USA > New York > Monroe County > Rochester > History of Rochester and Monroe county, New York, from the earliest historic times to the beginning of 1907 > Part 36
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Another feature is the use of the phonetic man- nal, devised by Edmund Lyon of Rochester, as an aid in teaching speech and in correcting speech fanlts. This manual is Insed upon Alexander Mel- ville Bell's speech symbols and system of speech analysis which are used by teachers and pupils. The school holds that the deaf of average gifts
can pursue the same course of study and ac- complish as much in a given time as do average children in the public schools. It gratefully ac- cepts the syllabus and courses of study prepared by the state education department for the public schools of the state, and will gladly take the state regents' examinations. These standards will prove an incentive to good work. When a few years ago special state examinations of the schools for the deaf were held for a series of years, and the printed report made possible a comparison of the results of teaching by different methods. this school for the whole series of annual examinations led the other seven schools by twenty-five points on a scale of one hundred.
The institution continued to use the St. Paul street city property under the lease given in 1878 at a rental of five hundred dollars per annum. until a new lease was granted by the common council in 1882 for twenty-five years at one dollar a year. The last day of July of that year fire de- stroyed a part of the buildings, causing a loss to the institution of $10,000, one half of which was recovered from the insurance companies. The burned portion of the main building was immed- jately rebuilt, and the kindergarten building and school-houses were erected so that the school opened in the fall in enlarged quarters.
In 1888 the property was purchased from the city. The common council offered to sell to the institution for $20,000, which was more than twice what the property had cost the city, the state having paid the entire cost of all the buildings erected and improvements made for truant house purposes. The greatly increased value of the prop- erty during the ten years preceding was due to the expenditures by the school of over $60,000 un- der its long lease. The trustees paid the city treasurer $1,000 and gave a mortgage for the ba !- ance. In 1905 the institution completed the pur- chase of the property, and the mortgage to the city was discharged. The property, as it stands today, has cost the institution over $100,000, and it would cost twice that to provide a new plani that would house the school with equal comfort. In addition to the property upon St. Paul street, since the carly spring of 1889 the institution has had the use of eighteen and a half acres on Norton street as its garden. Upon this property, also. there is a building which it uses as an isolation hospital for all cases of contagious diseases.
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CHAPTER XVIII
ECCLESIASTICAL.
The Churches of Rochester-The Presbyterian- The Episcopal-The Quaker-The Methodist -The Baptist-The Roman Catholic-The Lutheran-The German United Evangelical- Emanuel Reformed-The Reformed Church in America-The Congregational-The Unitarian -The Universalist-The Jewish-Other De- nominations.
It will be evident, at a glance, that this is a com- posite chapter, the various portions of which have been, in the main, contributed by different persons. 'The sketch of the Presbyterian churches was pre- pared by Rev. George D. Miller, D. D., of the First church; the history of the Episcopal churches was the work of Archdeaeon Louis C. Washburn; the account of the Baptist churches is described in the text; the sketch of the Methodist churches was written by Rev. M. R. Webster, D. D., the pre- siding elder of this district, that of the German Methodist being by Rev. Gustav Hausser; the de- tails of the Roman Catholic churches were col- lected by Rev. J. B. Keenan, under the direction of Rt. Rev. Thomas F. Hickey, D. D., the coadju- tor bishop, from the different pastors of that de- nomination ; the account of the Lutheran churches was furnished by Rev. John Nicum, D. D .; that of the German United Evangelical churches by Rev. J. F. W. Helmkamp, D. D .; that of Emanuel Re- formed by Rev. Conrad A. Hauser; that of the Reformed Church in America (commonly known as Dutch Reformed), by Rev. Lawrence Dykstra, D. D., and that of the Universalist by Miss Julia IL. Joy.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES,
