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 20
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ROCHESTER NORTH.
The North Presbyterian Church is an outgrowth of the North Mission Sunday school, which was organized in Number 7 Schoolhouse, April 18, 1869, with William A. Hubbard as its superintendent. It was held in this school- house about five years. A chapel was built by the Central Church at the corner of Fulton avenue and Locust street, which was dedicated Aug. 23, 1874. Addresses were made on the occasion by Samuel M. Campbell, D. D., Rev. J. Lovejoy Robertson, Rev. George Patton, and elders George W. Parsons and William A. Hubbard.
The school continued as a mission until the time seemed to be ripe for a church organization. Accordingly in the fall of 1883, Rev. Peter Lindsay, of Seneca Falls, was employed to work up the field. He began his labors Dec. 16, 1883, and God's blessing followed his efforts so that on the 12th of February, 1884, the North Church was organ- ized with seventy members, thirty-one of which were on the confession of their faith, and thirty-nine on certificates. Their names are as follows : Lina E. Aldrich, Isaac Bower, Sophia Bower, Theodore D. Beckwith, Aramenta Beckwith,
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Cora M. Beckwith, Robert H. Byers, Kate Byers, Mathew T. Byers, Margaret Byers, Charlotte Blackwell, Sarah Blackwell, Harriet L. Blackwell. Ellen E. Blackwell, Altha M. Benton, Adelia M. Brady, William J. Boyce, Julia C. Brown, Emma L. Butler, Frederick W. Clark, Elizabeth. Clark, Edgar Clark, Jennie Clark, Anna M. Craig, Margaret Craig, William J. Craig, Ida E. Craig, Maggie Craig, Frank H. Clement, Louisa S. Clement, Flora Ann Chapman, George C. Cross, George W. Davidson, Lizzie Davidson, Harriet M. Davidson, Clara Daningburg, Phebe Fuller, Mary A. Griffing, Charles T. Griffing, Mrs. M. L. Harrison, Hiram T. Jones, Andrew Jamison, Ida Kincade, Cornelia R. Lindsay, Katie A. Luitweller, Georgianna Martin, Eliza Martin, Sarah Martin, Frances Martin, James B. McLelland, Margaret McLelland, Mary B. McLelland, Lizzie McLelland, Alfred Marsh, Esther A. Marsh, James Mets, Alfred Porter, Carrie Porter, E. Stanley Race, Jennie Race, Degarmo G. Robbins, Frank J. Shields, Marion Shields, Carrie Spear, Ida A. Sanford, Frederick R. Taylor, Josephine Taylor, Amy Taylor, Daniel Weeks, Frederick W. Zoller.
The following elders were elected and ordained : Isaac Bower, Frank H. Clement and George W. Davidson. On this occasion the Presbytery of Rochester donated to this society the bell that had come into their possession by the dissolving of the Penfield Presbyterian society.
This mission was under the care of the Central Church, which gave through the Board of Home Missions, $400 towards its support. But such was its growth in numbers and wealth that it has been self-supporting since its organization. The present elders are Frank H. Clement, Frank J. Shields, George W. Davidson and Hiram T. Jones.
" The North Presbyterian Church Society," was organ- ized Jan. 4, 1884, and David C. Rumsey, William A.
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Hubbard, George W. Davidson, Mathew T. Byers, Frank J. Shields and Levi S. Sherwood were elected trustees.
Oct. 9, 1886, the trustees of the Central Church deeded the chapel and lot to the North Presbyterian Church. The names of the present trustees are Irving Rouse, William B. Jones, M. D., John A. Seel, Mathew T. Byers, E. Stanley Race and Albert Bennett.
The corner stone of the new church was laid Sept. 10, 1888. Addresses were made by the following ministers :
Rev. Corliss B. Gardner, Rev. Charles P. Coit, Rev. Edward Bristol, Rev. William R. Taylor. Rev. George E. Soper, Rev. Alfred J. Hutton and Rev. James S. Root. Henry H. Stebbins, D. D., laid the corner stone and offered prayer. All money necessary for the completion of the church has been pledged and it is expected that the church will be dedicated free of debt about the first of next May.
The present and only pastor was installed May 14, 1885. Rev. Edward Bristol, moderator of Presbytery, presided. The exercises were: opening prayer by Rev. Corliss B. Gardner ; sermon by Rev. Charles E. Robinson, D. D .; charge to the people by Rev. J. Edward Close; charge to the pastor by Rev. Theodore W. Hopkins ; installation prayer by Rev. George Patton.
The young people have a Society of Christian Endeavor, organized in March, 1884. The boys and girls have a Mission Band, organized in Oct., 1885. The Woman's Missionary Society was organized April -, 1886.
