USA > New York > Orange County > Newburgh > Newburgh; her institutions, industries and leading citizens, historical, descriptive and biographical > Part 29
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The use of the church edifice on the corner of Montgomery and Fourth Streets, in which the congregation still worships, was secured at an early date, and was purchased from the trustees of the First Baptist Church on the 10th of January, 1860, for the sum of $4,000.
The first settled pastor was the Rev. Robert Armstrong, D. D., who, having accepted their call, commenced preaching on the third Sabbath of February, 1861, and was installed pas- tor of the congregation on the 12th day of March, following. He continued to preach and labor in this field about seven and a half years with large success in building up the church, the congregation being self-sustained from the beginning. Mr. Armstrong tendered his resignation, and on the 21st of Octo- ber, 1868, was by the Presbytery released from the pastoral charge, at once accepting a call to the congregation of Hobo- ken in the same Presbytery.
In the following year, on the 22nd of June, a call was made out for the present pastor, the Rev. J. G. D. Findley. He com- menced preaching regularly on the second Sabbath of August, and was ordained and installed as pastor on the 14th of October, 1869.
This congregation has enjoyed a steady growth from the begin- ning. There has never been a communion season withont some ac- cessions to its membership. At the organization, thirty years ago, 36
RESIDENCE OF G. H. SHELDON, No. 50 Dubois Street.
RESIDENCE OF REV. J. G. D. FINDLEY, No. 48 Dubois Street.
members were enrolled, of whom eleven are still members. When the first pastor took charge, there were 56 members in the congrega- ion. At the ordination of the present pastor, 136 was the number reported, and at the time of making up the last annual statistics the membership resident in the city was counted at 230. In the Summer of 1871 the church building was enlarged by an addi-
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tion to the front at a cost of about eighteen hundred dollars. Over a thousand dollars was expended in 1881 in painting and fres- coing the main audience room and in furnishing it with a new pulpit and with new cushions and carpet. The Sabbath school rooms were also thoroughly renovated during the Spring of 1889, painted and kal- somined, wainscoted in hard wood and furnished with new desk, chairs and matting. These are among the most cheery and beautiful Sabbath school rooms in the city.
The following are the present officers of the congregation: Pastor and Moderator of Session-J. G. D. Findley; Elders-Andrew D. Rea, Clerk of Session, Thomas M. McCann, Robert Hyndman, Rob- ert Brown and James Todd; Board of Trustees-George Sutherland, President; Samuel F. Campbell, Secretary; Robert Hyndman, Treas- urer; James Crilly, Robert Brown, Thomas M. McCann, Andrew D. Rea, James Stewart and James Todd.
REV. J. G. D. FINDLEY is a native of western Pennsylvania, son of the late Rev. William Findley, D. D., and great-grandson of Hon. William Findley, who for a number of years represented the Westmoreland district in the national Congress.
His early years were spent in Butler County, where his father min- istered to the congregations of Prospect and White Oak Springs. In 1857 he entered Westminster College, at New Wilmington, Pa., and graduated in June, 1861. During that Fall and Winter he taught a district school in Greene Connty, Ohio. In the Spring of 1862 went to Harrisonville, in Scioto County, and opened a select school. He had just commenced the second term in August when President Lin- coln's call for another three hundred thousand volunteers led him and the larger boys to lay down their books and take up arms in the na- tion's defense.
He enlisted at Camp Portsmouth in Company F, 91st Regiment, Ohio Volunteers, August 11, 1862, and was appointed Sergeant Major when the regiment was mustered in, August 22. He was promoted to First Lientenant January 3, 1864, and appointed Ad- jntant of the regi- ment in the month of March following. Mr. Findley was wounded at the battle of Winches- ter, Va., Septem- ber 19, 1864. He was discharged at the muster-out of the regiment June 24, 1865. This regi- ment was attached to the Army of West Virginia and took part in many of the campaigns of that monntain- ous region, includ- ing Hunter's Raid on Staunton and Lynchburgh, and Sheridan's march- es and battles in REV. J. G. D. FINDLEY. the Valley of Vir- ginia.
