History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 126

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 126
USA > New Jersey > Essex County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 126

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).

Pastors,-Revs. Charles E. Winans, 1863-64; John J. Morrow, 1864-67 ; Daniel R. Lowrie, 1867-70; John Atkinson, 1870-73; S. Van Benschoten, 1873-75; . I. B. Faulks, 1876-78; D. W. Bartine, 1879; P. G. Blight, 1880-82; Richard Van Horn, 1883-84.

The property is valued at twenty-five thousand dollars, but is heavily burdened with a debt of twenty-one thousand dollars. There are three hun- dred and ten full members and sixty-five proba- tioners.

The Palisade Methodist Episcopal Church was

on the list in point of membership, having four hun- dred and twenty five in full communion and one incorporated May 26, 153%. The building & on New hundred and ten on probation. The valuation of the York Avenue, corner of North Street. property is placed at seventeen thousand dollars, in- cluding five thousand dollars for the parsonage, and the M. Simpson, 1862-63; James I. Boswell, 103-61; indebtouness is four thousand four hundred dollars.

Pastors,- Rovs. Thomas E. Gordon, 1551-62; Henry James MI Fitzgerald, 1864 67, Benjamin O. Parviu, 1-67-70; John S. Porter, 1570-73; George Winsor, 1873 75; S. V. Bebont, 1876-7; J. W. Seran, 1979- sD. T. C. Mayham, 1881-83; Elbert Clement, 1884.

This church has a membership of about one hundred and forty. The property is valued at eight thousand dollars, and has a debt of one thousand dollars.

The Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church was organized April 17, 1867, with a membership of over a hundred. The society was incorporated Sept. 27, 1-67. The building is on the north side of Pavonia Avenue, between Cole and Monmouth Streets. The cornerstone was laid Sept. 26, 1870, and the basement dedicated April 30, 1571. Prior to this Intter date services were held in Union Hall, on the southwest corner of Grove and Fourth Streets.

For ten years the church put up with a one-story building, designing to add the second story in the near future, but being burdened with a debt of eight thou- sanal dollars on the property they had already accu- mulated, they felt unable to undertake the work of completion till the spring of 1882, when, with a heroism and generosity seldom equaled, they pledged themselves to furnish between eight thousand dollars and nine thousand dollars. They have finished the walls and put on the roof of the audience-room and made other improvements of less magnitude, all of which were paid for In 1953 eighteen hundred dollars more were raised and expended. The main auditorium is nearly finished, and will be ready for use this fall (1854). The total value of the prop- erty is about thirty thousand dollars ; indebtedness, eight thousand dollars. The number of full members of the church is two hundred and fifteen, with thirty- one on probation.

Pastors,-Revs. David Graves, 1867-68 ; Hamilton ": MeBride, Ist8-69; James B. Faulks, 1:09-72 ; Edson W. Burr, 1872-74; J. W. Fitzgerald, 1875-77 ; Josiah R. Daniels, 1878-80; C. R. Barnes, 1881-83; Edson W. Burr, 1884.

The West End Methodist Episcopal Church was organized Sept. 1. 1868. A chapel was built and a Sabbath-school of a hundred scholars established in 1869. The building is on the east side of Tonnele Avenue, near Newark Avenue.

Pastors,-Revs. Henry M. Simpson, 1869-71 ; Charle's R. Barnes, 1871-73; Thomas 11. Jacobus, 1873-75; J. Cowins, 1876-78; J. W. Young. 1879-8]; J. . A Gutteridge, 1882-84.

In 1831 the church property was sold on account of financial embarrassment. The following year Rev. Mr. Gutteridge was sent there, and instead of giving up its long and heroic struggle and disbanding, the church took a new lease of life, and by the energy

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IHISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

of the pastor fifteen hundred dollars was raised. Four lots on Tonnele Avenue, east of Marion Station, were purchased, and a neat and very pretty frame church and parsonage bave been erected at a cost of sixteen thousand dollars. The edifice was finished and dedicated in January, 1884. The church building is free of debt, but the parsonage is encum- bered to the amount of two thousand dollars. It is now known as tirace Church, and has one hundred and fifty-five full members.

