USA > New York > Westchester County > History of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the county of Westchester, from its foundation, 1693, to 1853 > Part 1
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937.78 363
Columbia University inthe City of Nein Dork
LIBRARY
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Caleb Heathcote
From the Original Painting m possession of the Pt Rer W.H DeLancey Bishop of Western NI
HISTORY
OF THE
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL
CHURCH. COL.COLL
IN THE
LIBRARY
COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,K.
FROM ITS FOUNDATION, A. D. 1693,'To A. D. 1853.
BY ROBERT BOLTON, A. M.
AUTHOR OF THE "HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY." A MEMBER OF THE PROT EPISCOPAL, NEW-YORK, AND GEORGIA HISTORICAL SOCIETIES.
" The Society for Propagating the Gospel is the brightest light shining in the candlestick of the Reformation ; it has done more, and is doing more, for the cause of Christ, than all Christendom united."-Hon. Rufus King.
NEW-YORK : STANFORD & SWORDS, PUBLISHERS. 1 1855.
937 7363
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year eighteen hundred and fifty-fiv BY ROBERT BOLTON,
Iu the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New-Yor'
JIS
SIGIL
ST
PARTIBUS TRA
NOS
RANSLEN
NI
OITOTE
HAOK
OCIETATIS DE PROMO
Thanks be 10 God
for the
Venerable Propagation Society,
21888
.
Dedication.
TO THE
RIGHT REV. WILLIAM HEATHCOTE De LANCEY,
D. D., D. C. L., OXON,
BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE OF WESTERN NEW-YORK
RT. REV. SIR :
The idea of dedicating this volume to you, a native of Westchester, was almost co-existant with the resolution to enter upon its compilation ; and surely, to no individual could it be so justly or appropriately inscribed, as to the great grandson of COL. CALEB HEATHCOTE, to whom, under God, the Church in Westchester County owes a deep debt of gratitude for her first foundation and protection.
Trusting that the present work may find some claim to your favor,
I remain,
Right Rev. Sir, Your obedient Servant,
ROBERT BOLTON.
New Rochelle, May 1st, 1855.
ERRATA.
Fage. Line.
20 2 For 1693 read 1683.
20 4 Omit the following, in 1703, and read, probably in 1700.
+ 20 7 Omit the following, he died in 1767, and read, he died at Morrisania in 1701.
23 Note a, for Hawks' New- York, MSS. from archives at Fulham. &c., read New- York, MSS. from archives at Fulham, &c., (Hawks,) and also wherever this re- ference occurs.
69 17 After Sherlock read, he was licensed by the same prelate Feb. 25th, 1761.
80 17 After orders, read, he was li- censed by the Bishop of Lon- don, Dec. 23rd, 1753.
124 5 After Church-yard insert, which is coeval.
126 23 For 1713, read 1714.
219 Note a, after vol. insert xi.
236 4 After in, insert December.
314 14 For Dr. Hinchman, read Richard Terrick, D. D.
316 35 For to, read do. 330 Note a, for Legislatue, read Legislature.
337 1 After Church, read on the 351 14 For 1707, read 1704.
Page. Line. 379 12 For unclose, read enclose.
381 15 After Bachelor insert 1811. 382 26 For Rapalye, read Rapelye.
395 1 For Bonrepos, read De Bon- repos.
402 18 For country, read county. 409 21 After not insert only.
416 39 For £1.00, read ££3.00.
416 44 For £3.00, read £1 6.
436 23 Before constantly, insert reside.
I
475 4 For Revaud, read Ravaud.
479 9 After family, insert also of a Silver Flaggon, paten and two Alms Plates, given as an "Easter Offering," in 1853, by Mrs. Susan Dau- beny.
488 14 For Bebts, read Bebits. 489 Note b, for pidgeon read pigeon.
491 24 After militia insert, and also, after property omit and,
492 5 After his insert, conduct gain- ed.
504 20 For missson, read mission. 508 Note d, for 1165, read 1615, and for dawrient, read hau- rient.
605 32 For 1850, read 1801.
630 29 For Febuary, read February.
PREFACE.
