USA > New York > Westchester County > History of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the county of Westchester, from its foundation, 1693, to 1853 > Part 46
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. " St. John's in 1753 and in 1853." A sermon preached at the re-opening of St. John's Church, Yonkers, Marth 13th, 1853, by Abraham Beach Carter, A. M., Rector.
524
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
To the memory of the REV. ALEXANDER H. CROSBY, A. M., ten years Rector of this Church, who died at the Island of St. Croix, Jan. 4th, 1839, aged 35 years.
In the General Theological Seminary the piety, virtues and talents were matured which fitted him for the christian ministry ; sincerity of character, kindness of heart and purity of life, united with steady zeal, correct principles, patient labor and true devotedness to God, edified the Church, won for him the hearts of his flock, and were honored by his Divine master with abundant fruits. In all things he was an example and pattern for the people to follow ; and with this testimony, he has entered into his rest, a beloved brother, and faithful minister in the Lord. The flock for whose sakes he gladly spent himself, have erected this tablet, to attest their sense of his excellence, and their grief for his loss.
In memory of the REV. HENRY LEMUEL STORRS, M. A. Born July Ist, 1811. Died May 16th, 1852.
The faithful Pastor, and disinterested friend of this congregation for eleven years. They have erected this monument as a memorial of their enduring affection.
" He asked life of thee and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever." Ps. xxi. 4. 1
The bell was presented to the church by Joseph Howland, Esq., a and contains the following inscription :
" B. HANKS, MANSFIELD, CONN., 1818."
It is much to be regretted that the old communion service of this church was carried off, during the war of the Revolution, for safe keeping to the city of New York. Some years after the close of the war, the altar cloth was discovered in an old dusty box, where it had lain through the whole period of the Revolution, and is now preserved at St. John's chapel, Tuckahoe. The silver now used, at the administration of the holy sacra- ment, consists of one large silver flaggon, two silver chalices, and a silver basin or font, (the latter was presented by a member of the Van Cortlandt family, in 1830, on occasion of the baptism of Miss Harriet Van Cortlandt Crosby, daughter of the Rev. A. H.
Mrs. Samuel Howland at the same time presented a large folio Bible.
525
AND CHURCH OF YONKERS.
Crosby), and two silver plates, one of which bears the following in- scription : " Presented to the Episcopal church, Town of Yonkers, 1795." The altar cloth was given by Miss Arabella Ludlow.
The vestry, aided by the generosity of several gentlemen be- longing to the parish, are about erecting a parochial school- house on the north side of the church.
The church yard has been long since abandoned, as a place of sepulture, on account of its rocky situation ; a part however of Philipse's Point, in the rear of the present rectory, appears to have been used as a grave yard for strangers at a very early period. The one now occupied is located on the old parsonage property, bequeathed by Frederick Philipse, with the glebe, in 1751. It is beautifully situated on a rising knoll, in the valley of the Saw Mill. The first interment here on record, occurs in 1783. In 1845, owing to the large increase of families within this parish and the numerous calls upon its officiating clergy, it was deemed advisable after mature deliberations, to erect a parsonage with- in the village of Yonkers. For this purpose an order was obtained the same year from the court of Chancery, to dispose of the old parsonage and glebe. These were finally sold for six thousand five hundred dollars. With part of these funds the present rectory was built ; the Corporation reserving to themselves the burying ground in the Saw Mill valley.
ST. JOHN'S RECTORY.
526
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
The old parsonage, formerly called Babcock's house, was frequently garrisoned during the Revolution, by the troops of both armies. It was here that Lord Howe fixed his head quar- ters, and here Col. Gist, of the American army was visiting in 1778, when the enemy determined upon a surprisal.
PRINCIPAL BENEFACTORS OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.
