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 38
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Trinity Church (Colored) .- In 1898 a petition signed by forty-nine persons requesting the organ- ization of a colored Presbyterian church was pre- sented to the Rochester presbytery by a committee consisting of John Green, Leon J. Du Bois, and George W. Burks. Trinity Presbyterian mission was organized December 16th, 1898, with Rev. G. L. Hamilton in charge. Rev. A. Sellers Mays be- came pastor in charge of the mission April 1st, 1899. John Green, Jesse Stevens, Leon J. Du Bois, and H. David Murray were ordained as el- ders. Trinity Presbyterian church was organized by the presbytery of Rochester, May 15th, 1902. Rev. A. Sellers Mays was installed as pastor May 28th, 1903. The mortgage on the property was burned June 19th, 1906. The present member- ship of the church is 100; Sabbath school 112. The church is located on Allen street, near Ply- mouth avenue.
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.
Writing in 1907 a sketch of the growth of the Episcopal church in an American city, one can not but note the fact that the English Christian- ity and the English civilization of this continent began together just three hundred years ago at Jamestown, Virginia. The first religious service conducted in English in this land was that held by the Rev. Francis Fletcher, chaplain of Drake's ship, the Pelican, who officiated in 1579 on the shores of Drake's bay, California. The first In- dian converted to English Christianity, Mantes, and the first child born of English parents in America, Virginia Dare, were baptized in 1587. In 1603 Captain Martin Pring, in charge of Sir Walter Raleigh's expedition, landed in Massa- chusetts bay and for six weeks toiled near the site of the future Plymouth, and worshiped according to the prayer book of the English church, seven- teen years before the Pilgrims arrived; and on May 13th, 1607, there disembarked at Jamestown the first permanent colonists of the new land, bringing with them as chaplain, the Rev. Robert Hunt, "an honest, religious and courageous di- vine," of the English church. The Jamestown tercentennial exposition emphasizes the dominant influence which Anglican churchmen had in moulding the life, civilization and religion of these United States.
Two hundred years elapsed before the pioneers began to penetrate to the falls of the Genesee; and the varied experiences of the historic church in the meantime were fitting her to come with hal- lowing help into the frontier communities. En- feebled as the church was at the close of the Revolutionary war, a few indomitable leaders re- mained and her missionaries were amongst those who blazed the trails into the western wilderness. Davenport Phelps was for many years a mission- ary of the Protestant Episcopal church for the western part of the state, and by his indefatigable exertions succeeded in diffusing much religious energy and in forming many churches.
Bishop Moore, of New York, ordained this zealous man in 1801, and sent him to the outposts. After several years of itinerating at Canandaigua, Geneva, Phelps and other settlements, he estab- lished his headquarters at Geneva in 1805, officiat- ing there regularly, and making excursions to
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ST. LUKE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ROCHESTER.
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many points. In 1808 he organized the church at Allen's Hill, from which, in after days, went out uine priests of the church; one of these, the Rev. George H. Norton, joined in 1817 with the Rev. H. U. Onderdonk, then minister at Canandaigua, in visits to Rochesterville; in March of that year they met with twenty-eight of the villagers and signed "a declaration of attachment to the Protest- ant Episcopal church." Bishop Hobart had been consecrated in 1811. "Evangeljeal truth and apos- tolic order" was the watchword with which he made the souls of men to vibrate near and far, and his annual visitations to the remote hamlets left lasting impressions.
