USA > New York > New York City > A history of the parish of Trinity Church in the city of New York, pt 2 > Part 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29
On December 24, 1807, the Rev. Nathaniel Bowen, of Charleston, South Carolina, was called as Assistant Minister 3; an offer which he declined, accepting the same year the Rectorship of the new Grace Church, which posi- tion he occupied till the year 1818, when he was elected to the See of South Carolina. On June 9, 1808, the Rector was authorized to engage the Rev. James Chapman, of Elizabethtown, New Jersey, for the period of six months, which engagement was renewed at the end of that term for another six months.4
On July 14, 1808, the Rev. Thomas Y. How was chosen Assistant Minister.5
On February 8, 1810, the destitute condition of Miss Seabury, the daughter of the late Bishop Seabury, having been represented to the Board, a donation of one hundred and fifty dollars was paid to her, which at the close of the year, December 13th, was continued for another year.6
1 Records, liber ii., folio 113.
4 Ibid., folio 178. 5 Ibid., folio 179.
? Ibid., folio 147.
3 Ibid., folios 150, 177.
6 Ibid., folios 200, 201.
.
185
Appointment of Dr. Beach
1811]
The last event of note during Dr. Moore's life was the conforming, on March 22, 1810, of the Zion Lutheran Congregation, then in Mott Street. On the following day its Minister, Ralph Williston, was ordained by the Bishop.
The Bishop suffered a stroke of paralysis in February, 1811. Taking advantage of the clause in the charter pro- viding for the appointment of an " Assistant to the Rector," he nominated Dr. Beach as such assistant,1 which nomina- tion being approved of by the Vestry, Dr. Beach took his place as presiding officer of the Vestry; nor did Dr. Moore from that day, March 13, 1811, preside at any meeting of the Corporation.
With this date may be said to close both the de facto Rectorship and the Episcopate of Dr. Moore. Thence- forth he was confined to his room, suffering from great feebleness and from repeated attacks of paralysis ; and for the next two ensuing years Dr. Beach was virtually the Rector.
I See Part I., p. 461.
CHAPTER XVII.
TRINITY THE MOTHER OF CHURCHES.
Policy of Dr. Provoost Continued - Beginnings of St. John's Chapel - Room near Brannon Street-Location in Hudson Street Selected-Plans for New Church Adopted -Work Stopped Owing to Insecure Foundation-Site Changed to that on Hudson Square-Description of Site - Church Consecrated-Cost of Church - Beginnings of Grace Church - Committee Appointed to Select a Site- Purchase of Property from Lutherans - Deputation from Grace Church - Gift of an Organ -- St. George's Chapel Set off as a Parish - Questions Propounded by St. George's Congregation - Assurance Given by Corporation-Endowed by Trinity-Destroyed by Fire-Rebuilt by the Corporation-Cost of Rebuilding-Endowment of St. Stephen's Church-Application from the Romanists-From the Free School-Endowment of Christ Church-Grant to Miss Seabury-To the New York Society Library-Expenditures for ISog-10.
N O title was ever more justly bestowed than that of " the Mother of Churches," borne for many years by our venerable Parish. The policy of aiding with impar- tial and generous hand wherever aid was needed in ex- tending the work of the Kingdom of Christ in this city and throughout the State, begun under the Rectorship of Dr. Provoost, was continued throughout the administration of Dr. Moore. Trinity Church had now been rebuilt ; St .- Mark's-Church-in-the-Bowery had been built and en- dowed ; and liberal grants were made to parishes and con- gregations wherever aid was needed, not only to our people, but to Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Roman Cath- olics in the City of New York. The Corporation were wise enough to find in the growth of the metropolis a strong incentive to planning for the future; in fact, they were always in advance of the less clear-sighted public, and frequently came in for criticism of what was considered as the folly of credulous imagination.
186
187
[1802-1814] St. John's Chapel Begun
The lack of foresight among the people in general at that period was not only conspicuous but amusing. It is well known that when the City Hall was built, the front and sides were covered with white marble, while the back of the edifice was left in red sandstone, it being sup- posed that few persons would ever go far enough north to see that part of the structure. What is now Canal Street was formerly a sluggish waterway, draining the ponds to the eastward into the North River ; the land adjacent be- ing marshy, and famous for woodcock. It demanded no little keenness of foresight and strength of mind on the part of the Corporation to decide on building a very large and handsome church near the Lispenard Meadows ; and tradition says that their folly in going so far off for a site brought down on them the derision of many level-headed and practical citizens. Nevertheless the thing was done, and well done as the event showed.
