USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Hartford > Christ church, Hartford, Volume I > Part 7
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84
CHRIST CHURCH, HARTFORD.
energy, his uprightness, his devotion to the Church, and the independence with which he expressed his opinions. He died in New York, Sept. 19, 1842.
The Parish expressed its appreciation of him when, March 20, 1826, the Wardens and Vestry
"Voted, That S. Tudor and C. Sigourney call on John Morgan, Esq., request him to designate where he would prefer to be seated in the Church, and that two seats be reserved to him and Mrs. Morgan, where he may select."
This plea for aid shows how much it was then needed for the Church in Hartford. Very likely it was written by Mr. Morgan, as the writing corresponds with his. It is a reminder to us of the earnest requests for assistance in the feeble parishes at the West or South, and that our condition in 1807 was very like theirs at the present time. It is especially interesting as being the foundation of what was afterwards termed the "Episcopal Church Fund," the history of which we are endeavoring to present.
In the Records of the Parish, pp. 28, 29, this is found :-
"Copy of the subscription paper drawn up in the city of New York, for the purpose of representing the necessities of the Parish, and obtain- ing some relief.
"The vestry of Christ Church in Hartford, Connecticut, beg leave to call the attention of the pious and benevolent to the following statement.
" By the exertions of a few individuals an Episcopal Church has been built in that city. But owing to removals, death, and failure in business, the congregation, which was always small, has lost several of its best sup- porters, and the whole weight of its expenses now devolves on a very few individuals, who contribute annually to the support of the Church from fifty to an hundred dollars each.
" The situation of the Church at present is such that there is serious reason to apprehend that unless some assistance can be obtained it will entirely fail.
" Hartford being the metropolis of Connecticut, the establishment of the Episcopal Church there is of the utmost importance to the prosper- ity of the Church throughout the State. Several new congregations have been formed within the vicinity of Hartford principally by the exertions of the Clergymen settled there, and upon the permanent establishment of the Church in Hartford, the increase, if not the very existence, of those congregations depends.
S5
REPORT ON FUNDS.
"The Vestry of the Church, therefore, impressed with these considerations, have determined, as the last resort, to solicit the aid of the pious and benevolent in the City of New York. And they pledge themselves that whatever may be contributed shall be faithfully applied to relieve the congregation from its present very heavy burthen.
(Signed) JOHN MORGAN, Senior Warden. New York, 10 April, 1807."
"We the subscribers agree to pay the sum affixed to our respec- tive names, for the within mentioned purpose :
David M. Clarkson, . $10. John McVicker, ȘIO.
Thomas S. Clarkson, IO. Nehª Rogers, . IO.
Francis Bayard Winthrop, IO. John McCracken, . 20.
James Desbrosses,
20. H. LeRoy, IO.
Joshua Waddington,
IO. J. Sherred, IO.
Jnº Ogden,
IO. Fredk C.,
10.
Wm. Rhinelander, .
L. C. & T. Hammersley, .
30. Joshua Jones, IO.
15. W. Rhinelander, Jun., . IO.
John Ripley, Jun.,
IO.
Cash, without names, 15.
IO.
James Jarvis,
5. Benja Moore, . IO.
Henry Rogers, .
IO. J. H. Hobart,
5.
John J. Glover,
30. Abraham Beach,
5.
W. Rogers, 10.
E. D. Barry, .
5.
Thomas Glover,
20.
Cave Jones,
5.
A. L. Bleeker, .
IO.
Wm. Harris, . 5.
George Warner,
IO.
Andw Hammersley, .
IO.
Total subscription, . . $445
A Lady, .
IO.
IO. M. Clarkson, . IO.
IO. C. McEvers, Jun., 5.
Cash, without names,
Wm. Jauncey, .
Frederick Phillips,
IO. B. W. Rogers,
Peter W. Merier,
5. V. Howey,
New York, April 26, 1807."
" I do hereby certify that in my opinion the within statement of the embarrassed situation of Christ Church in Hartford in Connecticut is altogether true ; and I hereby recommend the application of that Church to the benevolent attention of all those who wish to promote the interests of Religion and the prosperity of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
Signed, BENJA MOORE, Bishop of P. E. Church in the State of New York."
86
CHRIST CHURCH, HARTFORD.
"Mr. Morgan refunded of the above subscription left in his hands, $400. Mr. D. Olcott refunded of the above subscription left in his hands, IO.
Mr. Rayner refunded pr. T. Lloyd of the above subscription left in his hands, 35.
