History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 124

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 830

USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 124
USA > New Jersey > Essex County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 124

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).

The Sabbath-school followed the church to the new sanctuary on Sunday, Oet. 31, 1x58, but the prayer- meeting was maintained in the school-house till May 20, 1859, when that building was abandoned for church purposes, and it has since been removed and converted into a double dwelling.

In 1859 the trustees erected, at a cost of five thou- sand five hundred dollars, the session-house, with ap- '

propriate accommodation for the Sabbath-school, lecture, concert, prayer-meeting, social reunions and festivals. The first service held in it was on Wednes- day evening, Jan. 4, 1st0.

Four more lots, south of and next to the church property, were bought. making the church plot two hundred feet in front by one hundred and seventy- eight feeton the north, and one hundred and fifty-nine teet on the south. A row of sheds for the carriages of worshipers was built at the rear of the added ground. Paving of every street gradually made it unnecessary, and in the spring of 1874 it was re- moved.

The notable fact of pecuniary independence did not beguile the congregation into self-complacency or the trustees into inactivity. The former authorized the latter, June 22, 1865, to levy an additional assess- ment of seven per cent. upon the valuation of the pews, commeneing from July Ist following, and to begin to build a manse on the ground owned by the church as soon as four thousand dollars had been se- who favored it realized that they pledged themselves " enred. The ladies concerted and set in operation, July 20, 1865, successful schemes for aiding the church treasurer. As the result, the manse was begun in the spring of 1866, and fully completed in the next November, at a total cost of $8398.20.

The pioneer officers of this church were :

Elders, J. G. Purker andt O. II. Crosby ; Deacons, R. H. Westervolt and R. D. Wynkoop; Trustees, Rev. James G. Craighead, J. G. Parker, John Raymond, Alexander Bonnell, J. C. McBirney and Elisha Bliss, Jr.

The following were the officers in 1884:

Elders, A. Bonnell, H. Dasenberry, C. S. De Witt, S. R. Form n, M. D., James Wilkinson, M. D., David W. Ilull, M. F. Stires and C. D. Ridgway ; Deacons. A. H. P'erlee, ( . P. Benedict; Tra-tees, G. F. Perkins, J. W. Dusenberry, J. R. Whyte, C. D. Ridgway, M. B. McMahon and Nelson Provost.

The membership in 1884, was three hundred and sixty. Value of church property, forty-five thousand dollars.

The church has been most fortunate in the reten- tion of Rev. Edward W. French as its pastor from his first trial sermon, in September, 1856, to the present time.

The following recapitulation of the statistical his- tory of the church was furnished by Mr. Charles A. De Witt, and is given only for the first twenty-five years of the church's existence :

To the Treasurer of the Board of Trustees $214,005 58

To the Sabbath-School Missionary Association

6,711 41

To the Ladies' Missionary Association 3,912 14

Te the Deacons' Collection 1,340 20

T , the Ministerial Relief 1,214 48 1,595 71

To the Publication Board

To the sustentation Board

5.2 39

To the Freednien's Board .

596 11

To the Ministerial Education

1,120 63

To the Foreign Mission Board

3,561 88

To, the Dome Mission Board

4,733 96

To the t'hur h Erection Board

1,438 31

Miscellaneous

11,059 65

Grand Total . $256,142 55

Average per annumn $10,205 70

A verugo per month

$850 47

Canard A French

1179

JERSEY CITY.

NO MORE OF Y MARIN ADMITTED TO THE CHER'IN DURING TWENTY FIVE

Hy Certificate By Proforstan

Total

91.4

Of this number three hundred and eighty have been dismissed & other churches, eighty-reven have died, which leaves the front membership. four hundred and forty-siv.

REV. EDWARD WARNER FRENCH, D. D., is the son of Rev. Justus Warner French, an eminently success- ful and beloved minister of the Congregational Church in Vermont, and afterwards the educator in Western New York of young men, mainly for the ministry.

His younger son is now the pastor of Park Presby- terian Church, Newark, N. J.

The subject of this sketch was born at Barre, Vt. to good purpose, for they are always new and telling.

in 1829. Hle was graduated with high honor at Williams College in 1852. He studied theology at Union Seminary, New York and at Newport, R. I.

