USA > New York > New York City > A history of the parish of Trinity Church in the city of New York, pt 3 > Part 19
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 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47
204
History of Trinity Church
[1822-
organized in Trinity Church, Natchez. Four clergymen were present. It was admitted into union with the Gen- eral Convention November 10, 1826.
"NATCHEZ 13th April, 1822. " REVP & DEAR SIR,
"Presuming that every information relative to the progress of our Antient & excellent church will be acceptable to you, my dear Sir, I take the liberty of addressing you this letter on the state of the church in this part of the country.
" I left home in January last and arrived at New Orleans about the fifth of February, where I remain over two Sabbaths. How shall I express my feelings, at witnessing the almost total inattention to the solemnities of that holy day. The Presbyterian church closed en- tirely. The Episcopal Church opened but once of a Sunday, & very thinly attended, and I was informed oftentimes not opened at all for a month. Mr. Hull is not much liked or respected. In many parts of the town business going on as on a week-day, & billiard Tables open in the most public manner & every other amusement countenanced as at any other time.
" As I was going to spend some months at Natchez (which is 300 miles up the Mississippi) I hoped that I should find a better state of Society there. On my arrival in this place, among the first in- quiries that I made was relative to what churches were established here, and to my surprise as well as sorrow I found that no Episcopal Church had ever been attempted in this place. I found a Roman Catholic & Presbyterian, Methodist & Baptist churches. I attended them all & found them generally but thinly attended, although there is entirely a different state of Society here. The Sabbath is very strictly observed and the greatest order prevails.
" I made several inquiries for Episcopal families, with a deter- mination to consult them on the propriety and prospect of establishing a church. I found but few in the place and was told that the people were mostly Presbyterians and not friendly to the Church.
" As the preachers here are by no means interesting or popular, I was perswaided that if some of our interesting young clergymen from the Northward would come here, that a Church would soon spring up and flourish, and I had several times determined to sit down and ad- dress you on the subject, knowing your great zeal and indefaicable' exertions for the progress and spread of the Gospel & particularly ' Indefatigable? The word in text follows MS.
205
The "Natchez District"
1822]
through that evangelical Church in which you are so much and so use- fully engaged.
" But how shall I now express my happiness to have witness'd in so short a time, and so very unexpectedly, my fondest wishes actually real- ised. To-morrow will be the fourth Sunday that the Revd Mr. Pilmore (a young gentleman from Baltimore, I believe) has preached here, and you, my dear Sir, will hardly believe me, that an Episcopal Church is fully established & by far the most numerous congregation in the flourishing & important section of our country. I now find that the most wealthy and respectable part of the community are attached to the Church. The country around Natchez is covered by wealthy and highly respectable planters with numerous families and the Court House (where Mr. Pilmore preaches at present) on Sundy is sur- rounded by splendid carriages &c., and as much splendor and stile is witnessed as at any time at Grace, Trinity or St. Paul's.
" Such has been the Progress of the Church here that several meet- ings have been held & committees appointed to raise money to build a church, and carry the whole into immediate effect. So great is the zeal of the people that in two days after the subscription was out up- wards of Eight thousand Dolls was subscribed and more than a dozen lots of ground gratuitously offered. Mr. Pilmore is really one of the most interesting young men I ever met with & is completely idolised by the people here. I will close this letter which I hope will be acceptable to you Revd friend, by copying a short passage from a highly usefull Journal printed in this place which I presume you would see at Mr. Coleman's: 'We cannot close our remarks on this subject without adverting to the deep and rich strain of pulpit eloquence which Mr. Pilmore pour'd upon the minds of several successive audiences. His elocution is impressive and commanding, his diction dignified and classic; with a peculiar power of arresting the attention which we have seldom felt. We have felt the Powers of his masterly mind more than once, and have never left the House without feeling wiser and better than when we entered.'
"With my most sincere wishes and prayers for your continual health, long life & happiness,
" I remain, Revd & dear Sir, "Yours affectionately, " DONALD MALCOLM."
In the Convention address for 1822, Bishop Hobart : says :
206
History of Trinity Church
[1822-
" On Ascension Day, the 16th of May I consecrated to the service of Almighty God, the new Church of St. Luke's in the city of New York, having the pleasure on this occasion of the attendance and par- ticipation in the services of the Right Rev. Bishop Brownell, of Con- necticut. This Church is situated in that part of the city which is called Greenwich. The building is a neat and commodious edifice of moderate dimensions.
