USA > New Jersey > Hunterdon County > Amwell > The history of the First English Presbyterian Church in Amwell > Part 15
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At the congregational meeting held March, 1864, Mr. Anthony L. Case was chosen Chairman and Dr. Prall Secretary. The Trustees elected were the same as in 1863, excepting that Caleb F. Quick and James P. Cham- berlin were chosen in place of Dr. Jacob S. Prall and William B. Prall.
Caleb F. Quick was elected President and Treasurer of the Board, to which office he was annually re-elected until 1875.
Turning to the membership of the Church at this time we find that Rev. Mr. Van Wyck had reported to Pres- bytery, in April, 1862, only one hundred and twenty-two members in the United Church. This is given in the
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minutes of the General Assembly, and shows a most mar- vellous disappearance of members as received and reported by Mr. Carrell. Their dismissal, either by letter or discipline, is not recorded, except in a few cases. Hence a large number of members recently received must have been dropped in order to purge the roll of unfaithful or non-attending members. This forces on us the conclu- sion that the revival of previous years had been followed with a painful reaction, resulting in a low state of piety.
In keeping with this the Assembly's minutes show that during the year ending April, 1862, only thirty dollars were contributed to the Boards of the Church by Am- well First, and fifty dollars to miscellaneous causes, pre- sumably to the American Bible Society.
When the union between Clover Hill and Amwell First was dissolved, thirty-four members were dismissed to the reorganized Church of Clover Hill, leaving for this Church eighty-eight.
In April, 1863, and previous to Mr. Janeway's instal- lation, this Church reports one hundred and twenty mem- bers, which is a larger number than the thirteen, whose names are recorded on our minutes, as received, will make.
This was a year, during which the Church was largely without a pastor. The contributions of the Church to benevolence for the year was only seven dollars, which was given to the Fund for Disabled Ministers.
These two years were at the time when prices of produce were high and money was plenty, and yet the beneficence of the Church fell to its lowest ebb. Our rec- ords do not show what service Mr. Janeway rendered the Church before he formally accepted the call, April 14th,
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1863, but they show that as pastor-elect he moderated the meeting of Session, April 4th, when twelve of the thirteen members referred to above were received on ex- amination. The names of these twelve persons are Mrs. Ellen Rea, Martin J. Bellis, Mrs. Martha R. Holcombe, Mrs. Ann Sutphin, Mrs. Mary E. Schenck, Mrs. Mary Conover, Mrs. Sarah Ann Hall, Mrs. Sarah Conover, Mrs. Mary M. Williamson, Lewis Sutphin, Joseph C. Harrison and Levi Holcombe.
From April 14th, 1863, when reports were presented to Presbytery to April, 1864, the following persons were received into the membership of the Church.
July IIth. On examination: Mrs. Van Horn, Mrs. Eliza Young, Miss Sallie A. Quick, Mrs. Jenny Quick, Joseph Brown, Joseph Titus, Mrs. Rachel Foot, Mrs. Henrietta Priestly, Mrs. Caroline Williamson, Mrs. Mary Wilson, Miss Delilah Martindale, Miss Rebecca Voor- hees, Miss Isabella Wood, Miss Cornelia Cortelyou, Mrs. Madelin Brown, Miss Farnces Drake. On certificate: Thomas Reeder Snook, and Sarah E., his wife, and Mr. Abraham S. Stone and Mrs. Lydia A. Stone.
November 14th. Received on examination: Oliver Phillips, Miss Anna Augusta Cortelyou, Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, Jonathan B. Higgins, Mrs. Mariah Higgins. Re- ceived on certificate: John H. Johnson, Mrs. Mary Johnson, his wife, and Miss Sarah Johnson.
February 27th, 1864. Received on examination : Mrs. Ann Higgins and Miss Mariah V. Higgins. And on cer- tificate, Levi C. Littell.
March 5th. Received on examination: Miss Mar-
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garet Young, Jacob Dilts, Mrs. Jane Ann Dilts, Miss Mary Ann Dilts.
March 12th. Received on examination: Mrs. Re- becca Stout, Mrs. Matilda Robins, Mrs. Mary Brown, Mrs. Mary Chamberlain, Mrs. Eleanor LaRue, Mrs. Jamima Johnson, Miss Debora LaRue, Miss Mary Jane Voorhees, Miss Georgiana Haight. And on certificate: Robert W. Hunt and Mrs. Ellen S. Hunt, Gideon Stout and Mrs. Eliza Stout.
March 20th. Received on certificate: John Wyckoff and Mary, his wife, and Mrs. Mary Ball, their daughter.
