USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Winthrop > The history of Winthrop, Massachusetts ; 1630-1952 > Part 22
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so in 1911, the old Church was moved to the rear of the parish property. In later years, the old Church served well as St. John's Hall and it was with sincere regret that it had to be razed in March of 1951 in order to provide the necessary land for the new St. John the Evangelist Parochial School which is now under construction.
It was a gigantic task that Father Griffin undertook when he began the construction of a new Church. He planned no ordinary Church. He wanted a Church that would be outstand- ing in architectural beauty and which would care for the Catho- lic people of Winthrop for many years to come. He personally supervised its construction and diligently collected the large amount of money needed to pay for the construction of this new Church. It was not until May 6, 1923, that the new St. John the Evangelist Church was dedicated by His Eminence, William Cardinal O'Connell, the late and distinguished Cardinal Arch- bishop of Boston.
St. John the Evangelist Church today is recognized as one of the most beautiful Catholic Churches of the entire country. It is an inspiring red brick structure. Romanesque in style, while betraying signs of Spanish influence in its fine campanile and in the unusual decoration of its interior, it represents an unusual blending of the old and new in church architecture. Its colorful marble altar and beautiful sanctuary with the striking crucifixion scene, dominate the entire Church and give unusual beauty and grandeur to the interior of the present St. John the Evangelist Church.
Father Griffin in addition to completing the construction of the new St. John the Evangelist Church also provided a beautiful Chapel at Point Shirley to care for the needs of the permanent residents of that part of his parish as well as for the many visitors who came to that section of the town during the summer months. This Chapel known as St. Mary's by-the-Sea was built in the year 1924, the year before Father Griffin was called to his eternal reward on April 23, 1925.
No record of the history of St. John the Evangelist Church would be complete without mention of the late Mr. Timothy J. Mahaney. For forty-three years "Tim Mahaney", as he was known to everyone, served as sexton of St. John the Evangelist Church, going back to the years of Father Hugh Roe O'Donnell in 1887. He was Father Griffin's "right arm." Under Father Griffin's supervision, he was the builder of the present Rectory, Church and Chapel of St. John the Evangelist Parish.
During Father Griffin's pastorate, it is also worthy of note that the Winthrop Catholic Woman's Club was inaugurated in 1920.
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Father Griffin was succeeded as pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish by Rev. T. O'Brien. Father O'Brien continued the extraordinary work of Father Griffin. He added to the beauty of St. John the Evangelist Church and completed the con- struction of the Chapel at Point Shirley. Father O'Brien was a priest of great ability, of strong personality and of exceptional oratorical ability. He is gratefully remembered today by many of the men of the parish because of all that he did to provide them with wholesome recreation facilities when they were boys and young men of St. John the Evangelist Parish. It was during Father O'Brien's pastorate that Winthrop Court No. 287, Massa- chusetts Catholic Order of Foresters, was established in Win- throp. Father O'Brien was called to his eternal reward on Janu- ary 25, 1931.
Father O'Brien's successor was the Reverend James A. Crowley, who came to St. John the Evangelist Parish after a very successful pastorate in St. Peter's Parish, Plymouth. In God's divine providence, Father Crowley's years in Winthrop were not long. On February 17, 1934, Father Crowley was called to his eternal reward. Father Crowley will always be remembered by those who were privileged to know him as a noble, Christian gentleman and a kind and holy priest. St. John the Evangelist Parish is indebted to Father Crowley for his vision in purchasing additional property for the parish which is now being used as the site of the new St. John the Evangelist Parochial School.
Father Crowley was succeeded as pastor by the Reverend Mark E. Madden, who came to Winthrop after successful pas- torates in the Blessed Sacrament Parish, Quincy, and in St. John's Parish in Canton. Father Madden also made his contri- bution to the growth and development of St. John the Evangelist Parish. Father Madden came to Winthrop with a reputation for unfailing kindness and charity. He served in Winthrop during the depression years of the late thirties, and was always ready to extend a helping hand to anyone who needed assistance. He purchased additional property for the parish and was planning the construction of a Parochial School when he was taken from active duty by a long and protracted illness which confined him to St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Brighton for six and one-half years. During these years he submitted patiently and humbly to God's Holy Will until his death on July 2, 1945. Father Madden will always be remembered by all who knew him as a kind and generous priest and a devoted shepherd of souls.
