USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The annals of Albany, Vol. X > Part 32
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The trustees of the North Dutch church undertook the repairing and remodeling of their edifice. It was built
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Annals of the Year 1858.
in 1798, in the Italian Renaissance style, in which, at that time, almost all public as well as private buildings were erected. Of late years, however, architecture has made rapid progress ; and since the early Christian styles have been the subject of profound and patient study, their beauty and symmetry is more and more appreciated; and they have with very few exceptions, been since applied in the construction and ornamentation of modern churches. This church was remodeled in the Romanesque style, which preceded the Gothic. The four brick columns in front, with the Doric gable, were replaced by an arcade of three round arches, from which three doors open into the ves- tibule. The flat ceiling in the church was replaced by groined vaults, supported by thin and graceful columns, with Romanesque capitals. The old, narrow and high pulpit was removed, and a wide open platform, with a lecturn constructed in its stead. The windows were filled with stained glass after new designs. The towers were carried up higher and covered with slate. In the rear an addition was made to the church, to contain Sunday school rooms, a room for the trustees, a vestry- room, and a large lecture room, capable of seating be- tween 350 and 400 persons, the old one being entirely too small for the purposes to which it was applied. The designs were made by Von Steinwehr and Hodgins, eminent architects, under whose superintendence the im- provements were carried out.
13. Thomas S. Knight died, aged 41.
14. John G. Don died, aged 31.
16. The first message across the Atlantic telegraph was received in the evening from the queen of England, whereupon there was a spontaneous outburst from every mouth, and the greatest rejoicings were enacted in all ordinary and some extraordinary ways, which were con- tinued during the whole night .... Angus McDonald died, aged 53. .. Ann Rodeau died, aged 72.
18. Mrs. James E. McClure died.
19. John B. Nellegar died, aged 45.
21. Christiana, wife of Hathorn McCulloch, died, aged 79.
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Annals of the Year 1858.
24. William A. Wadsworth died, aged 36. . .. Mrs. Joel West, late of Albany, died at West Lee, Mass., aged 60.
25. Abijah Hall died, aged 83 .... Nancy Tufts died, aged 28.
28. Hamilton Blanchard, aged 26, died at Salem, Washington county.
29. Adaline, wife of Henry T. Meech, died at Buffalo.
30. Mrs. Charles Sayles died, aged 40.
SEPTEMBER.
1. Mary T., wife of B. S. Van Rensselaer, died at Ballston .... John J. Fitzpatrick died, aged 24 .... Great celebration of the success of the Atlantic telegraph. The fete by day was never equaled on any former occasion, and the illumination by night far surpassed any thing every before seen here. All business was suspended by common consent, and the whole city entered into the spirit of the jubilee spontaneously.
3. Elizabeth Parker died, aged 78.
4. Margaret Linacre died, aged 85 .. .. Robert Furman died in Williamsburgh, aged 34.
5. Mrs. Anna B., wife of Aaron Ryder, died at Milford, Mass., aged 37; formerly of Albany.
7. John Hilton died, aged 74.
10. Nathan Cornell, who formerly resided on the island below the city, died at Syracuse, aged 88 .... William O'Donnell died, aged 50.
11 Elizabeth Valentine died, aged 87.
14. Mary Jane, wife of James L. Mitchell, died, aged 35 .... Jacob Downing, formerly of this city, died at Ro- chester, Ohio, aged 67. He was an alderman of the 8th ward, and was many years ago the projector of the soup house charity, which came to be a very corrupt charity, the best pieces of meat unaccountably disappearing.
16. Margaret, wife of John O'Conner, died, aged 54.
17. A bell was placed in the tower of the Swan street Methodist Episcopal church, weighing 2000 lbs.
22. Silas C. Parsons died, aged 77.
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Annals of the Year 1858.
23. David Bryan died, aged 29 .... James B. Douglass, formerly of Albany, died in New York, aged 71.
25. Harriet Lavinia Covert, wife of William H. Allen, died at Middle Granville, aged 24.
26. Anna M. Van Allen died, aged 17 William Mahony died, aged 57.
28. Thomas H. Dobbs died, aged 57.
29. Firemen's jubilee. Nearly 3000 firemen from six different states gathered here for a display, from Detroit in the west, Providence in the east and Newark in the south, and numerous intermediate places, to the number of 61 companies, including those of the city. There were 19 bands of music in the procession. First came two carriages, in one of which was Jonathan Brooks, an ancient fireman, with a fire cap of No. 8, of which he was foreman fifty-eight years ago. Exempt firemen to the number of 200 drew old No. 4, built by James Rogers. These old fellows had got so thoroughly warmed up on the occasion, that notwithstanding their long march, when the procession broke up they could not resist the inclination to have a run with der masheene, and accord- ingly with an old fashioned " Hi yi! give way boys! give way !" they took a run up State street, which called out the hearty cheers of the young firemen and spectators. .. Ann Bell, aged 22, was killed by the falling of a stone upon her head while witnessing the procession .... James Lamb died, aged 40 .... Catharine Kelley died, aged 90.
