USA > New York > Erie County > Buffalo > History of St. Paul's Church, Buffalo, N.Y. : 1817 to 1888 > Part 3
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Vented and delivered inpresenceto Addion Pearle & Rector- CE Lyon
Mardens
Elig Kansam
Many Cotton. 9 H. Goodwith Sheldon Ball Jacob . 9. Barker.
Vistromen.
Stnow att Siteu By these Presents, That we, the War-
dens and Vestry of St. Paul's Church, in the village of Buffalo, in cou- sideration of the sum of our hun & news and Severity hence Onde
ar -to us in hand paid by clinker Halilin
do hereby grant, bargain and sell unto the said Cheneden PEW number nine in said Church, to have and to hold the said Pew, unto the said Denise Watdin and to his heirs and assigns forever. And ice, the
said Wardens and Vestry, do hereby covenant and agree, to and with the said Chemiser Willen that the said Pew in the quiet and peaceable possession of the said Elinchen against all and every person or persons, claiming
or to claim any right thereto, we will Warrant and forever Defend.
Witness our hands and seals, this Jenthe day of May 182.3
Houryoll Cybill George (), Werden
Sheldon Ball auf . A Banker
blias Raison J. Dhangt
REDUCED FACSIMILES OF PEW DEEDS IN 1823 AND 1826. (See pages 16, 178.
23
History of St. Paul's Church.
Jacob S. Otto, the then local agent of the company in Batavia, N. Y., for a conveyance of one hundred acres in the town of Buffalo, St. Paul's Church being entitled to it, according to the rules and regu- lations of the company. Mr. Otto had succeeded to the agency in 1821, on the resignation of Joseph Ellicott. On the 21st of April, 1823, Mr. Otto replied that it was not probable that any further assistance would be given to the church in Buffalo.
March 31, 1823, at the annual election of wardens and vestrymen, the Rev. Deodatus Babcock presiding, Henry M. Campbell and George B. Webster were elected wardens, and Joseph D. Hoyt, Elias Ransom, Smith H. Salisbury, Thomas B. Clarke, Sheldon Ball, Lester Brace, Jacob A. Barker and John G. Camp, vestrymen. Roswell Chapin was chosen clerk of the vestry.
May 5, 1823, the pews in the new Presbyterian Church (the old First) were sold at auction.
The first contribution from St. Paul's Church, as reported to the convention, was $4.50 to the Diocesan fund in 1823.
October, 1823, St. Paul's Church was represented in the Diocesan Convention in the city of New York, by the Rev. Deodatus Babcock.
1824.
March 2, 1824, the Rev. Mr. Babcock having expressed to the ves- try that at the expiration of his engagement he intended to resign his office as rector, it was resolved that while the vestry lamented the necessity which would deprive them of his services, they felt it to be their duty to adopt measures to secure the regular stated services of the church. They accordingly appointed a committee to correspond with the standing Committee of the Diocese of New York, on the sub- ject of supplying a continuance of those services.
The Rev. Deodatus Babcock afterwards became the missionary rector at Ballston Springs and Saratoga Springs, Saratoga, N. Y., and
24
History of St. Paul's Church.
remained at Ballston Springs for many years. He revisited Buffalo in October, 1851, after an absence of twenty-seven years, and was present and assisted in the consecration of the new edifice of St. Paul's in that month. After the services he remained and viewed the marked con- trast between 1821 and 1851, for he was at the consecration of the old edifice in 1821, as the then rector. Out of the large congregation in 1851 there were none of the clergy, except himself, who were present in 1821, and not more than ten of his former parishioners, which few greeted him with warm affection.
April 19, 1824, at the annual election for wardens and vestrymen, George B. Webster and Henry M. Campbell were elected wardens, and Elias Ransom, John B. Camp, Joseph D. Hoyt, Smith H. Salisbury, Sheldon Ball, Jacob A. Barker, Josiah Trowbridge and Manly Colton, vestrymen.
The earliest records of the Sunday School of the Parish date from 1818 to 1848, and show that some of the children of the original parishioners, as well as the children of the residents of the village, were taught by the rector. The school continued to increase until 1824; it then had twenty scholars, became a more permanent institution, and continued to be instrumental in the future growth of the parish.
