USA > Rhode Island > Newport County > Newport > Annals of Trinity church, Newport, Rhode Island, 1821-1892 > Part 22
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299
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
Voted: that the Building Committee be authorized to con- tract at once for a brick building, not to exceed the sum of $1000, exclusive of the lot, unless contributions beyond $1000 be made.
April 13, 1868. Annual Meeting; 17 corporators present. George C. Mason was chosen chairman.
The following communication from the Treasurer was re- ceived and ordered to be recorded :
Newport, Easter Monday, 1868. To the Corporation of Trinity Church:
The Treasurer respectfully reports, that the ordinary ex- penses of the Parish for the past year amounted to about $5550. The extraordinary expenses to $5800, viz .: renovating the Church, $3040; organ, $196; Church Yard, $260; furnaces, $1000; note paid at bank, $1200; interest, $105. The Perma- nent Fund and taxes have produced an income of $6856; the balance has been met by hiring $4000, by order of the Vestry. The present amount in the Treasury will fall short, probably, $800, of meeting the bills by the time of collecting the July tax.
The following estimate of expenses for the ensuing year is submitted for the consideration of the Corporation :
Rector's salary and rent,
$3550.
Music,
800
Bishop's salary and Convention expenses,
I25
Sexton,
250
City tax,
150
Fuel and gas,
300
Debt and interest, to be paid in July,
4145
Interest on Kay Fund,
180
Insurance,
150
Incidentals,
500
$10,150
Less income from Permanent Fund,
1,050
$9, 100
300
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
If the interest only is paid and the debt remains, the sum required to be raised by tax will be reduced to $5300. The first estimate will require a tax of 24 per cent., and the second, 14 per cent.
The Treasurer would respectfully recommend, that we return to the former way of collecting the taxes-in April and October, in order that the financial year may begin and end at Easter, which seems to be the proper time; as the taxes are now col- lected we must either make an estimate to extend three months after Easter, or be without funds from Easter to July. If in view of assessing a special tax, it is deemed unadvisable to bring so many collections into one year, I hope that the Corporation will order the change to be made at April next, as the amount named in the foregoing estimate will certainly leave the Treas- ury quite 'empty, and perhaps a little in debt, at Easter.
WILLIAM CORNELL,
Treasurer.
Voted: that the tax be at the rate of 14 per cent., and a special tax of 10 per cent .; the special tax to be paid Septem- ber Ist.
No change was made in the election of officers.
Voted: that the Vestry have power to remit the special tax to such persons as in their opinion it will be a hardship to pay it.
April 17, 1868. Voted: that Richard Swan be re-appointed Organist, at a salary of $200 per year; and that he be paid $25, for additional services during the past Lent.
May 27, 1868. Voted: that the special tax shall not be as- sessed upon the Corporation pews.
The Building Committee reported that the size of the school house having been greatly increased from the original plan, they cannot build it for less than $11,000.
Voted: that the Building Committee be authorized to pro- ceed with the building of the Chapel according to the plans which have been submitted to them.
301
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
June 30, 1868. Voted: that the Wardens be authorized to dispose of the school house lot, building and fixtures for not less than $2000; possession to be given when the new school house is completed.
November 26, 1868. Voted: that $100 be appropriated for dressing the Church at Christmas, under the direction of the Wardens.
The committee appointed to sell the school house, reported that they had sold it to the Shiloh Baptist Church, they to have possession on the Ist of December.
Voted: that the Wardens make the best arrangement they can with the purchasers of the school house, for the extension of the time of giving possession, until the new school house is completed.
December 31, 1868. The Wardens reported that they had hired the school house of the purchasers until February Ist for $40.
January 7, 1869. The Building Committee reported the school house completed, at a cost of about $1400 exclusive of the lot, and that it will be necessary for the Vestry to furnish the sum of $2000 to enable the Treasurer to pay the balance due.
. Voted: that the Treasurer be authorized to renew the note of $1000 now due to S. Brown, and to hire an additional sum, not to exceed $2000, to pay the bills on the new school house.
The Secretary, on behalf of Finch, Engs & Co., reports they will pay the order of the Building Committee for the sum of $250, being the profits on materials furnished by them for build- ing the new school house.
Voted: that the Rector and Samuel Engs be a committee to purchase a cabinet organ suitable for the school house.
The chairman stated he had been offered a sum of money, of about $125, towards purchasing an organ for the chapel, on condition that the Vestry contribute the balance.
