USA > New York > Erie County > Buffalo > History of St. Paul's Church, Buffalo, N.Y. : 1817 to 1888 > Part 8
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We turn from the past, and look onward to the future. We can but ask : For what end have we reared an edifice at so much cost of treas- ure and of care, and labor and anxiety ? Is it not for the honor of God among men ? Is it not for the advantage of the religion in which we live- in which we are to die - and through which we are to be saved ? Surely it is. It is for our convenience in worshiping the great and eternal God, and in proclaiming His all glorious truth. It is that here, in His presence, we may perform all those rites and observ- ances of religion which He requires at our hands. We look forward to the time when, as year after year passes away, we shall continue to grow in grace and increase in strength, until that summons comes which shall bid us lay aside our mortality and exchange time for eternity. We look that this shall be the place in which the now unborn
77
History of St. Paul's Church.
of generations shall be reborn, regenerated and grafted into the body of Christ's Church ; that here they shall, in later years, ratify and confirm their baptismal engagements, receive the Apostle's benediction, and the renewal of that grace which shall enable them to fight man- fully against the World, the Flesh and the Devil. We look that it shall be the place in which the solemnities of the marriage vow shall be most appropriately performed, and which shall give additional sanctity to that holy ordinance. We look that it shall be the place in which we, and those who come after us shall break the bread of life, and receive, through that act of faith, spiritual and heavenly food.
We look that here shall be the place in which the pure Gospel of the Son of God shall be taught ; where the Word of God shall be read, and its awful mysteries so far explained as the mind of man can fathom them ; where the sacraments shall be duly and fitly explained ; where the doctrines of the Gospel shall be so made manifest that an attentive ear may hear and understand. We look that here the great truths of the Church shall ever be fearlessly and truthfully proclaimed ; that here the youthful mind, in its early reflections, shall imbibe the eternal truths which shall make it wise unto salvation. We look, therefore, that it shall be, as it is, none other than the portal and the gateway to Heaven - connecting two worlds ! - The House which God has hallowed, and in which He has put His name forever, and where His eyes and His Heart shall be perpetually."
The new church edifice was dressed with evergreens at Christmas, 185 1, for the first time, and on all subsequent Christmas days.
December 30, 1851, the committee reported to the vestry that the unpaid debts on the church edifice, over and above the assets or taxes, amounted to $4,348.26.
The vestry decided that the new organ put in the church by the subscribers to the organ fund, and which cost $2,500, was satisfactory, and it was accepted. It was reported to the vestry that the old organ in the former edifice had been sold for $600 to the Presbyterian Society in Fredonia, N. Y.
78
History of St. Paul's Church.
1852.
At the annual election on Easter Monday, April 12, 1852, being the first election in the new church edifice, George B. Webster and R. H. Heywood were elected wardens, and Lester Brace, Elijah Ford, John L. Kimberly, Samuel D. Flagg, Edward S. Warren, Amos I. Mathews, Benjamin Bradley and George E. Hayes, vestrymen. At a subsequent meeting of the vestry Charles W. Evans was reappointed clerk and Jacob A. Barker treasurer, and a committee was appointed to solicit subscrip- tions to pay $4,500 due on the church edifice, and $2,500 for the new - organ, the subscription not to be binding unless the amount of $7,000 was subscribed. The vestry directed an assessment of eight per cent. on the valuation of the sold pews to pay the parish expenses from Easter, 1852, to Easter, 1853.
1853.
At a meeting of the vestry, January 26, 1853, the committee reported that $7,000 had been subscribed by forty-five members of the congre- gation to pay the $4,500 due on the church edifice, and $2,500 to pay for the new organ.
At the annual election, March 28, 1853, the same vestry were reelected, and at a subseqent meeting, April 1, 1853, Charles W. Evans was reappointed clerk, and the salary of the rector was raised from $1,200 to $1,700 per annum, and the rate of tax on the unsold pews was fixed at eight per cent. A committee was appointed to raise subscriptions for the purpose of completing the church edifice.
