The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 354
Cayuga Village -- Churches / Town of Aurelius


ministrations in this broad field until 1811, when he became pastor of the First Church in Auburn, which was organized that year. To accommodate the widely scattered settlements, services were held alternately at Hardenbergh's Corners, (Auburn,) the Half Acre, (Aurelius,) Cayuga and Grover's Settlement, in the town of Fleming. Mr. Higgins served the church in Auburn till 1813, when he removed to Bath, Steuben county.

From 1811 to 1819 this people were supplied with monthly missionary preaching, and worshiped with the Aurelius society, who then occupied the old stone church, which stood opposite the place now owned by Dr. Hamilton. Occasionally, however, services were held in the old school-house in Cayuga, by Rev. Joshua Lane, Revs. David Smith and Mr. Sullivan. Home Missionaries from Connecticut, also labored here during that period, the latter about one year. The Presbyterian Church of Cayuga, was organized May 3d, 1819, in the school-house which forms the rear part of Davis' Hall, a preliminary meeting being held for that purpose at the same place April 26th, 1819. The members constituting the society were John Fitch, Gershom B. Gillett, Loring Willard, Jeremiah Hallock, Bezaleel Shaw, Jr., Abbey P. Allen, Percy Shaw, Temperance Beman, Susan Annin, Meliscent Foot, Roxy Ann Foot, Parthenia M. Foot, Philomela Perry, Polly Savage and Tabitha McIntosh, members of the church of Aurelius. Loring Willard, Jonathan Whitney, Uri Foot, Daniel McIntosh, Solomon Dewey and Jeremiah Hallock were elected trustees. The meeting at which the organization was effected was attended by Revs. Joshua Lane of the Presbytery of Cayuga, and Wm. Bacon of the Presbytery of Geneva. On the 20th of June following, twelve more were received by letter from the Church of Aurelius, and Thomas Mumford, Jeremiah Hallock, Elias Thompson and Gershom B. Gillett were elected ruling elders, and Elias Thompson was chosen deacon.

On the 29th of the same month this church united with that at Seneca Falls in settling as their pastor Rev. Wm. Bacon, who served them as such until February 6th, 1821. During his pastorate nine were added to the membership on profession, and nineteen by letter. In July of the latter year this church was transferred from the Geneva to the Cayuga Presbytery, under whose care it has since remained.

July 23d, 1821, a call was extended to Mr. Pomeroy, who was to officiate half the time in the Aurelius church. He was installed August 8th, 1821. Under his labors a meeting house, a small, plain, wooden structure, 35 by 50 feet, without steeple, was built, and dedicated February 26th, 1823. The completion of the house left the Society in debt something more than $1,000.

As soon as the Church was completed Mr. Pomeroy was released from the Aurelius Church, and till January, 1833, ministered to this alone. During his pastorate 128 were added on profession and 50 by letter. Rev. Octavius Fitch, supplied the pulpit in 1833, and sixty-three were added to the Church that year. November 24th, 1833, Luther Cook and Sebastian Chatham, having been duly elected, were ordained ruling elders, and Daniel Cook, deacon.

Rev. Henry Snyder succeeded Mr. Fitch in April, 1834, and remained one year, during which twenty were added to the Church. He was followed by Rev. Erastus H. Adams, who labored from June, 1835 to February, 1836. October 10th, 1835, Isaac Chamberlain, Daniel Cook, Halsey Bidwell, Watson Whittlesey, Luke Montague, Henry Willard and Henry Powis were elected elders, and were ordained the following Sabbath, (October 17th,) with the exception of Bidwell and Whittlesey, who, not having accepted the office, were not ordained until the following January.

For a short time after Mr. Adams left, the pulpit was supplied, principally by John Clark, an aged clergyman, and partly by students from the Theological Seminary at Auburn. Among the latter was T. R. Townsend, who began his work with this Church July 9th, 1837, and on the 7th of the following month was invited to become their pastor; but, not having completed his seminary course, he was not installed until 1838. He remained till July, 1840. During his pastorate 42 were added, nearly all on profession.

Soon after Mr. Townsend's dismissal, Mr. Pomeroy returned as stated supply, which relation he retained until 1852. During his second ministry, eighty-four were added to the church. "At this time three additional elders were elected, Abram Staats, Edwin Arnold, and Oliver Bidwell, who were ordained April 20th,

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