USA > Rhode Island > Newport County > Newport > Annals of Trinity church, Newport, Rhode Island, 1698-1821 > Part 19
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John Crooke,
.
$5.00
Edward Brinley,
$5.00
John Wood,
10.00
John L. Boss,
5.00
Tho. Arnold,
5.00
W. Wood,
5.00
Geo. Champlin,
8.00
Mr. Hynde,
3.00
Wm. Miller,
5.00
Mrs. Malbone,
5.00
Mary Gibbs,
20.00
Steph. Deblois,
3.00
Wm. Wilder,
2.00
Wm. C. Baen,
2.00
Tho. R. Gardner,
2.00 Ann Robinson,
3.00
Benj. Gardiner,
-
5.00
Mrs. F. Malbone,
5.00
Silas Dean,
5.00
Edwª T. Waring,*
5.00
.
.
Edm: The War in Dr. Edmund Thomas Waring was born at Charleston, S. C., De- cember 25, 1779, came to Newport, studied med- icine with Dr. Isaac Sen- ter, and here opened an office and devoted himself to his profession, which he followed for more than thirty years. He was one of the founders of the Rhode Island Medical Society, in which society he held an office for a number of years. He died at Charleston, January 21, 1835, and his re- mains were brought to Newport and laid in the grave in which his wife, daughter of Francis Malbone, had been placed twelve years before.
249
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
April 1, 1805. Whereas, the Vestry has been informed through the Revª Mr. Griswold, of Bristol, that Mr. John Ward, of Litch- field, Ct., who has formerly officiated in this Church as a lay reader, would, upon receiving an invitation, accept the office of As- sistant Minister and School-master.
Voted : that he be invited to said office, and requested to qualify himself by taking Holy Orders, as soon as may be, for discharging
Henry Sherburne,
$5.00
M. Duncan,
4.00
Mrs. B. Mumford,
5.00
Tho. Townsend,
5.00
Wm. Hunter,
.
5.00
J. E. Scott,
5.00
Nath. Hazard,
5.00
Saml. Lawton, .
3.00
S. Malbone,
2.00
M. Scott,
3.00
John Boit,
2.00
Wm. Bretton,
2.00
Freeman Mayberry,
2.00
Mrs. N. Miller,
3.00
William Littlefield,
5.00
Saml. Whitehorne,
3.00
$263.78
$281.00
Balance carried to credit
of Trinity Church, 7.22
Deduct not paid,
. 10.00
$271.00
$271.00
Newport, October 21, 1805. E. E., per J. BOURS.
The bell weighed 1375 pounds, and was the one hundred and fifteenth bell that had been cast in the same foundry during a period of ten years. When delivered, it was seen that the metal, in cooling, had shrunk in the upper part of the crown, which disfigured it ; and there were some blotches on the rim, caused by the scaling of the mould ; but as there was nothing objectionable in the sound of the bell, the committee accepted it.
17
.
.
Fenton & Cochran's bill, $257.03 Freight paid Holt, 6.00
W. Gorton, for collecting, 75
250
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
the duties thereof. Voted also : that the Revª Mr. Dehon be de- sired to transmit to Mr. Ward a copy of this vote, and to require of him an early answer.
Voted : that the lots at the south end of the Town, which remain undisposed of, be advertised to be sold at public auction, notwith- standing the resolution of the Vestry to the contrary, at a meeting February 19th last, and that the Wardens give notice thereof, with the time and place, in the next Newport Mercury.
Easter Monday, April 15, 1805. William Littlefield and William Wood were elected Wardens.
Vestrymen : Francis Brinley, Christ. Champlin, John Bours, Francis Malbone, Benj. Gardiner, Henry Sherburne, John Handy, William Littlefield, Rob. N. Auchmuty, Saunders Malbone, Wm. Crooke, Simeon Martin, Peleg Wood, Jr., and Caleb Gardner.
John Bours, Clerk of the Vestry; Joseph Dyer, Clerk of the Church ; Uriah Gorton, Sexton.
Delegates to the Convention the same as last year.
May 6, 1805. Whereas, an opportunity presents for purchasing a lot of land, of ten acres, belonging to Mr. Henry Bliss, with the money for which the lots at the south end of the Town, part of Mr. Kay's donation, were rated at, and most of them sold for, voted : that the Wardens, with Caleb Gardner, Esq., and Mr. Francis Mal- bone, be a committee to purchase said lot, upon the best terms they can, and that they, or the major part of them, be empowered in behalf of the Vestry, to obtain the cash to pay for the same from the banks in Newport, and that the said committee be indemnified by the Rector, Wardens and Vestry, as trustees of Mr. Kay's donation, in transacting said business.