In Antumn of 1865 Mr. Findley gradnated at the Iron City Com- mercial College, of Pittsburgh, Pa., and entered the United Presby- terian Theological Seminary in Allegheny. He completed the course in this institution in the Spring of 1868, and in June of the following year was called to the pastorate of the First United Presbyterian congregation of this city. Took charge of the pulpit in Angust, and on October 14, 1869, was ordained and installed by the First Presby-
tery of New York. He was Stated Clerk of his Presbytery from 1871 to 1883, and has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the United Presbyterian Synod of New York, and also Secretary of the Board since 1885. He was elected Moderator of the Synod and presi- ded during its meeting at Asbury Park, N. J., in 1886, and has four times been a delegate from his Presbytery to the General Assembly of the church.
Mr. Findley was married September 3, 1874, to Miss Mary L., daughter of John A. Gormly, of Bucyrus, Ohio.
CONGREGATION BETH JACOB.
This society was organized abont 1860. In 1864 it obtained a burial plot from the Big Rock Cemetery Association, and has maintained it ever since. For many years the congregation worshipped in the Townsend Building, while the number of those in full membership was but seven. In 1889 nineteen new members were received, and it was resolved to erect a house of worship. In Jannary, 1890, a lot in
TEMPLE BETH JACOB-119 South Street.
South Street, between Grand and Liberty, was purchased. Plans prepared by David H. Flansburgh were accepted, and the contract for the construction was also awarded to Mr. Flansburgh.
The corner-stone was laid October 21, 1890. Marens Scharps, President of the Congregation, presided. Collins' Band furnished music. Addresses were delivered by Dr. Isaacs and Lewis Ash, of New York City, and the Rev. R. H. Barr, of Newburgh. The total cost of the building and site was $15,000. The present Rabbi is A. N. Coleman; President-Marcus Scharps; Vice-President-M. Abrams; Secretary-Robert Doblin; Treasurer-Wolf Samnels. The congre- gation is composed of twenty-eight families.
The temple was dedicated Tuesday afternoon, September 8, 1891, with appropriate ceremonies conducted by Rev. A. N. Coleman, the rabbi. Addresses were delivered by D. F. De Sola Mendes, of New York; Rev. A. S. Isaacs, Ph. D., editor of the Jewish Messenger, of New York; Hon. M. H. Hirschberg, of Newburgh, and the Rev. R. H. Barr, Ph. D., pastor of the First Associate Reformed Church, of Newburgh.
ST. PAUL'S PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The first definite action having reference to the formation of a new Episcopal parish in the village of Newburgh was a meeting of all interested in such an undertaking, May 29, 1860, and a petition pre- sented to the Rev. John Brown, D. D., asking his canonical consent to the organization of a new parish, dated May 12, 1860, signed by David M. Clarkson, William E. Warren, and twenty-seven other members of St. George's Parish. Dr. Brown gave his consent May
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20, 1860. At a meeting of all interested in the new organization, held at the home of William E. Warren, steps were taken to secure an in- corporation, and the name of St. Paul was selected as the designation. June 1, 1860, the Rev. Hobart Chetwood was asked to become the Rector of the new parish, the request being signed by David M. Clarkson and twenty - eight others. Mr. Chetwood accepted the call, to take effect November I, but by the subsequent ac- tion of St. George's vestry his connection with that par- ish ceased on the 23d of June, and he entered on his duties as minister of St. Paul's June 25, 1860 (St. Paul's Day). June 9, 1860, a committee was appointed to examine sites for the erection of a church edifice. Soon after a lot one hundred feet wide, on Grand Street, was purchased of George Sneed for $4,100, and plans were prepared by Frederick C. Withers, and a chapel erected by John Little at the cost of $2,300. The new parish was in- corporated September 11, 1860, and the following officers elected: Da- vid M. Clarkson and William E. Warren, Wardens; Frederick C. Withers, Hiram Falls, Captain H. H. Bell, William Bogart, Dr. R. V. K. Montfort, John Gordon and E. W. Gray, Vestrymen.
