USA > New York > Westchester County > History of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the county of Westchester, from its foundation, 1693, to 1853 > Part 40
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We have a parsonage house and glebe of 90 acres of land, which if properly improved may become valuable, and we shall always, we trust, exert ourselves to the utmost of our abilities, to make a missionary living as comfortable as possible. Rev. Sir, be pleased to represent this to the Venerable Board, with our most dutiful respects and grateful acknowledgments of their former bounty, which will greatly oblige,
Rev. Sir, &c., JAMES DE BLEZ, BARNARD RYNLANDER, Churchwardens." a and others.
" Mr. Stouppe, (says Mr. Hawkins) was a simple minded, con- scientious man, who continued for seven and thirty years faith- fully to discharge the duties of his mission. During this long incumbency, the number of his communicants had been raised from thirty-three to eighty."b
· New-York, MSS. from archives at Fulham, vol. ii. p. 273. (Hawks.)
b Missions of the Church of England by Ernest Hawkins, B. D.
453
AND CHURCH OF NEW ROCHELLE.
His remains were also interred beneath the chancel of the old French church at New Rochelle, where he had served so faithfully, here to await the morn of the resurrection, and to receive, we trust, the eulogy of the gospel, " well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
In a postscript to a letter from Mr. Barclay to the Secretary, dated New-York, Dec. 10th, 1760, he says : - " Mrs. Magdalene Stouppe, the widow of the late missionary, desired me to re- commend her to the Venerable Board, hoping to receive their usual bounty."
The Rev. Andrew Fowler, in his MS. Biographies of the Clergy, says of Mr. Stouppe :- " that he was a worthy clergy- man, and greatly beloved by his congregation. When I read prayers and sermons in that place, (New Rochelle) in 1784 and 1785 and 1786, as a layman, I heard him often spoken of in the highest terms of respect by some very aged people, upon whose veracity I could depend."a
Mr. Stouppe was succeeded by the
REV. MICHAEL HOUDIN, A. M.
He was born in France circ. 1705, and bred a Franciscan fri- ar. On Easter day, 1730, he was ordained priest by the arch- bishop of Treves, and afterwards preferred to the office of su- perior of a convent of Recollects or Franciscan friars, at Montre- al in Canada.b Disgusted with the monastic life, he left Can-
. Rev. A. Fowler's MS. Biog. of the Clergy, vol. ii. p. 130.
b The following notice, probably of this individual, occurs in the New-York Council Minutes :- " On the 29th of June, 1744, Governour Clinton acquainted the Council that one Monsieur Michael Houden, and a woman, said to be his wife, were lately come to town from Canada, from which place they had lately fled, and that on their arrival, he had confined them to their lodgings, and had placed two sentinels over them, and had ordered the said Michael Houden to be brought before him in Council this day in order to be examined. The said Michael Houden being without, was called in and examined by his Excellency in Council, and afterwards remanded to his lodgings. At a Council held ou the 5th of July following, the Gov- ernour communicated to the Board, a letter he had lately received from Lieutenant Lindesay, giving his Excellency advice of Monsieur Michael Huyden passing by
454
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
ada in the beginning of the French war and retired to the city of New-York, where on Easter day, 1747, he made a pub- lic renunciation of the errors of popery, and joined himself to the Church of England. He afterwards lived with very good character, and attained great proficiency in the English lan- guage. In June, 1750, he was invited by the inhabitants of Trenton, and other places in New Jersey, to go and officiate among them, whereupon he addressed a letter to the Venerable Society, from which we extract the following :-
MR. HOUDIN TO THE SECRETARY.
[EXTRACT.] " Trenton, New Jersey, Nov. 1st, 1750.
