USA > Michigan > St Clair County > St. Clair County, Michigan, its history and its people; a narrative account of its historical progress and its principal interests, Vol. I > Part 38
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Paid 2 M to E. Wesbrook, shingles. 2.00
Paid 1 M to E. Wesbrook .. 1.00 Paid 2 M to E. Wesbrook .. 2.00
Paid in boards, 1 M ft ... 6.00
Not paid.
Paid 1 M to E. Wesbrook .. 2.00
2.00
Paid 1 M to E. Wesbrook .. 2.00
Not paid.
Paid in lumber, 1 M feet ... 6.00
315
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS AMOUNT SUBSCRIBED
AMOUNT RECEIVED
Paid in money, E. Wesbrook $2.00 Not paid.
Paid in money to Wesbrook 1.00
Paid 2 M to E. Wesbrook .. 2.00
Paid 1 M to E. Wesbrook .. 1.00
Paid 1 M to E. Wesbrook .. 1.00
Paid in money to E. Wes- brook. 10.00
Jerry Marks, in lumber for frames.
2.00
Joseph Buckly, in chairs ... 3.00
Henry Robertson, in shoe- making. 3.00
Seth Taft, in grain. 1.00
John Thorn, in money 2.00
Levi Hunt, in money .50
Jacob McQueen. 1.00
Richard Bean, in boards. .12
Hiram Mann, in boards. 1.20
Zadoc Priest, in boards. ...
2.00
Paid in boards to Wesbrook 2.00
John Kenely, in shingles. . . . West Barney, in lumber .... 5.00
2.00
Paid 2 M to E. Wesbrook. . 2.00
On hand, paid. 5.00
Robt. Hogge, promised in goods.
2.00 Not demanded, not paid.
Paid 2 M to E. Wesbrook .. 2.00
Paid 1 M to E. Wesbrook .. 1.00
Paid to E. Wesbrook. ... 1.50
Paid 1 M to E. Wesbrook .. 1.00
Paid in money to E. Wes- brook. 2.00
J. P. Bunce, in money; in boards
1.80
Paid in lath, 300 feet; good for nothing. 1.80
Not paid.
Not paid.
Paid to E. Wesbrook. 1.00
Total amount subscribed. $333.02
Amount received.
$230.02
The following is a statement of appropriations made for said M. E. chapel :
Unsettled accounts with subscribers. $45.00
Unpaid accounts on subscription. 52.75
Shingles used on said chapel, 10 M. at $1.00. 10.00
Not paid.
Paid in chairs on hand. 3.00
Paid to D. Hamilton for labor. 3.00
Paid J. K. Smith, P. Office sign. 1.00
Paid E. Wesbrook. 2.00
Paid E. Wesbrook. .50
Not paid.
Paid in boards to Wesbrook .12
Paid in boards to Wesbrook 1.20
Isaac Pulcifer, in shingles. . 2.00 Alexander Savenyer, in shingles. 1.00
John F. Bassett, in freight. 1.50
Lewis Jourdin, in shingles. . 1.00
Capt. Cobb, in money . .
2.00
Thos. Byrns. 1.50
Thos. Clark. 2.00
Henry Gill, in money 1.00
REMARKS.
D. Cleaveland. $ 2.00
Wm. Jackson. 1.00
Henry Brown.
1.00
Jacob Miller, in shingles.
2.00
John Nichols, in shingles. . 1.00
G. Elliot, in shingles.
1.00
A. R. Thompson, in money. 10.00
316
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
5,425 feet boards used and wasted about building, at $6.00 .. $32.55 Nails, glass, files, oil, rum and whiskey received on Peter F.
Brakeman's, Geo. Jasperson's and J. G. Streit's subscriptions 15.00
J. K. Smith's account of money expended for material.
22.8834
Chas. Phillips' contract for framing. 20.00
Benjamin Newhall's account for enclosing building. 42.75
Ira Marks' account for hauling. 5.00
David Hamilton, for carpentering. 20.00
J. K. Smith's account for board, boards and labor 26.371/2
E. Wesbrook, retained 412 shingles. 4.50
E. Wesbrook received of J. F. Bassett his subscription 1.50
E. Wesbrook received boards on hand. 10.00
E. Beardsley, received for sash .. 8.621/2
Mary Stewart, subscription paid in making door 2.00
Joseph Buckley's subscription paid in chairs del'd. 3.00
Deductions made on county orders paid D. Hamilton. 2.00
Boards subscribed and not included above. 3 32
County orders paid for boards made use of in building 5.00
$332.203/4
S. B. Grummond, Cr., $1.00 omitted. 1.00
$333.20
The church was enclosed in April, 1830, but not completed until 1832 and by the report of the trustees at the end of that year we learn that the cost was $179.733/4.
