History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 86

Author: Durant, Samuel W
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 920

USA > New York > Oneida County > History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 86

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324

HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

CALVARY CHURCH (EPISCOPAL).

Calvary Church was organized in January, 1850. The first services were held by Rev. Beardsley Northrop, in a school-house on West Street. A church building, capable of seating about 300 persons, was erected on South Street in 1851. It was twice enlarged to meet the wants of the growing congregation. In 1869 a new church was com- menced, and the work was completed in 1872. The con- gregation were greatly assisted in the undertaking by liberal bequests from Jason G. Coye and George J. Hopper, Esqs., recently deceased. The new edifice is one of the most beautiful and commodious in Central New York. It is situated on the corner of South Street and Howard Ave- nue, in a very pleasant and attractive part of the city. The parish is at present in a flourishing condition, having 380 communicants, a large congregation, and a Sunday-school numbering about 400 members. Its rectors have been Rev. William A. Watson, D.D., Rev. Henry A. Neeley, D.D., the present Bishop of Maine, Rev. N. Barrows, and the present incumbent, Rev. A. B. Goodrich, D.D., who was called in 1859, and has been the pastor nearly twenty years.

ST. GEORGE'S PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCHI.

This church is situated on State Street, near the foot of Cottage. It is of wood, and will seat 400 persons,-with chancel, tower, library, vestry-room, and organ-transept. The belfry in the tower is supplied with a bell of 1500 pounds' weight, and the organ is from the mannfactory of G. N. Andrews, of Utica, and has two manuals and 26 registers. The large octagonal font of white marble is the gift of the Sunday-school, and the altar, chancel furniture, wainscoting, and pews are of choice butternut timber, the gift of Governor Seymour. The windows of the church (single-light lancets), together with the chancel window (a beautiful triplet), were all the gift of the late C. P. Davis, of Utica, stained-glass manufacturer. In the rear of the church is a wooden building, 22 by 40 feet, erected in 1873, and named the " Mission-Room," having been opened with mission services by the Rev. J. W. Bonham, Church of the Evangelist, and now used for Sunday-school, week-day ser- vices, and parochial festivals.

This parish was authorized by Bishop De Lanccy and the standing committee of the diocese in January, 1862, to replace the former parish of St. Paul's, organized in 1849, and afterwards allowed to die out. At that time all existing churches of the Protestant Episcopal com- munion were on the easterly side of Genesec Street, then in population the lesser half of the city. The building com- mittee was formed Feb. 4, 1862; the corner-stone of the church was laid by the bishop May 5; the first election of wardens and vestry took place May 19; the church was fin- ished and occupied for the first service Oct. 12, 1862, and all debts were paid off, and the church consecrated by Bishop De Lancey, June 7, 1864, 23 clergy being present and assisting.

At the same service the bishop confirmed a class of 24 persons, 12 of them heads of families.

Since that time the church has kept out of debt, and has been made a free church, being supported by what is called

the " pledge and envelope system," as well as free-will offerings at the offertory.

The organization of the parish and the building of the edifice were under the rectorship of the Rev. Dr. W. T. Gib- son, then editor of the Gospel Messenger. He was succeeded, in 1866, by the Rev. S. F. Jarvis, of Connecticut, who was soon followed by the Rev. E. W. Hager, and the latter leaving in 1873, and receiving the appointment of chaplain in the United States Navy, the parish was resumed by the Rev. Dr. Gibson, who still retains it, his connection with the Gospel Messenger having ceased in 1872.

If the name of any one layman should be singled out as coupled with this enterprise it should be that of the late Francis Ramsdell, who not only gave most largely of his moderate means, but also devoted his time and personal lahor to the work from the day of the laying of the corner- stone to its completion.

ST. LUKE'S MEMORIAL CHURCH (EPISCOPAL).

St. Luke's Memorial Church began as a mission of Grace parish in Advent, 1869, in a room fitted up for services, in St. Luke's Home for Aged Women. The services were continued there till a permanent church building became a necessity. The corner-stone of the present beautiful struc- ture was laid on the 5th of July, 1873. Services were held in the basement of the new building the following Christmas, and it was consecrated, complete in all its ap- pointments, and free from debt, St. Luke's day, Oct. 18, 1876. St. Luke's parish has gathered a congregation of devoted people, more than enough to fill the present build- ing. It is hoped soon in the future to enlarge and make room for all who may choose to come. Till the summer of 1876 the parish was served by the assistant minister of Grace Church, but since that time it has had a minister of its own, whose title is the Associate Rector of St. Luke's Memorial Church.

