USA > New York > The earliest churches of New York and its vicinity > Part 21
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On the muster-roll of 1663, we find forty names, of which fourteen are French -- doubtless Huguenots or their immediate descendants, who had fled to America from the wicked and bloody persecutions of their own native lands. This is an important historical fact, cor- recting the notion that the west end of Long Island was
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exclusively settled by Dutch emigrants. They became the most numerous, and, in process of time, here as else- where, by intermarriage, the French Protestants entirely amalgamated, as one people, with the Hollanders. From this capital religious stock came some of the most ex- cellent families of the island.
When New Amsterdam passed over to the British rule, Governor Nicoll, in 1665. taxed the town of Bush- wick one hundred guilders for the support of the Epis- copal rector. He delivered his first sermon at the house of Giesbert Tonissen, "Anno 1665, the 27th of Decem- ber," now one hundred and ninety-eight years ago! The names remain of the twenty-six persons who paid the one hundred guilders for the minister's salary, and the odious tax continned until the colony returned to the Dutch, in 1673. The name of the minister does not appear.
About the commencement of last century, a church was erected at Bushwick-of the usual form. an octa- gon, with a cupola. It had no pows or gallery, the people furnishing their own benches or chairs. In 1790, however, the edifice received a new roof: and in '95, a front gallery, with pews on the lower floor. In 1829, a new church occupied the venerable spot.
From its first organization, the church at Bushwick belonged to the Collegiate charge of the county, Messrs. Freeman and Antonides being its first pastors, who were followed. in after times, successively by Rev. Messis. Low, Schoonmaker, 1808 : Basset, D. D., 1821 : Mecker, 1826. This congregation held its connection with one of the New York Classis. 21
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BROOKLYN.
Brooklyn has an ancient chronology. As early as 1646 the governor appointed a "superintendent" of the town, to preserve the peace, with a "schout. a secretary, and assessor ;" and the people soon elected their own magistrates. To this period, and for several years after- wards, the inhabitants had to cross the river or travel to neighboring settlements to enjoy public worship.
Some of the old Dutch houses and barns remain about. Brooklyn, reminding the passer-by strongly of a former generation and days of yore. The Cortelyou house, near Gowanus Bay, was one of these, erected 1699, by Nicholas Vechte, and, some say, the oldest edifice on Long Island. It was built of stone, with the gable ends of brick from Holland.
The beautiful city of Brooklyn has been properly called a city of churches, but for almost two entire cen- turies it could claim no such fame. During forty years after its earliest settlers pitched their tents on this spot, no house of the Lord erected its sacred altars, and all who loved Zion's gates journeyed to New Amsterdam or Flatbush for public worship. Its first church, a Reformed Dutch, stood alone one hundred and twenty- five years. At the close of the Revolution another small one, of a different seet, appeared ; and after ton years a third. Since the year 1820, a wonderful inerease has been made.
In 1650, from the badness of the roads to Flatbush, the people of Brooklyn petitioned the governor to call a dominie of their own. This was granted ; when the
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Rev. Henricus Solinus (Henry Selwyn) came from Hol- land and was installed September 3. 1660. He went back, 1664, and afterwards returned, but did not resume this charge. During 1664, the first house of worship was erected in the middle of the main road, or highway, according to the Dutch notion and architecture of that day. It must have stood near by the new Court-house now erecting, and remained one hundred years. This gave place, in 1766, to an old church on the same site, and during the year 1807 another beautiful stone edifice followed the former near by. It cost thirteen thousand seven hundred and forty-five dollars, and was dedicated December 23d, 1807, by the venerable Dr. Livingston, the sermon from Hebrews iv. 12. The congregation in- creasing. in 1834 another spacious brick church was erected, and dedicated May 7th. 1835. The Rev. Messrs. Woodhull, D. D., Ebenezer Mason. Rouse, and Maurice WV. Dwight, here faithfully preached Christ in their day. It is not embraced in our plan to notice the other modern Reformed Dutch churches of Brooklyn.