July the 9th. Received on examination: Mrs. Sarah Mariah Todd, Mrs. Louisa Waldron, Mrs. Anna E. Hudnut and Miss Rebecca E. Mattison. This is the last minute in our records entered by Mr. Janeway. The pas- torate of Mr. Janeway, which began so auspicously and continued up to this time so full of blessing to the Church, terminated in sorrow.
During this summer Mrs. Janeway sickened and died. Under this bereavemnt Mr. Janeway felt that he could not remain and continue his labors alone, where he had enjoyed the help and companionship of his endeared wife. He tendered his resignation and his action being laid be- fore Presbytery, the pastoral relation between himself and this Church was dissolved September 6th, 1864. During this brief pastorate fifty-two persons were received into the Church on examination and fifteen on certificate.
It is pleasant also to add to these unusually large ad- ditions to the membership of the Church, a very decided advance in the benevolent contributions of the Church, yet the figures show that the Church after doing almost
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nothing for some years, could not be brought up, at once, to a fair standard of its duty. Total membership re- ported was 133; membership of Sabbath School, 120; total benevolent contributions for the year, $96.
I have gone over these records of Mr. Janeway's pas- torate here with especial interest, because he and I were friends and classmates at Princeton College, graduating in 1857. We were also in the Seminary together, though not in the same class, as he did not enter the Seminary until one year after leaving college. He came of a min- isterial family, his father and grandfather, both being clergymen, and both men of prominence in their day. Mr. Janeway seems to have inherited gifts which fitted him for the ministry, and his connection with this Church shows how well he applied himself to the work in hand. His genial manner, his faithful work and his deep afflic- tion all combined to endear his memory to this Church. A brief record of his career will be heard, I am sure, with interest to this Church.
Mr. Janeway was born at Rahway, N. J., in 1837. He graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1857. He received the title of Ph.D. from Princeton in 1860, and graduated from the Seminary in 1861. He was or- dained by the Presbytery of Raritan, May 7th, 1863, and on the same day installed pastor of Amwell First Church. The pastoral relation was dissolved September 6th, 1864. After leaving Reaville he went under appointment of the Christian Commission to the Army of the Potomac, and later, he entered the service of the arm yas chaplain of the 85th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers.
When he left the service his health was greatly im-
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paired by a severe attack of malarial fever. Recovering his health in some measure, he accepted a call, condi- tionally, to the Presbyterian Church of Chambersburg, Pa., which he served as pastor-elect for about a year. When he returned the call because his health did not al- low him to continue in the work. In 1868 he received a call to the Second Church of Cranberry, N. J., but the state of his health again required him to tender his resig- nation within a year.
In 1875 he became the Secretary and Actuary of the Presbyterian Annuity and Life Insurance Company at Philadelphia. Leaving Philadelphia in 1880 he went to Colorado in another business capacity, while at the same time seeking the restoration of his heatlh. He resided at Denver, Col., at Emporia, Kansas, and San Diego, California, for several years.
In 1889 he was teaching in New York City. Since that time he has studied medicine rather to gratify a taste than to change his profession, nevertheless he still resides in New York and is practicing medicine as opportunity presents.
It is evident from the facts stated that Mr. Janeway's most important ministerial work was done in the short time that he was pastor of this Church.
THE TWELFTH PASTOR, REV. N. L. UPHAM,
1865-1871.
The Rev. Nathan L. Upham, who married Miss An- nie Howell Janeway, sister of Rev. Joshua H. Janeway, was the next pastor of this Church. Mr. Upham was installed pastor of this Church the second Tuesday of
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June, 1865. He began his labors, however, much earlier, as we find him moderating a meeting of Session, March 12th, 1865, when Mr. Levi C. Littell was granted a let- ter of dismission. In the call given to Mr. Upham, the congregation engaged to pay him seven hundred and fifty dollars, payable in two equal payments.
The elders of the Church at the time of Mr. Upham's call were Peter P. Young and William V. Waldron, the same as served the Church while Mr. Janeway was pas- tor.
The congregational meeting held March, 1865, with Mr. Zebulon Stout as Chairman, and Mr. C. F. Quick Secretary, elected as Trustees John Quick, Zebulon Stout, John H. Phillips, John H. Williamson, James P. Cham- berlin, William Sutphin and Caleb F. Quick. These Trustees were re-elected in 1866 and in 1867.
In 1866 Mr. A. L. Case was Chairman of the con- gregational meeting, and in 1867 Mr. Gideon Quick was chosen to that office.
In 1868 Mr. John H. Williamson was made Chairman of the congregational meeting, and the Trustees elected were John H. Williamson, Asher Higgins, John Y. Bellis, Abraham J. Prall, William Sutphin, John Quick and Caleb F. Quick.
