Deed to Great Valley Presbyterian Church plot

Source: Great Valley Presbyterian Church Archive Book #1
Date: June 1914

DEED TO CHURCH PLOT FOUND

The old deed to the ground on which our Great Valley Presbyterian Church is built has come to light. It was discovered among the yellow parchments, which have been handed down from owner to owner of Mr. John A. Fetters' farm. The parchment on which the deed is inscribed is stiff with age, and the writing is well faded in places. Toilsome deciphering, however, brings out the following interesting facts.

On the 3rd of November, 1724, a plot of ground, lately purchased by James Abraham, John David, James David, of Trev-duffrin Township, yoeman, David Jenkins of same place and a weaver, Jno. Barry of Haverford Township, tanner, and Lewis Williams of Whiteland Township, yeoman, was deeded by them to Matthias Martin, of Whiteland Township or Charlestown, John Rees, mason, of same place, Emmuel John, taylor, of same place, David Griffith, laborer, of Whiteland, Morgan David, cordwainer. of Whiteland, Morris Rees, yeoman, of Uwchlan Township. It was deeded to them as trustees of the existing society or congregation of Presbyterians in the Welsh Tract. The paper reads on this point thus: "A certain lot of ground * * * containing on acre and five-eighths part of an acre (more or less), with intent for a burying place and for the building of a house or houses for the publick worship of God and teaching a school of literature. The only use, benefit and behoof of a certain Society of Protestant Dessenting Christians known and distinguished commonly by the name of Presbyterians, now inhabiting in the sd (said) Township of Trev-duffrin and Townships adjacent in the Counties of Chester and Philadelphia."

This highly interesting document throws light upon the condition of the settlement of the country at that time. One of the lines of the church plot was a road. That road, the Sweedesford Road, is still used as a principal highway. The population it is seen was solidly Welsh; and while there was a Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, still the Welsh of Philadelphia County—the environs of Philadelphia were members of the society in our Welsh Tract. This term, Welsh Tract, appears in a deed of land from one neighbor to another in Charlestown, dated 1711. It appears that Charlestown as a village or center of population was in existence at this time, 1724, for all of the trustees but the one from Uwchlan are residents of Whiteland or Charlestown, and the diversity of their occupations is such as one would expect in the center of population. The mason, tailor, laborer and cordwainer are located in Charlestown, Philadelphia, Haverford and Uwchland are mentioned as the places of residence of the church members concerned. It is natural to find the trustees for the most part in the chief center, Charlestown, and it’s just as natural to find that since the church was located in Trev-duffrin Township that the men, who purchased the land and made a gift of it, would be persons residing near to the church location, who would gladly make a gift of the plot—aside from higher considerations—for the advantage derived from living so close to the church and school. The breadth of the parish is indicated by the mention of the residences of members in Philadelphia, Haverford and Uwchlan, and by the provision, which reads: "Provided always that the parties shall not be obliged to travel farther than twenty miles from the place of their abode for the executing such further confirmations, etc."

The witnesses are David Evans, evidently the first pastor, the Rev. David Evans, and three other men.

References

The Great Valley Presbyterian Church by Ruth Moore Styer, TEQ 8-1 (November 1953)
Early Memories and an Historical Sketch of Great Valley Presbyterian Church by Emily Wilson Nassau, TEQ 14-4 (October 1967)
The Wilsons and Great Valley Presbyterian Church by Eleanor D. Chworowsky, TEQ 22-4 (October 1984)
Great Valley Presbyterian Church by Mary Robertson Ives, TEQ 22-4 (October 1984)
Great Valley Presbyterian Church by Mary Robertson Ives, TEQ 32-1 (January 1994)