USA > Delaware > Historical and biographical encyclopaedia of Delaware. V 1 > Part 25
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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
THE NICHOLITES OR NEW QUAKERS .- About the middle of the last century there lived in Kent county, in this State, a young man named Joseph Nichols. He possessed a mind endowed with uncommon strength and energy, and being of a genial and vivacious disposition, he naturally became the leader of his companions in all their sports and projects. The instrumentality or occasion of his conver- sion is not certainly known, but it was in his early manhood, when he began to exert an influence for good upon his companions, and soon after felt called by the Spirit to become a preacher of righteousness. The fervency of his zeal and his heart-searching appeals soon occasioned his meetings to be largely attended, and his followers multiplied to several hundred. As a sect they soon acquired the name of Nicholites from their leader, but they styled themselves Friends or New Quakers. Their wor- ship, principles, church government and manners were copied closely after the Friends, but they carried some of their notions, particularly of dress, to such an extreme as to make them conspicuous in the community for their singu- larity. In maintaining their testimony against the evils of the times, or what they considered errors in other churches, they sometimes suf- fered persecution, and William Dawson, one of their preachers, endured a long imprison- ment on this account. They built houses of worship at Centre, North West Fork and Tuckahoe Neck, part of their membership being in Delaware and part in Maryland. They formally united their organization with that of the Friends, in 1797. They were an uneducated people, but adorned the doctrines of the Christian religion by singularly pure and upright lives.
Monthly Meeting, 64 members; Northwest Fork Monthly Meeting, 36 members. Besides these there are a few Friends residing in the northern part of Brandywine Hundred who belong to a meeting in Pennsylvania. Total about 600 in the State who are known as Hicksite Friends. The number of members in the Orthodox Meeting at Wilmington is 146, and over 50 in the State besides.
It will be seen by the foregoing that the Friends began to settle in Delaware soon after the grant of this territory in 1665 by the Duke of York, and early in the 18th century they had established their meetings in nearly all portions of the State.
From the arrival of William Penn in 1682 to the Revolution, in 1775, Delaware formed a portion of his Proprietary Government. As was natural during that period, important offices were bestowed on Friends, and they exercised a decided influence in the govern- ment. They, however, withdrew from all par- ticipation in public affairs on the approach of war; and to the determination of the Ameri- can patriots to throw off the yoke of British tyranny, which had become insufferable to a free people, they opposed their principles of non-resistance. They not only refused to do military duty. but also to pay the taxes levied on them, as on all other citizens, for the pros- ecution of the war of Independence. (See re- cords of Yearly Meeting 1778, and other years ) Those who joined the army, or paid taxes, or paid fines for not appearing under military orders, or accepted the continental, or state money issued for carrying on the conflict, or furnished anything to the army for pay, were subjected to discipline, and required to confess their fault in writing to the meeting, in order to retain their membership. A number of papers of this character are quoted by Miche- ner : for example in 1778, the Wilmington Monthly Meeting received a written acknowl- edgment of this kind as follows : "Dear Friends,-Whereas, I have paid a fine imposed
The census of the Monthly Meetings of the on me for not appearing in a militant order Friends in Delaware in 1880 was, Wilmington, : with Andrew Lanburg and company, for which 402 members, of whom 21 were at Stanton ; act of so doing I have received considerable
143
HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
condemnation, and am sensible that it is not | lutions, now on record, as early as 1679 and consistent with a christian life to do so ; there- 1635. The evil of intemperance is frequently referred to,and opposition to the manufacture, sale and use of alcoholic liquors as a beverage appears in the minutes of the Wilmington Monthly Meeting in 1788. fore, for the clearing of Truth and my own con- science, I thus give my testimony against that misstep, and hope for the future to keep nearer the Spirit of Truth, that leads, and not astray. I am your friend, I -- H --. ', [Michener p. 302.]
This sturdy and uncompromising opposition to war led many to class them with Tories and Royalists in that supreme hour. Whether this was true or not we cannot affirm. We do know that the Friends of Delaware and those adjacent in Pennsylvania, held a meeting two days after the battle of Brandywine, and appointed a large committee to search out cases of want and suffering within the track of the devastating British Army. This com- mittee soon reported that "the sufferings of many have been great, although none appear to be in want of the necessaries of life except one," and add "that they generally appear to bear their sufferings with a good degree of cheerfulness."
