USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > New Haven > A modern history of New Haven and eastern New Haven County, Vol. I > Part 16
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Summerfield Church was started in 1871 in a carriage shop in Newhallville, they tell us. It built at Dixwell and Henry in 1875, and its present building twenty years later. Rev. R. L. Tucker at present ministers to it.
Howard Avenue Church was established in what must have been in 1872 the isolated oyster community of Oyster Point, since dignified to City Point. It has since served its community well, though changing conditions have been
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somewhat against it. Its recent pastors have been Rev. Robert J. Beach, Rev. John W. Mace and Rev. Daniel Dorchester, Jr.
There was a Methodist group who, previous to 1882, ereeted a building at the corner of Chapel and Day Streets. There was another on Davenport Avenne. That year they united, and in 1883 built what we know as Trinity Church at George and Dwight Streets. Since then this has been one of the leading Meth- odist churches. Some of the well remembered and honored pastors of the past twenty years have been Rev. B. F. Kidder, Rev. H. Frank Rall, Rev. W. H. Kidd, Rev. John W. Maynard, Rev. Hubert B. Munson and the present beloved Rev. Arthur II. Goodenough.
The gap between New Haven and East Haven was being so well filled by 1886 that a church was demanded at "Four Corners," and the Methodists seized the opportunity. St. Andrews Church serves a new and growing com- munity. Its pastor for several years previous to April, 1918, was the Rev. John Lee Brooks, who then resigned to enter Y. M. C. A. work in Hartford. Rev. F. C. Tucker was assigned to the church in 1918.
Almost the newest Methodist Church is Epworth, built in 1892 out in the growing section of Orange Street. It has grown to one of the strong congre- gations of its city. Some of the men who have served are Rev. Duane N. Griffin, now of Hartford, who was pastor in 1896, Rev. Benjamin M. Tipple, who was pastor in 1898 and the years following, Rev. E. Foster Piper and Rev. E. S. Neumann, at present with the church.
The First Swedish Church, at 65 Park Street, is a recent addition to Meth- odism, but prospering. It is in charge of Rev. Fridolph Soderman.
Recently a third has been added to the group of A. M. E. churches, St. Paul's U. A. M. E. Church on Webster Street. Its pastor is Rev. Joseph II. Chase.
Il
The first Baptist congregation appeared in New Haven in 1816, when twelve disciples of this faith started public worship in the building on the east side of Church Street which Trinity had just abandoned for its fine edifice on the Green. Their preacher was the Rev. Elisha Cushman. They did not long remain on Church Street- perhaps the building was larger than they needed at that time. At any rate, we find them shortly afterward worshipping in the lodge room of Amos Doolittle, on College Street north of Elm which "Old Hiram" Lodge of Masons had recently orenpied. Here they worshipped until 1821. It seems that they had an ambition to get a site on the Green, and accounts are con- fusing as to whether they ever received the permission. At any rate, they did not build there, but went toward the then popular section of Wooster Square. Their first building was at Chapel and Academy streets. Then, for some reason, they moved up to the State House for a time. Then they built again on Chapel Street near Olive. Meanwhile a second Baptist Church had been formed, which built on the south side of Wooster Square. In 1845, three years after this, the
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two congregations united in the Wooster Square building. This church was nearly destroyed by fire in 1871, but restored and enlarged the following year, and was the place of an active church body until 1903, when the First Baptist yielded to the common pressure, and changed its location to the corner of Livingston and Edwards streets, erecting one of the most attractive buildings in the city.
Many distinguished men have served this church. The first pastor was Rev. Henry Lines, in the days previous to 1821. Rev. Benjamin M. Hill was with the church from 1821 to 1830. One of its ablest leaders of the early period was Rev. S. Dryden Phelps, who was pastor from 1845 to 1873. Some of the pastors in the years following were: Rev. J. M. Stifler, Rev. W. II. Butriek, and in the later period, Rev. John HI. Mason, Rev. E. C. Sage and Rev. Frederick Lent, who has led the congregation in its new location, and greatly developed the church.
The second Baptist Church to be founded was Immanuel, which the colored brethren started in 1856. It has had a prosperous existence ever since. Its best years have been in its home at Chapel and Day streets, which it purchased from the Methodists in 1882. There it has had two distinguished pastorates, those of Rev. A. C. Powell and the Rev. David S. Klugh, who has ably Jed the church since 1909.
