USA > New York > Niagara County > Landmarks of Niagara County, New York > Part 15
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After a very useful pastorate the Rev. J. M. Clark resigned as rector August 1, 1858. He was succeeded March 20, 1859, by the Rev. W. O. Jarvis, who held the rectorship until February 22, 1863. The Rev. O. F. Starkey having been elected to the vacant rectorship, en- tered upon his duties June 1, 1863. His work was of a most excellent and substantial character and lasted till his resignation December I, 1869. During his rectorship, and through his efforts, the brick build- ing adjoining St. Peter's church was purchased to be used as a school for young ladies. It was given the title, " The Jerauld Institute." The Rev. M. A. Johnson succeeded as rector February 23. 1870. In 1871
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the project of a new site and new church was commenced. In 1872 a building committee was appointed consisting of the rector and the Messrs. D. J. Townsend, D. R. Jerauld and S. M. N. Whitney. Mr. Henry Dudley of New York was chosen architect, and the new site, corner Second and Union streets, was purchased, and on September 16, 1872, ground was broken for the new foundation by the rector in the name of the Triune God. On Ascension Day, May 22, 1873, the corner stone of the new church was laid by the Rt. Rev. A. Cleveland Coxe, D.D., LL.D., bishop of Western New York, assisted by the rector and a number of visiting clergy. The topmost cross of the tower was set in its place by the rector in the name of the Undivided Trinity, July 15, 1874. Externally the building was complete, but for financial reasons the interior remained unfinished. But finally having completed everything, and every debt paid, the first service in the new and impos- ing building was the service of consecration held All Saint's Day, No- vember I, 1880. The Rev. M. A. Johnson resigned his rectorship November 1, 1874, and was succeeded November 29, 1874, by the Rev. Edward Ingersol, D. D., late rector of Trinity church, Buffalo. He continued in charge until March 1, 1878. On the same date the Rev. Stephen H. Battin, by appointment of the bishop, became rector, which office he resigned May 1, 1880. August 22, 1880, the Rev. Robert B. Wolsely entered in charge of the parish. During his term of office the last service, November 1, 1880, was held in the old church, and the new church consecrated the same day. By his earnest efforts a vested choir was introduced, and in the fall of 1881 a choral festival of united vested choirs was held in St. Peter's church. His health failing him, he was compelled to resign as rector September 10, 1882. The present rector, the Rev. George Frederick Rosenmuller, formerly rector of Sayre, Pa., entered upon his duties All Saint's Day, November 1, 1882. The parish is in possession of an elegant and valuable property, consisting of church, chapel and rectory, representing $70,000. Within recent years a fund for the erection of a parish guild house, and an endow- ment fund for parish purposes have been started. This latter fund is in charge of three trustees, one of which is elected annually by the con- gregation. The list of actual communicants now numbers 270. The officers of the corporation are from among the leading men of the city.
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They are, beside the rector Messrs. S. M. N. Whitney and L. W. Pette- bone as wardens. The vestrymen are the Messrs. John S. Macklin, W. Caryl Ely, Peter A. Porter, Joseph Sturdy, W. A. Brackenridge, Rich- ard F. Rankine, F. L. Lovelace, H. Neilson. The congregation is one of the largest in the city, and is a prominent factor in every good work for the general good.
February 9, 1896, Rev. George F. Rosenmuller, the rector of St. Peter's church, Niagara Falls, began holding services at Echota every Sunday afternoon, which, with the intermission of the summer months, has been maintained. From the above date to July 19, 1896, these services were held at the home of Mr. Lafferty, No. 8, A street, and from December 4, 1896, they have been regularly held each Satur- day afternoon in the Town Hall. A Sunday school, started the lat- ter part of 1895, by Mrs. Allen and her daughter, Miss Maud, in their own house, but since December 4, 1896, held in the Town Hall, has been continued without intermission from its beginning with most en- couraging results.
