USA > New York > Queens County > Jamaica > The origin and history of Grace church, Jamaica, New York > Part 16
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Respectfully yours, HORATIO OLIVER LADD."
"On motion of Mr. Brenton it was resolved that the resignation of Doctor Ladd as Rector be accepted, to take effect December 1st, 1909.
GILBERT B. SAYRES, Clerk of the Vestry."
At a regular meeting of the Vestry of Grace Church, Jamaica, N. Y., held Oct. 26, 1909, the following resolu- tion was unanimously adopted .:
"Resolved: Whereas, the Reverend Doctor Horatio Oliver Ladd has resigned his position as Rector of this Parish, which place he has held for nearly fourteen years, we think it fitting to place on record our appreciation of his high character as a gentleman and a Christian, and to give testimony to his excellent literary attainments. His benevolence toward the poor, his sympathetic ministra- tions to the sick and distressed, will long hold him in affectionate remembrance. He leaves us with the best wishes for his welfare and our sincere hope for his happi- ness and success in whatever field he may select for the future.
GILBERT B. SAYRES, Clerk of the Vestry."
The rector closed his services to the church on Dec. 1, 1909, and went abroad with his family for a season of
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OF GRACE CHURCH
two years, in which he ministered as a licensed priest of the Anglican Church in churches in England, and as a Chaplain of the Society for the Promotion of the Gospel, in Bologna, Italy.
He returned to take up his residence in Richmond Hill, New York, where his wife, Harriett Vaughan Abbott Ladd, passed away May 12, 1913, in her 75th year, to her eternal home. She was survived by her husband, four children, Lillian Ladd Church, Julia Eirene Ladd, H. Abbott Ladd, and Maynard Ladd, M. D., of Boston; and four grand- children, Oliver Alden and Elizabeth Church, Gabriella M. and Vernon Abbott Ladd.
In July, 1909, there was published in the Chimes a list of the communicants and confirmed persons in Grace Parish, of which the rector said, "It has been carefully gathered and often revised, yet it is probably neither accurate nor complete, and the rector asks for corrections in names, addresses and spelling. There should be fifty more names to correspond to the report to the Diocesan Convention at Easter, 1909. But many have now moved away without giving any notice whatever, and in most cases these persons are beyond the rector's knowledge. Of the nearly four hundred names here given nearly all have been personally known to the rector as communicants. It is ten years since the rector published a similar list, none having been in existence when he came into the parish thirteen years ago."
The removal of the rector from Jamaica in the December following this publication of 1909, prevented its further revisal and completion. It is given as a valuable historical record, so far as it goes, some changes in spelling or address being needed to be perfectly accurate, but it is a
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ORIGIN AND HISTORY
measure of the strengthening of the Church since this rectorship began in 1896.
A similar list of the members of the Parish was made at the same time, and revised to May 26, 1909. It con- tained 275 families and heads of families, with street addresses, and the names and numbers of individual mem- bers of these families. The total is 1034 persons of all ages.
There were registered during this rectorship of nearly fourteen years 282 baptisms, 177 confirmations, 113 marriages, and 358 deaths and interments. There were 68 received from other churches by letter.
The Vestry of Grace Church, with sense of the im- portance of providing for an energetic and wise use of the enlarged opportunities and funds of the Church, made a temporary arrangement, Dec. 1, 1909, with the Rev. Arthur Sloan of Richmond Hill, to minister in the place of a rector. Mr. Sloan had recently resigned the chaplaincy of the Sailors' Snug Harbor, of Staten Island, New York, which he had held for seventeen years. He had previously been rector of the Church of the Resurrection at Richmond Hill for a year and a half, and had returned with his family on his retirement from the chaplaincy to take up his resi- dence there. He conducted the services of Grace Church with such ability and good judgment that he was con- tinued in charge of the Chapel at Dunton in the parish after the election, March 15, 1910, of the Rev. Rockland Tyng Homans, assistant minister of the Church of the Incarnation in New York, to the rectorship of Grace Church, who began his ministry May 1, 1910. Rev. Mr. Sloan died suddenly about a year after this in Richmond Hill (during the night of Oct. 2, 1911), having the same evening made an impressive address to the Men's Club of Grace Church, on the ending of life.
REV. ROCKLAND TYNG HOMANS.
VI THE CHARTER OF GRACE CHURCH.
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OF GRACE CHURCH
CHARTER FOR GRACE CHURCH AT JAMAICA, IN QUEENS COUNTY ON NASSAU ISLAND.
