USA > New York > Schenectady County > Schenectady > A history of St. George's church in the city of Schenectady, Volume I > Part 1
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.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13
NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES 3 3433 06253434 6
GEORGE'S . CH
SCH
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2008 with funding from Microsoft Corporation
http://www.archive.org/details/historyofstgeorg01hans
A History of St. George's Church in the City of Schenectady I.
4
-
Fr. George's Church
A HISTORY
OF
St. George's Church IN THE 13949
City of Schenectady.
BY WILLIS T. HANSON JR., A.M.
IN TWO VOLUMES: VOLUME ONE
RGE'S . CHUR
ST GEO
CH
SCHE
Schenectady: PRIVATELY PRINTED MDCCCCXIX
880011
Copyright, 1919, by Willis T. Hanson Jr.
Table of Contents.
Page
St. George's Church . 7
Chapter I. The Early Missionaries
Notes 14
Chapter II. The Ministrations of the Reverend Thomas Barclay and the Reverend William Andrews
17
Notes .
24
Chapter III. Further Missionary Activities ·
·
29
Notes
34
Chapter IV. The Founding of St. George's Parish and the Erec- tion of the Church
37
Notes 45
Chapter V. Efforts to Secure a Minister and Charter and the Fric- tion with the Presbyterians
5 !
Notes
59
Chapter VI. The Rectorship of the Reverend William Andrews . Notes
72
Chapter VII. The Rectorship of the Reverend John Doty Notes 88
75
Chapter VIII. Reconstruction 89
Notes 96
Chapter IX. The Rectorship of the Reverend Robert G. Wet- more and After 99
Notes 106
Chapter X. The Rectorship of the Reverend Cyrus Stebbins 109
Notes 120
Chapter XI. The Ministrations of Alonzo Potter and the Rec- torship of the Reverend Alexis P. Proal 123
· Notes · .
131
[ 3 ]
63
·
9
4
St. George's Church.
Page
Chapter XII. The Rectorships of the Reverend Aldert Smedes and the Reverend William Henry Walter Notes
I33
141
Chapter XIII. The Rectorships of the Reverend John Williams and the Reverend William Payne
143
Notes
Chapter XIV. Later Days
153
Notes ·
.
·
157
Appendix :
Wardens .
161
Vestrymen . .
162
Treasurers .
166
Clerks of the Vestry
·
I66
·
152
.
,
1
List of Illustrations.
Page
Plate I. St. George's Church ·
I
Plate II. Dominie Bernardus Freeman ·
. IO
Plate III. Reverend John Ogilvie 32
Plate IV. John W. Brown, at the age of eighty-three 38 .
Plate V. Sir William Johnson, Bart. 44
From a copy of a painting on glass in the possession of the Montgomery County Historical Society.
Plate VI. Plan of the Church Land, 1798 94
Plate VII. Ground Plan of St. George's Church, 1798 . .
100
Plate VIII. Reverend Robert G. Wetmore IO2
Plate IX. Reverend Cyrus Stebbins IIO .
Plate X. Reverend Alonzo Potter, at the age of twenty-nine 124
Plate XI. Bishop Potter Memorial Tablet. Erected in St. George's Church in August, 1866 I26
A companion tablet was erected at the same time as a memorial to his wife, Sara Maria, only daughter of Eliphalet Nott. Plate XII. Reverend Alexis P. Proal . · 130
Plate XIII. Reverend Aldert Smedes . .
I36
Plate XIV. Reverend John Williams . I42
Plate XV. Bishop Williams Memorial Tablet . 144
Erected in St. George's Church in July, 1910, through the generosity of the late J. Pierpont Morgan. 146
Plate XVI. Reverend William Payne . .
Plate XVII. Interior of St. George's Church as remodeled in 1859 . 148
Plate XVIII. Exterior of St. George's Church 150
Showing the wooden tower, removed in 1870, the former Parish House and former Rectory.
Plate XIX. Interior of St. George's Church as Remodeled in 1882 150
[ 5 ]
6
St. George's Church.
Page
Plate XX. Reverend J. Philip B. Pendleton
I54
Plate XXI. Reverend B. W. Rogers Tayler
154
Plate XXII. St. George's Church
156
From the Presbyterian Churchyard.
Plate XXIII. Interior of St. George's Church as Remodeled in 1906 . I56
Plate XXIV. St. George's Parish House
I56
Plate XXV. From the Vestry Room Door
· I56
Plate XXVI. The Altar I56
Plate XXVII. St. George's Rectory
I56
St. George's Church.
