USA > New York > Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and family history of New York, Volume IV > Part 4
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NORWEGIAN LUTHERAN TRINITY CHURCH.
This flourishing Norwegian Lutheran Church, at present under the ministration of Rev. Jakob Tanner, is located in Twenty-seventh street, Brooklyn, New York. It was organized July 29, 1890, by Rev. M. H. Hegge, and its first services were held in a hall on Twenty-second street and Third avenue. The congregation at that time consisted of but fifty-fonr confirmed members, and of eighty-one souls in all. It prospered and gained in reputation and membership, and ground was broken
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for the present church. The cornerstone was laid in 1893, and the church was dedicated in April, 1894. It is a neat and at- tractive frame building with a seating capacity of four hnn- dred and fifty. The membership is now over four hundred, and the average Sunday school attendance is abont three hun- dred. In connection with this church there is a mission, located at Sixtieth street and Twelfth avenne, for the convenience of the Norwegians living in that vicinity. This is well attended, and the average attendance at the Sunday school is about seventy. The congregation is growing rapidly in wealth and the number of its members. During the past fifteen years this church has expended forty-four thousand dollars in church work, has contributed twenty-four hundred dollars to seamen and foreign missions, and twenty-five hundred dollars for gen- eral charitable purposes. The societies connected with the church are: The Ladies' Sewing Circle and the Young Peo- ple's Society. There is a fine mixed choir and an excellent male chorus. Rev. M. H. Hegge remained in charge until 1903, when he was succeeded by Rev. Jakob Tanner, the present incumbent.
Rev. Jakob Tanner was born in the town of Molde, Nor- way, October 15, 1865. His education, which was an excellent one, was acquired in the land of his birth, and April 19, 1893, he was ordained to the ministry in the cathedral of Trondhjem, Norway. Immediately after his ordination, he emigrated to America to take charge of St. Peter's Norwegian Lutheran Church in Story City, Iowa. Here he labored indefatigably for five years and then removed to Clayton county, in the same state, and took charge of parishes which were afterward ap- portioned to two clergymen, as the amount of work in them warranted snch a proceeding. He spent another five years in this work, and was then appointed pastor of the Norwegian Intheran Trinity Church in Brooklyn, with an assistant, Rev.
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O. E. Eide. Under the able and conscientious ministration of Rev. Jakob Tanner, this church has gained ground rapidly and is in a very flourishing condition. Rev. Tanner is very popular with his congregation and is heart and soul devoted to his work.
GRACE REFORMED CHURCH.
Grace Reformed Church of New York city, Rev. Joseph R. Duryee, D. D., minister, has a history which really began in 1866. February 4th of that year a Sunday school was formed with fifteen scholars by a few of the members of the Collegiate Reformed Dutch Church on Broadway. Three years later the Collegiate Church consistory purchased property on Seventh avenue and Firty-fourth street, on which they erected a build- ing for the school, that had been increased ten fold, and de- termined to organize with it a chapel and the Collegiate Church. The Rev. William H. Clark was called as its first pastor. He remained four years and was followed by Rev. Vernon B. Car- roll, who remained until 1877. Under these men over one hun- dred communicants were gathered in, and it was believed that an independent church might be organized. Then followed a season of depression and there was no settled pastor for several years, but June 1, 1879, Joseph R. Duryee, D. D., became min- ister of the Seventh Avenue Chapel of the Collegiate Church, and during the year 1880 the congregation more than doubled. The building, which they had many a struggle to pay for, was finally dedicated May 15, 1881. Up to this date the church was but a wing of another, but it wanted to be independent, hence November 10, 1885, it was incorporated as an independent or- ganization and has since been known as "Grace Reformed Church of New York city." Dr. Duryee has been the pastor from the first. The church observed its twenty-fifth anniver- sary. June 5, 1904, at which time the church was in a highly
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flourishing condition, with three hundred and fifty communicant members. Among the societies connected with this church may be mentioned: King's Daughters, the various missionary so- cieties, the Sewing Circle, the Coral Workers, the Junior King's Daughters, the Boys' Brigade and a large association of men.
UNION BAPTIST CHURCH.
