USA > New York > Columbia County > History of Columbia County, New York. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 49
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The next pastor, Rev. David R. Frazer, was installed Feb. 5, 1868, and dismissed May 23, 1872, to accept a call to the First Presbyterian church of Buffalo. He was succeeded by Rev. Milton Waldo, D.D., installed Dec. 12, 1872, and dismissed at his request, April 27, 1875. During the two last-mentioned pastorates Abraham S. Peet, Aaron B. Scott, Sidney Seymour, Franklin II. Webb, Samuel R. Rainey, and Richard Graves, Jr., were elected elders, and Samuel Edwards and Samuel R. Rainey deacons. The present pastor, Rev. George C. Yeisley, was installed Dec. 30, 1875.
In 1876, the house of worship was enlarged and im- proved at a cost exceeding $25,000. The membership of the church as now reported on its roll is four hundred and twenty-five. The present officers of the church are Pastor, George C. Yeisley ; Elders, John Gaul, Jr., J. W. Fairfield, S. Seymour, A. B. Scott, A. S. Peets, Samuel R. Rainey, R. Graves, Jr .; Trustees, Lucius Moore, George B. Fair- field, Jason Johnson, J. N. Townsend, H. B. Miller.
The Sabbath-school was organized in 1825. The number of scholars now attending is over three hundred and fifty. Superintendents, Samuel R. Rainey, A. S. Peets, and Miss Kate B. Gaul.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The Methodist was the third church organization effected in Hudson. The date of its commencement is not pre- eisely known, but it is certain that prior to 1790 this de- nomination held meetings for worship in a house owned by Samuel Wigton, which stood on a rise of ground in Cherry alley, a short distance east of Front street.
In 1790 the society, through Mr. Wigton, applied to the proprietors of lludson for a lot on which to erect a more suitable edifice. Marshall Jenkins and Cotton Gelston,
two of the proprietors, were appointed a committee to confer with Mr. Wigton and give him " the choice of any lot not occupied for other purposes, and sufficiently large to accom- modate him and his society." The Methodists reported to the committee they had selected a lot on the southeast corner of the "Second Cross street," now Third and Diamond streets. The committee were directed by the proprietors to convey the lot to them. The deed, dated March 20, 1790, is from Marshall Jenkins and Cotton Gelston to Samuel Wigton, witnessed by Thomas Jenkins and Heze- kiah Dayton.
A small frame building, capable of seating two hundred, was soon erected on the south side of the lot adjoining Prison alley. There is no record of its cost or dedication. This was used for publie worship and all church purposes until 1825. The following are the names of the preachers who occupied the pulpit when the appointment formed a part of a large circuit. They cannot be traced back farther than 1808. It then formed part of Chatham circuit, with Smith Arnold and Friend Draper as preachers. In 1809, Zalmon Lyon and Friend Draper; 1810, Peter Moriarity and John Haskins; 1811, Seth Cronell and John B. Matthias; 1812, John Crawford and John B. Matthias ; 1813, John Crawford and Cyrus Culver. In 1814 the ap- pointment was called Hudson, with Joseph Crawford as pastor ; 1815, Phinehas Rice. In 1816 it was called Chatham and Hudson, and William Ross and Henry Eames were the preachers. ' In 1817 it was connected with Chat- ham circuit, with Phinehas Rice and Henry Eames ; 1818, Billy Hibbard and Peter Bussing; 1819, Andrew Mc- Kaine and David Brayton; 1820, William Anson and David Brayton. In 1821 it was called Chatham and Hudson, with William Anson, Gershom Pierce, and Horace Weston as preachers. In 1822 it was again called Hudson, with George Coles as pastor ; also in 1823.
In 1825 a brick church building, having about double the capacity of the old one, was erected at the corner of Diamond and Third streets, and this continued to be their place of worship for twenty-nine years .*
On the 22d of February, 1853, an agreement was entered into between the Society of Friends and the Methodist Episcopal church, by which the property belonging to the Methodist church was exchanged for a lot on Third street between Cherry alley and Union street. It being deter- mined to proceed in the erection of a new church, Allen Reynolds, S. W. Blake, and C. V. H. Morrison were ap- pointed a building committee. The church (still occupied by the society) was built at a cost of $18,500, and was dedicated June 22, 1854. Its capacity is sufficient for the accommodation of about six hundred persons.
