History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 93

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340

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QUINN CHAPEL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH was organized Thursday and Friday, July 22 and 23. 1847. by the Rev. J. H. Ward, a traveling deacon ap-

pointed by Bishop William P. Quinn. The organiza- tion was effected at the house of Madison Patterson, on State Street, near Madison, who succeeded Mr. Ward as pastor. Rev. Mr. Patterson was succeeded by Rev. Aaron Parker, who was born a slave in Kentucky, sold to a St. Louis slave-holder, of whom he bought his free- dom, and came to Chicago. Quinn Chapel was his first charge. The society was then occupying a building on Wells Street. Mr. Parker bought of Orrington Lunt a lot on the corner of Jackson and Buffalo streets, on which he made the first payment, $70. Mr. Parker labored diligently to build up the Church. In 1849 he was succeeded by Rev. John Collins, of Terre Haute, Ind., who the next year was succeeded by the Rev. Y. W. Johnson, of Pennsylvania. A local historian of this chapel describes MIr. Johnson as a man having a good memory and very strong lungs, and as being well versed in the Prophecies and in Revelations, but as having a weak heart and doing nothing for the Church. The passage and approval (September 18, 1850,) of the Fugi- tive Slave Bill, caused considerable. consternation among the colored citizens of Chicago. Enthusiastic meetings were held, one September 30 and one October 2, at the latter of which resolutions were passed intensely . antagonistic to the bill. In one of these resolutions the expressions were employed, "We who have tasted freedom are ready to exclaim with Patrick Henry, ' Give us liberty or give us death ;' and 'Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God.' We will stand by our liberty at the expense of our lives, and will not consent to be taken into slavery nor permit our brethren to be taken." A vigilance committee was appointed. l'he same local historian states further, with respect to Mr. Johnson, that, after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Bill, he went from house to house among the colored people persuading them all to flee to Canada, to pre- vent the provisions of the bill being enforced upon them. The Journal of November 18, 1850, stated that Mr. Johnson had been reduced to indigent circum- stances in consequence of many of his congregation having left for fear of arrest under the law. In April, 1851, Mr. Johnson followed those of his congregation who had fled to Canada, where he organized a Church, and returned to Chicago to collect money for the pur- pose of building it up ; " but he would sign no papers nor do anything toward the second payment on the Quinn Chapel lot." A committee thereupon waited upon Mr. Lunt with reference to future payments on the lot. Mr. Lunt replied : "Give yourselves no un- easiness, you shall not lose the property." Before the debt of $500 was paid, Mr. Lunt had donated S300 of the amount. In September, 1852, Rev. John A. War- ren was appointed to this Church, and commenced the erection of a building on the lot purchased of Mr. Lunt. The corner-stone was laid April 27, 1853, on which occasion the address was delivered by Rev. James E. Wilson, of the Jefferson-street Methodist Episcopal Church. 'Rev. Mr. Warren did not prove to be a very satisfactory minister. During his first year he preached hut fifteen sermons, and during his second year only twenty, but demanded his full salary, one- third of all he collected for the expense of erecting the church building, and when he delivered anti-slavery lectures "all belonged to John." Money, therefore. flowed but slowly into the coffers of the Church. In August, after expending $1,500, work temporarily ceased, and at the next Conference Mr. Warren wa- sent to another field of labor. He was succeeded by Rev. M. M. Clark, under whom the church was com- pleted, at a cost of 85,000, and dedicated Sunday,

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HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

November 20, 1853, by the presiding elder, Rev. Will- iam P. Quinn, after whom the chapel was named. Rev. William T. Davis was the next pastor of the Church, and was succeeded in 1855 by Rev. Elisha Weaver, who labored faithfully two years, paid off the debts, bought and paid for a parsonage and moved it on to the church lot. Mr. Weaver, with a few of the trustees, introduced an organ into the church, which " created great confusion in the church until the people got used to it." In 1856 the society had seventy members, and at the time this sketch closes (1857), Rev. Mr. Clark was its pastor.

