USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > History of Providence County, Rhode Island, Volume I > Part 56
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
The pews and confessionals are of light oak, stained in cherry. They will seat 2,000 persons and the treforium galleries 500 more. Five marble altars are of Gothic design, and cost $10,000. The organ, one of the finest in the city, cost $10,000. The building has been erected at an expense of nearly a million dollars. The first service to be held in the church was the funeral of Bishop Hendricken, to whose efforts the building owes its conception and execution. After many years of time and labor spent in collecting funds and looking after the progress of the work, he died June 11th, 1886, just as the great work of his life time was nearing completion. He was most fittingly buried in the new cathedral, with a wealth of ceremonial that was probably never before seen in this city. The funeral took place on Thursday, June 17th, and his remains were placed in the crypt under the main altar in the basement of the edifice. The parish, of Sts. Peter and Paul has a congregation of about 6,000 souls, and there are included within it two parochial schools and two academies.
The successor of Bishop Hendricken, since 1877, has been Right Reverend Matthew Harkins, D.D. Other clergymen officiating in this parish have been as follows, with approximate year dates of their commencement in such service: Reverends James Feeton, 1844; P. Mellon, 1850; W. Wheeler, L. A. T. Mangar, J. Hughes, O'Gor- man, 1853; Patrick O'Dwyer, 1854; John Smith, 1854; Patrick A. Gay- nor, 1855; Patrick A. Smith, 1856; J. Mulligan, D.D., 1857; Michael O'Neille, 1857; James O'Neil, P. Glennan, John Sheridan, 1858; P. Kelly, T. Quinn, Hugh Carmody, D.D., B. D. Coit, 1858: Charles Mc- Callion, 1858; P. J. O'Dwyer, Michael O'Reilly, 1864; J. O'Brien, 1865; Michael Tierney, Michael Fitzgerald, W. H. Bric, 1869; J. B. Reid, J. J. McCabe, 1870; H. F. Kinnerney, 1871: Robert J. Sullivan, 1872; James V. Brennan, William Madden, D. Driscoll, 1875; W. D. Kelly, F. O'Reilly, 1876; C. McSweeney, W. F. Higgins, P. P. Carlin, 1877; William Stang, 1879; Joseph McDonald, 1880; James Coyle, 1881: Jo- seph F. McDonough, 1884: Michael Hickey, Charles J. Burns, 1885; D. Sheedy, 1886; W. P. Stang, I. J. Fitzpatrick, H. Conboy, 1887; Thomas F. Doran, E. Raftery, James A. Gleason, 1888.
On Saturday evening, January 5th, 1828, twelve gentlemen met at the house of Nathan Hastings, Westminster street, for the pur- pose of forming a religious society according to the principles of the Unitarian faith. At this meeting there were present, Nathan Hastings, George Dana, Edward Draper, Henry S. Draper, Jonathan G. Draper, John C. Jencks, Seth Padelford, Lloyd Shaw, Samuel J. Smith, Stephen C. Smith, Samuel Stone, and Henry Westcott. The organization then formed adopted the name of the "Religious Asso- ciation." A committee appointed to secure a place of worship ob- tained the use of a building on the corner of Pine and Richmond streets, and on Sunday, January 13th, 1828, the first services for the new society were held. The services were conducted by Reverend
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Samuel J. May, of Brooklyn, Conn. On the 18th of January the asso- ciation had 24 members; in the course of the next three months it increased to 67, the greater part of whom were heads of families. Many of the members had come from the First Congregational Society.
