USA > New York > Niagara County > Landmarks of Niagara County, New York > Part 13
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Journal and Courier, and the weekly the Niagara Intelligencer. The name of the weekly was afterwards changed to the Niagara Journal, and the daily to the Lockport Daily Journal. In 1861 Mr. Freeman sold his interest to A. Holly, who a few months later sold to James W. Barker. On the night of May 3, 1863, the establishment was de- stroyed by fire, causing a heavy loss. The proprietors then purchased the lot on which the Journal building was erected. New materials were purchased and the paper prospered more than before. In July, 1864, Mr. Barker sold his interest to M. C. Richardson, who continued sole proprietor, and in 1869 erected the present Journal building. In 1870 Joseph A. Ward purchased a quarter interest in the establishment and became business manager. In the spring of 1871 Willard A. Cobb, for several years previous proprietor of the Dunkirk Journal, pur- chased of Mr. Richardson a quarter interest and became associate editor of the paper.
Messrs. Ward & Cobb purchased Mr. Richardson's interest in the plant in 1880, and since that time they have been and still are sole pro- prietors of the Journal.
While the firm's interests are mutual, Mr. Ward has special charge of the business department. Mr. Ward was formerly connected with the Niagara County National Exchange Bank of Lockport and has always enjoyed the reputation of being an unusually successful business man.
Hon. Willard A. Cobb, one of the owners of the Lockport Journal, was born in Rome, N. Y., was educated in Rome Academy and Ham- ilton College, graduating from the latter institution in 1864. He im- mediately entered upon editorial work, first as a reporter on the Chicago Post, and afterwards as associate editor of the Racine Advo- cate, city editor of the Utica Morning Herald, editor of the Dunkirk Journal, associate editor and finally editor-in-chief of the Lockport Journal. Aside from his editorial labor Mr. Cobb has been active in the political field, served his district two years on the Republican State Committee, and has frequently been a delegate to Republican State and local conventions. In 1879 he made an extensive tour of Europe contributing interesting letters to his journal. Mr. Cobb was a member of the State Board of Regents from 1884 to 1893 when he resigned
JOSEPH A. WARD.
WILLARD A. COBB.
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from that body to accept a place upon the State Civil Service Com- mission, to which he was appointed by Governor Morton. He was sub- sequently appointed president of that commission.
Mr. Cobb has at this present time been engaged in journalism for up- wards of thirty years. He is generally recognized as one of the ablest and most forcible editorial writers in the Empire State.
The Lockport Niagaran .- The first issue of a weekly publication established by Messrs. George S. Gooding, Quincey G. T. Parker and Homer D. Upson, was printed on March 7, 1891. It entered the sea ot newspaperdom with about six hundred subscribers. Its subscription price was fifty cents per annum. It was a five-column, four page sheet devoted entirely to local news-independent Republican in poli- tics. Within a month after it was started Mr. Upson withdrew from the partnership and Messrs. Gooding and Parker continued the publica- tion together for one year, then Mr. Parker sold his interest in the paper to Mr. Gooding, who enlarged it to the regulation size, six column folio, and continued to so publish it for two years. During these two years Mr. Gooding branched out into the job printing business. He met with excellent success and found that job printing in Lockport was more remunerative than publishing a weekly newspaper, so at the be- ginning of Vol. IV. of the Niagaran he reduced it to a four-column monthly publication and so issued it for one year. Then it was discon- tinued. From a small outfit in an upper room in the brick building corner of Lock and Ontario streets, by earnest efforts and perseverance Mr. Gooding built up a good printing business, and added to the plant until he had one of the finest and best equipped offices in the city. In January, 1896, he sold his office, then located on the ground floor at No. 39 Pine street, McRae block, to W. H. Mackenzie. Later in the year Mr. Mackenzie sold the plant to Adolph Laux, who removed it to his bookbinding establishment, No. 22 Main street, where it remains.
The Lockport Daily Review was first issued on March 27, 1895, and was started by six members of the printing business, namely : John M. Smith, R. C. Wilson, J W. Jenss, F. H. Fogal, Eugene Kearns and T. T. Feeley. The Review, contrary to predictions, steadily gained in favor, and to day stands as one of the best papers in Western New
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York. In size it is a four-page, eight columns. The Review was started on the co operative plan, but after a year it was changed to an incorporated body. Dr. E. W. Gantt was the editor-in chief from its conception uutil July 12, 1896, when he resigned. The Review is independent in politics and its motto, " Lockport first, last, and all the time," is strictly lived up to. The plant now occupies two floors of the Van Wagoner building, and a good job plant is run in connection with the paper.