THE principal source from which the materials for this history have been drawn, are the voluminous MSS., copied from the Archives at Fulham, in the possession of the Rev. F. L. Hawks, D. D .; the printed Abstracts from the Proceedings of the Venerable Propagation Society ; Humphrey's Historical Account of the Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, &c .; Hawkin's Missions of the Church of England ; Anderson's History of the Colonial Church ; History of the Protestant Episcopal Church in America, by the Bishop of Oxford; Berrian's Historical Sketch of Trinity Church, N. Y .; Collections of the Protestant Episcopal His- torical Society ; the Probate Records at New-York; the County Records, and the Minutes of the Vestries of the various parishes. Other sources of information have been diligently and often success- fully sought after ; and everything in the Worcester, Philadelphia and New-York libraries, calculated to throw light on the subject, has been carefully examined. No time nor pains have been spared to render the work as accurate as possible. The principal cause which has de- layed its publication was an accidental fire, soon after the work was in press, which destroyed much of the MSS. The delay, however, has made the work much more full and accurate than it could otherwise have been, and it is hoped that it will not be found an unacceptable contribution to the Ecclesiastical History of our country.
The author takes this opportunity of returning his grateful acknow- ledgments to all those who have in any way assisted towards the com- pletion of the present work. He cannot omit expressing his particular obligation to the Rev. Francis L. Hawks, D. D., L.L. D., Historio- grapher of the Church, for the help which he afforded him in tran- scribing the MS. letters of the Missionaries, and for his readiness in enabling him to examine the other treasures in his valuable library, also to the Rev. A. B. Chapin, D. D. of South Glastonbury, Ct., for per-
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PREFACE.
mitting him the use of some of those rich stores of his library, without which he would have been frequently at a loss to know how to proceed. He is also indebted to the Rev. E. Bourns, L.L. D., President of the University of Norwich, Vt., for many extracts from the Matriculation books of the various colleges at Oxford and Cambridge, and the University of Dublin. His thanks are also due to the Rev. Samuel Sea- bury, D. D., N. Y. ; Rev. J. W. Collison, St. John's College, Cam- bridge; Rev. Francis Martin, Bursar of Trinity College, Cambridge ; Rev. Wm. Digby Sadlier, sen., Lecturer of Trinity College, Dublin ; Rev. William P. Hutton, Stanley Place, Chester, England ; Rev. Micajah Townsend, Clarenceville, Canada East; Rev. Edmund Barry, D. D., Jersey City ; Rev. Benjamin Dorr, D. D., Phil. ; Rev. F. M. Noll, Setauket, L. I .; Rev. H. T. Wilcoxson, Smith- fleld, Isle of Wight, Virginia; Rev. Nathaniel Hyatt, Santee, S. C. ; Rev. Wm. Payne, Schenectady ; Rev. E. Punderson, New Hartford, Western N. Y. ; Rev. Theodore D. Woolsey, President of Yale Col- lege ; Rev. C. Y. De Normandie, Brooklyn, Ct. ; Joseph Rom- illy, Trinity College, Cambridge ; Edward F. De Lancey, Esq., N. Y .; John C. Jay, Esq., Rye, N. Y .; Samuel Punderson, M. D., New Haven, Ct ; Samuel S. Rogers, N. Y .; William Hawkesworth, Charleston, S. C .; Micajah Townsend, L. I .; Charles Pinkney, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia; Gouverneur Wilkins, Esq., West- chester ; James Hay, Esq., Eastchester ; E. B. O'Callaghan, Albany, N. Y. ; Job Williams, Esq., Pomfret, Ct. ; Messrs. Stanford & Swords, Publishers, New-York; and Garfet Ashton, Esq., of Cambridge, Eng- land. The rectors of the various parishes throughout the County have likewise, in reply to his various enquiries, communicated much val- uable information.
INTRODUCTION.
1
IN giving a history of the Anglo-American Church in Westchester County, it appears proper in an Introduction to give some account of the state of religion prior to, and after its organization. This will clearly demonstrate the state of things, which grew up under Non- Episcopal Ministrations, and the necessity for introducing the Church which has always proved herself a sure bulwark against error.
We shall commence, therefore, with the year 1642, when the first settlement of Westchester was begun by Mr. John Throckmorton, and thirty-five associates, who came from New England, with the approba- tion of the Dutch authorities of New-York. Fifteen years after, we are informed, that the inhabitants of Oostdorp, or Westchester, " were Puritans or Independents, who had no preacher among them." We are also told, that " as early as 1660, Rye paid taxes for the support of religion, although no church was formed or pastor ordained."
The English laying claim to New-Netherlands, it was surrendered to them by the Dutch, A. D. 1664. For the encouragement of settlers, Richard Nicolls, the first English Governor, published an instrument in which he declared " that in all territories of his Royal Highness, liberty of conscience is allowed, provided such liberty is not converted into licentiousness, or the disturbance of others in the exercise of the Protestant Religion." The Charter of Privileges granted by the Duke of York to the inhabitants of New-York, confirmed " the respective Christian Churches, now in practice within the City of New-York, Long Island, and the other places of this province, that they shall be held and reputed as privileged churches, and enjoy their former liberty of their religions in divine worship and church discipline."