The Union Baptist Church, located at Nos. 204 and 206 West Sixty-third street, New York city, whose present pastor is Rev. George H. Sims, D. D., was organized in 1889 by Rev. J. H. Watkins. the first services being held in a store in West Sixtieth street. After a short time they removed to Broadway and Sixty-fifth street, then to Sixty-seventh street and Eighth avenue, to No. 224 West Sixty-third street in a building known at that time as the "Soldiers' Home," and from that place to the German Baptist Church in West Sixty-seventh street. At this latter place the church could not meet her indebtedness and was disorganized.
Rev. George H. Sims opened a mission at No. 211 West Sixty-third street, November 6, 1898, which two weeks later was removed to a room in Sixty-sixth street, under the skating rink. They removed to the German Baptist Church, April 1, 1899, where divine services were held for one year, removing at the end of that time to No. 144 Sixty-eighth street, and from there to Sixty-eighth street and West End avenue. While in this location a church building was erected for them on the site of the present church. It had a seating capacity of three hun- dred persons, but at the time of the first services it was con- clusively proved that the premises were not capacious enough, as the congregation had increased largely in numbers. They worshiped in this building for two years, and then were suc- cessful in purchasing two adjoining lots, and on this the present
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church building was erected, the original chapel being converted to parsonage nses. The church is a very attractive edifice of brick with limestone front, and the interior decorations are harmonious. It has a seating capacity of one thousand persons, and was dedicated September 24, 1905, with appropriate cere- monies. A sermon suitable to the occasion was delivered by Rev. Granville Hunt, president of the Baptist State Conven- tion. The present membership roll contains more than nine hundred names, and the average attendance in the Sunday school connected with the church is upward of three hundred. This large number of scholars necessitates the employment of a staff consisting of a superintendent, his assistants and four- teen teachers. The societies connected with the church are: Home and Foreign Missions, Baptist Young People's Union and a literary society. The congregation is constantly gaining in numbers.
Rev. George H. Sims, the present incumbent of the Union Baptist Church, was born in Cumberland county, Virginia, April 8, 1871. He there obtained a good education in the public schools. He learned the trade of stationary engineering upon his arrival in New York, in 1889; he commenced working at this occupation and while thus employed took private lessons in theological studies. He was ordained to the ministry in Nyack, New York, August 25, 1898, and was then pastor of the Baptist church in that town, where he labored zealonsly and efficiently until he began his pastorate in New York city. He received the degree of D. D. from the Guadalupe College, Se- quin, Texas, June, 1895. His work in this city has been char- acterized by unselfish devotion, executive ability and eloquence of no mean order. It is entirely due to his efforts that the present church has been brought to its flourishing condition,
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and his popularity among his parishioners is in a measure due to his ready sympathy.
He married, September 25, 1895, in New York, Mary Davis. They had one child, Ethel, who died at the age of two years, two months and seventeen days.
SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH.
Shiloh Baptist Church is located at No. 424 West One Hun- dred and Twenty-seventh street, New York city, and its present pastor is Rev. Edward Wainright. This congregation, organ- ized in 1885 with a small number of members, has been steadily growing in popularity, and is now in a very flourishing and satisfactory condition. The services are still being held as at first in a spacious and commodious hall, but it is the intention of the pastor and the congregation to erect a church building to meet the growing needs of the parish in the near future. The present membership roll contains more than one hundred names, and there is an average Sunday school attendance of about sixty. The services are well attended.
Rev. Edward Wainright, the present incumbent of the above mentioned pastorate, was born in Oxford, North Carolina, February 16, 1873. The main and greater part of his education was obtained in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he resided for a number of years. He was ordained to the ministry in Long Branch, New Jersey, and for four years after his ordination was the popular and well-beloved pastor of St. Paul's Baptist church at Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. He was appointed to his present pastorate, September 15, 1903, and his labors in his present field have been productive of the greatest possible amount of good. He is indefatigable in his efforts for the im- provement and advancement of his parish and his congregation in every direction, and his parishioners feel convinced that he
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has their welfare close at heart. He engaged in the undertaking business in connection with Rev. Robert Mont, at No. 6 Law- rence street, New York city, April 15, 1905, and their under- taking establishment is of the highest order in every respect. The reliability of their work and their careful attention to all the necessary details have gained for them a large and growing patronage, both Rev. Mont and Rev. Wainright being excep- tionally proficient in every branch of their chosen line of business.
