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 64
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" There is as yet no occupant of the pulpit, but under- neath sits the voorleser (we will suppose William Van Ness, who held the office for thirty-three years, or Stephen Fonda, or William Ten Broeck, or, at a still later date, Robert Van Deusen, father of our present beloved elder of that name). He begins the service by reading the Serip- tures, including the Commandments. Then he gives out a psalm, and, in old-fashioned though not unpleasing style of simple music, leads the tune for his choir (who are, as it should be, the whole congregation). All this is in Dutch, of course, and, if the period be not more than sixty or seventy years ago, promotes the amusement quite as much as the edification of the ' Young America' of that day, as they sit hidden away in their high-walled pews. During the singing the dominie enters. We will suppose it to be Dominie Gebhard in his prime. Rather below the medium height and correspondingly slim, with nimble step he advances up the aisles, bowing to right and left after the old German custom, and pausing a moment at the bot- tom step of the pulpit to reverently hold his hat before his eyes and offer prayer. As he rises to conduet the service, we catch a sight of his mild and cheerful face and small but bright eye, white eravat, and ' baffy'; and soon, with a clear voice and animated gesticulation, he begins his sound and pious discourse, in the Low Dutch or the Ger- man, as the ease may be. Though not lengthy for the period, our modern taste would doubtless cut it down to one-half its duration.
" Every Sabbath is a baptismal day; and yet, behold the long line of parents and sponsors bringing their chil- dren to the Lord ! One, two, six, twelve! and next Sab- bath shall, perhaps, witness as many more infants sealed to Christ. It was no uncommon thing for the baptismal 'record to be increased by the addition of over one hundred names in the course of a year. An instance is related by Rev. Dr. Currie, where thirty-six children were baptized at one service in the church of Taghkanie by Dominie Geb- hard. These, with the parents and godparents, must have made a company of at least one hundred.
"And now the deacons step forth with their money-bags, suspended to long poles, and furnished with little jingling bells that make a suggestive sound as they pass from pew to pew. Or, it is communion Sunday. Rank after rank of communicants are summoned from their seats, and in turn surround the table, where the elements are distributed to each by the hand of the dominie himself. Nor is it neces- sarily the Sabbath. Christmas, New Year's day, Good Friday, Easter, and Whitsunday are feast-days by appoint- ment and usage. Or, it is cateehetical exercise. There
# It is hardly probable that these bricks came from Holland, as some claim, since their appearance is just like the bricks made in this country.
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
are no Sabbath-schools yet. Robert Raikes had not gathered his little vagrant neighbors about him till this building was fourteen years old. The dominie is all the Sunday-school the children know, as they sit in awestruck lines before him, and lisp in Dutch the long and intricate answers of the Heidelberg Catechism. He is superintend- ent, teacher, library, singing-book, and child's paper to them, and, I am afraid, picnic and Christmas-tree also.
"Such are some of the scenes which pass before us in solemn and tender recollection as we sit here to-day amid scenes so like and yet so changed. The same blue heaven above us, the same walls about us, the same trees over- shadowing us, the same mountains reposing in the distance, the same church with its doctrine and worship, the same families occupying these seats, bearing the same time- honored names of Van Rensselaer, Van Deusen, Miller, Esselstyne, Ten Broeck, Delamater, Philip, Leggett, Deder- ick, Livingston, Smith, Schumacher, Sharp, Snyder, Sag- endorf, Mesick, Ostrander, Race, Myers, Rossman, Hols- apple, Poucher, Groat, Fonda, Emerick, Link, Melins, Skinkle, Root, Clapper, Vandeboe, Hess, Ham, Hoffman, Heermance, Williams, Rowley, Cole, Martin, Best, Brown, Coventry, Kilmer, Stickles, Gardiner, Bennet, Niver, Storm, Jordan, Pitcher, Lasher, Milham, Dickie, and more than I can now take time to mention. And yet the men are changed in person, speech, garb, and largely in their ideas and spirit (whether for the better or the worse we shall not undertake to say) ; the house itself enlarged, remodeled, and adorned; the apostolic succession of Duteh pastors still maintained, but a voice in the pulpit to which the language of the 'Faderland' were a strange speech. The old red brick parsonage, with its gambrel roof, which used to stand behind the pear-trce in the garden, has given way to yonder embowered residence; the landscape, with its cleared fields and modern houses, the colossal institute, and the swift and thundering railway trains, are scarcely recognizable."