St. Luke's Church,-On the 14th of July, 1817, twenty men met in a school-house in the town of Brighton, Ontario county, and organized "St. Luke's Church, Genesee Falls." They elected Colonel Nathaniel Rochester and Samuel J. An- drews wardens, and for vestrymen chose Silus O. Smith, Roswell Babbitt, John Mastick, Louis Jenkins, Elisha Johnson, John C. Rochester, Wil- liam Atkinson and Oliver Culver. Rev. Mr. Nor- ton took charge of the infant parish, in connection with Carthage and Pittsford, with occasional serv- ices at Sodus bay, Vienna and other adjacent places. The first meetings were held in the homes of Mrs. Silas O. Smith and other interested fam- ilies. The next year Bishop Hobart visited the village and administered the rite of confirmation to four persons; this service was held in a build- ing then occupied by the Presbyterian society. The proprietors of the One-Hundred-Acre tract offered lot So to "the first religious society that should take possession of the same and build a church thereon." After a spirited contest with their Roman Catholic neighbors, St. Luke's con- gregation in 1820 erected a wooden church, thirty- eight by forty-six feet; subscriptions amounting to $1.270 were received: of this $238 was in cash. the rest in good", labor and lumber. "N. Roches. ter, in lumber. 8200; William Cobb, in blacksmith- ing, $25; William Haywood, in hats, $20; Eben- ezer Watts, in tinware, 810; E. Peck & Co., in books and stationery, $20; Jehiel Barnard, in tai- loring, 85; Jacob Gould, in goods, $10; H. Scran- tom, in flour, 87; Abner Wakelee, in shoes, $10." The following additional subscriptions were con- tributed toward the crection of the steeple, or cu- pola : A. Reynolds, in goods or brick, $5: D. D
Barnard, in cider and apples, $5; Timothy Bos- worth, in combs, $5; Ephraim Moore, "in pork out of my shop," $5. The little church was oecu- pied for the first time on Christmas day, 1820, and was consecrated by Bishop Hobart, February 20th, 1821, Rev. Francis H. Cuming, deacon, having taken charge of the parish a month pre- vious for the term of one year at a salary of $475. The growth and prosperity of the church were such that in September, 1823, the old building was moved to the rear of the lot, and the erection of a stone church begun; this second building was fifty-five by seventy-three fect, and cost $10,400: it was opened for worship September 4th, 1825. and consecrated September 30th, 1826. This church. it should be noted, has been very little al- tered to this day; the arrangement of its interior is unique, and is treasured as a monument of the ecclesiastical architecture of that day. After a successful rectorship of eight years, Mr. Cuming resigned and was succeeded by Rev. Henry J. Whitehouse, who was instituted by Bishop Hobart August 29th. 1830. Shortly after this the bishop died: his successor, Rt. Rev. B. T. Onderdonk, was succeeded after a few years of devoted labor by Bishop De Lancey, in 1839, at which time St. Luke's, with its four hundred communicants, was the largest and most influential parish in the new- ly-constituted diocese, which comprised all of the state west of Utica. In 1844 the gifted Dr. White- house resigned to accept the episcopate of Illinois. He was succeeded by Rev. Thomas C. Pitkin,, who, in consequence of ill health. after three years' work, resigned July 12th, 1847. In the following October Rev. Henry W. Lee entered upon the rec- torship. His talents were such as to make a deep impression upon the community, and to win for him the well-deserved titles of D. D. and LL. D. He left the church greatly strengthened when, in 1854, he accepted the bishopric of Iowa. On the following April Rev. Benjamin Watson took up the parish work, and for five years ministered to the growing congregation. On the 1st of October, 1859, Rev. R. B. Claxton, D. D., was elected rec- tor, and through the anxious years of the Civil war led his loyal people wisely in good works. Dr. Claxton resigned in 1865, to become the pro- fessor of pulpit eloquence and pastoral care in the Divinity school of the Protestant Episcopal church in Philadelphia. On the second Sunday of May
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HISTORY OF ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY.
in 1866 Rev. Henry Anstice began his long and notable rectorate. Coming here as a young man, he gave unremittingly of his energies for thirty- one years to the ever-widening work of this im- portant parish. His gifts for organization and administration of affairs enabled him to wield a directing influence in many beneficent movements. As dean of the convocation under Bishop Coxe, he was a leader in the missionary enterprises in this part of the diocese. He resigned in 1897 to accept a call to Philadelphia. In 1897 Rev. Rob Roy MacGregor Converse, D. D., chaplain of Ho- bart college, was elected and accepted the rector- ship of this, the mother parish of the city. Rev. W. S. McCoy is the assistant rector. Erected eighty-two years ago, St. Luke's is the oldest church building in the city, and, standing where it has always stood, in closest proximity to the "Four Corners," it is a shrine endeared to all in- telligent citizens, not alone for its many sacred associations, but as well for its aggressive useful- ness to-day. A recent proposition to sell and re- move to another location has been rejected, and a movement has been begun to adequately endow the work for all time. The last annual report shows a vigorous parochial life with 500 families, 629 communicants and a total of contributions exceeding $16.000.
St. Paul's (or Grace) Church .- With the char- acteristic venturesomeness of pioneers the Episco- palians of Rochesterville established a second pur- ish in the town, hard upon the heels of the build- ing of St. Luke's. It was the first instance as yet in the state, outside of New York, of two Epis- copal churches in one community. It was hast- ened here by several centrifugal influences.
