Chapter Seven
McCandless Presbyterian Church

By James Wudarczyk

The McCandless Avenue Presbyterian Church is another of the many churches that left behind very little record of its existence. Although Presbyterianism exerted a great influence on Lawrenceville and the surrounding areas in the 19th century, the congregation’s 1914 history, marking the 25th year of its existence, shed serious question how long the church might survive because of changing demographics in the neighborhood. As the history noted, “In the twenty-five years of its existence, the membership of this church has almost entirely changed, so that the church roll at present contains but six names that appeared at the time the church was organized in February 1889. About one-fourth of whose names have disappeared from the register of that date since they are no longer among the living. They have gone to their rest and we tenderly recall many of them tonight. The others have from time to time dropped out or have withdrawn to other churches, many having removed from this part of the city to residential districts.

“What constitutes ‘the field’ of the McCandless Avenue Presbyterian Church has been subject to great change. This section of the city is quite as densely populated as in former years but it is only because of the great influx of foreigners chiefly Austrians, Italian and Russian Jews. Few new families move in the district who might be looking for a Presbyterian church or whom we might expect to bring within its influence. Twenty-five years ago these conditions were just reverse. The neighborhood was comparatively new and but partly built up. Improvements were rapidly going on, streets were being paved and new families moving in. The large industrial plant known as the Keystone Bridge Works was expanding and at one time employed more than fifteen hundred men who lived mostly in this and the old seventeenth ward.

“These were mainly of the better class of skilled mechanics and there was scarcely a ward in the city in which so large a proportion of the people owned their own homes. This ward separated from the lower part of Lawrenceville by the Allegheny Cemetery, having but one street connecting the two busy sections, and being also the limit of the built-up portion of the city in this direction, has always been a community somewhat more to itself than have other parts of the city. The earlier conditions were favorable to church growth.

“With the present rapid means of transportation, there is now no longer the necessity for men to live in the immediate vicinity of the shops and mills and many find it desirable for the best interests of their families to remove to the suburbs. Everyone conversant with the religious life of Pittsburgh is struck with the wonderful changes wrought in the history of the churches. Some that were strong twenty-five years ago we find now slowly disintegrating in the old field, some have been reestablished in residence districts remote from their former location and some have found it advisable to merge their interests. This has reference to churches in particular localities where the conditions for continued growth became unfavorable. It by no means indicates a decline in a general way for in the last twenty-five years in Pittsburgh Presbytery the membership of our Presbyterian churches has doubled and from one hundred churches twenty-five years ago there are now one hundred thirty-five.

“Happy is that church that can adapt itself to the changing conditions and still minister to the soul needs of all by whatever name called.”

Although the church was not formally organized until 1889, records indicate that as early as 1886 there were efforts to establish the McCandless Church as a mission of the Lawrenceville Presbyterian or the 39th Street Church. The anniversary history incorporated a copy of the minutes of the Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church.

April 12, 1886
No. 1
Matter of establishing a mission in the Eighteenth Ward was brought up and having been previously considered and now further discussed, it was moved by Mr. Sharman, seconded by Mr. Wrigley, that the whole matter be left to a committee of three, and Mr. Moore, Mr. Sharman, and the Moderator were appointed as such committee.

January 10, 1887
No. 2
Brother Moore reported progress in regard to the Mission Work in the 18th Ward, showing what success had been met with and stating additional wants of the people and work in that locality. After a full discussion of the whole subject, it was decided to hold Sabbath evening prayer meeting services, in addition to those on Thursday evenings and Sabbath School now being held under control of the Session.
On motion of Mr. Moore was appointed to take charge of these services until otherwise arranged.

Friday evening, February 18, 1887
No. 3
Session met as per call to consider the wants and necessities of our 18th Ward Mission. All members present. Mr. Moore who has had charge of the mission presented the paper showing the condition of affairs, asking for assistance, financially and otherwise, same showing a Sabbath School attendance of from 120 to 135, and at prayer meetings on Thursday and Sabbath evenings of about 50. The whole matter was taken up and after being fully considered resolution was offered and unanimously adopted.

