Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 34

Author: Wager, Daniel Elbridge, 1823-1896
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston history co.
Number of Pages: 1612

USA > New York > Oneida County > Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York; > Part 34

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In September, 1852, the South Street Methodist Episcopal church was organized and a church erected on South street, which was dedi-

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cated in the spring of 1853. In 1869 a parsonage was built on a lot adjoining the church. The church itself has since been extensively improved.

The First Free Methodist church was organized August 7, 1863, by Rev. D. W. Thurston with forty-eight members from the South Street church. Services were held in Morgan Hall, corner South and West streets until 1865 and a wooden church was erected on the corner of South and Miller streets. When the growing congregation needed larger accommodations the present brick church was erected in 1880 81 at 30 Chatham street.

For some time previous to 1867 members from the First M. E. church conducted a Sunday school in West Utica. Immediately after the burning of the State Street church a chapel was built corner of Court and Stark streets and in May, 1886, the Dryer Memorial M. E. church was organized. In 1890 an addition was built on the west side of the church for Sunday school and evening services.

In 1880 Rev. W. F. Hemenway organized a class on Kossuth ave- nue, and meetings were held in private rooms until 1882 when a hall was hired corner of South and Albany streets. In 1883 a frame church was erected on a lot donated by Francis Kerran, corner Nichols and Lansing streets. In 1884 the society became a regular charge and on March 31 was organized as the Centenary Methodist Episcopal church. A parsonage was built near the church in 1891.

In February, 1830, a few Calvanistic Methodists took letters of dis- missal from a church in Remsen, and David Stephens was authorized to organize them into a Welsh Calvanistic church in Utica. This was done in March, 1831, under the title of the " Moriah Welsh Calvan- istic Church." In 1831 a church was built on Seneca street, which was replaced by a larger one in 1847. This property was sold in 1882 and the present church was built on Park avenue corner of Dakin street. The church has a mission Sunday school and is liberally supported by Welsh citizens.

The Coke Memorial (Welsh Methodist Episcopal) church was formed about July 1, 1849, with twenty-seven members. The old Cambrian Hall was used for services several months and on May 1, 1850, the so- ciety purchased a building on Washington street known as the Com-

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

mercial Lyceum, and fitted it up for worship. This property was sold in May, 1885, and the lot purchased on the corner of Hopper and Union streets. There the corner stone of the new building was laid in August. 1886, and the edifice was dedicated in the same month of 1887.

From 1849 to 1854 the First Church of the Evangelical Association (German Methodist) belonged to the Mohawk Circuit. In 1851 Rev. F. Herlan, then preaching in Deerfield, desired a transfer to Utica, and in the same year an old school house on Garden street was bought and used for services down to 1858, when the present church edifice was erected.

The Welsh Baptist church is one of the oldest in Central New York, and had its origin September 12, 1801, when twenty-two persons of Welsh descent met at the log house of John Williams on the road oppo- site State Hospital and formed a church. It is known as the First (Welsh) Baptist and is the parent of the Broad street (now Tabernacle) church. In 1806 the congregation built the church near where the canal now intersects Hotel street. This building was moved when the canal was opened to the site of the present church on Broadway. This society was long prosperous but in late years has decreased in numbers on account of the services being held in the Welsh language.

In 1819 seventeen members of the Welsh Baptist church were dis- missed at their own request to form an English church, calling it the Second Baptist. Rev. Elijah F. Willey was called and assumed the pastorate in November of that year. A frame church was soon erected on Broad street; this was superseded by a brick edifice, which was dedicated September 28, 1848. In June, 1864, the society voted to vacate this house and remove to a more central location. In October, 1864, a lot on the corner of Hopper and King streets was purchased and a fine stone edifice erected. It was dedicated in September, 1866. The name " Tabernacle Baptist church " was adopted October 11, 1864. A new chapel was built on the property adjoining the church and ded- icated October 4, 1889.

In December, 1837, the Tabernacle Baptist church appointed a com- mittee to conduct religious worship in West Utica until the following May. March 21, 1838, eleven persons met at the home of Edward Wright and organized the Bethel Baptist church of Utica. During the

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first year of their existence they built a church on State street, which was dedicated August 7, 1839. On January 1, 1845, it was determined to rent the Bleecker street church, built by the Second Presbyterian society. This was purchased in February, 1847. In April, 1862, steps were taken for the enlargment of the church and property was purchased in the rear for Sunday school purposes. This property was all sold in the fall of 1886 to the Y. M. C. A., and a lot was purchased on the corner of Rutger and West streets, where, on June 29, 1887, the corner stone of the new brick church was laid. On the fiftieth anniversary, March 22, 1888, the name Park Baptist church was assumed.

