USA > Kansas > Atchison County > Atchison > The story of a Kansas parish : being a compilation from the records and a partial survey of the work and some of the workers of Trinity Church, Atchison, Kansas, from 1857 to 1911 > Part 1
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH BY The Reverend Francis S. White A. M., B. D ..
GO 978.102 At2s
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 03534 9825
The Story of a Kansas Parish
BEING A COMPILATION FROM THE RECORDS, AND A PARTIAL SURVEY OF THE WORK AND SOME OF THE WORKERS OF TRINITY CHURCH, ATCHISON, KANSAS, FROM 1857 TO 1911
:-: MADE BY ITS FIFTEENTH RECTOR, :-: THE REV. FRANCIS S. WHITE, A. M., B. D.
BURBANK'S PRINTSHOP ATCHISON, KANSAS
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270
DEDICATED TO THE HONORABLE ALFRED G. OTIS,
SINCE 1857 A MEMBER OF THIS PARISH; AND LONG TIME ITS SENIOR WARDEN; AND TO
AMELIA HARRIS, HIS WIFE,
WHO THROUGH THE FORTY-NINE YEARS OF HER MARRIED LIFE, HAS, WITH HER HUSBAND, BEEN A CONSTANT ATTEND- ANT ON, AND SUPPORTER OF THE SER- VICES OF THE CHURCH.
Trinity Church and Parish House
I N HIS vision of Awakened Zion, the prophet Isaiah writes these words as from Jehovah: "Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye were hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye were digged." With this exhortation in mind, I have been looking over all the records 110W extant of Trinity Parish, Atchison, and cull- ing from them, and from the personal reminis- cences of the "Elders" of the congregation, such facts as will help the growing generations within our parish bounds, to an appreciation of their earth- ly ecclesiastical inheritance. I am certain that if we carefully peruse the following pages we will be grateful to God for permitting us to enter into the knowledge of the labors of those who have helped to make possible for us so happy and beautiful a church home.
The state of Kansas was admitted into the Union in 1861. The Diocese of Kansas was organized in August 1859 and was admitted into union with the general convention in October of that same year, so the Diocese is older than the state by two years.
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
Among the representative cities of both state and Diocese, Atchison has ever figured much more im- portant than her mere numerical strength would in- dicate. She has furnished the United States with senators; Kansas with governors and judges of more than passing renown; and she has given to the National Church two of her most efficient Mis- sionary Bishops.
Among those who were attracted to Atchison in the early days were people both from the North and the South, some of whom loved and cared for our Church and desired its ministrations. These de- sires were not met as well as we who care for the fair name of our National Church could wish, for an occasional visit from a priest or a Bishop of the church was all these liturgy loving people were ever able to obtain from their Eastern brethren. But they kept their hope alive, and finally met with success, as witness the following :
"E. K. Blair,
Territory of Kansas, Atchison County, SS.
"I, Alfred G. Otis, a Notary Public in and for the county of Atchison, Kansas Territory, duly commissioned and sworn, and as such authorized to take acknowledgement of deeds, do certify that on the 3rd day of November, 1857, personally came before me, Lewis R. Staudenmayer, John H. String- fellow, Joseph P. Carr, G. W. Bowman, William O. Gould, John M. Maury, James W. Stringfellow, Daniel Adams, whose names are subscribed to the
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
within Articles of Agreement or Association, and acknowledged the same to be their free act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned. In witness whereof I hereunto affix my hand and notorial seal this 3rd day of November, A. D. 1857. Alfred G. Otis,
(SEAL) Notary Public for Atchison Co., Kan. Territory."
The Lewis R. Staudenmayer herein above men- tioned, was a priest of the church. He was a Ger- man of middle life, florid, unmarried, who had come to Atchison in the spring or summer of 1857, through the influence of friends, and had persuaded these above named gentlemen and their families to associate themselves together for the purposes of worship, as a Parish of the Protestant Episcopal Church in America, under the name of Saint Mary Magdalene's Church. During the ministry of
THE REV. LEWIS R. STAUDENMAYER St. Mary's parish acquired from Mr. Luther Challiss the property owned by the parish for many years on the northeast corner of Kansas Avenue and Ninth street, and in 1859, on the north half of this lot, a small rectory was built with money secured by Mr. Staudenmayer from friends in the East and South.
The first recorded minutes now extant were of a parish meeting held in April, 1859, at which the following vestry was elected : Richard C. Mackall, A. Hanson Weightman, James L. McClu- er, Philip Link, John M. Maury, Joesph P. Carr.