The old church building erected in 1790, and vacated as a house of worship in 1825, was, in 1832, changed into a parsonage, and occupied as such until 1844, when it was demolished, and a good brick house was built upon the same site and for the same purpose. The preachers who have labored here since the year 1823, and until the present time, and the dates of their service, have been as follows :t
# It was afterwards occupied as a meeting-house by the Friends.
+ From 1832 to t836, both inclusive, the " Print Works" church was supplied by the Hudson ministers.
Photo. by F. Forshew, Hudson.
For half a century, Mr. Gifford has been identified with the business interests and the social life of the city of Hudson, He was born on the 7th day of July, 1796, in the town of Greenfield, Saratoga Co., N. Y. His parents, Silas and Elizabeth (Robinson) Gifford, were natives of Massachusetts; the former was born in the town of Dart- mouth, and the latter on one of the Elizabeth Islands, off New Bedford. They settled in Greenfield, Saratoga county, in 1795, where they spent the remainder of their lives, and where Elihu was reared and resided till twenty-seven years of age, following the occupation of a tanner and shoemaker, to which business he was bred by his father, who pursued the same trade. His advantages for education were quite limited, being such only as were afforded by the district schools of that day. His early ambition was to improve to the best of his ability the opportunities to acquire knowl- edge, and to strike out upon an independent course of life for himself. In July, 1817, he was united in marriage to Eliza R. Starbuck, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Starbuck, of Easton, Washington Co., N. Y. After his marriage, he continued five years in the leather and shoe business in Greenfield, at the expiration of which time he removed to Hudson, where he arrived in 1823, and bought an interest in the iron foundry, becoming a member of the firm of Starbuck, Gifford & Co., the only foundry in Hudson for years. In connection with this interest and his part in public affairs, he has been a well-known and influential citizen of Hudson from that day to this, rearing a family which have attained to respectable and honorable positions in society. For several years prior to the construction of the Boston and Albany railroad, he was engaged quite extensively in the forwarding business, shipping the produce of this country by vessels to the city of New York. In connection with
other citizens, he early took an active part in the establish- ment of railroads and other enterprises calculated for the benefit of the city. He helped to build the Hudson and Berk- shire, now the Hudson branch of the Boston and Albany railroad, of which he was a director from the organization till the road was sold and consolidated with the main Boston and Albany line. He has also been a member and director of various other corporations. He was one of the first to establish the Farmers' Bank of Hudson, immediately after the passage of the free banking law in 1839, of which he was elected the first president, and held that office for twenty-five consecutive years.
Often solicited to accept responsible positions in connec- tion with the municipal affairs of the city, he has almost uniformly declined, and has only been a few times alderman of the ward in which he resides. In connection with the schools, charitable institutions, manufacturing and commer- cial interests of the city, Mr. Gifford has been active, and done his full share to promote and advance these interests, serving as a trustee of the academy, at which several of his sons were prepared for college. He has been blessed with a family of eleven children, six sons and five daughters, all of whom have come up to respectable positions in society. The daughters were educated at the Hudson Female Acad- emy, under the direction of Rev. John B. Hague.
Mrs. Gifford has been an early and prominent member of the Baptist church, of which also several of her children are members. She has been for many years first directress of the Hudson Orphan Asylum, being the successor of Mrs. Mckinstry, who, with Mrs. T. G. Freeman, founded the institution. Sanford R. Gifford, one of the sons, is a dis- tinguished landscape painter, and has pursued his art studies in Italy and various parts of Europe.
185
IIISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
1824-25. Timothy Benedict. 1826-27. Samuel Cochrane. 1828-29. Phineas Cook. 1830-31. Cyrus Foss. 1832. S. L. Stillman. R. Little.