. A letter being read from Mr. John Ward to the Revd Mr. Dehon, informing him that he has connected himself with the Church in East Windsor for five months, at the expiration of which time he would accept the office of Assistant Minister and School-master for
25I
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
this Church, voted unanimously : that the Revd Mr. Dehon be re- quested to inform Mr. Ward that we will offer the vacancy to no other candidate, and at the close of his present engagement shall be happy to receive his services.
June 3, 1805. Voted : that Messrs. Sherburne and Francis Mal- bone be a committee to apply to Wm. Hunter, Esq., now a member to the General Assembly of this State, and request the favor of him to renew an application, which was made to them the last year, for permission to dispose of the Church lots at the south end of the Town, in order to purchase other real estate with the proceeds of the same, and that said committee use their influence to obtain such act.
The following Act was obtained :
State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation, In General Assembly, June session, A.D. 1805.
Upon the petition of Theodore Dehon, the Minister, and of the Church Wardens and Vestry of Trinity Church, in Newport, pray- ing, for certain reasons therein stated, that they may be authorized and empowered to sell certain lots of land in Newport, heretofore devised by Nathaniel Kay, now deceased, to the Minister, Wardens and Vestry of said Church, for the education of ten poor boys in grammar and the mathematics, and vest the proceeds of said sale in other and more productive lands, to the same use; Resolved : that the prayer of said petitioners be granted, and that the said Minister, Wardens and Vestry be, and they are hereby authorized and empow- ered, by the advice and direction of the Court of Probate for said Newport, to make sale of said lots of land upon the most advan- tageous terms they can obtain for the same; provided the said Minister, Wardens and Vestry shall give bonds to the satisfaction of said Court of Probate, that they will, within twelve months after said sale, invest the proceeds thereof in other lands on the Island of Rhode Island, to the same uses, trusts and purposes, as the said lots of land, so to be sold, were devised to, and for, in and by the said will of said Kay ; and that a deed, or deeds, made of said lots to any purchaser, or
252
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
purchasers, shall vest in him, her, them and his or their heirs, or assigns, a fee simple estate therein.
A true Copy.
Witness, SAMUEL EDDY, Secretary.
July 25, 1805. Whereas the purchase of a lot of land, of ten acres, belonging to the late Henry Bliss, was not effected, agreeably to a resolve of the Vestry, on the 6th of May last, Voted : that the Wardens, with Col. Sherburne and Capt. Caleb Gardner, be a com- mittee to look out a suitable lot, and when they find one which they think will answer, to make report to the Vestry.
The committee appointed to examine the Church, with reference to needed repairs and painting, reported, July 28, 1805, " that it be recommended to the congregation to levy a tax on the pews below of $10 each, and on the pews in the gallery $ I each ; also, such pews as have become forfeited to the Church should be sold. These modes we think the most eligible for raising the sum necessary to defray the expense of repairing and painting the Church, &c., which we estimate at $II00.
HENRY SHERBURNE, FRAN. MALBONE, WM. CROOKE.
Voted, July 25th : that the report be accepted, and that the sum of ten dollars be assessed on each single pew below, and one dollar on each pew in the gallery (a double pew $20,00, and a pew and a half $15.00), the same to be collected as soon as possible.
July 28, 1805. Buried Don Josef Wiseman.244 Aged 46 years. September 1, 1805. Whereas, Caleb Gardner, Esq., has reported
244 Don Josef was Vice Consul to the port of Newport from his Catholic Majesty. He came here in 1795, was warmly received, made many friends, and here resided up to the time of his death.
253
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
to the Vestry that he has purchased at public auction, this day, the lot of land belonging to the estate of Henry Bliss, Esq., which the Vestry had appointed a committee to purchase before said Bliss's death, but were disappointed in so doing, at the rate of $139 per acre, the same to be surveyed and the number of acres ascertained, Voted: that the thanks of the Vestry be presented to Mr. Gardner for his kind services in negotiating the business, and that he be further requested to assist the Clerk and Wardens in making the necessary arrangements to pay for the same.
Voted : the sum of $300, being one year's rent of the estate leased to Richard Harrison, Esq., becoming due, and to be paid by Mr. Pollock, the present tenant, the 25th day of the present month, be appropriated towards payment of the above mentioned lot.
Voted : that the three-fourth parts245 of lot No. 3 remaining unsold, be disposed of by the committee for the most they can obtain for the same, as they find it will not sell at the valuation formerly agreed upon by them.
