USA > New York > Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and family history of New York, Volume III > Part 21
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FOURTH REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH.
The Fourth Reformed Dutch Church is one of those religious institutions which, beginning with a small number of worshipers, constantly and steadily advances to a larger atten- dance, as the good work done becomes more and more apparent. This church was organized in May, 1858, by a missionary of the American Foreign Christian Union, the congregation holding their first services in a private dwelling in Seventh avenue, be-
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tween Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth streets. Here they remained for about one and a half years and then removed to Broadway, between Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth streets, where they held services in another private dwelling for another year and a half. They then removed to the school building of the Marble Collegiate Church on Twenty-ninth street, near Seventh avenue, where they remained for about six years, and then went to another private dwelling on Broadway, between Thirty- fourth and Thirty-fifth streets, remaining for about five years. In 1872 they erected a church building on Fortieth street, be- tween Seventh and Eighth avenues, remaining there until 1903, when they removed to the present building, which was erected by the Marble Collegiate Church. The church is a brick edi- fice of pleasing exterior, and has a seating capacity of three hundred persons. The number of communicants is two hundred and fifty, and the average Sunday school attendance is one hun- dred and sixty. The church was dedicated December, 1903, the ceremonial being a very imposing and impressive one. The services are held in both German and English to meet the needs of the class of which the congregation is composed. There has been but one pastor in this church since its organization.
Rev. John H. Oerter, D. D., pastor of the Fourth Reformed Dutch Church, was born in Germany, October 15, 1831. He was educated in his native land, obtaining a thorough knowledge of the classics, and studying theology in the seminary of the Duteli Reformed Church and a seminary in New Brunswick, New Jer- sey. He was ordained in Warrenville, New Jersey, by the classis of Raritan, New Jersey, May, 1856, and appointed pas- tor of the German Church of Warrenville, continuing his min- istrations in this congregation for two years. He then received a call from the Fourth Reformed Dutch Church of New York, to which he responded, and has been the faithful and beloved
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minister of that congregation, without intermission, until the present time (1906). Dr. Oerter celebrated the fiftieth anni- versary of his ordination in May, 1906.
He married, in Utica, New York, September, 1856, Frances T. Daner, and had five children, of whom two are now living: Samuel J., professor of music, organist of English Lutheran Church, and principal of private school in Utica; and Emma E., married Rev. Henry Nerger, and is organist of the church and a music teacher.
ST. JOHN'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
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St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, which is located at 79-83 Christopher street, borough of Manhattan, New York, of which Rev. John J. Young, D. D., is pastor at the present time (1906), is one of the most important bodies of that denom- ination. Before the advent of the white man upon Manhattan Island there seems to have been an Indian village where St. John's Church now stands. While the original settlers of Man- hattan were members of the Dutch Reformed Church, there were, nevertheless, some Lutherans among them. This is evi- dent from the fact that in 1649 there were enough Lutherans here to be called a "congregation." These enjoyed, however, few religious privileges as Lutherans. At first they were per- mitted to have private services, but this permission was, how- ever, withdrawn under Stuyvesant. The first Lutheran church was known by the name of Trinity. It was erected in the year 1671 at the corner of Broadway and Rector street, the original building being a log house, which was later replaced by a sub- stantial stone edifice, which was destroyed during the Revolu. tionary war. In 1805 the property was sold to the Trinity Epis- copal Church. Thus ended the once prosperous Dutch Lutheran
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Church, known as Trinity, the first Lutheran church on Man- hattan.
In the fall of 1855 meetings were held at the residence of Rev. A. H. M. Held in Allen street, the result of which was a new organization which received the name of "Die Deutsche Evangelisch Lutherische St. Johannes Gemeinde der Stadt New York." Rev. Held was elected pastor of the new congregation and the following members composed the first church council : John W. Addicks, H. Grote and H. Halbe, elders; T. Neander, A. G. A. Brunjes, John Rodenburg, J. Guth, G. Peyle, J. F. W. Decker, D. Knubel, W. Koster and C. H. Doscher, deacons; G. Albers, G. H. W. Neander, H. Schmidt, J. Heinsohn, W. Grabau, W. Tiemann, F. Stucke, W. Halbe and H. Metz, trustees. Mr. G. Albers was elected president, G. H. W. Nenader, secretary, and H. Schmidt, treasurer.
