History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 82

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898,
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1286

USA > New York > Westchester County > History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II > Part 82

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The contract for the building was taken by Mr. Peter H. Terhune, of Binghamton, N. Y., according to plans drawn by Mr. I. G. Perry, of New York, and the whole building was completed at a cost of about ninety-five thousand dollars.

The corner-stone was laid by the pastor, November 5, 1868, and the building was consecrated to the wor- ship of Almighty God, May 24, 1870.

Rev. Dr. Joseph T. Duryea and Dr. Morris Sutphin, together with the pastor delivered addresses at the lay- ing of the corner-stone.

Rev. Dr. John Hall, of New York, preached the sermon aud the pastor offered up the prayer of dedica- tion, setting apart the building to the worship and service of Almighty God.

Ecclesiastical Relations .- The ecclesiastical connec- tions of this church, so far as they can be traced, are as follows: The church was organized by the Dutchess County Presbytery, in connection with which it continued until the formation of the West- chester Associate Presbytery in 1792, when this church united with it-cf. " Gillett's History," vol. 1, p. 215.

In this relation it remained until A. D. 1814, when upon the settlement of Rev. Thomas Jackson as pas -- tor, we find the following record :

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, SING SING.

"The church and congregation being convened, a letter was presented accepting of our call by Mr. Jackson on condition that the church shall unite with and put itself under the care of the Presbytery of New York." This condition was acceded to and in these relations the church continued until 1820, at which time it resumed its connection with the West- chester Associate Presbytery.

In the beginning of 1826 we find it styled an " In- dependent Church," but during the ministry of Rev. Jonathan Dickerson, it returned to its connection with the Presbytery of New York.

In 1833, under the ministry of Rev. James V. Henry it united with the Presbytery of Bedford, in which connection it continued until 1848, when it

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again changed its ecclesiastical relations and united with the Second Presbytery of New York.

In 1870, upon the reunion of the Presbyterian Church, this congregation came into relations with the Presbytery of Westchester.

Ministers .- The early records of this church are unfortunately lost, so that the successive pastors pre- vious to 1800 are not certainly known We find how- ever, in the minutes of the Dutchess County and of the Westchester Associate Presbyteries, the names of Rev. Messrs. Smith, Constant, Blair and Hickcox, appointed to fill the pulpits of this church, the one at White Plains and the one at Peekskill.

The following is a correct list of the ministers and pas- tors who served this church sinee the time of its removal to the village of Sing Sing. From the year 1800 and pre- viously to 1814 the following named persons served either as settled pastor or stated supplies, viz .: Rev. Messrs. Kitchen, Colton, Henderson and Rose.

From 1814 to 1818 Rev. Thomas Jaekson was pas- tor. He was succeeded, in 1819, by Rev. Asa Lyman. Rev. George Bourne was pastor from 1820 to 1822. In 1823 Rev. R. W. Knight served as stated supply. Rev. Mr. Johnson occupied the pulpit during 1824 and 1825. From 1826 to 1829 Rev. Jonathan Dick- erson was pastor. From 1829 to 1832, a period of four years, Rev. Nathaniel Prime served as stated supply.

In November, 1832, the Rev. James V. Henry, en- tered upon his labors as pastor, and continued in this relation until October 1, 1841, a period of nearly nine years. In March, 1842, Rev. David Teese was in- stalled, and continued the pastor of the church until July 1, 1847. During the year 1848 Rev. Conard Bit- tinger supplied the pulpit, and was followed by Rev. John P. Lundy, who was installed pastor in February, 1849, and remained until March, in the year 1851.

On the first Sabbath in August, 1851, Rev. Wilson Phraner, the present pastor, entered upon his work, and is now closing the thirty-fourth year of his min- istry in this congregation.'

Officers of the Church, April, 1885: Pastor, Rev. Wilson Phraner, D.D. ; Elders-Charles F. Maurice, Stanton Cady, Dr. D. E. Provost, John F. Miller, Rev. David A. Holbrook ; Deacons-Rodney S. Lockwood, Charles II. Cummings; Trustees-Sum- ner R. Stone (president), Jesse H. Platt (clerk), John V. Coekroft (treasurer), S. F. Washburn, Andrew Diekey, Jay Champlain, J. Howe Allen, John E. Johnson, R. S. Van Wyck.