The Niagara Semi-Weekly Review, published Wednesday and Sat- urday, is an off-shoot of the daily. It was started a year ago and has now a large circulation. The present officers and equal stockholders of the company are : President, John M. Smith ; vice-president, R. C. Wilson ; secretary-treasurer, J. W. Jenss ; manager, T. T. Feeley ; John Tierney, John Berry and George S. Gooding. Brief sketches of several newspaper editors and publishers, connected with the Lockport press, may be found in Part II of this work.
Lockport was without local banking facilities until 1828, in which year the bank of Lockport was organized and incorporated. The Lockport Bank and Trust Company and the Canal Bank were organ- ized about the year 1838 ; the Western Bank in 1850, and the Cataract Bank in 1862. The Lockport City Bank was incorporated in 1858 and continued in business until 1866. These institutions supplied financial accommodations to the place for longer or shorter periods, but all long ago passed out of existence.
The National Exchange Bank was incorporated as a State institution in 1844, and was changed to a national bank in 1865. The capital is $150,000. The institution has been managed most judiciously and for the best interests of the community. The present officers are as follows : Timothy E. Ellsworth, president ; C. M. Van Valkenburgh, vice-president ; William E. McComb, cashier. These with John R. Redfield, Joseph A. Ward, and John E. Pound constitute the board of directors.
The First National Bank was organized in December, 1865, with capital of $200,000. George W. Bowen was the first president, and John O. Noxen the first cashier. It was subsequently changed to the
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Merchants' Bank, as a State institution, and closed its career in Octo- ber, 1893, in the hands of a receiver.
The Niagara County National Bank was organized December 6, 1864, with a capital of $150,000. The first officers were Thomas T. Flagler, president; Daniel A. Van Valkenburgh, vice- president ; James R. Compton, cashier. The present officers are as follows: T. T. Flagler, president; T. E. Ellsworth, vice president ; J. R. Compton, cashier ; T. T. Flagler, T. E. Ellsworth, T. N. Van Valkenburgh, H. H. Flagler, Charles M. Van Valkenburgh, Ransom Scott and D. Van Shuler, directors.
The Farmers' and Mechanics' Savings Bank was chartered May II, 1870. The first officers were Jason Collier, president; Silas Osgood and John Hodge, vice-presidents; Edward Voke, secretary and treas- urer ; George C. Green, attorney. The bank was opened for business August 1, 1870. In the following December a lot was purchased and a building thereon was remodeled for banking purposes. The present officers of the company are as follows: Isaac H. Babcock, president ; Benjamin F. Gaskill, first vice-president; David D. Crosby, second vice-president ; J. E. Emerson, secretary and treasurer ; Barnett D. Hall, Willard T. Ransom, B. F. Gaskill, Harrison S. Chapman, Isaac H. Babcock, J. E. Emerson, David D. Crosby, E. Achley Smith, George H. Moody, William A. Williams, Charles A. Hoag, Henry Grigg, Joseph Dumville, jr., directors. The bank has a surplus of $138,987.10.
The Lockport Banking Association, composed of several prominent citizens, began business as a private banking institution April 8, 1882. It has gone out of business.
The banking office of S. Curt Lewis was opened for business in May, 1876, and has continued to the present time.
CHURCHES .- The first house of worship built in the village of Lock- port was the log meeting house of the Society of Friends; it cost $300 and stood on the lot now bounded by Main, Market and Elm streets, containing two acres, which was purchased for $24. Under the regu- lation of the Holland Company this religious society was entitled to a donation of one hundred acres of land for building the first church in the town. The society, however, declined the donation, on the ground
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that it would act as a payment for preaching, to which they were op- posed.
The First Presbyterian church was organized chiefly through the ef- forts of Rev. David M. Smith, who was installed pastor of the church in Lewiston in 1817. The society which had been organized at Lockport was taken in charge of the Niagara Presbytery in 1823, when there were twenty- nine members. A small church was built on the court house square and the society availed itself of the offer of the Holland Company, which had been declined by the Society of Friends, and selected a tract of land two miles south of the city which was afterwards sold for $1,000 and the money used for the building. The first settled pastor was Rev. Abatus Kent, who began his service early in 1823. Within the next few years the membership greatly increased, and in 1830 the society built a brick church on the corner of Ontario and Church streets, the site of their later edifice. In 1832 the membership had reached 355. Between 1834 and 1838 two distinct elements were developed in the society which it seemed impossible to harmonize The disagreement culminated in the minority asking letters to form another church, which were granted, and they organized the First Congregational church. Under the long pastorate of Rev. William C. Wisner, who began in May, 1842, the congregation was most prosperous and outgrew the old church. In 1855 the present spacious edifice was erected on the site. Gardner Memorial chapel, in rear of the church, was built and dedicat- ed in 1890.
