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 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22
On the same day the church was organized, Feb. 15, 1838, the congregation organized a society, called the Fifth Presbyterian Church of Rochester, and elected as trustees Caleb K. Hobbie, Elias Gates and Joseph Gates.
The society built a framed house of worship on the east side of the road a few rods south of Norton street. After the church was disbanded their house of worship was sold and removed to the corner, then of Atwater, now Central avenue, and Leopold street ; where it was for many years occupied by a " Holland Dutch " church ; it has since been used for livery stable, the congregation having removed to a building on Oregon street.
XX
ST. PETER'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ROCHESTER.
263
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER PRESBYTERY.
ROCHESTER ST. PETER'S.
This church originated in the thought and benevolence of Hon. Levi A. Ward. The corner-stone was laid June 7, 1852, and the edifice completed at a cost of $32,500, was ded- icated Oct. 25, 1853. Soon after a chime of nine bells was hung in the tower of the church by Mr. Ward. The first reg- ular Sabbath service was held in the church Oct. 3, 1853, and the first celebration of the holy communion, May 14, 1854.
On the 12th day of December, 1853, a special meeting of the Presbytery of Rochester City was held in the chapel of the church, at which meeting the following twenty-eight persons were constitued by the Presbytery, the " St. Peter's Presbyterian Church of the City of Rochester :"
Lowel Butler, Mrs. Chloe Butler, Mrs. Emily R. Beckwith, Jane Bradbury, Mrs. Emily Chumasero, John S. Dean, Mrs. Chloe Dean, Mrs. Caroline B. Dwinell, Lorenzo D. Ely, Mrs. Caroline C. Ely, Mrs. Mary A. Holyland, Ellen M. Kemp, James Murray, Mrs. Pesinah Murray, Ann E. Murray, Mrs. Caroline E. McAlpine, Mrs. Betsey L. Oothout, Edward A. Raymond, Mrs. Eugenia C. Raymond, Samuel B. Raymond, Mrs. Harriet M. Raymond, Mrs. Susan M. Selden, Levi A. Ward, Mrs. Harriet Ward, Mary E. Ward, William H. Ward, John F. Whitbeck and Mrs. Elizabeth A. Whitbeck.
In connection with this meeting, Edward A. Raymond and Levi A. Ward were elected elders, and they were ordained as such on the first day of January, 1854. Four years later the session was enlarged by the election of Hiram Banker and William Slocum.
The present session is as follows : Harvey W. Brown, Henry C. Clark, Ira C. Goodridge, Edwin S. Hayward, Sidney A. Newman, Jonathan E. Pierpont, Richard E. White.
264
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER PRESBYTERY.
Originally the elders were chosen to serve for life, but at present the term of active service is three years.
Deacons were first elected Nov. 10, 1858, but none were ordained till April 24, 1864, when Joseph B. Ward, and Marcus K. Woodbury were set apart to this office, since which time others have been chosen as needed.
The first stated supplies of their pulpit were Rev. T. Coit and Rev. Leonard W. Bacon. Rev. Richard H. Richardson was installed May 4, 1856, and dismissed Dec. 3, 1857; Rev. Joseph H. Towne was installed May, 1858, and dismissed March 7, 1860 ; Rev. John T. Coit was installed June 1, 1860, and died when on a visit at Albion, Jan. 23, 1863 ; Rev. Edwin Dorr Yeomans was installed June 7, 1863, resigned April 28, 1867, and was dismissed May 1, 1867. He died at Orange, N. J., Aug. 27, 1868. John M. Crowell, D. D., was installed May 16, 1869, and dis- missed Dec. 4, 1870 ; Rev. Asa S. Fiske was installed Jan. 1, 1872, and dismissed Sept. 12, 1875 ; Rev. Herman C. Riggs, D. D., was installed April 2, 1876, and dismissed Sept. 24, 1885 ; Rev. Alfred J. Hutton, the present pastor, began his labors, Oct. 16, 1887, and was installed on the following 15th day of November.
