USA > New Jersey > Mercer County > Trenton > History of the city of Trenton, New Jersey : embracing a period of nearly two hundred years, commencing in 1676, the first settlement of the town, and extending up to the present time, with official records of the population, extent of the town at different periods, its manufactories, church history, and fire department > Part 11
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all sides were dense masses of human beings-probably more than five hundred persons were present-and such admirable order was preserved during the whole time of the imposing and impressive ceremony, that every word was heard.
Many of our prominent citizens other than Episcopalians were present, among whom we may mention Judge Dayton, Lawyer Grandin, and every Methodist minister in Trenton, with per- haps a single exception, and Thomas J. Stryker, Esq., cashier of the Trenton Banking Company.
The cavity of the stone was twelve inches square and eight and a half inches deep-a large, heavy, and very hard stone about three feet square; its contents were hermetically sealed in glass jars, and then placed in the cavity. The list of contents, the past history of the parish, &c., were furnished by Rev. Dr. Camp, and were engrossed on parchment with exquisite taste, by our late worthy townsman Mr. Decius Rice, and then the instrument was presented to the church.
The church is built upon the highest part of Academy street, and opposite the Trenton academy. The lot is seventy-five by one hundred and fifty feet deep.
The church is built of what is commonly known as Trenton sand stone. The cross and four tablets on the front of the building are of Pictou stone. The slate of the roof came from the celebrated Delaware Water . Gap quarries. The ridge tiles and chimney top are terra cotta. Between the roof boards and the slate is a lining of felt, which answers a three-fold purpose, viz., a good bed for slate, a perfect non-conductor of sound, and keeps out the cold. The building is heated by a large furnace in the cellar.
The exterior of the building is a parallelogram, forty-two by ninety-one feet. The style of the architecture is the first pointed Gothic. Above the dentils, where the gable shows at the ridge, rise two turrets, one above the other, flanked on either side with buttress caps of cut stone. There are three bells in the upper turret. Above all, eighty feet from the ground is a beau- tiful cross, eight feet high, cut from Pictou stone. Just over the arch of the upper and middle window and just under
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HISTORY OF TRENTON.
the dentils are two tablets of Pictou stone, on which are wrought the words Laus Deo (Glory to God).
The windows in the front of the church are ornamented with the dove, the Maltese or St. Andrew's cross, the Alpha and Omega, and the double triangle. The side windows, except the two nearest the chancel, have a colored grape-vine border, and are of Grisaille quarries. The two windows excepted above are memorials of the two departed Bishops of the Diocese of New Jersey, (Bishops Croes and Doane). They are of the Mosaic medallion pattern of the richest and most beautiful kind. That on the right as you enter the church is devoted to the late Bishop Croes, the first bishop of New Jersey, and the one just opposite on the other side, is devoted to the late Bishop Doane.
The chancel is lighted at night by a peculiar arrangement ; within the chancel, and about one foot from the outer edge of the arch, are seen eight gas burners, four on each side, and about three feet apart. When these are lighted no one in the nave sees the flame, but the chancel itself is as bright as day.
The wood work of the church is ordinary white pine, without paint, but oiled and varnished.
The church was occupied for Divine service, October 14th, 1860, and was solemnly dedicated to the worship of Almighty God on the 13th of December of the same year, by the Rt. Rev. J. H. Hopkins, D. D., LL.D., Bishop of Vermont, acting on behalf and at the request of Bishop Odenheimer, who was at the time suffering from a fracture of the patella.
The clergymen in attendance, in addition to Bishop Hopkins, were J. H. Hopkins, Jr., of New York city, editor of the Church Journal, Rev. W. C. Doane, R. B. Duane, Rev. Mr. Drumm, Rev. Mr. Peck, Rev. J. S. Maxwell, Rev. Dr. Knight, of Bur- lington, Rev. J. B. Gibson, of Burlington College, Rev. Mr. Hommary, of Yardleyville, Rev. J. S. Thompson, of Somer- ville, Rev. Mr. Hepburn, of Pennsylvania, and the rector of the church.