Rev. Wilson Phraner, D.D., pastor of the Pres- byterian Church of Sing Sing, was born at Jamaica, I. I., Angust 29, 1822. His father, Gasper Phraner, who was of German descent, was born at Elizabeth, N. J., from which place, at the age of twenty years, he removed to Jamaica. where he married Ruth,

daughter of Jaeob Carpenter, of au old Long Island family. Dr. Phraner remained at home till the age of twelve, when he engaged as clerk in the store of James Ryder, where he continued for three years. After this, he oceupied a position in the dry-goods es- tablishment of Richards, Bassett & Aborn, in New York City, where he also remained three years. Em- bracing religion at an early age, he united with the Presbyterian Church of Jamaica, ou the first Sabbath of June, 1839. This church enjoys the distinction of being the first organized and the oldest Presbyterian Church in the country. Resolving to devote himself to the Christian ministry, he prepared for a collegiate course at the University Grammar School, and entered the University of the eity of New York, in June, 1843, and graduated in 1847, with one of the honors of his elass, the Greek Oration. He also gained two of the mathematical prizes. His theologieal studies were pursued at the Uniou Theologieal Seminary of New York, graduating with the elass of 1850.

In 1849 Dr. Phraner made a trip to Europe, and attended a course of lectures in the United Presby- terian Seminary of Edinburgh, Seotland, after which he traveled for several mouths in England aud upon the Continent. Upon his return he resumed his stu- dies in the seminary and graduated with his elass in May, 1850. During the year which immediately fol- lowed he was engaged in teaching, and at the same time, for three months, in serving the Presbyterian Church at Piermont, N. Y .; and then as stated supply for seven months, during the illness of the pastor, he occupied the pulpit of the First Presbyterian Church of Jersey City. While engaged in this field of labor he received a eall from the Presbyterian Church of Sing Sing, N. Y., and on the first Sabbath of Angust, 1851, he commenced a labor which has not vet ended. From that time to the present all his ta- lent and energies have been wholly devoted to the task of building up the church over which he presides and advancing the cause of Christ in the community. His labors in this field have been arduous and con- stant, and have been crowned with well merited sue- cess. The church, which at the commencement of his pastorate, was feeble, consisting of only eighty members, has now a membership of about four hun- dred, and the humble church building is replaced by one of the finest edifices on the Hudson River. Dur- ing his long pastorate a new generation has grown up under his care and instruction and his unwearied labor, unceasing zeal and wide-spread influence are fully recognized by his ministerial brethreu and the entire community. In 1876 the University of the City of New York conferred upon him the degree of doctor of divinity. For many years he has been a member of the Board of Home Missions of the Pres- byterian Church, and also a member of the school committee of the board, giving much time and labor to these important interests.

Dr. Phraner has been conscientious and faithful in

I Since the above was written by the Rev. Dr. Phraner he has re- signed, and has been succeeded by the Rev. Franklin B. Dwight, who was recently installed.

Wilson Phrases

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the discharge of his duties as a Presbyter, never hav- ing been known to fail in an appointed duty, except under the most imperative necessity. As a member of Synod, and frequently of the General Assembly of the Church, he has for many years taken an earnest and active part in the counsels and deliberations which concern the welfare of the church and of the kingdom of Christ. So occupied has he been in his work as a pastor, and so unintermitted were his la- bors, that during the whole of the earlier part of his ministry, he refused to avail himself of the usual va- cations so generally allowed to ministers. But the failure of his health in 1872 compelled him to rest for a time, and to seek restoration of health in foreign trav- el. In this pursuit, he again visited the countries of the old world, extending his journey to Egypt and Palestine, where he enjoyed the opportunity of ob- serving the progress of the missionary work, and of having much pleasant fellowship with his missionary brethren, and especially with his old friend and class- mate, Rev. William W. Eddy, D.D., of Sidon, now Professor of Theology in the Theological Seminary of Beyrout, Syria.

For a number of years, Dr. Phraner was Secretary of the Westchester County Bible Society, and Stated Clerk of the Second Presbytery of New York for twelve years. In addition to his pastoral labors, he is a frequent contributor to various religious period- icals, furnishing not only interesting notes of travel, but articles of profound thought upon the moral ques- tions of the day.

In the summer of 1884, he visited Alaska and the Pacific coast for the purpose of rest and of observa- tion upon the missionary work in those portions of the country.

Dr. Phraner married Blandina, daughter of Stephen Smith, of New York City, August 28, 1850. Their children are Wilson S., of the firm of Hough & Phra- ner, New York, Francis S., Stanley K., and Blandina S., wife of Frank D. Arthur, of Scarborough, West- chester County. One son, Halsey Dunning, died in early infancy, August 26, 1869.