The association immediately took steps toward building a house of worship and obtaining a pastor. Mr. Frederic Augustus Farley preached so acceptably during April as to induce a further engage- ment. Some time in May a lot of land on Mathewson street, was bought of Cornelius G. Fenner, for $6,045. The deed for this was executed July 7th, 1828. The name of the society was changed on the 26th of May, to the Westminster Congregational Society. Sixty- seven persons signed a petition for incorporation, which was granted at the June session of the general assembly. The first officers of this society, under incorporation. were: Nathan Hastings, president; George Dana, treasurer; and Henry Westcott, secretary. On the 7th of July, a committee of seven was appointed to proceed with building a house of worship on the Mathewson street lot. About the same time a call was given to Mr. Farley to become their settled pastor on a salary of $1,000 a year. This being accepted, he was duly ordained on the 10th of September, the services being con- ducted in the house of the First Congregational Society. Most of the Unitarian churches of Boston, and of this section of New England were represented in the council of ordination. The sermon was given by Reverend Doctor William E. Channing. Very soon after this the work of organizing a church was begun. The preliminary steps were taken September 26th; a declaration of faith was agreed upon, and officers elected. Before the first communion. November 2d, 18 signatures had been given to the declaration. The recogni- tion of the First church was also obtained, with the dismission of members from that who wished to join the new church. The work of building was carried forward with such rapidity that in the spring of 1829 the meeting house was ready for consecration. Services of dedication were conducted March 5th. The house was erected at a cost of about $28,000. It was of the Ionic order of architecture, the walls of stone, covered with cement. Judge Staples said of it: " There is no church in the city which is more chaste in its style of architecture, or which exhibits more classic taste in its exterior, than this." Considerable expense was incurred in its finishing and fur- nishing, and when the house was completed there remained a con- siderable debt upon it. Various means were suggested for the ex- tinction of this debt, but it was at last determined to sell the property. This was done by the trustees on the 27th of July, 1830. Mr. Charles F. Tillinghast became the purchaser, for the sum of $11,200. Six months later the society voted to hire the house for five years, "at a rent of six hundred and seventy-five dollars per annum," Subse-
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
quently Mr. Tillinghast conveyed the property to a board of trustees for five years, for $12,930. These trustees were to issue stock certifi- cates, and then to apply any money received to the payment of the certificates, assuming that within the five years all would be paid. By making vigorous efforts the result in practical effect was reached, and on the 11th of October, 1832, the property was conveyed to the society, and at the annual meeting, October 21st, 1833, the treasurer reported a surplus in the treasury. The connection of the pastor with the society ended on August 1st, 1841, after repeated presenta- tions of his resignation. The society was then free from debt, and had meantime put a new organ into the church and finished and furnished a vestry, and made other improvements, at a cost of over $4,000, in 1836.
Reverend Samuel Osgood, of Nashua, N. H., was called October 18th, and accepting the call a few weeks later, was installed as pas- tor, December 29th, 1841. His salary was fixed at $1,200 for the first year, and $1,500 a year after that. Very soon after the installation of Mr. Osgood the society engaged with lively interest in the enter- prise of public charity known as the "Ministry-at-Large." This was a philanthropic enterprise which had been instituted in Boston by the Reverend Doctor Joseph Tuckerman, in 1826. It had been brought to the consideration of the Providence public in 1836, by Reverend Mr. Hall, of the First Congregational Society. But it was not till the autumn of 1841, that the enterprise was fairly inaugurated. After careful discussion the two Unitarian churches of this city took the matter seriously in hand. A meeting was held in the chapel of the First church, December 4th, 1841, and four days later a constitu- tion was adopted. Reverend Henry F. Harrington was ordained as the first minister, January 19th, 1842, when the fellowship of the churches was extended Mr. Osgood. Mr. Harrington continued as minister till August, 1844, when he resigned, and Reverend William G. Babcock was appointed his successor. Mr. Babcock resigned in March, 1847, and Reverend Edwin M. Stone began his ministry on the first Sunday in May of the same year. Mr. Stone held the office until the first Sunday in May, 1877. January 2d, 1878, Reverend Alfred Manchester was installed as his successor. A chapel was built for the ministry on the corner of Benefit and .Halsey streets in 1846, the work of religious instruction by preaching and in the Sun- day school having previously been done in a public hall. On the 20th of September, 1871, the very commodious edifice since occupied by the ministry on Olney street was dedicated. So successful was this ministry, that in 1850 the Sunday school numbered 250, and dur- ing the next previous eight years no less than 2,000 children had been taught in it. In 1857 the whole number reported amounted to 3,000; and in 1876 to 5,000, the number of children then in the school being 323. Mr. Manchester still remains pastor of this flock. About
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
1880 its name was changed to the Olney Street Congregational church.
Reverend Mr. Osgood closed his labors with the Westminster church and society September 9th, 1849. On the following day an in- vitation was extended to Reverend Frederic Henry Hedge, then pas- tor of the Unitarian church in Bangor, Maine, to become their pastor. He was duly installed as such March 27th, 1850. All departments of the parish work were now carried on with care and vigor, and an encouraging degree of prosperity was enjoyed. Increased accommo- dations were provided for the Sunday school. Improvements were made in the vestry, and the salary of the minister was increased. Mr. Hedge closed his labors here September 30th, 1856. He was succeeded by Reverend Augustus Woodbury, who was previously pastor of the Lee Street church in Lowell, Mass., and was installed here April 2d, 1857. In 1860 the seating capacity of the meeting house was increased by the insertion of twelve pews in the center of the building at an expense of about $2,000. In 1866 a new room was furnished in the basement, at a cost of $1,000. In 1869 a new organ, costing $6,000, was placed in the church. In 1873 the in- terior was greatly improved and renovated, at an expense of more than $10,000. Reverend Mr. Woodbury is still pastor of the church, which now has about 100 members, the society numbering about 150.
