USA > New Jersey > Passaic County > Preakness and the Preakness Reformed Church : a history 1695-1902 : with genealogical notes, the records of the church and tombstone inscriptions > Part 12
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3
10
. .
. .
. .
. .
Tunis Spear
4
0
0
6
. .
Abr. Spear
1
0
0
2
5
6
John V. Winkle
10
0
0
15
.
Isaac V. Saun
10
0
0
13
2
6
.
.
8
0
. .
16
.
.
. .
.
8
0
.
. .
Rich'd V. Riper, Jr
12
0
12
. .
8
0
. .
Adrian Short
1
12
. .
·
·
. .
Corn's V. Houten
2
16
·
Wm. Drummond
£
S.
d.
E
S.
d.
Nich's Kip
16
0
Rich'd Dey
16
16
·
David Brower
John Ackerman
4
. .
8
. .
Henry Cocoro
122
HISTORY OF PREAKNESS
Money subscriptions.
Total money and materials together.
£
S.
d.
£
S.
d.
Sam'l V. Saun
10
0
0
13
7
2
David Demarest
15
0
0
20
3
7
Peter Demarest
5
0
0
7
4
9
Wm. Tierman
10
0
0
13
17
9
John G. Doremus
12
0
0
15
14
2
David D. Hennion
6
0
0
8
7
8
Henry Hennion
5
0
0
7
5
9
Tunis T. Hennion
. .
.
. .
2
16
9
Hassel Hennion
1
0
0
1
11
4
Jacob V. Riper
5
0
0
5
4
.
Benj'n Spear
3
0
0
3
4
10
David Brower
12
0
0
20
19
3
John V. Houten
3
0
0
5
17
6
Nich's Kip
3
0
0
5
8
David T. Hennion
10
0
0
12
8
11
Chris'n Shurte
5
0
0
6
8
6
John Merselis
15
0
0
21
3
9
Corn's Merselis
12
0
0
18
8
9
Adrianna Merselis
25
0
0
32
9
6
Jacob Berdan
10
0
0
15
11
9
Uriah V. Riper
6
0
0
10
18
8
Corn's Kip
10
0
0
13
16
8
James Westervelt.
4
0
0
5
9
9
Rich'd V. Riper
12
0
0
17
2
6
Henry B. Spear
10
0
0
11
19
.
.
. .
.
.
16
0
16
. .
Albert Berdan
10
0
0
15
4
You will see that this makes a grand total of money ££322, or $805, and, with materials added, that is, not separately, but to- gether, £420, 14s., 10d., or $1,050.
Both of these lists, therefore, and not merely one of them, evi- dently are copies. If one, or the first, was not copied from the other, or the second, then both were taken from some other list or paper; and the copies may have been, and probably were, taken several years after the subscriptions were originally made, as they did things very slowly in those days. While in proof of what we say, at least in part, we have another paper, executed a few months earlier than the one, and it may be both copies,-a paper which relates to the debt on the church, and is of course supplementary to the original subscriptions,-in which paper, too, another subscrip- tion, along with the other, is incidentally referred to. This third paper is as herewith given :
"at a meeting of the Consistory of the Preakness Congregation on Satterday the Twenty fourth Day of august 1805."
9
James Ackerman
. .
.
·
1
3
David Dey
Abr. Ackerman
. .
123
AND PREAKNESS REFORMED CHURCH.
"WHEREAS, The said Consistory find that the Church of Preakness is Indebted a sum of Money to the Machanacks and Labourers for their Work they have Done to the said Church the Consistory have concluded to Raise a sum of Money by Tax to Tax Every Person According to His Estate to be taken from the assessor List and they have appointed James Ackerman and Cornelius Kipp to call upon every Person in the said Congregation to see how many Will subscribe their Names to Pay their share of the said Debt according to their Estate."-Nicholas Kip.
"The Consistory Likewise have agreid that all former contracts and agreements shall be and Remain as the Where heretofore agreed upon except the subscription Left in the hands of Cornelius Merselis and Uriah Van Riper that shall be Null and void by order of the Consistory.
PERSONS NAMES.
PERSONS NAMES.
