USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Wethersfield > History of Saint Mark's Church, New Britain, Conn., and of its predecessor Christ Church, Wethersfield and Berlin : from the first Church of England service in America to nineteen hundred and seven > Part 34
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Berlin > History of Saint Mark's Church, New Britain, Conn., and of its predecessor Christ Church, Wethersfield and Berlin : from the first Church of England service in America to nineteen hundred and seven > Part 34
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > New Britain > History of Saint Mark's Church, New Britain, Conn., and of its predecessor Christ Church, Wethersfield and Berlin : from the first Church of England service in America to nineteen hundred and seven > Part 34
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57
Mr. Bodley accepted the call and entered upon the rectorship of the parish on Aug. 1, 1899. His first official acts were per- formed on the Feast of the Transfiguration, which fell that year on Sunday, Aug. 6. The Journal of Convention for 1899 gives the changes made since the sitting of the Convention, which included the transfer of the Rev. Harry I. Bodley to this Diocese from the Diocese of Kansas, and the removal of the Rev. Henry N. Wayne from New Britain to White Plains, N. Y.
We learn from the parish register that in September, 1899, the church exterior was painted and electric lights placed in the porch and vestibule by the liberality of H. C. Noble, Esqr.
The Ladies' Aid Society also renovated the rectory, cleaned the church and renewed the carpets, in part, at a cost of about $600. During the year 1900, the Sunday School installed electric lights in the nave and choir of the church at a cost of $173.
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IN NEW BRITAIN.
On March 1, 1900, a parish paper called "The Lion" was published. It was issued quarterly until October, 1904, when it died for want of proper financial support and for want of some one, other than the Rector, to take charge of properly addressing and mailing the papers to subscribers. The issue of Dec. 15, 1902, announced that "The Lion" was hungry and was being starved slowly and surely. At that time it owed the Rector $40.40 for cash expenditures in excess of receipts. Its hunger was partially appeased for a time, but it was starved to death in 1904 and died largely indebted to the Rector.
The first number of "The Lion" proposed the building of a new church edifice, gave a list of the officers of the Parish, the Sunday School, the Ladies' Aid Society, St. Margaret's Guild and the Daughters of the King. Also the names of the members of the Choir.
In the Journal of Convention 1901 the name of the Rev. Harry I. Bodley, Rector of St. Mark's, appears as one of the committee to cooperate in Connecticut with the General Board of Missions and he is so reported continuously until 1907. The Board held a meeting at New Haven, May 22, when one of the addresses was made by the Rev. Mr. Bodley.
At a vestry meeting Jan. 21, 1901, the Rector, wardens and clerk were appointed a committee to confer with the Trustees of Donations and Bequests for Church Purposes in regard to the parish securing the right to transfer the Church property On Feb. 3, 1902, the vestry voted to inform Mayor Bassett that the parish was ready to consider the sale of the Church pro- perty (for a post office site,) when the Government make a definite proposition. At the annual parish meeting March 31, 1902, the Rector and lay delegates to the Convention were requested to petition the Convention for the appointment of a committee to represent the Convention between its sessions in the matter of giving the required consent to the transfer of the Church property. At the Convention of 1902, on motion of the Rev. Harry I. Bodley, the consent of the Convention of the Diocese of Connecticut was given to the conveyance by the Trustees of Donations and Bequests for Church Purposes of the property of St. Mark's Parish, New Britain, or any part thereof.
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At a vestry meeting April 29, 1901, a committee was appointed to consider the matter of a new organ, and on July 5, 1901, the new organ was ordered by the vestry. On Feb. 3, 1902, the committee on the new organ reported the amount of receipts and expenditures and passed a vote of thanks to the Rector for his efforts in raising money for the organ. "The Lion" of Nov. 1, 1901, says that the contract for the new organ was made with The J. W. Steere & Son Organ Co. The organ with the necessary repairs and alterations cost $2,562.37 which was mostly paid by subscriptions, the balance being provided for by accumulated interest on the bequest of Mrs. Jane Henn. One hundred dollars was subscribed by the Ladies' Aid Society, in addition to which they gave the pro- ceeds of their Christmas sale 1901, amounting to $231.94. The organ was used the first time on Septuagesima, Jan. 26, 1902. The Bishop's address in the Journal of Convention 1902 says : "On the second of February, 1902, I dedicated the new organ in St. Mark's Church, New Britain."
On March 8, 1902, the vestry passed appropriate resolutions on the eightieth anniversary of the birth of the senior warden, Mr. Norris Bailey, for his long and faithful service. The resolutions are of record and a copy of them, signed by the Rector and vestry, was sent to Mr. Bailey. Mr. Bailey's service as vestryman and warden are hereinafter noted.
