USA > New York > Schenectady County > Schenectady > A history of St. George's church in the city of Schenectady, Volume I > Part 7
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On October 19, 1794, the Reverend Ammi Rogers was ordained a priest.35 He continued his ministrations in Schenectady and Sar- atoga County until some time in 1795 or 179636 when he appears
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St. George's Church.
to have resigned his charge in Schenectady to give his entire atten- tion to the territory to the north and west in which directions he 37 had been extending more and more the field of his labors.
Notes.
Chapter VIII.
1. Jonathan Pearson, " A History of the Schenectady Patent," p. 396.
2. Reverend Joseph Hooper, "A History of Saint Peter's Church in the City of Albany," p. 131.
3. Ibid., p. 133.
4. Mr. Robert Clench, who had been elected a warden with him in 1771, had died during the latter part of the year 1781.
5. An Indian trader and later merchant who had come to Schenectady some time previous to the Revolution. He was buried January 30, 1818.
6. Abraham Dorn, William Vanten, Charles Sullivan, John Sullivan, Peter Van Allen, William Corlett, Charles Martin, Joseph Kinsela, Major Snell, Thomas Mor- rell, Joseph Johnson, John House, John Dorn, ...... Dorn.
7. For one year, Joseph Kingsley, Major Snell, John Sullivan; for two years, Thomas Morrell, John Brown, John Dorn; for three years, Charles Martin, Charles Miller, Thomas Kane.
8. John Brown and Charles Martin.
9. Joseph Kingsley, Major Snell, Thomas Morrell, John Dorn, Charles Miller, Thomas Kane.
10. At the meeting on March 25.
II. Article 2 of the constitution.
J2. Article I of the constitution.
13. Miscellaneous Papers of St. George's Church.
14. Approximately twenty-two pounds were subscribed.
15. Miscellaneous Papers of St. George's Church.
16. Ibid.
17. Twenty pounds of this amount were subscribed by James Duane.
18. "Memoirs of the Rev. Ammi Rogers," p. 16.
19. Ibid., p. 15 et seq.
20. Ibid.
21. Miscellaneous Papers of St. George's Church.
22. "Memoirs of the Rev. Ammi Rogers," p. 19 et seq.
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St. George's Church.
23. Certain necessary repairs must surely have been made prior to this date al- though if we are to credit the evidence of Mr. Rogers these repairs could not have af- forded a proper restoration of the building.
24. Ibid., p. 20.
25. Vide opposite page 94.
26. The church was without a steeple in January, 1772, (vide page 68), there is no evidence to indicate that one was erected prior to the Revolution, surely none was erected during the war, and Mr. Rogers' statement that the church building had until after his coming "lain most of the time destitute" seems to preclude the possibility of the steeple having been erected in the interim between the end of the war and the date assumed for its erection. The weakness in the assumption is that in 1804 the steeple was in such a state of decay as to make its removal necessary. Could a steeple properly erected in 1792 have reached such an unsound condition twelve years later?
27. A native of the Isle of Man. At just what date he came to Schenectady is not known but it was probably subsequent to the Revolution. He was a trader with his store, brewery, etc., located on the south corner of State and Washington Streets ex- tending through to Water Street. He was buried November 15, 1815.
28. "Memoirs of the Rev. Ammi Rogers," p. 20.
29. Reverend Joseph Hooper, " A History of Saint Peter's Church in the City of Albany," p. 134.
30. Vide Vital Records, St. George's Church.
31. He baptized five children during the latter part of May, 1789.
32. He visited the parish on January 8, 1792, and baptized three children.
33. Reverend Joseph Hooper, "A History of Saint Peter's Church in the City of Albany," p. 148.
34. A memorandum among the Miscellaneous Papers of St. George's Church gives the date as October 19 and records the names of fifty persons confirmed. This is somewhat at variance with Mr. Ellison's account.
35. " Memoirs of the Rev. Ammi Rogers," p. 22 et seq.
36. On October 14-16, 1794, he attended the 12th Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church as the "Minister of St. George's Church, Schenectady, and Christ Church, Ballston" (vide " Bibliographer's Journals," reprinted, p. 71), on October II-13, 1796, he attended the 13th Convention as " Rector of Christ Church, Balls- ton" only (ibid., p. 75). There was no representative from Schenectady at this con- vention or at the 14th Convention held October 3-5, 1797.
