History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 77

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1336

USA > New York > Orange County > History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 77

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The class from which the society sprung held its first meeting (1786) at the house of Elnathan Foster, which occupied the site on which the First Presby- terian Church edifice now stands. The old Lutheran church and the old clothing store-house were also used when the circuit preachers visited the station, and after the erection of the academy the services were held in the upper room of that building. Sub- sequently the old McIntosh house was occupied. Im- mediately after the organization of the society it was

* See Chapter XI. of general history for a more complete account of early history.

31S

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

resolved (June 8, 1508) to erect "a house of worship, 45 by 35 feet," and George Westlake and Morgan Cole were appointed to " circulate subscription papers. as well as to have the general direction in erecting the building." The sum of $773 was subscribed for the purpose, and a lot on the corner of Gidney Avenue and Liberty Street was purchased from Elnathan Foster for a nominal consideration. The trustees note their first meeting in this building, which was called the " Brick Chapel," under date of Feb. 18, 1811, but it was undoubtedly occupied at an earlier period. Even then, however, the interior of the editiee was not finished, nor was it completed until 1816 or 1817.

In 1833 (December 23d) the trustees of the church resolved to build " a new meeting-house, to be 50 by 62 feet, after the plan of the Wash- ington Street Methodist Episcopal Church. Brooklyn, capable of accommodating 1000 per- sons." A suitable site was purchased on Second Street, and on July 29, 1834, the cor- ner-stone of the editice was laid with appropri- ate ceremonies. The building was completed in 1835, and was dedicated April Ist of that year. Its cost was, about $10,000. It was erec- ted by Sylvanus Lond, builder, and Henry

work. The corner-stone was laid Nov. 14, 1860, by Bishop James. One year from that date ( Wednesday, Nov. 13, 1861) the building was dedicated, in the usual form, by Bishop Simpson, of Indiana. It is in the de- corated style of the thirteenth century Gothic, and has a front on Liberty Street of 73 feet 6 inches by 140 feet on Third Street. The chief features of the exterior consist of three towers with their entrances, the transept, and the lecture-room front. The centre tower and spire rises to the height of 180 feet : the side towers to 63 feet. The interior dimensions are : Nave, 85 feet long by 62 feet wide ; transept, 78 feet long, terminating at the ends with large enriched windows. The ceil- ing of nave and transept is 40 feet, and is richly groined and ribbed. The auditorium contains 150 pews ; the lecture-room, on the second floor in the rear, will accommodate about 400 persons, and the class- rooms on the first floor are large and convenient. The cost of the building and lot was about $35,000. An organ was added in February.

TRINITY METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH-IS61.

Veltman, mason. A parsonage on Montgomery Street was subsequently added to the property. In the spring of 1860 the society determined to build a new edi- fice, and for that purpose the trustees purchased a site on the corner of Liberty and Third Streets. Plans by R. Lockwood, architect, were adopted, and the contraets awarded to Little & Kelly, carpenters, John Little, mason, and Madden & Fitzgerald, stone-

1870, at a cost of $5000. It only remains to add that the title of the church was changed from "First"to "Trinity" in 1871. The property of the church on Second Street was sold to private parties, and subse- quently converted into an opera-house.

The original " Samuel Fowler's class" and the " Daniel Holmes' class" were organized into a church at Middlehope. Dec. 14, 1821, and Wm. Smith, Daniel

319

NEWBURGH.

lolmes, David Wyatt, Gilbert Holmes, and Daniel Merritt were elected trustees. Arrangements were oon after made for erceting a church edifice, which vas dedicated Dec. 29, 1822, under the name of "As- ury Chapel." It has always been supplied by circuit reachers, and is now associated with the Methodist Episcopal Church at Fostertown, the two churches orming the "North Newburgh Circuit." Its building as undergone some slight architectural changes since 860

In 1825 the "George Stanton's class" was organized nto a church, and ( December 15th) Burroughs West- ake, Joshua Marston, David W. Gidney, Silas B. Gardner, and Robt. Lockwood were chosen " trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Gardnertown." A house of worship was created the next year, and vas dedicated November 20th. It remained in occu- ation until Nov. 24, 1858. The present edifice was rom plans by E. K. Shaw. It was erected in 1858, inder contraet with Thomas Shaw & Sons, at a cost f 82750, and was dedicated November 24th. It is a imple Gothic chapel, accommodating abont 400 per- ons. The society was for some years associated in a ircuit with that at Little Britain.