During the war of the Revolution, the British officers held divine service, according to their own forms, in the Dutch churches, the Rev. James Sayre officiating from 1778 to '83, then removing to Connectient, where he died, 1798. The Rev. George Wright followed him the next year, his congregation first occupying a barn ; and in '87 Bishop Provost consecrated a small frame hon.se on the burying-ground. Fulton street. Then followed the Rev. Elijah D. Rattoon, 1789, Sammel Nesbitt, 1795 ("St. Ami's"), John Ireland, 1807, when the stone church was founded, on Sands and Washington streets.
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Here very able and faithful ministers labored : the Rev. N. Feltus, 1814; Dr. Henshaw, 1814 to '17, and made Bishop of Rhode Island, 1843; IIngh Smith. 1819 ; H. U. Onderdonk, D. D., 1827 (Bishop of Pennsylvania); C. P. Mellvaine, D. D., 1827 to '33 (Bishop of Ohio); Benjamin C. Cutler, D. D., 1833. Our object does not include the other Episcopal churches, nor any others, except the Sands Street Methodist Episcopal ; this church was the first in Brooklyn of Wesley's followers. and incorporated May 19, 1794. It was enlarged, 1810, and rebuilt, 1844, at a cost of ten thousand dollars. This is the favored mother of many other Methodist churches in Brooklyn.
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CHAPTER XXIX.
NEW NETHERLAND EMBRACED A PART OF NEW JERSEY -- DUTCH PLAN- TATIONS AT BERGEN -"PAVONIA "-FIRST SETTLERS-T.1.X FOR A CHURCH - FIRST MEMBERS-OLD GRAVEYARD -- DOMINIE'S " VOOR- LESER " -- OCTAGONAL CHURCH ERECTED (1680)-SELYNS PREACHES HERE THREE TIMES A YEAR-OTHER PASTORS-REV. MR. DUBOIS'S DEATII -- WAMPUM, THE CHURCH MONEY -- HOW COLLECTED-REGULAR PASTOR CALLED (1750)-REV. P. DE WINT-HIS SALARY-STATEN ISLAND-ORIGIN OF DUTCH CHURCH THERE-UNITES WITH BERGEN (1752)-REV. MR. JACKSON-GOVERNOR FRANKLIN CHARTERS THE CHURCH-ITS ELDERS AND DEACONS-UNITES WITH THE HACKEN- . SAU" CLASSIS (1771)-NEW CHURCH " SITTINGS "-DOMINIE JACK- SON SECOND TO WHITEFIELD-LONG SERMON, AND MR. SCHUREMAN- OLD BAPTISMAL RECORD.
PAVONIA, BERGEN, &c.
IN pursuing the history of the earliest churches in New York, it must be remembered that New Nether- land once embraced a part of New Jersey. Breukelen, Amersfoort (Flatlands), Gravenzande, Vlissingen (Flush- ing), Heemstede, Mespath (Newtown), and Gowanus were plantations of the Dutch Company, under the same authority. There was also the small hamlet of Bergen, with a number of valuable " boweries," or farms, on the present Jersey side of the Hudson River (1646). This region was called " Pavonia," and its settlers had often been driven away by the savages; but, returning to their lands in the spring of 1658, they concentrated
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their dwellings for common safety. In 1660 they formed a village, which obtained, in the course of the next year, a patent of incorporation, under the name of "Bergen," after a town in North Holland. Michael Jansen, Herman Smeeman, with Caspar Steynmets, were the first magis- trates of its court, the earliest ever erected within the limits of the present State of New Jersey.
