USA > New York > Orange County > Orange County, New York : a narrative history > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7
Presented by the Young People's Club of the Blooming Grove Church at the Centennial Celebration May 27, 28, 29, 1923
BENEATH THIS CHURCH LIE BURIED ENOS AYRES FIRST ON THE ROLL OF THE CLASS OF 184S THE FIRST CLASS GRADUATED BY THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY NOW PRINCETON UNIVERSITY AND BENONI BRADNER and SAMUEL PARKHURST CLASS OF 1755 CLASS OF 1757
MINISTERS TO THIS CONGREGATION ERECTED BY THE PRINCETON ALUMNI IN ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK ANNO DOMINI 1909
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Newburgh, N. Y.
The First Presbyterian Church of Newburgh com- menced its formal, legal existence shortly after the dis- bandment of the Revolutionary Army and the breaking up of its encampments in 1783. Previous to this time for nearly a score of years there had been a religious organi-
FORMER PASTORS OF BLOOMING GROVE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Town of Blooming Grove, Orange County, N. Y.
2
1-Rev. Austin Craig, 1851-1866. 2-Rev. Warren Hathaway, 1866-1909.
1
41
A NARRATIVE HISTORY
zation composed of those who by religions conviction were of the Presbyterian faith, or in the designation used in those days, "in communion with the Church of Scot- laud." It was an informal society and could be desig- nated more properly as an outlying mission station or district. The records of the Marlborough Society state that in the year 1773 the society united with that society in procuring the supply of a minister for both congrega- tions for a very brief period. It appears however to have been in the earlier years in more active and cordial con- nection with the old church at Bethlehem, the venerable mother of all the Presbyterian churches in this imine- diate vicinity.
Through the long weary years of the Revolution this feeble congregation continued to remain in existence, though having no pastoral supervision other than that given by an Elder, William Lawrence, by name. Immc- diately after the close of the war the society became strengthened by the addition of several persons who be- came residents of the locality on the disbandment of the army. The Society obtained the use of the building used as a storehouse for clothing and other supplies at the corner of First and Montgomery Streets, where public worship was held in the Winter of 1783 and the Spring of 1784. The church records state that on the 12th of July that year, this feeble flock organized itself as a Presbyterian Society under the laws of the State enacted the preceding April. In February the following year they united with the congregation in New Windsor, the original compact to continue for seven years, "for the purpose," as the resolution stated, "of promoting the preaching of the Gospel." From 1785 to 1796 the Rev. John Close was the stated supply. He was succeeded by the Rev. Isaac Lewis, who served until the year 1800. On May 6, 1801, the Rev. Jonathan Freeman was installed as pastor over the two congregations. He resigned in 1804 and was succeeded by the Rev. Eleazer Burnet in the following year, whose brief pastorate was terminated by death one year later. On July 5, 1807, the Rev. John Johnston was ordained and installed as Pastor over the two churches, and continued to hold this relation until JSJO, when the union was dissolved, the Newburgh con-
--
42
ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK
gregation having acquired sufficient strength to support a Pastor. Dr. Johnston's pastorate extended over a period of forty years. He died on August 23, 1855.
On the following December the Rev. S. H. McMullin, who had been an assistant of Dr. Johnston for some months, was called to the vacant pastorate, but a remon- strance was made to the Presbytery against his installa- tion and that body hesitated to place the call into the hands of the young pastor-elect. On September 10, 1856, & call was made out to the Rev. William T. Sprole, D. D., and on the 28th of the ensuing month he was installed as Pastor. He resigned on November 4, 1872.
In February, 1873, the church extended a call to the Rev. William K. Hall, of Boston, Mass., and on the fol- lowing month of March he assumed the pastorate and was installed in the following May. He served as Pas- tor until his death in September, 1906.
The Rev. Frederick E. Stockwell, D. D., was called March 21, 1907, and resigned October 1, 1917. The Rev. Ebenezer Flack, D. D., was called February 20, 1918, resigned October 25, 1920. The Rev. John Leyburu Hughes was called March 1, 1922, died March 31, 1926. The Rev. Charles K. Imbrie, the present Pastor, was in- stalled January 28, 1927.