NICHOLAS KIP,
ISAAC VAN SAUN,
CORNELIUS MERSEILLIS,
SAMUEL VAN SAEN,
CORNELIUS KIP,
JOHN VAN SAUN,
THOMAS J. GILLILAN,
GEORGE H. DOREMUS,
THUNIS I. HENNION,
HENRY KIP,
WILLIAM WOODS,
NICHOLAS KIP, JU'R,
CONRAD RIDNER,
JOHN COURTER,
MICHAEL DOREMUS,
HENNERY A. HENNION,
HENRY SHOEMAKER,
WILLIAM TEARMAN,
JACOB B. DOREMUS,
CORNELIUS ECKERSON,
DAVID I. HENNION,
JOHN T. HENNION,
GARRET MERSELIS,
HENRY COOPER,
ALBERT BERDAN, JUN.,
URIAH VAN RIPER.
RICHARD VAN REYPER,
CORNELIUS GARRASON,
The result of this action evidently is seen in another paper, which we next quote :
"Dec. 25, 1805."
"At the Request of Consistory and agreeable to subscription an esti- mate proportion of all the subscribers to the Subscription list for the pur- pose of Raising a Sufficient Sum to Dis charge the several debts of Pre- caness Congregation to Different persons such as Machanicks and labourers in building the Church in the aforesaid place of Precaness the Different sums are made out According to their rateable property agreeable to the Duplicate of State Taxes taken from the columns whereon to levy:"
Whereon
to levy. Dollars.
Cents.
Nicholas Kipp
14
4
48
Samuel Van Saun
18
5
70
John Van Saun
15
4
80
Peter Bush
12
3
84
Isaac Van Saun
20
6
40
Abr. Blauvelt
9
2
88
Nich's Kipp, Jr
14
4
48
Henry Kipp
11
3
52
John G. Van Riper
11
3
52
Corn's Kipp
15
4
80
John Van Winkle
18
5
70
John Van Norder
9
2
88
William Tierman
15
4
80
Cornelius Acker
10
3
20
Henry Hennion
. .
24
7
68
HENRY RIDNER,
JAMES ACKERMAN, JUN.,
ROILLOF VAN HOUTEN,
ANDREW VAN ORDER,
JAMES ACKERMAN,
JOHN VAN NURDEN,
124
HISTORY OF PREAKNESS
Whereon
to levy.
Dollars. Cents.
Tunis I. Hennion
23
7
36
David I. Hennion
17
5
44
Thos. Gillilan
14
4
48
Henry Cooper
34
10
88
James Ackerman
12
3
84
James Ackerman, Jr
4
1
28
Cornelius Merseiles
38
12
10
Garret Merseiles
39
12
42
Albert Berdan
27
8
64
Jacob Berdan
27
8
64
Uriah Van Riper
20
6
40
Rich'd Van Riper.
31
9
92
Rich'd Van Riper, Jr
7
2
24
William Woods
6
1
92
Coonraud Ridner
15
4
80
Henry Ridner
4
1
28
Andrew Van Norder
56
17
92
Michal Doremus
3
·
"at 32 cents out of the Dollar."
May 16th, 1806.
Received of Mr. Hodsen
$1.00
Henry Shoemaker paid.
1.00
Benjamin Speer paid.
2.00
Black tone paid.
.25
7
2
24
John D. Van Blarcum.
15
4
80
Isaac Van Blarcum
15
4
80
Martin H. Berry
35
11
20
$664
$212
.23
Whether all paid the amount assessed in the instance here given we have no means of knowing. Some amounts are marked "paid," some "paid in part," some more than the assessment, and others have crosses and others marks by them which it is very difficult for us to understand-in fact, which we cannot under- stand. But it is presumed that all the assessments at least were paid. At any rate, none are marked "not paid." We doubt, how- ever, whether a method like this of raising money nowadays for church purposes would be either agreeable or successful. On what basis the tax levies were made, of course, we cannot tell.
This, with the exception of the paper below, is all the informa- tion we have in regard to erecting and paying for the first Preak- ness Church edifice, up to 1811; but what we have is certainly satisfactory as far as it goes.