On July 17, 1940, the Right Reverend Richard J. Quinlan was appointed Pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church by His Eminence, William Cardinal O'Connell. Monsignor Quinlan
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came to Winthrop from the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Bos- ton. For fifteen years, before assuming the pastorate of St. John the Evangelist Church, he served as Supervisor of the Parochial Schools of the Archdiocese of Boston. Monsignor Quinlan's efforts since coming to St. John the Evangelist Parish have been devoted to making plans and collecting sufficient funds to begin the construction of a modern, first class Parochial School and Social Center for all of his parishioners. Work on this new school was begun on March 19, 1951. The work of con- structing the new school, as well as a Convent to provide living accommodations for the Sisters of St. Joseph, who will teach in the new school, is rapidly nearing completion. The cornerstone of the new school was laid and blessed with inspiring ceremonies on Sunday afternoon, October 14, 1951, by His Excellency, the Most Reverend Richard J. Cushing, D.D., Archbishop of Boston. The new St. John the Evangelist School will be ready for occu- pancy in September, 1952.
The priests and people of St. John the Evangelist Parish in this year of 1952 look back with grateful hearts to the many years that have marked the steady growth and development of Catholicity in Winthrop. They are grateful to Almighty God for the many blessings conferred upon their parish during these eventful years. They are grateful to the devoted priests and generous parishioners of the past, who by their prayers and sacrifices have made possible the St. John the Evangelist Parish of today. They are grateful to their non-Catholic friends and neighbors for their understanding, friendliness and encourage- ment through the years.
The priests and people of St. John the Evangelist Parish are very happy that the opening of the new St. John the Evangelist Parochial School will take place in the year 1952- the Centennial Year of the Town of Winthrop. The opening of the new school will mark the culmination of the prayers and labors of the priests and parishioners of St. John the Evangelist Parish for twenty-five years. The new school will not only be a fitting monument to Catholicity in Winthrop but it will be worthy of the noble, patriotic and religious traditions of the Town of Winthrop which in this year of 1952 proudly looks back to one hundred years of devoted service to God and Country.
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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH*
In 1867 a group of people withdrew from the one Protestant church in Winthrop and formed a Baptist Society, which held meetings in the Town Hall with the Rev. Mr. Davis, a Free Will Baptist minister from Beachmont, as preacher.
About four years later a group of seven men and five women holding closed communion ideas, and led by Dr. Horatio S. Soule, began meeting in the Grammar School. On October 21, 1871, they voted themselves into a Baptist Church, formed a Society, and in April, 1872, extended a call to the Rev. F. A. Lockwood of North Springfield, Vermont, to become Pastor. Even before the Rev. Lockwood's arrival Dr. Soule had established a church school which still functions and has had the following men as Superintendents :
H. E. Soule 1871-1884
E. E. Crosby 1885-1887
J. W. Cordes 1887-1890
J. T. Whitman 1890-1891
W. Colton 1891-1894
C. P. Floyd 1894-1898
W. B. Ray
1898-1904
C. H. Leach
1905-1907
J. P. Margeson
1908-1930
W. A. Hodgkins 1930-1941
J. E. Davis 1941-1950
Miss Elizabeth Law 1950-
Both Pastor and people strongly desired their own house of worship, so land was bought at a cost of $177.40 and the ves- try was dedicated for services on May 19, 1872. In July of that year a Council of Churches formally recognized the group, then nineteen members, as the "First Baptist Church of Winthrop". The building was completed at a cost of $12,224.48, and was dedi- cated May 5, 1873, with only $300 indebtedness.
In January, 1897, the church became a corporation and the present kindergarten and primary rooms were added to the vestry. The further addition of a large church parlor was made in 1928, and in October, 1943, the church voted to buy the ad- jacent house and land for a parsonage.
The following men have faithfully served us as pastors dur- ing the years :
Rev. F. A. Lockwood 1872-1874
Rev. M. N. Reed 1874-1875
Rev. D. M. Crane 1876-1878
*Material from Rev. R. B. Watson, Pastor
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Rev. F. H. Goodwin
1879-1880
Rev. W. T. Thomas 1880-
Rev. E. F. Merriam
1880-1882
Rev. F. M. Gardner
1882-1884
Rev. George B. Titus
1884-(Supply)
Rev. H. G. Safford
1885-(Supply)
Rev. A. B. Thombs
1886-1888
Rev. G. W. Fuller
1888-1895
Rev. W. M. Smallman
1896-1900
Rev. A. V. Dimock
1900-1904
Rev. F. M. White
1904-1913
Rev. W. J. Day
1913-1934
Rev. L. W. Williamson
1934-1936
Rev. A. R. Meserve
1937-1942
Rev. A. A. Forshee
1942-1943
(Interim)
Rev. C. A. Bartle
1943-1951
Rev. R. B. Watson
1951-
At present, 1951, the First Baptist Church is remodeling, and refinishing to the value of several thousands of dollars, the Parsonage owned by the Church on Hermon Street. This build- ing was purchased in 1943. The Church is entirely free of debt.
