USA > New York > Monroe County > Rochester > History of Rochester Presbytery from the earliest settlement of the country, embracing original records of Ontario Association, and the presbyteries of Ontario, Rochester (former), Tennessee River, and Rochester City > Part 12
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of an incendiary, and resulting from abolition meetings which had recently been held in the church. Another building was erected in the immediate rear of the former in 1838. In 1882 quite extensive repairs were made at an expense of about $3,100. The church as thus renovated, having a pleasant lecture-room in the rear, was re-dedicated, with a sermon by Rev. Josiah E. Kittridge, D. D., Oct. 27, 1882. The society also owns a good parsonage.
YORK.
Hotchkin's History, which is dated 1848, says : "This church is first noticed on the records of the Presbytery of Ontario, Oct. 14th, 1828. Rev. Johnson Baldwin was then stated supply. In 1830 it numbered fifty-five members ; in 1836, one hundred and sixty-six, and in 1840 one hundred and sixty. This is the last enumeration known to the writer. Rev. Johnson Baldwin was its stated supply as early as the year 1826, and continued to the close of 1828. He was succeeded by Rev. John B. Whittlesey, who was installed as pastor Nov. 18, 1830, and continued till Jan. 15, 1833, when he was dismissed. In 1836 Rev. John H. Carle was reported as the stated supply, and the next year Rev. Caleb Burge. Rev. Silas C. Brown was installed pastor Jan. 23, 1838, and officiated till May 5, 1841, when he was dismissed from his charge. In 1832 forty-five members were reported as having been added, by profession, to the church during the preceding year, indicating that the church had been visited with a gracious effusion of the Holy Spirit. In the support of Messrs. Johnson and Whit- tlesey, the church was assisted a number of years by the American Home Missionary Society. They have an appro- priate house of worship which was erected in 1830."
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To the foregoing statement of Mr. Hotchkin may be added that the last reference to this church by the records of Ontario Presbytery is under date of Oct. 28, 1844, when its records were approved, and it is thought that soon after this the church withdrew from Presbytery and existed for about twenty or twenty-five years as a Congregational church, when, having become very weak, the organization was abandoned and the building used for other than church purposes.
A strong United Presbyterian Church in the village of York traces its origin as far back as 1811, and a Reformed Presbyterian Church was organized in 1832, both vigorous churches at the present time.
GATES.
The brevity of the space allowed for this narrative and the number of particulars to be embraced in it demand a concise plan, and the writer adopts the following :
Origin. "The first Presbyterian Society of the town of Gates," as a corporate body, dates from October 15, 1828, when according to the provisions of law, three trustees were duly elected, namely, Matthias Garrett, Amasa Kellog and William Jameson. But that "society," for some unre- corded reason was not organized as a church until March S, 1831. The original members were but five-Nathaniel B. Lord, Sarah Ford, Oliver Noble, Dr. Ezra Butterfield and Nabby Butterfield ; N. B. Lord being chosen as "deacon " and Dr. Butterfield as " clerk."
Edifice. Their first place of worship was the ball-room of a tavern, kept by Eliezar Howard. After statedly assembling in this place for some three years, a small frame church was built, costing about $400, the site together with the ground for the adjoining cemetery being donated to the
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society by Mr. Howard. Ten years later, a new and more commodious house of worship was built on the same spot, at an expense of some $1,000. This was dedicated, January 23, 1845. After occupation for a quarter of a century, repairs became necessary ; and in 1871, these were under- taken, and great changes and improvements made in the interior, all accomplished mainly through the influence and agency of Mr. Thomas S. Joslin. Other improvements have been made since. This church is situated just four miles directly west of the centre of Rochester.
