USA > New York > Erie County > Buffalo > History of St. Paul's Church, Buffalo, N.Y. : 1817 to 1888 > Part 5
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From drawings made for Charles W. Fvans by John Hefford, 1849. (See pages 43, 45.)
45
History of St. Paul's Church.
finish off a room in the basement of the church for a Sunday School room, provided the cost should be paid by subscription. At this time Stephen Walker commenced acting as teacher in the Sunday School, and also as superintendent. Dr. Shelton took charge of the Sunday School scholars of more advanced age, and faithfully instructed them in church principles and Christian doctrines. These scholars became teachers in after years.
1834.
At the annual election, March 31, 1834, the same vestry were reëlected, except that Sylvester Matthews was elected vestryman in place of G. H. Goodrich. Henry Morris was reappointed clerk of the vestry and George B. Webster treasurer.
1835.
April 7, 1835, George B. Webster, Pierre A. Barker and Sylvester Matthews were appointed a committee to ascertain whether a loan could be obtained for the purpose of building a church edifice. April 17, 1835, the clerk of the vestry was authorized to execute in the name of the parish a note to the Rev. William Shelton for $234.60, being the balance due on his salary to Easter, 1835.
At the annual election, April 20, 1835, George B. Webster and Henry Hamilton were elected wardens, and William B. Rochester, Sheldon Thompson, Lester Brace, Sylvester Matthews, George E. Hayes, Horatio Stevens, Pierre A. Barker and Jacob A. Barker, ves- trymen. Dr. Elliott Burwell was appointed clerk of the vestry on September 9, 1835. (Pierre A. Barker and Jacob A. Barker were not kinsmen.)
In 1835 the Rev. Dr. Shelton was elected the first President of the Young Men's Association, afterwards the Buffalo Library.
46
History of St. Paul's Church.
1836.
January 5, 1836, at an informal meeting of the vestry, the wardens not being present, it was resolved that it was expedient to change the location of the church edifice, and George E. Hayes, Benjamin Rathbun and Pierre A. Barker were appointed a committee to ascertain what the church property could be sold for, and what sites could be obtained for a new edifice, and other information on the subject.
At the annual election, April 4, 1836, George B. Webster and Henry Hamilton were elected wardens, and Jacob A. Barker, Pierre A. Barker, Sheldon Thompson, Josiah Trowbridge, Guy H. Goodrich, R. H. Heywood, George E. Hayes and Richard Sears, vestrymen. George B. Webster was appointed treasurer by the vestry on April 5th. It was resolved that the committee appointed January 5th be discharged from the further consideration of changing the location of the church, and it was further resolved that it was expedient for the vestry to proceed to erect a new church edifice on the same site. George B. Webster, R. H. Heywood, Henry Hamilton, Jacob A. Barker and Pierre A. Barker were appointed a committee to procure plans and estimates, and devise ways and means.
September 12, 1836, Elijah Ford was appointed clerk of the vestry ; at the same meeting it was resolved that the rector should read a notice calling a meeting of those desirous of forming a new parish in Buffalo ; in the ensuing winter Trinity parish was organized by several members from St. Paul's.
1837.
At the annual election, March 27, 1837, George B. Webster and Henry Hamilton were elected wardens, and Sheldon Thompson,
11( Published in 1838 / THE
BUFFALO
CITY
GUARDS
"THE CHURCHES" IN 1838. From the title-page of " The Buffalo City Guards Grand March," by W. R. Coppock, published by Steele & Peck, Buffalo, 1838. (See pages 30, 174.)
Plate used by courtesy of " The Buffalo Express."
47
History of St. Paul's Church.
Josiah Trowbridge, Jacob A. Barker, R. H. Heywood, George E. Hayes, William Williams, Stephen Walker and Lester Brace, vestrymen. Elijah Ford was appointed clerk.
September 19, 1837, a committee was appointed to raise a subscrip- tion to paint the church edifice.
1838.