Two years after the building of the mecting-house the church passed through a quarrel, which checked its pros- perity and probably hastened the retirement of Dominie Freyenmoet, in 1770. This arose from the organization of the Krum church in Hillsdale, which was made up largely of members from the Claverack church who had withdrawn for this purpose, and which made it burden- some for the mother church to maintain a pastor on such ® conditions as she desired. A pastoral vacancy of six years ensued, during which Dominie Gerbhard, Daniel Cock, of Germantown, and others from neighboring churches, held occasional services.
Meantime, the events of the Revolution had forced John Gabriel Gebhard, the young pastor of a German Reformed church in New York city, to flee to Kingston for safety. From there he came to Claverack, on a call extended by the church, and entered upon his duties as pastor July 4, 1776. He was a man of liberal attainments and sound judgment, and having a kind and affectionate nature, was soon cuabled to harmonize the troubles of the church, which then entered upon a career of peace and prosperity, which has been uninterrupted to the present day.
" He shared, as it behoved him to do, the proverbial
thrift of the German race. His salary was only one hun- dred and thirty pounds a year, and never reached more than four hundred dollars with the parsonage. Still he was enabled, by prudent management, with the additional proceeds of a small patrimony, to given seven sons a elas- sical and professional education, and prepare them for emi- nence in their respective professions, and at least two of them for distingnished honors in public life."
Dominic Gebhard's field of labor was very extensive, and in the troublous times of the Revolution was attended by dangers which often imperiled his life. Besides his own charge, he supplied the Ghent church, and statodly preached in Hillsdale and Taghkanie. " It was his lot to sce several generations of his parishioners, and, in several instances, he baptized the great-grandchildren of those whom he had united in marriage. His labors were greatly blessed in the ingathering of members into the church, five hundred and fifty-four having been received in all. The most fruitful years appear to have been 1786 and 1808, in each of which twenty-nine confessed their faith.
" Thus the good and well-beloved pastor labored on for nearly fifty years, when he was declared emeritus by the classis, and in about fifteen months thereafter was declared emeritus by a higher authority, and released by gentle death from his earthly work. His sepulchre is among us, his descendants are many of them still around the old home- stead, and his works survive him."
Ten years before the elose of Dominie Gebhard's minis- try, Richard Sluyter, then a young man in the full vigor of life, became his colleague, and afterwards succeeded to the pastorate of the church. He was possessed of an un- usual combination of qualities which eminently fitted him to take up the work of his esteemed predecessor. He at once began his labors with great zeal, and instituted revival measures which were prolific of the most gratifying results. He went to every part of his broad parish, holding meet- ings every night in the week, and visiting house after house during the day. In 1821 commenced a series of revivals, which, with slight interruptions, continued twenty years, and brought constant additions to the church membership. During his pastorate of twenty-eight years nearly eleven hundred were received into the communion of the Clav- crack church. Through his efforts the church became a member of the classis of Rensselaer, and the house was modernized to conform to the changes of time. What with English preaching, revival-meetings, and other changes, he may be said to have inaugurated a new era in the history of the church.
" A great work which Mr. Sluyter did for Claverack was the establishment of Sabbath-schools. Strange to say, he met with opposition in this work, and actually paid from his own funds Mr. Wymans, the district teacher, to take charge of and give instruction. He procured a small build- ing, and taught himself the colored people in the truths of the gospel in language adapted to their capacities on Sab- bath afternoons, having first called upon their masters solieit- ing the privilege. He expended one hundred dollars in having catechisms printed to furnish the different neigh- borhoods of lis congregation with catechetical'instruction ; and he often bought hymn-books and presented them to the
RESIDENCE OF J. W. LOCK WOOD, PHILMONT, N. Y.
FF
LITH BY LN EVERTS @ Čo., PHILA, PA
RESIDENCE BELONGING TO THE PHILMONT PAPER COMPANY, PHILMONT, COLUMBIA CO, N. Y.
RESIDENCE OF DAVID CREGO, CLAVERACK, COLUMBIA CO., N.Y
LITH BY L. H EVERTS & CO PHILA. PA
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
young people to induce them to join the choir. He was himself, like his predecessor, a gifted musician. His voice in singing was so exquisitely soft and melodious as to have become noted even where he was personally unknown, and persons who took no interest in religion would come to church in the most rainy weather simply to hear the domi- nie sing."
Mr. Sluyter's active and successful ministry was closed by his death, July 25, 1843, but the memory of his busy and self-sacrificing life is yet reverently cherished by the church, and by those he assisted in their efforts to secure an education.
In January, 1844, the Rev. Ira Condict Boice com- menced his pastoral labors, which continued fifteen years, and which added one hundred and thirteen members to the church. He was an energetic man, and did much to pro- mote the temporal affairs of the church, building a new parsonage whose beauty of situation and tastefulness are seldom surpassed. He followed the examples of his prede- cessors in taking an active interest in the cause of education, and through his efforts the Hudson River Institute, with its extensive purposes and broad aims, was founded.