Whereas, a paper has been presented to us by Brother Moore making a statement in regard to the mission work in the 18th Ward, asking for our sympathy and assistance and whereas it appear that there is now a pressing necessity on the part of the mission for a suitable home or place in which to carry on the work.

Therefore, be it resolved-That we as a session of the Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church do heartily approve of the work now being carried on in the 18th Ward, under the special supervision of Brother Moore of this Session, and desire to express our sympathy in this movement and cheerfully recommend the same to members of our own congregation and to the committee on Presbyterial Missions, for assistance to continue this work, which God has thus far so wonderfully blessed.

In September 1887, George W. Moore applied to the churches of the Presbytery for aid in the amount of $1,000 in order to erect a chapel. Plans were laid to erect an edifice that would not exceed $2,500. Moore worked diligently and the chapel was completed in 1888. Moore’s dedication to the project was noted in the congregation’s history. “It seems therefore that the work progressed favorably under Mr. Moore’s care. A flourishing Sabbath School was carried on of which he was superintendent and there were at times more than two hundred in attendance. Mr. Moore conducted weekly prayer meetings, preached on Sunday evenings, was active and successful in raising money at the time this building was put up, and personally superintended the building operations. Mr. Moore was desirous that the Pittsburgh Presbytery license him to preach, but he could not see his way clear to take the seminary preparatory to the ministry and he gave up the work.”

The first petition for supporting the formal organization was submitted to the Pittsburgh Presbytery on February 13, 1889. As the 1914 history noted, at the next meeting of the Presbytery this committee reported, “Your committee met the people of McCandless Avenue Mission Thursday evening, February 28th, 1889. All the members of the committee were present and Ruling Elder Nathaniel Green was made secretary. The committee in its report states that of those uniting by letter, twenty-four were dismissed by the Lawrenceville Church, three were from the Forty-third Street Church, one from Swissvale, one from the First Presbyterian Church of Kansas City, two from Bellefield, four from Glade Run and two from Coat’s Parish, Scotland. Eleven were received on profession of their faith of whom two were baptized. The report continues: W. W. Caldwell and John Donaldson were chosen, ordained and installed ruling elders. James Montgomery was chosen Treasurer and ex-officio trustee and Thomas McKnight, Henry D. Fulton and James Millinger trustees. It was agreed that the treasurer and one trustee be elected annually, and three persons chosen by this meeting to arrange among themselves the time of service. Signed: George W. Chalfant, W. P. Shrom and Nathaniel Green, Committee.’”

Pioneer members of the new church as of February 28th, 1889, were Mrs. Mary Appel, Miss Annie Appel, Fred W. Appel, Miss Sadie Ashbury, Miss Jennie Anderson, Mrs. Mary Anderson, Mrs. Rosyanna Boal, William W. Caldwell, Mrs. Mary Caldwell, Miss N. J. Caldwell, Mrs. Margaret Conner, Miss Martha Conner, John L. Donaldson, Mrs. Rachael E. Donaldson, Mrs. Ann Emslie, Henry D. Fulton, Mrs. Annie G. Fulton, Mrs. Ann Householder, Miss Kate Housholder, Mr. James Henderson, Mrs. Mary Jane Henderson, Miss Sarah Bell Jones, William Kelso, Mrs. William Kelso, Miss Nettie Lantz, Mrs. Emily Laughlin, Mrs. Josephine Lantz, Miss Mary Laughlin, Miss Mary Laughlin, Mrs. Louise Martin, Miss Jennie E. Martin, Simon Munro, Mrs. Mary Munro, Mr. James Millinger, Mrs. Sadie Millinger, Walter O. Millinger, Jennie R. Millinger, Mrs. Elizabeth Michael, Dr. W. J. Norris, Mrs. Lydia Norris, William Neal, Mrs. Sophia E. Neal, Miss Emma Neal, Hannah Neal, Mr. and Mrs. James McGilvary, Mrs. Elizabeth McConway, Mr. Thomas McKnight, Mrs. Sarah McKnight, John W. Reid, Mrs. Eliza Reid, Mrs. Ellen Scott, Mr. John R. Scott, Mrs. Nannie R. Scott, William Stroud, Mrs. Clara Stroud, John Stark, Mrs. Maggie Stark, Mrs. Elizabeth Shanky, Mrs. Elizabeth Tuckey, James Thompson, Mr. James Whyte, Mrs. Margaret Whyte, Mrs. Beighley, and Arthur Neal.