The first divine services of the newly organized congrega- tion were held on the fourth Sunday in Advent, December 19, 1855, in Hope Chapel, Broadway. Rev. Dr. Pohlman, of Albany, New York, president of the New York Ministerium, officiated at this memorable meeting. After worshiping three months in Hope Chapel the congregation moved into the chapel of the New York University, Washington Square, which had been se- cured at one thousand dollars per year. At a council meeting held on October 14, 1858, a resolution was passed to hold a special meeting of the congregation on October 24, at which time it was proposed to purchase St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Christopher street, between Bleecker - and Fourth, Rev. Held presiding over the same. At a trustee meeting on November 19, the president was instructed to purchase the same for thirteen thousand dollars. Arrangements were at once made to dedicate the church on the fourth Sunday in Advent, Decem- ber 19, 1858. Rev. C. E. F. Stohlmann, D. D., was invited to
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preach in the morning and Rev. Raegner in the evening. Bishop Manton Eastborn, of Boston, was also invited to take part. The unusual eloquence of Pastor Held drew large congrega- tions to the church, which often taxed its utmost seating capac- ity, and he served the congregation as pastor until August 16, 1878, when he tendered his resignation, being then in the sev- enty-second year of his age. It appears that during Rev. Held's ministry the following pastors acted as assistants to him at various and generally brief periods: Revs. Meinke, Wirtz, Behrens, Buttner and H. D. Wraage.
In 1860, a little more than one year from the time that the present church property was acquired, steps were taken to open both a Parochial and Sunday school in connection with this church. A small dwelling in the rear of the present Sun- day school building was purchased and the three floors con- verted into school rooms. The Parochial school was named St. John's Academy, and it flourished under its first director, Peter W. Moeller, who also cared for the Sunday school. In May, 1866, the Sunday School Teachers' Association was formed independent of the Parochial school, which finally closed in 1868. The Sunday school steadily increased in numbers and in 1904 there were sixty-nine teachers and seven hundred and twenty-five pupils. In 1868 the school had outgrown the old Academy building, and the following year it was taken down and another one provided, the new building being dedicated Thanksgiving Day, 1869. In 1885 the church council was again appealed to for more room; the project went forward and the present fine edifice was erected; two thousand three hundred and eighty-six dollars was raised by the sale of bricks by the children, which sum was added to the fund. The new house was dedicated Thanksgiving Day, 1886, and thus it will be seen that the school has had three buildings since first organized.
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On November 3, 1878, Rev. A. C. Wedekind, D. D., pastor of St. James' Evangelical Lutheran Church, New York, was unanimously elected as Rev. Held's successor. He took charge of the congregation January 1, 1879. During his ministry many improvements were made in the church, and December 20, 1880, the twenty-fifth anniversary of the congregation was observed with appropriate services. Failing health finally compelled him to resign on August 16, 1891. Rev. G. F. Behringer filled the pulpit from February, 1891, to October, 1892, as pastor ad interim, and Rev. C. E. Weltner was assistant pastor and pas- tor ad interim from October, 1892, to September, 1893. These brethren did good work and their labors for the welfare of the congregation were highly appreciated.
The next one to assume the pastorate of the church was Rev. G. W. Enders, D. D., of Christ's Church, York, Pennsyl- vania, who entered upon his duties October 1, 1892. By per- mission of the church council he appointed Rev. Weltner as his assistant till he could move to New York and take full charge of the work. In the meantime some difficulties arose, which finally led the church council to declare, December 12, 1892, that the relations between Rev. Dr. Enders and the St. John's Evan- gelical Lutheran Church were dissolved, and the congregation declared vacant. Messrs. F. Van Axte and John G. C. Taddiken were now sent to Richmond, Indiana, to see whether they could not induce Rev. John J. Young, D. D., pastor of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, to come to New York, which he accordingly did. He preached on April 9, 1893, was unani- mously elected April 24, 1893, and entered upon his duties as pastor September 1, 1893. His first efforts were directed towards the liquidation of the debt resting upon the congrega- tion, and through concerted effort this has been accomplished, and the church celebrated its fiftieth anniversary without one
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cent of debt. His ministry has been noted for quiet activity, harmonious progress and internal growth. In spite of the up- town movement and the great change that has taken place in that portion of the city during recent years, the church is on a firm footing and in a prosperous condition, both spiritually and financially. Rev. F. Brezinski, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Turner's Falls, Massachusetts, entered upon his labors as assistant pastor September 1, 1901, and is still serving in that capacity. In addition to the Sunday school already mentioned there are connected with the church various organizations, namely: St. John's Social Union, organized in the year 1882; Young Ladies' Luther Alliance, organized in May, 1892; and the Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society, organized January 17, 1894.
