Septimus Tustin
Septimus Tustin (c. 1796 – October 28, 1871) was a
Early life
Tustin was born in
He was educated at the University of Pennsylvania and the Seminary of the Associate Reformed Church.[2]
Following service as a licensed preacher, in Washington, D.C., and in Philadelphia, Tustin was ordained on October 7, 1824, in First Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C. This was the first ordination performed by the newly constituted Presbytery of the District of Columbia.[2]
Ordained ministry
Following his ordination, Tustin was called to be pastor of the Leesburg, Virginia, Presbyterian Church in 1825-1826. According to church historians at the Leesburg Presbyterian Church, Reverend Septimus Tustin was described by one church historian as "a promising young man" but "during his ministration (on account of some internal dissensions) the church lost several of its most valuable members and did not recover from the evil effects for several years."[3]
Following Leesburg, Tustin was called to be pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Charlestown, Virginia (now
Chaplain of the House – Chaplain of the Senate
While at Warrenton, he was elected to serve as chaplain of the United States House of Representatives. This necessitated his taking a year’s leave of absence from his congregation, and when invited to serve a second years’ term by the House, his congregation declined to permit his continuing leave.[2][6]
As a result of a vacancy in the post of
Additional service
Following his time in Washington, Tustin served the Presbyterian Church in
Tustin served as a trustee of Lafayette College. He also worked hard to effect a reunion of the Presbyterian denominations.[10]
Personal life
Tustin was married to Eliza Maria Balch (born 1802), daughter of Rev.
References
- ^ a b "U.S. Senate: Senate Chaplain".
- ^ a b c d e f The Presbyterian Church Throughout The World, by Gardiner Spring Plumley, pp. 343-9.
- ^ "Leesburg Presbyterian Church".
- ^ Historic Warrenton Presbyterian Church
- ^ Warrenton Presbyterian Church
- ^ Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives Chaplains
- ^ James H. Smylie, Presbyterian Outlook, June 2, 2003
- ^ The Ringwood Discourses; Or, Sermons On Various Subjects, by T. D. Balch
- ^ Ancient and Modern Germantown, Mount Airy and Chestnut Hill, by Samuel Fitch Hotchkin, page 117.
- ^ The Olive Branch. The Report of the Rev. Septimus Tustin, D. D., Clerical Delegate from the General Assembly Which Held Its Session at Peoria, Ill., in May 1863.
- ^ US Census 1880
- ^ Elaine Foster, Historian of New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C.