302
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
Voted: that the Treasurer be authorized to pay to the Organ Committee the balance necessary to purchase an organ, not to exceed $300.
Voted: that the Rector be authorized to call Mr. Hill, of Minnesota, as Organist and Chorister of the Church, for one year, from Easter next, at the salary of $500, with the under- standing that if his services were not satisfactory to the Vestry they be discontinued at the expiration of three months, they paying him one quarter's salary.
February 10, 1869. The Rector informed the Vestry that Mr. Hill had accepted the call, as organist and chorister, and would be here about the Ist of April.
The Wardens were authorized to sell the melodeon used by the Sunday School.
March 11, 1869. Voted: that the Treasurer make a deed of the old school house, under direction of the committee author- ized to sell it; and he was authorized to negotiate, when he could do so to advantage, the mortgage to be given in part payment, and turn the proceeds over to the Building Commit- tee.
March 29, 1869. Annual Meeting; 15 corporators being present. George C. Mason was chosen chairman.
The following communication from the Treasurer was re- ceived and ordered to be recorded :
Easter Monday, 1869.
To the Corporation of Trinity Church:
The Treasurer respectfully reports that the credit side of his present account is increased $1000 by the sale of a mortgage on the old School House for that amount; which belongs to the fund for building the new School House, and is subject to the order of the Building Committee. There will be no income until July, unless the time for collecting is changed, as recommended
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
3º3
in my report at Easter last. It will therefore be necessary to make some provision for the interval.
About $1200 will be needed for salaries during the next quarter and bills now due.
Estimate for the ensuing year:
Rector's salary and house rent,
$3550
Music,
900
Bishop's Salary,
IIO
Convention expenses,
40
Sexton,
300
City tax,
150
Fuel and gas,
300
Interest on School House debt,
280
Interest on Kay Fund,
182
Insurance,
190
Incidentals,
500
Total,
$6502
Income from Permanent Fund,
$975
Income from land rent,
I20
Pew tax at 14 per cent.,
5425
$6520
Voted: that the tax be at the rate of 14 per cent.
The Wardens and Vestrymen were re-elected, except that John S. DeBlois took the place of Julius Sayer.
March 31, 1869. Voted: that the Secretary be instructed to present to Miss Carrie Newman45 the thanks of this Vestry for
45 THE SECRETARY addressed the following note to Miss Newman:
Newport, R. I., April Ist, 1869.
Miss Newman:
It is my pleasing duty to convey to you the thanks of the Vestry of Trinity Church, for your kind and valued services, in the following vote, passed unanimously at a Vestry meeting last evening; and which called forth the warm commendation of the Rector and the members present, who all appreciate your unremitted labors, during the recent services in Kay Chapel. Yours respectfully, JOB T. LANGLEY, Sec'y.
Here followed a copy of the vote of the Vestry.
304
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
her valued services, in playing for the choir during the whole of the recent Lenten services in Kay Chapel.
Voted: that the Senior Warden be a committee to prepare and have placed in Kay Chapel a handsome and appropriate tablet, to the memory of the late Nathaniel Kay, whose revered name has been given to this edifice. 4 6
March 17, 1869. Voted: that the Wardens be authorized to restore the headstone to the grave of Mrs. Malbone, in the churchyard, which was broken during the past winter.
September 1, 1869. The committee appointed at the last meeting, to investigate and report if any improvement can be made in heating the Church, report that they have, with Mr. Fludder, been under the Church, and think that the furnaces can be placed there, by excavating, at an expense of from $500 to $1200.
Voted: that the committee be requested to procure a detail statement of the expense of placing the furnaces under the Church, and report at an adjourned meeting, on Wednesday evening next.
September 20, 1869. The committee appointed at the last meeting to procure a detail statement of the expense of placing the furnaces under the Church, present the following estimate from William Fludder:
46
SACRED To The Memory Of
AATDANIEL RAD, Esq.,
Collector of King's Customs in Newport, R. I., during the early part of the Eighteenth Century.
This Building, designed for the use of the Sunday School attached to Trinity Church, was erected by the Vestry, A. D. 1869, in part with funds left by him, to the "Minister, Church Wardens and Vestry of the English Church in Newport," for Educational pur- poses.
KAY CHAPEL.