At the annual election on April 16, 1838, George B. Webster and Henry Hamilton were elected wardens, and R. H. Heywood, Lester Brace, Stephen Walker, George E. Hayes, Josiah Trowbridge, Sheldon Thompson, Jacob A. Barker and William Williams, vestrymen. Elijah Ford was appointed clerk, and George B. Webster treasurer.
1839.
At the annual election, April 1, 1839, George B. Webster and Henry Hamilton were elected wardens, and William Williams, R. H. Heywood, Elijah Ford, Walter Joy, Stephen Walker, Lester Brace, Sheldon Thompson and Dr. James P. White, vestrymen. Joseph G. Masten was appointed clerk, and George B. Webster treasurer.
April 23, 1839, it having been represented to the vestry that many of the congregation were dissatisfied with the church music, George B. Webster, Lester Brace and Dr. James P. White were appointed a committee on music.
1840.
At the annual election, April 20, 1840, the same vestry was reëlected, and Joseph G. Masten was reappointed clerk
48
History of St. Paul's Church.
1841.
At the annual election, 1841, the same vestry was reelected, except that Joseph G. Masten was elected vestryman in place of Sheldon Thompson. Jesse Walker was appointed clerk, and William Williams treasurer. A note was authorized to be given to the Rev. William Shelton for $833.69, for the amount due on his salary up to Easter, 1841. This and the other notes to the rector were given in conse- quence of the non-payment of pew taxes to the amount of the notes. June 7, 1841, the treasurer reported to the vestry that $1,650 would be required for the expenses of the parish up to Easter, 1842.
August 1I, 1841, it was reported to the vestry that $391.89 had been received for timber sold from the " Glebe lot." Taxes on the lot $9.01 for 1841. In 1841 St. Paul's was newly painted and fitted up.
March 26, 1842, a note was authorized to be given the Rev. William Shelton for $281.25, for the amount due on his salary up to Easter, 1842.
1842.
At the annual election, March 28, 1842, George B. Webster and Henry Hamilton were elected wardens, and R. H. Heywood, Stephen Walker, Joseph G. Masten, Walter Joy, Lester Brace, Elijah Ford, William Williams, Edward S. Warren, vestrymen. Jesse Walker was reappointed clerk.
1843.
March 16, 1843, William Williams made a full written report on the condition of the organ.
At the annual election, April 17, 1843, George B. Webster and Henry Hamilton were elected wardens, and R. H. Heywood, Lester
49
History of St. Paul's Church.
Brace, Stephen Walker, William Williams, Josiah Trowbridge, Jacob A. Barker, Richard Sears and Elijah Ford, vestrymen. Jesse Walker was reappointed clerk.
The election of April 17, 1843, was quite exciting, church music being the question ; 57 votes were cast, being almost three times the usual number.
1844.
At the annual election, April 8, 1844, the vestry of 1843 were all reelected, and Jesse Walker was reappointed clerk, and William Williams treasurer.
April 11, 1844, R. H. Heywood, George B. Webster and William Williams were appointed a committee to purchase a rectory. It was resolved to make a plank sidewalk around the church. It was also resolved that all funds received from sales of pews should be appro- priated to pay the debt due to the rector.
May 22, 1844, it was resolved to make a sale of the "Glebe lot," and to use the proceeds of the sale in purchasing a lot in the city for a rectory. William Williams and Elijah Ford were appointed a com- mittee to negotiate the sale thereof. It was also resolved that Josiah Trowbridge, George B. Webster, R. H. Heywood and Stephen Walker should be a committee to enquire into the practicability of building a new church edifice on the site of the old one, and to collect information relative to the same.
June 10, 1844, R. H. Heywood reported that he had purchased twenty-four feet on Pearl Street at $80 per foot for the rectory. The vestry also determined to buy the additional four feet front of Doctor Burwell, adjoining the twenty-four feet.
November 15, 1844, the committee appointed to sell the "Glebe lot " reported that they had received a proposition from Moses Cherry and Samuel F. Gelston to purchase the lot for $1,500, being $15 per acre. The vestry accepted the proposition, the Court of Chancery granted the necessary legal consent for the vestry to make the sale, and the
50
History of St. Paul's Church.
rector, wardens and vestrymen executed the deed to the purchasers. The land was on the Military Road, some five miles from St. Paul's Church. Forty years afterwards it would have sold for $400 per acre, but in 1844 $15 per acre was about the usual price .*
1845.
