History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 21

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 21
USA > New Jersey > Essex County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 21

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).

Officers for 1884: Pastor, Rev. Alfred Yeomans, D.D .; Ruling Elders, Levi P. Stouc, A. Ramsay Mc- Coy, David L. Wallace, Charles H. Jones; Deacons, George A. Newman, William V. Ruton ; Trustees, Thomas Miller (president), James K. Morgan (treas- urer), Charles (. Alford. Newton E. Whiteside, Alex- ander Lang, John Dunn, Abiel Abbot.

The German Presbyterian Church 1 (whose church edifice is located on William Street, between Park and Hillyer Streets, in the city of Orange) is a mem- ber of the Presbytery of Morris and Orange.

The pioneer work in this particular branch of the Presbyterian Church was commenced in Orange in July, 1564, by Rev. Christian Wisner, of the German Presbyterian Church of Bloomfield, who visited the German people of Orange with the view of organizing a mission or church among them. He was well re- ceived by both Germans and Americans, the former answering his call to them, and the latter cordially assisting him in his labors of love. The First Pres- byterian Church tendered the use of their session- room to their tierman-American brethren, which was accepted, while the pastor, Rev James Hoyt, encour- aged the work most energetically. With these aids, then, the Germans were encouraged, and their mem- bership, which was then but twenty-five, soou began to increase ; yet, for wise reasons, the organization of the church was deferred till 1866, when a desire for a church organization became more general, and some thirty or more individuals signed a petition for a church at this place, and presented it to the P'resby- tery of Newark, in whose bounds the Oranges were then located. The petition was duly considered and the request granted, and on March 18, 1866, the First German Presbyterian Church of Orange was duly organized, with Rev. Christian Wisner as pas- tor.

March 25th of the same year A. Bode and Z. Bod- ner were duly elceted elders of the church, and on April Ist following they were, by the pastor, or- dained to their sacred otlice, at which time the new flock celebrated the Eucharist. In July, 1867, Mr.

Wisner, to the great sorrow of his new congregation, was called to other fields of labor.

Oct. 13, 1867, Rev. Richard S. Rosenthal was unanimously elected and subsequently installed as pastor of the church, and during his pastorate the present church edifice was erected, the corner-stone being laid Ang. 28, 1869, and the church dedicated on the 28th of the following December with appropri- ate and impressive services.

Sept. 1, 1871, the resignation of Rev. Mr. Rosenthal was accepted, when Rev. Albert J. Winteriek ac- cepted the call of the church, entering at once upon his duties as pastor. Ile remained with the church till Sept. 13, 1874, when he resigned, and the little church was then left for some time without a pastor, being supplied, however, by students from the theo- logical seminary at Bloomfield, N. J.

Nov. 26, 1874, Mr. Ilerman C. Gruhnert, a licenti- ate, and student of the Bloomfield Seminary, was elected as stated supply, in which capacity he served till July 14, 1875, when, after having been regularly called, he was duly ordained and installed as pastor of this church by the Presbytery of Morris and Or- ange, and is still serving the church. During Mr. Gruhnert's pastorate a debt of five thousand dollars on the church and two thousand dollars on the par- sonage (located on a lot adjoining the church) has been liquidated, the former through the assistance of the board of church erection of the Presbytery, and the latter by individual effort of the membership of this church, so that their entire church property, valued at twelve thousand dollars, is free from debt, and the church has a membership of one hundred and fifty.

The Methodist Episcopal Church."-The earliest Methodist services in the vicinity of Orange of which we have any record were held in the school- house at Tory Corners, in 1819 or '20, by the late Rev. Charles Pitman, who occasionally filled appointments at that place, though at that time there was no organized society in contemplation; yet, as near as can be learned, occasional services were continued there for several years.

