USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > South Boston > History of South Boston (its past and present) and prospects for the future, with sketches of prominent men > Part 35
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June 24, 1816, an act of incorporation was granted the church and the first service was held six days later in the old schoolhouse that stood on Broadway near G Street.
ST. MATTHEW'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, West Broadway.
October 13, 1817, the warden was instructed to purchase two lots of land on West Broadway, on the southwesterly side of E Street, for the purpose of erecting a meeting house. This being done, the work of construction began and was carried through with such rapidity that June 24, 1818, the structure was consecrated by Rt. Rev. Alexander V. Griswold, assisted by Rev. J. I. J. Gardner of Trinity Church, Rev. A. Eaton and Rev. Mr. Kearny of New York, with Rev. J. B. Howe and Rev. T. Carlisle of Boston.
Matters progressed well. April 21, 1819, the selectmen of the town of Boston presented the church with a bell which had formerly hung in Faneuil Hall. This was placed in the steeple and was rung for the first time on the 14th of the following month.
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
Finally the church accomodations became inadequate and by a vote, the land where the present St. Matthew's Church stands, was pur- chased, July 1, 1860, and work began on a more elaborate and commo- dious structure. The new building was finished early in the spring of 1861 and was dedicated by Rt. Rev. Bishop Eastburn and it has since been the place of worship for the members of this church.
During the 85 years in which it has been conspicuous the following well known clergymen, prominent in the Episcopal denomination, have been its rectors : Rev. Dr. Gardner, 1821 to 1824 ; Rev. J. L. Blake, 1824 to 1832 ; Rev. E. M. P. Wells, 1832 to 1835; Rev. H. L. Con- nolly, 1835 to 1838 ; Rev. J. H. Clinch, 1838 to 1860 ; Rev. Frederick
REV. W. S. W. RAYMOND, Grace Church,
REV. A. B. SHIELDS, Church of the Redeemer. EPISCOPAL RECTORS
REV. W. H. DEWART, St. Matthew's Church
Wilson, 1860 to 1869 ; Rev. J. I. T. Coolidge, 1869 to 1873 ; Rev. John Wright, 1873 to 1887. During the pastorate of Rev. John Wright $5,000 was expended in enlarging and improving the edifice, a large Sunday school room being added at this time. Rev. A. E. George was the next rector, remaining until December 1901.
Rev. William H. Dewart succeeded Rev, Mr. George, assuming charge in February 1902. He was born in Ohio, received his early education in the west, and later came to Cambridge where he took a course in St. John's Divinity School. During his studies in Cambridge he assisted in church work in Cambridgeport, and in 1892 became assistant rector of Trinity Church, where he remained until his appoint- ment to St. Matthew's Church.
Rev Mr. Dewart is married and has two children, and resides at the Phillips Brooks rectory on East Broadway. He is member of the University Club, Boston Athletic Association and the Eastern Yacht Club. Though at St. Matthew's but a brief period he has made many improvements in the building and has done much to create a feeling of
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
unity and good fellowship among his people. He has readily won his way into the hearts of his congregation, which has taken on a con- siderable growth since his advent there.
GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- Dorchester Street.
This church is one of the earliest results of the work of the Epis- copal City Mission. It started in 1871, when services were first held in Washington Hall, Andrew Square, directed by Rev. Mr. Kelley, then assistant at Trinity Church.
The congregation was small, as Washington Village at that time was in reality only a village. In the great fire of 1872, St. Stephen's Church on Purchase Street was burned, and many of the congrega- tion settled in Washington Village, thereby increasing the congregation to such an extent that a new place of worship became a necessity, and the following year the bowling alley in Grimes Hall, very near the present church, was used for wor- ship.
Mr. Reuben Kidner, a student in the Episcopal Theological School, Cam- bridge, took charge in 1872. Services were held in the bowling alley until 1875, when the present edifice was erected. During these years Phillips Brooks fre quently preached here to GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH, Dorchester Street. large congregations. Rev. J. I. T. Coolidge, of St. Matthew's Church, was very helpful with his services.
Rev. Dr. Andrew Gray was the first rector of the new church which was dedicated by Bishop Paddock in 1875. It was called Grace Church after Grace Church, Brooklyn, N. Y., from which Bishop Pad- dock was called to the Diocese of Massachusetts.
It has had but eight rectors during its thirty years of existence, including Rev. Dr. Alexander Mackey-Smith, Rev. George Buck, Rev. WV. D. P. Bliss, Rev. John Armstrong, Rev. F. M. B. Brooks, Rev. J. G. Robinson. Rev. H. S. Nash of the Cambridge Episcopal Theo- logical School was at one time a lay reader.