In 1868 the German Baptists established their church at George and Broad streets, and have done a quiet but valuable work there ever since. Some of their pastors have been strong men in the New Haven fellowship, notably Rev. Otto Koenig and the present pastor, Rev. Julius Kaaz.
"The church of a thousand welcomes." Calvary Baptist Church calls itself in these days. For two decades it has through its location as well as through the spirit of its leadership and following, occupied a prominent place in the life of New Haven. It was founded in 1871, and its ample building at Chapel and York streets was erected soon after. In the late eighties it was destroyed by fire, but was restored in even better form. It has been led by a line of remark- able men. Previous to 1888 its pastor was Rev. T. S. Samson. Then Rev. Edwin M. Poteat was pastor until 1898, followed by Rev. George H. Ferris, 1899 to 1905, Rev. Donald D. Munro, 1905 to 1911, Rev. John Wellington Hoag, 1911 to 1916, and since then Rev. James MeGee.
The Grand Avenue Baptist Church was founded in 1871, and has vigorously represented that creed in Fair Haven. Some of its recent pastors have been Rev. E. C. Sage, who later went to the First Church, Rev. Charles B. Smith and Rev. C. M. Sherman. The church was without a regular pastor in 1917.
Nearly the newest but at present one of the most vigorons of the Baptist churches is Olivet, founded in 1904 on Dixwell Avenue. It had a struggle for the first few years, but came into its own in 1914, when it completed a new and handsome building on Dixwell Avenue just north of its junction with Shelton. The present pastor is Rev. George C. Chappelle.
Two Baptist churches of recent origin complete the list. They are the Vol. 1-9
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Swedish Church, founded in 1882, now located at 100 Lawrence Street, of which Rev. Nathaniel C. Edwell is pastor, and the Italian Baptist on George Street, whose present pastor is Rev. G. Basile.
11I
By the end of the first third of the last century New Haven had become used to innovations in church population, and had a little outgrown that pro- vincialism which would have limited the churches of the cities to those of the Congregational order. The beginning of immigration which followed 1820, being mostly from Ireland, inevitably brought with it a demand for Roman Catholic churches. There were none of these, however, until after 1834. Previous to that time the Rev. James Fitton, coming here from Hartford, ministered occasionally to those of this faith, but there was no church. By 1834, however, there must have been a large number of Catholics in the city, more than enough for one church. They were grouped largely in the Second, Third and Fourth wards, or the southwestern part of the city. There accordingly, in the year mentioned, a building called Christ Church was erected at the corner of Daven- port Avenue and York Street. It was so crowded at its dedieation that the loft containing the organ fell, killing two persons. In this building the first Catholic Church of New Haven held its services for the next fourteen years. In 1848 it was burned. The character of its support and its locality, had considerably changed in the meantime, and when a temporary building was ereeted to replace this church, it was located on Church Street, and was named St. Mary's. This seems to have been used, however, for more than twenty years, while prepara- tions were being made for an edifice which should befit the important center of Connecticut Catholicism which New Haven was destined to be. This was the new St. Mary's Church on Hillhouse Avente, sometimes incorrectly called "the cathedral," which was completed in 1875 at a cost of $150,000. It was then and still is the finest church building in New Haven, and adequately serves as the central structure for the people of this faith.
Within this period five other churches had sprung up in various sections of the city. On the site where the first Christ Church had been burned was in 1858 erected St. John's Church, which has remained and flourished there ever since. Eight years before this, the older part of Grand Avenue had required its own church, and St. Patrick's was built. In 1865 another congregation had acquired what was built as the South Congregational Church on Columbus Avenue, and had made it the Sacred Heart Church. At least that was the founda- tion of the commodious edifice which now stands at the corner of Columbus Avenue and Liberty Street. St. Francis had been erected in Fair Haven in 1867, and a year later so many German Catholics had come to New Haven that they had their own church, St. Boniface, at 229 George Street. And not long after that Westville established its own church.
So we find the New Haven of twenty years ago with nine Catholie churches,
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the growth of the first half century of foundation. Over them presided priests whose names are still familiar to New Haveners. The Rev. John D. Coyle was at St. John's, as he is today. Rev. John Russell was at St. Patrick's, where he had been since 1883, and where he still is. Rev. Joseph A. Schaele, the present pastor of St. Boniface's, was there in 1918, and had been since 1872. Rev. Michael MeKeon was then, as now, pastor of the Church of the Sacred Heart. Rev. P. M. Kennedy was at St. Francis. Rev. Hugh F. Lilly presided over the large force of St. Mary's. This original ehnreh has since 1885 been in charge of the order of the Dominican Fathers, and its pastors change more frequently than do those of the other churches. The Rev. Peter Lotti was at St. Michael's in 1898, the Rev. Joseph Senesac at St. Louis, and the Rev. Jere- miah Curtin at St. Joseph's in Westville.