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
In July, 1859, the Rector appointed Jos. P. Carr and A. H. Weightman a committee to procure esti- mates for building a church, and at a vestry meet- ing held in October, 1859, Major Weightman made a motion to build a church upon the church lots in the Challiss addition, to cost $1.500.00 exclusive of furnishings. The foundations of a chuch were laid on this property and some money expended, but the resignation of Mr. Staudenmayer in January 1860, and his removal from the city brought to a standstill the construction of the edifice.
In the meantime, about February, 1859, a por- tion of the little congregation had proposed to form a new organization, and had gone so far as to obtain from the Territorial Legislature, a char- ter for a parish to be called Grace Church. Mr. Staudenmayer's removal from the city, however, seemed to bring all the people together again, and in February, 1860, by the united action of the con- gregation, a new charter was obtained, and the par- ish was reorganized, and called Trinity Church.
At this point, it seems best to introduce the memorabilia, which Mrs. John J. Ingalls has fur- nished at my request, and which as they were writ- ten out of her experience, should prove interesting reading for us who only know Atchison and Trinity Church as we see them today.
Mrs. Ingalls writes as follows :
"I arrived in Kansas in July, 1859. At that time. Atchison, although called a city, was a very
-
-
-
Trinity Parish Rectory, acquired in 1882
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
small town and Commercial street extended to Fifth street; North Second street and North Fifth street to Division street, South Fourth street to U street and South Fifth street to T street. Most of the buildings were of wood, built upon piling, with wooden sidewalks only part of the way. There was no railroad and no bridge, but handsome boats plied up and down the river between St. Louis and Omaha, bringing freight and passengers. It was no unusual sight for several steamboats to be tied up at one time at the levee at the foot of Com- mercial street. A new hotel had just been opened, the Massasoit House, kept by the genial Thomas Murphy and it was there that I spent my first night in Atchison. The following morning we were taken out to drive by the late Gen. Stringfellow and Peter Abell, two of the founders of the town. We ob- served the Baptist and Congregational churches were in process of construction and there was a little Methodist chapel on Parallel street beyond the court house, and a small Roman Catholic church at the end of Second street, where St. Benedict's Cathedral now stands. I heard that there were a few Episcopalians who occasionally gathered to- gether for prayer. My father and I remained here a few days and then went to St. Louis, returning to Atchison the last of August. The Episcopal Rectory situated on Ninth street between Kansas avenue and Santa Fe street, was then being built, by the Rev. L. R. Staudenmayer, who was in charge of the parish. As soon as this cottage was com -- pleted it was rented to Mr. Harry Gillam, who clerk-
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
ed for my father, the Rev. Mr. Staudenmayer keep- ing the wing for his study and bedroom-and it was in this home that I boarded until my mother and sister arrived in October from New York City. The Church's services were held in the house of Gen. Weightman, who lived nearby on Kansas avenue ; the house is still standing. We then be- gan to look forward to building a church, but in 1861 at the fall of Sumter, rumors of the impend- ing war filled the air, great excitement prevailed, and the movement languished.
"After war was declared, a great change took place in our population. Atchison being a town largely settled by Southerners, (many of whom be- longed to the Episcopal church) she began to lose many of her early citizens. Gen Weightman was one of the first to go south and join the Confeder- ate army. He lost his life in the battle of Wilson's Creek, August 16, 1861, when our General Lyon fell. The Rev. Mr. Staudenmayer had previously return- ed to Carolina, with numerous others, and so for a long while the little handful of Episcopalians scat- tered and the church languished. Later on the Rev. Mr. Byilsby and family came, but they re- mained but for a short time and I remember they buried an infant while here. I was absent at school during part of 1861 and 1862. When I returned, the church seemed to have almost disappeared, but later Bishop Lee, of Iowa, sent us a missionary who held services every other Sunday in the court house, and a Sunday school was established. About this time we received two very valuable additions to our
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
church folk. Mr. A. G. Otis brought to Atchison and established in his beautiful home on what is now called North Terrace, his bride, who had been Miss Amelia Harris, of Philadelphia; and the family of Mr. George Fairchild arrived and made their home on the northeast corner of Parallel and Sixth streets, where Mr. J. H. Barry's home now stands. Mrs. Fairchild, the mother of George H., was a very devoted and enthusiastic church worker, a truly live Christian. She at once started a sewing society and interested some of the younger people to take charge of the Sunday School. So every Sunday morning we gathered together as many children as we could. One can hardly imagine the difficulties and obstacles that had to be overcome. The old court house stood on a hill that had not been grad- ed; North Fifth street was without sidewalks, and so we walked in the middle of the road, and in winter time the mud was very deep. I am sure if all the rubber overshoes that were lost in those tramps up the hill could be recovered, it would be easy to break the rubber trust.