The First .- "The First Presbyterian church of Gates, in Rochesterville" was organized August 22d, 1815, by a commission from the presbytery of Geneva, consisting of Rev. Daniel Fuller and Rev. Reuben Parmellee, with elders Isaac B. Barnum and Samuel Stone. The following sixteen persons were received into membership: Sibel Bickford, Warren Brown, Henry Donnelly, Hannah Donnel- ly, Elisha Ely, Hannah Ely, Oliver Gibbs, Jane Gibbs, Aaron Lay, Sarah Lay, Charles Magne, Pol. ly Magne, Huldah Stoddard, Arbela Starks, Daniel West and Elizabeth West. The elders elected and ordained were: Warren Brown and Henry Don- nelly; the deacons were Dr. Oliver Gibbs and Dan- iel West. The first pastor, Rev. Comfort Wil- liams, was installed January 17th, 1816, and re- mained until May 11th, 1821. Rev. Dr. Fitch, first president of Williams college, preached the instal- lation sermon, Rev. A. C. Collins presided, Rev. J. Merrill made the introductory prayer, Rev. Wm. Clark made the installing prayer, Rev. Reu- ben Parmelee gave the charge to the pastor, Rev J. H. Hotchkin gave the charge to the people, and Rev. F. Pomeroy made the coneluding prayer. The First church edifice was constructed of wood, and was placed on State street, where the Ameri- can express office now stands. The Rochester presbytery was organized in this building April 6th, 1819. The first revival service, which proved . of permanent benefit, occurred in this church in 1821. The second pastor of the church was Rev. Joseph Penney, D. D. He was installed April 23d, 1823, and occupied the pastorate with great ac- eeptance until April 16th, 1833. Dr. Penney after-
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ward became president of Hamilton college. Early in his pastorate a new stone church, which stood on the site now occupied by the city hall, was dedicated October 28th, 1824. A chapel for the Sunday school was located east of the church. In 1860 a new and better chapel was built west of the church on the line of South Fitzhugh street. President Finney on his first visit to Rochester in 1830 preached twice each week for six months in this church, 800 persons, out of a population of 10,000, being converted, who united with the var- ious churches of the city, 150 becoming members of the First church. An accident due to the crowded building, during one of Mr. Finney's ser- vices, made extensive repairs to the building neces- sary. Buttresses were constructed between the windows and surmounted above the eaves with spires, which gave to the building an unique but picturesque appearance.
The first Sunday school in the city was organ- ized in connection with this church in 1816, with Elisha Ely as superintendent, and the first mis- sion school was started in 1831 by Mrs. Penney and Miss Harriet Hatch. Being the oldest, the First church has had the royal distinction of being the mother of churches. During the first fifty years of her history, colonies from the First church entered into the organization of the other churches of the city ; to the Brick church in 1825, the Third church in 1826, the Brighton and the Central in 1836, St. Peter's in 1852, Plymouth in 1853, and Emanuel in 1887. The third pastor of the church was Dr. Tryon Edwards, who was installed July 2d, 1834, and remained until July 26th, 1844. Dr. Malcolm McLaren was pastor of the church for two years. Dr. Joshua H. McIlvaine came to Rochester in 1848 and remained until 1860, when he became professor of political economy and rhe- toric in Princeton college. In 1860 the Old School assembly met in this church. It was the last as- sembly before the Civil war, and one of the most exciting in the history of Presbyterianism. In 1861 Dr. Calvin Pease was called from the presi- deney of the University of Vermont, and served the church until his death, which occurred a little more than a year later. Dr. Beadle, of Philadel- phia, was called, and, after supplying the church one year. returned to his former pastorate. Dur- ing the interim, Dr. Anderson, and Dr. Robinson of the Baptist Theological seminary supplied the
pulpit. Rev. Casper M. Wines was pastor for two years, when he resigned in 1868. Rev. J. Lovejoy Robertson became pastor in December, 1870, and remained six years. The steeple of the old First church was burned and the building badly dam- aged during the hour of evening service May 2d, 1869. The building and site were then sold to the city of Rochester, and a new house of worship was built at the corner of Plymouth avenue and Spring street. It was dedicated June 23d, 1872, and cost, with the manse which then joined it. $110,000. Dr. Charles E. Robinson was installed May 14th, 1878, and remained until December 6th, 1886. Dr. Nelson Millard became pastor Septen .- her 15th, 1887, and remained until December. 1900. Rev. Geo. D. Miller, D. D., the present pastor, came to the church January 1st, 1901, and was installed May 3d, of the same year.
The following persons have entered the ministry and missionary field from the membership of this church : Jas. Ballentine, Dr. L. Merrill Miller, Henry E. Peck, Chas. G. Lee, Frederick M. Starr Dr. Everard Kempshall, Wm. N. McCoon, Chas. R. Clarke, Dr. Henry B. Chapin, Robt. Proctor, Geo. Dutton, M. L. R. P. Hill, Dr. G. Parsons Nichols, and J. Hall Mellvaine; the missionaries are Jonathan S. Green, to the Sandwich Islands; Dr. Ferdinand DeW. Ward, to India; Henry Cher- ry, to India; T. Dwight Hunt, to the Sandwich islands; Henry A. DeForest, M. D., and Mrs. De- Forest, to Syria; Mrs. Delia Stone Bishop, to the Sandwich islands, and Mre. Maria Ward Chapin Smith, to Syria.