July 2, 1824, the vestry resolved that after taking into consideration the reduced state as to members in Buffalo, it was inexpedient to make any further provisions for the regular supply of the church services.
According to the village newspaper, the Fourth of July, 1824, was celebrated by forming a procession at Rathbun's Eagle tavern, and marching to St. Paul's Church, where the Declaration of Independence was read by Charles Townsend, and an appropriate and eloquent address was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Crawford to a very numerous and attentive audience; the singing was performed in a creditable style by the choir, and was highly gratifying to all. There was no rector of St. Paul's at that date, and the Rev. Mr. Crawford was the Presbyterian minister.
Grace Church at Black Rock was organized August 10, 1824.
25
History of St. Paul's Church.
August 28, 1824, the vestry authorized the calling of the Rev. J. L. Yeonnet (pronounced Evaret) of Troy, N. Y., to the rectorship. He accepted the call, and was on his way to Buffalo, to take charge of the parish, but died at Skaneateles, Onondaga County, N. Y., on the 21st of September, 1824. He was twenty-two years of age and was said to have been a young man of excellent education and fine abilities.
1825.
March 1, 1825, the vestry entertaining a high opinion of the piety, talents and exemplary manner of the Rev. Addison Searle, and believ- ing that it would greatly advance the interests of the church if he could be prevailed upon to become its rector, resolved unanimously that they promise to pay him $525 per annum, and if the subscription exceeded that amount it should be added to that sum, and the wardens were instructed to request his acceptance of the rectorship.
At the same time a subscription was commenced for the purpose of purchasing an organ for the church, and the following sums were sub- scribed : Sheldon Ball, $20 ; George B. Webster, $25 ; Jesse D. Hoyt, $25 ; Josiah Trowbridge, $20; Roswell Chapin, $20; Henry M. Campbell, $20 ; Elias Ransom, $20 ; M. Case and son, $7.50 ; G. and T. Weed, $20 ; John G. Camp, $20 ; G. H. Goodrich, $5 ; John Root, $10 ; Benjamin Rathbun, $10 ; Alanson Palmer, $20 ; Henry Hamil- ton, $10 ; Smith H. Salisbury, $5 ; Joseph Clary, $2 ; R. Hargrave Lee, $5 ; S. G. Austin, $3 ; M. M. Dox, $5 ; cash in fifteen different items, $77, being a total subscription of $349.50.
The Rev. Mr. Searle addressed a letter to the wardens on the 30th of March, 1825, accepting the rectorship ; he at once entered upon its duties, and at a meeting of the vestry, on the same day, he was authorized and given discretionary power to contract with any person or persons for the construction, transportation and putting up of an organ in the church.
26
History of St. Paul's Church.
When the Rev. Mr. Searle took charge of St. Paul's parish he was thirty-five years of age.
The vestry of Grace Church at Black Rock having proposed to avail themselves of a portion of the services of the Rev. Mr. Searle, the vestry of St. Paul's agreed thereto, on condition that they pay $125 per annum for the same, for one fourth of the time. Grace Church at Black Rock had no church edifice, the congregation meeting in the school-house.
April 4, 1825, at the annual election of wardens and vestrymen, the Rev. Addison Searle presiding, Henry M. Campbell and George B. Webster were elected wardens, and Elias Ransom, Josiah Trowbridge, Manly Colton, Joseph D. Hoyt, Guy H. Goodrich, Jacob A. Barker, Sheldon Ball and John G. Camp vestrymen, Roswell Chapin was chosen clerk, and George B. Webster treasurer, and on July 25, 1825, Loring Pierce was appointed sexton during the pleasure of the vestry.
The only baptism by immersion in the parish was performed by the Rev. Mr. Searle, and is thus recorded by him : "Sarah, wife of Lawson Hoyt, born in Temple, New Hampshire, November 18, 1789, was baptized on the shore of Lake Erie, by immersion, on the sixth Sunday after Trinity, July 10, 1825. Witnesses, Hon. Henry M. Campbell and Mrs. Elizabeth Camp."