At the annual election, March 23, 1845, George B. Webster and Henry Hamilton were elected wardens, and William Williams, Lester Brace, R. H. Heywood, Jacob A. Barker, Elijah Ford, Albert Hayden, Alexander H. Caryl and Stephen Walker, vestrymen. Asher P. Nichols was appointed clerk, William Williams treasurer, and James D. Sheppard organist.
March 26, 1845, Albert Hayden, Grosvenor Clark, William A. Thompson, Silas Heminway, and Walter Joy were appointed a com- mittee to procure subscriptions for the building of a rectory on the recently purchased twenty-eight feet front on the west side of Pearl Street, south of Church Street. February 17, 1846, R. H. Heywood, Albert Hayden and Grosvenor Clark were appointed a building com- mittee for the erection of a rectory on the above-mentioned lot.
A most important event in the well-being of the parish took place in the year 1845, in the marriage of the rector, the Rev. William Shel- ton, D. D., to Mrs. Lucretia S. Grosvenor. They were married in the presence of a very large congregation, in St. Paul's Church, by the Rt. Rev. William Heathcote De Lancey, D. D., in the evening of April 7, 1845. Every member of the congregation was invited to the wedding. The reception took place the same evening at the rectory on the north-east corner of Main and North Division streets, and was largely attended. Mrs. Grosvenor was the widow of Stephen K. Grosvenor, who resided on Pearl Street, south of Swan Street, and the sister-in-law of Seth Grosvenor, a prominent merchant in the city of New York.
* The actual selling price of this land in 1893 (forty-nine years after the sale) averaged fifteen hundred dollars per acre, the 100-acre lot having therefore become worth $150,000 - just 100 times what the church sold it for in 1844.
5I
History of St. Paul's Church.
Before her marriage to Mr. Grosvenor she was Miss Lucretia Stanley, of Geneva, N. Y.
In 1845 St. John's Church was organized by several members from St. Paul's and Trinity parishes.
1846.
At the annual election, April 13, 1846, George B. Webster and R. H. Heywood were elected wardens and William Williams, Lester Brace, Alexander H. Caryl, Elijah Ford, Albert Hayden, Grosvenor Clark, Samuel D. Flagg and Stephen Walker, vestrymen. At a meeting of the vestry, April 27th, Asher P. Nichols was elected clerk, and William Wil- liams treasurer ; and George C. Webster, DeWitt C. Weed, and William H. Walker were appointed a committee to seat strangers and others in the church on Sundays. This was the first committee appointed in the parish to attend to that duty. The building committee was authorized to proceed in the erection of the rectory, according to the plans submitted to the vestry, and to collect the subscriptions therefor.
1847.
March 14, 1847, the vestry resolved to effect a loan of $1,600 on the rectory, for the purpose of completing the same. Fifteen hun- dred and forty dollars was subsequently loaned.
At the annual election, April 5, 1847, George B. Webster and R. H. Heywood were elected wardens, and William Williams, Lester Brace, Elijah Ford, Stephen Walker, Samuel D. Flagg, Albert Hayden, Grosvenor Clark and Henry Hagar, vestrymen. Asher P. Nichols was appointed clerk, and William Williams treasurer.
The rectory on the west side of Pearl Street, northerly of and near Erie Street, was completed in the fall of IS47, and cost, including the lot on which it was built, the sum of $8,075.72. On its comple- tion the Rev. Doctor Shelton removed into it from his residence on the north-east corner of Main and North Division streets.
52
History of St. Paul's Church.
1848.
January 13, 1848, the vestry adopted a communication to be sub- mitted to the congregation, calling for the united effort of the parish to erect a new church edifice, and at a subsequent meeting on February Ist, George B. Webster, R. H. Heywood and William Williams were appointed a committee to correspond with Richard Upjohn, the archi- tect, of New York City, and to invite him to furnish plans and esti- mates for the contemplated church edifice. Mr. Upjohn was the architect of Trinity Church, New York City.
