USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Gardiner > Christ Church, Gardiner, Maine : antecedents and history > Part 13
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*APPENDIX II.
A PEDIGREE AND GENEALOGY OF DR. SILVESTER GARDINER.
George Gardiner1 (The Emigrant), in 1635 was admitted an inhabitant of Aquidneck, R. I. B. - , d. about 1677. M. (I) Herodias (Hicks) Long ; (2) Lydia Ballou, d. 1722. Their chil- dren ; 1, Benoni2; 2, Henry2; 3, George2; 4, William2; 5, Nich- olas2; 6, Dorcas2: 7, Rebecca2; 8, Samuel2; 9, Joseph2; 10, Lydia2; 11, Mary"; 12, Peregrine2; 13, Robert2; 14, Jeremiah2.
I. Benoni Gardiner2, b. at King's Town, R. I., d. 1731. M. Mary, daughter of - -. B. 1645, d. Nov. 16, 1729. Their chil- dren : 1, William3, b. 1671, d. 1732 ; 2, Nathaniel3 ; 3, Stephen3 ; 4, Isaac3, b. Jan. 7, 1687 ; 5, Bridget3.
I William3, oldest son of Benoni, b. 1671, d. 1732. Children : I, John+; 2, William4 ; 3, Thomas4 ; 4, SILVESTER4; 5, Abi- gail+, m. (1) Caleb Hazard, (2) William Robinson ; 6, Hannah4, m. Rev. Dr. James McSparran ; 7, Lydia4, m. Capt. Josiah Arnold.
2. Henry2, b. 1645 at King's Town, R. I. M. (1) Joan; (2) Abigail Remington, daughter of Edward and Abigail (Davis) Remington. Children : I, Henry3, b. 1691 ; 2, Ephraim3, b. 1693 ; 3, William3, b. 1697.
3. George2, b. - , d. 1724. M. Tabitha Tefft. Children : I, Joseph3; 2, Nicholas3; 3, Samuel3; 4, Robert3; 5, John3 ; 6, George3; 7, Hannah3; 8, Tabitha3; 9, Joanna3.
4. William2, b -, d. 171I. M. Elizabeth Children : 1, William3; 2, Ann3; 3, Elizabeth3; 4, Rebecca3; 5, Susanna3 ; 6, Dorcas3; 7, Tabitha3 ; 8, Rachel3.
*[This genealogy has been carefully traced by Mr. John Hays Gardiner, of Longwood, Mass., and is compiled from the best authorities upon the subject .. ]
151
GENEALOGY OF DR. GARDINER.
5. Nicholas,2 b. 1654, d. 1712. M. Hannah - -. Children : I, Nicholas3; 2, Ezekiel3 ; 3, George3.
6. Dorcas2, m. John WATSON. Children : 1, John3 ; 2, Samuel3, 3, William3; 4, Frances3 ; 5, Ann3 ; 6, Herodias3.
7. Rebecca2, became second wife of John Watson. Child : I, Samuel3.
8. Samuel2, m. Elizabeth -. Child : I, Samuel.
9. Joseph2, m., 1693, Catharine Holmes, b. 1673, d. 1758. Children : 1, John3; 2, Robert3; 3, Francis3; 4, Joseph3 ; 5, George3 ; 6, Catharine3 ; 7, Lydia3.
IO. Lydia2, m., 1689, Joseph SMITH. Children : 1, Israel3; 2, Lydia3 ; 3, Sarah3 ; 4, Joseph3; 5, Robert3 ; 6, Alice3; 7, William3 ; 8, David3 ; 9, Jeremiah3.
II. Mary2.
12. Peregrine2.
13. Robert2, b. 1671, d. 1731.
14. Jeremiah2, m. Sarah -. Child : 1, a daughter3.
4 SILVESTER GARDINER4, b. 1707 ; d. 1786, at Newport, R. I. m. (1) Anne Gibbins, of Boston ; (2) Love Eppes, of Salem ; (3) Catharine Goldthwaite, of Boston. Children by (1) :
I John5, b. 1731, d. 1793. m. Margaret Harries, of Haver- fordwest, Wales. Children :
I John Silvester John6, b. 1765, d. 1830. m. 1794, Mary Howard of Augusta. Children :
I William Howard7, b. 1797, d. 1882. m., 1823, Caroline Perkins, b. - d. 1867. She was the daughter of Thomas Handasyde Perkins of Boston. Children :
I William Prescott8, b. 1824, d. 1860.
