History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 133

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co.
Number of Pages: 900

USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 133
USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 133
USA > Pennsylvania > Wyoming County > History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 133

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

BAPTIST.

First (Hyde Park) .- In 1833 Rev. William K. Mott, then pastor at Pittston, commenced preaching occasion- ally in the Lackawanna valley. He baptized several converts, who were received into the church at Pittston. It was not until 1849 that the church at Hyde Park was organized. It was publicly recognized September 12th of the same year, with Mr. Mott as pastor, who remained until January Ist, 1871. It was through his efforts that the church edifice was erected and paid for. It is a brick building and cost $2,500. It was dedicated January 4th, 1852, and was at that time a very comfortable and sub- stantial building. There was at one time a branch of the church at Minooka. The members at that place were organized into a separate church in 1871, but did not long succeed in maintaining their existence as such. During that year the church was for several months sup- plied by Rev. W. B. Grow and Rev. J. H. Asternuli be- came pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. H. J. Millard and he by Rev. Alfred Cauldwell. The present pastor, Rev. Isaac Bevan, became such April 1st, 1876. The church has never been large, and yet has received during its history a considerable number of members. It has been the mother of two very efficient and successful off- shoots, the P'enn avenue church, Scranton, and the Jack-

son street church, Hyde Park. At present it numbers about 70 members.

W'elsh & Hyde Park) .- This church and the Sunday-school connected with it were organized in 1850, in the school- house near the old iron rolling-mill in Scranton. Previ- ous to this, Rev. William Richmond, of Carbondale, had held service in the same place. The first settled pastor was Rev. John W. James, who resigned in 1859. Then Rev. Theophilus Jones was pastor two and a half years. He was succeeded by Rev. Isaiah Davis. It was during his ministry that the brick church edifice on Mifflin ave- nue, Scranton, was erected. It was afterwards sold to the German Lutheran church. From 1862 the church held services in Fellows Hall, Hyde Park, the majority of the Welsh people of Scranton living on that side of the river, until the present commodious house of worship was erected. The foundation of this building was laid in 1864. It was not finished until 1868. Rev. J. P. Harris was pastor for two years and a half from 1863; then Rev. Fred. Evans three years; Rev. D. W. Morris, froin November, 1870, until 1876; Rev. M. Wright from Janu- ary, 1877, to December 24th, 1878, when he died. Since that the church has had no settled pastor, but has de- pended on supplies. The congregation has been large. The present church edifice cost $14,450. The present number of members is 350; number in Sunday-school 500.

Penn Avenue Church ( Scranton ) .- This church was organized August 18th, 1859, at the house of Nathaniel Halstead, with 25 members, most of whom had been dis- missed from the First Baptist Church of Hyde Park, of which Rev. W. K. Mott was pastor. By request, Rev. Isaac Bevan was present and aided in the organization. August 24th he preached at the public recognition of the church. Soon after he received a call to become the pastor, and began his labors early in the following No- vember. The church then numbered 23, two members having taken letters of dismission and left the place.

For more than a year the church worshiped in the old Odd Fellows' Hall. From the completion of Washing- ton Hall the church used that until it entered the lecture room of its new edifice on Penn avenue. In about two years the main audience room was finished and dedi- cated. The dedication sermon was preached by Rev. T. D. Anderson, of New York city. Elisha A. Coray, of New York, started the subscription with $2,000 and at the dedication added $500, and E. E. Hendricks, of Car- bondale, gave $300. There were others who gave with equal liberality according to their means. The pastor collected in all about $12,000. The lots as originally bounded on Penn avenue were secured from the Iron and Coal Company for $3,600, they donating to the church $1,000. The church purchased a narrow strip on the rear of the lots which had come into the hands of Hon. John Handley, for $2,500.

