Centennial annals of St. Luke's Church, Rochester, N.Y., 1817-1917, Part 1

Author: Anstice, Henry, 1841-1922
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Rochester : Scrantom, Wetmore & Co.
Number of Pages: 174


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Ment tal Annala St. Duke's Church Korheuter. N. D.


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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY


3 1833 02955 2871


Gc 974.702 R58ana


Anstice, Henry, 1841-1922.


Centennial annals of St. Luke's Church, Rochester, N. Y. , 1817-1917


1111


CENTENNIAL ANNALS


OF


ST. LUKE'S CHURCH


ROCHESTER, N. Y. 1817-1917


BY THE


REV. HENRY ANSTICE, D.D.


"Hæc olim meminisse juvabit "


ROCHESTER SCRANTOM, WETMORE & Co. 1917


Mien County Public Lines 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Eat Wayne, IN 46801


COPYRIGHT, 1917 By THE RECTOR, CHURCH WARDENS AND VESTRYMEN OF ST. LUKE'S CHURCH, GENESEE FALLS.


Foreword


The place which St. Luke's Church has occupied in the history and religious development of Rochester justifies the presentation in permanent and accessible form of salient facts in its life. As a contribution to the celebra- tion of its rounding out of the first century of its existence, these Centennial Annals have been prepared by one who looks back upon the period in which he was privileged to minister within its hallowed walls as the happiest and most useful of his long career.


No effort has been spared to secure accuracy in facts and figures, and in every case original sources of informa- tion have been consulted where accessible. The epistolary extracts in the earlier part of the Sketch were taken from the "Hobart Correspondence," which is in the archives of the General Convention.


The kind co-operation of those who have afforded facilities for the researches necessary in the preparation of this work, or whose personal reminiscences have been of value, is hereby gratefully acknowledged.


It has been throughout the simple design of the author to give a clear, accurate and concise embodiment of facts and figures without aiming at grace of expression or in- dulging in personal characterizations of men or measures.


In memory of those that have gone before, who have been "careful to maintain good works," and to the zealous workers of to-day, these Centennial Annals are inscribed.


ROCHESTER, N. Y., JULY 14, 1917.


Historical Sketch


It was in the "day of small things" for Roch- ester that St. Luke's Church was born. Only three months had passed since it had reached the dignity of an incorporated village, and the census taken in September of the following year revealed that it contained all-told but 1049 inhabitants. But in this number were a few Church people with suffi- cient hope and courage to effect an organization out of which might grow provision for the spiritual needs of those who loved, or who might come to love, the worship of our time-hallowed liturgy.


The original corporators, as indicated by their signatures to the "Declaration of Attachment to the Protestant Episcopal Church," were


S. Melancton Smith, Moses P. Belknap, Wm. Y. Green, Jesse Moore, A. G. Dauby, John P. Comparet, Anson House, Daniel Hibbard, Jacob Howe, Elisha Johnson, Jonah Brown, Caleb Hammond, Jabez Wilkinson, Joseph Thompson, Wm. Atkinson, Sam'l J. Andrews, John C. Rochester, John Mastick, Silas Smith, Roswell Babbit, Enos Stone, Oliver Culver, John P. Sheldon, Daniel Tinker, Lewis Jenkins, H. Montgomery, Joseph Spencer, Joseph Griffin.


This instrument bore date March 13, 1817, at which time the Rev. Henry U. Onderdonk, " Rec- tor of St. John's Church, Canandaigua, and Mis- sionary in parts adjacent," who subsequently became Bishop of Pennsylvania, "held the first public services of our Church at Rochesterville."