He was licensed by the Third Presbytery of New York in 1856. During that year he aided in the organization of a Presbyterian Church in Bergen, Hudson Co. (now Jersey City), to whose pulpit he was unanimously called. He has had no other charge, and is just now completing the twenty-eighth year of his pastorate in the First Presbyterian Church of Jersey City, in which he is greatly beloved.

Dr. French is esteemed one of the eminent clergy- men, not only of the Presbyterian denomination, but of the Protestant Church of the United States.

This reputation is not undeserved, but has its foun- dation in justice and in true merit. He is profound, analytical, logical and psychological. Being deeply reflective and studious naturally and by practice, he is introspective, and his sermons deal with the thoughts that influence human conduct, with the operations of the mind, with the sentiments of the heart, with the motive impulses and relations of the inner man to God, to the springs and sources of char- acter rather than to the superficial appearances, that often mislead and are frequently misunderstood.

Dr. French conducts worship in the sanctuary. This is impressed from the beginning of the services upon every attendant. There is solemnity without self-sufficiency on the part of the preacher, humility without abasement, dignity of office without pride of person and elevated thought without rhapsody.

The doctor speaks with measured slowness, in clear- cut, distinct utterance, using extreme care in the selection of words that they may express the thought with utmost precision and vigor. It would be dithi- cult to find another preacher more terse and compre- hensive in language. He avoids hackneyed phrases as one would shun a pestilence. This habit does not, as one would suppose, rob his sentences of polish, but it demands close attention, since one cannot know what is coming, and mental abstractions cause one to lose the thread of the discourse, "Multum in parro" might most aptly be applied to all that he utters.

By consequente Dr. French is most impressive and educational. Ilis hearers curry his thoughts with them from the house of worship.

This power of con ise expression and the hat it of concentrated thought become expansive instead of narrow, compr her iveinstead of focal. They suggest whole regions of thought of which the speaker has only deftly indicated the outline, as the true artist, with only a few touches of the brush here and there, will reveal the human face divine, or by a single stroke change the whole expression of the countenance.

Dr. French is not unimaginative. On the contrary, his illustrations and metaphors are most apt and pie- torial. They instruct, winle elucidating the promul- gated ideas. He uses them, however, sparingly, yet

His personal appearance does not strongly suggest the clergyman, though his brond and high forehead stamps him as a man of large capabilities. While there is no elocutionary effort displayed in his ser- monizing, he attracts by the very peculiarities of into- nation and manner, which may almost be called eccentricities. By the universal rule of associations and affinities, Dr. French has a church membership including many intellectual, learned, professional and wealthy people, who nobly aid the work of spreading the gospel here and elsewhere, and who are attached by the strongest ties of admiration and love to their able, earnest and spiritual pastor.

It may not be amiss to close this sketch with the thought that in the exercise of his mental endow- ments and acquisitions, and in all the keen and learned discourses which Dr. French preaches, the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ is always the principal theme, as in all the varied styles of gold and silver chronometer, of value the mainspring is always operative, thus giving them worth and effectiveness.

Westminster Presbyterian Church. 1 Pavonia Ave- nue, near Summit Avenue, Jersey City Heights, This society was organized June 13, 1871, at the house of John Gordon, No. 534 Summit Avenue, with James Dunn and George P. Howell, elders : James Martin and James Munroe, deacons ; Henry Dusen- bury, George P. Howell, Charles C. Jewell, John Gordon and Robert T. Rogers, trustees. The church was a brauch from the First Presbyterian Church of Bergen (Dr. French), and passed through many trials and difficulties incident to and during its infancy, but has happily emerged from them all, and for the past five years has steadily prospered. The building is of wood, and cost originally eleven thousand dol- lars; it is now valued at seven thousand dollars, Before another year has elapsed the congregation confidently expect to be worshiping in a new and commodious building, corner of Summit aud MIng- nolia Avenues.

The pastoral record of this church is as follows:

1 By Henry Farmer.

1180

HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

R v. John S. Gendenning, installed Oct. 26, 1871 ; he served about five years. Rev. O. B. Bidwell, in- stalled April 26, 1$77, remaining about two years. He was succeeded, May 10, 1850, by Rev. Israel W. Hathaway.