The Hon. Frederick Philipse and his lady Johanna Brock- holes, Col. Frederick Philipse, Ven. Prop. Society, Augustus Van Cortlandt, Brabazon Noble, Alpheus Pierson, Joseph How- land, Mrs. Frederick A. Van Cortlandt, James Valentine, Shad- rach Taylor, John Bowne, Isaac Lawrence, Lemuel Wells, Wil- liam Jones, and the Wardens and Vestry of Trinity Church, New-York. The latter in 1800, contributed five hundred dollars for a parsonage, to which was added in 1801, the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars, in 1804, three hundred dollars, and for three years an annual salary of two hundred and fifty dollars to the Rev. Elias Cooper.
LIST OF MINISTERS AND RECTORS.
TEMP. INST.
Feb. 11th, 1765. 1771. Sept. 5th, 1777.
INCUMBENTS. VACAT. Rev. Harry Munro, Cler. A. M. per resig.
Luke Babcock, per death.
July, 1789.
Mar. 14th, 1816.
Elias Cooper, A. M. Presb. per death. William Powell, A. M. Presb. per resig.
Mar. 20th, 1820.
John Gregg, A. M. Presb.
Oct. 17th, 1823. John West, A. M. Presb.
Dec. 15th, 1828. Alex. H. Crosby, A. M. Presb. per death.
May 4th, 1839. Smith Pyne, A. M. Presb. per resig.
Mar. 20th, 1841. Henry L. Storrs, A. M. Presb. per death
June 12th, 1852. Abraham Beach Carter, A. M. Presb. [present incumbent.
NOTITIA PAROCHIALIS.
In 1704, there appears to have been 20 families attached to the precinct.
George Panton, per resig.
527
AND CHURCH OF YONKERS.
In 1761
Baptisms, 47,
Communicants,-
1775,
15,
.. .
-
1804,
14,
40,
1815,
19,
59,
1817,
15,
48,
1844,
31,
94,
1853,
40,
250.
.
In 1806 the number of families belonging to the Church, were 84. Do. 1853, 150. No. of souls, 750. No. of Catechists, 16. No. of Catechumens, 100.
In 1704, the population was 249,
170S, 66
250,
1712,
260,
1810,
1,365,
1840,
1,761,
1850,
4,160,
Population of the village proper in 1850, 2,290
NAMES OF PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN ELECTED WARDENS OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, YONKERS.
Trustees from 1787 to 1795.
1795.
Augustus Van Cortlandt, William Constable. 1
1796 to 1803.
Augustus Van Cortlandt, John Warner.
1804-7.
Augustus Van Cortlandt, 1808.
James Valentine.
James Valentine, Brabazon Noble.
1809-11
James Valentine,
Henry White.
Henry White,
James Valentine.
1813 to 1820.
Henry White,
1812.
James Archer,
528
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
1821.
James Archer,
Henry White,
1822.
Henry White,
Joseph Howland.
Joseph Howland, Elijah Valentine.
.
1826.
Lemuel Wells.
Joseph Howland,
1827.
Nathaniel Valentine, John Bowne, Sen.
1828 to 1830.
Nathaniel Valentine, Jacob Odell.
1831-2.
Nathaniel Valentine,
Augustus Van Cortlandt. 1833-6.
Augustus Van Cortlandt, Joseph Odell.
1837-8.
Joseph Odell,
Augustus Van Cortlandt.
1839.
Joseph Odell,
Abraham Valentine.
Abraham Valentine,
1841-2.
Abraham Valentine, William Jones.
1843 to 1852.
Abraham Valentine, John Bowne.
1853.
Abraham Valentine,
Thomas O. Farrington.
1810.
Joseph Odell.
1823-5.
Cal.COLI.
HISTORY BRARY
N.YORK.
"OF THE
PARISH AND CHURCH
OF
NEW CASTLE.
NEW CASTLE was taken from the older parish of North Cas- tle, one of the six precincts of Rye, in 1791.
By the Indians it was called Shappequa, a corruption of the Algonquin term Chapacour, which signifies " a vegetable root." The name still survives in the Shappequa hills.
