History of Queens County, New York : with illustrations, portraits, and sketches of prominent families and individuals., Part 27

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell and Co.
Number of Pages: 703

USA > New York > Queens County > History of Queens County, New York : with illustrations, portraits, and sketches of prominent families and individuals. > Part 27

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receive their collections. No Friend shall hire any negro held in bondage, neither take any negro or other slave that is not set free when of age, nor to do any act acknowledging the right of slavery." In 1778, Ist of 7th mo., the monthly meeting conclude to testify against all Friends that do not free their negroes. In 1781 they de- cide that something is due manumitted negroes who have spent the prime of their life in their masters' ser- vice.

In 1781 John Bowne and Matthew Farrington report that the fines of Friends in Flushing for not training or serving in the army amount to £194 IIS. Iod.

There is a stern, uncompromising honesty about the records given above that commends them as one of tlie most valuable and remarkable additions ever made to the literature of freedom. Not a word of bluster, no criti- cisms on the conduct of others, but a calm decision ar- rived at after fifty years of deliberation and discussion as to the duty of Friends " whom the truth hath made free."

1692, 15th of 10th mo., John Bowne and John Rod- man for £40 buy three acres of land for a meeting- house, in the town-spot, with the dwelling and orchard on it, with 60 acres more lying in the woods.

From the erection of the meeting-house, in 1695, the most perfect harmony existed until the Hicksite contro- versy, relating to matters of doctrine and the author- ity of the London meeting, divided the society; the be- lievers in Elias Hicks's views retaining the meeting-house and property, and the others erecting a plain frame build- ing a little north of the old house, and becoming known as the Orthodox society. This latter body was blessed with many excellent members, among them James Par- sons, who was an eloquent and impressive preacher and for many years president of the New York yearly meet- ting ; yet the defection of the rising generation has so far weakened them that, although they maintain their meetings for worship, they are too few in numbers to transact business as a separate church. The other body,

In 1716 a proposition was made by Horsman Mullenex concerning buying negroes for slaves, and at the next yearly meeting was tenderly spoken to, and postponed for further consideration, and in 1718, 1719 and 1720 was still before the meeting and developing considerable opposition. Several Friends declared they were fully satisfied in their conscience that said practice was not right in the sight of God. In 1718 William Burling, of this meeting, published an "Address to the Elders of known as the Hicksites, still occupies the old meeting- the Church " on slavery. This is perhaps the oldest house. anti-slavery publication in the country. In 1765, 5th of 9th month, Samuel Underhill, of New York, is dealt with THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCHES. for importing negroes from Africa. He condemns the The early efforts on the part of the British governors to secure a foothold for the Church of England in Flushing were rendered, in a great measure, abortive by the very means taken to perfect them. The people who had embodied in their charter a clause that freed them from the authority of a State church would not consent to nullify that charter, although many of them felt kindly toward the established forms of worship of their mother country. Ministers from Newtown were appointed to the charge of this field, but uniformly found great trouble in executing the edicts of the governor and awakening any very decided interest in church matters. Too short- sighted to see the real cause, the blame was laid upon the Quakers, and, British power having been thwarted, British philanthropy took up the losing cause. In 1691 the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign practice and hopes to conduct himself more agreeable to Friends' principles in such matters. In 1775, 6th of 9th mo., " a committee is to visit such Friends as hold negro slaves, to inquire into the circumstances and manner of education of the slaves and give such advice as the nature. of the case requires. 1776, 2nd of 5th mo., the commit- tee on negroes report that many Friends have them, but seem disposed to free them. Some have manumitted them, and instruct their children in necessary learning. Some justify their bondage. 2nd of 10 mo. the "com- mittee are desired to labor with Friends who keep these poor people in bondage, in the ability that truth may af- ford, for their release; and if they continue insensible, then Friends can have no unity with them so far as to employ them or accept of their services in the church or

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THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT FLUSHING.