During the five years existence of the church it has received in all, 398 members, 203 on confession, and 195 on certificates. The present membership is 322. The church has observed 31 communion seasons, and at each has received additions both by confession and certificates. The Sunday school membership is about 450.
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ROCHESTER EMMANUEL.
Emmanuel Presbyterian Church was organized May 2, 1887. with the following persons as members : Thurlow W. Abell, Mrs. Mary L. Abell, David H. Abell, Richard S. Abell, Mrs. Charlotte W. Abell, Arthur Y. Alling, Thomas Ashton, Mrs. Margaret Ashton, Herbert W. Brower, Mrs. Maggie L. Bradley, Eva L. Bradley, Mrs. Hattie A. Birdsell, Mrs. Alice W. Durgin, Mrs. Harriet DeFries, Lottie De Fries, Mrs. Addie W. Evans, Minnie Emery, Estella M. Forward, James Glasgow, Mrs. Margaret Ann Glasgow, Alice Hall, James P. Henry, Mrs. Eliza Henry, Mary Henry, Eliza M. Henry, John W. Hertel, Mrs. Elizabeth Hertel, Anna Henderson, Mary Jane Henderson, Mrs. Harriet Hogg, Anna W. Harris, Florence E. Hanvey, Mrs. Marion Hixon, Lillian Johnston, Henry Kingdon, Mrs. Sophronia Kingdon, Mrs. Pauline Keily, George Lockwood, Mrs. Eliza Ann Lockwood, Leon 1). Lewis, Dora Miller, Lillian Mallory, Francis Noye, Mrs. Mary E. Nove, Myrtie S. Noye, Mrs. Mary J. Patterson, Homer P. Reed, Mrs. Sarah L. Reed, Maie Reed, George Reed, Mrs. Mary A. Rogers, Edwin F. Shutt, Mrs. Elizabeth A. Shutt, George A. Skinner, Mrs. Jessie Skinner, William H. Shewman, Mrs. Elizabeth Shewman, George H. Shewman, Mrs. Hattie Shewman, Mrs. Barbara Shewman, Lillie Shewman, Mrs. Isabel T. Simpson, Mrs. Fanny M. Taylor, George A. Tanner, Mrs. Catharine C. T. Tanner, Mrs. Violetta B. White and Minnie Webb.
Francis Noye and Edwin E. Shutt were then elected elders of the church, and were ordained by the moderator of Presbytery, Rev. Peter Lindsay.
The present Elders are, Francis Noye, Edwin E. Shutt, Henry Kingdon,* George Lockwood, Frank F. Dow. M. D., and George A. Tanner.
*Died Jan., 1889.
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The present deacons are Arthur Y. Alling, and John W. Hertel. Elders and deacons are elected for limited terms.
The first and present pastor, Rev. James S. Root, was called May 24, 1887; began his ministrations to them July 10, 1887, and was installed June 26, 1888.
The following statement gives some of the facts that preceded the organization of this church :
At the call of the Presbyterian Alliance of Rochester (now unfortunately extinct) a few persons, principally from the First Presbyterian Church, assembled at the house of Ezra Taylor, corner of Plymouth avenue and Strong street, on the afternoon of Sunday, June 8, 1873, for the purpose of organizing a Sunday school. Rev. J. Lovejoy Robertson presided and George E. Boardman was elected superin- tendent. More than forty adults and thirty children were present. Nine of the adults engaged at once as teachers. A committee was appointed to secure a room to meet in, and visit the neighborhood and invite the attendance of such children as were not connected with other Sunday schools. On the next Sunday the committee reported that they had secured the basement of a lager beer saloon on the corner of Plymouth and Frost avenues. It was small, damp, and badly ventilated. To this place " Bethany Sunday School" adjourned for its first session. Sixty-nine scholars being present were organized into thirteen classes. Collections were made at the first meeting. In that year a book case and library were furnished. Thirty-six testaments were distributed as reward for attendance and lessons.
From this place the school moved to the Friends' meeting house on Hubbell Park. Here also it prospered. It being necessary to have more permanent provision made, Oscar Craig, Esq., secured funds to erect a building on the site now occupied by Emmanuel Church, Mr. Edwin A. Frost having donated one-half the value of the site. In the last days of 1874, 15 officers and teachers, and 169 scholars took
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possession of and dedicated the new building, which was 70 feet long by 36 feet wide, under the name "Emmanuel Mission Sunday School," as suggested by Mrs. Oscar Craig.