March, 1869, Mr. Anthony L. Case was chosen to preside over the congregational meeting. The following persons were elected Trustees, viz: Robert R. Smith, Asher Higgins, John Y. Bellis, Abraham J. Prall, Lewis Sutphin, John Quick and Caleb F. Quick.
The same Board was chosen in 1870, excepting the election of Jacob F. Quick in place of John Quick. .
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In 1871, John Y. Bellis was chosen to preside over the congregational meeting. The Trustees elected were John Y. Bellis, Wiliam B. Prall, Lewis Sutphin, Lewis C. Case, Robert R. Smith, John T. Hudnet, and Caleb F. Quick.
Mr. Upham's pastorate began under the most favora- ble financial conditions the church had ever known, and these continued until its close. Many changes and im- provements took place during this period. Some of which were of lasting benefit to the Church.
Steps were taken to enlarge the eldership as early as September 18th. October 7th due notice having been given, John H. Johnson, Jacob S. Prall and Jacob Voor- hees were elected to the office of Ruling Elder, and Oc- tober 22nd was appointed for their ordination and instal- lation, which appointment was carried out.
Monday, January Ist, 1866. The Session met and dis- tricted the congregation, assigning a part to each elder, and agreed to make a general visitation from house to house for religious conversation and prayer.
May 5th. The Session met to take action on the death of Elder William Waldron, which occurred April 3rd, 1866. In this action, the Session expresses a sense of its own bereavement, and that of the Church, by the death of Elder Waldron. It extends its sympathy to his fam- ily and friends, and testify to his faithful Christian life for more than twenty years.
November 17th, 1867. The Session met to take sim- ilar action in regard to Elder Young. That action is as follows: "Peter P. Young united with this Church in 1829, when thirty-five years of age. He left us for the
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'fellowship' above on the 30th of October, 1867, making thirty-eight years of consistent Christian life, thirty-six of which were spent in the eldership, with good results to us and the Church."
February 23rd, 1868. Elder Jacob S. Prall was granted a certificate to the Second Reformed Church of Somerville, to which place he had moved.
These losses in the eldership were followed with a con- ference by the Session January 26th, 1870, with refer- ence to securing additional members to the Session, and also the propriety of choosing a board of deacons. The Session decided to recommend both measures to the Church, but before they were carried out the death of Elder Jacob Voorhees occurred.
The precise day of the death of Mr. Voorhees is not given, but it was announced on Sabbath, February 13th, 1870, at which notice was given of his funeral.
The election of elders and deacons took place accord- ing to previous arrangement, and the expressed desire of Mr. Voorhees during his sickness, on the 26th day of February. The following persons were on this day nom- inated and unanimously elected, viz: To the office of elder, Zebulon Stout, William Hill and Irenaeus R. Glen, M. D. To the office of deacon, Abraham J. Prall, Lewis Sutphin, John Quick, Martin J. Bellis, Jonathan Hig- gins and Joseph C. Harrison. These persons were set apart by ordination, and installation to their respective . offices, March 20th, 1870. The Session met March 24th and passed the following tribute to the life and character of Elder Voorhees :
"We desire to express our sense of loss sustained by the
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Church and by the Session in the death of Elder Jacob Voorhees. This loss is the more keenly felt because lat- terly his health had improved, and he had become more than ever useful. And yet we cannot but rejoice with the family and the Church, that he was spared to us so long, being over three score and ten years of age, of which more than forty years were given to us in the faith and work of Christ. We remember, too, with special thankfulness that he could die in sleep. It must have been a great relief to him who had known so much of suf- fering, 'to sleep in Jesus and be blessed.' "
The Session received the following persons into the membership of the Church during Mr. Upham's pastor- ate:
April 2nd, 1865. On examination: Miss Pauline Meyers.
April 8th. Mrs. Augustus Young.
May Ist. Irenaeus R. Glen, M. D., was received by certificate.
July 29th. Edward I. Smith was received on exam- ination, and on certificate Mrs. Martha W. Voorhees, Mrs. Annie H. Upham, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Wyckoff, Mrs. Martha Smith, Mrs. Christiana Hiner and Wil- liam Q. Hiner.
October 28th. On examination : John Emilie Hol- combe and Mrs. Holcombe, his wife.
January 28th, 1866. Session received William H. Lan- ning and Mrs. Elizabeth Lanning.
May 6th. On examination: Mrs. Harrison Sutphin and Miss Amanda Quick.
