USA > New York > Westchester County > Huguenots of Westchester and Parish of Fordham > Part 2
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joined the prevailing side. In these sad rela- tions we see what afflictions many have en- dured for the Gospel's sake. Numbers of the Huguenots embarked for America, and intro- duced the mechanical arts which they prac- tised at home, thereby benefiting their adopt- ed country ; among whom were the ancestors of those who settled in Westchester County, where they founded a village, which they named 'New-Rochelle,' after their strong- hold in France. Rochelle was the last to sub- mit to the tyrant's yoke."
The city of Rochelle is situated in the de- partment of Lower Charente, on the Atlantic Ocean, and is celebrated in French history for its defence in favor of the Huguenots when the Roman Catholics, under Richelieu, in 1627, besieged it. Being at length reduced by famine, and the loss of fifteen thousand lives, they capitulated, and, escaping from France, they sought asylum in every Protest- ant country in Europe. Many crossed the Atlantic, among whom were the few that set- tled in Westchester County, where they built
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the town which they named after the last stronghold in their native land. Among the Huguenot families who settled here was that of De Lancey, whose ancestor, Etienne or Ste- phen De Lancey, came from Caen, in Nor- mandy, and some of his descendants still hold valuable possessions in the county, among whom is the present Bishop of Western New- York, to whom this little work is legitimately inscribed.
The Huguenots' first care was to appropri- ate a portion of their possessions for the sup- port of a minister, for which purpose one hun- dred acres of glebe was attached to the small frame church they erected. Not satisfied with such an humble structure, they resolved to build one of stone; and so zealous were the parishioners for the promotion of the good work that even the female portion of the con- gregation repaired to the undertaking, and carried mortar in their aprons to their sons and husbands.
Men of stern and religious principles, they soon erected a church that did credit to their
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sincerity ; it was situated in the rear of the Mansion House, and was opened for divine worship A.D. 1692. The services were con- ducted according to the Reformed Protestant Church of France.
In 1709, the New-Rochelle congregation, following the example of some of their reformed brethren in Europe, conformed to the Church of England, and agreed to adopt her " Liturgy and Rites," as by law estab- lished.
Among the families then worshipping here we meet the following familiar names : Bleecker, Lispenard, Guion, Bertain, Le Conté, Nicolle, Angevine, Gallaudet, and Barteau.
The Rev. David Bonrepos, D.D., who had accompanied the refugees in their exile, was appointed first pastor. He preached to the Huguenots in Staten Island, and may be considered the earliest French missionary.
The Rev. Daniel Boudet was the second minister of the church of New-Rochelle.
Colonel Heathcote thus describes this zeal- 3
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ous clergyman : "He is a good man, and preaches very intelligibly in English, which language he uses every third Sabbath, when he avails himself of the Liturgy ; he has done a great deal of service since his arrival in this country. His pay is only thirty pounds per annum." In the year 1714, M. Boudet took the spiritual charge of the Mohegans, or River Indians. In his reports he states that there were fifty communicants in his church, and he asks for an English Bible and some Books of Common Prayer. After laboring here twen- ty-seven years, he died in the sixty-ninth year of his age, A.D. 1722.
The third minister in New-Rochelle was the Rev. Pierre Stouppe, A.M. He gives some interesting information in a letter dated December eleventh, 1727, concerning the early settlement of New-Rochelle. He writes : "The present number of inhabitants is about four hundred; there is one dozen houses round the church, near each other, which gives the place the appearance of a town. There are several French families set-
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tled within bounds of the settlement, who worship with the congregation. Such was the commencement of the beautiful and pictu- resque village of New-Rochelle. More than a century and a half have passed away since its founders immigrated to America, and their noble and holy principles have left good in- fluences, evidently discernible in the refine- ment, morals, and religion of their descend- ants, still bearing their patronymics. Let it never be forgotten that the Bible came with these early settlers, and was the foundation of their legislation. The Dutch and Lutheran families generally unite with the church when the service is performed in English, and they bring their children to be baptized by the French ministers." There was no school in the place, and the parents supplied the defi- ciency by instructing their children. There were about one hundred slaves in the settle- ment, who were taught to read by their mis- tresses, and were baptized and admitted to the communion.
