USA > Rhode Island > Newport County > Newport > Annals of Trinity church, Newport, Rhode Island, 1698-1821 > Part 7
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" Indeed, as to eloquence, he disavows all ambition of aiming at the first, and less principal part, consisting in the nice choice and beautiful arrange- ment of words, but in that, which lies in a chain of clear and strong rea- soning, famous figures, a becoming ardor, and an amazing art of persua- sion ; sure, no one ever outshone St. Paul. He surely had a masculine and flowing eloquence, a certain majestic simplicity of words, that entered the hearts of his hearers, whenever he had a mind to admonish, exhort, or warn their passions-doubtless he had divine and useful eloquence that enabled him always to speak with an emotion adapted, and in a style suitable to his subject. Had there not been a majesty in his speech, whereby he spoke greatly of great things, it is not likely the Lystrians would have mistaken him for Mercury, the God of Eloquence, or Jove's Interpreter."
87
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
From the Abstracts of the Proceedings of the Society we gather :
" The Rev. Mr. Honyman continues his usual diligence in his mis- sion at Newport, in Rhode Island-it appearing by his letter of May 14th, 1747, that he had baptized eighty-three persons, eleven of whom were adults, and properly instructed, sixteen negroes and two Indians."
January 4, 1748. Voted : that Mr. Honyman be desired imme- diately to send for Mr. --- Ogilvie, that he may be sent home to ye Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, to receive orders as a Catechist, and school-master, to receive the donation of Nathaniel Kay, Esq., deceased.
Voted, also : that the depreciation86 of the money be considered with respect to the Rev. Mr. Honyman's salary, and that there be a general contribution of the whole congregation on Easter Sunday, next, in order that the deficiency may be made good.
February 24, 1748. Present, the Rev. Dr. McSparran37, vice the Rector, and the members of the Vestry.
Voted : that ye encouragement given by Mr. Kay, in his will, with ye expectations of an addition from the Society, be represented to Mr. Joseph Cleverly, of Braintry ; by the Rev. Mr. Honyman, & that he be acquainted that the Church Wardens & Vestry have chosen him for a school-master, upon ye foundation of said Mr.
86 " The committee [appointed by the General Assembly] to whom the sale of bills of exchange on England was intrusted, reported, February 27th, 1748, the sale of £7800 at an exchange of £1050, currency, for £100 sterling, showing the great and rapid depreciation in the paper money of the Colony."-Arnold's History of Rhode Island.
87 Rev. Dr. McSparran was probably here on a visit to Mr. Honyman, who had been stricken with paralysis, and whose rapidly failing health told that with him the time was near at hand when he must give up his charge altogether.
88
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
Kay's will, & that a messenger be sent forthwith, with this advice, desiring him to come, & this be done at the cost of the Church.
April 4, 1748. Mr. Jeremiah Leaming having been recommended to the Minister, Church Wardens and Vestry, as a suitable person to be a school-master and an assistant to the Rev. Mr. Honyman, it is therefore unanimously voted that he be accepted and received as such, pursuant to the last will and testament of Nathaniel Kay, Esq., deceased; and that he be forthwith sent to London, at the expense of the Church, to take Holy Orders, and thereby, on his arrival here and entering on his office, be entitled to the profits of the donation of the aforesaid Nath1 Kay, Esq., from this time, and the bounty given by the Honorable, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.88
And it is agreed between the Minister, Church Wardens and Vestry, and the said Mr. Leaming, that if he should have an offer of settling with any other people after he has entered into Holy Orders, that he may judge more advantageous to him than the in- come and profits he may make at Newport in his capacity aforesaid, that in such case if the gentlemen of this Church will make up to him as much yearly as such offer he may have, that he be obliged to tarry with them, and discharge the duties of a school-master and an assistant as aforesaid; but if the gentlemen of the Church shall not incline to come up to such offer as he may have, yet, neverthe- less, he shall be obliged to stay with them and act in his capacity aforesaid, till they be furnished with another proper person to supply his place ; and also, on leaving them, he shall be obliged to refund
88 The difficulty experienced in securing a competent teacher for the school on the Kay foundation seems to have been great from the start, and it does not appear that any efforts were wanting on the part of the Vestry, for many years after the above date, to carry out the wishes of Mr. Kay, as expressed in his will.
89
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
whatever money may be advanced for the defraying his charges to London, to be admitted into Holy Orders, as aforesaid.
April 10, 1748. Voted : that the Church Wardens go among the congregation with a subscription to collect money to purchase a pall and two surplices, and for repairing the tower.