The chapel was opened for divine service on the first Sunday in October (October 7, 1860). Services before this were held in the High-
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH AS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED,
land Academy (now the Home for the Friendless). On September 15, 1860, the Rev. Hobart Chetwood was elected rector of St. Paul's.
Angust 6, 1863, the attendance on the services in the chapel had so increased that the projcet of building a church edifice was con-
ST. PAUL'S PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH-Grand Street near Clinton Street.
sidered, and a committee consisting of the Rev. Mr. Chetwood, Warren, Bogart, Horton and Welling were appointed to solicit funds and procure plans. The committee made their report June 1, 1864, recommending the erection of an edifice seating six hundred persons. An additional lot of land was also purchased in order to furnish sufficient room for the new building. The cor- ner-stone of the new church was laid Thursday, August 24 (St. Bartholomew's Day), 1865, by the Rev. John Brown, D. D., under the ap- pointment of the Bishop of the Diocese. It contains copies of the Holy Bible, Book of Common Prayer, village papers, and various coins. The building, though it has been occupied for many years, awaits comple- tion according to the origi- nal design. F. C. Withers was the architect; Franklin Gerard and McClung & De- yo, builders; stone dressing by Charles Stratton.
The Rev. Mr. Chetwood was rector from September 15, 1860, to June 10, 1872; the Rev. Dr. Lundy, assistant minister, from Septem- ber, 1867, to the time of his death in April, 1868; the Rev. Dr. Irving was his successor for six months; the Rev. Rufus Emery has been rector from 1872 to the present time.
Officers for 1890-91: The Rev. Rufus Emery, Rector; James J. Logan, Senior Warden; William Heard, Junior Warden; Thomas Edwards, S. W. Holdredge, James Gordon, M. D .; R. V. K. Montfort, M. D .; Joseph Gordon, Andrew Thompson, Charles F. Allan and George H. Sheldon, Vestrymen.
REV. RUFUS EMERY, rector of St. Paul's, is of the eighth gen- eration of John Emery, Sr., who came from Romsey, England, in 1635, and settled in Newbury, Mass. His father was Captain Flavius Emery, a ship-mas- ter of Boston, and his mother was a daughter of Moody Emery and Abigail Prescott. The Emerys were prominent in the old French war and in the Revolution, and are connected with the Websters, Chases, Bartletts, Sawyers, Hales and other old fami- lies of New Eng- land. His great- grandfather and great-great-grand- father on the Hale side (his grand- mother was a Hale) were Congrega- tional clergymen. PHOTO BY ATKINSON. Rufus Emnery was REV. RUFUS EMERY.
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born at Newburyport, Mass., in 1827. He entered Trinity College, Hartford, in 1851, and was graduated in 1854. For two years he was a tutor at Trinity College. He studied at the divin- ity school at Middletown, Conn., and was ordained a deacon in 1858. The same year he took charge of Trinity Church, Southport, Conn., and the following year was admitted to the priesthood by the Right Rev. John Williams, Bishop of Connecti- cut. He continued as rector of Trinity Church twelve years. For ten years he was a member of the Fairfield Board of Education, and for several years President of the Board. In the year 1870-72 he was rector of Calvary Church, Stonington, Conn. He was called to St. Paul's in this city in September, 1872. For several years Mr. Emery was a fellow of Trinity College. He is now a member of the Histori- cal Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands, of the Webster Historical Society of Boston, and a corresponding member of the Old Colony Historical Society of Taunton, Mass. He is also President of the Emery Family Association, and recently published the genealogy of the family, a work of six hundred pages. He married, 1858, Adelaide Brainerd, of a prominent Connecticut family. She died in 1891, leaving one son, Brainerd Prescott, who is the author of " In Sunshine and Shadow " (1886) and "In Haunts of Bloom and Bird" (1888).