REV. SIR,
Having my residence at New-York, I heard of repeated complaints made by gentlemen and principal inhabitants of this place, Allen's Town, and Borden's Town, it being for many years past, destitute of a Church of England minister, and without any sort of application of mine, about five months ago some of them were pleased to press me by letter, to come amongst them. I being then conscious to myself, that I had no license from the Lord Bishop, or sanction from the Society, I deliberated some time till I had consulted several gentlemen of
Oswego, and that he learnt from him that the French intended to attack Oswego with 800 men, as soon as the provision ships from France should arrive, the French having a great desire of being masters of that place. On the 11th of August, 1744, his Excellency acquainted the same Body :- that he had received several letters from Monsieur Houden, complaining as his circumstances are very low, and he was by his Excellency's order oblidged to live at Jamacia, where he can do nothing to get his living, that his wife and himself must soon come to want, unless his Excellency will be pleased to take him into consideration, and therefore praying he may have leave to come with his wife, and live in town, and thereupon his Excellency required the opinion of the Board. ' As to Michael Houden, the Council are of opinion to advise his Excellency, to give him leave to come to town, on his taking the oath of allegiance." '-Council Minutes, xix. 292, and xix. 273, 276. In the Liste Chronol- ogique of the Clergy of Canada, we find the name of Potentien Houdin, a Recol- lect, who is recorded as having left that country in 1748.
455
AND CHURCH OF NEW ROCHELLE.
the clergy in New-York, the Governour, and others, who unani- mously advised me to go over to them, and hear their propo- sals. When I waited on them I really found they were desti- tute indeed, there not being a minister of the Church of Eng- land nearer than Burlington."a
To this may be added the following, from the Society's ab- stracts for 1753 :- " The Rev. Mr. Houdin, having for some years officiated at Trenton and the neighbouring places in the Province of New Jersey, among the members of the Church of England, upon such slender support as they, in their poor cir- cumstances would afford him, with the addition of one gratuity of £30 from the Society; they have lately thought fit, upon the especial recommendation of the Rev. Mr. Barclay, rector of Trinity Church in the city of New-York, and of other worthy persons, bearing witness to Mr. Houdin's merit and diligence in the pastoral office, to appoint him their itinerant missionary to officiate in Trenton, and in the parts adjacent. Mr. Houdin is a converted priest from Popery, formerly superiour of a con- vent in Canada, and from his letters of orders, it appears he was ordained priest by the archbishop of Treves on Easter day, 1730, and on Easter day, 1747, he made a publick renun- ciation of the errors of the Church of Rome, received the holy communion according to the liturgy of the Church of England, in the city of New-York, and he afterwards took the oaths of allegiance, and subscribed the 39 articles of our Church : and after having made himself a tolerable master of the English language, he began to officiate in it and hath behaved, accord- ing to full testimonials, as it becometh a good christian and a good clergyman, and by his letters of thanks to the Society, dated Trenton, Nov. 4th, 1753, it appears that he is usefully, and to very good purposes employed, he having baptized from the 13th of December preceding, forty-five children and five adults, after proper instruction ; and at Annwell, a town within his mission, above two hundred Presbyterians and some fami-
* New-York, MSS. from archives at Fulham, vol. ii. (Hawks.)
456
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
lies of Anabaptists, during the last summer, joined with the members of the Church of England in the publick worship of God, and many of them observing the peace and charity among our congregations, and the troubles and dissentions among others, contributed towards the finishing of the Church, which, at the date of Mr. Houdin's letter, he blesses God, was then quite done." a
In the year 1759 Mr. Houdin accompanied the celebrated General Wolfe in his expedition against Quebec as a guide, which appears from the subjoined extract :- b
" The Rev. Mr. Houdin, the Society's itinerant missionary in New Jersey, intreats the Society in his letter, dated Quebeck, October 23d, 1750, that his absence from his mission may not bring him under their displeasure, as he was in some measure forced to it in obedience to the commands of Lord Loudon, and other succeeding commanders, who depended much on his be- ing well acquainted with that country. And after the reduction of Quebeck, he asked leave to return to his mission, but General Murray ordered him to stay, telling him that there was no other person could be depended on for intelligence of the French pro- ceedings, and promised to acquaint the Society therewith." Mr. Houdin adds, " that he himself, as well as the publick, hath receiv- ed a great loss by the death of the brave General Wolfe,e who promised to remember his labour and services, which are not so well known to General Murray, but he hopes the Society will take these things into consideration, and continue their kind- ness to him, and he will return to his mission in the spring."d
Dr. Barclay, writing to the Secretary of the Venerable So-
* Printed abstracts of Ven. Prop. Soc. for 1753.
b The Rev. Michael Houdin preached to the provincial troops destined for the ex- pedition against Canada, in St. Peter's Church, Westchester, from St. Matthew, x chap., and part of 28th verse, " Fear not them which kill the body, &c."