30. This day was given by the seventy fire companies to competing for the prizes. It was a time of intense excitement, and continued till the close of day, the prizes, amounting to $1800 being paid to the foremen of the suc- cessful engines in gold. The weather had been until 7 o'clock every thing that could be desired. At that hour a violent tempest of wind, rain and electricity burst upon the city, and brought down the top-mast of the lofty flag staff in the parade ground, which had served to mark the prowess of the firemen in the contest for superiority. The streets were nevertheless still redolent of red shirts,
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Annals of the Year 1858.
and squads of firemen pervaded the streets jubilant with success and excitement.
OCTOBER.
1. The morning again echoed with the music of fife and drum, as the remaining companies of firemen were es- corted to the steam boats and rail road cars on their departure homeward, and by 12 o'clock the last red shirt disappeared. The fete was a complete success, eclipsing every thing of the kind that had preceded it in this place, in the memory of man .... Peter White died, aged 56.
2. Rev. Henry Mandeville, formerly pastor of the Fourth Presbyterian church, died at Mobile. The fol- lowing obituary notice of him is from the Utica Herald : " By telegraph we have the intelligence of the death at Mobile, Alabama, the 2d inst., of Rev. Henry Mandeville, D. D., well known to our citizens as a scholar and cler- gyman. It is a quarter of a century since Dr. Mandeville came to this city from Geneva, and became pastor of the Reformed Dutch church, in which capacity and after- wards as pastor of the First Presbyterian church, he made many warm friends, and won a high reputation as a pulpit orator. In 1841, he became Professor of Moral Philosophy and Rhetoric at Hamilton college, and con- tinued in that post for eight years. During that time he published several works on elocution, which possess great value and have become standards in that depart- ment in many of our best institutions. During the earlier part of this period he also occupied the pulpit of the First Presbyterian church, and in 1843, or thereabouts, was again unanimously invited to resume the pastorate. This, however, he declined, and remained at Clinton until 1849. He thence removed to Albany, and was for some years pastor of one of the Presbyterian churches there. His health failing, he went to Mobile to spend the winter, and was invited to occupy the pulpit of Dr. Hamilton's church in that city, and before his visit was completed he was pressed to accept a call to take up his residence as pastor of that largest and wealthiest church in the
ST. PETER'S CHURCH.
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Annals of the Year 1858.
state. Considerations of health and usefulness induced him to yield to the request, and he has there found a grave. " Dr. Mandeville was a native of this state, and it will be seen from this brief sketch, spent a good part of the summer of his life in Oneida county. He was a genial and broad-hearted man. As a pastor he was popular and useful, and as a preacher evinced more culture, oratory, force and taste, than are often combined in the same person. He was always an attractive speaker, and as a public lecturer, his efforts were very successful. As an author, his system of elocution is original and of con- ceded value. Dr. Mandeville was much above the average of men in ability, acquirements and usefulness; and as is the case with every faithful pastor, his eulogy as a Christian minister is best written on the hearts of those who have personal experience of the good results of his labors." .... Thomas Johnson died, aged 50.
Oct. 3. Ebenezer E. A. Roberts died, aged 37 .... St. Peter's church was not opened for service on account of the insecurity of the ceiling. The walls had long been in a dilapidated condition, the foundation having settled in several places so as to cause large fissures on the east side. The congregation worshiped in the lecture room of the State Agricultural Society.
Oct. 4. Robert Kirkpatrick died, aged 68 - The comet, which for several weeks had increased in bril- liancy, was now at its nearest proximity, and made the finest display that had been witnessed in many years.
5. Rachel, wife of Julius Tremper, died.
6. Eliza Davis died, .aged 42 Dr. David M; Mc- Lachlan, formerly professor of materia medica in the Albany Medical College, and a practicing physician here, died at Cleveland, Oneida county, N. Y., aged 55. He was a native of Scotland, and a graduate of Edinburgh college.
