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Condit, Philip
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| LAST: Condit
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FIRST: Philip
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MID:
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| GENDER: M
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MAIDEN NAME:
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TITLE: Rev.
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| BORN: 4 Nov 1801
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DIED: 2 Nov 1856
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BURIED:
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| OCCUPATION: Minister
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| BIRTH PLACE: Pennsylvania
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| DEATH PLACE: Marion Co., Oregon
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NOTES:
1850 OH CENSUS - Philip Condit, age 47, occupation preacher, b. Pennsylvania, is enumerated with Nancy, age 43, b. Pennsylvania, along with Syranus, age 22, b. Pennsylvania, Sylvanus, age 21, b. Pennsylvania, Alva, age 19, b. Pennsylvania, Samuel J. W., age 15, b. Pennsylvania, Mary A. C., age 11, b. Pennsylvania, and David W. C., age 9, b. Ohio.
BIOGRAPHICAL:
Born in Pennsylvania in 1801; was married to Nancy Gordon on February 2, 1826. Children – Cyrenus C., Sylvanus, Alva, Samuel J. M., and Mary A. C. Mr. Condit organized Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church, which was built in 1857-58, the second church constructed by that denomination in Oregon.
BIOGRAPHICAL:
Rev. Philip Condit and his sons, Sylvanus and Cyrenus, started construction of Pleasant Grove Presbyterian church, the second in Oregon Territory, 100 years ago. Tradition relates that lumber for its building was hauled from Oregon City to the site by oxen and carpenters planed the lumber by hand to make pews still in use by the church.
The Capital Journal 21 Jun 1956 (within an article about the murder of James A. Young)
BIOGRAPHICAL (Source - Steeves, pp 286-289):
Among those of the Presbyterian faith coming to Oregon in the early days was the Rev. Phillip Condit, of Ohio. Sylvanus, a son of Rev. Phillip Condit, had come to Oregon in 1851, driving an ox team across the plains for Hiram Smith. Among this party of 1851 were also Thomas McF. Patton, Joseph Cook, and the Buckinghams. During this journey he had learned many things about the camping places, how to manage for fuel and knew something about how to treat the Indians to get best results.
Sylvanus Condit took the western journey in search of health. Fever and ague, so prevalent in Ohio at that time, had afflicted him so seriously that a change of climate seemed the only cure in sight. An uncle, Alva Condit, Sr., had already gone out to Oregon and had settled on Clatsop plains. This location is now about midway between Warrenton and Seaside, in Clatsop County, on the main highway. This uncle had sent back word that they were free of this scourge in Oregon.
Sylvanus said that the very day their caravan arrived at the village of Portland, or where Portland is today, he had one of the worst chills he had ever experienced and was so discouraged over this that had he been possessed with sufficient funds for the return trip, he would have started back to Ohio right away, he was so homesick and disappointed. However, he went down the Columbia River to visit his uncle Alva and in a short time he felt much better and again went to Portland, where he worked as a carpenter for two years, and in 1853 returned to Ohio, a well man. By this time he was so enthusiastic over the beauties of the Willamette Valley and its health-giving climate, that he readily induced his father and brothers to joint the western exodus. His mother’s health was very poor and it was in hopes of her complete recovery that the decision was made.
In the early spring of 1854 we find Rev. Phillip Condit, his wife, and their two eldest sons, already married, four minor children and an adopted daughter, Nancy, and three young, unmarried hired men to attend their stock, headed for the Oregon country. This small company was comprised of only fourteen souls, and must have set out with great faith, and in the face of experiences suffered by others. Sabbath observance was one of the cardinal tenets of the Presbyterian church, and as the three Condit families were all of one “persuasion,” they made it a rule not to travel on Sunday, but would rest by the way and listen to the Rev. Phillip expound the scriptures best suited to their needs.
