On January 25, 1834, a group of residents of Westchester formed a committee to establish "A Free Meeting House for All Gospel Preachers". It seems that nothing further was done until the early 1850's when the structure was finally constructed and put into use.

Experienced Cumberland County reseachers are well aware of the lack of primary source material for Westchester and vicinity. While not substitutes for a complete census, these documents will help fill some of the gaps in the historical record.

The source for these lists is the "Notebook on the Westchester Meeting House, 1834-1886". J.J. Stewart Papers, Dalhousie University Archives, DAL MS2 193 B-2. Note that this volume does not contain any vital statistics.

 

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Original Subscribers, 1834

Note that when this list was transcribed, ca. 1852, the copyist noted that three of the original subscribers were deceased. No dates were given.

    Atkinson, Thomas      Deceased
    Colborn, Benjamin
    Embree, Jacob
    Fountain, Aaron Sr.
    Fountain, Ezra        Deceased
    Fountain, Henry P.
    Fountain, Matthew
    Fountain, William
    Giles, Thomas
    Griffin, William
    Holiday, Ebenezer
    Holiday, Jonathan C.
    Holiday, Samuel
    McDonald, Alexander
    McDonald, R.
    Morrell, James A.
    Pudry, Jacob G.
    Purdy, Gabriel B.
    Purdy, Gabriel Esq.   Deceased
    Purdy, Gabriel Sr.
    Purdy, Gilbert
    Purdy, Henry
    Purdy, Samuel J.
    Robblee, William
    Rushton, Abraham
    Rushton, George
    Rushton, Thomas
    Stewart, Alexander
    Stewart, Donald
    Stewart, James
    Stewart, William
    "Ruffus and James"

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Pew Holders, 1850's

When the Westchester Meeting House came into active use in the mid-1850's, pews were rented to members of the congregation on an annual basis (as was the custom elsewhere). Other than noting the sale of Jacob Embree's estate in September, 1864, no dates are given for transferrs of pews.
Pew numbers 16, 19, & 21 were apparently held jointly by two individuals or families.

    Name                     Pew#
    ==========================================================
    Atkinson, David            21
    Budd, John                  1
    Burnsides, William         26
    Embree, Jacob              25 To John Atkinson, Sept. 1864
    Fountain, Henry P.         20
    Fountain, Matthew          17 To Atkinson Fountain
    Halliday, Jonathan C.       3
    Jackson, William           19
    Langille, Benjamin         14
    McDonald, Alex             24
    Morrell, James A.           2
    Pudry, Jacob G.            10
    Purdy, Alex B.              9
    Purdy, Edwiin J.            8
    Purdy, Gabriel             23
    Purdy, Gabriel F.          27
    Purdy, Gilbert              4
    Purdy, Henry Esq.           7,13
    Purdy, James D.            12
    Rushton, George            28
    Stevenson, William         18 To Alexander Fountain
    Stewart, Grace             16
    Stewart, James              6
    Stewart, Jane              21
    Stewart, Robert             5
    Stewart, William           15
    Stewart Christy            16
    Stonehouse, Isaac          22
    Stonehouse, Wesley         11
    Stonehouse, Zachirius      19