History of Rochester and Monroe county, New York, from the earliest historic times to the beginning of 1907, Part 43

Author: Peck, William F. (William Farley), 1840-1908
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Pioneer publishing company
Number of Pages: 648

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 43

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There are about 1,100 children (500 in 1884), in the parochial school, taught by twenty Sisters of Notre Dame. The school has been a free school since 1898. The congregation has been free from debt since 1893.

Holy Redeemer .- This parish was separated from St. Joseph's in 1867. The first church, now used as the school-house, was dedicated July 23d, 1868; the present church was finished in 18:7. A new hall, to cost $75,000, is now in process of erec. tion. The school contains 700 children. The first trustees were J. Leckinger and J. Armbruster. The first resident pastor was Rev. F. Oberholzer, who died in November, 1902, and was succeeded by Rev. J. Staub, the present incumbent.

St. Michael's .- This parish was organized in January, 1873. Rev. Father Pingel, C. SS. R., wae appointed temporary pastor. On March Sth, 1874, the first church edifice was dedicated, and in No- vember of the same year Rev. F. Pascalar was ap- pointed permanent pastor. The parish, which was organized with 200 families, grew in numbers and in 1875 additional ground was purchased. In the spring of 1888 the present building, on Clinton avenue North, was begun and dedicated on St. Michael's day, September 29th, 1890. It is an im- posing structure, built in ecclesiastical Gothic style with a tower 226 feet high. In 1896 Rev. M. J Hargather succeeded the late Rev. F. Pascalar. He built the large and commodious school on Clifford street and completed the church by placing altars, an organ and stained glass windows in the church and a chime of bells and clock in the tower. Ail the buildings connected with the parish are first- class. The present membership of the parish is 1,000. The parochial school numbers 800 pupila Rev. L. G. Hofschneider is the able assistant rector.

The Holy Apostles" .- This is located at the cor- ner of Lyell avenue and Austin street. The parish was organized May 1st, 1881, as a mis- sion to the cathedral. It is so named, as it was the twelfth Catholie parish in Roch- ester. Rov. Timothy C. Murphy, at that time pastor of St. Michael's church, in Livonia, N. Y. was appointed by Bishop McQuaid to administer the affairs of the new parish, and to his untiring labors was due much of the subsequent growth of the new district. The corner-stone of the first

church edifice was laid October 1st, 1881, and the building was dedicated February 15th, 1885. The lower story was used for school purposes, and on September 11th, 1885, 115 pupils assembled under Sisters Borgia and Paneratia, forming the first Holy Apostles' school. The upper story was the church proper. And here the faithful worshiped until the expanding school and congregation de- manded larger accommodation. The corner-stone of the new church was laid May 31st, 1896, and the building dedicated March 28th, 1897. The church is built of Medina stone and is a model of architectural beauty. A handsome portico, sup- ported by granite pillars, adorns the main en- trance, and the church is further ornamented by a high square tower. The wood-work of the interior is quartered oak ; the high altar is hand-carved and is a specimen of art. The church has a seating ca- pacity of 800. Father Murphy labored faithfully during these years to bring parish and property to this successful status. On July 1st, 1900, he was promoted to the irremovable rectorship of St. Mary's church, Rochester. Rev. James A. Hickey, of Geneseo, N. Y., was appointed to succeed Father Murphy in charge of the Holy Apostles' parish. On July Ist, 1904, Rev. George T. Jones was appointed assistant rector. The parish at present numbers 360 families. The registry in the parish school shows 434 pupils. Sister M. Gerald is in charge.

Corpus Christi .- This parish was formed in 1887. In the next year a site was purchased on East Main street for $8,000, ground was broken in April, the corner-stone was laid July 8th, and the new church was dedicated, which was super- seded by the present edifice, which was dedicated on June 14th, 1903. The first pastor was Rev. James J. Leary, whose impaired health compelled him to resign in 1901, when Rev. D. J. Curran, the present rector, took his place. The school, opened in September, 1889, under the charge of the Sis- ters of St. Joseph, has 585 registered pupils.