On May 7, 1853, the vestry directed that water and gas be intro- duced into the rectory, at an expense of $331.
After several temporary appointments William Channon was appointed sexton on June 30, 1853. At the same meeting Edward S.
79
History of St. Paul's Church.
Warren, from the music committee, reported that $1,000 would be required to defray the music expenses for the year commencing at Easter, 1853. At the same meeting the vestry ordered a tax of three and a half per cent. on the unsold pews to pay for paving Erie Street, amounting to $737.61.
1854.
January 4, 1854, the vestry appointed a committee to finish off the basement of the church edifice, and to construct a receiving vault for the dead in a part of the said basement.
At the annual election on Easter Monday, April 17, 1854, Russell H. Heywood and Lester Brace were elected wardens, and Elijah Ford, Henry Hagar, Albert H. Tracy, John S. Ganson, Israel T. Hatch, George E. Hayes, Benjamin Bradley and Amos I. Mathews, vestry- men.
At a meeting of the vestry, April 20, 1854, Elijah Ford acted as clerk pro tem, and Charles W. Evans was reappointed clerk, and was also appointed the treasurer of the parish.
Albert H. Tracy having declined to act as vestryman, a meeting of the congregation was called, to meet at the church on May 22, 1854, to elect a vestryman in his place, and at the said meeting Charles W. Evans was elected to fill the vacancy.
At a meeting of the vestry on May 24, 1854, Charles W. Evans took his seat as vestryman, and signified his acceptance of the offices as clerk of the vestry and treasurer of the parish, to which he had been appointed on April 20, 1854. This was the first instance in this parish, and perhaps in any parish, where the same person held these three important offices at the same time.
It will be seen that George B. Webster was not elected warden this year. This was in consequence of his removal from his residence on Swan Street, where he had resided for more than twenty years, to his new residence on the corner of Delaware Avenue and Utica Street.
80
History of St. Paul's Church.
This last residence was so very distant from the rectory on Pearl Street as to almost entirely prevent him from attending the meetings of the vestry. He had been the warden of the parish from Easter Monday, 1823, to Easter Monday, 1854-a period of thirty-one years. As junior warden, 1823 to 1826, and as senior warden, 1827 to 1854. He had also acted as treasurer of the parish and as a delegate to represent it in the Diocesan Convention. He served the parish with marked ability, both as warden and treasurer and as its representative in the Diocesan Convention, and also represented the Diocese of Western New York in the General Convention. When first elected warden he was only twenty-five years old.
In May, 1854, forty-nine members of the congregation subscribed $19,490 to complete the church edifice, and the vestry determined to renew their efforts towards the completion thereof.
August 11, 1854, the committee appointed in January to construct a receiving vault for the dead, reported that it had been done, and the vault had been used on several occasions. The cost was $335.58, mostly paid by private subscription.
1855.
The same committee appointed at the same time to finish off the basement of the church for a Sunday-school room, reported to the vestry, April 5, 1855, that the work had been done, and that it had cost $1,243.49, including benches, chairs, book-cases, gas pipe and fixtures, a large stove, and including the stone steps and stone work leading from Pearl Street to the basement, of which $700 was paid from the proceeds of the young ladies' fair, held at Townsend Hall in February, 1854, and $643.59 from the building fund. At the same meeting of the vestry Charles W. Evans, as treasurer, in a written communication stated that he had made a full examination of the accounts of the building committee from 1849 to 1854, and also all
8 I
History of St. Paul's Church.
other accounts relative to the erection of the church edifice, and had so combined and arranged the accounts that they showed a full statement of the cost of the edifice up to the time the building committee commenced the tower, and also showed from what sources the money so expended was obtained, and such other information as would be useful for future reference. The vestry directed the statement to be copied in full in the vestry book. All the statements occupy eighteen pages in the said book.