We come to the date of the erection of St. John's Chapel. A simple entry on the minutes gives the first in- timation of the design :
On September 13, 1802, the Board came to a reso- lution
"That a Room be hired by the Rector for the assembling of Persons to attend Public worship in the neighborhood of Brannon Street and that benches be provided for the accommodation of such assembly "'
On the following February 10th, it was decided that the square at the corner of Duane, Hudson, and Jay streets be reserved for the new church.2 A month after- wards, however, the Committee were asked to consider Hudson Street as offering a more suitable site.3 The change was approved, and an order made that the new church be commenced immediately.4
1 Records, liber ii., folio 127. 3 Ibid., folio 133.
2 Ibid., folio 132.
+ Ibid., folio 135.
1
188
History of Trinity Church
[1802-
On May 12th, several plans having been laid before the Vestry, one prepared by John and Isaac McComb was adopted. Upon a discovery that it would be necessary to drive piles in order to secure a foundation, further work was stopped, and it was finally decided to build on the east side of Hudson Square.1
Concerning this site, Dr. Berrian in his Historical Sketch makes the following remarks :
" This was on the very verge of a place as unsuitable as possible for a substantial Edifice. It was probably in view of this difficulty that the Vestry made an order in the following year, that the Committee of leases should have the pond filled up on the east side of Lispenard's garden, which was in the immediate neighbourhood of the situation pro- posed for St. John's Church. Indeed, it would be almost incredible to the persons of the present generation, to hear from those who are older, their recollections of the past in regard to this quarter of the city. It was a wild and marshy spot of no inconsiderable extent, surrounded with bushes and bulrushes, which in winter was a favourite place for skaters, and at certain seasons for gunners, and where in my boyhood I have seen snakes that were killed on its borders. Indeed, even so late as 1808, it was only so partially filled up and reclaimed by the ele- vation of the grounds for the course of streets, and the consequent multiplication of ponds in various directions, as to have been the occa- sion at night of many a sad disaster, and a frequent loss of human life."1
Dr. Berrian goes on to state that the land in this neigh- borhood at the commencement of this century was held to be of so little value that the Trustees of the Lutheran Church declined a gift of six acres of it, on the ground that it would not pay to fence it in.
Such is the dismal picture drawn of this site by my ven- erable predecessor. How great, how marvellous was the transformation, as the city grew and grew! The place became the Court end of the town. St. John's Chapel faced a charming pleasure-ground, in which grew noble trees, representing almost every variety found in our native 1 Records, liber ii., folio 139. 2 Page 216.
A. John's Chapel was commenced in 1803. completed in 1807 and consecrated that same year. It has been three times allered or enlarged.
189
1814]
St. John's Chapel Consecrated
forests. This park was surrounded by the residences of the wealthiest and most fashionable members of New York society ; and on the east side was one of the noblest ecclesiastical edifices in the city, with lofty spire, and deep porch receding from its massive colonnade of stone, a building still imposing, and admired even in its slow di- lapidation and decay.
The report on the state of St. John's Church was pre. sented on May 14, 1807. It recommended that
"the Church be opened for public worship with as little Delay as may be - that the Committee of Pews be authorized to fix an annual Rent upon the several Pews of that Church, and that the said Pews be sold by public Auction in the said Church for the Term of three years and no longer, subject to such Rents - also that during the said Term, St. John's Church be retained under the control of this Corporation ; and that an additional Minister be engaged for the same term to enable the Rector to have divine service regularly performed in this and the other Churches under his care." 1
The Church was consecrated by Bishop Moore in 1807. The total cost of the building was $172,833. The organ alone cost $8000 : the original cost was $6000, but a fine of $2000 had to be paid to redeem it from the British, who had captured it on the high seas, on its way from Philadelphia.
Up to the year 1799 the City of New York constituted but one parish. The original style of the Corporation was, "The Rector and Inhabitants of the City of New York of the Communion of the Church of England."
But it was impossible, as the city grew, that this con- dition of things should last, and the process of disintegration did actually commence, as we have seen, in the irreg- ular founding of a new parish by the friends and admirers of the Rev. Mr. Pilmore, known as Christ Church. The foundation of another, styled Grace Church, is now to be
1 Records, liber ii., folio 171.
.
