bwaughThe list that follows provides the moderators of the general assemblies of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA) beginning in 1789. Also, it includes moderators of both the Old School and New School, 1837-1869, as well as moderators of the Schools reunited as the PCUSA, 1870-1923. In 1861 the churches of the Confederacy separated from the PCUSA in response to the Gardner Spring Resolutions calling for allegiance to the Federal Government. During the Civil War years the Confederate churches formed their own assembly, 1861-1865, which came to be the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS) in 1865. Note that the New School held its meetings at irregular intervals sometimes resulting in some gaps in the list.
A few observations may be helpful. The only presbyter to be a moderator twice is William S. Plumer who hefted the gavel in both the Old School, 1838, and then the PCUS in 1871. Up to the 1837 division the assembly met in Philadelphia 44 out of 49 times and Pennsylvania was the venue 48 out of 49 times. The only time the Assembly convened in the southern states was 1799 in Winchester, Virginia. It is easy to see why churches in the South and West complained about the obvious inequity of the travel situation which resulted in considerable attendance and influence from New England and the upper mid-Atlantic States. However, 1837-1869, the Old and New Schools varied their locations better.
John Witherspoon was appointed by the Synod of New York and Philadelphia in 1789 to convene the First General Assembly when it gathered in Philadelphia and then John Rodgers was elected moderator by the commissioners. The selection of Rodgers was not a snub because Witherspoon would die in 1794 and in his latter years he suffered from blindness and other physical difficulties. Witherspoon had to be helped into and out of the pulpit when he preached. It must have been a heart-rending sight to see a father of American Presbyterianism and of the United States declining.
In The Presbyterian Magazine, vol. 1, 1851, pages 478-79, the following comment is made about the Assemblies to date, but note the quote does not take into account convening the first Assembly by John Witherspoon. “There have been sixty-three General Assemblies in our Church, and of course there have been as many Moderators. Of these, 32, being more than half, are no longer numbered with the living. The first 18 on the list are dead. Of the 31 survivors, 1 is in the Dutch Church, and 4 joined the New-school, leaving 26 in our Church [Old School]. Of these 26, 6 reside in Pennsylvania, 5 in New Jersey, 4 in New York, 3 in South Carolina, 2 in Virginia, 2 in Kentucky, 1 in Maryland, 1 in Ohio, 1 in Iowa, and 1 in Tennessee. Of the 26 it is believed that 6 are over 75 years of age. The youngest is said to be over 38 years of age. Of the whole number (63), 16 were at the time of their election residents of New York, 16 of Pennsylvania, 10 of New Jersey, 5 of Virginia, 5 of South Carolina, 4 of Ohio, 2 of Maryland, 2 of Kentucky, 2 of Tennessee, and 1 of North Carolina. From this time forth, it is probable that as many of the survivors will die in a term of years as there will be names added to the list. The Moderators of the Assemblies of 1807, 1808, 1811, 1815, and 1818, still survive, and are Drs. A. Alexander, P. Milledoler, E. Nott, W. Neill, and J.J. Janeway.”
The links are to biographies, reviews, or other articles about or associated with the moderator on Presbyterians of the Past.
The header image shows the Old School General Assembly convened in Seventh Presbyterian Church May 29, 1861 which was the day before the vote regarding the Gardner Spring resolutions. It is cropped from a stereo view held by the New York Public Library in their digital collection and is titled, “The General Assembly of 1861.” The obverse of the stereo view has a list of the commissioners in attendance. The retiring moderator was John W. Yoemans and the moderator elected—likely seen in the pulpit—was John T. Backus of Baltimore. The man at the desk may be Clerk A. T. McGill.
For each moderator the year of the assembly is given first, his name is followed by his presbytery, and last is the location of the assembly. The norm for moderators until after the Civil War was to elect a minister. The practice of some Presbyterian bodies today is alternating moderators between ministers or teaching elders and ruling elders, which is surely the appropriate method. Sometimes the name of the state is provided in the list when the city name could be confused with another location.