October 7, 1805. Whereas, the Wardens have reported to the Vestry that they have received a deed of the lot of land which we were about purchasing of the late Henry Bliss, Esq., from his ex- ecutor, Mr. Clarke Bliss, and after having the same recorded by the Town Clerk, had paid said Clarke Bliss $800 in part; and as some difficulty had arisen with Sarah Bliss, widow of said Henry, with regard to her right of dower, they had retained, in securities, in the hands of the Clerk of the Vestry, the sum of $381.50, for which they have given their obligation payable to said Clarke, with interest thereon, upon his obtaining and delivering to them a quit-claim, or
245 The above-mentioned " three-fourth parts " of lot No. 3 was sold to Daniel Ginnedo for $90, and a deed of it was given to him, together with a deed of the lot that he already held on a long lease, and for which he had paid the stipulated sun.
254
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
good and sufficient release from the said widow to her said right of dower.
Voted : that said report be accepted, and the doings of the War- dens in said business approved of and fully ratified by the Vestry.
Whereas, Mr. Moses Seixas hath represented to the Vestry that he, in behalf of the Hebrew Congregation in this Town, is about making an exchange of a small piece of land, which now forms part of the burial-ground belonging to said congregation, for part of the estate leased by the Vestry to Richard Harrison, Esq., June I, A.D. 1796, and requesting the Vestry to ratify and confirm said ex- change,
Voted and resolved : that if such exchange should take place, and the estate leased, as above said, to the said Harrison, should ever by any means revert to us, or our successors, we do, in that case, covenant and engage with the said Hebrew Congregation, for ourselves and our successors, that such exchange shall be fully rat- ified and confirmed to all intents and purposes for which it was made,
Voted : that if any person who has purchased one of the Church lots, on a lease for 999 years, should apply for a deed in fee simple, it shall be given to him, provided no expense shall accrue to the Church in consequence thereof.
Voted : that Simeon Martin, Esq., be added to the Wardens and Clerk to receive the new bell and settle for it.
October 16, 1805. The new bell, weighing 1375 pounds, neat, was this day received, and immediately hung in the belfry. Pay- ment was made for the same with money raised by subscription, viz : $263.03, besides the bell which was recast by Doolittle which was credited in part. The whole cost was $504.53.
November 4. 1805. The Revª Mr. Dehon having laid before the Vestry a letter he had lately received from the Rev. Mr. John Ward, of Litchfield, and the contents thereof being duly considered ; voted
255
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
unanimously, that the Revd Mr. Dehon be requested to reply to said letter, and to inform Mr. Ward that the Vestry will readily re- ceive him as an Assistant Minister to our Rector, and will engage that he shall be paid annually the sum of three hundred and fifty dollars, besides the use or rent of the Church school-house, on con- dition that he assist the Rector in performing the duties of the Church, in such manner as may be agreed upon by the Rector and himself; and shall instruct, or cause to be instructed, ten poor children in grammar and the mathematics gratis, agreeably to Mr. Kay's donation.
January 29, 1806. Thomas Tromp Tyrrell246 was buried.
March 3, 1806. Whereas the Rev. Mr. John Ward arrived in Town in December last, in consequence of the invitation given him by the Vestry,
Voted : that his salary commence from the 25th day of said No- vember last, 1805.
Voted : that the Wardens be requested to pay our Rector, as soon as they are in cash, $24, the interest on the Wheatley bond, and the $10 due on account of the Tate estate, to Christmas last, to the poor of the Church, in order that the said two sums be divided among them, agreeably to the design and meaning of said dona- tions.
The money was so paid the following day :
Whereas, the Revd Mr. Dehon has informed the Vestry, that at the last Christmas festival he received from Mrs. Catherine Malbone
246 Mr. Tyrrell was born in Jamaica. In his youth he was sent to New- port to be educated. He then returned to Jamaica, where he amassed a handsome property. When he retired from business he returned to New- port, and here married the widow of John Grimes in 1803. Mrs. Tyrrell died in 1830, at an advanced age, and was buried in the same grave with her husband in the church-yard.
256
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
a valuable silver cup, for the use of the altar of Trinity Church ; resolved unanimously, that the thanks of this Vestry, in their own behalf, and in behalf of the congregation, be presented to Mrs. Mal- bone for this generous benefaction; and that the Wardens be re- quested to have engraved thereon the name of the donor, and the date of the donation, that the remembrance of such distinguished piety and liberality may descend, with the cup, to posterity.
257
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
CHAPTER XVII.
1806-1810.
AT a meeting of the Congregation of Trinity Church, on Easter Monday, April 7, 1806, were chosen William Littlefield and William Wood, Wardens.