The instrument of donation was read by the rector, and the sentence of consecration by Rev. W. C. Doane, of Burlington. The rest of the consecration service was performed by the Bishop of Vermont.
Rev. Mr. Hopkins preached from Hebrews, ix., 24.
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HISTORY OF TRENTON.
From the annual sermon preached by Rev. Albert U. Stanley, the present rector, in 1870, we learn that during the preceding year he had officiated two hundred and fifteen times, and preached one hundred and twenty-one sermons and celebrated the Holy Communion nineteen times in public and once private ; eleven had been confirmed, and five adults and eleven children baptized ; there had been nine marriages ; the rector had buried in all ten persons, and there had been one burial during his absence from home ; three of these were not connected with the parish.
At a meeting of the vestry, March 31st, 1870, Messrs. Living- ston, Simons, Biddle, Clarke, and Hall, were appointed a com- mittee to report a plan for the financial government of the church for the year.
April 7th, they reported in favor of a free church system, a weekly payment of a small sum by each attendant, to dispense with renting pews, and that on and after Easter Monday the church wardens appropriate pews to all regular attendants upon the services.
This plan was adopted, and Trinity Church is now free, being the only church in this city where pews are not rented.
The plan has thus far worked well, and a better support is given to the pastor under the voluntary contribution system than he received from the rental of pews.
The following is the report of Rev. Albert U. Stanley, the present efficient rector, for 1870 :
Read services of the church two hundred and seventy-eight times ; preached one hundred and twenty-one sermons ; adminis- tered the holy baptism to two adults and fifteen infants ; cele- brated the holy communion twenty times in public and once in private; confirmed seven; married five couples; and read the burial service at ten funerals.
Methodism, or the doctrines taught by John Wesley, the father and founder of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Great Britain as well as in America, was first introduced into this country about the year 1763. The first man who preached their doctrines in Trenton was Thomas Webb, captain of a British man-of-war. He came here about the year 1766, and preached
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HISTORY OF TRENTON.
to the people in a stable located near the corner of Greene and Academy streets, and directly opposite the dividing line between the corner store and the Trenton academy.
The new doctrine met at first with considerable opposition, and those who advocated it were persecuted to a greater extent by the ungodly than were some of the other religious denomina- tions. It did not at first meet with much encouragement from the wealthy and influential members of the community in conse- quence of its plain doctrine ; but from its simplicity and entire adaptedness to the capacity of the unlettered and illiterate, it gained favor with the common people, and in a short time a congregation was formed.
In 1768, two years after its first promulgation among us, a society was formed who erected a frame chapel, and in the year 1788 it was taken down and a frame church erected on the same site ; and in 1808, that was also removed, and a brick edifice, afterwards in the occupancy of the Friends (Orthodox), was built. All these buildings were erected upon the same spot. In 1838, and during the ministry of Rev. Anthony Atwood, the congregation had increased to such an extent that they were obliged either to enlarge the old church or build a new one ; the latter expedient was adopted, and they purchased a lot in Greene street, below State, on the old Tucker property, and erected the present handsome brick edifice thereon, which has, since its first erection, been materially improved.
In June, 1773, the General Conference of the United States transacted all the business relating to this society. There were at that time but ten ministers and eleven hundred souls who composed the entire body of the Methodist Church ; the same church, in 1844, could count more than a thousand ministers, and more than a million members.
In 1773, there were but five stations or circuits in the entire country. These were New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia. The New York station comprised part of Massachusetts, and the New Jersey station part of Penn- sylvania. There was an average number of members belong- ing to these five stations of two hundred and thirty-two souls, making in all eleven hundred and sixty members, and to each of
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HISTORY OF TRENTON.
these stations, which comprised almost an entire state, and some of them even a still larger territory, there were but two minis- ters to each district.
