Rev. James M. McCarter in 1862

July 1, 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Gettysburg. Many soldiers from the Preston area participated in the battle, including a number associated with Bethesda. Probably the most notable was James M. McCarter (pictured left), a Methodist minister who strongly opposed slavery – a stance that resulted in ostracism by the church. From 1861 to 1863, McCarter commanded the 93rd Pennsylvania Volunteers. McCarter had been a minister in the Preston area before the war, and his wife, Elizabeth Kelley, was from Tanyard. After the war he settled in Preston, and, with a few brief forays elsewhere, lived there until he died in 1900. He is buried in Bethesda cemetery, and his house still stands on Backlanding Road.

McCarter House on Backlanding Road