A Brief History of North Branch Presbyterian Church
The North Branch Presbyterian Church is nearly 150 years old. It's beginnings
are lost in obscurity. Early references appear in minutes of the Redstone
Presbytery as early as 1788 and in the minutes of the General Assembly
in 1830. The first recorded minutes of the North Branch Church date from
1833 when Reverend James D. Ray began his ministry there, with meetings
held in the barn and house of Daniel Weigle.
In 1834 a house of worship was erected on ground donated by Mr. Weigle,
on the site of the present building. Organizations were held on Sept. 1835
and May 2, 1844. At that time there were 56 members, all former members
of Mt. Carmel Church. Family names listed were: Lafferty, Shroades, Douds,
Taylor, Baker, Patterson, Noss, Iekler, Grajam, Irwin, Alcorn, Elliott,
Usselton, Lundis, Weigle, Braden, Johnson, Hewett, McAfee, and Rambo.
The first report of a Sunday School was in 1870, and continued without
interruption until the present time.
The following is a list of pastors and their years of service
Rev J. D. Ray 1833-1842
Rev. John Shroads 1890-1897
Samuel Hain 1844-1847
John F. Hackett 1897-1903
John W. Hazlett 1847-1851
P. J. Cummings 1904-1907
James Henderson 1851-1853
C. R. McCracken 1908-1912
Albert Richwell 1853-1856
R. E. Thurston 1915-1918
James Smith 1856-1865
S. R. Johnston 1918-1920
P. J. Cummings 1866-1873
W. J. Engle 1921-1926
J. R. Pomroy 1873-1875
J. R. Thomson 1927-1957
George Shaifer 1875-1879
Harold Bowman 1958-1967
H. F. Earseman 1885-1886
Vance Yarnell 1967-1968
Matthew Rutherford 1887-1888
William Green 1968-1980
Known burials based on inscriptions on headstones visible and legible
in January, 1972 * Starred entries are from Veterans Office.
Alcorn James Son of J. & S
- 10-19-1864 20y 4m
Badders, Vianna
1850 - 1890
Badders, Willie Blain
not legible
Baker, Charles Q.
1837 - 1890
Baker, Alfred Y.
1849 - 1892
Baker, Chattie M.
1870 - 1898
Baker, Elizabeth E.
1882 - 1905
Baker, George W.
Not legible
Baker, Henry A.
09-05-1805 - 12-22-1884
Baker, Daniel S.
1844 - 1912
Baker, James R.
04-09-1846 - 1898 52 YR
Baker, John G.
1813 - 1898
Baker, Malissa M.
1849 - 1912
Baker, Margaret Wife /of John G
1813 - 1873
Baker, Susanna Wife/of Henry
12-08-1851 36 YR
Bailey, Eliza Wife/of S. B.
10- ?-1890
Bailey, George S.
04- ?-1864 21 yr Civil War
Bailey, Samuel B.
12-24-1826 70 yr
Bailey, Samuel James
02-24-1860 20 yr
Bailey, Infant Son
04-30-1856
Bannon, John M. A. S/of M. A. & M.A.
Not legible
Bannon, Mary Ann
Not legible
Barto, Alice I.
05-14-1867 - 05-19-1952
Barto, C. Kenneth
1928 - 1939
Barto, Catharine A. Wife/of David
12-10-1839 - 03-29-1914
Barto, Charles A.
1886 - 1962
Barto, Esther M.
1931 - 1931
Barto, David
10-09-1839 - 04-16-1865
Barto, ILda E.
04-03-1915 - 09-09-1917
Barto, John A. S/of David
1863 - 1920
Barto, John S.
02-15-1917 - 08-05-1917
Barto, Melinda D.
1893 - '
Barto, Robert A.
1918 - 1918
Barto, Rosena M.
1923 - 1925
Barton, Jacob B.
04- ?-1895 3y 4m ld
Barton, Manvilla Wife/of William
1855 - 1902
Benson, Frank A.
1884 - 1942
Benson, Frank A.
1908 - 1927
Bickerstaff, James
Not legible
Bickerstaff, Kate d/of J. M. & E.
06-03-1864 11d
Bickerstaff, Susannah Wife/olf James
08-07-1847 63y 5m 16d
Black, Jno.
07-? -1863
Blair, George A. S/of J. T. & S.
05-12-1872 - 07-16-1874
Blair, John Thomas
1876 - 1946
Blair, Mary F. D/of J. T. & S.
10-68-1891 10-08-1894
Blair, Susanna Wife/of John T.
12-09-1838 - 09-07-1877
Bruce, Charles R.
il-06-1876 - 02-21-1942
Bruce, Edith E.
