USA > New York > Ulster County > History of Ulster County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers. Vol. I > Part 63
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Near, with no assets but fortunately with no liabilities. in 199 removel to King-'on anl commenced work as a journeyman in the Kingston Tannery, then owned and the business carried on by Maj. A. If. Bruyn, but under the immediate superintendency of the late George Southwick. He continued in the employ of Mai. Bruyn, at nine dollars per week, for about seven years, or until Oct. 1, 1516, when the business not proving satisfactorily remunerative to Maj.
Bruyn be proposed to sell out, and Near made a proposition to buy the stoek and lease the tannery for a term of five years, which propo- sition was accepted. Williamu S. Teller, then an employe also in the tannery, sought and obtained an interest in the business as eoequal partner with Near, and the firm-name then agreed upon was Near & Teller. At the close of tlte term of the five-year lease the firm bought the tannery property, and continued the business, with marked snceess, tor twenty-five years from the date of the partnership to its close in October, 1871, when Near sold out to his partuer and retired from active business.
It is due and pertinent to record here that Near always felt and does still feel grateful to Maj. Bruyn, now living, and his honored father, Severyn Bruyn, Esq., deceased, for countless aets of kindness, anl seemingly unlimited confidener in his muoral integrity and busi- ness capacity. For when he had very little means, and no estab- lished credit or reputation for business capacity, Maj. Bruyn intrusted him with a large property interest, went to New York with him and introduced him to business men there, vouching for his responsibility, aud ever after, as long as they needed assistance, indorsed in blank the notes of the firm, to be used in their business when occasion re- quired.
Though tanning was his real and main business, yet he had an in- terest and voice in several corporate institutions. For many years he has been vice- president of the State of New York National Bank, and is still deemed one of its ablest counselors. His contributions to local enterprises of public improvement and to church and benevoleut oh- jects have always been und continue to he duly proportionate to his resources.
It is deenied a fitting close to this sketch to say of its subject that in April, 1830, he became profoundly impressed with the conviction that God required of his creatures heart worship rather than mere formal ceremony. And as his ancestral church was then so constituted and conducted that not even a semblance of moral character was tuade a condition of admission or continued membership, he at the age of twenty-two formally broke connection with it, sought and obtained pardon for sin, and was baptized in a beautiful lake in his native town, and thenerforth became an active member of the Baptist Church. He has always attributed that awakening and consequent act of his life, un ler divine Providence, as the laying of the foundation of what- ever blessings in spiritual and temporal affairs that have been vouch- safel to him up to the present tinte.
The issue of the marriage of Andrew Near and Eliza M. Adams was one daughter, Catherine, born at Napanoch, N. Y., Ang, 4, 1936. She was married id 1859 to C. P. Rideuonr, a native of Cuion Co., Ind., but for the last twenty-one years a resident of Kingston, N. Y.
243
CITY AND TOWN OF KINGSTON.
freedom of conscience and religious worship denied them on the other side of the water. For some years, with the other discomforts of a new country, they were obliged, without any organized church, to content themselves with Sabbath meetings for worship and praise at one of their houses ; and, as a substitute for a pastor, one of their num- ber officiated with prayer and reading selections from the Bible, with commentaries. After repeated anl carnest solicitations, addressed to the mother-church in Holland for the establishment of a church, the Classis of Am-ter- dam sent Dominie Harmanus Blom to them in the year 1659. On the Sabbath following his arrival he conducted the services and preached for them twice. The settlers immediately thereafter organized a church and presented him a call to become their pastor. Having accepted, he returned to Holland in September, 1639, to submit to final examination and to receive ordination. He returned Feb. 16, 1660, ordained " to preach on water and on the land, and in- all the neighborhood, but specially at Esopus." He immediately entered upon his pastorate, and continued discharging his duties most acceptably until the year 1667, when he returned to Holland. He has been followed suc- cessively by various pastors until the present date.
The pastors who succeeded him .prior to the organization of our offshoot in 1849, and the order in which they re- spectively ministered, were as follows :
Petrus Tasschemacher, Laurentius Van Gaasbeek, Jo- hannis Werkstein, Laurentius Vanderbosch, Johannis Petrus Nucilla. Henricus Buys, Petrus Vas, George Wil- helmus Mancius, Hermanus Meyer, George J. L. Doll, John Goonan, John Lilli . John H. Van Wagenen, and John C. F. Hoes.
