Rev. David Imbrie ~ 1806-1842

Installed as pastor of Bethel September 3, 1806. A faithful minister of Jesus Christ. He served Bethel, Darlington and Big Beaver churches. The line of ministers among his descendants has been kept up for a least four generations. He was faithful to the end. When arriving at Bethel to conduct service on June 13, 1842 he was taken ill and died in the home of Nathaniel Hamil, a member who live near the church. It is believed the home is still standing. There was log house on the property but is now gone. There still stands a home build 1834 on the property and this could be the home.

Rev. James Duncan 1800-1804

A native Pennsylvanian, born in Green Castle, Franklin County, educated at Canonsburg Academy. Studied theology with Dr. John Anderson of Service, Pa. Licensed Sept. 1796 by the Presbytery of Penna. and ordained in 1800. He was one of the first graduates from Associate Seminary and the second student licensed in this country by the Associate Church. he was pastor of Little Beaver (Bethel), Brush Run (Darlington) and Mahoning. he was a prominent member of Associate Presbytery of Ohio and moderator of the organization of Chartiers Presbytery in 1801. Rev. Duncan was of Scot-Irish descent. He was said to be a large, robust, and corpulent man. He was pleasant and genial, with more than ordinary clearness and grasp of mind possessing strong argumentative powers. He was slow in movement and noted for delivering long sermons. His hair was carefully trained to stand erect on his forehead in what was called a top-knot. He rode throughout his parish on horseback and the horse was always very poor.

Doctrines not received nor taught by the Associate Church were promulgated by him. In 1813 he published a book entitled "A View of the Covenant of Works, Man's Fall and Recovery Through Jesus Christ." it contained errors in relation to original sin and Christ's atonement and intercession. For this he was tried and condemned by Presbytery and Synod. In 1815 he withdrew from the Associate Church, united with the Presbyterian Church and went to Paducah, Kentucky, where he stayed from 1816 to 1824. In 1825 he moved to Vevay, Indiana and published a book against slavery and spent the rest of his life preaching from cabin to cabin in new settlements in the west. He died on one of these mission tours on the border of Indiana in1841

In personal and financial matters he was very careless, and history says, he was a slave to the use of tobacco. It was not uncommon for him to stop in the middle of his sermon and take a bite from his plug. It is said that at least on one occasion he stopped in the middle of his sermon, went to one of his elders and "borrowed a chew" then went on with the sermon. Little is know of his family, except for one of his sons who became a physician in Cincinnati and served one term as a member of Congress from that district.

LIST OF WORSHIPPERS IN LOG CHURCH

Phillip Aughenbaugh and family, came in 1796
George Aughenbaugh and family
John Aughenbaugh and family
Brice McGeehon and family, 1798
Charles Morrow and family, 1786
Thomas and Margaret Morrow
John Lecky and family 1797
William Lecky and family
John Dobins and family, 1801
Patric Dixon and family, 1802, Soldier of the Revolution
William B. Dixon and family
James Elder and family
Robert Brewster, Sr and family
Nathaniel Hamill and family
Sally Hamill
John Hamill and family
Smith Hamill and James Hamill
Mathew Kennedy and family
William Gilmore
Thomas Hogg and family, came to America in 1796
Samuel Hopper and family
John Hopper and family
Robert Caldwell and family, noted for his knowldge of Bible
John Orr and family
John Leslie and family
Adam Leslie and family
Thomas Dungan and family
Robert Sherer and family
David Johnston and family Mrs. Johnston was a granddaughter of Brice McGeehon
John McCandless and family
Robert Ramsey and family
David Ramsey and family
David White and family
Nathaniel White and family
Samuel White and family. Mrs. White's name was Leslie and is said to have walked most of the way from Philadelphia
John White and family
Wm Clark, Sr and family
David Clark and family
John Witherspoon and family
Robert McGeehon and family
John Smith and family
William Gibson and family
Dr. Robert Smith and wife
Wm Miller and family
James Miller and family
Mrs. Lydia Wilson and family
Robert Forbes and family
David Forbes and family
Robert gaily and family
John Gaily and family
Joseph McKelvey and family, carpenter of the first frame church
Hugh McKelvey and family
Oliver Duff and family
James Duff and family
Samuel Magnes and family
Wm Alexander and family
Andrew Jenkins and family
James Boges and family
Hugh McCready and family
John McCready and family
"Red" John McCready and family
"Black" John McCready and family
Robert Paden and family, 1796
Wm Paden and family
Hugh Paden and family
Henry Paden and family
Paggie McMullen
Jennette Smith
James Wallace
Charles Raney and family
Alexander Wright and wife