3º5
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
Excavating and cleaning walls for pointing,
$50.00
Cutting doorway and steps, 67.25
Concreting floor and draining,
75.00
Re-setting wall, 50.00
200 ft. of drain, 100.00
Taking down furnaces and cleaning stock,
20.00
Re-setting furnaces, labor and stock,
90.00
Building two chimneys,
160.00
Repairing plastering in organ gallery, 6.00
Lathing and plastering ceiling in furnace room,
30.00
Barker & Popple, labor,
260.00
Brown, Goddard & Barlow,
75.00
$983.25
Voted: that the committee place the furnaces under the Church, in the most economical manner.
October 29, 1869. Voted: that the Treasurer be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to make, sign, seal with our corporate seal, and fully execute and acknowledge and deliver, in behalf of this Corporation, the following instrument, viz. :
"A lease for nine hundred and ninety-nine years, to George C. Mason, of the northern portion of the land leased by this Corporation to said Mason, by indenture bearing date, March 3Ist, A. D. 1864, at an annual rent of fifteen dollars; and an- other lease for the same term, at the same rent, to Allayne Otis, of the southern portion of said land; provided that the dividing line between said portions of said land be so drawn and fixed, as to cut said land into two nearly equal halves; and that said leases shall each be made in substantially the same terms as said former lease to Mason, of March 31st, 1864; and that said Mason shall first surrender to this Corporation all his right, title and interest under said last mentioned lease."
306
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
Voted: that the Treasurer be authorized to pay to Mrs. Pratt the expense of repairing the roof of her house; damaged by the falling of trees in the churchyard, in the gale of Sep- tember 8th.
€
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307
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
CHAPTER XI.
1870-1872.
April 18, 1870. Annual Meeting of the Corporation; 16 cor- porators being present. Thomas R. Hunter was chosen chair- man.
The following communication from the Treasurer was re- ceived and ordered to be recorded :
Easter Monday, 1870.
To the Corporation of Trinity Church:
The Treasurer respectfully reports that the sum of $1200, hired at the beginning of the year, was paid from the July tax; also $1000 of the amount hired on account of the School House, has been paid by the Treasurer of the School House Commit- tee; leaving a note for $rooo on account of the School House, and another for $1500 on account of furnace alterations, still standing.
Although the income from the Permanent Fund for the past year was much larger than usual, we fall short $239 of meet- ing our current expenses.
[The estimate of expenses for the year was $6689.]
Voted: that the tax be at the rate of 20 per cent., to pay current expenses, 'the debt on the Church and the painting of the Church.
The following officers were elected:
George C. Mason, Senior Warden.
Samuel Engs, Junior Warden.
Marshall C. Slocum, Edward King, Benjamin Finch, Job. T.
308
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
Langley, William Cornell, John H. Cozzens, William G. Sea- bury, William E. Dennis, Charles Hunter, George . W. Gibbs and Thomas R. Hunter, Vestrymen.
Samuel Engs, George C. Mason, J. H. Cozzens and M. C. Slocum, Delegates to the State Convention.
Job T. Langley, Secretary.
William Cornell, Treasurer.
Voted: that John H. Cozzens be discharged as Treasurer of the Kay School [House ] and that the thanks of the Vestry be presented to him for the faithful discharge of his duties.
Voted: that the Treasurer be authorized to hire the sum of $2000, whenever he requires it, to meet the obligations of the Church previous to the collection of the July tax.
A communication from Dr. King read. [A minority report; see further on.]
The committee appointed, August 29, 1867, to make search for all facts connected in any way with the bequest from the late Nathaniel Kay, and how the proceeds have been appropri- ated, presented a majority and a minority report, which were read and ordered to be recorded.
Voted: that the Secretary be authorized to employ some one to copy said reports on the records.
Voted: that the Senior Warden be requested to add to the majority report, the cost of the Kay School House, and how the money to build it was obtained.
[THE MAJORITY REPORT. ]
To the Vestry of Trinity Church, Newport, R. I. :
The committee appointed to collect all the facts connected with the history of the Kay Fund, respectfully beg leave to re- port that they have made diligent search, and with the follow- ing result.
The first mention of Mr. Kay's donation, in the Records of
309
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
the Church, appears under date of July 8, 1734, and is as fol- lows:
"Ordered, that the Minister and Church Wardens receive of Mrs. Ann Kay the £200, left Trinity Church by her late hus- band, Nathaniel Kay, Esq., deceased, viz: £100, in and for the use of the said Church, and that the same be applied accord- ingly."