Pastorate. Of those who ministered to the infant church during the first seven years of its existence we have no account, save of one, Rev. George G. Sill, who was the prime mover in the erection of the first house of worship. But from the year 1838 to 1845, its pulpit was supplied, for varying periods by Rev. Messrs. Hilam W. Lee, Dr. K. Gally and Hugh Wallace, whose services extended over three years. In 1845, Rev. James Ballentine was called to be their minis- ter, who served the church with great fidelity for sixteen years, and was the only installed pastor it has ever had. From 1861 to 1866, the desk was occupied successively by Rev. Messrs. Francis Surbridge, Ezra F. Munday, - Bishop and Gavin L. Hamilton, also several students from the Bap- tist Seminary. In 1867, Rev. Charles E. Furman became the supply, and served for something over two years. He was followed by several transient supplies, or those whose terms of service were quite brief, among the latter were Rev. Messrs. John E. Baker, Edward B. Van Auken, Henry M. Morey and Willis C. Gaylord. In the spring of 1874, Rev. Henry Wickes became the preacher, and labored with them till the fall of 1876. Then followed a period of eight years, during which students and transient ministers occupied the pulpit, the last of whom was Rev. John Mitchell, who remained with them for a year and a half.
In November, 1884, Rev. Herbert W. Morris, D. D., was asked to preach to them for a few Sabbaths, while they
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looked for a suitable supply; this not appearing or not sought for, at their urgent request, he has continued ever since to render them all pastoral services, though not installed.
Eldership. For three years from its organization, the only officers known in the church were a deacon and a clerk. Its first ruling elders were elected and ordained in 1834, who were Matthias Garret, Ezra Butterfield, Calvin Sperry and Rufus J. Bushnell. In 1842, through deaths and removals, the church was so reduced that Presbytery author- ized the male members to act as a session. This state of things continued till 1845, when a new board of elders was organized. Subsequently we find James C. Van Nest, Henry L. Monroe, John Gardner and George B. Sperry acting as members of the session. The elders at the present time are Thomas Roe, Thomas S. Joslin, Frank- lin S. Hinchey and S. W. Hulbert. These have been elected for limited terms.
Membership. The growth of the church in numbers has not been great or rapid at any period. As stated, it was organized with five members. At the end of the first ten years it had 26 members, of the second 82, of the third 76, of the fourth 63, of the fifth 58, and at the present time it has 99. Had it enjoyed the services of settled pastors, its growth and usefulness doubtless would have been much greater.
Sabbath School. This church has had its Sabbath school, embracing Bible classes through the whole period of its existence. The entire Sabbath school membership at the end of the first decade was 25, of the second 115, of the third 75, of the fourth 90, of the fifth 57, and at the present is 83. Its earlier superintendents were Calvin Colt, Rev. Hugh Wallis, Asahel Pratt and Calvin Sperry. The last named held the office for 23 years, resigning in 1867. This servant of God had for his successors Franklin S. Hinchey,
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John Gardner, Isaac Simmons, Thomas Roe, Jeremiah Smith and Edward M. Behan, who is the present incum- bent. This school, though small, has been a power for good, and its records present much that is interesting and instruc- tive, such as the following items : "Cyrenia Baker recited 1289 verses, Ansell Mills, 1341 vs. and William Colt 1507 vs." Again "A class of girls recited 5204 vs .; B class of boys recited 5884 vs." Members of this school, fought and fell on many a bloody field in the war of the great rebellion. For September 14, 1862, we find this sad record, "Our young men's Bible class is broken up, most of them having joined the army." Again, later, "Theodore Sperry, after suffering all the horrors of a rebel prison was with us to-day "-"Alexander Patterson was carried to the hospital where he expired "-" George Rowe died from his wounds,"-etc.
Missions. This church has also its Missionary Society, which, as an auxiliary of the Women's Missionary Society of Rochester Presbytery, is active and earnest in its efforts to promote the good cause. Its president is Miss Carrie M. Smalley, secretary Miss Myrtie Beman, and treasurer Miss Jennie Curry.
Trustees. The present board of trustees are Alfred J. Rudman, Henry Patten and Frank Booth.