The Lafayette Methodist Episcopal Church was incorporated April 21, 1873. The building is located on the west side of Pine Street, between Con- munipaw Avenue and Lafayette Street.

Pastors,-Revs. W. L. Hoagland, 1869-72; A. IL. Tuttle, 1872-74; C. S. Coit, 1875-77 ; Edson W. Burr, 1878-80; J. A. Munroe, 1881-83; Warren L. Hoag- land, 1884.

This church expended six hundred and fifty dollars in painting and refurnishing in 1882, but they are now building a new house of worship on Pacific Street, in the rear of the present edifice. It is of brick, with stone trimmings, and will cost, including the land, in the neighborhood of thirty thousand dollars, all of which will be paid up when completed. The congre- gation expect to have it finished and ready for occu- pation by the 1st of January, 1885. The old building, valued at five thousand dollars, will be retained for Sunday-school purposes. The membership of this church is two hundred and one.

The Waverly Methodist Episcopal Church was incorporated Dec. 20, 1870. The society worshiped in a church building on the corner of Palisade and New York Avenues. They never had much strength, and were only tenants at will, with no probability that they would ever be able to purchase the builling or erect one of their own. The leading Methodists who were instrumental in its organization moved away, and the society had become unable to support a min- ister, so they determined to disband, which they did in 1882.

l'astors,-Revs. Henry Baker, 1870-73 ; Abraham J. Palmer, 1873-75; C. S. Ryman, 1876; William I. Gill, 1877; Thomas H. Stockton, 1878-79; J. B. Taylor, 1880-82.

The parsonage has been sold, and arrangements are being made to sell the remainder of the church property and erect a new edifice in the same vicinity.

The pastoral record is as follows: Revs. Waters Burrows, 1851-53; David Waters, 1853-54; Benjamin

F. Woolston, 1854-55 ; Edwin A. Day, 1855-56 ; William C. Nelson, 1856-57; Waters Burrows, 1857- 58; Isaae W. Huff, 1858-60; Thomas E. Gordon, 1860-61; S. L. Ballwin, 1861-62; Richard Johns, 1862-63 ; William G. Hughes, 1863-64 ; Bront Slaight, 1864-65; Ambrose S. Compton, 1865-67 ; Fletcher Lummis, 1867-70; Egbert Clement, 1870- 73; Charles R. Barnes, 1873-74; J. W. Seran, 1875; R. B. Lockwood. 1876-77 ; Linden Avenue and West View Avenue, Abraham M. Palmer, 1878-79; J. II. Runyon, 1880-82; C. C. Winans, 1883; C. Larew, 1884.

The value of the church property, as reported to the Conference in 1884, was five thousand dollars ; parsonage, one thousand dollars ; indebtedness, seventeen hundred dollars. The total member- ship is ninety-eight.

The Janes Methodist Episcopal Church was incorporated March 10, 1870. It is situated on Charles, near Summit avenne. Pastors,-Revs. Thomas Hall, 1870-73; J. F. Dodd, 1873; D. B. F. Randolph, 187t; W. F. Warner, 1875-76, supplied by C. H. Tisdale, 1877; Fletcher Lummis, 1878; supplied by R. M. Aylsworth, of Madison, N. J., 1879-80; sup- plied by II. M. Smith, 1881; supplied by J. A. Dodge, 1882; G. L. Tufts, 1883; P. C. Bascom, 1884.

The property is leased, but land has been pur- chased on Summit Avenue, one block east of the present site, upon which a church will shortly be built. Ileretofore the pulpit has been supplied by students of the Drew Seminary, but a pastor was located last spring. The church has seventy-eight full members and forty-one on probation.

The Communipaw Methodist Episcopal Church was incorporated April 14, 1853. The building is on the south side of Communipaw Avenue, near New York Bay. The corner-stone was laid June 8, 1854, and the church was dedicated Oct. 15, 1854. At that time Rev. T. C. Carman was pastor, and he was the only pastor the society ever had exclusively. From that time until 1882 it was connected with the Greenville, Trinity or Emory Churches. It is now under the pastoral supervision of Rev. Mr. Hoagland, of the Lafayette Church. The building is valued at three thousand dollars.

