USA > New York > Warren County > Queensbury > A history of the town of Queensbury, in the state of New York : with biographical sketches of many of its distinguished men, and some account of the aborigines of northern New York > Part 22
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 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53
"June the 1st, 1803, a majority of the above subscribers being met at the house of Abraham Wing in Queensbury, made the following resolves :
"1st. That William Robards be chairman, and John A. Ferriss, clerk of this meeting.
2d. " Resolved, That there be a committee of seven to make arrangements agreeable to the subscription, and that Micajah Pettit, William Robards, John V. W. Huyck, Peter Peck, John Mallery, Warren Ferriss, and John McGill, be a committee to carry into effect the above designed object. '
3d. " Resolved, That the committee meet on the second Tuesday of June, inst., for the above purpose.
" JOHN A. FERRISS, clerk, WILLIAM ROBARDS, chairman."
It would appear that the building progressed but slowly, for on the authority of one of its pastors it is stated that " this church remained without windows, or floor, or pews, or pulpit or paint, till the close of they ear 1806;" and the building was not com- pleted until the summer or fall of 1808.1
The corporation was organized on the 23d day of July, 1807, under the name of The Union Church of Pearl-village in the town of Queensbury. At the same time, the following trustees were chosen, viz: William Robards, Daniel Peck, John Folsom, William Hay, Micajah Pettit, John A. Ferriss. Two new trustees were to be elected each year, each holding their office for three years.2
Whether any stated services were held under this organiza- tion previous to the completion of the church does not appear, but it would seem, that so soon as it was completed, arrange-
1 An Historical Sketch, by the pastor, Rev. A. J. Fennel, pp. 19 and 20.
2 See Manual of the Presbyterian Church, p. 14, by Rev. A. J. Fennel.
209
THE CHURCHES.
ments were made for the organization of a society. There was due notice given, and the Rev. Jonas Coe, pastor of the church in Troy, was sent for to preside at, and assist in the organization. Of him it is said, "he was a sort of bishop over all the region round about, ready to go, at any time, wherever his services were needed. He organized many of our churches ; and while they had no pastors, seemed to regard them as under his care, spending occasional sabbaths with them, preaching, and ad- ministering the Lord's Supper, thus doing for these churches what home missionaries in our new settlements have done so largely since his time." 1
Extracts from the Church Records.
" In consequence of previous notice given to the congregation at Glen's Falls, they assembled in the church, on the 12th day of December, 1808, and after divine service, proceeded to choose
1 Historical discourse at the first stated meeting of the reunited Presbytery of Troy, February 20, 1871, by the Rev. J. H. Noble, D.D., p. 34. The following bio- graphical sketch is taken from Woodworth's Reminiscences of Troy, p. 77.
JONAS COE was a son of John and Hannah (Halstead) Coe, and was born at New Hampstead, Orange co., N. Y., on the 20th of March, 1759. His father was an earnest patriot in the Revolution, and on one occasion, took with him into battle five sons, one of whom, then only sixteen years of age, is the subject of this sketch. In due time he became a member of Queen's (now Rutger's) College, New Bruns- wick, N. J., where he graduated in 1789. He spent his vacations in laboring on his father's farm, and occasionally at other times also, he returned home to render him temporary aid.
He received the degree of master of arts from the College of New Jersey, in 1792, and from Union College in 1797. He pursued his theological studies under the direction, of the Rev. Dr. Rodgers, of New York ; was taken under the care of the Presbytery of New York, Oct. 11th, 1790; and was licensed to preach on the 7th of October, 1791. He accepted a call to the two villages of Troy and Lansingburgh, was received by the Presbytery of Albany (after an examination of two days) on the 20th of February, 1793, and was ordained and installed on the 25th of June following. During the earlier years of his ministry he resided in Lansingburgh, removed to Troy in 1802, and there spent the remainder of his days. In 1803, the Troy society became a separate and self supporting church. At the time of his settlement over these congregations, almost the whole northern part of the state of New York, was a wilderness. As settlements commenced at various points, he visited them in the capacity of a missionary, endeavoring to aid them as far as he could, to the establishment of Christian institutions. In one of these benevolent excursions, he went as far north as Plattsburgh. The degree of doctor of divinity was conferred upon him by Middlebury College in 1815. He married first, Eliza Hunting, of Dutchess county, 27th of September, 1794. Second, Abigail Wallace, 14th of May, 1810. By his first wife he had three children. He died on the 21st of July, 1822. Dr. Coe's ministry was characterized by several remarkable revivals of religion.