In 1859 the Rev. A. P. Van Gieson, a graduate from the theological seminary at New Brunswick, in the class of 1852, became the pastor of the church, continuing with it until 1865. He was succeeded May 3, 1866, by the Rev. F. N. Zabriskie, who remained until March, 1872. The present pastor, the Rev. John W. Schenck, became connected with the church in September, 1872. The aggregate mem- bership of the church since its organization numbers sev- eral thousand, and from its fold have gone members to form seven distinct churches of the Reformed denomination, and many to other churches. At present there are two hundred and twenty-five members, having the following consistory : Elders, Stephen Rossman, John Sharp, Frederick Snyder, Sylvester Milham ; Deacons, Nelson Sagendorph, Edward A. Best, Charles Myers, and Benjamin S. Mesick.
The church has one thousand sittings, and with the ad- joining parsonage and glebe, containing twenty acres, is estimated worth thirty thousand dollars.
Four Sunday-schools are maintained by the church, which are at present superintended by A. J. Bristol, Peter S. Fingar, Peter E. Sagendorph, and Nelson Sagendorph.
The cemetery north and west of the church was set aside in 1767; the new part, on the east, in 1861. It contains the graves of Dominies Gebhard and Sluyter, of the talented William W. Van Ness, and of hundreds from the Van Rensselaer, Livingston Bay, Jordan, Esselstyne, Van Wyck, Delameter, Hoffman, Miller, Philip, Sharp, Mesick, and other distinguished families of the town. The cemetery is controlled by the consistory of the church, and is a very quiet and beautiful spot, although not so neatly kept as some other cemeteries in the county.
THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF ST. THOMAS, AT CHURCHTOWN,
was organized some time before 1750. That year the society, which was composed of members living many miles around, erected its first house of worship. It was an unassuming building in the architecture of that period, and was used
until 1836, when the present house was erected. This was modernized and enlarged in 1860, and is now a spacious two-story frame edifice, with accommodations for five hun- dred persons. Adjoining is a comfortable parsonage. The joint value of the two is estimated at twelve thousand dollars. There is also a cemetery in connection, which has been enlarged to contain about two acres, in which repose the remains of Deacon Lodowick Potts, who died in 1847, aged eighty-three years ; and Pastors John F. Ries, John G. F. Uhl, and Jacob Berger, all of whom gave the church faithful service.
The first pastor of the church was the Rev. John F. Rics, who continued this relation from 1760 until his death, in 1791. The Rev. John Frederick Ernst suc- ceeded next, in 1793. At this time there were eighty- seven members, and the following official board : Trustees, William Melius, William Becker, Jacob Carner ; Elders, Jacob Rossman, Peter Miller, and Simon Michael; Deacons, William Butz, Frederick Flint, V. Miller, and Peter Lowry. Upon the close of his pastorate the Rev. John G. F. Uhl assumed the office, and ministered to the people for thirty- five years. Ile died in June, 1845. The subsequent pas- tors, in the order of their connection, have been the Revs. J. Berger, H. Wheeler, J. C. Duy, Levi Schell, J. A. Rosen- berg, and the present, C. Diefendorf.
The aggregate membership of the church since its organ- ization has been very large, and at present numbers three hundred and fifty. The official board is constituted of Elders Robert Hamn, Isaac Hallenbeck, and Henry Niver ; Deacons James Ham and Wm. Miller; and Trustees John Cookingham, Reuben Miller, and Leonard Miller.
The services of the church for the first half-century were in the German language, but are now in the English, to conform to the changes in the population of this section.
A good Sunday-school, having one hundred and twenty- five members, of which Richard Miller is superintendent, is maintained.
THE SECOND REFORMED (DUTCHI) CHURCH OF CLAV- ERACK, AT MELLENVILLE.
This body was organized, on a petition to the Rensselaer classis, in December, 1838. The original membership was composed of one hundred and twelve persons, ninety-one of whom were dismissed from the church of Claverack for the purpose of forming a new church ; three from Ghent; six- teen from the Krum church, in Hillsdale; and twe from Kinderhook. The first consistory was formed December 24, and was composed of Elders James Philip, Joseph Horton, Philip Bloom, and Isaac A, Pinney ; Deacons Aaron O. New, George F. Tator, David S. Ten Broeck, and Jeremiah G. Philip. They were ordained to their respect- ive offices by the Rev. R. Sluyter, Dec. 25, 1838.