Linden Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church .- The West Side Avenue Church was completed in 1872, and cost thirty thousand dollars. It is a large and handsome brick building, with stone trimmings, This was formerly known as the Greenville Methodist Episcopal Church, and was incorporated by that title July 20, 1845. The building is on the south side of | and is noticeable on entering Jersey City by the Cen- Linden Avenue, between Ocean Avenue and Bergen tral Railroad by its tall and graceful spire. There is a debt of six thousand dollars on the property. The church is prospering and numbers one hundred and twenty-nine members. road. It was dedicated Jan. 6, 1846. This society was connected until 1851 with the Bergen Mission. In 1875 its name was changed to the Linden Avenue Church, by which it is now known.

Pastors,-Revs. 1I. M. Simpson, 1872-73 ; S. P. Hanı- mond, 1874-76; Hiram D). Opdyke, 1877; James B. Brady, 1878-80; E. M. Garton, 1881-83 ; J. I. Boswell, 1884.

The Jersey City District of the Newark Con- ference extends from Bergen Point up the Hudson

11×9

JERSEY CITY.

to Stony Point, and westward to Barryville, Sullivan Co., N. Y., a distance of one hundred and sixteen miles, In the spring of 1880 Paterson and somne other places were set off to the Newton District, and some stations from the latter district were added to Jersey t'ity.

In this district there are now seventy-tive churches and twenty-three parsonages. The property is valued in round numbers at six hundred thousand dollars, and this valuation is considered by no means high. There is an indebtedness of about one hundred thon- sand dollar-, or less than seventeen per cent. on the total valuation, which would be small if evenly distrib- uted over the whole. Many of the churches and parsonages are free from debt, many others have only a small incumbranve, while several of the societies are heavily burdened. The debt, however, is twenty- six thousand dollars less than it was in 1882. In the last Conference year the district reported not far from one thousand conversions and between eight and nine hundred probationers.

The presiding elder of the district is Rev. Alexan- der Craig, who was appointed in 1882, coming from the pastorate of Trinity Church, Newark. The large extent of the district involves many weary hours of toil, exposure and care, to which this carnest minister bas devoted himself with commendable zeal and efli- ciency.

The Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ.1 This congregation was organized in June, 1884, and wor- ships in the building on the corner of Erie and sixth Streets, formerly Dr. Harkness Scotch Presbyterian Church. They are an independent body, and enter- tain peculiar views as to the higher plane of Chris- tianity to which they believe man may attain through the efficacy of prayer and faith, looking to the Lord as the Great Physician and healer of the body as well as Saviour of the soul. They practice healing of the sick by anointing and the laying on of hands, and hold regular services for this purpose. The body has no ordained pastor, but is ministered to by Mr. Han- cox, of Greenville, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Jackson.

Mount Zion Sanctuary, at Greenville, is a branch of this same congregation. The meetings are held in a part of the large house formerly occupied by Capt. Ilancox, which has been fitted up neatly as a place of worship.

The same body has also a mission in Henderson Street, between Railroad Avenue and Bay Street. This place is open day and night, and affords shelter to many poor, distressed wanderers, a lodging-room being fitted up in the upper story for their accommo- dation. Hot coffee is supplied gratuitously if the ap- pleants are destitute; otherwise they are expected to pay a small som for their accommodations, A sewing-school for girls is conducted every Saturday afternoon by Mrs. C. T. Brown.