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
The present rector is Rev. William S. W. Raymond. He was installed in 1897 and during his pastorate much has been accomplished.
He was born in New Brunswick, Canada, Sept. 7, 1866, being a son of Philo M. and Elizabeth (Mac Leod) Raymond. After passing through the primary and grammar grades he entered the Fredericton High School.
Later he entered the University of New Brunswick from which he graduated in 1886. He entered the Episcopal Theological School, Cambridge, Mass., in 1891, graduating in 1894. His first pastorate was the Church of the Ascension, at Auburn, R. I., and later he accepted a call to become rector of St. John's Church, Arlington, Mass. In Sept. 1897 he resigned to accept the pastorate of Grace Church, over which he has since presided. He has proven an energetic worker and has won the love of his congregation. He is now working to obtain a parish house for the church and a considerable sum has already been raised for this purpose.
CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER (EPISCOPAL) - East Fourth Street.
One of the most recently established of South Boston's churches is that on East Fourth Street, near N Street, known as the Church of the Redeemer, with Rev. Albert B. Shields as rector.
For the purpose of considering the matter of establishing a church for the Episcopalians who resided in the City Point section, a meeting was held at the residence of Hon. Benjamin Dean, Sunday, July 25, 1875, and St. Matthew's Chapel was then and there organized. Rev. John Wright, rector of St. Matthew's Church, formed a Sunday School class.
The following month, August, the meeting place was changed to the studio of Prof. Walter Smith and here they worshipped for several years in charge of Mr. Reuben Kidner.
Toward the latter part of 1882 services were held in Dean Hall, a building on the Dean estate, conducted by Rev. A. F. Washburn and here they remained until the early part of 1885 when preparations were made to move into the new church that had been erected on East Fourth Street.
May 13, 1885 the first service was held in the present house of worship.
June 3, 1887, the size of the congregation led to a change of name from that of Chapel and the church has since been known as the Church of the Redeemer.
In the days of St. Matthew's Chapel there were lay readers in charge, the succession being as follows: Mr. Reuben Kidner, Mr. Percy C. Webber, Mr. J. Nelson Jones, Mr. Charles C. F. Lyons, Mr. Charles French, Mr. Henry R. Sargent and Mr. Edward A. Rand.
Jan. 16, 1881 Rev A. St. John Chambie D. D. became rector and was succeeded, June 5, 1881, by Rev Frederick W. Devens, and the
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
latter Jan. 22, 1882 was succeeded by Rev Alfred F. Washburn, who remained until the appointment of Rev A. B. Shields in 1895.
Rev. Albert B. Shields, rector of this church, was born in Nova Scotia, August 15, 1861, his father being a prominent Baptist minister in that province. In 1875 he attended Horton Academy in Wolfeville, N. S. and five years later, when his parents moved to this country, he continued his studies at Worcester Academy, graduating two years later. In 1882 he entered Boston University from where he took the degree of Ph. B. and A. B. He devoted another year of study at Brown University where he earned the degree of A. M .; took special courses at the Theological School in Cambridge, and then a post grad- uate course at Harvard, where he received the degree of A. M. in 1888. In 1889 he was ordained a deacon and in 1890 or- dained to the priest- hood.
In 1889 he was appointed by Bishop Paddock to take charge of the Church of the Ascension at Waltham, Mass., two years later was chosen to a similar position in Pontiac, R. I., and in 1895 accepted the call to the Church of the Redeemer, South Boston, assuming charge early in January.
CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER (EPISCOPAL), East Fourth Street.
Since his advent into this district Rev. Mr. Shields has been an indefatigable and zealous worker. He has endeared himself not only to his own congregation but is held in high esteem by those of all denominations. He is liberal in his views, and has ever been interested in matters pertaining to the welfare of the entire district.
As the result of his unceasing efforts for young men there was organized a Phillips Brooks Club, and a reading room was established in the basement of the church, Jan. 24, 1898.
Rev. Mr. Shields is an artist and painter of particular merit and Christmas of 1900 was marked by the presentation to his church, by him, of two panels copied from Sargent's Prophets, in the Boston Pub- lic Library, the work of his brush.
CITY POINT METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- East Fifth Street.
This church was the out-growth of a Sunday School class organized early in 1873, and on the first Sunday of February of that year, Rev.
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
W. F. Mallalieu, D.D., (now Bishop) appointed Brother Edwin B. Spin- ney as class leader. This class, was known as Class No. 7, had no reg- ular meeting place and it gathered at the different houses of the members. The first meeting, after the appointment of Brother Spinney, was held at 620 East Fifth Street, and in this way the class progressed and grew until it was felt that a more complete organization was necessary.