July 28th. Miss Catherine Quick and Miss Caroline
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Johnson, and on certificate, Mrs. William J. Huffman and Mrs. E. Rynearson.
November 10th. Mrs. Sarah Pyatt, on examination.
February 3rd, 1867. Mrs. Margaret B. Van Bleet, Miss Sarah Housel. On certificate, Col. John H. Sut- phin, Mrs. Dr. Irenaeus R. Glen, Miss Augusta Case.
May 4th. On examination, Mrs. Mahlon Higgins, Mrs. Stout Servis, Abram J. Prall and his wife, Mrs. Prall.
August 17th. On certificate, John Wilson and his wife, Charles Wilson and his wife, William G. Hill and Mrs. Rebecca Ann Hill.
August 18. On examination, Miss Mary Dalrymple. November 17th. Mrs. Miller R. Reading, Miss Mary Catherine Hartsel, Miss Susan Anna Packer and Wil- liam C. Ball, and on certificate, J. T. Hudnut.
February 23rd, 1868. On examination, William B. Prall and his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Prall, and Miss Car- oline Rodenbaugh.
May 24th. Miss Anna Housel, Mrs. Mary Crouse, Mrs. Mary Conover, Levi Housel and Edward Lanson. On certificate, John J. Marsh and Mrs. Mariah Marsh. December 26th. Miss Rebecca Huffman.
June 26th, 1869. On certificate, Mrs. Martha Skill- man Holcombe.
September 25th. On examination, Miss Louisa Cole. October 31st. Jerry Bristow (colored).
January 30th, 1870. On examination, Miss Jane Hagins, Miss Mary Ann Thomson, and on certificate, Mrs. Rebecca B. Hageman.
April 9th. On examination, Henry H. Hageman,
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Miss Carrie Hill, Miss Mary C. Reed, and on certifi- cate, Mrs. John Williamson.
June 19th. Jacob H. Wessels, Albert Case, and Mrs. Mary Jennings Crocker from Wesleyan Methodist Church near Plymouth, England.
April 8th, 1871. On certificate, Mrs. John P. Quick.
October 14th. Dr. George P. Rex and Mrs. Ger- trude Rex from Presbyterian Church, Selma, Alabama.
Summing these up we have thirty-seven persons re- ceived into the membership of the Church on examination, and twenty-nine on certificate, or sixty-six additions to the Church during the six and one-half years of Mr. Up- ham's pastorate. And yet so great had been the number of removals from the Church by death and dismission on certificate that Mr. Upham reported the membership of the Church less by four at the close of his pastorate than when he began.
And even this number (134) was larger than the ac- tual membership on the ground, as we notice at the open- ing of the next pastorate the roll was still further re- duced.
The pastorate of Mr. Upham is remarkable for the bap- tism of thirty-one infant children. Also for the death of three ruling elders and for the election of six elders and six deacons. One elder, Dr. I. R. Glen, was dismissed to the Church at Pluckemin at the close of Mr. Upham's pastorate.
But no one thing distinguished this short pastorate more than the fact that under Mr. Upham the very com- fortable parsonage was built.
In the Spring of 1865 a lot was purchased of Robert
PARSONAGE OF AMWELL CHURCH.
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R. Smith on which this building was erected during the Summer. The cost of the parsonage was about $5,000, exclusive of a large amount of work gratuitously ren- dered by the congregation.
I quote with full concurrence a remark by Dr. Blatten- berger, that the building reflects credit upon the liber- ality of this congregation. It would be an ornament to any rural village. It has been a comfortable home for five of your pastors before my coming, and I can testify to having enjoyed this home very greatly during these years of my ministry. I am also informed that the trees on the lawn were selected by Mr. Stout and Mr. Robbins, and that Mr. Robbins had the selection of the maples; he took great pains to have them perfectly straight. This accounts for their handsome appearance. "These, with the evergreens, make the lawn a thing of beauty."
It is apparent that Mr. Upham's pastorate had an auspicious beginning. The people "had a mind to work," and also a mind to give. This is evident from the liberal way in which the improvements of the Church were made, and from their generosity to the pastor himself. It was also shown by their wider Christian beneficence. Mr. Upham succeeded beyond any former pastor of the Church in developing this grace of Christian beneficence, and bringing the Church into full accord and co-operation in the work as appointed by the General Assembly. This shows him to have been loyal to the Presbyterian Church, though his education had been in another denomination.
In the minutes, as kept by him, we find for the first time a full and orderly record of the benevolent work of 16
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the Church. He not only secured contributions to the several objects specified by the Assembly, but also much for outside causes. It is true that the gifts to objects under the care of the Boards of the Church, did not reach the amounts of later years, yet, if we include the sums given to miscellaneous causes, and the large amounts to the American Bible Society, the total sum given will nearly equal the best efforts of the Church in Christian beneficence in later years.
