USA > New York > New York City > An historical sketch of Trinity Church, New-York > Part 7
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It was likewise ordered, that the Rector, Church Wardens, Mr. Holland, Mr. Horsmanden, Mr. Chambers and Mr. Crooke, or any three of them, (one of the Church Wardens to be one,) be a com- mittee to consider of proper rules and regulations for the Charity School, and also what children ought to be admitted into the said school, and what number, and who are proper to be clothed, and that
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TRINITY CHURCH, NEW-YORK.
they have power to cloath such, in such manner and number, as they shall think convenient.
The school was no sooner finished, than by some unaccountable accident it was burnt to the ground. The fire was communicated to the spire of Trinity Church, which would have probably occasioned the total destruction of the building, but for the extraor- dinary exertions of some bold and active persons, by whom it was extinguished. It was therefore ordered by the Vestry, that Col. Robinson, Mr. Holland, and Mr. Chambers, should be a committe to inquire who were in a particular manner active and serviceable in putting out the fire ; and they accordingly reported-
That on their enquiry, they were informed that Davis Hunt was the first man in the spire of the steeple, and he put out the two lowermost fires, being assisted by a fat man whose name he does not know, and who soon went away. Andrew Gotier and Francis Davison put out the uppermost flame in the spire, and Gotier and David Robinson, a Tobacconist, put out the third flame in the spire ; Mr. Davison put out the flames on the cornish, with one Cornelius McCarty, who was also very active there ; Mr. Kippin, the Black- smith, was all the time on the roof, of the Church, and Mr. Gotier was also there for some time with him ; that this information was given them by Gotier, Davison, Hunt and Mr. Jardine.
Whereupon it was ordered, that the two Church Wardens, Mr. Holland, Mr. Chambers, Mr. Marston, and Mr. Reade, or any four of them, should be a committee to meet the severall persons, and to dis- tribute among them the sum of Fifty pounds, as they should think convenient, and that they should return them the thanks of this Board for their good service.
The Churchwardens, together with Mr. Holland, Mr. Chambers, Mr. Nicholls, and Mr. Lodge, were appointed a committee to inquire, by the best means
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HISTORY OF
they could, how the fire at the school-house happened, and to lay the examinations they should take before the next Vestry ; but the result of which was proba- bly unsatisfactory, as there is no record of it on their minutes.
It was the opinion, however, of this Board, that the Church School-house ought to be forthwith rebuilt, and that the Churchwardens and Mr. Nicholls should prepare a draft of a subscription paper for a contribu- tion for the rebuilding thereof, and lay the same before the next Vestry ; who reported, through Mr. Horsman- den, that they had agreed with John Brown and James Napier for the rebuilding thereof, for the sum of £375 certain, and £25 more when the whole should be com- pleted, if it should appear they should deserve the same.
The committee appointed to take care of the building of the Charity School House, Reported, that the contractors had compleated the School Building pursuant to their contract, and that they were of opinion that the said contractors had a hard bargain.
It was therefore ordered, that the said Church Wardens pay to the said contractors the sum of Twenty-five pounds, over and above the sum of £375 agreed to be paid them.
It was also ordered, that the Society's Schoolmaster, for the time being, be at liberty to keep his School in the School room of the new Charity School House till further orders.
The very misfortunes attending the outset of this charitable undertaking, which was viewed with favour in itself, served only to render it still more popular. Contributions poured in from all sides, and all its wants were abundantly supplied.
The following, which are somewhat curious, are the first noticed in the book of minutes :
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TRINITY CHURCH, NEW-YORK.
Mr. Richard Nicholls (who for thirty-three years was a member of the Vestry) having drawn severall conveyances, articles of agreement, bonds and other writings for the church, amounting to the sum of Fourteen pounds, nineteen shillings, as by his account of the parti- culars with his receipt appears, Coll Robinson acquainted the Vestry that the said Mr. Nicholls had been pleased generously to make a present of his said service to the Church, to be laid out in cloaths for such poor children belonging to their Charity School as they shall judge to be most proper objects of charity. Whereupon it was ordered, that the thanks of the Vestry be given to the said Mr. Nicholls for the same, and that Coll Robinson and himself be desired to lay out and apply that sum, for the clothing of such poor children belonging to the Charity School as they shall think proper.
