USA > New York > Orange County > New Windsor > History of the town of New Windsor, Orange County, N.Y. > Part 10
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But St. David's may not be dismissed from the historic record at this point. The Rev. John Sayre, who succeeded Mr. Watkins, made an effort soon after his settlement to place the mission stations, which his- predecessor had established, on a more substantial basis, and to this end secured for them, as already stated, letters of incorporation under the titles by which they have since been known. In addition to this he en- deavored to secure the erection of a church edifice at New Windsor vil- lage and to establish there what he called the "capital" of the parish. Col. Thomas Ellison and the New Windsor members readily embraced his views, and they were also favorably entertained by the principal parishoners of Newburgh. Indeed, the proposition would in all proba- bility, have been successfully accomplished had not the Rev. missionary gone one step further and added to his proposal that the charter to the- Newburgh Glebe should be amended so as to restore the title of the "Parish of New Windsor" and secure to the "capital" the income of the Glebe. He urged that New Windsor was entitled to this by reason of original dedication and from the fact that it had not only "had all the burden of the two first missionaries," but that the district was still known as the "Parish of New Windsor" by the "Society for the Propa- gation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," to the records of which the title should conform. The trustees of the parish of Newburgh refused to agree to this amendment, saying that they would not have given their
** Dr. Brown's Historical Sermon.
87
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
assent to the building of the church "near New Windsor" had they had "the most distant thought" that it would "have tended to affix the Glebe at Newburgh to a church at New Windsor," and "urged their fear of the people of Newburgh if they should consent to such a step, and that it would be unsafe for them to ride the roads for fear of assas- sination" should they do so. The matter of changing the charter of the Glebe was, therefore, dropped, but a subscription for building a church edifice was raised and from the tenor of its conditions it may be inferred that there was no little feeling upon the subject. By these con- ditions the amounts subscribed were made payable to the "Rector and members of St. David's Church, in the precinct of Cornwall," on the condition that the building should be erected "on a spot of ground to be agreed upon and procured" on the south side of Chambers' creek, " so that the same" should "be out of and independent of the jurisdiction of the trustees of the Parish of Newburgh." Whether this building was erected or not, or whether it was the building known as St. David's Church, which is said to have been erected in 1771, as above noticed, does not appear. From the dates alone and the conditions of the sub- scription it is inferred that the St. David's edifice was erected by this subscription. The following were the subscribers :
L.
S. d.
L. S. d.
John Sayre, Jr ..
5
O
0 Vincent Matthews 5
O
0
Thomas Ellison 100
O
0 George Clinton
3
O
0
William Ellison 25
0
O Leonard Nicoll
2
0
John Ellison 25
O
O
Nathaniel Liscoml John Gollow O
O
1 0
Francis Mandervill
I
O
O Christopher Gollow O
2
0
0 0
- William Williams 0 16 O Henry Kilbona O
Gilbert Pett
0
16 O William Jackson
I
0
0
IO 0
Gilbert Barton
O
2 0
Benjamin Homan
O
8
O
Benjamin Case
O
8
O Silas White
0
8 16
Reuben Clark
I
0
0 Sylvanus Dusinberry Samuel Thorn
I
0
5
0
David Southerland, Sr I
0
0 John Jolinson
I
0
0
David Mandevill 0
8
O Saml. Brewster, Jr.
IO
0
David Sutten
O
8
0 Joseph Smith
8
James Sutten
0
8
James Peters O
5
O
Theophilus Curwin I
IO
O Thomas Jackson 0
8 O
Johannah Kleck
0
4
0 Leonard Smith
3
O
()
Robert Newsome 0
10
O William Edmonston
I
0
0
Mark Carr
O
4
O Stephen Peet
I
IO
James Clinton
I
IO
O Joseph Drake
I
0
C
1
John Celley 0
4
O Saml. Brewster
no
0
0
John Nicoll
I IO 0 Isaac Stonehouse
Isaac Schultz
I
8
Jerk. Clark
I
IO O
Samuel Logan
0
8
Saml. Arthur
I 10
0 David Halliday
Andrew Sherwood .0
8
0 Judah Harlow
O
Patrick McCamriel I
0
O
IO O
Samuel Whitmore
2
O
John Barton O
2 O
Obadiah Smith I
IO O James Jackson, Jr.
