A Waynesburg paper of September 9 brings us as we go to press the first news of the death, September 3, of P. Axtell, D.D. Dr. Axtell whose death occurred at the home of his son-in-law, Mr. T. D. Harmon, East End, Pittsburgh, has long been regarded as among the ablest and noblest of Cumberland Presbyterian ministers. "He was born in Morris township, Washington County, Pa., May 1, 1815, and was one of the oldest ministers of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in his synod. He was converted at the age of 17, under the preaching of Morgan and Bryan and entered the ministry when quite young. He served in his calling for fifty-five years and established a number of new churches in Western Pennsylvania, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at East End, Pittsburgh, being one of the monuments of his labor. He was pastor of the Waynesburg church two or three times, first in 1842, when, it is said, at the end of six months the church doubled its membership from 60 to 120. The degree of D.D. was conferred upon him by Waynesburg College. He leaves one son, J.W. Axtell, of 'The Stockman,' and three daughters, Mrs. J.M. Garrison, Mrs. John R. Rush, and Mrs. Harmon. The funeral was held on Sabbath."

A fuller account of his life and labors will doubtless appear later.
[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, September 16, 1897, page 336]

It was on Friday morning, September 3, 1897, at 7:30 a.m., that Philip Axtell, D.D., weary of life's battles laid down his armor and took up his crown. He was the oldest member of the Pennsylvania Synod in service and in years. He was in the eighty-third year of his age and the fifty-seventh of his ministry. He was sixteen years older than the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania and was only five years the junior of the denomination. No man in Pennsylvania knew so much of the history of Cumberland Presbyterianism in this synod as did Dr. Axtell. He was to us the "father of the synod."

From his autobiography the facts and incidents of this article are gathered. He descended from a long line of Presbyterian ancestry. His father was an elder in the Presbyterian Church and his mother was a member until her death at the age of eighty seven years, of the Ten Mile Presbyterian Church, Washington County, Pennsylvania. He was born May 1, 1815, in Morris township, Washington County, Pennsylvania and was the fourth of his mother's children. Of a family of twelve children but one survives him. His brother, Luther, who was also a minister in our church, died several years ago. In his autobiography he gives quite a history of Cumberland Presbyterianism in Pennsylvania and his connection therewith. He says, "In compliance with a request made by the Upper Ten Mile congregation of the Presbyterian Church (of which his mother was a member) the General Assembly at Princeton, Ky., in 1831 sent Robert Donnell, Reuben Burrow, Alexander Chapman, John Morgan and Alfred Bryan to visit Pennsylvania. Morgan and Bryan arrived in Washington County July 14, 1831, and Chapman a few days later. Morgan preached the first sermon in the Mt. Zion M. E. Church, which is within the limits of the present Concord congregation on Wednesday, July 20, 1831. He and Chapman both preached on the following Sunday in Luther Day's sugar camp when the good work commenced at once which we and co-temporaries were permitted to witness. On Thursday the 18th day of August, a church was organized in the sugar camp of Wm. Stockdale, of Green County, Pennsylvania. It was Saturday, the 3rd day of September, that Donnell and Burrows arrived at the celebrated camp meeting then in progress near where the Concord Church once stood. It was on Sabbath evening the 4th of September that the writer with his two companion, Jonas Cooper and James McFarland, found the "pearl of great price." "I was then in my seventeenth year. Another camp meeting was held four weeks later in Milliken's sugar camp, some twelve miles south of this. Two sisters and a brother-in-law at the first and two brothers and another sister professed religion at the second of these meetings." During a camp meeting which was held at Wolf's in the fall of 1837, he decided to enter the ministry. He then taught school for five months earning one hundred dollars and with this amount as his capital at the age of twenty-three he, in company with Ezra Q. Squires and others, entered Green County Academy at Carmichaels where he spent seven successive sessions of five months each. This was the extent of his schooling. In the spring of 1839 he became a candidate for the ministry. In the fall of 1841, ten years after his conversion or as he says, "ten years after the date of that memorable camp meeting." he was licensed to preach and placed in charge of the Jefferson congregation "at their request." His biographical notes say, "The following winter was a glorious one for the churches in the lower end of Green and Washington Counties and there were nearly two hundred accessions." He assisted in nearly all these meetings.