The Ebenezer Baptist church was incorporated in August, 1836, in which year a lot was purchased on Columbia street and a frame build- ing erected.

The Emanuel Baptist church was organized January 29, 1890, with forty-two members. A house of worship was soon erected on the corner of Eagle and Dudley streets. It was dedicated free from debt March 12, 1890.

The Zion Evangelical Lutheran church (German) was organized May 15, 1842, at its place of meeting, the " Old Bethel" on Fayette street, West Utica. There were forty-six charter members and the services were held in the German language. A church was built on Columbia street, and dedicated September 28, 1844. This was burned Feb- ruary 28, 1851. This site was sold to the Catholics and the present church built on the corner of Cooper and Fayette streets. A day school building was erected in 1870 on Columbia street.

On March 25, 1860, the church just described resolved to establish a German mission in the southeastern part of the city. A lot was do- nated and a small building thereon was consecrated in August of that year as St. Paul's Lutheran church (German). Under the pastorate of Rev. O. Kaselitz, beginning in 1880, the church building was nearly destroyed by a storm and the present edifice was erected on the site. This calamity placed the society under a burdensome debt which was finally paid off by the self-sacrifice of the members.

The Evangelical Lutheran church of the Redeemer was organized December 27, 1878. Services were first held in the M. E. chapel, corner Court and Stark streets, and in the summer of 1881 an old malt

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house lot on Columbia street was purchased and a stone chapel erected. This was followed by the building of the present church, which was occupied May 17, 1885.

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran church (German) was organized August 21, 1881, at a meeting in a private house, where it was determined also to form a day school and a Sunday school. The day school was com- menced in St. Patrick's school building on Columbia street, and on March 12, 1882, property was purchased on Hamilton street and the house there standing was remodeled for church purposes. The present brick church was built in 1886 and dedicated December 12.

The Evangelical Lutheran church of the Holy Communion was or- ganized as a result of the missionary labors of Rev. Gustavus A. Bierde- mann in Southwest Utica, begun in the fall of 1887. The frame church on the corner of Sunset avenue and Mulberry street was built in the winter of 1887-88.

In 1854 Rev. Valentine Miller, of the Moravian church, came to Utica by request and began holding services in private houses. A small frame church corner Cornelia and Cooper streets (formerly Luth - eran) was purchased and on July 2, 1856, the Moravian church was or- ganized. A new brick church and parsonage was built on the old site in the summer of 1891. The Moravian mission on South street is a branch of this church and was organized in April, 1882. In February of the following year a chapel for the mission was built on South street.

A Utica newspaper of November, 1825, announced that Mr. Thomp- son would preach in the Court House on Sunday, November 20, and the Universalists of the village were requested to meet at the same place on the following evening for the purpose of organizing a society. Accordingly, " a number of persons, believing in the doctrine of God's impartial and universal love," met and organized the first Universalist society of Utica. Forty-two persons signed the constitution. In 1828- 30 a church was erected on Devereux street, but the society became financially involved, and the property was sold. In 1848 services were recommenced in Mechanics' Hall and a new society was organized named the Central Universalist society, commonly known as the Church of Reconciliation. A brick church was erected on Seneca street near Genesee and completed in 1851. In 1877 this building was extensively repaired and a new chapel was erected.

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The services of the Second Universalist, or the Church of our Father, begun in May, 1888, in the Mary street school house. In October of that year a chapel was built on Bacon street, where services where held in the afternoon by Rev. C. E. Rice until July, 1889. In 1890-91 a lot was purchased on Bleecker street and the present brick church was erected thereon.