After six years had elapsed the class included about all of the Methodists in the City Point district. A meeting was held at 614 East Fifth Street in December 1878 and an organization was perfected, known as the " Methodist Episcopal Association." A suitable consti- tution was adopted and a committee was then appointed to secure a room for a meeting place.
Soon the committee rented a small one story building at the corner of Emerson and L Streets and the first service of the association was conducted here Dec. 31, 1878. The following Sabbath, Jan. 5, 1879, the Sunday School held its first session, Stephen W. Crowell acting as superintendent.
During its early days there was no preacher, the services being conducted under the direction of the president. January 4, 1880 the services of Rev. F. Jones were secured and he preached until April 1881, and was followed by Rev. W. G. Grant, who took charge of the members until June 1881. Rev. J. L. Monroe succeeded him and remained until February, 1882. The following eight months of that year they were without a permanent preacher, until Rev. Charles Tilton took up his labors with them, beginning Oct. 10. It was under his leadership that the association first requested the presiding bishop to organize it into a Methodist Episcopal Church. The request was not granted however.
In March 1883 the members again appealed to Bishop Mallalieu, to assist them in their endeavors to secure organization as a church. As a result, at the session of the New England conference held in April, at which Bishop Bowman presided, a petition was pre- sented requesting the conference to recognize the City Point Church. As a result the City Point Methodist Episcopal Association ceased to exist in 1883, its petition was recognized, and the present church society took form, Rev. Charles Tilton being assigned to the church. Shortly after his appointment a lot of land was purchased, bounded by Emerson, L and East Fifth Streets, and a few years later, during the pastorate of Rev. G. H. Perkins, a church building was erected on the site of the present structure. The subsequent history deals of constant growth and development.
Rev. Joseph Candlin served as rector from 1887 to 1889 and he was followed by Rev. M. H. A. Evans, who served from 1889 to 1892, and from 1892 to 1897 Rev. W. A. Wood had charge of the con- gregation, and he was succeded by Rev. W. A. Thurston, who was appointed in 1897. During Rev. W. A. Thurston's pastorate the
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
present structure assumed form. It is in reality the old church, en- larged by adding a steeple and gables, raising the entire building and putting in a basement.
Rev. W. A. Thurston remained as rector until 1899 when he was succeeded by Rev. W. A. Mayo, the present rector.
Rev. William A. Mayo was born in Portland, Me., Nov. 1, 1854, and was educated in the public schools of that city, and also at Boston University. As a member of the New Hampshire conference he served as rector in churches in Sandwich, Warren, Salem and Derry, N. H. Coming to Massachu- setts in 1895 he was for four years rector of the church in Matta- pan, then for one year at Newton Upper Falls
REV. W. A. MAYO.
CITY POINT M. E. CHURCH. East Fifth and L Streets.
and on April 1, 1900, he was assigned to the City Point Church where he has since been located. Rev. Mr. Mayo gives all his time to the welfare of his church and congregation, is devoted to his work and his efforts are appreciated by those under his care.
DORCHESTER STREET M. E. CHURCH .- Dorchester Street.
This church grew from a small band of Methodists who had settled in Washington Village previous to 1870 and who, in that year, assembled for the purpose of organizing a Sunday-school class. At the first meet- ing, which was held in a little store on Dorchester Street, arrangements were perfected and James Morse was chosen superintendent.
The growth was so rapid that Washington Hall was secured to accommodate the class. In 1872 the matter of a church organization
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
was first broached and shortly afterward an organization was perfected
and Rev. James A. Ames was called to minister to the flock.
In 1874-75 the need of a chapel was felt, and through the efforts of the parishioners, enough money was raised for this purpose, and under the di- rection of Rev. George P. Wilson, then rector, and a committee, the structure was erected on the site of the present church.
This answered all pur- poses until 1900 when the chapel was moved to the rear of the lot and the present structure was erec- ted, the buildings being connected in such a way as to form one structure.
Among those who have served as rectors, besides DORCHESTER ST. M. E CHURCH. those already mentioned, were Rev. James Yeames, Rev. A. H. Nazarian, Rev. William Full, Rev. A. R. Nichols and the present rector, Rev. Edward Higgins.
ST. JOHN'S METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- West Broadway.