And this was accomplished, too, before the days in which the Christian women came forward in personal effort and consecrated means, by which the funds of the Church, for benevolent work, have been so largely in- creased.
The sum total of contributions to the Boards of the Church during the six years of Mr. Upham's pastorate, is $595.79 being a yearly average of $99.30. The largest of the single contributions was $32, twice given to For- eign Missions, and the next highest to Home Missions, $25.69. These are much below our present gifts. But the contributions to education and ministerial relief had a much higher average than they do now. Contributions for the same six years to the American Bible Society were $361, averaging $60 a year, and the highest for any one year being $73. This is far beyond what the Church is doing to-day for this blessed cause. The gifts to miscellaneous causes, including such objects as Howard Mission American Sunday School Union Fund for Sea- men and the like amounted to $113.87, making a sum total of benevolence of $1,070.83, or a yearly average of $178.44. This large advance in beneficence by this
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Church is all the more commendable, because it was at the time when it had made its largest gifts for its own sup- port and improvement.
The exact amount of money expended on the parson- age, as shown by the records, was in 1866, being $4,500, and in 1869, for the debt on parsonage, $360, making a cash cost of the same $4,860. Then we have in 1868, for Church repairs, $400, and in 1869, for Session Room and Sunday School Library, $137. The congregational expenses, including pastor's salary, ($750), and incident- als for the same period were just $6,000. To this was added for four of these years cash donation to the pas- tor in sums ranging from $175 to $317, and the fifth year, to the pastor's wife, $125, making in all $1,119. There was also a contribution for Sunday School Library and a poor fund of $51. This brings the amount ex- pended by the Church for its own work during these six years up to $11,448, and to benevolence, $1,070.83. This is the best showing, financially, in the Church's history.
Mr. Upham remained in charge until October 15th, or six months after his last report. The report presented by his successors, for the year in which, each had been in charge for a part of the year, shows that the beneficence of the Church kept well up to the standard of former years. The total for the year is for beneficence, about $175, and for Church expenses $1,152. This will bring the Church's beneficence for the seven years up to $1,250, and for its own work and improvements to $12,593.
This account of Mr. Upham's pastorate may well be followed with a brief sketch of his life. The Rev. Na- thaniel L. Upham was born of Christian parents at Con-
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cord, New Hampshire, in 1833. He prepared for col- lege at Phillips' Academy, Andover, Mass. He graduted at Dartmouth College, N. H., in 1853, and at Andover Theological Seminary in 1858. He was ordained by the Bennington Congregational Association of Vermont to the gospel ministry at Manchester, in 1859, and installed pastor of the Congregational Church in that place at the same date. After serving that Church for two years he came to Flemington, N. J., and took charge of the Pres- byterian Church there during the absence of pastor Rev. John L. Janeway, who was chaplain of the 30th N. J. Volunteers during the nine months' service. Mr. Upham was mustered into the service October, 1863, and made chaplain of the 35th N. J. Volunteers. He was received as a member of the Presbytery of Raritan before leaving for the army. He remained in the service until he came to Reaville early in 1865. He was installed pastor of this Church the second Tuesday of June, 1865, and re- mained as pastor until October 15th, 1871.
It was during his pastorate in 1869 that the union B mo between the old and new school branches of the Pres- byterian Church occurred, and that the special meeting ear tow bee of the Synod of New Jersey, June 2Ist, was held. At this Synod the Presbytery of Raritan was dissolved, and the churches comprising it divided between the Pres- Thea byteries of Elizabeth, of Newton and New Brunswick. by Th side Amwell First was returned to New Brunswick, in which it had been a member from the time of its organization in 1738 until 1817, when the Church was one of the num-IRey ber constituting the Presbytery of Newton.
Mr. Upham was led to tender his resignation as pas-
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tor of this Church because of impaired health, resulting from sunstroke, which he suffered while in the army. After a brief rest he took charge of a new enterprise at Merchantville, N. J., remaining there for ten years, but able to preach but one sermon each Sabbath. He then be- came Secretary of the Presbyterian Ministers' Annuity Fund in Philadelphia. He left this position after several years service, and accepted the position of Secretary of the Philadelphia Tract and Mission Society, which po- sition he now holds. His residence is in Germantown, Pa. In connection with his service in the army it may be remarked that four of the pastors of this Church have been army chaplains. Rev. William Kirkpatrick in the Indian wars in colonial times, and Revs. Van Wyck, Janeway and Upham in the late war for the Union.
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