USA > Delaware > New Castle County > New Castle > Sketch of early ecclesiastical affairs in New Castle, Delaware, and history of Immanuel Church > Part 3
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Mr. Yeo was tried in the Court at New Castle on April 5, 1681, for using certain seditious language towards the Court. The record of the trial is interesting, not only from its reference to Mr. Yeo, but as showing the procedure in the Court at that period; a full extract from the proceedings is therefore given.
"John Yeo being presented by Capt. Edmund Cant- well, High Sheriff of this Towne and County of New Castle, for having spoken, declared and divulged, on ye 13th day of March last, within this Town of New Castle, at ye house of Thom. Spry, in a most seditious, muti- nous and tumultuous manner, that this Town and County of New Castle was not within ye government or under ye jurisdiction p'prietary of his Royal Highness, and further that this Court of Justices, although ap- pointed, authorized and commissioned by his Honor (his Majesty and Royal Highness' Governor) were no lawful Court, nor would hee himself in no wayes obey ye saine, &ct of which Capt. John Lewin being present and in- formed, sd John Yeo was questioned, who denying and contradicting ye sd judgment. The depositions of Joseph Burnham, Rebecca Spry and Edward Hudson taken before Justice Peter Alrichs, Justice Joh d'haes and Justice Will Sempill, ye 2d of April instant, were publicly read and by ye deponants owned again in Court, upon which, after ye case had been lookt into and debated, and ye sd John Yeo not submitting himself to acknowledge his cryme but desiring a Jury, and tliat ye witnesses might be sworn again de novo. It was granted and a jury impaneled, vizt .: Mr. James San- derlin, Mr. Henry Riggs, Mr. Geo. Moore, Mr. John Carr, Mr. John Darby, Mr. John Kerby, Mr. John Biscus, Mr. John Wattkins, Mr. Ambrose Backer, Mr.
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IN NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE.
Olde Haeson, Mr. Henry Rennolds, Mr. Tho. Harris. The jury being sworn and ye p'sentment read ye deft. John Yeo pleaded not guilty. Joseph Burnham sworne in Court declareth that on Sunday ye 13th day of ye month of March last past, hee was present by the house of Doctor Spry and did hear when Mr. John Yeo was speaking with Cornelis the Brewer about ye chest, hee ye sd. John Yeo sayed, 'from whoome have the Court their commissions,' and in substance disowned ye power and legality of ye sd. Court above mentioned.
April 6th, Rebecca Spry sworne in Court declareth that she was present and did hear when Mr. Yeo was speaking to Cornelis Jansen about his chest. That Mr. Yeo denyed ye power of ye Court and further sayeth note.
Edward Hudson sworne in Court sayeth that hee was also present and did hear Mr. John Yeo say to Cornelis Jansen that this Court was not a Court of equity and that therefore he would not obey it.
Joseph Barnes sworne in Court declareth that being in Maryland some time past did hear Mr. John Yeo dis- coursing with Mr. Man about William Pens having a Grant from ye King for part of this River. Sd Mr. Yeo sayed 'then if that be true then wee shall be free, and they say here that New Castle belongs to Maryland, and if that be true I question whether New Castle Court be a lawful Court,' and further sayeth not. The jury receiving their charge went out and returning brought in their verdict, Wee find ye deft. not Guilty." (I)
It was doubtless known in the colony by this time that William Penn had petitioned on 14th of the pre- vious June for a grant of land on Delaware river and
(1) New Castle Co. Records B. p. 313. 3
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EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS
there was probably an embarrassing uncertainty into whose hands this territory would fall, so the Court very discreetly allowed a rather free expression of opinion.
On November 30, 1677, just before coming to New Castle, Mr. Yeo purchased from John Edmundson, of Talbot Co., Maryland, for 12000 pounds of tobacco, "all that tract of land called Mussell Cripple lying and being in White Clay Kill, nigh to Christiana Kill, con- taining 800 acres." He sold this land on April 30, 1678, to John Smith for 16000 pounds of good merchantable tobacco; (1) Thus the Parson made a clear 4000 pounds of tobacco by the transaction, holding the land only five months.