The parish of Grace church was organized in May, 1829. It con- sisted of about 40 families, or 200 persons, including 31 communi- cants. In December, 1836, the congregation had increased to about 140 families and 261 communicants. During the first year the parish was supplied by neighboring Episcopal clergymen. Rev- erend Samuel Fuller, Jr., officiated from May, 1830, to April, 1831: George F. Hawkins served a part of the year 1832, and John A. Clark, from October, 1832, to October, 1835. He was succeeded by Reverend Alexander H. Vinton. He was installed in April, 1836, and continued in the office until 1842. Reverend J. P. K. Henshaw was installed as pastor in 1842, and remained until about 1851. A vacancy then followed in the rectory. Reverend Thomas M. Clark, D.D., was installed in 1855, and remained in the office until 1867. He was succeeded by Reverend Day O. Kellogg, who served the church from 1868 to 1870. Reverend C. George Currie followed in 1871 and 1872. Reverend David H. Greer ministered to this church dur- ing an extended period reaching from 1873 to 1888. He was fol- lowed by the present rector, Reverend Charles H. Babcock.
The society first met for worship in the old Congregational meeting house at the corner of Richmond and Pine streets, known as the " Old Tin Top." In the year 1832 they purchased the Provi- dence Theater, at the corner of Westminster and Mathewson streets, and converted it into a commodious house of worship. It was made a handsome Gothic building, with appropriate tracery on the
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
windows and doors, and became an ornament to that part of the city. The parish received a charter of incorporation in June, 1829. It was originally established according to the doctrines, rites and usages of the Protestant Episcopal church of the United States. The number of communicants given in the parochial report for 1889 is 1,184. The Sunday school connected with the church numbers 627. The present handsome church, one of the conspicuous objects on West- minster street, was erected in 1845 and consecrated in 1846. In 1861 a chime of bells was placed in its tower. This is the only set of chimes in the city. They are 16 in number, and were hung March 30th, 1861, and played for the first time on the day following, which was Easter Sunday. The bells were given by various individuals and corporations, whose names are upon each bell, including two military organizations, viz., the Marine Corps of Artillery and the First Light Infantry. The bell given by the latter was accompanied by the condition that chimes should be rung on the anniversary of Perry's victory on Lake Erie in the war of 1812, that is September 10th of every year. The chimes are also rung on all national holi- days, as well as on the Sabbath. A handsome brick rectory was erected on Greene street in 1878. The church in 1879 held a jubilee in commemoration of its 50th anniversary, and a full report of it. with many illustrations, was published in 1880.
The neighborhood of Christian Hill being remote from the loca- tion of Baptist churches, in December, 1829, a number of persons of that faith determined to have a congregation in that vicinity. They engaged a private room on High street, and engaged William C. Manchester for their minister. A church was organized on the 22d of March, 1830. It was composed of twelve persons, eight of whom were from the Six Principle Baptist church in Scituate and the other four from neighboring towns. This was called the Roger Williams Christian Hill church: They subscribed to no written creed or cove- nant, but accept the Scriptures as teaching them their duties of con- duct and belief. This denomination is known as the Free-will Bap- tist church. At the beginning, as their numbers increased, they pe- titioned for and received an incorporation in June, 1831. The church and congregation continued to occupy their hired room until 1832, when they removed to a school house on Battey street, a few rods north of High street. About that time they began building a house on Burges street. This, a wooden structure, was built 70x45 feet on the ground, with a handsome steeple, in which a bell was placed. It was dedicated December 25th, 1833. The church, in Sep- tember, 1830, united with the Rhode Island and Massachusetts Con- ference of the Six Principle Baptists. In 1835 that conference charged the church with the offense of using instrumental music in public worship. The church not denying the charge, it was sus- tained, and the communion of the conference was denied them un-
30
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
less they would relinquish the use of instrumental music. This the church refused to do, and withdrew from the conference, remaining independent until May, 1837, when they united with the Rhode Island Quarterly Meeting of the Free-will Baptists. Five years after this the congregation numbered over 200, there being 130 communi- cants. Elder Manchester continued to serve the church as its minis- ter until his dismission, July 7th. 1837. September 30th, 1837, L. D. Johnson, of Boston, Mass., became their pastor, and was installed. He was followed by Arthur A. Caveno, of Strafford, N. H .. who con- tinued a year. Reverend James A. Mckenzie, of Newport, R. I., commenced his labors with them May 1st, 1840, and continued nearly ten years. Reverend Eli Noyes was installed in 1850, and served them for a time, after which a vacancy followed. Reverend G. H. Ball was installed in 1855. Their house of worship was destroyed by fire January 5th of that year. After that the congregation worshipped in Andrew's Hall on High street, while the work of building anew went on. The new building was constructed of brick, located on the corner of High and Knight streets. Reverend George T. Day was installed as pastor in 1857. He served for a period of about ten years. After this no settled pastor was engaged for a time. Rev- erend Albert H. Heath served from about 1871 to 1875; Reverend A. J. Kirkland, from 1877 to 1879; Reverend A. T. Salley, 1880 to 1883; Reverend O. E. Baker, 1885 to 1888, and Reverend J. Malvern, 1889 and to the present time. The church now numbers 450 mem- bers, and has over 400 children in its Sunday school.