1850-51. David L. Marks. 1852. Daniel Smith. 1853. Thomas Lodge. 1854-55. Rufus C. Putney.
1856-57. Davis Stocking. 1858-59. T. W. Chadwick.
1860-61. John W. Beach. 1862. J. Parker.
1863-64. William M. Chipp.
1865 Delos Lull.
1866. J. K. Wardle.
C. Fuller. 1835-36. W. Thateher. J. Carley.
1867-68. Silas Fitch. 1869-70. R. Wheatley. 1871-72. P. R. Hawxhurst.
1873-75. Alex. McLean.
1876. J. C. Iloyt.
1877. A. II. Ferguson. (The present pastor.)
Other officers of the church at the present time (July, 1878) are : Local Preachers, W. P. Snyder, E. L. P. Elmer ; Exhorters, B. II. Parsons, S. E. Root ; Trustees, William Parmenter (president), J. H. Roe (treasurer), W. Van Gaasbeck (secretary), J. H. Brownell, Augustus Behrens, P. A. Miller, Thomas Tillery.
The present membership is 324. Value of church and lot, $20,000 ; parsonage, $4000. Connected with this church is a missionary society, and a Sabbath-school, auxiliary to it, has been in existence since the first occupation of the old church on Third street. The following have been the superintendents as far as we are able to find : J. W. Kim- ball, J. H. Stout, E. L. P. Elmer, S. Lawrence, John Sheldon, L. S. Hinman, T. Tilley, and J. E. McClure. Number of scholars now 230. Officers and teachers, 34.
A Methodist Protestant church formerly existed here, and there is found a record of the incorporation (May 4, 1833) of the " Trustees of the Methodist Protestant Church in the city of Hudson ;" the said trustees (elected at a meeting of the male members of the church, held April 2, 1833) being Shubael Coffin, Chauncey Derby, Moses Derby, Edmund Tibbitts, and Josiah St. John. This church and society is not now in existence, and it has been found impracticable to trace their history sufficiently to present any intelligible sketch of them.
CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The first formation of a religious society by the Episco- palians in Hudson took place soon after the year 1790, but the precise date of their church organization cannot be given. About the commencement of 1795 the society began to move in the matter of providing for themselves a permanent house of worship, and to that end, in March of that year, their vestrymen, Dr. John Talman and Mr. John Powell, made a formal petition or request to the pro- prietors that a suitable lot of land should be granted to them on which to erect the proposed edifice. A committee, consisting of Thomas Jenkins, David Lawrence, and Alex- ander Coffin, was empowered by the proprietors to confer with the vestrymen, and to decide on a lot to be given to this society, in accordance with the generous usage estab- lished as the rule of their dealings with religious denomi- nations.
The wardens made selection of a lot, but desiring after- 24
wards to change it, were permitted to do so, and then decided on the lot on the southeast corner of Second and State streets, which was conveyed to them for the society, for the erection of a church building upon it, and for no other use.
The house was commenced during 1795, but, on account of a lack of funds (mainly caused by the dishonesty of a fiduciary in whom the society had reposed perfect confi- dence), it was not completed until seven years had passed. The lot had been granted on the condition that if a church should not be erected upon it within the space of five years it should revert to the proprietors, but those liberal-minded men had no thought of profiting by the church's adversity. The edifice was first occupied for the Christmas services of 1802, and the rite of consecration was performed by the Right Rev. Bishop Moore in October, 1803. The first renting of pews took place about the same time, and pro- duced nearly the sum of three hundred dollars. Prior to their occupation of this building the society had met for worship in the old school-house on Diamond street.
The first rector of this church was the Rev. Mr. Gardner, who was succeeded in the sacred office by the Rev. Bethel Judd, who came about the close of the last century, and received a salary of $300 per annum. It was during his rectorship that the incorporation of the church was effected. May 5, 1802, the male members of the church met to take measures to secure such incorporation (under the act of March 27, 1801), and to elect two church-wardens and eight vestrymen. The Rev. Mr. Judd presided. John Powell and Hezekiah L. Hosmer were elected wardens, and John Talman, Henry Malcolm, Chester Belding, John Kemper, Henry Dibblee. Richard Bolles, James Hyatt, and James Nixon, Jr., vestrymen. These and their successors were incorporated as " The Rector, Wardens, and Vestry of Christ Church in the city of Hudson," and the incorporation was certified and recorded the following day, May 6, 1802.
