Brooklyn Daily Standard Union
13 March 1909

In that part of the Ridgewood section where the population is distinctively 
German-American, and where the songs of the fatherland are still sung with 
true patriotic feeling, is located the Knickerbocker Avenue Methodist 
Episcopal Church. The edifice at Knickerbocker avenue and Ralph street is 
unimposing and stands in a section of the borough which, within the last ten 
years has made remarkable strides in building and commercial enterprises.

STRUGGLE FROM THE START
   The beginning of the church was most inauspicious. Even away back in 1888 
it was a struggle for a few persons from the Bushwick Avenue Methodist 
Episcopal Church to start a Sunday school in Ridgewood. At that time 
Ridgewood was in the land of goats and green fields. Only the furrows in the 
farmers gardens were visible to the eye. Here and there a pale streak of 
smoke coming from the chimney of a farmhouse could be seen. The community, if 
such it may be called, was dominated by peaceful rusticity.
   The Bushwick Avenue M. E. Church was one of the recognized institutions of 
the Methodist denomination. Its success had been lightning like; the Sunday 
school had grown in membership wonderfully, but it was not easy for the 
children of farmers to attend the Bible classes; no roads had been built, and 
it was thought best to organize a Bible class for Ridgewood.
   A little store was rented in a lonely stone building at Gates and Irving 
avenues, and a Bible class and mission started. The mission was run under the 
supervision of the Bushwick Avenue Church, of which Frank J. BROWN was the 
head. Mr. BROWN is a man who will go down in church history as the guiding 
spirit of church organization in the Ridgewood and Bushwick sections. He is 
at present superintendent of the Bushwick M. E. Church, which has the largest 
Sunday school in the Methodist denomination in this city. When the new 
mission was opened he began work with a will to get new members. The school 
invited the children who played in the fields to join. In two years the 
mission had grown to such proportions that the advisability of organizing a 
permanent church was taken under consideration by the committee of the mother 
church.
   On August 4, 1890, upon the suggestion of the Rev. L. K. MOORE, then 
pastor of the Bushwick Avenue Church, the Knickerbocker Avenue M. E. Church 
was organized.
   A feature of the church work is the Cradle Roll. Infants are enrolled as 
members when they are baptized. This work is under the personal direction of 
Pastor FISHER.
   
The membership roll of the church is as follows; 
Joseph J. ADAMS, 
Susan ADAMS, 
Muriel ADAMS, 339 Bleecker st.; 

Margaret ARMITAGE, 1391 Madison st.; 

Robert ANDERSON, 
Mary C. ANDERSON, 324 Knickerbocker av. 
   
Mrs. Adelaide BOYD, 1235 Madison st.; 

William H. H. BOYD, 
Kate BOYD, 227 Tomkins av. Glendale; 

George H.BOYD, 97 Smith st; 

J.W. BOYD, 
Minnie BOYD, 1245 Madison st; 

Annie BANHAM, Keansbury, N. J; 
Emma BECKER, 329 Bleecker st; 
May BRABANI, 1727 Hancock st; 

Mary  BIRNIE, 
Elizabeth BIRNIE,  
Jeanette BIRNIE,  1342 Gates av; 

George A. BENEDICT, 86 Washington ave, Evergreens; 

Louis F. BRUSH, 
Minnie BRUSH, 
Joseph BRUSH, 243 Grove st.; 

Louisa BETZ, 1280 Bleecker st.; 

Hugh BULLOCK, 
Martha BULLOCK, 
Etta BULLOCK, 252 Irving ave.; 

Elizabeth BURKLEY, 35 Smith st.; 
Lillian BAUER, 373 Covert ave.; 
Jennie BLINN, 586 Knickerbocker ave.; 
Alexander BRIGHT, 
Ida BRIGHT, 118 Melrose st.; 

Charles BENNETT, 
Sarah BENNETT, 500 Knickerbocker ave.; 

Frank BURGHARDT, 
May BURGHARDT, 1439 Gates ave.; 

Ethel BARTH, 502 Knickerbocker ave.; 
Mary BOMBARA 1392 Green ave.
Mary A. CALDWELL, 457 Grove st. 

Fred CHURCH, 
Lillian CHURCH, 1344 Jefferson ave.; 

Mary CLARK, 
Edna CLARK, 134 Himrod st. 

Clarence CARMAN, Frenchtown, NJ; 

Mrs. George CLOSSETT, 
Anna CLOSSETT, 197 Palmetto st. 

Lottie CONKLIN 267 Hamburg ave.; 

Joseph E., Katharine, Florence, Ida M. 527 Knickerbocker ave.