A review of some of the names before that brings to remembrance some which were familiar and honored in New Haven only a little earlier. They were Rev. Matthew Hart and Very Rev. James Lynch at St. Patrick's. Rev. Hugh Carmody, D.D., and Rev. John Cooney at St. John's; Rev. P. A. Gaynor and Rev. Patrick Mulholland at St. Francis; Rev. J. A. Mulcahy and Rev. Michael McCune at Sacred Heart. Every one of these names means years of priceless experience to thousands of faithful Catholics in New Haven.
Ten years more, and in 1908 we find the nine churches grown to fourteen. There were few changes in the pastorates, except that new men had come with the new churches. Rev. E. J. Farmer was at St. Mary's. Rev. Robert J. Early was at St. Peters, one of the new ehnrches.
Five years ago, the number of churches had grown to sixteen. Today there are seventeen, six of them having their accompanying parochial schools, while St. Mary's has both a school and an academy. The list of churches in 1917, with their dates of establishment and their present pastors, is as follows:
St. Mary's, originally Christ Church, founded on Davenport Avenne, in 1834, now on Hillhouse Avenne. Pastor, Rev. J. P. Aldridge, O.P.
St. Patrick's on Grand Avenue, founded in 1850. Pastor, Rev. John Russell.
St. John's on Davenport Avenue, founded 1858. Pastor. Rev. John D. Coyle.
St. Francis on Ferry Street, founded 1867. Pastor, Rev. James J. Smith.
St. Boniface, German, George Street, founded 1868. Pastor, Rev. Joseph A. Sehaele.
St. Joseph's. Westville, founded 1872. Pastor, Rev. John J. MeGivney.
Sacred Heart on Columbus Avenue, founded 1875. Pastor, Rev. Michael MeKeon.
St. Louis, Freneh, East Chapel Street, founded 1889. Pastor, Rev. C. H. Paquette.
St. Michael's, Italian, Wooster Place, founded 1890. Pastor, Rev. Leonardo Quaglia.
St. Joseph's, on Edwards Street, founded 1900. Pastor, Rev. A. F. Harty.
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St. Peter's, on Kimberly Avenne, founded about 1900. Pastor, Rev. Robert J. Early.
St. Stanislaus, Polish, End and State streets, founded about 1900. Reetor, Rev. Anthony Mazurkiewicz.
St. Anthony's, Italian, on Washington Avenue, founded 1903. Pastor, Rev. Bartolomeo Marenchino.
St. Rose's on Blateliley Avenue, founded 1907. Pastor, Rev. John J. Fitz- gerald.
St. Casimir's, Lithuanian, St. John Street, founded 1908. Pastor, Rev. Vin- cent P. Karkauskas.
St. Brendan's on Carmel Street, founded 1909. Pastor, Rev. John J. MeLaughlin.
St. Michael's, Ruthenian Greek, on Park Street, founded 1910. Pastorate supplied.
These seventeen churches, as their number stood at the end of 1917, indicate something of the large population of this faith in New Haven. and of the great- ness of the work done. Their membership, which of course includes the young as well as the old in their parishes, is doubtless larger than that of the other churches combined. They have some of the finest of the church buildings of the city, their architecture being always dignified and appropriate. They are a tremendous force for community good, holding in churchly ways and to church ideals many of the people, old as well as new, who without them might drift and lower their standards. They are served by faithful men, many of whom have entered heartily into the community life of their adopted city, and all of them are a worthy contribution to its citizenship.
IV
. There have been representatives of the Jewish faith in New Haven at least since 1770, though it appears that not until 1840 was there a group sufficiently large to form a "congregation. " In that year. when the first authoritative records kept by any of the local congregations begin, a company of twenty Bavarians formed themselves into a body for the worship of their fathers' God in their fathers' way. In that group, as we get the record. are some names which New IIaven recognizes and honors now, such names as Adler, Lehman, Lautenbach and Ullman.