"Early Sunday mornings, I started out after breakfast, for the court house, for it had to be swept, a fire built, the melodeon uncovered, chairs and books dusted, and all put in readiness by 9:30 o'clock. We found it some times hard work, but I induced Mr. John Gray (who now lives in Colorado) and Mr. Charles Styles, a young man who was brought up by a good Methodist mother, to as- sist, and every Sunday they were there to help get things in order. The clergyman's gown and the
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
Communion vessels were kept by Mrs. Fairchild and when we had service she attended to every thing needful. Mr. Ryan was the name of the mis- sionary sent by Bishop Lee to take charge of our little struggling parish, and his work was well done. We observed he only had one white surplice. In those days the clergy wore a black silk robe when the sermon was preached and in recognition of Mr. Ryan's services, the ladies of the sewing circle con- cluded to make him a robe, and samples of silk were sent for from New York and Boston, a selection was made with Mrs. Fairchild's approval, costing, I think $4.00 a yard, and the robe was made. And you can believe we all felt very proud, the first Sunday Mr. Ryan wore this robe. The young ladies who assisted in the Sunday School work were Miss Kate Fairchild, Miss Fanny Chesebrough, Miss Virginia Adams, Miss Hattie Bryning, myself and some oth- ers whose names I have forgotten. During the time we held cur Sunday School in the court house we once celebrated Christmas-I think in 1863- there were no evergreens in this country and none brought here. The river being frozen over nothing was shipped in, but we trimmed a small cottonwood tree in green paper and decorated it with strings of pop corn and cranberries, lighted it with candles, and hung it with presents, all numbered. The chil- dren took a number from a basket as they entered and drew a corresponding one from the tree. The ladies held an oyster supper (cove oysters generally used) and served coffee and cake, from which they gathered a small revenue. The children of the town
The Rev. John E. Ryan, Third Rector of Trinity Parish
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
were invited to attend. I recall that the snow lay deep on the ground, but many of us after the festival tramped through drifts over to the little Roman Catholic chapel, and attended Midnight Mass. How lovely and bright it all seemed to us as we entered ! The lighted candles, the decorated altar, all spoke to us of the wonderful birth of our Saviour, and no one present was more devotional than the little crowd of Episcopalians who walked through the snow to worship at the shrine of the Infant Jesus.
"Our church choir consisted of Mr. Richard Wil- son, Mr. John Gray, Miss Sally Woodard, Miss Co- lumbia Adams, and myself. We seldom had rehears- als but we sang well known hymns and never once attempted the chants. The growth of the church was slow, but in September, 1864, a Diocesan con- vention was called to elect a Bishop for the Diocese of Kansas. This convention assembled in the Meth- cdist Chapel on Parallel street, now torn down, and was well attended. When the balloting for Bishop commenced there was great interest and excitement but all seemed pleased with the resulting election of Bishop Vail. Bishop Vail did not come perman- ently to our Diocese until September, 1865, at which time before he returned east he performed the mar- riage ceremony of my sister and myself. It
was at this time that the corner stone of
Trinity church was laid. The clergy all as- sembled at the home of W. T. Smith, grandfather of Mrs. Arthur E. Mize, and robed for the occasion. Many interesting relics were placed in the box which I regret to say, was robbed. The work on
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
the church did not commence until about 1866, after our much beloved Rev. John Bakewell, assistant to Bishop Vail, took charge, and through his efforts much of the money was raised to build our present edifice.
"About this time the Fairchilds moved away from Atchison, and in 1865, their home was sold to Mr. R. A. Park, whose family became identified with our parish. The mantle of Mrs. Fairchild fell on Mrs. Park, and we never had a more devoted mem- ber. Her father, Col. Osborne, gave most liberally to the church, as did Mrs. Harris, mother of Mrs. Otis.
"From this time our church has grown and pros- pered. Many of our old and cherished members have passed away and joined the Saints above. The older members will recall dear Mrs. Stringfellow, whose seat was seldom vacant. The church rec- ords have been kept since Mr. Bakewell's time. This little account which I have placed before you at the request of our Rector, is written from mem- ory-I kept no journal or diary-and being a young school girl, some of my dates may be at fault. But I think the sequence is correct. Judge Otis and Mrs. J. H. Bryning and myself are the only ones remaining who attended church services in the Weightman home."
-- Mrs. John J. Ingalls.
