McAdoo Clan

This McAdoo genealogy blog has been created to share family information. It will be used to record genealogy data as well as to communicate family news.

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Location: Metuchen, New Jersey, United States

Monday, March 27, 2006

McAdoo Family Records at the First Presbyterian Church of Port Kennedy, PA

On 16 Mar 2006, I traveled to Philadelphia to visit the Presbyterian Historical Society (PHS).   My purpose was to research the records of the First Presbyterian Church of Port Kennedy, PA for family information.  Ever since discovering the graves of my Great Great Grandparents, William and Sarah McAdoo and my Great Grandparents, James and Elizabeth/Eliza McAdoo in the church cemetery, I have wanted to find out what information might be contained in the official church records.  

It was fascinating to review the original Session Minutes and records from 1845 to 1903, the period of greatest interest to me.  While I was not successful in learning about some key missing genealogy information about my ancestors, I did discover some new information.  A summary follows:

Great grandmother Eliza McAdoo was received into church membership by examination on January 9, 1889.  She was about 24 years old.

John McAdoo, William and Sarah’s son was received into membership on the same day.  He was about 18 years old.

Mary McAdoo, William and Sarah’s daughter was received into membership by examination on April 11, 1897.  She was about 21 years old.

Mrs Martha King joined the church on April 18, 1881 at the age of about 25.  She was William and Sarah’s eldest child.

William King, age 3 months, son of John and Martha King was baptized on October 8, 1881.

John S. King was admitted into membership on March 24, 1877.

Mary J. Bleecher was admitted to membership on March 22, 1882 and readmitted on January 9, 1889.  I suspect she may have been Eliza’s sister based on census data.

John McLean, age 3 1/2 and Abram, age 11 months, sons of Oram and Mary Bleecher were baptized.  It is possible McLean could have been a misspelling of McClain.  

There was an entry in the Session Minutes on January 13, 1901 that read, ”After church service Rev. Mr. Hoisington and Elder William A. Murtha met at the home of Miss Mary McAdoo who was very ill.  And after prayer and reading of the scriptures, the Lord’s Supper was administered to her with her own consent.  And after prayer we departed.”  Mary died January 26, 1901.

There was no information about William and Sarah being members of the church or the baptism of any of there children.  There was no mention of Great Grandfather James or his brothers William and Daniel being members.  Other than Eliza and Mary J. Bleecher, I found no mention of the McClain family.