History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 156

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358

USA > Missouri > St Louis County > St Louis City > History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men > Part 156

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

South Presbyterian Church .- In 1868 a mission Sunday-school was established at No. 1322 South See- ond Street, and a chapel was erected, which is still used by the congregation. The church, now known as the South Presbyterian, Rev. H. B. Holmes, pas- tor, was organized in May, 1875. It is a chartered corporation and owns its chapel, which, however, occu- pies leased ground. The church has never had a regu- larly settled pastor, but has been supplied by several ministers, notably by Rev. James R. Dunn, who re- mained four and a half years, and the present minister, who has had charge nearly two years. A. S. Pettigrew, the leading elder of the society, has been from its inception the main prop of the struggling organiza- tion, defraying its expenses, paying the minister's salary, etc. The membership is reported at about sixty, and the Sunday-school is attended during the winter by from two hundred to two hundred and fifty scholars, and by half that number in summer.

1711

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

The Second German Presbyterian Church, Grand Avenue and Thirteenth Street, Rev. Frederick Auf der Heide, pastor, was organized in 1876, and worships in a brick chapel. It reports a congregation of about thirty-six men, women, and children, a membership of twelve, and a Sunday-school enrollment of one hun- dred.

Lafayette Park Presbyterian Church (Lafayette Church), situated on Missouri Avenue, between Park and Lafayette Avenues, Rev. D. C. Marquis, D.D., pastor, was organized in 1878 as a colony from Wal- nut Street (now Washington and Compton Avenues) Church by one hundred of its members who lived too far from the parent church to attend its services. The congregation worships as yet in the lecture-room of its unfinished church, and numbers over six hundred members. The Park Avenue Presbyterian Church, organized as a colony from the Second Church, sold its property (now the Park Avenue Baptist Church) in 1867, and was merged into the Chouteau Avenue Church, worshiping at the northeast corner of Chou- teau Avenue and Eleventh Street. The church building was erected in 1867. It was forty by sev- enty feet in size, built of brick, and very neat and attractive in appearance. Its seating capacity was about four hundred. Grace Church, organized in 1868 as a colony from the Second Church, was also consolidated with the Chouteau Avenue Church. In 1875 the property was sold to the B'nai El Hebrew congregation, and the society dissolved. Its members worshiped at different churches until the organization of the Lafayette Park Church, with which most of the members of the three short-lived churches became affiliated. The membership of this church numbers three hundred and three, and its Sunday-school six hundred scholars. Its expendi- tures for 1881 amounted to twenty thousand nine hundred and twenty-three dollars for congregational, and six hundred and ninety-seven dollars for benevo- lent uses. The main church building is in process of crcction.

First German Presbyterian Church. - This church, situated at Autumn and Tenth Strects, Rev. Adalbert van der Lippe, pastor, was organized May 18, 1863, in the basement of the Second Presbyterian Church, on Fifth and Walnut Streets, where the Tem- ple building now stands, by Rev. J. H. Brookes, Rev. W. H. Parks, and Elder A. G. Edwards. The con- gregation held its meetings at first in the South Mis- sion Sabbath-school, on Marion and Ninth Streets. The corner-stone of the lecture-room of the present edifice was laid Oct. 14, 1866, and of the church itself March 1, 1871. The latter was dedicated Sept.

17, 1871. The first and only pastor was elected Oct. 23, 1863. A Ladies' Sewing Society was organized March 1, 1864, and a Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation Oct. 1, 1872. The parish contains about fifty families and two hundred and seventy-five people. There are one hundred and twenty-five communi- cants. The Sunday-school has seventeen teachers and over one hundred and fifty scholars.