It should not be forgotten, however, that during the late war the Friends in Delaware were unanimously in favor of the Union and emancipation. They furnished to the cause of their country and of freedom many of their choicest young men, whose spirit of patriotism and deeds of valor were not excelled in the struggle which resulted in the overthrow of slavery.
As a society they have taken very advanced ground on all the great reforms of the age They were among the earliest friends and ad- vocates of Temperance, and we find the ques- tion of moderation in the use of spirituous liquors made a subject of preaching, and reso-
They took strong grounds against the in- iquity of human siavery at a very early period. Germantown, Pa., was settled by German Friends in 1688, who "revolted at the idea of good men buying and selling human beings, heirs with themselves of immortality." It is true that Penn, and many members of the society, held slaves for a time, but the senti- ment against the practice grew so strong that "the memorable year of 1780 found Friends nearly, if not entirely, clear of slave holding," and up to the year of emancipation, 1863, they not only contributed largely to the anti- slavery agitation, but were the friends and helpers of all fugitives from bondage to the extent of their ability ; and since the war the education of the colored race in Delaware has depended very largely on the liberality of the members of this society.
In all movements for bettering the condition of humanity they generally take an advanced position, and in politics range themseves on the side of Reform, Education, Equal Rights and the broadest justice.
We close this brief and imperfect account of this interesting Christian order by saying that, in proportion to their numbers, no class has exerted upon the body politic a more health- ful, moral and social influence than have they, for a period of two hundred years. Their industry, economy, thrift, temperance, integ- rity and high sense of honor, has caused them to be loved and respected by all our people.
HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
BY RIGHT REV. THOMAS A. BECKER.
. HE oldest Catholic Church in the State of Delaware is St. Mary's. It was called "Coffee Run" by Rev. P. Kenny, who was the second pastor, he having succeeded Father Whalen about the year 1796 The first Church was a log building, and at
what time, precisely, it was erected we do not know. The cemetery, however, dates back to the year 1786, as appears from the tombstones there. The land, it seems, was originally bought by the Catholic Clergy of Maryland, since a deed is still extant signed by the Rev. Robert Molynensy, a well known missionary
144
HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
of the Society of Jesus. The first Catholic | as those who were employed in building the family residing in Delaware, was that of Cor- Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Rail Road as far as Havre de Grace, Md., and in- nelius Hollehan, a wealthy gentleman from Cork, Ireland, who came here in 1730. His tervening stations. residence was "Cuba Rock", on Red Clay Creek, purchased from Letitia Penn, and was part of the manor given her by her father, William Penn.
After disposing of Cuba Rock, Mr. Hollehan bought the "Old Homestead," on part of which the Church now stands. Here he en- tertained many of the Catholic Clergy, chiefly from Baltimore, where the names of Moly- nensy, Rossiter, Von Keating, John (after- ward Archbishop) Carrell and Fathers Whalen and Kenney were well known. -
Meanwhile the town of Wilmington began to grow apace, and a small house on the cor- ner of Hanover (now Sixth) and West streets, was used by the Catholics, chiefly of French origin, who had fled from San Domingo at the time of the insurrection of the blacks.
Among those who came at that time, was a clergyman, Rev. E. Favre (or Faure) who signed himself invariably on the Baptismal and Marriage Registers as "pretre francais," and kept the early records of the church in French ; in them we find the names of Du Pont, Bauduy, Gareschie, Keating and others, as well as that of Bayard. All these seem to have received the Sacraments of the church at Peri Faure's hands.
The Rev. P. Kenny, educated in France, . took definite charge of the Church in Wil- mington in the year 1804, and attended Con- cord (Willcox's House) and West Chester once a month, having two Sundays at St. Mary's when five occurred in one month. Occasion- ally he said Mass near the Brandywine at Madame Victor du Pont's house, until 1828, when he received as curate the Rev. George A. Carrell (afterwards the first Bishop of Cov- ington, Ky.) The venerable Father Kenny remained pastor until his death, sending Father Carrell to New Castle, Del., when he came on a fixed Sunday to Wilmington.
The Rev. P. Reilly followed Father Carrell in the year 1834. He was prefect at Mt. St. Mary's College during the time of his Emi- nence, Cardinal McCloskey's studies at the five hundred dollars by Madam Amelia E Du same Theological school. After Father Reil- ly's ordination in 1834, he had the task of at- tending Wilmington and New Castle, as well
Years of toil intervening, he built St. Mary's College in Wilmington. It was regularly chartered by the State of Delaware, and con- tinued to flourish under his care and that of Prof. Edward Roth and other able teachers, until the outbreak of our civil war, when, from a number of combining unfavorable circum- stances, the College ceased to exist about the year 1867. The grounds, which were the per- sonal property of Father Reilly, burdened by mortgages, were sold out to a number of Catholic gentlemen in 1868.