At the annual election, April 24, 1848, George B. Webster and R. H. Heywood were elected wardens, and William Williams, Samuel D. Flagg, Henry Hagar, Stephen Walker, Lester Brace, Elijah Ford, John L. Kimberly and Edward L. Stevenson, vestrymen, and on May 30, 1848, Charles W. Evans was appointed clerk, and William Williams treasurer.
June 2, 1848, Mr. Heywood, from the committee on the valuation of the pews in the contemplated church edifice, made a report accord- ing to the general plan of Mr. Upjohn, in which the pews were num- bered from I to 208, with the valuations from $700 down to $75, making an aggregate valuation of $71,020, reserving a pew for the rector and twenty-two pews for free sittings.
July 8, 1848, the vestry adopted the form of the subscription paper to raise $48,000 for the contemplated church edifice, the subscriptions to be payable in six equal installments, at four, eight, twelve, sixteen, twenty and twenty-four months, and the Rev. Dr. Shelton was requested to obtain the subscriptions for the said amount. The paper was copied into a suitable book bound in red,* and Dr. Shelton obtained signatures therein for the full sum of $48,000. He was now fifty years of age, and in the prime of life.
* See appendix for the several subscription lists, from 1848 to 1871, as copied from this " red book," carried by Dr. Shelton for so many years, and once so familiar to the older parishioners.
53
History of St. Paul's Church.
First Subscription List, for Building the few Church, 1848 .* COMPILED FROM THE TREASURER'S BOOK.
Abel Archer
$ 50 00
Thomas Mathews. $ 100 00
Jabez B. Bull.
300 00
Henry Moore
200 00
Jacob A. Barker
500 00
Asher P. Nichols.
100 00
Benjamin Brent.
100 00
John Patterson.
1,000 00
Lester Brace.
400 00
John Pease. .
500 00
Ira A. Blossom.
600 00
Mrs. Lydia Pomeroy
500 00
Curtiss L. Brace.
200 00
James P. Provoost.
500 00
George N. Burwell
500 00
Loring Peirce.
10 00
George W. Bull.
100 00
John E. Russell
200 00
George L. Burns
100 00
Jesse Ralph.
100 00
A. H. Caryl.
400 00
Thomas Savage
100 00
Mrs. Sylvia Chapin
150 00
J. W. Sanford
100 00
H. S. Chamberlin.
200 00
Horatio Seymour, Jr
200 00
B. C. Caryl and N. H. Warner. .
500 00
Henry K. Smith.
500 00
Henry Colton.
360 00
Edward L. Stevenson
1,000 CO
Philo Dubois.
200 00
William Sutton.
200 00
James V. De Witt
200 00
Seth E. Sill.
500
Charles W. Evans
1,000 00
Silas Sawin.
300 00
Lewis Eaton.
300 00
William Shelton
500 00
James C. Evans.
300 00
Jeremiah Staats. .
200 00
Ellicott Evans.
300 00
James D. Sheppard.
500 00
Elijah Ford.
1,000 00
John D. Shepard.
400 00
Austin Flint .. .
100 00
Henry H. Sizer.
500 00
Samuel D. Flagg
400 00
Henry Streater.
200 00
David Forbey ..
50 00
George Truscott.
500 00
Seth H. Grosvenor
300 00
A. Porter Thompson.
500 00
Guy H. Goodrich.
300 00
Sheldon Thompson.
1,400 00
George Gibson . .
50 00
Albert H. Tracy
1,000 00
Russell H. Heywood
5,000 00
Israel T. Hatch
1,200 00
Henry K. Viele. .
500
Robert Hart.
300 00
Mrs. S. B. Van de Venter
300 00
Asa E. Hart.
500
William H. Walker
225 00
Henry Hagar
1,500 00
George B. Webster 3,500 00
George C. Webster
500 00
John Hebard.
250 00
Nelson Willard
600 00
George E. Hayes
500 00
William Williams.
3,100 00
Albert Hayden.
400 00
F. S. Wheeler.
100 00
Walter Joy
1,000 00
Edward S. Warren.