St. Mark's Church, Tonawanda .- The first report of church ser- vices according to the Episcopal ritual, in Tonawanda, are made by Bishop Delancy, 1840, in his annual address to the Convention of his Diocese (Western New York), in which he names the Rev. George S. Porter, teacher of a private school in Buffalo, as having been appointed "missionary at the new station of Niagara Falls and Tonawanda, Niagara County." To that same Convention the missionary, the Rev. George S. Porter, reports having commenced his work there in June, 1840. He says, "Never before my going there had they been visited by a clergyman of the church. Population estimated at 500 or 600. No denomination is organized but the Methodists, and that but lately, and they only hold public worship once in two weeks. Communicants five, baptisms two. My services seem acceptable considering the times in which we live."
May 19, 1841, Bishop De Lancey made his first official visit to Ton- awanda, preached, and confirmed one person. The missionary, the Rev. George S. Porter, reports to the convention of 1841 having held services there every other Sunday. At the end of this year, the Rev. Mr. Porter having resigned his charge, no services appear to have been
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held at Tonawanda till 1851, when the Rev. Joseph M. Clark, rector of St. Peter's church, Niagara Falls, reports having provided services for Tonawanda, and to the next Convention of the Diocese (1852), he re- ports having held twenty-six services at Tonawanda, baptized three adults and six infants, presented six for confirmation, and administered the Holy Communion once to eight persons. Through the following year (1853), regular services were continued by the Rev. Mr. Clark, who reports ten communicants. For the year 1854 he reports having held but few services at Tonawanda, where " the strength of the church is much diminished by removals." Thereafter the same clergyman re- ports occasional services held by him at Tonawanda up to the time of his resignation of St. Peter's, Niagara Falls, August 1, 1857.
From the above date, last named, services were suspended until Sep- tember 26, 1868, when the Rev. George Pennell, A. M., rector of St. James's church, Buffalo, renewed the services of the Episcopal church, in the M. E. church of North Tonawanda. During the three months succeeding, thirteen services were held in the same place by the same clergyman, chiefly on Sunday afternoons, at other times on Friday evenings.
At the end of this period it was resolved by a number of those regularly attending the services to secure the exclusive use of a suita- ble building in which to hold the services of the church, organize a parish and obtain a resident minister. Accordingly Washington Hall was rented, the Rev. Fred. W. Raikes (deacon) was called as assistant to Rev. Mr. Pennell, beginning his pastoral labors January 18, 1869, and on Wednesday, the 17th of February following, the male members of the congregation met in said hall and organized themselves as a parish to be known in law as "The Rector, Church Wardens and Ves- trymen of St. Mark's Church, Tonawanda, Erie County, N. Y." The certificate of corporation was duly signed and the following day regis- tered in Buffalo. The names of those who were elected wardens were George W. Sherman and Col. Louis S. Payne. The names of the ves- trymen were Calvert G. Lane, Garwood L. Judd, Decimus R. Bur- rowes, William H. Vickers and James Sweeney. The Rev. Mr. Pen- nell resigned as rector September I, of the same year, and the Rev. Mr. Raikes was appointed minister in charge. The only members of
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the first vestry living and residents are Col. L. S. Payne and Hon. G. L. Judd; Mr. James Sweeney now resides in Buffalo and is a member of the vestry of St. Paul's church.
The Rev. Mr. Raikes resigned the charge of the parish April 25, 1870. His successor, the Rev. Albert Wood, entered upon his duties as rector the following January, and continued in that relation to April, 1875. On the following October the Rev. Henry A. Duboc (deacon) was called to take pastoral charge and served in that capacity to May, 1883, at the same time conducting a school for girls Mr. Duboc was succeeded the following July by the Rev. J. H. Barnard, who served as rector till January, 1892. On March I following the Rev. Evan H. Martin, the present rector, commenced his labors.