August 13, 1825, William James, having removed to Albany, N. Y., presented his pews, Nos. 16 and 21, to the church, and the vestry returned their thanks to him therefor.
August 22, 1825, the organ recently placed in the church by Hall & Erben was accepted, and the treasurer was instructed to pay them $430. On August 27, 1825, the vestry for the first time appointed three dele- gates to represent the parish in the Diocese of New York, to meet in the city of New York in October, 1825. Henry Kip, David D. Aiken and Jacob A. Barker were appointed.
In 1825 St. Paul's contributed $5 to the Episcopal fund, $5 to the Missionary fund, and $4.25 to the Diocesan fund. The number of communicants reported to the convention was twenty-seven.
27
History of St. Paul's Church.
According to the village newspaper, Mr. Searle held the church service in St. Paul's early in September, 1825, reading the morning prayers and appropriate Psalms, at the request of Major Mordecai M. Noah of the city of New York, to enable him to perform the ceremony of laying the corner-stone of his proposed City of Ararat on Grand Island, by laying it in St. Paul's Church instead of on the Island. The church choir sang on the occasion, the Ante-Communion service was said, and Major Noah pronounced a discourse announcing the re- organization of the Jewish government. The whole enterprise came to naught very soon afterwards .*
October 26, 1825, the great Erie Canal, "the golden stream " as it has been called, was opened from Buffalo to Albany. This event was the advent of that sure prosperity which increased gradually with increas- ing years, not only for Buffalo but for all Western New York, and not only for Western New York but for the whole State, and for the great West beyond Buffalo. This prosperity for Buffalo furnished in after years the means for the temporal well-being of the parish of St. Paul's.
December 23, 1825, Cochran & Fisher of Batavia, N. Y., contracted to re-cast the church bell for a heavier one.
1826.
January 20, 1826, the vestry, notwithstanding the refusal of the Holland Land agent in 1823, appointed the Rev. Addison Searle and Jacob A. Barker a committee to procure from the company a " Glebe lot " for the parish.
March 3, 1826, the vestry appointed the Rev. Mr. Searle and Dr. Josiah Trowbridge a committee to procure a donation from Trinity Church in the city of New York. All efforts were unavailing to get any pecuniary assistance from Trinity Church, but subsequently, when St. Paul's Chapel in New York was fitted up, the Rev. Mr. Searle ob-
* See Note in Appendix.
28
History of St. Paul's Church.
tained from Trinity Church the beautiful glass chandelier which orna- mented for so many years the frame edifice of St. Paul's, Buffalo, until its removal in 1850.
March 13, 1826, when the Rev. Mr. Searle took charge of St. Paul's, the edifice was poorly fitted up, and he procured requisite furniture for it which, with other outlays, caused a debt of $800 ; this debt the vestry proposed to discharge by deeding unsalable pews free of taxation for the support of the parish.
March 27, 1826, at the annual election of wardens and vestrymen, the Rev. Mr. Searle presiding, Henry M. Campbell and George B. Webster were elected wardens, and Jacob A. Barker, William Williams, Russell H. Heywood, J. J. Ulman, Benjamin Rathbun, Henry Hamil- ton, Anthony Beers and Sylvester Matthews, vestrymen, but on June 13, 1826, Henry M. Campbell having removed to Detroit, Dr. Josiah Trowbridge was elected warden in his place.
The "Buffalo Emporium" of July 29, 1826, announced that the deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, which took place on the Fourth of July in that year, were commemorated in Buffalo by a pro- cession through Pearl Street and the Terrace, and along Main Street to St. Paul's Church. During the procession, and before and after the services, the church bell tolled, and at the church, which was filled to overflowing, the ceremonies were interesting and solemn. The Rev. Mr. Searle read the church services and made an impressive prayer, and Sheldon Smith pronounced an eulogy on the deceased statesmen.
At the convention in 1826, St. Paul's Church was represented by the Rev. Addison Searle, and by Guy H. Goodrich as a lay delegate. Bishop Hobart reported that he had confirmed twenty-six persons in September, 1826, in Buffalo. The number of communicants reported was thirty-five in Buffalo and ten at Black Rock. The bishop also reported that he had visited Chautauqua County, and that the congre- gation of St. Paul's Church, Mayville, N. Y., was erecting a church edifice. The bishop again visited Mayville, September 3, 1828, and consecrated St. Paul's Church in that village.