The chief proprietor of these lands in 1660, was the Indian sachem Wampoqueum, who sold them to John Richbell of Mamaroneck. Their next possessor, after the death of Richbell in 1634, was Col. Caleb Heathcote, who obtained of Mrs. Ann Richbell a patent right, and on the 12th of October, 1696, a grant from Gov. Fletcher, " for free liberty and license to purchase vacant land in the County of Westchester, between Croton's river, and the south bounds of Mr. Harrison's purchase, &c." In 1701, Col. Heathcote and others received royal letters patent, from King William 3d, for their lands in North Castle. This parish was long known by the name of the West Patent.
It is now about one hundred and forty years since the first families settled here. They appear to have met with great dis-
34
530
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
couragements, and to have endured severe trials, for they were in the midst of a wilderness, and constantly exposed to Indian depredations.
By the Act of Assembly in 1693 North Castle was annexed to the parish of Rye, which accounts for the parochial clergy officiating here prior to the Revolution. The Rev. Christo- pher Bridge, writing to the Ven. Prop. Society, in 1712, says :- "There are two places in this parish, at a great distance from the church, which if the Honorable Society will be pleased to make some small allowance to them, there might be found pro- per persons here to undertake that charge, to the great benefit of many poor children that want instruction." In 1722 Mr. Jen- ney, his successor, informs the same :-- " That his parish is of very large extent, and contains a great deal of land well settled, besides a large wilderness, in which are some few settlements. There are three townships in it, viz : Bedford, Rye and Mama- roneck ; wherein there are some few settlements in the woods, 30 dispersed, that I have not yet been able to learn the number of the inhabitants, &c." In his next communication he ob- serves :- " We have a new settlement among us in the woods, which began about the time of my predecessor's deatlı, 1719. The inhabitants are very loose in their principles of religion, inclining rather to the Quakers, than to any other sect. I have been amongst them with good success, having baptized a whole family, parents and children. I have heard that some of them intended to make a confession of their faitli, in order to bap. tism."' In 1724 he informs the Bishop of London, that he offi- ciated at North Castle eight times per annum. At this period North Castle contributed towards the ministers rate and poor of the parish £3 7s. During the year 1725, Mr. Dwight was appointed schoolmaster here, with a salary of £10 a year.
Mr. Wetmore writing to the Society in 1728, says :- " There are now thirty heads of families and young men, upon whom the tax is levied in North Castle, a new settlement between Rye and Bedford, about six miles from Bedford. This place was chiefly settled by people of no religion at all, very ignorant and
531
AND CHURCH OF NEW CASTLE.
barbarous, being descendants of the Long Island Quakers, and having more knowledge of Quakerism than of any other re- ligion, are more receptive of that, but there being a few people of the Church among them, Mr. Jenney first began to take pains with them, preached among them, and baptized several, tho' they are since all returned to Quakerism or nothing; and it is certain they have left the Church, partly by the instigation of the Quakers, (who have been very busy among them, while they were long neglected,) from Mr. Jenney's being called to Hempstead, at my being fixed here, and partly upon disgust, being disappointed of some preferments they expected Mr. Jen- ney would procure for them, and being reproved for bringing a scandal upon religion, by their loose and irregular living ; how- ever, there are a few sober people that live there, and to accom- modate them and Bedford, or at least some from Bedford that are willing to come to church, I preach once in about five weeks at North Castle. There are about ten families of the Church, and the rest Quakers." Again he says, " there are more than forty families here, most of which are unbaptized. That a great many of the people come to church, and he hath baptized four adults and sundry children there." He suggests to the Society that, " a good schoolmaster might be of good service to religion, in some sort to supply the place of a resident minister, in cate- chising and instructing the youth, and keeping the people from running wild in their principles and practise, as they are in great danger of doing by being among so many Quakers."