2 Edward8, b. 1825, d. 1859. m. Sophia Mif- flin of Philadelphia. Children :
I William Howard9, b. - m. Helena Law- rence Baird of Philadelphia. Children :
William Howard10, b. 1875.
2 John Pennington10.
3 Edward Carey10.
2 Eugenia9.
3 Edward9 Gardiner.
4 Elizabeth9, m. Glendower Evans ; d. -
5 Maud9, d. unmarried.
152
GENEALOGY OF DR. GARDINER.
3 Mary Cary8, b. 1827, d. 1863. m., 1856, William Nye JARVIS of Boston. (No children.)
4 John Silvester8, b. 1830, d. 1856. (Unmar- ried.)
5 Caroline Louisa8, b. 1832, d. 1888. (Unmar- ried.)
6 Charles Perkins, b. 1836, m., 1864, Emma Fields Glidden. Child :
I Mary Caroline9, b. 1867, m., 1887, Wil- liam Robinson Cabot. Child :
I Mary Geraldine10, b. 1892.
2 Mary Louisa7, b. - , d. -. m. John Peck CUSH- ING of Boston. Children :
I John Gardiner8, b. - , d. -. m. Susan Dex- ter. Children :
I John9.
2 Aliceg.
2 Thomas Forbess, b. -. Child :
I Edith9.
3 Robert Maynard®, b. -. Children :
I Grafton Dulany9.
2 Mary Louisag.
3 Howard Gardiner9.
4 Oliviay.
4 William8, b. - , d. -.
5 Mary Louisas, b. -. m. Edward Borr. Children :
I Edward D.9, d. young.
2 John9, d. young.
3 Florence9.
4 Jane Hubbard9.
5 Mary Louisa9.
6 Julia Overing9.
3 Elizabeth7. (Unmarried.)
2 Anne6, b. - , d, -. m. James N. LITHGOW. Children :
I Alfred7, b. - , d. -. (Unmarried.)
2 Llewellyn7, b. - , d. -. (Unmarried.)
3 Louisa7, b. - , m. Williams.
3 William6, b. - , d. -. m. Sarah, daughter of Richard Allen of Boston ; children :
153
GENEALOGY OF DR. GARDINER.
I Margaret Harries7, b. - , d. -. m. Thomas NEL- SON of Castine ; child :
I Margaret PattersonS, m. Rev. Thomas F. FALES.
2 George7, m. Caroline Tallman of Bath ; child :
I William8, b. - , d. -. (Unmarried.)
3 Mary Anne7, b. 1812, d. -. m. Isaac ELDER of Portland ; child :
I Mary Anne Osgood8, b. -.
2 William5, b .- d. Unmarried.)
3 Anne5, b .- d .- 1807. m. Col. the Hon. Arthur BROWNE, son of the Earl of Altamont. Child :
: John Browne6, b. - d. 1814. m. 1784, Rosa Mary, daughter of Adm. Sir Richard Hughes, Bart. Children :
I Arthur7, of Newtown Roscommon, Ireland, b. 1786, d. 1870. m. 1814, Anna Elizabeth, daughter of Capt. Richard Clements. Children :
I Thomas Blakeney8, b .- d .- (Unmarried,)
2 John Irwin Clements8, Capt. R. N. [Also two other sons and five daughters, most of whom are now living in England and Ireland. ]
2 George Townsend,7 who had a son and three daughters.
4 Hannah5, b. 1744. d. 1796. m. Robert HALLOWELL of Bos- ton, b. 1739, d. 1818 ; children :
I Hannah6, b. 1773, d. 1796.