The edifice in which the services of the church have been held since February, 1871, is situated on the corner of Tremont and Marion streets, North Tonawanda, the lot having been donated by George W. Sherman, warden, on condition that the name of the church be St. Mark's, and remain unchanged. It was built at a cost of about $2, - 500. The lot also contained a dwelling house which was purchased for a rectory, but has not been used for that purpose by either of the last two rectors. In 1893 the small chancel of the church was re- moved and a large chancel 24 by 32 erected in its place, handsomely furnished with oak; altar, and choir stalls for a vested choir of thirty- six voices. At the same time a two- story guild house was constructed on the same lot adjointng the new vestry room, and a robing room for the choir erected at the northwest corner of the church, the whole at a cost of $3,000.
Since the organization of the parish there have been baptized 372 in- fants and adults, and there have been 276 confirmations. There are at the present time about 175 communicants. No permanent missionary work has been carried on by the church.
Though the church was originally incorporated in Erie county, it was last April incorporated in Niagara county, when the new diocesan canon regulating the date and manner of election of wardens and vestrymen, was adopted by the parish.
St. John's Church, Youngstown .- In the early days church people of this vicinity depended upon St. Paul's church, Lewiston, for public
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worship. The first service here (1838) was conducted by the Rev. Mr. Murray, then rector of Lewiston, in the old school house. He held other services occasionally for some years following.
From the year 1861 down to 1867 there was public worship with more or less regularity, the following clergymen officiating :
Revs. G. M. Haven, R. O. Page, Treadway and Russ, all of whom were rectors at Lewiston. These services were held in the " brick church " originally built as a union meeting house.
On the second Sunday in February, 1867, there began a regular fort- nightly service in the above place holden in the afternoon, the Methodist Episcopal society occupying the building in the morning.
The officiating clergyman was Rev. G. M. Skinner, rector of St. Paul's church, Lewiston. The Rt. Rev. A. Cleveland Coxe, D.D., LL.D., bishop of the diocese, visited this mission in 1866, confirming three persons, and also in 1867 confirming four persons.
A meeting of persons interested in the church assembled in the brick church according to call on April 27, 1868, for the purpose of organiz- ing a parish. The canonical notice had been read on the two preceding Sundays. Wardens and vestrymen were elected as follows : Benjamin M. Root, John Carter, wardens ; Charles M. Pyne, S. Parke Baker, Lewis Leff- man, James S. Lawrence, Francis O. Dee, Thomas Balmer, William Mendham, Robert Patterson. The name of St. John was chosen as the name of the parish, and the Rev. G. M. Skinner, then a missionary in these parts, was elected rector. In the following June the public wor- ship became weekly, and on August 9, the Holy Communion was ad- ministered for the first time, seventeen persons receiving. The rector continued his services for about the space of three years. It was evident that Youngstown alone could not afford a proper support for a clergy- man. Upon his resignation the parish decayed and for seven years nearly no public worship was maintained.
With a view to reorganization a meeting assembled July 27, 1878. Those present were former members and others interested in maintain- ing regular services. The only member of the former vestry in attend- ance was S. Park Barker, and he was made chairman. It is to be noted that active influence for the renewal of church life came from the garrison at Fort Niagara. Upon the commissioned and non-commis-
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sioned officers of the post and their families the parish relied largely for support and personal service in carrying on the work, and this ser- vice has been rendered effectively by some of the various garrisons from that day to the present. Gen. G. A. De Russy, Lieut. Edward Davis and Ord. Sergt. Lewis Leffman were chiefly instrumental in re- viving the parish at this time.
A new vestry was elected Easter Monday, April 22, 1878, and the next day a lot upon which to build a church was deeded to the trust fund of the diocese. The donors were Mr. and Mrs. Leffman. A building committee was appointed immediately in the persons of Lieu- tenant Davis, Thomas Brighton and William Ripson. The corner stone was laid May 16, 1878, by Bishop Coxe, assisted by a number of the clergy. On September 28, the church was consecrated by the same bishop. Other clergy present were Archdeacon McMurray, of Niagara-on-the- Lake ; Dr. Spalding, Connecticut ; Dr. Ingersoll, Van Dyck, Henderson, Knapp, Buffalo ; Patterson and Payne, De Veaux College ; Batten, Niagara Falls; Raikes, Suspension Bridge.