Rev. Samuel A. Latta, afterwards a resident of Cincinnati, and connected with a Methodist publishing company there, preached the first sermon in the new edifice. It was a momentous occasion. People were present from all parts of the county, of every grade of piety and impiety. The minister spoke from the top of a work bench, as the building was yet not completed. He was one of the regular shouting Methodists and had a congregation fully capable of enjoying the kind of argument he indulged in. The building, after all, was found to be too small and was abandoned and later used as a dwelling and finally burned September 21, 1878. Ebenezer Wesbrook was the most active in the campaign for this church and gave the site, and when the first church was abandoned he gave another lot upon which the new church was built in 1842. This church was burned New Year's day, 1866, and rebuilt the same year.
It will be noted that of the entire subscriptions, only $48.52 was to be paid in money, $15.00 in county orders and the rest in grain, produce or labor. The subscribers ranged from the Smiths and others at or near Algonac to Hopkins, Palmer and Beardsley at St. Clair, Judge Bunce at his mill, Knapp and Cook, Reuben Hamilton, Howard and Wadhams, and others along Black river, to Major Thompson and Captain Cobb at Fort Gratiot and George McDougall at the Light House. Denomina- tional lines were evidently not known in this enterprise except that the French Catholics did not contribute and probably were not asked.
317
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
It will not be possible to give in detail the history of all the different religious societies in the county, but some facts regarding the earlier ones may be of permanent interest.
A UNION CHURCH
The next church to be built in the county was in Port IIuron on substantially the site now occupied by the county jail. It was in the year 1838 and the population of the settlement was small, and while the chief contributors were Presbyterians, others from different denomina- tions assisted. Butler's plat had been executed the year before and the block upon which the city hall stands was called Public Park. The new building stood on the north side of Broad street, west of this open square, but the society building it apparently did not obtain any deed to the lot upon which it stood. Its size was twenty-five by forty-three feet, and it stood there until 1844, when John Thorn gave to the society the north half of lot 17, on the west side of Fort street, and the building was moved to the new location and lengthened twenty-nine feet. Here again, if a deed was given it was not placed on record, but the building remained used as a church until 1859, when the society removed to its new brick building on the corner of Wall and Seventh streets.
PORT HURON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Although the church spoken of was built in 1838 there was no or- ganized society in connection with it until May, 1840, when a Presby- terian church was organized under the leadership of Rev. Oren C. Thompson, who had come to Michigan in 1831 and in the same year made a trip to Fort Gratiot and to St. Clair. At that time there were only a few shanties where Port Huron stands, mainly occupied by shingle makers who floated their products to Detroit. In 1834 he had moved to St. Clair and taken charge of the Presbyterian church at that place, and remained there until coming to Port Huron in the spring of 1840. He afterwards returned to St. Clair and started an academy, which was attended, among others, by Governor David H. Jerome and Senator Thomas W. Palmer.
The first meeting was held May 8, 1840, and there were present Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Jenkins, the former the storekeeper at Fort Gratiot, the latter the daughter of Chancellor Walworth of New York; Dr. Justin Rice and his wife, who had come to Port Huron from Detroit. Dr. Rice came in July, 1838, to take part in the management of the Black River Steam Mill Company, and remained until 1841. There were also present two of his daughters, Ruth and Pamela (the latter, in 1843, while her father was Indian agent at Mackinac, married Henry Whiting, then a lieutenant in the United States army, and stationed there, and who afterwards moved to St. Clair) ; General Duthan Northrop and his wife. Mr. Northrop came to Newport in 1836 as the representative of some Ohio capitalists, and bought from Samuel Ward a large part of his village plat, and after paying $3,000 upon it, the panic of 1837 came on
318
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
and they were compelled to lose the property. General Northrop soon after coming to the state was appointed by the governor, general of the brigade to which St. Clair county was attached, and when the brigade was completely organized he resigned and Grover N. Buel, of Port Huron, was appointed in his place. He lost most of his property and moved to St. Clair for a time and then to Port Huron, where he gave singing lessons and also taught school. He subsequently became county treasurer for eight years, and though his accounts upon examination showed a shortage to the county, which was settled by his bondsmen, there was never any charge of dishonesty and he was highly regarded and beloved by all who knew him.
William Baird, a Scotch Presbyterian from St. Clair, together with Mrs. Thompson, completed the organizing group. One week later the articles of faith and covenant were adopted, connecting them with the Presbyterian church, and several more members taken.