Mr. Bevan was pastor to the last of November, 1869, when the church numbered a little over 200. Its Sab- bath-school was large and flourishing, and had had as its superintendents J. F. Friant, R. A. Henry and the pas-

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HISTORY OF LACKAWANNA COUNTY.

tor. Their successors have been Thomas Moore, Rev. W. P. Hellings and 1. Amerman. After Mr. Bevan, Rev. W. P. Hellings, from Germantown, was pastor over seven years, and was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. A. M. Hopper, D. D., from Bridgeport, Conn. The mem- bership of the church is about 300; that of the Sunday - school about 400; the number of volumes in the library is 590.

Welsh (Providence) .- This church was organized early in 1864, with 28 constituent members. The services were held in Panooka Hall, by Theophilus Jones, B. E. Bowen, P. L. Davis and others. The founders of the church were Richard Harris and wife, William Williams, B. Hughes and wife, Thomas Morris and wife, John P. Lewis and wife, Thomas Powell, William Roberts, William W. Reese and wife, Thomas D. Davies and others. Richard Harris and John P. Lewis were appointed deacons. Meet- ings were held in the " Notch " school-house as early as 1863. There the Sunday-school was organized, with B. Hughes as its first superintendent. Rev. J. P. Harris, then pastor of the Hyde Park church, administered the ordi- nances; several converts were baptized by him.

Lots for erecting a house of worship were secured in 1865, on Market street, and the present house was built in 1866 and dedicated late that year. The estimated value of the church property is $4,000. A rectory was added in 1878, valued at about $300. Rev. John Evans, then just arrived from Wales, became the first pastor in April, 1868, and was succeeded by Rev. H. C. Parry, also then just from Wales, who was installed the first Sunday in August, 1870, and remained nearly two years. From September, 1874, Rev. Llewelyn Rees was pastor one year. The present incumbent, Rev. J. P. Harris, began his labors in December, 1877. At the close of 1879 the membership of the church was 150, and the average at- tendance at the Sunday-school 130.

Jackson Street Church (Hyde Park) .- This church was organized June 22nd, 1871, with nine members, and recognized September 13th, 1871, by a council of dele- gates from various churches. For more than two years the Sunday services were held in Clark's Hall, on Main street. From November ist, 1873, Fellows Hall, on the opposite side of the street, was used till the opening of the meeting house on Jackson street, west of Main street, June 21st and 22nd, 1877. The house is a one-story wooden structure, plain but tasteful and commodious, with a seating capacity of 450 to 500, and with the lot cost $5,510.

The first and present pastor, Rev. B. W. Thomas, as- sumed charge January ist, 1872, and was installed in Clark's Hall, Sunday, January 28th, 1872. The present membership of the church is 200. The congregation is large. The church has always conducted a prosperous Sunday-school. The first superintendent was B. G. Bed- doe. For six or seven years a mission school, under charge of Mr. Howell, was conducted near the Conti- nental mines.

First German (Scranton) .- This church is on Pittston avenue. Upon the request of some members of the Penn

Avenue Baptist church, that church resolved to establish a mission among the Germans of Scranton and vicinity; and October Ist, 1871, with the aid of the Baptist Home Mission, engaged Rev. Adolph Ginius, from Erie, Pa., as a missionary. The church was organized September 4th, 1874, with the following constituent members:

Charles and Miner Kiesel, Albert and Ferdinand and Henrietta Flesch, sen. and jr., Auguste, Elizabeth, Jacob, Peter, Christopher and Adam Rech, sen. and jr., Mary Bonn, Henry and Auguste Baumann, Fidel Wandler, Frederick and Berth i Roeder, Caroline Petri, Frederick, Con- rad and Caroline Kieferle, Christian and Ernestine Blum, Margaretha Klein, Caroline, John, Mary, Ernestine and John Kohler, jr., Elizabeth Berthold, Frederick and Anna Urnveider, John and Charlotte Dietz, Richard and Rosa Berger, Frederick and Augustine Shumnann, Frederick and Carl Blum, Mary Riefenberg, Wilhelm Butler, Christoph Enderlein, Wilhelin Mueller, Frederick Maier, Louise Jacke, Henriette, Lidia and Martha Ginius, Henry Klein, John and Barbara Mohr, Bertha Schmidt, Richard and Oscar Strauch, John and Magdalena Bircher, and Andreas Neiger.