Mr. Abraham Lodge (who for twelve years was also a member of the Vestry) having done some business for this Board, for which he was entitled to upwards of Eight pounds, had been pleased generously to make a present of this sum to the Church, to be laid out in cloaths for such poor children belonging to their Charity School as they should judge to be most proper objects of charity; which Coll Robinson acquainted the Board was laid out accordingly. Where- upon it was ordered, that the thanks of the Vestry be given to the said Mr. Lodge for the same.
·
The Society of Free Masons gave £15 towards clothing the children.
Mrs. Fred bequeathed to the school £500.
Capt. Thomas Randall made a present of a bell for the use of the Charity School.
Mr. Alexander Troup left a legacy to the school, the amount of which, though not stated, is presumed to have been large, inasmuch as it was retained as a loan by the Vestry, at an interest of five per cent per annum.
Mr. Bache, one of the Executors of the last will and Testament of Mrs. Elizabeth Sharpas, (whose husband had been a member of the
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HISTORY OF
Vestry,) paid to Mr. Reade the sum of two hundred pounds for the use of the Charity School, to be disposed of and applyed as is directed by the said will.
Mr. Reade acquainted the Vestry, that Mr. Debrosses, executor of the last will and Testament of Mrs. Frances Auboyneau, (whose husband likewise had been a member of the Vestry for twenty years,) had paid him the sum of Two hundred pounds, in part of a legacy given to this corporation for the use of the Charity School ; and shortly after another sum of two hundred pounds, in further part of the same legacy.
The next bequest to the school was paid over, it appears, by the following entry in the minutes, under very interesting circumstances :
Whereas the Honorable John Chambers, deceased, (who was for thirty-eight years a Warden and Vestryman of this Church,) by his last will and Testament did give and bequeath, (after the death of his wife, but not before,) unto the Rector and Inhabitants of the city of New-York in communion with the Church of England, as by law established, the sum of one thousand pounds current money of New- York ; in trust nevertheless, that they should in a husband-like manner apply and lay out the same towards the support and carrying on the Charity School in the city of New-York, under their care and inspec- tion, according to their best discretion; And whereas Mrs. Anne Chambers, widow of the said John Chambers, being piously and charitably disposed, has been pleased to intimate that she is ready and desirous to pay the said legacy of one thousand pounds immediately to this corporation, to be disposed of and applyed according to the directions and intention of the said Testator; thereupon it is ordered, that Mr. David Clarkson be desired, and he is hereby empowered, to receive the said legacy, and when received, that he put out the same at Interest for the use and benefit of the Charity School, according to the directions of the said will ; giving this corpo- ration the preference for so much of the said sum as they may have occasion for, paying interest for the same. And it is further ordered,
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TRINITY CHURCH, NEW-YORK.
that upon receipt of the said sum, a proper release and discharge for the said legacy be made and executed, under the seal of this corporation, to the Executors of the said Will. And it is ordered, that the Rector and two Church Wardens be a committee to wait on the said Mrs. Chambers, to return her the thanks of this Board for her generous intentions, and to request that she will be pleased to consent that some public monument be erected, at the expense of this corporation, to express their gratitude to the memory of the said Mr. Chambers for his generous donation.
A further proof of the kindness and good will of this excellent woman, towards the Charity School, appears on the minutes.
Whereas Mrs. Anne Chambers, late of the city of New-York, deceased, in and by her last will and Testament, did give and bequeath unto the Rector and Inhabitants of the city of New-York, in commu- nion of the Church of England as by law established, and to their successors for ever, the sum of Five hundred pounds current money of the Province of New-York; in trust nevertheless, for the uses following, and upon this special confidence, (to wit :) that the same be kept and put out at interest by them, and the yearly interest or income thereof be applyed towards the support of the Girls only belonging to and to belong to the Charity School in the city of New- York, that is under their care and inspection, and in rewarding such of the said girls upon leaving the said school as they shall judge deserving thereof, and in such proportions as they shall think proper, in cash or otherwise, which is intended as an encouragement for their diligence, and decent and orderly behaviour during their contin- uance in the said School; And this corporation being indebted to the estate of the said Mrs. Chambers, by bond, in the sum of five hundred pounds, it is ordered, that Mr. Desbrosses be, and is hereby authorized to settle the said legacy and debt with the executors of the said Mrs. Chambers, and that a release of the said legacy be made and executed, under the seal of this corporation, to the said executors upon settlement of the same.