GEORGE the Third by the grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King Defender of the Faith and so forth, to ALL to whom these presents shall come Greeting; Whereas our loving subjects Samuel Seabury junior, the present Rector of the parish of Jamaica, Robert Howel, Benjamin Carpenter, John Hutchins, John Smith, Jacob Ogden, Joseph Olfield, Joseph Olfield junior, John Troup, John Comts, Gilbert Cowes, Thomas Truxtum, Thomas Braint, Benjamin Whitehead, Samuel Smith, William Sherlock, John Tunes, Richard Betts, Isaac Vanhoef, Thomas Lointhman, Adam Lawrence, inhabitants of the said parish and township of Jamaica in Queens County in communion of the Church of England as by law established, by their humble petition presented to our trusty and well beloved Cadwallader Colden Esquire, president of our Council and Commander in chief of our Province of New York and the territories depending thereon in America in council on the 27th day of May last past did set forth that the inhabitants of the said township of Jamaica in communion of the Church of England as by law established had by voluntary contributions erected and finished a decent and convenient church in the said township of Jamaica for the celebration of divine service according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England : But that from a want of some persons legally authorized to super- intend the same and manage the affairs and interests thereof the said church was greatly delayed and the petitioners discouraged from contributing to the repairs thereof least the monies given for that purpose might be misapplied and that on that account also charitable and well disposed people were discouraged in their de- sign to establish proper funds for the future support of the said church and the better maintenance of its ministry. The petitioners therefore humbly prayed our Royal Charter incorporating such persons with such rights, privileges and immunities as should ap- pear proper and expedient to answer the purposes aforesaid. Which petition having been then and there read and considered of our said Council did afterwards on the same day humbly advise our
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ORIGIN AND HISTORY
said President to grant the prayer thereof. Whereof we being will- ing to give all due encouragement to the pious intentions of our said subjects and to grant this their reasonable request KNOW YE that we of our especial grace and certain knowledge and meer mo- tion have made, ordained, constituted, granted and declared, and by these presents for us, our heirs and successors do make, ordain, constitute, grant and declare that the said petitioners and the rest of the inhabitants of said Parish and Township of Jamaica in com- munion of the Church of England as by law established be and their successors the Rector and inhabitants of the said Parish and Township of Jamaica in communion as aforesaid for the time being, for from time to time, and at all times for ever hereafter, a body corporate and politic in deed, fact and name, by the name and stile of the Rector and inhabitants of the Parish and Township of Jamaica in Queens County in communion of the Church of England as by law established, and they and their successors the Rector and inhabitants of the said Parish and Township of Jamaica in com- munion of the Church of England as by law established one body politic and corporate in deed, fact and name, really and fully, we do for us, our heirs and successors order, make, constitute, declare and create by these presents, and that by the same name they and their successors the Rector and inhabitants of the said Parish and Township of Jamaica in communion of the Church of England as by law established for the time being shall and may have perpetual succession and shall and may be responsible and capable in the law to sue and be sued, to implead and be impleaded, to answer and be answered unto, to defend and be defended, in all courts and else- where in all and singular suits, causes, quarrels, matters, actions demands and things of what nature or kind soever. And also that they their successors by the same name be and shall be for ever hereafter capable and able in the law to take, accept and acquire, purchase, receive, have, hold and enjoy in fee for ever, for life or lives, or for years, or in any other manner any messuages, build- ings, houses, lands, tenements, hereditaments and real estate, and the same to lease, or demise for one or more years to grant, alien, bargain, sell and dispose of, for life or lives, or for ever, under cer- tain yearly rents : And also to accept of, take, possess, and purchase any goods, chattels or personal estate and the same to hire, let, sell or dispose of at their will and pleasure as fully as any other cor- poration or body politic within that part of our Kingdom of Great
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THE ROYAL CHARTER OF GRACE CHURCH.
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OF GRACE CHURCH
Britain called England, or in our Province of New York may law- fully do. Provided that such messuages and real estate as they or their successors shall have or may be entitled unto shall not at anyone time exceed the actual value of Five Hundred Pounds cur- rent money of our said Province over and above the said Church and the ground on which the same stands and the cemetery afore- said: and further we will and ordain and by these presents for us, our heirs and successors do declare and appoint that for the better ordering and managing the affairs and business of the said corpora- tion there shall be one Rector of the Church of England as by law established, duly qualified for the care of souls, two church wardens and eight vestrymen from time to time constituted, elected and chosen for the said Church in manner and form as is hereafter in these presents expressed, which Rector and Church wardens, or any two of them, together with the Vestrymen, or the major part of them for the time being, shall have and are hereby invested with full power and authority to dispose, order and govern the general business and affairs of and concerning the said Church called Grace Church, and all such lands, tene- ments, hereditaments, real and personal estate, as shall or may be purchased or acquired for the use thereof as aforesaid, and further we will and grant that the said Rector and inhabitants of the Parish and township of Jamaica in Queens County, in communion of the Church of England as by law established, and their successors, shall and will for ever hereafter have a common seal to serve and use for all matters, causes, things and affairs whatsoever of them and their successors, and full power and authority to break, alter, change and new make the same or any other common seal from time to time at their free will and pleasure as they shall see fit.