The changes made for the new organ necessitated a removal of the Russell memorial window, and the vestry voted June 21, 1902, to appropriate from the interest on the Russell Fund an amount not exceeding $250.00 for enlarging the said window and placing it in one of the openings in the nave of the church. It was accordingly enlarged and placed in its new position.
At the annual meeting March 31, 1902, it was voted that the fiscal year of the parish end on May Ist of each year and that the annual meeting be held on the second Monday in May of each year.
At a vestry meeting March 21, 1903, the Rector made a report on plans for additions to, and changes in the old rectory. The Rector and the Superintendent of the Sunday School were requested to ascertain if the accumulated interest of the Erwin Fund can be used for that purpose. The proposed changes.
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were approved, and the Rector and Mr. H. C. Noble were appointed a committee to obtain definite plans. On April 20, 1903, the plans for the annex to the rectory were approved and ordered, with a request to pay bills for same to the amount of $800. At the annual meeting of May 11, 1903, the Rector made a report on the additions to the rectory and also brought the matter of a new rectory to the attention of the parish. The vestry were empowered and instructed to consider the whole matter of a parish house and a new rectory and report some definite plan. In accordance with this vote the vestry on May 18, 1903, ordered a new rectory at a cost not exceeding $8000 for house and lot, when $4,000 shall be subscribed.
The matter was submitted to a special parish meeting June I, 1903, and left with the vestry and a building committee to be appointed by the vestry, provided the total cost did not exceed $10.000. Mr. Norris Bailey was appointed agent to sign note and mortgage if necessary. The vestry on June 8, 1903, appointed the Rector, Messrs. Hicks, Noble,. Chase, White, Morse and Graham the building committee for the new rectory, Mr. Klett being appointed as a substitute in case of a vacancy.
The building committee on July 1, 1903, voted to acquire the Allis property, No. 18 Lexington Street, on condition that the sum of $3,000 be raised. On Sept. 21, 1903, Mr. Bailey reported to the vestry that the Allis property has been pur- chased for a rectory at a cost of $8,500 and mortgaged for $6,000. On Oct. 4, 1903, the Bishop blessed the new Rectory of St. Mark's, New Britain.
The old rectory with the annexed library is now known as the parish house.
The Rev. Harry I. Bodley, Rector of St. Mark's, was elected Archdeacon of Hartford in July, 1903, and the Bishop appointed him to that office for four years from July 4. The Archdeaconry met at New Britain, Nov. 18, 1903.
The Journal of Convention for 1903 reports the Rev. Harry I. Bodley as on the committee to cooperate in Connecticut with the American Church Building Fund. At the same Conven- tion, on the motion of the Rev. Harry I. Bodley, the directors of the Missionary Society were empowered to employ a special agent during the year at a cost of not over $1,000 and traveling
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charges. The Rev. Mr. Bodley also introduced a resolution for changing the canon relating to parish members, so that those who regularly absent themselves from parish meetings may be dropped from the rolls. The matter was carried over to the next Convention, when it was changed somewhat and again carried over. At the Convention of 1905, the change in the canon was adopted, whereby upon certain conditions, the annual parish meeting may vote to drop from the roll any member who "has attended no meeting of the parish for the past five years."
The vestry meeting of Oct. 21, 1903, gave a vote of thanks to the retiring sexton, Mr. George Vines, who had served in that capacity for eleven years. Mr. J. G. F. Hughes was then chosen to that office, which he now (1906) holds. The first sexton whose name appears of record was William Bradley, 1849. The next Mr. Hamilton, 1850 to 1852. His salary was raised at the annual meeting of April 22, 1852, from $35 to $40 per year. Mr. Noble Hill was sexton 1853 to 1857. His salary in the latter year was $50. Mr. William G. Payne succeeded Mr. Hill at the same salary in 1858 and was sexton in 1868 at a salary of $200 per year. He resigned in 1869, after which Mr. Dwight A. Parsons and Mr. Chester C. Birge each served one year and then Mr. Payne resumed the office and held it until about 1889. Mr. Payne was succeeded for about three years by Mr. William J. Stewart, who was followed by, Mr. Vines. The salary of the present sexton is $300 per year with house rent.
At the annual meeting of May II, 1903, a committee was appointed to arrange for the formation of a Men's Club. On Nov. 4, 1903, about forty men were given a supper at the parish house by the Woman's Guild and the Men's Club of St. Mark's Parish was. organized, with Mr. Charles J. White as President and Mr. Charles F. Chase, Secretary.