29
History of St. Paul's Church.
The committee, consisting of the Rev. Mr. Searle and Jacob A. Barker, appointed in January, 1826, to procure from the Holland Land Company a deed of one hundred acres of land, called by the company the "Gospel lot," concluded to visit Jacob S. Otto, the agent of the company in Batavia, and to make a personal appeal to him for the donation. Mr. Otto had previously refused to make such a donation. A ride from Buffalo to Batavia over the indifferent roads of 1826 was a day's journey, but the committee finally made the visit, and such was the persuasive ability of Mr. Searle, that Mr. Otto finally consented to deed to the rector, wardens and vestrymen one hundred acres, about five miles from Buffalo, on the Military Road, which road had been laid out between Buffalo and Lewiston, N. Y., by the United States Government during the war of 1812. He accordingly deeded to them part of lot No. 43 in township 12, and range 8, of the Holland Land Company lands, fronting 13 chains and 54 links on the Military Road, and running back about 75 chains to the New York Reservation line, which is one mile easterly of the Niagara River. The conditions of the deed being that it should be held in trust for the support of the parish, or the ministers thereof only, to be leased in terms of twenty-one years each, and if used otherwise, the land should revert to the company. The deed is signed by Wilhem Willink, Wilhem Willink the younger, Jan Willink the younger son of Jan, and Cornelis Vollenhoven, all of the City of Amsterdam, in the Kingdom of the United Netherlands, by Jacob S. Otto, their attorney ; it is dated January 23, 1827, and is recorded in Erie County Clerk's Mr. Otto died May 2,
office in Liber 10 of Deeds at page 47. 1827, and was succeeded in the agency of the company by David E. Evans of Batavia, N. Y. On September 4, 1830, Mr. Evans, as such agent, executed a quit claim deed of the said one hundred acres to the rector, wardens and vestrymen, so that they could have full control thereof and hold it in fee simple. This quit claim deed is recorded in Erie County Clerk's office in Liber 14 of Deeds, page 460.
30
History of St. Paul's Church.
1827.
The First Presbyterian Church, on Main Street, was dedicated March 28, 1827.
April 12, 1827, the pew owners in St. Paul's Church were as follows, namely : Pew No. 1, Henry Kip; No. 2, G. and T. Weed ; No. 3, Elias Ransom ; No. 4, Benjamin Rathbun ; No. 5, John G. Camp ; No. 6, Dr. Cyrenius Chapin ; No. 7, Guy H. Goodrich ; No. 8, Matthews and Hoyt ; No. 9, E. Walden and William Williams ; No. 10, Jacob A. Barker ; No. 11, G. and T. Weed ; No. 12, John Lay, Jr .; No. 13, Henry M. Campbell; No. 14, George B. Webster ; No. 15, R. H. Heywood ; No. 16, Camp, Goodrich and Webster ; No. 17, R. H. Hey- wood ; No. 18, F. B. Merrill and John Root; No. 19, Josiah Trow- bridge ; No. 20, Mrs. St. John ; No. 21, Roswell Chapin ; No. 22, Albert H. Tracy ; No. 23, Lucius Gould ; No. 24, Manly Colton ; No. 25, Mrs. Granger ; No. 26, George B. Webster ; No. 27, G. H. Good- rich ; No. 28, Mr. Peck ; No. 29, Josiah Trowbridge ; No. 30, Henry M. Campbell ; No. 31, Cyrus Athearn ; No. 32, George B. Webster ; No. 33, Erastus Gilbert ; No. 34, Rev. Addison Searle ; No. 35, Jacob A. Barker ; No. 36, Zenas W. Barker ; No. 37, Josiah Trowbridge ; No. 38, Jacob A. Barker ; No. 39, Gilbert and Sweeney ; No. 40, Josiah Trowbridge.
April 16, 1827, at the annual election of wardens and vestrymen, the Rev. Mr. Searle presiding, George B. Webster and Dr. Josiah Trow- bridge were elected wardens, and Henry R. Stagg, John G. Camp, Jacob A. Barker, William Williams, Russell H. Heywood, Benjamin Rathbun, Anthony Beers, and Sylvester Matthews vestrymen, and on May 10, Dyre Tillinghast was appointed clerk of the vestry.