190
History of Trinity Church
[1802-
related; and, although we anticipate, it may be observed that this tendency to break the unity of parochial life gave uneasiness to the Corporation. For there was good cause to fear lest the parishes thus taking rise outside the old lines might still consider themselves as having vested rights in the original establishment, notwithstanding their separate corporate existence, and thereafter set up a claim to a share of its property. The Vestry, therefore, while making no further objection to the erection of new par- ishes within their own limits, which were those of the city, and while aiding their incipient efforts by liberal grants of money and land, took occasion to protect themselves by requiring quit-claim deeds from the receivers of their bounty, and were finally compelled, for their more com- plete protection, to seek and obtain a change in their cor- porate name, so that it should appear that none of the "Inhabitants of the City of New York" had rights in the Parish unless in actual membership and communicants in the Church or some one of its chapels. It is an interest- ing history ; because the impression long prevailed that every member of the Episcopal Church in New York was ipso facto a member of Trinity Parish and entitled to vote therein, at the Easter election, for Churchwardens and Vestrymen. This wild notion was actually entertained by some ill-informed persons as late as the year 1857, when the well-known assault upon the old Mother of the Churches was made under the leadership, or at least with the active co-operation, of two of the noblest, purest, and best men that ever lived, William Augustus Muhlenberg and Robert B. Minturn. If the view referred to had prevailed under the sanction of law, an amazing sight would have been presented : that of the election of the Vestry of Trinity Church at an annual mass-meeting of Episco- palians coming from all the parishes on Manhattan Island,
191
Grace Church Founded
1814]
and posing for the nonce as members of Trinity Parish and arbiters of its fate.
To return to the founding "of Grace Church. The following extracts from the minutes show the action of the Corporation : 1
" June 8, 1801.
"On motion, resolved, that a Committee of five be appointed to en- quire as to the expediency of building another Church, as also the most eligible situation for the erecting of the same, and to report thereon at the next meeting of this board, and that Messrs. William Bayard, Andrew Hamersly, William Laight, Jacob Le Roy and John Onderdonk be the Committee." ?
" March 8, 1802.
" The Committee to whom was referred the consideration of build- ing another Church reported as follows : The Committee to whom was referred for consideration the proposition for the establishment of another Episcopal Church to be built in the City of New York, having maturely considered thereon do report that from the many and respect- able applicants for pews, which cannot be furnished them in the exist- ing churches, they think it expedient that another be founded, which from the opinion of counsel, can be done similar to that of St. Mark's without endangering the Charter of the Mother Church. Whereupon, it was resolved that the said report be accepted and that the Committee who brought in the report be authorized to enquire for a proper situation to erect a Church."3
There was at that time a Lutheran congregation which owned a lot fronting on Broadway, on the corner south of Trinity Church, opposite the churchyard.
The Committee having reported on March 8, 1802,4 that it was expedient to found another church, an order was made.
" that the Committee for procuring a Lot for a Church be authorized to treat with the Trustees of the Lutheran Congregation for their Lot on Broadway."
1 See Appendix XIV. for contemporary account of the opening of Grace Church.
? Records, liber ii., folio 114. 3 Ibid., folio 121. 4 Ibid., folio 121.
192
History of Trinity Church
[ISO2 --
On June 22, 1804,1 the Board decided to purchase the lot belonging to the Lutherans, and placed on record that it was the
"intention of this Corporation that the Ground for a new Church be bought in Trust for a Protestant Episcopal Corporation to be hereafter instituted-that the Board will provide for paying the Purchase money, but do not mean to have any Estate in the Lot, either in Law or Equity ; and they recommend to the Committee to have it conveyed to Trustees until such Corporation shall be organized."
On August 9, 1804, the Committee reported the terms upon which the property could be purchased, and the Board agreed to purchase on the terms proposed .?
The new Church appears to have been organized in 1808.
On January 12, 1809,
"A Deputation from the Vestry of Grace Church, consisting of Messrs. Nicholas Low and Herman Le Roy the Church Wardens and David B. Ogden was received, who expressed the Thanks of that Church to this Board for their Liberality towards it, the Disposition entertained by the Members of it to promote the Prosperity of the Corporation as well as the Union and Interests of the Church in gen- eral, and a Readiness to pay over the Money arising from the Sales of Pews in Grace Church to the Treasurer of this Board in confidence that the Board will give an Equivalent in real Estate for the same.
"Ordered that the Committee of Leases make a selection of Lots which afford rent in Proportion to their probable Value to be conveyed to the Use of the Said Church upon the Usual Conditions." 3
On February 9th following, the Board recommended that twenty-five lots be conveyed to Grace Church in con- sideration of the sum of $30,000.4 In the year following, the Corporation, at the request of Grace Church, gave them $5000 for an organ.
