USA > Michigan > Saginaw County > History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, Volume II > Part 37
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The Reverend Osgoud E. Fuller accepted the rectorship June 18, 1862. and at this time the first rectory was built. It was a small wooden structure of Gothic design, and much of the work of building it was done by the rector. In 1865 Mr. Fuller resigned leaving a communicant list of fifty-seven. In July of the same year the Reverend John Leech, of Elmira, New York, assumed the duties of rector. On July 16, 1866, the bell now in use was hung in the belfry of the church, and a bible and prayer book were given by the Ladies' Society. The baptismal font now in use was presented to the church by Mrs. Amanda M. Richman, in memory of her daughter, Kate Richman. Mr. Leech resigned in 1870, leaving one hundred and sixty-two
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communicants in the parish. This notable gain in confirmations shows that the church was then keeping pace with the growing city, and that the sacrifice and devotion of the faithful few in the early days was beginning to bear its fruition.
In December, 1871, the Reverend W. H. Watts, of Kalamazoo, entered upon his duties as rector of St. John's, and two years later the church edifice was enlarged at an expense of twenty-two hundred dollars. After serving for five years Mr. Watts resigned, leaving one hundred and eighty-six com- municants in the parish. On December 3, 1876, the Reverend L. S. Stevens. of Toledo, Ohio, became rector, and under his charge St. John's grew in influence, if not in numbers. In 1878 a new rectory was built at a cost of thirty-five hundred dollars, which sum was raised largely by the women of the parish. Having served faithfully for five years Mr. Stevens relinquished his charge with a communicant list of two hundred and three.
The New Church Edifice
For a year and five months the parish was without a rector and the church work suffered. Though without a spiritual head the vestry, in the faith that a proper man would soon be found, formulated plans for the erection of a new church building. On April 17, 1883, the Reverend Benjamin F. Matrau, of Owosso, accepted a call to become rector of the parish, and on Sunday, May 6, he held his first services. The erection of the present church edifice of brick and stone was begun the following day, the building com-
mittee being composed of Newell Bar- nard, Ezra Rust, George F. Williams, Dudley J. Smith and David 11. Jerome. The corner stone was laid July 12, 1883, by Bishop Harris. In 1887 and 1888 the parish house and the rectory were built of the same materials and in an order of architecture conforming with the church edifice.
The Reverend Mr. Matrau served as rector for six years and six months, during which time the church member- ship reached its greatest number - four hundred and ninety-five. He was an indefatigable worker, a man of strong individuality and personal mag- netism, and was much beloved by all classes ; and his name is much revered in hundreds of homes in Saginaw, even to this day. At this time St. John's established a choir of boys and men, which was a leading feature of the church services, and under the able direction of Henry B. Roney soon came to be regarded as one of the best in the diocese, winning fresh laurels of praise and appreciation whenever heard in neighboring cities.
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ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The able assistant to Mr. Matrau in all his labors at St. John's was the Reverend George D. Wright, now of the diocese of Chicago, and the record of official acts in the parish register is abundant proof of the tireless energy of these two devoted servants of God.
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By the earnest and zealous efforts of Mr. Matrau, Calvary Memorial Church, at Genesee and Will Streets, came into being as a mission. The edifice was erected through him by a gift of Madame Le Brun, of Owosso, to whom Calvary Church is a memorial. For several years the services and mission work were conducted by the rectors of St. John's, but later was organ- ized as a separate parish. St. Paul's Church at East Saginaw and Trinity Church at Bay City also owe their early existence to the mother church of St. John's.
On April 30, 1890, the Reverend Dean Richmond Babbitt, L. L. D., entered upon his duties as rector. Ile was a very scholarly man of high attainments. possessing a brilliant mind and unusual power as a preacher. During his rectorship, which continued until February 26, 1893, he attracted much attention among the religious and intellectual classes by his splen- did discourses on the gospels. Ile was succeeded by the Reverend Benjamin T. Trego, B. D., who as- sumed his duties June 1. 1893, and resigned in December, 1896. In the following Spring the Reverend Ralph H. Baldwin became rector and continued in charge for one year.
Reverend Emil Montanus Becomes Rector.