May 10, 1827, Jacob A. Barker was appointed a committee to pre- vent all trespasses on the "Glebe lot," and to prosecute all offenders. It was very common in those days for persons to cut off valuable tim- ber from unoccupied lands.
In 1828, the west end of the Church was extended 18 feet to Pearl street.
WEST. 44 ft. in width.
SEAT
De to Autoit
PULPIT.
in basement
TABLE
2
STOVE
TABLE
SEAT.
Grand T. Weed
Henry Kip
READING DESK
STOVE
ALTAR
4
3
Benjamin Rathbun
Elias Ransom
CHANCEL RAIL
18
F. B. Merrill and John Root.
R.H. Heywood
17
5
Dr. Cyrenius Chapin
John G. Camp
20
Mrs. St. John.
Dr. Josiah Trowbridge. "
22 Albert H. Tracy.
Roswell Chapin
7
Matthews & Hoyt
Guy H. Goodrich
24 Marly Colton
Lucius Gould.
23
E. Walden
TABLE
10
9
TABLE
Jacob A. Barker.
28 Mr. Peck.
Guy H. Goodrich. 27
30 Henry M. Campbell.
Dr. Josiah Trowbridge. 29
11
John Lay, Jr.
32 George B. Webster
Cyrus Athearn
31
34 Rer. Addison Searle, Rector.
Erastus Gilbert.
33
14
13
George B. Webster
36 Zenas W. Barker.
Jacob A. Barker.
35
Henry M. Campbell
Camp, Goodrich
38 Jacob A. Barker.
Dr. Josiah Trowbridge. 37
TABLE
16
15
TABLE
and Webster.
40 Dr. Josiah Trowbridge
Mr. Gilbert and James Sweeney. 39
R. H. Heywood
STOVE.
VESTIBULE.
Stairs to ordan loft
Stairs to organ loft
ENTRANCE.
EAST.
PLAN OF ORIGINAL FRAME CHURCH OF ST. PAUL'S, As built in 1819, with names of pew holders in 1827.
Compiled by G. H. B. from old drawings, records, and descriptions.
The names of purchasers of pews at first sale in 1820 will be found on page 17. (See pages 17-30.)
NORTH.
12
SOUTH AISLE .
26 George B. Webster.
Mrs. Granger.
25
NORTH AISLE.
and William Williams
G.& T. Weed.
SOUTH. 60 ft. in length.
8
21
6
Stairs under pulpit down to vestly Thong
10
31
History of St. Paul's Church.
In 1827, the report to the convention was 50 communicants and 60 Sunday School children, in St. Paul's.
November 28, 1827, a liberal subscription was made for church music. Christmas, 1827, the church was dressed with evergreens.
1828.
April 7, 1828, at the annual election of wardens and vestrymen, George B. Webster and Dr. Josiah Trowbridge were elected wardens, and Jacob A. Barker, Russell H. Heywood, Guy H. Goodrich, John W. Beals, John Lay, Jr., Cyrus Athearn, John G. Camp, and William Wil- liams vestrymen, and Dyre Tillinghast was appointed the clerk ; and on the 15th of April the vestry appointed Guy H. Goodrich, Dr. Josiah Trowbridge and John W. Beals a committee to enquire into the pro- priety of enlarging the church edifice ; on the 18th of April the commit- tee reported in favor of the same, and Messrs. Williams, Webster and Goodrich were appointed a committee to ascertain to what extent new pews could be sold.
April 3, 1828, Loring Pierce, the sexton, reported that he had con- structed a gravel walk in front of the church at an expense of $5.50, and it had been paid for by subscription. At this time sidewalks in the village of Buffalo were mostly of gravel.
