The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884, Volume II, Part 86

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York, W. W. Munsell & Co
Number of Pages: 1345

USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884, Volume II > Part 86

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In the winter of 1848-'9 the church was enlarged, repaired and modernized, largely at the expense of Messrs. Abraham Meserole, Abraham Boerum, Nicholas Wyckoff, and others. In 1849, Mr. Van Dorn resigned, and Rev. Job Halsey served as stated supply. November 13, 1849, Rev. Elbert S. Porter was called to the pastorate which he resigned in 1883, after a long and useful service of thirty-four years.

In July, 1865, the old church edifice on Fourth street was sold and a number of lots bought on Bedford avenue, corner of Clymer street, on which was erected a large and elegant edifice of brick, with stone facings. It is in some respects the most complete and perfect in its appointments of any in the city, and was dedicated October 17, 1869.

Dr. ELBERT S. PORTER has been identified with the later growth of the Eastern District as much as any other one man. He is a native of Hillsboro, Somerset county, N. J., and was at school at Ovid, N. Y .; at a grammar school in Broome street, New York, and at Somerville Academy, N. J .; grad. from Princeton Coll., in 1839, and from the New Bruns- wick Theol. Sem. three years later. His first charge was at Chatham, Columbia Co., N. Y., where he gathered a congre- gation, organized a church, and a handsome edifice was built.

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ECCLESIASTICAL ORGANIZATIONS.

Iu the autumn of 1849, Dr. Porter accepted a call to the First Reformed Church of Williamsburgh, and commenced his long, active and useful pastorate. In addition to his church work, he was editor of the Christian Intelligencer for sixteen years, and always a prolific writer for the press; he wrote voluminous letters from Europe, in 1879, for publica- tiou, and on his return delivered an interesting series of lec- tures. A contemporary said of him: "Dr. Porter is emi- nently a prophetic writer, exerting a great influence. All his faculties are under good discipline and control. He knows just where and when to strike to annihilate an adver- sary." He has also written numerous poems and hymns of high literary quality.

"Dr. Porter's intellect is both comprehensive and subtle, logical and poetical; he is broad in his views, and outspoken, yet cautious and politic; doctrinal, yet rhetorical; a conserva- tive progressive, and a progressive conservative. The value of his words is seen in the frequency with which he has been called upon to speak upon public, educational, religious or charitable topics."

He resigned his charge in October, 1883.

The Third or South Reformed Dutch Church (at Gowanus), formerly located on the corner of Forty-third street and Third avenue, had its inception at a meeting held June 27, 1838. The building, situated about a mile south of the village, was completed and dedicated on the 24th of June, 1840. Minis- try : Rev. C. C. Van Arsdale (supply), 1840; Rev. Samuel M. Woodbridge, 1841-'51; Rev. J. M. Rowland, 1852-'3; Rev. John H. Manning, 1854-'73.

From May, 1842, to January, 1850, services were held by the Pastor, Rev. S. M. Woodbridge, alternately in this church and in the North Church of Gowanus, on Third avenue, be- tween Twentieth and Twenty-first streets, and which had been purchased by the consistory, in May, 1842, from the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn. (See sketch of North Dutch Reformed Church.)

The South Reformed Dutch Church lost a large portion of its members and supporters during the yellow fever of 1856, and it seemed at one time as if its very existence must be abandoned, but the few who were left rallied to its support, and it became again prosperous. Subsequent Pastors : Rev. Henry V. S. Meyers, 1874-'81; Rev. A. D. W. Mason, 1881-'4. The church building was destroyed by fire in 1863, and a new edifice commenced at the corner of Third avenue and Thirty- second street, the chapel of which was used for worship the same year. The church was completed in 1875. It is a brick structure, with a seating capacity of 350, and has a chapel and Sunday-school room in the rear. The Society has a parsonage en Third avenue, between Forty-second and Forty-third streets.