Our next re ord tells us that in the autumn of 1828, Rev. Isaac Winner, of Belleville, hell services semi-monthly in the house of a Mr. Bishop, near the site now occupied by the Orange National Bank, cor- ner of Main and Cone Streets. These meetings how- ever, were discontinued in the early part of 1829. In March, April and May of 1829, Rev. John Ken- nedy, of Newark, and Rev. Isaac Winner preached on three different occasions in the old white school- house, then standing on the site now occupied by the Brick Church, corner of Main and Prospect Streets, East Orange. These services were not continued after the visitation of Rev. Mr. Kennedy, in May, 1829.

2 By Samuel F. Jayne.

1 By Rer Herman C Grubuert.

769

CITY OF ORANGE.

On the last Sunday in August, 1829, the Masonic Hall, still standing on Main Street, was opened for preaching. t'alvin Tompkins, William Murphy, and others connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church in Newark had generously hired the hall and furnished it for divine worship. At this time the first class of ten members was formed ; Mr. James Collins was appointed the leader. About one month afterward the class was formally recognized as a part of the Belleville Circuit ; the last Sunday of Septem- ber, 1884, therefore, was properly chosen for the fifty-fifth anniversary of the organization of the church in Orange. The society grew in numbers, until, Sept. 20, 1830, the board of trustees purchased of Dr. Babbitt the lot upon which the present edifice now stands, and contracted for two thousand six hun- dred and twenty dollars with Amos .A. Harrison to creet a church. In the autumn of that year the corner- stone was laid, and the first edifice was dedicated near the close of the following year, 1831.

In the spring of 1832, Rev. E. S. Janes, subse- quently elected bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, became the first minister of the Orange Church. At the close of his first year the society numbered eighty-eight members; very few of these had been previously identified with any other denomi- nation. It is proper to state that Rev. Mr. Janes won the confidence and esteem of all Christians in Orange by his sincere devotion, his personal attrac- tiveness, his generous catholicity, and hisacknowledged talents. He did very much towards the removal of misapprehensions then existing in respect to the doctrines spirit and aim- of his denomination.

The first building was removed in 1859, and the present brick structure was reared upon the same spot. The following ministers have served this Church during the half century :-- Revs. David Bar- tine. J. L. Gikler, Edwin Janes, L. M. Prettyman, Enoch Reed, Edmund S. Janes, J. V. Potts, J. t'un- ningham, W. Burrows, J. S. Swaime, W. Robertson, A. Gilmore, B. Day, S. W. Decker, U. S. Downs, W. P. C'orbit, M. E. Ellison, J. S. Corbit, J. T Crane, T. HI. Smith J. K. Burr, A. M. Palmer, S. W. Hilliard, J. M. Freeman, L. R. Dunn, J. O. Rogers, R. Van- horne, R. L. Dashiel, J. Hanlon, William Day, J. J. Reed, J. H. Knowles; Rev. J. A. Owens, from 1881 to the spring of 1883, and Rev. J. R. Wright from the spring of 1883 to the present time.

Of this number there were present at the fiftieth anniversary Revs. Gilder, Ellison, C'rane, Smith, Palmer, Freeman, Rogers, Vanhorne. Day, Reed and Knowles.

A noble band went out from the Orange Church in Is69 to form the Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church, East Orange. At present three missions are connected with the Orange Church,-at Williamsville, Doddtown, and in the valley. Rev. J. Scarlett and Rev. C. Clark and Mr. E. S. Ferry, of the Drew Theo- Ingieal Seminary, preach regularly at these places.

RECOLLECTIONS OF A PIONEER PREACHER .- In his sermon at the semi-centennial of Methodism in Orange, Rev. J. L. Giller said,-

"My memory runs back to the spring of 1830, when I, a brantes youth, with my maildle-logy and my horse, entered Orange for the pur-

"Orange at that time was an inconsiderable village, the hotmes ling sparsely distributed along one main street There wga but one church elifce, that a Presbyterian, - the pastor of which was a Her W . Ililly .r. .