The story of the formation of that first congregation is not very completely preserved. From various sources, including newspaper accounts, we learn that in 1846 this congregation dedicated to their purpose a hall on the fourth floor of the Brewster Building. Shaar Shalom, "Gate of Peace," is the name given to this congregation by one historian, though it is otherwise mentioned as Mish- kan Shalom, Tabernacle of Peace and Mishkan Israel. It is supposed, however, to have been a secession from the first group of Bavarian families. The last name is the one which it has held in the seventy years sinee 1849. It had forty-
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST, NEW HAVEN
MISHKAN ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE, NEW HAVEN
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nine members then. About that time there was a union of Mishkan Shalom and Mishkan Israel under the latter name.
For six or seven years after 1849 the habitation and the achievements of this congregation are hazy. It does not appear that in that time they had any synagogue of their own other than rented halls. It was in 1856 that the eon- gregation acquired the building on Court Street, below Orange, which had just been vaeated by the Third Congregational Church. There it worshipped until 1896, when it built the Temple on Orange Street, the twentieth anniversary of whose occupaney it celebrated in 1916.
The records of this congregation show a snecession of men who have been trusted and honored by all their fellow citizens of New Haven, as well as by their brethren in being made presidents. Among them, in the days previons to 1872, are such names as Jacob Thalmon, Israel Bretzfelder, Isaac and Abraham Ullman, Meyer Kahn, and Isaac Williams. In the musical history of the syna- gogue appears prominently the name of Morris Steinert, who became master of the organ and the choir when the former was introduced in 1863.
The names of the earlier rabbis have not been completely preserved, but it is agreed that Rev. B. E. Jacobs was the first. In 1864, and until 1873. Rabbi Jonas Gabriel served the congregation. In his period there were other innova- tions as notable as the introduction of the organ and choir just before he came. They stopped segregating women in the synagogue service in 1864, instituting the family pew. In 1873 Rabbi Judah Wechsler succeeded Rabbi Gabriel. In his time the religious school was instituted, and the women found their place in the active institutions and work of the synagogue. There were also radical changes in the ritual. He was succeeded in 1878 by Dr. Kleeberg, a learned man, a power- ful leader, recognized, we are told, as the strongest man who np that time had led the congregation.
In 1893 Rabbi David Levy was called from Charleston, and devotedly served the congregation-as well as hundreds of other friends whom he made in the city-for the next twenty years. Of him his snecessor feelingly remarks: "The simplicity of the services, the reverent decorum, the punctnality of the members and the modernization of the religious school are but a few of the lasting effects of his services for a period of twenty years. In 1896, under the spell of bis enthusiasm. together with that of loyal workers whose names are well known, the corner stone of the present synagogue was laid in January, and in March of 1897 this building was dedicated as a house of God."
Rabbi Levy was succeeded by Rabbi Lonis L. Mann, whose fine scholarship, true humanity and earnest enthusiasm have already endeared him not only to his congregation but to all men of the brotherly spirit in New Haven who have come in eontaet with him. The congregation looks forward, under his leadership, to one of its most useful periods.
Some of the presidents of the congregation in the modern period indieate most elearly the excellent following which the rabbis have had. Some of them-
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to mention only a few-are Moses Mann, 3. Sonnenberg. Moritz Spier, Charles Kleiner, Max Adler and Harry W. AAsher.
Mishkan Israel has for three decades been recognized as the leading and most progressive synagogue in New Haven, but there is a noble body of smaller con- gregations, some of which have found their strength in the following they have received from a stricter interpretation of the traditions handed down from the fathers. Chief of them is the Congregation B'nai Jacob, which in 1814 left its old place of worship on Temple Street for a new and handsome building on George Street, between College and High. Its president is 11. Resnik. Six other congregations, all of them of the order called "orthodox." uphold the worship and traditions of Israel in various parts of the city : Congregation B'nai Scholl. 08 Olive Street, President, Joseph Kaiser: Congregation Beth Hamedrosh Hagodel B'nai Israel, 10 Rose Street, President Max Rosoff : Congregation Bickur Cholim B'nai Abraham, 21 Factory Street, President David Levy : Congregation Mgni David, 16 Bradley Street, President Michael Givertz; Congregation Sharei Toure. 55 York Street. President H. Rosenberg: Congregation Shewith Achim. 10 Factory Street. President 1 .. Levine.
