USA > New York > Staten Island > History of Richmond County (Staten Island), New York : from its discovery to the present time > Part 42
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Rev. Alonzo Brown becanie pastor of the church October 1, 1856. This pastorate was dissolved November 30, 1857. The Rev. Samuel W. Cruttenden was the next pastor, and served the church from April, 1858, until November 9, 1859. On the 25th of January, 1860, the Rev. W. Howell Taylor was elected pastor. and he continued as snch until October, 1864. The Rev. J. H. Sinclair was next invited to supply the pulpit for eight months. February 20, 1865, the Rev. David R. Frazer, of Bal- timore, was called to become the pastor. He resigned the pastorate, and was on October 8, 1868, released from the same. In December, 1865, the first official steps were taken toward the building of a new church, and resulted in the purchase of the present church edifice, then occupied by the Dutch Reformed church, and owned by them. On April 13, 1868, a congrega- tional meeting was held to consider an overture from the Re- formed Dutch church of Stapleton respecting a union of the two churches, which was effected. At a meeting of the congrega- tion, May 20, 1868, the name of the church was changed to the "First Presbyterian Church, Edgewater."
The Rev. Dr. J. E. Rockwell, of Brooklyn, was elected pastor of the church August 5, 1868. His pastorate was terminated by
440
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
his death, in the year 1882, after a long and useful ministry. On October 29, 1882, the Rev. G. M. McCampbell, the present pastor, was called to the church.
The chapel, or Sunday school room of this church, which formerly stood on Gorge street, now Broad street, was destroyed by an incendiary fire. After this the present one was erected. This costly and commodious chapel of the church, erected in 1876, stands on the corner opposite the present church edifice, and is used for Sunday school purposes and the weekly devo- tional and other meetings of the congregation. It is a spacious and elegant brick edifice, erected chiefly, if not wholly, through the munificence of a lady, who donated $8,000 for the purpose. The present membership numbers two hundred and forty. There are three hundred children in the Sunday school. The benev- olent contributions during the last year amounted to $1,400, while for congregational expenses $4,000 were raised.
The Calvary Presbyterian church, of West New Brighton, was organized November 17, 1872, under care of the Presbytery of Brooklyn. It was organized with thirty-five members, most of these having been previously connected with the Dutch re- formed church of Port Richmond. The following were its first officers : R. N. Havens and Augustus W. Sexton, elders ; Ralozie Fuller and William J. Ladd, deacons. The chapel, situated on the corner of Bement and Castleton avenues, had been erected before the organization of the church. It was built during the summer of 1872, at first to accommodate the Sunday school, which had been organized May 14th of that year. The church was really the ontgrowth of a Sunday school. From its beginning until April, 1873, the pulpit of the church was supplied by the Rev. James S. Evans, D. D., who, as syn- odical superintendent of church extension, had rendered great assistance in effecting the organization. On the evening of March 11th, 1873, a call was extended to the Rev. J. Milton Greene, pastor of the Second Presbyterian church, of Brook- lyn, which was accepted by him, and he was installed pastor of the church on the evening of March 3d, 1873. Ile continued to minister to the church for eight years, when he resigned to enter upon missionary work in Mexico. During this time, be- ginning in May, 1881, Presbyterian services were conducted in the old school house between Travisville and Linoleumville, by
441
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
Rev. J. Milton Greene and Chaplain Jones of Sailors' Snug Harbor.
Constant growth characterized the organization, so that in September, 1874, it was found necessary to enlarge the chapel by one half of its original size. The present pastor, Rev. T. A. Leggett, was installed in December, 1881. The church has had a healthy growth, and its present membership is two hundred and fifty. The Sabbath school is one of the largest on the island, and is admitted by all to be the most popular and flourishing.
The chapel, since its enlargement, is capable of seating from four to five hundred people; and the interior is beautifully and tastefully finished and furnished. The church owns land ad- joining the chapel, and expects to erect upon it a substantial church.
The "German Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. John," at Port Richmond, was organized October 17, 1852. This be- longs to the sect, U. A. C. (Unaltered Augsburgian Confession). This confession was drawn up at Augsburg by Melancthon, an'd by him and Luther presented to the Emperor Charles in 1530. The original members were: John Rathyen, Paul Schmidt, Charles Keutgen, John Hettsche, Carl Senne, A. Knopp, Ernst Senne, Louis Koenig, John C. Schiegel, Augustus Senne, J. H. Matthius, Diedrich Senne, Gottlieb Bertsch, Carl Neidthart, Adam Fuegel, A. Hulsebus.