At a vestry meeting, held March 1st, 1730, for the parish of Rye, it was ordered :- " That whereas the vestrymen of the district of North Castle, have neglected to make up their parish rate last year, and this year, though often requested thereto, ordered therefore by ye vestry and Justices, that the North Cas- tle vestrymen for ye last year and this year, do appear at Rye, at Francis Doughty's, on the 16th of this month at noon, in order to make their rates without any further delay, or ordered to be presented immediately, and that the clerk do send forth- with a copy of this order to said North Castle vestrymen."
532
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
In 1733, Mr. Wetmore again makes report to the Venerable Society :- " That Mr. Dwight at North Castle continues very diligent and faithful in his school and very well esteemed by the people there, but the great misfortunes of that place make him weary of it." It appears, that at Mr. Wetmore's request Mr. Dwight was appointed catechist for the parish of Rye, and was removed to White Plains. Again in 1744, Mr. Wetmore informs the Society " that he is fully occupied in the duties of his mission, and that at Bedford and North Castle, there were four hundred families belonging to his cure ; for which reason he begged for an assistant to officiate under him." Whereupon the
REV. JOSEPH LAMSON, A. M.,
was appointed for that purpose. He was the son of William Lamson, a of Stratford Conn., where he was born about 1719. He was graduated at Yale College, in 1741, and in 1773 ad- mitted Master of Arts at King's College, New York. Although the son of Congregational parents, he declared for the Church soon after leaving College, and went to England for Holy Orders. His license from the Bishop of London to officiate in this Prov- ince, bears date 1745. Before leaving England he was ap- pointed by the Ven. Society assistant to Mr. Wetmore, in offici- ating to the inhabitants at Bedford, North Castle and Ridgefield, with a salary of £20 per annum; besides a gratuity of the same sum, out of compassion to his sufferings and success. From England, after many trials, he returned in 1745; having been in his voyage thither taken prisoner by the French, and afterwards, on his passage from St. Louis in France to London, detained at Salisbury four months by a fever, which took from
" The surname of this family was originally written Lambton. Robert De Lamb- ton, feucal lord of Lambton Castle, in the County of Durham, died in 1350 .- Sur- tee's Hist. of the County of Durham. The Lampsons or Lamsons were among the earlier settlers of New England. The will of William Lampson, of Stratford, Conn. bears date Sept., 1754, proved Feb. 11th, 1755. Wife, Elizabeth ; sous, Jos., Nath., and Jno. ; daughters, Eliz., Sarah and Mary .- Probate Rec. Fairfield Co. 1754-7.
533
AND CHURCH OF NEW CASTLE.
him his companion and fellow sufferer Richard Miner, a Congre- gational minister, from the vicinity of his native place, who had gone with him to England for Episcopal ordination. Being at length restored to country and friends, "as one risen from the dead," he began to preach at Bedford, North Castle and Ridge- field, which though still considered, as in some sense, within the bounds of the parish or mission of Fairfield, had been for some time under the care of Mr. Wetmore, missionary at Rye.
The Society's abstracts for 1746, say :- " The Society have had the satisfaction to be informed by the Rev. Mr. Lampson, (of whose sufferings in his voyage to England to receive Epis- copal ordination, the abstract of the proceedings of the Society in the year 1745 gave an account,) that he returned safe and in good health ; and the good people of Ridgefield, Bedford and North Castle, the places of his mission, received him gladly and even as one arisen from the dead, among whom report had for some time placed him, and in his letter of May 12th, 1746, he writes :- That he officiates by turns at these three places to full congregations, and had baptized eleven children and three . adults well principled in Christianity ; and Mr. Wetmore, the Society's missionary in the populous parish of Rye, to whose assistance Mr. Lampson is appointed, returns his own hearty thanks, together with those of his parishioners, in his letter of April 3d, 1746, professing his hope that Mr. Lampson will do much good amongst them by his preaching and exemplary life, for which they very much respect him, and that as there are great numbers of people in the wilderness country north ward of Bedford and Westchester, who have very little knowledge or sense of religion, Mr. Lampson's labors will be employed to good pur- pose among them."
REV. MR. LAMPSON TO THE SECRETARY.
(EXTRACT.)