The officers of the church for 1884 are :

Elders, George P. Howell, John Gordon, Charles . Jewell, William HI Banke ; Deacons, John Keenan, James Banks: Trustees, Robert Kerr, L s. Willard, Sebastian Brodt, Orion Banks, Charles Frazer.

Second Presbyterian Church,' Third Street, near Jersey Avenue. This church had its origin in Mis- sion School No. 7, of Harsimus. Its organization dates back to December, 1851, when about twenty members took their first communion in Smith's Hall, corner of Grove and Fourth Streets, under the pas- toral charge of Rev. Charles Hoover, who remained with the congregation about seven and a half years. He was sucecoded by Rev. James M. Stevenson, who ministered to the Hoek nearly seven years. Subse- quently Rev. Hiram Eddy, D.D., officiated three years; Rev. John R. Fisher, nine and a half years, who was succeeded by Rev. Alexander McKelvey, the present pastor, his installation taking place March 13, 1884. The first elders who served under Rev. Mr. lloover as moderators of the session were Thomas S. Doremus, Darius S. Crosby and William Rhodes. The church edifice, which is of brick, was dedicated Jan. 17, 1858, the dedicatory sermon being preached by the pastor, Rev. Mr. Iloover.

The property is valued at fifty thousand dollars, and the membership of the church is one hundred and seventy. The officers of the church for 1884 are

Rev Alexander McKelvey, moderator ; J H. Frye, William German, William Manee, J. F. Schmidt and William (', White, elders,

Second United Presbyterian Church,1 located on Hancock Avenue, south of Bower Street, was organized on the 4th of April, 1871, and was opened for worship in December, 1873. The original constit- uent members were William Magill, Margaret Magill, Jane MeDonakl, Robert S. Stewart, Ann Stewart, Samuel Martin, Christina Martin, William MeCune, Rachel MeCune, Thomas Martin, James Henry and Martha Ilenry. Samuel Martin and James Henry were the first elders, and Rev. Robert Arm- strong, D. D., the present pastor, was the first and only minister the church has had since its organization, while Samuel Martin and James Henry still remain in the office of elders, together with William Magill, Robert S. Stewart and Daniel Black. The trustces are Lyle Reed, Samuel V. Reed, David Banks, Peter Randal, Arthur Fry, David Shurie and Thomas Mar- tin. When instituted, the congregation had neither church building nor ground on which to build, nor a dollar toward procuring either. Now they have a handsome church edifice, of wood, valned at twenty- five thousand dollars, and the church is free from all incumbrance.

Summit Avenue United Presbyterian Church .-- This is one of the young churches of Jersey City, it having been organized June 13, 1882, with the fol- lowing named persons as constituent members: Ken- neth Dingwall, Maria Dingwall, James Heggans, Sr., Sarah Heggans, Alfred Scott. Mrs. Ellen Seott, Thomas Gallagher, Mrs. Ada Gallagher, R. G. Booth, James A. Booth, Mary J. Booth, Joseph MeConet, .Jr., Mrs. Anna MeConet, Mrs. Eliza J. McCaw, Hamilton McCaw, Miss Alicia J. T. MeCaw, H F. Burlew, Mrs. Samantha Burlew, Thomas Stewart and Mrs. Amanda Stewart.

The first elders of the church were Hamilton Me- Caw, James Heggans, Sr., and Thomas Stewart.

Trustees, Kenneth Dingwall, president; H. F. Burlew, secretary; Hamilton MeCaw, treasurer; Thomas Gallagher, Thomas Stewart, James Heggans, Sr., and R. G. Booth.

The church edifice is a comfortable two-story frame building, the lower story divided into lecture and Sunday-school and janitor's rooms, while the main audience-room is in the second story. The church is conducted on the free-scat plan. There is con- nected with this church a flourishing Sunday-school of one hundred and twenty-eight pupils, a Young People's Literary Society and a Ladies' Missionary Su- ciety.

First Congregational Church of Jersey City, ' located on the corner of York and Hudson Streets.