Easter Monday, April 11, 1748. Capt. Evan Malbone chosen the elder Church Warden, and' Capt. Charles Wickham the younger. Vestrymen : Messrs. Wm. Coddington, Jahleel Brenton, Godfrey Malbone, John Brown, Peter Bours, Samuel Wickham, Jonathan Thurston, George Wanton, Joseph Wanton, Edward Scott, James Honyman, Jr., Wm. Mumford, Peleg Brown, Wm. Paul, Thomas Wickham and Walter Chaloner.
September 29, 1748. The Rev. Jeremiah Leaming, having pro- duced his orders as Deacon and Priest, and a letter being produced from the Rev. Dr. Bearecroft, Sec'y to the Hon'ble Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, signifying that the said Society did approve of the said Mr. Leaming for a school-master, catechist and assistant to the Rev. Mr. Honyman, this Vestry is fully satisfied with the vouchers produced, and does admit and receive the said Mr. Leaming89 in his capacity aforesaid.
89
Gleaming . Rev. Jeremiah Leaming, D.D., was born in . Middletown, Ct., in 1719, graduated at Yale College in 1745, and was ordained in 1748. He resided in Newport eight years. From here he removed to Norwalk, Ct., where he remained in charge of the Church in that town for twenty-one years. From there he removed to Stratford, where he was in charge of the Church in that town for eight or nine years.
August 19, 1750, his daughter, Ann Kay Leaming (probably named after Ann Kay, maiden sister of Nathaniel Kay), was baptized in the Church, and July 22, 1752, his wife, Ann Leaming, died in her 22d year, and was buried in the churchyard.
Choice was made of Rev. Dr. Leaming as the first American Bishop ;
7
90
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
Easter Monday, March 27, 1749. Capt. Chas. Wickham was chosen the elder Church Warden, and Mr. Walter Cranston, the younger.
No change was made in the Vestry. Mr. John Grelea, appointed Clerk, and Thomas Vickars, sexton.
March 28, 1749. Voted : that Thomas Wickham and Evan Malbone have the Christening Pew, to be divided into two pews, they paying what the Minister, Church Wardens and Vestry shall think proper, either annually or as their property.
March 29, 1749. Voted : that a lot of land, formerly belonging to Nathaniel Kay, Esq., and by him put under the care of the Minister, Church Wardens and Vestry, above named, joining east- erly on land belonging to John Gibbs, southerly on a lane, and westerly on Thames Street, be divided into equal lots, and let out for
but enfeebled health, and great bodily infirmity (hip complaint, the result of the severe treatment he received as a Tory, in New York, in the Revolu- tion, which left him a cripple) he declined, and choice was made of Rev. S. Seabury. He died at New Haven, Sept. 15, 1804. On his tombstone in the old cemetery, in that city, there is this inscription following his name :
" Long a faithful minister of the Gospel in the Episcopal Church, well in- structed, especially in his holy office, unremitting in his labors, charitably patient, and of primitive meekness. His public discourses forcibly incul- cated the faith illustrated by his practice. Respected, revered and beloved in life, and lamented in death, he departed hence, Sept. 15, 1804, aged 87."
The Newport Mercury, in announcing his death, said of him ;
" He was formerly school-master and Assistant Minister of Trinity Church, where he is still recollected with sentiments of affectionate regard by many of his pupils, parishioners and others, as the engaging and faithful preceptor, the pious and humble Christian, the zealous divine and the ex- emplary good man."
He published a number of works. "Defence of the Episcopal Govern- ment of the Church, 1.766. A Second Defence, 1770;" " Evidence of the Truth of Christianity, "' 1785 ; and " Dissertations on Various Sub- jects," 1785.
91
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
a fifteen year lease ; the westermost to Peter Bours, for twenty-one shillings, sterling, per annum ; the next easterly to Mr. Evan Mal- bone, at fifteen shillings, sterling, and the other three at the same rate, to such persons as the Church Wardens shall agree with.
Voted : that Mr. William Mumford have the house and lot he now hires, at the rate of £160 per annum.
December 29, 1749. The following entry was made in the Records of St. Paul's, Narragansett :
" The bans of marriage between Martin Howard, Jr.,30 and Ann Concklin being duly published in Trinity Church, Newport, and certificates thereof being under the hand of the Rev. James Hony- man, Rector of said Church, said parties were joined together in holy matrimony, at the house of Major Ebenezer Brenton, father of said Ann, by the Rev. James McSparran, D.D., incumbent of St. Paul's, in Narragansett, the parish where the parties do now reside."
Easter Monday, April 16, 1750. At a meeting of the congrega- tion, Mr. Walter Cranston was chosen eldest Church Warden, and Capt. Robert Shearman the younger Church Warden.