In the time of Father Carrell, some addition was made to St. Peter's Church, (the name given to the building on Hanover and West Streets,) and from a marble slab, we see that the date is 1832.
The church of St. Joseph, near the banks of the Brandywine, was built in 1841, and owes its commencement to the forethought and earnestness of P. N. Brennan Esq., (now in the Lobdell Car-wheel Company,) who was then clerk for Messrs. Charles I. Du Pont & Com- pany, large woolen manufacturers on the east side of the creek. Mr. Charles I. Du Pont gave one acre of ground on which St. Joseph's Church now stands.
Another half acre, on each side, was bought from him, at the same time, for one hundred dollars, of which land the westerly side lot was to be used for a school house, the easterly for a pastor's residence. Messrs. E. I. Du Pont De Nemours & Company, gave one hundred and fifty dollars in money, besides helping in many other ways to improve the building. Two of this firm, Messrs. Henry and Alexis I. Du Pont were members of the Building Com- mittee. Eight dwelling houses were built for different parties, one year after the Church was in use, and these houses were in four blocks of two each, one half of them east, the other west of the church. All on the east side, after having been occupied some time, caught fire and were destroyed. The ruins, merely the walls, with the lot were bought for ($500)
Pont, sister of Charles I. Du Pont, and a prac- tical Catholic, and given to the Church with a proviso that a residence for the sisters in
:
145
HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
charge of the school should be erected. The ; sisters of St. Francis are now in charge, having both a home for themselves and a school for the parish. An additional piece of ground was also given to the Church in 1876 by Mr. Charles Dougherty.
In Wilmington, the wants of the Catholics demanded a new Church, and St. Mary's, Sixth and Pine, was begun in 1858. To this a large school-house was added, and placed under the control of the Sisters of St. Joseph. The ven- reable P. Reilly, V. G. is still pastor.
As early as 1804, a few Catholics at New Castle, Del., had secured a place for worship, and Mr. B. Murphy, father of the eminent "Printer and Publisher," John Murphy of Bal- timore, Md., was one of the most generous and efficient members. This building had, however, become so dilapidated, that in 1870, an entirely new Church was erected, and in 1876,a handsome pastoral residence was added.
In Newark, Del., chiefly by the generosity and labor of Mr. Charles Murphy, (now of Baltimore,) a Presbyterian Meeting-house was bought, and converted into a church in 1868. It is attended from Elkton, Md. A house for the Priest has also recently been built.
At Delaware City, during the early part of the war, a neat brick Church was built, and is still attended from New Castle, Del.
The Catholic Female Orphanage in Wil- mington, was begun by the Rev. George A. Carrell, and several Sisters of Charity under- took to support it by opening a boarding school at Sixth and West Sts.
The property of Rev. P. Kenny, had -by some legal inaccuracy, escheated to the State ; but upon the showing of Mr. Charles I. DuPont, then Representative of the District, it was sold, and the proceeds given over by the State of Delaware, to the Orphanage, for the use and behoof of the "Catholic Female Orphans," and for educational purposes. The average number of children there, for many years, has been about forty.
When the Second Plenary Council of Balti- more was held, in 1866, it was proposed that a new Diocese, under the name and title of Wilmington, should be erected, to comprise all the Peninsula (or Chersonese, as the old maps have it) lying between Delaware and Chesapeake Bays, together with the State of Delaware.
Accordingly, in the year 1868, the late Sovereign Pontiff Pius IX, by apostolic letters bearing date March 3, 1868, trusting to the information given him by the Prelates of the aforesaid Council, erected all the parts clipped from the Dioceses of Philadelphia, Baltimore and Richmond, Va., into a Diocese, and ap- pointed Dr. Thomas A. Becker, a student and Priest of the Propaganda, Rome, as the first Bishop. He was consecrated in the Cathedral of Baltimore by the Mt. Rev. Martin John Spalding, Archbishop of Baltimore, on the 15th of August, 1868, and installed on the fol- lowing Sunday, August 22d by that Prelate in person
Since his arrival, the Churches of St. Paul, St. James, that of the Sacred Heart, for Ger- mans, under the charge of the Benedictines, an orphanage for the girls, renewed, one for . orphan boys begun, schools at various Churches, a new Church and Pastoral residence and school house at Dover, an Academy for young ladies on Delaware Avenue, controlled by the Sisters of the Order of the Visitation, B. V. M., and other works have sprung up and are in good condition.