Elizabeth ERDOESY, 1757 Greene ave,

Lucinda ELLINGWORTH, 
Lucy ELLINGWORTH, 1037 Jefferson ave.; 

Mary EHRHARD, 388 Melrose st.; 
Mary E. EARL, 383 Cooper ave, Glemdale; 
Kate ENGEL, 200 Starr st.
Ella D. FRANK, 246 Stockholm st.; 
Mrs. George FIELDING, 832 Knickerbocker ave.; 

Effie M. FISHER, 
Allie-Ruth FISHER, 
Robert M. FISHER, 325 Palmetto st.;
 
Jennie FREUND, 381 Bleecker st.; 
Grace P. FIELDING, 125 North ave. Dunellen, NJ
   
Mary HERRMANN, 
John HERRMANN, 
Freda HERRMANN, 647 Hamburg ave.; 

F. J. HEDENBERG, 1330 Gates ave.; 
Louisa HORN, 491 Central ave.; 

Anna HARRIS, 
May HARRIS, 88 Clermont ave.; 

Minnie HERPICK, 274 Bleecker st.; 
Edward M. HERRSCHAFT, 1572 Greene ave.;  
Ella HANKS, 110 Sherman st.; 

James W. HOLBROOK, 
Eva HOLBROOK, 467 Himrod st.; 

George W.HOLBROOK, 
Elizabeth, HOLBROOK, 
Sarah HOLBROOK, 469 Himrod st.; 
   
Mrs. Arthur IRONS, 349 Grove st.
Jennie L. JOHNSON, 23 President st.; 
Caroline JACKENS, 1224 Gates ave.; 

G. H. JACKSON, 
Annie I. JACKSON, 1235 Madison st.;
 
Lizzie JENSEN, 231 Stanhope st.; 

William JENKINS, 
Caroline JENKINS, 74 Edsall ave.; 

Axel JOHANSSON, 
Minnie JOHANSSON, 402 Knickerbocker ave.

Adelle KALB, 197 Howard ave.; 

Jennie KENMURE, 
William C. KENMURE, 
Annie KENMURE, 985 Hart st.; 

Mary KUNATH, 77 Eldert st.; 
Charles KUNATH, 1666 Greene ave.; 
Charles KAPPELL, 1299 Greene ave.; 

Henry KOEHLER, 
Johanna KOEHLER, 
Henry KOEHLER, Jr. 
Ella KOEHLER, 262 Covert ave.; 

Mary KURTZ, 297 Grove st.   
Mrs. LEONHARDT, 355 Grove st.; 
Edgar LENZ, 466 Grove st.
Emma C. MACKEY, 1353 Hancock st.; 
Annie METLER, 397 Central ave.; 

Margaret McMAHON, 
Hugh McMAHON, 
James McMAHON, Irving ave.; 

Charles MILLER, 716 Woodbine st.; 
Louisa MILLER, 30 Fayette st.; 
Mamie MILLER, 268 St. Nicholas ave.; 
Dora MILLER, 860 Knickerbocker av.; 
Emma MILLER, 250 Stanhope st.; 
Mary MONTGOMERY, 278 Bleecker st.; 

Fred MULLER, 
Fred MULLER Jr. 161 Cornelia st.; 

Wm. MOORE, 319 Ralph st.; 

Katie MEYER, 
Louise MEYER, 
Charles MEYER, 265 Palmetto st.; 

George MERDES, 
Arthur MERDES, 
Frances MERDES, 163 Monitor st. Greenpoint; 

Margaret MAURER, 275 St. Nicholas st.; 
Isabelle MOORE, 319 Ralph st.; 
Henry MILLER, 465 Bleecker st.; 
Emily K. MAYBECK, 1208 Greene ave.; 
David R. MARSLAND, Hempstead, L.I.
   
Webster NESBIT, 
Sarah NESBIT, 
Doretta M. NESBIT, 
William NESBIT, 182 Ralph st.; 

Mary NIMMO, 511 Ralph st.
   
Louis A. OGER, 
Lizzie OGER 200 Harman st.; 

Clifford ORBELL, 
Ada ORBELL, 349 Irving st.; 
   
May PERRINE, 1334 Jefferson av.; 
Minnie P. PETERSON, 470 Harmon st.;

L. QUENZER, 
Irene QUENZER, 
Hugh QUENZER, 288 Woodbine ave.
   
William R. RULE, 620 Palmetto st.; 
Camelia RONDO, 197 Howard ave.; 
Sadie M. ROBINSON, 511 Ralph st.; 

Mary ROSS, 
Lillian ROSS,  1389 Madison st.;

Minnie RADCLIFF, 1591 Grave st.; 

Christine M. ROBERTS, 293 Himrod st.; 

Dr. J. N. ROE, 
Maggie O. ROE, 
Alice ROE, 1445 Gates ave.; 
   
Warren SMITH, 
Elthea SMITH, 
Stella SMITH, 102 Eldert st.; 

Lillian SCHITZLER, 
Florence SCHITZLER 170 Palmetto st.; 

Louise SUFFA, 
Lizzie SUFFA, 402 Evergreen ave.; 

William P. STEPP, 
Julia STEPP, 
Mary STEPP, 1244 Myrtle ave.; 

Mrs. Maggie SCHOTLER, 404 Stanhope st.; 

Mrs. SINGERHOFF; 

Miss F. SMELTZER, 1078 Bushwick ave.; 

Frances SCHLIG, 217 Hopkinson ave.; 

Hilda A. SMITH, 
Richard SMITH, 437 Linden st.; 

Susan H. SCHADE, 
Elizabeth SCHADE,; 525 Knickerbocker ave.
 