The Fourth Reformed Dutch Church was organized Nov. 11, 1840, at the Wallabout. Rev. Peter S. Williamson was Pastor, from April to October, 1841. The congregation being feehle, and enjoying only occasional supplies, the enterprise was abandoned about the close of 1842, but the church was not regularly dissolved by Classis until October 13, 1844, when the only member (and he an elder) was dismissed by the Classis, on his own request, and joined the Wallabout Church, and the North Dutch Reformed Church became extinct.

The Middle Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, corner of Harrison street and Tompkins place, was org. in 1846, with sixteen members, in a room on the corner of Smith and Butler streets, John V. N. Talmage served as a stated preacher until the first regular Pastor, Rev. Peter D. Oakey, commenced his labors in March, 1847. During that year the congregation erected a church edifice on the corner of Court and Butler streets, a plain brick structure, costing about

$10,000. Subsequent Pastors: Rev. Jas. R. Talmage, 1850-'2; Rev. Nicholas E. Smith, D. D., 1853-'69. In 1853, lots were purchased, and the present church edifice commenced, the corner-stone of which was laid July 30, 1855. The structure is of brick, in the Norman stylo of architecture, with two towers in front, the principal one being 180 feet in height. The building has 70 feet front on Harrison street, and ex- tends 96 feet on Tompkins place, the audience-room having a clear space of 64 feet in width. It has galleries, and its estimated capacity is 1,500 persons. The exterior is trimmed with brown stone, the lecture-room adjoining being fronted with blue marble; cost, about $32,000. Other pastors : Rev. Edward P. Ingersoll, D. D., 1869-'83; Rev. Wm. H. Ford, 1883-'4. The church buildings were renovated and refitted between the years 1872 and 1875, at an expense of about $10,000. The Sunday-school rooms were wholly changed, and they are now as convenient and pleasant as any in the city.

A mission was established in October, 1847, in the vicinity of Clinton and Washington avenues; A division soon oc- curred, and two small buildings were erected, one on Wash- ington avenue, near Fulton, and the other, on Clinton ave- nue. Their cost was about $1,300.

Rev. EDWARD P. INGERSOLL. D.D. (Williams Coll., 1877), was born in Lee, Mass., May 6, 1834-a descendant of Rev. Jona- than Edwards. In 1837, his parents removed to Oberlin, Ohio, where he resided until he had partially passed through college, when he returned to Massachusetts and completed his college course at Williams. After graduating at the Law College at Cleveland, he was admitted to the Bar, and practiced three years. Desirous of entering the ministry, he entered Andover Theological Seminary, and, in Dec., 1863, was ordained and installed over the First Congregational Church, Sandusky, Ohio. In-1868 he accepted a call to In- dianapolis. The Middle Reformed Church, of this city, ex- tended a call to him in Dec., 1869. His labors in this field have been crowned with abundant success. Dr. Ingersoll has a very attractive delivery, and, though his pulpit utter- ances are mainly extempore, they show pure thought and earnest Christian spirit. His genial, whole-souled man- ners make him a welcome guest in the homes of his people.

Washington Avenue Protestant Reformed Dutch Church, on the corner of Washington and Gates avenues, was organ- ized about 1848, and a building, 30 by 46 feet in size, and costing some $14,000, was erected. The first Pastor was Rev. A. Elmendorf, who was called in 1848. In 1850, a Mr. Good- man was called, and the corner-stone of a new edifice was laid in 1850; but, in 1851, the church broke up, and the edifice was sold to the Baptists for an amount sufficient to pay all debts and leave a handsome surplus.

The Greenpoint Reformed Church was organized May, 1848, with eight members, by a committee from the North Classis, of Long Island. Its first Consistory comprised David Swalm and William H. Guest, elders, and Dr. Isaac K. Snell, deacon. It held its first services in a small room, over the grocery store of Elder Swalm. The first church was built in 1850, in Java street, on land given for the pur- pose by Mrs. Magdalena Meserole, the foster-mother of the church. The growth of the church was such that the edifice erected was not large enough to meet the wants of the con- gregation; and, after a few years, a new church edifice, 62 by 95 feet, was built on Kent street, in 1869, and dedicated January 30, 1870. The front is of Philadelphia pressed brick, trimmed with Ohio and Connecticut stone, and is of the Rheno-Romanesque architecture, of the sixteenth century. The westerly tower is 55 feet high, surmounted by a mansard roof, with crestings. The easterly tower is 75 feet high, with

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HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

GREENPOINT REFORMED CHURCH.

belfry, at present surmounted by an octagonal mansard roof. The tower is intended for a spire 175 feet high. The church has a seating capacity of 800 persons, and cost, with land, about $60,000.