The opening of the Erie canal in 1825 brought a rapid increase in population: the village had jumped from less than a thousand in 1817 to 7,669 in 1827; then the bisecting of the town by the river called. in the days of but one bridge, for a parish equipment on each side; and, again, in the Inter twenties there were varied types of church- men, some ranging under the catholic champion- ship of Bishop Hobart, anticipating the great "Ox- ford movement."
A meeting of those interested in the movement was convened, necording to the canons of the church, in the Franklin Institute, on the 28th of May. 1827. when William Atkinson and Giles
Boulton were elected wardens and Elisha John- son, Elisha B. Strong, Jared N. Stebbins, S. M. Smith, Enos Stone, Samuel J. Andrews, Daniel Tinker and A. B. Curtis vestrymen. St. Paul's was the name chosen for the new church. An am- bitious edifice was designed. Its spire was to ex- ceed in height any building in the region, but a severe wind toppled it over while yet uncom- pleted, and a less aspiring plan was substituted. When finished it was described as a "large and ele- gant Gothic church." The village authorities hon- ared the congregation by changing the designation of the street upon which the new building stood and substituting for Clyde, Market and River the names North and South St. Paul streets.
For the first twenty years of its existence the parish passed through many vicissitudes. Seven brief rectorates and frequent protracted periods without a rector were not calculated to strengthen the organization. Rev. Sutherland Douglass, the first rector, officiated from April, 1828, until Au- gust, 1829. On Monday, August 30th, 1830, the church was consecrated by Bishop Hobart. the last service but one of his laborious life. Twelve days Jater he breathed his last in the rectory at Auburn. Rev. Channeey Colton was rector from November, 1830, to December, 1831; Rev. H. V. D. Jolins for a few months in 1832; Rev. Burton H. Hickox from May, 1833, to February, 1835. It was in 1833 that the financial embarrassments of the parish culminated in the foreclosure of the first mortgage of $10,000 on the building, and the for- mation of a new corporation styled Grace church, that bought in the property. Rev. Orange Clark accepted the rectorship in September, 1835; his successor was in charge from April, 1839, to Oc- tober, 1841, and Rev. William E. Eigenbrodt served from June, 1842, to December, 1843. In 1844 a second foreclosure of a mortgage took place. This time Bishop De Lancey intervened and became proprietor of the edifice, and under his prudent leadership the property was at last freed from incumbrances in 1847. But on July 25th of that same year the church was destroyed by fire. It was at once rebuilt, services being held temporarily in the high school on Lancaster street. Rev. John V. Van Ingen, having served as minis- ter-in-charge for several years, was elected rector in 1848 and infused a noble spirit into the rap- idly increasing congregation during the next six
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years of energetic and devoted service. From 1854 to 1839 Rev. Mansell Van Rensselaer shepherded the flock with exemplary ability, and then fol- lowed the notable rectorate of Rev. Israel Foote, D. D., who for twenty-three years, from 1859 to 1882, led his loyal people in good works. A fine rectory was provided through the liberal proposi- tion of Mrs. Ruth Mumford. In 1869 the house on Mortimer street was purchased aud opened as a parish school ; in 1870 the spacious chancel was added, and in 1880 it was completed by the erec- tion of a rich Italian marble altar, a memorial of Mr. and Mrs. George H. Mumford. The first vested boy-choir in the city was introduced at this time. In 1882, when Dr. Foote resigned, the ves- try, in recognition of his long and valued services, elected him rector emeritus. In September, 1882, Rev. W. H. Platt, D. D., LL. D., became rector. St. Paul street had become the center of the wholesale business district of the city, and an agi- tation was begun to move the church out on East avenue. Dr. Platt resigned in 1887. The con- gregation was then distracted over the issue of moving and a debt of $10,000. Ou July 1st, 1888. Rev. Lamis C. Washburn eutered upon his work as rector. For seven years the parish cx- panded its scope as an enterprising downtown church. A spacious chapel had been erected in the rear of the church. The Mortimer street building was opened as a deaconesses' house, and was the center of much beneficent activity. The debt was reduced to 818,000. In 1895 Dr. Wash- burn resigned, and was elected the first archdea- con of Rochester.
