USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Springfield > King's handbook of Springfield, Massachusetts : a series of monographs, historical and descriptive > Part 16
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
aid in the completion of the house. When George B. Ide became pastor, the prospects of the church were dark and discouraging. Want of unanimity in the settlement and the dismissal of the last pastor had caused divisions and alienations. The society was heavily in debt, and the great depression in business had discouraged the mem- bers, and crippled their means ; and many of its stanchest supporters were compelled from the latter cause to seek homes in the West. By Dr. Ide's conciliating and judicious man- agement, old divisions were healed, the scattered congregation was again gathered, and the church once more filled. During the first five or six years of his ministry, although more
First Baptist Church.
than 100 heads of families were dismissed to join churches in Chicago and elsewhere, union and harmony were restored, the church edifice thoroughly re- paired and remodelled, a new organ put in at a cost of $2,000, and a debt of over $8,000 paid off. Many seasons of awakening marked his ministry. In that of 1858, 136, and in that of 1864, nearly 200, were baptized. An event which has hardly a parallel in local church history occurred during the revival of 1864, when, in September, 121 of the church-members, 23 teachers, and over 250 members of its sabbath school, were dismissed to form the State-street Baptist Church ; and $12,000 was given them by those who remained with
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
the mother church, to help build the new church. Dr. Ide died suddenly, April 16, 1872, after 20 years devoted service. His successor was George E. Merrill, who served nearly four and a half years. During Dr. Anable's ministry, in 1878, extensive alterations were made in the church edifice. The whole building was raised six feet from its foundation; the floor of the lecture-room brought to a level with Main Street; the front portico and stone steps were taken away, and their place filled with a solid wall, through which, on a level with the sidewalk, large folding-doors open into a vesti- bule, where two flights of stairs lead to the audience-room; and, from the vestibule, folding-doors open directly into the lecture-room, or chapel, and committee-rooms, which were fitted up for lectures, social meetings, and sabbath school. The audience-room was repaired and frescoed, and a new baptistery, pulpit, and chandelier added. Since Lester L. Potter of West Newton commenced as pastor in December, 1882, the congregation, which had become much reduced and scattered, has been gathered together again, and largely increased. Its total membership is 1,871. Of these, 19 were original members; 870 were received by baptism, and 982 by letter, experi- ence, etc .; 281 have died; 971 have been dismissed to other churches ; 157 names have been dropped as unknown ; and 54 have been excluded. The present membership is 408. The pastors from the beginning have been : -
TERM OF SERVICE.
ADDITIONS.
NAME.
Began.
Ended.
By Baptism.
By Letter.
Allen Hough
1822
1825
13
9
Joseph Hough.
1825
1827
I3
15
Nicholas Branch .
1827
1830
-
-
Benjamin Putnam
1830
1833
53
25
Dwight Ives, D.D.
1836
1838
Hiram O. Graves
1838
1840
90
100
J. W. Eaton
1840
1843
Humphrey Richards
1843
1846 ]
Minor G. Clark
1846
1850
90
146
E. E. Cummings
1851
1852
18
25
George B. Ide, D.D.
1852
1872
400
425
George E. Merrill
1872
1877
60
78
C. W. Anable
1877
1882
86
65
Lester L. Potter
1882
-
-
-
Christ Church (Episcopal) .- The earliest Episcopal services in Spring- field were held in 1817, by Rev. Titus Strong, rector of St. James's Church at Greenfield, in the United-States Armory buildings, in an upper room which had been granted by the Government to Col. Roswell Lee, the superin- tendent, for use as a chapel. The smallness of the beginning may be best
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
realized, perhaps, when we consider that there was but one building for religious worship in the town at this time, and that there were but four families belonging to the Episcopal Church. Indeed, services were held
-
Christ Church, Chestnut Street.
but occasionally for the four years fol- lowing ; the organization of a parish not being attempted until 1821, when the Rev. Edward Rutledge became rec- tor, and wardens and vestry were duly elected. This settled condition was broken up, however, by the resignation of Mr. Rutledge at the close of a year's ministry, during which confirmation had been administered for the first time to five persons. Then ensued a period of sixteen years, from 1822 to 1838, when it seemed as if the devoted labors of past years on the part of the struggling few had been in vain. But at last, after sundry efforts, regular services were resumed in 1838, the parish re-organized, and incorporated under the original name of Christ Church.
