USA > Michigan > Calhoun County > History of Calhoun county, Michigan, With Illustrations descriptive of its scenery > Part 22
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THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
On Rev. Mr. Pierce's return to Marshall with his family in October, 1831, he continued to preach every alternate Sabbath in his own house through the winter, and on the 11th day of May, 1832, a meeting was held at the same place to con- sider the propriety of organizing a Congregational society, which meeting unani- mously voted to organize such a society, and on the Sunday following one was accordingly organized with the following members : John D. Pierce and Mary his wife, Stephen Kimball and Mary his wife, and children, Emily and Julius Eunice Ketchum, James P. Greeves and Ellen his wife, and Minerva his sister, and Dr. Luther W. Hart and wife. Stephen Kimball was appointed deacon, and Mr. Pierce was the moderator of the session. On December 8, 1835, the society was legally organized by electing the following board of trustees : Stephen Kimball, Stephen W. Leggett, Freeman Hotchkiss, Melancthon Bagg, F. A. Kingsbury, and L. W. Hart. Messrs. Hoag and Brown, of Tecumseh, gave the society lot 3, block 25, for a church site. In the summer of 1837 a session house was built forty by twenty-six feet on the ground, at a cost of twelve hundred dollars, Jno. Hutchinson, contractor. An addition was made to it, about doubling its capacity, afterwards, its original settings being about one hundred and forty. The building is at present used for Magee's cooper-shop.
On June 21, 1841, a portion of the members of the church withdrew to form a Presbyterian society, thirty-one in number, and later some others withdrew ; and in 1845 the Congregational church disbanded, and the society became ex- tinct. Mr. Pierce was the pastor of the church from its organization to August, 1836, and was succeeded by Rev. Calvin Clark, who ministered to this flock from August, 1836, to the close of 1838, and was succeeded by Rev. M. Mason, who gave way to Rev. Jno. Wilder, who was the last pastor over the church. Mr. Pierce is now living at an advanced age at Ypsilanti, and his record in detail is given in the county history. Rev. Calvin Clark has been a resident of Marshall for many years past, and just as we were commencing the writing of the history of this church (June 4, 1877) the news was sent to us of his sudden death but
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HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
an hour before, the same being occasioned by heart-disease. Mr. Clark was a pioneer in Calhoun and Kalamazoo, a most kindly-dispositioned man, beloved by all with whom he came in contact. He was " instant in season and out of season" in the discharge of his duties in the cause of his Master, and his record is that of a good man.
In 1837, Mr. Clark was appointed the State missionary for Michigan of the Presbyterian Home Missionary Society of the United States, and held the posi- tion from that time forward until his death. He was also the financial agent for a term of years of the Mount Holyoke Ladies' Seminary of Kalamazoo. He traveled the State over in all directions and into every corner where a handful of people could be gathered together, and encouraged them to build up an altar around which they could meet for public worship. Wherever there is a Presbyterian church in the State of Michigan there Father Clark's name is a household word, and most kindly and pleasing are the memories he has left behind him. Two of the first members of this church, Mrs. Pierce and Julius Kimball, died in July and August, 1832, of the cholera.
TRINITY (EPISCOPAL) CHURCH.
On the 12th of May, 1864, Rev. Montgomery Schuyler, now of St. Louis, delivered a sermon on the consecration of Trinity church, which was subsequently, on request of the wardens and vestry of the church, published. To this sermon was added an interesting account of the ceremony of laying the corner-stone of the building on the 27th of April, 1861, by Bishop McCoskey ; Mr. Schuyler reading a brief history of the church, from which we clip the following :
" The first service of the Episcopal church was celebrated in the school-house, and the first sermon from one of her ministers was preached by the Rev. Charles B. Stout, now of Illinois, in the summer of 1836. At that time the population of the village numbered about three hundred.
" In the succeeding fall and winter the few Episcopalians who were then resi- dent began to entertain hopes that the time was not far distant when a parish could be organized, and the village and vicinity were thoroughly canvassed to ascertain what amount could be raised toward the building of a church. In the spring of 1837 the parish was organized, and Messrs. J. W. Gordon and Mont- gomery Schuyler were chosen wardens; and Dr. J. H. Montgomery, Bradley K. Crissey, Sidney S. Allcott, C. T. Gorham, and Andrew Mann elected vestrymen. In the same spring the bishop of the diocese visited us, and preached in the old school-house, which was the second service of the church held in this village.