Rev. Wainright married, May 30, 1900, at Camden, New Jersey, Ethel Pettiford.
REV. ROBERT R. MONT.
Rev. Robert R. Mont, who has for some years been success- fully engaged in the undertaking and embalming business in the city of New York, is in the fullest sense of the word a self-made man, as the following history of his career will show :
He was born in Louisa county, Virginia, February 5, 1861, and at the age of three years removed with his parents to Caro- line county, Virginia, where he assisted his father in the cultiva- tion of the home farm, as soon as his strength permitted such work. He became a convert to his present religious faith when he was but eight years of age, and even in early boyhood felt that he was destined to the vocation of preaching. He never had the opportunity of attending school in his early life, but later, when he was a resident of New York city, he was a pupil at Amity School for four years, making a special study of Greek and Bible history. He remained on his father's farm until he had attained the age of nineteen years, and then found a position for himself with the American Union Telegraph Com- pany. While in the employ of this company he came to New York, in 1880, and subsequently worked in the Western Union
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Hotel. During the fall of the same year he went to Orange, Connecticut, with Mr. Leverite Treat, working on a farm for one year, then to New Haven, where he was in the employ of the Candee Rubber Company for three years. During a part of this time he held the position of fireman and of foreman of the works, running nine steam pumps and an electric engine by five hun- dred horse power. He was then in the employ of Rhilander Armstrong for three years as coachman; G. W. Hazel, two years; Peck & Bishop Company and several others until 1890, when he returned to New York, and has since that time resided in that city. He was ordained to the ministry in New Water- ford, Ohio, was immediately appointed a mission preacher, and was engaged in mission work for a period of six years. He was then appointed pastor of Shiloh Baptist church, in Newburg, New York, resigned after one year and again engaged in mission work. Has been actively engaged in mission work in New York. He established himself in the undertaking and embalming busi- ness at 548 West Thirty-ninth street, in 1902, and in November of the same year removed to his present place of business at No. 209 West Sixty-third street. He is regularly licensed and pays personal attention to all the details of his business, adopt- ing all new and practical improvements that are called to his attention. He is connected with the following organizations : Oriental Lodge, No. 6, Free and Accepted Masons, of New Haven, Connecticut ; Lodge No. 900, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of New York; Knights of Pythias; Mount Olivet Lodge, No. 191; Good Hope Lodge, Order of Good Hope; Temple House, No. 3, Order of Moses; Grand Ancient Supreme Host of Israel, No. 1; and the Undertakers' Association of New York. He is a man of great energy, force of character and executive ability.
His wife is a French woman, from Paris, is well educated and possesses great business ability. She is a watchmaker by
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trade. Through her attentiveness to their present business she las rendered her husband great assistance, practically making the business what it is today.
REV. WILLIAM T. ANTHONY.
Sharon Baptist church, situated in East Ninety-fifth street, New York city, is under the able and conscientions guidance of Rev. William T. Anthony.
The congregation was organized May 12, 1892, by the Mount Olivet Baptist church, and Rev. J. B. Coleman was the first pas- tor. The services at that time were held in a hall in Ninety- seventh street. Rev. John Coleman was succeeded by Rev. John- son, and he, two years later, by Rev. G. W. Bailey, who re- mained in charge until 1901, Rev. M. J. Haskins taking his place until December, 1904, when the present pastor, Rev. William T. Anthony, took charge. The congregation numbers fifty-five members, and there is an average Sunday school attendance of twenty-five. The organizations connected with the church are: Women's Missionary Society, Sewing School Society and Lit- erary Society.