Several seasons of special religious awakening have been enjoyed by the church, the most marked being in the pastorates of the Rev. Drs. Yeomans and Riggs. The main growth of St. Peter's Church has been, however, rather by smaller and more frequent accessions. The whole number received during the thirty-five years is 925, of whom, 420 were received on confession, and 505 by certificate. The present membership is 486.
The St. Peter's Church Congregation was incorporated Nov. 7, 1853, at which time the following persons were chosen trustees : Josiah W. Bissell, Charles H. Clarke, Lorenzo D. Ely, Charles A. Jones, Belden R. McAlpine, Samuel B. Raymond, Samuel L. Selden, Jerome B. Stillson and Charles P. Smith.
265
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER PRESBYTERY.
The present board is as follows: Frederick P. Allen, Henry C. Brewster, James G. Cutler, William H. Farrand, Alexander E. Hayden, William S. Kimball, William H. Ward, Howard L. Smith.
On the 4th day of June, 1860, Mr. Levi A. Ward conveyed the church property by a duly executed deed to the board of trustees for the nominal sum of $20,000, donating the remaining $12,500 personally to the society. On the 8th of March, 1868, the building so conveyed was destroyed by fire, and ten months later it was replaced by the present building, at a cost of $49,000. Not long after the original chime of bells was also replaced by a larger one, of twelve bells, at a cost of $4,000.
The Sunday school was organized contemporaneously with the church. Mr. Edward A. Raymond was its first superintendent. The school, though never so large as some others of the city, has always been prosperous in the best sense of the word, and never was more so than now, under its present superintendent, Mr. Sidney A. Newman.
A Ladies' Benevolent Society has also existed almost from the beginning.
A Young Ladies' Society was formed in 1876.
On the 2d Oct., 1877, the Woman's Missionary Society was organized with fifteen members, and under the presi- dency of Mrs. Sarah R. A. Dolley, M. D., this society has held regular monthly meetings and has greatly increased the missionary activity of the church. Mrs. Dolley is still its efficient and accomplished president.
As a complete record of the finances from the beginning does not exist, the statement must be approximate. The aggregate of society congregational expenses for the thirty- five years is very nearly $290,000, and that of benevolence, about $40,650.
266
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER PRESBYTERY.
NORTH STATE STREET CHURCH.
" The Trustees of the Lower Falls Presbyterian Society " were organized, Dec. 6. 1852. Their first trustees were Adam Aldrich, Gideon Leavenworth, Robert Roberts, Oliver Brooks and C. C. Vancanon. Rev. Archibald Furgerson was active in canvassing for funds for the erec- tion of a house of worship, and R. Graham King donated a lot for the same, located on the east side of State street a few rods north of Phelps avenue, conditioned that if for the term of two consecutive years it should cease to be used for a Presbyterian church it should revert to the donor or his heirs. This resulted in the erection of a small framed building with a steeple. For about one year, Mr. Furgerson was the stated supply of the church. After that the Rev. James Harkness supplied them about three years.
At a meeting of Presbytery held in Brockport, April 27. 1854, Rev. Messrs. Joshua H. McIlvain, Albert G. Hall and Archibald Furgerson were appointed a commission to organize a church at Lower Falls if the way be open." On the 4th of Oct., 1854, "Said commission reported the organization of the North State Street Church."
Efforts were made in 1875 to find society or session records ; none were found or heard of ; nor do the records of Presbytery show any dissolution of the church.
In the General Assembly minutes of 1855, the name of the church is published without its statistics. In 1856, the church is reported with 75 members ; in 1857, as having 42 members ; in 1858, as having 53 members, and in 1859, as having only 15 members and vacant. The name of the church was dropped from the roll in 1862.
The number and names of the original members are not known. Samuel Benton was ordained their first elder.
267
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER PRESBYTERY.
Mr. Harkness being discouraged, discontinued supplying the church, while a Sunday school was continued in it. He preached for a time to an unorganized congregation in the small brick church that stood on . west side of State street a few rods south of Brown street, that had been built for the North Congregational Church under the pastor- ate of Rev. Henry Peck. The building is now occupied as a store house.