For the next thirteen years the school continued to grow till their roll of scholars exceeded 500, and the attendance at times 450. With such prosperity it was apparent that an advance movement must be made. Preaching services began in 1886. The school had outgrown the room and through the liberality of friends, mostly of the First Church, a large annex, 40 ft. long and 36 ft. wide, was erected on the east side of the original building, at a cost of $3000.
Rev. Thomas Morey Hodgman was engaged by the Ses- sion of the First Church for the preaching services, and under the Session's direction, through Elder David M. Hough, the superintendent, and Arthur Y. Alling, the assistant superintendent, aided by preacher Hodgman, steps were taken to organize a church.
It should also be added here, that had not this the " mother church " carefully cared for the interests of this Sunday school, Emmanuel Church would never have had an existence.
A Woman's Missionary Society, auxiliary to the Woman's Presbyterial Society of Rochester Presbytery, was organized Sept. 11, 1887. The first year's offerings for Home and Foreign Missions amounted to $25. They continue to hold monthly meetings.
The Emmanuel Aid Society was organized Nov. 1, 1887.
The Young Peoples' Society of Christian Endeavor was organized February 16, 1888.
Previous to July, 1888, the Sunday school was held at 3 o'clock. It was therefore largely a union school. At the change to 12 o'clock there was a membership of 162, which has now increased to nearly 300.
The Emmanuel Church Society of Rochester was organ- ized May 27, 1887. Its first trustees were Arthur Y. Alling,
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Homer B. Reed, George A. Skinner, William H. Shewman, George H. Hixon and Charles E. White. The present trustees are Arthur Y. Alling, William H. Shewman, George A. Skinner, Homer B. Reed, George H. Hixon and George W. Merick.
Since the organization of the church eighty-eight have been added to it. New members have been received at every communion service. Its present membership is 140.
When "Bethany Sunday School" was opened in 1873, a large portion of the 8th ward was uncultivated land. Its population was about 7,000 with but three churches. Now the population exceeds 15,000 and there are eight churches in the ward, and its growth is still rapid. In the near future this church is likely to be not only self-sustaining, but a contributor to the support of others.
RUSH.
The first religious society in Rush was formed by a colony of Baptists about 1804. The origin and date of the Presbyterian Church at Rush are among the faded memories of the past. I have been unable to find any printed data of such, and the records of the church were lost by fire about 1843.
This church is referred to in the minutes of Ontario Presbytery, as early as June 16, 1818, and continued to be represented in their meetings until August 26, 1828, nearly five years after being set off to Rochester Presbytery. The first mention of the church in the Rochester minutes is, February 5, 1829, with twelve members. After that, it was represented in the meetings of the Presbytery as late as 1840, when a committee was appointed to visit the church
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and try to arouse it to more efficiency. Their number became diminished by removals to other towns, until the last of them were finally received to the Presbyterian Church at Honeoye Falls, March 5, 1843. The records of this lat- ter church bearing said date, read as follows. “Session met. All the members present. Opened with prayer. The following persons from the 'Presbyterian Church of Rush' made application for admission to the church : Luther Campbell, Eunice Campbell, Simeon Rowley, Lucy Rowley. They were without letters, and gave as a reason that the church had no officers, except a clerk, Mr. Campbell, one of the applicants, and that even the church records were lost, having recently perished in the flames which consumed the house of Mr. Campbell. They requested to be received on our knowledge of their having long been members of the Presbyterian Church of Rush, or upon their mutual testi- mony to the fact of membership." " They were accordingly received." This is definite as to the end of the Rush church.
In 1831, the church consisted of 11 members ; ín 1823, of 23 members. It appears that Rev. Messrs. Erie Prince, Abner Benedict, Chauncey Cook and Conrad Ten Eyck, have been stated supplies to the church, under the patronage of the American Home Missionary Society, and also, that in 1829, Rev. George G. Sill, preached one-third of his time at Rush, and two-thirds at Honeoye Falls, under the General Assembly's Board of Home Missions .*
*Compiled from " Half Century of the Presbytery of Rochester "; Hotchkin's History of Western New York, and Honeoye Falls Church records.
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THE UNITED CONGREGATION OF DANSVILLE AND SPARTA.
The origin of Presbyterianism in the town of Sparta is involved in considerable obscurity on account of the loss by fire of all the papers which could have given information on the subject.
Its existence, however, may be safely dated to the time when the first settlers entered this township, which then included what is known as the towns of Sparta, West Sparta, Groveland, Dansville and part of Mount Morris.
The first settlement appears to have been at a place called Williamsburgh, now in the town of Groveland, where cer- tain Presbyterian families made choice of a home about the year 1795.