The church was then vacant for a year, and in May, 1899, the Rever- end Emil Montanus, the present rector, took charge. Coming to St. John's at a time when the parish was thoroughly disorganized, its members discouraged, if not dis- heartened, he has by conscientious effort and the exercise of rare judg- ment, built up the parish to its proper sphere of influence and good in the community. The true mis- REV. EMIL MONTANUS sionary spirit is strong within him. By countless acts of kindness and benevolence, he is beloved by the poor, the sick, and the needy, and his name is a watchword in hundreds of humble homes in which formerly little was known of the true God. From a scant two hundred names on the list of communicants sixteen years ago, the num- ber of professing churchmen and churchwomen has, by his efforts and in- Huence, increased to three hundred and fifty-two, and is growing steadily.
The Methodists of Saginaw City
The earliest record of any effort to plant Methodism in this valley was of May 20, 1850, when the Reverend George Bradley, "Presiding Elder of Grand Rapids District," made a certificate appointing Andrew Bell, Stephen Lytlle, Levi D. Chamberlin and Louis Hart "Trustees of the Methodist Church in Saginaw County." This certificate was recorded June 24, 1850. The pre- liminary organization then created must have lapsed, as when John Moore came here in 1851 it had no active existence, and was never after recognized. "Andrew Bell," said Mr. Moore, "must have been a minister who had prior
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to that date preached here. None of the others resided here in the Spring of 1851, and there was no Methodist Church organization, no class, and no regular preaching. Occasionally, in the Summer of that year the Reverend George Bradley preached in that part of the court house then finished and used as a court room and for all public meetings."
In the Fall of 1851, the Reverend C. C. Olds was sent by the Conference and remained here for one year. He organized a class consisting of Theodore Dean, his two sisters, and Mrs. John Moore, the only persons here at that time who professed to be Methodists. This was the first class formed and the commencement of the present church organization. Shortly after there were several persons of this faith residing near Shattuck's Mill, who met for wor- ship as a separate class in Ure's school house, and were James N. Gotee and wife, Mrs. Shattuck, C. C. Batchelor, Mrs. Swarthout, and perhaps a few others. Dean and his sisters soon after moved away. and Mrs. Moore was left the sole resident survivor of the first class.
Mr. Olds remained until the Fall of 1852, when the Reverend George Bradley was appointed to look after the straggling band of Methodists in the whole of Saginaw Valley, including Indian missions. He was followed in the Fall of 1853 by the Reverend A. C. Shaw, who resided at East Saginaw and preached in both villages.
In July, 1854, a contract was made for the purchase of part of the ground upon which the church buildings now stand, and the interest on the purchase price and the taxes were guaranteed by John Moore. Soon after, the old school house was purchased and moved upon the lot, fitted up as a chapel, and so used until the more commodious church was built. The old building was then made over into a parsonage, which purpose it served until 1873 or 1874, when it was sold and moved off. On November 10, 1859, the stipulated price, two hundred and fifty dollars, on the lot, was paid and the title con- veved to James N. Gotee, L. B. Curtis, Major W. Hollister, Smith Palmer, Edwin Saunders, George A. Davis and Abner Hubbard, as trustees. Addi- tional ground adjoining was purchased the following year, and in 1866 fifty feet more was donated by L. B. Curtis and John Moore.
The church building as first erected was commenced in 1859 or 1860, while the Reverend William Fox was pastor, and finished in 1861. Charles E. Miller was the builder. Afterward the church building was enlarged by the addition of thirty feet in the rear, and again by what was the lecture room. The parsonage was erected during the pastorate of Seth Reed, and his successors appreciated his self-sacrificing labors and hold them and him- self in grateful remembrance. In the Spring of 1884 the church building with all its contents was destroyed by fire; and upon its site rose the stately edifice which, with its several additions, has filled the needs of the congrega- tion for more than thirty years.
Through a long line of able pastors, from the Reverend Mr. Olds and the Reverends Washburn, Hawks, Allen and Lovejoy to the present pastor, the Reverend E. P. Bennett, the Methodist church on the West Side has grown to be a large factor in our religious life, and its progressive policy promises well for the future.
The German Lutheran Church
As early as January 29, 1849, a few German Lutherans, J. A. Gender, K. F. Kull, J. J. Weiss, E. Weggel, J. M. Hancke, G. Dierker, M. Backer, M. Gremel, M. Winkler and J. M. Strauss organized a church society, and extended a call to O. llomer Cloeter to become pastor. He accepted the charge and was installed November 30th by the Reverend F. Sievers. In
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the same year the congregation bought a lot on the southeast corner of Court and Washington ( Michigan ) Streets, and in 1850 built a small church and parsonage thereon. Five years later the society bought a house and two lots for a parsonage, and the small house beside the church was thereafter used for a school.