Dr. Phraner is justly considered as one of the leaders of the Presbyterian ministry in this section of the country, and his influence as a preacher, a pastor, and a writer, are well known and fully rec- ognized by his brethren and by the church at large.

ST. PAUL'S PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH is located in Liberty Street, the edifice being a hand- some Gothic structure of Sing Sing marble. The cor- ner-stone of this church was laid by Bishop B. T. Onderdonk, November 6, 1834, and it was consecrated July 6, 1836.

The first Episcopal sermon preached in Sing Sing was by a minister from the city of Philadelphia, the exact date of which we cannot ascertain. The first regular Episcopal services were conducted by the Rev. John A. Clarke, during the summer of 1831 or

1832, while at Sing Sing on a vacation. These ser- vices were held on Wednesday evenings, in the Meth- odist church. This gentleman was rector of Grace Church, in New York City. He built the house on the corner of Highland and Broad Avenues, long oc- cupied by the Cartwright family. The church re- cords contain the following entry, under date of Octo- ber 3, 1833: " A meeting of Episcopalians residing in this village and vicinity, was held at the house of Mr. Caleb Bacon, who resolved to form themselves into a society for the purpose, under Divine favor and assis- tance, of forming a church in said village ; and that we will communicate with our Episcopal friends and neighbors on the subject, and urge, by our best efforts, for their co-operation in the good work." This is signed by George W. Cartwright, William Dargue, John Barlow, C. Bacon and John Strang.

A careful computation of those who were in sym- pathy with this enterprise showed that no less than twenty-four heads of families, representing one hun- dred and thirty-six souls, were to be found in and about the village. Previous to this new organization services were held at the house of Caleb Bacon, by Rev. A. H. Crosby, of Yonkers. November 11, 1833, the parish was legally organized and the first election took place, which resulted in the choice of the fol- lowing officers : Wardens, Caleb Bacon, George W. Cartwright; Vestry, Robert Wiltse, Joseph Hunt, John Strang, J. C. Arthur, Peter R. Maison, Jolın Barlow, William Dargue, John Smith.

The services of the Rev. Robert H. Harris, of White Plains, were temporarily secured. He came Sunday evenings, after his duties were over in his own church.

December 4th and 5th, 1833, "it w. 3 resolved to memorialize the rector, church-wardens and vestry of Trinity Church, New York, for aid by funds in the erection of a church edifice." In this memorial, the petitioners state, "That some years past an old Epis- copal church in this neighborhood, at New Castle, (St. George's Church, built of wood), falling to decay, its congregation broken up and some of the descend- ants of its members have become Quakers, notwith- standing portions of them have until lately adhered to the forms of the Episcopal Church; and your me- morialists entertain a hope that, with the blessing of Divine Providence, by the means of the establishment of a church at Sing Sing, many of the descendants of this ancient congregation may be brought back to our church, etc."

Trinity Church responded by an appropriation of two thousand dollars.

August 6, 1834, Rev. Edward N. Mead was called to the rectorship; he accepted the 29th of the same month and was installed as rector July 7, 1836, the day following the consecration of the church. No- vember 14thi he tendered his resignation, which was accepted. He was succeeded by Rev. Charles Henry Halsey, who was called December 16, 1839, from the

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position of assistant minister of St. Thomas' Church, in New York City. He began his duties in May, 1840.

June 28, 1841, the vestry purchased of Mr. Bleeker the house in State Street, now occupied by Z. C. In- slee, for three thousand one hundred and fifty dol- lars, as a rectory. Rev. Mr. Halsey resigned Novem- ber 1, 1846. The Rev. Charles Tomes, of Knoxville, Tenn., became rector October 16, 1846. He remained only about one year, to be succceded December 20, 1847, by the Rev. William F. Halsey, a presbyter of the diocese of Mississippi. November 4, 1856, Mr. Halsey resigned, to be succeeded March 8, 1857, by the Rev. J. Henry Black. In August, 1863, he was succeeded by the Rev. James I. Helm, of Philadel- phia, who entered upon his duties November 1, 1863. Rev. Dr. Hchin departed this life October 16, 1880. The next clergyman of this church was the Rev. James O. Drumin, whose stay was very brief, from December, 1880, until the following Easter. The present incumbent, the Rev. Albin Barlow Jennings, of Easton, Conn., became the rector of St. Paul's Church August 1, 1881.