In the Journal of Convention 1904, there is a report of the committee on extending the work of the Church among the colored people of Connecticut. A preliminary canvass showed that out of a population of approximately 32,000 New Britain, in 1904, had 125 colored persons, of which 60 were adults and 65 minors. They belonged to about 17 families. The total
PARISH HOUSE AND LIBRARY.
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IN NEW BRITAIN.
number of colored persons in New Britain who attended any church was 80.
The following list of Societies are reported in the "Lion" for December, 1903 :--
The Men's Club; St. Mark's Social Club; The Boys Club; Daughters of the King; St. Cecelia's Guild and the Woman's Guild. There had formerly been two societies among the women for doing similar work. In October, 1902, they were each dis- banded and a new Woman's Guild of St. Mark's Church formed with six principal committees, covering all departments of woman's work in the parish. The Woman's Guild is a power in the parish for missionary and other branches of parochial work. It pays the interest on the rectory mortgage and has also largely reduced the principal. It pays the coal and gas bills for the parish house and other running expenses. With its social meetings, and hospitable greetings, it makes the parish house a home for all.
At a vestry meeting May 9, 1904, resolutions were adopted in memory of Henry Tolles, Esqr., then recently deceased. He had served as vestryman and warden, but especial reference was made to his long and faithful service as choir master and chorister of St. Mark's. In fact he is the only person of record that has been elected to the office of Chorister at a parish meeting. His name so appears from 1851 to 1863, and he was among the singers in the present church in 1848 or early in 1849. Some of the other early singers in this church were Mr. and Mrs. John B. Parsons; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Parsons ; Mr. Eli H. Porter; Diana Bucknall, (Mrs. Edwin M. Tal- madge ;) Elizabeth Hart, (Mrs. William Burritt;) Julia Hart, (Mrs. Butler;) Julia W. Post, (Mrs. Frederick Fitch ;) Jeanette Lee, (Mrs. William G. Coe;) Mrs. Ransom and Mrs. Capron, wife of the Rector. Miss Lee began to sing in the old church on East Main Street about 1845, when she was only ten years old and continued to sing in church until she married Mr. Coe in 1856. Other singers in the old church were Mary Rice, (Mrs. Bucknall,) adopted daughter of the Rev. Mr. Guion; Jane Todd (Mrs. Bingham;) Elizabeth Hart and Diana Bucknall above named; Messrs. Lorenzo P. Lee, E. N. Stanley, Loren F. Judd, John B. Parsons and Charles Parsons.
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In these early days the chorister was not the organist as at present. The first organist was a young man from Hartford referred to in the Russell letters before noticed, and whose name is not known. The next, we believe, was Stephen Gittins Buck- nall, a son of Warden Stephen George Bucknall. He was organist about 1839 and was the last organist at the East Main Street church. He was generally known as Gittins Buck- nall. The first organist in the West Main Street church was Mr. Lewis Downs. Mr. Theodore I. Driggs of Waterbury was organist for a time and so was Mr. Henry G. Seymour, a son of Warden Hezekiah Seymour. J. Willard Parsons began to play the church organ, at times, about 1851, when he was only seven years old, and so small that his feet could not touch the pedals as he sat on the stool. He said that Mr. Sey- mour was the earliest organist that he could remember. Young Parsons began to play the organ regularly about 1854, when he was only eleven years old. Since then he has stated that Mr. Tolles was very kind and helpful to him. With the excep- tion of a few months when young Parsons was in the war as a drummer boy, he was the organist until about 1864, when he went to Kentucky for about three years, and Mr. Theron Camp filled the position. Mr. Parsons returned and was organist again from sometime in 1867, to September, 1871, when he resigned. Mr. Parsons has stated that St. Mark's Church at one time was the only Church in town that employed a paid choir. Mr. Frederick C. Potter of New London was organist in 1873; Mr. Franklin W. Guion 1876-1878; Miss Shubert in 1879, and the present organist, Mr. Henry J. Brown, began his service here in the fall of 1881. For a time, about 1886, the position was filled by Mr. John J. Bishop, and then resumed by Mr. Brown until about 1891, when Mr. Wolcott Abbee was organist. Mr. Brown was organist again in 1894 and for a short time near the close of the rectorship of the Rev. H. N. Wayne, Mr. J. W. Raymond was organist. Mr. Brown has served continuously since early in 1899, and the ever efficient service of the boy choir is due to his skillful training. Others of whom we have no record may have served as organists, but as the organists have generally been hired by the music committee their names do not appear in the parish records. Most of these items about
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the music are from the recollections of Mrs. William G. Coe of Winsted and Mr. D. A. Parsons of this city.