The present officers of the parish are as follows: Asso- ciate Rector, Bernard Schulte; Wardens, A. S. Goodwin, Joseph L. Hobson ; Vestrymen, Henry Hepson, Horatio Seymour, Jr., Richard W. Oastler, Joseph R. Swan, Jona- than Ancock, Joshua Moore, Leonard Donsbach, Thomas B. Johnston.

The parish is carried on by the free-seat system, and is supported wholly by subscription and the offertory. Its hours of services are as follows : Sundays, Holy Commu- nion, 8.30 A.M. ; Morning Prayer and Sermon, 10.30 A.M. ; Sunday-school, 2.30 P.M. ; Bible-Class, 3 P.M .; Evening Prayer and Sermon, 7.30 P.M. ; Wednesday Evening Lec- ture, 7.30 P.M.

St. Luke's Home and Hospital are charitable institutions, carried on by the church people of Utica, intended to fur- nish homes and treatment for the aged and the sick, and are managed by a board of trustees of gentlemen, and a board of 12 lady almoners for the home, and 12 or more lady managers for the hospital. The physicians of the city givo their services constantly without charge.

WELSH BAPTIST CHURCH.

This church was organized in the ycar 1801, and is the oldest church belonging to any denomination, of any nation

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

and language, in the city, and also the oldest Welsh church now existing belonging to the denomination in the country.

Although there was preaching occasionally at Whites- town as early as 1794,-perhaps earlier,-there was no church organized as yet at Old Fort Schuyler, as this place was then called. About the years 1799, 1800, and 1801, many Welsh Baptists arrived here from the principality of Wales, and, according to the custom of the religious people of this nation, they immediately commenced to hold religious services in their own language, and they prospered so marvel- ously that they soon determined to form themselves into a Christian Church. On the 12th day of September, 1801, this small band of disciples met in the log house of one of their number, Brother John Williams, where they organized as a regular Baptist Church. Their number then was only twenty.

This John Williams was living about one mile out of the then village, and near the spot where the present State Lunatic Asylum stands. The country was new, the houses were few and scattered, and built in the cheapest manner that the straitened circumstances of the times demanded. The population also was sparse; but the Welsh element was strong, and becoming stronger every year, impressing its characteristics upon and moulding the formation of the young colony.

At this point we find the church fully organized with its first officers. The names of the first deacons were Joseph Haines and David Reed. Little is known of its history during the first five years ; but in the year 1806 the young church found itself strong enough to build a house of worship. A lot was bought, upon which a house was soon erected, in which the society worshiped regularly until the year 1817,-the year the Erie Canal was begun; but as the house stood on the site of the present Hotel Street, and on the line of the canal, they were obliged to remove its location to Broadway, where it still remains.

On the 23d of September, 1819, seventeen members were dismissed from the Welsh Church to form the Broadway (English) Church, now the Tabernacle, which has become a large, influential, and wealthy congregation.

In the same year that this church was built, the first trustees were elected, and the account reads as follows :

" This certifies that the subscribers, whe were chosen as returning officers, at a meeting notified and assembled according to law, for the purpose of establishing a religious society in the village of Utica, N. Y., do hereby certify that Abraham Williams and William Francis were duly elected trustees of the society, and that the said society shall be known by the name of the First Welsh Baptist Church in Utica. Witness eur hands and seals, this 23d day of June, 1806. " DANIEL JAMES, "JOHN ADAMS."

The church has enjoyed the benefit of the services of some of the most eminent ministers of the denomination, and their ministry was greatly blessed in conversion of souls ; and during powerful revivals in the city, especially the one in 1838, its membership was largely increased. At present the number is comparatively small, for the reason that the Welsh language is losing its hold upon the rising generation, and immigration from the mother-country to these parts is almost entirely suspended. Still, the society is energetic and full of faith, keeping its regular services in

the same old language, and enjoying the ministry of their pastor, Rev. J. Edred Jones, who has occupied the pulpit for a number of years.

TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH.

Near the close of the year 1819, on motion of John Gray, the First Baptist Church, being a Welsh church, voted their cordial approbation to those of the church de- siring to unite themselves in covenant for the purpose of forming an English church, calling it the Second Baptist Church. The brethren and sisters proposing to form a second church met together and voted unanimously to call Rev. Elijah F. Willey, of Lansingburg, N. Y., to the pas- torate. He commenced his labors on the second Sunday in November, 1819. They immediately went to work to build a meeting-house. A lot was purchased on Broad Street 50 by 120 feet, and a comfortable frame house of worship was built, capable of seating about 400. Rev. Elijah F. Willey continued his services until December, 1826. To him was the church indebted for its earliest prosperity. After him came in succession Reverends John Harrison, William Hague, D.D., Elon Galusha, Edward Kingsford, Thomas Wilkes, Daniel Eldridge, Dudley C. Haynes, and Horatio N. Loring.