90 Martine Howar & may have resided temporarily in Narragansett at the above · time, but his home was in New- port, where he had studied law under James Honyman, Jr., and was then practicing at the Bar. His father, who was admitted a freeman in 1726, at Newport, was evidently a man of but little prominence. Martin, Jr., is chiefly remembered for his connection with the Stamp Act, under which he accepted office with Dr. Thoms Moffat, a Scotch physician, and Augustus Johnston, Attorney- General of the Colony. It resulted in their being burnt in effigy, in front of the Court House, by an ungovernable mob. The following day their houses were rifled and they were forced to seek protection on board the Cygnet sloop-of-war, then in the harbor. The next year Howard was made Chief-Justice of North Carolina. In 1778 he went to England, and died at Chelsea, March 9, 1782. The name of his second wife, Abigail, is mentioned in his will. She died in Boston, in 1801.
92
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
The Vestry continued, except that Jonathan Thurston departed this life since our last election, and Capt. Charles Wickham is elected in his stead.
John Grelea appointed Clerk, and Thos. Vickars, Sexton, and his salary raised to £40 per annum.
April 17, 1750. The Vestry met according to adjournment. Present, the Rev. James Honyman, Jahleel Brenton, Godfrey Malbone, Capt. John Brown, Joseph Wanton, Wm. Mumford, Peleg Brown, Thos. Wickham, Chas. Wickham, Jas. Honyman, Jr., Col. Wm. Cod- dington, Geo. Wanton, Walter Chaloner and Wm. Paul.
Voted: that the Church wardens, with Joseph Wanton, Esq., Mr. Walter Chaloner and William Paul, be a committee to procure an organist, provided he can be had at or under £30 sterling, per annum : and that they also be a committee to pay the salary of said organist, Joseph Wanton, Esq., promising to pay what cannot be collected from the congregation, for said organist's salary.
April 23, 1750. Voted : that the Church Wardens view the house and lot Mr. Mumford now occupies (that was formerly a part of the estate of Nathaniel Kay, Esq., deceased) and report to the Vestry what repairs they need, and that they also prepare a lease for five years, at £40 sterling,91 per annum, for said house and lot : Mr. Wm. Mumford agreeing to take one for sª term : said Mumford by said lease being obliged to deliver up the said house and lot (at the ex- piration of his lease) in as good repair as when he received them.
July 11, 1750. At a meeting of the congregation at the Church, voted and agreed : that William Paul should be clerk of the Vestry and congregation, to record their votes, give copies of them, and to do whatever else of that nature [that shall] be required of him.
91 This was the last Vestry meeting at which the Rev. Mr. Honyman was present.
93
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
CHAPTER VI.
T750-1753.
VOTED and unanimously agreed : that the funeral expenses of the Reverend James Honyman92, deceased, be defrayed by said congre- gation, and the Church Wardens are to collect the money for that purpose by subscription.
92
James Honyman
The death of Rev. Mr. Hony m a n was a severe
blow to the Church. The people had been so long guided by him, had so long placed their trust in him, that they knew not how to get on with- out his guiding hand. He had been sent a missionary to Rhode Island in 1704, at a time when the inhabitants were swayed to and fro by all manner of doctrines ; the Quakers owned more than half the meeting- houses ; the Baptists were divided among themselves, and the friction, the outgrowth of varied disquisition, checked the growth of religious belief everywhere. But the factions, however quarrelsome among themselves, united in opposition to the Church of England, with which they had nothing, and could have nothing, in common. To battle with such a state of things required tact and great discretion-a patient waiting for the growth of the seed he was daily planting was all the worthy mis- sionary could hope for. He was never aggressive to a degree that aroused opposition : in a simple, quiet way, he taught those who could be brought together, to love, respect and venerate the Church : and little by little, he made them feel sure of the ground on which they stood. He had a way of putting things in a light that commanded attention, and his 12mo. volume " Faults on all Sides; the Case of Religion Considered ; showing the substance of true Godliness, and presented to the Inhabitants (espe- cially of Rhode Island) printed at Newport by James Franklin," in 1728, is said to have seen three editions. But when, the following year, Bar-
94
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH.
Voted : that the Rev. Jeremiah Leaming officiate as Minister of Trinity Church, above sª, and that he receive from the Church Wardens out of the weekly contributions £4 per week, for officiat- ing as minister of said Church, during the time he performs that duty ; and when he takes an usher into his service at school, he
clay's " Apology for the True Christian Divinity, as the same is held forth and preached by the People, called in scorn Quakers," he simply put in circulation the tracts of George Keith and others, and more prayer-books.
