USA > New York > Orange County > Newburgh > Newburgh; her institutions, industries and leading citizens, historical, descriptive and biographical > Part 27
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for divine worship in the house of Henry Gilmore. Its location become too small for the congregation, was so altered and enlarged that it was made virtually a new one. Its former dimensions were increased to 150 feet in length and 75 feet in width at the transepts,
was on Western Avenue (now Broadway) and opposite the present St. Patrick's Cemetery. The names of the original worshipers there are still remembered to the number of at least fourteen, who were heads of families.
This kind of religious min- istry-at intervals only-con- tinued until about 1830. In the meantime the number of Catholics had increased, and in that year the Rev. Philip O'Reilly made Newburgh his headquarters, whence he at- tended several other places more or less distant. Some time during his administration the place of worship was changed from Mr. Gilmore's house to the rented upper story of a small frame build- ing called the McIntosh house, which occupied the southwest corner of the pres- ent church property on Lib- erty Street. The first perma- nent pastor of St. Patrick's was Rev. Patrick Duffy, who fixed his residence in New- burgh in 1836. In 1838 the ground for a church was pur- chased. In 1839 the erection of the church was commenced. The work, however, was soon suspended, and was only re- sumed in 1840. In 1841 it was far enough advanced to have service in the building. The dimensions of the church were 90 feet in length by 55 feet in width. At that date the congregation numbered about two hundred. The church was formally dedicated in 1849 by Bishop Hughes.
ST. PATRICK'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND DEANERY-Nos. 51 to 65 Grand St.
and a steeple 135 feet in height was added. The architect was Rembrandt Lockwood; J. Gill, mason; Little & Kelly, carpenters. The number of Catholics in Newburgh in 1860 was about two thousand.
Father O'Reilly remained pastor until 1867, when he was transferred to New York to take charge of one of its oldest and most important parishes. He died there in 1881. His successor was the Rev. Edward S. Briady. The first work of importance un- dertaken by Father Briady was the enlargement of the parochial residence. This was done in 1868. The other events of his pastorate were the purchase of the property at the south end of Grand Street, which is at present known as St. Patrick's Female Academy, and the purchase of sixteen acres of land in the town of New Windsor, which were intended for the purposes of a cemetery. In 1875 the members of the congregation living in the Third and Fourth Wards were formed into a separate parish, and since then consequently there have been two Catholic congregations in New- burgh. Resigning in March, 1879, on account of ill health, Father Briady only survived for a few months afterwards. In July, 1879, Very Rev. Dean Mooney was appointed. The repairs and improvements -that were deemed necessary-on church, school and cemetery, were at once made. In 1880 the out mission of St. Joseph's, New Windsor, was established and a chapel, for the accommo- dation of the Catholics of the vicinity, built. In 1881 a new building for the Young Men's Catholic Lyceum was erected on Liberty Street. During the ensuing two or three years the efforts of the congregation were directed towards the liquidation of the cost of these improvements, as well as to- wards the reduction of the original debt. When the first result was accomplished and the second was well under way it was determined to thoroughly renovate and beau- tify the church. This was done in 1885 and with a success that has left nothing to be desired.
In 1850 a school was begun in the basement. In 1852 the grounds for a cemetery were obtained. Father Duffy re- mained in charge until his death in 1853.
He was succeeded in the Fall of the same year by the Rev. Edward J. O'Reilly. The first act of the latter was to procure additional lots on Grand Street, south of those already owned by the congre- gation, on which in 1854 a pastoral residence was built. In 1855 the Library Associa- tion was formed, and it has, under various names, existed to the present time, and is now known as the Young Men's Catholic Lyceum. In September, 1856, a monthly periodical entitled the New- burgh Library Magazine was started, and continued to be published until August, 1860. In 1858 the building on Liberty Street, now occupied by the female department of the parochial school, was erected. That year witnessed also the introduction of the Sisters of Charity into Newburgh. It 1860 the church, which had
ST. PATRICK'S FEMALE ACADEMY-No. 5 Grand Street.
In St. Patrick's Church Newburgh possesses an ecclesiastical structure, which, while much might be said of its exterior, as to its interior, in perfection of detail, in variety and beauty of decoration,
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and in artistic finish, has few equals. From vestibule to altar, with its exquisitely carved bas-relief, its rich, harmonious blending of color and shade and symbol, with its striking procession of saintly figures standing out from niche and shrine or moulded in hues and tints of rarest glass, with its cathedral-like sanctuary, a fitting setting for the pure white marble table of sacrifice that rises up throne-like in its center, i: breathes, speaks religious devotion. It is one of the attractions of the city itself, and its fame has gone far, for once seen it is not easily forgotten.