. General James Wolfe fell on the heights of Abraham, in the moment of victory, Sept. 13th, 1759 .- Editor.
d Printed Abstracts of Ven. Prop. Soc., 15th Feb., 1759, to 15th Feb., 1760.
457
AND CHURCH OF NEW ROCHELLE.
ciety, on the 3d of June, 1761, says :- " Messrs Ogilvie and Houdin are still detained by General Amherst in Canada. I shall take care to forward your letters to them." a
It appears from the following notice in the New-York Post- Boy for June the 4th, 1761, that whilst Mr. Houdin was sta- tioned at Quebec, under the command of General Murray, an attempt was made by the Vicar-General of Canada, to seduce him from his allegiance, by an offer of great preferment in the Romish Church :- " We hear from Montreal that the Vicar Gen- eral of all Canada, residing at Montreal, has wrote a pressing invitation to the Rev. Mr. Udang, the chaplain of a regiment at Quebec, to return to the Romish religion, with a promise of great preferment in the Church, which Mr. Udang put into the hands of General Murray, who sent it enclosed to General Gage, who upon the receipt of it, sent a guard to take the Vicar-General into custody ; what will be the issue is not known."
Mr. Houdin must have returned to New-York in 1761, for about August of that year he was appointed by the Venerable Society to be their missionary at New Rochelle. With regard to this appointment, the Society's abstracts say :- "That the French refugees are, according to Dr. Barclay, a very orderly, sober, and religious people, to whom, at their earnest request, he had preached twice lately, and had administered the lioly com- munion, and was much pleased with their devout behaviour. All this being maturely considered, the Society have thought proper to remove the Rev. Mr. Houdin, itinerant missionary, whose chief residence was at Trenton in New Jersey, to the mission at New Rochelle, he being a Frenchman by birth, and capable of doing his duty to them both in the French and English language, but he is to officiate for the most part in English, that being well understood by much the greater part of the congregation."b
The Rev. John Milner, rector of the parish, who arrived from England, May 13th, 1761, in a letter to the Secretary
a New York, MSS. from archives at Fulham, vol. ii. 287. (Hawks.)
b Printed abstracts of Ven. Prop. Soc. for 1761.
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HISTORY OF THE PARISH
the 3d of October of that year, says :- " he was obliged to at- tend three churches, and till Mr. Houdin came to New Rochelle officiated there once a month."
It appears from the following document, that in appointing Mr. Houdin, the Society had carefully stipulated with the peo- ple at New Rochelle, that they should not only give him a comfortable support, but immediately put the old parsonage house in order :---
PETITION FOR LEAVE TO COLLECT FUNDS FOR BUILDING A NEW MINISTER'S HOUSE AT NEW ROCHELLE,
" To the Honourable Cadwallader Colden, Esq., Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of the Province of New-York, and Territories thereon depending in America, &c.
A Petition of Sundry of the Inhabitants of New Rochelle, belonging to the Church of England.
SIR,
The Society for Propogation of the Gospel in foreign Parts have Been so Charita - ble as to appoint Mr. Houdin, a French Refuge, a Gentleman of a good character, Successor to their late worthy Missionary at New Rochelle, the Reverend Mr. Stouppe. Iu consideration of which particular regard they require and Insist that the people at New Rochelle should do their utmost to make Mr. Houdin a comfortable support, and that they should Immediately put the Parsonage House in good repair. We are ready and willing to exert ourselves to the utmost according to our Abilities, But to those that are acquainted with the Circumstances of the people professing the Church at New Rochelle, it will appear to require the utmost exertion of our abilities to afford that necessary support to Mr. Houdin, that the Society expect and require, and if we should be Obliged to raise four hundred pounds, to build a new Parsonage House, the old being so decayed, that It is thought by no means worth Repairing, especially at this Burthensome Time. We have the greatest reason to fear that it will be so ex- tremely heavey, that many will be Discouraged, and in that case that Mr. Houdin must leave us, tho' he is the only Minister in the place, and Indeed there are but few Besides professors of the Church of England in the Place, and we have reason to hope that they may be induced to conform, should a worthy Minister continue among us. Upon those considerations, we beg your Honour will be pleased to grant a Brief, through this Province, to collect the aforesaid sum of four Hundred Pound, for building a new Parsonage House, to repair the Church In this place, and your Petiti- tioner as in duty bound, shall ever Pray, &c.,
BARNARD RYNLANDER, PETER BARTINE, ISAAC GUION,
JACOBUS BLEECKER, JAMES DEBLEZ,
JEAN SOULICE.