The next reference is under date of April 14, 1740, and is as follows: "Voted: that the house and lot where Nathaniel Kay dwelt, together with the lot of land let to Mr. John Ben- nett, be let out for the sum of £130 per annum, and that who- ever shall hire the same shall give security for the payment of the rent quarterly."
April 24, 1740. It was "ordered that the £400, given by Nathaniel Kay, Esq., deceased, for the building of a Grammar School, be let out to such persons as shall hire the same with sufficient sureties."
In December of this year ( 1740) it was "ordered that the Committee appointed to discourse Capt. Ezbon Sanford about building a School House, do agree with him, or some other suitable person, to build the same, and call in the money that was left for that purpose to do it with."
While the Committee were carrying out these instructions, Rev. Mr. Honyman was desired, September 21, 1741, "to ac- quaint Mr. Cornelius Bennett, that if he is willing to take the School House here, upon the following terms, he may enter as soon as the School House is finished, viz .: upon the donation given by Nathaniel Kay, Esq., deceased, amounting to per annum; upon condition of schooling ten poor children, and that the gentlemen belonging to the Church will send their children to him for his further encouragement; and the same to continue until a schoolmaster, Episcopally ordained, shall be admitted, according to the intent of said will, which is purposed to be done as soon as may be."
A Committee was also appointed to "speak with the gentle- men of the Church, and endeavor to procure as many scholars as they can for the schoolmaster that shall be admitted into the new School House."
310
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
At the following meeting of the Vestry, January 7th, 1742, it was "agreed that the Church make application to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, to procure a schoolmaster, according to the tenor of the will of Nathaniel Kay, Esq., deceased, and send home a copy of the said will; and likewise what encouragement he may expect for such ser- vices; and likewise to request ye said Society to make some addition towards the support of said Schoolmaster."
April 22, 1742. It was "ordered that the money belonging to the poor, now in the hands of Capt. George Wanton, that he be desired to pay the same, and that it be appropriated towards repairing the dwelling house for the schoolmaster, and bond be given to the Church Wardens for the payment of the same, with interest."
June following, it was voted that rents received from the Kay estate, with rents not due, together with other sums, amounting in the aggregate to £239.5, be applied towards discharging the debt contracted in repairing the dwelling house belonging to the school.
In October, 1743, the Vestry voted to allow Mr. Bennett, the schoolmaster, the sum of £60 per annum, out of the reve- nue of the estate left for the support of the said school, in consideration of his schooling ten poor children, and the re- mainder of the income of the said estate was to be appropriated to the repairing of the buildings belonging to the estate, until the same were completely repaired.
From time to time repairs were called for, and there seems to have been, not only some difficulty in collecting rents, but a threat of a suit at law for back rents was sometimes employed to bring about a settlement.
In April, 1746, there was some misunderstanding between the Vestry and Mr. Bennett, the late schoolmaster, which was re- ferred to arbitrators; each party giving bonds to abide by the decision of the person selected to heal the dispute. No partic- ulars are given, nor is mention made of the time when Mr. Bennett left the School; but by the action of the Vestry it ap- pears there was a change; for it was "voted that Mr. Nathaniel Coffin, the present schoolmaster, be allowed £60 per annum out
3II
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
of the rent of the estate of the late Nathaniel Kay, Esq., de- ceased; and also the rent of the dwelling house in the school house yard from his coming to the school."
Mr. Coffin evidently grew in favor, for the following July the Vestry "voted that Mr. Nathaniel Coffin be paid at the rate of £100 per annum for teaching the charity boys at his school; the same to commence at this time."
It was also voted at the same meeting of the Vestry "that the Minister and Church Wardens further address the Society for Propagating the Gospel for a person capable of teaching school, and that they send over to them an exact state of the donation, with an account of the annual neat product of the same, and request of them that such schoolmaster be Episco- copally ordained, and sent to act also as a catechist, and that they would be pledged to settle £20 or £30 sterling per annum on such person; that the yearly income of Mr. Kay's donation, with that settlement of theirs, may be proper encouragement for such a person to reside among us, and that Messrs. Samuel Wickham and Peter Bours be a committee to draw up a state of the circumstances and annual real product of Mr. Kay's do- nation."
The same Committee were also instructed to address a letter to Mr. John Thomlinson, Merchant, London, requesting him to use his interest with the Honorable Society for Propagating the Gospel, to procure a schoolmaster Episcopally ordained, with some annual allowance in addition to the generous donation of Nathaniel Kay, Esq., deceased, to assist the Minister of the Church, and to keep school.