Parts discovered in Philadelphia a missionary whom it deemed a power for good, in the person of Rev. George Keith, a native of Aberdeen, Scotland, who had been a Quaker, held the office of surveyor general in New Jež- sey, and, having abjured the faith of the Friends and taken orders, was then acting as a tutor to the children of some wealthy families in Philadelphia. He was a learned and able man, with a fearless and unyielding dis- position and more suited for the role of martyr in a per- secution than that of a messenger of peace and good will to erring Friends. The society, however, believed that, having belonged to the Quakers, his influence for the church would be great in a Quaker community, and sent him to Long Island in 1702, in time to meet the eminent Samuel Bownas, who had recently arrived from Mary- land, and who, after refusing to dispute with Keith, had been followed by him to this place. He visited the Friends' meeting-house on a Sunday and interrupted their exercises by an attempt to address them. He was attended at that time by Rev. Mr. Vesey, of New York, Rev. John Talbot and several members of the Jamaica church. The scene that followed must have been a novel one, and well worthy of an artist's pencil. In his own words : " After some time of silence I began to speak, standing up in the gallery where their speakers use to stand when they speak; but I was so much inter- rupted by the clamour and noise that several of the Quakers made that I could not proceed." The Friends who had been familiar with his course charged him with having caused the arrest of their missionary, Bownas, and declined to hear him, but did listen to an address from a member of their own society for about an hour. A discus- sion followed, in which he says that he was charged with defrauding the poor of fifty pounds. The Friends' version of this is that he was warned by one of them that he was "liable in law for disturbing them, and that he had thus put himself in the Queen's debt fifty pounds."

In December of the same year he renewed his efforts, and he says: "I visited again the Quaker meeting at Flushing, Long Island, having obtained a letter from Lord Cornbury to two justices of peace to go along with me to see that the Quakers should not interrupt me as they had formerly done; but, notwithstanding the two justices that came along with me to signify my Lord Cornbury's mind, by his letter to them, which was read to them in their meeting by Mr. Talbot, they used the like interruption as formerly, and took no notice of my Lord Cornbury's letter more than if it had been from any private person." Thus his efforts were again unsuccess- ful. It is not known that he made any further attempt to establish a church here; and during the following year he returned to England, becoming rector of Edburton, where he died.

In 1704 Rev. Mr. Urquhart, of Jamaica, writes that he " preaches on the third Sunday, and prays at Newtown twice and Flushing once a month on the week days, and by the blessing of God the congregations in the respec- tive towns daily increase."

Rev. C. Congreve, in his report to the society above

named for the same year in which RectorUrquhart's hope- ful message is written, takes another view of the case. He says: " Flushing is another town in the same county; most of the inhabitants thereof are Quakers, who rove through the country from one village to another, talk blasphemy, corrupt the youth, and do much mischief."

In July 1710 Rev. Thomas Poyer became rector of the Jamaica church. He writes that his parish is fifteen miles long and six and a half broad, and his salary thirty-nine pounds sterling. This was paid to the Presby- terian minister,and expensive and tedious lawsuits resulted. He complains to the society at home that he is necessi- tated to keep two horses, "which is very expensive, and consumes me more clothes in one year than would serve another, who is not obliged to ride, for three or four. In Newtown and Flushing, for want of conveniences of pri- vate houses I am forced to make use of public ones, which is a very great charge to me, for I bring some of my family generally with me. If I did not they would be one-half the year without opportunities of public wor- ship." He finally asked to be relieved and allowed to return to England. He, however, remained until his death, January 15th 1731, and in his twenty years' min- istry found his way to the hearts of a number of the most prominent people of Flushing. Rev. Thomas Col- gan, who succeeded him, writes in 1735: "Several of the Quakers of Flushing do as often as it is my turn to officiate there attend upon divine service." In 1744: " The several churches belonging to my cure, Jamaica, Newtown and Flushing, are in a very peaceable and growing state." The services at this village were held in the old guard-house; but in 1746 Captain Hugh Went- worth, who had a country seat here, donated to the church a plot of ground, and a small frame building with a spire was erected. John Aspinwall and Thomas Gre- nell are credited with defraying the expense of the spire, and Mr. Aspinwall presented the church with "a very fine bell of five hundred pounds' weight." The number of communicants was then about twenty, and the date of the organization was probably about 1744, but of that there is no record. The Bible given by the home society, at the request of Rector Colgan, a prayer book, dated 1746, and the chancel rail of the old building are now in possession of the rector.

In 1749 the rector relates a somewhat remarkable inci- dent: " It may be thought worthy of notice that a man who had for many years strictly adhered to the principles of Quakerism, when the new church was opened and a collection made, gave money for the use of the church; but, thinking he had not put enough in the plate, went immediately after service and gave more to the collect- or." Mandeville in his " Flushing, Past and Present " remarks, in a cynical mood, for which his cloth is a suffi- cient excuse: " A thousand pities that he had not told his name; that such an example of liberality in sentiment and purse might have been perpetuated for the benefit of succeeding generations."