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There was another devise not long after of £500, for the clothing and educating the poor children of the school, from Mr. Elias Desbrosses, who for twen- ty-two years had been a Warden and Vestryman of Trinity Church.
This was followed by a legacy of £200, received from Francis Lewis and Walter Rutherford, Esqrs., executors of the estate of Mrs. Margaret Todd.
And another, as is supposed, of a considerable amount, from Mr. Nath. Marston, who was for forty- four years a Warden and Vestryman of Trinity Church.
In 1793, the committee of ways and means for building a school-house, and erecting a steeple on the northwest end of St. Paul's Church, made the follow- ing report :
The committee appointed by the Corporation of Trinity Church for the purpose, *** having attentively examined the several sources of revenue within the reach and subject to the controul of this Board, do report-
That the most ample provision for accomplishing the object can readily be obtained, by a sale of such part of the lands of this corporation as are let out on long leases, and produce a small annual income ;
That the price of fourteen lots rented to Samuel Ellis, and recom- mended by the committee of leases as an advantageous sale at £2500, can with propriety be applied to effect this end ; For in addi- tion to an useful building, which will be annexed to the estate of the Church, its revenue also in this instance will be more than doubled ; . That the produce of other lots to the amount required, which may easily be selected under circumstances similar to the preceding, ought
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TRINITY CHURCH, NEW-YORK.
to be appropriated to the completion of the purposes above required. All which is nevertheless submitted by
HUB'T VAN WAGENEN, MOSES ROGERS, WM. LAIGHT.
NEW-YORK, 13th May, 1793.
The report having been accepted, Messrs. Farquhar and Barrow, the committee of repairs, were appointed a committee to superintend the building of the School-House.
Several legacies and gifts, in trust to Trinity Church for the use of the Charity School, came in about this time, to help forward the accomplishment of the work; one from Mr. William Brownjohn, of the city of New-York, druggist, the amount of which is not mentioned ; another of £184 12s. 10d. from John Stratford Jones, of the Island of St. Croix, and a third of £100 from the corporation of the city.
In 1795, the Secretary reported a plan for a con- veyance, in trust, of property from Trinity Church for the Charity School. Whereupon Dr. Charlton, Dr. Johnson, and Mr. Harison, were empowered to take such legal opinions as they might see fit, upon the clause of the charter respecting the value of the property to be held by the corporation, and the acts of the Legislature relating to the subject.
In 1800, the following lots were appropriated to the Charity School, in order to extinguish the debt due to it from Trinity Church, which the latter had incurred by receiving in trust the gifts and bequests which, from time to time, had been made to the former, and on which considerable sums of interest had accrued :
.
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HISTORY OF
NO. OF LOTS. STREETS. PRESENT RATE OF RENT.
ADVANCED RATE.
VALUE.
£
S.
f
£
235
Murray
8
20
400
236
66
8
20
400
226
Robinson*
10
35
900
248
12
25
550
353
Church . 7
20
400
367
Warren
5
20
. 400
368
449
8
20
. 400
8 lots Pe-
Greenwich 24
. 96
2000
ters' lease
118 . .
Barclay
12
25
500
134
Vesey
16
25
500
136
66
16
25
500
250
Robinson 10
20
400
411
Murray . 20
20
400
412
66
8
.20
400
451
Chamber
8
20
400
344
Murray .
8
25
500
421
Broadway . 14
30
550
562
Reade
5 10
18
300
45
Rector
4 10
14
250
Total 27 lots.
£208 00
£518
£10,550
Upon this report being made, the committee of leases were ordered to proceed to the sale of the lots therein described. This plan, however, it afterwards appears was abandoned, and gave place to another.
The clerk of the corporation was authorized, at the same time, to apply to the Legislature for an incorpo- ration of the Episcopal Charity School, and to pre- pare a plan of the same, which, after having been submitted to Robert Troup, Esq., and approved, together with the draft of a deed to carry it into effect ; it was resolved, that the number of trustees should be thirteen, and that the following should be the first trustees of the said school, Dr. B. Moore,
* Now Park Place.