In the night of July 24, 1864, the church of the Lower Falls society took fire in the steeple from burning shingles blown from the burning coopers shop of the Western House of Refuge.
In due time the lot reverted to the King estate according to the terms of the original deed.
ROCHESTER CALVARY.
Rochester Calvary was organized June 15, 1856, with the following sixteen members: James S. Badger, Catherine Badger, Eliza A. Barrett, James Barton, Charles Barton, Elizabeth Blunn, William T. Cushing, Mrs. Arabella Cush- ing, Henrietta Dempsey, Mrs. Olive Howes, Helen M. Howes, Mrs. Mary Ingraham, William Stebbins, Mrs. Eliza B. Stebbins, Mrs. Hannah Ray and Mrs. Jane G. Stolhoff.
The first elders were William Stebbins and William T. Cushing. The present elders are Thomas Oliver, Franklin S. Stebbins and Franklin T. Skinner. All were elected without limit as to term. The church has never had deacons.
The first pastor installed immediately after the organiza- tion of the church, July 30, 1856, was Rev. Charles Ray, who was dismissed Aug. 15, 1858. Rev. James Nichols was soon after employed as supply until April 7, 1861,
268
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER PRESBYTERY.
when Rev. Belville Roberts was elected and installed pas-
tor. He was dismissed June 25, 1865. Rev. Alfred Yeomans succeeded him, and was dismissed in April, 1867. Rev. Herbert W. Morris, D. D., who succeeded him, was installed June 11, 1867, and remained until May 3, 1877. Soon after that Rev. Edward P. Gardner took charge of the pulpit until the next December, when he accepted a call from Portland, Maine. On Jan. 1, 1878, Rev. Edward Bristol commenced his labors as pastor elect. He was not installed, but continued to supply the pulpit till the close of 1889.
The Sunday school was organized early in 1856, and has continued until the present time. At first the attendance was small, but it has steadily advanced until it now numbers more than 200 scholars. It is well organized under earnest and competent teachers. In the fall of 1874, for the accom- modation of the school and meetings for social worship, it was resolved to build a chapel in close proximity to the church. The work was commenced the last of November and completed by the first of February. This was accom- plished mainly by donated materials and gratuitous labor solicited by the pastor. The balance of the whole expense, $1,200, was raised by the Sabbath school. The school has furnished to the church many active and earnest members.
The Ladies' Missionary Society is an efficient body. They are now educating a girl in Alaska, and a boy who bears the name of Edward Bristol, the pastor of this church.
The Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor is connected with the general organization of that name in the city. Its meetings are well attended, and they are doing their share in the good work.
There have been several seasons of special religious inter- est in the history of this church. The first notable one was in January, 1874, when 22 were admitted to membership on confession of their faith ; in April following 19; in Feb-
269
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER PRESBYTERY.
ruary, 1876, 7 ; in December of same year 16, and in Septem ber, 1883, 9.
At the commencement of Calvary Church in 1856, the society took the building formerly occupied by and belonging to the St. Paul Street Congregational Church. It was con- siderably in debt. During the pastorate of Rev. Belville Roberts, he succeeded in raising sufficient money to pay it off, but as the building was old and unsuitable for the grow- ing necessities of the church and community, Rev. Dr. Morris took the great labor upon himself of raising sufficient money to re-model and re-build the church, which he accom- plished, and the present neat and handsome structure stands as the gratifying result of enterprise, activity and faith. Dr. Morris, not content with his great success in rebuilding the church, built also, as above stated, a chapel on the lot in the rear (south) of the church, raising for both objects something over $9,000.
This chapel was used by the church for nearly fourteen years, when it was torn down to make room for the larger and more commodious building now connected with the church, which was started and carried to completion by the Sunday school at a cost of about $4,800. The dimensions of the lot are 74 by 165 feet, covered entirely by the church and chapel except a small space in front. The church stands on the corner of South avenue and Hamilton place in the most desirable part of the Twelfth ward. This part of the city is increasing in population and wealth.