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CENTENNIAL ANNALS


The requisite legal notice having been " read at morning service on the two Sundays next pre- ceding" July 14, 1817, the date of organization, twenty of the above-named persons met in a school- house belonging to Samuel J. Andrews, on the east side of the river, in what was known as the town of Brighton, in the county of Ontario. The Rev. Mr. Onderdonk presided and the Rev. Geo. H. Norton offered prayer. Roswell Babbitt acted as clerk. Col. N. Rochester and Samuel J. An- drews were elected Wardens, and Silas Smith, Roswell Babbit, John Mastick, Lewis Jenkins, Elisha Johnson, John C. Rochester, Wm. Atkinson and Oliver Culver, Vestrymen. The corporate name adopted was "St. Luke's Church, Genesee Falls." The original Certificate of Incorporation was recorded in the Clerk's office of Ontario County, on the 19th of July, 1817, in Liber C of Miscellaneous Records, at page 195.


The first stated services were held by the Rev. George H. Norton, whose entrance upon the field is chronicled in the following extracts from letters addressed to Bishop Hobart by the Rev. Mr. Onder- donk. Under date of Canandaigua, January 14, 1817, he writes-


Mr. Norton passed his first two examinations a week ago very creditably. In the hope that he will remain in the West, and believing that he is qualified to be very useful, I shall venture to begin operations at Rochesterville pretty soon. But if he is decidedly spoken of there as the missionary for building them up, it will be highly proper that he go there the instant he is in Orders.


7


HISTORICAL SKETCH


And again under date of June 11, 1817,


Mr. Norton, I hope, will go to Rochesterville, but I confess that Buffalo is more promising and more in need of him; and if Mr. Norton goes to Buffalo, I should like to secure Mr. Asahel Davis, or somebody, without delay at R. Indeed, Rochesterville has disappointed me not a little. When requested to go there, I told a gentleman I could do but little personally; but they will do almost nothing themselves. But while I am there, they soon get in order again and zealous, but so speedily relax that they have not given the legal notices previous to organizing. Still the materials are good, and they only want a clergy- man fixed there to get on very well. They had $1300 subscribed at R. for a church, but owing to the pressure of the times and I suspect to difficulty in regard to a site and I fear to unsoundness in an individual or two, the subscription went no further. Still I regard the place as more promising than any except Buffalo, and more promising than that for the mere building of a church, as materials are very cheap at Rochesterville.


The actual organization of the parish is thus reported by the missionary to Bishop Hobart under date July 15, 1817.


Mr. Norton having supplied my place for the last two Sundays, I devoted the morning of each of them to Roch- esterville. The proper notices had been given and we yesterday met to organize. The number of names had been increased from 12 to 28 attached to the Episcopal Church; of these 20 attended the meeting and a highly respectable Vestry was chosen. The name is "St. Luke's Church, Genesee Falls." Everything I see and learn adds to the conviction that we did not begin there too early,- the village continues to increase. In the afternoon of both Sundays I attended at Carthage, a new village two miles lower down the river, and held a third service at Pittsford, ten or eleven miles this side of Carthage. Whether con-


8


CENTENNIAL ANNALS


gregations can be formed at these places is doubtful, but we shall probably gather some gleanings at least. Mr. Norton has charge of the three places. He requested me to urge your sending a clergyman to Buffalo and to Batavia if possible, as a Presbyterian clergyman has just gone there; he will devote some of his time to them and Leroy.


In September, 1818, Bishop Hobart made his first Episcopal visitation to the infant parish and confirmed four persons-Samuel G. Andrews, Mariette Andrews (Mrs. W. P. Shearman), Mrs. Mary E. Montgomery, and Hannah Ann Andrews, (Mrs. Swan), in the building occupied by the 1st Presbyterian society on Carroll, now State St., which was kindly placed at his disposal for the service.


From this time the occasional ministrations of the Rev. Mr. Norton were withdrawn, and for the ensuing eighteen months, some five or six services by the Rev. H. U. Onderdonk and the Rev. Alanson W. Welton, Missionary in Ontario County, were all that were held in the parish ; the place of service being the schoolhouse on the lot adjoining the present church edifice.


In the Spring of 1820, the slumbering interest in the Church was roused to the necessity of secur- ing more frequent ministrations, and an arrange- ment was effected with the Rev. A. W. Welton " to perform Divine Service once in three weeks for one year ;" but the removal of Mr. Welton to De- troit in a few months, terminated this engagement.