8. Alice Harney died, aged 44 .. . The Burgesses Corps celebrated the 25th anniversary of the organiza- tion of the corps, which took place at the Maiden Lane Saloon in 1833. The first captain was John O. Cole, who was succeeded by Capt. Bayeux, Capt. Humphrey,
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Annals of the Year 1858.
B. R. Spelman, Rufus King, Franklin Townsend, J. W. Blanchard, Wm. J. Thomas, and B. R. Spelman again. Although it is a quarter of a century since the organiza- tion of the corps, but one of the above officers has de- ceased, namely, Capt. Bayeux. At the supper table, Cornelius Wendell, Esq., one of the original members, presented $500 to be invested, and the income annually appropriated to some reward of soldierly merit to the most deserving member of the company.
10. Amelia, wife of J. S. Hitchcock, died.
14. Samuel Boyd, formerly of Albany, died in New Orleans, aged 30.
15. Siche, widow of the late Samuel Vail, died, aged 93.
16. John Hayes died, aged 28.
18. Sally, wife of John I. De Graff, formerly of this city, died at Hoffman's Ferry, aged 55.
19. Ann Jane, wife of Cooper Sickles, died, aged 31.
20. Mary, widow of Michael Arts, died, aged 67.
22. John H. Bennett died, aged 37.
24. Nancy, wife of Duncan McKercher, died, aged 66. Rev. T. A. Starkey of St. Paul's church, who had been absent some time from his congregation on account of ill-health, after a few prefatory remarks, delivered in front of the chancel, announced that it was the last time he should address them in the character of pastor, and bade them farewell. His remarks and his determination were evidently unexpected, and were received with mani- fest surprise and emotion .- Times.
26. At a meeting of the common council, on motion of Alderman Serviss, it was resolved to print the minutes of the board .... Alderman Barhydt reported that the city now owned five engines, six hose carts, and two hook and ladder wagons, for which there was no further ne- cessity, and recommended that they be sold .... A fire broke out in the residence of J. H. Sharp in Colonie street, and a child was suffocated.
29. Mary L. wife of Wm. G. Ertzberger died, aged 38. Jehiel Knapp died, aged 76 ____ Margaret Elizabeth, wife of James McWilliams, died, aged 25.
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Annals of the Year 1858.
NOVEMBER.
1. Howard Watson died, aged 24.
2. Election day. John H. Reynolds was elected rep- resentative to congress and William A. Young to the state assembly; Thomas W. Van Alstyne, sheriff.
5. Henry Austin died at San Francisco, aged 41, son of the late William Austin.
6. Zechariah Standish, globe manufacturer, died, aged 62. He had the pistol and tobacco pipe of Miles Standish, the puritan, which were sold after his death.
7. Maria Vedder died, aged 51 . Snow fell at an early hour. in the morning, the first of the season; on the Helderberg it fell to the depth of a foot.
9. A fire destroyed a pile of lumber in Lawrence street, valued at $1000; supposed to have been fired by an in- cendiary.
10. The following were elected officers of the County Medical Society : S. D. Willard, M. D., president ; S. O. Vanderpoel, M. D., vice president; Levi Moore, M. D., secretary ; William H. Bailey, M. D., treasurer.
11. Sophia, wife of John K. Porter, died, aged 29 Maria M. Triger died, aged 55 .... Gertrude, wife of R. E. Churchill, died, aged 38.
12. Elizabeth, wife of James Murray, died, aged 46.
14. The Arbor Hill Methodist Episcopal church, which had been closed some time for repairs, was opened for service. Three services were held, and the collections and subscriptions taken up amounted to $1400.
16. Mrs. Anna Ross died, aged 52 .. Elizabeth, wife of Philip Dunn, died, aged 20.
18. Elizabeth, wife of Michael Springer, died, aged 30. William R. Sumner died, aged 23 .... Philip Smith died, aged 72.
22. At a meeting of the common council the finance committee reported the amount of money, to be raised by taxation to defray expenses for the ensuing year to be as follows :
[ Annals, x.] 37
-
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Annals of the Year 1858.
Contingent expenses, ordinary, $42,000
Deficiency in amount raised in 1857, 40,000
Police department, 37,000
Furnishing, &c., city lamps, 19,000
Deficiency on account of improving streets, 10,000
Interest on public debt,
35,000
on sinking fund, 10,000
Temporary relief out-door poor,
18,000
Fire department, 17,000
Finishing and furnishing industrial school,
5,000
Support of public schools,. 32,000
Extra appropriation for 1st ward school house,.