Barry Waugh
1789 to 1837 and the Old School-New School Division
1789, John Witherspoon, D.D., New Brunswick, at Philadelphia
ibid., John Rodgers, D.D., New York, at Philadelphia
1790, Robert Smith, D.D., New York, at Philadelphia
1791, John Woodhull, D.D., New Brunswick, at Philadelphia
1792, John King, D.D., Carlisle, at Carlisle
1793, James Latta, D.D., New Castle, at Philadelphia
1794, Alexander McWhorter, D.D., New York, at Philadelphia
1795, John McKnight, D.D., New York, at Carlisle
1796, Robert Davidson, D.D., Carlisle, at Philadelphia
1797, William M. Tennent, D.D., Philadelphia, at Philadelphia
1798, John B. Smith, D.D., Albany, at Philadelphia
1799, Samuel S. Smith, D.D., LL.D., New Brunswick, at Winchester, Virginia
1800, Joseph Clark, D.D., New Brunswick, at Philadelphia
1801, Nathaniel Irwin, Philadelphia, at Philadelphia
1802, Azel Roe, D.D., New York, at Philadelphia
1803, James Hall, D.D., Concord, at Philadelphia
1804, James F. Armstrong, New Brunswick, at Philadelphia
1805, James Richards, D.D., New York, at Philadelphia
1806, Samuel Miller, D.D., LL.D., New York, at Philadelphia
1807, Archibald Alexander, D.D., Philadelphia, at Philadelphia
1808, Philip Milledoler, D.D., New York, at Philadelphia
1809, Drury Lacy, Hanover, at Philadelphia
1810, John B. Romeyn, D.D., New York, at Philadelphia
1811, Eliphalet Nott, D.D., LL.D., Albany, at Philadelphia
1812, Andrew Flinn, D.D., Harmony, at Philadelphia
1813, Samuel Blatchford, D.D., Columbia, at Philadelphia
1814, James Inglis, D.D., Baltimore, at Philadelphia
1815, William Neill, D.D., Albany, at Philadelphia
1816, James Blythe, D.D., West Lexington, at Philadelphia
1817, Jonas Coe, D.D., Columbia, at Philadelphia
1818, Jacob J. Janeway, D.D., Philadelphia, at Philadelphia
1819, John H. Rice, D.D., Hanover, at Philadelphia
1820, John McDowell, D.D., Jersey, at Philadelphia
1821, William Hill, D.D., Winchester, at Philadelphia
1822, Obadiah Jennings, D.D., Steubenville, at Philadelphia
1823, John Chester, D.D., Albany, at Philadelphia
1824, Ashbel Green, D.D., LL.D., Philadelphia, at Philadelphia
1825, Stephen N. Rowan D.D., New York, at Philadelphia
1826, Thomas McAuley, D.D., LL.D., New York, at Philadelphia
1827, Francis Herron, D.D., Ohio, at Philadelphia
1828, Ezra S. Ely, D.D., Philadelphia, at Philadelphia
1829, Benjamin H. Rice, D.D., Hanover, at Philadelphia
1830, Ezra Fisk, D.D., Hudson, at Philadelphia
1831, Nathan S. S. Beman, D.D., LL.D. Troy, at Philadelphia
1832, James Hoge, D.D., Columbus, at Philadelphia
1833, William A. McDowell, D.D., Charleston Union, at Philadelphia
1834, Philip Lindsley, D.D., West Tennessee, at Philadelphia
1835, William W. Phillips, D.D., New York, at Pittsburgh
1836, John Witherspoon, D.D., LL.D., Harmony, at Pittsburgh
1837, David Elliott, D.D., LL.D., Ohio, at Philadelphia
1838-1869, Era of the Old and New Schools, PCUSA
For both Schools the two meetings in 1869 were for completing the reunion.
Old School
1838, William S. Plumer, D.D., LL.D., East Hanover, at Philadelphia
1839, Joshua L. Wilson, D.D., Cincinnati, at Philadelphia
1840, William M. Engles, D.D., Philadelphia, at Philadelphia
1841, Robert J. Breckinridge, D.D., LL.D., Baltimore, at Philadelphia
1842, John T. Edgar, D.D., Nashville, at Philadelphia
1843, Gardiner Spring, D.D., LL.D., New York, at Philadelphia
1844, George Junkin, D.D., LL.D., Oxford, at Louisville
1845, John M. Krebs, D.D., New York, at Cincinnati
1846, Charles Hodge, D.D., LL.D., New Brunswick, at Philadelphia
1847, James H. Thornwell, D.D., LL.D., Charleston, at Richmond, Virginia
1848, Alexander T. McGill, D.D., LL.D., Ohio, at Baltimore
1849, Nicholas Murray, D.D., Elizabethtown, at Pittsburgh
1850, Aaron W. Leland, D.D., Charleston, at Cincinnati
1851, Edward P. Humphrey, D.D., LL.D., Louisville, at St. Louis
1852, John C. Lord, D.D., Buffalo City, at Charleston, South Carolina
1853, John C. Young. D.D., Transylvania, at Philadelphia
1854, Henry A. Boardman, D.D., Philadelphia, at Buffalo
1855, Nathan L. Rice, D.D., St. Louis, at Nashville, Tennessee
1856, Francis McFarland, D.D., Lexington, at New York
1857, Cortlandt Van Rensselaer, D.D., Burlington, at Lexington, Kentucky
1858, William A. Scott, D.D., LL.D., California, at New Orleans
1859, William L. Breckenridge, D.D, Louisville, at Indianapolis
1860, John W. Yeomans, D.D., Northumberland, at Rochester
1861, John C. Backus, D.D., LL.D., Baltimore, at Philadelphia
[Confederacy Old School formed its own assembly—see “1861-1922, PCUS” below.]