The Methodist Episcopal Church at Rossville was organized Oet. 8, 1830, when Thomas Aderton, Alvah Waring, Wm. Penny, John Bushfield, Nehemiah Fow- er, Thomas Bushfield, and Gilbert Lockwood were elected trustees. The edifice now occupied by the ociety was erceted in 1831. It is 30 by 42 feet, and ost originally about $600. It was considerably im- proved and refurnished and painted in 1876. The society cannot be satisfactorily traced to any of the original classes. It is now associated with the Meth- dist Episcopal Church at Pleasant Valley, Ulster "o., in the support of a minister. The parsonage is it the latter place.

December 31, 1833, the Munson Ward's class was organized as the Methodist Episcopal Church at Fos- ertown, and David Wyatt, Jethro Allison, John F. Williams, Jacob Gillis, and Wm. S. Holmes were lected trustees. In 1834 the building now occupied y the society was erected, and was dedicated in Sep- ember of that year. Like its contemporaries of the primitive Methodistic era, it has been improved since ts original dedication, but has no architectural claims.

In addition to these original churches there are the Second (now St. John's Church) and Grace Church, while for a few years there was St. Paul's, a German Church. The first (St. John's) was organized through he instrumentality of Joseph Longking, Henry Cor- iell, and James Martin, who proposed to the trustees of the First Methodist Episcopal Church (1851) that hat body should hire for the use of such a society the building formerly occupied by the Second Presby- erian Church, the applicants agreeing to pay the nterest on the debt then existing on that building or one year. The trustees, however, declined to take my steps in the matter. After further consideration,

and with the approval of the presiding elder of the district and of Rev. A. M. Osbon, the preacher sta- tioned in Newburgh, Mr. Longking and his associates determined to prosecute the enterprise, and in com- pliance with their request the presiding elder ap- pointed Rev. Aaron F. Palmer, a local deacon, preacher in charge until the ensuing session of the New York Conference. The society was formally organized on Sunday, May 23, 1852, at the residence of Mr. Cornell, at which time certificates of member- ship were received from seven persons.

Previous to this time, however, arrangements had been made for the use of the Second Presbyterian Church edifice, and on the 9th of June following Henry Cornell, James Martin, John H. Waters, Nel- son Austin, and Joseph Longking were unanimously elected trustees, and the articles of corporation were formed. At the annual session of the New York Conference for 1852, Rev. Rufus C. Putney was ap- pointed to the charge. The church edifice was dedi- cated June 13th, and on the 25th of that month the society had a membership of 129 persons, nearly all of whom had been previously connected with the First Church.

The building which had been rented for the society at the time of its organization was purchased by its trustees in March, 1853, for $5000, which was prin- cipally paid by subscriptions, and at about the same time arrangements were made for erecting a par- sonage and also a building for lectures and class- meetings. These buildings were completed Sept. 12, 1853,-the former at a cost of $2349, and the latter at $2109. The building was badly injured by fire in the fall of 1873, and in the summer following was repaired and materially improved at a cost of about $7000. It was reopened for service in October, 1874, Bishop Peck conducting the exereises. In the spring of 1876 the present front of 36 feet with towers was added (from plans by E. K. Shaw, architect) at a cost of $10,000. The edifice is now one of the most thoroughly modern in the city. The principal floor has seats for 650 persons, and the Sunday-school gallery over the vestibule for 300. A recess in the rear of the pulpit accommodates the choir and organ, and was part of the improvements of 1874.