During the French war (A.D. 1758) great
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changes took place in the church ; many of the congregation enlisted in the army, and several were removed by death. In July, 1760, the revered and venerable Pierre Stouppe rested from his labors on earth, leaving behind him a reputation unsullied by a stain, after having, for the long period of thirty-seven years, faith- fully discharged the duties of his mission. He was greatly respected by his people, and, at the time of his death, the number of his communicants amounted to eighty. As a mark of respect, his remains were interred under the chancel where he had so long offi- ciated. Mr. Stouppe's successor was the
Rev.
Michael
Houdin, A.M.,
who
was
the last French preacher in New-Rochelle. This zealous missionary was born in France,
in 1705. At the commencement of the war between France and Great Britain, he quitted Canada, where he first settled, and went to New-York, where he read his recantation, be-
ing previously a member of the Church of Rome. Having attained great proficiency in the English language, he was invited to Tren-
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ton, New-Jersey, to take charge of a congre- gation, and to labor as a missionary among the Huguenots in that State. When Mr. Houdin and his wife reached New-York, in June, 1744, Governor Clinton, suspicious of all Frenchmen, confined the strangers to their lodgings, and set two sentinels to guard them. His Excellency summoned them before him, when Mr. Houdin first informed him that the French intended to attack Oswego with eight hundred men, being long desirous of possessing that town. After filling the office of missionary for some years, in Jersey, he was employed, in 1759, as a guide to General Wolfe, in his ex- pedition against Quebec. Before he under- took this business, he preached to the Provin- cial troops destined for Canada, in St. Peter's Church, Westchester, from St. Matthew, 10 : 28: "Fear not them which kill the body." This church, at that time, was the only parochial place of worship in a district of many miles, including Fordham, New-Ro- chelle, West-Farms, etc. The chaplain escaped the danger of the war; but the gallant Wolfe
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fell, mortally wounded, at the moment of vic- tory, on the Heights of Abraham, September thirteenth, 1759. After the reduction of Que- bec, he asked permission to return to his mis- sion again, but General Murray would not con- sent, as there was no other person who could be relied on, for intelligence, concerning the French movements. " When Mr. Houdin re- turned to New-York, he was appointed "itin- erant missionary " to New-Rochelle, by the " Venerable Society ". in England, in conse- quence of his being capable of transacting business equally well in French and Eng- lish.
Mr. Houdin, returning to New-York in 1761, was appointed to the mission at New- Rochelle, which village, as well as Fordham, was considered within the spiritual jurisdic- tion of Westchester Village, then the only parish in the county. The French church was named " Trinity," and received, at this time, a charter from George the Third, which docu- ment the present corporation enjoys with all its trusts and powers. The charter is dated
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1762. In 1763, the Calvinists used unlawful methods to obtain possession of the glebe
lands. These Calvinists were the few Protestant French families who had not con- formed to the Church of England, and of whom Mr. Houdin remarks: "Seeing the Cal- vinists will not agree upon any terms of peace proposed to them, we are in hopes that the strong bleeding of their purses will bring them to an agreement through the meshes of the law." Our missionary continued his pious offices among the people of New-Rochelle until October, 1766, when death relieved him from his labors.
He was a man of consid- erable learning and research, as well as of irreproachable character. He was not ex- celled in zeal and energy by any of his prede- cessors in the Huguenot ministry, and was followed to the grave by the regrets of his numerous parishioners. He was interred un- der the chancel of the old French church, in the same grave with Boudet and Stouppe. Since the removal of the sacred edifice, to make way for the high-road to Boston, the
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mortal remains of these faithful and pious laborers, in the service of their Master, repose beneath the public way, and not a memorial stone marks the spot where they lie, or com- memorates their usefulness, excellence, or piety. Such should not be the case; but some modest monument might be erected to mark the hal- lowed spot where the first Huguenot preach- ers were interred. Mr. Houdin's funeral ser- mon was preached by the Rev. Henry Munro, A.M., of Yonkers, from Hosea, 4 : 12: "Pre- pare to meet thy God."
From the death of Mr. Houdin until the Revolution, services were performed in French and English by the Rev. Mr. Seabury, rector of the parish. Mr. Seabury was after- ward consecrated a bishop, and was the first American that was so dignified.