The new Vestry, however, elected at the Easter meeting, the first convened since the organization,


9


HISTORICAL SKETCH


consisting of George G. Sill and William Atkinson, Wardens, and Roswell Babbit, A. G. Dauby, J. Stebbins, Silas Smith, J. Mastick, S. M. Smith, J. H. Gregory and E. Johnson, determined to estab- lish the parish on a permanent basis. The offer of the original proprietors of "the 100-acre tract," Messrs. Rochester, Fitzhugh & Carroll, " to convey lot No. 85 to the first religious society that should take possession of the same and build a church thereon," being still open, the Vestry resolved, July 10, 1820, to avail itself of the proposition. Before the lot, however, was definitely secured, an effort was made in the Roman Catholic interest to forestall the Vestry, and a messenger was sent to Geneseo to secure the signatures of Messrs. Fitz- hugh and Carroll, who resided in that locality, to a deed of gift. But the Vestry dispatched Mr. Henry E. Rochester, then a lad of fourteen years. on a fleeter horse with a similar object in view. The latter succeeded in overtaking and passing the other messenger, who was tarrying for refreshment in the tavern at Avon, and so obtained the neces- sary signatures, to which that of the senior pro- prietor was cheerfully added. Meanwhile, the Vestry had taken practical possession by digging for a foundation and drawing building material upon the lot.


A site being thus secured, the construction of a wooden building, 38 x 46 feet, to contain about forty pews, was decided upon, and a contract entered into, Aug. 5, 1820, with Elias Beach and


10


CENTENNIAL ANNALS


Phelps Smith, to build the same, at a cost of $1260, and $200 additional for a bell tower-the building committee consisting of Col. N. Rochester, John Mastick, Harvey Montgomery and George G. Sill. The funds were provided by the following unique subscription, which is given with the spelling and capitalization as in the original :


We the subscribers for value received, promise to pay to the Church-Wardens and Vestrymen of St. Luke's Church, in the Village of Rochesterville, and their suc- cessors in office, the several sums set opposite our respec- tive names, on demand; for the purpose and in trust to build a church in said Rochesterville for said St. Luke's Church; and upon the further trust that the said Church- Wardens and Vestrymen, and their successors in office, shall, after the completion of said church, sell or dispose of the pews or slips therein, and out of the funds arising therefrom, shall refund to the subscribers, with interest, the several sums by them subscribed and paid, if such funds shall be adequate; if inadequate, then to each sub- scriber ratably, till the funds so arising, are exhausted.


Dated, July 3, 1820.


Names.


Am't.


N. Rochester,


in lumber


$200


H. Montgomery, in Cash


100


James Fraser, in shelf goods


25


Wm. P. Shearman, in goods


25


Oliver Culver (by request S. M. S.) Cash


20


S. Melancton Smith, in Goods


25


Jonathan Child (by H. M.) in Lumber


50


Elisha Ely (by request S. M. S.) in Lumber


50


Frederick F. Backus, Cash 25


William Cobb,


in Blacksmithing


25


Elisha Taylor,


in Tailoring work 10


Jas. H. Gregory,


Cash


25


West & Clark,


in Labor, Painting 25


11


HISTORICAL SKETCH


Names.


Am't.


Roswell Babbitt,


in Cash


$25


A. Hamlin,


in Goods


10


Silas Smith


(by request S. M. S.) in Goods 25


J. N. Stebbins,


in goods


25


Wm. Haywood,


in Hats


20


Weston & Everest,


in Shoemaking


20


Abraham Plumb,


Goods


20


Ira West & Co.,


in Goods


10


W. W. Mumford,


in Cash


20


Ebenezer Watts, Jun'r,


tinware


10


Elwood & Colman,


in Labour


30


Wm Brewster,


in Cabinet furniture


10


William Atkinson,


in flour


25


Samuel J. Andrews,


4,000 ft. Lumber @ $8


32


Enos Stone,


one thousand feet Lumber


8


Bissell and Ely,


in lumber, 614M. ft.


