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# Sixty or seventy loads of wood was the Domine's annual supply in these early times. For this purpose a bee was made, usually in the month of January.
The congregation then turned out with their teams and in from one to three days his yard was filled.
The consistory made bountiful provision for the entertainment of the bee makers on these occasions as appears by the following extracts from the treasurer's books :
16 Jan. 17434 to Johannes De Peyster for five gallons of Rum for the Domine's bee @ 3-6 £-17-6
19 Jan. 17434 to Pieter Groenendyk for 12 Gall. wine 4-0
23 Jan. 17434 to Metie Fairly for the use of the house at the bee 4-0
352
History of the Schenectady Patent.
During the eight years of his pastorate here he married seventy-nine couples, baptized about three hundred and fifty children and received two hundred and six members to the church.
Domine Erichzon left Schenectady in October, 1736, having received a call to the church of Freehold and Middletown, N. J.
His ministry in Schenectady seems to have been a successful one. Since the treaty of Utrecht in 1713, the country had been at peace, and wealth and population increased rapidly.
Our village was no exception, and before the church erected in 1703, had stood thirty years, the population had outgrown its capacity and it became necessary to erect a larger.
This matter began to be agitated soon after Do Erichzon became pastor, and instead of appealing to their neighbors for aid as in the former case, the congregation was able not only to build a house which for the times was both substantial and spacious, but also to furnish it with a bell and clock.
As a preliminary step in this new enterprise, a subscription paper was cir- culated through the town in 1730, by which £322 was obtained, and ex- tending the appeal up the valley into Maquaas Landt," a still further sum of £33-15 was subscribed in money and wheat.t
1748, 28 April to Jacobus Mynderse for rum for the Domine's bee £3-12-3
1749. Jan. Beer for the bee 1-14-6
1751, Jan. 1 for rum and sugar
1-7-6
1751, Jan. 2 for beer
0-12-0
1751, Ap. 28 to Anun Wendell for house hire twice for a bee 9-0
to lanac Abr : Truex for rum and sugar*
1-13,6
. Maquaas Landt was that part of the valley of the Mohawk river lying west of Amsterdam.
t The following is that portion of this list made up of Schenectady names :
July, 1730.
List of the voluntary gifts which were promised here at Schenectady in the county of Albany, for the building of a new church for the behoof of the Dutch Reformed church at Schenectady :
· 16 Jan. 174%, aan Job : de Peyater Voor 5 gall : Rhum Voor Do. bee & 3 sh. 6d. £0-17-6
19 Jan. 17494, nan Pr. Groenendyk Voor 36 gall : Wyn 4-0
93 Jan. 174%, aan Metje Fairly Voor 't huys gebruyck op de bee 4-0
1748, 28 April, an Jacobus Mynderne Voor rum Voor Doms Bee £3-13-9
1749, Jan. Bier Voor de Bee 1-14-6
-(Old church accounts.)
Dutch Church Schenectady (1734- 1814) PRO Brown for J.WM - Murray VS.A.
A.Wild - Phot .- Eng.
The Reformed Nether Dutch Church.
353
This sum did not amount to quite one-third the cost of the church, which was £1,167-17-10 [$2,919.73] ;- the remainder was probably derived from
We or I the underwritten promise to pay to Arent Bratt, Jacobus Van Dyck, Dirck Groot and Cornelis Van der Volgen and Robert Yates, Jacob Swits, Wouter Vrooman and Jan Barentse Wemp, Elders and Deacons, or to their successors, the sum which we or I subscribe with our hands so soon as the foundation of said church is laid ; and failing of the same, we or I promise to pay ten pounds current money, if we or I are negligent in the payment of the sum of money, which I with my hand subscribe, as witness our hands or my hand.
