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Hadden Family & Perry Presbyterian Church in Jefferson County PA

Michelle Hadden

Within our library of printed resources, we have a copy of the Perry Presbyterian Church Session records transcribed by Mrs. Twila Walter Steel on 12 Mar 1969. The following information is gleaned from her invaluable work.

THE CHURCH:

The Perry Presbyterian Church located in Perry Township, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania was officially organized on September 4, 1836 by the Reverends John Reed and E. D. Barret under the direction of the Blairsville Presbytery. The Perry congregation consisted of 21 members when first organized with William Stunkard, Stephen Lewis and Samuel Kelley being elected and ordained as ruling elders. The founding members of this church were:

William Sunkard and wife, Ruth; Stephen Lewis and wife, Ann; Samuel Kelley and wife, Elizabeth; James Chambers and wife, Sarah; John Frampton and wife, Mary; Thomas Gourley and wife, Eleanor; Elizabeth Kelley; Margaret Kelley; David Manners; Margaret McKinstry; Elizabeth McKee; Robert Gaston; Sarah Wachob

All founding members were received by a letter from their previous churches, located in Indiana and/or Armstrong County, into the congregation; except for Robert Gaston and Sarah Wachob who were received upon exam by the elders.

The first full time pastor of the church was Reverend John Carothers who was ordained and installed on June 4, 1840. Reverend Carothers was a half-time pastor, splitting his time between the congregations of Perry and Gilgal (located in Marion Center, Indiana County). Shortly after the church was organized the membership grew to form a robust congregation. This church is the second oldest church in this area with her sister church being the Gilgal Presbyterian Church in Indiana County, north of the Purchase Line.

THE HADDEN FAMILY:

From about 1789 Bartholomew Hadden (Abt. 1756-1828) and his extended family lived in the greater Penn Run area of Indiana County, where records show they most likely attended the Harmony Presbyterian Church. Sometime around the year 1811 his son, Archibald (1790-1861), moved his own family North to Perry Township in Jefferson County. Using US Federal Census records, Pennsylvania vital records, newspaper articles, church and cemetery records we know the following about Archibald’s family:

Archibald Hadden m. Mary Adams (1775-1853) and had the following children:

  • William (1806-1888) m. 1st – Martha Ross (1810-1856): James Madison, Mary Jane, David A., Archibald, Samuel T., Margaret Matilda, William Harrison, Caroline E.; m. 2nd – Rachel Mae Shilling (1825-1915): Infant Daughter, Jacob Meade, Henry Scott
  • Samuel (1808-1873) m. Eleanor J. Dunlap (1818-1905): Sarah R., William A., John C., Mary Ellen, Archibald Scott
  • Nancy Ann (1811-1892) m. Alexander Dunlap (1807-1891): William, Sarah Catherine, Infant Daughter Mary, Archibald Hadden Dunlap, David Thomas, Isaac Ross, James, John, Martha Elizabeth
  • Catherine Anna (1813-1905) m. James Chambers Neal (1813-1883): William Wilbur, Archibald Hadden Neal, James, Manfield Walker, Winfield Scott, John Chambers, Hugh, Caroline, Robert Walker, David Barclay
  • Isabella (1815-1866) m. Daniel M. Blose (1842-1907): Sarah Elen, William M., Susanah, Thomas Sharp, Anna R.
  • Martha Jane (1816-1867) not married
  • Mary Elizabeth (1820-1897) not married

Archibald Hadden’s family lived in the area of the Perry Church with at least eight family members being buried in the church’s cemetery. Unfortunately, the Perry Presbyterian Church is no longer standing as it was struck by lightning in 1949 and burned down. A meeting was called by the current Clerk of Session for the church, Oran L. Moser, to incorporate the Perry Presbyterian Cemetery as “The Perry Cemetery” for perpetual care. At this meeting, the Reverend H. C. Humke opened with prayer and, with the majority of the church members present, the following were elected to serve as directors of the cemetery for its first year of incorporation: Oran Moser, Howard Stewart and Linus Kennedy. The directors used the insurance money received from the destruction of the church to maintain the cemetery. The church was never rebuilt, and per the Presbyterian Historical Society, the congregation was dropped from the roll of the Presbyterian Church (in the USA) in 1951. However, the cemetery is still accessible and many of the Hadden headstones are still standing. The cemetery is located in Perry Township, Jefferson County, PA on the NW corner of Hamilton Markton Road and 536. The dirt road leading uphill to the cemetery is off of Hamilton Markton and is marked with a large stone with the cemetery’s name.

From the transcribed church session records, the following information was found as it relates to members of the Hadden family:

18?? – Nov 16th: David R. Hadden*, died at 3 years of age and was buried in the church cemetery

1841 – May 10th: Sarah Hadden was baptized, d/o Samuel (s/o Archibald and Mary) and Eleanor Hadden

1841 – May 8th: Samuel and Eleanor (nee Dunlap) Hadden joined the church via examination, s/o Archibald and Mary (nee Adams) Hadden

1843 – May 20th: Martha Hadden (nee Ross) joined the church, the 2nd wife of William Hadden (s/o Archibald and Mary Hadden)

1843 – Sep 4th: Martha Hadden (nee Ross) was baptized, 2nd wife of William Hadden

1845 – May 12th: John Caruthers was baptized, son of Thomas Hadden (Thomas is Samuel “Thomas” Hadden, husband of Eleanor Dunlap Hadden)

1853 – Jun 8th: Mary Hadden died at 77yrs 7mo 3days and was buried in the church cemetery, wife of Archibald Hadden (Daughter-in-law to Bartholomew Hadden)

1856 – Aug 12th:Martha Hadden (nee Ross) died at age 46yrs 3mo 29days and was buried in the church cemetery, 2nd wife of William Hadden

1857 – Apr 3rd: Samuel and Eleanor Hadden were spoken to by a church elder regarding their extended absence from the church

1857 – Apr 6th: Archibald Scott Hadden was baptized, son of Samuel and Eleanor Hadden

1861 – May 13th: Archibald Hadden died at age 73yrs 6mo 14days and was buried in the church cemetery, son of Bartholomew Hadden

1866 – Aug 13th: Infant Daughter of William and Rachel (nee Shilling) Hadden died and was buried in the church cemetery

1867 – Jun 30th: Martha Jane Hadden died aged 30yrs 7mo 5days and was buried in the church cemetery, daughter of Archibald and Mary Hadden

1872 – Dec 28th: Samuel Hadden died and was buried in the church cemetery, son of Archibald and Mary Hadden

1872 – Dec 29th: Samuel Hadden died and was buried in the church cemetery, son of Archibald and Mary Hadden

1874 – Dec 12th: Mary Ellen Hadden “Ellen” informed the church elders she was now attending the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Perrysville, daughter of Samuel and Eleanor Hadden

There are 2 infant markers located in 1969 for Hadden infants which are unidentified to date

*These individuals are assumed to be descendants of Bartholomew, but have yet to be located on the tree. If you have information on these individuals, please drop us a line using the contact tab on our website.

If you believe your family member attended this church from 1836 to 1901 and are looking for records, please drop me a line. I will be happy to look up your family in my copy of the transcribed session records. As always, if you have information about the Hadden (and would like to share) family please drop us a line using the contact form on this site.