Memorial Tabernacle .- The Protestant Free School Association, composed mainly but not exclu- sively of Presbyterians, was organized in 1840, with five teachers and twenty scholars, Thomas F. Webb, superintendent, and met in a small frame house at Sixth and Carr Streets. From this germ sprang the Biddle Market Mission. In 1846, the owner of the land on which it stood having objected to its use, the building was placed on trucks and removed to a lot at Fourteenth and Carr Streets, belonging to Judge Carr, and was enlarged to a scating capacity of three hundred and fifty. On the 11th of July, 1848, Thomas Morrison was made superintendent, and under his zealous care the mission increased to such propor- tions that larger accommodations were rendcred ne- cessary, and Biddle Market Hall, Thirteenth and Biddle Streets, was secured for the use of the mission. The hall was enlarged and adapted to its new purpose at a cost of five thousand dollars. After the removal to this location the school continued to grow until the average attendance of scholars numbered one thou- sand. On the 12th of July, 1864, a congregation was organized by Rev. H. C. McCook, known as the " First Independent Church of St. Louis," the con- stituent members being, by certificate from other churches, Thomas Morrison, Mrs. Eliza Morrison, Jennie Morrison, J. Burt Turner, Mrs. Mary R. Turner, John Ifinger, Mrs. L. Becker, Mrs. M. Co- burn, Elizabeth Ferguson, Mrs. A. Kelly, Mrs. S. McLean, Mrs. W. Noerr, Ann M. Palmer, Mattie Palmer, Mrs. J. L. Smith, Mrs. M. Urquhart ; by profession of faith, Mrs. D. Dickinson, John D. Eves, Emma Fontanna, Frederick B. Haus, J. M. Key, Mary Lowney, Fannie Marsh, Allen A. Wat- kins, Mrs. Amanda McClure, Jennie McFadden, Frederick Plitsch, Mrs. Henrietta Plitsch, Mrs. Eliz- abeth Schott, John Wallace, Mrs. Catherine Wallace.

Mr. Morrison subsequently sold his dwelling-house for six thousand dollars, and having added two thou- sand dollars to this sum, purchased the lot at the northwest corner of Sixteenth and Carr Streets, on which the Tabernacle now stands. The corner-stone was laid about May, 1865, but after Mr. Morrison had expended thirty-seven thousand dollars in the erection of the building it was sold, while still unfin-

1712

HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

ished, under foreclosure of a mortgage, for twenty thousand dollars. At this juncture Carlos S. Greeley purchased the property from the mortgagee, and headed a subscription to finish the building. The congrega- tion of the Second Presbyterian Church and others made up the remainder. On Sunday, Nov. 28, 1880, the Sunday-school met for the last time in Biddle Market Hall, and proceeded thence to the completed Tabernacle, where Mr. Greeley presented to the trus- tees of the mission a deed of gift of the property. Dr. Niccolls, of the Second Presbyterian Church, at the same time gave it its present name, in memory of the donor's deceased wife. It is, perhaps, the largest and finest building for Sunday-school purposes in the United States, and is modeled after the famous Spur- geon Tabernacle in London. The building is of brick, one hundred by sixty feet, and will seat two thousand people. The dimensions of the lot are one hundred by seventy-five feet, and the church property is valued at forty thousand dollars. The congregation comprises about one hundred families, with one hundred and fifty communicants, and the average attendance at the morning Sunday-school is one hundred and sixty, and that at the afternoon Biddle Market Mission from one thousand to twelve hundred. A Young People's Union meets every Monday evening, and a prayer-meeting is held every Friday evening. The pastors have been Revs. H. C. McCook, elected Feb. 28, 1865 ; Lemuel Jones, elected Nov. 7, 1865 ; - Gillum, date of election unknown; Dr. Langdon, elected in 1868; William Porteus, elected Jan. 1, 1869, and remaincd until July 1, 1881 ; and the present incumbent, Rev. William H. Clagett, who took charge July 1, 1881.

In addition to the foregoing, several mission Sun- day-schools are conducted by the Presbyterians, notably the Kossuth Avenue Mission, two blocks west of the Fair Grounds, Henry A. Smith, superin- tendent, supported by the Second Presbyterian Church, where Rev. William Porteus, city mission- ary, holds Sunday services. The Bethel, at Main and Commercial Streets, where the Sunday-school is attended by twenty-two teachers and two hundred scholars, is largely supported by Presbyterians, and there are other missions at Soulard Market and else- where.

The First United Presbyterian Church, situated at the northwest corner of Twentieth and Morgan Streets, was organized in March, 1840, and its first place of worship was at the southwest corner of Fifth and Pine Streets. The first church edifice, a brick structure of the Ionic order, fifty by seventy-five feet, with a seating capacity of five hundred, was erected about 1841 at the northeast corner of Fifth and

Locust Streets, and was subsequently sold to the Singer Sewing-Machine Company. The present church at Twentieth and Morgan Streets was erected in 1873, and is a handsome structure of brick, the dimensions of the lot being one hundred and five feet six inches by one hundred and forty-four feet seven inches. The total cost of the church property was fifty-five thousand dollars. There are seventy-five families connected with the church, embracing one hundred and eighty-six communicants, and the average attendance at Sunday- school is eighteen teachers and one hundred and seventy scholars. A Woman's Missionary Society and a Pastor's Aid Society are maintained by the con- gregation. Rev. John A. Wilson, appointed July 28, 1876, is the present pastor of the church, and his predecessors have been Revs. Henry M. Jolinston, ap- pointed in 1845 ; Thomas M. Cunningham, appointed Oct. 12, 1852; John McLean, appointed Sept. 30, 1857 ; James G. Armstrong, appointed Dec. 3, 1863 ; and Henry W. Crabb, appointed July 6, 1869.