The presbytery met with the Bethel congregation in the fall of 1842 and on September the 24th, he was ordained to the whole work of the ministry. At this meeting of the presbytery his brother, Luther, became a candidate for the ministry. He was called to take charge of the Waynesburgh Church for half time for the next six months. During that winter the Waynesburgh Church under his ministry doubled its membership and there were forty added to the Jefferson congregation. The next year he served the Jefferson and Carmichaels congregations at a salary of $250 per year. He was married to Eliza M. Gibbons by Rev. John Cary on September 14, 1843. He rented and occupied Rev. Leroy R. Wood's house in Carmichaels until April, 1844. At a meeting of the presbytery in 1843, Bryan was made moderator and he was made clerk.

Space forbids giving the successive labors of his long ministerial life. The principal field of his pastoral work was in Green and Washington Counties. He perhaps was more closely identified with the work in Waynesburgh, Pleasant Hill, Windy Gap and Carmichaels in the active days of his ministry than any other congregations, although he served many others at some time. He assisted in the formation of a number of new churches among which may be prominently mentioned, Rock Lick and Shady Avenue. He was for a number of years prominently connected with the work of Waynesburgh College. He served as financial agent for several years and was always deeply interested in its welfare. He was always prominent in the work of the church in his presbytery and synod. There never lived a man more devoted to the work of his church than was Dr. Axtell. He always made it a point to attend the judicatories of his church and was present at more meetings of the synod and presbytery than any man in Pennsylvania.

He removed to Pittsburgh in 1876, and in the spring of 1877 founded the "Religious Pantagraph," a paper which a year and a half later was merged into the St. Louis "Observer." He had not lived in Pittsburgh very long until he began to plan for a church in the East End--the desirable residence part of the city. He began by founding a mission Sunday school, which after an existence of a few years he gave up. Shortly afterward he organized a Sunday school under the denominational name, which was the nucleus for the Shady Avenue Church. From that time on he lived for this church. He planned for it, prayed for it, labored and sacrificed for its success as no one else ever did. While he was never the pastor of the church he regarded it as the "child of his old age." During the five years of Rev. J. W. McKay's pastorate he had no truer friend or devoted helper than Dr. Axtell. When the writer of this article became the pastor of the church in the spring of 1894, no one gave him a more cordial welcome and stronger assurance of sympathy and support than "Father Axtell." From that time until the day of his death he was the pastor's greatest supporter, most constant friend and counselor.

It was not my privilege to know Dr. Axtell in his strong and vigorous manhood and my impressions of his life and character are formed from that period when he was fully matured and awaiting the summons of the Master. He always impressed me with his childlike faith in God. He had walked with God for about sixty-seven years and had learned to know him intimately and lovingly. When he spoke of prayer it was with assurance, for he knew God would answer him.

Another thing that impressed me was his submission to the will of God. Ever since I have known him it has been his desire "to depart and to be with Christ." He could not see what he had to live for. He thought his work was finished. But in speaking of it he would always say, and he meant it, "I guess my Father knows best and it is all right. If he did not have something for me to do he would take me home. I am content to wait."

He seemed to live so near to the other world. It was a living reality to him. Most of his friends were on the other side and he longed to be with them and to know the joys of the blessed life above.

But while he longed to cross over the river when his Father should will it, he was never idle. He confidently believed that God had a work for him to do in this world, and like Christ he was "straitened until it was accomplished." The church was the theme of his conversation and his prayers and absorbed nearly his earthly means. "He never missed a service he could attend, was never late, was never discouraged, was always looking for special blessings for which he always asked. His absolute unselfishness and consecration to the work were alike the inspiration of all who came in contact with him. His form bowed with age, and his serene face lighted up with a hope and trust which knew no dark days, were a constant benediction." Sunday, August 22, he tottered feebly to the Sunday school service (there was no preaching that day) two blocks from his home, and on the return was compelled to sit down on the steps of a house by the way and rest. He was assisted home, which he never afterward left. One week from that day a general failure of his remaining strength occurred with brief rallies from time to time until 7:30 Friday morning, September 3rd, when the end came. His was a triumphant life and a victorious death. He faced the end gladly, without a tremor, a misgiving, a regret. His funeral was conducted by the writer assisted by Dr. Bushnell and he was buried in the beautiful Homewood Cemetery Sunday afternoon, September 5.
  East End Pittsburgh, Pa.
[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, October 28, 1897, pages 523-524]

Axtell, P. The Rights of Children in the Church in the Wilderness, A Collection of Scripture Testimony Establishing the Right of the Children of Pious Parents to a Place in the Church, to be Recognized by Baptism. Pittsburgh, Pa.: Axtell, Rush & Axtell, Steam Print, 1879. [1 copy in archives]