" The desk, the pulpit, and the chancel are constructed with great judgment and taste; the chancel is so elevated in front of the former that the congregation may see with convenience all the services performed there.
"The congregation of St. Luke's was organised about two years since, and has been gradually increasing under the services of its Rector from thirty families to more than double that number. The lay gentlemen who associated for the building of this Church deserve great credit for their zealous and persevering exertions; and it is much to be desired that their example should be imitated by others; and that new churches might thus be erected in other parts of the city where they are much needed." 1
The request to consecrate is among the Hobart corre- spondence.
"We, the Wardens & Vestrymen of St. Luke's Church in the City of New York, do hereby appropriate & devote the building erected by the Congregation of the said Church to the honour & worship of Almighty God according to the Liturgy & uses of the Protest Epis' Church in the United States of America; & do hereby request the Rt. Rev. John Henry Hobart, Bishop of the Protest Episcopal Church in the State of New York to consecrate and set it apart accordingly.
" NEW YORK,
" May 16, 1822. " CLEMENT C. MOORE
"EDWARD N. Cox Church wds
" FLOYD SMITH
" D. A. CUSHMAN
" GEORGE COGGILL
" HENRY RITTER
" JAMES N. WELLS
" ANDREW BACKUS
" THOS CONSTANTINE."
1 P. 16, Journal, Diocese of New York, 1822.
207
Appeal from Georgia
1822]
The stories of the vast wealth of Trinity Church had spread far and wide, as this letter shows. Upon what the "intelligent gentleman " based his information cannot be known, and to what act he referred is equally difficult to conjecture as none affecting the Church in the State or city was passed at that time. The quiet confidence of this letter is quaint and amusing to those who know the circumstances of the case :
" MILLEDGEVILLE, GEO .: 12th June, 1822.
" SIR,
"Sometime in the year 1808 I was informed by an intelligent gen- tleman from N. York, whilst speaking of the Protestant Episcopal Church of America in N. York, that the funds of the Church were so great as to induce the legislature to pass an act to reduce them by re- quiring those with whom the funds were entrusted, to build churches on proper application being made, in any part of the United States where members of the episcopal Church may reside.
" The object of which I was informed, was by reducing the funds thereby to lessen the weight which the Church held in political affairs. " In consequence of this information I address'd a letter to your late Predecessor, Bishop Moore, who answered me so :
"'That the funds of the Church were so completely occupied at that time in consequence of the numerous applications made by eastern brethren, he was not able to reciprocate my wishes; but that so soon as the funds were sufficiently recussitated ' I would attended.'
" The Bishop died, soon after, and so the matter has rested.
" Having now a favorable opportunity, by Mr. Josh Washburn, merchant of this place, and formerly a resident of your city, and an episcopalian too ; I address you as being the head of the Church, on the same subject, for and in behalf of myself and the episcopalians of this place and its vicinity, most respectfully soliciting you to build a Church at Milledgeville and in such Style as will comport with the dignity of the place, as well as to provide us a clergyman of profound learning and true piety with a family, if possible, yet affable, pleasant and cheerful in his manners as all good Christians ought to be, an agreeable person and above an animated and good delivery. There are a sufficient number of Episcopalians in, and contiguous to this
1 Resuscitated ?
208
History of Trinity Church
[1822-
place to support a Clergyman & family handsomely, independent of the Rent of the Pews. Ground is already provided by the Legislature for every denomination of Christians.
"Should you conclude to erect a Church or place of public wor- ship at Milledgeville, you will of course provide agents to superintend and manage the affairs of the building and afterwards regulate the af- fairs of the Church, permit me to name Col. Abner Hammond, Secy of the State ; George R. Clayton, Treasurer ; Edwd Cary, Cashier of the State Branch Bank ; and Daniel Sturges, Sr. General of the State of Georgia.
"I should be extremely glad to hear from you, by the return of Mr. Washburn on this subject, and am, Sir,
" Your Mot respectful and very humble : servant, " DANIEL STURGES."