I
- Joseph Wood
O IO
88
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEY, WINDSOR.
The subsequent history of St. David's is comparatively a blank. It is possible that it is referred to in the minutes of St. George's under date of August 4, 1806, in which it is said that the "Church at Goshen, St. Andrews, New Windsor, and Newburgh, had agreed to unite in sup- porting a clergyman," but of this there is no certainity. As already stat- ed, however, the organization of the parish was maintained and at least occasional services held until a comparatively recent period. Its last election for Wardens was in 1857, and the persons then elected have since exercised authority over the real estate of the parish in the ab- sence of successors.
Running through such records as have been preserved are traces of : church at New Windsor. In the records of St. Andrews it is written that the Rev. Hezekiah Watkins officiated "at three divisions of the mission, viz : At New Windsor on the Hudson river, at the Otterkill, and at the Wallkill; that during this time no place of worship was erected except at the Wallkill division;" that after the change in the charter of the Glebe in 1750, Mr. Watkins officiated in Newburgh "every third Sunday in a small church on the Glebe built by the Lutherans; " that "the church was before that kept at the town of New Windsor. and his moving to Newburgh gave offence to the heads of the church at New Windsor and caused an unhappy rupture that was detrimental to the church thereafter; " that Mr. Sayre "preached alternately at Newburgh, the Otterkill division, and Wallkill division," and "obtained a charter for each church, viz : St. George's, St. Andrew's, and St. David's, all dated July 30, 1770." The effort of Mr. Sayre to change the charter of the Glebe and its result have already been stated, and is in harmony with the St. Andrew's record, but further reference to a church at New Windsor does not appear until 1806, when it is of record that the "Church at Goshen, St. Andrews, New Windsor, and Newburgh had agreed to unite in supporting a clergyman," and at a later date it is writ- ten that the Rev. Dr. Brown "revived the church at New Windsor" in 1818. The question involved is perhaps sufficiently explained by the language of the references quoted, from which it will be gathered that the first mission station was at New Windsor, that it was removed from thence to Newburgh; that effort was made to restore it to New Wind- sor; that there was at New Windsor some kind of an organization which found shelter under the charter of St. David's; that this organization is that referred to in 1806, and that the revived church under Dr. Brown was the formal organization of an informal society which had existed from the institution of the "Parish of New Windsor" in 1731.
From this field of research we turn to the record of
S9
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
ST. THOMAS' CHURCH.
the establishment of which was largely due to a bequest made by Thomas Ellison, Jr., of New York, by his will in 1793. This bequest was in the following terms :
"I give and bequeath unto my brother, William Ellison, and my nep- hew, Thomas Ellison, and the survivors of them and the heirs of such survivors, all the lands I bought of Cornelius Tibout in New Windsor, Ulster Co. in the State of New York, containing in the several lots about firty-five acres, in trust for a Glebe for such minister of the Gos- pel in communion with the Prostestant Episcopal Church in the State of New York as shall hereafter be settled and have the care of souls in the said town of New Windsor, and his successor for the time being, for- ever. And also I give unto my said brother, William Ellison, and my nephew, Thomas Ellison, the sum of six hundred pounds, N. Y. cur- rency, in such of my bonds as he and my nephew shall choose to be kept out at interest, and the annual interest arising therefrom to be paid to such minister for the time being toward his support and main- tenance, and if there should be no such minister at the time of my death, then my will is that the rents and profits of the said lands and the in- terest of the said sum of six hundred pounds, shall yearly be put out at interest by my said brother, William Ellison, and my nephew Thomas Ellison, their heirs and executors (but not to be at his or their risk) and shall become principal and be added to the said sum of six hundred pounds yearly, until such minister shall be settled and have the care of souls in the said town of New Windsor, who shall officiate as a minister for one half of his time at least, and then the interest of the whole sum, so accumulated shall be yearly paid to such minister and his successors for the time being towards his and their support and maintenance. And whenever the inhabitants, for the time being of the said town of New Windsor, in communion of the Prostestant Episcopal Church, in the State of New York, shall become a religious corporation, then the said lands and the securities for the said moneys shall be conveyed and de- livered to such corporation for the uses and purposes aforesaid."