15,000
$280,000
22. Isaac Newton, manager and principal owner of the People's Line of steam boats, died in New York, aged 63. He was the son of a soldier of the revolution, and was born in the town of Schodack, Rensselaer county, N. Y., on the 10th of January, 1794. When Robert Fulton's first boat, named the Clermont, in honor of Chancellor Livingston, made her trial trip in August, 1807, Mr. Newton was 13 years of age, and through life retained a distinct recollection of the ridicule, astonishment and in- credulity which attended the inauguration of steam navi- gation. His attention thus drawn to the subject, seconded his inclination and constructive talent; and over ninety vessels, consisting of ocean steamers, steam boats, barges, sloops, &c., have been built under his supervision. He established the first line of tow boats on the Hudson, and in 1835 he built the steam boat Balloon, the first of the splendid river craft which have won the admiration of the world. The North America, South America, Isaac Newton, New World, Hendrik Hudson, &c., fol- lowed, and gave rise to the term floating palaces, as used to express the magnificence of our river and lake steamers. Mr. Newton commenced his career as master of a river sloop, and was entirely a self-made man. He was a practical Christian. For some thirty years he has been an active member of the Oliver Street Baptist
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Annals of the Year 1858.
church, and during most of that time a Sunday school teacher ..... Helen Louisa Gourlay died, aged 40.
23. James Davidson died, aged 52 .... Bridget Tomp- kins died, aged 70.
28. The Universalist church, which had been closed some time for repairs, was opened for service. The in- terior was entirely refitted, the walls and ceiling frescoed, the seats uniformly upholstered, and the wood work painted to correspond with the walls.
DECEMBER.
1. Sarah, widow of John Nicholson, died at Palmyra, aged 78.
2. Harriet, wife of Abram Covert, died, aged 64.
3. David Hynes died, aged 56 .... Thomas Becket died, aged 54.
5. Samuel Wiley died, aged 28 .... Charlotte Bleecker, widow of Vinal Luce, died at Washington.
6. Abraham Tomlinson died, aged 80.
10. Anna Egberts, wife of Oliver Steele, died at Co- hoes .... George G. Sparling died, aged 79.
17. Mary Ann Sheldon died, aged 55.
18. The river closed.
19. Thermometer 2 deg. below zero.
20. Catharine, widow of Matthias Kline, died, aged 72. The common council, after numerous ballotings at four different sessions for deputy chamberlain, without a choice, resolved to request the mayor to fill the office of receiver of taxes until the office was regularly filled.
21. Eleanor, widow of Wm. Van Zandt, died, aged 77.
23. John Jacob Wendell was elected deputy chamber- lain in the place of Thomas W. Van Alstyne resigned . .. .. A meeting was held at the Capitol, Hon. Eli Perry, president, to discuss the abduction of young Mortara, a Jew, claimed by the Catholics as having been baptized into their church .... Mrs. Ruth Parmalee Hough died, aged 71 .... Mary W., wife of Andrew McKaig, senior, died, aged 60.
( 432 )
THE
CHURCH OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS.
The church which bears this title was the fifth parish organized in this city by the Protestant Episcopal church. The increase of the population, and the extension of the city had necessitated some special provision for the spirit- ual wants of the members of that church living in the northern part; of the town. A considerable part of them, however, were neither sufficiently settled in their resi- dence, nor pecuniarily able to originate so important an undertaking, of themselves. The claims of this field had not been unobserved by others; but a decisive movement to accomplish the object of building up a congregation in that quarter was first made in 1847 by the Rector of St. Paul's church in cooperation, chiefly, with the layman, then and for many years its senior-warden, who finally assumed the whole expense of the undertaking. It was proposed to erect a chapel in the northern part of the city, and to sustain it as a free church and mission. The disastrous fire of 1848 put a stop to the circulation of the subscription paper which had been commenced, and nothing was accomplished. A sketch of the chapel in- tended to be built had been obtained from Mr. Frank Wills, an admirable architect, and estimates in accord- ance with it had been made, the material to be of brick, and the edifice to be as inexpensive as possible. The means to build with were not forthcoming. Eventually Mr. William H. De Witt, who had taken a leading part in the enterprise from the commencement, assumed the entire cost and charge of the work, having already given the site for the building.
The corner stone of the church was laid by the Rt. Rev. the Bishop of Maryland, June 7, 1849, with the usual services, in the presence of a number of clergymen,
antim
INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS.
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Church of the Holy Innocents.
the Rev. Dr. Kip delivering an address. The work on the building was pushed forward with energy, by Messrs. Orr & Cunningham, masons; Mr. Stuart and Mr. Par- sons, wood-workers. Being the first specimen of proper Early English architecture, in the city, the edifice was an object of curiosity to many besides those who felt a deeper interest in it in view of the sacred purposes which it was to subserve.