The pastors of the church have been as follows: Bernard de Schweinitz; Fr. Boeling, from 1853 to 1855; H. Roel, from 1855 to 1856; J. F. C. Hennicke, from 1856 to 1857; K. Goehling, from 1858 to 1859; M. Termenstein, from 1860 to 1867; J. E. Gottlieb, from 1867 to 1875: C. Frincke, jr., December 5, 1875, to 1884; J. P. Schoener, April 19, 1885, to the present time.
In 1884 the church had one hundred and fifty-seven commu- nicant members. The congregation has a day school of sixty- two pupils, mostly children of the members. The school had a few years since one hundred scholars. It is conducted in German and English. Some studies are given in either lan- guage. It is prominently a religious school. The church edi- fice was purchased from the Methodists. (See Trinity M. E. church).
The Unitarian church on the Turnpike road was purchased
.
442
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
in 1865, by this congregation, who were then worshipping under the leadership of Rev. Karl Goehling. The price, which included a fine pipe organ and the other furniture of the house, was three thousand five hundred dollars. The building was re- moved to the corner of Beach street and Richmond road, on ground donated in part by Albert Ward, Esq., for the site of a church. This congregation had previously used the Methodist Episcopal church on Cebra avenue for their meetings.
There is a Lutheran church at Edgewater, of which we have been unable to procure information. It has a parish school connected with it.
The organization of St. Peter's congregation having been per fected Rev. Dr. L. Mohn proposed Mr. Jacob Ganss, a student of theology, as preacher, to whom accordingly a call was sent. Mr. Ganss preached his first sermon here on the first Sunday of the Advent of 1881. His zeal for the welfare of the congrega- tion was of such a sacrificing nature as to insure the success of Doctor Mohn's undertaking according to the principles advo- cated by him. After having passed a most satisfactory exam- ination he was by recommendation of the classis of New York ordained a minister of the gospel, and on November 16, 1883, was duly installed as minister of the "German Evangelical St. Peter's Church of Kreischerville," by three members of the classis of New York. A full choir of ladies and gentlemen was organized and is under the leadership of the minister. One of the members of the congregation acts as organist. Services are held every Sunday from 10 to 11 A. M., and Sunday school meets from 9 to 10 A. M. A weekly lecture for the benefit of the church is given by the minister.
The church is located in the midst of a small village near the Staten Island sound. The front of the church is visible from the public highway leading from Tottenville to Rossville.
The establishment of a German church here dates back to the year 1881, where the now deceased Rev. Dr. L. Mohn, of Hoboken, N. J., by his zeal in bringing about German worship, was moved to begin his labors in a small chapel, kindly offered by the Methodist Episcopal congregation in the village.
On the 23d day of October, 1881, the church was incorporated by the Honorable Classis of New York, and the first consistory was organized by representatives of the classis. The increased popularity of the services rendered the auditorium inadequate
443
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
to the number of members in attendance, so that it became necessary for the congregation to provide a church of its own.
The large majority of the congregation being German and of German extraction, consisting mainly of employees of the firm of B. Kreischer & Sons, Mr. B. Kreischer, the senior member of the firm, having been an inhabitant of the place since 1852, seeing the necessity of a house of public worship, proceeded to erect a fine church for their benefit at his own expense.
He personally superintended the erection of the building, from laying the foundation to the completion of the structure. On the first day of July, 1883, a fine little church was ready to open its doors to those who were anxious to hear the praise of the Lord expounded in the German language, the building having cost Mr. Kreischer fifteen thousand dollars. In the pres- ence of every member of Mr. Kreischer's family the church was delivered to the congregation, and services to celebrate the oc- casion were conducted by the Rev. Dr. L. Mohn, assisted by the Rev. Jacob Ganss. The Sunday school connected with the church, and which is in charge of the consistory, was at the same time organized.
At the present time there are about two hundred members of the congregation, and one hundred and sixty children belong- ing to the Sunday school. The meetings of the consistory are held in a room fitted up for that purpose in the church build - ing. The first preacher and founder of the church was Rev. Dr. L. Mohn. The present members of the consistory are : Charles C. Kreischer. Edward B. Kreischer, elders ; August Nyck, secretary ; Julius Meerowski, George Werner, deacons ; Edward B. Kreischer, treasurer.
