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History of Orange County
Town of New Windsor
Page 19
REV. ROBERT ANNAN.--This individual is regarded as one of the fathers of the Associate Reformed Church, for he was contemporary with the union, and active in confirming and promoting its interest. He was born in Fifeshire, in about 1741-2. After graduation, he began the study of Theology, under the direction of Alexander Moncrief of Abernith, the first Professor of Divinity to the Anti-burgher branch of the Secession. Messrs. John Mason, James and William Proudfit were among his fellow students. He was licensed by the Associate Presbytery of Perth, when about twenty years of age, and was soon appointed a missionary to the American Colonies. He arrived in New York in 1761. In 1765 the Neelytown congregation was formed, and in that year he became their first pastor. At that time he was a member of the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania.
The Associate Reformed Church of Little Britain was organized in 1760, their church built in 1765, and in 1768 they called Mr. Annan, who was installed pastor of that congregation in connection with the Neelytown church. During the time of his pastoral connections with these churches, he preached to the people who afterwards composed the congregation of Graham's church in the town of Crawford, and also to the people of Bloomingburgh, in Sullivan county; but at the time there was no organized congregation at either of the places last named.
The war of the Revolution took place during his connection with these churches, and being an ardent whig, a man of talent and a little impulsive in the temperament of his mind, he not only took a deep interest in the progress of the war an as an individual but not unfrequently introduced political subjects into his public discourses. We have often heard an aged hearer of Mr. Annan say that “he was a capital preacher and a capital whig.”
The following incident shows the liberal principles he then entertained, and the influence he was capable of exercising.
“In the fall of 1775, the people of Boston, by reason of the great scarcity of supplies and provisions, applied to our State for aid, and accordingly a public meeting was called and convened in the town of Hanover (now Montgomery.) In the meantime, the friends of the mother country, always on the alert, had procured the services of a talented orator, for the purpose of defeating the objects of the meeting. As no one could be found among the adherents of the cause of liberty who was able to speak in public, recourse was had to Mr. Annan, who at first declined, but at length consented.-A multitude were assembled on the occasion, to hear a discussion upon a subject which was then the absorbing topic of the day. The discussion was conducted for some time with fairness and ability on either side, until at length, to check the strife of angry words, and to test the disposition of the assembly, Mr. Annan suddenly said, 'as many as are in favor of assisting the people of Boston and the cause of liberty, follow me.' The effect was electric; immediately upon his leaving the house he beheld, to his utter astonishment, the whole multitude at his heels.”
We cannot enter at large into the biography of this gentleman, except so far only, as to show his connection with the several churches, over which he exercised his pastoral care in the early an fearless dissemination of evangelical truth. In about 1783, Mr. Annan being discontented in his pastoral relations, received a call from a congregation in Boston, which he accepted; and his hearers interposing no impediments on their part, he left them, after a connection with some of them of about 18 years.