In a letter, dated October first, 1768, Bishop Seabury writes : "As there is a number of strolling teachers who ramble through the country preaching at private houses for the sake of making proselytes and collecting money, I have thought it best to visit them
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occasionally, as well to prevent any ill effects that might arise, and also for the sake of a number of well-disposed persons who live there. I shall, however, carefully attend to the caution you give, not to neglect particular care of East and West-Chester."
During the Revolutionary War the French Church was closed, and its congregation scat- tered. After peace was proclaimed a parish at New-Rochelle was regularly organized un- der the name of Trinity parish," and the Royal
* During the ministry of Mr. Bayard, the present Trinity was erected in New-Rochelle. In 1827, he changed the field of his ministry to Geneva, New-York, and thence to Genesee, and during 1830 reorganized St. Clement's, New-York. In 1840 he made a tour through Europe to Syria and the Holy Land for health. After four months' absence, and on his re- turn, he died at sea, September second. In 1827, the Rev. Lawson Carter, A.M., was called to fill the vacant parish, re- signing 1839, when the Rev. Thomas W. Coit, D.D., became rector, and, in 1849, the Rev. Richard U. Morgan, D.D., as- sumed the duties of the parish, who continues the excellent pastor of this time-honored flock. In a recent visit to New- Rochelle, I found the original bell, presented to the French Church Du St. Esprit, New-York, by Sir Henry Ashurst, of
3*
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Charter granted in 1762 was confirmed by Governor Clinton, in 1793. What was left of the French congregation became Episcopalians, and from 1781 to 1786 the Rev. Andrew Fow- ler officiated as rector of the new parish ; he was ordained by Bishop Provost." Rev. Mr. Bar- tow, the first minister of St. Peter's, West- chester, who labored here for thirty years, sleeps in the cemetery of Trinity, not far from the old French Church. Since the organiza- tion of Trinity Parish the following ministers have been rectors: Rev. Andrew Fowler, Rev. Mr. Bartow, Rev. Renaud Kearney
London. It now calls the people to the Lord's house, as it did more than a century ago in our city. It bears this legend :
"SAMUEL NEWTON MADE ME, 1706."
The Communion plate, a large silver chalice and paten, was the gift of " Good Queen Anne."
There are many descendants of the Huguenots in New- Rochelle, and such children should venerate and imitate the piety of their ancestors, who were providentially led, like Moses and the Israelites, from oppression and bondage to the land of deliverance-the Canaan in this Western world !
The Clove, 1863.
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A.M., Rev. Lewis Pintard Bayard, A.M. He was of Huguenot descent, and removed to New-York, where he was rector of St. Cle- ment's. He went to the Holy Land for his health, and was returning to America, but never reached it. He died on the passage, and was succeeded by the Rev. Dr. Coit ; he removed to Hartford, and the Rev. Thomas W. Coit, D. D., was succeeded by the Rev. Richard U. Morgan, D. D., the present incum- bent.
Previous to the erection of their church in New-Rochelle, these exiles used to attend wor- ship in New-York, a distance of eighteen miles, travelling afoot, along roads scarcely passable ; this would not be credible were it not well authenticated by contemporary history : this fact is attested to by the celebrated Huguenot,
John Pintard, LL.D., the founder of the His- torical Society, who thus writes in his Recol- lections : "The holy sacrament was adminis- tered to the Huguenots, at New-Rochelle, four times a year, namely, Christmas, Easter, Whit- suntide, and the middle of September. Dur-
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ing the intermissions that occurred, the com- municants walked to New-York for that pur- pose. Prior to their departure on Sunday, they always collected the young children, and left them in the care of friends, while they set off early in the morning, and walked to the city barefooted, carrying their shoes and stock- ings in their hands; they were accustomed to stop at a rock, about twelve miles from the city, to rest and take refreshments, where they put on their shoes and pursued their journey, and arrived at the French Church in time for service. The earliest French Church in New- York was in Marketfield street, near the Bat- tery. It was a very humble edifice, but still, being the house of God, sufficient to attract the worshippers from Staten Island and New- Rochelle on the Sabbath, where they used to chant Marot's hymns-those animating strains that had so often cheered their pious fathers at the stake in the time of the bloody perse- cutions of their fatherland. With these hymns in their heads, and the little Testa- ments which they brought from France, con-
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cealed in their hair, they enjoyed that peace of mind which passeth knowledge, unknown to their persecutors."