The Pawtuxet Street Christian Society was formed in the winter of 1833-4. A church of that denomination had been organized here 20 years or more before that time, but being without a pastor, had become scattered and the organization died out. After this second attempt ministers from abroad were invited to preach to them. The meetings were held in private houses. After a time they engaged Elijah W. Barrows, of Connecticut, for a pastor, and established their meetings in the old meeting house of the Richmond Street Congre- gational Society, at the corner of Pine and Richmond streets. This was in April, 1834. Their numbers were still small, the congrega- tion varying from 40 to 80 persons. The church was organized in July, 1834, and consisted of 19 members. In November of that year they commenced the erection of a small chapel on a lot at the corner of Pawtuxet and Fenner streets, which they hired for the purpose. The chapel was dedicated about the first of January, 1835. Its cost was about $1,000, which they raised by sale of the pews. Elder Bar- rows continued with them until April, 1837, when he was dismissed. at his own request. After a few months Edward Edmunds, of New York, was engaged to succeed him. He was ordained elder of this church in November. In the summer of 1838 the chapel was enlarged so that it could accommodate over 250 persons. The lot at the north-
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
west corner of Pawtuxet and Fenner streets was purchased in 1839, and the house was moved upon it. Mr. Edmunds resigned his office in April, 1840, and Benjamin Taylor succeeded him in June follow- ing. He continued with them one year. During this time the con- gregation increased so rapidly that the chapel was too small to accommodate them. In July, 1841, a new house of worship was be- gun, 47x70 feet in size. It was soon completed, at a cost of $10,000. Its seating capacity was sufficient for 700 persons. It stands at the corner of Broad and Fenner streets. John Taylor became pastor in June, 1841. At that time the church had about 200 members. Rev- erend E. D. Bates was installed pastor of the church in 1850, and re- mained two or three years. Reverend Albert G. Morton was installed in 1852. He remained until about 1857, and was succeeded in 1858 by Reverend Ivory F. Waterhouse. He continued until 1861. Rev- erend B. F. Summerbell served the church, 1862-5; Moses B. Scrib- ner, 1866-9: T. N. McWhinney, 1870; Asa W. Coan, 1871-4; James Maple, 1875-8; C. A. Tillinghast, 1879 to the present time. The mem- bership of the church is at present about 200.