The parish history is extremely valuable to genealogical researchers and local historians because it is filled with the names of men and women affiliated with the early development of the church. “For a little more than a year, W. W. Caldwell and John L. Donaldson constituted the Session. At a congregational meeting held in March 1890, William Stroud was elected an elder. At this meeting Rev. Chas. A. Clark was elected pastor and Mr. Wm. Caldwell was appointed to present the call to Presbytery. Mr. Clark had an abundant opportunity to know the needs of the place, he was well acquainted with the people and it proved fortunate that he remained on the field. At the congregational meeting held April 2nd, 1891, Mr. Stroud resigned from the Session and Robert Neillson was elected to fill out the unexpired term. It had been a year of progress and there was encouragement for both pastor and people. The first salaried organist was Miss Georgie Tees who was elected organist at a salary of $50.00 a year. This was in 1892. At the same time the choir was reorganized with Miss Annie Appel, now Mrs. James Murray, Miss Jennie Anderson, afterwards Mrs. Donald, and Miss Ida Donaldson, now Mrs. Robert Anderson, sopranos, Miss Elsie Bollard and Miss Edna Millinger, altos, Mr. David Donald and Mr. Walter Millinger, tenors and Mr. Elmer Martin, bass and it turned out to be an efficient choir. The session evidently seemed anxious that the choir should be well supplied with leaders and appointed two, Mr. Donald and Mr. Martin. It may be mentioned incidentally there that the choir during the greater part of the history of this church has been well maintained. From the first it has been at all times possible as occasion required to recruit its numbers, to secure efficient leadership and through all the changes that necessarily occurred from year to year in its personnel it has been a unit in faithful service and all that goes to make a choir desirable and helpful in the worship of a church. Other leaders of the choir from time to time were Mrs. Mary Munro, Mr. Peter Brown, and Mr. John Pforsich the present leader. Miss Annie Appel also served as organist of the church, the organ being donated by Mr. James Montgomery. It was in constant use until a year or two ago when a new instrument was installed.”

Since it was a small church, the Presbyterians were constantly faced with the inability of maintaining a pastor. As late as November 1, 1914, Dr. D. H. McKee wrote, “It was on a beautiful Sabbath morning on October, 1904, that I first saw this church. I came to supply the pulpit in response to a letter of invitation from Dr. Fulton. The congregation to which I preached in the morning numbered some thirty-five persons. The evening attendance was about double that of the morning. The church had been long without a regular pastor. On account of this, many in the congregation had become discouraged, some had grown indifferent, and some for a lack of pastoral service had gone to other churches.” McKee continued in his recollections, “I believe that no other Protestant pastor now in Lawrenceville has served his church as long as I have served this. Only seven Presbyterian ministers in Pittsburgh have been with their churches as long as I have been with this. I am proud of this distinction. I am grateful that this congregation has had the patience to bear with me so long. I now plead with you to be true to this church. It is doing a great work in a needy field. It needs your support. It needs the encouragement of your membership, your prayers, your influence and your gifts. There are many who are now attending and serving this church at a sacrifice to themselves. They prefer to give their aid where aid is most needed. They do it not only because of old attachments here but because they desire to keep alive a Presbyterian church in this part of the city. I would that we could to-day confer a badge of honor upon those who have stood by this church through all or nearly all of its history of twenty-five years. Let us now resolve that with God’s help we will insure it another twenty-five years-years more fruitful than those of the past.