ASSOCIATE REFORMED CHURCH, LITTLE BRITAIN
The records of the Associate Reformed Church, Little Britain, have been preserved with great care and the history of this ancient, religious organization dates from Colonial times. The history of this Church is best told by the Rev. John Scott King, the present pastor, ju a pamphlet issued at the time of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the society. This brief history of the Little Britain Church says in part :
"By a lease dated the 10th of September, and a release dated the 11th of September, 1765, 'in the fifth year of His Majesty, George III, King of Great Britain and Ireland,' witnessed by John MeClaughry and George
43
A NARRATIVE HISTORY
Harris, the latter the first Supervisor of the Town of New Windsor, there passed from the hands of Patrick McClaughry to those of James Jackson, Matthew Mc- Dool and Andrew Crawford, Trustees, that parcel of land upon which the Little Britain Presbyterian Church now stands and most of the land South and West of it used as a graveyard. The cost of the lease was five
LITTLE BRITAIN CHURCH, LITTLE BRITAIN, N. Y .. BUILT 1765 (Drawn from description by Elizabeth King.)
shillings, New York money. The cost of the 'release' was five pounds, 'lawful money of the Province of New York.' Upon this piece of ground, containing one acre, one rood and twenty-three perches, whose northwest mark was a white oak tree, whose sapling still stands by the roadside, was built a 'meeting house' for the use of a Presbyterian minister and congregation in connec- tion with the Associate Synod of Scotland, to which the Presbytery is subordinate, adhering to the principles of the Church of Scotland as they are exhibited in the Con- fession of Faith agreed upon by the Assembly of Divines who met at Westminster, 1647, etc.
"The nucleus of the congregation which had been formed so recently, was a body of men, who, with their families emigrated from County Longford, Ireland, in
-
14
ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK
1729 under the leadership of Charles Clinton, the first in this country of that famous family. The company first settled near Philadelphia but in 1731 pushed on to the centre of what is now the Town of New Windsor. To them were added soon after other emigrants from Ireland and Scotland, and men of like beliefs from Long Island, earlier emigrants.
"There was already an incipient Presbyterian Church at Bethlehem, to which Charles Clinton brought his letter from Ireland, and with which the Clinton fan- ily was connected through two generations. At St. Andrews was a church of England, and at New Windsor a Presbyterian Church was soon formed.
"What determined the peculiar attitude of the Little Britain community in church matters is found in their history in Ireland, and in the history of their fore- bears. Cromwell gave to his followers the richest parts of northern Ireland after his conquest of the island in 1650. At the collapse of the Protectorate these same people suffered at the hands of the Stuarts, Charles II and James II, unspeakable hardships. In 1699 William III, or his Parliament put all Irish Woolens and virtually all products under a heavy tariff or Irish embargo. As county Longford was a large woolen and flax goods producer, this worked severely against the welfare of the inhabitants.
"Again the Church of Scotland, which, at times; was truculent to Government favor, tolerated the patron- age idea in regard to church pastorates. Erskine in 1737 had taken issue with this state of things and declared the church to be 'the freest society on earth.' Many ministers and congregations rallied around Erskine aud brought about the Secession Church. But this was not all. A little later the Burgesses of the Scotch cities were required to take oath to support the religion of Scotland, and as that religion was, in a way, interroga- tive, there came into being two classes of the Secession, the Burghers and Anti-burghers, those who would allow the oath and those opposed to it. The Little Britain Church was Anti-burgher in the Secession church.
"These facts explain to a large extent, the Revolu- tionary attitude of the congregation. Almost to a man
A NARRATIVE HISTORY
the people were against the whole King idea. and against its shadow. The Clinton family was not of this persua- sion and probably also of a higher class, as classes went then, than the common run of emigrants, who made up the settlement in 1730 to 1765. Established Scotch Presbyterianism might do for the Clintons, but not for these people. It smelled of the King.
"The first church building was erecteed in 1765; it was square in form, with the pulpit on the west, Pat- rick McClaughry being the builder. It was unplastered inside, its rafters exposed and meeting at a point in the roof. Its dimensions were about 40x40 feet on the ground. The building was clapboarded on the North and East, and shingled on the West and South. There were no stoves in the building, the minister and people bringing foot stoves. Sometimes Mr. Scrymgeour's stove was so warm to his feet that an incense of steam surrounded him as he poured water from the pulpit pitcher upon it to cool it off. The building was in & woods of hickory and oak, some of whose saplings are yet on the West end of the graveyard.
"In 1768 the Rev. Robert Annan, of Scotland, brought up in the Anti-burgher branch of the Secession Church, was installed pastor, having in 1765 been or- dained and installed over the Neeleytown church. He continued as joint pastor of these churches until 1783, residing at Neeleytown, when he accepted a call to the Federal Street Church of Boston, Mass.
