Background
Gurley was born in Hamilton, New York, on November 12, 1816, the son of Phineas and Elizabeth (née Fox) Gurley.
Gurley was born in Hamilton, New York, on November 12, 1816, the son of Phineas and Elizabeth (née Fox) Gurley.
Gurley graduated from Union College, Schenectady, New York, in 1837, with the highest honors of his class, and from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1840.
Gurley continued to be the pastor of the merged congregation until his death. Gurley numbered among his worshiping congregation President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln. Gurley later compared the experience of the assassination with a major battle: I “felt as though I had been engaged all night in a terrible Battle and had just strength enough to drag myself off the field” He preached his funeral sermon on April 19, 1865 at the White House, lauding Lincoln for his commitment to American ideals: We admired and loved him on many accounts, for strong and various reasons.
Gurley had a beautiful singing voice (his mother was a professional singer) and was a powerful speaker.
Lincoln was a pew holder and regular attender but not a member of the church.