Rev. John J. Young, pastor of St. John's Evangelical Ln- theran Church, New York, was born in Rhenish Bavaria, Ger- many, September 13, 1846, son of John Michael and Eva Kath- erine (Kruker) Young. The death of his mother occurred April 6, 1851, in her native land, and in the spring of 1858 his father emigrated to this country, locating in Baltimore, Mary- land, where he died June 3, 1895.
In 1862, the darkest period of the Civil war, John J. Young enlisted in the Union army as a teamster, was captured June 28, 1863, near Rockville, Maryland, but fortunately was paroled the following day. In the spring of 1864 he was transferred to the New York Engineers Corps and remained with them until the close of the war, being honorably discharged in June, 1865. At the date of his enlistment he had no English education, but he took up the study of the language, and at the time of his discharge could read, write and speak the English language quite well. Immediately after his discharge from the army he served an apprenticeship at the trade of baker, at the same Vol. III-19
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time continuing his study of the language. In 1869 he entered the preparatory department of Gettysburg (Pennsylvania) Col- lege, and graduated from the collegiate and theological depart- ments of that institution in 1877. His first charge as a pastor was the Granville charge, at Garrett, Maryland, where he re- mained until 1882. He was then transferred to Richmond, Indi- ana, as pastor of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, where he remained until 1893, at which date he was appointed pastor of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, New York city, the duties of which he is acceptably filling at the present time.
Rev. John J. Young married, June 6, 1878, Louisa E. Mes- sersmith, of Baltimore, Maryland, of German parentage. Their children are: Cora E., Eva C., and Paul Milton, a student at the Gettyburg College, the same which his father attended.
ANDERSON MEMORIAL REFORMED CHURCH.
The Anderson Memorial Reformed Church of Belmont, corner of Monroe avenue and Columbine street (or, as the new street names have it, Cambreleng avenue and East One Hundred and Eighty-third street), grew out of the Sabbath school work taken up at that point by the Reformed Church at Fordham. At first the children were brought in stages from Belmont to the Fordham Reformed Church. This was in 1886, and the following year cottage services were held during the winter. The first of these meetings was held at Mr. Vredenberg's house. The stages continued to run from 1886 to 1892, at a cost of two hundred and fifty dollars per year, John Claflin, son of H. B. Claflin, paying for one stage, and the other being paid for by the school and some benevolent persons. William Prime, a colored man, furnished the stages and carried the children to and from Fordham during the entire time they were used.