"In 1782 the congregation voted to enter the union- body known as the Associate Reformed Church, made up of Seceders, the Associate Synod, and Reformed Presbyterians. Their pastor had taken a prime interest in this union, which brought the church into relations with the Presbytery of New York.
From 1783 to 1791 the church was without a pastor. However, on May 6, 1791, the congregation was able to ordain and install Thomas Gibson Smith as their pas- tor. He severed his connection with the church May 14, 1800.
"From 1800 to 1812 there was no settled pastor over the church. By 1812 the church had rallied enough to call to it the Rev. James Serymgeour, from Newburgh.
ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK
He was a native of Scotland, a man of commanding presence and powerful eloquence. He was installed January 24, 1812. He died in 1825 and was buried in the yard around the church.
"In 1825, a missionary student, Robert H. Wallace, who had acted as an assistant to the Rev. Mr. Serym- geour, was prevailed upon to take up Mr. Scrymgcom's work and was installed pastor on Oct. 6, 1825. He died February 9, 1868.
On the 30th of December, 1857, Robert H. Wallace, his son, was installed as pastor. The pastorate of the younger Wallace was marked with great prosperity. Four hundred persons were added to the church mem- bership, and the congregation sometimes numbered as high as 300, filling galleries and floor sittings Sunday after Sunday. In 1867, on October 8, the church assumed membership in the North River Presbytery, Old School, and thus became Presbyterian, although holding the cor- porate name, The Associate Reformed Church. On Dec. 18, 1882, Rev. R. Howard Wallace resigned his charge after serving as pastor for 25 years.
"The Rev. George L. Richmond was ordained to the ministry and installed as pastor over the church ou October 10, 1883. In October, 1889, he resigned to accept a call to the Congregational Church of Amesbury, Mass.
"In May, 1890, the Rev. John Scott King was called to the church and ordained and installed pastor October 22 of the same year.
"Jn 1825 the old, original church building was torn down and a new and larger church built. Its dimensions were about 35x55 feet on the ground. The pulpit was on the north end of the audience room, around which. on the West, South and East sides extended a gallery. The entrance doors were at either side of the pulpit so that everyone entering faced the congregation. About 1826 a house two miles west of the church on the main road, lying at the west foot of Mulliner's hill on the north side of the road was purchased for use as a par- sonage.
"In 1861 the present parsonage was bought. At the time the building was a tavern, but was rofitted a: a cost of about $3,000. On February 12, 1999, the third
..
47
A NARRATIVE HISTORY
church building burned to the ground. The day was the Sabbath and the pastor had just begun his sermon when the fire was discovered. The day was cold and stormy and there were but a few of the congregation present. However, with the assistance of a few summoned from the neighborhood they were successful in saving from the flames all of the interior furnishings, including the carpet.
"The congregation worshipped for seven months at Pierson's creamery hall nearby until the present struc- ture was ready for occupancy. The third, and present church building was dedicated September 28, 1899. Its cost was $5,743.85; adding to this the pews and other furishings which were saved from the old church, the total value of the new structure was about $7,500.
NEW WINDSOR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The New Windsor Presbyterian Church dates its organization from September 14, 1764, at which time Josephi Wood, William Lawrence, Samuel Brewster and Henry Smith were chosen Elders. It was formally con- stituted May 5, 1766, by the Rev. Timothy Jones, a com- mitted of the Presbytery of New York. From the date of its institution until 1805, it was associated with the Bethlehem and Newburgh Societies in the support of a pastor, and from 1805 to 1810 with Bethlehem. From 1810 to 1827 it enjoyed only occasional ministerial labor3. On May 1, 1827, the Rev. James H. Thomas was employed in connection with the church at Canterbury, and was installed pastor of both churches, February 12, 1828. The connection with the Canterbury church was dis- solved in 1834, Mr. Thomas serving the New Windsor church exclusively until June 1835, and continued in that relation until April, 1840. The pulpit was subse- quently occupied by supplies, among whom were: Rev. N. S. Prime, Rev. Henry Belden, Rev. Isaac C. Beach, and Rev. James Bruyn.
The first building erected by the Society was a small structure in the village of New Windsor. It is said that it was occupied as a hospital during the encampment
48
ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK
of the Revolutionary army stationed at Newburgh and New Windsor, and was subsequently destroyed by fire. The present edifice was erected in 1807. It is a small, wooden structure, with spire, and adjoins the present village on the West. In the ancient burying ground attached, the oldest monument is that which records the resting place of John Yelverton, one of the founders of the village, who died June 12, 1767, aged 74 years. In 1867 religious services were discontinued, the congregation having become so small that it was not able to maintain a pastor, and since that date the society as an active religious body has been but a memory.