October 2 the vestry, in conjunction with the Lewiston vestry, called G. W. Knapp, of Buffalo, to the joint rectorship. He was in charge for three years. Rev. J. S. Seibold succeeded him in March, 1882, and remained until July, 1886. The rectorship was vacant till the next May, there being occasional services. May 1, 1887, Rev. E. Stewart Jones accepted the charge of the parishes, coming from Niag- ara, Ont. He died in February, 1890 The Rev. James Roy, LL.D., became rector April 14, being chosen for one year, but continued till August 31, 1891.
All rectors heretofore had residence in Lewiston. Dr. Roy was the last joint rector. St. John's vestry having purchased a house for a rec- tory after his resignation. The Rev. John Evans, the next rector, No- vember, 1891, resided in Youngstown and officiated occasionally for the Lewiston parish. He resigned October 31, 1895. The Rev. E. J. Babcock became rector November 4, 1895, and is the present incum- bent.
The church is built of wood, has a seating capacity of 196, with a very neat and pretty interior finished in natural wood. The plans were furnished by Upjohn, the celebrated architect of New York.
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There are three memorial windows in the apse of chancel. Beside these are handsome memorials in polished brass, viz., altar, cross and vases, chancel rail, angel lecturn, and a mural tablet in the nave to Rev. Mr. Jones.
Church of the Epiphany, Niagara Falls .- In 1857 the building of the Suspension Bridge having brought a number of families to what was then known as Niagara City, but later, Suspension Bridge, they held cottage services conducted by lay readers or some one of the cler- gymen of De Veaux College, that institution having been opened in May of that year. Their numbers increasing, they held services for a time in what had been the book store of Mr. George Hackstaff on Main street, but what is now occupied as a grocery by Mr. Thomas Hannan. That room also proving inadequate, Colt's Hall was rented at the rate of fifty dollars a year.
In the fall of 1857, the Rev. Isreal Foote, D. D., then a professor in De Veaux College, took charge of the services and the congregation was incorporated in accordance with the canons of the church and the laws of the State, with the sanction and approval of the bishop of the Diocese, the Rt. Rev. William Heathcote De Lancey, D. D., LL. D., D. C. L.
On the 6th of January, 1858, a meeting was called for the purpose of electing two wardens and eight vestrymen, with the following results : Wardens, J. H. Cramp, Anthony W. Hecker ; vestrymen, J. W. Dunk- lee, Rodney Durkee, A. D Lampkins. R. B. Monroe, R. D. Cook, H. S. Stewart, D. H. Thomas and G. P. Heap. Dr. Foote presided at this meeting.
The congregation from the season of its organization was to be known as the Church of the Epiphany. Not one of the officers of the church elected at that time is now living.
The parish being unable to pay a stated salary to a clergyman, the Rev. Dr. Foote and Rev. E. R. Welles, deacon, and tutor at De Veaux College, offered their services, receiving for their labors whatever the congregation might be able to raise. The services were continued in Colt's Hall for one year, when the vestry engaged the Congregational place of worship for one-half day every second Sunday for three months. This time having expired, the same place was engaged for six
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months more, for one-half day service each Sunday, and the use of the Sunday school room. The Sunday school numbered at this time about fifty scholars. Dr. Foote and Mr. Welles both resigned their positions in De Veaux in 1858. The last named clergyman afterwards became bishop of Wisconsin in 1874, and died in 1888.
The services were subsequently conducted at different times by the Rev. Mr. Stevens, Rev. Dr. Van Rensselaer and other clergymen from De Veaux College. The Rev. Henry F. Nye, deacon and teacher at De Veaux was called to the rectorship of the parish at Easter, 1862. He officiated in the house of worship on Niagara street, corner of Tenth, owned by the Presbyterians, who had built a new church at the Falls.