After several years without a rector, the vestry voted to abandon the downtown work, and use the proceeds of the sale of the property in building a handsome church a mile and a half away, for the families in the upper East avenne district. The impressive group of buildings designed by Heinz aud La Farge was erected on the site of the de- funct St. John's church, corner of East avenue and Viek park, just three score years and ten after the organization of the original parish. The dignified old sanctuary, now desecrated to vulgar uses, is a pathetic monument of departed glory. With the consent of the legislature the name Grace church was dropped and St. Paul's church was chosen as the legal designation for the new establishment. In 1897 Rev. Murray Bartlett
came as rector, with Rev. Chauncey Blodgett as assistant. Mr. Bartlett is still the pastor, and the present assistant is Rev. Henry F. Zwicker. There are connected with the congregation at present 496 families and 755 communicants; the total offerings for all objects last year were $20,394.81.
Trinity Church .- In 1834 the village developed into an incorporated city, and since the founding of St. Paul's the population had more than dou- bled. The movement out of which Trinity parish grew was inaugurated as early as 1836, with the encouragement of the bishop and local ministers A Sunday school was opened and maintained, largely through the zeal of Seth C. Jones, in Frankfort. The legal organization dates from October 27th, 1845, when those interested selected the following representatives: Wardens, Heury E. Rochester and Seth C. Jones; vestrymen, George Arnold, George R.Clark, P. G. Buchan, S. F. With- erspoon, Lewis P. Beers, David Hoyt, W. E. Lath- rop and Seth C. Maltby. Services were held by Rev. Vandevoort Bruce in a school-house on Brown square in January, 1846, and later in school num- ber 5, at the corner of Center and Jones streets. The corner-stone of the church building on the corner of Frank and Center was laid June 13th, 1846, and the edifice was opened for services on Christmas eve of that year. In 1847 Mr. Bruce resigned and was succeeded the same year by Rev. Charles D. Cooper. During his administration the debt was entirely paid up and the church con- scerated by Bishop De Lancey February 15th, 1848. Mr. Cooper resigned in 1849 and was followed by Rev. Robert J. Parvin, who after two years was succeeded by the Rev. Addison V. Atkins, who in turn resigned at the end of two years, when the work was taken up in October, 1854, by Rev. George N. Cheney, whose rectorship of nine years was one of marked prosperity and widening in- fluence. With the consent of the vestry Me. Cheney was chaplain of the Thirty-third regiment of New York volunteers in 1861. His pastorate of the church was terminated by impaired health in 1863, the year in which the church was en- larged and improved. For a short time the parish was in charge of Rev. John W. Clark, who was followed by Rev. John V. Van Ingen, who labored here till 1868. After a vacancy of eight months Rev. Charles H. W. Stocking served in the parish until December, 1871; after him there came Rev
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M. R. St. J. Dillon-Lee, who in turn was followed by Rev. C. J. Machin. Rev. W. W. Walsh assumed the rectorship in 1875.
Owing to the elevation of the tracks of the New York Central railroad the church property was sold in April, 1880, and the beautiful corner facing Jones park was purchased as the site for the new church. On this new edifice the corner- stone was laid by Bishop Cove on the 29th of July, 1880. and the church was opened for services on the 31st of July, 1881. After ten years construe- tive leadership Mr. Walsh was succeeded in 1885 by Rev. F. S. Hyde. Mr. Hyde resigned in 1889, and was followed by Rev. A. B. Carter, D. D., a venerable saint, whose brief service here was ter- minated by death the next year. In July, 1890, Rev. Warren C. Hubbard began his animating rectorship of ten years, during which the congre- gation was strengthened and developed in many ways. In 1900 Rev. E. M. Parrott accepted the call of the vestry and for five years was the be- loved pastor of the increasing congregation. Dur- ing this period a commodious parish house was built on the church property. Broken in health. Mr. Parrott resigned and was succeeded in 1906 by Rev. Charles S. Allison. There are 165 fami- lies and 337 communicants attached to this par- ish. The total disbursements last year were $4,- 237.53. The present officers are: Wardens, H. Wheeler Davis and John F. White; vestrymen. W. C. Walker, J. HI. Kinne, A. J. Leggett.