It resulted in men of all beliefs coming to hear him, in Newport, at Tiverton, Little Compton, Portsmouth, Narragansett, and frequently at Providence. The means of communication were restricted and the mode of travelling was fatiguing, but he seems never to have tired ; and not until his vigorous constitution began to give way did he relax in the least degree his efforts to do his Master's bidding. Dissensions in the Church there were none, and when, at the expiration of nearly fifty years in the ministry on Rhode Island, he was called home, he saw his congregation in the enjoy- ment of a stately and becoming place of worship, their numbers steadily growing, and they a happy and united people.
The remains of Mr. Honyman, with those of his wife and daughter, lie buried in the churchyard, just by the Church door. On the tombstone there is this fitting tribute to his memory ; and in Middletown, just over the line, one of the most picturesque hills on the Island bears his name :
" HERE LIES THE DUST OF JAMES HONYMAN,
OF VENERABLE AND EVER WORTHY MEMORY,
for a faithful minister of near fifty years in the Episcopal Church in this town, which, by divine influence on his labors, has flourished and exceed - ingly increased. He was of a respectable family in Scotland-an excel- lent scholar, a sound divine, and an accomplished gentleman. A strong asserter of the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England, and yet, with the arm of charity, embraced all sincere followers of Christ. Happy in his relative station in life, the duties of which he sustained and discharged in a laudable and exemplary manner. Blessed with an excel- lent and vigorous constitution, which he made subservient to the various duties of a numerous parish, until a paralytic disorder interrupted him in
95
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
shall have as much more from said congregation as (with the above £4 per week) will pay said usher's salary, until we are supplied with a settled minister for said Church.
Voted : that application be made to the Society for the Propaga- tion of the Gospel in Foreign Parts to send us a minister, and that Dr. Samuel Johnson be recommended.93
the pulpit, and in two years, without impairing his understanding, cut short the thread of life on July 2ª, 1750."
The adjoining stone bears this inscription :
IN MEMORY OF MISTRESS ELIZABETH, the wife of the REVEREND MR. JAMES HONYMAN. She departed this life February 28th, 1737, aged 48 years."
Mr. Honyman's second wife was the widow of Captain John Brown. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Cranston, daughter of Governor Samuel Cranston. She died January 3, 1756, aged 65 years, and was buried by the side of her first husband's family. The only evidence that she was Mr. Honyman's widow at the time of her death is found on her tombstone, for no mention is made of their marriage in the Church records-a sin- gular omission.
The portrait of Mr. Honyman, hanging in the Vestry room of the Church, was painted by an artist named Gaines. In 1774 it was engraved in mezzotint, one of the earliest specimens of the art in America. The portrait was given to the Church by Mrs. Frances Sophia Malbone, widow of Francis Malbone, and grand-daughter of Mr. Honyman. 93 The following fragment of the draft of a letter has been pre- served :
Newport, R. I., Sept. 1750.
Revª Sir.
The Church Wardens and Vestry of Trinity Church, in this Towne, beg leave to address the Honbie Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign
96
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
A list of the persons who voted that some gentleman might be recommended, and of those who voted not to recommend anybody ; also who they voted who should be recommended after they lost their first vote.
Those who voted to recommend, and who they would recommend :
Mr. Thomas Wickham, for Mr. Robert Carter.
Edward Scott,
Dr. Johnson.
" Chas. Wickham,
Mr. Robert Carter.
Robert Shearman, 66
do do
Martin Howard,
Dr. Johnson.
Thomas F. Taylor, 66
Capt. James Allen,
66
Mr. Robert Carter.
Parts, and to inform them that it hath pleased the Sovereign Disposer of all things to take to himself our late worthy Minister, the Rev. Mr. Hony- man, who, after a life well spent in promoting true religion and virtue among us, yielded up [his] soul to God on the second of July last, in full hope and expectation of a glorious immortality.
We have too deep a sense of the great and pious care of the Venerable Society in planting and supporting the Church of England in this country, not to acknowledge their favors, which, as they ought, so they do, excite in us the highest strains of gratitude, and notwithstanding we have enjoyed these favors for so long a time, yet we have hope we may be indulged the liberty of soliciting the continuation of their benevolence, when it comes to be considered that our congregation are really and truly unable to sup- port a minister to live in so decent a manner as the dignity of such a station requires.
It is true that we have a considerable number of persons that frequent our Church, but there are but few of them whose circumstances will allow them to contribute towards the necessary expenses of it. As the town is a seaport, and depends entirely on trade, so there are in it a large number of widows and orphans, left by seafaring men who have suffered in the late war and died abroad ; a great share of which belonged to our Church, and are unable to bear any part of the charges.