Under the encouragement of this bequest, Dr. Brown entered upon his parish labors in 1815, and took up his residence in New Windsor, subsequently removing to Newburgh. The New Windsor Church was then revived by him, and was formally organized under his charge on the eighth of April, 1818, at which time the name of St. Thomas was adopted and the following officers elected, viz: Wardens-Thomas Elli- son, Charles Ludlow ; Vestry-David Humphrey, Lewis DuBois, James Green, Gilbert Ogden Fowler, Joseph Morrell, Jonathan Bailey, Na-
90
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
than H. Sayre, Jr., James Scott. Dr. Brown gave one-half of his time- to the charge until 1844, when he resigned. A small building was fitted up by William Ellison in 1815, and was occupied until its des- truction by fire in January, 1844. The erection of the present church edifice was commenced in 1847, and completed in 1849. A rectory was erected in 1859 and sold in 1864. It has more recently been owned and occupied by Mr. Robert H. Boyd. The church edifice is a neat Gothic building of stone, and is situated on the table-lands a short dis- tance south of the village of New Windsor. The following have been. the rectors of the parish :
1818-'44-Rev. John Brown. 1851-'56-Rev. Reuben Riley (Rev. Beverly Robinson Betts, assistant. 1857-'62-Rev. Christopher D. Wyatt (who officiated also as rector of St. John's, Canterbury). 1862-'66- Rev. R. H. Cressy. 1864-'67-Rev. Richard Temple (Rev. John Morgan officiated). 1872-Rev. Haslett McKim.
THE WALLKILL OR GOODWILL CHURCH.
Although taking its name from the district in which it was situated and in which its leading founders resided, the Wallkill or Goodwill Pres- byterian Church included in its membership and congregation a consider- erable number of families residing in the western part of New Windsor The precise date of its organization cannot be fixed, the earliest record evidence in relation to it being under date of September 20, 1729, at which time John McNeal presented an application to the Synod of Philadelphia for supplies of preaching .* The traditional evidence is that it was originally composed of "about forty families that had emi- grated from the different parts of Ireland, but principally from the county of Londonderry," and who, in their new home, were called "the- people of Wallkill." At that time it was emphatically a neighborhood church, and embraced the scattered settlers of the southeast portion of
*In the minutes of the Synod of Philadelphia, under date of Sept. 20, 1729, is the following entry: "Application from the people of Wallkill being presented to the Synod by their commissioner, John McNeal, representing their request of supplies of preaching among them, they are recommended to the care of the Pres- bytery of Philadelphia." This entry is not conclusive that the society was organ- ized at that time; on the contrary, it conveys the impression that the "people of Wallakill " requested "supplies of preaching among them" with a view to es- tablish a society. From the records of the commissioners of highways of Shawan- gunk, Sept. Ist, 1735, it appears that a society had been formed prior to that date, and was then engaged in erecting a "meeting house near the settlement of Adam Graham." The building gave place to a new one in 1765 -- Rev. Jas. M. Dickson's Hist. Dis. "Goodwill" was the first or corporate name of the society. -" Wallkill " having been a local designation distinguishing it from the "Bethle- hem " society, which was also known by the name of "Highlands " from the pre- cinct in which it was located.
91
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
the old precinct of Shawangunk and of the northwestern part of the precinct of the Highlands. In the changing lives of civil organizations it was in the precints of Shawangunk, Wallkill and Hanover, and ulti- mately in the town of Montgomery. No less than five churches have sprung from its loins-the Neelytown (now Hamptonburgh) Church, Hopewell Church, Graham's Church, Berea Church, and Montgomery Village Church, and several other societies have been recruited from its rank. It was served by occasional supplies until 1740, when it received its first settled pastor, Rev. Joseph Houston, who died a few months after entering upon his duties. His successor was the Rev. John Mof- fat, who was dismissed from the charge about 1765. Rev. John Blair succeeded Mr. Moffat and served from 1768 to 1771. His successor was the Rev. Andrew King, in 1776, who served until 1815. The first edifice occupied by the church was erected sometime prior to 1735. A very complete history of the church by the present pastor, Rev. J. M. Dickson, recently published, renders further notice unnecessary.