M Y Ancient Church! I see thee now, Beneath thy sheltering trees, W hose foliage 'round thy graceful spire Waves in the evening's breeze. The moonlight on thy lowly walls Pours down in chastened glow, And gleams on many a stone that tells What pilgrim sleeps below !
I see thee when the churchyard sward, In springtide's green grew fair, And bursting buds their sweetness lent To every passing air; I see thee when the westering sun In summer's pomp shone bright, And with the shades that ' round thee fell Mingled his parting light.
I see thee when autumnal winds Thy leafy screen removed, Which rustled'round me, as I trod The path I dearly loved; I see thee when the snows without In glittering whiteness spread, And fir, and pine, and box, within, Their Christmas fragrance shed.
*
*
*
*
RT. REV. JOHN WILLIAMS
Chapter I.
The Early Missionaries.
T HE introduction of English laws, customs and plans for the establishment of the Church of England in the con- quered territory was the natural sequence of the final sur- render of New Netherland to the English.
Foreseeing the error of compelling the Dutch to conform to the regulations of the Church of England, the Duke of York granted to his subjects in New York both liberty of speech and of worship and for a time the only visible token of the supremacy of the Eng- lish Church in the province was the chaplaincy of the garrison in the fort at New York.
Although stationed at New York it was the duty of the chaplain to oversee the other garrisons in the province, visiting the forts at regular intervals for the purpose of holding religious services and ad- ministering the sacraments. In his capacity as chaplain of the gar- rison at New York, which office he assumed in 1678, the Reverend Charles Wolley officially visited the garrison at Albany, and it is to the Reverend John Miller, chaplain from 1692 to 1695, who visited Schenectady, that we are indebted for the earliest map of our city.
In 1696 the Reverend Thomas Bray, D.D., a graduate of Oxford, accepted from the Bishop of London the appointment as his com- missary in Maryland. For four years after his appointment Mr. Bray remained in England endeavoring to arouse the consciences of his countrymen to their duty toward their brethren across the seas. He finally departed for Maryland where he remained but a few months.
[ 9]
IO
St. George's Church.
On his return to England the recital of his personal observations was listened to with interest by both clergy and laymen and on June 16, 1 701, as a direct result of his suggestion and effort, there was granted by King William III, a charter incorporating the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.
Although not so designated in the charter it almost immediately became the two-fold object of this Society, first "to settle the state of religion," as well as might be, among the "loving subjects" of His Majesty in the Colonies, and second to proceed, in the best manner possible, toward the conversion of the natives.2
As early as July, 1698,3 the Earl of Bellomont,4 Governor of the Province of New York, had repeatedly urged upon the Lords of Trade and Plantations the necessity of sending ministers of the Church of England to instruct the Indians of the Five Nations in the "true Christian Religion." His pleas described the natives as being anxious to receive such instruction and pointed out the ad- vantage likely to result from their union with the English Church in checking the increasing influence of the French Jesuits.
Confident, perhaps, that his petitions were about to be granted, at a conference held at Albany on August 26, 1700, the Earl of Bel- lomont informed5 the Indians that ministers from England would soon arrive, adding to their great delight that he would arrange for the present to settle at Schenectady for their instruction "Mr. Vree- man,6 an able good Minister."
Dominie Freeman,7 who had already assumed office as pastor of the Dutch Church, seems to have at once zealously entered upon his added duties as missionary to the Indians, combining with his efforts to promote the gospel entreaties that his hearers be firm in their allegiance to His Majesty, the King of England.8
BERNARDUS FREEMAN, BEDIENAAR Des Godlyken Woords tot Vidwoun &c. in Nieuw-Jork. W. de Broen Schulps . J.Roman Excudit-
Dominio Bernardus Freeman
T
-
II
St. George's Church.
That he might the easier convert the Indians Dominie Freeman "took great pains to go to their castles and to translate Divine things"9 into the Indian language, with the result that during the five1º years that he remained at Schenectady he became not only proficient in preaching in the Indian tongue but was able to write11 it as well.
The Reverend Johannes Lydius, who had accompanied him from Holland and who had been settled in Albany as pastor of the Dutch Church, was early appointed12 to assist Mr. Freeman. His appoint- ment was to gratify a desire expressed 13 by the Indians that a minis- ter be settled at Albany as well as at Schenectady, for while they stopped but a short time at Schenectady en route, the Indians often remained for a considerable time in Albany by reason of their trad- ing14 and this time they felt would be opportune for receiving the desired instruction.