In the autumn of 1859 the church was enlarged and beautified at a cost of nearly three thousand dol- lars. The writer well remembers the old-fashioned box-stalls with high partitions, each occupied by a family, as they existed in this church over thirty years ago. By the removal of these, aud other altera- tions and enlargements, the seating capacity of the house was increased about one-third. In 1870 the church was again much improved and a handsome spire erected, the entire work costing about four thou- sand dollars. The tower contains a large bell of lovely tone, cast by A. Mcneely, of West Troy, N. Y., in 1835.

Early in the year 1864, the buildings of the old Franklin Academy were removed from the spacious grounds opposite the church, and were replaced by a substantial and commodious brick cottage, to be used as a rectory. It was completed and ready for occu- pancy by the Rev. Dr. Helm on the first of May, 1865. The cost of this rectory was about eleven thousand dollars. In the annual report of the Diocese of New York for 1883, the number of families attending ser- vice at St. Paul's Church is stated to be one hundred and five, and the number of communicants as two hundred.

TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH is an offshoot of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and was organized on the 27th of January, 1868. The first officers of the church were as follows: Wardens-John Strang, John Barlow. Vestrymen-Benjamin Moore, Marl- borough Churchill, N. O'Brien, Jr., G. J. Barlow, Daniel P. Bacon, W. W. Benjamin, W. II. Barlow, W. Il. Grant. The congregation obtained posses- sion of the church on the east side of Main Street, at Pleasant Square, where they worship at present.

The Rev. Clarence Buel, the first rector, entered

upon his duties May 1, 1868, and resigned Decem- ber 12, 1871. He was at one time a lawyer, and had relinquished the pursuit of that profession to enter the army during the Rebellion. He attained the rank of colonel, and was afterwards badly wounded. He then studicd for the Episcopal ministry in New York City, aud while in deacon's orders, was stationed in Northern New York. He then came to Sing Sing, where he was ordained to the priesthood.

The Rev. George Wilson Ferguson was called to the rectorship December 27, 1871, and entered upon his duties at the beginning of the season of Lent in the following ycar. Mr. Ferguson is a native of New York City and a graduate of Columbia College. He studied Theology at the General Semi- nary in New York City, and was ordained to dea- con's orders in 1866, and to priest's orders in 1867. He became pastor of Emanuel Episcopal Church in Otego, Otsego County, New York, and from therc hc went to Waterford, New York, where he remained until coming to his present charge.

The number of communicants in 1868 was ninety- one; in 1884, two hundred and thirty. The Sunday- school in 1884 contained about one hundred and fifty scholars. William H. Barlow was superintend- ent. The present officers are as follows: Wardeus -Benjamin Moore, George D. Arthur. Vestrymen- Wm. H. Barlow, Thos. J. Hand, Robt. G. Mead, B. Stuyvesant Gibson, Clement C. Moore, James H. Coleman, Edwin G. McAlpin and Ralph Brandreth.

THE SPRING STREET METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- The early history of this church is envel- oped in considerable obscurity. The faets which are given below were obtained from some of the older inhabitants, and are, for the most part, traditional ; and yet it is believed they are quite correct and trustworthy. It would appear that the Methodist faith was first propagated in this place about the year 1792, by an Irish divine, whose name was David Brown. He was an earnest and devoted Christian, and was one of several itinerant preachers whose circuit embraced several counties besides Westches- ter. He preached his first sermon in a cider-mill belonging to Jacob Rider. He afterward held his meetings in a barn, not far from where the village now stands. We are told that, in 1793, he preached in this barn, a box serving as his pulpit, boards for seats and hay-mows for galleries. Jacob Rider and Caleb Smith were the great workers in the promotion of the Methodist religion in those carly days. The latter, about the year 1800, having offered his own house as a place for publie worship, the cider-mill and barn were abandoned, the eircuit preacher visit- ing the place, with considerable regularity, once in four weeks. The house of Caleb Smith was located near the junction of Dale with Croton Avenne. The room in which the meetings were held for almost twenty years would accommodate about sixty persons. Bishop Asbury is known to have visited this place

albion

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again and again. Space will not admit of giving the names of the early preachers who held services here. After the removal of Caleb Smith to the neighbor- hood of the present camp-meeting grove, services were held at different private houses for several years. The original Caleb Smith, of whom we have been speaking, had two sons, Caleb and Isaac, who were converted in the Methodist faith, and who became earnest workers in the cause. In 1823, and possibly earlier, meetings were held in the Franklin Acad- emy, which stood on the grounds now occupied as the Episcopal rectory in Spring Street. Here the preachers were Horace Bartlett, Peter C. Oakley (1823-24), - Remington (1825-26), Marvin Rich- ardson (1827-28) and Henry Hatfield (1829-30).

