OLD PINE ST: Church of the Patriots

Old Pine St. Church, 4th and Pine Sts., Philadelphia, Pa. Photo, CC by Farragutful, Oct. 2015. Artful retouching by Belinda S., Dec. 2022.

Nestled within Society Hill's stately and colorful oak, pine, elm, maple and flowering dogwood forest is legendary Old Pine St. Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, christened the Church of the Patriots by the Founders during the American Revolution. Designed by architect Robert Smith, the original church was constructed in 1767-68, where it remains preserved on the ground floor.1 An exquisite Greek Revivalist edifice, replete with stained glass windows and Corinthian columns, was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century over the colonial-era, Georgian-style church from the American Revolution.2

Old Pine St. Church is the third successive branch of First Presbyterian Church, colloquially known as Old Buttonwood. Old Buttonwood was founded in 1688 on Market and Bank streets, where it flourished until moving in the early 1800s. The land for the Third Presbyterian Church, i.e. Old Pine St., was deeded to the Presbyterians by William Penn's sons Thomas and Richard in 1764, due to Old Buttonwood's need to expand their space of worship. To the chagrin of Old Buttonwood's hierarchy, the congregation of Old Pine St. wrote to a Reverend George Duffield on August 9, 1771 without their approval, inviting the gentleman to be their pastor for a salary of 200 pounds per year.3 Controversy over Reverend Duffield ensued between the churches, and their rift became a permanent separation.

Reverend George Duffield. Oil on canvas by Charles Peale Polk, 1790.

Letter to Reverend Duffield from the parishioners of Old Pine St,. 1771.

The solicitation of Reverend Duffield (1732-1790) was a most felicitous occasion for the parishioners of Old Pine St. Church, who were ushered into national prominence under the auspices of their courageous Reverend, also appointed Third Chaplain to the Continental Congress and Pennsylvania militia.4 John Adams, George Washington and the Continental Congress spent many Sundays inspired by Reverend Duffield's rousing sermons as he preached for Independence. Old Pine St. remained an epicenter of Revolutionary fervor in the city until the British seized the church during their occupation of Philadelphia in 1777-78.5

Good Reverend Duffield distinguished himself among the community as a caring pastor, minister to the wounded and sick, and an intrepid soldier during combat. While militia chaplain in January of 1777 at the Battle of Princeton, the Reverend bravely withstood the horrors of warfare, narrowly escaping his death on the battlefield. After British authorities occupied Philadelphia and converted Old Pine St. into a hospital, they ordered Duffield's arrest - forcing the defiant Reverend to flee to his comrade George Washington in Valley Forge for sanctuary during that most frigid winter.6

Cemetery at Old Pine St. Church. Photo, CC by Kevin Burkett on Flickr, April 2011.

Reverend Duffield faithfully served the Cause and community until his passing in 1790. He is laid to rest for eternity in his beloved church's hauntingly beautiful courtyard cemetery, alongside more than 285 Revolutionary soldiers, ringer of the Liberty Bell Andrew McNair, Founders Jared Ingersoll, Charles Pettit, William Shippen, and many such others. Considering the preeminent legacy and contributions of Reverend Duffield and Old Pine St. Church to America's heritage, it is shocking to learn that the historic cemetery nearly succumbed to utter deterioration due to neglect and lack of conscientious preservation efforts. Only the selfless and extensive labors of gifted artist, conservationist, researcher and historian Ronald Shaffer prevented the travesty from continuing. Mr. Shaffer embarked on an arduous mission to recover lost history and restore the monuments until his passing in 2019.7 Humankind is additionally indebted to Mr. Shaffer and those who assisted him in the heroic rescue of one of public history's monumental, Revolutionary cornerstones.

CITATIONS: 1. Presbyterian Heritage Center, "Reverend George Duffield," Presbyterian Heritage Center at Montreat, 2007, https://phcmontreat.org/bios/Duffield-George.htm. 2. Independence Hall Association in Philadelphia, "Old Pine St. Presbyterian Church," Independence Hall Association, https://www.ushistory.org/tour/old-pine-presbyterian.htm. 3. Philadelphia Congregations Early Records, "Third Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, Pa," https://philadelphiacongregations.org/records/Third%20Presbyterian%20Church%2C%20Philadelphia%2C%20PA. 4. Presbyterian Heritage Center, "Reverend George Duffield," Presbyterian Heritage Center at Montreat, 2007, https://phcmontreat.org/bios/Duffield-George.htm. 5. Herbert Adams Gibbons, "Old Pine Street Church, Philadelphia, In the Revolutionary War," Journal of the Presbyterian HIstorical Society 3, No. 2 (June, 1905): 71-75, https://www.jstor.org/stable23322676. 6. Ibid. 7. Ronald Shaffer, "Historic Colonial Courtyard," Old Pine St. Church and Conservatory, http://oldpine.org/history/historic-colonial-churchyard/. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Gibbons, Herbert Adams. "Old Pine Street Church, Philadelphia, In the Revolutionary War." Journal of the Presbyterian Historical Society 3, No. 2 (June, 1905): 71-75. https://www.jstor.org/stable23322676. Independence Hall Association in Philadelphia. "Old Pine St. Presbyterian Church." Independence Hall Association, https://www.ushistory.org/tour/old-pine-presbyterian.htm. Philadelphia Congregations Early Records. "Third Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, Pa." https://philadelphiacongregations.org/records/Third%20Presbyterian%20Church%2C%20Philadelphia%2C%20PA. Presbyterian Heritage Center. "Reverend George Duffield." Presbyterian Heritage Center at Montreat, 2007. https://phcmontreat.org/bios/Duffield-George.htm. Shaffer, Ronald. "Historic Colonial Courtyard." Old Pine St. Church and Conservatory, http://oldpine.org/history/historic-colonial-churchyard/.