According to these statements the church edifice, up to this time, had cost $68,300.41, exclusive of the tower, including the furnaces, stoves, carpets, chancel furniture and fixtures, finishing off of the base- ment for the Sunday School and the receiving vault, interest on the loan certificates, commissions to the architect, gas pipes and fixtures, and including $2,500 for the new organ. The treasurer made his annual report to the vestry, on April 9, 1855, of the receipts and disbursements for the parish account. The receipts were $4,080.28 and the disburse- ments $4,039.53. The tax for pew rents was eight per cent. on the assessed valuation. The valuation of the pews sold being $42,625, of which $41,800 is available for revenue on taxation for pew rents.
April 5, 1855, John L. Kimberly and Jacob A. Barker, composing the new building committee for building the porches, stone steps and the main tower, reported to the vestry that they had received in sub- scriptions $9,781.19, and had disbursed $9,501.86.
At the annual election on Easter Monday, April 9, 1855, Russell H. Heywood and Lester Brace were elected wardens, and Elijah Ford, Charles W. Evans, John Pease, John S. Ganson, Samuel G. Cornell, Henry K. Viele, George E. Hayes and John T. Lacy, vestrymen. At a subsequent meeting of the vestry Charles W. Evans was reappointed clerk of the vestry and treasurer of the parish.
At a meeting of the vestry on October 23, 1855, the treasurer reported that he had sold to the Rev. Dr. Shelton the five shares of stock of the Wells & Fargo California Express Company, which had been received from Amasa Mason on account of his subscription to the
82
History of St. Paul's Church.
church tower, for $400, being $80 per share, which was more than any other person had offered for it, and that he had paid the money over to the building committee .* At this meeting the rector reported that he had obtained additional subscriptions from fourteen members of the congregation amounting to $2,350, to complete the church tower.
At the same meeting the rector mentioned to the vestry that some time before he had received a small contribution for a hospital fund from an individual, who did not desire to be mentioned by name, and that recently he had received from the same person another small sum for the same object, and that the two contributions with interest thereon now amounted to $44, and that he had deposited it in the Erie County Savings Bank. It is well worthy of record that this sum was the origin, or rather the conception, of the Church Charity Foundation in Buffalo, although the society itself was not organized until some time afterwards.
The contribution was from the wife of Henry E. Howard ; Mr. Howard was connected with the Marine Bank in Buffalo.
At a meeting of the vestry, December 4, 1855, the building com- mittee reported that they had disbursed $11,056.17 since April 5th, and that there was sufficient amount of stone on hand to complete the whole work, and recommended that the materials be prepared in the winter to recommence work in the spring. The vestry agreed to the recommendation. At a meeting of the vestry on March 13, 1855, the plan was mentioned of removing the organ from its position near the chancel to a gallery to be erected in the westerly end of the church.
* This purchase of stock, made by Dr. Shelton largely to oblige the vestry and his friend, Mr. Mason, who had become financially embarrassed and felt unable to pay his subscription to the building fund in cash, was the nucleus of the considerable fortune which he left at the time of his death. His ownership of this stock brought him into contact with the late William G. Fargo, through whose friendly advice Dr. Shelton made some small additional investments in the stocks of the Wells-Fargo and American Express Companies. In after years these stocks increased very greatly in value, and formed the bulk of his personal property at his death, in 1883.
83
History of St. Paul's Church.
1856.
March 24, 1856, the treasurer reported the receipts for parish expenses for the year past to be $5,232.60, including the ten per cent. pew tax on the assessed valuation, and the disbursements were $5,198.92, the rector's salary being $1,700 per annum.
At the annual election on Easter Monday, March 24, 1856, Russell H. Heywood and Lester Brace were elected wardens, and Elijah Ford, Charles W. Evans, John Pease, John S. Ganson, Samuel G. Cornell, Henry K. Viele, George E. Hayes, DeWitt C. Weed, vestrymen ; and at a subsequent meeting of the vestry Charles W. Evans was re-appointed clerk and also treasurer of the parish, and John L. Kimberly and Jacob A. Barker were continued in the building committee, and they were requested to remove the partition between the chapel and the main edifice. It had originally been arranged to shut off the chapel in order to have services in it separate from the main edifice.