It was also during Mr. Judd's ministry-in 1803-that a charity school was established under the auspices of the church ; sermons being preached monthly in its behalf, and collections being taken on these occasions for its support. As many as forty scholars at one time received instruction by these means. The object was a noble and benevolent one, particularly for that early time, when, and for years afterwards in the city of Hudson, little or no thought seems to have been given by the public to the free education of the children of the poor. The society also organized a Sunday-school at so early a date that it is said to have been the first one formed in the State, outside the city of New York.
The successors of Mr. Judd in the rectorship during the next half-century were the Revs. Prentice, Cooper, H. Cros- well, Bedell, Stebbins, Andrews, Cairns, Pardee, Babbitt, Isaac N. Tuttle, and William Watson. Mr. Watson re- signed in March, 1862, and the Rev. George F. Seymour became rector October 1, in the same year. He resigned October 3, 1863, and was succeeded, May 1, 1864, by the Rev. William Ross Johnson. After him came the Revs. Curtis T. Woodruff, May 1, 1870; Theodore Babcock, May 15, 1872; and Robert E. Terry (the present rector), in January, 1876.
1833. S. L. Stillman. Il. Humphreys. 1834. II. Ilatfield.
1837-38. John Trippett. 1839-40. Seymour Landon. 1841. Joseph D. Marshall. 1842-43. John Crawford (2d). 1844-45. Elijah Crawford.
1846-47. Thomas Bainbridge. [848-49, George Coles.
186
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
The society's present house of worship, a large stone edifice of remarkable symmetry, and oeeupying a beautiful site upon the southeastern corner of East Court and Union streets, was completed in 1857, and was consecrated in October of that year by the Right Rev. Bishop Potter. The cost of this church, including that of the lots on which the chapel and reetory have since been erected, was about $30,000.
During the rectorship of the Rev. Mr. Seymour the society built a briek chapel near the cemetery, on land sold nearly ninety years ago, by Captain John Hathaway, to the Hudson Aqueduet Association. In this chapel a week-day service and a Sunday-afternoon service are held regularly.
The Sunday-school attendance is about thirty-five teach- ers and three hundred seholars.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH OF HUDSON
was organized at the court-house, Aug. 28, 1810. It con- sisted of twelve persons, namely, John Capron, William Foster, Charles Brown, Abraham Butts, Lyman Webster, Hester Brown, Doreas Butts, Peggy Hathaway, Rebecca Bolles, Esther Smith, Mary Tracy, and Mary Skinner. Rev. Henry Jenks was the first pastor; the dates of his ministry are not known.
Twenty ministers have served in the pastorate, viz., Revs. Henry Jeuks, James Ogilbie, Avery Briggs, Howard Mal- colm, Ebenezer Loomis, William Richards, Israel Robards, Moses Field, John Gibbs, E. D. Towner, T. G. Freeman, Leroy Church, George W. Hervey, William P. Smith, W. C. Ulgatt, George W. Folwell, N. K. Bennett, G. W. Clowe, D. Cary, and W. H. Wines.
The early services of the church were held in a school- house on Union street, between Second and Third streets. The first house of worship was opened for publie service June 7, 1818, on the corner of Fourth and State streets. This house was ereeted at the joint expense of the church and the Lancaster society, the lower part being used for the Lancaster school. The present church edifice was erected during the ministry of Rev. W. C. Ulgatt, on the corner of Union street and City Hall place, and it was dedicated Oct. 4, 1861. Rev. William Hague, D.D., preached the sermon, and the prayer of dedication was offered by Rev. G. W. Folwell, pastor of the church. In the evening of the same day services of recognition of the pastor were held, Rev. William Groome, Jr., preaching the sermon.