DAVID LESPENARD,
August 19th, 1761, read in Council and granted."a
& Doc. Hist. of N. Y., vol. iii. pp. 954-5.
459
AND CHURCH OF NEW ROCHELLE.
During the incumbency . of Mr. Houdin, Trinity Church re- ceived its first Charter from King George the third, under which the present corporation still enjoys its trust and exercises its powers. The following extracts are taken from the petition to the Governor .-
PETITION OF THE FRENCH CHURCH AT NEW ROCHELLE.
" To the Honourable Cadwallader Colden, Esq., Lieutenant Governor and Commander in chief of the Province of New-York, and the Territories de- pending thereon in America, &c.
In Council.
The Petition of the Subscribers, Inhabitants of the Township of New Rochel in the Manor of Pelham, in the County of Westchester,
HUMBLY SHEWETH,
That the petitioners are members of the French Church at New Rochel aforesaid, and principally, descendants from French Protestants, who fled from the religious persecution in France in the year one thousand six hundred and eighty-one, &c.
And the Petitioners further shew unto your Honour, that their said Church is at present greatly decayed and out of repair ; and their Minister or Pastor but indif- ferently'provided for, &c.
Your Petitioner's therefore most humbly pray, that your Majesty's Royal Charter confirming to them the said Church, and the Lands and other Rights thereunto ap- pertaining, and also creating and constituting them, and the rest of the members of the said Church, a body politic and Corporate, &c.
And the Petitioners as in duty bound, shall ever pray, &c.,
New Rochel, 1st of Feb. 1762.
MICHAEL HOUDIN, Minister.
(signed by 91 others.)
12th, of May, 1762, read in Council and granted." a
The Royal Charter granted in 1762 was exemplified by His Excellency George Clinton, in 1793, after the following man- ner :-
CHARTER OF TRINITY CHURCH.
" The people of the state of New York, by the grace of God, free and independent :
To all whom these presents shall come, greeting. Know ye, that we having in- spected the records remaining in our secretary's office do find there recorded, cer- tain letters patent in the words and figures following, to wit: George the Third, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith and so forth. To all to whom theso presents shall come, greeting, whereas,
a Doc. Hist. of N. Y. vol. iii. p. 955.
