History of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Rochester, NY

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ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH ROCHESTER, N. Y.

A Brief History of the First One Hundred Years of Rochester's Second Episcopal Parish

THE FOSS-SOULE PRESS May 27, 1927

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BISHOPS OF T H E DIOCESE OF W E S T E R N N E W Y O R K

The Rt. Rev. William Heathcote DeLancey, D. D., LL. D., D. C. L., born October 8, 1797; consecrated, May 9, 1839; died, April 5, 1865.

The Rt. Rev. Arthur Cleveland Coxe, D. D., LL. D., born May 10, 1818; consecrated bishop-coadjutor, January 4, 1865; became bishop of the diocese upon the death of Bishop William Heathcote DeLancey, D. D., April 5, 1865; died, July 20, 1896.

The Rt. Rev. William David Walker, D. S. T., LL. D., D. C. L., born June 29, 1839; consecrated Bishop of North Dakota, December 20, 1883; enthroned as Bishop of Western New York, December 23, 1896; died, May 2, 1917.

The Rt. Rev. Charles Henry Brent, D. D., LL. D., born April 9, 1862; consecrated Bishop of the Philippines, December 19, 1901; elected bishop of Western New York, October 2, 1917.

The Rt. Rev. David Lincoln Ferris, D. D., L. H. D., born December 31, 1864; consecrated Suffragan Bishop of Western New York, October 13, 1920; elected Bishop-coadjutor, May 2, 1924.

CLERGY OF S T . PAUL'S

1828-1829—The Rev. Sutherland Douglas.

1830-1831—The Rev. Chauncey Colton.

1832—The Rev. H. V. D. Johns.

1833-1835—The Rev. Burton H. Hickox.

1835-1839—The Rev. Orange Clark, D. D. 1839-1841—The Rev. Washington VanZandt.

1842—The Rev. William H. Eigenbrodt.

1848-1854—The Rev. John J. Van Ingen, D. D.; the Rev. Charles H. Platt, assistant.

1854-1859—The Rev. Maunsell Van Rensselaer.

1859-1882—The Rev. Israel Foote, D. D. 1882-1887—The Rev. W. H. Platt, D. D. 1888-1895—The Rev. Louis Cope Washburn, S. T. D. 1897-1908—The Rev. Murray Bartlett, D. D.; the Revs. Chauncey H. Blodgett, Stephen F. Sherman, Jr., Henry F Zwicker, curates.

1909-1923—The Rev. William A. R. Goodwin, D. D.; the Revs.

George H. Oltoway, John K. Burleson, D. D., Walter Creswick, Zebulon Farland, Conrad H. Goodwin, curates.

1923—The Rev. George E. Norton; the Rev. Walter Earl Cook,

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CHAPTER I ROCHESTER IN

1827

Rochester was a pioneer village in 1827. Of its 7,669 inhabitants not one adult person was a native of the village. The oldest native born resident had not yet reached the age of 17, according to the first Directory published by the enterprising townspeople in 1827. With the exception of 1,000 pioneers, all had ventured to their new location since 1817. Life was hard and primitive, and a visitor to the village in 1827 stated later that one could not proceed a mile in any direction, except on the high-road, without coming head-on against the woods of time immemorial.

The village was, however, crying loudly for the advantages and refinements its soul demanded. The following plea for education appeared in the little directory of 1827: There is yet no institution of learning, enjoying a public and organized patronage. There is no edifice for science, no retreat for the Muses, no academic grove yet planted.

There were, however, twenty private and district schools of a sort in which 1,150 children were instructed in all the branches of a common and classical education.

The year before, Luther Tucker had published the first daily newspaper in the village, in fact the first daily newspaper west of Albany.

The first appearance of the "Rochester Daily Advertiser," edited for many years by Henry O'Reilly, occasioned comment throughout this country and in parts of Europe.

The state legislature, in 1927, passed an act to incorporate the Rochester High School by which the two school districts on the east side of the Genesee River were combined.

There was one Episcopal Church—St. Luke's organized in 1817 on the west side of the river—and five other churches of different denominations in Rochester in 1827. Early in 1827 members of St. Luke's residing on the east side of the river, feeling the need of a more convenient place of worship, decided to organize a second Episcopal church in the village, giving Rochester the distinction of being the first community in New York state outside of New York City to have a second parish of the Anglican Communion. St. Luke's was accessible to persons living on the east side of the river by only one bridge.

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The First Si. Paul's Church, consecrated Aug. 30, 1830.

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CHAPTER II ORGANIZATION

An additional reason for organizing a second parish was the opening of the Erie Canal in 1824 which brought a sevenfold increase in population within ten years. Elisha Johnson, one of the original incorporators of St. Luke's and later mayor of Rochester; Samuel J. Andrews, another of St. Luke's incorporators, and Enos Stone, one of the largest landed proprietors on the East Side, were among those who urged organization of a second Episcopal church.

The vestry of St. Luke's met on May 7, 1827, in William Pitkin's counting-room, the following being present: the Rev. F. H. Cuming, rector of St. Luke's; William Atkinson, William Pitkin, wardens; S. M. Smith, Giles Boulton, Elisha Johnson, Jared N. Stebbins and Messrs.

Child, Whittlesey and Lathrop. Nathaniel T. Rochester was clerk of the vestry. A resolution authorizing the organization of the new church was adopted and the Rev. Mr. Cuming was requested to proceed, with the assistance of a committee of five laymen, in the formation of the East Side parish.

On May 28, 1827, in a room of the Franklin Institute, founded on the East Side the year before, the Rev. Mr. Cuming presided at a meeting at which St. Paul's church was duly organized according to the constitution and canons of the Episcopal Church. William Atkinson and Giles Boulton were elected wardens, and Elisha Johnson, Elisha B. Strong, Jared N. Stebbins, S. M. Smith, Enos Stone, Samuel J. Andrews, Daniel Tinker and A. B. Curtiss vestrymen.

The following communicants were transferred from St. Luke's to St. Paul's: Mr. and Mrs. William Atkinson, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel J. Andrews, Mr. and Mrs. Jared N. Stebbins, Giles E. Boulton, E. Smith Lee, Mrs. Susan Lee, Mrs. Mary Williams, Mrs. Elisha Johnson, John Carnes, Mrs. Richard P. Petherick and Mrs. W. G. Russell.

A considerable number of St. Luke's parishioners had deemed organization of the new parish inadvisable and they were of the same opinion a year after the first vestry was elected. This opposition reached proportions sufficient to call forth a word from the Rev. Mr. Cuming, who, on Whitsunday, May 25, 1828, mildly rebuked those of his people who had criticized adversely his lack of enthusiasm for the new undertaking.

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St. Paul's church after rebuilding, 1857.

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CHAPTER III AN EDIFICE AND A RECTOR The contract for the erection of the first St. Paul's church bears the date of May 31, 1828, and was executed in behalf of the vestry by Samuel J. Andrews, Giles Boulton and W. T. Cuyler as a building committee. The contractors were Daniel Tinker, Henry A. Boult and Daniel A. Ryan. The contract price was $12,000. The building was erected on the east side of St. Paul street, then Market street, on the lot now occupied by the Strand Theatre. The church was a Gothic structure of stone. The interior was extremely simple, a more elaborate note being added in 1870 when a beautiful chancel was installed, and again in 1880 when a memorial altar of Italian marble was presented by the children of Mr. and Mrs. George H. Mumford. In architecture, design and structure the edifice was far in advance of anything at that time in Western New York and attracted visitors from all sections of the country; The plans of the architect included a spire designed to exceed in height anything in this section of the state. While the spire was as yet unfinished and the workmen were at dinner, a sportive wind swept off the spire at a level with the roof. The original design was abandoned and a less ambitious but none the less beautiful tower was substituted.

With the new church neaftig completion the little flock of St. Paul's felt the need of a pastor, and, in April 1828, extended a call to the Rev. Sutherland Douglas. The first rector was a son of Alanson Douglas of Troy. He was born in 1804 and was graduated from Yale College and the General Theological Seminary. He was ordained deacon and priest

by Bishop Griswold. Mr. Douglas resigned in less than a year because of ill-health and sailed to Havre in hopes of restoration. Following a severe illness, he died in London. The late William B. Douglas of Rochester was a brother of the young rector and Mrs. Samuel Miller of New Haven a sister.

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Old St. John's Chapel, which stood on site nf present church.

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CHAPTER IV VILLAGE LOT N O . 2

"Village Lot No. 2," on which St. Paul's church was erected, was the property in 1823 of William Atkinson, who, according to the directory of 1827, was a "merchant miller of Main street." He, with his wife, Elizabeth, conveyed the lot in 1823 to Levi Ward, Jr., a pioneer physician. Dr. Ward and his wife, Mehetable, deeded the lot to Jared N. Stebbins on Aug. 2, 1826, and on July 1, 1828, Mr. Stebbins and his wife, Dorothy, conveyed it to St. Paul's church.

Two months before the lot was purchased the Vestry of St. Paul's secured an easement from Dr. and Mrs. Ward, who owned Lot No. 1 on the south side of Lot No. 2, whereby they agreed not to erect a house or building or to plant trees on a 10-foot strip on the north side of their property so that the light of the worshippers might not be obscured.

Dr. and Mrs. Ward, however, retained the right to cultivate the 10-foot strip of land and to maintain a fence between the two lots. Dr. and Mrs. Ward later deeded the 10-foot strip to St. Paul's church, taking a mortgage for $266.67 on the church property in payment.

Bishop Hobart visited Rochester in August 1830, instituting the Rev. Dr. Henry J. Whitehouse as rector of St. Luke's on August 29 and confirming 65 persons there. On Monday, August 30, 1830, he consecrated St. Paul's church. The bishop went from Rochester to Auburn, where he died at the age of 55 after a short illness in the rectory of St. John's church in that village.

A few weeks after the consecration of St. Paul's Church, the village authorities changed the name of the street on which the church stood from Market to St. Paul street. The church was not in sound financial condition and within a few weeks after Bishop Hobart's visit three mortgages totalling $15,000 were placed upon the property.

During the progress of a series of revival meetings conducted in First Presbyterian church by a visiting evangelist, the Rev. Charles G. Finney, a scantling or rafter fell through the ceiling, causing a small panic. While repairs were being made, St. Paul's congregation, at that time without a rector, invited the First Presbyterian congregation to hold services in their church. The invitation was accepted, the congregation of First Church bringing with them their pastor, bell and organ.

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The PRESENT ST. PAUL'S CHURCH.

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CHAPTER V FINANCIAL D I F F I C U L T I E S

The second rector was the Rev. Chauncey Colton, Nov., 1830-Dec. 1831. Mr. Colton resigned because of ill-health and went to reside in Maryland. At this time the financial difficulties of the young parish became so pressing that the vestry, as a last resort, petitioned the Rev. Mr. Whitehouse, rector of St. Luke's, to take both parishes under his control, and engage a curate, the expenses to be equally divided between the two congregations. St. Luke's vestry gave the proposal full consideration but reached the unanimous conclusion that such a step would be inadvisable.

The vestry struggled along until September 1832, when they again petitioned St. Luke's, this time to purchase St. Paul's church and maintain it as a chapel of St. Luke's. The vestry of St. Luke's gave sympathetic consideration to this plea, but, being unable to obtain sufficient aid from Trinity church, New York, to which they applied for help, was obliged finally to return a negative answer.

In spite of its grave financial problem, St. Paul's vestry, early in 1832, extended a call to the Rev. H. V. D. Johns. Mr. Johns visited the parish in Lent of that year, accepted the call, preached on Sunday, baptized one adult, left the next day for Baltimore for his family, and never returned. The "adult" baptized by Mr. Johns was Ansel Roberts, who "for fifteen years after was a most exemplary and useful worker in the parish and during some of its darkest days the faithful steward of its finances."

The year 1832 was a most disrupting and discouraging one for St. Paul's and, in fact, for the entire village, as it was the year of the cholera epidemic which caused 118 deaths here during the summer months.

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Altar and Chancel of St. Paul's as they appeared on Easter, 1927

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CHAPTER VI GRACE CHURCH

The Rev. Burton H. Hickox resigned his parish in Palmyra to assume the rectorate of St. Paul's in 1833. Adversity greeted him with the warmth of a friend and accompanied him with the constancy of a brother. During his rectorate of two years the financial embarrassment of the parish culminated in the foreclosure of the first mortgage of 310,000 on the building, the dissolution of St. Paul's corporation and the formation of a new corporation, Dec. 2, 1833, to buy in the property under the name of Grace Church. Trinity Church, New York City, appropriated $3,500 as a loan to assist in the settlement of the difficulties. The meeting at which Grace church was incorporated was held in the Franklin House, where the Granite Building now stands.

B. H. Wilcox presided. Lewis K. Faulkner and Daniel Tinker were elected wardens, and Daniel Graves, Abraham M. Schermerhorn, Timothy Childs, Simon P. Alcott, Horace Hooker, George A. Tiffany, William B. Alexander and Darius Perrin vestrymen. Mr. Hickox remained as rector until February 18, 1835.

In 1834 Rochester was incorporated as a city, electing as its first Mayor, Jonathan Child.

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Window, in north wall of Church, depicting the Conversion of St. Paul, presented by Hon. James Coold Cutler in 1926 in memory of Mrs. Cutler.

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CHAPTER VII T H E DIOCESE OF WESTERN NEW YORK

The Rev. Orange Clark, D. D. left his charge in Lockport to accept a call to Grace Church in September, 1835. The Diocese of New York was divided and the Diocese of Western New York came into being in 1838. Dr. Clark resigned early in 1839 and in April of that year the Rev. Washington VanZandt became rector, remaining with the parish for a year and a half. In 1839 Bishop William H. DeLancey, first bishop of Western New York, visited Grace church, confirming 31 persons and on a subsequent visit, 17. On October 18, 1841, seventeen days after Mr. VanZandt had resigned his charge, the North River Insurance Company, which held a mortgage for $7,850 against the property, placed a lis pendens against the church to foreclose its mortgage.

Between the time of Mr. VanZandt's resignation and June 12, 1842, the church was again without a pastor, services being conducted during the interim by professors from the college at Geneva. During this period the second mortgage foreclosure occurred. On May 5, 1842, the mortgaged property was sold at public auction for $4,629, the deed being made from John C. Nash, master of chancery, to George H. Mumford.

In 1840 there were 140 communicants, 16 Sunday-school teachers and 100 pupils.

To this small group of tested and tried friends of the church the Rev. William H. Eigenbrodt came from Bainbridge, N. Y., entering upon his duties as rector on June 12, 1842, remaining until the following December. It is said that when he entered upon his charge he was ignorant of the original debt, and, before resigning, he inaugurated a plan for paying off the church's financial obligations. Mr. Eigenbrodt's pastorate was marked by the happiest and most satisfactory relations.

At the time of his resignation he was able to report a total number of 108 communicants, 19 Sunday-school teachers and 81 pupils.

Bishop DeLancey, on January 19, 1844, took deed to the church property from George H. Mumford and Ann E., his wife, who had purchased the mortgaged premises for $4,629 at foreclosure sale. The deed conveyed the church lot and building and in addition made the following statement: We, the subscribers, interested in within described premises do hereby request George H. Mumford, our trustee, to execute the within deed dated January 19, 1844. whereas the interest in the within described premises and in the purchase price therefor is in the following persons in the following proportion: viz: Philander G. Tobey, $785.62; George H. Mumford, $785.62; William S. Pitkin, $785.59; Julius T. Andrews, $559.54; Aaron Erickson, $559.54; Edward Roggen, $559.54; Daniel Graves, $279.77; William J. Southerin, $279.77; Johnson I. Robins, $223.81; Ebenezer Sherman, $223.81; Joseph Hall, $139.88.

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The RT. REV. WILLIAM HEATHCOTE D E L A N C E Y , D.D., LL.D., D.C.L. First Bishop of Western New York, 1839-1865.

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection 1827—ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH—1927

With Bishop DeLancey in actual pastoral charge of the church, the congregation "took heart" and the parish moved steadily forward. Bishop DeLancey intended to take up his residence in Rochester but his diocesan duties prevented and he compromised by placing the pastoral work in the hands of two men in whom he had great confidence, the Rev. John J. Vanlngen, D. D., assisted by the Rev. Charles Henry Platt, giving frequent services in person. Prior to the advent of Dr. Vanlngen, however, the Rev. Stephen Douglas assumed charge of the parish for three months.

Bishop DeLancey's experiment was successful, and, on Dec. 7, 1846, the property was transferred by the bishop and his wife to the corporation of Grace Church with the gift of the payments he had made on the debt and the money he had spent on the building. Dr. Van Ingen became rector in 1848. The church property was thus saved and restored in a prosperous condition to the congregation by the wise and kindly bishop.

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SOME FORMER RECTORS OF ST. PAUL'S. Upper left—The Rev. Sutherland Douglas, first rector, 1828-1829. Upper right —The Rev. John J. Vanlngen, D.D., 1848-1854. Lower left—The Rev. Maunsell Van Rensselaer, 1854-1859. Lower right—The Rev. Israel Foote, D.D., 1859-1882.

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CHAPTER VIII C H U R C H V I S I T E D BY F I R E

It was, then, with lighter hearts than might be supposed that many members of Grace Church watched their building burn early Sunday morning, July 25, 1847. It was with no sense of discouragement that restoration was immediately begun, there being $10,000 insurance and no debt. Services were held in the old high school in South Clinton street until Christmas, 1847. On that day the restored basement of the church was occupied. The entire building was completed and consecrated as Grace church on December 14, 1848.

Perhaps the earliest recollection of Hiram W. Sibley, present senior warden and benefactor of St. Paul's church, is that fire.

"I remember," he says, "being taken to the window of the second story of our house in Clinton street to see flames and to see the wooden part of the tower fall in."

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SOME FORMER RECTORS OF ST. PAIL'S. Upper left—The Rev. William H. Plait, D.D., 1882-1887. Upper right—The Rev. Louis C. Washburn, S. T. D., 1888-1895. Lower left—"[he Rev. Murray Bartlett, D.D., 1897-1908. Lower right—The Rev. William A. R. Comlwin, D.D., 1909-1923.

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CHAPTER IX BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA The title of the property being now in possession of the Vestry, the parish free of debt entered upon a career of quiet, steady growth and service that today, more than three-quarters of a century later, is carrying forward with unabated zeal.

Dr. Vanlngen entered upon his rectorate at a salary of $1,000 per year, of which he later remitted $200 in consideration of the "recent exhausting efforts of the parish." The number of communicants, SundaySchool teachers and scholars increased steadily. By 1850 the number of communicants had increased to 240. The current offering that year was •8528.18 and a special offering of $2,600 was made for a bell and organ.

In 1852 the wardens were G. H. Mumford and William Buell and the vestrymen were H. N. Curtiss, George Ellwanger, Don Alonzo Watson, Hiram Sibley, J. B. Robertson, Dr. P. G. Tobey, Gen. J. H. Martindale, L. B. Swan, D. B. Beach, secretary-treasurer. The following year, the last of Dr. Van Ingen's pastorate, there were 215 communicants.

Dr. Van Ingen was born in Schenectady in 1806, entered Union College when 18 years of age and was graduated at 22. He was later graduated in theology from the General Seminary in New York. He came to Rochester in 1844, remaining until August 16, 1854. Upon leaving Rochester, Dr. Van Ingen became rector of one of the largest parishes in St. Paul, Minn. Soon after the outbreak of the Rebellion, he entered the Union army and became chaplain of the Eighth N. Y. Cavalry. He was rector of Trinity church, Rochester, for a short time in 1868. From that time until his death in Clyde in 1877, after an illness of typhoid fever lasting one week, he did much effective missionary work in various sections of the state.

The Rev. Maunsell Van Rensselaer of Oxford, N. Y., accepted a call to St. Paul's in September, 1854. He remained with the parish until Easter, 1859.

The growth of the city prior to 1855 warranted the establishment of another Episcopal church in Rochester and in April, 1855, a number of communicants of St. Luke's and St. Paul's organized Christ church.

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The REV. GEORGE E. NORTON. Present Rector of St. Paul's Church.

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CHAPTER X AN ERA OF PROGRESS The 23-year administration of the Rev. Dr. Israel Foote as rector of St. Paul's was a period of real progress. He entered upon his rectorate in May, 1859. Shortly after his coming to this parish, a rectory was provided through a legacy of $5,000 from Ruth Mumford on condition that the vestry raise $5,000 additional to pay for the house. The sum was promptly raised and property in North Clinton street was secured.

In the spring of 1862, George Ellwanger made over to the parish $4,000 in bonds and mortgages for a chapel on condition that a similar amount be secured from other sources prior to July 1, 1863. This proposition resulted in the creation of a fund of $10,000, which was devoted in the spring of 1869 to the purchase of a house on Mortimer street in the rear of the church for a parish school. The house was first used as a school for girls, then as a school for boys. After the school was given up, the house was occupied by the assistant rector until 1878, after which and until sold it was rented to outside persons.

In 1869 extensive improvements were made in the interior of the church anc: when the edifice was reopened for worship the name Grace Church gave way to St. Paul's, although legal action to change the corporate name was not taken until 1898.

The first vested boy choir in Rochester was introduced into the services at St. Paul's by Dr. Foote during the winter of 1873. In that year, according to Thomas G. Dukelow, who, now 73 years of age, resides in Rochester and looks back with pride and pleasure upon his part as a member of that first choir, an advertisement was inserted in the Rochester Democrat for men and boys whose voices might be tried out by the Rev. Charles N. Allen, assistant to Dr. Foote, for places in the choir. William W. Killip of Geneseo was a member of St. Paul's choir in the early days. The late Henry Scrantom was also a member of the first choir. In 1875 the choir boys wore their first vestments, Miss Emma Moser and Mrs. Biegler, active workers in St. Paul's at that time, performing the task of fitting.

Among the members of the first vested choir of St. Paul's in Mr. Dukelow's recollection were: boys, Frederick Wright, Thomas Leader, Wilfred Machin, Frederick Laidlaw, Robert Laidlaw, Rudolph Padley; men, Charles Cushman, Harry Congdon, Thomas G. Dukelow, John Adams, Robert Laidlaw, Sr., Frank Goodman, tenors; George Hibbard, Charles Machin, Charles Robinson, George Lester, James Gregg, Martin Wolf, basses.

The year 1874 was marked by the subscription of $11,357 to clear off the entire indebtedness of the parish and by the formation of the Women's Missionary Society.

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THOMAS G. MOULSON. A Vestryman of St. Paul's since 1888 and a Warden

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CHAPTER XI ST. PAUL'S FIRST MISSION Among the first missions started by St. Paul's in the early W s was one which had its inception in a Sunday-school held in Oregon street under the superintendency of A. Dixson Davis. This small group was nourished by Dr. Foote and in 1874 an eligible lot at Almira street and Grant Park was secured as a gift from Mrs. F. E. Galusha, in whose home in Gorham street cottage meetings had been held for some time.

This home is now occupied by Mrs. Galusha's daughter, Myra, now the wife of the Rev. James C. Gairdner, former rector of St. James' church.

The cornerstone of this church, St. James,' was laid by Bishop Arthur Cleveland Coxe on July 18, 1875, and the church was consecrated by him on June 5, 1876. Some 50 families from St. Paul's joined the new St. James' parish, the first rector of which was the Rev. James Hogarth Dennis.

The Church Home, where orphan and destitute children and aged communicants of the church might be cared for, elected as its first president, on June 1, 1868, Mrs. George H. Mumford. The next month, George E. Mumford and George R. Clark were donors of a lot with a small house on Mt. Hope avenue. Upon this site a stone structure was erected at a cost of $15,000 by the Church people of the city.

Bishop DeLancey, after 26 years in the episcopate, died in April, 1865. The Rt. Rev. Arthur Cleveland Coxe, who had been consecrated as bishop-coadjutor three months before, became bishop of the diocese.

He was invited to make his home in Rochester, but decided that it was for the best interests of the diocese that he should reside in Buffalo.