At Iroquois Hall, April 14, 1858, an organzation of this church was effected, mutual pledges being entered into by nineteen persons, male and female, on profession of faith, and by letters from sister churches.

On April 25, 1858, publie religions services were held, attended with great interest when under direc- tion of Council. The new church was welcomed to the brotherhood of Congregational Churches in Ly- ceum Hall.

The original members were Mrs. E. E. Allen, Charles H. Dummer, I. V. W. De Hart, N. P. Dennison, A. S. Hatch, Miss Theodocia Hatch, A. H. Farlan, F. W. B. Fleming, Mrs Mary M. Fleming, Mrs. Jane E. Hatch, S. F. Lund, Mrs. Catharine Lund, Harriet T. Storrs, Stephen W. St. John, Mrs. Laura E. St. John, Wm. S. Taylor,' Mrs. Julia L. Taylor, 3 Illinois Winter, Mrs. Elmira Winter. The above-named persons constituted the membership of the Tabernacle Church, or First Congregational Church.

On April 17, 1861, JJohn Milton Holmes, of Andover Theological Seminary, received an unanimous call, which he immediately accepted, and thus before com- pleting his course of study at the seminary entered upon his work as pastor and teacher, and on May 23, 1861, was ordained and installed to the work of the

: Dy Henry Farmer

& The only remaining members of the original nineteen

1 By llenry Farmer.

1181

JERSEY CITY

gospel ministry as pastor of the First Congregational Church, which position he occupied with increased Usefulness, unremitting in efforts to enlarge and strengthen the growing interests of " his beloved church."

But hard work among his people and the deep in- terest which he took in all matters growing out of the intense excitement of the times brought on failing health and he was obliged to give up, and with deepest feelings of grief and sorrow, after a pastorale of something over eight years, was, on May 5, 1869, regularly dismissed, and on Sept. 20, 1871, died in Jersey City, in the midst of a beloved and sorrowing people. The church and society extended an unani- mous call to Rev. 1. B. Wilcox, of New London, which he accepted on Dec. S, 1969 (the same year that Mr. Holunes was dismissed), was installed, and after a pastorate of about six years was dismissed to take charge of a church in New London, April 27, 1875.

The third and present pastor, Rev. Addison P. Lorter, of Chelsea, Mass,, received a call to the Taber- nacke Church in April, 1877, and was installed May 23, 1877.

During the two years the church was without a pastor services were maintained both Sunday morn- ings and evenings, as well as its weekly meetings, with great regularity.

The church met for religious services in Lyceum Hall, Franklin Hall and in other halls, migrating from place to place as seemed necessary to accommo- date the growing needs of the church, until June 16, 1862, when the corner-stone of the Tabernacle was laid with appropriate ceremonies at the corner of York and Henderson Streets, and on May 3, 1863, was formally dedicated to the worship of Almighty God. The building is brick, standing on five full lots, front- ing on Henderson Street seventy-five feet, and on York one hundred and twenty-two and a half feet, and worth not far from thirty thousand dollars.

The interior of the main building is divided into an audience-room, seventy-five by ninety feet, with lecture and Sunday-school room and library-rooms in the rear, with ladies' parlor, pastor's study and ante- rooms on second floor.

The first officers of the church were:

Pastor, Hes John Milton Holmes, Dearona, A. H. Furlan, Illinois Winter, Stephen N. St. John, A. S. Watch , Clerk, s. F Lund ; Treasurer, A. > Hatch.

Present membership : males, ninety-two; females, two hundred and twenty-nine; total membership, three hundred and twenty-one.

It is proper to add that the First Congregational Church has attained a membership of about seven hundred since its organization, in 1858; yet its loss by dismissal to sister-churches has been great largely growing out of the fact that the church occupies inter- mediate territory, lying between New York City on one side and a great number of thriving villages and

out-towns within easy access by numerous railway trains, fifteen to twenty miles away in New Jersey. The officers at present arr:

Pastor, Bes Adding P. Fester The area, William Bay Hast, Willem

W J Hunt ; Clerk, W W Ingere !!