2 Nancy6, b. 1774, d. 1775.
3 Anne6, b. 1776, d. 1800.
4 Rebecca6, b. 1777, d. 1779.
5 Robert6, b. 1782, d. 1864.
[His name was changed to ROBERT HALLOWELL GAR- DINER.] m. 1805, Emma Jane Tudor of Boston, b. 1785, d. 1865. Children :
I Emma Jane7, b. 1806, d. 1845. (Unmarried.)
2 Anne Hallowell7, b. 1807, d. 1876. m., 1832, Francis RICHARDS, b. 1805, d. 1858. Children :
1 Francis Gardiner8, b. 1833, d. 1884. m. Anne Ashburner, daughter of Samuel Ash- burner of London. Children :
I Francis Ashburner9.
2 Anne Hallowell9.
20
154
GENEALOGY OF DR. GARDINER.
2 George8, b. 1837, d. 1837.
3 George Henry8.
4 Sarah8, b. 1840, d. 1855. (Unmarried.)
5 John Tudor8, m. Cora Howard. Children :
I Amy9.
2 Madelene9.
3 Dorothy9, b. 1877, d. 1878. 4 Ruth9.
6 Robert Hallowell8, m. Ellen Swallow.
7 Henry8, m. Laura Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. Samuel G. Howe. Children :
I Alice Maud9.
2 Rosalind9.
3 Henry Howeg.
4 Julia Ward9.
5 Maud9, b. 1881, d. 1882.
6 Johng.
7 Laura Elizabeth9.
3 Robert Hallowell7, b. 1809, d. 1886, m. 1842, Sarah Fenwick Jones, b. 1814, d. 1869. (No children.)
4 Delia Tudor7, b. 1812, d. 1836 ; m. 1834, George Jones. (No children.)
5 Lucy Vaughan7, b. 1814, d. 1847. (Unmarried.)
6 John William Tudor7, b. 1817, d. 1879 ; m., 1854, Anne Elizabeth (Hays) West, daughter of John Hays of Carlisle, Penn ; children :
I Robert Hallowell8, m. Alice, daughter of Edward Bangs, of Boston ; children :
I Robert Hallowell9.
2 Aliceg.
3 Silvester9, b. 1888, d 1889.
4 Anna Lowell9.
5 William Tudorº.
2 Eleanor8.
3 Anna Hays8, b. 1859, d. 1860.
4 Francis Richards8, b. 1860, d, 1880.
5 John Hays8.
6 John Tudor8.
7 Henrietta7, b. 1820, d. 1880; m, 1846, Richard SULLIVAN. (No children.)
155
GENEALOGY OF DR. GARDINER.
8 Frederic7, b. 1822, d. 1889 ; m. Caroline, daughter William Vaughan of Hallowell; children :
I Emma Jane8. m. 1872, Rev. Henry FER- GUSON of Stamford, Conn. Children :
I Samuel9.
2 Eleanor Margaret9.
3 Henry Gardiner9.
4 Charles Vaughan9.
2 William Tudor8, b. 1850, d. 1863.
3 Frederic8. m. 1886, Sallie Merrick of Ger- mantown, Penn. Children :
I Frederic Merrick9.
2 William Henry9.
3 Francis Vaughan9.
4 Henrietta8.
5 Alfred8, b. 1862, d. 1879.
9 Eleanor Harriet7.
5 Rebecca5, b .- d .-. m. 1763, Philip DUMARESQ of Bos- ton, b. 1738.
I James 6, b. 1771, d. 1826. Drowned in the Ken- nebec River. m. 1797, Sarah, daughter of Eben- ezer Farwell, of Vassalboro, Maine. Children :
I Philip7, of Swan Island, b. 1804, d. 1863. m. 1836, Margaretta, daughter of Francis Deblois of Bos- ton. Children :
I Philip Kearney8, m. Sophia Hurlbert; chil- dren :
I Philip9.
2 Sophia Lillian9.
3 Margaretta9.
4 Colette9.
2 James Saumerez8, m. Lucy Hazeltine ; child :
I James Saumerez9, d. 1878 aged 5 years.
3 Herbert8, m., 1873, Julia Jordan ; children :
I Jordan9.