The Holland settlers on Bergen Neck, greatly to their credit, very early also obtained an ecclesiastical organi- zation from the Classis of Amsterdam; but its first minute-book has been lost. Its official registers, however, commence as far back as the year 1664, and have con- tinued ever since, with great regularity. From the Albany Records, we learn that four hundred and seventeen guild- ers (one hundred and sixty-six dollars and eighty cents) were raised by tax, in the township of Bergen, towards the erection of a church; and here are recorded the names of nine male and eighteen female members- twenty-seven then constituting the Reformed Dutch Church. This, doubtless, was the first regularly organ- ized in that region of country, and probably the sixth of North America. Tradition places the earliest house of worship at Bergen, where now stands the family vault of the former Rev. J. Cornelison, and called " The Old Graveyard on the Hill." It is said to have been an humble log structure, and during eighteen years was used by these early Dutch colonists for the worship of the Almighty. In this little sacred spot, those venerable and pious men, the Megapolenses and Van Niewhusen, of New York, Polhomus, from Flatbush, Schoats, of Albany, and Van Zunen, of Long Island, preached the
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Gospel, and administered its holy ordinances to the Jersey colonists ; but their welcome visitations were seldom more than five in a year, and when the Dominic could not be present, according to Holland custom, the ever-punctual " Voorleser," clerk, or chorister conducted the public exercises, using the Church Liturgy, and reading a good Calvir stic sermon, selected by the Elders from the best Dutch theologians.
Sixteen years having now elapsed, in 1680, an octag- onal stone church succeeded the log tabernacle. Its membership now reached one hundred and twenty-four persons, and the initials of some of their names were cut on its stone walls, laid by their own hands. Upon the tablet over the front door was inscribed "W. Day, 1660." He was the builder. As the belfry rose from the middle of the roof, the sexton had to stand in the centre of the church to ring the bell. Its pews, placed around the eight-sided walls, were occupied by the men only ; the women sitting in chairs by themselves. The Rev. Henry Selyns, of New York, says, October 28, 1682 : "I have consented to preach there (Bergen) three times in a year, on Mondays, both morning and after- noon, and administer the Lord's Supper. I found there one hundred and thirty-four members."* Here he con- tinued to preach for seventeen years, until 1699, with occasional help from the Rev. Gualtherus Varick, Wil- liam Barthold. and Henry Lupardus.
At this period. the Rev. Gualtherus Dubois united. with Dominie Selyns. in New York, when the charge of the Bergen church was transferred to the former minister,
* Ch. Int., March 27, 1836.
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about the year 1700. He continued his religious minis- trations among this people over half a century, until he died in 1751. Preparing to visit Bergen on his Christian mission, he was seized with sudden illness, in his study, which ended his earthly labors in ten days.
Early in their history, this congregation commenced a fund to obtain and secure a stated ministry, by regular Sabbath collections. The Indian money was then made of shells, and called "wampum," and of two kinds, black and white, the former worth twice as much as the latter. They resembled small beads ; and three black or six white, equalled a Dutch stiver ; twenty stivers a guilder ; and the guilder forty-five cents present United States money ; not "greenbacks," but the ever true standard of value, gold. The deacons, it is related, purchasing this money, sold the wampum, at a given value, to the heads of families, whose members de- posited it in the collection bag. The small, black, velvet articles, attached to long poles, were in use a long while, each with a small bell at the bottom, to call the attention of the indifferent or drowsy to the important duty of making a benefaction. These sub-treasuries of church Sabbath collections were hung on pegs, or hooks, beside the pulpit, near the deacon's pew, and this officer received the people's gifts. This venerable custom con- tinued until about half a century ago, and once in a while we have noticed it at this late day.
The voorleser, or clerk of the church, occupied a little pew in front of the pulpit, and had a rod. on the end of which were placed notices to be read, and which ho thus quietly passed up to the dominio for publication.