They were supplied with sermons occasionally by the Rev. Daniel Thatcher, the Rev. John Lindsley and others, the persons named being missionaries under the care of the General Assembly.
There is no record of any church having been organized in Williamsburgh, but the names of certain elders are given as having been connected with the worship of God in that place, and the Lord's supper must have been dispensed among the settlers, who had previously been in the Pres- byterian connection, as early as the year 1800.
The settlement at Williamsburgh having been broken up, its component elements afterward constituted the churches of Groveland and Sparta.
Not far from the time that Williamsburgh was occupied, a settlement was also formed near to the place, where the Second Church of Sparta now stands.
The settlers having been principally members of the Church of Christ in Pennsylvania, from whence they emi-
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grated, and many of them being of Scotch or Scotch-Irish origin, their first concern appears to have been, after choos- ing their location, to have the ordinances of religion regularly dispensed.
Various persons are spoken of as having occasionally preached to them, but for many years, they had no settled ministry.
The Rev. Andrew Gray of the Dutch Reformed church, who moved to Alleghany in 1795, took charge of the churches of Almond, Angelica and Dansville, all in connec- tion with that denomination.
His call was dated November, 1803, and was sustained by the classis of New Brunswick in September of the same year. He continued his labors in that connection till the year 1807.
The Church of Dansville bore the name of The United Congregation of Dansville and Sparta (or Ontario and Steuben) at that time, and included the town of Sparta, which covered ground within the counties of Steuben and Ontario; as Livingston county had not then been formed.
About the year 1804-05, the above United Congregation of Dansville and Sparta received valuable additions from the settlement at Williamsburgh, which had been dis- continued ; and as a consequence the church appears to have formed a connection with the Presbyterian denom- ination.
This is supposed to have been in the year 1806, but no record of the exact date is extant.
In the year 1807, June 18th, there is a call extant addressed to the Rev. Andrew Gray from the above society, which states that " they having changed their situation from under the direction of the Dutch Reformed Body, and hav- ing cast themselves under the jurisdiction of the General
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Assembly of Divines, they had chosen themselves a body of trustees according to law, etc."
This call stipulates that Mr. Gray shall leave the Dutch Reformed body, and connect himself with the Presbyterian church.
Mr. Gray did not accept this call, having been appointed about the close of this year, or the beginning of 1808, by a Missionary Society in New York City, to become a mission- ary among the Tuscarora Indians.
From this time the " United Congregation," as it was called, appears to have depended on Missionaries of the General Assembly and stated supplies for the ordinances of religion for a number of years.
They gave an invitation to a young man of the name of Wm. Glasgow, who had preached to their great acceptance to become their pastor, but were again disappointed.
The Rev. Andrew Gray returned from the Lines in 1814, having been burned out by the British during the war, and many of his former friends wished him to resume his minis- terial labors among them, which he accordingly did.
But at that time the Rev. Silas Pratt was officiating as a stated supply, and the consequence was that the church became divided.
The latter principally occupied the field where the Second Church now stands and the village of Dansville; while the former preached at Haven's Corners where the First Church of Sparta now stands, and at the Gully schoolhouse in the town of Groveland.
The present church edifice of Second Sparta was built about the year 1810, but was afterwards renovated and greatly improved in 1850.
The united congregation decided where its location should be fixed by casting lots.
But as Dansville began to increase in population the mem-
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bers of the church residing in and around that village decided to have a separate organization.
This took place in the year 1825, when the Rev. Silas Pratt was the officiating minister. The separate existence of Dansville church appears to have interfered with the pros- perity of the congregation in Sparta to such a degree, that measures were taken to change the site to Haven's Corners, and forming a union with those worshipping there, and those worshipping at the Gully schoolhouse. A meeting to effect this object took place April 28th, 1827, which stated that on account of the weakened state of the church by the depart- ure of some of the members to Dansville, and considering that it would be highly injurious to join the church there they resolved in the future to meet at " Haven's Corners."
SPARTA FIRST.
The organization of the first church at that place, which is now known as the First Church of Sparta, took place January 19th, 1828. Its ecclesiastical origin in connection with the General Assembly, however, must be assigned to a period prior to the date of the call to Mr. Gray, and prob- ably took place in 1806. As already stated, measures were then taken to build the present house of worship, and a deed of the ground on which it stands was obtained, bearing date Feb. 19th, 1829.
A substantial and commodious building was erected in the course of the year, and William W. McNair, Richard W. Parkinson, William D. McNair, Samuel M. Mann, James McNair and John Wood were elected by the congregation its first board of trustees.
Messrs. William W. McNair, William D. McNair, Isaac Bean and James Scott were its first elders.