In 1847 the church and society, believing that the old house was not adequate to their use, with great unanimity and liberality entered upon the erection of a new brick house on the site of the old one. Sunday, January 23, 1848, services were held in the vestry. Professor George W. Eaton, D.D., of Madison University, preached morning and afternoon.

Rev. Edmund Turney accepted a unanimous call to the pastorate, entering upon its duties July 23, 1848. He con- tinued to serve the church until June, 1850, when he re- signed. Thursday, Sept. 28, 1848, the new brick edifice, being completed, was dedicated to God. Rev. Thomas O. Lincoln, D.D., was called to the pastorate in October, 1850, and served as pastor almost eleven years. Rev. Nehemiah M. Perkins accepted a unanimous call to the pastorate, and commenced his labors Lord's-day morning, Oct. 13, 1861, and resigned his pastorate in August, 1863. He died at Monroe, Conn., Aug. 20, 1863. In June, 1864, the church and society voted to vacate their house of worship and re- move to a more central location. The United States court room, in the city hall, was secured to worship in until a new house could be erected.

Rev. Alfred S. Patton, of Watertown, Mass., accepted a unanimous call to the pastorate, and entered upon his pas- toral duties Sunday morning, July 24, 1864. He closed his labors with the church June 30, 1872.

At a regular meeting of the church and society held Oct. 11, 1864, it was voted unanimously to assume the name of " "Tabernacle Baptist Church."

Thursday, Aug. 3, 1865, was the day designated for the ceremony of laying the corner-stone of the new church. At the appointed time, six o'clock P.M., there was a very large concourse of people present to witness the ceremony.

The exercises were opened by the pastor, Alfred S. Pat- ton, D.D., by reading a hymn. Prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. Campbell, of the Westminster Church. The

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

pastor then read portions of Scripture, following the same with brief comments. Rev. Dr. Vermilye, of the Reformed Church, made a very happy address. Rev. J. H. Ken- nard, D.D., of Philadelphia, also delivered an address, which was listened to with great interest. Thursday, Sept. 13, 1866, the new stone edifice was dedicated to God, with impressive exercises.

Rev. N. Reed Everts accepted a call, which was unani- mous, to the pastorate, and began his labors Lord's-day morning, Feb. 2, 1873. He tendered his resignation re- cently, which was to take effect in October of the present year.

The present officers of the church are: Deacons, Dolphus Bennett, Ira D. Hopkins, Joshua Tavender, Clark Wood, Owen Eynon; Clerk, I. D. Hopkins; Treasurer, Smith Oatley; Superintendent of the Sunday-school, George C. Horton ; Librarian, George Brand; Secretary and Trea- surer, William Paddon.

EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH.

The church on Columbia Street known as the Ebenezer Baptist was organized about the year 1835. During a pastorate that extended over a period of forty years, Elder Thomas Hill was its faithful pastor. The present pastor in charge is Rev. Silas H. Durand, who visits the church once in two months, the distance between Utica and his home rendering it impossible for him to officiate oftener. The pulpit is frequently supplied during his absence, and the church is open every Sabbath. The deacons are R. Alexander and Jacob Schactel, and the clerk J. M. Boose. There are also six trustees connected with the church or- ganization.

BLEECKER STREET BAPTIST CHURCH .*

Just at the close of the last century, and beginning of the present, when Utica was but a small village, a company of Christians, sustaining different ecclesiastical relations, established religious worship. They met in the school- house of the place, located on Maine Street. But there was no regularly organized Christian church until 1801. This church was founded Sept. 12 of that year, and was com- posed of twenty-two Welsh Baptists, who had recently emigrated from Wales. It was not only the first Baptist church, but the first church of Utica. They met in a log house on Varick Street, near the Globe Mills. In 1806 they erected a chapel on Hotel Street, on ground now occupied by the Erie Canal. This building was subsequently re- moved, and in time gave way to a more convenient house of worship. In 1819, seventeen persons were dismissed from this church to form the Second Baptist Church of Utica, located on Broad Street. The reason assigned for this step was ignorance of the Welsh language. In 1837, Dec. 3, the Second Church (now the Tabernacle Baptist Church of this city) appointed a committee to superintend religious worship in West Utica until the following May.