The following year (1886) was marked by two events which had and which continue to have an influential bearing upon the matter of religions education. A new impetus was given to the cause in question by the arrival of four members of the justly celebrated com- munity founded by De La Salle two hundred years ago for the ad- vancement of Christian education-the Brothers of the Christian schools. They have since conducted the male department. Their arrival made necessary, owing to the great increase in the number
VERY REV. WILLIAM L. PENNY, V. F.
of their pupils, the construction of the large and well-appointed build- ing on Liberty Street called St. Patrick's Institute. Begun in 1886, it was completed in 1887.
The occurrence of the year 1888 was a reminder to the people of St. Patrick's that it was just fifty years since the congregation was first organized and the erection of the church entered upon. Being known in ecclesiastical parlance as "Jubilee year," it was resolved to signalize the occasion by a celebration that would be memorable. No more appropriate way could be desired than to have their beauti- fnl church solemnly consecrated to the service of God forever. To do this it was required that the church should be unencumbered with any debt. The mortgage consequently which was upon it was soon raised by a general subscription and the people had the happiness to sce their beloved temple of worship, on the 21st of October, 1888, duly consecrated with magnificent and impressive ceremonies by Arch- bishop Corrigan, assisted by Bishop McQuaid, of Rochester, and Bishop Bradley, of Manchester, N. H.
At the present time St. Patrick's congregation numbers about four thousand souls. Three priests minister to its spiritual wants. There are seven hundred and seventy-five pupils in its schools. The male and female departments are entirely distinct, occupying sep- arate buildings and each having its own teachers. Both departments are subdivided into an academic, an intermediate, and a primary de- partment. Preparatory to each is a Kindergarten school. Four Brothers and three lady teachers instruct the boys; six Sisters and one lady teacher the girls, making, with the music teacher, fifteen in all.
The congregation is organized into various societies adapted to the particular needs and benefits of its several ages and classes: A Society of the Holy Name for men, a Lyceum for young men, a Sodality of the Blessed Virgin for the larger boys, and a Confra- ternity of the Sacred Heart for the younger ones, an Association of the Children of Mary for young ladies, a Society of Holy Angels and a Society of the Sacred Infancy for those who are still in school. There are besides organizations of the Holy Rosary and Sacred Heart for all indiscriminately, as well as a mutually benevolent organization under the charter of the Catholic Benevolent Legion.
There are seven services in the church every Sunday, exclusive of Sunday school.
With regard to its financial condition, St. Patrick's parish has for the last ten years made a remarkable showing. The improvements which within that period have been planned and carried out, have cost upwards of fifty thousand dollars, all of which has been paid. At the same time the orignal debt has decreased from thirty thou- sand to twelve thousand dollars, which is the total indebtedness on a church property which could not be duplicated for a hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The temporalities of the parish are admin- istered by a corporation consisting of the Archbishop and Vicar. General of the Diocese, the Rector of the parish, and two Trustees from the congregation.
Dean Mooney left this congregation to accept the pastorate of the Church of the Sacred Heart, in New York, in January, 1890, and was succeeded by the Very Rev. William L. Penny, V. F.
VERY REV. WILLIAM L. PENNY, V. F., rector of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, and Dean of Orange and Rockland Connties, was born in Rondout, N. Y. Heattended St. Mary's school there, and after completing the course entered college in 1862. He was graduated from Niagara University in June, 1867, and entered St. Joseph's Seminary, at Troy, in September of the same year. He was ordained there in June, 1871, and afterwards appointed assistant pastor of St. James's Church, in New York City.
In December, 1875, he was promoted to the pastorate of St. Ann's Church, Nyack, where he completed the edifice then in course of erec- tion. He also had charge of St. John's Church, at Piermont, and dur- ing his fifteen years' ministry there he decorated and beautified both of those churches, and reduced the heavy debts that encumbered them, and did many other ennobling acts. In 1886 he was honored with an appointment to the Board of Examiners of parochial schools.