The present St. John's Church was known in its early history as the D Street M. E. Church, the congregation having, in early days, worshipped in the building at the corner of D and Silver Streets, known as Centenary Chapel. This was the first permanent place of worship of the Methodists of South Boston, for, previous to the erection of this building in 1839, they met at various residences and in halls. In the early sixties a division occurred and those who branched from the origi- nal church, erected the building at Dorchester and Silver Streets, now occupied by the Presbyterians.
The members of the D Street Church decided in 1868 to erect a new building, and the present site was purchased and the work pro- gressed until September of that year, when a terrific gale almost com- pletely demolished the building, which was more than half completed. Though this catastrophe brought an additional expense of between $18,000 and $20,000 on the members, the work continued and the
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church was completed the following year. It was then called St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church.
In the meantime the other branch, which had taken the name of the Dorchester Street M. E. Church, had been wor- shipping in its edifice and con- tinued to do so up to 1885, when it consolidated with the St. John's Church and both have worshipped together since that time.
The first sermon in the origi- nal church was delivered by Rev. Abel Stevens. The rectors who have officiated at the three churches were: Rev. J. S. Thomas, Rev. J. H. Owen, Rev. E. W. Virgin, Rev. N. Stutson, Rev. Wm. Butler, Rev. J. C. Smith, Rev. Wm. McDonald,
ST JOHN'S M. E. CHURCH West Broad way.
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CENTENARY METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 1840.
Rev. Jesse Wagner, Rev. N. T. Whittaker, Rev. G. L. Collyer, Rev. A. E. Wright, Rev. Mr. Allen, Rev. Mr. Howe, Rev. L. B. Bates, Rev. Mr. Field, Rev. J. L. Hanaford, Rev. J. H. Twombly, D.D., Rev. C. A. Crawford, Rev. Joseph H. Mansfield, Rev. William F. Mallilieu,
REV. GEORGE SKENE.
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
Rev. Mark Trafton, Rev. Mr. Liford, Rev. S. L. Baldwin, Rev. L. A. Banks, Rev. W. T. Perrin, Rev. R. L. Greene, Rev. Frederick H. Knight and Rev. George Skene.
Rev. George Skene was born in England, August 3, 1846, being a son of John and Anna Dolby Skene. He received his early education there and on coming to the United States entered the Hud- son River Institute, Claverac, N. Y., and later Wesleyan University, Middleton, Conn.
His career in the ministry has been a long one. He entered the ministry in Troy Conference in 1874. His first pastorate was at Adams, Mass., where he remained two years, then Hoosick Falls, N. Y. three years, Trinity Church, Troy, N. Y. three years, Pittsfield First Church three years, First Church, Somerville five years, Harvard Street Church, Cambridge five years, Winthrop Street Church, Roxbury two years. While at the latter church, failing health compelled him to take a prolonged rest, after which he assumed the pastorate of St. John's Church, October 1, 1901.
Rev. Mr. Skene is married and resides at 515 East Broadway.
BROADWAY UNIVERSALIST CHURCH .- East Broadway.
The original house of worship of the Universalists of South Boston still stands at the corner of Broadway and B Street. Previous to its erection in 1832, however, meetings and services had been conducted in the homes of various members, and in Lyceum Hall which stood at the corner of Broadway and E Street.
The church was organized in 1830 as the Fourth Universalist Church of Boston. Soon after Rev. Benjamin Whittemore, of Troy, N. Y., was secured as its first rector and matters progressed well.
Land was secured at B Street and West Broadway, two years later the first church was erected, and on April 10, 1833 it was dedicated. Here the congregation worshipped until the late sixties when it erected the present house of worship and occupied it in 1868. In 1872 the church was reorganized and its present name adopted.
Among those who have administered to the wants of the congrega- tion are : Rev. Benjamin Whittemore, Rev. Theodore Cook, Rev. Calvin Damon, Rev. W. W. Dean, Rev. J. S. Cantwell, Rev. I. Knowl- ton, Rev. J. J. Lewis, Rev. I. P. Quimby and the present rector Rev. Alfred J. Cardall ..
Rev. Alfred J. Cardall was born in London, Eng., June 5, 1861, being a son of Henry and Jane Cardall. His early education was received in the schools of London.
On coming to the United States in 1881 he went west and learned the trade of a pattern maker and for a time was in charge of this work in various places in Bay City, Michigan. He came east again in 1891 and entered Tufts College, graduating from there in 1895 with the degree of B. D.
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
In September 1895 he came to South Boston to accept the pas- torate of the Broadway Universalist Church, where he has been ever since. Rev. Mr. Cardall married Miss Nellie May Huling of Valley Falls, R. I., in 1901, and resides on East Fourth Street near M Street. He is general sec- retary of the Young Peoples' Christian Union of the Universalist denom- ination, director of the New England Sabbath Pro- tective League, director
REV. A. J. CARDALL.
