Source History of Jefferson County 1888 page 240The Second Presbyterian church organized in the county was the Beechwoods Church. The organization was effected December 3, 1832, in the house of Matthew Keys, with fourteen members, A Sabbath-school, consisting of two teachers and a dozen scholars, had been held from house to house in the neighborhood for several years previous; almost as soon , in fact, as the first settlement was made, which was not till 1823. These early settlers had not long been in the community until they were discovered by the faithful undershepherd, Father McGarrough, and another devoted servant of God, the Rev. Cyrus Riggs, at that time pastor of the Scubgrass church, in Butler county. These brethren, it seems, preached several times during the five or six years preceding the organization in the neighborhood, and they, along with ruling elders J. Wilson, Thomas Lucas, and W. Rodgers, of Bethel Church, constituted the committee of organization. The great majority of the members have been natives of Ireland, or the descendants of such, and a good, honest, willing, and warm-hearted people they are. The church was become self-supporting, and is well organized and equipped for church work. Its Ladies' Missionary Society is abundant in labors.
Their present house of worship and the first one built by the congregation, was erected in 1841.
- It appears that for a time after the formal organization, the church was supplied by Mr. John Shoap.
- Rev. Gara Bishop began preaching to them as a stated supply in 1835, and for eleven years preached to them more or less of his time.
- Rev. Alexander Boyd was stated supply for about three years, commencing with October, 1846.
- The Rev. John Wray, a returned missionary from India, began his labors in the congregation in 1850, and for twenty-one years was the honored and efficient and successful pastor. Becoming entirely blind, he was compelled, much against his own will and to the great reluctance of a loving people, to ask for the dissolution of the pastoral relation, which was granted by Presbytery April 26, 1871. The remainder of his days was spent in the bounds of the congregation to which he had devoted so great a part of his life, and in which he continued to manifest the greatest interest, and by which he was remembered with many tokens of kindness and esteem to the day of his death. He died at his home in Brockwayville August 16, 1883, aged 89.
- The next pastor was Rev. W.H. Filson, for half of his time from May, 1871, to April, 1875, and for all his time after that date until release, in May, 1883.
- His successor and the present pastor is Rev. R.A. Hunter, who was ordained and installed in June, 1884, and it is hoped his will be one of the longest pastorates in a church where he has been so heartily received.
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