The Church of St. Patrick, King street near Fourteenth, Wilmington, was consecrated in April, 1882. It is an edifice reflecting great credit as well on its builders as on the society in Wilmington, of which it is a conspicuous memorial.
The diocese is small, but may yet be of im- portance.
The Catholic population in Delaware is about 12,000.
ZION'S GERMAN EV. LUTHERAN CHURCH OF WILMINGTON.
BY REV. P. ISENSCHMID, M. D.
HIS Church was founded in the year 1848 by the Rev. Fr. Walz-now in Sellers- ville, Pa. After worshipping for a while in a public hall, the congregation built a church in Walnut street above Sixth. In 1852 Mr. Walz was succeeded by Rev. C. M. Jaeger. In 1856 Rev. Thomas Steck took charge of the congregation, which he
19
146
HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
served for three years. He was succeeded by ! Rev. Dr. W. Hasskarl, 859-61: Rev. J. J. Kucher 1861-64; Rev. H. Weicksel, 1864- 67. While Mr. Weicksel had charge of the church, the congregation thought it expedient to establish a week-day school for the instruc- tion of its children in their own language as well as in the English. There being no base- ment in the church-building where the school could be held it was resolved to look for more suitable quarters. The Public School building located on corner Sixth and French streets, then being for sale, was purchased and the necessary alterations made to adapt the build- ing to its new purposes. The basement was reserved for school rooms ; and the upper part made the church. The school, held by Rev. Weicksel himself with a son and a daughter as as assistants, soon came into a flourishing condition, numbering about 100 scholars. The congregation also by that time commenced to grow by immigration from Germany and finally managed to become a self-sustaining charge. In 1867 Mr. Weicksel was succeeded by Rev. H. B. Kuhn who remained till 1870. During his ministry the school had to be closed, he being no school-man and the con- gregation not being able to give a salary to a teacher besides him.
Since 1871 the present pastor, Rev. P. Isen- schmid, M. D. has had charge of the congre- gation .- In 1874 the church building was enlarged and improved at a cost of $2,500, and is now a neat place of worship. The congre- gation, consisting mostly of hard working people, is now, after having got rid of some peace-disturbing element, in a better condition than ever before. The number of communi- cant members is over 200 .- The Sunday School numbers over 200 scholars with 20 teachers .- Mr. Fr. Weil Sr. being its much esteemed superintendent.
The present vestry is composed of the following members : Fr. Weil, Sr. (Pres.) Geo. Steinicken, (Sec.) John F. Bush, (Tres.) Chr. Strobel, John Pfeiffer, C. Krapf, H. Bush, Th. Fueckel, M. Gropp, L. Haman, Th. Hanf, G. Refuss.
Of all those who were members from the beginning and who survive to this day, only two, Mr. John F. Bush, baker, and Mr. John Fullmer, shoemaker, have remained true and faithful to their church.
ST. JOHN'S REFORMED CHURCH, WYOMING, KENT COUNTY.
BY REV. E. H. DIEFFENBACHER.
N the spring of 1868 a small colony of people, mainly from central Pennsylva- nia, settled in Delaware. They were attracted to this garden spot by their agricultural habits and tastes. Being deprived of the peculiar church privileges to which they were accustomed in their former homes, they soon provided for themselves and their children a Church where they might worship the God of their fathers according to their well settled reformation faith and historical culture. A Sunday School was first organized in the summer of 1868 by the election of Hon. J. G. Brown as superintendent. The next April Rev. Dr. G. B. Russell, then of Phila- delphia, first visited among this people and preached for them. This service he continued at stated intervals for more than a year. The way being now prepared, the congregation was organized July 18, 1869, under the name of St. John's Reformed Church. The Philadel- phia Classis of the Reformed Church in the United States, sent Rev. Dr. S. R. Fisher to perform this official act. Twenty-two persons entered into the organization. Rev. C. C. Russell became their first pastor. He entered upon his labors in the fall of 1870 and con- tinued with them one year, when he was removed by death. For several years the con- gregation was without a pastor. Services were occasionally held by ministers from different sections of Pennsylvania, and by the professors and students of the Theological Seminary at Lancaster, Pa.