1881 - 1956
Bruce, W. James
1874 - 1940
Bryan, Elizabeth
02-12-1832 - 03-30-1891
Bryan, Dr. John
01-01--1828 - 10-17-1905
Campbell, John
08-25-1845 52y
Campbell, Jacob G. S/of J. & M. J.
12-18-1852 9y
Campbell, James
Not legible
Carey, John
1784 - 1842
Carey, Sarah
1797 - 1855
Cochran, John
04-20-1829 - 02-25-1901
Cochran, Mary A.
03-19-1832 - 10-14-1883
Cochran, Samuel S/of J. & M.A
05-23-1860
Cochran, Willie W. S/of J & M. A.
Not legible
Crawford, Thomas J.
1862 - 1917
Cummings, Rev. Philander J
1834 - 1907
Davis, Hiram S/of J.& M.J.
06-15-1886 2yr
Davis, Iola S/of J. & M. J.
12-02-1878 5yr
Davis, James S/of J. & M. J.
1880- 1900
Davis, John
01-04-1804 - 12-04-1880
Davis, John
1842 - 1914
Davis, Margaret Wife/of John
03-17-1820 - 11-10-1893
Davis, Mary J. Wife/of John
1840 - 1923
Davis, Matilda Wife/of Henry
Not legible
Davis, Thomas R. S/of F.F. & M.J
11-26-1866 6y 7m 22d
Davis, Infant S/of J. & M.J.
12-??-1885
Douds, Comelia A Minor W/of S. G. Douds
12-22-1853 17y 9m l d
D/of J. & E. Minor
Dunn, David
* 03-??-1865 Civil War
Dunn, David S/of W. & E.
09-20-1897 - 03-31-1905
Dunn, David B.
1887 - 1880
Dunn, Ellen B. Wid/of Walter Sr.
01-06-1889
Dunn, James S/of W. & E.
12-09-1862
Dunn, John G.
1842 - 1909
Dunn, Martha B. Wife /of John G.
1843 - 19??
Dunn, Robert S. S/of W. & E.
1871
Dunn, Walter Sr.
01-09-1804 - 03-05-1875
Dunn, Walter F.
1867 - 1869
Dunn, William S.
1870 - 1871
Engle, Enoch W. S.
1861- 1934
Beaver Co. Commissioner
1924 - 1927
Engle, James 0.
1883- 1916
Figley, David A.
1859- 1936
Figley, D. Frederick
1882- 1891
Figley, Margaret F.
1865- 1925
Figley, Nellie
1884- 1939
Forrest, Margaret E.
1858- 1937
Frew, Minnie M.
1874- 1918
Frew, Oliver E.
1872- 1927
Gillen, John S.
04-07-1900 Civil War
Grinder, George
08-08-1793 - 02-09-1869 Civil War
Grinder, Mary
04-06-1799 - 11-02-1862
Grinder, Nicholas B.
02-22-1834 - 03-11-1871
Grinder, Elizabeth White
06-07-1822 - 04-06-1902
Hicks, Harry S/of H & E.
05-24-1881 2y 5m 9d
Hicks, Lena
1861 - 1952
Hicks, Robert
1858 - 1889
Holmes, Elizabeth S.
04-03-1869 - 11-25-1937
Holmes, George X.
01-22-1854 - 02-25-1925
Holmes, Margaret Ann Wife/of Milo
01-29-1884
Holmes, Milo A.
05-15-1827 - 05-02-1904
Huffnyer, Laura B.
1857 - 1906
Irwin, Brown S/of Wm & Sarah
12-02-1849
Irwin, Elizabeth Wife/of Daniel
Not legible
Johnston, James W.
1824 - 1906
Johnston, Melissa B.
1868 - 1940
Johnston, Rachel E.
1821 - 1901
Jordan, Blanche Agnes
1889 - 1957
Jordan, David D.
No dates
Jordan, Emma Rebecca
No dates
Jordan, E. A.
1886 - 1902
Jordan, Mary Ellen
No dates
Jordan, Nancy C,
No dates
Jordan, Mary Ethel
1912 - 1969
Lais, Alice
1869 - 1933
Lais, Harry
1865 - 1958
Landis Howard
1883 - 1931
Landis, Howard Jr.
Landis, (Not legible) wid/of Jacob
Not legible
Landis, (Not legible)
18?? - 1891
Manor, Adam
12-09-1812 - 1889
Manor, Elizabeth B. Wife/of Adam
05-02-1871
Manor, Emmaline Wife/of Adam
02-21-1880
Manor, Amanda J.
09-??-1864 17y 7m 23d
Manor, Elizabeth J.
09-16-1864 12 yr
Manor, Elvira L.
09-13-1864 7y 10m 4d
Manor, Louvina
08-26-1864 20y 5m 26d
Manor, Mary L.
09-??-1864 13y 10m 2d
McClain, James A.
Civil War
McMaham, Joseph
07-06-1896 60 yr
McCullough, Margaret J.