50


E. Peck & Co.,


in Books or Stationery


20


Jno. G. Vought,


in Labor


25


S. Cleveland,


in Sundries


25


John Harford,


Goods


10


John Swift,


in work


25


George Cameron,


in Tailoring


8


Russell Ensworth


(will do something, S. M. S.) in work


8


R. King,


in work


10


H. Scrantom,


in flour or goods


7


S. H. Packard,


in chairs


8


Jehial Barnard,


in tailoring


5


Benj. James,


in coopering


5


Frederick Hanford,


20


Henry Draper,


in shoes


10


E. Pomeroy,


Cash


5


Zimri Davis,


in teem work


5


John G. Bond,


in lumber or team work


6


Jacob Gould,


in goods


10


J. Mastick,


eighteen dollars cash


18


Elias Beach,


in joiner work


30


Phelps Smith,


in joiner work


30


John Bingham,


in joiner work


10


T. Bingham,


in Shingles in team work


25


Abner Wakelee,


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CENTENNIAL ANNALS


The following additional subscription, bearing date Aug. 1, 1820, provided for the erection of a Steeple or Cupola :


Names.


Am't.


Abrm. Plumb, donation in goods $20


West & Clark, in Labor, painting 25


John Mastick, in goods out of J. Spencer's Store 5


S. Melancton Smith, in Goods 5


Silas Smith, in Goods or demand in notes


5


J. N. Stebbins, in goods


5


A. Reynolds, in goods or brick


5


D. D. Barnard,


in Cider and apples del'd at Mendon 5


5


E. Watts will do the sodering for the Cupulo.


Levi Ward, jr.,


goods or provisions


5


Elisha Ely,


in Lumber 25


Elisha Taylor,


in Tayloring work 10


Daniel Warren, in mason work when called for


with one week's Notice 10


Robert King,


in Joiner work 5


Jonathan Case, in mason work, with one week's


notice 10


Martin Clapp, in mason work at six


days notice


10


Robert W. Churchill,


in joiner work 10


Asa Bartlett, Mason work


5


Jolın Meeker, in joiner work on or before thirty days A. Steward


5


N. T. Rochester, in Lumber


5


Timothy Bosworth, to be paid in Combs at cash prices 5


W. L. Whiting, in goods at J. Spencer's Store for improvements on church 10


Joshua Ross,


five dollars in Meat 5


Richmon Tuttle, Ten Dollars in Saddlery


for improvement on the church 10


Ephm. Moore, five Dollars in Pork out of my Shop for improvement on church


Moses Dyer, two dollars in meat when called for 2


David Stone, five Dollars in Joiner's work


with one week's notice 5


10


Preston Smith,


in Goods at his Grocery


13


HISTORICAL SKETCH


Names.


Am't.


Ashbel Steele,


10 Dollars in mason work $10


Samuel Graves,


$5 In Blacksmith work in flour


5


William Atkinson,


5


Silas Smith,


one dollar Cash pd


S. Melancton Smith,


one dollar Cash paid


William Atkinson,


one dollar Cash paid


James H. Gregory,


one dollar Cash pd


J. N. Stebbins,


one dollar Cash pd


R. Babbit,


one dollar Cash pd


N. Rochester pd building chimney $4.06 Brick, rent of Stove, etc. 6.35 pd


10.41


Smith & Alcott 9.18


Pending the erection of the church, the follow- ing letter was addressed to Bishop Hobart by William Atkinson, Warden, in behalf of the Ward- ens and Vestrymen, under date Rochester, Nov. 10, 1820, (the title of the village corporation having been changed in 1819 by an act of the legislature from Rochesterville to Rochester), which sets forth fully the condition of the parish at this time :