27
210
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
church officers ; when John Folsom, and John Moss jr., were unanimously chosen ruling elders and David Sanford, deacon.
" Mr. Sanford declining to accept the office of deacon, and Mr. Folsom having been ordained a ruling elder in the church of Albany, Mr. Moss was examined and approved, and was or- dained in his office on the 17th of December, by prayer, and a charge was given to him, and Mr. Folsom, to be faithful in dis- charging the duties of their office, and also to the congregation, urging them to discharge the duties incumbent on them.
" On the sabbath following, a church was organized, consisting of Mary Folsom, Naomi Ranger, and Amey Sanford, who had been previously examined, and approved; and John Folsom, Elizabeth Folsom, Gl. Folsom, Solomon P. Goodrich, Ann Goodrich, and John Moss, on testimony of their regular stand- ing in the church of Christ in different parts of the country."
At the same time was adopted the following " profession of faith, and covenant."
I. "We believe that there is one self existent, independent, and eternal GOD, who possesses all possible glory and excellency ; and who is the Creator, the Preserver, and the Governor of the universe.
II. " We believe that there are three distinct persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and that these three are one God, the same in substance, and equal in power and glory.
III. " We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the word of God, and the only infallible rule of faith and practice.
IV. "We believe that man was originally created in a state of holiness, but has since fallen into a state of sin, in conse- quence of which, he has exposed himself to the wrath and curse of God, both in this life and that which is to come.
V. " We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the second per- son of the Adorable Trinity, has actually assumed our nature, and by his obedience, sufferings, and death, has made atone- ment for sin in our stead ; and is now exalted at God's right hand, to be a Prince, and a Savior, to grant repentance and re- mission of sins to all who come unto God through Him.
VI. " We believe in the doctrines of regeneration, repentance. and faith, and, that, if ever we are saved, it will be owing to the free, rich, and Sovereign Grace of God in Jesus Christ.
211
THE CHURCHES.
VII. " We believe in the final perseverance of the saints, in the resurrection of the dead, and in a future judgment.
VIII. " We believe that at the last day, the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the Archangel, and trump of God, and that he will then summons the whole human race to appear before him; and doom the wicked to everlasting destruction, and crown the righteous with immortal glory.
IX. "In the view of all these great, interesting and solemn truths, we do publicly renounce all our sins, and solemnly dedi- cate ourselves to God, avouching the Lord Jehovah to be our God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and hearken to his voice ; the Lord Jesus Christ to be our Savior and glorious Advocate with the Father; the Holy Ghost to be our Sanctifier and Comforter, and the people of God to be our brethren ; covenanting to walk with them in the ordinances and institu- tions of the Gospel, and engaging, in the strength of Divine Grace, that we will walk before God in holiness and righteous- ness all the days of our future lives, submitting ourselves to the watch, care, and discipline of Christ in this church."
" After this, the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was ad- ministered to them, and to the churches of Kingsbury and Moreau, who were invited to their communion on that occasion and they were commended to the Lord."
"For JONAS COE,
" JOHN FOLSOM, Ss. Clerk."
" Glen's Falls, December 18, 1808."
From that date to the present day, the church organization through the election of trustees and ruling elders, seems to have been uninterruptedly maintained: It is to be presumed that immediate efforts were directed towards procuring a minister, and doubtless temporary supplies filled the pulpit, until their minister was engaged. The first notice to be found on the session's record of a settled pastor, bears the date of Sept. 17th, 1809, when "the session met, according to appointment, and was constituted with prayer " (quoting the language of the record,) "by the moderator, William Boardman." But little has been learned concerning this, the first settled minister in Glen's Falls. His name does not occur upon the roll of the Presbytery of Columbia, which at that time embraced all the territory
1
212
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
east of the Huson river from the north line of Dutchess county, to the Canada boundary. It does not appear from the church minutes that he was ever installed here. During his brief pas- torate, which terminated in the fall of 1811, the sessional records breathe a prayerful and devout spirit, and many were added by letter and profession to the church. The clerk bears involun- tary testimony to his usefulness, when he speaks of " the broken situation into which the societies were plunged by the unhappy loss of their former pastor the Rev. William Boardman." (a)
It will be thus seen that in this charge, the Presbyterian (originally Congregational) church of Kingsbury, became asso- ciated, and from the minutes it would appear that the Rev. Mr. Boardman divided not only the sabbath day ministrations, but also his week day pastoral labors between the two places.
