Churches in Brooke County…If you have names and records of other churches not listed here and would like to share them with us, please contact me by E Mail or the snail mail address on page one.

TENT CHURCH was organized in 1798 as the Cross Creek congregation of the Associate (Seceder) Presbyterian Church. It was probably organized by Rev. John Anderson, founder of the Pittsburgh Xenia Theological Seminary. The deed of property to the church was dated June 27, 1803. The purchase price was sixteen dollars. The present building was completed in 1873 and dedicated in October of the same year.

Taking part in the dedication service were Revs. John Hood, John T. Brownlee, James C. Campbell and others. In 1858, the Tent with most of the other congregations of the Associate Church entered the union with the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, and the united church took the name of the United Presbyterian Church.

The story of the building of the first log church has been handed down. The year is not known, but it was when whiskey flowed plentifully at such occasions as log rollings, raisings and other gatherings. The story has it that the supply of whiskey ran out before the building was completed, and a boy was immediately dispatched to the nearest "still house" for a new supply.

Tent church has had many colorful figures during its life span of more than two hundred years. But probably none has been more colorful, or more endearing to the hear, as was the school teacher from Eldersville, Margaret Jane Moore.

Born May 10, 1823, to James and Jane McCarrell Moore, Margaret Jane was off to an unfortunate start. Her mother died when she was born, leaving the little girl to be raised by her grandparents. Thomas McCarrell and his wife. Other relatives took her when old age overtook the grandparents.

She taught at Miller's school in 1853-54 and at Eldersville in 1855-56. Her salary at that time was $15 per month. Where she taught for 48 more years is not known.

She was decided in her opinions. When Tent Church discussed placing an organ in the worship services, she was adamant. Not until she stood outside the church to hear the music for herself would she enter and again participate. Even with this controversy, Margaret Jane never missed a service, summer or winter, walking the three miles to and from her crude little home in the isolated parts of Jefferson township.

Margaret Jane lived alone, used nothing but maple sugar, tapping her own trees and boiling down the sap in her own fireplace. She grubbed out locust trees with a mattock, becoming spattered with mud. It was in this condition, skirts tucked up and muddy felt boots bedecking her feet, that she found herself one day when the minister came to call. She invited him in, excused herself and soon appeared in her black alpaca dotted swiss apron and cap. The exact date of her death is unknown. She is buried in the graveyard of the Tent Church that she loved so well.