In 1761 a charter of incorporation, under the name of St. George's Church, was granted by Governor Colden.

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HISTORY OF QUEENS COUNTY.

The petitioners were John Aspinwall, Joseph Bowne, Francis Brown, Charles Cornell, John Dyer, Isaac Doughty, Benjamin Fowler, Thomas Grenell (Grinnell ?), Joseph Haviland, Foster Lewis, John Morrell, Jacamiah Mitchell, John Marston, Christopher Robert, Daniel Thorn, Jacob Thorn, Nathaniel Tom, William Thorn, Benjamin Thorn, Charles Wright and John Wilson. In their petition they say that they have no minister of their own; that divine service is seldom performed, as there is but one minister for Jamaica, Newtown and Flushing; that they have erected a decent church, and intend to provide for the support of a clergyman.

It will be noticed that among the above names are several of marked Quaker antecedents. This may be explained in this way: The French war had aroused the patriotism of the people, and the call for troops found many willing to respond, or at least disposed to furnish substitutes; the young men particularly were enthusiastic. The measures taken by the Quakers, who insisted on entire neutrality and the strictest interpretation of their noncombative theory, put them in an unpleasant posi- tion. They must either forego their ideas of patriotism and submit to heavy fines for not training in the militia, or withdraw from the society and find some church militant where they could both "worship God and keep their powder dry." The latter alternative was taken by several, and to this is attributable, in a great measure, the fact alluded to.

From 1795 to 1797 there was a controversy between the three churches about the arrangement of services; and in 1797 St. George's church called to its pastorate Rev. E. D. Rattoone-Jamaica uniting in the call. This gentleman resided midway between Flushing and Ja- maica, and was dependent for his support on the interest of £900 and the pledge of £100 additional if it could be raised. He presented to the church its present corporate seal, but was afterward repaid by the vestry. In 1802 Mr. Rattoone resigned, and, a disagreement arising be-

tween this church and that at Jamaica, owing to the account was composed of William, James and Jane Quan-

latter soliciting and obtaining subscriptions from the members of St. George's, this church decided to separate from Jamaica and unite with Newtown in the support of a pastor. In 1803 the two churches called Rev. Abra- ham L. Clark, who continued to officiate for both until October 3d 1809, when he confined his services to New- town, and the pulpit of St. George's was vacated, to be filled on November 4th of that year by Rev. Brazilla Buckley, who thus became the first sole rector of this church, and he remained so until his death, March 9th 1820. In August of that year_Rev. J. V. E. Thorne was called, and a new church building was agreed upon. James Bloodgood, Thomas Phillips and Isaac Peck were the building committee, and on May 25th 1821 the edi fice, now standing in the rear of the church and used for school purposes, was consecrated.

The list of rectors from that time to the present is as follows: Rev. W. A. Muhlenberg, D. D., called in 1826; Rev. W. H. Lewis, D. D., called in 1829; Rev. J. M. Forbes, 1833; Rev. S. R. Johnson, 1834; Rev. R. B. Van

Kleek, 1835; Rev. Frederick Goodwin, 1837; Rev. George Burcher, 1844, and died in May 1847; and Rev. J. Car- penter Smith, D. I)., called in 1847, and still the faithful and untiring pastor, whose life here has been eloquent of good works. For some years he has been assisted by a curate.

In 1838 the church was enlarged, at a cost of $1,700, and in 1853 the corner stone of the present imposing edifice was laid. The building is of dark cut stone and cost some $33,000. Isaac Peck, Allan Macdonald and William H. Schemerhorn were the building committee. It was completed and consecrated in June 1854.

The grounds and churchyard on Main street have been in possession of the society since 1746, and the old bell presented by John Aspinwall was on the erection of the new church remelted and incorporated in the new one now in use, at the expense of a descendant of Mr. As- pinwall.

METHODISM IN FLUSHING.

The first Methodist church in the town was organized among the colored people, in 1811, known as the Mace- donian Church, and supplied by white preachers until 1816, when it became connected with the African M. E. Church.

At that time there were no white Methodists in the town; and it is said of Rev. Benjamin Griffin, who was junior preacher on the Jamaica circuit in 1815, that when he preached at Flushing he was accommodated with food and lodging by the colored people.