Respecting these churches, Dr. Dwight, in one of his still at- tractive letters of travel, makes the following interesting allu- sion : under the date of Monday, Oct. 23, 1811, he speaks of dining at Glen's Falls, and after commenting upon the scenery, goes on to say : " At Fort Edward, Sandy Hill, and Glen's Falls, there are three handsome villages, greatly improved in every respect since my last journey through this region. In each of the two last, there is a neat Presbyterian church lately erected. A minister has been settled over both villages, on a salary of seven hundred dollars per annum ; a fact which proves at once the prosperity and good disposition of the inhabitants."
It is presumed that at this time the engagement of Mr. Board- man with this people had already terminated. His relations
(a) The Rev. WILLIAM BOARDMAN was born at Williamstown, Mass., in 1782. He was educated and graduated at Williams College in 1799. Studied for the min- istry and was licensed to preach in 1803. He received his first call, and was settled at Duanesburgh, Schenectady co., N. Y., where it is supposed that he was ordained. He remained pastor here, until about the time he was called to take charge of the united church of Queensbury, and Kingsbury. His wife was a Miss Bloodgood of Albany, N. Y. During his pastorate at Glen's Falls, he resided in the old Wing mansion, near Mr. Dix's residence on Ridge street about half a mile north of the Corners. He was at this time about thirty years of age, and had an inter- esting family of three or four children. From such traditionary accounts and recollections as still exist in the memory of the few survivors among us who knew him, it is stated that he was a man of medium stature, winning address, strong personal magnetism ; fervent and impressive in the pulpit ; cheerful, frank, and genial in his social intercourse. He is supposed to have removed from here in October, 1811, for in Prime's History of Long Island, it is recorded that he was installed pastor of the church at Newtown, on the 31st of October, 1811. He re- mained in the ministry at the place last named until the time of his death, which occurred on the 4th of March, 1818.
213
THE CHURCHES.
with them as already stated, were of the most affectionate, and endearing character, and his departure was long looked upon with deep regret.
For nearly ten years next ensuing, the pulpit remained vacant, with the exception of two brief supplies ; the church depending for its few services, upon the pastors of neighboring churches for such occasional help as might be looked for from such sources. It appears from the records that the Rev. R. Sears, in 1813,1 and the Rev. D. O. Griswold in 1820, each supplied the pulpit for a brief period ; while the Rev. Jonas Coe of Troy, and the Rev. Samuel Blatchford, D.D., of Lansingburgh, officiated here during that interval on several occasions, at which times fresh accessions of members are noted on the session's minutes, together with the frequent administration of the rite of baptism. . Among the names of those occasionally conducting the services, and presiding at session meetings are those of the Rev. Lebbeus Armstrong, and Rev. Ethan Smith.
Early in the year 1821, a call was jointly made by the churches at Glen's Falls, and Sandy Hill, to the Rev. Ravaud K. Rodgers, (a) of New York, at a salary of five hundred dollars per annum which was accepted. He reached here in March, and his ordi- nation took place in the church at Glen's Falls. The following paragraph from the church minutes, commemorates the event.
1 During this temporary supply, a bell was purchased for the church, which of course was quite an event for the little hamlet of 40 or 50 houses. For the next seventeen years this was the only church bell in the village .- Vide Fennel's His- torical Sketch, p. 21.
(a) RAVAUD K. RODGERS was born in the city of New York, Nov. 3d, 1796. His preparatory studies were pursued in New York. In the month of November, 1813, he joined the junior class of the Princeton College, N. J., graduated in 1815 ; in November of the same year, commenced the study of theology at Princeton, at- tending the three years' course of lectures at that place. He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of New York in April, 1818, continuing at the seminary until the following autumn, when he was sent out by the Board of Missions of the Pres- byterian church, to Indiana, which was then on the outmost frontier of civilization. During that missionary tour of six months he traveled over two thousand miles (mostly on horseback) and preached about one hundred times. The ensuing fall he was dispatched by the committee of Missions to the northern part of the state of New York. It was on his return from this tour in the early part of 1820, that he was met at Sandy Hill with an invitation to accept the charge of the associ- ated church of Kingsbury and Queensbury. He was married on the 10th of Oc- tober, 1821, to Miss Caroline W. Thomas, daughter of John Thomas, Esq., of Sandy Hill, N. Y. In the month of January, 1830, he received a call from the Presbyterian church at Bound Brook, N. J., which was accepted, and that relation has uninteruptedly existed to the present time. At what time or from what source he received the degree of doctor of divinity, I have not learned.