1852 - 1876
Mc Cullough, Mary E.
1851 - 1919
McCullough, (Not legible)
1850 - 1916
McDonald, William J.
03-15-1885 27 yr
McDonald, Sarah V. D/of W. & N.
09-05-1862
Meaner, Samuel
03-25-1846 40 yr
Merkle, Sarah Frew
1891 - 1933
Miller, Bertha
1876 - 1945
Miller, Daniel L. P.
1874 - 1937
Minns, Caroline
1867 - 1933
Minns, Frederick
1862 - 1936
Minor, Elizabeth Wife/of John B,
02-14-1813 - 03-19-1891
Minor, John
01-92-1807 - 01-22-1895
Minor, John S/of John & Eliz.
11-20-1962
Powell, Infant S/of S & M.
01-26-1912
Raw, James
03-04-1879
Raw, Ann Wife/of James Row
05-20-1882 76 yr
Sault, Alta Carol
1895 - 1925
Shroade, David Putter
1885 - 1914
Shroads, George W.
1831 - 1898
Shroads, George W.
1887 - 1889
Shroads, Jane Rambo
No date
Shroads, Margaret Wife/of John S.
03-??-1881
Shroads, Leona Merriman Wife/of James
1871 1879
Shroads, Rhada E.
1889
Shroads, William
06-09-1885 77y 11m 16d
Shroads, William B. S/of J. & M.
2-11-1842
Smith, Dora L.
08-29-1882 2y 1m 7d
Smith, James E.
1842 - ??
Smith, Margaret Wife/of James E.
1841 - 1925
Stewart, Jacob
08-23-1833 - 02-12-1871
Stewart, John N.
07-27-1807 - 11-15-1884
Stewart, Nancy
02-04-1811 - 01-21-1880
Stewart, William
12-04-1831 - 04-29-1888
Strook, Hiram H.
1857 - 1916
Swogger, Alan A.
1852 - 1898
Swogger, Anna E.
1854 - 1931
Swogger, Carl W.
1889 - 1914
Swogger, Delbert
1887 - 1905
Swogger, Lilie
1891 - 1916
Swo&ger, Marie H.
1885 - 1934
Todd, James F.
1859 - 1932
Todd, Julia A,
1863 - 1939
Uselton John Wilson
1864 1887
Wagner, M. Elizabeth Weigle
1857 - 1927
Wallace, James W.
06-12-1831 - 06-10-1889
Wallace, John A.
01-23-1856 - 02-29-1888
Wallace, Mary A.
11-06-1859 - 03-13-1869
Weigle, Armida B.
1876 - 1926
Weigle, Henry B.
1869 - 1932
Weigle, Lewis
1868 - 1930 Sp. Am. War
Weigle Melzena
07-01-1885 - 07-02-1885
Weigle, Cummings
1868 - 1940
Weigle, Daniel B.
03-10-1800 - 06-15-1882
Weigle, Daniel B.
1833 - 1905
Weigle, Eleanor
06-09-1849 - 11-22-1907
Weigle, Emma
1861 - 1923
Weigle, G. Frank
1863 - 1941
Weigle, Herman S.
1870 - 1937
Weigle, Howard E.
1895 - 1934
Weigle, Jesse G.
1894 - 1971
Weigle, Mary
1828 - 1916
Weigle, Mary C. Wife/of Cummings
1868 - 1940
Weigle, Orville B.
1897 - 1911
Weigle, Rosanna Wife/ofWashington
02-02-1827 - 06-01-1915
Weigle, Virginia
01-27-1860 - 11-18-1928
Weigle, Washington
05-16-1821 - 05-01-1881
Weigle, Williamson R. S/of W. & R.
Not legible
Weigle, Infant Son
1868 - 1868
White, Angeline
1840 - 1917
White, Arthur
1829 - 1904
White, Willie H. S/of A, & A
03-13-1879 9y 7m 3d
Winkle, Elizabeth Wife/of John
10-10-1864 22 yr
Winkle, Elizabeth Wife/of Henry
02-16-1826 - 03-18-1898
Winkle, George W.
04-11-1856 - 11-14-1898
Winkle, Henry
12-26-1827 - 12-19-1898 At Rest
Young, Daniel F. S/of G & E. A.
Not legible
Young, George B. S/of G & E. A.
Not legible
Young, George S.
1845 - 1901
Young, Ella A. Wid.of G. S.
1852 - 1934
Young Mabel S.
1884 - 1906
Young, Maggie M.
1876 - 1939
Zimmerly, Rebecca
01-11-1894 93 yr
Zimmerly, Samuel
06-28-1903 93 yr
Zimmerly Samuel J.
08-05-1921 67 yr
Published: Gleanings, Beaver County Genealogical Society,
Vol. XIV No. 4 June 1990