The first Methodist minister that preached to a con- gregation of white people was Rev. Samuel Cochran, who in 1820 addressed an audience of twelve persons in a dwelling house on Liberty (now Lincoln) street, east of Garretson's seed stores. The nucleus was thus formed of a society that afterward worshiped at a private house on Main street, and in 1821 in a school-room.

The first white Methodist family of which we have any tock, from England, as it was in their house, on Lincoln street, that the first meeting was held. Gold Silliman soon after came here from Brooklyn, and proved an ac- tive member many years. Charles and William Peck ar- rived from New York, and by their zeal and efficiency gave great encouragement to the little class.

In 1822 the society bought two lots on Washington street and erected a frame building, in which it wor- shiped until 1843, when a new church was built on Main street, north of Washington. In 1859, when Rev. J. L. Peck was pastor, the building was repaired, a tower erect- ed, an organ bought, and other improvements effected, at a cost of $4,500. In order to obtain a more commo- dious and central location the church building was re- moved to its present site on Amity street in 1875, when it wa; rededicated, Revs. L. R. Dashiell, D.D., and J. S. Willis assisting. There is no record of either of the for- mer dedicatory services.

In 1823 Rev. Luman Andrews was appointed to the " mission on the west end of Long Island," and out of

II7

METHODIST, CATHOLIC AND REFORMED CHURCHES, FLUSHING.

this mission Flushing circuit was organized August 14th 1824. The persons present at the quarterly meeting at which this action was taken, which was held at the resi- dence of Charles W. Carpenter, were Rev. Laban Clark, presiding elder; J. Luckey and J. W. Lefevre, circuit preachers; C. W. Carpenter, local preacher; Charles Peck and Joseph Harper, class leaders; and Daniel North. The circuit was composed of Flushing, New- town, Hallet's Cove, Williamsburgh, Yellow Hook and New Utrecht. The financial report of this meeting shows that the "quaterage and traveling expenses " paid the presiding elder and circuit preachers for the previous three months amounted to $30.36, which was one cent in excess of the receipts.

The following year the circuit paid $134.92 salary to Rev. Robert Seney, whose son has recently made gifts to Wesleyan University, and toward founding a Methodist hospital in Brooklyn, of more than half a million of dol- lars.

In 1834 the Flushing church separated from the circuit and became a station, with Rev. Alexander Hulin as its first resident pastor. Charles Peck was the first class leader and William Peck the first steward. Caleb Smith was appointed class leader in 1838, and has held the office continuously since that time. The singing was first conducted by Samuel Post, whose brother William was for more than thirty years the chorister. Instrumental music met with some opposition, and the first melodeon was placed in the church gallery near midnight on Satur- day, in order to obtain a test of its availability before some indignant opponent could prevent it.

The Sunday-school was first held on Saturday after- noon and consisted of a small class taught by Miss Han- nah Peck, afterward the wife of Joseph W. Harper, of Harper & Brothers. William Peck was superintendent many years. The school attained its greatest interest and membership during the superintendency of Orange Judd, who was elected in 1858 and served fourteen years.

Since becoming a station this church has had pastors as follows: 1834, Alexander Hulin; 1835, David Plumb; 1836, John L. Gilder; 1837, 1838, William Thatcher; 1839, Daniel Wright; 1840, George Brown; 1841, Elbert Osborn; 1842, John J. Matthias; 1843, 1844, Benjamin Griffin; 1845, 1846, D. Osborn; 1847, J. W. B. Wood; 1848, 1849, J. B. Mervine; 1850, Samuel W. Law; 1851, Abraham S. Francis; 1852, 1853, Ira Abbott; 1854, 1855, W. F. Collins; 1856, 1857, T. H. Burch; 1858, 1859, J. L. Peck; 1860, 1861, E. L. Janes; 1864, 1865, Horace Cooke; 1866-68, G. R. Crooks; 1869-71, G. Taylor; 1872-74, W. H. Simonson; 1875, 1876, George Stillman; 1877, 1878, Levi P. Perry; 1879, Arvine C. Bowdish; 1880, Robert W. Jones.

ST. MICHAEL'S ROMAN CATIIOLIC CHURCH.