The present membership of the church is 430 and of the Sunday school, 348.
The Brick Church .- The Brick church was or- ganized on November 18th, 1825, as the Second Presbyterian church of Rochester. Its organiza- tion was by a commission of presbytery consisting of Rev. Asa Carpenter, Rev. Chauncey Cook, Rer. Jos. Penney. and Rev. Win. T. Curry, and elders Moses Chapin and Joel Baldwin. The charter members numbered twenty-five. The population of Rochester was then about 5,000. The first place of worship was the building previously oc. cupied by the First church. The first pastor was Rev. Wmn. James, who was called from Clarkson, where he was stated supply, on April 17th, 1826. und was installed on July 24th. On December 26th following, a society meeting was held to act on
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the subject of locating and erecting a new house of worship, the result of which was that on Feb- ruary 2d, 1827, the trustees took a deed for the lot on which the present edifice stands, then described as "on the corner of Hughes and Ann streets." The purchase price was $2,000. The building was completed at a cost of $16,000, and taken pos- session of on or about October 1st, 1828. For a few years the church had a struggle for existence In 1831 the property was sold under foreclosure of mortgage, but the congregation continued to use the building. The revival in Rochester under Mr. Finney, which began in September, 1830, added much to the number and pecuniary strength of the society. The new elements demanded an ad- vance movement. They reorganized the society November 20th, 1833, under the name of the "Trustees of the Brick church in Rochester," pur- chased back the church from the mortgagee, receiv- ing his deed for it dated March 29th, 1834. The second pastor of the church was Rev. Wm. Wisner, D. D., of Ithaca. He was installed on July 28th, 1831, and served until September 22d, 1835. His labors were greatly blessed throughout his whole pastorate. After being supplied for a time, a call was made in December, 1837, to Rev. George Beecher, of Putnam, Ohio. He began his labors soon, but was not installed until June 18th, 1838. He continued as pastor until October 6th, 1840, having received into the church 164 new members. He belonged to the famous family of his name, being a son of Lyman Beecher, and a brother of Henry Ward Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe.
On November 25th, 1840, a unanimous call was made to Rev. James Boylan Shaw, of Dunkirk, N. Y. He began his labors at once, but was not installed until February 16th, 1841. On account of the length and pre-eminence of his services, his name must ever remain imperishably connected with the history of the Brick church. For forty- eight years he served as active pastor, and for a year and a half as pastor emeritus. During all this time the church steadily advanced in numbers, character and influence, until it took its place among the greatest churches in the country. In 1860-61 the old building was torn down and a new one built, which in 1892 underwent extensive remodeling and enlargement at a cost of about $70,000. On June 11th, 1903, it was destroyed by fire, only the walls remaining standing. The re-
built chapel was taken possession of on Easter 1904. The church was re-dedicated, free of deb:, on November 27th, 1904. During the seventeen months of rebuilding, services were held in the National theater, with great congregations. In 1898 the property used as the Brick church insti- tute, a building in which a widely influential in- stitutional church work is done, was purchased. Dr. Shaw died on May 8th, 1890, lamented by the whole city. Two years and a half before his death he had secured a successor in Rev. Wil- liam Rivers Taylor of Philadelphia. The people ratified this choice by extending him a unanimous call on November 14th, 1887. He began his labors on February 19th, 1888, was publicly installed on April 10th, and continues to be the esteemed pastor of the church. On the first Sunday in January, 1890, the present assistant, Rev. G. B. F. Hallock, D. D., entered upon his service, coming from the pastorate of the Presbyterian church at Scottsville in the same presbytery. The present communicant membership of the church (April 1st, 1907) is 2,202, making the Brick church one of the largest Presbyterian churches in the United States. The Sunday school enrollment is 1,730. Up to April, 1907, the church's gifts for religious and benevo- lent purposes outside its own bounds have been $696,588.73, for congregational purposes, $802,- 531.34, making a grand total of $1,499,120.07. It is safe to say that the gifts of which no record exists, the private charities and untraced contri- butions, amount to many times this sum. The gifts of the last twelve years are equal to more than half those of the preceding seventy years.