ST. PATRICK'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
St. Patrick's Church, Newburgh, enjoys the proud distinction of being the oldest Catholic Church in Orange County, and in a few years from now, viz., 1937, will formally celebrate its centennial.
According to reliable historical sources, services were occasionally held in private houses in the locality, even prior to 1816, for the few and scattered Catholics of the District, but it was not until the year 1836, thai a parish was formally established, and a pastor appointed.
The name of the first pastor was Rev. Patrick Duffy. The name of the Bishop then ruling New York Diocese, was the Right Rov. John Dubois. Father Duff's remained pastor until 1853. Since then the parish has had six pastors, and under each, Catholicity has made strong strides. Indeed, measured by the increase in the number of Communicants, its progress has been phenomenal. For the little flock of 200 in 1837, has now increased to nearly 5,000. This increase is all the more remarkable, when we realize that besides St. Patrick's Church, there are now in Newburgh, three other Cath- olic Churches with large congregations.
But its progress is not marked by numbers alone. In the field of education, it has also a splendid record. conducting for some time, two parochial schools, one for boys, and the other for girls. In the work of Chris-
-
2
E
------
4
. .
----
. . 4
ST. PATRICK'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, Grand Street, Newburgh, N. Y.
-
-
49.
A NARRATIVE HISTORY
tian and Secular education in these schools, seventeen teachers are now employed. Measured also by a mater- ial standard, St. Patrick's Church is in a very strong position. Besides the church it possesses a great deal of real estate, including a Rectory, a Convent, a Brothers' House, two Schools, two Cemeteries, and two houses, and a large hall. It also has a Church and some property in New Windsor.
Besides St. Patrick's Church, there are now as we have stated three other flourishing Catholic Churches in Newburgh, and in the County where there was only one church in 1837, there are at present 35.
The name of the present pastor is Very Rev. Henry O'Carroll, V. F. P. R. He was born in Listowel, Ireland, in 1869. He made his college studies at St. Michael's College, in the same town, and also at St. Breendan's, Kil- larney. From the latter college, he went to the National Eeclasiastical University of Maynooth, where he made his philosophical and theological studies. He was or- dained to the priesthood in 1893, and soon after his ordination came to America. His first appointment was as one of the assistants at St. Patrick's in Newburgh. Here he remained for over 14 years, when he was made pastor of Livingston Manor. After 7 years, in this pas- torate, he was appointed by the late Cardinal John M. Farley, permanent rector of St. Patrick's, Newburgh, December 1914.
In the year 1924, December 10, His Eminence, Pat- rick Cardinal Hayes, appointed him Dean of Orange and Rockland Counties.
At present he has associated with him in his work in the parish, three assistants, Rev. Stephen P. Connelly, Augustive A. Donoghue, and John O'Reilly.
1
.
50
ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK
Orange County Poets, Statesmen, Historians, Writers and Men of Note
O RANGE COUNTY can claim the distinction of hav- ing been the home of many men and women who have achieved literary fame as poets, historians, journalists and writers, the work of several having found à permanent place in English literature. Chief among her poets may be mentioned Nathaniel Parker Willis, of Cornwall, and Goshen's sweet singer, Mrs. Ethel Lynn Eliot Beers. Poems of both these writers are to be found in Bryant's "Family Library of Poetry and Song," a standard work of international reputation.
ETHEL LYNN ELIOT BEERS .- Goshen's Sweet Singer, Mrs. Ethel Lynn Eliot Beers, who wrote under the nom de plume, of "Ethel Lynn," was born at Go- shen, Orange County, N. Y., in 1825 and died at Orange, N. J., in 1879. Mrs. Beers who was a woman of rare literary gifts, was a frequent contributor to the leading periodicals of her time. Perhaps her best known poem is "All Quiet Along the Potomac," written during the civil war, which attracted wide attention, and occupies a permanent place in standard poctical literature.
"All Quiet Along the Potomac" was first published in Harper's Weekly of November 30, 1861. The phrase, "All Quiet Along the Potomac," was a familiar one ju the Fall of that year, and in the indifferent announce- ment that was one day added, "A Picket Shot," the author found the inspiration of her poem.