Two societies of the Young Men's Christian Association have been organized on the island. The association of the north shore was organized in Trinity Methodist Episcopal church, July 15, 1867, and was incorporated on the 3d of September fol- lowing. The incorporators were : Mathew S. Taylor, George A. Middlebrook, Mulford D. Simonson, John D. Vermeule and Eugene DuBois. The corner stone of their beautiful edifice was laid Tuesday, August 15, 1871, with appropriate cere- monies, and was dedicated November 22, 1872.
The building contains a reading room, sitting room, associa- tion meeting room, and an auditorium capable of seating four
444
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
hundred and eighty persons. The total cost of the building was $19,755.32.
On the 18th of June, 1883, a band of young men, numbering thirty-seven, met in the Sunday school room of the Brighton Heights Reformed church and resolved themselves into a soci- ety under the name of the Young Men's Christian Association of the East Shore. As the society gained a footing and its vari- ous branches of work were organized, religions meetings were held as often as twice a week, besides a meeting on Saturday afternoon for boys. Literary entertainments and debates were held during the winter, occasional lectures were given, a read- ing room was provided with the weekly and daily papers, and a library of about five hundred volumes. A parlor, supplied with an organ and other attractions, was open every evening, social receptions were occasionally held, and a gymnasium was fitted up for the use of members. At the end of the first year the membership of the association numbered one hundred and fifty, divided into three classes, active, associate and sustaining.
CHAPTER IX.
EDUCATION AND LITERATURE.
The Schools of the Colonial Period .- The Public Schools under the State Gov- ernment .- Richmond County College .- Brighton Heiglits Seminary .- Staten Island Academy .- The Natural Science Association .- Newspapers .- George William Curtis .- John Adams Appleton .- The Smith Family.
I N respect to intellectual culture and attention to popular education Staten Island has ever sustained a creditable position in its generation. It has indeed been remarkably favored in this particular, even more so than most localities in its neighborhood. Always the home of men prominent in scien- tific, literary, educational or political fields-men who were among the foremost in the councils of the province, state or nation, in the various fields of mental action, it has profited by their leadership, energy and enterprise. Then again, being situated, as it were, under the wing of the great American metropolis, it has had the benefit of its attractions, patronage and benefactions.
The early inhabitants of the island gave assiduous attention to the education of their children. Very meagre fragments only of history may now be found to tell us how they accom- plished this work, but enough may be found to convince us that they appreciated the importance of giving their children the common education of the times. The first education was very naturally of a religious character, and given nnder religions patronage. The earliest note that we find touching this subject is one in the records of the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," an English society sustained under the anspices of the Episcopal church, for the year 1710, which is as follows :
" Mr. Mackenzy, the Society's Missionary in Staten Island, in the Province of New York, having informed them how much they wanted School-Masters to instruct the Children of the English, Dutch and French, in the said Island, and having
446
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
recommended Mr. Adam Brown and Mr. Benjamin Drewit for that Purpose, the Society made choice of them both."
These early schoolmasters were also sometimes called cat- echists. The two seem to have been continued-at least that number was employed-during the two years following, but in 1712 the men appear to have been changed. That year Francis Williamson and John de Pny were employed as school- masters under the patronage of the "Society." They received ten pounds a year for their salary, and their work was emi- nently satisfactory, as the testimony of the missionary, Rev. Mr. Mackenzy, together with the approval of the justices of the county abundantly proved. So beneficial to the people did the work of these early schoolmasters appear to be that the society determined in 1713 to employ three more catechists or schoolmasters at once.
We have the report of Mr. Brown of Richmond, one of these teachers, the report being dated April 10, 1713, by which we learn that he had continued to keep school in the south precinct of the county ; that he had tanght, during the year preceding, thirty-five children to "read, write and cypher ; " and the cat- echism of the church, with the explanations thereof, to such as were capable ; that he had twenty-four of his scholars publicly catechized in the church, and the readiness with which they answered all questions was admired by all who heard them ; that he taught them the use of the "common prayer," so that the children could join with the congregation in the divine ser- vice. This report was certified to by the minister and the board of justices of the county.