Early Elders ~ circa 1798

Brice McGeehon:
Brice seems to have been a leading spirit in the new country and took great interest in the establishing of Bethel Church. When a stranger would come inquiring for land, his first question was, "are you a Seceder?" If the answer was yes, the excellences of the land were praised, but if no there was nothing either said or done to praise the area.
One of his neighbors, an Irish lady, came to this house one day exclaiming, "Mr. McGeehon, sure! Willlie ha twa somethings up a tree and he dinna ken what they are at all! They keep squatting' around and looking at him! Would you be after comin' to see?" Mr. McGeehon exclaimed, "Why, woman, they are panthers, they will kill him as sure as the world". Taking his hug, he found the Irishman standing all unconscious of his danger watching two huge panthers ready to spring on him. Raising his rifle he shot one down but the other taking fright, fled into the woods.
Brice helped build the road leading from Darling tot Mt. Jackson. He also planted the first apple trees in the area. Brice died March 29th, 1830 and is buried in Bethel U.P. Church Cemetery.

Charles Morrow ~
Born in Ireland and came to this country in 1786. He was very strict with his family in religious observances. Sabbath keeping and church attendance were the fashion of the time. He had his eldest son called before session and had him dismissed from the church on his refusal to confess that it was wrong to got with his wife to the Slippery Rock Presbyterian Church of which she was member. Charles died at the age of 85 and is buried with his wife in the cemetery of Rocky Springs near New Galilee, Pa.

Thomas Hogg:
He came from Donnegal Ireland about 1796. He lived first in Washington County,Pa before coming to our area in 1798. He was a member of session from about the time of organization until his death in August 1829

Nathaniel Hamill~
Nathaniel Hamill came into the congregation very early in our history, as shown by the treasurers' book. He served the congregation as treasurer during the greater part of the time of the Pastorate of Rev. David Imbrie. The recorded receipts tell of the sacrifices made on the part of the pastor and people in maintaining and carrying forward the cause of Jesus Christ in the new land.
Salary amounts were as small as $1.50 or often a few bushels of grain. Mr. Hamill married Catherine Lecky. In 1802 he purchased one hundred acres form his father-in-law John Lecky for $190.00 In part the deed read, "to a white oak in the line of land belonging to the Seceding Congregation of North Beaver Township". Mr. Hamill died on November 1, 1843 and Catherine, his first wife, died March 13, 1833. Both are buried in Bethel's Cemetery.

Thomas Dungan:
Born in Holidays' Cove, Virginia. He and his first wife, Jane Witherspoon had eleven children. After Jane died, Thomas married Cynthia Hamill, daughter of Nathanial and granddaughter of John Lecky. The had four children. Alonzo who died in boyhood, Horace R. and Emmet W. who resided on Mt. Air Road and Charles who died California.
Thomas was a very active member of Bethel. He was song leader and the Clerk of Session for nine or more years. The earliest records of session are in his handwriting. He was a very liberal thinker. Rev. John Harsha in 1844 was said to have called him Peter because he was always ready to speak.
He became the Honorable Thomas Dungan in 1851 and was the first representative of Lawrence County for the years 1851 and 1852. He set up the charter for the Lawrence County Courthouse and the first cemetery in New Castle, Pa. He was on the first board of trustees for Westminster College in 1851. He died July 10,1873 and Cynthia died April 8 21, 1903 Both are buried in Bethels' Cemetery.