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
As the first courageous inception of the church in 1817 ought ever to be associated with the names of Rev. Titus Strong and Col. Roswell Lee, so this permanent revival must always be traced to the strong personality and piety of Rev. Henry W. Lee, son of Col. Lee, who now became rector, and whose hand has left its impress upon the parish for all time. After holding services in the Town Hall, upon State Street, for a year and a half, the then new church-building on State Street was consecrated on April 1, 1840; it having been completed at a cost of $6,500. Henceforward the parish grew rapidly; and during Mr. Lee's rectorship of nine years, 144 were baptized, 97 buried, 84 confirmed, and the 20 communicants increased to 190. In 1847 he was called to St. Luke's, Rochester, N.Y., and finally became Bishop of Iowa; but, large as his life-work was, he nowhere left more lasting results of his labor and character than here. Christ Church since 1847 has been constant in its growth. The rectors and their period of ministry have been as follows : Rev. Henry W. Adams, 1848-49; Rt. Rev. A. N. Littlejohn, D.D., now Bishop of Long Island, 1850-51 ; Rev. William S. Child, D.D., 1851-59; Rev. George H. McKnight, D.D., 1859-69; Rt. Rev. Alexander Burgess, D.D., now Bishop of Quincy, 1869-78. The present rector, John Cotton Brooks, entered upon his duties in the parish, in December, 1878. The church now has 530 communicants, and Sunday schools with a regular attendance of upwards of 200 children. The choir consists of 10 men and 25 boys. In 1851 the first church-building was enlarged to meet the wants of the congregation, at an expense of $8,000; and in 1874 the corner-stone of a new stone church was laid on Chestnut, near State Street; and on the Ist of May, 1876, the building was completed, with the exception of the tower, at a cost of $65,000. It will seat 900 persons. Upon the same lot stands the rectory, and it is proposed to erect a parish building for the various needs of the congregation.
The Church of the Unity, on State Street, above Maple, is the house of worship of the Third Congregational Society, the Unitarians of Spring- field. This society was formed by about 117 members of the first parish, who sought an administration of their religious affairs different from, and more liberal than, that they enjoyed at the hands of the then minister of that parish, and who were incorporated as the Second Congregational Society in the First Parish, Feb. 15, 1819; in the following year the name was changed to the Third Congregational Society as above given. It is noticeable that distinctively Unitarian doctrines were not avowed by the seceders at the time of the division in the church, but were adopted by many of the mem- bers of the new society during the early part of the ministry of their first pastor, William B. O. Peabody. The church first occupied by the society was a wooden building at the corner of State and Willow Streets, built for and presented to the society by Jonathan Dwight; this was used from Jan-
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
uary, 1820, to February, 1869; it has since been destroyed by fire. The plate deposited in its corner-stone, May 20, 1819, was transferred to the corner- stone of the present edifice just 48 years afterward; and the new building was dedicated on the 17th of February, 1869. It is of Longmeadow free- stone, and was built according to the plans of H. H. Richardson, the Bos- ton architect, who was also the architect of Trinity (Episcopal) Church in Boston. Its beauty of form and of decoration are almost universally admired, and have attracted much attention from travellers, as well as from those to whom they are more familiar. The names of Col. James M. Thompson, chairman of the building committee, the Rev. Charles A. Humphreys, who served as one of its most active members, and the late Chester W. Chapin, a member of the committee, and a generous contributor to the funds, are worthy of special mention in this connection. The minis- ters of the society have been William B. O. Peabody, Oct. 12, 1820, to May 28, 1847; George F. Simmons, Feb. 9, 1848, to Oct. 12, 1851 ; Francis Tif- fany, Dec. 30, 1852, to Jan. 1, 1864; Charles A. Humphreys, Nov. 29, 1865, to Jan. 24, 1872; A. D. Mayo, Nov. I, 1872, to April 1, 1880; E. B. Payne, since December, 1880. A bust of the first pastor stands in a niche in the south wall of the church.
