During 1831 and 1832, a local preacher named
David Darling served the Methodist Episcopal Church in Owego Village, Tioga
County, New York. In November 1832, during the Quarterly Conference with Rev.
Horace Agard presiding, Brother Darling was expelled from the Methodist church
for "unchristian conduct" on what appears, in retrospect, to be the
flimsiest of evidence. The following minutes were recorded by Hiram Warner and
are now housed in the University Archives at Syracuse University.
Owego, Nov. 23 1832
Minutes of the trial. Rev.
Morgan Sherman, Plaintiff in favour of the church & David Darling,
defendant.
The committee consisting of
Rev. Nathaniel Billings, William Dobson, & Alanson Benjamin.
David Darling, defendant, not
present. Hiram G. Warner, Council for defendant.
I.
Charge unchristian conduct
(1)
In having been unbecomingly intimate with Mrs. Sally Thompson
spending much time with her in the absence of her husband.
(2)
Specification – Hugging & kissing her
(3)
In making use of expressions bord[er]ing on profanity &
unbecoming a Preacher of the Gospel.
II.
By Lying
(1)
In denying that he had acknowledged to Br. Jonathan Vangorden that
he had hugged Mrs. Thompson.
(2)
In denying that he either hugged or kissed Mrs. Thompson.
Testimony in support of the
first charge.
Br.
Jonathan Vangorden saith that defendant was frequently at Mr. Thompson’s
House with Mrs. Thompson in the absence of Mr. Thompson, that defendant
frequently enquired whether Mr. Thompson was at home, and when told he was not,
he notwithstanding would go and frequently staid two or three hours at a time,
and witness further saith that defendant in going to & from meetings
frequently walked with Mrs. Thompson.
Br.
Ansel Butler called and saith, at a camp meeting 1 year last fall that
defendant waited on Mrs. Thompson very much and that his conduct was such as to
cause him to suspect them guilty of improper conduct. And in June or July last
that defendant spent much time at Mrs. Thompson’s in the absence of Mr.
Thompson, & since that time has frequently been at Mr. Thompson’s and some
times gone into the back door & staid one to two hours and the children were
sent to his house on those occasions on errands and that they frequently staid
some time at his house & if they returned before defendant was gone, they
would immediately be out the door playing or at the neighbors. Witness further
saith that Mr. Thompson according to appearance would in expectation of
defendant’s visits would prepare her clothes & hair to receive him, and
when disappointed by his not coming would some times come down to their house
and express surprise that Mr. Darling had not been at his work.
Sister Butler’s testimony
was in accordance with her husband’s with the exception of the Camp meeting at
which she did not go & in addition to her husband’s testimony saith that
on seeing Mrs. Thompson after defendant’s visits the hair of her head would be
in a disordered state, which before was arranged in good order, and on seeing
her, her face would be unusually red which had the appearance of being made so
by a man’s beard, and further saith at a certain time after defendant had been
at Mr. Thompson’s some time, Mr. Thompson was seen coming home and when he
arrived at the door was prevented coming in by Mrs. Thompson and shortly after
defendant was seen in the woods back of the house going towards home with his
hat turned in such a manner as to prevent being known, & witness further
saith that at a meeting at Br. Archibald’s, defendant seated Mrs. Thompson in
the corner of the house by the cupboard and shortly after took his seat by her
and that after defendant had prayed while they were yet kneeled down, defendant
whisper[ed] to her, and soon after defendant withdrew from the meeting and after
about fifteen minutes Mrs. Thompson went out, and after staying about ten
minutes Mrs. Thompson came back, and whispered to Caroline Cunningham & his
[Mr. Butler’s] daughter Mary and told them that defendant was waiting for them
to have them go home.
Sister Electa Higgins called
and her testimony was in agreement with the above, altho not as much passed
under her observation but saith further that while she was sick, she sent some
two or three times to have defendant come and visit her, but could not obtain a
visit from him; his excuse was want of time and yet each day that she made the
request saw defendant go past her house and was informed that defendant was at
Mrs. Thompson’s and spent some time.
Sister Poucher’s testimony
corroborated the testimony before given as regards defendant’s particular and
fond attention to Mrs. Thompson.
Sister Caroline Cunningham
[was asked the following] question, Did you see defendant soon after these
reports came out? Answer, “I did at Mr. [David] Pease’s & Mrs. Pease
said, ‘you are quite a stranger.’ Defendant answered, “yes, & I should
be more so had not hell broke loose.”
Br.
[Jonathan] Vangorden being called up the second time saith he called at Mr.
Thompson’s and saw Mrs. Thompson before the Looking Glass fixing her in
fashionable state, and said to Mrs. Thompson, “shall I speak to Mr. Thompson
to come to tea? She said “No, tea is not ready.” She then asked witness if
he had seen Mr. Darling that day. He said no. Shortly after saw Mr. Darling go
to Mr. Thompson’s (sun being about one hour & a half hour high) and after
sun down defendant left Mr. Thompson’s house and soon after this Mrs. Thompson
came to Mr. Butler’s with her hair down in a confused or snarled state and
requested witness to call Mr. Thompson to tea. Witness further saith that he has
seen similar occurrences in relation to Mrs. Thompson’s hair before &
after defendant’s visits, and witness further saith that after unfavourable
reports had gone out against defendant, he (defendant) was very inquisitive to
know what those reports were that he might put a stop to them. Witness said he
could not put a stop to them, they had gone too far, and after being repeatedly
pressed and urged, defendant said to him I will tell you one thing if you will
not tell of it, and then told witness that he (defendant) had hugged Mrs.
Thompson and showed him how he done it.
Br.
Almon Archibald’s testimony saith Mrs. Thompson, on being interrogated,
admitted that defendant had hugged and kissed her, but denied that they had ever
had any criminal intercourse together.
Charge [of] Lying
Br.
Almon Archibald saith that defendant, on being asked whether he had hugged
& kissed Mrs. Thompson, said he had not, but when he was told that Mrs.
Thompson had confessed it, he (defendant) confessed that he had done so.
Hiram G. Warner, Secretary
The committee report that the
charges which have been preferred against defendant have been fully sustained.
[signatures]
Nathaniel Billings
Alanson Benjamin
William Dobson
At the Quarterly Meeting
Conference held at Owego on the 19th of January 1833, the trial of David Darling
came on, who was a Local Preacher in said Station, whereupon the Rev. C. W.
Harris was appointed Secretary and the following charges preferred. See Document
No. A.
At six o’clock P.M.
Conference adjourned until eight o’clock the same evening.
Eight o’clock Conference
met according to adjournment, the former Secretary not being present, Hiram G.
Warner was appointed, and the case of David Darling resumed. The first charge
being considered he was on all the specifications adjudged Guilty.
The second charge considered,
found Guilty.
It was then moved and
seconded that David Darling be appraised of his affair and suspended from all
church privileges for three months. Lost.
Moved and seconded that David
Darling be expelled carried by a majority of nine against two.
Mr. Darling being called, he
was informed by the chair that he was expelled on which he gave notice that it
was his intention to appeal.
Morgan Sherman
Alanson Benjamin
Eleazer Dana, 2d
William Barnes
Henry Weed
Daniel Farnham
Francis Donlevy
Joseph A. Ketchum
Hiram G. Warner, Secretary
[Rev.] Horace Agard, President