Vestry. Francis Brinley, John Bours, Francis Malbone, Benjamin Gardiner, Henry Sherburne, John Handy, William Crooke, William Littlefield, Robert N. Auchmuty, Saunders Malbone, Simeon Mar- tin, William Wood, Peleg Wood, Edward Brinley, and John C. Scott.
John Bours, Clerk of Vestry; John Dyer, Clerk of Church ; Uriah Gorton, Sexton.
Voted : that the former salary of thirty dollars per annum to the Clerk of the Church be continued and paid; and the same sum of thirty dollars per annum to the Sexton.
Voted : that Messrs. Brinley, Bours, Auchmuty, Gardiner and William Hunter be continued delegates to the next State Conven- tion, and requested to attend whenever called upon.
Voted : that the same tax as the last year be continued, viz. : ten dollars per annum on the single pews below ; fifteen dollars on those of one and a half, and twenty dollars on the double pews ; and four dollars on each of the gallery pews: the one-third part for the support of the Rector, and the other two-thirds part for paying the salaries of the other officers, and repairs of the Church.
Voted : that the Rector, Wardens and Vestry be requested to use their endeavors to obtain an organist.
Voted : Messrs. Sherburne, Martin and Hunter be a committee
258
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
to petition the Legislature of the State to pass an act similar to that granted to the First Congregational Society in New York, to enable our Church to collect the taxes assigned on the pews. Said act was passed at the October session, 1805.
At a Vestry meeting, April 14, 1806, at Mr. Francis Brinley's, Voted : that Messrs. Sherburne, Crooke and William Wood, with Mr. Bours, be a committee to purchase a lot of land, of three and one-quarter of an acre, on the hill, of Lawrence Clarke, provided the same can be had at a rate that will yield six per cent. per annum, interest on the purchase money, and payment made out of the notes received from John Yeomans and Henry Moore, for the Tate lot sold Yeomans.
Voted : That the Wardens proceed in having the fences made about the parsonage-lot, as soon as may be, at the expense of the Church.
At a meeting of the Vestry, May 5, 1806, at Mr. Bours's,
Voted : that Mr. Benjamin Gardiner be added to the committee chosen to lease the lot purchased of Lawrence Clarke. Voted : that Mr. Gorton, the sexton of the Church, have permission to new shingle the west side of the house he occupies, at the expense of the Church, under the direction of the Wardens.
Voted : that Mr. John G. Whitehorne, who, we are informed, is going to Philadelphia in the first packet, be requested to use his endeavors to obtain in that city, or elsewhere, an organist for the Church, if a person qualified for the office, and of a good moral character, can be had for one hundred and fifty dollars per annum.247.
247 Berkenhead, the organist, had been discharged, on account of his infirmity. He sent a piteous appeal to the Vestry, begging to be restored, and promising amendment in the future, but he failed repeatedly to make good his promise, and it was decided to secure some one to fill his place. Mr. Whitehorne was probably as well qualified as any one in the Vestry to select an organist. He understood music, and had built a parlor
259
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
At a meeting of the Vestry, May 12, 1806, at Mr. Bours, Voted : that the Wardens be requested and empowered, in behalf of the Rector, Wardens and Vestry of the Church, to sign a note of hand to Lawrence Clarke, or order, for the sum of three hundred and forty-six dollars, payable within three years from the date thereof ; for the balance due to him for a lot of land purchased of him with money arising from the sale of a house and lot of land in Newport, bequeathed by William Tate, late of Newport, in his last will and testament, for the benefit of the poor of said Church.
At a meeting of the Vestry, May 27, 1806, at Col. Sher- burne's :
The Rev" Mr. Dehon having laid before the Vestry a letter re- ceived from the Revª John S. I. Gardiner, Rector of Trinity Church, Boston, upon the subject of our Church joining in convention with the churches in the State of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, for the purpose of choosing a Bishop, Voted: that Mr. Dehon be re- quested to return answer to Mr. Gardiner, and inform him that his letter shall be laid before our State Convention at its next meeting.
Whereas the lot of land, of which Lawrence Clarke, and Hannah, his wife, have executed a deed of conveyance, bearing date the nineteenth day of the present month, to the Rector, Wardens and Vestry of this Church, was purchased with money arising from the sale of a house and a lot of land in Newport, given by William
organ, which, if it lacked qualities looked for in the work of more ex- perienced hånds, bore evidence of mechanical skill and perseverance. He and his brother Samuel, with whom he was in business, were promi- nent men, both in the community and the Church. Samuel repeatedly served the Church as Senior Warden ; and when Zion Church was or- ganized he took an active and leading part in that parish. He married Eliza Rathbone, August 24, 1802, and John married Harriet Greene Mal- bone, daughter of Col. John Malbone, December 16, 1798.