New Jersey, as well as the other districts, was nothing more than a missionary station.
The first Conference met at Philadelphia in 1773, at which time John King and William Watters were appointed to officiate in New Jersey ; and at that time the church throughout the entire state numbered but two hundred members.
In 1774, William Watters was stationed at Trenton. Fifty- seven members had been added to the church in the year ending at this time.
On the 17th of May, 1775, John King and Daniel Ruff were stationed at Trenton. King had been traveling through the state in the capacity of a circuit preacher the two years preced- ing this appointment. These two were to change every three months until the annual session of Conference. The society at this time numbered three hundred members.
May 21st, 1776, at the meeting of the Conference in Baltimore, Robert Lindsay and John Cooper were appointed to this station. This year there appears to have been a falling off in the mem- bership of about one-half, the whole number reported being only one hundred and fifty. What should have caused this I do not know, unless a division had taken place in the New Jersey district, which I think highly probable.
May 20th, 1777, Henry Kennedy and Thomas McClure were appointed. At this time the society numbered one hundred and sixty, being an increase of only ten in the year.
On the 19th of May, 1778, Conference, at its session at Leesburg, appointed Daniel Ruff, and in the following year the Philadelphia station being added to that of New Jersey, Ruff was re-appointed with Philip Cox and Joshua Dudley. Confer- ence had a second meeting on the 18th of May of the same year, but at that session they made no change in the previous appoint- ments in this state.
April 24th, 1780, at a meeting of Conference held at Balti- more, William Gill, John James, and Richard Garretson were appointed. It was at the same time ordered that they should
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HISTORY OF TRENTON.
change every six months. This year the Virginia Conference separated from the General Conference in consequence of their being opposed to certain ordinances practiced in the church. Such action was disapproved by the General Conference.
April 16th, 1781, Conference met at Choptank, in the state of Delaware, but adjourned to meet at Baltimore on the 24th of the same month. At this session this state was divided into two districts, comprising East and West Jersey. Trenton being in West Jersey, Caleb B. Pedicord and Joseph Cromwell were appointed to this station. The whole number of members in the state at that time was five hundred and twelve.
April 17th, 1782, they met at Ellis' preaching-house, in Sussex county, Virginia, but adjourned to meet May 21st, in Balti- more. Joshua Dudley and William Ivy were appointed for six months ; John Tunnell, of East Jersey, to take the place of Dudley, and William Clendening, of Pennsylvania, that of Richard Ivy. West Jersey reported three hundred and seventy- five members.
May 6th, 1783, they again met in Sussex county, Virginia, but adjourned to meet the 27th of the same month, in Balti- more. Woolman Hickson and John Magery were appointed.
They met at the same place on the 30th of April, 1784, and continued their sitting to May 28th, at Baltimore. At the latter place John Hagerty and Mathew Greentree were appointed. At this session Trenton was set off from East and West Jersey, and the state divided into three districts.
In 1785, Robert Cloud, John McClaskey, and Jacob Brush were appointed to officiate in Trenton. In this year the North American Conference separated from the British Conference, at the recommendation of John Wesley, and they formed a distinct and separate body, independent of the English Methodist estab- lishment, adopting the Episcopal form of church government, as recommended by Mr. Wesley. Thomas Coke, D. D., and Francis Asbury were elected bishops or superintendents.
In 1786, Robert Sparks and Robert Cann were appointed pastors in Trenton.
In 1787, Ezekiel Cooper and Nathaniel B. Mills, and in 1788, John Merrick, Thomas Morrell, and Jethro Johnson, were
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HISTORY OF TRENTON.
stationed here. In 1789, they were removed, and Joseph Crom- well and Richard Swain were appointed. In 1790, Simon Pile and Aaron Hutchinson were appointed by Conference. In 1791, Robert Cann and Robert Hutchinson. In 1792, Gamaliel Bailey and Daniel Freeman. In 1793, Robert Sparks and Isaac Robinson. In 1794, John Fountain and Robert McCoy. In 1795, John Ragan and Joshua Taylor. In 1796, David Bartine and Roger Benton. In 1797, Richard Swain and Ephraim Chambers. In 1798, Caleb Kendall and Joseph Lovell. In 1799, Solomon Sharpe and Jesse Justice. In 1800, Robert Sparks and Henry Clarke.