There has been a Universalist Church in New Haven since 1850, and it has had an honorable history. There has not, however, appeared to be a tendency to increase of adherents of this faith in this city, and with the exception of a few years in this period, when there was a second church, this congregation has been by itself. It had its impleasant experiences in former years, no doubt, with a class of Christians who deemed themselves "evangelical." and some others not. but it has survived by deserving. The first pastor of this Church of the Messiah. .. its name is, was the Rev. S. C. Balkeley, and in the beginning of the modern period Rev W. F. Dickerman led the people. For the past eleven years Rev. Theodore A. Fischer has been its pastor, and has occupied in the community a position of esteem greatly exceeding the comparative size of this church and denomination.
There are six lutheran congregations in the city, ranging in date from Trinity German lutheran, established in 1>65, to the First English Lutheran. started in 1902. The first mentioned worshipped for many years on lower George Street, but as already told, when the Church of the Redeemer left it- house of Worship at Orange and Wall streets in 1976, is sold to this church. The pastor :. Rev. Arnold F. Keller. The others in their order are:
German Evangelical Lutheran Zion, 1558, pastor, Rev. Julius C. Kretzman; Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Bethesda. 1543, pastor, Rev. Carl H. Nelson: German Evangeli al Lutheran Emanuel, 1890, pastor. Rev. Henry W. Voight : Trinity Danish Lutheran. 1597. pastor. Rev. P. Christian Stockholm: First Thelich Lutheran, 1902. pastor. Rev. John E. Ainsworth.
New Haven'S only Presbyterian Church dates from 1996, and has had in that
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time but one pastor, Rev. F. A. M. Brown, D.D. It erected soon after its foundation a parish house on the south side of lower Elm Street, and there it worshipped until 1907, when it completed a handsome building. The church occupies an important position in the religious life of New Haven despite its apparent loneliness.
Two Advent churches have been established in New Haven to serve this peculiar but not numerous body of the faithful. The Second Advent Church, of which Rev. James A. Osborne is pastor, is on Beers Street, and the Seventh Day Advent Church, under the leadership of Rev. Sidney E. Norton, meets at 68 Brewster Street.
Christian Science has a live organization in New Haven. Formerly there were two churches, but when in 1907 the First Church erected a handsome edifice at the corner of Winthrop and Derby avenues the two combined, and are doing a strong and progressive work.
For several years past New Haven has had one Church of God and Saints of Christ, more conveniently known as the Mormon Church. It is led by Elder William A. Blount.
CHAPTER XVI
NEW HAVEN'S SCHOOLS
THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND PRESENT CONSTITUTION-THEIR EXCELLENT EQUIPMENT, FORCE AND OPERATION-MISCELLANEOUS AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS
I
As an ancient center of education, as the pioneer in its state and one of the pioneers of the nation, New Haven holds an unchallenged claim. It has this place today, not wholly because of its excellent equipment of modern colleges and schools, but because of a group of educational forces which make it still as nearly unique as it was in the beginning.
Already we have seen how close the school was to the head of the plans for an ideal state which the first founders had. We have traced their high-inten- tioned, though somewhat disastrous, efforts to make the school the handmaid of the church. It is through these that New. Haven has the record of offering to the people the first free school of Connecticut. There was in that the germ of the common school, though the idea which might have developed from it was, to our modern conception of the school function, a strange one. That plan was interrupted, and it came about that for a good many years the distinctively common public school idea was partially displaced by the grammar or semi- private school. The school started under the tutelage of Ezekiel Cheever, con- tinued after his departure by more or less effective teachers such as the young community could furnish, gave New Haven all the educational service it had for twenty years or so. Then it was eclipsed by the result of the will of Governor Edward Hopkins, of which we have already heard. The property disposed by the will of Governor Hopkins was not distributed till 1660. From that year dates New Haven's oldest school, which has been continued without a break to this time. There are a few older schools, but the fact that Hopkins Grammar School has been continued for over two centuries and a half in the town where it was founded. and its distinguished list of graduates, make it one of the most notable educational institutions of the country, and indieate something of the prestige it has given New Haven.
Of late years New Haven has developed so excellent a public high school, and such a multitude of private eollege preparatory schools have arisen all over the cast, that Hopkins Grammar School, which is primarily a preparatory school
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for Yale, has had a trying competition. The age and bareness of its historie building on High Street, and the pressure of Yale's expansion in that direction, have caused its removal to an excellent building at 1209 Chapel Street, which is used as dormitory and recitation building combined. There it is continuing its excellent work and its unbroken history. In 1914 Arthur Burnham Wood- ford, who had been its rector for a number of years, retired, and was succeeded by George Blakeman Lovell, who had for some time previous been a member of its faculty.
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