On the 13th of April, 1816, John Uptold, a missionary from the Ham- ilton Baptist Missionary Society, visited the vicinity of Lockport, where five believers in that faith met and formed the nucleus of a church; the society was regularly organized with twelve members in March, 1817. In the next month the name Cambria Baptist church was adopted and Samuel Alvord was licensed to preach. During a number of years the meetings were held in divers places ; the first one held in Lockport was on December 6, 1824, when the membership was about fifty. On the 30th of July, 1825, the name of the church was changed to the Lock- port Baptist church. A committee to select a site for a church edifice was appointed in August, 1825, but the work was postponed several
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years. In 1833 a stone church was erected on Pine street, costing about $5,000. Discord was caused in this society a little prior to 1850 through the lectures of a Mr. Miller on the second advent and their acceptance by the church pastor, Rev. Elon Galusha. The trouble culminated in 1851, the church withdrew the hand of fellowship from a part of the members, gave letters to the remainder and soon afterward disbanded. At a meeting held in November of the same year a portion of those holding letters, about thirty, organized themselves under the name of the Second Baptist church of Lockport, with Rev. S. R. Mason, pastor. The society now became more harmonious and the member- ship increased. In 1867, it having become necessary to have larger accommodations, measures were adopted for building a new church. The site of the present edifice was purchased and the building erected. The reorganization mentioned was void in law and in order to properly transact business the name of the society was changed by legislative act April 23, 1867, to the Baptist church of Lockport.
In the year 1816 Rev. Daniel Shepardson traveled through Western New York and during his journeys he preached Methodism about once a month in the school house two and a half miles east of Lockport, and also near Warren's Corners. In 1823 Lockport was included in the Buffalo and Lewiston circuit, and in October of that year a society was incorporated with Samuel Leonard, Austin Atchinson, Ira Smith, Peter Aiken, William Hattan and Laban Smith, trustees. This cor- poration was subsequently dissolved, but a reorganization was effected April 30, 1827. A small church building was erected in 1824, on what is now Genesee street, between Pine and Cottage. This building was soon enlarged to accommodate the increasing congregation, but it ere long became inadequate and the site now owned by the society was purchased. A new edifice was completed in 1833 at a cost of about $10,000. Agitation of the slavery question caused a division in the church in 1840, and a second organization was made, which continued until 1846, when the dissenters disbanded and its members united with the former society. In 1854 the church edifice was burned ; the society was in debt and only about $7,000 could be raised toward building an- other. After prolonged and discouraging labor, however, the new house of worship was completed in 1857 as it now stands.
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The church edifice of St. John the Baptist (Roman Catholic) was commenced in August, 1834, on land donated by Edward Bissell and Joel McCollum ; Lyman A. Spalding gave the church another lot which was sold for its benefit. The edifice was completed at a great deal of sacrifice and was enlarged to its later size prior to 1842. A stone house was also built for the pastoral residence. The initial steps toward build- ing a new church were taken in 1856, and during the pastorate of Father Gleason, beginning in 1860, the edifice was erected. In 1866 the bishop opened the old church, which had been occupied by the Sisters ; they removed to the land purchased for their school on Church street. Under the pastorate of Father Byrnes, beginning in 1867, the old church was improved and made suitable for services. It is still in use by the St. John's society. Rev. M. J. Darcy has been pastor of this church for the past twenty years, and under him the edifice was completed in its present form. A successful parochial school is main- tained in a building adjoining the church. St. Patrick's society was organized and the church erected in 1856, but was completed in its present form under the pastorate of Rev. P. J. Cannon, who has served more than twenty years. The German Catholic parish of St. Mary's was organized in 1860 and used first a frame church in Buffalo street; this was superseded in 1885 by the present brick structure.