1862, Charles C. Beatty, D.D., LL.D., Stubenville, at Columbus, Ohio
1863, John H. Morrison, D.D., Lodiana, at Peoria, Illinois
1864, James Wood, D.D., Madison, at Newark, New Jersey
1865, John C. Lowrie, D.D., Chillicothe, at St. Louis
1866, Robert L. Stanton. D.D., Chillicothe, at St. Louis
1867, Phineas D. Gurley, D.D., Potomac, at Cincinnati
1868, George W. Musgrave, D.D., LL.D., Philadelphia Central, at Albany
1869, M. W. Jacobus, D.D., LL.D., Ohio, at New York
ibid., M. W. Jacobus, D.D., LL.D., Ohio, November 11, at Pittsburgh
New School
1838, Samuel Fisher, D.D., Newark, at Philadelphia
1839, Baxter Dickinson, D.D., Cincinnati, at Philadelphia
1840, William Wisner, D.D., Ithaca, at Philadelphia
1843, Ansel D. Eddy, D.D., Newark, at Philadelphia
1846, Samuel H. Cox, D.D., LL.D., Brooklyn, at Philadelphia
1849, Philip C. Hay, D.D., Tioga, at Philadelphia
1850, David H. Riddle, D.D., LL.D., Pittsburgh, at Detroit, Michigan
1851, Albert Barnes, Philadelphia Fourth, Utica, at New York
1852, William Adams, D.D., LL.D., New York Fourth, at Washington, D.C.
1853, Diarca H. Allen, D.D., Cincinnati, at Buffalo
1854, Thomas H. Skinner, D.D., LL.D., New York Third, at Philadelphia
1855, William C. Wisner, D.D., Niagara, at St. Louis
1856, Laurens P. Hickok, D.D., LL.D., Troy, at New York
1857, Samuel W. Fisher, D.D., LL.D., Cincinnati, at Cleveland, Ohio
1858, Matthew L. P. Thompson, D.D., Buffalo, at Chicago, Illinois
1859, Robert W. Patterson, D.D., Chicago, at Wilmington, Delaware
1860, Thornton A. Mills, D.D. Indianapolis, at Pittsburgh
1861, Jonathan B. Condit, D.D., Cayuga, at Syracuse, New York
1862, George Duffield, D.D., Detroit, at Cincinnati
1863, Henry B. Smith, D.D., LL.D., New York Fourth, at Dayton, Ohio
1864, Thomas Brainerd, D.D., Philadelphia Fourth, at Dayton, Ohio
1865, James B. Shaw, D.D., Rochester, at Brooklyn, New York
1866, Samuel M. Hopkins, D.D., Cayuga, at St. Louis
1867, Henry A. Nelson, D.D., St. Louis, at Rochester, New York
1868, Jonathan F. Stearns, D.D., Newark, at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
1869, Philemon H. Fowler, D.D., Utica, at New York
ibid., Philemon H. Fowler, D.D., Utica (November 12), at Pittsburgh
1870-1922, Old and New Schools Reunited, PCUSA
1870, J. Trumbull Backus, D.D., LL.D., Albany, at Philadelphia
1871, Zephaniah M. Humphrey, D.D., Philadelphia, at Chicago
1872, Samuel J. Niccolls, D.D., LL.D., St. Louis, at Detroit
1873, Howard Crosby, D.D., LL.D., New York, at Baltimore
1874, Samuel J. Wilson, D.D., LL.D., Pittsburgh, at St. Louis
1875, Edward D. Morris, D.D., LL.D., Cincinnati, at Cleveland, Ohio
1876, Henry J. Van Dyke, D.D., Brooklyn, at Brooklyn
1877, James Eells, D.D., LL.D., San Francisco, at Chicago
1878, Francis L. Patton, D.D., LL.D., Chicago, at Pittsburgh
1879, Henry H. Jessup, D.D., Lackawanna, at Saratoga, New York
1880, William M. Paxton, D.D., LL.D., New York, at Madison, Wisconsin
1881, Henry Darling, D.D., LL.D., Albany, at Buffalo
1882, Herrick Johnson, D.D., LL^D., Chicago, at Springfield, Illinois
1883, Edwin F. Hatfield, D.D., New York, at Saratoga
1884, George P. Hays, D.D., LL.D., Denver, at Saratoga
1885, Elijah R. Craven, D.D., LL.D., Newark, at Cincinnati
1886, David C. Marquis, D.D., LL.D., St. Louis, at Minneapolis, Minnesota
1887, Joseph T. Smith, D.D., LL.D., Baltimore, at Omaha, Nebraska
1888, Charles L. Thompson, D.D., LL.D., Kansas City, at Philadelphia
1889, William C. Roberts, D.D., LL.D., Chicago, at New York
1890, William E. Moore, D.D., LL.D., Columbus, at Saratoga
1891, W. Henry Green, D.D., LL.D., New Brunswick, at Detroit
1892, William C. Young, D.D., LL.D., Transylvania, at Portland, Oregon
1893, Willis Green Craig, D.D., LL.D., Iowa, at Washington, D.C.