The settlement being by the Dutch, the services were at first all in that language, and so continued until about the commencement of the present century. With the tostalla- tinn of Dr. Gosman as pastor, in 1808, all the services in the Dutch language were abandoned. At that time. and up to at least the end of the second decale in this century, that continued to be the only church in the then town of Kingston. About the commencement of the third decade the St. James Methodist Episcopal Church was established in the village of Kingston.
Soon after the completion of the Delaware and Hudson Canal, and the commencement of the settlement at Ron- dout, the establishment of a Reformed Dutch Church at that place was mooted, but the project was strongly op- posed by those in power in the church, through fear that it would weaken the existing church by drawing away some of its members, The defeat of that project resulted in the establishment of the present Presbyterian Church at Ron- dout.
As years passed on and the population of Kingston in- creased, the church grew and increased in the number of its members and attendants, until its house of worship be- came overcrowded and other denominations were being built up and increased by its overflow. It then became apparent to many of the friends of the church that a new organiza- tion was necessary for the benefit of the church and the extension of its usefulness.
The matter was brought to the attention of the Ulster
Classis at their meeting held at Rochester on the 10th day of October, 1848, when the following preamble and resolu- tion were adopted :
" WHEREAS, The propriety and importanec of organizing a sceon.I Dutch Church in the village of Kingston bas frequently been agitated within the bounds of this Classis and elsewhere within the last few years : and
"WHERRAS, From information derived from various sources, an organization of this kind seems to be called for by the excess of popu- lation over the present accommodations for worship, and would greatly subserve the interests of the entire population, as well as the church at large, therefore
" Resolved, That a committee of two ministers and one eller be ap- pointel to inspect the ground, compare views with the Consi-tory and congregation, obtain all practical information on this subject, and re- port at the next meeting of Classis."
The Rev. Messrs. Van Santvoord, Vandyck, and Elder Benjamin Myer were designated as such committee.
At the ensuing meeting of Classis, held at New Paltz on the 29th day of November, 1848, the said committee, through their chairman, the Rev. C. Van Santvoord, pre- sented the following report :
"The committee appointed by the Classis at its session held in Rochester the secon I fuesdry of October last respectfully present the following report :
" Your committee, feeling the lelien y of their position, and know- ing how ensily their course might be misconstrued, however honest #5.1 straightforward their iutentions, determined to seek an interview with the l'onsistory before taking any other steps, to obtain from theiu such information tourbing a second church organization as they might be disposed to communicate. Accordingly, a copy of the action of Classis was placed in the bands of Consistory, accompanied by a request to favor the committee with an opportunity to confer with them, in a frank and friendly spirit. on the matters set forth in the notion of Classis. To this communication your committee received a reply ae- ceding to this request, though disapproving the action of Classis in the premises, and appointing Friday, November 17th, for the inter- view.
" Your committee accordingly met the Consistory at the specified time; were rercivel by them with the utmost courtesy, and beld au interview with them marked by candor and kindness throughout. The snin of their communications was, that the actual size of the con- Gregation is not as large as it appears to be from the reportel statis- tieal tables ; that instead of 337 members, as reported, no more than 403 are traceable or ascertainel as the regular or reliable communi- cants of the church : that the families composing the congregation. gauged with the same necuraey, would dwindle from 275 to about 200; that the want of accommodation is rather nominal thau real, as all funil'e: applying eau obtain seats, cither in the body of the church or in the gallery ; and that but one family had been known to leave for want of accommodation : that the congregation enjoyed a comfort- able degree of peace and contentinent, aud but for the agitation of the question of a second church elsewhere would not have thought of a thing of the kind as necessary or probable. Your committee inferred frout the above that in the judgment of the Consistory the organiza- tion of a sceond Reformed Dutch Church in Kingston is, at present, unealled for aud undesirable.
" The Consistory, however, stated explicitly that they were not to be understood as casting the slightest obstacle in the way of any who might desire to form and sustain such an organization, and held themselves ready to grant dismissions to any members of the church who might apply for that purpose.
" In submitting these statements your committee feel that they have done the work entrusted to them as far as circumstances justify, nor have they felt called upon to seek information bearing upon this subject from other sources besides the Consistory, leaving it with those who may desire a second organization, if such there be, to take such action as may be proper to effect their wishes.
" All of which is respectfully submitted, " C. VAN SANTWOORD, Chairman."
244
HISTORY OF ULSTER COUNTY, NEW YORK.
The report was accepted and and adopted by the Classix.
At a subsequent meeting of the Ulster Classis, held at New Paltz on the 20th day of December, 1843, a petition was presented containing eighty signatures, representing 52 families, and embracing 30 church members, a-king to be organized into a church, to be called the Second Reformed Dutch Church of Kingston.