Shortly after Mr. Yeo had settled at New Castle, on June 4, 1678, the Court referred the settling and regulat- ing the church affairs at New Castle to Mr. John Moll and Mr. Peter Alrichs, "they to make up the accounts with the Reader and Wardens and to make such further orders and regulations as shall be found most necessary." (2) And on November 5, 1678, the Court "Resolved (in regard the church doth very much want reparation,) that Mr. John Moll and Mr. Peter Alrichs take care and order about the same. The charge and cost to be found and raised by a tax, if no more money be due upon the former list of ye Reader.".(3) And ou the same day we find "Elice the wife of Olle Toursen, deceased, showing by Petition that Jacobus Fabritius heretofore did borrow of her said husband the sum of seventy and seven guilders of the money then belong- ing to ye church at Swanwyck, as also that there was yet a small parcell of wampum in her hands of ye said
(1) Deed Record A. Vol. 1, page 30.
(2) New Castle Co. Record, A. p, 235.
(3) Idem 320.
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IN NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE.
church, desiring (since those of ye church of Crane- hook do demand it) that this Court would order her to whom she shall deliver the said wampum, as also who shall receive ye money back of said Fabritius. Ordered that the wampum as also the debt of Fabritius be received by this Church of New Castle as the nearest to it. Those of ye Cranehook having already received a good part thereof." (I)
On Dec. 3, 1678, the Court resolved and ordered that "500 or 600 acres of land be layed off for Glebe land for a minister within this Court's jurisdiction with a fit proportion of marrish to be in the most convenient place where land not taken up can be found : As also that a lot 120 feet broad & 300 feet long be layed out in town to build a house for ye minister on, and that another lot of 60 feet broad be laid out for a scoole as also a place appointed for the building of a Church & a new church yard in ye most fittest place as shall be thought convenient and best." (2) This order never seems to have been carried out as to the Glebe land and house for minister, but may the order not have resulted in the selection for a church and church yard the present site of Immanuel Church, which was the loca- tion of the fort abandoned four or five years thereafter.
In Court on the same day as the order above "a nom- ination for elders and church-wardens being delivered this day in court made the following appointments :
MR. JOHN MOLL, for Elders. MR. JEAN P. JACQUETT,
JOHN SMITH, ENGELBERT LOTT,
BENJAMIN GRUMRY, SAMUEL BERCHER, WILL PENTON,
for Church Wardens."
(I.) New Castle County Record, A. 325.
(2 Idem 342.
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EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS
On January 7, 1679, "Mr. Thomas Harwood de- clared to have given as a free gift towards the repairing of the old or the building by a new church within this town of New Castle, the judgement of 51 guilders and 10 stivers by him this day obtained in this Court against Jacob V. Veer." (I)
As the men in authority at New Castle were gener- ally Dutch, and in faith Calvinists, they were probably not well satisfied with Rev. John Yeo and his preaching and ministrations according to the Church of England, so that we find a few months after Mr. Yeo's arrival, on July 17, 1678, at a meeting of justices an address was prepared to be forwarded to the Governor General by Mr. John Moll, "Ist to desire and humbly request his Honor the Governor to grant us here and permission to obtain and have an orthodox minister to be maintained by the gifts of ye free willing givers, &c." (2) To these justices the "orthodox" minister was the Calvinist. Gov. Gen. Andross replying to the address Oct. 26, 1678, said "Your desire for a minister is allowed by the laws."
The justices seem not to have lost much time, after their request was granted, in securing the services of a Dutch minister, as we find Domine Petrus Tesschien- maker or Tesshemacker in New Castle early in the year 1679. The peculiar qualifications of this Domine were, that he could preach in both Dutch and English, and such qualifications were most desirable in the mixed population that New Castle contained at that time. Three years earlier the inhabitants of Esopus on the Hudson river, petitioned Gov. Andross that this Domine be sent to them "as he speaks both Dutch and English."(3)
(1) New Castle County Rec. "B." 12.
(2) Idem B. 301.
(3) O. Call, 3, 965.
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IN NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE.
Although performing the duties of a minister at New Castle early in the year 1679, Mr. Tesschenmaker was not commissioned for New Castle until the fall, as the following extract will show.
"At a Council &c Sept. 30, 1679, Prest. the Go. &ct Councill, Mr. Mayor, Capt. N. de Meyer, C. Stephanus Cortland, C. Knapson.
Upon application of the Inhabitants of New Castle, an order to bee given to the ministers or any three of them, to examine Peter Teschenmacker, & if they shall find him fittly qualified, then to ordain him to be a min- ister of God's Holy Word, and to administer the sacra- ment, as is usual in the Protest. or Reformed Churches" (I). This ceremony could hardly have been the Domi- ne's original ordination as he had certainly performed the functions of a minister for some time before this. The difficulty for clergymen to obtain money due upon subscription made for their support was experi- enced by Mr. Teschenmacker as fully as by his pre- decessors, and by the 3d of June, 1679, we find him petitioning to the Court and asking an order against the estate of Walter Wharton for 50 gilders, being one-half the subscription of him, Walter Wharton, "and also allow him out of Walter Wharton's estate what was reasonable for his preaching the funeral sermon, &c." (2) The Court ordered the fifty gilders paid, and also fifty gilders more for funeral service, &c. Walter Wharton died on January 3, 1679, so that Mr. Teschenmacker must have been in New Castle before that date to have received a subscription from him. On June 3, 1679, Mr. Teschenmacker was petitioner for "a cer- tain piece of vacant lot of land for to build a house and
(1) Albany Rec. 12 p. 633.