214
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
" On Wednesday, the fourteenth day of March, 1821, Ravaud K. Rodgers was ordained to the work of the gospel ministry, and installed pastor of the united church of Kingsbury and Queensbury.
The Rev. Jonas Coe, D.D., of Troy, preached the sermon from Second Timothy, fourth chapter, first, and second verses. The Rev. Samuel Tomb of Salem, presided and made the consecrat- ing prayer. The Rev. Nathaniel S. Prime gave the charge to the pastor, and the Rev. Ethan Smith of Hebron addressed the people. On this occasion a large congregation attended, and the exercises throughout were solemn and interesting."
A steady growth marked the prosperity of the church, and the zeal and efficiency of its minister, during all the earlier years of his pastorate. The year 1824 was especially memorable for the number added to its communion. In a semi-centennial 1 discourse delivered in 1868, Dr. Rodgers thus refers to this period in his ministry. "My pastorate in my first charge, was for the most part a pleasant one. Friendships were formed which nothing but death could dissolve. We had some seasons of delightful refreshing from the presence of the Lord. I can never forget one of commanding interest, when nearly one hun- dred persons came out from the world, and took the vows of God upon them. It was a sabbath long to be remembered."
" By an order of the Presbytery of Troy, the United Presby- terian church of Kingsbury and Queensbury, was, in the month of August 1827, divided, so that that part of the church within the town of Queensbury, should thereafter be known by the name of the Presbyterian church of Glen's Falls." 2
Up to this time, nothing had transpired to mar the harmony and prosperity of the church. From a membership of thirty or thirty-five it had steadily increased to an aggregate of over one hundred and fifty. This large growth evidently contained some germs of corruption. The year " 1828 seems to have been largely devoted to discipline. The regular communion for April, 1820, was postponed by resolution of the session, on ac- count of the unchristian state of things in the church." 3
1 Dating from his licensure. This sermon was preached before his congregation at Bound Brook, New Jersey, April 26th, 1868, and was published in pamphlet form the same year.
2 Copied verbatim from the session's records.
$ Rev. A. J. Fennel's Historical Sketch, p. 21.
215
THE CHURCHES.
During the same month,1 and at his own request, the relations of the Rev. Mr. Rodgers with the church at Glen's Falls were discontinued. During the interregnum which intervened before the employment of another minister, Mr. John Folsom supplied to some extent the deficiency in the services, and at the request of the session frequently presided at its deliberations. Mr. Folsom, who had then been recently licensed to preach, had, from its foundation, been a ruling elder in the church, and a man of consideration, and influence in community. (a)
Among the ministers, who occasionally supplied the pulpit, or acted as moderator in the session, as appears by its record, we find the names of the Rev. Messrs. John Savage, John Ken- nedy, Amos Savage jr., Ezra D. Kinney, Reuben Smith, Caleb B. Tracy, and Washington Roosevelt.
For six months, dating from the twenty-second of August, 1860, the Rev. Edwin Hall,(b) (now Doctor of Divinity, and Prof.
1 Twenty-eighth of April, 1828. His pastoral relations with the church at Sandy Hill continued until February, 1830.
(a) Mr. JOHN FOLSOM removed to this place from Albany early in the century, and took an active interest in the erection of the new church. He had been a ruling elder of the church in Albany, and to his influence in great degree is due the fact that this society assumed the Presbyterian, rather than the Congregational form of government. Mr. Folsom was a man of considerable means, holding at one time a large interest in the toll-bridge across the river. He resided on the south side of the river, in the house (which he built) so long known as the Rice mansion. According to a very brief obituary notice, published in Glen's Falls Spectator, Aug. 17th, 1839, he died "on the 4th inst." 83 years of age. For many years he was in the habit of performing missionary work in his neighborhood. The fact that he had been licensed as a preacher is mentioned in the session's records under the date of 2d December, 1831. During a long career of usefulness, he commanded a large measure of the respect and confidence of the community in which he lived.
(b) In a communication to the author, Dr. Hall states that this was his first ex- perience in the ministry, and for the time being, he was the only Presbyterian minister in Warren county. He had long endured feeble health, having, four years previously, been given up to die of consumption. He found the work here too hard for him, and, after trying it awhile, had to give up, and return to his former vocation of teaching. The following year he went to Norwalk, Conn., where he remained pastor of the 1st church until 1855, when he received the call to his present position. He relates the following interesting reminiscence of his ministry here.