In December, 1881, the church established a mis- sion Sunday-school on Grand Avenue near Clark, in a building thirty-one by fifty-six feet, which is capable of seating two hundred and fifty persons. The average attendance is nine teachers and seventy scholars. The First United is the only congregation in the city con- nected with the United Presbyterian General Assembly of the United States, a large and influential body dif- fering in minor matters of faith and forms of worship from other Presbyterians.

The Cumberland Presbyterians commenced work in St. Louis in 1848, an organization being effected by Rev. J. G. White, under appointment of the Board of Missions of the denomination. He was succeeded in 1860 by Rev. L. C. Ransom. The church building was situated at the corner of Eleventh and St. Charles Streets, but it passed out of the hands of the denomination during the war, and the congre- gation of about two hundred persons was dispersed. In 1866, under the leadership of Rev. F. M. Gilliam, a second effort was made to establish the church. A small congregation was gathered, and subsequently a consolidation was cffected with a body of independents, who had built up a large Sunday-school, conducted by Thomas Morrison, at Biddle Market, making a mem- bership of about one hundred and twenty-five. Mr. Gilliam was succeeded by Rev. W. L. Langdon. In 1868 the independent element, being in the majority, seceded and placed themselves under the control of the Northern Presbyterians. The building which had been occupied by the congregation was subsequently sold to pay a debt of twenty thousand dollars, and the Cumberland Presbyterians lost over eight thousand

1713

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

dollars. The Northern Presbyterians still control the seceding congregation, which occupied the building now known as Memorial Tabernacle.

Lucas Avenue Cumberland Presbyterian Church .- In 1874 a third attempt on the part of the Board of Missions resulted in the organization of this church, with Rev. C. H. Bell as pastor. Friends of the enterprise in the city and surrounding country con- tributed seventeen thousand dollars, and the present lot, situated on Lucas Avenue, at the corner of Channing Avenue, was purchased and the building erected. The latter, all the property being free from debt, was consecrated Dec. 2, 1877. The organization, consist- ing of twenty-eight members, was perfectcd Feb. 6, 1878. Mr. Bell, owing to impaired health and the necessary duties of his office as president of the gen- eral Board of Missions, resigned the pastorate Feb. 1, 1881, and the Rev. W. H. Black was called in his place. The church is self-sustaining and prosperous, and the enrolled membership numbers eighty-eight. The pupils enrolled in the Sunday-school number one hundred and thirty-five.

First German Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Gethsemane Congregation) .- This con- gregation was organized Dec. 13, 1857, in Biddle Market Hall, by its present pastor, the Rev. Fred- erick Lack. The first church building stood on the northwest corner of Fourteenth and Chambers Streets, and was dedicated Dec. 25, 1857. In August, 1866, the congregation removed to the northwest corner of Jefferson and Wash Streets, and erected a one-story brick building seating about three hundred persons. In August, 1879, having sold this property, the congregation established itself at the northeast corner of Sullivan Avenue and Twentieth Street. There are fifteen families in the parish and sixty regular communicants. The Sunday-school is attended by seven teachers and over one hundred pupils.

The Second German Cumberland Presbyterian Church .- This congregation, which worships at the southwest corner of Eighteenth and Montgomery Streets, was organized during the civil war. Rev. Charles Landel having been forced to leave his charge in the interior of the State, owing to the condition of affairs there, removed to St. Louis and established a school in the market-house at Eighteenth and Warren Streets, now the parochial school of the Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart. In 1867 he organized the present congregation. After a time the school was abandoned. The congregation is composed of about ten families, with eighteen regu- lar communicants. The Sunday-school, which is

known as the Anchor Band of Hope, No. 5, is con- ducted by Messrs. Frederick Ingalls and H. Baker, with fifty scholars. Rev. William Goessling is pastor of the church.

Reformed Presbyterian Church .- This church, situated at the northwest corner of Twenty-first Street and Gamble Avenuc, Rev. J. R. Hill, pastor, is the only representative in St. Louis of this wing of the denomination. The building, a two-story brick struc- ture forty-five by ninety feet, was crected in 1854 and seated about three hundred and fifty persons. The Rev. Joseph McCracken was pastor of the church in 1868. The services are attended by about sixty men, women, and children, and the Sunday-school by about fifty scholars. The church also supports the McKee Mission, on New Manchester road, and a colored mission at Nineteenth and Morgan Streets, which is attended by eight teachers and one hundred and twenty-five pupils.