St. Francis Xavier's .- St. Francis Xavier's par- ish was organized in the spring of 1888. Rev. M. Hargather was appointed pastor by Bishop Mc- Quaid. A suitable site was obtained on Bay street opposite Third avenue and arrangements were made at once to erect a new church. The corner- stone was laid July 23d, and October 29th of the

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same year the new church was dedicated. The edifice, which is 110 feet long, served at first as church and school, but the parish grew so rapidly that the entire building had to be used for church purposes, and in 1800 the parishioners decided to ereet a separate school building. A parish hall was also erected in connection with the school for the societies connected with the church. April 8th, 1896, Rev. M. Hargather was promoted to St. Michael's church and Rev. Joseph Netzel succeeded him as rector of St. Francis Xavier's church. As the school had grown so rapidly, an addition was built on to the school in 1896, giving them four additional rooms. In 1902 a new convent wae erveted for the Sisters of the school, and in 1906 the congregation erected a new parish house. The parish numbers at present 350 families and regi+ ters 472 children in school. Rov. Father Netzel is assisted on Sundays by a professor from St. Bernard's seminary.

Holy Rosary .- This parish was organized in 1889. It was formerly part of the cathedral par- ich. It starts at the intersection of Deep Hollow and the Eric canal and extends to the Little Ridge road. There were eighty-nine families in the dis- triet when the parish was formed. The school was opened with forty-seven pupils, but within a month the number grew to seventy-two. For seven years the parish was attended from the cathedral. On April 6th. 1896. Rev. John G. Van Ness, the pres- ent rector, was appointed. A new parochial resi- dence was erected in the same year, and many im- provements were made in the church and school. In 1904 a large brick combination building. an- swering the purpose of church and school, wa. erected. In 1906 another house was purchased. now used as a convent for the Sisters, The present church property extends along Lexington avenue from Finch to Oriole street, 260 feet, and on both of the above named streets north, 222 feet. The plot contains ten lots. The buildings are the combination building. the parish hall, meeting. rooms, parochial residence and convent. The par ish numbers 260 families: there are 320 children attending school; all the sodalities and societies usually found in well-organized parishes are estab- lished and prospering.

St. Stanislaus's .- This is a Polish congregation which was organized in 1890, the present church, on Stanislaus avenue, heing erected in that year.

Rev. Theophile Szadzinski wns appointed pastor Five Sisters of St. Joseph have charge of the school, which contains 280 children.

St. Monica's .- In June of 1898 Bishop Mc- Quaid established this parish in the sonthwestern part of Rochester, and appointed Rev. J. P. Bro- phy ns its first, as he is its present, pastor. The first mass was celebrated in this church December 8th, 1898. The parishioners then numbered about 400. The school opened on January 3d, 1899, with three teachers and sixty-seven children. On January 1st. 1907, there were in the school six teachers and abont 300 children. The number of parishioners at present is about 1,500, and the valne of the church property is about $30,000.

The Blessed Sacrament .- This church is situ- ated at the corner of Monroe avenue and Rutgere street, a two-story, red brick combination build- ing for church and school purposes, with a base- ment used for societies. Ground was broken in October of 1901, and the church proper was dedi- cated April 13th, 1902, by Bishop McQuaid. The pastor is Rev. T. F. Connors, under whose rare the parish has been from the beginning. There has never been a regularly appointed assist- ant pastor. The parish numbers over 200 families, with 350 children in attendance at school, who are taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The Blessed Sacrament parsonage, situated at 540 Oxford street, was built in 1905; and the convent, situ- ated at 256 Rutgers street, was purchased the same year.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help .- In view of the rapid growth of the parishes of St. Michael and the Most Holy Redeemer, Bishop McQuaid had for some years contemplated the organization of a new parish comprising the extreme northern sec- tion of the city, east of the river. In definite form in April, 1904, he appointed Rev. John P. Sehell- horn, for nine years assistant rector of St. Michael's parish, as rector of the new parish to be established. The lay trustees were Joseph Keller and George Maier. In May, 1904, the new parish was incorporated under the title "The Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help." A piece of land, 234 by 230, on Joseph avenue, between Weaver and Norton streets, was purchased and a briek building, with hall in the basement, church on the ground floor and school upstairs, was begun in

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July, 1904. The church was dedicated by Bishop McQuaid on Sunday, January 22d, 1905, when the first service was held. The school was opened in September, 1905, with 260 pupils.

St. Augustine's :- A chapel and school was built on Chili avenue in 1898 to accommodate the peo- ple of the cathedral parish residing in the western section of the city. Rev. George V. Burns, Rev. Philip Golding and Rev. J. F. O'Hern, assistants of the cathedral, had successively charge of this. In September, 1906, Rev. John O'Brien was ap- pointed pastor. The corner-stone of a new church and school was laid in December, 1906, by Bishop Hickey. The Sisters of St. Joseph have charge of the school, with 177 children.