Jellis Vonda
drie pont*
Joha. Sanders Glen
3 pont
Henderick Vooman
fyf pont Jacobus Peeck
drie pont
Capt. Harme Van Slyck
Ses pont
Arenout de Graaf
Vier pont
Albert vedder
drie pont
Sander Laseng 3 pont
Abraham Meebie
4 pont
Jacob Glen
acht pont
helmis Veder
Vier pont
barent hendrickse vrooman
een pont
John fairley
3 pont
Joseph Van Sice
3 pont
Myndert Wymp
3 pont
Abraham Truax
4 pont
pieter Cornu
3 pont
Sander Van Eps
2 pont
Daniel tol
3 pont
Davet Marinis
1 pont
Barent Vrooman
2 pont
Nicolaas Groodt
2£
Wyllem Teller
4 pont
Daniel Danielse [Van Antwerpen] 3 pont
Gysbert V. brakel
5 pont
Symon Vrooman
4 pont
John Vrooman
6 pont
Johannys ouderkerck
2 pont
Johannis Van Vorst
3 pont
Philip Van Putte
1 pont
Johannis Marselis
2 pont
haerme Vedder
2 pont
Abram groot
Vier stuck van achte
Reyer Wempel
3 pont
Cornelis Van Slyck
drie pont
Gerret Van Vorst
2 pont
Symon Veder
drie pont
Johannis Vedder yu [Jr.]
2
Reinhart Erichzon, pred
5 pont
Abraham Glen
Arent brat
nege pont
Arent braet, yu. [Jr.]
4 “
Jacobus Van Dyck
drie pont
hendrick Vrooman, iunier, belofte
dirck groot
vier pont
William Peters -
2-10
Cornelus van der Volge
Vyf pont
Takel Maerseles
2 pont
Robbert yets
vyf pont
Yacobus Vedder
2 pont
Yacoep Swits
2 pont
adryaen Van Slyck
1 «
Wouter Vrooman
twaels (12 ?) pont
harme M (?) Vedder
2
Jan Barentse Wemp
4 pont
Cornelus Veder
2
Abram D. Graaf
3 pont
harmanus Vedder
3
Cornelus Van Dyck
3 pont
58
£195-14
* The pound New Yo:k currency was $2.50.
45
354
History of the Schenectady Patent.
the accumulations of former years and from the sale of lands or leases,- the gift of the trustees of the common lands.
Jolı: Visger
2 pont Cornelis pooetman
3 "
Wilhelmus Ryckman
2 «
pieter Veder
2
lourens Van der Volgen, Vrywillig
6
" Jacop Vrooman 2
"
Arent Stevens 1 Jacop truex
3
"
tierk franse [Van der Bogart] 3
Gysbert Marselis junior 1
douwe aukis, geordeneert voor hem of syn erfgenamen
pen]
6 betaelt pont
Pieter Felinck. 7 stuck 8 of
£2-8 Volkie wemp
2
Johannis Mynderse
12 gul. Jan leenderse
10 shil.
Jobannis Bleecker
80 guld.
Sara luykes
12 shil.
75
£229-4
pieter Winne
1 pont
bartholomewis Vrooman
1 pont John Dunbar
2 pont
Jan Vrooman
1-4
gerret gysbertse [Van Brakel]
2 "
marya Van der Volgen
1 pont
gysbert van brakel, junior,
2 "
elysabet van brakel
1
Swear marselis
2
.€
barent wemp, junior
2
"
Joseph Dance
3
geertruy mynders
4 "
Johannis teller
3
Sander Glen
3
akis brat
2 "
Jacop teller antie beck
2
daniel de graef
6 "
Jan dellamond
3
Jacop Schermerhoorn
1 pont 4s.
Capt. bencks [Banks]
2
Johannis peeck
2 "
Jellis Van Vorst
2
Jan Danielse [Van Antwerpen] 2 "
Jacobus Van Vorst
1
piete danielse [Van Antwerpen] 2
Douwe Vonda
3
Jacop mebie 3
3
Jannetie Veders
2 pont Voldaen
arent vedder
1
elyas post
1-10
Jacobus peeck, junior, een tonne bier.
2
" en
Jan baptist Van eps
6 pont
Anna Wendell
6 shil.
Myndert van gyselingh
4 pont
Catrina brat
6 "
Johannis haell
1-10
Cornelya brat
6 " - Samuel brat
1 pont
engelie Symonse [Veeder]
1 pont Wilyem Berret
2 .
gerret Symonse [Veeder]
6 “
Wilem bancker
2 "
[total]
£322-2
evert Van eps
2 "
De lyst Van de val en maquaaes landt De gelt belofte comt het core tege 4-10 pr sch:
£19-16
13-19
[£355-17]
2
"
claes de graef
6 shil.
anna lythall
1
pieter Vrooman
Gerret (?) Danielse [Van Antwer-
355
The Reformed Nether Dutch Church ..