The following are the officers of the church at the pres- ent time: Pastor, W. II. Wines ; Deacons, Robert Roberts, R. B. Benedict, A. J. Rowles ; Clerk, Milo P. Moore ; Trns- tees, S. L. Magoun, R. B. Benediet, J. W. French, A. J. Rowles.
Up to the present time eleven hundred and ninety-six persons have united with the church, seven hundred and eighty-thrce of whom united by baptism. The present number is two hundred.
The Sabbath-school was organized May, 1821, under the ministry of Rev. Howard Malcolm, D.D. Mr. Van -- was the superintendent ; Mrs. Howard Malcolm was lady superintendent.
The officers at the present time are: Superintendent,
A. J. Rowles ; Lady Superintendent, Miss Sophia Peake ; Librarian, Charles Deweese. Number of teachers, twenty ; number of scholars, one hundred and seventy-five; books in library, five hundred.
THE FIRST UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY AND CHURCH OF THE CITY OF HUDSON
(such is its corporate name) was organized March 17, 1817, at which time or shortly afterwards seventy-nine persons signed the compact and declaration of faith.
The first pastor was Rev. Joshua Flagg; and Gayer Gardner, Hezekiah Dayton, Miron Aely, Joseph Watson, William R. Maey, Peter Taylor, and William Bates were the first trustees. The deed of the original church lot, situated at the southwest corner of Third and Allen streets, bore date May 28, 1817, and was a gift from Captain John Hathaway. He died in the following March, and the dis- course delivered over his remains was the first funeral ser- mon preached in the house of worship. The building, now St. Mary's school-house, cost $3000.
Previously to its erection, the Universalists held religions services in the court-house. A document still preserved leaves little doubt that Rev. Abner Kneeland was regularly employed during a part of that time ; but whether any other it is impossible now to determine. Rev. Joshua Flagg elosed his pastorate in October, 1817, shortly after the consecration of the church edifice, and was succeeded by Rev. David Pickering, then in his prime, whose services, extending through nearly six years, were eminently condu- cive to the prosperity of the church. He was followed, in 1823, by Rev. Thos. F. King, father of the distinguished Thos. Starr King, who about a year later was succeeded by Rev. Richard Carrique, whose pastorate of a single year gave place to eivic honors which he continued to enjoy in the city to the close of his life. Early in 1825, Rev. Mr. King returned to his charge, and during nearly three and a half years more he performed its duties. Another ex- pastor then returned,-Rev. Joshua Flagg,-and at the expiration of a year he gave place to Rev. T. J. Whitcomb. Under Mr. Whitcomb, in August, 1830, the Sabbath- school was organized, with the pastor as superintendent. Rev. William Whittaker succeeded in September, 1832, without any interval, and continued in charge six years. Then, after Rev. D. Acly's brief term of eighteen months, Rev. Clement F. Le Fevre, still living, and wearing weekly his deserved honor of D.D., served the parish four years, endearing himself to all. Another term of eighteen months was then filled by Rev. B. B. Bunker, when Rev. Gamaliel Collins, now, and during the war, a chaplain in the United States army, gave six years of most efficient service, retiring to accept a charge in Philadelphia. Under him the Sab- bath-school attained to large numbers and usefulness. Revs. L. C. Browne, Thos. Borden, A. R. Abbott, and Nelson Snell followed in the order named. The present pastor, Rev. Charles W. Tomlinson, is now in the eleventh year of his service.
In February, 1869, the new house of worship, situated upon the north side of Warren street, near Fifth, was dedi- cated ; the sermon upon that occasion being preached by the pastor. The corner-stone had been laid in October,
187
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
1867. It is in the Romanesque style, with spacious audi- torium, fine organ, and well-appointed lecture and class- rooms. Its cost was nearly $40,000, and it was entirely freed from debt the year following its completion. The parish also owns a fine brick parsonage adjoining the church, valued at $9000, which, together with extensive improve- ments upon it and a fund for its preservation, was the gen- erous gift of Miss Sarah A. Gage. Hon. Robert McKin- stry, long one of Hudson's most honored business men, and for more than fifty years a trustee of the parish, bequeathed to the churel:, subject to certain life claims, a residuary sum of $20,000. Thus there is an unincumbered church property of about $70,000.