He was appointed to the irremovable rectorship of St. Patrick's in March, 1890, and also made Dean of Orange and Rockland Counties. Already Dean Penny has acquired a strong hold on the affections of his people. He has reduced the debt on the property $4,000 since he came here, and in other ways greatly strengthened the church. He is an able pulpit orator and popular platform speaker, and has done a large amount of work as a lecturer since he has been a priest, or- ganized many societies and exercised special care in school matters. He was a classmate of the former pastor of the church, the Vy. Rev. Dean Mooney, and also of Bishop Bradley, of Manchester, N. H. Fathers Penny and Mooney were also boys together in Rondout.
UNION CHURCH.
This congregation was organized July 13, 1837, and erected their first church building on the southwest corner of Water and Clinton Streets. It was composed of members who had withdrawn
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from the Associate Reformed Church, and as a new society received their spiritual baptism under the ministry of the Rev. John Forsyth, D. D. He was installed pastor December 5, 1837. and resigned
OLD UNION CHURCH-Corner of First and Montgomery Streets.
January 7, 1848, but retained a paternal interest in the charge until the day of his death, October, 17, 1886.
He was succeeded by the Rev. Abraham R. Van Nest, jr., and the Rev. Robert McCartee, D. D., respectively. The former was ordained and installed Jannary 20, 1848, and resigned October 14 of the same year; and the latter was installed August 17, 1849, and resigned April 9, 1856.
But progress in this con- gregation was naturally slower than with many others, for there was more to surrender. The original col- ony of persons who formed it, brought with them the old Scotch version of Psalms, retained their alliance with the Associate Reformed Synod, and erected their house of worship in the ex- treme northeast corner of the city. These and other ob- stacles were overcome during the ministry of the Rev. Al exander B. Jack, who was ordained and installed pastor June 25, 1857. The congre- gation united with the Old School Presbyterians, and purchased the First Presbyterian Church property on the northwest corner of First and Montgomery Streets, in the center of the city,
which is the site of their present church home. Mr. Jack was a man of remarkable eloquence and power, and possessed rare abilities as a preacher. He spent twelve years with this congregation, where in a very uncommon degree his labors were blessed. He left Newburgh January 1, 1869, to spend the remainder of his active and useful life in Pennsylvania, but he ever re- tained the attach- ment which he had formed in early manhood for this place and its people.
Since his pas- torate closed Union Church has been so fortunate as to en- joy the ministry of the Rev. Wendell Prime, D. D., now editor of the New York Observer, and the Rev. Charles Cuthbert Hall, at present pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Brook- lyn. The former was installed June 3, 1869, and resign- ed September 28, 1875; and the lat- REV. ROBERT McCARTEE, D. D. Pastor of Union Church from 1849 to !856. ter was ordained and installed De- cember 2, 1875, and resigned March 28, 1877. The Rev. Frederick B. Savage, D. D., was then called, and installed as pastor July 2, 1878, and still remains as such. Photographs of this exceptionally able galaxy of clergymen adorn the wall of the Sunday school room, and a tablet to the memory of the Rev. John Forsyth, D. D., LL. D. whose name has become a household word in this city, was unveiled at the left of the pulpit, Feb- ruary 19, 1888.
The new church edifice, where two towers rise from consecrated ground, was dedicated September 24, 1872. It is a brick structure in the form of the letter T, of Gothic architecture, from plans by E. K. Shaw, of Newburgh. The auditorium has a seating capacity of one thousand. Thomas Shaw & Sons were the contractors for the carpenter work, and Thomas Dobbin for the ma- son work. The total cost of construction was $60,000, which was paid, and a Thanksgiving service held October 26, 1882, which was addressed by the Rev. Wil- liam Ormiston, D. D., then of the Collegiate Reformed Church, New York City, who had assisted at the ded- ication. About one-third of the building, at the north end, is divided into a commodious lecture- room, a very cheerful Sunday school room, a parlor, and pastor's
INTERIOR OF OLD UNION CHURCH.
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study. This is the only real property owned by the society, but the writer has opportunity to know that it is only a matter of a few years until this church will be endowed with facilities for greater useful- ness.
The official boards are composed of men of popularity in the com- munity, of irreproachable character, and devoted members of the church. The working force of the church is large and energetic, and actuated by rare unanimity of thought and purpose. The Sunday school contains nearly five hundred scholars, is admirably conducted and always generously entertained at the holiday season. The school educates two Indian children at a missionary station in the West. The Ladies' Missionary Society, a Society of Christian Endeavor, and other active agencies are all doing a good work. Ten annual offer- ings are taken for charitable, benevolent, philanthropic and religious uses, and a fund accumulated, designated the Helen Lefferts Prime Memorial Fund, the interest on which is expended for the purchase of libraries for sail- ors and seamen.
