×

200 Years

Garland Presbyterian?Church celebrating bicentennial of faithfulness in community

In June 1817, there was just 15 stars on the American flag.

James Monroe had been president for just three months.

Earlier in the year, Congress had passed a law splitting the Mississippi territory which paved the way for the creation of the Alabama territory and Mississippi to be admitted as a state by year’s end.

Construction began on the Erie Canal and Henry David Thoreau was born.

At that time, Warren County was essentially frontier, founded just 17 years earlier.

But that doesn’t mean there wasn’t community here.

Proof?

This past June, the Garland Presbyterian Church celebrated their 200th anniversary.

Like many towns in this area, the first settlers came to collect on land grants issued by the government in payment for their service during the Revolutionary War.

Some history on the church and Garland at large was provided to the Times Observer.

That first settler, Robert Andrews, was s veteran of the Revolution and came to Garland in 1795. Five years later, Joseph Gray came and is through to have built the first house in Garland.

The nation continued to creep westward and more and more settlers came to the area with many settling in the fertile valley of what is now Garland.

As more and more came, the community came together to organize the Garland Presbyterian Church in 1817.

Services were first held in the home of James White at Whitestown, what is now the back road that links Garland and Pittsfield near what is now the Brace farm.

At first, it was called the “Church of the Mullen-Gar.”

According to information from the Warren County Historical Society, what we now know as Garland was originally named Mulligar and eventually shorted to “The Gar.” A Presbyterian minister in town – who doubled as the first post master – didn’t like the name and re-branded it Garland because of the beauty of the surroundings.

In the church’s early years, services were held in various homes and educated clergy were sent to the area from the Meadville Presbytery.

A church building first appeared in 1840, built near what now is the Garland Presbyterian Cemetery on Hamilton Road.

That site served as the church until 1872 when the property was sold and the current church – which sits along Route 27 – was completed.

The church is the only one to have survived to the present day in Garland.

As part of the Bicentennial Celebration, several events were held in June, including tours, concerts, picnics and an outdoor worship service.

The church wishes to thank those in the community who have supported it. To see the church or for more information about it, please call 563-7222.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today