In 1857 Mr. Clueter was succeeded by the Reverend J. A. Iluegli, and two years later the Reverend M. Guenther was installed as pastor. In 1866 the society sold the parsonage and bought the present church property on Court Street. between Fayette and Harrison. They soon erected a new par- sonage, and in 1868 built the present church at the corner of Fayette Street. at a cost of eighteen thousand dollars. The church was dedicated February 7. 1869. Following Mr. Guenther as pastor was the Reverend Joseph Schmidt and in 1875, when a new organ was installed the membership com- prised one hundred and sixty families.
This church deems it a duty to provide the children of its members with sound religious instruction, and therefore supports a well-conducted parochial school. In the early days the work of instruction fell upon the pastors, but in 1861 a school house was built and a teacher called. In 1868 the two-story frame school house was built on Court Street, and in 1872 a third teacher was employed, the number of school children having increased to one hun- dred and sixty.
The Liberal Christians
This society of professing Christians was organized in 1871, with the Reverend J. H. Burnham as pastor. The members at once resolved to build a church edifice, and within a few months their liberality and labors resulted in a brick building being erected for a house of worship. This church, which was dedicated July 18, 1871, still stands on South Michigan Avenue between Adams and Cass Streets. The society grew in numbers until there were about two hundred and seventy members; and in 1874 the trustees were: A. W. Wright, A. W. Thompson, Thomas L. Jackson, W. 11. Sweet, James Jay and T. M. Hubbell. Later the organization was discontinued, the church building sold to the First Baptist Society, and the members left at liberty to attach themselves to any denomination of the Christian Church. The church building, which characterized its projectors, as well as their financial and religious liberality. served the Baptists as a house of worship for more than thirty years.
First Baptists
From the time of the organization of the Baptist Church at East Saginaw, in 1858, the followers of this faith on the west side of the river had been connected with that church. But in November, 1863, fourteen of them asked for letters of dismissal from the society in order that they might form them- selves into a church in Saginaw City. These earnest church workers were: Valorous A. Paine, Mrs. Harriett Paine, Ebenezer Briggs, William M. Has- kell, Eli Townsend, Mrs. Hannah Townsend, Mrs. Belinda Benjamin, Mrs. Nancy A. Cody, Mrs. Jane Low, Mrs. Matilda Miller, Mrs. Christina Ross, Mrs. Mercia B. Palmer and Hannah Briggs. In addition to these. Mrs. Julia A. Burrows brought a letter from the First Church of Rochester, New York, and Mrs. Jennie F. Paine from the church in Bay City.
The meeting for organization was held in the home of Mr. Paine, on Court Street, in the place now occupied by the Smith Building. This house is still standing on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Adams Street. The Reverend J. S. Goodman was chairman of the meeting and V. A. Paine was
JEFFERSON AVENUE, NORTH FROM HAYDEN STREET, 1886
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WEADOCK AVENUE, NORTH FROM THOMPSON STREET
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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY
clerk; and the Articles of Faith and the Covenant were duly adopted. On December 3, William M. Haskell and Ebenezer Briggs were chosen deacons. The legal organization and incorporation of the church society was effected in July, 1864, the trustees being: Valorous A. Paine, George L. Burrows and William J. Bartow.
For a time services were held in the jury room of the court house, but in 1865 a church building was erected by the society on the corner of Fayette and Franklin ( Hancock) Streets. Thirteen years after, this building, then ontgrown by the congregation, was sold to the Evangelical Association. The parsonage on the adjoining lot on Fayette Street was first occupied July 31, 1877, and is still owned and so used by the society. The Mission Chapel, on Fayette Street between Perry and Dearborn, was built during the pastorate of the Reverend W. W. Pattengill, and dedicated June 4, 1871. The church building on Washington Avenue (now Michigan), near Adams, was pur- chased by the Baptist Church from the Liberal Christian Society: and was dedicated on March 27. 1878, the sermon being preached by the Reverend Dr. Hotchkiss, of Buffalo, New York. This church edifice served the congre- gation for about thirty years.
