History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 31

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1660

USA > California > San Joaquin County > History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 31

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Sutter Street. The congregation had so in- creased in number in 1890 that they discon- tinued services in the old church and began holding services in Masonic hall. They had no permanent pastor until 1897. At that time the Rev. Thomas A. Boyer held Bible services in the hall and the trustees and congregation were so pleased with his work that they called him as their pastor. Soon after this a lot, cor- ner of California and Lindsay streets, was pur- chased and a building of wood erected at a cost all told of $10,000. It was formally dedi- cated on the evening of April 30, 1899. The trustees, marching in a body up to the altar, presented to the pastor, Rev. Thomas Boyer, the church completed. During the entire day services were held ; in the forenoon the Rev. R. L. Hatton of Santa Cruz delivered the sermon ; in the afternoon the Rev. Mr. Martin of Fresno preached a discourse and the pastor preached in the evening.

During the services in this church up to 1890 they had only congregational singing, without any instrument. The members were poor and they could not engage a paid choir and many of them were opposed to paid sing- ers, or having any instrument in the church. But as time passed the old members who so strenuously opposed the choir passed to their reward. A new generation appeared with the Rev. T. A. Boyer and in the dedication ser- vices there was a choir with Genevieve Peters of the Catholic Faith, Eva Brooks and Bessie Rosenbaum, a Jewess, as the solo vocalists. Today they have an excellent choir with the pastor's wife, the best soprano in the city, as soloist, and have an organ and an orchestra of violins, cornets and clarinets. The follow- ing pastors have been in charge: Rev. Thomas A. Boyer, 1890; Thomas A. Lawson, C. W. Jopson, W. F. Daniels, 1899; E. B. Stivers, 1918; Shirley R. Shaw, 1920. The two last- named pastors are the livest wires ever in Stockton, and they increased their member- ship with wonderful rapidity.

The Congregational Church

The Congregational Church, which at first was composed of members from the other churches, principally from the Presbyterian and North Methodist, was organized by the Rev. P. G. Buchanan, a minister of the Meth odist Episcopal Church. Their first service was held August 22, 1865, in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, the Rev. J. R. Warren, of San Francisco, delivering the morning, and the Rev. P. G. Buchanan the evening sermon. The church organization was effected Septem- ber 16, 1865, with the following members: P. G. and Mary Buchanan, James T. and Lucy Mills, Mrs. Christina Prentice, Mrs. Cutting,

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

Helen Burton, J. F. Woods and C. F. Baldwin. They continued their services in the Cumber- land Presbyterian Church, with P. G. Buch- anan as pastor, until July, 1867, when the pastor resigned his charge and left with his family for the East. Two days later the mem- bers assembled and extended a call to a young theologian, James A. Daly of New York, who at the time was traveling in Europe. He ac- cepted the call and arriving in Stockton de- livered his first sermon on Sunday, May 3, 1868. The services were held in the court room with about fifty persons present. The pastor sat in the judge's chair, the judge's desk his pulpit, with a choir sitting in the jury box, consisting of Mrs. Edward Delano, Mrs. Lewis (Bert Lewis' mother) and J. T. Mills. The mem- bers and congregation were very much pleased with their new pastor. He was disappointed and greatly dissatisfied, for he did not antici- pate finding a young congregation struggling for existence without a church home, but he consented to remain if they would erect a church. With this end in view the trustees purchased a lot, 30x100, on Miner Avenue. adjoining the Methodist Church, and erected a neat little building at a cost, church and lot, of $8,500. The building was dedicated on Fri- day evening, April 11, 1869; the night was stormy, but the house was crowded, as the elo- quent Rev. A. L. Stone of San Francisco was to preach the dedication sermon. The mem- bership and congregation increased rapidly, since this is the church established by the Pilgrim Fathers and many of those in attend- ance were New Englanders.

While visiting in New York in 1870, Rev. Daly suddenly resigned. He recommended as his successor the Rev. John C. Holbrook of New York, a pastor of many years' experi- ence; he accepted the charge and arriving in September of that year immediately he began his duties as pastor of the church. He was installed on the evening of December 15, 1870; that night the council again assembled, Rev. J. H. Dwinelle acting as moderator and Rev. A. L. Stone as scribe. After choir singing the moderator stated the reason of their assem- bling, and Dr. Stone read the minutes of the council meeting that afternoon. The Scripture lesson was read by the Rev. Mr. Brier and a sermon was delivered by Rev. Dwinelle. Rev. Samuel B. Morse (Baptist) then delivered the charge to the new pastor, and to him Rev. Ben E. S. Ely (Presbyterian) extended the right hand of fellowship of the Stockton churches, and Rev. A. L. Stone then addressed the members. Mr. Holbrook was pastor less than two years, returning to New York with his family; he left behind a daughter, Mrs. E. B. Noble.