The Third .- On the 15th of January, 1827, a meeting was held in the school-house on the corner of Clinton and Mortimer streets, for the purpose of organizing a religious society to be known by the name of the "Third Presbyterian church or society in Rochester." Obadiah N. Bush, Ashbel W. Riley and Isaac Waring were elected trustees. On the 28th of February, 1827, twenty-two per- sons were enrolled as members of the church bringing letters from the First and Brick Pree- byterian churches in Rochester. Josiah Bissell jr., and Salmon Scofield were ordained as the first elders of the church on the 3d of March, 1827 The first religious service had been held on the 3ist of December, 1826, in the school-house al- ready mentioned. On the 30th of January, 1827,
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the lot on the northeast corner of Clinton and Main streets was purchased from Enos Stone and a temporary building for the use of the church was soon erected on the north end of this lot, front- ing on Clinton street. A church building was afterward erected on this lot, fronting on Main street, and was dedicated on the 21st of August 1828. In 1834 the church found itself in debt to the amount of about $2,000 and felt obliged to sell its building, when opportunity offered, to the Second Baptist church. For some time thereafter the congregation worshiped in the High school building on Lancaster street. The next building erected by the church was upon property pur- chased by them on the south side of Main street, just west of Stone. This was destroyed by fire on the 17th of August, 1858. The lot was then sold, and the property known as the High school lot on the east side of Lancaster (now Cortland) street was purchased in 1858 for $3,000. Temple street was soon opened from Chestnut street in such a way as to divide the lot into two portions, and give convenient access from the east side. The new church was built upon the south side of Temple street in 1859. In 1883 the property on Temple street was sold to the Unitarians, and the lot on the corner of East avenue and Meigs street now oc- cupied by the church was purchased. A handsome stone chapel was soon erected and was occupied for church services until 1893. The main building of the new church was begun in 1892 and dedicated May 14th, 1893.
The first pastor of the church was Rev. Joel Parker, who was installed June 21st, 1827, and served until June 17th, 1830. From September 10th, 1830, to March 6th, 1831, the pulpit was sup- plied most of the time by Rev. Charles G. Finney, the noted evangelist. On the 27th of July, 1831, Rev. Luke Lyons was installed as pastor. A cata- logue of the church, issued in 1832, gives the names of 383 members. Mr. Lyons remained only a short time and then, with a large number of members, withdrew and formed an organization which was known as the Free church and which met in a building on the corner of Court and Stone streets. Rev. William C. Wisner, D. D., was the next pas- +or, being installed in 1832; after two years of service he resigned on account of ill health, and was succeeded by Rev. William Mack, who was in- stalled in February, 1835, and remained until
June, 1839. Rev. Dr. Albert G. Hall began his labors as pastor of the church on the first Sunday of February, 1840, and for more than thirty-one years was the beloved shepherd of the flock. Hon- ored and beloved by all, he entered into rest Sep- tember 10th, 1871. December 21st, 1871, Rev. George Patton was installed as pastor. The minis- try of Dr. Patton continued until 1893, when he was made pastor emeritus. In this honorary office he continued to give the church the benefit of his counsel and assistance in many ways until his death, which occurred the 12th of August, 1897. In May, 1894, a call was extended to Rev. Richard Davenport Harlan, who began his work in Sep- tember, and was installed on the 23d of October in that year. On the 12th of June, 1898, Rev. Chas. Greenville Sewall began his services as assist- ant minister and superintendent of the Sunday school. On December 30th, 1899, he resigned to be- come pastor of the Presbyterian church at Rome, N. Y., and March 11th, 1900, Rev. Francis Tread- way Clayton was engaged as assistant minister On June 19th, 1901, Mr. Harlan resigned to ac- cept the presidency of Lake Forest university Thereafter, for nearly two years, the work of the church was carried on successfully by Mr. Clayton until the beginning of the pastorate of Rev. Paul Moore Strayer, May 10th, 1903, who was installed November 10th, 1903, and June 1st, 1904, Mr. Clayton left Rochester to become pastor of the First Congregational church of Williamstown, Mass. In June, 1905, Rev. Ernest Graham Guth- rie began work as assistant minister. The present membership of the church is 766.
The Central .- The Bethel free church, with thirty-nine members who presented certificates from the First church, was organized August 4th, 1836, on the following basis: "A missionary . church, established upon the principles of Chris- tian consecration and devotedness; a free church embracing also a Bethel interest; open for dis- cussion on all moral topics, such as temperance, slavery, etc .; the control of the church in its se- cular as well as its spiritual relations to be vested in the church exclusively."