At the close of 23 years under the gentle and judicious guidance of the Rev. Dr. Foote, it was with no little regret that the vestry accepted his resignation in April, 1882. Dr. Foote's nephew, the Hon. Nathaniel Foote, retired Supreme Court Justice, is now and has been for many years a vestryman of St. Paul's.

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HIRAM W. SIBLEY. A Vestryman of St. Paul's since 1889 and a Warden since 1890.

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CHAPTER XII DR. WASHBURN'S RECTORATE St. Paul Street had become in 1882 a noisy business thoroughfare, and the exterior and interior of St. Paul's was in need of extensive repair. Little wonder, then, that as early as 1882, almost simultaneously with the call sent by telegraph on September 23 to the Rev. W. H. Platt, D. D., then in San Francisco, to the rectorate, agitation was begun for removing the church to what was then the far eastern section of the city.

It was not until Nov. 14, 1885, however, that definite action was taken. At a meeting on that date the rector appointed Arthur G. Yates, H. H. Warner and E. F. Woodbury, vestrymen, a committee to consider the advisability of purchasing property upon which to build a new church edifice. In 1886 a committee endeavored to effect a consolidation with Christ church. The committee from Christ church consisted of the Rev. Dr. William D'Orville Doty, rector, and Messrs. Dewey, Walker, Ward, Nellis and Ashley. The two committees were unable to agree upon a name for the proposed consolidated church and the plan was abandoned. An ineffectual attempt was then made to consolidate with St. John's parish, then located in East avenue. H. H. Warner, J. L. Hatch and H. M. Ellsworth were then appointed a committee to purchase a lot at East Avenue and Hawthorne street, and that was done.

During the winter, however, it was decided to make another attempt to consolidate with Christ church. The movement went so far as to form an organization with these officers to serve until the first annual election: Wardens, Arthur G. Yates and Dellon M. Dewey; Vestrymen, J. Moreau Smith, Henry M. Ellsworth, Frank A. Ward, Frank W. Elwood, E. W. Osburn, A. E. Perkins, Simon McDowell and Earl V. Putnam. It was proposed to erect the new church on the site then and now occupied by Christ church.

However, the opposition manifested by members of both congregations was so great that the consolidation scheme was abandoned. Dr. Platt resigned as rector, effective September 1, 1887.

The Rev. Dr. Louis Cope Washburn came from St. Peter's church, Hjazelton, Pa. to become rector of St. Paul's on July 1, 1888. His rectorate was marked by the erection of a spacious chapel in the rear of the church building, opening of the Mortimer street building as a deaconess' house and the reduction of the church debt to $18,000. The property at East avenue and Hawthorn street, now Oxford street, that had been purchased with view to erecting a church was sold in December, 1889, to Henry C. Wisner. In 1891 the vestry of St. John's proposed that St. Paul's join with them in erecting a new church in East avenue. St. Paul's, however, decided to make another attempt to consolidate with Christ church and appointed A. G. Yates, Hiram W. Sibley, Nathaniel Foote, Erickson Perkins and Thomas G. Moulson to confer

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SOME FORMER RECTORS OF ST. PAUL'S.

Left—The

Rev. Chauncey H. Blodgett, assistant rector, 1897-1902.

The Rev. Walter Earl Cook, assistant rector, 1924—.

Right-

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection 1827—ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH—1927

with Christ church officials. Among those who thought it unwise to remove St. Paul's from its St. Paul street location was the rector, Dr. Washburn.

Dr. Washburn paid especial attention to the vested choir. Among its members in 1891 were: boys, Abram Greenburg, Sidney Desborough, Carl Redfern, Myron Carey, John Bradford, Guy Dalziel, Walter Carey, James Ratcliffe, Charles Rawnsley, Herbert Bevier, Charles Young, Emile Kujawsky; men, John Dalziel, Walter C. Fish, Arthur C. Little, James Rawnsley, James Milner, Arthur Carey, Robert Newman, Melvin Neff, Cyrus Curtiss, G. Henry Schneck; sopranos, Mrs. Kate Whitehead, Mrs. F. W. Yates.

John H. Dalziel was assistant superintendent of the Sunday-school and the organists were Edward H. Walker and Mrs. J. F. Ratcliffe. Dr. Washburn resigned, effective, February 25, 1895. Arthur G. Yates, Nathaniel Foote and John C. Woodbury were appointed to look after the continuance of services until another rector should be secured. Dr. Washburn spent a year in Europe, returning to serve for nine years as Archdeacon of Rochester. He then became rector of Old Christ Church, Philadelphia, where he is still located.

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection

CHAPTER XIII T H E D E C I S I O N TO M O V E

The vestry, in June, 1895, adopted a resolution to sell the St. Paul Street property and erect a new church edifice on East Avenue east of Goodman street. In January, 1896, the church property in St. Paul street was sold to Charles H. Palmer for $55,000 and a committee consisting of Hiram Sibley, Nathaniel Foote and Robert M. Myers set about to select a suitable site for the new church. On January 25, the vestry decided to accept the offer of Edward Harris to sell his property at East avenue and Vick Park B for $36,000 and to subscribe $1,000 as his share of the building fund.

The sum realized from the sale of the old church formed the beginning of the church building fund, to which was added many substantial subscriptions including those of Hiram W. Sibley and Rufus A. Sibley, major contributors.

Among other large subscribers to the building fund were the following, according to an interesting document written in May, 1896: James W. Gillis, Edward Harris, Mrs. Isabella Hollister, Erickson Perkins, Mr. and Mrs. Hiram W. Sibley, Mr. and Mrs. Rufus Adams Sibley, Maria Eastman, George Eastman, Mrs. C. M. Watson, Miss E. C. Watson, John C. Woodbury, Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Yates, Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Yates, Mr. and Mrs. Levi S. Ward, Mrs. Warham Whitney, Nathaniel Foote, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Moulson, Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Palmer, James G. Cutler, Mrs. B. E. Chase, F. W. Elwood, Harold C. Kimball, H. M. Ellsworth, Robert M. Myers, John B. Prentiss, Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Spader, George Weldon.

Messrs. Heines and LaFarge, New York architects, were employed to design the new church and parish house and services were held in Christ church during the period of construction. The Building Committee was composed of Hiram W. Sibley, treasurer; Thomas G. Moulson, secretary; Rufus A. Sibley, Arthur G. Yates and James W. Gillis. The contractors were Thomas W. Finucane, general contractor, and A. Friederichs & Sons Co., mason work.

The death of Bishop Arthur Cleveland Coxe in July, 1896, came as a great shock to St. Paul's.

From February 25, 1895, when Dr. Washburn left the parish, until the Fall of 1897, when the new edifice was nearing completion, the church was without a rector, the intricate problems having been dealt with wholly by the vestry. In June, 1897, however, a call was extended to the Rev. Murray Bartlett and the Rev. Chauncey H. Blodgett of Grace church, New York City. At the same meeting of the vestry it was voted that pews should be free and the pledge system was adopted. The Rev. Mr. Bartlett and the Rev. Mr. Blodgett began what proved to be a most fruitful period of work in the new church on July 1, 1897.

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection

CHAPTER XIV IN THE NEW

CHURCH

The communicant list of St. Paul's began to increase soon after the present church edifice was opened. During the early days of Dr. Bartlett's rectorate St. Elizabeth's Guild was organized by a number of girls who had helped with the music during the Lenten season. Miss Mary Moulson, daughter of Thomas G. Moulson, present junior warden, was elected president. Members of the guild spent many afternoons reading to the inmates of the Church Home and carrying flowers to the sick of the parish. In accordance with a plan adopted in 1901 the Sunday-School was managed by a council composed of clergy, deaconess, and four teachers, elected annually. The main school consisted in 1902 of 18 classes and 175 pupils. The primary, catechism and kindergarten departments consisted of 14 teachers and 155 pupils.

The Men's Guild, one of the first organizations of its kind in Rochester, boasted in 1905 of 120 members. It was organized in 1899 by Frank W. Elwood and Frank J. Amsden. It was of great help to Dr. Bartlett in promoting interest in the church. The Junior Guild for young men and the Boys' Guild were also active organizations. Other societies organized during Dr. Bartlett's pastorate were the Employment Society, the Mothers' Club, Parish Aid Society, four missionary societies and the Girls' Friendly Society.

All Saints' Chapel, later reorganized as St. John's Church, was at that time a part of St. Paul's parish and was under the direction of the Rev. Wallace H. Watts. The Rev. Stephen F. Sherman, Jr. became assistant rector of St. Paul's, in the spring of 1902, succeeding the Rev. C. H. Blodgett, who had accepted a call to a church in Fall River, Mass., and who is now assistant rector of Grace Church, Colorado Springs, Col. Mr. Sherman is now rector of St. John's Church, Bridgeport, Conn.

The choir at this time was a source of great pride to the church. In 1905 it consisted of 45 men and boys under the direction of Beecher Aldrich.

The Very Rev. Charles C. W. Carver, now dean of All Saints' Cathedral, Albany, N. Y., was a member of St. Paul's choir during Dr. Bartlett's pastorate.

St. Paul's, early in Dr. Bartlett's pastorate, began to take a more active part in the church life of the diocese and nation. It was the scene on April 25 and 26, 1906, of the Fourteenth National Conference of Church Clubs of the United States.

St. Paul's received commendation for its missionary endeavors at the November 1907 General Convention of the church, met to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the planting of the Anglican Communion in America. St. Paul's was one of the parishes in the country

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection 1827—ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH—1927

to give more than $1,000 towards the Thank Offering presented at the convention. St. Paul's offering was nearly $1,400.

The old rectory in Clinton Avenue North was sold in 1901 to the Rochester Athletic Club for $16,004.03. The following year Nathaniel Foote, John C. Woodbury and Rufus A. Sibley were appointed a committee to purchase a suitable house for the rector. A lot was purchased on Barrington Street and Hiram W. Sibley, Rufus A. Sibley, John C. Woodbury, Granger A. Hollister and Benjamin B. Chace were appointed a committee to build the rectory. Claude Bragdon, architect, prepared the plans for the house that is today occupied by the rector.

During 1904 and 1905 a new reredos costing $12,000 was placed in the church and was dedicated by Bishop William D. Walker in February, 1905.

Dr. Bartlett resigned on Passion Sunday, 1908, to become rector of the Cathedral of St. Mary in Manila, P. I., under the Rt. Rev. Charles H. Brent, who had just been elected bishop of the Philippines and who is now the beloved bishop of Western New York. Dr. Bartlett is now President of Hobart College, Geneva, N. Y. The property occupied by George F. Loder and located on the lot adjoining the church in Vick Park B was given to the church in 1911

by Hiram W. Sibley, who was deeply interested in the religious education of the young and cognizant of the crowded condition of the SundaySchool rooms in the parish house. This house was used for a long time for overflow meetings of the school.

Eleven years later, on December 4, 1922, a letter from Harper Sibley, present vestryman and superintendent of the Church School, conveyed to the Vestry the offer of Hon. James G. Cutler, Hiram W. Sibley and Harper Sibley to contribute $40,000 towards the cost of a new building to be erected on the property for the use of the Department of Religious Education. The Vestry promptly accepted the offer and asked Harper Sibley to formulate a program for raising the balance of the funds needed. The new building was so designed as to provide quarters not only for the Sunday-School but for the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Young People's Fellowship and other parochial organizations.

During April, 1923, the necessary funds were subscribed and a contract was awarded to John B. Pike & Son to erect a fireproof building on the lot. Supervision of the project was undertaken by Harper Sibley, chairman; Harry Otis Poole, Farley J. Withington, Thomas G. Spencer and Norman M. Van de Carr.

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection

CHAPTER XV D R . GOODWIN'S PASTORATE

The Rev. Dr. William A. R. Goodwin was called from Bruton Parish Church, Williamsburg, Va., and entered upon his duties as rector of St. Paul's on July 1, 1909.

During Dr. Goodwin's rectorate the Arthur Mann Missionary Society was formed in memory of a former curate of St. Paul's, the Rev. Arthur Mann, who lost his life in China in attempting to save another missionary from drowning.

To stimulate interest in the work of the church the vestry, in November, 1910, approved a plan that committees consisting of representatives from various lines of endeavor be appointed. The following committees were named: Missionary Committee: from the Vestry, Thomas G. Moulson, Granger A. Hollister, H. C. Kimball; from the Sunday-School, John C. Parker, Benjamin B. Chace; from the Men's Club, George C. Hollister, George F. Johnston, Charles G. Dumont, A. D. Bacon; from the Woman's Auxiliary, Mrs. Thomas G. Moulson (who for thirty-two years represented St. Paul's in the management of the Church Home and was active in numerous other church activities), Mrs. Granger A. Hollister, Mrs. Levi S. Ward; from the Evening Missionary Society, Mrs. Thomas G. Spencer; from the Junior Auxiliary, Mrs. George F. Johnston; from the Babies' Branch, Mrs. John C. Wright.

Committee of the Congregation on Finance: executive committee, Edward G. Miner, John H. Stedman, Frederick K. Knowlton, Nathan G. Williams, James McKown; committee on printing and publicity, Benjamin Briggs; census committee, John C. Parker, George Stanley, Ernest C. Scobell; committee on church property, Thomas G. Moulson, James G. Cutler, John C. Parker, George C. Hollister, William Wilson; other members, Dr. William V. Ewers, George J. Johnston, Watkin W. Kneath, Johnson I. Robins, A. G. Richardson, C. A. Baird, General Thomas Ward, Samuel L. Bissell, E. S. Osborne, Charles G. Dumont.

About this time, also, George C. Johnston was elected clerk of the Vestry to succeed Calvin C. Laney, who retired after a long and faithful service in that capacity. Thomas G. Moulson was elected junior warden and Daniel M. Beach was chosen to succeed Mr. Moulson as a vestryman.

During 1910 St. Paul's was host on a number of important occasions. In April of that year the archdeaconry of Rochester met at St. Paul's, and Bishops Brent, Rowe, Lloyd, Thomas of Wyoming and Walker of this diocese and Canon Cooke of Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland, preached at services or made addresses at Men's Club meetings.

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Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection 1827—ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH—1927

Harold C. Kimball, a vestryman since December 4, 1905, and who had given freely of his long experience and was particularly helpful with suggestions for betterment of the church music, died in December, 1910. Edward G. Miner was elected, on May 7, 1911, to succeed Mr. Kimball on the Vestry, a trust and responsibility that he has since fulfilled with the greatest enthusiasm and practical assistance.

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection

CHAPTER XVI YEARS OF PROGRESS

On Memorial Day, 1913, a pickaxe in the hands of a workman engaged in tearing down the wall of the old St. Paul's church on St. Paul Street brought to light a brick chamber built inside the wall which contained a half-gallon jar. Inside this jar were found, musty and yellow from age, the papers which marked the laying of the cornerstone of the old church 85 years before. They had passed through one fire when most of the walls fell and were discovered only after the building had been sold to be remodeled into a theatre. In the jar was a copy of the "Daily Advertiser" of August 20, 1828, which may be taken as fixing quite accurately the date of the laying of the cornerstone. There was also a copy of the "Rochester Republican," of Aug. 19, 1828, a "Daily Argus" of August 12, 1828 and a "Rochester Telegram" of August 19, 1828. The papers were discovered in the southwest corner of the old church nearly fifteen feet from the ground, a spot so unusual for cornerstone papers that their discovery came as a great surprise. The papers were later reconditioned in New York to insure a still riper old age for them. In addition to the copies of the newspapers, the jar also contained three letters setting forth details in connection with the founding of the church and three small books which appeared to be church registers. The jar contained no coins.

The first Every Member Canvass in the parish was held in December, 1915. The first action on the canvass was taken Sunday evening, November 14, at which H. F. LaFlamme, executive secretary of the Laymen's Missionary Movement, outlined the plan of operation. James G. Cutler was appointed chairman and Edward G. Miner, Harper Sibley and Thomas G. Spencer the general committee in charge of the canvass. A publicity committee was appointed consisting of the rector, Dr. Goodwin, the Rev. Conrad H. Goodwin, Benjamin R. Briggs, Ralph B. Ingalsbe, Embry C. MacDowell, Carl Grashof, C. E. Mudge and Roy Ford. Granger A. Hollister, Edward G. Miner and Benjamin B. Chace were appointed a committee to prepare the budget and other financial literature. Sunday, December 5, was selected as the day for the canvass and team captains were appointed as follows: for a selected list, Daniel M. Beach; Raymond Allen, Harry A. Chase, Embry C. MacDowell, Ralph Ingalsbe, Frederick Remington, Harry Richards, Kingman Nott Robins, Harper Sibley, Thomas G. Spencer, Farley J. Withington and John C. Wright. The canvass was a complete success.

In October, 1922, St. John's Mission, which has been for many years under the care of St. Paul's, combined with St. Mark's Church to form the new Church of St. Mark's and St. John's, occupying the church property at Parkside and Denver Streets The death of Bishop William David Walker of the Diocese of Western New York occurred on May 1, 1917. He was succeeded by the Rt. Rev. Charles H. Brent, translated from the Philippine Islands.

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection

CHAPTER XVII T H E WORLD WAR PERIOD

Then came the period of the Word War. One hundred and twer.tyeight went from St. Paul's to enter the conflict, among them William Smith Ely, Charles Hartman, Wesley Francis, James Throckmorton Vought, Harold Chandler Kimball and Katherine Robinson Congdon, who gave their lives in the service. Harper Sibley served overseas with the Red Cross; Norman Van de Carr was absent several months on Red Cross work and Thomas G. Spencer went into the U. S. Army Signal Service Corps.

Miss Julia Russell resigned as parish clerk to take up studies preparatory to becoming a medical missionary in China.

At the diocesan convention in Geneva on June 3, 1919, the bishop said: "There is one parish so high on the honor roll that it is not insidious to single it out for an example of generous giving. I refer to St. Paul's, Rochester.

From 1908 to 1918, its apportionment has totalled $14,594.11 and its contributions 843,853.95."

A tribute to Dr. Goodwin's preaching attainments was paid in the Fall of 1919 by the Executive Committee of the Nation-wide Campaign, which requested his release by the Vestry "as one of twelve of the church's greatest speakers" to go on a speaking tour throughout the country. The Vestry consented and Dr. Goodwin was absent until Thanksgiving Day. During the year 1919 all services of the church and Sundayschool were largely attended. The parish embraced 459 families, 937 communicants and 1365 baptized persons. Dr. Goodwin placed particular stress upon the religious education of the children and young people. The Sunday-school then, as it is now, was one of the most efficient in the country. Enrollment in the Week-day School of Religious Education was limited in 1920 to 150 pupils. The organization of the Young People's Service League enlisted the interest and cooperation of 125 young people over 16 years of age. The Social Service Department was divided into three groups: Religious Education, under the direction of Harper Sibley, having charge of" the Sunday and week-day schools; Missions, under the direction of James G. Cutler; Social Service, Mrs. W. G. Hevenor, chairman.

After serving as rector for nearly fourteen years, a period marked by a remarkable unity of purpose and harmony of action, Dr. Goodwin resigned on February 1, 1923, to accept the professorship of Philosophy and Social Service in the College of William and Mary in Virginia. After his departure, Dr. Murray Bartlett, former rector, conducted the Sunday services for several weeks.

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection

CHAPTER XVIII SINCE M R . NORTON CAME

On April 30, 1923, the Vestry, after a careful canvass of the entire country, extended a call to the Rev. George E Norton, rector of the Church of St. Michael and All Angels, St. Louis, Mo. The Rev. Mr. Norton entered upon his duties at St. Paul's on September 9, 1923.

Mr. Norton is a graduate of Amherst College and the Episcopal Theological Seminary at Cambridge, Mass. Before becoming rector of St. Michael's, St. Louis, he was an assistant at St. George's Church.

New York City.

The Rev. Walter Earl Cook, assistant to Mr. Norton, came to St. Paul's on March 1, 1924. He is a graduate of Hobart College and the General Theological Seminary. Mr. Cook was on the staff of the Rochester Church Extension Society prior to his coming to St. Paul's.

Mr. Norton has been rector of St. Paul's for nearly four years and the parish, under his kindly and wise leadership, has gone steadily forward. Known far and wide as one of the leading missionary parishes of the Church, St. Paul's has increased year by year its offerings to the general work of our communion in the parish, diocese, nation and abroad. The services have been enriched by the devout and dignified manner in which they have been conducted by Mr. Norton and his assistant, the Rev. Walter E. Cook, and by the singing of the choir under the capable direction of the organist and choirmaster, Mr. Walter C. Gehrkin.

The Sunday-school and the week-day school have, under the direction of Harper Sibley, increased in numbers, enthusiasm, devotion and offerings for missions. Mr. Sibley gives with marvelous generosity of his time, talent and means to the upbuilding of the school and, in fact, to every movement for the welfare of the parish, especially the young people.

The various parochial organizations, such as the Woman's Auxiliary, the Arthur Mann Society, the Bishop Brent Society, the Young People's Fellowship, the Boy and Girl Scout Troops, the Order of Sir Galahad, the Men's Club and the Girl's Friendly, are all enjoying a period of unprecedented enthusiasm and effective work.

In 1924, through the thoughtfulness of the late James G. Cutler, a move was taken to insure the harmony of the stained glass windows in the nave of the church. A series of five designs in stained glass in uniform style of excellence covering the life of St. Paul were secured from a leading artist.

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection

CHAPTER XIX W O M E N ' S W O R K IN S T . P A U L ' S

The Parish Aid Society is, so far as we know, the oldest woman's organization in the parish. For many years it was the central organization for women to which all the other organizations reported. Mrs. Israel Foote, wife of the then rector, was the first president. Later on she was succeeded by Mrs. George Weldon, who was president for several years. Mrs. Weldon was succeeded by Mrs. John P. Faber. Mrs. George C. Hollister then succeeded to the office of president. Other officers in the Parish Aid Society were Mrs. Thomas G. Moulson, who also served as president of the Woman's Auxiliary for twenty-five years, and Mrs. Rufus A. Sibley, who was chairman of the Altar Guild for many years.

She was succeeded in 1918 by Miss Agnes Raines, who served as head of the Altar Guild for nine years. Mrs. Hiram W. Sibley and Mrs. Benjamin B. Chace were also officers of the Parish Aid Society and Mrs. Jacob J. Pippart served as treasurer for eighteen years.

St. Paul's has been represented in the National Church by Mrs. Kingman N. Robins, who was elected a member of the National Executive Board of the Woman's Auxiliary in 1922 and was made Chairman

Left—Deaconess Susan P. Mather, served at St. Paul's, 1890-1895, during rectorate of the Rev. Dr. Louis C. Washburn; right—Deaconess Anna E. Sands, served at St. Paul's, 1900-1905, during rectorate of the Rev. Dr. Murray Bartlett.

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection 1827—ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH—1927

of the National Executive Board in 1925. She was made president of the Woman's Auxiliary of the Second Province in 1925. Mrs. Harper Sibley, Mrs. Frederick K. Knowlton and Mrs. Embry C. MacDowell have served with distinction on the Diocesan Board. Mrs. George F. Johnston has been chairman of the Diocesan Church School Service League since 1923. Mrs. Benjamin B. Chace has been Parish Treasurer of the United Thank Offering since 1923. Mrs. Walter V. Whitmore has been President of the Woman's Auxiliary since 1923.

ST. PAUL'S MEN IN DIOCESE AND NATIONAL CHURCH Harper Sibley was elected to the National Council of the Church in the United States in 1919. He has been Superintendent of St. Paul's Church School, giving notable service since 1912. He was also elected to the first National Council to be elected by the Church and the first Executive Council of the Diocese in 1919. Benjamin B. Chace has served as a member of the Executive Council and the Ways and Means Committee and has done notable work in the diocese in organizing its missionary program. Thomas G. Moulson has been a member of the Vestry since 1888 and Hiram W. Sibley and Hon. Nathaniel Foote since 1899.