April 3, 1856, the committee on music was requested to report the probable expense of removing the organ to a gallery in the west end of the church, and to construct pews in the space then occupied by the choir, and the ways and means of paying the cost of the proposed improvement.
At the same meeting the vestry raised the salary of the rector to $2,000 per annum, with the use of the rectory.
April 24, 1856, the music committee reported that the expense of building an organ loft in the west end of the church would be about $600, and that three large and two small pews could be built in the present choir space in front of the organ, and that it would cost $500 to remove and set up the organ in the proposed loft, and that an imita- tion organ or stained glass window could be placed in the space then occupied by the organ.
The vestry resolved to raise by subscription $10,000 to finish the main tower and spire and the small tower and turrets, and to point the stone work.
84
History of St. Paul's Church.
July 29, 1856, Rev. Dr. Shelton reported that he had obtained cash subscriptions to the amount of $6,600 towards finishing the church edifice.
1857.
January 16, 1857, the vestry agreed that an organ gallery be con- structed in the west end of the church, and the organ be removed thereto, provided it could be done without any expense to the parish.
March 6, 1857, the committee was directed to confer with Mr. Upjohn relative to the moving of the organ.
March 20, 1857, Mr. Heywood, as senior warden, reported that Mr. Upjohn, the architect, was opposed to the removal of the organ as be- ing injurious to the effect of the church. He also reported that Mr. Upjohn was of the opinion that the removal of the gallery over the chapel would be a decided improvement to the appearance of the church.
April 7, 1857, the vestry passed resolutions relative to the death of George B. Webster, who had been the senior warden of the parish for thirty-one years prior to 1854. Mr. Webster died April 4, 1854.
"It having pleased the All-wise Disposer of the events of life to remove from us our respected and highly-valued friend, George B. Webster, Esq., who served the parish as its Senior Warden from the year 1823 to 1854, a period of thirty-one years, and had the super- vision of its finances for nineteen years, previous to 1841, and was one of the Building Committee in the erection of the present church edifice, rendering on all occasions disinterested and most efficient services-We, the Rector, Wardens and Vestrymen, do resolve, that we esteem his zeal for the best interests of religion to be worthy of our emulation ; that his attachment to the Church, her institutions, sacra- ments and appointments, and his steady adhesion to principle have secured our lasting esteem and respect. Resolved, That the above resolutions be placed upon the Records of the Parish."
PLAN OF ST PAUL'S CHURCH BUFFALO, 1851.
WITH OWNERS AND OCCUPANTS OF PEWS AT EASTER. 1857.
ALTAR
Sanctuary
CHANCEL.
(organ over.)
Organ.
Room over the Church Street Porch
Church Street
( North Porch . )
Font.
Pulpit.
Free
WY R Grinn
. P. Hadye.
Porch.
their
B. F Greene
JABATKEE .....
OH PULL.
Samuel D. Flagg
Elijah Ford
"Mortimer Wilkie
E. S. Warren
- Route Au E. Have
Wm. Sutton.
50
19₺
F.F. Cook
Dr. C. C. Wyckoff
150
J Pense
John Pease 3. Stants 4.50
Dr. Rochester
*** *** 119) \186
E.
IN Cooper
PH: Seymour,Jo
&A. Porter Thompson
Russell H. Haywand"
Butydi Pomeroy.
NS
150
1.50
156
Williams
Horace Mills
57.5 I'M Foote
50
150
G. Truscott
Thes. Savage
Abel
Hibbard
Gen. 8. Stevenson
18
14 12
et
I.M.Landon
&.F. Prait
30
200
150
50
1,50
C.J. Hamlin R.C.
ford John D. Sheperd
Z Edward Gardener
Tos Cobb
250 3 H. S. Chamberlin
E. M. Atwater J. H"Lee
yaw MON StaDad
- John Mebard
Gro. J. Webb
Isuse Sanford
EIKVIS Havens
Dr. F.W. Barchetta
Henry Magar
S. Bogardus
$50 150
11
Dr. Knapp
James Spencer Barton
150
Hawley John Jewett MYS.