THE GERMAN EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION .- The initiatory steps toward the organization in the United States of this Association were taken in 1790, by Rev .. Jacob Albright, a Methodist clergyman. Mr. Albright was impelled to special effort among the German resi- dents of eastern Pennsylvania, by observing their gen- eral decline of religious life, and their corruption of morals. Without having in view such a design, his lahors resulted, ten years later, in the organization of the "Evangelical Association," which name, although unsatisfactory to most of the members, and notwith- standing numerous attempts to change it have been made, is still retained. Its first Conference was held in 1807, and its first General Conference in 1816. In doc- trine and theology the Association is Arminian ; with reference to sanctification, Wesleyan, and in its modes of worship it conforms very nearly to the Methodist Episcopal Church. A few of the differences between them are as follows : In the Evangelical Association the bishops are elected for four years, instead of for life ; the ministers are assigned to their charges by the pre- siding elders instead of by the bishops, the latter how- ever having a revisory power, and the elders are elected by the Church members, instead of being appointed by the minister. The first members of this Association to come to Chicago were Daniel and Christopher Stanger, in 1835. The former wrote back to Jacob Esher, the father of John G. and J. J. Esher, the latter of whom is the present Bishop of Chicago, describing to him the exceeding fertility of the soil of Illinois, and urging him to emigrate from the mountainous country and rocky soil of eastern Pennsylvania, and come to this fair and fertile region of the West. Mr. Esher, ac- companied by a number of other Germans, came to the vicinity of Chicago in 1836. Among them were his brother Martin, Lewis Arnet and a Mr. Suther. In 1837 Jacob Ott and his sons Lawrence, Jacob and Philip came. During this year quite a number had set- tled in Chicago, and in August, Jacob Boaz, after rid- ing on horseback three hundred miles, arrived in the city, having come as the first minister of the Association to preach to the members already here. The first place of preaching was the City Hall. After Mr. Boaz came Rev. Mr. Einsel, who in a few months went back, in ill health, to Ohio, and sent out Rev. John Lutz. In June, 1838, Rev. Mathias Howard commenced to preach in a wagon-shop on North Kinzie Street, between Dearborn and Clark. Rev. Isaac Hoffert succeeded Mr. Howard and was himself succeeded by the Revs. Daniel Kern and Daniel Stroh. The colleague of the latter was Christian Lintner. In 1843 Germans enough belonging to this Association had collected in Chicago to form a Church ; an organization was effected and a lot secured from Hon, Grant Goodrich by donation, at the corner of Wabash Avenue and Monroe Street. This was under Rev. Frederick Wahl, who was sent out as missionary that year, and who was the first regular pastor of the Church. Rev. Mr. Wahl had as colleague Rev. George

A. Blank. A small frame building was erected on their lot, thirty by forty feet in size, at a cost of $500. The society worshiped in this building until 1852, when it divided into two churches-the First moving their building to Clark Street, near Van Buren, and the Second Church erecting, in 1856, a building at the southeast corner of Wells Street and Chicago Avenue. While the First 'Church remained on Wabash Avenue its ministers were as follows : Rev. Frederick Wahl in 1843; Rev. C. Augenstein in 1844; Rev. Jacob Kopp in 1845 ; Rev. C. Augenstein in 1846; Rev. G. A. Blank in 1847 ; Rev. G. G. Platz in 1848 ; Rev. Christian Holl until 1850; Rev. Joseph Halacher in 1851, and Rev. J. P. Kramer in 1852, under whom the division occurred. While the Church was located on Clark Street, the min- isters were as follows: Rev. Israel Kuter in 1853, and Rev. J. H. Ragatz in 1854. In 1855 this Society erected a church at the corner of Polk Street and Edina Place, in which it worshiped until the fire of 1871. At the time of its removal the pastor was the Rev. L. H. Eiterman, and its history from this point will be con- tinued in the succeeding volumes of this History.

ST. JAMES' EPISCOPAL CHURCH was organized in 1834. The gentlemen taking part in the organization were: William B. Egan, Dr. Phillip Maxwell, Giles Spring, John H. Kinzie, Dr. Clarke, Gurdon S. Hub- bard, John L. Wilcox, William Pettit, Eli B. Williams, Jacob Russell and Hans Crocker. The first eight were elected vestrymen. The first communicants were Peter Johnson, Mrs. Peter Johnson, Mrs. Juliette A. Kinzie, Mrs. Francis W. Magill, Mrs. Nancy Hullman and Mrs. Margaret Helm. Rev. Palmer Dyer arrived in Chicago on the Ioth of October, 1834, and on or about the 12th, by invitation of Rev. Jeremiah Porter, preached both morning and afternoon in the Presbyterian church. These were the first Episcopal services held in Chicago. In the morning the text was Matthew, xviii, 3: "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." In the after- noon the text was Isaiah, x1, 8: "The grass withereth. the flowers fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand forever." After the afternoon service Mr. Dyer ad- ministered the sacrament to four Episcopalians-three lady members of Mr. Kinzie's family and one gentle- man-and about twenty-five Presbyterians. Mr. Dyer did not remain in Chicago, but afterward went to Peoria, and thence to Fort Snelling as army Chaplain. On the next Sunday, October 19, Rev. Isaac W. Hallam preached his first sermon in Chicago, in the Baptist church. For some time religious services were held in a building named afterward "Tippecanoe Hall," fitted up for the purpose by John H. Kinzie, on the southeast corner of Kinzie and State streets. In 1836 Mr. Kinzie donated to the Church two lots at the corner of Cass and Illinois streets, and in 1837 the first church build- ing of this society was erected thereon. On the 25th of June of that year the new church was dedicated by Bishop Philander Chase. The style of the building was Gothic, forty-four by sixty-four feet in size, and, though really a very modest structure, was thought to be very imposing for a frontier town. It was the first brick church built in Chicago. The tower contained a bell bearing the name and date of the erection of the church. " There was one feature about the old church which was the especial pride of the congregation ; it was a large mahogany pulpit, some eighteen feet wide, six feet deep, and fifteen feet high. Before this pulpit was the reading desk, and still in front of the reading desk the communion table, a plain, honest table and nothing else. All this costly arrangement suited the eye better