In 1880, a chapel, 45 by 100 feet, seating 1,000 persons, was erected, on land adjoining the church, for Sunday-school and prayer-meeting purposes. It has lecture-room, church parlor, and six class-rooms, with a gallery divided to accom- modate eight bible-classes, and an infant-school department, capable of seating 200 children ; also kitchen, &c. It cost, with furniture, not including the ground on which it stands, $17,000.

The church has had six Pastors : Rev. John W. Ward, 1849 -'54; Rev. Goyn Talmage, D. D., 1855-'62 ; Rev. George H. Peeke, 1863-'65 ; Rev. A. P. Van Giesen. D. D., 1866-'67; and Rev. Alexander McKelvey, 1867-'72; Rev. Lewis Francis, 1873-'84.

The membership of the church is 882; communicants, 436; scholars on the roll of the church and mission schools, 1,022. The entire cost of the churches and chapel has been paid, save a bonded debt of $5,000 on the chapel.

Reformed Dutch Church (of North Gowanus) .- The prop- erty of this church was first purchased from the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn, by the consistory of the South Reformed Dutch Church, in May, 1842. The congre- gations of the South and North Reformed Churches were under the charge of the same Pastor till January, 1850, when the union was dissolved by the Classis, and the North Church congregation was organized, and purchased the property from the South Church.

In May, 1851, the Rev. N. P. Pierce, D. D., was installed as Pastor.

Early in 1869, the property owned by the church on Third avenue, near Twenty-first street, was sold, and a new church edifice erected on Twelfth street, between Fourth and Fifth avenues. It is a brick building, 55 by 85 feet in size, and its cost was about $65,000.

At that time the corporate title was changed to "The Twelfth Street Reformed Church of Brooklyn." Mr. Pierce resigned, on account of ill health, in 1874, and the present Pastor, Rev. Uriah D. Gulick, was installed Sept. 30, 1875.

The North Reformed Church (Clermont avenue), organ- ized May 15, 1851, owes its origin to the efforts of its first pastor, Rev. Anthony Elmendorf, D. D., who was installed July 11th, 1852. Four lots of ground were presented to the church by the heirs of Jeremiah V. Spader, and a church edifice was erected in 1855, at a cost of $20,000. Pastors, Revs. A. Elmendorf, D. D., 1852-'65; W. Tillotson Enyard, 1865-'73; Alex. R. Thompson, D. D., 1873-'84.

The church has been prosperous. It has a large member- ship and a flourishing Sunday school.

Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of South Bushwick. -Nov. 6th, 1851, a petition was presented to the North Classis of L. I., from the inhabitants of Bowronvills and vicinity, praying for the organization of a Dutch church in that lo- cality.

Messrs. Andrew J. Johnson and William Ten Eyck, received on their certificates of dismission from the Reformed Church of Bushwick, were constituted a consistory for the new organization.

Soon after, nine persons were received, mostly from the Re- formed Church of Bushwick, and the Rev. J. S. Himrod was appointed missionary to take charge of the new enterprise.

The organizing membership all came from the old Bush- wick Church; but the organization came about through the efforts, principally, of the Rev. E. S. Porter, D. D.

Steps were at once taken to obtain a suitable house of wor- ship. Land for this purpose was given, at the intersection of their farms on the old Bushwick Road, by the brothers, Andrew and Abram Stockholm, Nov. 19, 1851. This, when the town of Bushwick was consolidated with Brooklyn, came at the corner of Bushwick avenue and Himrod street. Money for the purpose of building was raised among the residents in the vicinity, and a sum presented by the Col- legiate Dutch Church of New York. The corner-stons of the church was laid by James De Bevoise, Sept. 6, 1852, and the building consecrated February, 1853. This building then erected is the one in use now. It is a frame structure, 45 by 65 feet.