After thorough preparation the work was begun in the spring of 1732. Hendrick Vrooman was Baas* of the men of whom seventeen were car- penters, besides masons, glaziers, &c. His wages were seven shillings a day ;- the others were paid from five to six shillings. The Preeck-stoel + [pulpit] was built by Pieter Cornu for £20 ;- and Gysbert W. Van den Bergh of Albany, contracted to do the mason work for £80.
Among the first articles of hardware purchased were,
twee vaten spykers £18-16
en een Ockshoft rom 13-12
and before the close of the year the latter article was exhausted and more purchased. The same liberal supply was made for the year 1733.}
This house was dedicated Jan. 13, 1732, on which occasion Do. Erichzon preached in the morning. In the afternoon Do. Van Driessen of Albany, preached. The following Sabbaths-Jan. 20th and 27th, the pastor con- tinued the subject of his first sermon.§
This third house was situated in Church street at its junction with Union street, and was eighty feet in length north and south and fifty-six feet wide;|-the trustees of the town conveyed to the church not only this site but also the land around the same ten feet in width, except on the west side, where by reason of the narrowness of the street, it was limited to five
* This is a genuine Dutch word signifying master or chief.
t In 1761 the pulpit was newly adorned at an expense of £1-14-1 as follows: aan casa Betalt voor 't Bekleeden van de Predickstoel
12} elle Swarte Saloen voor Predickstoel te Bekleeden @2-6 1-10-7
£0-3-0
Kleyne spikertjes 6d 6
£1-14-1
- Church accounts.
# Church Records.
§:17334, Jan. 13 .- De Eerste predicatie gedaen in de nieuwe Kercke door heer Doomeny Erichzon uit den prophet Yesaia het 2 Capittel Vers 3 .- Syn inlyding uit Luce 22 Verse 32 ent'tot besluit gesonge uit psalm 100, Vers. 3 .- De twede predicatie gedaen door den Heer domeny Van Driessen uit den prophet Yesaia 35 capittel Vers. 1 en 2 en tot besluit gesonge uit 118 psalm, Vers 1 .- 20 ditto [Jan.] Den predicatie uit jesaia 2, Vers. 3 het middel part en tot besluit gesongepsalm 25, Vers. 2 .-; 27 ditto [Jan.] De vierde predicatie uit jesaia 2 cap. 3 Vers., laste part, en tot besluit gesonge psalm 110 Vers. 2 .- From Simon Volkertse Veeder's Bible now owned by Mrs. H. J. Bratt.
| Church Charter, Aug. 23, 1734.
356
History of the Schenectady Patent.
feet *. The building material was blue sandstone or greywacke from the quarries cast of the village. It had two entrances,-one on the south end,- the other on the east side, over which was built a porch with a staircase leading to galleries. The roof was in the gambrel style, a few specimens of which still remain in the city. The belfry and clock tower stood on the north end. As seen from the cast end of Union street it presented a pleas- ing and imposing appearance. The tub shaped pulpit fixed upon a narrow pedestal and surmounted by a conical sounding board, was built against the west wall, in front of which an open space was railed in called the Doop- huisje. Here the Domine stood while administering the rite of baptism.
There was a gallery upon all sides save the west, whether built with the church, or at a later day is not known, as no mention is made of it before the year 1788, when it began to be occupied by adult males who could not obtain seats below. In this as in other Dutch congregations the males and females sat apart ;- the former upon raised seats called gestoelte, placed against the walls of the church, and the latter in slips or bancken upon the floor of the house. -
PLAATSEN IN DE KERKE.t
In the first allotments of seats little regard was had to family relations, nor was there any exchange of sittings, and so long as the yearly rent was paid they were the property of the occupants, but in case of removal or death passed to the nearest relative of the same sex. Only in case of non-
* Patentees Deed, 10 July, 1733.
t The slips or Bancken were numbered nearly alike in 1734 and 1754, but the numbers were quite different in 1788.