The first priest whose name is found connected with the Roman Catholics of Utica was Rev. M. McQuade, then pastor of St. Mary's church, Albany. Between 1813 and 1816, when the diocese of New York, to which Utica belonged, was without a bishop, he came occa- sionally to this district and said mass. The first notice found of church services in Utica was in 1819 when Rev. Michael O'Gorman, who had been assigned to Northern New York, met the adherents of this faith in the academy on the Ioth of January. Mass was celebrated and a ser- mon was preached in the evening. On the 15th of March the Catho- lics were invited to attend service conducted by Rev. Mr. Farnon on the following Sunday. On May 24 it was announced that " Rev. Mr. Farnon, who is now established rector of the western district, has re- turned from a circuit through said district and will perform divine ser- vice at the academy on the 30th inst." These were the initial steps which led to the formation of St. John's church, the early membership of which was scattered over a large territory. The first trustees of the church were John C. and Nicholas Devereux ; James Lynch of Rome and later of Utica ; Francis O'Toole, of Augusta, and another person from Johnstown. The resident congregation did not exceed thirty, but they as well as many Protestants contributed liberally toward building a church on a lot corner of John and Bleecker streets donated by Judge Morris S. Miller and wife. The building was promptly begun and was dedicated August 19, 1821, by Rt. Rev. Bishop Connolly. It was not entirely completed until two years later. The first rectory, which was superseded by the present one, was built in 1824. In 1825, when Rev. John Shannahan was pastor, there were only sixteen Catholic families in Utica. Through the generosity of John C. Devereux, the Sisters of Charity were brought to Utica about 1832 and have performed their unselfish labors in the city ever since. In June, 1836, the corner stone of a larger church edifice was laid and the building was finished during

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that year. This edifice sufficed for the congregation for about thirty years, when, under the pastorate of Rev. Thomas Daly (1858-1878), it became apparent that larger accommodations were needed. The St. John's Building Association was thereupon organized to aid the pastor in raising funds, and the corner stone of the present handsome church was laid June 27, 1869; the building was finished in 1871. Under Father Daly's administration the Christian Brothers opened an orphan asylum in a part of the school building of the Assumption Academy March 25, 1862. These accommodations becoming inadequate, a large building was erected in 1869, corner Rutger street and Taylor avenue, now known as St. Vincent's Male Orphan Asylum. This insti- tution is described in later pages.

St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church (German) was organized in 1842 by Rev. Joseph Prost. They first worshiped in a frame building on Fayette street, purchased by the congregation. The society prospered and in 1855 a two story brick school building was erected. In 1890-91 a convent was built on Fayette street for the use of the school sisters.

St. Patrick's Catholic church was organized March 17. 1850, the natal day of the patron saint. Services were first held in the building on Columbia street, which is now a part of the St. Elizabeth's Hospital. Soon after the arrival of the first pastor, Rev. Patrick Carraher, a lot wat purchased on the corner of Columbia and Huntington streets, and on July 30, 1851, the corner stone of a brick church was laid. This building was burned November 9, 1889, and services were held in an old school house near the church site. In March, 1886, the church property was sold on a mortgage to Father Carraher and its affairs went into litigation. Later it passed into the possession of the parish, and in 1895 a new brick church, costing about $54,000, was built on the old site. It was consecrated December 8th of that year.

The present edifice of St. Mary's Catholic church (German), corner South street and Taylor avenue, was purchased from the German Luth- eran church in 1870 by the first pastor, Rev. G. Veith. The building has since been greatly extended, a rectory added, and connected with it are a parochial school and three benevolent societies, the Society of St. Boniface, the Society of St. Aloysius, and the Society of St. Stanis- laus.

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In April, 1877, the bishop of the Diocese authorized Rev. Luke G. O'Reilly, then assistant in St. John's parish, to organize a new parish of that section east of Genesee street and south of South street, to be known as the Church of St. Francis de Sales. Meetings were first held in a school house and within a year the building on Steuben street, near South, was purchased and remodeled for the use of the parish A suitable site was finally obtained for a church on the corner of Eagle street and Summit avenue, and ten years from its organization the society had completed a beautiful brick building and parochial resi- dence.

In 1886 a Sunday school was established in the old school building on Mary street, which was soon changed to a Catholic school. In May, 1887, a new Catholic parish was formed of the section east of Mohawk street, and called St. Agnes. Rev. John J. Toomey, former assistant at St. John's, was appointed pastor, and steps were taken toward the erec. tion of a church. A lot was secured at the corner of Blandina street and Kossuth avenue, and the corner stone of the building was laid in July, 1887.

The first Hebrew congregation in Utica was organized in 1848, Rabbi Ellsner leader, and worshiped for a time in rooms on Hotel street. In 1852-53 the congregation was reorganized with Rabbi Rosenthal, pas- tor, and built a small synagogue on Bleecker street. In 1870 a syna- gogue was built on Whitesboro street and chartered under the name of the House of Jacob. In 1882 this was sold to Solomon Griffiths and July 22 the church on Seneca street was bought from the Moriah Welsh church and has since been used.