" While I was there, some of my personal friends, Rev. Amos Savage, Rev. Alva Day, and Rev. E. D. Kinney, came and helped me hold a protracted meeting. At the close of it, Mr. Savage and myself started for Chester, to see what we could do there. We stopped at Mr. Baldwin's (Judge Seth C.), in Caldwell to inquire the way, and Mrs. Baldwin inquired with much earnestness if we were not going to do something there ? We told her that we had been advised that it would do no good to stop at Caldwell, the Methodists had tried it and been driven off. At Mrs. Baldwin's solicitation we stopped, visited every house, and I preached to them
216
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF QUEENSBURY.
of Theology in the Auburn University), supplied the pulpits at Glen's Falls, and Sandy Hill, besides preaching occasionally in the Methodist church at Fort Edward. In reply to interroga- tions respecting his ministry here, Dr. Hall states as follows.
" At that time, the church edifice at Glen's Falls was so di- lapidated that no meeting could be held in it. We met in the lecture room built by Mr. Folsom, near Mr. Goodrich's. The meetings became too large for it, and Capt. Berry repaired the church, and had his pay at the first sale of pews. Every pew was taken."
The following item taken from The Warren Messenger, of Saturday, January 1st, 1831, refers to the same subject. " As an evidence of the increasing prosperity and improvement in this village, we would notice, that during the latter part of summer, and this fall, the Presbyterian church in this place has undergone a thorough repair, and a new and excellent bell has been obtained for the church, and put up for use. Before the repairs were made, more than three-fourths of the pews remained on the hands of the corporation, and were unsold. A few days ago, the pews were put up for sale at auction, and sold to good advantage. There were not pews enough to supply the demand.
" Sunday before last the Rev. Warren Farlin preached, for the first time after the sale of the pews, an able discourse.
" The church was well filled. At least three hundred persons attended.
" The board of trustees of the temporalities of the church is now full, and is composed of Messrs. Buell, Berry, Curtenius, Esta- brook, Benedict, and Van Pelt. Too much credit cannot be given to Capt. Berry (one of the board) for his active exertions in making advances to repair the church.
" The Methodist church erected last summer, is a fine sub- stantial stone building. The pastors of both congregations, (Rev. Mr. Hall of the Presbyterian, and the Rev. Mr. Seny of the Methodist church), are both gentlemen of superior talents and education, and deserve the support of the community in which they live."
in the Court House that evening. The revival began immediately. We had an appointment at Chester, and sent back for Mr. Kinney to come to Caldwell. He did so, and after they had left, I went up often to Caldwell and preached. As the result, Mr. Savage and myself organized the first church in Caldwell. Mrs. Bald- win had previously kept up a sabbath school for three years, which had doubtless prepared the way for the work that followed."
Eng ª by A H.Ritchie.
10 6 When A Newton.
217
THE CHURCHES.
From the date of Mr. Hall's departure, the church remained destitute of a stated supply, until the arrival of the Rev. Ephraim H. Newton,(a) in the fall of 1832, in response to a call which had been extended to him in September of that year. His name first appears as moderator of the session on the 5th of October. He was installed on the 28th of February, 1833, at which time, the Rev. John Whiton, of Salem, presided as moderator ; Rev. Mr. Fleming of Whitehall, made the introductory prayer ; Rev. Nathan S. S. Beman, of Troy, preached the sermon; the, Rev. Mark Tucker, of Troy, gave the charge to the pastor; and the Rev. Reuben Smith, of Waterford, the charge to the con- gregation ; the concluding prayer being made by the moderator.
-
(a) EPHRAIM HOLLAND NEWTON 1 was born in Newfane, Windham county, Vt., 13th June, 1787. His ancestors were of English, stock, and being among the · early colonists, settled in the eastern part of Massachusetts. His grandfather, Marshal Newton, was a lieutenant in Col. Williams's regiment in the old French war, and according to family tradition, took part in the skirmishes and battles occurring in the vicinity of Glen's Falls and Lake George, during that struggle. His father, Marshal Newton jr., served for seven years as a private in the Revolu- tionary war, and was a participant in the actions of Monmouth and Brandywine, and wintered at Valley Forge. He served during the war as blacksmith and armorer. At the cessation of hostilities, he removed with his newly married wife from his native place, Shrewsbury, Mass., to Newfane, Vt., where, in a log-house on Newfane hill, the subject of this sketch was born. Though destined by his father to pursue his own avocation of a blacksmith, he early evinced a thirst and craving for knowledge beyond what could be obtained in the common schools adjacent to his mountain home ; and with that self reliance so characteristic of the New England boy, he mastered both English and Latin grammar by the light of his forge fire, as he swayed the bellows pole up and down.
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.