ROCHESTER WESTMINSTER.
On June 29, 1856, a union Sunday school called the Buffalo Street Mission was organized in a hall belonging to Joel B. Bennett, on the south side of Buffalo street, front- ing the south end of Canal street. August 10, 1858, the
270
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER PRESBYTERY.
Westminster Presbyterian Chapel was incorporated. The trustees were Albert Aldrich, James Rugs and William Charles. Its teachers were mostly from the Brick and Central churches. William S. Bishop was its first superin- tendent. The school continued its sessions until Dec. 25, 1859. May 24, 1857, a Sunday school called the Bull's Head Mission was organized in a building that had been a tavern standing at the southwest corner of Buffalo and York streets. The tavern had been bought by Aristarchus Champion and altered to adapt it so far as possible to the wants of a Sunday school. John H. Thompson was its superintendent. Its teachers were mostly from the Brick Church. George W. Mackie, a student in theology, was employed part of the time to visit in the neighborhood and to conduct religious meetings in the house. The school was closed Dec. 25, 1859. During its continuance it had 426 different scholars.
Jan. 8, 1860, a large portion of the above mentioned two schools assembled in a chapel which had recently been completed and is a part of the present Westminster Church. The school was first superintended by George W. Parsons and later by Henry L. Churchill. The school varied in attendance but had a roll of more than 500 members. In May, 1861, Mr. Champion employed Rev. Anson Gleason for one year to officiate as supply and local missionary.
Sept. 29, 1859, the West Avenue Chapel was organized. Its incorporation was recorded Oct. 6, 1859. Its trustees were Joel B. Bennett, Samuel Dix, Stephen Coleman, Henry L. Churchill and Lewis H. Alling.
July 12, 1875, the society name was changed, by order of court, to the Westminster Church.
After Mr. Gleason closed his labors, continuous services were held with good results. For six months just preced- ing the organization of the Westminster Church, Mrs. L. A. Shepard, of Utica, visited in the vicinity and held prayer meetings which resulted in many conversions.
271
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER PRESBYTERY.
On Sunday evening, April 5, 1868, in the Central Church 82 of their members were dismissed and constituted the Westminster Church, under the care of Rev. Henry M. Morey, late of Pittsford. The new organization held its first meeting in their place of worship on the following 12th of April, 1868. Their first elders were George N. Mitchell and Truman A. Clark.
Mr. Morey was called to the pastorate April 5, 1871, and installed on the 27th of the same month. He resigned Oct. 2, 1874, and was dismissed on the 20th of the same month.
Rev. Corlis B. Gardner was called from Cuba, N. Y., Nov. 30, 1874 ; began his services Jan. 3, 1875, and was installed Feb. 4, 1875, and continues its pastor.
The elders now are John M. Cheeseman, James L. Tarrant, Harvey B. Graves, Willianı F. Parry, Benjamin H. Hill and Jeremiah B. Whitbeck.
The lot on which West Avenue Chapel was built, 66 by 165 feet, was valued at $800 and was the joint gift of Aristar- chus Champion and Joel B. Benett. The chapel, of brick, 40 by 60 feet, was built at a cost of $1,700 and was dedicated Jan. 1, 1860. In 1867 the chapel was improved and re- furnished at an expense of $1,000. In the summer and fall of 1870 it was rebuilt and enlarged into a church audience room and chapel, each 40 by 70 feet, at a cost of $10,174. The new edifice was dedicated Jan. 26, 1871. The property is now valued at $16,000. The present trustees are George P. Bortle, Eber R. Clark, Warren B. Huther, Charles K. Newbury, William F. Parry, Julius H. Reinhard and James F. Parry. L Tarrant
The church doubled its membership in the first year, having received 65 on confession and 18 on certificates. In the fall of 1873 Rev. Orson Parker performed evangelistic work which resulted in receiving 40 members on con- fession.