The First Free Congregational church of Lockport was organized June 7, 1838. The word "Free" indicates the convictions which the church held respecting the question of slavery. The first house of worship was dedicated July 23, 1840, on the site of the present building. It was destroyed by fire November 2, 1854. On October 15, 1857, the present stone structure was dedicated. The following have been the pastors and supplies of the church :
Rev. William Bacon, 1838-41; Rev. W. Rosevelt, 1841-42; Rev. William Curry, :842-44; Rev. Edgar Perkins, 1844-49; Rev. Edward W. Gilman, 1849-56; Rev. J. D. Potter, Rev. F. W. Brauns and others supplies during 1857; Rev. Joseph L. Ben- nett, 1857-1871; Rev. James W. Cooper, 1871-78; Rev. Ezra Tinker supplied for one year. Rev. Edward B. Furbish, 1879-89; Rev. J. W. Bailey, 1890-97.
The pastor, Rev. John W. Bailey, was born in Galesburg, Ill., No- vember 25, 1854. In 1875 he graduated from Blackburn University, Carlinville, Ill. From the same institution three years later he received the degree of A. M. After graduating he entered a business house in
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Alton, Ill., in the capacity of bookkeeper. After this he was appointed principal of one of the ward schools in Alton, and later became the superintendent of public schools in Carlinville, Ill. He entered Lane Theological Seminary at Cincinnati, O., graduating in 1882, and was immediately ordained by the Presbytery of Columbus, O. He then accepted a call to the pastorate of the First Presbyterian church in Cambridge City, Ind. In 1886 he was called to the First Congrega- tional church in West Rutland, Vt., and in 1890 accepted a call to become the pastor of the First Congregational church in Lockport, which position he still holds in 1897.
What was formerly the Second Presbyterian church of Lockport (now the Second Ward Presbyterian), was organized June 5, 1832. The society worshiped about five years in a building on Market street. In 1836 trouble arose in the church through the alleged teaching by the pastor (Rev. Samuel Beaman) of certain doctrines of perfectionism, and in February, 1837, the Presbytery of Niagara prescribed some articles of faith to test the soundness of the church. Only seven persons, six of whom were women, subcribed to them, and these seven were then declared to be the church. Mr. Beaman soon removed to New York city. The stone church on Van Buren street cost about $5,000 and was dedicated January 8, 1838. In De- cember, 1846, the name was changed, the church property was sold for debt and bought by a member of the society for $900. The society has passed through periods of great trial, but is now in better condition.
The Clinton Street Methodist church was organized October 16, 1855, when the following were appointed stewards: D. W. Ballou, W. R. Ford, D. B. Ingraham, J. McDonald, D. Thurber. Work upon the church edifice was soon begun and it was finished in 1856 at a cost of $4,000. It is still in use.
Missionaries of the Universalist faith first preached in Lockport about 1835. The first minister here of whom there is a record was Rev. Job Potter, who preached in the winter of 1836-7, holding meetings in the court house. A society was organized at about that time under the name of the First Universalist Society of Lockport, but interest flagged and regular preaching was soon abandoned. In the summer of 1841
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Rev. Charles Hammond, of Rochester, came to Lockport determined to form an active society. Meetings were held in the court house and in a hired hall, and were largely attended. On April 11, 1842, a society was organized with the following trustees: Daniel A. Van Valkenburgh, Harlow V. Wood, Samuel C. Stevens, David S. Crandall, Stephen B. Ballou, Abial Eastman. Preparations for building a church were begun, a lot was bought, corner of Church and Ontario streets, and between that time and the fall of 1843 the building was finished
In May, 1877, certain persons met in the southeastern part of the city for consultation regarding religious affairs in that section. As a result the South Street school house was obtained and there Rev. E. P. Marvin preached in the Presbyterian faith for one year. In October the congregation purchased that school house, and in the following month the Calvary Religious Society was organized. Soon afterward the building was enlarged fifty feet in its length. On May 5, 1878, the society was regularly organized as Calvary Presbyterian church.
The Free Methodist church was organized in 1862, with twenty-five members. Rev. C. D. Brooks was the first pastor. Meetings were held in dwellings and halls until 1866, when the house of worship was completed.
The First Evangelical Lutheran church was organized in 1837, with about one hundred members and Rev. John Selsmer, pastor. In 1838 a brick edifice was built on West Main street. This was occupied until 1850, when the present church was erected. St. Peter's German United Evangelical church was organized in 1862, and in the following year a church edifice was built on the corner of Locust and South streets. It is still used by this society.
