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Chapter XLVI
The Borough Of Media.
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Providence on the 21st of September, 1833, by five persons, - George Miller, Minshall Painter, John Miller, George Smith, and John Cassin. An acre of land was purchased near Rose Tree, and in 1837 a two-story brick building was erected, which was formally opened in September of that year, upon which occasion an address was delivered by Dr. Robert M. Patterson, then director of the United States Mint. The society increased in numbers and was incorporated Feb. 8, 1836. Lectures were given in the hall and a museum was established, which received many specimens in every department of natural science. A library also was opened. In 1867 the present building in Media was erected and the institute was removed to the new hall prepared for it. The library contains nearly three thousand volumes, besides many valuable and scarce pamphlets; and the museum is now extensive, and embraces many specimens of interest in science, history, Indian relics, zoological specimens, minerals, coins, birds, insects, etc. The society has a membership of about two hundred. Dr. George Smith was president from the first till his death, February, 1882. He was succeeded by John M. Broomall, who is the present incumbent.
The Methodist Episcopal Church. - The Methodists were the pioneers in religious movements in Media. In 1851 the Rev. John B. Maddux, who had charge of Village Green Church, preached in Temperance Hall in Media, and a class of five members was organized, of which John Hardcastle was leader. During the winter prayer-meetings and class-meetings were held in the house of Joseph Iliff. In August, 1851, a lot, eighty by one hundred and fifty feet, was purchased, with a view of erecting a house of worship upon it at some propitious time. A charter was obtained the same year. The Rev. Ignatius. T. Cooper succeeded to the charge of the circuit, and services were held on the church lot under an apple-tree, and during the winter in the court-house. Mark Packard subsequently fitted up a room in the upper part of his barn, which was used as a meeting-place by the church and also for a Sunday-school, which was organized about that time under Mr. Packard's superintendence. A public appeal in behalf of the project of erecting a church appeared in the columns of the Delaware County Republican, April 8, 1853, and was from the able pen of Rev. Cooper. In his communication it was stated that there were at that time but about a dozen Methodists in Media, but he intimated that a large number of them resided in its immediate vicinity. He gave a number of forcible reasons why such a church edifice should be erected without delay, and urged his brethren to commence at once the final efforts that were needed to consummate the work. It was stated that about twelve hundred dollars had been subscribed of the amount required, three thousand five hundred dollars, and that ground would not be broken until two thousand dollars had been secured. The ministers named to receive the contributions were Rev. Mr. Hobbs, Rev. Henry G. King, and Rev. I. T. Cooper. The others appointed were Mark Packard, of Media; D. R. Hawkins, Hinkson's Corner; Abram Vanzant, Avondale; and John Godfrey, Crook's Upper Bank. The appeal was an earnest, and subsequently proved to be an effective, one, in behalf of what Mr. Cooper termed "the Metropolitan Church of Delaware County." It may seem a little strange that one of the paragraphs in the reverend gentleman's communication should have contained the declaration that "the men and women will sit separately in the congregation," but such was the fact. The corner-stone of the church was laid Aug. 7, 1854, Rev. Dr. H. G. King and Rev. J. S. Lane officiating. The basement was dedicated Aug. 26, 1858, the services being conducted by Revs. John A. Roche and Samuel Pancoast. Rev. H. G. King was at that time on the circuit, and preached to the congregation. In the spring of 1858 the main edifice was completed, and the dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. Franklin Moore, D.D. In 1859 the church became an independent station. Following is a list of pastors of this church: 1859-61, Rev. Jeremiah Pastorfield; 1861-62, Rev. Samuel Gracey (Mr. Gracey having accepted a chaplaincy in the Union army in 1862, Rev. David McKee was pastor during the remainder of the term) ; 1863-66, Rev. Daniel George; 1866-68, Rev. Henry F. Hurn ; 1868-70, Rev. John F. Timmanus; 1870-71, Rev. Samuel Lucas; 1871-72, Rev. John I. Gracey ; 1872-75, Rev. Jerome Lindermuth; 1875-78, Rev. George T. Hurlock; 1878-80, Rev. Joseph R. Gray; 1881-83, Rev. S. A. Heibner; 1884, Rev. F. M. Griffith. During the pastorate of the Rev. G. T. Hurlock the church edifice was improved and a brick parsonage erected. The church has at present a membership of about two hundred, and the Sunday-scbool has about the same number of members. The South Media Methodist Episcopal Church was erected by Mark Packard in 1876. The pulpit is supplied by the Local Preachers' Association of Philadelphia. The society numbers about twenty, the Sunday-school one hundred. Presbyterian Church. - Before Media borough was laid out, the Rev. James W. Dale preached near what was to be its boundary, in the school-house on the Providence road, on the corner of the road to Beatty's mill. When the removal of the county-seat was determined upon and Media had been founded, regular services were commenced in the village in a room over John C. Beatty's store. The first was held March 10, 1850. The Rev. Mr. Dale, who was then pastor of the Middletown Presbyterian Church, officiated. A Sundayschool was organized soon after in Mr. Beatty's house. The site of the church, about one acre of ground, was donated by John C. Beatty. The corner-stone was laid July 4, 1854. The architect, John McArthur, Jr., of Philadelphia, designed the building in | |||