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.

Diocese of Missouri .- The first Protestant Epis- copal parish organized west of the Mississippi River was founded by the Rev. John Ward, of Lexington, Ky., in the autumn of 1819. Mr. Ward arrived at St. Louis in the latter part of September, but having been prostrated by sickness was unable to officiate until some weeks later. In the Missouri Gazette of October 6th it was announced that Mr. Ward would preach at the Baptist Church on the following Sun- day, but the first regular service was held on the 24th of October, in a one-story frame building on the southwest corner of Second and Walnut Streets, which was also occasionally used as a court-house and as a dancing-room. Mr. Ward officiated, and six persons composed his congregation, only two of whom are said to have been supplied with prayer-books and prepared to respond. These two individuals were James Clemens, Jr., and Joseph V. Garnier, both of whom were made members of the first vestry that was formed. This was the first public service by a clergy- man of the Episcopal Church west of the Mississippi of which any record remains.

A subscription-paper, drawn up by Col. Thomas F. Riddick, and bearing date Nov. 1, 1819, was soon after circulated. It read as follows : " We, the under- signed, taking into view the great benefits that our- selves and our families would derive from the estab- lishment of an Episcopal Church in the town of St. Louis, do hereby form ourselves into a congregation, and bind ourselves to pay over to such person or per- sons as shall be appointed by the vestry, hereafter to be chosen, all such sums of money as shall be found

1714

HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

opposite to our names, to be applied towards the sup- port of the church for one year from this date." This document obtained forty-seven signatures. These, with the amount subseribed by each, were the fol- lowing :

Thomas F. Riddick, $100; S. Hammond, $100; John Hall, $100; A. Nelson, $50; D. B. Hoffman, $50; J. Clemens, Jr., $100; F. Dent, $50; Clement March, $50; J. R. Ober, $50; R. Wash, $50; Wilson P. Hunt, $50; William Rector, $50; Henry Von Phul, $50; William Stokes, $50; J. V. Garnier, $50; W. Christy, $50; M. Wherry, $15; R. H. Price, $60; Theo. Hunt, $50; A. Rutgers, $50; D. C. Boss, $30; W. Carr Lane, $10; Abijah Hull, $15; William S. Hamilton, $25; Josiah Bright, $25; J. W. Hoyt, $10; Peter Ferguson, $10; Rufus Pettibone, $10; James Kennerly, $25; John Nicholson, $10; William H. Ashley, $20; A. McNair, $50; Thomas H. Benton, $50; J. G. Lindell, $10; A. V. Vaughan, $10; H. L. Hoffman, $10; Na- thaniel Sandburn, $5; James Loper, $10; Joseph M. Yard, $10; I. Eckstein, $5; Theo. L. McGill, $5; D. V. Walker, $10; Wil- liam Clark, $34; B. G. Farrar, $50; John O'Fallon, $50 ; Elias Rector, $20; Peter Haldeman, $20.

Among these are many names that are prominent in the history of the city and State. The move- ment led to the organization of the parish of Christ Church, of which the Rev. Mr. Ward continued in charge a little over one year, after which, for several years only irregular services were held. In 1824-25, Rev. Thomas Horrell visited and held services in Madison, Washington, Jefferson, and Cape Girardeau Counties, and reported that " respectable congrega- tions attended, and many came to partake of the sac- raments." In December, 1825, he became rector of Christ Church. In 1831, Rev. L. H. Corson held services in Manchester and other places in St. Louis County, and reported that he had found a number of ehureh people, and had baptized many children.

In 1835 the attention of the vestry of Christ Church was directed to the fact that the Rev. Jackson Kemper, of Connecticut, had been selected as the missionary Bishop of the Northwest, comprising the States of Missouri and Indiana, and as it seemed probable that St. Louis would be chosen as his place of residence, it was decided to call him to the rector- ship of Christ Church. A call was therefore extended to him on the 20th of September, 1835, and he was consecrated bishop on the 25th of the same month. In their letter to Bishop White, of Pennsylvania, an- nouneing the decision of the vestry with regard to Bishop Kemper, the wardens of Christ Church, Wilson P. Hunt and Christopher Saunderson, stated that they had invited the bishop to become their reetor with the understanding that the General Missionary Society would furnish him an assistant minister. They requested that the Rev. Mr. Minard be ap- pointed such- assistant. This request was granted,