First German Evangelical Lutheran Church .- This society was organized Oct 31, 1>74, a an off: shoot of St. Johns Lutheran Church, and comprised only six families. When Rev. Robert A. Hofer, the present pastor, assumed his position Sept. 1, 1879, twenty-five families were numbered in the member- ship, and the church was in a weak state, owing a debt of three thousand dollars. Now the debt has been lowered to a few hundred dollars, and the names of two hundred persons are upon the roll of communicant members. The church has raised during the eleven years of its existence over eleven thousand dollars for benevolent purposes. The present trustees are Philip Lindemeyer, Louis Linde meyer, 11. Gruen- thal, L. Frank, Jacob Sander, JJr., AA. Sembke; the elders are Jacob Sander, Jr., Philip Lindemeyer, and Erust Cattenhorn ; the deacons, Herman Brueckner, Alexander Santer, Louis Frank. A Sunday-school, of which the pastor is superintendent, has two hundred and fifty members.

St. Matthew's Church (German Evangelical Lu- theran.)-The church editice of this organization is located on Fifth Street, between Erie and Jersey Avenues, in Jersey City, and was purchased from the Baptists in Isol, the society or church having been organized January 11th of that year, with the follow- ing-named persons as constituent members : William L. Brooking, William F. Schuman, John Koster, Gerhard Schuackenberg, Kenry Knop. Of the above all are still living except Mr. Brooking, and are members of the church.

The Erst officers were as follows :

Elders, John Koster, Job F. Flaske, Hleforich Shumaker . Dearons, Bernhard Happ, Christian Greb, Gerhard . hunckenberg . Trastres, Will. liam L. Brooking (president , Henry Knop treasurer), Fentinand sauer. William Boise, John Dolt and William F Schuman ( rotary .

At the organization of the church the little flowk was in charge of Rev. -- Worsidlow. Although not regularly installed, he remained until the carly part of 1-62, when Rev. Julius A. Bergeroth was installed, and remained till 1866. The next pastoor was Rev. George Froh, installed 1866 and remained until isal, when he was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. John C. J. Petermon.

The church ofheers for 1s&# were :

Jet , Every, Phi. Masbel and John Slepper, elders. It Duderstadt, Hurweister Kasemeyer amt Wilking Behrens, decons. The board of trustees were John Heister, president Julius Ingel, secretary ; W Bener, treasurer ; and Ad. Voelker, M Tumforel, H. Adelung, Gi. Schu- ackenberg

The membership in 1554 comprised two hundred and twenty-eight families, and the value of church property was ten thousand dollars.

1182

HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Salem Church of the Evangelical Association of North America.1-This church was organized June 22, 1869, by Rev. G. Scharf, II. Koch, C. Frundt, H. Hermann, J. Birmle, F. Eggert and H. Findeklee.

The church edifice is a frame structure. located on Bergen Avenue, in that portion of Jersey City known as Greenville, the corner-stone having been laid Aug. 18, 1870, and the edifice dedicated October 9th of the same year by Rev. N. Goebel. A second edifice was built in 1874, and dedicated by Bishop R. Jackel.

The first official board of the church was composed of Messrs. H. Koch and J. Birmele.

The pastors of this church have been Rev. G. Scharf, who remained one year; Rev. N. Gocbel, two years; Rev. E. Glasser, three years; Rev. M. Guhl, one year; Rev. A. Straub, three years; Rev. C. B. Flicher, one year; Rev. C. Philiplar, one year; Rev. J. G. Marguardt, one year ; Rev. Il. P. Ball, the present pastor, who is serving his third year.

The official board for 1884 consisted of F. Eggert, J. Yackle and C. Perlenfem. Membership in 1884 was fifty-one ; value of church property, nine thousand dollars.

The Sunday-school connected with this church comprises one hundred and sixty pupils, with twenty- two teachers and officers, and F. Eggert superintend- ent.

First Baptist Church,2 located on Grove Street, Jersey City. The pioneer meetings of this church were held at private residences, and in Franklin | Ilall, on Montgomery Street, and March 1, 1848, the First Baptist Church of Jersey City was duly organ- ized, with the following-named persons as constituent members :

William Bumsted.

Mrs. Ruth Howe.

Mra, Mary Ann Bumsted.

John l'. Ilill.