2 Margaretta9, d. young.
4 Francis8.
5 Margaretta8, b. 1837, d. 1849.
6 Frances Perkins8, b. 1840, d. 1855.
7 Florence Saumerez8, m., 1864, George WHEAT- LAND ; children :
156
GENEALOGY OF DR. GARDINER.
I Philip Dumaresq9, m. Alice Ellerton Pratt.
2 Florence Dumaresq9, m. Jacob Crownin- shield Rogers PEABODY ; child :
I
Richard Rogers10.
3 George9.
2 Jane Francis Rebecca7. m. Thomas Handasyde PERKINS of Boston. Children :
I Thomas Handasyde, m. Elizabeth Jones Chadwick. Children :
I Jessie Grant9. m. Charles WHITNEY ; children :
I Handasyde10.
2 Geoffrey10.
2 Mary9, m. Francis Sedgwick WATSON ; child :
I Lillian10, died aged 9 months.
2 Augustus Thorndike8, b. - , d. 1891. m. Susan Hammond Timmins ; children :
I Henry Dumaresq9, d. young.
2 Elizabeth Greene9.
3 Winifred Scott Singleton.9
3 Philip Dumaresq8.
4 Francis Codmans, b. 1830, d. 1842.
5 Louisa Dumaresq8, m. William Morris HUNT ; children :
I Morris9.
2 Elinor9, m. Kurt Siegesmund .DIEDERICH of Berlin ; children :
I Elsa10.
2 Ernst William10,
3 Kurst10.
3 Enid Dumaresq9, m. Samuel SLATER of Providence, R. I.
4 Mabel9, m. Horatio Nelson SLATER ; child :
Esther10.
5 Paul9.
3 Louisa7, m. John Rice BLAKE. (No children.) 2 Philip6, Capt. R. N, b. 1772, d. 1806.
157
GENEALOGY OF DR. GARDINER.
3 Francis6, M. D., of Jamaica, W. I. (Had descend- ants. )
4 Silvester6, d. young.
5 Anne6, m. (1) John FERGUSON of Ayrshire, Scotland. m. (2) Charles Gow.
6 Rebecca6.
7 Susannah6.
8 Francis6.
9 Hannah6.
Io Abigail6.
6 Abigail5. m. Oliver WHIPPLE of Cumberland, R. I., after- wards of Portsmouth, R. I. Children :
I Silvester Gardiner6. Unmarried.
2 Hannah B.6, m. Frederic ALLEN ; children :
I Charles Edward7.
2 Hannah7.
3 Eleanor Ann7, d. -. m. Martin GAY, M. D., of Boston : child :
I Martin8, d .-.
4 Margaret7, d. --. m. ELTON. (No children )
5 Augustus7, d. --. Unmarried.
ERRATA.
Page 8. Seth Gay as Vestryman in 1798 ; not in 1797.
IO. Seth Gay as first Vestryman in 1807; the name of Jedediah Jewett should appear but once.
Page 19. The name of Benjamin Cook as Vestryman in 1842 should appear but once.
Page 22. For Wm. H. Berry, read Wm H. Byram.
31. Line 4 For Adventures, read Adventurers.
66
32. Line 6 For James, read Jones.
66
36. 41 For Communnion, read Communion.
61. 3I For painted, read pointed.
66. 5 66 For Long, read Lang.
70. 9 For thirty-six, read thirty-five.
66
77. 12 For parishers, read parishes.
99. Last line, for names, read name,
A Continuation of the Story of Christ Church
BY
JOHN RICHARDS
Printed Letterpress THE KENNEBEC JOURNAL AUGUSTA, MAINE 1962
CHAPTER I THE RECTORATE OF THE REV. ROBERT WETMORE PLANT
CONNECTING LINKS-THE REV. ALLEN E. BEEMAN RE- SIGNS-THE INSTITUTION OF THE REV. R. W. PLANT- CHURCH REPAIRS AND GIFTS-THE HOUSE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD COMES TO GARDINER - "BEAUTIFUL GREEN ROPES"-THE LADIES ADMITTED TO PARISH MEETING- THE NEW RECTORY-REMODELLING OF THE PARISH HOUSE-THE FIRST WORLD WAR-CANON PLANT'S FIRST TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AS RECTOR-CENTENNIAL OF THE CONSECRATION OF CHRIST CHURCH AND OF THE DIOCESE -THE EAST WINDOW-ILL HEALTH CAUSES THE RECTOR'S RESIGNATION.