The following is a copy of the petition :
TO THE CLASSIS OF THE REFORMED DETCH CHURCH OF ULSTER: " WHEREAS, The Reformel Dutch Church at Kingston does not af- ford adequate accommodation for all our faumiles and for those who from time to time are moving into the village of King-ton and its vicinity, and who would of choice attach themselves to such church if facilities for proearing seats were readily afforded ; and
" WHEREAs, We understand that the said church so far approves of an undertaking a- to have offered to grant cheerfully dismissions to any of their members who may feel it their duty to ask it, with a view of forming and sustaining a second organization ;
" Now, therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens of the town of Kings- ton, and some of us members of the church establishe! here, or attendants upon the congregation, for the aforesaid reasons among others, bring persuaded that the interests of religion and the lie- formed Dutch Church require the organization of a second church of such denomination in this place, do respectfully petition your rev- ereml body to organize ns, at as early a day as may be convenient, into a church, to be called the Second Reformed Dutch Church of Kingston: Patel Nov. 27. 1535.
"Joseph S. Smith, Caroline D. Smith, Elijah Du Bois, Elen :. V. Du Buis, Rachel Beekman, M. Schoonmaker, E. V. W. Schoonmaker, George MeNeish, D. borau MeNeish, T. R. Westbrook, Julia A. West- brook, Il. Jansen Tappen. C. Dryo Keator, Sarah C. Keator, Willintu Vredenburgh, James Russell, George L. Traphagen, Maria Trap- hagen, J. W. D'Hon, J. Hardenbergh, John R. Sebepmoes, Elihu Schooninaker, David Conklin, Samuel Morwood, S. M. Morwood, M. E. Mesick, J. Scott Smith, William H. Dederick, Cathar'ne Dederick, Ch. Da Ro's, J. H. Du Bois, Eben zer Wheeler, Catharine Wheeler, Abin. G. Van Kenren, Garret Van Keuren, Jacob Osterhoudt, John Il. Iloughtaling. Andrew J. Sony, Charles Brodhead. Annie Eliza Brodhead, Willinin B. Davis, Mirin D. Davis, Maria Ostrander, Mar- tin Miner, Mary J. Smith. Thomas G. byke, Maria Lyke, Hannah Da- wond, Abraham A Van Gaasbeck, Elius T. Van Nostrand. John Il. J. Van Gan-beck, William Van Gansbyck, Elizabeth Van Gaasbeck, Reuben D. Du Bois. John H. Sehryver, Elizabeth Sehryver. James T. Collyer, Gilbert Perry. P. V. D. Lockwood. A. Russell, John Russell, George Elmendorf, Thomas Beckman, William Liddle, Matthew Ten Eyck, Margaret fen Kyck, James E. Low, Eliza Low, Elizabeth Low, Sarah A. Du Dodis, Peter E. Emi-t, W. T. Swalt, Rachel Ann M. Swart, Sarah C. Westbrook, Peter Galagher, Hiland Rushmore, John I. Honghtaung, Egbert Eldenfort, Damond Elmendorf, Mary Ann Elmendorf."
Aud upon the receipt of such petition the Classis passed the following resolution :
" Resolved, That the siil petition be grante I."
Then, after appointing Rev. E. Depuy to preach the ser- mon and Rev. C. L. Vandyck secundus, it was
" Resulted. That the next meeting of Classis be held in Kingston, on Tuesday, the 9th day of Jaunary next, at eleven A.v., for the pur- pose of organizing a church there, in accordance with the request of the petitioners."
At a meeting of Classis held pursuant to said adjourn- ment at Kingston, on the 9th day of January, 1549, there was presented to the Classis a certificate of the dismission of the Following-named 22 members of the Reformed Dutch Church of Kingston, to connect themselves with the new organization : Joseph S. Smith. Caroline D. Smith, William H. Dederick, Charles Da Bois, Catharine Du Bois, Elijah Du Bois, Elena V. Du Bois, John H. Schryver, Elizabeth
----
Sehryyer, Elizabeth Schoonmaker, Julia A. Westbrook. Rachel Beckman, Abraham A. Van Gaasbeek, Elizabeth Van Gaasbeck, William Van Gaasbeck, George Me Neish, Deborah MeNeish, Egbert Elmendorf, William L. Schep- moes, Amelia Schopmoes, Ebenezer Wheeler, John J. Van Gaasbeek.