The Rev. J. S. Himrod, who, up to this time, had been acting as the missionary of Classis, was, in February, 1854, installed as the Pastor of the church. He remained in that capacity until October, 1859. The other Pastors have been as follows: Rev. Denis Wortman, D. D., Juns 16, 1860, to Oct. 19, 1863; Rev. Chester Hartranft, D. D., July 10, 1864, to Oct. 2, 1866 ; Rev. Hy. V. Voorhees, Aug. 11, 1867, to April 21, 1869; Rev. Geo. D. Hulst, July 4, 1869, who is still Pastor.

During the early part of the year 1881, a very beautiful and commodious Sunday-school building, 40 by 80 feet, was erected. It was dedicated on the 17th of July, 1881.

The Sunday-school was organized soon after the church (Mr. James De Bevoise, superintendent), and, till the church building was completed, met in a private house in Ralph street, near Bushwick avenue. Since then the following have been superintendents: Silas Tuttle, Daniel Eldredge, Richard Hamilton, James H. Hart, Peter Kinsey and Geo. F. Booth.

Rev. GEORGE D. HULST, born in Brooklyn, 1846; grad. Rut- gers Coll. 1866 ; Rutgers Theo. Sem. 1869; located B'klyn 1869-'84; Pres. L. I. and B'klyn Entomological Societies, 1876-'83; contrib. to entomo. journals; author of Monograph on Genus Catocola, 1883.

The German Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of New Brooklyn, Herkimer, near Howard avenue, was organized October, 1852, by twenty-eight persons. They were supplied by Ernest Schrepfer till January 1st, 1853. Pastors: Revs. Mr. Pfister, 1853-'55; C. Dickhaut, 1855-'67; H. C. Heyser,

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ECCLESIASTICAL ORGANIZATIONS.

1867-'69; C. F. C. Snekow, 1870-'79; Jacob Weber, 1879-'84. November 22d, 1854, a church edifice (costing about $5,500), of Gothic style, was dedicated, and, in 1868, a parsonage was erected and repairs made upon the church.

A parochial school, in connection with the church, has been maintained since the latter's organization. Instruction is given in both English and German.

This church has a flourishing Sunday-school, and the ser- vices in both church and Sunday-school are conducted in the German language. This church is not only free from debt, but it has a bank account to its credit.

East Reformed Dutch Church (situated on Bedford avenue, near Jefferson street) was organized Feb. 15, 1853; Rev. John W. Schenck was installed as pastor; the church edifice was raised in March, 1854, and dedicated July 16. Ministry: Revs. Jacob West, 1856-'68; S. F. Farmer, 1868-'72; J. H. Carroll, 1872-"76; P. E. Kipp, 1877-'79.

In 1879, it was reorganized under the name of Bedford Reformed (Dutch) Church. Rev. Walter T. Griffin became pastor in 1881.

A new church edifice was erected in 1875, on the corner of Bedford avenue and Madison street, two blocks north from the original building. Its cost was $140,000.

The Lee Avenue Reformed Dutch Church .- The first ser- vices in connection with the enterprise, which afterwards became known as the Lee Avenue Reformed Dutch Church, were held in 1852, in a small frame cottage belonging to Barnet Johnson, situated on the corner of Bedford ave. and Hewes st.

COTTAGE WHICH WAS THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE LEE AVENUE REFORMED CHURCH.

Near the close of his life, General Jeremiah Johnson had expressed a desire that a church, of the denomination to which he had always been attached, should be built on his homestead farm. His sons, in connection with several families in the neighborhood, sought the co-operation of the Board of Domestic Missions of the Reformed Dutch Church, in organizing the new enterprise.

In May, 1853, it was determined to erect a chapel, and the building now standing on Lee ave. was commenced on land generously donated by Barnet Johnson and the heirs of the late James Scholes. The corner-stone was laid with appro- priate services, August 3, 1853, by the Hon. Benjamin D. Silliman; and, on April 9, 1854, tbe beautiful chapel was ded- icated by the Rev. George W. Bethune, D. D.