The society adopted the title of "St. John's" at its reopening in 1874. The following have been its pas- tors : 1852-53, Rufus C. Putney ; 1854-55, L. W. Wals- worth ; 1856-57, David Buck ; 1858-59, E. 1 .. Prentice; 1860-61, John P. Hermance ; 1862-63, Chas. S. Brown; 1864, G. II. Gregory (three months) ; 1864-66, Thos. B. Smith; 1867-68, Delos Lull; 1869-70, II. H. Birkins; 1871-72, W. E. Clarke ; 1873-74, George H. Corey ; 1875-76, L. H. King ; 1877-80, F. W. Jlamlin.

Grace Church is at West Newburgh, on Broadway. It was the outgrowth of the Second or St. John's Church, and especially of a mission Sunday-school established under its anspices in 1848. The society or school was legally organized in June, 1865, when

320

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

P. S. Haines, James Harrison, C. H. Bond, Joseph W. Bond, F. Klaproth, David Gibb, Charles Estabrook, John Haskins, and Charles L. Brown were elected trustees. The regular church organization, however, dates from April 25, 1868, when 30 members from the Second Church united for that purpose. The building of a church edifice was commenced in May, 1866, and the basement completed and occupied by the Sunday- school and by a free school, the latter under the charge of the Board of Education. The corner-stone was laid in the autumn of 1867, Rev. J. B. Wakely deliv- ering the address, and the edifice was completed under plans by J. D. Kelly, architect. It was dedicated Sept. 2, 1868, on which occasion the sermon was by Rev. Dr. Fletcher, from Mark ix. 18, 19. Dr. McAl- lister preached in the evening. Rev. Dr. A. M. Osbon, presiding elder, had principal charge of the exercises at both services. The structure is of briek, and in- cludes basement, auditorium, and choir gallery ; it is in neat but plain finish, and has seats for about 400 persons. It is 35 by 61 feet; lot 66 by 105 feet,-the latter presented by Messrs. W. R. & C. L. Brown; its cost was about $10,000. A parsonage was added to the property in 1874 at a cost of $3500. Rev. Van Ness Traver (1868) was the first minister in charge. He was succeeded by Rev. D. W. C. Van Gaasbeck, the latter by Rev. Dr. Osbon, and the latter by Rev. W. S. Bouton.

St. Paul's German Methodist Episcopal Church was the outgrowth of an effort to organize a German Reformed Church, for which latter purpose a meeting was held in the lecture-room of the Associate Re- formed Church on Sunday, Jan. 5, 1868. The exer- cises were conducted by Rev. A. Rahn, and resulted in the constitution of a society (February 7th) under the title of "St. Paul's German Reformed Church." Mr. Rahn was elected pastor, and was installed on Sunday, March 29th, by Rev. Dr. Schaff. At a sub- sequent meeting the society resolved to unite with the Presbytery of North River, and it was duly received by that body under the title of "St. Paul's German Presbyterian Church." Soon after organization the society purchased a site on Johnston Street near Western Avenue for the erection of a church edifice, the corner-stone of which was laid September 10th, by the Masonic fraternity in Grand Lodge of Cere- mony. The building was completed and dedicated in the summer of 1869. Its cost, including lot, was about $12,000, and its capacity sufficient for the ac- commodation of about 400 persons. Mr. Rahn re- signed the charge, and was succeeded, in July, 1870, by Rev. E. Lubkert, who served as supply until Sep- tember following, when he was installed pastor, and continued in that relation until July 28, 1872. His resignation was mainly in consequence of a union which was effected in April of that year with the Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, under In 1852 a field was purchased at the corner of First and Stone Streets, and a cemetery opened. In 1854 which it was agreed by the trustees of Trinity Church that that body would assume the mortgage debt of a lot was purchased adjoining the church, and a pas-

St. Paul's, amounting to about $4500. The title of the society was then changed to "St. Paul's German Methodist Episcopal Church," and its pulpit supplied by the appointment of Rev. G. Myers. A subsequent board of trustees of Trinity Church refused to carry out the agreement which had been made, on the ground that the action which had been had was ille- gal, it not having been in compliance with a vote of the congregation. This conclusion compelled St. Paul's to submit to a sale of its property, under mort- gage foreclosure, in 1876. After a period of suspen- sion the society reorganized as a German Lutheran Church, repurchased its building, and is now under the pastorate of Rev. W. S. Buehler.