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PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

than it did the officiating clergyman, and so in the early times of Mr. Clarkson it had to give way to more mod- ern styles and usages." In connection with the reference to this pulpit an anecdote of Dr. William B. Egan is worthy of preservation. The church had been built, as elsewhere mentioned, on lots donated to the St. James' Society by John H. Kinzie, and Mr. Kinzie and his family were otherwise so closely identified with it that it was sometimes called the " Kinzie Church." Above

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ST. JAMES' EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

this remarkable pulpit was painted on the wall the initials I. H. S., which seen in the dim religious light which filled the church looked not very much unlike the initials of Mr. Kinzie's name, J. H. K. Soon after the church was completed Mrs. Kinzie invited the genial, witty and somewhat irreverent Dr. Egan to attend her church, and after the conclusion of the services to ac- company her home to dinner. On the way to dinner she said, " Well, Doctor, how do you like our church ?" "Very much, indeed," he replied ; " but is it not a little egotistical, and won't the people think it a little vain in John to put his initials so conspicuously over the pul- pit ?" The entire cost of the building, furnished with organ, bell, carpet and lamps, was 815.500. By the sale of the slips and pews there was realized the sum of S13,- S60, and by means of fairs something over S5.600 more, so that after paying for the church there was a surplus of $4,000, which was used in 1838 for the erection of a parsonage. At the Diocesan Convention of 1838, held at Rushville, 111., the name of J. W. C. Coffin appears as the first lay rep- resentative from this place. On the 3d and 4th of June. (839, the fifth Diocesan Convention was hekl in the St. James Church, Chicago. The only lay delegates pres- ent were from that Church-Silas W. Sherman, John H. Kinzie and S. J. Sherwood. In 1842 a marble font on a mahogany base was placed in the church by the Sew- ing Society. The next church building erected by this congregation was a large and handsome stone structure, which was completed in 1857, and first opened for re- ligious services in December of that year. It stood on a lot at the southeast corner of Cass and Huron streets purchased by the society in 1855. The cost of the

church was $60,000, exclusive of ground and tower. Rev. Isaac W. Hallam remained pastor until 1843, in August of which year he was succeeded by Rev. W. F. Walker. Mr. Walker remained but a short time, on ac- count of certain practices of his of which the society did not approve. His habits led to certain charges being brought against him and a trial. The trial was con- ducted in a very able and spirited manner against him by the venerable Bishop Chase; in his defense by the equally noted, if not equally venerable attorney, Justin Butterfield. One of the charges was that of breaking the Sabbath, it being Mr. Walker's habit, when visiting outlying parishes on Sunday, to take his gun with him and to return with his buggy well laden with game. His duties terminated here on Easter Sunday, 1844, and on the first Sunday of May following he was succeeded by Rev. Ezra B. Kellogg, who established Trinity Church that year. Mr. Kellogg remained until 1848 and was succeeded by Rev. Robert H. Clarkson in 1849. Mr. Clarkson remained pastor until 1865, and under his ministrations the parish became one of the strongest Episcopal parishes in the northwest. Under the long rectorship of Rev. Isaac W. Hallam there were baptised one hundred and eighty-eight children and adults; fifty- nine persons were presented for confirmation, and ser- enty-two marriage ceremonies were solemnized by him. Mr. Hallam had also officiated at forty-eight funerals. The membership of the Church steadily increased dur- ing the period which this volume covers. In 1852 it had become one hundred and sixty-seven; in 1853, it was one hundred and seventy-six; in 1854, one hundred and eighty; in 1855, two hundred and twenty-four; in 1856. two hundred and forty-eight, and in 1857, two hundred and sixty. The very large increase in 1855 rendered the church at Cass and Illinois streets too small for the congregation, and a new building was commenced, which was opened for religious services in December, 1857, as stated above. During this latter year the total contri- butions of this society for home, missionary and other purposes, amounted to $26.925.70.