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This little pious flock at Bergen has a most extraordi- nary history, living and prospering without a regular pastor for ninety-three years ! During this long pe- riod, amid a sparse population, the church register records the names of three hundred and eighty# who witnessed a good confession and received the Holy Com- munion. Where can such another instance be found in our land ? The favored time at last came for the congre- gation to secure a stated minister, and, on the 1st of April, 1750, the Rev. Petrus De Wint was regularly called here, and also to serve the church on Staten Island. A copy of the call is still on record in the church book. Its details are very specific to the respec- tive consistories about their minister-" A righteous half of services" and " a righteous half payment." The Bergen church was to furnish the dominio with a par- sonage and firewood, and Staten Island " to give him an able riding-horse, with all that belongs to it. But after- ward, he to look out for his own riding-horse." This was the origin, more than a century ago, of the Re- formed Dutch Church in Richmond County, a beautiful region settled by pious Hollanders and Huguenots, whose descendants now are among the pillars of all its Christian churches. The island is only about twelve miles long and three or four wide, yet within these nar- row limits can be found a population of some thirty thousand, with over forty churches !
Mr. De Wint commenced his labors in the year 1751, but was never installed, as it was deemed necessary first to refer the matter to the Classis of Amsterdam, to * Dr. Taylor's Annals of the Classis of Bergen.
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whose jurisdiction all the churches in this country then belonged. A response was received from Holland, which declared him to be an impostor and his creden- tials forgeries ! He was consequently discharged from both congregations, and thus ended the first effort to secure a pastor for the church at Bergen (1752).
In the year 1752. the two churches at Bergen and Staten Island united in calling William Jackson, a young theological student, whom they sent to Holland to complete his studies. At the time, he was prosecu- ting them under the direction of the Rev. John Freling- huysen, at Raritan (Somerville), N. J. The churches agreed to pay one hundred pounds towards his support while absent, and he carried with him this pleasant record from the Consistories : "Praying God to take his heart into His fear, and, as far as the Lord please, to take him safely over the wild element, and return him safely. This is their deed in true faith." After an ab- sence of four years he returned, and was installed in the church at Bergen, September 16, 1757, nearly ninety- four years from its organization.
Shortly after, he married Anna Frelinghuysen, the daughter of his old teacher. At this period, the un- happy troubles between the Coetus and Conferentie parties in the Reformed Dutch Church had assumed a most serious aspect. The former were those who advo- cated the ordination of their ministers in this country ; the latter, those who would only receive such as were ordained in Holland. This church continued her alle- giance to the mother, by sending their dominio to Hol- land for instruction and ordination. Its first elders were
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Jacob Van Wagenen, Gerrit Newkirk, Zachariah Sick- els, and Abraham Dederick.
In December, 1771, and the twelfth year of George III., Governor Franklin granted a charter to this church, in the name of its officers -- " Rev. William Jackson, min- ister ; Abraham Dedericks, Robert Syckles, George Vreeland, and Abraham Syckles, elders ; and Johannis Van Houten and Daniel Van Winkle, deacons."* Among the powers of the corporation was that of ap- pointing a clerk, schoolmaster, bell-ringer, and other proper officers. Thus carly did the Dutch church at Bergen, as elsewhere, attend to the interests of education and religion at the same time.
This venerable charter, in the year 1799, was given up, when the other Reformed Dutch churches of New Jersey became one corporate body, according to an Act of its Legislature. Ini 1771-2, the Reformed Dutch churches in America separated from the Synod of North Holland, when the Bergen congregation came under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Hackensack Classis.
During the ministry of Dominie Jackson, a new sanc- tuary, of stone, forty five by sixty feet, took the place of the old octagonal one, in the year 1773. It had a tower and steeple. The doors and windows, arched, were ornamented with small-sized imported Holland brick. Here is a copy of the inscription over the en- trance :
KERK GEBOUWT IN HET YAER 16SO.
HER BOUWT IN HET
Yaer 1773.
* Dr. Taylor's Annals of Bergen.