On Sexagesima Sunday, A. D. 1850, being the 3d of February, the church, being entirely completed and ar- ranged, it was first opened for the solemn services to which it was ever after to be appropriated. The Rev. Sylvanus Reed, who had taken the charge of the parish, officiated and preached on this occasion.
The legal organization of the parish in accordance with the statutes of the state of New York, took place on the 16th of February, 1850. The wardens and vestry- men elected at that time were the following:
Wardens .- William H. De Witt, John Buckbee.
Vestrymen .- Robert Server, John D. Parsons, John H. Bowne, E. H. Clarke, Joshua Rathbun, S. H. H. Par- sons, Esq., Wm. Headlam, and Wm. Lacy.
And at the first meeting of the vestry, the Rev. Mr. Reed was elected to the Rectorship of the church.
The certificate of the incorporation of the parish hav- ing been laid before the standing committee of the dio- cese of New York, it was formally approved by them on the 13th of June; and it was admitted to union with the convention of the diocese at the Special meeting of con- vention, in November, 1850 .*
The congregation had not yet been gathered, but as soon as the church was opened, those who signified to the Rector their desire to become members of the parish were registered and visited by him.
The Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was first celebrated on Sunday the 17th of February, to about
*An oversight in the execution of the form of incorporation pre- vented the admission of the parish into the convention at its meeting September, 1850.
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Church of the Holy Innocents.
twenty persons, there being then about thirty families in the congregation. Holy baptism was administered to an adult at evening prayer on the same day. A daily service was for some time celebrated. The Sunday school was organized at the close of the year, in a school room fur- nished by Mr. De Witt.
The entire property, consisting of two lots of ground, and of the church edifice, with its furniture, was conveyed by a perpetual lease to the corporation, legally formed, of the Rector, Wardens and Vestry of the Church of the Holy Innocents, upon condition that the church should always be occupied by, and used in the services of the Protestant Episcopal church; that its sittings should always be free; that its donors should have the care of the grounds, edifice and furniture, and temporalities, the privilege of enlarging the building, and of nominating to the rectorship. The donors also reserved the right of re- entering the premises for the purpose of conveying them to any other corporation of the Episcopal church in the city; or to a chartered school; without, however, divert- ing the church from the sacred uses, originally intended, or altering its character as a Free church. A reservation of a right of nomination to the rectorship, to the donors and their heirs (said heirs to be of the age of twenty-one years, and communicants in the P. E. church), was, sub- sequently by formal release, changed to a right to descend to their issue; and was limited to three nominations and required to be exercised within a year from the occur- rence of a vacancy. They also reserved the right to erect a free school on any part of the church lot.
Arrangements were made for the consecration of the church in July, 1850; but the illness of Bishop Whitting- ham prevented its taking place at that time, although the clergy and people were assembled in the church .*
*Opposition was made to the consecration of the church and a pro- test against the Bishop's proceeding was presented to him, signed by three clergymen of the city, one of whom some time after formally retracted his part in it. The ground of the opposition was, the na- ture of the reservations to the donors, and their heirs, and it was alleged that the deed of conveyance had been altered from the form in
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Church of the Holy Innocents.
The solemn services of consecration were performed on the 3d September, 1850, by Bishop Whittingham, of the Diocese of Maryland .* There were present and assist- ing in the services, the Rev. Dr. Potter, t rector of St. Peter's, Albany; the Rev. Dr. Wm. Croswellt of Boston, the Rev. Dr. Williams§ of Connecticut, the Rev. Mr. Reed, rector of the parish, the Rev. Messrs. Geer, Arey, and Babcock. The request to consecrate was presented and read by the Rector, the Sentence of Consecration | was
which it had been drawn up by Mr. J. C. Spencer, and assented to, as satisfactory, on the first opening of the church. The allegation was unfounded. The deed was made out in the office of J. V. L. Pruyn, Esq., and is a verbatim copy of the original draft made by Mr. J. C. Spencer, and admitted by him to contain nothing which could prevent the consecration. The Bishop received the protest; but on a conference with the donors, the right of nomination to the rectorship was limited (as by the release above), when he de termined on proceeding.
*The Bishop of Maryland was at that time performing Episcopal functions in the diocese of New York, at the request of the ecclesias- tical authority, during the disability of the Diocesan.
+ Provisional Bishop of New York, 1854.
#Died 1851.
§ Assistant Bishop of Connecticut, 1851.
|| In the Name of the Holy, Blessed and undivided Trinity, God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
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