In the winter of 1883-4 a revival occurred under the
272
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER PRESBYTERY.
labors of the pastor resulting in the further addition of 40 on confession. There were 31 new members received in 1886. The present number of communicants is 270.
Missionary and other organizations have from the begin- ning had liberal aid, and the monthly concert has always been observed. The church has a Woman's Missionary Society which was organized in the spring of 1884. The Mission Band was organized in 1876; the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, Oct. 7, 1883.
Miss Jane M. Lusk, a member of this church, sailed as a missionary to Africa in Oct., 1873. She died in Rochester, March 28, 1884. Rev. John Q. Adams, now pastor of Westminster Church in San Francisco, was a member of this church when pursuing his studies.
The Sunday school at organization of the church had 455 members with average attendance of 250. It now has 400 enrolled and an average attendance of 260.
The Eighth ward, in which this church is located, was erected in 1845, and probably had in 1856, when the Buffalo Street Mission was begun, a population of about 4,000 with no Protestant Sunday school or church within its bounds. It is now supposed to have 12,000 population and has 2 Presbyterian, 2 Baptist, 1 Episcopal and 1 Meth- odist churches, notwithstanding the six largest leading churches of the city are in near proximity to this ward.
ROCHESTER MEMORIAL.
In 1869, members of the Brick Church resolved to make an effort in the direction of church extension, and after vis- iting various localities decided on making a plant in the Thirteenth ward. The first act was to open a Sunday school in the unfinished district school-house No. 18 on
....
MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ROCHESTER.
1
273
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER PRESBYTERY.
North and Draper streets, June 13, 1869, under the super- intendence of one of their elders, Truman A. Newton. The pressing needs to use the whole building for school pur- poses necessitated the vacating of the room occupied by the Sunday school and it was disbanded.
Soon after this the Brick Church Sunday school author- ized Louis Chapin and Edwin T. Huntington to purchase of Hiram Davis the lot at the corner of Hudson and Wilson streets for the purposes of a chapel at a cost of $2,600.
During this year the General Assemblies of the " old " and "new school" had at their May meetings in New York arranged preliminaries for their reunion, which was consummated at Pittsburgh, Pa., Nov. 12, 1869.
Profoundly grateful to Almighty God for the restoration and return to union of the two bodies, the Brick Church re- solved on making a memorial offering, in pursuance of which they, in the early part of 1870, raised by subscription a little more than $7,500 to erect a chapel on the lot bought by their Sunday school the fall before. The corner-stone of the chapel was laid by appropriate ceremonies June 20, 1870, and the edifice was dedicated Nov. 20, 1870, the lot and building having cost about $11,000.
Nov. 27, 1870, the Sunday school was reorganized under the superintendence of Dwight H. Wetmore. On account of Mr. Wetmore's failing health his brother, Lansing G. Wetmore, succeeded him as superintendent in the fall of 1871.
Jan. 1, 1871, the Rev. Gavin L. Hamilton (who had been stated supply over the Presbyterian Church at Pittsford) commenced his ministration in this chapel.
Jan. 19, 1872, a commission appointed by Presbytery or- ganized the Memorial Church, consisting of the following 54 members : James Critchell, Mrs. Ann Critchell, Isaac De Ridder, Mrs. Maria De Ridder, Mrs. Kate Ellwanger, James Fraser, Mrs. Justina Fraser, Hanna Fraser, Charlotte
274
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER PRESBYTERY.