The present deacons are Lemuel Holmes and Richard Macy ; trustees, J. W. Hoysradt, H. W. Rogers, C. H. Evans, Lemuel Holmes, C. C. Terry, W. H. Crapser, and C. A. Van Deusen. C. C. Terry is the superintendent of the Sabbath-school, having twenty-five teachers and officers to assist him. The pupils number about one hundred and forty. There are nearly eight hundred volumes in the Sunday-school library, and over five hundred more in that of the Young People's Union. The latter organization was accomplished three years ago, through the labors of the present pastor, and is intended to serve the social and in- tellectual needs especially of the young. Hon. J. W. Hoysradt is president of the Union.
Mrs. Sally Mckinstry, ever active in good works, was the founder of the Hudson Orphan Asylum, and her last evening on earth was spent in its service. Her husband, Hon. Robert Mckinstry, took up the tasks which fell from her hands, and his last earthly work was also done for that institution.
THE REFORMED CHURCH IN HUDSON .*
Believing that there existed room and necessity for another church organization in Hudson, a few individuals, then connected with the Presbyterian church, met, in the summer of 1835, at the office of Joseph D. Monell for consultation. The meeting was composed of Joseph D. Monell, John Gaul, Killian Miller, Stephen W. Miller, A. V. V. Elting, William E. Heermance, and James E. Delamater.
Desirous that the new organization should be of the Reformed Dutch order, they, with other citizens, made application to the classis of Rensselaer, and, September 20, 1835, a society was organized by a committee consisting of the Rev. Messrs. Andrew N. Kittle, Peter S. Wynkoop, and Richard Sluyter, as the Reformed Protestant Dutch church of Hudson. A sermon was preached on the occa- sion by the Rev. Peter S. Wynkoop.
Their first services were held in the old court-house, and the first sermon was preached by the Rev. John B. IIar- denburgh, D.D., then of Rhinebeck, afterwards of New York city. The first consistory ordained was composed of the following persons, viz. : Elders, John Watrous, A. V. V. Elting, Jonathan Stow, Thomas F. Mesick ; Deacons, Robert D. Van Deusen, Jacob C. Everts, Jacob Van Deusen.
The first pastor, the Rev. George II. Fisher, was called from the First Reformed Dutch church of Fishkill, and was installed on the 20th of October, 1835, upon which occasion a sermon was preached by the Rev. Christopher Hunt, from John ii. 17. The form was read and the charge to the pastor was delivered by the Rev. A. N. Kittle, the charge to the congregation being delivered by the Rev. Richard Sluyter.
Mr. Fisher was dismissed to become pastor of the Broome Street church, New York, Dec. 28, 1841.
After the sale of the court house, the congregation met on several Sabbaths in the Baptist church. St. John's hall was then occupied until the completion of the present church edifice, which was built in 1836, under the direction of a building committee composed of Stephen W. Miller, Joseph D. Monell, James E. Delamater, William E. IIeer- mance, Abraham V. V. Elting. It was dedicated Dec. 18, 1836, when a sermon was preached by Rev. John H. Van Wagenen, pastor of the church at Linlithgo, from John x. 22 : " And it was at Jerusalem, the feast of the dedica- tion, and it was winter." The Lord's Supper was adminis- tered for the first time on the last Lord's day in January, 1836. At that time there were seventeen communicants, and at the first renting of pews the society numbered about fifty. The second pastor, the Rev. John Gosman, D.D., was called from the Reformed Dutch churches of Coeymans and New Baltimore, and installed May 15, 1842, the installation services being performed by the Rev. Andrew N. Kittle. After ten years of service with this church, the state of Dr. Gosman's health compelled him to ask a release from the pastoral charge, which was granted April 20, 1852.
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