" The building of the church was immediately entered upon, and prosecuted with such earnestness and diligence that early in the autumn it was completed. That was a glad day for the little band of churchmen when they were ready to present to the bishop a neat and tasteful little church for consecration. It had been built at a cost of over two thousand dollars, chiefly by the wardens and vestrymen, none of whom were rich, and hence at much sacrifice of time and money to the very few engaged in it. And yet it was gladly met and cheerfully endured by them, grateful that it had pleased God to give them the ability and willingness thus to contribute.
" The bishop, according to his appointment, spent the first three days of Sep- tember with us, and the church was opened three times each day, when the ser- vices were regularly performed by the bishop or one of the clergy present.
" The Rev. Mr. Cushman remained and preached in the new church about two months immediately succeeding, and for the month of December the Rev. John Noble officiated. Lay services were then regularly kept up until the month of February, 1838, when the Rev. Samuel Buel was called as the first rector, and entered immediately upon his duties. He remained one year and eight months, and resigned October 14, 1839, leaving a list of communicants numbering twenty-eight.
" For the space of eighteen months the parish was without a rector ; the Rev. W. N. Lyster officiating monthly, at much self-sacrifice, and, in the interim, lay services were maintained.
" In the spring of 1841, the Rev. M. Schuyler was called and entered upon his duties. His rectorship continued for the space of three years-resigning his ministerial charge April 8, 1844. During his rectorship the church building was enlarged at an expense of over one thousand dollars, about one-half of which was contributed by the churchmen at the east. The capacity of the church was increased thereby at least one-third, and a tower and bell added. In July follow- ing Rev. E. A. Greenleaf succeeded to the rectorship. He continued nearly two years, and resigned May, 1846.
" The Rev. Joseph S. Large succeeded to the rectorship, and entered upon his duties in the month of December, 1846. His rectorship continued but for one year, resigning November 1, 1847. The church was repaired, the lot fenced, trees planted, and other alterations and improvements made.
" Nearly a year intervened between the resignation of the Rev. Mr. Large and the calling of the Rev. Hiram Adams, who entered upon the rectorship in Octo-
ber, 1848. During this time there were occasional services by clergymen passing through the town, and at other times lay services were regularly maintained. The Rev. Mr. Adams served as rector for one year and six months, and resigned April, 1850.
" The Rev. Alvah Guion very soon succeeded, entering upon the charge of the parish in 1850, and resigning in April, 1852, being a period of nearly two years.
" In the same month of Mr. Guion's resignation, the Rev. Henry N. Strong entered upon the charge of the parish. His rectorship coutinued five years and four months. He resigned August 31, 1857.
" The Rev. Charles Jones succeeded Mr. Strong, having been called November 30, 1857, and resigning November 12, 1859, being a period of two years and two weeks.
" On April 3, 1858, the old church and lot were sold to the Lutheran congre- gation for the sum of two thousand dollars, and, on the first of June of the same year, the lot on which the church is now being built, measuring eight and one- third rods front by twelve rods deep, was purchased for the sum of one thousand one hundred and twenty-four dollars and forty cents.
" The Rev. Seth S. Chapin was called April 29, 1860. On the second day of July, of the same year, it was unanimously voted that a new church should be built, and the plans, as furnished by Mr. Gordon W. Lloyd, were adopted by the vestry. In the month of April, A.D. 1861, the work of the church was begun."
Mr. Chapin resigned in 1866, and was succeeded by Rev. John K. Dunn, 1867- 69, W. H. Moffett, 1869-70, Rev. George P. Schetky, D.D., 1870-74. The present pastor, Rev. J. H. Whittemore, came to the charge November, 1874, when he found one hundred and twenty-seven communicants in the church, and his last report to the diocesan convention shows one hundred and eighty-three. The church society has never been in debt to any material amount or length of time during its history. The Ladies' Church Aid and Auxiliary missionary society, and the young ladies' branch of the same society, are, and have been, efficient aids in the charitable and missionary works of the church. There is a rectory fund of twelve hundred dollars on hand towards building a rectory whenever the same becomes a necessity, and the sum accumulated is sufficient to pay the expense thereof. The present officers of the church are as follows : Senior Warden, J. H. Montgomery, M.D .; Junior Warden, Charles P. Dibble; Vestry, O. C. Comstock, M.D., J. M. Parsons (secretary), Charles A. Dibble (treasurer), Hon. George Woodruff, John Adams, James A. Way, Robert Huston, William R. Schuyler, Edward C. Way, organist.
The Sunday-school has enrolled two hundred and twenty scholars, under the superintendency of Charles A. Dibble; Charles Frink, secretary ; E. C. Way, treas- urer and organist ; Henry Dibble, librarian.