It is with considerable diffidence that I undertake the bring- ing of the History of Christ Church up to date, in and including this summer of 1960. Miss Evelyn Gilmore told the story from the beginning until the spring of 1893, at about which time she moved from Gardiner to Portland, where for many years she was the distinguished secretary of the Maine Historical Society. Miss Gilmore died in 1956 at the age of ninety-five. Her admir- able history has never been as well known as it should have been, because of a natural calamity. On March 2, 1896, the great bulk of this work of hers, in pamphlet form, was stored in the basement of Blanchard's stationery store, ready for distribution. On that day occurred the memorable freshet, which carried away the old Gardiner-Randolph covered bridge and filled the base- ments of most of the stores on Water Street, destroying, among many less important things, Miss Gilmore's History, save for a few advance copies, which had been already distributed. It has always seemed strange that the History was never reprinted. The
4
HISTORY OF CHRIST CHURCH
reason may be that the historian, having recently moved to Portland, was not here to press the matter. Nor was Mr. Plant, who became Rector almost immediately after the close of Miss Gilmore's history, the kind of man to look back.
The present contributor to the History of our Church is a warden emeritus and seventy-six years old .* He has had help from many parish friends and has studied the Diocesan Journal, the North East magazine, and the Parish Records. I remember Mr. Beeman, who was Rector when Miss Gilmore moved to Port- land, but it is with a child's memory. I do not know what caused the Rev. Allen E. Beeman's resignation, which was accepted by the Vestry on October 13, 1893, to take effect on the fifteenth of the next month. The words of appreciation by the Vestry certainly were not warm. The Centennial of the Parish had just been celebrated by holding the Seventy-fourth Diocesan Conven- tion at Christ Church, June 13 of the same year. The year be- fore, a move to change the architecture of the ceiling had been defeated by the unanimous vote of the Vestry. It should, how- ever, be noted that Mr. Beeman introduced a vested choir into our church, which has ever since added to the beauty and dig- nity of our worship. He had the misfortune to be near-sighted. I remember his thick glasses and the fact that he read his ser- mons with head bowed over the manuscript, looking up only occasionally.
Here is another memory of Mr. Beeman, that recalls a custom of which I have found no other mention. On June 26, 1892, "a beautiful Flower Festival was held in the church. Everyone, including the choir and the church school, brought bouquets to the morning service." These, I suppose, were quickly arranged by the ladies. The record tells us that the church was decorated everywhere, and that the effect was most lovely.
The Rev. Robert W. Plant came to Christ Church as Rector, March 12, 1894. He was a Canadian, born in 1855. His first work had been at a mission in Algona, Ontario, under the charge of the ancient Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, which, more than a century before, had sent Jacob Bailey to the Ken- nebec. He was advanced to the priesthood by the Bishop of
*As this goes to press, he is seventy-eight
5
HISTORY OF CHRIST CHURCH
Algona. Later he was Archdeacon of the Missionary District of Wyoming and Idaho, under the Right Reverend Ethelbert Tal- bot. A few years farther on he had taken charge of the pioneer Gentile school in Salt Lake City. He came to Gardiner from the Rectorship of St. John's Church in East Boston.
The new Rector was warmly welcomed to Christ Church. He was instituted on Nov. 11, the twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity, by Bishop Neely. There were three large congregations on that day, which combined the institution of Mr. Plant, who had been in residence for more than half a year, and the reopening of the church, closed during several months for repairs.