Always before starting out in the early morning, these faithful men and women had family worship. The record says that only a very few Sundays did they break this rule and that was to find food and water for themselves and their animals. In their case, “virtue seemed to have its reward,” for they had no trouble with the Indians whatever. Many came to their camp, but these good folk had laid in a goodly supply of trinkets and a present of a little tobacco or a few beads seemed to satisfy the redskins and they were not molested. The only ill that befell the party was the death of the adopted daughter, Nancy, of camp fever and the loss of some of the stock as they wore out along the way.
Because of his previous experience, Sylvanus was chosen captain of this little company, and they finally arrived in Marion County and made a settlement near Aumsville, where the father and his two sons took up land adjoining.
Just as they crossed over the Cascade Mountains, provisions ran low, so one of the younger boys was sent on ahead for food supplies. The only thing he could get was a sack of potatoes and a little salt. For some time the stock of potatoes they had laid in before starting west had been consumed and they said these potatoes tasted the best of anything they had eaten for a long time.
So many of their oxen had died along the way that by the time they arrived in Aumsville the only team Sylvanus had was one horse and a cow, but these were industrious, sturdy folk and it was but a short time until a home was built for each family and stock was accumulated. Their farms yielded well and in time these families were considered among the most prosperous in Marion County. When houses were built for the three families, shelter for the stock and the farms had been put in shape to reproduce crops, these good folk began to consider a house of worship, where those of the Presbyterian faith could meet together. Up to this time there was but one church of that denomination in the territory, and that was organized and a little church building erected on Clatsop plains, near Warrenton, Oregon, by Alva Condit, a brother of Phillip, who had come to Oregon at an earlier date.
The first action upon the part of Rev. Phillip and his two sons was to organize a church of nine charter members. The names of this register are: Mrs. Nancy Condit, Cyrenius Condit and his wife Rebecca, Sylvanus Condit and his wife Sarah, Samuel Condit, Mrs. Pira Rudolph, Mrs. Alcy Neal, and Mrs. Elizabeth Thomas.
Rev. Phillip Condit was assisted in the launching of this church by the Rev. J.A. Hanna in September 1856 and died two months afterward. They called the church Pleasant Grove. His sons took up the work started by the father and with their own hands helped in the construction of the building, every board of which was planed by hand and the furniture all handmade.
At this date of 1927 this church building is still in use and is the first building of the Presbyterian church erected in Oregon now standing. The church building at Clatsop plains was the first one erected in Oregon, but fire destroyed the original building and another took its place. Pleasant Grove has the honor of being the oldest Presbyterian church in Oregon. Sometimes it is called Condit Church because of its founders. At the time it was built there were just a few small fir trees scattered about and the name must have been prophetic, for today it really stands in the midst of a “pleasant grove.”
Phillip Condit was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, May 1, 1801. His wife, Nancy Gordon, was born possibly in Pennsylvania, March 30, 1806. They were married on February 2, 1826, in Pennsylvania. Mr. Condit died November, 1856; his wife in 1861. Their children were:
Cyrenius, born January 20, 1827; married Rebecca Rowland.
Sylvanus, born March 24, 1829; married Sarah A. Brown. Alva, born June 3, 1831; was married to Mary A. Reasoner. Samuel, born June 21, 1834; and married Virginia Campbell. Mary A. was born June 1, 1838; died October 1862. William Cooper was born October 15, 1842, and died January 15, 1869."
NOTE - See an abstract of the Condit overland diary at Stephenie Flora's Oregon Pioneer website http://www.oregonpioneers.com/Condit_Diary.htm
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OBITUARY:
Died Nov. 24, 1856 at his residence at Pleasant Grove, Marion Co. of typhoid fever, age 55.
Weekly Oregon Statesman 27 Dec 1856 2:7
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INSCRIPTION:
Philip Condit
Died
Nov. 2, 1856
Aged 55 y’s 6 m’s 21 d’s
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SOURCES:
Saucy Survey & Photographs
1850 OH CENSUS (Wood Co., Washington, Fa #816)
Clark, pg 828
CJ 21 Jun 1956
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