The following is a description of the church :
The church is in plan a parallelogram, seventy-two by forty-two feet inside, and is calculated to accommodate with ease four hundred people. At the north end is a recessed chancel, twenty-one by fifteen feet six inches, opening into the church through a wide moulded arch ; a vestry, ten by nine feet six inches, and recess for organ and choir, also ten by nine feet six inches, with arches opening into both the church and chancel. At the southwest angle, on Mansion street, is placed a tower in which is the main entrance door, the tower forming a vestibule; at the opposite corner is a smaller entrance door, also with vestibule. The walls of the church are built throughout of a very light reddish-brown sandstone of excellent quality, quarried in the immediate vicinity, which is also used for the cut-stone dressing of doors, windows, etc. The gables are coped with stone and finished with ornamental stone crosses. The large window in the front gable is composed of four lancet lights, with pierced circles over the whole, inclosed under a trefoil headed label moulding. The chancel window is a triplet of three lancet lights. The side windows are each of two lights, corresponding in style to the front win- dow and divided by buttresses of two stages. The tower is fifty feet in height of stone, with bold flanking of buttresses ; the belfry story has two lancet windows on each face, with deeply recessed jambs, and moulded labels and string running round. A moulded cornice, partly of stone and partly of wood, terminates the tower, which is surmounted by a broad spire, sixty feet in height to the top of the metal cross, framed of wood and covered with shingles, divided by two sets of spirelights, with tracery heads and canopies-the whole terminated by a metal cross and vane of suitable character. The roof is in one span, having trussed principals with collar beams and trefoil arched ribs, springing from the heads of shafts, corbelled out from the walls with moulded caps and bases. The intervening spaces have moulded and stop-chamfered purlins and rafters ceiled between the same. The whole will be stained and varnished. The walls of the church will be finished in rough stucco. The seating is arranged in two main blocks, with a wide centre aisle, and side aisles next the walls. The seats themselves will be open, with ornamental solid elbows. The desk, pulpit, and communion rail are all of
A. T. VARY.
MRS. A. T . VARY.
RESIDENCE OF A. T. VARY, MARSHALL, MICHIGAN.
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HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
appropriate and handsome design, and, with the seats, are made of black walnut. The church is heated by means of a furnace in the basement.
The builder was Mr. Nathan Benedict, who contracted for the whole of the work. The building was designed and specifications furnished by Gordon W. Lloyd, architect, of Detroit.
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
was organized March 21, 1840, with the following members: Rev. T. Z. R. Jones, pastor, and Eliza his wife, David N. Salter (deacon) and Sophia his wife, Dalvin Ludden (deacon) and Louisa his wife, Squire J. Rundell and Fanny M. his wife, Lurancy Ludden, Sabrina Walker, Mary Jane Shaw, Harriet Downs, Elvira Willard, Julius F. Ludden, Ebenezer N. Narramore and Sarah Narramore his wife, Rachel Bankson, Charles Rhodes and Harriet his wife, Minerva Calkins, Smith Lewis, Joseph P. Hendryx and Eveline his wife, Content Ludden, Theo- dosia Winters, and Zilpha Lewis. The first church edifice was erected in 1851, on the corner of Grand and State streets, and was constructed of brick, at a cost (including the lot) of eight thousand dollars. Previous to this time the society worshiped in Mechanics' hall, the court-house, and in private houses, as oppor- tunity offered. In 1876 the edifice was remodeled at a cost of seven thousand dollars, and is now not only a comfortable and pleasant place for public worship, but is one of the neatest gems of internal church architecture in the county. It easily accommodates an audience of five hundred persons. The Sunday-school was organized June 16, 1844, the first superintendent being George Ingersoll. The present membership is two hundred and ten, and there are two hundred and fifty volumes in the library. The present officers of the school are E. Scougal, superintendent, Julia Morton, secretary and librarian, Carrie L. Ingersoll, treasurer. The church experienced its greatest prosperity during the pastorates of Revs. L. H. Moore, L. D. Palmer, C. B. Post, and Jay Snashall. From the time of its organization until the pastorate of Mr. Moore and the erection of the church edifice, the feeble church passed through many times of great discouragement, with no regular place for public worship. Few in numbers, and financially weak, it was a struggle to maintain the organization. It now numbers two hundred and twenty- eight members, and is in a flourishing, prosperous, and harmonious condition.
The pastors of the church from its organization have been as follows : Revs. T. Z. R. Jones, William A. Bronson, J. N. Keyes, William Hewitt, William Dickens, O. C. Comstock, L. H. Moore, L. D. Palmer, E. Curtiss, C. B. Post, F. B. Crissey, S. B. Gilbert, J. M. Ferris, and J. Snashall, present pastor. Present officers of the church : George S. Woolsey, E. A. Simmons, Augustus Lusk, Daniel Woolsey, deacons; George Ingersoll, clerk; E. A. Simmons, George S. Woolsey, M. Crossman, George Ingersoll, John Runyan, Isaac S. Peters, trus- tees.