1894, Samuel A. Mutchmore, D.D., LL.D., Philadelphia, at Saratoga
1895, Robert R. Booth, D.D., LL.D., New York, at Pittsburgh
1896, John L. Withrow, D.D., LL.D., Chicago, at Saratoga
1897, Sheldon Jackson, D.D., LL.D., Alaska, at Winona Lake, Indiana
1898, Wallace Radcliffe, D.D., LL.D., Washington City, at Winona Lake,
1899, Robert F. Sample, D.D., LL.D., New York, at Minneapolis
1900, Charles A. Dickey, D.D., LL.D., Philadelphia, at St. Louis
1901, Henry C. Minton, D.D., LL.D., San Francisco, at Philadelphia
1902, Henry van Dyke, D.D., LL.D., New Brunswick, at New York
1903, Robert F. Coyle, D.D., LL.D., Denver, at Los Angeles, California
1904, J. Addison Henry, D.D., LL.D., Philadelphia, at Buffalo
1905, James D. Moffat, D.D., LL.D., Washington, at Winona Lake
1906, Hunter Corbett, D.D., LL.D., Shantung, at Des Moines, Iowa
1907, William H. Roberts, D.D., LL.D., Philadelphia, at Columbus, Ohio
1908, Baxter P. Fullerton, D.D., LL.D., St. Louis, at Kansas City, Missouri
1909, James M. Barkley, D.D., LL.D., Detroit, at Denver, Colorado
1910, Charles Little, D.D., LL.D., Muncie, at Atlantic City, New Jersey
1911, John F. Carson, D.D., LL.D., Brooklyn, at Atlantic City
1912, Mark A. Matthews, D.D., LL.D., Seattle, at Louisville, Kentucky
1913, John T. Stone, D.D., LL.D., Chicago, at Atlanta, Georgia
1914, Maitland Alexander, D.D., LL.D., Pittsburgh, at Chicago
1915, J. Ross Stevenson, D.D., LL.D., Baltimore, at Rochester, New York
1916, John A. Marquis, D.D., LL.D., Cedar Rapids, at Atlantic City
1917, J. Wilbur Chapman, D.D., LL.D., New York, at Dallas, Texas
1918, J. Frank Smith, D.D., Dallas, at Columbus, Ohio
1919, John Willis Baer f LL.D., Litt.D., Los Angeles, at St. Louis
1920, Samuel S. Palmer, D.D., Columbus, at Philadelphia
1921, Henry C. Swearingen, D.D., St. Paul, at Winona Lake, Indiana
1922, Calvin C. Hays, D.D., Blairsville, at Des Moines, Iowa
1923, Charles F. Wishart, Wooster, at Indianapolis
1861-1922, PCUS
1861, Benjamin M. Palmer, D. D.,·New Orleans, at Augusta, Georgia
1862, John L. Kirkpatrick, D. D., Concord, at Montgomery, Alabama
1863, James A. Lyon, D. D., Tombeckbee, at Columbia, South Carolina
1864, John S. Wilson, D. D., Flint River, at Charlotte, North Carolina
1865, George Howe, D. D., Charleston, at Macon, Georgia
1866, Andrew H. Kerr, D. D, Memphis, at Memphis, Tennessee
1867, Thomas V. Moore, D. D., East Hanover, at Nashville, Tennessee
1868, John N. Waddell, D. D., Chickasaw, at Baltimore, Maryland
1869, Stuart Robinson, D. D., Louisville, at Mobile, Alabama
1870, Robert L. Dabney, D. D., West Hanover, at Louisville, Kentucky
1871, William S. Plummer, D. D., Harmony, at Huntsville, Alabama
1872, Thomas R. Welch, D. D., Arkansas, at Richmond, Virginia
1873, Henry M. Smith, D. D., New Orleans, at Little Rock, Arkansas
1874, John L. Girardeau, D. D., Charleston, at Columbus, Mississippi
1875, Moses D. Hoge, D. D., East Hanover, at St. Louis, Missouri