GENESEO FIRST.
Lakeville is a small village situated at the foot of Lake Conesus (from which it derives its name) six miles north- east from Geneseo, the shire town of Livingston county, N. Y. Among the first to settle in this locality were James Haynes and Daniel Kelly, from Pennsylvania. These were followed a few years afterwards by Benjamin Wynn,
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Abraham Duffenbacher, Abraham McClintock and Duncan Sinclair. Time passed on and there came from Connecticut and from the eastern part of the State, several emigrant families, among whom were R. Wattles, E. Bigelow and A. C. Knight, with the households of M. Armstrong. W. Price, W. McClintock and R. Densmore, who settled in Livonia. The descendants of many of these original emigrants still hold and occupy the homesteads.
The First Church was organized with twelve members in 1795 by Rev. Daniel Thatcher, a missionary of the " Pres- byterian General Assembly." Its title was "The First Presbyterian Church of Geneseo," which name it still bears. It was the earliest of all the churches in this part of the county. The first members were nearly all Presbyterians, the place of worship being a small building on " Temple Hill," above the village of Geneseo. In course of time several joined by letters from Congregational bodies in the Eastern States. In order to avoid friction and secure unity of feeling, the elders resigned. The " Plan of union adopted by the General Assembly and the General Associa- tion of the State of Connecticut being adopted, with a standing committee in place of a church session." But this measure was not attended with success. There was no real harmony. Acting wisely under the circumstances, the Congregationalists asked and obtained letters of dismission, and organized another church, which, after several changes, is now known as " The Presbyterian Church of Geneseo Village." The original Presbyterian element removed to the eastern part of the town, where they met for worship during several years in a school house during the winter months, and in a barn in summer. In the year 1824 a house of worship was erected-a plain, unpretending struc- ture, but was the spiritual birthplace of many persons, some now living and many more above.
In the year 1855, the commodious and attractive building.
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where services have since been held, was completed and dedicated to the worship of the Triune Jehovah ; a sermon of characteristic scholarship being preached by the late Samuel H. Cox, D. D., at that time chancellor of Ingham Univer- sity, Le Roy. The old structure still stands, though for uses secular but not unsacred. It is a barn alike in kind with the place where the church convened in its early days. The older members of the parish cannot look upon it with- out a moved heart and a tearful eye.
Pastors and Stated Supplies .- Revs. Samuel Thatcher, 1795 ; John Lindsley, 1806-1817; Silas Pratt, 1824-1827 ; Horace Galpin, 1827-1831; Elijah Woolage, 1831-1832 ; Merrit Harmon, 1832-1842; Sidney S. Brown, 1843-1845 ; Chamberlain, 3 months, 1845; Charles Richards, 1845-1849; E. M. Toof, 1849-1853 ; Chas. Livingston, 6 months of 1853; Lafayette Dudley, 1853-1854; William Reed, 3 months, 1854; Edwin Moore, 1855-1860; Geo. W. Mackie, 1860-1861; Dwight Scovel, 1861-1867; Alvin Baker, 1867-1871 ; John Jones, D. D., 1871-1872; John Mitchell, 1873-1879; Newton J. Conklin, 1879-1883; F. De W. Ward, D. D., 1883-1889.
Elders .- Daniel Kelly, John Haynes, John Ewart, 1795; Duncan Sinclair, Abram Duffenbacher, John Haynes, Abraham Mcclintock, Robert Clark, John R. Haynes, Epaphroditus Bigelow, Richard A. Riley, Joseph Haynes, Enoch Babcock, Abraham H. Williams, James Haynes, James S. Wells, M. D., Revilo Bigelow, J. Hunter Haynes.