(2) New Castle Co. Rec. B. 80.
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EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS
making of a garden and orchard thereon, the same lying in the west end of this Town of New Castle between the land of Mr. Alrichs, and this lot by this Court grant- ed to Mathias & Emilius De Ring The Court do grant the said Dom. Teschenmaker for his encouragement the said piece or lot of land so that a good broad street be left at the water side and to stretch behind as far as the street shall come, and the petitioner seating and im- proving the same according to his Hon. the Governor's regulations." (1) This lot, from the above description, was some where between the present Presbyterian Church and Delaware street, running from Market to Water street. It was patented to Mr. Teschenmaker by Win. Penn's agents, Claypoole, Lloyd and Turner on Nov. 29, 1684. The records of this minister's life and ministrations in New Castle are very meagre, and we therefore know very little of his work. He was assessed in 1689, and proba- bly remained in New Castle until that year. He became about this time, the minister at the Town of Schenectady, New York, and was there only a short time when he met with a tragic death in the massacre of the people of that place on February 9, 1690, although his death was not intended. Mons. De Monseignat in his "account of the invasion of New York by French and Indians and Sack of Schenectady," says, "The house belonging to the minister was ordered to be saved, so as to take him alive to obtain information from him; but as it was not known, it was not spared any more than the others. He was slain and his papers burnt before he could be recog- nized." (2) In the list of the killed made by the Eng- lish authorities at the time is this item: "Dome. Petrus Tassemaker ye minister kil'd and burnt in his house". (3)
(1) New Castle Co. Rec. B. 79.
(2) O Callaghan, Vol. I, p. 300.
(3) Idem, Vol. I, p. 305.
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IN NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE.
So ended the life of the last Dutch minister at New Castle.
It was during the time Mr. Tasschenmaker re- mained at New Castle that William Penn landed there, and took possession of the colony as propri- etor. That historical event took place just where Im- manuel Church now stands. An account of the proceed- ings is found in the county records as follows. (I) "New Castle the 28th October, 1682, memorandum that the day and year first above written, William Penn, Esq. by virtue of an Instrument of Indenture signed and sealed by his Royal Highness James, Duke of York &ct did then and there demand possession and seizin of John Moll, Esq. and Ephraim Herman, Gentlemen, (attornies constituted by his sd Royal Highness) of the Towne of New Castle otherwise called Delaware, with twelve miles circle in compass of the sd Town: That the possession and seizin was accordingly given by the said attornies to the sd William Penn according to the usual form by delivery of the Fort of the sd Town, and leaving the said William Penn in quiet and peaceable possession thereof, and also by the delivery of turf and twig and water and soyle of the river of Delaware, and that the said William Penn remained in peaceable possession of the premises as witness our hands the day above said." This was Penn's first landing in America and his first public act was on the spot where stands Immanuel Church.
(1) Deed. Record G. Vol. I. p. 410.
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IMMANUEL CHURCH,
CHAPTER III. 1689-1709.
Organization. of Immanuel Church. Revolution in England. George Keith. Accession of Queen Anne. Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. Gov. Francis Nicholson. Mr. Ross' Historical Sketch. Church built. Rev. Geo. Ross arrives. St. James' Church, White Clay Creek. Letter from MY. Ross.
On the west wall of the tower of Immanuel Church there is a marble tablet bearing the inscription
Founded 1689. Enlarged 1820.
The minutes of the vestry show that this tablet was presented to the church by Mr. William Strickland, the architect, who had charge of the enlargement of the church in 1820. There is every reason to believe that the tablet gives the true date of the founding of the church. So far as known there is no record of the pro- ceedings at the organization of the congregation or parish, but there is most convincing circumstantial evi- dence that an organization was effected at the time indicated. An examination of the documentary history of New Castle for a few years prior to that date will show that the English population was rapidly increasing and superceding the Dutch. The English at that period were mostly Church of England people. We have seen that they were numerous enough twelve years before to support a Church of England clergyinan, the Rev. John Yeo. In the year 1689, the last Dutch minister left
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NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE.