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
Before resuming our parish record I here enter as of interest, an extract from the address of Bishop Millspaugh at the Fiftieth Annual Convention of the Diocese of Kansas, relative to the founding of the Diocese in 1859.
"Fifty years ago there appeared in the Daily Ledger, published in Leavenworth, this notice, sign- ed by the first Missionary Bishop of the Northwest : 'The clergy of the P. E. Church residing in the Territory of Kansas are hereby requested to con- vene at Wyandotte (now Kansas City, Kansas,) on the IIth day of August next, at 6 o'clock p. m., to take into consideration the propriety of organizing a Diocese. And I request that each parish now in existence send one or two delegates to such meet- ing to unite with the clergy in considering the sub- ject above stated, to deliberate with them upon other matters of interest to the church and to take such action as may seem necessary .- (Signed) Jack- son Kemper, Missionary Bishop, Leavenworth City, July 26, 1859.'
"Nine clergymen and fifteen laymen, repre- senting Leavenworth, Atchison, Lawrence, Manhat- tan, Prairie City, Tecumseh, Topeka, Wyandotte, and Lecompton, assembled in response to the call. Denver City was mentioned but had no represen- tative. These parishes had altogether not more than one hundred communicants. By a vote of 14 to 6 the Territory of Kansas reaching from the Missouri River to the top of the Rocky Mountains in the middle of what is now Colorado, with a total popu-
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
lation of perhaps 105,000 and its 100 reported com- municants, was made the Diocese of Kansas.
"Sad were the years to come. War and drought, and but little church growth. No Bishop came. A provisional Bishop (H. W. Lee of Iowa) was ap- pointed, who did at best little more than help to provide by his influence in the East, for those who were suffering from drought, but this he did nobly."
Turning now to our parish records, we note that a parish meeting of Trinity Church was held in the Council Room of the City of Atchison, April 9, 1860, Major Weightman in the chair. Mr. G. H. Fairchild moved: "That a lay delegation of three members of Trinity Church be appointed by this meeting to attend the convention called by the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Kansas, to be holden at Topeka on the eleventh instant, for the purpose of electing a Bishop for the Diocese of Kansas," and thereupon G. H. Fairchild, Dr. E. A. Arnold and Dr. W. W. Cochrane, were elected such delegates. On the 18th of April, 1860, the Vestry resolved "that the Rev. Heman Dyer, D. D., of New York City, Bishop-elect of the Diocese of Kan- sas, be and nereby is invited to accept the Rector- ship of this church." and directed the secretary, Dr. Arnold, to inform Dr. Dyer of this action and "to accompany this invitation with the necessary in- formation respecting the church and parish." Dr. Dyer declined the Episcopate and of course the Rec- torship
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
During the summer the Rev. C. W. Calloway visited Atchison and presided at several meetings of the vestry and was elected rector at a salary of $400 payable quarterly for services to be held al- ternate Sundays. Mr. Calloway declined the call and in October, 1860,
THE REV. FABER BYLLSBY
was called on the same conditions, and accepted the call. Mr. Byllsby came to Atchison in December and continued his labors until March, 1863.
These were trying days and there are only two records of vestry meetings, at one of which we read, that A. H. Horton and John A. Kinney were appointed to obtain subscriptions for the support of the parish.
In March 1863, the Rev. Mr. Byllsby having gone to some other field of labor, Mr. Otis moved that
THE REV. JOHN E. RYAN
be and he is hereby invited to accept the Rectorship of this (Trinity) Church." Mr. Ryan was a tall thin, scholarly looking man who had charge of the congregation at Troy, and divided his time between that place and Atchison. He made his headquarters with Mr. and Mrs. Otis, whose home for many years was the ever open and hospitable hostel for the cler- gy and Bishops of our church, and to which they naturally first turned when reaching town. Mrs. In- gails' reminiscences show us the pioneer conditions
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
under which Mr. Ryan ministered. The Vestry at this time was composed of David Hunt, John Daw- son, A. G. Otis, A. H. Horton, John H. Bird, G. H. Fairchild and A. S. Parker. Evidently the Diocesan Conventions of those days did not weigh heavily on the hosts, as witness the following minute: "At a meeting of the Vestry of Trinity Church, pursuant to notice held at the office of Judge A. H. Horton, the importance of taking some action as to the Dio- cesan Convention to be holden in Atchison on the following Wednesday, (sic) was suggested by the Rector. On motion the Vestry was constituted a committee to provide accommodations for the clergy and lay members attending the convention."