Roman Catholic Churches .- St. Patrick's, the first Roman Catholic Church in the county, was organized in 1826. Previous to that time Newburgh was visited by itinerant Catholic priests, among whom was the Rev. Dr. Ffrench, who said mass, in 1817, at the house of Mr. Gilmore on Western Avenue. The attendants upon his ministrations, which were ouly occasional, were as follows, viz. : Mark MeIntyre, John Fitzpat- rick, Henry Gilmore, Daniel Devlin, Dennis McCool, Enos McAllister, Michael Bird, George MeCahill, Charles Mackin, Owen McGahey, Patrick McGahey, and Thomas and Hugh Riley, and their families. At the time of the organization of St. Patrick's the number of Catholics in the town did not exceed 30, and mass was said every six months. Soon after this time the Rev. Philip O'Reilly was stationed on the Newburgh district, and said mass here once every month. In 1836 the Rev. Patrick Duffy was ap- pointed to the station, and for seventeen years re- mained Catholic pastor of Newburgh. He died in 1853. After an interval of one year, during which time the church was ministered to by the Rev. Mr. Gallagher, the Rev. E. J. O'Reilly was appointed pastor, and served until June 1, 1867, when he was succeeded by Rev. E. S. Briady. Rev. Joseph F. Mooney is now in charge of the parish.

The service of mass was first said in Mr. Gilmore's house, as already stated. Afterwards, and for a num- ber of years, the McIntosh house was used by the congregation. In 1838 the preliminary steps were taken for the erection of a church edifice, and the site now occupied was purchased by subscriptions from resident Catholics, aided by outside collections and contributions from members of other denomina- tions. The building was completed and opened for service in December, 1842. Its value was then esti- mated at about $12,000. It was a stone structure, about 100 by 60 feet, with no architectural features. It was neatly fitted up with pews and a small gallery, had an organ and two fine oil paintings about 14 by 9 feet, representing the birth and the entombment of the Saviour, painted by Rembrandt Lockwood.

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NEWBURGH.

toral residence erected thereon,-the house and lot costing about $10,000. The year 1858 was signalized by the erection of a commodious school-honse, situ- ated immediately west of the church, which was com- pleted and opened November 29th of that year. The school was instituted in 1850. In 1855 a library association was organized, and some 600 volumes collected. For four years, ending with August, 1860, this association published a very spirited monthly magazine, edited by the late John Ashhurst. A Sabbath-school and other organizations peenliar to the Catholic faith are also connected with the church.

In 1860 the church made extensive alterations and additions to its house of worship, rendering it one of the finest ecclesiastical structures on the Hudson. Its plan is in the style known as the decorated Gothic of the thirteenth century. The building is cruciform, the front ornamented with pinnacles and parapets of rich crochet and quatrefoil work. A tower, sur- mounted by a spire of open tracery work, adorns the front. The windows are of heavy earved work and filled with richly-stained glass. The ceiling is arehed and ribbed, and the finish throughout of the highest order. The plans were furnished by Rembrandt Lockwood, and the work executed under his direc- tion by J. Gill, mason, and Little & Kelly, carpenters. The following are the dimensions of the building, viz .: length, 150 feet; length of transept, 75 feet ; front, 55 feet 3 inches; height of ceiling, 29 feet ; spire, 135 feet.