The present commodious and imposing structure of the Michigan Avenue Baptist Church, at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Adams Street, was erected in 1908 through the united efforts of Dr. W. P. Morgan, L. A. Bur- rows and other zealous church members. It is conveniently arranged to meet the needs of the various church activities, and contains large Sabbath School and society meeting rooms, the church office and pastor's study, arranged with outside entrances. The style is of a composite type of church architecture, and the materials were brick and concrete with facing of dark paving brick and trimmings of stone.
The first superintendent of the Sunday School was the Reverend J. S. Goodman. He was succeeded by Dr. George Northrup, and he by Levi Clark. In 1871. Dr. W. P. Morgan assumed the duties of this office, a christian work in which he was very successful and conducted for many years, imparting to teachers and scholars a large measure of his spirit of zeal and religious training. In September, 1880, Dr. Morgan was elected one of the deacons of the church. The Mission Sunday School was organized by the Reverend N. P. Barlow, who was the first superintendent. After- ward the office was filled by Messrs. Irving, Pattengill and Wood, the latter serving for six years.
In 1875 the number of trustees was increased to seven, and in that year were: George L. Burrows, O. C. Davis, N. W. Dennison, W. P. Morgan, A. B. Paine, William T. Tibbetts, and N. S. Wood who was then treasurer of the society.
Of the earnest and devoted members of this church, who labored long for the cause of righteousness, were the late William P. Morgan and Latham A. Burrows. The former spent a life of service to mankind, and his influence in the church activities will be felt for years to come. Mr. Burrows was also a steadfast Christian - a seeker after the truth. He was a musician of more than ordinary ability and attainments, and for a long term of years served the church as organist and choir director.
Among the early pastors who ministered to the congregation were the Reverend L. L. Fittz, 1867-08; the Reverend N. P. Barlow. 1868-70; the Reverend W. E. Lyon, 1870-73: and the Reverend W. W. Pattengill, 1873-81. Other devoted ministers no less able and beloved have carried on the work of the church through intervening years, the present pastor being the Reverend Francis C. Stifler, who assumed charge in the Fall of 1912.
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St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church
The earliest record of ministrations of the Roman Catholic Church in Saginaw is of 1841, when the Reverend Martin Kundig came to establish a Catholic mission. In the month of May of that year he held the first services in the house of I. J. Maklen, on Water ( Niagara) Street, near the location of the first freight house of the Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw Railroad. Afterward, the Reverend Lawrence Kilroy was appointed to the charge of the mission, and for several years held services of the Church in the homes of his faithful followers. Father Monahan and Father Kendekens succeeded him, coming from Flint to hold services. The Reverend H. T. H. Schutzes, secretary of Bishop Burgess, was the first priest appointed to the special charge of the Saginaw Valley missions.
The first church house of St. Andrew's parish was a carpenter shop, pur- chased in 1852, which stood on the west side of Washington Street, just south of Adams. The following year this rough building was moved to the corner of Washington and Monroe Streets, and used as a church for twelve years. Reverend Father Vanderhayden was appointed priest of the Roman Catholic missions at Saginaw City and East Saginaw, in 1862, and under his direction the first church edifice of St. Andrew's was built in 1865. Five years later the building was inadequate to seat the rapidly increasing congregation, and was enlarged, and the erection of a parochial school commeneed. Later, a priest's residence was built adjoining the church.
In 1866 the mission at East Saginaw was set off as a separate parish, and the Reverend Father Vanderhayden was appointed pastor of St. Andrew's Church. Thus St. Andrew's is the mother church of the Catholic parishes in Saginaw, its history antedating any other efforts of the Roman Church in Saginaw County.
The first committee of St. Andrew's Church, elected in 1862. was composed of Patrick McCullen. F. H. Fish, John Schnecker and John W. Richardson. To all activ- ities of the parish these staunch churchmen lent their aid and en- couragement, the liberal support of Mr. Richardson for a period of more than fifty years, until his death in February, 1915, being especially noteworthy.
Father Vanderhayden was a very earnest and energetie priest, and his labors in Saginaw City were fruitful of increasing members in the fold. He established St. An- drew's parochial school, which in its early years was conducted by the Sisters of Divine Providence. Greatly beloved by his own people and citizens outside the Catholic Church, he continued his labors for thirty-nine years, or until 1901. when he retired from active work and returned to his old home in Holland.