MEMORIALS I N S T . PAUL'S Tablet: west wall of chantry, north of window, cross in memory of the Rev. J. Albert Massey, D. D., founder and pastor of St. John's Parish.

Tablet: west wall of chantry, south of window, cross in memory of Clarice Greig Jeffrey.

Tablet: west wall of chantry; gift of Mrs. Mary Evershed Myers in memory of Robert Madison Myers, a vestryman of St. Paul's for nineteen years.

Tablet: west wall of chantry; in memory of Christopher T. Amsden and Mary Jenkins Amsden.

Tablet: east wall of nave; gift of the parishioners and in memory of those members of St. Paul's parish who gave their lives in the World War, 1914-1918— William Smith Ely, Air Service, A. E. F.; Charles Clark Hartman, Medical Corps, A. E. F.; Wesley Francis, 310th Infantry, A. E. F.; James Throckmorton Vought, 107th Infantry, A. E. F.; Harold Chandler Kimball, 24th Canadian Battalion, C. E. F.; Katherine Robinson Congdon, American Red Cross, and the 122 others from this parish who served in the Allied Armies during the World War. Tablet: west wall of chantry; in memory of Arthur Gould Yates.

Window: west wall of chantry altar; in memory of the Rev. Israel Foote, D. D., for many years rector of St. Paul's.

Window: southwest wall of chantry altar; presented by Miss Charlotte Jones, Mrs. Mary W. Davidson, Dr. E. W. Mulligan and George A. Carnahan in memory of Sarah Antoinette Jones.

Window: southeast wall of chantry altar; presented by Mrs. Sarah A. Jones in memory of Jonas Jones, M. D. Window: south wall of chantry altar; in memory of Hiram Sibley Jr., and John Durbin Sibley.

Window: east wall of nave; in memory of Charles J. Bissell.

Window: east wall of east transept; in memory of Edmund F. Woodbury, for sixteen years a vestryman of this church.

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection 1827—ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH—1927 Window: west wall of west aisle from church to parish house; in memory of Charles E. Mumford.

Window: west wall of west ambulatory; "In memory of Father and Mother

by Children of J. R. Elwood."

Window: in north wall of nave, depicting the Conversion of St. Paul; presented in 1926 by Hon. James Gould Cutler in memory of Mrs. Cutler.

Two silver collection plates; presented by James S. Andrews in memory of Samuel I. Andrews.

Silver collection plate: presented by Jane Vance Clark in memory of her mother, Mary Armstrong Vance.

Silver collection plate: presented by Jane Vance Clark in memory of her brother, Edward Frances Vance.

The Chantry Bible: presented by Miss Minnie B. Reynolds.

Chantry altar services and hymnal: presented by Christ church.

Service books: in memory of Caspar Wehle.

Church Lectern: in memory of Henry Mason Ellsworth.

Chantry Lectern: in memory of Robert Howard Whitbeck, a faithful chorister in the church.

Rest for book of altar services: "In Loving Remembrance of Alice Eliza."

Rest for book of altar services: "To the Glory of God and in Memory of Mary."

Altar Cross in chantry: in memory of Alice Sherwood Wells Stedman; presented by her husband.

Altar Cross in church: no inscription.

Altar in church: presented by the children of and in memory of George H. and Anne E. Mumford.

Carved Oak Pulpit: presented by Mrs. Elizabeth M. Sibley, in October 1897, in memory of her daughter, Louise Sibley Atkinson.

Font: presented on June 7, 1891, by the parents at the baptism of Henrietta Mumford Washburn.

Kneeling stool: in memory of Amelia Spencer Prentiss.

Communion bread plates, two goblets and a tall pitcher: presented by the Ladies Aid Society in 1841.

Two goblets: in memory of Mrs. Eliza Whitl'ey.

Small communion set for personal use: in memory of Esther Dewey Laney.

Two altar vases: given by Florence Yates Ward.

Vase for altar: in memory of Sarah Antoinette Jones.

Organ: presented in 1897 by Mrs. Don Alonzo Watson and Miss Elizabeth Watson in memory of Don Alonzo Watson, who was for many years a member of the Vestry.

Furnishings of Hulda Howard Memorial Room on second floor of annex: given by the parents of Hulda Howard.

Eucharistic candlesticks for church altar: given by Mr. and Mrs. Harper Sibley in memory of J. H. Stedman.

Tablet to be placed on north end of west wall of west transept: given by Mrs. Levi Smith Ward in memory of her husband.

Jewelled processional cross: given by Mrs. Kingman Nott Robins and her brother, John Russell Sibley, in memory of their mother, Mrs. Rufus A. Sibley.

The cross was designed by Ralph Adams Cram.

Candelabra for chancel of church: given by Elizabeth M. Amsden in memory of her parents, Christopher T. and Mary Jenkins Amsden.

WARDENS AND VESTRYMEN OF ST. PAUL'S A complete list of wardens and vestrymen of St. Paul's prior to 1864 is not available. However, the records disclose the election of the following men, most of them holding over from one year to another:

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection 1827—ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH—1927 1843—Samuel G. Andrews, George H. Mumford, Aaron Erickson.

1845—George H. Mumford, Jared Newell, Ashaheel S. Beers.

1847—William Buell, Johnson I. Robins, George Stringer.

1852—James S. Andrews, Lansing B. Swan.

1853—Wardens, G. H. Mumford, William Buell; vestrymen, H. N. Curtis, George Ellwanger, Don Alonzo Watson, Hiram Sibley, J. B. Robertson, Philander G. Tobey, J. H. Martindale, L. B. Swan, Daniel B. Beach.

1869—Warden, J. I. Robins; vestrymen, D. F. Worcester, A. J. Johnson, G. I. Whitney, Edward K. Warren, Frederick Durand, Nicholas Tomblingson, Edward Dugge, George H. Humphrey.

1871—Vestrymen, H. F. Atkinson, F. Goodrich, R. S. Kenyon.

1872—Vestryman, Frederick Delano.

1873—Warden, George Ellwanger.

1874—Vestrymen, H. H. Warner, W. M. Quinby.

1875—Vestrymen, A. G. Yates, Henry S. Redfield.

1876—Wardens, R. S. Kenyon, Arthur G. Yates; vestrymen, James F. Fisher, E. A. Jaquith, I. A. Biegler, E. F. Woodbury, A. Collins.

1877—Vestrymen, W. C. Dickinson, James Laney.

1878—Vestrymen, Isaac S. Averill, George Weldon.

1879—Warden, Elbridge A. Jaquith; vestryman, Henry Fish.

1880—Warden, James Fisher; vestrymen, Jonas Jones, Frank Elwood, W. H. Sanger, H. M. Ellsworth.

1882—Vestryman, James L. Hatch.

1883—Warden, W. H. Sanger; vestrymen, James Elwood, C. Henry Amsden.

1884—Vestryman, Erickson Perkins.

1886—Warden, H. H. Warner; vestryman, Earl V. Putnam.

1887—Vestryman, Benjamin E. Chase.

1888—Warden, Henry M. Ellsworth; vestrymen, John B. Prentiss, Thomas G. Moulson.

1889—Vestrymen, Hiram W. Sibley, Nathaniel Foote.

1890—Warden, Hiram W. Sibley; vestryman, James W. Gillis.

1891—Vestryman, John A. Dalziel.

1892—Vestryman, Frank J. Amsden.

1893—Vestryman, John C. Woodbury.

1894—Vestrymen, Edward S. Martin, Robert M. Myers.

1897—Vestrymen, Rufus A. Sibley, Calvin C. Laney.

1898—Vestryman, C. H. Palmer.

1900—Vestryman, Benjamin B. Chace.

1903—Vestryman, Granger A. Hollister.

1905—Vestryman, Harold C. Kimball.

1909—Warden, Thomas G. Moulson, vestryman, Daniel M. Beach.

1910—Vestryman, G. F. Johnston.

1911—Vestryman, Edward G. Miner.

1912—Vestryman, John H. Stedman.

1913_Vestryman, Watkin W. Kneath.

1914—Vestryman, A. D. Bacon.

1915—Vestryman, Thomas G. Spencer.

1917—Vestryman, Kingman Nott Robins.

1918—Vestryman, Farley J. Withington.

1921—Vestryman, Harry Otis Poole.

1923—Vestryman, Harper Sibley.

1926—Vestryman, Wilmot V. Castle.

The Vestry of St. Paul's is, in 1927, composed of the following: Senior Warden, Hiram W. Sibley; Junior Warden, Thomas G. Moulson; Vestrymen, Harper Sibley, Thomas G. Spencer, Wilmot V. Castle, Farley J. Withington, Daniel M. Beach, Edward G. Miner, Benjamin B. Chace, Hon. Nathaniel Foote, Harry Otis Poole.

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Rochester Public Library

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3T. LUKE'S CHURCH, ERECTED If

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Jjleqe holy thoughts a light have shed •fijora many a tjadiant face, .Jmd prjayeqs of humble virjtue made ©he petjfume of the place.

-Snd anxious hearts haue pondeijed hetie Qihe mysteqg of life, Jtnd pnayed the eteqnal Jaight to clean ?}5heit[ doubts, and aid their; strife."

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ANNALS OF

ST. LUKE'S CHURCH, ROCHESTER, N. Y. 1817—1883.

WITH NAMES OF OFFICERS, PAROCHIAL STATISTICS AND HISTORICAL

SKETCHES

OF THE OTHER PARISHES,

BY THE REV.

H E N R Y ANSSTICE,

D. U.

•" Hrec olim meminisse juvabil."

ROCHESTER: SCRAN'J'OM, WETMORE & C o .

1883.

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PREFATORY NOTE. THE ANNALS OF ST. LUKE'S CHURCH are published in

i

compliance with the request of St. Luke's Vestry as contained in the following preamble and resolution adopted by that body in July last:

| " WHEREAS St. Luke's Parish has now had an organ'j^'ized existence extending over two generations, and the ^ facts of its history are of interest sufficient to warrant . their preservation in permanent and accessible form, (Vj therefore RESOLVED, that our Rector be requested to prepare d publish in suitable book form, an Historical Sketch of St. Luke's Church, embodying such documentary / \ , and statistical facts as he shall deem of interest." ail

Sketches of the other parishes are appended as no history of the mother-church would be complete without some record of the origin and growth of those organizations which, proceediag from her more or less directly, are her fellow workers in the field of Rochester.

No effort has been spared to secure absolute accuracy in facts and figures, and in every case original sources of information have been consulted where accessible-

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Toefcpii$t«lSCl"Xe&ct?*3*8 i n t n e earlier part of the Sketch ^©rStaJfe"H,rrtl»* thS " Hobart Correspondence," which is- iH^thg^rrf^TpEJotf tile General Convention. 'fKeiind'cb-C^terattwn of the clergymen and laymen who have afforded facilities for the researches necessary in the preparation of this work, or whose personal reminiscences have been of value, is hereby gratefully acknowledged.

It has been throughout the simple design of the author to give a clear, accurate and concise embodiment of facts and figures without aiming at grace of expression or indulging in personal characterizations of men or measures.

In memory of those that have gone before, who have been "careful to maintain good works," and to the zealous workers of to-day, these Annals are inscribed.

ST. LUKE'S RECTORY, Sept. 1. 1883.

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HISTORICAL SKETCH. OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF THE RECTORS. PAROCHIAL STATISTICS. OTHER SKETCHES : ST. PAUL'S CHURCH. TRINITY CHURCH. CHRIST CHURCH. CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHEBD. ST. JAMES' CHURCH. CHURCH OF THE EPIPHANY. ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH. ST. MARK'S MISSION. ST. JOHN'S MISSION. CHURCH HOME.

STATISTICS OF THE CHURCH IN ROCHESTER.

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The organization of St. Luke's Parish was effected by the Rev. Henry U. Onderdonk, •"Rector of St. John's Church, Canandaigua, and Missionary in parts adjacent," on the 14th. day of July, 1817, under the corporate name of 1 St. Luke's Church, Genesee Falls."

The original corporators, as indicated by their signatures to the " Declaration of Attachment to the Protestant Episcopal Church," were S. Melancton Smith, Moses P. Belknap, Wm. Y. Green, Jesse Moore, A. G. Dauby, John P. Comparet, Anson House, Daniel Hibbard, Jacob Howe, Elisha Johnson, Jonah Brown, Caleb Hammond, Jabez Wilkinson, Joseph Thompson, Wm. Atkinson, Sam'l J. Andrews, John C. Rochester, John Mastick, Silas Smith, Roswell Babbit, Enos Stone, Oliver Culver, John P. Sheldon, Daniel Tinker, Lewis Jenkins, H. Montgomery, Joseph Spencer, Joseph Griffin.

This instrument bore date March 13, 1817, at

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ANNALS OF ST. LUKE'S.

which time the Rev. Mr. Onderdonk "held the first public services of our Church at Rochesterville.'

The requisite legal notice having been •' read at morning service on the two Sundays next preceding" the date of organization, twenty of the above-named persons met in a schoolhouse, belonging to Samuel James Andrews, on the east side of the river, in what was known as the town of Brighton, in the county of Ontario.

The Rev. Mr. Onderdonk presided and the Rev. Geo. H. Norton offered prayer. Roswell Babbitt acted as clerk. Col. N. Rochester and Samuel J. Andrews were elected Wardens, and Silas Smith, Roswell Babbit, John Mastick, Lewis Jenkins, Elisha Johnson, John C. Rochester, Wm. Atkinson and Oliver Culver, Vestrymen. The original Certificate of Incorporation was recorded in the Clerk's office of Ontario County, on the 19th of July, 1817, in Liber C of Miscellaneous Records, at page 195.

The first stated services were held by the Rev. George H. Norton, whose entrance upon the field is chronicled in the following extracts from letters addressed to Bishop Hobart by the Rev. Mr. Onderdonk. Under date of Canandaigua, Jan. 14, 1817, he writes— " Mr. Norton passed his first two examinations a week ago very creditably. In the hope

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that he will remain in the West, and believing that he is qualified to be very useful, I shall venture to begin operations at Rochesterville pretty soon. But if he is decidedly spoken of there as the missionary for building them up, it will be highly proper that he go there the instant he is in Orders."

And again under date of June 11, 1817, " Mr. Norton, I hope, will go to Rochesterville, but I confess that Buffalo is more promising and more in need of him; and if Mr. Norton goes to Buffalo, I should like to secure Mr. Asahel Davis, or somebody, without delay at R. Indeed Rochesterville has disappointed me not a little. When requested to go there, I told a gentleman I could do but little personally ; but they will do almost nothing themselves. But while I im there, they soon get in order again and zealous, but so speedily relax that they have not given the legal notices previous to organizing. Still the materials are good, and they only want a clergyman fixed there to get on very well.

They had $1300 subscribed at R. for a church, but owing to the pressure of the times and I suspect to difficulty in regard to a site and I fear to unsoundness in an individual or two, the subscription went no further. Still I regard the place as more promising than any except Buf-

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falo, and more promising than that for the mere building of a church, as materials are very cheap at Rochesterville.'

The actual organization of the parish is thus reported by the missionary to Bishop Hobart, under date July 15, 1817. " Mr. Norton having supplied my place for the last two Sundays, I devoted the morning of each of them to Rochesterville. The proper notices had been given and we yesterday met to organize. The number of names had been increased from 12 to 28 attached to the Episcopal Church ; of these 20 attended the meeting and a highly respectable Vestry was chosen. The name is ' St. Luke's Church, Genesee Falls.'

Everything I see and learn adds to the conviction that we did not begin there too early,—the village continues to increase. In the afternoon of both Sundays I attended at Carthage, a new village two miles lower down the river, and held a third service at Pittsford, ten or eleven miles this side of Carthage. Whether congregations can be formed at these places is doubtful, but we shall probably gather some gleanings at least. Mr. Norton has charge of the three places. He requested me to urge your sending a clergyman to Buffalo and to Batavia if possible, as a Presbyterian clergyman has just gone

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II

there ; he will devote some of his time to them and Leroy."

In September, 1818, Bishop Hobart made his first Episcopal visitation to the infant parish and confirmed four persons—Samuel G. Andrews, Mariette Andrews, (Mrs. W. P. Shearman), Mrs. Mary E. Montgomery, and Hannah Ann Andrews, (Mrs. Swan), in the building occupied by the 1st Presbyterian society on Carroll, now State St., which was kindly placed at his disposal for the service.

From this time the'occasional ministrations of the Rev. Mr. Norton were withdrawn, and for the ensuing eighteen months, some five or six services by the Rev- H. U. Onderdonk and the Rev. Alanson W. Welton, Missionary in Ontario county, were all that were held in the parish ; the place of service being the schoolhouse on the lot adjoining the present church edifice.

In the Spring of 1820, the slumbering interest in the Church was roused to the necessity of securing more frequent ministrations, and an arrangement was effected with the Rev. A. W. Welton " to perform Divine Service once in three weeks for one year;" but the removal of Mr. Welton to Detroit in a few months, terminated this engagement.

The new Vestry, however, elected at the

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Easter meeting, the first convened since the organization, consisting of George G. Sill and William Atkinson, Wardens, and Roswell Babbit, A. G. Diuby, J. Stebbins, Silas Smith, J. Mastick, S. M. Smith, J. H. Gregory and E. Johnson, determined to establish the parish on a permanent basis. The offer of the original proprietors of "the ioo-acre tract, Messrs.

Rochester, Fitzhugh & Carroll, " to convey lot No. 85 to the first religious society that should take possession of the same and build a church thereon," being still open, the Vestry resolved, July 10, 1820, to avail itself of the proposition.

Before the lot, however, was definitely secured, an effort was made in the Roman Catholic interest to forestall the Vestry, and a messenger was sent to Geneseo to secure the signatures of Messrs. Fitzhugh and Carroll, who resided in that locality, to a deed of gift. But the Vestry despatched Mr. Henry E. Rochester, then a lad of fourteen years, on a fleeter horse with a similar object in view. The latter succeeded in overtaking and passing the other messenger, who was tarrying for refreshment in the tavern at Avon, and so obtained the necessary signatures, to which that of the senior proprietor was cheerfully added. Meanwhile, the Vestry had. taken practical possession by digging for a foundation and drawing building material upon the lot.

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A site being thus secured, the construction of a wooden building, 38 X46 feet, to contain about forty pews, was decided upon, and a contract entered into, Aug. 5, 1820. with Elias Beach and Phelps Smith, to build the same, at a cost of $1260, and $200 additional for a bell tower •—the building committee consisting of Col. N. Rochester, John Mastick, Harvey Montgomery and George G. Sill. The funds were provided by the following unique subscription, which is given with the spelling and capitalization as in the original: " W e the subscribers for value received, promise to pay to the Church-Wardens and "Vestrymen of St. Luke's Church, in the Village of Eochesterville, and their successors in office, the several sums set opposite our respective names, on demand ; for the purpose and in trust to build a church in said Rochesterville for said St. Luke's Church; and upon the further trust that the said Church-Wardens and Vestrymen, and their successors in office, shall, after the completion of said church, sell or dispose of the pews or slips therein, and out of the funds arising therefrom, shall refund to the subscribers, with interest, the several sums by them subscribed and paid, if such funds shall be adequate ; if inadequate, then to each subscriber ratably, till the funds so arising, are exhausted.

Dated, July 3, 1820.

Names.

N. Rochester, H. Montgomery, James Fraser, Wm. P. Shearman,

in lumber in Cash in shelf goods in goods

Am't. $200 100 25 35

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ANNALS OF ST. LUKE'S. Am't.

Names.

20 (by request S. M. S.) Cash Oliver Culver 25 S. Melancton Smith , in Goods 50 Jonathan Child (by H. M.) in Lumber 50 Elisha Ely (by request S. M. S.) in Lumber 25 Frederick F. Backus, Cash 25 in Blacksmithing William Cobb, 10 in Tailoring work Elisha Taylor, 25 Cash Jas. H. Gregory, in Labor, Painting 25 West & Clark, in Cash 25 Roswell Babbit, 10 in Goods A. Hamlin, 25 Silas Smith (by request S. M. S.) in Goods 25 J. N. Stebbins, in goods 20 Wm. Haywood, in Hats 20 Weston & Everest, in Shoemaking 20 Abraham Plumb, Goods 10 Ira West & Co., in Goods 20 W. W. Mumford, in Cash 10 Ebenezer Watts, Jun'r, tinware 30 Elwood & Colman, , in Labour 10 in Cabinet furniture Wm Brewster, 25 in flour William Atkinson, 32 4,000 ft. Lumber @ $8 Samuel J. Andrews, 8 one thousand feet Lumber Enos Stone, 50 in lumber, 6JM. ft.

Bissell and Ely, 20 in Books or Stationery E. Peck & Co., 25 in Labor Jno. G. Vought, 25 in Sundries S. Cleveland, 10 John Harford, Goods 25 in work John Swift, in Tailoring George Cameron, 8 (will do something, S. M. S.) Russell Ensworth 8 in work T. Bingham, 10 in work R. King, 7 in flour or goods H. Scrantom, 8 in chairs S. H. Packard, in tailoring Jehial Barnard, 5 5 in coopering Beni. James, Frederick Hanford, in Shingles 20 in team work Henry Draper, 25 in shoes Abner Wakelee, 10 Cash E. Pomeroy, 5 Zimri Davis, in teem work John G. Bond, in lumber or team work

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Names.

Jacob Gould, J. Mastick, Elias Beach, Phelps Smith, John Bingham,

HISTORICAL SKETCH.

I5

in goods eighteen dollars cash in joiner work in joiner work in joiner work

Am't.

10 18 30 30 10

The following additional subscription, bearing date August 1, 1820, provided for the erection of a Steeple or Cupola: Abrm. Plumb, donation in goods $20 West & Clark, in Labor, painting 25 John Mastick, in goods out of J. Spencer's Store 5 S. Melancton Smith, in Goods 5 Silas Smith, in Goods or demand in notes 5 J. N. Stebbins, in goods •> A. Reynolds, in goods or brick 5 D. D. Barnard, in Cider and apples del'd at Mendon 5 Preston Smith, in Goods at his Grocery 5 E. Watts will do the sodering for the Cupulo.

Levi Ward, jr., goods or provisions 5 Elisha Ely, in Lumber 25 Elisha Taylor, in Tayloring work 1° Daniel Warren, in mason work when called for with one week's Notice 10 Robert King, in Joiner work 5 Jonathan Case, in mason work, with one week's notice 1" Martin Clapp, in mason work at six days notice 10 Robert W. Churchill, in joiner work 10 Asa Bartlett, Mason work 5 John Meeker, in joiner work on or before thirty days 10 A. Steward 5 N. T. Rochester, in Lumber 5 Timothy Bos worth, to be paid in Combs at cash prices 5 W. L. Whiting, in goods at J. Spencer's Store for improvements on church 10 Joshua Ross, five dollars in Meat "5 Richmon Tuttle, Ten Dollars in Saddlery for improvement on the church 10

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ANNALS OF ST. LUKE'S.

Names.