UNION CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
BY MRS. ALICE ROWE SNOW
The first people who came to Winthrop Beach lived by the sea because they loved it, and when the Sabbath came they wor- shipped God in one of their homes by the sea. It seemed very appropriate that the first sermon ever preached here was on the text: "The Sea is His and He made it." This was given in 1878, by Rev. S. Burnham in Captain Charles Tewksbury's farmhouse. As time went on, a pavilion was built by John Tewksbury on the site of the present church, and later on, given to the residents. Here on Sundays divine services were held, on week days enter- tainments were given.
The names of the first committee can now be read on the sign boards of the streets of this section, as Underhill, Perkins and Tewksbury Streets. Many faithful workers have labored hard to upbuild and support this church and none harder or more faithfully than Deacon Anson Streeter and his good wife. Con- stantly would he go to and fro from his home to the church,
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carrying wood, building fires and making things comfortable for the congregation.
Little by little, money, labor and materials given by many willing hands, made the present church possible. First, home gatherings, then a pavilion, then additions and improvements to that, and next in 1889, the taking away of the pavilion and the building of the Tewksbury Memorial Chapel. This chapel was dedicated by Dr. Gordon of the Clarendon Street Baptist Church. Then instead of having only summer services, it was decided to hold winter meetings also. The building was parti- tioned off in one end, and a cozy room was made, the heating being done by a large stove.
As years went on, more enthusiasm stirred in the hearts of the people. A decision was reached to form a church society. Mr. E. T. Underhill, chairman of the Board of Trustees that had managed the church property up to this time, offered the Tewks- bury Memorial Chapel as the place of worship for the newly planned church society. Dr. Gage, who was chairman of the committee to gather names of persons wishing to be church mem- bers, proposed the motion, "That we are ready to proceed to take necessary steps toward the organization of a church of the Lord Jesus Christ, which shall be a Union Congregational Church." Later on the church was so named.
In 1896, a Council of delegates from seventeen churches met. Seven distinguished ministers were present, and two of them, Dr. Charles E. Jefferson and Dr. Alexander McKenzie, were famous. At the organization, 21 members stood up to form the church. It was very impressive as the writer of this article knows, being one of the charter members. The charge to the people was given by Rev. Alexander McKenzie, and true to the nautical spirit of the place, it was in ship-shape style. He com- pared the building of our church career to the launching of a boat, and the members were the sailors with oars in their hands. He told us the progress of our boat depended upon us; we must attend to the rowing, and keep our oars dipped in the ocean and "pull together". One cannot pull his oar in the opposite direction from the sailor next to him without making serious trouble for the boat. Then we must be guided by the captain who is the minister whom we call to take charge of the boat. He knows all the ropes and has studied the chart: we must do his bidding. To obey the captain is the way to make a successful voyage.
Our first captain was Rev. Arthur Truslow, a fine young man from Brooklyn, New York. The Ladies' Aid struggled hard and not only helped the church in every way possible, but sent away missionary barrels, and for a time supported a native
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preacher in India. Up to the time that Mr. Truslow remained in 1899, the church building set low upon the ground, was un- plastered and settees were used.
In 1901, Rev. James J. Goodacre came and took charge, and with the great help of Mr. George Mitchell and many others, money was raised and borrowed to put a granite foundation under the church. A second-hand pipe organ was installed and the building put in fine order. A vestry kitchen and a class room were made in the basement; so we had a well-equipped church home.
Our next captain was Rev. Alexander L. Mckenzie. He worked hard and freed the church of debt. Well I remember when he held the mortgage and burned it in a spectacular man- ner at our annual church supper, amidst great applause from happy members.
Again we lost our captain and the ship floundered along as well as it could until the Rev. Seeley Bryant became our faithful captain. By this time, the crew was large and many oars were needed, and it was harder for all to keep in stroke. But we tried hard and Captain Bryant kept us all busy and our ship ploughed along in a great channel of service and sacrifice.