At the vestry meeting of March 13, 1906, the regular monthly meetings were discontinued, and it was arranged that the vestry meet thereafter at the call of the Rector, or upon the written request of three members.
At the adjournment of the annual meeting May 14, 1906, the roll of legal members of the parish of St. Mark's Episcopal Church, New Britain, Conn. numbered fifty-one.
At a vestry meeting Oct. 12, 1906, a committee was appointed to confer with the committee of the city in regard to the sale of the church property.
A special meeting of the parish was held on Dec. 26, 1906. when it was resolved that the parish sell the land at the corner of West Main and Washington Streets with the buildings thereon, "to the city of New Britain or any other customer, at a price not less than $100,000.00."
At the same meeting, forty-three members of the parish signed a request that the "Trustees of Donations and Bequests for Church Purposes of the Diocese of Connecticut," reconvey to the said parish the above named land and buildings which the said Trustees now hold; the said request to be in effect for one year and then only in case that the said property shall be sold, for at least one hundred thousand dollars.
A committee of nine was elected by ballot with power, for the purpose of carrying out the above resolution and request, and in case of a sale, to purchase a new site for a church and a parish house.
At the date of this meeting, the legal members of St. Mark's Parish numbered forty-nine, and forty-three of that forty-nine were present and unanimously concurred in all three of the foregoing propositions. It is believed to have been the best attended meeting of the corporation ever held in the parish, and was certainly the most harmonious. It is remarkable that such a large proportion of legal members of this or any other parish should vote unanimously on three different propositions.
Since the organization of St. Mark's Church, 1836, it has had sixteen different ministers. Two of these, the Rev. Messrs. Fisher and Mansfield, were hired for a short period, with no
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intention of long continued service. The longest service of any minister was that of the Rev. F. T. Russell, who was here eight years, nine months and twenty days. During the first ten months of his ministry he was in his diaconate. The next longest service is that of the present Rector, the Rev. Harry I. Bodley, who has been Rector since Aug. 1, 1899. On Jan. I, 1907, he had served seven years and five months. The Rev. John M. Guion served in all seven years and one month, the first few months of that service being before he was elected Rector. The Rev. Messrs. Capron, Stoddard, Baldwin, Wayne. and Rogers, have the next longest service, each one having served in the order named, a little more or less than six years.
On December 31, 1906, only four of the former Rectors of the Church were living. The oldest living Rector was the Rev. F. T. Russell of Grand Rapids, Mich. and the next oldest was his immediate successor, the Rev. L. B. Baldwin of New Haven, Conn. Both of these Rectors have frequently visited their old parish and have both been here recently. The Rev. Mr. Rus- sell last officiated here on Ascension Day, May 24, 1906, more than fifty-one years after his first service. At the fiftieth anni- versary of the beginning of his rectorship he was remembered by the officers of the Church, who greeted him with a kindly message. A part of his reply to that message is as follows :-
SOLDIERS' HOME P. O., GRAND RAPIDS, MICH., Second Sunday after Easter, '05.
To the Rector, Wardens & Vestry,
Beloved Brethren :- Your thoughtful message reached me, breathing an affectionate interest, and tenderly awakening a gratitude which words cannot adequately express.
It speaks of days that are gone as well as those that remain to me. Half a century of time writes a history of itself and leaves impressions which can never be effaced while the faculty of memory can be in exercise. I treasure the thoughts of those earlier days, the beginning of my work in the sacred ministry. They were very happy days, and your kindness and considera- tion, your loyalty and affection, made them so. My labors were called successful, but I have always realized that it was because
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you made them fruitful under God's blessing. In fact, it was on account of your cordial appreciation of what I aimed to do that I felt I was in danger of being overvalued and that I felt I ought to leave you.
But I left New Britain and my beloved parishioners of St. Mark's Parish very reluctantly, and it was a long time after before I could be contented to hear the bleating of the sheep of my flock without an impelling desire to return and serve them to the end of the activities of my life. And now, nearly half a century of flitting time has gone, and the end of all for me, at least, must be close at hand. I can recall the days spent with you with the deepest gratitude, and I can think hope- fully of the dear ones who have preceded me to the lasting rest. I have many to welcome me to the better world.
"I have wished you good luck ye that are of the House of the Lord."
With deepest affection,
Yours most faithfully, FRANCIS T. RUSSELL.
The lay readers hereinbefore referred to have generally officiated only in the absence of a minister, instead of assisting the minister as at present. Mr. William Pitt Tyron served as lay reader for about two years and was succeeded by the present lay reader, Dr. F. A. B. Forrest.