We would also beg leave to observe that the greatest part of our present congregation came from the various sects of dissenters amongst us, and many of -
97
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
Dr. John Brett, for Dr. Johnson.
Mr. Walter Chaloner,
do do
" Thomas Vernon, do do
" John Chaloner, do do
" George Wanton,
do do
" Stephen Ayrault, 66
Peter Bours, Jr.
" William Coddington, Mr. Robert Carter.
" Charles Bardin, 66 Dr. Johnson.
" John Thurston, 66
do do
" John Sowdey (?),
do do
" Godfrey Malbone, Jr.,
" Samuel Wickham, 66
Dr. Johnson.
66 John Archer, 66
" James Honyman, 66
Dr. Johnson.
" Peter Bours, 66
do do
Thomas Vickars, 66
do do
Those gentlemen who voted not to recommend any person to the Society to be sent as a missionary, having lost their vote, joined with the others in recommending such persons as they thought proper :
Mr. Thomas Freebody, for Mr. Robert Carter.
Samuel Freebody,
do do
" Joseph Whipple,
do do
" Philip Wilkinson, 66
do do
Daniel Ayrault, Jr., did not recommend any one.
" Andrew Hunter, for Mr. Robert Carter.
" Peleg Brown, Dr. Johnson.
Jeremiah Clarke,
do do
" Edward Cole,94 66
Mr. Robert Carter.
94 Ede Coles was in command of a company before Louisburg in 1745, and in 1755 he had a company in the regiment under Col. Harris, sent against the same stronghold. In 1757 he held the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel under
98
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
" Wm. Coddington did not recommend any one.
" John Tweedy,95
for Mr. Robert Carter.
" Jahleel Brenton did not recommend any one.
Capt. John Brown, for Dr. Johnson.
Mr. Wm. Mumford did not recommend any one.
" John Barzee, for Dr. Johnson.
" Walter Cranston did not vote to recommend.
" Willlam Paul, for Mr. Robert Carter.
Henry Willis, Dr. Johnson.
" Moses Howard, do do
96 For Dr. Johnson, 20 votes.
97 Mr. Robert Carter, 13 votes.
" Mr. Peter Bours, Jr., I vote.
Not voting, 8
-
42
Col. H. Babcock in the expedition against Crown Point, and was subse- quently in command of the regiment. He was also present at the taking of Havana, in 1762. In the Revolution, Col. Cole took sides with the Crown, and raised a company against his country. For this his property was confiscated. A tanner by trade, he was born in North Kingston, and died at St. John's, New Brunswick, in 1793. 95
was at the head of the house of John Tweety John & William Tweedy, of Newport, the largest importers of drugs in the colonies. They had a branch office in New York, where dealers could learn the prices they had established to the trade. John married Mary Tilling- hast July 10, 1732, and his second wife, Freelove S. Crawford, he married July 28, 1735. He died in 1782.
96 Rev. Samuel Johnson was born in Guildford, Ct., October 14, 1696. He graduated at Yale College, and became a Congregational minister ; but soon left that denomination, studied for the Episcopal ministry, went to England to be ordained, and returned to America in 1723. He labored
99
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
Voted : that the Church Wardens, with Samuel Wickham, Peter Bours, Edward Scott and James Honyman, be a committee to write to Dr. Samuel Johnson, to acquaint him with the proceedings of this meeting, and to request his answer.
July 30, 1750. At a meeting of the congregation, Voted : that the Church Wardens desire of Mr. James Honyman a particular account of the expenses of his deceased father's funeral, to be laid before the Vestry, or congregation, at their next meeting.
Voted: that the committee appointed to invite Dr. Samuel Johnson to supply the place of the late Reverend Mr. James Honyman, in this Church, be also a committee to answer Dr. Johnson's letter and to repeal their invitation to him.98
A motion for the evening service to begin at three o'clock was postponed till we have a settled minister.
August 26, 1750. Jabez Champlin99 was married to Hannah Gibbs.
in the Church for thirty years, chiefly at Stratford, Ct., from which place he was called to the presidency of King's College in 1754. In 1763 he resigned that office and returned to Stratford, where he resided during the rest of his days, dying January 6, 1772.
A warm intimacy sprang up between Dr. Johnson and Dean Berkeley, and before the Dean returned to England Dr. Johnson visited him at White- hall.
97 Of Rev. Robert Carter but little is known. He must have gone to the West Indies soon after the death of Rev. Mr. Honyman, for in 1752 he was missionary and school-master at New Providence, where he was spoken of as an Englishman. 98 No copies of these letters have been preserved.
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