Received also interest of Mr. Morgan,
66 " Mr. Olcott, .50
12.50
458.
" The amount of the subscription in New York, & in- terest as above, 458.
The amount of money received of Joseph Lynde, 255.
And this sum withdrawn from the subscription to be collected by Mr. Lloyd, thro' the agency of Mr. Ward, . 87.
making $Soo.
was paid into the Hartford Bank as subscription money for two bank shares.
Attest, CHARLES SIGOURNEY, Society Clerk."
Though this report is lengthened thereby, it is well to copy from the records the action taken by the Wardens and Vestry, and by the Parish in relation to this Fund.
At a Parish meeting, held December 7, 1807, it was
"Voted, That John Morgan and Daniel Olcott, Esq'rs, Wardens of this Church, be a committee, and have full power and authority to convey to Dr. Joseph Lynde, a parcel of land, lying north of the Church, and to settle and adjust the boundary line between the said Lynde and the Church.
"Voted, That the money arising from the sale of the land to said Lynde, together with the amount of the money subscribed for the establishment of a fund for the Church in New York, be applied to the purchase of stock in the Hartford Bank, or put at loan on good security, and that no part of the principal, or interest arising from the same, be applied to any purposes of this Parish, save only to establish a Fund. And whenever the principal and interest accumulating therefrom shall amount, with any other sums given or subscribed thereto, to a capital, the annual income of which shall be five hundred dollars, then the interest accruing may be applied to the support of a clergyman in this Parish, a Parish school, or such other
87
REPORT ON FUNDS.
purposes for the support of Episcopal Parish as the Wardens and Vestry may think proper.
" Voted, That Mr. John Morgan, Mr. Samuel Tudor, and Charles Sigourney, be a committee, to draw up articles proper to establish such a Fund, to solicit further subscriptions thereto, and that they report a plan to the next or some future Parish Meeting.
" Voted, That the Wardens and Clerks be a committee to take care of the funds, and be, and they are hereby, authorized to place them at interest, and to make report of the state of the funds at the meet- ing of the Parish next Easter Monday."
The sum of eight hundred dollars, constituting the above Fund, "was paid into Hartford Bank as subscrip- tion money for two bank shares." Then follows a "Statement to show what may be produced from the two bank shares in possession of the Church in 23 years, which will be in the year of our Lord 1831."
The committee did not report until 1810. We extract further from the records: -
" At an adjourned meeting of the Episcopal Parish of Christ Church, in the City of Hartford, held at the Church, agreeably to a vote of adjournment, on Saturday the 28th, April, 1810, John Morgan, Esq., being moderator, the committee appointed to prepare the plan of a Constitution for the management and future regulation of the Episco- pal Church Fund, reported to the Parish a plan of the same, which they recommend to the adoption of the Parish. Whereupon it was Voted, That the Constitution, being duly read, be referred to the consid- eration of the Parish, and accepted, article by article, one at a time, for their consideration and acceptance.
" Thereupon, the Constitution, of which follows, a copy, was read and considered by the Parish, and accepted by them, article by arti- cle, in the form which follows, and afterwards accepted altogether and ordered to be recorded and sent to the Bishop for his concurrence and ratification."
CONSTITUTION.
" For the future management of the fund of money belonging to the Episcopal Parish of Christ Church in the City of Hartford, in the State of Connecticut.
"ARTICLE Ist. The aforesaid fund shall be denominated 'The Episcopal Church Fund.' It consists at the present time of two shares, of the value of four hundred dollars each, in the Hartford Bank, together with the dividends and interest which have accrued since the time of pur- chasing, December 8, 1807.
88
CHRIST CHURCH, HARTFORD.
" ARTICLE 2d. Whereas it was the intention of the original donors of this fund that the money they gave should, for many beneficial reasons, be put at interest and suffered to accumulate, and whereas, as in conform- ity with this intention, the Parish, at their meeting of December 7, 1807, did vote, 'That no part of the principal or interest arising from same should be applied to any purposes of this Parish, save only to establish a fund until the income from same should amount to five hundred dollars,' therefore in order more effectually to fulfil the aforesaid intention, the Parish now assembled together in legal meeting do hereby re-enact and confirm the vote passed as named above, at the meeting of December 7, 1807, that no part of the principal or interest arising therefrom, of the above fund, be applied to any purposes of this Parish, save only to estab- lish a fund until the income from the same amount to five hundred dollars per annum. It is also ordained that this vote, thus solemnly repeated, shall be irrevocable.