AND for the better execution of our Royal Will and pleasure herein, we do assign, constitute and appoint the said Samuel Smith Junior and John Troup to be the present Church Wardens and the said Benjamin Whitehead, Thomas Betts, Jacob Ogden, Thomas Braint, Richard Betts, William Sher- lock, John Comts and Thomas Lointman to be present Vestry- men of the said Church and to hold and enjoy their several offices until the first Tuesday in Easter week next ensuing and no longer. AND FURTHER our will and pleasure is and we do for us, our heirs and successors establish, appoint
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ORIGIN AND HISTORY
and direct that on the said first Tuesday in Easter week ensu- ing, and once in every year forever thereafter on Tuesday in Easter Week, in every year, at the said Church the inhabitants of the said Parish and Township of Jamaica in Queens County in communion of the Church of England as by law established for the time being, or the major part of them, then and there assembled, shall elect, chuse and appoint two of their members Church Wardens and eight others of their members to be Vestrymen of the said Church for the ensuing year, which Church Wardens and Vestrymen so to be chosen and appointed shall immediately enter upon their respective offices and hold and exercise the same for and during the term of one whole year from the time of such elections respectively or until other fit persons shall be elected in their respective places: AND we do ordain and declare that as such the church wardens and vestrymen by these presents nominated and constituted as such as shall from time to time hereafter be elected and appointed shall have and they are hereby invested with full power and authority to execute and perform their several and respective offices in as full and ample manner as any church wardens or vestrymen in that part of our Kingdom of Great Britain called England or in our Province of New York have or lawfully may or can do. AND if it shall happen that any or either of the Church Wardens or Vestrymen by these pres- ents named and appointed, or hereafter to be elected and chosen, shall dye or remove from the said Parish and Township or refuse or neglect to officiate in the said respective offices be- fore their or either of their appointed time of service therein be expired then and in every such case it shall and may be law- full to and for the said Rector and inhabitants of the said Parish and Township of Jamaica in Queens County in communion of the Church of England as by law established for the time being or the major part of such them as shall assemble together for that purpose at the said Church at some day within a month next after such death, removal, refusal or neglect, to be ap- pointed by the Rector and Church Wardens for the time being, or any two of them, to proceed in manner aforesaid and make a new election and appointment of one or more of their mem- bers for the time being to supply the room or place of such' person or persons so dying, removing, refusing or neglecting
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OF GRACE CHURCH
to act in his or their respective office and offices as aforesaid and so often as shall be needfull and requisite. AND for the due and orderly conduct and carrying on the respective elec- tions of Church Wardens and Vestrymen, by these presents established and ordained, our Will and pleasure is and we do declare and direct that the Rector of the said Church for the time being shall give publick notice thereof from time to time, as they become necessary and are hereby appointed, by pub- lishing the same at the said Church immediately after divine service on the Sunday next preceeding the day appointed for such election. AND further we do will and by these presents for us our heirs and successors ordain, appoint and direct that the Rector and Church Wardens of the said Church for the time being, or any two of them, shall and may from time to time, upon all occasions assemble and call together the said Rector, Church Wardens and Vestrymen for the time being, or the greater number of them, the said Vestrymen with said Rector and Church Wardens, or any two of them, together with the said Vestrymen, or the major part of them, shall be and by these presents are authorized and empowered to consult, advise and consider and by a majority of votes to do, direct, manage, transact and carry on the interest and business and af- fairs of the said Church and to hold vestries for that purpose AND we do further give and grant unto the said Rector and inhabitants of the said Parish and Township of Jamaica in Queens County in communion of the Church of England as by law established and to their successors forever that the Rector and Church Wardens of the said Church for the
time being, or any two of them, together with the Vestrymen of the said Church for the time being, or the major part of them, in Vestry assembled shall have full power and authority from time to time and at all times hereafter to make, ordain and constitute such rites, orders and ordinances for the good discipline and government of the members of the said Church and corporation and the interests thereof as they or the major part of them shall think fit and necessary so as such rules, orders and ordinances be not repugnant to the laws of that part of our Kingdom of Great Britain called England or in this our Province of New York, but as only as may be agreeable thereto, which rules, orders and ordinances
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ORIGIN AND HISTORY