The first pastor was Rev. Adolph Ginius. He served from October ist, 1871, until April Ist, 1877, when he was succeeded by the present pastor. Rev. Henry Griep. The church is a one-story frame building, formerly be- longing to the Welsh Calvinistic M. E. church and loca- ted on River street, and was removed from there to its present place. The first superintendent of the Sunday- school was Frederick Shuman. The church has a mis- sion school in Taylorville, under the management of Conrad Kieferle. The number of scholars in both schools is 130; teachers, 20; volumes in library, 250.

ROMAN CATHOLIC.

Roman Catholic Interest in Scranton and Dunmore .- Previous to 1846 the Catholics of Scranton and vicinity, few in number, of scanty means, and scattered here and there, did not enjoy religious attendance and spiritual instruction. In that year, however, Rev. P. Pendergast, at that time stationed at Carbondale, was the first Catho- lic clergyman to minister to their spiritual wants. As the luxury of a church was not yet afforded them, he was obliged to celebrate mass and hold meetings from time to time in a small apartment of a private dwelling on Division street. In 1848 was begun the erection of a small frame building, 35 by 25 feet, on a large plot of ground donated by the Lackawanna Iron and Coal Com- pany for church and cemetery purposes, which was soon completed and ready for occupancy. About this time Rev. John Loughran became the first resident priest of Scranton, remaining till July, 1852, when he was suc- ceeded by Rev. James Cullen. The little church on Division street soon became inadequate, and the pastor secured ground on Franklin avenue, where he immedi- ately commenced the erection of a substantial frame edi- fice 96 by 45 feet. On Sunday, November 13th, 1853, the new building, though not yet quite finished, was blessed with appropriate ceremonies and opened to the use of the congregation. In April, 1854, Rev. Father Cullen was removed, and Rev. Moses Whitty, who had been stationed at Honesdale in charge of the missions in Wayne county, assumed the pastorate. Be- fore the end of the year he completed the unfinished structure. This, too, soon proved inadequate. In 1856

Charles T. Porsen

435

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES OF SCRANTON.

a frame church 75 by 45 feet was built at Dunmore, and the people of that locality ceased to attend service at Scranton.

Notwithstanding the relief afforded by this measure, the congregation at Scranton still felt the want of room, and in 1858 a frame church 70 by 30 feet was con- structed in that portion of Providence known as Bloom's Patch, now the second ward of Scranton. The congre- gation then consisted of about 250 members, and servi- ces were attended regularly from Scranton. In the lat- ter part of 1871 Providence became a separate parish, and Rev. Moses Whitty was assigned to the new charge, and labored so successfully for the erection of a building adequate to the wants of the congregation, now unable to gain access to the old church, that the year 1873 wit- nessed the ceremony of laying the corner stone of St. Mary's Church, which was completed, and on the 11th of October of the same year dedicated. The old church in Bloom's Patch was at once abandoned as a place of worship and devoted exclusively to school and society purposes. The congregation now numbers about 1,900 members. The Sunday school is composed of not less than 450 children.

But to return to the church at Scranton proper. The population was increasing rapidly and the membership steadily augmenting, and soon the inconvenience of an over-crowded church was once more experienced. To remedy this deficiency the Rev. Father Whitty com- menced, in the summer of 1865, the building of the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, at the corner of Wyoming avenue and Linden street. On its completion the old church on Franklin avenue was moved to Hyde Park, where it still serves.