" It www related of him that by his courteous attention to mandater of other evangeHeal churches visiting the place he an a led for nmany years in maintaining his prwithon an the sole postur. Instead of arraying hime If in an attitude of hostility against Methodist preachers, as way more generally the case, he would invite them to occupy his pulpit, an l altare his hospitality How far that may have been a strategic move. ment we are unprepared to my , It was certainly for a long time an em-

"The place of worship for the Methulists was Masoni Ha! At my first appointment the attendance was large, many no gould attract I by my youth, I bring at that time but eighteen years of age The man. I remember, was one of remarkable interest, by roneen of tir signal display of the Divine power during the preaching

"A sunder presented themselves as subject of prayer. This was the commencement of a gracious revival f religion. 1 an m ver forg .t the sensation that was produced the next day when engaged in visiting from house ta 1 Mer Women and children would fre al my approach as though I were a venomous reptile, for us a Meth alist preacher I was readily distinguishable. Nor will this surgras you when you learn that I wore the regulation attire, which consisted of a single-breasted round cont, vent well buttoned to the neck, neckerchief of large dimelistone, minus shirt collar, (collars were called the devil's ent- , | w- row nel, broad-Trimmed white hat ; so that a Methodist preacher, with his sad- dle-baga and bone, was always rer gnizahle. .

" In all this region there existed a deep-rooted prejudice against Meth- odism and its methods. The doctrines of Methodism were misunderstood and misrepresented. The itinerancy was held up to r licule as a great iron wheel, in its revolutions rrushing out all manhood, and producing a fawning sorvility. The bishops were represented as arrogant nud ty- raunial The manner of worship was caricatured and renderel ridic- nous. The preacher were exhibited as illiterat . and boorish, and mt- Hled pastors in inany instances warned the people against theme roving itinerante ax wolves in sheep's clothing, and as ubtrudiug themselves into parishes which they claimed to provas by a Divine right.

The membership of the church in January, 2SS-1, was four hundred and thirty-four, and twenty-five pro- bationers. Value of church property, forty thousand dollars. The Sunday-school connected with this church had also at that time, a membership of four hun- dred and eight scholars, sixty-two teachers, with the Hon. tieorge J. Ferry as superintendent. Local preachers, Rev. John Scarlett, Daniel Taylor ; Stew- ards, W. H. Cooper, P. B. Fairchild, Frank Kynor, Wilbur C. Knowles, Benjamin F. Green, Daniel T. Smith, Charles W. Mandeville ; Trustees, Samuel F. Jayne, Samuel Merwin, Henry Townley. Christopher Baker, Jacob Romine, Edwin P. Woodward, Wilbur C. Knowles.

Grace Protestant Episcopal Church.1-This par- ish wasoriginally a part of St. Mark's from which it was carved out in March, 1854, and organized by the Rev. Joshua D. Berry, who at that time had charge of a school in Orange. It wasat a time when, from the in- ereasing interest manifested in religious matters, and especially by the Protestant Episcopal branch of the great Christian family, another place of worship more

) From data furnished by the rector, Rev \. huvler.

770

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

advantageously located than was St. Mark's was de- manded by many of the Episcopalian families, and others leaning towards that doctrinal faith living in the immediate vicinity.

At a public meeting, held March 5, 1854, in what was then Bodwell Hall, corner of Park and William Streets, the organization of the parish was perfected In 1868 a commodious rectory was built in rear of the church edifice, at a cost of nine thousand dollars. by the election of Judge Jesse Williams and Philan- der J. Bodwell as wardens, and the following-named persons as vestrymen : Jesse Williams, Philander J. In 1872 a brown-stone transept and chancel, addi- tions to the church edifice, were built at a cost of Bodwell, Chauncey Shepard, William Cleveland, Philip Ward, William M. Babbitt, Aaron Dodd, " twenty thousand dollars, including organ, carpets, etc., William H. Vermilye, Thomas French, Charles Il. Campbell.