Elizabeth Fraser, Mrs. Jannette L. O. Harrison, Edward Lockley, Mrs. Winnefred Lockley, John Manley, Mrs. Catharine Manley, Catharine Margaret Manley, Mary Jane Manley, Mrs. Alice Moore, Abraham Orange, Mrs. Susanna Orange, Mrs. Maria Vanderberg, Mrs. Charlotte Vanvech- ten, Ida R. Vanvechten, Josiah Warren, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Warren, Ann Wright, George G. Becker, David Ely, M. D., Mrs. Angeline Ely, Mrs. Catharine A. Hamilton, Mrs. Lasena Owens, David Rudman, Mrs. Eliza Rudınan, Mrs. Jane Southgate, Maria A. Southgate, Jennie Southgate, Clara Southgate, Mary Williams, being received by letter, and Cornelius Brown, Mrs. Joanna Brown, Mrs. Ellen S. Dickinson, Anna Jane Hartley, Gertrude H. Hiddrink, Mrs. Mary Jane Loebs, Mrs. Margaret A. McCauley, Geo. Nicholson, Mrs. Mary Nicholson, Jacob Orange, Nathan Picot, Mrs. Anna Picot. Sarah J. Picot, Henry G. Picot, Jessie Simpson, Sarah S. Waker and John C. Van De Walle being received by confession.
George H. Nicholson and Abram Orange were elected ruling elders.
Rev. Gavin L. Hamilton acted as stated supply of the church, closing his labors December, 1874.
For nearly two years the church was without pastor or stated supply, though preaching services were held every Sunday. The shepherdless flock became scattered and dis- couraged. Some of the city pastors and friends of the enterprise thought it so difficult a field to cultivate as not to warrant its continuance as a church organization, but advised that it disband and maintain only a preaching station and Sunday school. Some members took letters, others moved away until they had hardly fifty members remaining.
Oct. 26, 1875, the society voted to extend a call to the Rev. Charles P. Coit, then laboring in Baltimore, Md., to become their pastor. Mr. Coit responded to the call and began his labors on Sunday, Nov. 21, 1875. The Pres-
275
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER PRESBYTERY.
bytery approved of the act and installed him as pastor Jan. 2, 1876. James B. Shaw, D. D., preached the sermon, Rev. Corlis B. Gardner gave the charge to the pastor, Pres. Martin B. Anderson, LL. D., gave the charge to the people, Herbert W. Morris, D. D., offered the installing prayer and Rev. Charles E. Furman presided as moderator. Mr. Coit continues to be pastor.
Dec. 27, 1876, the society elected their first board of trustees, consisting of Henry H. Babcock, Aaron P. Law- rence, Albert C. Irving, Henry J. Sailler, George H. Rud- man and Charles Barnes.
Jan. 1, 1879, the session voted that thereafter the hour for their Sunday school to assemble should be changed from 3 o'clock p. m. to 12 at noon.
July 22, 1881, the trustees of the Brick Church deeded the chapel and its lot to the trustees of the Memorial Church. During this year the church in the exercise of great faith in God, in the exercise of unusual self-denial, by the aid of outside friends mostly of the Brick Church, enlarged the chapel to a church. Its new corner-stone was laid July 26, 1881, and the enlarged edifice was re-dedicated free of debt Dec. 18, 1881. The cost of the enlargement was about $9,500. Its main audience-room, shaped like an Egyptian cross, has 106 pews with a seating capacity of 500 persons. The prayer-room back of the pulpit can be opened by sliding doors and add room for seating 250 more.
The church became self-supporting in Nov., 1882. In the spring of 1885 a pipe-organ was purchased and put in the church. In the fall of 1888 a choir loft was built in its north transept.
The present elders are Edward W. Warner, Geo. H. Rudman, David C. Rudman, William F. Smith and Gottleib W. Hauert. They adhere to the rotation plan.
The present trustees are Chas. R. Barber, Win. Magraiu, Albert E. May, David C. Rudman, Geo. H. Rudman, Wil-
276
HISTORY OF ROCHESTER PRESBYTERY.
ber F. Smith and Nelson A. Weigand. The following organizations exist in the church: A Woman's Missionary Society, a Ladies' Parish Aid Society, Temperance Society and Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, all in vigorous condition. The society depends solely on volun- tary offerings of its members for financial support, discard- ing fairs, festivals, suppers and the like. The services of Evangelists are never sought. Special nightly meetings are held each year beginning with the week of prayer and con- tinued two or three weeks. The present membership of the church. Dec. 1, 1888, is 334, that of the Sunday school is 51()-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.