In spite of the constant and earnest pleas for ministers regularly appointed by the Church of England, it was not until the accession of Queen Anne to the throne that definite action15 was taken for the appointment of two clergymen to minister to the Indians. The plan proposed was, by the authority of the Queen, referred to the Arch- bishop of Canterbury who in turn submitted it to the consideration of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.
Realizing the peculiar qualifications necessary to be possessed by those to be selected for the mission, the Society extended calls16 to the Reverend Godfrey Dellius and Dominie Freeman.
Dominie Dellius had been connected with the Dutch Church in Albany from the year 1683, when he had assumed the office of assistant to Dominie Schaats, until 1699, when, becoming involved in land speculations which led to his dismissal, he had returned to Holland. During his stay in Albany Mr. Dellius had been useful17
I2
St. George's Church.
in instructing and converting some of the Indians, "had baptized several and had gained a tolerable Knowledge of their Language."18
The experience gained by both Dominie Dellius and Dominie Freeman was deemed of sufficient value, therefore, to warrant their selection, although dissenters, for the undertaking of the work. When, however, neither19 of these ministers was able to accept the position offered, the Society, "not without a great deal of pains and time spent to that purpose (eventually) found out two Reverend Divines, Mr. Smith and Mr. Moor."2º Of Mr. Smith nothing fur- ther is known. The Reverend Thoroughgood Moor,"a Divine of good Learning, Zeal and Prudence," however,"offered to undergo that difficult Mission among the Indians of the Five Nations, and accepted of an hundred Pound per annum for his support in that Ser- vice."21 He arrived in New York during the fall of 1704, and having been received by Lord Cornbury,22 the governor, "with all possible Countenance and Favour,"23 proceeded to Albany. To the Indians who came to express their satisfaction "that God (had) been so pro- pitious to (them) as to send (him) to open (their) Eyes," Mr. Moor replied "that nothing should be wanting on his Part, and that he would devote himself to their Good."24
Before taking up his residence among the natives, Mr. Moor planned to remain at Albany only sufficient time to become some- what familiar with their language. It had, however, been his inten- tion to proceed at the first opportunity to the Mohawks' castle and to submit there his proposals to the Indians.25
From Albany, being detained much longer than he had expect- ed "by a great Fall of Snow," Mr. Moor sent presents and a mes- sage to the Indians promising to come very soon to see them. Even- tually, with great difficulty he succeeded in reaching the Mohawks'
13
St. George's Church.
castle where, although courteously received, he soon found himself thwarted in his efforts to gain the permission of the Indians to settle among them, the consent of the other four nations being represent- ed as indispensable and various "frivolous" excuses being offered from time to time as the granting of the permission was withheld.26
Discouraged, Mr. Moor returned to Albany, where for "near a twelve month" he used every means to gain the good will of the Indians, but without success and finally expecting“ at last a positive Denial"27 he returned to New York.28
Thus unavailing was the mission of the first English minister to the Iroquois, an attempt which owed its ill success not so much to the aversion of the natives to Christianity as to the artifices of the French Jesuits and the efforts of the fur traders who feared that the residence of a missionary among the Indians might be detrimental to their trade.
Following the unsuccessful mission of the Reverend Thorough- good Moor the only instruction received by the natives for the next few years was that imparted by Dominie Lydius, the Dutch minis- ter at Albany, to the Indians who visited the town, for after the de- parture29 of Dominie Freeman the Dutch Church at Schnectady3º was destitute of a pastor and so remained until July, 1714,31 when Dominie Thomas Brouwer32 was installed as minister.
.. .
Notes.
Chapter I.
1. The original map is in the British Museum together with the manuscript of the Reverend John Miller's description of the Province and City of New York, with plans of the city and several forts as they existed in the year 1695. This material was first published in 1843 by Mr. Thomas Rodd, a London bookseller. His volume was re- printed in 1862, and in 1903 the manuscript and maps were again published with in- troduction and notes by Mr. Victor Hugo Paltsits.
2. First anniversary sermon preached before the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, February 20, 1702, by Dr. Willis, Dean of Lincoln. Quoted by Mr. Ernest Hawkins in his "Historical Notices of the Missions of the Church of England," p. 19.
3. "Documents Relativeto the Colonial History of the State of New York," IV, 333- 334.
4. Richard Coote, Earl of Bellomont, was appointed governor of the Provinces of New York, Massachusetts Bay and New Hampshire in April, 1697. He arrived in New York April 2, 1698, and died there March 5, 1701.
5. "Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York," IV, 727.