A plain house of worship had been erected, at Mellen- ville, the same year, the corner-stone baving been laid on the 4th of July. On the 13th of December, 1838, this house was dedicated, the sermon being delivered by the Rev. Richard Sluyter, and addresses by Revs. Jacob Berger and Peter Wyukoop.
The Rev. Sluyter served the new church in the capa-
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
city of stated supply until 1842, when the Rev. P. S. Wynkoop assumed charge until the fall of the year.
On the 18th of October, 1842, the Rev. John Van Der- woort was installed as the first regular pastor. This relation he maintained four years, and was succeeded, March 25, 1845, by Rev. John S. Himrod, whose pastorate extended until 1831. Rev. John H. Pitcher was installed to the pastoral office Jan. 28, 1852, and continued in that capa- city until 1861. Oct. 22, 1862, the Rev. A. J. Sebring was installed, and has since that period rendered the church faithful and efficient service as pastor.
Under the ministrations of the foregoing more than four hundred and seventy members have been added to the church, most of them uniting on confession of faith ; and although many changes have taken place, the membership yet numbers nearly two hundred, and the church is to-day a vigorous body. During Mr. Sebring's pastorate about forty thousand dollars has been raised for various church purposes, besides remodeling the meeting-house in 1868, at a cost of three thousand dollars. The edifice is neat and attractive without being imposing, and is estimated worth seven thousand dollars. There are sittings for five hundred persons. Convenient to the church is the parsonage, which was erected soon after the meeting-house, and which was put in thorough repair in 1874. It is estimated worth two thousand five hundred dollars.
The consistory is at present composed of President, Rev. A. J. Sebring ; Elders, E. L. Demarest, Albert C. Os- trander, Almon Harder, and George M. Harder ; Deacons, Wm. A. Harder, Jr., Henry Miller, James Rogers, and Eugene Gardner.
Two excellent Sunday-schools are maintained by the church,-one at Mellenville, having Aaron Philip as super- intendent, and one in Philmont, under the superintendence of George M. Harder. The aggregate attendance is about one hundred and eighty scholars.
THE WEST HILLSDALE BAPTIST CHURCH, AT MARTIN- DALE, IN CLAVERACK,
was organized at Craryville in 1803, with eight members. A society was duly incorporated June 1, 1833, which, in 1854, erected the present house of worship. It is an at- tractive frame edifice, forty by sixty feet, very pleasantly located in the southern part of the hamlet of Martindale, and was dedicated in June of the following year by Rev. George C. Baldwin, D.D., assisted by Rev. Reuben Jef- frey, of Albany. Adjoining the church is a comfortable parsonage, and on the opposite side of the street the church cemetery. The property is valued at ten thousand dol- lars. The society also retains its interest in the old Hills- dale house, and has an interest in the chapel at Philmont, at both of which places services are statedly held.
The church numbers ninety-four communicants, and is at present (1878) officered by Pastor, D. W. Sherwood ; Deacons, Benson Simpson and Julius Snyder; and Church Clerk, Benson Simpson. The Sabbath-school was organized nearly thirty years ago, and at present has fifty-five mem- bers. A good library is maintained.
The church has enjoyed several notable revivals, the one in 1842 resulting in seventy-one baptisms, and at subsequent
periods the church has been greatly strengthened by revival efforts.
The pastoral connection since 1803 has been as follows : Revs. John Gano, Calvin Philo, - Hart, - Orchard, Samuel Pomeroy, Milo B. Tremain, Samuel S. Mallory, Peter Prink, John W. Van Horn, J. W. Starkweather, Martin L. Fuller, Daniel Robinson, William Garnett, John F. Lagrange, John H. Kent, Solomon Gale, Wm. Isaacs Loomis, James A. Metz, James W. Grant, and the present, Daniel W. Sherwood.
THE PHILMONT METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI.
This body was organized in 1842, as the Mellenville Methodist Episcopal church, with a board of trustees composed of Adam Miller, Jeremiah Jones, A. P. Whitney, John W. Knapp, and Daniel B. Stone. The same year a frame meeting-house was erected in the village of Mellen- ville, which was used for worship until 1872, when it was demolished, and a part of the material used in the construc- tion of a very fine chapel in the village of Philmont. The house is thirty six by sixty-eight feet, and is surmounted by a shapely tower. There are four hundred sittings. The cost of the edifice complete was eight thousand four hundred dollars. Impressive dedicatory services were held Dec. 19, 1872, by Bishop Harris, D.D. At this time thic corporate title of the trustees was changed from Mellen- ville to Philmont. The trustees at present are L. B. Sny- der, G. B. Nickerson, Edward Herrick, Marcus Sherwood, and J. S. Parks. The members number one hundred and seven.