The church building on Erie Street is owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. It has seen many vicissitudes. After Dr. Harkness' congregation va- cated the premises it was occupied by the I'nion Church, a body which united in one common faith men.bers of different denominations, ignoring the dif- ferences of creed among the sects, and taking the Bible and its promises as the foundation and structure of their faith, without disputing on doctrinal points. This congregation grew out of the Pavonin Union Mission, an organization which was started in Pavonia Avenue about the year 1874. For several years prior to that date a Sunday-school had been maintained under the superintendence of Mr. Van Arsdale. On removing to the Erie Street building, Rev. Dr. Eddy, formerly of the Second Presbyterian Church, became their pastor, and continued until 1830, when, on his proposition, the name of the society was changed to the Third Congregational Church, after considerable opposition by a majority of the members, who finally consented to the change, believing it to be a means by which they woukl retain the ministration of Dr. Eldy. He, however, resigned in December of that year, and the Rev. Dr. Noyes was ordained pastor in April, 1881. He remained but one year. The church ran down for want of financial support. They could not support the minister, and after a hard struggle to maintain existence the enterprise was given up for want of means.

The congregation was seattered, a majority of them joining the Tabernacle, while many, including Mr. and Mrs. W. II. Woodward, who had been prominent in all the movements of the independent church they had inaugurated, have united with the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN II'DSON COUNTY .?

The growth of the Catholic Church in Hudson County has been very rapid, if not, indeed, very ex- traordinary. Within the past fifty years the Catholics have surpassed in numbers any other denomination, and their churches, free schools, academies, colleges and orphan asylums exceed in value the combined churches and religious institutions of all other Chris- tian denominations.

The parable of the mustard seed may, with all truth, be applied to the feeble beginning and the astonishing development of this powerful organization. In 1834 there were hardly a few hundred Catholics within the now limits of this county, and they were of the labor- ing class, Irish exiles-hewers of wood and carriers of water. So small was their number and so scant their finances that, with all the aid they could obtain from the Catholics of Sing-Sing, New York and Bo-ton, they were unable, after a struggle of ten years, to finish the church which they had commenced on ground donated to them by the Associates of tho

: By Rev P. Corrigan

1 By fleury l'armiel

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HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Jersey Company. In 1884 the Catholics number seventy thousand, and they own property worth be- tween two and three millions of dollars. Their free schools, free hospitals and orphan asylums are a saving to the tax-payers of hundreds of thousands of ‹ lars a year. Their free schools are open to all ereeds and all colors. There are eight thousand Catholic children attending Catholic schools that cost the tax-payers not one cent.

The first corporate body of Catholies in this county consisted of "the trustees of the Roman Catholic Church of St. Peter's, Jersey City, N. J." It was organized Jan. 20, 1831. To this body were decded. March 10, 1831, the four lots of ground on the north side of Grand Street, between Washington and War- ren Street on which old St. Peter's Church and rec- tory now stand. This ground, with its buildings, belongs now to the Sisters of Charity, who occupy the old church as a young ladies' academy, under the name of St. Aloysius Academy.

The early Catholics held services in private houses before they occupied the basement of the unfinished church. It is not known by whom, where or when the first mass was said in the county, but it was about the year 1830, or somewhat before that time. and by some priest from New York, and in old Jersey City. The first stationary pastor of Jersey City was Rev. William Byrnes, who came about the year 1834, and continued the work of the church, the foundations of which had been already laid by the trustees. Father Byrnes seems to have had the building well advanced in 1836, and he seems to have left Jersey City soon afterwards, as he died iu Plattsburg in 1837. Rev. l'ather Mohan succeeded him, and he was succeeded by Rev. Walter J. Quarter, who, from 1842 till the spring of 1844, labored hard to finish the church. 1Ie was followed by Rev. Patrick Kenny, who remained but a few months, and died in Charleston, S. C., in 1×45. Rev. John Kelly, who had just returned from the colony of Liberia, in Africa, was appointed pastor in the fall of 184-1. He remained such till his death, in 1866, when he was succeeded, May 5, 1866, by Rev. l'atrick Corrigan.

Father Kelly had just erected and placed under roof the new st. Peter's Church, which stands on the northeast corner of Grand and Van Vorst Streets. Father t'orrigan completed the building and had it opened for service in December, 1866. Wishing to have a L'atholic college in the county, Father Corri- gan invited the Jesuits to build one, and as an induce- ment he agreed to give them all the property of the parish, valued at about two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The entire debt on all this property, includ- ing both churches, the old and the new one, and four cottages and parish schools, was fifty-two thousand dollars. The Jesuits have since then built a magnifi cent college, under the name of St. Peter's College. When Father Corrigan resigned his parish in favor of the Jesuits, in April, 1871, he became pastor of St.

