Wellsburg in Chemung County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Site of First Church in Chemung Valley

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 20, 2022

1. Site of First Church in Chemung Valley Marker

Inscription. • The site of •
First Church
of any denomination
—in—
Chemung Valley
was one-fourth mile north
————
Organized
September 2, 1789 by
Roswell Goff, First Pastor
—and—
William Buck • John Hillman
Peter Roberts • John Roberts
Jesse Locey • John Vancamp
Elizabeth Hillman
(all Baptists)

The beginning of Christian
organizations in Chemung
and neighboring valleys

Erected 1931 by Wellsburg Baptist Church; Local Citizens; Chemung County Historical Society; and State of New York.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is September 2, 1789.

Location. 42° 0.917′ N, 76° 42.069′ W. Marker is in Wellsburg, New York, in Chemung County. Marker is on Wilawana Road (New York State Route 427) 1.3 miles east of Main Street, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Wellsburg NY 14894, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Thick Swamp (approx. 0.9 miles away); Battle of Chemung (approx. 1.1 miles away); Rowland Montour (approx. 1.1 miles away); Line Occupied - Rifle Corps (approx. 1.3 miles

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away); This Ridge (approx. 1.3 miles away); Christ Episcopal Church (approx. 1.3 miles away); Line of Rude Breastworks (approx. 1.4 miles away); Newtown Battlefield (approx. 1.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wellsburg.

Also see . . .
1. Churches - Town of Chemung, NY. Historical Echoes of Chemung, NY website entry:

Records of the original church have survived, 1789 to 1834. The original log cabin church was destroyed by flooding. It was located almost directly behind the marker, shown above and straight back to the tree line, next to the river.

(Submitted on May 21, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Christmas in Colonial Chemung, 1788. Historical Echoes of Chemung, NY website entry:
Little is known about the first church erected in the Town of Chemung. It sat on the bank of the Chemung River several miles from what is now “Chemung Proper” on the south side of the river at what is known today as the Tanner Farm. A small gathering met in worship, according to the early minutes of the Wellsburg Church. From this beginning, the Baptist Church grew, expanding to the building of a Meeting House in 1812. The log cabin church and a cemetery were washed away in a flood.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 20, 2022

2. Site of First Church in Chemung Valley Marker

There are no remains today and no record of burials in the cemetery. (Submitted on May 21, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 20, 2022

3. Site of First Church in Chemung Valley Marker

(looking north from Wilawana Road toward former church site • Chemung River is beyond tree line in the distant background)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 21, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 20, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 136 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on May 20, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3. submitted on May 21, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.