GRACE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
In 1848 a mission Sabbath school was established in the western part of the village, by teachers from the First M. E. Church, from which time we may date the organization known as Grace M. E. Church. The school was held at first in a "garret," and then in an old school- house. The society or school was legally organized in June, 1865, when P. S. Haines, James Harrison, Charles Estabrook, C. H. Bond, Joseph W. Bond, F. Klaproth, David Gibb, John Haskins and Charles L. Brown were elected trustees. The regular church organization dates from April 25, 1868, when thirty members from St. John's Church united for that purpose. The building of a church edifice was commenced in 1866, and the basement completed and occupied by the Sabbath school, and also by a free school, the latter under the charge of the Board of Education. The corner-stone was laid in the Autumn of 1767, the Rev. J. B. Wakely delivering the address, and the edifice
GRACE M E. CHURCH .- Broadway, West Newburgh.
was completed under plans by J. D. Kelly, architect. It was dedicat- ed September 2, 1868; on which occasion the sermon was preached by he Rev. Dr. Fletcher, from Mark ix: 18, 19. The Rev. Dr. A. M. Osbon was then the Presiding Elder and presided at the exercises on both occasions. The church was enlarged during the pastorate of the Rev. N. B. Thompson. The parsonage was erected in 1874.
The following ministers have served this church as pastors: 1868, Rev. Van Ness Traver; 1870, C. W. Millard; 1871-73, D. W. C. Van
Gaasbeck; 1874-76, A. M. Osbon; 1877-79, W. S. Bouton; 1880-81, N. B. Thompson; 1882-84, J. H. Hawxhurst; 1885-87, J. C. Hoyt; 1888- 89, Fields Hermance; 1890, Oscar Haviland; 1891, Dewitt B. Thomp- son. The Board of Trustees consists of James Harrison, A. C. Smith, Sam- uel Crawshaw, Alonzo Decker, Jacob Braden- burgh,C.L. Brown, Lyman O. Bedford and C. A. Shurter. The Stewards are Joshua Harrison, David Gibb, Mil- ton Hemmingway, John F. Kripner, Lyman Bedford, B. R. Russell, Charles B. Schoon- maker and William Tallmadge. The Sabbath school numbers 171 schol- ars, 24 officers and teachers. James Harrison is Super- intendent and A. C. Smith, assistant; C. L. Brown, jr., Secretary; William REV. DEWITT B. THOMPSON Vail, Librarian. The membership of the church consists of 186 full members and 5 probationers.
REV. DEWITT B. THOMPSON, pastor of Grace Church, is a son of the Rev. N. B. Thompson (a prominent clergyman of the Metho- dist Episcopal church), and was born at Napanoch, N. Y., July 2, 1860. He was graduated from Wesleyan University in 1885, and has been in the ministry for six years. His first pastorate was at Bedford Sta- tion, and he subsequently preached at Croton Landing and Garrisons. He was appointed to the pastorate of Grace Church, Newburgh, in 1891.
CHURCH OF OUR FATHER
The Church of Our Father, Unitarian, corner of Johnston and South Streets, was organized in Fishkill, New York, iu 1847, in the private residence of John P. DeWint, by John P. DeWint, Peter De Wint and J. Delancy Verplanck. The first meetings were held in the DeWint homestead; afterwards, as the attendance grew larger, in the public hall of the Village of Fishkill-on-Hudson, the church numbering among its regular attendants at this time men and women of the most liberal culture, great probity of character. and a fine public spirit. Clergymen of international as well as national reputation for broad scholarship, deep and fervent piety, as well as divinity students, graduates of Harvard College, ministered to the church in love as well as in learning, of that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, prominent among whom are to be found the names of Rev. Messrs. William H. Channing, Edward Turn- er, Dr. F. A. Farley, Dr. H. W. Bellows and others. During a period of eight years occasional services were also held at Low Point, Channingville, and others places in the neighborhood of Fishkill. About the year 1855, the steadily increasing attendance from New- burgh made it desirable that the church should be reorganized in this city, where services were held afterwards, chiefly in the Court House and in the Universalist Church in Liberty Street, since removed, with much success. Here also men of fine ability, the peers intellectually
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of their brethren in this city and elsewhere, succeeded each other not too rapidly in its pulpit ministrations.