St. Anthony of Padua .- This church is located at the corner of Lyell avenue and Frank and White streets. The property was formerly known as public school number 6, and was purchased from the city at publie auction March 19th, 1906, for the purpose of establishing a Catholic church and school for the Italians in the western part of the city. The school was opened in Septem- ber, 1906, with an attendance of about 200 Italian children. The second story of the building has been remodeled and is now a church with a sitting capacity of about 740. The church was dedicated October 7th, 1906, by Bishop McQuaid. Rev. J. Emil Gefell, Ph. D., who has held services for the Italians in the cathedral chapel since Febru- ary. 1907, is the rector of the new church, and is assisted by Rev. Croce Cappellino, D. D., a pro- fessor in St. Andrew's seminary.

THE EVANGELICAJ. LUTHERAN CHURCHES.

Zion's First German Evangelical Lutheran Church .- As early as 1832 Lutheran pastors visited Rochester and held services for the scat- tered Lutherans. Among these was the well known Dr. C. F. Welden, who died in 1897. Under him the church seems to have been organ- ized. Dr. Welden was a traveling missionary of the Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of the state of New York. The first regular pastor men- tioned is Rev. W. A. Fetter, who also served the congregation at Rush. In 1836 he laid the corner- stone of the new building, located on the corner of Grove and Stillson streets. Differences of opinion between the Lutherans and some mem-

bers of the German Reformed church, who had connected themselves with the congregation and desired their forms and ceremonies to be recog- nized in the services, greatly retarded the work. Rev. John Muehlhaueser, sen., became pastor in May, 1838, and with him new life made itself felt in the organization. In December of the same year the church was dedicated. The following were elected elders and deacons: Christian Trau- gott, C. Lauer, G. C. Drehmer, J. Schonmaier, Jacoh Maurer, J. Ebersold, John Rohr, John Maurer, H. Diener, Bernh. Heidt, George Ellwan- ger, R. Heidt, George Maurer. In the church reg- ister the first communicants are entered in 1834; in the same year also the first baptisms; the first catechumens and marriages are recorded in April, 1835. After a service of ten years Rev. J. Muehlhaueser resigned in order to look after the scattered Lutheran settlers in Milwaukee, Wis. He was sueceeded by the Rev. J. G. Kempe, who had been pastor of the churches in Syracuse, N. Y., and Boston. As the building had become too small, a new edifice was erected, and dedicated on January 29th, 1852. Pastor Kempe, who died in 1862, was succeeded by Rev. A. Uebelacker, who remained until 1868, when Rev. Fred. von Rosen- berg became his successor. This gentleman, in 1874, returned to Germany. The congregation now called Pastor C. F. W. Hoppe, of Lancaster, Pa., who died in April, 1881. The congregation now elected Rev. Alexander Richter, of Philadel- phia, who entered upon his duties in July of the same year. He established the mission in South Rochester, from which Frieden's congregation has grown, and introduced in the church service the liturgical forms and responsive singing. In De- cember, 1890, St. Matthew's church, of Hoboken, N. J., sent him a call, which he accepted. Two years before he had been elected president of the New York Ministerium, an office which his pre- decessor filled for several years before his death. Under the administration of Rev. Richter Zion's enjoyed the time of its greatest prosperity. It at- tained a communicant membership of some 1,500. A call was now extended to Rev. Ernest Hart- mann. His ministry did not prove a success, and ahout one-half the members were scattered. The church was obliged to resort to vigorous meas- ures. The result was that Rev. Hartmann with some sixty families withdrew and organized a new

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congregation. In the early part of 1900 Rev. Ernest Heyd, then pastor in Lyons, received an unani- mous call, which he accepted. He has been suc- cessful in again building up the congregation. During the last fifteen years death has taken away an unusually large percentage of the prominent ten and supporters of the congregation. There are at present about 800 communicant members, 240 children with thirty-one teachers in the Sun- day school.