Christ Church .- The steady growth of Roch- ester called for a corresponding increase in church equipment. When St. Luke's was founded there was a population of about nine hundred; there were 7,600 when St. Paul's was built; Trinity was organized when the inhabitants numbered 25,000, and when, in 1855, the census revealed the pres- ence of 40,000, forty-five wide awake churchmen resolved to locate a new parish in "that portion of the city now destitute," east of Elm street and south of Main. The first services were held in Palmer's hall by resident clergy. The organiza- tion was duly effected May 2th. 1855. The cor- porate name chosen was "Christ church." The first officers were: Wardens, Silas O. Smith and David Hoyt; vestrymen. D. M. Dewey, A. J. Brackett E. M. Smith, D. B. Beach, J. M. Winslow, John Fairhanks. Delos Wentworth and C. R. Babbitt. A Sunday school was opened under the superin-
tendency of L. Ward Smith that same month. la June the ladies organized a sewing and benevolent society. The lot on East avenne, opposite Scio was bought in June and the church building be- gun in September. The first recetor, Rev. Ilenry A. Neely, entered upon his duties in October; the first service in the new edifice was held by him en that Christmas day. In the spring of 1861 a Sunday school building was constructed adjoining the church and the next year the growth of the congregation led to the enlargement of the church including a recess chancel with several memorial windows. In October, 1862, after seven years of zealous and resultful leadership Mr. Neely re- signed to become the chaplain of Hobart college. He was succeeded immediately by Rev. Anthony Schuyler, whose pastorate of nearly six years car- ried his people harmoniously through the trying years of the Civil war. He resigned in 1868 to recept a charge in the more genial climate of Orange, N. J. In 1869 Rev. Walton W. Batter- shall became the third rector of Christ church, the lot to the west of the church was purchased and the rectory built. In July, 1874, he resigned to hecome the rector of St. Peter's, Albany. His successor here, Rev. Joseph L. Tucker, arrived in February, 1875. Under his leadership the mis- sionary auxiliary was developed and much effec- tive work done, but after two years he resigned to resume his ministry in Mississippi.
Then followed the notable period of twenty. three years under the guidance, tender and strong, of Rev. William D'Orville Doty, 1877-1900. The debt of $12,000, under which he found the parish struggling, was paid and the church consecrated on Easter day, 1883. The population of the city had since the founding of the parish increased threefold, and it was necessary to lengthen the cords again. An imposing design by Gibson was adopted and two sections of the proposed nave were built at right angles with the old church and occupied for the first service on Christmas day. 188%. A spacious parish house, costing $17,000, was opened in April, 1888. In November, 1892. the new chancel was used. In May, 1893, the old church was occupied for the last time and the rector and his congregation were made welcome be Mr. Washburn and his people in St. Paul's for the next ten months.
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The impressive new church (except the tower) was finished in the spring of 1894. In 1897, when the old St. Paul's was deserted, many members of that congregation associated themselves with Christ church, one whole organization of fifty working women, the Mothers' meeting, making this their home. Suddenly, on January 5th, 1900, to the great grief of everybody, Dr. Doty died. In its desolation the parish was forced to attack 1 heavy debt of $45,000. In a spirit of devotion to their departed pastor they decided to secure the amount of the debt as the Doty memorial fun ! and at once raised $22,084.95. On New Year's day, 1901, Rev. Andrew J. Graham entered upon his work as rector. That year Ahneron J. Johnson died and bequeathed $30,000 with which to build the tower. In July the Lawn street house and lot were bought and put in order for $3,225 as a residence for the curates. In November, 1902, the new sanctuary memorials were erected; the altar by Mr. and Mrs. J. N. Beckley and the re- redos by J. Moreau Smith and V. Morean Smtih. In April, 1903, the completed tower was dedicated and December 29th, 1905, the entire debt having been paid, the great church was consecrated. Last year the parochial report announced a membership of 550 families, 1,003 communicants, and for a total of offerings $11,168.34.
In 1865 the city had acquired some 50,000 in- habitants. Bishop De Lancey was in need of as- sistance; St. Luke's was without a rector; Mt Foote at St. Paul's, Dr. Van Ingen at Trinity and Mr. Schuyler at Christ church felt the need for united action in extending the church locally ; they were seconded by George R. Clark and other laymen and women in organizing a society for city mission work, which they called "The St. Mat- thew's Mission." They engaged as missionaries Rev. R. M. Duff, Rev. E. S. Wilson, S. D. Boorom and D. H. Lovejoy. Services were conducted un- der these auspices in four outlying districts of the city, viz., one in the eleventh ward, one near Deep Hollow, one on Oregon street and one in the Mount Hope district. Each of these efforts bore fruit later, though the association was dissolved in the summer of 1867. The Oregon street mis- sion was developed by St. Paul's into St. James parish : Deep Hollow mission merged with Trin. ity: Hope mission was nursed by Christ church into St. Clement's, which later beenme St. An-
drew's, and the Grape street mission was built up by St. Luke's into the Church of the Good Shepherd.
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