BETHLEHEM OR HIGHLANDS CHURCH.
Although now situated in the northwest part of the town of Cornwall, the Bethlehem Church was, like Goodwill, the center of a district, and originally, as it still is very largely, more strictly a New Windsor than a Cornwall Church. The date of its organization is uncertain, tradition affirming that it was as early as 1726, and that its first house of worship was erected in 1731. The following entry appears in its records of 1827:
"In the year 1739, the church lot of two acres of land was conveyed by John Nicoll, physician, in the city of New York, to James Stringham, Thomas Smith, Jr., Nathaniel DuBois, Joseph Sutherland and Samuel Luckie, in trust, and in the same year, by the aforesaid trustees, to Thomas Smith, Sr., Charles Clinton, and John Given, then Elders of the Presbyterian Church, of Bethlehem, and their suc- cessors. From the description in the deed, it appears that the church had been built previous to the date of the conveyance. According to the best information it must have been erected about the year 1731.
"The parsonage lot, containing one hundred and five acres-the two acre lot excepted-was conveyed in 1751, by the Rev. Alex Cumming, of the city of New York, and Margaret Nicoll his wife, who was the daughter and one of the heirs of the before mentioned John Nicoll, to Hezekiah Howell. Thomas Smith, Henry Case, John Crawford, and James Humphrey for the sum of fifty-one pounds, ten shillings, current money of the province of New York."
The date of organization depends somewhat perhaps upon the date of settlement of some of the parties named in the deed of 1739. Joseph Sutherland was probably one of the descendants of William Sutherland who came into the district as early as 1709, and whose son, David, was the owner of a portion of the patent, on which the church stands, prior to 1734. John Nicoll purchased the remainder of the patent in 1734. Thos.
92
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
Smith, Sr., petitioned for lands Sept. 3, 1731, and obtained patent in 1732. Charles Clinton settled in 1730. While these dates indicate that the so- ciety was formally organized not long anterior to the deed from Nicoll. (1739), the fact must be borne in mind that there were Presbyterians in the vicinity of the immigration under MacGregorie as early as 1685, who may have had at least an informal society as early as 1726. The society was certainly in existence in 1735, for during that year an arrangement was made for the settlement of the Rev. Mr. Chalker, whose successor was the Rev. Samuel S. Sackett (as supply) in 1742-43, at which time the society was known by the title of Highlands.
The parsonage lot, deeded in 1751, was in reality a Glebe for the sup- port of the minister. The original parsonage house did not stand upon it, but on the land included in the deed of 1739. A new parsonage was erected in 1836, the old one being reported at that time as not worth repair-"the roof was leaky, the siding defective, plastering loose, sills of the lintels rotten, and the chimney a mass of stone saturated with mois- ture, vermin and corruption." It was probably not less than one hundred years old at that time. In reference to the original church edifice, very little can now be learned beyond the fact that it contained thirty-one pews on the main floor and that it had a seated gallery. This at least was its condition in 1785, on the 7th of February of which year the society elect- ed the following persons as trustees under the general law incorporating religious societies, viz: William Denniston, James Clinton, Samuel Kek- ham, George Denniston, Jas. Kernaghan, William Moffat, Samuel Mof- fat, Jr., William Edmonston and Joseph Chandler. In a list of "original owners" of pews at that time the following names appear :
No. I. Parsonage Pew.
No. 17. Sylvester White.
66
2. Leonard Nicoll.
18. James Kernaghan.
3. Isaac Van Duzer.
I9. John Denniston.
4. Alexander Denniston.
=
5. James Denniston.
66
22. Nathaniel Burchard.
=
8. Wm. and Samuel Moffat.
24. Elijah Carpenter.
9. John Nicholson and Gilbert Roberts. 26. William Edmonston.
25. Robert Grigg.
IO. William Edmonston.