Trustees .- James Haynes, E. Bigelow, Wm. McClintock, Robert Clark, R. T. Sinclair, Hugh Gray, Joseph Haynes, Roger Wattles, William Haynes, Samuel Carman, Jonathan Hill, Amos Schofield, John Price, R. A. Riley, Peter Dopp, R. Beckwith, L. H. Williams, G. E. Hill, L. F. Olmstead, A. C. Knight, E. Hillman, H. Hillman, Daniel Bosley, R. Densmore, J. H. Haynes, W. C. McClintock, Charles Price.
REV. F. DE W. WARD, D. D.
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OFFICERS IN 1888.
Minister .-- Rev. F. De W. Ward, D. D., for twenty years pastor in Geneseo.
Elders .- David Densmore, C. P. Weeks, S. N. Knight, Daniel Bigelow.
Trustees .- William Harris, R. Bosley, Edgar Gray.
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Superintendent, Charles D. Neff ; Assistant, Edward R. Bosley ; Treasurer, C. Knight.
Within the parish boundaries are fifty families, some of them dating back before the present century. Attendance upon Sabbath and neighborhood services, the Sabbath School and regular contributions to all the church boards, indicate a fair amount of prosperity ; additions are made at almost every communion.
GENESEO.
I. SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF GENESEO .*
This church was organized May 5, 1810, with 21 members as follows : Elizabeth Reed, Mary Rew, David Skinner, Jerusha Skinner, David Kneeland, Mercy Kneeland, Cephas Beach, Dolly R. Beach, Delight Finley, Samuel Finley, Lucy Finley, Louise Chappell, Abigail Case, Alice Skinner, Betsey Finley, Candice Beach, Sylvia Kneeland, Annie Alvord, Russell Lord, Nabby G. Kneeland, Sibbil Law- rence.
David Skinner was chosen moderator, Samuel Finley clerk, and David Skinner and Cephas Beach deacons.
*The history of The Presbyterian Church of Geneseo Village (1880-1889) naturally embraces sketches of the related ecclesiastical organizations, the Second Pres- byterian Church of Geneseo (1810-1880) and the Central Presbyterian Church of Geneseo (1858-1880) These sketches follow in their natural order.
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The original settlers in this region were Presbyterians from Pennsylvania. The first religious society was thus Presbyterian and was organized in 1795 by Rev. Daniel Thatcher, a missionary of the General Assembly. The new organization was Congregational. Its members were Con- gregationalists from New England. Withdrawing from the First Presbyterian church, they were organized as a new church by Rev. Daniel Oliver, a missionary of the Mas- sachusetts Home Missionary Society. In 1814, the church adopted the confession of faith of the Presbyterian church and came under the care of Geneva Presbytery on what was called the " accommodation plan." In December, 1817, the Presbyterian form of government was adopted in full, the church took its name as the Second Presbyterian Church of Geneseo, and elected Jonathan Ellis, Reuben Weeks and Oliver Skinner, elders. Frederick Hill was elected elder in 1819, and Norman Bushnell deacon the same year. In 1820, Elijah Dresser was chosen deacon ; in 1824, Reuben Weeks, and in 1829, John Colt, Eben N. Buel and Oliver Skinner. The church again formally adopted the Presbyterian form of government September 3, 1834, and elected on the rotary plan the following board of nine elders : Charles Colt, Cyrus Wells, Jr., Jacob B. Hall, Samuel A. Hubbard, Chauncey Parsons, Levi Goddard, Freeman Hastings, William H. Stanley and Owen P. Olmsted. A year later, there were added to fill vacancies Frederick W. Butler, Samuel F. Butler and Russell Austin. Samuel Gardner was elected deacon.
The town house was the first place of worship. This had been moved from the public square on Main street to Temple Hill a few years before and now came under the control of the church and was called their meeting house.
The ecclesiastical society was incorporated under the name of the "Geneseo Gospel Society," September 11, 1815, with Joseph W. Lawrence, Samuel Finley, Isaac
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Smith, William H. Spencer, Samuel Loomis and Timothy P. Kneeland, trustees. The year following Aaron Skinner, Elijah Dresser and Jonathan Ellis were elected to fill vacan- cies, in 1817, James Wadsworth and Charles Colt, in 1818, Orlando Hastings and in 1819, Norman Bushnell.