While there had been many churchmen in Kentucky in other portions of the State, and several clergymen like the Rev. Mr. Sebastian, the Rev. James Moore, and others in Lexington, no previous steps had been taken to organize a congregation in Louisville. Afterward the zeal of the Rev. George T. Chapman brought about the organization of a Diocese, and the election and consecration of the Rev. Benjamin Bosworth Smith, subsequently Presiding Bishop.
No answer seems to have been made to the following appeal :
"TO THE RECTOR, WARDEN AND VESTRY OF THE CORPORATION OF TRINITY CHURCH IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK :
" The Petition of the Committee of Management of the Protestant Episcopal Church about to be erected at Louisville in Kentucky, respectfully sheweth
" That your Petitioners, in common with a considerable number of Episcopalians, subscribers to said Church and others, resident in the Town and neighbourhood of Louisville aforesaid, having long regretted that the want of a place of worship in which they might attend to their public religious duties in the manner to which they have been heretofore accustomed, and seeing that numbers have been, and are continuing to
209
Appeal from Kentucky
1822]
be weaned from the Church in which they received their early religious impressions, from the want of such a place of Worship, have associated themselves together for the purpose of building and supporting a Pro- testant Episcopal Church in Louisville aforesaid, as will appear by the printed document annexed hereto.
" That from the rapidly increasing population of this Town, your Petitioners are induced to build said Church upon a scale somewhat larger than would be otherwise necessary; which will augment the expense of their undertaking.
" That from the best calculation your Petitioners can make there will be a deficiency of about six thousand dollars in the means they may possess for the completion of the object they have in view; which will cause their Church to remain for a long time in an unfinished, and perhaps in a useless state, unless they can obtain some help from their liberal and well disposed Brethren in other parts of the Union.
"Your Petitioners, therefore, humbly pray that your respectable Corporation will be pleased to afford them such assistance, by Dona- tion or otherwise as your wisdom and discretion may direct; which will be gratefully acknowledged by your Petitioners and their Con- stituents.
" Signed on behalf of the Committee, " P. B. ORMSBY, " Ch"n "
(Printed on third page of sheet.)
" PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
" At a meeting of EPISCOPALIANS and others, resident in the town and neighborhood of Louisville held at the Washington Hall in said town on Friday, the 31st of May, 1822, pursuant to public notice, for the purpose of considering and adopting the most efficient means of establishing and supporting an Episcopal Church in said town,
" On motion made and seconded, JOHN BUSTARD was called to the Chair, and Samuel Dickinson appointed Secretary.
" The following resolutions were adopted :-
" I. Resolved, That it is expedient and desirable to erect in this town a Protestant Episcopal Church, in conformity with the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America.
" 2. That a Committee of management consisting of seven persons VOL. III .- 14.
210
History of Trinity Church
[1822-
be appointed to transact the general business relative to said Church, until a vestry shall be regularly elected, and that it shall be the par- ticular duty of this Committee to obtain and collect donations and subscriptions for the purpose of defraying the expense of building and furnishing said Church, to keep a record of all their proceedings, to transmit copies of the proceedings of this meeting generally to the Rt. Rev'd the Bishops and Corporations of the Protestant Episcopal Church throughout the Union, respectfully requesting such assistance and co-operation as they may respectively be able to bestow; and par- ticularly to correspond with the Rt. Rev'd Bishops White of Philadel- phia, and Hobert of New York, on the subject of providing a suitable clergyman for this Church.
3. That said Committee of management shall be composed of the -following persons, viz .: Peter B. Ormsby, Dennis Fitzhugh, Samuel Churchill, James Hughes, William L. Thompson, Richard Barns, and William H. Atkinson.
4. That the Committee of Management shall have power to call meetings of the subscribers whenever they may deem it expedient.
"5. That Books of subscription for a building fund for said Church be now opened, and the individuals present be respectfully requested to subscribe; and that the said Books be delivered to the aforesaid Committee, for the purpose of procuring subscriptions generally.
"6. That all persons subscribing as aforesaid shall be allowed to bid off a Pew or Pews at the sale of the Pews of said Church, and the Amount of their subscription shall be respectively allowed in payment or part payment thereof; provided that the said Pews shall not be sold for a less sum than shall be fixed upon by the Vestry, according to the circumstances of the funds of, and demands against, said Church.
" 7. That the Secretary of this meeting be requested to deliver a copy of the proceedings hereof to the Committee of management to be entered on their record.