On December 7, 1888, Levi Lyons, Elias Marulsky and David Roth- stein purchased from the city a school house, corner of Whitesboro and Washington streets. A congregation was soon gathered and January 5, 1889, an organization was effected under the name of the House of Israel. Extensive repairs were made to the building in the year 1889

CHARITABLE AND BENEVOLENT INSTIUTIONS.

One of the most important of the benevolent institutions of Utica is the Utica Orphan Asylum, the history of which begins with the estab- lishment of the Female Society of Industry in October, 1826. It was

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composed of seventy members, who paid six dollars each, annually in either cash or needle work, and in January, 1828, they began to raise a fund for founding an orphan asylum. The officers were Mrs. Sophia Bagg, president and treasurer, and Mrs. Ann Breese, secretary. By the fall of 1833 a fund of $3,000 was accumulated. A charter was drawn and a public meeting held January, 7, 1830, at which a constitution was adopted and women officers chosen, with the exception of three men, to act as an advisory committee. Further subscriptions were solicited and housekeeping was begun in November, 1830, in a building on the north- east corner of John and Catherine streets. In May, 1833, the family removed to a house near the southeast corner of Chancellor Square. The financial panic of 1837 almost caused the abandonment of the institu- tion, but in December, 1842, a general meeting was held, the old con- stitution was approved, and it was determined to apply for an extension of charter containing provisions for the admission of half-orphans. The asylum was reopened on Broadway, east side, in May, 1845. In 1846 the lot No. 312 Genesee street was purchased with the proceeds of two fairs and in June, 1847, a building was begun, which was finished in May, 1848. A large number of gifts and legacies were soon received by the institution, culminating with the legacy of $34,000 left by Alfred Munson conditioned upon the raising of $10,000 within five years of his death, for the purchasing of suitable grounds of not less than three acres, the balance remaining to be expended towards the erection of a new building. This condition was fulfilled in 1855 and the legacy was made available in 1860. Meanwhile Benjamin F. Jewett donated to the society three acres of land on the corner of Genesee and Pleasant streets. On the 30th of May, 1860, the corner stone of the new building was laid and it was finished in the summer of 1861. Since that time the asylum has done incalculable good in the city. Among the larger gifts to the institutions were $9,000 by Augustus White ; $25,000 from Silas D. Childs and a similar gift from his widow; $17,000 from Francis Ramsdell; $4,850 from B. F. Shaw; $5,000 from Mrs. Alfred Churchill; $10,000 from Jonathan R. Warner ; and $5,000 from Nich- olas F. Vedder.

St. John's Female Orphan Asylum was incorporated March 18, 1848, and was the ultimate result of an application made in 1834 by John C.

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and Nicholas Devereux to the Sisters of Charity to conduct a Catholic asylum and day school in Utica. The support of the institution was largely contributed by the Messrs. Devereux until its incorporation, since which time the work of the Sisters and their friends has made the building what it now is. The structure fronts 140 feet on John street, 200 feet deep and is four stories high. The school is supported by St. John's parish.

The St. Vincent Male Orphan Asylum, incorporated April 21, 1862, and connected with St. John's church, has already been mentioned. Its affairs were at first directed by the Brothers of the Christian schools, while its finances were controlled by a board of managers. The Broth- ers resigned in April, 1876, when the board assumed entire charge, and the institution was incorporated under the title of "St. Vincent Protect- orate and Reformatory for Destitute Children in Oneida and Adjacent Counties." About the end of the year the property was sold at auction and was purchased by Right Rev. Bishop McNierny, who recalled the Christian Brothers in January, 1877. In August, 1885, the Christian Brothers purchased the property and reincorporated it under the name of St. Vincent Industrial School. The building was at once largely im- proved and equipped with various machines for practical instruction.

In the winter of 1872-73 a meeting was held in Trinity rectory where steps were taken toward founding an institution for infirm and destitute children, under the direction of the Episcopal denomination. In May, 1873, the House of the Good Shepherd went into operation in a tene- ment on Blandina street. It was controlled by eleven trustees and six managers. Subscriptions were solicited through the use of which, on the 8th of June, 1875, a commodious house corner Bleecker and East streets was formally opened. The building has since been greatly en- larged and improved and several lots added to the grounds. It is sup- ported chiefly by gifts from its friends

On November 19, 1866, a charter was granted to the " Home for the Homeless in the City of Utica," the object of which was the support of aged, indigent or infirm women. The Home was opened in May, 1867, in a building on Whitesboro street, opposite the State Asylum. About this time Theodore S. Faxton offered to give $20,000 toward the erec- tion of the Home, provided a like sum should be subscribed by January

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

1, 1869 The sum of $26,000 was raised by that time and the founda- tion for the building laid on two acres of land donated by Mr. Faxton on Faxton street. In December, 1870, B. F. Jewett and his sisters donated four lots to the Home adjoining the original site. The build- ing cost $30,000 and was opened December 6, 1870. In 1879 a new building was added at a cost of $6,000. The institution is under the management of thirty-seven women, from whom its officers are chosen. In 1880 Jason G. Coye made a bequest to the Home of $55,000, and in 1891 a second addition was made to the institution.