During Father Briady's administration the church edifice and the school-house were thoroughly repaired and refurnished and the parsonage rebuilt, the latter in 1869 at a cost of $13,000. In 1871 the property on Grand Street near Washington was purchased and improved at a cost of about $15,000, and opened (1872) as St. Patrick's Orphan Asylum, under the manage- ment of Sisters of Charity. It is now occupied in part for that purpose and in part by a seleet school for young ladies. In the spring of 1875 a plot of fif- teen aeres near Mnchattoes Hill was purchased for cemetery purposes at a cost of $7200.

St. Mary's Church was organized in March, 1875, on the application of a number of members of St. Patrick's to Archbishop McCloskey, who granted an order dividing the original parish and constitut- ing from the northern part of its territory St. Mary's parish. Rev. M. J. Phelan, formerly of Port Ewen, was appointed pastor, and said his first mass in the parish on Easter Sunday, 1875, in the opera-house. Property was soon after purchased on Gidney Avenue and South Street for $20,000, and mass celebrated in the mansion on the premises. In May following a temporary frame building for church purposes was erected, costing $3500. In 1880 the building now oc- cupied by the church was ereeted at a cost of $25,000, including cost of organ. It was dedicated by Arch- bishop McCloskey on Sunday, October 3d.

Embraced in St. Mary's parish is the Academy of

Our Lady of Merey (a branch convent of the Sisters of Mercy of New York), which was opened at Balm- ville in the summer of 1875.

Unitarian .- The Church of Our Father was formed Feb. 21, 1859. On the last Sunday of July, 1867, Rev. William R. G. Mellen commeneed Unitarian worship at the court-house with an audience of 25 in the morning and 30 in the afternoon. Subsequent services were held by Mr. Mellen and other preachers until Feb. 15, 1868, when the Rev. C. B. Webster was elected pastor. On July 7th following a Unitarian society was organized. A building-lot was soon after purchased at the corner of South and Johnston Streets at a cost of $3000, and in the summer of 1869 a church edifice was erected at a cost of $12,300. This building is in the early Gothic style, of briek with bluestone borders and granite caps; the roof is supported by iron pillars resting on brick piers. It is 40 feet by 60, and provides seats for 400 persons. A small pastor's room and a choir gallery are fur- nished in the rear. The dedication took place July 17,1870. Mr. Webster resigned the pastorate in 1871, and Rev. F. W. Holland became his successor in June of that year. Rev. James Huxtable succeeded Dr. Holland in 1878. The principal patrons and founders of the society were the late Josiah S. Young and the late John P. DeWint, the latter a resident of Fishkill.

In addition to the societies already ennmerated, the First Presbyterian Church maintains the Bethel Mis- sion on North Water Street, and the. American Re- formed Church the Gleason Mission on Western Avenue. The Jews have a synagogue,-" Congrega- tion Beth Jacob,"-of which David Fleishowr is rabbi. There are also two societies of colored people, -the Shiloh Baptist Church and the African Metho- dist Episcopal Zion Church. The latter has a neat edifice on Washington Street.

COMPARATIVE STATISTICS.

CHURCH.

Year.

No.

Value of

Property .*

Seating

Capacity.

Attendance.

Communi-

cants.

Salaries of

Ministers.

Baptist.

1875

35,000

1300

600

402

3300

1855

22,400

3200

1900

833

3750

Methodist Episcopal.

1875

115,000

4000

3000

1531+ 7600

(1855

8,000

600

4001

247

1000

Presbyterian ...

1875

110,000

35 0

2000

1215

9000

1855

15,000

900

600

431

2000

1875

10,000

600

300

1.50

1500

[1855

14,000

1200

480

250

1100

United Presbyterian ..

1875

8,000

475

300

180

1200

Protestant Episcopal,

1875

60,000

1500

800

547

7000

Ref. Protestant Episcopal ...

1875

7,000

300

100

313

1500

American Reformed.

1875

60,000

1000

800

700

600

1000

Roman Catholic.

1875

70,000

1500

2500

4000

2800t

Unitarian

1875

12,000

400

200

1002 1200

RECAPITULATION.