We presume, ere this, you have been informed by our friend Mr. Onderdonk, of the progress of our small society in erecting a house of public worship in this place, which, by the blessing of Providence, we intend to finish by the latter end of December. We have long been desirous of procuring a young clergyman, who would command respect by his talents and esteem by his virtues, and who would be in every way calculated to raise a society from a small beginning to a respectable size. It appears to us that here is a field for a clergyman to become eminently useful by an acquisition of members to the Church. We feel grati- fied on hearing that a person of this description has been found in Mr. Cuming, who, in your opinion, is every way calculated and who seems disposed to come. One great difficulty, however, arises in procuring ample funds for his


14


CENTENNIAL ANNALS


support, owing to the smallness of our society and want of means. We,therefore, make application for some assist- ance from your missionary fund, or in any way deemed proper by yourself. We can probably raise three hundred dollars by great exertion and great liberality by our mem- bers, all of whom will contribute to the best of their abil- ity; and by an addition of two hundred and fifty dollars from your fund, we shall be able to establish such a re- spectable standing as to make up any deficiency by those who would soon be added to our numbers. As our popu- lation increases with an unexampled rapidity and many persons of wealth, talent and respectability are daily added to our society, it becomes highly important for the Church that in the commencement there be established among us a man of respectable talents; and that some assistance be granted for his support from abroad, so that an insup- portable tax be not laid on a few individual members in the beginning, and consequently prevent an acquisition of members. A very few years will place us in a situation so as not to require foreign aid. We would thank you to take our situation under your serious consideration, feeling confident that every exertion will be made by you for our assistance, and would be pleased to hear from you previous to our communicating with Mr. Cuming on the subject. Be so good, also, as to inform us whether there would be an impropriety in performing Divine Service in the church before consecration. Mr. Onderdonk has, no doubt, shown you a communication from Col. Rochester, expressive of the minds of the Vestry.


The application for aid in the foregoing letter was fortified by the following communication to the Bishop from the Rev. Mr. Cuming, who was already at this date, Dec. 4, 1820, upon the ground, having come from Binghamton, where he held a missionary appointment :


·


15


HISTORICAL SKETCH


Yesterday, for the first time, I officiated in this place. The attention was both general and flattering. The pros- pect is good. In the evening I went to Penfield. Some- thing may be done there bye-and-bye.


The Church will be ready for consecration the 1st of January. Will you have the goodness to inform me as early as possible on what day you will consecrate it, and of the other places in this vicinity you will expect to visit, and whether you will officiate at them morning or after- noon. I expect to take Priests' Orders, when you are here, -will you preach or shall some one of the clergy in this part of the country do it.


As my living in this place will not exceed four hun- dred dollars per annum, I trust I shall be continued on the missionary list.


The young parish, however, was apparently thought able to take care of itself, as no assistance was received. The Vestry, accordingly entered into agreement Jan. 10, 1821, with the Rev. F. H. Cuming, Deacon, " to perform Divine Service in such manner as is customary in well-regulated Protestant Episcopal Churches in the State of New York, for the term of one year from and after the first Sunday in December, 1820;" for which service the Vestry agreed to pay the sum of four hundred and seventy-five dollars; which sum was increased at various times, until in December, 1823, the salary was fixed at eight hundred dollars.


The little church was first occupied on Christ- mas Day and was consecrated by Bishop Hobart on the 20th of February ensuing, at which time also the Rite of Confirmation was administered to the following persons : John Mastick, Jared N. Steb-


16


CENTENNIAL ANNALS


bins, Elbert Scrantom, N. T. Rochester, Ann Cor- nelia Rochester, Dorothy Stebbins, Frances Tiffany and Sarah Mason.


On the following day, the Rev. Mr. Cuming was advanced to the priesthood.


In his convention address of that year, the Bishop, in mentioning these facts, adds: " It gives me great pleasure to see a respectable and increas- ing congregation in a flourishing village, the site of which at the Falls of the Genesee River a few years since was a wilderness."