For twenty-three consecutive years, 1845-1868, Mr. Heze- kiah Seymour and Mr. Stephen G. Bucknall served together as wardens of St. Mark's Church, although in the year 1848, Mr. Bucknall served in the place of another person who had been elected to that office. Mr. Seymour and Mr. Bucknall each served as warden for twenty-seven years in all. Mr. Seymour was junior warden for seven years and senior warden for twenty years, while Mr. Bucknall was junior warden for twenty years and senior warden for seven years. The warden whose length of service most nearly approaches that of Messrs. Seymour and Bucknall is Mr. Norris Bailey. He was junior warden in 1876, also in 1884. He was elected senior warden in 1885, and with the exception of the year 1889 has continuously been senior warden to date, 1907. He has thus served as
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warden for twenty-three years and has been senior warden for twenty-one years. As senior warden, his years of service exceed that of Messrs. Seymour and Bucknall and therefore he has held that office for more years than any other one person. Of all the officers of every kind, he has been an officer of the parish for more years than any other person. He had pre- viously served as vestryman for twenty-four years, making his service in the vestry, as vestryman or warden, amount to forty- seven years. He was first elected a vestryman in 1853, fifty- three years ago and he has served as vestryman or warden for thirty-two consecutive years, ever since the spring of 1874. Other wardens who have served six years or over are Dr. S. W. Hart, seven years, and Messrs. Henry Tolles and Isaac D. Russell, who have served six years each. In all, so far as we know, only twenty-six different persons have filled the office of warden.
Eighty different persons have filled the office of vestryman. The number of vestry has been changed from year to year but has never been less than three, nor more than ten:
The longest service as vestryman is that of Mr. Ira E. Hicks who has served twenty-eight years and is closely followed by Mr. H. C. Noble with a service of twenty-seven years, and Mr. Norris Bailey who has served twenty-four years. Others whose service has been ten years or more, and the length of their service is as follows :-
George M. Parsons 17
Charles F. Chase 14.
Nathaniel Dickinson I6. Dr. S. W. Hart 13.
Noble Hill I6.
Henry E. Russell Jr. 15.
Wm. L. Humason 15.
F. G. Guion IO.
Henry E. Russell 14.
William Parker IO.
The office of treasurer has been filled by twenty different persons, the present treasurer, Mr. Henry E. Beach, having served for sixteen years and next to him in length of service is Mr. H. E. Russell, Senior, who served ten years.
Fourteen different persons have served as parish clerk. The present clerk, Mr. Charles F. Chase, has the best record, having served continuously for thirteen years. The next best records
Wm. L. Humason Jr. 12.
Virgil Cornish II.
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are those of Mr. Henry E. Russell, Senior, who served eleven years; Mr. William B. Smyth ten years and Mr. Franklin G. Guion nine years.
Out of the seventy-one years since the organization of St. Mark's there have been twelve years in which the parish had no lay representation in the Conventions of the Diocese. At five different Conventions one of the lay representatives was a per- son that had not been elected by the parish either as a delegate or a substitute. Twenty-seven different persons have been given seats in the Conventions as lay representatives of the parish. Mr. Virgil Cornish has been seated in nineteen Con- ventions; Dr. S. W. Hart in eleven; Mr. Stephen G. Bucknall in eight; Mr. Charles F. Chase in seven, and Mr. Leonard Doig in six.
No one person has ever given more support to the parish in money and earnest work than Mr. H. E. Russell, Senior. The full amount of his gifts will never be known, but he has repeatedly presented the parish with gifts to the amount of from six to over ten thousand dollars each. He has also served as vestryman, clerk, treasurer, delegate to the Convention and warden.
The annual reports of the parish as published in the Journal of Convention should be considered in their entirety in order to do them full justice.
From these reports we learn that in 1841 there were four officers including teachers, and 30 scholars in the Sunday School. In 1856, nine officers and 62 scholars. In 1866, twelve officers and 100 scholars. In 1876, sixteen officers and 120 scholars. In 1886 they had dropped down to twelve officers and 115 scholars. In 1896, there were twenty-five officers and 240 scholars and in 1906 there were thirty-five officers and 250 scholars.
The growth of the Church is indicated by the number of communicants, which in 1837 was only 12. 'Ten years later, 1847, there were 30. In 1857, the number rose to 95, and in 1867 to 162. In the next ten years the increase was only eight, the number in 1877 being only 170. In 1887 there were 271 ; in 1897 the number was 455, and in 1907, more than five hundred.
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