Here is a copy of the paper referred to :
"I promise to bear an Equal Proportion in Collecting the due bills given by divers Inhabitants in the Congregation of Precaness
NOTE .- The adding up of the columns of figures on this paper is not cor- rectly done. We give only the correct results.
95
John T. Hennion
125
AND PREAKNESS REFORMED CHURCH.
to the Consistory of Precaness and their successors in office, as witness my hand this 19 May 1808.
"CORNS. MERSIELES."
The original church building in Preakness, the result of this effort, erected on land not yet deeded to the people, was of rough, unhewn stone, laid up in mortar, made of hard clay, with straw intermingled with it, and was erected, as shown by the inscription stone built in the back wall of the alcove of the present structure, in 1798, on the very spot, a part of it, where we are to-day worshipping. The old church, (said the late John S. Hinchman), was neither so long, wide, nor high as the present one. It had no vestibule, and no alcove as this one has. The large double doors, in front, about where those are we now have, over which was an immense semi- circular glass window, opened directly into the audience room, and would admit of the passage of a horse and wagon through them. In fact, one was, it is said, once backed in through them during a thunder shower, as they were not locked. The old church was- surmounted at the front end by a small, low, brownstone tower, raised a little higher than the peak of the roof, and above this was open framework, in which a diminutive bell, about the size of a locomotive bell, was exposed to view; while yet above this was a shingled spire or steeple, with a rod rising from it, on which was a gilded ball and a weather-vane, representing the angel Gabriel blowing his trumpet. The bell, we are told, was sold, on the tearing down of the structure, and placed in some country schoolhouse not far away. There were several poplar trees standing near the church, from the roots of which, as they disappeared, one or two successors have sprung up, and still stand. The front door-sill of the church was very low and close to the ground ; and before it was a large flagstone. There were three windows on each side of the old church, two in front, one each side of the doors, and one also each side of the pulpit, back of the church, all of them rounded at the iop. Three galleries were in the old church, on the east end and on either side, four benches deep, the approaches to which were by stairways, in the front corners of the audience room; and at the foot of these stairways were doors, added later. Under each side gallery was a row or line of pews, running lengthwise of the church to the stairways, on which the boys and youths were accustomed to sit. In front of these lines of pews, which were a little higher than the others in the church, was a passageway or aisle, on either side of the room, affording entrance to the other pews, which were boxed,
I26
HISTORY OF PREAKNESS
with high backs and doors; while there was also an aisle in the mid- dle of the church. There were pews likewise each side of the pul- pit, the Elders and Deacons occupying the same relative positions as now, the pews back of whom were considered the best in the building. The pulpit, which was very high, was shaped somewhat like a huge wineglass, with sounding board over it, and had room in it for only one person at a time, who entered his perch by means of a spiral staircase from a platform raised one step above the church floor. This old pulpit, when the church was taken down, was bought at public sale by the Sexton, Peter C. Post ; but what has become of it since we do not know. The ceiling of the building was slanting from the peak with the roof, and was boarded with boards running across the rafters lengthwise with the church, and these were painted white. There were no carpets in the old church, and only here and there a stray cushion in the pews, of various designs, colors, and fillings, some of them being stuffed with feathers. The church at first had no stoves in it, other than in- dividual footstoves; but later a single box stove, with long pipe almost the length of the room, stood directly in front of the pulpit, and sometimes made it exceedingly warm for the minister. Even after this, some of the people still held on to their footstoves; and once upon a time through the upsetting of one of these, the church came near being burned up. It is said that Mrs. Martin H. Berry, mother of the late H. K. Berry, was accustomed to leaving her foot- stove all the week in her pew, replenishing it after entering the building each Sunday with fresh coals from the church stove; and that on the particular Sunday referred to, going out of her pew after service, without her knowing it, she upset her footstove, as is supposed, by her dress brushing against it, when the coals came out and charred the floor over quite a spot, but which was not found out until the following Sunday. There being no draught in the church, fortunately for all concerned, the fire did not blaze enough to make a conflagration. Mr. Samuel Demarest, of Paterson, says that little fires like this occurred in the church several times.