The corner stone of the present cathedral was laid July 2nd, 1865, by Rt. Rev. James F. Wood, then bishop, now archbishop, of Philadelphia. The work was rapidly pushed forward, and soon Scranton could boast of one of the largest and handsomest churches in the State. It is built in the Grecian style of architecture, from designs furnished by Joel Amsden, and is 158 by 68 feet inside. Its seating capacity is 2,300. It is lighted by nine large win- dows on each side, besides thirty-two smaller ones in the upper portion of the building, all of stained glass. It was opened and dedicated March 10th. 1867. Its cost is es- timated at $70,000. The tower, which is not com- pleted, will be 170 feet in height. This, with other im- provements now in contemplation, will cause an additional expense of about $20,000. September 12th, 1868, oc- curred the installation of the Rt. Rev. William O'Hara, formerly of St. Patrick's church, Philadelphia, as first bishop of Scranton. Rev. Father Whitty, however, re- mained pastor of the church until he assumed charge of the mission at Providence. On his removal, in the fall of 1871, the bishop appointed Rev. Richard Henessy rec- tor of the church at Scranton. Rev. Mr. Henessy was succeeded by Rev. N. J. McManus, and he by Rev. John W. Dunn. In August, 1878, the trust was confided to the Rev. R. A. McAndrew, the present occupant of the position. Since the arrival of the bishop various improve-

ments have been made in the church property in and around Scranton. Among others worthy of note are the large addition attached to the rear of the church and used as a sacristy and chapel, the present convent known as St. Cecelia's Academy, and the orphan asylum at Hyde Park, capable of sheltering 40 or 50 children.

The different clergymen who have been stationed in Scranton since the foundation of the first Catholic church, besides Rev. Moses Whitty, now vicar general of the diocese, and the several rectors mentioned above, have been Revs. John Loughran, James Cullen, F. P. Mul- grew, Thomas Joseph Lydon, E. W. Fitzmaurice, P. Mc- Swiggan, Hugo P. Fitzsimmons, Thomas Toner, T. Han- nigan, John Cox, P. McEnroe, S. Mattingly. Since the arrival of Bishop O'Hara the following clergymen have been assistants at the cathedral, for longer or shorter periods: Revs. Gerald McMurray, M. J. O'Brien, M. F. Crane, F. McAtee, P. Shields, P. Hurst, P. McManus, P. O'Rourke, "John Lally, James B. Whelan, Charles F. Kelley, T. Donahoe, P. T. Roche, James Cummisky, F. P. McNably, E. S. Phillips, E. J. Melly, Thomas F. Coffey, James Heally. The last three, with Rev. Father McAndrew, the rector, are still retained in Scranton. The societies attached to the church, under the charge of the Rev. E. J. Melly, are in a flourishing condition. The Sunday-school, which at present numbers at least 1, 200 children, is under the direction of the Rev. Thomas F. Coffey, and is rapidly increasing.

The church in Hyde Park is under the pastoral charge of Rev. Patrick J. Roche. A large, costly and elegant house of worship has replaced the first church in Dun- more. The congregation and Sunday-school are large and in a flourishing condition. The pastor is Rev. P. McMurray.

St. Mary's German Catholic (Scranton) .- This German Catholic congregation, consisting of about 25 families, was at first visited monthly by Rev. Casper Muller, of Honesdale, from January to September, 1854. From January, 1855, until June, 1856, Rev. Laurentine Schnei- der, of Honesdale, attended the congregation. From July, 1856, to October, 1858, Rev. Severin Somner, of Honesdale, officiated at Scranton. In December, 1858, Rev. Peter C. Nagel, of St. Nicholas's church, Wilkes- Barre, visited the congregation every alternate Sunday. During this time the Irish Catholic congregation permit- ted the Germans to use their church. In 1865 Rev. P. C. Nagel built a brick church, rio by 48 feet, on River street, which was dedicated Sunday, March 11th, 1866, by Bishop Wood, of Philadelphia. On the same day the present pastor, Rev. John Schelle, was installed as the first resident priest. He bought a lot on Hickory street and built a parsonage in 1872. He bought also two lots adjoining St. Mary's church, and erected thereon a paro- chial school-house in 1874. The congregation consists (1879) of 200 families, or about 1,500 souls. The schools are frequented by 225 children, taught by a male teacher and three Sisters of Christian Charity, who came from Westphalia, Prussia, in 1874. The leader and principal of the Sunday-school is the pastor.