As before stated, each sitting in the church was held by its occupant for life, unless for- feited by nonpayment of the seat rent, or by removing from the town; and descended to his or her nearest male or female heir. Hence the same sitting was in some cases retained in the family for three or four generations. It will be noticed also that the males occupied the wall pews (gestoelte) chiefly, which were slightly raised above the others; whilst the females sat upon the benches (bancken) in the body of the house. The slips for the two sexes were numbered from one upwards,-those of the males from I to XIII :- those of the females from 1 to 62 (see plan).
Bench No. I was occupied by magistrates and men of note.
The Deacons and elders sat in the four benches on either side of the pulpit or doop- huisje. and the magistrates and other men of note upon the long bench on the west side of the church extending from the pulpit around to the south door.
Architect allany NET
Intersection of Niskayuna and Cross
1734 . at
Dutch Church 0
Sts .; (Union) and (Durch Sts.)
Pearson's Contributions~
Schenectady. N.y. A.WILD,Photo.Frg.
J.W. M.M. 1883.
357
The Reformed Nether Dutch Church.
payment of the customary rent was a seat forfeited. It was then allotted anew at the discretion of the consistory. Every transfer of a sitting cost the new occupant twelve shillings besides the yearly rent of five shillings, for males and four shillings for females.
Pulpit
5
Doophuisje
61
Venais reali [Banken) 1-62
N
04
16
to
J2
14
31
+2.
30
29
21
Men't seati
( Gestoallin ) I-XM
Play of Church of Tys.
east chương
During the eighty years that this church stood, but few and trifling changes were made in the slips or bancken first erected, and these chiefly by additions to accommodate the increasing congregation. The number of places (plaatsen) occupied by adults at different periods were as follows:
men's seats
men in gallery.
Women's seats.
total.
In 1734
86
0
218
304
" 1754
104
0
328
432
" 1788
125
35
346
506
From 1788 to 1814 when the old church was removed, newcomers could not rent seats without great difficulty except in the gallery, which being chiefly occupied by boys and negroes was not considered quite respectable.
P
358
History of the Schenectady Patent.
The people worshipped on the Sabbath almost to the beginning of this century even in the coldest winter weather without any other artificial heat than that derived from foot stoves. The first stoves used in this church were bought in December, 1792 and set up that winter. They were placed upon two platforms elevated to the height of the gallery and reached by climb- ing over the balustrade. It is said that the klokluyer was accustomed to re- plenish them at the beginning of the Domine's sermon and-to notify to the congregation of the importance of his vocation, -- was particularly noisy in opening and shutting the stove doors. By this arrangement it is said that "the top of the church was comfortable but the people below had to carry foot stoves to keep themselves warm." So unsatisfactory was this first ex- periment in warming the church that the matter came up and was discussed by the consistory and the result was that the elevated platforms were removed and the stoves placed upon the floor of the church .*
1731-4. THE BELL AND CLOCK.
On the 10th of February, 173g a subscription was opened for a bell. The heading of this paper is as follows :
* The following bill for these stoves is translated from the treasurer's book .*
£. 8. d.
1792, Dec. 23. Paid James Murdock for 2 stoves 12-15-8
29 Dec., to cash for riding stone for the stove floor 0-13-3
Paid James McWilliams for setting the stoves in the church 0-12-0
to a cart to Albany to haul the gryp (?) iront for the stoves 0-10-0
to 14012 lbs. of iron by Swits for the small work about the stoves to 1 quart of rum for the workmen
3-10-112 2-5
17934, Jan. Cash to Maas Schermerhorn paid for set (?) iron, 251bs at 11 pence a pound
1- 2-11
Cash paid Walter Swits & Peter Symens for the iron work on the stoves 8-19-6
£28-05-1012 £12-15-8
* 1792, Dec. 23. Aen James Murdock betalt voor 2 kaghels " 29. aen cass voor Roye stein voor de Caghel vloer
aen James McWilliams betaelt * * de Kaghels in de Kerk to sette aen Een wage na Albany voor 't gryp Eyser, an de Kachels te hale
0-13-8
0-12- 0
0-10- 0
aen 140% 1b. Eyrer Door Swits voor Clyn werk an de Kaghels sen 1 qart rom an de werk Inyde
3-10-1
2- 5
1- 2-11
179%, Jan. Carsa aen Mans Schermerhorn voor set eyser betalt 25 1b. at 11 pence p pont Cassa betalt aen Walter Swits en pieter Symens voor het eyser werk an Cagels
8-19-6
£28-05-10%
+ [Is this grip irons = grapple irons or braces to hold the stoves on their elevated platforms .- M'M.]