Mr. Thompson remained until May, 1843, when he removed to St. Clair to take charge of the academy there which he had opened the previous year, and he was succeeded by Rev. Peter Boughton in January, 1844. During Mr. Thompson's charge the church changed its ecclesias- tical connection and from a Presbyterian church became the First Con- gregational church of Port Huron, and became legally incorporated in May, 1843. This was done mainly because at St. Clair there was some trouble in the Presbyterian society; a member had been tried for mis- conduct and had appealed and the long-continued agitation was in- jurious to the church. It was felt that such trouble could be avoided by adopting the Congregational polity. in which each church is inde- pendent.
Under Mr. Boughton, the first building was moved to the new loca- tion on Butler street, where services were held until the brick church was erected. in 1859, on the corner of Wall and Sixth streets. Mr. Poughton left in the fall of 1850, and was followed the next fall by Rev. J. H. Benton, who served two years. In October, 1853, Rev. Wil- liam P. Wastell came, and remained until October, 1855. After an inter- val of one year, Rev. S. M. Judson came for one year. In June, 1858, Rev. J. S. Hoyt came and remained for eighteen years and giving very acceptable service.
In 1876, Rev. A. Hastings Ross, a very scholarly and able man, came and was pastor for seventeen years, and was followed by Thomas Chal- mners who, in turn, was succeeded by H. N. Dascom, he by Franklin Graf, and he by the present incumbent, Rev. W. J. Campbell.
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The first religious society in Port Huron to form a legally incor- porated association was the Protestant Episcopal church, which filed its papers with the county clerk February 3, 1840. For more than a year before this date Rev. Charles Reighley, the chaplain at Fort Gratiot, had held services regularly at Port Huron and he was the leading spirit in bringing about the organization. The first wardens were Nicholas Ayrault, the resident agent of the Huron Land Company, which owned
319
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
practically all of Butler's plat and Fort Gratiot village and the MeNiel tract, and John Wells, the father of Fred L. Wells; the vestrymen were Bartlett A. Luee, the manager of the Black River Steam Mill Company, Joseph B. Flanagan, L. M. Mason, Daniel B. Harrington and Joseph MeCreary. They soon became ambitious for a church home of their own, and in October, 1840, they were presented with the lot on the northwest corner of IIuron avenue and Butler street. The missionary committee gave them $200, and with that in sight they obtained enough subscriptions from their members and friends so that by August 8, 1841, they were able to dedicate their church building free from debt. The building was small and as their membership grew need was felt for larger quarters, and in 1853 three lots were obtained at the southwest corner of Wall and Sixth streets, facing Wall street on the north and Court square as it was then called, upon the south (Court square at that time included the south half of the half block upon which the publie library is built, and an equal area on the south side of Court street ).
A wooden building was erected upon this site in 1854, facing the square. In June, 1874, an exchange was made with the city of its three lots for that part of Court square south of Court street, and in the fall of that year the building was moved to the new site, facing Sixth street, veneered with briek and decorated. Worship was held in this ehureh until 1889, when it was moved to its present location facing Court street, and the erection of the beautiful stone church begun, which was com- pleted in 1891. During the present year (1911) a fine church house, just south of the church building, has been completed, the gift of Mrs. Martha Goulden, as a memorial of her husband, James Goulden, for many years a faithful and strong friend of the church.
Much credit is due to Rev. Charles Reighley for his industry and enthusiasm in organizing the church, and he served it for two years, from 1840 to 1842, when Rev. Sabin Hough acted as missionary for some time, followed again by Rev. Mr. Reighley. He was followed by Phineas D. Spalding, who was appointed May 18, 1845, by the bishop, as missionary at Port Huron, and Palmer (now St. Clair). Five years later, in 1850, Rev. George B. Engle was installed as reetor, in whose administration the church moved its place of meeting from Butler street to Wall street. Mr. Engle resigned in April, 1859, and was followed by Rev. Josiah Phelps, who remained only about a year. In the fall of 1861, Rev. Henry Banwell was installed and served until the summer of 1865, when he was sueeeeded by Rev. William Stowe, who officiated for nine years, and was followed by Rev. A. M. Lewis, who served until 1876, when Rev. Mr. Banwell returned for about three years. In 1879, Rev. Sidney Beckwith came, during whose ineumbeney the new stone church was built, resigning on account of poor health in 1894; he was followed by Rev. John Munday, the present rector.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCHI
Although there had been a number of Baptists in the community from an early date, the number did not seem large enough to warrant
320
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
any organization until December, 1859, when the First Baptist Society was formed, with John Lewis, John Howard, who had come to the locality in 1833, and was for many years an active and prominent lum- berman ; James J. Scarritt, the editor of the Port Huron Press, who entered the army as major in November, 1861, and died at Nashville in November, 1863; J. B. Hull, who conducted a hardware business in the city for many years, first alone, then as Hull & Boyce, which business is now in the corporation of S. L. Boyce & Son ; and Calvin Ames, who with Alanson Sheley bought out, in 1855, the plant and business of the Black River Steam Mill Company.