Rev. William T. Anthony was born in Richmond, Virginia, November 6, 1879. His preliminary education was acquired in the public and normal schools of Richmond, Virginia, and his studies in theology were pursued under private tuition in the same city. He was converted May 22, 1884, and baptized in the Fourth Baptist church, Richmond, Virginia, by Rev. Dr. Evan Payne. He has served as president of the Church Hill Young Men's Christian Association of Richmond, Virginia, and was its organizer. He was also superintendent of the Sharon Baptist Sunday school for a number of years. He was ordained Decem- ber 14, 1905, at Sharon Baptist church, by some of the leading ministers of New York city and vicinity, and passed a creditable Vol. IV- 4
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examination; the council was composed of Revs. N. S. Epps, moderator; P. J. Wallace, catechizer, and H. G. Jomes, clerk. The sermon was preached by Rev. A. D. Chandler, D. D., charge made by Rev. R. C. Wynn, D. D. When he took charge of his present parish it was in a most unsatisfactory condition finan- cially, and it was only by strenuous and untiring effort that he succeeded in placing it on its present sound basis. He is sparing neither time nor labor in the effort to build, in the near future, a more suitable and commodious place of worship. Rev. Anthony is a practical man of business as well as an excellent preacher, and under his able administration the parish is gaining strength in every direction.
BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH.
Bethany Baptist Church, located in Clermont avenue near Atlantic avenue, Brooklyn, New York, has for its present pas- tor Rev. J. Francis Blair, D. D. This congregation was organ- ized in 1887 by Rev. Ebenezer Bird, the first services being held in Cumberland Street hall for about one year then in the True Reformers' hall in Waverly avenue for a few months, then in a hall at Atlantic and Vanderbilt avenues, where they worshiped for eighteen years. The Duryea Presbyterian Church, where they now worship, was purchased January 9, 1905. This church is a brick structure, sixty-five by one hundred and ten feet in size, with a seating capacity of eight hundred persons. Rev. Bird was succeeded by Rev. R. I. Gains, who worked for the welfare of the congregation for twelve years, and was suc- ceeded by the present pastor January 1, 1902. Since taking charge of this parish, Rev. Blair's popularity has done much to place the church in its present flourishing and satisfactory condition. One hundred and seventy-five names have been added to the membership roll, and it now numbers over three hundred.
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He was also the chief instrument in raising a sum of nine thou- sand five hundred and sixty-six dollars, which was utilized in purchasing the present church, the entire cost being sixteen thou- sand dollars. The missionary Bible band is doing some excel- lent work in its field of endeavor. It is now educating a young man in the Virginia Theological College and Seminary, at Lynchburg, Virginia. There is also a Baptist Young People's Union. The average Sunday school attendance is eighty.
Rev. J. Francis Blair, D. D., pastor of the above mentioned church, was born in Augusta, Georgia, December 17, 1873. He was educated in the public and high schools of Georgia, then spent four years in the State Industrial College, located at College, Georgia. During two years of this time he was post- master of the town of College. He then taught school for two years, serving as principal of the Pollard Academy, at Harlem, Georgia, for one year, and one year as instructor in mathe- maties in the Bettis Academy at Vaucluse, South Carolina. He entered Lincoln University, Chester county, Pennsylvania, in 1895, and was graduated from that institution with the degree of A. B. at the end of three years. He was ordained to the ministry, January 25, 1900, at the Tabernacle Baptist Church, Augusta, Georgia, and his first appointment was at the Bethel Baptist Church at White Plains, New York, where he labored until called to his present pastorate. He has very acceptably filled the office of corresponding secretary of the New England Baptist Missionary Convention for four years, and is trustee of the Walker Normal and Industrial Institute, Augusta, Georgia. The degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred on him in 1904 by the Virginia Theological Seminary, Lynchburg, Virginia, and he is a yearly lecturer on theology in the latter institution. Lincoln University, his Alma Mater, conferred A. M. on him June, 1906. Rev. Blair is naturally a gifted or-
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ator; his easy flow of language and elegant diction make it remarkably pleasant and instructive to listen to his teachings, whether in the pulpit or from the chair of the professor.
He married, December 23, 1903, Annie L. Connelly, of New York city, and they have one child, James Walker, born in Brooklyn, New York, October 18, 1904.
HOLY TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH.