Thompson W.F. Stanaton
John Humberstone
Sheldon G.I. Crank
D
200
Kerry Strenger Williams
-
Brent Samo"
100 72.1
*
This record is quoted in, and the plan is made a part of, all subsequent deeds.
67
South Porch.
(Erie' 5t.)
These private leases do not appear on The treasur-
West Porch,
(Pearl St.)
.
12.7
H. K. Viele EP Pakeiny Stephen
- John L Kimberly
600
Gas. T. Weed walker
W.A. Bird A. M.
12.5
chapin Charles H. Eval
Prinpar Gos E. Hayes
50
NORTH AISLE OF CHAPEL.
101 189 157 4145 183 (181 119 711 1/13 1%)
SOUTH AISLE OF CHAPEL.
Merriam
Thilo Dubois
Geo. C. Webster
Isaac A. Colton
Walter Joy Mrs. S. B. Vandeventer
125
150
125
125
T.F. Thornton
216 201
100
200
1.2
NORTH AISLE.
150
De Wit C. Weed
J. Stringham Kimberly O.M. P. 150 Justin C.J. Hathard"
John f. Lacy
Jesse Balot
50
Goo. Notter S.M. Chamberlin
Evans Gen. Truscate.
3:5 E. B Seymour
Mra H. H Sizer
EL Stevenson
N. H . WATHET
$2,5
S.A. I. Mathews.
SOUTH AISLE.
Lewis Eaton is Primaise GH Gudrich J.P. Provoo
schappeter
M.F. Johnson
1.300
28
26
201
193 George L
W= Vosbuty
Del S.H. Grosvenot
Jacob A. Barker
Burns,
NY
( This Gallery was removed in 1857.)
(The figures in the center of each pew, represent the valuation placed upon it by the Vestry. )
175
C . W.
...
The pew plan was recorded October 29, 1851 in Erie County Clerk's Office, in Liber 125 of deeds at page (58, as partof pew deed from St. Paul's Church to Rev. William Shelton.
North-West Porch. (Pearl St.)
The names of some of the members of the congregation, who, at this time leased pews or sittings from individual owners, can- not be given. er's books.
REDUCED FACSIMILE OF THE LITHOGRAPHED PLAN OF THE CHURCH IN 1851.
With notes and additions by G. H. B. (See pages 68 to 72, 100, 268, 275.)
With the names of pew holders at Easter, 1857.
VE.
Aabet P. Nacha 's
15
SINel T. Harch
Tumes D.
Sheppard Frank
50
W2E. Smith
Nelson Willard
Ca. G.A. Scrooge
S. V. Carpenter
114 In Sinford Tonbridge
GALLERY OVER CHAPEL
Lester Brace
Rev . Dr Shelton,
5.5
2 Albert M. Trary
Tra A Blossom!
195
4.56
H.K. viele S. C. comell
That Matthe?
Mrs. Clark
Siles Samin Thes
.150
85
History of St. Paul's Church.
April 13, 1857, the treasurer read his annual report to the vestry. The receipts were $4,688.39, including the ten per cent. pew tax on the valuation of the sold pews, and the disbursements were $4,685.16.
At the annual election on Easter Monday, April 13, 1857, Rus- sell H. Heywood and Lester Brace were elected wardens, and Elijah Ford, John S. Ganson, Henry K. Viele, DeWitt C. Weed, John Pease, Charles W. Evans, Samuel G. Cornell and George E. Hayes, vestrymen.
At a subsequent meeting of the vestry Charles W. Evans was reappointed clerk and also treasurer of the parish.
May 4, 1857, the vestry directed that the tower room in the tower be finished off and furnished as a committee room or for other meet- ings, or Sunday School purposes. It was accordingly fitted up, and often used by bridal parties preparatory to their procession to the chancel to have the marriage ceremony performed. The expense was $208.08. June 1, 1857, Ralph Williams was appointed sexton in place of William Channon.