shall be from time to time fairly entered in a book or books to be kept for that purpose AND further our will and pleasure is that it shall and may be lawfull for the Rector and Church Wardens of the said Church, or any two of them, and the said Vestrymen or the major part of them, at the vestry to nomi- nate and appoint a clerk and sexton or bellringer for the said Church, and also a clerk and messenger to serve the vestry at their meetings and such other under officers as they shall stand in need of, to remain in their respective offices so long as the said Rector, Church Wardens and Vestrymen for the time being, or the major part of them, shall think fit and appoint. AND further we do for us our heirs and successors declare and grant that the patronage, advowson, donations or pre- sentations of and to the said Church shall appertain and belong to and is hereby invested in the Church Wardens and Vestry- men of the said Church for the time being and their successors for ever or the major part of them, where of one church warden shall always be one. AND further KNOW YE that we of our especial grace certain knowledge and meer motion have given, granted, ratified and confirmed, by these presents do for us our heirs and successors give, grant, ratify and confirm unto the said Rector and inhabitants of the Parish and Township of Jamaica in Queens County in communion of the Church of England as by law established, and their successors for ever, ALL that the said Church and grounds on which the same stands, and the cemetery belonging to the same, containing in the whole about half an acre To have and to hold all and' singular the premises aforesaid with the appurtenances unto them the said Rector and inhabitants of the Parish and Town ship of Jamaica in Queens County in communion of the Church of England as by law established and their successors to their only proper use and behoof forever. To be holden of us, our heirs and successors in free and common socage as of manor in East Greenwich in the County of Kent within that part of our Kingdom of Great Britain called England. Yielding, ren- dering and paying therefore unto us, our heirs and successors yearly and every year forever on the feast day of Annuncia- tion of the Blessed Virgin Mary at our City of New York unto our or their Receiver General there for the time being an annual rent of one pepper corn if demanded in lieu and stead of all other rents, duties, services, claims, and demands
263
OF GRACE CHURCH
whatsoever for the premises. And lastly we do for us, our heirs and successors ordain and grant unto the said Rector and in- habitants of the Parish and Township of Jamaica in Queens County in communion of the Church of England as by law established, and their successors, by these presents that this our grant shall be firm, good, effectual and available in all things in the laws to all intents, constitutions and purposes whatso- ever according to our best intents and meaning herein before declared and shall be construed, reputed and adjudged in all cases and causes most favorably on the behalf and for the best benefit and advantage of the said Rector and inhabitants of the Parish and Township of Jamaica in Queens County in communion of the Church of England as by law established and their successors although express mention of the yearly value or certainty of the premises or any of them in these presents is or are not made any matter, cause or thing to the contrary thereof notwithstanding.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF we have caused these our letters to be made patent and the great seal of our said Province of New York to be hereunto affixed and the same to be entered on record in our Secretary's office of our said Province in one of the books of patents there remaining.
WITNESS our said trusty and wellbeloved Cadwallader Colden, Esquire, President of our Council and Commander-in- Chief of our Province of New York and the territories depend- ing thereon in America at our Fort in our said City of New York the seventeenth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty-one and of our reign the first.
(Second skin line 14 the word do interlined and line 19 the words part of wrote on an erasure.
Clarke.
New York, Secretary's Office, Ist July 1761.
The within letters patent or charters are recorded in this office in Liber Patents No. 13 Pages 373 to 378.
Geo. Banyan, D. Secy.
.
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ORIGIN AND HISTORY
AMENDMENTS TO THE CHARTER.
There was an act of the Legislature to amend the charter of Grace Church in 1793.
This amendment was to alter the name (style) of the old Corporation from
"The rector and inhabitants of the parish and township of Jamaica in Communion of the Church of England, as by law established" to "the rector and inhabitants of the town of Ja- maica in Communion of the Protestant Episcopal Church, &c."
Residents of Jamaica only voted or were chose to office.
"In 1842, on petition to the Legislature, the Charter of the Church was so amended that residents of Flushing and New- town, if of full age, pewholders in Grace Church, belonging to it for the last twelve months, or received therein by baptism, confirmation, or receiving the communion were allowed equal rights thereafter."
H. Onderdonk, "Antiquities of Grace Church, Jamaica," p. 119.
Rev. Thomas Payer
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THE REGISTER OF REV. THOMAS POYER, FOR GRACE, ST. GEORGE'S AND ST. JAMES' CHURCHES.
VII THE REGISTER OF REV. JOHN POYER, JULY 22, 1710, TO NOV. 28, 1731
267
OF GRACE CHURCH
LETTER OF PERMISSION TO PUBLISH RECORDS.
February 1, 1913.
Rev. Horatio Oliver Ladd, Rector Emeritus Grace Church.
Dear Sir :-
I beg to inform you that at a meeting of the Vestry of Grace Church, held on the 28th ult., the following resolution was adopted :
"That permission be and hereby is granted to the Rev. Dr. Ladd to publish the papers mentioned in his letter of January 28, 1913."
Very truly yours,
BYRON W. BAKER,
Clerk of the Vestry.
Mr. Poyer's Register includes entries for Flushing and New- town, besides those that were brought to him, from remote parts of Long Island. The original is in the size and shape of a copy book, the entries of baptism and marriages are in par- allel columns and so pale as to require a magnifying glass to read them. A few leaves are lost; the rest are in a perishable condition and yellow with age.
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