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May 29, 1889, George Edgar Anderson, brother of Rev. William F. Anderson, pastor of the Reformed Church at Ford- ham, died. He was the moving spirit in the Sunday school and its superintendent. It was to perpetuate his name, as much as anything else, that a church was located at Belmont. His brother, the pastor of Fordham Church, secured the promise of three thousand dollars from the Domestic Mission Board of the Reformed Church, and beside this was able, by subscription, to raise four thousand seven hundred dollars. A lot was pur- chased for about half the sum raised, at the corner of Monroe avenue and Columbine street, in the autumn of 1891. At the same time preaching services were held in a new store building on Kingsbridge Road, near Third avenue, the first being held October, 1891, with one hundred present. The next January the congregation moved from the little store room to the large ground floor of Mr. Henecke's new store building, at the corner of Adams Place and Kingsbridge Road, for which they paid twenty-five dollars per month rent. Here upon the first Sab- bath in January, 1892, they held their first Sabbath school, an afternoon school and an evening service being held from Janu- ary, 1892, to Christmas Sunday, 1892, when the school and the people moved into their new chapel, built upon the rear of the lots purchased the year before. During this time the congre- gation had been in the charge of Rev. Benjamin F. Guille, of the Union Theological Seminary. May 28, 1892, contracts were signed by Rev. William F. Anderson and the builder, John H. Metzler, for the erection of a chapel to cost $4,500, and to be completed in October, 1892. The corner-stone was laid August 6, 1892, by Dr. Bourne. The builders did not complete the chapel until late in the winter, and the first service was held December 25, 1892. January 29, 1893, there were received into the church over forty members, and they at once organized what
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they voted to term the "Memorial Reformed Church of Bel- mont." They celebrated their first communion there March 19, 1893. Rev. William F. Anderson, the founder, died July 24, 1893, which sad event at first cast a deep gloom over the work of the church, but, recalling all of his words of advice, the membership went resolutely forward. At the date of entering the new building and the organization of the church, Rev. Johu Giffin was the minister in charge, although never formally in- stalled. This engagement terminated December 21, 1893, and he was followed by Rev. A. D. D. Frazer, who, after about one year, resigned to go to China as a missionary. April, 1895, Rev. Joseph Gaston became pastor, serving until October 11, 1896. Then came C. S. Watson, a student, and Rev. W. D). Perry, who served as supply until September, 1898, when Rev. James Boyd Hunter became the pastor of the church and as such still continues. The little Sunday school has grown from forty-two to over three hundred pupils; the original member- ship of the church has grown from forty-five to about two hun- dred.
For the past ten years the great obstacle to the growth of the church has been the grading of the streets in the neighbor- hood. This has entailed great hardships upon the residents, since the vicinity is composed of rock, requiring heavy blast- ing. All who could moved away, while the majority of those who remained have been impoverished by the enormous assess- ments levied by the city to pay for the street improvements. The church has had its heavy share of these assessments to pay, and has had a constant struggle to obtain assistance from ben- evolent-minded friends. It is a pleasant statement to make that these assessments on the church and parsonage are nearly all provided for.
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WEST FARMS REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH.
West Farms Reformed Dutch Church was organized Feb- ruary 13, 1839, by the members of the Reformed church at West Farms, and of their original number five came from the Fordham Reformed Church. Their first pastor was Rev. George Bourne. Ground was purchased on the Boston road and the corner stone of a church laid September 11, 1839, and the su- perstructure was dedicated June 17 following. The total mem- bership was then but thirty-three. The first pastor remained until 1842; November 14th of that year he was succeeded by Rev. Barnabas B. Collins, who ministered until April 8, 1845, and following him came Rev. John Simonson, who in 1852 was succeeded by Rev. P. H. Burghardt. He remained until 1855 and was succeeded by Rev. P. Van Wyke. In 1867 he gave way to Rev. Evert Van Slyke, who remained until 1871, and was followed by Rev. John Simonson, who remained pastor until 1881. The next pastor was Rev. Harlan Page Blair, who was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Bolton, who was succeeded by Rev. L. Curry Andrews. In 1896 he was followed by Rev. Joseph D. Peters, who in 1898 was succeeded by Herman C. Weber, who remained until the present pastor came in 1902. The seating capacity of this church is four hundred and fifty. A new church-house, or chapel, is in course of construction at this date. It is situated on the corner of Prospect avenue and Fairmount place. Later it is designed to erect a church edifice proper at that point. The present membership is fifty-five. Two Sunday schools are maintained, with two hundred and nineteen en- rolled. This is the second oldest Reformed church in the Bronx.
Rev. Mr. Hart was born in Neshanic, New Jersey, and edu- cated at Rutgers College and New Brunswick Theological Sem- inary. He was ordained and installed June 26, 1902.