In the year 1819 a society of colored worshippers built a house called the African Union Meeting and School House. It stood on Meeting street, upon a lot given to them by the late Moses Brown. The design in its erection was to establish a building in which all the colored people of Providence might assemble for public worship, and in which a school could be kept exclusively for their children. It was supposed that denominational differences might be laid aside by them, and that they might unite in one common religious bond and forget all conflicting religious opinions. After considerable money had been raised outside of their own circle as well as within it, the work of building began in 1819. The building was a wooden one, 50x40 feet, with a large room in the basement, suitable for a school room. This room was fitted for use in June, 1819. Meetings were held in it until August, 1821, when the upper part being finished, it was dedicated. The building cost upward of $2,000. Reverend Henry Jackson was a very active promoter of the enterprise. Na- thaniel Paul was their agent, and to him fell much of the work of collecting subscriptions. But the colored people were soon divided on sectarian lines. The different sects for a time, however, used this house. Perhaps the leading sect was the Meeting Street Baptist church, which was first recognized as a regular Baptist church and congregation December 8th, 1840. The church then consisted of nine persons, seven males and two females. In the course of a year or two it had increased to 33. The congregation numbered about 50. The church was at first independent, having no association with any other like body. An organization as a Free-will Baptist church had been effected in 1835. The house and lot after a time became the prop- erty of this church. In 1871, by order of the supreme court, the
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
church was allowed to exchange the site on Meeting street for a lot on Congdon street, and by act of the legislature the name of the soci- ety was changed to the Congdon Street Baptist church. The present church edifice was built in 1871, at a cost of about $15,000. A vestry was dedicated April 21st, 1874. The present membership is about 125. The first pastor was Reverend Jeremiah Asher, of Hartford, Conn., who was ordained at the time the church was organized. Suc- cessive pastors, with the approximate dates of their service, have been as follows: William B. Serrington, installed 1849; Chauncey Leonard, installed 1853; William Thompson, installed 1857; Thomas Henson, 1861; Sampson White, 1863; Caleb Woodyard, 1867: Nicho- las Rickmond, 1869; William Jackson. 1870; J. W. Mitchell, 1879; J. L. Dart, 1885; Henry Scott, 1886; N. F. Drayton, 1889.
The Power Street Methodist church was constituted in 1833, and consisted of about 50 persons, who were dismissed from the Chestnut Street church for the purpose of forming a new church. In 1842 their numbers exceeded 350. The church built a brick meeting house at the corner of South Main and Power streets, in size 75 by 50 feet. It cost about $15,000, and was dedicated January 1st, 1834. This house was used until a larger one was erected on the corner of Hope and Power streets. This was erected in 1874, at a cost of about $38,000, including the lot. It is at present occupied by the church. A vestry was added in 1883, and a pipe organ was placed in the church in January, 1886. This church has been blessed with a number of remarkable revivals, one of which resulted in the addition of more than one hundred to the church. The church is now known as the Hope Street Methodist Episcopal church. Its membership numbers 223 in full communion. The Sunday school connected with it num- bers about the same. The pastors of this church have been: Charles K. True, David Patten, Jr., Hiram H. White, Asa W. Swineton, Abel Stevens, Daniel Fillmore, Charles McReding, Ephraim Stickney, 1842; W. T. Harlow, 1844; H. C. Atwater, 1849; J. Howson, 1853: J. Lovejoy, 1855; James Martha. 1857; Thomas Ely, 1859; Henry Bay- lies, 1861; J. B. Gould, 1863; George M. Hamlen, 1866; John Livesay, 1867; James A. Dean, 1868; C. S. Macreading, 1869; John W. Willett, 1870; A. J. Church, 1873; A. W. Kingsley, 1876; D. A. Jordan, 1879; W. V. Morrison, 1881; Thomas J. Everett, 1883; W. I. Ward, 1886; H. D. Robinson, 1888. The name was changed to Hope Street M. E. church in 1873.
Public worship under the auspices of the New Jerusalem church were first held here, in the old town house, about the year 1822. But little progress, however, was made for several years. It is not known that there were any who held the doctrines of this church here prior to the year 1824. In that year Waldo Ames and George B. Holmes came to Providence to reside. They and Mrs. Holmes were the first to accept the teachings of Swedenborg. James Scott, of North Provi-
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
dence, and Anson Potter, of Cranston, were converts to this faith some ten years later. In 1835 John F. Street, a member of the New Jerusalem church, came from Manchester, England, to reside in See- konk. He associated himself with the persons already named, and they began to hold meetings at each other's houses on Sundays. Mr. Scott and Mr. Potter went to Bridgewater, Mass., about 1835, and joined the church there. Public worship was now established here, Mr. Scott and Mr. Ames reading sermons furnished by Mr. Samuel Worcester, of the Bridgewater church. About 1840 a church was or- ganized here. Its membership was very small, probably not more than 20. John Prentice joined them about this time. He had been a preacher of the Congregational order, but had never been settled as a pastor. He was for a time their leader. Meetings were held in Union Hall every Sunday. They afterward met at the corner of Pine and Page streets. In 1870 they were holding meetings at 62 West- minster street. The church edifice now occupied by them, on the corner of Broad and Linden streets, was erected in 1870-2 at a cost of about $30,000. Pastors of this church have been: Reverends T. D. Sturtevant, Edward O. Mitchell, F. H. Hemperly, 1872 to 1879; Charles Hardon, 1881; Warren Goddard, Jr., 1882 to 1888. The pres- ent membership is a little more than 100.
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