In 1717, Charles Taylor appears as the schoolmaster of the "Society," with a salary of fifteen pounds a year. He appears to have occupied the position for several years. In 1722 and 1723 he was teaching respectively, forty-three and forty two scholars. Besides the scholars in regular daily attendance he also at that time kept a night school for teaching negroes and those children who had to work during the day-time. The salary received from the "Society " was not his only reliance. He received an additional pittance from his patrons as a rule, though his own interest in the cause and the poverty of some of his pupils induced him to teach some without any other pay than the salary of the society. He continued to exercise the functions of a schoolmaster for many years. He died in the
447
IHISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
service in 1742, as the following abstract from the "Society's" minutes will show :
"And Mr. Taylor, the Society's Schoolmaster at Staten Island being dead, the Society upon a Petition and Recommenda- tion from the Reverend Mr. Arnold, their Missionary, and from the Church-wardens and Vestry of the Church of Staten Island, of Mr. Andrew Wright, as a Person of good Morals, and a con- stant Communicant, and well qualified to teach, hath appointed him School-master there to instruct the poor white, and black Children also, if any such are brought to him, gratis, in the Principles of Christianity, and to read the Bible and the Con- mon-prayer Book."
It is hardly to be supposed that these schoolmasters employed by this society were the first or only teachers engaged at the time in the instruction of children. But we have been unable to find any definite data in regard to the early operations of the Dutch in the cause of education.
During the colonial period the secular schools were generally under private patronage. To show the contrast between a teacher's certificate of that time and those under which teachers pass at the present time we give the following copy :
"We whose names are under written Do Certify that the Bearer hereof, James Forrest, has lived in the West end of Staten Island two years and six months, During which time we know nothing of him but what is Just and honest, Teaching and Instructing of Pupils in snch parts of Literature as their Capacity Could Contain : with great Fidelity and Justice, Giv- ing due and Regular Attendance in said school to our mutual & Intire Satisfaction and Likewise Instructed them in their Parts and Honours to our great Felicity, and now to part at his own Request. As Witness our hands 6th of August Seventeen hundred and Sixtynine 1769.
ISAAC DOTY, WILLIAM BENNET, ABRAHAM WINANT, PETER ANDROVET, DAVID LAFORGE, JOIIN GARRISON,
ZACKEUS VANDYCK, GEORGE GARRISON, CORNELIUS DUSOSWAY, JOIN DUBOIS, DANIEL WINANT, JOHN GOULD,
ISAAC PRALL, JACOB RECKHOW, JOHN STORY,
ISAAC DOTY, DANIEL STILWELL, THOMAS BUTLER,
MOSES DOTY, JOHN TOTTON, IIENRY BUTLER,
JOSEPH SPRAGG, GILBERT TOTTON, CHRISTOPHER BILLOPP,
JACOB SPRAGG,
ISAAC MANE, DANIEL WINANT, Jun'r."
448
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
After the establishment of the state government the subject of popular education began to receive notice in the legislature. The first step in that direction was the incorporation of the Regents of the University, which was done by the first legisla- ture after the adoption of the constitution. In 1789, the state set apart certain public lands for gospel and school purposes. In 1795, an act was passed for encouraging and maintaining schools, appropriating fifty thousand dollars annually for five years for that purpose. In 1799, an act was passed authorizing and providing for raising the sum of one hundred thousand dollars by means of four successive lotteries, the money to be appropriated to the encouragement of schools. In 1805, an act was passed by which five hundred thousand acres of the public lands of the state were to be sold and the proceeds devoted to the establishment of a permanent fund, the income of which was to be annually distributed among the school districts of the state for the support of common schools.
No system for carrying ont the beneficence of the state had been devised when Governor Tompkins, at the opening of the session, in 1810, addressed the legislature, urging attention to this matter. The income of the fund at that time amounted to abont twenty-six thousand dollars annnally, the fund itself having reached the sum of one hundred and fifty-one thousand one hundred and fifteen dollars and sixty-nine cents. In 1811 Governor Tompkins again urged the matter upon the legisla- ture, and the result was the passage of an act organizing the common school system as it existed until 1838. The first dis- tribution of money under this system was made in 1813, the law establishing it having been passed Jnne 19, 1812. This system divided the several towns into school districts, and placed the affairs of each district in the hands of three trustees. The school money was apportioned to the towns on the basis of their population, and again divided to each school district on the basis of the number of children in each, between the ages of five and fifteen years. Each town was required to raise for school pur- poses a sum equal to that which it received from the state. The first superintendent of common schools was Gideon Hawley, whose term extended from 1813 to 1821.