The pulpit chair of the old church, the only one the pulpit contained, and which was used by all the ministers here up to the time of Domine Staats, and by him for a number of years, is still in existence, in a good state of preservation, in the possession of Mrs. C. Schuyler Voorhees, formerly of Pompton Lakes, but now (1902) of Paterson, a great granddaughter of Domine De Witt, who very highly prizes it. It is an ordinary, old-fashioned, straight,
127
AND PREAKNESS REFORMED CHURCH.
high-backed, rush-bottomed chair, at present painted white, but formerly having a grayish hue.
In the County records of Bergen County at Hackensack, we find that Edo Marselis, of Preakness, on June 7, 1799, deeded to David Demarest, Samuel Van Saun, Richard Van Riper, Jacob Berdan, Henry B. Spear, and John Van Winkle, and all the rest of the builders of the Church of Preakness, for the consideration of twenty shillings good and lawful money of the State of New York, a parcel of land two chains wide by five chains deep, containing one acre.
This acre comprises the present grounds about the church, to- gether with the old burying ground back of it.
It will be noticed from this presentation, that the deed here mentioned was given after the church was built, that is, the follow- ing year, the church being built in 1798, and the deed executed in 1799. Moreover, the language of the deed implies this, when, after a number of names, is added the clause, "and all the rest of the builders of the Church of Preakness,"-there being yet no organization, but, so to speak, only a cage for the bird when it should be ready for it.
The description of this parcel of land is thus made in the deed :
"All that certain lot, piece, or parcel of land situate, lying, and being in Preakness in said county of Bergen, Beginning at the distance of Eighteen links from a chestnut tree standing on the main road on a course South eighty three degrees West, it being the South East corner of the land of Said Edo Marcelis, thence extending first South sixty-six degrees West five chains, thence North sixteen degrees West two chains, thence North sixty-six de- grees East five chains, thence South sixteen degrees East two chains to the place of Beginning, containing one acre."
This deed was signed, sealed, and delivered June 7, 1799, in the presence of David D. Demarest and Adrain Van Houten, before C. Merseiles, one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas, of the county of Bergen, and a son also of the grantor, and was received in the Clerk's office and recorded at Hackensack April 29, 1816.
We observe that the oldest tombstone inscription directly back of the church is that "In memory of Edo Merseiles, who departed this life October the 12th, in the year of our Lord, 1799, aged sev- enty years, eight months, and fifteen days,"-the very same, we are
I28
HISTORY OF PREAKNESS
told, who, about four months before, conveyed this acre of ground to the worshipping community.
The next oldest inscription in the same old burying ground is, "In memory of David Van Blarcom, who departed this life Decem- ber 31st, 1801, aged seventy-one years, two months, and twenty-five days."
From the minutes of the Classis of Bergen, (deposited in the Sage Library, New Brunswick, N. J.), under date of April 20, 1801, "Art. xii: Extension of the Church," we have secured the follow- ing :
"A representation and petition of eighty-five heads of families living at Prakeness, was laid before this Classis, earnestly request- ing to be organized into a Congregation. The Classis, having taken this subject into mature consideration, conceive that from the com- plex situation of this people, partly belonging to the congregation of Panna," (now Ponds), "Pompton, and Totowa, the most prudent measures ought to be pursued and adopted. And, whereas, said people lay on the extremities of the Classis of Paramus and Bergen, and from reports there appears to be a dissatisfaction on the part of the Congregation of Totowa; notwithstanding the congregations of Pompton and Panna have given their full consent."
"Resolved, that to avoid rashness and precipitancy they refer this busi- ness to the next Particular Synod," (New York) "asking their advice and decision, hoping at the same time that they will determine to what Classis said people shall be attached when duly organized. Nevertheless, this Classis in the mean time authorize any of the ministers belonging to this body to supply said people when by them requested."
At this meeting of the Classis, which took place at Bergen, we note in attendance the Rev. P. De Witt and Elder Jacob Berdan, the latter being probably the same to whom, among others, the deed of Edo Merselis was given in 1799.