This celebrated poem when first published bore only the initials "E. B.," and as it went floating around in the great sea of journalism, numerous aspirants for lit- erary fame, who were not over serupulous in their methods of obtaining it, grasped the opportunity of playing the role of literary pirates in their ambitious de- sire to have their names handed down to posterity as poetical celebrities, in the vain hope of thus achieving enduring literary fame.
-
.
1
Major EDWARD C. BOYNTON Born Feb. 1, 1824. Died May 3, 1893.
4
ETHEL LYNN BEERS Born 1825. Died 1879.
-
.
51
A NARRATIVE HISTORY
Mrs. Beers, in an explanatory note in her volume of collected poems entitled " All Quiet Along the Potomac and Other Poems," published by Porter & Coates, Phil- adelphia, (1879,) gives the history of this poem along with the amusing incidents connected with its publica- tion and the various claims of those who sought to estab- lish themselves as its author. She says:
"In the Fall of 1861, 'All Quiet Along the Poto- mac' was a familiar heading of all war dispatches. So, when this poem appeared in Harper's Weekly of Nov. 30, it was quickly republished in almost every journal in the land. As it bore only the initials 'E. B.,' the poem soon became only a nameless waif and was attributed to various pens.
"The London Times copied it as having been writ- ten by a Confedecrate soldier and found in his pocket after death. (It seems to have been a dangerous thing to copy it, as it has so often been found in dead men's pockets.) An American newspaper quoted it, saying that it was written by a private soldier in the United States service and sent home to his wife. This state- ment was met by another asserting that it was written by Fitz-James O'Brien. As the soul of that true poet and gallant soldier had gone out through a ragged battle-rift won at Ball's Bluff, this was uncontradicted until an editorial paragraph appeared in Harper's Weekly, July 4, 1863, saying that it had been written for that paper by a lady contributor.
"It appeared in a volume of 'War Poetry of the South,' edited by William Gilmore Sims, as a Southern production, and was set to music by a Richmond music publisher in 1864, with 'Words by Lamar Fontaine,' on its title page. A soldier cousin, who went with Sherman to the sea, found in a deserted printing office at Fayette- ville, a paper containing a two-column article on the poem, with all the circumstances under which 'Lamar Fontaine composed it while on picket duty.'
"It appeared in the earlier editions of Bryant's 'Library of Poetry and Song,' over Mrs. Howland's name, which was afterwards corrected by Mr. Bryant. "Within the last year a Mr. Thaddeus Oliver claims its authorship for his deceased father, being no doubt
-
52
ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK
misled by a wrong date, as he fixes an earlier time than its first appearance in Harper's Weekly.
"I have been at some pains to gather up these dates and names as one of the curiosities of newspaper- waif life. To those who know me, my simple assertion that I wrote the poem is sufficient, but to set right any who may care to know, I refer to the columns of the old ledger at Harper's, on whose pages I saw but the other day, the business form of acceptance of, and payment for, "The Picket Guard,' among other publications.
"Fortunately I have two credible witnesses to the time and circumstances of its writing. A lovely lady sitting opposite me at the boarding house table, looked up from her morning paper at breakfast time to say, 'All Quiet Along the Potomac, as usual,' and I, taking up the next line, answered, 'except a poor picket shot.'
"After breakfast it still haunted me, and with my paper across the end of my sewing machine, I wrote the whole poem before noon, making but one change in copying it, reading it aloud to ask a boy's judgment in referring to two different endings, and adopting the one he chose. Nothing was ever more vivid or real to me than the pictures I had conjured up of the picket's Jonely walk and swift summons, or the waiting wife and children. A short sojourn in Washington had made me quite familiar with the routine of war time and soldier life. The popularity of the poem was, perhaps, die more to the pathos of the subject than to any inherent quality.
"ETHEL LYNN BEERS."
' Orange, N. J., 1879.
"ALL, QUIET ALONG THE POTOMAC" (By Ethel Lynn Eliot Beers) "All quiet along the Potomac," they say, Except now and then a stray picket Is shot as he walks on his beat, to and fro, By a rifleman hid in the thicket. "Tis nothing: a private or two, now and then, Will not count in the news of the battle; Not an officer lost, -- only one of the men,
Moaning out, all alone, the death rattle.
--
53
A NARRATIVE HISTORY
All quiet along the Potomac to-night, Where the soldiers lie peacefully dreaming; Their tents in the rays of the clear Autumn moon, Or the light of the watch-fires, are gleaming. A tremulous sigh, as the gentic night wind Through the forest leaves softly is creeping; While stars up above, with their glittering eyes, Keep guard,-for the army is sleeping.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.