But it is not onr purpose to give here even an outline of the development of the common school system of which to-day the Empire state may justly boast. That system, in its operations,
449
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
is not different in Richmond county from other parts of the state. Its present status is shown by the following figures from the reports of the schools for the year last closed :
TOWN OF CASTLETON.
| District No.
Children residing
Children attend-
Amount of Teach-
Value of School-
house and Site.
Assessed valuation
of property in the District.
1 Four Corners. .
387
175
1,500.00
3,500
391,800
2 West New Brighton.
1,584
813
9,720.53
12,000
885,700
3 New Brighton.
1,466
889
8,405.03
40,000
1,256,968
4 New Brighton.
711
268
5,700.00
10,000
633,601
TOWN OF MIDDLETOWN.
1|Tompkinsville-Edgewater.
772
499
4,320.31 8,749.44
16,000 28,000
1,101,310
3 Todt Hill.
168
73
600.00
500
190,435
4 |New Dorp.
147
74
660.00
1,200
125,995
TOWN OF NORTHFIELD.
1|Richmond.
116
78
550.14
650
100,000
2 New Springville.
123
50
500.00
400
147,916
3 Linoleumville. .
149
120
1,000.00
2,500
100,917
4 Port Richmond.
147
74
550.00
800
142,208
5 Mariners' Harbor.
450
280
2,518.12
2.500
446,760
6 Port Richmond, Village of.
866
591
5,692.50
10,000
946,940
7 Traversville.
134
74
500.00
250
67,938
69
53
364.00
350
46,254
9 Port Richmond.
194
125
800.00
800
102,040
TOWN OF SOUTHFIELD.
1 |Clifton.
878
360
3,512.61
13.600
602,730
2 Concord.
430
234
1,378.00
3,000
233.498
3 New Dorp.
63
41
600.00
1,000
83,855
TOWN OF WESTFIELD.
1 Richmond Valley
156
91
575.00
700
130,180
2 Sea Side.
82
63
600.00
1,000
122,875
3 Green Ridge
141
66
450.00
800
169,810
4 Rossville.
181
94
600.00
800
151,655
5 Tottenville.
533
361
2,750.00
12,000
125,930
6 Prince's Bay
282
176
1,300.00
1,000
176,720
7 Kreischerville.
260
205
980.00
1,500
155,850
8 Sea Side.
135
70
700.00
1,200
126,375
681991861
497,754
2 Stapleton-Edgewater
3,160
1,284
in District.
ing School.
ers' Wages.
In the popular instruction afforded by public lectures and literary entertainments of a high order, the people of Staten Island have enjoyed unusual facilities. For many years in- structive lecture courses have been maintained in some of the
29
450
HISTORY OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
villages, The support given to them speaks well for the intelli- gent good sense of the people. The evidences are not wanting to show that the people of Staten Island have been disposed to appreciate the value of popular education in many ways, and to give a generons support to whatever means were presented for its accomplishment. The proximity to New York city, how- ever, which circumstance has proven favorable to some means, has been unfavorable to the maintenance here of collegiate schools or academies of high grade. Attempts have been made to establish such institutions, but the results until recently have not been eminently encouraging. An explanation is readily seen in the fact that the best institutions of the great metropolis, with advantages which a rural county like this could not be expected to emulate, are daily accessible to the residents of the island. We shall notice but a few of the at- tempts to found schools for higher education on the island.
The Richmond connty college was incorporated by an act of the legislature passed April 21, 1838. A condition of its exist- ence was that it should within two years own property to the valne of $80,000, in default of which the charter was to become null and void. Ogden Edwards*, Walter Patterson, Charles T. Catlin, Jacob Tysen, Thomas McAnley, Charles A. Porter, John S. Westerrelt, William Wilson, George Howard, Caleb T. Ward, William W. Phillips, Thomas Wilson, Minthorne Tompkins, William A. Sceley, John N. McLeod, Thomas Cum- ming, Billop B. Seaman, William C. Brownlee, Robert Pattison, David Moore, Alexander Martin, Thomas E. Davis, James O. Smith, William Scott, Louis McLane, John E. Miller, James Pollock, James B. Murray, Duncan Dunbar, Samuel Barton, William Agnew, Thomas J. Oakley, John R. Satterlee and William Sonl were constituted the body corporate and politic. and the first trustees. Several efforts were made to convene the trustees without success, and the matter finally died away and was forgotten.
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