Bridget's Church in Mercer Street, which he had himself built in 1869, and which up to that time had been attached to St. Peter's parish.

To Bishop Bayley, the first bishop of New Jersey, and to the able priests under him, may be attributed the magnificent churches, schools, orphan asyInms and hospitals that are the ornaments of this county. Among the priests who labored most in this develop- ment are Rev. John Kelly, Rev. Patrick Corrigan, Rev. D. L. Senez, Rev. J. da Concilio and Rev. l'at- rick Hennessy.

St. Mary's Church.' -- The church stands on the northeast corner of Erie and Second Streets. It was begun by its present pastor in 1861 and finished in 1863. It is a plain brick building, and cost about forty thousand dollars. The congregation is one of the finest in the diocese of Newark. It numbers about seven thousand souls. Rev. D. L. Senez is pastor.

St. Peter's Church' is located on the north- east corner of Grand and Van Vorst Streets. This succeeded as parish church to the old st. l'eter's, which was begun about 1833 and finished about 1845. The new St. Peter's was begun in 1864, and roofed in 1866 by Rev. John Kelly; it was finished in 1866 by Rev. P. Corrigan, who gave it to the Jesuits in 1871. The building alone cost about one hundred thousand dollars. The congregation numbers about seven thousand five hundred souls.

St. Bridget's Church .- This parish was organ- ized in 1869, and the corner-stone of the church edifice laid November 14th of that year by the Right Rev. M. A. Corrigan. The sermon on the occasion was preached by the Rev. l'. Byrne, of Camden, N. J. The first mass was read on Dec. 25, 1869, to about one hundred persons, constituting the membership of the parish at that time.

The church was consecrated June 5, 1870, by the Right Rev. M. A. Corrigan, assisted by the Rev. I'. Cody, who preached the sermon on the occasion.

The pastors of this congregation have been Rev. P'. Corrigan, from November, 1869, to January, 1876 Rev. P. E. Smyth, from January, 1876, to Jan. 11, 1882; the present pastor, Rev. James Hanley, since Feb. 1, 1882.

The membership in 1884 was six thousand, with a church property valued at fifty thousand dollars.

St. Paul's Catholic Church, Greenville, N. J .- The pioneer movement towards the organization of this parish was by the Rev. Father Vincent, Pas- sionist, from West Hoboken, in the month of February, 1862. At once large numbers of Catholics who had been in the habit of attending church in Jersey City and Hudson City flocked around Father Vincent, and in the course of the same year an edifice thirty by forty feet was erected. In 1869 the building was en- larged by the addition of twelve feet on each side and thirteen feet in rear, giving the building the form

I By Rev. l' Corrigan.

1191

JERSEY CITY

of a cross, fifty-two by forty-two feet. The first resi- astor was Rey. W. Fellings.

Previous to 1869 the Passionist Fathers Vincent, Milus, Timothy. Thomas and others, with Father P. P. Niederhauser, of Bergen Point, and their suc- cessors attended this mission.

Rev. W. Fehlings was succeeded, in January, 187L by Rev. A. Kempen, who, in turn, was succeeded by Rev. S. B. Smith, D. D., who built the two-story school-house. Dr. Smith was succeeded by Rev. J. Mendl, Nov. 4. 1872. Father Mendl built an exten- Hion of forty feet to the front of the church, making now a building ninety-two by thirty feet, and forty feet in transepts. He also built the beautiful four- story brick academy and convent for school sisters, whom he introduced from New York City in 1877.

In 1878 Mr. Mendl, was succeeded by Rev. .. Heckinger, who remained till April, 1582, when he was succeeded by Rev. J. J. Schandel, the present pastor.

The first lay trustees of this parish were Julius Lignot and Dennis MeCarron. Present value of church property, thirty thousand dollars. Communi- cants, fourteen hundred.