6. Dominie Bernardus Freeman (Freerman) was born at Gilhuis, Holland, and was already a man of mature years when he came to America in 1700 with Dominie Johannes Lydius. In 1698, he was a member of the church of Amsterdam, and on March 9, of that year, was licensed to preach by the Classes of Worden and Over- rynland. In March, 1700, he received a call from the church of Albany and on the sixteenth was ordained by the Classis of Lingen, departing almost immediately to take up his new duties. It is probably after his arrival in New York that his appointment was changed and he was assigned to Schenectady where on July 28 he commenced his work as pastor of the Dutch Church.
7. His salary was to be £60 with an additional £15 for expenses and £25 for the services of the interpreter, Laurens Claese (Van der Volgen) of Schenectady, who was his assistant.
8. "Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York," IV, 835.
9. Petition of Dominie Bernardus Freeman to Lord Cornbury, 1703. Jonathan Pearson, " A History of the Schenectady Patent," p. 344.
[ 14 ]
15
St. George's Church.
10. He left Schenectady for Flatbush during the summer of 1705, and died there in 1741.
II. With the assistance of Laurens Claese (Van der Volgen) Dominie Freeman translated into the Indian language, in addition to the morning and evening prayers, "the whole of the Gospel of St. Matthew, the three first chapters of Genesis, several chapters of Exodus, a few of the Psalms, many portions of the scriptures relating to the birth, passion, resurrection and ascension of our Lord, and several chapters of the first Epistle of the Corinthians, particularly the fifteenth chapter, proving the resur- rection of the dead." Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York, VIII, 815. In all probability Dominie Freeman's attempt was the first madeto translate the church service, or portions of the Holy Scriptures into the language of the Mohawks.
12. "Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York," IV, 734. Hillitie Van Slyck of Schenectady, the sister of Jacques Cornelise Van Slyck, was appointed to assist him in the capacity of interpreter.
13. "Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York," IV, 732-733.
14. Albany was not only the headquarters of the fur trade but was also the place where the yearly conferences with the Indians were held.
15. A memorial had been received from the Earl of Bellomont and the "representa- tion" of the Lords Commissioners was placed before the Queen in council on April 3, 1700. David Humphreys, "An Historical Account of the Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," p. 284.
16. Ibid., pp. 286-287.
17. Dominie Dellius began to minister to the people of Schenectady in 1694. His recorded visits that year were on April II and October 9, on which occasions new members were added to the church and children baptized. During the next four years he paid sixteen visits to Schenectady.
18. David Humphreys, " An Historical Account of the Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," p. 286.
19. Dominie Dellius "insisted upon such Demands as were not within the Powers of the Society to grant." Report of the S. P. G., 1702.
20. "Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York," IV, 1077.
21. Reports of the S. P. G.
22. Edward Hyde, Lord Cornbury, came to the province as governor in 1702. His
I6
St. George's Church.
career was distinguished for "intolerance, licentiousness, dishonesty, and misrule" and he was removed by Queen Anne in 1708.
23. David Humphreys, "An Historical Account of the Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," p. 287.
24. Ibid., p. 288.
25. Ibid.
26. Ibid.
27. Ibid., p. 290 et seq.
28. Mr. Moor then went to Burlington, N. J., to supply for the Reverend Mr. Talbot who was obliged to go to England. He also preached at Hopewell and began a church at Bristol, Pa. During his stay at Burlington, Mr. Moor became so scandalized at the conduct of Lieutenant-Governor Ingoldsby, that he refused to admit him to the Lord's Supper, and was cast into jail in consequence. He managed to escape and fled to Boston. In November, 1707, he sailed from Marblehead and was never heard of again, the ship being lost at sea with all on board.
29. Vide note 10 ante.
30. One of the demands made upon the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in 1704 was for " I Minister for Skennectedy Garrison and Albany, who (would) do signal Service, especially if he could speak or would learn Dutch and Indian Lan- guages." Reports of the S. P. G.
31. During this period Dominies Johannes Lydius and Petrus Van Driessen of Albany, Petrus Vas of Kingston and Gualterus Du Bois of New York made twenty- four visits to Schenectady, baptizing one hundred and fifty-two children of whom nineteen were Indians. In all this time the records show but one member added to the Dutch Church. Jonathan Pearson, " A History of the Schenectady Patent," p. 350.
32. He died January 15, 1728. He had been disabled by sickness since August, 1723, and an assistant, whose name is not recorded, had performed his clerical duties for him.
Chapter II.
The Ministrations of the Reverend Thomas Barclay and the Reverend William Andrews.