" ARTICLE 3d. When this fund shall have increased to a sum, the income from which shall amount to five hundred dollars per annum, or more, it is ordained that this parish shall not ever thereafter expend anything more than the interest, or income arising from this fund, and that the principal shall not, under any pretence whatever, ever be ex- pended, either wholly or in part.
" ARTICLE 4th. It is further ordained that, in order to secure to the Church the irrevocability of the preceding obligations, as well as the up- right and praiseworthy use of this income, and to adopt all prudent pre- cautions to guard against the injudicious expenditure or misappropriation of it, or any part of it, by any persons who may hereafter, in the vicissi- tude of human affairs, belong to this parish, and be in a situation to direct, or misemploy the income of this fund, no appropriation nor expen- diture of this income (when it shall have arrived at the contemplated amount of five hundred dollars per annum), nor any part thereof, shall ever be made without the advice and consent of the Bishop of the diocese, for the time being, first asked and obtained.
" ARTICLE 5th. This constitution shall not be valid, nor obligatory on the parish, until approved and signed by the Right Reverend the Bishop of this diocese ; and when accepted by the parish, and so ap- proved and signed by the Bishop, it shall be binding on the parish, who, hereby for themselves and their successors, do relinquish all right and power to annul it. Neither shall any amendments nor alterations of it ever be made without the assent or concurrence of the Bishop, and the Bishop shall in all cases have, and hereby is invested with, a power over the doings of the parish, in relation to this fund, which doings shall not be valid, excepting they have the Bishop's concurrence and approbation.
ARTICLE 6th. Whereas several persons have expressed a desire to make an addition by voluntary gifts to this fund, on this condition, viz .:
89
REPORT ON FUNDS.
That all the preceding provisions and obligations be strictly carried into effect, and scrupulously observed by the parish, for the time to come, and reserving to themselves, their heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns, the right to resume their donations together with interest on the amount, from the time of giving, whensoever it may appear the parish has violated, or not complied with all or any of the preceding provisions of this constitution. It is therefore hereby declared that all such dona- tions above-named will be thankfully accepted by the parish, and with the condition attached to them by their respective givers, which is, that the donors, their heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns, shall have and possess the right of resuming their gifts, together with interest on the amount of their gifts, from the time of giving, whensoever it may ap- pear the parish has not complied with all or any of the preceding provis- ions, which they have hereby bound themselves to observe.
" ARTICLE 7th. The names of the persons who are or may become donors to this fund, on the condition referred to in the preceding article, are as follows :
Sum.
ISII.
Time. Dec. 10.
Names. John Morgan,
. $50
James Ward,
35
66 Saml. Tudor, Jr., .
35
Wm. H. Imlay,
35
66
Charles Sigourney,
35
Roswell Bartholomew, .
20
Seth Whiting,
20
John Pierce, .
30
1812. Dec. 8.
Roland Lee, .
20
1816. May. George Beach,
.
IO
66
" ARTICLE 8th. And whereas it may be that other persons hereafter may feel a liberal desire to make donations to this fund, on the conditions aforesaid, and more especially their zealous friends of the Church in our large cities in our vicinity, seeing they will now possess a guarantee that their bounty will not, and cannot be abused by reason that the Bishop, the head of the Church, has the power to prevent it, Therefore the names of all such persons as may from time to time make donations as afore- said, shall be registered in the body of this constitution, together with the time of their giving and immediately following the names in the pre- ceding article, to the intent it may be distinctly seen and understood what persons may have claims on the fund, in case the parish complies not with the obligations it has entered into by the second, third, fourth, and fifth articles of this constitution, and to what amount.
" ARTICLE 9th. It is the duty of the Wardens of this Church to forward a copy of this constitution forthwith to the Bishop of the diocese for his consideration and approbation, on the same being accepted in their par-
90
CHRIST CHURCH, HARTFORD.
ish meeting; and if accepted by the parish, and approved by the Bishop, to cause the same to be inserted on the records of the doings of this par- ish, by the Clerk of the same.
" ARTICLE Ioth. It shall be the duty of the Wardens of this Church to cause each succeeding Bishop of this diocese to be furnished with an attested copy of this constitution for his government.
"ARTICLE IIth. It shall be the duty of the Wardens and Vestry of this Church, for each one of them, as soon as may be convenient after be- ing chosen to office to furnish himself with a copy of this constitution from the records, for his government.
" ARTICLE 12th. The Wardens and Vestry are constituted for the time to come, the managers of the Episcopal Church Fund.