37. Mr. Rogers was one of the first trustees of Union College and very active in
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St. George's Church.
Freemasonry. He remained at his post in Saratoga until 1801, and then removed to Branford, Connecticut, to take charge of the churches in that place and in East Ha- ven, Northford and Wallingford. Party politics and party religion were at that time running high in Connecticut and Mr. Rogers had the misfortune to run counter to the opinions of his first instructor, now Bishop Jarvis. From this point Mr. Rogers' career was a varied one with constantly shifting charges and continued opposition in his labors. Finally in 1820, and evidently for political reasons, he was accused of the commitment of a very serious crime, judged guilty and committed to the jail in Nor- wich for a period of two years. Mr. Rogers returned to Saratoga County in May, 1825, and so far as can be ascertained spent the rest of his days in the vicinity, dying some time after 1835.
Chapter IX.
The Rectorship of the Reverend Robert G. Wetmore and After.
O N August 25, 1793, the church at Duanesburgh, erect- ed by Judge James Duane' at an expense of approx- imately eight hundred2 pounds, exclusive of the land on which it stood, was consecrated3 by Bishop Provoost under the name of Christ Church. The parish activities were early placed under the guidance of a deacon, the Reverend David Belden, and on the incorporation of the church in 1795 and Mr. Belden's ad- vancement to the priesthood, he was instituted its rector. His official connection with the parish is thought to have ceased in the early part of 1797, and on July 30, 1798, the Reverend Robert G. Wetmore,4 A. M., was called to the rectorship.
The parish at Schenectady had been vacant since the withdrawal of the Reverend Ammi Rogers, and it had now become a matter of some concern to the vestry of St. George's that "for Want of a Regular and devout Attendance to Public Worship & a regular Administration of the Holy sacraments, the morrals of many (had) become Corrupted and the Lord's Day lightly Esteemed."
The vestry of St. George's saw in the call of Mr. Wetmore to the rectorship of Christ Church a chance for a temporary solution of their own problem, and it was therefore suggested that Mr. Wetmore be permitted to divide his time between the two parishes. The suggestion being favorably considered the right was reserved by the vestry of Christ Church in the agreement entered into with
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St. George's Church.
Mr. Wetmore to make some suitable arrangement with the vestry of St. George's that would permit Mr. Wetmore to officiate at Schenectady, providing only that he was not obliged to be absent from Duanesburgh oftener than once in three Sundays.
Mr. Wetmore held services in St. George's on July 16, 1798, and two weeks later, on the same day that he commenced his min- istry at Duanesburgh, a subscription list circulated among the pa- rishioners of St. George's yielded pledges to the amount of approx- imately one hundred and sixty-five dollars to be paid in quarterly installments providing Mr. Wetmore should officiate every third Sunday, administer the sacrament at suitable periods, and "attend to the regular catechizing and instructing of the Youth of the City belonging to his congregation."
By August 18, the vestry of St. George's was still uninformed of any definite decision on the part of the vestry of Christ Church regarding their proposal to share the services of Mr. Wetmore. Somewhat impatient, the more so as they were particularly desirous of effecting a prompt reorganization of the parish in order to act as a body corporate as provided by law,5 the vestry dispatched a letter6 requesting definite information and if favorable to ask that Mr. Wetmore be permitted to officiate on two consecutive Sundays that proper election notices might be given and the reorganization later carried out as provided by law.
The receipt of the letter brought a prompt and favorable reply. As desired Mr. Wetmore held services in St. George's on August 26 and September 2 and on Monday, September 3, presided at a meeting7 of the male adults at which were elected two wardens8 and eight vestrymen9 to form the corporation subsequently voted to be styled "The Wardens and Vestry of St. George's Church in the City of Schenectady."
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St. George's Church.
At a meeting of the Corporation held later the Reverend Rob- ert G. Wetmore was "solemnly and according to ancient Usage" inducted rector10 of the parish, Mr. Charles Martin was elected treasurer of the Corporation, Mr. William Corlett clerk of the ves- try and Mr. Joseph Stanley sexton of the church.