The lot upon which Grace Church stands was pur- chased from the trustees of the First Presbyterian Church at a cost of three thousand dollars, and had | capacity of two hundred and fifty. The church lot is been occupied by the old stone parsonage for a period of one hundred and five years.1

Ground was broken for the new church edifice in the summer of 1856, and August 12th of the same year the corner-stone was laid with appropriate cere- monies. The edifice was built of brown sandstone. taken from a quarry in Pleasant Valley, West Orange township, and was completed in the early summer of 1857, and consecrated on Thursday, July 16th, of that year, at a cost of eleven thousand dollars for editice and furnishing. The request to consecrate was read by the rector-elect, the Rev. James S. Bush, and the sentence of consecration by the Rev. James A. Williams, rector of St. Mark's Church. Morning prayer was read by Rev. Messrs. Shackelford and Merritt ; Rev. Messrs. McCurdy and Cady reading the les- sons. The sermon was preached by the Right Rev. Bishop George Washington Doane, who also adminis- tered the Holy Communion, assisted by the Rev. Mr. Vermilye, of New York, the Rev. Mr. Stocking read- ing the Epistle. There were also present the Rev. Messrs, Reed, Moore, Mayers, and, Rev. Drs. Diller and Cook, of New York. The beautiful altar window (symbolie of Faith, Hope and Charity) was a gift from the maker, Mr. Doremus, a parishioner of Grace Church. At the time of the consecration of the church edifice there were in the congregation one hundred and thirteen communicants.

We learn from the Orange Journal of July 18, 1857, that the text of Bishop Doane on the occasion of consecrating the church may be found in Eccl. v. 1,- " Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God,"- and that the subject was reverence for the house of God. The bishop declared that he felt ashamed of Christians when he learned from a devout heathen that his idols were always approached with bowed head, eyes downeast and robes wrapped closely about the body, and had to contrast all this with the lofty flauuting of people into our churches, thoughtlessly,

gayly and irreverently, for the purpose of whiling away an idle hour, looking about and being looked at. The bishop's voice sounded ont that day the freedom of the gospel and of the church iu these words : " If it were not for the weather, I would have no doors to a church. It should stand open all the time."

thereby increasing the seating capacity one-half. In 1877 another addition was made, consisting of a brown-stone chapel, connected with the transept, at a cost of six thousand dollars, and having a seating one of the most valuable in the city, running from Main to Williams Street, and is valued, with the buildings upon it, at sixty thousand dollars. The church offerings for 1883 amounted to eleven thousand six hundred and fifty-five dollars, and the communi- cants in January, 1881, numbered three hundred and thirty-two.

Rev. Mr. Berry and others had charge of the parish until its first rector, Rev. James S. Bush, was ealled, in July, 1856. He resigned in 1867, and was sue- ceeded in IS68 by the present rector, Rev. Anthony Schuyler.

The wardens in 1884 were James S. Cox and Francis C. Cantine ; Vestrymen, J. J. Browne, Henry Folsom, James O. Watson, Marshall Shepard, William M. Franklin, Dexter N. Force, Lewis B. Henry, Jay C. Young, Edward W. Ashley and Henry C. Pedder.

North Orange Baptist Church."-The first public meeting of resident Baptists, to take into considera- tion measures for organizing public worship in Orange was held May 11, 1857, in Waverly Hall, at which time Samuel Colgate was chosen chairman and Charles J. Martin, secretary.

At that meeting it was decided to engage Waverly Ilall for one year, in which to hold meetings on the Sabbath, and in which to establish a Sabbath-school. The school was established May 31, 1857, with forty scholars, seven teachers, and Samuel Colgate as su- perintendent. Mr. Colgate has held the position of superintendent continuously to the present time, aud has increased the numerical force of the school from forty to nearly five hundred scholars and over fifty teachers, with a library of thirteen hundred volumes.

At a meeting of the society held Aug. 30, 1857, thirty-nine brethren and sisters signified their willing- ness to unite in the formation of a Baptist Church, and extended an invitation to Rev. G. W. Northrup to become their pastor, which call was deelined. Sep- tember 23d of the same year Rev. J. B. Morse was chosen pastor of the society and church when organ-

1 Sec history of "Old Stone Parsonage, " in " Ilistory of First Presby- terlan Church."

" From a sketch of the church furuished by F. Eugene Burton.