"At a meeting of the Episcopal Parish of Christ Church, in the city of Hartford, on Saturday, the 28th day of April, 1810, the foregoing Con- stitution was reported to the parish, and after being duly considered, was accepted by the parish, and ordered to be sent to the Right Reverend the Bishop of this diocese, for his approbation and ratification, in conformity with the fifth article of this Constitution.
[SEAL]
CHARLES SIGOURNEY, Society's Clerk.
Attest Approved. [Signed] ABRAHAM, Bp., Connecticut."
On the 31st Dec., 1810, Mr. Sigourney certifies that the above Constitution had been duly accepted by the parish, and approved by the Bishop.
There is no evidence to show that Bishop Brownell was ever furnished with a copy of this Constitution. Probably his consent was asked when the change in the investment was made ; Bp. Williams has never received a copy of it, or been consulted concerning it, nor was it ever mentioned to him by Bishop Brownell.
In 1816 the investment in the Hartford Bank had increased to fifteen shares of four hundred dollars each. On the 26th of July of this year the Wardens and Vestry voted to sell eight shares of this stock, and " directed that it be invested in the stock of the Phoenix Bank in this city, on the best terms it can be done for the interest of the Parish," and on the 23d of December directed a further sale of the seven shares remain- ing to be invested in the Phoenix Bank also, making the sum of six thousand dollars "invested under the privilege secured to ecclesiastical and other societies, by statute law of this State, giving the bank the six months' notice which the
91
REPORT ON FUNDS.
law requires." The original sum of the Fund, eight hundred dollars, by careful management, had thus increased to this large amount. The Phoenix Bank, which had been incor- porated in 1814, was not infrequently called " the Episcopal Bank," and the Wardens and Vestry of Christ Church evi- dently did nothing to discourage this appellation.
The following votes of the Wardens and Vestry, February 18, 1818, would appear to indicate that a watchful care was taken of this Fund, and that there was a willingness to use all possible advantages for its increase :
" Voted, That Michael Olcott, Samuel Tudor, and Charles Sigourney, be a committee to sell the stock which this Parish owns in the Phoenix Bank.
" Voted, That the said committee be authorized to reinvest the pro- ceeds of said stock, so sold, in said Phoenix Bank, under the privileges secured to ecclesiastical, etc., societies by the statutes.
" T'oted, That if the aforesaid stock cannot be sold to advantage, in the judgment of the committee, in the course of a few weeks, that the committee be authorized to borrow the amount from the Phoenix Bank, so as to have the new investment of the stock made the ist of March next, and repay the amount so borrowed, from the sales of the stock when sold."
The Fund had not, in 1819, produced the sum necessary to warrant the use of the income for parochial purposes, and on the 21st of August, the Wardens and Vestry
" Voted, Charles Sigourney, James M. Goodwin, and George Beach, be a committee to examine into the permanent funds of this Parish, and to see if any mode can be devised to bring up the capital to the amount necessary to produce the sum required to raise five liundred dollars per annum."
There was no further action taken by the Wardens and Vestry relating to this Fund, except to audit the accounts of Mr. Sigourney occasionally, until March 13, 1829. Consider- able indebtedness had been incurred in building the new Church, beyond the ability or willingness of the parishioners to pay: The zeal of the rector and the ambition of some of the gentlemen of the Parish had given them a building sur- passing, it has been said, that in any other city in New Eng- land at the time. Though the subscriptions had been liberal, there was still due a considerable sum, for which provision
92
CHRIST CHURCH, HARTFORD.
had to be made. As a means of securing a part of this sum, attention was directed to the "Episcopal Church Fund," which now consisted of eighty-five shares of stock in the Phœnix Bank. The project was to secure, by legislative en- actment, the power to make the Wardens and Vestry trustees of this Fund ; then that the bank stock should be sold, the proceeds loaned to the Parish, and scrip issued for the same. It was thus making a new investment, perhaps secure, per- haps legal ; probably legal, for the most prominent men of the Parish were in favor of it, and the General Assembly of the State gave sanction to it.
But to us at this day it seems rather queer, and certainly it appears as if the original intent of the Fund had been diverted, and put to a use not originally contemplated. The solemn promises of the Parish and the reiterated declara- tion in the Constitution were that it should be kept as a Fund, the income from which, when it amounted to five hundred dollars, might be "applied to the support of a clergyman in this Parish, a Parish school, or such other pur- poses for the support of Episcopal Parish as the Wardens and Vestry may think proper."