In the year 1869, in consequence of large accessions, it became necessary to consider the desirability of the congregation owning and occupying a church building of their own. A meeting was called, a
CHURCH OF OUR FATHER-UNITARIAN-South Street Corner of Johnston Street.
committee chosen, consisting of William W. Carson as chairman, and John Heron, George Lomas, Benjamin Dumville, George H. South- ard, J. N. Dickey, George W. Peters and William Stocker, as an advisory council to which Warren Delano was afterwards added and subsequently became President. After some deliberation the present site was chosen by the Board of Trustees, and approved by a majori- ty of the congregation; William Hilton, of this city, being the builder, George A. Har- ney, of New York, the architect. The build- ing was erected at a cost of $16,000.
On Sunday morning, July 17, 1870, the church edifice was consecrated to the wor- ship of one God, according to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
The venerable and highly esteemed Rev. F. W. Holland enjoyed a pastorate of eight years. The present minister, the Rev. Hen- ry H. Woude, of Boston, Mass., was called and assumed the pastorate in 1887. The church expenses are met by voluntary con- tributions. The church polity is in accord with the denominational and religious views of the body to which it belongs, viz: all per- sons who are desirous of co-operating with the church in those privileges for which it exists, i. e., the worship of one God, under the leadership of Jesus Christ, are welcom- ed. But there is no test, the doors are open to all. The building is commodious, not without architectural beauties commensur- ate with its size and situation.
ST. MARY'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
The Parish of St. Mary's was founded on March 19, 1875, and Cardinal McCloskey appointed as its first rector the Rev. Michael J. Phelan. This energetic priest immediately located the boundaries of his district in the city, which comprised all north of Third Street as far as Balmville. The Wilson property, on South Street, was pur-
chased for $20,000, and a temporary frame structure erected for divine service. This building served its purpose until the increasing population necessitated a larger edifice.
In October, 1879, Bishop Lynch, of Charleston, S. C., laid the corner-stone of the present church, which was completed the follow- ing year, when Cardinal McCloskey performed the dedication ceremony and Bishop O'Farrell, of Trenton, N. J., preached the dedicatory sermon. In 1883 Father Phelan invited the Sisters of St. Dominic to open an academy for young ladies to study the higher branches of refined education, and the present Mt. St. Mary's Academy was founded.
In 1884 the Rev. Michael J. Phelan was transferred to New York City, and the Rev. John C. Henry appointed rector. Father Henry immediately founded various societies in con- nection with the church, among them the Holy Name Society, Rosary Society, Children of Mary Society, St. Aloysius Boys' Society, and Angels' Society. On September 1, 1886, the rec- tor opened St. Mary's Parochial School, under the direction of four Sisters of St. Dominic. The large number of 250 pupils was registered the first day. All the branches of a first-class common-school education are taught, and all school supplies are given free to the pupils.
The following are the names of the priests who have acted as assistant rectors of St. Mary's Church down to the present time: Rev. James Westerman, 1876; Rev. William Ward, 1877; Rev. Patrick Connick, 1878; Rev. Felix Dixon, 1878-79; Rev. Michael Lane, 1879-83; Rev. Henry Xavier, 1883-84; Rev. Patrick Fitzsimmons, 1885; Rev. John J. McGrath, 1884-89; Rev. John J. Carr, 1886-87; Rev. Denis Coyle, 1887-89; Rev. John T. Power, 1889-90; Rev. William Butler, 1889-90; Rev. John F. Quinn and Rev. Augustine Pellieux are the present assistants to the rector, the Rev. John C. Henry.