It may be stated here that the Reformed Churches all through Northern New Jersey and a part of New York State, were at one time comprised in the extinct Classis of Hackensack, which was organized in 1772, and which, in 1800, was divided into the new Classes of Paramus and Bergen. The minutes of the Classis of Hackensack, which are well preserved, from May, 1778, to August 20, 1799, are in Dutch, and from that time until the dissolution of Classis, in English. You will find them in the Sage Library, at New Brunswick. Seventeen Churches were under the jurisdiction of this Body in 1778. Thirteen of these were located in New Jer- sey, viz : Paramus, Pompton, Totowa. Acquackanonk, Hackensack,
129
AND PREAKNESS REFORMED CHURCH.
(two), Schraalenbergh, (two), Second River, Persippany, Ponds, Bergen, and English Neighborhood." The other four, in New York, were (Orange county, now Rockland), Tappan, New Hemp- tead and Kakijat, in Orange County, (now Rockland), besides one on Staten Island, which was under the pastoral charge of the min- ister at Bergen. ("Annals of the Classis and Township of Bergen." By Rev. B. C. Taylor, 1856, p. 26).
On page twenty-nine, of the same work, we read that when the Classis of Hackensack was divided into the Classes of Paramus and Bergen, "the Classis of Paramus was to consist of the following Churches : Tappan, New Hempstead, Kakijat, Hackensack and Schraalenbergh, (under Dr. Solomon Freligh's charge), Rama- paugh, Paramus, Acquackanonk, and Totowa,-nine congregations."
"The Classis of Bergen to consist of the Churches of Hacken- sack, and Schraalenbergh, (under the charge of the Rev. J. V. C. Romeyn), Second River, Bergen, Horseneck, Pompton, English Neighborhood, Ponds, Persippany (subsequently known as Boonton, now Montville),-also nine congregations."
To account for the discrepancy here noticed, viz : two Classes, of nine congregations each, being formed out of one of seventeen congregations, we observe that a new Church had been organized at Ramapaugh, now Mahwah; while to take the place of the one on Staten Island, which was transferred to the Classis of New York, the Church of Horseneck, or Fairfield, was brought over from a neighboring Jersey Classis into the Classis of Bergen.
It will be seen from this that it was somewhat difficult to teil to which Classis the Church of Preakness, when organized, should really belong. But the Particular Synod seems to have easily solved the difficulty. For the very next entry we find in the Min- utes of the Classis of Bergen, which met at Hackensack November 17, 1801, is as follows :
"Case of Prakeness: Whereas, the people inhabitants of the neighbor- hood of Prakeness applied to this Classis at their last session, held in the town of Bergen. to be organized into a congregation; and whereas, this Classis judged it most prudent to refer the case to the Particular Synod to be held in New York, on the second Tuesday in November inst., for their de- cision ; And whereas, the said Synod have granted the request of the said applicants, and directed the Classis of Bergen to form them into a congre- gation ; therefore
"Resolved, that this Classis appoint Rev. Messrs Stephen Ostrander and John Duryee, each with an Elder, for the said purpose, on the first Sab- bath in December next, and report to this Classis at their next ordinary meeting."
"Ordered also that on Tuesday, the first day of December next. the
130
HISTORY OF PREAKNESS
Elders and Deacons be elected, and that the Rev. Stephen Ostrander attend said meeting and preach a sermon on the occasion.
"Ordered that the clerk furnish the people of Prakeness with a copy of this resolution."
This was done, as we learn from the minutes of the next session at Pompton, (Pompton Plains), April 27, 1802. Art. xiv., Exten- sion of Churches : "Rev. Messrs. Stephen Ostrander and John Dur- yee reported that they had, according to the injunction of Classis, organized the Congregation of Prakeness."
In consequence of the above report of Messrs. Ostrander and Duryee, Nicausey Kipp, Elder from Prakeness, took his seat.
From Taylor's Annals, page thirty, we further learn that to the Churches already named as constituting the Classis of Bergen, there were afterwards added by new organizations Preakness and Stone House Plains, in 1801; Pompton, 1815 ; Newfoundland, 1815 or 1816; Wyckoff, 1822 or 1823; Bergen Neck, 1829; First Jersey City, 1830 ; First Newark, 1833 ; Little Falls, 1837.