The first Michigan soldier killed in the war of the rebellion, Calvin Colegrove, was a member of this church, and had with him in his knapsack, when he was shot in the field of Bull Run, a certificate of his membership in the church. He was color-bearer of the First Michigan Infantry.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
of Marshall was organized June 26, 1841, in Marshall academy, by Rev. Elias Child as moderator and James P. Greeves as clerk, with thirty-eight members from the Congregational church of Marshall, among whom were the following: Dr. L. J. Aylesworth and wife, Dr. Greeves and family, Mrs. Philo Dibble, J. M. Parsons, R. E. Hall, J. T. Gilbert, Deacon Lord, Ira Nash and wife, two Wallingfords, Ketchum, and others. Joseph Lord, Ira Nash, and Laban J. Aylesworth were chosen ruling elders, and ordained, and the communion cele- brated next day, June 27. Elder Aylesworth, who was appointed clerk, died in November, 1841, and Daniel Pratt and Jas. P. Greeves were elected elders, Greeves being clerk. The society was admitted to the Marshall presbytery in 1841, and a Sunday-school was in operation in 1842. Elder Jabez S. Fitch died August, 1843. In 1845 the society bought the brick church built by Elder Fitch of his heirs, and occupied it first May 25. Previous to that time the society worshiped in the court-house. Wm. Rankin, of Newark, gave the church an elegant com- munion set. On the 7th of March, 1845, thirty-one other members of the Con- gregational church, which had just disbanded, united with this Presbyterian society. In 1873-74 the present capacious and elegant temple was erected by the society at a cost of fifty thousand dollars, completely furnished, including a power- ful-toned organ and bell. A parsonage was also added, costing three thousand dollars. The church contains seven hundred and fifty sittings, and has a fine lecture-room, which is entered directly from the street, and has dining-rooms, parlors, and kitchen attached, commodious and conveniently arranged.
The church now numbers two hundred and seventy-five members. The Sun- day-school, under the superintendence of Frank L. Henderson, has one hundred and eighty scholars enrolled.
On the 7th of September, 1876, Miss Abbie P. Ketchum, a member of the church, took her dismissal therefrom to "attach herself to the church of Christ wherever her lot might be cast," and, bidding farewell to her friends, commenced her journey to Ningpo, China, as a missionary.
The pastors who have ministered to this society from its organization to the present are as follows: Rev. John P. Cleveland, from November 10, 1841, to November, 1843; Samuel H. Hall, from November, 1843, to October, 1853; J. H. Trowbridge, 1854-56; Rev. Vincent (supply), 1856-58; W. A. McCorkle, 1859-63; L. Willard, October 14, 1863-68 ; Rev. Mr. Ford (supply), October, 1868-70 ; Rev. Francis M. Wood, April 14, 1871, to May 7, 1876 ; and Rev. . Wm. A. Rice came January 26, 1877, as pastor, and is still installed over the people. The present church government is as follows: Elders, Henry C. Haskell . (clerk of session), W. W. Smith, W. C. Pringle, W. R. McCall, Chester G. Ingersoll, David B. Bardwell, Claudius B. Webster, Darius Bickford, Chas. S. Hamilton ; Deacons, Samuel A. Chapin, Augustus Lockwood, Frank W. Davis.
During the construction of the first church of this society, built by Mr. Fitch, the west wall of the building fell and injured Mr. Fitch so severely he died from the effects. Deacon Lord was also injured, but not seriously.
THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
of Marshall was organized June 20, 1869, with twenty-nine members, seventeen by letter and twelve by profession, at the house of Rev. H. A. Reed, among them being Rev. H. A. Reed and wife, Dr. Benj. A. Gallup and wife, Hettie Peters, M. J. Alexander, and Mary P., Anna M., Walter, and Emma C. Alexander, David H. Miller and wife, and others. The first pastor was Rev. O. S. St. John, who was succeeded by Rev. Jay Clizbee, and he by Walter M. Barrows, who was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. Mr. Waterman. The present chapel was built in 1869, and dedicated in November of the same year. It is situated on Mansion street, corner of Madison, and cost, with the site, about three thousand dollars, and affords about three hundred sittings. The Sunday-school numbers about one hundred scholars, and is under the superintendence of H. E. Winsor, Esq. The church numbers some seventy members; Julius A. Davis and Mr. Martin are deacons, H. E. Winsor, clerk, and M. L. Alexander, treasurer.