The great war in 1914 found us with Rev. Walter Sherman in charge. He organized new departments in the church and in- stilled his great religious enthusiasm into all the workers, and we certainly kept our oars busy. When our country entered the war, many of our young men went overseas, and finally our minister too felt the call, and amid tears and prayers, we let him go. While he was away the Rev. George Soper came to us, a dear, good man who sent his only son to the war and who received news of his death in almost the first battle. Those were days full of heartaches. We kept our sewing machines busy working for the Red Cross and the Ladies' Aid. After the war, Mr. Sherman came back for a while but finally left us, to the sorrow of all, for a larger field of service.
Then came Rev. Thomas Middleton, a very brilliant preacher. But God took him from us after a short pastorate of less than a year.
The Rev. Ralph Haughton came next in November, 1919. He was a fine, earnest Christian man who served the church well.
Then Rev. Thomas Street came to us. He also was a fine preacher, who did his work well, and leaving for a larger church in the West was greatly regretted. Rev. Martin E. Van de Mark came in 1924. The young folks rallied around him, and the Christian Endeavor became extremely flourishing and the church sailed along proudly with every sail set to catch the breezes sent from Heaven, and also like the old Roman ships, each member
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of the crew kept his oar in position and pulled hard to help Cap- tain Van de Mark all he could.
During all these years, the Sunday School was a very vital part of the church, run by consecrated superintendents and assisted by faithful teachers. The Men's class also has been extremely helpful in the church and community, being often found assisting needy families and generous in many ways, about which they say little. The Get-Together Club is also a very help- ful society in the church, composed of younger married women. They have fine times and are always on the watch to do good. Too much cannot be said in praise of our faithful choir. For many years they have given their services for the good of the church. The new pipe organ that was installed in the summer of 1931 has been a fine addition to the church.
During the past 20 years, the ministers have been: Rev. Clement B. Yinger, Rev. Dr. Eugene Gilmore, Rev. Rowland Adams, Rev. Carl Smith and the present pastor, Rev. Henry J. Chandler.
In the Spring of 1950 ground was broken for a parish house at the rear of the church. The building was dedicated November 29, 1951.
ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH BY SIDVIN FRANK TUCKER
There was no Episcopal place of worship in the town in 1884 and "Jimmy" Nelson, with a few other earnest families, dis- cussed the possibility of establishing one.
In May, 1885, Mrs. Annie Wentworth, in behalf of this little group, consulted Bishop Paddock regarding the matter; and shortly Rev. John S. Beers, the Diocesan Missionary, was sent to look over the field. Mr. Beers came to Winthrop, surveyed the field and conducted the first service on August 30, 1885, in the old Town Hall. Mr. Beers wrote, "There was a pouring rain, but twenty-three persons were in attendance and fourteen com- municated".
Flowers were placed on the improvised altar-from the gar- den of "Mr. Ellsworth of Ocean Spray". An offering of $4.20 was received. Other services were held on the Sundays of Oc- tober 11, 18, 25, and November 1st.
These ardent souls then decided "with some fear and trem- bling" to go on; so the new Mission of St. John the Evangelist came into being. It was named in honor of St. John's, Charles- town, dear to the hearts of the Wentworth family. The name
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"St. John the Evangelist" was abbreviated later, presumably because our Catholic brethren, in 1887, built and named their church, St. John the Evangelist, while it was not until 1889 that our present church was built.
Rev. John C. Hewlett, of Roslindale, became our first Rector. He took charge November 8, 1885, becoming the first clergyman serving St. John's regularly. It had been recorded that "four families only had expressed an active interest in establishing a church", and these were the Nelsons, Wentworths, Joscelynes and Hartleys. Thus was St. John's launched through the faith of a few stout young hearts leading the way.
Mr. Hewlett continued until May 23, 1886, and was followed by Rev. Benjamin Judkins, a retired clergyman of sixty-five, living in Westwood. The Board of Missions had brought him from retirement and he took up the charge of Trinity in Concord, Mass., together with St. John's in Winthrop.
On October 29, 1886, the first regular officers of the Mission were appointed as follows: Warden, James C. Nelson ; treasurer, Stanley Wyman; clerk, Nathan Clark; executive committee, George E. Joscelyne, J. Harry Hartley, Alvah M. Norris, P. S. Macgowan.