And also a certificate of dismission of the following- named 5 members from the Reformed Dutch Church of Hurley, for the same purpose : Benjamin Elmendorf, Eve- lena Elmendorf, Rachel M. Elmendorf, Dumond Elmendorf, Ann Elmendorf.
And thereupon it was
" Resolved, That the Classis now proceed to the organization of a Seeund Reformed Dutch Church in Kingston.
" Peroled, That Elijah Du Bois and Elena, his wife, and J. S. Smith and C. D. Smith, his wife, and others who have been lately dis- missed from the church of Kingston : also Dumond Elmendorf an 1 Ann, his wife, and others whose names are mentioned in a certificate of di mission from the ebnich of Hurley, and others who may here- after unite with them according to the constitution of the Reformed Dutch Church, be, and hereby are, associated as a distinet ebureb and congregation. under the care of this Classis, to be called the Second Reformed Dutch Church of Kingston."
The Rev. C. L. Vandyck was then appointed to, preside at a meeting for the election of elders and deacons. Shortly thereafter, and at the same meeting, the Rev. Mr. Vandyck reported that at a meeting of the male members mentioned in the above certificate William H. Dederick, Egbert El- mendorf, Ebenezer Wheeler, and Charles Du Bois had been elected elders, and William L. Schepmoes, John HI. Sehry- ver, Thomas G. Lyke, and John J. Van Gaasbeek had been clected deacons.
A sermon was then preached by the Rev. E. Depuy, from Psalms cii. 16, after which the elders and deacons above mentioned were ordained to their respective offices.
The Consistory afterwards, and on the 29th day of Jau- uary, 1849, perfected their incorporation by the adoption. execution, filing, and recording of a formal certificate thereof, as required by the statute, and therein designating their corporate name as " The Second Reformed Dutch Church of Kingston."
They also adopted a corporate seal, with the beautiful and appropriate device of the ark of the covenant with the cherubim resting thereon. Until the commencement of the late repairs of the church, a neat representation of such device appropriately graced the rear wall of the audience- room above the pulpit.
The Consistory, immediately after the organization of the church, made and perfected arrangements for divine service on the Sabbath in the county court-room, and for a weekly prayer meeting, Tuesday evenings, at private houses.
At first the Sabbath services were conducted by supplies of Classis. On the 2d day of June, 1849, an arrangement was made by the Consistory with the Rev. Heury W. Smul- ler to oficiate as pastor for two years, at an annual salary of' 8600 and a parsonage. This arrangement continued for only a few weeks, as in the month of August, 1819, the Consistory made and tendered to him a formal call to be- come the pastor of the church. The call was approved by Classis, and accepted by Mr. Smuller, and he from thence- forward continued to officiate as pastor for about four years
245
CITY AND TOWN OF KINGSTON.
and until the 13th day of October, 1853, when the relation was dissolved.
Soon after the organization of the church a site for a permanent house of worship was selected and secured, and is the same as that now occupied by the church. Measures were also taken to provide a temporary house of worship, to be used by the congregation until the erection and comple- tion of a permanent building. John H. Schryver, William II. Dederick, and John T. Merritt were, ou the 6th day of August, 1849, appointed a committee to carry out the last- mentioned project. Under their direction the frame " taber- nacle" was erected in a very short time, which furnished the congregation a very comfortable place of worship for nearly three years, and until the basement of the present church edifice was ready for occupation.
The Consistory, in the month of July, 1849, adopted the plan and specifications for a permanent house of worship, and resolved that " proceedings be forthwith taken for the erection and completion of a church edifice in conformity therewith." At the same time they appointed and desig- nated Joseph S. Smith, Marius Schoonmaker, and Charles Du Bois as a building committee, with full power and au- thority to proceed in the erection and completion of a church. Accordingly, as soon as the necessary arrange- ments could be made by the building committee, and in the fall of 1849, the excavation of the ground and the laying of the foundation walls were commenced. The corner- stone, with appropriate ceremonies, was laid in the spring of 1850; the precise date cannot be given, as there is no mention or record thereof in the consistorial minutes or elsewhere that can be found.
The plan and specifications for the church edifice adopted by the Consistory and contracted for by the building coul- mittce provided for brick-work from the water-table up, and a tin roof. In March, 1850, the Consistory, by reso- lution, changed the plan so as to have cut stone from the ground to and including the water-table. In May, 1550, the Cousistory, in deference to the wishes expressed by many of the friends of the church, at a meeting held for that purpose, authorized a change of the material for build-
iug the church from brick to ent stone, and of the roof from tin to slate. On the 6th day of January, 1851, the Consistory directed the cornice also to be made of cut stone instead of wood. The building committee followed the directions of the Consistory and made the required changes.