359
The Reformed Nether Dutch Church.
" Subscriptions of persons for the bell.
. We the underwritten promise what we with our hands or by our orders have here subscribed and promised, to pay for a new bell for the Low Dutch church here at Schenectady and we promise to pay the same to the Domine and Consistory of the Low Dutch church of Schenectady, viz : -- to Domine Erichzon, Direk Groot, Cornelis Vander Volgen, Harmanus Vedder, Abraham Mebie, Jan Barentse Wemp, Wouter Vrooman, Abraham De Graaf and Cornelis Van Dyck, or to one of them, on or before the first day of May next coming. Done in Schenectady the 10th of February, 173º."
To this paper are appended 152 names and the amount raised was £45-6-6 ($113.31).
The bell was procured in Amsterdam and did " good and faithful service for more than a century " until it was cracked in 1848. It bore the follow- ing inscription:
" De Klok van de Neder-duidsch gemeente van Scon- echiade door Haar self bezorght anno 1732.
Me fecerunt De Grave et muller Amsterdam *. "
In 1740, the church had a public or town clock purchased probably at the same time with the bell.
THE CHARTER.
Although the church had owned considerable real estate more than fifty years, it had no corporate existence in law and could neither hold nor alienate property save through individuals acting as its trustees. Feeling the precarious nature of such tenure, when the church edifice was finished, the consistory petitioned the Governor and Council for a charter. This application was favorably considered and on the third day of August, 1734, a charter was granted under the great seal of the Province.
** The bell of the Low Dutch Church of Schenectady procured by themselves in the year 1732."
" De Grave and Muller Amsterdam made me."
It was the custom to ring the bell three times before commencing religious services down to January, 1810, when the consistory
" Resolved, that in future the Bell shall be rung twice as usual, previous to the com- mencement of public worship and that tolling shall be substituted for the third ringing." It is said the bell was also rung at the close of the service that the servants at home might have the dinner ready on their masters' return.
360
History of the Schenectady Patent.
Do. Erichzon died in January, 1752, and until 1755, the church had no regular pastor, being dependent on Do. Frelinghuysen of Albany, Do. Vrooman of New Paltz, or some divinity student temporarily filling the pulpit.
However the consistory opened a subscription for funds to pay for a minister when one should be called. One hundred and sixty-eight sub- scribers contributing from one shilling to thirty-six shillings, a fund of £165 was raised. The seat rents were increased and the income from these sources as well as rents of the mill, Eenkluy's " Poor Pasture," etc., sufficed for current expenses.
PARSONAGE.
The ancient parsonage on the present church site had now stood fifty years or more and was falling to decay. It was doubtless the house men- tioned in the deed of 1715, to Do. Brouwer and the consistory, (the deed is endorsed "'t D° huys") and was probably of wood, as were all other houses of its date.
It was therefore removed in 1753, and a new building of brick* erected on the same lot. It was one storey and a half high, with the usual pointed Dutch gable ends.
There were two rooms in front on the Union street side. The door was in the middle, over which was a gable.
This house stood about sixty years when it gave place to the church of 1814.
THE CHURCH OF 1814.
As early as 1805, the subject of repairing the old church was agitated. The church which had stood for so long in mid-street in Albany, had gone before the march of improvement and there was a feeling that Schen- ectady should follow in its wake. In 1810, the consistory appointed a committee to draw a plan and to report as to the possibility of a new church building, and still another committee to meet the wishes of those who desired to see the old church put in repair. The result of this was a de- cision to build anew on the parsonage lot. There was much opposition to
* The bricks used in it were made by Jacobus Van Vorst at £1 [$2.50] per M .- Church Treasurer's book.
361
The Reformed Nether Dutch Church.
this on the part of those whose affections clung to the old church in the street, as well as a considerable party who urged that this lot was not central enough but that the church should be built further to the east as population had extended in that direction. Petitions to this effect numerously signed by towns people and those residing on the roads eastward, are in the deacons' chest in the church tower.