Mrs. Mary Holmes.

Elizabeth Harrison.

L'atharine Hammond.

David Jones. Mrs. Sarah Jours.

Evan Jones.

Mr. Eleanor Jones.

Miss Conover.

Rev. Lewis Tally.

Mrs. Sarah F. G Colby.

Mrs. Ann Johnson.

snaan Kent.

Mrs. Nancy A. Dodd.

Elizabeth lutnarest.

Evan Davis.

Mary Ann Lyeth.

Mr. Jane Davia.

James MacBride.

Mrs. Harriet Dunhanı.

Mr. Ann Mac Bride. William Il. Minnugh.

Mrs. Theresa Davis.

Mr. Rebecca Pag ...

Mary Darin.

Mrs. Ann Quaife, Sr.

Mrs. Sophia Eler. Juinh Joy

Stephen Quaife. Eliot Smith.

Mis Try phosa Fey.

Antony fireeu.

Mr. Sarah Aun Smith.

JaIH. Giren. Mary Griffithe.

Hanonh Shipley. John Turnbull.

31 ra. Griffin.

Vra. sarah Turnbull.

1 Fr in data furnished ly Rev HI. P. Ball.

2 From data furnished by Rev. W. H. P'armly.

James llone.

Isto Tysoe.

Mrs. Isabella llowe.

Thonms Howe. Mrs. Rachel Howe. Martha Ilowe. William Howe.

Roderick Thomson. Margaret Thomson. Isaiah Waldron. Christina Waldron. William Young.

March 2, 1873, Mr. Parmly preached a historical sermon, and at that time thirty-eight of the above sixty-eight had died, while others had removed, leaving only seventeen of the constituent members in March, 1873. The following named persons con- stituted the first board of deacons: William Bum- sted, William Boorman, William Young. The church clerk was John Turubull.

The first church edifice, fifty by eighty feet, was of brick, built in 1872-73, and dedicated July 17, 1873. The preachers upon this occasion were Rev. Thomas Armitage, D.D., who preached in the morning ; Rev. George C. Baldwin, D.D., preached in the afternoon ; and Rev. William Hague, D.D., in the evening. The cost of the building, including the lot, was seventeen thousand dollars.

In 1875-76 an addition to the original building, twenty by sixty feet, was erected, which with repairs to the old building cost thirty-four thousand dollars. The rededication took place Feb. 13, 1876. The preachers on that occasion were Rev. Wheelock H. Parmly, D.D., who preached in the morning ; Rev. R. S. MacArthur, D.D., preaching in the afternoon, and Rev. John Dowling, D.D., in the evening.

The pastors of this church have been Rev. O. C. Wheeler, from April 6, 1848, to Nov. 21, 1848; Rev. William Verrinder, from Dec. 1, 1849, to April 1, 1854; Rev. Wheelock HI. Parmly, D.D., from Sept. 1, 1854, to the present time.

The church officials for 1884 were as follows :

Deacons, John T. Richards, Walter S. Conant, Albert D. Mills, C'or- nelius Van Dyke and William Ramsey; Trusteer, Albert D. Mille, Charles Carpenter, Abram H. Brown, George Miller, Duncan D. Parmly, William Kerr, Jr., and Cornelius B. Van Dyke; Clerk, William 3I. Laws.

The membership of the church in 1884 was five hundred and eighty. six, and value of church property fifty-one thousand dollars.

Out of this church, chiefly, have been formed three other Baptist Churches in Jersey City, and all in a flourishing condition.

Summit Avenue Baptist Church .- This church was organized June 22, 1857, as the First Baptist Church of Hudson City, with the following-named persons as original members : John Shapp, Willet G. Tripp, Richard Slee, Jr., George Shapp, John Adams, James Glass, Edward Everre, Relief G. Tripp, Elizabeth Shapp, Ellen T. Slee, Mary Ann Shapp, Mrs. O. Sherwin, Mary Glass, Hannah Adams, Louisa Everre and Sarah Nolan. James Glass and Willet G. Tripp were the first deacons.

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History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 124

Author: Shaw, William H Publication date: 1884 Publisher: [United States :] Number of Pages: 830

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 830