In February, 1860, Sheley and Ames gave to the society a lot on Superior street, near Butler, but it was not until two years later that they were able to move into a new church building of their own, they having in the meantime used the old Congregational church at the corner of Butler and Fort streets. The building was completed, fur- nished and dedicated in December, 1863, and with some additions and improvements continued to serve the people until January 12, 1879, when it was completely destroyed by fire.
This might have discouraged weaker people, but nothing daunted, steps were at once taken to secure a better site, and a fine location on the northwest corner of Butler and Ontario streets was secured and plans made for a fine new brick structure, handsome in appearance and adapted to all church uses. This building was completed and dedicated May 21, 1882, and has since remained the home of the society.
The first pastor was Rev. C. R. Nichols, who came in 1862 and re- mained two years, and was followed by Rev. John Donnelly, who served very acceptably for nine years. After an interval of nearly a year, Rev. Alex McFarlane was called and remained three years. A few months later Rev. Daniel Baldwin came and served about three years, and was succeeded in 1881 by Rev. Charles E. Harris, and then successively S. A. Beaman, David H. Cooper, R. Van Doren, Clifford D. Gray, Abner F. Bowling and C. R. Duncan.
METHODISTS IN THE COUNTY
It seems probable that the first Protestant minister to visit the county was a Methodist preacher named Dixon, who visited the lower end of the county in 1818. From that time until October, 1825, the district of Michigan along St. Clair river was attached by the Methodist Conference to Canada, and it was visited during that period at irregular intervals by preachers. After 1825, this section was in the Detroit district of the Ohio Conference and was called the St. Clair mission. In 1826-27 it was supplied by Rev. James F. Donahoe, the two subsequent years by Elias Pattee, then by Samuel A. Latta, and in 1830-31 by Benjamin Cooper. There seems to have been some organization at Port Huron at this time, but it did not long continue. In 1831-32. Leonard Hill supplied the mission, followed by E. S. Gavit and he, in turn, by L. D. Whitney.
In 1834 a society was formed at Black River with nineteen members, but Port Huron continued to be within the limits of the St. Clair mission until 1838, when, for one year, the distriet was divided into the Palmer
321
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
mission and the Port Huron mission. In 1839 the Palmer mission was extended to include Port Huron and Rev. Salmon Steele was appointed minister in charge. February 15, 1840, this society adopted legal articles of association, with Joseph Flannagan, William R. Goodwin, John W. Campfield, Granville F. Boynton and Othiel Gould as the first board of trustees. In February, 1841, Rev. S. Steele appointed as trustees Stephen V. Thornton, Charles Flugal, John W. Campfield, Granville F. Boynton and Othiel Gould.
In 1844, the society built a church near the southwest corner of Water and Sixth streets, which soon proved too small for their growing membership and, in 1851, they obtained a deed from Fortune C. White of the site upon which they erected the building now occupied by John Lawler as a livery stable. Their old building was sold to the Catholic society, who moved it to the triangular piece of land between Lapeer avenue and Water street, upon which the Lauth hotel now stands. The new building had a basement or first story of brick and that part was finished and occupied in 1851, but the entire building was not completed until 1856. By 1871 the need of a new, larger and better church build- ing was felt, and the property upon Lapeer avenue upon which the present church and parsonage stand was purchased. In May, 1875, the new church was dedicated, although it was not completely finished. Hard times severely crippled their resources and the society was heavily in debt, when to prove the adage that troubles never come singly, on July 6, 1879, the cyclone which did great damage through the county, unroofed the church and greatly injured it otherwise. This blow, which might have seemed fatal, proved on the contrary the stimulus which roused the society and its friends to extraordinary efforts, with the re- sult that the ehirch was rebuilt and completed and the entire indebted- ness paid off, and the society left in possession of a church of which it may well be proud.
The Port Huron church has had, since it began its independent existence, a suecession of ministers who have served it well, and generally to the satisfaction of the community.