THE CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION (ROMAN CATHOLIC).
Among the early settlers in 1836 were Thomas Cassidy, Thomas Fay, M. McKenna and family, C. and J. McAffrey and families, John Woods and family, Jeremiah Cronin, Sr., and in 1837 came Laughlin McHugh and family, B. Branagan, and P. Quigley and family. These few Catholics were overjoyed on the first visit of a Catholic priest, probably Rev. Father Morrissey, who held service in the house of Michael McKenna, in 1836. After this, until 1841, they were visited at long intervals by traveling missionaries and the Rev. Thomas Morrissey. In 1842, quite an addition was made to their number by families engaged in building the Michigan Central railroad, among the number being Edward and Andrew McMahon, Patrick Butler, and James Conley. From this time services were held regularly, four times a year, by Rev. Thomas Cullen, pas- tor of Ann Arbor, who many times made the journey on horseback, and held service sometimes in private houses, again in the old court-house, and, in fact, any and everywhere where accommodation could be found, until the erection of the present frame church, corner of Eagle and Green streets, which was begun in 1851, and completed and dedicated in 1853. Rev. Father Cullen worked hard and perseveringly, getting subscriptions, making collections, etc., and nearly all the citizens cheerfully responded to his calls. The first resident pastor was Rev. James A. Hennessy, who built the pastoral residence. Services were now held every fourth Sunday, the pastor meantime officiating at Dexter and Jackson, and visiting the sick all over the county. In 1855, he resigned to take charge of a parish in Detroit. His successor, Rev. P. C. Koopmans, also regularly officiated at Jackson until 1857 or 1858. While officiating at the latter place he built a brick church there. He established a parochial school in Marshall, in 1856. In 1859, he enlarged the church, and in 1862 purchased more ground and enlarged the school building ; bought and enlarged the house for the Sisters, and introduced the Sisters as teachers. In 1866 he purchased sixteen acres east of the city, for a Catholic cemetery, and in 1867 resigned his pastorate, to enter the order of Jesuits. He was succeeded by Rev. C. M. Frain, who was also succeeded in Octo- ber, 1868, by Rev. D. Callaert. During the latter's pastorate, the church was renovated, the cemetery grounds improved, another building purchased for school purposes, and in 1876 the Sisters of Providence established a high school for young ladies, and took charge of the parochial schools, which number at the present, June, 1877, one hundred and eighty-two scholars.
In 1875, Father Callaert built a neat brick church in Albion, the number of members there being about three hundred. During all these years, until 1870, the Marshall pastor has at stated times visited Battle Creek and Charlotte, and at
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HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
present visits Albion and Homer every few weeks. The present pastor is Rev. W. Fierle, who entered on his duties January, 1877. The number of members at present is about one thousand, from four to five hundred having left Marshall since the removal of the shops of the Michigan Central railroad.
It must be remembered that, in numbering her members, the mother-church reckons the whole family, considering children in the fold as well as the parents.
THE GERMAN LUTHERAN ZION CHURCH
was organized in the year 1853. During that year the Rev. F. Schmid, of Ann Arbor, visited the township in order to gather the German Lutheran Protestants together into a congregation, and in the city succeeded in organizing a church with the following members : Christopher Egler, Christopher Baeker, Peter Katz, Jacob Shellenbarger. In the year 1854 a large increase was added to the church by an influx of German settlers. In 1856 the society was legally organized, the first officers being Philip Kuechle, John Kappis, Lorenz Walz, Peter Katz, Sr., and Matthias Strubel. The church worshiped in the court-house till 1857, at which time the society bought from the Episcopal church their church building situated on the corner of Eagle and Green streets, for two thousand dollars, and subsequently expended one thousand dollars for general refitting. It is a frame building and affords three hundred sittings, being thirty by sixty feet. Some years after the purchase and refitting of the church, Mr. S. S. Burpee presented the society with his old store building for a school-house, and the building was removed to the church-yard, wherein for six months in each year a school is taught for the purpose of giving the children of the church-members (or any others) instruction in the German language, as well as to give them a more sufficient instruction in the doctrines and faith of the church. In 1867 the church built a parsonage in the rear of the church-yard, at a cost of eighteen hundred dollars. The present membership of the church is one hundred. The names of the pastors of the church from its organization are as follows : F. Spring, T. F. Hennicke, C. Schlenker, G. Brecht, and P. Stamm, present incumbent. A Sunday-school was organized in 1860, the first superintendent being John Kraus. The present number of scholars is one hundred and fifty, and there are seventy books in the library. The present superintendent is John Kappis. The present pastor con- ducts the day school.
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