July 6, 1857, the building committee reported that since their report on December 4, 1855, they had received and expended $8,872.17, making the total amount received and expended since their reappoint- ment in May, 1854, to be $29,438.20 ; they also reported that the church owned fifty-two cords of stone, paid for, then on the banks of the Erie Canal at Hulberton, N. Y .; that it would cost $5 per ton to land the same in Buffalo, and that it was estimated that $7,567 would complete the spire of the church. The vestry directed that the stone at Hulberton be brought to Buffalo.
August 14, 1857, the Chime Fund Association of the parish reported to the vestry that the chime of bells had been fully com- pleted and placed in the tower, and that the association transferred them to the parish, conditional that the vestry appropriate $100 annually, if necessary, to keep them in order and to pay for ringing and chiming them. The vestry accordingly did so .*
* NOTE .- For description of the bells, see Appendix.
86
History of St. Paul's Church.
September 14, 1857, the vestry directed a stone sidewalk six feet wide to be laid in front of the church on Erie Street. They also directed the gallery over the chapel and next to Pearl Street to be taken down, and it was accordingly removed.
1858.
April 5, 1858, the treasurer made his annual report to the vestry, showing the receipts from pew taxes at ten per cent. on the valuation of the sold pews, and from other sources, to be $5,067.41, and the dis- bursements $5,056.18. The rector's salary was $2,000 per annum. The treasurer reported that $28,000 had been collected for parish expenses since the occupancy of the new church edifice, being for seven and a half years, and that during the preceding nine years $97,500 had been expended on the construction of the church edifice, which amount, including the $28,000 for parish expenses, had been col- lected without any expense to the parish. He also reported that the floating debt of the parish was $222.17 over and above the resources, and that the funded debt was $4,215.67, of which $3,500 was for the mortgage on the rectory.
At the annual election on Easter Monday, April 5, 1858, Russell H. Heywood and Lester Brace were elected wardens, and John S. Ganson, William H. Walker, Asher P. Nichols, Hunting S. Chamber- lain, John T. Lacy, John D. Shepard, Dr. Thomas F. Rochester and Walter Joy, vestrymen.
At this election there was quite an organized opposition to most of the last vestry, in consequence of their unwillingness to remove the organ.
The new vestry appointed William Sutton clerk, and DeWitt C. Weed treasurer. The treasurer was authorized to expend $100 per annum for collecting the pew taxes and rents.
On May 12, 1858, the vestry appointed a committee to build a new fence around the church edifice.
87
History of St. Paul's Church.
1859.
April 20, 1859, the Committee reported that the iron fence around the church edifice was finished and had cost $1,817.14.
At the annual election, April 25, 1859, the same vestry were reelected, and John T. Lacy was appointed clerk, and DeWitt C. Weed treasurer, and the pew tax was raised from ten to eleven per cent. on the valuation of the pews.
On June 2, 1859, Jacob A. Barker died, aged sixty-six years. He was one of the oldest residents of the city, and was present at the burning of Buffalo in 1813, at which time he was taken prisoner by the British.
June 3, 1859, the vestry adopted resolutions on the death of Jacob A. Barker, stating that "he might be called the father of the parish. A resident in Buffalo many years before its organization, he was its active supporter and unswerving friend from its foundation to the hour of his death. Elected a member of its vestry on Easter Monday, 1823, he gave untiring and devoted service to the church in official relations, with the exception of rare intervals, for a period of nearly thirty-six years. Witnessing its feeble beginning and early struggles, he was also the witness of its late progress, and he lived to rejoice in its full- ness of strength and maturity. When, in the course of time, the parish resolved to erect a nobler edifice for the worship of Almighty God and the honor of the Church, no son of hers threw his heart and ser- vices into the project with greater alacrity or warmer zeal. He gave his time, his means, and his prayers, day by day, almost ; he watched with affectionate regard its growth from simple outline to full comple- tion, and he lived to pay reverent and devout worship in the temple which he had labored so zealously to rear. In private life he was endeared to all who knew him - his courteous manner, his kindness of disposition and his natural unaffected dignity of character commanded respect and won affection ; his mind was strong, his life was pure."
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