During the pastorship of the Rev. Martin Post the building was raised some ten feet and basement rooms fitted up, the church re- fitted and renovated and the chancel extended back ten feet, with the idea of placing a pipe organ. To partly meet the expense the young ladies, on May 9, 1878, gave an entertainment in the theater, producing the plays of "Caste" and "Box and Cox." The work was finished and the parlors opened with a social August 28, 1878, one of the features of the evening being the solo of Prof. G. F. Jackson, who had then located in Stockton.

One of the distinctive features of this de- nomination is the annual celebration of Fore- fathers' Day. The event was introduced here by Rev. R. H. Sink in 1893, and has been continued since that date. On the evening of December 21, 1893, the members and con- gregation, at the hour of 6:30, assembled in the church parlors. A bountiful repast had .there been spread and standing around the table, Rev. Sink at the head, a prayer was offered. The Pilgrim descendants then sang a hymn beginning thus:

"Oh God, beneath Thy guiding hand, Our exiled fathers crossed the sea, And when they sailed the wintry strand,

With praise and psalm they worshipped thee."

After the speeches were in order, and, Rev. Sink leading, spoke of the Pilgrim influence in government; Charles M. Keniston spoke of Pilgrim fidelity; E. W. Drury of Pilgrim mothers, and John T. Oldham, Alice Mills, M. S. Thresher, J. T. Mills and Margaret Beebe then gave short talks.

The Rev. Reuben H. Sink became the pas- tor of the little church June 9, 1889. He saw overshadowing the church the tall spire and the brick walls of the Methodist Episcopal Church and with civic and Christian pride he resolved to have an edifice worthy of the denomination of which he was a member. His hair was silvered with gray before he accom- plished this object, but May 1, 1910, the beauti- ful temple was open for worship.

One of the features of the auditorium is the organ, which was purchased at a cost of $3,300. It is twenty feet in width and twenty-eight feet in height, and contains 475 pipes. This splendid instrument supersedes the vocalion that was purchased in 1892 at a cost of $900, this taking the place of a cabinet organ played for many years by Miss Alice Mills and Mary Parks. One of the attractions of this church has been the music, and the trustees, ever endeavoring to procure the best, in August, 1878, secured the services of George F. Jack- son, a fine tenor singer, as the choir leader.

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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY

He reorganized the choir and in March of the following year they gave a concert in the theater for the benefit of the organ fund. 'They were assisted by Eliza Lang, S. D. Waterman and Professor Jackson's son. In August the choir was again reorganized with Mrs. Mary Lathrop and Mrs. Alexander Chal- mers, sopranos ; Flora and Nettie Baker, altos ; Professor Jackson and Orlando H. Close, ten- ors ; and Amos Durant and J. T. Mills, bassos. It was an excellent choir and good results might have been expected, but late in the year the professor had trouble with one of the school trustees regarding the marking of the pupils in music, and, resigning as teacher of music in the public schools, he soon after left the city. The trustees, in January, 1888, secured the services of Norman Baker, a baseball pitcher, and a fine baritone singer. The choir at that time was composed of a male quartet and each evening Baker sang one of two solos to an audience crowded to the doors. Baker sang in the choir Sunday morning and evening and played baseball during the after- noon. The following are the pastors of the church: Reverends P. G. Buchanan, Sep- tember, 1865; James A. Daly, May, 1868; John C. Holbrook, September, 1870; Martin Post,, June, 1873; D. T. Packard, December, 1879; John Hooper, 1881; John Kirby, 1882; W. F. Furman, 1885; E. J. Riggs, 1888; Reuben H. Sink, June 9, 1889, with Harley H. Gill as the present pastor, and Rev. R. H. Sink as pastor emeritus.

First Baptist Church

The Rev. J. B. Saxton was sent to Cali- fornia in November, 1852, by the American Baptist Home Mission to establish Baptist churches in the new territory. Arriving in San Francisco in December he selected Stock- ton as his first field of labor. Coming to this place about Christmas time he later declared : "I entered the city a stranger in a strange land, but myself and family were cordially received." He found a residence where now stands the Mail Building on Sutter Street, and in his home, March 6, 1853, the first Baptist Church was organized with the following twelve mem- bers: B. W. Owens and R. Black, deacons ; W. W. Webster, clerk, and Madison Walthall,

B. W. Owens and R. Black, trustees. The Stockton church was received into the fellow- ship of churches April 20, the service taking place in the Presbyterian Church. Religious services were held in the schoolhouse where later stood the Lafayette school and the congregation so increased in number that the trustees were compelled to find larger quar- ters. Finding a small building on sale on Cen- ter Street, adjoining the Weber House, which

had formerly been used as a Spanish fandango, the trustees purchased it and the room was firted up at a cost of $2,300. It was dedicated May 22, 1853, with appropriate ceremonies.