Here are some of the things that had gone on behind closed doors, while the congregation worshipped in the parish house. The interior of the church had been painted-the ceiling was blue, the walls a soft terra cotta, the gallery, pillars, window frames and organ case, olive green. The organ also had been turned to face the choir, as it has stood ever since. New choir stalls, the present ones, had been provided, and a new altar. Both stalls and altar were designed by Henry Richards and made locally, by the late Jesse Barber. The white oak for the same was given by R. H. Gardiner III from the Oaklands woods. St. Margaret's Guild had made the principal gift for the construction of those stalls and the new chancel floor-$190; the Woman's Auxiliary had furnished $500 for the painting of the church ceil- ing. Mrs. Anna E. Ellis gave the altar in memory of her mother -the altar which now stands, reduced in size, in the open chapel. The old altar was presented to St. Matthias' Mission, in Rich- mond, as well as an earlier font.
Other notable gifts at this time included the present com- munion rail, given by Mrs. Burgess in memory of her husband, the Bishop; a carpet for the sanctuary and the aisles, by Mrs. William Bradstreet; a corona by Weston Lewis; a pair of brass candlesticks for vesper lights by W. G. Ellis; two beautiful cut glass cruets by Miss Eleanor Stevens; a vestment case of oak by Ammi Davenport; a handsome oak table by Henry E. Merriam; and an exquisite veil for the chalice by Sister Eleanor, of the Anglican order of St. Mary, the youngest daughter of R. H. Gardiner I. For many years she was Sister Superior of Trinity Hospital, New York. Six brass standards for gaslights in the aisles, since then painted and adapted for electricity, were donated
6
HISTORY OF CHRIST CHURCH
by Mrs. H. G. White, the Misses Sampson and Cooney, Miss Emma Hatch, Henry Richards, and Miss Ethel and Master Eben Haley. R. H. Gardiner III presented the brass ewer to augment the baptismal font, which he had given at an earlier date, in memory of his son Silvester.
Let me reminisce a little further about the organ. To change its position the instrument was taken apart. I remember the pipes being spread about, and my younger sister and I coming into the church, where we had no business to be, probably during the noon hour, and blowing on some of the pipes. It took con- siderable of a "blow" to get a grunt out of the gilded pipes of the diapason! It should be recorded that the case of the present organ, of 1952, is the same as that of the organ then being moved-the grand old organ of 1846, made slightly deeper by the insertion of one side panel. The golden pipes in front are the same, although they do not "speak," as they once did. It is pleasant to realize that today's noble instrument looks basically the same as did the one which the Rev. William R. Babcock bought in Newburyport so long ago. But that organ case was dark in color, and when the committee in 1894 purposed to paint it to go better with the rest of the church, growls were heard about the desecration of our beautiful black walnut organ. When, however, the case was disclosed to have been made of pine and stained, the growls subsided.
Let me add another childhood memory. Mr. Plant had a good tenor voice and enjoyed singing comic songs to his family, ac- companied on the piano by Mrs. Plant. My little sister and I, contemporaries of the two elder Plant children and living in the house opposite, were let in on these family festivals and re- ported at home what fun it was. Soon after, when we were at the rectory with mother, she begged Mr. Plant to sing, and we youngsters suggested the titles. He was very much put out, but consented with fairly good grace, and sang. Let me say hastily that none of his songs could have raised a blush on the most innocent cheek! I suppose he thought our mother might consider him frivolous. Ah, dear old man, I seem to hear him now, caroling: "the feller that looks like me!"
Canon Plant, as he soon became when his devotion to duty and powers of leadership were felt, was a remarkable man. Canon
7
HISTORY OF CHRIST CHURCH
Pressey has told me how quickly he made his impress in the Diocese, and dwelt happily on his old friend's merry laughter, his magnetism, his quick power of meeting a "situation." "He put big things first-he rose to the top like a cork."
His most important diocesan work outside his parish labors was probably the lifting of the House of the Good Shepherd from Rockland to Gardiner and putting new life into it. This was in 1900. Sister Margaret Mary, who came to take charge of that lovely work in 1912 and who was matron till the place closed its doors in 1959, has said that he was so closely identified with the Home that one might readily call him its superintendent. Year after year he appealed for funds at the Diocesan Conven- tion, funds that were voted at long last, but the Canon kept the necessary money flowing. He knocked on doors, and they were opened unto him; he sought and he found. The Cochran family of Philadelphia were especially generous. Sister Margaret Mary speaks of the Rector as coming to the Home for rest and refresh- ment. He liked to sit there with the children about, smoking his pipe in peace.