The next reference to the subject was at a Vestry meeting, January, 1748, when it was "Voted, that the Rev. Mr. Hony- man send for the Rev. Mr. Ogilvie, that he may be sent home to the Society for Propagating the Gospel, to receive orders as a Catechist and schoolmaster, to receive the donation of Nathan- iel Kay, Esq., deceased."
The effort to secure the services of Mr. Ogilvie evidently failed; for the following month the Rev. Mr. Honyman was asked to send a messenger to Mr. Joseph Cleverly, of Braintry,
1
312
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH;
to make known to the latter that he had been chosen school- master upon the foundation of Mr. Kay's will.
In April of the same year it was stated that Mr. Jeremiah Leaming had been recommended as a suitable person to fill the vacant office. It was therefore "unanimously voted that he be accepted and received 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."
The following September, 1748, the Rev. Jeremiah Leaming having produced his orders as deacon and priest, in a letter from the Rev. Dr. Bearcroft, Secretary to the Honorable So- ciety for the Propagation of the Gospel, signifying that the said Society did approve of the said Mr. Leaming for a schoolmaster, catechist and assistant to the Rev. Mr. Honyman, the Vestry voted to admit and receive the said Mr. Leaming in the capac- ity aforesaid."
At this time it was found that the tract of land in the south part of the town was not productive property; and at a meet- ing of the Vestry, March, 1749, it was decided to divide the land into equal lots, and rent them on a fifteen years' lease.
For the next few years no mention is made of the School or fund. The subject came up again at a Vestry meeting, Feb- ruary 13, 1758, when a Committee was appointed to write to Mr. Marmaduke Browne, to know if he would act as catechist in the Rev. Jeremiah Leaming's station.
The following month another Committee was appointed, to write to the Society to send over a schoolmaster, to supply the place of Mr. Leaming.
In April, 1759, it was "voted to repair the house left in trust by Nathaniel Kay, Esq., deceased, and to lease it to Mr. Robert Crooke for five years, for $III per annum, to be paid quarterly, the lessee to give security for the payment of the rent."
In April, 1760, a Committee was appointed to write to the Society for a schoolmaster. A similar Committee was appointed the following August, and again another in September. Still another Committee was appointed for this purpose, November 2, 1761, when it was "voted by the Congregation that Mr. Rob- ert Veates have the use of the schoolhouse under our care, and
313
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
that he have from out of the donation from Nathaniel Kay, Esq., ten pounds, O. T., per quarter of a year, to be paid out of the rents of the Kay estate."
In 1764, a Committee was appointed "to get a draft of the lot occupied by Mr. John Bennett, and to lay it before the Congregation." This was the lot on the hill, which, with the house, had been rented to Bennett, April 24th, 1740, at an annual rental of £130. Subsequently, 1745, when the house was in great need of repair, it was put into the hands of William Mumford, and after it had been repaired by the said Mumford, it was rented to him for the above-named sum of £130 per annum.
At a meeting of the Congregation, May 7, 1764, another committee was appointed to write to the Society, to send out a schoolmaster.
The plot of the land is now in the archives of the Church, and was laid before the Congregation, April 15, 1765.
At this meeting of April 15, 1765, "the Church Wardens were instructed to provide a room for Markadore, formerly a slave of Nathaniel Kay, Esq., deceased, and by him freed, and to pay his rent for one year."
The Church probably continued to take care of him during the rest of his days; for at a Vestry meeting, April 1, 1771, it was "voted that the account exhibited to the Church, for attendance and medicine for negro Markadore, in his last illness, by Dr. Thomas Eyres, be paid by the Church Wardens."
In November, 1767, the Vestry was "authorized to hire £50 sterling, to pay Rev. Mr. Bisset's passage and his salary to September Ist; the Vestry to be bound for the principal and interest," which sum was hired the following month, at the rate of 8 per cent. per annum.
There seems to have been some difficulty in collecting the rents due to the Church for the Kay property, and at a Vestry meeting, June 7, 1768, it was "voted that all those persons who are indebted to the estate of Mr. Kay be immediately sued for the same by the Church Wardens"; who were also instructed to hire $100 to pay the salary of Rev. Mr. Bisset.
John Ernest Knotchell was the organist of the Church, at a
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