The directory for public worship conforms to the constitution and standards of the Presbyterian Church, with the single innovation of responsive readings at the morning service. Congre- gational singing is conduct- ed by a chorus choir, with organ accompaniment. On July 10, 1887, the semi-cen- tennial of the organization of the church was duly ob- served with appropriate ex- ercises, and a memorial ser- mon by the pastor.
The pulpit of this church has always been strictly Cal- vinistic and never sensation- al, avoiding political discus- sion and the vexed questions which burn in the columns of the press. But in every great National crisis affect- ing the religious or temporal interests of the country, the lamp of religion has been turned upon the affairs of men, and the voice of its pulpit, in admonition or cen- sure, has been heard in no uncertain sound.
The officers of the church are as follows : Elders-J. J. S. McCroskery, Alexander Beattie, John L. Westervelt and William E. Mapes; Trustees-George Tamkin, John Galt, Isaac C. Chapman, Charles G. Corley, Elkanah K. Shaw, William F. Martin, Alanson Y. Weller, David Lawson and John J. S. McCroskery. Deacons-David Lawson, O. M. Cleveland, Alexander Colden and Edward P. Corwin.
UNION CHURCH-Corner of First and Montgomery Streets,
REV. JOHN FORSYTH, D. D., LL. D., was born in Newburgh December 10, 1810. He was the son of John Forsyth, a native of Scotland, and one of the foremost citizens of Newburgh. After at- tending the public and private schools here, Dr. Forsyth entered Rut- gers College and graduated with honor in 1829. He subsequently studied theology at Newburgh under the Rev. Dr. McCarrell, and at a later period visited Scotland, where some of the kindred of his father
resided, and continued his theological studies under the Rev. Dr. Chalmers, at Edinburgh, and also at Glasgow, under the Rev. Dr. Dick. Having completed his theological studies under these two distinguished men, he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1833.
He returned to his home in Newburgh the same year, and was married to Anna B. Hyer, widow of the Rev. Matthew L. Fullerton, of Hagerstown, Md. At the time of his death this union and compan- ionship had been happily continued for over fifty-three years.
Iu July, 1834, he was ordained by the Presbytery of New York, and in December he accepted the pastorate of an Associate Reformed congregation at Philadelphia, in which relation he remained until 1836.
In the Fall of the following year he accepted a call to become the pastor of the Union Associate Reformed Church of Newburgh, and December 5 he was install- ed, the ceremony taking place in the old Academy.
In this pastorate he re- mained until 1848. He was also Professor of Biblical Literature in the theological seminary. His life at this period was very busy. Be- sides the duties of a faithful pastorate and those of the professorship, his contribu- tions of varied literary effort were very large. His schol- arship became widely noted and distinguished, and this fact, combined with his abil- ity as an instructor in the Newburgh Theological Sem- inary, led to his appointment as Professor of Latin and History in the College of New Jersey Princeton.
" His immediate prede- cessor," says Prof. Duffield, of Princeton, "was James A. Alexander. It was felt that a man of more than or- dinary ability was needed to fill such a vacancy. The attention of the trustees was attracted to Dr. Forsyth by his reputation as a professor at Newburgh, and his schol- arly contributions to the Princeton Review and other religious magazines. Pre- vious to his appointment his- tory had not been one of the regular studies in the cur- riculum. In view of Dr. Forsyth's proficiency in that department, it was added to his professorship. For five years the duties of the two important departments were discharged with ability, fidelity and success. In 1852 when he resigned his profes- sorship to return to the seminary at Newburgh, his removal from Princeton was regarded as a serious loss both to the college and the community. In 1864 he was appointed lecturer on History, and for seven years gave an interesting and profitable course of lectures to the senior class.