Let me quote Bishop Codman's account of a visit to Gardiner, in his address for 1908-he had been elected Bishop of Maine in December, 1899, Bishop Neely having died on All Saints Day Eve of that year, in the thirty-third year of his episcopate:
"If you visit Gardiner today, you will find the Rector of Christ Church in a palatial rectory. The rectory lot joins the parish grounds and completes an already beautiful group of build- ings. But the Rector will not give you much time to walk through his many roomed mansion. He will hurry you off to see the House of the Good Shepherd, and the farm. There is a model orphan- age, neat and clean and well supplied. The farm is one of the few in New England that are perfect in equipment and yet really pay for themselves. The effect is wonderful, but how it has all been accomplished, no one knows but Mr. Plant."
That was in 1908, but in 1923 the Rector in reporting to the Diocesan Convention says: "So far, no financial help has been received from the Diocese." I believe the situation was remedied in 1927. Certainly Bishop Brewster made a very strong appeal at the convention that year.
8
HISTORY OF CHRIST CHURCH
I shall now go back to speak of various people and happen- ings at Christ Church before 1920. Till the supply in the Rolling Dam woods became finally exhausted, the making of greens to sell to other parishes was a principal source of income to the Altar Society. The Rector speaks of "those beautiful green ropes that grow in Maine." The custom went far back of Canon Plant's time, and with this regular gift of the Gardiner family, it was possible to decorate our own church more richly than today, when we must buy the balsam boughs elsewhere. I find that back in 1897 the making of wreaths and festoons went on for two full weeks! And here is a quotation from the Gardiner Inde- pendent as to a display of articles made by the Woman's Auxiliary for Archdeacon Joyner's work in South Carolina:
"About seventy-five bonnets and hats, gay with ribbons, flowers, feathers and other decorations, presented a gorgeous ap- pearance .. . all having been trimmed apparently with a special view to the dusky charms they are to enhance." There were many other clothes, and a bewildering catalogue of hospital stores too. The above was in 1901.
On Nov. 30, 1897, there appears a notice of such importance that I include it entire:
"The annual meeting of Christ Church Parish for the elec- tion of officers will be held in the Lecture Room on Thursday evening, Dec. 2, at eight o'clock.
"By the action of the last State Legislature the same right that had previously been limited to men, to become members of Par- ishes and vote at the meetings, was conferred upon women.
"In order to become a legal member of the Parish the fol- lowing conditions are to be complied with:
"The person must be of full age and for the previous six months been a stated worshiper in said church, and stated con- tributor to its support, and have signed the written declaration as set forth in Section Four in the Act of Incorporation of 1869.
"The term 'stated contributor' has been construed in this Parish to mean anyone who pays a rental for a seat in the church, or gives a stated amount through the envelope system.
"It is desired that a large representative gathering may be present."
(Signed) A. Davenport
Wardens
Wm. G. Ellis
In behalf of the Vestry."
9
HISTORY OF CHRIST CHURCH
It was at the Parish Meeting of Dec. 7, 1899, that the ladies were present for the first time.
In December of 1906 Miss Anne Esty died. She had been for many years Head of the Sunday School. The tribute to her in the North East by a fellow-parishioner is so beautiful that I must record part of it:
"This sweet saint of God, whose life has for so many years made our city beautiful. She never guessed her own saintship. She never knew as she passed hither and thither on her errands of love and mercy, cheering the sad and lonely, raising the fallen, ministering to the sick and poor, how bright the aureole shone about her head; but we knew; we saw; and we blessed her as she passed, and blessed God for lending her to us . . "
In 1907 a great event was the re-opening of the parish house, where the basement had been remodeled by Mrs. H. G. White in memory of her son Percy, "a member of the parish of singularly unblemished character." Let this scribe say that he never knew a finer man than Percy White. I quote in part from the description in the North East of what had been done:
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