Immediately after the surrender it became a matter of indispensable and pressing necessity, that laws and ordinances should be passed, adapted to the then condition of the Colony, whereupon Governor
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INTRODUCTION.
Nicolls, invited the inhabitants of Westchester and other towns, upon Long Island, to send Delegates to a General Meeting at Hempstead; on the 28th of February, 1665. The Convention met at the time appointed, when there appeared for Westchester, Edward Jessup and Jolin Quinby. At this meeting was promulgated a body of laws and ordinances, for the future Government of the Province, which were called, by way of distinction, " THE DUKE's LAWS." Among the prin- cipal provisions of the code are the following :- " Whereas the public worship of God is much discredited, for the want of painful and able- ministers to instruct the people in the true religion, and for want of convenient places capable to receive any assembly of people in a de- cent manner, for celebrating God's holy ordinances, ordered, that a church shall be built in the most convenient part of each parish, ca- pable to receive and accommodate two hundred persons. To prevent scandalous and ignorant pretenders to the ministry, from intruding themselves as teachers, no minister shall be admitted to officiate within the Government, but such as shall produce testimonials to the Gov- ernor that he received ordination, either from some Protestant Bishop or Ministers within some part of his majesty's dominions, or the do- minions of any foreign prince of the reformed religion ; upon which testimonials the Governor shall induct the said minister into the par- ish that shall make presentation of him."
The Duke's Laws continued to govern the province until the first Provincial Assembly convened by Governor Dongan, in 1683.
Col. Heathcote writing to the Venerable Society in 1704, says :- " When I first arrived in the Province, (A. D. 1692) I found it (West- chester) the most rude and heathenish country I ever saw in my whole life, which called themselves christians ; there being not so much as the least marks or footsteps of religion of any sort; Sundays being the only time set apart by them for all manner of vain sports and lowd diversions, and they were grown to such a degree of rudeness that it was intolerable, and having then the command of the militia, I sent an order to all the Captains requiring them to call their men under arms, and to acquaint them that in case they would not in every town agree among themselves to appoint readers, and pass the Sabbath in the best manner they could, till suchi times as they could be better provided, that they should, every Sunday, call their companies under arms, and
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INTRODUCTION.
spend the day in exercise, whereupon it was unanimously agreed on through the country to make choice of readers, which they accordingly did, and continued in those methods some time." This description given by that worthy person, who proved afterwards highly instrumen- tal in settling religion both here and in the neighboring countries, was confirmed by many accounts from other hands. a
In 1692, Col. Benjamin Fletcher arrived with a commission to be Governor of the Colony. His very first act was to issue a proclamation for the suppression of vice and the observance of the Lord's day. This was published throughout Westchester, and followed on the 15th day of December of that year, by an order to the same effect, from the County Court of Sessions. Upon this direction to observe the Sabbath and choose readers, Westchester, Eastchester and Yonkers, united in calling one Warham Mather, styled a student in Divinity. This was the same individual described by Miller, in 1695, "as a young man coming to settle at Westchester without orders." At the same time, Rye also chose one John Woodbridge; but from 1690 to 1697, they were without a minister. Even as late as 1728, Mr. Wetmore, rector of Rye, says :- " the dissenting teachers officiate without qualifying them- selves." Such however, was the fearful progress of Sabbath breaking and other profanities, that the Court of Sessions for Westchester County was again compelled to legislate on the subject, as appears from the following document :----
" At a Court of Sessions held at Westchester, June the 6th and 7th days, 1693, & c.
Upon-complaint made to the Court, concerning greate disorders and prophainness in this County upon the Sabbath days, and for regulation and prevention of the same, the Court orders, that whereas, the publick worshipp of God is much neglected, for want of able ministers to instruct the people every Sabbath day, and on such pu- blick days of fasting and thanksgiveing, that are appointed or shall hereafter be ap- pointed by His Excellency, the Governor and Council, and General Assembly, And whereas, we find that severall places within this County, are not in a capacity to maintaine a minister, whereby great debaucheries and prophainness, aro commit. ted on the Lord's days, and that parents and masters of families doe not traine up youths and servants in the foaro of God, and observeing His holy commandments, although His Excellency hath taken speedy caro after his arrivall for the suppressing
Inquiries Into Religious State of the Colonies by David Humphreys, D. D. 1703. p. 21.