In 1811, a novel expedient was adopted for supporting the gospel. It was known as the sheep fund. The flock began with 48 sheep contributed by several persons. In 1817, it had increased to 324. In 1820, the proceeds were invested in landed security, and six years later amounted to about $300. These funds were used in building the first session house which stood on Centre street where now stands the house of Dr. W. E. Lauderdale, Jr.
The Geneseo Gospel Society received from Mr. James Wadsworth, April 13, 1816, a deed of 100 acres of land. This gift testified his practical interest in religious and educational matters and redeemed a promise that he, with other land proprietors, had made to make such grant to the first regularly incorporated religious society that should be organized within the township. From the first he and his brother Gen. William Wadsworth greatly aided this church in Geneseo. He was accustomed to give $100 a year for the support of the minister.
In 1816, the subject of erecting a meeting house was agitated. In December, an association was formed com- posed of the Messrs. Wadsworth and fifty others. These subscribed 353 shares at $10 each, Mr. James Wadsworth taking 120 shares and his brother, besides superintending personally the work, presenting a good bell. The house was a plain structure 45 by 55 feet, built of the best timber and furnished with 50 pews. Its entire cost was $6,000. It was raised in June, 1817, and completed in December of the same year. The first day of January, 1818, the house was dedicated. This was an event of great interest. The sermon was preached by Rev. Daniel C. Axtell of Geneva.
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The Sunday following, the first elders elected received ordination. This building, long known as the "White Church," stood opposite the public square near the south end of Main street. It was enlarged one third in 1854, and again greatly improved within and without in 1870. For two generations it was used as a church, the last service being held within its walls, December 4, 1881. In 1884, it was taken down by Mr. J. D. Lewis and its site occupied . by the residence of Mr. William A. Stevens.
On the 12th of July, 1817, Rev. Abraham Foreman (Union College, 1815) was installed as the first pastor of the church. The exercises took place in the unfinished house, which was enclosed and fitted for the occasion. Here also at the same time Loring D. Dewey, A. M., was ordained an evangelist. Rev. Ebenezer Fitch, D.D., then pastor at West Bloomfield, and formerly for 22 years the first president of Williams College, preached the sermon. Until this time the church had had no settled pastor. It had enjoyed, however, these six years, the minstrations of several transient ministers, among whom were Daniel Oliver, John Lindley, Aaron C. Collins, Robert Hubbard, Stephen Wheelock, Silas Pratt, Bartholomew Mills and Daniel S. Butrick.
Rev. Mr. Foreman came in October, 1816, as tutor in the family of Mr. Wadsworth, and was employed by the church to preach from that date. The following spring he was called to be pastor on a salary of $500, and remained as such until November 17, 1819, when at his own request he was dismissed. He continued to reside in Geneseo, till his death, August 20, 1854. With marked personal eccentrici- ties, Mr. Foreman was a good sermonizer and a man of rare scholarship and kindness of heart.
About 1820, the Sunday school was organized. The first teachers were Jacob B. Hall, Orlando Hastings, Mr. Fair- child, Miss Harriet Wadsworth and Miss Mary Law- rence. Orlando Hastings was the first Superintendent.
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After a few years he was followed by Chauncey Parsons, who continued to hold the office for over thirty years. Four or five years earlier, however, in 1816, Rev. Daniel S. Butrick held the first Sunday school in town, the sessions being on Saturday afternoon in the school house on Temple Hill, and the exercises mostly recitations of the catechism.