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Its former legend, with other inscription stones, was placed in the new walls, and its material used in the erection of the new edifice. The pulpit was made after the old style, standing on a single pillar, to accommo- date only one dominie, and having a large sounding- board, a striking appendage no longer to be seen in modern churches. The seats were sold as "sittings" only, and at the death of the owner descended to the next relation, on the payment of six shillings ; and this · was called an " heir-seat." If not paid for in a speci- fied time, it was sold to any purchaser for one dollar. "Family pews," so aristocratic and yet common in some congregations of our day, were not common then. Within these hallowed walls, Dominie Jackson's faith- ful warning and cheering voice continued to be heard many years. He was a learned, able divine, and, in the year 1763, received the degree of M. A. from Yale Col- lege, and subsequently the same academic honor was conferred by Columbia and Princeton. In the Dutch language, it is said, he became especially a powerful orator, and, as a field preacher, second only to White- field.
Zealously ministering to the people at Bergen, and on Staten Island, for over a quarter of a century, he then became occasionally subject to montal aberration. This was very afflietive, and, although his heart and mind engaged in the sacred work, at times he would say things to disturb the devout feelings of the congregation. On one occasion, it is related, he was preaching to a large assembly, and continuing the discourse to a very unusual length. an intimate friend. the Hon. James
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Schureman, admonished him of the time by holding up his watch. But the dominie, eying him keenly, exclaimed, "Schureman ! Schureman ! put up your watch ;- Paul preached till midnight!" He then con- tinued his sermon with fresh zeal.
In 1789, retiring from the pulpit, the church secured to him, for life, the parsonage, with the adjacent lands, and administered to his wants until death, July 25, 1813, at the advanced age of eighty-two, and nearly twenty-four years after his release from the pulpit. His ashes rest, with those of his wife and two children, in the grave- yard of the church where he so long and so faithfully preached Christ and Him crucified. A plain marble monument marks the silent spot at Bergen. With the termination of Mr. Jackson's ministry, the Bergen and Staten Island congregations dissolved their connection, which had continued for thirty-nine years.
A baptismal record of the Reformed Dutch church at Port Richmond, date 1696, one hundred and sixty-eight years ago, has been recently discovered. It is about ciglit by twelve inches in size, nearly three inches thick, bound in sheepskin. The entries are in a legible hand by various persons, probably all clerks of the Consis- tory ; and most of them in Dutch, still continuing so down to December 12, 1745. Some time between that period and 1786, Aris Ryersz became clerk, and thence- forth all the entries are in English. He sets forth, be- fore commencing his labors, that what follows is an "account of the children baptized by the Rev. William Jackson, in his presence, while or since he was chosen by the church to act as clerk of the Reformed Protestant
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Dutch Church at the North side." The statements of baptisms cease on Sunday, November 14, 1790, when Miriam, the daughter of Abraham Post, was baptized, she being then three months and fourteen days old, as the record tells, and a fee of two shillings was paid by the parents-whether to the minister or the clerk, does not appear, but probably to the latter. On the Thurs- day previous to this date, Mr. Jackson having ceased to be pastor of the church, the clerk enters the fact that Magdalen, a daughter of Johannes Merrill, Jun., was baptized by the Rev. Peter Stryker, who had on that day been "ordained, or, rather, installed in our church by Mr. Livingston."
In the Dutch portion of the record, the name of the father, and the maiden name of the mother, are given. The whole entry runs thus :
" Aº. 1724, den 19en July.
Rutgers. Dick Cadmus. Jannetje Van Hoorn.
Jan Van Hoorn.
Antie Van Hoorn."
