NORTHERN TOUR
The following are a list of sites where Finney preached within an hour’s radios of the village of Lowville, where I serve as pastor. This is the area where Finney and Nash worked together most during the first seven years of revival. I have limited myself to only include the villages and hamlets that are specifically mentioned in Finney’s Memoirs, or where there was a first hand account of his ministry taken place there. I have found buildings and landmarks that correspond with the details Finney' mentioned in his autobiography, which have been my guide for this study. Unfortunately, many of the buildings (in some cases whole sections of the villages) have burned to the ground. This not only changes the historical value of these places but it puts a whole new meaning to expression "Burned Over District". Some of the buildings have not been able to stand the test of 175 years of Northern New York winters, but others have stood surprisingly well. The landscape and remoteness of some of these places remain the same and will add much to your appreciation of the Finney story. Most of the roads we will use today also remain the same, allowing you to easily envision a young man moving through this frontier on horseback, bringing revival to the area. In many ways this area is still a frontier and you can expect to see some beautiful countryside, which is a wonderful way to spend a day in prayer.
ADAMS
- You can see the
original site of the Presbyterian Church were Finney attended. The
present building was built many years after Finney left the area. The
original clap board building he was in had been moved across the street
by the Methodist. It burned in the mid 1800's.
- The woods where Finney prayed to become a
Christian is now an open field.
- The location of
Squire Wright’s law office has been determined, although the original
building has long been replaced.
- The locations of
several homes and businesses mentioned in the autobiography have been
approximated using old maps. (No deed work has been done.) The location
of the homes of Mr. Tucker, Samuel Bond, Elder Hinman, Deacon Barney and
also the shoemaker’s shop can be seen, but the houses on the properties
have not been dated. I have also found locations of two of Squire
Wright’s homes, and Pastor George Gale's home where Finney boarded while
in Adams. I would like to find John Wright’s home as well as George
Andrus, because Finney also boarded with them.
HENDERSON
- The likely home of Deacon Montague, who held the prayer meeting, has been located. More deed work is needed for final verification.
BROWNVILLE
-
The original stone Presbyterian Church
where Finney first ministered has been located. The second wooden
structure has also been found, although it has been turned into a
private residence.
-
I am still looking for the home of Elder
Ballard, with whom Finney stayed while in Brownville.
PERCH RIVER
- I have found the
foundation of the old Baptist church built after Finney brought revival
to this hamlet. There are many stone houses still standing from this
era. There is a fine stone school house that given us a look into the
past.
- The location of the
homes of the two elders who managed the church has been located using
old maps.
EVANS
MILLS
- The location of the stone school house were Finney first preached has been verified. A modern school building now stands on the same site.
- The locations of the Baptist and Presbyterian churches have both been found. Both congregations were mentioned in Finney’s Memoirs.
- The location of the first home where Finney stopped and held night meetings has been found. (No deed work has been done.)
- The Hoover hotel is still standing. The first owner of this hotel, John Hoover was converted during Finney’s time in Evans’ Mills.
- The second school house near Evans’ Mills has been located. This was the place where a man brought a gun to the meeting to kill Finney while he preached. It is a fine stone school house now used as a private residence.
- The grave of Samuel C. Kanaday can be seen as you drive past the cemetery. He was a strong supporter of the revival, and a man with whom Finney had stayed while in LeRaysville.
THE “GERMANS” NEAR EVANS MILLS
-
The location of the German settlement has
been located. The old wooden school house where Finney preached, is now
a private residence.
-
The Elders names mentioned in local
history books match those on nearby gravestones. A couple of their
houses can be located from maps, but no deed work has been done on the
buildings now standing.
LERAYSVILLE
- Although the US
Army removed the entire village, the original location of the village
can be seen. There is also a grave yard nearby. (This site is not on the
main tour, but it can be visited as a side excursion on the self-guided
tour.)
FELTS MILLS
- The
location of the old Baptist church where
Finney held his first alter call has been found, even though the
building itself has long since been removed. (This site is not on the
main tour, but it can be visited as a side excursion on the self-guided
tour.)
ANTWERP
- The brick meeting house where Finney had preached still stands and is in excellent condition. It is now a Catholic church.
- The location of the Copeland Hotel where he stayed has been determined but has been replaced by the library.
- One of the first "praying women" Finney met was Polly Copeland. Her husband, Smith was the hotel keeper who refused to give Finney the keys to the village meeting house. Smith was later converted under Finney’s preaching. Their home is one of the finest examples of yellow limestone construction in the area. Both of their graves can bee seen. Smith Copeland’s grave has an open Bible with a sword lying across it.
- The Congregational Church that grew out of this revival is still going today.
DEACON RANDALL’S NEIGHBORHOOD
- The Congregational
deacon, William Randall, who was harassed to the point that he could no
longer conduct church in Antwerp. He lived outside of the village and
had invited Finney to his neighborhood to preach. I have found both the
school house and the Randall homestead. (No deed work has been done)
SODOM
- From Antwerp, Finney was invited to a
neighborhood nick named “Sodom”. I have located area where this hamlet
once stood..
GOUVERNUER
- The Baptist and Presbyterian Church can
still be seen standing next to each other, just as they were in Finney’s
Memoirs. While the buildings are not original, they still illustrate the
story of how these two churches rivaled for the souls that came in
through the revival.
-
I have found the original location of the
hotel that Dr. Spencer ran. Nothing remains of the building.
- I have found the
location of the home and business if Harvey D. Smith who is prominent in
the Finney story of Gouvernuer.
- I am hoping to do
some deed work to verify the location of the home of Benjamin and Lucy
Smith, with whom Finney stayed. Their property was cross lots with the
man who was converted through Nash’s early morning prayers. I have found
both locations on old maps.
DEKALB
- I have found the original location of the Presbyterian Church, which grew out of Finney’s meetings. It was being torn down during the time I was doing this research.
- I may have found the home of the Deacon that Finney stayed with during his brief visit to Dekalb.
- The Dekalb congregation later moved to nearby Richville and placed themselves under the care of Gorham Cross, the pastor who had been associated with Finney at Sodom and Antwerp. In fact, he had a similar ministry in the Dekalb area and his family has an integral part of the Finney story. Gorham’s church is still going and his original house is nearby. (This site is not on the main tour, but it can be visited as a side excursion on the self-guided tour.)
LOWVILLE
- Near the village of Lowville, you
can passed through the area where Daniel Nash served as a pastor before
joining Finney as a prayer partner. You can see the grave of Father
Nash, which says, "Labored with Finney" on it. You can also see the
location of his homestead.
- Nash was a local pastor and there is a small monument to him on the front step of where the church once stood. His congregation split, one half later disbanded, and the other half continues to be a solid congregation to this day.
