Upper Octorara Presbyterian Church


The Upper Octorara Church, in Sadsbury Township, one mile north of Parksburg was organized in 1720.  The prefix "Upper" subsequently given to distingish it from Middle Octorara, in Lancaster County, and Lower Octorara, now lower West Nottingham.  Prior to 1724 it Was supplied by Rev. David Evans and Rev. David Magill.

The first regular pastor was Rev. Adam Boyd, a native of County Antrim, Ireland, who was installed Oct. 13,1724.  Previous to this date a log church building had been erected. Mr. Boyd was at that time thirty-two years of age, and ten days after his ordination was married to Jane, daughter of Rev. Thomas Craighead. His original field of labor Was quite extensive, and embraced that now occupied by several congregations.  In 1741 the church was rent in twain by the "Old Side" and " New Side" controversy, and a new church organized by these of the "New Side," bearing the name of "The Second Congregation of Upper Octorara," over which the Rev. Andrew Sterling was pastor from 1747 to 1765. They worshiped in the church edifice which they erected on the farm lately of Cyrus Cooper, now belonging to David Parke,overlooking the Great Valley.  During the division Mr. Boyd continued his relations to the old church, and also ministered to the "Old Side" portion of the Brandywine Manor Church.  In 1768 the divisions were healed, and the two churchs of Octorara became again one.  Mr. Boyd died Nov. 23, 1768, aged seventy-six years, having been pastor for a period of forty-four years.  The stone covering his grave records that he was eminent through life, for modest piety, diligence in his office, prudence, equanimity, and peace."  Early in his pastorate the second church edifice, built of stone, Was erected.  He left four sons and six daughters, and his descendants are now numerous.  One of his sons, Col. Andrew Boyd, was lieutenant of the county of Chester during the Revolution.   In 1768, Rev. William Foster became pastor of the reunited congregation. One of their first acts after the reunion Was the enlargement, in 1769, of the old church to double its former capacity, making it substantially a new building, and else the erection of a "session" or "Studyhouse," as they were then called,which is still standing in a corner of the present graveyard. The church edifice which had been used by the 'New Side" was sold and removed. An old graveyard still marks the spot where it stood.   Mr. Foster was pastor until his death, Sept. 30, 1780, at the age of forty-one years. He was evidently a man of very superior mind, and was much esteemed by all who knew him for his solid sense and unaffected piety.  His wife was a daughter of the celebrated Rev. Samuel Blair, of Fagg's Manor, and he Was a brother-in -law of Rev. John Carmichael, of Brandywine Manor.  Rev. Robert Smith, D.D., of Pequea, the father of the celebrated Samuel Stanhope Smith and John Blair Smith, Was an uncle of Mr. Foster.  During the Revolutionary war Mr. Foster Was an ardent patriot, and so obnoxious did he become to the British by zeal in the cause of the patriots that they planned an expedition to capture him, but it was foiled through, the vigilance of his friends. Many of his descendants have filled positions of prominence and usefulness both in church and State, among them the late Ron.Henry J. Foster, of Westmoreland Co., Pa.   Rev. Alexander Mitchell succeeded Mr. Foster in the pastorate, and served from 1785 until 1796. He was a scholar and a man of excellent mind, and social in his disposition, but as a preacher he was not popular.  He died Dec. 6,1812, at the age of eighty -one years.   The following list gives the surnames of families connected with the congregation at different times during the last century.  In this list of 82 surnames about 30 are borne by members of the congregation at the present day(1889)Alison, Allen, Arthur, Boggs, Blelock, Boyd, Boyle, Bailey, Crawford, Cowan, Clingan, Cochran, Copeland, Dickey, Davidson, Divin, Dougherty, Filson, Fleming, Foster, Futhey, Forsyth, Fulton, Grier, Gillfillan, Gardner, Good, Glendenning, Heslip, Hope, Hamill, Henderson, Hershberger, Irwin, Kerr, Kinkead, Kyle, King, Keys, Kilpatrick, Liggett, Lockhart, Luckey, McAllister, McNeil, McClure, McPherson, McClellan, McCune, McKim, McWilliams, Mitchell, Morrison, Moody, Officer, Parke, Pinkerton, Porter, Rowan, Richmond, Ramsay, Robb, Ruth,Sharpe, Scott, Sloan, Sandford, Summeril, Stewart, Smith, Stills, Thompson, Wilkin, Wiley, Wilson, Withrow, Wents, Wright, Wells, Wallace, Wigton, and Young.





This page updated on January 17, 2011