The original members were: George A. Avery, Francis Avery, Thomas Adams, Cornelia S. Adams, Michael B. Bateham, John Biden, jr., William S. Bishop, John F. Bush, William Cook, Lydia Cook, Mary M. Cook, Spencer Davis, Eliza
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Davis, Joseph Farley, Walter S. Griffith, Eliza- beth S. Griffith, Henry D. Griffith, Theodore B. Hamilton, Julia M. Hamilton, Lydia Hatch, Fanny E. Hatch, Ebenezer Knapp, Polly Knapp, Apollos Luce, Josiah Newell, Mary Newell, Sam- nel D. Porter, Preston Smith, Eliza N. Smith, William P. Smith, Eunice Smith, Henry F. Smith, John Still, Louisa Still, Newell A. Stone, Nancy Stone, Richard P. Wilkins and Mary P. Wilkins. The first elders ordained were George A. Avery, Walter S. Griffith and Preston Smith. The first pastor was Rev. George S. Boardman, who began his labors on the seventh of May, 1837, was in- stalled October 19th, 1837, was dismissed June 28th, 1842 ; under his charge the church grew to a membership of 239. On June 28th, 1843, the church withdrew from the presbytery and became independent, but in June, 1844, it voted to return to the presbytery and was received a month later. The second regular pastor, Rev. Milo J. Hickok, D. D., was installed February, 25th, 1845, and continued until March 15th, 1854. The third, Rev. Frank F. Ellinwood, was installed January 9th, 1856, and continued until January 24th, 1866; the fourth, Samuel M. Campbell, D. D., was installed June 4th, 1866, and was dismissed April 11th, 1881. Rev. Theodore W. Hopkins was elected pastor September 5th, 1881, and labored as such until June 12th, 1887, when he withdrew. From that date till the first of March, 1888, the pulpit was supplied mainly by Prof. James S. Riggs, of Auburn Theological seminary. March 11th, 1888, Henry Il. Stebbins, D. D., be- gan his labors and was installed April 17th, 1888. The Sunday school of eighteen scholars was or- ganized in the Crane school-house on Sophia street on the first inceting of the church, August . 12th, 1836, and has continued in vigorous exist- ence. It has supplied to the church a majority of those who have united with it on confession. Its first superintendent was Walter S. Griffith; the present one is Arthur II. McCall. In the spring of 1856 a Sunday school was organized by William S. Bishop in a hall on the south side of West avenne, fronting Canal street, in a block owned by Joel B. Bennett. It was manned by teachers from several churches, but mostly from this church. In 1859 this school was discontinued to unite with another in a brick chapel which is now a part of Westminster church, and in 1862 a
society was incorporated called the West Avenue Chapel ; its trustees were Joel B. Bennett, Samuel Dis, Stephen Coleman, Henry L. Churchill and Lewis H. Alling. In 1869 a mission Sunday school was organized in district number ? school- house on Lake avenne. William A. Hubbard was its first superintendent. A chapel was built by the members of Central church at the corner of Fulton avenue and Locust street, at a cost of $7,000, dedicated August 11th, 18:4. It was in this chapel that the North church was organized. In the winter and spring of 1842, Rev. Charles G. Finney, in connection with the pastor, Rev. Geo. S. Boardman, conducted a series of revival meetings, resulting in large accessions to the church. In the winter and spring of 1857 this church united with the Brick and Plymouth churches in revival meetings under Mr. Finney's preaching.
The "Bethel Free Presbyterian church and so- ciety" was organized August 29th, 1836. Its trustees were Michael B. Batcham, John Biden, jr., John F. Bush, Theodore B. Hamilton and Samuel D. Porter. April 27th, 1845, the society was reconstructed under the name of the "Trus- tees of the Washington street church in Rochester." Its trustees were Carlton M. Avery, William W. Brewster, Winthrop A. Parker, Samuel B. Stod- dard and Edward Terry. March 30th, 1858, the legislature changed the name of the church to the "Central Presbyterian church of the city of Rochester." The Bethel church was built of stone in 1837 on the west side of Washington street, north of the Erie canal, at a cost of $15,000. In 1844 it was repaired and improved at a cost of $3,500. This building was set fire to in the steeple by an incendiary, in the night, and burned. November 22d, 1861. The site is now occupied by the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg railroad building. The Central church building was begun in 1856 and was dedicated April 8th, 1858; the total cost was $40,000. The following members of this church have entered the ministry: George S. Bishop. Frederick Campbell, Willis Clark Gay- lord. Dullis D. Hamilton, Simon J. Humphrey, Frederick J. Jackson, Robert McLean, Simon J. McPherson, Daniel F. Stewart, Chas. W. Torrey and Theodore B. Williams. The following have gone from this church as foreign missionaries: Miss Isabella Atwater, to China, 1870; Miss
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