USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > Radnor > The history of old St. David's church, Radnor, in Delaware county, Pennsylvania, with a complete alphabetical list of wardens and vestrymen, and of the interments in the graveyard, 1700-1906 > Part 9
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tended rather to preserve it as an object, through which the higher and holier teachings and influence would have been more successfully presented. The various reports to the Diocesan Conventions during that time indicate at Radnor a "field white already unto the harvest."
As hereinbefore stated, the incumbency of Mr. Clemson marked the beginning of modern conditions at Radnor-the transition of the church, or its de- velopment, from plain provincial surroundings and in- fluences to the more aspiring, aggressive, and conven- tional influences of city life and greater cultivation. This development was no doubt advanced by the social connections of both Mr. Clemson and his successor ; but it was also fostered by the distinct advance in the material wealth and social standing of the congrega- tion beginning about this time. Whether in the changed conditions now existing at Radnor, the Church's influence spiritually has measured up to its increased responsibilities ; whether it now exerts an influence for good in the community proportionate with its influence in the more primitive times; are questions the chronicler of its history should properly investigate; but the answer is essentially a personal one, which no array of statistics can satisfactorily record, for these
May tell the presence of a zeal that proves
But shameless counterfeit of Spirit power !
During Mr. Clemson's incumbency the graveyard 0
1
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Old St. David's Church.
was again enlarged by purchasing about an acre of land adjoining the old ground on the north, in East- town Township, Chester County. A pathetic and in- teresting feature of this improvement was the fact that one of the first burials in this new cemetery was that of Miss Sarah Brooke who had been a most active and enthusiastic worker in the church and to whose special exertions were largely due the purchase of this ground.
A few years later the pulpit was entirely removed, and the chancel arranged in substantially the present style. The lamp posts which stood at the door of every alternate pew and on either side of the chancel, were also removed and the church illuminated by coal oil lamps, fastened in the wall. Externally the ap- pearance of the church was very much improved by planting ivy on the south, east and west walls of the building. No reliable record has been preserved of the antecedent history of this ivy nor of the circum- stances attendant on its planting.
An interesting incident, worthy of record, while Mr. Clemson was rector, was the administration by him of the rite of baptism by immersion. This is the only instance of an immersion at Radnor of which any record has been preserved, and occurred Sun- day, May 6, 1866, at Siter's Mill dam (now known as Edwards Dam), immediately after the morning serv- ice. The ceremony attracted a large gathering, espe- cially of the Baptists who thronged the northeast
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Proposed Chapel at Eagle.
bank of the dam, but it was conducted with marked dignity and impressiveness.
During Mr. Clemson's rectorship renewed interest arose in the establishment of a Sunday School or "Chapel of St. David's," at or near the Old Eagle School, in Tredyffrin, a work which, as formerly stated, had been originally started by Mr. Peck. The Sunday School conducted at the Old Eagle School house during Mr. Clemson's term was mainly under the charge of Episcopalians from St. David's Church, including Mrs. Paul Shirley, Mrs. John Langdon Wentworth, Miss Elizabeth Gwinn, Miss Helen A. Hibler and Miss Louisa Lewis; and Mr. Clemson fre- quently officiated at the old school house, and largely through his efforts a considerable sum of money was raised by fairs held at Eagle, and at the old church, and by contributions-including a thank-offering of some $400 given, it is said, by the officers and crew of the Suwanee, after their preservation from a terrible storm -. The unfortunate development, however, of doubts regarding the exact objects for which the money was raised, led to unpleasant complications, and the practical abandonment of the plan of estab- lishing a Sunday School or chapel in the neighbor- hood of the Eagle School. A part of the money raised was appropriated for the purchase of a few acres of land on the Lancaster turnpike almost oppo- site Old Eagle Station. on the Pennsylvania Railroad, which in 1872-3 was deeded to the corporation of St.
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Old St. David's Church.
David's Church and accepted by them in a formal resolution of October 7, 1873, declaring "that the title of the land is absolute in St. David's Church with- out restriction."
Mr. Clemson resigned his charge at Radnor in June, 1866, to accept a call to the Church of the Re- deemer, Morristown, N. J., and was succeeded by the Rev. William F. Halsey, then rector of St. Paul's Church, at Montrose, Pa., who commenced his duties at Radnor November 18, 1866.
During Mr. Halsey's term, on September 4, 1867, was celebrated the one hundred and fiftieth anniver- sary of the erection of the church, under the erroneous impression that the building was erected in 1717. On this occasion the rector delivered a sermon contain- ing a historical account of the old church, which, in view of the small amount of historical data then accessible to him, was remarkably accurate.