New Castle. It is a most natural conclusion that after the Dutch minister had retired, and the community had been left without religious ministrations, that a church should be established in accordance with the views of the largest number of the inhabitants, and that of course was the Protestant Episcopal. A further con- firmation of this is the fact that just at that time there was a general awakening among the Protestants in all the colonies and particularly in the neighboring province of Maryland. This revival was mainly induced by the revolution in England which placed William and Mary on the throne. Again; the men who appear to have been the leading spirits in the building of the church edifice, in 1703, were living and leading citizens of the town in 1689, and when the tablet was inscribed in 1820, men were living who might have talked to those who took part in the organization in 1689, and therefore it was a matter of most reliable tradition. And then, from the character of the men who composed the vestry of the church in 1820, it may be depended upon that anything authorized by them is reliable. No regular minister of the church of England was stationed at New Castle for some years after the founding of the church , but services were doubtless frequently conducted by itinerant ministers as the ecclesiastical histories of those times show that ministers of the Church of England traveled from place to place, in the colonies, remaining only a short time at one point. When these clergymen were not at hand there was probably a lay-reader whose duty it was to read the services. At the beginning of the Eighteenth century there was another revival in religious matters in the colonies and new life came in the Church of England. This was brought about by several causes. First, was the schism which had been
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IMMANUEL CHURCH,
created some years before among the Quakers, by George Keith, who had been a teacher and preacher, but had rebelled against certain of their doctrines, and having been ordained a clergyman of the Church in England, he returned at this time and by his preaching awakened great interest in the church. Second, the accession of Queen Anne to the throne, who was always zealously devoted to the Church in England. Third, the organization of the "Society for propagating the Gospel in Foreign parts," to which the Protestant Episcopal Church in New Castle, as well as in all America, owes so much; and last, but hardly least, to the untiring zeal of Gov. Francis Nicholson, then of Virginia. Among many testimonies which can be found to his large share in the good work of these times, is a letter from Geo. Keith, February 4, 1703, in which he says, "in all these new erectings of churches in these northern parts Gov. Nicholson has largely contributed, and is a mighty promoter and encourager of them by his letters and advice as well as his purse." The London Society for propagating the Gospel was organized in 1701, mainly through the efforts of Rev. Thomas Bray, earnestly supported by Gov. Nicholson in the colonies, and many good men in England. Soon after its organ- ization the Society began to send over missionaries and give assistance to clergymen already in the field. The people of New Castle in 1703, if not earlier, sought assistance from this source, and in response to their earnest desire a missionary was sent to them in the person of Rev. George Ross. The following is an historical sketch of the church for a few years after the arrival of Mr. Ross. The sketch is by no means com- plete but it is interesting so far as it goes, and will be a ground work upon which can be erected a full history of
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NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE.
the years embraced in it by details derived from other documents.
"March 1, 1727.
The three Countys of New Castle, Kent and Sussex, upon the River Delaware, are a distinct Colony from the province of Pennsylvania, having their own General Assemblys, annually chosen to Enact Laws in conjunction with their Governor, who has his residence in the Province, as the chief and most beneficial part of his care & government. In the said three counties, New Castle is the chief and best Town & most commo- diously situated for Trade and Navigation. It stands upon a pleasant eminence, and is found, of late years, to be both healthy and agreeable, & in summer is pre- ferable to any upon Delaware, for its coole and refresh- ing Breezes-an advantage it owes to its being nearer the sea, by 40 miles, than the so much talked of Phila- delphia. New Castle, a little while ago, was dignified with the immunities and privileges of a City, but the worthy & Hon'ble person, Sir William Keith, Baronet, who erected it into a corporation, being superceded, & his successor calling in question the validity of the authority by which it was incorporated, it is contented at present with its former condition, in hopes of a more favorable opportunity to reassert its rights & liberties. The first inhabitants of this place were Dutch-a colony from New York, & of the church of Holland. They built a small wooden church, where a minister of their own way, & sometimes a Reader, in their several capacities, officiated. But when the Town was sur- rendered to the English, and the Dutch remained un- supplied with a Preacher, the said Chapel was neglected,
Bishop Perry's American Colonial Church, Delaware, page 43.
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IMMANUEL CHURCH,
and at length tumbled down, leaving a Bell, which the County took possession of, & still retains (how justly I shall not enquire,) and a Lott of Ground, as memoran- dums of its Religious Founders to posterity.