Rev. Norris Bull (D. D., 1846, Union ; grad. Yale, 1813), of the Presbytery of Troy, came to Western New York as a missionary in 1818, and was called to the pastorate April 22, 1822. He was ordained and installed June 19 of the same year. For over ten years he was pastor until July 3, 1832, when he was dismissed to the Presbytery of Genesee and took charge of the church in Wyoming. From 1837 to 1847, he was pastor of the church in Clarkson. In both these places he was also principal of the town Academy a part of the time. Early in 1847, he became pastor at Lewiston, where he died, quite suddenly but triumphantly, December 8, 1847.
It was early in his pastorate, in 1824, that the Wednesday evening meeting of prayer was first established. It was at the suggestion of a missionary, who with Dr. Bull mnet a few of the male members at the house of Dr. Cyrus Wells. These were John Colt, Jacob B. Hall, Erastus Parsons and Wilbur Turner. They entered into a covenant to sustain the meeting and to spend some time every day in prayer for a revival. It was held from house to house. Soon the female members of the church sought admission. Then the impenitent became interested, the doors were thrown open and the great awakening of 1824-5 followed. April 3, 1825, was a memorable communion Sabbath. Ninety-one persons, embracing many of the leading men and women of the village, entered into covenant with the church. In 1824, the number of members was 92; in 1825, 191; and in 1831, after the great revival of 1830, 206.
"The Livingston Co. High School," afterward known as
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Geneseo Academy, was established and its substantial brick buildings erected on Temple Hill in 1826. It was incor- porated March 10, 1827. In this enterprise Mr. James Wadsworth took the liveliest interest. This school came to be under the care of the Synod of Buffalo in 1849, and con- tinued a recognized power of good, educational and religious, for nearly half a century. Its first principal was C. C. Felton, LL. D., afterward president of Harvard University, and its last, Henry D. Gregory, Ph. D., now of Girard Col- lege, Philadelphia. It ceased to exist in 1875, four years after the opening of the State Normal School.
The attempt of Unitarianism, though abortive, to gain a footing in Western New York in connection with the establishment of the Academy, was a sore trial to the church. The unusual mode of building by an association instead of trustees, brought on serious financial complications. During the same time church discipline was also extensively under- taken. Yet by the signal blessing of God and under the guidance of Dr. Bull, a man of consummate ability, cour- age and devotion to truth, the period of his ministry was one of unwonted spiritual growth.
In September, 1833, Rev. John Chase Lord (D. D., 1841, Hamilton ; grad. Hamilton, 1825) began his labors, and was ordained and installed July 31, 1834, the sermon by Rev. James Richards, D. D., and the charges to pastor and people by Rev. Norris Bull, D. D , and Rev. John Barnard, D. D., respectively. In October, 1835, he was called to the Central Presbyterian church, Buffalo, and was dismissed the 28th of the same month. He died at Buffalo, January 21, 1877. His Geneseo pastorate though brief was greatly blessed. A powerful revival resulting in over 100 additions signalized his ministry in 1833-4. The church now numbered 258.
Rev. John Nitchie Lewis, A. M. (grad. Yale, 1828) fol- lowed Dr. Lord in the pastorate, October, 3, 1838. The church was supplied statedly in the interim by Rev.
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Theodore Spencer, Rev. Elam H. Walker and Rev. Henry Snyder successively. Rev. Mr. Lewis' ministry continued to April 5, 1841. Loss of voice compelled release from pulpit labor for 23 years. His subsequent charges were at New- burgh, Bethlehem, Monticello and New York city. While assistant pastor of the Brick church his death occurred very suddenly, October 5, 1861.
In 1843, November 8th, Rev. Benjamin B. Stockton succeeded to the pastorate which continued five years. He was dismissed September 26, 1848, was pastor at Phelps sev- eral years, entered later the United States Navy as chaplain and died at Brooklyn, June 10, 1861. October 9, 1842, Hugh McBride and Cornelius Shepard, Jr., were ordained elders and Elihu N. Faxon, deacon ; and in 1845, October 21, Felix Tracy and Ephraim Cone were ordained elders and Chauncey Watson, deacon.
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