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HISTORY OF THE PARISH
our loving subjects Michael Houdin, Jacob Bleecker, Jas. de Blez, David Lisper- nard, Isaac Guion, Elias Guion, Isaac Guion Junior, Peter Bertain, John Soulice, Paul Secord, Lidia Secord, Jean Abby, Jos. Antuny, Content Antuny, Peter Bonnett, Mary Bonnett, Peter Parquot, Daniel Sulis, Benj. Seacord, Abraham Seacord, Eliz- abeth Parquot, Jane Seacord, Mary Seacord, Peter Guion, Abigail Bleecker, Judith Leconet, Allida Guion, Catherine Bertain, Mary Bertine, Peter Bertain, jun. Josiah Le Conte, David Guion, Elizabeth Lispenard, Judith Bertain, Moses de St. Croix, Marie de Saint Croix, Deborah Foulon, Mary Guion, Marie Neufville, Mary Stouppe, Marthe de Blez, Rachel Guion, Jan Nicholle, Arquez, Ante Nicolle, Thomas Guion, John Bryan, Oliver Besley, Isaac Besley, Cornelia Besley, Fred- erick King, Benjamin Guion, Esaie Guion, Elizabeth Guion, Elizabeth Guion, Susanna Landrin, Dina Guion, Anne Danielson, John Houdin, Catherine Hou- din, Kitty Houdin, Elizabeth Houdin, Rutger Bleecker, Sarah Bleecker, Mary Rodman, Hester Leconte, Agnis Donaldson, Daniel Secord, Francis Le Conte, Judith Le Conte, Abraham Guion, Mary Angevine, Esther Angevine, Joshua So- lis, Thomas Steel, Jane Contine, Susanna Contine, Jane Mauraux, Jonathan Seicord, Esther Le Conte, Sarah Secord, James Pine, Susannah Soulis, Jane Guion, Ester Soulis, Magdalene Soulis, John Bonnet, Mary Bonnet, Daniel Bon- net, Mary Bonnet, James Besley, Edward Smith and James McCurers, inhabi- tants of the township of New Rochelle in Westchester county, by the humble pe- tition presented to our trusty and well beloved Cadwallader Colden, Esquire, our Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-chief of our province of New York; and the territories depending thereon in America, in council on the twelfth day of May last past, did set forth that they the petitioners are members of the French church at New Rochelle aforesaid, and principally descendants from French Prot- estants, who fled from the religious prosecution in France, in the year one thou- sand six hundred and eighty-one, and shortly thereafter settled a tract of six thou- sand acres of land, now known by the name of the township of New Rochelle, which was granted to Jacob Leisler, from whom the petitioners' said ancestors purchased by John Pell, then proprietor of the manor of Pelham, in the year one thousand six hundred and eighty-nine. That the said John Pell at the same time, did also give and grant to the said Jacob Leisler, the further quantity of one hun- dred acres of land for the use of the French church erected or to be erected by the inhabitants of the said tract of land or township, or by their assigns ; that the petitioners' ancestors had long since built a decent church within the said township, and dedicated the same to the service of Almighty God, and that they and the petitioners had enjoyed the same with the said tract of one hundred acres land, as a glebe therto to that day.
That on the twelfth day of June, in the year of the Lord one thousand seven hundred and nine, all the then inhabitants of the said township who were mem- bers of the said French Church, excepting two, unanimously agreed' and consented to conform themselves, in the religious worship of their said Church to the liturgy and rites of the Church of England as establish-
law, and by a solemn act or agreement did submit to," and put themselves under the protection of the same ; that fourteen years before, and ever since such conformity, their respective ministers and pastors have been in- vested with holy orders by episcopal ordination, and had received their principal
461
AND CHURCH OF NEW ROCHELLE.
support from the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts ; and that divine service, since the said conformity, had constantly been performed in their said church, agreeable to the rites and liturgy of the Church of England as by law established-two Sundays out of three in the French tongue, and every third Sun- day in English-for the instruction of such of the inhabitants as frequented the said church and were ignorant of the French language ; and the petitioners did further set forth, that their said church was then greatly decayed and out of re- pair and their minister or pastor but indifferently provided for ; and that, although they were sincerely disposed to make a suitable provision for both, yet they could not accomplish this good design, unless, by being incorporated, they should become enabled to receive, apply, and improve the donations and contributions that might be collected among themselves, and given for these purposes by other pious and charitable people. The petitioners, therefore, most humbly prayed our royal char- ter, confirming to them the said church and the lands and other rights thereunto appertaining, and also creating and constituting them and the rest of the members of the said church a body politic and corporate for the managing and conducting the affairs and interests of the said church, with such powers, privileges and im- munities as should appear fit and reasonable : which petition having been then and there read and considered of, our said Council did afterwards, on the same · day, humbly advise our said lieutenant governor and commander-in-cheif to grant the prayer thereof. Wherefore we being graciously disposed to encourage and promote the pious intentions of our said subjects, and to grant this their reasona- ble request, Know Ye, that we of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, have