In October 1826 the Catholics of Flushing, then only twelve in number, invited the Rev. Father Farnham, of Brooklyn, to come and minister to them. He complied, and the first mass was celebrated in a small house on Main street. Their numbers increased gradually until [ Drisius say in 1657 at Flushing they heretofore had a

too great for their place of meeting, and a larger house, on Liberty street, was bought and fitted up, where ser- vices were held once a month by Father Curran, of As- toria. This building, after being twice enlarged, proved insufficient to accommodate the increasing congregation; and on the 8th of June 1841 four lots were bought on the corner of Union street and Madison avenue, where the church now stands; and a frame church seventy-two by thirty-five feet was erected. The building of the church brought considerable acccessions to the numbers of the congregation, and at the request of the people Bishop Hughes sent Father Wheeler to minister here; he thus becoming the first resident priest. After a few years he was succeeded by Rev. Joh. McMahon.

In 1854 the church, a slightly built edifice, became too dilapidated to be enlarged to meet the demands of a still growing assembly, and a new and more elegant building was decided on. The Rev. James O'Burne, who was at that time the pastor, took the matter in charge, and was aided by the heartiest efforts of all his people. The corner stone was laid on the 24th of June 1854, and on the following Christmas day the building was so near completion that mass was celebrated within its walls. The work from that date progressed slowly, assisted by munificent gifts from many ladies and gentlemen of dif- ferent denominations, and on the 4th of October 1856 it was dedicated by Bishop Loughlin, of Brooklyn.

The church is a beautiful gothic structure of cut stone, and is the most costly church building in the town.

St. Michael's parochial school was organized August Ist 1853, under the patronage of the pastor, Father McMahon. It had its origin in the objection of Catholic parents to having their children learn the Protestant Scriptures, which were read in the public schools. A meeting was held, a school decided on, and in a few weeks funds were raised for the erection of a building, from which has grown the handsome edifice accommo- dating the successful school of to-day. In 1858 the at- tendance was more than three hundred daily, and three teachers were employed, the school being entirely free to all. In 1880 the attendance was larger and the school was in every sense a success.

THE REFORMED CHURCH.

The Protestant Reformed Dutch, now known as the Reformed, Church is of comparatively recent origin. The history of this denomination is somewhat analogous to that of the Episcopal church in its early efforts and failures. As is well known, it was the State church of Holland, and Governor Stuyvesant's attempts to establish it here have already been referred to. About the year 1645 Rev. Francis Doughty-who had left England on account of religious persecutions, and, coming to New England, found, as he expressed it, that he had " got out of the frying-pan into the fire "-was banished from Mas- sachusetts on account of his religious vagaries, and be- came the minister at Vlissingen. In a report to the classis of Amsterdam "Dominies Megapolensis and

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HISTORY OF QUEENS COUNTY.

Presbyterian preacher, who conformed to our church, but many of them became endowed with divers opinions, and it was with them quot homines, tot sententiae. They ab- sented themselves from preaching, nor would they pay the preacher his promised stipend." On June 10th 1645 the record contains the following: " William Gerritse sings libelous songs against the Rev. Francis Doughty, for which he is sentenced to be tied to the May-pole." In 1653 or 1654 the Rev. Mr. Doughty appears against William and John Lawrence, John Hicks and Captain Underhill for back salary. Underhill, who was nothing if not quarrelsome, had locked the church doors against him, because, as he said, Doughty preached against the government. Underhill about that time had inaugurated a little private rebellion of his own against his Knicker- bocker rulers. The defense to the action was that Gov- ernor Stuyvesant had forced the town to sign the call to Doughty against the wishes of the people. The contract for salary had been burned a year before the trial, by Mrs. William Lawrence, who with a woman's habitual disregard for business papers (a trait she must have been cured of when as Lady Carteret she afterward became acting governor of New Jersey) had put it under a pie in the oven. Disheartened and financially embarrassed, Doughty left Flushing for Virginia, but left a son behind him, who in 1766 brought his father's suit against the town to a successful issue, and obtained a verdict of six hundred guilders in payment of six years' salary.

Dominie Doughty was undoubtedly the first religious teacher in the place. He removed to Virginia in 1656; was said to have been imbued with some peculiar doc- trines and opposed to infant baptism. His family, the descendants of a son and daughter who married here, were afterward for many years identified with the Qua- kers, and the ancestors of a large and widely scattered family of that name.

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History of Queens County, New York : with illustrations, portraits, and sketches of prominent families and individuals., Part 27

Author: Publication date: 1882 Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell and Co. Number of Pages: 703

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell and Co.
Number of Pages: 703