The process of reasoning doubtless was that the Parish was not restricted to its investment except as mentioned ; that the Fund invested in the Parish was as safe an in- vestment as the Fund invested in bank stock ; that the issue of scrip gave a visible existence to the Fund ; that the rents from the pews, the money raised by taxation, and by contri- butions for the support of the Parish, might be fairly con- sidered as the equivalent of the income from money invested in stocks, or bonds and mortgages, or any other good securi- ties. The sufficient security in this instance was a second lien upon the pew rents, a prior lien upon the same existing for twenty thousand dollars, due to " certain individuals."
Mr. Hoadly, in his Annals of the Parish, well says : -
" The Fund had been carefully and well managed by Charles Sigour- ney, a man of excellent judgment, and the most scrupulous accuracy and integrity, and in 1830 consisted of eighty-five shares of stock in the Phoenix Bank, of which the par value was $8,500. Pursuant to a vote of
93
REPORT ON FUNDS.
the Vestry, February 27th of that year, the money was withdrawn from the bank and invested in scrip issued for the purpose of building the present Church edifice. This step was vainly opposed by Mr. Sigourney, who foresaw, what the event proved, that the Fund would vanish."
The Vestry had on the 13th of March, 1829,
"Voted, That immediate measures be taken to procure the appoint- ment of Trustees of the Episcopal Church Fund, with a view to its more certain preservation."
As a result a Parish meeting was held on March 23d, when it was
"Voted, That the Wardens and Vestry of this Parish and their suc- cessors, be and they hereby are, constituted and appointed ' Trustees of the Episcopal Church Fund,' and that the legal title of said fund be vested in them as such trustees, with full power to hold the same forever, subject to the restrictions and limitations, and according to the provisions contained in the Constitution adopted by this Parish April 28, 1810.
"Voted, That application be made to the General Assembly at their session in May next for a legislative act incorporating the Wardens and Vestry and their successors such trustees of the Episcopal Church Fund, and ratifying and confirming said Constitution."
Isaac Toucey, S. H. Huntington, and Jeremy Hoadly were appointed to prepare and present a petition to the General Assembly for this purpose. The result was the following act, which was accepted by the Parish June 15, 1829 :
"At a General Assembly of the State of Connecticut, Holden in Hartford in said State, on the first Wednesday of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine.
"Upon the petition of Christ Church, in the city of Hartford, showing to this assembly that in the year 1810 the said parish established a fund, principally from the donations of individuals, to accumulate until the income therefrom should amount to five hundred dollars per annum ; that said Parish have constituted their Wardens and Vestry and their suc- cessors, trustees and managers of said fund, which amounts to about eight thousand dollars, and will soon become available to said Parish, and that an act of incorporation would remove many difficulties in the manage- ment of said fund, and promote its security, praying that said Wardens and Vestry and their successors may be incorporated, &c.
94
CHRIST CHURCH, HARTFORD.
"Resolved, By this Assembly, that the Wardens and Vestry of the Episcopal Parish of Christ Church, in the city of Hartford, and their successors be and they are incorporated by the name of the Episcopal Church Fund ; with full powers by that name to sue and be sued, and to hold, transfer, invest, reinvest, and manage said fund, not exceeding ten thousand dollars, in any real or personal estate according to their best discretion, in trust, for the use and benefit of said Parish."
The Wardens and Vestry, as Trustees of the Episcopal Church Fund, met on March 1, 1830, and
"Voted, That the Fund, consisting of eighty-five shares of Phoenix Bank stock held by the Episcopal Parish, be invested in the stock which has been created by said Parish, and that the amount (eight thousand five hundred dollars) be withdrawn from said Bank for that purpose," and "Samuel Tudor and Cyprian Nichols were appointed a committee to carry the foregoing vote into effect."
Thus was consummated a measure which was thought to be wise at that time.
Mr. Sigourney had subscribed three hundred and sixty dollars for the new church and organ, "on condition the Parish Fund be not invested in the Church stock." We may judge of the earnestness of his convictions, and adher- ence to his views, when we learn that his subscription was not paid.
It should be noted that in March, 1824, the dividends on the stock, eighty-five shares, amounted to $295.50 ; and in September to a like amount also. The income of the Fund, therefore, had arrived at that sum which was available for Parish purposes, and was doubtless so used, for the number of shares remained the same in September, 1829, when there was a dividend on eighty-five shares of $255 ; and another March 3, 1830, of the same amount. At this last date the loan was made to the Parish, and the dividends, as a visible factor in book-keeping, ceased.
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