The accounts which were now gone over, showed the parish considerably in the debt of Mr. John W. Brown, Mr. Charles Martin and Mr. William Corlett for money" advanced and expens- es incurred in behalf of the church. This report of the financial condition was at once supplemented with the relinquishment of all claims by these loyal supporters who in their desire to see the church free from incumberances and in a flourishing condition added to their generosity a hearty wish that it might enjoy "all imaginable Prosperity."
During this same week Mr. Martin and Mr. Corlett added to their contribution a ticket in the Washington Lottery and two tickets in the State Road Lottery of New York, and from Mrs. Duane12 (widow of the late Judge Duane) came a gift of crimson damask cushions and hangings for the pulpit and desk.
In the first regularly kept record book of the parish, begun by Mr. Wetmore, there is a rough pen-and-ink sketch,13 drawn by him, showing St. George's Church as he found it at this time. An- other sketch,14 also by Mr. Wetmore, showing the interior arrange- ment of the building, indicates thirty-six pews in the church, a gallery across the west end reached by a stairway in the northwest corner, a pulpit with a flight of stairs leading up to it standing against the east wall in the center, in front of the pulpit a reader's desk, in front of that a clerk's seat and on the north side of the pulpit an altar with rails,-an arrangement not unlike that still existing in the church15 at Duanesburgh.
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St. George's Church.
Mr. Wetmore's ministrations proceeded smoothly and without unusual incident. Necessary minor repairs were made to the church building, a corporate seal16 was procured which, perhaps, by reason of a certain degree of pride, appears to have been affixed to all pa- pers bearing in any way on church affairs and as occasion neces- sitated friends in New York City were delegated to represent the church in the conventions held there. In July, 1799, a rearrange- ment of the seatings in the church was ordered, the pews being re- numbered and their holders being required to substantiate17 their claims. Permission was given in several cases to erect new pews18 and (of particular interest) in the rearrangement, the pew19 of Sir William Johnson was assigned to Mr. Martin and Mr. Corlett to be held by them until such time as Sir William's heirs should "ad- duce a sufficient claim" to it. To complete the record of progress under Mr. Wetmore, it should be added that during the latter part of the year 1800 a triangular plot20 of public land adjoining on the northwest was added to the church property by grant from the city.
So well in fact were the affairs of the parish conducted under the arrangement with Mr. Wetmore that when in March, 1801, after nearly three years of service, he found it necessary because of ill health to seek in travel relaxation from his labors a resolution was spread on the parish minutes to the effect that such had been his whole deportment and such was the most cordial satisfaction he had given the congregation that should Providence restore his health it was the desire of all that he return to St. George's.
The wish of the vestry and congregation was, however, not to be fulfilled for Mr. Wetmore after having devoted a brief time to travel and to writing21 succumbed to his illness without again tak- ing up actively his ministerial duties.
Rev. ROBERT G. WETMORE AM Rector of' S' Georges Church City of SCHENECTADY
103
St. George's Church.
No attempt appears to have been made to immediately secure a successor to Mr. Wetmore in spite of the fact that soon after his departure St. George's received a grant of twelve hundred and fifty dollars from the Corporation of Trinity Church to be expended in the purchase of a glebe the income from which was to aid them in supporting a rector.
After somewhat over two years and a half, during which time few and irregular services were held in the church under the direc- tion of such of the neighboring and visiting clergy as could be se- cured, the state of the parish became a matter of such grave con- cern that it was voted by the vestry to bring its condition to the at- tention of Bishop Moore and to petition further aid of Trinity Church on the plea that the members of the church were so few and generally poor that even with the income from the farm that had been purchased with the grant of money they could not raise by subscription an amount sufficient to support a minister. "(We) are the more anxious at this time," read a portion of the letter22 of the vestry, handed to the Bishop at the Convention in Albany in October, 1803, "to have Divine service regularly performed in the church, as the Presbyterian Congregation in this City are much divided;23 owing it is supposed to their exerting themselves beyond their abilities, two years since, to get a minister, who has now left them on account of their divisions. And further we are strongly im- pressed with an idea of the benefit that will occur, not only to our- selves and our youth in general, but also to the young gentlemen in our College,24 particularly those who are preparing for the desk, could we be enabled to obtain a pastor in our church. Should kind providence bless us with a minister of a mild and consiliating dis- position, we have much reason to hope our congregation would materially increase."