Holy Trinity Baptist Church, located in Classon avenue, Brooklyn, New York, has risen from small beginnings to an enviable position among the churches of Brooklyn, under the able ministrations of its pastor, Rev. S. W. Timms. The con- gregation was organized July 14, 1898, by the Rev. Drs. Dixon and Brown. Rev. S. W. Timms, who was then a licensed preacher, was the first and up to the present time the only incumbent. Services were conducted for a period of five years in a church in Ormond place at the corner of Jefferson avenue, and in 1903 the present building was purchased and occupied as a place of worship. At the time of its organization the con- gregation numbered but eight members, and it is owing to the untiring efforts of Rev. Timms that a remarkable increase in membership has been brought about, so that the roll now con- tains three hundred and twenty names. The seating capacity of the church now is four hundred and fifty, and there is an aver- age Sunday school attendance of about one hundred. The Uni- tarian church in Classon avenue was purchased in the fall of 1905 for the sum of eight thousand dollars, was then opened for public worship by this congregation, and has been occupied by them up to the present time. The organizations connected with the church are: King's Danghters, Ladies' Missionary Society, Baptist Young People's Union, Lyceum for Young People, and Junior Baptist Young People's Union.
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Rev. S. W. Timms was born in Sussex county, Virginia, June 12, 1864. His early education was received in the public schools, and that in the classics and theology was acquired under private tuition. He was licensed to preach in 1893, and six years later was ordained by Rev. Dr. Dixon, and has been pas- tor of Holy Trinity Baptist church continuously since its or- ganization. He is heart and soul in his work, and is ever ready, frequently at great personal sacrifice, to further the welfare of his parishioners. He is a fluent, eloquent preacher, and his sermons carry conviction with them. He is exceedingly popular in the parish, and his friends are to be found in every class of society.
ST. AUGUSTINE'S PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
St. Augustine's Protestant Episcopal Church, which is lo- cated in St. Edward street, Brooklyn, New York, and which was consecrated Sunday, October 21, 1906, has for its present rector Rev. George F. Miller, M. A., and as his assistant Owen M. Waller, M. D. The wardens are: Charles A. Dorsey and Charles H. Lansing. The vestrymen are: Emory Jones, Rich- ard S. Fleming, Lonis A. Jeppe, Oscar W. Fulcher, Charles E. Moore, James Phillips, Edward F. Hall.
This parish, which is now in a very flourishing condition, commenced as a small mission under the supervision of Rev. Prince T. Rogers in 1875, and was organized as a parish in 1890. The early history of the parish relates that divine serv- ices were held in private houses, rented halls and chapels, and that the force of circumstance caused frequent removals. The church was incorporated May 19, 1890, and the congregation acquired, by loan, the brick church on St. Edward street, the use of which was given gratuitously by Holy Trinity parish, as a result of the zealous efforts of Rev. Charles H. Hall, rector
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of Holy Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church, Brooklyn, New York; and services were held in that building until July 24, 1904. They were then obliged to vacate the premises owing to its being condemned by the building department. They then worshiped in St. Luke's Chapel, Grand avenue and Prospect place, until Thanksgiving day of that year, after which time their services were held in St. Phoebe's Mission, De Kalb ave- nue, until October 14, 1906. During the incumbency of Rev. W. V. Tunnell, a rectory was purchased in North Oxford street for three thousand eight hundred dollars, and since Rev. Miller has been in charge a building fund has been inaugurated, and through the efforts of the parishioners and their friends more than eight thousand dollars have been raised up to the present time (1906). Mr. George Foster Peabody, who became the owner of the St. Edwards street church, promised to deed the property to the Long Island diocese for the benefit of the St. Augustine's parish, on condition that the church increase the building fund to the amount to which it was raised-eight thon- sand dollars. On January 9, 1906, the last deposit was made in fulfilment of the conditions imposed by Mr. Peabody for the transfer of the property. The deed was delivered to Mr. Wil- helmus Mynderse, attorney for the church, on the 30th day of March. Immediately the renovation of the building was begun by the congregation, and on October 21 the congregation en- tered it the second time, this time their own by legal title, with the service of consecration.
The rectors who have ministered to the needs of the parish at various periods are as follows: Rev. Prince T. Rogers, Rev. Peter A. Morgan, Rev. Mr. Edgerton, Rev. William Holden, Rev. W. V. Tunnell, who served first as a lay reader and then as rector from 1884 until 1891. He was sncceeded by Rev. J. Pelham Williams, who served as rector from 1892 until 1895.
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