Rev. Theodore A. Leggett, D.D.

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="0a5d05a3.jpg"> <div> Orange County, New York</div> <div> American History and Genealogy Project</div> <div> Rev. Theodore A. Leggett, D.D.</div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="0a6d2123.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/orange/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/or"><U>Orange County AHGP/ALHN</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/state/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/state/"><U>New York AHGP/ALHN</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://ahgp.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://ahgp.org"><U>AHGP</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://alhn.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://alhn.org"><U>ALHN</U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I><B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="623" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 764 WIDTH="617"><div> <IMG SRC="04bd4250.jpg" border=0 width="212" height="293" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Old English Text MT" >R</FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" >EV. T. A. Leggett was called to succeed Mr. Nichols.  He was the son of Rev. John H. Leggett, and was born at Hopewell, Orange Co., Dec. 20th, 1845.  At the age of sixteen he made a public profession of faith, uniting with the Church under his father's ministration in 1861, at Middletown, N. Y.  He entered Princeton College in September of the same year, graduating from that eminently Presbyterian institution in June, 1865.  So well satisfied was he with Princeton, that he continued there for three years longer, or until 1865, studying theology with such eminent men as the seminary at Princeton boasted at that time.</FONT></div> <div>      He was licensed to preach the everlasting Gospel of Christ in April, 1867, one year before he completed his theological course.  He was evidently ordained without a charge, but labored faithfully in the vineyard of the Master, at the beautiful Summer resort of Cape May, N. J., for two years.</div> <div>      In 1870 he received a call to become Pastor of the Harlem Presbyterian Church, whither he went, but remained only for a short time.  The surroundings of that Church were not at that time either beautiful or hopeful.  There was nothing attractive about Harlem for a young man who had been reared among the hills and pleasant people of Orange Co.</div> <div>      While spending a few days' vacation in the vicinity of his boyhood home, he was invited to preach in Chester.  He did so.  The people learned that he was not averse to a change and so called him to be their Pastor late in the Fall of 1871.  He preached quite acceptably to the people during all the Winter months, and was installed Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Chester on May 2nd, 1872.  He came in just the proper time to reap a large harvest of ingathering.  The war issues had been settled. Old scores had been forgotten.  The Church had been left in a good working condition by Mr. Nichols.  He had sown the seed faithfully.  The people were ready for an onward movement.  The years 1874 and 1876 and 1880 were specially marked by large additions.  There were added during his ministry of ten years about 182 souls to the membership of the Church.</div> <div>      These were among the most prosperous years which the farmers of Chester have ever experienced, and they took pride in repairing and improving both the Church and the parsonage.</div> <div>      Even the salary, it is noted, was increased, as was the case when Mr. Nichols was Pastor, but with a stronger likelihood of remaining at the higher figure.  The Country Sociable as a means of raising money seems to have been in the height of its glory at this time.  If the contribution on such an occasion fell much below one hundred dollars, the sociable was not looked upon as a success financially.</div> <div>      Dr. Leggett having received a call to West New Brighton Calvary Presbyterian Church, Staten Island, in 1881, felt constrained to accept it.  And while he does not forget his Chester parish, and is still jealous of all its he has proved himself a worthy and successful servant Lord in West New Brighton.  In 1897 the University of New York honored him with the degree of D.D. while was still very heavy, because during that Spring the Lord had removed three of his beloved children to the mansions above.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="pg18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Rev. 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