Ephm. Moore, five Dollars in Pork out of my Shop for improvement on church Moses Dyer, two dollars in meat when called for David Stone. five Dollars in. Joiner's work with one week's notice Ashbel Steele, 10 Dollars in mason work Samuel Graves, $5 In Blacksmith work William Atkinson, in flour Silas Smith, one dollar Cash pd S. Melanoton Smith, one dollar Cash paid William Atkinson, one dollar Cash paid James H. Gregory, one dollar Cash pd J. N. Stebbins, one dollar Cash pd R. Babbit, one dollar Cash pd N. Rochester pd building chimney $4.06 Brick, rent of Stove, etc. 6.35 pd Smith & Alcott

2 5 10 5 f>

10.41 9.18

Pending the erection of the church, the following letter was addressed to Bishop Hobart

by William Atkinson, Warden, in behalf of the Wardefis and Vestrymen, under date Rochester, Nov. io, 1820, (the title of the villarge corporationhaving been changed in 1819 by an act of the legislature from Rochesterville to Rochester), which sets forth fully the condition of the parish at this time: " We presume, ere this, you have been informed by our friend Mr. Onderdonk, of the progress of our small society in erecting a house of public worship in this place, which, by the blessing of Providence, we intend to finish by the latter end of December. We have long been desirous of procuring a young clergyman,

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who would command respect by his talents and esteem by his virtues, and who would be in every way calculated to raise a society from a small beginning to a respectable size. It appears to us that here is a field for a clergyman to become eminently useful by an acquisition of members to the Church. We feel gratified on hearing that a person of this description has been found in Mr. Cuming, who, in your opinion, is every way calculated and who seems disposed to come. One great difficulty, however, arises in procuring ample funds for his support, owing to the smallness of our society and want of means. We, therefore, make application for some assistance from your missionary fund, or in any way deemed proper by yourself. We can probably raise three hundred dollars by great exertion and great liberality by our members, all of whom will contribute to the best of their ability; and by an addition of two hundred and fifty dollars from your fund, we shall be able to establish such a respectable standing as to make up any deficiency by those who would soon be added to our numbers. As our population increases with an unexampled rapidity and many persons of wealth, talent and respectability are daily added to our society, it becomes highly important for the Church that in the commencement there be established among

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ANNALS OF ST. LUKE'S.

us a man of respectable talents ; and that some assistance be granted for his support from abroad, so that an insupportable tax be not laid on a few individual members in the beginning, and consequently prevent an acquisition of members. A very few years will place us in a situation so as not to require foreign aid. We would thank you to take our situation under your serious consideration, feeling confident that every exertion will be made by you for our assistance, and would be pleased to hear from you previous to our communicating with Mr. Cuming on the subject. Be so good, also, as to inform us whether there would be an impropriety in performing Divine Service in the church before consecration. Mr. Onderdonk has, no doubt, shown you a communication from Col. Rochester, expressive of the minds of the Vestry."

The application for aid in the foregoing letter was fortified by the following communication to the Bishop from the Rev. Mr. Cuming, who was already at this date, Dec. 4, 1820, upon the ground, having come from Binghampton, where he held a missionary appointment: " Yesterday, for the first time, I officiated in this place. The attention was both general' and nattering, The prospect is good. In the

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evening I went to Penfield. Something may be done there bye-and-bye. " The Church will be ready for consecration the 1st of January. Will you have the goodness to inform me as early as possible on what day you will consecrate it, and of the other places in this vicinity you will expect to visit, and whether you will officiate at them morning or afternoon. I "expect to take Priests' Orders when you are here,—will you preach or shall some one of the clergy in this part of the country do it.

"As my living in this place will not exceed four hundred dollars per annum, I trust I shall be continued on the missionary list."

The young parish, however, was apparently thought able to take care of itself, as no assistance was received. The Vestry accordingly entered into agreement Jan. 10, 1821, with tha Rev. F. H. Cuming, Deacon, " to perform divine service in such manner as is customary in well regulated Protestant Episcopal Churches in the State of New York, for the term of one year from and after the first Sunday in December, 1820; " for which service the Vestry agreed to pay the sum of four hundred and seventy-five dollars; which sum was increased at various times, until in December, 1823, the salary was fixed at eight hundred dollars.

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The little church was first occupied on Christmas Day and was consecrated by Bishop Hobart on the 20th of February ensuing, at which time also the Rite of Confirmation was administered to the following persons: John Mastick, Jared N. Stebbins, Elbert Scrantom, N. T. Rochester, Ann Cornelia Rochester, Dorothy Stebbins, Frances Tiffany and Sarah Mason.

On the following day, the Rev. Mr. Cuming was advanced to the Priesthood.

In his convention address of that year, the Bishop in mentioning these facts, adds : " It gives me great pleasure to see a respectable and increasing congregation in a flourishing village, the site of which at the Falls of the Genesee river a few years since was a wilderness."

The prosperity of the parish under the ministry of Mr. Cuming, rendered increased accommodation necessary, and accordingly on the 25th of June, 1823, the Vestry resolved to build a new church when the subscription should amount to eight thousand dollars. It was hoped that Trinity Church, New York, would loan two thousand dollars more, and the Rev. Mr. Cuming was authorized and requested Aug. 12, to draft a petition to this effect to that corporation. The application, however, proved unsuccessful. The following letter from Mr.

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Cuming to Bishop Hobart under date Aug. 15, 1823, explains the situation : " It is now about two and a half years since the Church in this place had the constant services of a clergyman. Five communicants were all that could at the commencement of this period be found residing here. The number of individuals in the place who had been educated Episcopalians amounted to twenty. Though we are still but a little flock, our increase has been greater than the most sanguine of us expected to see within so short a period. At the very beginning every effort was made to prevent our permanent establishment. These efforts have continued to be made, but at no time with more determination than at present.

It is unnecessary for me to go into details. I have an account of facts treasured up with respect to the hostility displayed toward the Church here, the disclosure of which would even make almost every opposer of our institutions in every other place to which my knowledge extends, blush. The most unremitting exertions are made, and the most ungentlemanly acts resorted to to keep people, especially those of influence, enterprise and capital away from the Church and induce them to attend elsewhere.

It is highly important to the welfare of the Church, and especially to her

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ANNALS OF ST. LUKE'S.

increase in respectability and wealth, that we erect a building which shall reflect credit upon the architect, upon the village and the Church at large."

The infant parish thus obliged to be dependent on its own resources, determined to " arise and build." In September, 1823, the Vestry resolved to enter into a contract with H. T. McGeorge to build a stone church 53 x 73 with a tower 16x6 at the contract price of $9,000, and William Pitkin, Caleb L. Clark, S. M. Smith, T. H. Rochester and Silas Smith with the minister exofficio, were appointed the building committee. The cost of the edifice, however, reached the sum of $10,40x3. The old frame church was removed to the rear of the lot and was subsequently used for Sunday School purposes until 1832, when the building was sold, removed to Buffalo St., converted to secular uses and finally demolished in April, 1875.

The corner stone of the new structure was laid May 11, 1824, and the edifice was first opened for public worship Sept. 4, 1825.

The following contemporary description is taken from the first Rochester Directory, published in 1827 : " The style of the building, is Gothick, which has been rigidly observed in every particular.

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The main part of the front is of hewn gray stone from Auburn. The two corners of the tower and the two corners of the body of the house are of red freestone, as are also the water table, the caps, sills and jambs of the windows and doors. The two windows in the tower are strikingly beautiful, containing a proper number of spandrels and branching mullions, and ornamented with rich and delicate tracery.

Around the arch of the first of these, handsomely cut in the stone cap, is the name of the church, with the year of its erection. The tower is 16 feet square, projecting five feet beyond the body of the church, and rising to the height of 90 feet. This is finished at the top with eight pinnacles, connected by a castellated or embattled balustrade. A similar balustrade runs around the roof of the whole house, having similar pinnacles at each corner. The wood-work on the outside of the house has been made strongly to resemble the red freestone, by a process termed smalting. " In the arrangement of the interiour will be seen convenience, elegance, and a strict economy of room. The pulpit and desk consist of a number of delicate Gothick arches, behind which is a drapery of dark blue velvet. The chancel is in the form of an oval, placed in front of the desk, and containing a Communion

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Table of Italian marble, and a baptismal font of the purest alabaster, resting on a pedestal of agate marble. The gallery is supported by large cluster columns, painted in imitation of light blue variegated marble. The ceiling is finished with intersecting vaulted or groined arches, ornamented with stucco work. In the church is placed a large and remarkably finetoned organ."

This organ was built by Hall & Erben of New York and cost $130x3; the instrumental music in the old church having been furnished by a violin, flute, clarionet and bass viol. The* first organist was Daniel Clark, who held the position till May, 1827, when he was superseded by William Staunton, remaining however in charge of the choir until April, 1828. The engagement authorized to be made with the new organist was " at a salary of $200 per annum and a guarantee of ten scholars in music @ $10 per year for one year."

The pews were " offered at public sale on perpetual lease, and for one or three years by bids for choice at the valuation and annual rents affixed in the schedule attached." The highest valuation was $280, and the highest annuity $20.

The number of pews on the ground floor was sixty-six, and in the gallery twenty-six.

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The church was consecrated by Bishop Hobart, Sept. 30, 1826, the ceremony having been thus long delayed owing to the Bishop's absence in Europe.

The Christian activity of the parish found expression, March 2, 1827, in the organization of the "Female Benevolent and Auxiliary Missionary Society," whose object was " the procuring of funds in aid of plans and societies formed for the purpose of promoting the cause of religion as connected with the interests of the Prot. Epis. Church, special reference being had to the wants of the General Missionary Society of the Episcopal Church and the Monroe County Episcopal Association, for disseminating religious knowledge." This last-named association, organized in February, 1827, appears to have allowed the object for which it was formed, viz., " the supply of vacant places within the county with the services of the Episcopal Church, assisting in the establishment and support of new congregations, and the formation of Sunday Schools," to devolve entirely upon the ladies' society, designed to be auxiliary to it. This organization, however, devoted itself at once to earnest work, with a membership of 126, and with Mrs. Elisha Johnson for President, Mrs. H. Montgomery, Vice

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President, Mrs. W. Pitkin, Secretary, and Mrs. T. H. Rochester, Treasurer.

The fust efforts of the society were directed to providing missionary services in parts adjacent, as is evident from the following extract from a letter of Mr. Cuming, dated May 21, 1827, enclosing to his correspondent a copy of the constitution of the newly-formed society: " The inducements which the society can at present hold out are by no means so great as we wish we had it in our power to offer. But when it is mentioned that there are strong, very strong reasons to authorize the belief that the prudent, 'zealous, persevering efforts of some able and pious clergyman would much promote the interests of the Episcopal Ghurch in this quarter and result in building up two or three respectable congregations, we think we present an argument calculated to have much weight with those who sincerely love the Church.'

The minutes of the society show that appropriations were made from time to time for missionary work at Penfield, Pittsford, Brockport, Scottsville, and Honeoye Falls. The need of missionary work within the city (for Rochester became a city in 1834) claimed more and more attention, and from 1846 (with increased ability on the part of diocesan agencies to care for outlying points), this society addressed its efforts

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mainly to the city field by providing successive Rectors with clerical assistance. With some modification of its name, the society remained in existence till Feb. 3, 1868, when the Christian activity of the ladies was directed into other channels. It may here, however, be fitly remarked that great interest was early manifested by the congregation in the missionary cause, both foreign and domestic; an interest largely fostered by this association, which through systematic annual offerings liberally contributed to missionary objects. An evidence of the special interest felt in the mission to Greece lies in the fact that a scholarship in Dr. and and Mrs. Hill's school at Athens was supported by ladies in St. Luke's ; and the first Greek girl received into that school, Agathoula by name, testified her gratitude by working on canvas, with emblematical and ornamental designs, a scripture text, " In memoriam of Mrs. Sophia Rochester, Dec. 9th, 1845"—a memento still preserved in the Rochester family.

Another organization was formed of unmarried ladies in the parish, on Ash Wednesday, 1827, to be known as "The Young Ladies' Benevolent and Reading Society." Its objects were "to promote the mutual instruction of the members, and to procure funds for charitable or religious purposes." The society

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met once in two weeks, and during a reading by one of their number, the others were required " industriously to employ themselves in making such articles as may be disposed of to the advantage of the society." Its benefactions took a wide range, including appropriations to missions, theological students, parochial needs and the maintenance of a charity school; and its good work as a distinct organization was continued until 1838.

The earlier establishment of the Rochester Female Charitable Society, Feb. 26, 1822, should also properly be noted here; which, although a general organization, included among its first officers and members many ladies of prominence in St. Luke's Church. The first public discourse in its behalf was preached by the Rector of St. Luke's, and it has ever retained the confidence and practical sympathy of the congregation.

The letter of Rev. Mr. Cuming last quoted contains, at the close, the following important reference : "Measures are now taking to organize another Episcopal congregation in this village, next Monday." The measures referred to originated in the following action of the Vestry of St. Luke's, May 7, 1827 : " WHEREAS, The congregation of St. Luke's has become so numerous in consequence of the

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increasing population of the village, that their present church cannot afford the necessary accommodation, and it being therefore advisable to establish an additional church in the Village of Rochester, and application having been made by parishioners of St. Luke's Church residing on the east side of the Genesee river for the organization of such additional church and society agreeably to the Constitution and Canons of the Protestant Episcopal Church ; therefore, Resolved, That the said additional church be located on the east side of the Genesee river within the bounds of the village corporation.

Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to carry the above resolutions into effect in a legal manner and as soon as practicable, and that the following gentlemen compose said committee : Messrs. Atkinson, Johnson, Boulton, Whittlesey and Pitkin.

Resolved, That the said committee wait upon the Rev. Mr. Cuming and express to him the continued confidence and attachment of all the parishioners of St. Luke's Church, and request him to proceed in the organization of the additional church."

In accordance with this action, St. Paul's Church was organized, May 28, 1827, and the following communicants dismissed from St.

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Luke's to the new parish: Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Atkinson, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel J. Andrews, Mr. and Mrs. Jared N. Stebbins, Giles Boulton, E. Smith Lee, Mrs. Susan Lee, Mrs. Mary Williams, Mrs. Elisha Johnson, John Cames, Mrs. Richard P. Petherick, and Mrs. W. Gf Russell. Five others also were dismissed during the year to form the nucleus of a new organization in the village of Penfield, to be called Trinity Church.

A contract for a bell of 2,000 lbs. weight was authorized to be made, July 5, 1827, with Ward, Bartholomew & Brainerd. Its cost was $900, $500 of which was provided by the proceeds of a lot given to the parish for this purpose by Colonel Fitzhugh. The bell was hung in the tower, April 17, 1828.

At the Easter meeting in this year, Monday in Easter week was substituted for Thursday as the time of the annual election. An enlargement of the church by the addition of two arches at the west end was deemed expedient, which would increase its length by thirty feet.

A contract was entered into with Elias J. Mershon to execute this plan at an expense of $3,000, Wm. Pitkin, S. O. Smith and F. Whittksey being the building committee. The work was so conducted that the use of the church was not interrupted, and the new part was

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thrown open for occupancy in the fall of the same year.

The Rectorship of the Rev. Mr. Cuming was brought to a close by his resignation under date March 23, 1829, after an incumbency of eight years and four months. The Vestry accepted the resignation, " deeply regretting the existence of reasons that in his estimation are deemed of sufficient weight and importance to determine him to resign a situation he has so usefully occupied and the duties of which he has so faithfully and satisfactorily discharged."

An invitation to become the Rector was now extended to the Rev. Francis L. Hawks of New Haven, but declined by him on the ground of duty to his present parish and the condition of his health.

The Rev. Henry J. Whitehouse of Reading, Pa., was then called to the Rectorship, Sept. 9, 1829. After visiting the parish and officiating, the call was renewed, Oct. 4, by the Vestry and accepted " by the advice of Bishop Hobart,' and on the first Sunday in December the new Rector entered upon his duties. His formal Institution took place Aug. 29, 1830. The rite of confirmation was administered in the evening of the same day to sixty-one candidates; on which occasion the Bishop accidentally overturned the alabaster font, which was thus broken

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to pieces. It was his last service in St. Luke's, as his lamented death took place on the I2th of the ensuing month. The Vestry placed on record their feelings in reference to the loss of their beloved Bishop, in the following language: " But two weeks before his decease, he in this church instituted our Rector and administered the apostolic rite of confirmation. It was almost his last ministerial act. We feel sensibly, we hope, this divine dispensation, and humbly pray God to direct us in the way of our duty, and that in due time He will raise up another bishop who shall with equal consistency preserve the integrity of the Church, with equal self-devotedness dedicate himself to her interests, with equal purity adorn her highest office, and, like him we mourn, be the polished gentleman, the practical scholar, the consistent Christian and the best of bishops." The church was draped in black and the Vestry wore the usual badge of mourning, for thirty days.

The Rector reported to the Convention of this year, that he had given a third service for ten or twelve Sunday evenings in the village of Penfield, and occasionally a week-service in the town of Brighton. In the following year, these services in Penfield were continued, and six persons were confirmed there by Bishop Onderdonk, Aug. 22, 1831.

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The venerable founder of the village and the first warden of the church, Col. Nathaniel Rochester, deceased on the 4th of May, 1831, at the age of seventy-nine years. The Vestry manifested their respect and affection for his memory by appropriate resolutions and official participation in the funeral solemnities. On that occasion a memorable sermon was preached by the Rector, from the text, Gen. xliii. 27, " The old man of whom ye spake, is he yet alive?"

A communication addressed to the Rev. Mr. Whitehouse by the Vestry of St. Paul's Church, bearing date Dec. 5, 1831, was laid by him before the Vestry of St. Luke's, in which it was unanimously proposed to associate the two Churches under his parochial charge as Rector of both, with authority to procure an assistantminister,—the services and the expenses to be equally divided between the two Churches.

The Vestry of St. Luke's, after full consideration of the subject, found themselves of one opinion as to the inadvisability of the proposed scheme, and to a detailed statement of their objections thereto, added these words: "This Vestry receive with much gratification the expression of the committee of St. Paul's to our Rector, of their ' approbation of the views and policy exhibited by him during his connec-

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tion with St. Luke's Church,' and sincerely hope it is an earnest of the desire and determination •of that congregation to be governed by the same sound and consistent views and policy, as they are calculated to present our episcopal institutions under one form, establish harmony and engage the cordial co-operation of the members of our respective congregations."

In 1832, a building was erected in the rear of the Church as a lecture-room and for the Sunday School, and also for the Charity School, which it was proposed to establish. This latter was organized in 1833 with seventy-five scholars and was supported mainly by the Young Ladies' Benevolent Society of St. Luke's, Gershom P. Waldo and Ethan Allen, both afterwards in Orders in the Church, being among the teachers of the school. The subsequent development of the common school system occasioned its discontinuance, and in April, 1843, the Vestry authorized " the giving away of the Charity School apparatus."

At a meeting of the Vestry, Sept. 29, 1832, the embarrassed condition of the affairs of St. Paul's Church were again presented to their attention through a communication from the Vestry of the latter, whereupon the following preamble and resolutions were adopted :

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" WHEREAS, certain statements of the affairs and condition of St. Paul Church in the Village of Rochester from the Vestry thereof, have been submitted to the consideration of the Vestry of this Church ; from which it appears that the pecuniary affairs of said Church are in a condition so embarrassed that they entertain no hope of being able to extricate themselves, and that without means, without a Rector and burdened with debt, they fear that they must sink under their difficulties, the Church be borne down, the congregation dispersed and the building sold, to the great injury of the Episcopal interest in this section, unless some new arrangement can be made for their relief and the benefit of the Church in general, and so suggesting that the Corporation of this Church should purchase the building of St. Paul's Church as a Chapel of St. Luke's, as the only practical measure of saving it from entire sacrifice and averting a serious and permanent injury to the prosperity of the Episcopal Church generally, therefore Resolved, that the interests of the Episcopal Church demand that St. Luke's Church should make an effort to purchase the building known as St. Paul's Church as a Chapel of this Church, if it can be done without too great a burden upon its resources and funds.

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Resolved, that the Rector of this Church be empowered to ascertain what foreign resources can be depended upon for the above object, and to this intent, if necessary, present the matter to the Vestry of Trinity Church, New York."

After considerable negotiation, it was finally deemed unwise and impracticable by the Vestry of St. Luke's for them to assume the responsibility which the purchase of St. Paul's as a Chapel would involve, since the conditions connected with the offer of Trinity Church, New York, to pay the interest on $10,000 indebtedness for two years, required the purchase of the property by St. Luke's and the clearing off of all claims and incumbrances in excess of that amount.

A plan for the reorganization of St. Paul's under another name was subsequently devised, and liberally aided by Trinity Church, New York ; and the new corporation of Grace Church came, through foreclosure, into possession of the property.

The only occasion when St. Luke's has been visited by fire was in the early morning of Sunday, December 23, 1832, when the damage was slight and mainly by water. The kind invitation of their neighbors of the First Presbyterian

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Society to worship in their edifice was gratefully accepted : which courtesy the Vestry were pleased to reciprocate on a subsequent occasion, when the walls of the First Church came to be considered unsafe; proffering the use of the Church to a religious society, whose relations with St. Luke's, its oldest and nearest neighbor, have always been of the most friendly character.

The Rev. Mr. Whitehouse proposing a trip to Europe for his health, and the Vestry expressing their cordial concurrence in the plan, he left the city Aug. 8, 1833, having preached a farewell sermon on the evening preceding.

The Rev. James A. Bolles, of New York, was invited by the Vestry " to take charge of the parish as assistant minister thereof from the first day of September next at a salary of $600.

The Rev. Mr. Bolles accepted the proposition, preaching his first sermon Sept. 15. The Rector returned Dec. 7, 1834, having received during his absence the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity from Geneva College.

In 1836 a project for the establishment of a second offshoot of St. Luke's was agitated, and a committee of the Vestry was appointed to " circulate a subscription for purchasing a lot for a new church in Frankfort." As the result of this effort an eligible site was secured oppo-

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site Brown's Square, and Seth C. Jones opened a Sunday School in the school-house which then stood on the square; and here the work rested for a time.

In October of the same year the Rev. Dr. Whitehouse, having secured leave of absence from his duties, was married in New York and sailed for Europe Nov. 22, remaining abroad until Oct. 8, 1837. The services meanwhile were supplied by the Rev. N. F. Bruce, M. D. Toward the close of the year 1843, $1200 was subscribed " for the purpose of making necessary and suitable repairs on or about the exterior of the church edifice and for erecting chancel rail, alteration in gallery, cleaning and painting ceiling and walls, varnishing woodwork, carpeting aisles, procuring trimmings for desk and pulpit, etc." The desk and pulpit therefore were themselves constructed at an earlier date, as is further evidenced by a parchment recently found attached to the interior of the pulpit, on which is inscribed in the handwriting of Dr. Whitehouse and bearing date June 29, 1839, "This pulpit was erected A. D. 1836 from original designs of the Rev. Henry J. Whitehouse, D. D., Thomas Thorn, carpenter. The Screen and Canopy, completed 1839, from designs by the same, Elijah Somers and

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Henry Rogers, carpenters; Painting and Graining by Wm. H. Myers."

The ministry of Dr. Whitehouse was terminated by his resignation Feb. 19, 1844, his farewell sermon being preached on the 5th of the ensuing May. The Vestry and congregation very unwillingly assented to the separation of the ties which had bound them together for fourteen years and five months, and placed on record their testimony to his ability and fidelity, and their recognition of the fact that to his faithful services it was chiefly due that the Church which he " found comparatively feeble " he was leaving " strong, prosperous and influential."

A call to the vacant rectorship was extended, May 9, 1844, to the Rev. Thomas C. Pitkin, of Louisville, Ky., and accepted by him May 21st.

He entered upon his duties July 14, 1844, just 27 years from the date of the parish organization, and was instituted by Bishop DeLancey on the n t h of the following August.

The influence of the new Rector was cordially given to the realization of the project to establish a new church in the northern part of the city. The friends of the movement and the subscribers to the lot already secured on Brown's Square, met in August, 1845, i n the public school house corner of Fish (now Centre)

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and Jones Sts., and inaugurated public service Sunday afternoons and evenings under the auspices of the Rector. This movement resulted in the formal organization, Oct. 27, of Trinity Church. The Rev. Vandervoort Bruce was elected the first Rector, and it was resolved to sell the lot on Brown's Square, as being rather too far out of the city, and to purchase one which was regarded as more eligible on the corner of Fish and Frank Sts. The Rev. Mr. Pitkin " finding his health inadequate to the care of so large a parish," tendered his resignation April 3, 1847, which took effect after three years of service, on the 12th of the following July, amid general expressions of regret on the part of the people. He was assisted during part of the year 1846, by the Rev. John N. Norton. An invitation to the Rectorship was now extended to the Rev. Wm. Suddards, of Philadelphia, but declined by him.