" North Castle, in the parish of Rye, Feb. 10, 1746-7. REV. SIR,
I have endeavoured since my arrival to do what service I can
534
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
among a great number of poor people, scattered about in the woods, who have little ability, and most of them little inclination to mind me. I compassionate their circumstances, and the more because so many of them have very little sense of the impor- tance of religion and virtue. The Rev. Mr. Wetmore has been treating with a worthy young gentleman, Mr. Thomas Bradbury Chandler, who is willing to perform the service of a lay cate- chist among these people, if the Honourable Society, upon my removal, will be pleased to bestow upon him the £10 sterling salary that was formerly allowed to Mr. Flint Dwight, deceased. And I am of opinion, that such a provision is as much as these people can expect at present, and I believe it may in a good measure supply the place of a minister in orders, considering that Mr. Wetmore, with Mr. Chandler's assistance to read in the church at Rye, in his absence, may more frequently visit North Castle and Bedford, and administer the sacraments among them ; and some of the people have expressed a satisfaction in the hopes of having so ingenious a man as Mr. Chandler to labor among them, in such a method after my leaving them. They find as little fault as I could expect, at the talk of my removal, knowing that my present income is too small for a support."a
Soon after the date of this letter, Mr. Lamson took charge of the parish of Fairfield, Conn., where he continued until the time of his death, which took place in 1773. The register of the Town of Fairfield contains a record of his marriage in 1747, to Alethia, daughter of the Rev. James Wetmore of Rye, and of the birth of their six children, five daughters, and one son. And the graves of the eldest daughter, who died in 1753, and Mrs. Lamson, who died in 1766, are in the old burial place, near the Court House. But it appears from the proceedings of the Society, that Mr. Lamson left a widow. b
Upon the 26th of March, 1748, Mr. Wetmore writes :- " I
& Conn. MSS. from archives at Fulham, pp. 282-3. (Hawks.)
b Hist. Discourse for the Jubilee of the Ven. Soc., by the Rev. N. E. Cornwall, M. A. The name of Joseph Lamson appears as witness to a will of David Rowland, of Fairfield, 26th of August, 1768. Editor.
535
AND CHURCH OF NEW CASTLE.
have also undertaken to preach a monthly lecture at North Cas. tle, besides their usual turn upon Sundays, and this I shall con- tinue as long as I find a good disposition in this people to attend such lectures." Again, in September of that year, he says :- " Since Mr. Lamson has removed from this parish, and Mr. Chan- dler declined accepting the catechetical mission at North Castle and Bedford, I do the duty of these places as formerly; and al- tho' I find large congregations, when I preach among them, yet I don't find that forwardness I could wish, to exert themselves in building churches and providing for the support of a minis- ter or catechist ; and it is a trouble to me that the same negli- gent temper prevails in other parts of my parish."
In his report for 1753, he acquaints the Society,-" that kis congregations at Rye, White Plains, North Castle and Bedford are large and flourishing, and that the disposition of those that opposed the interest of the Church in those places, seems chang- ed for the better, and that there are some hopes of the people uniting with North Castle towards supporting a minister in the Holy Orders of our Church, to officiate alternately to them."
From this period the increase was such, that it became neces- sary to erect a house of worship, where religious services could be more duly celebrated, and attendance on the preached word more conveniently practised. The principal person who com- menced this undertaking was St. George Talbot, Esq., aided by the zealous efforts of the Rev. Mr. Dibble, who occasionally officiated in this parish after Mr. Wetmore's death in 1760. The following extract shows that Mr. Talbot, the noble bene- factor of the Church at that period, had given besides his dona- tions of £600 to each of the churches of Rye, Flushing and Stamford, £600 also to North Castle :-
1
MR. DIBBLEE TO THE SECRETARY.
(EXTRACT.) " Stamford in Conn., N. E., March 25th, 1761.