BROADWAY UNIVERSALIST CHURCH, East Broadway.
and vice-president of the Universalist Sabbath School Union, president of the Boston Universalist Ministers' Association and chaplain of St. Paul's Lodge F. and A. M.
HAWES UNITARIAN CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH .- East Broadway.
In the year 1807, Mr. John Hawes, one of South Boston's earliest and most benevolent citizens, set aside the lot of land at the junction of East Fourth and Emerson, near K Street, with the intention of reserv- ing it as a church site for the benefit of the residents who were com- pelled to go to Dorchester to attend services.
Shortly afterward a movement was started to secure a church society and Mr. Hawes joined with his neighbors, and in 1810 a one- story wooden building was erected, east of Dorchester Heights, facing on the old road and not far from the present edifice.
This structure was about forty feet long and twenty feet wide and,
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
though roughly finished, answered its purpose as a temporary place of worship. Rev. Thomas Pierce of Meriden was the first rector, remain- ing for two years, and he was succeeded by Rev. Zephaniah Wood of Lunenburg.
An excellent growth soon made the place of worship inadequate and it was enlarged in 1818, by an addition of some twenty feet, making it about sixty feet long, which resulted in it being termed " the rope walk," the building having that appearance. On February 19. 1818 the society was incorporated as the Hawes Place Congregational Society.
The following year, May 13, a meeting was held to consider the exped- iency of organizing as a church society, and it was voted that Rev. Mr. Wood take such measures as shall be requisite to effect this object. As a result a meet- ing was held October 27, 1819 and this object was
REV, JAMES HUXTABLE,
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HAWES UNITARIAN CHURCH, East Broadway
effected. Rev. Dr. Porter was elected moderator and performed devotional exercises and administered baptism to several. Rev. Dr. Harris was chosen scribe, and preached, while Rev. Mr. Norton gave the right hand of fellowship to Rev. Mr. Wood who had been deputed to receive it for the church.
On November 15, 1819 the first meeting of the church was held at the home of Mr. John Hawes at which time Mr. Wood was chosen clerk and Isaac Thom and Thomas Hammond deacons. Mr. Wood was not permitted to continue long in his office for in August 1822 he
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HISTORY OF SOUTH BOSTON.
was taken ill with fever and died, October 26, at the age of thirty-one years.
During the illness of Rev. Mr. Wood, Rev. Lemuel Capen of Dor- chester took charge of affairs and on the death of the former Rev. Mr. Capen became rector, through a vote of the society at a meeting held January 28, 1823. He was also made clerk of the church at a meeting held March 23, of the same year.
On January 22, 1829 Mr. John Hawes, one of the founders of the church and who had given it the land for the erection of a new church, died, much to the regret of all who knew him.
In the following year plans were made for the erection of a struc- ture on this land and it was dedicated January 1, 1833. This structure was a wooden edifice 60x46 feet, surmounted by a belfry and having a seating capacity of about 500.
A second society was formed and the present handsome structure was erected and was dedicated in 1873, Rev. George A. Thayer being the first minister of the new church, which was known as the Second Hawes Place Congregational Church. For a number of years both churches were conducted separately. In 1887, by authority of the Supreme Court, the old society joined the Broadway Church and in 1889 the old name, Hawes Place Congregational Society, gave way to the Hawes Unitarian Congregational Church. It is a free church and is supported principally by the " John Hawes Fund."
This new edifice has a frontage of 70 feet and a depth of 152 feet 6 inches. There are two entrances in the front projection and two on the westerly side. The exterior walls are of brick with trimmings of sandstone in two colors. The front central projection is carried up into a steep gable and from the northwest corner of the projection rises the spire to a height of 1 30 feet.
Rev. Lemuel Capen continued to preside over the old church until 1839 when he resigned and was succeeded by Rev. Charles C. Shack- ford who was rector from May 19, 1841 until May 1843. He in turn was succeeded by Rev. George W. Lippitt, May 9, 1844 to January I, 1851.
Some time elapsed before the society selected another permanent pastor. This was Rev. Thomas Dawes who accepted the pastorate May 21, 1854. The following year the church was entirely renovated and many improvements were made.
Here the members worshipped for many years during which time various rectors cared for the flock, Rev. James J. Hewes succeeding Rev. Thomas Dawes, and he was followed in turn by Rev. Frederick Hinckley, Rev. George A. Thayer, Rev. Herman Bisbee, Rev. John F. Dutton, Rev. Charles B. Elder and the present rector, Rev. James Huxtable.
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