State-street Methodist-Episcopal Church. - This church is the suc- cessor of the Union-street Methodist Church, which was established (as has been elsewhere noted in the history of the First Methodist Church) in 1823, under the ministry of J. W. Hardy. Mr. Hardy was followed in the pastor- ate by D. Dorchester, Daniel Webb, Timothy Merritt, Orange Scott, T. C. Pierce, H. H. White, and B. Otheman, - all of them ministers of ability, and several of them afterwards distinguished in the history of their denomi- nation. From 1832 to 1835 the Union-street Church and the Asbury-Chapel Church were united in one organization, but with two ministers, one of them being pastor and the other assistant pastor. In 1835 the final separation occurred between these two societies. The pastors of the Union-street Church subsequent to that date were A. D. Merrill, William Livesey, J. Rice, C. K. True, M. Staples, D. Wise, R. S. Rust, A. D. Merrill, W. R. Clark, G. Landon, J. W. Mowry, F. A. Griswold, M. Dwight, C. P. Bragden, J. M. Bailey, O. S. Howe, A. O. Hamilton, Daniel Steele, Isaac Cushman, Nelson Stutson, J. Scott, J. H. Mansfield, J. C. Smith, and R. R. Meredith. In 1871, during the ministry of Mr. Mansfield, an effort was begun for the erection of a new church, which was completed and dedicated in 1873, during the ministry of R. R. Meredith. The building, which is situated on State Street, is beautiful and convenient, and its interior arrangements are admir- able. Its seating capacity is 1,000, and its cost was $70,000. The dedi- cation sermon was preached by Bishop Wiley. On removing to the new church, the name of the society was changed to the State-street Methodist
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
Church. Mr. Meredith was followed by Merritt Hulburd, J. H. Twombly, D.D., D. Dorchester, D.D., and W. T. Perrin. The pastor now is W. E. Knox. There are two sabbath-schools connected with the church, with 46 teachers and 400 scholars, and about 1,000 volumes in the library. The membership in 1883 was 354.
St. Paul's Church (Universalist), on the corner of Chestnut and Bridge Streets, is a plain brick structure, with commodious auditorium and vestry, and convenient parlor and kitchen. The building was erected, and is owned, by the First Universalist Society. This organization dates back to 1827, when Edmund Allen, Alexander Stocking, Dudley Brown, Israel Phillips, jun., Etham A. Clary, and Moses Y. Beach, were incorporated as a religious society by the name of the First Independent Universalist Society in Springfield, with all the privileges, powers, and immunities to which other religious societies in this Commonwealth are entitled. The society were authorized to hold property with an annual income not exceeding $5,000, and "to raise funds for the purpose of supporting a Universalist minister, provided the annual income thereof should not exceed $800." The charter was approved Feb. 13, 1827, by Governor Levi Lincoln. The society thus formed worshipped, at first, in a chapel on the Armory grounds, in the office building, called Government Chapel, and subsequently in Beacon Hall, in Gunn's Block, at the corner of State and Walnut Streets. About 1840 the society acquired new strength by the adhesion of men like Eliphalet Trask and T. W. Wason, and a meeting-house was erected on the corner of Main and Stockbridge Streets in 1844. The property was held upon shares ; and at one time, to prevent dissension by Spiritualists, Gov. Trask bought in all the shares, and carried the property himself. The subsequent rise in real estate, however, relieved him from loss; but the church had the use of the premises rent free. In 1869 the present edifice was erected. The church was organized by Rev. J. J. Twiss, Feb. 25, 1855. The church and con- gregation numbers each about 300. There is a prosperous Sunday school under the auspices of the church. The early records of the society have been lost. Among the pastors of the church have been the following clergymen : Lucius R. Paige, D.D., Charles Spear ("the prisoner's friend"), D. J. Mandell, A. A. Folsom, R. P. Ambler, J. W. Ford, J. J. Twiss, Josiah Marvin, H. R. Nye, Oscar F. Safford, A. H. Sweetser, George W. Perry, and Joseph K. Mason, the present incumbent, who is now serving his fourth year.
Olivet Church (Congregational) was organized when Springfield town- ship, including Chicopee and Chicopee Falls, comprised the whole territory from Longmeadow to South Hadley, -from the Connecticut River on the west, to Wilbraham on the east. At that time the " First Church of Christ" was on Court Square, the Second at Old Chicopee, and the Third (now the
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
Unitarian) at the corner of State and Willow Streets; and it was believed a church was needed "in the Armory village on the Hill," for it was a long distance for those living on the Hill to go to the existing places of wor- ship. Accordingly the Fourth Congregational Church was organized on Jan. 8, 1833, securing its first place of worship in the Conference House, - a brick building that stood near the corner of High Street and Wood- worth Avenue; and on April 26 following, an ecclesiastical society was formed, with Charles Wood as moderator, and Robert G. H. Huntington as clerk. Its first church edi- fice was erected on State Street, in 1834. In 1854 that was remodelled, en- larged, and dedicated Feb. 22, 1855. In 1878 a new vestry, for sabbath-school and social purposes, was completed, utilizing all the space under the audience- room. Funds have been raised, and plans are now under consideration, for the enlargement of the vestry on the east side of the church, to accommo- date the increasing num- bers of the sabbath school.