The prosperity of the parish under the ministry of Mr. Cuming, rendered increased accommodation necessary, and accordingly on the 25th of June, 1823, the Vestry resolved to build a new church when the subscription should amount to eight thous- and dollars. It was hoped that Trinity Church, New York, would loan two thousand dollars more, and the Rev. Mr. Cuming was authorized and re- quested, Aug. 12, to draft a petition to this effect to that corporation. The application, however, proved unsuccessful. The following letter from Mr. Cuming to Bishop Hobart under date Aug. 15, 1823, explains the situation :


It is now about two and a half years since the Church in this place had the constant services of a clergyman. Five communicants were all that could at the commence- ment of this period be found residing here. The number of individuals in the place who had been educated Episco- palians amounted to twenty. Though we are still but a little flock, our increase has been greater than the most sanguine of us expected to see within so short a period.


THE REVEREND FRANCIS H. CUMING, D.D.


Dec. I, 1820-April I, 1829.


THE RIGHT REVEREND HENRY J. WHITEHOUSE, D.D., LL.D.


Dec 6, 1829-May 5, 1844.


THE REVEREND THOMAS C. PITKIN, D.D.


July 14, 1844-July 12, 1847.


17


HISTORICAL SKETCH


At the very beginning every effort was made to prevent our permanent establishment. These efforts have con- tinued to be made, but at no time with more determination than at present. It is unnecessary for me to go into details. I have an account of facts treasured up with respect to the hostility displayed toward the Church here, the disclosure of which would even make almost every opposer of our institutions in every other place to which my knowledge extends, blush. The most unremitting exer- tions are made, and the most ungentlemanly acts resorted to to keep people, especially those of influence, enterprise and capital away from the Church and induce them to attend elsewhere. It is highly important to the welfare of the Church, and especially to her increase in respectability and wealth, that we erect a building which shall reflect credit upon the architect, upon the village and the Church at large.


The infant parish thus obliged to be dependent on its own resources, determined to "arise and build." The following unique subscription paper, dated March 3, 1823, had been circulated and amounts pledged amounting to $8900.


Whereas the Building at present known by the name of St. Luke's Church in the Village of Rochester is small and inconvenient for the accommodation of an increasing congregation, and whereas it would benefit the Village at large, and the Episcopal Society in particular, to have an- other, a larger and more finished Building-Now therefore we the Subscribers desirous of advancing the interest of the Episcopal Church in this place do hereby promise and agree to pay to the Vestry of "St. Lukes Church, Genesee Falls" the respective shares by us subscribed at the rate of Fifty dollars for each and every Share for the purpose of erecting and finishing a church according to a plan hereafter to be adopted by said Vestry, which said Shares are to be paid in the following manner, viz. One Eighth


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CENTENNIAL ANNALS


on the first day of August 1823, One Eighth on the first day of January 1824, One Eighth on the first day of May 1824, One Eighth on the first day of October 1824, One Quarter on the first day of October 1825, One Quarter on the first day of October 1826. And the subscribers shall receive Interest from the first day of October, One thou- sand Eight hundred and twenty four, on the respective installments that shall have been paid on or previous to that date, and upon the other installments from the time of payment thereof-until said shares are paid or refund- ed by the said vestry, which may be at any time within ten years after the said church shall be finished. And provided any subscriber shall neglect or refuse to pay any one of the installments due on the said shares at the time above specified for the payment thereof-then in such case every such subscriber shall forfeit his said shares- and all previous payments made thereon, or be held per- sonally liable for the installment due on said shares at the option of the said Vestry,-It being understood and in- tended that the stock hereby credited by our respective subscribers shall be denominated "Home Stock" and is liable collectively to be pledged by the Vestry, hereby fully authorised to pledge the same as security for the Redemp- tion within the term of ten Years of such foreign stock as they shall create and negociate for the purpose aforesaid -not exceeding in amount The sum of Four thousand dollars and the Interest that shall accrue thereon at the rate of seven per Cent per Annum-And it is further understood and intended that provided the sum of Five Thousand Dollars or One thousand shares are not sub- scribed to this loan previous to the first day of August 1823, that then in such case this subscription shall be deemed and considered null and void and of no effect.




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