The present Board of Trustees consists of Archbishop Corrigan, Vicar-General Preston, the Rev. John C. Henry, John Adams and
ST. MARY'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH-South Street near Johnston Street.
Arthur A. McLean. Some important improvements have taken place in the church lately, among which may be mentioned steam-heat and chapel for week-day services. The parochial school is also comfort- ably heated hy steam.
REV. J. C. HENRY, rector of St. Mary's Church, was born in New Orleans, La., in 1840. His father, John Henry, was from County
NEWBURGH.
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Londonderry, and his mother, Sarah Dorrian, was a native of Connty Down, Ireland. During the yellow fever plague of 1853 the family came to New York.
In 1860 he entered Niagara University at Niagara Falls, and, having graduated with high honors in 1866, began the study of the- ology at St. Joseph's Provincial Seminary, Troy, N. Y. On May 22, 1869, he was ordained priest by the late Cardinal McCloskey, and his first appointment was as assistant to the Rev. Dr. McGlynn at St.
M-M-Co
REV. JOHN C. HENRY.
Stephen's Church, New York, where he remained two years. He was then transferred to St. Andrew's Church, Duane Street, where he labored three years. In 1876 he was appointed to the rectorship of St. Francis' Church, Mt. Kisco, Westchester County, where he remained a year, during which he built a church at Pleasantville. In 1877 he became pastor of St. Joachim's Church at Matteawan, Dutch- ess County, where he introduced the Sisters of Charity, founded a parochial school, enlarged the church and rectory, and paid off con- siderable debt.
In 1884 Cardinal McCloskey asked him to take charge of a city parish, but his health at the time was so shaken by repeated attacks of chills and fever that he begged to be excused from the responsibil- ity. He was accordingly assigned to the city of Newburgh, where he has enjoyed vigorous health, and labored ever since. He has founded a parochial school, improved the church property, reduced the church debt, and in many ways proved his executive ability. He has the confidence and respect of his people, and is greatly beloved by the children of his parish.
CHURCH OF THE CORNER STONE-REFORMED EPISCOPAL.
The Reformed Episcopal Church of the United States of America was fully organized nnder the leadership of Bishop George David Cummins, in the City of New York, on December 2, 1873. Some time after this new church was established, two gentlemen, deeply sympa-
thizing in this movement, discussed the feasibility of starting a church in Newburgh, to be connected with that of Bishop Cummins. On Wednesday, December 9, 1874, five gentlemen met in the parlor of the Newburgh Club, in the Savings Bank Building, and freely and fully discussed the matter. These gentlemen were T. Hazard Roe, Daniel T. Rogers and Walter C. Anthony, of Newburgh, and B. Franklin Clark and William J. Roe, jr., of New Windsor. Pledges were given for themselves and two others for pecuniary aid. Subsequent meet- ings were held, and more names and more pledges were added. Among them were Robert L. Case, James G. Graham, Dr. William A. M. Culbert, J. Wilson Stratton and Dr. James G. Birch.
Upon their invitation Bishop Cummins came to Newburgh, and on Sunday, Angust 8, 1875, held services in the American Reformed Church, loaned for that purpose. The Bishop used the revised prayer book, and explained to large congregations the distinctive principles of the Reformed Episcopal Church. The following even- ing, August 9, a large meeting was held in the basement of the same church, at which the Bishop was present, and numbers added their names as proposing to join in the movement. The chapel of the Associate Reformed Church was obtained, and on Sunday, August 15, the Rev. B. B. Leacock, D. D., conducted the worship morning and evening. On Sunday, August 22, the Rev. William P. Sabine direct- ed the services and preached to large audiences. On Sunday, Sep- temher 5, the Rev. Mason Gallagher read the service, and, together with Dr. J. G. Birch, organized a Sunday school.
On the evening of August 25, 1875, a congregational meeting, of which due notice had been given, was held in the basement of the American Reformed Church, and the organization was effected by
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