St. Patrick's Church .-- This church is located at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Grand Strect, Jersey City Heights. The district was formerly a mission attached to Jersey City and next to Hudson City, and its present pastor, the Rev. Patrick Hennessy, then attended it as a curate. In 1870, Bishop Bayley erected the place into a parish and sent Father Hennessy there to form a church. The society was organized in February, 1870, with the Right Rev. James R. Bayley, Rev. Patrick Hennessy, Rev. Michael Aleoringan, Hugh MeKay and Patrick Sillis as its first officers.

On September 5th, Father Hennessy blessed the trenelies dug for the foundations and laid the first stone for the present beautiful edifice. The corner- stone was laid by Archbishop Bayley, Nov. 13, 1870. The church was not finished until seven years later, and was dedicated Ang. 19, 1877, with imposing cere- monies.

There was a large assemblage of priests of the dio- cese of Newark, and neighboring dioceses. . \ nu- mierons congregation attended. Solemn l'ontifical High Mass was celebrated, being sung by Bishop Conroy, of Albany, with Rev. W. MeNulty, deacon ; Rev. 1'. Corrigan, Hoboken, sub-deacon ; Rev. P. Me- Carthy, Dover, master of ceremonies. The sermon was preached by Bishop Ryan, of Buffalo. The soci- eties of Hudson County and many from outside were present, arriving in procession with flags, banners and regalia, in strong force. Among the clergymen pre -- ent, besides Bishops Corrigan (Newark), Ryan (Buf- falo), and Conroy (Albany), were Very Rev. Father Gockeln, S.J., president St. John's College, Ford- ham; Very Rev. Father Hudson, S.J., rector of St. Francis Xavier's College, Sixteenth Street; Rev. Father McQuade, S.J., Rev. Father Marechal, S.J.

(Jersey City). Revs. Inthers Brady and Ryan, of the Paulist Fathers, Fifty-ninth Street ; Rev. John Lar- kin, Holy Innocents; Rev. Michael C'urran, St. Andrew's; Rev. J. M. Keily, Rev. M. Riordan and Rev. P. F. O'Hare, Brooklyn; Rev. Father Moynihan, Proria, Ill. ; Rev. l'athers James and Thomas, of the l'assionists; Rev. Father Noonan, superior of the Order of St. Joseph, Baltimore; Rev. J. P. Puffy and Rey. B. F. Mclaughlin, of the Albany diocese ; Very Rev. ML J O'Farrell, St. Peter's, New York ; Rev. John JJ. Ehrenstrass, Grand Rapids, Mich. ; Rev. 11. McDowell, St. Agnes', New York; Rev. Father Bryne, of Boston ; Rev. T. Dufan, V. G., Jacksonville, Fla .; and the following priests from the diocese of Newark : Fathers Hennessy, Smyth, Corrigan, Ceci, Burke, MeCarthy, Smith, logan, Downes, MI Nulty, Brennan, Cody, Leonard, De Concilio, Fitzsimmons, Tuomey, Walsh, O'Reilly, Mendel, and Salaun. There was also a large representation of prominent laymen from every part of Hudson County, among whom were Congressmen Hardenberg, Matthew Armstrong, (Greenville) ; Patrick O'Brien (New York Herald), James T. Hough, president of the Police Commissioners : E. F. C. Young, of the First Na- tional Bank ; ex-Fire Commissioner C'arne-, County ('lerk Brann, Dr. Gordon and Chief Engineer Coyle, of the Fire Department, Thomas Crimmins, of Six- tieth Street, New York, and others.

The church occupies one of the finest sites in the city, and commands a beautiful view of the surround- ing points of urban interest and the beauties of sub- urban landscape. An idea of the spaciousness of the editice is conveyed by the statement that the extreme length is two hundred and seventy-two feet, and the width across the chancel, chapel and rectory is one hundred and thirty-cight feet. The width of the nave and aisles is eighty-six feet ; the square of the tower at the base is thirty-three feet, and the height of the tower and spire two hundred and twenty-five feet. The interior is in admirable taste and produces an impression of solidity, grandeur and dignity that is seldom equaled in church architecture. The value of the church property is about three hundred thou- sand dollars.

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History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 126

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