History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

350

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

terian churches had been organized at Troy and Birmingham. Consequently, as most of the members lived nearer these churches, they very
naturally united with them, leaving the Pontiac church with but little
more than its organization. The committee, appointed to secure a room
in which to hold religious meetings, secured the Academy Hall Building,
located on the lot on which the Davis building now stands, the title to
which was subsequently secured for the church. The hall was in the
second story of the building and was in a state of dilapidation as a result
of unuse. It was brightened up by the use of paint and whitewash and
board seats installed, with a few chairs and a table for the minister, and
the room was pronounced ready for use. At a meeting of the church,
September 7, 1841, Weston Frost, E. T. Raymond, John J. Hall, Hugh
Kelley, Olmstead Chamberlain, Horatio N. Howard, George Williams,
Charles Elliott and Caroline Phelps, presented letters of dismissal and
recommendation from the Congregational church of Pontiac, and were
accordingly received into the church.
"At this time Rev. L. P. Bates was invited to become pastor of the
church. At a meeting of the church July 12, 1842, at the Academy Hall,
E. T. Raymond and James S. Allen were elected elders and Weston
Frost was elected deacon. The revenues of the church at this time were
probably not more than six or seven hundred dollars, and the pastor's
salary was represented by the munificent sum of $500 (he paying his own
house rent and the expense of keeping a horse and buggy) and it was
necessary to practice the most rigid economy in conducting the affairs
of the church.
"The hall was occupied for a year or more while on the lot, and was
then moved to a lot near the Northern Hotel and continued to be used
as a place of worship until the new church was erected in I834-44 and
occupied the latter part of I844. It was built of brick, about forty feet
wide by seventy feet long, with two aisles, the pulpit being in the west end
of the church and the organ loft and choir gallery in the east end, with
vestibule underneath. It had a belfry and well proportioned spire, and
from its prominent situation presented quite a pleasing appearance.
"In I867, following a series of revival services conducted by the pastor, Rev. W. G. McGiffert, seventy-nine persons were received into the
church, fifty-two on confession of faith. The present house of worship
was erected in I870-7I. No expense was spared in its construction, the
single item of pew cushions being $I,6oo. Later improvement such as
electric lights, a hot water heating plant and others, have made it one of
the most comfortable of churches.
The church has three times entertained the Synod of Michigan, in
i866, in I891 and in I908.
"The original members of the church, with their places of origin, are
as follows: Samuel Murlin, Chili, New York; John Voorheis, Romulus,
New York; Mrs. Mary Voorheis, also from Romulus; Ephraim Burge,
Ovid, New York; Elijah S. and Fannie Fish, Buffalo, New York; Mrs.
Mary Church, Salisbury, New York; Elisheba Dort, Rettsburg, New
York; Mrs. Eleanor Ferguson, Detroit, Michigan; Marriet C. Haskins,
Lucina Williams, Mrs. Julia Williams and Mrs. Roxa Bartlett.
"The ministers who have served the church from the time of its or