The following account of these services contained in The Episcopalian of October, 1867, is worthy of preservation :
It was a day to be remembered and one that will not soon be forgotten by any who participated in its interesting serv- ices. The morning was dark and threatening, like the early days to be commemorated; but as it wore on, the clouds scattered, leaving a bright and beautiful afternoon. Every- thing conspired to make it an occasion of interest; the happy groups of young and old gathered under the spreading branches of ancient trees, the association of the time-honored house of God reviving many touching reminiscences of by-
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Church of the Good Shepherd.
gone days, made a scene and occasion rarely equaled for beauty or interest.
In 1868-9 a movement was made among the church people living near the Lancaster turnpike, to erect another Episcopal Church at or near Wayne Station, Pennsylvania Railroad. This movement became more or less entangled with the movement for a chapel of St. David's at or near the Old Eagle School, and was strongly opposed by many persons who believed that such measures would weaken the support of old Rad- nor Church; and when at length, in June, 1869, came a formal letter to the Vestry from a committee dele- gated to represent the new church, requesting that it might be taken under the "Guidance and care" of St. David's, the Vestry declined to have any connection with the new church. It was subsequently organized as The Church of the Good Shepherd, near Villanova.
In 1869-70 legacies left to Radnor Church by will of J. Johnson Brown, of Radnor, aggregating some $5,500, materially increased the salary of the rector, and enabled the Vestry to improve the ground by its enclosure with a stone wall and gates, and to plant numerous shade and ornamental trees amongst the massive oaks whose sentinel duty there began long before Penn's landing.
In the spring and summer of 1871 the church build- ing having become much dilapidated, by the falling off of the plaster on the inner side of the walls and the decay of the pointing on the outer side, besides the
.
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Old St. David's Church.
complete wreck of the vestry room, a large subscrip- tion was raised for the repairs of the old church and the work energetically prosecuted; great care being taken to preserve the original appearance of the building. A new and more commodious vestry room was also built at this time, on and beyond the site of the former building, in dimensions about eighteen feet by twenty-nine feet, and furnished to serve as a Sun- day School room.
To obtain the needed space for this building the body of the old vestryman and warden, John Hunter, which had been buried close to the old vestry room, was removed with consent and approval of his family, and reinterred in another part of the ground.
The interior of the church building was also much improved by thorough painting and repairing ; a rude wainscoting on the east wall and arch over the chancel window being then erected, to be later replaced by panelled wainscoting peculiarly in keeping with the antique appearance of the place.
Early in this same year, St. David's Church was the recipient from St. James' Church, Philadelphia, at the instance of a lady deeply interested in each parish, of the present marble font, formerly in use in the old St. James' Church on Seventh Street.
In completing the narrative of important events oc- curring during Mr. Halsey's rectorship, it is worthy of note that on September 6, 1874, was celebrated with appropriate ceremonies the one hundred and six-
135
Longfellow's Visit.
tieth anniversary of the gathering of the first collec- tions for the church building by Mr. Clubb on Sep- tember 7, 1714; and so marked and general was the interest manifested on this occasion that the Vestry, by special resolution, provided for holding similar services on the communion Sunday of each succeeding September.
In May, 1876, Henry W. Longfellow, during a tem- porary stay at Rosemont, visited Radnor Church. Ac- cording to an article appearing in the Boston Sunday Herald of May 29, 1881, Mr. Longfellow was par- ticularly impressed with the "charming and pic- turesque surroundings" of the place, and remarked that "Its diminutive size, peculiar architecture, the lit- tle rectory in the grove, the quiet churchyard where Mad Anthony Wayne is buried, the great tree which stands at the gateway, and the pile of gray stone which marks the old church and is almost hidden by the climbing ivy, all combine to make it a gem for a fancy picture." The subsequent appearance of "Old St. David's at Radnor," one of the poet's last produc- tions, certainly evidenced the deep impression the old place had left on the mind of the American laureate. It is an interesting coincidence that the birthday of Mr. Halsey and the poet were in the same year. 1807. and that Mr. Longfellow's death in 1882 occurred on Mr. Halsey's seventy-fifth birthday-March 24. 1882.
Mr. Halsey retained the rectorship at Radnor until his death, October 15, 1882, being assisted, during
-
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Old St. David's Church.
the last year of his life, by Mr. George R. Savage, now rector of the Church of the Messiah, Philadel- phia, as lay reader.
In December of the same year the Rev. George A. Keller, then assistant rector of Christ Church, New York City, was called to the vacant charge and began his ministry there early in 1883.