Captain Weber deeded the trustees in 1855 a lot on Lindsay Street near Hunter for the building of a church, and the trustees and B. W. Owens, Madison Walthall, J. S. Woods, William Moore and W. W. Webster, publicly acknowledged the donation of a valuable lot for their use and expressed their best wishes for the temporal and spiritual welfare of the clonor. Preferring to erect the church on a corner they retained the Weber lot for a par- sonage and in January, 1860, purchased two lots, corner of Lindsay and Hunter Streets, for church purposes. Plans were drawn for a brick building 45x87 feet with a fifteen foot basement and a spire 130 feet in height, sur- mounted by a large hand with the index finger pointing upward. The auditorium was plan- ned to contain sixty-eight pews with a seating capacity of 486 people and a balcony seating fifty more persons. The work was commenced in August and September 23 the cornerstone was laid by the Rev. V. B. Cheney of the First Baptist Church, San Francisco. The work was completed in June 1861, and dedicated June 21, the Rev. V. B. Cheney preaching the dedication sermon. The build- ing complete cost $15,300. The trustees at this time were B. W. Owens, who had been a member of the Methodist Church South; E. R. Stockwell, Jeremiah Sarles, D. K. Woodbridge and James Woods.

The trustees made a great mistake in lift- ing the audience room fifteen feet above the sidewalk, but it was not remedied until nearly forty years later. At that time, Mrs. Amelia Darra, a leading member of the church, died August, 1899, leaving $2,000 for the building of a new church. The trustees then sold the Baptist Mission property on East Market Street and with that amount and other money given them they had a building fund of $5,100. Subscriptions to the fund were obtained, bring- ing the amount up to about $12,000. The front half of the old church was torn down and a new concrete and brick building erected of a modern style of architecture, facing the north. The old building faced the east. It was com- pleted in 1906 with a cost of pews, furniture, and repairs to the organ, of $15,000.

The Baptist Church, unfortunately for them, perhaps, has in some ways been the sensa- tional church of the city. The first sensation came soon after the arrival of Elder Knapp in December 1867. He was a revivalist of na- tional fame and since 1854 he had been en- gaged in this work. He was a man then sixty- six years of age, short in stature, but very

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muscular, with long grey hair and whiskers and sharp, piercing black eyes. Throughout the Eastern States he was known as the "Lord's Blacksmith," hammering the gospel into sinners and saving them, according to his belief, from hell and damnation, while his co- worker, Henry Miller, was called the "Lord's Silversmith," preaching in a quiet, easy man- ner God's love and forgiveness to those who repented of their sins. The trustees invited Elder Knapp to hold a series of revival serv- ices in the Baptist Church. He began his re- vival services December 8, and for fifty-four days he held three prayer meetings each day, the first one at 6:30 a. m., with a sermon each evening. His first break was December 28. William Bunker, a popular young Odd Fellow, went hunting the previous Saturday afternoon. He was found Monday morning in the tules standing by the side of his boat, his long gum boots filled with water, frozen to death. Elder Knapp, hearing of the accident, presumed he had gone hunting on Sunday and referring to his death in his sermon said: "That young man has gone straight to hell." Bunker's friends resented the remark and there was talk of a blanket tossing. The following evening he apologized and stated that he had been mis- informed. On New' Year's evening the Eu- rekas gave their annual ball in the newly erected building, Hickman's hall, Hunter and Levee Streets. The previous evening the El- der preached against the sin of dancing, and in a sermon referring to the firemen's ball, he said: "Tomorrow night the belles of Stockton will scorch their legs over hell's fire." The Eur- eka boys, for fun, declared that they would send Elder Knapp a complimentary ticket. He responded : "If they do, I will attend and, kneeling on the floor, will turn the ballroom into a prayer meeting." "If Brother Knapp shows up," the Eurekas came back, "We'll toss him in a blanket." "No, you won't," re- plied Thomas Cunningham, a foreman of the company, "you'll treat him like a gentleman." One evening while he was preaching, Jonas Stockwell, the oldest son of Deacon Stockwell, arose and left the church. "There's a young man on his way to hell," said Elder Knapp, and quick as thought Stockwell replied: "Yes, and I'll meet you there." The Elder made many converts, among them Thomas K. Hook, ex-sheriff; Joseph J. Budd, county judge, and Mrs. J. P. D. Wilkins, a notable church choir singer. They were all baptized. Immediately after her baptism, slowly ascending the steps to the platform, the black robe tightly cling- ing to her form, she began singing,

."Just as I am, without one plea

But that Thy blood was shed for me, Oh, Lamb of God, I come, I come."