The charge of the Parish was then committed temporarily to the Rev. T. F. Wardvvell, who officiated from Aug. 29, till the close of the year, when the Rev. Henry W. Lee, of Springfield, Mass., who had been called to the Rectorship, October 18, entered upon his duties January 2, 1848. He was instituted by Bishop DeLancey, Feb. 16, 1848. In his onerous pastoral labors in the parish, he was successively

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assisted by the Revs. Edw. Meyer, Geo. H. McKnight, Bethel Judd, D. D., W. H. Barris, Geo. N. Cheney, Geo. W. Watson and Theodore A. Hopkins; funds for that purpose being provided in part by the Ladies' Missionary Society. Services were frequently held in the suburbs of the City, and in the town of Brighton.

During the year 1848, the sum of $4,000 was subscribed to liquidate a standing indebtedness of the corporation. The debt was accordingly canceled upon payment of the amount pledged and report thereof made to the Vestry Aug. 5, 1850.

A proposition to introduce gas into the Church was negatived June 4, 1849; which improvement was not effected till Dec. 24, 1853.

A committee appointed to circulate a subscription to provide a chime of bells and a new organ, consisting of Messrs. Kidd, Pitkin, Churchill, Dewey and Whittlesey, reported July 1, 1850, that they had secured $3,600; whereupon contracts were authorized to be made with A. Meneely, of Troy, for the chimes, and with Appleton & Warren for the new organ.

At the first Commencement of the University of Rochester, June 9, 1851, the honorary

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degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon the Rev. Mr. Lee. In April, 1854, on the retirement of Mr. and Mrs. D. M. Dewey from the choir, the Vestry expressed their cordial thanks for their faithful and valuable services, rendered gratuitously for upwards of sixteen years. A similar resolution, accompanied by a valuable testimonial, had been voted by the Vestry in December, 1845.

Besides Mrs. Dewey, her sisters, Mrs. J. M. Winslow and Mrs. Albert Walker, had previously rendered efficient and acceptable services in the choir for many years. The resignation of Dr. Lee, after a ministry of seven years, occasioned by his election to the Episcopate of Iowa, was presented Oct. 9, 1854, and accepted with "unmingled feelings of regret and with grateful appreciation of the many qualities which have rendered his ministry so important to the prosperity of our parish, and which have endeared him to the people of his charge."

His Consecration as Bishop of Iowa took place in St. Luke's, on the 18th of Oct., 1854, Bishop J. H. Hopkins presiding, and Bishop Manton Eastburn preaching the sermon, Bishops McCoskry, DeLancey, Burgess and Whitehouse uniting in the imposition of hands.

His first episcopal act was the Confirmation of

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a class of thirty-five, in his own Church, on the 24th of December.

The Vestry meanwhile had called to the Rectorship the Rev. Benjamin Watson, of Zion Church, Newport, R. I., who accepted the same and entered upon his duties April 29, 1855, t n e services during the interim having been maintained by the Rev. T. A. Hopkins, assistant minister at the close of the last rectorate.

The necessity of a fourth Episcopal Church, which had been increasingly felt, resulted in the organization of a new parish in the southeast quarter of the city. The first official act of the new Rector was to officiate, at an early hour on the 29th of April, in Palmer's Hall, at the primary service of the new congregation, mainly composed of parishioners of St. Luke's.

From this beginning sprung the important 'and prosperous parish of Christ Church.

The Institution of the Rev. Mr. Watson, by Bishop DeLancey, took place on Thursday.

Feb. 14, 1856.

During the first year of his ministry, the church edifice was thoroughly repaired within and without, at an expense of over $5,000.

The subscription to defray this improvement being some $1,500 short of that amount, the Vestry saw fit to mortgage the church. It was at this time that the present stained glass was

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inserted in the windows, the interior frescoed and the tower remodeled. Largely increased expense was also incurred for music. An ineffectual effort was made in April, 1859, t o procure a rectory, but the realization of its importance bore fruit a few years later.

The Rev. Mr. Watson, finding the climate uncongenial, and having been called to the Church of the Atonement, Philadelphia, presented his resignation, which was regretfully accepted, July 23, 1859, t 0 t a l < e effect the 7th of the following month, when he delivered his farewell discourse; it being recorded that " during his term of four years and three month's service as our Rector, he has, by his ability, fidelity and exemplary Christian deportment in the discharge of his .arduous duties, won the respect, confidence and affection of his whole congregation." His assistants were the Revs. Robt. W. Lewis and Chas. E. Cheney.

The services during the interim were supplied by the Rev. W. B. Otis, from Aug. 7 to Oct. 2, 1859The Rev. R. Bethell Claxton, D. D., of St. Paul's Church, Cleveland, O., was called to the Rectorship, Oct. 1, 1859, a n d entered upon his duties on the 1st of the following December. On the 20th of February ensuing, he was

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instituted by Bishop DeLancey, Bishop H.W. Lee preaching the sermon.

Steps were efficiently taken by the Vestry to secure a rectory, and a negotiation to obtain property on Fitzhugh street was terminated by an authorization to purchase, Aug, 25, i860, at the price of $7,000, of which $4,000 was paid in cash.

The patriotic spirit of the congregation manifested itself, April 29, 1861, in a resolution of the Vestry to procure the National colors and erect a flag-staff on the church, and also to present a Prayer-Book to every volunteer from the City of Rochester, who would accept it. The flag was raised on the tower of the church on the 4th of May; on which occasions addresses were made to a large concourse of people by the Rector, Hon. Alfred Ely and Roswell Hart, Esq. The plan of building a Mission Chapel was at several meetings urged by the Rector upon the Vestry without eliciting from that body any satisfactory encouragement; but convinced of the necessity of such provision for those at a distance from the church, he persevered in his design and succeeded in founding the Chapel of the Good Shepherd, in the eleventh ward,—a part of the city at that time destitute of all religious privileges. The means to ac-

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complish this result were provided by the Sunday-school, the Ladies' Missionary Society and a few willing helpers. The corner-stone of a neat edifice of brick, 28 x 52, with a porch 8 feet square, upon a lot 54 x 150, was laid, by the Rector, Sept. 23, 1863; and on the 31st of July in the next year, he had the happiness of opening the Chapel for Divine Service, The total cost of the building was upwards of $3,000.

As early as June, 1861, the Rev. Dr. Claxton addressed a communication to the Vestry, proposing the establishment of " an Asylum for orphans and destitute children, to be under the especial care of our Church in Rochester." The Vestry declined to take action in the matter ; but the nucleus of a fund to establish such an institution was formed by the collections at the joint-service of the several parishes on successive Maundy Thursdays, beginning in 1861.

Plans and elevations for a new church edifice were presented to the Vestry by Mr. William Churchill, Feb. 24, 1864, and a committee was appointed to " ascertain if money can be raised for the erection of a new church," and "to present to pew-owners a request to surrender their pews in the church." This committee subsequently reported that they "had not succeeded in inducing pew-holders to surrender their pews or to submit to new annuities."

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In the failure of the project to build a new church, it was decided, April 11, 1864, to erect a very much needed Sunday School building, and Messrs. Bronson, Brewster and Hawley were appointed to act in the matter. The contract for the work, however, was not formally authorized until April 24, 1865, when $2,700 had been collected for the purpose, nor finally completed till April, 1866, at a total cost for building and furniture of $6,000.

The inadequacy of the income of the Church to meet its current expenses without continual resort to special subscriptions, pressed so heavily upon the Vestry that in the Spring of 1864, they called a meeting of the congregation and presented as the root of the difficulty their inability legally to fix such annuities upon the pews as would be sufficient to defray the expenses of the Church, and earnestly requesting the pew-owners to relinquish their leases, which limited the amount which each could be required to pay : but strenuous effort on the part of the Vestry failed to secure the surrender of the vested rights.

A plan however was subsequently devised, to which all the pew-holders except two assented, by which the Vestry were to extinguish the rights of such lessees as would not surrender their pews for a term of years by the payment

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of a consideration ; and the Church was ordered to be mortgaged for $6,000 to procure the nee essary funds, after paying the existing mortgage debt of $1,200 and advances by the Treasurer, amounting to $1,700. Application was also ordered to be made to the Legislature for the passage of an act authorizing the Vestry to assess upon pews and sittings the current expenses of the corporation.

The laborious duty of securing the surrender of 27 leases and the extinguishment by purchase of 14 others devolved upon Mr. T. C. Montgomery, to whom the church is under lasting obligations in this matter, as well as for another most important service in perfecting an absolute title to the church property through releases secured by him from the heirs of Rochester, Fitzhugh and Carroll.

It having been proposed to invite the newlyelected Assistant Bishop of the Diocese to make Rochester his residence, the Vestry appointed a committee to confer with committees from the other parishes in the city on the subject.

As the result of such conference, steps were taken to provide by general subscription a home for Bishop Coxe in this city, but he ultimately decided it to be for the best interests of the Diocese that he should reside in Buffalo.

The Rev. Dr. Claxton having been appointed

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" Professor of Pulpit Eloquence and Pastoral Care" in the Philadelphia Divinity School, presented his resignation to take effect Oct. 1, 1865; in accepting which, the Vestry "bear willing testimony to the fidelity with which he ministered in holy things, the purity of his doctrines, the earnestness and ability of his pulpit appeals, the untiring industry and self-denying zeal which has marked the discharge of his parochial duties and the uniform interest and affection with which he has watched over the flock." During Dr. Claxton's ministry of five years and ten months, he was assisted by the Revs. Joseph Kidder, Fred. N. Luson, DeWitt C. Loop, Fred. M. Gray and Horatio Gray.

Upon the nomination of the retiring Rector, the Rev. Wm. J. Clark was placed in charge of the parish from Oct. 1, 1865, which engagement terminated April 18, 1866.

The Rev. Henry C. Potter, D. D., of St. John's Church, Troy, was invited, Nov. 8, 1865, to accept the rectorship, but though earnestly urged on the occasion of a personal visitation to the parish to accept the charge, he after careful deliberation declined the call.

A joint committee of three from the Vestry and three from the congregation on the subject of securing a Rector, recommended, April 9, 1866, that an engagement be made with the

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Rev. Henry Anstice, officiating at St. Barnabas' Church, Irvington, to take pastoral charge of the parish for one year; and a special committee consisting of N. T. Rochester, T. C. Montgomery and Aaron Erickson was appointed to extend the invitation. At a subsequent meeting the committee reported " that they could not make any arrangement with the Rev. Henry Anstice to take temporary charge of this parish." A call to the Rectorship at a salary of $2,000, with the use of the Rectory and $800 for an assistant was thereupon extended April 23, 1866, and accepted to take effect on the 13th of the following month.

At the first meeting of the Vestry with the new Rector, he was requested to take the keys of the Chapel of the Good Shepherd and to make such disposition thereof as he with the concurrence of the Vestry may from time to time think advisable," and in accordance with a subsequent resolution he received and accepted the title to the property from the Rev. Dr..

Claxton, the Vestry having been unwilling to assume the legal responsibility incident thereto.

A plan for general city mission work having been projected by Mr. George R. Clark and the Rev. Dr. Van Ingen under the name of " The St. Matthew's Church Mission," and it having been intimated to the Vestry that the said Mis-

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sion was desirous of purchasing the Good Shepherd Chapel in order to unify the work of Church extension in the city under one management, it was resolved " with a view to promote harmony of feeling and action between the several clergy and parishes of Rochester and as an expression of interest in the newly inaugurated joint mission work," to enter into a contract to convey the property to trustees for the use of the said mission. The " St. Matthew's Mission " accordingly conducted services in the chapel as well as at other points in the city by its missionaries, the Rev. R. M. Duff, Dean, and the Rev. E. S. Wilson, assisted by Mr. S. D. Boorom and D. H. Lovejoy, M. D., candidates for Orders. Upon the dissolution of that organization, however, in June, 1867, the chapel reverted to St. Luke's and the services were continued therein by the Rector and his assistants. The other points at which services had been sustained by this joint missionary effort were the school house near Deep Hollow, which was committed to the care of Trinity Church; the Oregon St. Mission, which was assigned to Grace Church, and Hope Chapel, which was committed to Christ Church, and developed by the care of its Rector and some zealous laymen into St. Clement's in July, 1871.

The Vestry having had under consideration

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the advisability of thoroughly remodeling and refitting the interior of the church, and placing the whole edifice in the best possible condition, requested the Rector to call a meeting of the congregation to express their views upon the subject. At this meeting, held July 16, 1866, plans and estimates were presented and discussed, and on motion of Mr. Aaron Erickson, it was resolved, " That the congregation do advise the Vestry to make the improvements proposed, and at the same time to make provision for paying off the entire church debt upon the basis of property in the pews." Steps were, accordingly, at once taken to carry out the recommendations of the congregation, and Messrs Bronson, Brewster and Perkins, with the Rector as chairman, were appointed the building committee, and the same members of the Vestry, together with Mr. Erickson, and Hon. E. D. Smith were designated a committee to solicit subscriptions,—the labors of which latter work, devolved almost entirely upon Judge E. D. Smith and Mr. G. H. Perkins.

The last service in the old church, prior to its occupation by the workmen, was held Oct. 7, 1866; from which time the congregation worshiped statedly on Sunday afternoons in the First Presbyterian Church, opposite, which had been kindly tendered for that purpose by the

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Christian courtesy of its Trustees. A Wednesday evening service with lectures on the Prayer Book was also held in our Sunday School building, and the sessions of the Sunday School were not interrupted.

The Rev. M. R. St. J. Dillon-Lee entered upon his duties as the first assistant to the Rector, Sept. 2, '66. With his co-operation weekly cottage services were maintained throughout the Winter in the 8th Ward, and a Sunday afternoon service established in the following Spring in a building rented for that purpose.

The whole southwestern section of the city was divided into districts, and lady visitors assigned to each with a view to organized personal ministries of divers sorts to the people there resident.

The committee of the Vestry which had been appointed in April to act with similar committees from the other three parishes for the purpose of purchasing a lot in Mt. Hope Cemetery for the interment of " persons attached to the Episcopal Church for whose burial no other appropriate place should be provided," reported Jan. 31, '67, that they had purchased jointly such a lot for $324, of which $106 was to be paid by St. Luke's.

The work of repair was meanwhile slowly

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progressing in the church building. It had been found necessary to make excavations, build foundations for the pillars, put in newtimbers and flooring and make unplanned alterations and improvements to such an extent that the work was protracted into the short days of Winter and the expense very materially increased. Before the re-modeling of the edifice there was no middle aisle and no entrance through the tower; the pews had doors as high as the backs of the seats ; there were square pews in the gallery, and the building was heated with stoves. Steam-heating apparatus was now introduced throughout the church and Sunday School building, and the organ was renovated and its power increased by the addition of several stops.

On the 10th of March, 1867, the church was reopened for Divine Service by the Bishop of the Diocese, and on the 14th inst. in the presence of all the city clergy the formal Institution of the Rector took place; Dr. T. C. Pitkin of Buffalo and Dr. Abner Jackson of Geneva, acting as attending presbyters, Bishop Coxe preaching the sermon and performing the ceremony, and William Pitkin, Esq., presenting the keys of the church,—an office he had discharged at the Institution of each preceding Rector; all of them except the first having been formally instituted into the Rectorship.

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A statement of the financial condition of the parish was laid before the congregation on Easter Monday, April 22, 1867, from which it appeared that there had been expended in repairing the church edifice about $19,000, and that the sums collected from subscriptions and sales of pews amounted to $18,770, with about $7,000 more due and unpaid. The debts of the Church, contracted before the repairs were commenced, were stated at $6,000 on the church building, $3,000 of purchase money on the Rectory, $2,400 in contracts for purchase of Exchange St. property in rear of Rectory, and $1,000 balance due and and unpaid on the Sunday School building; thus showing the total debt of the corporation, before the improvements were begun, to have been $12,400. The hope which had been entertained, that the entire debt would be paid off at this time was therefore disappointed. A material reduction of it, however, was effected through the gradual collection of unpaid subscriptions, proceeds of sales of pews, and the operation of a sinking fund created by the excess of current income over expenses ; so that before the meeting of the Convention in August, 1867, not only had the entire cost of the improvements been defrayed, but $3,200 had been paid upon the outstanding obligations, and the mortgage on the church

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was still further reduced by $ 1,000, within three years thereafter.

The parochial activity in City Mission work was at this time approaching its highest development. An additional Assistant Minister was needed to devote himself particularly to the work at the Good Shepherd ; and provision having been made therefor, the Rev. Jacob Miller entered upon his duties in that field in July, 1867. In the 8th Ward, the services were attended with deep interest, and the people of the district showed themselves in earnest for the erection of a chapel by subscribing $1,000 for that purpose. Service on Sunday afternoons and a Sunday School were maintained in the school house on Lake Ave., near Deep Hollow, from July, 1867, when this enterprise which had been a legacy to him from St. Matthew's Church Mission, was committed by the Rector of Trinity to the Rector of St. Luke's. In the Ontario St. neighborhood, cottage services were well attended by the people in that locality, and the duty of chaplain to the City Hospital was also discharged by one of our staff of clergy, Divine service being held for one year on every Lord's Day afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Rev. Mr. Dillon-Lee having accepted a position as assistant minister in Christ Church, New Orleans, resigned after thir-

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teen months of service and was followed by the Rev. David H. Lovejoy, M. D., Sept. 29, 1867, who remained one year in the parish.

The 12th of March, 1868, marks the progress of the work at the Good Shepherd Chapel in the creation, by the Rector, of a quasi-Vestry, to relieve him of details and represent the needs and wishes of the people. The result of this arrangement was to rapidly develop the interest and self-sustaining power of the congregation, and pave the way for that ecclesiastical independence which was perfected a year later.

The corner-stone of the new chapel on Frances street was laid by the Rector in the absence of the Bishop, on the 23rd of July, 1868, addresses being delivered by the Revs. F. S. Rising, of New York, and J. H. Waterbury, of Le Roy. The completed building was formally opened for divine service Feb. 28, 1869. The total cost of the chapel was $ 10,000, which had been raised by subscriptions and five-cent collections, by the Sunday School, by a public lecture given by Bishop Lee, and from the proceeds of some lots on Penn street given to the Rector for this purpose by the heirs of Asa Sprague. The chapel was thus described in the " Gospel Messenger " : " It is neatly and substantially built of brick, in Early English style, sixty feet by forty-two inside, slate-roofed

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with four double lancet windows on each side and a window in front on either side of a central tower, which is eighty-two feet high. The inside walls are rough-finished, blocked and stained. The seats are neatly upholstered in crimson damask, having reversible backs for Sunday School purposes, arranged in double rows on each side of a central aisle, with side aisles at the walls, and will accommodate three hundred persons." Jonathan Dent was the mason, Thomas Williamson the carpenter, and Isaac Loomis the architect, by whom the chapel was built.

On the 18th of Sept, 1868, the Bishop advanced to the priesthood the two assistants of the parish, the Revs. Jacob Miller and David H. Lovejoy, M. D., presented by the Rector ; twenty clerical members of the Rochester Convocation being present.

The independent organization of the Church of the Good Shepherd was effected on the 29th of March, in this year, and the Rev. J. Miller was elected Rector. Forty-one families and fifty-one communicants were transferred from St. Luke's to form the nucleus of the new parish. And thus the Good Shepherd took its place as the fourth daughter of St. Luke's among the city Churches.

The corner-stone of the Church Home was

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laid April 20, 1869, in the unavoidable absence of the Bishop, by the Rector of St. Luke's, who also made the address at the formal opening of the Institution, Oct. 26th, of the same year, all the city Rectors being present and taking part in the services.

The Rev. W. W. Raymond became assistant to the Rector, with special duties in the 8th Ward field, Feb. 7, 1869, and at the Ember Ordination, March 13, 1870, was advanced to the priesthood in Christ Church by Bishop Coxe, on presentation by the Rector of St. Luke's.

On the 8th of May, 1870, a morning service was instituted at the Epiphany, the name by which the chapel had been christened Nov. 7, 1869. Up to this time no sacrament had been administered in the chapel, but there was a Sunday School of 160 members and a stated congregation of 200 persons. A handsome font was now provided and a communion service.

A better organ also was procured. A bell alone was lacking, and at Christmas-tide this want was also satisfactorily supplied.

The Rev. Mr. Raymond, after sixteen months of service in the parish, preached his last sermon May 22, 1870. The Rev. Geo. S. Baker came to take his place August, 14 of the same year.

During the summer of 1870, the Sunday

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School building was thoroughly renovated, the walls painted, the woodwork oiled and the floor carpeted ; the carpet being given as an individual contribution by one who delights to be liberal. In the following June the Vestry authorized a committee consisting of Jas. Brackett, C. F. Smith and Roswell Hart to repaint and decorate the interior of the church and build a new organ to replace the old, for which improvements $4,700 was raised by subscription.

The total cost was $5,230.32, the balance being provided from the current revenue of the Church.

In Advent, 1871, the Rector organized the willing workers of the Church into a body known as the " Parochial Helpers." The District Visiting and' Mothers' Meetings were, especially effective in furthering the work in the 8th Ward, and were continued till the Chapel " reached that stage in its development where labor of this sort more properly devolved on its own members. A Sewing School was also well sustained in the Epiphany. The sewing interest at the Mother-Church was known at this time by the name of the Industrial Circle; which, among its plentiful good works, provided for refurnishing the Vestry Room.

On the 19th of February, 1872, the Vestry authorized a committee with the Rector as chairman, to remove the old rectory to the

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south side of the lot which it occupied and procure plans for the erection of a new and more suitable residence for the Rector. The old rectory was accordingly removed and placed in good order at an expense of $1,949.40; whereupon the committee was authorized to proceed with the erection of a new building not to exceed $12,000 in cost.

During the same summer a parsonage house was erected on the lot adjoining the Epiphany, at an expenditure of $4,000, while the chapel itself was renovated and walls and woodwork tastefully repainted.

The Rev. Wm. Long entered on his duties as assistant to the Rector Dec. 1, 1872, remaining in the parish four years and five months, until April 29, 1877.

The new rectory being completed on the 12th of April, 1873, a final report was made to the Vestry by which it appeared that its cost had been $11,961.69, and that this sum had been provided by the sale of the old rectory and the proceeds of a bank loan upon the new, in anticipation of the sale of the lots in the rear. A new bell was this Spring hung in the tower at a cost of $600, to replace its predecessor, which had become useless.

On the 13th of April, 1874, Messrs. Brackett, Perkins, Hart, Eastwood and Whittlesey were

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appointed to solicit subscriptions to clear off the balance of the original debt on church and rectory, contracted in i860 and 1864. An amount sufficient to extinguish this balance, $7,000, was raised within two months.

A service for deaf mutes was at this time inaugurated in one of the rooms of the SundaySchool building, which has since been uninterruptedly continued on Sunday afternoons by Mr. J. C. Acker as lay-reader.

The need of some new missionary enterprise in the northern portion of the city being apparent, the Rector of St. Luke's, at the instance of the Bishop and with the concurrence of all the westside clergy, took measures to establish a service and Sunday School under the name of St. John's Chapel on State St. A hall in Cochrane's block was secured and neatly fitted up at an expense of $600 for the opening service, Jan. 24, 1875, the Rev. J. J. Landers assisting.

The Rector himself officiated every evening during the summer, but his personal connection with the enterprise ceased in September, and Mr. Landers conducted its affairs until the following February, when at the instance of the local clergy, and in view of the fact that a new Rector had infused fresh life into Trinity parish, and upon the distinct pledge of the Vestry of Trinity that they would occupy the field, the

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Bishop advised the discontinuance of the mission. The Rev. Mr. Walsh at once took charge of the Sunday School and maintained a service, and the Vestry of Trinity redeemed its pledge at a later date in the removal of their Parish Church.

During this Summer of 1875, the Rector held missionary services in Fairport and Penfield on alternate Sunday afternoons for the benefit of the few Church people residing in those villages.