In 1883 and 1884, Mr. Keller was temporarily in charge of the Church of the Good Samaritan at Paoli, where he officiated on Sunday afternoons for several months. He also frequently officiated during this time at Devon.
In 1887-8, after much deliberation by the Vestry and a reference of the subject to the Easter meeting of the Congregation, the land on the Lancaster turn- pike opposite the old Eagle Station, which, as stated, had been formally deeded to St. David's Church, was exchanged for other land adjoining the church prop- erty, on the north and east, and upon this ground was erected in 1889 the present handsome rectory. To- wards this valuable improvement of the church prop- erty "The Guild of St. David's Church," an organiza- tion of ladies, contributed over three thousand dollars. About the same time, Mr. Keller was largely instru- mental in establishing, or at least fostering, Episcopal services at Wayne, from which developed the pres- ent large and influential organization of St. Mary's Memorial Church, which was admitted to membership in the Convention in 1889.
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Inter-mural Interments.
A few years later, after numerous vicissitudes which need no record, a final contest between those persons favoring a material alteration of the old building to accommodate the increasing attendance, and those extreme conservatives who desired to preserve it, mainly as a historical relic, resulted in the thorough restoration of the building in accordance with designs which, while preserving the interesting features of the old building, added to it hygienic improvements without which it was feared by many persons that the health of attendants was sometimes jeopardized.
It would be difficult to overestimate the tact and wis- dom displayed in arriving at the solution of a problem which had so long agitated the lovers of old St. David's and whereby individual disappointments, which would otherwise have manifested themselves, gave way to general approval.
During the progress of this improvement, while excavating under the floor of the church on the north side of the building, workmen came upon two skele- tons superimposed, evidently of a man and a woman, the larger above the smaller, about five feet below the surface of the church floor, and directly in front of the location of the old pulpit, below the large iron hook which formerly carried the sounding board. Fragments of a coffin were also found, but no indi- cation whatever of the identity of the bodies.
The remains so unexpectedly disturbed were rever- ently reinterred under the personal supervision of
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Old St. David's Church.
Mr. Keller and the ground around so carefully walled as to insure against further disturbance.
There is no tradition regarding these burials, and the only record which might possibly be interpreted as referring to them is the following minute in the old vestry book:
DECR 25 1752.
Then agreed by the Vestry that Alexr Bayley in Considera- tion of 5 lib already payd Shall be buried when he dies in the Same Grave where his wife is buried.
It would certainly seem unlikely that five pounds would have been paid for a right of sepulture in the graveyard wherein at that date there is no mention of any charge in other cases. If, however, this case involved a special privilege of interment within the church walls, it was properly the subject of compensa- tion. The coincidence of two skeletons superimposed and probably male and female also strengthens the probability that these bodies were those of Alexr Bayley and his wife. The records in Chester County indicate that Alexander Bayley, yeoman, and his wife Margaret were residents of Willistown Township in 1748. But his will, dated 1758, and proven 1761, pro- vided that his body should be "Decently buried in Christian Manner at the Discretion of my Executor," and made no reference to Radnor Church.
In December, 1894, a Philadelphian interested in historical matters, while visiting in Wales, secured a piece of the original stone work of St. David's Cathe-
139
One Mural Adornment.
dral, Pembrokeshire, which had been removed dur- ing repairs, and, with the assistance of the Dean of the Cathedral, had it chiseled into a copy of the ancient cross back of the high altar there, and pre- sented it as a Christmas gift to St. David's Church, Radnor, where it was placed in the wall of the church above the main door.
This being the only mural adornment within Rad- nor Church is worthy of notice. The decoration, ow- ing to the peculiar appropriateness and beauty of the emblem, and the sentiment connected with its history, entirely harmonizes with the severity of plainness in the building, and indeed rather seems to emphasize the sentiment (now a time-honored custom) which has uniformly forbidden the establishment of any decorations or memorials of a personal character within the Church. A custom which unquestionably has added much to the unique dignity and attractive- ness of the place, and has preserved it from degen- erating into such a veritable depository of personal relics and memorials as so many churches and ca- thedrals have become.
In September, 1895, the grounds of St. David's were yet further extended by the investment of some of the endowment funds in the purchase of large addi- tions to the graveyard on the north and west.
In the same year high honor was conferred on old Radnor Church by the election of Mr. Keller to the position of Dean of the Convocation of Chester.
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Old St. David's Church.