The Rev. Mr. Nye remained for nearly a year, when he removed to Canada. The services were then held every Sunday afternoon by the Rev. Dr. Van Rensselaer until November, 1864, when the Rev. W. W. Walsh became rector of the parish. January 24, 1864, Bishop Coxe confirmed the first class of the Church of the Epiphany. It numbered sixteen persons.
In this same year a subscription list was started to build a new church.
Two lots were given for that purpose on the corner of Lockport street and what is now Main street. One of these lots was given by James and Henry W. Ford, of Albany, N. Y., and the other by Mrs. Marietta Wallace. The rubble stone for the building was given by Mr. Jacob Vogt. The excavating was begun on July 12. On August 8 the Rt. Rev. A. C. Coxe, D. D., LL. D., attended by seventeen of the clergy, laid the corner stone of the Church of the Epiphany. At the ceremony a new service arranged by the bishop was used for the first time, and this was also the first corner stone laid by the bishop. This beautiful stone edifice, of early English architecture, was completed by the 19th of December, 1866, a few days less than nine years from the founding of the parish. The opening services were held December 30, 1866, the first Sunday after Christmas, the bishop officiating, assisted by the rec- tor, the Rev. Dr. Van Rensselaer and Rev. F. R. Winne, of De Veaux. Seven persons were confirmed at this service. The following gifts were presented to the new church : The bishop's chair, by the Rev. Dr. Van Rensselaer ; the font, by Col. Charles B. Stuart, of Geneva, N. Y .; the
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pulpit, by Messrs. H. J. and G. W. Walsh ; the credence-table, by the Rev. George Worthington. On June 29, 1868, St. Peter's Day, the church being free from debt, the bishop of the Diocese consecrated the building to its sacred purpose. On March 29, 1869, Easter Monday, the Rev. W. W. Walsh resigned the rectorship of the parish after a faithful service of over four years.
The Rev. G. W. Knapp became rector on July 18, 1869, remaining until December 5, 1872. During his term of service the small pipe organ still in use was placed in the church. The "Prince " melodeon that it replaced was purchased at this time, and is still owned by Joseph H. Willis, junior warden of the church. The Rev. G. H. Patterson, Rev. James Van Voast and Rev. W. Van Gantzhorne, all of De Veaux, served the parish until June 12, 1873, when the Rev. Walter North, deacon, of De Veaux, was assigned to that duty by the bishop. He became rector and remained until May 15, 1875. During his adminis- tration a drain was laid, a new furnace put in and altar cloths presented. A month from his resignation, the Rev. Gabriel A. Mueller, deacon, of De Veaux, became minister-in-charge, remaining till January, 1877. For three months the church was again dependent for services upon the clergy from De Veaux, Rev. Messrs. Long, of Rochester, and Moore of Middleport. In April the Rev. F. W. Raikes, of Honeoye Falls, became rector, resigning July 26, 1880. He was succeeded by Rev. James Stoddard, who remained about two years. The Rev. Sidney Wilbur then became rector for about three years. His successor in 1886 was Rev. H. S. Huntington, who resigned in June, 1892, after six years of hard and faithful duty.
The church was then closed for six months to undergo much needed repairs. A bequest of $2,000 having been left to the church by the late Mrs. Eliza Griffin, it was deemed best to use this fund toward the erection of a guild house. The building was finished and opened in 1892, and proves to be most useful in carrying on the work of the church. In 1886 Mrs. Griffin built the tower, and gave the bell as a memorial to her sister. Mrs. Lucia Roebling. Mrs. Griffin also placed the fence around the church property and gave the communion service, besides being a generous supporter of all the interests of the parish. Mention also must be made of two other devoted workers and generous
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givers, Mrs. Marietta Wallace and Mrs. Priscilla Buttery, " whose works do follow them." The beautiful alms basin now in use was given as a memorial of their parents by the daughters of Mrs. Buttery.