" 8. That the Editors of The Morning Post, The Public Advertiser, and The Kentucky Herald, be respectfully requested to give one in- sertion of the proceedings of this meeting in their respective papers.
" JOHN BUSTARD, Chairman."
" Mr. Bustard having left the Chair-On motion made and sec- onded, it was unanimously Resolved, That the thanks of this meeting be given to John Bustard, Esq., for his able and impartial conduct in the chair.
" Attest: SAML. DICKINSON, Secretary."
.
2II
Appeal from Kentucky
1822]
(Written on same page.)
" ESTIMATE.
" Building and finishing the Church. .$16,000
" Amot subscribed, about .. ·$5000
" Further subscriptions anticipated. 1500
" Proceeds of the sale of Pews, (de- ducting the amot of such sub-
scriptions as are probably 3500
intended in part payment of
Pews) estimated at. 10,000
" Deficiency. $6,000 " Superscription: " To the Rector, Wardens & Vestry of the Cor- poration of Trinity Church, New York."
" LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, 20th June, 1822. " RT. REVª. SIR,
"The Committee of Management of the Protestant Episcopal Church intended to be erected at Louisville, Ky., agreeably to the in- structions contained in the annexed resolutions, transmit to you a copy of the proceedings of the Meeting establishing said Church, and have added thereto a probable statement of the expense of building the same, and of the means of Meeting that expense. In the present stage of our progress it is impossible to make the statement exact, but the Committee believe that the annexed will not be far from the truth.
"It may not be improper to state that from the rapid increase of population in this Town, and from a prospect of its continuance, it is contemplated to make the dimensions of the Church somewhat larger than would otherwise be required; and this of course will increase the expense; and should we not succeed in obtaining some assistance from our Brethren abroad, it is to be apprehended that our building will for a long time remain in an unfinished state, or that we shall find our- selves in the unpleasant alternative of remaining in debt.
" We have seen in this Town the Roman Catholics, the Methodists, the Presbyterians, and now, the Babtists successively erect their Churches :- whilst the Episcopalians from one cause or other have hitherto failed. However, from the active exertions of those who wish to promote our views here, we have, under divine providence, the greatest hope of success.
" Our intentions are to begin, and we trust, that through the bless- ing of God, we shall be enabled to finish.
7
212
History of Trinity Church
[1822-
" It is become the duty of this Committee, respectfully to ask of you such assistance toward the completion of this great work, as you may be able to give, by taking up collections, or otherwise: this duty they perform with pleasure and they feel confident, that at least the application will not be received unkindly.
" The Committee enclose a petition to the Corporation of Trinity Church, which they respectfully request you will present to that Body; and they ask your kind offices in the promotion of its success.
" It is also the duty of this Committee to address you on the sub- ject of providing a suitable clergyman for this intended Church. This is a subject of vital importance to us from the competition of other sects, from the infant state of our Church, and from the effect it will have upon the future revenue of our Church.
"You will see from these considerations that it is advisable our Minister should be pious, eloquent, and affable. The compensation we shall be able to give him will be, in the first instance, moderate; as it will, till the Pews are fully appropriated depend chiefly on voluntary contributions; when the Pews shall be so appropriated, which will be accomplished in a very considerable degree, by the agency of such a minister as we describe, we have no doubt that the remuneration he will receive will be ample; and, in the mean time, we do not hesitate to say, 'that the labourer will have his hire.' You will see by the printed resolutions that we have also to address Bishop White on this subject :- with deference we suggest the propriety of a communica- tion with him and trust that under God, your joint exertions will procure us such a man as may build up this infant Church, and crown our humble endeavours with the desired success.
" We are, R' Revd Sir, with great respect, "Your ob Serts, " on behalf of the Committee, " P. B. ORMSBY, Ch","
On the third page are the printed resolutions and written estimate of cost as in petition to the Vestry.
The letter is addressed :
" The RT. REV! JOHN H. HOBART, " Bishop of New York, "New York." It is postmarked :
" LOUISVILLE 20 June - "Paid 50."
Chúng
213
The Wyandotts
1822]
Bishop Chase in this letter, written in 1822, shows his wish to serve all those under his spiritual care.
He finally obtained a small grant from the General Government for a schoolmaster, and much good was done among the Wyandotts.
" WORTHINGTON, OHIO.
"TO BISHOP HOBART.