The parents are named on the middle column, and the witnesses in the last. Many of the families were evi- dently from Bergen, their descendants still residing where their fathers did, but the larger portion were, doubtless, from the island. It is curious to observe the changes which have occurred in names. I find Huys- man, now written Houseman ; Thyszen, Tyseu ; Sweem. Swain ; in de Mersereaux, the x and the de are now omitted. Van Namen, now written without the last n ; Hagewont has become Haughwout : de Dekker. Decker : Seguin, Seguine; De Bau, Dubois; Symonz, Simonson
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(perhaps) ; Mancz, Monee ; and so almost without end, while many other names do not exist among us, either in their original shape, or changed. I instance Ahasu- - erus Van Engelen, Johan Staats, Auke Tanz, Jaques Clenderry. Sara du Chesne, Chrystiaan Van Tuyl, Gozen Adriaanz, Jacob de Grameaux, Dirkje van Til- burgh, Johannes Richaud, Albert Janszen, Jan Philip Sumsenbach, Cathrina Pikkerling, Adre Escord, Laurens de Camp. I might enlarge the list to a much greater extent.
We have examined this old record, in many respects so very curious, and especially valuable and interest- ing to the society where it belongs. The fact that it has not been seen for nearly fifty years by the officers of the church, should make them prize it more highly, now that it has come to light.
In 1792, the Bergen church uniting with that of Eng- lish Neighborhood, called the Rev. John Cornelison, which he accepting, discharged the double duty until December, 1806, when he confined his sole labors, dur- ing life, to the Bergen congregation, and he finished his course, March, 1828, Until his settlement, the public services of the sanctuary appear to have been uniform- ly conducted in the Dutch language. The Baptismal Register was alike written in Dutch until 1809.
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CHAPTER XXX.
BERGEN-DOMINIE CORNELISON PREACHES IN DUTCH AND ENGLISHI --- TEACHES TUJE SLAVES TO READ -SUCCESSORS-REV. DR. TAYLOR STILL PREACHING AT . BERGEN-LAST SERVICES IN THE OLD CHURCHI -NEW EDIFICE DEDICATED-"VAN" A COMMON PREFIX TO DUTCH NAMES-HACKENSACK-REV. P. TASCHEMAKER THE FIRST DOMINIE (1686)-MURDERED AFTERWARDS BY THE INDIANS AT SCHENECTADY - HIS SUCCESSORS IN HACKENSACK - ACQUACANONCK CHURCHI ERECTED-INITIALS OF FOUNDERS ON THE CORNER-STONES -- CHURCHI ORGANIZED AT RARITAN BY REV. MR. BERTHOLF -- CHURCH BUILT AT SCHIRAALENBERGII (1724)-REV. GUALTHERUS DUBOIS -- DOMINIES -" COETUS AND CONFERENTLE " --- DRS. KUYPERS AND ROMEYN, PAS- TORS -- THE REVOLUTION AND ITS TROUBLES-CHURCHI AT HACKEN- SACK REBUILT-SUBSCRIPTIONS (1791) STILL STANDING.
BERGEN.
DOMINIE CORNELISON NOW performed public services in Dutch and English. He particularly attended to the important duty of catechising the children, and instruct- ing the colored people, many of whom were then slaves. For their benefit, he had a special service in his own house, teaching some of them to read, and others were admitted to the communion of his church. How worthy of imitation at this hour, when so many thousands of this unfortunate race have been unexpectedly made freedmen in our land !
In 1826 this church was repaired, and a modern pulpit, with family pews, introduced. All owners of
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"sittings" were repaid their original valuation. On the 20th of March, 1828, this man of God, full of faith and good works, yielded his spirit to Heaven, aged fifty- eight years and nine months. During his pastorate, he received into his churches three hundred and eight members. In the Christian's hopes, his remains were buried with the dead of the "Old Graveyard," Bergen, and on the site, traditionally said, of the earliest Dutch church. A marble monument commemorates his virtues and piety, and is placed in the wall, near the elders' pew. During the year 1828, the Rev. Benjamin C. Taylor, D. D., became pastor of the Bergen congrega- tion, where he still is spared to preach Christ to the people (1864). Thirty-six years have rolled away since his installation, and a generation of men passed off the carth with them. Of the one hundred and ninety-six earliest communicants, but few survive, and up to the year 1857, this faithful minister had followed to the grave eight hundred and fifty from his entire pastoral charge ! What changes has he witnessed in the church, and among the people !
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