Its effect, financially, was to increase the cost of the building more than twofold, and to a sum entirely beyond the ability of the congregation to meet. It affected injuri- ously the progress and growth of the church by greatly postponing the completion of the building, together with the creation of an overshadowing debt. The great delay connected with the certainty of a large debt, and couse- quent financial embarrassment, caused a number to accom- modate themselves elsewhere who otherwise would have connected themselves with this organization.
The construction of the building from its commencement progressed very slowly, principally ou account of the char- acter of the material with which it was built, and difficulties arising in the procurement of the stone. The basement "> was ready for occupatiou and services commenced therein
in the latter part of February, 1852, the tabernacle having been occupied until that time. The church was finished so far that the audience-room was occupied, and the building formally dedicated, on the 7th day of October, 1852, having been about three years in process of construction.
We have gleaned from one of the publie journals of that day that the order of church services on the dedication were as follows :
1. Prayer by the Rev. Dr. J. C. F. Hoes.
2. Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Thomas Dewitt.
3. Address and dedicatory service by the Rev. II. W. Smuller.
The Rev. Dr. De Witt commenced his discourse by alluding to the then very reeent dedieation of the new First Church edifice, with the remark " that the opening of two new houses of worship in the same community was a rare and marked event.
" My thoughts," continued the speaker, " naturally re- vert, as is natural in later life, to the day's of my childhood. On the spot onee occupied by the ancient temple of God is now reared a new temple of the Most High ; and in mark- ing the now numerous spires of this ancient village, I could not but recall the time when a single altar was dedicated to the Almighty."
At the completion of the building, the tower of the church was surmounted by a wooden spire fifty feet in height, which rose to an elevation of one hundred and seventy-five feet from the ground. This spire remained only a short time. By an oversight of the builder, a part of the frame was not properly fastened, and the result was that on the 17th day of March, f854, it was blown over in a very heavy gale of wind ; it fell, striking on its point, and scattering its timbers far and wide. The fine and costly stone steps in front of the church were broken in pieces by the fall from the tower of a heavy piece of coping. dis- placed by the falling spire. The steps and coping have been repaired, but the spire has not been replaced.
In order to raise money to mect, as far as possible, the expenses of building, a plan was adopted to make contracts for the sale of pews in the audience-room, as designated of: the plan of the architect, in anticipation of the completion of the church. For that purpose, a price was affixed to each pew, with a reserved reutal to pay the pastor's salary and contingent expeuses. The total valuations, as made at that time, before the change from brick to stone, was $18,930, and of rental was $1228. After the change was made from brick to stone, the valuations and rentals were increased, -- the total valuations to $29,640, and the rentals reserved to $3552.
Gowrite a number of pews were then taken under such contracts by members of the congregation, and also some by friends connected with other churches, but by no means sufficient in amount to defray the expenses of the building. The Consistory, anticipating that the building committee would be obliged necessarily to incur large and heavy re- sponsibilities, and desiring to protect thein therein, by res- olution pledged to the building committee all pew contracts .and the entire property of the church, for the fulfillment of all liabilities to be incurred by them in the erection of the church, fences, etc. At the same time the individual
246
HISTORY OF ULSTER COUNTY, NEW YORK.
members of the building committee having, in order to aid the elturchi with funds, consented to take and pay for a large number of pews besides those required for their own use, to the amount of about $1000 each, the Consistory passed a resolution that such pews should be held by them free from rent until sold or occupied.
In the spring of 1850 it became necessary that money should be raised to meet the calls of the contractor. For that purpose a few of the members of the congregation came to the aid of the building committee, and united with them on the 1st day of May, 1850, in the execution of several bonds, amounting in the aggregate to the sum of $10,000, upon which money was loaned to that amount, and used towards the expenditures upon the building. (The names of the several persons executing such bonds are as follows: Egbert. Elmendorf, Ebenezer Wheeler, Teunis I. Houghtaling. Elijah Du Bois, Thomas G. Lyko, William S. Spears, William Fredenbergh, Joseph S. Smith, Charles Du Bois, Marins Schoonmaker, Lucas Van Keuren, and Theodorick R. Westbrook. ) From time to time afterwards other moneys were loaned for the church upon the respon- sibility of the different members of the building committee, and large advances were made by Joseph S. Smith, who was the treasurer of the building connuittee and the prin- cipal financial agent in the building of the church, so that at the time of the dedication of the church the outstanding liabilities amounted to nearly $30,000.
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