700 00
John L. Kimberly.
1,500 00
Mrs. Louisa M. Weed
2,400 00
Robert Kittle.
125 00
De Witt C. Weed.
1, 200 00
John T. Lacy.
250 00
Stephen Walker
250
A. I. Mathews. ..
500 00
G. R. Wilson. 500 00
Mrs. E. B. Mathews.
200 00
George J. Webb.
200 00
S. L. Meech
100.00
$48,870.00
* The above is the subscription list of the building fund of 1848, compiled from the Treasurer's book, and being for the $48,000 raised by the exertions of Dr. Shelton. It will be noticed that the
William A. Thompson
300 00
Henry Hamilton
400 00
54
History of St. Paul's Church.
October 16, 1848, the vestry resolved that the plans and estimates of the contemplated church edifice, furnished by Mr. Upjohn, be re- turned to him, and that he be requested so to modify them as to reduce the whole expense to an amount as near fifty thousand dollars as could be done, without materially changing the plans.
December 14, 1848, the vestry ordered to be recorded in the vestry book the agreement made by the pew owners that they would surren- der the pews in the old edifice at a reduced valuation for a propor- tionate value in the new edifice, instead of requiring corresponding pews in the new edifice. In the agreement it is stated that the old edifice was inadequate to the accommodation of the congregation and to the increase of the population of the city, that they hoped to be able by a united and vigorous effort on the part of the parish to erect an edifice to the glory of God which would be attractive and command- ing in its architectural proportions, taste and beauty, and which would be creditable to the zeal and enterprise of the parish and city, and remain an object of delight and affectionate attachment and reverence to their children, and for generations to come. The agreement was signed by DeWitt C. Weed, Henry Hagar, Grosvenor Clark, Nelson Willard, R. H. Heywood, George B. Webster, George E. Hayes, Henry Hamilton, Edward L. Stevenson, James D. Long, Jacob A. Barker, A. H. Caryl, Ira A. Blossom, William Williams, Benjamin C. Caryl, Lewis Eaton, John Patterson, Sheldon Thompson, James L. Barton, Lester Brace, James P. Provoost, John L. Kimberly, John Pease, Walter Joy, Lucius H. Pratt, Guy H. Goodrich, Elijah Ford, Albert H. Tracy,
subscriptions as given amount to $48,870. Several of the subscriptions were not paid -the amount really collected being something over $48,000. These subscriptions were made in the form of pur- chase of stock in the new church, the subscribers receiving deeds of pews in proportion to the amounts of their several subscriptions. It is also well to remark that the above list represents less than one third of the entire amount given for the building of the church. There were many sub- sequent subscription lists circulated, and large additional sums were given by the same men and women who subscribed to this 1848 list, and also by many whose names do not appear at all in this list. The above list is interesting, however, as showing the names of those who subscribed when it was first decided to build the new church. As given, it is arranged alphabetically ; the origi- nal list was headed with the $5,000 given by Mr. Russell H. Heywood, then, and for many years, one of the wardens of the parish. See appendix for original and subsequent lists.
St. Paul's Church, Buffalo.
Whereas, For. William Selon subscribed Five Hundred,
Dollars, towards the building and
completing of a Church Edifice on the Last nor erned by St. Paul's Church, in the City of Buffalo, and has executed and delivered six promissory notea, for the sum of . Dollars euch, payable in four, eight, highly the
tilled sixteen, twenty und twenty four months from the date hereof, for such subscription, und according to the terms and conditions thereof.
Now therefore, St. Paul's Church hereby Certificg, that the said William Melon
L "legal representatives, on the full payment of said promissory notex, and each of them, shall be entitled to Five Hundred
Dollars of Stock in said Church,
to be used, selected and applied in pursuance of the terms and conditions mentioned in said subscription paper, and subject to the resercations therein contained.
In Situces Colheres, the said St. Paul's Church, have consed
their seal to be affixed hereto, und attested by their Clerk, this
day of
May
Clerk .
St. Paul's Church, Buffalo.