The consistory's plan was adopted and in 1812, the two sites of the former churches were sold to the city to be thrown open to the streets, and the contracts for the new house of worship signed.
In the autumn of 1814, a new house was so near completion that it could be used for worship, and on the 20th November, the last services were held in the old building .*
The increase of this congregation had doubtless been much retarded by the want of seat room. This was felt many years before the church of 1734 was removed.
In view of this fact, it is singular that the church of 1814 should not have been built larger. It could accommodate but few more persons than its predecessor .; Indeed it may be said that from 1734 to 1862, a period of 128 years, the church accommodations of this congregation remained sub- stantially the same. In the meantime the little hamlet grew into a village and the village into a city of respectable dimensions. It had but few com- petitors in the field, and though it became the mother church of this region, with one exception all her colonies were sent out some years subsequent to 1814.
* The old church was sold to the contractors for 450 dollars, and they were about to remove it in the spring of 1813, when on a remonstrance being made to the consistory against thus depriving the congregation of a place of worship, whilst the new house was building, the contract was annulled and it was left standing until 1814.
In the remonstrance allusion is made to the desecration of the old church by lawless persons breaking the seats and pews and it was advised to prosecute the marauders. -Consistory Min
In the treasurer's book is the following entry under date 5th July, 1814. "To paid for liquor when the old spire was taken down, 3712 cents. Nov. 30, 1814, Charles Kane and Henry Yates bought the old church for $442 50."
t The dimensions of the church of 1734 were 80 feet by 56 feet, those of the church of 1814 were 86 feet by 57 feet.
46
362
History of the Schenectady Patent.
Before closing this short account of this house it may be proper to mention the honored names of Nicholas Van der Volgen and his wife, who were considerable benefactors to it.
Many of the congregation remember the huge brass chandeliers and pleasant organ of the old church. These were their gifts, the former in 1792, the latter in 1797.
The great chandelier (groote Kroon) had eighteen lights, besides which there were seven lesser ones (Kleyndere kroonen) of six lights each,- costing altogether £67-10 New York currency.
C
The money for the organ was given in 1797, and suffered to accumulate until 1826 (?) when an instrument was obtained from Henry Erben, of New York, at the cost of 1,000 (?) dollars. This was consumed with the church in 1861.
VOORLEZER and VOORZANGER.
The duties of Voorlezer and Voorsanger were usually united in the same person and defined by resolution of the consistory : -
Jan. 8, 1810, " Resolved, that in future the clerk of the church shall commence the public service in the morning with the reading of the ten commandments, a chapter of the Bible* and Psalm or Hymn at discretion, and in the afternoons with the reading of the articles of the Creed together
* 1759 Aen Johannes Vedder Voor een Voorlezer's Bybel £2.0.0 .- Church account Book.
363
The Reformed Nether Dutch Church.
with a Chapter and Psalm or Hymn." In addition to the above he had "the right and emoluments of burying the dead of the congregation." Next to the minister he was the most important officer of the church.
According to tradition the first Voorlezer of this church was Harmen Albertse Vedder, and the second his son Albert .*
To improve the psalmody of the congregation, on the 13th Feb., 1794, the consistory took the following action:
"The consistory taking into consideration the defective condition of the Dutch Psalmody in the public worship of this church : Resolved, that Cornelis De Graaf the chorister shall use his endeavors, in each family of this village and elsewhere, to obtain pupils in singing, on condition that each shall pay one shilling and six pence a month, the Consistory also adding thereto for each scholar for the term of six months, one shilling and six pence a month ; provided a certificate be shown to the consistory signed by Mr. De Graaf that each scholar has diligently spent his time as he ought. " Also Mr. De Graaf in singing shall try to observe the measure of the half notes and soften his voice as much as possible."}
If tradition tells the truth respecting Mr. De Graaf's singing, the advice last given was by no means inappropriate. It is said that while sitting on the "back stoop " of his house, then standing upon the site of Mrs. Abel Smith's house in State street, he beguiled the evening hours in summer by psalm singing; and that his voice could be clearly heard two miles up the river in a straight line.
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