"Successful as an instructor, his influence on the intellectual life of the college during his connection with the institution was not con- fined to the class room. He was a man of rare breadth of culture. Endowed with a vigorous iutellect-developed and disciplined hy faithful study-he was distinguished not only for classical and bibli-
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cal scholarship, but for proficiency in theology, philosophy and liter- ature as well as in history. * * Of the many distinguished * men who have been connected with Princeton, few were in literary labors more abundant. Besides frequent contributions to other peri- odicals, he contributed more than a score of valuable articles to the Princeton Review, and crowned his labors in connection with the Review by a service for which he will be held in lasting remembrance by loyal Princetonians-the preparation and publication in 1869 of an analytical index of the first four volumes and an exhaustive topical index of the remaining forty volumes-a service requiring so much time and labor that few men would have had the courage to under- take it, and no one could have performed it more successfully.
" His ability and varied attainments, combined with a genial dis- position, courteous demeanor, manly character, and exemplary piety, secured for him the respect and esteem both of his pupils and col- leagues, and made his personal influence one of the important intel- lectual and moral forces of the college."
In 1860 he accepted the Professorship of English Language and Literature in Rutgers College and remained there three years. In 1871 he was appointed Chaplain and Professor of Law and Ethics at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He served till 1882, when he was retir- ed with the rank of Colonel.
For nearly twen- ty-four years he was President of the Newburgh Board of Educa- tion, and from 1858 until his retirement in 1877 he was the President of the Board. He was a Director of the Newburgh Nation- al Bank, and a Trustee of the Sav- ings Bank; for nearly thirty years he was Correspond- ing Secretary of the Newburgh Bible Society, a REV. ALEXANDER B. JACK. member of the So- ciety for the Pre- vention of Cruelty to Animals, of the Society for Improving the Con- dition of the Poor, and of several other organizations.
His writings were voluminous, and besides his articles in the Prince- ton Review, Christian Magazine, Christian Intelligencer, Chris- tian Instructor, Scottish Guardian (Glasgow), New Brunswick Review and the Theological and Literary Review, the following works are best known: Memoirs of Alexander Proudfit, D. D., the Rev. W. Romaine, Thomas DeWitt, D. D., Joseph McCarrell, D. D., and the Rev. R. Howard Wallace; " History of the Associate Re- formed Church," " Pastor's Counsels to a Young Christian," " Sketch- es of the Lives of the Early Governors of New York," " Additional Notes to the Epistle of James in Henry's Commentary, London edi- tion," contributions to Lang's Commentaries, etc., etc.
To use the words of another, "Dr. Forsyth was a great man, with a grand body, a grand brain, and grand heart. He was a towering personality. He belonged to a church and was loyal to his denomin- ation, but he was too great to be limited to the bounds of one sect. He was the patriarch and bishop of us all. For ages he will continue to speak to this community. Though he is dead we have the legacy of his great and noble character, and shall be inspired and guided by his holy example."
Dr. Forsyth died at his home in Third Street, Sabbath evening, October 17, 1886.
REV. ALEXANDER B. JACK, one of the famous pulpit orators of this country, was identified for a number of years with the religious and social life of Newburgh, and countless thousands love to recall him. This man was born at Dunbar, in the east of Scotland, June 13, 1836, and was the third in a line of noted Presbyterian divines. He received his classical education in the best institutions of learning in his native land, and came to America while yet a young man, and studied theology at the Associate Reformed Seminary in this city. His first charge was the Union Church, in which he was ordained and installed on June 25, 1857. He achieved distinction in the ministry, and his reputation spread far beyond his home. Wherever he went he preached to overflowing houses, and great crowds were awed by his power and electrified by his appeals. He was not an enthusiast, but eloquent; not a zealot, but a genius; and his sermons and lectures, always bold and striking in composition, were profusely illustrated with beautiful word-pictures.
Mr. Jack was an awkward man, self-forgetful, regardless of his personal appear- ance, and attracted much attention. He was odd and eccen- tric in manner, and reminiscences of his peculiarities and genius have been handed down from parent to child. Such a con- trast of body and mind seems almost impossible. A com- position so rare as his one does not meet often in a lifetime. But he was held in the highest esteem by . all of his fellow- citizens, and the clergy of every sect were friendly with him. He was a jovial man, with the sunniest of PHOTO. BY WHIDDIT. REV. F. B. SAVAGE, D. D. temperaments, and upon his removal from Newburgh, in the year 1869, all who had enjoyed an intimacy with him felt that they had parted with an exceptional citizen and a warm friend. He served two Presbyterian congregations in the State of Pennsylvania-at Danville and Hazleton-with acceptability rare in any community. At the age of fifty he lay down to die, at Hazle- ton, Luzerne County, on May 21, 1886.
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