The Rev. Geo. S. Baker after five years and more of faithful service, resigned to accept the rectorship • of St. James' Church, Batavia, in October, 1875. He was followed at once by the Rev. C. M. Nickerson, who became assistant minister on the 1st of November.

On the 13th of Sept., 1876, the Rev. Dr. Anstice organized the congregation of the Epiphany into an independent parish, and on his nomination the Rev. Chas. M. Nickerson was elected the first Rector. He transferred 170 families and 202 communicants to constitute the new parish, and deeded the property, consisting of the church and rectory, worth over $18,000, with a debt only upon the latter, to the newly organized corporation; which thus entered upon its independent life under most propitious auspices.

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An ordination of special interest, from the fact that the candidate was one who had been baptized and confirmed in St. Luke's, was held June II, 1876, when the Bishop conferred Deacons' Orders upon Mr. John W. Greenwood.

The Woman's Missionary Association, which had been organized in January, 1873, entered upon a career of increased efficiency in the fall of 1877, and has since continued weekly meetings during the working season, largely increasing the parish contributions for missions and gladdening many a missionary's heart by timely gifts of " boxes."

The Vestry appointed, Nov. 13, 1877, Messrs.

Reynolds, Brackett- and Wolcott " to solicit subscriptions to defray extraordinary expenses incurred by reason of necessary repairs to the church building and taxation for local improvements." Mr. Brackett, from this committee, reported Feb. 27, 1878, that they had raised about $2,150 for the purposes named.

In the winter of 1878, a sewing school was established at the church, with seventeen officers and 125 learners, which has since continued its sessions each winter. A series of "Mothers' Meetings" was also inaugurated, Oct. 18, which have proved productive of much blessing. A Guild, too, was organized which signalized the first year of its existence by rais-

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ing means sufficient, together with the proceeds of two collections in the church, to re-carpet the building and make some improvements in the organ; which work was completed in the summer of 1879.

The 21st of December, 1879, w a s t n e occasion of another ordination of special interest. Byron Holley, Jr., a son of St. Luke's, was presented to the Bishop by the Rector, for admission to the Diaconate. He at once entered upon his duties as assistant minister, which position he held until called to take charge of the Church of the Good Shepherd, April 1, 1881.

The Vestry, on the 21st of May, 1880, resolved as follows : " That this Vestry, having heard of the proposed removal of Trinity Church to a new location in the north part of the city, hereby tender their sincere congratulations to the Rector and people of Trinity Church upon their brightened prospect of increased usefulness, and desire to express the earnest hope that a new era of prosperity is about to dawn upon them in their new and enlarged field." " This corporation cordially invite the Rector and congregation of Trinity Church, pending the erection of their new edifice, to unite in worshiping with the congregation of St. Luke's under such arrangements as may be agreed upon by the Rectors."

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ANNALS OF SJ\ LUKE'S. During the winter of 1881-82, the Rector was maturing plans for the consolidation of all the agencies for good in the parish into one organization, intending to add several new departments of church work. Those plans culminated in the organization of St. Luke's Guild, embracing nine chapters, a full account of which, with the names of the members of each Chapter, was published in a neat pamphlet at Easter, 1882, The object of the Guild is to co-operate with the Rector in systematizing and developing the Christian activity of the parish.

Its membership consists of such persons as may signify to the Rector their willingness and determination to consecrate some portion of their time and energy to such Church work as shall be undertaken by the Guild. Its work is divided into various departments, and is committed to the several Chapters of the Guild as follows: The work of the Sunday School Chapter is to aid the Rector in the instruction of the young people of the Parish in Biblical learning and the doctrines of the Church.

The work of the Woman's Missionary Chapter is to awaken and develop the Missionary Spirit, to diffuse intelligence regarding the several departments of the Church's Missionary work, and to promote a personal devotion to

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the cause in labor, prayer and systematic giving.

The work of the Choir Chapter is to render the " Service of Song in the House of the Lord" during the Lenten Season, and upon Holy-days and such other occasions of public worship as may be required.

The work of the Church Home Chapter is to promote the interests of this Institution by personal service and influence, and to carry into effect approved plans for raising funds for its support.

The work of the Mothers' Meeting Chapter is to carry on, by approved methods, that scheme of Christian effort known under this name, including religious and other instruction at the weekly social gathering, and the systematic visiting of the attendants upon the meetings, with personal ministries in their homes.

The work of the Sewing School Chapter is to organize and instruct classes of young girls in various kinds of useful and ornamental needle work.

The work of the Visitors' Chapter is to manifest a kindly interest in such of the sick and needy as may from time to time be commended to its care, to visit statedly the inmates of the Church Home and the City Hospital, and to prosecute the labor of love known as the Flower Mission.

The work of the Sanctuary Chapter is " the oversight of them that keep the charge of the

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sanctuary," the special care of the chancel, vestry room and vestments, the extension of the Church's hospitality to strangers on all occasions of public worship, and the arrangement through committees for the fit decoration of the Lord's House at Christmas and Easter.

The work of the Girls' Friendly Society Chapter is to seek out and bring into personal relations with the members of the Chapter, and with each other, such young women earning an independent livelihood as may be willing to associate themselves together in the bonds of friendliness, for mutual culture and interest in each other's welfare.

The general officers of the Guild, together with the Heads of Chapters, appointed by the Rector, and one representative selected by each Chapter, constitute the Guild Council, which meets bi-monthly, or otherwise as it may determine, for review of the work of the organization, consultation upon plans for its extension and increased efficiency, consideration of the Guild finances, appropriation of funds to the several Chapters, and the decision of any questions which may arise respecting the conduct of any department of the Guild work.

The Guild continues in efficient and successful operation, and is productive of much good.

During the present summer a new roof has

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been placed on the Sunday School building, a larger boiler been substituted for the old in connection with the steam heating apparatus, which has been thoroughly overhauled, and other repairs effected at a cost of $1,200.

St. Luke's has always been a "pewed church." Its current income for the year ending Sept. 1, 1883 (to which date all the statistics and statements in this book are made up) is $7,811.48.

The harmony and prosperity which reign in the old mother-parish of St. Luke's leaves nothing in these respects to be desired.

The present officers of the Church are: RECTOR,

Rev. Henry Anstice, D. D. WARDENS,

Hon. E. D. Smith,

Gilman H. Perkins,

VESTRYMEN,

Hon. James Brackett, Joseph A. Eastman, Edw. W. Williams, Henry B. Hathaway,

Wm. Eastwood, Clinton Rogers, Lorenzo Kelly, Hon. Alfred Ely.

CLERK OF VESTRY,

Joseph A. Eastman.

TREASURER,

John H. Rochester.

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T H E REV. FRANCIS H. CUMING, D. D. Eight years and four months.

From Dec. I, 1820, to April 1, 1829.

T H E RT. REV. HENRY J. WHITEHOUSE, D. D., LL.D. Fourteen years and five months.

From Dec. 6, 1829, to May 5, 1844.

T H E REV. THOMAS C. PITKIN, D. D. Three years.

From July 14, 1844, to July 12, 1847.

T H E RT. REV. HENRY W. LEE, D. D., LL. D. Seven years.

From Jan. 1, 1848, to Jan. 1, 1855.

T H E REV. BENJAMIN WATSON, D. D. Four years and three months.

From April 29, 1855, to Aug. 7, 1859.

T H E REV. R. BETHELL CLAXTON, D.D. Five years and ten months.

From Dec. 1, 1859, t 0 Sept. 24, 1865.

T H E REV. HENRY ANSTICE, D. D. Seventeen years and four months (to Sept., 1883).

From May 13, 1866.

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UNDER REV. DR. WHITEHOUSE.

Rev. James A. Bolles, Sept. 15, '33-Sept. 14, '34 Rev. N. F. Bruce, M. D., Nov. 6, '36-Nov. 1, '37 UNDER REV. DR. PITKIN.

Rev. John N. Norton, April 26, '46-Nov. 22, '46 INTERIM.

Rev. T. F. Wardwell,

Aug. 29, '47-Jan. 1, '48

UNDER REV. DR. L E E .

Rev. Edward Meyer, Rev. W. H. Barris, Rev. Geo.H. McKnight, Rev. Geo. N. Cheney, Rev. Bethel Judd, D.D., Rev. Geo.W. Watson, Rev. Theodore A. Hopkins.

INTERIM.

Rev. T. A. Hopkins,

Jan. 1, '55-May 1, '55

UNDER REV. DR. WATSON.

Rev. Robert W. Lewis, Rev. Charles E. Cheney.

INTERIM.

Rev. W. B. Otis,

Aug. 7, '59-Oct. 2, '59

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UNDER REV. DR. CLAXTON.

Rev. Joseph Kidder, May 1, '60-May 1, '61 Rev. Fred. N. Luson, July 1, '61-Jan. 1, '62 Rev. DeWitt C. Loop, March 1, '62-Sept. 1, '64 Rev. Fred. M. Gray, Nov. 1, '64-Feb. 1, '65 Rev. Horatio Gray, April 2, '65-July 2, 'C$ INTERIM.

Rev. W. J. Clark.

Oct. 1, '65-April 18, '66

UNDER REV. DR. ANSTICE.

Rev. M. R. St.J. Dillon, Sept. 2, '66-Sept. 22, '67 Rev. Jacob Miller, July 7, '67-March 29/69 Rev.D.H.Lovejoy,M.D.Sept. 29,'67-Sept. 20/68 Rev. W. W. Raymond, Feb. 7, '69-May 22, '70 Rev. George S. Baker, Aug. 14, '70-Oct. 26, '75 Rev. William Long, Dec. 1,'72-April 29/77 Rev. J. J. Landers, Jan. 24, '75-Sept. 5, '75 Rev. C. M. Nickerson, Nov. 1, '75-Sept. 13, '76 Rev. B. Holley, Jr., Dec. 21, '79-April 1, '81

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Nathaniel Rochester, Samuel J. Andrews, George G. Sill, William Atkinson, John Mastick, William Pitkin, Silas O. Smith, Vincent Mathews, N. T. Rochester, William Brewster, Gilman H. Perkins, E. Darwin Smith,

i8i7-'i9 i8i7-'i9 & '21 1820 1820-27 1822-26 1827-65 i828-'33 i834-'46 1847-58 & '66-68 i859-'72 1869-83 1873—'83

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Roswell Babbit, i8i7-'2i Silas O. Smith (W.), 1817-27, '36, '4o-'42 &'48 John Mastick (W.), i8i7-'2i Lewis Jenkins, ]8i7-'i9 John C. Rochester, i8i7-'ig Elisha Johnson, i8i7-'2O&'27 William Atkinson(W.), i8i7-'i9 Oliver Culver, 1817—'19 Augustine G. Dauby, 1820 Jared N. Stebbins, i820-'2i&'27 S. Melancton Smith, i82O-'22 James H. Gregory, t82o-'22 Caleb L. Clark, ' 1821, '23, '24 John Swift, 1821 William W. Mumford, i82i-'22' &24'-26 Jonathan Child, 1822, '24, '47 & '5O-'S3 William Pitkin (W.), 1822-26 Solomon Cleveland, i822,'24-'2S &'27 Elisha Taylor, 1822 Elisha B. Strong, 1823 John B. Elwood, M. D., 1823 Thomas H. Rochester, i823-'26, '32, '33 & '43 William P. Sherman, 1823 Thomas Kempshall, 1823 Burrage Smith, 1824, '25

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Giles Boulton, x^-'ij Frederick Whittlesey, i826-'4i, '44, '46, '47 Thomas Eggleston, 1828 NathanielT. Rochester (W.), i828-'3i & '35-'38 John T. Talman, i828-'33 & '42-'45 Henry Scrantom, 1828, '29, '45 & '49 Benjamin Seabury, l828-'3i Joseph Field, i829-'3S & '59-6$ Simeon Ford, 1830 Vincent Matthews (W.), 1831—'33 Walter White, 1832, ^ Matthew Mead, i834-'4i & '45 Robert L. McCollum, ^34 Seth C. Jones, i834-'45 John Haywood, 1834, '46, '48, '50, '51 John Allen, i83S-'42 & '45 William Brewster (W.), i836-'38, '46, '47 & '50 David Hoyt, l837-'44, '47 & '49 John Hawks, i839-'43 Moses Dyer, 1839 Graham H. Chapin, 1842 Henry E. Rochester, 1843, '44 Jonathan King, 1843, & '53, '54 Darius Cole, 1843 William Kidd, 1844, '49-'5O, & '$$-'62 S. H. Packard, 1844 Rufus Keeler, 1845,'46, & ' E. Darwin Smith (W.), 1846, '47 & ' Ebenezer Watts,

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Dellon M. Dewey, 1846, '48, '49 Andrew J. Brackett, 1847/48 ThomasC. Montgomery, 1848, '53, '54, &'64-66 Ebenezer Griffin, i848,-'5i, '54—'57 '59 & '60 Edward Whalen, 1848-54, & '61, '62 N. B. Northrop, 1849 William Churchill, 1850, '51, & '62, '63 JosephA. Eastman,'5i,'55-'6i '63, '64&'79-'83 Aaron Erickson, 1851, & '62, '63 Azariah Boody, 1852/53 Amon Bronson, 1852, & '61-'69 Joseph L. Lucas, 1852, '56, & '58-'6i Edward M. Smith, 1852 Chauncey Tucker, 1852 John Fairbanks, 1852, '53 AsaSprague, 1853, '54 John Crombie, 1853, '54 Alfred Ely, 1854-59, & '§3 John E. Tompkins, 1854 Mortimer F. Reynolds, 1855, '77, & '79-'8i Francis Gorton, 1855, '56 Abram Karnes, 1855, & '63, '64 Frederick A. Whittlesey, 1855,-'62, & '74 Roswell Hart, I856-'6I, & '71-83 John H. Rochester, 1857, '58 Martin S. Newton, 1857, & '67 Gilman H. Perkins (W.), 1858-61, & '66-68 Edmund Lyon, i862-'65 Nelson G. Hawley, i862-'66

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ANNALS OF ST. LUKE'S,

Paul W. Garfield, Ebenezer E. Sill, Thomas Hawks, Edward A. Frost, John P. Humphrey, R. Hart Rochester, George G. Munger, Henry L. Churchill Thomas Button, Henry B. Hathaway, James R. Chamberlin, Charles H. Chapin, William Eastwood, James Brackett, Isaac H. Ruliffson, Edward W. Williams, Thomas Raines, Charles F. Smith, George P. Wolcott, Clinton Rogers, Mortimer C. Mordoff, Lorenzo Kelly,

1863, '64

1865-75 1865-66 1865 & '67, '68 1866 1866 1867, '68 i867-'69 1868, '69 1868 & 75-83 1869,70 & 73-75 1869-73 1869-78, & '81-83.

1870-78 & '82, 83 1870-

i87o-'S3 1871 1871-77 i876-'8o 1878-83 1878, 79

1881-83,

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OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH.

81

Ttoswell Babbit, i8i7-'2o N. T. Rochester, 1821-32 & '35—'43.

Henry E. Rochester, Nov., 1832, '33 & '44 E. Darwin Smith, 1834 Thomas C. Montgomery, 1845-1854 Fred A. Whittlesey, 1855, '56, '62 & '74 Joseph A. Eastman, 1857, '61 & '79~'83 Paul W. Garfield, 1863-6$ Edward A. Frost, 1865 to Sept.

R. Hart Rochester, Sept., 1865 John P. Humphrey, 1866 to Feb., '67 Allen Ayrault, Feb., '67 to Apr., '67 Henry L. Churchill, 1867, '68 William Eastwood, 1869, '70 Thomas Raines, 1871 Charles F. Smith, 1872, '73 Edward P. Hart, 1875, '76 Edw. W. Williams, 1877, '78

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82

ANNALS OF ST. LUKE'S.

Roswell Babbit, N. T. Rochester, Wm. Pitkin, F. Whittlesey, Clarendon Morse, James M. Fish, Henry Scrantom, Erasmus D. Smith, Andrew J. Brackett, Edward Whalen, Abram Karnes, E. R. Hammatt, John H. Rochester,

i8i7-'22 1823-Oct., '32 Oct., '32-36 i83D-'39 Jan. i84O-'43 1844 i845-'48 June, 1848 Jan., i84C/-'54 1855-May, '62 May, 1862-'64 1865-74 1875—'83

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OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH.

Daniel Clark, William Staunton, Mr. Randall, Mr. Warner, Israel P. Dana, Marion S. McGregor, R. F. C. Ellis, Herve D. Wilkins, R. F. C. Ellis, W. M. Rebasz, Jr., F. Kenyon Jones, W. M. Rebasz, Jr., Edward H. Walker,

83

1825-May, '27 1827-May, '33 May, '33-1834 1834-1835 1835-April, '39 April, 1839-Aug.,'56 Aug., '56-Dec, '70 Dec, '70-Dec, '7 1 Jan., '72-March, '74 March, '74-July, 'j6 Aug., '76-March, '78 March, '78-April, '79 April, 1879-83

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ANNALS OF ST. LUKES.

Jacob Howe, Hamlet Scrantom, Thomas Watson, William Myers, Thomas McLean, John Sullivan, Thomas Whitehouse, James Ratcliffe, Albert D. Neely, John Kislingbury, John J. Rawlings,

1821-May, '26 1826-May, '33 May, '33-1834 1834-June, '43 June, '43-1845 1845-Dec, '59 Dec, '59-Dec, 64 Dec, '64-Jan., '68 April, '68-Oct., '71 Dec, '71-Dec, '77 Dec, 1877-83

NOTE—The dates after the names of Wardens, Vestrymen, Clerl ind Treasurers, indicate the years in which they were elected ; tho ifter Organists, and Sextons, their term of service.

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ttttn*

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FRANCIS HIGGINS CUMING. First Rector of St. Luke's, was born in New Haven, Conn., Oct. 28, 1799; pursued his preparatory and theological studies under the Rev. Dr. John C. Rudd, at Elizabeth, N. J.; was ordained Deacon by Bishop Croes, in St. John's, Elizabeth, in 1819, and advanced to the Priesthood by Bishop Hobart in St. Luke's Rochester, in February, 1821. His earlier ministry was exercised at Binghamton, N. Y., whence he removed to Rochester, Dec. 1, 1820, remaining here eight years and four months, until April 1, 1829. He was then successively Rector of Christ Church, Reading, and St. Mark's, Leroy, being one year in each place. Removing to New York, he became Secretary, Agent and Editor of the General Protestant-Episcopal Sunday School Union, which he resigned in 1836 to assume the Rectorship of the newlyorganized Calvary Church in that city. His degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred by Columbia College. He became Rector of St. Andrew's, Ann Arbor, in October, 1839, anc^ after a four years' ministry accepted charge of St. Mark's Church, Grand Rapids, where he labored for eighteen years, resigning Sept. 13,

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88

ANNALS OF ST. LUKE'S.

186I. Before resigning his charge, however, he became Chaplain of the 3rd Reg. Mich. Infantry, May 13, 1861 ; which duty he discharged until March 19, 1862, when, broken in health, he returned to his family and died Aug. 26, 1882.

HENRY JOHN WHITEHOUSE. Was born in New York city, Aug. 19, 1803, graduated from Columbia College in 1821, and from the General Theological Seminary in 1824; was ordained Deacon by Bishop John Croes, of New Jersey, in 1824, and Priest by Bishop William White, of Pennsylvania, in 1827. For two years thereafter, he was Rector of Christ Church, Reading, Pa., from which place he came to Rochester, Dec. 6, 1829. At the commencement of Geneva College in 1834, he received the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity. His highly prosperous Rectorship in St. Luke's, of fourteen years and five months, was terminated May 5, 1844, when he assumed the charge of St. Thomas' Church, New York, which position he retained until elected Assistant Bishop of Illinois, to which high office he was consecrated in St. George's Church, Nov. 20, 1851, (a solemnity witnessed by the lad who

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BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.

89

as his successor in St. Luke's is the present Rector). On the death of Bishop Chase he became Diocesan of Illinois Sept. 20, 1852. He attended the Lambeth Conference in 1867, and was highly honored as the preacher at its opening service. The University of Oxford bestowed upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity, and the University of Cambridge that of Doctor of Laws. His death occurred on the 10th of August, 1874.

THOMAS CLAPP PITKIN. Was born at Farmington, Conn., in 1816; graduated at Yale College in 1836, and from the Geneal Theological Seminary in 1839; w a s ordained Deacon in the same year by Bishop Brownell, and Priest, in 1840, by Bishop Kemper. His first clerical duty was as a Missionary in Lawrenceburgh, Ind. After one year's service, he accepted the Rectorship of Christ Church, Louisville, Ky., where he resided three years, until he removed to Rochester, in July, 1844. On his resignation of St. Luke's, in July, 1847, n e became associated with the Rev. Dr. Croswell, in the rectorship of Trinity Church, New Haven, Conn. Upon the election of the Rev. Dr. H. Potter to the

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ANNALS OF ST. LUKE'S.

Bishopric of New York, in November, 1854, Dr. Pitkin succeeded him as Rector of St. Peter's, Albany, which position he held about eight years. He was made Doctor of Divinity by Hamilton College, and later received the same degree from Trinity College, Hartford. Returning home in 1862, from a journey in-the East, he entered upon temporary duty in St. Paul's Church, Buffalo, which finally grew into a permanent relation lasting five or six years.

His next position was that of Rector of St. Paul's, Detroit, which church he held between nine and ten years. Since that time, he has resided in, Detroit, doing clerical duty constantly, but having no parochial charge.

HENRY WASHINGTON LEE. Was born in Hampden, Conn., July 29, 1815.

His boyhood was passed in Springfield, Mass., where his father, Col. Roswell Lee, was superintendent of the U. S. Armory. His later education was acquired at the Westfield Academy, and at the age of eighteen he taught school in New Bedford. After ordination by Bishop Griswold, in 1838, he became Rector of Christ Church, Springfield, which he resigned

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BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.

91

to accept St. Luke's, Rochester, where he remained seven years from January, 1848, to January, 1855. His election and consecration as Bishop of Iowa took place before he resigned his labors in Rochester, for he was consecrated Bishop among his loving parishioners on the 18th of October, 1854. In his new field, he laid foundations deep and broad and the prosperity of Iowa is largely due to his wise provisions for the future. Griswold College, which he founded in i860, the Episcopal endowment and residence, the beautiful Grace Cathedral, are lasting monuments to the wisdom, selfsacrifice and zeal of Iowa's first Bishop. He was a member of the Lambeth Conference and received the degree of LL. D., from Cambridge University. His episcopate of twenty years ended by his decease in Davenport, September 26, 1874.

BENJAMIN WATSON. Was born in Philadelphia, October 14, 1817; graduated from Trinity College, Hartford, in 1838, and from the General Theological Seminary in 1841 ; was ordained Deacon in June of the same year by Bishop H. U. Onderdonk in St. Peter's Church, Philadelphia, and Priest in

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ANNALS OF ST. LUKE'S.

February, 1842, in Grace Church in the same city, of which latter Church he had temporary charge during six months of his earlier ministry.

He was married January 26, 1842. His first rectorship was that of Zion Church, Newport, R. I., dating from June, 1842 ; which parish he resigned to accept a call to St. Luke's, Rochester, and entered upon the duties of his new position April 29, 1855. After a rectorship of four years and three months, ending August 7, 1859, n e accepted a call to the Church of the Atonement, Philadelphia, which rectorship he still occupies. He received the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity from the University of Chicago, in 1863.

ROBERT BETHELL CLAXTON. Was born in Philadelphia, Nov. 6, 1814. At the age of thirteen, his father, who had been a prosperous merchant, having suffered reverses, Robert entered the publishing house of Eliakim Little, in which establishment, and later in another book store, he spent six years. He was confirmed in St. Paul's Church under the ministry of Rev. Dr. Tyng in 1833, and resolved todevote himself at once to sacred studies. He entered the Sophomore class in Yale college,

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BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICl|S^ \J ?"' i 93 August, 1835, having supported] h|*j§c]£W&n:>.