The lease expires 25th March, 1800.
4
20
400
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TRINITY CHURCH, NEW-YORK.
Dr. A. Beach, Dr. Charlton, James Farquhar, Matt. Clarkson, Edward Goold, Henry Rogers, Herman LeRoy, G. Ludlow, Jacob LeRoy, Charles Wilkes, Henry White, and Richard Harison.
The committee of leases subsequently presented the following plan for exonerating the Corporation of Trinity Church from the debt which was due to the Charity School, and establishing a fund for its annual expenditure.
The debt owing to the school by this corporation was £6500, and the average annual expenses thereof £700.
It was therefore proposed to assign mortgages to it to the amount of £8610 15s. and to grant it about eight lots of land, bounded by Lumber, Greenwich and Rector streets, on a part of which the school- house stood, and the residue whereof yielded at the time an annual rent of £67 8s.
In the following year a donation was made to the school of a thousand dollars, and such a further grant of lots was recommended as on a reasonable calcula- tion would produce an annual rent of $500.
The committee of leases having again taken the matter into consideration, recommended that bonds and mortgages should be given, in lieu of the lots heretofore proposed, which recommendation was agreed to by the Board, and bonds to the amount of £3000 were accordingly assigned to the said institution. In addition to the liberal endowment of the school by Trinity Church, a donation was also made to it by the State.
The extension of gratuitous education among the
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HISTORY OF
poor by the New-York Free School Society, was found to interfere so materially with the original plan of the Charity School, which was designed to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, agreeably to the doctrines of the Church, as well as to fit them for the business of life ; that in the year 1826 it was thought expedient by the trustees to reor- ganize it, and to convert it into a school for instruction in all the principal branches of English education, and also in classical learning, under the name of the New-York Protestant Episcopal Public School. The grand leading feature of the former system, however, was carefully preserved, for religious instruction was to be given in every department of the school, under the supervision of the Bishop.
Shortly after this new arrangement, a donation was made to it by John G. Leake, of one thousand dollars.
And in 1832, Trinity Church granted a lease, at a mere nominal rent, to the trustees, of five lots of ground on Canal, Varick, and Grand streets, on one part of which the school-house now stands, and the other part of which is let out on such advantageous terms as to increase very materially the income of the Board.
The School subsequently underwent some further modifications, and in 1845 received the name of Trin- ity School; and it is now, perhaps, in a more flourish- ing condition than it has ever been since its very foundation.
In the original endowment of Trinity Church by the Colonial Government, it appears to have been the intention to connect the promotion of learning with the
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TRINITY CHURCH, NEW-YORK.
interests of religion. For there is this record on the early minutes of the Vestry :
It being moved, which way the King's Farme which is now vested in Trinity Church should be let to farm, it was unanimously agreed, That the Rector and Church Wardens should waite upon my Lord Cornbury the Gov", to know what part thereof his Lordship did design towards the Colledge which his Lordp designs to have built, and thereupon, to publish placarts for the letting thereof at the public outcry, to the highest bidder.
No effectual measures, however, were taken for this purpose, until nearly half a century had passed away.
In 1752, it was unanimously agreed by this Board, that a proposall be made to the Commissioners appointed to receive proposalls for the Building a College, and that this Board is willing to give any reasonable quantity of the Churches farm, which is not let out, for the erecting and use of a College.
It is ordered, That the Rector and Church Wardens be a com- mittee to wait on the said Commissioners, and make the aforesaid proposalls to them, and confer with them thereupon.
Two years after, the arrangement between them appears to have been finally made.
It is unanimously agreed by this Board, that this Board will give for the use of the Colledge intended to be erected, a certain parcell of land belonging to this Corporation, to erect and build the said Colledge upon, and for the use of the same; that is to say, a street of ninety feet from the Broadway to Church street, and from Church street all the lands between Barclay's street and Murray's street to the water side ; upon this condition, that the President of the said Colledge for ever, for the time being, be a Member of and in Com- munion with the Church of England, and that the Morning and Eve- ning Service in said Colledge be the Liturgy of the said Church, or such a collection of prayers out of the said Liturgy, as shall be
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HISTORY OF
agreed upon by the President or Trustees or Governours of the said Colledge.