" RIGHT REV. AND DEAR SIR,
"I am anxious to be of some service to the Tribe of the Wyandott Indians, who live at Upper Sandusky in this State, about 50 miles to the North of this place. A young man (whose mother is of that nation), about 20 years old is receiving his education at my house. I have had much conversation with him, and some with his Father, (when up there) on the subject of introducing our Liturgy among them, and appointing the said young man, William Walker as a school- master and Catechist. It is their opinion that,"although the Methodists have gained a partial station in the tribe, yet they being under their mode entirely cut off from the benefits of Devotion in public prayer, the Indians would prefer the Church on acct of our prescript form could they be made to understand it.
"To learn them English, tho' they are desirous of acquiring that language is a tedious process; and would require more time than could be spent. To translate all the prayers would be under our present circumstances impracticable, if not hazardous to their purity consider- ing the low ebb at which the present state of learning is generally reconed. What then can be done ?
"To solve this question I have thought of troubling you, Dear Sir, for advice. You have in your Diocess, the Church at Oneida similarly situated. Pray be so good as to inform me how, & in what manner the Liturgy is performed among them? Is it translated into the Mohawk Language, all or in part ? And as to the Epistles & Gospels; also the Lessons; are they read in Egh or in Mohawk ? Any information, you'll be pleased to give me will be gratefully received. Some of the Wyandotts understand Mohawk tolerably well; and could they hear the prayers read in that language William thinks they could in some considerable degree understand them. Would you not have the goodness to send me a few copies of anything relating to the Liturgy of our Church in that language ? I will endeavour to do what is prac- ticable for the benefit of primitive Religion among these our Red
العامة
214
History of Trinity Church
[1822-
Brethren, of whose benighted condition it is my duty to have a com- passionate concern.
"My son has said so many things in praise of you and of our good brethren in N. York, that I should do violence to the best feelings of my heart, did I not endeavour to return you and them my grateful acknowledgments.
"May the Good God reward you sevenfold in his choicest blessings!
"I wish you would write me a long letter. It would comfort me in my present isolated state, more than anything I could name. Be- lieve me, Sir, my situation as it respects this world is not the most pleasant. But my deprivations are pro ecclesia Dei, and this considera- tion is quite a consolation to me.
" Ever most sincerely & affectionately, "Your Friend & Brother, " PHIR CHASE."
William Hylton, of Jamaica, W. I., writes the Bishop several letters, in 1822, respecting
"the legal requisite proofs of the pedigree of my venerated father Ralph Hylton, deceased 1754 or 55, & his marriage with Mehetabel, second Daughter of David Lawrence, 'of Lawrence's Neck' near Flushing on Long Island, and their issue as entered in his Family Bible shewing his descent from 'Henry, Baron of Hylton Castle by his 2d Son Robert' whose father dyed at Michael Grove, Sussex, anno 1656"
and goes on to ask the Bishop to ascertain what year his father died in New York, saying,
"If no other proof can be had, his Tomb Stone, if left in old Trinity Church Yard may be yet standing a little distant west of the large gate, formerly you went into the Church by."
The monument above referred to is still standing in Trinity Churchyard. The stone is on the easterly side of the churchyard, between the south entrance and the Watts monument. It bears the following inscription :
"Here Lyes the Body of Ralph Hylton Who Departed This Life The 12th of April 1753 Aged 42 Years."
T
215
Letter from Bishop Mountain
1823]
Alongside of this headstone is another. Part of it is broken off so that the inscription is now incomplete. It reads :
"- Lyes - Body of -table Hylton Who Departed This Life Sept 2, 1761, Aged 9 Years. Sleep Lovely Babe & Take Thy Peaceful Rest. God Call'd Thee Early Because He Tought It Best."
In all probability the partly effaced Christian name stands for "Mehetable" and the young girl was, possibly, the daughter of Ralph Hylton.
There appears to be no mention of Ralph Hylton in any historical work upon New York in the eighteenth century ; nor have we found any record of his marriage. As a matter of interest it may be noted that Mehetabel Lawrence was the granddaughter of Abraham Redwood who built and endowed the Redwood Library in Newport, Rhode Island.
1823 .- Dr. Jacob Mountain, the first Bishop of Quebec, was another of the Canadian Bishops who formed a friend- ship with Bishop Hobart. He writes him :
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.