REV. SIR,
In compliance with repeated requests I preached on Sunday,
536
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
the 7th of December last, to the destitute people at Westchester, to a very considerable congregation. The evening following I paid my respects to the worthy and good Mr. St. George Talbot, who appears to be a gentleman of great piety, zeal and charity, and he desired me to mention to the Honourable Society, the very grateful sense he has of the late unexpected honor done him, in being admitted a member of the Venerable Society. His principal concern, in the decline of life, is to promote the interest of true religion, the Church of Christ militant, until it shall please God to translate him to the Church triumphant. And he desired me to intimate, that besides the benefactions to the church at Rye, of which Mr. Wetmore and me advised, he hath also given £600 sterling money for the encouragement of religion among the poor people of North Castle, ratified the 6th of June, 1759, delivered into the hands of Col. MacDonald, Jonathan Ogden, Caleb Fowler and Charles Haight, by the ap- probation of the late Mr. Wetmore, and security given."a
There can be no doubt that the subject of building a church had been a long time in contemplation, before it was brought to a successful issue by the above donation. It was now resolved, however, by those interested in the un- dertaking, that one should be immediately erected, but it appears it was not determined where the building should stand because a site was selected at first for the church, about five miles from the place where it was finally located. The site referred to, is in the parish of North Castle, near Sand's mills, where the letter " C" inscribed on a rock is still legible, and marks that site as the church lot. But for sufficient reasons, doubtless, and perhaps as more central, the beautiful location was preferred where St. Mark's now stands. Accordingly, the timber which had been prepared in North Castle was removed to the new site, given by Charles Haight in 1760, and in October, 1761, a plain building of ample size was erected, and opened for divine worship, which in honor of their pious and noble benefactor, was named
Conn. MSS. from archives at Fulham, pp. 404-5. (Hawks.)
537
AND CHURCH OF NEW CASTLE.
St. George's Church. From the Rev. Mr. Dibble's reports to the Society the following extracts are obtained, which give all the information we can now learn respecting this happy circum- stance :-
MR. DIBBLEE TO THE SECRETARY.
(EXTRACT.) " Stamford, Conn. N. E., Sept. 29, 1761.
REV. SIR,
I preached a lecture at North Castle the 12th of August last, to a great congregation ; they have erected a new church, and at their desire, and the request of Mr. St. George Talbot, the worthy benefactor of our Churches, whom I expect to meet with, I have consented to preach to them the second Sunday in Octo- ber next in their church." a
MR. DIBBLEE TO THE SECRETARY.
(EXTRACT.)
" Stamford, Conn., in New England, March 25th, 1762. REV. SIR,
I preached the second Sunday in October last, b in St. George's church, at North Castle, and at the opening of it, to a most nu- merous congregation, the church not being able to contain the people. They have erected a very decent church for public worship, forty foot by thirty, with galleries, covered and closed it with cedar, and only laid the ground floor. Mr. St. George Talbot was present, their pious and noble benefactor, who was highly pleased with the number, and devout behaviour of the people. I baptized that Lord's day thirteen infants, and one adult. Mr. Talbot desirous to know the real state of the people, desired me to accompany him to Bedford, Crumpond and Peakskill,
· Conn. MSS. from archives at Fulham, p. 432. (Hawks.)
› 11th of October, 1761.
538
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
and to return by the way of Croton and White Plains; which I cheerfully did, and preached a lecture in cach of those places, the people giving a cheerful attendance, preaching every day that week, but Saturday, and baptized ten more children. Ex- cept Bedford, we found no settled teacher among them of any denomination ; in each place were sundry heads of families pro- fessors of our Church, and many others well disposed towards it, but the inhabitants in general, by what we could learn, were much divided in their religious sentiments, and paid but little regard to Sundays. The late worthy Mr. Wetmore, missionary at Rye, was not wanting in his endeavours to promote the inte- rest of true religion among them, but his advanced age, and their distance, prevented his being so very serviceable as otherwise he might have been ; and I am of Mr. St. George Talbot's opinion, that a person settled in Holy Orders among them is much wanted, and might do singular service in promoting the interest of true religion."a
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