Dramatic, intensely so, there was a thrill passed over that crowded room, and then the audience joined in the chorus with her, "Oh, Lamb of God, I come."

Elder Knapp's was the second sensation at this time, the first having taken place a few months previous to the revival. The Rev. J. A. Giles, who had formerly preached in So- nora, was called to the Stockton church and preached his first sermon January 5, 1867. He was not as eloquent a man as the former pas- tor, Rev. Charles R. Hendrickson, who was one of the best speakers in the state. Giles was a handsome man, with a pretty wife, she a singer in the choir. According to some, both were flirtatious in their tendencies and this caused a commotion among the members and February 11, 1869, seventy-nine members with- drew from the church. A church trial was held and the pastor was tried upon a charge of "unchristian conduct." Finally a resolution was offered for a "Continuance of the pastor- ate of the present pastor." The resolution was defeated. Giles immediately presented his resignation and the church refused to accept it; then his advocates withdrew. The seced- ing members, assembling February 12 in the city hall, formed an organization calling them- selves "The Central Baptist Church." They elected trustees and by vote the Rev. J. H. Giles was selected as their pastor. The free use of the theater was tendered them, but they later returned to the city hall, where they had formerly been, and held services until August 17, 1872, Giles then preaching his last sermon. The following are the Baptist pas- tors: J. B. Saxton, 1853; Thomas Atwood, 1856; Clark King, 1858; C. R. Hendrickson, 1862 ; J. H. Giles, 1867 ; Samuel B. Morse, 1869; W. B. Fleenor, 1881; F. S. Lawrence, 1889; L. Palmer, 1890; George W. Swift, 1896; Sam- uel J. Nunan, 1899; William Thomas, 1901; E. S. Van Ness, 1906; J. Lewis Smith, the present pastor.

The Episcopal Church

To the Rev. Orlando Harriman, father of the railroad magnate, E. H. Harriman, be- longs the honor of founding the Episcopal Church in Stockton. He held services in the city hall, then on the corner of Hunter and Channel streets, on Sunday, August 25, 1850. During the evening service the parish was or- ganized and wardens and vestrymen elected. The Rev. Mr. Harriman named the parish St. John, and held services until September, 1850. There was no further service until 1851; then J. M. Bissell, the junior warden, acted as lay reader until 1853, the services being held for a time in the Corinthian Building. In March, 1853, the following officers were elected, B. Walker Bours, Judge A. G. Stakes, John B.

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Hall, the attorney, H. J. Huggins, Dr. George A. Shurtleff, F. Pinot, Edward Howison, ves- trymen; Robert K. Eastman, senior warden, and Dr. H. S. Norcom, junior warden. The Right Rev. William Ingraham Kip, Califor- nia's first Episcopal bishop, came to the state in 1854 and held services June 18 in the city hall where now stands the present court house. His coming created a new interest in the par- ish, and they requested that a rector be sent to this church. The Rev. Joseph A. Large was sent to St. John's parish from Indiana.

Captain Weber in 1856 deeded the Episco- palians two lots on the corner of El Dorado Street and Miner Avenue, and a third lot they purchased. Their rector at this time was the Rev. E. W. Hager. He was an energetic and popular man, elcted county superintendent on the Democratic ticket and as the membership was composed of many wealthy men, he saw no reason why they should not have a church home. The membership included B. W. and Allen Lee Bours, Willard and Austin Sperry, Harbeson and Louis M. Hickman, Henry T. Compton, Wm. Biven, George H. Sanderson, P. M. Bowen, H. T. Huggins, Andrew Wolf, R. E. Wilhoit, Henry Austin, Henry H. Hew- lett, A. W. Simpson, G. W. Trahern, J. M. Kel- sey, William West, C. F. Whale, Judge C. M. Creanor, H. C. Taylor, H. T. Dorrance, Gil- bert Claiborne and Harry Hubbard. A sub- scription list was opened and over $5,000 was collected in a few weeks. The cornerstone was laid September 9, 1857, and May 2, 1858, the first service was held, Bishop Kip conse- crating the building June 20 of the same year. The edifice cost about $10,000, this amount in- cluding the beautiful stained glass chancel window, "Christ Sowing the Seed." This same window, enlarged on either side, is in the chan- cel of the present church. In 1862, at a cost of nearly $2,000, the lot was enclosed by a hand- some iron grill fence set upon a brick base.