1 Records, liber ii., folio 14S.
2 Ibid., folios 150, 156.
3 Ibid., folio 182.
4 Ibid., folio 183.
GRACE CHURCH _ BROADWAY.
- - -.
-
1814]
St. George's Set Off 193
Until Grace Church was provided with a Rector, ser- vices appear to have been maintained there by the Rector and Clergy of Trinity. We have an ancient volume in the handwriting of Bishop Moore containing a " Roster" or " Routine " for the Clergy, in which they are assigned for duty to Trinity, St. Paul's, St. George's, and Grace, alter- nately. This arrangement, of course, was of brief duration, but it indicates the closeness of the original relation of the two Churches.
The founding of Grace Church was soon followed by a movement to set off St. George's Chapel as a distinct Cor- poration. This was the oldest Chapel of the Parish, built in 1751-2, and opened for divine worship July 1, 1752. Conferences were held from time to time between the rep- resentatives of St. George's and the Corporation, in ISII, looking to a dissolution of the connection of the Chapel with the Mother Church.
The representatives of the Chapel propounded a veri- table catechism of questions as to what the Board would do under all possible eventualities; they were evidently rather fearful of cutting adrift entirely from the Corpora- tion and losing the advantage of future assistance from it.
"Are the Congregation of St. George's Chapel," they ask, "to look upon themselves as a branch of the Family of Trinity Church ? and in case their funds should be found to be inadequate to defraying the yearly expenses, keeping the Church in repair, or rebuilding their prop- erty, if injured or destroyed by fire, will the Vestry of Trinity Church continue to view said Chapel as the eldest child of the Family, entitled to every needful assistance ?" 1
Having received all needful assurances, and, especially, that Trinity Church " will always be disposed, according to their abilities, to assist St. George's in their necessities," the new Church set forth on its career as an independent corporation.
1 Records, liber ii., folios 218-220.
VOL. II .- 13
194
History of Trinity Church
[1802-
Trinity munificently endowed its eldest daughter with thirty-three lots, yielding then an aggregate income of $4020 a year; besides which endowment the Mother Church gave the Communion-plate and paid for an iron railing and others improvements, spending thus an addi- tional sum of $5104.
The present Rector of St. George's Church states, with expressions of strong feeling, that when he took . charge of that Parish in 1883 he found remaining only two lots out of the thirty-three with which that Parish had started seventy years before.1 If that property had been retained, what an ample endowment would it have consti- tuted to-day !
St. George's Church had not long to wait before put- ting the good faith of Trinity Corporation to the test. One of the dreaded eventualities came to pass. The new Church was destroyed by fire in 1814. An application was immediately made by the congregation of St. George's for assistance in rebuilding their Church.2 Upon the favor- able report of a Committee of the Vestry, February 14th, it was
"Resolved that this Corporation will agree to rebuild Saint George's Church upon the original plan except as to the Steeple, which is to be replaced by a Tower, upon condition that they be allowed to sell all the pews on the ground floor, excepting twelve single pews near- est to the doors, at public Auction subject to a reasonable rent, and to apply the proceeds of such sales towards the reimbursement of the ex- penses of the building, those twelve pews and all the pews in the gallery being left at the disposal of the Vestry of Saint George's." 3
From the Treasurer's account of that year it appears that the amount expended during the current year for the building of the new church and Rector's house was
1 Narrative of Events Connected with Bicentennial Celebration of Trinity Church, p. 178.
2 Records, liber ii .. folio 260. $ Ibid., folio 261.
195
Grants of Lots
1814]
$30,964. There being no entry on the credit side, it is reasonable to suppose that this suni represents the bal- ance expended after accounting for the receipts from sales of pews.
Lots of land to the value of $7192 were granted to St. Stephen's Church, New York, December 24, 1807.1
The Roman Church, remembering the benefits it had received in former years from the Trinity Corporation, came forward for further assistance. On November 7, 1810,
"an application from Thomas Stoughton and Andrew Morris on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church was read, whereupon Resolved that the above Gentlemen be informed that the Situation of our own Churches in Communion with it, create an Impossibility of complying with their Request."ยช
On December 13, 1810, the Trustees of the Free School applied for a grant of land on which to erect a building, whereupon the Corporation at a subsequent meeting granted them two lots for that purpose.3
On December 11, 1804, it had been
" Resolved that the value of ten thousand dollars be given to Christ Church in this City, in Real Estate."'