May 1, 1828, a committee was appointed, called the Building Committee, to cause the following additions, alterations and improve- ments to be made ; namely, to extend the westerly end of the church to Pearl Street, to correspond in style with the then edifice, and to remove the chancel, reading-desk and pulpit into the said extension ; also to construct twelve single and six double pews in addition to the then number and to finish rooms in the basement for the Sunday School ; also to raise the tower to a height to correspond with the increased length, with balustrade around the whole roof, and with such other alterations, repairs and fixtures as to make the whole building correspond with the
32
History of St. Paul's Church.
addition, the whole to have three good coats of paint. The whole to be done without incurring any debt on the parish, and payment to be made by the vestry deeding the additional pews to Dr. Trowbridge or to such person as he directed. These improvements cost $2,500.
The Rev. Mr. Searle reported to the convention in October, 1828, that St. Paul's Church had been gradually and constantly increasing in temporal and spiritual things, and that the enlargement and thorough repair of the edifice had made it one of the handsomest churches, out- side of the cities, in the State .*
James D. Sheppard was the church organist in 1826, and for twenty years thereafter.
* The following interesting description of the old church is taken from " Recol- lections of Buffalo, or Fifty Years Since," by Mr. Samuel M. Welch, published by him in 1891 :- " The original St. Paul's Church building which stood on the site of the present structure, was a frame building of 'Gothic mould,' as nearly as anything without special architectural supervision. The steeple, or tower, did not 'pierce the skies,' was of modest proportions, with four spikes, one at each corner of the top. Seemingly copied from the picture of some Norman building. The whole painted in shades of sky blue. It was not very grand, but pleasant to look upon ; interesting to the rural amateur antiquarian, as well as the lover of simplicity. Finished like the rural parish churches of England imitating the grander cathedrals, with high pulpit and rector's desk, its background and seats cushioned and curtained in bright red as high as its chancel window might have been, had there been one ; beneath the pulpit in its foreground, was the curate's or 'clark's' reading box. With high back pews and family square seats along either window or wall side, each with its table to rest their books of 'common prayer,' (a misnomer to me, I think they are uncommon prayers), and their Bibles and hymnals during service. It had a full gallery all around the three sides, an organ, and the bell, whose old familiar ring I hear occasionally coming from the low belfry of the modern church, like sounds from home, while the more exalted place in the later steeple is given to the chimes. The old church resembled in its make up the almost ancient one of Bishop Berkeley, built in the last century in New- port, R. I., which is one of the objects of interest in that delightful summer resort and naval station. How we boys and girls loved that little old unpretentious church ! And when it was moved away off, down Genesee Street, to make way for a more solid and grander building, we realized with a sorrowful sigh, that our boyhood days were indeed over."
ST. PAUL'S FRAME CHURCH FROM MAIN STREET. Showing the edifice as it was after its enlargement in 1828 up to its removal in 1850. (See pages 31, 32, 41, 365, 366.)
From a water-color drawing by Francis Liard, dated 1849.
33
History of St. Paul's Church.
Mr. Searle was the rector from March, 1824, to December 31, 1828. He was a chaplain in the United States Navy, and had leave of absence during his residence in Buffalo. He was much more methodical in the records of his office than any of his predecessors, and in record- ing the baptisms would give the exact name and the day of birth, and in giving the date of the baptism, would also give the day according to the church calendar, as St. Peter's Day, Trinity Sunday, St. Mark's Day, Ascension Day, or such other day as it was. His records in these re- spects are models and useful precedents. Soon after coming to Buffalo Mr. Searle boarded with George B. Webster, and afterwards resided in a house on the corner of Franklin and Mohawk streets. During his residence in this house he was visited by his friend Rev. William Shelton, then on his first visit to Niagara Falls. In the summer of 1827 Mr. Searle invited him to preach in St. Paul's, and he thus preached his first sermon in the church of which he afterwards became the rector.
Mr. Searle's salary from the Missionary fund, as chaplain in the navy, and as rector of St. Paul's, enabled him not only to live comfort- ably but to contribute something to the needs of the parish. He was in Buffalo during the anti-masonic excitement in 1826 and 1827, con- sequent on the abduction of William Morgan, and, although he was a decided mason, conducted himself with such propriety, as to give no offense to the strong anti-masonic element in the community. Mr. Searle had good executive ability, was a good churchman, and was much appreciated by his congregation. He was unmarried, and his sister, Miss Searle, kept house for him.
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