-while by assisting Rev. Dr. P. ¥afi'?dt) 4hera Secretary of the Dom. and For. Miss. Soc, and graduated in 1838. In May of the same year, he had been admitted a Candidate for Orders in the Diocese of Pennsylvania, and in September entered the middle class of the Alexandria Seminary, from which he graduated in 1840; •was ordained Deacon July 19th, by Bishop H. U. Onderdonk and Priest in the subsequent December. He accepted duty in St. Stephen's Church, Wilkesbarre, Pa., Sept. 4, 1840; which position he resigned in 1846 in view of his wife's ill-health, and removed to Westchester, Pa., and later to Madison, Indiana, where he gathered a considerable congregation and erected a Church edifice. His honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity, was received from the University of Indiana. In December, 1852, he was elected Rector of St. Paul's, Cleveland, Ohio, and ministered in that Church from May, 1853, to May, 1859. He became Rector of St. Luke's, Dec. 1, 1859, anc * after an incumbency of five years and ten months, removed to his native city in October, 1865, to discharge the duties of Professor of Homiletics and Pastoral Care in the Philadelphia Divinity School. In the Fall of 1873, ^ e resigned his professorial chair and accepted the Rectorship of St.

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'' 94,: '*£''*} ANNALS OF ST. LUKE'S. ^rvSfe^Js-X^u^h, West Philadelphia, which *pdsft*rcm*hVf?lhSfll with marked success until his death, May 24, 1882.

HENRY ANSTICE, Was born in New York City, Oct. 7, 1841, and baptised by the Rev. James Milnor, D. D., in old St. George's Church, in Beekman street; was confirmed in St. John's Church, Yonkers, July 11,1858 ; entered Williams' College, Mass., Aug. 2, 1859," and graduated Aug. 6, 1862; became a candidate for Orders in the Diocese of New York October 30, and, after a year's study at Andover Theological Seminary, pending the more complete organization of the Philadelphia Divinity School, entered the latter institution Sept. 17, 1863, and graduated therefrom June 22, 1865; was ordained Deacon in the Church of St. John the Evangelist, New York City, July 2, and Priest in St. Paul's Church, Flatbush, November 21, of the same year, by the Rt. Rev. Horatio Potter ; assumed temporary charge of St. Barnabas' Church, Irvington-on-Hudson, Sept. 10, 1865 ; received a call to the Church of the Advent, San Francisco, in March, 1866, which he declined to

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BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.

95

accept the Rectorship of St. Luke's, Rochester, and entered upon the duties of that position May 13, 1866; was married on the 30th of the same month in St. Barnabas' Church, Irvington, by the Bishop of New York ; on the 30th of June, 1875, received the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity from the University of Rochester, and remains at this date Rector of St. Luke's, after an incumbency of seventeen years and four months.

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FAMILIES

COMMUNICANTS.

S S> TEACHERS

S. S. SCHOLARS.

I

ANNALS OF ST. LUKE'S.

113

IO9

10

9O

264

43O

48

349

3OI

415

35

287

33O

435

5o

405

375

469

35

337

375

502

46

367

312

579

44

348

IO

1817 to D e c , 1820.

F. H. CUMING, 8 yrs. 4 mos,

*

INTERIM 8 mos.

H. J. WHITEHOUSE, 14 yrs. 5 mos.

INTERIM 2 mos.

T. C. PITKIN, 3 yrs.

INTERIM 5 ^

f mos.

HENRY W. LEE, 7 yrs.

INTERIM 4 mos.

BENJ. WATSON, 4 yrs. 3 mos.

INTERIM 4 mos.

%

R. B. CLAXTON, 5 yrs. 10 mos.

INTERIM 7 mos.

HENRY ANSTICE, 17 yrs. 4 mos.

§ ||

DISMISSALS TO NEW ORGANIZATIONS. *St. Paul's, is Con ITrinity, 50 Com. tChrist Church, §Good Shepherd, 41 : im., 51 Com. Epiphany, 170 Fam., :

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PAROCHIAL STATISTICS. | E

TOTAL.

a

fc

D

u

n

i OFFER

BAPTISMS.

ADULTS. INF.

99

4 no

99 2

7

181+986= 1167

444

212

344

,7,094

6+228 = 234

97

48

87

5,IOO

25 19+569= 588

189

9 203

372

4

14

263

76

58

128

15 21+382 = 403

127

105

328

30

1

5

169+920 = 1089

680

54+201 =

255

1+8=

9

18 8+255 =

Totals,

2OO

$ H,5OO

6 2O,43 I

15,448

5

4,096J 1728

23.957

17 74i

264,491

076 2249 $36l,O2I

._jt expenses were first included in Pa NOTE.—Offerings f< rochial Reports to Diocesan Convention in 1863.

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$t. fauf This first daughter of St. Luke's originated in the action of the Vestry May 7, 1827, which body deemed it " desirable to establish an additional Church in the village in consequence of the increasing population," and requested the Rector to proceed in the organization of such additional Church. Accordingly on the 28th of May, 1827, in a room of the Franklin Institute in East Rochester, the Rev. Mr. Cuming presided at a meeting duly convened, and Wm. Atkinson and Giles Boulton were elected Wardens, and Elisha Johnson, Elisha B. Strong, Jared N. Stebbins, S- M. Smith, Enos Stone, Samuel J. Andrews, Daniel Tinker and A. B. Curtiss, Vestrymen of the new Church to be named St. Paul's.

The Rev. Sutherland Douglas was the first Rector, having been called in April, 1828, and resigning on account of ill health in August, 1829. The church edifice was then in process of erection, being designed to be a grand and attractive structure. Its spire was intended to

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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

exceed in height any building in Western New York, but a severe wind toppled it over while yet uncompleted, and the original design was abandoned for the present finish of the tower.

The contract for its erection bears date May 31, 1828, and was executed in behalf of the Vestry by Samuel J. Andrews, Giles Boulton and W. T. Cuyler as the building committee with the contractors, Daniel Tinker, Henry A. Boult and Daniel A. Ryan; the contract price being $12,000.

The church was consecrated by Bishop Hobart, Aug. 30, 1830.

The Rev. Chauncey Colton became Rector in November of that year, resigning in Decem ber, 1831.

The Vestry then, Dec. 5, 1831, invited the Rev. Mr. Whitehouse to accept the Rectorship in connection with his duties at St. Luke's, he to appoint an assistant and the services of the Rector, and the expenses of the ministrations to be equally divided between the two churches; but the Vestry of St. Luke's declined to assent to the proposed arrangement.

The Rev. H. V. D. Johns was called early in 1832, but, after a very brief residence, resigning June 25, 1832, was followed by the Rev. Burton H. Hickox, who accepted the Rectorship under date of May 7, 1833.

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ST. PAUL'S CHURCH.

IOJ

It was during this rectorship, through no fault, however, of the Rector, that the financial embarrassments of the church culminated in the foreclosure of the first mortgage of $10,000 on the building, the dissolution of St. Paul's corporation, and the formation of a new organization, Dec. 2, 1833, to buy in the property under the name of Grace Church. Trinity Church, New York, appropriated $3,500 as a loan, to assist in the settlement of the difficul ties. Rev. Mr. Hickox continued with the congregation as Rector of Grace Church until Feb. 18, 1835.

The Rev. Orange Clark was called Sept. 20, 1835, and remained nearly four years. The Rev. Washington Van Zandt became Rector April 1, 1839, but resigned after a pastorate of one year and six months, Oct. 1, 1841. During the long vacancy which ensued, occasional services were supplied by professors from Geneva, until June 12, 1842, when Rev. William E. Eigenbrodt became Rector, remaining until December, 1843.

A second foreclosure of the church had transferred the ownership to an association of gentlemen, in reference to which Bishop De Lancey made, in October, 1844, the following record of facts: " Feb. 4 to 11—I visited Rochester on this

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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

occasion with special reference to the affairs of Grace Church, worshiping in St. Paul's Church edifice, which edifice had been bought in by a few members of the congregation, some of whom had been large contributors to the Church before, and who advanced the requisite amount in the hope that the Church might be revived and themselves refunded. The Rector had resigned on account of the pecuniary embarrassments of the Church. The Vestry were unable to purchase the church and there was apprehension lest the building should, by force of circumstances, be alienated from the Episcopal Church and the congregation dispersed. " I deemed it my duty, after consulting with wise and influential lay friends, in Rochester, to become the proprietor of the edifice in the hope of thus ensuring it to the Church in perpetuity, in case the effort to relieve it from pecuniary embarrassment should succeed, and also to afford a basis for the experiment to relieve it to be fairly tried."

The experiment proved successful and the property was freed from incumbrances in 1847 through the efforts of the Bishop and the parishioners, and the title vested in the corporation of Grace Church.

Under the auspices of the Bishop, the parish had been served for three months by the Rev.

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ST. PAUL'S CHURCH.

107

Stephen Douglas and later by the Rev. John V. Van Ingen, D. D. The latter was elected Rector in 1848.

The Church edifice was destroyed by fire July 25, 1847, but there being an insurance of $10,000, the work of rebuilding was at once commenced. Services were held in the old High School on South Clinton street, until Christmas of that year, when the congregation met in the restored basement, and the completed edifice was consecrated as Grace Church Dec. 17, 1848.

The Rev. Dr. Van Ingen removing to Minnesota Aug. 16, 1854, he was succeeded in the ensuing September by the Rev. Maunsell Van Rensselaer, whose term of office extended to Easter, 1859.

The Rev. Israel Foote entered upon the Rectorship, Aug. 1, 1859. A rectory was provided through the liberal proposition of Mrs. Ruth Mumford, who offered to give to the Church her house and lot on North Clinton street, valued at $10,000, provided the Vestry would raise $5,000, in purchase of the same.

The sum named was promptly raised and a valuable property secured to the parish.

In the Spring of 1862, Mr. George Ellwanger made over to the parish $4,000 in bonds and mortgages for a chapel, on condition that a similar amount should be secured from other

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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

sources prior to July i, 1863 ; which proposition resulted in the creation of a fund amounting to $10,000. This fund was devoted in the Spring of 1869 to the purchase of a house on Mortimer street in the rear of the Church, for the purposes of a Parish school, and which was used first as a school for girls, then as a school for boys and a residence for the assistant minister, and finally, since 1878, has been rented by the parish for other uses.

Improvements in the church edifice being deemed necessary and desirable, the Vestry resolved, Feb. 8, 1869, to proceed with the work of building a recess chancel, removing the organ thereto and decorating the interior of the church, for which improvements $11,589 was provided by subscription, and $12,000 raised by mortgages on the Rectory and parish building.

On the reopening of the Church for public worship, the older name of the parish was employed in designation of the sacred structure, and it has since been commonly called St. Paul's, although the legal title of the corporation remains Grace Church, as it has been since the reorganization effected Dec. 2, 1833.

A boy choir was introduced into the Church in the Winter of 1873. under the direction of the Rev. C. N. Allen, the assistant minister.

In the Spring of 1874, Si 1,357 was subscribed

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ST. PAUL'S CHURCH.

109

and the entire indebtedness of the corporation cleared off. At this time also a Woman's Missionary Society was formed in the Parish, which has since continued in active and successful operation.

In anticipation of the formation of St. James' Parish in the Fifth Ward, the Vestry authorized May 23, 1876, the transfer of the property held by Israel Foote as Trustee to the " Trustees of the Parochial Fund," on condition that it should be by them conveyed to the new organization "whenever the Bishop and Standing Committee shall so determine.' The cost of the nave of the future St. James' Church, which is built of gray Lockport sandstone trimmed with Medina stone, was $8,621.32.

Some fifty families colonized from St. Paul's to form the infant parish.

During the Summer of 1879, a n e w r o ° ^ w a s placed on the church and sundry repairs effected, and the interior handsomely polychromed, the last improvement being at the charge of one liberal parishioner. The chancel had been similarly beautified in the Summer of 1876. A rich and beautiful altar of Italian marble, by a Roman artist, was placed in the chancel in September, 1880, as a memorial of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. H. Mumford, by their children, with the cordial approval of the Vestry, and " hallowed "

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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

by the Bishop on the following All Saint's Day. A strip of land ten feet wide on the north of the church lot was purchased in January, 1882, for $1,500.

The Rev. Dr. Foote, after an incumbency of twenty-three years, resigned the rectorship to take effect April 17, 1882. The Vestry in view of his long and valuable service, elected him Rector Emeritus with an emolument of $1,000 per annum for life and a residence, or in lieu thereof, $500 additional. Upon a proposition, however, from the late Rector to release the Church from all obligation under this action upon the payment to him of a sum in hand of $3,000, the Vestry ordered March 20, 1883, the acceptance of the proposition, and the sum named was promptly pledged and paid by seven members of the Vestry.

The assistants of the Rev. Dr. Foote were the Revs. E. S. Wilson, J. D. S. Pardee, Chas.

N. Allen, W. DeL. Wilson, Benj. F. Hall, Robt.

B. Wolseley and C. W. Knauff.

The Rev. Dr. W. H. Platt, D. D., LL. D., was called from Grace Church, San Francisco, to the Rectorship, Sept. 16, 1882.

St. Paul's has always been a " pewed ehurch."

Its average annnal income for current expenses is about $4922.

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ST. PAUL'S CHURCH,

III

The present officers of the Church are as follows: RECTOR,

Rev. W. H. Platt, D. D.. LL. D. WARDENS,

A. G. Yates,

W. H. Sanger.

VESTRYMEN,

H. H. Warner, James Laney, H. M. Ellsworth, C Henry Amsden,

E. F. Woodbury, F. W. Elwood, Jas. L. Hatch, W. C. Dickinson.

CLERK OF VESTRY,

C. Henry Amsden.

TREASURER,

W. C. Dickinson.

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The project of establishing a new Church in that part of the city called Frankfort, was considered by the Rev. Dr. Whitehouse and some of the prominent people of St. Luke's as early as 1836. A Sunday school was opened in a stone school-house, which then stood upon Brown's square, and maintained largely through the zeal and efforts of Mr. Seth C. Jones. A lot was also purchased situated upon the square.

In August, 1845, the subscribers to the purchase of the above-mentioned lot with other friends of the movement, met in the public school house No. 5, corner of Fish (now Centre) and Jones streets, and inaugurated public service under the auspices of Rev. Mr. Pitkin, the new rector of St. Luke's. On the 27th of October, 1845, an organization was effected in due form of law, the following persons participating in the meeting : the Rev. T. C. Pitkin in the chair, Francis Brown, who acted as Secretary, Henry E. Rochester and Seth C. Jones, who were elected Wardens, George Arnold, P. G. Buchan,

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TRINITY CHURCH.

113

George R. Clark, S. F Witherspoon, Lewis P. Beers, who were chosen Vestrymen, and Alfred Ely, John Parsonson, Salva Anderson and B. F Gilkeson. Those elected to complete the number of Vestrymen were David Hoyt, W. E. Lathrop and Seth M. Maltby.

A call was extended to the Rev. Vandervoort Bruce of New York to become the first Rector, at a salary of $500, which invitation was accepted and he entered upon his duties Jan. 26, 1846. His first report to the Convention in August of this year places the number of families in the parish at 53, communicants 60.

The Sunday School was removed to the new location and re-organized with 90 members, Henry E. Rochester being superintendent, and Mrs. Geo. Arnold the assistant.

It was now resolved to sell the lot owned on Brown s square and purchase the site adjoining the school-house, in which services were being held, for §1,350. Plans fora church building were accepted by the Vestry Jan. 9, 1846, and the contract for erecting the same at a cost of $4,000 was authorized to be made with Wm. Bassett, D. C. McCollum being the architect.

Work on the church commenced in May and so well progressed that the corner-stone was laid on the 13th of June, the clergy present on that occasion being the Revs. V. Bruce, T. C-

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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

Pitkin, John N. Norton, J. V. Van Ingen, Chas.

H. Platt, Henry Lockwood, John W. Clark and W. D. Wilson. The church was first occupied for service on Christmas Eve. The Rev. Mr. Bruce resigned May 12, 1847, after an incumbency of sixteen months, and removed to New York city, where he still resides.

The Rev. Chas. D. Cooper, of Wilkesbarre, Pa., succeeded him Oct. 1, 1847. During his administration the debt was entirely paid and the church consecrated by Bishop DeLancey, Feb. 15, 1848. His ministry of two years and two months terminated by his resignation, Dec. 10,.

1849, to accept the rectorship of St. Philip's Church, Philadelphia; in which city he still resides as Rector of the Church of the Holy Apostles.

The Rev. Robert J. Parvin, of Towanda, Pa., assumed the rectorship Feb. 1, 1850. During his incumbency the basement of the church was fitted up for Sunday School purposes, the chancel window was completed and a bell hung weighing 1040 lbs. Mr. Parvin resigned, Aug. 1, 1852, removing at that date to Pittsfield, Mass.

He was subsequently Rector of St. Paul's Church, Chelten Hills, near Philadelphia, and later, Agent for the Evangelical Educational Society, until he perished in the burning of the

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TRINITY CHURCH.

US

ill-fated steamer United States, on the Ohio River, in December, 1868.

The Rev. Addison B. Atkins was called Aug. 30, and assumed charge of the parish Oct. i, 1852. In his time the present organ was placed in the church at a cost of $1,250. His resignation took effect June 12, 1854, upon his acceptance of Christ Church, Germantown, Pa. He was later Rector of St. John's, Georgetown.

D. C, and St. John's, Yonkers, N. Y., and at present, is Rector of Calvary Church, Conshohocken, Pa. On the 1st of October following, The Rev. Geo. N. Cheney, of Penn Yan, became Rector.

His ministry extended over a longer period than that of any preceeding rector of Trinity, and was a time of great prosperity. Material improvements were effected in the church edifice in i860, but his best record was made in the hearts and lives of his people. Six months leave of absence was granted him, June 14, 1861, to accept the Chaplaincy of the thirty-third Reg't N. Y. Vols. After discharging the duties of which position, he returned to his parish.

Dec 15. Failing health however, induced his resignation after a Rectorship of eight years and seven months, ending May 1, 1863, and having retired to the residence of a friend in Branchport, he there died on the 12th of the

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following June.

A mural tablet to his memory was erected by the parish on the Sanctuary wall, inscribed, " A Beloved Brother and Faithful Minister in the Lord."

The Parish was now in such a state of prosperity that although without a Rector, an enlargement of the church was resolved upon by the Vestry, June 16, 1863. The side walls were extended ten feet on either side, thus adding two rows of pews and two aisles to the already existing nave. The whole was thoroughly refurnished and a considerable debt liquidated. The Rev. John W. Clark, of Brooklyn, became Rector, Dec. 6, 1863, but remained only until Nov. 13, 1864, when he removed to Dover, N. H. His present residence is Lexington, Mich The Rev. J. V. Van Ingen, D. D., was called to the rectorship April 24, 1865, remaining until July 1, 1868, when he became agent for the Society for the Increase of the Ministry. After abundant missionary labors and the exercise of his ministry in several temporary engagements he became Rector of St. John's, Clyde, where after a service of fourteen months, he died Dec. 1, 1877.

Another interim of eight months operated disastrously on the interests of the parish, but the Rev. C. H. W. Stocking, of Ansonia, Conn.,

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accepted a call and entered upon the rectorship March 1, 1869. During his administration the church edifice was much improved at an expenditure of about $3,000, and a number of valuable gifts as memorials were presented to the parish. He remained until Dec. 15, 1871. He has since been Rector of the Church of the Epiphany, Chicago, and Grace Church, Detroit, but is at present without charge.

The Rev. M. R. St. J. Dillon-Lee, of Bayou Goula, La., was Rector from Jan. 22, 1872 to Oct. 1, 1873, when he removed to Christ Church, Adrian, Mich., and subsequently to Cairo, 111, where he died in 1879. A solid silver communion service, made of silver relics and heirlooms contributed by the parishioners remains as a memorial of Rev. Mr. Dillon's rectorship.

The Rev. C. J. Machin, of Olean, became Rector, Nov. 15, 1873, and resigned Jan. 20, 1875, and removed to St. John's, N. F. The Rev. W. W. Walsh, of Cincinnati, O., entered upon the duties of the rectorship May 1, 1875. In the summer of 1878, the old church was re-roofed and some interior repairs effected at a cost of about $500, but on the 17th of April, 1880, the Church property was sold, excepting the frame work and furniture for $7,000; and soon after, the present site of the church, on the southwest corner of Jones Ave.

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and Frank street, 100x124 with adjoining house for a rectory was bought for $6,100.

The mission field in the northern part of the city which was relinquished to Trinity in February, 1876, the new Rector entered upon at once, conducting the Sunday School and maintaining a service at first in Cochrane's block and later in two temporary chapels, until the new Trinity church was ready for occupancy.

Ground was broken for the new church June 23, 1880, and the corner stone laid by Bishop Coxe on the 29th of July, eight of the clergy being present. The church was opened for Divine Service July 31, 1881. It is built of stone, cruciform, with tower and spire in the northeast corner and cost about $ 11,000, exclusive of the value of the organ, pews, stained glass, and other materials brought from the old edifice. The architects were Warner & Brockett, and the building committee, Messrs. George Arnold, W. H. Leslie, and J. M. Harrison.

The work of erecting a chapel adjoining the •chancel is now in contemplation, for which $1,200 has already been collected.

Trinity has always been a " pewed church."

Its current income for the year ending Sept. 1, 1883, was $1,926.32.

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The present officers of the church are: RECTOR,

The Rev. Warren W. Walsh.

WARDENS,

George Arnold,

W. H. Leslie.

VESTRYMEN,

F, G. Ranney, H. W. Davis, John P. Schofield, James H. Kelly,

Frank S. Upton, W. H. Goodger, J. H. Bishop, E. S. Race.

CLERK: OF THE VESTRY,

F. G. Ranney.

TREASURER,

J. A. Van Ingen.

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The parish of Christ Church owes its origin to the zeal for church extension which prompted a number of parishioners of St. Luke's, with a few from St, Paul's to avail themselves of an apparent opening for a new church on East Avenue. The first service, preliminary to organization, was held in Palmer's Hall, April 29, 1855, by the Rev. Benjamin Watson, Rector of St. Luke's. The second service was held on the following Sunday by the Rev. M. Van Rensselaer, Rector of St. Paul's. The meeting to organize pursuant to legal notice was held in the same place May 7, 1855, m which the following persons participated : Silas O. Smith in the chair, L. Ward Smith, Delos Wentworth, D. M. Dewey, A. J. Brackett, W. V. K. Lansing, David Hoyt, Washington Gibbons, Stephen Charles, R. A. Hall, J. M. Winslow, W. B. Alexander, A. E. Gregory, C. R. Babbitt, J. Alexander and D. B Beach, who acted as secretary. The officers elected were Silas O. Smith and David Hoyt, Wardens ; and Dellon

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M. Dewey, A. J. Brackett, D. B. Beach, J. M. Winslow, John Fairbanks, Edward M. Smith, Delos Wentworth and Chas. R. Babbitt, Vestrymen. The original number of communicants was thirty-one.

A lot was purchased, being the present site of the church, in June, 1855 for $7,150, whereon the congregation began to build Sept. 1, 1855. Services meanwhile were continued in the hall, a Sunday School having been organized in May, with nine teachers and twentyseven scholars, and a Ladies' Sewing and Benevolent Society in June.

The Rev. Henry A. Neely, of Utica, was elected the first Rector, and entered upon his duties Oct. 1, 1855. The church was so far completed as to be occupied on the ensuing Christmas Day. Its total cost, including the furniture, carpet, communion plate and musical instrument, provided through the efforts of the Ladies' Society,, was $6,829, and the only debt was the original mortgage upon the lot, of $3,000.

In the Spring of 1861, a chapel was erected adjoining the church, at a cost of about $1,500, provided by the Sunday School, which was to meet therein, and by the Ladies' Society..