260
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
Tate, late of said Newport, in his last will and testament, to and for the sole benefit of the poor belonging to this Church, Voted, there- fore : that the rents and profits of said lot be appropriated to the charitable and benevolent purpose for which it was designed by the testator ; and that the same be distributed yearly, and every year forever, among the poor belonging to this Church, at the discretion of the Rector and Wardens for the time being ; and that this Reso- lution be entered by the Clerk of the Vestry upon said deed, and that he be requested also to cause the same to be recorded by the Town Clerk of Newport, as well as in the book of records belong- ing to the Church, in order that a punctual compliance with the will of the said testator, as far as in the power of the Vestry, may be observed and religiously attended to by them and their suc- cessors.
At a meeting of the Vestry, June 2, 1806, at Mr. Saunders Malbone's :
Mr. Benj. Gardiner having reported to the Vestry that he had agreed with Mr. Clarke Bliss upon the division line between the Church lot, lately purchased of said Bliss, and his own land, Voted : that the said report be accepted, and signed by the Wardens on the part of the Vestry, and afterwards entered on the Church book of records; and also on the records of the Town of Newport, to prevent any dispute hereafter with regard to said division line.
The agreement was as follows :
Articles of agreement, made the thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and six, between the Rec- tor, Wardens and Vestry of Trinity Church, in Newport, of the one part, and Clarke Bliss, of said Newport, yeoman, of the other part, Witnesseth : that whereas a lot of land of eight acres and one-half acre, lately purchased by the said Rector, Wardens and Vestry, ad- joining other land now belonging to him, the said Bliss, It is mutu- ally agreed by the parties that they shall make and maintain a good
261
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
and lawful fence on the line between the said lot and said Bliss land, in the manner following, viz. : The lot belonging to the said Rector, Wardens and Vestry, shall begin at the north end of the said line fence, and extend southerly on said line thirty-six rods, at the end of which, the said Bliss shall begin and extend southerly and east- erly about twenty-four rods, to land belonging to Asa Shaw, all which said fence to be made and maintained by the said Rector, Wardens and Vestry, and by their successors in said office ; and the said Bliss, his heirs, and administrators, forever, in manner afore- said; in witness whereof the parties have hereunto interchangably set their hands and seals, the day and year above written.
CLARK BLISS, [SEAL]
Signed and sealed in presence of S. T. NORTHAM, JAMES MOODY HOYT.
July 7, 1806. Voted : that the Wardens, with Mr. Crooke, be a committee to endeavor to obtain an organist for the Church as soon as possible.
August 1, 1806, the anniversary of the founding of the Female Benevolent Society, a sermon was preached in the Church, and the collection taken up in aid of the Society amounted to $132. [The Society owed its origin to the benevolence of Mrs. Osborne, a mem- ber of the Congregational Society, which had it under especial care ; but its influence for good was wide-spread, and the other churches contributed from time to time, by collections, such as above, pre- ceded by a sermon.]
October 6, 1806. Mr. Edward Brinley was requested to officiate as Junior Warden during the absence of Capt. William Wood, who was going on a voyage to sea.
November 3. The committee having reported that the repairs lately made on the church and parsonage-house amounts to sixteen hundred dollars, which, together with the sum of four hundred dol- lars heretofore borrowed for the repairs of the parsonage, and for
262
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
which the Church is now paying interest, making in the whole two thousand dollars ; and the sum of ten hundred and fifty having been already assessed on the pews, leaves a deficiency of nine hundred and fifty dollars, to assess which sum immediately is recommended to the congregation.
Some question having been raised as to the power and authority of the Church to make and collect certain assessments, an act ex- planatory of the charter of the Church was passed at the June ses- sion of the General Assembly, 1806.
Be it enacted by this General Assembly, and by the authority thereof it is enacted, that whenever any tax, or proportion of money, shall be assessed by order of said Corporation, upon the pews of the Church edifice and its appurtenances, which are already, or may hereafter be made, such a tax, or proportion of money, shall be paid by the several owners of such pews, agreeably to their respective assessments, and the rules and ordinances of said Corporation. And in case any owner, as aforesaid, shall, for the space of three months, after notice of any tax, or proportion, assessed, as afore- said, refuse, or neglect, to pay the same, the pews of such delin- quents shall and may be sold by order of said Corporation, at pub- lic vendue, for the payment and discharge of such taxes and costs ; Provided, nevertheless, that such sale shall be previously advertised at least thirty days before such pews shall be offered for sale, and the surplus money, if any, after the payment of such taxes and costs, shall be lodged with the Wardens of said Trinity Church, to be paid over to such delinquents, or their legal representatives, on de- mand.
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