and Mr. Minard reached St. Louis a month in ad- vance of Bishop Kemper. On the 5th of October, Messrs. Doan and English were appointed a com- mittee to provide suitable lodgings for the accommo- dation of the rector and his assistant upon their arrival. Bishop Kemper, accompanied by his friend, the Rev. S. R. Johnson, started from Philadelphia on the 3d of November, and arrived in St. Louis some time in December. Soon after the bishop took charge of this portion of his extensive diocese services were begun at St. Charles, Boonville, Jef- ferson City, Fayette, Lexington, Palmyra, and Han- nibal, in several of which places parishes were organ- ized and elergymen settled. At a meeting of the vestry in 1838 a resolution was offered by Josiah Spalding to the effeet that " the vestry highly appre- eiate the services of Bishop Kemper at the West, and particularly in this church, and that they should deeply regret his removal from this station should he accept of his appointment as Bishop of Maryland." Bishop Kemper remained at his post, but on the 21st of September, 1839, he tendered lis resignation as rector of the parish in consequence of the pressure of his episcopal duties. This resignation was respeet- fully deelined by the unanimous vote of the vestry. At this time a second parish (St. Paul's) had been established in St. Louis. On the 20th of April, 1840, Bishop Kemper renewed his resignation, which was accepted with expressions of regret by the vestry, who thanked him " for his unwearied endeavors to pro- mote the welfare and prosperity of our parish in a season of much difficulty and embarrassment," and assured him " that as churchmen we do entertain the most lively sense of the self-denying devotedness of Bishop Kemper to the great eause of the church, and that with pleasure we do attest her gradual and effect- ual growth under his auspices." In March, 1840, just previous to Bishop Kemper's resignation, at an informal meeting of a few clergymen and laymen, it was determined to call a primary convention for the purpose of organizing the different parishes of the State into a regular diocese. On Monday, Nov. 16, 1840, the convention assembled at Christ Church. Bishop Kemper presided, and eight elergymen were reported as entitled to seats, all of whom were pres- ent. Four parishes were represented by lay delegates also,-Christ Church and St. Paul's, St. Louis; St. Paul's, Palmyra ; and St. Paul's, St. Charles. At this time Grace Church, Jefferson City, and Christ Church, Boonville, were organized. A constitution and canons were adopted, and the diocese formally established.

Bishop Kemper continued to administer its affairs

1715

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

until 1843. His duties had then become so extensive and burdensome that he was compelled to ask that a portion of the field be assigned to another. He pro- posed that the clergy of the diocese and the vestry of Christ Church should select a clergyman agrceable to them respectively as bishop and rector of the church, and then petition the General Convention to appoint him bishop for the diocese of Missouri. In accord- ance with this plan the Diocesan Convention which met at Christ Church parsonage Sept. 27, 1843, de- cided to recommend the Rev. C. S. Hawks, of Buffalo, N. Y., for bishop. Dr. Hawks, the first Bishop of Missouri, was consecrated Oct. 20, 1844. Having been elected rector of Christ Church, he assumed the pastor- ate in January, 1844, and continued to act as rector in addition to the exercises of his episcopal functions. Bishop Hawks remained in pastoral charge until Feb. 1, 1854. When he assumed charge of the diocese there were in the State only seven resident Episcopal clergymen and only three church buildings,-Christ and St. Paul in St. Louis, and one at Jefferson City. When Bishop Hawks died (April 19, 1868). there were in the diocese twenty-four clergymen canonically resident, nineteen church buildings, and six parson- ages, and there had been confirmed during his epis- copate three thousand and sixty-one persons. On May 29, 1868, the Diocesan Convention elected as bishop of the diocese Right Rev. D. S. Tuttle, D.D., then missionary Bishop of Montana, but he declined the office. At a special convention called Sept. 4, 1868, and held in St. George's Church, Rev. Charles F. Robertson, D.D., of New York, was elected. He was consecrated second Bishop of Missouri, Oct. 25, 1868, and officiated for the first time in the State in Christ Church, Nov. 8, 1868. There were at that time reported eighteen hundred communicants in the diocese. The years since have been marked by great vigor and growth. In the spring of 1869 was pur- chased, at a cost of about eighteen thousand dollars, the handsome episcopal residence at No. 2727 Chest- nut Street. In 1882 there were sixty-five clergymen and nearly six thousand communicants in the diocesc, seventy-one church buildings, and eleven rectorics. There have been five thousand nine hundred and six confirmations. In St. Louis there are fifteen parishes and missions and fourteen church buildings. The church property in the diocese is valued at something more than one million dollars. During the last few years between two and three hundred thousand dol- lars of church debts have been paid off, and about one hundred thousand dollars are annually raised for church purposes. There are two general charitable institutions under the care of the church (both in St.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 156

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898 Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts Number of Pages: 1358

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358