The name Olivet was first used in March, 1855, in the call extended to Olivet Congregational Church, State Street. George DeF. Folsom to become pastor, and was authorized by an act of the Legislature bearing date March 31, 1875. The pastors and ministers have been as follows: Waters Warren (minister), Jan. 8, 1833, to April 8, 1833; Abraham C. Baldwin (pastor), Dec. 4, 1833, to Jan. 8, 1839; Ezekiel Russel, D.D. (pastor), May 15, 1839, to July 17, 1849; Samuel W. Strong (pastor), March 27, 1850, to Oct. 10, 1852; Henry B. Elliot (minister), Jan. 16, 1853, to Oct. 29, 1854; George DeF. Folsom (pastor), May 23, 1855, to Sept. 1, 1860; W. W. Woodworth (minister), Sept. 23, 1860, to March 3, 1862; George H. Gould, D.D. (min- ister), June I, 1862, to June 1, 1864; William K. Hall, D.D. (minister), April 15, 1865, to April 2, 1866; John A. Hamilton (minister), April 1, 1867, to July 1, 1867; Luther H. Cone (pastor), Oct. 30, 1867, - in service now.
"The special object, stated in the very first articles of the church at its
.
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
organization, was 'the preaching of the gospel in the community, and to pro- mote a revival and missionary spirit.' That has been accomplished in good degree. The church has been blessed with revivals. The missionary spirit has been cherished. Benevolence has increased." The Ladies' Benevolent Society has been very active and successful in missionary work, and in aiding the ecclesiastical society. Rev. George H. Gould was ordained an evangelist in this church, Nov. 13, 1862 ; and Rev. Charles W. Kilbon was ordained a missionary in the service of the A. B. C. F. M., April 10, 1873. The sabbath school is only two weeks younger than the church. It began with four teachers and twelve scholars, - Charles Wood being the first superintendent. It now numbers 340, with average attendance 225, under the superintendence of John B. Chapman. During the last 15 years alone, the average of benevolent contributions for each year has been in round numbers $1,000, or $15,000 nearly, without reckoning what has been raised for the support of worship, enlargement of vestry, and necessary repairs. The whole number connected with this church from its organization to the present has been 995, and the number of members now on the catalogue is 348. Of the original 19 members, only four survive, - Mrs. Persis Burn- ham and Mrs. Ruth Kilbon, members of Olivet Church; Robert G. H. Huntington of Rochester, N.Y .; and Miss Eunice Morgan of East Long- meadow, Mass.
The South Congregational Church, corner of Maple and High Streets. This church and parish were organized in 1842. It was an offshoot from the First Church, and was required by the growth of the town, when the rail- roads began to enter it. Among those first interested in its organization were Rev. Sandford Lawton, Chief-Justice Chapman, William Stowe (editor, and for a number of years clerk of the Massachusetts House of Representa- tives), G. and C. Merriam (the publishers of Webster's Dictionary), H. and J. Brewer (the old firm of druggists), Philip Wilcox, Henry Adams, Elijah Bliss, and a few others ; to whose help there soon came such men as Thomas Bond, Daniel Bontecou, Edward Morris, Samuel Reynolds, Daniel L. Harris the civil engineer and railroad manager; and the success of the enterprise was determined. Noah Porter, jun., was the first pastor, from 1843 to 1847, when he was called to the professorship of mental and moral philosophy in Yale College, of which he is now the president. His successor was the present pastor, Samuel G. Buckingham, D.D., who was installed June 16, 1847, and who, during his 36 years' pastorate of this society, has fairly earned his reputation of being one of the most dearly beloved men in the Common- wealth. The church, which was organized with 40 members, now has a membership of 422. Eli H. Patch, George H. Deane, Emery Meekins, and J. Stuart Kirkham are its present deacons. Services were first held in the little old court-house on Sanford Street. The first house of worship was
SOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. Maple and High Streets.
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
erected on Bliss Street, and, with the chapel, cost less than $10,000. The present church edifice, completed in 1874, with its new and more desirable location, cost about $145,000, and is regarded, in point of durability, con- venience, and beauty, as a rare specimen of church architecture. The two large windows, with their mosaic glass, the unique and effective organ- front, the great amount of wood and stone carving, and the convenience of the chapel arrangements, are worthy of examination.