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St. George's Church.
By January, 1804, the need of making extensive repairs in the church building became imperative, for it was found that the stee- ple25 "on account of its being in a decayed Situation" must be tak- en down and replaced and the roof reshingled. To meet the ex- pense of these necessary repairs a subscription list was started in which it was asked that additional sums be contributed for the pur- chase of a bell and an organ.
The interest aroused by the plan to restore the church building awakened again a desire for a permanent rector and almost as soon as the subscription list was started the Reverend Frederick Van Horne of Ballston appears to have been under consideration for appointment to the post. The matter of engaging a permanent rector at this time was, however, held in abeyance pending some definite assurance as to the extent to which a certain member of the congregation might be persuaded to "stretch forth her Fos- tering hand." Mrs. Angelica Campbell,26 to whom reference was made, had been a very generous contributor on a former occasion27 and it was hoped that she would again come forward liberally to the support of the church for the reason, as Mr. Charles Martin curiously wrote, that "all that has been deer to her, is there in- tomb'd, an Husband28 and An Only Child29 who was as deer to her as life, and where she doubtless expects3º to be laid herself, but we hope not for many years to come-no doubt her own good sence informs her, that only that part of her property which she lays out for the benefit of the Church is the only part that will perpetuate her memory and cause that elegant Vault where she expects to lay to be kept in repair for if there be not a support for a Minister the Church must go to decay and the graveyard become a Common."
In April the work of reconstructing the church was started un-
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der the superintendance of Mr. David Tomlinson and Mr. William Corlett who were appointed to this duty by the vestry. The carpen- ter work was placed in the hands of Mr. J. Lyons and the mason work necessary to build the foundation for the steeple was given to Mr. David Kettle.31 An entry made during the fore part of August, recording an expenditure of eight shillings for beer32 "at raising Steeple" indicates the progress at that time. On October 20, the bell purchased in New York at a cost of approximately eighty- three pounds arrived by wagon from Albany and during the latter part of November an expenditure for "wenches cleaning 9 days" indicates the work was then nearing completion.
As is usually the case the cost of the repairs far exceeded the estimated amount, and while the sum of one thousand dollars had originally been thought sufficient to cover all expenses the vestry found that "after expending $1800 in the erection of a steeple & indispensible repairs with the utmost attention to Economy, the Church (was) still incomplete; indeed not in a fit state for the Per- formance of Divine Service, and (their) funds entirely exhausted."33 Trinity Church, which had already contributed five hundred dol- lars to the fund was again appealed to but this time without success.
Fortunately the failure to secure additional funds from Trinity did not deter the vestry from finishing off the church. The pur- chase of the organ was omitted, additional subscriptions were asked from those of the congregation who could afford to increase their pledges and with the additional borrowing of approximately six hundred dollars, the work was duly completed and the expense met.
S
Notes.
Chapter IX.
I. An extended biographical sketch of Judge Duane is to be found in the " Docu- mentary History of the State of New York," IV, 1063. Judge Duane moved to Schen- ectady from New York City soon after his retirement from public life in April, 1794, and remained a resident here until his death on February 1, 1797. In 1793, he com- menced the erection of Bloomingvale House near Mariaville for his son, James C. Duane, and in 1796, a house for himself, at Duanesburgh, work on which was sus- pended at his death, the foundation alone being laid.
2. Report of Bishop Provoost to the Convention, October 9, 1793. The expense connected with the erection of the church was borne entirely by Judge Duane, the sum of sixty pounds which he received from his friends to assist him in the under- taking being expended in the purchase of a handsome set of communion plate.
3. "Revd. Mr. Cutting read prayers, reverend Mr. Ellison preached the Sermon on the occasion, which was much admired by a Crowded assembly who filled and sur- rounded the Church-Everything was conducted with the utmost order & solemnity and every body highly satisfied." Manuscript Journals of Judge James Duane.
4. He was born March 10, 1774, and was ordered deacon by Bishop Provoost in St. Paul's Chapel, New York City, on Sunday, May 21, 1797, and ordained priest in the same chapel on June 10, 1798.