771

CITY OF ORANGE.

ized. Mr. Morse accepted the call, and a council was called to meet on Thursday, Nov. 3. 1sif, to examine and ordain the pastor-elect, and publicly to recognize the church. Tuesday evening, November 3d, the fol- lowing-named persons were duly elected trustees: Charles J. Martin, Samuel Colgate, John J. Banta, Joseph Mosby, Otis G. Corbitt, Benjamin Cairns, and William M. Price. The deacons elected at the same time were Samuel Colgate and William M. Price, and at the same meeting the title of the North Orange Baptist Church was adopted. November 4th " the Articles of Faith and Church Covenant " were adopted, and the following-named persons presented their let- ters and became constituent members of this church :

From the First Baptist Church, East Orange N. J., John J. Banta, Rebecca R. Banta, Letitia Dodd, Oliver Blue, Almira Roff, Otis G. Corbitt, Josephine M. Corbitt, Mary Halstead, Catharine Van Ness, Francis Wilcox, and Charles W. Monroe.

From the Second Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., Joseph Mosby, Martha T. Mosby.

From the Strong Place Baptist Church, Brooklyn, N. Y., William M. Price and Mary Jane Price.

From the Pierrepont Street Baptist Church, Brook - lyn, N. Y., Philip J. Anshutz, Emily Anshutz and Maria Anshutz.

From the Bloomfield Baptist Church, Bloomfield, N. J., John Omlerson. Catharine Omlerson and Lor- raine E. Cairns.

From the Tabernacle Baptist Church, New York City, Samuel Colgate, Charles J. Martin and Mary Martin.

From the Pearl Street Baptist Church, Albany, N. Y., J. B. Morse.

From the South Baptist Church, Newark, N. J., Mary Harrison.

From the Bedford Baptist Church, Bedford, N. Y., Elizabeth Wiseman.

Rev. J. B. Morse was ordained and installed as pastor Nov. 5, 1857, and remained with this church till Oct. 1. 1859. During his pastorate there were added to the church by baptism thirty-six and by letter fourteen.

Rev. tieorge Webster, of Catskill, N. Y., was called and entered upon his pastoral duties in December, 1859.

In December, 1859, the trustees purchased a lot on Main Street, upon which was built the present lecture- room which was dedicated Dee. 5, 1861.

Rev. Mr Webster resigned the pastorate of this church May 1, 1862. During his pastorate there were received by baptism twelve and by letter nine- teen.

Aug. 12, 1862, Rev. George E. Horr of Chickopce, Mass., accepted a call to this church, and entered upon his pastoral duties Oct. 1. 1862, at which time he was duly installed. During his pastorate there were added to the church sixty-nine by baptism and forty- five by letter. Ile resigned May 1, 1×66.

Jan. 29, 1867, Rev. Joseph F. Elder, of Rochester, N. Y., accepted a call to this church. and was ordained and installed May Ist of the same year.

Nov. 1, 1869, a lot on the corner of Main and Essex Streets was purchased by the church, on which it was intended to build a church edifice ; but it, being found unsuited for church purposes, was sold in Fcb- ruary, 1871.

During the pastorate of Rev. Joseph F. Elder, which terminated Dec. 17, 1869, he having accepted a call to the Madison Avenue Church, New York City, there were added to the church thirty-one by baptism and twenty-five by letter.

Ort. 7, 1870, Rev. William Hague, D. D. (then a professor in the Theological Seminary at Chicago). was chosen pastor of this church, and entered upon his lahors in November of that year.

Der. 9, 1872, a plan was perfected, submitted and adopted for the building of the present church edi- tive (the lecture-room having already been built ), and thirty-one thousand three hundred dollars pledged for the building, which was completed and dedicated May 31, 1974, at a cost of seventy-five thousand dollars.

Oct. 2, 1874, Rev. Mr. Hague, on account of im- paired health, tendered his resignation, to take effect December 1st following. During his ministry there were added to the church sixty-six by baptism and sixty by letter.

