occasion. But though these instruments differed in mode of expression, they generally coincided in sentiment, and expressed the fundamental doctrines and duties of religion in a distinct and brief manner."(ibid, p.30)</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Although the Presbyterian and Congregationalist churches were distinct denominations they shared New England and theological roots.  What brought them together in cooperative ventures on the frontier was the need for a "support system."  Congregationalists churches being independent entities needed a structure which would assist in organization, and acquiring ministerial leadership. The Presbyterian structure, center-ed on the presbytery composed of the clergy and lay representatives of the local churches in the region. The various presbyteries sent representatives to a synod. A number of synods constituted a General Assembly.  In the Congregational system the more loosly cooperative structure known as an "association" of congregations found it more difficult to organize and call ministers. On the frontier the extra organiza-tional strength of the presbytery gave greater stabiity to Presbyterian congregations than the association to the Congregationalists.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In 1801 an agreement called a "Plan of Union" was signed between the Consociation of Connecticut, part of the Congregational Church, and the Presbyterian Church General Assembly. Under the plan any congrega-tion could join either the Presbytery or Congregational association.  Because of the greater strength of the presbytery most congregations chose to hold membership in the that organization.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The publication of this summary of the contents of this churchbook was made possible because of the assistance of the Rochester DAR Chapter, the Rochester and Kodak Genealogical Societies, which contributed most of the money needed to purchase the book from a dealer.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Robert A. Rowe</B></div> </BODY>