27. Samuel Ketcham.
II. William Grigg.
28. Daniel Harrison.
12. Zebulon Birdsall.
66
30. John Ellison.
14. Zachariah DuBois.
15. Strong and Matthews.
16. Daniel Clemence.
20. Robert R. Wm. Denniston. "
Burnet and
6. James Clinton.
21. Samuel Moffat.
7. Chris. and Henry Van Du- zer.
23. William Moffat.
29. Shadrack Van Duzer.
I3. Nathaniel DuBois.
31. Joseph Chandler.
Enos Chandler, Richard Goldsmith, John Denniston, Daniel Harrison, Sam- uel Moffat and Daniel Clemence owned seats in the gallery.
93
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
In the beginning, the pulpit was supplied quite irregularly by such clergymen as could be procured from time to time. The first settled min- ister was the Rev. Mr. Chalker, in 1735. He was succeeded by Rev. Saml. S. Sackett (supply 1742-3). Rev. Enos Ayres came as a supply about 1750, and was subsequently settled there until 1762 .* Rev. Francis Peppard was his successor in 1767 and served until 1771, when the Rev. John Close, 1773 to 1785 was installed. The Rev. Isaac Lewis served from 1796 to 1800. Rev. Jonathan Freeman followed from 1800 to 1804, when he was succeeded by Rev. Joel T. Benedict. The Rev. Henry Ford, the next pastor, was followed by Rev. Artemas Dean, who served from December, 1813 to April, 1842. Rev. J. B. Hubbard next occupied the pulpit until 1846, when he was succeeded by Rev. John N. Lewis, who remained until July, 1853. He was followed by Rev. Robert H. Beattie from September, 1854, to May, 1866. The Rev. Wm. Holladay came next and remained until 1872. Rev. David J. Atwater, the present pastor, was installed on the first of May, 1873.
During the early years of its existence the First Presbyterian Church of Newburgh and the Presbyterian Church at New Windsor were more or less associated with Bethlehem, if they were not outgrowthis from it. The following is of record :
"At a meeting of Elders and several members of the congregation of New Windsor, the 22d of August, 1773, for setting on foot a subscription for raising a salary for the Rev. John Close, in order to the calling him as the stated teacher and pastor of the united congregation of Bethlehem and New Windsor.
"It is agreed, that the congregation stand divided into four districts, as in Mr. Peppard's time (i. e. 1767). That Trustees be appointed in each district in whose names the subscriptions shall be taken for the use of the said Mr. Close; and the folowing persons were named as Trustees, viz:
New Cornwall District-Joseph Wood, Reuben Clark, Joseph Smith, Daniel Wood, Jeremiah Clark.
Murderer's Creek District-Francis Mandevill. Samuel Brewster, William Roe, Benjamin Case, William Williams.
New Windsor District-John Nicoll. James Clinton, David Halladay, Samuel Brewster, Leonard Nicoll, George Clinton, Judah Harlow, Samuel Logan, Charles Booth.
Newburgh District-Jonathan Hasbrouck, Abel Belknap, Moses Higby, El- nathan Foster, Isaac Belknap."*
*Mr. Chalker was called by the congregation of Wallkill and Bethlehem. The former society, however, appears to have withdrawn its assent after Mr. Chalker had preached to them as a supply. The Synod minutes say (under date of Sept. 23, 1735) : " Mr. Chalker did transport his family from Long Island to the High- lands, being encouraged thereto by the people of Wallkill as well as Bethlehem." Mr. Chalker's stay at Bethlehem was limited, as appears from the minutes of Presbytery of New Brunswick, "Philadelphia, May 29, 1742-Mr. Sackett to sup- ply the Highlands the one half of his time. and Crompond and White Plains the other half." Oct .. 12. 1743-Application being made to the Presbytery in behalf of the Highlands for supply, Mr. Sackett is appointed to supply them as often as he can.'
** History of Newburgh.
94
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
The association for the support of a pastor, which apparently origi- nated in 1767, was continued until the close of Mr. Freeman's adminis- tration, during which time the societies at Newburgh and New Windsor Village had attained sufficient strength to maintain a minister-Rev. Eleazer Burnet and the Rev. John Johnson serving them until 1810.