The following draft of a letter on this subject, from the Vestry to the Rev. Dr. Bearcroft, Secretary to the Venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gos- pel, was read and approved of, and being engrossed, was signed by the members present, and is in the words following, viz :
REV'D SIR :
We esteem it a great Honour, amidst the many virulent reproaches we have met with, to find our conduct with regard to the Colledge lately founded here, approved by so venerable and respectable Body as the Society for the propagation of the Gospell, and to have received their thanks for the Donation we made ; which was communicated to us by Mr. Barclay, and which we most gratefully acknowledge. We had also the satisfaction of the universall approbation of our consti- tuents, notwithstanding the vast debt we have contracted by building the chappell of Ease.
We always expected that a gift so valuable in itself, and so abso- lutely necessary, (it being the only ground within the city properly situated, and of sufficient extent,) would be a means of obtaining some priviledges to the Church, especially as the first promoters of the affair, in the House of Representatives, always proposed such a preference, at least, as is granted by the charter ; but we never insisted on any condition, till we found some persons labouring to exclude all systems of religion out of the Constitution of the College. When we discovered this design, we thought ourselves indispensably obliged to interpose, and have had the countenance of many good men of all denominations, and in particular the ministers of the Foreign Protestant churches in this city, who are appointed Gover- nors of the Colledge, and who without the least hesitation qualified agreeable to the Church, and continue hearty friends to it.
But notwithstanding this, the opposition still continues, and has so far prevailed as to have hitherto prevented the application of the money raised by Lottery to the use of the Colledge. To effect this,
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TRINITY CHURCH, NEW-YORK.
our opponents have been indefatigable, the most base and disinge- nuous methods have been used to prejudice the Common People in the several counties, whom they have endeavoured to persuade, that the Test impos'd on the president will infallibly be attended with the establishment of Bishops and Tythes, and will end in the loss of all their Religious priviledges, and even in persecution itself. Petitions have been drawn and handed about to be signed against the Charter Establishment ; and weekly papers have been published for two years past, wherein all the friends of the Church, and the Vestry of Trinity Church in particular, have been abused in the most oppro- bious terms : so that it is very uncertain when the moneys will, by the Generall Assembly, be vested in the Governors. In the mean time, they have begun a subscription amongst themselves, and are daily purchasing materialls to lay the foundation of a handsome, con- venient Edifice, which, God willing, they purpose to begin next Spring ; and they are induced to hope, that as the dissenting seminary in New Jersey has had the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scot- land engaged in its behalf last year, as well as the dissenting interest in England, and as we are informed, have collected a very consid- erable sum of money, so our Brethren in England will be ready to contribute, to preserve the Church in this part of the world from the contempt its enemies are endeavouring to bring upon it. The Dis- senters have already three Seminarys in the Northern Governments. They hold their Synods, presbyteries, and associations, and exercise the whole of their Ecclesiastical Government to the no small advan- tage of their cause, whilst those churches which are branches of the National Establishment are deprived, not only of the benefitt of a regular Church Government, but their children debarred the priviledge of a liberal education, unless they will submitt to accept of it on such conditions as Dissenters require, which, in Yale Colledge is to sub- mitt to a fine as often as they attend Public Worship in the Church of England, communicants only excepted, and that only on Christmass and Sacrament days. This we cannot but look upon as hard measure, especially as we can, with good conscience, declare that we are so far from that bigotry and narrowness of spirit they have of late been pleased to charge us with, that we would not, were it in our power, lay the least restraint on any man's conscience, and should
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HISTORY OF
heartily rejoice to continue in brotherly love and charity with all our Protestant Brethren, as we can appeal to all men we have always done, notwithstanding the late unmerited reproaches, callumnies, and opposition we have met with.
Upon the whole, as we are informed the Governors of the Colledge intend to proceed according to the charter, and have reason to think that this will be the best means to quell the present opposition, restore peace, promote true religion and harmony amongst all denominations of Xtians, and at length induce the Assembly to grant the moneys raised for the Colledge ; We humbly beg leave to recommend the cause in which they are engaged to the patronage of the Venerable Board, and its severall members, and hope that when a subscription shall be set on foot in England, they will, upon proper application, encourage and assist them in their laudable undertaking. This will add a new obligation on all the members of the Church of England, as this in all probability will be the only Colledge in which they are like to have an Interest.
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