N June 9, 1708, the Reverend Thomas Barclay' was for- mally commissioned chaplain of the garrison in the fort at Albany. He was a zealous and persevering minister, possessing both shrewdness and energy, and between him and Dom- inie Lydius there soon was established a friendly co-operation, Lydius even sending his own children to be catechized by the Eng- lish minister.2
So energetic was Mr. Barclay, not only in his duties as chaplain but also in his endeavors to instruct those in the town who were desirous of the services of the Church, that at the suggestion of the Bishop of London the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel on October 21, 1709, appointed him their missionary at Albany with a stipend3 of fifty pounds.
Dominie Lydius died on March 1, 1710, and his place not be- ing immediately filled, Mr. Barclay, for a time,4 remained the on- ly minister between New York and the utmost bounds of the parish.
At Schenectady where there was "a garrison of forty soldiers, besides sixteen English and about one hundred Dutch families,"5 Mr. Barclay, who was granted the free use of the Dutch Church,6 preached once a month, thus becoming the first minister of the Church of England to hold regular services here.
During the summer of 1710, Mr. Barclay established an English school in Schenectady having for his object the instruction of the
[ 17 ]
St. George's Church.
Dutch children in the English language that they might become the better "fit for catechising" and during his visits he took partic- ular pains to impress upon the Dutch the agreement of the articles of the English Church with theirs, hoping "in some time to bring them not only to be constant hearers, but communicants."7 Mr. Barclay further invited to come to hear him at Schenectady such of the Indians as understood English. Several came at various times and every means was used to engage them to be instructed in the English language and religion, but with small success.8 With the negroes, however, Mr. Barclay succeeded better, instructing many in the Christian faith and baptizing them.9
While the Reverend Thomas Barclay was busily engaged in his ministrations events of importance to the future religious activities of the Mohawk Valley were transpiring in England.
In December, 1709, Colonel Pieter Schuyler,1º a man of means, public spirit and great influence among the natives, went to England taking with him, at his own expense, five" Indian chieftains. He had been influenced to undertake the trip in order to urge upon the English government the necessity of taking more vigorous meas- ures against the French and had induced the chieftains to accom- pany him that he might have an opportunity of impressing upon them the greatness of the English nation.
Upon their arrival in England the Indians were lavishly enter- tained at public expense, and everywhere given a hearty wel- come.12 At an audience with Queen Anne on April 19, 1710, they assured13 Her Majesty that they had in token of friendship hung up the kettle of peace, and taken up the hatchet of war and that they were ready to join the English against the French; that they had "often been importuned by the French, both by the insinuations of
19
St. George's Church.
their priests, and by presents, to come over to their interest, but that they had always esteemed them men of falsehood and finally that if the great Queen (would) be pleased to send over some persons to instruct (them) they (would) find a most hearty welcome."
In compliance with the request of the Indians that ministers be sent to them, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel at once expressed to the Archbishop of Canterbury their readiness to send out two missionaries to the Mohawk and Oneida tribes "at a stipend of £150 each, together with an interpreter and Schoolmaster."14 The Queen, on her part, commanded that a fort with a chapel and residence for the minister be erected near the Mohawk's castle and that the fort be garrisoned with twenty soldiers under the command of an officer.15
Following the return of the Indian ambassadors to America Gov- ernor Hunter16 convened17 at Albany on August 7, 1710, a coun- cil of the sachems of the Five Nations and before them placed the matter of sending ministers to their castles. To his question as to whether they were of the same mind in desiring missionaries as the four chieftains who had been to England, they replied that they were and "that they desired to have forts built among them and a church" and they further requested that Dominie Freeman be one of the ministers appointed, and that he come to live with them at their cas- tle and not remain at Schenectady or Albany.
Governor Hunter expressed18 his entire willingness to appoint Dominie Freeman providing he could be prevailed upon to accept the post, but if any attempt was made to induce him to take up the work it was unavailing for the Reverend Thomas Barclay writing19 to the secretary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel on September 26, 1710, although he speaks of Mr. Freeman as "a gen-
20
St. George's Church.
tleman of a good temper, and well affected to (the English) Church" and even expresses the belief that he " would be persuaded to take Episcopal ordination" were there a bishop in that part of the world, states that his wife2° would not consent to live among the Indians. "I am sorry to tell you, Sir," continues Mr. Barclay in commenting upon the proposed plan, "that I am afraid the missionaries that are coming over, will find hard work of it, and if the commander of the fort be not a person of singular piety and virtue, all their endeavours will be ineffectual; these, here, that trade with them, are loath that any religion get any footing among them; besides, these savages are so given to drinking of that nasty liquor rum, that they are lost to all that is good."
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.