The Rev. Mr. Neely resigned the rectorship in the Fall of 1862, after an incumbency of

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seven years, to accept the chaplaincy of Hobart College. He subsequently had charge of Trinity Chapel, New York City, until consecrated Bishop of Maine, Jan. 25, 1867. The Rev. Anthony Schuyler, D. D., of Oswego, was his successor in Christ Church, and entered upon the duties of the rectorship Oct. 1, 1862.

Meanwhile, the rapid growth of the congregation having made an enlargement of the church an imperative necessity, the means were procured by subscription and the work was entered upon June 22, 1862. Additional sittings were provided and a recess chancel and organ room constructed, at a cost of about $3,600. Services were resumed in the church on the last Sunday in September. Three stained-glass windows were placed in the chancel, which still remain, one in memory of L. Ward Smith, another in memory of Andrew J. Brackett, and the third in memory of Charles Robinson, all of whom had been effective workers in the early history of the parish. An organ was subsequently purchased at a cost of $1,600, which was fully raised before the organ was used for the first time, at Easter, 1864.

To the memory of Silas O. Smith, who died Oct. 3, 1863, and who had been Warden of the Church from its organization, the Vestry, in 1874, erected a mural tablet of brass, prop-

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erly inscribed. Mr. Smith was also one of the founders of St. Luke's, and active in its affairs, as indicated in the Historical Sketch, where his name in the earlier narrative appears without the distinguishing initial O., which he later introduced into his signature.

In the Fall of 1865, the addition of a porch and tower was undertaken, which added largely to the appearance and convenience of the building. The cost of the improvement was $3,000.

Upon the dissolution of the St. Matthew's Church Mission, in June, 1867, the Hope Chapel Station, on the corner of Alexander and South St. Paul streets, was assigned to Christ Church, and the Rev. Dr. Schuyler assisted by D. H. Lovejoy, M. D., a candidate for Orders, and other zealous workers carried on the enterprise which had been efficiently begun. The Rev. Dr. Schuyler finding his health demanded a change of climate after five years and nine months of service, resigned July 1, 1868, and accepted a call to Grace Church, Orange, N. J where he now resides.

The Rev. Walton W. Battershall, of Ravenswood, L. I., became the third Rector Jan 1, 1869. In this year a corona was hung in the chancel and a bell over the porch at a cost of $950. A lot adjoining the church was also pur-

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chased and a rectory built in 1869-'70, at a cost of $5,147.

The interest of Hope Chapel demanding more attention than the Rector could bestow, the Rev. Mr, Battershall, advised • and sustained by active laymen interested in the mission, invited the Rev. Daniel Flack, of Faribault, Minn., to assist him in that work, June 10,1870, and to take charge of the parish school, which had been established in the Sunday School building. The mission was one year later organized into an independent parish, with the cordial consent of the Vestry of Christ Church, under the name of St. Clement's, and the Rev. Mr. Flack became its first Rector.

The Rev Mr. Battershall severed his connection with the parish Aug. 1,1874, and acce'pted the rectorship of St. Peter's Church, Albany, which position he still holds.

The Rev. Joseph L. Tucker was called to the Rectorship Feb, 17, 1875. The work of decorating the chancel, which had been some time in contemplation, was, this Spring, completed at the expense of one liberal parishioner as a memorial offering. Mr. Tucker's ministry was terminated by his resignation, to take effect Oct. 15, 1877, when he returned to the'South to accept the rectorship of St. Andrew's Church Jackson, Miss., where he still resides. '

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The Rev. W. D'Orville Doty was called from St. Paul's Church, Waterloo, Oct. 15, 1877, and assumed the Rectorship on the first Sunday in Advent, December 2. He immediately addressed himself to the work of paying off the church encumbrances, his efforts being crowned with such success that on the first Sunday in Lent, 1883, he was able to make the gratifying announcement that for the first time in the history of the parish, it was entirely free from debt, over $14,000 having been collected and paid through the agency of the Parish Aid Society.

Arrangements were at once made to secure the consecration of the church on Easter Even.

A new altar was placed in position on Maundy Thursday, the offering of the older members of the Church, the carved decorations thereon being paid for by the newer members. The consecration took place on Easter Even, Bishop Coxe officiating, assisted by all the city clergy, who left their Lenten labors to " rejoice with them that do rejoice.'

The Rev. Mr. Doty was honored with the degree of Doctor of Divinity by Griswold College, Davenport, Iowa, at its last commencement. He remains Rector after a ministry, to Sept. 1st, of five years and nine months.

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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

The parish was organized on the Free Church basis. The envelope system was soon adopted to systematize the collection of the people's offerings. Seats began to be assigned during Dr. Schuyler's rectorship to families and individuals, and in that of his successor a specific rental was placed upon each pew. The current income of the church for the year ending Sept.

I, was $5-570.35RECTOR,

The Rev. W. D'Orville Doty, D. D. WARDENS.

J. Moreau Smith,

D. M. Dewey.

VESTRYMEN,

J. H. Nellis, S. V. McDowell, Robt. Cartwright, John A. Davis,

Frank A. Ward, A. C. Walker, E. W. Osburn, W. J. Ashley.

CLERK OF VESTRY,

Albert C. Walker.

TREASURER,

Frank A. Ward.

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of The Church of the Good Shepherd owes its origin to the indefatigable exertions of the Rev. Dr. Claxton, who erected the building, the corner-stone being laid by him, Sept. 23, 1863, and the first service being held July 31, 1864. His assistant, the Rev. DeWitt C. Loop, had some time previously conducted cottage services at the residences of Mr. John Greenwood and Mr. Robert Newman, and performed much pastoral labor in the neighborhood.

Upon the removal of Dr. Claxton from the city, his successor in St. Luke's took a warm interest in the work and devoted his first attention to this portion of the parish. The chapel, however, was, in the Fall of 1866, yielded to the care'of the St. Matthew's Church Mission, at the earnest solicitation of the Bishop and other clergy, and in the hope of thereby securing a practical unity among the city parishes in the work of church extension. Upon the dissolution of the Mission organization, in June, 1867, the chapel reverted to St. Luke's, and the Rec-

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tor made immediate provision for sustaining the services without interruption.

After two more years of " nursing care and protection," the Rev. Mr. Anstice, with the Bishop's approval, organized the congregation into a separate parish, March 29, 1869. John Greenwood and George Cummings were elected Wardens, and Thomas Thompson, Thomas Tamblingson, William Attridge, Jr., Robert G. Newman, Samuel Attridge, William Webb, Walter Williamson and Charles H. Finch were elected Vestrymen. The Rev. Jacob Miller, who had been ministering in the congregation for twenty months as assistant to the Rev. Mr. Anstice, was, on nomination by the latter, elected the first Rector. Forty-one families and fifty-one communicants were at once transferred to the new organization. The partition in the building was soon removed, additional seats inserted and a vestry-room added in the rear.

Upon the removal of the first Rector to Philadelphia, Sept. 1, 1869, the parish was subjected to much trial in irregularity of ministerial service. The Rev. J. Newton Spear was called in December, and roused much hopefulness among the people; but sickness overtook him and the flock was once more shepherdless. The Rev. Jas. S. Barnes next entered on the field May 1, 1870, but left within six months. The

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Rev. Fred. W. Raikes, Deacon, accepted the charge Dec. 15, 1870, and after a minstry of two years and more, resigned to take effect April 1, 1873. He was followed at once by the Rev. Benj. W. Stone, D. D., under whose administraration a new organ was purchased and sundry improvements effected in the church property.

His resignation took effect after an incumbency of eight years, April 1, 1881, when he took charge of St. Barnabas' Church, Reading, Pa., where he now resides.

The Rev. Byron Holley, jr., Deacon, followed immediately as the minister of the Good Shepherd, remaining in this position until his removal June 19, 1882, to Darien, Ga., in which diocese he was advanced to the Priesthood May 3, 1883, and is still Rector of St. Andrew's Church in that place.

The Rev. James Stoddard, of Suspension Bridge, was called to the rectorship June 29th, and entered upon his duties on the first of the ensuing August.

The Church was supported at first on the basis of voluntary subscriptions, the seats being free, which plan has been substantially maintained by the use of the " Envelope System," introduced during the incumbency of the Rev. Mr. Holley, sittings being assigned to families in regular attendance. The Church is free from

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debt. The current income for the year ending Sept. i, 1883, was $731.66.

The present officers are: RECTOR,

The Rev. James Stoddard.

WARDENS,

Geo. Cummings,

John Attridge.

VESTRYMEN,

Andrew Erhardt, James LeLievre, Thomas Attridge, Geo. H. Cummings,

Thomas Baxendale, Fred. Sparks, Geo. Hoare, Jas. LeLievre, jr.

CLERK OF VESTRY,

Geo. Hoare.

TREASURER,

Geo. Cummings.

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The inception of St. James' Parish was due to the Rev. Dr. Israel Foote, rector of St. Paul's, who accepted the offer of an eligible lot on Grant Park from Mrs. F. Galusha and devised means to build thereon. The cornerstone of the church was laid by Bishop Coxe, July 18th, 1875.

The missionary committee having charge of the enterprise, Messrs. John Morris, John Southall, Chas. S. Cook and Wm. H. Wilkins, invited, with the Bishop's approval, the Rev. James H. Dennis, of Victor, to take charge of the enterprise. The first service was held June 5, 1876, at which time the Church was consecrated by Bishop Coxe, and the Rev. Mr. Dennis began his work. The value of the property including land was estimated at $13,121. The building is intended as the nave of the future church and is constructed of gray Lockport sandstone with trimmings from Medina.

A Sunday School was organized on the following Sunday with 5 teachers and 45 scholars.

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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

The meeting of the congregation to incorporate themselves was held Aug. 17, 1876. The Rev. Jas. H. Dennis presided, and Chas. S. Cook acted as Clerk. Seventeen voters were present. Joseph T. Cox and Wm. H. Wilkins were elected Wardens, and John Morris, Geo. S. Burley, C. S. Cook, E. J. Shackleton, J. H. Hathaway, A. J. Masters, Albert Rogers and •Geo. J. Barnett, Vestrymen. The corporate name adopted was " The Church of St. James the Greater," but by general consent the latter part of the title has fallen into disuse.

Plans for a parish building for Sunday School and social purposes, prepared by the Rector, were approved by the Vestry Nov. 5, 1878, and the corner stone laid on the ensuing St. John's Day, by Bishop Coxe. The edifice was completed Easter, 1881, at a cost of $3,053.55, and has proved of incalculable value in the work of the parish. The stained-glass windows were given by the Sunday School of St. Luke's Church, and members of that parish also contributed $1,300 toward the building fund.

The working organizations of the parish are, a Guild, organized in 1878 with 50 members for mutual improvement and Church work, and the Sunday School Workers' Association, organized in 1882, with a limited number of 30 members.

The Guild procured the organ in the church, at

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a cost of $250, and the latter association purchased the piano in the parish building for $400.

The Rector is now engaged in raising funds to secure a rectory and has obtained subscriptions amounting to $2,200, out of the $3,500 necessary for the purpose.

St. James is supported by the " Envelope System," sittings being assigned to contributors. The current income for the year ending Sept. 1, 1883, was $1,341.47.

The officers of the Church are: RECTOR,

The Rev. James H. Dennis.

WARDENS,

Geo. Nicholson,

John Morphy.

VESTRYMEN,

Enos Baldwin, W. H. Bemish, Eric E. Havill, Wm. Sweeting,

E. J. Shackleton, Jos. T. Cox, Jr., John Morris, Chas. S. Cook.

CLERK,

Enos Baldwin.

TREASURER,

Chas. S. Cook.

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of t(|e The nucleus of the congregation of the Church of the Epiphany was gathered by the Rev. Henry Anstice, Rector of St. Luke's, in the Winter of 1866-7, by cottage services in the 8th Ward. The cornerstone of the building was laid by him July 23, 1868, and the opening service was held Feb. 28, 1869, the Rev. W. W. Raymond being then the Assistant Minister.

The Rev. Geo. S. Baker entered upon the duties of this position Aug. 14, 1870, and to his ministry is largely due the growth and prosperity of the enterprise, John Hancock and Romeyn Boughton being the chief helpers among the laity.

A lot adjoining the chapel having been secured, a parsonage house was built thereon in 1872, at a cost of $4,000.

The Rev. C. M. Nickerson succeeded the Rev. Mr. Baker Nov. 1, 1875, and after ministering until Sept. 13, 1876, in the relation of assistant, he was elected Rector at that date when the organization of a parish was effected.

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The Rev. Dr. Anstice presided at the meeting and Frank R. Plummer acted as clerk. Messrs.

J. H. Martindale and Romeyn Boughton were elected Wardens, and John Hancock, David Fairman, F. W. Bergh, James Ratcliffe, W. H. Cross, F. R. Plummer, John Clements and J. H Stedman, Vestrymen. One hundred and seventy families and two hundred and two communicants were transferred from St. Luke's, and the Vestry were put in legal possession of the property, consisting of the church and rectory valued at $18,000.

The Church, having always been free from debt, was consecrated by the Bishop of the Diocese on the Feast of the Epiphany, 1877, eighteen of the Rev. clergy testifying their interest by being present at the solemnity.

The Rev. Mr. Nickerson resigned the rectorship Jan. 1, 1881, to accept a call to Trinity Church, Lansingburgh, his present residence.

He was succeeded by the Rev. Amos Skeele, of Holyoke, Mass., who was called March 21, 1881, and entered at once upon the field.

In 1882, a commodious chancel with a window of exquisitely beautiful stained glass was added to the church, in memory of Mrs. Julia Hills Mumford, by one of the Wardens. The improvement included a robing-room, organchamber, and on the opposite side an apartment for the Sunday-School library, and other

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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

uses. For the purpose of placing a new organ in the chamber provided for it, $2,150 was raised by the congregation.

The chapel of the Epiphany was supported from the outset by the " Envelope Plan,' which was continued under the Church organization until Easter, 1883, when the Vestry unanimously decided it to be for the interest of the parish to discontinue the free-seat system and to rent the pews. The current income of the Church averages about $700 per annum.

The present officers are : RECTOR,

The Rev. Amos Skeele.

WARDENS,

Geo. E. Mumford,

John Clements.

VESTRYMEN,

Jonas Jones, J. H. Stedman, W. H. Cross, George H. Perkins,

E. W. Tripp, John C. Smith, William S. Oliver, Schuyler Lozier.

CLERK OF VESTRY,

William S. Oliver.

TREASURER,

John C. Smith.

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The first efforts for Church extension in the field now occupied by St. Andrew's Parish, were put forth in 1866 by the City Mission, supported by the four then existing parishes, St. Luke's, St. Paul's, Trinity and Christ Churches.

From June of 1867 the work was carried on by the Rector of Christ Church, to whom it had been assigned, until the Rev. Daniel Flack was appointed to the field June 10, 1870, as assistant to the Rev. Mr. Battershall. A parish was organized July 6, 1871, with the Rev. Daniel Flack as Rector, under the title of St. Clement's Church. A lot was secured and during 1873'74 the Chapel and Chancel of the proposed Church was completed and occupied, the Rev. David A. Bonnar having become Rector Feb. 8, 1874. The Rectory adjoining the Church was erected in 1874—'75. The Guild, in the Spring of 1876, erected a frame building to be used for reading room, sewing school and social purposes, at a cost of $230, the members doing the work. With the exception of this building,

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which was moved off the lot, the property of St. Clement's passed through foreclosure and judgment, into the possession of Mr. Wm. B. Douglas in 1877. The Rev. Mr. Bonnar continued to hold service in the Guild building until Dec. 22, 1878.

The Bishop and Standing Committee having authorized the formation of a new parish in the field formerly occupied by St. Clement's, the organization of St. Andrew's Church was effected Feb. 7, 1879. The services preliminary to organization and until June 1, 1879, w e r e n e ^ by the Rev. Albert Wood.

The first Wardens of the Church were William B. Douglas and William Ratt, and the Vestrymen, John J. Luckett, William Dove, Thomas A. Evans, Frederick Suter, George Yeares, Abner Burbank and Christopher Roberts.

The Rev. A. S. Crapsey, an assistant minister in Trinity Church, New York, was elected first Rector of St. Andrew's and entered upon the field June 1, 1879. The completion of the plan of the church was undertaken in the following August, and on Whitsunday, May 16, 1880, it was consecrated by the Bishop of the.Diocese, The entire property is valued by the Wardens at $45,000. There is also an endownment fund

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of $15,000. St. Andrew's is a " free church."

Its current income for the year ending Sept. I, 1883, is §2,804.63.

The present officers are : RECTOR,

Rev. A. S. Crapsey.

WARDENS,

William B. Douglas,

John. J. Luckett.

VESTRYMEN,

William Dove, Thomas A. Evans, Frederick Suter, George Yeares, Henry B. Ellwanger, Samuel L. Selden, Henry S.Crabbe.

CLERK OF VESTRY,

Thomas A. Evans.

TREASURER,

William Dove.

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In the Summer of 1878, a mission on a moderate scale, under the name of St. Mark's Mission, was begun in the northeast quarter of the city, by the Rev. Albert Wood. The first service was held June 30, 1878, in an unused building corner of North and Wadsworth Sts., and service was continued regularly thereafter on Sunday evenings, with a Sunday School in the afternoon. In November, 1879, the mission was removed to a more convenient room, corner of Channing St. and Concord Ave., where its services and Sunday and Sewing Schools have continued to be held up to this time.

Rent is paid for this building, and the mission as yet possesses no property except the chapel furniture. The usual attendance at the services ranges from twenty to forty. The Sunday School has eight teachers and over a hundred scholars, the attendance ranging from sixty to a hundred.

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tssion.

This effort to establish the Church in East Rochester was undertaken by the Rev. Dr. J. A. Massey, formerly of Mobile, Ala., at the instance of a number of the clergy and laity, who felt that the time had come for a missionary movement in this field. A Sunday School had been maintained on or near University Ave. for some two years, and another on Park Ave. for one Summer by Church workers in the vicinity.

In May, 1882, the Rev. Dr. Massey, with the cordial approval of the Rev. Mr. Doty, the nearest Rector, and the other city clergy, and with the official sanction of the Bishop, began prospecting in the field, and in September fully entered on the work. Three lots were purchased on Hawthorn St., extending through to Culver Park, 120 x 140 feet, and on the 12th of February a chapel 46 x 24 feet was commenced, which was finished and occupied on the 1st of April, the Rev. Mr Doty and the Rev. Drs. Platt and Anstice making addresses at the opening service.

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The cost of the chapel with all its appointments complete was $2,063.40, of which over $400 was contributed by ladies of St. Luke's, to furnish the chancel and provide the font, altar, linen and sterling-silver communion service.

The total gifts of St. Luke's parishioners toward the building and site amount to $1,263.95.

The first visitation of the Bishop occurred on the 10th of June. Two services each Sunday and a Sunday School have been regularly sustained since the chapel was opened, with a gratifying attendance.

The property is held in trust for the future Church organization by the Rev. Dr. J. A. Massey, Richard Wright, (who was architect and builder of the chapel,) Charles P. Boswell and Wm. H. Averill.

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ome, This institution sprung from the conviction of the Clergy and Laity that the Church should possess and control a Home where her orphan and destitute children might be cared for and taught, and aged communicants be sheltered in their declining years. The idea was first broached by the Rev. Dr. Claxton,of St. Luke's, and readily adopted by the other Clergy. The offerings at the joint services on Maundy Thursday were for several years devoted to forming the nucleus of a fund for the establishment of such an institution.

Under appointment by their respective Rectors, five ladies from each of the four then existing parishes, met on the 1st of June 1868, for the purpose of organizing a Church Home.

The officers elected were Mrs. Geo. H. Mumford, Pres.; Mrs. D. M. Dewey, Vice Pres.; Mrs. Edward M. Smith, Cor. Sec; Mrs. J. L. Booth, Rec. Sec; and Miss Mary J. Clark, Treas.

On the 2nd of July, a letter was received from Mr. G. R. Clark, and Mr. G. E. Mum-

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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

ford, proposing to give for the purposes of the Home, a house and lot on Mt. Hope Avenue, valued at $5,300, which offer was most gratefully accepted, and a meeting of the lady managers was held on the premises July 21, 1868.

The Home was soon filled with inmates, and the necessity of increased accommodation being evident, a committee of gentlemen was appointed to solicit subscriptions for the erection of a new building upon the site, and Mr. George R. Clark was requested to act as the building committee.

The corner-stone was laid by the Rev. Henry Anstice, in the absence of the Bishop, April 20, 1869, and on the 26th of October, the building was formally opened, all the city clergy taking part in the exercises of the occasion. The total cost of the new structure was nearly $15,000.

The Institution was incorporated July 24, 1869, with a board of thirteen trustees, the certificate being filed September 20, in the County Clerk's office and in the office of the Secretary of State, September 21. Mr. George R. Clark was elected President; Rev. Dr. Foote, VicePresident ; George H. Humphrey, Secretary, and John H. Rochester, Treasurer. The practical management of the Home remained, under the legal organization, in the hands ofthe Board of Lady Managers.

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CHURCH HOME.

145

The desirability of still further increased facilities being apparent, the lady managers resolved, March 5, 1880, that "The interests of the Home require the erection of an additional building;" which resolution was approved by the Trustees and a building committee consisting of Messrs. Mumford, Douglas, Perkins and Rochester, were appointed to prepare and execute the necessary plans. The new wing was completed and thrown open at the annual donation reception, Nov. 18, 1880. Its cost was $11,590.44.

The present number of inmates is eleven old ladies and thirty-four children. Mrs. Sarah E. Godfrey is the matron, and Mrs. Albert Wood the teacher. The Rev. Fortune C Brown has officiated as Chaplain by appointment of the city clergy, since April, -1879. Services are maintained every Sunday in the chapel.

The Home is supported by monthly collections in the churches, and individual donations from its friends. There are, however, invested funds held by the Trustees amounting to $8,787, the income of which is applicable to the purposes of the Home. The annual expenditure averages $4,500.

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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

The present officers of the Board of Lady Managers of tho Church Home are : PRESIDENT,

Mrs. D. M. Dewey.

VICE PRESIDENT,

Mrs. Hiram Sibley.

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY,

Mrs. M. M. Mathews.

RECORDING SECRETARY,

Mrs. W. C. Rowley.

TREASURER,

Miss C. L. Rochester.

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tatfette fa %at\\t%\tt,

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148

GENERAL STATISTICS. FOR THE YEAR ENDING SEPT. 1, 1883.

U

St. Luke's,

41

24

2O

36 $I4,5O2 28

St. Paul's,

23

37

7

17

6,299 3 1

Trinity,

45

20

5

IO

3-564 15

Christ,

32

27

14

3O

9-859 33

Good Shepherd,

18

9

8

16

794 37

St. James',

14

8

10

16

2,007 8 7

Epiphany,

5i

12

10

2O

4,161 55

St. Andrew's,

32

19

16

13

4,375 88

St. Mark's,

7

1

3

54 09

St. John's,

4

3

4

2,791 05

Church Home,

6

1

3

35 00

Totals,

2

73 156

OFF

£

BUR:IALS.

i

S

MAR

i

s

NAMES.

95 158 $48,444 88

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GENERAL STATISTICS.

149

SITTINGS IN CHUBCH.

S. S. SCHOLARS.

S. S- TBACHBSS.

COMMUNICANTS.

NAMES.

FAMILIES.

|

STATE OF THE CHCTRCH SEPT. 1, 1883.

St. Luke's,

312

579 44

348 9OO

St. Paul's,

2OO

382

20

151

7OO

Trinity,

I3O

180

16

I4O

52O

Christ,

234

440 23

236

6OO

Good Shepherd,

67

112

9

79

2OO

St. James',

IOO

120

3O

300

3OO

Epiphany,

157

225

20

165

3OO

St. Andrew's,

159

225

16

150

6OO

St. Mark's,

15

16

8

120

8O

St. John's,

21

18

8

70

I7O

23

2

28

6O

Church H o m e , Totals,

1395

2320 196

1787 443°

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3 9077 0 3 1 1 4 4 8 3 8