Nov. 13, 1874 Rev. Edward Judson, professor in Madison University, was invited and accepted a call to this church, commencing his labors in April, 1875. During his ministry, which terminated June 1, 18-1, six hundred and eighty-nine were added to the church.

Rev. Thomas S. Barbour accepted a call of the church, and commeneed his labor- Oct. 1, 1ssl, and remained till Oct. 1, 1883, and during this time ninety were added to the church.

The membership of the church in January, 15 4, was seven hundred and three.

Up to Der. 31, 1882, the following amounts had been contributed by this church :

l'or Intillings $121.1 -1 141.11 79

Benevolent uhjects 144, 956 00

Total

To the above amount is to be added the church ex- penses and benevolent collections for the year 1883.

The officers of the church for Is54 were as follows: Deacons, Samuel Colgate, Edwin C. Burt, Edward Austen, George Gault, S. C. Burdiek, G. R. Colby, R. Martin, C. F. Linde and E. J. Brockett ; Trustees, Gardner R. Colby, E. C. Burt, Samuel Colgate, A. G. Stevenson, J. D. Mills and F. E. Burton ; Treasurer, A. G. Stevenson : Church Clerk, Alfred Owens; Sex- ton, Edward Perry.

The following-named persons have been licensed by this church to preach : Feb. 5, 1864, W. II. Berg-

772

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

fels ; June 3, 1870, Asa J. Wilcox; March 13, 1874, of all religious organizations, and were strictly non- Jacob .1. Friday.

Second Baptist Church (Colored).1-At a meet- ing of a number of colored people, members of the Baptist Church, hell in Central Hall, Oct. 22, 1871, for the purpose of organizing a Colored Baptist Church, the Rev. Ebenezer Bird was appointed chair- man of the meeting, and Abram V. Middleswarth secretary.

By a vote of the meeting, Henry F. Ballard, Dana Hall, J. D. Ballard, Joshua Johnson, John Edwards and A. V. Middleswarth were appointed to act as officers until such time as this body shall be regularly or- ganized as a church.

Meetings continned to be held regularly every Sab- bath in Central Hall until June, 1872, when the services were transferred to Lindsley Hall, on Cone Street, where, on Jan. 2, 1873, the society was regu- larly organized as a church, with the following-named persons as the constituent members : J. D. Ballard, A. V. Middleswarth, IT. F. Ballard, Joshua Johnson, Napoleon Ganaway, Nancy Middleswarth, Mary Pat- terson, Minerva Bell, Clementina Scott, Mary Sewall, Hannah Woodson, Susan Randolph and John Ed- wards.

Feb. 20th of the same year, Rev. S. B. Myler accepted a call from the church as its first regular pastor, and on April 20th following J. D. Ballard and A. V. Middleswarth were ordained as deacons, and on June 5th this church was recognized by a regular Baptist Council.

The church was duly incorporated March 11, 1878. as the Second Baptist Church of Orange, and during the following summer the commodious church edi- fice, located on Oakwood Avenue, in which the society now worships, was built, and dedicated Aug. 15, 18,8, with appropriate ceremonies, Rev. J. A. Broadus, D. D., preaching the sermon, from Revelation xxii. 9,- "Worship God." The membership in April, 1884, was sixty-five. The pastors of the church have been Revs. 5. B. Myler, B. Brooker. A. Marable. T. T. Jackson and G. Jones.

The officers of the church for 1884 were A. V. Middleswarth and A. Burke, deacons; C. Minor, H. 1. Ballard and H. Watkins, trustees; with A. V. Mid- dleswarth as church elerk.

Washington Street Baptist Church .- The eanses which led to the erection of the chapel and organiza- tion of a society for holding Sunday-school and meet- ings, and the growth of the movement, first as a non- sectarian or umon organization and afterwards as a Baptist chapel connected with the North Orange Baptist Church, will doubtless be of much interest. The chapel was built in the summer of 1873, and grew out of union neighborhood prayer-meetings, which were held at private houses on Thursday evening of each week. The meetings were attended by members

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 Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 21

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