On the 21st of March, 1838, eleven persons met in the private dwelling of Edward Bright, to effect a permanent Baptist organization. They resolved to be known as " The Bethel Baptist Church of Utica." The name was sug-

gested by the fact that the Presbyterian Church, who formerly occupied the building, were connected with the Bethel Society, and devoted more or less labor to the wel- fare of boatmen on our canal. It was also their purpose to prosecute the same work, which they did for a number of years.

Such was the origin of the society known at present as the " Bleecker Street Baptist Church."

During the first year of their existence they entered upon the work of building a new house of worship on State Street, now occupied by our Methodist brethren. That house was dedicated Aug. 7, 1839, nearly a year and a half after the organization of the church. After wor- shiping in State Street a little over three years, the church called Rev. D. G. Corey, D.D., to its pastorate, who has continued his relations with them to the present time. Two pastors preceded him.

Rev. L. O. Lovell entered upon his labors Oct. 1, 1838, and resigned Jan. 27, 1840. Rev. Edward Bright, who was licensed to preach by the church, became its pastor Jan. 3, 1840, and resigned Nov. 12, 1841.

It being deemed expedient to change the location, the present edifice was occupied at an annual rental of $420. At the expiration of two years a subscription was raised, with a view to purchasing the building, which resulted in its transfer to the society, at a cost of $6420. The present membership is 500. Its present Deacons are W. H. Scran- ton, William B. Walling, John Ryals, J. C. Bailey, Isaac Ryals, John Eynon ; Church Clerk, John Ryals; Treas- urer, John Roberts.

The Sunday-school numbers 250 members, the officers being : Superintendent, S. U. Cookinham ; Assistant Super- intendent, C. H. Rose ; Treasurer, W. J. Fralick ; Secre- tary, Geo. J. Whiffen.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.+

In 1786 the Rev. James Carr, a Presbyterian minister from New Jersey, commenced public worship and preaching at Whitesboro'. In 1794 a church was organized there under the name of " The United Congregation of Whites- town." August 21 of that year the Rev. Bethuel Dodd was installed its pastor, it being stipulated that he should officiate two-thirds of the time in Whitesboro' and one- third in Utica, each place contributing to his support in proportion to the amount of his services it received. After a few months the arrangement was abandoned because no place for meetings could be secured here. In 1797 it was renewed, and Mr. Dodd regularly ministered to the people until his death, April 12, 1804. The congregation in Utica was incorporated as a distinct society Nov. 15, 1805, and Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, Erastus Clark, Tal- cott Camp, Apollos Cooper, Benjamin Ballou, Jr., Benja- min Plant, John C. Hoyt, Nathaniel Butler, and Solomon P. Goodrich were chosen the first trustees. The communi- cants of the church were separated into the two churches of Whitesboro' and Utica, Feb. 3, 1813, 57 constituting the latter; and among them were four elders,-Stephen Potter, Ebenezer Dodd, William Williams, and Nathaniel Butler.

# Data furnished by the pastor.

+ Data furnished by the pastor.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

The Rev. James Carnahan, D.D., LL.D., subsequently and until his death President of the College of New Jer- sey, Princeton, was settled over the one church, but two societies, Jan. 2, 1805, and preached alternately in both towns until Oct. 25, 1812, when infirm health obliged him to leave. Feb. 4, 1814, the Rev. Henry Dwight was called to the church in Utica, and about the same time Rev. John Frost was called to the church in Whitesboro'. These elergymen preached half the time in each other's pulpits until Oct. 1, 1817, when the entire failure of his voice compelled Mr. Dwight to cease public speaking. The Rev. Samuel C. Aiken, D.D., then a licentiate, en- tered on the pastorate of the church in Utica Feb. 4, 1818, and removed to Cleveland, Ohio, May, 1835. He was succeeded, May 9, 1836, by the Rev. John W. Fowler, previously of Binghamton, who retired June 15, 1841 ; by Rev. Charles S. Porter, previously of New York, March 23, 1842, and who left Jan. 13, 1844, and recently de- ceased at South Boston; by Rev. William H. Spencer, then a licentiate, Jan. 13, 1844, who removed to Milwau- kee Sept. 24, 1850, and afterwards accepted the secretary- ship of the Presbyterian Committee of Publication, and died pastor of the Westminster Church, Chicago; and by the Rev. Philemon H. Fowler, D.D., previously of the Second Church, Washington, D. C., and of the First Church, Elmira, N. Y., who began his labors here Jan. 1, 1851, and was installed Feb. 10, 1851.