Rev. J. L. SERVISS, 
Emma SERVISS, 1397 Madison st.; 

Emma SCHILL, 290 Linden st.; 
Charles M. SCHOEPPLER Jr., Grove st.; 

Louis SCHOEPPLER, 
Nicholas SCHOEPPLER, 316 Hamburg av.; 
Rosina SCHOEPPLER, 317 Hamburg av.; 

Charles SCHOEPPLER, 
Effie SCHOEPPLER, 144 Grove st.; 

Henry SCHOEPPLER, 
Lucy SCHOEPPLER, 193 Woodbine st.; 

Theresa B. STUDLER, 509 Ralph st.; 
Phoebe SCHAEFER, 163 Covert st.   
Mary J. TEEPE, 449 Himrod st. 

Mary TROUT, 
Charles TROUT, 212 Bleecker st.; 

Sadie TRACY, 1065 Hancock st.; 
C.J. TAYLOR, 
Julia L. TAYLOR, 325 Bleecker st.; 

Grace THOMPSON, 
Stanley THOMPSON, Grant ave. Richmond Hill. 

Bertha VALLENDOR, 
Carrie VALLENDOR, 406 Central ave. 

William WALLACE, 
Charlotte WALLACE, 267 Cooper st.; 

Kate WHITE, 463 Grove st.; 
Rose WILHELM, 243 Irving ave.; 
Marie WOLFANGER, 61 Ocean View ave. Forest Park. 

Frank WALTER, 
Edna WALTER, 
Susie WALTER, 
Florence WALTER, 268 St. Nicholas ave.; 

Sadie WELCH, 
Mabel WELCH, 
Lyman WELCH, 261 Palmetto. 

Frank K. WILKINS, 
Grace K. WILKINS, 435 Ralph st.

CHURCH DEPARTMENTS: 
   The various church departments are officers as follows; 
Sunday School Hugh BULLOCK, 
superintendent; Edward M HERRMANN, 
assistant superintendent; C. H. TAYLOR, 
honorary superintendent; S. H.  RENTON, 
secretary; William WALLACE, 
assistant secretary; Will NESBIT, 
assistant secretary; Frank WALTER, 
assistant secretary; Richard SMITH, 
treasurer; Elizabeth BIRNIE, 

Primary Department; 
superintendent Rose WILHELM, 
assistant superintendent, Louisa HORN, 
assistant superintendent, Ida CHANCE, organist

Sunday School Orchestra -- 
Julia TAYLOR, organist; 
Fredrick CHURCH, mandolin; 
Henry GOUGH, violin; 
Fred MULLER, Jr., violin.

Home Department --- Visitors; 
Jennie L. JOHNSON, superintendent; 
Mrs. J. J. ADAMS, assistant superintendent; 
Mrs. Hugh BULLOCK, secretary and treasurer; 
Mrs. Caroline JACKINS, 
Mrs. Mary NIMMO, 
Mrs. Clifford ORBELL, 
Mrs. Mary MONTGOMERY

Cradle Roll --- 
Elizabeth BIRNIE, superintendent; 
Jennie L. JOHNSON, assistant superintendent.

Epworth League --- 
Edward M. HERRSCHAFT, president; 
William NESBIT, first vice president; 
G. H. JACKSON, second vice president; 
Edna WALTER, third vice president; 
Elizabeth BIRNIE, fourth vice president; 
Sophie SCHLOSS, secretary; 
Lillian SCHITZLER, treasurer; 
Mary STEPP, organist.

Junior League --- 
Mrs. F. P. FISHER, superintendent; 
Louise MEYER, president; 
Florence WALTER, first vice president; 
Paul ROE, second vice president; 
Katie MEYER, third vice president; 
May BURGHARDT, fourth vice president; 
Mabel WELCH, secretary; 
Sadie WELCH, assistant secretary; 
Allie Ruth FISHER, treasurer.
   
Young Men's W. W. E. Bible Class --- 
G. H. JACKSON, president; 
Henry SCHOEPPLER, vice president; 
William MOORE, secretary; 
Clifford ORBELL, treasurer; 
Joseph E. CHACE, assistant treasurer; 
Henry MILLER, assistant secretary; 
F, P. FISHER, teacher.
   
Young Woman's O. U. C. D.  Bible Class --- 
Mary STEPP, president; 
Edna WALTER, vice president; 
Mabel HALLAM, secretary;
Bertha KAPPELL, treasurer, 
Jennie FREUND, custodian; 
J. J. ADAMS, teacher; 
Emma MILLER, chairman Social committee.

Boys' Brigade --- 
Battery F: Frank BURGARDT, captain; 
Robert BETZ, first lieutenant; 
Fred DREWES, second lieutenant.

Transcriber: Phil Barth
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