The church edifice was rebuilt in 1828, and has recently been re-seated and considerably improved. The original burying ground was enlarged in 1868, and the additional ground divided into lots, several of which exhibit modern arrangement and monuments.
NEW WINDSOR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The New Windsor Presbyterian Church dates its organization from September 14, 1764, at which time Joseph Wood, William Lawrence, Samuel Brewster, and Henry Smith were chosen elders. It was formally constituted May 5, 1766, by the Rev. Timothy Johnes, a committee of the Presbytery of New York. From the date of its constitution until 1805, it was associated with the Newburgh and Bethlehem societies in the sup- port of a pastor, and from 1805 to 1810, with the latter. From 1810 to 1827, it enjoyed only occasional ministerial labors. On May 1, 1827, the Rev. James H. Thomas was employed in connection with the church at Canterbury, and was installed pastor of both churches February 12, 1828. The connection with the Canterbury church was dissolved in 1834, Mr. Thomas serving the New Windsor church exclusively until June, 1835. Rev. James Sherwood was installed pastor August 5th, 1835, and continued in that relation until April, 1840. The pulpit was subsequently occupied by supplies-Rev. N. S. Prince, Rev. Henry Belden, Rev. Isaac C. Beach, and Rev. James Bruyn. For several years past there has been no service held, although we believe a church organization is maintained. For its connection with the Bethlehem church, and also with the Pres- byterian Church of Newburgh, the reader is referred to the history of the latter church in the history of Newburgh.
The first building erected by the society was a small structure in the village of New Windsor. It is said that it was occupied as a hospital during the encampment, and was subsequently destroyed by fire. The present edifice was erected in 1807. It is a small wooden structure with spire, and adjoins the present village on the west. In the ancient burial ground which forms a part of its real estate, the oldest monument is that which records the resting place of John Yelverton, one of the founders of the village, who died June 12, 1767, aged (74) years.
95
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
LITTLE BRITAIN CHURCH.
The Associate Reformed Church of Little Britain, familiarly known .as the "Little Britain Church," was one of the organized results of the missionary labors of Rev. Robert Annan, who came over from Scotland in 1761, and who, before the expiration of ten years, established preach- ing stations throughout the district from Little Britain to Blooming- burgh. In 1765, societies of sufficient strength had been formed at Little Britain and in Wallkill to erect houses of worship, and to war- rant the calling, in 1767, of Mr. Annan to become their settled pastor, in which relation he was installed October 2, 1772, the societies being then and for many years subsequently the "Associate Reformed Church of Little Britain" and the "Associate Reformed Church of Neely- town."* Whatever may have been the status of the former from the ad- vent of Mr. Annan in 1761 to the year 1765, its records date from Sep- tember IIth of the latter year, when Patrick McClaughry sold to James Jackson, Matthew McDool (McDowell) and Andrew Crawford, a tract or parcel of land containing one acre, one road, and thenty-three perches, being part of the patent to Andrew Johnston, the intention of the pur- chasers, as expressed in the deed, being "to erect a meeting house there- upon to be appropriated to Divine service in the public worship of God, for the use of a Presbyterian minister and congregation in connection with the Associate Presbytery in Pennsylvania." On the site thus pur- chased a church edifice was erected, and was occupied by the congrega- tion until 1826. It was a square building with a barrack roof. The en- trance was by two doors on the east, on each side of which were stairs leading to galleries on the north and south sides. The pulpit was on the west and was of the old-fashioned high structures with a sounding board. On each side of the pulpit were square pews with seats on all sides so that part of the occupants had to sit with their backs to the minister. In front of the pulpit and between that and the door were long seats or slips, on each side of which were continued the box pews. On the south side of the pulpit the first pew was owned by the Mc- Dowells; the second by Robert Burnet; the next and corner pew by the Shaws and Kernochans. As it was not fully completed inside for sev- eral years after it was enclosed, descriptive recollections vary somewhat. Outside, the south and west sides were shingled ; the west and north clap-
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