5. Chapter 25 of the Laws of 1795, an amendment of Chapter 18 of the Laws of 1784, provided for the substitution of a vestry elected for one year in place of a Board of Trustees elected for three years. The powers of the trustees under the former stat- ute were now, in the case of Episcopal churches, to be exercised by a vestry com- posed of two wardens and eight vestrymen with whom the rector of the church, if any, was to act.
6. A copy of the letter is included among the Miscellaneous Papers of St. George's Church.
7. With the minutes of this meeting commence the first regularly kept records of the parish.
8. Charles Martin and John Kane.
9. William Corlett, John Dickinson, Charles Miller, Thomas B. Clench, John Brown, Samuel Thorn, Samuel Hawkins and Major Snell.
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St. George's Church.
10. His salary was fifty pounds for the year to which was added an allowance of nine pounds for house rent.
II. In the case of Mr. Martin and Mr. Corlett this amounted to approximately one hundred and three pounds.
12. Mary, eldest daughter of Colonel Robert Livingston, to whom James Duane was married on October 21, 1759. Mrs. Duane was a more or less regular attendant at St. George's and a pew holder from 1805 to 1809.
13. Vide opposite page 94.
14. Vide opposite page 101.
15. Christ Church is one of the few early churches in the Valley that remains to- day as originally built.
16. Vide title page.
17. Due notice was given to the congregation by publication in the Schenectady Gazette three weeks before the meeting of the vestry was held.
18. These remained the property of the member erecting them or his heirs and as- signs so long as the yearly rental was paid. On failure to pay the rental when due the pews became the property of the church.
19. Formerly number 3, 29 under the new numbering. On August 2, 1800, upon presentation of a claim in fee simple, this pew was transferred to Mrs. James Van Horne.
20. This plot is shown on Mr. Wetmore's drawing. Vide opposite page 94.
21. In 1802, under a New York imprint, he published a treatise entitled,-"Ex- tensive Charity, in a Small Compass; being Miscellaneous Observations, on Things Past, Present, and to Come."
22. A copy of the letter is included among the Miscellaneous Papers of St. George's Church.
23. Reference is here made to the disagreement following the installation as pastor of the Reverend Matthew Clarkson which led to the secession from the church of twenty members and two elders and later to so much friction that Mr. Clarkson was induced to resign.
24. Later, when regular services were again held, three pews were set aside for the exclusive use of the students.
25. Vide note 26, Chapter VIII.
26. Vide note 3, Chapter VI.
27. She contributed three hundred and seventy-five dollars to the repair fund. 28. Vide note 3, Chapter VI.
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St. George's Church.
29. David Campbell. He died June 29, 1801.
30. Her expectations were fulfilled and her remains now rest with those of her hus- band and son in the vault which stands in the rear of the church at about the center of the grave yard.
31. The work of laying the foundation for the steeple has heretofore been credited to Mr. David Hearsey, a young man just arrived in Schenectady, who later, for many years, served as a vestryman and warden in our church. An entry of £3, 10s. on April 21, for money paid to "David Kettle mason," rather justifies a different conclusion, the more so as there is no entry of a payment made to Mr. Hearsey until Decem- ber 29.
32. The workmen were regularly granted a daily allowance of rum, but the vestry appear to have made a special allowance to celebrate this occasion.
33. Letter of the vestry given to Bishop Moore at the Convention in October, 1803. A copy is included among the Miscellaneous Papers of St. George's Church.
Chapter X.
The Rectorship of the Reverend Cyrus Stebbins.
W ORK on the church building was still far from comple- tion when, on September 28, 1804, a possible opportu- nity of securing a rector' was called to the attention of the vestry of St. George's by a report that Mr. Cyrus Stebbins, a Methodist minister then preaching in Albany,2 had expressed a desire to become an Episcopal clergyman could he but receive proper ordination. The fact that Mr. Stebbins was a "Methodist Preacher" did not influence in his favor several of the vestry and congregation but prejudice was soon set aside when it was found that he was very generally known and highly respected, intimately acquainted with many of the Episcopal clergy and "also well known to other Denominations of the best character by all of whom he was warmly recommended, as well for his Preaching as his irreproachable character."
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