The Church of Preakness thus was organized by the Classis of Bergen in the first year of its existence as a separate Body, and but a few months after the Church of Stone House Plains was organ- ized. The Church, however, after this, was represented in Classis for a number of years only by ruling elders. At the meeting at Ponds April 26, 1803, Samuel Van Saun was the Elder. At
Schraalenbergh April 24, 1804, Elder John Van Winkle represented this Church, and he then reported that the Church had stated sup- plies from Rev. Messrs. Peter De Witt and John Duryee. Cor- nelius Merseiles was our representative at Hackensack April 30, 1805, who reported that at that time the people were "wholly des- titute of regular preaching." At this meeting of Classis, the Con- gregations of Preakness and Boontown (Boonton, now Montville), asked for supplies, when it was
Resolved that each minister supply Prakeness on two, and Boonton on one Sabbath before the next ordinary meeting of Classis.
The following arrangements under this resolution were made in regard to Prakeness:
J. V. C. Romeyn. 3rd Sabbaths in May and August.
J. Cornelison, Ist Sabbaths in October and April.
P. Stryker, 3rd Sabbaths in September and December.
John Duryee, Ist Sabbaths in June and November.
S. Ostrander, Ist Sabbath in July and 3rd in October.
P. De Witt, Ist Sabbaths in January and March.
At Pompton January 8 and 9, 1806, Isaac Van Saun repre- sented Preakness. Also at Hackensack April 29, same year. The
I3I
AND PREAKNESS REFORMED CHURCH.
Elder at this meeting of Classis reported that the Church here "contemplated in the past year to make out a call, but had since Resolved to defer it till some future time, still, however, having the object in their view."
Elder Van Saun then requested that each minister belonging to the Classis of Bergen supply Preakness two Sabbaths in the en- suing year, and Classis consenting, the following arrangement was made :
Rev. J. Cornelison, 4th Sab. in October, and 2nd in November. Rev. P. Stryker, 3rd Sab. in September and 3rd in December.
Rev. J. V. C. Romeyn, Ist Sab. in June and Ist in July.
Rev. P. De Witt, Ist Sab. in August and Ist in January.
Rev. S. Ostrander, 3d Sab. in May and 3rd in March.
Rev. J. Duryee, Ist Sab. in February and Ist in April.
At Hackensack April 28, 1807, David Hennion was the repre- sentative Elder from this Church, and he secured supplies from the same persons for the same number of Sabbaths, that is, twelve for the year. At Bergen April 26, 1808, Cornelius Marselus was our delegate, who made the usual request ; when Classis
"Resolved that the request be granted, and that the same arrangement that was made last year be now pursued as to the times."
Somehow there appear to have been five elders in the Preakness Consistory in 1808. Elder John Van Winkle represented Preak- ness at Bergen April 25, 1809, and he secured supplies for the same number of Sabbaths, while it was ordered that Cornelison, in Oc- tober, and Stryker, in April, administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and that they preach the preparatory discourses on the respective Saturdays preceding, at 3 o'clock P. M. In 1810, Cornelius Kip was Classical delegate three times. In 1811, Isaac Van Saun, twice. In 1812, Cornelius Marselis. In 1813, Jacob Berdan. In 1814, John Van Winkle. The first statistical report from this Church ever made to Classis, so far as we know, was made in 1814: Families, 70; Persons in Congregation, 366; Com- municants, 42 ; Baptized infants, (we take it infants baptized dur- ing the year), 25. Cornelius Kipp was the Elder in 1815, at Ber- gen. In 1816, at Pompton Plains, C. Marselis. In 1817, at Eng- lish Neighborhood, Peter Voorhies. In 1818, at Schraalenburgh, Uriah Van Riper. Also in 1819, at Hackensack. In 1820, at Belleville, David D. Demarest. In 1821, at Hackensack, Jacob Polhemus. In 1822, at Hackensack, Rem. Onderdonk. In 1823, at the same place, Cornelius Kip. In 1824, at different meetings, Jacob J. Berdan, Cornelius Kip and Isaac Van Saun represented
I32
HISTORY OF PREAKNESS
this Church. Most of the time all these years the Church had stated supplies about once a month, asked for from Classis by these Elders. But the time was now at hand when there was to be a change.
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