St.
Martin’s was founded in 1699 (and opened for worship in 1702)
by a bequest of local resident Walter Martin to provide an alternative
place of worship and burial for non-Quakers. The church built in
1702 was connected with St. Paul’s of Chester and St. John’s
of Concord. Missionaries were sent from Philadelphia to preach to
a scattered congregation. Problems arose with the distance for the
preachers from Philadelphia and a minister from the Swedish Church
of Wilmington presided. By 1725 an English minister was sent and
settled at the Church. In June 1760, the people of the mission decided
upon the name of St. Martin’s Church instead of the Chapel
of Chichester. The new name was in memory of its first benefactor.
The church and its
congregation have been centrally involved in the development of
Marcus Hook from an early market town to prominent 18th & 19th
century seaport, to 20th century mill town and refinery port. The
church has not only been an important place of worship for the river
front settlements, but also its successive structures have housed
the town’s corporate and political meetings from 1750 until
the recent past and served as a non-denominational school from 1745
to the construction of public schools in the 1850’s. Members
such as William Trainer and John Larkin, Jr., donated money and
land to the church.
St. Martin’s
parishioners outgrew the church and built a new place of worship
in Boothwyn, Pa in 1967. In 1985 the Marcus Hook Community Development
Corporation obtained the church and cemetery and immediately began
a comprehensive historic restoration program. The restoration work
which followed was based on historically accurate architectural
analysis and detailing. Within recent years the church has been
leased to different church congregations. The current tenant is
the Bible Presbyterian Church.
St. Martin’s
remains the pride and focal point of Marcus Hook. It was designated
a Local Historic Landmark by Borough Council in 1979. It is one
of the last survivors of the river-oriented society and a continuing
symbol of Penn’s religious tolerance.
List of Patriots and Soldiers
Buried in St. Martin’s Cemetery
- Samuel Armor – Soldier
- James Art – Soldier
- John Burns – Soldier
- Samuel Burns – Soldier
- William Burns – Soldier
- Joseph Cobourn – Soldier
- Lewis Davis Sr. – Committee
of Safety, Patriot
- Zachariah Derrick –
Soldier
- John Flower – Soldier
and Captain
- Richard Flower, Jr. –
Committee of Safety, Patriot
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- Benjamin Ford – Soldier
- William Ford – Soldier
- John Harding – Committee
of Correspondence, Patriot
- Benjamin Johnson –
Soldier
- David Johnson – Soldier
- Bezer Lamplugh – Soldier
- Isaac Lawrence – Soldier
- William Lewis – Committee
of Correspondence, Patriot
- David Marshall – Soldier
and Lieutenant
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- Thomas Moore, Jr. –
Soldier
- Thomas
Moore, Sr. – Captain of the galley “Hancock”
- Samuel Price – Soldier
- Richard Riley - Patriot
- William Talley – Soldier
- John Taylor – Committee
of Observation, Patriot
- Mordica Thompson –
Soldier
- Joseph Waggoner - Soldier
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