The illuminated texts in the chancel were given by Mrs. H. E. Wood- ford, as a memorial to their father, Mr. Hoffman.
The oak chair in the chancel was presented at Easter, 1895, by the King's Daughters.
The past year a beautiful rectory has been built next the church on land purchased by means of a legacy of $500, left by the late Thomas Vedder.
The parish has a most efficient Woman's Guild, a branch of the Woman's Auxiliary, a branch of the King's Daughters, a Society of Willing Workers, composed of little girls, a Junior Auxiliary, and a Chapter of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. The church membership now numbers 119. The Sunday school numbers about 150.
The present rector, Rev. James Roy, LL. D., entered upon his duties on February 1, 1893.
Trinity Church, Middleport, N. Y .- The services of the Episcopal church were first introduced into the village of Middleport in 1864 by Rev. W. A. Watson, D.D., and Rev. J. Abercrombie, D.D., both of Lockport, and the Rev. R. D. Stearns of Medina, N. Y., who officiated alternately on Sunday evenings during summer and autumn of that year. Some of the leading citizens became interested, and the services of the Rev. G. W. Southwell, the then rector of Christ church, Albion, were engaged by Messrs. A. S. De Lano, and W. H. Cornes. Rev. Mr. South well began permanent work January 1, 1865. At that time there were but two communicants in the village, Mrs. W. H. Cornes and Mrs. George Sage. The first baptism was that of Mrs. A. S. De Lano De- cember 4, 1864, by Rev. J. Abercrombie. The first confirmation was held by the Rt. Rev. A. C. Coxe, D.D., LL.D., the newly consecrated bishop-coadjutor of this Diocese, January 20, 1865, when Mrs. A. S. De Lano, Mrs. E. B. De Lano, and Mrs. C. B. Lane were confirmed. Thirteen more persons were confirmed during the year. In January, 1866, there were eighteen communicants.
August 1, 1866, the parish was organized under the name of " Trin- ity Church," when A. S. De Lano and C. R. Blakslee were elected
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wardens, and James Lobbett, J. Cornes, A. F. Pierce, J. Biddick, H. Pierce, W. S. Fenn, E. H. Woodworth, and E. B. De Lano were elected vestrymen. For four years the services had been held in the Presby - tetian house of worship, but in the year 1868 they decided to re estab . lish their services and retain the use of their church exclusively to themselves. The last service was held there December 27, 1868. The members under the able leadership of the Rev. G. W. Southwell im- mediately began planning to procure a building of their own. Plans were procured from H. Dudley, of New York, and on May 31, 1869, the corner stone was laid by Bishop Coxe. The lot was the gift of Mrs. A. S. De Lano, wife of the senior warden The church was completed in 1873 at a cost of $9,600, built of brick with stone trimmings, gothic in architecture, with a seating capacity of 250.
November 18, 1866, the Rev. Mr. Southwell held a service in the afternoon at Hartland Corners in the Methodist church, and December 23, 1866, at Johnson's Creek, in the Baptist house of worship. This was the beginning of a mission station at that place. A hall was pro- cured in a brick building owned by Gordon Rowe, and services held for the first time in the afternoon of January 27, 1867. The first baptisms were Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Denel, October 13, 1867. Bishop Coxe held the first confirmation April 14, 1868. In 1869 the work seemed en- couraging, and a parish was organized June 16, by the name of St. James's church, Hartland, with C. F. Paul and Alfred Denel, wardens, and George Crouse, Jesse Gladding, E. O. Seaman, and W. C. Butter- field as vestrymen. In June, 1870, an effort was made to buy a lot and build a church, but money not coming to hand, the plan was abandoned. Many of the families moved away, and in the winter of 1870, Rev. Mr. Southwell, because of ill health, was unable to continue services.
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