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INTRODUCTION.
of vice and encouragement of virtue and observance of the Lord's day, and by his proclamation, which hath boene published in this County, yett very many takes noe notice thereof: It's therefore ordered, yett within every Towne precinct and pattent within this County, due observanco of the Lord's day shall be kept, and for want of an ablo minister the inhabitants shall employ a reader to read out of good books, two Sermonds every Lord's day, (that is to say,) one in the forenoone, betweenc 9 and 11 o'clock, and one in the afternoone, betweene 2 and 4 o'clock, at such places as shall be thought meet and convenient by ye inhabitants of such Towne precinct and pattent, att a meeting ordered by the next Justico of the Peace ; provided that if the inhabitants will net appoynt such place as aforesaid, that then the next Jus- tice of the Peace shall appoynt a place, and in case any person or persons shall make derission, or make any unseemly behaviour in the timo of publick worshipp, that then the said Justice of the Peace. of said place or precincts, shall committ all such deriders to the stocks one houre, otherwise shall pay tenn shillings, to be levyed by the constable, the one half to ye constable, and the other half to be employed to- wards relief of the poor of said place.
"It's alsoe ordered that noe person shall sitt tippleing in a publick ordenary on the Lord's day, upon penalty as aforesaid, or at other times on penalty as the law di- rects, and that any persons inhabiting within this County shall not travill on the Lord's day, without permition and make known their ocation to the next Justice of the Peace, upon penalty as aforesaid, likewise noe person or persons shall presume to goe a fishing, shooting or hunting of horses, or any other sports which makes breach of the Sabbath, upon ye penalty as aforesaid, provided, that this order shall not prohi- bit any stranger of meat and drinke for his refreshment on tho Sabbath day.
Also any Justice of the Peace which shall neglect or refuse to grant his warrant to the constable, for laying such fines upon the breakers of the Sabbath, shall forfeit twenty shillings for every such neglect as aforesaid, and that the constable of every respective towne that shall publish this order in his respective place, precinet or pat- tent, and inspect and give notice of all Sabbath breakers to the next Justice of the Peace, on penalty as aforesaid, for every such his neglect.""
The lamentable state of religion in the year 1695, is thus described by the Rev. John Miller, chaplain to his Majesty's forces in the pro vince of New-York :- " A great inconveniency, this province suffers under, is in relation to a ministry ; now in New-York, there are either-
" Ist. No ministers at all, that is, of the settled and established reli gion of the nation, and of such there is not oftentimes one in the whole province, nor at any time except the chaplain to his majesty's forces ir
a Records of Court of Sessions for Westchester County.
FY
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INTRODUCTION.
New-York, that does discharge, or pretend to discharge the duty of a minister, and, he being but one, cannot do it every where.
" 2nd. Or secondly, if there be any ministers, they are such as only call themselves so, and are but pretended ministers ; many of them have no orders at all, but set up for themselves of their own head and authority ; or, if they have orders, are Presbyterians, Independents, &c. All these have no other encouragement for the pains they pretend to take than the voluntary contributions of the people, or, at best, a salary by agreement and subscription, which yet they shall not enjoy, except they take more care to please the humors, and delight the fancies of their hearers, than to preach up true religion and a christian life, &c."a
From what has been said, it is apparent that a perfect toleration for all religious opinions had been guaranteed from the first settlement of the province. But liberty was converted into licentiousness, for men pretending to be ministers of the Gospel, officiated without qualifying themselves according to the Act of Toleration, under a notion that the laws of England relating to religion, did not extend to the plantations. What wonder then, that vice of every kind prevailed in spite of Gov- ernor's proclamations, military orders and judicial acts. It is very ap- parent too, that up to this period, but little good had been effected by Non-Episcopal ministrations, for Col. Heathcote, writing to the Secre- tary of the Venerable Society, in 1705, says :-- " I dare aver that there is not a much greater necessity of having the Christian Religion in its true light preached any where than amongst them. Many, if not the greatest number of them, being a little better than in a state of heathenism ; having never been baptised nor admitted to the commu- nion.11
Such was the state of things, which grew up under Non-Episcopal supervison, for, until 1693, there seems to have been "no face of the Church of England " in the colony. In fact, before Col. Fletcher was Governor of the province, there was no provision made for the maintenance or support of a minister of the Church of England, nor church erected in any part of the province for the members thereof, to
^ A Description of the Province and City of New-York, A. D., 1695, by the Rev. John Miller, London, 1743.