436

HISTORY OF LACKAWANNA COUNTY.

EPISCOPAL.

St. Luke's (Scranton) .- The first public service of this church in Scranton was held on the evening of August 5th, 1851, in the Methodist chapel, by Rev. John Long, for some time an itinerant missionary in the Lackawanna and Wyoming valleys. After service a meeting of per- sons attached to the church was held, and it was deemed expedient to organize a parish and elect a vestry. A parish was formed, with the above name, and Elisha Hitchcock and J. C. Burgess were chosen wardens and Charles Swift, Jacob Kerlin, Dr. B. H. Throop, L. N. Clark and E. S. M. Hill vestrymen. An application for incorporation was made in the following November. Services were held by Mr. Long from time to time in the Methodist chapel, in the Odd Fellows' Hall, in the third story of Hunt's building and over Chase's store until Easter, 1852, when he regularly assumed the charge of the parish as a missionary tai der the direction of the So- ciety for the Advancement of Christianity in the Diocese of Pennsylvania. In 1853, through the efforts of Mr. Long and the gift of friends abroad, a frame church, cost- ing $2,600, was erected on lots donated by the Lacka- wanna Iron and Coal Company, ground having been broken for the work on Easter Monday, and the corner stone laid April 19th, by the rector, assisted by Revs. George D. Miles, of Wilkes-Barre, G. M. Skinner, of New Milford, and Edmund Mendenhall, of Salem. The first service was held and the Sunday school organized in the basement of the church on the last Sunday in July that year. The edifice was completed in October and conse- crated November 13th by Bishop Alonzo Potter. Dur- ing the following year a parsonage was erected at a cost of $1,200.

Mr. Long resigned the charge of the parish November 29th, 1858. From February ist, 1859, Rev. W. C. Rob- inson was rector until December Ist, 1862. From Janu- ary 25th, 1863, Rev. A. A. Marple was rector more than fourteen years. During his first year the parish was freed from debt, and through the ladies' sewing society began collecting money for a new church. Lots 180 by 160 were secured on Wyoming avenue and ground was broken for the new house of worship July 5th, 1866. Oc- tober 9th, 1867, the corner stone of the present edifice, a gothic structure of Oxford dressed stone, was laid by Rev. Dr. William Bacon Stevens, The church was opened for worship July 2nd, 1871, Dr. Stevens officiat- ing. This handsome edifice, which was designed by Mr. R. M. Upjohn, is not entirely completed, the tower never having been erccted. October Ist, 1877, Rev. A. A. Marple resigned the charge of the parish. Rev. C. P. Chapin was rector from November, 1877, to April 15th, 1879. From the later date, services were kept up by Rev. P. B. Leighton and others, October ist, Rev. J. P. B. Pendleton, late of Washington, D. C .. assumed the rectorship. The Sunday-school numbers about 36 of- ficers and teachers, and 250 children. A Ladies' Guild has been organized in the parish which is doing a good deal of active work.

The Church of the Good Shepherd (Green Ridge) .- Rev. John Long held the first service of the Episcopal church in this parish, in his own house, July 12th, 1868. Other services were held in the depot of the Lehigh and Sus- quehanna railroad, in one of their passenger coaches and in the carriage house of J. Gardner Sanderson, Esq. The Sunday-school was organized August 9th, 1868. The church was chartered February 23d, 1869; the charter was approved by the standing committee of the diocese November 3d, 1870, and at the diocesan con- vention of 1871 the church was admitted into union with the diocese. Early in 1869 efforts had been begun look- ing towards building a church. A lot on Eighth street was donated by George Sanderson, Esq., a considerable sum of money was raised, and August 26th, 1869, the corner stone of the present edifice was laid by Bishop Stevens, assisted by Revs. John I. Robertson, Leighton Coleman and John Long, rector and missionary. Suffi- cient funds having been secured, the work of building was pushed forward, and June 5th, 1870, the first service was held in the new church. The following are the names of those who applied for permission to organize a church in Green Ridge: George Sanderson, J. Gardner Sanderson, J. Atticus Robertson, Jason H. Wells, Matthew Harlon, E. L. Riggs, O. B. Salisbury. Attached to the charter are the following names as those who acted as the vestry of the parish till the next Easter: J. Gardner Sanderson, Matthew Harlon, Thomas Sly, Ed- ward L. Riggs, Jason H. Wells, J. Atticus Robertson, William W. Winton.