Property. Capacity.

Attend-

Commu-

Salaries.

1855.

$111,400

8,900

5,180

2888

$11,500

1875.

507.000

15,775

11,000

9113

41,700

* Estimated.

+ 891 probationera in addition.

# Additional from fees.

¿ New.

20,000

1200

416

3300

15,000

750

600

180

800

( 1855

1 15,000

600

250

509

3000

(1855

15,000

aure.

nicants.

167

$700

(1855

1 $7,000

450

250

Asso. Ref. Presbyterian ......

Reformed Presbyterian ..

1875

218 1500

[1855

Average

322

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.

The theological seminary of the Associate Re- formed Church was the first institution of the kind in the United States. There were indeed Professors of Divinity (most of whom were connected with col- leges) who were accustomed to give lectures on the science of theology to suchi students as pleased to at- tend ; but there was no institution expressly designed for the training of candidates for the ministry, and formally organized on an academie basis, in existence in this country previous to the erection of this semi- nary.

The first steps towards its establishment were taken by the Associate Reformed Synod in 1796, on the suggestion of one of its youngest members, Mr. (after- wards Dr.) John M. Mason, of New York, then in the early dawn of his brilliant career. At the meeting of Synod in 1796 an act was adopted "concerning a Synodical Fund," the main object of which fund was to aid poor and pious youth in their studies for the ministry, and to maintain a Professorship of Theology. The church was small, the country was very poor in those days, and the growth of the fund was necessarily slow; but the ideas thrown out by Dr. Mason had taken root in the minds of his brethren, and at the meeting of Synod in 1801 it was resolved, after much discussion, to erect a theological seminary on a pecu- liar plan, and of a higher order than any "school of the prophets" then in being. Dr. Mason was sent to Great Britain to ask help from the churches of the Fatherland, and he obtained the handsome sum of $5500, which was chiefly expended in the purchase of a noble library. Dr. Mason returned in 1802, and was unanimously chosen to preside over the infant institution, which was at first located in New York, where it was opened in 1805. The number of students rapidly increased, and considering the size of the de- nomination, it continued to be comparatively large until the suspension of the seminary in 1821. This result was mainly owing to the failing health of Dr. Mason, which had compelled him to retire from a sphere in which he had spent the best years of his life, and to which he was enthusiastically devoted. By a vote of the General Synod of the church in 1822 (which was judicially declared a few years afterwards to have been illegal), the library was transferred to the seminary at Princeton.

The operations of the seminary were suspended until the summer of 1829, when the Associate Re- formed Synod of New York determined to resuscitate the institution and to locate it at Newburgh. The Rev. Joseph McCarrell, D.D., of Newburgh, was elected Professor of Theology, and the Rev. Drs. John MeJimpsey, Alex. Proudfit, Robert Forrest, and D. C. MeLaren were chosen superintendents. During the following year the necessary steps were taken (after sundry fruitless appeals to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church) for the re- covery of the library and funds removed to Princeton

in 1822, and after a protracted lawsuit they were re- stored to their old owners.

Another important movement was made in 1835, viz .: for the erection of a suitable edifice for the accommodation of the students and professors. For so small a body as the Synod of New York the under- taking was an almost herculean one. Money was collected from various sources, an admirable site covering thirteen acres of land was purchased, and a charter of incorporation was granted by the Legisla- ture of this State on May 25, 1836. The trustees named in the act were Hon. John Willard of Salem, Hon. William M. Oliver of Penn Yan, Hon. Archi- bald C. Niven and Alpheus Dimmick of Monticello, Hon. Robert Denniston of Salisbury, Hon. John W. Brown, D. W. Bate, and Daniel Farrington of New- burgh, James Waugh and William Wear of Little Britain, James D. Bull of Hamptonburgh, and Ben- jamin Parker of Kortright. The foundation of the seminary was laid in 1837, and the building was com- pleted in 1839 at a cost (including land) of about $25,000.

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History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 77

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1336

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1336