The Church of the Reformation .- The Evan- gelical Lutheran Ministerium of New York held its annual convention in Zion's Lutheran church, Rochester, the first week of September, 1868. Up to that time the Lutheran church had not been represented in this community in the English language. When the ministers and lay delegates assembled and saw the extensive field that ought to be cultivated. it was their conviction that the speedy establishment of an English mission was of great importance. Accordingly, the executive committee of the synod appropriated $100 for the support of a missionary, on condition that the work be commeneed within the year. On Sep- tember 8th a society was formed called "The Evangelical Lutheran Missionary society," whose object was the establishment of an English Luth- eran church in Rochester. Nine .persons entered their names as members of the society at the first meeting. Rev. Reuben Hill, of Rheinbeck, N. Y., was chosen missionary and, having re- ceived a commission to that effect from the presi- dent of the New York Ministerium, he entered upon the work December 1st. From that time until May, 1869, worship was conducted in Zion's church every Sunday evening by the kind permis- sion of the congregation. A lease for the third story of the German school-house on Chatham street was obtained for the use of the mission as a place of worship, with the privilege of remain- ing five years. This upper room was dedicated June 13th, 1869. On July 9th five persons were confirmed, and on the following Sunday, July 11th, the Lord's Supper was administered and twenty-seven persons participated. The total membership at this time was thirty. The date of the organization of the congregation was July · 18th, 1869. The Sunday school was organized on the 1st of August of that year with fourteen teachers and fifty-two scholars. By the end of

the first year it had increased to seventeen teach- ers and 130 scholars. On the anniversary of the Reformation, October 31st, 1871, the congregation chose as its name "The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Reformation." The board of trus- tees elected at this meeting were: C. C. Meyer, president ; William J. Steinhauser, secretary ; John B. Snyder, treasurer; John S. Kratz and William Maser. As a church building was an absolute necessity, a lot on Grove street was pur- chased on July 1st, 1872, for $2,300. The dedica- tion of the church took place on the second Sun- day in Advent, 1872. The first pastor closed his ministry there on April 8th, 1874, and accepted the call to St. John's church, Allentown, Pa. The second pastor was Rev. Charles S. Kohler, who assumed charge the same year. He remained for ten years and was succeeded by Rev. Hiram Peters, who was pastor from 1884 to 1888. Dur- ing his ministry the congregation purchased the lot adjoining the church and erected a commo- dious parsonage. The fourth pastor was Rev. John E. Whitteker, who remained for five years. During his pastorate, the congregation organized three missions, namely: Grace, Trinity and St. Paul's. All of these have become self-sustaining congregations. After a brief interval in the pas- torate Rev. William J. Miller was called and en- tered upon the work on July 1st, 1894. Soon the congregation felt the necessity of enlarging their place of worship. While the new building was in process of construction the congregation wor- shiped in the Jewish Temple, at the corner of Grove and Gibbs streets, through the courtesy of the officers and members of that body. On the fourth Sunday in Advent, 1900, the present church edifice was consecrated, and on the 1st of July, 1901, Rev. Miller resigned to accept the call to Zion's Lutheran church, Greensburg, Pa. He was succeeded on October 15th, 1901, by Rev. Franklin F. Fry, who had formerly been pastor of Grace Lutheran church, Bethlehem, Pa., for eleven years. Within a few months it became ap- parent that a Sunday school building must be added. The corner-stone of this was laid in 1902, and on the first Sunday after Easter, 1903, the large and cheerful Sunday school building was dedicated, Rev. Wm. J. Miller preaching the ser- mon, and the pastor performing the act of con- secration. The Church of the Reformation has

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now 1,116 conununicant membership, with a bap- tised membership of 1,623. There is a vested choir of forty-five boys and men under the direc- tion of Edward H. Walker. The value of the church property is $86,000. The Sunday school has forty-six officers and teachers, 678 scholars. During the past year the congregation raised for all purposes $13,622.68. Of this amount 81,046.04 was contributed for missions and benevolent purposes. The church organizations include the Dorcas society, the Women's Home, the Foreign Missionary society, the Men's Social Union, the Lutheran Workers (young ladies), the Young Men's Intheran association and the Boys' Guild.

St. John's German Evangelical Lutheran .- Some fifty or sixty years ago that part of the city lying east of the river and north of the Central railroad tracks became rapidly built up. The settlers were mostly Germans, and, hence, in large part Protestants. True, those Lutherans who desired to have a spiritual home found it not too far to attend the services of "Zion's church. But it was dangerous to send the children across the tracks of the railroad, which at that time were not only on a level with the grade of the street, but also curved so that an approaching train could not be seen from a distance. Many accidents oc- curred in consequence, and parents were afraid to send their children across the tracks. Seeing the necessity of organizing a second German Lutheran church in this district, Zion's church, in 1872, called Rev. Ernest Heydler as assistant pas- tor, for the purpose of devoting his energy to the organization of a congregation in the northeast- ern part of the city. The vacant chapel of a for- mer church society which stood upon the corner of Joseph avenue and Buchan park was at first rented and subsequently purchased. Here, the first service was conducted on the 20th of October, 1872. The organization of a congregation fol- lowed on the 18th of Angust, 1823. Rev. Ernest Heydler was called to the pastorate of the new church, which had a phenomenal growth. During the first year the number of communicants was 419, and in the second year it had increased to 616. The Sunday school numbered 300 puopils. with thirty teachers, and the parochial school was attended by 170 pupils, who were instructed by three teachers. The corner-stone of the new