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GRACE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church at 123 West Seventy- first street, New York city, as a parish was founded in 1886, by Rev. J. Miller. Services were held in a hall at the corner of Ninth avenue and Fiftieth street for two weeks, then held at a hall at Seventh avenue and Forty-ninth street for about one year and at two other places, Tenth avenue and Sixtieth street and at 108 Amsterdam avenue, up to March, 1890. While services were being conducted at the hall at 108 Amsterdam avenue, the church was served by the following pastors: J. C. Graepp, Rev. Goessling, Dr. J. A. W. Hass. In the early part of 1890 the present edifice was purchased from St. Andrews Meth- odist Episcopal Church at a cost of $30,000. It was dedicated March 21, 1890. In December, 1895, Dr. Hass was succeeded by Rev. John A. Weyl. The church building is of stone and brick and easily seats five hundred persons. The auxiliary societies to the church are: The Ladies' Aid Society, Grace Guild, Luther League, the Dorcas Society and the Sunday school. During the last two years handsome memorial windows were presented by members of the church. Many improvements have been made by Rev. Weyl in and about the church property. The church membership has been doubled and the church debt has been reduced by one-half, entirely by freewill offerings.
The pastor, Rev. J. A. Weyl, was born in Kingstown, New York, where he acquired his education at the academy, then took a preparatory course at Wagner College, Rochester, New York, graduating with the class of 1890. He then attended the Lutheran Seminary at Philadelphia, from which he graduated in 1893. Immediately after he left college, he took charge of the church at Liverpool, New York, having been ordained at Canajoharie, June 18, 1893. There he remained until he was
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appointed to his present pastorate. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Wagner College, and of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Lutheran General Council.
ST. MARK'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church, located at Nos. 323 to 327 East Sixth street, New York city, has a congregation composed almost entirely of Germans. The parish was organ- ized in December, 1847, by Rev. A. H. M. Held, and the first services were held in a hall on Houston street. Afterward they were held in the Church of the Redemption, in Sixth street, between Second and Third avenues. The building now occupied by this congregation was erected in 1848 by the par- ishioners of St. Matthew's Church, and was dedicated June 4, 1848. It was leased by the congregation of St. Mark's Evan- gelical Lutheran Church in the same year, and in 1857 pur- chased by them for eight thousand dollars. Since that time services have been held continuously in this building. In 1887 an addition was made to the church building proper, giving bet- ter facilities for meeting purposes. In 1889 a parsonage was purchased at No. 64 East Seventh street. In 1893 a new organ was purchased. The fiftieth anniversary of the founding of this parish was celebrated in December, 1897, at which time the entire interior of the church was beautifully renovated. Until recently the services were conducted entirely in German, but during the last five years, the second, fourth and fifth Sunday evenings have been set aside for services in English. The building has a seating capacity of about eight hundred, and the membership is between five and six hundred. There is a parochial school connected with the church, which at one time numbered about three hundred pupils.
It had been the custom of this church to have a yearly
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excursion for the benefit of the Sunday school pupils and their friends. On June 15, 1904, this excursion started as usual, with thousands of happy faces and light hearts, having chartered the steamboat "General Slocum" to carry them to the grove which was their destination. The ill-fated vessel had proceeded but a short distance when fire was discovered on board. The origin of this will, possibly, never be discovered, nor whether the captain displayed good judgment or not in not beaching the boat at once; the result was one of the most frightful catas- trophes ever recorded. More than a thousand persons per- ished, the greater number being children. Previous to this dis- aster the attendance at the Sunday school connected with St. Mark's Church had been nearly six hundred; this terrible calam- ity reduced it to about two hundred and fifty. In the basement of the church there are afternoon classes for instruction in sew- ing, and also for religious instruction in the German language. The church is entirely free from debt. It has on a number of occasions lent its aid in founding other congregations. The societies connected with the church are as follows: The Ladies' Aid Society, which has done an immense amount of good in as- sisting poor German families, especially in the practical way of showing them how they may best help themselves; the Young People's Luther League; and a Missionary Society.
Rev. A. M. H. Held, the founder of the parish, was born in 1806, in Holstein. Germany, where he was educated. He emi- grated to America in 1847, was licensed to preach, and became assistant to Rev. D. Stohlman at St. Matthew's. In 1848 he was ordained and called upon immediately to found the parish of St. Mark's, in which he labored until 1855, when he resigned and founded St. John's church in Christopher street. He was succeeded in St. Mark's by Rev. Herman Raegener, born in 1822. in Brunswick, Germany. He was educated in Germany and
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