1876, Benjamin M. Smith, D. D., West Hanover, at Savannah, Georgia
1877, Charles A. Stillman, D. D., Tuscaloosa, at New Orleans, Louisiana
1878, Thomas E. Peck, D. D., Roanoke, at Knoxville, Tennessee
1879, Joseph R. Wilson, D. D., Wilmington, at Louisville, Kentucky
1880, Thomas A. Hoyt, D. D., Nashville, at Charleston, South Carolina
1881, Robert P. Farris, D. D., St. Louis, at Staunton, Virginia
1882, Richmond K. Smoot, D. D., Central Texas, at Atlanta
1883, Theodorick Pryor, D. D., East Hanover, at Lexington, Kentucky
1884, Thomas D. Witherspoon, D. D., Louisville, at Vicksburg, Mississippi
1885, Henry R. Raymond, D. D., Tuscaloosa, at Houston, Texas
1886, John H. Bryson, D. D., North Alabama, at Augusta, Georgia
1887, Givens B. Strickler, D. D., Atlanta, at St. Louis
1888, Joseph J. Bullock, D. D., Maryland, at Baltimore
1889, Halbert G. Hill, D. D., Fayetteville, at Chattanooga
1890, James Park, D. D., Knoxville, at Asheville
1891, Hampden C. DuBose, D. D., Pee Dee, at Birmingham, Alabama
1892, Samuel A. King, D. D., Central Texas, at Hot Springs, Arkansas
1893, James W. Lapsley, North Alabama, at Macon, Georgia
1894, James R. Graham, D. D., Winchester, at Nashville
1895, Charles R. Hemphill, D. D., Louisville, at Dallas, Texas
1896, Robert Q. Mallard, D. D., New Orleans, at Memphis
1897, George T. Goetchius, D. D., Cherokee, at Charlotte
1898, Edward M. Green, D. D., Transylvania, at New Orleans
1899, John F. Cannon, D. D., St. Louis, at Richmond
1900, Joseph W. Martin, LL. D., Arkansas, at Atlanta
1901, Neander M. Woods, D. D., Memphis, at Little Rock
1902, William T. Hall, D. D., Bethel, at Jackson, Mississippi
1903, Abner C. Hopkins, D. D, Winchester, at Lexington, Virginia
1904, Samuel M. Neel, D. D., Upper Missouri, at Mobile, Alabama
1905, John T. Plunket, D. D., Augusta, at Fort Worth, Texas
1906, Allen G. Hall, LL. D., Nashville, at Greenville, South Carolina
1907, J. R. Howerton, D. D., Asheville, at Birmingham
1908, Walter W. Moore, D. D., West Hanover, at Greensboro
1909, William E. Boggs, D. D., Suwanee, at Savannah
1910, Jonathan W. Bachman, D. D., Knoxville, at Lewisburg, West Virginia
1911, Russell Cecil, D. D., East Hanover, at Louisville
1912, Thomas S. Clyce, D. D., Dallas, at Bristol, Tennessee
1913, John S. Lyons, D. D., Louisville, at Atlanta
1914, William J. Martin, LL. D., Concord, at Kansas City, Missouri
1915, William M. Alexander, D. D., New Orleans, at Newport News
1916, Cornelius W. Grafton, D. D., Mississippi, at Orlando, Florida
1917, John M. Wells, D. D., Wilmington, at Birmingham
1918, James I. Vance, D. D., Nashville, at Durant, Oklahoma
1919, Abel M. Fraser, D. D., Lexington, at New Orleans
1920, Walter L. Lingle, D. D., Concord, at Charlotte
1921, Albert B. Curry, D. D., Memphis, at St. Louis
1922, Richard C. Reed, D. D., Atlanta., at Charleston, West Virginia
1923, Alexander Sprunt, D. D., Charleston, at Montreat, North Carolina