The next place of worship occupied by the Huguenots, was in Pine street. Pressed by the encroachments of commerce, they sold the ground, and built a handsome church in Franklin street, which has passed away to other hands, and they now worship in L'Eglise du Saint Esprit, in Twenty-second street - a building every way commensurate with the advance in arts and civilization. The present rector is the Rev. Dr. Verren.
In the year 1685, the Rev. Mr. Neau, with his wife and daughter, left France for Amer- ica, accompanied by other Huguenots. The Rev. Mr. Vesey, the first rector of Trinity Church, in New-York, appointed Mr. Neau his catechist, which office he filled for several years, and he might be considered the founder of Trinity School-an institution distinguished among the noble charities of our city. This excellent man closed his profitable life in 1722, and was buried near the northern porch
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of old Trinity, where he had long worshipped and served. A granddaughter of his married the brave Captain Oliver H. Perry, who was ever ready to defend his country, and their only daughter, Elizabeth Mason Perry, mar- ried the Rev. Francis Vinton, D.D., of Trinity Church.
The year 1686 brought a great influx of French emigration. Many Huguenot families who had taken refuge in the Islands of St. Christopher and Martinique, transferred their residence to New-York ; among these was Johannes De la Montaigne, who was appoint- ed a member of the Privy Council by Gov- ernor Kieft. He purchased a farm, at Harlem, of two hundred acres, for seven hundred and twenty dollars; it was situated on the Eighth avenue, between Ninety-third street and Har- lem river. So happy did he feel in this new home, that he called it "Vredendal," or Valley of Peace. Numerous descendants of this worthy Huguenot emigrant are residing among us, but some have adopted abbreviat- ed names.
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HUGUENOTS OF WESTCHESTER.
What a striking exemplification of humility, zeal, and devotion, do we witness in these ex- iles from their friends and country, for con- science' sake ! Peace did not always reign in the Huguenot community, verifiing the words of Christ when he stated : "I come not to send peace on earth, but a sword." Among the ministers who took charge in the French con- gregation, was the Rev. Louis Rou, of the Protestant French Reformed Church. Dur- ing his administration, a great excitement oc- curred, arising from a party question; the merits of the case were as follows : Stephen De Lancey, a wealthy merchant, and among the chief patrons of the church, was dissatis- fied with Mr. Rou, and procured his dismissal for his want of zeal, and some innovations which he had introduced to the church disci- pline. The deposed minister appealed from the decision of the congregation, to Governor Burnet and his council, who sustained the ap- pellant. Both parties published indignant memorials on a dispute which had proceeded so far, that when De Lancey was elected to
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the Legislative Assembly, the Governor re- fused to administer to him the oath of office, alleging that he was not a British subject. De Lancey contended that he had left France previous to the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and had received denizenship, under the great seal of Great Britain, from James the Second, previous to his abdication. De Lancey was proved to be right, and the As- sembly sustained his claims against the Gov- ernor. Mr. Rou's assistant, the Rev. Mr. Moulinard, took part against his superior. The consistory stated that they had paid Mr. Rou in full of all demands, and could dismiss him when they pleased. Still, the council decided in Mr. Rou's favor, and directed that the ministers who should officiate on the following Sabbath in the church, must proclaim the same decision publicly, after divine service in the forenoon. All these efforts, however, did not produce reconcilia- tion, as Mr. Moulinard was much opposed to the Church of England.
In the rear of the church was the old French
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burying-ground, and here repose many of the Huguenots till the resurrection at the Arch- angel's trump on the last day. On the ancient monuments are still legible the following in- scriptions : " Voici le corp de Susanna Lan- drin, ag. de 18." " Voici le corp de Isaac Cou- tant, ag. 50." " Here lies the body of André Renaud, who departed this life on Friday, ye 2 day of Dec. A.D. 1758, aged 25 years." The baptismal registry does not commence until the year 1724, and, for the information of those curious in the olden times, we copy one entry :
Ce Dimanche 14 Mars, 1724, a eté baptisé sortie service du matin, fils de Thomas Wallis and Madelaine sa femme, le Peter a eté pre- senté au saint baptême par Denys Woert- man et Elizabeth sa femme Panain et Mar- raine le dit Peter est né le six du dit mois.