On May 2, 1854, the church was organized with thirteen members by the North Classis of Long Island, and the Rev. W. W. Halloway was its Pastor until 1859. His ministry was very successful, and during his pastorate, the chapel

LEE AVENUE REFORMED (DUTCH) CHURCH.

was enlarged to double its original size. Rev. John McClel- lan Holmes was installed Pastor November 6, 1859. New life and vigor was immediately infused throughout the en- tire enterprise, the building was crowded to excess, and the erection of a large and commodious church became a necessity.

Barnet Johnson and the heirs of the late James Scholes having made another large gift of land for the site, the work was commenced on the first of March, 1860, and the corner- stone was laid on the 11th day of the following June, by the Rev. Dr. Van Franken, of New Brunswick, N. J. The church auditorium was dedicated Dec. 10, 1860, the Rev. George W. Bethune, D. D., preaching a memorable dis- course. Rev. Mr. Holmes was compelled, by impaired health, to relinquish his charge in 1864.

The subsequent Pastors were: Rev. A. A. Willits, D. D., 1865-'67; Rev. W. W. Hicks, 1867-'69; Rev. J. H. Carroll, D. D., 1869-'71; at the close of his pastorate, the church reached a very low ebb; it was torn by dissensions and re- duced by withdrawals; and the hopes and plans of the gen- erous donors of the land on which the buildings stood were entirely defeated by the church changing its denominational relation and becoming the Lee Avenue Congregational Church.

The Lee Avenue Sunday-school, which afterwards became famous throughout the land and the world, was organized in 1853, with John N. Stearns as its Supt. for 18 months; suc- ceeded by Jeremiah Johnson, Jr., soon after the new church was occupied. The prospects were not encouraging; the neighborhood was sparsely populated; there were no dwell- ings in the vicinity; the land was cultivated by market gardeners; open fields everywhere met the eye. The average attendance in January, 1855, was 50; in January, 1856, 700 scholars and 70 teachers were enrolled on the Sabbath-school registers. In January, 1857, the school had 1,000 scholars and 90 teachers; on the 7th of October, 1860, when the new Sabbath-school was opened, 2,000 children and 180 teachers.

In May, 1866, Jeremiah Johnson, Jr., who had been the superintendent of the school almost from its inception, in consequence of removal to Rahway, New Jersey, resigned his position; and was succeeded by Franklin H. Lummus, who successfully performed its duties, and was continued as superintendent until nearly the time when the church changed its denominational relationship.

Bethany Chapel, on Hudson avenue, near Myrtle, first established as Myrtle Avenue Mission, in Myrtle Hall, in 1853, was soon removed to a larger room, on the corner of Myrtle avenue and Navy street. It was maintained by the

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HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

Church on the Heights till 1868, when it was united with Bethesda Mission, and the name, Bethany, was given to the united missions. The present chapel was dedicated, May 29, 1870. It is a brick structure, 50 by 80 feet in size, with a seating capacity of 400. Its total cost was $26,000.

The pastors of this Mission have been : Rev. Alfred Myers; and Rev. Jacob Whitehurst, who was born at Macclesfield, Eng .; grad. Brooklyn High School, 1876; studied Bklyn. Lay College, 1871-"75; Missionary with Ch. of Our Saviour, 1872-'75; located at Brooklyn, July, 1876.

The chief interest of this Mission has centred in its Sunday- school, which now numbers 350. At one time it published a periodical called The Bethany Tidings.

The German Evangelical St. Peter's Church (Reformed), Union ave. and Scholes st. This church was commenced by the Rev. C. A. J. Pohle, of Bautzen, Saxony, in October, 1853, in the lecture-room of the Old Bushwick Reformed Dutch Church. On Christmas of the same year, he cele- brated the Lord's Supper with 21 communicants.