church building was laid June 14th, 1874, and the dedication took place June 27th, 1875. A heavy debt rested upon the congregation, which it was unable to meet; the people were poor, and the times were not of the best. In conse- quence, the larger portion of the congregation withdrew from the church and on the 20th of September, 1877, organized the present Concordia church, whose edifice stands two blocks east of St. John's. The pastor went with them. For several months St. John's had no pastor. Be- cause of the crushing debt and of the few members left, ministers feared disaster and were, there- fore, afraid to take hold. At length, Rev. John Muehlhaeuser, then of Perrysville, Pa., and son of the first pastor of Zion's church, was prevailed upon to accept the call, but in 1884 he withdrew from the New York Ministerium, with which all the Lutheran churches in Rochester were at that time connected, and joined the synod of Missouri, which did not sustain friendly relations to the Ministerium, a body organized in New York as early as 1773. The deed to the lot upon which the church is built contains the provision that both pastor and church must be members of the Ministerium; therefore, he resigned, took about half of the members with him, and built St. Mat- thew's, in Morris street, a few hundred feet dis- tant from St. John's. Rev. Joseph Rechtsteiner become now pastor, and entered upon his duties July Ist, 1884. Three years later he resigned, and a call was sent to Rev. John Nicum, D. D., at Syracuse, which he accepted and went to work with a determination to remove the heavy debt of about $22,000 and finish the church. In both he has been antecessful. The incumbrance was gradually removed and at the same time a fund collected for finishing the towers, placing a peal of three bells in the larger of the two towers, and also a public clock, which was needed in that part of the city. This was all accomplished within one year (1892), and on the day of dedication all were paid for. Recently a fine pneumatic or- gan was provided at an expense of 85,000, said to be one of the finest in the city. A fund for a parish house has been started. During the twenty years' service of the present pastor many changes have taken place in the congregation. At one time the membership had increased from 400 to more than four times this number. It does

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not number so many now. During the fifteen years last past, no less than five Lutheran churches have been established upon the territory where the members of St. John's reside, and, of the five, two are English churches. These have drawn largely upon the membership of St. John's. It now num- bers 1,100 confirmed persons, has over 400 pupils and fifty teachers in the Sunday school, and sev- eral missionary and beneficial societies. A parish paper, called the St. Johannis Bote, is published monthly and distributed gratuitously. The value of the property is $65,000, which is free of in- enmbrance. The present pastor, Dr. Nicum, is a graduate of Muhlenberg college, Allentown, Pa., and of the theological seminary in Philadelphia, Pa. From 1890 to 1902 he served as president of the board of trustees of Wagner College; from 1894 to 1902 as president of said college; from 1886 to 1897 he was secretary of the general council of the Evangelical Lutheran church in North America; from 1888 until 1897 secretary and chairman of the German board of home inis- sions of the same general body, and from 1884 to 1888 president of conference of Central and West- ern New York. He is the author of the history of the New York Ministerium, and of several theological treatises. He has also translated Wolff's "Lutherans in America."

Grace English Evangelical Lutheran .- This congregation had its origin in a Sunday school established about twenty years ago in the so-called Wakelce farm district. In 1889 a church was organized. The first regular pastor was Rev. D. W. Sarver, who remained but a short time. Rev. W. L. Hunton came in 1891 and remained five years. Under him the church increased its mem- bership materially. In 1896 Rev. W. E. Murray received a call and was pastor for nearly ten years. Some two years ago the present pastor, Rev. C. P. Weisskotten, entered upon his duties. The build- ing fronte on Central park and extends along Niagara street. It is valued at $8,500. There are 250 communicant members, and 330 teachers and scholars in the Sunday school.

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History of Rochester and Monroe county, New York, from the earliest historic times to the beginning of 1907, Part 43

Author: Peck, William F. (William Farley), 1840-1908 Publication date: 1908 Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Pioneer publishing company Number of Pages: 648

Author: Peck, William F. (William Farley), 1840-1908
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Pioneer publishing company
Number of Pages: 648