THOMAS WALLIS, PETER STEUPPE,
DENNIS WOERTMAN,
ISAAC Q UANTAIN,
ELIZABETH X mark.
her WOERTMAN,
Ancien.
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The congregation consists (says Mr. Sea- bury) of about two hundred persons, French and English. The French understand English tolerably well. The greater part would pre- fer an English to a French minister, except about six old persons, who only understand French.
The harmony of the French colony was much disturbed by reports, carefully circu- lated, that they were inviting an invasion of New-York by their compatriots in Canada. In order to avoid the odium which must nec- essarily arise from this scandal, they called a meeting and framed the following address :
To HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CORNBURY, GOV- ERNOR OF NEW-YORK :
We, the undersigned, pray your Excel- lency to inquire into the report that we were inviting our countrymen to invade this prov- ince ; the report has been spread throughout the whole State, and proves pernicious to all the French refugees in general, and disturbs their peace and quiet, as it obstructs that
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affection and familiarity which they had for- merly enjoyed with the other inhabitants of this province, to their grief and resentment. We pray your Excellency to instruct your printer to publish the result, for the pleasure and vindication of our reputation in this re- spect. And your Petitioners, as in all duty bound, will ever pray.
STEPHEN DE LANCEY, JOHN AMBOYNEAUX,
THOMAS BAYEUX, ALEXANDER ALLAIRE,
BENJAMIN FANEUIL.
It is much to the credit of the Huguenots in New-Rochelle, that under all difficulties, they attended to the interests of the church. In evidence we give the following document : TO THE HON. COL. CALEB HEATHCOTE, AND COL. LEWIS MORRIS, ETC., GREETING :
We are informed of your pious design to build a church for the worship and service of God, and use the Liturgy of the Church of England. We grant you a license to erect such church in such part of the town as you
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think fit; but said church must not exceed thirty feet in breadth, and forty in length. We give you authority to collect such money from all who are disposed to give it. Given under our hand and seal, this second day of August, 1710.
In pursuance of this license, we, the trus- tees, have agreed to build a church in the town of New-Rochelle, in the county of West- chester, the said church to be forty feet in length and thirty feet in breadth, between the dwelling-houses of Francis Le Conte and Zachary Ansevain, as judging it the most con- venient place.
ANDREW NAUDAINE, CALEB HEATHCOTE, LEWIS MORRIS.
Having given what we conceive to be the most interesting details connected with the Huguenot settlement in Westchester County, we shall take a retrospective view of these interesting people before they sought an asy- lum in our land.
Huguenot was the name given to the pro-
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fessors of the Reformed or Calvinistic religion in France. The origin of the name is various- ly accounted for; some attributing it to a professor or leader of the name of Hugo, while others state that it is derived from the Ger- man word, " Eidgenossen," (bound together by oath,) which was the same name assumed by the confederate cantons of Switzerland, and which was afterward adopted by those citi- zens of Geneva who promoted the alliance of that republic with the cantons of Friburg and Bern, in opposition to the partisans of the Duke of Savoy, who were named Mamelucs, that is, slaves. The word "Eidgenossen" being introduced into the French language, was cor- rupted first into "Eguenots," and afterward to Huguenots, and the latter name they ever retained. When the Reformation began at Geneva, the party which favored it being, in a great measure, that which had supported the Swiss alliance, retained the appellation above mentioned, and as several of the French Re- formers came from Geneva, or were connected in some way with Switzerland, the name ex-
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tended to France, and was applied to the par tisans of religious reform during the times of settarian wars and persecution.
The Roman Catholics used the name of Huguenot as a word of reproach against the heretics. The epithet has become . obsolete, and has been substituted by that of the "Re- formés," or the reformed, which is given to the disciples of Calvin, or of the church of Geneva, in contradistinction to that of the Lutherans or Protestants, properly so called. The wars and persecutions of the Huguenots are mentioned in the articles of Bartholomew. In public documents the Huguenots were styled : " Ceux de la religion pretendue re- formée." The principles of Luther and Zuin- glius had gained an entrance into France dur- ing the reign of Francis the First, and shortly before the extinction of the House of Valois, which terminated on the death of Henry the Third, son of Henry the Second and Catherine de Medicis. Protestantism increased rapidly in France ; to check which the barbarous mas- sacre of St. Bartholomew was devised by the
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