During the winter, they bought the old church, a small frame building, together with two lots on the corner of Union ave. and Scholes st., from the So. 3d. St. Methodist Ep. Con- gregation, for $2,300. The date of the dedication of this church is not given; but, on Easter Sunday, 1854, they cele- brated the Lord's Supper in this building, with 54 persons, among these being six children, who had been confirmed the Sabbath previous. Mr. Pohle died, Nov. 22, 1859, aud the Rev. J. A. Ph. Zapf succeeded him, and was pastor of this church till March, 1863. Rev. Henry Hennick was called to the pastorate, in June, 1863, and left in March, 1865. The congregation divided on the calling of a minister, and when the majority called the Rev. J. A. Reidenbach, in April, the minority left the church.

The church was now in a deplorable condition, weak and distracted; a mortgage of $2,400, a floating debt of $1,500, the members poor, and the pastor inexperienced and helpless. Seeing that it must unite with some ecclesiastical body which could assist it, or succumb, the congregation resolved, unanimously, to join the Ref. Dutch Church. The North Classis of L. I. was convened on the 22d of January, 1866; received it formally as a member of its body ; and at once assisted it in its pecuniary trouble. Mr. Reidenbach, the Pastor, was not received, but the Classis permitted him to continue his labors, and assisted him, through the Board of Domestic Missions.

By the advice of Classis, the present Pastor, Rev. John Martin Wagner, of Flonheim, in the Palatinate, a graduate of Rutgers College, and the Seminary of New Brunswick, N. J., was installed by the North Classis of L. I., on Decem- ber 30, 1860, and is thus the first regularly installed pastor of this church. A fund was started for a new church, and, in 1880, the present commodious church building was erected. This structure, a mixture of ancient and modern architec- ture, has a front of 52 feet on Union ave., and 100 feet length on Scholes st., of Phila. brick and Ohio stone, with a tower on the corner, 150 feet high, with two bells.

The audience-room has a raised floor and circular seats ; the organ loft, with the choir, is above and behind the pulpit; with a gallery in front of the church, seating about 900 persons,

The cost of the building was near $25,000. The church was dedicated on the 2d of January, 1881. The basement is high and pleasant, with a large hall for Sunday-school, &c., a room for the parochial school, and large parlor for meet- ings and social gatherings.

The church has 460 members, the two Sabbath-schools have about 700 children on their rolls, and the parochial school averages 100 scholars.

Centennial Chapel First R. D. Church .- Feby. 21, 1869, a Mission S. S. was org. on the cor. of Fulton and Adams sts., and continued for two years; out of it grew the present Centennial Chapel. The originators were the late Dr. T. L. Mason and Sam'l Stewart ; also, A. J. Beekman, Henry M. Curtis, J. R. Lott, A. R. Gray, L. V. D. Hardenbergh, and a number of others. The corner-stone of the present chapel was laid, Nov. 10, 1871, and the first service was held in De- cember of the same year. The Rev. J. G. Bass held evening service there during that year. Ministry: Revs. A. N. Wyck- off, 1873-'6; D. N. Westveer, 1877: J. H. Colton, D. D., 1878-'84. At the present time, the church has a membership of about 200; the S. S. numbers 600, including officers and teachers; the whole a growing work and in a prosperous condition. The Sups. of the S. S. have been Messrs. Geo. E. Brinkerhoff, Abram J. Beekman, Henry W. Brewer, deceased, and C. C. Shelley. The building is of brick and stone, and was built at a cost of $19,000, including lots.

The following clergymen of the Reformed Church are resi- dents of the city or county :

Rev. JACOB WEST, D.D., born 1818, at Berne, N. Y .; grad. Rutgers Coll., 1842; Rutgers Theol. Sem., 1845; Cor. Sec. Board Dom. Missions, since 1868; previous locations, Middle- burgh, N. Y., 1845-'52; Piermont, N. Y., 1852-'6; frequent con- tributor to press; settled in B'klyn., April, 1856.

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The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884, Volume II, Part 86

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York, W. W. Munsell & Co Number of Pages: 1345

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York, W. W. Munsell & Co
Number of Pages: 1345