The second pastor, Rev. W. F. Lichliter, began his labors in August, 1875. At the end of the first year he resigned.
Rev. E. H. Dieffenbacher, the present pas- tor, entered upon his duties in November, 1876.
The corner stone of the church was laid June 9th, 1872, and the Church, a neat and substantial building, was consecrated to the worship of the Triune God April 19, 1874.
The congregation now numbers 87 commu- nicant members and 50 baptized youths. The pastor is the superintendent of the Sunday school, numbering 100 scholars and 12 teachers.
Their symbol of faith is the celebrated Heidelberg Catechism. They have an order
147
HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
of worship in a liturgy following the church, exclusive interpretation is put upon this. year and keeping its festivals. They baptize Baptism is not practiced unless desired, but the Lord's Supper is celebrated. their children and train them in Christian nur- ture ; and at a proper age, when duly instruc- ted and prepared, they are received into full membership by the rite of confirmation ad- ministered by the pastor. They celebrate the Lord's Supper four times a year. They acknowl- edge all other evangelical Christians as breth- ren, entitled to fellowship. They aim, in short, to practice the pure and undefiled re- ligion of Christ. While they do not engage in the questionable amusements of the world, they yet are a genial, social, neighborly, hos- pitable and cheerful people.
HISTORY OF THE FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF WILMINGTON.
HIS church, which is the only one of that denomination in the State, was or- ganized in February, 1866. In that month a number of the friends of the movement, having met at a private house, ini- tiated the enterprise by signing the following paper, viz : "The undersigned propose to as- sociate themselves for the purpose of forming and sustaining a Church and Society of the Unitarian Faith :" signed by Rev. F. A. Far- ley, D. D., Edmund Q. Sewall, Charles P. Bent, N. M. Gookin, Cyrus Pyle, Thos. Y. de Normandie, and their wives, and Mrs. J. P. Wales and others.
At a subsequent meeting, attended by about thirty individuals, the following Declaration or Statement was adopted, viz: "The under- signed persons living in and near Wilmington, in the State of Delaware, wishing to perpetuate and enjoy the privilege of that form of Chris- tianity, commonly called Unitarianism, and believing that this end can be better accom- plished by the formation of a Society, do here- by, in the Spirit and love of Christ, unite and form themselves into a Society that shall be known under the name of the First Unitarian Society of Wilmington. And may Grace. Mercy and Peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, be with us. Amen."
To sign this statement constitutes one a member of the church. It is the only creed or doctrinal statement the church has, and no
The first sermons before the Society, were preached by Rev. Thos. Y. de Normandie, the following April, followed by Rev. Dr. F. A. Farley, of Brooklyn, New York. September 9th, 1866, a call was extended to Rev. Fielder Israel to become their pastor, which was accepted; he continued most faithfully and ac- ceptably as the teacher and pastor of this people for a period of about 10 years, resigning in December, 1876. Under his ministry the church enjoyed a good measure of prosperity, and gained a substantial and assured foothold, bringing into its fold some of the leading and influential people of the city. It was also du- ring his pastorate that the church was built by this Society in West above Eighth street; the corner stone of which was laid October 18, 1867, and the church dedicated March 9, 1868.
After Mr. Israel left, in December, 1876, the church was without a pastor for about one year, when Rev. J. M. W. Pratt, accepted a call, November, 1877, and was ordained to the ministry in the church, January 28th, 1878. On this occasion the Ordination Sermon was preached by Rev. H. W. Bellows, D. D., of New York, on "The Nature and claims of Jesus Christ," from Matt. 16 : 13. "Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?" which was an exceedingly able exposition of the Unitarian faith. The members of the church, had the sermon printed in pamphlet form. Mr. Pratt remained till June, 1880, when he resigned.
The present pastor, Rev. H. R. Wilson, M. D., became the pastor, June, 1881. This is his first charge, and besides performing his ministerial duties he is practicing the profes- sion of Medicine as a specialist in the city of Wilmington. The church has a membership of about sixty, and a Sabbath School of 100.
The Board of Trustees are Thomas McClary, President ; Heywood Conant, Clerk : Lea Pusey, Treasurer ; Dr. W. W. Thomas, George W. Stone, John Wainwright and David Craig.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.