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The result of this measure was the amalgamation of the two parties known as those who adhered to Mr. Gray and Mr. Pratt.
This was consummated at a meeting of the Presbytery of Ontario, held in Sparta, April 10th, 1830.
The Rev. Silas Pratt continued to sign the minutes of session till Jan. 24th, 1829.
The Rev. F. S. Gaylord then became stated supply, and was succeeded by the Rev. Amos P. Brown, who signed the first minutes of session, Sept. 11th, 1830.
He was installed pastor, Aug. 24th, 1831, and during his ministry the church appears to have had a time of great awakening, and many were added to the roll of commu- nicants.
He was dismissed Jan. 22nd, 1834, "on account of ill- health," and was succeeded by the Rev. Lemuel Hall, in 1837.
March the 5th, the Rev. William H. Snyder is spoken of in the record as pastor, but is believed to have been only stated supply for a number of months.
During his ministry the church resolved to join the O. S. General Assembly. The meeting at which this was deter- mined bears date, August 20th, 1837.
The Ontario Presbytery met at Union Corners, Aug. 23rd, 1837, and in reviewing the session's minutes, took exception to them on four grounds, and especially for this resolution to become " O. S."
The fourth exception states that " the Presbytery feel bound to express their disapprobation, regarding as they do the leading measures of the Assembly, as being unconsti- tutional, unrighteous, and consequently null and void."
The Rev. Alfred White signs as " Moderator of Session," Feb. 18th, 1838, at which meeting it was resolved to apply for admission to the Presbytery of Susquehanna, to meet at Bath, Steuben Co., Feb. 20th, 1838.
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Mr. White officiated as stated supply for about six months, when the congregation invited, first, the Rev. George Morris, and afterwards, the Rev. Dr. Hugh Mair to become their pastor, but neither of them accepted the invita- tion. The Rev. Thomas Aitken was then called April 23rd, 1839, and was installed pastor, Aug. 15th, 1840, his installation having been deferred to that date on account of the Assembly's rule respecting foreign ministers.
In April, 1855, by action of Presbytery the two congre- gations of First and Second Sparta were united, not as one church, but as two separate organizations under the pas- toral care of the Rev. Thomas Aitken, which relation was sustained until Sept. 18th, 1882, when, at his own request it was annulled, and he was made " Pastor Emeritus " of these two churches, and was succeeded in May, 1883, by Rev. Evan R. Evans, who served the two organizations as stated supply until January, 1886.
In May of the same year, Robert K. Wick, a licentiate of the Presbytery of New York, began a service with the First and Second churches of Sparta as stated supply, and served in that capacity until Sept. 30th of the same year, when he was ordained and installed pastor of the two organizations.
A Sabbath school has been connected with the church from its earliest years.
A Ladies' organization is also connected with the church, the germs of which began in 1874; now called the "Society for Church Work," and as such was organized June 24th, 1887.
The church has its representatives in the foreign field, two of its members, the Rev. Frank P. Gilman, and his wife, Marion McNair Gilman, who are engaged in missionary work among the people of Hainan.
It elects its elders for life ; and at present Mr. James S. Gilman, Chas. B. McNair and Edward L. McFetridge com- pose its session, while Messrs. James S. Gilman, Edward
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L. McFetridge, Samuel Wambold, Edward W. Mann, John Logan and William Henry Havens comprise its board of trustees.
SPARTA SECOND.
The Second Presbyterian Church of Sparta was organized on the fourth day of May, 1848, by a committee appointed by the Presbytery of Steuben, composed of Rev. Jesse Edwards, Rev. Richard Kay and Elder Peter Titsworth.
The following persons presented letters of dismission from the First Presbyterian Church of Sparta : James McNair, Joseph Knappenburgh, David McNair, Hugh T. McNair, Phoebe Jane McNair, Samuel McNair, Margaret K. McNair, William D. McNair, Jane McNair, Mrs. Jane McNair, Jacob Knappenburgh, John W. McNair, Catharine Knappenburgh, Nancy Culbertson, Anne McNair, Frances McNair and Ann Shafer.
Also letters of dismission from the First Presbyterian Church of Dansville were presented by James Sturgeon, Samuel Sturgeon, Mary Ann Sturgeon and Margaret McNair.
James McNair and William D. McNair, who had held office as ruling elders in the First Presbyterian Church of Sparta, Samuel Sturgeon, who had held the same office in the First Presbyterian Church of Dansville, and Hugh T. McNair were duly elected and ordained as elders.
Rev. Jesse Edwards, by appointment of Presbytery, became stated supply of the new church and continued in that relation for the two following years.
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