In 1800 Richard Whatcoat was added to the Bench of Bishops. * In 1801, Freehold was added to Trenton circuit, and David Bartine, Joseph Osborn, and William Brandon were the preachers in charge. In 1802, New Jersey was transferred from the General to the Philadelphia Conference, and Anthony Turck and John Walker were appointed to Trenton station. In this year Freehold was set off from Trenton circuit. In 1803, William Mills and Gamaliel Bailey were appointed preachers in Trenton. In 1804, Joseph Totten and George Wooley. In
* Bishop Whatcoat died in 1807, and in 1808, William McKendree was elected bishop. The same year Dr. Coke, resigning his bishopric here, removed to Europe, subject, however, to recall at any time by the General Conference or by all the Annual Conferences. On Tuesday, the 3d of May, Dr. C. was found dead in his cabin, having started on a voyage to Ceylon to establish a missionary station there. In 1816, Enoch George and Robert Richard Roberts were added to the bench of bishops. Bishop Asbury died on Sunday, March 31st, 1816, at the age of seventy-one years. In 1823, Joshua Soule and Elijah Hedding were elected bishops. Bishop George died at Staunton, Virginia, August 23d, 1828. In 1832, James O. Andrew and John Emery were added to the Bench of Bishops. In 1835, Thomas A. Morris was added. William McKendree, the senior bishop, died on the 5th day of March of this year, and John Emery, junior bishop, died on the 16th of December of the same year. He left his home on the above morning to go to Baltimore on business connected with his office, when he was thrown from his carriage and received a wound on his head of which he died on the evening of the same day. In 1836, Beverly Waugh was elected bishop. Bishop Roberts died at his residence in Indiana, on the 26th of March, 1843. The same year, Leonidas Hamline and Edmund S. Janes were elected bishops.
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HISTORY OF TRENTON.
1805, John Bethel and Samuel Budd. In 1806, William Bishop and Daniel Higbee. In 1807, William McClenahan and P. P. Sandford. In 1808, Peter P. Sandford and William Fox. In 1809, William Fox and Jacob Hevener. In 1810, Thomas Strat- ton and Thomas Neal. In 1811, William Mills. In 1812, New Brunswick was added to Trenton station, and the state was again divided into two districts, and called East and West Jersey, Trenton station being in East Jersey district. The preachers appointed at this session of Conference were Joseph Totten and William Mills. In 1813, Joseph Osborne and John Van Schoick were appointed. In 1814, John Van Schoick and John Fernon. In 1815, John Walker and Thomas Neal. In 1816, John Rob- inson and Joseph Rusling. In 1817, Manning Force and Daniel Moore. In 1818, New Brunswick was set off from Trenton cir- cuit, and Alexander McCairre was appointed for Trenton city. In 1819, James Smith, Sr., was appointed. In 1820, Solomon Sharpe. In 1821, Conference added Bloomsbury to Trenton city district, and Solomon Sharpe was appointed preacher in charge of the station. From this time the preachers were stationed for two years. For the years 1822-23, Joseph
Lybrand was appointed.
For 1824-25, John Potts.
For
1826-27, William Thatcher. In 1828, Joseph Lybrand was again appointed to this station, but in 1829, having received the appointment of presiding elder of the East Jersey district, Joseph Holdich was appointed preacher in charge ; he remained here two years, when Solomon Higgins was appointed in 1831, and re-appointed in 1832, with Richard W. Petherbridge, super- annuated. In 1833 the Philadelphia Conference met at Newark. This was the first meeting they ever held in New Jersey. At this session they appointed for the years 1833-34, Thomas J. Thomp- son, and for 1835-36, James Dandy.