The year 1831 marks an epoch in the history of Methodism in Sing Sing. During the almost forty previous years the church had made but little pro- gress; its membership was small-rarely over twen- ty-five or thirty-and sometimes less. To Captain Isaac Smith is particularly due the credit of having infused new life into the church. He was converted at the age of twenty-four years; he possessed an ardent nature, great energy and an iron will. He was active in business, a ship-builder by trade, having in his time built no less than one hundred vessels, including steamboats, sloops, schooners, etc. He ex- ercised his active, positive and sanguine powers as a church trustee for a full half century. In the year 1831 Captain Isaac Smith, Daniel Barnes aud Daniel Tompkins set at work in earnest to build a church. Mr. James Smith, a lawyer of New York City, gave a piece of land, a portion of his orchard, for a church lot, which is the same now occupied by the Methodist Church in Spring Street. With much personal effort these earnest men pushed forward the work, and finally completed an edifice at a cost of three thou- sand dollars. This building still stands at the rear of the present edifice, where it was moved when the latter was to be built. It is now a tenement house, filled with the sons and daughters of Erin. This building was scarcely paid for when the new one vas commenced. ;

About the time of which we are writing the Rev. Henry Hatfield and the Rev. N. W. Thomas brought about a great revival, memorable in the annals of the church. Among its most distinguished converts were J. B. Wakely, subsequently a famous Methodist Doc- tor of Divinity, David Codington and William Mc- Cord (the two latter are still living), Joseph and John Orser, William Lawrence (who died in the year, 1885) and Elizabeth and Anna McCord. The Rev. Theo- docius Clark was the first pastor who occupied a parsonage in this town.

In 1850 the Rev. J. N. Shaffer made strenuous efforts to build a new church. It was completed in 1852, at a cost of twelve thousand dollars. It was dedicated by Bishop Janes, assisted by Rev. Dr. Foster (now a bishop), Rev. Dr. Peck, Rev. Dr. Mc-

Clintock and Rev. Dr. J. B. Wakeley. Whoever is curious to know the succession of clergymen that has served the church from its commencement in this village may consult the church records with sat- isfaction. The church now has about six hundred members on its rolls. The Sunday-school, which was organized in 1830 with ten scholars, now boasts of having three hundred and fifty scholars and teachers. The present pastor is the learned and elequent George S. Hare, D.D. The superintendent is the faithful Mr. Benjamin Jenks.

In 1875 a strong effort was made to build a new church edifice which should far exceed that in Spring, Street both in size and in magnificence. A lot was purchased on Highland Avenue at a cost of twelve thousand five hundred dollars. A building committee was appointed, consisting of Henry J. Baker, Samuel E. Tompkins, L. P. Bostwick, Barney Foshay and Alexander McLean. Subscriptions to the amount of thirty thousand dollars were obtained, satisfactory plans were drawn by Mr. Roberts, architect, of New York City, and the work commenced. It was to be built of crystalline white marble, from the quarries at Pleasantville. Hundreds of loads of beautiful blocks were brought over the six long iniles of rough coun- try roads and chiseled on the building grounds. The work in a short time was stopped for want of funds, and up to this date has never been resumed. Great expectations from certain persons failed to be realized, and the laudable, though perhaps rather am- bitious, enterprise has been doomed to a humiliating and still uncertain postponement.1

THE NORTH SING SING METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH was established largely through the wisdom and liberality of the late Henry Yoing, Esq., a wealthy citizen who resided in Claremont, a little community in the northeastern vicinity of Sing Sing. Seeing the necessity of a church in North Sing Sing, and believing that it would be most congenial to its citizens to have it under the charge of the Method- ists, though a Presbyterian himself, he generously offered to bear one-fourth of the expense of purchas- ing a suitable lot and of erecting a proper church edifice, providing the remainder should be subscribed by the people. The church is a neat and cominodi- ous wooden structure, with tile roof and plain stained- glass windows. It was completed and dedicated De- cember 27, 1870. Bishop E. S. Janes conducted the services in the morning and the Rev. Cyrus D. Foss in the evening. The entire cost of the church and grounds was over eight thousand dollars, one-half of which was subscribed on the day of the dedication, Mr. Young donating the remainder.

The Rev. Ilenry Lounsberry was the first pastor and occupied the pulpit in 1871. He was succeeded by the Rev. Alonzo C. Morehouse in 1872. ' Then fol- lowed the Rev. John F. Richmond, 1873-75; Rev.

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History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 82

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898, Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co. Number of Pages: 1286

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898,
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1286