REV. ISAAC W. HALLAM was born in- Stonington, Conn .. November 20, ISog. In 1830 he graduated from the Washington (now Trinity) College, Hartford, and was ordained deacon. in Alexandria, D. C., by the Rt. Rev. Richard E. Moore, May 20. IS32. His first charge was St. James' Parish. New London, Conn., where he was ordained priest December 25. 1533. by Rt Rev. Thomas C. Bunnell. On the 28th of August, 1834, he was ap- pointed missionary to Chicago. by the Domestic Board of Missions. Ile arrived in Chicago with his wife and child early in October iol- lowing. St. James' Parish was soon organized and a sunday school commenced. He attended the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Philadelphia as the first clerical deputy from the Diocese of Illinois. In the winter of 1841-42. Trinity Parish was organized, both parishes to be under one rector. with an assistant when means should be provided for his support Satisfied that this double duty would be beyond his strength, the Rev. Mr. Hallam resigned his charge and returned to his native town October, 1843. where he commenced the first public services of the Episcopal Church, which resulted in the appointment of a missionary. the organization of a parish and the building of a church. He was subsequently rector of St. Stephen's Church. Lynn, Mass., St. l'eter's Cherch. Clarkboro, N. J .. St. John's Church. Windham, Conn., with a mission at Willimantic and -t. Mark's, New Cannan, Conn. After nearly fifty years of continui- ous parochial work, he was obliged. on account of ill health, to "e- tire from the regular ministry and be content with such occasional services as his strength would permit. iin the 31 -: of May. 1.3. he was present at the enverraton of . James thanh. When the third church hui! Engerected by that parish. With reference to the Rev. Mr. Hludiam's ministry, the Kt. Rev. John Willian :-. 1). D., present ( 15>31 Bishop of Connecticut, writes, "Hi- mini -:: \ has always been faithful and successful." Mr. Hallam now resides in Stonington, Conn .. bis native town. He was married February 13. 1533, to Miss Nancy Hallam, of Richmond. Va. They have hình ten chỉ: Iren Incy Willian's, who died in (Nicaso, Nusemi-r 27, 1339: John Kinzie, Isaac Williams, Giles Russel; Lucy Will-

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HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

.r. Hallam

iams, born in Chicago December 21, 1841; Sarah Miles, Harriet Elizabeth, Annie Courtney, Robert, and Alexander Vinton. Be- sides Lucy Williams, John Kinzie, Isaac Williams and Alexander Vinton have died. The rest are living.

RT. REV. ROBERT HARPER CLARKSON, at present Bishop of Nebraska and Dakota, was born at Gettysburg. Penn., November 19, 1826. He graduated at Pennsylvania College, in that place, in 1844, and in theology al St. James' College, Maryland, in 1543. Shortly after graduating he was ordained by Bishop Whittingham, of Maryland. In 1849. he became rector of St. James' Church, Chicago, remaining until 1865. On the 15th of November of this year he was consecrated Bishop of Nebraska and Dakota, since which time he has resided in Omaha, Neb. Bishop Clarkson was for some years a trustee of Racine College, Wisconsin, and is now a trustee of Nashotah Theological College, Wisconsin, to which position he was appointed in 1857. In 1866 he established Nebraska College, at Nebraska City, and in 1868, Brownell Hall, in

Robert A. Clarkna-

Omaha. In Nebraska and Dakota he has established a large num- ber of churches. In 1856 Racine College conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity, and in 1872 Nebraska University conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Laws. Bishop Clark- son was married at Hagerstown, Md., May 5. 1849. 10 Miss Mel- lora McPherson. of Frederic. Md. They have two children-Mary. wife of the Rev. F. R. Millsfaugh, and Nellie, wife of F. Il. Davis.