In 1837, New Jersey was set off from the Philadelphia Con- ference, and constituted a separate body, under the name of " The New Jersey Conference."
The first appointment made by them for Trenton was for the years 1837-38, when Anthony Atwood was stationed here. In 1839-40, Charles Pitman was appointed. In 1841-42, Charles H. Whitecar. For 1843-4, Daniel P. Kidder. Mr. Kidder
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HISTORY OF TRENTON.
remained here but one year, being appointed editor in the Methodist Book Concern. Joseph B. Wakely was appointed to the unexpired term of Kidder, and served at this station during the years 1844-45. James Ayars in 1846-47. John S. Porter in 1848-49. Francis A. Morrell in 1850-51. George F. Brown in 1852-53. Richard Vanhorne in 1854. Joseph B. Dobbins, 1855. W. E. Perry, 1858. Elwood H. Stokes, 1859. S. Y. Monroe, 1862. J. B. Dobbins, 1864. J. S. Heisler and I. D. King, 1867. C. S. Vancleve, 1870.
In 1846, some of the members of the Greene Street Church formed a new congregation, who purchased the Reformed Dutch Church in Front street. Their first pastor was Clark Polley; he preached here during the years 1846-47. In 1848-49, James Tuttle was appointed. In 1850, Rodney Winans ; he remained here but one year ; and for the years 1851-52, James O. Rogers. In 1853-54, Crook S. Vancleve. A. K. Street, 1855. George Hughes, 1857. P. Kline, 1858. Charles E. Hill, 1860. Isaac Winner, 1862. Jonathan Vannote, 1863. E. H. Durelle, 1865. J. Warthman, 1869.
In 1851, during the first year Mr. Rogers was here, the edifice was completely overhauled and enlarged, the front being extended out to the street and stuccoed, thereby materially improving the appearance of the same.
In 1852, a church was organized in Union street, in the fourth ward, and called, " Union Street Methodist Episcopal Church." In this year, as well as the following, 1853, Benjamin N. Reed was appointed preacher in charge, and during the year 1852, John S. Heisler officiated, and in 1853, Isaiah D. King. In 1854, William Franklin. C. Miller, 1855. I. D. King, 1856. J. R. Burr, 1857. S. Townsend, 1858. W. W. Christine, 1859. J. T. Tucker, 1862. W. S. Zane, 1864. G. Dobbins, 1865. A. J. Gregory, 1866. J. P. Turpin, 1867. Calvin C. Eastlack, 1868. A. M. North, 1870.
State Street Church was formed in 1859, their first preacher being George W. Bachelder. C. H. Whitecar, 1861. William H. Jefferys, 1863. Thomas Hanlon, 1865. D. W. Bartine, 1867. W. H. Pearne, 1870.
The following have been the preachers of Warren Street
L
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HISTORY OF TRENTON.
Church : C. Hartranfft, 1860. D. Moore, 1861. A. M. North, 1862. Henry Belting, 1864. J. P. Turpin, 1865. J. S. Heis- ler, 1866. R. S. Sutcliff, 1867. J. R. Westwood, 1870.
The following have been the preachers of the Central Church : E. H. Stokes, 1864. Elwood Stokes, 1866. W. E. Perry, 1867. Richard Thorn, 1869.
The following have been the preachers of the Trinity M. E. Church : B. S. Sharp, 1866. R. V. Lawrence, 1869.
This congregation built a frame church in Academy street, styled the plank church, which is now occupied as an armory by the Emmett Guards. They worshipped in this church until the erection of their handsome building in Perry street, in 1870.