The clergy of the church have been, since 1845, Revs. Adee Vail, George C. Bancroft, John Campbell, Denton Keeler, John Davies, David Hervey, Jr., Aaron Hunt, Jr., David Lyman, James G. Bates, De Loss Lull, Amos N. Mulnix, Oscar Haviland, E. Ashton, and David Gibson. Until this period, 1868, the church was served in connec- tion with the one at Harlemville as a circuit. The circuits being re-adjusted, Philmont-then Mellenville-was con- nected with Claverack in forming a new circuit. Since that time the pastors have been Revs. Quincy J. Collins, Thomas Lamont, G. W. Koapp, G. D. Townsend, and the present (1878), R. H. Travis.
A good Sunday-school is maintained by the church. John Philip is the superintendent, and there are one hundred and fifty scholars in attendance.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF CLAVERACK.
The present society was legally organized in 1860, mainly through the efforts of President Flack, of the Hudson River Institute, with twenty members. An un- assuming but comfortable meeting-house was erected the same year in the village of Claverack, at a cost of nearly seven thousand dollars. It has sittings for three hundred persons. The church numbers at present about seventy- five members, and is connected with Philmont in forming a circuit, having sustained that relation since 1868. The circuit parsonage is at Claverack, and is a neat and tasty house.
As early as 1837 ministers were appointed to the Clav- crack circuit; the first appointec being Rev. Joseph B.
EF
EF
DRAWN BY H ROGERS
RESIDENCE & HOSIERY MILL OF GEO. W. PHILLIP, PHILMONT, COLUMBIA CO., N.Y.
LITH BY LH EVERTS & CO., PHILA. PA
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Wakeley. The Revs. William Gothard and Hiram Lamont were also appointed, the latter in 1840. From that period until 1859 the church at Mellenville represented the Methodist interest in town. In 1859 the Rev. James G. Bates began his labors, which resulted, a year later, in the formation of the church, as above stated. Since 1860 the clergy of the church have been Revs. James N. Shaf- fer, Charles W. Lyon, W. S. Bouton, W. E. Clark, Quincy J. Collins, Thomas Lamont, G. W. Knapp, G. D. Townsend, and, in 1878, R. H. Travis.
TRINITY CHURCH ( PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL) OF CLAV- ERACK.
Prior to 1853 occasional Episcopal services were held in the old stone chapel on the Flack place. But in 1853 the Rev. Fred. T. Tiffany began his missionary labors in the village of Claverack, which resulted in the formation of a parish, July 23, 1856, organized as follows : Rector, Fred. T. Tiffany ; Wardens, Daniel B. Stow, Jabez Parsons ; Vestrymen, John Rowley, John A. Labagh, Horatio G. Adams, Isaac L. Shaw, Fred. Mesick, A. K. Hadly, W. HI. Clark, and David Crego.
In 1858 a very neat chapel, with one hundred and thirty sittings, was crected, costing five thousand dollars, which was consecrated in 1866, by Bishop Potter, of New York. The Rev. Tiffany's rectorship continued until his death, Sept. 2, 1863. From that time until 1865 the parish was vacant. That year the Rev. Frank Harrison became the rector, remaining until October, 1867. His successor was the Rev. John Downie, until January, 1870. In July following the Rev. William C. Prout became the rector, and served the parish until 1877. Next followed the Rev. E. A. Hartman, who remained but a few months.
In October, 1877, the Rev. Joseph Hooper was called to the spiritual leadership of the parish, and is the present rector. The parish numbers sixteen families and thirty- four communicants. A Sunday-school, having forty mem- bers, is maintained.
The present parish officers are: Rector, Joseph Hooper ; Wardens, W. HI. Philip, H. G. Adams; Vestrymen, J. J. Studley, Fulton Ludlow, Wm. A. Tiffany, and F. J. Studley.
THE MILITARY HISTORY
of Claverack embraces some of the stirring events of the Revolutionary period. Although the town was not the thea- tre of any engagements between the contending armies, its inhabitants were open and avowed in their expressions of loyalty to the American cause, and not a few hastened to its defense and took an active part in several of the great battles of that war. Col. Henry Van Rensselaer, Peter Van Rensselacr, Capt. George Philip, Lients. Thomas Williams and Peter Mesick, Major Richard Esselstyne, Michael Hess, Jeremiah Miller, and others, may be named in this connection. John Jacobie was one of the party of the "Sons of Liberty" that tore down the statue of King George and transformed the leaden image into bullets. He also participated at Saratoga. Charles Jenkins was taken prisoner by the British, and for nearly a year was confined in the " old sugar-house" in New York. He finally escaped through a window of the building, and through the kind-
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