The church has had five rectors: Revs. John Long, H. Hobart Millett, G. W. Southwell, S. C. Thompson and Joseph P. Cameron. There have been 161 baptisms, So confirmations, 11 marriages and 40 burials. The fol- lowing items from the parochial report to the convention of 1879 will indicate its present strength: Families, 53; baptized persons, 145 ; church accommodations, 175; communicants, 69; Sunday-school teachers, 14; pupils, J 20.

St. David's Church (Hyde Park) .- This is a compara- tively young parish, and has no church building as yet. In February, 1879, efforts were begun to secure a build- ing fund. About one-third of the required amount is now secured.

For many years a few Episcopalians who resided at Hyde Park attended St. Luke's church at Scranton. In 1858 Rev. John Long began holding services in a build- ing belonging to the First Baptist Church of Hyde Park. After a while the services were discontinued till 1870; then they were held occasionally by Revs. Marple, Long and Kennedy. Valuable lay work was done by Doctor Thomas McCune. In 1877 Rev. S. C. Thompson was appointed to this field in connection with Green Ridge. From 1870 to 1878 the services were held in the Welsh Calvinistic church and in various halls. They are now held in Odd Fellows' Hall. Rev. Joseph P. Cameron was called to the charge of the parish, in connection with that of the Good Shepherd, at Green Ridge, September ist, 1878. A'charter was obtained February 28th, 1879,

Andrewr Sicol

Helen Dicot

ANDREW NICOL.

Andrew Nicol, son of John and Jannet ( Gray ) Nicol, was born at Dalyuharran, parish of New Daily, Ayrshire, Scotland, August 20th, 1818. At the age of twelve years he commenced to learn the carpenter's trade with his father, who was for many years a carpenter to the Right Honorable Francis Kennedy, of Dalyuharran. Having mastered his trade, in 1834 he went to Glasgow, and was there engaged as a journeyman joiner for two years, when he was employed for one year as pattern maker in Girdwood's foundry at the city of Glasgow, and one year by the Summerlee Iron Company, at Coat Bridge, in the same capacity. In 1839 he commenced to learn the machinist's trade at the Summerlee works, and after remaining four years he was appointed foreman machinist of the company. This position he filled six months, when the general manager, Mr. Neilson, gave him a situ- ation with his civil and mining engineer corps, and he was soon engaged in surveying and mapping the mine _work. In this capacity he was engaged for a year and a half; then was assistant superintendent of all their mines and machinery until 1847. On October Ist, 1847, Mr. Nicol was engaged by the Right Honorable Francis Kennedy to take charge of his mines and machinery, and he remained in this position until March. 1851. He with his wife and two children set sail from Glasgow April 6th, 1851, and arrived in New York May 18th. June Ist they arrived at Carbondale and Mr. Nicol en- gaged the same day with James Clarkson, superintendent of the coal department of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, to be his assistant, which position he filled until 1863. In 1863 he was appointed general su- perintendent of the mines of the company, in which posi- tion he continued until 1870. He received the only first-

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History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 133

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York Publication date: 1880 Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co. Number of Pages: 900

Author: Munsell, W.W., & Co., New York
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: New York, W.W. Munsell & co.
Number of Pages: 900