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FATHER VANDERHAYDEN
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FUISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY
The Reverend Father Vanderhayden was succeeded by the Reverend Joseph J. Vogl, whose pastorate continued for ten years. In 1911, upon the consecration of the Reverend Joseph Schrembs as bishop of Toledo. Father Vogl was transferred to the charge of St. Mary's Church, Grand Rapids, thus left vacant. It was during his ministrations at St. Andrew's that initiative was taken toward the erection of a new church edifice, and a large proportion of the subscriptions to the building fund was secured by his efforts. The old church was removed to a lot adjoining the priest's residence, on Hamilton Street, and the foundation of the new church was soon after laid on the old site.
The present pastor is the Reverend H. P. Maus, of Grand Haven, Mich- igan, who succeeded Father Vogl. Soon after he assumed charge the new church edifice, which had been in process of erection by Father Vogl, was completed at a cost of about fifty thousand dollars. On Decoration Day, May 30, 1913, at 7 A. M., the magnificent church was consecrated by Rt. Reverend Edward D. Kelly. D. D., auxiliary bishop of Detroit. Pontificial High Mass was celebrated at 10:30 A. M., by Rt. Reverend Henry Joseph Richter, 1). D., in which the new church was opened to the public, no less than twelve bishops and priests participating. In the evening a banquet was given to the visiting clergy, and toasts responded to by the Mayor and lead- ing Catholic citizens. The old church building has since been remodeled into a useful parish hall, in which many events in the social life of the Church are held.
Father Maus is a man of powerful figure and commanding presence, and is a very energetic priest with a firm grasp of the affairs of the parish. both material and spiritual: and is tireless in good work among his people. Hle is a strong and eloquent speaker, and his sermons are delivered with con- vincing manner and telling effect, thus drawing many persons outside the Roman Catholic faith. In all he is an able successor of unusually able priests in the Lord : and the church work of St. Andrew's advances with the material progress of the city.
SS. Peter and Paul Church
Twenty-eight years ago the increasing need of a new parish in the southern portion of the city, resulted in the formation of SS. Peter and Paul Church, and the erection in 1888 of a substantial brick edifice on the corner of Wayne and Fayette Streets. The Reverend Father Lefevre, who had served for many years as assistant to Father Vanderhayden in St. Andrew's parish. was largely instrumental in organizing the new church, the first trustees of which were: E. P. Austin, Hugh MePhillips, Patrick McManmon and F. J. Ruchser, now all deceased with the exception of Mr. MePhillips. The new church building was dedicated in October, 1888, by Bishop Henry Joseph Richter, of Grand Rapids, with a membership of two hundred and eighty- eight souls.
The first pastor of the church was the Reverend Father Lefevre, who. after a long and faithful service, still ministers to the congregation. Being of a strong and energetic nature, and zealous for the upbuilding of the King- dom of Christ, he soon cleared the church of debt, and in 1889 opened a small school with three Sisters as teachers and eighty-six children. But the school grew so fast that every year to 1892, one room and one teacher was added to meet the needs for primary instruction and religious training. In 1892 the pastor's residence was built on Wayne Street, and in the following year an addition of two rooms was made to the school house. The congregation at that time numbered seven hundred and seventy-five members.
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In 1909 a large new church school was begun and finished in 1910. In- cluding a Sister's residence this school has twenty-one rooms, and cost with its furnishings twenty-five thousand dollars. On September 6, 1914, the school opened with twelve teachers in charge and three hundred and sixty- five children : and the congregation increased to over thirteen hundred souls, now being one of the largest churches in the city. In that year a large addi- tion to the church edifice was built, the interior redecorated and new furnish- ings installed, at a cost of twelve thousand dollars.
The Fall term of 1915 opened very auspiciously with thirteen teachers and nearly four hundred children. In the past three years SS. l'eter and Paul school has been affiliated with the Michigan University, and is in good standing in all its twelve grades.
Other West Side Churches
St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized November 30, 1851, by the Reverend Julius Ehrhart with twenty-two members. The first officers of the society were: William Barie and M. Strauss, deacons; J. P. Roller. H. Schnuphase and Dr. M. C. T. Plessner, trustees. In 1857 a church was erected at the corner of Harrison and Ames Streets. Twelve years later the present edifice was built at a cost of eight thousand dollars, and dedicated October 17, 1869.
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