This was the convention which elected Bishop Vail. It was the sixth annual convention of the Diocese and was held on the 14th and 15th days of September, 1864, in the little Methodist church which stood on a portion of the ground now owned by Mr. Barry on Parallel street. Bishop Lee of Iowa, presided and on his recommendation the sev- en clergymen who were present unanimously elected the Rev. Thomas H. Vail, D. D., Rector of Trinity Church, Muscatine, Iowa; and their election was unanimously confirmed by the lay delegates present. Dr. Vail was then in his fifty-second year. He was consecrated in his parish church at Muscatine, De- cember 15, 1864. Bishop Kemper, Bishop of Wis- consin, was the presiding consecrator, Bishop Lee, of Iowa, preached the sermon, and Bishop Bedell, As- sistant Bishop of Ohio, and Bishop Whitehouse of Illinois, were the presenting Bishops.
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
On the first of January, 1865, Bishop Vail start- ed for his new field. Almost the first place to which he came on his initial trip to Kansas, was Atchison. Mrs. Otis, glancing from her windows, saw a farm wagon approaching her gate; from it alighted a slen- der, energetic man of medium height in black clothes and a broad brimmed hat, who approached her with a winning smile upon his face, and said, "Madame, I am your Bishop Vail." He was given a hearty wel- come and soon thereafter came to Atchison to live as Bishop of Kansas, and Rector of Trinity Parish. At this time there were only three church buildings in use, at Lawrence, Leavenworth and Wyandotte, and four others had been commenced, at Fort Scott, Junction City, Manhattan and Topeka. Atchison had laid the corner stone of her present church building on the lots at the southwest corner of Fifth street and Utah avenue which had been purchased through Mr. Otis and which at that time were doubt- less very desirable. Mrs. J. V. Bryning, daughter of Dr. Grimes, pioneer churchman and physician, recalls that this stone had to be taken up and replaced, as it was found on a resurvey of the lots to have been laid in what would now be the middle of Fifth street. After visiting the few struggling parishes in the Diocese Bishop Vail went east to represent the needs of his field. Returning he again found himself in Atchison, September 24, 1865. During the following week he accepted the vacant rec- torship of the parish which the Rev. Mr. Ryan had resigned Sept. 15, 1864. So the fourth Rector of Trinity Church was
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
THE RT. REV. THOMAS H. VAIL, D. D.
In the report made by the parish to the conven- tion of 1865, the Wardens, A. G. Otis and G. H. Fairchild, reported twenty-six communicants, five of whom, Mrs. Otis recalls, were men over twenty- one. Bishop Vail gave as much attention to the parish as the greater duties of his Episcopate al- lowed. He occupied the rectory on North Ninth street and held services here whenever he was in the city. April 20, 1866, the Rev. John Bakewell, a. young unmarried priest, came to Atchison as the Bishop's assistant, lived in the Bishop's house, and assumed charge under the Bishop of all the parish activities. Later on he was married to one of Bishop Vail's daughters.
We have no parish records from September 1864 until the 5th of May, 1866. At that time a Vestry meeting was held, the Rev. Mr. Bakewell presiding, at which a discussion took place in ref- erence to the hall then in use for public services, which was followed by a proposition to build a stone church on the lots owned by the church in South Atchison. Toward this project Mr. W .lliam Osborn, father of Mrs. R. A. Park, offered a sub- scription of $1000.00, followed by an offer from Rev. Mr. Bakewell, of a like amount. Messrs. Otis and Park agreed to subscribe $500.00 each, Mr. E. S. Wills $100.00 and General Stringfellow proposed to furnish the stone required. In passing, it is of interest to note that Mr. J. A. Harouff of this city, helped to quarry the stone for the foundation of the church ; which stone was taken from the west
The Rt. Rev. Thomas H. Vail, D. D. First Fishop of Kansas, and Fourth Rector of Trinity Parish
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THE STORY OF A KANSAS PARISH
turn of the road approaching the Barry brick yards on the way to Mt. Vernon cemetery. The original subscription lists for the building of the church are not in existence, but we learn from the Vestry Records that Mr. Wm. Dean, Col. Treat and the Messrs. Graham each subscribed $100, so that by May 30, 1866, the subscriptions reported by the treasurer amounted to $4550.00. On the 12th of May, 1866, "It was moved and seconded that a vote of thanks be returned to the Presbyterian Clergyman and Society for the generous offer of the use of their Hall, and which offer be accepted." In the meantime Messrs. Wills, Otis, and Park were appointed by the Vestry to advertise for proposals for the masonry and erection of a church building according to the plans drawn by Mr. Sidney of Philadelphia, and presented to the church by Mr. Bakewell.
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