The East Avenue Congregational church has a handsome brick edifice erected in 1890.91. The society was organized previous to that time and until the church was erected worshiped in a hall. The society is an offshoot of the First Free Congregational Society.
The German Evangelical Lutheran Trinity church was organized and built its edifice, corner of Saxton and Lagrange streets, about two years ago. Rev. Arthur Michel is pastor.
The colored people of Lockport have a religious organization in the A. M. E. United church, with a church building on South street.
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The Protestant Episcopal Church in Niagara County.1-The begin- ning of religious work in the county of Niagara, N. Y., by the Episco- pal church, dates from 1823. At that time faithful and self sacrificing men, sent by the General Board of Missions of the Diocese of New York, are found ministering at the then two most promising settlements in the county-Lockport and Lewiston. From these centers occasional ministrations were given to Royalton and Manchester (now Niagara Falls). At that time and up to 1838 the entire State of New York comprised one diocese under the title, "Diocese of New York." At the time this history begins the diocese of New York was under the Episcopal care of its third bishop, the Rt. Rev. John Henry Hobart, D.D., who died September 10, 1830 ; he was succeeded November 26, 1830, by the Rt Rev. Benjamin Tredwell Onderdonk, S. T. D .; re- signed in 1852. Since the year 1868 the State of New York has com- prised five dioceses. The first to be set off from the parent diocese was the diocese of Western New York, organized in 1838. It comprises the counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Schuyler, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates, in the State of New York. Square miles, 11,345. First bishop, the Rt. Rev. William Heathcote De Lancey, D.D., LL.D., D.C.L., born October 8, 1797. Consecrated May 9, 1839. Died April 5, 1865. Second bishop, the Rt. Rev. Arthur Cleveland Coxe, D.D, LL D Consecrated January 4, 1865. Died July 20, 1896. Present bishop, Rt. Rev. William D. Walker, D.D., LL.D., D.C.L.
A detailed history of the Episcopal church in this county is best told by an account of the several parishes in the order of their establish- ment.
It was on the 23d of February, 1829, that a number of men desirous of maintaining the services of the church, having had for a short time the ministrations of the Rev. Burton H. Hickox, organized themselves into a society under the title of "The Minister, Wardens and Vestry- men of Grace Church of Lockport." This, it will be observed, was a
1 Prepared for this work by Rev. George F. Rosenmuller, of Niagara Falls. As this history of the Episcopal church covers the whole county and is continuous, it is deemed advisable not to divide it among the several towns in which the churches are situated, as is done with other de- nominations.
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month before the village of Lockport was incorporated. The organ- ization lapsed, owing probably to its inability to maintain the stated services regularly.
In the Convention Journal of the Diocese of New York for the year ending October 1, 1830, the Rev. Lucius Smith, then rector of St. John's church, Batavia, says : " Held one service in Lower Lockport, where the service was performed for the first time, and where there is great solicitude expressed for a clergyman of our church, to whom a liberal compensation would be paid for his services." Unfortunately the date of this service is not given, but the probability appears to be that it was held in the summer of 1830.
In February, 1831, the Rev. David Brown, of Albany, settled in Lower Lockport; on August 19 of the same year he presented six persons for confirmation to Bishop Onderdonk, who on the same occa- sion laid the corner stone of the old Christ church, on its present site, corner of Market and Vine streets. The parish was organized, it is stated, in April, 1831, but the certificate of incorporation is dated Sep- tember 28, 1832. In October, 1833, it was admitted into union with the diocese. The church-of the old meeting-house style of architec- ture-had been finished for some time when on August 18 of that year Bishop Onderdonk consecrated it. It was but a few months after this that the Rev. Mr. Brown left Lockport to go to Florida, and was succeeded, July 26, 1834, by the Rev. Orange Clark The parish was burdened with debt, discouraged, but under the new rector made rapid strides in prosperity and growth.
This brings us back to Grace church. How long the first organiza- tion mentioned at the outset continued, we have no means of knowing ; as said before, it lapsed. But the church people of Upper Lockport resolved on a second effort, and by the kind assistance of the new rector of Christ church, who presided at the meeting, they formed a parish ever since known as Grace church. This was February 9, 1835, in "the long room over George H. Boughton's store," which was their place of worship for some time after, until a wooden church, 35 by 56 feet, erected on the corner of Buffalo and Saxton streets, was ready to re- ceive the growing congregation. It was on August 12, 1838, that Bishop Onderdonk, on what proved to be his last visitation, consecrated
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