The First Baptist Church was organized on the 9th day of November, 1805, with forty-eight members, and resulted from the labors of the Rev. Peter Wilson, then pastor of the Baptist Church at Hightstown, who began preaching in what is now the sixth ward in 1787, and administered the ordinance of baptism in the Delaware river for the first time, on the 4th of March, 1788. The first Baptist meeting-house was built where the present house now stands, corner of Centre and Bridge streets, and was dedicated on the 26th of November, 1803, sermon by Rev. William Stoughton, D. D., of Philadelphia. Text, I. Kings, viii., 27.
The first regular pastor of the church was Rev. William Bos- well, who was ordained in May, 1809. Mr. Boswell labored very faithfully and successfully until 1823, when, having embraced some views at variance with those usually held by Baptists, he went out with sixty members of the church, and built the house now occupied and owned by the Second Presbyterian Church on Union street. The notification of their withdrawal, as sent to the church, bears date July 5th, 1823.
This new organization they called "The Reformed General Baptist Church." They differed from the old church only in a few non-essential particulars, the mode of the administration of baptism and communion being the principal ones. They com- menced the erection of their church edifice the latter part of July, 1823, and in eleven weeks from its commencement the new structure was completed. The building was fifty-four by
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HISTORY OF TRENTON.
forty feet, and finished in a neat and plain style. The church was dedicated to the worship of God on the 19th of October, 1823.
The exercises of devotion were commenced with prayer by the Rev. Isaac James, a clergyman of the Methodist persuasion. The Rev. Thomas Boring preached a sermon adapted to the occasion from Haggai, ii. chap., 7, 8, 9 verses : " And I will shake all Nations, and the desire of all Nations shall come ; and I will fill this House with Glory, saith the Lord of Hosts. The silver is mine and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of Hosts. The Glory of the Latter House shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of Hosts, and in this place will I give Peace, saith the Lord of Hosts."
The Rev. Mr. Boswell was settled here at once, and continued to preach for them until his death, which occurred on the roth of June, 1833. After his death the Rev. Mr. Wilson preached there, and after his dismissal, which occurred a short time after, the church was closed until 1842, when it was purchased and fitted up for a Presbyterian church, for which purpose it is still used.
Rev. George Patterson became pastor of the First Baptist Church in January, 1826, and closed his labors in March, 1828.
Rev. Morgan J. Rhees became pastor in April, 1830, and continued as such till November, 1840.
Luther F. Beecher was ordained pastor in October, 1841, and continued as such for one year.
Rev. John Young became pastor in February, 1843, and con- tinued to the 15th of August of the same year, when he resigned, and with one hundred and twenty-three others formed what was then called the Second Baptist Church, and built the house now occupied by the Central Baptist Church of this city.
Rev. Levi G. Beck became pastor in February, 1844, and resigned in October, 1849.
Rev. Henry K. Green became pastor January Ist, 1850, and resigned January Ist, 1853.
Rev. Duncan Dunbar became pastor in March, 1853, and resigned November, 1854.
Rev. Lewis Smith became pastor in December, 1854, and resigned December Ist, 1857.
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HISTORY OF TRENTON.
Rev. O. T. Walker became pastor October Ist, 1858, and resigned September Ist, 1863.
Rev. D. Henry Miller became pastor in December, 1863, and resigned October 6th, 1867.
Mr. Miller was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. George W. Lasher, April Ist, 1868.
The corner-stone of the present church edifice was laid on the 28th of July, 1859, the services consisting of prayer by Rev. Mr. Newlin, of Bordentown ; address by Rev. John Dowling, D. D., of New York; remarks by Rev. Reuben Jeffrey, D. D., of Philadelphia ; hymn read by Rev. A. D. White, of the Second Presbyterian Church ; remarks by Rev. W. E. Perry, of the M. E. Church, Rev. Lewis Smith, of Hightstown, and F. S. Mills, Esq., of this city ; box deposited in corner-stone .by Rev. Dr. Dowling ; benediction by Rev. Dr. Street, of the M. E. Church.
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