Mr. Judkins continued with St. John's until May, 1887, when he resigned to give all of his time to Concord. The attention of St. John's was then drawn to St. Paul's of Beachmont, which was under the care of Rev. Herman G. Wood, who had been in charge of St. Paul's since March, 1887. A vote of the Board of Missions in April, 1887, states: "Voted that the Board hears with satisfaction the contemplated union of Winthrop and Beachmont and expresses its willingness to appropriate at the rate of $200 per annum from the date of such union."
Mr. Wood took charge of St. John's June 1, 1887, in connec- tion with his work in Beachmont, being the first Rector to live among us. With his coming and with the beginning of financial aid from the Board of Missions, a period of great activity and progress began for this New Mission, which by this time had grown to thirty families.
Mr. Wood's first service for St. John's was held in the Bap- tist Church June 3, 1887. Our Baptist brethren, through Dr. Horace Soule, had generously offered the use of their Church School rooms for the New Mission, until such time as St. John's could build it's own church. For over two years it continued to be our Church home.
Finally, enough money was raised, and on December 1, 1887, the lot on which the Church now stands was purchased. A com- mittee was appointed consisting W. H. Wentworth, Horace R.
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Tewksbury and C. A. Barrett, who, with Mr. Wood, struggled with an amount of perseverance that no discouragement could thwart. Finally, on August 6, 1889, ground was broken, the cornerstone was laid on August 29th, and the first service held December 8, 1889 in the new Church.
In November 1892, Mr. Wood decided that he should give all his time to St. Paul's, and the following January Rev. C. M. Westlake took over the work of St. John's, remaining here until October 1894. It was during Mr. Westlake's rectorship and at his instigation that the Altar Guild was formed at Easter time, 1893, by Mrs. C. A. Barrett.
On October 15, 1894, Rev. Joseph Carden became rector of St. John's and immediately made his personality felt. A policy of independence was embarked upon, and gradually St. John's relinquished the financial aid that the Board of Missions was giving. During Mr. Carden's rectorship, the Rectory was built in 1896. A new organ, displacing the reed one, was installed in 1898 through Mr. Carden's energy in selling 100 "shares" at $12 each. Electric lights were put in the church in 1900. In 1901 the Parish, having become fully self-supporting, St. John's was incorporated as a parish, giving up its Mission status, and the fol- lowing year the Parish was admitted to membership in the Di- ocesan Convention with a voice in Diocesan affairs.
It was during Mr. Carden's rectorship that two names famil- iar to us today became first associated with St. John's. In the Fall of 1900, Walter P. Simonds became a teacher of a class of boys in the Church School, later becoming Superintendent and church warden. In 1903, Sidney E. Blandford became Warden, following the death of Perry A. Lindsay. To Miss Annie L. Morgan, for many years supervisor of our Church School, goes the distinction of having given the longest continuous service to St. John's.
A man beloved by all came among us February 1, 1906, Rev. Charles W. Henry. He was a great worker among the younger people and organized various groups. The parish grew under his guidance so that it was necessary to enlarge the church in October 1908. A Parish House had long been desired, and in June, 1910, the lot was bought. A fund for the building was started by the Young Women's Guild, which quickly raised $479; other organizations followed suit. Many generous gifts were made, notably those by members of the Forsyth and Murrell families; the hall of the Parish House being named "Forsyth Hall" and the lower floor "Murrell Gym", in recognition of that fact.
Mr. Henry was called to Andover June 1, 1914, and we again
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had the problem of securing another rector. During the follow- ing months, various clergymen were suggested, resulting in the happy selection of Ralph Moore Harper, of St. Paul's Cathedral, who came to us October 1, 1914.
Much has transpired in the past 38 years; concretely, the mortgage on the Parish House was completely paid off several years ago through the leadership of the late Leslie E. Griffin, the church interior improved, the organ remodelled, a Church School of 350 is operated that is probably second to none in the Diocese. Not the least of Mr. Harper's policies is his plea for a large delegation to the Church Conferences at Wellesley, Mass., and Concord, N. H., each June.
The Dean of the Winthrop clergy, Mr. Harper is a beloved and highly respected citizen of Winthrop.
Men and Women from St. John's in the Religious Field
Miss Anna Silberberg left in 1930 for St. Mark's Mission at Tenana, Alaska. She later married, and her husband, Rev. Wilfred C. Files, is now Rector of St. Stephen's Church at Fort Yukon, Alaska.
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