1
1
le
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INTRODUCTION.
worship God in.ª Soon after his arrival however, he proposed the Settling of an able ministry as one of the best and surest means of sup- pressing vice and profanity. The majority of the Assembly were en- tirely disinelined to the scheme, which occasioned a warm rebuke from the Governor in his speech at the close of the Session. in these words :- "Gentlemen, the first thing that I did recommend to you, at our last meeting, was to provide for a ministry, and nothing is done in it. There are none of you, but that are big with the privileges of En- glishmen and Magna Charta, which is your right; and the same law doth provide for the Religion of the Church of England, against Sabbath breaking and other profanity. But as you have made it last, and postponed it in this Session, I hope you will begin it the next meet- ing and do somewhat towards it effectually."b
The determination of the Governor at length induced the House to yield ; and a bill was " brought in for settling the ministry, and raising a maintenance for them." Col. Lewis Morris, in a letter to the Secretary of the Venerable Propagation Society, dated New-York, 20th February, 1711, says : "James Graham, Esq., who was then speaker of the Assembly, and had the drawing of their bills, prescribed a method of induction and so managed it that it would not do well for the Dis- senters, and but lamely for the Church, though it would do with the help of the Governor and that was all; but it was the most that could be got at that time, for had more been attempted, the Assembly had seen through the artifice, the most of them being Dissenters, and all had been lost."c
a New York, MSS, from archives at Fulham, vol. i. p. 42. (Hawks.)
b For this commendable zeal Col. Fletcher has been reviled, by Smith and others. as a bigot to the Episcopal form of Church Government.
e Doc. His. N. Y. vol. iii p. 244.
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INTRODUCTION.
This bill was entitled
AN ACT FOR SETTLING A MINISTRY AND RAISING A MAINTENANCE FOR THEM IN THE CITY OF NEW-YORK, COUNTIES OF RICHMOND, WESTCHESTER AND QUEENS.
PASSED THE 24th of March, 1693.
" PREAMBLE .- Whereas, Profaneness and Licentiousness hath of late overspread this Province, for want of a settled ministry throughout the same : To the end that the same may be removed, and the ordinances of God duly administered.
I. Be it enacted by the Governor, and Council, and Representatives, convened in General Assembly, and by the authority of the same, that in each of the re- spective Cities and Counties hereafter mentioned and expressed, there shall be called, inducted, and established, a good sufficient Protestant Minister, to officiate, and have the care of souls, within one year next, and after the publication hereof, That is to say ; In the City of New-York, one ; County of Richmond, one ; in the County of Westchester, two ; one to have the care of Westchester, Eastchester, Yonkers, and the manor of Pelham ; the other to have the care of Rye, Mamaroneck, and Bed- ford. In Queens County, two; one to have the care of Jamaica, and the adjacent Towns and Farms ; the other to have the care of Hempstead, and the next adja- cent Towns and Farms.
II. And for their respective encouragement, Be it further enacted by the au- thority aforesaid : That there shall be annually, and once in every year, in every of the respective Cities and Counties aforesaid, assessed, levied, collected, and paid for the maintenance of each of their respective Ministers, the respective sums hereafter men- tioned, that is to say ; For the City and County of New- York, One Hundred Pounds ; for the two precincts of Westchester, One Hundred Pounds, to each ; Fifty Pounds to be paid in Country Produce at money price ; for the County of Richmond, Forty Pounds, in Country Froduce, at money price ; and for the two precincts of Queens County, One Hundred and Twenty Pounds, to each Sixty Pounds, in Country Pro- duce, at money price.
III. And for the more orderly raising the respective maintenances for the Ministers aforesuid, be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that the respective justi- ces of every City and County aforesaid, or any two of them, shall every vear issue out their warrants to the Constables, to summons the freeholders of every City, County, and precinct aforesaid, together, on the second Tuesday of January, for the chusing of Ten Vestrymen and Two Churchwardens; and the said Justices and Vestrymen, or Major part of them, are hereby empowered, within ten days after the said day, or any day after, as to them shall seem convenient, to lay a reasonble tax on the said respective Cities, Counties, Parish or Precincts, for the maintenance of tho Minister and Poor of their respective places ; and if they shall neglect to issue their warrants, so as the election be not made that day, they shall respectively forfeit Five Pounds, current money of this Province ; and in case the said Freeholders duly
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INTRODUCTION.
summoned, as aforesaid, shall not appear, or appearing, do not chuso the said ten Vestrymen and two Churchwardens, that then in their default, the said Justices shall, within ten days after the said second Tuesday, or on any day after, as to them shall seem convenient, lay the said reasonable tax on the said respective places, for the respectivo maintainances aforesaid : and if the said Justices and Vestrymen shall ne- glect their duty herein, they shall respectively forfeit five pounds current money aforesaid.
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