Rev. Samuel P. Sprecher, of the First Lutheran Church of Albany, N. Y., was called April, 1872, as co-pastor, and Feb. 4, 1874, Dr. Fowler formally dissolved his relations with the church. The present membership is 715, and the following elders and deacons arc at present in office : Elders, M. H. Griffiths, Henry C. Beare, John B. Wells, Rubt. S. Williams, Edwin Hunt, William S. Taylor, Fran- cis M. Burdick, Norman A. Williams, Chas. C. Kel- logg ; Deacons, Hudson Bidwell, Thomas Davies, Legrand Moore.

The Sunday-school is in a prosperous condition, its present roll numbering 425 members. The Superintendent is M. H. Griffiths ; First Assistant, Francis M. Burdick ; and the Female Superintendent, Mrs. Mary W. Bussy ; Henry G. Estes is the Librarian. The church is entirely free of debt, a late indebtedness of $4000 having been canceled during the present year. In 1807 the church completed its first house of worship, of wood, and occupied it nearly twenty years.

Subsequently the society erected on Washington Street, below Liberty, a large and beautiful edifice, which was de- stroyed by fire on the night of Jan. 12, 1851. This struc- ture was one of the most elegant in the city, and was erected at a cost of $30,000, and contained an organ valued at $4000, which was also destroyed. The same year the present edi- fice upon the northwest corner of Washington and Columbia Streets was begun, and since its completion the society have worshiped within its walls.

It was determined in the fall of 1866 by the First Presbyterian Church to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of its Sunday-school. For this purpose a committee of arrangements was appointed, and a circular of invitation issued. The exercises were held at the city hall, on Sat-

urday evening, October 20, beginning at eight o'clock. Everything was planned and conducted on a scale of liber- ality befitting the dignity of the occasion. Religious ceremonies appropriate to the event were also conducted the following Sabbath.

Addresses were delivered by Judge Bacon, Robert B. Shepard, William Tracy, Hovey K. Clark, Gurdon Bur- chard, Thomas W. Seward, P. Harwood Vernon, Samuel E. Warner, John F. Seymour, Prof. Anson J. Upson, and Rev. Edward Bright.

The occasion was one of the most interesting in the history of the church.

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

The organization of the Westminster Church, in the city of Utica, seemed to be a necessity growing out of the some- what peculiar and disturbed condition of church relations existing at that time. The fact of its organization was due rather to the appreciation of this condition by persons re- siding abroad, than to any incipient measures to this end taken by those living in this community.

In September, 1843, Rev. Joshua H. McIlvaine, then preaching at Little Falls, N. Y., gave public notice that he would hold Sabbath services in the then unoccupied build- ing now used as a place of worship by the Bleecker Street Baptist Church.

As soon as a congregation was gathered, a Sabbath-school was started, which in less than two months numbered two hundred and fifty children and thirty teachers, which was superintended by Rev. Mr. McIlvaine, and by whom the necessary funds were raised, mostly from the teachers, to carry it on.

The services thus begun in September, 1843, were regu- larly continued, with increasing success, until July 23, 1844, when " The Westminster Presbyterian Society of. Utica" was formally organized, with sixty-one persons for its membership, and with the installation of Rev. Mr. McIlvaine as its pastor. Soon after this the church build- ing owned by the Universalist Society, on Devereux Street, was purchased, and immediately occupied by this new church and congregation. On Sept. 3, 1847, the connec- tion between pastor and people was terminated by the resignation of Rev. Mr. McIlvaine.

The Rev. H. S. Dickson, of Philadelphia, was chosen the second pastor of this church ; entering upon his duties Ang. 1, 1848, he was installed Oct. 31, in the same year. The membership at this time was about one hundred. The period of his pastorate was an eventful one. The church building on Devereux Street was materially enlarged and improved in 1849 ; a few years later it was totally destroyed by fire, leaving his congregation without a place for wor- ship. During the temporary occupation of the court-house for Sabbath and other services, the active business qualifi- cations of the Rev. Mr. Dickson were employed in devising and exccuting plans for the erection of its present beautiful church building at the head of Washington Street, which was completed and occupied early in 1855. This was a great undertaking for this new and, as respects numbers, comparatively feeble church. But by the persistence and enthusiasm of both pastor and people, all difficulties were

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History of Oneida County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 86

Author: Durant, Samuel W Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Fariss Number of Pages: 920

Author: Durant, Samuel W
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 920