67
Whereas, Olamed . thepfund has at the request of the restry of St. Paul's Church executed and delivered to the Treasurer thereof his promissory notes for Three hundred Dollars, payable in three equal payments of Frais denew and lung? months from the fourth of January, 1851. for the purpose of furnishing means towards the completion of the church edifice.
- ------
Now therefore, St. Paul's Church, in consideration thereof, here- by agrees that the said sum of ... Three hundred Dollars with the interest there- on annually from the time of the maturity of the notes, shall be repaid to the said James D. Shegyand or to the legal holder hereof, either in stock at the first sale of Slips in said church, or In money as soon as the same shall be realized from the sale of said Stips, at the election of the holder thereof.
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH.
eng
For the payment of the certificates issued by said church for the purpose aforesaid, the proceeds of the sales of Slips in said church is irrevocably pledged, and the moneys to be realized from said sales and applicable to the redemption of said certificates I shall be paid pro-rata thereon, and as soon and as often us an amount equal to one third of the amount of certificates shall be received by the Treasurer.
elauch A. Barker Treasurer.
Dated, Buffalo, January 23. 1881.
Couverture, Made this twenty this a
day of October - in the year 1851 , Between St. Paul's Church, in Buffalo, a Religious Corporation, of the first part, and So crates W. Carpenter of the City of Buffalo, of the second fest, Witnessett), That the said party of the first part, for and in consideration of the sum of One hundred and fifty Dollars dollars to it paid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, does hereby sell and convey unto the said party of the second part, that certain Low in Flip in the Church Edifices, of the said The undivided helg hast of Low of Flip No. 140. party of the first part, situate in the City of Buffalo, designated a a certain ground is floor plan of said. Edifice, recorded in Erie County Clark's Office, in Bila 1 25 of Deeds, at Page 158, and upon which the Laws of Flips are laid down, numbered and valued, ( and which said recorded plan is made a part herenf. ) engether with the right to use , copy and enjoy the same for the purposes of public worship. To have and to hold the said Bow or Flip, with the use, ocupancy and enjoyment thereef to the sail party of the second part, his heis and assigns, forever; subject, however, to the reservations hereinafter contained. The said party of the first part expressly reserves to itself the right and power annually, by vote of its Vestry, to raise by tax, to be assessed and rated upon the Laws or Flips in suil Church Edifice according to the valuations thereef, upon the said plan, o upon such portion of said Pews or Flips as shall have been sold and conveyed by the party of the first part. at the time of levying such tax , such sum as such Vestry shall yearly determine to be proper for the maintainance of public worship in said Church Edifice, and to defay the contingent and other expenses of said Corpo- ration, said tax to be paid quarter-yearly in advance, and in default of payment of said tax, at any part thereof, from time to time ussesed upon said Lew or Flip, to sell at public auction, after giving notices thereef in the manner prescribed by law for Constable' Sales, the said Ler or Hip, and all the right of the said party of the second part, and his legal representatives there; subject to the like conditions and reservations specified herein, and cut of the proceeds of said sale, to retain the unpaid tax and costs, and expenses of sale, and return the overplus, if any, to the party of the second part , his heirs or assigns .
And the said party of the first part covenants and agrees, that said Church Edifice shall be used for the purposes of Divine "Worship, according to the doctrines, discipline and worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, and shall not be applied to any other use whatever : And that the above specified "Lew or Flip, in the possession of the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns, against all persons lawfully claiming the same, it will forever "Wauant and Defend ..
In Testimony Whereof, The sud party of the first part has hereunto caused to be set its Corporate Peal and the hand of it's Rector and Clerk, the day and year first above written.
William Shelton Rado.
Ch. W. Wann, Black.
REDUCED FACSIMILES OF STOCK CERTIFICATES AND PEW DEED. St. Paul's Church, 1849-1851. (See pages 52, 178, 426, 427.)
. ST. PAUL'S CHURCH.
S
Church,
first
55
History of St. Paul's Church.
Josiah Trowbridge, George W. Allen, Henry H. Sizer, John T. Lacy, Seth E. Sill, John Hebard, Edward S. Warren, John E. Russell.
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