The Faxton Hospital was erected in 1874-75, wholly at the expense of Theodore S. Faxton, its founder. In June, 1875, he placed the in- stitution under the management of a board of trustees created a few years earlier, who retained it until 1878. A medical and surgical staff was appointed, nurses engaged and the sick were received. The de- mands upon the Hospital not meeting the anticipations of its founder, the trustees in 1878 placed the institution under a board of forty women managers. By them the second and third floors of the building were devoted to the reception of aged men, the lower one being used for the sick. The institution was thus made not only a hospital but a shelter for those who are left helpless in their declining years.

In February, 1882, was incorporated the Home for Aged Men, gifts having already been received of $1,000 from the late A. J. Williams, $500 from Miss Jane E. Kelly and $1.000 from the estate of Mrs. Geo. S. Green. Later it was decided to admit aged men and their wives, and in the early part of 1890 a lot on Sunset avenue was secured on which was erected a commodious structure at a cost of $35,000. It was opened July 15, 1891.

St. Elizabeth's Hospital and Home was organized December 12, 1866, by Mother Bernardine of the charitable order of St. Francis. The first patient was received in a small building on Columbia street, owned by the Franciscan Fathers, to which was added two other buildings within two years through the generosity of Thomas B. Devereux. In 1868 the old buildings were removed to make room for St. Joseph's church and the Hospital was transferred to a large house a few doors west. A dispensary for the outdoor poor was opened in 1871. The Hospital is under the supervision of the Sisters of the order of St. Francis, and is not con- nected with any church.

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THE CITY OF UTICA.

While not a county institution, the Masonic Home at Utica may properly be noticed here. The nucleus of the great fund with which the Masonic Temple in New York city was built, was a subscription of one dollar made in 1842 This was followed by others until a little more than $300 was subscribed, when a memorial signed by 100 breth- ren was presented to the Grand Lodge. An act of incorporation was passed April 21, 1864, the object of the corporation being stated as the building and maintaining of a Masonic Hall in New York city, out of the income of which asylums and schools should be built for the relief of worthy indigent Masons, their widows and orphans. The act and its amendments gave the corporation power to hold property to the amount of $5,000,000. In 1870 the fund had grown to $340,000, and within the next five years the finest Masonic structure in the world was built in New York city. A heavy debt was incurred under which the fraternity of the State struggled for fourteen years. In 1885 Frank R. Lawrence was elected Grand Master and through his systematic, ear- nest and business like methods, the debt of nearly a million dollars was extinguished in 1889. The fraternity now saw a prospect of the early erection of the Home. The question of location was a perplexing one, the competition among various cities being very active. After much discussion and various generous offers of land, the Grand Lodge resolved to limit the time for receiving proposals for the location to September 15, 1888, and a committee was empowered to immediately thereafter visit the various localities and make a selection. The result of it all was the purchase of what had been the Utica driving park, near the city of Utica, containing 160 acres of land, beautifully situated. The property was valued at $75,000; of this the owner, Charles W. Hutchinson, donated $25,000, the city of Utica $30,000, and the Grand Lodge paid $20,000. The West Shore railroad donated a quarter of an acre of ground and five additional acres were purchased for $750. In 1889 the name of the institution was changed from asylum to " Masonic Home and School." The plans originally contemplated a building to cost not more than $100,000, but in 1890 this sum was in- creased to $150,000. On August 27 of that year the plans of archi- tect William H. Hume, of New York, were adopted, and on October 27 eighteen bids were opened for the erection of the building. The contract was let to Dickinson & Allen of Syracuse, at $134,000 About $5000 was subsequently added. Dockage property, furniture and fix-

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Our county and its people; a descriptive work on Oneida county, New York;, Part 34

Author: Wager, Daniel Elbridge, 1823-1896 Publication date: 1896 Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston history co. Number of Pages: 1612

Author: Wager, Daniel Elbridge, 1823-1896
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: [Boston] : The Boston history co.
Number of Pages: 1612