A discussion regarding the building of a new and larger place of worship was begun in 1874, and for the benefit of the building fund the ladies gave various entertainments until they had succeeded in raising several thous- and dollars. They at first contemplated build- ing a church only, but finally the building com- mittee concluded also to build a Guild hall for the use of the Sunday school, and social purposes. The Guild hall was erected in 1891 and services therein held in April, 1892, the work of demolishing the pioneer church com- mencing at that time. The cornerstone of the new building was informally laid April 4, 1892, by Bishop William F. Nichols. The dedication service was read by the bishop. the rector, W. J. Lemon, then read the list of articles deposited in the stone, the bishop closing the cavity. The church was not con-

secrated because of the heavy mortgage, al- though they held service in the auditorium since 1893. The debt was finally paid and the building consecrated Easter Sunday, April 10, 1898. A procession of the members and con- gregation was formed outside of the building, and led by Bishop Nichols and the choir sing- ing "Onward Christian Soldiers" they marched into the church. During the service the bishop read the prayer of consecration, deliv- ered the sermon and confirmed sixteen.

The organ in this church is the first pipe organ in the city. It was purchased in Bos- ton, Mass., and shipped around Cape Horn in 1858 at a cost of $1,700. The same organ with additional pipes is now in use in the present church. The first organist was a Ger- man named John Kelher, a violin and piano teacher. He was followed by Nellie Gardner, S. D. Waterman, Lewis Thwaites, Charles Owens and Professor Nutting. In 1862 an Italian opera company was singing in Stock- ton, and they volunteered their services in giving a Sunday sacred concert from the Mes- siah, the Creation, Moses in Egypt and other sacred music. The offer was accepted and the concert given Sunday afternoon, September 21. The church was crowded, the money go- ing to the church found. In the Episcopal as in the Catholic Church the music is a part of the service, and for many years they had a choir of four voices only, Mary Chittenden later Mrs. Robert S. Johnson, Mrs. Charles Pinkham, Horace' Vincent and Charles Pink- ham. About 1880 Hugo Talbo, an English opera singer of considerable fame, came to Stockton to reside, and the church authorities engaged him to organize a chorus choir. He organized a mixed choir with Horace Vincent, Jr., Louis Hewlett, Edward Bellis and other male singers, with Belle Rodgers, Bessie Stew- art and Stella Ayers as solo singers. Many of the choir were Talbo's pupils and the music was fine, selections being given from the best sacred music composers. After Talbo's death a boy choir was organized in 1892, some of the straight-laced vestrymen objecting to women singing in an Episcopalian choir. In 1896 Robert Loud, a brilliant baritone vocalist, took charge of the boy choir. Some years ago Robert Ziegler, a young baritone, took charge of the church music and organized a mixed choir of male, female and boy voices. He brought the choir up to a high standard, and at the Friday evening Crucifixion service each year the church was crowded. The Crucifix- ion, by Stainer, has now been given by this choir seventeen successive years.

The following have been the rectors of St. John's parish during the past seventy years : Joseph A. Large, 1854; E. S. Hager, 1856; David McDonald, 1859; John G. Gasman,

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ST. JOSEPH'S HOME-FOUNDED BY REV. W. B. O'CONNOR

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1862; Elias Birdsall, 1866; Wm. P. Tucker, 1869; Elias Birdsall, 1870; E. H. Ward, 1882; W. C. Mills, 1886; W. J. Lemmon, 1888; J. T. Mackinnon, 1895; J. T. Bryan, 1901; Alfred Clark, 1904; Reginald H. Starr, 1908; Wm. Renison, 1909.

St. Mary's Catholic Church

The first masses in the San Joaquin Valley were celebrated in the home of Captain Weber in 1849 and in the residence of Nicholas Den in December, 1850. Both of these homes were on the Peninsula. Den was a devout Cath- olic and he prevailed upon Fr. Francis S. Vilir- assa to organize a church. We have no fur- ther information regarding the organization, but in 1851 a party of French immigrants passed through Stockton. On of them was Father Blave, and learning that there was a Catholic Church he consentd to remain and serve as the parish priest. Captain Weber then gave the church two lots where stands the present edifice. A building of wood was constructed with a belfry, and with a seating capacity of 300; the building, including the bell, cost about $10,500. The inside walls were covered with plain white cloth. The same material was behind the altar, which was made of plain boards painted a cream color, and upon the walls on plain pedestals were roughly carved figures, the stations of the cross. Whale oil lamps gave the even- ing light until 1861, when the church was first lit with gas.

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History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 31

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849 Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1660

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1660