TRINITY CHURCH .- Toward the close of the year 1841, at a meeting of St. James' Church, it was voted that an Episcopal Church was necessary on the South Side. Some months later, in 1842, a parish was estab- lished, including the whole of the South Division of the city, and named Trinity Church. At the first election, held March 5. 1842, the following officers were chosen : Senior warden. J. Brinkerhoff ; junior warden. S. J. Sherwood : vestrymen. Cyrenus Beers, Charles Sauter,

Caleb Morgan, Thomas Whitlock and W. H. Brackett. Trinity Church was finally organized about August 1, 1843, by Rev. W. F. Walker, at the time rector of St. James' Church. From this time to Easter (April 7 . 1844, Mr. Walker officiated for both St. James' Church, and for Trinity Parish in the evening. The services for Trinity were held from Advent to Easter in a public " Saloon" within the parish. At Easter, having re- signed the pastorate of St. James' Church. Mr. Walker became pastor only of Trinity Church. Religious serv- ices continued to be conducted in the "Saloon" until August, 1844, when the Church moved into their new house of worship just completed. The building stood on Madison Street, between Clark and LaSalle. The corner-stone had been laid June 5, by Bishop Philander Chase, D.D., and when ready for occupancy the edifice was a neat, tasteful and commodious building. Serv- ices were held in this building for the first time August 25, 1844. The original membership is not given. but in 1845 it was eighty-nine. During Mr. Walker's rec- torship, which lasted until the fall of 1847, the number was reduced to sixty-one on account of difficulties and dissensions among the members. At the beginning of the winter of 1847-48. Rev. William Barlow succeeded to the rectorship, and remained with the Church until 1850. The period of his ministry was made memorable by the healing of divisions in the Church and the return of peace. In February, 1850, Mr. Barlow died, and was succeeded by Rev. Cornelius E. Swope, from St. James' College, Maryland, who remained with the Church until May, 1851, leaving Trinity, then, with that portion of his congregation who had organized Grace Church. In the diocese which convened this year Trinity Church was represented by J. M. Wilson, Dr. Rutler and W. H. Adams. Rev. Charles Reighley succeeded Rev. C. E. Swope in 1851. and under his ministrations, which terminated in 1853. as also under those of his successor, Rev. William Augustine Smallwood, who remained until 1857, the Church made steady progress and the membership steadily increased, until the panic of the latter year, which had a depressing influence upon religious as well as upon business affairs. In 1852, the membership of the Church was sixty; in 1853. seventy-two; in 1854. one hundred and sixteen; in 1855, one hundred and fifty-two: in 1856, one hundred and eighty-six; but in 1857, under the depressing influence of the financial revulsion of that year, the membership was reduced to one hundred and twenty-one. The convention of the Diocese of Illinois was held in Trinity church in Octo- ber, 1854, the unpaid balance of the debt upon the property was nearly extinguished, and the salary of the rector, Mr. Smallwood, was increased. Nearly fifty members were added to the Church rolls. By 1556, the debt was entirely extinguished, and the need of a new and larger edifice was sorely felt. In May, 183;, Mr. Smallwood was succeeded by Rev. Noah Hunt Schenck of Gambier, Ohio, who remained until January 1. 186c. when he became rector of Emanuel's Church, Balti- more. Rev. James Pratt. rector of the Church of the Covenant, Philadelphia, was elected successor of Dr. Schenck, and entered upon his duties March 15. 186c. During the pastorate of Mr. l'eatt. the propo-el new building was completed. A lot on Jackson Street, be- tween Wabash and Michigan avenues, was purchased of Cyrenus Beers, for 811,000. The corner-stone was laid September 4. 1860. by Rev. Dr. Pratt, and on the 16th of June, 1861, the society assembled in their new church for the first time The front of the building was toward the north; the dimensions were seventy-one

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PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

feet front by one hundred and fifty feet in depth. The front and lower sections of the towers were of Athens stone, and the side and rear walls of brick. Between the towers was a spacious arched arcade; the vestibule was sixteen feet deep, and the auditorium sixty-five feet wide by one hundred and twenty-five in depth. On the main floor were one thousand seats, and in the galleries four hundred. The auditorium was lighted from the roof, there being no side windows. The effect, though solemn, was pleasing, but felt only during the day. The interior was handsomely frescoed and furnished. On the 9th of March, 1863, Dr. Pratt re- signed his rectorship, on account of ill health, to take effect June 1. In May, Rev. George D. Cummins was rector. He entered upon his duties Sunday, October 4, 1863, and was instituted April 17, 1864, by Rev. Henry J. Whitehouse, Bishop of the Diocese. On the Ist of October, 1864, the debt of the society was $17.500 In April, 1868, this entire sum was canceled, and on the 24th of the month, the edifice was consecrated by the Right Rev. Henry J. Whitehouse, assisted by several other clergymen, of this and other cities, among them. Rev. G. D. Cummins, Rev. Noah H. Schenck, Rev. E. M. Van Deusen, of Pittsburgh, Rev. Henry Safford, of Oberlin, and the Rev. Messrs. Cheney, Freeman, Stout and Smith of Chicago. Having briefly traced the his- tory of this Church to the consecration of its elegant temple of worship, its subsequent history is reserved for the third volume of this History.

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History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 93

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas Number of Pages: 1340

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340