In the year 1703, those in New Castle of the Com- munion of the Church of England, from a sense of a want of a person in Holy Orders to reside among them, & observing how the Presbyterians were gaining ground in the place, by reason of their having a Preacher to promote their interest, Resolved to Petition the Bishop of London to take compassion on their deplorable circumstances, which resolution they put in practice the Eleventh of August, in the said year, & in confidence of a favorable answer from his Lordship's charitable disposition, they agreed with workmen to build a House of public worship, drawing up a formula for themselves & Friends, to subscribe & set down wt sum, each of them was willing to bestow towards the erecting the Fabric; and at the same time, appointed Richard Hallowell, Jasper Yates, and Joseph Wood, of New Castle, Gent'n (they being willing to take the trouble upon them,) to be overseers of the Building, & Agents to collect the Charity of pious, well-disposed persons. In the middle of the Town lies a spacious Green, in form of a Square, in a corner whereof stood forinerly a Fort, & on the Ground whereon the said Citadel was built, they agreed to erect their church, from a persuasion that, as it belonged to their sovereign, it was not in the power of any of their troublesome neighbors to disturb them in their commendable under- taking. In the year 1704, Emanuel Church, at New Castle, was founded, & by the charitable contributions of several Gent'n in Pennsylvania, as well as by the large
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NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE.
collections of Inhabitants of New Castle-not only Churchmen but Presbyterians-it was finished and opened in 1706, with the solemnity of an occasional sermon preached by the Reverend Mr. Andreas Rud- man, a Swede, then Missionary at Oxford & distin- guished by him at the request of Mr. Ross, Missionary at New Castle, by the name and appellation of Emanuel. To the erecting of this church, his Excellency, Francis Nicholson, then Governor of Virginia, famous for his generosity & zeal in the cause of God & his church over all America, was first signer, & by his noble example & extraordinary bounty-for he gave £25 sterling-many were encouraged to exert themselves in this affair, to the utmost of their ability. Richard Halli- well, subscribed {20; Robert French £20; James Coutts, £10; Jacob Vangezel, £6; John French, £5; Hercules Coutts, {10; Samuel Lowman, £8; Joseph Wood, £5; Adam Baldridge, {10; Richi'd. Reynolds, £10; Wm. Tongue, £8; Andrus Dykes, £5; John & Edward Jen- nings, £3; James Askue, £5; Roeloff Dehayes, £5; Sil- vester Garland, £3; Wessel Alricks, {2; Thomas Gray, £2; Matt's Vanderhyden, £5; Rich'd. Cantwell, £10; Wm. Houston, £2, 10 s .; Sam'l. Silbe, {2; Hypolitus Leffever, {10; John Staples, {6; Nicholas Lockyes, £5; Cornel's Empson, {1; Robt. Ashton, £5; Geo. Lowther, £2; John Guest, £2; James Miller, £2, 10 s .; Wm. Har- per, £5; Thomas Norton, £5; Jasper Yeates, {10 ; Marg't Finch, £3; Henry Nichols, £5; Geo. Roch, £4; Wm. Trent, £5; Hugh Graham, {2, 10 s .; Joseph Pidgeon, £2; Joshua Carpenter, £3; John Moore, {2; Robert Quarry, £7: Besides these there were several others who contributed small sums, whose names to avoid being tedious, I forbear to mention. This Church is 50 feet long & 30 broad. Its materials are Brick covered with
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IMNANUEL CHURCH,
Cedar. It is beautified of late with a Gallery & a Porch by the diligence & good conduct of the present Church Wardens, Richard Grafton & Wm. Read, men of real zeal for the honor of Christ & his Religion.
The Minister has £70 sterling paid him per annum, by the Treasurer to the Honorable Society for propagat- ing the Gospel; besides this his Glebe, which is com- puted to be worth {20 stg. yearly, he has no certain salary. Indeed, some of his hearers promise to con- tribute towards his support, but so few of them think of performing their obligation, that what he gets that way may be accounted a trifle. The number of Inhabitants belonging to this church, or usually frequenting at first, was about twenty Families, which, allowing three to a Family, to attend Divine Worship, amounts to three score. They were generally low in their condition, but not indigent, having wherewithal to support themselves, but little to spare. The employ and business of such of them as lived in the Town was retailing of Goods, Rum, Sugar & Molasses, together with some European Goods. Some enjoyed Posts in the Government, & others got their living by their handy crafts, as Carpen- ters, Smiths & Shoe makers. Those of them that had their residence in the Country were occupied in clearing & grubbing of Land, in raising of Grain, as Wheat, Rye, Indian Corn, Oats & Barley; in improving their stock, such as Horses, Horn Cattle, Sheep & Hogs.
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