Orthodox Friends Church, Spring Meadow, East St. Clair Twp.

History: The first meeting of the Orthodox Friends’ church at Spring Meadow was held prior to 1793. A large number of the early settlers of this locality were Friends in religious belief. The early meetings were held in a log church, situated south of Spring Meadow. The next church, also log, was built at Spring Meadow. In 1829, under Elias Hicks, a portion of the church withdrew and formed the “Hicksite church,” so called. This sect obtained possession of the meeting-house, and the orthodox members worshiped elsewhere. In 1832 the latter body erected a log church. They are now (1884) building a new house of worship near Fishertown. This church is now a subordinate branch of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting, held on Eutaw street, Baltimore. Monthly meetings were established in 1803.

The Hicksite Friends worshiped from 1829 until 1867 in the log church already mentioned. They then erected their present frame church on the same ground, at a cost of thirteen hundred dollars. Members, in 1867, seventy-six; present membership (1884), about one hundred. Monthly meetings were established in 1803. Dunning’s Creek Monthly Meeting is a branch of Center Quarter Branch of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, held on Lombard street, Baltimore.

(Source: The History of Bedford, Somerset and Fulton Counties, Pa., Waterman, Watkins & Co., 1884, p. 287.)

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