Trinity Methodist-Episcopal Church. - The Trinity Methodist Church occupies a fine brick edifice on the north side of Bridge Street, east of Main Street. This church was organized in 1844, and numbered at that time about forty members, principally from the Union-street Methodist Church. The small membership of the old Asbury-chapel society also transferred their relation temporarily to the new organization. The early services of the new society were held in the grand-jury room of the court-house, and in the Worthington-street grove. Its first church was erected on the north side of Pynchon Street, a short distance west of the Haynes Hotel, where it still stands. This building was finished and dedicated in March, 1845, when the dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. S. Olin, president of the Wes- leyan University. The first pastor was Jefferson Haskell, who was followed by G. Landon, M. Trafton, I. A. Savage, J. D. Bridge, and F. H. Newhall. During the pastorate of Mr. Newhall, the church was enlarged and very much improved. He was followed by J. Hascall, the first pastor, who was returned to this church for a second term. Mr. Hascall was succeeded by M. Traf- ton, who was also returned for the second time ; and he was followed by N. Stutson, J. S. Barrows, A. Mckeown, W. R. Clark, and C. D. Hills. In 1869, during the ministry of Mr. Hills, - the old church having again be- come too small, and unsuited to the demands of the society, - the present handsome church edifice was erected on Bridge Street, and the name of the society was changed to the Trinity Methodist-Episcopal Church. The church is in the Romanesque style of architecture, 122 feet long and 74 feet wide, with a tower and spire 185 feet high. Its cost, including land, was $73,000. The pastors here have been C. D. Hills, J. O. Peck, D.D., Merritt Hulburd, S. F. Upham, D.D., and F. J. Wagner. Their pastor now is Frederick Woods. There is a Sunday school connected with the society, with 38 teachers and 377 scholars, and a library of about 1,000 volumes. The church-membership, in 1883, was 447.
The Sanford-street Congregational Church (colored) was the outgrowth of an independent church known as the Zion's Methodist, which was for several years aided by liberal contributions from both Congregationalists and Methodists. It is a fact of some historic interest, that the famous John Brown, subsequently called "Ossawatomie Brown," while residing in Springfield as a wool-merchant, from 1846 to 1849, was a frequent attendant
TRINITY METHODIST-EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
On Bridge Street.
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
at this church. By an almost unanimous vote, on the 23d of February. 1864, it was re-organized as a Congregational church. The articles of faith presented by the church were approved, and the recognition of the Congrega- tional churches was given by Rev. E. B. Clark of the First Church in Chico- pee. The council then ordained and installed William W. Mallory of New Haven, Conn., as the pastor. The introductory exercises were conducted by Rev. H. M. Parsons; Rev. J. W. Harding of Longmeadow offered the ordaining prayer ; Rev. Dr. E. Davis gave the charge to the pastor ; Rev. S. G. Buckingham, of the South Church of this city, gave the right hand of fellowship; the charge to the people was by Rev. Roswell Foster. The longest pastorates have been those of W. W. Mallory, Samuel Harrison, and John H. Docher. The church has an aid society, and the ladies have a missionary society auxiliary to the Woman's Board. The present mem- bership of the church is about 50. Their house of worship is owned free from debt.
St. Michael's Cathedral is the outgrowth of meetings held in 1846 by the Roman Catholics of the town. For a few months they used Military Hall for their services ; and early in 1847 they bought the then unoccupied Baptist church building, at the corner of Maple and Mulberry Streets, mov- ing it down to Union Street, a few rods east from Main Street, where they christened it St. Benedict's. G. T. Riorden was the first pastor, and the society numbered 800. His successor was J. J. Doherty, who was succeeded by M. Blenkinsop. He, in turn, was soon displaced, in 1857, by M. P. Gal- lagher, whose pastorate of 12 years was a period of marked prosperity in the parish. The society trebled its numbers in a few years, and the hand- some St. Michael's Church on State Street was built and consecrated. Father Gallagher thoroughly enjoyed his untiring work for the parish, although he did not live to see the church of his building made the seat of a diocese. He died June 1, 1869, beloved by his people, and respected by the whole city, and was buried beside the main entrance to the cathedral. Thomas O'Sullivan succeeded him; and at his death, Sept. 14, 1870, the parish passed into the temporary charge of Fathers Haley of Chicopee and McDonald of Boston, until Sept. 25, 1870, when P. T. O'Reilly was con- secrated first bishop of the newly created diocese of Springfield. The first settled pastor of St. Michael's, under the new régime, was J. J. McDer- mott. His successor was C. E. Burke, who was ordained at Troy, May 25, 1872. After ten years he was transferred to North Adams; and William H. Goggin, who has been connected with the parish for several years, suc- ceeded him. Father Goggin's assistants are G. H. Dolan and William Power.
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