“I have now served the church through two-fifths of the entire period of its existence. What the future has in store for the church, or for me, I do not know: I only know that to those who love God all things will work together for good. To me this congregation has shown more kindness and courtesy than I deserved. What I have done here was done in the strength of Him who said ‘My grace is sufficient for thee.’“

The period of 1895 was a good one for the church: Membership stood at 173 and the Sabbath School boasted an enrollment of 311, while church contributions were $1,374. By March of 1896, membership climbed to 190, but there was a slight decline in the Sabbath School. Collections during that time also increased to $1,533 for the year. By the spring of 1897 there was a dramatic decline in membership and contributions: church membership stood at 142 and the Sabbath School had only 200 scholars. Furthermore, church contributions fell to $908.

Dr. D. H. McKee assumed the pastorate in May 1905. In 1911 he made the church totally self-sufficient and donations from the Presbytery ceased. McKee was credited with extensive improvements to the property. According to the 1914 history of the parish, “A substantial iron fence now surrounds the lot, the auditorium has been furnished with new pews, a good lighting arrangement has been installed and one to see the building now could scarcely believe that a committee from Presbytery about twelve years ago looked it over and seriously questioned whether it were worth repairing. The expense for repairs at that time which were urgently needed were borne largely by presbytery and almost a thousand dollars was expended.”

In continuing with the parish history one learns, “The lecture courses which were inaugurated by Rev. McKee in November 1905 have been of great educational value to all who availed themselves of them and have been greatly enjoyed from year to year. The course has been arranged usually in the early part of the winter and consists of five lectures given on successive evenings. We have had the pleasure of hearing men of the highest ability whose lectures have covered a wide range of subjects. In these annually recurring entertainments we have had sixteen lectures in the way of travel talks, some of them illustrated, ten lectures on biographical subjects, five on sociological topics, five Biblical lectures, fourteen on the subjects especially pertaining to literature and eighteen of a miscellaneous character. I cannot refrain from saying that among the most enjoyable of these lectures have been those delivered by our pastor. Two excellent lectures on health topics were given by Dr. J. O. Donaldson, who until recently has always been a member of this church.”

It was also noted that a Literary Guild was organized in February 1905 with a membership of about twenty-five young men and women. Meetings were held in the homes of the members and discussion centered on “some of the best things in literature.” A Men’s Club was also organized in 1913 with Mr. Wm. Stone serving as president and George Goddard as secretary. “A number of able speakers have addressed the club and spirited debates on timely subjects have been held by the members.”

This parish history was also instrumental in identifying the pastors and elders between 1890 and 1915. The ministers serving the church were Rev. Chas. A. Clark, D.D. 1890-1892, Rev. A. H. Jolly, D.D. 1893-1896, Rev. W. C. McKnight 1897-1898, Rev. T. F. Hine 1898-1899, Rev. H. D. Ewing 1900-1903, Rev. W. S. Miller 1904, and Rev. Daniel H. McKee 1905-1915. The elders were Wm. Caldwell 1889, John S. Donaldson 1899, Wm. Stroud 1890, Robert Neillson, 1891, Thos. McKnight 1892, David Donald 1893, David C. Rankin 1895, John Forbes 1895, John H. Brown 1896, Henry D. Fulton, M.D. 1900, J. Reese Frye 1904, Jas. O. Donaldson M.D. 1904, J. H. Bickel 1906, S. C. Dunbar 1907, Wm. Johnston 1909, Robt. Jones 1909, Peter Brown 1911, H. L. Hutchinson 1912, and Wm. Alcott 1915.

While the history of this congregation opened on somewhat of a pessimistic note in which the author lamented of the future of the parish, it closed on somewhat more of a positive note by stating, “The church at present (1914) has a membership of something over three hundred and a Sabbath School of two hundred members. During the last year there were twenty-six hundred seventy-five dollars raised for congregational purposes and for the benevolent objects, three hundred thirty-five dollars. Forty-three new member added during the year.”