made, ordained, constituted, granted and declared, and by these presents for us, our heirs and successors, do make, ordain, constitute, grant and declare, that the said petitioners and the rest of the members in communion with the said French church at New Rochelle aforesaid, being the most ancient French church now there, and known by the name of Trinity Church, be, and their suc- cessors, the minister and members in communion with the said French church at New Rochelle aforesaid for that time, shall be, from time to time, and at, all times forever hereafter, a body politic and corporate in deed, fact and name, by the name and style of the Minister and Members of Trinity Church at New Ro- chelle, in the county of Westchester, and them and their successors, the minister and members in communion with the said church at New Rochelle aforesaid, for the time being by the name of the Minister and Members of Trinity Church at New Rochelle, in the county of Westchester, one body politic and corporate in deed, fact and name, really and fully, we do for us, our heirs and successors, erect, make, constitute, declare and create by these presents, and that, by the same name, they and their successors, the minister and members in communion with the said church at New Rochelle aforesaid, for the time being shall and may have perpetual succession, and shall and may be responsible and capable in the law to sue and be sued, to implead and bc impleaded, to answer and be answered unto, and to defend and be defended, in all courts and elsewhere, in all and singu- lar suits, causes, quarrels, matters, actions, demands and things of what nature and kind soever; and also, that they and their successor's by the same name be and shall be forever hereafter capable and able, in the law, to take, except of, and
462
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
acquire and purchase, receive, have, hold and enjoy in fee, forever or for life or lives, or for years, or in any other manner, any messuages, buildings, houses, lands, tenements, hereditaments and real estate, and the same to lease or demise for one or more years, or for life or lives, or to grant, alien, bargain, sell and dis- pose of in fee simple, and also to accept of, take, purchase and possess any goods, chattels or personal estate, and the same to have, let, sell or dispose of at their will and pleasure, and all this as fully as any other corporation or body politic within that part of our kidgdom of Great Britain called England, or in our prov- ince of New York, may lawfully do, provided that such messuages and real estate as they for their successors shall have or may be entitled unto, shall not at any one time exceed the yearly rent of five hundred pounds over and above the said church and the ground on which the same stands ; and, further, we do will and ordain, and by these presents for us, our heirs and successors, declare and ap- point, that for the better ordaining and managing the business and affairs of the said corporation, there shall be one minister of the Church of England as by law established, duly qualified for the care of souls, two churchwardens and six ves- trymen, from time to time constituted, elected, and chosen for the said church in manner and form as is hereafter in these presents expressed; which minister and churchwardens, or any two of them, together with the vestrymen, or the major part of them, for the time being shall have, and are hereby invested with full power and authority to dispose, order and govern the business and affairs of, and concerning the said church, and all such lands, tenements, hereditaments, real and personal estate as shall or may be purchased or acquired for the use there- of as aforesaid ; and further, we do will and grant, that the said minister and members of Trinity Church at New Rochelle, in the county of Westchester, and their successors, shall and may forever hereafter have a common seal to serve and use, for all matters, causes and affairs whatsoever of them and their successors, and full power and authority to break, alter, change and new make the same, or any other common seal, from time to time, at their will and pleasure, as they shall think fit ; and for the better execution of our royal will and pleasure herein, we do assign, constitute and appoint the said Jacob Bleecker and James de Blez, to be the present church wardens, and the said David Lispenard, Isaac Guion, Elias Guion, Isaac Guion, junior, Peter Bertain and John Soulice, to be the pres- ent vestrymen of the said church,-to hold and enjoy their several offices until the first Tuesday in Easter week next ensuing and no longer. And further our will and pleasure is and we do for us, our heirs and successors, establish, appoint and direct, that on the said first Tuesday in Easter week next ensuing, and once in every year forever thereafter on Tuesday in Easter week in every year, at the said church, the members in communion with the same church for the time be- ing or the major part of them, then and there assembled, shall elect, choose, and appoint two of their members to be churchwardens and six other of their mem- bers to be vestrymen of their said church for the ensuing year, which churchwar_ dens and vestrymen, so to be chosen and appointed, shall immediately en_ ter upon their respective offices, and hold and exercise the same for and during the term of one whole year from the time of such election re- spectively, and until other fit persons shall be elected in their respective pla-
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