On September 2, 1900, the Church celebrated with simple ceremonies the two hundredth anniversary of the establishment of Episcopal services at Radnor. On this occasion the rector, in a sermon on "The Turning Points in the Church's History," referred to the subject of the possible necessity of enlarged ac- commodations, which had so often disturbed the con- gregation, using the following language:
It seems at times that in the future there might be need of more room if the church is to perform the obvious duty of caring spiritually for all who will come to it. Owing to the peculiar connection of the Church for myself if it is right to say or think it (which I very much doubt) I could wish the time might never come when this would be a live question. The building of other churches in the neighbor- hood has already relieved a pressure for increased accommo- dation that was becoming serious, and additional churches in the future might relieve a like condition. But if increased capacity should become necessary, and ordinarily we ought to be glad of such conditions, then the action of those in the past ought to point out the way and be a warrant for such action as would satisfy the conditions, and in the face of such a necessity the need could be supplied in as natural and effective a way as the men of an older time found out: pos- terity would have no more reason to complain of the action of those who are to face the difficulty, and be no more likely to, than we have to complain of our forefathers who had to face the difficulty in their day.
These sentiments are worthy of a prominent place in the history of St. David's Church, not only as ex- hibiting the conscientious and fearless devotion of the rector to what he esteemed his duty, but as a definite
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Radnor not a mere Relic.
declaration from high authority in the church, that no mere sentiment for this sacred relic could ever justify a refusal to meet the need of increased accommoda- tions to extend the work for which the church was dedicated.
While no historian may be warranted in assuming the rôle of preacher or prophet, in order to record his views how such need should or would be met, it is but fair to recent history to record in this connection a no less intelligent and manly utterance from Rev. Dr. Lamb, the present rector, suggesting the building of a new church within the present grounds, if occasion arose, whereby ample accommodations could be ob- tained for all congregational gatherings, while the old edifice would remain unaltered and as an object les- son to supplement the teachings from the new one.
Mr. Keller was re-elected to the position of Dean of Chester Convocation in 1900, and filled it until his death, which occurred on March 4, 1902, after a most useful and acceptable ministry of nearly twenty years. During the latter year of his term he had been assisted in his charge by Rev. James H. Lamb, D.D., secretary of the Clergymen's Retiring Fund Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, and at the Easter meeting of the con- gregation following Mr. Keller's death, held on Mon- day, March 31, 1902, Dr. Lamb was unanimously chosen as rector of the church and entered upon the charge he now fills, on Sunday, April 6, 1902.
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Old St. David's Church.
The Old Welsh Church of Radnor, from its estab- lishment during the reign of William III, of Eng- land, down to its present condition under the second term of the twenty-fifth President of the United States of America, by its connection with so many incidents of history, by the uniqueness and simplicity of its ap- pearance and location, claims the deepest reverence and interest from all religious denominations. And when it is remembered that old Radnor Church is a foster parent of some five other parishes, at least three of which have been organized more than a century and a half; that it was established three years before the birth of John Wesley; and that its history ante- dates by more than half a century the birth of Wal- ter Scott, of Lord Byron, of Napoleon Bonaparte, and of many other characters who, figuring so promi- nently in the world's history, passed out of it long before the memory of the present generation, then indeed can the real antiquity of the church be better appreciated, and fullest sympathy be accorded to the sentiment which would have this old pile:
Remain unaltered
Till that morning dawn be breaking When the lifted shadows flying, Scatter'd by th' Eternal Glory, Lose themselves before Jehovah.
The following lines from the anonymous brochure "Radnor," already referred to, form an appropriate conclusion to this historical account, as expressive of
Awaiting.
1
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Radnor's Suggestiveness. 143
sentiments the history of the church aptly suggests, and which all loyal Churchmen will endorse :
With dignity increased by centuries
Of dedication to a holy use, The old Welsh Church of Radnor stands to-day An object lesson to posterity :
A lasting witness of the covenant Betwixt the faithful and the Faithful One: Suggesting blessings such as Solomon Invoked upon its ancient prototype ; Recalling solemn admonitions given ; Yet telling of the new and living way Whereby the humblest, as a king and priest,
Has access boldly to the holiest place Where God and sinners may be reconciled. Nor is its vigil solitary now:
The Dead of centuries, long gathered here Where Living of to-day shall find their place "By those who in their turn shall follow them," Suggest the hope, no less than end, of life; As here awaiting that transcendent scene When heaven as a scroll shall disappear Before the presence of THE OMEGA: When Christ, long present here though undiscerned, Triumphantly victorious over Death, Shall come again in power to claim His own, "Ere in the head of nations He appear Their King, their Leader, and supreme on earth."
FINIS. -
APPENDIX.
I. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF CHURCH WARDENS AND VESTRY- MEN, 1716 TO 1906.
IT. ALPHABETICAL LISTS OF NAMES OF EARLY COMMUNICANTS AND SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS.
III. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF INTERMENTS IN RADNOR CHURCH BURIAL GROUND, 1716 TO 1906.
IV. EXTRACTS FROM THE PRIVATE JOURNAL KEPT BY REV. SAMUEL C. BRINCKLÉ, 1822 to 1832.
10
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF CHURCH WAR- DENS AND VESTRYMEN.
NOTE-V=Vestryman; W=Warden. The dates after each letter indicate the earliest and latest time of service in that office, although such service may not have been continuous.
A. Caleb Andrews-V. 1839-42. Dr. J. M. Adler-V. 1895-1903.
B.
John Bell-V. 1864-69. Benj. Brooke [Gulf]-V. 1876-79.
Benj. Brooke-V. 1839-75. Benj. [N.] Brooke [Capt.]-V. 1856-75. H. O. Blackfan-V. 1879-87.
Jos. Burns-V. 1768-1781. Wm. Burns [Burn]-V. 1768-81.
John Brooke-V. 1792-1828; W. 1806. Wm. Brooke-V. 1797-1829; W. 1814-19. Jesse Brooke [the Elder]-V. 1798-99. Jesse Brooke [Farmer]-V. 1829-35; W. 1836-69. Mark Brooke-V. 1843-77; W. 1846-74.
H. Jones Brooke-V. 1844-60. Alfred Brooke-V. 1866. Lewis T. Brooke-V. 1878-81. John Best-V. 1760; W. 1761-62. Joseph Buckley-V. 1835-51.
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Appendix.
C.
Jacob Clinger-V. 1833-37.
Henry Y. Carter-V. 1833-38.
Wm. Crosley-V. 1836-56.
John Campbell [the Elder]-V. 1839-53. Joseph Coleman-V. 1725.
Charles [F.] Corbin-V. 1870.
John Conner-V. 1875-91.
Geo. W. Childs-V. 1881-90.
Henry T. Coates-V. 1882-1906.
Jos. H. Coates-V. 1888; W. 1885-1906.
W. John Campbell-V. 1887-1906.
Lemuel Coffin-V. 1889-93.
Henry P. Conner-V. 1891; W. 1892-1906.
David Crumley-V. 1892-1902.
John Cuthbert-V. 1738-42; W. 1743.
D.
Thomas David-V. 1725-37. John David-V. 1725.
Evan David [Davy, Davie]-V. 1737-75; W. 1743-69.
Methusalem Davies-V. 1739-43; W. 1742.
John Duglas [Douglas]-V. 1773-75.
Isaach Davie [Isaac Davis]-V. 1781-1804.
Hugh De Haven-V. 1789-93; W. 1794-97. William Davis-V. 1725-27 ; W. 1717.
Mirick Davis-W. 1718-19.
E.
David Evans-V. 1725. William Evans-V. 1725.
Richard Evan-V. 1727.
Richard Evans-V. 1850-78. Peter Elliott-V. 1725-55; W. 1738-39, 49-57. Morris Elliot-V. 1746. Thomas Edwards-W. 1717.
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Wardens and Vestrymen.
F. Nathan Fox-V. 1893-1906.
G.
Thomas Godffrey-V. 1727-49; W. 1740.
Morris Griffith-V. 1727.
Henry Griffith-V. 1727.
William Godfrey-V. 1755-69; W. 1757-70.
Robert Grover-V. 1804.
Jesse Gyger [Geiger]-V. 1854-88.
Lincoln Godfrey-V. 1899.
H.
Evan Hugh [Hughes]-W. 1718-27.
John Hunter-V. 1725.
Richard Hughes-V. 1727-46.
David Howell-V. 1737; W. 1721.
James Hunter-V. 1738-81; W. 1748, 1768-69.
William Hunter-V. 1739.
John Hughes-V. 1744-6; W. 1743-48.
John Hughes [the 2nd]-V. 1797-98.
Hugh Hughes-V. 1745-49; W. 1746.
Benjamin Hughes [Hugh]-V. 1745-62.
Isaac Hughes-V. 1757-70; W. 1760.
William Hayman-V. 1785-1823.
Samuel Holstein-V. 1785-89.
John Hunter [Sen.]-V. 1794-97; W. 1798-1821.
John Hunter [Jr.]-V. 1838; W. 1820-10.
John Horton [Sen.]-V. 1804-42; W. 1814.
John Horton [Jr.]-V. 1849-73.
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