ST. CLAIR CONGREGATIONALISTS
Prior to 1834 the preaching heard most frequently at St. Clair in the upper story of the old log court house, which was the only place suitable for meetings, was undoubtedly that of Methodist ministers, although ministers of other denominations were not infrequent, and Rev. Alvin Coe, a Congregationalist minister was occasionally heard on his way up or down from Mackinac, where he was stationed for a time, and in the summer of 1833 there was preaching by Rev. Albert Worthing- ton who, assisted by Rev. buther Shaw, of Romeo, organized a Con- gregational church with fourteen members in September, 1833.
In the spring of 1834, Rev. Oren C. Thompson, who had come to Michigan in 1831, as the representative of the American Tract Society and the American Sunday School Union. and who had in 1833 resigned that position and determined to preach, went to St. Clair and later in the same year was ordained and installed pastor of the church, and Vol. I-21
322
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
for fifteen years at St. Clair and Port Huron, as minister and teacher, threw all the influence of a strong forceful character toward the up- building of Christian society.
In 1835 steps were taken to form a legal society and the first trus- tees were Everett Beardsley, who was one of the oldest residents of the village; Sargeant Heath, the father of Dr. John S. Heath, who about that time moved to Port Huron; Dr. Harmon Chamberlin, one of the leading characters of the county for many years; A. Northway, George Palmer, who came to St. Clair in 1825, and settled on the St. Clair river near where the Oakland hotel now stands, and John Doran, who a year or two later moved to Port Huron and carried on a mercantile business there.
In May, 1840, Mr. Thompson went to Port Huron and organized the Presbyterian church there-subsequently it became Congregational -but after a stay there of three years, came back to St. Clair, where he remained until 1849. During the last two years of his stay at Port Huron he gave a part of his time to St. Clair and, in fact, was installed their pastor again in 1841.
The first connection of this church was with the Presbyterians, but in 1841 a majority of the members decided to sever their connection with them and organized the Congregational Society of St. Clair. They im- mediately began to lay plans for a home of their own and in April of that year received from Thomas Palmer a deed of lot No. 68, upon which the building was erected. the same building which is now used by the St. Clair Republican. In May, 1842, the trustees were Reuben Moore, father of Charles F. and Franklin Moore, a pioneer lumberman and saw- mill owner, a very generous supporter of the church, and who had the sterling honesty and uprightness which have been transmitted to the sons; Elisha Smith, the father of Eugene Smith, also a lumberman and saw-mill man; George Palmer, Everett Beardsley and Samuel Carleton from China township.
Mr. Thompson conducted the academy at St. Clair from 1843 until 1849 and was indefatigable and unsparing in his efforts, and made a distinct impression upon the community in both capacities.
In 1847, Mr. Thompson retired and was followed by Rev. W. P. Wastell for about two years and he was followed by Rev. H. H. Morgan for the same period.
In the fall of 1851, Rev. George M. Tuthill came to the church and remained seven years, and was followed in July, 1859, by Rev. James Vincent, who remained until April, 1862. For nearly a year the church was without a pastor, but in March, 1863, Rev. L. P. Spelman came and remained three years, when, after another iintermission. Rev. W. P. Wastell began his second pastorate. this time of three years, and was followed by Rev. H. B. Dean, who remained a little more than a year. Between September, 1871, and November, 1873, there was no regular preacher, but at the latter date Rev. John Van Antwerp became pastor for a year, and after an interval of two years, Rev. George H. Grannis came, in September, 1876.
During his charge the old church building was given up, and the Society moved to the present fine modern church building which was
323
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
built in 1879-80. Since its constrnetion the church has had several pastors, although there have been intervals when it was not occupied, the position being filled at the present time by Rev. Mr. Fryer.
BAPTIST CHURCH OF ST. CLAIR
On November 5, 1848, the First Baptist church of St. Clair was organized under the leadership of Rev. E. K. Grout, who had held serv- iees for some time at China and Newport. The original members were Rufus Swift, John M. Oakes, Nancy Oakes, Daniel Stewart, Elizabeth Swift, Maria C. Eldredge and Mary Nicol. On June 2, 1849 they adopted formal articles of association. For the first two years the meet- ings were held in the court room in the old log court house, but as they grew in numbers they wanted to build a home for themselves. The second block west of the court house block was marked on the original plat academy block, and the board of supervisors having determined to ereet a county jail on the west half of the block, voted on the fifteenth day of October, 1850, to release all right to the east half of the block for the erection thereon of schools and churches as the village of St. Clair might direct. The village retained the north part for a school house and donated the south two-thirds for a Baptist church, as the Methodist and Congregational societies had already had lots presented to them. No formal conveyance was made by either the county or vil- lage, and it was not until 1873 that the board of supervisors executed a deed to the Baptist church.
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