And five years afterwards, on November 10, 1809, the minutes record that the Committee reported,
" That it would be advisable at some future Period to appropriate Lots of ground to Christ Church in this City to the value of seven thousand five hundred Dollars and that until such Appropriation takes Place, the sum of five hundred Dollars per Annum be paid towards the Support of the Rector of said Church. Resolved that this Said Report be accepted." 5
On February 26, 1812, a further donation of $150 was granted to Miss Seabury.6
1 Records, liber ii., folio 175. 3 Ibid., folios 201 and 203. 5 Ibid., folio 192. " Ibid., folio 227.
2 Ibid., folio 199. * Ibid., folio 150.
196
History of Trinity Church [1802-1814]
On March 14, 1814,
" A Letter was presented to the Vestry from the reverend N. Bowen and others a Committee on behalf of the New York Protestant Episcopal Literary Society praying Transfer of the Books comprising the Library now in Saint Paul's Chapel, it was thereupon resolved that such a request be complied with on condition that the said Society become in- corporated according to Law-" 1
The Society did become incorporated and is now the "New York Society Library" on University Place.
The following items of expenditure as presented by the Treasurer, for the period March 24, 1809, to April 14, 1810, may prove of interest as showing what the revenue then was, and to what purposes the Corporation devoted it.
Paid on account of the building Grace Church $12130.20 Lutheran Corporation. Balance on the Purchase of ground
for Grace Church 13379.80 Messrs. Costers for monies borrowed 16067.50
Estate T. Turner Money refunded on Sale Lot of Ground.
197.63
City Corporation for Taxes. 384.02
Repairs of Churches and Fence for the new burial Ground, 3599.93 On account of Salaries including the usual Donations. ... . IS032.00 Donations to Clergymen, etc., including the Amounts to Dr. Provoost 4533.75
Donations to Sundry Churches
9397.50
Interest on Money borrowed
853.
Filling in ground and inclosing Hudson Square
1378.44
For printing Journal of the Convention Books and Sermons 597.44
Sexton's accounts for Fuel, Cleaning the Churches and sweeping Streets 523.20
Tallow Chandler's Bill for Candles
226.11
Attorneys' Bills 177.
Surveyors', Printers' Bills and various small Charges 433.
$81870.52
Balance Cash in the Treasury
67.80
14th April, 1810 $81938.32 2
1 Records, liber ii., folio 262. 2 Ibid., folio 202.
=
CHAPTER XVIII.
JOHN HENRY HOBART.
Continuation of Provoost's Policy by Dr. Beach-Evidences of a New Policy-John Henry Hobart-His Birth and Ancestry-Early Education-Graduates at Princeton- Becomes Tutor-Ordained Deacon-Takes Charge of Christ Church, Oxford, and All Saints', Perkiomen-Called as Assistant Minister, St. Paul's, Philadelphia-Declines the Call-Accepts Christ Church, New Brunswick-Resigns and Accepts St. George's, Hempstead-His Marriage-Called as Assistant Minister, Trinity Parish-Moves to New York-The Hobart MSS .- Letter to Mother -- Love of Declamation-Delivers Oration at Princeton-Expenses at Princeton-Warm Friendships Formed-IIis Character and Disposition at College-Death of Abraham Skinner-Character of his Mother's Letters-Restlessness of Young Hobart -- Announces his Engagement to his Mother-Moves to Hempstead-Is Dissatisfied-Prudent Advice from his Mother- Hobart's Straitcned Circumstances-Call to Trinity Parish-Letter from Dr. Moore -Has Confidence of Bishop Provoost-Moves to New York-Early Character and Disposition,
D URING the whole of Dr. Moore's Rectorship, Dr. Beach was the guiding spirit of the administration up to the time when, in 1813, he resigned the office of Assis- tant to the Rector. His long term of service, dating from June, 1784, gave him an acknowledged pre-eminence in the counsels of the Board and the many institutions that already clustered round the Corporation of Trinity Church. The trusted and loyal friend of Dr. Provoost became the right-hand man of Dr. Moore. The seclusion in which Dr. Moore was obliged to live made Dr. Beach Rector de facto, even before his appointment in 1811 as the Rector's Assistant. To this fact may be attributed the continuity of policy under Dr. Provoost's Rectorship, and through the legal Rectorship of Dr. Moore.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.